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+--- Thread: Balshaw's Grammar School (/thread-52.html)
- Derrick - 09-Mar-2007
Derrick to Shuffy. I thought it was you,Dedrah, but better to ask. Perfectly good Northern name... I do remember you (and can, as for many of my contemporaries, visualise what you looked like - admittedly some while back, and in school uniform).
Derrick
- Derrick - 12-Mar-2007
Derrick to Anacortesdamp,
Well you fetched up in a nice spot. My wife and I had a super few weeks vacation in Washington State about ten years ago - we even stayed in Anacortes a couple of nights. Great place.I used to spend about 6 weeks every year in the US, in Dallas, Texas on business - never tempted to move there.... the Pacific NorthWest would have been much more of a temptation, but not on offer in my career (though I guess there was Intel in Portland, where one of my friends and former colleagues ended up..).
I recall also being assigned the arts subjects when I went on to the Sixth - History English and something else; but got rescued to do the Maths, Physics and Chemistry of my choice. Don't remember too much trauma for my parents requesting the change. Maybe your experience made it easier for those that followed (always the fate of the pioneer- to be found on the trail with an arrow in the back). If so, a belated thanks. I was fortunate to develop a taste for serious literature and history while at Balshaw's- which has been very satisfying in my spare time; and have had a very good career in semiconductor engineering. I figure though there are various enjoyable levels of amateur reader, musician, historian etc.; amateur scientists and engineers can't really do a lot. I certainly wouldn't like to fly in a airliner cobbled together as a hobby. Lucky to have the best of both worlds.
Regards- Derrick
- Derrick - 13-Mar-2007
I remember A.J. Bourne well - the star of school plays, and thus a heroic figure, in my earlier years at Balshaw's. He was a superb amateur actor. He had leading roles in the following, as far as I remember (possibly got the order wrong):
1954 "The Pirates of Penzance"
1955 "The Happiest Days of Your Life"
1956 "She Stoops to Conquer"
1957 " The Prodigious Snob" ( translation of "Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme" - I had minor roles of the Philosopher, and the Grand Mufti.
1958 "The School for Scandal" - I had minor role of Sir Oliver Surface.
I rose in the ranks of thesps by the sixth form so in
1959 "The Mikado" - I was Pooh Bah
1960 "The Importance of Being Earnest(interesting to see Mr. Wilson did another production a few years later - I think Mr. Downer produced ours)- I was John Worthing.
1961 "Tartuffe" (more Moliere adapted into English by Miles Malleson)- I was Tartuffe.
Ah, yes - I remember it well.
If you fancied acting, there were plenty of opportunities at Balshaw's in the 50s. - not only the school plays- but also entertainments at the several parties. I also recall an attempt in my 3rd or 4th form at "Electra" by Sophocles. This was not unleased on the long-suffering parents, but was shown at least to some (if not all) of the school. I do recall struggling with some ill-defined length of sheeting, nominally intended as the costume of a Greek king (Aegisthus) having to summon the courage to utter to the ribald mob (my form) the lines "Woe, woe, I am undone!". I fear the effect of this was more "Up, Pompeii" than Greek tragedy. Its amazing what one remembers.
Derrick
- Fur Seal - 13-Mar-2007
Hi Derrick
Good to hear of/from you. Memories of two then large gents at the tail end of Brown-inspired cross countries, and you and Briers carrying off the acad honours. Glad to see you made it to Cantab. I eventually did for my postgrad, despite Balshaws! I went into polar and marine biology (whales/seals) and eventually put the anchor down at a university in atlantic Canada where I am now very involved in international development, largely with institutions in E Africa. Please say hi to D Briers, I belive he knew another Tom Speakman with whom I used to play what laughingly passed for rugby in leyland Motors XV!
Cheers
Tony (aka Bert) Dickinson
- David Briers - 16-Mar-2007
Message mainly for Tony Dickinson and Derrick Robinson.
Mention of my name on the Forum has awakened me from my West Wales slumbers!
Yes, Tony, of course I knew the "other" Tom Speakman. You probably know that I married his sister! Sadly, both Tom and Elsie died young, Elsie of cancer at the age of 41 in 1985 and Tom of MS at the age of 52 in 1990. It was the diagnosis of Elsie's cancer that prompted us to return from New Zealand (where we were very happy) in 1980. It was also very sad to see the formerly very active Tom confined to a wheelchair for the last few years of his life.
On a happier note, does anyone agree with me that the 1959 "Mikado" was probably the best-ever Balshaws production? Apart from Derrick's magnificent Pooh Bah (by the way, Derrick, welcome to the Forum - glad I told you about it), who could forget Ian Robb's highly amusing (and talented) Koko, or the splendid trio of "Three Little Maids"? (One of these was Valerie Metcalfe, who later married classmate Roger Roocroft and produced one of the UK's leading opera singers, Amanda.) Happy days!
- shuffy - 16-Mar-2007
Yes I have to agree the Mikado was brilliant even better than the one we went on to do at St Ambrose players. Who were they 2 other lillte maids ? can anyone remember?Christine Bennet was the contralto lead if my memory serves me right
- anacortesdamp - 16-Mar-2007
Actually, Tony, Mr. Brown didn't have much to do with cross-country. The villain-in-chief was Mr. Black. You and Derrick may have been at the tail end of the runners, but I used to walk. I was so ticked off at being forced to do that crap after school that I determined that I'd make that smarmy SOB late for his tea every week. I think the latest I ever got back to school was about 6:20 pm. Since we lived at the Towngate end of Church Road, I could go home for a bit and then get back on course opposite St. Mary's church and walk back to school.
Frank
- David Briers - 17-Mar-2007
Glad to hear you agree with me about the 1959 Mikado, Shuffy. The other two maids were Barbara Hitchin and Greta McCalla. (I remember Ian Robb, as Koko, paying Greta a little more attention than the script demanded.....!) My memory - which may be faulty - was that Katisha was played by Jean Walsh. Can anyone confirm that? (Derrick?)
All the best to everyone,
David Briers
- shuffy - 17-Mar-2007
You are probably right I am getting confused Christine played Katisha at St Ambrose, I remember Greta McCall,she also was in the St Ambrose production.
- Derrick - 20-Mar-2007
Hi All,
With reference to "the Mikado" at Balshaw's, Jean Walsh definitely played Katisha. She was also a splendid Miss Prism in "The Importance of Being Earnest", I think a year later. The only named part not mentioned so far was Pish Tush, who I think (not sure) was played by Eric Newsham. Somewhere in a cardboard box at home -hereinafter referred to as "the archive" - I have programs for most of the school productions. Also in the archive a heap of "Balshavian" copies and some school photos. Not seen 'em for years - might one day get to rooting them out. I do know where my vocal score is for "The Mikado" though, since I sometimes sing over numbers with friends.
Derrick