Balshaw's Grammar School

[anacortesdamp]

I'm a bit date-confused abut Susan Bennett. Those of you posting are about 2 years or so behind my BGS travails (in the same year as my wife Eileen), but I remember a Bennett in my class, and I thought her name was Susan. My "graduation" year was 1957, though I made an abortive attempt to continue on in Lower VI and finally admitted defeat in April of 1958.

Her Dad had an electrical shop in that block on Towngate opposite the top of Westgate (now the chippy?). Maybe the Susan you guys know had an older sister whose name I'm confusing? For comparison, Sheila Platt was in my year and her younger sister Kathleen was in Eileen and Dedrah's year.

Were you in the year after them or two years later, Bro?


Frank

[Caroline]

Frank, you must be thinking of her older sister, whose name escapes.. she'd be around your age I think- and yes to the electrical shop.
Caroline
http://artistsmock.blogspot.com/

[jwhi]

I did a blog about art lessons at Balshaw's.
Includes a drawing of the Art Room and photo of pupils with Ralph May... Warning- some seriously retro glasses and hairstyles may upset Forum members of a more tasteful disposition.

http://artistsmock.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.html

Wow that pic of the art room takes me back!
I'm new to the forum and was in the same year as yourself at Balshaw's Caroline......John Whitehead's the name.
I remember Miss Whewell and then Ralph May, a breath of fresh air (I exhibited next to a pic of his in the Lancashire Artists exhibition in Preston, about 1980). Yes I'm still painting, in fact I've just taken one to a local gallery today.
Regards
John

[admin]

Hi John and welcome.

[noel]

Welcome John. I packed in art after year 1 when it was clear I had no concept of perspective. I still draw like a 5 year old.

[jwhi]

Welcome John. I packed in art after year 1 when it was clear I had no concept of perspective. I still draw like a 5 year old.

Art was my favourite subject Noel, particularly when Ralph May taught it. I've never stopped drawing and painting.
Having said that, I made a career in mechanical engineering instead and spent 20-odd years as a college lecturer.
John

[anacortesdamp]

John:

Ralph May and family were our next-door neighbors in Hargreaves Avenue in the early 1960s. I also became an engineer (Royal College of Advanced Technology, Salford, now the University of Salford). Almost all my post-grad work was in the US at Boeing and NASA.

Frank

[jwhi]

John:

Ralph May and family were our next-door neighbors in Hargreaves Avenue in the early 1960s. I also became an engineer (Royal College of Advanced Technology, Salford, now the University of Salford). Almost all my post-grad work was in the US at Boeing and NASA.

Frank

That sounds like serious engineering Frank. Mine was more down-to-earth (if you'll pardon the pun!) at Leyland Motors and then teaching at Wigan College. Leyland sponsored me through Manchester University. Reminds me of a little tale........... you'll remember how the alumni board at BGS only seemed to list those who went on to do arts at Oxbridge, well I returned to Balshaws after I'd left to retake English GCE. When Bleasdale, headteacher, saw me he sneered "I suppose you know all about building diesel engines now"......... Balshavians clearly weren't expected to be craft apprentices.
John

[anacortesdamp]

John:

I didn't consider a B.Sc. in engineering to be a "craft" apprenticeship. BAC did an excellent job of sending one through different groups in the company every few weeks, during the "work experience" months of a sandwich course college schedule. That background came in very useful later, when I was with Boeing.

My apprenticeship/college courses consumed almost 7 years before final graduation - one year day release at the Harris, then a switch to an Ordinary National Diploma sandwich course for two years at Blackpool Tech and finally the B.Sc. sandwich course at Salford for four years.


Frank

[jwhi]

John:

I didn't consider a B.Sc. in engineering to be a "craft" apprenticeship. BAC did an excellent job of sending one through different groups in the company every few weeks, during the "work experience" months of a sandwich course college schedule. That background came in very useful later, when I was with Boeing.

My apprenticeship/college courses consumed almost 7 years before final graduation - one year day release at the Harris, then a switch to an Ordinary National Diploma sandwich course for two years at Blackpool Tech and finally the B.Sc. sandwich course at Salford for four years.


Frank

I spent 7 years in training too come to think of it (after I didn't want to go to art college because 4 years was too long!).
Three years on the shopfloor with OND at the end, another three full time at the Harris like you and then about 18 months for the MSc (which I didn't want to do as I'd just got married, but LM insisted).
It's funny how students today can do a full-time HND in 2 years at 3-4 days a week whereas our generation took 3 years at 4-5 days each week - they must be 'faster learners'!
John