Stand Grammar School Church Lane, Whitefield, Manchester Demolished 2001 AD  Newsflash: Click  for latest news Site Navigation: Your Letters - Contributions from Old Standians   Pictures of the demolition well under way... The words to the School songs Pictures of the School, prior to its demolition Forty Years On...  pictures from the 1950's Pictures from the Demolition Dinner school tour  The History of Stand Grammar School   * New * Newsflash - Howard Jacobson wine the Booker Prize! See here... Picture of First Form, 1966, courtesy of Nev Young Virtual Detention

. What does "Gaudeamus Igitur" mean? Click here to find out!

"Gaudeamus Igitur" will be back when I source an mp3 file. Browsers don't play MIDI files any more

"Gaudeamus Igitur" to you all!

So, from now on, those of you from the old School who contact me will be entered into my Hall of Fame (or maybe my Virtual Detention area) and preserved for all time. In this way, those of us who (as predicted by our old School Reports) turned out to be complete and utter failures will, in some small way, have achieved a measure of immortality.

I will publish the best school stories here, and how good they are will determine whether you are put in the Hall of Fame or in Virtual Detention. Click here to send your stories!

Do you remember the nuckle-rapping woodwork teacher? The physics teacher who could lift you from your seat with your sideburns? Do you remember a  music teacher who used to like to fiddle? And I don't mean violin, if you catch my drift. In his eyes, Head Boy had a very different meaning.  They're all here...

Photos of the Annual Dinner 2014

Tony Bramah and Rowland Kirkman.	Left Sylvia Mills nee Garner (Old girl), Ann Marshall (taught at boys and girls, wife of Warren),  Warren Marshall
Tony Patten  and Jack Booth	L - R:  Jim Cowburn  Geoff Bancroft and, I think,  William Mundy
Peter Bramah and brother Tony Bramah	John Davies (president) speaker David Galloway, Tim Regan (History teacher at Philips High), Chris Trees (Head, Philips High)
Jim Arnold and Barry Carr	Harry Wilkinson (chairman), Tony Sheldon, Alan Dodds, Geoff Minshull (Notes and News)
Howell Evans - or was it Hywel?	Philip Simpson, Gordon Simpson, Alex Cowan (I think) Alan Evans
Stephen Lupton,  Peter Leyland, Jimmy Lomas	Chris Blomerley, David Brindle, David Monks

Stand Grammar School Plaque

The Annual Dinner of the Old Standians Association, 2013

This year’s annual dinner will be held at Stand Golf Club, Ashbourne Grove, Whitefield, on Friday 25^th October 2013.  In order to mark the opening of the school building in Church Lane in 2013, which was then co-educational, the invitation this year has been extended to include the wives of any Association members who attended Stand Girls School. In keeping with this theme celebrating an age of emerging enlightenment, the guest speaker this year will be Beryl Shepherd (nee Wynne), a past pupil and teacher at Stand Girls School.

An application form is here:  Dinner.pdf

Movie Trivia

Lawrence McGinty makes it onto University Challenge Christmas Edition

The Annual Dinner of the Old Standians Association, 2012

The Dinner was held in the Memorial Hall, Longfield Suite, Prestwich, on Friday 30 November 2012.   Any photos, anyone?

Latest News

• Tony Wilding died peacefully in Bury Hospice on Thursday, 10th May. His funeral took place at Stand Church on Friday 18th May.
  

• It is with great regret that I would like to inform you of the death of my father, Peter Dean, Old Standian (1930's), who died peacefully in his sleep on the 5th May 2012 at Cranmer House in Fakenham, Norfolk at the age of 89 years. He had fond memories of his days at Stand Grammar and was a proud possessor of the school scarf and tie. His funeral will be at All Saints Church, High Kelling, Norfolk on Monday 14th May at 11.00 am.

• Dave Jones has brought to my attention the obituary of  Eric Roseberry, from The Guardian, 31 March 2012:   http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/mar/19/eric-roseberry-obituary 

• Dave Bellairs and David Jones  have also unearthed this one, but not being a sportsman, it had passed me by! http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/9334813/Clive-Gammon.html

Some homework for you!

The Annual Dinner of the Old Standians Association, 2011

The Dinner was held in the Memorial Hall, Longfield Suite, Prestwich, on Friday 25 November 2011.   Has anyone got any photographs for me?

The Annual Dinner of the Old Standians Association, 2010

Just trying to get a general view of the room	Whoops, didn't mean to wake you, Phil! ;o)
Phil Hargreaves gets a plaque commemorating his long service as OSA President.
	Now we know what the B in P. B. H. stood for!
Lawrence McGinty kicks off his reminiscences. 'What a lot of white hair! I hope it's a mild winter...'	I fell in with a bad crowd and got dragged to The Church Inn. I hadn't been here in years! Thanks, guys!

Newsflash

I'll start by introducing myself, my name is Andrew Crossfield and I am  Brien's son, It is with a great amount of sadness that I let you know of my fathers death. He died yesterday (27th Feb 08) aged 82.  As you may or may not know he suffered a major stroke 5 years ago and had been struggling ever since, his passing was very peaceful and he was surrounded by the people who loved him. My memories of him over the last 42 years are vivid to say the least as I'm sure yours are too! I remember as a child him showing me all the planets and stars through a telescope and trying to explain what a gas giant was (I always found that term hilarious!) He will be hugely missed by everyone who knew him and i'm sure, remembered with great fondness. My mum is carrying on the Crossfield tradition and bearing up well as are my sister Helen and myself. If you feel inclined it would be great to hear some of your memories of him, I can be contacted at pincrossfield@yahoo.com So I'll finish by wishing you all the best and hope you'll join me in saying "goodbye" to a real life Mr Chips! Oh yes, I think if you look up at those stars tonight, There'll be one more looking down on us from now on. Many thanks for taking time to read this and all the best to you and  yours. Andrew Crossfield.

From The Bury Times, February, 2008... A FORMER headteacher, who later set a 'bench-mark' by serving as a JP for 22 years, has retired. Greenmount man Mr David Hudson was recruited as a Bury magistrate in 1986. Now, he has retired after reaching the age of 70. He came to Whitefield in 1970 as head of Stand Grammar School in Whitefield, later becoming principal of Stand Sixth Form College and Vice Principal of Bury College. As a JP, he served as deputy chairman of the Bury bench between 1998 and 2003 and then bench chairman between 2003 and 2005. He was also chairman of the Greater Manchester Magistrates Forum in 2005 and, at the same time, chairman of the Greater Manchester Justices' Issues Group. This is a statutory body set up by Parliament to support the independence of the district judges and lay magistrates. He officially retired from the bench this week and received gifts from fellow magistrates, including a framed certificate to mark his long service as a JP. Mr Hudson said: "My 22 years seem to have passed very quickly. It's been a great privilege to work with so many keen and supportive colleagues and to be of some service to the Bury community. "I would encourage anyone to become a JP if they want to take on a voluntary task which not only contributes to the well-being of the town, but also provides great interest and good training in areas unfamiliar to most of us." He has been a long-time member of Radcliffe Athletic Club. Not only has he run eight marathons, but has cycled to India to raise funds for leprosy relief. David lives with his wife, Pauline.

HYNES (RICHARD WALTER) - Peacefully on November 10 2007, at a local hospital with his Family by his side. A much loved Husband to Beryl, and devoted Father to Allison and Phillip. A very proud and loving Grandfather to Simon, Colin, Thomas, Jessica, Georgina and Zoe. A true gentleman who will be greatly missed by all of his Family and Friends. Funeral service and committal will take place at Agecroft Crematorium on Friday November 23 at 11.00am. Family flowers only please, donations preferred to Francis House, Didsbury. All inquiries and donations to Carriages Funeral Service, 260 Liverpool Road, Eccles M30 0SD. Tel: 707 9199.

 Published  19/11/2007

Aerial View of the school sometime pre-demolition

Now here's some homework...

The Hon Secretary of the Old Standians’ Association is compiling a history of the Association and if any members have relevant information could they send this to him for copying (with consent, of course). All originals will be returned, if so required, otherwise they will be handed to the Bury Archivist. Photos of the "Old School”, ie not Church Lane, welcome.

Also, does anyone have possession of, or know the whereabouts of, the original O.S.A. Minute Book for 1906-1928? It was with T.C. Taylor (now deceased) in 1976 but seems to have vanished.

The Annual Dinner of the Old Standians Association, 2010

The Hon Secretary OSA

21 Spruce Crescent

Limefield Brow

Bury

Lancashire

BL9 6QW

... no later than 18th November 2010.

The Annual Dinner of the Old Standians Association, 2009

The Annual Dinner of the Old Standians Association, 2008

The Annual Dinner of the Old Standians Association, 2007

The Annual Dinner of the Old Standians Association, 2006

This was our biggest gathering in many years (ever, maybe?), because it was the 100th anniversary of the association and, mainly, because of the attendance, this year, of many of the Old Girls. This year, there were over 170 attendees. I, for one, hope this continues.
http://scholar.google.com/
Two generations of Old Standians, the Mills family,  mother and son	David Heywood and yours truly
And two generations of  headmaster, Dr Geoff Barnes...	... and David Hudson, both looking little older, forty years on or not!
Jack Walton sporting his newly-acquired mayoral bling. Unfortunately we didn't have time for a raffle or auction this year, so all the extra cash I'd brought in the hope of getting my hands on a Lowry went unused!	The Old Girls look for familiar faces from the old panoramic photographs.

The Annual Dinner of the Old Standians Association, 25th November, 2005.

	It was quite a gathering this year, with 66 people turning up; one of our bigger turn-outs this last few years.
Everyone gets stuck into the food...
	It's time for the raffle tickets. We are handing over tenners, fivers, twenties, and the raffle ticket guy is trying to remember who gets how much change! "I owe you a fiver, you give me that tenner and you get that five. You give me that twenty, he gives his tenner and I give you this fiver. Now we're square. Hang on, where was I?"
This year's guest speaker is William McVicar, organist and adviser to the Royal Festival Hall
	And tonight, the spotlight of fate lands on... 'Tarz' Reynard.
Pete Bramah hands out sticky name labels. It comes in handy when your memory isn't what it used to be.
	William McVicar  reminds everyone why it was, in the 1950's & 60's or so, so vitally important to remember one's gym kit. William: "Please sir, I've forgotten my gym kit. Please may I be excused?" Haggis (and occasionally, Ivor Jones): "If you have forgotten your gym kit, you will have to do gym..." Audience: "...Naked!"
Our traditional toast -  "The Queen, The Duke of Lancaster"

The Annual Dinner of the Old Standians Association, 26th November, 2004.

 
 
 
 

Just as soon as I can locate my notes from the evening I'll tell you who the guest speaker is. I think I'd better give myself some lines.	More raffle prizes! Plenty of wine and spirits, as usual. I'm guessing that the fire extinguisher in the background is not included.
	Another sale of 'Famous Old Standian' cards! I've just managed to chop off Pete Bramah on the left (my photo composition apparently needs work).  I also neglected to take a picture of the splendid chap on my right, who did the odd magic trick with his fingers and rubber bands. If I had, I might have been able to figure out how he did it!

 
 
 

The Annual Dinner of the Old Standians Association, 29th November, 2003.

	Another excellent evening, I'm sure everyone will agree! The guest speaker this year was Ian Wagstaff, who lives near Newcastle Upon Tyne and is, by profession, a Gynaecologist and Obstetrician. Ian's rivetting recollections were peppered with tangential medical observations, which may or may not have had relevance at the time, but which were hilarious nonetheless. These covered a range of subjects, which may or may not have included the bowlegged gait of a certain ancient groundsman ("...often due to fairly advanced syphilis...")  and the posture of the discus thrower in the Carnegie collection, oft used as a breast pocket emblem on a sportsman's blazer ("...typical of a serious haemorroid condition or anal fissures...").
The best line of the evening, for me, was his relating of an incident in a Newcastle delivery room... Husband (whilst wife is giving birth): "Er, doctor, I was wondering how soon we will be able to have sex again" Doctor:  "Gentlemen prefer to wait until the placenta has been passed"
Jack Walton auctions off some more school memorabilia.. Here he is attempting to record my photography as a bid. No-one dare scratch his nose, sip a drink or raise an eyebrow while this is going on! This time it's a painting of the school by our resident artist and OSA Secretary, Tony Wilding.  A copy of this is also available, unframed, for £6, if I remember correctly, details from Tony (see the membership application form for his details).  And why is this man improperly dressed again? Sell him an Old Standians tie, pronto!	We appear to have some of  some of  the former Old Girls* attending these days.   * That phrase sounded so much better in my head!

How many of you remember his chap, Brien Crossfield? He taught Chemistry  and took a bunch of us skiing on the school trip to Selva val Gardena, in the Italian Dolomites, in 1970. We stayed in the splendidly unpretentious Hotel Luna for two weeks, where we made absolute nuisances of ourselves. Several of you who are in touch with me were on that trip. I must try and dig out some photographs.  I have them, somewhere. During 2002, Brien suffered a stroke and wasn't able to make dinner that year, but he was able to make the 2003 dinner, with the aid of a wheelchair. He's just a little shaky, but in remarkable good shape, all in all.  I wish him well, not least because he was responsible for my ability to ski.

Phil Hargreaves couldn't make it this year, for the first time since 1949, as he's very ill at the moment. Well, I hope he recovers and can make next year, but I do wonder one thing: If I had what he's got, would it have got me out of his Gym class??

The Annual Dinner of the Old Standians Association, 2004.

Now, if you are sitting comfortably, we shall continue...

Pay attention and put this in your Homework Books!

Let silence reign...

Here's the pictures of the demolition.
 

Hall of Fame

• Paul Prendergast, a pupil from 1973 - 1978, now exiled in Surrey, and for being one of the first people to email when the site was first created.
• Rob Shimmin, a pupil from 1968 - 1974, included because we've kept in touch all these years.
• John Sumner, RIP, a pupil from 1971 to 1974, for getting me drunk so often in The Railway Arms , Ainsworth Road, Radcliffe.
• Tony Jacobs, now a dentist in Prestwich, Greater Manchester, for emailing even though he doesn't remember me!
• Danny Weidenbaum, for being able to propel a javelin like he intended it to achieve low Earth orbit.
• Malcolm Meggit, for reminding us that we could have had it much worse!
• Jonathan Seitler, for laying a smelly plimsoll on what he believes to be Haggis' gravestone!
• Ian Joseph, for saving all those tadpoles!
• John Hall, 1C, for getting a huge bollocking from Haggis on the first day (Sep 1967), for wearing stone-coloured shorts with his school uniform. Nice one!

The Register of Form 1C, 1967-1968

Thanks are due to Mark Samberg and David Ansell for filling in the gaps! No thanks are due to me for taking since last Christmas to include the info that Mark sent me.

What's the worst report comment YOU ever had?

"Covers up for missing homework with lies and deceit" -  Baz Brooks, Maths. Gee whiz, that's a bit harsh! I came top of the class that year!

"A waste of space" - Mr Kershaw (I think. A a mustachioed compatriot of Haggis in 1967 and onwards), Gym.  Nothing new there, then.

"Remains bottom of the class, despite stiff opposition" - Hardwick, French, 1970. This guy was a student teacher, and something of a sadist. He used to try and outdo his own previous smart-arse comments every week, knowing the trouble it would get me into with the headmaster and at home. He also used to whack the ends of our outstretched fingers with the edge of a ruler, sometimes until the cuticles bled. We were more stupid than he was sadistic, though, as we told him that trick!  He then used to search us and confiscate our cigarettes.

"Sets himself a very low standard and consistently fails to achieve it" - Hardwick, French, 1970.  Thank you, Sir. Please may I have another?

Here's a couple from Peter Oldfield...

"An amazing result as he has done little work all year",  Miss Jones,
French 1974.  I actually worked damned hard all year but have a shocking
memory for names and french words!
 

Not a report , but a comment at the end of my geography homework in 1970,
from PBH, "Do you need a new pen or a new hand?"

Boys will be boys...

That 1970 Graffiti Incident…

'Doc' Barnes was not best pleased in Assembly the next day, and made reference to the fact that he had a 100% clear-up rate on vandalism. The day after that, there were 'Doc' Barnes' words thrown back at him, painted on the wall! Whoops! The perpetrators were now known to be pupils.  Also, the paintbrushes, thoughtfully posted through the letterbox, were found to have come from an independent supplier, which narrowed it down to No 6 bus route boys.

The Beak invited suggestions from the boys as to who the culprit could be. Myself and Dave Gorrill even found ourselves on that list and were asked by 'Doc' Barnes for our comments on the matter. I still remember that list. It went something like "Arnold, Gorrill, Cooper, Narey, Cooper, Narey, Cooper, Narey, Cooper, Narey..."

How we got Miss Boulanger to show us her knickers (how much of this is rampant fantasy?)…

We used to bring in clothes pegs to split into wooden wedges in order to jam the windows wide open, just to make sure she would have to put some real effort into shutting the windows, and to put this effort in for long enough.  She did cotton on once, when we made too much noise behind her and she could no longer pretend to ignore it. With a slightly red face, she said "Something tells me, boys, that you're not putting all of your attention into your books!" We weren't, we were wondering whether 30 boys jumping on their teacher amounted to a detention or merely an essay.

Contributions from Old Standians

This term's Star letters... Click here!

Virtual Detention!

The School Songs

So, what does it all mean?

Author: Martyn Arnold

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