Lydgate Lane School

Hi everyone.

I'm a newbie to this site, so please forgive me if I'm not following the right protocol, but...

2007 will see the Centenary of Lydgate Infant School, or Lydgate Lane School as it once was. In anticipation of that, I'm starting to gather together information about the school, ex-pupils and anything else about the area that has a bearing on the school's history. My aim is to gather enough material of interest to write a short history of the school, to be published in the centenary year and sold by the school itself to raise funds.

My motivation for this is not personal gain, by the way - my children attend the school, and I'd like to do something to help.

I've made a small start at the Central Library's excellent Local Studies section, and the school itself has a few lines of enquiry for me to pursue, but I'd be very interested to hear from any ex-pupils, ex-staff or anyone else with a connection. Any memories you'd be willing to share would be most gratefully received.

Many thanks for reading this.

Peter

Hi everyone.

 

I'm a newbie to this site, so please forgive me if I'm not following the right protocol, but...

 

2007 will see the Centenary of Lydgate Infant School, or Lydgate Lane School as it once was. In anticipation of that, I'm starting to gather together information about the school, ex-pupils and anything else about the area that has a bearing on the school's history. My aim is to gather enough material of interest to write a short history of the school, to be published in the centenary year and sold by the school itself to raise funds.

 

My motivation for this is not personal gain, by the way - my children attend the school, and I'd like to do something to help.

 

I've made a small start at the Central Library's excellent Local Studies section, and the school itself has a few lines of enquiry for me to pursue, but I'd be very interested to hear from any ex-pupils, ex-staff or anyone else with a connection. Any memories you'd be willing to share would be most gratefully received.

 

Many thanks for reading this.

 

Peter

Hi Peter,

I attended Lydgate from 1947 to 1954. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. If I think of any info which should be for your ears only, I'll send you a PM. Any info I publish here, however, may jog the memories of other ex pupils.

I was in the Infants for about 3 years. Teachers were Mrs Marsh and Mrs Black. Headmistress I think was Miss Maskell.Mrs Marsh had a son John, with whom I used to work in Barclays Bank in the early 60's. After this I moved upstairs and spent 4 years in the Juniors. Teachers Miss Urquhart and for the last 2 years including taking the 11 plus, John Savile. A very nice chap who used to live on Lydgate Lane opposite the school. Headmaster - Ronald Peck.

Quite a few of the pupils were from the Fulwood Cottage Homes.

In 1954 there was a 4A and a 4B. All the pupils in 4A passed the 11 plus. Only a handful out of the B stream managed to pass. There were 52 pupils in 4A and probably about the same in 4B. The year below me had 3A, 3B and 3C. Joe Cocker was in 3B or 3C I think. He went to Weston Rd Sec Modern I think and trained as a plumber with the gas board. Meanwhile, singing and playing the drums was his hobby. Around 1961 he appeared as Vance Arnold and the Avengers at St Columba's church hall fortnightly on Satuday nights. I was in another group, The Raiders who played there alternate Saturdays. We weren't all that good. Joe was, and he's been singing ever since.

Some teachers used the cane but sparingly. I'm sure it never did anyone any harm. If I think of anything else, I'll PM you. If you have any questions, I'll be happy to try and answer. Mike

Forgot to say, if you log on to Friendsreunited there are a few photos taken in the 50's, one of which shows an 11 year old Joe Cocker on stage in the end of term play.

Mike,

Thank you so much for responding, and for all that information. I hope it does help to jog a few memories too! Each mention of a new thing (Fulwood Cottage Homes, for example) sends me off on another line of enquiry. I don't think there'll be a lack of information in the end, more a problem of where to stop!

If anyone's interested, I've just obtained a photocopy from the library today of and entry in The Builder for 23 November 2007, announcing the opening of the school. Designed by W J Hale (who also designed Bole Hill School, among others), it originally had places for 340 infants downstairs and 340 older children upstairs (full roll nowadays is 360!) and, including caretaker's house, professional charges and furnishing, cost a staggering £13,045...

Pete,

Maybe a minor point of interest. On the edge of the infants playground there used to be a fenced off grassy area. There were about 3 or 4 sets of stone steps going down to boarded up underground rooms. I guess that these were air-raid shelters for the kids to get down in during the war.Anyone aged 68 or over who attended Lydgate would no doubt remember.

Pete,

 

Maybe a minor point of interest. On the edge of the infants playground there used to be a fenced off grassy area. There were about 3 or 4 sets of stone steps going down to boarded up underground rooms. I guess that these were air-raid shelters for the kids to get down in during the war.Anyone aged 68 or over who attended Lydgate would no doubt remember.

Mike,

Extraordinary you should say that - we could have done with your help a while back! The school canteen now stands on that spot, with kitchens as well (as the school does its own catering, rather than buy meals in). A year or so ago, we received a donation from Joe Cocker's father's estate to do some refurbishment to the canteen, and add some extra toilet facilities there.

The works abruptly and unexpectedly came to a halt as those underground air-raid shelters were found. No-one had remembered, or knew, they were there, and so a load of extra work was needed to make the new construction safe. Sadly, I think that meant the shelters were blocked up for good. Shame, I'd like to have had a look before they were filled in.

Hi, Pete, I went to Lydgate until 1977, I'm sure I have a class photo somewhere showing the head teacher, Mr Peck and also Mr Ellison, it was probably taken in the early 70s - if you're interested, I could dig it out and scan it??? Let me know..... Carol

Thank you Carol, I'd be very grateful for the photo - I'll PM you an email address.

The school has a booklet it published for its 90th anniversary, containing reminiscences from ex pupils going back as far as its opening, and I'm hoping to update that and republish it.

At the same time, I'm hoping to produce a separate booklet with information about the school itself - how it came to be, why it was built and the changes it has been through. I've been reading the school logbook which has some really interesting information in it, including a reference to only 108 children being present one day in 1916 due to a Zeppelin raid the night before.

We are also hoping to locate ex pupils who have gone on to enjoy satisfying and fulfilling lives in any career, occupation or lifestyle. We're hoping to illustrate to today's pupils that their lives in front of them can lead them in an infinite variety of directions. If anyone would be willing to either talk about their lives and careers since school, or to provide us with some written information, we would be very grateful.

Hope to hear from you!

Hi Pete,

Briefly:- Left King Teds aged 17 with 10 'O' Levels

Five years in Barclays Bank then:-

Lock-keeper on Thames

Milkman in Twyford (near Henley)

Barman in Beer

Milkman in Axminster

Butchers roundsman in Beer and Branscombe

6 months off to recover from car smash

Building Society trainee manager, Plymouth

Bread roundsman round Tavistock

Self employed unit trust/insurance salesman, Plymouth

Trainee computer operater, Solly St., Sheffield

Trainee computer programmer, Sheffield.

Computer Programmer, Grimsby.

Senior Computer Programmer, Preston.

Analyst/Programmer, Preston.

Systems Analyst, Lytham St. Annes.

Lecturer, Liverpool

Systems Analyst, Neston

Systems Analyst, Girobank, Bootle

Asked to take 'voluntary' retirement aged 52 in 1994.

Many amusing incidents.

Could write a book.

Could talk for hours, so if you get desperate for talkers, give me a shout and I'll come over to Sheffield for a couple of days.

Blimey!

Thanks, Mike. When I mentioned ex-pupils with interesting careers/experiences, I thought there'd be a number of people with one career each - but I see I've got one person with all the careers lol!!!

Thanks again, Mike!

Mike,

 

Extraordinary you should say that - we could have done with your help a while back! The school canteen now stands on that spot, with kitchens as well (as the school does its own catering, rather than buy meals in). A year or so ago, we received a donation from Joe Cocker's father's estate to do some refurbishment to the canteen, and add some extra toilet facilities there.

 

The works abruptly and unexpectedly came to a halt as those underground air-raid shelters were found. No-one had remembered, or knew, they were there, and so a load of extra work was needed to make the new construction safe. Sadly, I think that meant the shelters were blocked up for good. Shame, I'd like to have had a look before they were filled in.

I worked filling in the air raid shelters, they were quite extensive, had to stack thousands of bricks to block them up, we got down a hole not much bigger than a man hole, we were literally buried with bricks and had to dig our way out, can't see the health and safety allowing that nowadays, the job took around three weeks.

Mike

I went to Western Road. However, your mention of Joe Cocker and rival bands at the time reminds me of another rival, who was a neighbour of ours - Ray Woodcraft. I remember him always walking up the street singing. He had a brother - I don't recall his name. Their father was in the police force and their mother a nurse. Whatever happened to Ray?

Mike

 

I went to Western Road. However, your mention of Joe Cocker and rival bands at the time reminds me of another rival, who was a neighbour of ours - Ray Woodcraft. I remember him always walking up the street singing. He had a brother - I don't recall his name. Their father was in the police force and their mother a nurse. Whatever happened to Ray?

Hi Yerman,

Can't say I recall Ray but may well have seen him as there were loads of groups about in the early sixties. My group, The Raiders played mainly at St Columbas. Consisting of Mike George, Dave White, Barry Holmes, Chris Watson and Brian Hill. Martin Simpson played base guitar for a while. I have a book entitled 'Better than a Proper Job' which is the history of Sheffield 'pop' from 1955-1975. I'll scan through someday soon and fish a few more names out.