Abbeydale Sec Mod

[John bycroft 0]

Did anyone go to Abbeydale Sec Mod.  I was there from 1957- 61 and loved and hated it.  My main Nemesis was Mr Wilson the PT teacher (who was also my class teacher in the 3rd year).  He loved to whack me with his 'slipper' (gymshoe), and used to say that it was punishment for something that I was likely to do later (but that he wouldn't see).  Then there was Mr Skinner, the maths teacher and Deputy head.   I was terrified of him for all of my first 3 years  and was often sent to him for caning by some other teacher, and he was brutal.  However, in the fourth year, he was my class teacher, and I thought he was great, a bit like Herr Flick but firm and fair.  I believe he later became the Head, after my time though.

[reg1 10]

I was there for 2 years and left in 1966 for another school.

I remember Mr Wilson being a keen cricketer and often after a weekend he would turn up with lumps and bruises on his head where the cricket ball had hit him. Probably from disgruntled  ex students playing for the opposition.

Mel Randall

Edited June 12, 2021 by reg1

[John bycroft 0]

I left in 1961.  I think that I may have like him in other circumstances, but, because I was completely rubbish at PT, he tended to pick on me, and use me as an example to the others etc.   I was good at swimming though but that didn't help.  The 'slipper' was more painful on wet trunks.

[pipsmum 10]

Hello

There is another post on here about Abbeydale Secondary which is interesting  .I left in 1965 a very long time ago ,I remember Mr Wilson very well we used to do circuit training after school as we were in the netball team .climbing those ropes or trying to  >>>> what that had to do with netball I will never know disaster !!!!!

[John bycroft 0]

I haven't managed to find the other post, but I'm new on here and have yet to master the intricacies of the system.  Interesting that you girls had to climb ropes for your netball training.  Maybe he was a bit of a perv?   Or maybe not.  He seemed fairly straight laced to me but a bit of a bully

[pipsmum 10]

There was also weight training ,squats and other things jumping up and down on the wooden benches and running round the hall , happy days  ,,,,,,, not !!!!!!

[jackanne 10]

I was there 61 -65 Anne Randall.

[pipsmum 10]

I was there at the same time came from Carter Knowle after the 11 plus          Christine Harrison  Hello Anne 

[John bycroft 0]

I hope you youngsters had a good start in life from Abbeydale.  I used to enjoy my weekly trips the Carterknowle.  I think we spent every Tuesday afternoon there to do woodwork.

[pipsmum 10]

Youngsters thank you John I wish ! we went to Carter Knowle for domestic science with Mrs Langley  she was strict and then after that when we could be trusted haha we went to Duchess  Rd for domestic science .

[John bycroft 0]

Thats interesting.  I've just remembered that I spent most of my second year at Carterknowle in Mrs Bartletts class.  She was a geography specialist and filled me with lots of stories about Canada.  I later went to live and work there, for 22 years, and I always remembered that she was the one that lit that fuse.  I always enjoyed my time at Cartknowle,  apart from anything else it was fairly close to Needhams field where my sister and I used to go, often.

[pipsmum 10]

I remember Mrs Bartlett as well  she also looked after us girls !!