Mr Milnes and Mr Russell
These were the Deputy Head and Head when I started at The Holt in 1960. Mr Russell retired a couple of years later. The difference between him and his successor were that Mr Russell was always known behind his back as “Mr Russell”. His successor was referred to as “Fred”.
Do any teachers still wear gowns on a day to day basis in our state schools? When I went to school at the Holt in Liverpool in the saixties nearly all the masters wore their gowns every day (not just to pose for the annual school photo!). By the time I left at the end of the sixties most had stopped wearing them.
Two of my favourite teachers – Albert Wilson (Latin) and J R D Jones (History). I have mentioned Mr Wilson before. JRD was a different sort of character. He too was good at the discipline but at the same time he had a great sense of humour. Threats as to what would happen to folk who failed to carry out his wishes included “defenestration” and “heads will roll down Childwall Fiveways”. He made history interesting.
I must say that my time at a State Comprehensive School saw no school Masters adopt to wearing a gown on a daily basis. It is rather a pity and I think that the old traditions should be recovered. I can recall a Headmaster at my school wearing a gown until retirement in 1988, a remarkable man who commanded real respect from the young. Although 1988 is quite a long time ago now.
ReplyDeleteI attended the Holt High School from 1959 to 1964 and remember Russell as a sadist who used to enjoy punishing boys often without justification.
ReplyDeleteI was one of his victims.
After being bullied by boys from the year above me, against my will, I ended up in a fight.
Russell didn’t ask me about the circumstances and made me stand in his study while he went into an adjacent room, where, for about 10 minutes although it seemed longer, he swished different canes through the air.
When he re-appeared with his chosen weapon he ordered me to bend over and then proceeded to give me three excruciating strokes of the cane.
He then commanded "stand up boy" and I thought thank god that's over.
After a few minutes he again ordered me to bend over and then repeated his assault on me with a further three strokes of the cane.
The main thing I learnt from Russell was about violence and injustice committed by those in authority.
Best wishes
Peter Franzen
Thanks for your comment, Peter. I didn't know Russell except as a background figure during my first year. But your description of Russell accords with a number of my prep school teachers who were sadistic in the extreme. One master, when required to cane children by the head used a thin whippy cane which stung for a short while and then eased off quite quickly. He gave fairly gentle strokes and looked apologetic ehen he did it. Another used a rod about half an inch thick and she used heavy strokes that left your hand bruised and throbbing for days afterwards.
DeleteOnce the class misbehaved at lunch time while two of us went home for lunch. She totally ignored our protests that we were not even in school at the time and gave us an extra stroke for arguing. She too taught me a lot about sadism!
I was at the Holt from 1961 and I well remember Latin lessons with Albert Wilson. I have never forgotten one particular occasion when none of the class seemed to know the Latin word for "what". Well, he approached me with his wallet in his hand, took out a £1 note, and showed it to me. What on earth was he doing I thought? It soon became clear. The slang term for a £1 note was "quid", and that was the answer he was looking for! Clever, humorous teaching.
ReplyDeleteYou were in my form! I well remember you. I'm still in touch with Paul Richardson, George Bell and David Wynne Jones.
DeleteIt's nice to be remembered. I was actually googling the Holt when I came across your blog. Any idea what happened to Andrew Bingley? I'm sure you recall him well too.
DeleteI do recall him well - he lived just around the corner from me, near The Rocket. But I don't know what happened to him.
Delete(I wasn't known as John in those days but Clive, or simply Eddy!)
Hi John, like 'unknown' I too came across your blog googling the Holt. By some strange coincidence I think the boy sat on the extreeme left in your opening picture, just beneath Milnes is me! If memory serves me correctly his office was by the wood working classroom. You must have been in the clever stream to be doing Latin! Do you remember Jennings, the music teacher? I had him as our form teacher for year two b, strange man to say the least, punishments included ruling squares within squares in ink with lines one tenth of an inch apart. One smudge and you started again.
ReplyDeleteI started in 1958 and had Miss Harkness as our form mistress (one of only two female teachers in those days, the other being Miss Evans- an english teacher). Miss Harness was a geography teacher. We always referred to JRDJ as jardy jones.
The school photos were taken by some sort of panoramic camera that traversed everyone gathered in the schhol yard. Framed prints were displayed throughout the corridors, some I think stretching back into the 1920's. If it is me in the picture then it looks like it is my first year so the photo would date to 1958/9.
I left in 1963 after getting to the dizzy heights of Five Science One (but no further!) helped by Nornam Gianassi (I hope I have spelt his name correctly)a chemistry teacher who also took charge of one of the Saturday football teams and who completely helped shape my future career in chemistry.
Hello John - good to hear from you.
ReplyDeleteMiss Evans was my form mistress when I started. I think I started in 1959. I certainly remember Jennings - he used to tell stories of flying bombers in WWII. I think there were a few of our teachers who had been through the war in a way which affected their mental state!
I disappointed Norm Gianassi. Because of a motorbike accident I failed to sit my O levels and had to do them all in November with those doing re-sits. I failed chemistry but he was so sure I could pass that he put me in for the following summer exams. By then I was concentrating on my A Levels and I not only failed Chemistry O level but got an even poorer mark!
I remember Norman Giannasi. He told me off once for putting a lit bunsen burner too close to some flammable substance. Actually, there is an obituary notice for a Norman Giannasi in the Liverpool Echo dated June 2015.
DeleteI was at the Holt from 1953 to 1960 and I well remember Mr Russell. He took us for RE and had a degree from Liverpool University in something pretty obscure. My first teacher was Mrs Lawson and for French we had a chap called Bevan, an ex-air gunner from WW2 who left under a cloud I'm afraid. Mrs Lawson, Miss Evans and Mrs Harkness all cried their eyes out but he was a naughty man.. Mr Burgoyne was the woodwork/metalwork master and he moved to a brand new purpose-built room with blacksmiths furnace, lathe and lots of benches.. Every morning at assembly one Jewish lad (Bailey) and two catholic lads (Bennett) used to leave us for 3 or 4 minutes then troop back in. I used to regularly get my head slapped by Mr Wilson for not being attentive. He used to chant "Sedeo" Surgo" and other useless things, but then a doctor needed Latin. He also took Greek except only one lad was in that class. My grandmother also attended the Holt, but it was in Bagot Street in Edwardian times. She used to sing the Holt School Song....
ReplyDeleteAllan Isaacs
Thank you Allan, most interesting. I had a run-in with Burgoyne and was 'banned' from woodwork so I had to sit in an empty classroom on my own for each double period of woodwork - it was bliss.
DeleteRun-into. My pal yozzer who was a little older than me borrowed his dad's Morris 8 and unfortunately reversed into Mr Burgoyne's car and bent it a bit. It was a funny little thing he'd built himself. Burgoyne wasn't too worried and just laughed it off. I remember the O Level metalwork exam. We all had to make a screwdriver. This was a fancy metal handle with a hardened and tempered blade the end of which was threaded and screwed into the handle. Most of us managed to finish and everyone did the same thing. The blade was a bit wonky so we put it in a vice and straightened it. Alas, no-one had remembered to temper the blade so all the finished screwdrivers broke and ended up in two parts. I still managed to pass though. Then there was that physics lesson. Mr Lawrence, I think... said those immortal words whilst standing in front of an electrolysis experiment "while I've been talking a lot of gas has been escaping" My favourite teacher was Paddy Malone who took maths. He told a spotty lad surreptitiously munching sandwiches during a lesson whose name was Walker.. you eat so many egg sandwiches its coming out of your face.
DeleteAllan
Does anyone remember, have photo of, or have any information about Peter William Rix? He was in my class 3C in 1962. He was convicted in 1963 of the manslaughter of Lesley Hobbs on the grounds of diminished responsibility and detained for "Her Majesties Pleasure.
ReplyDeleteIs JRD still alive?
ReplyDeleteI don't know bu he would be quite an age if he is.
DeleteHi John. Great to see the old names again. I had 'Jardy' as my history teacher too, and Miss Harness, Miss Evans, was it Mr Humphries for German. Sadly, I don't have fond memories of Mr Wilson. There was an eleven week bus strike when I was in the lower VI during which time I hardly went to school. All my A level teachers were confident that I could catch up during the summer holidays between lower and upper VI. But Wilson insisted I repeat the year - a humiliating prospect! Particularly galling as I was only doing Latin as an optional O Level! Still, that's how it was. Everything worked out for the best and generally I have very fond memories of my time at The Holt. Best Wishes. Joe
ReplyDelete1965 Holt:
ReplyDeleteSadly, Jardy died in September after a fall. I remember him with affection, in the seventies, as a much respected teacher and wonderfully supportive colleague.
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting us know. He was both loved and respected by me and my friends - a difficult combination for a teacher to maintain. He was also a good teacher!
DeleteHello John. Really good to read from others who attended The Holt. I was there 1965 - 1973 and have fond memories of the place I must admit.
DeleteI remember Mr Burgoyne but never did Latin I,m afraid, preferring the German route with Mr Ben Johnson who was my favourite teacher without doubt.
He was a fervent Tranmere Rovers supporter and as a keen Liverpool fan we always had a lot in common.
He managed the second X1 football team and when I played he used to describe me as a blind side free scoring forward. He obviously had good taste and we got on like a house on fire travelling to many away matches in his car and/or bus. Fond memories indeed.
Was the Headmaster you referred to as Fred Mr Brierley? Think that was his name.
Actually John if you lived near the Rocket then I was only just down the road in Oakhill Park off Broadgreen Road.
I've got 3 of the panoramic school fotos in the loft so hopefully will dig them out and have a good look at them again.
Look forward to your reply if you've got time of course.
Kind regards
Frederick John Roberts
ps seem to remember I was in Athens?
Hello John. Nice to see information about The Holt.
DeleteCan you get back to me if possible please?
Ive been trying to reply to your comments as a former pupil but so far unsuccessful.
Must be something Im doing wrong. it usually is but I just wanted to try one last time to get in touch with you.
Many thanks
Frederick John Roberts
Hi there, Freddy. My comments have to be moderated because of a rather noxious spammer so that may be what hasd causing you problems. It means they don't appear straightaway but require my next visit to be published. Because of my health that can sometimes mean a week or two.
DeleteI too was in Athens but would have been a few years older than you. Athens had a blue badge. The other Houses were Corinth (yellow), Sparta (green) asd Troy (red). Being a Liverpool supporter nvied those in Troy with their red badges.
|i was trying to think of the school motto the other day - eventually I recalled it. Certum pete finem - aim for a good goal!
I can't seem to access your e-mail but if you want to contact me I am at cjohnedwards at gmail.com
Hello John. Final try to add a comment. Came across you as I Googled Holt High School and what a pleasant surprise to find you all. I was there from 65 to 73 and have even managed to unearth 3 of the famous school panoramic ones as living proof.
ReplyDeleteWas the Headmaster you referred to as Fred Mr Brierley? It sounds familiar.
I also remember the name Mr Gianassi as well as Mr Burgoyne for metal work.
Mr Emerson taught us something (French?) and what was the name of the chap that taught us German, Mr Johnson (Ben we called him). A great bloke who supported Tranmere Rovers and managed the second X1 football team where I made the odd appearance.
I always remember him describing me as a blind side free scoring forward (ol jargon for inside right I think) but he was definitely my favourite teacher.
Hopefully I will be able to transmit this to you and look forward to receiving your reply.
JOHN I HAVE LOOKED FOR YOU FOR YRARS REMEMBER THE HUMBER SCEPTRE 100 PIPERS AT YOUR HOUSE FOOTU AT NEWSHAM PARK YOUR BELOVED ADIDAS PENEROLS ETC? NOT SURE THIS WILL REACH. YOU SO WILL KEEP IT BRIEF PLEASE WROITE BACK ALAN MOORE
DeleteSadly Alan your comment profile is unknown so I can't write back. I would love to - so many memories to share. I can be reached via e-mail clivejedwards at gmail.
DeleteHello John; is this Blog still active?
ReplyDeleteYes, Anon, it is indeed.
DeleteHello, I attended Holt from 1956-1961 my first teacher was Miss Evans 1B. In the first year, 'newts'as you were called by older pupils, you were bullied by second years, so tried to keep your head down at lunchtimes. I rmember Miss Harkness, Geography; 'Ecke' Lowe, History; 'Faggsy' Farragher, Maths; Kenyon, English I think, Charnock, Physics; Norman Gianassi, Chemistry. Gianassi was a brilliant footballer, he played for South Liverpool. Norman Thomas, German, he gave all pupils a German name, and never used their real names. He called me Herr Pflaume, Mr Plum. Mr Jones took PE and Games in the spring/summer we had a choice of cricket, athletics or tennis. I chose athletics; whilst practising the javelin we decided to see if could throw them over the rugby crossbar, the posts had not been removed from the previous season. As we succeeded with each throw we moved further away. We were not closely supervised I might add. Unfortunately I managed to split the crossbar leaving the javelin hanging from the crossbar. I was banned from using the javelin after that, so I took up tennis.
ReplyDeleteI remember'Joe' Yoe, a Hungarian who taught English, he was like a sergeant major, if we were standing in a corridor waiting to go into class and you heard his steel tipped shoes marching from a distance, everyone froze, not a sound or movement. One day he picked up one our class, John Hunter by the scruff of the neck and thrust him hard against a classroom door, Hunter was a bit of a ruffian. You didn't cross Mr Yeo, could do with him nowadays sometimes.
I remember when a fight was arranged one lunchtime between a couple of 'Teds' on the playing field. We all waited out there in anticipation, then as the main contenders appeared so did three or four teachers who broke us all up, Happy days.
I remember Mr Jemnnings, music, everyone thought he was a communist. Then there was Mr Russell, Head; we remember his new secretary,'Sec' arriving, she was a stunner everyone raved about her. I can't remember the name of the woodwork teacher, but can picture him, tall bloke with a 'tache, wearing his brown overall. There was'Ollie' Hardy, Art.
Hi Alan Moore, thanks for trying to contact me. Your status is UNKNOWN on this page so please sign in and you will be allowed full access. In the meantime my email address is fastfreddyroberts51@hotmail.com please email me direct..Kind regards John Roberts
ReplyDeleteHi Alan, I’ve still not heard from you. We can’t chat properly on this forum. If you reply to this and send me your email address we can communicate with each other directly. I have fond memories of our time together at The Holt and have got some school fotos of you I can share with you if you send me your email address.
ReplyDeleteI attended the the Holt end of fifties into early sixties. Special memories of maths teacher Mr Farragher (faggsy), i had to travel to the school from my primary school in Cantril Farm to take the 11 plus, Faggsy was the invigilator. He was an excellent maths teacher. We had a teacher unkindly nick named Pissa! Did he teach geography?. I started in 1c with miss Harkness, I must have been a hard working Scouser, I was promoted to 2b. Studied A levels, botany, zoology and chemistry, only three in group. Mr Barton was in charge of chemistry. Sadly I attended his funeral service in St James church, West Derby after entering Bangor University, he must have passed away far too young. One of the three in my class was always a business wizard even at school, he ended up in charge of a successful cruise travel company. Access to Bangor was life changing, this council house kid ended up teaching agriculture and working in farm management, ironic I spent my formative childhood years growing up at Cantril FARM, a site with no cows, sheep, or arable crops, in fact it was known as Cannibal farm! Would love to hear from classmates, what happened to Ollie Shaw, Roger Vogel and Jumbo?
ReplyDeleteI should have added my surname, SCARISBRICK, fairly common in and around my home city, but not down here in Kent. I was a Trojan, still have my badge and school cap purchased at great expense from Hope brothers in Church Street.
ReplyDeleteThanks David - I was in Athens. In the summer I'll be meeting up with three or four former classmates - George Bell, Paul Richardson, and David Jones and possibly Keith Foddy if we can find him. Paul and I meet regularly.
DeletePaul's brother, Les Richardson, is a couple of years older then him and might have been in your year!
DeleteI think I remember Dave Scarisbrick and Alan Isaac's. I was at Holt from 1954 until 1960, finishing in VScii. Also Alan Norris. I remember getting a Saturday morning detention when a fire extinguisher went off and damaged the ceiling in the new extension. When we were asked to stand where we were when the thing went off I was daft enough to stand next to it,hence the punishment!
ReplyDeleteCould unknown 21 January 2020 provide his name, perhaps we were classmates.
ReplyDeleteDavid Scarisbrick
Hello David, it's Colin Lea here! Sparta!
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI attended Holt High School from 1966 to 1971. I'm bleesed/cursed with a pretty good memory; so, if anyone is interested in my recollections, I'd me more than happy to pass them on.
Hi I attended 1961 to 67 .. I lived in belle vale prefabs. Remember many of these teachers names , there was a lot of caning going on in those days. Loved every minute there, buying passing cloud "lucys" in the big shop, wasnt there a coffee bar we all used i think it was called grebbies or something similar. I remember a biology teacher too i think his name was warring, he was a deadly shot with the board rubber, i randomly visited the school a few years ago and the quads had both.gone, I'd love to go back there, perhaps a reunion . Keep in touch
DeleteSounds like the period I was at the Holt. The only other two boys who went from the prefabs during that period that I'm aware of were John Field and Sidney Overton - as well as the Humphrey twins, of course. Memories...from Joe Baker
DeleteI remember John Field. But While I was there another boy from the prefabs was Tony Hall. I remember him teaching me to ride a bike when I was 11.
DeleteI was at The Holt between 1958 and 65. I could go on about it for a long time; but just 5 points for now. (1) One contributor says that Russell was always referred to as MR Russell; but I remember that we commonly called him'the Jed.' (2) JRD Jones died 2 or 3 years ago. I kept in touch with him and his widow informed me of this. (3) 'Ecce' Lowe, the other History teacher. And an inspiration to me, simply because of his love of the subject. I only found out later that he was very Left wing. (4) Ron Jennings may have been thought to be a Communist; but far more likely is that he was a Fascist. (5) Albert Wilson? Probably the most brilliant man I ever met. Stephen Cooper
ReplyDeleteVery interesting. I was at the Holt from 1955 to 1962 and my brother Stephen was four years behind. I remember many of the names mentioned and can add the following:
ReplyDeleteThe teacher whose nickname was "Pissa" was Mr Thompson who taught Geography and Economics. When Mr Jennings was unavailable to play the piano at morning assembly, the role fell to Pissa who could always be relied on to hit a fair proportion of wrong notes. This caused unseemly mirth. On a personal level, my family and Pissa were close neighbours in a small close (12 houses) in West Derby but he never spoke to a soul there. A very lonely bachelor.
The woodwork teacher with the moustache was Mr Kissack (for some reason referred to as "Ruby").
People have mentioned Jardy Jones whom I never had for History- but does anybody remember "Ecce" Lowe who was senior master (a post determined solely by long service) in the 1960s. He committed suicide aged well over 90 sometime in the 1990s (I would think). My recollection is that before doing so, he sent His friend Jardy (they were both historians) a letter telling him what he was about to do, so that Jardy could contact the emergency services, so that his body could be "dealt with".
Someone mentioned Mr Yeo as being Dutch. I don't think so-but would agree that with his blond hair he looked as if his could be. In fact I think he was borne near Fleetwood. I remember that he wrote a book about his childhood ("A Place of Stones", I think it was called).
Paddy Malone (Maths) would have retired around about 1960. He was a great character "Ugly Beast" he would cry out, if you displayed some unforgivable ignorance in class. Another story about him is that I didn't have him for Maths until about 1959. Talking to my dad I mentioned Paddy and Dad replied "what a coincidence"- he too had had an old Maths teacher, back in the mid 1920s at the Oulton school, called Paddy Malone. No way could it be the same man! Dad's teacher must by now be in his mid 70s or even older! It was agreed that I should try and find an opportunity to ask Paddy about any relations of his who might have taught at the Oulton. You've probably guessed the outcome -same man, mid 20s when he taught my dad (but seemed older), about 60 when he taught me.
On pupils- I see mention of Vogel and "Jumbo". Both were a year or two ahead of me. The former was a fine violinist and even made one and brought it into school. Jumbo Mackay was indeed big (tall, wide and weighty) I know he studied medicine at Liverpool.
Finally, Peter Rix, the murderer. He was in my brother's year, so would have started about 1958/9. I don't know why, but he was asked to leave a few years later. He then murdered a young girl in the hallway of her home sometime around 1963/4 (so would only have been 15/16 himself). As has been said, he was found to be unfit to plead. As a quirk in this, I have some evidence to suggest that one of the eminent psychiatrists involved in assessing him was the then boss of Rainhill Mental Hospital. In 1966 I married the latter's daughter.
Finally, finally, I trust all old boys of the Holt are aware of two of our more distinguished fellows? Ken Dodd- of Knotty Ash, recently deceased, who left the school in 1944. John Horton Conway, world renowned mathematician who died last year after Covid, who left soon after I started so 1955/6.