My Memories of the Teachers in the
Early Years
Christine Harmston started at the THS is 1949.
She remembers some of the staff and school life.
Not having access to the internet I am grateful to Jean Tydings
for showing me her copy of the Trinity High School History on this
website. When I entered the school in September 1949 it was of
course the Technical High School and housed on one floor of the
college building. We were promised a new building within the
next year or two which, of course, didn't happen and we were long
gone before the new building materialised. Now that too has
been demolished and another new building has taken its place.
I was interested in the teacher/staff index and would like to add a
few comments - starting with:
-
Mr. B Howard.
his nickname of Buzzer came about from his habit of standing
under a buzzer (which sounded at strange time during the day)
first thing in the morning as pupils arrived, boys using one
staircase and girls a different one.
-
His secretary, Miss
Wilkinson was a pleasant woman and worked extremely hard with no
support staff and none of the modern equipment we now have. Having
myself works as a school clerk for 25 years I appreciate how
difficult her work must have been with only a basic typewriter and a
hand operated Roneo machine to help her.
-
Mr (Bimbo) Bennett, if my
memory is right, was supposed to be our French teacher for one year
but was off with ill health for most if it. Consequently we learned
very little, much to the disgust of Mr (Gunner) Wright the following
year. More of him later.
-
Miss Vera Catlin was one of
two female teachers at the time, teaching us French and Hockey. I was
told that she was married, but women then gave up work on marriage so if
this was right, then it was kept quiet.
-
Mrs Betty Stamford taught us
PE or PT as it was then known. Also hockey and tennis. The gym was a
surprisingly well equipped building in the middle of the Racecourse.
Freezing cold of course and the changing room left a lot to be desired.
No, we didn’t have showers, indeed there wasn’t even glass in some
windows. We were a hardy lot.
-
Miss Elsa (not Elsie) Clegg came
fresh from college and was very enthusiastic in her teaching of geography.
We learnt a lot about Argentina and the beef industry there, but nothing
about map reading.
-
Mr Pip Harris taught us Geography and
had written a book on Northamptonshire, which became part of the curriculum.
-
I don’t remember Mr Hartwell being on
the staff, but he was a teacher at my junior school, Headlands County Primary,
teaching Geography. I may be wrong, but I think that his sister taught art in
the art college, and we had her for art in our first year.
-
Mr Mullinger came from Campbell
Square secondary school and taught music, only singing, but it meant no
homework.
-
Mr Nortney – I don’t know how he came
by his nickname, but he was a lovely fellow, very even tempered and a happy
disposition. He taught us Science in our first year and later Maths. He returned
to Northampton, presumably on retirement and I am sorry to hear of his death.
-
There are other who I remember, but
of no specific interest – other than – Gunner Wright. Again I have no knowledge
of why he was called that. It was after the war years, so possibly it came from
Army service. He always seemed to be in a foul temper and I for one, was
frightened of him. Radio French was particularly horrendous with us trying to
understand a radio programme on a radio with very poor quality reception and no
chance of repeating any part of it. He had curriculum notes, but we had nothing
to help us and having no French teacher for most of the previous year, didn’t
exactly help. I don’t remember if he taught anything other than French; I expect
he did, but fortunately not us.
The staff always wore capes in school, mortar boards or college hoods were
reserved for special occasions, such as speech days. Although a co-ed school,
boys and girls were taught in separate classes. When we became third years a few
boys joined in our commerce classes and some girls joined in – presumably –
upper maths with Nogger.
A number of pupils found their life partners as students of the school, myself
included, although Brian and I didn’t meet until our school days were over.
Brian was, during the late 1970’2/early 80s on the Governing Board, so at last
we were able to see inside the “New” Building.
Sadly, he died of cancer 11 years ago; otherwise we would be celebrating our
Golden Wedding later this year.
I would like to send greetings to anyone who knew me, Christine Harmston,
during those school years, and to anyone who now knows Christine Moreton.
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