School Days - The Liverpool Collegiate

Mr grimbaldeston was my english teacher as well and from what i can remember was great memmories,like the time he through the black boad duster at me for talking in class,i duct and it got the lad behind me.As i said great times.
Hope your kepping well.

So many comments about you, despite the rich history of the school! I think the school changed for the better when he arrived.

Grimbo was my form teacher for a couple of years (82-83) as well as my English teacher. The best I ever had I suspect.

Hope you are well

Great video brings back some fantastic memories, i can echo the previous comments about John Grimbaldeston, great teacher, i was there from 1973, i remember being told by Mr G that i had won the Norris essay comp, and being greatly encouraged by him, so much so i won it the next year to.. great days hope your are well Sir..

I was transferred from King Edward VI Grammar School Southampton in 1947. I remember being in Form Shell A - Form Master Vice Principle Keen (history) and 5C (might have been 5D) - our Form Master was 'Dicky' Darton (English). The Physics Mistress was the dreaded Miss Hill who drummed into us PD over C equals R. - Force = Mass times acceleration etc.
I remember Major Chalk who taught us to shoot with a 303 rifle in the Army Cadet Force at the rifle ranges near Southport. The music master used to let me play the organ in the Great Hall - what a privilege!
I can remember three class mates in 5C I.K.E. Jones, Brian Rimmer and Spud Murphy.
Brian Rimmer and I were good at maths and physics and we used to sell cribs to our fellow class mates who couldn't manage their homework! We used to get 3 or 4 40 minute periods of homework to do every night. The Collegiate was hard work! 15 minutes time off for Dick Barton was a luxury!
My father died of cancer in Febuary 1949 and my mother became a stewardess on the Cunard Liners. Before she went to sea mother consulted the Vice Principle on what she should do with me. Mum told me afterwards that Mr Keen asked her only one question. "What does he play with?" - "Meccano and electric trains" she replied. "Send him off to the Royal Navy to be an artificer apprentice". Three months before school certificate exams - I was out of school. No Liverpool University for me.
I stayed in the RN (Fleet Air Arm) for 9 years before joining BOAC (British Airways) for 30 years as a flight engineer officer and flew the Britannia, VC10, DC10s and Boeing 747s.

I transferred to the Collegiate from the Oulton in 1943 and in 1947 I went on the first school holiday after the war to Belgium and Holland with Mr Pobjoy and Mr Langton who had both been officers who had fought in Belgium. I remember them pointing out the white bridge where they had both seen action. In Blankenbeghe the side streets had still not been cleared of mines.
They both became officers in the CCF under Major Chalk another great character and although bluff a very kind man. Only now I realise what a great school it was with characters like 'Nit' Griffiths, I still remember him demonstrating the French men promenading Sur Le Pont D'Avignon on a Sunday mornings.

Great to see the name again

He attempted to teach me English

Once set me an essay on spiders knees as a punishment ,one shouldnt refer to ones teacher as mr grubbydustbin

Still I did make it eventually and am now a successful Lawyer even though I still wince` when I recall your comments on a school report `the class buffoon he says he is joking I now doubt it`

top man ,top teacher I hope your well

Great video to watch and I have to agree with Mr Grimbaldeston that the year he started did lead to the decline - although I did start the same year as one of the first of the 'comprehensive' boys!

I'm only kidding John for you were a great teacher and took me for both English and Rugby as well as being my form teacher for a year in 1976.

I left in 1980 but bumped into you outside WHSmith in Preston about 15 years ago (1993) tapped you on the shoulder and you said "did I work with you"!!

I dont suppose you would remember my name now - you didnt in 1993 but you did remember the day I wrote your name on the board and underlined the 'bald' bit!

It all seems so innocent compared to the violence of today - although there were some tough times at the school.

PS Have you retired by now?

I woz there!
I have a distinct recollection of plying Rugby League Style at Leyfield Road. I tried to tackle Mr Grimbaldeston and failed! He was a big bugger! Generally though, I had a great time at the school and I remember it to this day!

Having watched this piece, I realise that I probably got the very last of the very best having left the school in 1968.
The school still had kudos then; sadly within five years that status had been wrenched from it by the government of the day.
The staff during my time there still maintained a certain standard and I feel priviledged to have been educated there.
KA Croft, CR Woodwood and JH Gawler all had that presence that is lacking in today's educators.
My final feelings are ones of sadness for a once-great school unable to maintain its own very high standards through no fault of its own.

Excellent programme, I agree.

I was delighted, also, to see Mr Grimbaldeston's response, as he taught me at Shaw Street in the 1980s, and is one of the teachers who laid the foundations of the work I now do as a Professor of English. If you could get in touch with me, I have a recent publication which I'd like you to see. All good wishes, William.

Great nostalgia of my own time as a pupil in 40s.
Fascinating to hear comments from teachers speaking now as humans instead of aloof or sadistic disciplinarians.

Colin Wilkinson

Lovely programme, thank you. I started teaching there in 1973, the year identified as the start of its decline. No connection, surely?