The Assembly-Hall Complex -   Chris Snuggs 58-65

How many times did we walk that way! Now I think about it, what a clever design it was: a relatively small building but with so many usable and flexible places. Had it not been so, IHS would surely have replaced it by now as they have Halls & Johnstons Houses.

Michael John O'Leary - Hansons 57-61: One of my abiding memories of this building is looking on the notice board every Saturday morning (I think!) to see if I made the rugby team!?? Another was doing physics labs there with Fred Mudd. And a third was doing maths with Doc Lou where he would inspect people's fingernails and reward them with Wagon Wheels if they were long enough!??????

Chris Snuggs - Berners/Halls 58-65:

  • Physics with Fred Mudd on the front left by the entrance (bunsen burners, test tubes, gases, electricity, scales, weights, levers ....)
  • checking the noticeboard by Fred's lab for test & exam results
  • Art with Ernie Green downstairs at the end of the corridor between the physics lab and assembly-hall
  • English with Patrick Hutton at the back left (Chaucer, Shakespeare, Ted Hughes, Tom Gunn ...)
  • Latin with Leslie Johnston at the back right (insula, insula, insulam, insulae, insulae, insula)
  • English with Doc T at the front right (Did he EVER teach anywhere else?)
  • in the hall: assemblies, speech days, plays, concerts, operas, playing in the school orchestra, performing on the stage, 6th form dances, late-night trysts

That building holds a hell of a lot of memories ....... I walked around it again 15 years ago after an absence of 40 years; it was like being surrounded by ghosts, but familiar and friendly ones .....

Chris Hopkirk - Halls 72-79: I remember the steps that lead to the hall well. Rode someone’s chopper bike off them. They didn’t survive.

Tim Pugh - Orwell 77-80: That’ll be the metalwork shop on the right? My greatest memory was Farley-Pettman welding his Magenta kit car by the back doors; he had to move a fuel pipe out of the way. Yes, you're right; he pulled it and the car burst into flames. We helped push it away from the building, and it ended up through the fence having a swim in the pool!!! Can't remember when!

Chris Snuggs: Must have been between 77 & 80.

Jon Kemp - Corners 73-80: That would have been in about 75 or 76. Was it you that Farley crashed his bicycle in to?

Tim Pugh: Not me but I do remember that!! I also remember him doing Car club and receiving a Daimler 250 for the club to restore and sell for funds!

Jon Kemp: Farley used to run a kite-making club. Didn't last long, but long enough for me to make an excellent kite.

Chris Snuggs: I still don't know how it was decided whether we did metalwork or woodwork. I assume we had some choice in it, but I just do not remember. Does anyone else? I do remember thinking even at the time that it was a pity one could not have done some of each. In 6 years at WHS I never crossed the metalwork workshop threshold. We all did Art, however, but I don't remember whether we did eitehr Art or Woodwork in the 5th form.

Tim Pugh: Same here but the other way around; I did metalwork and TD, not woodwork.

Bambos Kyriacou - Halls 77-82: I did all three. I remember drawing the BL logo, amongst others! Was the pool round the back?

Tim Pugh: Yes, beside the Assembly Hall, behind the workshop!

Philip Hart . Orwell 77-82: Great pics. I miss that pool too; how many nights having a dip (without being caught LOL!).