42 thoughts on “Richard Hind School football team 1946 – 1947”
Attended Ebby Neal’s cremation today and was amazed at the number of people that came to show their respects. The vicar stated that it was the biggest attended creamation she had seen at Middlesbrough. The bowling club, Blythholme club, old school friends, people who had played football with Eric, they were all there and a few tears were shed. Eric was a smashing chap and will be remembered.
Head Wrightsons were Teesside League Champions in seasons 1948-49 & 1952-53 and MacMillan Bowl winners in 1948-49 & 1950-51, in the F.A.Cup in 1950-51 prelim rd. Heads beat Filey Town away 7-3,1st Qual rd. Bridlington Central Utd. away 5-4, 2nd Q were beat by Whitby Town away 4-2. As you say Ken the Head Wrightsons pot hunters in the early fifties used to turn out for Lacker Day’s Barkers Athletic especially against Primrose Hill.
IT’S A LONG TIME AGO ANON. COL RICHARDS AND I WERE ASKED TO PLAY FOR THE SECOND TEAM BECAUSE THE FIRST TEAM WERE NOT DOING TOO WELL IN THE TEASSIDE LG AND SOME OF THE PLAYERS LEFT TO PLAY FOR OTHER TEAMS (MEDAL HUNTING?). COLIN MOVED UPTO THE FIRST TEAM AND THEY STARTED TO DO WELL AND GOT TO A SEMI FINAL AND THEY ALL CAME BACK TO CLAIM THEIR OLD POSITIONS. I LOST MY PLACE AND WENT BACK TO WEST END. STICKER DICKINSON WAS RUNNING THE TEAMS. IT WAS ABOUT 1949 TO 1950, I THINK?.. MEMORY GOING.
I am sad to hear of Ebbie Neal’s passing, he was a good little wing half who also played in the successful Billingham Synthonia Teesside League team in the sixties & Head Wrightsons. Ken(Rhodes)when did you play for Head Wrightsons?
I’M SORRY TO PUT ON THE SITE THE PASSING AWAY OF ERIC (EBBIE) NEAL WHO PLAYED AS THE PHOTO SHOWS FOR RICHARD HIND AND ALSO FOR THE THREE TEAMS OF WEST END. ERIC HAD BEEN ILL FOR THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS.
Richard Hind pupil from 43-47 ten joined the RN. Retired from service in 62 and qualified as a teacher in 63. Taught in UK until 68 then emigrated to Canada. Teacher/Principal and occasional university lecturer until 94. Now retired and live in Saskatchewan just west of Prince Albert.
My very deep apologies Benny for having Be(a)ttyfied you! A very senior moment.
As to reaching ‘the top of your profession’; It is like someone starting in an apprenticeship say as a welder and over time being promoted in the firm until through experience senior management level is attained.
I greatly enjoyed my nearly 16 years as a Head putting into practice things learned at Richard Hind, next in Rugby, about how to treat people, be they pupils or other staff, with respect and giving them the necessary encouragement to advance beyond where they might have been stuck. Confidence is the necessary pill for many.
Recently I had an e-mail from a former pupil who was an 11 + failure but is now a Senior Professor. Still a good distance runner too but in the veteran class of course.
I have been called some very strange names in my 75 years Ken Sawyer, but your BETTY beats them all, put it down to a senior moment Ken as I do when in a similar situation. Congratulations on reaching the top of your profession Ken. I had not realised you finished up life as a Head Teacher, rewards for a hard working committed teacher, I know Ray Irvine also reached that goal before his untimely death, also Bill Rosser is in this category. Any one know of others who were part of this small and exclusive band of local boys who made good, as we might say.
Oh dear, another part of my life bites the dust. We had our school dinners in St Peters Hall, boys that is. Technical drawing under Eggy Plummer and PT with Sid Williams the Egyptian swimming champion? I never did find out how or why that came about. Miss Duffney never took PT in my time, she was general education and we all looked forward to sitting gazing at her star struck. When we went off to the park every Wednesday afternoon summer and winter it would be Eggy Plummer or Sid Williams who took us for the very competitive games of football or cricket, we carried the kit with us. For some reason I have a memory block on Mr Carling although he must have been at the school at some time during my stay. The walk up and down Dennison Street to the Hall between classes was a welcome break in the routine, if we were sure we were not being watched we would nip into the Co-op on the corner of Dennison Street and Richardson Road to see if there were any tea cakes left, pity help you if you got caught. When Dennison Street was bombed and so many lost their lives the Hall was out of bounds for a couple of weeks so the girls had their lunch in the class rooms and we took over the school hall they normally used, the twain shall never meet was the refrain, the high wall and iron gate dividing the school yards took care of that. Even the school bus had a dividing line, girls downstairs boys up although one or two of the girls would sneak upstairs with us noisy lot. I have only good memories of the Richard Hind school and it certainly gave me the education that allowed me to live as well as I do now. The regular caning for being a bit of a free wheeler and answering back was put down as the price one paid for speaking out when I thought them wrong, it was what happened, you knew the consequence it was up to you if you wanted to say it as it was. My Daughter followed me there years later and it also stood her in good stead, well done old “Raggy behind” you did us proud.
Another two Newham Grange cricketers were Steven Smailes and Barry Jeffels who went on to play for Stockton Cricket Club but unfortuately both have passed on.Steven Smailes played for Durham County schoolboys team, later in life he was a Stockton Borough Councillor.
Betty Brown’s grateful response to the time and sheer, physical hard work committed by the likes of Ray Irvin was fully deserved.
Being able to practice on the playing strips or ‘wickets’ was a tremedous boon for young cricketers, who could be confident that the bowled ball would come off the ground at a regular height and that they would not need to be ready for the ball to lift and hit them under the chin.
Stockton Cricket ground’s grass was so cared for and so true that a wicket could be cut at any points without fear of heads being severed from bodies.
Another Newham Grange produced player was called Young – I hopefully recall!
Just a few lines to all the old Richard Hind pupils and Ken Sawyer to tell them that another part of the Richard Hind story has hit the dust. I noticed in our local paper that St Peters Hall has been sold for £75,000. To whom and for what I dont yet know, but I do remember the lessons that I attended in the hall with Mr Plummer(TD)Miss Duffney(PT) and Mr Carling (music). It was a great school in those days and, looking at some of the comments on this site, was a school that was enjoyed by a lot of old pupils and staff. All those members of staff from my days and a lot of my school pals have now passed on but I will always remember them.
The Ropner Playing Field brings back memories of the one and only time a Newham Grange team played against one of the toff teams (Grammar Schools) at any sport. The Newham Grange Cricket team in the 1950 season played against Stockton Secondary Grammar School at the Ropner Playing Fields in a friendly match. The Stockton Secondary Grammar School had a bad day that day, as they were all out for 15 runs. The late Lol Can took 8 wickets for 2 runs in a display of bowling I have never witnessed since. Are there any of either team out there that remembers this match. When I look back at some of the excellent players produced by Stockton Secondary Grammar School I am still in awe of this result. Ray Irvine our Sports teacher was very keen on his cricket team, even going to the trouble of preparing a turf wicket on the school grounds, this sort of dedication by a teacher led to many boys enjoying their cricket when in most cases they would not have the chance to play on a turf wicket. Many of these boys went on to play senior cricket for Stockton and other local teams, due to Rays dedication to the game. One of the lines of career for some of these boys was a scholarship to Stockton Cricket Club which meant you did not have to pay subsriptions to join the club. I wonder if these scholarships are still being given to young School players of promise.
Whenever I hear the phrase ‘level playing field’ Ropner playing field at Fairfield comes to mind. After Mr Smith had selected his 1st and 2nd teams the remainder, tagged as The Scraps, were told to go and amuse themselves on the football pitch nearest the entrance. One half of the pitch was on a 10% slope which with the prevailing South Westerly wind combined to make attacking the goal at this end a harder task than climbing up Roseberry Topping. Richard Hind fair play came in and after an arbitary period teams changed ends.
The cricket square was only marginally better and could have benefited from a pass with a road roller. Nevertheless Messrs Smith and Benzies coached successful football and cricket teams throughout the 60s.
Crikey, l remember those freezing winter days at Sooner playing fields. I was in the same class as you and was in the scraps category for footy and cricket. Character building l guess they would have called it. Ah, heady days!
Thanks for the memory Ken. Many a double lesson was spent galloping upto Ropner Park for a game of footy and cricket and then galloping back to meet the frosty gaze of many members of staff having their lesson disturbed by the late arrival of boys, often covered in mud, and not to keen to start to do Maths or English with either Mr Dea or Mr Carling. Both these teachers (whose classes I always enjoyed) always (rightly) complained and made their complaints to Mr Plummer and later Mr Fenny. We could never understand why we didn’t have the last two lessons of the day. But I suppose that was too easy.
The game at Grosvenor Road against Stockton Grammar School that Ken Rhodes refers to was at the time that one Bill Rosser was playing in the SGS team! I have the feeling that another game was played at the Ropner Field at Fairfield but this may be just my mind deceiving me.
Distance from the school was a great problem but negotiating with the Ropner Trust to obtain the field being vacated by Stockton Sec as it became Grangefield Grammar School was a great boon. Having at least 3 football pitches and a cricket square was a great benefit after all the years of walking to Ropner Park for games periods on the spacious area at the south east corner of the park. How many of you have memories of these?
Ken(Rhodes) – I have explained elsewhere it was not the wish of the Head & teacher mainly involved to give up any more time. Men like Mick O’Donnell (latin master) were actually very generous with their time including midweek evening cricket practice in the nets. Most of the lads were members of cricket clubs but it was especially helpful for others. It meant walking from the No 4 bus terminal at the Avenue.
You have gone back a few years to pull me on this posting Ken. When I played for the Seniors at RH I remember playing a friendly against SGS on Grovener Road(?) pitch at Oxbridge, I think it was the only time we played them in my school career and we won quite easily. As I’ve stated before on this site I could never understand why the powers to be didn’t let SGS into the Leagues to play with the rest of the School teams. Fee Paying? We also played a couple of the other teams you mentioned. I’m sorry but I don’t remember Stan playing for SGS but I have read his book and it’s very good.
Ken Rhodes posted 12/02/07 "Stockton Grammar never had a decent footy team a bit like Holy Trinity." Really?
Do you remember when Stan Rickaby played for the Grammar. He already looked a star to we younger lads but those in the team then were not so bad. They fared well against their regular opposition at Darlington (St Mary’s), Bishop Auckland King James’), Guisborough (GS), Middlesbrough (St Mary’s) and so forth.
When Hartburn Minors played their 1 season before the amalgamation that became West End there were 4 Grammar lads playing in the team.
Thanks Ken for putting my memory back together. I last saw Mr Fenny and Mr Goodier at a class reunion a few years ago held at Stockton Cricket Club, they both looked very frail, but it was good to see them and I belive they were the last two members of staff to still be with us at that time. I enjoyed my time at RH and thought that all the staff were great and worked well under war conditions.
Having scrolled to earlier postings on this page I read a posting in May 2006 that ‘when I was there 62 – 67. Mr Fenny taught metal work.
In those days of teacher training it was quite usual that those who trained for PE principally also trained in a second subject, often Crafts.
To move some discussion about Richard Hind football teams that has been on the South Bank Juniors 1951, having begun from a mistaken identification of one player as a Rosser and resulted in a correction by me here is a team photo in which Arthur ‘Pop’ Fenny, mentioned by Ken Rhodes in that SBJ discussion, appears possibly for the first time. He was new to the staff that school year – post 2nd WW service, trained for PE teaching at Loughborough I think.
I attended Richard Hind from 1961 to 1966 before moving on to Grangefield and remember Mr Fenny as the metalwork teacher who rode a motorcycle and sidecar. As a coincidence in 1982 when I was working at The British Railways Board HQ located at 222 Marylebone Road in London one of the secretaries was called Theresa Fenny. I happened to mention to her that I had been taught by a Mr Fenny and it turned out that he was her uncle.
Bob Irwin.The Primrose Hill player who taught at the Roseworth School is called Ken Tiffin,but the chap in this Richard Hind photo front row left looks like Jimmy Buckle he also played outside left for Primrose Hill & I think he later became a teacher.They were both at the reunion in the Mile House Pub about two years ago.
THE TEAM WAS NEALE RHODES ELLIS UNKNOWN MOORE UNKNOWN FR.BUCKLE RICHARDS SEWELL DENHAM BAILEY ONE PERSON MISSING WAS THE LATE BOB SMITH OUR CAPTAIN BOB. I PLAYED ONE OR TWO GAMES FOR PICKERINGS. I MAINLY PLAYED FOR WEST END AND HEAD WRIGHTSONS
I started at RH in 1949 probably when these lads were in their last year or had left. I do recognise Mr. Fenny and Mr Rosser but I can”t put names to faces. Can anyone name these players?
Hi Ken Rhodes my dogs name was Sam, Sam Brown after the Army Belt as he was always getting belted when he was a pup, I had some interesting episodes with Sam I was on the number three Bus coming home to Hartburn from Stockton and I heard two well dressed Ladies talking about their pedigree dogs. One said I here you dog is pregnant, yes said the other but they will be Heinz Varieties as that mongrel Sam had got to her bitch in heat. I moved to Bristol after spending five years in South Africa, and took Sam with me. On my first visit to the local Pub I took Sam with me and was standing at the bar of my new local Pub when the Land lord shouted to his dog to get down Ben, I replied with get down Sam, not knowing that was the Land Lords name. I had a terrible job convincing the Land Lord not to bar me from his Pub.
Hello Ken, My other sisters name was Margaret, she still lives in the UK, in Whitley Bay.Thanks for the “shout out”. If you knew Kath & Jack, you knew two pretty nice people! Regards from California, Kevin McCullough
Ken Rhodes, yes I am a long time friend of George Mentz, we go back over 60 years. He got a computer recently and I introduced him to this website just last week, so he could well be reading these postings. Harry Rhodes and I were fellow apprentices at the old Furness Shipyard, 1945/50
Ken. Did you play football for Pickerings? I see the name Johnny Paxton who did play for that team. There was also a centre forward called Apple Clarke. Their matches were played on the field which is now next to Bishopsgarth Estate on Darlington Back Lane.
Hello to Benny and Harry in Oz has I’ve stated before I remember Benny from Tunstal Road with his barking dog that’s the reason we sent him to Oz. Stockton Grammar never had a decent footy team a bit like Holy Trinity. Johnny Rosser used to threaten our team Richard Hind with detention if we beat them more than 15-0 which was the usual score. The team shown above the 1946/47 league champions were beat 1-0 by a fluke goal by Peter Franks from the half way line. I worked with Johnny Paxton at Pickerings and I remember Bill Hardy. Kevin McCullough I knew your sister Kath and brother in law Jack Manning at HWTC I can”t remember your other sisters name but she was friends with Viv Wales. Peter Weatherall are you the friend of George Mentz? Harry Rhodes I remember along with my old pal from junior school his brother Stan Geoff Eggett from Cuthbert road along with his dad who ran the Life Boys at the Con Chapel on Yarm Road Best wishes from ken
I remember the Primrose Hill team playing at the Showfield in Norton. Players that I remember were Jackie Ball the Captain, George Sudron the Goalie. There was a teacher played for then who taught at the Roseworth School. My friend Chas Pickering was an iside forward, Ronnie Baker full back. John Alison and Phil Lewis who mainly played for the Reserves.
Although I went to Oxbridge I remember Ken Rhodesvry well. I also played for West End & Primrose Hill, Jackie Potter was the coach. I was also a member of the Eagle boys,this was because I played for Oxbridge School Football side. In fact I was lucky enough to score the only goal In the final of the Salmon cup against Richard Hind
I am not sure whether to blame senility, or temporary (I hope) mental aberration, but somehow I managed to overlook your posting in which you mentioned that your Dad was aware of my Brother Stan”s condition, as a result of his being wounded in the Korean conflict.Yes, Stan was a good Athlete specialising in the short sprints. Both he and I represented the Eagle Club under the supervision of Frank Showell who was at that time Head Master of Oxbridge Lane School. Not much wrong with your Dad”s memory as he is quite correct that we lived in Ellicott Street, near to Bowesfield Lane. Funny thing but while I missed your posting on my computer in Melbourne, I have picked it up on my Daughter”s machine in Coffs Harbour NSW where I am currently on holiday. Tell your Dad to get stuck in to this computer lark, it can be most satisfying, particularly with a site like this one.
Hello Harry, Dad knew of Stan”s plight – how awful for him all your family. Stan is remembered as a fine athlete by my dad and he seems to think that you all lived in the Bowesfield Lane area. Is that correct? Best wishes to you and yours.
Good to hear from you Norman and to read that your Dad remembers Stan Rhodes.Yes, Stan is my Brother and is currently living in a Nursing Home in Thornaby. He served with the First Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry in Korea where he was shockingly wounded by shell fragments. He lived at home with our parents until Dad”s Death and Mum could no longer care for Stan as he needed a lot of looking after. He moved into residence at Blenheim House, Thornaby. I last saw him five years ago when I was visiting Teesside. Many thanks for your enquiry. Regards to you and your Dad.
Hello again Harry, I”ve been back to Stockton lately (I live on the edge of the Dales) and told Dad about this site. He did know a Stan Rhodes – could this be your brother?
Sorry Harry my grandma and grandad were the late Alice and Bill Rhodes. When dad was born they lived in Camden Street (I think) and then moved to Alliance Street which features quite prominently on this site. However their house No 76 isn”t one of those mentioned. Congratulations on your golden wedding!
I was interested in this photograph and the reference to Ken Rhodes. Would his parents have been Jack and Frances Rhodes. If so, then he and I would be first cousins.But whether or not we are related, congratulations on the Golden Wedding. My Wife and I also celebrated our fiftieth anniversary last year.
My father Ken Rhodes is the player second from the left in the back row. He and my mother Beryl still live in Stockton and celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last year. On the day before this photo was taken the boys were told to bring in white shorts – the school provided only the shirt – and despite suggestions that the black pair was given to the goalkeeper or that the boy who brought them (2nd right, front) should stand in the back row, the teachers ordered him to sit in a place where his disobedience would be obvious! Petty or what? Dad went on to play for Stockton West End and a handful of games for South Bank. He spent most of his working life with Head Wrightson and retired in 1997.
Attended Ebby Neal’s cremation today and was amazed at the number of people that came to show their respects. The vicar stated that it was the biggest attended creamation she had seen at Middlesbrough. The bowling club, Blythholme club, old school friends, people who had played football with Eric, they were all there and a few tears were shed. Eric was a smashing chap and will be remembered.
Head Wrightsons were Teesside League Champions in seasons 1948-49 & 1952-53 and MacMillan Bowl winners in 1948-49 & 1950-51, in the F.A.Cup in 1950-51 prelim rd. Heads beat Filey Town away 7-3,1st Qual rd. Bridlington Central Utd. away 5-4, 2nd Q were beat by Whitby Town away 4-2. As you say Ken the Head Wrightsons pot hunters in the early fifties used to turn out for Lacker Day’s Barkers Athletic especially against Primrose Hill.
IT’S A LONG TIME AGO ANON. COL RICHARDS AND I WERE ASKED TO PLAY FOR THE SECOND TEAM BECAUSE THE FIRST TEAM WERE NOT DOING TOO WELL IN THE TEASSIDE LG AND SOME OF THE PLAYERS LEFT TO PLAY FOR OTHER TEAMS (MEDAL HUNTING?). COLIN MOVED UPTO THE FIRST TEAM AND THEY STARTED TO DO WELL AND GOT TO A SEMI FINAL AND THEY ALL CAME BACK TO CLAIM THEIR OLD POSITIONS. I LOST MY PLACE AND WENT BACK TO WEST END. STICKER DICKINSON WAS RUNNING THE TEAMS. IT WAS ABOUT 1949 TO 1950, I THINK?.. MEMORY GOING.
I am sad to hear of Ebbie Neal’s passing, he was a good little wing half who also played in the successful Billingham Synthonia Teesside League team in the sixties & Head Wrightsons. Ken(Rhodes)when did you play for Head Wrightsons?
I’M SORRY TO PUT ON THE SITE THE PASSING AWAY OF ERIC (EBBIE) NEAL WHO PLAYED AS THE PHOTO SHOWS FOR RICHARD HIND AND ALSO FOR THE THREE TEAMS OF WEST END. ERIC HAD BEEN ILL FOR THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS.
Richard Hind pupil from 43-47 ten joined the RN. Retired from service in 62 and qualified as a teacher in 63. Taught in UK until 68 then emigrated to Canada. Teacher/Principal and occasional university lecturer until 94. Now retired and live in Saskatchewan just west of Prince Albert.
My very deep apologies Benny for having Be(a)ttyfied you! A very senior moment.
As to reaching ‘the top of your profession’; It is like someone starting in an apprenticeship say as a welder and over time being promoted in the firm until through experience senior management level is attained.
I greatly enjoyed my nearly 16 years as a Head putting into practice things learned at Richard Hind, next in Rugby, about how to treat people, be they pupils or other staff, with respect and giving them the necessary encouragement to advance beyond where they might have been stuck. Confidence is the necessary pill for many.
Recently I had an e-mail from a former pupil who was an 11 + failure but is now a Senior Professor. Still a good distance runner too but in the veteran class of course.
Hi there. Are you the Ken Sawyer who taught me religious education at Richard hind in the fifties?
I have been called some very strange names in my 75 years Ken Sawyer, but your BETTY beats them all, put it down to a senior moment Ken as I do when in a similar situation. Congratulations on reaching the top of your profession Ken. I had not realised you finished up life as a Head Teacher, rewards for a hard working committed teacher, I know Ray Irvine also reached that goal before his untimely death, also Bill Rosser is in this category. Any one know of others who were part of this small and exclusive band of local boys who made good, as we might say.
Oh dear, another part of my life bites the dust. We had our school dinners in St Peters Hall, boys that is. Technical drawing under Eggy Plummer and PT with Sid Williams the Egyptian swimming champion? I never did find out how or why that came about. Miss Duffney never took PT in my time, she was general education and we all looked forward to sitting gazing at her star struck. When we went off to the park every Wednesday afternoon summer and winter it would be Eggy Plummer or Sid Williams who took us for the very competitive games of football or cricket, we carried the kit with us. For some reason I have a memory block on Mr Carling although he must have been at the school at some time during my stay. The walk up and down Dennison Street to the Hall between classes was a welcome break in the routine, if we were sure we were not being watched we would nip into the Co-op on the corner of Dennison Street and Richardson Road to see if there were any tea cakes left, pity help you if you got caught. When Dennison Street was bombed and so many lost their lives the Hall was out of bounds for a couple of weeks so the girls had their lunch in the class rooms and we took over the school hall they normally used, the twain shall never meet was the refrain, the high wall and iron gate dividing the school yards took care of that. Even the school bus had a dividing line, girls downstairs boys up although one or two of the girls would sneak upstairs with us noisy lot. I have only good memories of the Richard Hind school and it certainly gave me the education that allowed me to live as well as I do now. The regular caning for being a bit of a free wheeler and answering back was put down as the price one paid for speaking out when I thought them wrong, it was what happened, you knew the consequence it was up to you if you wanted to say it as it was. My Daughter followed me there years later and it also stood her in good stead, well done old “Raggy behind” you did us proud.
Another two Newham Grange cricketers were Steven Smailes and Barry Jeffels who went on to play for Stockton Cricket Club but unfortuately both have passed on.Steven Smailes played for Durham County schoolboys team, later in life he was a Stockton Borough Councillor.
Betty Brown’s grateful response to the time and sheer, physical hard work committed by the likes of Ray Irvin was fully deserved.
Being able to practice on the playing strips or ‘wickets’ was a tremedous boon for young cricketers, who could be confident that the bowled ball would come off the ground at a regular height and that they would not need to be ready for the ball to lift and hit them under the chin.
Stockton Cricket ground’s grass was so cared for and so true that a wicket could be cut at any points without fear of heads being severed from bodies.
Another Newham Grange produced player was called Young – I hopefully recall!
Just a few lines to all the old Richard Hind pupils and Ken Sawyer to tell them that another part of the Richard Hind story has hit the dust. I noticed in our local paper that St Peters Hall has been sold for £75,000. To whom and for what I dont yet know, but I do remember the lessons that I attended in the hall with Mr Plummer(TD)Miss Duffney(PT) and Mr Carling (music). It was a great school in those days and, looking at some of the comments on this site, was a school that was enjoyed by a lot of old pupils and staff. All those members of staff from my days and a lot of my school pals have now passed on but I will always remember them.
The Ropner Playing Field brings back memories of the one and only time a Newham Grange team played against one of the toff teams (Grammar Schools) at any sport. The Newham Grange Cricket team in the 1950 season played against Stockton Secondary Grammar School at the Ropner Playing Fields in a friendly match. The Stockton Secondary Grammar School had a bad day that day, as they were all out for 15 runs. The late Lol Can took 8 wickets for 2 runs in a display of bowling I have never witnessed since. Are there any of either team out there that remembers this match. When I look back at some of the excellent players produced by Stockton Secondary Grammar School I am still in awe of this result. Ray Irvine our Sports teacher was very keen on his cricket team, even going to the trouble of preparing a turf wicket on the school grounds, this sort of dedication by a teacher led to many boys enjoying their cricket when in most cases they would not have the chance to play on a turf wicket. Many of these boys went on to play senior cricket for Stockton and other local teams, due to Rays dedication to the game. One of the lines of career for some of these boys was a scholarship to Stockton Cricket Club which meant you did not have to pay subsriptions to join the club. I wonder if these scholarships are still being given to young School players of promise.
Whenever I hear the phrase ‘level playing field’ Ropner playing field at Fairfield comes to mind. After Mr Smith had selected his 1st and 2nd teams the remainder, tagged as The Scraps, were told to go and amuse themselves on the football pitch nearest the entrance. One half of the pitch was on a 10% slope which with the prevailing South Westerly wind combined to make attacking the goal at this end a harder task than climbing up Roseberry Topping. Richard Hind fair play came in and after an arbitary period teams changed ends.
The cricket square was only marginally better and could have benefited from a pass with a road roller. Nevertheless Messrs Smith and Benzies coached successful football and cricket teams throughout the 60s.
Crikey, l remember those freezing winter days at Sooner playing fields. I was in the same class as you and was in the scraps category for footy and cricket. Character building l guess they would have called it. Ah, heady days!
Thanks for the memory Ken. Many a double lesson was spent galloping upto Ropner Park for a game of footy and cricket and then galloping back to meet the frosty gaze of many members of staff having their lesson disturbed by the late arrival of boys, often covered in mud, and not to keen to start to do Maths or English with either Mr Dea or Mr Carling. Both these teachers (whose classes I always enjoyed) always (rightly) complained and made their complaints to Mr Plummer and later Mr Fenny. We could never understand why we didn’t have the last two lessons of the day. But I suppose that was too easy.
The game at Grosvenor Road against Stockton Grammar School that Ken Rhodes refers to was at the time that one Bill Rosser was playing in the SGS team! I have the feeling that another game was played at the Ropner Field at Fairfield but this may be just my mind deceiving me.
Distance from the school was a great problem but negotiating with the Ropner Trust to obtain the field being vacated by Stockton Sec as it became Grangefield Grammar School was a great boon. Having at least 3 football pitches and a cricket square was a great benefit after all the years of walking to Ropner Park for games periods on the spacious area at the south east corner of the park. How many of you have memories of these?
Ken(Rhodes) – I have explained elsewhere it was not the wish of the Head & teacher mainly involved to give up any more time. Men like Mick O’Donnell (latin master) were actually very generous with their time including midweek evening cricket practice in the nets. Most of the lads were members of cricket clubs but it was especially helpful for others. It meant walking from the No 4 bus terminal at the Avenue.
You have gone back a few years to pull me on this posting Ken. When I played for the Seniors at RH I remember playing a friendly against SGS on Grovener Road(?) pitch at Oxbridge, I think it was the only time we played them in my school career and we won quite easily. As I’ve stated before on this site I could never understand why the powers to be didn’t let SGS into the Leagues to play with the rest of the School teams. Fee Paying? We also played a couple of the other teams you mentioned. I’m sorry but I don’t remember Stan playing for SGS but I have read his book and it’s very good.
Ken Rhodes posted 12/02/07 "Stockton Grammar never had a decent footy team a bit like Holy Trinity." Really?
Do you remember when Stan Rickaby played for the Grammar. He already looked a star to we younger lads but those in the team then were not so bad. They fared well against their regular opposition at Darlington (St Mary’s), Bishop Auckland King James’), Guisborough (GS), Middlesbrough (St Mary’s) and so forth.
When Hartburn Minors played their 1 season before the amalgamation that became West End there were 4 Grammar lads playing in the team.
Thanks Ken for putting my memory back together. I last saw Mr Fenny and Mr Goodier at a class reunion a few years ago held at Stockton Cricket Club, they both looked very frail, but it was good to see them and I belive they were the last two members of staff to still be with us at that time. I enjoyed my time at RH and thought that all the staff were great and worked well under war conditions.
Having scrolled to earlier postings on this page I read a posting in May 2006 that ‘when I was there 62 – 67. Mr Fenny taught metal work.
In those days of teacher training it was quite usual that those who trained for PE principally also trained in a second subject, often Crafts.
To move some discussion about Richard Hind football teams that has been on the South Bank Juniors 1951, having begun from a mistaken identification of one player as a Rosser and resulted in a correction by me here is a team photo in which Arthur ‘Pop’ Fenny, mentioned by Ken Rhodes in that SBJ discussion, appears possibly for the first time. He was new to the staff that school year – post 2nd WW service, trained for PE teaching at Loughborough I think.
I attended Richard Hind from 1961 to 1966 before moving on to Grangefield and remember Mr Fenny as the metalwork teacher who rode a motorcycle and sidecar. As a coincidence in 1982 when I was working at The British Railways Board HQ located at 222 Marylebone Road in London one of the secretaries was called Theresa Fenny. I happened to mention to her that I had been taught by a Mr Fenny and it turned out that he was her uncle.
Bob Irwin.The Primrose Hill player who taught at the Roseworth School is called Ken Tiffin,but the chap in this Richard Hind photo front row left looks like Jimmy Buckle he also played outside left for Primrose Hill & I think he later became a teacher.They were both at the reunion in the Mile House Pub about two years ago.
THE TEAM WAS NEALE RHODES ELLIS UNKNOWN MOORE UNKNOWN FR.BUCKLE RICHARDS SEWELL DENHAM BAILEY ONE PERSON MISSING WAS THE LATE BOB SMITH OUR CAPTAIN BOB. I PLAYED ONE OR TWO GAMES FOR PICKERINGS. I MAINLY PLAYED FOR WEST END AND HEAD WRIGHTSONS
I started at RH in 1949 probably when these lads were in their last year or had left. I do recognise Mr. Fenny and Mr Rosser but I can”t put names to faces. Can anyone name these players?
Hi Ken Rhodes my dogs name was Sam, Sam Brown after the Army Belt as he was always getting belted when he was a pup, I had some interesting episodes with Sam I was on the number three Bus coming home to Hartburn from Stockton and I heard two well dressed Ladies talking about their pedigree dogs. One said I here you dog is pregnant, yes said the other but they will be Heinz Varieties as that mongrel Sam had got to her bitch in heat. I moved to Bristol after spending five years in South Africa, and took Sam with me. On my first visit to the local Pub I took Sam with me and was standing at the bar of my new local Pub when the Land lord shouted to his dog to get down Ben, I replied with get down Sam, not knowing that was the Land Lords name. I had a terrible job convincing the Land Lord not to bar me from his Pub.
Hello Ken, My other sisters name was Margaret, she still lives in the UK, in Whitley Bay.Thanks for the “shout out”. If you knew Kath & Jack, you knew two pretty nice people! Regards from California, Kevin McCullough
Ken Rhodes, yes I am a long time friend of George Mentz, we go back over 60 years. He got a computer recently and I introduced him to this website just last week, so he could well be reading these postings. Harry Rhodes and I were fellow apprentices at the old Furness Shipyard, 1945/50
Ken. Did you play football for Pickerings? I see the name Johnny Paxton who did play for that team. There was also a centre forward called Apple Clarke. Their matches were played on the field which is now next to Bishopsgarth Estate on Darlington Back Lane.
Hello to Benny and Harry in Oz has I’ve stated before I remember Benny from Tunstal Road with his barking dog that’s the reason we sent him to Oz. Stockton Grammar never had a decent footy team a bit like Holy Trinity. Johnny Rosser used to threaten our team Richard Hind with detention if we beat them more than 15-0 which was the usual score. The team shown above the 1946/47 league champions were beat 1-0 by a fluke goal by Peter Franks from the half way line. I worked with Johnny Paxton at Pickerings and I remember Bill Hardy. Kevin McCullough I knew your sister Kath and brother in law Jack Manning at HWTC I can”t remember your other sisters name but she was friends with Viv Wales. Peter Weatherall are you the friend of George Mentz? Harry Rhodes I remember along with my old pal from junior school his brother Stan Geoff Eggett from Cuthbert road along with his dad who ran the Life Boys at the Con Chapel on Yarm Road Best wishes from ken
I remember the Primrose Hill team playing at the Showfield in Norton. Players that I remember were Jackie Ball the Captain, George Sudron the Goalie. There was a teacher played for then who taught at the Roseworth School. My friend Chas Pickering was an iside forward, Ronnie Baker full back. John Alison and Phil Lewis who mainly played for the Reserves.
Although I went to Oxbridge I remember Ken Rhodesvry well. I also played for West End & Primrose Hill, Jackie Potter was the coach. I was also a member of the Eagle boys,this was because I played for Oxbridge School Football side. In fact I was lucky enough to score the only goal In the final of the Salmon cup against Richard Hind
I am not sure whether to blame senility, or temporary (I hope) mental aberration, but somehow I managed to overlook your posting in which you mentioned that your Dad was aware of my Brother Stan”s condition, as a result of his being wounded in the Korean conflict.Yes, Stan was a good Athlete specialising in the short sprints. Both he and I represented the Eagle Club under the supervision of Frank Showell who was at that time Head Master of Oxbridge Lane School. Not much wrong with your Dad”s memory as he is quite correct that we lived in Ellicott Street, near to Bowesfield Lane. Funny thing but while I missed your posting on my computer in Melbourne, I have picked it up on my Daughter”s machine in Coffs Harbour NSW where I am currently on holiday. Tell your Dad to get stuck in to this computer lark, it can be most satisfying, particularly with a site like this one.
Hello Harry, Dad knew of Stan”s plight – how awful for him all your family. Stan is remembered as a fine athlete by my dad and he seems to think that you all lived in the Bowesfield Lane area. Is that correct? Best wishes to you and yours.
Good to hear from you Norman and to read that your Dad remembers Stan Rhodes.Yes, Stan is my Brother and is currently living in a Nursing Home in Thornaby. He served with the First Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry in Korea where he was shockingly wounded by shell fragments. He lived at home with our parents until Dad”s Death and Mum could no longer care for Stan as he needed a lot of looking after. He moved into residence at Blenheim House, Thornaby. I last saw him five years ago when I was visiting Teesside. Many thanks for your enquiry. Regards to you and your Dad.
Hello again Harry, I”ve been back to Stockton lately (I live on the edge of the Dales) and told Dad about this site. He did know a Stan Rhodes – could this be your brother?
Blimey! I think the teachers are Mr Fenny (left) and Mr John Rosser. He was the Head when I was there 62 – 67. Mr Fenny taught metal work
Sorry Harry my grandma and grandad were the late Alice and Bill Rhodes. When dad was born they lived in Camden Street (I think) and then moved to Alliance Street which features quite prominently on this site. However their house No 76 isn”t one of those mentioned. Congratulations on your golden wedding!
I was interested in this photograph and the reference to Ken Rhodes. Would his parents have been Jack and Frances Rhodes. If so, then he and I would be first cousins.But whether or not we are related, congratulations on the Golden Wedding. My Wife and I also celebrated our fiftieth anniversary last year.
My father Ken Rhodes is the player second from the left in the back row. He and my mother Beryl still live in Stockton and celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last year. On the day before this photo was taken the boys were told to bring in white shorts – the school provided only the shirt – and despite suggestions that the black pair was given to the goalkeeper or that the boy who brought them (2nd right, front) should stand in the back row, the teachers ordered him to sit in a place where his disobedience would be obvious! Petty or what? Dad went on to play for Stockton West End and a handful of games for South Bank. He spent most of his working life with Head Wrightson and retired in 1997.