A photograph of the staff at Richard Hind School, 1961 – 2. The teacher in the middle of the back row is Ian Menzies who coached the school’s football team. Can anyone recognise any of the other teachers?
Photograph courtesy of Andrew Benzies.
Richard Hind School Staff, 1961 – 2
I went to Richard Hind from 1961 to 1966, so this photo was my first year. Mr Ian Benzies was my form master in 1b.
Back Row: Pop Carlin (Deputy Head, English, Music ) Tommy Dunn ( Tech Drawing ), George Kier ( Geography ) , Mr Heslop ( Physics ) Mr Ian Benzies ( English Lang , Lit ) ? , Mr Southern (Chemistry) Dizzy Bowman ( Physics ), ? .
Front Row. Mr Woodward (smudge)(Maths), Mr Fenny (Metalwork), Mr Gibson ( History ) Mrs North ( Secretary ) Mr Johnny Rosser (Head) , Miss Hall (French) Jimmy (woodwork), Harry Taylor (RE) Barry Smith (PE)
The school was very strict and corporal punishment was applied frequently. To avoid this, I did my homework !! First thing in the morning when your form master entered the room, everyone stood up. In the middle of a lesson, if Mr Rosser came into the room , everyone stood up. After exams, we played football and cricket in the yard. We always had good football teams.
The unofficial school moto was Work Hard in Work Hard, Play Hard in Playtime. A good motto.
I went to Stockton Grammar to do my A levels. On day one, when the form teacher came in, I stood up, and everyone even the teacher looked at me !! No one stood up when the Head came in . That says it all.
It didn’t suit everyone, but Richard Hind suited me . It enabled me to get an Engineering Degree, and after Engineering, a career in Aviation.
Hi Andrew – were you related to either of the Benzies brothers – Ian, or Graham?
A Graham Benzies was at Holy Trinity and lived on Bowesfield Lane. He had an older brother.
Go to this link same photo with names https://picturestocktonarchive.com/2020/12/03/golden-jubilee-of-richard-hind-school/
I’m SO impressed by people’s memories!!
If it wasn’t for Mr Benzies and his English lessons I probably wouldn’t have had the career that I had. I owe that man a lot.
I only joined RH in September 1971 aged 11 so the subjects that were taught by the teachers I have identified may be different to what they taught at the time the photo was taken.
Front Row 2nd from left Mr Fenny , Subject Metalwork.
Front Row Far right Barry Smith (Sprig) , Sports teacher.
Back Row 2nd from left Tommy Dunn , Subject Technical Drawing
Back Row 3rd from left George Kier (Gogger George) , Subject Geography
Back Row 4th from left Mr Heslop (Sloppy) , Subject Physics
Back Row 5th from left Mr Benzies, not Menzies , Subject English
Mr Kier it was alleged to have only one lung and had a strange habit of making a weird noise sometimes when breathing. He was very tolerant and you could have a laugh in his lessons unless you took it too far.
Mr Smith was a hard task master in sport but with him we won the school football league. I think it was 1973.
Mr Benzies and his younger brother who joined the school at a date after the photo was taken taught History.
I was there 66-71, but here goes.
Back row
1 ? 2 “Tommy” Dunne, 3 George Kear, 4 Mr Fenney, 5 Ian Benzies
6 ? 7 ? “Dizzy Bowman 9 ?
Front Row
10 “Snudge” Woodward 11 ? 12 ? 13 ? 14 ? 15 Miss Hall ? 16 ? 17 ? 19 “Sprig Smith,
There was also another teacher called Benzies, ( I think he may have taught English ) we called them Bill and Ben.
Dunne -Tech drawing
Kear – Geography
Fenney – Metalwork
I Benzies – History ?
Bowman – Science
Woodward – Maths
Hall – French
Smith – P.E / Sports
There was an art teacher called Mr Humble and the R K teacher was Mr Butcher. (one day, he brought me a poster of Raquel Welch)
Our woodwork teacher was a Mr Hall.
I remember Mr Hall. Ian Benzies taught English in my day the other Benzies taught History. I had forgotten the “Bill and Ben” title for them both. I got in trouble with History Benzies for throwing a snowball and celebrating getting the cricket bats from the staff room. I then showed them to my mates who were still in his lesson thru the glass part of the door. Unfortunately I had made a V sign with them and he popped his head around the door, sent me to the staff room, my knees trembling and gave me 2 of the best one on each hand. Put me off cricket.
Back row left to right – 1 Mr (Pop) Carling (English/Music. 2 Mr (Sid) Buckle (Art). 3 Mr George O. Kear (Geog). Rest unknown – post 1957
Seated left to right – 1 ? 2 Mr Arthur Fenny (P.E. Metalwork?). 3 Mr (Smiler) Gibson (History). 4 Mrs (Ma!) North ((Secretary). 5 Mr (Johnny) Rosser (Head). 6 Mr (Jimmy) Turnbull (Woodwork) 8 ? 9 ?
From Jeff Smith, a pupil from 1952-1957
LR back,?Carling, Dunn, Wier, Heslop,Benzies.
0, 0,0.
Front: Woodward,Fenny, Gibson,0, BoneArt? BProsser,Turnbull, 0, Turnbull, Gibson (Knocker) RE, Barry Smith.
Thanks for sharing that Andrew much appreciated – many memories
I’ve done my best here in naming all but one!
Mr Corner (Pop)
Tommy Dunn Tech Drawing (anyone want more gravy?)
George Kear geography- nobody ever passed
Sloppy Heslop physics
(Ben) Benzies English /sport
Not sure ???
Mr Sutherland (chemistry)
(Dizzy) Bowman
Front row
Snudge (maths)
Mr Fenny (metalwork)
Smiler (history)
(Mar) North ( always in the metalwork shop!)
Jonny Rosser head master
Edna Hall French / Paris trip 1966
Mr Woodward woodwork
Harry Taylor RK
Barry Smith PE
Barry Smith P.E. was playing football then in the local Stockton & District League for Primrose Hill he also played for Preston S.C.
Back left end Gibson-History?, back right end Kear Geography?. Front row end left Snudge Maths? Front row 2nd from right ?? RK Back row 2nd from right Dizzie. I’m sure I will know a few more names left.
Back row:
Mr. Carlin (“rocker”)…English
“Tommy” Dunn. …..Tech drawing
“George “ Kear. ….Geography
Mr. Heslop ( “sloppy”) ….Chemistry
Ian Benzies. ….English
?
?
“Dizzy” Bowman ….Physics
“Len” Bone ….Art
Front row:
Mr Woodward (“snudge ”)…Maths
Mr Fenny ….Metalwork
Mr Gibson (“smiler”)….history
Secretary..?
“Johnny” Rosser …the headmaster
French?
“Little Jim” ?……woodwork
R.E.?
“Sprig”…….P.E.
I’m sure others will fill in the gaps..
Paul Butler, I attended Richard Hind 1959 to 1964.
Barry Smith, bottom right, George Kear, Rodam Heslop
Next to Ian Benzies, Mr Fenny arms folded on the front.
Good heavens…..I was taught by some of those people. I’ll need to put my thinking cap on to remember their real names as opposed to nicknames!!! Great memories. Thank you
Back row third from left. George Keir (Geography). Front row second from left. Arthur Fenny (Metalwork). Far right end Barry ‘Sprig’ Smith (PE)
Hi Neil Prof here , enjoying retirement yet?