Customs & Practices

CUSTOMS, PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES IN THE 1960s: SOME COMMENTS

Curriculum

In the Lower School (1st and 2nd years) pupils generally studied a wide range of subjects including religious education, English, mathematics, history, geography, science, art and craft, French, metalwork, woodwork and music. In addition, provision was also made for lessons in physical education, games and library studies. From time-to-time other languages, such as Italian and Spanish, were also studied.

Third-formers were introduced to a range of new subjects such as biology, physics, chemistry, book-keeping, commerce and machine drawing, as well as studying the usual core subjects. Before the end of the third year, pupils opted to study a cluster of subjects for GCE according to their abilities and interests. Consequently, forms in the fourth and fifth years were named as Science A, Science B, Commerce, Engineering A and Engineering B. 

Among the many subjects studied and taken at O-level in the Upper School were English Language, English Literature, mathematics, history, geography, book-keeping, commerce, woodwork, metalwork, engineering workshop theory and practice, machine drawing, technical drawing, geometrical and engineering drawing, chemistry, physics, biology, Latin, French (and other foreign languages), art, geology, commercial mathematics, general engineering science, physics with chemistry, general paper, scripture knowledge, and  music. Other foreign languages included Spanish, Italian, Russian, Polish, Ukrainian and Maltese – although some of these would have been spoken and learnt at home. Some A-level students were awarded O-levels after failing to achieve a pass grade in the A-level examination in subjects such as economics, British Government, and general studies to name but a few. By the mid-1960s, a new course was offered – U.E.T., which stood for University Entrance Test in English but was variously known as ‘Use of English’ and ‘University English Test’; it was studied by sixth formers in an attempt to improve their written English skills and to help them secure places at universities and colleges.

As well as studying for exams, most upper school pupils spent curriculum time on subjects such as religious education, music and physical education although these were generally not taken at examination level.

Having failed to obtain the required minimum number of O-level passes to qualify for entry into the sixth form to study A-levels, some students returned to school and entered a form called Lower Six O, where they continued to follow ordinary level courses of study for a year.

Other students returned to study two-year A-level courses. Among the subjects chosen were English Literature, mathematics (including applied, pure, pure with statistics, pure with mechanics, further), history, economics, geography, geology, physics, chemistry, biology, botany, zoology, French, Spanish, art, British Constitution/Government, technical drawing, geometrical and engineering drawing, woodwork, metalwork, book-keeping & accountancy, general studies, U.E.T., and Greek & Roman Literature in Translation. Although most A-level lessons were properly and formally timetabled, there were occasions when students studying some subjects – such as art, geology and woodwork – had to be somewhat flexible and ‘fit in’ with the teacher to obtain work and guidance whenever possible. Some A-level students would have taken O-level resits in November of the Lower Sixth as well as in the following summer. 

A small number of very exceptionable students were entered for Special Papers, probably with little or no formal tuition or preparation. On the evidence available – Speech Day programmes – it would appear that some were very successful, with top grades and distinctions being obtained in a variety of subjects.

Structure of the school day

Throughout the post-war decades the school operated a 40-period week, consisting mostly of eight daily 35-minute periods. With many pupils travelling from afar, and in the days of Manchester’s traffic congestion, the school day did not commence much before 9.15am. With breaks in both the morning and afternoon (of about 10 or 15 minutes each), together with a lengthy dinner break, the last lesson of the day finished as late as 4.10pm.

Structure of the school day, from 1960s:

• Registration/Assembly

• Period 1

• Period 2

• Break                                                                   

• Period 3

• Period 4

• Lunch

• Period 5

• Period 6

• Break

• Period 7

• Period 8

Teachers generally remained in “their” rooms, with pupils being required to move to them. One drawback of this structure was the period of time lost between lessons as hundreds of boisterous pupils moved around the school and caused congestion. The problem was not helped by the layout, which sometimes involved negotiating stairways and narrow corridors. Rules and procedures were drawn up, with staff instilling into pupils on which side of the stairs and corridors they had to walk. The first two pupils walking along the corridor, for instance, were expected to hold open the fire doors in order to allow easy access for those following. With single periods being of 35 minutes, actual teaching time could sometimes be less than half an hour.

By the 1970s the end of the school day had been brought forward by about half an hour in line with other schools at that time.

Timetabling

Across the school years many lessons were timetabled as a single period with some, such as practical subjects, being allocated double periods. Subjects such as woodwork, metalwork and games were usually given a half-day session. The core subjects, including religious education, English and mathematics, were given about five periods per week. Others, such as history and geography, received up to four. The number of lessons allocated varied from subject to subject and from one decade to another. The philosophy, generally speaking, seemed to be “learn a little often”. Registration was held in form rooms at the start of the day, with assemblies given on a daily basis and, later, on a weekly basis.

All classes from first to fifth year had full timetables. There was no such thing as a “free period”. Sixth formers, however, did have a few periods for “private study”, although finding rooming could be problematic. For A-level pupils, eight periods were usually allocated (four doubles) for each subject, although in some subjects this provision was lower. 

By the 1970s most staff had a generous teaching commitment of about 75 per cent. This equated to about 32 periods per week, together with a couple of lessons “covering” for absent colleagues. 

The headmaster did some teaching, although Mr Rocca was also renowned for his ability to teach virtually any subject when covering for an absent colleague. The deputy head had various administrative duties as well as fulfilling his teaching commitment. For many years Mr Fred Andrew undertook this role until he retired in 1965 and was succeeded by Mr Tony Smith, the former head of mathematics. Not until 1973, with the appointment of Mr Terence McSweeney, did the school have two deputy heads.

In the pre-computer age, timetables for both classes and teachers were drawn up manually by the deputy head. The work began towards the end of the summer term and was completed over the six-week vacation. They would be distributed on the first day back in September and, following a few minor amendments as teething problems were sorted out, lessons commenced almost immediately.

Books and equipment

All pupils were issued with exercise books and textbooks and were expected to take responsibility for their well-being. This often involved putting a backing cover on them as well as writing details such as name, form and subject. In the case of textbooks, a stick-on label was inserted inside the front cover and was filled in by the pupil; this enabled the teacher to trace and identify the user of the book in the event of damage. Pupils were required to have all the necessary equipment such as pens, rulers, pencils, rubbers, protractors and so on. The same applied for lessons in games and physical education: plimsolls and white shorts for gym work, and football boots, socks, shin pads, shorts and house shirt for games in winter. In summer, when games were held at Birchfields Park, near Manchester Grammar School, pupils were appropriately attired for summer sports. In addition to the above, a towel was needed following a group shower after returning by bus to the school. For other lessons, such as woodwork, metalwork and pottery, pupils wore an apron to protect their uniforms. The Gregorian of the 1960s often had much to carry in his bulging double-strapped shoulder satchel, as well as carrying sporting items in a separate bag. Getting on and off buses to and from school must have been difficult for some. 

Presentation of work

The importance of neatly presented work was often stressed and pupils were drilled in what was expected. At the end of a piece of work, for instance, a straight line would be drawn across the page. The next piece of work would commence on the next line with the writing of certain headings, such as the date, classwork, title of topic and so on. Each heading would be carefully underlined. Where the drawing of shapes was required, it was expected that these would be drawn usually in pencil and as accurately as possible. 

Homework

Homework was set weekly in most subjects, with the amount given varying from year to year and depending of the nature and frequency of the subject studied. In the junior classes, the total might be between one and one-and-half hours each night. For senior pupils who followed examination courses, the level was somewhat open-ended.

With regard to homework, Mr Rocca had this to say: “I must take this opportunity [at the 1957 Speech Day] of emphasising the great importance of homework. No one demands an excessive amount of homework, but it is of the utmost importance that the homework set should be done regularly and systematically. Except at examination times some homework is set every night.”

Assessment and Reporting

Pupils’ work, both classwork and homework, was to be marked and assessed regularly although there appeared to be no clear-cut uniform assessment procedures. Sometimes pupils marked and corrected their own homework at the start of the lesson. On other occasions, exercise books were collected and marked by the subject teacher, with marks or grades being entered into the teacher’s record book. Many teachers wrote comments, usually in red ink, in pupils’ books identifying and correcting errors and writing words of praise and encouragement.

Subject tests could be given at any time and marks could be awarded out of ten, twenty, as a percentage or as a grade indicated by a letter.  Before Christmas and in the summer term official tests were undertaken for reporting purposes.   Following the marking of these end of term examination papers – where marks were given in percentages – form teachers would undertake the task of collecting and collating all relevant information relating to each pupil in their form. A set of report books, each with a pupil’s name, would be given to subject teachers who then entered details of the pupil’s test score and position in class. Also entered was a brief comment, usually of no more than a one-line sentence. Some ‘comments’ were even shorter, comprising no more than one word – or just one letter, such as “E” for “Excellent”.

In the first three years pupils were given a ‘position in class’ for each subject, based on examination performance, while a ‘position in form’ was determined on the basis of a pupil’s ‘average examination mark’. Variations and inconsistencies in marking from one subject to another could sometimes distort outcomes.

Eventually after being completed and signed by the appropriate teachers, including the headmaster, the report books were issued to pupils to take home to show parents. After being studied and signed by parents, the report books would be returned to school and collected by the form tutor, who would then return them to the office for safe keeping.

Interestingly, not a single surviving report book has been discovered in the course of researching this project. However, examples of separate and individual report forms have been donated and have been included earlier.

Parents’ meetings

These were introduced towards the end of the 1960s and were very beneficial to all involved: parents, teachers and pupils. They were held in the hall, commencing between 7 and 7.30pm. The system, especially in the early days, was somewhat ad hoc, there being no formal procedure for reserving appointments. Nevertheless, the hall was always packed and there was a ‘buzz’ about the place as teachers and parents discussed issues relating to pupils’ progress, performance, examinations, attitudes, behaviour and so on.

Forms of entry

The first year comprised three classes up to 1956-57. From 1957 there were four classes, rising to five in 1959-60 and six in 1961-62.

Names of form groups 

Up to 1956-57 form groups in years 1-4 were classified as A, B and C but were often referred to as Upper, Middle and Lower. Upper 1, Middle 1A, Middle 1B and Lower 1 were introduced in 1957-58. Middle 1C was added in 1959-60, with Middle 1D appearing in 1961-62. In 1964-65, the first-year forms (at the Plymouth Grove annexe) were named as 1X 1G, 1S, 1T and 1Q, with second and third-year forms being named as G, S, T and Q. It is believed that these letters may have stood for Grammar, Secondary, Tertiary and Quaternary. Following some disquiet about the name of the Q class, it was changed in 1968 to ‘A’. From 1968 the four first-year forms were 1G, 1S, 1T and 1A.

Fourth-year forms continued to be classified as A, B and C up to 1959-60. In 1960-61, they were Upper 4 Middle 4A, Middle 4B and Lower 4. In 1962-63, they were known as 4 Science A, 4 Science B, 4 Commerce, 4 Engineering A and 4 Engineering B. Further name changes took place throughout the Sixties. By 1969-70 there were four classes, named 4G, 4S, 4T and 4A. In 1973 they were named 4S, 4C, 4T and 4E – the letters referring respectively to Science, Commerce, Technical and Engineering. 

Up to 1955-56 there was only one fifth-year group. 1956-57 saw two groups organised – 5A and 5B. By the early Sixties there were three groups. Throughout this decade the names of fifth-year classes largely corresponded with those of the fourth year. By 1970-71 they were named as 5G, 5S, 5T and 5A; this format remained unchanged until 1974, when they became known as 5S, 5C, 5T and 5E.

Streaming

Pupils were generally placed in first-year forms according to ability as determined at various times by IQ tests, Eleven Plus performance and other data. End of term examinations also provided useful information on pupils’ performance and academic achievement. After the Christmas break and in September, there would be some up and down movement of some lower school pupils. It is believed that from 1971 streaming on entry was abandoned.

Setting

Following the recommendations in the HMI report of 1961 a degree of setting took place in several subjects. This involved pupils from different forms, but of similar ability, studying certain subjects together.

Sports days

This tradition dated from the 1920s and continued up to the 1960s, by which time the venues were the White City Stadium, Stretford, and the Crescent, Salford.

House system

This was another feature of school life that had continued from the early days. Each pupil, on entering the school in the first year, was placed in one of the four houses. The houses, with colours shown in brackets, were Arrowsmith (yellow), Barlow (green), Campion (blue) and Whitaker (maroon).                                

Apart from the annual sports day and games afternoons, the house system appeared to play a declining part in the life of the school. It wasn’t allied to the pastoral system, as with many modern schools; by the late 1960s it was discontinued.

Rewards and punishments

Pupils’ achievements and good behaviour were acknowledged with words of praise and encouragement, together with positive comments in exercise books and reports. Speech Days enabled many pupils to receive recognition and awards for outstanding progress and achievement, together with awards for full attendance.

Instances of unacceptable behaviour were dealt with according to the nature and severity of the offence. A wide range of deterrents and punishments were at the disposal of staff. Among these were the issuing of words of displeasure, repeating poorly presented work, giving pupils physical tasks to improve the environment (such as cleaning desks or walls, or collecting litter), imposition of lines, detention and, on occasions, the use of corporal punishment. After-school detention was especially unpopular, with so many pupils having far to travel and with the school day finishing so late. However, the mere threat of such a punishment was a very real deterrent indeed, especially in the last lesson of the day.

Most teachers dealt with their own discipline problems as best they could, with advice from more experienced colleagues always being available. Generally speaking, pupils were made aware of their wrong-doing and encouraged to behave properly.

Suspensions were rare and expulsions even rarer.

Public examinations

This topic has already been mentioned briefly. Before the school’s extension in the late 1950s, public examinations were held in the old hall which was on the ground floor and facing Ardwick Green Park. From 1960 candidates sat exams in the new hall, which was above the new gym and which overlooked the playground. All large-entry exams were held in the new hall although some exams were held in classrooms. Invigilation was carried out by internal staff and notices of rules and conditions were displayed in prominent positions for the attention and benefit of both candidates and staff. When exams such as small-entry A-levels were taken in classrooms, staff had to ensure that any wall posters or documents containing written information were suitably covered so as not to influence a candidate’s performance. Inspectors, whose job was to ensure that examinations rules and conditions were being adhered to by the school, could visit at any time.

Desks and chairs were taken to the hall from their place of storage: this was a cellar – the old boiler room in the basement – access   to which was via steps in the yard.  The cellar was a place few people – staff or pupils – ever visited, or would wish to visit.

Pupils were expected to be self-sufficient with regard to exam equipment. Pens, pencils, rulers, rubbers and so on were the responsibility of the pupil. One exception to this was the distribution of pieces of blotting paper, since the 1950s and ‘60s were still the age of the use of the fountain pen. Although the biro was in use, fountain pens were generally preferred for exams. This meant, of course, that spare cartridges were needed. In earlier times it was probably the case that each exam desk had an ink-well into which pupils dipped their metal-pointed pens and which would require “topping up” from time to time. Some of the exam desks were the fold-up type, quite ancient and unstable and totally unlike desks used in day-to-day lessons over the previous five years. The blotting paper, by the way, had other uses. It could be used for working out problems. Alternatively, it could be used as an aid for writing down the times at which each answer or section of the exam paper should be completed.

Some pupils may have received a “shock” when opening some exam papers. This was the pre-photocopying age and the actual sight of some exam papers was unfamiliar and confusing to some. Subjects such as English Literature and geography, for instance, had thick question booklets containing multiple sections and many questions, with some topics being irrelevant to St Gregory’s pupils. Instructions had to be read and followed carefully.

As previously stated, results were released in August: first A-levels, then O-levels. Pupils obtained results either by postcard or visiting the school.  A few teachers were usually in attendance to assist in this nerve-racking and emotional exercise and were skilled in knowing what to say to youngsters whose feelings ranged from trepidation, fear, disappointment and despair to joy, elation and jubilation. Friendly advice, words of consolation and encouragement were offered, as were words of congratulations. Some pupils, unable to visit the school for one reason or another and impatient for their postcard to arrive, telephoned the school. Although this practice was not encouraged, teachers dealt with such calls in a professional manner.

The Manchester Evening News would eventually include St Gregory’s GCE results in one of its editions, listing those pupils who had achieved a minimum of three passes. In the longer term, full details of pupils’ performances would be included in the following year’s Speech Day programme.

In those days there was no public scrutiny of a school’s exam performance, as is the case today. No league tables. No statistical analysis. No self-congratulatory banners hanging from above the school’s main entrance. No, none of this. Results were analysed and discussed privately.

Obtaining four or five O-levels was regarded as a fine achievement: they were not easy.

Assemblies   

The opening of the new hall in 1960 enabled whole-school assemblies to be held. After being registered in their form rooms, pupils made their way to the hall and awaited the arrival of the head, Mr Rocca, who entered via the stairway near the stage. For these occasions he was usually dressed in his graduation ceremonial gown and his assemblies were delivered with confidence and professionalism, often rousing both pupils and staff alike. The format was probably similar to that of other schools at the time – prayers, notices, reminders, praise, criticisms, complaints, awards and so on. He was always mindful of the school’s reputation and public image and constantly reminded pupils of their responsibilities when they were out and about, especially travelling to and from school on public transport; for instance, vacating one’s seat for an adult standing up on a crowded bus. Similarly, poor behaviour and bad language on buses were unacceptable.

His successor, Mr McGawley, continued the practice of assemblies but chose not to wear his gown. Assemblies followed a similar pattern, with Mr McGawley frequently stressing that boys should study hard and aim to get into universities.

In later years it appeared that whole-school assemblies became unfashionable or impractical and were gradually phased out. In their place were year assemblies delivered by a year tutor.

Dinner money collection

This was a very public affair and took place on Monday mornings when form tutors had the task of collecting dinner money from pupils. The amount in the early Sixties was 5 shillings a week, that is, one shilling per day. Each boy, having had his name called out in class in alphabetical order, would walk out to the teacher’s desk and hand over the money. It remained this way for many years until teachers’ unions campaigned to have it abolished.

Registration

Strange as it may seem today, St Gregory’s had a most unusual system of registration at the commencement of morning and afternoon sessions. Each pupil was given a number and he shouted out this number in sequence, the numbers being allocated according to the alphabetical order of surnames. Thus, Adams, Bates, Brown and Carter might be numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4, with Vickers, Walsh, Williams and Yates being numbers 33, 34, 35 and 36. “One sir, two sir, three sir, four sir,” was the cry. A “silence” was deemed to be an absence. The teacher, therefore, was able to mark the register without having either to call out the names or look up.

Names

When teachers did address pupils they often referred to their surname rather than their Christian names. This rather formal and stuffy practice was not intended to be rude or disrespectful to the pupil. It was simply the way things were done in those days and no offence was either intended or taken. In fact, pupils called each other by their surnames both at work and at play, with some being accorded a nickname. Many of the staff were also given nicknames, a practice which is less prevalent in the modern era. Gradually, however, things changed and more and more pupils were called by their Christian names.

Class photographs

As can be seen from this project the practice of taking class photographs dates back many years. The period 1949 to about the mid-1960s was when this practice was at its busiest. Throughout the Fifties, classes posed for photographs in the old schoolyard, except for 1958-59 when – because of the extensions – they were taken in the park.  From 1960, all photographs were taken in the open-air quadrangle located between the dining-room, craft rooms and corridor by the gym. Whenever possible in the Fifties the headmaster would pose with the class, as would the form tutor. Having said that, many pictures were taken without the inclusion of a teacher and, in some years, it would appear that not all classes were photographed. The survival and inclusion of many of these images has greatly enhanced the quality of this project. They show pupils and teachers the way they were in a bygone era.

Catchment

St Gregory’s drew pupils in the Sixties from over 90 parishes, as far west as Leigh and as far east as Glossop. There was a tremendous mix and variety of boys from different backgrounds and different areas which contributed to the enrichment and diversity of the school and making it what it was. One drawback of this system was the fact that some parish priests reneged on their responsibility to pay their dues to the school in relation to the number of pupils from their parishes.

Secretarial work

For much of the Sixties Mrs Doherty was the school’s secretary and worked in an office near the head’s office. Technology was in the form of a manual (later electric) typewriter and the photocopier had yet to be introduced. The bander machine or Gestetner was very much in use, although few teachers seemed to use printed notes or hand-outs. There was nothing like the proliferation of paper that is the case today and “reprographics rooms” were still for the future.  Assistance staff in the office was of the minimum and yet, to all intents and purposes, the administration of the school seemed to tick over quite nicely.

School chaplains

Father William Hunt, of St Anne’s, Ancoats, was appointed by the bishop in 1961 to be chaplain to the school and in 1970 he was succeeded by Father Paul Mitcheson. Their work involved visiting classes frequently and playing an active part in the spiritual lives of the boys. Of their work, Mr Tony Smith said: “One could not attempt to evaluate their valuable work and contribution to the religious life of the school.”

Another visitor to the school was Father Brian Seale, a curate from nearby St Aloysius’ church, whose contribution was much appreciated by both pupils and teachers alike.

In the early years of the school, priests from neighbouring parishes such as St Aloysius’, St Augustine’s and the Holy Name would make regular visits to the school and instruct a class.

Religious education

This was regarded by Mr Rocca as the most important work in the school. Speaking in 1957, he had this to say: “Every morning after Assembly, the first fifty minutes are given to religious instruction. The syllabus is that prescribed by the Diocesan Authority and the school is examined each year by the Diocesan Religious Inspectors.”

The religious education of the boys was delivered mainly through the regular class lessons given by their form teachers. The length and number of weekly lessons varied over time. These lessons were consolidated by regular year assemblies.

Prayers were said daily at the commencement and ending of morning and afternoon sessions, with some prayers being recited in Latin.

Every boy had a Catechism and the fundamental tenets and beliefs of the Church were learnt over the years. 

Although much provision was given to the subject, it was not taken in public examinations.

Games

Boys had games lessons every other week, weather permitting. Over the years, winter games were held at many different venues such as Hough End, Cringle Fields, Debdale Park, Platt Fields, Greenbank Park and Nell Lane. Summer games were held, among other places, at Platt Fields and Birchfields Park.

St Joseph’s Penny

This was the annual collection of money for the Catholic Children’s Rescue Society, an organisation that looked after children in need. Each form was encouraged to donate as much as possible and a bar graph, displayed in the school entrance, reminded pupils what the current overall total stood at and what each form had so far contributed.

Staff absenteeism and substitution

Whenever teachers were absent or their lessons needed covering, the custom and practice for many years was for the deputy head to complete an official slip of paper, often referred to as a “chitty”, which was then hand-delivered (sometimes by a pupil) to the teacher required to cover the class. The chitty informed the substitute of the name of the class, the name of the absent teacher and the room and period requiring cover.

Window cleaning

The relatively simple task of cleaning the school’s windows was done by men whose perilous actions would have contravened almost every regulation in the modern health and safety manual. The cleaning of the outside windows was a spectacle to behold, especially on the upper floors of the old building where the men worked largely without the aid of ladders. A glance at the pictures of the building shown in the section on the Industrial School will serve as a reminder of the scale of the task involved.

The operation worked something like this: the window cleaner would enter a top-floor classroom, open a window, climb outside onto the ledge, clean the window, and then manoeuvre his way laterally across the outside of the building going from ledge to ledge and carrying his cleaning equipment in his clothing. The distance from one ledge to the next was arm’s length and the cleaner had to have a firm grip and a steady nerve, not to mention a strong heart, long arms and legs, and shoes with a good grip. On reaching the end window he would re-enter the inside of the building.

All of this would be observed by pupils and teachers alike, possibly with mixed feelings of awe and amusement. 

As he straddled between one ledge and another, the cleaner faced the twin problems of his feet and hands. He could not see what he was stepping on to: slippery bird droppings, for instance, could lay in wait. Nor could he be entirely sure that the weather-worn mid-Victorian brickwork would not crumble away in his grip. One slip or loss of balance could have been fatal. The motive for operating in this risky way was simple – to save time.

Incredible as it may seem today, this practice continued for decades, even to the late Seventies. Although there is no record of any mishaps or accidents, it is known that fatalities occurred on other buildings being cleaned in a similar way.

Cloakrooms

Throughout the inside of the extended school there were open areas and small enclaves fitted out as cloakrooms, with spaces sometimes designated for particular forms in which pupils’ outdoor coats could be hung up. An increasing number of fashion-conscious boys arrived at school wearing trendy and expensive coats and it was indicative of the time that, generally speaking, there existed a culture of trust and honesty in which it was felt safe to leave personal belongings in such places. There were occasional reports of thefts but, by and large, personal belongings were not tampered with. By the Seventies, however, this had changed somewhat, with some pupils beginning to carry or wear heavy overcoats from lesson to lesson, much to the annoyance of teachers whose first instruction to an incoming class might have been: “Take your coats off!” 

Uniform

The school uniform comprised:

• Blazer. Maroon with badge on the pocket. At various times it had gold braiding along the edges of the lapels, above the badge on the pocket and near the end of the sleeves.  By the 1970s the boys wore a plain maroon blazer with a badge on the pocket.

• Trousers. Usually grey or dark coloured.

• Jumper. Grey with maroon and gold edge around the V-neck.

• Tie. Maroon and gold stripes/bands.

• Cap. Maroon and featuring badge.

• Scarf. Maroon with gold stripes.

For many years, items of uniform could be purchased from various approved outfitters in the city centre, including Hornes (Horne Brothers), who were located at 109 Market Street, near Debenhams at the corner of Piccadilly. They were an upmarket gentlemen’s outfitter, which was reflected in prices and quality of uniform; they supplied blazers of good quality material and with expensive gold edging. Vernons, another outfitter, were located nearby in Piccadilly, above Barratt’s shoe shop – above the slogan on the outside of the building that read: “Walk The Barratt Way”.  Other suppliers included Rosenfields, of Dantzic Street, Henry Barrie, of St Anne’s Square, and Royle’s near Piccadilly.

There were variations in prices and quality depending from which shop items of uniform were ordered and purchased. Generally speaking, Hornes supplied good quality items and remained popular for many years.

The school tended not to make a big issue of the uniform. Once boys had reached the third or fourth year and had outgrown current blazers, they tended not be replaced by some. So long as they arrived at school “smartly dressed”, non-uniform jackets were acceptable.

Duty teams

New teachers would be assigned to one of the four teams responsible for the supervision of the pupils. Each duty team was led by an experienced teacher who was responsible for ensuring that pupils were properly supervised at various times of the day. Among these duties were break-times, dinner times   (both in the dining-room and in the yard), orderly boarding of the school buses, and detentions. With three sittings to supervise, dinner times could be quite busy. Each team was on duty all week once every four weeks. Members of a duty team occasionally held meetings to discuss relevant issues and strategies.

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