An old school mate of mine shared this with me earlier today.

Quite sad watching back... Proper nostalgia. What I would do to start my week at 09:00 there again. Great days.

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They haven't knocked the old one down have they??

- yes nostalgic.

So what was it like cfc..as I remember it Barden did not have a great reputation..?

It was similar to Alcatraz, no education, mad teachers, and a billion memories. Daily fights, ground breaking rule breaking, and lots of great mates and memories. Coincidentally, related a few choice anedotes to a mate only this morning about the school.

Wile E Coyote wrote:It was similar to Alcatraz, no education, mad teachers, and a billion memories. Daily fights, ground breaking rule breaking, and lots of great mates and memories. Coincidentally, related a few choice anedotes to a mate only this morning about the school.

Education was optional at the old one ...Abel st. = strangeways though you were released at 4pm where the daily fights took place.no uniform and pit boots where the fashion, conflict with teachers and pupils?? Alike,and then had the misfortune to go home!! Can't speak for the new,now demolished school but the teachers were tame by comparison !

hampsteadclaret wrote:- yes nostalgic.

So what was it like cfc..as I remember it Barden did not have a great reputation..?

Honestly? It was great.

I was a 'second generation' Bardener. So it was different to his day in many ways. And the teachers were tamer. Although it didnt stop my brother getting suspended on his first day for a dodgy haircut Still remember him being dragged out of assembly and all my mates 'Isnt that your brother?' FFS

It had its challenges. But in the main everyone got on. And there were a lot of different backgrounds socially and ethnically but we were all mates. Very few fights in my time there. I only had 3 and I retired undefeated - not many can say that at Barden

Teachers were brilliant.

cricketfieldclarets wrote:Honestly? It was great.

I was a 'second generation' Bardener. So it was different to his day in many ways. And the teachers were tamer. Although it didnt stop my brother getting suspended on his first day for a dodgy haircut Still remember him being dragged out of assembly and all my mates 'Isnt that your brother?' FFS

It had its challenges. But in the main everyone got on. And there were a lot of different backgrounds socially and ethnically but we were all mates. Very few fights in my time there. I only had 3 and I retired undefeated - not many can say that at Barden

Teachers were brilliant.

What years were you there ? I was 91 to 96.

claretandy wrote:What years were you there ? I was 91 to 96.

I joined the year you left. Although know quite a few from your school year.

Who was your form Teacher? I had Bob Clare!

Best teachers were Mr Ashworth who I am still in touch with now and Mr Thompson.

Mr Scholes left in my second year. He had mellowed somewhat from my dads days.

Scholes was mine and my dad's !

cricketfieldclarets wrote:I joined the year you left. Although know quite a few from your school year.

Who was your form Teacher? I had Bob Clare!

Best teachers were Mr Ashworth who I am still in touch with now and Mr Thompson.

Mr Scholes left in my second year. He had mellowed somewhat from my dads days.

Mr scholes along with mr Robinson were proper chilled....they were the exception.jenkins Thomas was the headmaster in my time he made hitler look a pacifist! Though got to say happy days,didn't do me any harm....as I write this from my category a cell at bel marsh

I was there 1972 -77.

I didn't go to Barden, but between '06-'08 Habergham and St Theodores 6th Forms moved into the old Barden building whilst the new sixth form was being built just down the road. I have some good memories from my time there but I remember thinking it was quite a small building to say it was a high school only the year previously, mustn't have had as many pupils as some of the other schools?

SammyBoy wrote:, mustn't have had as many pupils as some of the other schools?

Just the dregs of society in the latter years, probably why it closed down. It needed a total revamp, from the building, staff and pupils.

claretandy wrote:Scholes was mine and my dad's !

We like to keep it in the family

I was at the high school from 1977 to 1982 happy days

Mr Scholes was fantastic, saw him years later playing against his Cliviger team on the prarie, he did the most horrific foul on me which almost broke me in two, then made me laugh as he reminded me of one or two school related incidents as he crouched over my near lifeless body.

Wile E Coyote wrote:Mr Scholes was fantastic, saw him years later playing against his Cliviger team on the prarie, he did the most horrific foul on me which almost broke me in two, then made me laugh as he reminded me of one or two school related incidents as he crouched over my near lifeless body.

I'll let him know he was held in such high regard

It was like a giant borstal but worse. It seemed to be populated by some of the most psychotic, deranged madmen from the town....and the teachers were just as bad. The daily mass brawls, monumental bullying, wanton vandalism and destruction made it quite a lively place to attend but the last thing you could hope for there was an education. It served a purpose to keep people off the streets during daylight hours but it was a dead end for most who were trapped there for five years. I managed to escape after two years after being forced by the local education authority to sample its Comprehensive delights before heading for a grammar school, which was a salvation for my stalled education. Barden was well funded with some great equipment but it was wasted on most of the inmates. I was grateful for having a chance to experience it though.

Man of Kent wrote:It was like a giant borstal but worse. It seemed to be populated by some of the most psychotic, deranged madmen from the town....and the teachers were just as bad. The daily mass brawls, monumental bullying, wanton vandalism and destruction made it quite a lively place to attend but the last thing you could hope for there was an education. It served a purpose to keep people off the streets during daylight hours but it was a dead end for most who were trapped there for five years. I managed to escape after two years after being forced by the local education authority to sample its Comprehensive delights before heading for a grammar school, which was a salvation for my stalled education. Barden was well funded with some great equipment but it was wasted on most of the inmates. I was grateful for having a chance to experience it though.

Got to agree with all the above ...what years were you there?

tim_noone wrote:Mr scholes along with mr Robinson were proper chilled....they were the exception.jenkins Thomas was the headmaster in my time he made hitler look a pacifist! Though got to say happy days,didn't do me any harm....as I write this from my category a cell at bel marsh

The teachers must have been brutal then, then. As Scholes was relativey harsh in my two years I had him. Still see him in town he hasnt aged. Hes a good bloke.

SammyBoy wrote:I didn't go to Barden, but between '06-'08 Habergham and St Theodores 6th Forms moved into the old Barden building whilst the new sixth form was being built just down the road. I have some good memories from my time there but I remember thinking it was quite a small building to say it was a high school only the year previously, mustn't have had as many pupils as some of the other schools?

Yeah it only had about 400 or so while I was there which was less than my primary school.

Had some great times there.

There was little trouble there in my time. My first year I had some issues with one of the lads. Mr Hext dragged us to the sports hall and pulled out two sets of Boxing Gloves. They must have been about 60oz each He said if we had a problem with one another we could sort it out or we could SORT IT OUT. Needless to say we are still mates now and didnt have the boxing match in front of the whole school

Learnt a lot at Barden. Academically and in life!

big drop off then pupil wise, there were 1000 when i went.

cricketfieldclarets wrote:The teachers must have been brutal then, then. As Scholes was relativey harsh in my two years I had him. Still see him in town he hasnt aged. Hes a good bloke.

Top of the ''hit parade'' Jenkins Thomas mr crangle.(rugby player) mr bardsley, mr jones,mr smith(Donald's dad) mr Thompson (tommos) dad. And the nice guys ..mr scholes he was only a lad! Mr Robinson,mr wild,mr heap he'd relax with a fag during lessons and mr yakub ....yes I know it was wrong but chewed up paper flicked at the blackboard while he was chalking up maths was a regular pastime!

Although I wasn't a pupil at Burnley Wood or Barden, I was taught by Mr Ashworth, when he taught at St Theodores, a gentleman, who knew how to quietly handle lads. While I was there I played different sports against Alan Scholes when he was a Towneley schoolboy.
To former pupils of both schools reminiscing, re a former teacher of both schools Mr Simson, who taught Tech Drawing and other subjects. He is a very good friend of mine and we speak by phone every week. Eric is an active 91 year old and fully campus mentus. He's now lived in Cumbria for 15 years.

Wile E Coyote wrote:Mr Scholes was fantastic, saw him years later playing against his Cliviger team on the prarie, he did the most horrific foul on me which almost broke me in two, then made me laugh as he reminded me of one or two school related incidents as he crouched over my near lifeless body.

Had a laugh at this.

Mr Scholes did exactly the same to me as I was clear on goal in a five aside tournament at school one weekend, it was the first time in my life that I witnessed pupils laying into a teacher.

It ended well though, we won the tournament and was presented with trophies by Leighton James.

Nonayforever, he did play a certain way !! you could skillfully sail past opponents, weaving your magic, and then BOOT !! you were gone !

Bfc wrote:Although I wasn't a pupil at Burnley Wood or Barden, I was taught by Mr Ashworth, when he taught at St Theodores, a gentleman, who knew how to quietly handle lads. While I was there I played different sports against Alan Scholes when he was a Towneley schoolboy.
To former pupils of both schools reminiscing, re a former teacher of both schools Mr Simson, who taught Tech Drawing and other subjects. He is a very good friend of mine and we speak by phone every week. Eric is an active 91 year old and fully campus mentus. He's now lived in Cumbria for 15 years.

Mr Simpson one of the quiet ones..mr holgate also took TD. And mr peter walker was a baritone!! 91.....good for him.

This thread seems to have turned into discussing one of my family members

Norman Hunter was third tier compared to Scholesy.

ClaretTony wrote:This thread seems to have turned into discussing one of my family members

only in a repectful and nostalgic way though, no offence intended.

sh!t.......I can remember that school being built now they are knocking it down,

Was that Mr Bradley's ghost walking down the corridor

Went to Barden Infants, Barden Juniors, Barden Seniors for 2yrs then Burnley Grammar School.

Only the old BGS still standing and thats got a different name

As an ex St Teds lad all I can say is thank heaven's for spell checker and auto correct thus enabling Barden old boys to converse .

Wile E Coyote wrote:only in a repectful and nostalgic way though, no offence intended.

He's my cousin and I don't think I've heard anyone with a wrong word about him.

tim_ noone Eric's name spelled Simpson, also there was a teacher called Simpson, which caused some confusion. Him and teacher Alan Binns used to take groups of pupils to Hest Bank for holidays, which was a popular trip among pupils years ago.

He used to tell the story of when on yard duty with Binn's, a pupil called Hunt used to keep running to them, saying everyone's calling me names. After a while they asked him what they said, he replied They're calling me Hunt Hunt you silly at which point Hunt run off not daring to repeat to the teachers, what others called him.

tim_ noone Eric's name spelled Simpson, also there was a teacher called Simpson, which caused some confusion. Him and teacher Alan Binns used to take groups of pupils to Hest Bank for holidays, which was a popular trip among pupils years ago.

He used to tell the story of when on yard duty with Binn's, a pupil called Hunt used to keep running to them, saying everyone's calling me names. After a while they asked him what they said, he replied They're calling me Hunt Hunt you silly at which point Hunt run off not daring to repeat to the teachers, what others called him.

Alan is a great bloke CT, although I played Basketball with him and he used similar tactics in that sport...........and it's supposed to be non-contact

This spell checkers doing my head in. Eric's surnames Simson not Simpson.

Bfc wrote:This spell checkers doing my head in. Eric's surnames Simson not Simpson.

are you sure you didn't go to barden. Hest bank one of my favourite places. Haven't been for 4years. Yes went with school.

hest bank ! two **** dormitories and the foulest food anywhere.loads of football, compulsory cricket (yawn)..and endless cross country running down to jumbo rock.

Wile E Coyote wrote:hest bank ! two **** dormitories and the foulest food anywhere.loads of football, compulsory cricket (yawn)..and endless cross country running down to jumbo rock.

The food was brilliant.
We once caught about 20 Plaice & dabs at Heysham power station & the cook made a fantastic spread that night.
The only complaint was that we took the fish back live to her !

Had my first kiss there + my first (& last ) fag.

Happy days indeed.

Wile E Coyote wrote:hest bank ! two **** dormitories and the foulest food anywhere.loads of football, compulsory cricket (yawn)..and endless cross country running down to jumbo rock.

The dormitories and food were to prepare you for Borstal training when you reached 17 years of age.

ClaretTony wrote:He's my cousin and I don't think I've heard anyone with a wrong word about him.

He is a street pastor now. And one of the nicest guys you could meet. He hasnt aged since he taught me. Happen leaving Barden did winders for him A shame we only had him for two years. His lad was a pupil there but older than me. In fact sure he had two?

He left the year his class was burnt down. Not by us I may add

I see him in town a lot but havent since Christmas. I actually need to pass a message of thanks on to him for something.

cricketfieldclarets wrote:He is a street pastor now. And one of the nicest guys you could meet. He hasnt aged since he taught me. Happen leaving Barden did winders for him A shame we only had him for two years. His lad was a pupil there but older than me. In fact sure he had two?

He left the year his class was burnt down. Not by us I may add

I see him in town a lot but havent since Christmas. I actually need to pass a message of thanks on to him for something.

One of the nicest guys you could meet - I couldn't agree more, if I was half as good as him I'd be very happy.

Quality not great but have the original somewhere.

Some of the teachers on this one from a teachers versus pupils game. This was their chance to dish out some old school Barden Discipline.

On there Mr's Holland, Thornton, Richmond, Clare, Taylor, Spencer, Basquill and that might be Pollard on the end.

Some of them were old school even by those days standards. But got the best out of us.

Other teachers from my era and some very good ones were Bass, Bieletowicz (who was there forever - think he was in Whistle down the wind) - may have been a pupil there too if I remember right, Charnley, Kabrna, Brown, Maudsley, Lonsdale, Mrs Boswell and of course Mr Senior!!!!

ClaretTony wrote:One of the nicest guys you could meet - I couldn't agree more, if I was half as good as him I'd be very happy.

If you speak to him and can pass on a message from me I would be very grateful (or know how I could get in touch with him).

I

he once broke up a fight and we thought there would be hell to pay, instead he went quiet and spoke very calmly about it all.
I never forgot that.
There were limits he set, and it was not a good idea to poke at them. A delicate and precise artform, and he had it off to a tee. Had to at Barden.

when he played Kumbya on his acoustic and expected everyone to join in, that was my breaking point !