I am sure that not too long ago (although my memory might be playing tricks), the old Grammar building on Byron Street was still standing. Yet on a walk around the area this week it had definitely been demolished. Anyone know what the building going up in its place is?
This might sound odd, but sometimes when I can't sleep I wander round the school in my head. I was there for eight years (1961-69) so I can recall every room.
Back to real life, and I noticed the football pitches going towards Kiddrow Lane were still marked out, and the cricketn pavilion still standing. Ivy Bank and the High School are still standing. The high School is actually quite an attractive building, with its stone exterior.

The expensive new "free" school isn't it?

The new Burnley Secondary School (presently up at Parkhill) will be built there. Pleased to say the footy pitches are still there, including the great goalmouth up next to The Vicarage (now Eaves Hall), where Crazylegs once netted 6 in one game (2 with the left, 2 the right and 2 headers) versus Calder High School , as documented in The Brun.
Keep wandering, Dion

Crazylegs being yourself, of course...

I was there 65-73 so we must have overlapped LST. I noticed the building had finally gone a couple of weeks ago, odd as it had only been up 7 years when I first went there! From new to obsolete during my lifetime.

I thought it was a fairly poor building at the time, drafty and cold with in retrospect little merit, though it served a purpose I suppose. Not fit for purpose now though.

Not shedding tears about the building, though I probably did OK by being there. My best memories are of people not classrooms.

Longsidetrumpet, I too was at the Grammar School from 1961 to 69. Wonder if we were in the same form. Nickname Mole in those days.

So are my best memories, Keighley. So we're getting a Tory school, are we, nil? Hope it falls down (not with anybody in it)

Hello Frank. Wally here. Great to see you on here.

Frank Bartram - a year or probably 2 (same as 't Trumpet) older than me. I think Keighley is a year younger than me - ended up a dentist or similar?

Clearly the name Mole still lingers in people's memories. Good to hear from you John, though I wouldn't have known you from the on-line name. Good to hear from you also Basil. Sadly, not been by the old school for a number of years. My visits to Turf Moor tend to be short, (- though at least the full 90 minutes of course), as I live on the south coast.

I thought the old building was great, the layout, the yards, gymn, everything. Playing fields were fine, if not altogether flat. Position between 't Highie and Ivy Bank (girls only in those days, of course) was heavenly. Best years of my life.

I, too, was there for 7 years and it's sad to see what's happened.

As for the future, developers have recently obtained planning permission to knock down the remaining building on Kiddrow Lane and fill the entire site with housing.

I didn't realise there was such a demand....

Moved from the old BGS on Bank Parade to the then New in 1959 and it was one hell of an improvement with everything on site, lockers big dining hall, on site pitches, although for me it was the other end of town and so had to stay for dinners and the newly arrived Stokes brought in Saturday detentions. Had a fantastic 3 years to 62. Dinners were OK apart from healthy "rabbit" food on most Thursdays when we would bonk off to ?Byron street bakers for a pie. Remember going into George 1VTH pub at the top of Kiddrow Lane for a pint before A level chemistry exam in 62-bit daft in retrospect-but passed!
The BGS was on Bank Parade from about 1870's until 1959 and is still standing, but the modern build looks to have lasted less than 60 years.

I was there also from 1960 to 1966. Only lived a few minutes away on Sycamore. Biggest problem was avooding Sid Carter deputy head who lived round the corner and insisted on giving me a lift to school if he saw me.

It was reported that the building was demolished due to a mine shaft underneath the school that had begun to deteriorate making the existing school unsafe. The original idea was for Burnley High School to move into the original building before this was discovered. I was there from '86 until '91 and did some teaching there a few years back and it was a shame to see it go. With regards to Kiddrow, some if you may find this if interest.
http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/habergham- ... 015.t95827" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

1963-1970 for me - I went past a few weeks ago and saw that part of my youth had gone to follow the demolition of my old primary school at Tod Road a few years ago.

I was there from 1965 to 1971. Left at the end of lower 6th. Did ONC sciences at the college and went on to study chemistry at Newcastle. Most of my schools have gone now I think. Stoneyholme Juniors. and Burnley Grammar, only Coal Clough Infants still standing.

Was there 68-74. My kids don't believe me when I say schooldays are the best days. They sure were.

"Was there 68-74. My kids don't believe me when I say schooldays are the best days. They sure were."
I was also at school during this period, and agree that they WERE the best days, but schools are unrecognisable nowadays and I don't think I would enjoy it so much now.
The long lunch break with sports and other activities were the best bit, along with the opportunity to follow pretty much all the subjects that I enjoyed, (i.e. languages, classics, the arts and sport). If the majority of my timetable was Maths and Science, as in many cases it now is, and staff spent half their time testing and recording data as they now have to do, I doubt I would enjoy my school experience so much.
Gone are the days when eccentric teachers can spend half the lesson talking about the Clarets and other life enhancing experiences.

I was there 63-70 and aware that it had been sold for further use as this new school but their surveyors managed to discover a mine shaft that meant demolishing and rebuild. Did Burnley Borough Council put our lives at risk? My schools have gone with Barden infants and junior biting the dust when the new Barden replacements commissioned.

IB52 wrote:Did Burnley Borough Council put our lives at risk?

No - that was Ron Parry & Mel Saunders

Nice one Tony. Wasn't that called character building.

Anyone got any other photos of the Grammar School on Byron Street, other than the old one with Ron Parry in the Gym. Maybe some scans from the Brun?

I loved the sport there. The football before school, at all breaks and after school, the running, cricket and sports day. Mel Saunders bet on me to win the mile race at one sports day, and actually paid me a compliment when I won. That was the only time he spoke to me without a slipper in his hand and a weary look on his face.

basil6345789 wrote:Frank Bartram - a year or probably 2 (same as 't Trumpet) older than me. I think Keighley is a year younger than me - ended up a dentist or similar?

Wrong orifice Basil. I became a Gynaecologist.

BigF wrote:Clearly the name Mole still lingers in people's memories.

Sure does, I think I remember you being a ball boy in the building site of either the Cricket Field or Bob Lord stand. Certainly remember you as the tallest person at school!

Yes I was acting as ball boy in both those stands during their rebuilding. I used to help coach at the Junior Clarets and they asked me to look after the ball boys on Saturdays but they were too young to be allowed on building sites so myself and another coach did the job. Great views of the games.

Yes I was tall, though grew 2 inches more in between 21 and 22yrs old. continued playing football as a goalie but developed more as a basketball player in the National League.

.

Mel Saunders bet on me to win the mile race at one sports day, and actually paid me a compliment when I won

.

Mel once said to me during a football match something along the lines, " You always let in a goal when I watch you". I was brave enough to reply "Then please stop watching me". He accepted the comment and said something like, " a good point there".

76-79 for me. I hated Saunders!

Article on the new Burnley High School.
http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/ne ... ng_college___/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I was there 77 to 80 same year as Mike Garlick

Land for sale article on the old Grammar and High Schools
http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/ne ... _10_years/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

76-81 for me...on cricket tour in Weston Super Mare with the aforementioned Mel Saunders when the Grammar School ceased to be...Saunders was inconsolable in the Criterion pub along with some very unhappy lads....RIP BGS

KeighleyClaret wrote:Sure does, I think I remember you being a ball boy in the building site of either the Cricket Field or Bob Lord stand. Certainly remember you as the tallest person at school!

I'm sure I've posted this previously but BigF was once on a photo in the Burnley Express in his position on the building site behind the goal acting as ball bow. You could see him over the hoardings. That photo went on the school noticeboard under the title of 'SPOT THE MOLE'.

Didn't know about BGS being demolished until I saw this thread, sad to read another part of my childhood gone.

I was there 73-78, had some mixed times, but overall happy memories and there certainly were some characters amongst the teachers, (Mel, Wart, Denson, Hoss, etc) I remember our form room at one time being that big wierd yellow UFO thing which I think went some while ago.

What's the big weird yellow UFO thing?

It was a flying saucer shaped 'annex' , I think it was made of fibreglass or something, but the seating inside went all around the edges, quite comfy actuslly.
It was at the gym side of the building and you could see it from padiham rd.

I think I remember seeing it - was it down the side near the metal and woodwork rooms?

Can't quite remember where they were now Tony, but if you were stood looking at the main entrance of the school it would have been on the left hand side at the back not far from the playing fields.

It's probably the one - not sure how I came to see it.

ClaretTony wrote:I'm sure I've posted this previously but BigF was once on a photo in the Burnley Express in his position on the building site behind the goal acting as ball bow. You could see him over the hoardings. That photo went on the school noticeboard under the title of 'SPOT THE MOLE'.

"Ball bow" ....was that a new name?? The only reason I appeared over the hoardings was because I stood on what is now the front wall of the CFS. You have a good memory Tony.

Reading some of the posts brings back some great memories of being at BGS from 69-74 the best being travelling away with the various football teams on an ancient old green bus to places like Barrow or Kirkby - unless of course you had been given a Saturday morning detention (how did they get away with that one?) usually dished out by Mel Saunders!

ClaretTony wrote:What's the big weird yellow UFO thing?

It was a Futuro house -see pic below. Designed by a Scandinavian- they are worth a lot of money now. It was outside the changing rooms I think.

There were some great footballers at the school. I remember Phil Ashworth who signed for Bournemouth and ended up in the fledgling US football league.

Siddo wrote:There were some great footballers at the school. I remember Phil Ashworth who signed for Bournemouth and ended up in the fledgling US football league.

Phil Ashworth was a year younger than me. He had an incredible league record, he kept signing for clubs who lost their place in the Football League, such as Workington and Southport. With that record I really wanted Blackburn to sign him back - he started there as a youngster. I think he played his first league games for Bournemouth.

I played against a lad called Wilson when still at Jnr school in a game for Burnley schools, East-v West. He was right wing and I was left back and he surely did leave me back-all the game. Then he turned up for PNE in the 1964 Cup Final. Needless to say he ended my football career before it started. I think it was the same bloke

I was at BGS same time as BigF after graduating from St Stephen's Juniors. Not a great fan of Mr Parry but did appreciate the efforts of Biology teacher, Bill Slater (Pear Drop), and Chemistry teacher, Mr Rennardson (I think that was his name). Not a bad school but was glad to leave.

lagerbilly wrote:76-79 for me. I hated Saunders!

75-78 for me. So did I.

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Thank you for that.

Some of the teacher's names mentioned bring back memories. Wart, Mel, Hoss, Brian Jefferies, Rod Turner, Ian Smith, Brian Stott, Taffy Hughes, Witherspoon. Does anyone know if any of these are still living in the Burnley area?

I would love to bump into Mr Mitchell, (was he Wart?) to thank him for being the one guy who took an interest in me academically. His inspiration helped me to have a reasonable career. I still have a book he gave me, TH White, The Once and Future King.

I was there 72-77. The big yellow saucer was where you said between the hall and the woodwork rooms. It became our sixth form common room. Remember playing cards in there most lunch times with a few other reprobates.

59-62 for me. Did anybody used to play Shove Hapenny on the `wall` pitches round the front of the school ? I also looked after the ball boys behind the Cricket Field during the demolition period. I was there for the faous 5-1 defeat of Leeds. Awesome day.