The 1960s
 
  This April 1963 photo shows the boys' school. The girls moved into a separate modern building over the railway line in 1959.
 

I was at the school from 1958-63 during Mr Barnshaw''s reign. I seem to remember that the boys/ girls break times and start/ finish times were staggered so we didn''t mix! There were bike sheds at one end of the school to the right of the photo and more behind the kindergarten (KG) accessed from Heights Lane.I used to cycle to/from school twice every day from Amen Corner in Kirkstall up Armley Ridge Road past Gotts Park. It was a problem if you got your bike tyres caught in the tram lines on Whingate. There was a tuck shop 100yds down Whingate (might just be on the aerial photo at the end of the terrace houses in the top right)on the left where you could buy fresh home baked cream scones for 2d or 3d if jam was added! Owned I believe by a lovely lady affectionately known as ''Old Ma Pearson'' -John Clayton.

I was in the 4th form when this photo was taken. The teachers' cars are just visble parked in front of the school. This area was out of bounds and we weren't allowed to use the front doors. The nearest car looks like a Morris Minor ( possibly Little Joe's) and the one behind the lamp post could be Mike Caird's Triumph Vitesse. -John Swash
 

Sport

I remember being told at West Leeds that they already had enough cricketers by a teacher called Colin Taylor ( maths ) so I didn't bother trying to get into the team however i played for a men's team when i was 14 and got this Taylor fellow out . He said why don't you play school cricket so I replied: "I'm not good enough you said." -SP

 

The Tuck Shop

What happened to Fred and Ethel from the Tuck Shop.They must have passed on to the Tuck shop in the sky by now.Their Long Buns with jam and cream were my staple diet for 5 years.I have never seen them anywhere else in the whole world. Mmmm one of the Wonders of Whingate. -Roy Bowen

I often used to walk to school and spend the bus fare ( 2 old pence) on "half a tea cake jam 'n cream" from the tuck shop.
They were delicious, and I have never come across anything quite like them since.- John Swash

I well remember the tuck shop, who wouldn't ? Yes the teacake with jam and cream was a big puller but my particular favourite was a twist with cheese. - Geoff Lancaster

1d twist with jam and cream or butter and jam, what better way to start the day. Sneaking out from school to buy one (absolutely verboeten) only added to the pleasure of the
treat. -Terry Johnson

Extra flavour: Dear old Fred and Ethel at the tuck shop with their long buns with jam and cream.
They used to do a dripping breadcake.One day Ethel asked if I wanted salt and pepper on, which of course I did.I watched Fred shake it on but the pepper made him sneeze all over my dripping. He calmly put the top bit of the breadcake back on and handed it to me.
It was quite the most delicious dripping I have ever had and since then I have never had flu.-Roy Bowen

Mmmm! The taste of those dripping teacakes are coming back to me now! I don't remember any sneezing though but who knows...
- Dave Best

 

Aerial view of West Leeds High Schools (1963)

West Leeds High School still exists although is now based at different premises nearby. The old school building in view has now been converted into apartments and sold as the 'Old School Lofts'. The cricket field is now a housing estate. The rugby field survives

Tong Road runs across the lower half of this view from left to right. The junction with Silver Royd Hill can be seen in the centre right. West Leeds Girls School is in the centre of the view with West Leeds Boys above and to the right. The girls school is now West Leeds High School and the boy's has been converted to flats.
 

Rear view of West Leeds High School (probably 1960s).

The wooden building on the left was originally the "Kindergarten". Until the 1947 education act the school took children from the age of 9. It was then used exclusively by the girls until they moved into the new building. The music room was at the end nearest the main building. The CCF had a ham radio room there. Night school classes in car maintenance were also held there (which incidentally I attended in the 1970s and found more useful than the music lessons).The "Kindergarten" was eventually burnt down ( Arson? date?)
Also visible ( mid-right ) is the WW2 brick & concrete air raid shelter, which could be accessed by a tunnel under the playground.
 

April 1969. View from the top of Christ Church tower which was opened to the public on certain occasions. View looks across streets of terraced houses towards West Leeds High School. Highthorne Street is bottom right with the Paisley's, Greenock's and Edinburgh streets in view.

From the upper floor classrooms of the school looking over Armley you could see dozens of factory chimneys. This must be one of the closest.

Owzthat

Many a 60's schoolboy carried this game in his blazer pocket .
Class 1A May 1961
Back row (l-r):Paul Haigh, Cox, Smith (G), Johnston, Scott, Roclawski, Richardson, Hill, Stockhill, Jones.
Middle row (l-r): Chaplin, Nalias, Steven Prince, Robinson, Paul, Barlow, Smith(K), Pasit, Wharton, Whittaker.
Front row (l-r): McGuin, Crampton, Chris Battensby, Bryce, Mr Nettleship("prickleboat", RE) Clayton, Elliingham, Gilbert, Brooke.

"Mike Caird had to have influenced me more than any other teacher given that I went on to do Chemistry. He was a breath of fresh air when he joined the staff. From year 3 though to leaving I was taught Chemistry continuously by him . I think that continuity with an inspirational teacher really made a difference. He could keep order without corporal punishment, or raising his voice, almost certainly because he was a natural teacher and a well-rounded character"
-John Swash
Class 4alpha May 1963.
Back row (l-r): Philip Carter, Ken Judge, Cedric Mahon, Graham Lobley, William Luty, Ray Sowden, Chris Hawkins, David Middleton, Phillip Dickinson, Clive Burton, Michael Burton
Middle row (l-r) Michael Dearnley, Peter Bramwell, Stephen Walton, Dennis Carty, Eric Duggleby, Arthur Smith, Roger Britton, Eric Dews, John Swash, Geoff Corner, Paul Turner
Front row: l-r Richard Newton, ?, Ian McMeeking, , David Cavill, Roger Foyle, Mr Caird (Chemistry), Michael Buckley, Raymond Peat, Doug Calder, Terry Spooner, Roy Pallas

 

Class 4c taken May 1963.
Back, l to r: Geoff Cole, (Little) Dave Lawson, Brian Crowther (Ginner), Lewis, ??, Rick Splain, Ian Slack (I think), Hudson, Vic Barrett, John Dixon.
Middle, l to r: John Binns (Bonzo), Ian Warwick (I think), Martin Ewing, Terry Sheard (Jinxy), Sharp (not sure about this one), Batty, Lenny English, Paul Blenkin, ??, Billy Godfrey.
Front, l to r: Garth Waterhouse (Titch), ??, Ellis (Ian, I think), Bryn Tennant , "Taffy" Lloyd(Geography), Ian Copley, Stephen Buckle, Roy Dixon, David Sheard.
School Play "Oedipus Rex" 1966
King Oedipus P Ramsden
Queen Jocasta ; D Molden
Creon (Jocasta's Brother) D Benn		 Teiresias (Old blind prophet) R Leach
The Priest A Gardiner
Palace Attendant M Rees
Your pictures of Oedipus Rex brought memories back. I was one of the chorus of elders and feature in one or two of those pictures though unfortunately I cannot recall the names of the others. We were rehearsing for the play in the days surrounding Tom Robinson's death.-Geoff Lancaster.A memory just surfaced when I looked at the pictures you posted for Oedipus Rex for 1966, I played the role of Jocasta's handmaiden in that - not a speaking role - dressed in an orange dyed sheet and sandals. That could possibly be the back of my head in the middle of the group of three seated at the front of the pictures.-Douglas Sharp

School Uniform

West leeds had a strict uniform policy - you wore the uniform or you didn't go, and you can't get much stricter than that.

To buy the uniform you had two choices, you usually went into Leeds city centre to Rawcliffes where they held stock of every school uniform in the area, or you could go to a shop called Hornes which had recently also started to stock school uniforms. We went to Rawcliffes because it was "done" to go there, and because my mother had been told that Hornes sold sub-standard uniforms and the womens grapevine was a powerful tool to have under your belt if you were a Rawcliffes shareholder - it was probably a Rawcliffes shareholder who had started the Hornes rumour.

Rawcliffes was, and to some extent still is, a clothing store in the old style in that you don't get to walk around and touch the clothing, you get to stand at a large wood and glass counter in which are displayed drawers of socks and school caps, and you wait for an assistant to serve you.The man serving us reached beneath the glass topped counter and pulled out a big folder, opened it and turned to an encapsulated sheet on which was printed the requirements for the West Leeds High School uniform, there was no discussion or cheaper alternative garments, you got the full school uniform and asked no questions.Last thing I ever got from Rawcliffes was my West Leeds Boys' High School blazer and tie with 'Non Sibi Sed Ludo' written on the badge. And it wasn't made of barathea either!

What I also remember were the Cap Checks - detention if you were caught without.
I think wearing the cap was compulsory until you reached the 6th form. Some mornings a cordon of prefects would be posted to do cap checks about half a mile away on all roads leading to the school. I remember seeing them near the Church of the Venerable Bede.

 

 

Prefect's Lapel Badge

Remember the name tags your mother sewed into your raincoat or PE kit!

School Colours for Rugby

You didn't earn these by keeping your knees clean!

The Glittering Prizes ?

Taken by a press photographer the morning of Speech Day, I presume it is October/November of our lower sixth ,1964 (or possibly a year or two earlier)

Back row< L-R: Roger Britton; ? Duffy; Dave Ravensdale; Dave Parrish; Geoff Corner.
Front row, L-R: Graham Warren; Derek Reardon; Brian Campsall; <?>.

"I am not sure how we all ended up on this picture, it was the day of Speech Day and a photographer from the YEN had turned up for a picture for that evening edition . The books the front row are holding were not the prizes, just some random books of the shelf! I think that Stan Wilson (PE etc) had something to do with the selection, but I maybe wrong about that as well – It may also have been something to do with our form room being nearest the front door – who knows – I certainly don’t believe we were selected because we were going to get prizes that night".-GC