Many thanks for your contribution Chris!
I have only just come across this centre for Charney Hall memories and am so happy to find news and reminiscences of people whose company and friendship I enjoyed in 1962/63 when I was a member of staff and i/c first team cricket and football for a year before going to Durham University. I first met John McCullagh when teaching at Dunchurch Winton Hall, a prep school (long since closed) outside Rugby where I taught for a year after leaving Repton. John was on the staff there. This was the start of a friendship that was to last until his death. He was kind and generous with a wicked sense of humour. We kept in touch for many years and he was held in much affection by my family whom he came to know well. At Charney he and I had rooms in the Lodge where it was absolutely freezing and John's warm sitting room was a most welcome haven. It was in his company and under his guidance that I came to know many of the pubs in the area, the foremost of which being The Kings Arms in Cartmel. I think the lovely photograph of John Byers on the site is taken outside windows of the pub.
I can't say that I knew John Byers well. I'm not sure any of us did. He was very bright (out of my class completely) and with a most gentle nature. He seemed unsure of what future he wanted for himself. Lila was gorgeous and so good to me. A most caring person with a warm heart, as was Hazel Brown.
Being a nineteen year old innocent, they both teased me quite a lot. And I loved it ! Another memorable character was Philp Fawcett. Hilarious company and the engine room behind the parties that others have mentioned. Philip introduced me to white rum which was one of his favourites, though a touch too sophisticated for me (but not for John Byers I recall !). Philip was amazingly energetic, in charge of PT (as it was called then) and frequently led walking parties of boys up the Fells of Lakeland, driving them there in his large black Humber saloon affectionately known as PUP which was part of its registration number. As games master, I had the most wonderful time. We beat all opponents bar one at football and I can still remember most of the names from that brilliant side ( Holden, Mcneill, Kilburn, Arnold, Jowett, Cockcroft, Barker, Reid, Halstead - apologies to those left out !). That year at Charney Hall was just the happiest of times. Hope I haven't bored you too much.
Chris Bailey
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Best wishes, Chris Wilson
I have waited almost 60 years to get a definitive answer to the Port Vale question, only to be disappointed! Wonderful, though, to get a reply. I, too, am sad that the buildings are long gone, but did manage a look inside Grove House several years ago. It certainly brought back memories. At the end of 1963 we emigrated to Australia, only to return 2 years later, and then my time at Rossall began. A spell living in Germany followed, then joined the family wool firm for the rest of my working life. Hope the blog brought back some good memories for you. I still have some info, all of which has been kindly posted by Keith Smith.
Best wishes, Chris Wilson
Sorry to be such a disappointment Chris ! lAthough now living in Kent for 40 years, I do get to watch Port Vale still and was there recently to see them overwhelm Charlton 1-0 ! Most interesting where life took you after your days at Charney, with time spent Down Under and in Germany. I am sure that the values instilled at Charney will have served you well, when added to you own qualities. It certainly is a joy to have found this Blog and to pick up on memories and people from my year there. Not a lot is written about Max and Barbara Duncan, save that they did not attend many of the various parties. They were both good fun and yet maintained just the right relationship with their staff. They were in charge and the happiness and good standards at the school came from their leadership. Max came in to the staff common room every day and had his hands well on the wheel. I remember my interview with Max at which he advised me that my salary was to be £350 for the year, plus keep ! Riches indeed. Very best wishes. Chris Bailey.
Hope you didn't get to Port Vale on Tuesday evening for the defeat by Barnsley, 1-3! Although I have lived all over the place, we are back in Baildon, just outside Bradford, where I was born, so ended up in the original spot. Regarding your annual salary of £350 plus keep, whilst clearing out company records on the closure of the family business, I came across old cheque book stubs, one of which was dated 9th April 1962, "Charney Hall Spring Term" for the sum of £114.6.11d. I think that must have included some extras, but it seems to have been paid out of the company account! Since seeing your original message, I have been thinking more about Charney than for many years, and will certainly watch out for Port Vale results, something I have to do for a master from Timbertop (Geelong Grammar) in Australia, where the King spent time in 1966. I was there in '65. David was brought up in Yorkshire, and his parents lived near Darlington, the team he supported, so every week the result, good, bad or indifferent must be sent to Darwin! Years after leaving Charney, I heard another rumour that Michael Barker had played for England Schoolboys at football. You may know better. I still have my Complete Works of Shakespeare, signed by Max in his beautiful writing, but clearly knew him on a different level to you. Always seemed severe! All the best, Chris
Best wishes. Chris.
Have written this once, and lost it! Here we go again. Darlington are 4th in National League North, so doing better than Bradford City and Bradford Park Avenue, both in leagues below Port Vale. The moth trap I remember, but not the name. In Spring Term 1963 we had 2 boys named Vass, 1 in the year above me, gone by Atumn Term, and 1 3years below. I think he had to get special permission to set it up at night. Beaumont was 1 year below me and Simister 2 years below. Geelong Grammar main campus is at Corio, just outside Geelong, soth west of Melbourne, but I think there is a department at Toorak, a Melbourne suburb. I was at Corio in 1964, and Timbertop in 1965. This lies 130 miles northeast of Melbourne, and was famous in the day for having Prince Charles (as he then was) for 2 terms at the beginning of 1966. Thinking of John Kilurn, his father, Tom (Professor) was instrumental in setting up the first computer, on June 21st 1948 at Manchester University. On the 1963 photo, was the master next to you P R Kenyon, also an Old Boy? Charlie and Herbert were indeed the gardeners, and Mr Fairclough tried, without success, to teach me the piano. Good days! Cheerio, Chris