CHARNEY HALL Nigel Pemberton’s Photographs

We are indebted to W. Nigel Pemberton for providing copies of his photographs of life at Charney Hall in the late 1960s and early 1970s, just a few short years before its closure in 1973. 

In these pictures we see some images of the former pupils who have in more recent years contributed so much to this blog.

Attending a boarding school can isolate children from the ‘real’ world. Friends at home who attended the state school system were there in the holidays but couldn’t understand why the private boarding schools gave us a generous excess of holidays.To a child it has a readily identifiable bonus - more time off school! To the school staff this measure provides similar benefits - more time for personal interests, holidays and preparation for the coming school term. However for the child stuck at home, with no state school friends to socialise with, it can only serve to accentuate the difference between the two systems thus further isolating the child.

Life in the boarding school term is highly structured being organised by timetable and the bell. Most schools have a strong emphasis on sport and physical activity which is integrated into the programme for the day. The benefits of exercise and ’down time’ are well known and should without doubt be included in the school’s curriculum but for most boarders the benefits are perhaps more associated with time off lessons and a welcome break from the pressure to pass exams and succeed in life.

Nigel Pemberton’s photos remind us that boarding school was not all lessons, ‘prep’, swotting and exams. Many pupils at Charney Hall developed interests which have turned out to be life-long assets, leading them to even greater things. Some hobbies encouraged a mind receptive to new ideas and possibilities. Other’s interests in the natural world were awakened - the planet was not just for Homo Sapiens…

Sven Thome’s CH timetable for a typical week

Most of our ‘free time’ was overseen by the masters. Here their rolls fluctuated subtly from teacher to quasi-parent - We learnt the art of polite conversation at the dining table, political debate on the walks, how to show respect to the townspeople of Grange-over-Sands and generally how to behave and conduct ourselves in public. Our excess energy was spent and our skills and reactions honed on the cricket and football fields. Our strength, stamina, balance, agility and co-ordination improved in the gym and swimming pool. Our eye and aim perfected in the shooting range…possibly to prepare us for the next World War….


1
A pause for a moment’s rest on a walk
2
Outside the Junior Classroom
3

4

5
At the new Swimming Pool constructed in the Kitchen Garden
6
Along the north wall of the Kitchen Garden 
7
A walk on Hampsfell
8
On the Cricket Field - Boys and masters unknown
9
On the Cricket Field with the Pavillion on the boundary : Boys unknown
10
On the Cricket Field - Boys unknown, master : Philip Fawcett
11
Entomologists - Boys unknown
12
Group at the cairn on Hampsfell



Comments

Tilak Paul said…
This is a wonderful post and lots of kudos to Nigel (Pemberton) for passing these on to John (Cranna) and as always to Keith (Smith) for uploading and editing and endeavouring to identify the Boys and Persons and superimposing names. I am sure lots of memories will flood back to Old Boys of Charney Hall and Readers of this Blog at this Post on viewing these Photographs. Perhaps it could be a spur for Old Boys / Parents / Masters and any persons connected to Charney Hall to locate and discover and digitally send those Photographs unseen and long forgotten perhaps in the loft or in an unopened trunk or lost photographic album to Keith the Blog Administrator for inclusion in a future Post. Also as well if there are any Old Boys who could identify themselves in the Pictures if they could please contact Keith.

I so very much enjoyed reading Keith’s preface and reflections in the Post and his astute and insightful thoughts and comments encapsulate absolutely all the differences and benefits and all that was good of Boarding School Life.
26 September 2025 at 08:05
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