Bernard Lackey
Mr Lackey taught me geography at Xaverian and it was no small feat to actually get me a GCE 'o' ...
Bro Cyril played Boogie Woogie
Now this might sound a bit odd at first glance but I can assure you it's true - another side ...
Mr Charles (Chuck) Sellars
Mr Charles Sellars was our music teacher. For some reason he didn't like me. This sometimes happens and I don't ...
Mr Archdeacon in typical pose
Probably the most painful experience I can remember from all my time at Xaverian is the one relating to Mr ...
Peter Burrows
Pete Burrows took me for physics and maths in Lower Five Three. He was a great guy, an all round ...
Mr Newton P.E. Teacher
Mr Newton took us for Physical Education. I suppose he was in his mid forties although I have often been ...
Mr Connolly gets his revenge part I
Because I was having doubts about many of the beliefs of the catholic church, I thought seriously about questions I ...
Mr Connolly
Mr Connolly was a big man, tall, somewhat stout and wore glasses. I think he may have taken English but ...
Brother Cyril – saw me coming!
I remember at the Prep School Brother Cyril set us a maths homework and told us that he was going ...
Why is there no mention of or a photo of teacher Gerry Dewhurst Bob? He and Bernard Lackey “created” the boxing team of Paul Neary, Phil Crewdson, Brian Morgan, Freddie Morrow and me when all of us were Lancashire Champions in 1962. Gerry and Bernard were like the proverbial dog with 2 wotsits at Stretford Town Hall that night!!
Only just put the page there yesterday John, Still adding new teachers as I identify them. I always remember Gerry wearing a trilby and wishing we still had him for English rather than Archie!!
Gerry was a really good bloke – plus his daughters were beautiful as well . . . . ahem,.. (As I vaguely recall across the divide of these many years . . .)
I think Dewhurst taught me English; I remember he was a big Leeds f.c. fan
Gerry was great: and I was privileged to step out with one of his daughters for a short spell – lovely girl.
Yes, Gerry was a good bloke. He always saw the good in people. I fell off a garage roof in the summer holiday prior to going into Lower 4.1 and badly injured my arm and shoulder. I was strapped up for months. The start of my worst year at Xavs. I was in Gerry’s class and wasn’t doing very well but he always had a kindly word and was always encouraging.
Good to know that you are still around, even older than me. I was at Xavs from 62 to 67, If I remember rightly.
I remember the teachers above plus: Pop Eaton, maths, Pug Diamond, Latin, Johnny Walker, French. Bro David, Chimpy,
Horsefield, German, Deaver, History, Price, History, Yogi Baron, economics, Bro Finbar French, Bro Pius, Latin.
Most of them had their own ways of beating us. I was caned a lot by both Cid and Bro David. The latter seemed to like it too much. I have recently been in touch with former head boy Roger Darlington, who has just published his memoir ’74 not out.’I did not like him as an authority figure back then. I met him for lunch. He seems a decent bloke. I was in the boxing club but only in house matches. I remember various funny and scandalous events, especially Finbar running off with a young French girl in Paris. I lived and worked on London, Asia, The US and other places before retiring in Costa Rica. I still visit the UK for 3 months every year and we have a home near Milton Keynes.
Bro Finbar running off with a young French girl??? Are you absolutely sure? It always seemed to be young boys that excited his interest to us but I am always prepared to be convinced!!!
One thing is for certain, he was ‘disposed’ by the order not long after the Paris trip. If anyone has more information on this story please get in touch…
He was interested in the boys in class, tickling the thighs of those he liked. Fortunately, I was an ugly child. The Paris trip was interesting. We went on couchettes, from the ferry. Late at night the swot in our compartment lent out of the window and bought a bottle of rough white wine from a vendor. He rather greedily drank most of it himself and was very sick. I omit his name as he might still be alive.
We stayed in a convent where the girls were on summer vacation. There was a Bridgette Bardot look a like waiting on tables in the refectory. We were all swooning over her. Finbar was very chatty with her speaking French. On the day of departure he was no where to be found. Price and Johnny Walker brought us home. Our parents confiscated the flick knives we had bought. It transpired that Finbar ran off with Marie Claude and was never seen again. Re his interest in boys.- Prisoners, public school boys, celibate clergy and the military often exhibit such tendencies when there is nothing else available.
Much of the rest of the Paris trip was spent visiting churches, often containing dead nuns in glass cases. Fortunately later in life, I made up for this lack of imagination many times.
Went on a trip to Lourdes, travelled through France by train, sleeping in turns on the luggage rack.So proud when we chosen to sing in the Basilica, never quite understood why we had to stand behind the massive alter when everyone else was at the front. Great time though, they could never find us amongst all those equally humble souls.
One time, Rufus took us to Sussex, the retreat place. I was picked as one of the elite advanced party, saw it a bit like the Para’s. Turned out me and some mates had to dig all the holes for bogs in the field. Then erect all the bell tents. Speaking of which, one guy had a mag with Bridgette in, wow did that get some hammering. Forced to cook, as an expert bog digger, made spaghetti, only a bit too much, so we lobbed it on the Pine trees, looked fantastic, or so we thought. Got a dry cow pat put it on a sandwich with an already bit mark, Rufus said “ look boy, don’t waste your food! “and snatched it. No regrets greedy …..
Hi, nice to find this..I was a bit late..story of my life…’76 to ’83 The last of the old school so saw it all changing and was always the youngest year group. Hell’s bells, 16 year old girls arriving when I was in year 8. Impossibly exotic and erotic. Strange to hear of some of those teachers who taught me in their later years. Mr “Bob” Newton’s son was the year above me..Troubled boy. Hope it worked out for him. Mr Newton was still there. Brother Cyrill was head of course. Mr Arklass I honestly thought was called Mr Heartless for the first year I had him. He scared some maths into me I guess which Mr “Foggy” Dewhurst couldnt. Was wondering about Brother Anthony who was maybe after your time. A dark eminence we called Boris (Karloff). He was a young guy and in RS introduced us to the revolutionary theology raging at that time in South America. Xavs isnt always a great school in my memory but I owe Boris a debt for giving me some insights into the workings of power and oppression against simple morality, even at that young age! Mr “Mad Jack” Connelly, I was in the same year as his son. He read a poem out in class once and talked about the author whose name I forget. He finished his talk with “…and he had a nickname, was known as Mad Jack”. And smirked.