From: ALAN BOND,
Date: 24 April 1999
Subject: Rowlinson School et al
Hi !! Well what a
surprise to find Rowlinson Web Site whilst looking for info related to Sheffield.
Got a fair old lump in the throat looking at all the pictures and staff info.
To be sure Rowlinson wasn't a particularly good time in my life and I didn't take
away many happy memories but there were some great times in there and this fantastic
site just brought them flooding back. Fond memories of FRED Rowley (year 1/17?
1958 on ) and his ability to cause absolute uproar with his description of WAGNER's
fondness for loud music and stroking soft things??? and often wrong footing YAK
with his choice of hymn music version.
I saw NODDY Johnson on TV some years back and I think he was Chief Assay Officer
in Sheffield at the time. Great fellow - got my interest of Physics from him --
good form teacher but prone to leaving the Wimshearst Machine charged up for the
unwary interfering fingers. Who was the Chemistry teacher -- balding, talked about
smoking 'Pashers'? in the war (WW2 ??) -- used to demonstrate the noxious nature
of suphur dioxide by squirting a little down class and waiting for the reaction.
-- and that female lab assistant -- mmm! I digress!!
I was a member of the astonomy club for some time and helped grind the first reflector
for the telescope -- the one that distorted when focused - under the stage in
the hall. Who was the chief mover in that?
In 1980 I bumped into Mr. Fisher on a cross channel ferry to France - he was in
some senior position (Head of Maths or Head of Boys) at The Royal Tunbridge Wells
Grammar School - Why didn't I listen more closely in Maths??
I was in Chantry but didn't get many house points and once got on 'Minus Mark
Report' resulting in my getting 13 strokes of the cane in one week - so me and
YAK definitely did not see eye to eye and the 'stick' I got confirmed my belief
in no corporal punishment for children. Strangely I actually liked the guy!
I left Rowlinson in 1963 to work for English Steel and left there as an Instrument
technician to work in the Electricity Supply Industry. I worked for 26 years at
Drax PS (The Biggest Power Station in Western Europe) in Control & Instrumentation,
Maintenance Systems and Project Management before leaving to set up my own signmaking
company which my middle son is now running whilst I do some work for Fortum -
a Finnish Power Company. My wife owns and runs a Children's Nursery in Selby.
We left Sheffield in '68 and have no wish to live there again but it is nice to
go back and try to recognise something. Mum still lives there and I often have
to pass Rowlinson.
The point of the last paragraph was to highlight how good careers advice was in
'63. My interview at Rowlinson went like this:
Careers officer : "What sort of work would you like to do boy?"
Me: "I'd like to work in advertising - I think I'm quite good at art and design"
Careers officer : "Thats no good, you'd after go to London to do that! Here's
two interview cards for apprenticeships at English Steel and Brown Bailey's"
Me: "Thanks" Exits stage left shrugging shoulders.
Great life if you don't weaken.
Just remembered this - Tall ginger haired lad - got lost in the fog on cross country,
finished up in Coal Aston, got a lift back to school in a Fletchers Bread van,
arrived late in Goegraphy and got the slipper off Brennan for his troubles --
Ha! What was his name? I remember the first school badge - Wise, Bright and Corny
- Owl, Star And the Three Sheaves of Sheffield. and its replacement Dividers,
Gearwheel etc?? I ramble on. Nice to be in contact. Put me down for the re-union
and as I am only 60 miles away if I can be of assistance please give me a call
Best regards Alan
