Memories of Technical High School
By Alan Ellis
I was visiting Gt Y in May 2016 as I was visiting my mother on the occasion of her 92nd birthday - she now lives in Needham Market and my sister Marilyn Hale lives in Stowmarket.
I was able to visit the Time and Tide museum and found that it brought back a flood of memories of my time in Yarmouth. I essentially left Gt Y when I went up to London University in 1965.
I went to the Technical High School from 1960 to 1965 (Priory School 1954 to 1958; Styles Secondary 1958 to 1960). Being an unexpected 11+ failure I owe much to several exceptional and talented teachers - at the Styles - Mr Kenyon; and John Gear in particular. At THS Wally Harmer was an exceptional English teacher - reading Silas Marner and changing into each character! "Chip" Roll was an exceptional math teacher (and bridge & poker!) - I still recall his first calculus class - great illustration enabled me to get "it" immediately. History came alive through Mr. Simpson and Ms Smedley, Arthur Bowles was the PE teacher; Margaret Cranshaw was a classy lady - English/lower sixth and girls headmistress. "Waggy" Wagstaff headed up the chemistry/physics dept. Dave Butcher woodworking & fencing; "Pop" Parkin was the quintessential head master ably assisted by JC Wilkins. My form teacher for 3S and 4S was Alan Allsopp - not a favourite of mine from the moment he chose to attempt to embarrass me in front of the entire class for a minor infraction with the chess club - what a bulging eyed idiot!
A memorable moment in 5A was getting myself into a fight with the school bully/steet-wise heavy "Budgie" Peake - I would not yield to his bullying and found myself at lunchtime on the playing fields squaring off against him. Much to the surprise of many including "Budgie" I floored him with my first punch catching his eye; nose and mouth all in one major impact. We then ended up in a scuffle on the ground with my having him in a headlock - only for me being eventually dragged off him by the school prefects who had taken their sweet time arriving. To my surprise at the next morning assembly "Budgie" came over and shook my hand - we had a kind of friendship from that moment onwards.
Class mates and rugby teammates included Terry Brackenbury; Jonathan Bloomfield; Guy Poynton; Stalkey Packham; ? Dinsmore.