Brimington memories
Here are memories of Brimington and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Brimington or a Brimington photo.
Memories 1969-1974
First day, stood outside the gates not allowed in until 10 mins to nine, all the older boys who were in their last year lining you up and telling you when it would be your turn for the mill. (No one escaped this.) Teachers I remember were Thrack Kelly headmaster, Clarky maths deputy head, Sharp PE, Swinn RE, Grizz Rodgers science, Crofty rural studies, Woody wood work, Smithy metal work, Harry Lane history, Bob Baily tech drawing, Angus geography(who even after six weeks' holiday remembered I had not handed my homework in). There were two playgrounds, the top one for the older boys, the bottom one for the first and second years, this one just happened to be surrounded with a six foot high wire netting fence with a gate, when the older boys came for you to put you through the mill you could not get out (it was also funny that when this happened there would be a shortage of teachers around every time, also you never mentioned it... Read more
Brimington Boys Inthe 1970s
I have been away from Brimington for about 22 years, some of the area has changed but not much, I was shocked to see my old school gone. Brim boys was my last school before my first job as apprentice mechanic at Brocklehurst's on Whittington Moor. The old school has good and bad memories for me, I remenmber some of the teachers, Mr Wood, Mr Croft, Mr Topham, Mr Rogers the science teacher, I think he had been drinking some of his chemicals, the RI teacher was Mr Sweeney, I think he was very passionate about his work. I remember a trip to camp, bell tents and cold water and half a field to keep the boys from the girls. I became a prefect just before I left, we could stop people coming into school as we stood by the radiators keeping warm...good days.
Brimington
My grandfather, Fred Wheeldon, was born at New Brimington on Princess Street, and he married Margaret Wheeldon where they lived on Ringwood Road before moving onto the White City in 1952, when it was first built. My mum, Kath Wheeldon, still lives in the same house 59 years later! I went to Westwood lower and upper, and lived locally until 2005. The coal board estate is not the same any more, all the family values and community spirit has gone. Brimington holds a lot of good memories for me like school, friends, my horses at Ringwood farm although I can say I don't get homesick when I drive through the estate to visit my mum.
The Good Old Days?
Oh, I'd love to know who made the comment about Mr Bower, Dooher, Lever, Pettitt, Crofts, Sharp, and old vVncent, head of school, as it was my time too, so if you're reading, drop me a line, I'm intrigued. Yes, I got 6 O levels, God knows how. I also remember Barnston, PE, Moody, Leake, Topham, Stevenson, Morgan-Jones, does anyone remember Ant Conway - all the girls fancied him, he was only 21, and one of our boys got jealous and one day said 'I'm no wer sick of you trying to tek our women, outside if you dare", that was hilarious, he got out of it. Mr Bates, who incidentally I still see, was my dad's best mates at school! He used to be Alwin Peter when he knew him though, at school he was Peter of course.
Brim Boys
Yes the film Kes is a very good reflection of Brim Boys life. Myself and all my brothers had the pleasure of going there. It was sometimes hard and disciplined but we also we had plenty of laughs and made some great mates through the years. Thwrack left during our time there and I still remember him saying he would rather teach criminals than the pupils at school. It was a hard time during the 1970s with the pit strikes and power cuts, but coming from a close knit community as Brim was in those days I can honestly say my memories of Brim Boys always make me proud to have gone there.
It Only Seems Like Yesterday
I remember Mr Wood, Topham, Sharp, Bower, Crofts - does anyone else remember it?
Mixed Schools
The terror of a mixed school met with reality, the future was to be much brighter and happier. Having lost contact with everyone from the day I left, I, like you, never looked back until today.
Moving to The School
I was twelve years old and a pupil at Brimington Boys School. The school was on Foljambe Road and was an old Victorian building, very frugal and cramped. I was in my first year at this school and I did not like it at all. The discipline was tough and the classrooms cramped. In the spring of 1957 we moved into the new school, which meant all the items in school had to be taken to the new building. All the lads were commandeered to do their bit which involved carrying all the reference books, all the school work books from the old building to the new one. I can recall doing all this yet cannot recall how long it took. What I do remember is most of the teachers' names. Mr Kelly, Headmaster. Very heavy on discipline, and looked more aggressive when smiling than when he was not. Mr Bailey, Technical drawing, Mr Seal, Science, Mr Clarke, Mathematics, Mr Leening, Geography, Mr Crofts, Rural Science, Mr Lewis, English, Mr... Read more
Brimington in my Early Years
I was Christened at Brimington Bethel Chapel in July 1945, for some unknown reason, on a Tuesday. From my early memories I recall attending Bethel every Sunday twice a day and either walking it or catching the bus from Ringwood for we lived in Holligwood. My first Sunday School teacher was Mrs Mayfield and I liked her a lot. Next to the Chapel was Bradleys Garage and Stuart the son was in my class. Across the road was Micheals Barbers, Whettons Wedding and funeral cars, Darkins fish and chips, and a butchers shop as well. Going round the corner as if to the Common was Salmons filling station where the bus stopped in those days and opposite was the sweet shop where we spent part of our collection money before going to chapel. Tempus fugit found me attending Brimington County Secondary Boys School and on Sundays delivering the Sunday papers all over the village from the miners estate to the Heywood Street, John Street, Station Road, Bank Street Newbrdge Lane... Read more
BRIMINGTON BOYS
I remember some of the teachers from your time. Mr Clarke was still deputy head with Mr Bates in English, Mr Petit was science and mr Peppit in metalwork.John Moody taught sports and it was a great school to go to if you were into sport. It must have been rotten if not. We became mixed in 1975 wth Hollingwood Girls and the rather rough edged school was calmed to some extent.
The building itself is not missed, it was freezing in winter and boiling hot in summer. Rather like a greenhouse, which is exactly what it was, a giant greenhouse.
Brim Boys School
This school was the eptitome of a 1960s and 1970s style working class English school. If you've ever seen the school scenes in the film 'Kes' in which a young boy rears a baby kestrel then you will have seen life at "Brim boys".
Some teachers didn't want to be there and made sure we knew it, most kids didn't want to be there and made sure the teachers knew it.
There were some good teachers, and some very bad ones ...
The teachers I can remember are: Headmaster Kelly. Teachers Wood (woodwork), Sharpe (Geography), Clarke (dep head - Maths), Bailey (Tech drawing), Croft (Rural studies), Lane (History) and a miriad of student teachers and temp staff over the years.
I eventually bought myself an education to make up for the wasted years I spent there.
Memories of Derbyshire
Hollingwood Life
Hi, we moved to Hollingwood in 1977, from Grangewood. It ain't changed much though. I went to Hollingwood infants and juniors. Does anyone remember these teachers: Miss Maisie Bond, head, Miss McGregor, Miss Binney, or juniors: Mr Beckett, Mr Middleton, Miss Shipgood, Mr Watkinson? There was an eccentric piano teacher but I can't think of her name, I know she stank of moth balls though.
The Park
This picture is of me and my brothers in Brearley Park. I am on the see-saw with my brother John and my mum is holding my youngest brother, Paul. We always used to go to the park as often as possible and catch sticklebacks in the stream. When I was older I used to meet my friends there and also take my dog who used to go up the slide and go down the other end. It was a long time ago that will always be remembered, especially going to the park.
Playing in The Park
I remember going to the park with my two brothers and playing on the swings and slide, also catching sticklebacks in the steam at the bottom of the park. As I got older I used to take my dog to the park and he used to go down the slide.
Anyone Know of A Francis Evans
I am doing my family tree. Francis Evans was my great-great-grandfather, he was born around 1802 and married a Hannah in 1828, they lived in Staveley until he died in 1876. I am trying to find out my great-great-grandmother's maiden name Hannah ..?, Francis Evans's wife, they had a daughter called Hannah also, she was born 1830/31 and married a George Bates in Staveley, he was my great-grandfather. If anyone knows of any information of the Evans/Bates family it would be appreciated. I do have lots of information about the Bates family, but Hannah who married Francis is a puzzle to me. Thanks, Christine
Smiths Army Uniform Factory
Just wondering if there is anyone out there who used to work in this factory? I got a job there in 1970 aged 15, I used to work on a felling machine and I loved it. I used to sit and sew all the side seams on this twin needle machine. Is the factory still there and where was it exactly?
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