Technical School Park Square

A Memory of Luton.

I attended this school from the 8th January 1951 until the end of March 1953. Every morning all classes would attend assembly in this building and would then disperse to their classrooms which were often at other points around the town. My classroom was in the Weslyan Chapel in Chapel Street where I remember I was when the death of George VI was announced on the 6th February 1952. Other places used were the Waller Street Chapel for engineering lessons, the Indoor Pool in Waller Street for swimming lessons, and a long hike up to Popes Meadow for football, cricket and other sporting activities.

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Added 10 February 2009

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HI, MY FRIENDS AND I ATTENDED THE NEW TECHNICAL COLLEGE AND WENT TO LESSONS IN THE ART DEPARTMENT. THIS WAS THE EARLY SIXTIES AND THE CULTURE WAS PRETTY WILD. WE WERE OFTEN STOPPED AND SEARCHED BY THE POLICE WHEN WE WERE OUT IN THE LATE EVENING. MY NAME WAS CYNTHIA WILBY AND MY CLOSE FRIENDS WERE SALLY HUXTABLE AND SUE FANNON; WE SPENT DAYS GIGGLING OVER NOTHING BUT IT WAS GOOD FUN. I ALSO KNEW DIANE AND BRIDDY, ALSO AMOS WAS IN THE ART DEPT.WE WERE FULL HEAD-ON HIPPIES THEN DRESSED IN FURS, BEADS AND HEADSCARVES AND THE ELECTRICIANS USED TO TAKE THE MICKEY WHEN WE WENT TO THE CANTEEN, SHOUTING' HERE COMES SONNY AND CHER'. MY FRIENDS CALLED ME CINDY BUT THE LADY IN THE CANTEEN ALWAYS CALLED ME CANDY WHICH, FOR SOME REASON, ANNOYED THEM. MR HAMNER WAS THE HEAD OF THE ART DEPT AND WAS REALLY NICE TO US AND PUT UP WITH A LOT; MY MUM SUGGESTED GOING THERE AS I HADN'T GOT A JOB, SO I DID A COUPLE OF DRAWINGS OF GOYA'S 'HORRORS OF WAR' AND GOT IN. COLLEGE WAS EASY IN THOSE DAYS AND WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY LOANS TO PAY BUT WHEN I WENT TO UNIVERSITY MUCH LATER, IT COST THOUSANDS! MY HUSBAND,NOW, WAS THERE WHEN IAN DRURY TAUGHT AND HE WOULD MOAN AT HIM FOR GETTING IN LATE. IAN DRURY WAS A VERY SOPHISTICATED MAN AND NOT AT ALL LIKE HE WAS PORTAYED IN THE FILM OF HIS LIFE. THESE WERE THE EARY SIXTIES AND SOMEONE BROUGHT LSD INTO THE COLLEGE AND DOSED PEOPLE FOR FREE (BIT LIKE 'WITHNAIL AND I') IT WAS MAYHEM AND WE TRIED TO LOOK AFTER THEM BY TAKING THEM OUT OF COLLEGE TO WARDOWN PARK SO THERE WAS NO TROUBLE. BUT SOME SAID THAT THE TREES WERE FOLLOWING THEM AND IT GOT MORE LIKE LORD OF THE RINGS THAN A DAY IN LUTON. I REMEMBER WILLIAM AND THE OFFICES OF THE STUDENT'S UNION, AND ALL THE BANDS THAT CAME TO PLAY...ALL SORTS...I SAW CHRIS FARLOW AT A GIG IN LIVERPOOL MANY YEARS LATER AND GOT HIM A COFFEE AS HE HAD TO STAY BEHIND THE STALL. WE REMINDED HIM OF THE TIME HE WENT TO PUNCH MY FRIEND WHO GOT ON THE STAGE AND HE SAID OH SORRY BOUT THAT, BUT WHAT WAS IMPRESSIVE WAS THAT AS THE OPENING CHORDS OF 'OUT OF TIME' STARTED AND, WITHOUT MISSING A BEAT, HE LEAPT UP AND GOT TO THE MIC AND CAME IN EXACTLY ON TIME! STRANGE DAYS AND EVEN STRANGER MEMORIES...LOVE IS ALL Y'NEED.
LUTON ART DEPT, PARK SQUARE, LUTON IN SIXTIES.

By cindyandjohn on Wed Oct 25th 2017, at 2:42 pm

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26th May 2021
This morning I thought I saw a message on this site from a relative of Cindy from the above letter. Unfortunately I lost the page on my computer. if you would like to get in touch I have some nice photos of me and Cindy at the Bluecoat Gallery liverpool. I am on Facebook as Susan Phillips (this is in the public domain) I have a image of honeysuckle on my page. It would be nice to talk about Cindy. best regards Sue Phillips(was Fannon)

By susanfannonphillips on Wed May 26th 2021, at 2:53 pm

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I attended from 1954 until 1957
My form master was Pat (paddy) Froud.

By David Cooper on Wed Jun 21st 2023, at 2:56 pm

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