Farnworth Grammar School
Personal Profile

Peter Brabbing

 
• Born in Padgate near Warrington 12th June 1938.
• Family moved to Darwen near Blackburn in 1940 during the war. Started school at Hollins Grove Primary School Darwen at the age of 4.
• 1944: family moved to Farnworth near Bolton. Attended St James’ C of E Primary School until 1949.
• 1949-1951: attended Harper Green Secondary Modern School
• 1951-1956: Transferred to Farnworth Grammar School at 13+ from Harper Green Secondary Modern School. Skipped the first year and was put in class L IV Beta. Towards the end of the first term I was transferred into L IV b, picking up German as a second foreign language.
• 1953: transferred to a reconstituted L Va
• 1954: transferred to L VIth, studying Maths, Physics and Chemistry . Gained “O” levels in English, German and French in the November.
• 1955-6: U VIth. Deputy Head Boy (deputy Head Girl was one Sheila Clayton — see later). Member of the 1st XI at both football and cricket. Member of the Corinthians House.
• 1956: gained a County Major Scholarship gaining “A” levels in Maths, Physics and Chemistry. Went on to Liverpool University studying in the Honours School of Chemistry. A number of FGS colleagues went to Liverpool University at the same time, namely Sheila Clayton, Neville Thompson (both reading Biochemistry) and Graham Hendry (well known accomplished thespian, reading Oceanography). Brian (Don) Hulme (deceased) and Frank Council (darts player supreme) were also at Liverpool University, having gone up the previous year.
• 1957: Alan Eckersley and Ian Wallwork went up to Liverpool University to study Chemistry. We were in “digs” together for 3 years and are still in contact.
• 1959: graduated BSc Hons (2:1) but stayed on for an extra year to do a teacher training year, gaining a Certificate of Education in 1960. First teaching practice at Toxteth Technical School in Liverpool. Quite an experience! Then by contrast a second teaching practice at Liverpool Collegiate School, one of the best schools in Liverpool.
• 1960: appointed 2nd master in the Chemistry department at Birkenhead School which was then a Grant Maintained School and probably the best school on the Wirral.
• 1960 was also very memorable for another reason — I married Sheila Clayton (Old Farnworthian). We celebrated our 47th wedding anniversary on 20th August 2007. Sheila had graduated in 1959 gaining a 1st class Honours Degree in Biochemistry. She was appointed Head of the Chemistry department at Birkenhead High School for girls G.P.D.S.T. in 1959, a post she held for 4 years. We lived at Rock Ferry on the Wirral from 1960 until 1963.
• 1963: appointed Head of the Chemistry department at Clay Cross Tupton Hall Grammar School near Chesterfield in Derbyshire, a rural Grammar School of 850 pupils set in an idyllic setting of 52 acres of grounds, playing fields and gardens. Fate often deals some unexpected cards and this was no exception: the Headmaster of Clay Cross Tupton Hall Grammar School at this time was no other than Mr B.F. Rice who had been our Headmaster at Farnworth Grammar School 1951-55. What a small world! The Chairman of the Governing Body of the School was Dennis Skinner, himself a old boy of Tupton and now M.P. for Bolsover.
• 1969: appointed Head of Science, Tupton Hall School incorporating Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Geology and Rural Studies Departments. Responsible for 11 laboratories, a Lecture Theatre, Garden and Greenhouses. The Grammar School had been amalgamated with the local Secondary Modern School to form the new Tupton Hall School a 2,000 pupil comprehensive school built on the old Grammar school site — very sumptuous — even had its own swimming pool! At the time it was one of the largest schools in the country and certainly the largest school in Derbyshire.
• 1973: appointed Deputy Headteacher of Tupton Hall School. B.F. Rice’s deputy for 3 years until he retired at Christmas 1975. Worked for him for 13 years in total, becoming great friends as well as colleagues, regularly playing golf together. Sadly he died in 1993 aged 79.
• 1990: appointed Acting Headteacher of the School.
• 1991: retired from teaching. Could not come to terms with the constant erosion of educational standards and the needless and counterproductive bureaucracy. A bankrupt Government without any real educational aim, simply using education as a political football. Social engineering at the expense of academic excellence hiding behind masses of meaningless statistics.
• Appointed Field Officer (Regional Officer) for the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, a Teachers’ Union. Since 1960 had been a member this Union and its predecessors, having held all the officer positions in the Derbyshire Branch — valuable experience not to be wasted. Responsible for supporting all teachers in A.T.L. in primary secondary and tertiary education in Barnsley, Sheffield, Derbyshire County and Derby City. Acting as advocate at disciplinary/competency/redundancy hearings and tribunals. Accompanying teachers in pursuance of unfair dismissal clams at Industrial Tribunals (as they were then). Advising teachers on all employment and educational matters. A very interesting job, retraining in employment law. Spent 34 years in teaching travelling 3 miles back and forward to school and then 7 years with A.T.L. travelling 28,000 miles a year.
• 2001: Retired from paid work. Elected Captain of Chesterfield Golf Club, served 6 years in total on the committee.
• 2009: Became President of the Terminus Crown Green Bowling Club in Chesterfield. I am also the Vice-Captain of the Society of Derbyshire Golf Captains, becoming Captain of Captains in 2010.
• Sheila and I have lived in the picturesque Derbyshire village of Ashover in the Peak District 3 miles from Chatsworth House for the last 29 years. Ashover won the Calor Village of the Year in 2006 and Prince Charles visited the village. I now spend my time golfing three times a week, crown green bowling (member of two clubs) playing in the bowling leagues and socially with Sheila (at least three times a week). Gardening and house maintenance occupy more time. Spend at least 6 weeks a year travelling abroad. I play the violin, saxophone and clarinet for my own enjoyment, although I did play in a small orchestra for a number of years. Would like to rejoin, and to sing in a choir, but can’t find the time! Have played bridge and am currently playing whist.