Blackburnians' Association
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Spring 1991 No. 34 Magister Price £1.50 Journal of the Old Blackburnians' Association How to Launch A History of the ANNUAL Old Blackburnians a Successful Newspaper Association Pictures and Reports - Pages 12,13 and 14 - Pages 7 & 18 - Pages 5, 9,11 & 20 Big School and Radcliffe Wing showing temporary buttresses - Picture courtesy of Graham Slack THE outside of Big School has been enhanced by several stone buttresses following the discovery that the building was sinking. Water had severally penetrated the foundations of Big School for some years and architectural devices known as Telltales, used to measure movement, detected that the sides of the building were splaying out. SINKING The headmaster said he felt like Samson when taking morning prayers. The stone buttresses, smaller but similar to the one pictured at the corner of the building, avoided having to use unsightly tie rods. The work, which was begun just before last Christmas, took six months and cost £25,000, which is being met from school FEELING running costs. AGMs: Report and Balance Sheets - Pages 8,16 and 17 SPRING, 1991 MAGISTER - Page 2 Obituaries (1917-1990) OLD Blackburnians everywhere will have been saddened to hear of the HARRY INGHAM M.A. death in April of Harry Ingham, a stalwart schoolmaster, keen service to Queen Elizabeth's, the memory was amazing: he possessed sportsman and much esteemed friend school he loved so much. total recall of school events during the whose dry humour and polite manner Harry Ingham was tall in spirit as 20'sand 30's, afaculty which naturally endeared him alike to his colleagues well as in physical frame. He always aided his excellent talent for after- in the staffroom and generations of spoke with sincerity and never caused dinner speaking. schoolboys at Queen Elizabeth's. affront. Even when annoyed, he Aside from his teaching, Harry I first recall Harry as Cricket calmed the situation with a joke. Ingham fulfilled his school motto in Captain of Raleigh House, tall and Successive generations of pupils manyotherdirections. Hisoutstanding resplendent in white (he would have remember his wry humour and, contributions were as Representative left his boater in the pavilion) issuing whether apocryphal or not, the stories of the Incorporated Association of appropriate advice to team members about him are legion. Everyone knows Assistant Masters (as it was then), a who would not keep a straight bat. his slow and deliberate first words of position he held for thirty years, Funny that I cannot remember him in introduction to a new class: "There performing important but unsung work Harry Ingham or about school in spite of the fact that are two streets named after me in on behalf of all members of staff. He he was three years my senior. I do Blackburn - Ingham Street and was treasurer of the school's Dramatic know that he came to Queen Nottingham Street." Mystified young Society for many years, a task which JAMES McHUGH Elizabeth, in 1929 and that he became boys soon learned to appreciate his demanded much effort and tact behind (1919-23) in succession House Captain of kind irreverence. Meeting a third the scenes throughout the school A graduate of Manchester Raleigh, Cricket Captain of School former coming down Dukes Brow after year. His hobbies were cricket and University, BA (Com), James was a and in 1937 Vice-Captain of School lunch, Harry reputedly asked, "Where photography. He was mad about the Cobden prizeman being the only (Deputy Head Boy we should call him are you hurrying off to then?" former throughout his life. If he hadn't student to obtain five firsts. During the today) before gaining successful "Formby, Sir, with the juniorteam". a bat in hand, he would use an war he served as a Flying Officer with admission to Wadham College, Oxon, Nudging Ellis Metcalfe who was umbrella in the staff room to drive a the A.T.C. From 1950, until retirement to read French and Spanish in October accompanying him and who will tennis ball straight to the hands of in 1970, he was Head of College of of that year. Harry just managed to certainly vouch for the incident, Harry Fred Raby. I remember Mike Commerce and Vice-Principal of York complete his final degree replied, "Say hello to George for me." Stevenson calling for a run in a staff Central College of Further Education. examinations the day before enlisting A puzzled and bemused schoolboy match. Harry was run out but bore no In 1966 he was awarded the for military service with the Oxford went on his way. Bill Stansfield used grudge for a wrong decision. He used M.B.E. for his services to Education. and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry to listen to the French Service on his to tell of the incident among his He led a D.E.S. delegation to the in 1940. He wasn't able, because of way to school from Chorley. He would countless cricketing anecdotes. The U.S.S.R and in 1970 was a member his wartime commitment, to have his pick up Harry in Cherry Tree and with same enthusiasm motivated his of a mission to Peru on technical bachelor's degree conferred until mock ignorance Harry would inquire interest in photography. It is amazing education for the Foreign Office 1942. He was transferred, making the in slow measured tones, "Is that that the amount of apparatus Harry (O.D.A.) best of his linguistic talent, to the French on the radio, Bill?” Brian used didn't cause the car to stall on Between 1972 and 1983 he was a newly formed Intelligence Corps a Woodhead used to tell of Harry's one of his photographic expeditions. member of Hong Kong University and short while later and served in India chuckles and the occasion, when, Harry Ingham's service to the Polytechnic grants committee and for and Burma until 1946, a long period of after a fortnight's illness, Harry school will be remembered with nine years chairman of the York service about which Harry had many resumed the same story from the very gratitude. A mixture of decency and Housing Association for provision of entertaining experiences to recount. point at which he had left off. sincerity, joyousness and fun, he was student accommodation. A founder Demobilized in that year, he Harry Ingham was an exemplary one of the old school who could offer member of York Probus Club, he proceeded to the degree of Master of teacher, his deliberately slow manner criticism without causing offence leaves a widow and two daughters. Arts and accepted a modern and loud reiteration of subject matter because there was no rancour in him. languages post at Taunton School, belied his own erudition, for he insisted Even in Carcassone he is Southampton, where he taught until pupils should learn, however long it remembered as the polite and correct RAYMOND 1948. Though the climate of the South took. And he was always fair to all, Englishman. Those who make the of England suited Harry well, he particularly in examination sessions. annual migration of the South of WHITTAKER always longed to return to the North During 'O' level dictation tests in France will know what I mean, the (1943-48) and on a chance visit to Queen French located in the four main rooms school has lost a valued friend and to In a letter from his close friend and Elizabeth's, he was informed by of the Radcliffe Wing, candidates in Florence his widow, Margaret his elder fellow Blackburnian Gerald Brooks Headmaster N. S. T. Benson that a the other rooms could hear Harry's daughter and John and Elizabeth and (1942-49) we were informed of the vacancy in the Modern Languages measured enunciations as well as their families, we in the Old sudden death, in February, at the age Department had recently occurred. those from their own examiners. Blackburnians' Association offer our of 57 of Raymond Whittaker who had Thus from 1948 - 1977, the year in Everybody got a bonus! It was his deepest sympathies. lived in Burton-on-Trent for the past which he retired on medical grounds professional correctness allied with a 32 years. He worked for a while at after a second spell in hospital, Harry sense of fun which O.B.'s will English Electric in Preston before Ingham gave long and unstinted remember with great affection. His W. H. PROCTOR moving to Burton. He took early retirement some 21/2 years ago having reached a senior managerial position at British Coal's Research W. K. FORBES and Development establishment at WILLIAM KENNETH FORBES Football League Northern Section Bretby in connection with mining (1916-1925) died on 4th May 1990 in when the Old Blackburnians AFC engineering development. the Blackburn Royal Infirmary aged became members in 1929/30 and he Both he and Gerald maintained 82. he was connected with both the was the first vice-chairman of the their connections with Blackburn. Old Blackburnians AFC and the section. He served as a League They both attended the 400th Association from the time he left committee member for 21 years and anniversary celebrations and have school. was President in 1965 and was later visited all the Midland clubs when the He started membership of the made a life Vice President, ken was Rovers have played also making football club which he reformed in also a member of Blackburn frequent visits to Ewood Park. In 1925 and was Chairman from 1929- Subscription Bowling Green and was Gerald's own words - Ray was a fine 48 when he was elected an honorary made an honorary life member in gentleman who's company will be life member.