About the 1954 Albums
All photos referred to this page were originally supplied in albums like the one illustrated above. It is dated "OLDHAM 1954"and"PUBLISHED BY GEO. HOLDSWORTH & SON Ltd. Premier Scholastic Photographers HARTLEPOOL."The one shown was loaned by Melvyn Ratcliff. The photos loaned by Anwyl Casterton were also from an album like this, and the locations of several others are known.
The photos are all mounted 11½ x 7¾ " overall, with no legends. Each of the photos carries a makers negative mark of a single capital letter somewhere against a dark background. After posting this page the Maud Wild Album, which contains the entire 1954 series, came to light.
1954 was interesting from a sporting point of view. Tom Higson had recently become Headmaster and had decided that the school should be represented by Soccer teams or Rugby Union, not Rugby League.These were considered more gentlemanly and more suitable for a Grammar School. This was the changeover year, and team photos are shown for both FA and RU rule books.
The school had been particularly successful at Rugby League over all age groups. In the 1952/3 season they won all 5 of the town schools rugby trophies. To record this feat, a photo of the wholeschool squad was taken as part of this (1954) set of photos.
Photos By Melvyn Ratcliff
| 1954 Class 5.X | 1954 Whole School RL Squad | 1954 Sen. Soccer XI | 1954 Sen. RU XV |
Photos By Anwyl Casterton
| 1954 Class I.Y | 1954 Staff | 1954 Girls Swimming |