Hanley High School, Stoke-on-Trent
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Hanley High School founded in 1894 was originally a co-educational
grammar school A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a Latin school, school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented Se ...
based in the centre of Stoke on Trent. In 1938, the girls moved to Thistley Hough High School for Girls, and, due to subsidence making the school buildings unsafe, the boys' school moved to new premises in Bucknall in 1953.


Headteachers

During the 76 years of the school's existence it was served by six headmasters. The first was F B Gill (1894 - 1897), followed by W M Wilson (1897 - 1924), W D Evans (1924 – 1927), E Graham Laws (1927 – 1951), R V Gardner (1951 – 1958) and finally W Barwise (1959 – 1970). Image:File HHHS Wilson.jpg, W M Wilson (1897-1924) Image:File HHHS Evans.jpg, W D Evans (1924-1927) Image:File HHHS Laws.jpg, E Graham Laws (1927-1951) Image:File HHHS Gardner.jpg, R V Gardner (1951-1958) Image:File HHHS Barwise.jpg, W Barwise (1959-1970)


The Hanley Higher Grade School : 1894 - 1902

The school was officially opened on 18 April by the chairman of the Hanley School Board, Mr T W Harrison. The school building, known as Central Hall in the middle of Hanley, was designed by the architect Mr Scrivener, at a cost of £17,500 for the building and equipment, and with considerable misgivings by local ratepayers at increase in rates to pay for the school The school opened with 720 pupils, both boys and girls, although only 76 were in the ‘higher’ section of the school, the rest being in the Elementary section. The year 1900 was notable for the winning of the first University Open Scholarship by L N Barker who went on to get a first class honours in Physics at
Manchester University The University of Manchester is a public university, public research university in Manchester, England. The main campus is south of Manchester city centre, Manchester City Centre on Wilmslow Road, Oxford Road. The University of Manchester is c ...
.


Extracts from the school log book

Source:School log book 1894-1958
* 17 December 1895: first HMI inspection: ‘school shows excellent promise’. * 5 February 1897: Mr Ridge allowing his boys to say Shakespearian lines without preserving dialogue – his attention has been drawn to this in December last. * 13 May 1897: attendance poor in the afternoon … Horse Show in Hanley Park. * 22 July 1898: school closed in recognition of May Lawton obtaining a 1st at the London University Matriculation Exam. * 11 Nov 1898: Barnum & Bailey’s Show in town; pupil numbers down by half. * 2 March 1900: school closed in recognition of the
Relief of Ladysmith The Relief of Ladysmith consisted of multiple efforts to relieve the city of Ladysmith by General Sir Redvers Buller during the Second Boer War. Buller and the Natal Field Force attempted to relieve the city through multiple offensive actions ...
. * 21 May 1900: school closed in recognition of the Relief of Mafeking. * 2 Feb 1901: school closed on the occasion of the funeral of
Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
.


Hanley Municipal Secondary School : 1902 - 1925

In 1902 the ‘higher’ section of the school was renamed the ‘Day Secondary School’, and two years later was changed again, this time to the Hanley Municipal Secondary School, when the elementary section was closed due to the growth of the Secondary School. During this time a field was obtained for football but no ground was available for cricket. The First World War took a heavy toll with over one hundred Old Hanliensians killed.


Extracts from the school log book

Source: * 27 Nov 1903: The Right Hon. The Earl of Carlisle and Lady Cecilia Roberts (sic) visited the school. * 25 April 1904: attendance very poor … the presence of the ‘
Buffalo Bill William Frederick Cody (February 26, 1846January 10, 1917), better known as Buffalo Bill, was an American soldier, bison hunter, and showman. One of the most famous figures of the American Old West, Cody started his legend at the young age ...
& his Wild West Show’ in Stoke proved a great attraction for the absentees. * 7 Jan 1907: An entrance examination was held with 21 candidates presenting themselves and one was admitted. * 6 April 1911: a number of boys and girls attended the matinee of ‘Julius Caesar’ at the Theatre Royal. * 22 Feb 1915: Half Term holiday to celebrate the success of Frank Harrison gaining an Open Scholarship at
Jesus College, Cambridge Jesus College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Jesus College was established in 1496 on the site of the twelfth-century Benedictine nunnery of St Radegund's Priory, Cambridge, St ...
. The first such distinction for a school pupil. * 20 Nov 1917: School closed to mark the honour gained by 2/Lt J Quinton R.G.A. who has won the Military Cross in France. * 6 July 1918: Epidemic of
Spanish influenza The 1918–1920 flu pandemic, also known as the Great Influenza epidemic or by the common misnomer Spanish flu, was an exceptionally deadly global influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 subtype of the influenza A virus. The earliest docum ...
in the district resulting in a large number of boys and girls being absent. * 12 Nov 1918: School closed to mark the surrender of Germany. * 6 March 1919: Mr W H Marshall returned to the school having been demobilised. * 11 May 1921: Closed early in order to play the Old Boys at football on the Port Vale ground. * 26 May 1921: At least 1,000 parents, friends, teachers and pupils present at the unveiling of the school War Memorial in the Central Hall by Col. John V Campbell VC, DSO, ADC. * 22 March 1923: A number of pupils went to see Henry Baynton in ‘Twelfth Night’ at the Theatre. * 26 Apr 1923: Closed all day to celebrate the wedding of the Duke of York and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. * 20 Dec 1923: Mr J O Hughes (Classics Master) killed in a motor accident. * 15 Jan 1924: School re-opens. Headmaster absent – ill. * 26 Jan 1924: Headmaster’s illness takes a serious turn. * 19 Feb 1924: Death of Mr W M Wilson, Headmaster. * 23 Feb 1924: School closed for Mr Wilson’s funeral.


Hanley High School : 1924 – 1953

Mr W M Wilson, who had been headteacher for 27 years, died suddenly in early 1924 and was succeeded by Mr W D Evans. During Mr Evans’ short tenure of only three years, he oversaw the School re-named as ‘Hanley High School’, and in this period he also re-organised the house names. East House became Harrison House (after the first chair of the school board) South House became Wilson House (after the second headteacher who died 1924) North House became Wardle House (after a popular master who died in 1915) West House became The School House (later Mitchell House, after Reginald J Mitchell) Mr Evans successor was Mr E Graham Laws, who had been the Head of Science at Leeds Grammar School. Mr Laws held the office until his retirement in 1951. In 1938 a new girls Grammar School ( Thistley Hough School) was opened in the city and all of the girls at Hanley High School transferred to the new school. An annual reunion dance was subsequently held for the upper school pupils. In 1939 the military authorities commandeered the school, and the pupils were accommodated at Brownhills (Girls) High School, working a double shift system with the girls for a year until new buildings were made ready at Chell. 50 Old Hanliensians lost their lives in the Second World War and their memorial, unveiled in 1948, was placed with that of the First World War in the Library of the school.


Extracts from the school log book

Source: * 12 June 1924:
Prince of Wales Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...
visited the Potteries. School assembled in Hanley Park at 2 pm. * 17 Feb to 3 March 1925: Influenza Epidemic. * 28 Sept 1929: Mr R J Mitchell visited the School and spoke to the Debating Society. * 6 Feb 1952: Death of H M
King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of In ...
. A short service was held at the school. * 24 July 1953: End of Term ceremony was the last for the bi-lateral School, prior to the move to new premises in Bucknall.


Hanley High School : 1953 - 1970

During the 1930s subsidence had been discovered beneath the original school building in Old Hall Street and it was deemed unsafe to be used as a school. After 14 years at Chell, that school became the Chell County Secondary School, and in September 1953 Hanley High School moved into spacious new buildingsCity of Stoke-on-Trent Education Committee, Laying of Foundation Stones, 14 November 1950
at Bucknall, which included extensive playing fields and, eventually, tennis courts.


Extracts from the school log book

Source:School log book 1953-1970
]
* 8 Sep 1953: The new school opened with 589 pupils, almost entirely in uniform, with 62 in the Sixth Form, and 31 staff. All were gathered for a photograph by the press. * 23 Dec 1953: Dennis Wilshaw, D J Wilshaw, an Old Hanliensian and a member of staff, was selected to play for the England football team against Wales. He scored two of the winning goals. * 6 April 1954: The Diamond Jubilee of the School was celebrated at Speech Day in the Victoria Hall, Hanley before 2,000 attendees. Mr Bernard Hollowood, a former Senior Prefect, was The Visitor. * 29 May 1954: Mr Wilshaw played for England in the World Cup held in Switzerland. * 26 April 1955: Annual soccer match 1st XI v Old Boys; referee Mr W Wright (England captain), linesmen D Wilshaw (England) and W Shorthouse – all of
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club ( ), commonly referred to as Wolves, is a professional football club based in Wolverhampton Wolverhampton ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands of England. ...
* 1 March 1956: Presentation of a School organ, organised by the Old Hanliensian Club. * 28 March 1957: Speech Day. The Visitor was Sir Leonard Hutton, former England Cricket Captain. * Sept 1959: The School welcomed Mr W Barwise MA as the new headteacher. A Lancastrian by birth who graduated in Modern Languages at
Manchester University The University of Manchester is a public university, public research university in Manchester, England. The main campus is south of Manchester city centre, Manchester City Centre on Wilmslow Road, Oxford Road. The University of Manchester is c ...
, where he was captain of the 1st XI soccer team as well as the 1st Lawn Tennis team. Image:File-HHHS Athletics Club 1965.jpg, School Athletics Club 1965 Image:File-HHHS Basketball Team 1965.jpg, Basketball Team 1965 Image:File-HHHS Football Team 1965.jpg, School Soccer Team 1965 Image:File-1966 Old Hanliensians 3-0.jpg, School v Old Hanliensians 1966


Extracts from the School magazine: The Hanliensian

Source:School magazine: The Hanliensian, 1919-1969
* 31 March 1960: The Golden Jubilee of the Federation of the Six Towns was marked at the School with the installation of new ornamental gates emblazoned with symbols of the City coat of arms. * Dec 1965: We regret to record the death of Mr F G Nicholas, a founder member of the Old Hanliesian Club and donor of the Nicholas Essay Prize.


Hanley High School : 1970

The City Council Education Committee decided in 1970 that the School should have its Sixth Form removed and the remainder of the school become a Comprehensive school, admitting all pupils on a non-selective basis apart from residence. Image:File HHHS School Literature Club 1970.jpg, School Literature Club 1970 Image:File HHHS Staff 1970.jpg, School Staff 1970


Notable Old Hanliensians and former teachers

* Ernest Loney, represented Great Britain at the 1908 London Olympic Games in 1500 metres * Frank Kearton, chairman of
Courtaulds Courtaulds was a United Kingdom-based manufacturer of fabric, clothing, artificial fibres, and chemicals. It was established in 1794 and became the world's leading man-made fibre production company before being broken up in 1990 into Courtauld ...
(1931); Chancellor of
University of Bath The University of Bath is a public research university in Bath, England. Bath received its royal charter in 1966 as Bath University of Technology, along with a number of other institutions following the Robbins Report. Like the University ...
1980–1992 * Norman Wainwright, British Olympic Swimming team; held the British records for 500, 880 and 1000 yards in 1934 * R. J. Mitchell, aeronautical engineer, designer of the
Supermarine Supermarine was a British aircraft manufacturer. It is most famous for producing the Spitfire fighter plane during World War II. The company built a range of seaplanes and flying boats, winning the Schneider Trophy for seaplanes with three cons ...
Seaplane and the
Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. It was the only British fighter produced continuously throughout the ...
* Ronnie Allen, England footballer (1952–1954), Port Vale,
West Bromwich Albion West Bromwich Albion Football Club (), commonly known as West Brom or The Albion, is a professional association football club based in West Bromwich, West Midlands, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second level of the Englis ...
, Crystal Palace * Dennis Wilshaw, England footballer (1953–1956; 1954 World Cup player),
Wolverhampton Wolverhampton ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands of England. Located around 12 miles (20 km) north of Birmingham, it forms the northwestern part of the West Midlands conurbation, with the towns of ...
, Stoke City * Selwyn Whalley, teacher and footballer ( Port Vale 1953–1966) * Harriet Slater, Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent North 1953–1966 * Bernard Hollowood, economist and editor of '' Punch'' magazine 1957–1972 * Ely Devons, Professor of Economics 1959–1965 at the
London School of Economics The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), established in 1895, is a public research university in London, England, and a member institution of the University of London. The school specialises in the social sciences. Founded ...
* Samuel Devons, Professor of Physics 1960–1985 at Columbia University, New York * Harold Perkin, Professor of History,
Northwestern University Northwestern University (NU) is a Private university, private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851 to serve the historic Northwest Territory, it is the oldest University charter, chartered university in ...
, Illinois, 1985–1997 * Michael Bullock, football player for
Birmingham City Birmingham City Football Club is a professional football club based in Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, it was renamed Small Heath in 1888, Birmingham in 1905, and Birmingham City in 1943. The team compete in the ...
(1962) * Peter J. K. Gibbs, television script writer, and former cricketer for Derbyshire 1966–1972 * Robert Street, Professor of Physics at
Monash University Monash University () is a public university, public research university based in Melbourne, Victoria (state), Victoria, Australia. Named after World War I general Sir John Monash, it was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the ...
, Australia 1960–1974, and vice-chancellor of the
University of Western Australia University of Western Australia (UWA) is a public research university in the Australian state of Western Australia. The university's main campus is in Crawley, Western Australia, Crawley, a suburb in the City of Perth local government area. UW ...
1978–1986 * David Wheeler, Professor of Computer Science at
University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...
1978–1994


Notes

Stoke-on-Trent City Archives hold the Records of Hanley High School and subsequent institutions on the school site (1894-2003) Collection Reference Numbers: SD 1568 and SD 1841. This collection includes the records of Hanley Higher Grade Elementary School, Hanley Municipal Secondary School (Hanley High School), Brookhouse High School, Mitchell High School, Carmountside High School and Willfield County Secondary School.


References

{{Schools in Staffordshire Defunct schools in Stoke-on-Trent