Ephemera. pictures and photographs from the past. Click on the pictures to enlarge. Click here for the home page.

Extract from the Evening Gazette re Reunion Dinner. School sports 1953. results. Old Boys' Dinner Dance.  The Clifton. circa 1950 Back row: Jimmie Callagher, Fred Simms, Pat Nolan, Ces Crosby, unknown,  Panker Le Brun. Front row: Helen Porter, Moira Nolan, Betty ?, unknown, Madam Le Brun, Renee Howarth, Sylvia Simms.

They're playing our tune. Two contrasting versions of the School Song. Which do you prefer? To listen to the School Song, click here

Taken in the library 1948. The excavators of 'Chad Valley'. Left: Sinclair, Thorpe. At blackboard: Conroy, Crosby. Right: Henry, Walmsley, Fish, Cookson. The photograph at the right is of 'Oscar' Slater caught unawares.

I think, but I'm not sure, that this is of the same period as the photographs above.

Speech Day. The programme for 1952. (click on the picture to enlarge)

Speech Day 1959. Row 10:   6 Martin Lord. Row 9:    7 Tony Ashcroft, 8 Chris Pownall (RIP), 9 Vincent Naylor (RIP), 10 Pete Ellwood. Row 8:    7 Gerard Mulholland (RIP), 8 Mick Forde, 11 (extreme right) Tony Milnes. Row 7:   1 Adrian Dunn (RIP), 6 Jim Simpson, 7 Brian Rafferty, 10 Barry Ratner, 11 John Devlin. Row 6: 1 Brian Shirley, 2 Tony Ledwith, 3 Terry Egerton, 5 Bill Wright, 9 Frank Cornwell, 10 John Naylor, 11 George Lumby. Row 5:  1 Barry Spencer, 2 Dave Winter, 3 Donal O'Sullivan, 4 Arthur Heaton (RIP), 5 Bob Shawcross, 9 Peter McCarthy (RIP), 12 Geoff Preston. Row 4:  1 John Binns, 7 M Foster, 8 Danny Gilson 10 Robert Lancaster. Row 3:  6 Mike Houghton Row 2: 1 David Elder, 2 Jackie Ellwood, 3 John Higham 4 Tom McNally, 5 Chris Walmsley (RIP), 7 Mike Fenech. Row 1:

Speech Day 1963.   Click on the pictures to enlarge.

Speech Day 1962. Click here for all pages. The full programme including the pass list for the School Religious Certificate. This was an examination that you just couldn't fail, but if anybody ever did fail it, I want you to own up now! jvward2003@yahoo.com

This is the Sports Day programme for 1963. Click here for all pages. Please note the pages which thank 'the parents of the following boys' for contributions. If you were at Joe's in 1963, your name here is probably on the list.

This is the Sports Day programme for 1964. Click here for all 16 pages. If you were at Joe's in 1964, you will probably find your name here somewhere.

This is the Sports Day programme for 1965. Click here for all pages.

The orchestra 1953/1954. violins: J Lomas, P Hurst, D Grogan, Tom Duddy, R Barnes, R Lewthwaite, H Wilcock. double bass: J C Dean (RIP). cello: P Mallinson. viola: J Burke.

Senior dancing troupe 1964. Back row:  K Argent, Peter Winstanley, Fred Garner, C Roberts. Front row: S Sowerby, P Marley, V Watson, D Hunt.

National Schools Pilgrimage To Lourdes 1958. Holding banner: ? Foster, unknown, unknown. Back row: unknown, unknown, David Wright, Frank Cornwell, John Wilkie, Mike Nathan, Paul Nixon, Vin Naylor. 4th row:    unknown, unknown, unknown, Tom McNally, ? Grimley, Gerard Mulholland (RIP), ? Garritty, Frank Alston. 3rd row:  John Sheard, ? Morris, unknown, unknown, unknown, Dennis Toohey, unknown, unknown. 2nd row: John Higham, John Naylor, Chris Godbolt, James Higham (RIP), unknown, Mike Keegan, unknown, unknown. 1st row:  Anthony Shaw behind Snow's right shoulder. Front row: unknown, Josh, M C Wall, bishop, bishop, Snow, Noddy.

Click on the pictures to enlarge. In 1954, two members of the New Zealand rugby touring side, both former pupils of St Kevin's Christian Brothers School, Oamaru, visited Joe's. Here we see Kevin Skinner, accompanied by Bill McCaw, presenting colours to Peter Fewell, Captain of Rugby and also Captain of Fylde Schoolboys. Onlookers are D.C. Phelan, A. Pope, A.M. Burns and Josh. In the second picture, we see: Back row: Ged Harring (RIP), Josh, C Condron, P Holden, ? Carrington. Third row: G McEnery, ? Clarke, B Glenn, R Lewthwaite. Second row: A Pope, Peter Cummings (RIP), M Murray, A McIntyre, ? Davies. Front row: A M Burns, P Hurst, D C Phelan, P Mallinson, Kevin Skinner (RIP), Bill McCaw, Peter Fewell.

The opening of the new science rooms. "And for my next trick, Ladies and Gentlemen, I shall wave my magic wand, and in 15 years time, this building will be demolished!" Standing: J Eaves (of Wm Eaves, builders), Mrs Eaves, The Bung, Bishop Pearson, J H Smythe. History does not record the names of the Sorcerer or his apprentice.

School visit to Westendorf, Austria, 1955. The church, the hotel, the park and the ski-lift.

Senior dancing troupe circa 1960. Back row: P Lindsay, D Cook, A Reynolds, S Whittaker, P Ryan, N Hudson. Middle row: George Lumby, Carl Dunkley, Peter Wallwork, A Hart, P Nixon, R Wilson, G Smith, A Blakeman, P Gribbon. Front row: Harold Barnes, S Brown, A Lines, John Lumby (RIP), H Newson, F Carter. Junior dancing troupe circa 1960. Back row: M Stevens, C Fenney, B Smith, G Hunt, A Butler, J Dickinson. Front row: C Reilly, T Nixon, M Ryan, M I Ryan, W Nye.

J McGrahan obit 1999.

In the 1950's, the gaberdine raincoat was the garment of choice for the the sophisticated man about town. Here we see five urbane Joe's men sporting this opulent apparel. There are Tom Duddy, Peter Hurst, Anthony McIntyre, Philip Barnes, David Hurst.

The 1954 school pilgrimage to Lourdes.

Click on the pictures to enlarge.

Photo 1. Gandhi, Tubs Phelan, Murray, Josh. Photo 2. P R Murray. Photo 3. Robbie Barnes (RIP). Photo 4. De Sales Goulding. Head 1929-1935 and 1945-1947

On a field trip to Yorkshire circa spring 1962(+-), Charles and Smailes stop for 'luncheon' at a public house, allowing three reprobates to scour the wire bin full of empties out the back! Pete Keenan, David Cross & Mike Hughes. Photographer, the relatively sober Geoffrey Atkinson.

The grand opening of the new extension in 1963 was attended by the Mayor of Blackpool, J H Smythe, The Superior General of The Christian Brothers, E F Clancey, and two bishops, Bishop Pearson and Bishop Foley.

The new extension was formally blessed in 1963.

In April 1961, there took place what The Bung referred to as an ‘unfortunate episode’, where  Jailhouse Rock, was requested and played by Radio Luxembourg. For details go to the unfortunate episode page.

A youthful Prince Philip chats to Joe's boys, Peter Isaacs (centre) and Barry Smith (right). 13th July 1962.

'When shall we six meet again, In thunder, lightning, or in rain?' The thanes of The Scottish Play performed with great gusto in 1969. Dramatis Personae: Andrew Beaumont, unknown, Roy Anthony, Nick Clarke, Joseph Wright, Stuart Gibson (RIP).

Speech Day 1959. Click here for all pages.

School report. General conduct: Excellent! (evidently a unique student)

Three cheers for the old school tie and the honourable cap badge!

Prize Giving ticket. The holder of the ticket evidently forgot to turn up.

1946. A letter from the head informing parents of the important fact that the son and heir had been accepted for a sentence of 5 years or more. It would seem that Goulding wrote out sixty or more letters by hand!

1953. A sixth form trip to Dublin to see the Jazz Orchestra of Stan Kenton. Back row: Loll Williams, Robin Fishwick (RIP), Nick Young, Jack Bolton. Front row: Barry Howard, Bernard O'Neil, Peter Cummings (RIP), Bob Elliott (RIP), Peter Fewell.

A telegram from Beeje, Brian Joyce (RIP), to the captain of the First XV, before a match against St. Edwards 1952/1953.

Click on the pictures to enlarge. Staff v School. 1953. Also a copy of the infamous Joe's haka.

Joe's in English Literature. Joe's features in at least four novels, Kicking Around  by Terry Taylor, the ironically titled Leave a Light on for Jesus by Vincent Cobb (RIP), The Woman in Blue by Elly Griffiths and The Boy in The Boat by Brian O’Raleigh .  Click here for details.

The Joe's dog. During the Second World War, the Brothers kept an enemy alien at Joe's, a German Shepherd. They called him Bruce, but I think his real name was Adolph. Here he is with C Daley. Bruce is the one with the intelligent look.

The play's the thing. A production of Murder After Dinner, at the Co-op Theatre, circa November 1948, featuring Paul Leigh (l.iv), Tom Walsh (RIP)(uv) and Gerard Slavin (lv). The critics' comments..... "It was murder"

Did you know that Joe's was set in the 'most beautiful and healthy suburb in Blackpool'? It must be true. It says so in this 1928 advert!

Speech Day programmes for 4 years on the trot. Click on the date for all pages. 1954 1955 1956 1957

Outings to Hadrian's Wall and other places. Click here for photographs.

Outings to Dunmail Rise. Click here for photographs.

In 1984, a party was thrown to mark the school's closure. Click here to see the pictures.

An advert in The Times 1975. Does anybody know who got the job?

So long, Brothers. Farewell Dinner 1975. To see the programme click here

Dancing troupe circa 1959. Back row:      Paul Lindsay, unknown, unknown, David Whitaker, Paul Ryan, unknown, unknown. Middle row:   Peter Nevin, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, Gregory ?, Peter Gibbon. Front row:     Harold Barnes, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown, unknown.

Prep school class lists. 1955/1956, 1956/1957, 1957/1958, 1958/1959.

St Joseph's Old Boys Dinner. Cliffs Hotel 1949. Jim Gregson, Nora Salisbury, Derek Lore, Bryan Conroy, Tom Hogarth, Moira Nolan, Allan Collinge, Helen Porter, Pat Nolan.

Click on the pictures to enlarge. A letter to a parent from a form master explaining his report. The boy's name has been blanked out but here is a clue to the writer of the letter. 1. An umbelliferous plant having a large, tapering root, which in cultivation is bright red, fleshy, sweet, and edible. 2. Usually, the edible root itself. fig. (with allusion to the proverbial method of tempting a donkey to move) an enticement, a promised or expected reward. 3. pl. Applied humorously or derisively to red hair, or to one who has such hair.

The Joe's prospectus. Fees £36 per annum! Was it worth it? Click on the pictures to enlarge.

A 1950's Production of Twelfth Night 'Disguise, I see thou art a wickedness.' David Hurst as Viola really does look like a girl! Paul Thorp (RIP), D Anderson, David Hurst (RIP), Ian Oyston (RIP). D Anderson practices 'behaviour to his own shadow.' D Anderson, R Taylor, B Jones, W McManus, P Crook. Betake you to your guard.   P Crook, David Hurst (RIP), B Jones, W McManus, Tom Walsh (RIP), J Gallagher, N Baron. The cast stand 'like patience on a monument.' N Baron, J Gallagher, Tom Walsh (RIP), R Vessey, Paul Thorp (RIP), R Fairhurst, W McManus, David Hurst (RIP), Ian Oyston (RIP), J Southworth, J Farrell, J Gladwin. That's the throne.   Ian Oyston (RIP), David Hurst (RIP), Tom Walsh (RIP), J Gladwin. My masters, are you mad or what are you?   R Vessey, Paul Thorp (RIP), R Fairhurst, David Hurst (RIP), R Taylor, D Anderson, D Baker.

Speech Day at the Winter Gardens. March 13th 1963. Alderman John H Smythe, Mayor of Blackpool, Roger Swarbrick, The Bung, Bishop Foley: Bishop of Lancaster.

Examination results 1947 Click on the pictures to enlarge.

Prize Giving Group 24th May 1948 Mgr. T Eaton, Bishop Flynn, T D (Woodpecker) Woodhouse, Fr T B Pearson (later Bishop Pearson).

Speech Day 1949 T D (Woodpecker) Woodhouse, Mgr. R L Smith, Fr Pearson (soon to be Bishop Pearson), Canon J L Prescott, R Eaves.

Confirmation group 1949 Back row:   T Brown, M Murray, D Grogan, Robin Skudder, D Atkinson, B Davies, M Lewthwaite, Ian Nixon. Front row:   W Collins, W Holden, T D (Woodpecker) Woodhouse, Bishop Pearson, Fr F Pearson, J Canning, R Poole.

Woodpecker and bishops 1950 Bishop T B Pearson, T D (Woodpecker) Woodhouse, Bishop G A Beck.

Speech  Day 1952. Back row:   J Hogan, J H Smythe, T D (Woodpecker) Woodhouse, Fr O'Driscoll, P J Forristall, W Peake. Front row:   W D Gibbons, Canon McNarney, Mgr T Eaton, E B Doyle, E Alton.

Exam results 1951. Click on the pictures to enlarge.

Sports Day results 1952.

Examination results 1952 Click on the pictures to enlarge.

Joe's Carnival Float to celebrate the Coronation 1953. Nelson aboard HMS Victory sails along Newton Drive, about to engage the French flotilla on Church Street. England expects this day that every Joe's boy shall wear an outlandish costume.

A 1948 Production of As You Like It Tom Walsh (RIP), J Burke, W Burrows, P Twiggs, Bill McGrahan. Bill McGrahan, B Jones, J Walsh, David Henry, J Hood, Paul Thorp (RIP), Peter Tracey (RIP). Johnny Moran, D Lonsdale, John Bilney (RIP), Brian Sweeney, Pat Nolan, David Henry, Jim Worden, Ian Oyston (RIP), John Frehe, J Gallagher.  The complete cast. J Walsh, B Jones, David Henry.

Examination results 1948.

Rotary Club public speaking competition 1965. The Joe's contingent. Derek Chadwick, Brian Walsh, Julian Ward (RIP), Frank Middleton.

Joe's school trip to Santander, Northern Spain. 1967. Click here for the pictures.

K Newton and B Wake perform in The Scottish Play 1968. Lead on, B Wake, and cursed be he who first cries "coffee break".

National Dancing at The Cavalcade of Sport held at the Tower Circus 1959. Click here for the pictures.

Joe's Boxing Tournament 1965 graced by the presence of Brian London.

Speech Day 1964. Click here for all pages.

Max retires as secretary Much of the success of the Association has been down to Secretary, Max Armstrong, who announced his retirement from the position after 15 years, taking his total membership and service with the Association to well over 50 years. At the Dinner, both outgoing President Tom Kelly and new President Chris Pownall paid tribute to Max’s hard work on behalf of the Association after which he was presented with a silver salver to mark the occasion. Sadly, Max died on 10th April 2013. John Ward, Tom Kelly, Max Armstrong (RIP), John Brady (RIP), David Lee (RIP), Garry Maddox, Peter Cummings (RIP).

Click on the pictures to enlarge. A letter of acceptance dated 1955 written by Woodpecker.

Dancing Troupe: 14th June 1959 unknown,  Nick Hudson, David Cook, unknown,  unknown,  Tony Reynolds.

Some boys received Mass cards urging them to think about becoming a Christian Brother. The recipient of this one is in no doubt as to this particular career path.

Sports day 1959. Snow with the Carter brothers and sister.

Day trip to York 1960 Back row:  unknown, Graham Dean. Middle row: ? Docherty, John Carter, Chris Reilly, unknown, Tom Singleton. Front row: Johnny Reel, unknown, Mike Dougherty (RIP).

National Schools Pilgrimage To Lourdes 1961. Click here for the photographs

The library 1965 John Carter, Eoin O'Sullivan, Brian Keenan.

1965 Senior Dormitory Pete MacDonald and Ben Nolan kneeling, with Gollie, Harry, John Carter, Eoin O'Sullivan in their beds.

1965 Common room Mick, Ben, John Carter, Willy, Golly, Mac, Michael F and Harry.

TV room In 1965, viewing was in black and white.

The Joe's Choir circa 1960. To listen to the disc click here

GCE results for 1962                  Click on the pictures to enlarge.

'Send not to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.'

Murray in the act of using the old strap. The sender of this image says 'I can't remember who took the photo but he made a number of copies and sold them for, if I remember correctly, threepence. I don't know if Bro Murray ever got hold of a copy himself.'

One of A Arrowsmith's historical 'field trips' circa 1959/1960 Decollated person in the background: unknown Back row: unknown, Michael Docherty (RIP), unknown, Vinny Nathan (RIP). Front row: Mike Boczewski, Peter Brennan (RIP), D Newsham, Peter Beckett.

A school report from 1969. Were your reports as good as this? Click on the pictures to enlarge.

An Old Boys Association newsletter dated 1973. Can you believe that the cost of the Reunion dinner rose 10p to £1-50! Also minutes of the Associations A.G.M. Click on the pictures to enlarge.

Old Boys Rugby Club. The original constitution.

Speech Day 1963. Click here for all pages.

In 1965, OB organised a Production of the Gilbert and Sullivan opera, The Pirates of Penzance, conscripting actors from Joe's and somehow obtaining a female orchestra. Click here to see the program and a poster of the event signed by the participants.

1950 Presentation of The Old Boys Challenge Shield  Noel Melling, J Lomas, T D (Woodpecker) Woodhouse, Mgr. T Eaton.

1950 Presentation of The Inter-House Debating Cup T D (Woodpecker) Woodhouse, Tom Walsh (RIP), Bishop T B Pearson, Bishop T E Flynn, Mgr. T Eaton.

The 1959 Christmas Concert programme      Click on the pictures to enlarge.

The 1960 Christmas Concert programme

Exams set at Joes. Could you pass any of these?  Click on the pictures to enlarge.

The School Rules. Did anybody ever keep these? Click on the pictures to enlarge. The first dates from 1960. The second seems to have been rewritten in 1963 when 2 more rules were added, a regulation on notes of absence and an injunction against joining youth clubs. Were these youth clubs considered subversive organisations?

Speech Day 1960. Click here for all pages.

Boarder's fee note from the Fifties. Charges were £42 per term plus extras! Was it worth it? At that time, the fees at Eton were £600 per term.

An early Old Boys Reunion dinner. Chris Walmsley R.I.P., unknown, unknown.  Click on the pictures to enlarge.

Old newsletters dating from 1985 to 1990. Click here to see them.

Speech Day 1939. Click here for all pages. Notice all the autographs on the cover!

Sports Day 1938. Click here for all pages.

Prefect's badge

Sports certificate dated 9th July 1941 Click on the pictures to enlarge.

Speech Day 1961. Click here for all pages.

Sports Day 1961. Click here for all pages.

Sports Day 1962. Click here for all pages.

Sports Day 1940. Click here for all pages.

Inter School Sports Day 1940. Joe's versus the rest. Click here for all pages.

In 1928, An Empire Bazaar was held to raise money for Joe's and Layton Hill. Click here to see the programme.

1962   In the absence of Joe Snow, Vinnie Nathan (RIP)  takes the physics lesson. Peter Beckett adopts a low profile and Adrian Crook tries to put a dampener on things!

In the early Sixties, Carrots Carrington directed, produced and took part in a film of the Goon genre. This low budget movie called Bazonka filmed on a Rolls cine camera never made it to the wide screen but you can view it now in all its aesthetic glory. Click here to watch the movie.

Photos of the library Click on the pictures to enlarge Ken Maskell, Ray Wood and Trevor Iwanowicz Richard Witrylak, David Cook, Adrian Crook,  Peter Winstanley and Peter Ireland, hiding behind the door. A swot!

Before the Internet, you had to look up your erstwhile image on an old fashioned photograph. Here, Chris Cullen reacts with glee at the figure of his former self. Chris Cullen (RIP), Bernard Friswell, Jim McGrahan (RIP), Pop Schools (RIP).

The School Inspection 1938 In 1938, Joe's underwent its second inspection by H.M. Inspector of Schools. Included in the comments were 'The staff as a whole is very short of men of experience' and 'The life of the school is marked by the keenness of everyone to do his best.' To read the whole report click here.

The School Inspection 1929 The first  inspection by H.M. Inspector of Schools was in 1929. To read the whole report click here.

Sixth Form trip to York 1967 Click on the pictures to enlarge Kevin Meehan, Simon Newell, John Ellwood, Mark Anselm. 1967 Sixth form trip to York which was via the races !!! unknown, Kevin Meehan, Simon Newell, Mark Anselm, Greg Bethel, John Ellwood. 1967 Sixth form Geography trip to Malham Cove. Back row: unknown, unknown, unknown, David Wells, unknown, John Ellwood, Mark Ansell, Kevin Meehan, Brother Percy Pig (aka Bro. O'Sullivan. That was his nickname because he did look like a pig!) Back row: unknown, Simon Newell, Kevin Lees, unknown.

School dinners at Joe's. To read about Old Ma Coackley and her gourmet cuisine click here

A human pyramid Click on the picture to enlarge Back row:    Paul Ryan, John Dunkley, Paul Lindsay, George Lumby, Gerry Kennedy (RIP). Middle row:  Peter Mohr, David Lynch, Henry Newson, R Rafferty, Donal O’Sullivan. Back row:    Peter Wallwork, John Lumby (RIP), Frank Alston, Tom Myerscough, Frank Greenhalgh, Michael Keegan. Paul Ryan writes: This photo was taken on the lower sports field, near the back entrance to the grounds. It was a Sunday afternoon in May 1961. I don’t remember who took the picture. The ‘pyramidists’ were all boarders. We had been gated for the afternoon. That denied us our usual desultory Sunday afternoon wanderings around Blackpool, which might feature sweets or pop at the shop around the corner, or beans and chips at Redmond’s cafe, near the Tower. The punishment had been imposed by the Headmaster that morning. He told us that somebody had smeared excrement over the walls of the toilets in the sports pavilion. He demanded that the culprit own up. As nobody would do so, he punished all of us. The punishment failed. I doubt that anybody ever admitted to having smeared the bogs. Instead of feeling miserable about being gated, we made the most of it. The building of the human pyramid reflected our response. A shared indignation at an unjust collective punishment energised the afternoon.

The school magazine 1966. To read all the pages click here

The school magazine 1967. To read all the pages click here

The school magazine 1968. To read all the pages click here

In 1969 there was a photography club at Joe's. click here to see some of its pictorial offerings.

Day Trip to the Lake District 1975. In 1975 Pop Schools, Jim McGrahan and Roy Peaker took some boys on a trip to the Lake District where they climbed Steel Fell. To see the pictures click here.

If you have any more material about the school, please contact me at: jvward2003@yahoo.com Click here for the photographs index.