Alderwasley Hall 1970

Thanks to Graham Boyd for sending these annotated photos of Alderwasley Hall in 1970. Graham attended Alderwasley 1970 to1972, and Belmont Abbey 1972 to Christmas 1975. Please click on the pics for the full size jpegs.

"During normal school day we wore as
our uniform grey shirt, grey polo neck jumper, black shorts, long grey socks and black shoes (with laces.)"

Rear view of Alderwasley.

"The shadow in the middle of picture is that of the chapel. (The church, out of shot , behind photographer was C of E and out of bounds. The bench to the left overlooked the swimming pool (about 10 mtrs long and 5 wide) lowest window just in the shadow of the chapel was the tuck box store, kept locked. opened for about ten minutes during the mid morning break. One was inspected as one left as one was only allowed a child's handful of sweets. It had a Yale lock that could be opened using an implement like a knife or long ruler and a sawing motion for illicit access. Building to the left of the chapel housed among other things the biology lab famous for introducing one to the delights of dissection. Window above tuckbox store was the infants classroom (one could be a boarder at Alderwasley at five years old) On the first and second floors were the dormitories and various masters. The two windows on the right ground floor were 2nd years and the two left of them were 1st years.
studies and on the third floor matrons linen store and wash room. We were allowed (other than showers after sports) one bath a week in a room on the ground floor with cubicles without doors) the wash room consisted of twelve sinks children's size at about two feet above ground around the edge of the room and a few in the middle. Just to the right of the main building (out of sight) is the entrance to the lower tunnels with access to back stairs to ground, first and second floors also tuck box store sweet shop and changing rooms with low ceilings also the trunk and suitcase store."

Photo taken from same point as 'rear view of Alderwasley' "The Small lake was fed from the right by bubbling brook and its outlet was a small weir and underground pipe that opened up a few yards to the right and beyond the gate on the left, just in front of the gate is a cattle grid great for getting rid of mud from the bottom of rugger boots. The island on the lake was a small affair used to keep the small rowing boat away from inquisitive little people and safe haven for ducks and geese. Just to the right of the gate one can just make out a path going up and left that led past Dom. Martins Virgin Mary Shrine, and on through endless bracken to The Cow's Head, the site of the 'Cooler' views of Crich Tower and tram museum. Picture top right (out of sight) and behind tree about four hundred meters away was the cricket pitch. Dom. Hugh (Headmaster) could often be seen manicuring this. Beyond the gate to the left and over the stream was the site of school sewage works ( the thing that went round and round for ever)."

View of Alderwasley from a few paces right of boathouse

Pic of boy waving.

"Loads of cars are parked higgledy piggledy on main forecourt, it was a Quarter Day, a Sunday. There were two Quarter days per term. Parents etc. were allowed to visit their offspring and take them out for the day. To the left of the mini was the refectory, entrance just to the left of the large window. It was a long room with a set of French doors that one can just see through the window. There were seven long wooden heavy tables with fourteen hard wooden benches, serving counter set at the back end. If you were a 'good boy' and it was your birthday you had a high birthday tea and an allowance of fourteen guests (the Max that would fit on one table) with coloured ribbon, jelly's in moulds, sponge birthday cake with relevant no of candles. There were a lot of deals made to get a place on a birthday table as it was the only time one could eat decent food. Usually it was spam and limp lettuce or spam and or spam and peas. Just so you can work the seating out there were eighty four pupils at Alderwasley. The mini in the foreground was the monks run-around."
Where it reads
(windows right and left)second year classrooms it should be second year
classroom and the first year classroom should read

Pic of front with Jag, Ford Zodiac, VW Beetle and could it be a Bentley Continental Coupe?

"Ground floor windows to right of portico was the seniors classroom (3rd year) And to the left were the second year upper form classroom, Behind the second was the second year lower form classroom. During the cold winter months, and there were a lot of those in Derbyshire, grabbing the space to sit on the radiators that were in front
of every window was fierce. The first years only had two radiators. The main entrance through the portico was only allowed to be used by permission of Dom. Hugh (the Head Master) or if you had a parent in tow, woe betide
you if you were caught without! The main hallway occupied two floors with a grand stair case and landing with huge oil paintings hanging from the walls and a massive chandelier (the same rules applied to this area.) There were
doors from the hall into both 2nd and 3rd year classrooms, using those doors as a shortcut was a caning offence, usually four of the best from Dom. Raymond."

Graham with our photographer