This section of the website looks at the development of the school from the pupil teacher unit in the council offices in Shibdon Road through to the building of a dedicated secondary school, its rapid growth and conversion into a Grammar then Comprehensive, serving a school population of over 1200, then the final challenging years of uncertainty and fighting to maintain a school on the site and finally the closure and demolition of the buildings.
A new section of the site aims to bring together a short history of the school together with links to more information and relevant images. |
Headmasters
Over the years the school was led by seven very different men, with their own approaches, personalities and priorities. Click on the names to the left for more information on each.
Mr Wilson was the founding head of the school. This article, written by Mr Lockett, recalls his memories of those early years, including the difficult First World War years.
Mr Williams was a master at the school for a number of years before becoming the second head in 1934. He reamined in post through the second world war until 1950, as warmly recalled by Mr Lockett.
Mr Lockett was a master at the school for forty years and is remembered with fondness for his dedication and leadership.
Having taught at Blaydon Secondary Modern, Mr Nattress became the school's fourth head in 1966 and is remembered with affection.
Mr Cowey led the school into the Brave New world of being a Comprehensive school, utilising his skills honed in the RAF.
Mr Warren taught at Blaydon from qualifying as a teacher. He rose to be head, fighting a fearsome battle to retain the school's identity.
After serving for many years in other roles in the school, Mr Telford-Reed skilfully worked to oversee the last months of the school's existence.
The Blaydon Courier looks back to the opening of the school in 1912, looking back to the foundation of the predecessor school in 1905.
This section of the site has been transformed into a new blog format within our interactive section to enable Old Blaydonians to share memories of their time at the school. The previous entries from this section of the old site have been included on the new blog.
In addition to photos of this production in the Galleries section, we have been provided with a signed copy of the programme, which is available here.
Old Blaydonians
This new section of the website looks at the work and careers of a range of Old Blaydonians. If you'd like to feature here, please contact us.
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