The Old Almondburians' Society

Audio interviews I-S

Derek Ibbotson (1942-49)

Derek Ibbotson became only the ninth man in history to run a sub 4-minute mile when, in 1956, he won the Emsley Carr Mile in London in 3 min 59.4 sec. Later the same year, he competed in the Melbourne Olympic Games, capturing a Bronze Medal in the 5000m against the Russian Vladimir Kuts and his British colleagues Gordon Pirie and Chris Chataway. In July 1957, he broke the World Mile Record with a time of 3 min 57.2 sec at London's White City Stadium.

On retiring from running, Derek became an enthusiastic squash player, becoming Yorkshire Veterans Champion and representing his county about 30 times.

Latterly, Derek lived with his wife Lynette in Ossett. He died on 23rd February 2017.

Date of recording: 4th April 2007

Gorden Kaye (1952-59)

'Gorden' Kaye did not actually attend King James's Grammar School, but 'Gordon' Kaye most certainly did: the involuntary change of name occurred as a result of a typing error when he joined the actors' union Equity many years ago. Gorden himself claimed that it was 'a sign of his misspelt youth'.

Although his schooldays acting was limited to a brief and somewhat inglorious appearance as Lord Scroop, Earl of Masham in the 1956 production of Henry V, he became an amateur actor with Bradford Amateur Theatre group before joining Bolton Rep at the newly formed Bolton Octagon as a professional earning £18 a week. A year later he was spotted by Patricia Phoenix ('Elsie Tanner' in Coronation Street) which led to appearances as Elsie Tanner's nephew, accompanied by a welcome tenfold increase in his weekly remuneration.

This led to an invitation to play the part of cafe owner René Artois in a projected new BBC comedy series set in Nazi-occupied France during the war. It became so popular that some 90 episodes were eventually recorded and are still repeated regularly today. The show also led to a massively successful London and internationally touring stage show. This, and other stage appearances all over the country, resulted in Gorden remaining a very busy actor throughout his career.He died on 27th January 2017.

Date of recording: 5th March 2007

Robert Lamb (staff 2002-2015)

1. Robert Lamb was the 28th in the long series of distinguished teachers to have held the position of Headmaster at King James's School at Almondbury. A Lancastrian by birth, he previously taught in Rochdale, Middleton and Manchester. He studied at the University of York.Robert describes his time at King James's so far as being 'four wonderful years.'

Date of recording: 4th December 2006

2. Robert Lamb talks about his first ten years as Head Teacher at King James's School.

In addition to looking back at the achievements of the past years, he looks forward to the School's exciting future under its new status as an Academy. He also talks about his love of football and ongoing support for Oldham Athletic.

Date of recording: 5th November 2012. Click here for a video interview with Robert Lamb on the occasion of his retirement in 2015.

Dr Roger L’Amie (staff 1973-93)

Roger L'Amie was awarded his Doctorate at the University of Bradford for research into nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of amino-acids, peptides and proteins related to wool. After two years at Yorkshire Chemicals Ltd in Leeds, he became a teacher at King James's School in 1973 where he stayed for 20 years in charge of IT and Computer studies and also taught Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics.

For many years he has been involved in local government issues: he was a Baildon Ward Councillor on Bradford Council and served on Baildon Parish/Town Council between 2007 and 2012. In May 2014 he was Deputy Lord Mayor of Bradford.

Date of recording: 24th November 2007

Rev Ron Lancaster (1942-50)

Reverend Ron Lancaster is the founder of Kimbolton Fireworks, the UK's market leader in firework production and operator fired displays. He was fascinated by fireworks and chemistry from his very early years growing up in Huddersfield, the historical centre of the UK fireworks industry. His interest in Chemistry was further aroused by Dr Calloway at Almondbury Grammar School and Ron began experimenting with pyrotechnic devices. In due course, he helped to organise displays for the local community during the Second World War, at a time when fireworks were not available.

In later years Ron was appointed as Chaplain and taught chemistry at Kimbolton School in Cambridgeshire where his passion for fireworks grew, and he carried out extensive research for the firework industry from his newly constructed workshops. As the reputation of the Reverend Lancaster's fireworks and displays grew, Kimbolton Fireworks Ltd was formed in 1964.It closed in 2019.

Date of recording: 4th December 2006

Jeremy Meal (1969-76)

Jeremy Meal has an unusual claim to fame: no few than four other members of the Meal family attended King James's Grammar School: his father Peter; his uncle Brian, his brother David and his cousin Tim.

Even in his schooldays, Jeremy took a keen interest in public transport in general and Huddersfield trolley buses in particular. It was not, therefore, surprising that having left School to study Geography at Oxford University (where he obtained his BA degree) he found himself working for Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive (now Nexus).

After a spell with Busways Travel Services Ltd (now Stagecoach), he moved in 1990 to his present company MVA, the UK's leading consultancy for transport planning, business consulting, social and market research, GIS and transport information technology. As Director of Smart Card and Ticketing Strategies, he has played a leading role in the introduction of ITSO (Integrated Transport Systems Organisation) ticketing systems in the UK.

Date of recording: 17th October 2011

David Morphet (1951-58)

David Morphet was a former Head Boy and Dartmouth Medal winner who left school to take a Double First in English at St John’s College, Cambridge. He entered the Diplomatic Service in 1961 and was private secretary to Foreign Secretaries Michael Stewart and George Brown from 1966-68. During this time he learned Arabic while in the Lebanon followed by a spell in Qatar. From 1969-72 he was First Secretary of the British Embassy in Madrid where he became fluent in Spanish. David subsequently moved to the Department of Energy where he became UK Governor at the International Energy Agency in Paris and later UK Governor at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna. For two years he was seconded to become Deputy Chairman of the Midlands Electricity Board. He later moved to the private sector and also led the Railway Forum following the privatisation of British Rail in 1997. In recent years, David has concentrated mainly on his longstanding love of poetry, and has published 16 volumes of poetry under his own Notion Books imprint. His writing has also included a biography of the Victorian journalist Louis Jennings and a book on St John’s College, Cambridge.

Date of recording: 19th November 2020

Arthur Pilling (1928-31)

Arthur Pilling attended the School in the very early days before the major expansion of 1938/9 that produced the new laboratories, classrooms (N1 , N2 and N3), Art Room and Gymnasium. His family were local farmers and Arthur soon decided that he also wanted to become a dairy farmer, much to the concern of Mr Taylor Dyson at the time. However, Taylor Dyson often visited the farm and was particularly fascinated by the milking machines.

Right up to his death in 2010, Arthur remained a keen gardener and grew all his own vegetables in his back garden which he still regarded as his 'farm’.

'Recorded on 5th March 2007

Pat Reid (staff 1975-97)

Pat Reid moved to King James's from Wakefield High School for Girls, originally intending to stay for perhaps a few years before moving on elsewhere. In the event, she became so captived by the School, its location and its pupils that she remained for the rest of her teaching career right up to her retirement in 1997. A mathematics teacher, she initially worked alongside George Beach and subsequently Bill Chapman. In due course she headed the mathematics department and also became Deputy Head. In her retirement, Pat spent a busy period as the school's official archivist, cataloguing the vast - and still expanding - number of photographs, drawings and cuttings recording the history of the School over 400 years. She is also a talented watercolour painter.

Pat is now an ordained vicar and is Associate Minister of All Saints Church, Ilkley.

Recorded on 4th April 2007

John Senior (1934-39)

John Senior was so fascinated by Huddersfield's shiny red and yellow trolley buses that after a period of war service he joined the Corporation's Transport Department. Then came a spell at St Helen's, after which he became the youngest ever General Manager of Burnley Transport Department. John was then head-hunted to move to Preston to become Assistant General Manager at Ribble Transport. Then came a complete change of direction when, in 1963, he was called to the Church and became a priest in the Church of England.

John Senior died on 26th July 2015

Date of recording: 3rd October 2006

Gerald Stead (1948-56)

Gerald Stead is a former Head Boy of King James's Grammar School.

He left school to read BA (Hons) in Geography at Durham University. On leaving university he found 'temporary employment' at a textile firm in Lindley, little realising that this would lead to a long-term career in this field. He became an Associate of the Textile Institute and in due course lectured for many years in the Textile Department of the College of Technology in Huddersfield, later to become the Polytechnic and then the University of Huddersfield. He took early retirement in 1997. Gerald was President of the Huddersfield Textile Society during its centenary and became an Honorary Life Member in April 2006.

Date of recording: 4th December 2006


Audio interviews I-S


	Derek Ibbotson (1942-49) Derek Ibbotson became only the ninth man in history to run a sub 4-minute mile when, in 1956, he won the Emsley Carr Mile in London in 3 min 59.4 sec. Later the same year, he competed in the Melbourne Olympic Games, capturing a Bronze Medal in the 5000m against the Russian Vladimir Kuts and his British colleagues Gordon Pirie and Chris Chataway. In July 1957, he broke the World Mile Record with a time of 3 min 57.2 sec at London's White City Stadium. On retiring from running, Derek became an enthusiastic squash player, becoming Yorkshire Veterans Champion and representing his county about 30 times. Latterly, Derek lived with his wife Lynette in Ossett. He died on 23rd February 2017. Date of recording: 4th April 2007



	Gorden Kaye (1952-59) 'Gorden' Kaye did not actually attend King James's Grammar School, but 'Gordon' Kaye most certainly did: the involuntary change of name occurred as a result of a typing error when he joined the actors' union Equity many years ago. Gorden himself claimed that it was 'a sign of his misspelt youth'. Although his schooldays acting was limited to a brief and somewhat inglorious appearance as Lord Scroop, Earl of Masham in the 1956 production of Henry V, he became an amateur actor with Bradford Amateur Theatre group before joining Bolton Rep at the newly formed Bolton Octagon as a professional earning £18 a week. A year later he was spotted by Patricia Phoenix ('Elsie Tanner' in Coronation Street) which led to appearances as Elsie Tanner's nephew, accompanied by a welcome tenfold increase in his weekly remuneration. This led to an invitation to play the part of cafe owner René Artois in a projected new BBC comedy series set in Nazi-occupied France during the war. It became so popular that some 90 episodes were eventually recorded and are still repeated regularly today. The show also led to a massively successful London and internationally touring stage show. This, and other stage appearances all over the country, resulted in Gorden remaining a very busy actor throughout his career.He died on 27th January 2017. Date of recording: 5th March 2007



	Robert Lamb (staff 2002-2015) 1. Robert Lamb was the 28th in the long series of distinguished teachers to have held the position of Headmaster at King James's School at Almondbury. A Lancastrian by birth, he previously taught in Rochdale, Middleton and Manchester. He studied at the University of York.Robert describes his time at King James's so far as being 'four wonderful years.' Date of recording: 4th December 2006 2. Robert Lamb talks about his first ten years as Head Teacher at King James's School. In addition to looking back at the achievements of the past years, he looks forward to the School's exciting future under its new status as an Academy. He also talks about his love of football and ongoing support for Oldham Athletic. Date of recording: 5th November 2012. Click here for a video interview with Robert Lamb on the occasion of his retirement in 2015.



		Dr Roger L’Amie (staff 1973-93) Roger L'Amie was awarded his Doctorate at the University of Bradford for research into nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of amino-acids, peptides and proteins related to wool. After two years at Yorkshire Chemicals Ltd in Leeds, he became a teacher at King James's School in 1973 where he stayed for 20 years in charge of IT and Computer studies and also taught Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics. For many years he has been involved in local government issues: he was a Baildon Ward Councillor on Bradford Council and served on Baildon Parish/Town Council between 2007 and 2012. In May 2014 he was Deputy Lord Mayor of Bradford. Date of recording: 24th November 2007



	Rev Ron Lancaster (1942-50) Reverend Ron Lancaster is the founder of Kimbolton Fireworks, the UK's market leader in firework production and operator fired displays. He was fascinated by fireworks and chemistry from his very early years growing up in Huddersfield, the historical centre of the UK fireworks industry. His interest in Chemistry was further aroused by Dr Calloway at Almondbury Grammar School and Ron began experimenting with pyrotechnic devices. In due course, he helped to organise displays for the local community during the Second World War, at a time when fireworks were not available. In later years Ron was appointed as Chaplain and taught chemistry at Kimbolton School in Cambridgeshire where his passion for fireworks grew, and he carried out extensive research for the firework industry from his newly constructed workshops. As the reputation of the Reverend Lancaster's fireworks and displays grew, Kimbolton Fireworks Ltd was formed in 1964.It closed in 2019. Date of recording: 4th December 2006



	Jeremy Meal (1969-76) Jeremy Meal has an unusual claim to fame: no few than four other members of the Meal family attended King James's Grammar School: his father Peter; his uncle Brian, his brother David and his cousin Tim. Even in his schooldays, Jeremy took a keen interest in public transport in general and Huddersfield trolley buses in particular. It was not, therefore, surprising that having left School to study Geography at Oxford University (where he obtained his BA degree) he found himself working for Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive (now Nexus). After a spell with Busways Travel Services Ltd (now Stagecoach), he moved in 1990 to his present company MVA, the UK's leading consultancy for transport planning, business consulting, social and market research, GIS and transport information technology. As Director of Smart Card and Ticketing Strategies, he has played a leading role in the introduction of ITSO (Integrated Transport Systems Organisation) ticketing systems in the UK. Date of recording: 17th October 2011


	David Morphet (1951-58) David Morphet was a former Head Boy and Dartmouth Medal winner who left school to take a Double First in English at St John’s College, Cambridge. He entered the Diplomatic Service in 1961 and was private secretary to Foreign Secretaries Michael Stewart and George Brown from 1966-68. During this time he learned Arabic while in the Lebanon followed by a spell in Qatar. From 1969-72 he was First Secretary of the British Embassy in Madrid where he became fluent in Spanish. David subsequently moved to the Department of Energy where he became UK Governor at the International Energy Agency in Paris and later UK Governor at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna. For two years he was seconded to become Deputy Chairman of the Midlands Electricity Board. He later moved to the private sector and also led the Railway Forum following the privatisation of British Rail in 1997. In recent years, David has concentrated mainly on his longstanding love of poetry, and has published 16 volumes of poetry under his own Notion Books imprint. His writing has also included a biography of the Victorian journalist Louis Jennings and a book on St John’s College, Cambridge. Date of recording: 19th November 2020


	Arthur Pilling (1928-31) Arthur Pilling attended the School in the very early days before the major expansion of 1938/9 that produced the new laboratories, classrooms (N1 , N2 and N3), Art Room and Gymnasium. His family were local farmers and Arthur soon decided that he also wanted to become a dairy farmer, much to the concern of Mr Taylor Dyson at the time. However, Taylor Dyson often visited the farm and was particularly fascinated by the milking machines. Right up to his death in 2010, Arthur remained a keen gardener and grew all his own vegetables in his back garden which he still regarded as his 'farm’. 'Recorded on 5th March 2007



	Pat Reid (staff 1975-97) Pat Reid moved to King James's from Wakefield High School for Girls, originally intending to stay for perhaps a few years before moving on elsewhere. In the event, she became so captived by the School, its location and its pupils that she remained for the rest of her teaching career right up to her retirement in 1997. A mathematics teacher, she initially worked alongside George Beach and subsequently Bill Chapman. In due course she headed the mathematics department and also became Deputy Head. In her retirement, Pat spent a busy period as the school's official archivist, cataloguing the vast - and still expanding - number of photographs, drawings and cuttings recording the history of the School over 400 years. She is also a talented watercolour painter. Pat is now an ordained vicar and is Associate Minister of All Saints Church, Ilkley. Recorded on 4th April 2007



	John Senior (1934-39) John Senior was so fascinated by Huddersfield's shiny red and yellow trolley buses that after a period of war service he joined the Corporation's Transport Department. Then came a spell at St Helen's, after which he became the youngest ever General Manager of Burnley Transport Department. John was then head-hunted to move to Preston to become Assistant General Manager at Ribble Transport. Then came a complete change of direction when, in 1963, he was called to the Church and became a priest in the Church of England. John Senior died on 26th July 2015 Date of recording: 3rd October 2006



	Gerald Stead (1948-56) Gerald Stead is a former Head Boy of King James's Grammar School. He left school to read BA (Hons) in Geography at Durham University. On leaving university he found 'temporary employment' at a textile firm in Lindley, little realising that this would lead to a long-term career in this field. He became an Associate of the Textile Institute and in due course lectured for many years in the Textile Department of the College of Technology in Huddersfield, later to become the Polytechnic and then the University of Huddersfield. He took early retirement in 1997. Gerald was President of the Huddersfield Textile Society during its centenary and became an Honorary Life Member in April 2006. Date of recording: 4th December 2006