Memories of Ardwick Tech

I know I left Ardwick after my fourth year - I'm afraid I became terribly bored and wanted to start earning. Because of the subjects I wanted to take in the GCSE it meant I could not take commercial subjects, only typing. I decided to get my self a junior secretarial post and then went to night school where I gained my RSA in typing and Shorthand. I progressed from there and eventually ended my full-time career as Accounts Manager for a Danish Multi National Company - I retired three years ago when my husband and I came to the Isle of Wight. The estate agent who we purchased our house from offered me a part time job as Lettings Manager so I have been doing this now on a three day week basis.

Going back to Ardwick, something that stands out in my mind is the Manchester United plane crash in 1958 - I remember several of us were walking down Chancery Lane (now Chancellor) and when we approached the Station someone there told us about the crash. We were all devastated at the time.

This was going round the school at the time and has stuck in my mind ever since.

I remember Mr. Martin the Maths teacher - I was in his form 3M and 4M and quite frankly I didn't like him - I found him very intimidating - perhaps he was a mouse really - I've toughened up since then.

Mr. Noble I remember being a very gentle man teaching History although this was not a subject I was particularly interested in. Its strange really because now I find history tremendously interesting and we often have the History Channel on in the evening.

I was in the school choir which was conducted by Miss Greenhalgh and we performed at Manchester Free Trade Hall. I felt quite important!!!

I used to enjoy the school dinners surprisingly enough. We dined in the Gym downstairs and we often had Potato Pie and beetroot or red cabbage. Lovely puddings - spotted dick, treacle sponge, pink custard etc.etc.

I used to be quite embarrassed at having to do gym in our large green knickers with our blouses tucked in them, even worse playing netball in the school playground.

I can't remember anything else that would be of interest - the fact that I left school earlier than I should have done (my parents had to pay £10 to release me from school) - on reflection, I wish now that I had stayed on and took my GSE's.