KEEP TROTH
Wikipedia Entry
A passing reference to Percy Jackson’s is included on the Outwood Academy Adwick page of Wikipedia, but we have felt that an individual article was warranted.
With encouragement and support from Janet Kitson Roberts (1959 entrant), Ken Cooke (1950 joiner) prepared and submitted a feature on PJGS, but it failed Wiki’s “notability” test. However they said it merited merging with the Outwood page and this has now been done. You can read it HERE and get the encyclopedic entry for PJGS.
Good news for all who want to refresh on the Old School, especially for those unaware of our Facebook and website pages.
Alderman J W ‘Jimmy’ Lane.
Founding father of PJGS.
We were recently contacted by the owner of a long case clock, trying to identify its original owner, given on the inscription as Alderman J W Lane JP.
Ald Lane was instrumental in the founding of PJGS and was chairman of the school governors from its foundation in 1939 until he retired in 1958. He attended every Speech Day during his tenure and, of course, the school house ‘Lane’ is named in his honour.
[In the group photo (1943 Formal Opening) Jimmy is middle of second row.]
(Our gratitude to Ken Cooke for the above news item)
Appeal Fund 2022
A big thank you to everybody who responded to the appeal for funds for this website. Since the site was started I have funded it via sales of school related items and made up the difference from my own pocket but due to poor sales over the past year I was left to fund the full amount myself, so I asked for suggestions via our Facebook site and Mick Bannister responded by setting up an appeal for funds which has just raised £150, truly amazing, this will fund the site for the next three years. I cannot even start to express my gratitude to all those who have contributed and especially to Mick Bannister for setting up the appeal. I also wish to thank all those who took the time to write me words of encourage, your comments have meant a lot to me.
Former Pupil recieves BBC Award
Congratulations to Bert Beaumont from the PJGS Alumni and Associates.Appearing on Look North, Bert Beaumont, aged 72 years, was presented with the BBC 'Get Inspired Unsung Hero Award for Yorkshire' on 2nd December 2014.
A keen footballer at school, Bert has spent the last 48 years coaching boys and girls at Basketball for 2 nights per week and at weekends. He has coaching commitments with Darfield Dunkers.
Bert attended the PJGS 70th Grand Reunion in 2009.
Picture copyright Janet Kitson Roberts
NEW FACEBOOK SITE
Recently I was contacted by ex-PJ pupil Ken Dickson who offered to create a Facebook site where ex-pupils could post questions, get in touch with old schoolmates etc. I am very grateful for his offer and the site is now online, it’s still in it’s early stages so it might have a few glitches but I hope that people will use and support it, so why not pop along today and post a message. If you don’t have a Facebook account setting one up is easy and straightforward.
The link is at the bottom of the homepage or simply use this link: CLICK HERE
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PENS
The pens have proved very popular, each one is hand-made by former pupil Allen Kaye and they are selling as fast as he can produce them, currently we are out of stock, but Allen is hoping to produce some more in the near future. Last week Allen visited me and I presented him with a cheque for £135 towards his local charity which helps adults with special needs, so the sale of each pen is not only helping fund work on the archives but also helping good causes as well.
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WYAS REPORT
Doncaster council commissioned WYAS (West Yorkshire Archaeological Society) to prepare an archaeological report on the school which was published several weeks ago. After ex-pupils viewed it they noted some glaring errors. Eventually Janet Kitson Roberts managed to convince Andrew Mowforth of Doncaster Council to allow us to add an errata list. This has been a real strain on Janet as she is in poor health, not only is she noting errors, but also trying to locate the correct details which can make Miss Marple’s job look easy by comparison. If anyone has any information regarding the dates and uses of buildings behind the gym near the sixth form block for Adwick School and the building which formally stood where the new boiler room was, could you get in touch. Time is running short
Link to the 2012 WYAS report, recording in detail the premises and features of the original PGJS building prior to demolition in 2013.
SCHOOL MEMORIAL
For the past few years since the announcement that Percy Jackson School was to be demolished, negotiations have been taking place regarding a permanent memorial for the school. It was suggested that the New Outwood Academy school would include something similar to a Memorial Wall that some other schools have. Janet Kitson Roberts has been making great efforts in this quest and I have done my best to obtain materials and support her. I managed to salvage the flagpoles & the railings from the entrance to the school. Sadly the flagpole was too damaged to be reused and so the wood will be used to make items for sale. The railings were badly damaged during removal, but I retrieved them and they were later collected by the academy, however since then there has been no word on any memorial and one has to wonder how much enthusiasm Outwood has for this project. However be assured neither Janet nor myself will curtail our efforts to ensure a proper fitting memorial to the school is created.​​
FLAGPOLES
The only other wood that we managed to salvage was one of the flagpoles. It was intended that one was going to be re-erected opposite the school entrance in the grounds of Northridge School, however the flagpole was damaged during removal and was thought unsafe so they were kind enough to let Allen have it, it is thought to be made of Douglas Fir, it is hoped that this can also be used to produce some items, Allen is experimenting with this at the moment. We hope that we will have something available for sale soon, so keep visiting the site.
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This goblet was made as an experiment by Allen, it was produced from the surviving flagpole, however he feels the wood is not suitable for this object. He has been kind enough to give it to me and I feel extremely privileged to have this one off piece.
