Sandra Wicks

Sandra Green (nee Wicks) Mathematics 1968-71

Alan Parker – images

After attending the 2007 reunion event, shortly before the closure of Bretton Hall as an educational institution, Alan Parker decided that he would take positive steps to ensure that alumni’s memories of their days of study at Bretton be preserved.

The outcome of Alan’s deliberations was his foundation of this website, dedicated to the promotion of alumni’s recollections of their experiences.

Alan Parker has an extensive collection of photographs, some of which he shares in this small group and elsewhere in the ‘Archive’ section. Those included in this group were all taken in 2007.

Daphnie Hale

In 1966 John Friend announced that he intended to retire in 1967. His deputy was Margaret Dunn but the WRCC had already decided to open a Castleford annexe of the Lady Mabel Ccollege in 1967 with Margaret Dunn as its warden.

The Governors’ minute approving the transfer said it was agreed ‘That on the retirement of Mr Friend the new Principal to be appointed be male and that the Vice Principal be a woman‘ Alyn Davies was appointed to start in 1968.

So John Friend postponed his retirement whilst Daphne Hale, headmistress of Pontefract Grammar School, was identified as the new vice principal and relocated to Bretton (the self-reproducing world of the West Riding!)

Martin Snow

1968 to 1971 Music

OK this is a Cliff Notes version, google that if it's US talk. Travelling in Israel, doing kibbutz, more travelling through Afghanistan etc took me through to 1975. Back to England and London, TAUGHT for 6 months just enough to make it quite clear it was not for me. Took a train down to Cornwall to visit a friend running a youth hostel in Tintagel, started running various hostels all in Cornwall most especially Treyarnon Bay, met my American wife, Mia who was backpacking and in 1980 moved to the states...for everything since then check out www.martinsnowpianos.com I have three daughters, Corrina 27, Rosie 22, and Zoe 18.

Hilary Newman (nee Roper)

Hilary Roper-Newman (nee Roper) 1968 to 1971

Art and Drama.

Hilary Roper is an artist, teacher, writer, and author and illustrator of children’s books. She lives in West Yorkshire. Her famous book Macfaddion’s Finest Hour was published in 1990. It was chosen by the Lancashire Children’s Librarian Association as their entry for the Children’s Book of the Year Award, 1991. The illustrations were valued by Sotherby’s at over ten thousand for the set, a few years ago. The illustrations display over sixty species of natural wildlife. They are of a composite contemporary nature displaying magnificent detail of subjects such as children’s toys, antiquities, and the cultural inheritance and folklore of the English countryside. They are painted in jewel-like colours and textural detail. Hilary said that, she wanted every child to be able to turn each page and feel that each creature came alive, the detail would be so microscopic and animated. Hilary is now writing novels and painting large contemporary oil paintings of sweeping landscapes and she travels and uses photography to do her research.

Alan Parker

1968-1971 Music

Founder an an editer of this website

"... Sang solos in Carmina Burana, and at the Leeds institute recital of the Faure Requiem in York Minster. Member of Jim Wild's A Cappella Choir, Wind Band, and Orchestra. ..."

I came to Bretton from a boys secondary modern school in Doncaster with my then friend Allan Morris. Both were instrumental players of a good standard. I played Clarinet andSax and Allan the Euphonium. I came from a 'straight up and background' andfound it quite difficult to get on with some of the more 'sophisticated' characters that came from coed schools and colleges. I immediately took a shine to Wendy Fletcher, Janet Evington, Bob Cook and Ann, the Women's main rep. Stayed in contact with all except for Bob Cook. Lostcontact with Wendy and Janet after their weddings in 1970's (big shame). Back in contact again with wonderful Ann and her husband Richard after the reunion 2007.

Jean Holmes

Mike Procter

1968 to 1971 – Art with Drama subsidiary…

…although much of my time was spent doing Ents during my second year and some of my third. After leaving Bretton I became a primary school teacher in Featherstone, which I absolutely hated, and left after one year.

I then tried to earn a living doing art, but I was either not good enough or too lazy and, following my friend Martin Snow, I started working for YHA, in Edale, Derbyshire, where I had visited him. I was taken on for 5 weeks, but lasted 32 years, 26 of which were spent in Chester.

Following foot and mouth in 2001, YHA’s fortunes began to change and it was decided to close the Chester hostel, making my wife and myself both redundant and homeless. Having experience with IT and training, I started work for Cheshire County Council where I was an IT trainer and consultant for ten years before retiring in 2016.

At this point, I decided to take up oil painting, something I hadn’t done for forty years, as a hobby. Despite having little experience and not much of a clue as to what I should be doing, I was surprisingly successful in that I enjoyed doing it, and other people liked my pictures. All of my paintings can be seen on my website mikeprocter.art so you can judge whether or not they are any good. You can also see my work, and that of other Bretton alumni on my other website brettonart.uk

I’ve been married for almost 49 years and have two children: a son who got a Drama degree at Bretton; and a daughter who got an Art degree at Leeds Uni – the course she did had been moved from Bretton.

It seems a little unfair on all of the people in my life, over 73 years, to select just three of those years and proclaim them to have been the best; but what Bretton did to me and was for me, and how it has stayed with me, and shaped my outlook and attitudes, it’s hard not to believe that those three formative years were very special indeed.

Gallery – click to view: