A plea to Venkys & Raos on behalf of Old Blackburnians & Associated Partners, QEGS (1977-80), 'The Invincibles'!

[47er]

44 minutes ago, Mike E said:

Chip on shoulder...

Sense of entitlement.

[arbitro]

1 hour ago, Paul Mellelieu said:

Born to rule.....

Have you put your name to Revidgeblues excellent letter to Waggott?

[Mike E]

1 hour ago, Paul Mellelieu said:

Not at all.

Educational selection and separation at a very young age are central drivers of inequality and division in our country.  That's all.

I agree with that, but you're attaching an Eton attitude to 'the local grammar school'.

More to the point, the group you're trying to beat with that particular stick mostly got into QEGS on scholarships and grants rather than because of wealth.

 

[Paul Mellelieu]

9 hours ago, arbitro said:

Have you put your name to Revidgeblues excellent letter to Waggott?

No, I block RB, so haven't seen it.

[jim mk2]

On 31/03/2021 at 22:53, Gav said:

QEGS?

Bunch of posh boys living off mummy and daddy....

 

Trolling, and if it's not trolling, it's tripe.

The lads at QEGS are from ordinary, backgrounds, most of them so-called "working class".

 

[J*B]

Let’s try and get this back on thread. Any updates from ‘WE’? We’re six weeks into this, so it would be great to hear of progress 

[sympatheticclaret]

18 hours ago, jim mk2 said:

Trolling, and if it's not trolling, it's tripe.

The lads at QEGS are from ordinary, backgrounds, most of them so-called "working class".

 

So, here's the thing ....

The 1st years of 1975, were the last to enter QEGS under the " Direct Grant " scheme. This scheme had an entrance exam, where the top 25% of pupils were offered a " free " place at the school, with assistance for travel/uniform costs if parents were on a low income. This accounted for 30 out of the 120 or so new entrants. The other 90 were offered places, with a sliding scale of fees, based on the parent's income. If your parents earnt little, you paid nothing, and got help with travel/uniform etc, if your parent was a solicitor, bank manager etc, you paid according to their means.

400 took the exam most years for QEGS ... The scheme was abolished by the Labour Government, forcing the schools to choose between going Independent, or reorganising to join the State sector as a Comprehensive. QEGS went down the Independent route. According to your view, " Direct Grant " was elitist and divisive, or a " ladder up " by which a bright child from a humble home could get a 1st Class " academic " education. 

My Dad grew up on a Council Estate, his father was a Lorry Driver, killed in WW2 when he was 7, his mother a Boots factory worker. He passed the old 11+, went to High Pavement GS, Nottingham, and after National Service, gained a Choral Scholarship to Cambridge ... as you would expect, he was of the second view which is why I was sent there.

As for posh, the lads from the wealthy families in Blackburn, tended to go to Rossall, Kirkham or Giggleswick Public Schools ... some of an uncharitable mind, may suggest this was because they weren't academically clever enough to pass the QEGS exam !!   

[DeeCee]

I passed the QEGS exam, not for a free place but an assisted one, tbh it would have stretched my parents resources but it didn't matter cos there was no way I wanted to go there, with all the posh kids (1969) 😂

[Mike E]

Also passed the exam (2001, finished 2009) for an assisted place. Also some further % knocked off for my hearing. As I opted not to use radio aids, the money that would have been used on that was claimed anyway and deducted from my fees; a gesture the school did not need to make, but meant my parents could afford the assisted fees (every penny I made from 14-18 in part time work also went towards these fees, my way of paying my parents back in part).

My first form tutor was the most stern lady I ever met, but her son was deaf so she knew exactly how to deal with me. Settled me right in.

Edited April 3, 2021 by Mike E

[Al]

I went to a grammar school (St Mary's College) under the Direct Grant scheme and we were poor because my dad had to serve in WW2 and we had only my mum's wage. Shortly before I took my exam we got a council house and that was an upgrade. The scheme was brilliant and gave kids like me a chance to better themselves. Now, thanks to Labour's "equal opportunities" that is no longer available and I believe that to be a retrograde step.

[darrenrover]

Anyone that knows 'PotHouse' and St James' in Darwen also knows that 'posh', it aint!

That's my background and heritage and I'm bloody well proud of it!

Hopefully that's the end of any 'nonsense'......COYB!!!

[Riversider28]

18 hours ago, darrenrover said:

Anyone that knows 'PotHouse' and St James' in Darwen also knows that 'posh', it aint!

That's my background and heritage and I'm bloody well proud of it!

Hopefully that's the end of any 'nonsense'......COYB!!!

Whenever I drove past the Pothouse pub on the way to Ewood my then teenage son and his mate, who would be sat in the back of the car, always had a smile on their faces. I wonder why.....mmm.

[darrenrover]

8 minutes ago, Riversider28 said:

Whenever I drove past the Pothouse pub on the way to Ewood my then teenage son and his mate, who would be sat in the back of the car, always had a smile on their faces. I wonder why.....mmm.

👍 I wouldn't have a scooby!😉🤣

[sympatheticclaret]

On 31/03/2021 at 08:26, darrenrover said:

No way is Ossie a fecking Claret! Yeh, I know him but haven’t spoken to him in over 20 years. I supported ‘Ginge’ following his horrific tumble whilst doing his Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s and shattered his jaw.

You’re right re Mark Williams btw (not Mike)

I’m still in contact with Phil Hendricks too, ex Stiff, now a Bay City Roller! 🤣

 

Edit: I’ve just sought a second opinion re Ossie: he was a claret, that makes four of yah!

Just had a long E-mail from Ossie Young. He's narrowed you down to initials, both of which are NM, which isn't ideal ... one of the " Darwen feckers ", as he so beautifully put it . So, are you the Goalkeeper, or named after a well known " law " ?

He recalls Craig Mann's parents buying him a Sunbeam Alpine in the 6th form, and fumes " he didn't need that much help getting girls anyway, the git ! " 😄 Ossie sends his regards, and has asked me to tell you that he still speaks regularly to Pete Collins, now of Connecticut.

He's not gone totally native and will be supporting England, although fears the worse ! 

Claret, In peace as ever ...

[Mike E]

4 hours ago, sympatheticclaret said:

Just had a long E-mail from Ossie Young. He's narrowed you down to initials, both of which are NM, which isn't ideal ... one of the " Darwen feckers ", as he so beautifully put it . So, are you the Goalkeeper, or named after a well known " law " ?

He recalls Craig Mann's parents buying him a Sunbeam Alpine in the 6th form, and fumes " he didn't need that much help getting girls anyway, the git ! " 😄 Ossie sends his regards, and has asked me to tell you that he still speaks regularly to Pete Collins, now of Connecticut.

He's not gone totally native and will be supporting England, although fears the worse ! 

Claret, In peace as ever ...

That's a LOT of time to come up with a wrong answer 😉

[Leonard Venkhater]

On 02/04/2021 at 10:51, Mike E said:

I agree with that, but you're attaching an Eton attitude to 'the local grammar school'.

More to the point, the group you're trying to beat with that particular stick mostly got into QEGS on scholarships and grants rather than because of wealth.

 

Common !

[sympatheticclaret]

On 11/07/2021 at 21:12, Mike E said:

That's a LOT of time to come up with a wrong answer 😉

I'm getting from that he's mistaken as to " Darrenrovers " true identity, can I have initials then ! " 

[Claytons Left Boot]

On 14/07/2021 at 02:11, sympatheticclaret said:

I'm getting from that he's mistaken as to " Darrenrovers " true identity, can I have initials then ! " 

NM the goalkeeper..