Mr. Gibbons- Deputy Head and Modern Languages.

 

Mr. Gibbons, similar to Rowan Atkinson.



Mr. Gibbons was our Deputy Head and joined the school in the Spring of 1974. He had a great sense of humour and the rare times he took assemblies there was always humour in his address to the pupils. However there were times when he was a strict disciplinarian and handed out the cane in Mr, Jones absence as a rule. Legend had it that Mr. Gibbons  had been a police officer before deciding to become a teacher. How true this rumour was I don't know?  I often think that the actor-comedian Rowan Atkinson reminded me very much of him. 

In my second year, he encouraged a few of us to create a school rag. This we did with some enthusiasm. Helped by Head of English Miss Smalley we conjured up local school news and tit bits of information on teachers and pupils. I wonder what we could have done with the modern  social media outlets of today like Facebook? We had to put the idea to Mr. Gibbons who quite like the idea but wanted editorial control over the rag. 

It ran pretty much till the end of term and then was scrapped because of logistics and a change in teachers. Mr. Gibbons was disappointed for us, and we all respected that.

I remember in the "Winter of Discontent" in early 1979. Mr. Gibbons was in charge of the school because Mr. Jones was on a course. Regularly we were sent home early due to strikes which were affecting the heating in the school. In what was a miserable time in the country as a whole his humour in the assemblies were something a legend around the school. In my final few months at the school, I sat in some of Mr. Gibbons Latin lessons because I had no class, I wasn't entered in the Art exam. My job was to revise my exam subjects.  I have to say even though I didn't understand any of the Latin Mr. Gibbons was very articulate and entertaining in his teaching. 

If Mr. Gibbons covered any lessons for any absent teachers he would have a weakness for his favourite football team Leeds United and would tell us of the famous Don Revie era of the likes of Jack Charlton, Billy Bremner Alan Clarke, Johnny Giles and Eddie Gray to name a few. A trip to Elland Road to watch Leeds United in a First division match was planned but postponed due to the school bus breaking down and spending an age in the garage being repaired.

I believe Mr. Gibbons left Tulketh in the early 1990's.

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