Mr. Jones (Headmaster}

Mr. Jones -     reminded me of  Patrick Cargill - actor
 

I remember back in my final year at Tulketh an incident that brought me into direct conflict with Mr. Jones. Normally unless you were digressing the school rules. You never had to do the walk of shame outside his office. The likely hood if you were unfortunate to be stood on the walk of shame  the licks would be handed out(the cane). Yes corporal punishment was the thing in schools before 1986, ( 2 years before Mr. Jones retirement). Many a pupil who would have a lesson in Science would say they could see Mr. Jones, hand out the cane to a unfortunate pupil who must have digressed the school rules, from the their vantage point which did overlook the offices which the Heads of School resided in.   Legend had it that Mr. Jones had been a teacher at the Roughwood Comprehensive in Kirkby near Liverpool which had a reputation of being a tough school. At the morning assemblies we had at Tulketh he would along with deputy heads .. Mrs Ackers and Mr. Gibbons would climb the steps on to the stage in their university gowns to address the nearly 900 strong audience of kids. Brevity sometimes wasn't Mr. Jones strong point this could be a problem especially in summer when one or two kids used to pass out. So the doors which opened on to playing fields were wisely left open with a view to this happening. 

One lunchtime in the early part of 1980 at the bottom of the school driveway outside the school was a burger van. It was a nice day for the time of year and I had stopped going home for my dinner since we had moved to off Black Bull Lane. I didn't fancy a school dinner so a burger with chips would just be the ticket.  Apart from sometimes having a burger on Preston North End or the Wimpy bar in town it would be a treat.     

Some rookie   4th years and I decided to eat a tasty hamburger with fries washed down with a fizzy soft drink. This was spotted by the new Deputy Head Mr. Dickenson, who rightly informed us this was against school policy. We were summarily marched back up the driveway minus our tasty treat and was made to stand outside Mr. Jones office to await our fate.

After what seem like an eternity, he opened his office door and looked with disdain at the four of us. One by one we were rebuked for our endeavours in no uncertain terms with a promise of letters to be sent to our parents. He reserved a special dressing down to myself due to the fact I was a prefect and in my final year. My prefect badge was removed from me for 30 days along with a detention the same day.  That was probably the last conversation I had with Mr. Jones in the 5 years I was at the school. 

Back in the balmy summer of 1976. I remember going to a Tulketh parents committee party at the British Aero space Club with My mum, Dennis Winder and his mum Stella a member of the school committee' Mr. Jones was the Host for the night. Two things remind me of the night, 1. I won the lottery which was drawn which the prize was £10, not to be sniffed at in those days. 2. I ended up dancing with Mr. Jones daughter to the Doors Light My Fire and of all records The Righteous Brothers, Unchained Melody. The DJ played nothing but records from the 1960's. 

In the mid - 1990's I was waiting for a bus early one Saturday morning on my way to work on Black Bull Lane when a very frail man jogged past me. I knew that it was Mr. Jones, and he certainly looked a lot different to the man of nearly 20 years previous I first encountered on the stage in the hall at Tulketh on my first day at the school .    

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