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THORNES HOUSE GIRLS SECONDARY SCHOOL

1925 - 1929

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These wonderful images of Thornes House in its very early days were sent from Australia by Diane Bohlen.
Her Mum, Florrie Greenall, was a pupil at that time & Diane found the photos recently when sorting some of her mother's effects.

This Form photograph was taken in 1926 when Florrie was age 14.

 

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Florrie Greenall, is 2nd from the left in the front row. She was 14 & lived in Newmillerdam.
Behind her, 4th from the left middle row,  is Miss Winifred Grace Chinneck the first & only headmistress.
She was a graduate of the University of London (French/English) & appointed in Sept.1922 when the Girls School was founded.
Her starting salary was £400 p.a. rising to £600 in 1935!  Ill-health caused her to resign in May 1940.
The two schools became a mixed grammar school on 1st May 1941 under Mr Yorke-Lodge & there was no headmistress after that.

 

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Florrie is 1st on the right in front row. Taken in 1929 or 1930.
She played centre-half but not by halves!

 

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Left to right:
Dorothy Holt; Mary Roebuck; Florrie Greenall; Phyllis Denton; Nelly Fawcett

 

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Florrie on the right age 13 in 1925-26.
Her best friend, Violet Clapham, on the left
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Florrie centre; Violet with the racket (1925)

 

Thornes House was founded in 1921 as separate Boys & Girls Schools.
Although they came to share the Milnes-Gaskell mansion they retained their individual identities until 1941.
Even then, a former pupil writing about his time there, stated:
"When we first arrived at Thornes, the House was 'divided' and we never met a girl or female member of staff.
  The girls left the building before the boys and they were not allowed to dally in the park."


As the pictures on the next page show the girls at their dalliance at Thornes Park Lake is it any wonder it was stopped?

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