Letter from Margaret Dickson née Schofield
We have received this letter from Margaret Dickson, née Schofield, who now lives in the United States.
Hello there!
I was a resident of Totley from 1949 to 1967 and my parents continued living there until their deaths in 1990 and 1991. I have information to share with you on photograph #28 from the gallery of Totley County School. The only detail you have regarding this photo is that it was Miss White's class, but you have no other information. I was a member of that class and am sitting on the second row right in the middle! Miss White was our Infant II class teacher. As I was born in Feb 1949, that should put the date for the school year of that class as 1956-57 during which I would have turned seven.
I cannot remember all the names of my classmates of course, however, I am pretty sure about 11 children, vague about three more, but perhaps that will start the ball rolling and jog the memories of other students.
Totley County School, Miss White's I2 Class 1956-57 [click to enlarge]
Back Row: Miss White, boy, boy, Hazel Ruthven, boy, boy, boy, David
Smith, girl, boy, girl.
3rd Row: boy, boy, ?David Robinson?, boy, boy, boy, boy, girl, boy, John Armitage, Elizabeth Firth, girl.
2nd Row: girl, girl, Pat ?White?, Judith Bales, Patricia Eales, Margaret Schofield, girl, Jayne Coombs, Deborah Gething, girl, girl, girl.
Front row: boy, boy, boy, Gerald Hogg, boy, boy, Paul Batty, boy, boy, boy
This class took their 11-plus exam in 1961 during their final year in J4 with Mr. Roberts.
My maiden name at the time was Margaret Schofield. From 1949 to 1956 our family lived at 103 Green Oak Road, a short walk to TCS. In 1956 we moved to the other side of Baslow Road to 44 The Quadrant, a bit longer walk! I moved away from Totley in 1967 to attend university, but my parents lived at 44 The Quadrant until they died in 1990 and 1991, over 40 years.
My parents, Philip and Maud Schofield, were both very active community members, especially within Totley Rise Methodist Church. Philip started the Totley Rise Methodist Youth Club in 1949 and was its leader well into the 1970s. He worked with the "teddy boys" of the 1950s and early 60s and apparently helped several young men avoid going to jail! He also ran the MAYC 5-a-side football team that got to the final at the Albert Hall, as well as leading the cricket team. My mother was involved in many groups and taught several night school classes at Abbeydale Hall.
I have two elder brothers: Peter Schofield (born 1939) and John Schofield (born 1946). Peter was one of very few boys who went to Dame Trot's Girls School on Grove Road for a short time in 1949, then went to Totley C of E School for a year before going on to King Edward VI Grammar School. John Schofield (born 1946) went to TCS until 1957, then on to High Storrs Grammar School. I took the 11-plus and was able to go to Sheffield Girls' High School on a scholarship.
I think your work as a history group is wonderful and really enjoy your website. I congratulate you on providing such fascinating information and would love to join your group. Unfortunately, however, I live in South Carolina after emigrating to the US many years ago so I can only be of use from afar!
Please let me know if you would like more information and I'll see what my brothers and I can help you with!
Very sincerely yours,
Margaret Dickson (née Schofield)
South Carolina
January 2019
Memories of Totley in the 1950s
Totley Rise Youth Club
Totley Rise Methodist Church Youth Club was a social meeting place for many teenagers in the 1950s. It was founded by Philip Schofield (known as "Schoey") in 1949 when he and his wife moved to Totley. The group met every Thursday evening for a get together where they listened to music and socialized. The club provided an alternative place for teenagers aged 13-18 to hang out where previously there had been none. The group was part of a national organization, the Methodist Association of Youth Clubs (MAYC). Young people came to the club from many surrounding areas, definitely not just members of the church. Even many of the teddy boys who used to hang out at Gratton's at the top of Totley Rise would drop in, attracted by the music and no doubt by the college girls who used to attend from Totley Hall College (then known as Totley College of Housecraft or Domestic Science college).
Concerts and Dances
The club put on concerts for the church members once or twice a year which would be a mix of music, singing and comedic "skits". Also once or twice there would be a "Social Evening" or dancing on a Saturday night - see photo of invitation to Social Evening from 1956.
TRMC Youth Circle Social Evening Invitation, 7 March 1956
The Social Evening was quite a large dance event. In the early fifties the music would range from classical waltzes and the Gay Gordon-type reel dance, then there would be the quickstep and foxtrot to the sounds of the Big Bands of the day, Mantovani, Joe Loss, Victor Sylvester, and singers like Perry Como, the Beverly Sisters, Vera Lynn, Alma Cogan, even Ella Fitzgerald. Later the music changed with the times to the skiffle bands like Lonnie Donegan, folk music and trad jazz, then the beginning of rock with Paul Anka, Frankie Laine, Bill Haley, Elvis, Buddy Holly, Everly Brothers, etc. It was quite an exciting decade of change for music.
Trips to the Coast
Once a year the youth club would hire a coach and take a group to the coast, usually Bridlington, Scarborough or Filey for the day. The club would usually break up into smaller groups to go their own ways once at the coast to go sit on the beach, walk around, play the pinball machines, etc., then meet up back at the coach for the return trip. Of course, there were a lot of sing-songs both ways on the coach with the usual culprits, 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall, Old MacDonald's Farm, etc. I believe several romances started on these trips.
Football and Cricket, National Championship at the Royal Albert Hall
The Youth Club had its own cricket team and a very successful 5-a-side football team. Both teams had their home ground at the Totley Rec on Mickley Lane, but played away games all over the region. In 1954, the 5-a-side football team played in the MAYC National Final at The Royal Albert Hall. After getting to the top of the northern region play offs (about 6 or 7 games), they went through to the final at The Royal Albert Hall to play the winners of the southern region.
Totley Rise Methodist Youth Club 5-a-side Football Team, Cup Winners 1954.
From Left to Right: David Monks, Terry ?, Peter Schofield, Rodney Andrews, Neil Beeton.
The team travelled down the A-1 the night before (no motorway at that time, of course) in a coach filled with supporters from Totley. They were put up by members of a local club in Epsom, Surrey, then travelled up to London on Saturday for the final. In spite of a noble effort, unfortunately, they lost, however, to get through to the final at The Royal Albert Hall was a huge event for the little team.
Here's a photo of the team in action:
In this second action photograph, the gentleman in the overcoat behind the goal with his back to the camera is the team coach.
Youth Club Founder and Leader, Philip Edward Schofield
The Youth Club was founded in 1949 by Philip Edward Schofield (b.1912-d.1990). Here is a photo of Philip and his family in 1952.
The Schofield Family in 1952, (L/R) Peter, Maud, Philip, Margaret, John
Philip was a real supporter of young people and continued to serve as the leader of the Youth Club until he retired in 1972. During his lifetime he motivated and helped many young people and even testified at court to keep one wayward lad out of jail. After his death, the family received hundreds of condolences, many attesting to the influence Philip had had on people's lives.
1954 Ceremony of the May Queen, Totley Rise Methodist Church
May Queen Attendants, Margaret Schofield on left and ? on right.
I remember there being a Maypole which the children danced around. Since I was only five, I don't remember much else! The May Queen that year was Ruth Emsley who used to live on Abbey Crescent, Beauchief, but whose family all attended Totley Rise Methodist Church.
Boys' Brigade & Girls' Life Brigade, Totley Rise Methodist Church
A Life Boy and Girl, John and Margaret Schofield
John is wearing the uniform of the "Life Boys" (young boys' group affiliated with the Boys' Brigade). Margaret is wearing the uniform of a "Life Girl" ( young girls' group with the Girls' Life Brigade). Both groups were held at the Totley Rise Methodist Church. John later used to play the bass drum in the marching band of the Boys' Brigade when he was a young teenager. I remember they used to start playing at the top of Totley Rise by Gratton's and marched down the length of the Rise (which was still then the main Baslow Road) into the car park at the front of the church. I guess there wasn't much traffic in those days!
Margaret Dickson, (née Schofield)
South Carolina
May 2019