Mansel Dinnis (ex Head Boy) Project

Access to the site where Mansel Dinnis help his BGS photos is no longer available and Mansel has not responded to the eamil I sent him a few months ago.  

Alan,

Are you still posting content?

Keith Harle

18 hours ago, Keith Harle said:

Alan,

Are you still posting content?

Keith Harle

Yes, still posting within this group when antyhing hew turns up

Alan,

Thanks for your response. Out of interest, have you any idea what has happened to Mansel Dinnis. I note that he did not respond to your email of a couple of years ago. I've checked Google, but nothing recent comes up about him.  The photo 1970c Teaching Staff.jpg may well be 1965 Teaching staff.jpg as claimed by Mr Dawson's son. In 1966/67 Mr Shivas, Miss Elliot and Miss Patterson were seriously ill and Mr Shivas died in November 68. Miss Patterson died a couple of years after that. Miss Elliot took early retirement and ,I think, recovered. Mr Wealleans did indeed teach history. He was an excellent teacher as was Mr Hedderly, Mr Cave and (not in pic)Miss Lowes ( Maths). In this photo, Miss Smith and Mr Hedderly are the deputy Heads.

From 1971- 1972, I was a student on a course, at Newcastle Polytechnic with Kevin Tanney. He was a very affable individual.       

Keith  

58 minutes ago, Keith Harle said:

Alan,

Thanks for your response. Out of interest, have you any idea what has happened to Mansel Dinnis. I note that he did not respond to your email of a couple of years ago. I've checked Google, but nothing recent comes up about him.  The photo 1970c Teaching Staff.jpg may well be 1965 Teaching staff.jpg as claimed by Mr Dawson's son. In 1966/67 Mr Shivas, Miss Elliot and Miss Patterson were seriously ill and Mr Shivas died in November 68. Miss Patterson died a couple of years after that. Miss Elliot took early retirement and ,I think, recovered. Mr Wealleans did indeed teach history. He was an excellent teacher as was Mr Hedderly, Mr Cave and (not in pic)Miss Lowes ( Maths). In this photo, Miss Smith and Mr Hedderly are the deputy Heads.

From 1971- 1972, I was a student on a course, at Newcastle Polytechnic with Kevin Tanney. He was a very affable individual.       

Keith  

@Keith Harle - the year 1965 did confuse me as I left BGS in 1965 and Ican't remember Maths teacher Mr PJ Cook - French teacher Mr Knox - Music teacher Mrs Simpson - History Mr Whelans - English teacher Mr Robertson - Mrs brown - Miss Garforth - Miss Elizabeth Smith - or Miss Labarre. But thats noy unusal these days.

I never did hear bak from from Mansel and could only assume that he was no longer with us. The last hoto posted in the album is the reunion held in Ashington c2004. 

I am told that Mansel was not debuty head boy but unfortunately members are unable to edit text posted after 10 minutes from the initial posting has passed.

Mr Dawson's son, Thomas, never got bnack to me so no conmcrete confirmation of the year the photo was taken. I will ask on the Bedlington remembered Facebook group if any of the former pupils that re members can remember what year he retired and I will update the year base on the response + what you have said

Alan

Edited November 20, 2025Nov 20 by Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

Mr Wealleans taught history to Class 1A in 1960. I got the spelling of his name from the 1960-61 BGS Magazine. Miss Smith was the editor. I seem to remember Mr Robinson from 1964/5. He was also an excellent teacher. Mr Cook tried ( unsuccessfully) to teach me A level maths in 1966/67. I think that he joined BGS in 1966. 

Re Mansel Dinnis, there is a blog for ex British Caledonian staff called Crewroom D which seems to indicate that Mansel was still alive in Sept 2024 although his last post to that site was in 2018. If so, he will be 82 and living in Yorkshire. I'm 77 next month.

Keith     

23 hours ago, Keith Harle said:

Out of interest, have you any idea what has happened to Mansel Dinnis.

Hi @Keith Harle I didn't know Mansel Dinnis but I had a quick look through the newspaper archives to see if there could be anything to help you. Unfortunately there wasn't a lot. He did indeed work for Caledonian Airways but only for a short while it seems, 1986 - 1988. Here are the  few snippets of information I was able to find:

1971 He seems to have been working for BOAC and is reported on as having represented the company when giving a talk on the company’s organisation to the Elland Round Table. (Huddersfield Weekly Examiner)

1987 Mansel represents British Caledonian Airways (BCA) where he is sales manager, Scotland. He hands out the first prize (two tickets to Dallas USA) on behalf of BCA who donated the prize. (Dumfries and Galloway Standard)

1990 in October he joined the management team of the Westerwood Hotel, golf and country club. He is reported to previously have been British Caledonian’s sales manager in Scotland from 1986 to 1988 before operating his own management consultancy practice. The hotel is due to open early in 1991. (News & Chronicle)

1991 Just 3 months later, in January, he leaves “to pursue other business interests”. The general manager, Stanley Fredman resigns shortly after. The hotel is due to open in a couple of weeks so these two resignations make headlines in the local press. (Cumbernauld News)

Of course, he may have returned to BCA at a later date. 

2003 - 2005 he is on the electoral roll as resident in Selby, Yorkshire.

Hope this is of some help to you.

@Keith Harle - photo posted on the Bygone Bedlington Facebook group yesterday asking if anyone knows the year the photo was taken

but no response yet.

I will give it a few days before I post an updated photo within this album and hopefully we have confirmation ofm the year it was taken.

Alan 

Many thanks to both of you for your help. Mansel and his wife Margaret (nee Sewell) moved to Hemingbrough YO8 6RA in 2000. Margaret was originally from Leeds and they married in 1968. In 2018, Margaret is listed as living at 37, Meadowfields Drive, YO31 9HW. Mansel's last entry to the British Caledonian staff blog Crewroom D was in 2018. In the past, I supplied Mansel with a few photos for his Semper Sursum website so I might send a letter to that address to get an update. I don't want to upset anyone though.

Keith

@Canny lass & @Keith Harle - my memory says Mansel's first job was at Moscadinni's travel ageny that was next door to the cafe on Ravensworth Terrace. I think it was a storeroom for the cafe converted into a small travel shop and mansel was the first employee. Don't remember how many years he did that job for.

From the BGS Memorial Edition 1959-1969.

Mansell Dinnis 1954-1962 (at BGS). 1962-1965 Transorb Travel Bureau, Bedlington. 1965-1966, Sabena-Belgian Airlines, Manchester. 1966-1967 BOAC London,Leeds and Newcastle. Sept 1968 Married Margaret Sewell from Roundhay,Leeds. Honeymoon spent travelling the World on BOAC services. 

Keith

From Crewroom D.

1983-1988 British Caledonian Sales Manager. From 1988-2000,  freelance to United Airlines, then job in Scotway Independent Travel Agents, then private consultant in Communication skills in a company/business. In 2000, Mansel retired and he and Margaret moved to Selby, Yorks. 

Keith