Westridge mosaic2.jpg

@Rigger asked on the Bygone Bedlington group :- 'Has anyone a photo of the mosaic which was in the entrance at Westridge School.................'

Gordon Smith replied :- 

Not Mr. Hemming. That's Mr Abrahart - history teacher.

@Canny lass - @Ovalteeny - @HIGH PIT WILMA was this the only mosaic of St Cuthbert or was there a larger one that all the pupils had tom pay for one of the tiles and they had there name inscribed on the back of the tile they had paid for?

I don't know of any other and I never had to pay for any tiles.

I vaguely remember a mosaic, can't remember having to pay for it or buy a tile. I think there was only one.

This was after I left Westridge School,Mr Abrahart left the school around 1958[?]..ish,and went to West Moor at Gosforth.

A few years ago,not that many!,My Barber was cutting my hair,and as usual,the chat always went around to our days at Westridge,and he told me that Mr  Abrahart left the school after a lot of harrassment from the Headmaster,Mr Hemming,who all the pupils I knew,including myself,thought the world of!! When Mr Hemming left,Mr Abrahart came back,so I am wondering if this Photo was taken during his return..which would have been after 1959 at the very least,cos that is when I left,to work down the Coalmines.

Mr Abrahart was the best,zaniest crackerjack of a teacher,on History,but he made you remember your work though his animations during Dictation lessons!!He used to take on the parts of Disraeli,Napoleon,and others during the lesson,and stomp back and forward across the floor,like Basil Fawlty!!..Can you remember ,Canny Lass,being unable to write,cos you had to hold your ribs and stomach,cos they were sore with laughing!!

The lasses cried when he left,and a can tell ye noo...the lads were haading it back...as ye did when ye were a tough kid!! Ha ha! Sorry,Alan,I digress again...! 

Cheers Folks! Bill.

If Mr. Abrahart left, then he certainly did come back. I was at Westridge from 1959-64 and Geordie Hemmings was the HM and Mr. Abrahart was the Deputy HM, I'm pretty sure covering all 5 years.

Comment on Bygone Bedlington FB group :- 

And another comment on a larger mosaic :-

HPW, the school opened in 1957-8. I was there 59 -62 and Mr Abrahart was my history teacher throughout that time. He was also deputy headmaster.

As for being unable to write for laughing, that was certainly true but my main memory of writing and Mr Abrahart is that he got the whole school writing italic as the standard form of writing. Parker must have done a roaring trade in italic pens!