Horbury Bridge Education 150 yrs. Celebration

ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS – 150 YRS ON

Horbury Bridge CE J&I Academy

Celebrating 150^th Anniversary

6^th June 2015

© JOAN P SMITH 2015

Today I visited the school at Horbury Bridge that I attended from 1942 – 47. It took me back 70 yrs to 1946 when I took part in a Whitsuntide walk from the school to Horbury St Peter’s Church, singing the Hymn “Onward Christian Soldiers” which was written for the children of Horbury Bridge in 1865 by the Curate of St Peter’s Rev. Sabine Baring Gould. We were dressed in ‘old fashioned clothes’ and thought it was great fun! I think that this Hymn is known universally but not many will know of its origin!

The school has changed dramatically from the small Mission Room in 1846. Now an Academy, there are many more pupils attending than when I was there. A great deal of work must have gone into the preparation for this event and much praise is deserved by Sarah Jolly and her assistants. Visitors were warmly welcomed by the staff and pupils and many displays of work and photographs were greatly enjoyed by past pupils of the school, some of which, like me, met up with people I had not seen for 70 yrs. At 2.30pm the Priest of Horbury, Father Brian and the Curate Father Andreas gathered all the children and visitors together outside St John’s Church to form a procession and re-enactment of the walk up Quarry Hill to St Peter’s took place, with Father Andreas carrying the Cross which was used in the original walk all those years ago.

Following are some images provided by Sarah Jolly of the Horbury Bridge Academy, marked SJ and some from my own collection marked JPS

(please click on the image to enlarge it)

The Event began with visitors being welcomed by staff and children. Many Displays and Images were available

Three Headteachers of the School – Mr Mike Wood, Mrs Janette Skinner (current) and Mr Colin Oldroyd

“Old school” Activities

Margaret Glover and myself (formerly Joan Worth) meeting up after 68 years!

JPS

The Altar and East Window of St John’s Church

Refreshments served by the pupils

JPS

Father Brian, Father Andreas and myself (Joan Smith (nee Worth))

S J

The Victorian Processional Cross

Assembling the procession

JPS SJ

When the procession reached St Peter’s Church in Horbury a celebration service was held, starting with the Hymn “Onward Christian Soldiers”.

Inside St Peter’s Church

The children doing a “This is Your Life” presentation showing the history of the school.

The day concluded with a special Dinner held in the Parish Rooms.

GUESTS AT THE EVENING DINNER

Two Daughters and a Grandson of Joan Brear (a pupil/playmate of mine A photo of Joan, David Addy & myself (Joan Worth) can be viewed on the main Horbury Bridge Page)

Guests including the Head Teacher, a past Deputy Head (2006 – 2012) and Mae Walton (nee Marsh) (pupil 1929 – 1932 and caretaker 1961 – 1989)

If you wish to add names to these photos please email:

HorburyAndOssettFamilyHistory@gmail.com