1 - This one shows the Staff in 1927, the year the "new" Main School building was opened.
Standing, left to right: Mr E Hobrough, Mr EF Cole;
Sitting, left to right: Mr DS Lidbury, Mr T Gordon Davies, Mr HA Francis (Headmaster), Mr TT Palmer, Mr DC Whitaker.

2 - The novelist Thomas Hardy at the ceremony of laying the foundation stone at the "new" Main School building in 1927.

3 - The Duke of Windsor (then Prince of Wales) visiting the School on May 24th, 1928.

4 - Three "generations" of Headmasters: (l to r) H. N. Kingdon, M. A. 1883-1898, R. W. Hill, M. A. 1927-1955, H. A. Francis, M. A. 1907-1927.

5 - The School Staff for 1954-5.
Back row: NMS Roussel, G Brookfield, DI Goddard, JO Roberts, HJ Hale, R Barrass, MJ Hughes, BJ West, C Allsop;
Middle row: HJ Mann, PH Lewendon, SWJ Walton, AG Willis, W Lancashire, SH Westlake, K Batty, WA Sewell, JO Chandler, CH Steemson;
Front row: Miss EM Hill, SA Fox, BC Cruse, DS Lidbury, RW Hill (Head), EF Cole, DC Whitaker, RR Thomas, Mrs KM Dutot.

6 - The new and the old: Mr AN Hamilton (incoming Head - left) & Mr RW Hill (outgoing Head - right).

7 - Mr RW Hill's obituary in the Echo.
Cutting courtesy of Terry Parsons.

Left: 8 - Mr DS Lidbury (Second Master from 1915 - 1956); right: 9 - Mr BC Cruse, Senior French Master from 1927 to ?.

Left: 10 - Mr SA Fox, Senior Mathematics Master from 1929 to 1964. He died in 1989, aged 91. Extracts in an obituary in the Old Hardyeans Newsletter, Sept 91, recorded:
"Born in 1898, he joined the Worcester Regiment at 18 and spent two years in the trenches, where he was badly gassed. Following the end of the First World War, he gained 1st Class Honours in Mathematics at Birmingham University. He introduced the Air Training Corps to the School and ran it until it was amalgamated into the Combined Cadet Force. His wife died in 1969, and he had two sons, Bill & Tony, and two daughters, Pat & Deidre."
Right: 11 - Mr HJG Mann, Geography Master from 1929 to 1968, came to Dorchester in 1928, and taught for a short while at the old school in South Street. During his 40 years at Hardye's he was Head of the Geography Department, and during the last ten years or so he taught Sixth Form Physics, as well, with considerable success.

Left: 12 - Mr CH Steemson, Senior Classics Master from 1939 until his death in 1957.
Right: 13 - Mr RR Thomas, History and Economics Master from 1932 to 1968, took over the teaching of History in 1932. Apparently he very soon made his mark by introducing rugger into the School. A centre three-quarter of much more than average ability, Mr. Thomas played for the Dorset County XV, and was one of the founders of the West Dorset R.F.C. During his 36 years on the Staff, Mr. Thomas was the Head of the History, and later of the Economics Departments, Sixth Form and Careers Master and, from 1960, Deputy Headmaster. He was the first schoolmaster to be appointed Mayor of Dorchester, in 1957; he was elected a second time in 1968.

14 - Mr DC Whitaker, 1923-1960, Deputy Headmaster 1957-1960.

15 - L-r: Messrs. RR Thomas, SWJ Walton, W Lancashire, HJG Mann. Mr. Walton came to the School in 1943 as Head of the Physics Department. During his time at the School Mr. Walton saw well over 300 boys through 'A' Level Physics, over half of whom went on to university to read one of the Natural Sciences - a very proud record.

Left: 16 - Mr DC Whitaker at work; right: 17 - Mr DS Lidbury also at work.
Photos courtesy of Bill Johnston.

Left: 18 - Mr HJG Mann apparently having a little trouble with his faithful Austin Seven.
Photo courtesy of Bill Johnston.
Right: 19 - Presentation to Miss E. M. Hill upon her retirement in March 1957.
Cutting courtesy of Andrew Rose.

20 - Mr. George Bareham, who gave 25 years (1943-1968) of dedicated and loyal service to the School as Head Caretaker.

Now four photos kindly submitted by Mr JA Bristow, showing Mr Bristow in his first year, 1956, on the Junior School Staff. He left in 1958.

21 - Mr Bristow with Junior School Headmaster Mr HJ Hale in the playground, Wollaston House.

22 - Mr Bristow teaching General Science at Wollaston House.

23 - Mr Bristow refereeing a rugby match at the Main School.
Mr Bristow adds: "I am fairly certain that the large lad in the centre front is Brian Keen who later played for England."

24 - Mr Bristow in the playground, Wollaston House..

25 - The School Staff, Summer 1969.
Back row: Tom McClelland, Ralph Davies, Pete Harris (pre-University), Stephen Fraser (pre-University), David Brown, Des Spriggs, Peter Grundy, Geoff Ryall, Ken Goodson, Barry Lawrence, John Pope, Charles Ring;
Middle row: Hubert Descieux (French Assistant), Jim Bailward, Tony Paul, Mike Bowman, Neville Lord, Ron Wrigley, John Faulkner, Maurice Gent, John Dibb, Derek Worden, Hugh Kenion, Roger Knight (Admin);
Front row: Hilda Matthews (Secretary), Rex Tompsett, Hugh Bax, Ken Batty, John Roberts (Deputy Headmaster), Tony Hamilton (Headmaster), Peter Lewendon, Alan Burton, David Lacey, Richard Tipper, John Hawthorn.
Photo courtesy of Peter Grundy.

Charlie Mason adds:
"The summer of '69 photo shows a lot of staff still there 8-plus years later:- Tom McClelland, Des Spriggs, Geoff Ryall, Barry Lawrence, John Pope, Mike Bowman, Neville Lord, Peter Lewendon, David Lacey, and John Hawthorn were all there in '77 and many stayed on into the '80s. Some were still there when I left in 1984!
There were also Pete Green (Latin and Greek), Mr King (French And German), Mrs K Lee (French) Mr J Herbert (German), Richard Daniell (Art), Mrs Williams (Pottery), Mr Strong (Chemistry), Mr Walden (?), Mr Pike (History), Mr R ('Digger') Mole (History), Mr Paul (Maths), Mr Waterman (PE), Mr Chislett (PE), Mr Clarke (?), Mr Neil Applegate (RE), Trevor Lee (RE) and many others who I'll remember later.
Mr Thomas (also affectionately (?) known as 'Slider' due to his manner of walking with his head perfectly level despite all bumps - like a hovercraft) was Head when I arrived in 1977 until the early '80s and was replaced '83 or '84 by Mr Close."

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