This newspaper cutting was sent to me, many years ago, by my mother, who was living in Little Dawley, at the time. I have no idea as to the date of the newspaper article or what newspaper it came from but I'm sure it must have been the "Shropshire Star".
I joined the school just as Mr Herring was leaving, so, while I have a memory of seeing the man walking around the playground, that's all I do remember. He looked, to a small boy, a foreboding figure but his smile gave the lie to that.
The only people I know in the picture are Miss Temple, the senior mistress and Mr Fisher, the senior master, who was commonly known as "Lob" but I have no idea how to spell it nor when or how he got that nickname; he was, however, a true gentleman who commanded respect just by being there.
To hear Mr Fisher say, when one had done something wrong and had been caught doing it, "Boy! Take two lines" was frightening - yet, the punishment was only the writing of two lines!
Click on the picture for a larger image.
The print underneath the photograph says:-
"Goodbye to Sir! This picture is thought to show the leaving presentation to Ivor J. Herring, the headmaster of Coalbrookdale High School. in 1950."
"Mr Herring died in March this year, aged 93."
"Old boy and former Shropshire Star man, Norman Angell, who loaned this picture, names them as, from left: Miss Vera Temple, senior mistress; Claire Jonesm head girl; Mr Herring, three unknowns; Mrs A. H. Simpson, who Mr Angell thinks was the vice-chairman of governors; Donald MacLean, head boy; senior master, Hubert Fisher; Mrs Howells; and unknown."
