Sent in by Jack Rickard, 2014

Rushden Secondary Modern School Outings

In the 1960s, when I was a pupil at Rushden Secondary Modern School for Boys one of the trips we had which was very interesting was a trip to Stewartby Brick Works to study how the bricks were made the different nationalities that were working there and the science block to understand the strength of the bricks and the different clays. What a wonderful education it was with the group that I went with, and then we had another trip to the oldest National Park in Britain to study the geology, history, heritage and landscape. We studied Matlock looking at the unique stone walls that were put up without using cement, Ladybower Dam where they practiced for the Dam-busters, the reservoir, Monsal Dale, Castleton, and learned about the options of the different caves: Peak Cavern where they used to make rope in the old days, Treak Cliff Cavern and Blue John Cavern where the Blue John stone is still mined today, and how the university students put in special dye to trace where the river runs in the caves, also Speedwell Cavern where they mine lead. We had a trip by boat where one guide steered and the other guide legged us along for a mile and a half underground, and they showed us where the Coronation Street’s Ena Sharples had a trip to the Peak District, and the bottom less pit and then we went over Mam Tor to see the start of the Pennine Way.

A selection of Jack's photographs............
Cottages at Castleton	Monsal Dale Viaduct
Monsal Dale	View of Matlock
Dry stone walls	Mam Tor - the shivering mountain

With three Geography masters and a History master, our lessons were as good as any Private School or any other type of school that provides education; Mr Carvell head of Geography and Mr Betts head of History. With wonderful experience of leisure learning, the classroom is not always important but we did have to study in class before and afterwards.

The Peak District was very good for understanding the geography of this country and gives you experience of Britain and studying places of the world and Europe.

There was also a group that enjoyed a Cement Works trip near Luton.
[Jack has also sent the 1964 School Photograph]