Leeds Modern School
Encyclopedia
Leeds Modern School in Leeds
, West Yorkshire
, England
was founded on 14 July 1845 by Mr S. Twist in Rossington Street as the Mathematical and Commercial School. This building in the centre of Leeds became the Leeds Civic Theatre after the school moved to a site at Lawnswood in 1931.
. Boys attended Leeds Modern, Girls Lawnswood High. The schools were separated by a joint school's swimming pool and separate dining hall building. Mixing of boys and girls was strictly prohibited.
The schools were mainly red-bricked buildings with stone features and large windows. The corridors inside had brickwork walls and oak parquet floors. The classrooms accommodated some 30–32 pupils. The main hall had a stage at one end used for assembly, and was lined with scholarship boards.
in 1972 to form the present Lawnswood School
. In 1973 the now Lawnswood School became comprehensive. The school buildings were demolished by Leeds City Council and replaced with modern buildings in 2003.
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
was founded on 14 July 1845 by Mr S. Twist in Rossington Street as the Mathematical and Commercial School. This building in the centre of Leeds became the Leeds Civic Theatre after the school moved to a site at Lawnswood in 1931.
School site
That site was shared with a separate but identical sister school, Lawnswood High School for GirlsLawnswood High School for Girls
Lawnswood High School for Girls was a girls' grammar school in north Leeds close to the A660.-History:It was originally called the Leeds Girls' Modern School until 1932 when it took the Lawnswood High School for Girls name...
. Boys attended Leeds Modern, Girls Lawnswood High. The schools were separated by a joint school's swimming pool and separate dining hall building. Mixing of boys and girls was strictly prohibited.
The schools were mainly red-bricked buildings with stone features and large windows. The corridors inside had brickwork walls and oak parquet floors. The classrooms accommodated some 30–32 pupils. The main hall had a stage at one end used for assembly, and was lined with scholarship boards.
Curriculum
Leeds Modern School taught science, arts and humanities, including the principles of Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Buddhism. The school facilities included about twenty permanent classrooms, two arts rooms, two chemistry labs, two physics labs, two lecture rooms, a biology lab, a metalwork shop, a woodwork shop, a hall, a library, a music room, a prefect's room, the Headmasters room, the staffroom, a gymnasium, four internal cloakrooms, two external washrooms, two cycle sheds, two changing rooms and showers, and a photographic darkroom.History
During the 1960s, pupils were allowed to come to school on motor-cycles and scooters from 16 and, with special permission, by car.Merger to become comprehensive
The School merged with the girls' grammar school, Lawnswood High School for GirlsLawnswood High School for Girls
Lawnswood High School for Girls was a girls' grammar school in north Leeds close to the A660.-History:It was originally called the Leeds Girls' Modern School until 1932 when it took the Lawnswood High School for Girls name...
in 1972 to form the present Lawnswood School
Lawnswood School
Lawnswood School is a state comprehensive school in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It has about 1500 male and female pupils, aged 11–18. It is a specialist Maths and Computing College. The sixth form was deemed extremely good in the most recent Ofsted inspection in 2009, however the...
. In 1973 the now Lawnswood School became comprehensive. The school buildings were demolished by Leeds City Council and replaced with modern buildings in 2003.
Former teachers
- John Gunnell, Leader from 1981-6 of West Yorkshire County Council, and Labour MP from 1992-7 for Morley and Leeds South and from 1997-2001 for Morley and Rothwell (taught from 1959-62)
Notable former pupils
- Bernard Atha, Chairman from 1974-2007 of Leeds PlayhouseWest Yorkshire PlayhouseThe West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds, England is a theatre which opened in March 1990 as part of the regeneration of the Quarry Hill area of the city...
- Author and playwright Alan BennettAlan BennettAlan Bennett is a British playwright, screenwriter, actor and author. Born in Leeds, he attended Oxford University where he studied history and performed with The Oxford Revue. He stayed to teach and research mediaeval history at the university for several years...
- Prof John Birkinshaw, Professor of Biochemistry from 1956-62 at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineLondon School of Hygiene & Tropical MedicineThe London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is a constituent college of the federal University of London, specialising in public health and tropical medicine...
- Prof David BlackbournDavid BlackbournDavid Gordon Blackbourn is the Coolidge Professor of History at Harvard University and director of the university's Minda de Gunzberg Center for European Studies. Blackbourn teaches and researches primarily in the fields of German and modern European history...
, Professor of History since 1992 at Harvard UniversityHarvard UniversityHarvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country... - Robert BlackburnRobert Blackburn (aviation pioneer)Robert Blackburn, OBE, FRAeS was an English aviation pioneer and the founder of Blackburn Aircraft.He was born in Kirkstall, Leeds, Yorkshire, England...
, founder of Blackburn AircraftBlackburn AircraftBlackburn Aircraft Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer that concentrated mainly on naval and maritime aircraft during the first part of the 20th century.-History:... - Wing CommanderWing Commander (rank)Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
Sir Eric BullusEric BullusSir Eric Edward Bullus was a British Conservative politician. He was Member of Parliament for Wembley North from 1950 until the constituency was abolished by boundary changes for the February 1974 general election....
, Conservative MP from 1950-74 for Wembley NorthWembley North (UK Parliament constituency)Wembley North was a parliamentary constituency in what was then the Borough of Wembley in North-West London. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.... - Donald Burton MBE, Professor of Leather Industries from 1951-9 at the University of LeedsUniversity of LeedsThe University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
, and President from 1942-5 of the Society of Leather Technologists and Chemists - Michael Butterfield, Chief Executive from 1975-86 of the National Association of Youth Clubs
- Henry Carr, painter
- John Cobb CBE, Livesey Professor of Coal Gas and Fuel Industries from 1912-38 at the University of LeedsUniversity of LeedsThe University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
- TV presenter and journalist John Craven
- Henry Drysdale DakinHenry Drysdale DakinHenry Drysdale Dakin FRS was an English chemist.He was born in London as the youngest of 8 children to a family of steel merchants from Leeds. As a school boy he did water analysis with the Leeds City Analyst. He studied chemistry at the University of Leeds with Julius B...
, biochemist, known for Dakin oxidation and the Dakin–West reaction - Harry Dawson, Professor of Physical Chemistry from 1919-39 at the University of Leeds
- Prof Michael Depledge, Professor of Environment and Human Health since 2007 at the Peninsula College of Medicine and DentistryPeninsula College of Medicine and DentistryPeninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry is a Medical and Dental school in England, run in partnership with the University of Exeter, the University of Plymouth and the...
- Gordon Hainsworth, Chief Education Officer from 1983-8 for Manchester
- Prof Andrew Harvey, Professor of Econometrics since 1996 at the University of CambridgeUniversity of CambridgeThe University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
- Martin KettleMartin KettleMartin James Kettle is a British journalist and author. The son of two prominent communist activists Arnold Kettle and Margot Kettle , Martin Kettle was educated at Leeds Modern School and Balliol College, Oxford University.Kettle worked for the National Council for Civil Liberties as a research...
, journalist - Prof Philip Levy, Professor of Psychology from 1972-94 at the University of Lancaster, President from 1978-9 of the British Psychological SocietyBritish Psychological SocietyThe British Psychological Society is a representative body for psychologists and psychology in the United Kingdom. The BPS is also a Registered Charity and, along with advantages, this also imposes certain constraints on what the society can and cannot do...
, and Editor from 1975-80 of the British Journal of Mathematical and Statistical PsychologyBritish journal of mathematical and statistical psychologyThe British Journal of Mathematical and Statistical Psychology is a British scientific journal founded in 1965. It covers the fields of psychology, statistics, and mathematical psychology... - Prof Douglas McCandlish, Professor of Leather Industries from 1919-49 at the University of Leeds
- James Milner, 1st Baron Milner of LeedsJames Milner, 1st Baron Milner of LeedsMajor James Milner, 1st Baron Milner of Leeds, MC, PC was a British Labour Party politician.Milner was educated at the University of Leeds and became a solicitor. He was a major in World War I and was wounded, awarded the Military Cross and bar for his service...
, Labour MP from 1929-51 for Leeds South EastLeeds South East (UK Parliament constituency)Leeds South East was a borough constituency in the city of Leeds in West Yorkshire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.... - Ronald Peacock, Professor of German from 1962-75 at Bedford College (London)
- Bob PeckBob PeckBob Peck was an English stage, television and film actor.-Early life:He went to Leeds Modern School in Lawnswood...
, actor - Sir Gordon Radley CBE, Director-General from 1955-60 of the GPOGeneral Post OfficeGeneral Post Office is the name of the British postal system from 1660 until 1969.General Post Office may also refer to:* General Post Office, Perth* General Post Office, Sydney* General Post Office, Melbourne* General Post Office, Brisbane...
- Prof Wallace Robson, MassonDavid I. MassonDavid Irvine Masson was a British science-fiction writer and librarian.-Biography:Born in Edinburgh, Masson came from a distinguished family of academics and thinkers. His father, Sir Irvine Masson, was a Professor of Chemistry at Durham and Vice-Chancellor at Sheffield, his grandfather, Sir David O...
Professor of English Literature from 1972-90 at the University of EdinburghUniversity of EdinburghThe University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university... - Guy SchofieldGuy SchofieldEdward Guy Schofield was a British newspaper editor.Born in Leeds, Schofield attended Leeds Modern School, then began his career in 1918 on the Leeds Mercury, before moving to the Daily Dispatch and the Evening Chronicle...
, Editor from 1950-55 of the Daily Mail - Dr John Seddon, aerodynamicist
- Sir Douglas Smith KCB, Chairman of AcasAcasThe Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service is a Crown non-departmental public body of the Government of the United Kingdom. Its purpose is to improve organisations and working life through the promotion and facilitation of strong industrial relations practice...
from 1987-92 - Gordon Stowell, Editor from 1941-44 of the Radio TimesRadio TimesRadio Times is a UK weekly television and radio programme listings magazine, owned by the BBC. It has been published since 1923 by BBC Magazines, which also provides an on-line listings service under the same title...
- Stanley TiffanyStanley TiffanyStanley Tiffany CBE was an English Labour Co-operative politician. He sat in the House of Commons from 1945 to 1950.He was the son of Alert Tiffany from Rothwell in the West Riding of Yorkshire...
CBE, Labour MP from 1945-50 for PeterboroughPeterborough (UK Parliament constituency)Peterborough is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, formally styled The Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past...
, and Leader of Wakefield Borough Council from 1952-67 - Herbert Hall TurnerHerbert Hall TurnerHerbert Hall Turner was a British astronomer and seismologist.-Biography:Herbert Hall Turner was educated at Clifton College and Trinity College, Cambridge., In 1884 he accepted the post of Chief Assistant at Greenwich Observatory and stayed there for nine years...
, astronomer and Savilian Professor of Astronomy from 1893-1930 at the University of Oxford - Brian WoledgeBrian WoledgeBrian Woledge , a scholar of Old French language and literature, was Fielden Professor of French at University College London from 1939 to 1971.-Biography:...
, Fielden Professor of French from 1939-71 at University College LondonUniversity College LondonUniversity College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London... - John Musgrave-Wood, Emmwood cartoonist from 1969-75 for the Daily MailDaily MailThe Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
(prior to Mac - Stanley McMurtryStanley McMurtryStanley McMurtry MBE , often referred to as Mac, is a British cartoonist. McMurtry is perhaps most famous for his work, since 1970, for British newspaper The Daily Mail.- Career :...
) - Prof Arthur Wormall, Professor of Biochemistry from 1936-63 at St Bartholomew’s Hospital Medical College