The school holds memories for the Belper community.
If you have a story or connection to Strutts, you are welcome to share it here.
You can email us directly at strutts.centre@gmail.com or alternatively, if there is something you have written or a photo you wish to scan, you can call in at Reception and leave it with us.
Please note that content will appear as received and with permission to publish assumed.
Jamie Taylor
In 1977 remembers playing ‘british bulldog in the playground when the Headmaster was Mr Palin and Mr Potter the Deputy Head.
Carol Frost
Between 1960 – 1967 recalls Latin with Mr Green and a stick called the ‘tickler’! Carol also remembers it being a scary moment on the way to school, passing the house where Tusker lived – always making sure her beret was firmly in place! Other memories include ‘indoor’ and ‘outdoor’ shoes, teacher Mr McKay and school trips to Germany and Austria.
Helen Featherley talks of Strutt years 1974 – 1978 and learning dances in the hall – in particular the Teddy Bears Picnic where you had to hold hands….with the boys – yuk! Helen also recalls a great story about the storage space between the cookery and art classes where school play costumes and props would be kept. The space was accessed via a ladder and inside was a window that looked out onto Gibfield Lane beneath. It was always great fun for pupils tasked with jobs in the storage space to shout out at passers by along the lane who would all wonder where the voices were coming from! The storage space is still there today – albeit a bit quieter!
Angela Bennett remembers the dances in the hall and wearing a long dress in the first year.
Tracy Lynne Drake has been chatting to her father Alwyn who, having passed his 11+ in 1944, was a Strutty Banger until 1950. Alwyn remembers Christmas dinner in the hall.
Claire Wragg
Between 1982 – 1985 talks of indoor P.E. and playing ‘legs’ with Miss Tomlinson, cross-country over the iron bridge, swimming in Gibfield baths, gymnastics and the familiar smell of the gym, needlework with Mrs Cox and some fabulous music sessions singing along to Joseph’s Technicolour Dreamcoat with Mr Howarth.
Claire also remembers a sleepless night having been summoned to Deputy Head Mrs Patterson’s office, thinking she was in trouble, but was actually invited there to be asked to be Head Prefect! Two scoops of mash, beans and a hot dog are also clear memories.
Glennis White recalls Timothy Dalton and Graham Haberfield from school productions – Arms and the Man comes to mind, in addition to the Golden Jubilee concert in 1959
Joanna Van de Poll
Mentions that her husband David was at Strutts between years 1961 – 1969 and talks about Norm Robinson and Geography/ Chemistry, Dixie Dean RE (also possibly the oldest man living in Wirksworth too, at the time!), Speech Day at the Methodist hall on Bridge Street, Christmas parties for each form, dancing lessons with the P.E teachers and French with Miss Saul. At Strutts to do her A-Levels, Joanna also remembers that Mr Brocklehurst was the Head and, if ever your hair was too long, Miss Simister would provide you with string to tie it up with!
Elizabeth Griffiths
Between years 1960 – 1965 recalls being frightened into learning French with Miss Saul and remembers when boys and girls were separated, each having a different playground and being seated on opposite sides of the classroom.
Roy Case
Remembers working next door at Gibfield baths, where he would often get a ‘takeaway’ school dinner from the kitches as the food was excellent!
Rob Swift has memories of standing up in assemblies and having competitions as to who could get the most detentions.
Tilly Vardy
Joseph’s Technicolour Dreamcoat; 1970’s
Hans Christian Andersen; 1970’s
More Strutts Stories – (memories on a Christmas theme)
Cynthia Maddock
Practising ballroom dancing steps in the gym with the P.E. teachers in preparation for the Christmas dances.
Janine Wheeldon
Remembers joining the school choir and orchestra, just to go to their Christmas parties!
Gary Spendlove
Between 1968 – 1973 remembers Christmas dances – in the school hall doing the Valeta, Military Two-step, Gay Gordons and barn dances.
Joanna Van de Poll
Christmas parties for each form.
Tracy Lynne Drake has been chatting to her father Alwyn who, having passed his 11+ in 1944, was a Strutty Banger until 1950. Alwyn remembers Christmas dinner in the hall.
Sue Salaün
Christmas at Strutts in the 1960s
Each year group had a Christmas party in the Hall. There were three forms in each year, so about ninety people in total with teachers in attendance.
In our first two years, I seem to think that just before the parties a couple of double PE lessons were given over to practising dancing in the Hall. The two dances I remember in particular, were The Military Two Step and The Valeta. It was a novelty with some people going in the wrong directions and others not able to keep in time or walking all over other people’s feet, but it was fun. It was even more of an event on the night of the party when you hoped to be asked to dance by someone nice.
I think that we were also asked to provide some entertainment for ourselves and in our First or Second Year, a friend played ‘Little Donkey’ on the grand piano in the Hall and another friend and I sang the carol with her.
There was something special too about seeing your fellow pupils in clothes other than school uniform.
By the time we reached the Fifth and Sixth Forms, a glitterball had appeared in the Hall for Christmas parties, hanging from the high ceiling. A fire was lit in the fireplace and as the glitterball gently turned in the darkness, the Hall sparkled with the fire’s reflection and became a magical place, completely different in atmosphere from the busy area it was when we changed rooms between lessons or assemblies took place in there.
Now we danced all evening to the loud beat and rhythm of Tamla Motown, the sounds of the Mersey, the Rolling Stones and other favourites, twisting, clever stepping and turning in more individual expressions of the music, dressed in the mini-skirts and wide trousers of Carnaby Street and with Mary Quant and Beatles hairstyles. The teachers, somewhat bemused, sat around the sides of the Hall watching us.
The main event of Christmas was probably the Carol Service which took place at St Peter’s Church as there was no one space in school that could accommodate all pupils and staff. It was the second most important occasion to Founder’s Day in March. The School Choir had been practising special Christmas pieces in four parts and the descants to carols, on Thursday lunchtimes in the Music Room under Miss Rudd’s tuition, since the beginning of the Autumn Term. I think the orchestra too played its part.
It was a service of Nine Lessons and Carols and readings were by a mixture of Sixth Formers and Members of Staff, standing at the huge eagle lectern. It took place on the afternoon of the penultimate day of term and there was just about enough room for a few parents to be able to attend. It was quite a feat getting the whole school in place, but the sound made by us all singing together was impressive. If my memory serves me right, the service always began with the Choir singing, ‘Hodie, Christus natus est’.