Cheshire Accounts:

Ash Grove (Primary) – Macclesfield

Debbie – b1964 –Ruler across bottom by male teacher – 1969 to 1975
Anne-Marie – b1972 – Ruler across bottom by female teacher 1977 to 1983

Bankfield (Secondary) – Widnes

Beryl – b1948 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1959 to 1963
Marian – b1948 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1959 to 1963
Jean – b1953 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by male teachers – 1964 to 1968
Elaine – b1954 – Cane across hand by male teacher – 1965 to 1969

Bewsey (Secondary) – Warrington

Doreen – b1953 – Hand across leg by female teacher – 1964 to 1968
Christine (A) – b1955 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1968
Christine (B) – b1955 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1966 to 1970

Bollingham Cross (Primary) – Macclesfield

Kathleen – b1955 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1960 to 1966

Bolton Council (Primary) – Latchford

Joyce – b1941 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1946 to 1952
Anastasia – b1964 – Table tennis bat across bottom by female teacher – 1969 to 1975

Brierley Street (Juniors) – Crewe

Wendy – b1946 – Hand across bottom by unnamed teacher – 1952 to 1957

Bruche (Primary) – Warrington

Paula – b1964 – Cane across bottom by unnamed teacher – 1969 to 1975

Dean Row (Secondary) – Wilmslow

Sheena – b1968 – Cane across bottom by male teacher & slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1979 to 1984

Fairfield (Secondary) – Widnes

Lilian – b1943 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1954 to 1958.
Barb b1949 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1960 to 1964
Faith – b1953 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1968 to 1969
Irene – b1953 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1964 to 1968

Grange (Secondary) – Ellesmere Port

Linda – b1951 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1962 to 1966
Joan – b1952 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1963 to 1967
Marie – b1954 – Cane across bottom by unnamed teacher – 1965 to 1969
Julie (A) b1960 – Hand across leg by unnamed teacher – 1973 to 1976
Dawn – b1963 – Cane across hand by unnamed teacher – 1975
Julie (B) – b1963 Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1974 to 1979
Donna – b1963 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1974 to 1979
Julie (C) – b1963 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1974 to 1979
Lindsey-  b1965 – Cane across hand by female teacher – 1976 to 1981
Jane – b1965 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1976 to 1981

Highfield (Primary) – Chester

Helen – b1973 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1978 to 1984
Kelley – b1976 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1981 to 1987
Kerry – b1979 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1984 to 1987

Knutsford (Secondary) – Knutsford

Julie (A) – b1955 – Slipper across legs by female teacher – 1966 to 1970
Janet – b1961 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1974 to 1977
Julie (B) – b1961 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1972 to 1977
Sharon – b1962 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1973 to 1978
Pauline – b1962 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1973 to 1978
Paula – b1964 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1975 to 1980
Debbie – b1964 – Spoon across bottom by female teacher – 1975 to 1980
Sue – b1965 – Spoon across unspecified anatomy by female teacher- 1976 to 1980
Caryn – b1967 – Ruler across bottom by male teacher – 1978 to 1983

Lache (Middle) – Chester

Vicki – b1962 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1973

Mill Lane (Secondary) – Ellesmere Port

Sheila – b1956 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1967 to 1971
Helen – b1966 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1977 to 1982
Debbie – b1970 – Cane across hand by unnamed teacher -1981 to 1987
Alison – b1975 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by male teacher -1986 to 1987

Norberry Booth (Primary) – Knutsford

Maggie – b1967 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1972 to 1978

Northwich County Grammar School for Girls – Northwich

Ann – b1956 – Cane across unspecified by headmistress – 1967 to 1972
Debbie – b1961 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by headmistress – 1972 to 1977

Norton Priory (Secondary) – Runcorn

Patsy -b1962 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1973 to 1979
Dawn – b1963 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1974 to 1979
Wendy – b1963 – Cane across hand by female teacher – 1974 to 1979
Jacqui – b1964 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1975 to 1980
Mandy – b1966 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1977 to 1982
Trish – b1966 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1977 to 1982

Rudheath (Secondary) – Northwich

Kathleen – b1938 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher (Class caning) -1949 to 1953
Barbara – b1950 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1961 to 1965
Margaret – b1962 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1973 to 1978

Ryles Park (Secondary) – Macclesfield

Julie -b1957 – Cane across hand by male teacher – 1968 To 1973
Jane – b1961 – Cane & slipper across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teachers 1972 to 1977
Michelle – b1963 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher 1974 to 1979
Lindy – b1963 – Slipper across hand by female teacher – 1974 to 1979
Pat – b1963 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1974 to 1979
Adina – b1964 – Table tennis bat across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1975 to 1980
Lynda – b1965 – Table tennis bat across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1976 to 1981Debbie – b1965 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1976 to 1981
Jeanette -b1967 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1978 to 1983
Fiona – b1968 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1979 to 1984

Sandbach (Secondary) – Sandbach

Marina – b1948 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1959 to 1963
Hazel – b1952 – Cane across hand by male teacher – 1963 to 1969
Jane – b1958 – Hand across leg by female teacher – 1969 to 1974
Julie – b1965 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1976 to 1980

Saints Fisher and More (Secondary) – Widnes

Catherine (A) – b1946 – Cane across hand by female teacher – 1960
Kathy – b1947 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1958 to 1962
Margaret – b1947 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1958 to 1962
Lainie – b1947- Cane across hand by female teacher – 1960
Carol (A) – b1947 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1958 to 1962
Mary (A) – b1948 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1959 to 1963
Lorraine – b1948 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1959 to 1963
Sue (A) – b1948 – Cane across hand by female teacher – 1959 to 1963
Eileen – b1949 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1960 to 1964
Patricia – b1949 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1963
Christine – b1950 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1961 to 1965
Dianne – b1950 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by a nun – 1961 to 1965
Marilyn -b1951 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1966
Anne – b1952 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1963 to 1967
Kathleen – b1953 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1963 to 1967
Marg – b1952 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1963 to 1968
Mala – b1952 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1963
Karen (A) – b1953 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1964 to 1968
Elaine (A) – b1953 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1964 to 1969
Chris – b1953 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1964 to 1968
Viv – b1953 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1964 to 1968
Veronica – b1953 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1964 to 1968
Cath (A) – b1954 – Cane across hand by female teacher – 1965
Sue (B) – b1954– Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1965 to 1969
Elaine (B) – b1954 – Cane across hand by female teacher – 1965 to 1969
Diane – b1955 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1966 to 1970
Lindsay – b1955 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1966 to 1970
Mary (B) – b1956 – Cane across hand by female teacher – 1967 to 1971
Jill – b1956 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1967 to 1971
Mary (C) – b1957 – Cane across hand by female teacher – 1968 to 1972
Hilda – b1957 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1978 to 1972
Maureen – b1958 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1969 to 1974)
Gez – b1959 – Cane across legs by female teacher – 1970 to 1975
Joanne – b1959 – Cane across hand by female and male teachers – 1970 to 1975
Glenis – b1959 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1970 to 1975
Lynne – b1959 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1970 to 1975
Janet – b1961 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1972 to 1977
Sue (C) – b1961 – – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher and strap across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1972 to 1977
Catherine (B) – b1961 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1972 to 1975
Julie – b1961 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1972 to 1977
Karen (B) – b1962 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1973 to 1978
Syl – b1962 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1973 to 1978
Kathie – b1962 – Hand across arm by female teacher – 1973 to 1975
Carol (B) – b1962 – Hand across arm by female teacher – 1973 to 1975
Sue (D) – b1963 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1974
Cath (B) – b1963 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher –
Jacqueline – b1963 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher –
Bernie – b1963 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1974 to 1979
Sue (E) – b1963 – Cane across hand by female teacher – 1974 to 1975
Michelle – b1965 – Cane across hand by unnamed teacher – 1976 to 1981
Kathryn – b1967 – Cane across hand by male teacher – 1978 to 1983
Lynn – b1967 – Cane across hand by male teacher & cane unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1978 to 1983
Debi – b1970 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1981 to 1986

St James (Primary) – Congleton

Vickie – b1965 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1970 to 1976
Julie – b1967 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by male teacher 1972 to 1978

St Joseph’s (Secondary) – Widnes

Yvonne – b1955 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1966 to 1970
Beatrice – b1957 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1968 to 1972
Carol – b1957 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1968 to 1972
Patricia – b1957 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1968 to 1972
Jean (A) – b1957 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1968 to 1972
Susan – b1957 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1968 to 1972
Jean (B) – b1958 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1969 to 1974
Cathy – b1959 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1970 to 1975
Joanne – b1960 – Cane & strap across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1971 to 1976
Denise – b1964 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1975 to 1980
Gaynor – b1964 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1975 to 1980
Maggie – b1964 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1975 to 1980
Tracy – b1964 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1975 to 1980

St Mary’s (Primary) – Crewe

Anne (A) – b1943 -Strap across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1948 to 1954
Veronica b1945 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by male teacher 1956 to 1960
Anne (B) – b1956 – Cane across unspecified anatomy be male teacher – 1961 to 1967
Teresa – b1958 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher –  1963 to 1969
Joan – b1960 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1965 to 1971
Sonia – b1963 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1968 to 1974

Stanney (Secondary) – Ellesmere Port

Jacquie – b1959 Slipper across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1971 to 1975
Helen – b1960 Slipper across unspecified anatomy by headmaster – 1971 to 1976
Julie – b1963 Slipper across unspecified anatomy by headmaster – 1974 to 1979
Stella – b1963 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1974 to 1979
Jayne – b1964 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1975 to 1980
Lorraine – b1969 – Cane & slipper across unspecified anatomy by male teachers – 1980 to 1985

Stockton Heath (Secondary) – Warrington

Sue – b1953 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teachers – 1964 to 1968
Helen – b1956 – Cane across hand by unnamed teacher – 1967 to 1971
Lesley – b1962 – Window pole across bottom by male teacher -1973 to 1978
Louise – b1965 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1976 to 1981

Vernon (Primary) – Poynton

Mary – b1942 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1947 to 1953
Pauline – b1944 – Slipper across bottom by female teacher – 1949 to1955
Wendy – b1950 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1955 to 1961
Ann –  b1954 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1959 to 1965
Jean – b1954 – Cane across hand by female teacher – 1959 to 1965
Cath – b1958 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1963 to 1969

Wycliffe (Secondary) – Wilmlsow

Christine – b1950 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1961 to 1965
Marian – b1955 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1966 to 1970
Denise – b1955 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1966 to 1970
Shirley – b1957 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1968 to 1972
Janet – b1957 – Cane across hand by female teacher – 1968 to 1972
Sue – b1958 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1969 to 1974
Diana – b1960 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1971 to 1976

Not my greatest in numbers, however there are some interesting cases that some of you may wish to discuss.

The case I found most interesting is that of Sheena at Dean Row Secondary.  Sheena claims she was caned on her bottom by a male teacher in 1983 and posts a fairly descriptive account.  This of course triggered a response (albeit 6 years later) by an earnest seeker of the truth.  Here is the text:

Sheena:

‘I’ was defo caned by haslam, got 10 of the best coz he discovered I put a book in me gym knickers. I even got to pick which cane. That was 1983 remember it well. Cudnt sit for days. He took a run, hop then whoosh. While yr spread eagled on hobby horse x x’

Christine Lewis:

‘I have to ask how he discovered you had a book hidden
Surely it was well covered?’

Sheena:

‘think it was the sound it made’

‘Silly me picked the thinnest cane. Learnt after to pick thickest for future. But that was the last time I was caned. Me mum did complain bout the welts I was left with. Embarrassing being taken to docs for a cream, which stung like hell x x’

Usually I would have filed this away in preparation for the end of year ‘OH NO THERE ISN’T’ thread.  However, part of me keeps an open mind.

Firstly, this was in a regional history group (if you want to check it out you’ll need to join it here) and Sheena’s profile looks genuine and she regularly contributes to other topics.

In reference to the School, I’ve not as yet found any other accounts of it is utilising CP (apart from another account by Sheena claiming she received the slipper from a female teacher). Though, according to Wikipedia it didn’t exist long under that name. Furthermore, by 1983 the usage of SCP was on a decline so perhaps this was an isolated incident.  Perhaps Sheena had been very naughty?

In regards to the caning itself, I think we can presume that the hobby horse was in fact one of these.  Consequently, the punishment will have taken place in the gymnasium.  Factor in the ritual of the cane selection, along with the fact (one I’ve always had issues with) that Sheena had time to put a book down her knickers means that this punishment was not spontaneous and pre-planned.

So in this case, why didn’t Mr Haslam defer the punishment to a female member of staff? I’ve no idea what the LEA policy for that time period of region was, and regardless this was 1983!  Seven years since the very publicised Dines/Symmonds Case that occurred a mere 15 miles away.  Surely Mr Haslam would have been aware of that?  Consequently, I can only conclude that he’d done this before and there are other former pupils who have not come forward.  Or it was an isolated event.  Perhaps he was coming to the end of his career and was chancing his luck?

Then you have to consider the number of strokes.  Ten?  Had this taken place in the 1950s at St Bertie’s RC Boarding School I might well have believed it.  At this point Dean Row was comprehensive, I would have thought four at best or six at the very most.  However, for the sake of story-telling people do exaggerate.  During my Rugby career I’ve scored many a length of the field try when in reality they were fewer and far between and mostly from 40 yards out.

Finally, the aftermath. Sheena’s mum was obviously not too pleased, however why didn’t she go to the Police?  Perhaps Sheena was too embarrassed?  We also don’t know the reason for her punishment.  Perhaps she thought it was justified?

Of course, all of this could be fantasy.  However, I’m leaning to it having occurred and being an exaggeration account.

Hello I, Researcher,

I have said it before, but I shall say it again:  Your dedication and application does you very great credit!

Another splendid collection!  And although the lady wielding the cane at Northwich County Grammar School for Girls and who caned Ann and Debbie across ‘unspecified’ is identified only as Headmistress, few of our regular readers will be at a loss as to who she was or what ‘unspecified’ most probably comprised.   Well she did say at the trial that she had hardly used the cane in the 10 years prior to the notorious 1975 caning of the unfortunate but very naughty Lynne Simmonds, bent over hands on a bookcase, skirt raised and cane delivered across the seat of her knickers.   It would appear from your researches that alas Lynne, perhaps understandably, has not contributed to that Facebook group.  Nor I presume has English actress, comedian, singer and screenwriter Jennifer Saunders, who attended the school and has allegedly described the said Headmistress as ‘an absolutely ghastly woman’.

I was impressed by Kathleen, born in 1938 and who received the cane across unspecified anatomy from an unnamed teacher as a participant in a class caning at Rudheath secondary school, Northwich between 1949 and 1953.  She  is I think one of the oldest contributors reporting having been caned at school that you have unearthed.  Indeed she could be up to 4 years older than me.  What on earth is she doing on Facebook?  

The case of Sheena, allegedly given 10 strokes of the cane in 1983 by a male teacher while (probably) bent over a vaulting horse at Dean Row Secondary School, Wilmslow, extra strokes given for being found with book in her gym knickers.

I confess that I am deeply, deeply suspicious of:

• Canings at an English school which comprise 8 or more strokes of the cane on the bottom, especially of a girl.
• Canings which involve a book stuffed in trousers or knickers, especially if, as appears to be claimed here, the caning was in the gym and the knickers were gym knickers and presumably worn for athletic purposes without an outer garment.  When bent over, a book, however thin, would have been clearly visible even under the rather voluminous gym knickers worn by my schoolgirl contemporaries in the early 1950s.  By the 1980s gym knickers were I think tighter and less generously proportioned and any book like padding therein would certainly have been readily visible to the caner.  Impact sound would indeed probably have given the game away but I don’t believe it would have got that far.   15 year old girls are usually very aware of how their stance and apparel will appear to the world, and I can’t imagine that they’d abandon that awareness just because they were going to be caned.  Indeed I would think if anything it would be heightened.  I simply don’t believe Sheena would have tried it.

I am slightly less suspicious, but still rather wary of:

• Canings which involve bending over a vaulting horse.  I have no doubt this sometimes happened, but I think it happened a great deal more in fiction and role-play than in actual school canings.  I recall some really obvious fictions posted here which involved being bent over a vaulting horse, and few if any realistic sounding accounts including that mode of punitive positioning.

The doctor and the ointment?   Well I suppose in 1983 it might still have been possible to see a doctor without a 6 week wait, by which time the marks of even the most severe school caning would almost certainly have disappeared.   But would her mother really have taken Sheena to see a doctor?  And unless the skin had been broken it seems to me unlikely that if a doctor had indeed prescribed anything it would have stung.   Most soothing ointments are, um, err, well soothing!  If the skin had been broken I don’t think that by 1983, given the state of play and the increasingly bad reputation of SCP, Sheena’s mum would have stopped at consulting a doctor.

The fact that Sheena appeared to be the only Facebook contributor reporting receipt of SCP at the school also worries me.  It could have  been a very small school, you say it wasn’t in existence for very long, and Sheena might indeed have been a very naughty girl, but that’s three ‘ifs’ in an area where I’d rather there weren’t any.  Would a male teacher cane a 15 year old schoolgirl very severely in 1983, 10 strokes on the bottom, and in an area where a few years earlier a female teacher had been hauled into court for giving a schoolgirl a much less severe punishment?  In my opinion he’d be a pretty silly male teacher!

The pupil choosing the punitive implement from a selection of different sized canes?  In the unlikely eventuality of Mr Haslam possessing a selection of canes I can just about conceive of this happening in what I’ll term a ‘fun’ caning, all ritual and little if any pain, intended to make a point to pupil or watching class but not intended to be a serious punishment.   But in a caning so painful and damaging that it required a visit to a doctor?  I think not.

All in all, I fear that Sheena may have got a little over-enthusiastic.  Perhaps she was caned at some stage.  But I’d be truly amazed if it was as per her description.

Thanks for sharing your info regrading girls from Cheshire being punished, I Researcher.  One thing I noticed was that among the usual weapons, such as the cane and slipper, one girl was whacked by a window pole.  Assuming I’ve understood correctly, those are the long, sturdy and heavy objects with a hook on the end used to open windows.  I would have thought they would be difficult and cumbersome to use in the administration of a punishment whack?  I am trying to imagine the scenario.

Thanks for mentioning the “Oh, no, it isn’t” thread; I noticed a candidate for that recently, but I forgot to make a note of it.  I’ll make a point of digging it out.

Hello Another Lurker,

In regards to the infamous former headmistress at Northwich County Grammar School, I think we both agree that compared to some of her contemporaries she did not actually resort to CP that often.  Within the Northwich/Cheshire Nostalgia facebook groups I have investigated she is mentioned frequently, yet despite this I could only find the following two first-hand accounts.

Anne claims:

‘She wielded her cane with a passion. I know, I felt it’.

Whilst Debbie recalls:

‘I had the cane off Miss Dines and it flippin hurt!!!’

This is further supported by Lynne Simmonds herself as according to the Northwich Guardian (1976), she stated that Dines had told her:

‘she had hardly had to cane anybody in all the 10 years she had been there as head’

The same could be said about her previous School in Romford.  Lots of mentions of her name, yet very few actual cases of her using the cane.  When she did use it, it was applied across the hands and bottoms of girls and across the bottom of boys.

Slightly off topic but worth a mention is that one person in a Cheshire Memories groups claims that after Janet Dines left Northwich Country Grammar (around 1977) she went on to teach at Holmes Chapel Comprehensive.  I have no idea what happened to her after that.  I also no idea what happened to Lynne Simmonds.

Regarding the alleged caning of Sheena at I’ve revisited the group and discovered a bit of fresh information. A gentleman named Tommy states the following about Mr Haslam/Haslan:

‘Wow that’s ‘Penguin’ he used to walk like one. And use to hit you with his cane or slipper!’

This triggers the following response from a lady named Lisa:

‘Yes Tommy but it was only the boys Mr Haslam would threaten with his cane or slipper. I remember the girls in my math lesson petitioning for the same treatment! The girls would get detention instead and a few of them would much rather get the slipper and be over and done with it rather than stay behind in detention (not me though), they thought it was highly unfair! Did any of the boys actually receive Mr Haslams slipper/cane….?’

I also found a couple more relevant quotes from Sheena:

‘Mr haslan wasn’t scary lol, we called him penguin, but he did love his cane collection. Lady left to him, headmistress who also kept a slipper collection, I know lol. Got punished often enough x x’

‘He stopped caning year I left. Some boys broke into his cane cupboard n snapped a few. Mr haslam was the main punisher, u were sent to him. I didn’t have him as a teacher. N when I went there was a queue, awful hearing others before u x x’

In light of this, perhaps Sheena opted for CP instead of detention and Mr Haslam/Haslan punished her the same as the boys to maintain equality and avoid any prejudice.  However, I still don’t believe the actual number of cane strokes.

Regarding the post-caning visit to the doctors.  There are some topical lotions that could have been prescribed even if the skin was intact.  It also could have been the application of the lotion directly onto the welts that could have ‘stung like hell’ and not the actual lotion itself.  I’m speaking from experience here, not from the cane, but from having had a Rugby ball kicked full force against my naked thigh in icy weather.

Hello Sorepants,

In reference to the alleged Window Pole punishment here is the exact quotation from Lesley:

‘Remember Mr Howell making me and 3 friends bend over the desk for the window pole. Imagine that today’

I totally agree with everything you said about practicality.  I therefore conclude that it was either a more jocular form of punishment. Or Mr Howell had a more lightweight form of window pole unlike the hefty brass hook ended staffs that were used in our previous schools.

I also look forward to your forthcoming post in the ‘Oh No There Isn’t’ thread.

I Researcher… More wonderful stuff.  Thank you for taking the time and trouble to undertaken  these interesting  very investigations and share.

There is little I can add that has not already been mentioned by Another Lurker and Sorepants.

I originally shared A L s doubts about Sheena but your enlightening second post which provides additional information about her being “sent” to Mr Haslam for the cane  makes, in my view, her account perhaps slightly  more plausible if still exaggerated.  As in “could not sit for days”.  Interesting she specifically states he was not a scary teacher scary, despite him being apparently designated the teacher to whom other teachers sent pupils for CP .   I  can’t help but wonder if the placing of the book in her gym knicks  en route to his classroom was carried out knowing full well that the ruse would obviously be discovered  but with the hope that Mr Haslam might see the amusing side of it and treat her more leniently .

My imagination is also working well with Mr Howells use of the window pole. “Made me and 3 friends bend over the desk”evokes a vision of 4 bottoms in a line . In which case the length of the pole would have come in handy for visual effect if totally impractical.  I also suspect this may have been a somewhat jocular or light hearted  punishment.

Perhaps like this scene from “Bottoms Up” (1960):

Cumbria Accounts:

Ambelside (Primary) – Ambleside

Christine – b1966 – Cane across hand by male teacher – 1971 to 1977

Belah (Primary) – Carlisle

Glenda – b1952 – Slipper across bottom by male teacher – 1957 to 1963
Sandra – b1955 – Slipper across bottom by male teacher – 1960 to 1966
Denise – b1967 – Cane across hand by female teacher – 1972 to 1978

Caldewgate (Primary) – Carlisle

Tina – b1958 – Cane across hand by male teacher – 1968 to 1970
Sandra (A) – b1960 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1969
Julie – b1963 – Hand across unspecified anatomy by female teacher –  1969 to 1974
Sharon -b1970 – Slipper across hand by male teacher – 1975 to 1981
Sandra (B) – b1972 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1977 to 1983

Harraby (Secondary) – Carlisle

Irene Rae b1949 – Cane & strap across hands by unnamed teacher – 1960 to 1965
Kath – b1953 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1964 to 1968
Linda – b1956 – Cane across hand by unnamed teacher – 1967 to 1971

Harrington (Primary) – Workington

Edith – b1943 – Hand across bare bottom by female teacher – 1948 to 195
Glennys – b1950 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher  – 1955 to 1961

Lime House (Boarding School) – Carlisle

Karyn – b1965 – Slipper & Spoon across unspecified anatomy by matrons
Sarah – b1966 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by matron
Michelle – b1969 – Slipper across bottom by matron
Nicola – b1973 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by housemistress

Morton (Secondary) Carlisle

Karen – b1960 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1972 to 1976
Barbara – b1964 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1975 to 1980
Louise – b1964 – Hand across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1075 to 1980

Newton (Primary) – Carlisle

Margaret – b1933 – Cane across bottom by unnamed teacher – 1938 to 1944
Mary – b1938 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1943 to 1949
Belle – b1938 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1943 to 1949
Marion – b1958 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1963 to 1969

Overend (Secondary) – Whitehaven

Morna – b1966 – Slipper across bottom by female teacher – 1977 to 1982
Pamela – b1966 – Slipper across bottom by female teacher – 1977 to 1982
Caroline – b1967 – Bat across bottom by female teacher – 1978 to 1983
Andrea – b1968 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1979 to 1984
Michelle – b1968 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1979
Louisa – b1968 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1979
Sally – b1969 – Slipper across bottom by female teacher – 1980 to 1985

Robert Ferguson (Juniors) – Carlisle

Jean – b1941 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1949 to 1952
June – b1956 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1964 to 1967
Kathryn – b1963 – Cane across hands by unnamed teacher – 1971 to 1974

Salterbeck (Secondary) – Workington

Maggie – 1948 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1959 to 1963
Gillian – b1955 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1966 to 1970
Linda – b1956 – Slipper across bottom by male teacher – 1967 to 1971
Pam – b1958 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1969 to 1974
Susan – b1958 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1969 to 1974
Lily – b1960 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female  teacher – 1971 to 1976
Carol – b1960 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1971 to 1976
Syl – b1962 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1973 to 1978
Janet – b1962 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1973 to 1978
Gail – b1963 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1975 to 1979
Kath – b1967 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1978 to 1982

Solway (Secondary) – Silloth

Maureen – b1944 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1955 to 1959
Susan – b1964 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1975 to 1980

St Aidan’s (Secondary) – Carlisle

Maggie – b1958 – Cane across bottom by unnamed teacher – 1969 to 1974
Ann – b1959 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1970 to 1975

St Aloysius (Secondary) – Barrow-in-Furness

Sue – b1950 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1961 to 1965
Pauline – b1959 – Cane across hands by female teacher – 1972

St Bede’s (Primary) – Carlisle

Sue – b1964 – Hand across bottom by female teacher (class spanking) and cane across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1969 to 1975

St Joseph’s (Secondary) – Workington

Pat – b1948 – Cane across hands by female teacher – 1959 to 1963
Carole – b1952 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by headmaster – 1963 to 1967
Maureen – b1952 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by headmaster – 1963 to 1967
Linda – b1955 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1967
Patsy – b1967 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1978 to 1983

St Patrick’s (Primary) – Workington

Pauline – b1943 – Hand across unspecified anatomy by a nun – 1948 to 1954
Marilyn – b1949 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1954 to 1960
Christine – b1955 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by a nun – 1960 to 1966
Anne – b1962 – Bat across unspecified anatomy by a nun – 1967 to 1973
Margaret – b1962 – Bat across unspecified anatomy by a nun – 1967 to 1973
Colette – b1963 – Bat across unspecified anatomy by a nun – 1968 to 1974
Lynne – b1963 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by a nun – 1968 to 1974
Dianne – b1964 – Bat & slipper across unspecified anatomy by a nun – 1969 to 1975
Janine – b1969 – Bat across unspecified anatomy by a nun – 1974 to 1979
Michelle – b1969 – Bat across bottom by a nun – 1974 to 1979

Walney (Secondary) – Barrow-In-Furness

Pauline – b1943 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1954 to 1958
Daphne –  b1946 –  Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1957 to 1961

So this concludes another county.  Not a huge amount in numbers for AlanTuringBletchley’s charts.  However, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and even Lancashire will more than make up for it.  It will probably take me a couple of weeks (maybe a month or so) to sort through the Greater Manchester data.

Hello I, Researcher,

Another splendid compilation!  I don’t know if it is a consequence of my own advancing age making me more sensitive about the D.o.B of participants in your listings (I hope not ) but there appears to be a higher than usual number of older Facebook users in your recent contributions.  I have already remarked on Kathleen, born in 1938 and who received the cane across unspecified anatomy from an unnamed teacher as a participant in a class caning at Rudheath secondary school, Northwich between 1949 and 1953.   This time we have:

Edith – b1943 – Hand across bare bottom by female teacher – 1948 to 195? at the Harrington (Primary) – Workington.

Margaret – b1933 – Cane across bottom by unnamed teacher – 1938 to 1944,
Mary – b1938 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1943 to 1949,
Belle – b1938 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1943 to 1949 all at Newton (Primary) – Carlisle.

Jean – b1941 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1949 to 1952 at Robert Ferguson (Juniors) – Carlisle.
Maureen – b1944 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1955 to 1959 at Solway (Secondary) – Silloth.
Pauline – b1943 – Hand across unspecified anatomy by a nun – 1948 to 1954 at St Patrick’s (Primary) – Workington.
Pauline – b1943 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1954 to 1958 at Walney (Secondary) – Barrow-In-Furness
I wonder, could these latter two be the same Pauline?   The dates could certainly fit and the family could have relocated.

Possibly ladies of mature age in Cumbria are more inclined to take to Facebook to reveal their experience in receipt of SCP.  Or perhaps I  just haven’t noticed in the past.  Anyway, congratulations on another excellent listing.

Going back to Ms Janet Dines, famous for the caning of Lynne Simmonds at the Northwich County Grammar School for Girls, and the consequential court case, a snippet of information and a query if I may please.

Now there is no comparison between the two court cases.  In one two schoolgirls were abusively punished on a trumped up charge and the headmaster responsible and his assistant were found guilty.  In the other a headmistress caned a very naughty schoolgirl fairly severely but in a fairly conventional manner and was found not guilty,  But while it is fairly well known, and has I think been mentioned here that John Guise was a cricket player of a very high standard, county level or thereabouts, so was Janet Dines.

Jennifer Saunders the entertainer, who was a pupil at Northwich County Grammar School under Miss Dines, mentions in her various recollections of her time there that Miss Dines was a keen cricket player and instituted an annual staff v pupils match,  although cricket was not on the sports curriculum.   A little research reveals some of the cricketing career of Janet Dines, including score cards while playing for county and regional sides against opponents like New Zealand Ladies touring teams.  I haven’t linked any of this.  For one thing I’m not convinced that many look at links anyway and in this case, at least to see the score cards, a little trickery is necessary to avoid paying a membership fee to the cricketing archive body holding them.  However for anyone interested I will post links.  It will be up to them whether they indulge in the trickery.  Nothing that would get you caned by Miss Dines and perfectly legal.

And on the subject of caning by Miss Dines, my query.  I note that in your contribution #5 you say of her that:

The same could be said about her previous School in Romford.  Lots of mentions of her name, yet very few actual cases of her using the cane.  When she did use it, it was applied across the hands and bottoms of girls and across the bottom of boys..

It is well known here that my areas of special interest are the technicalities of the Forum’s operation and schoolboys receiving SCP from female teachers.    I assume from the above that you did some research on the Romford (comprehensive I think) school, where I believe Miss Dines was first a Maths teacher  and then assistant head, and that this indicated that boys were caned on the bottom by her.  Did you perchance find any accounts of or from boys caned by her  that might be of interest to a connoisseur like me and if so do you have any details or links please?

This has been a most interesting thread so far, and tends to bear out the one time contention by the sadly missed Lotta Nonsense that any school corporal punishment one can imagine will have been experienced somewhere at some time at some school by some pupil  at least once!   I express doubt that teachers had cabinets full of canes and sometimes allowed erring pupils to choose the instrument of retribution as claimed by Sheena and Sorepants reveals that his headmaster sometimes did exactly that.  It is well known that the giant cane, as featured in Oliver_Sydney‘s contribution #7, was a figment of the Bottoms Up team imagination, and yet we have Lesley claiming that she and three friends were required to bend over a desk to be ‘caned’ in just that fashion by Mr Howell wielding a window pole.

I am convinced that somewhere out there just waiting to be found is my own ultimate prize.  A UK school where prefects, monitors or other student functionaries, appointed by the school to have disciplinary powers over other students, administered cane, slipper, strap or whatever to erring students of the opposite sex.  A quick reminder of the rules to avoid a repeat of well meant but invalid claims made in the past.  It has to be conventional corporal punishment, and it has to be delivered by virtue of powers granted by  the school authorities.

Specifically combined cadet corps and punishments given by student NCOs to student cadets do not count unless they were conventional CP of some sort.  Doing push-ups and running laps with rifles held above the head may be corporal punishments in that they punish the body, but they are outwith the range of corporal punishments as usually considered here.  Ideally what I’m looking for is a school where the juvenile Another_Lurker, knees knocking in his short trousers and anxiously surveying the cane on the table of the prefects’ court, would have possibly been facing the prospect of it being applied across the tightly stretched seat of said short trousers by the captain of the school’s female tennis or badminton squad or another senior female student.

But there doesn’t have to be a student court involved and any other official  cross gender student – student CP will do, whether it’s  female – male, male – female or both.  Alas my school was all male and anyway I got off with lines! 

Hello Another Lurker,

I’m wondering if the inclusion of accounts from some folk born in their 30s could possible be down to the fact that I’ve recently been targeting regional nostalgia groups rather than specific schools.  Perhaps older members would rather discuss more generalised memories of being a teenager in Whitehaven during the 1950s rather than reminiscing about their school days?  I will state that some of these groups have yielded some interesting material.  I will further state that wherever I search, I’m usually years behind the likes of Peter John, Alan Seddon, Paul Crook, Christine Lewis, Kirsty Smith etc.

Back on the subject of Janet Dines and John Lindsay Guise, I totally agree with you and that the courts came to the correct decision on both accounts.  I think the only thing that Dines could have done differently is perhaps had a member of staff as a witness.  The only and very lame excuse I can think of John Lindsay Guise and using today’s mindset is perhaps he wasn’t a well man.  I’ve recently acquired the school photographs of him from 1963 and he didn’t look that well to me, the same could also be said for Marjorie Smith.  Regardless, this doesn’t condone their actions. It is interesting that they were both accomplished cricketers.  I had posted a little bit of information on Janet Dines career here, however, I only noted some of her previous teams.  I would be interesting in their score cards, where they both primarily batsmen?

Regarding Janet Dines earlier career, I’ve previously mentioned a gentleman named Chris who  in reference too being caned by here quoted:

‘14 year old boy caned across the derrière by a middle-aged woman – tell that to your grandchildren!’

This is further supported by a gentleman named Dave who quoted the following when discussing being in her math’s lesson:

‘I remember lining up with a number of boys in my class, all of us getting the stick across the arse!’

The links are in this group.  However, you’d need to join facebook and cunningly trick your way into becoming a group member by stating the year you left the school, the road it was situated on and agreeing the rules.

As a connoisseur of collecting accounts of schoolboys receiving SCP from female teachers only you will know if you were lucky (or not) that you didn’t live in Liverpool and fail your 11+ as you could have ended up at Highfield Secondary Modern (later comprehensive).  According to over 30 different gentlemen and a couple of ladies, a lady teacher named Dilys Martin was not too shy about dishing out CP via the cane from 1956 to at least the mid 1970s.  Here are a couple of direct quotes:

Elliot: – ‘Dylis Martin. Cow used to take a run up.’

John (A): – ‘Dillis Martin I was guarenteed 6 of the best 2/3 times a week the witch’
‘she loved it I think she got sexually aroused caning the lads’

Stephen (A) : – ‘I remember getting the cane of her think she enjoyed’

John (B): – ‘she was a bitch a cut across your arse and bruised either side evil bitch’

John (C): – ‘Think she had a fetish for caning boys backsides’

David: – ‘boy she could use that cane never missed the backside like some how hot the Top off your legs’

Deb: – ‘I watched her cane Paul and a lad called Jazz at the time…never knew his proper name…I Was on a report card for misbehaving…and was reporting to her with a negative comment from a teacher…she threw it at me and said wait there I’ll deal with you in a minute…out stretched the doors to the woodwork corridor…Paul was bent over waiting and he laughed and said to jazz…f**kin hell jazz shes taking a runner…she went to the top of the stairs and practically ran back to cane him…  …my knees were knocking…dreading knowing that it was me after them’

Paul: – ‘She had a swing like seve balasteros when she was caning you ha ha.’

Stephen (B):- ‘She scared me to had the cane of her god it hurt more than getting the cane of Mr Brown’

Mark: – ‘I can rambert being outside miss pickels office getting the cain when Mrs Martin was called to take over are faces soon changed’

John (D): – ‘I was on several occasions sent to Mrs Martin (To be beaten with a Stick haha) One occasion in particular sticks in my memory.
She first grabbed my hair and attempted to put a Hatch in her office door using my head.
And when that failed she took me into the corridor, made me bend over and then walked the full length of the corridor, so she could take a run up with the Cane.
I swear I can still remember the sound of her heels on the floor and the Swoosh.of her Gown as she Descended on my Arse with a length of Bamboo.
The funny thing was that Your arse would look like it had been hit by a truck, but you would never tell your parents because they would beat you up as well haha’

Unlike some others John (D) holds no resentment, as he further quotes:

‘If I seen her today, I would just say Hello, she caned me, on many occasions but it’s all a bit Jeremy Kyle and a bit vitriolic the way some go on. It was the time we lived in and are the children today any more respectful now that they are treated with respect. I think not. I hope Old Dylis lives to be a Hundred and is as happy as a lark. She,s not exactly a War Criminal. Although my Arse thought she was at the time haha’

These are mostly taken from the school facebook group, which unfortunately you’d need to join to access.

What adds a bit more interest to Mrs Dilys Martin is that unlike a lot of her contemporaries she appeared to be a physically attractive lady with one former pupil named Hazel stating:

‘miss martins nick name was Christine keeler as she was the image and wore the same clothes’

From the low quality images I’ve seen, I must say I can see a resemblance.

In reference to finding your ultimate prize, I’ve not found it as yet.  The closest I have encountered so far is a single case at Calversyke Middle School in Keighley where a male teacher allowed a female pupil to hit a male pupil with a trainer.  I’ll investigate this more thoroughly when I cover the Yorkshire region.  Lots of regions still to cover.  If such a prize exists, I think there’s a decent chance it will be found.  It is also interesting what perhaps sparks our interest.  I think mind is because the one and only time I could have seen a girl receive CP from a male teacher I was too scared/shy/embarrassed/uncomfortable to watch.

Finally, I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again.  I know I came very late to this group.  Consequently, I’ve missed out on a lot of discussions and debates.  Twenty or so years ago I did briefly join a more fetish based group (Britishspanking?).  However, it wasn’t my thing.  Perhaps, if I’d signed up here back then I might not have stuck around.  I do though wonder what the avid deniers from back then responses would be in light of the overwhelming evidence from facebook.