A couple that slipped through the net.

Birley High (Secondary) – Manchester

Jean -b1957 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1968 to 1972
Hazel – Strap across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1968 to 1973
Lynn – b1960  – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1971 to 1976
Jackie (A) b1960 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1971 to 1976
Gail – b1960 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1976
Nora – b1962 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1973 to 1979
Jackie (B) – b1962 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1973 to 1978
Anne – b1963 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by male teacher (whole class punishment) 1974 to 1979
Shona – b1963 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1974 to 1979

Clarksfield (Secondary) – Oldham

Wendy – b1946 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1957 to 1961
Sue – b1950 – Strap across legs by female teacher – 1961 to 1965
Marilyn – b1950 – Strap across hand by unnamed teacher – 1961 to 1965
Margaret – b1950 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1961 to 1965
Gilly – b1954 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1965 to 1969

Counthill (Secondary) – Oldham

Frances – b1940 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1951 to 1955
Sandra – b1941 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1952 to 1956
Dorothy (A) – b1942 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1963 to 1957
Alison – b1949 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1960 to 1964
Jaqueline – b1954 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1965 to 1969
Michelle – b1955 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1966 to 1971
Denise – b1955 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1966 to 1971
Janet – b1955 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1966 to 1970
Chrissy – b1956 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1967 to 1962
Carol – b1956 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1967 to 1971
Eileen – b1957 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1968 to 1972
Lynn – b1958 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1969 to 1974
Lorraine – b1959 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1970 to 1975
Julie (A) – b1959 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1970 to 1975
Judith (A) – b1960 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1971 to 1976
Julie (B) – b1960 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1971 to 1976
Deb (A) – b1961 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1972 to 1977
Bernadette – b1962 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1973 to 1978
Judith (B) – b1962 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1973 to 1978
Tracy – b1963 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1974 to 1979
Lena – b1964 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1975 to 1980
Julie (C) – b1964 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1975 to 1980
Caroline – b1964 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1975 to 1980
Julie (D) – b1965 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1976 to 1981
Dorothy (B) – b1965 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1976 to 1981
Joanne – b1966 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1977 to 1982
Kazy – b1968 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1979 to 1984
Deb (B) – b1971 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1982 to 1987

Evidently, the Strap was commonly used in Oldham and some other parts of Greater Manchester

I was aware that schools around Manchester used the strap back then. Were boys in the same area strapped in the same way? If so that is much like Scottish schools did.

Hello six of the best,

The Greater Manchester area is absolutely full of information.  Hence, it is taking me such a long time to upload the accounts.  I’ve not analysed all the data as yet, however, there is no doubt that the strap was the main implement of SCP in some schools, particularly in the Oldham area.  It also appears that at some schools the majority of boys were strapped on their bottoms whilst the majority of girls were strapped on their hands.  I’ve even found cases of boys being strapped on their bottoms by female teachers.  I will post this data too upon completion of this region.

This punishment book from the Greenfield Primary School in Oldham, Greater Manchester (published here before I believe, though I cannot recall when or by whom) seems to indicate that at one time the only mandated SCP implement for the West Riding County Council LEA, under which that school fell, was ‘a thin flexible cane’ supplied by the county education authority and wielded by the School Head or by the teacher then in charge of the school, or by a properly authorised assistant teacher with at least three years experience since qualification.  Girls had to be punished by a female teacher, and an exception to caning was made for children in Infants’ Departments, where corporal punishment was meant to be exceptional and only administered with the open hand.

Extracts of punishments from 1974 to 1982 are shown, with the ages of the pupils ranging from 6 to 11, as might be expected for a primary school.  However all the punishments shown are administered ‘with the flat of the hand’  on the child’s bottom apart from one described as a slap on the back of the leg.   If the summary of LEA regs shown as pasted into the punishment book had been operative the older children should only have been punished with the ‘thin flexible cane’ unless ‘Infants’ was interpreted as all primary age children, which would be unusual in a national context.

I suspect that this is either indicative of the fact that LEA regs were honoured more in the breach than in the observance, which was by no means unknown, or that the book went back somewhat earlier than 1974 and that the regulations shown had been superseded by the time of the punishments shown.  I have never understood why newspaper reporters and other media persons do not seize on points like this, but some people like minute detail and some don’t!  

Another_Lurker, I, Researcher,

Thank you both for this information and indeed helping to keep things moving along here.

I have to admit that I know very little of the ways of Greater Manchester school of the the past. Indeed I know very little of the area in general although my work in more recent years saw me me travelling extensively the length and breadth of the UK. The suggestion that the area followed the usual system of across hands for girls and across the bottom for boys. With the punishments usually administered by a teacher of the same sex as youngster being punished. There were, of course, exception and variation to this everywhere. Some senior schools, whether mixed or single sex, only caned or strapped across the hands boys and girls. The tawse in Scotland illustrates this.
Little here over the years has been mentioned of similarities between family discipline and that given in schools. Certainly in the 1950s into 1960s saw many families used some forms of corporal punishment on both boys and girls. I know nothing of it in earlier except the suggestion that it was certainly used and perhaps more so. That said some families never used it. Family discipline was seen as the right and proper way to discipline youngsters back then. Therefore school corporal punishment was seen merely as an extension of this. There were no rules or controls on how parents spanked unless it became physical abuse. Where the line was drawn is incredibly difficult to define. Fortunately the great majority used it sensibly but not all did. I remember some boys mentioning being in trouble at home and having been spanked for it. I personally never told of being disciplined at home. It was sometimes noticeable that some lads coped much better with a firm school caning or slippering. This lead me to believe that it was something they were accustomed to at home. Of course families differed, some disapproved of SCP whereas some gave further punishments at home if they learnt that their youngster had received it in school that day.
All very much of a thing of distant past nowadays, from ‘approved’ to ‘against the law’!

Hello six of the best,

You have carried more than your fair share of recent efforts to keep this estimable Forum alive.  Indeed if you had an avatar (ideally  a naughty one of course ) I suspect that you would be vying with Sir John 2, I, Researcher and I for the leadership of the currently most prolific contributor visual display on the Forum home page.  Alas without an avatar the joys of that little contest are not available.

Despite the Forum’s title domestic corporal punishment of young persons has I think featured here from the early days of the  Forum as have other forms of corporal punishment, including judicial corporal punishment and, in the case of the very sadly missed American Way, still I think our most prolific contributor, though under a variety of user names through no fault of his own,  corporal punishment by mythical entities such as Krampuses, a foible in which I was more than happy to indulge him!  

As with school corporal punishment, domestic corporal punishment comes with accounts from the mundane to the outrageous.  And as with school corporal punishment some of the outrageous accounts are actually true and some of the mundane ones are not.  You pays your money and you takes your choice!

My own personal experience in receipt of domestic CP is non-existent.  I was the well behaved and biddable elder child whose tentative experiences paved the way for the hell raising younger sibling.  As I have mentioned elsewhere in the Forum my mother did purchase a cane (from the local juvenile accessories such as pushchairs shop) in an effort to intimidate the younger sibling.  It was never used and he errm, ‘disposed’ of it at the first opportunity.

It is possible, though by no means certain, that the purchase of the cane might have been influenced by the lady who cleaned for my mother and who was also by way of a family friend.  This lady was very much of the old school.  I don’t know if her two older sons and younger twin daughters were subject to corporal punishment at home, but I’d risk a month’s pension on it.  As again recorded elsewhere here she was quite happy to have it known that one of the twin daughters had been caned at school and to warn me of a similar fate if some behaviour on my part which had displeased her didn’t improve.  I can’t recall her interactions with the hell raising younger sibling, but if she was prepared to advocate the cane for ultra-good little me I’m sure she would have strongly recommended it for him! 

We’re getting there…

Fitton Hill (Secondary) – Oldham

Ann – b1947 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1958 to 1962
Gail (A) b1950 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1961 to 1965
Linda (A) b1950 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female & male teachers – 1961 to 1965
Linda (B) b1951 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1962 to 1966
Linda (C) b1952 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1963 to 1967
Sheila – b1953 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1964 to 1969
Susan (A) – b1953 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1964 to 1968
Linda (D) – b1953 – Strap across hands by female teacher – 1964 to 1969
Janet –  b1953 – Strap across hands by female teacher – 1964 to 1968
Christine – b1953 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1964 to 1969
Sharon – b1954 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1965 to 1969
Barbara –  b1954 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1965 to 1969
Jacqueline (A) – b1957 – Strap across unspecified anatomy & slipper across legs by female teacher – 1968 to 1972
Linda (E)- b1957 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1968 to 1972
Susan (B) – b1957 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1968 to 1972
Diane (A) – b1957 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – (1968 to 1972
Linda (F) – b1959 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1970 to 1972
Debbie – b1959 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1970 to 1973
Susan (B) – b1959 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1970 to 1975
Shirley – b1960 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1971 to 1976
Carol – b1960 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1971 to 1976
Yvonne – b1962 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1975 to 1976
Agnes – b1962 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1973 to 1978
Cheryl – b1962 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1973 to 1978
Cath – b1962 – Hand across legs by female teacher – 1973 to 1978
Julie (A) – b1963 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – (1974 to 1979
Frances – b1963 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1974 to 1979
Katie – b1963 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1974 to 1979
Liz – b1964 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teachers – 1975 to 1980
Jacqueline (B) – b1964 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1975 to 1980
Diane (B) – b1964 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1975 to 1980
Dawn (A) – b1964 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1975 to 1980
Pat – b1964 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1975 to 1980
Lesley – b1964 – Hand across legs & strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher –  1977 to 1980
Elizabeth – b1964 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1975 to 1980
Teresa – b1966 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teachers – 1977 to 1982
Alison – b1966 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1977 to 1982
Karen –  b1966 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1977 to 1982
Sue – b1967 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1978 to 1983
Michelle (A) –  b1967 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1978 to 1983
Selina – b1967 – Hand across legs & – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1978 to 1983
Dawn (B) – b1967 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – (1978 to 1983
Marie – b1967 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1978 to 1983
Lynne – b1968 – Hand across legs by female teacher – 1979 to 1984
Michelle (B) – b1969 – Hand across legs by female teacher – 1980 to 1985
Joanne – b1969 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1980 to 1985
Julie (B) – b1970 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1981 to 1986
Gail (B) – b1970 – Strap across hands by female teachers – 1981 to 1986
Mandy – b1970 – Strap across unspecified anatomy & ruler across legs by female teachers – 1981 to 1986
Georgina – b1970 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1981 to 1986
Julie (C) – b1971 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1982 to 1987
Aisha – b1972 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1983 to 1987

Flixton Girls (Secondary) – Manchester

Patricia – b1949 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1960 to 1964
Janet – b1953 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1964 to 1968
Debbie – b1960 – Slipper across bottom by male teacher – 1971 to 1976

Flowery Field (Secondary) – Hyde

Irene – b1945 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1956 to 1960
Jackie – b1951 -Cane across unspecified anatomy by male teacher (class caning)  – 1963 or 1964
Christine – b1953 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1964 to 1968

George Tomlinson (Secondary) – Bolton

Pamela – b1944 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1955 to 1959
Wendy – b1945 – Slipper across bottom by female teacher – 1956 to 1960
Carol – b1952 – Slipper across bottom by unnamed teacher – 1963 to 1967
Sharon – b1953 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1964 to 1968
Margaret – b1954 – Slipper across bottom by female teacher – 1965 to 1970
Beverley – b1956 – Slipper across bottom by female teacher – 1967 to 1971
Maxine – b1956 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1967 to 1971
Chris – b1958 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1970 to 1974
Susan – b1958 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1969 to 1974
Jackie – b1959 – Slipper across bottom by female teacher – 1970 to 1975
Deborah (A) – b1959 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1970 to 1975
Carole – b1960 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1970 to 1976
Michelle – b1961 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1972 to 1977
Darilyn – b1961 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1972 to 1977
Karen (A) – b1961 – Slipper across bottom by female teacher – 1972 to 1975
Katrina – b1962 – Slipper across bottom by female teacher – 1973 to 1978
Bev – b1963 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1974 to 1979
Deborah (B) -b1964 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1975 to 1980
Geraldine – b1964 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1975 to 1980
Gillian – b1964 – Slipper across bottom by female teacher – 1975 to 1980
Helen – b1964 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1975 to 198
Jane – b1966 – Piece of wood across bottom by male teacher – 1977 to 1982
Julie – b1970 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1982 to 1986
Deb – b1971 – Slipper across hand by female teacher – 1982 To 1987)
Deborah (C) –  b1971 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1982 To 1987
Denise – b1971 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1982 To 1987
Karen (B) – b1971 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1982 to 1987
Marlainy – b1971 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1982 to 1987
Tracy – b1971 – – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1982 to 1987
Elaine – b1971 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1982 to 1987

Gorse Park Girls (Secondary) – Stretford

Carol – b1947 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1958 to 1962
Sue – b1954 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1965 to 1970
Karen -b1962 – Cane across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1974 or 1975

Grange (Secondary) – Oldham

Pat – b1959 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teachers – 1970 to 1975
Susan – b1959 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teachers – 1970 To 1975
Hazel – b1959 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1970 to 1975
Barbara – b1959 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1970 to 1975
Beverley – b1961 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher & hand across legs by female teacher – 1972 to 1977
Karan – b1961 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1972 to 1977
Tina – b1963 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1974 to 1979
Gillian – b1963 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1974 to 1979
Jackie – b1963 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1974 to 1979
Janette – b1963 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1974 to 1979
Diane – b1964 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1975 to 1980
Tracey – b1964 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1975 to 1980
Liz – b1965 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1976 to 1981
Fiona – b1965 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1976 to 1981
Debbie (A) – b1966 – Hand across legs by female teacher – 1977 to 1982
Joanne – b1966 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1977 to 1982
Alison – b1966 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1977 to 1982
Paula – b1966 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1977 to 1982
Catrina – b1967 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teachers – 1978 to 1983
Debbie (B) b1968 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teachers – 1979 to 1984
Joy – b1968 – Strap across hand by female teacher – 1979 to 1984
Annie – b1968 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1979 to 1984
Debbie (C) –  b1970 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1981 To 1985
Bev – b1970 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1981 to 1986
Jackie – b1970 – Strap across hands by female teacher – 1981 to 1986
Maxine – b1971 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by unnamed teacher – 1982 to 1987
Lisa -b1973 – Strap across unspecified anatomy by ]male teacher – 1984 to 1987

Great Moor (Juniors) – Stockport

Pauline – b1958 – History textbook across bottom by unnamed teacher – 1966 To 1969
Shirley – b1958 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by female teacher – 1966 to 1969
Gill – b1962 – Slipper across bottom by female teacher and cane across hand by male teacher- 1969 to 1973
Julie – b1966 – Slipper across bottom by female teacher – 1976
Michelle – b1968 – Slipper across unspecified anatomy by male teacher – 1975 to 1979

However, still lots to come

I Researcher, well done for your continued research, the time and effort you are putting into this is commendable.
I see that 4 girls who attended Heartshead Secondary say they were caned on the bottom by a female teacher. I happened across a post on another Girls’ School Facebook page which I think is highly relevant to your latest post.
It was posted by a girl called Pauline in response to a question about who had received the cane at this other school. Her response was “Never got the cane at W… E.., ended up at Hartshead caned for not bringing my gym kit which id left at W… E.. Mrs Wadsworth gave it me on my ass and she’d lifted my skirt and wack ouchhh”. The grammar is not very good.
I wonder if this was the normal Modus Operandi at Heartshead? I don’t suppose her knickers would have offered her much protection.

Sent from my CPH2145 using Tapatalk

Hello Andrewmoon,

The case you’re referring to is Pauline (A) on my list.  The quote you’ve listed is from the public West End Secondary School Facebook Group.

I’m not sure that caning girls on their bottoms was the Modus Operandi at Hartshead as I’ve found a couple of examples of hand-canings that are contemporary with Pauline’s caning.  However, evidence certainly does suggest that on some occasions girls were punished on their bottoms by both the cane, slipper and hand up to at least the late 1970s.

Furthermore, I have found at least 2 more secondary schools in the Ashton-Under-Lyne area were ladies claim to have been caned on their bottoms as pupils in the 1970s.