Robin Coulthard

Robin emailed in April 2021, with a few memories of his time at Malton County Modern as Rural Studies teacher, 1966 - 1971.

Robin donated a number of photographs of his Malton County Modern days, which are available on the site.

Dear Mr Fearnley,
I offer you my sincere thanks and appreciation for your continuing work with the Maltonians website which I access regularly.

July will mark the fiftieth anniversary of my departure from the County Mod School (and by the same maths the fiftieth anniversary of the birth of its successor) and believe me it now seems so distant there are times when I wonder if my memories are the product of a dream!...........so your website offers a therapeutic and happy reminder that whilst parts of my mind are most certainly fragmenting the Malton memories are real!

It rather saddens me that the County Modern Sch. features so relatively little in your website, I hasten to add that is no criticism of you, at the end of the day you can only work with the material that comes your way, I guess it is in part a product of the fact that  the County Mod School had a very short period of existence compared with the Grammar School or its successor. Anyway I am very pleased I tendered to you those pictures and grateful to you for utilising them for without them the County Modern 'presence' would be rather thin!

I was very grateful for my time at the County Modern. It was a very generously appointed and fitted school run by an excellent Head  (despite his gruff Barnsley exterior!). It proved to be the most enjoyable and satisfying period of my professional life - which given I had another 30 years to go is possibly a sad confession!

I note you have recent references to Phillip Wilford & Andy Leadhill both of whom I recall were very useful soccer players. Also Stephen Flaherty who although he was Grammar Sch lad I got to know quite well. Following the tragic early death of Dave Pay the Grammar Sch was without a PE Master and to give some of their lads a competitive game with fielded a few 'Joint' soccer teams for a period and Stephen figured in those games - a very nice lad. It runs in my mind his Dad was the village P.C. for Amotherby in the days when villages still had a police presence.

I note you have contributions from Tony Kirby. I have very occasional contact with Tony as we both share an interest in the history of railways in the N.E. The County Mod Domestic Science teacher Ruth Duckels (Mrs Ashman?) lodged with Tony's family in Newbiggin. Tony's Dad was Malton's Head posttmaster ........... another post long gone!

The majority of the staff I worked with are now sadly deceased and whilst there must surely be other 'survivors' I sadly have no contact with any of them. Likewise I know nothing of the subsequent careers of the youngsters I taught there. It's a sad fact that unlike most other trades & professions we teachers only occasionally get to see the end product of out labours. In my case given I moved into Special Needs working with a range of adolescent youths with what we might euphemistically call 'behavioural problems' most of the subsequent feed back was negative! There are many pupil names and faces from Malton I recall with warmth and care. In my mind's eye they are still as the last time I saw them disregarding the fact that quite a few will hopefully now be enjoying their own retirement. I wish them well.