MEMORIES OF JOINTS WILL LIVE ON AFTER DEMOLITION OF BRIGG SCHOOL BUILDINGS

The proposed removal of Brigg school buildings will not erase vivid memories held by hundreds of pupils who used them since the 1950s. Some of these memories relate to joints... of the woodworking kind, we hasten to add!
North Lincolnshire Council has still to decide an application seeking planning permission for partial refurbishment of a block at Sir John Nelthorpe Upper School, off Grammar School Road, to form a new technology suite, including the removal of an existing bay window and the provision of a new service access ramp, external doorway & condenser unit, plus demolition of Block F nearby.
Originally intended to provide temporary post-war teaching accommodation at Brigg Grammar School, what is now defined as Block F passed to the Sir John Nelthorpe comprehensive when it was created in 1976, and then continued to gave valuable service into the new millennium.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, this block housed the grammar school's music and biology rooms and the woodwork & technical drawing workshop.
Many ex-BGS pupils will have happy (?) memories of being instructed by woodwork master 'Woody' Watts in the tricky art of creating mortice/mortise & tenon and dovetail joints. This room always had a sickly-sweet smell of home-made glue simmering in pots on its side benches.
The sound of classical music often filled the block as pupils who enjoyed modern pop music were told to listen to, and then interpret, music written by famous classical composers. Roll Over, Beethoven?
The biology room, closest to the school playing field, had resident locusts (suitably caged).
Our archive picture (seen above) was taken in the early or mid-1950s - not long after this block had been erected.
Block F clearly has no architectural merit, although it is close to two well-known buildings which have - the original 17th century schoolroom (adjacent to Grammar School Road) and the Victorian boarding house (overlooking the school field) which has since been re-purposed to offer additional classrooms and to provide support functions.
The council indicates that the plans have been amended since first submitted in January. This explains the time being taken to rule on the application.
Brigg Town Council informed North Lincolnshire planners on April 4 that it had objections to the amendments.
They relate to Block A (the technology suite) including its 'floor plan' and the ramp.

The application has been submitted by a Scunthorpe-based officer of North Lincolnshire Council, our local education authority.