Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
Gateshead Higher Grade School attended by Arthur Holmes
and Bob Lawson.
which was neatly, but perhaps unfortunately, rendered down to
'Toil no soil'.
Tragically Mr Bidgood died aged fifty-one, the year that
Arthur passed his School Certificate, but he was replaced by Mr
Walton, under whose headship musical education was greatly
advanced. This too benefited Arthur, for as well as being aca-
demically outstanding he was an exceptionally talented pianist
and frequently accompanied the school's Operatic Society in
their famed performances of Gilbert and Sullivan.
Arthur's best friend was Bob Lawson, who lived at 19 Abbey
Street, also in Gateshead. Unusually for those times, both boys
were only children so they became to each other the brothers
they had never had, inseparable companions both at school and
at home. Arthur was just three months older than Bob so they
entered the sixth form together and it was here that they fell
under the spell of an inspirational physics teacher, Mr James
McIntosh. What was so exceptional about Mr McIntosh was that
not only did he manage to instil in the boys a desire to study
