New Mayor reflects on the lessons learned over his
Tuesday, June 17, 2014 www.lep.co.uk
31
LANCASHIRE EVENING POST
YOUR SCHOOL CLASS
To order photos ring Debbie on 01772 838026
Graham Walton, Mayor of South Ribble. Captain of the Preston School boys football team. Pictured back row, to the right of the goalkeeper in the coloured top (1959). Above right, Graham in 1961 when he won the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Welterweight boxing championship for the Sea Cadets at the Royal Albert Hall. Graham Walton playing for PNE youth team in 61/62, pictured back row, second left
New Mayor reflects on the lessons learned over his sporting life By Eva Grey, [email protected]
For Graham Walton, Preston is still a town. The newly appointed South Ribble mayor and former councillor remembers the days of his childhood – before Preston gained its city status and “lost a bit of its identity”. The family home which accommodated Coun Walton, his three older sisters and brother, was built from their father’s lifelong passion and commitment to stonemasonry – the mention of which makes his voice resound with pride. Soon after leaving primary school on Blackpool Road at the age of 13, he discovered his passion for football. As a head boy of the Harris Technical College, he quickly added the title of Football Captain of the Preston Schoolboys team to his name. The importance of this might escape the modern Prestonian; however back then, Harris Technical College was the only secondary school in Preston.
Nowadays, the college stands only in the memory of its former students since in 1992 the institution was incorporated into the University of Central Lancashire. “Preston changed suddenly when it became a student town”, Coun Walton says.” “That was when it lost a bit of its identity. “To me, Preston is still a town, even though it now has the status of a city.” Off the football field, the “small-town” college boys took great pride in their grey flannelled pants and smart blue blazers over a striped “regimental-type” tie underneath. “We all loved wearing our college uniform because we thought it was very smart. “We were also wearing a blue cap, even though we were so young,” Coun Walton remembers. “The teachers I had were very interesting, although stern. “Our algebra teacher was the navigator of a de Havilland Mosquito fighter jet in the Second World War. “I also remember my maths teacher – he was the ‘old teacher’ type. “He used to creep up behind us and slap us over the
head whenever we misbehaved. “I got that a lot, me and Tom Jones, an old friend of mine from those days.” As a junior footballer for Preston North End, no one could stand in his way. “I remember playing football against a guy called Bannister, who was about 6ft tall, and even though I must’ve been only 5ft 5, we had tremendous battles against eachother.” These inter-school battles would take place at the Penwortham Schools Ground stadium for six years, from when he was 14 until he turned 20. He remembers the fantastic atmosphere filling the air every match. “We used to meet and compete against eachother with such passion and drive. “These matches were like mini Olympics. “The sense of competition and sportsmanship was incredible. “Many friendships between schools were born on that field.” The discipline learned on the field served as a life-long lesson which Coun.Walton cherishes:
Coun Graham Walton with his wife Karen
“Those days gave me the confidence to do my best. “I found that in those days, it was taken for granted that
everyone was friendly and helped eachother to the best of their abillities. “That atmosphere instilled
in me a basis of respect and confidence. The discipline we had in those days is portrayed in my life and work today.”
31
LANCASHIRE EVENING POST
YOUR SCHOOL CLASS
To order photos ring Debbie on 01772 838026
Graham Walton, Mayor of South Ribble. Captain of the Preston School boys football team. Pictured back row, to the right of the goalkeeper in the coloured top (1959). Above right, Graham in 1961 when he won the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Welterweight boxing championship for the Sea Cadets at the Royal Albert Hall. Graham Walton playing for PNE youth team in 61/62, pictured back row, second left
New Mayor reflects on the lessons learned over his sporting life By Eva Grey, [email protected]
For Graham Walton, Preston is still a town. The newly appointed South Ribble mayor and former councillor remembers the days of his childhood – before Preston gained its city status and “lost a bit of its identity”. The family home which accommodated Coun Walton, his three older sisters and brother, was built from their father’s lifelong passion and commitment to stonemasonry – the mention of which makes his voice resound with pride. Soon after leaving primary school on Blackpool Road at the age of 13, he discovered his passion for football. As a head boy of the Harris Technical College, he quickly added the title of Football Captain of the Preston Schoolboys team to his name. The importance of this might escape the modern Prestonian; however back then, Harris Technical College was the only secondary school in Preston.
Nowadays, the college stands only in the memory of its former students since in 1992 the institution was incorporated into the University of Central Lancashire. “Preston changed suddenly when it became a student town”, Coun Walton says.” “That was when it lost a bit of its identity. “To me, Preston is still a town, even though it now has the status of a city.” Off the football field, the “small-town” college boys took great pride in their grey flannelled pants and smart blue blazers over a striped “regimental-type” tie underneath. “We all loved wearing our college uniform because we thought it was very smart. “We were also wearing a blue cap, even though we were so young,” Coun Walton remembers. “The teachers I had were very interesting, although stern. “Our algebra teacher was the navigator of a de Havilland Mosquito fighter jet in the Second World War. “I also remember my maths teacher – he was the ‘old teacher’ type. “He used to creep up behind us and slap us over the
head whenever we misbehaved. “I got that a lot, me and Tom Jones, an old friend of mine from those days.” As a junior footballer for Preston North End, no one could stand in his way. “I remember playing football against a guy called Bannister, who was about 6ft tall, and even though I must’ve been only 5ft 5, we had tremendous battles against eachother.” These inter-school battles would take place at the Penwortham Schools Ground stadium for six years, from when he was 14 until he turned 20. He remembers the fantastic atmosphere filling the air every match. “We used to meet and compete against eachother with such passion and drive. “These matches were like mini Olympics. “The sense of competition and sportsmanship was incredible. “Many friendships between schools were born on that field.” The discipline learned on the field served as a life-long lesson which Coun.Walton cherishes:
Coun Graham Walton with his wife Karen
“Those days gave me the confidence to do my best. “I found that in those days, it was taken for granted that
everyone was friendly and helped eachother to the best of their abillities. “That atmosphere instilled
in me a basis of respect and confidence. The discipline we had in those days is portrayed in my life and work today.”
