OPEN AIR SCHOOL

[woodsman]

Just chatting to my sister and she was talking about it. It was situatied between the top of Dentons green and the Cemetery on the right hand side.  She went there in the 50s.  When you think how bad the pollution was in those days it is understandable why it was needed.

[kizzy]

I had a brother and a cousin who attended that school. My cousin went in the 50s because she had polio and spent a lot of time in hospital. My brother went much later due to having repeated bouts of pneumonia and again missed schooling. Both of them said they enjoyed their time there

[Bert]

I remember that school but can't add any information.

Back in the 50's most people had a cough. Smoking didn't help. Was there a hospital, sanitorium near Rhyll? I remember getting permission to leave Morley's North Wales camp to visit a friend's little sister there.

[woodsman]

My sister is now in her 80s so it must have done her some good.  Yes she was chuckling at the recollection so it must have been ok.

I know very little about the Rhyl area Bert, Blackpool was always our destination of choice lol.

[Simo]

I knew of the Open Air School and that my neighbour a Derek Hart went there in the 50's 

---

added 4 minutes later

Woodsman, Carl Sims here, you seem to have known me and my family including pets, very well.  Will you let me put a face to Woodsman or will you continue to hide 🤔

[Olliebeak]

My Dad and his younger brother BOTH went to The Open Air School.  Dad always suffered with severe Bronchitis as a child - same with his brother.

Didn't stop Dad from becoming a fairly 'heavy smoker' as he got into his teens.  Most of his National Service Photos show him with a cig in his hand OR in his mouth!

Strangely enough, his brother NEVER smoked at all.  He became a bit of a 'Health Nut' and did lots of cycling around Derbyshire and 'Trough of Bowland'.  He and his girlfriend would set off with the bikes on the roof of his car, go cycling all over the place and then back home in the car.  They also used to go to The Isle of Man for the 'Road Cycling TT Races' .

 

photo of Open Air School, Rainford Road.

[singe]

I'm pretty certain that Windleshaw Primary School (aka St Thomas of Canterbury Primary) is now located at the site of the old Open Air School. I went to Windleshaw Primary when it was located across the road from The Gerard Arms.

Edited September 15, 2021 by singe

[HORT]

Singe you are correct about the Open Air School was sited. I went to Windleshaw Primary also.

[Phyll]

I remember it very well, I think I went on an Open Day there once back in the day.

It says here it closed in 2005.

Painting a big smile on sad day for pupils

WWW.STHELENSSTAR.CO.UK

---

IT going to be a bittersweet moment for staff, pupils, parents and friends of a special school when the 'last bell' sounds at the end of this month.

 

[AGL1899]

When I went to Widleshaw in the 1960s, my class told the land for the new school had been bought already, and was next to the Open Air School. The housing estate adjacent to the new St Thomas of Canterbury School is on the site of the Open Air School.

[Roger1]

My Aunt was the head cook at the Open-Air School, when  Mr Message was the Headmaster.  They had 'open-days' for the public.

[HORT]

I remember the public open days and as a pupil at Windleshaw Junior School we were taken to one around 1958.