Figure 1.--This is part of the 1954 Cowbridge Grammar school portrait. The boys wear the same style uniform as the school uniform commonly worn in England during the 1950s. As was common at the time, the junior boys wear short trousers. |
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Cowbridge Grammar School is one of the best known grammar schools in Wales and a good example of a country grammar school. We have included the school on our English list as we do not have a section on Welsh education yet. As far as we can tll, there is little difference between Wales and England in trms of educaion, although we would be interested in hearing from our Welsh readers on this issue. Cowbridge Grammar has a considrable history. We know that it was functioning as early as 1608. In 1860 it was functioning as both a day and boarding school. One of its more famous students was the actor Anthony Hopkins, although he was not a very successful scholar while at the school. A master published a memoir based on his experiences in a boarding house at Cowbridge at the same time Anthony was at the school.
Cowbridge Grammar School is one of the best known grammar schools in Wales and a good example of a country grammar school. Cowbridge Grammar has a considrable history. We know that it was functioning as early as 1608. In 1860 it was functioning as both a day and boarding school.
We have included Cowbridge Grammar on our English list as we do not have a section on Welsh education yet. As far as we can tll, there is little difference between Wales and Ehgland in trms of educaion, although we would be interested in hearing from our Welsh readers on this issue.
We have few details about schoolear or uniforms during the schools long history. We do have information on the school uniform during the 1950s. It appear to have been the same as the school uniform commonly worn in England during the 1950s. Presumably there was a required cap, although the boys do not wear it for the class portrait in 1954. The boys wear a blazer although I do not see a badge on the vreast pocket. I'm not sure about the color. The junior boys, as was common at the time, wear grey short trousers with turn-over-top kneesocks. The grey kneesocs have a colored top cuff, presumably in the same color as the blazer. A few boys wear plain grey kneesocks or even patterned top kneesocks rather than the regulation school kneesocks.
One of Cowbridge Grammar's more famous students was the actor Anthony Hopkins, although he was not a very successful scholar while at the school. The British actor Anthony Hopkins was raised in Walses. I watched a Bravo (US cable netwok) TV profile on Hopkins. Seems he hated school. But what surprised me was that the video about his school days was stock footage on schools with boys wearing smocks. Obiously French images having nothing to do with Wales and schools in Wales. Strange that they would show repeated images of french schools while the naration and comments from Hopkins himself explained how abusive his schools were and how much he hated school.
A master published a memoir based on his experiences in a boarding house at Cowbridge at the same time Anthony was at the school.
Related Chronolgy Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[The 1880s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1950s]
[The 1960s]
[The 1970s]
[The 1980s]
