Skip to main content
Home

Information for:

  • Alumni
  • Applicants
  • Current Students
  • Staff
  • Parents
  • Job Vacancies
  • Covid-19
  • Cymraeg
My country:

Main Menu

    • Study Options
      • Study Home
      • Why Study at Bangor?
      • Undergraduate Study
      • Postgraduate Taught Study
      • Postgraduate Research
      • Part-time Courses
      • January Start Courses
      • Degree Apprenticeships
      • Study Abroad
      • Work Experience
    • Study Advice
      • Apply
      • Already Applied?
      • Fees and Finances
      • Scholarships and Bursaries
      • Get Ready for University
    • Explore Bangor
      • Open Days and Visits
      • Virtual Student Experience

    Find a Course

    Order a Prospectus

    • Student Life
      • Student Life Home
      • Bangor and the Area
      • Social Life and Entertainment
      • Accommodation
      • Clubs and Societies
      • Sport
      • Virtual Student Experience
    • Your Experience at Bangor
      • Student Support
      • Skills and Employability
      • Study or Work Abroad
      • Fees and Finances

    Student Profiles

    Student Videos and Vlogs

    • Choose Bangor
      • International Home
      • Why Bangor?
      • Location
      • Accommodation
      • Student Support
      • Contact Us
    • Apply
      • Entry Requirements
      • Tuition Fees and Scholarships
      • How to Apply
      • Already Applied
      • Study Abroad
      • Exchanges

    Country Specific Information

    Join us on a Virtual Open Day

    Bangor University International College

    Covid-19 Information

    • Research
      • Research Home
      • About Our Research
      • Research in our Academic Schools
      • Research Institutes and Centres
      • Research Portal
      • Research, Innovation and Impact Office (RIIO)
      • Energy
      • Research News
    • Postgraduate Research Opportunities
      • Postgraduate Research
      • Doctoral School
    • Events and Training Opportunities
      • Researcher Development
    • The University
      • About Us
      • Our Mission
      • Strategy 2030
      • Annual Review
      • Our Location
      • Academic Schools and Colleges
      • Services and Facilities
      • Vice Chancellor’s Office
      • Working with Business
      • Working with the Community
      • Sustainability
      • Health and Wellbeing
      • Contact Us
    • Working for Us
      • Job Vacancies
    • University Management and Governance
      • Policies and Procedures
      • Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement
      • Management and Governance
    • University and the Community
      • Pontio
      • Sports Facilities
      • Conference Facilities
      • Places to Eat and Drink
      • Public Events
      • Widening Access
      • Services to Schools
    • Business Services
      • Business Services Home
    • Collaboration Hub
      • Collaboration Hub
      • Funding for Collaborative Research and Development (R&D) & Innovation
      • Business Facilities and Networks
      • Consultancy, Specialist Expertise and Knowledge
      • Commercialisation and Intellectual Property (IP)
      • Student Placements and Internships in Business & Enterprise
      • Training and Continuing Professional Development
      • Degree Apprenticeships
    • Conferencing and Business Dining
      • Conferencing Facilities
      • Business Dining
    • Contacts
      • Research, Innovation and Impact Office (RIIO)
      • Get In Touch
    • News
      • Current News
      • Research News
      • Student News
    • Events
      • Events

    • Study Options
      • Study Home
      • Why Study at Bangor?
      • Undergraduate Study
      • Postgraduate Taught Study
      • Postgraduate Research
      • Part-time Courses
      • January Start Courses
      • Degree Apprenticeships
      • Study Abroad
      • Work Experience
    • Study Advice
      • Apply
      • Already Applied?
      • Fees and Finances
      • Scholarships and Bursaries
      • Get Ready for University
    • Explore Bangor
      • Virtual Open Days and Visits
      • Virtual Student Experience

    Find a Course

    Order a Prospectus

    • Student Life
      • Student Life Home
      • Bangor and the Area
      • Social Life and Entertainment
      • Accommodation
      • Clubs and Societies
      • Sport
      • Virtual Student Experience
    • Your Experience at Bangor
      • Student Support
      • Skills and Employability
      • Study or Work Abroad
      • Fees and Finances

    Student Profiles

    Student Videos and Vlogs

    • Choose Bangor
      • International Home
      • Why Bangor?
      • Location
      • Student Support
      • Contact Us
    • Apply
      • Entry Requirements
      • Tuition Fees and Scholarships
      • How to Apply
      • Already Applied
      • Study Abroad
      • Exchanges

    Country Specific Information

    Join us on a Virtual Open Day

    Bangor University International College

    Covid-19 Information

    • Research
      • Research Home
      • About Our Research
      • Research in our Academic Schools
      • Research Institutes and Centres
      • Research Portal
      • Research, Innovation and Impact Office (RIIO)
      • Energy
      • Research News
    • Postgraduate Research Opportunities
      • Postgraduate Research
      • Doctoral School
    • Events and Training Opportunities
      • Researcher Development
    • The University
      • About Us
      • Our Mission
      • Strategy 2030
      • Annual Review
      • Our Location
      • Academic Schools and Colleges
      • Services and Facilities
      • Vice Chancellor’s Office
      • Working with Business
      • Working with the Community
      • Sustainability
      • Health and Wellbeing
      • Contact Us
    • Working for Us
      • Job Vacancies
    • University Management and Governance
      • Policies and Procedures
      • Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement
      • Management and Governance
    • University and the Community
      • Pontio
      • Sports Facilities
      • Conference Facilities
      • Places to Eat and Drink
      • Public Events
      • Widening Access
      • Services to Schools
    • Business Services
      • Business Services Home
    • Collaboration Hub
      • Collaboration Hub
      • Funding for Collaborative Research and Development (R&D) & Innovation
      • Business Facilities and Networks
      • Consultancy, Specialist Expertise and Knowledge
      • Commercialisation and Intellectual Property (IP)
      • Student Placements and Internships in Business & Enterprise
      • Training and Continuing Professional Development
      • Degree Apprenticeships
    • Conferencing and Business Dining
      • Conferencing Facilities
      • Business Dining
    • Contacts
      • Research, Innovation and Impact Office (RIIO)
      • Get In Touch
    • News
      • Current News
      • Research News
      • Student News
    • Events
      • Events

Information for:

  • Alumni
  • Applicants
  • Current Students
  • Staff
  • Parents
  • Job Vacancies
  • Covid-19
My country:

Search

Close

Breadcrumb

  • Cymraeg

Share this page:
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

60 years on, students revisit St Mary’s

The friends gather for a group photo in Acapella: See end of article for names.The friends gather for a group photo in Acapela: See end of article for names.

Thirteen former students visited the newly renovated St Mary’s residential village recently. As well as a well-enjoyed trip down memory lane, they were delighted by the way the site had recently been developed by the University.

The friend group were all former students of St Mary’s College a Teacher Training College which later became part of Bangor University.

The group meet annually, and this year, decided to visit Bangor to mark 60 years since they first stayed at St Mary’s.

The group were welcomed on site by Ken Griffith, Head of Residence and Deirdre McIntyre Residential Life Manager, and had a brief introduction at Acapela, the former chapel, now used to host formal and informal events and film screening, before enjoying a brief tour of the site

Boy did they have some memories to share!

Arriving only 12 years after the end of the Second World War, the students had very different expectations from today’s students, and lived by a whole different set of rules.

The ladies spoke of having a curfew of 10.30 each night- when the University’ Hops’ didn’t get going until far later! They recalled having a special showing of Gone with the Wind on a Wednesday afternoon at the local cinema as, being an epic film, the running time had exceeded the 10.30 curfew!

Week-ends included having hot cocoa and an iced bun provided as a treat each Saturday evening at 9, but having to enjoy or endure a compulsory singing session during their ‘free’ Saturday morning!

The ‘girls’ as they refer to each other, shared stories of minor rule infringement to meet boyfriends or to attend out of bounds dance-halls, for example at ‘Jimmy’s’ Hops on Tuesdays & Thursday night, held in a wooden hut on Glanrafon Hill.  Sixpence gained entry to the well-attended, but strictly out of bounds dance night!

As well as living by far stricter rules and regulations, the accommodation was more basic than today. The group recalled what were called the ‘horse-boxes’, one large room sub-divided by tall wooden partitions to create around eight smaller bed-rooms. Some students lived in ‘digs’ with local families, but still had to make it up the hill for breakfast at 8.00. On a Sunday, there were eggs for breakfast, but not to be enjoyed until the College Principal had taken Communion and said a Latin prayer before the meal. The highlight of the rest of Sunday would be a walk to the pier, as everything else was closed!

 The group enjoy a guided tour around the newly re-designed site, which retains some familiar buildings and names. The group enjoy a guided tour around the newly re-designed site, which retains some familiar buildings and names.On visiting the new Barlows, Dilys Knott, (nee Jones) commented: “I have very happy memories, you can picture everything as it was and yet everything’s changed, but it’s been beautifully done.”

Barbara Davies said: “I loved it every minute of it,   We had lectures all day every day and on Saturday morning, I was so happy here- our backgrounds were strict, we were war babies really.”

Anne Jones (Browning) said:

“We were leaving home  for a semi-protected environment, but we thought we had such freedom- I remember buying trousers or ‘trews’, and being told I couldn’t wear them out when I got home.”

One of their midst, Denise Shorthall (Wilson) was three year older and arrived, having been working for five years and living on a salary and so could afford a few hobbies.  She was a pioneering young female climber, and  it was recalled that  she arrived in Bangor on a scooter, carrying skis and with a climbing rope around her body!

Denise formed the first Climbing Club for women at St Mary’s, joining with the University Climbing and Mountaineering Club.

Alice Williams (now Milner), another member of the Climbing Club (reunion arranger) explained that to go climbing necessitated catching the 8am bus to Bethesda and waking up the valley to the mountains and back on top of the days’ climb, carrying far heavier equipment and ropes, before, if they were lucky, catching the bus back to Bangor!

Similarly to many of Bangor University’s current students, Denise chose to study at Bangor because it also gave her access to the mountains and opportunities to follow the sports that she loved.

In the top image are:

back row lefr-right: Carol Pullen, (now Salmon) Nona Carter, (now Grimshaw) Chris Rees (now Worthington), Margaret Lupton, Anne Browning (Nee Jones), Larry Roberts ( now Shaw) Annis Williams (now Milner), Pat Harries.

Front row left-right: Dilys Knott (Jones) Winifred Thomas (Henderson, Pam Lewis (Roberts)  Denise Shorthall (Wilson);  Barbara Quornby (Davies).

Publication date: 19 October 2017

Home

  • News
    • Latest News
    • News Archive
    • Events
Home

Follow Us

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn

Bangor University

Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2DG, UK

+44 (0)1248 351151

Contact Us

Visit Us

Maps & Directions

Policy

  • Legal Compliance
  • Modern Slavery Act 2015 Statement
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy and Cookies
  • Welsh Language Policy
Map

Bangor University is a Registered Charity: No. 1141565

© 2020 Bangor University