The Accringtonians
The website of the Accrington Grammar School Old Boys Association
“Paying something back”
The Accrington Grammar School Old Boys Association exists to keep members in touch with their school pals and aims to ‘pay something back’ by helping to broaden the education of today’s youngsters of senior school age of both sexes.
With a membership close to 600, we welcome old boys and their families to join the Association and share the memories and stories of the school.
We are what we are because of this place and our fading memories should be preserved – that is why we have built this site and the one before, to stand as a lasting record of what the school achieved and to mark the fact that whatever our age now, we were there.
“The reputation of the School spread far beyond the confines of its country and even its continent. I still hear from former pupils in distant parts of the world, men who acknowledge what they owe to the training and inspiration they received at School.”
Bernard Johnson, Headmaster
Old Boys of Note
John Virtue
John Virtue is an artist who specialises in monochrome landscapes. He is honorary Professor of Fine Art at the University of Plymouth, and from 2003 to 2005 was the sixth Associate Artist at London’s National Gallery.
John Wallwork CBE
John Wallwork CBE FRCS FMedSci is a retired cardiothoracic surgeon who performed Europe’s first successful combined heart-lung transplant in 1984, and in 1986 performed the world’s first heart-lung and liver transplant with Sir Roy Calne.
Jim Bowen
James Brown Whittaker, known professionally as Jim Bowen, was an English stand-up comedian, actor and television personality. He was the long-time host of the ITV game show Bullseye.
James Drake CBE
Pioneer of the national motorway network in the United Kingdom. As the county surveyor and bridgemaster of Lancashire County Council from 1945 to 1972 he led teams that designed the first stretch of motorway opened to the public, the Preston By-pass.
Graeme 'Foxy' Fowler
is an English former professional cricketer and cricket coach, who played for Lancashire County Cricket Club, England, and later for Durham. After his playing career he founded the centre of excellence scheme at Durham MCCU based at Durham University in 1996,
Ron Hill MBE
British long distance runner who won gold in the marathon at the 1969 European Championships and the 1970 Commonwealth Games. He broke four world records in various events and ran in 115 marathons.
