Hesketh Fletcher Gym Team

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1135 Comments

Hesketh Fletcher Gym Team
Hesketh Fletcher Gym Team
Year: 1935
Views: 381,779
Item #: 1741
Hesketh Fletcher Gym Team of Atherton, Greater Manchester.
Source: G. Smith.

Comment by: Chris on 8th June 2012 at 13:22

21st Century youths have it easy these days!!!When I was at school we did games etc strip;ped to the waist anf just on with it.Anyone who complained would most likely be made to do press-up outside and stripped to the waist for up to an hour.

Comment by: Colin on 29th May 2012 at 13:12

I think the reason why schools want boys to wear T shirts is the influence of the PC/Health and safety zealots. I am sure that most boys would have no difficuly in being stripped to the waist and even those who initially didn't like it would come round to doing bare-chest PE in the end.

Comment by: Roy on 24th May 2012 at 07:45

I think that Paul and Dave are correct.When I was at school I had no problem about being stripped to the waist for games etc.I don't think other lads worried either and many of us went barefoot as well.

Comment by: Paul on 22nd May 2012 at 07:29

I think Dave is correct as I remember one particular lad who would always be stripped to the waist even when others wore vests.I don't think he even had a vest.

Comment by: Dave on 21st May 2012 at 06:45

I think most boys dont'mind being stripped to the waist even for P.E. They don't wear shirts for swimming lessons. What's the difference? So I can't see why most schools require shirts for P.E. nowadays even as vests are vanishing from P.E. kit lists being replaced by T-shirts.

Comment by: Mike on 20th May 2012 at 07:55

There seems to be some inconsistency.Boys object to being stripped to the waist for PE but many lads seem to have no objection to walking around bare-chested at other times.

Comment by: Alasdair on 15th May 2012 at 15:39

There was more discipline in schools in the fifties and sixties and if you had to do PE stripped to thne waist you just got on with it.

Comment by: Gary. on 10th May 2012 at 07:25

School rules said that you did PE stripped to the waist(and sometimes barefoot as well).If anyone complained more than likely he would receive up to six strokes of the cane while stripped to the waist

Comment by: Richard on 6th May 2012 at 07:50

Why are lads so reticent about being stripped to the waist for P E these days? As others have said in the sixties if you were a boy you stripped to the waist and thought nothing of it.

Comment by: DANNY on 4th May 2012 at 18:37

I too was always stripped to the waist for games and really enjoyed showing off my well-built body to all and sundry.

Comment by: Adam on 3rd May 2012 at 07:57

In the sixties it was normal for boys to be stripped to the waist for P E etc.I was from age five until eighteen and enjoyed the freedom of being bare-chested even in rain fog and snow.

Comment by: Mark S on 2nd May 2012 at 09:17

Like Dan I did cross-country while stripped to the waist and barefoot.This was in a built up area with all the locals staring at our bare chests.By the time I wa in the sixth form I was quite muscular with strong biceps and well developed pectorals.I also has a ginger hairy chest!!!!!!!

Comment by: Mark on 26th April 2012 at 18:41

Agree with Neil and Nigel.I was always stripped to the waist for P E.

Comment by: Nigel on 18th April 2012 at 08:41

Neil is so right.Boys and youths should be stripped to the waist as often as possible - for PE,games, and playing in the street and parks.Being stripped to the waist gives you freedom and a sense of exhilaration and allows you to get a sun tan in the summer!!!!!

Comment by: Neil on 18th April 2012 at 05:38

I started doing PE etc stripped to the waist as soon as I started school right up to when I left.It was perfectly natural and it led me to being stripped to the waist as often as I could later when I was at work.

Comment by: Matty on 17th April 2012 at 18:24

I well remember doing PE stripped to the waist in freezing fog and snow.It was tough but I got on with it.

Comment by: Dan on 17th April 2012 at 09:35

Roy and the Yorkist:-In the fifties and sixties I always did PE stripped to the waist as did all the lads in my class.It never did me any harm and was regarded as perfectly normal.It encouraged me to strip to the waist as often as possible and to this day I go about stripped to the waist as often as I can no matter what the weather

Comment by: Mark J on 17th April 2012 at 09:23

I too was always stripped to the waist for P E in the fifties and sixties and it did me no harm. In fact the experience encouraged me to go shirtless whenever possible and I now regularly walk around stripped to the waist.

Comment by: Roy on 17th April 2012 at 06:35

I'm glad the Yorkist agrees with me.I personally had no problems with being stripped to the waist at all times for P E.

Comment by: The Yorkist on 16th April 2012 at 08:42

Yes I agree.As a boy from the age of 5 until 18 I was always stripped to the waist for PE and from 11 I was barefoot as well and from about 13 it was also compulsory for boys to be stripped to the waist and barefoot for cross-country.For cross-country we would go through built-up areas and quite often we could hear some locals commenting favourably on our bare chests and well-built muscular bodies.

Comment by: Roy on 14th April 2012 at 17:05

It was good to see boys doing gym etc stripped to the waist.That is as it should be even outdoors in rain fog and snow.