S6 History pupils Jill Kelly and Katie Dillon visited Auschwitz concentration camp in October as part of the ‘Lessons from Auschwitz Project’. This project aims to educate young people about the events of the Holocaust and consider lessons for today. Jill and Katie will share their experience with the whole school during Assemblies.
Here is Katie’s account of the girls’ experience at Auschwitz:
“On the 7th of October Jill Kelly and I were given the opportunity to go to Poland in order to visit Auschwitz. We had only a day to appreciate our surroundings but what we did see was truly harrowing. The conditions and constant fear of death the prisoners had to endure was absolutely horrifying and still plagues the atmosphere to this day.
One of the aspects that Jill and I, along with most others on the tour, found most upsetting was in the museum where we witnessed the vast amounts of personal belongings and even the hair of the victims. It demonstrated the sheer scale of the masses affected by this tragedy.
The experience was very upsetting but I’m glad that I had the opportunity to see this as it has forced me to reflect on the true horror of the Holocaust and has truly moved me.”

On Christmas Day 1914, for a short period of time, the guns on parts of the Western Front fell silent. Elsewhere the war raged on and the casualties continued to mount. This week in Stephen’s High School we have taken some time to remember the events of that day, and to pay our respect to the men, and boys, who fought and died in the ‘war to end all wars’.
In particular we have chosen to remember John Bellringer, a young man from Port Glasgow. John was born in 1892 and lived in Glen Avenue, Ballochmyle Place, Port Glasgow and also in Clovelly Cottage, Clune Brae. He was the youngest of 6 children and the son of Edward and Jane Bellringer. At the age of 20 John was an apprentice draughtsman and also a keen footballer. He was signed to Ayr United Football Club, and made 1 appearance. The Club state that ‘Bellringer’s fate was to make the supreme sacrifice without becoming a club luminary.’

In 1912, John joined the Territorial Forces. His medical report shows that John was 5ft 7 inches tall and of good physical development. He was assigned service number 1326 and began his career with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. When war broke out John was quickly promoted to the position of Corporal.
Corporal John Bellringer 1326, 1st/5th Bn., Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, died on 12th July 1915 aged 23. He died in the battle of Achi Baba Nullah, which was fought on 12-13 July 1915. John’s body was never found and no personal effects were returned to his family. John is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey.
We have chosen to remember Corporal John Bellringer as he came from Port Glasgow, he was a footballer and he died on 12th July 1915, a day when so many soldiers from this area lost their lives.
We gratefully acknowledge the work of Vincent Gillen at the McLean Museum in Greenock, Sue Thomas McNelly and the S3 History Club in helping us to gather this information.

The History Department

Have a look at these press cuttings relating to Inverclyde, football and WWI. Thanks to Vincent Gillen at McLean Museum in Greenock for these!

Inverclyde, Football and WWI

The history lunchtime club have identified a local footballer (John Bellringer) who fought in WW1. They are investigating his life as part of their entry into the national ‘Find a Footballer’ poster competition, which is part of the broader #FootballRemembers2014 campaign.
The group is also producing a display of newspaper clips relating to Inverclyde, football and WWI, which can be seen outside the Social Subjects base.
LRC: G Holborn has informed us that there will be a display relating to WWI in the LRC during the week of the school commemorations (w.b. 8/12), which will include some of the literature of WWI and historical accounts of the war.
A reminder of other departments’ involvement:
• RE: Pope Benedict XV had a “Truce of God”. Pupils will learn how he saw it as an ideal opportunity to hasten the end of the war allowing all sides time to consider the ethical and moral actions of world conflict.
• PE: S3 Football tournament will take place on 9th December. Pupils who are not participating in the tournament will watch films relating to the truce and to sportsmen’s involvement in WWI more generally.
• Modern Languages: Translations of accounts of the Christmas Truce, and role play conversations between soldiers.
• English: The Christmas Truce, written by Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy
• Computing Studies: Moviemaker task commemorating the Christmas Truce.
We would like to thank the various departments for supporting this project, and if anyone else would like to be involved we would be delighted to hear from you.

Hi! Welcome to the History Department’s new blog. We’ll be using this to keep you updated on the Christmas Truce project that is taking place around the school, as well as all other history-related matters.