Headmistress of TVs Grange Hill

[STEVIEBOY1]

I just heard that Gwyneth Powell, who played the Headmistress in TVs Grange Hill has passed away. I enjoyed her era of Grange Hill. It was rather controversial at the time, as it portrayed School life quite realistically, some schools and parents were rather concerned l seem to remember. It did introduce subjects such as Bullying I think and the drug culture. It had a good theme tune then too.

 

[yorksrob]

Yes, I remember Imelda the bully "boo".

Sad to see Mrs McClusky has passed away !

 

[DarloRich]

a part of childhood tv gone

 

[Cowley]

My Aunty Eileen shared a flat with Lucinda Gane who played the character of Mrs Mooney in Grange Hill.
I know it’s a bit unrelated but you don’t get to share information like that very often...

RIP Gwyneth Powell. You were excellent in that role.

 

[Ashley Hill]

I always remember Mrs McClusky for this scene. It’s always stuck with me and I was surprised to find it on YouTube.

Miss Mooney,didn’t she have a thing for Mr Sutcliffe? This could turn into a GH thread if we’re not careful .

 

[Cowley]

I always remember Mrs McClusky for this scene. It’s always stuck with me and I was surprised to find it on YouTube.

Miss Mooney,didn’t she have a thing for Mr Sutcliffe? This could turn into a GH thread if we’re not careful .

Wow. Fairly stunned by that although I do remember it now actually.

 

[Springs Branch]

Scanning this thread, at first I thought "I was just a bit too old for the Grange Hill era. I never watched it".

Then I realised those names Mrs McClusky and Mr Sutcliffe had a very familiar ring. I don't know why. My younger brother was a bit of a fan of the programme, so maybe I absorbed some subliminal messages when he watched it. Strange.

 

[C J Snarzell]

Very sad and such a shame Gywneth's death has been over shadowed by the death of that other great lady on the same day.

She was one of those actors who I always though looked much older than she was. I watched an old clip of a Blue Peter interview she gave in 1991 when she left GH and Gwyneth looked like she was in her late 50s, but she was only actually 44 at the time.

Even though it was very much a children's series, the character of Bridget McCluskey did delve into the politics of teaching and the struggles of running an inner city school with lack of funding and governor's having their two penn'ith at every available opportunity.

I also thought her interactions with the other teachers away from the classroom, gave the series that bit more of an edge and at times made GH more of a grown up programme.

Gwyneth was actually only interviewed recently on the Sausage on a Fork podcast and she seemed quite well and full of life, which is a shame if she has died very suddenly.

RIP

 

[yorksrob]

For me, Mrs McClusky's character was one of the two most memorable of the programme, along with Mr Bronson, played by Michael Sheard.

An excellent programme, and by far the best thing on children's telly for all my childhood years.

Gwyneth Powell's portrayal of Mrs McClusky clearly had a long lasting impact because it was reprised in the sci-fi drama series Ashes to Ashes, and was referenced in an ITV sitcom in the 90's (set in a TV production company).

 

[McRhu]

She was a very familiar face on TV at one time. I'm sure I remember her in a series (that no one else remembers) called The Guardians.

 

[C J Snarzell]

For me, Mrs McClusky's character was one of the two most memorable of the programme, along with Mr Bronson, played by Michael Sheard.

Michael Sheard as Bronson has to be the most memorable teacher from the series. He was like Hitler.

CJ

 

[yorksrob]

Michael Sheard as Bronson has to be the most memorable teacher from the series. He was like Hitler.

CJ

Factoid alert - I believe he played Hitler in Indiana Jones and the Holy Grail !

Correction - it was Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade !

 

[theblackwatch]

I was sorry to read this, enjoyed Grange Hill during my youth and it had some great characters. It is a shame that recent events have resulted in news like this, which would have received a 'one liner' or short news piece, being forgotten about.

As others have said, Grange Hill was quite controversial at the time, but I think it was great, highlighting issues which youngsters face in a programme that they enjoyed watching. Checking Wikipedia, I see Phil Redmond (who devised Grange Hill) was awarded a CBE in 2004 and Knighted in 2020 - deservedly so in my opinion.

RIP Mrs McCluskey.