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Bordesley Green Grammar Technical School

As a post script to my last message I forgot one of the worst teachers for 'abuse'. He was 'Nunky' Thompson a strange looking man with a high forehead and eyes that seemed to be at odds with each other, he looked more like a mad scientist. His forte was slapping boys across the face!!! Not with one hand but with both as if to clap his hands only your face was in the middle. Bought tears to the eyes I can tell you. He'd do it for the slightest reason like talking in class. Today he would be arrested for ABH.

Perhaps to the non ex-BGTS students who read this, Thompson was allowed to do this to boys on a daily basis, and I dare say several times a day on occasions, truely sums up the mentality of the school from the headmaster down. Make your own mind up.
 
Many thanks for your replies. One of my earliest memories was sitting at the window, watching children going to school. I was just under 5 at the time, and I said to my mother that I would like to go to school. So the next day I started at Whittington Oval. After a day there, I thought I didn't like this school business after all - so I don't think I'll come back.

No one told me I'd entered an 11 year contract! The next day I spent screaming and crying - but within a few days I'd settled into the routine of life at school. I only have a couple of memories from that school. I remember making a gold star covered in glitter and the whole class standing in the corner singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" whilst holding up our stars. In the course of singing I was desperate to go to the toilet - I tried to bring this to the attention of the teacher - she just told me to be quiet. So the inevitable happened and I wet myself. However, despite steam rising from my shorts (which seemed to made from horse hair - some people had welly burns I had trouser burns) - someone else got the blame!!

We also had a cup of cocoa every day – for 6 old pence. I told my mother that it was 6d a day – so she came to see my teacher, who told her it was 6d a week. When my mother left my teacher called me a “Stupid boy”. I can’t watch Dad’s Army without recalling that incident!

The enduring memory of BGTS is the sickly sweet smell of Hughes’s Biscuit Factory. I can still recall the smell now and it still churns my stomach – not just the smell but the connotations of being there!

Cheers

Paul
 
Hi coerl21. I was a Saltley-born boy, and like you I attended St Saviours before going to BGTS. We appear to have shadowed each other. You must remember Mrs Gill, Mr Robinson, Mr Brady, etc, and the Ralph Road annexe. I know that it is always a big jump from primary to secondary school, but I think that the jump was far more dramatic coming from these primary teachers who acted almost like surrogate parents, to the jungle that was then BGTS.
 
Hi Bobbygee,
You've taken the words from my mouth! I fondly remember those teachers. It was home from home. In those days I used to run to school - not away from it. They were indeed happy days! It seemed as though one day I was being called by my first name, and going pond dipping with Mr. Chapman - and the next being screamed at by pseudo-RSMs at BGTS!!

Cheers

Paul

p.s. It was at St. Saviours that I first fell in love - with a girl called Melita who was two feet taller than me - and once spoke to me - I think she said "Shift out of me way"
 
Hi Coerl21. My first love was also at St Saviours. Her name was Anne Hughes from Ellesmere Road at the top of the Rock.
 
I must admit my time at BGTS was not at all like some of the negatives which have been posted.
I enjoyed the teaching (as much as you can at that age!), the teachers - particularly Killer Gilbert who, on holiday in Switzerland, came over as a top man. But my enduring memory was my English teacher who took me and my mate, Eddie, for A level who instilled in me an abiding love of the English language.
Not forgetting playing for the first team at football which then prompted a number of us to form a Sunday team and the athletics which enabled me to represent Birmingham at National level and go on to join a "proper" club at senior level.
Sorry you guys were disillusioned.
 
Hi David,

I think we were probably in the same form (other kids were Ashley, James, Evans, Bannister, White?).

I think it’s about “horses for courses”. BGTS was not for me. Perhaps if I’d entered via the 13+ I could have endured the regime. There are those who like army life – I am not one of them! As Bobbygee has said the change from our primary school to BGTS was too big a step. Perhaps all secondary schools were the same then – and it’s something about me – I don’t know; but I spent many years in adult education, and enjoyed all of it.

I know these memories are quite distant, but on the whole, I think the regime was humourless. Much could have been achieved using humour, but I think some of the teachers enjoyed ranting and raving. Do you remember the Welsh History teacher; I think he had a limp? Some kids were not using the reverse of their notepaper. This provoked a tirade - worthy of the Nazi elite - about “CRIMINAL waste of paper”. I think in the parlance of the youth of today – he should have got a life!!!

I feel that it moulded my personality into someone who not only detests abuse of power – but someone who needs to react to it. So I spent much of my working life as an active trade unionist – not the best career move, and bi-monthly arguments with the Utilities, Local Government staff and anyone who uses the word “must” to me! Although this has been character building – I would rather have been someone else!

I’ll end by just recounting a tale from art class. I was a pretty good artist and I’d painted a picture of my house. Mr. Ellis held it up for the rest of the class to view saying “Jones has done a good painting here – of a slum house”. I knew we weren’t rich but I didn’t know that I lived in a slum until that day. Ee’ we were so poor…..

Paul

 
Hi David. I don’t think that it was a case of being disillusioned. I think that it is the wrong word. I had no preconceived ideas of what life would be like in a secondary school. What I explained was my experience with BGTS, and my view of the teaching staff. If you look at the comments on FR, and here, there seems to be a cross-section of diverse views of life there. I suspect that an individuals experience was largely based on their abilities. You obviously excelled at sport, and academia. Unfortunately I didn’t. A typical sports afternoon at Gospel Lane would see Mr [Monsieur Eddie] Grey, the English teacher, kick a football onto the pitch from the steps of the changing room, and say “…pick a couple of teams amongst yourself, and the rest of you go on a cross-country run”. If you were not one of the known good players you would never get picked. I can’t remember ever having a game of football on those playing fields. The quality of the tuition was also questionable. The PE lesson saw Mr Lunn, being unable to demonstrate any technique himself, because of his size. He would attempt to explain the western roll, or the triple jump. Any failure was met by a mindless, vindictive rant. If you were a successful sports person you would probably be treated differently to those less able. I suspect that because of your abilities you avoided the excesses of the ruler, T-square, and pump. Incidentally, I agree with you about ‘Killer’ Gilbert. Yes, he used the brazing rod on offenders, but like you, my experience with him on the Switzerland Trips that I went on made me see him in a totally different light. One of my ambitions is to rerun the stay in the Blumlisalp and the trips to the Eiger, Interlaken, etc.

To me, leaving BGTS was a massive release; and relief. I felt that I could make my own way through life a lot better, and without fear of suppression. I left with very few qualifications. Just a handful of GCEs. However, since then I have had a successful career in engineering and IT, and have gained an HND, a BSC, and am two thirds through an MBA. No thanks to (and in spite of) BGTS and some of its band of ‘teachers’.
 
Hi Rupert
I was there between 1957 and 1964 (ish). My best mate was Eddie Holden (still in touch), good friends with Dave Purser and Jim Wesley. Here's me in the football team. Sorry about the quality, I used the Friends Reunited pic. I've got an original but it's up in the loft.
 
In one of the many reorganisations of Education in Birmingham BGTS became Arden Secondary School in the 60's. This in turn closed in 1982 and Bordesley Green Girls' School moved into the building from their previous site in Marchmond (?) Road.
The school grounds have been improved considerably over the last ten years including the addition of a new Sports and Business block on the old car park on the right of the entrance. A sixth form block is proposed for the other side.
 
Sorry for the delay in replying but I'd been distracted by other areas of the site.
coerl21, Paul, yes we must have been in the same class as I remember all those names.
Bobbygee, I've just been looking at some of the pics I took on that Swiss trip with Killer. Blimey are they poor or what. I'd be too ashamed to post them. I see you're in Middle Barton, not far from me in Banbury.
 
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Hi this is my first visit so be gentle with me.
I attended BGTS from 1973 until 1978. It changed to Arden if my memory serves at the start of my second year, ie 1974. This is when we were amalgamated with Cherrywood School. Nothing change initally as we seemed to run as two seperate schools. I think staff and pupils were happy to keep it that way. I loved my time there when it was a true Grammar school but in the last 12 months the school descended to become just another secondary modern. uniforms went out of the window as did the discipline. I got the impression that most of the original BGTS teachers gave up and so did I.
Teachers there during my time. Mr Grainger (Eggo). Mr Tapp.(my form tutor). Mr Eastman ? (Basil). Mr Stanton (geography) Mr Sandford (TD). Mr Brayley Willmetts our Football coach. Mr Jones (PE).Science teacher nicknamed Cracker cant remember his name but he kept setting fire to his sleeve on the bunsen burner. Mr Elm (biology) vicious with slipper in hand. Mr Burbage, Mr Hipwell, Mr Highfield (art) for some reason he hated me.Of course not forgetting Killer he frightened the life out of me and seeing picture of him on friends reunited sent a shiver down my spine.Although i now believe we need more teachers like him in schools today. My headmasters name escapes me for now but i have a clear mental image of him. Deputy Head was also fearsome and his name was Richards.............i have just remembered the Heads name I think it was Mr Massey (Top Bloke) even though he caned me on more than one occasion.
 
hi folks yep i'm an ex bordsley green tech man 1964 -1969 as was my dad before me. the head master was Brown who was reeplaced by the Deputy head DH Jones.Killers name was surname was Gilbert and he used to wear yellow specs some days as he suffered from migranes The old building are still the same if you look on Google earth it looks as if the one side of the running track is fenced off, I think the bank is collapsing.the only one s to disappear are the little metal work and pottery rooms on the left of the Hall. ho hum back to reality i suppose
 
does anyone remember the reversable games top all white one side and a band the colour of your house on the other. Mine was blue for Kelvin. The other houses were green Newton, red Watt and yellow Faraday.As i live near to Gospel Lane i still drive along the route of the cross ccountry runs. The playing fields are now a housing development. Being the sporty type my happiest memories are of playing for the school at football,cricket,cross country,and even table tennis.I also remember the sports days at Gospel Lane and inter house tournaments.Someone mentioned the smell of biscuits in the playground I had always thought it drifted from Wimbush bakery on green Lane.
 
Hi Hayward
Mr Tapp, your form tutor, stayed in the building teaching maths even when it became Bordesley Green Girls' School. He retired through ill-health about 1999 and passed away shortly afterwards. A gentleman in all respects.
 
yes Mr Tapp was hard but fair i think i tested his patience on more than one occasion but he was very approachable.I would love to know what became of Mr Brayley Willmetts he taught geography and also PE. he was probably the biggest influence on me at school.
 
The present school (Bordesley Green Girls' School) have a summer fete Saturday 4th July 2009 from 12 noon to 4 pm. 'Old BGBTS Boys' welcome, so I'm told.
 
Hi David. Yes I went. I got there quite early, and only met one other old boy. It was worth the trip. The essential fabric of the school hasn't changed all that much. There are new bits added on, and some classrooms have necessarily changed use. The metalwork shop is now a domestic science room. The head teacher was very obliging. She gave us a limited tour of the inside of the building. She also invited us back for a more comprehensive visit during class time. I will probably take up her offer.
 
Blimey BobbyGee. Just realised you're round the corner from me! I would have gone but the petrol's about £20 in my old gas guzzler so I decided not to go. Dissapointed I didn't.
 
I attended Bordesley Green Junior County Technical School, (As it was called then,) in 1953/54 and coming from a background of abuse did not notice the cruelty of the teachers. My previous school, a co-ed, had chalk throwing and breaking blackboard rulers across the male students buttocks but not blackboard eraser throwing. Reading the reports here brings it all back. The best teacher we had was the
English Master and he was a Hungarian, but he just watched as the PT instructor, (an ex-RAF PT instructor) beat up one of my class mates. I was seriously injured in a PT accident, I was rendered unconsious and although passing in and out of consiousness was made to attend the rest of my day's classes. A boy was detailed to make sure that I made it back home. No medical help was sought! I found out much later I should probably have died, broken nose, cheek bones and base of skull.
I was later suspended indefinately for letting off a firework in school, the Deputy Headmaster came into the change room, grabbed me by the shoulder and my feet did not touch the floor again until I was in front of H B Brown. My father did not want me at home doing nothing so he complained to the Education Department and said he had not complained about my accident. It was the first the Education Department had heard about it. Brown had reported nothing from the school.
I think the main trouble was that the teachers had been inducted into the armed forces and taught to kill, then after the war they were turned loose on schoolboys. It really was not fair!
 
Well done, expatriate, on having reopened this exceedingly interesting thread. I've read and reread it since joining the forum in July. Do you all remember the extremely dangerous "game" we used to play during the mid-morning break in our lessons? Do you recall Polly-on-the-Mopstick? And, after a frosty/ snowy night, the 25-yard-plus slides on the ice down the ramp in front of the library (the run started at the top of the slope and the slide began a few yards from the point at which Mr Gilbert would often stand with his constantly flicking rod to guarantee that about 106 boys re-entered the school building within a couple of minutes of the bell having been rung!)?

Thanks shavedfish49. (Please see following post.) I had originally written Polly but looked it up on two Birmingham sites and I let myself be persuaded by them that it should be Molly. [See - as an example - www.oldladywood.co.uk, Memories of Our Street, Memories of John Healey.]
I suppose I ought to have looked it up on Birmingham History in preference to other sites as I now know that every mention of “the pileup” here uses the “P” and not the “M” – although I personally like the alliteration of Molly-on-the-Mopstick!! Sorry, and thank you, shavedfish49. db84124
 
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