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Sparkhill Commercial School

Since joining the forum after reading the input with regard to Sparkhill Commercial School, I have since found out that Cyril Toy referred to the Dolphin Crest as being "Fish of Commerce." We have numerous old photo's dating back to 1931 including pic's of evacuation of pupils during WW11, very interesting, plus memorabilia to bring back happy memories.
We are a committee of nine "Old Dolphins" who meet up to organise and plan our annual reunion and also discuss how to spread the word that we still have these reunions so please Old Dolphins, come and join us, you might just meet an old class mate from all those years ago.
 
Shorthorn said:
Since joining the forum after reading the input with regard to Sparkhill Commercial School, I have since found out that Cyril Toy referred to the Dolphin Crest as being "Fish of Commerce." We have numerous old photo's dating back to 1931 including pic's of evacuation of pupils during WW11, very interesting, plus memorabilia to bring back happy memories.
We are a committee of nine "Old Dolphins" who meet up to organise and plan our annual reunion and also discuss how to spread the word that we still have these reunions so please Old Dolphins, come and join us, you might just meet an old class mate from all those years ago.
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hi shorthorn and welcome...you are most welcome to advertise any future reunions on this thread...hopefully you main gain 1 or 2 newbies

lyn
 
I have been reading your conversations on this forum with regard to Sparkhill Commercial School last year which have been most interesting. I have only joined the Forum this year, I was one of the 1959 intake at Sparkhill Commercial and have been attending annual reunions for many years. When Betty Bancroft who ran the reunions died, a few of us old pupils got together and have organised the reunions since. I have already written with regard to the Dolphin Badge and what Cyril Toy said it stood for.
 
christopher short said:
Does anyone have any memories or reminiscences of this school ?
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Hi Christopher
I went to Sparkhill Commercial and have some good memories. The playground was on the roof so we rarely went up there. Playtime was in the yard at the back. It was next to Woollies(now a supermarket). If you were on office duty you had to run errands for the head, Mr Toy.
We used Togo on the bus to playing fields in Olton. Most of the teachers were kind, Mr Crocker, Miss Hopkins, Mrs Honeybourne, Mr Little, The RE teacher taught us on a Saturday at her house to get us through our GCE Scripture. I often wonder what happened to everyone. Hope there is a reunion this year.
Elaine Ashraf ( nee Woodcock)
 
Elaine Ashraf said:
Hi Christopher
I went to Sparkhill Commercial and have some good memories. The playground was on the roof so we rarely went up there. Playtime was in the yard at the back. It was next to Woollies(now a supermarket). If you were on office duty you had to run errands for the head, Mr Toy.
We used Togo on the bus to playing fields in Olton. Most of the teachers were kind, Mr Crocker, Miss Hopkins, Mrs Honeybourne, Mr Little, The RE teacher taught us on a Saturday at her house to get us through our GCE Scripture. I often wonder what happened to everyone. Hope there is a reunion this year.
Elaine Ashraf ( nee Woodcock)
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Hi Elaine
If you look at my recent imput you will see that we are having a reunion this year in September. If you would like contact with information on this, please reply to me on this Forum.
 
Shorthorn said:
Hi Elaine
If you look at my recent imput you will see that we are having a reunion this year in September. If you would like contact with information on this, please reply to me on this Forum.
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Hi Christopher
I think I am on your reunion list already but I couldn’t go last year. It would be great to attend this year.
 
Hi Elaine
Sorry I didnt give my name, I am Brenda not Christopher, I am on the committee for the reunions and will make sure you are on the list for the next reunion. A pity we haven't got a response from any Old Dolphins on this Forum but its a few months until the next reunion so you never know.
 
Philgard7 said:
I attended Denis Road Secondary Modern when we moved lock, stock and barrel to Sparkhill Commercial early 60's I spent the last couple of years there before leaving school at 15 In 1964. The quirky thing was the playground on the roof.
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Hi Philgard
Just read your remarks re Sparkhill Commercial School, it moved to Sansome Road, Hall Green where reunions were held for some years until the hall was deemed too large for the amount of people who were attending. We now have our reunions at The Moseley All Services Club, Moseley, Birmingham. If you or anyone you know who would be interested in being included on our mailing list for details, please reply on this forum.
 
Elaine Ashraf said:
Hi Christopher
I went to Sparkhill Commercial and have some good memories. The playground was on the roof so we rarely went up there. Playtime was in the yard at the back. It was next to Woollies(now a supermarket). If you were on office duty you had to run errands for the head, Mr Toy.
We used Togo on the bus to playing fields in Olton. Most of the teachers were kind, Mr Crocker, Miss Hopkins, Mrs Honeybourne, Mr Little, The RE teacher taught us on a Saturday at her house to get us through our GCE Scripture. I often wonder what happened to everyone. Hope there is a reunion this year.
Elaine Ashraf ( nee Woodcock)
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Hi All
I was in the 1960 intake to Sparkhill Commercial. I believe that intake to be the first 11+ intake as prior to that the intake were 13+ pass students who were therefore provided with a commercial/secretarial education comprising bookkeeping, typing and shorthand as well as the normal subjects. But the 11+ intake were provided with a more standard subject curriculum with the objective of taking GCE ‘O’ levels at 16 and going on to ‘A’ levels at 18. Sparkhill Commercial closed in 1964 and we all moved to a newly built school - Hall Green Bilateral just off the Stratford Road. The ‘bilateral’ tag was the forerunner of the Comprehensive system which came in later and presumably indicated the schools intention to cater for all abilities.
My intake year in 1960 consisted of about 60 pupils split roughly equally into an A and B stream. Cyril Toy was our first headmaster but retired on the schools closure and Mr Chignell became headmaster at Hall Green. Taffy Williams, Mrs Honeybone, Miss Hopkinson, Mr Crocker all moved with the school to Hall Green and formed a cohort of teachers who took the first group of students through the A level syllabus often only being only a week or two in front of their students in the relevant text books. But the succeeded in getting some very creditable results even so!
Hope that all helps. Good to chat…
 
Shorthorn said:
Hi Elaine, Yes you are on our list, look forward to seeing you.
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Hi - I have been tidying up my family photos. My mother attended Sparkhill Commercial School in the 1930s and I have a panoramic photo taken in 1936 when she was 14. It’s in a small tube and the actual photo size is 155x750mm. I’m not sure what to do with it! Any suggestions? I am in Perth, Australia but will be in the UK later this year and could mail it then.
Thanks Liz Millward
 
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I heard that the dolphin is an intelligent creature and that’s why it was chosen for the school badge. Maybe it was that and the commerce link.
Does anyone remember Robert Silk who became an MP? Wonder what happened to him.
I would also like details of the reunion in September please.
 
Chatters said:
Hi All
I was in the 1960 intake to Sparkhill Commercial. I believe that intake to be the first 11+ intake as prior to that the intake were 13+ pass students who were therefore provided with a commercial/secretarial education comprising bookkeeping, typing and shorthand as well as the normal subjects. But the 11+ intake were provided with a more standard subject curriculum with the objective of taking GCE ‘O’ levels at 16 and going on to ‘A’ levels at 18. Sparkhill Commercial closed in 1964 and we all moved to a newly built school - Hall Green Bilateral just off the Stratford Road. The ‘bilateral’ tag was the forerunner of the Comprehensive system which came in later and presumably indicated the schools intention to cater for all abilities.
My intake year in 1960 consisted of about 60 pupils split roughly equally into an A and B stream. Cyril Toy was our first headmaster but retired on the schools closure and Mr Chignell became headmaster at Hall Green. Taffy Williams, Mrs Honeybone, Miss Hopkinson, Mr Crocker all moved with the school to Hall Green and formed a cohort of teachers who took the first group of students through the A level syllabus often only being only a week or two in front of their students in the relevant text books. But the succeeded in getting some very creditable results even so!
Hope that all helps. Good to chat…
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Thank you for this information, especially explaining the move to Hall Green (as Hall Green Bilateral) in 1964 as i never understood why this happened and that as someone from a 1953-1956 intake at 13+ (and yes being taught the commercial curriculum) seemed to make no sense, With this new information and something someone posted previously, I now have a much better idea of why it happened. I recall 'Taffy' Williams and indeed have his book COMMERCE written under his full name of D.Treharne Williams, my memory does not stretch to the others, although I could add Mr Tillotson (Bookeeping) at Sparkhill; and the Headmaster Mr Toy of course. I can see the logic of keeping up with the times as GCE's were still in their infancy when I left and 'A' levels almost unknown - at schoolboy level at least. Nice to have the new information so many thanks for your input.
 
Elaine Ashraf said:
Does anyone remember Robert Silk who became an MP? Wonder what happened to him.
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You can read all about Robert Silk -or Robert Kilroy-Silk under which name he was better known - on the Wikipedia page which (hopefully) this link will take you to (or just Google Robert Kilroy Silk).
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Wikipedia

I note Wikipedia refers to his attendance for a year at a 'Secondary Modern School' without actually naming Sparkhill Commercial, which I suppose was technically correct -a Secondary Modern with a Commercial emphasis - he having failed his 11+ exam. Apparently he later passed a review and attended Saltely Grammar School. I have no recall of him but as I was 3 years older I was likely leaving as he attended Sparkhill Commercial.

He had quite a career as a politician, broadcaster and was involved with UKIP and Brexit as you will read on the Wikipedia page.
 
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Elaine Ashraf said:
I heard that the dolphin is an intelligent creature and that’s why it was chosen for the school badge. Maybe it was that and the commerce link.
Does anyone remember Robert Silk who became an MP? Wonder what happened to him.
I would also like details of the reunion in September please.
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Hi Elaine, I believe we have your email address details so you will receive details of our Old Dolphin Reunion in Moseley at the Moseley All Services Club. The date is in September but actual day is yet to be confirmed.
 
Do you mean other than the score or so memories already posted way back to 2010 when Christopher Short actually posted that message?
 
Scammell said:
Hi - I have been tidying up my family photos. My mother attended Sparkhill Commercial School in the 1930s and I have a panoramic photo taken in 1936 when she was 14. It’s in a small tube and the actual photo size is 155x750mm. I’m not sure what to do with it! Any suggestions? I am in Perth, Australia but will be in the UK later this year and could mail it then.
Thanks Liz Millward
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Hi Joan R
Are you interested in coming along to our reunion in September of Old Dolphins? If you are already on our list no need to worry as you will be automatically sent an invite.
 
Having recently had the move from Sparkhill to Hall Green explained, perhaps someone can explain how the male female streams worked at Sparkhill (I speak of the period 1953-1956 and until the move to Hall Green I expect. Memory being what is it after all this time I remember being in an all male intake and the one class photo I have (if I can recall where it is) is of an all male class. Yet clearly for the main commercial subjects these were in a mixed class, certainly typing, shorthand, not sure about Bookkeeping or Commerce, but unusually, Geography & History. What was the reason for this I wonder? I seem to think it was in the 2nd 3rd year (I stayed on for the 3rd year which was optional at the time) and I have fond memories of the mixed co-educational classes and getting to know one or two of the girls. And leaving aside things like science, PT, games etc how did the co-educational thing work. I cannot recall any photos of mixed classes but that may just be a memory thing. Perhaps others will explain how it worked and of course the girls were also subject to streaming, and then coming together for certain subjects, and always mixed for shorthand and typing, that I can remember.
 
Scammell said:
Hi - I have been tidying up my family photos. My mother attended Sparkhill Commercial School in the 1930s and I have a panoramic photo taken in 1936 when she was 14. It’s in a small tube and the actual photo size is 155x750mm. I’m not sure what to do with it! Any suggestions? I am in Perth, Australia but will be in the UK later this year and could mail it then.
Thanks Liz Millward
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Hi Liz, I am on the committee of Sparkhill Commercial School and we would be pleased to have the photo you mention, can you contact me nearer the date you are coming to the UK, on this forum and I will give you a contact address, many thanks.
Brenda Gopsill
 
Sparkhill Commercial School Reunion 2023 will be held on 30th September. If you were a pupil before the school moved to Hall Green Bilateral in 1963/64 and you wish to join us for a great four hours of catch-up and reminiscing at our Moseley venue please respond for a Letter of Invite to be dispatched to you.
 
The name could have come from the Dolphin family who owned Swanhurst Farm in the area
Elaine Ashraf said:
I heard that the dolphin is an intelligent creature and that’s why it was chosen for the school badge. Maybe it was that and the commerce link.
Does anyone remember Robert Silk who became an MP? Wonder what happened to him.
I would also like details of the reunion in September please.
Click to expand...
 
christopher short said:
Does anyone have any memories or reminiscences of this school ?
Click to expand...
Hi All
Been reading these posts for a while and reached the point where I think I should share some of my memories of SCS. I was part of the 1960 intake to the school which was the first intake of 11+ entrants. Prior to that the school, as I understand it, took in 13+ only entrants and gave them a commercial education including such subjects as typing, shorthand and book-keeping. At this time Birmingham had a shortage of schools that could provide 11+ education to GCE ‘o’ level so in the short-term SCS was pressed into service to fill that gap. Whether it was always the plan or not four years later the school closed and all of its classes transferred to the newly built Hall Green Bilateral school. Bilateral mean it was designed to cater for mixed abilities and as such was the forerunner of the Comprehensive school system. The bilateral element didn’t take effect until later when another school also transferred to Hall Green Bikateral composed of non11+ pupils which I believe had a large Irish componant.

So, of the 60 or so 11+ entrants in 1960, only 9 survived to take ‘A’ level which the school had pledged to provide - to its credit. So much so that the teachers who provided that A level course were for the most part only a couple of weeks ahead in their A level subjects than their students. So thank you Mrs Honeybone (English Lit), Mr ‘Taffy’ Williams (Economics), Miss Hopkins (Econ. Geog.) Mr Crocker (History) and Mr Brittan (French). Of the 9 A level students four went on to Unversity, four to Teacher Training College, and one into banking. Not bad at all!

Hope that helps…
 
The admissions process for the School in the 1960s.

Viv.

Screenshot_20230716_000943_Chrome.jpgSource: British Newspaper Archive
 
Back in the 1940s and 50's I lived in Arkley Road Hall Green - just a few houses from the Manning family who had a daughter named Shiela who went to Sparkhill Commercial School.

Shiela married a man named Barry Thorns and in 1968 was the first woman in Britain to give birth to sextuplets, although sadly three of them did not survive.
 
Here's Sheila leaving hospital in 1968. Sadness and joy.

Viv.

Screenshot_20230718_073411_Chrome.jpgSource:British Newspaper Archive
 

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yes very mixed feelings for the thorn family as it seems little lynne did not survive
 
bad1146 said:
We still have an annual re-union now held in Moseley. Before Covid it was held in April but as from last year, we shall be having our re-union in September. We welcome any Old Dolphins who would like to join us and happy to give details of contact on this forum.
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Cheers for letting all Old Dolphins on this site know about the Reunion inSept 2023.
 
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