Convent Girl
Brummie babby
I went to St Agnes in 1953 .Sister Amelia was the head and was very strict.I am still in touch which some of my friends from my school days.
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St Agnes High School Grammar School
- Thread starter Teddy Fan
- Start date
Dear friend, it is so lovely to hear from you. Thank you for getting in touch. You will be delighted to know that while we may no longer be called St Agnes', the ethos and values are as strong as ever. I would love to know more as to what life was like as a student back then. If you and your friends would like to visit, I would be honoured to help arrange this. I am a strong believer in the oral tradition of story telling. Please feel free to get in touch again. Historically you started the year after Queen Elizabeth ascended the throne. In school we are about to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee, faith or coincidence. As a student of Aggies and your friends, you will always be welcome here.
Convent Girl
Brummie babby
Thank you for getting back to me. It was a private School when I attended and very different to the grammar School it became. Uniform was very different then. Winter uniform was a thick Long sleeved black dress with a pleated bodice and matching fabric press stud belt. We had to attach a clean white collar every day which was fitted with press studs We had the same tie and a Beret. In the Summer we had a cream short sleeved dress which we could wear a grey v neck jumper on top if it was cold .The Blazer was a light blue ,navy and gold striped blazer. The badge had the word Veritas on it meaning truth .We wore a straw hat which tapered towards the back and had a hat band in matching stripes. Not long before I left due to the cream dress getting easily soiled we were told we could buy Drummer Boy dye ,shade old gold .Sister Amelia was known as Milly.When I turned up to School I’m my new dyed dress Sister Amelia’s words if she was shocked was a very long sounding Gracious. My dress turned out a lot more Orange than anyone else’s when Sister saw me she said Gracious girl ! Fortunately the colour did fade with washes. Well that’s enough for now ,but will return with more stories.
This is a copy of the Dominican Sisters badge, it is very similar if not the same as the one you wore. School uniforms continue to be very important in school, though students today wouldn't cope if they had to do what you did. They definitely would not use Drummer Boy dye, I looked it up. This is the badge today. The flower is known as the Campion flower
Convent Girl
Brummie babby
Thank you for the badge nice to see it .Ours had veritas written on it ,I think it might have been like the Campion Flower but in the dark blue ,light blue and gold colours with Veritas going across. I will have to ask school friends if they still have a blazer I think one has a scarf.
It was a very small School and also an infant School I went when I was 9. Boys had to leave at 7 when they received Holy Communion .When I attended senior school we were not streamed into groups just put in one big class group. Not all of us could do Domestic Science as the kitchen was too small. You could leave at 15 then so when two girls left ,me and my friend at 15 joined cookery class.We didn’t do GCSE we did Oxford and Cambridge. I left before as I wanted to be an NNEB (Nursery Nurse) so I went to college for 2 years. We played Hockey at the HP grounds in Grange Road Erdington. Hockey was the only sport I liked.
The grounds lovely with the Rosary walk and we could go to Chapel in our dinner break if we wanted. In the late fifties we had three adjoining Army huts erected on the back lawn to provide more classroom’s have they gone? My last classroom was in the Conservatory. We only had two house groups I was in St Catherine’s and had a blue button badge.The other group was St Dominic’s and wore a red badge. I would love to know what School is like now.
I am sad to say that the school as you knew it no longer exists. I know that Norwood House was knocked down at some point to build St Agnes' Grammar School for Girls. We have the foundation stone of that in our little chapel which holds about 30 people comfortably. This was blessed by Archbishop Grimshaw in 1956. There is a small part of the old building still standing. You can tell the old part as it has 5 blue tiled scenes from the Joyful Mysteries. These are still here. We also have a chalice dated 1891 which we use for weekly mass. We also have one dated 1863. This was dated by the curator at Oscott College. I know that the sisters moved to Silver Birch Road at some point and used access the school through a gate at the back of their garden. I have a picture in school taken in 1968 of the students and sisters. You can see the Lydhurst Estate in the background. There is now a building there comprising of Maths, Art and Domestic Science. There is a completely new section that was built in the 1980's. This now houses our Sixth Form and offices. This is the new entrance. The pond that you may have been familiar with, no longer exists there. We now have a pond around the back.
The school has 1,100 students and over 100 teachers. We have a small bit of grass at the back but our playing fields are situated on the old site of the Sir Josiah Mason Orphanage. This was demolished in the 1960's I think. The playing fields cover a number of acres. Our year groups are called after saints, associated with the school. This is a little taste, I will write more soon. This is what the new entrance looks like. Attached too is the present entrance from Orphanage Road. The Rosary walk is still on the right hand side.
Convent Girl
Brummie babby
Thank you for the photos and the news ,it sounds a wonderful school and yes the convent I went to has gone but is now a Grammar School which is just wonderful to hear about. Our entry was on the main Road. I remember Lyndhurst estate being built .The large houses lay far back from the main Road and had extremely large front gardens and the back gardens likewise I think. The trams used to run down the main road .They went from the Yenton to Steelhouse Lane and return.
I don’t recall a pond at all I must ask my friends.
My husband went to Sir Josiah Mason School and then onto The Yenton when it was built and ready to move into in 1956
Thank you for the news and photos. I will tell my Sister about the contact she may have some photos you never know .My Sister went to Rome with the School and heard mass on Easter Sunday at the Vatican but when it was my turn to go away with the School we went to France. However I have been to Rome so have been to the Vatican and around The Sistine Chapel. My oldest sister who sadly is no longer with us also went to St Agnes .
Thank you once again for your time .I will contact you again when I have spoken to my friends if I have some news to share.
We appear to have some duplicate messages have I done something wrong. I am in my seventies and have a lot to learn about technology.
DeeMcC
New Member
Are you on Facebook? Would love to keep in touch with you!
Hi I am Vivien Moriarty, I think you remember me as Marian. I am stilll best friends with Anne Brennan although I have Taught in Dublin for 40 yrs and Anne is still in Birmingham. All those teachers I remember and St Edwards bringing her sister into school to gives us a talk. She nursed Eskimos equally as short.Hey so we would have been there at the same timebut either my memory is failing me or we just seemed to get to know our own class 1C…my experience was good in parts but think that was down to me trying to be a ‘cool’ teenager in the 60’s - never achieved it and would have been better to have just enjoyed myself but that’s hindsight. I remember Philomena Romney, Marian Moriarty, Lucy Gough and loads of others first names … oooh and Helen Slattery. Many years after school I worked with someone who went to school in Stoke and Sister Mary Edward (small and fierce feminist) had been her headteacher. Someone told me that Sr Mary Ingrid left the order and became Sonia Swann…have I jogged anyone else’s memory?
Hi I was at St Agnes between 1962 and 1969. Yes I remember all the teachers and my favourite Mrs Ailing,History, There was a strange lady called Miss Heron that made us to Egyptian History two years running. Miss Parsons was lovely. The girls from Margaret Clithero came in 5th and my best friend Anne Brennan(still is) and myself became great friends with Collette Carol and Maureen. My good ness a blast from the past.
Hello I have just come across this thread. I was Vivien Moriarty and was at St Agnes’s between 1962 and 1969. My best friend was Anne Brennan and we are still great friends. Yes St Edwards,we had a talk by her sister who nursed Eskimos and she was equally short. St Amelia was so strict but St Ingrid was lovely heard she left the order later. Yes Mrs Trotman ,Miss Troy but someone mentioned Mrs Stamford who taught Domestic Science but she taught 4 of us Physiology in 9mths and we all got the ILevel a lovely lady. I ended up teaching Maths and Biology so I feel I have never left school.
Hi, I’m Helen (Dunn). I was in 1B, 2P 3M 4G2 and 5G2… I remember all those girls plus Pauline Lee, Barbara Hayes, Ruth Horrocks, Maggie Alexander …are you Deidre McCullagh who had short dark hair?Very trendy!
Dee McCullagh
proper brummie kid
Hi Helen, Yes I am. I go by Dee, now! I remember you very well. You and I were in 2P, 3M and 4G2 together! I remember you were tall and slender and very good reciting movies and books you had seen/read. Are you on Facebook? Good to hear from you!
Wow… Maisie McElroy….who knew that was a nickname! Not me!! I’m Helen Dunn now Helen Wheadon… I remember going to your mom and dad’s pub, for tea, in Aston. Happy days.
Dee McCullagh
proper brummie kid
Thanks Helen!
Hi Maisie, remember me… Helen Dunn.
Helen, Dee and Maisie, I was in your class too. I was Kathryn Wilkes in those days.. this has brought back such memories for me as I had such good times at St Agnes although I was quite naughty at school we had great laughs too. I remember all the teachers that have been mentioned and also the Birmingham Youth Theatre that Maisie and I went to. I remember speech and drama where Sister Mildred used to play music and we had to be leaves swirling to the music
Loved the sports rounders, netball and tennis.
Would love to hear from you and anyone who remembers me.
Dee McCullagh
proper brummie kid
Hi Kathryn,
I remember you! Good to hear from you! I have located a few of us from Saint Agnes on this forum recently! It's wonderful to catch-up after all these years!
Are you on Facebook?
I have kept my maiden name. I am on FB as Dee McCullagh. Would love to hear from you!
I remember you! Good to hear from you! I have located a few of us from Saint Agnes on this forum recently! It's wonderful to catch-up after all these years!
Are you on Facebook?
I have kept my maiden name. I am on FB as Dee McCullagh. Would love to hear from you!
Would love to hear from you too. I have sent a friend request on FB.. I’m Kathy Martin now. So many years to talk about.
Dee McCullagh
proper brummie kid
Hi Kathy, I accidently deleted it, I just sent you a friend request!
Thanks
Hi, did we used to call you “Katie”? I definitely remember your name…what we need are photographs! Where are you now and what are you up to? Sorry it’s taken so long to reply but I’ve been in Canada visiting Maggie Alexander - she left when we were 15 to go and live in Canada. My enduring memory of Speech and Drama was Sr Mildred sitting us in front of a lit candle and we had to say the poem”Hengist and Horsa”, and when saying H we had to try to blow the candle out!I never managed it!! X
Dee McCullagh
proper brummie kid
Hi Helen and Kate, Dee here just to let you know I closed my Facebook down because I was hacked. I will start a new on in October and will send you a friend request. Just didn't want you to think I unfriendly you. Thanks ❤
Dee McCullagh
proper brummie kid
Dee McCullagh
proper brummie kid
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Hi Helen, Kate and Dee, I was privileged to welcome back Fiona Mahon, Anna McAdam and Mary Morahan, past pupils of St Agnes'. I teach at St Edmund Campion and have a massive interest in the history of our common school. All three came for a look around. They were here in the 1970's, you may know them. My name is Tim Oxley AHT.
Rosievoice
knowlegable brummie
I have only just found this thread. How lovely! I was at Aggies from 1968 (form 1B, Mrs Boaz) until 1975. The only name I recognise, sorry to say, although we were in different year groups, is Maisie McElroy. I always loved that name, so much so that I use it as a nom de plume on Pinterest. Sorry Maisie!
In my year I remember Moira Sutton, with whom I was at primary school, passed away, alas, and also Helen McNamara. Such a shame for both of them. Other names that ring a bell are Annette Ball, Susan Howell, Anne Hartley, (still a close friend), Anne Smart, Barbara Biel, Mary Evans, Krystyna Zubrzyska, Sylvia Allen - I’m sure there are more, but a dodgy memory plagues me!
Teachers….Sr Ingrid became Sonia Swan, Sr Sebastien drove rally cars at the weekend, Miss Cleary and her weird pronunciation of sexual / sectual which used to make us snigger. Sr Ingrid taught us speech and drama. I used to hate tripping around that hall in bare feet. There was a Mr Duncan, I vaguely recall, whose lessons were occasionally sabotaged by hiding an alarm clock behind the blackboard, set to ring midway through his lesson. Mr Sutton threw chalk during physics lessons if anyone was talking. He wasn’t a great shot, though.
I would love to visit Aggies again, just to see how much it has changed. My name is Eileen.
In my year I remember Moira Sutton, with whom I was at primary school, passed away, alas, and also Helen McNamara. Such a shame for both of them. Other names that ring a bell are Annette Ball, Susan Howell, Anne Hartley, (still a close friend), Anne Smart, Barbara Biel, Mary Evans, Krystyna Zubrzyska, Sylvia Allen - I’m sure there are more, but a dodgy memory plagues me!
Teachers….Sr Ingrid became Sonia Swan, Sr Sebastien drove rally cars at the weekend, Miss Cleary and her weird pronunciation of sexual / sectual which used to make us snigger. Sr Ingrid taught us speech and drama. I used to hate tripping around that hall in bare feet. There was a Mr Duncan, I vaguely recall, whose lessons were occasionally sabotaged by hiding an alarm clock behind the blackboard, set to ring midway through his lesson. Mr Sutton threw chalk during physics lessons if anyone was talking. He wasn’t a great shot, though.
I would love to visit Aggies again, just to see how much it has changed. My name is Eileen.
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Hello Eileen, Lovely to hear from you. I love reading all the old stories and characters who helped shape 'Aggies'. I would love to welcome you and give you a tour. Some has changed but a lot remains the same. You are welcome to contact me on the schools email [email protected]. If you know others who would like to join you, just let me know.
Tim
Tim
