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Stratford Road Schools

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badger

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Below is the school leaving certificate of my father. Can anyone tell me if Stratford Road School is still there, if not are there any pictures, or did anyone know the school?

Ta!

I note that my dad had "done" one year and one month, was that standard?
 
Stratford Road is a bit on the long side can you narrow it down a bit?

I have a similar certificate of my late Mother in Law's and would think that the 1Year and 1 Month problaly refers to his time at that particular school unless someone knows differently.
 
badger

There are quite a few schools that have frontage on Stratford Rd in the Sparkbrook, Sparkhill area. I have never heard any of them referred to as Stratford Rd School.

Did I read that parents came out of Larches St, a street that I spent part of my young life living in. The two nearest schools to there, that front Stratford Rd are Ladypool Rd School, this is your best bet as it is at the bottom of Larches St and no part of it is in Ladypool Rd. As the school is still open you could make enquiries.

The other one is Chistchurch School in Long Street, the next street along Stratford Rd to Larches St. I'm afraid this school has been closed for some time now.

Hope this is of some help

pmc1947
 
Thanks pmc1947

You will note on the leaving certificate it gives the name of the school as "Stratford Road School" this was in 1915. Maybe the name of the school has changed or maybe bulldozed.
Is Ladypool Road School still There, maybe they would have records?
 
You are correct about Larches street, my parents lived there and had their fist 2 sons, but my father (who attended this school) lived in Ladypool Road.
 
badger

I don't get down that way much these days, but as far as I am aware Ladypool Rd School is Still open. I did hear it had been damaged in the tornado a couple of years back. As far as I am aware they did some repairs and it back in action.

I would think there would be no problem making enquiries. If it is not the right school they may be able to put you on the right path.

pmc1947
 
Was it on the corner of Newton Road, next to woolworths in Sparkhill, I think you are talking about Sparkhill Commercial School?
 
My mother went to Sparkhill Commercial School (was Sparkhill Institute)it is on the main Stratford Road and is still used for Adult Education well at least it was. Mom told me the playground was on the roof. I also believe that it is where Hall Green Bilateral School originated from and the dolphins were part of the school badge then.

There was also St Johns Church School known as Sparkhill Church School on the Stratford Road.
 
The Dolphin Badge is used by Hall Green Grant Maintained Secondry Modern School in Southham Rd, which is behind Hall Green College.
 
Yes thats right though in 1974and probably before then it was known as Hall Green Bilateral it is behind the college on the Stratford Road opposite the Horseshoes known then as Hall Green Technical College now known as South Birmingham College.
 
My husband went to Stratford Rd school in the 1930's, next to St Agnes church, the entrance used to be on Stratford Rd but was later moved away from the main road because of traffic, It is now Ladypool School and was hit by the tornado. My husband lived in Beechfield Rd at the side of the school.
 
You're absolutely right, I have now visited the school and spoken to people who remember it. I'm sure it is the school now called ladywood school. Have been advised to check the "red Book" in the archives at the library for more info and maybe my fathers records.

Will let you know (when I get time to go)
 
fergie said:
My mother went to Sparkhill Commercial School (was Sparkhill Institute)it is on the main Stratford Road and is still used for Adult Education well at least it was. Mom told me the playground was on the roof. I also believe that it is where Hall Green Bilateral School originated from and the dolphins were part of the school badge then.

There was also St Johns Church School known as Sparkhill Church School on the Stratford Road.
Click to expand...

It is still used for Adult Education. I'm in there quite often fixing their PC's and their network.

I always wondered whether there was a playground on the roof back in the old days. If you go to the top of the stairs, you can still just about make out faded paintwork on the bricks with what looks like form numbers and mottos.

I'd love to see pictures of it back in it's heyday.

That's one of the benefits of working for the department responsible for the IT for the adult education centres, libraries and schools. You get to see some of the hidden history of the council buildings...
 
fergie said:
Yes thats right though in 1974and probably before then it was known as Hall Green Bilateral it is behind the college on the Stratford Road opposite the Horseshoes known then as Hall Green Technical College now known as South Birmingham College.
Click to expand...
Hall Green Bilateral is now named Hall Green S/M Grant maintained school, it is off Southam Rd, a Headteacher from the Stratford Rd school was Headteacher of the Hall Green Secondary Modern school in Southam Rd when it opened, the location in the quote is correct, it has a Special Needs pupils availablity integrated into the school, it is a very good & popular school, i worked there as a Craft/Design Technician 1990-1966, Peter Whttaker was Headteacher at that time he is now retired. Len.
 
Hello Badger

Back in the 50's I lived in Mole Street, about 50 yards from Stratford Road School, as it was called then. It's now called Ladypool School. I went there from '53 to '59. Six very happy years. The attached photo was taken in 1997. In 2005 the very distinctive tower was destroyed in the Birmingham tornado. (See link below)

https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/88403


Regards, Ivy
 
Yes, Stratford Rd school (Sparkbrook) changed its name to Ladypool school some time ago.
I went there from 1952 untill 1958. Then going on to Moseley Modern.
We used to have an annex at the back of St Agathas.
We lived opposite between the school and Ladypool Rd, and I can remember seeing the great fire at the church.
When rebuilt, the money collected paid for the repairs to the part destroyed in the blitz as well
The headmistress in my time was Miss Shakespeare.
Ken b
 
hi
there was a school in long street off stratford road with a entrance on the stratford road facing farm road,when I went to stratford road J + I school we used this school as extra classrooms [1957-1964].

I think before this time it could have been a senior school,when I attended I remember having to put coal on the fire to keep the classroom warm happy days.
 
The school on Stratford Road, facing Farm Road was Christ Church School. There was a further entrance in Long Street. I was there in the early 1940's, when we lived in Main Street. Not to be confused with Stratford Road School. There are further details of this school, and photographs in other threads on this website. Eddie
 
ken b said:
Yes, Stratford Rd school (Sparkbrook) changed its name to Ladypool school some time ago.
I went there from 1952 untill 1958. Then going on to Moseley Modern.
We used to have an annex at the back of St Agathas.
We lived opposite between the school and Ladypool Rd, and I can remember seeing the great fire at the church.
When rebuilt, the money collected paid for the repairs to the part destroyed in the blitz as well
The headmistress in my time was Miss Shakespeare.
Ken b
Click to expand...

Hi, Recon I must have started school there in !942 as I was born in 1938. I started at the nursery section which was somewhere near the tower. We were given a picture which was displayed on our peg for hanging our bag and clothes and on the end of the cots we had our naps on, this was necessary as at that age we couldn't read or write. We started writing on a slate and we had simple reading books John and Mary or the like. Remember "Little Black Sambo" who was eaten by a crocodile?
Mom worked in a canteen at a munitions factory and Dad was in the AFS stationed at Digbeth before going on to Central Fire Station in Corporation Street. At times Dad was given time off and would come and take me home to help him cook cheese straws and mash potato castles.
I later graduated to the infant school section and worked my way up to leaving at age 11 to go to Golden Hillock Rd Secondary Modern and thankfully passed to go to Handsworth Tech.School.
Some of the teachers I remember were a Miss Barnard, who dressed all in black and I thought she was like Queen Victoria. In those days children could be punished and she would get you across her lap , pull up the clothing to expose the very top of the leg and give you heavy slaps which would leave a welt but didn't show.
There was a Miss Hutchins who would give rewards for such things as having a clean handkerchief, a bit of clean rag rolled up to hide the fact it had no hem did not count. She and her friend would go on nature walks in the country at weekends and on Monday morning you would come into a classroom, the front cupboards of which were decorated with pussy willows ,sticky buds or catkins.
We were told all about them and we would draw pictures of them. The best would win you a sprig of nature to take home. She also taught us about The Tudors and the dreadful state of the roads in those days, again we would draw an unsprung Tudor coach and the best won a prize, maybe a sweetie from the big jar. One time for some reason we repeated our allotted time which is why that class got to learn all about sticky buds etc. again and got to draw another Tudor coach, still without springs.

The Head Mistress was a Miss Smith who drove an Austin and I think lived in Moseley or did her Shopping in Ladypool Rd, The Lane to us locals. As my parents were not at home during the School Holidays I was one of the kids who still attended school but we didn't have lessons but were kept on our toes by the staff by playing meaningful games.
One day we were playing snowball fights in the playground and I scored a bullseye on Miss Smith's bottom to everyone's joy, she chased me all round the play ground.
I have many happy memories of my time at Stratford Rd my best mate was Gordon Whitehead from Ombersley Rd, he and I were bell monitors and left class early to make pots of tea for the staff on a gas ring between the staffroom and the teachers toilets
So many memories, so little time!
 
Hello Tin Eborn. We appear to have had the same educational journey. I too was born in 1938 but thought that I started at Stratford Road School in 1943/4. Went to Golden Hillock for two years and then to Handsworth Tech. In addition to the teachers at Stratford Road that you mention I also recall Miss Birchall, Miss Oakley, Miss Thomas (with whom we seem to spend a lot of time singing Land of my Fathers!) and Mr Wright.
Can't say that I was greatly enamoured with school life but of all three schools the two years at Golden Hillock were the least enjoyable. I remember being caned along with other lads for poor results in a Chemistry test by Mr Coles I think it was! Headmaster at the time was Mr Talbot who used to cane boys on stage at Assembly in front of the whole school. He was very generous though as he allowed the canee to select the weapon to be used from a selection in his study!!
Nice to read your posting although I appear to be several years adrift.
Happy days.
Archie 7
 
Hi Archie, thanks for some memories! I now and again sing" Land of My Fathers" and recall a shapely leg in green woolen stockings and tweed skirt that Miss Thomas would place on one of the seats as she lead us in song. My god is that where I started going off the straight and narrow.
I well remember Mr. Wright (ex RAF and pigeons toed ,he reconed we all should be?). He decided I should learn how to head a soccer ball by holding me by the scuff of my neck and banging my head into balls coming from everywhere . I was great with a beanbag!
I hated Mr. Talbot and the school hymn "Lead Us Thou Great Jehovah' and was there when we all had shuffle past and shake his hand on his retirement. His replacement was a Mr. Haynes? who stopped other teachers from using the cane and only he was able to inflict it. I was caught chewing gum in assembly by a teacher (Mr. Edwards?) who dragged me by the ear to the new Head. He in turn told me report to him after school. I did so, fearing the worse, he asked why didn't I take the gum and stick it to the back of my lapel and I said that I had more respect for my clothes to do that. Instead .of being caned I was given 2 tickets for some concert at the B'ham Town Hall and had to report back next week with comments.
The teacher who dubbed me in could not believe this when he asked how sever my punishment was, he walked away shaking his head, I think he saw the righting on the wall.
Just a bit before I left to go to the Tech. I was one of those to go on a school holiday to Belgium escorted by the Vice Head Mr. Price and his sister ( a nurse). It turned out that she was a regular customer at the hotel where my father was the Head Waiter and we got along really well.
I've had too much to say again so will close!
Cheers Tim.
Ps where did you live?
 
Hi ...If i remember correctly there was a large climbing frame in the playground made from scaffolding poles that would not pass health and safety to day
 
Hi. Tim...1958 to 1962 ..I was born in Main St.in 1947.attended Christ Church school on the Stratford Road till 1957 then the new school in Farm Road for a year,Then on to Golden Hillock School 1958 to 1962...I walked past Sparkbrook School every day..We would occasionally visit the playground in the evening if the gate was left open. but it was a long time ago i may be wrong....Cheers Roy
 
Hi robroy so you were about 9 years and a few streets away which in Brum could be like living on Mars I guess .Don't remember a school in Farm Rd but I don't think I would have been there since I was about 17 yrs old.
Can't recall that climbing frame, but have trouble sometimes remembering where I went last week. Even forgot our Wedding Anniversary of 30th May until yesterday but so had the wife so all ok on that front!
Cheers Tim.
 
Tim. I see Robroy's comments and it looks like he was 9 years behind us and I guess things changed in that time. I don't recall a school in Farm Rd but we left Sparkbrook in 1951 so it may have appeared after that time.
I'm living near Bristol
 
I notice in post #4 that Phil, mentioned several schools had frontages onto Stratford Road so I've extracted out all those from the British History online site which refer to Stratford Road locations. I've included Ladypool Road School in this too, mainly because it was mentioned in an earlier post as having been formerly Stratford Rd School. I'm unsure whether this school actually had a frontage onto Stratford Road. Here they are:


1.CHRIST CHURCH SPARKBROOK C. OF E. PRIMARY SCHOOL, Stratford Road; later Claremont Road. Opened 1867 in a private house. Transferred 1870 to a borrowed saw-mill. In 2 depts.: Mixed Infants Fees 2d.–3d.(22) Transferred 1871 or 1872 (21) to new building, accom. 565.(29) Received annual grant from 1880. Altered 1894.(21) Fees retained until 1903.(1) B and G depts. united 1905. Bd. of Ed. demanded substantial improvements in buildings 1912. Improvements made 1915. Became a controlled school 1949.(21 Reorganised 1948–9 for Junior and Infant only. Accom. 1955: 9 classrooms, hall. Transferred 1958 to Claremont Rd. Accom. 1961: 7 classrooms, hall.(28)

2. SPARK HILL CHURCH SCHOOL, Stratford Road. See St. John's (Sparkhill) C. of E. Primary Sch.

3. STRATFORD ROAD COUNTY PRIMARY SCHOOL, Sparkbrook.(27) Stratford Rd. Bd. School opened 1885 by Birm. Sch. Board.(22) Accom. 981 Mixed Infants (1) Fees 1d.–3d.(22) Standard VII class for G opened 1886. Enlarged 1893, 1898. Reorganised 1936 for Junior and Infant .(21) Accom. 1961: 13 classrooms, 2 halls.(28

4. ST. JOHN'S (SPARKHILL) C. OF E. PRIMARY Stratford Road.(27) Sparkhill Church Sch. opened 1856 or 1857, enlarged 1860. In 1865 there were 2 schoolrooms (Mixed infants), with 1 mistress. Fees 2d.–4d.(22) Received annual grants from 1866. New G and I dept. apparently built 1884 consisting of 2 schoolrooms and 2 classrooms: accom. now 515. New Infants dept. built 1892, accom. 133, and former I premises used for B and G. Enlarged 1901. Bd. of Ed. demanded minor improvements in premises 1912. Reorganised for Junior and Infant only 1947.(21) Became an aided school.1951. Accom. 1961: 8 classrooms, hall.(28)

5. LADYPOOL ROAD C. OF E. SCHOOL. Sparkbrook National Sch. opened 1857 (22) in new buildings, with teacher's house, accom. 318,(21) erected with state aid.(1) Comprised schoolroom with a curtain between the B and G depts., and a classroom. Fees 3d.–4d.(22) Sometimes called St. Paul's School. By 1899 in 2 depts :Mixed Infants (1) Name changed 1905 to Ladypool Rd. C. of E. School. Bd. of Ed. considered premises inadequate 1912. Alterations made 1915. Reorganised1933 for 192 Junior Infant.(21) Closed 1938.(1) Building used from 1952 as annexe to Dennis Rd. Cty. Primary School (21)

6. COMMERCIAL SCHOOL, STRATFORD ROAD, Sparkhill. Started 1921 by Birm. C.B.C. as a Mixed school. Established 1929 in converted premises of Sparkhill Institute. Depts. included bk.-keeping, commercial arithmetic, commercial geography. and economic. history, dom. training, langs., mech. drawing, science, shorthand and typing, theory and practice of commerce (ex inf. M. of Ed.). N.o.b. 1961: 350.(28

7. KING EDWARD'S CAMP HILL GRAMMAR SCHOOL FOR BOYS, New Street (1883); Stratford Road (1883–1956); Vicarage Road, King's Heath (1956) Opened 1883 in New St., partly replacing Lower Middle School in Meriden St. Nearly half original pupils came from Middle Sch. in New St. (see p. 554). Moved same yr. to new buildings in Stratford Rd. Enlarged 1890, 1910, 1929. In 1952 'grossly overcrowded' and given priority in governors' plans for reaccom. (T. W. Hutton, King Edw.'s Sch., Birm., 1552–1952, 193). Moved to new premises in Vicarage Rd. 1956.(28) 340 B c. 1908 (V.C.H. Warws. ii. 355), c. 500 1952 (Hutton, King Edw.'s Sch. 193). N.o.b. 1961: 600. (28)

8. KING EDWARD'S CAMP HILL GRAMMAR SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, Stratford Road (1881–1958); Vicarage Road, King's Heath (1958). Started in room built over B Lower Middle Sch. in Meriden St. (see p. 554). Temporarily housed at Camp Hill House, Stratford Rd., 1881 and later at The Poplars, Stratford Rd. (accom. for c. 150), until permanent buildings opened 1893 accom. 300. Some pupils transferred here from Bath Row Sch. when that closed 1915 (see below). 'Uncomfortably overcrowded' by 1952 (Hutton, King Edw.'s Sch. 203). Moved to new premises in Vicarage Rd. 1958.(28) 200 G 1903 (Hutton, K.E.'s Sch. 203), 219 c. 1908 (V.C.H. Warws. ii. 356), and over 400 by 1952 (Hutton, K.E.'s Sch. 203). N.o.b. 1961: 612.(28)
 
Hi.Tim..The rear entrance to Christ Church School was off Farm Road via Clarmont Road....The front entrance was in Braithwaite Road I enjoyed my time there the Headmasters name was A B Craggs.
 
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