Bishop Challoner School kings heath

[peter (Pirate) Graham]

Hi all my name is Peter Graham I was in 4b left school april 1965 just seeing if there are any old B/C kids out there would love to hear from anyone who went there.

 

[boro keith]

Hi Pete
I left in 1962 but can still remember Mr Walford and if someone did anything really bad the whole school would assemble in the hall to watch them being canned.

 

[BernardR]

Well there's 3 of us. Quite a few member on Friends Reunited by the way. I would have left in '58 but passed at 13+ to go to Handsworth Technical School. Ah dear old Wally Welford with his Hitler Moustache and face like a school dinners roast potato.

 

[peter (Pirate) Graham]

Good old Wally yes he was a bit of a sour face but a good teacher did you ever do his long division when you were in trouble pages off them ,and Keith i was usually one of the kids on the stage with Wally giving me the Cane but looking back i normally deserved it .Miss Patterson the assistant head (science teacher)was worse than Wally now she could hit with a cane and i speak from experience haha .I found my old school leaving certificate the other day and was surprised how good it was (didn't think Wally was that good a liar ) considering the problems i had always in trouble of one kind or another but i think i turned out ok

 

[Kiwisailor]

Hello you three from BC.
I was there and left in '58. I kept out of trouble so never had to undergo the canings meted out by Welford. He really scared me, especially if he stood in for whomever teacher we had at the time. Do you remenber, he had a book of the multiplication tables which he would put on the pelmet above the blackboard. He would randomly pick on some poor unfortunate to recite the table as dipicted in his book, it was set out like a clock 14,49,63,21 etc. for the 7 times table in this case. I dreaded it and to this day I have very little confidence in my multiplication abilities. In my opinion, society has become far too permissive but I really do believe Mr. Welford was over the top with his penchant for "remedial punishment".
I was back in the UK a few years back and took a look at the school but none of the buildings were familiar, the place has grown!.
Looking back, I don't think the standard of education was that great but they certainly gave us stern lessons on what was right and what was wrong.
I would love to be able to make contact with some of my old classmates, Peter McGovern, Earnest Cooper, Desmond O'Leary, John Norman are just a few names that come to mind.
Some of the teachers names, Bannon (History) Miss Taylor, Concannon (English) and probably the best of the bunch.
I remember one crises when Wally was accidently squirted with ink from a fountain pen in the playground. The ink ruined his shirt, I was close by at the time, he gave me a couple of pound notes and told me to go into Kings Heath to purchase a new shirt immediatly. I have a feeling the culprit was caned the folowwing day in front of the school.
All the best from NZ.
Robert (Bob) Evans

 

[peter (Pirate) Graham]

Hello you three from BC.
I was there and left in '58. I kept out of trouble so never had to undergo the canings meted out by Welford. He really scared me, especially if he stood in for whomever teacher we had at the time. Do you remenber, he had a book of the multiplication tables which he would put on the pelmet above the blackboard. He would randomly pick on some poor unfortunate to recite the table as dipicted in his book, it was set out like a clock 14,49,63,21 etc. for the 7 times table in this case. I dreaded it and to this day I have very little confidence in my multiplication abilities. In my opinion, society has become far too permissive but I really do believe Mr. Welford was over the top with his penchant for "remedial punishment".
I was back in the UK a few years back and took a look at the school but none of the buildings were familiar, the place has grown!.
Looking back, I don't think the standard of education was that great but they certainly gave us stern lessons on what was right and what was wrong.
I would love to be able to make contact with some of my old classmates, Peter McGovern, Earnest Cooper, Desmond O'Leary, John Norman are just a few names that come to mind.
Some of the teachers names, Bannon (History) Miss Taylor, Concannon (English) and probably the best of the bunch.
I remember one crises when Wally was accidently squirted with ink from a fountain pen in the playground. The ink ruined his shirt, I was close by at the time, he gave me a couple of pound notes and told me to go into Kings Heath to purchase a new shirt immediatly. I have a feeling the culprit was caned the folowwing day in front of the school.
All the best from NZ.
Robert (Bob) Evans

Well Bob i was always in trouble but as you said he did instill the lesson of right and wrong ,the last time i was back in the UK was 1978 never been back since so you live over the pond from me lol in the second best place on earth (just kiddin)i can remember one day we had a new science teacher start and Wally sent him home to get changed he arrived an a motorbike which we all thought was cool but he had jeans on and he was told to change them as the school had standards and the teachers were expected to meet them as well as the student ,so it was the same for them as for us .

Pete
"Too Old To Die Young "

 

[Phil]

Hi

I had three relations that attended Bishop Challenors, I should have gone myself but I refused and I went to Dennis Rd instead. My relations were all named Houghton and would have been there at roughly the same time as you three. Their names were Victor, Murial and Wilkie perhaps you might have known one of them?

Phil

 

[peter (Pirate) Graham]

Hi

I had three relations that attended Bishop Challenors, I should have gone myself but I refused and I went to Dennis Rd instead. My relations were all named Houghton and would have been there at roughly the same time as you three. Their names were Victor, Murial and Wilkie perhaps you might have known one of them?

Phil

Sorry Phil I didn't know them maybe they were in a different class i was in 4b when i left .

Pete.
Too Old To Die Young

 

[johnnyharris]

I started B.C when it had just opened and left in 1956 my name was Maureen Mccann I remember josie archer christine o connor
Marie Kane. I lived in Balsall Heath so it was a long journey. I remember Muriel Houghton. Her mother and mine were very good friends.

 

[Phil]

Hi Johnny

Murry is my Aunt and her mother was my grandmother, are you one of the Harris's that lived in Vincent St?

Phil

 

[Phil]

Hi Maureen

Please forgive me, on re-reading your post I see where you say your name was McCann, not a name I am familiar with. How did your mom know my Gran.

Phil

 

[johnnyharris]

my mother was a friend of Annie Brown from Dundee I think she was peter wilkies sister. Annie had a daughter called billie. she must have then married Houghton and then had victor and muriel. My Mother was from Scotland I think they came down to birmingham together. I remember going to their house a lot.

 

[Phil]

Hi Again Maureen

Billie was my mother, she died a couple of months back, as this is off thread and a bit personal would you like to PM me.

Phil

 

[Susan Henrick (McElroy)]

I started B.C when it had just opened and left in 1956 my name was Maureen Mccann I remember josie archer christine o connor
Marie Kane. I lived in Balsall Heath so it was a long journey. I remember Muriel Houghton. Her mother and mine were very good friends.

Hi Maureen, I left BC school in December 1959. My elder sister Anne McElroy was in the first intake also and I would think you were in the same year. I certainly remember the name Josie Archer, we lived in Stirchley.

 

[JohnGriff]

my sister mary griffin attended bishop challenors she was head girl,, leaving in 1958ish, she had friends,whose names i remember,,,jean biddle,,janet dudley,,maureen ryan,,pamela doyle ,tessa hatton,,,mr walford arranged her first job,,,lawrence bros ltd we lived in stoney lane sparkhill,
mary passed away in aug 21,,from covid, she was eldest of 8 children, 6 surviving, mary was a wonderful sister,,,the very best,,best regards ,john griffin