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George Dixons Grammar School

Sir Michael Balcon the film producer was educated at GD. There is a plaque on the school in City Road commemorating this fact. He is also recorded as playing in the first Rugby match between the school and the Old Dixonians. The original George Dixon character was killed in the film The Blue Lamp but the name was used again in the TV series.

Oscar Deutsch went to our arch rivals King Edwards Five Ways
 
Does anyone remember the school dance in the boys hall? I think they held it at the end of a Christmas termThey dimmed the lights down, so much you could hardly see across the room! What was the idea of this?! They had a record player and played Victor Silvester records.
Unfortunatly the girls and boys did not mix and I dont think anyone danced.perhaps one or two who knew each other. The experiment failed! Shame!
Bodge
 
No I don't remember any dances with the girls school but I do remember cutting up tomatoes for a party in the kitchen at the back of the hall using a cut-throat razor borrowed from the Biology Lab. The girls working with us were not best pleased.

Back in 2004 when the school was celebrating 100 years at City Road, I went back for an open day and walking along the corridor, I remembered that the next door on the left was the gym. When I got there I found it labelled 'Dance Studio'. I suppose that what comes of making the school co-ed.
 
I can confirm the visit of Sir Michael Balcon to GD in 1947/1948 as I was in the Form Room in the corridoor wing, Lower 1 or 2C, when he was introduced to my Form. The story then came out that he used the name George Dixon in the film and TV series Dixon of Dock Green.
A few years ago there was an open day for ex pupils to visit and revive old memories. Perhaps time for another one?
 
I certainly remember a 'music' night in the hall, when a number of the pupils performed on stage - a jazz group including a brilliant six former playing the clarinet (I think he was in the school orchestra - if I remember right he was handicapped and sat in a wheelchair), but he was just as at home playing Chris Barber melodies! Also a rock band and one of my classmates playing the trumpet. I don't remember whether the girls were invited, in fact I'm pretty sure they weren't. Anyway, I and a couple of my mates got turfed out for smoking in the hall! For us it was our last year at the school (1964) since we left after O levels and didn't go on to the sixth form.
 
An interesting forum I have discovered upon seeking news of old school chums. I attended the Boys' School between 1962-69. Numbers of staff mentioned are remembered with mixed views. Re the question of staff that attended as pupils, one such was Pat Hanks the Art Master. He had a disagreeable encounter at that time with the aptly named Trout which resulted in his denunciation as a 'Winson Green Gutter Snipe'. Trout was an extraordinary fellow. He 'borrowed' my copies of Mein Kampf and The Little Red Book of Mao Zedong (begun but never finished) they were never seen again; no comment!

Perhaps this related to an occurrence when Trout led a joint Scout/Duke of Edinburgh camp trip to the Malverns. Although camped on opposite sides of a deer park we were all attracted to the bellowing of a distraught master (said Trout) who had the misfortune to have been knocked into the latrine by some passing horses. Somewhat discommoded by this he took it upon himself to continue his daily ablutions in a near by inn. News soon spread that he had the additional misfortune to leave his scout belt and knife hanging on the back of the lavatory door. The other staff were amused by this and when a campfire song; 'Oh Dear what can the matter be, Trout left his belt on a hook in the lavatory' rang out at night around the Duke of Edinburgh campfire staff supervisors were sent for and suitably chastened; evening pub visits for staff were banned!

And so it fell to me to approach Mr Trout (staff hiding in the food tent Mr Madden, PE and Mr Ennis, jolly chap, with their jumper sleeves in mouths to stifle laughter) with the charitable news that the boys, on hearing of his loss, had a whip around and had come up with sixpence (date hint) in order that he may have six more visits to the inn lavatory and endeavour to lose his shirt. Oh Dear! However, from that day forth, irrespective of academic effort on my part, the staff room seemed favourably disposed toward me.

Attached a photo from 1968 I found on the web somewhere a number of years ago that shows a few peers.
 

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welcome to the forum amigo pedro hope you enjoy it...thanks for your memories of george dixons....smashing photo you have posted i wonder if any of our members are on it....

lyn
 
Nice to see the uniform with the old badge on it. I am surprised how dark the green blazer looks on a black & white photo. I never did get to like Trout although his good point was that he ran the school scout troop, 16th Birmingham. The fact that the scout troop had such a low number tells you something about the quality of the school in those days.
 
Hi, I was at GD Boys from 69 to 74; in forms 1A, 2F, 3F, 4F, & 5B1. I found this old school calender from the last term I was there if anyone is interested in the staff names etc. It still has my lessons timetable on the reverse and details of my 'O' level exams to sit!

View attachment 123499
Hello Bob D, thanks for sharing this, countless memories flooding back reading some of these names. I attended GD from 71-76. Remembering when we amalgamated ( don't think I ever use that word since) with the Girls Grammar school in 72. Hormones off the chart for a 12 year old boy. Teachers that I remembered include Mrs Madison who pushed me to go to Art School, alas my Dad thought it not such a good idea and that was that. Boulton,Eley,Fletcher Gough, J.Paul, Miss Stephenson ( who I must apologize to for my awful behavior which brought her to tears) Hanney, Trout and the quite brilliant Mr Long. Another teacher comes to mind but I not quite certain on this fellow, Mr Hyde, I recall, was the teacher from Liverpool, who I think taught French. He was a young teacher and a likeable man but left the school abruptly. There was no great explanation or reasons given out when it was announced by one of the head teachers at some form of assembly but those of us who witnessed his meltdown in class that day will never forget how he took his frustrations out on one particular student. Students I remember, Des Beehan ( who I've just shared this calender with) Gary Cole, Johnny MacGuire, Aki Meehan,Andy Rodgers, Barney the skinhead (cant remember if he had a 1st name, that's all we ever called him) John Green, Lee Harvey, Frank ( Boff) and some of the girls Lynn Steel, Gillian Martin, Susan Humphries ( she broke my heart) and countless others I can see but cant quite remember the names. Any info you have or other memories of George Dixon would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Phil Curran
 
Who was the chap who used to come in from outside to teach the violin .I will always be grateful to him.Im still playing it now.I left in 1957.I remember old Fletcher, he used to play the organ in the church next door and he assembled a brilliant school choir.I think we used to go into that church at least twic a week after morning assembly.We used to march out to his favourite piece of music, The toccata and fuge in D minor by Bach.Very rousing.It is a poignant reminder of GD every time I hear it!
Toodlepip.
Bodge
Yes, Fletcher! I remember him well! Most famous saying.., " you dumber - headed lump of green blazered twerpery" Anyone remember being called that? Today the PC brigade would no doubt consider that child abuse!
 
Yes, Fletcher! I remember him well! Most famous saying.., " you dumber - headed lump of green blazered twerpery" Anyone remember being called that? Today the PC brigade would no doubt consider that child abuse!
We were all called a lump of green blazered twerpery at some time either individually or collectively
 
We were all called a lump of green blazered twerpery at some time either individually or collectively
Hi
I guess you are right! In my case it was almost 50 years since I left GD so contextualising memories gets a little harder! So I was there from September 1964 until June 1971. I remember the joining up of the sixth forms with the girls next door in the last year I was there. Not sure it helped with A level results but it certainly added a dimension of colour to
the final academic year! On a more reflective note I think GD offered an excellent education for those who saw it as an educational opportunity to prosper rather than just endure. Sadly my own children had to resort to the private sector to secure the same level of education as I received, such is the state of Worcestershire's educational offerings.
It would seem there are reunions from time to time and wonder who has been responsible for organising them in the past?
 
Having discovered this site and thread today prompts me to send a 'shout out' to the class of 1971leavers to the extent I can recall them! Fred Kilby, Michael Williams, Graham Howe,
Philip Street, Malcolm Ridout, Peter Muller,Clive Frazer, Bill Bonner, Robert Bissell, Peter Gregory, Geoffrey Newby, Henry Barrel, Geoffrey Hunt , John Smith, Gary Bushell with apologies to the dozens I have omitted! As for the girls who I met in the union of sixth forms in 1971........Rebecca Shields, Inger Fetter , Lynne Kenny (knew from before),Noelle Bartlett, Sarah Merritt, Anne Cottam, her friend Ann, Jennifer Bomber and now brain fade sets in! I sincerely hope all are alive and well and have put their privileged education to good effect!! While it is imperative to be forward looking in life I am always happy to share fond memories!
 
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Although conjecture about the political leanings and general attitudes of teachers in the past can be regarded as part of our social history, I think I need to discourage further comment on the CURRENT situation. Brexit is regrettably a toxic subject (about which we all have feelings and opinions) and this current benign conversation about it will inevitably develop into argument and upset as others join in. So, back to GD history, please, gentlemen........!

Chris
 
The only master whose politics we knew anything about was Tom Long who fought against the fascists in the Spanish Civil War. If we ever wanted to wind him up we would ask about Franco in Spain or occasionally about Peron in Argentina. I have taken out a couple of sentences in view of Chris's comments above and left the rest of my post

However I do not want this forum to become a political debating ground so I shall not say how I voted in the referendum or the EU parliament elections.
 
Hi Pedrocut, it's a shame you got no takers on your question! Given that George Dixon was a Liberal Party MP, and that he had learnt French in France, it might just be that he would have supported Remain. However, taking 1906 as a point of departure, the British Empire was at its height (though the Boers had just knocked some of the gilt off the gingerbread, and the British had come up with an invention with much more sinister overtones these days - the concentration camp), I would guess that the support of world wide free trade and the naval domination of the Empire would have encouraged the vast majority to vote leave...

Valmy At this moment in time, the Brexit debiate has become very polerising and devisive. There have been a very polite request that "So, back to GD history, please, gentlemen........! " What part of this are you not understanding?
 
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