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Lordswood Boys' Technical School

The other teacher I remember well was Mr. Davies, Head of the Geography department. Late on (5th form), a group of us went with him to walk the Pennine Way camping or stopping at youth hostels. Ironically, the day before we were due to ascend Kinder Scout, Mr Davies turned his ankle negotiating a stone wall, and we had to head home. He was a great guy !
Thanks for posting that - brings back all sorts of memories.
The full title back in those days was "Lordswood Boys' Technical School"
I served my time between Sept 1961 and July 1966. I think the school had only been open for 3 or 4 years at that point?

Having passed the eleven plus at Camden Street Primary school, the choice of schools was mainly traditional grammar schools like George Dixon or Handsworth Grammar. The "Technical" school was a fairly new choice and majored on practical skills like woodwork, metalwork and technical drawing. Language taught was German as again this was deemed to be tech/engineering speak at the time.
The single storey block in the foreground of the photo was the metal and woodworking shops.

It soon dawned on me that my practical skills were zero and dropped the subjects for grammar and science based stuff!
Turned out to be a wrong choice for me but for those school pals who were more practical they were able to flourish.
Still in touch with a few of the 1961 entrants - we've all just reached retirement age and starting a whole new chapter!
Hello everyone. I have enjoyed reading all the memories on here. I was a 2nd year intake when the school opened in 1957 placed in form 2D, and left in 1961. My first form master was Gil Jones, P.E. Master. My house was Telford. Good memories of Mr Reinstein, maths, Mr Hawkridge, history, Mr Davies, geography and many more. I am still in touch with a few old school pals. I must dig out some class photos and post them on here.
Boy it brings back memories. I started in the1st year in 57, headmaster was Harkness, Long was German master, Hepton was Chemistry master. I was in Stephenson house, I always thought the names of the houses were very appropriate for a Technical school: Bessemer, Faraday, Stephenson and Telford. The
Hi all. Just joined. I was in the first intake in 1957 when there were just 2 years. The 2nd year were 12plus intakes.

I've always appreciated the skills we learnt with Messrs Cauldicott and Betts, real woodwork and metalwork. Not to mention technical drawing with... ???

I stayed through to the 6th form then read maths at B'ham University.

More memories to come if anyone is interested and/or can add to them.

Phil Neath
 
One other great memory was the upper 6th. Given I was 18 most of that year, it was perfectly legal to head across the road to the pub during lunch hour. Pupils occupied the bar and the teachers the lounge. We basically ignored each other until the A levels were done then actually mingled. You certainly wouldn't get that these days. Can't remember the name of the pub though and it doesn't show on google maps. Probably closed long ago !
 
I started in 2nd year in 1957 and left after a levels in Physics Chemistry And Biology in 1963. I have no contact with pupils I knew at the time., and do not recognise any names in the news feeds above. I do have quite fond memories of my time there though.
 
PJG,

Pirates of Penzance - the attachment might take you back - scan from the school magazine 1965 - there's a few photos in there too - and you could relive the whole experience on September 3rd or 4th - it's on at the Malvern Theatre!

Think the pub across the road from the school was the Talbot?

Bill Burton
 

Attachments

  • Lordswood Pirates (1965 Magazine).pdf
    627.6 KB · Views: 81
I think we started in 1959 at Lordswood
TRYING TO TRACE
Malcolm Deeley, last known Erdington
Vic Turner lived near AUSTIN works
Dave Lippett lived Northfield
Alex Loxley lived Winson Green
Barry Eustace lived Redditch
Roger Keyse, had a polio leg, believed lived Northfield, trainspotter
Stephen Bartlett, lived flats Vauxhall Duddeston
John Dean lived near Grove Lane
Our form master was Colin Lee(deceased)
Also trying to trace lad who lived in Catherine Street, Aston who attended Lordswood.
 
Thanks guys. Didn't expect such prompt replies. It was Harrington.

This is surreal, sitting in a restaurant in Denia (Spain) thinking about school 50 yrs ago. Back to food for now.

Add more soon
When I was there between 69 and 76 Mr Harrington, TD master was known as Fruitbowl
 
I was at LBGTS from December 69 to June 76, so a little more recent that most of the posts above, we had so many memorable teachers, some good times and some forgettable experiences mostly to do with adhoc corporal punishment which never did me any harm but stung a bit at the time, main exponents of "a good beating never hurt anyone" are listed. The english master, board rubber and large PE shoe, and also a liking for picking you up by the hair in front of the ears and uttering in a west country accent "You little rat"
A PE teacher, with rugby origins, used a large PE shoe but insisted on taking a run up and making you stand to attention for an hour in snow, I was 12 at the time along with the 120 others also shivering in their PE Kit.
Other punishment involved ritual humiliation, by numerous staff members.
Notable for their eccentricities were Mr Monty, reportedly a drinking chum of Dylan Thomas, who spoke with such a welsh accent it was sometimes tough to understand him, and he would regularly fall asleep in class and utter the EH! which was liberally distributed in chalk around the school to taunt him. The German teacher in her purple, skin tight knitted mini dress, all too much for a 14 year old trying to learn German. A master in Woodwork, he of the stiff spine who could not bend over and had us running about picking things up fo him, we all bet he would pick up a fiver if he saw one on the floor. Mr (Tat) Pearson, the plain speaking biology master, in love with his vauxhall Viva and rank clothing, Frank Kirby, Maths, an original Teddy boy with a posh Jag, Mr Follows, a good laugh and a teacher you could talk to. Mr (Fruitbowl) Harrington, TD, another nice chap, Dave Boddison, Pottery, ardent communist, set me on the road to ceramics which I still attempt today, Malcolm Hughes, Art, a nice arty type, "I spent most of my 6th form in the art room as an "Art Room Dosser" and ended up at art college as a result. Mr Lee, Music, I could never master the trumpet, but enjoyed orchestra practise. Mrs Symonds, well what could I say...... Mr Evans, Dr Who look a like, promoter of the magazine Frisket, and an all round good egg! Other good eggs... Mr Betts, metalwork, Mr Beale, geography, Mr George, Engineering....many others who fade into my distant memory, but on the whole it was a good 6 years, shame about the slip in discipline due a New Headmaster, Mr Whitehouse but as an education it served me well, comments please....
 
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One other great memory was the upper 6th. Given I was 18 most of that year, it was perfectly legal to head across the road to the pub during lunch hour. Pupils occupied the bar and the teachers the lounge. We basically ignored each other until the A levels were done then actually mingled. You certainly wouldn't get that these days. Can't remember the name of the pub though and it doesn't show on google maps. Probably closed long ago !
I think it was the Talbot
 
I was at Lordswood 1961-67. I was a friend of 1960s legend London John/Johnny Parka, who went to Stanmore Road which is now part of George Dixons. I never liked school. My fault, not theI was in Faraday and there was a Pete(r) Williams in my form. It's sad to think it could be the same person whose passed away,
 
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I can remember Mr Jones saying at Metchley Lane that no one was tackling properly. He made about half a dozen boys line up and said he was going to show us all how tackle properly. He tackled the first boy (C stream) very hard and he continiously screamed until the ambulance arrived, Jones had broken his leg!

Phil Hawkins (C stream) has become one of the countries greatest railway artists
Geoff Brown, 6th form prefect when I was there, is now a multi millionaire living in the USA having written the program for a world famous computer game. At Lordswood he made an electric guitar in wood work and formed a Shadows type pop group which was very impressive
The guy who played Sandy Richardson in Crossroads went to Lordswood.
Anthony Cluett, a well know Prefect around the time of Geoff Brown died around 10 years ago

Lordswood was a very well run aspirational school whose motto became SERVICE . The headmaster, Derek Harkness, lived in Knightlow Road and his son attended the school. Every master bar one, Mr Lewis the games master who married the school secretary, wore a gown in assembly.

Barry Long (German) became a Lordswood governor after retiring as a teacher and was there when we had a conducted tour of the school 20 years ago

Lordswood was the first UK school to offer driving lessons as part of the curriculum

D STREAM

Bailey
Bradshaw (lived on Bristol Rd near Bristol Cinema)
Bartlett Stephen
Biddlestone
Beardes Clive (Had a butchers business on Brierley Hill High Street)
Deeley Malcolm
Dean John lived near M & B
Eustace Barry, family ran Fruit & Veg stalls at Bham Market Bull Ring
Halford Graham
Hurcombe (very quiet, hardly spoke)
Jackson Peter, believed lived in an orphage at Bromsgrove
Keeley
Kennedy
Loxley Alex lived in back to backs in Winson Green
Lippet Dave lived in Northfield
Mills George played drums in a pop band with his older brother
Price AC
Price RJ
Rogers Karl lived in Weoley Castle
Rudge Martin lived near Austin
Sansome
Smith GG
Smith JJ
Stanier (Pee Wee) smallest boy in class lived near Swanshurt Park
Staney Rod, Father had a hardware business in Bearwood High Street
Tailor
Teale Richard (lived over the chemist in Weoley Castle, square, joined RAF
Turner Vic, very hot blonde mother, lived near Austin works
Vercesi Ron, very good sportsman
 
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Thinking of the school and it facilities, for the time we had a good well equipped school, learning to drive in the minis was a treat, working with a forge, anvil, machines that could remove fingers, an observatory which could monitor the stars and look into the windows of the flats in posh Edgbaston, chemistry labs with genuinely dangerous chemicals and unsupervised gas Bunsen burners, a fully working organ, a grand piano, dissection in the biology lab, electric potters wheels, a kiln, the list goes on. The Japanese Rugby team paying us a visit, our own school magazine, Frisket, a play with music Starcrossed, written by Tony Hale, with music by Spellbound, super talented Jimmy and Johnny Lane on guitars, Noel Price and Steve Whitall bass and drums, the most alcoholic disco party in the school hall, organised by and for 16-18 year olds with gallons of cider on sale or return from the Talbot, (none was returned) it was a great school, not perfect but still a positive experience.
 
Hi All

I recently found this site and the interesting threads on Lordswood BTS.

I joined the school in 1958 after passing the eleven plus at Dudley Road. Lordswood was then only one year old, I believe. I stayed until A levels in 1965. I did physics at Birmingham then trained and qualified as a patent attorney.

Like several others, I was not very good at practical subjects. I was much better at the academic ones.

Teachers I can remember from my years at the school are as follows:
Bailey (Maths), Balsom (Deputy Head and English), Barnsley (Chemistry), Betts (Metalwork), Caldicott (Woodwork), Craig (German), Dale (Maths), Davies (Geography), J Griffin (PE and Geography), D Harkness (Headmaster and Maths), Harrington (TD), Hawkridge (History), D Hepton (Chemistry), Ingamells (German), D George (Craft), Hart (Art), G Jones (PE), V Jones (English and General Studies), C Lee (Music and RE), Lewis (PE and History), B Long (German), R Long (English), Luckman (German), Ludlam (English and General Studies), P Mason (English), Mercati (Biology), Rankin (Pottery), H Reinstein (Maths), Rhodes (Chemistry), Sawyer (Physics), Sturmen (TD), Summers (English), Wilson (Physics), Woods (Physics).

Harkness was a very good teacher. I had him for some A level Maths. He was very clear and logical. Also, I had Balsom for some basic English and he too was clear and easy to follow.

My favourite teacher was Griffin (‘Noddy’) for the mature way in which he interacted with us. He was keen on cross-country (I was a runner) and left to become a professional cyclist. My least favourite was Dale who dangerously would throw the hard board rubber at anyone not paying attention.

‘Character’ teachers were Hawkridge, Reinstein and Hepton. Each could be very funny (not deliberately!) in their own different ways.

Lads that were my contemporaries are as follows:
R Adams, S Alexander, J Ashby, R Bannister, J Barton, K Beesley, R Beach, R Bradburn, A Bray, F Boyce, A Brown, C Broughton, H Bull, K Cocking, F Collin, G Conyers, D Cotterell, J Curtis, T Fisher, J Clayton, P Dalton, J Daw, W Eddy, F Evenson, P Geraghty, Goundry, Green, P Greeno, Grinyer, P Grubb, P Gunningham, D Harris, Higginson, P Hind, J Hodgetts (deceased 1963) , B Hughes, G Insall, D James, P James, R Johnston, B Joyce, F Kerrigan, R Knight, L Kricka, T Lears, C Margetts, M McGaheran, J Moore, E Morris, P Morris, B Newby, J Nicholls, Parsons, Polanski, K O'Brien, K Reading, J Reilly, D Rhodes, S Ryall, R Scott, W Sharpe, I Sheppard, P Simpson, R Smith, J Smith, P Styzaker, D Taborn, J Tehan, R Tookey, C Trickett, Tumelty, M Veale, J Westlake, F Whitehouse, M White, R Wilkes, D Workman, B Ying.

Glad to offer these comments. It's very pleasing that a record is still being kept on the early days of the school. There were many such details recorded on Friends Reunited but unfortunately they were all lost when that site folded.
 
I used to go over to the Boys' School for orchestra practise! Mr. Lee was very good. In my time there was a Mr. Ingamells at the Girls' School but he taught French? When my son was there one of the masters had a large signet ring and if there was a problem he used to knock on the top of the head with it!!!
rosie.
 
Hi All

I recently found this site and the interesting threads on Lordswood BTS.

I joined the school in 1958 after passing the eleven plus at Dudley Road. Lordswood was then only one year old, I believe. I stayed until A levels in 1965. I did physics at Birmingham then trained and qualified as a patent attorney.

Like several others, I was not very good at practical subjects. I was much better at the academic ones.

Teachers I can remember from my years at the school are as follows:
Bailey (Maths), Balsom (Deputy Head and English), Barnsley (Chemistry), Betts (Metalwork), Caldicott (Woodwork), Craig (German), Dale (Maths), Davies (Geography), J Griffin (PE and Geography), D Harkness (Headmaster and Maths), Harrington (TD), Hawkridge (History), D Hepton (Chemistry), Ingamells (German), D George (Craft), Hart (Art), G Jones (PE), V Jones (English and General Studies), C Lee (Music and RE), Lewis (PE and History), B Long (German), R Long (English), Luckman (German), Ludlam (English and General Studies), P Mason (English), Mercati (Biology), Rankin (Pottery), H Reinstein (Maths), Rhodes (Chemistry), Sawyer (Physics), Sturmen (TD), Summers (English), Wilson (Physics), Woods (Physics).

Harkness was a very good teacher. I had him for some A level Maths. He was very clear and logical. Also, I had Balsom for some basic English and he too was clear and easy to follow.

My favourite teacher was Griffin (‘Noddy’) for the mature way in which he interacted with us. He was keen on cross-country (I was a runner) and left to become a professional cyclist. My least favourite was Dale who dangerously would throw the hard board rubber at anyone not paying attention.

‘Character’ teachers were Hawkridge, Reinstein and Hepton. Each could be very funny (not deliberately!) in their own different ways.

Lads that were my contemporaries are as follows:
R Adams, S Alexander, J Ashby, R Bannister, J Barton, K Beesley, R Beach, R Bradburn, A Bray, F Boyce, A Brown, C Broughton, H Bull, K Cocking, F Collin, G Conyers, D Cotterell, J Curtis, T Fisher, J Clayton, P Dalton, J Daw, W Eddy, F Evenson, P Geraghty, Goundry, Green, P Greeno, Grinyer, P Grubb, P Gunningham, D Harris, Higginson, P Hind, J Hodgetts (deceased 1963) , B Hughes, G Insall, D James, P James, R Johnston, B Joyce, F Kerrigan, R Knight, L Kricka, T Lears, C Margetts, M McGaheran, J Moore, E Morris, P Morris, B Newby, J Nicholls, Parsons, Polanski, K O'Brien, K Reading, J Reilly, D Rhodes, S Ryall, R Scott, W Sharpe, I Sheppard, P Simpson, R Smith, J Smith, P Styzaker, D Taborn, J Tehan, R Tookey, C Trickett, Tumelty, M Veale, J Westlake, F Whitehouse, M White, R Wilkes, D Workman, B Ying.

Glad to offer these comments. It's very pleasing that a record is still being kept on the early days of the school. There were many such details recorded on Friends Reunited but unfortunately they were all lost when that site folded.
Delboy,

The list of your contemporaries includes R.Knight. I suspect the R stands for Richard and if so I think it is the same Richard Knight who I married almost 50 years ago. He also started at Lordswood in 1958.

F. Whitehouse is probably Frank Whitehouse who I met at work in 1966.

Batmadviv
 
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Delboy,

The list of your contemporaries includes R.Knight. I suspect the R stands for Richard and if so I think it is the same Richard Knight who I married almost 50 years ago. He also started at Lordswood in 1958.

F. Whitehouse is probably Frank Whitehouse who I met at work in 1966.

Batmadviv
 
batmadviv

Correct on both counts. I knew Frank Whitehouse from the junior school, possibly even the infant school. We were on a group trip to Germany together in 1963 just after our O Levels.
 
Sorry Batmadviv

I should have commented on Richard as you married him!

I was not in the same form as Richard for too long and we didn't mix too much in the same groups. Am I correct in recalling that he had reddish hair. I seem to remember also that he was very good at metalwork and lived near Kings Heath close to the No. 11 bus route. Are my memories correct?
 
Sorry Batmadviv

I should have commented on Richard as you married him!

I was not in the same form as Richard for too long and we didn't mix too much in the same groups. Am I correct in recalling that he had reddish hair. I seem to remember also that he was very good at metalwork and lived near Kings Heath close to the No. 11 bus route. Are my memories correct?

Yes your memories are correct. He was good at woodwork, technical drawing, art and pottery as well as metalwork. He went to the School of Furniture after 5th year. We met at work a few years later.
You have not mentioned R. Harvey in your list.
 
Yes your memories are correct. He was good at woodwork, technical drawing, art and pottery as well as metalwork. He went to the School of Furniture after 5th year. We met at work a few years later.
You have not mentioned R. Harvey in your list.
Yes I remember R Harvey but I can't remember any details about him.
 
Hi all. Just joined. I was in the first intake in 1957 when there were just 2 years. The 2nd year were 12plus intakes.

I've always appreciated the skills we learnt with Messrs Cauldicott and Betts, real woodwork and metalwork. Not to mention technical drawing with... ???

I stayed through to the 6th form then read maths at B'ham University.

More memories to come if anyone is interested and/or can add to them.

Phil Neath
Hi Phil
I was also in the first intake and in the same form with you. I was known more as Titch Horton than John, even Mr Harkness called me that.
Didn’t you have some connection with ELO, or is my memory going like the rest of the body.
John
 
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