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Gower Street Boys and Girls Schools

Michael_Ingram said:
There is no mystery here. The whole area was reconstructed at the end of th 60s. Street were recreated, new ones built although they did seem to do this using the sewage, electricity and gas layout without changing it too much. New street names were created, eg Guildford Drive, and I assume Clifford Walk. I have a map of the area from 1871, there is the small school which became Gower Street infants but there doesn't yet seem to be Gower Street boys school. I am sorry I can't upload it as the resolution is too low. If I find a better copy later I will upload it.
As I said 'boys school'. In the 40s and 50s and before the war older boys went to Gower Street, older girls went to Lozells Street. Attached is a photo of Gower Street and the corner of Guildford Street (the mysterious Clifford Walk bit). Notice the name of the street is Gower Street.
View attachment 155274
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I see Furnace Lane ,
We called this part of the three gulley’s , started at Porchester street , crossed Clifford street and one other , hence
“ three gulleys “
Albert Clayton
 
Astoness said:
photo from above showing gower st school circled also shows the other part of the school corner of lozells road and guildford st date 1950...thanks to OM for this

lyn

View attachment 157013
Click to expand...
What a great photo. If it's from 1950 it looks like the apex roofs had been removed between then and 1958 when I was there. This photo of Guilford St taken from Lozells Rd end shows the corner of the school as I remember it.
Guilford St with school copy.jpg
 
hi bango bit confused...i believe the photo you posted is taken from guildford st looking towards lozells road showing the newer part of gower st school which is still there and the caretakers house next to it..the house was demolished a few years ago..

lyn
 
its a pity the caretakers house had to be demolished...street view 2008

www.google.com

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Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
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Astoness said:
hi bango bit confused...i believe the photo you posted is taken from guildford st looking towards lozells road showing the newer part of gower st school which is still there and the caretakers house next to it..the house was demolished a few years ago..

lyn
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Hi Lyn, yes, this photo was taken in Guilford St. But taken from where the blue dot is facing Gower St. The houses outlined in green are the houses in the photo. Sorry I haven't got a contemporary map. Barry

Guilford St Gower St School copy.jpg
 
oops my error then barry for years since i found that photo ive always assumed it was showing gower st top of lozells road..seems to have a flat roof which that one does...thanks for the correction

lyn
 
Astoness said:
oops my error then barry for years since i found that photo ive always assumed it was showing gower st top of lozells road..seems to have a flat roof which that one does...thanks for the correction

lyn
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It's an easy mistake Lyn, it took me ages to figure that one out before I put it on the interactive map. So many schools and I didn't know any of them.
 
brummy-lad said:
It was taken in 1967
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Hi Banjo

This photo was taken the year I started going to the school. As far as I remember the roof was always flat. But clearly Lyn's picture of Gower Street from above shows the apex roofing.
Thank you for pointing that out.

It's not just the roof that went; the street name changed to Clifford Walk too.

There is certainly a lack of photos of this building around, compared to the main one (that's where the Headmaster's office was) which still stands today, and even less pictures of the third crafts building on Lozells Road.
 
Astoness said:
oops my error then barry for years since i found that photo ive always assumed it was showing gower st top of lozells road..seems to have a flat roof which that one does...thanks for the correction

lyn
Click to expand...
Lyn, it's the only photo that I've come across showing that part of the school. There must be a photo somewhere that shows all of that building. It's encouraging that there are photos on the Forum of the three corners of Gower St & Guilford St but not that elusive 4th corner showing the School.

Gower Street corner with Guilford St 1.jpgGower Street corner with Guilford St 2.jpgGower St corner with Guilford St 3.jpg
 
Banjo said:
Lyn, it's the only photo that I've come across showing that part of the school. There must be a photo somewhere that shows all of that building. It's encouraging that there are photos on the Forum of the three corners of Gower St & Guilford St but not that elusive 4th corner showing the School.

View attachment 157093View attachment 157094View attachment 157095
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yes barry but they are out there somewhere...just added it to my ever growing list of photos to search for when i can get an appointment for the libary archives which looking at their website will not be anytime soon...i will be showing that photo to a friend of mine who lived in guildford st next door to gower st school so his house will be showing

lyn
 
Astoness said:
yes dave in fact there was another part next to the church on lozells road

lyn
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I did know that one, it was where we had our science classes. I am still puzzled as to what Banjo is referring to when he said the elusive view showing the school.
Dave A
 
adap2it said:
I did know that one, it was where we had our science classes. I am still puzzled as to what Banjo is referring to when he said the elusive view showing the school.
Dave A
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dave banjo is talking about trying to find a decent ground level photo of the original gower st school corner of gower st and guildford st...if you go to post 93 there is an overhead shot of it which is circled and if you look further up you can also see the part of the school which you posted a photo of corner of guildford and lozells road..post 95 shows a not very good photo of the original school but we are searching for a better one...

lyn
 
Astoness said:
dave banjo is talking about trying to find a decent ground level photo of the original gower st school corner of gower st and guildford st...if you go to post 93 there is an overhead shot of it which is circled and if you look further up you can also see the part of the school which you posted a photo of corner of guildford and lozells road..post 95 shows a not very good photo of the original school but we are searching for a better one...

lyn
Click to expand...
These days its easy to get an overhead picture of the main building (the only one left standing) on google satellite.
The church is also shown and the site of the craft building.

1620968693867.png
 
maxwell bullivant said:
The teacher is Wally Eyton. He was instrumental in me having to leave Gower St and go to Harry Lucas. I dont wish to say what i thought about this bloke who was feared by most. Max
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I had Wally Eyton as my form teacher in the third year and he was the best teacher I ever had.Yes he was feared but he taught us to think for ourselves.My other teachers were good especially Mr Edmr wards and Mr Jones.
 
My best remembered memory of Wally Eyton was when he said to me "Have you given up smoking yet?" You obviously can't say "no" and "yes" would mean you did smoke once. All I could do was to splutter "I dunno Sir". I appreciated the humour only years later. Oh! I've never smoked.
 
Dave Duggins said:
I had Wally Eyton as my form teacher in the third year and he was the best teacher I ever had.Yes he was feared but he taught us to think for ourselves.My other teachers were good especially Mr Edmr wards and Mr Jones.
Click to expand...
Hi Dave

I too admired Mr. Eyton who, like myself, didn't suffer fools.

Do you remember...
John "Archie" Andrews, Paul Ashford, John Barr, Martyn Broom, Graham Byford, Alan Childs, Alan Dabbs, Noel Davies, Mark Gardner, Barrington Green, Keith Griffiths, John Halpin (me), Melvyn Harris, Stephen Hinds, James Hogg, Michael Jay, Mark Kimberley, Andrew Leighton, John Lutwhitz, Tony McLaughlin, Winston Mosquito, Eaton O'Connor, Faiz Parker, Andrew Pavlov, Maurice Powell, Steven Stone, Stephen Turvey, Dennis Watkins, Steven Woods and others I am trying to rattle my brains for.

I'd be interested in knowing a little about what you did in the big wide world. In those days no-one ever thought of school reunions. I have tried to make contact with Stephen Turvey (one of his relatives is a member) on this site but there appears to be nothing doing.

John.

I am adding to the above list of names on this post (115) as and when I get them.
 
Last edited:
Yes that is correct. "Guest" means they are no longer included as members, so the site has no method of contacting them
 
John_Gower_Street_pupil said:
Hi Dave

I was in your class at school. We didn't have much to do with each other at that time; such were the class sizes. I have added you to the list of students I have been putting together. I too admired Mr. Eyton who, like myself, didn't suffer fools.

Do you remember...
John Archibald, John Barr, Martin Broom, Alan Dabbs, Noel Davies, Dave Duggins (you), Mark Gardner, Barrington Green, John Halpin (me), Melvyn Harris, Stephen Hinds, James Hogg, John Lutwhitz, Tony McLaughlin, Eaton O'Connor, Faiz Parker, Andrew Pavlov, Maurice Powell, Stephen Turvey, Dennis Watkins, Steven Woods and Mosquito and others I am trying to rattle my brains for.

I'd be interested in knowing a little about what you did in the big wide world. In those days no-one ever thought of school reunions. I have tried to make contact with Stephen Turvey (one of his relatives is a member) on this site but there appears to be nothing doing.

John.
Click to expand...
Hi John ,. I'm sorry to say none of the names names you have mentioned rang any bells.Lads I remember David Burke(good footie player) Connor O Keefe ,my best mate was Peter Rogers,Ken Foley,David Farnsworth,Steven Gould,Clifford Mildenhall,Steven Hoare ,will try to get the gray matter working for s few more. I had Mr.Staunton 1stYear Mr.Jones 2nd Mr,Eyton 3rd then Mr Edwards in the 4th.Perhaps you have got me mixed up with someone else ?
 
Dave Duggins said:
Hi John ,. I'm sorry to say none of the names names you have mentioned rang any bells.Lads I remember David Burke(good footie player) Connor O Keefe ,my best mate was Peter Rogers,Ken Foley,David Farnsworth,Steven Gould,Clifford Mildenhall,Steven Hoare ,will try to get the gray matter working for s few more. I had Mr.Staunton 1stYear Mr.Jones 2nd Mr,Eyton 3rd then Mr Edwards in the 4th.Perhaps you have got me mixed up with someone else ?
Click to expand...
Hi Dave

You must be right about my confusion for I don't know anyone you mention.
An image of one of my class mates popped into my head on reading your name. I can see his face clearly in my mind's eye. His name is very similar to yours.

John
 
John_Gower_Street_pupil said:
Hi Dave

I was in your class at school. We didn't have much to do with each other at that time; such were the class sizes. I have added you to the list of students I have been putting together. I too admired Mr. Eyton who, like myself, didn't suffer fools.

Do you remember...
John Archibald, John Barr, Martin Broom, Alan Dabbs, Noel Davies, Dave Duggins (you), Mark Gardner, Barrington Green, John Halpin (me), Melvyn Harris, Stephen Hinds, James Hogg, John Lutwhitz, Tony McLaughlin, Eaton O'Connor, Faiz Parker, Andrew Pavlov, Maurice Powell, Stephen Turvey, Dennis Watkins, Steven Woods and Mosquito and others I am trying to rattle my brains for.

I'd be interested in knowing a little about what you did in the big wide world. In those days no-one ever thought of school reunions. I have tried to make contact with Stephen Turvey (one of his relatives is a member) on this site but there appears to be nothing doing.

John.
Click to expand...
Steven Stone, Michael Jay. Do you remember Paul Ashford who had some kind of learning issues Wally,s Class , Was,nt there for long? Im still in touch with Anthony Huggins from Prince Albert And Gower, Hope your well John its been a long time but i still remember our friendship .
 
John_Gower_Street_pupil said:
A couple more of my classmates have come to mind:

Eaton O'Connor - He was another who went on to Holte Comp. He was always immaculately dressed. A real lady-killer.
And there was a lad called Mosquito who also went on to Holte. Never knew his first name. There were a few other African lads... My brain is working on them. Oh and a few Indians too.
Click to expand...
Winston Mosquito, Great friend of mine John. Eaton joined the Army.
 
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