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Wheelers Lane Secondry modern

@Jim259 That's a cracking picture.
Nigel Hortons England rugby shirt= used to be on the wall just above the door into the 'Beaks' office.
The wall space over the double doors into the hall were plastered with the regimental badges of all the regiments in the British Army.
 
Hi.. I was at Wheelers Lane Juniors as you left seniors. Did you go onto further Ed etc?
I'll be in the Robin Hood tonight with two ex WLSMS lads... if you're about, pull up a chair and let me buy you a pint...
 
@Jim259 Hey there.. how you doing? Long story short, I'm in rented accommodation waiting for my house to be built and everything is in storage. When I get everything back, I'll post a few pics.
 
When I attended this school, It was boys only, under the headship of Mr North.

One teacher I remember was Mr Levine,

Have a few pics of the Brass band if anyones interested.

These would be around 1959/1960
I remember the teacher, Mr Levine. He was my teacher when i was there in 1957/58. I have a photo of the whole class that was taken in the playground
 
here is the photo of the class taken i think in around 1957/58. split in two to load it
 

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Hi everyone.. great photos.. everything is still in storage still but will post what I have when I can.
Its so good to see comments from lads who were at Wheelers pre and post my time.. absolute respect. If you're ever in the Billesley, The Knob, Robin Hood or Red Lion give me shout.. be good to put faces to names. I still drive past the school entrance and think back - great days lol. To me, Wheelers Lane hasn't changed a bit, neither has Swanshurst.. ;)
 
When I attended this school, It was boys only, under the headship of Mr North.

One teacher I remember was Mr Levine,

Have a few pics of the Brass band if anyones interested.

These would be around 1959/1960
Mr Levine used to encourage us to play table tennis at lunch & after school.
 
The gym teacher was probably “ Jock” McCoy ( not certain if spelling correct) . He took classes for rugby
Mr. Flagella was music/handwriting teacher. Mr. Turgenev was geography teach and carried a broomstick!
I left in 1972(6 form)
Wasn't his name McIver?
 
Mr McIver is correct. Mr. Levine taught R. E. I started in 1959 in junior school, then juniors ( 2 years at the “ annex”) then seniors . Would have started seniors ( Mr. Probert headmaster) in 1964/65.
It was still an all boy’s school.( We had to make do with Swanshurst when we played rugby on the common).
 
Just read what I had written before and love the names, bit should have read Mr. Flavell and Mr. Rudge. Sorry
 
I remember Wheelers during the early sixties (1961-65) Mr North was the head when I started, but he retired around 63/4 and Mr. Probert became the head, Mr Peters deputy, Mr levine, Mr Hyme, Mr Hall, Mr Goulcher penmanship, Mr favell Music/Band. Mr Hougton maths , Mr McIver PE master, Mr Hancox Art, Mr Rudge Geography, Mr Dowsett metalwork, Mr Skinner woodwork,

In 2007 the old school was knocked down and replaced with a new three storey building with a seperate sports hall and all weather pitches. A new primary is being built on the site of the old school, and the school is now known as wheelers lane technology college.
I started in 1964 and left in 1969 so I do remember all those teachers - so thanks for that memory jog. We were all put into teams and I went into Pines (yellows). Does anyone remember a Paul Skilling who started the same time as me - he was so good at sport and I'm sure finished up with 9/10 O-levels.
 
If I remember correctly Paul Skilling when on to become head boy, and most people looked up to as great sportsman. Also have vague memory that he went on an expedition to north or South Pole, but that could just my memory playing tricks
 
If I remember correctly Paul Skilling when on to become head boy, and most people looked up to as great sportsman. Also have vague memory that he went on an expedition to north or South Pole, but that could just my memory playing tricks
Yes I think he did go on some expedition and could have gone in the Royal Navy as a diver. He set up a diving school down in Swanage as I recall. He was HB and I was DHB for my sins. The South Birmingham swimming relay team had 3 boys from WLSMB - Paul Skilling, James McGinn & ? Jackson not bad for a secondry modern!
 
Hi everyone, the recent passing of Tony ‘Elfie’ Devlin has prompted me to make this post. I went to Colmore Road Junior & Infants with him, and we were also at Wheelers’ Lane S.M.B together, although we were in different classes/streams. He was well liked and well known both at school and with the local lads and we kept in touch over the decades after leaving school.
I have quite vivid memories of the teachers at Wheeler’s Lane over the time I was a pupil there from 1960 to 1965. I stopped on for an extra year in order to take exams, so didn’t leave until I was 17.

Albert ‘Albatross’ North – Head Master imported straight from Victorian times. Very strict disciplinarian who wore a stripy grey suit with 22” bottoms, and black shiny shoes that you could see your face in. He quite often used to draw attention to this fact and used to follow up with ‘Get the joke? - No – Get the stick!’ He was never afraid to use the ‘cosh’ (cane).

David Peters – Deputy Head. Probably the best English teacher I ever had, and well respected by the pupils. He could engage and enthuse and was a very likeable Welshman. I believe that he took over as Head when Albatross retired shortly after I left 5th year.

Freddy ‘Bon Bon’ Bonner – swarthy looking with the remnants of a scar running down the one side of his forehead. Not a bad teacher who seemed to be a jack of all trades. He also ran the school camp in Cwmyoy during summer hols. He always used to bring back a large cake which he described as ‘Being surplus to requirement’ and was raffled off for the school funds. I always found this very odd because if you went to the camp you were fed a starvation level diet!

‘Ernie’ Rudge - used to smoke some really evil smelling roll-ups between classes. Not very nice to pupils unless they played rugby. Can’t recall what he used to teach, but I remember him viciously throwing his heavy wooden blackboard eraser at errant pupils!

Mr Brown – a very close mate of Ernie Rudge who taught geography. Not a very likeable character and best forgotten about.

‘Half hour’ Hancock – another mate of Ernie Rudge who taught Art, and who destroyed any atom of artistic capability/interest in me (along with that of many others). I remember in the 5th year having a whole morning of Art which must have been a punishment for something we did in previous existences!

Ian ‘Jock’ MacIver – a gym master who was a graduate of the Maquis de Sade teaching academy. Nicknamed Jock even though he was 100% Welsh. Successfully managed to destroy any desire to exercise, or to be involved in any organised team sports.

Mr Hall – Was placed in one of the asbestos prefab classrooms between the senior and junior schools. Used to take Gym prior to ‘Jock’ arriving on the scene and also taught English. Not a bad bloke at all

Mr Jones – also situated in one of the prefab classrooms. He was quite a personable Welsh character who taught English!

Samuel ‘Sammy’ Gulcher – A short, rotund chap who always wore freshly pressed shirt & suit with a handkerchief in his top pocket. His claim to fame was being able to teach Penmanship (How to write proper) and his catchphrase was ‘What do you think I am boy? A Cabbage?

Harry Levine – Didn’t have much to do with this teacher, but he taught general subjects and seemed an okay bloke. Always looked shabby!

Mr Hime – used to wear a pale green ex-army jacket during warmer weather and was obviously seeing out his time until retirement.

Mr Gaunt – taught Physics and took some interest in his pupils. Unfortunately he left, to be replaced by a ‘posh’ bloke who knew his stuff, but couldn’t generate much enthusiasm.

‘Flango’ Houghton – got his nickname due to his sticky out ears. He really knew his Maths, Geometry and Algebra and also taught Technical Drawing. Tried his very best to generate interest in his subjects.

Mr Snowdon – a youngish chap who taught metalwork. This seemed to take the form of having to file a lump of metal for week after week until you got it ‘right’. He was eventually superseded by another youngish teacher called Dowsett

Mr Ashmore – a kindly old chap that knew his stuff and was keen to pass on his Woodwork skills to his pupils. He retired to the Cotswolds whilst I was in the 5th year.

Mr Skinner also taught woodwork, but I didn’t have any contact with him.

Mr Favell – he taught Music and could be quite engaging when he was in the mood – which wasn’t very often. I well remember his classes where you would be issued with a Triangle, Tambourine or Maracas and you then had to plink/tap/click away to a music score on the blackboard.

Looking back, I’m sure that Wheelers’ Lane was used by the educational authorities as a ‘sink’ where the teachers that no other school wanted, or those teachers not up to scratch, or about to retire were farmed off, well out of the way. However, there were three or four teachers that were capable, cared, and could teach really well – and hence deserved medals for their efforts.
 
Yes I think he did go on some expedition and could have gone in the Royal Navy as a diver. He set up a diving school down in Swanage as I recall. He was HB and I was DHB for my sins. The South Birmingham swimming relay team had 3 boys from WLSMB - Paul Skilling, James McGinn & ? Jackson not bad for a secondry modern!
I really believe it was a great school especially for a secondary modern. The teachers were strict but mainly fair . Jock heard me swearing and just said he was disappointed!
In the early 70s new modern teachers came, and could not control some classes, which may show the old stricter methods were good if not better or rose coloured glasses!
Hi everyone, the recent passing of Tony ‘Elfie’ Devlin has prompted me to make this post. I went to Colmore Road Junior & Infants with him, and we were also at Wheelers’ Lane S.M.B together, although we were in different classes/streams. He was well liked and well known both at school and with the local lads and we kept in touch over the decades after leaving school.
I have quite vivid memories of the teachers at Wheeler’s Lane over the time I was a pupil there from 1960 to 1965. I stopped on for an extra year in order to take exams, so didn’t leave until I was 17.

Albert ‘Albatross’ North – Head Master imported straight from Victorian times. Very strict disciplinarian who wore a stripy grey suit with 22” bottoms, and black shiny shoes that you could see your face in. He quite often used to draw attention to this fact and used to follow up with ‘Get the joke? - No – Get the stick!’ He was never afraid to use the ‘cosh’ (cane).

David Peters – Deputy Head. Probably the best English teacher I ever had, and well respected by the pupils. He could engage and enthuse and was a very likeable Welshman. I believe that he took over as Head when Albatross retired shortly after I left 5th year.

Freddy ‘Bon Bon’ Bonner – swarthy looking with the remnants of a scar running down the one side of his forehead. Not a bad teacher who seemed to be a jack of all trades. He also ran the school camp in Cwmyoy during summer hols. He always used to bring back a large cake which he described as ‘Being surplus to requirement’ and was raffled off for the school funds. I always found this very odd because if you went to the camp you were fed a starvation level diet!

‘Ernie’ Rudge - used to smoke some really evil smelling roll-ups between classes. Not very nice to pupils unless they played rugby. Can’t recall what he used to teach, but I remember him viciously throwing his heavy wooden blackboard eraser at errant pupils!

Mr Brown – a very close mate of Ernie Rudge who taught geography. Not a very likeable character and best forgotten about.

‘Half hour’ Hancock – another mate of Ernie Rudge who taught Art, and who destroyed any atom of artistic capability/interest in me (along with that of many others). I remember in the 5th year having a whole morning of Art which must have been a punishment for something we did in previous existences!

Ian ‘Jock’ MacIver – a gym master who was a graduate of the Maquis de Sade teaching academy. Nicknamed Jock even though he was 100% Welsh. Successfully managed to destroy any desire to exercise, or to be involved in any organised team sports.

Mr Hall – Was placed in one of the asbestos prefab classrooms between the senior and junior schools. Used to take Gym prior to ‘Jock’ arriving on the scene and also taught English. Not a bad bloke at all

Mr Jones – also situated in one of the prefab classrooms. He was quite a personable Welsh character who taught English!

Samuel ‘Sammy’ Gulcher – A short, rotund chap who always wore freshly pressed shirt & suit with a handkerchief in his top pocket. His claim to fame was being able to teach Penmanship (How to write proper) and his catchphrase was ‘What do you think I am boy? A Cabbage?

Harry Levine – Didn’t have much to do with this teacher, but he taught general subjects and seemed an okay bloke. Always looked shabby!

Mr Hime – used to wear a pale green ex-army jacket during warmer weather and was obviously seeing out his time until retirement.

Mr Gaunt – taught Physics and took some interest in his pupils. Unfortunately he left, to be replaced by a ‘posh’ bloke who knew his stuff, but couldn’t generate much enthusiasm.

‘Flango’ Houghton – got his nickname due to his sticky out ears. He really knew his Maths, Geometry and Algebra and also taught Technical Drawing. Tried his very best to generate interest in his subjects.

Mr Snowdon – a youngish chap who taught metalwork. This seemed to take the form of having to file a lump of metal for week after week until you got it ‘right’. He was eventually superseded by another youngish teacher called Dowsett

Mr Ashmore – a kindly old chap that knew his stuff and was keen to pass on his Woodwork skills to his pupils. He retired to the Cotswolds whilst I was in the 5th year.

Mr Skinner also taught woodwork, but I didn’t have any contact with him.

Mr Favell – he taught Music and could be quite engaging when he was in the mood – which wasn’t very often. I well remember his classes where you would be issued with a Triangle, Tambourine or Maracas and you then had to plink/tap/click away to a music score on the blackboard.

Looking back, I’m sure that Wheelers’ Lane was used by the educational authorities as a ‘sink’ where the teachers that no other school wanted, or those teachers not up to scratch, or about to retire were farmed off, well out of the way. However, there were three or four teachers that were capable, cared, and could teach really well – and hence deserved medals for their efforts.
”Goldy”
Lovely reading your remembrances
Mr. Peters was deputy head with Mr. Probert head. He always wore his “ bat” cloak
Mr left when I was in the fifth year, none of the pupils knew but had terminal cancer. Saw him a few years after I left doing “ locus” teaching
Mr . Rudge taught geography and had a broom stick
Mr. Hall history and Mr. Favell English/ penmanship and music
I started in 1966(sic) and left in 1972
Good school
Jock must have mellowed in my time
 
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