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Hodge Hill Girls Grammar School

D

Dyan

master brummie
Anyone go there? I was one of the foundation pupils as we did not pass 11+ first time round we got another go. If you did perhaps you remember Miss Cherry who was the Domestic Science Teacher - she came to NZ and I kept in touch with her till she died last year, she married George Ready and lived in Kaikohe, Helen was in the same Rest Home my Mum was in, I was with her till her last few days but she did not know me.

Miss Rolfe was the Head, Miss May the deputy and taught English, Mrs Adams was the school secretary. For some years till the school filled up we were the only pupils in this almost empty building. Went back in 1991 and was in touch with them when Miss Cherry died only to find now that it is all changed. In my autograph book I have names of pupils and staff from those days names like Ann Whiston (we looked like sisters and used to fool the teachers) Leslie Whitehouse, Susan Woodhall, Linda Sharpe I wonder where they are.

Mr Hardwicke was the science teacher along with Miss Kirby and Mrs Moore (my Dad thought she was a bit of alright!!!), Miss Eite was the Art Teacher, Mrs Crosbie maths, Mrs Challacombe (more like Mrs Slocombe from "are you being served"!!) was the DSc teacher also Miss Peach - poor little mouse we drove her to a nervous breakdown used to teach Religious Studies (never went as was an RC) Miss Barker was the PE teacher, Miss Durham taught French, Miss Lowndes taught History - through Helen Cherry/Ready I kept in touch with her till Helen had her strokes and got dementia then I lost touch. Mrs Maxwell also taught History, Miss Green Geography etc. anyone got any more recollections.

Dyan
 
Hi Dyan I went to Hodge Hill Girls school 1963-1968.I remember Miss Rolfe and Miss May.....she terrified me!! Maths teacherMrs Thomas also terrifed me,Mrs Maxwell history,Mr Hardwick,Mrs Harris english.Will have to have a think as my mind has gone blank....having a senior moment.

Pam
 
Hi Pam

I was there from 1957 onwards, I still have some of the year books and those long panorama photos - Miss Rogers and Miss Perkins taught music, dont remember Mrs Harris (perhaps she was one of the ones who got married) most of the teachers were maiden ladies then some did marry. Miss Bowmer taught Latin and German (and she looked like a German Fraulein too) Went on a school trip to Italy with Miss Lowndes and Miss Rogers - we had a ball, till I lost my luggage!!! Miss May never scared me perhaps cos my Dad knew her and Miss Rolfe socially - always wondered about those two? they lived together for years on Chester Rd Sutton Coldfield in a "twonhouse" till Rolfey died. They came as a package deal from a school which I cant remember but was in Cheltenham. I was always helping Helen Cherry and Mrs Challacombe making the costumes for the school plays - Lady Windermere's Fan was one, and a couple of Shakespeares too - in the early days we had no curtains on the stage, and the scenery was done in the Art Room under Miss eites instructions, then Mr Cooper the Caretaker and my Dad assembled it for the plays. The star of the shows was a girl called Lynette Reid and I have often wondered if that is the same Lynette Reid who is in some of the plays and series we see here on TV. Dear old Cedric Hardwicke did we give him hell when he joined the staff in the 2nd year - as he was at that stage the only man on the staff, then a Canadian, Mr Reed I think was his name came he was the image of Buddy Holly and we ALL fell in love with him he taught Liberal Studies (we were never late for one of his lessons). I was told by Cedric H that I would never pass my Physics, Chemistry and Biology exams in GCE - I had the last laugh I passed them easily and failed on Geography, my favourite subject.

Will have a look for the year books but as we are selling our house some things have got packed away but will have a quick look and see what I can scan.

Regards
Dyan in NZ
 
Hi dyan, I went to hodge hill girls fro 1963-68. I remember miss Rolph and miss May very well. do you remember miss chambers the music teacher? Mr hardwick taught us physics (well he tried to) and miss barnabas was the biology mistress. I hated games and miss speed who made us go out in the freezing cold to play hockey. Susan Scott was brilliant at all the athletic events and represented Britain in the long jump at the olympics when she was about 16. Can't believe there's so much water gone uner the bridge since then!
 
Hi Gillflower

Miss Chambers sort of rings a bell somewhere in the depths of my frazzled grey matter. I left before you started as we started in the 3rd form as the school was new they took those of us who were "late developers" to be the foundation members, Byng Kendrick did the same thing I think a year earlier. The Tennis Courts and Netball courts were there but the hockey fields and such like were not able to be played on as they were only just being developed in the last year I was there. Dear old Cedric Hardwicke bless him, we did give him a hard time - with his brown tweed jacket and multi coloured woolly pullover not at all "cool" in those days - not like Mr Reed ;-) I dont know anything about Susan Scott as I left UK for NZ in 1968 so was not up with the play as far a UK teams were concerned. Cant lay my hands on the Year books packed away for the anticipated house move I think, but I will have another look when I got a free minute, Christmas cooking for the family is taking up a bit of time at present - made my cakes and christmas pud - thanks to Helen Cherry for those reciepes - now onto the mince pies and such. Here in NZ we still have the traditional Xmas Faire though in somewhat muted form as it is the midle of summer and bar be ques are the order of the day, now my parents are no longer with us the real old 1 pm Nosh Up has gone by the wayside a bit.

Regards
Dyan
 
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Hi Gillflower I was in your years at Hodge Hill so we must know each other.What was your name and who's class were you in?Pam
 
hi pam. I think my last form teacher was Miss wallace who taught geography. I was Gill Weston in those days and in the same year as carole east, dinah niblett, sue scott, moira rooney can't remember any more names. Who's class were you in?
 
Hi Gill My form mistress taught history but can't remember her name.I remember Dinah Niblett,Sue Scott and Moira Rooney.Girls in my class were Sandra Walker,Christine Hyland,Catherine Sweeney,Wendy Byron,Susan Jones,Janet Pratt,Carol Tudor,Deborah Prentice.
 
Does anyone have any memories or photos of Hodge Hill?
I was a pupil there from 1965 to 1972 and would love to find any stories/photos of that time.
 
Re: Hodge Hill grammar school for girls

Friends with the Caretakers Daughter for a short time in the late sixties if that's any help :) her Brother used to be a keen car racer.
 
Hi there.
Does anyone have any photos/memories of the girls school covering 1965 to 1972? They were my years there and would love to go back down memory lane....
Thanks
Sue
 
Hi Everyone!
Girls I remember - my three best friends Jacqui Bayliss, Lynda Pugh and Pat Guy, Lynne Lowe, Susan Rudge, Susan Garner, Susan Partridge, Sue Robb, Georgina Bowen, Pauline Johnson,
Teachers - Mr Hardwick throwing chalk and board rubbers at people in physics lesson, Miss Smith - Chemistry, Miss Strong - Latin, red hair, red sports car
 
Hi Janet, What was your maiden name? Georgina is my sister and I'm sure to love to know what people are up to these days! Life going too fast...
 
Hi Ray! My maiden name was Ednie. I think I remember Georgina cos she couldn't do sports (lucky girl!) because she had damaged her skull in a playground accident at primary school.
I live in County Durham with my husband and we have a smallholding with sheep, horses, goats, pigs, hens etc. A far cry from Stechford! I'm in Birmingham at the moment visiting my Dad and sister who still live in Stechford. I saw Georgina at a reunion in the 80s at Linda's - she was convinced I was someone else!
 
Hi there. Just reading your messages about hodge hill girls school. I went there in the 1980s. We had a miss bowyer and mrs richards or richardson and a mr nash for music. I remember sara roney and rachel maddox, lisa shephard, karen bancroft. Alison owen and anita taylor and mandy wall..dont know where they are now lost touch n i went to longmeadow girls school it was in shard end and only had years 4&5 because it was going to be knocked down had some fun times back then. Then i moved to bournemouth and just lost touch with everyone
..
 
Hi. I also went to Hodge Hill from 1963, half way through 2nd year, until 1970 after A levels. Susan Scott was in my year plus Sally Lemon, who left early, Viv Perks, Susan Street and Susan Reid.I did A level English with Miss May, who told me after the pre A level exam that I would be a waste of taxpayers money! How determined was I after that? I believe Miss May lost her fiancé during the war and remained single as many did. That was also probably the time that if a teacher married she had to leave the profession. I do have a photo somewhere of that whole year as they were preparing to leave after 5th form, or stay. We have recently moved so photos are packed away at present. Would love to hear from anyone. There are probably a lot more names I could remember when I have time.
 
Welcome Ann. I hope other HH girls see your post and get in touch. Enjoy the forum. Viv.
 
ray@28beech said:
Hi there.
Does anyone have any photos/memories of the girls school covering 1965 to 1972? They were my years there and would love to go back down memory lane....
Thanks
Sue
Click to expand...
Hi Sue, don't have any photos I'm afraid but did attend the years you mention. If I remember correctly there were 4 classes in each year, the brainy ones did Latin and the next down German and the likes of me French. I remember a few names of classmates, Janet Gregory, Jane Hole, Valerie Hudson, Beverley Young, Gillian Hughes, Ann Hutchinson. My other friends were in other classes, Barbara Cox and Glenis Walker. Seems an age ago now, straw boaters and berets. Do you remember the new school uniform they bought in, one with a Peter Pan collar and the other with a drawstring waist. One of my lasting memories was of our English teacher Mr Costigan. We had an outing to the Gaumont to see Lenord Whiting and Olivia Hussey in Romeo and Juliet. Remember the naked scene.....I think he must have got through a whole packet of cigarettes. I think he left to teach in South Africa.
 
Just for info there is a Facebook page for Hodge hill grammar school 1960's and 70's. Some great photos on there.
 
I Woz ere 1975-1980. Miss Rolfe headteacher got a set of suitcases when she retired. Deputy heads miss May and Joan Sandland. Maths mrs Linda Thomas. English mrs Connolly who was blind and had a guide dog called Blondie who we used to give crisps to. I swear she could see as she used to tell us to stop changing clothes for when we had PE in the next lesson. English literature mr Jones. Art mr Simmons. Music mr Nash. Latin miss Trumper. German Frau Rice. French miss Tooby chemistry mr Owen. Physics mr Guest History mr Phillip Page. Geography mr Petherick who married a french lady. Netball miss Anita O’Rourke. Hockey miss Linda Harvey
 
I was among the first year girls when the school was new. There was just our year and the second year girls. everything was brand new and amazing. Our uniform was very expensive and could only be purchased from one shop. My friends were Susan England, Susan Harrison, Kerry McAvoy, Jane Savage, Rosalind Morris. We had form numbers and mine was 1-4. The teachers were generally great although Miss Jessop was very stern, My favourites were Miss Lowndes (history) and Miss Eight (art)
 
Carolyn h said:
Just for info there is a Facebook page for Hodge hill grammar school 1960's and 70's. Some great photos on there.
Click to expand...
Carolyn h said:
Just for info there is a Facebook page for Hodge hill grammar school 1960's and 70's. Some great photos on there.
Click to expand...
Just joined the forum. I went to hhggs from 73 to 78. Miss Rolfe was head. Mr Nash music. Mr Jones French. Miss haskins history. Mr petherick geography. Mrs Thomas Maths and Mrs Thomas english. Frau rice German. Mrs Mashita maths too. I hope someone can remember these. Would love to contact other colleagues that were there when I was.
 
I was looking to get in touch with anyone who knew a girl called Teresa cieka who was my best mate in my class and came to my wedding and also Jane Baxter was in our class too.
 
Hi I was there from 1957 at the beginning when there was just 2 years and lots of space. Kerry McAvoy, Susan Harrison,Susan England, Mary Scott,Jane savage etc were my classmates. I think Mrs Roberts was our form mistress. It was all state of the art with fabulous dance studio and gymnasium. I would love to hear from anyone from that time. My name was Stella Bolding then.
 
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