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Aston Technical College

Astonite that's a great piece of educational history! And what a good example of the level of skills needed in Birmingham at that time. Enjoyed seeing your photos. Thanks. Viv.
 
Gosh I remember doing a PV diagram on that old gas engine and brake HP. Also the tensile testing machine...elastic limits and necking and stuff. What amazing pictures well done. I think it all became part of the Gosta Green sphere and University of Aston in Birmingham did it not. I got an ONC at Aston and HNC at Gosta Green.
 
Is this the Aston Technical College that was in Whitehead Road, opposite Aston Commercial School? I went to ACS and from the photos it looks like the same building.
 
There were some great teachers there that helped in my career. Mr. Grafton...mechanical science comes to mind. Superior teacher and humorous man...a great fan of Frank Sinatra and dabbled with miniscule radios. There was another of particular note whose name does not come to mind now. Mr. Read I think Behaviour of Materials perhaps. Both rare and talented gentlemen.
 
Astonite - Thanks for those pictures, they brought back memories and I looked up papers not touched since the 60's. I particularly liked the photo of the outside of the college. I didn't try very hard at 'proper' school, but when I attended night school at ATC for five years in my own time I tried much harder with the help of talented dedicated teachers. On the photo below - the name of the Principal on the first certificate seems a classic !
 
Great Astonite. It must have been 50s/60s era and Grafton and Read are on it. Memory's not so bad.
 
One of the things that I find fascinating is the diversity of courses on offer and the support available to students, there is an evening course on offer in milk pasteurization and distribution.View attachment 68396
 
The only time we had pasteurized was at school, my dad refused to drink anything other than 'stera', he said pasteurized made your tea taste like 'gnats pee'. Co-incidently, free milk was on offer at Aston Tech for under 18s. Can you get 'stera' in Canada Rupert or is it purely a British thing?
 
Never seen it here. Past is not known but I suspect that it is called homo here...homogenised. Then you get 2% 1% and so on down to water.
 
nickcc101 said:
Spent many hours there on a day release Motor Vehicle Technology course in the early sixties.
Click to expand...
I was on the mechanics and technicians course from 1946 to 1951, Mr Brtinat was the head of department. I worked at Roots Limited in Charlotte Street A Mr Cole was one of the teachers. I then taught in the evenings from 1951 to 1954 when I moved to Shrewsbury Technical College as a teacher of motor vehicle subject. I enjoyed it all. Baby bBrummie
 
grahamesmith said:
Has anyone got a photo of the college ? Mac Atkins , Pete Murphy were two of my mates...lost touch i'm afraid...Mac worked for Fort Dunlop as a buyer
Click to expand...
This looks like the building ... I remember walking up those steps long ago in the 1960s.
Click the up arrow to go to the thread ... :) ps: it's best not to put your email address on open forum!
Stitcher said:
index.php
Click to expand...
 
oldMohawk said:
This looks like the building ... I remember walking up those steps long ago in the 1960s.
Click the up arrow to go to the thread ... :) ps: it's best not to put your email address on open forum!
Click to expand...
Hi Stitcher , many thanks....can suggest where I can find A/ the history of our college B/ does it still stand ? C/ love to get a frameable copy of that photo.....Brings back memories. Grahame
 
Stitcher is no longer a member of the forum.
To copy the photo
Left click on the pic in my post
Then right click on it and save it into your device.

The place as it is today can be seen on Google maps ... click on the link below and scroll around
goo.gl

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
goo.gl goo.gl

I prefered the old building .... :)
 
Last edited:
oldMohawk said:
This looks like the building ... I remember walking up those steps long ago in the 1960s.
Click the up arrow to go to the thread ... :) ps: it's best not to put your email address on open forum!
Click to expand...
very many thanks...not very happy with how it looks today. regds grahame
 
I did A levels @ATc 1967. Remember very well lecturers Roger Lavelle, Barbara Heritage, amongst others. Relished semi-micro analysis with pupils from Holte Grammar School, and practical biology (dissecting the rat, cockroach & earthworm) at the Victoria Street annex.
 
oldMohawk said:
Stitcher is no longer a member of the forum.
To copy the photo
Left click on the pic in my post
Then right click on it and save it into your device.

The place as it is today can be seen on Google maps ... click on the link below and scroll around
goo.gl

Google Maps

Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.
goo.gl goo.gl

I prefered the old building .... :)
Click to expand...
Just saw this……my goodness yes!
 
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