I think we may have been in the same class (unless you were builders ... I was engineering) ... my nickname was Spike (because of my crew cut), I was there from '54 to '56 and was given the option of staying on but went to Canada instead. I never took the 11+ exam as a secondary school teacher told my father I should sit for a technical school instead (all because i made a military tank model out of bits and pieces during a detention class !!) ... is your surname Clifford? ... it rings a bell (mines Hayhurst)
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Bordesley Green Grammar Technical School
- Thread starter sparky
- Start date
db84124
Brummophile
Continuing my research into the school, I recently came across a photo which shows the ramp in front of the library down which we smoothed out our 25-yard-plus slides after a snowy or icy night. The slide was mentioned in Posts # 90, 94, 106. Hoping it will jog memories of fun mornings, here it is :
The pale green door gives access to an extension to what was Dickie Dash's geography room; in my days (1959-66), there was a double door in the original wall through which 700-plus boys would stream in about 90 seconds due to Killer's flicking welding rod which caught one-in-ten boys’ bum. Do you remember?
The pale green door gives access to an extension to what was Dickie Dash's geography room; in my days (1959-66), there was a double door in the original wall through which 700-plus boys would stream in about 90 seconds due to Killer's flicking welding rod which caught one-in-ten boys’ bum. Do you remember?
Johnny Matthews
Brummie Baby Boomer
Great picture, brings the memories flooding back. What a lovely chap Killer was - not quite as sophisticated as Mr Grimmett, but still a pussycat!
plumbjones
New Member
Mr Hopkins (Holy Joe)
Mr Pichler Phys ed) Austrian
Mr E W Stanton (Geography)
Mr Pichler Phys ed) Austrian
Mr E W Stanton (Geography)
He was called Mr Gilbert. Looking back, I think he had significant mental health problems or at least needed anger management. I left in 1962
Re. picture of the ramp. The extension on the left is a reading room for the library. It was built about 1998 with half the money coming from a sponsor and consequently called The Bestway Reading Room. (Bestway Cash and Carry)
For those who live locally you will see the front of the school is almost unrecognisable. Facing the school, on the right is the sports hall and community room with maths rooms upstairs. The newer building on the left is the new sixth form block.
If you have the time to see more, the school summer fete is back on Saturday July 7th from 12pm to 4pm. The 'square' between the sixth form block and the old school is very impressive.
For those who live locally you will see the front of the school is almost unrecognisable. Facing the school, on the right is the sports hall and community room with maths rooms upstairs. The newer building on the left is the new sixth form block.
If you have the time to see more, the school summer fete is back on Saturday July 7th from 12pm to 4pm. The 'square' between the sixth form block and the old school is very impressive.
db84124
Brummophile
Hello there, barryjohn,
Thanks ever-so-much for this additional information about my (our?) former school.
I'll be passing through Bordesley Green in mid-August so will make a concerted effort to take a series of photographs of the new school frontage.
Should anyone on the Forum live in the vicinity of BGTS, could they please snap the entrance and post it here on the Forum? (Does Maxwell still make his generous contribution to BHF?)
Thank you, db84124
Thanks ever-so-much for this additional information about my (our?) former school.
I'll be passing through Bordesley Green in mid-August so will make a concerted effort to take a series of photographs of the new school frontage.
Should anyone on the Forum live in the vicinity of BGTS, could they please snap the entrance and post it here on the Forum? (Does Maxwell still make his generous contribution to BHF?)
Thank you, db84124
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db84124
Brummophile
Hello there, tbutlin,
Could this be the "castellated tower with bent human arm holding a hammer" which you are referring to?
View attachment 82700
It is part of the achievement (coat of arms) of the City of Birmingham as used by Bordesley Green Boys' Technical School, which, I know, had many changes to its name during its history. Do you think we're talking about the same school?
Here's the complete achievement which I've taken from the cover of the school magazine together with a photograph of the technical school's blazer badge.
View attachment 82701....... View attachment 82702
I think it must be the same school.
Best wishes,
db84124
Attachments
Thank you very much db84124 --- great pics.
I don't remember the badge the way it's shown in your reply.
Rather, it was a round tower with castellated top and bent arm with hammer.
The blazer badge did not include other details such as name.
I'm attaching a brief description of other features of the school fyi.
The school itself was housed in a non-descript 3-storey brick building about 150-200ft long adjacent to a smelly paint factory. A concrete-surfaced games area provided space for outdoor assembly and, ‘joy-of-joys’, impromptu football games using any old tennis ball. The official school sports were rugby football and cricket played Wednesday afternoons on grass at shared facilities about 5 miles (?) distant by bus to Harborne.
The school uniform for pupils was grey short pants and knee socks, polished black shoes, white shirt with diagonal striped tie, a navy blue blazer and cap both with school badge. A leather satchel to carry books completed the ensemble. In the school precinct the pupils were alike as peas-in-a-pod; in Nechells, the wearer was quite out-of-place and the subject of some ribald comment. The faculty was headed by Sir Rodney M.S. Pasley, Bart, M.A. a tall austere looking man wearing a full black flowing academic gown. His deputy, Malcolm Loveridge also wore a full black flowing academic gown and a perpetual forbidding frown. Other faculty did not wear academic gowns although, in all other respects, turned out to be extremely competent and even well liked authorative educators.
The curricula comprised: Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Art and wonder of wonders languages (English, French, German and Latin), Comparative Religions, etc., studied at various levels from 1[SUP]st[/SUP] form through 5[SUP]th[/SUP] form.
The rules, regulations and customs were almost entirely new. For instance, some 5[SUP]th[/SUP] form boys were assigned as Prefects—usually tall, polished young adults with authority to preserve school customs and integrity and even mete out ‘punishments’ for infringement of rules whether published or implied—you tangled with prefects at your peril! A much lesser badge of office was as ‘Milk Monitor’—the issuer of ⅓ pint government-provided free milk/day/pupil.
Assembly took place each school day in a gymnasium area with stage and was presided over by a senior teacher—most often the headmaster. Prayers and announcements were made prior to dispersal to classrooms. This same area was used for other purposes also such as presentations, speeches, and public corporal punishment (caning across hands and elsewhere for very serious infringements).
A typical classroom contained 20 to 30 desks arranged in rows, each fitted with a recessed inkwell and lift-up lid. A 10-inch raised dais surmounted by a very large desk or table was installed at the front for use by the teacher. Behind the dais, were chalk boards which generally stretched from wall-to-wall. The Science Lab comprised work tables with inbuilt sinks and water taps as well as gas supplies for Bunsen burners. Around each table were three legged stools for student use.
I don't remember the badge the way it's shown in your reply.
Rather, it was a round tower with castellated top and bent arm with hammer.
The blazer badge did not include other details such as name.
I'm attaching a brief description of other features of the school fyi.
The school itself was housed in a non-descript 3-storey brick building about 150-200ft long adjacent to a smelly paint factory. A concrete-surfaced games area provided space for outdoor assembly and, ‘joy-of-joys’, impromptu football games using any old tennis ball. The official school sports were rugby football and cricket played Wednesday afternoons on grass at shared facilities about 5 miles (?) distant by bus to Harborne.
The school uniform for pupils was grey short pants and knee socks, polished black shoes, white shirt with diagonal striped tie, a navy blue blazer and cap both with school badge. A leather satchel to carry books completed the ensemble. In the school precinct the pupils were alike as peas-in-a-pod; in Nechells, the wearer was quite out-of-place and the subject of some ribald comment. The faculty was headed by Sir Rodney M.S. Pasley, Bart, M.A. a tall austere looking man wearing a full black flowing academic gown. His deputy, Malcolm Loveridge also wore a full black flowing academic gown and a perpetual forbidding frown. Other faculty did not wear academic gowns although, in all other respects, turned out to be extremely competent and even well liked authorative educators.
The curricula comprised: Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Art and wonder of wonders languages (English, French, German and Latin), Comparative Religions, etc., studied at various levels from 1[SUP]st[/SUP] form through 5[SUP]th[/SUP] form.
The rules, regulations and customs were almost entirely new. For instance, some 5[SUP]th[/SUP] form boys were assigned as Prefects—usually tall, polished young adults with authority to preserve school customs and integrity and even mete out ‘punishments’ for infringement of rules whether published or implied—you tangled with prefects at your peril! A much lesser badge of office was as ‘Milk Monitor’—the issuer of ⅓ pint government-provided free milk/day/pupil.
Assembly took place each school day in a gymnasium area with stage and was presided over by a senior teacher—most often the headmaster. Prayers and announcements were made prior to dispersal to classrooms. This same area was used for other purposes also such as presentations, speeches, and public corporal punishment (caning across hands and elsewhere for very serious infringements).
A typical classroom contained 20 to 30 desks arranged in rows, each fitted with a recessed inkwell and lift-up lid. A 10-inch raised dais surmounted by a very large desk or table was installed at the front for use by the teacher. Behind the dais, were chalk boards which generally stretched from wall-to-wall. The Science Lab comprised work tables with inbuilt sinks and water taps as well as gas supplies for Bunsen burners. Around each table were three legged stools for student use.
db84124
Brummophile
Hello again,
Bordesley Green Boys' Technical School was - and still is, under the title of Bordesley Green Girls' School - a series of single-storeyed buildings forming a quadrangle. So, contrarily to what I stated in my preceding post, we are not discussing the same school.
jennyann tells us in the thread "School Photos" that Central Grammar was temporarily accommodated in Cherrywood Road, which is, of course, in Bordesley Green (just ……. if it were on the other side of the railway line, it would be in Alum Rock).
I have seen on a BBC document that what was affectionately known as Bordesley Green Tech. was also sometimes called “Bordesley Green Grammar Technical School”. This is one of eight official titles for the school that I’ve come across on various occasions, that is, on certificates, the school magazine, sports cups, prizes, badges, etc.
So we didn’t go to the same school after all, Ted.
Best wishes,
David
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I was there from 1971 to 1977.
the headmaster was Mr Massey. Deputy head Mr Richards, biology Mr Helm games Mr Brayley Willmotts, my firm teacher and physics teacher Mr Williams, geography Mr Stanton. My last year was when we amalgamated with Cherrywood and it ruined the school
the headmaster was Mr Massey. Deputy head Mr Richards, biology Mr Helm games Mr Brayley Willmotts, my firm teacher and physics teacher Mr Williams, geography Mr Stanton. My last year was when we amalgamated with Cherrywood and it ruined the school
I left in 1975 and we were already merging with Cherrywood. Mr Richards was supposed to be my maths teacher but he spent all his time dealing with the morons from Cherrywood.
Whilst waiting for him on one occasion we took all the wood screws out of the teachers desk using pennies and halfpennies. Richards turned up five minutes before the end of the lesson and dumped his briefcase on the desk which collapsed into a heap.
We laughed while he went apoplectic.
Whilst waiting for him on one occasion we took all the wood screws out of the teachers desk using pennies and halfpennies. Richards turned up five minutes before the end of the lesson and dumped his briefcase on the desk which collapsed into a heap.
We laughed while he went apoplectic.
I actually got on quite well with him. I remember one occasion where another 'yoof' had bent a piece of personal jewellery, a chain of some sort, and was 'going to get grief' when he got home.
It was lunchtime and despite his protestations, I took him in to see 'Killer', who quickly set to with a hammer and completed a delicate repair. Following that, his attitude toward me changed. I still got into trouble but, it was from a position of mutual respect in that he knew that I wasn't fearful of him.
I learnt much from him. Much that has developed into skills that I still use on an everyday basis.
Is there anyone left to exchange information about this wonderful institution? It seems to have gone cold. Where are they now, the 69 and 70 year-olds who peopled my formative years? You may rhink I'm a sad old duffer but I can still recite my class register from 1957! After five years, I left with no qualifications. Anyone want a chat?
Hi! Don't know if I'm allowed on here as I chose Handsworth Tech and was there doing the 2 year building course 1952/54. We had a teacher for metalwork and plumbing whose name was Killer Gilbert. He was maybe 45/50'ish ,dark hair receding, black moustache and drove a Sunbeam Talbot Sports Saloon.
Maybe he changed schools ? does anyone know.
Whilst he appeared to live up to his name I think it was tongue in cheek, was a good teacher and his apparent anger was taken out by smashing inferior workmanship with a big hammer.
I remember our first introduction to him when he held a file up and asked the question "Well gentlemen what is this? After a timid silence and a murmured "A file sir?".
He glowered at us he and said "This gentlemen is a BASTARD ". I think all 33 of we students gasped as teacher used the "B" word but it sure broke the ice!
I don't have bad memories of him, as opposed to some of the other sadistic teachers we had, may he rest in peace!
Cheers Tim
Maybe he changed schools ? does anyone know.
Whilst he appeared to live up to his name I think it was tongue in cheek, was a good teacher and his apparent anger was taken out by smashing inferior workmanship with a big hammer.
I remember our first introduction to him when he held a file up and asked the question "Well gentlemen what is this? After a timid silence and a murmured "A file sir?".
He glowered at us he and said "This gentlemen is a BASTARD ". I think all 33 of we students gasped as teacher used the "B" word but it sure broke the ice!
I don't have bad memories of him, as opposed to some of the other sadistic teachers we had, may he rest in peace!
Cheers Tim
Tim.
It has to be the same person that was later at Bordesley Green Tech. I can remember the car, and the 'big hammer' on inferior workmanship - including mine.
I'm still using things that I made under his instruction including an Engineers Clamp and something like a Protractor/Bevel Gauge that holds either a pencil or a scriber.
The Toasting Fork. Twisted ornamental wrought iron with curved brass tines. Useful but, doesn't work too well with central heating.
It has to be the same person that was later at Bordesley Green Tech. I can remember the car, and the 'big hammer' on inferior workmanship - including mine.
I'm still using things that I made under his instruction including an Engineers Clamp and something like a Protractor/Bevel Gauge that holds either a pencil or a scriber.
The Toasting Fork. Twisted ornamental wrought iron with curved brass tines. Useful but, doesn't work too well with central heating.
Hi Ken,
Well what about that then, as you say it had to be the same bloke.
I don't have anything that I might have made, being the special 2 year course everything seemed to be compressed ( for want of a better word) to get us into the workforce. So we seem to have only made stuff applicable to the building industry mainly tin work so we could make our own spouting bits etc. The plumbing taught would have been recognized by a Roman plumber all lead piping involving a male and female for joining. You can imagine Killers relish as he emphasized how you had to make sure the male was to be forced into the female as far as possible!
I think I might have taken home a flour or sugar scoop I made but if so it was left behind when I left for Sunny Australia as a 10 pound Pomp in 1961.
I know school days were supposed to be the best etc. but whilst I have some good memories I couldn't get out soon enough.
Mind you some of it must have stuck as quite a bit has come in handy over the years as we live in an old timber home and I get to play at keeping it viable.
Ooooh you have central heating we get along with a cast iron wood stove, maybe I chose the wrong Tech after all!
Cheers Tim.
Well what about that then, as you say it had to be the same bloke.
I don't have anything that I might have made, being the special 2 year course everything seemed to be compressed ( for want of a better word) to get us into the workforce. So we seem to have only made stuff applicable to the building industry mainly tin work so we could make our own spouting bits etc. The plumbing taught would have been recognized by a Roman plumber all lead piping involving a male and female for joining. You can imagine Killers relish as he emphasized how you had to make sure the male was to be forced into the female as far as possible!
I think I might have taken home a flour or sugar scoop I made but if so it was left behind when I left for Sunny Australia as a 10 pound Pomp in 1961.
I know school days were supposed to be the best etc. but whilst I have some good memories I couldn't get out soon enough.
Mind you some of it must have stuck as quite a bit has come in handy over the years as we live in an old timber home and I get to play at keeping it viable.
Ooooh you have central heating we get along with a cast iron wood stove, maybe I chose the wrong Tech after all!
Cheers Tim.
Whilst this thread is current, if anyone remembers Roger Marchant at Bordesley Green Tech during the mid-sixties, he sadly passed away in 2014.
He was living in Cleveland, Ohio, and had become a Professor of Biomedical Engineering.
https://cwru-daily.com/news/longtime-engineering-professor-roger-marchant-passes-away/
He was living in Cleveland, Ohio, and had become a Professor of Biomedical Engineering.
https://cwru-daily.com/news/longtime-engineering-professor-roger-marchant-passes-away/
I was at BGTS 68-73. Not a happy five years, but one teacher did manage to engage and inspire me - Mr J (nickname Josh) Bedford who was my history teacher in the second and third year. A great story-teller without being over-didactic, he instilled in me a life long interest which has provided me with both a career and a fascinating hobby. Unfortunately in my fourth and fifth year, I had a different teacher who read notes from a script, and as I never trained in Pitman shorthand and also liked time to think about what was being said, I ended up copying up notes from a friend who was better at taking dictation than I. This didn't destroy my interest in history, because Mr Bedford had sown the seed and I still came out with a respectable O level result.
Does anyone know what happened to Mr Bedford?
Does anyone know what happened to Mr Bedford?
astonandproud
New Member
Pischler was called "ADOLF" , he was germanfor obvious reasons. A boy named ARTHUR BERROW had dirt onhis hands and ADOLF did use sandpaper to cleanitoff.
Hi Astonandproud.
Share you feelings somewhat but it sounds that Handsworth Tech. was not much better than BGTS.
After leaving Stratford Rd Primary school I went to Golden Hillock Rd. School as I failed the 11 plus for Waverly Rd Grammar.
My teachers expected to pass but I got such bad vibes from Waverley Rd I think I dropped my bundle.
Golden Hillock was horrible in my opinion and I was so glad to get to HTS, but that was not much better, it was only made Ok by a few of the younger teachers who were generally returned service men.
We had a wee sh.t of a teacher Enoch by name who took us for art and sign writing. The subjects were good but he was a despicable little man who had a chip on his shoulder and I was a smart ended Teddyboy type. He had great joy in smacking me around once. He became a bit more docile when one of my mates Willie Abbott was expelled for laying out another teacher.
Never mind we survived the system? I say system as I feel all of the schools were as bad as each other.
Ps welcome to the forum, you amongst friends!
Cheers Tim
Share you feelings somewhat but it sounds that Handsworth Tech. was not much better than BGTS.
After leaving Stratford Rd Primary school I went to Golden Hillock Rd. School as I failed the 11 plus for Waverly Rd Grammar.
My teachers expected to pass but I got such bad vibes from Waverley Rd I think I dropped my bundle.
Golden Hillock was horrible in my opinion and I was so glad to get to HTS, but that was not much better, it was only made Ok by a few of the younger teachers who were generally returned service men.
We had a wee sh.t of a teacher Enoch by name who took us for art and sign writing. The subjects were good but he was a despicable little man who had a chip on his shoulder and I was a smart ended Teddyboy type. He had great joy in smacking me around once. He became a bit more docile when one of my mates Willie Abbott was expelled for laying out another teacher.
Never mind we survived the system? I say system as I feel all of the schools were as bad as each other.
Ps welcome to the forum, you amongst friends!
Cheers Tim
Two photos from this site https://www.murphyr.co.uk/gallery/bgtec/bgtec.htm
Its worth a look at the link if you're a former pupil. Viv.
Its worth a look at the link if you're a former pupil. Viv.
Attachments
John Waynham
Brummie babby
22
John Waynham
Brummie babby
Hello all,
I was at Bordesley Tech from about 59 to 62.
We never had Mr. Haynes for maths, a pity as I had him later at Hall Green Tech, one of the best teachers I ever had.
I remember one lad in metal work who could not master soldering.
Killer carried his "oil can " over to the Anvil clutched in a pair of Tongs.
There he flattened it with a Lump hammer.
Another name for the teachers list Scotty, our form master.
When I got the form prize for Tech drawing he said of me that he thought empty vessels made the most noise!
Happy memories
John Waynham
I was at Bordesley Tech from about 59 to 62.
We never had Mr. Haynes for maths, a pity as I had him later at Hall Green Tech, one of the best teachers I ever had.
I remember one lad in metal work who could not master soldering.
Killer carried his "oil can " over to the Anvil clutched in a pair of Tongs.
There he flattened it with a Lump hammer.
Another name for the teachers list Scotty, our form master.
When I got the form prize for Tech drawing he said of me that he thought empty vessels made the most noise!
Happy memories
John Waynham
