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Central Grammar, International School Tile Cross

Nigepwilliams said:
I am not sure of the youngest age of the first admissions in 1897, but in 1947 the School's First Headmaster wrote in the Silver Jubilee Edition of the School Magazine:

"The school was started under the Acland scheme of organised science schools. The Birmingham school was, I think, the only one that attempted to fulfil Acland’s purpose: to provide a full secondary school course for boys from 12 to 16 years of age, based upon English, modern languages, science and much practical work, and to provide through or in addition to such a curriculum ethical, cultural and physical training."

So I guess the answer to your question is 12 :)
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I am sorry to bother you about this but my Facebook account has recently been hacked (a long story but probably through joining a Facebook Support Group which led me to a helper who then hacked my account) so I am now setting up my contacts again. However, despite searching Facebook, I can't find anything to direct me to this forum's Facebook page. Can you please tell me what it is called? Many thanks. I hope I will get there in the end!
 
flossiefoster said:
I am sorry to bother you about this but my Facebook account has recently been hacked (a long story but probably through joining a Facebook Support Group which led me to a helper who then hacked my account) so I am now setting up my contacts again. However, despite searching Facebook, I can't find anything to direct me to this forum's Facebook page. Can you please tell me what it is called? Many thanks. I hope I will get there in the end!
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far as i know although only loosely connected to this forum it does not exist now..think it closed down 2 or 3 years back

lyn
 
flossiefoster said:
Lyn: That's odd because I have had replies from members of this forum - is there a Malcolm?
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maybe i am thinking about another facebook page then flossie...afraid i am not up with them as i have never done facebook..sorry i cant be of much help

lyn
 
Thank you, Astoness. I have just found it on the Facebook website as the Central Grammar School (which of course, it is now). Thanks for your help. My introduction to Facebook came when my children were teenagers so I could keep track of them!
 
There is a group of 'old boys' - quite literally - from Central from the 1963/64 year to around 1971. There are about 17/18 in the group. I first spotted some of my old friends (Post 79 Page 4). Initially three or four of us met up but in April this year it was about 17.

Malcolm Robinson (Dub)
 
Vivienne14 said:
Could someone (possibly former pupils ?) help to unscramble this description of the school please ?

CENTRAL GRAMMAR SCHOOL FOR BOYS, Suffolk Street (1897–c. 1939); Burbidge Rd. (c. 1944– 1955); Gressel Lane, Tile Cross (1957). Municipal Technical Day Sch. opened 1897 by Birm. C.B.C., for B only, in buildings described as 'nothing short of a technical palace'. Central Secondary Sch. at first formed part of the technical school but later became a separate sch. though shared same building until c. 1939. Reopened after or towards end of war in 'a former senior school' in Burbidge Rd. (ex. inf. M. of Ed.). Temporarily accommodated in Cherrywood Rd. Transferred 1957 to newly-built premises at Gressel Lane, Tile Cross. As late as 1919 it had a bias towards science and engineering. N.o.b. 1914: 284, 1937: 400 (ex inf. M. of Ed.), 1961: 565.(28) Fees £3 a year; by 1937 £12. In 1911 c. 84 per cent. pupils came from elementary schools, in 1937 'almost all'. Average leaving age 1910–13: 15½ yrs., 1953: 16–17 (ex inf. M. of Ed.).

Question:
It includes Central Secondary School under the same heading. In some way it seems to be linked, but was it at any time considered part of the grammar school ?

Were the schools in partnership perhaps ? Or were they totally seperate schools ? CSS seems to have developed from a Technical School as far back as 1897. From I adverts I've seen from the early 1900s the Tech was based in Suffolk Street. Both CSS and CGS used Suffolk Street as their premises (but maybe not at the same time ?).

Or were they totally independent of each other ?

Basically what I'm trying to work out is, what was their relationship ?

Viv
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I can say very little except that my grandfather, Frank Howard Gossage started at the Central Secondary School in Suffolk St and was very proud to have been there. He won the school sports cup in 1911/12 then went to work at Chambers & Hookham. He would have been 16 when he left as his birthday was on 9th September and he was born in 1895. The history of the school is fascinating and my grandfather always referred to it as "Technical school". He never mentioned the Grammar School so I wonder if they were separate entities even then. I believe that to go to the Grammar School, fees had to be paid.

This is Nigel Williams' post from October last year which you may find helpful:
"
I am not sure of the youngest age of the first admissions in 1897, but in 1947 the School's First Headmaster wrote in the Silver Jubilee Edition of the School Magazine:

"The school was started under the Acland scheme of organised science schools. The Birmingham school was, I think, the only one that attempted to fulfil Acland’s purpose: to provide a full secondary school course for boys from 12 to 16 years of age, based upon English, modern languages, science and much practical work, and to provide through or in addition to such a curriculum ethical, cultural and physical training."

So I guess the answer to your question is 12 :)"

- I had asked at which age children would start at the CSS.
 
Last edited:
Further to my post #210 (p11) I can add five more names of the 1958 intake (found some CGS Speech Day programmes of the era), namely:
BRUTON, DW - HALES, RL - HALL, SW - JACKSON, GA - OSBORNE, PE - and also correct two spellings, namely: BARMER, RP - and COOMBS, MD.

No idea why I thought the class size was 42. Looking at my school reports the class size was around 35 - so around 105 in each year. So only about twenty short now.
 
mbenne said:
Here is the Photo from school year 1966/67. I've named the teachers below - some I don't recall having a nick name - or maybe I've forgotten. I'm definitely on this one but for the life of me I don't recognise myself on the 1970 take despite knowing I was on it and which side I was on - I have a good idea but maybe it was the long hair. The staff were pretty much the same in 1970 though there are a few new faces on that photo that I don't recognise - from 1970 photo these are the new faces , 5th one in from the right of the men in white coats is 'Ron' Peck, 5th one to the right of the New Head, Mr Goodfellow is 'Rick' O'shea and 11th to the right of the head is the music teacher Mr Sandlands aka 'Flower'

I bet there weren't many schools that could boast having staff with names and initials A Badman and A Goodfellow!

? denotes that I have no idea what they taught!

Caretaker (and Wife?)
'Arnie Mole' Faulkner - Physics
'Splinter' Talbot - Woodwork
'Georgie' Karavis - ?
'Jock' Rowley - Metalwork
'Ali' Badmam - French
'Trog' Evans - History
'Brasper' Roberts - English and Latin
'Micky' Sellis - Maths
'Kinky' Davidson - ?
'Frankie' Howard - ?
'Knocker' Harris - Biology
'Cag' Carter - French
'Broo' Pool - Art
'Neck' Gregory Maths chess club and catholic assembly
'Zombie' Norton Maths science and cross country coach
'Tommy' Reader - English?
'Ted' Phillips - ?
'Pip' May - French and Deputy Head
Mr Ockleton Headmaster
School Secretary
'Johny' Wakely - English
'Sammy' Row - Maths
'Andy' Firth - French
'Jona' Jones - Music
'Alice' McKekney - ?
'Slasher' Walker - English
'Titch' Harris - History
'Blob' Harbour - Chemistry
Mr Gunter - Science
Colin Mcfadyen - PE sports and History
'Crut' aka Ben Hutton - RE and Geography
'Jasper' Roberts - Geography
'Ernie' Samways - English?
'Taffy' Thomas - RE
'Sam Doble' - Sports and PE and Biology

In 1966/67 school year we had first ever female teacher.

Faces that don't appear on either photos:
Mr Greatorex - Art
'Jerry'- Liddle Maths
'Mike' Pilling - English (in 1966 replaced by Mr Walker)
'Malc' Doss - Physics
B D Roberts - Assistant Head 1970/71 school year onwards

In 1966/67 term Broo Pool replaced Mr Greatorex as art master. He in turn was replaced by Ron Peck in 1967/68. We also had 2 further maths teachers one in 1967 the other in 1970/71 but dont recall their names.

'Jona'Jones was replaced by mr Sandlands in 1967/8.
Mr Ockleton replaced by Mr A Goodfellow about 1967/68. He also taught 5th form physics in 1970/71.

In 1970/71 a new deputy Headteacher, B D Roberts replaced Pip May.
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Alice McKekney
 
When my grandfather was at Central Secondary School until 1911/12 there was a teacher there called Mr Guterres. I don't suppose anyone on the forum knows if this chap was a relative/ancestor of Antonio Guterres who is the present Secretary General of the United Nations? Long shot, I know but I was just curious.
 
mbenne said:
Probably not related. The teacher you mentioned was Monsieur Guerra.
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Thank you for replying so quickly. My grandfather's writing in his album isn't the best as it was obviously done with a dip pen and ink so looks rather scratchy. With regard to the teacher, the spelling of his name wasn't the same as Guerra but I can put down to his not being very good at spelling!
 
flossiefoster said:
Thank you for replying so quickly. My grandfather's writing in his album isn't the best as it was obviously done with a dip pen and ink so looks rather scratchy. With regard to the teacher, the spelling of his name wasn't the same as Guerra but I can put down to his not being very good at spelling!
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More information on your grandfather's teacher here ......

www.bbc.co.uk

Henri and René Guerra: How Parisian twins charmed a Powys town

The curious tale of Henri and René Guerra is uncovered by a woman recording her father's memories.
www.bbc.co.uk

centralgrammarschool.org.uk

Bryntail - Central Grammar School

Bryntail - Central Grammar School's Welsh Camp Central Grammar School's Bryntail Camp origins date back to before World War One Inspired by a visit to Birmingham in 1908 of General Baden-Powell (the founder of Scouting), a Teacher in Suffolk Street - Herr Seckler, with help from Monsieur H...
centralgrammarschool.org.uk centralgrammarschool.org.uk
 
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