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Conway Road School
- Thread starter mariham
- Start date
Welcome Mariham. Hope you enjoy the forum. You might be interested to know one of our members posted an early 1900s photo of a school class here https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/for...chool-sparkbrook-photo-about-1900-1905.44578/
And below is the British HistoryOnline description of the school. Viv
And below is the British HistoryOnline description of the school. Viv
Attachments
My sister Jeannette Ann Eborn went there from about 1944-1948. It seemed to be more concerned in the domestic side of life as I re member her making an apron and head band which was then used in the cooking class.
Mind Jean was never scholastic according to our later life conversations and was married at 17.
According to my dodgy memory The Roller Rink was on the cnr. of Walford Rd. and Conway Rd. then the school backed onto it, taking the rest of the left hand side of Conway Rd.
Cheers Tim.
Mind Jean was never scholastic according to our later life conversations and was married at 17.
According to my dodgy memory The Roller Rink was on the cnr. of Walford Rd. and Conway Rd. then the school backed onto it, taking the rest of the left hand side of Conway Rd.
Cheers Tim.
Hello Tim
Do you remember Daisy Kathleen Turner nee Hadnett? Also Violet Isabel Humber nee Hadnett or Robert Joseph William Hadnett. Daisy was my mother in law. I am also trying to trace the parents of Frederick Eborn. I found him on the 1939 register which says he was born 7 January 1907 but cannot find him on the 1911 census so I do not know where he was born. I am researching the families for my daughter. Her father was Andrew (son of Daisy Hadnett and Laurence Turner)
The school before (1940s/50s ?) additions made to the front of the building in image in post #3. Viv.
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birmingham music archive
proper brummie kid
Hi all, does anyone recall there being a Jazz Club at Conway School? Apparently there are signs indicating that there was a Jazz Club in what would have been the basement of the school? I'm going to go and have a look but I wonder if anyone knows about this?
Hi Leona, missed your visit to this site. With regard to my father he was born in Brill , Bucks. He is on the 1911 census there at Lays Yard under the name of Guntripp. Long story, you say your daughter was the daughter of Andrew Turner, is he no longer alive or was that the slip of the pen. As at Today's date I'm alive and a regular on this forum.Cheers Tim
birmingham music archive
proper brummie kid
Hi again. I visited Conway School yesterday and was lucky enough to be taken into the basement which served as the air raid shelter for the school and where the mysterious Conway Jazz Club and Studio 51 signs have been painted onto the walls. Would really like to solve the mystery of the Conway Jazz Club!
Attachments
From British History online it tells us:
"CONWAY GIRLS' COUNTY MODERN SCHOOL, Sparkbrook. Conway Rd. Bd. Sch. opened 1900 by Birm. Sch. Bd. Accom. 1,040 M, I. The building was the first in Birm. to have special staff accom. Reorganized 1930, 1932 for SG, JI. Altered and reorganized 1934 for SG. Accom. for 1 class in Emmanuel Church Hall, Walford Rd., 1951–4. Name changed 1954. N.o.b. 1961: 540."
So yes, it was a junior school and a secondary girls school.
Viv.
"CONWAY GIRLS' COUNTY MODERN SCHOOL, Sparkbrook. Conway Rd. Bd. Sch. opened 1900 by Birm. Sch. Bd. Accom. 1,040 M, I. The building was the first in Birm. to have special staff accom. Reorganized 1930, 1932 for SG, JI. Altered and reorganized 1934 for SG. Accom. for 1 class in Emmanuel Church Hall, Walford Rd., 1951–4. Name changed 1954. N.o.b. 1961: 540."
So yes, it was a junior school and a secondary girls school.
Viv.
Phil
Gone, but not forgotten.
I remember Conway Road as a Girls only Secondary School and it must have been after the early 60's when it changed over to being a primary school. I know in the mid 70's it was a primary school because we removed the surface of part of the playground and turfed it over.
Phil
Gone, but not forgotten.
There is a mention of a youth club and that also mentions jazz at Conway Road School here, apparently it was started during the war years.
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=jlPNLqbMZDAC&pg=PA115&lpg=PA115&dq="jazz"+club+in+conway+road+school&source=bl&ots=1Yat8jRkoz&sig=jXFhCWtcByfvL-rUVrP4M5BmtHI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjWx56a6sHcAhXkAMAKHS60CB4Q6AEwA3oECAMQAQ
edited later after posting.
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=jlPNLqbMZDAC&pg=PA115&lpg=PA115&dq="jazz"+club+in+conway+road+school&source=bl&ots=1Yat8jRkoz&sig=jXFhCWtcByfvL-rUVrP4M5BmtHI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjWx56a6sHcAhXkAMAKHS60CB4Q6AEwA3oECAMQAQ
edited later after posting.
Cindyessbee
New Member
It was an all girls school when I joined it in 1954 (it was 1st year then but is today's Year 7) and was there for 4 years and left in 4th year (today's Year 11) as we moved to Worcestershire and then down to Hertfordshire so I lost track of everyone except one friend, Jenny, who was Head Girl & then moved to New Orleans, where she still is. My maiden name was Lane. I would be interested to hear from anyone who was at the school at that time. There was a roller skating rink on the corner and we used to go after school sometimes. I was rubbish at it.
My mother went to Conway Primary School .
She was born 1921 so it would have been late 1920s she attended.I had a photo of her in a classroom which I'll try to find.
Sadly my dad who only died 2016 aged 94 chucked all our family photos out without asking us.
I had two great photos of the tornado that occurred in 1931 taking off some roofs. Another tornado happened in the same area some years ago!
My maternal grandfather ran the Cotterill ironmongers shop on Stratford Road and my Uncle Reg ran it until the 1980s.
My OH 's maternal grandmother was one of the Darrells of the Decorating Shop corner of Formans Road and Stratford Road.
I actually met my OH at the Curzon St Station building in the mid 1980s. It had been renovated and I remember that it had a mummified cat in a glass case in the foyer found during the building work.
We were on a government project collating information about disability and had to travel around Brum on the bus visiting Tower Blocks with a questionnaire on a clip board! We met many isolated and lonely older folk who had bought into the dream of leaving the slum houses in bombed areas to a flat with indoor facilities.
If they had been properly run with security/concierges they could have stayed good places to live but they were run down and some were badly built and have subsequently been demolished.
I like to think the work we did hopefully contributed to the changes in law to make new buildings accessible to all and give those people with disabilities more rights in many areas eventually.
My youngest son is living in Brum and actually lived on the 29th floor of one of the Sentinals until their youngest was born in the middle of the pandemic.They were the tallest in Europe when they were built and Noele Gordon of the soap Crossroads had a flat there.
They moved to Northfield and he is now finishing his police training.
My OH and I were very proud of Brum when we watched the Commonwealth Games recently. We both come from Hall Green and lived just roads away from each other though we didn't ever meet until almost 30.
Two of our children were born at Sorrento and one at home just over the border in Shirley.
My OH was born at home and me Loveday St hence the name!
She was born 1921 so it would have been late 1920s she attended.I had a photo of her in a classroom which I'll try to find.
Sadly my dad who only died 2016 aged 94 chucked all our family photos out without asking us.
I had two great photos of the tornado that occurred in 1931 taking off some roofs. Another tornado happened in the same area some years ago!
My maternal grandfather ran the Cotterill ironmongers shop on Stratford Road and my Uncle Reg ran it until the 1980s.
My OH 's maternal grandmother was one of the Darrells of the Decorating Shop corner of Formans Road and Stratford Road.
I actually met my OH at the Curzon St Station building in the mid 1980s. It had been renovated and I remember that it had a mummified cat in a glass case in the foyer found during the building work.
We were on a government project collating information about disability and had to travel around Brum on the bus visiting Tower Blocks with a questionnaire on a clip board! We met many isolated and lonely older folk who had bought into the dream of leaving the slum houses in bombed areas to a flat with indoor facilities.
If they had been properly run with security/concierges they could have stayed good places to live but they were run down and some were badly built and have subsequently been demolished.
I like to think the work we did hopefully contributed to the changes in law to make new buildings accessible to all and give those people with disabilities more rights in many areas eventually.
My youngest son is living in Brum and actually lived on the 29th floor of one of the Sentinals until their youngest was born in the middle of the pandemic.They were the tallest in Europe when they were built and Noele Gordon of the soap Crossroads had a flat there.
They moved to Northfield and he is now finishing his police training.
My OH and I were very proud of Brum when we watched the Commonwealth Games recently. We both come from Hall Green and lived just roads away from each other though we didn't ever meet until almost 30.
Two of our children were born at Sorrento and one at home just over the border in Shirley.
My OH was born at home and me Loveday St hence the name!
My sister also went to Conway Rd girls school from 1951 to 1955 (Margaret Lee), coincidentally I also attended Golden Hillock boys from 1954 to 1958 (RobertLee) Mr Haynes was Headmaster.
with regards to music club at Conway Rd, an older friend of mine (Dave Wilks) ran both a jazz and skiffle group there. He taught me to play guitar and later drums.
birmingham music archive
proper brummie kid
Fascinating St Clive, so there was jazz and skiffle groups there so I guess they would have also performed. As always wild love to know more! Is Dave Wilks still alive?
Sadly Dave Wilks passed away some 3 years ago in his 80s he played banjo and was well known for his rendition of duelling banjos. I do recall that he was very friendly with Bill Formby, brother of the famous George! David had a huge collection of old banjos but much like the late Roy Castle, could pick up any instrument and play it. From the photograph shown above of Conway Rd School my house was dead opposite the 1st gate, so my sister should never have been late!
Sally Whytehead
Birmingham Dulcimer Detective
My friend Anne Aston went to Conway Road girls from about 1955 to about 1959. So probably a year younger than you. She can remember a friend Jean Franklin, who was from Trinidad. She lost touch with this friend and would like to make contact again. Please let me know if anyone remembers her.
