• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

George Dixons Grammar School

I have been in Australia for nearly 40 years and would love to hear from anyone from my school years in Birmingham.

I went to George Dixon Grammar School during 1955 - 1959

Would love to hear from anyone who was there around the same time or who could let me have photographs and/or history af what has happened to the buildings over the past 40 years

Thanks

Jeff Holloway
Hi Jeff remember me, Bill Walkey from GD. I certainly remember you, you were such a big guy and good at sports and rugby etc.
I moved to Canada in 1965 after working at Cadbury's in Bourneville, but moved to Australia in 2004, currently living near Adelaide. I only have pics from the annual, but understand the government took away the Grammar School status with the "comprehensive" change in schooling.
Would love to catch up. Where are you living and how long have you been in Oz.
I tell lots of people about Mr Walker and his discipline.

Keep in touch -
 
I was at GD from 1957 - 1963. The 'beak' was Mr Rumsby, and the dreaded deputy 'beak' was the famed Wally Walker, a.k.a. 'The Pork'.

Wally Walker administered discipline with an iron hand, and although we were all scared stiff of him, in actual fact he could be very kind and understanding.

One of my fondest memories is that of a chemistry-master, Mr "Kipper" Print, damn near blowing the lecture-theatre up whilst demonstrating the explosive effect of sodium when it contacts water.

I spent a couple of years at Five Ways, after King Edwards moved out, but the atmosphere there could never match that of City Road...and school services at St Germaines Church when on one memorable last day of term someone let loose a balloon that flew all around the church until smacked to the floor by none other than Wally Walker himself...who was not amused. Heads rolled...

Big Gee
Hi

I remember the day the sodium experiment went wrong and just about killed poor old kipper
 
Hi all
I looked at this thread because I had a number of friends who went to GD, on the offchance of contacting one or more of them again. My eye was caught by the mention of a Mrs Chatwin - would she by any chance be the Mrs V B (Vera, I seem to remember) Chatwin who later became head of Broadway School, where I taught for a number of years?

By the way, my friends included Gary Watson, Marlene Hall, Christine Groves and Linda (Lynda?) .....damn, can't remember her surname, but she was a close friend of Marlene's!

Graham
Graham, I don't remember any first names, what is your surname and which form were you in?
 
I was at GD from 1957 - 1963. The 'beak' was Mr Rumsby, and the dreaded deputy 'beak' was the famed Wally Walker, a.k.a. 'The Pork'.

Wally Walker administered discipline with an iron hand, and although we were all scared stiff of him, in actual fact he could be very kind and understanding.

One of my fondest memories is that of a chemistry-master, Mr "Kipper" Print, damn near blowing the lecture-theatre up whilst demonstrating the explosive effect of sodium when it contacts water.

I spent a couple of years at Five Ways, after King Edwards moved out, but the atmosphere there could never match that of City Road...and school services at St Germaines Church when on one memorable last day of term someone let loose a balloon that flew all around the church until smacked to the floor by none other than Wally Walker himself...who was not amused. Heads rolled...

Big Gee
what's your last name, don't remember and first names.
 
Mr Print ref George Dixon

My memory of Mr Print is that of an absolute freeloader!!

He was chemistry/physics and he retired at the end of the summer term
July 1963. We all had a note to take home to our parents' asking for a contribution to his retirement present. (He looked 90 odd then)
Mr Trout presented him, on behalf of the whip round proceeds, with a top of the range cine camera and screen to enjoy 'through his retirement years in the afternoon of his life.'
The gingered haired, freckled faced scrounger was back with avengeance in the September to renew his teaching post!
 
No Laurie i was not at school with you but a mate of mine was his name is George Stebbings i have met you on more than one occasion firstly at St Georges celebration with Carl Chinn and also at the late Clint Warwick funeral the bass player with The Moodys

Keep Up The Good Work

Mossy
 
Message for Mossy

Yes Mossy, now I know who you are. Trust you are well. I was thnking of George at the weekend because I drove up through Stone where he now lives.
Give him and Marion all the best and remind him of how we used to rehearse up 'Batchelor Boy' after school!!
Whatever happened to Harry Boyd?
Keep well and keep smiling
Laurie
 
Laurie i have not seen George for years we where to meet up when i lived in Brum but nothing come of it he is retired now after traveling the world with B T i think his sister married or had to do something with the Brum band the Crescendos

Mossy
 
Kipper Print was Musical Director of West Bromwich Operatic Society for a number of years, and very fondly remembered by some its, er, older members and ex-members. He always appeared in the programmes as "H Celestine Print", the "H" being for Harold.

You couldn't help but like the old boy (old? - he was younger then than I am now!!), unlike one or two other so-called 'teachers' at GD who were out-and-out b******s. Kipper always made his lessons interesting, even if it was easy to throw him off-course, so to speak.

Big Gee
 
Message for Big Gee

Hello Bill
My name is Laurie Hornsby and I was there 59-64.
I never never knew Mr Print was in any way musical.
Were you there same time as I was?
Laurie
 
Message for Big Gee

Hello Bill
My name is Laurie Hornsby and I was there 59-64.
I never never knew Mr Print was in any way musical.
Were you there same time as I was?
Laurie

Hi Laurie,

My name's Graham, not Bill!

Old Kipper was a man of many parts, mate. He never took part in any GD musical production so far as I was aware, but musical he most certainly was. Did you also know he was a World War 1 fighter pilot?

I was at GD from 1957 - 63. I was in the 'A' forms right up until the sixth form, when they figured out I was as thick as two planks and put me down into 6G. Not a bad place, GD. Very old-fashioned in many respects. Its motto STRENUE AGAS - Work Hard - could be picked up on today, in my opinion.

Different world then, though.

Big Gee
 
Hi Laurie and Mossy,

I remember GD with with many mixed emotions, the walk from Garbett St up to five ways and then the buses up to City Rd. My form master was Daddy Giblin who taught us English and I remember him as good fun unlike the sadistic Mr Quant who took us for PE.

As you said Mossy my sister (betty) did marry one of the crecendos it was Trevor Greaves and we still see each other a lot.

I can remember "rehearsing" batchelor boy after school with Laurie and probably can attribute that as the start of me playing guitar and bass from about 1963 up to this current day, so thanks for that Laurie.

Have a look at www.myspace.com/tapthekeg2007

This thread started with the doc asking about GD and I notice his name was Jeff Holloway I wondered if it was the same guy who played with the Impacts.

Mossy and Laurie we must make an effort to get together it's been a long time.
With fond memories George Stebbings
 
Hi George nice to hear from you after all this time,as i said earlier i have not seen Laurie since Clint Warwick's funeral as you know he was the original bass player with the Moody Blues

I was with Terry Wallace at the funeral he was the founder member of the Nightriders

Keep On Rockin Mossy
 
Hi

I have just come across this thread.

I was at GD from 1955 to 1959.

I started in form 1C, then after the first term's exams was allocated to the B stream, where I spent the rest of my academic life at GD. As there was no real selection for O levels I elected to follow the 'Arts' syllabus instead of the 'Science' syllabus for my 'O' levels.

I lived in Handsworth until 1963 when I moved to Hereford but after 45 years still consider myself a "Brummie" even though I married a Hereford girl and my family were all born and bred.

Reading the posts in this thread has brought back many memories of those halcyon days spent at City Road and towards the end of my time at GD receiving bus tokens to travel to Five Ways for games lessons. We who were inept at sports played basket ball in the gym there.

Would like to hear from other students at GD who were at about the same time I was there.

Is it old age that makes one yearn for information from the past?

Oh, I wish I had learned to spell.

Dennis White
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi, I was at GD the same years as you (Bill Walkey). Sorry but I don't remember you even though I, too, started in 1C, then 1B, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A. I enjoyed my time there very much and still recall some of the things which I thought were great. I really appreciated the education I received from there, first class.
 
1959 to '64 here.
I was at City Road 1st, 3rd and 4th years, with 2nd and 5th at Five Ways.
Rumsey was a very good head. I can still hear Walkers footsteps as he came out to the inter joining single story buildings where we 'fags' were housed for our first year, and I can still feel the silence which came over the place as he approached. Pity he didn't stay, the place became a lot worse as a school when that discipline wasn't around. Was it Dilworth that took over from him?
I remember the early years with much affection, and the later years as rebellious, that was good in it's way too.
Worthington the wonderful old maths teacher, Prothero the great PE and metalwork teacher who died very young whilst we were still at GD were my favourite 'masters'.
It would be good to hear from more old boys and girls.
Pleasant reading these notes.
I'm still trying to contact Shenton D, Larigo D, Gregory G and a few more.
 
  • Appreciate
Reactions: DPD
Is "Lewis" Michael Lewis"?. If so I remember your sitting at the back of the form room and throwing your back pack across the form room onto your desk. I sat in front of Bundock at the front of the room, next to Greg Phillips. I agree, the quality of education was superb, I still call on it now. I remember Mr Fisher telling us about gerunds and saying " My calling", and not "Me calling" nice to hear your recollections.
 
billwalkey99, the handle Lewis is in fact my middle name, Robert Raithby is the first and last. It would be interesting to know how some old boys are doing these days, I'm sorry but I don't remember your name, if that is your real one that is.
 
Back
Top