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Great Barr Schools - Aldridge Road And Great Barr Comprehensive

This might stir some memories - a Great Barr Comp school trip to Snowdonia (from Birmingham Daily Gazette, December 1956). Viv.
 

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Watching the tv program about the history of a house in Liverpool reminded me of a long forgotten trip to Liverpool from Aldridge Road School in the late 1940s. I remember we went on an overhead railway along the docks, then through the Mersey Tunnel spending some time in New Brighton, and then returning to Liverpool on a ferry across the Mersey.
 
Did anybody go to Great Barr School between the years of 1974 and 1982 (I stayed on for 3 years in the 6th form whilst I improved on my very poor 'O' levels? It would be lovely to see some photos from these years. I was in Kenilworth house - K1 and my form teach was Barbara Kimberly. Does anyone remember any of the teachers from the 70s and 80s?
 
Had a look through my photos and only two school photos have survived. The school started as Aldridge Rd Secondary Modern with boys and girls in separate buildings. In 1957 it became Great Barr Comprehensive mixed school.
View attachment 82010
We visited London Zoo, a long coach trip down the A5 one stop near Towcester. At least three boys in the photo emigrated to Australia with their parents.

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It is now a mixed school. My late wife is in this photo. The school now had a uniform they all look smart.
I still have that photo! I think the form teacher pictured was Miss Hunt
Not sure though. Sorry to hear about your wife. What was her name?
 
Had a look through my photos and only two school photos have survived. The school started as Aldridge Rd Secondary Modern with boys and girls in separate buildings. In 1957 it became Great Barr Comprehensive mixed school.
View attachment 82010
We visited London Zoo, a long coach trip down the A5 one stop near Towcester. At least three boys in the photo emigrated to Australia with their parents.

View attachment 82011
It is now a mixed school. My late wife is in this photo. The school now had a uniform they all look smart.
 
My daughter went there until we left Brum in 1965 when she was twelve, I'm told the the actor Martin Shaw was a pupil there at about the same time
 
My daughter went there until we left Brum in 1965 when she was twelve, I'm told the the actor Martin Shaw was a pupil there at about the same time

yes eric i believe that is correct..think he lived in erdington so would probably have jumped the no 28 to get home..he also had ancestors living in villa st where i lived..before my time though

lyn
 
This might stir some memories - a Great Barr Comp school trip to Snowdonia (from Birmingham Daily Gazette, December 1956). Viv.
My wife has often told me about this trip, at 12. Sure enough, there she is in these photos. She remembers sharing a dorm with Victoria and Sandra (who fell in the river from her canoe). Her name was Rita Smith, she lived at 333 Beeches Road.
 
Hi Hannah,
I went to Great Barr HS & Commercial College 1948-52. When did you go? Headmistress Mrs Fannie Hunt modelled it on Pitmans/Lawrence College, Corporation Street [where my father & mother went 1920's]. Remember the tennis courts in the back garden? We had navyblue uniforms with matching hats [which always had to be worn!] and white panama hats in the summer with blue & white candy striped dresses. The house is still there on Walsall Raod but is kindergarten or daycare centre. Before that I went to Arnold House Preparatory School on Heathfield Road, Birchfields. Miss Margaret Hailey was headmistress. The blazers were spectacular - green with thin red & white stripes - green gymslips, green hats, white panamas in Summer. Boys wore striped caps & blazers with green pants short or long. The striped material was hard to get after War. There was a special school uniform supply store on New Street.It closed in 1948. I started out at Wilson Road School, Birchfields. Remember being given the blue & red "Mickey Mouse" gas mask which I hated to wear - thought it would suffocate me!
Biddy, my mother went to Lawrence's College in the 1920s. She was born in January 1914. How close to your parents' time would that have been? regards, Terry
 
My father, Stanley Whitfield, was one of the first teachers at Great Barr School when it opened in 1957. He died at the grand age of 83 in 2007, but I recently found the school's Official Opening booklet amongst his papers. If anyone would like a PDF copy of the booklet please email me at [email protected] and I will gladly email a copy to you.
 
Welcome Clare. Did your mom keep any class photos ? Viv.
Hi Viv. I’ve never seen any pictures of mom at school to be honest. I have just asked her (I only just joined this group last night lol). I’m waiting for a response yet. Steve Winwood also attended GB comprehensive school, but my mom was older than him. There’s quite a few famous musicians from that area around that time. Clare
 
Two of my cousins were at Great Barr Comp at the same time as Steve Winwood, he was two years younger that them but they remembered him as he played piano at the school.
 
Two of my cousins were at Great Barr Comp at the same time as Steve Winwood, he was two years younger that them but they remembered him as he played piano at the school.
I’m visiting my parents next week (I live in Lancashire, they’re down in the midlands still), so will hopefully have more information, as my mom has messaged to say we can talk about it!!. If I find anything more, I will post it on here. Clare.
 
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