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Handsworth Kindergarten and Preparatory School

I know this is SO long after your blog of March 2007 but I can't believe someone has actually attended the old HKPS. I absolutely loved it - Lewty Borriss, Fuller, Welding, and Treggy of course. I went from 1947 to 1958/9. I didn't know the garden was the pool for Soho House. We used to play down there with the boys having made tunnels for racing cars (Dinky) from top netball field down to dirt bowl ! I don't suppose you have a picture of the old school as when I went back to Birmingham to show my family, it had been demolished and flats were in its place I think. I left there for Sutton Coldfield High School for Girls but it was so posh, I took the exam for Aston Commercial School and finished education there. Were you a "Busy bee" ? Do you remember the basket work we used to do with the cane soaking outside Miss Borriss"s classroom. I still have my reports but nothing else and would welcome ANYTHING on the old school. Am in Essex now but have such fond memories of the old days in Brum.

Chris
 
Hello Peter

I went to HKPS from 1947 - 1958. Were you there then and have you any photos at all. Besides Judy you are the only contact I have ever come across and have been trawling the net for years on Google and all the reunite sites to no avail !

Chris
 
Hello Katie - just browsing not dreaming there would ever be a reply about HKPS and there was yours of May 2012. Cynthia Wedekind was my pal and we used to come on the tram together. Her father owned a sweet shop and also made ice cream. Ann Bouckley was another friend in my class, together with John Lutwyche, Bryan Rainbow, Christopher Roberts. I was born in 1943 so were you in my class at any time ? Do you remember Miss Treglown's nephews, Ben and Charles, from Cornwall, coming for holidays ? I was the one who found Miss Treglown at the foot of the stairs when she broke her hip ! Did you have Mrs Bunn who used to smoke Craven A in front of a real fire in the classroom? Those were the days and I loved them. I came back once only to discover it had been demolished and would dearly love a photograph but in spite of advertising on E Bay, have never found one. I did see a PC on e bay of Park Lane, Handsworth, but missed it and lost it. I remember walking down from Soho Road and going through all the leaves on the pavement in the autumn. Smelt lovely but would be a health and safety hazard these days !
 
I am glad my thread on HKPS brought back some happy memories for you, what a wonderful school it was and I am sure you will agree we were very lucky to have had the opportunity of such a good education at an early age. I was born in 1939 so we would not be in the same class, not sure whether we would have been there at the same time even. I cannot remember "Treggie" falling down the stairs and I remember a Jimmy Innis who was related to her but not Ben and Charles.
My Grandma lived in Richmond Road which ran parallel with Park Avenue, so didn't have far to walk. There are some lovely pictures of Soho Road on this site if you havn't seen them but no I have no pictures of school or Park Avenue. It was a lovely old house, wasn't it. Oh Happy Days!!
 
Thank you very much for your reply. I started when I was 4 - remebr sitting in Treg's room on right where I ended up having piano lessons with Miss Lewton. Apparently I had a red ribbon in my hair and my mum was promptly told that this would not be allowed when I started. Anyway, you would then be 8 and way above me. I remember the fireguard in Miss Borriss's classroom opposite the stairs down to the boy's cloakroom (ex air raid shelter I think and cellar). I cried for my mum and wet myself so lovely green knickers were placed on fireguard to dry. Even then I remember the humiliation ! Well, as you say, happy days. I had a friend who went to Soho College and have seen lots of pics of Soho Road. We came on the tram from Villa Cross way to the terminus by Rosehill Road. Went in the sweet shop for a 3d fudge ! So, all for now, take care and enjoy life. I am in Essex now so come over all nostalgic from time to time !
 
Hi Christine - my sister and I also went to HKPS but earlier than you. I can't remember how old I was when I went there but I must have gone about 1944/1945 for a couple of years before starting at Soho College. I don't remember any names apart from Treggie! My sister might have been there more in your time as she is younger than me and I'm seeing her for a coffee tomorrow so will ask for any memories she has.

Judy
 
Hello Jayell,

Thank you for your thread - am at last enjoying contact re memories of HKPS. My friend, Jacqueline Buckingham, went to Soho College but I only met her later on at Aston Commercial. I really enjoyed my school days and HKPS was the best as I joined in with the boys in the playground and we had a wonderful time with Racing Cars from top to bottom playground through dug out tunnels. I don't come back now as all my connections have left Brum. So disappointed when I did, as where we used to live in a sweet and tobacco shop opposite Aston Church, has now disappeared under Spag. Junction, and HKPS is a block of flats, I believe. Having difficulty remembering a lot of schoolmates now and have thrown all my memorabilia away in a housemove so can't look through autograph book. I do have school reports though !

I passed for Rosehill Road but didn't go in the end as I also passed for another school and ended up there for two years before I went to Aston Commercial. Hazel Burrows was another name I have just remembered. We used to go to Mrs. Bunn's on a Saturday morning for extra coaching.

Have a good evening.

Chris
 
My Mother's maiden name was Wedekind... Although I've never met her, I am related to Cynthia Wedekind as she is my Mother's, Uncle's grandaughter... If that makes sense!
 
Cynthia Wedekind appears in my autograph book, so I must have been round about the same age. Unfortunately I cannot remember her, too long ago. As aforesaid a lovely school but they were VERY strict, not a bad thing I suppose.
 
Hi Katie. Apologies for delay as I have not been on for a while. Cynthia Wedekind was my friend I went to school with. We had the sweet and tobacco shop opposite Aston Parish Church and I used to go up Park Road at the side of Aston Hall on the tram and get off at the top by Cynthia Wedekind's dad's shop which was also sweet and tobacco. `he used to make his own ice cream in the back and deliver in a van. Sometimes he would give us a ride to school or collect us while on a delivery. Her Mum was a lovely lady with blonde hair piled on top. Cynthia used to play the violin and had blond ringlets and when we went to Sunday School, she used to wear a little white fur coat. Would you know if Cynthia is still alive please ?
 
Hi Jaffa

As you will see from my reply to Katie, I was friends with Cynthia Wedekind. Do you know whether I can contact her please.
 
Hi again Katie

I apologise for wrong info in my reply. You will not be able to help with Cynthia Wedekind info. However, it would seem we must have been at HKPS at the same time. I later ended up at Sutton Coldfield High School. Unfortunately, you will not be able to give me a surname but I wonder if you remember the tunnels Bryan Rainbow, Christopher Roberts, and John Lutwyche and me ( !) dug from the top playground to the bottom and raced our Dinky Sports Cars down them ?

Will try and keep up more - I am retired but what with grandchildren and large garden etc. time absolutely flies by !

Apologies for my senility !
 
I don't remember Cynthia, have a lot of names in my autograph book, but don't remember having anyone in particular as a friend. I do remember Jimmy Innis and Graham Spicer as I was keen on both of them!!!!! My friend in those days was Helen Neale but she went to Soho College, perhaps Jayell remembers her. We lived next door but one to each other in Lansdowne Road, Helen, that is and we both went to Erdington Grammar.
I even have Miss Treglawn's autograph 26.7.1950.
 
Hi Katie - Yes I do remember Helen Neale well. In fact I have a photo of her which was taken at the birthday party of my friend Stella Duff. I will look it out and post it.

Judy
 
Katie, I've found the photo. I don't know the date of the picture but would imagine it would be about 1950/51 ish. It was Stella Duff's birthday party and I think all the girls in the photo went to Soho College. I have posted the photo on a Soho College thread too. Girls in photo from left to right: ?, Helen, Judy, Diane, Stella, Carole, Margaret, ?, ?

Judy

s party 001.jpg
 
In the thirties and forties and fifties, there was Handsworth Kindergarten and Preparatory School at 10 Park Avenue off Soho Road run by Miss K H Treglown as the headmistress. She had a bad fall and sold it to Menna Bunn, one of the teachers there, who was killed in a car crash in 1966 I believe. I twas then sold for development and is now maisonette houses as far as I can see on Google. I have asked for memories before and got some references but no pictures or anything from fellow classmates. The uniform for girls was a straw hat, round dome, with a green and yellow band round. The gymslip was green too. The boys wore caps. Wish I was back there again some days !! I get very nostalgic for Birmingham. Have lived in Essex for over 50 years now and getting older, and nostalgic, especially for the sweet and tobacco shop we had which is now demolished by Spaghetti Junction. We might have played on bomb sites but we had a smashing childhood.
 
Hi Walsallie - I also used to go to Treggie's when I was little. Would have been in the early 1940s. You reminded me of the uniform colours which I had forgotten, green and yellow My sister seems to remember more about the school than I do. We both went from there to Soho College, which was another private school on Soho Hill.

Judy
 
Was anyone at HKPS late 50s to early 60s? I was there then until the Easter before it closed down and I went to Astwell Prep School for a short time.
 
Stash said:
Was anyone at HKPS late 50s to early 60s? I was there then until the Easter before it closed down and I went to Astwell Prep School for a short time.
Click to expand...
Hi Stash

I have been trying for a long time to get info from previous pupils etc. I was there from 1947 to 1957 and was mainly in Miss Lewton's class upstairs. Also Menna Bunn's. She smoked Craven A in the classroom standing in front of the gas fire ( I passed the 11 plus and went to Sutton Coldfield High School and then finished up at Aston Commercial. I have advertised all over the place for a picture of the school to no avail as I did not know it had been demolished since I left Brum in 1968. I would be pleased to hear from you with all your memories.
 
Walsallie said:
Hi Stash

I have been trying for a long time to get info from previous pupils etc. I was there from 1947 to 1957 and was mainly in Miss Lewton's class upstairs. Also Menna Bunn's. She smoked Craven A in the classroom standing in front of the gas fire ( I passed the 11 plus and went to Sutton Coldfield High School and then finished up at Aston Commercial. I have advertised all over the place for a picture of the school to no avail as I did not know it had been demolished since I left Brum in 1968. I would be pleased to hear from you with all your memories.
Click to expand...

Hi there. It has been a long, long time ago but will try to think of some things...
I remember two teachers very well, Mrs Sommerton and Mrs Edwards who ran the nursery class. I have one of my first writing books somewhere with a picture I've drawn entitled 'Mrs Edwards and the fairies!!!!'
I remember the cloakroom. The milk we used to have in third pint bottles we used to leave in front of the gas fire in Mrs Sommerton's classroom which was really high up in the house (I thought it was.... but it could have been that I was very little!!).
The headmistress- Miss or Mrs Bunn. When she sold up she died shortly afterwards...... my mum always said that it was like her life's work had been completed and it was time for her to go. (?) I also remember that my mom told me several times that I had come home one day to say that I had seen Miss Bunn's brother (or was it husband?) on the stairs and he had recently died apparently (spooky!!). But there again it was a spooky old place wasn't it?!
The playground... on the RHS seemed to be more formal with a lawn. Up the top RH corner was a glass cold frame in which we thought snakes lived! The playground on the left comprised of two hills running down to the flat playground - but was earth, not grass. Down in the left hand corner was a fallen log and we used to pull out lumps of rotting wood - large pieces were fish and the smaller one were chips!!! Had hours of fun there!
What about the cook - Mrs Blundell??? She used to make 'jelly blancmange' for us. After the school closed down, she worked for my mum and dad who had a hardware shop on the Soho Road. Not for very long as her family emigrated to Australia. I still use her recipe for my now grandchildren.
My mom started the use of thick tights for the children by sending me in them in bottle green ones one day. So practical and warm.
I went there when I was just turned 2. In the afternoon, I used to put my head on my hands and go to sleep with a dummy in my mouth! I remember the nursery classroom with its dark wood shelving.
There was a pew style bench in the hallway.
Is there anything else you can remember?
 
There was Handsworth Kindergarten and Preparatory School at 10 Park Avene which has now become maisonettes - big old rambling house with storage for carriage and horses etc. and Soho College for Girls on the Soho Road, At HKPS we wore green and has straw hats in the summer striped green and yellow ties and green gymslips.
 
I used to go to HKPS..I was born in 1956 so I suppose I was there from about 1961..I have a photo of my sister and I sitting on a fairground like [model] donkey in Blackpool I think, and I'm wearing the uniform, green cap gold letters in shield..[Strange, but true] The head teacher was Mrs [miss?] Bunn..My family bought the grandfather clock that stood in the hall? from her as the school was closing..From there I went to West House School St James Rd Edgbaston..I remember a large piece of tree trunk on the playground..I remember the names..Simon KIMBERLEY David BROWN Juliette GOLDINGAY Anastasia MAKRISS [I was in love with both of them] HAPPY DAYS!!!
 
Walsallie said:
There was Handsworth Kindergarten and Preparatory School at 10 Park Avene which has now become maisonettes - big old rambling house with storage for carriage and horses etc. and Soho College for Girls on the Soho Road, At HKPS we wore green and has straw hats in the summer striped green and yellow ties and green gymslips.
Click to expand...
The school in Park Avenue - often referred to by we pupils as 'Handsworth Kippers and Parsley Sauce' was a wonderful experience for young children in the early 1950's. I remember (just) Miss Treglown and Mrs. Bunn as well as the other teachers. The earthy playground at the rear sloped towards South Road and reputedly was originally a bank of the Soho pool. At lunchtimes crates of 1/3rd pint bottles of milk would be brought in by 'milk monitors'to be warmed by the gas fire, and in the hallway we queued to buy 1d bars of chocolate and coffee-milk biscuits. I knew a girl named Carol at the school, though I left after the 11+ to go to the Grammar School in Grove Lane. Many years later and now in my twenties, we happened to meet again - were married within a few months - and still together now!
 
Walsallie said:
Hi Stash

I have been trying for a long time to get info from previous pupils etc. I was there from 1947 to 1957 and was mainly in Miss Lewton's class upstairs. Also Menna Bunn's. She smoked Craven A in the classroom standing in front of the gas fire ( I passed the 11 plus and went to Sutton Coldfield High School and then finished up at Aston Commercial. I have advertised all over the place for a picture of the school to no avail as I did not know it had been demolished since I left Brum in 1968. I would be pleased to hear from you with all your memories.
Click to expand...
Hi Walsallie,
I remember Miss Lewton - with the wobbly head - and can see Mrs. Bunn now - sitting by the big classroom window which overlooked the top playground during breaktime. She always seemed to be wearing grey pleated skirts and a red cravat and - as you say - smoking like a chimney - Craven A cigarettes from a red packet with a black cat logo. Sadly she was killed in a road accident sometime around 1960. Mrs. Haselor taught history and arrived in a Jowett car. Miss Fuller lived further along Park Avenue and collected for the PDSA via the 'Busy Bees' magazine. I recall that there was an incident at the pedestrian crossing at Holyhead Road by Villa Road when a lorry spilled acid and some children were injured - and can't forget the heavy oak bench in the hallway that once fell on my foot needing a hospital visit - my big toe swelled had had to be 'lanced' through the nail without anaesthetic- happy days! (sorry if you're reading this at breakfast time)
 
Hi Jayell,
Handsworth Kindergarten and Preparatory School - what a mouthfull it seems now! The photograph was taken on the lower lawn in 1955 I think, and I have circled self and Carol who later was to become my better half (still is - I know my place!). Teachers :- Anti-clockwise (left) - Miss Boris & Mrs. Haselor - (top) Mrs. Bunn & Miss/Mrs. Power - far right Mrs. Fuller, the 'Busy Bees' collector. I can remember probably 2/3rds of the names in the photo.
upload_2017-7-28_21-22-28.png
 
This new thread has been created from posts on the " handsworth school photographs thread ".
 
Lovely photo Enzo! None of the names mean anything to me now I'm afraid, but it was a very long time ago since I was there! It would have been the mid 40s when I left I guess. My sister was there a bit later than me but she would have also left HKPS by 1949/50. She doesn't remember a lower lawn, only a lower playground which had no grass - I wonder if this is the same? Judy
 
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