• 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
  • HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
    Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
    im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
    we are now using a backup solution

Handsworth New Road School

Lab Tech said:
I wonder if you remember me?
My name is Abdul, I was the laboratory technician at the time Arthur Pyres was there. I think the Chemistry teacher was mr. Ali and the biology teacher was a very good lady teacher, unfortunately I can't remember her name.
Click to expand...

I remember you Abdul !

Our chemistry teacher was Mr Fuller, and the biology teacher (who was short, blonde and very beautiful!) was called a name I have no chance of spelling correctly, so I'll spell it phonetically - Miss Needlojaglow.

Thanks for reminding me of those two :)

(And how about this for co-incidence - I am an engineering technician at a large college!)

Edit
I've just remembered Miss Edge - the art teacher.
 
Last edited:
Lab Tech said:
I wonder if you remember me?
My name is Abdul, I was the laboratory technician at the time Arthur Pyres was there. I think the Chemistry teacher was mr. Ali and the biology teacher was a very good lady teacher, unfortunately I can't remember her name.
Click to expand...
Hello Abdul. I remember you you had a moustache :). I was an A level student studying under Mr Pires with my good friend we knew as 'Rags' and former students 'shin' and the 'prof'. You used to setup our labs. There were only about 5 of us in the class if you remember. I went onto a degree in physics! I corresponded with Mr Pires about 10 years ago by email after I saw a report on the local news where he was trialing solar panels on His house. He remembered us well as his boys!
 
I can't remember the headmaster's name circa 1976 to mind 80s ( maybe Mr Reece?) but in a couple of assemblies a few of us were called out for sports awards which involved him saying well done and shaking our hands. I remember those 2 handshakes I received as something quite profound. They were firm and warm and incredibly comforting relaying great security, trust and integrity all in one!! ! I remarked as such to my friend after my first handshake and he reported feeling exactly the same when it came to his turn. Says something about the man I think that i remember it so well and left such an effect on me.
 
Mantas said:
I can't remember the headmaster's name circa 1976 to mind 80s ( maybe Mr Reece?) but in a couple of assemblies a few of us were called out for sports awards which involved him saying well done and shaking our hands. I remember those 2 handshakes I received as something quite profound. They were firm and warm and incredibly comforting relaying great security, trust and integrity all in one!! ! I remarked as such to my friend after my first handshake and he reported feeling exactly the same when it came to his turn. Says something about the man I think that i remember it so well and left such an effect on me.
Click to expand...
I just remembered the headmaster's name. It was Mr Cunningham. I think someone might have remarked he's passed away now. I know he made a big difference at the school. RIP.
 
I suppose I must be the only person who went to HNR for 10 years! How? I was a student from 1957 to 1961 then the summer I left, my father George Bruton, became the school caretaker there. So for a further 6 years, we lived in the caretaker's house, 17 Handsworth New Road, which was within the school grounds on the girls side.
As a student I was useless at woodwork (I reckon it was because I was left-handed) and Mr Huxley would always threaten to cane me if I did not get it right. It was rather ironical that when dad became caretaker he would always pop in to our house to watch the cricket on television during the lunch break.
I recall the science master Mr Field who had a swagger and walked twice as fast as anyone else. And as a monitor, we used to go round every week to collect all the stars dealt out by the teachers for good work to the students which they used to initial to verify the achievement on a star sheet. Mr Field's signature was easy to copy and many a time we used to add a few more and copy his signature.
Mr Vincent (ex army) was the head with George Berryman as deputy who many students feared. But in my last year there I was in his class - 4x and found he had a good sense of humour, particularly the once when we found out it was his birthday so we bought him a bottle of beer. We put it in his desk drawer and when he opened it to his surprise, he said nothing and just smiled - a rarity for him unless he was caning you!
I also remember during the early 60s, Charles Wilson one of the great train robbers escaped from Winson Green prison and the police came down to the school and completely searched it from top to bottom, including under the floors where there was a warren of tunnels for the heating pipes. Needless to say they did not find anything.
 
daveb said:
I suppose I must be the only person who went to HNR for 10 years! How? I was a student from 1957 to 1961 then the summer I left, my father George Bruton, became the school caretaker there. So for a further 6 years, we lived in the caretaker's house, 17 Handsworth New Road, which was within the school grounds on the girls side.
As a student I was useless at woodwork (I reckon it was because I was left-handed) and Mr Huxley would always threaten to cane me if I did not get it right. It was rather ironical that when dad became caretaker he would always pop in to our house to watch the cricket on television during the lunch break.
I recall the science master Mr Field who had a swagger and walked twice as fast as anyone else. And as a monitor, we used to go round every week to collect all the stars dealt out by the teachers for good work to the students which they used to initial to verify the achievement on a star sheet. Mr Field's signature was easy to copy and many a time we used to add a few more and copy his signature.
Mr Vincent (ex army) was the head with George Berryman as deputy who many students feared. But in my last year there I was in his class - 4x and found he had a good sense of humour, particularly the once when we found out it was his birthday so we bought him a bottle of beer. We put it in his desk drawer and when he opened it to his surprise, he said nothing and just smiled - a rarity for him unless he was caning you!
I also remember during the early 60s, Charles Wilson one of the great train robbers escaped from Winson Green prison and the police came down to the school and completely searched it from top to bottom, including under the floors where there was a warren of tunnels for the heating pipes. Needless to say they did not find anything.
Click to expand...
Daveb, my brother was also at HNR could you use your name so i can ask if he remembers you.

Nick Phillips
 
Last edited:
Hi Nck

By all means let your brother know. If he was there between 1957-61 there may be a chance he knew me and I used to live in Foundry Road a my dad was the caretaker there during that time.
There is a photo I've seen on one of the forums of the class with our teacher Mr Taylor, which was taken in the playground and there are around 30 of us, I'm there somewhere, one of the chubby ones sitting in the front row!
Happy days
 
Last edited:
daveb said:
Hi Nck

By all means let your brother know. If he was there between 1957-61 there may be a chance he knew me and I used to live in Foundry Road a my dad was the caretaker there during that time.
There is a photo I've seen on one of the forums of the class with our teacher Mr Taylor, which was taken in the playground and there are around 30 of us, I'm there somewhere, one of the chubby ones sitting in the front row!
Happy days
Click to expand...
Daveb, for me to ask my brother if he remembers you need to let me have your name.

Nick Phillips
 
I attended HNR from 71 to 76 still remember some of the decent teachers, Mrs Taylor (RE), Mrs Cooper (English), Mr Hill ( Geography), Mr Hutt (Commerce) and Mr Cornick who was a crack shot with a plimsole . Can anyone remember the name of the art teacher at the annex.
 
Stephen R said:
I attended HNR from 71 to 76 still remember some of the decent teachers, Mrs Taylor (RE), Mrs Cooper (English), Mr Hill ( Geography), Mr Hutt (Commerce) and Mr Cornick who was a crack shot with a plimsole . Can anyone remember the name of the art teacher at the annex.
Click to expand...
I left 71 and i think Mr Wright was the art teacher then.
 
Stephen R said:
I attended HNR from 71 to 76 still remember some of the decent teachers, Mrs Taylor (RE), Mrs Cooper (English), Mr Hill ( Geography), Mr Hutt (Commerce) and Mr Cornick who was a crack shot with a plimsole . Can anyone remember the name of the art teacher at the annex.
Click to expand...
Hi there. I was there at the same time. I loved Mrs Coooer in English. The art teacher I remember but thought it was Mr Evans?
 
I was at H N R boys school from 1963-1967. I had good days and number of difficult ones.

I remember when in the first year swinging on two legs of the chair working how old I would be if I lived to the year of 2000, I knew no one could live to that age (48). Now at the age of seventy one (71) I find myself when driving past the school wondering what people I was at school with are doing now.
Then the boys and girls were separate schools and at no time mixed.

Would any one from 1963-1967 or even other years be interested in meeting up at a pub on the edge of city ( Birmingham ) ? to have a chat or just reminisce our school days.

I hope that I get a few reply's saying yes to getting together, I would then speak to licensee at Gun Makers on Bath St Birmingham to arrange a date, I think a Saturday would be a good day.

Nick Phillips.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top