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Lordswood Boys' Technical School

Hi
Hi Phil
I was also in the first intake and in the same form with you. I was known more as Titch Horton than John, even Mr Harkness called me that.
Didn’t you have some connection with ELO, or is my memory going like the rest of the body.
John

Hi Titch
At last someone in the same year/class has posted. I remember coming back to your home after school and meeting your mom. Funny how you can remember somethings but all the rest is hazy or just not there. Do you still like brown sauce? I do!
ELO, not me mate, but maybe Geoff Brown and/or Rich Parnell (spelling?) who formed a group and appeared on TV programme one Monday teatime. The 3 of us went to B'ham Uni reading maths/physics but I lost track after that.
I spend my spare time on photography nowadays with charities and other non-profit making organisations for free. Who wants to fill in tax returns?
How about you?
Phil
 
Geoff Brown and Rich Parnell were in two Birmingham bands together, The Craig (Carl Palmer was the drummer) and Galliard.
Rich was later the sound engineer with ELO.
 
Geoff Brown and Rich Parnell were in two Birmingham bands together, The Craig (Carl Palmer was the drummer) and Galliard.
Rich was later the sound engineer with ELO.

Thanks. This link below gives much more info on Geoff and Rich. Also corrects my spelling of Pannell (sorry Rich). I went to a rehearsal of the first group when at school to take some photos for marketing stuff. They were rubbish. The photos not the group. I think I'm better now!
Phil
 
Faraday then A stream. I can't remember him in 6th. I was in Science.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
No Roger, I'm not there. I was at Lordswood between 1963-70 (1&2B, 3,4 & 5 Alpha, L&U6A). I know Ada Bolton well but haven't seem him for some time. I knew all the Bolton family. A great friend of mine was Steve 'Skid' Bolton who also went to Lordswood. Interesting being reminded of some of the names mentioned here. I will see what other teachers I can recall. By the way, I enjoyed my time at Lordswood.
I’m new to this forum, and was at Lordswood from 63 to 70 in Telford house. I can remember the teachers names previously mentioned and wondered if anyone is n here I may remember. My name is John Sullivan. I was into sports ans swam for the school as well as Rugby and Athletics in the Long and triple jump. Would be great to make contact with someone from that era.
 
One other great memory was the upper 6th. Given I was 18 most of that year, it was perfectly legal to head across the road to the pub during lunch hour. Pupils occupied the bar and the teachers the lounge. We basically ignored each other until the A levels were done then actually mingled. You certainly wouldn't get that these days. Can't remember the name of the pub though and it doesn't show on google maps. Probably closed long ago !
Ha ha me and some friends used to do that as well in the 6th form (69-70) I think it was called the Talbot.
My form master Mr Rhodes caught us in there once!
 
Ha ha me and some friends used to do that as well in the 6th form (69-70) I think it was called the Talbot.
My form master Mr Rhodes caught us in there once!
Ha ha me and some friends used to do that as well in the 6th form (69-70) I think it was called the Talbot.
My form master Mr Rhodes caught us in there once!
Ha ha me and some friends used to do that as well in the 6th form (69-70) I think it was called the Talbot.
My form master Mr Rhodes caught us in there once!
Hi

Hi Titch
At last someone in the same year/class has posted. I remember coming back to your home after school and meeting your mom. Funny how you can remember somethings but all the rest is hazy or just not there. Do you still like brown sauce? I do!
ELO, not me mate, but maybe Geoff Brown and/or Rich Parnell (spelling?) who formed a group and appeared on TV programme one Monday teatime. The 3 of us went to B'ham Uni reading maths/physics but I lost track after that.
I spend my spare time on photography nowadays with charities and other non-profit making organisations for free. Who wants to fill in tax returns?
How about you?
Phil
Hi Phil
Sorry for the delay, I have been away and did not have my log in info.
How did you manage to remember my “addiction” to brown sauce and visiting my mom.
And yes I still love it, especially with cottage pie. Need comfort food in my dotage.
Tech teacher-Mr Harrington.
I went off to Surrey University doing Structural Engineering. Worked for numerous Consultants with a couple of overseas secondments (Nigeria, UAE, Cyprus). Retired 3 times and now permanently. Spend time now building old Triumph motorcycles and abroad part of the time, where my wife and I volunteer at a Film festival and Modernism Week (Architectural Tours around the town), working on merchandising. As you say who wants Tax returns.
You still in Brum ?
We are now in Hampshire.
Cheers
J
 
Ha ha me and some friends used to do that as well in the 6th form (69-70) I think it was called the Talbot.
My form master Mr Rhodes caught us in there once!
Just shows how naive we were way back, our only antic was to go out and buy a small loaf, pull out the middle and stuff it with chips. At 5ft, there was no way I could go in a pub !!!!

Titch
 
Thanks. This link below gives much more info on Geoff and Rich. Also corrects my spelling of Pannell (sorry Rich). I went to a rehearsal of the first group when at school to take some photos for marketing stuff. They were rubbish. The photos not the group. I think I'm better now!
Phil
Thanks for the info on Geoff, I never knew he reached such “heights”.
The web says he may be in LA, I would like to see if I can contact him as I am often in California, but think that may be difficult.
Titch
 
does anyone else remember Tony Hale, the English teacher and musician. While he was at Lordswood he was a sales rep. for the Melotron which was the instrument that gave the Moody Blues, King Crimson and others their string ensemble sound.
I left Lordswood in 68 and in 73 joined the BBC in Manchester as a sound techy. In 75 guess who turned up as a radio producer in Manchester, yes Tony hale. I went on to work with him on various recordings including a pop quiz called "Quiz Kid" which ran for 3 years with Alan "Fluff" Freeman as the host. He left the Beeb in the late 80s (?) and went to London and the last I heard he was living near Canary Wharf.
"Popeye" Mason played the organ at assembly.
Colin Lee was our music teacher and bored the pants off us trying to instill musical fervour and understanding by playing Britten's "War Requiem". It's taken me 50 years to appreciate it. If only he'd used a couple of lighter examples.
"Froggy" Hepton and Mr Rhodes taught us Chemistry, Harrington TD, McCourt Geography, Mr Abel German ( I won prizes in Deutsch but now live in France!) We had Mr George for metalwork and Fletcher for WW.
We also had the mad professor, Mr. Woods for physics. He was ex-RAF and constructed a 27mHz valve transmitter on a plank. It was one of the most dangerous pieces of kit I've ever seen and he used it to demonstrate how varying the length of conductors coud change the frequency of oscillation, as shown on an oscilloscope. The 'scope probe didn't even have to be connected to the kit to show the frequency changing, such was the output power of this mad "experiment". A short fluorescent tube held near it showed when it went into oscillation!
Does anyone remember a guy a couple of years senior to me called Benge or Benj? He made flying model aircraft who's fuel was known as Benj's brew? I think he built a flying model Lancaster which he flew from the playground over the fields.
I also remember Alan Hunt, who threw a javelin over 200'. Gil Jones and Uggy White were our PE teachers and I ran a leg in the Kings Norton road relay with GJ pacing me through Alvechurch! We won it that year. Colin Price was a memorable athlete from that time. I think he went into the Police, as did Pete Bissell.
Happy Days
 
I was in the model aircraft club and remember an older member A A Brodie having a control line model of a Lancaster - must have had some dummy engines, not 4, surely? He eventually wrecked it on the school playing field, when one of the control lines broke causing it to nose-dive into the turf. I also remember his fuel mixes - he used to put extra nitro-methane in for higher power output. Maybe he had the nickname Benj after Sir Benjamin Brodie - either the famous surgeon or his son the chemist? - I maybe can also half hear Mr Harrington calling him Benj? - like he always called me Burt (Bill Burton)
 
I was at the school 1957, when it opened, till 1963. I was a direct entry into the second year as I failed the 11+ the previous year. All our year were direct entries. I met Claire Green of the girls' school at a school dance Summer 1964. We married in 1968 and now have 3 sons and 5 grandchildren. Claire played Lady Macbeth about 1961 in the joint boys' and girls' school production. Looking through the thread I remember many of the teacher's mentioned, but unfortunately I don't recognise any of the pupils names.
 
Forgot to say I was one of the pupils in the astronomy society and helped build the observatory. However by the time I left we had never got as far as constructing the telescope.
 
I was at the school 1957, when it opened, till 1963. I was a direct entry into the second year as I failed the 11+ the previous year. All our year were direct entries. I met Claire Green of the girls' school at a school dance Summer 1964. We married in 1968 and now have 3 sons and 5 grandchildren. Claire played Lady Macbeth about 1961 in the joint boys' and girls' school production. Looking through the thread I remember many of the teacher's mentioned, but unfortunately I don't recognise any of the pupils names.
Welcome to the forum John. I see the play also got a good review in the school magazine of 1962 - if you haven't got a copy, send me a private message with your email address and I'll scan the review over to you. I met my wife to be at the school dance of 1967 - we have one daughter and two grandchildren!
 
I was in the same class as Geoff Brown and Richi Parnell, there was a 3rd guy who was always knocking about with them his name was Kalsi(,can’t remember his Christian name) Geoff and Richi started up the group in the 5th year if I remember right. Other guys in the class were, Brian Rogers, Dave Cherry, Geoff Tim’s (mad on Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley) Micky Thomas( went to see EddIe Cockran with him at B’ham Hippodrome) Malcolm Aklin , Phelps (can’t remember Christian name) he was a very good athlete. I played rugby, cricket and basketball for the school and threw the javelin in the athletic team. Johny Flowers was a very good friend, not in my class but lived quite close to me in Northfield.
I left in the lower 6th, Mr Davies (Geography)tried to talk me into staying on but I wouldn’t listen, a decision I have regretted for the rest of my life. I could rabbit on all night but I won’t, hope I’ve jogged a few memories.
Keith Harrison
 
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