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Marsh Hill Boys Grammar Tech School

Hi there. I attended what I remember as being (I say that because wherever I look, it always seems to be a different variation of) Marsh Hill Technical Grammar School for Boys, between 1963 and 1966.

I started off in the 1st year but the family moved to the Walsall area in 1966 so finished my schooling here in the 3rd year. I have happy memories of being at school here, if for no other reason that the canteen ladies used to feel sorry for me and fed me up with seconds or even on a few occasions third helpings - I was very short (I believe 3'6") and thin.

I've looked at a few posted photos and can remember very few of the other kids and a couple of the masters - not in any of the pictures, but my favourite being the one who was my form teacher in both 1st and 3rd year and also taught Maths (which was always my favourite subject), although for the life of me I can't remember his name, he also brought his wife into class on a number of occasions.

Somewhere I have a couple of form photos, so when I find them I will post them. I also remember at the end of term assembly (probably my first ), Mr Markwell was telling us what he did and didn't expect us to be wearing the next term and what length our hair should be etc. Not wanting to get anything wrong I was making notes, and it was obvious that Mr Markwell had seen this as he commented that it was nice to see at least one pupil taking notes, my form mates made sure I didn't forget that.
 
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christopher short said:
The school was opened in 1959 and shared the same campus as Stockland Green Secondary Modern and Marsh Hill Girls Grammar School opened in 1960. Edit. A link to Marsh Hill Girks Grammar Tech is here. https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/for...-grammar-tech-school.48205/page-2#post-609775

I was in the first intake which comprised of a first form of 5 classes (11 Plus) and a similar 2nd form (12 plus)
The school and its teachers had a lasting effect on my life and sadly I have lost touch with the many friends I made.
Maybe, just maybe there is someone out there who was in that first intake, I'd be delighted to hear from you.
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hello chris short ,i was the same intake and remember you phil freakley.
 
christopher short said:
Zambodini, Neil Mohammed was injured in that fight in July 1965. He went on to become head boy and was one of my best friends.

A Sparks, A few boys crossed to the Girls' School for cookery and the girls crossed to the Boys' School for technical drawing.
As well as the plays there were also Gilbert and Sullivan operas
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yes i was one of the boys who went to the girls for cookery , wonder why ???
 
Welcome Phil. Hopefully the cookery lessons stood you in good stead ! I expect at the time, cookery lessons for boys were not that common. How times have changed. Viv.
 
LinnyF said:
yes i was one of the boys who went to the girls for cookery , wonder why ???
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I remember the whole school out on the playground after the stabbing, staff trying to keep us from going to the Secondary school. I also went to cookery at the girl's school when in the sixth form for 'Cookery for those about to go to University'.
 
LinnyF said:
yes i was one of the boys who went to the girls for cookery , wonder why ???
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I remember it as a kind of emergency course to learn survival cookery for when we were away from home and fending for ourselves, and it did help when I found myself in that very situation.
 
what years were you there...there are a lot of class photos on this thread now we need one of the school if anyone can help

lyn
 
ok ...i have asked carl chinn and unfortunately he has no photos of this school...this could be a difficult one unless birmingham library have some in their archives which is where i had to go to find the one photo of my old school

lyn
 
There’s a good collection of photos on this link. https://www.flickr.com/photos/dapgy/

I remember those arches in the class photos very well. They used to face Marsh Hill Girls’ entrance - although there were tarmac tennis courts/netball courts and grass separating the two. Viv
 
I was thinking I'd have to go there next time I'm in Birmingham. They must have some photographic record of the school.
 
Hope so Phil.

The whole site has completely changed as you probably know, the Bilateral has gone, the MH Girls building has changed (or rebuilt ? Not sure).

As you’ll remember this was one big site housing three schools.

I know there are documents in the National Archives. It’s possible these contain details of the development/opening of the school. So you never know, there might be images in the documents. Viv.
 
Marsh Hill Boys came into being in 1959. The girls’ school opened in 1960. Viv.
 
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Paul Higgins said:
I attended 1968-1974 and the G & S, Shakespeare etc extravaganzas were still (if I remember correctly) going strong and in my opinion could give professional productions a run for their money.

The teachers there were more than teachers. They were educators. Some still wore their gowns, though had stopped wearing their caps. Strict, fair and didn’t need text books to teach their subject.
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I was there 69-71. From memory we did Mac the Knife and Burke and Hare at the boys school and My Fair Lady and Yeoman of the Guard at the girls school
 
christopher short said:
The school was opened in 1959 and shared the same campus as Stockland Green Secondary Modern and Marsh Hill Girls Grammar School opened in 1960. Edit. A link to Marsh Hill Girks Grammar Tech is here. https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/for...-grammar-tech-school.48205/page-2#post-609775

I was in the first intake which comprised of a first form of 5 classes (11 Plus) and a similar 2nd form (12 plus)
The school and its teachers had a lasting effect on my life and sadly I have lost touch with the many friends I made.
Maybe, just maybe there is someone out there who was in that first intake, I'd be delighted to hear from you.
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Hi Chris -Remember me Patrick 'Maggie' Maguire fly half rugby team good friends with the Boddy twins.Known as very 'laid back'
 
I was there 1969-1971 (6th form only). not all the shows were G&S.
Infact while I was there the boys' school did "Mac the Knife" and "Burke and Hare" and the girls' school did "My Fair Lady" and "Yoeman of the Guard"
 
christopher short said:
The school was opened in 1959 and shared the same campus as Stockland Green Secondary Modern and Marsh Hill Girls Grammar School opened in 1960. Edit. A link to Marsh Hill Girks Grammar Tech is here. https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/for...-grammar-tech-school.48205/page-2#post-609775

I was in the first intake which comprised of a first form of 5 classes (11 Plus) and a similar 2nd form (12 plus)
The school and its teachers had a lasting effect on my life and sadly I have lost touch with the many friends I made.
Maybe, just maybe there is someone out there who was in that first intake, I'd be delighted to hear from you.
Click to expand...
I was there in from 1961 to 1966. I was definitely a 'problem' child. Wound up being expelled in 1966, didn't take 'o' levels although I was supposed to come back to do it. Went to University as a mature student and got a BSc (Hons) 1st in Behavioural Sciences (ironic isn't it?). I'm retired now
Anyone have any pictures from that time? I remember I was in 'S' classes and teachers I remember were Mr Platt (scary), Mr Hellings, a Chemistry teacher we called 'Crippin' and an Art teacher who's name escapes me who played Bob Dylan albums in the class. There was also a teacher called Bevan. Had a friend called Eddie Zoltanski and I used went to see Birmingham City play Wolves away with 'Mo' (Mohammed).
 
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I was there from 1959 - when it first opened - to 1965. Form teacher was Mr Probert form 1a.
 
Went there from 66 thru 72. Was in the R stream. Steve Carter (The Class Redhead). Have been in touch with a few others, Malcolm Coghill, Pete Sammon from the M stream, John Bentley, Gary Dolphin,
 
Paul Higgins said:
I attended 1968-1974 and the G & S, Shakespeare etc extravaganzas were still (if I remember correctly) going strong and in my opinion could give professional productions a run for their money.

The teachers there were more than teachers. They were educators. Some still wore their gowns, though had stopped wearing their caps. Strict, fair and didn’t need text books to teach their subject.
Click to expand...
I attended from 1968-1974 too. I don't remember you Paul, not without a photo. I didn't have many friends, wasn't a very likeable character. I have very fond memories of being at the school, especially sports including playing football (Richard Smith was our keeper), and athletics. I was an all-rounder and competed for Warwickshire at High Jump & Triple jump. I was fast but the Hassel twins were fast too, so I ran position 1 in the 4 x 100m relay. The only teachers name I remember is a Mr Miller who we nicknamed 'Windy Miller'. The boy's and Girl's schools joined together when I went into the 6th form, at the same time as my parents split-up, so my education petered off. My best friend was Robert Smith. I remember a school play, where a boy called Oneil, kept walking onto the stage with a glass of water, and at the end of the play when asked what he was doing he told us that the school was on fire. I have so many good memories I can't mention them all. I visited the area recently to take a look at the school but couldn't get to see it, the area seems to have been re-developed. And I can't seem to find many posts from ex pupils either.
 
Glamdring said:
Went there from 66 thru 72. Was in the R stream. Steve Carter (The Class Redhead). Have been in touch with a few others, Malcolm Coghill, Pete Sammon from the M stream, John Bentley, Gary Dolphin,
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Who are you Glamdring? I'm Pete Sammon, so I'm really curious now. You would obviously remember, Beanhead, Crippen, Caggy Horsecroft, and scary Mr Smith who used to give you the option of the Van Der Graff Generator instead of a detention.
 
Reject said:
Who are you Glamdring? I'm Pete Sammon, so I'm really curious now. You would obviously remember, Beanhead, Crippen, Caggy Horsecroft, and scary Mr Smith who used to give you the option of the Van Der Graff Generator instead of a detention.
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Steve Carter mate
 
How you doing Pete. I wonder if we could drink as much on our 65th as we did the week of our 18ths.

Now living in Columbus Ohio burbs. Looking at places in Florida to retire to.

How's Paula. My ears are still ringing from tge telling off she gave me that Saturday night when i got you home from the Dirty Duck.
 
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