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Marsh Hill Girls Grammar Tech School

Vivienne14

Vivienne14

Kentish Brummie Moderator
Staff member
Might be worth mentioning that there were 2 other schools on the site: Marsh Hill Boys grammar tech and Stockland Green Bilateral School. All 3 schools (including Marsh Hill Girls) were on the same campus. I expect these have all since disappeared or been amalgamated into what became the FE college. Viv
 
Vivienne14 said:
Hi there. Here's a pic of speech day programme for Marsh Hill Girls Grammar Tech School 1967. It shows the school badge. I think the school no longer exists. Think it became Josiah Mason College. Headmistress in 1967 was Mrs Cockbaine (who insisted on being called CObaine i.e silent c and k !!) Hope this is a useful addition to the collection. Viv.



Replacement image - not of the Speech Day programme, but of the school blazer badge.
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I went there but later when it was a comp! My sister and cousins went when it was a grammar ‘non nobis solum’ means not for ourselves alone... still had it on comp badge just as a scroll underneath. Colour of scroll depicted which house you were in I was in Warwick which was yellow, Dudley was green Kenilworth was red and Tamworth was blue....
 
Hi Pam, I was in Worcester. They were different house names when I was there. Ours were cathedral cities; Worcester (green), Chester (red) and I think Canterbury (yellow) and York (blue).

I have a piece written up about my time there. Shall dig it out and post it

Viv.
 
I was in Chester House!

If I remember correctly, during my time there, Canterbury House always did very well in school sports results as the Pasquetti sisters who were both excellent at sport were in that House.
 
Vivienne14 said:
Hi Pam, I was in Worcester. They were different house names when I was there. Ours were cathedral cities; Worcester (green), Chester (red) and I think Canterbury (yellow) and York (blue).

I have a piece written up about my time there. Shall dig it out and post it

Viv.
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Lovely my sister was in Canterbury it wa yellow she wa there 1971-1977 ( she did a year in sixth form. My cousins were there about 10 years earlier Pauline the eldest was Head girl and on the honours board! My career wasn’t so illustrious but I think they stopped intake about a year or two after I left in 1980. Last time I was up there the girls school was still standing but the boys was derelict and has since been pulled down.
 
Sad to hear part of the schools have been demolished now, I don't live in Birmingham now and haven't been up that way for years.
I think the girls school was a 6th Form College at some point - Josiah Mason?
I was there from 1962 - 67.
 
I was there from 1964-71, so your sister had just started as I was leaving Pam. And A Sparks you'd have been two years ahead of me.

Oh I remember Margaret Pasqetti - always smiling. Amazing athlete. Didn't know she had a sister in the school. She was a few years above me - we looked up to these girls !

Been rummaging through my old PC files and I've found the the piece I've written. But it's very long. So here's an extract. Viv.

Top of the class was Miss Jones, a very caring, first form tutor and inspiring PE teacher. Second up, Mr Evans - history - looked like the blonde guy from the Man From Uncle (Ilya Kuriarchyn?) and was adored by many. He drove a green MG (?) sports car and, I think, married either a former Head Girl or teacher. Mrs Bates, another form teacher, very prim and neat, taught Physics. Mr Denton for Maths, scary as hell. He'd throw missiles at you for the smallest mistake. Headmistress - Mrs Cockbain - pronounced Cobane girls - and please, no sniggering! She wore her hair plaited in an earphone style or fixed over her head. Miss Foxon, a slightly eccentric but sweet English teacher, usually wore socks. Miss Russell, French teacher insisted we greet her with "Bonjour Miss Rooooooooselle". Only the French way would do for her. Mrs Banner (Miss Wilkinson), brilliant German teacher, wore quite short skirts, sported Supremes-type big hair and was married to Mr Banner, a teacher at Marsh Hill Boys'. Brown corduroy always brings to mind the Geography teacher, Mr Slinn. Mrs Box, Deputy Head, usually dressed head-to-toe in tweed, could be quite formidable. Then there was Mr Manning - English, with Manfred Mann type specs. And Miss Lingham(?) also English teacher, very, very enthusiastic about everything, bless her. Many names I still can't recall such as the elderly and kind grey-haired Russian teacher, a native Russian who'd allegedly escaped from Russia. And there was a very tall French teacher with light brown chignoned hair, either married to a Frenchman or was French herself.

And what about the serious studying that went on in the science labs ? Watching from the chemistry lab as Marsh Hill VI form boys came over for mixed classes was a lesson in itself. Distracted by their strutting forms, science had absolutely no chance. But we sometimes mustered inspiration for one or two experiments like those involving the use of the ventilation shafts into which you'd put the test tubes of stinking H2S. The door pulled down like a dumb waiter but the putrid smell still permeated much of the school, especially the dining hall where dinner was being prepared. On leaving the lesson we'd announce to others "yeah, WE made that smell". An experiment guaranteed to get our attention was exposing phosphorous to the air, and watching it's magical glow. I remember only one fire in the labs - very surprising considering our willingness to 'experiment'. Never fully mastered the periodic table (but hey, we were lucky, it's even bigger today). Memorable biology experiments covered the usual dissecting of dogfish, frogs, ox's hearts and sheep's eyeballs. All pretty disgusting, but it 'enriched' the lesson. As for physics - making one of those thingys where a light came on if you touched the wire. Remember leaving one lesson with massively static hair - the lengths teachers will go to get you involved !

A fond memory is of the tuck shop shoe-horned into the space under the main staircase. Many entertaining morning breaks passed there queueing to be served; chatting, combing our Troll's long hair or creating enormous fluff balls from the bobbles collected off sweaters. Yes, high-brow stuff indeed. One special memory is sitting on the grass at the back of the Main Hall, listening to someone's transistor radio playing the Beach Boys: 'God only knows'. Radio's weren't allowed, but we lived on the edge!! This glorious summer's day still comes back every time I hear that song.

Viv (Jackie)
 
Anyone remember this ? I thought it had the school song Non Nobis Domini on it, but it doesn't appear on this side. Maybe it was on the 'B' side ? ! Or maybe this was such a sell out, the school went on to record more and it was included on that one (ha, ha).

Now come on girls, sing along .............
"Non nobis Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam"

Viv.

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Hi Viv, Margaret was with Birchfield Harriers for a while and I think she may have have gone on to study PE at College, her sister was called Eileen and was a couple of years older.

I remember many of the teachers you mention! Mr Evans also took a Current Events Class but I didn't have him for History. My teacher was Mr Jackson.

Oh Miss Foxon! - she was very sweet but not very good at controlling the class, she did get played up sometimes and I feel very sorry for that now. Yes, I remember the socks and she used to cycle to school if I recall correctly.

I had Mr Denton for French for a year - didn't like him at all! He did have a quick sense of humour though and often very funny but could also be very sarcastic.

Miss Lingen was the Maths teacher, she was lovely and I got on well with her even though I was hopeless and was allowed to drop Maths after the 4th year.

I remember Mr Manning, he taught Latin as well.
A few of my class went on a trip to London with the art teacher Mr Bailey to see an exhibition of the artist Bonnard and Mr Manning came too, we pestered them to take us to Carnaby Street which they kindly did, however the shops were closed being a Sunday then, still enjoyed seeing it though :)
 
Didn't know Mr Denton taught French, I'm sure we had him for maths. Maybe he taught both.

Miss Lingen sounds like a very understanding teacher - she never taught me, but remember her as a very happy soul. She must have loved teaching.

These are my memories of the school uniform:

The school uniform list was quite lengthy and probably fairly typical of many other schools of the time. On the list were blue open-neck blouses, navy, box pleated skirts, cotton summer dresses in regulation material and styles, navy sweater or cardigan (knitted in a very specified navy colour), blue expanding money belt with zip pocket, dark blue gabardine mac, navy blazer plus school badge to sew on ("Non Nobis Solum"), thin striped scarf, dance tunic, blue science overall, blue aertex sports blouse, another aertex blouse in your school house colour, navy, cross-over gym skirt, black regulation swimming costume, swimming cap, laced shoes, black plimsoles, a straw boater in summer and a beret in winter. The boater seems to have been dropped off the list, don't know why, but probably because it was scratchy, uncomfortable and basically impracticable. A satchel and a plimsole bag with embroidered initials were also essential. Hockey boots could be bought in school for, I think 7/6d. Remember the intense rubber smell of the new boots ? Although a relatively young school, a tradition quickly developed called 'de-bobbling'. This was an unwritten school ritual requiring the removal (by the older girls) of the bobble from the top of every newbie beret, more often than not resulting in a gaping hole.

Fifth formers had a special privilege: regular thin school scarf could be replaced by a college-type, felt scarf with wide navy blue and light blue vertical stripes. It sent a clear message that you were now senior. Unfortunately, it didn't guarantee we were any more mature.

Shift-style summer dresses could be made in needlework lessons using specially selected material by the Headmistress. She fancied herself as a bit of a fashionista in this department and once commented on catching me reading Vogue magazine that, she too, was an avid reader. However most girls weren't taken in by this occasional nod to fashion. The only saving grace was the knowledge that, in time as VI Formers, we'd be wearing our own choice of clothes. And that's when we made up for lost time! Short skirts, platforms, maxi coats, vintage fur coats, layers of pan stick, false lashes, pachouli perfume, you name it we wore it
 
My homework timetable - booooooooo ! Well I certainly remember carrying all those books home on the#28 bus. Don't know which year this relates to but was probably 3rd or 4th year (age 14/15) Have no idea why Physics and German are bracketed on Mondays and Thursdays. ''Scripture' haven't heard it called that for a long, long time. And it's all written in fountain pen in my best handwriting too. Viv.

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Mrs Cockbaine (who insisted on being called CObaine i.e silent middle c and k !!)

Probably liked a drop of the old Cockburn's Port
 
Was up in the loft today looking through photos and here's one of my form in I think about 1966/7 ish. Mrs Bates form tutor on the right. I'm second row from the back, two in from the right. We actually look pretty happy for the photo.

Plenty of nurses money belts on display, the dress with the leaf design (blue) was the shift dress we could make in needlework classes, the other dresses were a regulation flowered dress or a pale blue stripe dress. The rest of us seem to be in the winter uniform of pale blue open necked blouse and navy box pleat skirt. Viv.

image.jpeg
 
A Sparks said:
Sad to hear part of the schools have been demolished now, I don't live in Birmingham now and haven't been up that way for years.
I think the girls school was a 6th Form College at some point - Josiah Mason?
I was there from 1962 - 67.
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I was also there from 1962 - 67.
 
A Sparks said:
Which 5th year form were you in? I was 5A.
I remember there were a few girls called Suzanne in our year!
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Hi - I was Suzanne Booton and I can't for the life of me remember which form I was in! My closest friends in my class were Lynn Hayes (lived in Handsworth) Susan Laight (lived near the Yew Tree) and Penny Higgins (lived near Stockland Green). The other girls that I can remember in my class were Julia Cope, Margaret (Ann) Turvey aka Topsy, Lesley Pritchard and Margaret Brain. My cousin was Bronwen Moore (Bonny) who was Head Girl. Do any of the above names ring any bells? I have my class form photo which I will try to download. I would love to know who you are.
I have just found another photo with 4A on it so it is more than possible that I was in 5A the year after.
 
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Hi Suzanne. I remember Bronwen, although not personally. And some of the other names are familiar, but again, didn't personally know the girls.

Good to see your form photo. A few faces are familiar but not sure I could put names to faces. Thanks for posting. I see it was taken outside the school main entrance. Viv.
 
Suzanne said:
Hi - I was Suzanne Booton and I can't for the life of me remember which form I was in! My closest friends in my class were Lynn Hayes (lived in Handsworth) Susan Laight (lived near the Yew Tree) and Penny Higgins (lived near Stockland Green). The other girls that I can remember in my class were Julia Cope, Margaret (Ann) Turvey aka Topsy, Lesley Pritchard and Margaret Brain. My cousin was Bronwen Moore (Bonny) who was Head Girl. Do any of the above names ring any bells? I have my class form photo which I will try to download. I would love to know who you are.
I have just found another photo with 4A on it so it is more than possible that I was in 5A the year after.
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Sorry., I replied to your later post before seeing this!

I'm Anne Spencer and yes, I remember all the girls you mention. I was particularly friends with Lynda Potter who is standing to the right of me - we still keep in touch now although I haven't actually seen her for a few years.
I remember Lynn Hayes, she worked at Hudsons Bookshop in town and she married the guy who used to run Ronnie Scott's Club in Brum.

Top row to the left of Julie Cope is Suzanne Wootton and then Margaret Hollis, Josie Wilson, Judy Staple, Yvonne Sims, Lisa Caro, Topsy, Linda Hudson,

Middle row Miss Isles (sp?) Lesley P, Glenda Nolan, Gillian (?), Judy Moore, me, Lynda Potter, Margaret Brain, Ann Perry, next girl - can't think of her name?, Susan Laight.

Front row ; Kathleen Wilkins, Susan Pearce, Diane Crowther, next girl - can't remember - Susan something?, Janet ?, you, Anne Durrant, Penny Higgins, Lyn Hayes.

Yes, I remember Bronwen, I didn't know she was your cousin, very pretty girl - good at acting.

Ahhhh, happy days!!
 
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Suzanne said:
Hi - I was Suzanne Booton and I can't for the life of me remember which form I was in! My closest friends in my class were Lynn Hayes (lived in Handsworth) Susan Laight (lived near the Yew Tree) and Penny Higgins (lived near Stockland Green). The other girls that I can remember in my class were Julia Cope, Margaret (Ann) Turvey aka Topsy, Lesley Pritchard and Margaret Brain. My cousin was Bronwen Moore (Bonny) who was Head Girl. Do any of the above names ring any bells? I have my class form photo which I will try to download. I would love to know who you are.
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A Sparks said:
Sorry., I replied to your later post before seeing this!

I'm Anne Spencer and yes, I remember all the girls you mention. I was particularly friends with Lynda Potter who is standing to the right of me - we still keep in touch now although I haven't actually seen her for a few years.
I remember Lynn Hayes, she worked at Hudsons Bookshop in town and she married the guy who used to run Ronnie Scott's Club in Brum.

Top row to the left of Julie Cope is Suzanne Wootton and then Margaret Hollis, Josie Wilson, Judy Staple, Yvonne Sims, Lisa Caro, Topsy, Linda Hudson,

Middle row Miss Isles (sp?) Lesley P, Glenda Nolan, Gillian (?), Judy Moore, me, Lynda Potter, Margaret Brain, Ann Perry, next girl - can't think of her name?, Susan Laight.

Front row ; Kathleen Wilkins, Susan Pearce, Diane Crowther, next girl - can't remember - Susan something?, Janet ?, you, Anne Durrant, Penny Higgins, Lyn Hayes.

Yes, I remember Bronwen, I didn't know she was your cousin, very pretty girl - good at acting.

Ahhhh, happy days!!
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Oh that's amazing Anne - you have such a good memory for names. I used to see Lynn Hayes out of school which wasn't easy as I lived in Tile Cross and she lived in Handsworth but for whatever reason we lost contact. I look back and wished I had made more effort. It is so much easier now with mobile phones, e-mail, Facebook etc. Yes Bonny was pretty and clever! She emigrated to Australia and became a Headmistress. It is so lovely to make contact with someone that not only went to Marsh Hill but was also in my class!
 
Vivienne14 said:
Hi Suzanne. I remember Bronwen, although not personally. And some of the other names are familiar, but again, didn't personally know the girls.

Good to see your form photo. A few faces are familiar but not sure I could put names to faces. Thanks for posting. I see it was taken outside the school main entrance. Viv.
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Viv - I find it hard to remember the girls that were in my year let alone other years! Lovely to make contact.
 
Yes, lovely to make contact with you too !

Over the weekend shall have a go at naming my form. You both might recognise some names.

I have about 3 MHG's speech day programmes somewhere, shall have to dig them out too. Viv.
 
Vivienne14 said:
Yes, lovely to make contact with you too !

Over the weekend shall have a go at naming my form. You both might recognise some names.

I have about 3 MHG's speech day programmes somewhere, shall have to dig them out too. Viv.
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Sorry Viv I probably won't but you never know - the only thing I have MHG is my old school scarf! Suzanne
 
Some things that will be familiar Suzanne and A Sparks are in another extract below. I wrote this some years ago about the school layout and its features. But not sure how much of this has since survived as we know some (if not all by now) has probably been demolished. But when the school was built, it would have been a typical example of a state of the art, 1950/60s school building.


It was a modern school, designed and equipped to a high standard. The whole school was originally broadly 'T' shaped, although later aerial views show additional buildings. On approaching the wide, main entrance to the building you'd notice a small frieze on the exterior wall to the right of the entrance. I only vaguely remember this frieze, despite passing it every day, but it probably symbolised what Marsh Hill Girls' was all about. Carved on it were various measuring and scientific instruments, so the scientific emphasis in the curriculum must have been important. It certainly was for me, although languages were, to me, far more interesting.

Behind the school was a field and grassed area which circled the back of the school, starting on the Marsh Hill road side, continuing along the back of the Science block and reaching across to Marsh Hill Boys' School. This area was mostly used for athletics training in the summer term. Google maps show the Science block area of the school has in later years seen the most change, with two extensions. These two new buildings appear to cover much of the original sports field, the very spot where we threw a blinding discus, javelin or temper tantrum.

Moving back to the Marsh Hill side, behind the Hall, there's now an area of tarmac and a car park. In my time this area contained long jump and high jump sandpits and another grassed area. There may also have been some parking spaces, but on a much smaller scale. Another large area of tarmac was in front of the main school entrance and Gym. This was set up for tennis courts in summer or netball pitches in winter.

Just inside the school entrance, was the Main Hall with the Gym to the right and the open-plan, dining area to the left. Through the dining area you reached a staircase with access to classrooms in the only multi-storey section of the school. To the right of the stairs was the rear school door. The wall joining it housed a row of hatches through which those delightful (!) school meals appeared. We'd queue patiently at the hatches waiting to be served, giving us time to find the strip of grey dinner tickets stashed in the little zip pocket of our blue, expanding, nurses-style belt.

To the left side of the staircase was the corridor to the offices for the Head, Deputy Head and the staffroom. These were not often visited. Although those of a naughtier disposition would be far more familiar with this territory. Also on the left was a corridor leading to the low-level science block where much smelly stuff was concocted and, in later years, gave a good view of passing Marsh Hill Boys' VI formers taking mixed lessons (yes, 'mixed' - with the opposite sex !)

Leaving the dining area and taking the upwards staircase through the multi-level block, is where you'd find the form rooms and classrooms. Many of the rooms were simply blank and boring classrooms, with little to offer except hard work. But some held things a little more interesting such as the Language Lab with its individual cubicles lined with soundproofing boards, the type with lots of holes in. I think you could hang your headphones up on the boards. Other rooms with better prospects were the domestic science rooms with fully equipped kitchens and a mock-up flat where you'd learn the vital skills of making a bed, including, of course, mastering the essential hospital corners. And on the top floor, don't forget the classrooms which gave a good viewing platform for male spotting, either directly across to Stockland Green Bi-Lateral or Marsh Hill Boys' to the right. It was all part of a rich and enlightening education !

Back downstairs, the Main Hall hosted many joint girl/boy school theatricals, like Gilbert and Sullivan's "Mikado" and "The Pirates of Penzance". Having never summoned up the courage to audition for a part, I think I missed a lot of fun. So my artistic expression was confined to fluttering and strutting in this same hall during dance lessons dressed in regulation pale green dance tunic. The Hall was, I believe, where the school record was recorded. Presumably it had good acoustics.

Beneath the stage (yes beneath !) was the Sixth Form Common Room. This was probably a serious fire risk, especially as some girls lit up the occasional, crafty fag (strictly against school rules of course, but you know what they say about rules). One of the entrances to the Common Room was via the side of the stage (internal) and the other was through a small external door on the Marsh Hill side of the building. The entrance to the Common Room with its sunken door and small window alongside are still there, but they're now covered over and not particularly inviting.

Just inside that door was a kitchen with a sink and cooker. Continuing through to the Common Room we had rows of low, comfy chairs and a record player (remember those?). The Common Room is best described as 'makeshift' with all the pipework and supporting beams exposed along the ceiling. It certainly wouldn't cut it with today's H&S inspectors. It was here that we sixth formers solved all our boy, makeup and fashion problems. An education in itself !

Viv
 
Now had a go at naming faces on my form photo. Here goes:

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Blue row
1. ?
2. ?
3. Rose Harvey
4. Yvonne Bonquet
5. Sue Pearson

Red row
6. Janet Poxon
7. Sharon ?
8. Kath Henderson
9. ?
10. Peta ?
11. Me
12. Anne Rollason
13. Mrs Bates, Form Tutor

Purple row
14. Cynthia Pritchard
15. ?
16. Christine Sutton
17. Irene Price
18. ?
19. ?
20. ?

Yellow row
21. Lorraine Waldron
22. Marilyn Pritchatt
23. Sally Smith
24. Susan Vyse
25. ?
26. Linda Sabin
27. ?
28. ?
29. Susan Nicklin

Think the photo might date to 1968. Viv.
 
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In Easter 1968 I was fortunate to go on the school exchange to Cologne. Some of the German girls who came to us the following September are in the photo below. (Suzanne - not sure about this, but is it Bronwen sitting on the floor in the photo ? Not sure she was still there at this time though)

For German lessons we were given German names. Mine was Katchen. German was a favourite subject. According to this November 1971 Birmingham Post article, Mrs Thatcher made a visit to our language lab, having spent some of the day dodging demonstrators around Birmingham. I don't remember even being aware that she was in the school - which seems odd, as doubtless all the school would have been told. What I do remember is a proposed visit being cancelled. Was that an earlier one ? Or was it this one to disguise her visit, thus avoiding demonstrators ? How mysterious. Viv

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