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St Chads Schools

i started at st chads in sept 75 at brierly street and left 80 from icknield st , i remember some of the above teachers someone mentioned in previous posts, had some good times and bad times like all kids did. it was anoying going from icknield school to brierly street for school dinner lol
 
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I went to St Chads Infants, Juniors and seniors between 52 and 64. I remember Sr Etna Sr Veronica, Mr Conklin Mr Begley, Miss Brennan, Mr Byrne, Mr Walton, Mrs ?? the office lady. In the Juniors at Shadwell St I remember Mr Wells the headmaster, Mr Heneberry, I lived in New John St West and remember going to Alma St School for metalwork and woodwork. would love to see any photographs.
Mrs Ralph was the school secretary. I remember she used to sell biscuits at playtime - if anyone could afford to buy them. My whole pocket money of two shillings and sixpence, went on bus fares to and from the school club on a Tuesday night. Joy - in 5th year I worked in Woolworths on a Saturday so could afford the occasional sneaky shared-half- pint of larger in The Stags Head and a packet of crisps with the little blue twist of salt! :)
 
i went to infants at st chads brealey street,st chads junior shadwell street,and back to st chads secondary modern brealey street .i remember a fantastic teacher mr byrne in my last year.teacher who did not like me winning races,in school sports was mr winstone who did all he could to stop me.funny thing this made me more determined and has helped me through my life.i started school 1958 finished 1967.would love to hear more stories about st chads.there seems very little information about this time.
I think I remember your name. Did you take part in one of the schools trips to Skerries, Co. Dublin in Ireland along with Mr Begley and Mr Byrne? I might have a photo with you in a group.
 
I was at St Chads from infants through to seniors. I left in Summer of 1964 after staying on to do my GCE's I was in Mr Begleys class for 5th form but remember getting the cane from him before I was in his class. I alsdo remember Mr Conklin who prefered to use the slipper (a black pump) Others I remmber of sourse the dreaded St Etna, Sr Veronica, Mr Byrne, Miss McMahon (with her ebony ruller that nearley broke your knuckles) There was a dinner lady whose name escapes me (perhaps Mrs Tomlinson or Mrs Thomas). I also remember a teacher who was quite posh and played hockey for England I think Mr?? In the Juniors I remember Mr Heneberry and Mr Wells. Maybe I am different but I loved it at School especially later when I stayed on-It made such a difference to my life espoecially Mr Begley. Does anyone remeber the air raid sirens that went off in the 50s/early 60s to signal when luch was over for the factories. Neweys factory and at the top of New John St West where it met Summer land and next to the Post Office was Perry pens that made Knibs for the pens.
I remember you being Head Boy at St. Chad's - I think you were in the same year as one of my sisters - Maria Keenan. Eldest sister, Sheila would have been about three years older than you.
 
hi Roberta unfortunately my mom and dad could not afford for me to go to Ireland when i look back time were quite hard,but it is amazing how well many people did coming from the old back to backs i think the experience gave us all a great work ethic.Tom being a villa supporter i loved listening to you on the radio.
 
Looking at the photo posted 5 June 2018. The teacher is Mike Miskella who taught Geography. I think the girl to the left of him might have been Norma, and the girl backrow 4th from the left might have been Imogen. I remember some of the others, but not their name.
 
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Just been catching up on the interesting posts regarding St. Chad's Brearley Street. I remember the school trips to Trentham Gardens, Litchfield Cathedral and also a day trip to Rhyll. Never been to the seaside and the trip had to be paid for. Every Monday I had to take (I think it was 2/- shilling,( 10p), which was a lot of money in those day) this was recorded on a card until the trip was paid for. The day came and we had to be outside St. Chad's Cathedral very early (we had to go inside first to pray for a safe journey) I was an excited 8 year old. The trip turned into a disaster for me as I was travel sick all the way there and all the way back, with very little sympathy. I was told off saying I should not have been on the trip. How was I to know that I would be travel sick having never been on a coach before. Put me off going on buses etc, and so I walked everywhere. The following day at school after any trip we had to write all about our day out. The trips to Litchfield and Trentham gardens where much closer and I sat near the front with a window open and a container in case I was sick, I didn't dare to be. One of the other things that springs to mind is that we had to go to Elkington Street School for Science and during one of the lessons one of the boys attacked the teacher because he had thrown a blackboard rubber at him. I ran to get help, the teacher was shaken but not hurt. The result of this was that our class was banned from science and the boy involved was expelled by (you've guessed it ) Sister Etna. The whole class suffered and never did science. I notice that one of the members is called Tom Ross who lived in New John Street West, I am wondering if he had a sister called Kathy. My granny lived in a yard and there was a family called Ross living next door. At the top of the yard was a shop called Milman's. If this is so then I knew them. Lots of memories from the past reading the forums.
 
Hi all. Anybody here a former pupil at St. Chads? I attended the schools on Brearly St. and Shadwell Street, behind the Cathedral, in the 60s. I believe Sister Marie was my head mistresss, with several other nuns as a supporting cast. Very strict, they were!!

Mark Gaskin
Yeah Eileen o'hare here,sister marie was my teacher too very very strict,sister etna and sister helen the woerst
 
Hi All
I attended St Chad's Secondary School between 1968 and 1973 and have some fond memories of my time there (and some not so great). I still keep in touch with a group of classmates from the 4th and 5th years when we were studying for our CSE's with Sr Veronica and Mr Welton (maths & tech drawing). I still see Sr Veronica and we have some good laughs about our experiences at the school. I do recall some of the names listed in posting 8 - I had Miss O'Connor in 1st year, Miss McMahon and also a Welsh lady (can't recall her name just now) in 2nd year, Miss Tranter (later Mrs Hamilton) in 3rd year and of course Sr V for the final two years. I didn't have much to do with Mr Begley who I think left while I was in the 3rd or 4th year and Mr Cushnan replaced him (and who turned out to be a less desirable character than all the others). Sr Ethna was hard but the situation at that time required a hard leader and I know I had a few canings from her - especially in the first year and after one lunch time incident where a group of us were fooling around at a cake shop on Newtown Row which resulted in a broken window! I did have some poor photos of the school but haven't seen them for a while but should I find them I'll try and post them here. Interesting to hear if others have any photos as I know the hacking episode has resulted in earlier photos being no longer available.

Fred G
I was there infants and juniors miss tranter was my teacher later mrs hamilton
 
I worked at St Chad's on Brearley Street for a couple of terms in 1972. I just visited some friends in Birmingham and they took me to Brearley Street and Icknield Street. So I thought I'd do some research. I recognised so much of what you have said. I remember Mrs Hamilton who was very much respected and liked, I worked with Mr Miskella (big burly kind chap) teaching history and geography, then there was Miss O'Donnell teaching French, I replaced Mr Giaquinto who taught history, and the other Italian teacher Mr Lancelotto. I remember Mr Rowlands with the slight stutter. I remember his compassion in advising me how to deal with a boy who had recently joined the school who had a bad stutter and telling me I was doing the right thing by relaxing and letting the boy take his time to get the words out. Mr Welford who had been there a long time, Mr Winston who as you say was not the nicest, Mr Gollogly the sports teacher, and Mr Cushenan the headmaster. There was also a teacher, possibly his first name was Philip, who was a 5th year class tutor, a little skinny man. Sister Ethna was still referred to.

I was looking at the photo of 4B and wondering if I had taught any of them when they were younger. Names I remember were Paddy Edwards, Benito McCoy, twins Joseph and Mary Concannon, Norma and ?Imogen? Beckford, surname McIlkenny - a little fair-haired boy, and I do wonder about the name Tracy McLoughlin.

And does anyone remember the new (Feb 1972) deputy head whose name I think was Mrs Kelly. Wore cocktail dresses to work - emerald green chiffon and an oyster cream embroidered thing. I don't think anyone had seen anything like it. She kept forgetting where she had left her handbag which the staff thought was unkind in terms of putting temptation in the way of the many pupils who needed money. One day she announced she had sent Paddy Edwards to find it and the next we knew he was in full view of classrooms, out in the yard, skipping around like a little girl carrying the handbag oh so delicately.

I was there just after the Birmingham bombings. I was sitting in on Mr Giaquinto's class when there was an explosion. No-one panicked, they just said Oh well it was a car bomb. How awful that 14 yr olds should not be shaken by an explosion which blew at the windows of the factory opposite. It turned out to be a gas explosion.

Many other memories, like turning up for work and being put straight onto the coach for a school trip to Blackpool.

And one more - I just wish I could remember his name. Mrs Hamilton was helping one of her class with extra reading lessons. He found it so hard to concentrate and was often in trouble. He would sit at the front, where Mrs H had put him, so there was less distraction. One day I was holding a thin exercise book (open) at the front and he started to fidget, so I made little flap in his direction - about a foot away and never going to make contact - the pages of the book flicked and made a loud bang - he jumped and put his hands to his head in surprise, we stared at one another both in surprise - we both knew the book had been nowhere near his head, but the rest of the class thought I'd clobbered him. This enhanced his reputation, and mine (Wow Miss hit him over the head). We neither said anything and he and I shared the secret. One day he confided that he'd never had a house point (now why do I think it was Moore House) and I said if he could get through a class without "breaking out", he could have a point. He did it. Then I didn't have any points (little cardboard tickets) in my pencil case. He was so disappointed and I feared that he wouldn't trust me any more. So I let him write in pencil on the outside of his exercise book "Miss Price owes me a house point". It was real effort of spelling and writing for him, but he managed it with a little prompting. We would rub it out when I gave him his point. Eagle-eyed Mrs Hamilton spotted the writing on the book and asked me about it, I explained that I had given him permission to do it and that he'd pretty well spelt it unaided. She was pleased, but was very clear that it should be rubbed out when I issued the point. Which I did. His first house point. I hope I helped in some tiny way.

And more memories too. The place made an impression on me. I learnt a lot. Many of the pupils had very hard lives. Like I said, I learnt a lot. And it helped me when I ended up working in the East End of London.
I remember you miss price,miss tranter then mrs hamilton was my teacher ,my name is Eileen and i have a twin yvonne we loved school and left in 76
 
Lots of memories of St. Chad's school, I left in 1959, but remember some of the teachers. When I was first at St. Chads
school, the infants were down stairs with Sister Philips as head teacher. At the age of 7 then went up stairs to the juniors and seniors which was for the girls only, the boys transferred to Shadwell Street. My first teacher in the juniors was I believe Miss Greenwood. All of the teachers were female. I remained there until 10 years of age and then the school became co-educational. The juniors were transferred to what was the boys school in Shadwell Street and the Seniors were then in Brearley street. It was very strange as we were segregated in the class room, boys on one side girls on the other.
Mr Conklin who had been at the boys school joined the seniors along with other male teachers, and some of the female teachers went to Shadwell street. Things were very different, lots of changes to adjust to. I attended Shadwell street
for about 18 months. The teacher I remember there was a Miss Croak (she taught my father) Mr. Wells was the headmaster. When I was 11 went back to Brearley Street. I remember the excitement when it was announced that the school were to have uniforms. The day came when we all lined up to be measured for our uniforms, cream blouses for the girls, grey skirts, royal blue blazers, beret, and a striped gold and blue tie. These of course had to be paid for over several weeks, I had to have a card and take money to school to pay for these clothes. We were all very proud of these uniforms,
Summer Lane school across the road didn't have a uniform. They used to jeer and shout at us as we walked past.
We thought we were the cats whiskers. The girls skirts had to be just below the knee, so were measured to be able to put a hem on to allow for growth, which could be let down, and the blouses had a pleat in the back.
We were all very smart. Reading through some of the posts brings back lot of memories, and it is interesting to see other peoples experiences of St. Chad's R.C. School.
 
well mark until now the only photo of st chads brearley st we had was a very hazy one on post 40...your photos will certainly stir some memories for some of our members..some good some not so good...looks quite an austere building..wonder what happened to that statue and what it depicts...thanks for posting them

lyn
 
Crikey, those photographs have taken my breath away! I can still remember my father leading me up Brearley Street from Newtown Row with a scarf wrapped around my face because of the thick smog. I can still smell the metal in the 'air' and hear the regular beat of the machines from the surrounding factories and workshops.

Thank you, Mark.
 
Crikey, those photographs have taken my breath away! I can still remember my father leading me up Brearley Street from Newtown Row with a scarf wrapped around my face because of the thick smog. I can still smell the metal in the 'air' and hear the regular beat of the machines from the surrounding factories and workshops.

Thank you, Mark.
such is the power of the photograph BB

lyn
 
..wonder what happened to that statue and what it depicts...thanks for posting them

lyn
Lyn. I would imagine the statue is of St Chad - after whom the school and the cathedral are named and patron saint of the RC archdiocese of Birmingham.
Having a closer look he seems to be holding lilies which makes me think it might be St Joseph. Wonder if there were any other statues?
As there is still a St Chad's school maybe the statue went there?
 
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