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Yardley Primary Church Road School

Former pupils of Yardley Primary School who missed the 100yrs celebrations if they get in touch with School Secretary Mrs. Bond, can visit the school on Monday 14th Dec or Tuesday, 15th Dec & see the Nativity play performed by the Infants which starts at 9:30am, and after see the 100yrs celebrations displays which are still on show. Len.
 
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My Brother Dennis`s School Leaving Certificate which he asked me to pass on to the school, many of the Forum members knew he was suffering from unexpected falls the last one was fatal. RIP Dennis. Len.
 
I was at this school during the war, lived down the street at 126 Moat Lane, John Crump Old Brit
 
I was at this school during the war, lived down the street at 126 Moat Lane, John Crump Old Brit
John, I joined the school age 5yrs circa 1935 last one in the family of 3 sisters and 4 brothers of which i was one. went through the Infants & Juniors at 11yrs age 1939 the Infants school was taken over as Gas Treatment centre and Emergency hospital so the Senior pupils shared the Junior school attending mornings one week and afternoons the next week, this arrangement went on for a few months until the Education Commitee decided it was not good and said the Seniors pupils could choose to go to Oldknow Rd, Bierton Rd or Cockshut Hill School, i chose Cockshut Hill School and left in 1943 age 14yrs & started work for the War Effort. Len.
 
Len. You and I must have been at the same schools during the same time or pretty close, I was born in 1933 was at Yardley primary 1938 went to class near the Church rd entrance down a hall way on the left. and was also at cockshut Hill till 1944 the to Moseley school of art, 1945-1948 do you remember the AA guns and Barrage baloons in the park during the war and the sweet shop? By the way back from the hospital with a new hip, with a lifetime guarantee yet! how is the Tesco going? John Crump OldBrit in Parker, Co USA
 
Just came across this forum rather belatedly.

I was at Church road junior School, aged 6 to 10, from about 1944 to 1948, when we moved to Carlisle. I think the head was Mr Hardwick or something similar, but I do know that he came from Aspatria in Cumbria.

I remember a sweetshop nearby where we could buy halfpenny bottles of lemonade, or if you were in funds, the more superior penny bottle. There was an air raid shelter in the school yard.

I only stayed for school dinner once. The distance from my home was about a mile, so I was walking about four miles a day back and forward, sometimes with a friend, sometimes alone.

We had to cross the main Coventry Road; now there is an underpass, but there was not so much traffic in those days.
 
interesting to read your post. I attended Church road School from 1942-1948. My name then was Margaret Wilson, and I lived in Gilbertstone Avenue.
 
I lived at 56 Gilbertstone Ave. I am Ian Wride. My friend was John Last who lived further down. Do you remember the Dells, a group of wooded areas. We used to climb trees and have a great time there. My parents never knew where I was. Kids had freedom then.
 
Hi, Ian I lived at 93 Gilbertstone Avenue next door but one to John Last. we were always over the park sliding down the dells ! still have a scar on my leg after crashing into a tree on a sledge one snowy day.We were always out and about,just went home when we got hungry,times are so different for today's children.You might remember my brother Michael,he was born in 1940.Do you remember the Beeches,Donald,June and Mona ? Also Kenny who lived next door to them and Margaret Green and neighbour Bobby.Also Derek Ashley and Brian(?)who lived next door to John Last?
 
Hi Margaret,
It is great to hear from you as part of my past.
I was born in Lode Lane, which was actually in Solihull, but only just. Today I live in Southport, Merseyside
John Last had a friend and I think that may have been Brian. The three of us were good mates. I don't recall the other names you mention. Were you one of the roller skaters? I wasn't, but it was quite popular for a time.
Although we lived in Yardley, I actually started school in 1943 in Carlisle, where my mother's parents lived. I think it may have been due to the German bombers targetting Coventry, and I believe our house suffered some minor damage, but at age five, I had no idea there was a war on.
My father's parents lived in Acocks Green, on Warwick road.
Now here is a memory. On VE day there was a bonfire, in the street, and more or less outside our house. There were games for the kids and I won a box of plasticine. RThere was a crater in the road for a long time afterwards.
I used to like going on the trolley bus into town, but the trams rather scared me. The Bull Ring was only a few market stalls at that time.
What a time, power cuts, shortages, rationing, but we didn't know any different.
Ian
 
Sorry that you didn't recall any of the names I mentioned.Have just remembered that Brian's surname was Fellows. John Last had a brother,possibly called Peter.
 
How great to still have the photo
My father attended the school (born locally in 1948). I'd love it if anyone had any class photos from this time. I've never seen a photo of my father as a boy

All the best

Adam
 
image.jpeg Church Road County Primary School. This photo would have been taken a year or so after the school had opened.

Info from the British History online site:
CHURCHROAD COUNTY PRIMARY SCHOOL, Yardley. Church Rd. Council Sch. opened 1909 by Worcs. C.C. Had cookery centre. Accom. 1,260 B, G, I. Altered and reorganized 1932 for SM, JM, I. Extra accom. for 80 SM, 96 JM provided in huts 1936. Nearly whole building used by Civil Defence 1939 and S, M, and JM depts. worked half-time. S dept. closed 1941 and sch. reorganized for JI. By 1946 whole building restored to sch. and depts. divided into JM and I 1947.(21) Accom. 1961: 22 classrooms, 3 halls.(28)


Viv.
 
Spent the first years of my school life there. Some happy and some not so happy days. Walked up Moat Lane to school every. Man sold honey and the liquor store on the way.
 
My father, Jack Marsh (b 1913 d 1976), was a pupil at Church Road. He believed that he was taught by Enoch Powell’s father. He said that at one time he was the only boy in a class of girls - he never explained why. He went on to attend St Philip’s Grammar School. He lived in Clements Road and played cricket for Marlborough from the age of 14 until the early 50s. He served in the navy during the War and was on HMS Birmingham when it was torpedoEd.

When I was very small we lived in Rockingham Road off Stoney Lane but went to Corpus Christi School, Stechford, then on to St Phil’s like my father. We later moved to Stechford, then on to Castle Bromwich in 1959.
 
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