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Hall Green Schools

I attended York Road Primary School, Hall Green, between 1948 and 1954. It was situated on the corner of York Road and Russell Road, not far from Stratford Road and Hall Green Parade. Head-teacher was Miss Dunton. It is still there but now known as Yorkmead school. A photograph of the school, taken in 2008, is shown below. The centre block contained, downstairs, the assembly hall, and upstairs, offices and a common room for the teachers. One started as an infant in classrooms at the right-hand-side of the photo and worked up to the classes on the left-hand-side bordering Russell Road (not shown). When I was there some air-raid shelters were still in existence. The school building looks a bit austere but it was a friendly place and I enjoyed my time there. Dave.
 

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farmerdave said:
I attended York Road Primary School, Hall Green, between 1948 and 1954. It was situated on the corner of York Road and Russell Road, not far from Stratford Road and Hall Green Parade. Head-teacher was Miss Dunton. It is still there but now known as Yorkmead school. A photograph of the school, taken in 2008, is shown below. The centre block contained, downstairs, the assembly hall, and upstairs, offices and a common room for the teachers. One started as an infant in classrooms at the right-hand-side of the photo and worked up to the classes on the left-hand-side bordering Russell Road (not shown). When I was there some air-raid shelters were still in existence. The school building looks a bit austere but it was a friendly place and I enjoyed my time there. Dave.
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I attended York Road School from 1941 to 1947 when I returned from evacuation at Burford. I think Miss Condrey was Headmistress in those first days but I remember Miss Dunton too - a tall imposing lady with her hair done in a bun and strict but kind. The first classroom on the right for the infants had a large dolls house in the class and I started in the next class and the teacher was Miss Woolcock - then Miss Crowther's class up the steps and she had beautiful red hair and played the piano in assembly. Next was Miss McDougall's class - a stalwart of The RedCross - she lived on the Stratford Road near Robin Hood island - then came Mrs Spetique's class - she had a mop of black hair and wore spectacles - very stern. The top class was Mr Carter's and he was a brilliant teacher and helped a lot of us get into Grammar Schools - I was lucky enough to get into King Edwards Girls School in Handsworth. There were no school dinners in those war-time days but for a small fee the caretaker's wife would provide you with a hot meal in their house at lunchtime. Those of us who had recently been ill with chest problems had Sun-Ray treatment in the Hall at lunchtime
Very happy memories of York Road School and it's teachers.
 
Viv looks to me to be Hall Green Junior School on the Stratford Road (what it's called now).

This was in 2009, but recently they have installed new tarmaced ramps and railings.



It's opposite the Friends Meeting House.

It was built for the Yardley School Board in 1893.
 
Very helpful, thanks Ell. Do you know what it says in the gable above the arched window? Viv.
 
Hello Pat (#4). Looks as if we were not quite at York Road School at the same time. Your memory is better than mine but I do remember the names of all the teachers except Mr. Carter who must have been replaced by Mr. Spencer, in the top class, by the time I got there. My main memory of the first infants class was joining in with the singing and acting in songs such as "The Farmer's got a Wife", "Oranges and Lemons, the Bells of St. Clements", and "Old MacDonald had a Farm". There was also a board with everybody's name and gold stars next to them if you did well. Did you have any class photos or school photos taken when you were there? The only one I had was at the time of the Coronation and that was just an individual photograph. There were also team games in the assembly hall and you wore either a red, blue, green or yellow band to represent your team. A shield for best team of the year was hung in the school hall. Another feature was dressing up and acting in a school play. We all had a part but I usually played first tree from the right. They were happy days. Dave.
 
Yes many thanks Ell. Surprised at the very good condition of the school buildings. Viv.
 
I did have a non- speaking part in a school play - I was Queen of the Northern Lights!!! ..and still have my photograph somewhere at home. In our final year we all had individual photographs taken and we also went on a school outing to Rhayader and the Elan Dam and the scenery was breathtaking.
 
Some new photos of Hall Green Junior School taken this morning from the no 6 bus (top deck). Showing the new ramps and railings that have been installed.



 
ellbrown said:
Viv looks to me to be Hall Green Junior School on the Stratford Road (what it's called now).

This was in 2009, but recently they have installed new tarmaced ramps and railings.



It's opposite the Friends Meeting House.

It was built for the Yardley School Board in 1893.
Click to expand...

I was there 1954-1960. I lived in Robin Hood Crescent and walked to and from school on my own from age 5! Miss Dark was the head of the infants and Mr Shakespeare the juniors.
 

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OuterCircleBus said:
By the way I've never understood the term "Yorkmead", to me it was always York Road School - Miss Dunton was the Head Teacher when I was there in the 1950s - she was the best head teacher in the world
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Hello OuterCircleBus. I was at York Road School from 1948 to 1954, with Miss Dunton as Head Teacher. Did we overlap? Dave.
 
PatHayward said:
I attended York Road School from 1941 to 1947 when I returned from evacuation at Burford. I think Miss Condrey was Headmistress in those first days but I remember Miss Dunton too - a tall imposing lady with her hair done in a bun and strict but kind. The first classroom on the right for the infants had a large dolls house in the class and I started in the next class and the teacher was Miss Woolcock - then Miss Crowther's class up the steps and she had beautiful red hair and played the piano in assembly. Next was Miss McDougall's class - a stalwart of The RedCross - she lived on the Stratford Road near Robin Hood island - then came Mrs Spetique's class - she had a mop of black hair and wore spectacles - very stern. The top class was Mr Carter's and he was a brilliant teacher and helped a lot of us get into Grammar Schools - I was lucky enough to get into King Edwards Girls School in Handsworth. There were no school dinners in those war-time days but for a small fee the caretaker's wife would provide you with a hot meal in their house at lunchtime. Those of us who had recently been ill with chest problems had Sun-Ray treatment in the Hall at lunchtime
Very happy memories of York Road School and it's teachers.
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I too was at York RD School 1947 i remember the lovely wooden red toadstool in Miss Woolcocks classroom...happy memories of my time there.
 
Sheila Smith said:
I was there 1954-1960. I lived in Robin Hood Crescent and walked to and from school on my own from age 5! Miss Dark was the head of the infants and Mr Shakespeare the juniors.
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I attended the school circa, 1949- 1952, and I can remember my parents having glowing opinions of Miss Dark (I was only small at the time, so was not in a position to pass a comment).
 
Went to Hall Green school late 40's - then onto College Road S.M, Anyone remember Miss Mason? if you did "meet" her never to be forgotten . . . . .
 
Hi Pat, seems you were there about the same time. Miss Riley . . . I do remember, she seemed harder on the girls than boys? Mr Baggs was my favourite-probably because he took an interest and once took a few of us to Loughborough College to look at their woodworking classes. Happy days.
 
Hi Nigel - I left Mr Carter’s class at York Rd in July 1947 and I spent the following school year at College Rd in Veronica Riley’s class and she was hateful to me. No happy days there for me!
 
farmerdave said:
Hello Pat (#4). Looks as if we were not quite at York Road School at the same time. Your memory is better than mine but I do remember the names of all the teachers except Mr. Carter who must have been replaced by Mr. Spencer, in the top class, by the time I got there. My main memory of the first infants class was joining in with the singing and acting in songs such as "The Farmer's got a Wife", "Oranges and Lemons, the Bells of St. Clements", and "Old MacDonald had a Farm". There was also a board with everybody's name and gold stars next to them if you did well. Did you have any class photos or school photos taken when you were there? The only one I had was at the time of the Coronation and that was just an individual photograph. There were also team games in the assembly hall and you wore either a red, blue, green or yellow band to represent your team. A shield for best team of the year was hung in the school hall. Another feature was dressing up and acting in a school play. We all had a part but I usually played first tree from the right. They were happy days. Dave.
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I was at York Road school at the same time as you. Miss Dunton was headteacher. I remember her as small and quite stoutly built with awhite bun. She used to get very redin the face when she got angry, and once she stamped on her glasses in a rage! Mr Spencer was adear - very keen on all things French. I think he looked a lot like Fred Astaire - very dapper and neatly turned out. He used to tap (dance) up and down the rows of desks. i also remember Mrs Maxon - she could be quite featrsome, but basically kind and supportive. Mr Bellfield taught morris dancing to boys. Mr Grainger had a scar and thick glasses. He once gave me a gold star for an arithmetic test to encourage me - though I only got 7 out of 20!They were happy days and I was sad to leave. I went on to Camp Hill at 11. Here is picture of one of the school plays. You may recognise some people - I am 6th elf from the left , in the front row!
 

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Elf9 said:
I was at York Road school at the same time as you. Miss Dunton was headteacher. I remember her as small and quite stoutly built with awhite bun. She used to get very redin the face when she got angry, and once she stamped on her glasses in a rage! Mr Spencer was adear - very keen on all things French. I think he looked a lot like Fred Astaire - very dapper and neatly turned out. He used to tap (dance) up and down the rows of desks. i also remember Mrs Maxon - she could be quite featrsome, but basically kind and supportive. Mr Bellfield taught morris dancing to boys. Mr Grainger had a scar and thick glasses. He once gave me a gold star for an arithmetic test to encourage me - though I only got 7 out of 20!They were happy days and I was sad to leave. I went on to Camp Hill at 11. Here is picture of one of the school plays. You may recognise some people - I am 6th elf from the left , in the front row!
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Sorry - this post wasin response to farmerdave!
 
Hello Elf9. Wonderful photograph at the school play. Can I just confirm that you left in 1954, which is when I left. The only girl that I know who left then and went to Camp Hill, was named Elizabeth. Thought I recognised a Angela and a Lynn who are 3rd and 4th from the right in the back row. Superb descriptions of all the teachers, who I remember well. Thank you. Dave.
 
farmerdave said:
Hello Elf9. Wonderful photograph at the school play. Can I just confirm that you left in 1954, which is when I left. The only girl that I know who left then and went to Camp Hill, was named Elizabeth. Thought I recognised a Angela and a Lynn who are 3rd and 4th from the right in the back row. Superb descriptions of all the teachers, who I remember well. Thank you. Dave.
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It would have been1954 or 5. I remember an Elizabeth (surname began with C?), who went on to Camp Hill when I did. Not so sure about Angela or Lyn.
 
Looks as if it would have been 1954, same time as me, as Elizabeth Caxx also left then. I also went onto Camp Hill and was there from 1954 to 1961. Looks as if our paths crossed quite a bit. Dave.
 
farmerdave said:
Looks as if it would have been 1954, same time as me, as Elizabeth Caxx also left then. I also went onto Camp Hill and was there from 1954 to 1961. Looks as if our paths crossed quite a bit. Dave.
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The clue is in the name - I remember you!
 
That is absolutely amazing. Only 65 years ago since we left York Road School. Some of the names I remember are Liz Carr, Lynn Bunch, Christine Gatty, Doreen Swain, John Skinner, Rob Austin and Roderick King. I think if we want to chat about our lives since we left school then perhaps we should do it as a private conversation. There is an envelope symbol at the top of the screen (third from right) and somewhere in your profile you also have to allow under e-mail options: "receive email when a new conversation message is received". Anything to do with the school itself, and which may be of interest to other Forum members, we can do here. Many thanks. Dave.
 
farmerdave said:
That is absolutely amazing. Only 65 years ago since we left York Road School. Some of the names I remember are Liz Carr, Lynn Bunch, Christine Gatty, Doreen Swain, John Skinner, Rob Austin and Roderick King. I think if we want to chat about our lives since we left school then perhaps we should do it as a private conversation. There is an envelope symbol at the top of the screen (third from right) and somewhere in your profile you also have to allow under e-mail options: "receive email when a new conversation message is received". Anything to do with the school itself, and which may be of interest to other Forum members, we can do here. Many thanks. Dave.
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farmerdave said:
That is absolutely amazing. Only 65 years ago since we left York Road School. Some of the names I remember are Liz Carr, Lynn Bunch, Christine Gatty, Doreen Swain, John Skinner, Rob Austin and Roderick King. I think if we want to chat about our lives since we left school then perhaps we should do it as a private conversation. There is an envelope symbol at the top of the screen (third from right) and somewhere in your profile you also have to allow under e-mail options: "receive email when a new conversation message is received". Anything to do with the school itself, and which may be of interest to other Forum members, we can do here. Many thanks. Dave.
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Some of those names ring bells - Christine Gatty, Lyn Bunch - and there are many more - Richard May, Ian Gourlay, Christopher Taylor, John Pickering, Geoffrey Price, Anne Read, Christine Rothera, Pauline Collins, Richard Grantham, the Mewis brothers, Michael Tullett and the Dones - then there was the caretaker, Mr McCormack - I could go on and on! Amazingly my memories of those days remains pretty sharp considering the lapse of time. I am not sure how interesting any of this would be to forum members. I will take up your suggestion to chat - but in a day or so, I am just about to go away from home so will wait until I have some computer time in a day or so. Thanks!
 
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