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Swanshurst Girls’ School

Vivienne14

Vivienne14

Kentish Brummie Moderator
Staff member
British History Online tells us this about the school:

SWANSHURST GIRLS' BILATERAL SCHOOL, Brook Lane, King's Heath. Originally intended that there should be separate grammar, modern, and technical schs. on the same site. The grammar and modern schs. (see below) had already opened when the technical sch. was being built and it was then decided to combine the technical and modern schs. to form a bilateral sch. Opened 1959 by Birm. C.B.C. N.o.b. 1961: 680.

SWANSHURST GIRLS' COUNTY GRAMMAR SCHOOL, Brook Lane, King's Heath. Opened 1956 by Birm. C.B.C. N.o.b. 1961: 520.

SWANSHURST GIRLS' COUNTY MODERN SCHOOL, Brook Lane, King's Heath. Opened 1958 by Birm. C.B.C. Became part of Swanshurst Girls' Bilateral Sch. (see above) 1959.

Here’s an image of the school scarf - available from Rackhams in 1965. Viv.

27904A9A-729B-43D6-B36C-C56C0A30491B.jpeg
 
Just called Swanshurst School these days but is still girls only. Uniform now seems to be purple judging by the girls I see locally.

Just in case anyone wonders there is a boys only school (Wheelers Lane Technology College) just up the road.
 
Does anyone remember Nance Williams who taught at Swanshurst Grammar School for Girls in the late 50's and 60's? She lived with her husband, Eddie, and had a daughter, Margaret who attended the school. The family lived in Station Road Kings Norton and it was there that I lived with my parents from the age of about a few months to 3 years old. Nance and Eddie helped my parents by offering them safe and clean accommodation in their semi-detached house - away from the rat-infested rented accommodation that they had first moved to in the area. Both families forged a life-long bond.
 
I attended Swanshurst Bilateral School and left in 1974. I passed my 11+ and an art exam and really wanted to go to Moseley Art school. As it was we were living in Sheldon at the time and Moseley was to far a distance to travel. My First two years of secondary modern I attended Sheldon Heath Comprehensive. Bit of a shock when we moved house to KingsHeath and my parents sent me to an all girl school. Found it really difficult to make "girly" friendships as I was a bit of a tomboy. I just used to go over the common at Lunchtime and meet up with the boys from Wheelers Lane, was also good at sports so joined a lot of sports teams.
 
On the subject of Uniform...when I was at Swanshurst it was bottle green bloomers and if you could not afford a gym skirt you did PE in your Bloomers. You also had to wear a school cap walking too and from school. Skirt had to be knee length
 
I too remember bottle green bloomers and also the length of the skirt. I dread to think what Miss Chorley would think about how short the skirts (if you can call them that!) are these days. I'm sure she would have a fit. I still have my scarf somewhere. I started in 1956 and left in 1962. Those were the days.
 
Vivienne14 said:
British History Online tells us this about the school:

SWANSHURST GIRLS' BILATERAL SCHOOL, Brook Lane, King's Heath. Originally intended that there should be separate grammar, modern, and technical schs. on the same site. The grammar and modern schs. (see below) had already opened when the technical sch. was being built and it was then decided to combine the technical and modern schs. to form a bilateral sch. Opened 1959 by Birm. C.B.C. N.o.b. 1961: 680.

SWANSHURST GIRLS' COUNTY GRAMMAR SCHOOL, Brook Lane, King's Heath. Opened 1956 by Birm. C.B.C. N.o.b. 1961: 520.

SWANSHURST GIRLS' COUNTY MODERN SCHOOL, Brook Lane, King's Heath. Opened 1958 by Birm. C.B.C. Became part of Swanshurst Girls' Bilateral Sch. (see above) 1959.

Here’s an image of the school scarf - available from Rackhams in 1965. Viv.

View attachment 153584
Click to expand...
I got my scarf from The Donne on 5 ways island in the late 1950s. Still somewhere around!
 
I was only at Swanshurst for one year as my parents moved to London.
I remember being in RE with the Head Miss Chorley and I could see out of the window the top of Moseley Grammar in the distance where my twin brother was and thinking I bet it's better than here!
It was the first time we'd been split up.

I loved Art and came top at the end of that year at Swanshurst but the head at the school in London thought only the sciences and classics mattered if you went to a grammar school.
It was very hard being broad Brummie in North London where everyone wanted to talk like the BBC in those days, regional accents very frowned upon and it was very hard starting again making friends most of which are forged that first year.

I remember our uniform at Swanhurst was bottle green right from our knickers to beret.
Not allowed to wear stockings until 3rd year.
Not allowed to carry an umbrella until 3rd year.
Gymslips had pleated top and a button band waist and the style had not really changed since the 1920s.
We had to wear these strange toga like green things in dance and Miss Bragger the gym teacher would check you had no bra or vest in my case on underneath which apparently restricted the flow when you were gallivanting around being a tree.
It was all Ballet Rambert influenced I think.

We all performed the Benjamin Britten Opera, 'Noye's Flude' in some dingy old church in the city and I was designated to be a Polecat. It was looked up in our trusty Encyclopedia Britannica books at home by siblings who hooted with laughter when they read it was the dirtiest and smelliest animal in the UK!
I remember the rousing chorus of those who perish in the sea at the end and I was freezing only being in a swimsuit with a face mask and tail pinned on!
I do remember the 4th year were scary and on one occasion someone filled their mouth with ink from the inkwell and sprayed it over the back of the blouse of a girl in front.
They also used to spin us around extremely fast on the roundabout in the park after school.
 

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loveday said:
I was only at Swanshurst for one year as my parents moved to London.
I remember being in RE with the Head Miss Chorley and I could see out of the window the top of Moseley Grammar in the distance where my twin brother was and thinking I bet it's better than here!
It was the first time we'd been split up.

I loved Art and came top at the end of that year at Swanshurst but the head at the school in London thought only the sciences and classics mattered if you went to a grammar school.
It was very hard being broad Brummie in North London where everyone wanted to talk like the BBC in those days, regional accents very frowned upon and it was very hard starting again making friends most of which are forged that first year.

I remember our uniform at Swanhurst was bottle green right from our knickers to beret.
Not allowed to wear stockings until 3rd year.
Not allowed to carry an umbrella until 3rd year.
Gymslips had pleated top and a button band waist and the style had not really changed since the 1920s.
We had to wear these strange toga like green things in dance and Miss Bragger the gym teacher would check you had no bra or vest in my case on underneath which apparently restricted the flow when you were gallivanting around being a tree.
It was all Ballet Rambert influenced I think.

We all performed the Benjamin Britten Opera, 'Noye's Flude' in some dingy old church in the city and I was designated to be a Polecat. It was looked up in our trusty Encyclopedia Britannica books at home by siblings who hooted with laughter when they read it was the dirtiest and smelliest animal in the UK!
I remember the rousing chorus of those who perish in the sea at the end and I was freezing only being in a swimsuit with a face mask and tail pinned on!
I do remember the 4th year were scary and on one occasion someone filled their mouth with ink from the inkwell and sprayed it over the back of the blouse of a girl in front.
They also used to spin us around extremely fast on the roundabout in the park after school.
Click to expand...
I was at the Grammar 1966-1971 and was also in Noye's Fludde (rabbit) - I remember the church performance. I remember Miss Chorley, my form teacher was Miss Murcott (French) and Miss Rosser taught us Latin. I am in a reunion group with about 15 others from those years - let me know if you are interested.
 
Vivienne14 said:
British History Online tells us this about the school:

SWANSHURST GIRLS' BILATERAL SCHOOL, Brook Lane, King's Heath. Originally intended that there should be separate grammar, modern, and technical schs. on the same site. The grammar and modern schs. (see below) had already opened when the technical sch. was being built and it was then decided to combine the technical and modern schs. to form a bilateral sch. Opened 1959 by Birm. C.B.C. N.o.b. 1961: 680.

SWANSHURST GIRLS' COUNTY GRAMMAR SCHOOL, Brook Lane, King's Heath. Opened 1956 by Birm. C.B.C. N.o.b. 1961: 520.

SWANSHURST GIRLS' COUNTY MODERN SCHOOL, Brook Lane, King's Heath. Opened 1958 by Birm. C.B.C. Became part of Swanshurst Girls' Bilateral Sch. (see above) 1959.

Here’s an image of the school scarf - available from Rackhams in 1965. Viv.

View attachment 153584
Click to expand...
I was in the first class that graduated in 1965. There was the indomitable Miss Radford who pioneered the whole idea. I remember doing technical drawing at a time no girls took that kind of subject. She was scary but amazing. Some great teachers too. Had Mr. Smallwood for A level English etc. Many good memories.
 
Pat Ashford said:
I was at the Grammar 1966-1971 and was also in Noye's Fludde (rabbit) - I remember the church performance. I remember Miss Chorley, my form teacher was Miss Murcott (French) and Miss Rosser taught us Latin. I am in a reunion group with about 15 others from those years - let me know if you are interested.
Click to expand...
I am sorry it has taken so long to reply.
Have you had a reunion?
I did go to one many years ago and met Pamela Smith and Lesley ? and some others I have sadly forgotton.
I knew Pamela from Chilcote Primary School.
 
loveday said:
I am sorry it has taken so long to reply.
Have you had a reunion?
I did go to one many years ago and met Pamela Smith and Lesley ? and some others I have sadly forgotton.
I knew Pamela from Chilcote Primary School.
Click to expand...
Hey there. I was at SGS from 1964 til 1969. I was Linda Brown then and I remember Pat Ashford. We will all b 70 this year and Cathy Atkinson and I were hoping to organise some kind of reunion. Do you think anyone you are in touch with would be interested?
 
loveday said:
I am sorry it has taken so long to reply.
Have you had a reunion?
I did go to one many years ago and met Pamela Smith and Lesley ? and some others I have sadly forgotton.
I knew Pamela from Chilcote Primary School.
Click to expand...
Hi Pat. I think I remember you. Were you at SGS 1964 - 1969? I was Linda Brown then.
 
I am not in touch with anyone and only went to Swanshurst for one year as my parents moved to Middlesex. I am a lttle bit younger so we probably do not know the same people.
The fourth year were a right scary lot too when I was in the first year!;)

I hope you manage to get it together.
 
was there 1981-1988, when it was just plain old swanshurst girls school. Uniform was bottom green, jumper and skirt with a white shirt and a tie. year 4 you could were a grey jumper. And year 5 you could were all grey. I never had a blazer. In the sixth form which was mixed sex you could wear what you wanted within reason.

I remember teachers, Mrs braggar (enthusiastic PE teacher), mr smith (history), there was a married couple where one was physics and the other a maths teacher and the absolutely fabulous and equally scary (and tiny) miss follet.
 
I am so amazed that Miss Bragger was still there in the 1980s. My sister was at King Edwards Camp Hill for girls but was in the sixth form when I started at Swanshurst and yes she did rub it in that her school was better at everything!

Anyway her gym teacher Miss Howard was an item with Miss Bragger not that it would have been acknowledged in those dinosaur days!
 
loveday said:
I am so amazed that Miss Bragger was still there in the 1980s. My sister was at King Edwards Camp Hill for girls but was in the sixth form when I started at Swanshurst and yes she did rub it in that her school was better at everything!

Anyway her gym teacher Miss Howard was an item with Miss Bragger not that it would have been acknowledged in those dinosaur days!
Click to expand...
I did wonder if she was that way inclined. I hated showers after gym in the first year after gym, we would all run through like sheep, it was communal, highly embarrassing and miss bragger was always rushing us through. I don’t think this would be allowed now. I don’t remember having to do this from the 2nd yr onwards. But for young girls going through puberty to be exposed in this way. Different times I guess.
 
Hi - I was at the Grammar School from 1970 until 1976. My name than was Jayne Fisher. I was from a Council estate in Stirchley and I remember thinking most other girls in my class was very "posh". I remember getting enough "Merit marks" to win a book at the end of term. I played "Moley" in a production of Tales from The River Bank and played my violin in the School Orchestra. Wierdly enough I have only just sold that violin on Ebay:). I also remember Miss Bragger(Hockey, Tennis, Dancing etc) Miss Chorley (The Headmistress with a cane), Mrs Murcott (French) Mr Hoare (i know.....) who taught Art and was the only male teacher at the school but didn't stay long. In the 3rd Year we went on a Field Trip to Borth in Wales with Miss Follet who taught Geography (very small lady with red hair in a bun). We all had a big laugh when she came into our room at night to tell us off for making a noise and she had a long nightie on and her hair was let down and was to her waist ! Oh those good old days - I'm looking forward to receiving my first State Pension payment next week:oops: Lovely to read all the memories and bring back more of my own.
 
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