Bordesley Green Grammar Technical School

[Chippy Chapman]

Yes, Killer was at Bordesley Green whilst I was there from 1957 to 1962.
Menacing looking yellow lensed glasses and a dead shot with the 18" braising rod! Someone in our leaving year forced a potato over his exhaust which broke a window in Mr Brown's study. By the time anyone gave the alarm I think I was halfway down to Adderley station. Not that I wanted the train it's just that it was downhill and I could put more distance between the school and myself AT LAST. I think that I remember playing football with Bobby Gould yes the Bobby Gould on the odd occasion that HE was picked. I suppose he was playing for County FA or some such high level team or perhaps he didn't fit in to Mr Lunn's master plan? My other fond recollection of school was the Photographic group which seemed to spend a lot of time behind the stage somewhere messing about with chemicals and an old enlarger, photographic, that is. I think someone brought in a Oui Ja board and that frightened me sxxt less several times when we messed about with it in the darkroom or under the stage? I remember the Asian 'flu epidemic which very nearly closed the school in about 1960 I think.
I was in the second intake at 11+ so spent the first two years in nearly new classrooms but some of the sadistic teachers of the era were unbelievable.
Grimmett, Dale, Killer, Still, Lunn, Pischler et all. Glad to be away from the place but I don't suppose fetching up my breakfast every morning whilst hanging off the back of the No. 8 across Saltley viaduct gave me the best start to a day

 

[David Quick]

On August 10th, 2007, in Post #24, Sparky took the time to name a lot of the members of the BGTS teaching staff; here is an update.
This isn't the final, complete product, and help is needed in filling in some gaps on the named photographs and, too, in my memory.
Please feel free to correct, criticise and improve.
I know that there are at least ten former BGTS pupils on this Forum (and more than four who were there in 1961 when the original panoramic photograph was taken); this request is directed at them.

Thank you. David

I'm new to this but what a great picture. I was there 1958-1963. I remember most of this lot. 'Sid' Screen was our form teacher, nice chap but hopeless at keeping control. Unlike some of them who used to scare the life out of me. 'Mole' showed my chemistry shortcomings up so badly in front of class that I started to learn it by rote. Eventually I became quite good at it & ended up with a career in it. Anybody remember Grimmett throwing poor homework books out the window into the quadrangle? David Quick

 

[Chippy Chapman]

Is there anyone left to exchange information about this wonderful institution? It seems to have gone cold. Where are they now, the 69 and 70 year-olds who peopled my formative years? You may rhink I'm a sad old duffer but I can still recite my class register from 1957! After five years, I left with no qualifications. Anyone want a chat?

Bet you thought this had gone cold?
I think I started at Bordesley Green County Technical School in September 1957 as an 11 plus entrant in 1 B. I think Taffy Owen was my form master.
I missed quite a lot of my first year as I had acute appendicitis so had to take eight weeks off. How times change, it's almost an outpatient job now!
I remember the trek over to Gospel Lane for sports with Mr Lynn and latterly Mr Still. Wonder if he's related to the lady gymnastics commentator?
I was one of the volunteers that formed his first Rugby team and had several games where we were destroyed by much more accomplished opponents.
One truly memorable game was at Churchfield? Top of Newton Road, West Bromwich. After the usual slaughter the opposition captain came to our dressing room and invited us to the "refectory" ( what ) for refreshments. We'd never seen anything like it with sandwiches and cakes and squash by the bucketful. I don't remember how we reciprocated when they came to Gospel Lane. Ha ha.
I can't remember all my peers but I do remember that one name on the register was never answered and his name was eventually deleted. We had three Smiths in in our class and the eventual head boy Wade.
All for now.

 

[Ken_R]

Mr Burbridge was my/our Form Master at one time. Didn't he run an After-School Electronics group? It was always an interest of mine and when I first obtained my Physics book, I went straight to the last Chapter(s). Playing about with iron filings and learning the 'left hand rule', or was it right hand? Didn't exactly 'float my boat'!

I would have liked to have been part of the Electronics section but I knew that it involved additional expense that my parents would have to support. However, nothing lost. This/that was the Valve era, and then came the invention/use of the Transistor. I later spent many hours, self taught, building circuits and even designing a few of my own.

I probably learnt more about Maths from Electronics and later, from Computer Programming, than I ever did from from having to calculate the course of a sail boat travelling to somewhere with a wind of x knots at y degrees. After all, being in Brum, it's hardly a skill required to navigate the boating pool at Canon Hill Park.

 

[David Quick]

Bet you thought this had gone cold?
I think I started at Bordesley Green County Technical School in September 1957 as an 11 plus entrant in 1 B. I think Taffy Owen was my form master.
I missed quite a lot of my first year as I had acute appendicitis so had to take eight weeks off. How times change, it's almost an outpatient job now!
I remember the trek over to Gospel Lane for sports with Mr Lynn and latterly Mr Still. Wonder if he's related to the lady gymnastics commentator?
I was one of the volunteers that formed his first Rugby team and had several games where we were destroyed by much more accomplished opponents.
One truly memorable game was at Churchfield? Top of Newton Road, West Bromwich. After the usual slaughter the opposition captain came to our dressing room and invited us to the "refectory" ( what ) for refreshments. We'd never seen anything like it with sandwiches and cakes and squash by the bucketful. I don't remember how we reciprocated when they came to Gospel Lane. Ha ha.
I can't remember all my peers but I do remember that one name on the register was never answered and his name was eventually deleted. We had three Smiths in in our class and the eventual head boy Wade.
All for now.

I too remember that long bus ride over to Gospel Lane. Most of us were press ganged into rugby. It was rare you got to play football. There was a very good school football team there however who were the elite of 'Cream Bun' Lunn. Hockey also, I took a whack in the face from a hockey stick and needed stitches once. The cop out though, if weather was not too good or if the masters felt like an easy afternoon, was the cross country run which everybody used to hate, Actually it was a 'round the streets surrounding Gospel Oak' run. Some managed to shorten it by hitching a ride on a milk float. I was in Faraday house (yellow). I think the others were Watt (red), Kelvin (blue) and Newton (green). Dave Quick

 

[Chippy Chapman]

John,

A lot seems to have happened at the school between it's opening and when I got there in 1960 after passing the 11+.


I left in 1963 when my family moved out of the area.
It was a real culture shock, moving from an all boy's school to a mixed school.

Do you know what has happened to the school buildings since 1963?
I haven't been back to the area since then.

 

[Onceabrummie]

Hello Emma,

Sorry I don't remember your father. He may have joined the staff after I left in '63.

John-
You are right about the memories starting to come back!
I remember the shop which was next door to the school entrance and buying Jubblys from there (a wierd, sort of triangular shaped frozen orange drink).
As you say, the emphasis was very much on engineering and the then thriving car industry must have been a big employer of many 'old boys'.

I've just remembered my music lessons which were given by 'Dickie' Dash, who I think taught geography. I don't recall any musical instruments being made available. All I can remember is Dickie standing on the stage enthusiastically conducting our class singing his favourite songs - "Annie Laurie" etc.

Do you remember the decorations that were suspended from the hall ceiling at Christmas time? I was absolutely fascinated by there star-like shapes.


sparky

That was my grandma's shop until she retired in the 1960s. I often helped out in the holidays and only had a vague memory of a boys school next door. Glad I didn't imagine it! The frozen jubblies were amazing as were the penny ice lols.

 

[Chippy Chapman]

The only shop on the school side of the road of interest to me was the cafe up near Garrison Lane. I remember rushing there at dinner time to spend my 3d. daily sweets allowance on two tomato dips. Absolutely delicious as I was ravenous by then having deposited my breakfast over Saltley viaduct off the back of the number eight. Most mornings.
The shop opposite the school was the tuck shop where, if I hadn't already spent my 3d., I bought a tuppenny bar of Palm toffee and a penny icelolly.
Never bothered much about smoking, I'm happy to say.
I remember going with Freeman on a Saturday morning to Phillip Harris down New hall St. to buy glass tubing, test tubes and chemicals to make various obnoxious substances. My dad came in from work one day with a Bile Bean bottle full of Mercury and that kept us amused for weeks rolling it up and down the desks and re-collecting it back in the bottle. No elf n safety then!
More later when something jogs my grey cells.

 

[Onceabrummie]

Those penny ice lols. No one would believe me when i said there was a fridge full of different flavours - toxic blue my favourite. Sounds like it would have suited you too! How have we survived..... Is it a silly question to ask if there was actually any tomato in your tomato dip?

 

[Chippy Chapman]

The tomato was the remains of the lard and tomatoes left in the frying pan after the tomatoes had been put on the sandwiches of the blokes from Carter refrigeration.
Thick slices of bread were used to wipe up the remains and lightly fried. I think they call it brioche now!

 

[Neil Nation]

I'm new to this but what a great picture. I was there 1958-1963. I remember most of this lot. 'Sid' Screen was our form teacher, nice chap but hopeless at keeping control. Unlike some of them who used to scare the life out of me. 'Mole' showed my chemistry shortcomings up so badly in front of class that I started to learn it by rote. Eventually I became quite good at it & ended up with a career in it. Anybody remember Grimmett throwing poor homework books out the window into the quadrangle? David Quick

I'm also new to this forum, this being my first post. I started @ BG in the Easter of 1959 ( I thnk), Mr.Green was our form ( 3E) master. Thank you to everyone who contributed to naming the teachers, as I have one of these panoramic photo's which my grandchildren find interesting, looking for me in the crowd - I must say I have difficulty now as well. Reference the previous replies concerning Killer Gilbert, I took Metalwork at A-Level and I recall one of the project being to make a hand held vice, from an O-Level Technical Drawing question. This involved smelting down carburetter float chambers and casting the aluminium base, having first learned what a cope & drag were and actually making the long screw on a lathe. My regret being that I've lost this at some point during one of my house moves.

I'm new to this but what a great picture. I was there 1958-1963. I remember most of this lot. 'Sid' Screen was our form teacher, nice chap but hopeless at keeping control. Unlike some of them who used to scare the life out of me. 'Mole' showed my chemistry shortcomings up so badly in front of class that I started to learn it by rote. Eventually I became quite good at it & ended up with a career in it. Anybody remember Grimmett throwing poor homework books out the window into the quadrangle? David Quick

 

[Chippy Chapman]

In my class was Eric Botterill from down Saltley somewhere. His claim to fame was that he had an uncle who worked at Saltley "sheds" as they were called then. We used to rush down there at dinner time and he would let us "bunk the shed" (no euphonism! ) which meant we went back to school absolutely minging from all the coal and ash dust. One day Eric came to school all of a lather because his uncle had told him that Evening Star was on the shed and not likely to be leaving until midnight. I think that, at the time, it was based at Immingham or some such exotic sounding place up north so it was extra rare. I think it was the least closely guarded secret because by the time we arrived at Saltley there was almost a queue of spotters forming to "cab" it. Anyway we eventually managed to climb aboard. What a thrill.

 

[cfam]

Hi this is my first visit so be gentle with me.
I attended BGTS from 1973 until 1978. It changed to Arden if my memory serves at the start of my second year, ie 1974. This is when we were amalgamated with Cherrywood School. Nothing change initally as we seemed to run as two seperate schools. I think staff and pupils were happy to keep it that way. I loved my time there when it was a true Grammar school but in the last 12 months the school descended to become just another secondary modern. uniforms went out of the window as did the discipline. I got the impression that most of the original BGTS teachers gave up and so did I.
Teachers there during my time. Mr Grainger (Eggo). Mr Tapp.(my form tutor). Mr Eastman ? (Basil). Mr Stanton (geography) Mr Sandford (TD). Mr Brayley Willmetts our Football coach. Mr Jones (PE).Science teacher nicknamed Cracker cant remember his name but he kept setting fire to his sleeve on the bunsen burner. Mr Elm (biology) vicious with slipper in hand. Mr Burbage, Mr Hipwell, Mr Highfield (art) for some reason he hated me.Of course not forgetting Killer he frightened the life out of me and seeing picture of him on friends reunited sent a shiver down my spine.Although i now believe we need more teachers like him in schools today. My headmasters name escapes me for now but i have a clear mental image of him. Deputy Head was also fearsome and his name was Richards.............i have just remembered the Heads name I think it was Mr Massey (Top Bloke) even though he caned me on more than one occasion.

I was also at the change over from the Grammar School to Comprehensive. I was at Cherrywood Secondary Modern (1973-74), and recall the name changing to Arden Comprehensive. My recollection puts this changeover in 1975, for I too was in my second year. A strong memory because I changed school in Feb 1976 when my family moved out of the area. I think the decision to merge the two schools was taken 1974. I recall my mother being disappointed that I ended-up at Cherrywood but was 'pleased' I would be going to the school at the end of the road, Denbigh Street.

However, memories fade and facts become confused over time.

Cross postings: these appear to be connected to Grammar/Secondary Modern Schools -> Arden Comprehensive:

Adderley & Cherrywood Schools

Did anyone attend Adderley Infants (St Savious Road), Adderley Juniors (Arden Road) or cherrywood Secondary Modern (Burbage Road)?

birminghamhistory.co.uk

cfam

 

[Goalie]

Killer was Mr Gilbert. Drove a blue triumph up the drive very fast

I attended school from 1958 to 1965
Played in goal in when we won the Birmingham championship at Harvey road and the federation cup near Villa park
I remember, Roger Allan, Laurie Paterson, Tony Owen, Ken Morgan

Did anyone out there attend Bordesley Green Technical School?

I went there from 1960 to 1963.
I remember a few of the teachers, one of them was nicknamed 'Killer', can't remember his proper name.
He taught metalwork and I dreaded him being on playground duty at break time. He used to wave a welding rod when it was time to go back in and if you were a bit late you got a whack on the backside with it.

I also remember the headmaster - Mr Brown.
He was very strict and if you were caught having a crafty smoke, that was it- expelled.

Happy days!

Sparky

 

[db84124]

Goalie,
Here are Roger Allen, Laurie Paterson, and Ray Morgan when they played for Redhill United, a Sunday League team, which I believe you were the regular goalkeeper for ...

 

[db84124]

I attended school from 1958 to 1965
Played in goal in when we won the Birmingham championship at Harvey road and the federation cup near Villa park
I remember, Roger Allan, Laurie Paterson, Tony Owen, Ken Morgan

Tony Annis?

 

[Goalie]

Hi Rupert
I was there between 1957 and 1964 (ish). My best mate was Eddie Holden (still in touch), good friends with Dave Purser and Jim Wesley. Here's me in the football team. Sorry about the quality, I used the Friends Reunited pic. I've got an original but it's up in the loft.

Remember that you and Eddie were the only car owners in sixth form.how times have changed.
Jim and I worked on building site at Cannon Hill after leaving school in 1965
Tony Annis

 

[davidfowler]

Good to hesr from you Tony. I imagine we're both enjoying our retirement now. I've lived in Banbury for the last 24 years. Where are you? By the way, David Benbow notified me that you had posted!

 

[Neil Nation]

Good to hesr from you Tony. I imagine we're both enjoying our retirement now. I've lived in Banbury for the last 24 years. Where are you? By the way, David Benbow notified me that you had posted!

Hi Dave & Tony,

Have just spent a few moments whilst eating a sandwich for lunch, reminicing to myself about those 'good old days' at BGTS and subsequently playing for BGTS Old Boys - the team I'm sure you remember, organised and run by Laurie Patterson's dad. I trust you are both safe and well in these still uncertain times. I presume you're both retired by now (?), I'm not, still involved with the software business I setup in 1978, although my son Andrew now runs it. Do get in touch if you feel it would be good to meet up perhaps for a drink or two : neil@nationwilcox.co.uk ( 07834-120803 )

 

[Morturn]

Hi Dave & Tony,

Have just spent a few moments whilst eating a sandwich for lunch, reminicing to myself about those 'good old days' at BGTS and subsequently playing for BGTS Old Boys - the team I'm sure you remember, organised and run by Laurie Patterson's dad. I trust you are both safe and well in these still uncertain times. I presume you're both retired by now (?), I'm not, still involved with the software business I setup in 1978, although my son Andrew now runs it. Do get in touch if you feel it would be good to meet up perhaps for a drink or two : neil@nationwilcox.co.uk ( 07834-120803 )

Hi Neil

Thank you for post on the forum. We strongly advise members not to post their personal email addresses on the thread. Your email address and data could be harvested and used for scams, fraud, and identity theft. If you wish other members to contact you, then its best if you advise them to use the “Start Conversation” facility we provide. This then protects you and your privacy.

 

[JTL]

Hi Guys. Anyone remember Bob Edge? He was a mate of mine from 1956 till I left in 1961. John Lawless here, now retired in Hungary.
Lost touch with everyone when l left and went into farming. Would love to hear from any of my old schoolmates and hear what they've done with their lives.

 

[DenRam]

I'm also new to this forum, this being my first post. I started @ BG in the Easter of 1959 ( I thnk), Mr.Green was our form ( 3E) master. Thank you to everyone who contributed to naming the teachers, as I have one of these panoramic photo's which my grandchildren find interesting, looking for me in the crowd - I must say I have difficulty now as well. Reference the previous replies concerning Killer Gilbert, I took Metalwork at A-Level and I recall one of the project being to make a hand held vice, from an O-Level Technical Drawing question. This involved smelting down carburetter float chambers and casting the aluminium base, having first learned what a cope & drag were and actually making the long screw on a lathe. My regret being that I've lost this at some point during one of my house moves.

Another newly here. I went to the school from 1966 - 1973. School mates included Vic Sayers, Terry Ward, Mark Gibbs, Dave Forletta, Pete Gould, Malcolm Barnfield, Martin Rather, Gary Moore, Rob Eaton, Martin O'Gorman, to name a few. So many teachers had their own style of punishment. We had an excellent football team. Hope to hear from others who started in the 1966 cohort.

 

[David Quick]

Anybody remember the small pink exam papers we used to get form UoL? These are from 1963.

 

[David Quick]

I finally got round to reading earlier pages on the BGTS thread. It's interesting to read varying opinions on the, shall we call it, 'robust' behaviour of the teaching staff, (we used to call them masters in those days). Some contributors to the thread make reference to bullying behaviour, gratuitous violence, and even ABH. I guess it hinges on your sensitivity as well as your individual personal experience as to how you see it. I must say, although I don't regret the experience, I do not look back on my time there with any fondness (1958-1964). This was more to do with not coping with the workload than anything else. It was pretty unforgiving if you if you couldn't keep up. As to the rest of their antics, most of us took things in our stride because we never new anything else. But did it really do us any harm? Life was harder for everyone then and as kids in those days we didn't expect much. Most of that teaching staff generation would have done national service (or even seen action in the war) and the forces discipline instilled in them probably carried over into the way they behaved in teaching. Suffice to say, such practices cerainly wouldn't hold up with the delicate youth generation of today.

 

[Time Traveller 66]

Fair comment that is was happened back then and we knew no different . Hindsight is a wonderful thing and people just got on with it. You cannot change what happened back then. That is how it was .

 

[astonandproud]

Sparky. I know your post was some time back but #3 teacher is 'Nunky' Thompson who joined the school for the 1960/61 year, the final year of the old head' Mr Brown. I started there that year and he was my form teacher and one of several nutters at BGTS who would be arrested these days for assault!!!

NUNKY was also known as ISIAH, because ONE EYES HIGHER THAN THE OTHER

 

[astonandproud]

Mr Hopkins (Holy Joe)
Mr Pichler Phys ed) Austrian
Mr E W Stanton (Geography)

You mentioned Mr Pichler. He was my form master. We called him ADOLF. My memory of him is using sandpaper on a boys hands because they were dirty. Boys name was Arthur Berrow, he lived in Muntz street

 

[Shamsher]

I was at BGTS from 1969-1974. I transferred after one year at Cherrywood. I've really enjoyed reading this thread about the school and the teachers. I certainly remember some of those mentioned above. Yes, there certainly were some teachers with unacceptable behaviours (by today's norms)! However, my memories are positive overall!
On one occasion, the whole class was treated to Mr Burbridge's plimsol - as no one would own up to some sort of misdemeanour!
A few of us went on to A levels. I did maths, physics and chemistry.

Anyone else around for the same period?