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Thank you Jon, I'm grateful and I think we all benefit from understanding the link to Birmingham School of Art. The other woman from Birmingham School of Art, Pamela Downing joined BP as a Foreign Office civilian in 1941, she appears to have been a painter, then a dress designer.

Thank you Jon. Your personal comments and recollections are informative. I did wonder if Freddie and Fred Winterbotham might have known each other? Fred Winterbotham must have seen or been told that architecture students could have the skills he was looking for. Do you think it is significant...

Bill Berrett studied Architecture at Birmingham School of Art from 1950- 1955. His website is very informative. https://billberrett.info/birmingham-school-of-architecture.html He says it was the School of F R S Yorke and Freddie Gibberd in the pre-war years. Sir Frederick Ernest Gibberd CBE, RA...

Art Class 1930 Photographer unknown. [Source BCU Archive]

Yes, I'm sure that's the spirit in which it is intended. I look forward to taking my own photo.

More avantgarde is 'Red Stack' by Old Joe 'designed by Dubai-based artist Shaikha Al Mazrou, an Emirati sculptor known for her bold works.' https://thetab.com/2025/09/19/the-ugliest-thing-i-have-ever-seen-birmingham-students-react-to-new-sculpture-on-campus :rolleyes:

I understand that the Joseph Sturge statue is currently being conserved: https://www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/stories/conservation-of-joseph-sturge-part-one

[Expand to see Ell's photo of Ancestor 1] Barbara Hepworth's 'Ancestor 1' was a feature of the campus for 50 years. But it was always on loan and is no longer there. There are a couple of versions and a casting of this sculpture can be seen in Yorkshire Sculpture Park as part of a group of 9...

The very best of wishes with your book on your parents' secret work. New books and articles about Bletchley are published all the time, but the continuation of similar work in the Cold War and after, is much less in the public domain.

Pamela Downing attended Margaret Street then her father secured an interview for her with the 'Foreign Office' and she was soon working in Hut 6. https://www.morganfourman.com/articles/birmingham-college-of-arts-and-crafts-1939-41/

Hi Jon, Your mother is on the Bletchley Park Roll of Honour: NANCY EDWINA STOWE Service - ATS Corps or Regiment - Int Corps Rank - L/Cpl Summary of Service: Bletchley Park, Block G, Room 108. Military Section, SIXTA, Liaison party with Hut 6. There's a photo too...

Happy Birthday, Eric!

Fascinating! And I'm intrigued that the cost of the certificate was a guinea a year - a considerable sum. It seems to be a tax on the gentry who wore powdered wigs. https://www.ourwarwickshire.org.uk/content/article/cost-powdering-ones-wig-hair-powder-tax...

Happy Birthday, Kat!

Quoting from the BBC article: 'A spokesperson for HS2 explained that under English property law, archaeological and historical objects found during the works will either belong to the government or landowners.'

Interesting page on Scouting for Girls. https://www.scouts.org.uk/about-us/our-history/our-online-exhibitions/the-early-days-of-scouting/scouting-for-girls/

Beavers was launched nationally in 1986 for 6-8 year old boys. I suppose this really was a long time ago, though I don't think of it as such. I see that there are Squirrels for 4-6 year old children now.

Happy Birthday!!!

Take Me High can be rented for £3.49 on Amazon Prime. There's a recent article about the film in The Dispatch. https://www.birminghamdispatch.co.uk/the-bizarre-ode-to-brutalist-birmingham-that-killed-cliff-richards-film-career/ I saw Cliff face to face a few years ago outside St Martins in...

Our posts crossed Graham. I added a final thought about the significance or otherwise of there being no entry on the register. There's a thread on named wardens - you might try adding to this? https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/threads/arp-wardens-named-wardens.52139/#post-879399 Stokkie