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Birchfield Secondary Modern School

  • Thread starter Thread starter Frantic
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Re: Birchfield Secondry Modern School

Hi John I remember you and your brother my name is Barry Fortnam I left when school closed my father was a licencee at the Acorn Pub in wheeler Street Lozells
 
fortifies, many thanks for your reply. yes I do remember you as well, we had good times at the school. please reply and I will send you a pm kind reguards sidwho
 
Hi Jean,I've just remembered that Kenny Hill's Dad was the" lamp lighter & knocker up" around Franchice St /Wellhead Lane during the war & just after, yes it was still gas street light in those days
 
Good to see you back. Will ask my cousins if they remember a Kenny Hill when we get together next Friday?.
 
These are the four brothers all of whom went to Birchfield road school. From left. John, Pete, Brian and Mervin.
 

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Here is a photo of Birchfield Road school 1942, but it looks a little younger than a secondary school, so perhaps J&I.

Birchfield Road School 1942.jpg
 
Paul message me your details please and I will pass them on to John. Dave E Collins is a member of this forum too. Jean.
 
Re: Birchfield Secondry Modern School

Frantic said:
There was no brass band when I was there, I used to play in the recorder ensemble though. I have always been grateful to Tommy (Tank) Taylor for giving me an interest in music as I have played non-professionally in bands most of my adult life and still do. I can't recall any of the names that you included except for the teachers. Mr Oldham was the headmaster when I left, and Mr Whittaker was the head when I started. Mr Brassington was deputy head. The other music teacher was Ron (Lennie) Lowe, also Mr Roberts & Griffiths (woodwork), 'Nobby' Hall (science). If you played rugby, do you remember Tony Pratt? I believe he went on to play for Wigan or somewhere up there. (class bully). Have you listed on "Friends reunited" site? quite a few people from Birchfield listed there, including 'Ozzie' Osborne. Not many people realise that Tony Iommi went there as well.
Click to expand...
tony pratt played for rochdale and he got married up there, i went to his wedding and some of the touring fiji,s were there too.john osbourn and toni iommi were at the shool when i was there, so was albert chapman who went around the world roadying for them and managed the rum runner also elbow room.johnny "ogre" oldham died this year and had a full page obituary in the press.he had flew spitfires and wellington bombers in the war,played cricket for lancashire and centre half for bolton wanderers.he met churchill and was honoured. mr hunt was a maths teacher and was the best. he taught his own son, Gerraint, and he would not have done that if there was someone better.mr taylor taught music and RE. Osbourn andIommi were interested in niether.Of course there were some idiots at the school, there is in all schools.But on the whole the education was good, for those who wished to avail themselves of it.I,ts a pity there arn,t more teachers about today of the quality of that era.Most of them were Welsh.
 
Re: Birchfield Secondry Modern School

hi dave, i,m on your photo geoff grayson in back row.you can e mail me if you like ,i am still a member of aston manor c.c.So to was Colin Smith who sadly died about 3 year ago.THE BOYS ON THE PHOTO ARE:(front)steve parcell,andrew dyson,geraint hunt,frankie kennedy,john humphries,yourself,malc. phipps,mick hawker. (middle)dave(len)lawley,graham bradbury,john(bruno)broadhurst,george spalding,len nichols,fred
worrall,ray parker,maurice shearman,david eggington,rob norbury, mel evans.(back) ross muller,chris beark,paul boorer,andrew gordon,graham williams,dave benett,myself,hugh talbot,alan evans,keith neal.I also have some photo,s of st. James F.C.if i can find them and i,m sure your on them(some of them are ACTION shots! I,m not computer proficient so don,t ask me un-load,blog clog slog or hack i don,t know what they mean.
 
Re: Birchfield Secondry Modern School

Hello everyone. I attended this school between 1957-61 and started a life long love of art here. I was one of the pupils who painted the backdrops for the school plays. Was not much good at anything else, but I have vivid memories of Mr Williams and the music teacher Mr Lowe. I recall the rows of seats in the music block upper floor and always trying to get to the highest row at the back. The only names I can recall of school pals are Dennis Sutton who live in my road, PeterHowell and a boy called Purcell who I swapped war comics with. Nice to see this site keeps these memories alive.
 
My husband and his three brothers attended the school too. The Smith. Mervin Brian Peter and John. Welcome to the forum arthollins.
 
Re: Birchfield Secondry Modern School

WoW!! This has just got to be one of the best days, so glad I found this site, part of my past has just returned to me. Hiya Tony B how are you and all you fellow ex Birchfield School members this is Howard Johnson (1962-1965 ) for all those who remembers me. Agree with you Tony ( Bug House??? ) where did that come from, had some great times there, class 3E the best. Yes remember those times mentioned above and more. Out of all the ones mentioned above the only one that I have seen recently is Pete Adams and that was about two years ago. a few other names to remember, John Lakin, Dave Robinson, Brain Hill, Dave Betteridge Masher March to name a few. Hope we can get to swop a few memories. Glad to hear from you.
 
Hello Tony and all ex Birchfield Secondary Modern School pupils of the 60's. Howard Johnson here ( 1962-1965 ) Sorry " Frantic " don't know where " bug house " came from but after 62 this was a brilliant school until 65 when it was time to evacutate when the walls decided it was time to rest.

Had a great time whilst there, met some great mates, learned to play rugby which became a great part of my life, learned to play music ( trombone )in the brass band thanks to " Spud" Taylor, learned to dodge flying blackboard rubbers, and thanks to Mr G.Williams learned to write with my left hand when I broke my right arm in the playground playing in goals at lunch time break.

Teachers :- Mr Tom Brassington (headmaster) Jim Riddesdale ( deputy head ) Mr Evans ( boggy to his mates ), Mr Ifion.Williams, Mr Obongawna ( Hobnob to his mates ), Mr Lane ( Bronco to his mates ) Mr Griffiths

Pupils to remember :- Dave Robinson, John Lakin, Ralf Cahn, Paul Robinson, Phil Storer ( good footballer ), Micky Shakespear, Bernie Burrows, Steve Holloway, Warren Raybould, Brian Hill, Dave Betteridge to name a few.

It would be great to hear from any of you guys.
 
going to try and upload picture of football team from 1946 anybody still out there?
teacher on right is Mr. Wayne img019.jpg
Got some names to go with picture David Nason, Ronnie Warner, Billy Cooknell,Alan White?
Two girls lived in the area Pauline Ashford Betty Barker
Franchise Street Perry Barr anybody?
 
Re: Birchfield Secondry Modern School

I was at BR for a short time 1951/1952 then went to HTS.I remember a large fat teacher with a red white and blue cane.
He had me in front of the class for some minor infringement.The class where screaming for blood,he asked me which colour I would like,white I said---this was the centre of the cane all hell broke loose and the red end was administered to my bum,it was worth it.
Regards
Graham Longley
 
Re: Birchfield Secondry Modern School

Dave E Collins said:
Hi Graham, again,
Just had a thought: Was the head prefect named Graham? Spalding
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Hello Dave,


I don't know if you remember me, Melvyn Evans, I was at Birchfield from 1958 until 1963 and a member of the first class 5e. The head prefect (if you don't already know) was George Spalding.


I came upon this website by accident and found it interesting to hear of familiar name from that period. I have tried to view some of the posted jpegs but get an "invalid attachment" response.
 
Melvyn the forum was hacked and many photo's lost I am afraid. Dave has not been on the forum for some time but he was a friend of my husbands family and will contact him by e.mail. Enjoy the forum.
 
Re: Birchfield Secondry Modern School

Hi Tonbrad, I went to Birchfield Sec.Mod. 1959 to 1963. All the teachers names you mentioned I recall very well. Spud Taylor also gave religious education too and I remember when the Cuba crisis was at its height in the lesson he said "Well gentlemen we may only have a short time to live, say your prayers now" that was the day when the Russian ships retreated from the US blockade.
Mr Hunt was our maths teacher and his son John was also in our class. We used to call Mr Hunt Owloot as he looked like an owl to us. If I remember well a big lad called Sargeant ? played in the band and was very good at acting in the the school productions. I worked behind the scenes with props. I am reading Ozzy Osbournes biography at present and he recalls playing in the productions, would love to know what part he played. Then there was Mr Evans, we called him boggy Evans he gave me the cane with four others for being noisy in class, the only time I had the cane and that was after I owned up, the swine. I also remember Lenny Lowe the music teacher and Mr Griffiths the metal and woodwork teacher.Would like to see some photos of the teachers other than Mr Brassington and Mr Oldham if anyone has some. Hope this helps with your memories
 
Re: Birchfield Secondry Modern School

Hello Melvyn, yes I remember you and George Spalding you are in our school leaving photo, I am sitting bottom right. I too have being trying to get jpegs and have the same problem.Hope you are well we are all getting on in years.
 
Re: Birchfield Secondry Modern School

Hello Graham, have just found this site, you mention me Ross Muller and Chris Burke. I used to come to your house in Glendower Road and see your model aircraft you made which were brilliant and it got me started making models which I still do today to my wife's annoyance. Wasn't Mr Hunts son called John. Wasnt the PE teacher Mr Evans (Boggy) as he was known. I do remember you in the Opera. Happy days.
I hope you are well as we are all getting on in age.
Regards Ross
 
Re: Birchfield Secondry Modern School

Hello Graham,

I have tried to open attachments on the school photos you have quotedwithout success, presumably because of the problems of the site being hacked. Are you able to send some to me please. thank you Ross Muller
 
Re: Birchfield Secondry Modern School

Hello everyone,
It seems as though Birchfield has an unfair reputation. I was there from 1961-1964, and actually loved that school. I played on the football, rugby, and cricket teams, as well as loved playing badminton at lunch times in the hall. I remember so many things that have stayed with me throughout my life, can anyone remember the huge banner that stretched across the science class? It said, "Never be content with less than a neat and orderly record of work" It's odd the things you remember, like Mr. Williams who could sure give the cane, and also Mr. Hobunguana who used a size 14 trainer across the bum. I have several pictures from Birchfield that I will attempt to post.

Reg Longmoreclass-1962-1963-birchfield-road.jpg
 
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