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Byng Kenrick Girls' Grammar School

Linda Kinsey and Linda Knight are the only Lindas I remember even though there were several more in the year group.
 
These are photos taken in the sports field, probably 1963 or 1964. I've also put them on the Byng Kenrick Facebook page.
Some names to recall - Barbara Tidball (that's me!), Marlene Farmer, Elizabeth Routley, Barbara Cox, Aileen Donnelly, Jennifer Longford, Greta Wood, Christine Peel, Christine Cleaver, Irene Allen, Hilary Rice..... can you add any more?
 
I lived at 24 Leycroft Avenue so I would see the girls every morning. I went to Central Grammar next door. I once got caned for climbing over the fence into Byng Kenrick to get the football back! We all wore school uniforms. Ours at CGS was a very dark blue ...with matching cap. What colour was BKs. I can,t remember. I remember Barbara Tidball,Marlene Farmer and Wendy Atkinson..but quickly lost track....yet remember them 60 years later ! ! !. (I think I was a bit sweet on Barbara but never told her,so I played football instead. ). My best pals were Leo Sheldon, Andy Thomas and Gregory Robinson.
COLIN STARK
 
I lived at 24 Leycroft Avenue so I would see the girls every morning. I went to Central Grammar next door. I once got caned for climbing over the fence into Byng Kenrick to get the football back! We all wore school uniforms. Ours at CGS was a very dark blue ...with matching cap. What colour was BKs. I can,t remember. I remember Barbara Tidball,Marlene Farmer and Wendy Atkinson..but quickly lost track....yet remember them 60 years later ! ! !. (I think I was a bit sweet on Barbara but never told her,so I played football instead. ). My best pals were Leo Sheldon, Andy Thomas and Gregory Robinson.
COLIN STARK
This made me laugh. Our uniform was burgundy and blue, and not at all attractive! You’re quite right, you didn’t tell me. The course of my life might have been very different!! I love reading these memories.
 
On the contrary,I thought all the girls looked very attractive in their uniforms !! Seems many, many pupils from Shirestone were lucky enough to go to,either,Byng Kenrick or Central Grammar. Perhaps the efforts of Mr Penny,Mr Dunkley (not sure) Mr Jones and Mrs Walker were not wasted.
 
On the contrary,I thought all the girls looked very attractive in their uniforms !! Seems many, many pupils from Shirestone were lucky enough to go to,either,Byng Kenrick or Central Grammar. Perhaps the efforts of Mr Penny,Mr Dunkley (not sure) Mr Jones and Mrs Walker were not wasted.

I remember the winter uniform was maroon and grey with a blue badge; the summer one was maroon and blue. Hodge Hill Girls’ Grammar opened the year before BK and had an all blue uniform. Theirs was the colours for Birmingham City Football Club and BK was the colours of Aston Villa FC. I have often wondered if it was coincidence or by design.
 
These are photos taken in the sports field, probably 1963 or 1964. I've also put them on the Byng Kenrick Facebook page.
Some names to recall - Barbara Tidball (that's me!), Marlene Farmer, Elizabeth Routley, Barbara Cox, Aileen Donnelly, Jennifer Longford, Greta Wood, Christine Peel, Christine Cleaver, Irene Allen, Hilary Rice..... can you add any more?
&
 
Barbara..I can easily recognise you. Gorgeous hair. What was that style called? Which one is Marlene?
Colin Stark
Marlene is on the right hand end of the back row as you are looking at the photo. We are still great friends and see one another regularly. We've never lost touch. She's standing next to Elizabeth Routley. You may not remember her so well as she didn't go to Shirestone, but you may remember David Harris who went to Central. Elizabeth married David.
 
Marlene is on the right hand end of the back row as you are looking at the photo. We are still great friends and see one another regularly. We've never lost touch. She's standing next to Elizabeth Routley. You may not remember her so well as she didn't go to Shirestone, but you may remember David Harris who went to Central. Elizabeth married David.
 
How wonderful that you are friends so many years later. Please pass on my best regards. I was the one with the jet black hair and combed it like EP( and I was only 10 ! ). Oh how I would like to meet with you both and share the joys of those days.
I do not have any photos of me in my Shirestone days.
Love COLIN STARK
 
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Hi... I hope it will not be too long before we see your further adventures from Shirestone and Byng Kenrick.
By the way do either you or Marlene remember a JUDITH CZUNI (<?) from Shirestone. They emigrated to Canada,I think,
Do you know, I think that you were also my dancing partner at Shirestone. Miss Pullen (Mrs Walker) would take is into the main hall for dancing. (The Polka !!!). Apologies for my left feet. Colin Stark
 
Hi... I hope it will not be too long before we see your further adventures from Shirestone and Byng Kenrick.
By the way do either you or Marlene remember a JUDITH CZUNI (<?) from Shirestone. They emigrated to Canada,I think,
Do you know, I think that you were also my dancing partner at Shirestone. Miss Pullen (Mrs Walker) would take is into the main hall for dancing. (The Polka !!!). Apologies for my left feet. Colin Stark
Hello Colin, as you know, I left Shirestone in 1960. Was Judith the daughter of Mrs Czuni, who was, perhaps, the secretary at Shirestone? Mrs Czuni had a son, John, who was in the year below me.
 
I'm all at sea. I thought you left in 58 and got your "basket" of O levels in 63.

I would be interested to know if either you or Marlene remembered , at least, my name from Shirestone?
My pals were Leo Sheldon (Hayward Road) Andrew Thomas (Gressel Lane) Graham Ellis and Gregory Robinson (Both with me living in Leycroft Avenue). May I ask you where you lived back then ? Wishing you Well and Happy. Colin
 
Sorry for the confusion Colin, I stupidly assumed you'd know who I am. We were drinking coffee and talking about anything and everything, earlier this week. Mystic Dirk was my nom de plume when I was one of Mr Wogan's TOGs.
 
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Hi Graham,

I was there '60 to '65. And we weren't allowed anywhere near the Central fence!
Prompted by Keith's badge thread, I've started a Byng Kenrick thread.
Ann
Not allowed near the fence ! ! Great. I got the cane when I climbed over the fence into BK to get our ball back.
Colin Stark (Central)
 
Hi,

I was a prisoner in Central Grammar School during the sixties, one of those gormless idiots who used to stare longingly at the fence hoping at least one of the girls there would find me mildly interesting. Sadly........

We did occasionally meet up as we got older, I can remember the Mackie twins Alison & Pamela, Linda Taylor, Pat Pitchford, Susan Kilroy, Susan Harris, Linda Jukes, Maggie Chinn, Mary Harley, Wendy Jones, Stella Jones, Lynda Humphreys. We all made contacts via parties, The Rio at the Yew Tree and girlfriends of our mates.

Best wishes to anyone who new me. I am still alive!

Malcolm Robinson
 
A bit late to the party, discovered this site when googling Sam Doble. I remember Janet Glew and May (the Devils)- how could I forget!
Thanks John but my tax inspector days long gone. And it was definitely Mickey Ballard who married someone from Byng Kendrick, name escapes me now
 
A bit late to the party, discovered this site when googling Sam Doble. I remember Janet Glew and May (the Devils)- how could I forget!
Thanks John but my tax inspector days long gone. And it was definitely Mickey Ballard who married someone from Byng Kendrick, name escapes me now
Hi Dave I take it you are the same Dave Porter who worked at Washwood Heath. I was at BK till about 72 and then went to DHSS I seem that half the staff who worked there went to Central or BK. Have retired now but still see some people from work and school. See Jackie Wilson and Sue Mc Gann regularly.
 
Yeah Sue, I remember catching the No.14 bus with you and you married Phil's brother. Don't see anyone from those days, bumped into a few over the years. Still work at the Inland Revenue, just two days a week.
 
Yeah Sue, I remember catching the No.14 bus with you and you married Phil's brother. Don't see anyone from those days, bumped into a few over the years. Still work at the Inland Revenue, just two days a week.
Your memory is so much better than mine---had forgotten you knew Phil and the journeys on the 14 bus. I think we met again when I worked at B'ham Council. Jackie Wilson , Sue the typist , Chris Grant and myself all went on a visit to Plymouth recently to meet up with Sue McCannon. Don't know if you will remember these old timers from Washwood.
 
Hi, remember all those names, and that Sue McCannon was from Devon. Didn't Chris Grant join the police force? I'm still married to Lesley. I occasionally see Steve Ewer who lives five minutes from me. Not sure you will know him but some of the others will. He still works for the DWP up at Five Ways. Do you remember Gill Halworth (nee Beebee)? Small world that it is my eldest lad bought a house from Gill's father in law. Long story but I went to see the house and recognised Gill from a photograph.
 
Hi, remember all those names, and that Sue McCannon was from Devon. Didn't Chris Grant join the police force? I'm still married to Lesley. I occasionally see Steve Ewer who lives five minutes from me. Not sure you will know him but some of the others will. He still works for the DWP up at Five Ways. Do you remember Gill Halworth (nee Beebee)? Small world that it is my eldest lad bought a house from Gill's father in law. Long story but I went to see the house and recognized Gill from a photograph.
I do remember Steve--poor lad still working for DWP. Chris didn't join police --her ex-husband was a policeman though. Both Jackie and Chris are still at DWP (Erdington) both working part-time.
I remember Gill wasn't she related to Jackie Beebee--she lives in the next road to me. We live in Castle Bromwich so thats why I still see many of the people who went to BK and Central also the old crew from Washwood. Sue McCannon was married to Mike McCannon --we both left when voluntary redundancy was offered in 1998. I went to the Council and Sue went back to Plymouth. Mike was working for Customs. I am still married to Geoff (45 years) and Phil his brother is still going strong.
 
I do remember Steve--poor lad still working for DWP. Chris didn't join police --her ex-husband was a policeman though. Both Jackie and Chris are still at DWP (Erdington) both working part-time.
I remember Gill wasn't she related to Jackie Beebee--she lives in the next road to me. We live in Castle Bromwich so thats why I still see many of the people who went to BK and Central also the old crew from Washwood. Sue McCannon was married to Mike McCannon --we both left when voluntary redundancy was offered in 1998. I went to the Council and Sue went back to Plymouth. Mike was working for Customs. I am still married to Geoff (45 years) and Phil his brother is still going strong.
 
Yeah, Jackie Beebee is her sister in law. Yeah remember Mike, big into his Rugby, played for the civil service I think. Gill Beebee died, don't know how long ago or circumstances, something her husband John told my son when he said I knew Jill. Well, I knew John too, they used to give me a lift to work in the early days.
As for Steve, he married Paula if you remember her and they are still together. I imagine Chris and Jackie must run into Paul Archer then.
 
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