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Cockshut Hill School

Hi Geff, not sure if I have repeated my reply! My dad used to be on the Yardley Homeguard gunsite at what is now known as Poolway/Kents Moat shopping area, it was just fields at the time, hope that helps,
Best regards
 
PeteE said:
Hi Geff, not sure if I have repeated my reply! My dad used to be on the Yardley Homeguard gunsite at what is now known as Poolway/Kents Moat shopping area, it was just fields at the time, hope that helps,
Best regards
Click to expand...

My dad was also in the Yardley Homeguard, when we lived at Barrows Lane. Teachers I remember at Cockshut Hill include, Miss. Smith, Mrs. Witkowska, Miss Orme, Mrs. Davies, Miss Allen, the Rev. Green who took Religious Instruction, Mrs. Garton, and a tall thin teacher, who I think was called either Miss. Bradbury or Miss. Oldknow. I remember when she fell on the ice and we all got in trouble for laughing. I remember a pageant in Queen's Road Park about the Plantagenets. I also remember Mrs. Witkowska taking sewing in the visitor's flat and the needle of the machine went through her finger and we had to help her remove herself from it. I was there from 1953 to 58. Pupils I remember include, Pam Shenstone, Pam Wall, Pat Greenhalgh and a Janet McPhail.
 
Ma
Margaret Wilson, did you live in Croft rd on the corner of Patrick rd by any chance as I went to school with you if you are the same person.
Dave Edwards
 
Not me Dave.I did not live at that address, and when I was at Cockshut Hill the boys and girls school were seperate ! Margaret.
 
Sorry Margaret, I realised afterwards reading other posts that you lived up at Gilbertstone area, it was obviously another person.
When I was at Cockshut hill the boys and were seperate, that was from 1944- 1948 I did not know that they ever joined the two together.Many of my school friends came from your area down to Church rd school.
Dave
 
Well, its a small world. I wen to Cockshut hill School and left in the fifth form in 1982 and went on to bournville College of Art. My brother went tot he school back in 1959 and my sister @ 1961...bit vague on dtaes. They both Attended when it was a seprate girls and boys school. My brother died in the summer when he was 18, just before he started Garretts Green Technical College.
My brothers name was Keith Letts, sister is Susan Letts and in Fiona.
 
I went to Cockshut Hill for my infants and my first two years of juniors, probably 1954 to 1957. It then became just a Senior school and I had to transfer to Blakenhale.
Does anyone remember Frank the strange man that used to stare through the railings and we would all run away from.
 
Hi sheldon Tony, I wonder if you are talking about a Frank who was a strange person who ,if i remember, never went to school and just walked the streets. As I also went to the the same school but in 1944-48, I lived in Patrick road and Frank lived in Manorhouse lane a few doors up from Barrows lane on the left. He would be seen around the area many times, I think he used to shout out at people but they took no notice.
Dave
 
Yes, thats the man. In those days we didnt really worry about people like him, lots of people had problems from the war. Not the same now.
I am not sure if we spoke before Eddie, but at one time I lived in Patrick Rd, lovely houses and road then, 1975 until 1993.
 
Yes we have spoken before about the houses that were bombed opposite where you lived in Patrick Road, Frank ,If I am right, had ginger hair.
Dave
 
I remember now. Next time in in the UK I am planning to visit Patrick rod, look for the bomb damage. I lived there all those years and never knew. Not sure what colour his hair was
 
hi i went to cockshuthill 1969- 74 and it was me who named him monty as monty python was popular and he was the spit of john cleese, he was a sound bloke, it used to tickle me when he would shout at someone but acualy look the other way but point at you, happy days.
 
I remember most of the 'teachers' you mentioned.......Moss. Kerswell. Humpreys (later replaced by Herbert) they do 'ring a bell' Dave, but not for any fond memories....teaching by the cane and stick was not an education...in fact I learned more in my first 12 months in the army than all of the 4 years in that 'Prison on the Hill'

Jamie 24
 
Jamie 24, I see now why you have only just responded on this thread, Welcome. I never knew Cockshut hill was called "The prison on the hill" while I was there. I supposed it is all fenced in now but during the war metal was short and all railings were being taken down for the war effort. What years were you there?.

Dave
 
Copy of 076.jpg Does anybody out there recognize any of these lads from 1947-8 Starting from the left obviously and forgive me if I cannot remember all the names, I know some have passed on but see if we can put some light on this photo.
From the left,Mr Ayto(cig in hand) Alan Wild, Derick Davis, Donald Moseley, Robert Newton,, David Webb Barry Rigby, Gordon Kent, Walter Beech, Dennis Goldingay, Harold Vickers, Harold Mason, John Burton, Leslie Bunce, Myself, Jimmy Bray, Bobby Janes, Joey Hale, Jimmy Hollick, Donald Vickridge, Mr Birch (!/2 his face), Norman Prossor and Mr Gregory.


Dave
 
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I forgot to say, it was a trip to the Daimler works at Coventry, this was one of the many trips we as a class did in the last year at school.

Dave
 
I went to Cockshut from 73 to 82. I remember Mr Daniels (maths). Both Jones' who taught science. Mr Jolley was Headmaster. Mr Reeves taught gym/sport (to the boys).

In my class/year were:

Dawn Ruston
Christine Peckover
Gail Cash
Lorraine Horwich
Sandra Bell
Carol Sulway
Helen Griffiths
Perry Cough
Glen Owen
Erica Sabin
Hilary Smith
Janet Shaw
John Pendleton
Christopher Player
Ann Stephenson
 
I don't suppose anyone knows how I can lay my hands on a copy of the panoramic school photos that were taken in the mid-late 70s. As I recall they took upper and lower separately. I know when I went back to the school for their 100 year celebrations they had them on display.
 
Oh. I've obviously got that wrong. It was about 25 years ago. They had a big celebration at the school. I guess it must have been 50 years then. What a plonker.
 
I did go to the school on that occasion and the only teacher I saw was Mr George Welford, and I think he may have been the Headmaster then. It was a bit of a dead loss as not many people turned up, the one that did I did not like.
 
I remember seeing Mr Daniels the maths teacher there. He never got my name right in all the time I went to Cockshut and he even got it wrong on that day- some 15 years later. I obviously didn't make an impression.
 
I went to Cockshut Scool (then Cockshut Council School) from 1944 to 1947. I was born at 44 Boyne Road at the end of 1938. I remember a Miss Kay reading stories to us in the early years. She was very kind, but then I was promoted to the class of Miss Wychalee (spelling?). I have few happy memories of this teacher. She told my Mum that I was "a sullen child". I was quiet and just plain scared of her and the punishment I saw meeted out to other kids. The head of the infants was Miss Stark and a Miss Goddard was in charge of the Juniors. Miss Goddard impressed us all by arriving in a car. Cars were rare and women drivers even rarer! I remember being made to eat the school dinners and drink the warm milk left outside in the sun. The girls used to do handstands against the school walls at playtime with their skirts tucked into their knickers.
Has anyone else memories of these times?
 
Unfortunately with all the kids that went to that school there are very few who are members of the forum because it is not very well supported. I have put one or two photo's on this thread and there has not been any response from anybody.
 
PeteE said:
Hi Roy,
Just seen your posting of Cockshut Hill, I can't believe that you have the same memories as me. I attended between 1962-1966 also and remember all the teachers too, can't help you out with Mr Gibbs though. I remember the first woodworking lesson I had with Mr Mayhew, he sent one of the class to the other workshop of Mr Danvers (who I think was also taking woodwork classes) to ask for some 'elbow grease'!! On a another occasion Mr Mayhew sent another lad to Mr Barnard to ask for 'a long weight, don't know how long he waited though (wait,get it?.) Quite a character. Who can forget Mr Williams (wilf) who loved to hold your sideburns and lift you up on to your tip toes if you were not paying attention, ouch!
Mr Welford used to throw chalk at you if your attention wandered and on a few occasions even a blackboard rubber! they were wooden backed as well, could have maimed someone. He was living around the corner from where I live in Solihull up to about 5 years ago but I have'nt seen him since. On another occasion a few lads were on the trampoline in the gym with their plimsolls on! Mr Mason came in and was furious, so much so he 'slippered' everyone in the class to teach us a lesson we NEVER forgot, and we only had our shorts on, ow! did it hurt.
I had great respect for Mr Jolley he was a very approachable, friendly man, Wickstead was a giant of a man eh? I agree with you on Morgan, what an arrogant selfish man he was. Mr Bashford was my final year teacher and he was great to get on with, we had an end of school trip to Italy in 1966 and he came to, what an ammenable guy. Mr Chilton was another favourite of mine, his teaching was so patient, I came 1st in french due to his methods and I loved the subject.
All in all I think my years at that school were very good and gave me a good grounding in life.
Good to reminisce to someone of the same school and time, happy memories eh? Some of my classmates were Paul Burley, Terry Deffley, Terry Hunt, Kenny Cox, Roger Stansbie, Graham Townsend and Cary Curtis, do you remember any of them? Where are you living at the moment?

Best regards,
Pete
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I was at Cockshut Hill School 1963-1967 and could have wrote the above word for word. Happy days. I'm not too clever with History due to the fact that we had Mr Williams (wilf) (Gold finger) for that period and he was always sending me down to jobs news agents for fags.
 
Cockshut hill school in later years than you nick named it the prison on the hill, because a new head master had taken it
over and became on of these acadamy school run by so guy whom was a american
and all the gates around the school entrances of the building was always being kept locked even at lunch time
If you was not within the school playground by bang on 9 oclock the gates was locked and you was never allowed in untill the next day
it also applied at lunch times
because apparentently some kids was bunking off from the school during the day and between classes
this i learnt at that period being my neices and nepews went there so my young kids would not go there
and ended up at archbishop lselys acocks green Astonian,,,
 
Delphine Surgay I must have been there around that time. John Headford Robin Kendal also? John Crump
 
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