Cockshut Hill School

[gillyt]

Hello. Sorry, my typing is very slow. In the late 50s, early 60s I knew of a person that was named “Barmy Frank” Sorry if that sounds disrespectful. I used to see him mainly in Queens Park. I was terrified of him. I was told not to look at him or he would run after me. Never ever seen him chasing anyone. I must add though that if I glanced at him and he was looking at me, I would quickly look away. I never looked at him for more than a split second but I can still see his face now. Later as I got older, seeing him never bothered me. He was probably a nice chap. Thinking about him chasing kids, maybe he did a few times. We all know how sweet and understanding children can be.

Yes remember Frank....he used to walk up n down Elmay Road . We were told he lived in Lyndon Road. Across from The Grange pub x

 

[oldbrit]

We lived on Moat lane Yardley. I walked to Cockshut Hill school, this was in the late 1940s to 1944 when I took the ll yr exams. I then went to Moseley School of Art, My sister Joan Crump, also went to Cockshut Hill School, she is three year younger than me. Do not remember much about Cockshut Hill School, only the parking lot that the classes looked over. WE walked up the hill and through fields, to get to Old Yardley and the church that is all houses now.

 

[devonjim]

My father was a teacher at Blakenhale in the 1950s
I understand he was very STRICT....His name Mr Wright x

Don't recall a Mr. Wright at Blakenhale, maybe after my time there, I left in 1951. Did Janet McPhail have a brother, Donald.

 

[Claudette Mcleod]

I attended in the 70's - Blackenhale then Cockshut Hill(the prison on the hill), my family resided on Milstead Road, "let us see if I can remember some names".
PUPILS:
Tracy Bowkett
Sonia Jennings
Soraya Ahmed
Barry Foster
Raymond Fitzpatrick
Donald Chin
Nadine Melbourne
Andrew Johnson
David Hicks
Brian Caines
Calvin Riley
David & Denise Glue

TEACHERS:
Mr James
Mrs Clarke
Mr Leeson

I fondly remember the little sweet shop at the side of the dovecote Pub, great memories of yesteryear, The wishing fountain in the centre of Poolway Shopping Centre where people threw a penny for a wish.

 

[Claudette Mcleod]

I have not changed a great deal, so those who school with me can still recognise me.

 

[littleprid]

I have just joined this forum. I went to Cockshut hill school 57 -59 and remember Pam Wall and Janet McPhail, also Ann Kendrick and I am still in touch with them all

 

[littleprid]

I remember Janet Mcphail we lived in Elmay Road and so did Janet. Lost touch many years ago.

I remember Pam Wall, Janet McPhail and Ann Kendrick and I am still in touch with them all

 

[Timinthechoir]

I attended Cockshut Hill School when in the infants and then Blakenhale junior school. I went back to Cockshut Hill Senior Boys from 1961 to 1966. Mr Jolly was the headmaster and Mr Wickstead his deputy. I remember Mr Hardy the PE teacher making us sit on the window sills high up in the gym, looping our arms to mimic a basket and other pupils throwing basket balls at us, very dangerous. I remember the Dovecote pub being built.

Mr B C Jolley and Mr Wickstead were there when I attended from 1968 to 1973, My Chandler was the Music and RE teacher and Mr Morgan was Maths?.

 

[Chrissywale]

I was here 63-68 remember all staff well, happy days

 

[littleprid]

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.

I was only there from 56 - 59, but I am still friends with Pam Wall and Janet McPhail. My brother was at Cockshut hill the whole of his school life till 17 and went into the air force, his name was Bob Priddey.

 

[littleprid]

Don't recall a Mr. Wright at Blakenhale, maybe after my time there, I left in 1951. Did Janet McPhail have a brother, Donald.

Yes, Janet had a brother called Donald and a younger sister Roberta. Donald is no longer with us. My brother was at Cockshut Hill from 5 - 17, his name was Bob Priddey. Anyone remember him - and Tom Sutcliffe? I went to the girls school from 56 to 59 my name is Carol. I am still friends with Janet Mac, Ann Kendrick and Pam Wall.

 

[devonjim]

Yes, Janet had a brother called Donald and a younger sister Roberta. Donald is no longer with us.

I never went to Cockshut Hill, Donald and I were apprentices together at Wilmot Breeden. Sorry to learn that he is no longer with us. He was a keen naturalist and a good ballroom dancer. I remember once selling him a car.

 

[Timinthechoir]

Mr B C Jolley and Mr Wickstead were there when I attended from 1968 to 1973, My Chandler was the Music and RE teacher and Mr Morgan was Maths?.

I can remember my Friends in school were Gary Bowen, Colin Watts and David McDonald, I think that Gary went on to work in the Law courts, His father died when we were @13 years old? David may have carried on his parents business as a baker in the 'Ideal Stores' bakery, in Green Lane, Small Heath, lost touch with them all after leaving.
Picking up the thread about Mr Morgan, I have good memories of him, he was strict in class, but had a strong interest in music and guided the school choir whilst I was there; as a choir I remember that we went to Leamington for a competition a couple of years running (without success).

 

[gillyt]

I never went to Cockshut Hill, Donald and I were apprentices together at Wilmot Breeden. Sorry to learn that he is no longer with us. He was a keen naturalist and a good ballroom dancer. I remember once selling him a car.

Do you know where Janet McPhail is now I would love to hear from her x

 

[gillyt]

Yes, Janet had a brother called Donald and a younger sister Roberta. Donald is no longer with us. My brother was at Cockshut Hill from 5 - 17, his name was Bob Priddey. Anyone remember him - and Tom Sutcliffe? I went to the girls school from 56 to 59 my name is Carol. I am still friends with Janet Mac, Ann Kendrick and Pam Wall.

Do you know where Janet is now. I would love to hear from her. It is about 50 years since I heard from her. Ask her if she remembers me Gill Wright now Turner

 

[littleprid]

Do you know where Janet is now. I would love to hear from her. It is about 50 years since I heard from her. Ask her if she remembers me Gill Wright now Turner

Yes, I spoke to Janet yesterday. She lives in Chelmsley Wood Birmingham. She had a stroke last year but is still recovering. Do you want to e.mail me your phone number and I will pass it on. She does not have a computer to join the sites.

 

[littleprid]

I have just spoken to Janet and she would love to hear from you, she has asked me to pass on her number.
It is ( number removed for privacy reasons). She is having problems with her phone at the moment and has ordered a new one. However, you can still ring her but it's a bit crackly. She is looking forward to hearing from you.

 

[mikejee]

I have removed the number from open forum , for privacy reasons and sent it by IM

 

[gillyt]

Yes, I spoke to Janet yesterday. She lives in Chelmsley Wood Birmingham. She had a stroke last year but is still recovering. Do you want to e.mail me your phone number and I will pass it on. She does not have a computer to join the sites.

Oh thank you for getting back to me. Yes....that would be nice. I'm so sorry to hear she had a stroke but pleased to hear she is in recovery. I think I may be a bit older than you. Were you in Janet's class at school. I am now 78 and think Janet was younger.

I have just spoken to Janet and she would love to hear from you, she has asked me to pass on her number.
It is ( number removed for privacy reasons). She is having problems with her phone at the moment and has ordered a new one. However, you can still ring her but it's a bit crackly. She is looking forward to hearing from you.

How do I go into privacy setting. I can't believe I have found her after all these years.Thank you so much for your help. Xxx

 

[littleprid]

Oh thank you for getting back to me. Yes....that would be nice. I'm so sorry to hear she had a stroke but pleased to hear she is in recovery. I think I may be a bit older than you. Were you in Janet's class at school. I am now 78 and think Janet was younger.

How do I go into privacy setting. I can't believe I have found her after all these years.Thank you so much for your help. Xxx

Sorry I don't know. Someone called Mikegee said he has removed the telephone number because they should not be on open forum. He said he forwarded it by IM, I don't know what that means.
I was not in Jan's class, she was a year above me. My brother, Bob Priddey was at Cockshut Hill all of his school life. You may know him. One of my closest friends still is Ann Kendrick, you may know her, or Sheila Toft, she lived in Boyne and married Tom Sutcliffe. Nice to chat, contact me anytime. The message from Mikegee can be seen on the thread.

 

[littleprid]

I have removed the number from open forum , for privacy reasons and sent it by IM

What does IM mean and how can I get this number to gillyt?

 

[gillyt]

Oh thank you for getting back to me. Yes....that would be nice. I'm so sorry to hear she had a stroke but pleased to hear she is in recovery. I think I may be a bit older than you. Were you in Janet's class at school. I am now 78 and think Janet was younger.

How do I go into privacy setting. I can't believe I have found her after all these years.Thank you so much for your help. Xxx
[/QUOT

Yes, I spoke to Janet yesterday. She lives in Chelmsley Wood Birmingham. She had a stroke last year but is still recovering. Do you want to e.mail me your phone number and I will pass it on. She does not have a computer to join the sites.

Sorry I don't know. Someone called Mikegee said he has removed the telephone number because they should not be on open forum. He said he forwarded it by IM, I don't know what that means.
I was not in Jan's class, she was a year above me. My brother, Bob Priddey was at Cockshut Hill all of his school life. You may know him. One of my closest friends still is Ann Kendrick, you may know her, or Sheila Toft, she lived in Boyne and married Tom Sutcliffe. Nice to chat, contact me anytime. The message from Mikegee can be seen on the thread.

I think I remember a Robert Priddy in the junior school. I'm sure he was in my class. I remember Sheila Toft too but can't put faces to them after all this time. My email address is gillturn41@gmail.com perhaps you could email me Janet's number. Thanks a lot x
E]

 

[gillyt]

Sorry I don't know. Someone called Mikegee said he has removed the telephone number because they should not be on open forum. He said he forwarded it by IM, I don't know what that means.
I was not in Jan's class, she was a year above me. My brother, Bob Priddey was at Cockshut Hill all of his school life. You may know him. One of my closest friends still is Ann Kendrick, you may know her, or Sheila Toft, she lived in Boyne and married Tom Sutcliffe. Nice to chat, contact me anytime. The message from Mikegee can be seen on the thread.

Hi I have been on the thread and picked up the telephone number. Hope to ring Janet soon. Xx

 

[mikejee]

Sorry Littleprid. At the top right hand of the page there is an envelope symbol. It should show a red spoldge with a 1 in it to show you have an unread IM. If you click on it hten the title will come up and you then click again to read message

 

[monkey]

Does anybody remmber david husslebee or micael davis , robert henry, stephen bromwich , derek farndon from 76 to 81 at cockshut hill school. do you where they r now . thanks

 

[Wacky]

Does anyone remember one Teacher (edit to remove name) and how sadistic he was with his pump and cane, i remember an instant when he marked a child with a cane and that child's mother came storming into the class and gave him what for....
happy day in the life of a frightened child.

 

[monkey]

yes i remember that teacher, his classroom was oppisite the boys gym. he done detention on thursdays .
i never had him for a teacher but my wife did . the teachers i remember r miss harris , mrs powell, mr james ,
mr golby, mrs allison, miss parkes, mrs mills, mr groucher, mr reeves, mr hart,

 

[Wacky]

there between 1968 -1972 paul manders - anyone out there????

 

[Norman Clymer]

I was there between 1955 and 1959 happy days. I was in boggy Marsh's class 1A in the first year, nice guy he used to tell us we were the cream. Stan Hart was the PE teacher, Deputy Head Mr Oldham took us for English in the fist year and was good I can still recall Henry VI speech. One time he set us some homework and he was so disappointed with what we handed in that every one of us in the class 30+ received the cane. We all took him very seriously after that. There was a whacky science teacher too, Probert? perhaps. Mr Chilton for French - he was a man with a cane. Can't remember many other teachers -perhaps Briton and Higgot? I think Jonny Herbert was the head - I witnessed him giving out 6 of the best on each hand to one boy who had scooted his bike in the playground at lunch time - obviously a hanging offence at the time. My pals were Gil Green (now passed on) Ian Russel (flap) and Bob Holland. I wonder if any of the are still around.

 

[Wacky]

I also went to Cockshut Hill, and was there from 1962 till 1966 .It was one half Girls and the other half Boys.The headmaster was Mr Jolley and deputy head was Mr Wickstead, (a giant of a man) All the teachers had canes or plimpsols or slippers and most of them were always looking for an excuse to use them!! The first day there we had a music lesson and the teacher (Mr Morgan obviously Welsh) stood in front of the whole class (39 of us) and he introduced us to his (friend Sylvester) which was a thin cane that he proceeded to bend above his head. He said ,"there only two things in life, one is music and the other is rugby. You will either be in the choir or the rugby team".With that comment he proceeded to the black board where the words of "Do you ken John Peel" were written and he said you all know this song (Which we did) so start singing!!!! Well we all started singing and he walked around and he listened to all our voices seperetely and he whacked 9 of us around the head with "Sylvester"and said,"You lot are Growlers and will never take part in any music lesson again so go and sit at the back of the music room and that will be where you will sit every music lesson." And we did for the 4 years I attended school. I love music and have lots of musical instruments I have collected over the years, but I cant hold a tune down and have no sense of rythm . I will never forget that Nasty man,,,I have told this story all over the world on my travels and got the same response from people of how wrong and selfish that man was!!!!! But my son has got good sense of rythm and is very musical and I encourage him all the time....But we had a brilliant English teacher Mr Jones and he bought out my potential for English Language and Literature which I was grateful for. Tho as I get older I am starting to make more spelling mistakes it must be a memory thing. Ha. Ha.....

Here are some of the teachers names I remember:--

Mr Barnard (metal-work)
Mr Bashford (geography)
Mr Mayhew,(wood-work)
Mr Robson (metal-work)
Mr Welford (T D )
Mr Jones (English)
Mr Williams (history)
Mr Chilton (French)
Mr Marsh (Boggy) (R I )
Mr Gibbs (?????)
Mr Webb (Art)
Mr Franklin (Science)
Mr Hardy (P E )
Mr Mason (PE )
Mr Morgan (Music)

Head master Mr Jolley
Deputy Head Mr Wicksteed..

I can list a few names of the lads in my class if anyone is interested....

i was there from 68 to 71 - All the Teachers you listed were still there and Morgan was still introducing Silvester in his unique fashion - i went from the security and happiness of St Benedict's to the horror of being caned by Morgan on my first day for talking in class, my father died and 3 days after returning to school - Bashford caned me, overall i was caned by one of them most weeks, ,most of the teachers were obsessed with the cane or slipper, - a lot of them used to go to the Dovecote at lunch time, becoming a bit cane happy in the afternoons. Williams (wilf) used turn ears until boys cried out, and if we didnt he would tap us on the head, or he would hit on the head with his knuckles as hard as he could, - it was a rein of terror with Morgans (silvester) - i got a really heavy beating from him once when i doodled on my exam paper, he said i was dishonouring the British Empire ////// - finally i snapped in the 4th year and during one of my visits to Bashford - i refused to let him cane me - he was not a happy man believe me - lets just say i didnt last very long after that - however from that time forth i concentrated on becoming a legend in my own mind, im hoping that my exploits will bring some joy to the victims of Silvester and company.

Exploits on record.

1. I hid all Welfords compasses - he threatened cane the whole class - but i held my nerve and he didnt. I left them a week later where i new he would find them.
2. let the animals out in the science lab. - (no animals were hurt)
3. I used to climb out of the windows whilst on detention and leg it.
4. Ooops the tyres on Enderby's Ford Anglia, got let down.
5. i used to stand on the tables and remove light bulbs whenever the opportunity presented.
6 I found a set of keys and i used them to enter classrooms and move things around, put things in bins, etc/ lets say i was never short of a pen.

Finally, alas , alas - i was rumbled and expelled forthwith. -- ive done ok though - had my own business, married a wonderful woman and now in my mid sixties - unfortunately, Cockshut leaves no happy memories for me ...