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Dennis Road Secondary Modern Boys School

Dave Rock

Somewhere among my book collection I have a copy of H.G.Wells's book First Men on the Moon. This was presented to me by Mr Hennessy for coming first in the Geography exam (his subject) at the classrooms in Ladypool Rd that were the annex of Dennis Rd, this would be about 1958 and it was my first year at Dennis Rd.

Phil
 
Hi Folks,

It's been a while since I contributed to anything on here - I actually forgot about it and Barney Martin's post came up on my e-mail to remind me.
I was a bit later than you, Barney, as I didn't start Dennis Road School till about ten years later and also went to the Boys' Brigade on Moseley Road Methodist Church on the corner of Lime Grove.
It was a bit difficult for me, being an Irish Catholic, as we were supposed to go to the church too.
The woman running the show at the Boys' Brigade was Miss Gabb and she would call a register at the start of the evening. She would call out the names and we would answer one Miss Gabb or two Miss Gabb or even three Miss Gabb. You answered three if you had been to church on Sunday and I used to have to go to the RC Church St Johns in the other side of Moseley Road in George Street - at least I think it was George Street.
So I was always getting into trouble for not getting the full three marks every week and I didn't want to tell them I was a Catholic in case they kicked me out and my mother kept telling me to tell them I was a Catholic and looking back that was an enormous amount of pressure on me at such a young age it's a wonder I grew up fairly well balanced.
But looking back at some of these posts it's no wonder that Tubby Harris, who I didn't know thank God, had stomach problems caning young children. The worst was the aforementioned F. Hennessy the sadistic poison dwarf from Yorkshire - he was at Clifton Road and gave the stick to us in the third year when we were less than ten years old. Well he was wrong the Russians didn't take over as he kept telling us. He was anti American too as he went into a tirade one day when I drew a picture of a house and instead of putting Royal Mail on the postman's sack, in the picture, I put US Mail; I was eight or nine, for Christ's sake, and he was saying things like America? Yanks? We'll soon see how great they are when the Russians take over.
Who knows - maybe he was a communist? He was certainly a bully and he tried to discipline Lavinia Smith one day who stood head and shoulders over him and eventually sent her out into the hallway and she stormed out, passed him, getting so close that I thought she was going to knock him over, and she really slammed the door behind her making the whole room shake. It was a glass door and it's a wonder it didn't break.
He died early which is a pity that he didn't see the demise of corporal punishment at schools, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the long haired Beatles, heaven forbid.
I know some people regret the discipline in the modern schools but I don't not one little bit with the bullies that were teachers when I was at school.
There were some terrible teachers at Dennis Road - Mr Tebbit for one, Mr Williams another who would pull our hair and drag us to the front of the class by the little bit we had for side boards (side burns??) and various teachers who threw the chalk - we were children.
 
Hi Chris, great to see you back and how could you forget us lot from Dennis Road!

Yes most of those "teachers" you name were sick and had no interest in us other that to use us as whacking meat. Looking back I know now that I was a real good mannered and well behaved kid that never got into any trouble yet some of that sick lot at Dennis Road chose to beat the life out of me and my class mates. I think that it was that midget that gave me six on each hand with a thick cane for a moment of uncontrollable giggling then doubled it to twelve because I still couldn't stop; I had huge lumps on my hands for days after. Giggles don't have brakes to stop them. I glad that I can't remember the name of that sick dickey-bowed technical drawing teacher that had to have his daily portion of young boys bending over a chair with their buttocks in the air to beat red-raw.

Graham.
 
How could I forget you Graham? How could anybody forget Hennessy? The teacher you are referring to was a madman called Waith who left Dennis Road and went to a private school in Edgbaston - he had a warped and weird sense of humour and seemed to think it funny giving people the stick.
 
Hi guys.
I did not have the pleasure of Hennessey, or the guy who run 4B and the school library.
But when I was in 3A 1960/61 Mr. Joneses class, ( Great Geography & Class teacher) another madman moved into 2A class and taught History, an English/Indian named Rhana, he was quite mad strutted around with his cane under his arm and modeled himself on Adolf Hitler. He used his cane like a whip across your arms with force and venom. He broke his cane one day on a boys hand. His pet pupil bought him another cane that very afternoon, did he get some stick!! from us pupils!!
 
Bob,

I can't remember madman Rhana but then I've always had the knack of erasing most bad things from my mind. I do remember that in one class the teacher had run out of canes, all broken on our innocent bodies, and he had the cheek to ask us if we knew any shop where he could buy new canes! Lesley Draper shot his hand up saying that he knew such a shop. Next day Draper walked in with half a dozen new canes and gave them to the teacher thinking that he would benefit from his actions. The teacher thanked Draper and then proceeded to test all the canes on Draper's hands! Sick or what?

Graham.
 
Hi im looking for people who went to Dennis Road school in 1943 junior and infants my dad used to go there his name is Allan Davis he lived in Tauton road by the picture house. If anyone remembers the name would love to hear from you.
 
jule said:
Hi im looking for people who went to Dennis Road school in 1943 junior and infants my dad used to go there his name is Allan Davis he lived in Tauton road by the picture house. If anyone remembers the name would love to hear from you.
Click to expand...

Hi Jule

Yes I remember your Dad well, he used to live in the row of houses by the Carlton cinema, he had a younger brother whose name I cannot remember, are you the chap I met at the tile shop in Highfield Road Hall Green.
 
Darby said:
Hi Jule

Yes I remember your Dad well, he used to live in the row of houses by the Carlton cinema, he had a younger brother whose name I cannot remember, are you the chap I met at the tile shop in Highfield Road Hall Green.
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Hi, Im his daughter my brothers the one you met he used to work at a tile shop years ago. My dad has a younger brother Clifford Davis.
 
Hi ya that would be the one my dad is some years older than Clifford, What is your name. so i can ask my uncle and dad if they remember you, is there any people you still keep in touch with in the school. Would love to know. Thanks
 
hi Jule,
i have been intouch with Malcom Jefferies i have emailed one or two but no reply my cousin Graham Webb is on the forum he was in a different class, i don't think Clifford went on the Isla of Man trip a photo of the lads on the trip i am in the front row left hand side Malcom front row on the right Graham is the tall one under the letter C two of the teachers and some of the lads in our class.

Fred Ford
 
Frederick said:
hi Jule,
i have been intouch with Malcom Jefferies i have emailed one or two but no reply my cousin Graham Webb is on the forum he was in a different class, i don't think Clifford went on the Isla of Man trip a photo of the lads on the trip i am in the front row left hand side Malcom front row on the right Graham is the tall one under the letter C two of the teachers and some of the lads in our class.

Fred Ford
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Fredrik
Did Malcome Jefferies have ginger/red hair and what street did he live in of the stoney lane?
God wasn't Mr Jones the teacher at the back of Graham looking young in those days. He introduced me to Carnegie Boys Club in Moseley Village, a great great teacher. He died 2 years ago from a stroke he lived back in south Wales.
 
hi Bob,
you've got him ginger hair he now lives at Driotwich i can't remember which road he lived in i have his email address if you want it at any time, now i liked Mr Jones but some didn't get on with him where in wales did he live.

Fred
 
bobsummers said:
Fredrik
Did Malcome Jefferies have ginger/red hair and what street did he live in of the stoney lane?
God wasn't Mr Jones the teacher at the back of Graham looking young in those days. He introduced me to Carnegie Boys Club in Moseley Village, a great great teacher. He died 2 years ago from a stroke he lived back in south Wales.
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Bob,

I'm sorry to hear about Taff Jones, I also thought he was a good teacher even though he caned me on many occasions (I must have deserved it). If I remember correctly wasn't it he that ran the film nights after school that showed the old black & white films. I also remember him reading the Wind in the Willows to us and a whole class of 14 year olds sitting there enraptured by a kids story.

He was always on to us to come to the Carnegie Boys club and to take part in The Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme he was involved in both. A good man who went unrecognised for most of his work with youngsters.

Phil
 
I've posted this before but I'll say it again I didn't like Taff Jones as during PT I gave my all for him on the horse and really badly dislocated one of my fingers, it went black. Taffy wouldn't have it that I was in pain and wouldn't have my finger seen to; he just said "rub it and it'll go away". Then at the end of term he gave me a zero (the only zero that I've ever had in my whole life) for PT with the comment "very weak", probably stopping me from ending school at the top of the 'A' stream, I finished 8th. I wonder if he ever knew that this weakling would become world champion in one of the toughest sports on this planet? I would say that he was a very bad judge and only looked after his favourites; his "yes" boys. That is just about the worst trait that a teacher can have favouritism.

Graham.
 
Re the holiday picture, I have the following names & bits of info about some of the lads.
Alan Chance is top row 2nd from left.
Reggie Wilson has the loud check shirt.Denis Herbert & Doug Murdoch are in front of Graham.
On the front row 2nd left this lads Mom used to work at Perks's & next but one to him I think his surname was Murcott, maybe Barry, he had a Motorbike so Chris might know him. Also on the picture is Trevor Peat(sadly no longer with us) I met up again with Trevor in the Mid 70s when he was a keen Carp Fisherman & he had just caught a 40lb Carp & came round to my mates house to tell him about it.
I also think Freddy Bishop might be on it but recognise a lot of faces but not so many names-- come on guys lets name the others.
Cheers
Dave Rock
 
Cadeau said:
I've posted this before but I'll say it again I didn't like Taff Jones as during PT I gave my all for him on the horse and really badly dislocated one of my fingers, it went black. Taffy wouldn't have it that I was in pain and wouldn't have my finger seen to; he just said "rub it and it'll go away". Then at the end of term he gave me a zero (the only zero that I've ever had in my whole life) for PT with the comment "very weak", probably stopping me from ending school at the top of the 'A' stream, I finished 8th. I wonder if he ever knew that this weakling would become world champion in one of the toughest sports on this planet? I would say that he was a very bad judge and only looked after his favourites; his "yes" boys. That is just about the worst trait that a teacher can have favouritism.

Graham.
Click to expand...
He probably inspired you to your great achievements Graham, Method in his madness!!! K no W? Cruel to be kind!!
 
hi Graham,
do you recognize Ted Eaton i know it was a long time ago and he would have been about one year older.
 
bobsummers said:
He probably inspired you to your great achievements Graham, Method in his madness!!! K no W? Cruel to be kind!!
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Bob, I'm 100% sure that Mr Jones had nothing to do with that! Before Dennis Rd and Jone's time my biggest motivation was my very bad health, cycling improved that in a way that nothing else could and at the same time my bike was a magic carpet that flew me, free of charge, out of the poverty in back street slums.

frederick said:
do you recognize Ted Eaton i know it was a long time ago and he would have been about one year older.
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Fred, I'm very sorry to say that I don't recognize anyone in the photo but then I never was good in remembering people’s faces.

Graham.
 
I was talking to someone about our school and i said we didn't have a playing field we had to get on a bus and go up Yardley wood road somewere i couldn't remember were the playing field was, can anyone help with this.
 
Fred

It was at the top of School Rd, behind the church, the entrance was in Ravenshill Rd. I remember having to walk back to school many a time after missing the bus after doing the long distance run round the local streets.

We sometimes (only occasionally) used Billesley Common as well.

Phil
 

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Fred, I don't remember where we were carted off to but I do remember that bus trip to the playing fields. The teacher made us play football, which I hated as it was bad for my cycling legs, he set the teams up and then disappeared to god knows where. As soon as he was out of sight I would crawl into the material shed and have a good rest until the match was over, then get the bus back to school. lol
 
Fred,

Yes you are right, it was while we were there that Gil Merrick paid us a visit and one of the kids called him Gil, only to be told Mr Merrick to you son, to this day I still think it was a strange thing to say to a kid that probably idolised him.

The other playing fields we sometimes used were in Cole Bank Road.
 
Phil,
Thanks for that i know were we used to play football and cricket now, i remember one time about 6 of us were at the back of the lads going out of the class room and we closed the door after them and we stayed in the class room till they go back, Joey Stokes hit the ceiling.
 
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