T
terry stringer
Guest
I remember Mr Jones in 1960/61 would be mid 30's i guess. He was a big Rawhide fan. I don't remember the photo shoot but I'm (Terry) on left facing next to Derek. Memory fading who are other 3?
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Dennis Road Secondary Modern Boys School
- Thread starter bobsummers
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I remember Mr Jones in 1960/61 would be mid 30's i guess. He was a big Rawhide fan. I don't remember the photo shoot but I'm (Terry) on left facing next to Derek. Memory fading who are other 3?
I lived in Dennis road and started in the infants in Miss miles class. Mr Watson was head and mrs Phillips was the seccatery you might guess I was taught at Dennis road from my spelling. I am Tony Slater my brother and sister whent to the same school. some of my teachers were Berti Biddle mr Jones and miss Jones ( not related )and also mrs Healley. The teacher I hated was Mr Foster now there was two fosters at Dennis rd at one time. The one was ok the Nasty one was the one with a black goatey beard and all he ever talked about was spain. I think he was a P.E instructor as well maths, the class was down in the wooden huts by the science lab and pottery room across the road from the main school. Foster used to smoke in class with kids looking out for him. he took us for maths he would give you so maney pages to do with no help as he would have his feet up on his desk and just read about Spain . He would check youre book and often cane pupils for not doing enough work. I was the exception, one I was not sporty and two he took a dislike to me. The trashings I had off him was unreal to a point when I started to go in class earley or playtime and copy from books with no working out. This just got worse I was having six three on each hand he said someone helped you as there was no working out, I am sure some of you have felt that cane? When he hit me his feet left the ground. then followed by going to the toilets putting my hands in cold water and feeling sick. My friend Michael Skidmoor Had a hearing aid he was asking me a question when Foster walk by Miike from the rear and slapped him across the head making the hearing aid shoot out, he stood up louseing his ballance. he did not know where he was. Foster shouted sit down and Shut up. eventualy I refused to put my hand out when he was about to cane me i am sure he liked doing it. he whent mad grabed me turned me round pushing me over a desk and wailed me.(if anyone remembered seeing this please let me know) Well that was the final straw I ran off out the school home just down the road. Mother looked at the marrks and the skin was broken she then took me on the bus strait to Margaret street ( theEducation dept was by the Art Gallery in Town ) well the outcome was he finaly got the sack and left. I whent to a Childs Guidence Clinic after that which was by Swanhurst park and was assesed as I had sleepless nights etc. etc. I am not saying the school was a bad school I did have happy times there like getting my head knocked in Hennesy's Boxing club that I was press ganged into. I did like the swimming and diving which I Did for the School. I think it was becouse i was in love with Miss White the trainer at the time. well sorry it was not a short reply as i am rather new to this. Topcat.
bobsummers
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
Tony I am so sorry for the cruelty you suffered from this teacher, it must have been by exception and not the norm I hope. I do remember your name. I think you where there before me. Your account was very interesting, how did they ever get away with this type of punishment?
We can sometimes be to quick to ask teachers to return to corporal punishment, but I too witnessed this extreme brutality, and hope it never returns to our schools.
I do advocate punishment though for criminal activity!! It may reduce the amount of people we pay for to be locked up, and make petty criminals to think twice after a good birching. (With Dr. in attendance of coarse.)
I wonder if this went on at other schools in Brum?
We can sometimes be to quick to ask teachers to return to corporal punishment, but I too witnessed this extreme brutality, and hope it never returns to our schools.
I do advocate punishment though for criminal activity!! It may reduce the amount of people we pay for to be locked up, and make petty criminals to think twice after a good birching. (With Dr. in attendance of coarse.)
I wonder if this went on at other schools in Brum?
Phil
Gone, but not forgotten.
Hi Topcat
I'm sorry to hear about your treatment at Dennis Rd as well, it was obviously much earlier than youngsters such as myself and Bob were there. Although I was caned many times it was always well deserved and never malicious Well mostly not anyway.
Bob, if you want to find really malicious teachers then you would have had to try Catholic Priests and Nuns, where I spent most of my academic years prior to Dennis Rd. It was one of the reasons why I converted from RC to C of E at 10 years of age.
Phil
I'm sorry to hear about your treatment at Dennis Rd as well, it was obviously much earlier than youngsters such as myself and Bob were there. Although I was caned many times it was always well deserved and never malicious Well mostly not anyway.
Bob, if you want to find really malicious teachers then you would have had to try Catholic Priests and Nuns, where I spent most of my academic years prior to Dennis Rd. It was one of the reasons why I converted from RC to C of E at 10 years of age.
Phil
Graham
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Hi Tony,
It's really good to see you here on the forum. I think that you might remember me from the Dennis Road School of Torture or from Friends Reunited.
Your reply was very interesting as naming all those teachers brought back many (bad & sad) memories. I too often went home with bleeding flesh, beaten for no reason other than for sadistic pleasure, but I never told mom as she had enough worries of her own. Oh and thanks for reminding me about those English lessons, because of them I too couldn't spell thus ruining my whole young career!
Graham Webb.
bobsummers
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
i donut unterstand dis think obout mi spelin at Dennis roD! dears nutin wrang with my spellin dat Ispell wont put rite,
Dam mine stopet wurkin,Dm!!
Dam mine stopet wurkin,Dm!!
ron perrott
Brummie babby
Iv'e just finished reading through all of these pages,notes and memories from many who I remember and some I don't. Dennis road will be forever etched in my memory for many reasons, some good and some bad.
Bob Summers was a pal at the time in the first of the fifth year classes. I was in Billy Biddles'last class and was one of those that put in to his retirement present, he was replaced by Monte, a revolting welsh druid with a serious attitude problem. I well remember the day he slammed the classroom door with such force it broke the glass, he explained to Mr Griffin that the wind took it (yea right ,the windows were closed) I was dreading moving up to Jones's class the next year as we could hear him opposite when he went off at some poor kid or other but in fact he was a decent sort of man who seemed to care and prepared us for life. Carrington was in fact the form teacher of 3:2 and was the music teacher (such as it was) he played the piano at school assembly a bit like lez Dawson and I remember his musical intro followed by a single "C" note as the cue to start singing. Anyone remember Mr Sumner, the science teacher,his bloody bees escaping in class and running riot in the science lab. His experiments NEVER worked and I remember him linking us all up to a 400 volt dynamo to prove that the resistance over that number of bodies would render the current harmless. Yea right, we all stood there shaking and unable to let go with our bloody hair stood on end.
When I was in the first year the art master was a guy called Ritson, a vile little sadist who would resort to the cane at the slightest excuse. He was replaced the next year by Cunningham, a weird sort of hippy type who was only interested in modern art. Kestrel was woodwork teacher, a west country man with a strong accent and a great craftsman, I remember to this day his little sayings. "Glue thick won't stick, glue cold won't hold" and "Measure twice, cut once" and finally "Keep both hands BEHIND the cutting edge" He was assisted by old grumpy (Mr Hanson) I guess we were all a little naive at the time but as I got older I could see that a few of the sadistic teachers at Dennis road (Monte, Ritson,Thomas etc) got there jollies by caning the kids and from that point of view I suppose that the banning of corporal punishment is perhaps a good thing. It was no seat of academia thats for sure but it was a school that tought us to think for our selves and that is born out by the comments and size of this link. My best mate at school was Duggie Herbert, he was a great lad and I often wonder what happened to him, I was told he was killed on his motorbike, I truly hope that is not the case, I like to think of him out there somewhere doing his thing but if anyone can shed any light on that it would be appreciated.
Bob Summers was a pal at the time in the first of the fifth year classes. I was in Billy Biddles'last class and was one of those that put in to his retirement present, he was replaced by Monte, a revolting welsh druid with a serious attitude problem. I well remember the day he slammed the classroom door with such force it broke the glass, he explained to Mr Griffin that the wind took it (yea right ,the windows were closed) I was dreading moving up to Jones's class the next year as we could hear him opposite when he went off at some poor kid or other but in fact he was a decent sort of man who seemed to care and prepared us for life. Carrington was in fact the form teacher of 3:2 and was the music teacher (such as it was) he played the piano at school assembly a bit like lez Dawson and I remember his musical intro followed by a single "C" note as the cue to start singing. Anyone remember Mr Sumner, the science teacher,his bloody bees escaping in class and running riot in the science lab. His experiments NEVER worked and I remember him linking us all up to a 400 volt dynamo to prove that the resistance over that number of bodies would render the current harmless. Yea right, we all stood there shaking and unable to let go with our bloody hair stood on end.
When I was in the first year the art master was a guy called Ritson, a vile little sadist who would resort to the cane at the slightest excuse. He was replaced the next year by Cunningham, a weird sort of hippy type who was only interested in modern art. Kestrel was woodwork teacher, a west country man with a strong accent and a great craftsman, I remember to this day his little sayings. "Glue thick won't stick, glue cold won't hold" and "Measure twice, cut once" and finally "Keep both hands BEHIND the cutting edge" He was assisted by old grumpy (Mr Hanson) I guess we were all a little naive at the time but as I got older I could see that a few of the sadistic teachers at Dennis road (Monte, Ritson,Thomas etc) got there jollies by caning the kids and from that point of view I suppose that the banning of corporal punishment is perhaps a good thing. It was no seat of academia thats for sure but it was a school that tought us to think for our selves and that is born out by the comments and size of this link. My best mate at school was Duggie Herbert, he was a great lad and I often wonder what happened to him, I was told he was killed on his motorbike, I truly hope that is not the case, I like to think of him out there somewhere doing his thing but if anyone can shed any light on that it would be appreciated.
bobsummers
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
Hello Ron. You have made me chuckle at your post. I do remember all that went on it was like you have re-activated a memory pod in my brain. I will probably have a nightmare dream tonight.
Great to see you on the BHF. There's a lot on this site to get your teeth into old mate.
PS your spelling is too good to be an ex pupil of this seat of learning
Bob.
Great to see you on the BHF. There's a lot on this site to get your teeth into old mate.
PS your spelling is too good to be an ex pupil of this seat of learning
Bob.
ron perrott
Brummie babby
I guess writing on this link has liberated all sorts of memories that I feel I must share and perhaps jog a few from others. Mr Sumner (the science master) had an old scooter, massive bloody great thing it was. DKR Albatross I think if my memory serves me well. Any road up, the apiery club (bees) consisted of me, Paul Brown and David Rawlins with his nibs (Sumner) self elected as chairman. The local trees were either apple or lime and we produced two distinct types of honey from hives that were facing in the different directions. Wonderful stuff it was and I consumed pounds of it in my time straight from the hive, still warm and on the comb.
I can still taste it now. We also produced some royal jelly (VERY expensive these days) god that was just superb, you can stick your truffles and other posh nosh, I wonder if that is why I still retain my health, fitness and good looks (yea right Ron) well----- two out of three ain't bad. Sumner decided that it would be a good idea to recky the area to see where all the trees were so the 4 of us (yes 4) piled onto his scooter and wobbled off around the local streets to spy into the back gardens. Wonder what health and safety would make of that. As I said in the last post his experiments NEVER worked, well thats not strictly true. I remember one morning lesson when he decided that it would be a good idea to split water into its component parts and we all should have a go. Now I would question the intelligence of allowing 40 odd kids from the back streets of Balsall Heath to sit round with a test tube full of oxygen in one hand, a test tube full of Hyrdrogen in the other and a light Bunsen burner between, the result was perhaps predictable. Anyway our eyebrows grew back OK as did the front of our hair.but the science lab never really recovered. Sex lessons were a laugh, I guess by todays standards we were incredibly naive, OK we knew the theory but for years I thought that if you stretched a condom over a banana in the room a girl couldn't get pregnant. The first time I got aroused was on a bus and it frightened the life out of me, I thought I was deformed. What did we know. I had only come into contact with girls when we played Queensbridge at hocky, kinell those girls were lethal, I could hardly walk for a week, they certainly learned more about the male anatomy,and its weeknesses, than we ever learned about them. I wonder if I have stimulated some grey matter out there from other ex Dennis road boys, I hope so.
I can still taste it now. We also produced some royal jelly (VERY expensive these days) god that was just superb, you can stick your truffles and other posh nosh, I wonder if that is why I still retain my health, fitness and good looks (yea right Ron) well----- two out of three ain't bad. Sumner decided that it would be a good idea to recky the area to see where all the trees were so the 4 of us (yes 4) piled onto his scooter and wobbled off around the local streets to spy into the back gardens. Wonder what health and safety would make of that. As I said in the last post his experiments NEVER worked, well thats not strictly true. I remember one morning lesson when he decided that it would be a good idea to split water into its component parts and we all should have a go. Now I would question the intelligence of allowing 40 odd kids from the back streets of Balsall Heath to sit round with a test tube full of oxygen in one hand, a test tube full of Hyrdrogen in the other and a light Bunsen burner between, the result was perhaps predictable. Anyway our eyebrows grew back OK as did the front of our hair.but the science lab never really recovered. Sex lessons were a laugh, I guess by todays standards we were incredibly naive, OK we knew the theory but for years I thought that if you stretched a condom over a banana in the room a girl couldn't get pregnant. The first time I got aroused was on a bus and it frightened the life out of me, I thought I was deformed. What did we know. I had only come into contact with girls when we played Queensbridge at hocky, kinell those girls were lethal, I could hardly walk for a week, they certainly learned more about the male anatomy,and its weeknesses, than we ever learned about them. I wonder if I have stimulated some grey matter out there from other ex Dennis road boys, I hope so.
frederick
master brummie
I have forgoten the teachers name but i would have to go to a shop just wear Ladypool rd meets church rd i would go down those steps just past the park on Birchwood rd and it was to get his pipe tobacco he must have trusted me with his money. and a thing the kids can't do now health & safety is to have a slide in the play ground made by sliding on the snow and turning it into ice a friend of mine Bobby Walton " i have a photo of him " broke his arm and one or two others did the same but it was great fun.
Bobby Walton is the second from the left the first one is another Dennis rd school kid Johnny Sheldon i am the third from the left the other two little one didn't go to our school, does anyone remember Bobby Walton or Johnny Sheldon.
Bobby Walton is the second from the left the first one is another Dennis rd school kid Johnny Sheldon i am the third from the left the other two little one didn't go to our school, does anyone remember Bobby Walton or Johnny Sheldon.
Phil
Gone, but not forgotten.
Dennis Rd School Annex on Ladypool Rd, my first classroom at Dennis Rd was here (there were only two). It used to be part of St Paul's School who's main buildings were in Vincent Street before it was bombed out. I suppose it must have annexed to Dennis Rd then.
I was in class 1.3 there in the 1958 first year intake until we took tests to sort us about, so after about a month I was moved up to the main school to class 1.1. I wasn't very happy because that meant being separated from my uncle Ben who was in the same class as me at the annex in Mr Griffith's class if I remember correctly.
Phil
I was in class 1.3 there in the 1958 first year intake until we took tests to sort us about, so after about a month I was moved up to the main school to class 1.1. I wasn't very happy because that meant being separated from my uncle Ben who was in the same class as me at the annex in Mr Griffith's class if I remember correctly.
Phil
Attachments
![BalsallHeathLadypoolRdDennisRdAnnex[1].jpg](/forum/data/attachments/32/32095-800aaeb75921792dd16a9e58e16dbfe0.jpg?hash=gAqut1kheS)
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bobsummers
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
Phil have you any of your class photos during the happy times we spent there. great photo.
Bob
Bob
Phil
Gone, but not forgotten.
Bob
I have I think precisely one photo of myself before I reached the age I was able to buy my own camera at about 16 years of age. I have no school photos at all, I didn't even bother to turn up for my leaving certificate. In fact I didn't turn up for the last 3 months at all as I was already working.
Phil
I have I think precisely one photo of myself before I reached the age I was able to buy my own camera at about 16 years of age. I have no school photos at all, I didn't even bother to turn up for my leaving certificate. In fact I didn't turn up for the last 3 months at all as I was already working.
Phil
james houston
Mr Sparks
My dad William Houston attended this school during the war years,he left at 14yrs of age in1943.
Hi Frederick
Malcolm Jefferies printed a copy off for me some years ago. I think it was actually taken by the holiday camp photographer and then sent to the Birmingham Mail as free publicity for them. They did the same thing the second time I went. I am pretty sure there was a notice on the camp board asking us to turn up. If it had just been a school photo there would not have been any reason for it. My biggest memory of my first trip was when the older kids had found an old building at the camp full of old film negatives which they used to wrap in paper and then set alight. They would then throw these smoke bombs into the chalets of the younger kids. They would also put a sheet over there heads at night and walk along the roofs of the chalets claiming to be George, George with the handlebars. I don't know if there was any truth in the story of a TT motorcyclist who died in an accident and they couldn't get the handlebars of his bike out of his hands. so he was buried with them. Probably a Dennis Road tall story.
Malcolm Jefferies printed a copy off for me some years ago. I think it was actually taken by the holiday camp photographer and then sent to the Birmingham Mail as free publicity for them. They did the same thing the second time I went. I am pretty sure there was a notice on the camp board asking us to turn up. If it had just been a school photo there would not have been any reason for it. My biggest memory of my first trip was when the older kids had found an old building at the camp full of old film negatives which they used to wrap in paper and then set alight. They would then throw these smoke bombs into the chalets of the younger kids. They would also put a sheet over there heads at night and walk along the roofs of the chalets claiming to be George, George with the handlebars. I don't know if there was any truth in the story of a TT motorcyclist who died in an accident and they couldn't get the handlebars of his bike out of his hands. so he was buried with them. Probably a Dennis Road tall story.
Hi Frederick
I can only remember two trips, both with Jones. The first was a geography field trip to the docks at Avonmouth and the second was to Wembley for a schoolboy football match between England and Wales. I am pretty sure the school used to run holiday trips to France as well as the I.O.M. I don't know anyone who went to France.
I can only remember two trips, both with Jones. The first was a geography field trip to the docks at Avonmouth and the second was to Wembley for a schoolboy football match between England and Wales. I am pretty sure the school used to run holiday trips to France as well as the I.O.M. I don't know anyone who went to France.
Graham
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Fred I remember the IOM trip and to the playing fields where we were made to play football. That was a game that I didn't like because it's very bad for cycling muscles so when the teams were made up and Jones disappeared, to god knows where; I crawled into the equipment shed and stayed there until the match was over!
I also remember the trip to Wembley and enjoyed the ambience but couldn't see the point of watching, from a great height, 22 little kids running after a ball on an immense field.
Looking back I found the trip to Avonmouth and the steel works very interesting, little did I know then that I'd spend over 30 years in the Belgian steel industry.
Jones also took us to Malvern and made a race of climbing the big hill, he wasn't very pleased with me hitting the top about 20 mins ahead of him and the rest! He was the one that messed my school rapport up by giving me a zero for PT with the comment "very weak". Jealousy is a very bad disease especially for a teacher.
I also remember the trip to Wembley and enjoyed the ambience but couldn't see the point of watching, from a great height, 22 little kids running after a ball on an immense field.
Looking back I found the trip to Avonmouth and the steel works very interesting, little did I know then that I'd spend over 30 years in the Belgian steel industry.
Jones also took us to Malvern and made a race of climbing the big hill, he wasn't very pleased with me hitting the top about 20 mins ahead of him and the rest! He was the one that messed my school rapport up by giving me a zero for PT with the comment "very weak". Jealousy is a very bad disease especially for a teacher.