Gannow School, Rubery 1960's

[River Song]

I wonder if anyone can help me piece together my failing memory of my school-days in Rubery?

For a start I'm trying to remember the names of the teachers at Gannow during the period 1962 to 1965, and what subjects they taught.

I vaguely remember Mr Morby and Mr Nicklin, but that's all so far. I can't even remember if teachers had specific subjects at primary schools in those days?

I remember the outdoor swimming pool being built, with the wooden sheds for changing rooms. Wow, that was cold! I can remember "Music and Movement", Scottish dancing, school milk with the tops popped off by the ice, nature trails, singing a hymn at the end of the day after putting the chairs on our desks, the "Radio" - a big wooden board with a loudspeaker on it. And I remember our 4th year class size was 42. Nothing unusual in those days.

Please share your memories.... Thank you

 

[MOSELIAN]

Hello there. You must have been at Gannow at the same time as me. I remember Mrs wakelam, and certainly Mr Nicklin, he reminded me of Crippin and was just as loveable. Mr Saul was headmaster, strict but a nice man. Also there was Mr Kingsley. The janitor Mac lived at the side of the school and smoked one of those highly aromatic tobaccos. Yes, I remember the pool, the freezing change rooms and many of the children, some of whom I went over the field to Waseley with. We used to have some real cold winters when I was there so there were big snowball fights out on the field with defences made from snow boulders. I remember one year (about 1964/5) a plane landed out on the hill and we all went out to see if the pilot as okay and have a nose around. Yes I have quite a few memories of Gannow, happy days really.

 

[Auldun]

I moved up to Gannow from All Saints – a grotty old Victorian school in the middle of the village. I thought Gannow was utopia by comparison. I started with Miss Lusher on the ground floor doing 3 R’s and needlework. I then moved up a floor to Miss Harris doing 3 R’s and singing. The next year I did time with Mr. Nicklin doing maths, origami, and discipline! My last year was with Mr. Caffrey and his sidekick Mr. Caroll which was on the top floor Next to Mr. Morby’s room. I sat at Mrs Wakelam’s table at lunchtime, and she taught me how to eat all posh like.

I also enjoyed the delights of the outdoor swimming pool with its manky changing rooms, polystyrene floats and over-chlorinated water. I managed to dog paddle a length one time and they gave me a certificate for it. There was one girl in my class who could go from end to end in just a few butterfly strokes – she was the best swimmer as I recall. Most of the time, I sat shivering on the wall outside the changing rooms, watching my classmates trying not to drown in the pool.

My lasting memories of the Gannow are Potato Puffs (why don’t they make them anymore?), school milk (yuck!), and racing our Corgi cars down a sloping footpath next to the toilets.

Like most of the kids, I went to Waseley afterwards, where Toad and Jug were head and deputy head and my form teachers were Mrs. Barrie, Mrs. Skett. Mrs. Coulthard , Mr. Taylor, and Mrs. Trenberth née Greaves, AKA Gert.

Happy days – not on your noodle! They didn’t begin until I retired in 2004!

 

[Gerry1712]

Hello there. You must have been at Gannow at the same time as me. I remember Mrs wakelam, and certainly Mr Nicklin, he reminded me of Crippin and was just as loveable. Mr Saul was headmaster, strict but a nice man. Also there was Mr Kingsley. The janitor Mac lived at the side of the school and smoked one of those highly aromatic tobaccos. Yes, I remember the pool, the freezing change rooms and many of the children, some of whom I went over the field to Waseley with. We used to have some real cold winters when I was there so there were big snowball fights out on the field with defences made from snow boulders. I remember one year (about 1964/5) a plane landed out on the hill and we all went out to see if the pilot as okay and have a nose around. Yes I have quite a few memories of Gannow, happy days really.

Hello, I attended Gannow in the 60’s and remember Mr Saul as being such a kind man. We went on a weeks trip to Wales (I think it was called something like Dolfriog) and Mr Saul was so lovely when I tripped and hurt my ankle. Does anyone remember Miss Phillips? She was big friends with another lady teacher whose name escapes me but she taught piano and they were both big in the Northfield Operatic Society and myself and a girl called Sally Osbourne played the two children in their production of South Pacific. I also went to Waseley but just for 12 months as we then moved house to Bromsgrove so changed schools. I remember the swimming pool and loved it even though it was very cold and I could barely swim and I remember Mrs Wakelam although she didn’t teach me. Also remember the caretaker who seemed to be great friends with Miss Phillips and the music teacher whose name I cant recall. I do remember the snow being really bad and going over the top of my wellies when walking to school during the winter. Winters definitely seemed harsher although I could be mis-remembering.

 

[MTKH]

I wonder if anyone can help me piece together my failing memory of my school-days in Rubery?

For a start I'm trying to remember the names of the teachers at Gannow during the period 1962 to 1965, and what subjects they taught.

I vaguely remember Mr Morby and Mr Nicklin, but that's all so far. I can't even remember if teachers had specific subjects at primary schools in those days?

I remember the outdoor swimming pool being built, with the wooden sheds for changing rooms. Wow, that was cold! I can remember "Music and Movement", Scottish dancing, school milk with the tops popped off by the ice, nature trails, singing a hymn at the end of the day after putting the chairs on our desks, the "Radio" - a big wooden board with a loudspeaker on it. And I remember our 4th year class size was 42. Nothing unusual in those days.

Please share your memories.... Thank you

I was at Gannow County Primary School 1959 -1962. Before that I was at St Chads C of E School on the main road (now houses). Mr J P Saul was the Headmaster, Mr L M Graves his deputy. The teachers I had were Mrs Dunn 1st year, Mr L M Graves 2nd year, Miss Y L Hinton 3rd Year, Miss G M Narraway 4th year. I do remember the huge radio. The school play each year. The horrid school milk! Putting our chairs on the desk at the end of the day. Our year did not go to Wales so we did not get to ride on the Ffestiniog Railway.

 

[EllieWake]

Hello, I attended Gannow in the 60’s and remember Mr Saul as being such a kind man. We went on a weeks trip to Wales (I think it was called something like Dolfriog) and Mr Saul was so lovely when I tripped and hurt my ankle. Does anyone remember Miss Phillips? She was big friends with another lady teacher whose name escapes me but she taught piano and they were both big in the Northfield Operatic Society and myself and a girl called Sally Osbourne played the two children in their production of South Pacific. I also went to Waseley but just for 12 months as we then moved house to Bromsgrove so changed schools. I remember the swimming pool and loved it even though it was very cold and I could barely swim and I remember Mrs Wakelam although she didn’t teach me. Also remember the caretaker who seemed to be great friends with Miss Phillips and the music teacher whose name I cant recall. I do remember the snow being really bad and going over the top of my wellies when walking to school during the winter. Winters definitely seemed harsher although I could be mis-remembering.

Hello Gerry1712. Eleanor Murphy here, Mrs Wakelam was my mum. I was at Gannow from 62 till about 65. Mum and I went to Dolfriog too. Mum couldn't swim but taught all her class in the pool. We had to give 2/6 a week to get the pool built

 

[EllieWake]

I was at Gannow County Primary School 1959 -1962. Before that I was at St Chads C of E School on the main road (now houses). Mr J P Saul was the Headmaster, Mr L M Graves his deputy. The teachers I had were Mrs Dunn 1st year, Mr L M Graves 2nd year, Miss Y L Hinton 3rd Year, Miss G M Narraway 4th year. I do remember the huge radio. The school play each year. The horrid school milk! Putting our chairs on the desk at the end of the day. Our year did not go to Wales so we did not get to ride on the Ffestiniog Railway.

I wonder if anyone can help me piece together my failing memory of my school-days in Rubery?

For a start I'm trying to remember the names of the teachers at Gannow during the period 1962 to 1965, and what subjects they taught.

I vaguely remember Mr Morby and Mr Nicklin, but that's all so far. I can't even remember if teachers had specific subjects at primary schools in those days?

I remember the outdoor swimming pool being built, with the wooden sheds for changing rooms. Wow, that was cold! I can remember "Music and Movement", Scottish dancing, school milk with the tops popped off by the ice, nature trails, singing a hymn at the end of the day after putting the chairs on our desks, the "Radio" - a big wooden board with a loudspeaker on it. And I remember our 4th year class size was 42. Nothing unusual in those days.

Please share your memories.... Thank you

Hello River Song. My mum was Mrs Wakelam she taught there along with Mr Kennedy, Mr Nicklin Mr Morby and Pete Caffrey and Tim Anderson were student teachers. Mr Saul was headmaster. Remember dancing the Maypole? They didn't have specific subjects, but Mum was responsible for dance etc and needlework. Both of which I loathed. I was never in her class. I was in Mr Morby and Mr Nicklin's. Mum taught in the huts for a while. I vaguely remember Miss Philips who used to give us a lift in her van when Mr Saul couldn't. I used to sit on a wheel arch in the back of the van. No flipping seat, never mind a seatbelt.

 

[EllieWake]

I moved up to Gannow from All Saints – a grotty old Victorian school in the middle of the village. I thought Gannow was utopia by comparison. I started with Miss Lusher on the ground floor doing 3 R’s and needlework. I then moved up a floor to Miss Harris doing 3 R’s and singing. The next year I did time with Mr. Nicklin doing maths, origami, and discipline! My last year was with Mr. Caffrey and his sidekick Mr. Caroll which was on the top floor Next to Mr. Morby’s room. I sat at Mrs Wakelam’s table at lunchtime, and she taught me how to eat all posh like.

I also enjoyed the delights of the outdoor swimming pool with its manky changing rooms, polystyrene floats and over-chlorinated water. I managed to dog paddle a length one time and they gave me a certificate for it. There was one girl in my class who could go from end to end in just a few butterfly strokes – she was the best swimmer as I recall. Most of the time, I sat shivering on the wall outside the changing rooms, watching my classmates trying not to drown in the pool.

My lasting memories of the Gannow are Potato Puffs (why don’t they make them anymore?), school milk (yuck!), and racing our Corgi cars down a sloping footpath next to the toilets.

Like most of the kids, I went to Waseley afterwards, where Toad and Jug were head and deputy head and my form teachers were Mrs. Barrie, Mrs. Skett. Mrs. Coulthard , Mr. Taylor, and Mrs. Trenberth née Greaves, AKA Gert.

Happy days – not on your noodle! They didn’t begin until I retired in 2004!

Hello Auldun. I was at Gannow 62 till 65. Mrs Wakelam was my mum. I was Eleanor Wakelam then. I could swim the lengh of the pool in a few strokes but mainly breaststroke. But I could do butterfly too. Mr Saul called me Anita Lonsborough