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George Dixons Grammar School

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Bob Hughes said:
Hi Steve; I cannot confirm that the first name of Mills was Robert or not. Maybe David Hart or Paul Wolf can help as they were in the science sixth with him.
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Hi Steve there was a Karl Mills in our year who was one of my good friends. between school and university we along with Dave Lucas and one other friends did a grand tour of the midlands canals in a dinghy and tent.
 
David Hart said:
Hi Paul, good to hear from you after 50 years! Glad you’re well and like me enjoying a second marriage. Sorry to hear of your father’s passing in Israel. My father died in Birmingham aged 89 in 2015, he came to UK with the kinder transport from Germany in 1939. My mother who is a well-known Auschwitz survivor is still alive at 95 and lives in Hertfordshire near to my brother who was also at GD.
I well remember you playing clarinet in the orchestra. Why did you move to Cheshire?
I left UK in 1997 where I was working as a GP when my first marriage broke up and since then have been in Germany where I worked as a GP with the British Army until 2016, then as a GP in the German prison service and since Nov. 2020 I’m a GP in a private American practice in south Germany. I still live in the north near Hannover and commute 500km by train twice weekly. I love it though.
I don’t remember your younger brother.
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David Hart said:
Hi Paul, good to hear from you after 50 years! Glad you’re well and like me enjoying a second marriage. Sorry to hear of your father’s passing in Israel. My father died in Birmingham aged 89 in 2015, he came to UK with the kinder transport from Germany in 1939. My mother who is a well-known Auschwitz survivor is still alive at 95 and lives in Hertfordshire near to my brother who was also at GD.
I well remember you playing clarinet in the orchestra. Why did you move to Cheshire?
I left UK in 1997 where I was working as a GP when my first marriage broke up and since then have been in Germany where I worked as a GP with the British Army until 2016, then as a GP in the German prison service and since Nov. 2020 I’m a GP in a private American practice in south Germany. I still live in the north near Hannover and commute 500km by train twice weekly. I love it though.
I don’t remember your younger brother.
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Hi David
I am intending to post some photos on the facebook group that i have just discovered. i thought this one might amuse you and your family. Taken on one of the science field trips.20150810105632_01.jpg
 
David Hart said:
The surname Mills is familiar but I cannot recall if the first name was Robert. It’s an interesting list to look at and handwritten. There are numbers by names, what significance are they? My name is there in lower sixth science where I was in 1970 until the start of the Autumn Term in September 1970. I recognise most of the other names in my year.
I also recognise several names from the upper sixth lists including Mark Williams who joined my year and Eli Pedahzur who qualified as a doctor eventually and is now retired. He changed his surname to Leyton.
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Between the end of exams and the end of the school year several of us in the upper sixth in 1970 went on a road trip to see Hair in London. The numbers and names circled in yellow was Digby Emson's way of keeping track of who was going and who had paid. Mills first name may be Karl as mentioned in another post on this forum.
 
Yes, Paul Wolf remembers a Karl Mills so that must be him.
So nice to communicate with you Paul after all these years plus we have a lot in common descended from Jewish refugees.
If you wish to remain in contact please email me at dphart@doctors.org.uk
It is ironical that I live now in Germany and am married to a lovely German woman 10 years younger than me after my family’s history but my mother loves my wife and has visited us in Germany. I’ve now got dual nationality. If you email me I’ll send you some photos of us here.
 
Ex Brummie 71 said:
Hi Steve there was a Karl Mills in our year who was one of my good friends. between school and university we along with Dave Lucas and one other friends did a grand tour of the midlands canals in a dinghy and tent.
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Hello,
This is Fred Kilby, I'm living in Nairobi these days. I graduated in the summer of 1971 and had a chance to reminisce with Robert Hodgson in May after a year locked down in Oxford (Covid not the jail). Hard to believe its been 50 years . Too bad there wasn't a reunion. All the best to everyone.
 
Hi Fred,
i remember you well especially as your birthday is a day before mine. Yours is 29th June and mine is 30th June. I remember you in the sixth form and saw you on a recent photo of us all in 1971 which was posted here. So like me you’re 68 now. Where have 50 years gone? What are you doing now in Nairobi?
Are you retired, what work did you do?
As you’ve probably read I am a doctor, 45 years in practice this summer and working as a GP in a private American family practice in south Germany near the huge US Base at Ramstein.
im married the second time and have a German wife 10 years younger than me and a 17 year old son. I have 3 adult daughters from my first wife living in UK and I have 3 grandsons.
yes, a reunion would have been nice just like I attend every 5 years with my medical school year.
Anyway, all the very best and I hope you’re in good health. David
 
Harry Flashman said:
Interesting post there John. Like you I started in 1A at GD and have good memories of Rudolph and Martin, as well as Paul Mayhew. My illustrious start in an ‘A’ stream class was doomed to have me with you John and others, swimming in the depths of the ‘C’ stream from year two for the rest of my sentence at GD. I have nobody to blame but myself for the attitude I took when, early on after a poor academic showing, I was told by one of the particularly acidic teachers that “somebody has to sweep the roads.” Subsequently I know that I developed a poor attitude that resulted in me leaving with only 3 ‘O’ levels. One year later at Hall Green Tech. I gathered up 5 more ‘O’s with grades 1 in Maths and English language and 3’s in Physics, Chemistry and English literature. Clearly, I responded to the attitude of the teaching staff at Hall Green, that all students be treated as young adults and not as potential road sweepers. Kudos to all the ‘A’ and 'B' streamers at GD who went on to have successful careers. However, I believe that many of us ‘C’ streamers went on to have successful careers also, despite the dire predictions meted out to us. Semi-rant over.
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Interesting your comments about your treatment at GD I left the girls school in1962, my experience was very similar. The Headmistress one, Violet A Organ MA, was only interested in girls whose parents were professionals, even though a large percentage of the girls came from working class backgrounds, I still can recall the time after being sent to see her for misbehaving, Miss Organ informed me I would never make anything of my life because of my accent. Not much point in bothering I thought, and I didn’t. Left at 16, started work, went to day release college and night school, got all my qualifications while being paid. Ended up running a business with my husband employing 80 people. Miss Organ was so wrong!
 
I think it's very bad practice for any teacher to make negative comments to pupils - they should be there to encourage and help young people.
She did you a good turn in the long run but that comment could have been very crushing to someone else.
 
Kathsutton46 said:
Interesting your comments about your treatment at GD I left the girls school in1962, my experience was very similar. The Headmistress one, Violet A Organ MA, was only interested in girls whose parents were professionals, even though a large percentage of the girls came from working class backgrounds, I still can recall the time after being sent to see her for misbehaving, Miss Organ informed me I would never make anything of my life because of my accent. Not much point in bothering I thought, and I didn’t. Left at 16, started work, went to day release college and night school, got all my qualifications while being paid. Ended up running a business with my husband employing 80 people. Miss Organ was so wrong!
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oh well done to you kath...you are living proof that one does not have to be born with a silver spoon in your mouth to make something of yourself...only difference is you most likely had to try even harder and have such determination after such a negative comment from your head and i have to say i do not think such a comment would be made today ...well done

lyn
 
Kathsutton46 said:
Interesting your comments about your treatment at GD I left the girls school in1962, my experience was very similar. The Headmistress one, Violet A Organ MA, was only interested in girls whose parents were professionals, even though a large percentage of the girls came from working class backgrounds, I still can recall the time after being sent to see her for misbehaving, Miss Organ informed me I would never make anything of my life because of my accent. Not much point in bothering I thought, and I didn’t. Left at 16, started work, went to day release college and night school, got all my qualifications while being paid. Ended up running a business with my husband employing 80 people. Miss Organ was so wrong!
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Kath it appeared she was very much wrong, just as they were in my case and probably innumerable other cases. I've reflected back over the years at the treatment meted out to many pupils at GD. Some of the 'teachers' were more inclined to sarcasm than to encouraging learning. In those cases I believe these were deeply unsatisfied people, perhaps in home life, or in their unrealised academic accomplishments that had them teaching at a grammar school instead of a fine seat of learning. For my 'road sweeper' self I had a successful career with a corporation in the United States, eventually being owner of a small company, just outside Atlanta, employing 49 people. I now live happily in a small cabin the mountains of western North Carolina with my long suffering wife and three dogs.
 
I think it can depend a lot on the teachers that you encountered in your school life. I remember one teacher in the boys school who reminded us several times that we were in the top 26% of boys in the city as the majority of the school age population did not have the advantage of a grammar school education. Whether or not that prompted us to try harder. I cannot say. I was lucky to go to GD as I lived in Worcestershire outside the city boundary and I actually failed the Worcestershire 11+ but also took the Birmingham 11+ and was fortunate to get a place as at that time we were allowed to sit the exams in different areas. My sister, who is younger than me, was not allowed to do that but managed to get into GD on the basis of her success in the Worcestershire 11+.
 
Bob Hughes said:
Does anybody recognize anybody in the attached photo. Was taken at a sports day at the Hadley Stadium in the circa late 1960's
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I think that might be my old mate Es Rosen centre of middle row
If l remember correctly both he and Rudi Smith went on to play for Moseley
Also remember school trip to Cardiff Arms Park to support Rod Watts playing for England Under 18s
Happy days!
 
My daughter linked me to this site yesterday....and its a great trip down memory lane!
I was at GD 1962-68 and although discipline was strict l think l got a good education
Malcolm Hannay was my favourite teacher....gave me a lifelong love of Spain and all things Spanish
Remember so many people...to name but a few Es Rosen, Greg Turvey, Jeff Heath, Chris Haynes, Richard Carter, Terry Topping and Richard Small....would love to know how many of us are still around
 
Grammarbug said:
Having discovered this site and thread today prompts me to send a 'shout out' to the class of 1971leavers to the extent I can recall them! Fred Kilby, Michael Williams, Graham Howe,
Philip Street, Malcolm Ridout, Peter Muller,Clive Frazer, Bill Bonner, Robert Bissell, Peter Gregory, Geoffrey Newby, Henry Barrel, Geoffrey Hunt , John Smith, Gary Bushell with apologies to the dozens I have omitted! As for the girls who I met in the union of sixth forms in 1971........Rebecca Shields, Inger Fetter , Lynne Kenny (knew from before),Noelle Bartlett, Sarah Merritt, Anne Cottam, her friend Ann, Jennifer Bomber and now brain fade sets in! I sincerely hope all are alive and well and have put their privileged education to good effect!! While it is imperative to be forward looking in life I am always happy to share fond memories!
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Hi, Also just have found this thread so thought I'd respond - see my name has been quoted several times by those that left in 1971 ( Graham Howe). Geoffrey Fletcher used to call me " a stupid fat Methodist". Think you are right about him being non pc.

Great to see posts from so many - Dave H - well done in all your posts! I have had a lovely time reflecting on all of them and have so many fond memories of my time at GD.

I came across this year photo as well and hope you recognise evryone?
 

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Hi Graham, great to see a post from you! I have fond memories of you at GD. You were of course one of my prefects 1970-71. I hope you are well. No doubt you have a large family now. Are you still working or retired. I heard you were a financial adviser.
I’m still working as a GP in a totally private American family practice in south Germany near the huge US Base at Ramstein.
I’ve been 25 years in Germany since coming here with the army in 1997. I remarried a German national and we have an 18 year old son here.
I have 3 adult daughters in UK from my first marriage which ended in 1997.
My younger brother who also was at GD is retired and my 95 year old mother is still alive and kicking. I’d love to hear more from you.
All best wishes, David
 
SussexBrummie said:
I think that might be my old mate Es Rosen centre of middle row
If l remember correctly both he and Rudi Smith went on to play for Moseley
Also remember school trip to Cardiff Arms Park to support Rod Watts playing for England Under 18s
Happy days!
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In the event you have not heard Rudi Smith passed away about a month ago.
 
Bob Hughes said:
What years were you at GD???
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1963/4-1969. I was in 1A with Rudi. One event that has stayed with me over the years was our introduction to Art with Pat Hanks. He espoused a very 'radical' (but quite correct) opinion that plastic flowers and 'Paint by Numbers' were a ghastly insult to nature and the art world. Mr. Hanks said that we should never lower ourselves to using a 'Paint by Numbers' 'kit' and that if any of us had plastic flowers in our homes, then we should throw them away immediately. It transpired that Rudi's mom and Ed Hawkins's mom had plastic flower displays which were subsequently dispatched to dustbins by our gallant two. Both Rudi and Ed recounted sad tales of angry mothers, but basked in the light of a delighted Pat Hanks.
 
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Harry Flashman said:
1963/4-1969. I was in 1A with Rudi. One event that has stayed with me over the years was our introduction to Art with Pat Hanks. He espoused a very 'radical' (but quite correct) opinion that plastic flowers and 'Paint by Numbers' were a ghastly insult to nature and the art world. Mr. Hanks said that we should never lower ourselves to using a 'Paint by Numbers' 'kit' and that if any of us had plastic flowers in our homes, then we should throw them away immediately. It transpired that Rudi's mom and Ed Hawkins's mom had plastic flower displays which were subsequently dispatched to dustbins by our gallant two. Both Rudi and Ed recounted sad tales of angry mothers, but basked in the light of a delighted Pat Hanks.
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We were at GD for the same years - I was there 1963 to 1970. Did you do sixth form? I do not recall your name and you probably don't recall mine.
 
Bob Hughes said:
We were at GD for the same years - I was there 1963 to 1970. Did you do sixth form? I do not recall your name and you probably don't recall mine.
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No I did not do 6th form. Sadly, I did not take GD very seriously. It was after a poor showing one year that a teacher told me that "...someone has to sweep the roads." After that I lost interest and in my opinion at the time, was of the opinion that GD was a stagnant relic, staffed by some teaching staff who failed to recognize the basic concept of encouraging pupils to learn, as opposed to just ordering them to memorize facts, in order to pass ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels. On reflection, I should have risen to the occasion, as I have for most of my life when faced with adversity. My poor showing at GD did not hold me back in life as I eventually found my niche and had a successful career, with a corporation, in the United States.
 
Really sorry to hear about Rudolph Smith. I was in 1A with him back in 1963 and remember him as a happy person. Always smiling. In a later year I remember facing him at cricket for the Britons against the Saxons and having to get out of the way of a particularly fierce delivery which lifted off a full length. A smiling apology from Rudolph followed before he disappeared into the distance to start his run up for the next delivery.
I remember the incident with Pat Hanks and the plastic flowers and whenever I see a painting by numbers book I always remember Mr Hanks disparaging remarks.
That's a good picture of the 1963-64 Rugby team in the URL posted by Bob Hughes .I assume it's the under 12s. I certainly recognise John McConnell who was hooker. I was reserve hooker so didn't make the picture although there was a photograph taken at the time of the under 12's 'B' team but sad to say my copy went missing many years ago. I think we only played one game which ended in a 3 - 3 draw.
 
Hi BG. I can only assume that you were at GD between 1963 and 1968, or 1970 if you knew Rudi. Did you do the sixth form. If you did your name would appear on the attached list. 1970 list.jpgCould I ask you what your name is.
 
I started in 1963 but left in 1969 so am not on the list although I recognise many of the names shown. After starting in 1A I sank without trace into the C steam and left after one year spent in 6G along with Harry Flashman among others.
 
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