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Handsworth Technical School

It's a pity we haven't got any photos from days at the school, but I suppose taking photos was the last thing we were thinking about. I vaguely remember a school photo taken with one of those cameras that could rotate and scan a large group. Of course some 'wag' on the one end ran round the back of the group to the other end and appeared twice on the photo. Unfortunately I haven't got the photo.
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Hi

Strange on Photo's I havent got one. I dont remember any
being taken.

yes Willie Whetton. It was Nov 58 we were in the builders
yard at Craythorne Ave. He disched out our homework books
as Normal alway's got great marks from loved History.
Suddenly he got up and went into a tirade into the Great War.
Im sure it wasnt on the curriculum but on he went with his mates
falling around him. He was trying to link today's generation with the
ones that he fallen and how ungrateful we were. Suddenly names of
chums spurted how as they fell. After 10 minutes he sat down and wept.
It was 40 years to the day the War was over and obviously things got
on Top of him a bit.
The Tirade ended and we were bck into the Manorial Sytem.
Never forget that day.

Mike Jenks
 
That episode with Willie sounds very moving (to an adult). How did the class take it? Hope nobody took the micky.
Re. film club: Don't recall the Scott one but remember an "edge of seat" one about transporting nitro-glycerine over unmade roads to "blow" out an oil well fire in Venezuala - gripping stuff! One time, it may have been the whole school or just our year ,went to see Olivier's Richard III at the West End ( near top of Suffolk St.). It was probably meant to be educational, but I doubt if I was alone in failing to apreciate the language and just saw it as a "ripping yarn".
Speaking of Shakespeare puts me in mind of yet another "Ozzie" episode. We'd done "The Merchant" and progressed to "Ceaser,J.". The frontispiece to the textbook was an engraving of our hero, laurel wreath and all. Some jokers in a previous class had added a moustache, eye patch, duelling scar etc. in some of the books which seemed like a good laugh. However, at the end of the lesson, "Oz" demanded that all books be opened at the picture and started to stamp up and down the rows, ranting about de-facing school property. Those with the offending books were quaking in their shoes! He must have known how many had previously been "modified" for I don't think any of us were punished.
Punished! Oh dear, that brings back a terrible event at Boulton Rd. Anyone remember "Roberts" who took Art? I don't think he actually "taught", just made non-constructive criticisms of the symetry and elipses of the pots we usually drew. For a change we were using water colours and a subject of our own choosing. He disliked everyones work and got more and more agitated at each one he saw. He lighted on a boy called "Dainty", I think it was, who was also the smallest one in the class, and gave him an uncontrolled thrashing, beating the poor lad to the floor with his bare arms and fists. We were in a state of shock! A few of the braver boys reported it to Flutter. Roberts was probably a genuine mental case. I heard that he was later dismissed.
Photo's: We had ours on the roof of the gym with the panning camera. Must look it out, it's still in its cardboard tube - somewhere. An earlier year had theirs in the yard (we shouldn't call it a playground).
Yard! Come on, memories of the bike shed, the gas engine, the tensile test machine.....Over!
 
No takers for the above? How about another for Ball (PT): he always wore a track suit whereas Stokes wore civvies. At one gym session c.'55-'56 we were getting the coconut mats off the pile when a rather frayed one shed a load of tufts. Within seconds several pupils were sporting ginger "moustaches"."Sir" concealed his amusement and press-ups seemed an apt punishment. Basket-ball was a regular item. Showers involved running under all the sprayers, returning via the dry side then round again,and again. Ball held the hot/cold control valve. Just when we were enjoying it he would switch to "Freezing". Sadist! Any boy seen running on the spot in the dry area would get an extra pass through the cold and wet.
I note that there's no thread for The Grammer. Could it be that they've no happy memories? I'm eternally greatful for twice failing to get there (11+) and passing the 13+ for the Tec'. It was wonderful!
Anyone recall the "Interview" after passing?
 
Hi, Diamond - Your memory of the school is amazing. I seem to have forgotten a lot about it. Perhaps I did not enjoy my two years there, although apart from Osbourne, I can't remember anything bad. In 1956 I started two years National Service in the RAF, which I remember well, and have posted about it in the National Service section.
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What I remember about PT and swimming days was that it was always a struggle to get dry and try to get to the next class on time. Then one would have a wet towel to lug around all day. I remember Stokes well.
Field days were ok. They ended the day and I could take the Outer Circle 11 bus home to the Fox and Goose.
 
Thanks oldMo, but I doubt if I'd have remembered so much without prompting from you guys. Yeah, Rupert, getting dry was a bind but we had lockers to stow the kit. There were banks of them at the top of the main staircase for which we had to supply our own padlocks. It was amazing to see how many different sorts of locks there were. There was space for PT kit, workshop apron, topcoat and books. I've a feeling that one could squeeze in a cycle saddlebag too. I just missed National service by a matter of days; I expect that would have made more powerful memories.
You've just evoked another! The room nearest the lockers was our Geography class."O.I.C." was HICKMAN. He dressed like a London city type: pinstripe trousers, rolled umbrella, briefcase, bowler hat (or was it a Homberg?), the lot. He was not particularly inspiring, nor was his textbook -"The World" by L.Dudley Stamp. It was the thickest of our books, and correspondingly heavy. I rarely took it home. For 3rd year, those of us who wished to take 8 GCE subjects were pressed to drop one (excluding Maths and English). As it was to be Hickman teaching Chemistry, several of us elected to forego that. I dipped English and History. Ah, the folly of youth, I'd probably have got Chemmy!
Another master who used that same room was REYNARD, a youngish bloke. Can't remember his subject - may have been Geography too at an earlier year. He drove a Standard "Flying Nine" car which could be seen in the street below from his window. Some boy would chalk a reasonable likeness of it on the board for our delight. "Sir" never commented.
 
hi

Like you Rupert I didnt know or use lockers, with the split sites I lugged my Kit all over theplace. Monday Morning at Grove Lane baths meant to Satchel would be wet all day. I dont think the Plastic Bag had been invented in 1956.Another trauma was Wood Lane Sportsfield on a cold Winters evening.
Stokes and Ball shouting and moaning to clear the changing Rooms
Medival place. Then a cold soddy wet journey home on the No 11
to Stechford mud everywhere.
Strangely not many colds or flue in those day's.
Squelch squelch.
 
This thread's proving to be a real memory refresher to me. I remember the lockers, I had one of those combination pad-locks. I was wondering where the school photo had been taken and Diamond's reminded me - the roof on top of the Gym!. Some of us hiding behind a hedge at the playing fields watching others running laps or cricket. The electrical classroom with some large cabinets at the back, one of them having a glass panel broken by a mis-aimed blackboard rubber thrown by the teacher!
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Rupert and Mike had me worried for a moment - glad to have your confirmation oldMo. Maybe there weren't enough to go round. Each block stood about 5 or 6 ft. high.
Does anyone recall the "Science Society"? I remember one of our lads giving a talk on Jet engines in the Chem lab after hours, and someone from another class lectured on steam trains. The lab was more like a lecture theatre with the seats in steep tiers, ideal for the purpose. This may have been outside the "Society" but we had the odd Saturday morning trip: once we met up with Reynard (I think it was) at Neachells railway sidings for a nose round. Another time we gathered at Hamstead Colliery; a Quick look at the winding engine (real steam!) then a horrifying drop to the bottom with the uprushing air balooning out our trouser legs in the open mesh cage. I can still feel the cage bobbing up and down with the elasticty of a quarter mile of steel rope above when we landed, not at all like the lift in Lewis's. Then a ride in a coal tub to the face. We were told to keep our heads down, and they meant it; in places the roof was only inches away. Ah, "Health and Safety"! No softie trips to Switzerland for us.
 
diamond said:
Hamstead Colliery horrifying drop to the bottom
Click to expand...
Wow, that colliery visit must have been interesting. An ex-miner from there told me that one of the workings reached as far as Kingstanding Circle. There is some discussion about that colliery in some other threads on the forum.
oldmohawk
 
Since nobody took up on "gas engine" do you recall the intermittant POP-POP-HISS-POP from a pipe high on the wall of the brick building to the left of the bike shed? It was probably third year before we got to see inside. The engine seemed rather large for the feeble exhaust noise it made. Pressure Diagrams and Brake Horsepower had been covered in physics in theory - now for the practice. The flywheel was of channel section which held some water for cooling the braking surface. When running this was centrifuged all around the inside of the rim and not readilly seen. A strap or band was in contact with the rim and was tensioned via a spring ballance to read the force applied. Readings of R.P.M. and force were taken as the load was gradually increased until the engine stalled. At that point all the water fell to the bottom of the rim splashing anyone nearby. "Sir" was stood well back!
 
Diamond, You seem to have a photographic memory. You mention something and out of the filing cabinet in my brain it comes! Yes I now remember that Gas Engine and it's exhaust. I'm sure you will remind me of something in the Chemistry soon.
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Thanks for the complement oldMo, but I'll have to disapoint you re. Chemmy. Maybe someone checked out (or was thrown down) that trapdoor behind the back seats of the lab. OWN UP, THAT BOY! (Sheldrakes voice) None of our lot tried it, must have been spooky down there.
Saying "own up" dredges up yet another good 'un: Our maths were in the room to the right at the end of the corridor, directly behind Bryant's office. The master was MillAr; he insisted on the "A" being clearly enunciated. He was a great bloke, dead keen on his subject and managed to enthuse us too. He introduced us to the magical world of calculus and the unworldly realms of operator "J" (root -1) now known as "I". Millar would delight in stringing out the most dauntingly long equasion then in the penultimate line would point out "standard forms" and cancel out like mad to end up with somethiong as simple as A+B = sin x Q.E.D. The full stop would be put with such triumphal energy that he always snapped the chalk! Then he would turn to us as if expecting a round of appause.
One afternoon, one of our number made a rude drawing on the blackboard; Millar invited the culprit to own up. Silence! We were to be kept in until he did. We all knew who it was but we didn't "rat" - justice would be served later! After what seemed like an age a boy named Durdin stood up and announced "Please Sir, It was me". I think we all gasped as it wasn't him at all. To his great credit Millar calmly dismissed this brave sacrifice saying "Sit down Durdin, it wasn't you". From then on both Millar and Durdin were esteemed on a plane above ordinary mortals!
 
Recently found this forum and I was enthralled by all the memories it brought back. I went to H.T.S 1956 to 58. 1958 was the last year the school was at Goldshill Rd/Boulton Rd. I won a prize and had to go to Craythorne Ave to collect it. The name of the teacher who took woodwork with Mr. Wooley was Mr Hart (Aka Martian, Zombie or Lamp post). A bit unkind really, I met him when I went to a woodworking class with a mate a year or two after leaving. I was making a ukelele and he cut the neck out of a solid piece of wood for me. A very nice man! Oh, and I too still have the anvil and its pattern. Does anyone remember Mr. Martin? (french-Boulton Rd)Gave me the whack for not doing h/work. I tried putting a book down my trousers but he saw the corners so it didn't work. Thereafter I was known as 'Squarebottom' by him.
 
Hi

Yes Mr Martin French at Boulton Road. He taught me French.
Had my best year ever with him. A bit of a Wacker with the cane
from what I remember he hit his victims very Hard.
The next Year I think we had a guy called would you beleive
a Mr Lavender?. I plunged to the bottom utterly useless.
I think he was at Craythorne. Mr Wooley was our Form Teacher
later on. I got on well with him good at Woodwork and Metalwork.

Mike Jenks
 
Hi again. Thanks for your reply. I can vouch for the force of Martins cane. Mr Wooley used a three foot steel rule and finished with the remark 'And that was just a warning shot'.Someone mentioned the bookies runner at the top of Boulton Rd. I remember him - used to shake hands with everyone as they went past! thought at the time he must have had a lot of friends. I also used to go to the Film Club and just vaguely remember Mr Cook. We saw 'Whisky Galore' and a particularly depressing film called 'Morning Departure'. Remember Sheldrake. We called him 'Bombduck'. Never had Flutter for a lesson but we did have Mr Follett(Tech Drawing-Boulton) Who took up a whole two periods showing us his holiday slides. He was ok! Big memories of Willy Whetton. Crossing the Rubicon, Hannibal and one of his favourite maxims- 'Manners maketh man'. Always seemed to pong a bit in his class - He didn't often open a window. Fisher took us for metalwork at Boulton. Let me drill some of my own stuff on the schools machine- got on ok with him. Also Mr.( Sgt. Major) Jones-art- Boulton. Gave me a 'good' for art on my report. He made art interesting. The other one I remember at Boulton was Mr. Emmerson. Small with darkish hair and an absoutely vicious technique with his whippy little cane. Glad to say I never experienced it off him. He could apparantly inflict more pain with a flick of his wrist than some could with a full arm swing. Thats most of Boulton Rd. memories. We did Physics there but I can't remember the teacher- can anyone help?
 
Having 'jolted' my memory from all those years ago, I can remember playing on the right wing in a football match one sports afternoon, and the teacher in charge was Mr Osbourne !!!! What he was doing there I can't imagine, but he shouted 'well done' when I dribbled past two opponents and made a particularly good right-cross towards goal. I think that was the only nice thing I heard him say during my 2 years at HTS. Another thing I remember was looking from the 11 Outer Circle bus at all the very large houses in Handsworth Wood, and wondering about the rich people who probably lived in them.
 
Hi Jimster, Glad you can remember all those names, I too left in 58.
The teacher we had for Physics I remember was a Mr Store. we always had to queue up outside his door before his lesson, I remember one lad saying "I wonder whats in Store for us today" much to everyones amusement.

Goffy
 
Hello Goffy. Thanks for that, I do remember Mr Store and we had him for physics at Goldshill but I don't know if it was him at Boulton Rd. I remember he had a great big stick which was cracked in the middle. He wasn't very good at using it however and most of the kids who had it used to walk away laughing. I got on fine with him and he helped me and a friend to build a radio set as he was quite knowledgeable on the subject. Partly due to him therefore, I took it up as a job until I retired recently
 
Hi again Jimster, We too took french in our 1st year at Boulton Road, can,t remember the teachers name but I seem to recall us calling him "Sam" ? and "squarebottom" certainly rings a bell.
I am meeting one of my classmates this week I will see what he can remember. We were in Form 4A1 in 1958. Names I can recall are Thynne, Quinney, Round, Dugard, Derbyshire, Fenton, Mortiboy, Burgess, Pratt, Ward, Lambert, Beaman. I,ve run out now but I will see if I can pick up a few more this week. Do you remember when two HTS boys held up a local shop (in Soho Road I think) using metal tubes to represent guns, the police came to the school with the people involved and went from class to class to identify the culprits, and yes, they were in ours. I remember the ones name but I will not recall it here.

Goffy
 
Hi Mike and Jimster, Youv'e reminded me of a French teacher at Boulton Rd., he was a lightly built bloke with fairish/blond hair but can't recall his name - does this fit "Martin"? French was optional for us in '55/56 so no takers! We must have had some other subject with him though 'cos one lad liked to draw a likeness of him on the board in German uniform sitting on a tank (can't remember why). Sir not amused.
Anyone recall the "house" system? Boulton, Watt, Murdoch, and Faraday. I was in Boulton but never noticed it. Guess it was an attempt at "vertical integration" as we'd call it nowadays. There may even have been "Housemasters" but it seemed irrelevant to me.
How about the "interview" before being accepted into the school? I went with mother in via the FRONT door into the impressive marble floored entrance hall. There was a glass case on the right holding specimens of metalwork including a beautiful small drilling machine. "Hey Mom,I'm going to make one of those here!" (WRONG!) We were directed to the first room in the right hand corridor to join a queue. "Woody" sat at one desk taking preliminary details with Bryant doing the interview propper. I overheard the boy in front being asked his religion. Religion? " Mom, what religion am I"? "Tell him Protestant" she whispered. When my turn came I noticed that Wood wrote C of E in the column! The only thing I remember from The Head was an entreaty to work hard and play hard ( Oh dear! I never liked sports). The whole thing was probably just a welcoming chat really and we came away with info. on uniforms and badges which were to be got from "The Don" in town somewhere.
Re. religion, there was just one Catholic boy in our class and he was excused assembly. I seem to think that he was encouraged to toddle off to the "Grammer" where an R.C. service was available.( Anyone confirm?). If he ever did go there wearing our "strip" he must have been v. brave!
When I did start in '53 I became aware that a few boys had uniforms made of better stuff, sort of smooth. Mine was slightly fluffy and the knees soon went baggy!
 
Diamond - I was thinking the other day about a possible 'house' system but wasn't sure whether I was imagining it. However you've told me now - Boulton, Watt, Murdoch, Faraday the names come back....but I cannot remember which 'house' I was in !!
I can't think why I cannot remember much about the school because I didn't have a bad time there.
One thing I do remember, I used to walk from the school to catch a No 29 bus near Villa Cross, and in 1949 saw a my first TV set on in a shop window. The Sutton Coldfield transmitter was sending out test transmissions ready for TV in the Midlands.
 
All I remember of the house system was the colour of my games kit..YELLOW. mom used to moan about getting it clean.
I think that was Murdoch
 
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Hi Mike G, I'm pretty sure Boulton was Blue but don't remember any colour in our personal kit. Seem to think everyone wore navy blue shorts and white "everyday" vest. Coloured bands (which had a specific name ?) were given out for team games and probably corresponded to house colours. I was a duffer at sports anyway.
There was a Guest in our class, Mike, cheerful chap with dark tousled hair but no further info.,sorry.
PLOUGHRIGHT mean anything to you guys? Just a name to me.
 
Hello Mike! Good to meet you again. As you were researching "Guest" I'd eliminated you and thought you must be "Greenfield" or "Grove" as you'd spoken of "Gardner" in the 3rd person. I seem only to have known surnames for most boys although I think Grove was Derek. I've seen Bailey in recent years, he's in West Brom. and I heard that Cole turned up at a reunion at Goldshill about 10-12yrs ago. You seem not to have stayed for year 3 so may not have come across Greaves who joined us from the builders stream. He's at Rednal and in fairly regular contact.
Speaking of that reunion, did anyone here go? I heard that (Lord) Geoff Rooker and(Lord) Bill Morris turned up. They must have been after our time, Mike. My only claim to fame was a Labour Party badge pinned on me by Lord Rooker's Dad for collecting poll cards at an early '50s election. I got 2/6d too!
 
Hi

Lord Jeff Rooker MP born July 1941.
Taking the 13+ rule we had for Entrance
and the 3 years service he would have
started in 3C in 1954 and left in 1957.
So he could of left when I started.
He could have left in 1956 if he wasnt
selectef for GCE. Most of the subscribers
to this thread may have missed him.

Mike Jenks
 
He was there when John Diamond and myself were there then, we started in 1953
 
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