• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Handsworth Technical School

Rupert said:
Was the gas engine and test machine at Aston Tech.?
Click to expand...
Hi Rupert, The Gas engine and Tensile Test Machine were in a building to the left of the bike shed at Goldshill. Don't remember any such stuff at Aston in the early '60s
Mike; glad to hear you're a Boulton enthusiast! Yesterday we went round the exhibition at Gas Hall celebrating 200 yrs since MB's death. Amazing quantity of documents on display incl. a photo of the Manufactuary.(Photography seems to have just come in by the 1860s when the building was finally demolished - crime!) Funny thing, although we were in the same class I don't remember Willie presiding over the Long Essay. I struggled with "The Men Of Electricty" running out of steam after Faraday, Edison and Baird, cribbing material from the library across the way, and in desparation, unstapling the centre few pages of the book - the more easilly to fill it. Rotten thing was: it only carried 10 marks the same as any other work of only a couple of pages!
 
diamond said:
in desparation, unstapling the centre few pages of the book - the more easilly to fill it. Rotten thing was: it only carried 10 marks the same as any other work of only a couple of pages!
Click to expand...
Funny I forgot about removong some pages till you reminded me.
 
I bet everyone tried it Mike. We must have thought that "sir" was born yesterday.
Now; how about the "Careers Master"; did anybody know that there was such a person until that one and only session ?
 
diamond said:
"Careers Master"; did anybody know that there was such a person until that one and only session ?
Click to expand...
Hi Diamond,
I vaguely remember a meeting, but in the early 50's when I left school, we seemed to be able to walk into any job, get an apprenticeship, etc. Not so easy these days for school leavers etc.
oldmohawk.
 
Hi oldMo,
Yes, the employment situation was easy in '56 too. Surpose we were still making up for wartime losses. I'd no idea that there was a cereers master until we were marched to the first room in the corridor opposite the chemmy lab one (that was collage territory usually). I vaguely feel that it was Ball (tech drawing) who presided. He seemed to indicate roughly half the class saying "You lot, Lucas's; the rest, G.E.C.". Quite a few hands shot up in protest. One had already fixed a job with the Severn Water Authority, another was to train as an Hotellier (!), whilst Greaves and I had enrolled with Post Office Telephones. Sir had a quiet word saying that we were too young to specialise, but in my case £4-5-0 was not to be sniffed at when only 50 bob was paid to "proper" apprentices. I expect the man had a quota to fill. No regrets.
 
Anyone recall a "one off" visit by a weedy little "health education" bod fom The Council ??!
 
I don't know about 50 bob for a drawing office apprenticfship at the GEC in 1955/56 diamond. The starting apprenticeship rate was 10s/6d then. However we got a raise in the second year to 18/6 I think. We must have been nuts. Still when we finished we must have recieved AESD rates....hmmm.
 
Hi Diamond,
I still can't think why my memories of HTS are so vague, but your posts have been good reminders for me. When I left HTS I was was doing quite well with my wage during my Drawing Office apprenticeship, could go to the Ice Rink and Cinemas etc, but when my apprenticeship finished, RAF National Service started at 24/- per week, and we had to stand to attention and salute to receive it.
 
Hi oldMo,
I didn't relish the idea of N.S. either so glad I missed it by a whisker (not long after Suez). Mates who were called up came back having had a great time though. RAF stories from Bridgenorth and Habanier (Iraq-Babylon) made one almost regret not being wanted.
Afraid my store of HTS memories is running low. Sad that nobody responded to the name "Ploughright or Plowright", I'm sure he was a master but can't place him. And nobody came forward with a chuckle about the "weedy" H.E. man!
Let's try SMOKING. Although it didn't seem to appeal to most of us in '53-'56 there were a few hardened smokers about. The traditional "behind the bike shed" was no good, that was the fire station wall! The narrow stairway to the roof of the Gym was the place. There were 180deg. turns so that the top near the roof door was unseen from below giving time for the alarm to be called if a Master came by. Those of us who wanted just to have a run around up there had to clamber over lolling boddies in a dense haze on the stairs. One felt that we had intruded on some private orgy. Once, the class had a chat from Hickman (I think it was) who declared that smoking was very bad for our young tender lungs but added as a sort of afterthought that a mature man's lungs were hardened, so it was OK for adults. He smoked a rather large briar pipe!!
 
Hi, Diamond,
Your HTS memories have certainly refreshed mine. With regard to smoking, I never started. I use to speed skate with B'ham Mohawks at Springhill Ice Rink and smoking would have slowed me down.... We used to sink a few pints after races ! My memories of National Service are not so vague, looking back, at the time I didn't like being taken out of 'civvy street' to the 'hardships' of National Service, but I now realise how it broadened my outlook, living in different parts of the country - meeting different people. Some of the old NS memories are here.
https://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=513&page=13
My 'ramblings' started about post #123
oldmohawk
 
Hi
I have only just discovered this site and have been fascinated by some of the entries. I attended HTS between 1956 and 1959; the last year(or was it two) in the new school at Handsworth Wood. I also made an anvil cast in aluminium and I remember doing metalwork at 'O' level, and the water bomb tradition at Goldshill.

Does anyone remember a Geography teacher called Mr Reinhard (we called him Foxy), and what was the name of the English teacher that taught in 1956 at Goldshill. All I can recall was that he was old, rather rotund and had a habit of correcting any misspellings by writing his correction on the back of your neck. Not sure what good that did though. as you couldn't read it.
In 1959 I was in form 5AX and some of the names I remember were Bill Deakin, Trevor Lock, Ken Shipway(excellent footballer),John Jones and, my two main friends of Graham Wall and Trevor Wiley.
I still have a copy of the Speech Day held in November 1959 when the headmaster appears to have been a Mr Mends and head boy was Christopher Samuels who seems to have been at the school the whole time I was there.
I certainly recall the two sports masters mentioned(Stokes and Ball) but, Mr London;not sure of that one.
 
I recall Reinhard. Jackie London taught Maths in the old church(?) building along Union Row almost opposite the back of the British Steel Spring Company. Wheezed when he spoke.

I left in 1958 (not bright enough to stay an extra year) so I would guess you were two years at the new school.
 
My time at HTS was before your time Exiled. The English teacher in my time was Mr Osborne. I like your Pug. Mine is to the left...black with rosebud ears and a little longer legs...a throwback.
 
Osborne was still around in 1958 Rupert as he set up the new library to the detriment of the class I was in - we rarely saw him. It was the first time I had had Osborne as a teacher and it was not a happy one due to his preoccupation with the library.
 
mike-g said:
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
Click to expand...

Sorry but, Yellow was Faraday.
The others were:- Boulton = Blue
Murdoch = Green
and Watt = Red

Silly how such small unimportant things stick in your mind but, I know that was correct as I played for Boulton at Footie and cricket.Hopeless at athletics tho; would only run for miles after a ball!!
 
Last edited:
Hi, just discovered this site when I was supposed to be working.

I was at HTS 1962 - 1967 I was in the b stream (became A2 from the third year) and was in the Boulton House

I spent about 2 hours in the 6th form before leaving after a disagreement with deputy head master about retaking physics and chemistry. I saw it as a complete waste of my time so went off in a huff.

Can't remember our form room for first year but I know we had to use the lockers outside the woodwork/metalwork shops for the next year. From then on it was room E11 (over the main entrance)

I can remember Stokes and Ball as gym teachers plus another one whose name escapes me for the moment but will be remembered later.

Geography teacher Mr Poole, The english teacher (name escapes me) but they walked home together every night.

Mr Woolley the woodwork master who, bless him, gave up on me (history proved him right)

So many things I have forgotten, brought back by reading these posts.
 
hi

Yes like St Trinnians HTS left its mark
Most remember the Anvil Metal and Wood.
Does anybody the Tin bashed Funnel we made in
metalwork. Had it for years I think my dad still uses it
for pouring Oil in his Car Engine. F reg Maestro .

Mike Jenks
 
Yes Mike, I remember that tin funnel, goodness knows what happened to mine. I'm glad I hung onto the Anvil, both wood and aluminium parts, did you see those on an earlier post? We must have made more items than that over two years, I remember a single bookend in woodwork and in metalwork I've made a garden trowel, a gatelatch and a scribing block, but some I made in Birchfield road school prior to passing the thirteen plus to to go to the Tech.
It is amazing what memories are brought forward just reading the posts on this thread

Goffy
 
I made a teapot stand. We had to obtain a 4" sq tile to go into the middle.
I also remember forging a center punch out of hex material then having to file it to shape before heat treatment.
 
Not to mention the 'tap wrench' - still got mine somewhere but rarely let anyone see it ;) The scribing block rings a bell but the one I have now came from my late FiL's garage. I used my funnel until I last moved house - I have a feeling that someone threw it out or sold it when we had a garage sale. Looks inquisitively at OH.
 
I do remember the teapot stand, and I think I still have my Tap Wrench, Forgotten all about those how did we have time to make them all ?

Goffy
 
I had my funnel up to when I moved house 5 yrs ago.My anvil was the smallest in the class because I just could not get the two sides equal. Any one from 1956 intake remember the RI lesson that ended abruptly when "teacher" (can't remember who), plugged a 110volt projector into the 240v socket.? He ended up with a blackened face.
mike
 
There was a height gauge that I made with a machined cast iron base and angularly adjustable post and hardened and tempered scriber. Remember...pale straw. Time gone by.
 
What about the inside and outside callipers tap wrench and die stock?
mike
 
Mike - Now you remind me, I remember making the calipers. I bet they make 'digital' versions these days.
icon7.gif
 
mike-g said:
I made a teapot stand.

Thanks Mike, I'd completely run out of memories 'till you mentioned that ! Did we make that at Boulton Rd? I've no clear memory of woodwork there but feel that there was a room well down the corridor on the right. What I do recall is grinding my tile to size on a wet grindstone, a largeish wheel which ran in an iron trough containing water. We had to enlist the aid of a mate to turn the handle as manipulating the tile was a two handed job. A little muddy bow-wave of water and tile powder built up along the interface, such fun to watch that there was danger of getting under size.
Ah, Now I'm off again! Remember brazing at Boulton? Standing on one leg while pumping the foot-bellows with the other.
Click to expand...
 
Hi

Yes Boulton Road in the Metalwork room.
The hours we spent in there.
Later I was fortunate to work in the Metal work
area in Handsworth Tech College.
Those years were valuable made my Aprenticeship
start a lot easier than those who hadnt worked on
Lathes drilling machines etc.

Happy day's

Mike Jenks
 
Re: Just looking around, saw HTS

oldMohawk said:
I was at HTS 1948 to 1950. Was Mr Bryant was headmaster then ?
I remember Mr Osborne, short on sense of humour.
Other teachers names, Ive seen in the posts bring back memories.
The metalwork and woodwork classes I think were at Boulton Rd.
I was high up in the exam results at my previous school, but had a bit of a shock at HTS.
I'm usually in the Ice Rinks thread.

oldMohawk
Click to expand...

I have only recently joined the forum and pleased to see the comments by former pupils.I had a good time at Boulton Road and remember the tomato dips from the transport cafe over the road. I was there from 50 to 52 and can still remember some of the names on the register. I can't remember the name of the woodwork master but I think the metalwork was covered by Mr Gilbert (ring any bells?) I know we wiped lead joints using a ladle of molten lead and a moleskin to acheive the final bulbous joint. Imagine what health and safety would say about that today! My tinplate work was highly praised but after the two year course (external exams were begun in 53 I believe) I served a 5 year apprenticeship to become a carpenter & Joiner. I visited the school in the early 60's after becoming a teacher myself and was surprised to be told by Mr Follet (Building Drawing)that 'Willie' Whetton had only recently retired. he looked ready to leave when I was a pupil. I remember the maths teacher Mr Flutter and had 3 of the best from the head Mr Bryant, for what I have no idea. I was made deputy head boy before leaving at the end of the spring term. I taught craft design technology for 22 years before going back into the trade as a self employed joiner for a further 14 years. cheers, Bob.
Names to contact:- Juggins, Perrin, Butler & Parker D.
 
I have only recently joined the forum and pleased to see the comments by former pupils.I had a good time at Boulton Road and remember the tomato dips from the transport cafe over the road. I was there from 50 to 52 and can still remember some of the names on the register. I can't remember the name of the woodwork master but I think the metalwork was covered by Mr Gilbert (ring any bells?) I know we wiped lead joints using a ladle of molten lead and a moleskin to acheive the final bulbous joint. Imagine what health and safety would say about that today! My tinplate work was highly praised but after the two year course (external exams were begun in 53 I believe) I served a 5 year apprenticeship to become a carpenter & Joiner. I visited the school in the early 60's after becoming a teacher myself and was surprised to be told by Mr Follet (Building Drawing)that 'Willie' Whetton had only recently retired. he looked ready to leave when I was a pupil. I remember the maths teacher Mr Flutter and had 3 of the best from the head Mr Bryant, for what I have no idea. I was made deputy head boy before leaving at the end of the spring term. I taught craft design technology for 22 years before going back into the trade as a self employed joiner for a further 14 years. cheers, Bob.
Names to contact:- Juggins, Perrin, Butler & Parker D.
 
Bob Parker said:
3 of the best from the head Mr Bryant, for what I have no idea.
Click to expand...
Hello Bob - I see you started just as I left. 3 of the best from Mr Bryant, I don't think anyone's mentioned that before. He always seemed a quiet type. I've mentioned previously how one of my 'experiments' stopped everyone getting into one of the Labs, and all he did was make me pay for the damage. Did anyone 'water-bomb' while you were there ? Only old HTS pupils would know about that prank !
oldmohawk
icon7.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top