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Handsworth Technical School

Hi

Yep its those 1956 57 58 and 59 niners out there we need. Any Photos of
those years. I dont think HTS did them too busy canning. That Mr Martin he really hurt.
Strapped by Panch Smith in Geography it was ouch ouch all the way.
Keep Smiling

Mike Jenks
 
img002.jpgI have come across this photograph taken on the start of a class trip I think to the air show at Farnborough in 1952. The lad on the left of the picture travelled in from Tamworth via train and bus. The one extreme right is Tony Brandon (a handsome fellow who flirted readily with the George Dixon girls on the Outer Circle), next to him is yours truely.
 
Hi

Super picture a few years before me in 1957. Look how Trim they are No fat on them no beefburgers
in those days. Thanks a lot

Mike Jenks
 
Don't recall going on any trips from school but we did go up to the cinema on the main road to see the film about The Ascent of Everest. Mr Fowkes was or had been a mountaineer and was very keen on the film and we spent one lesson talking about mountains and the climbing thereof. Should have been maths!
 
img011.jpg Hi Knight. I've just pulled out my final term's report from my bottom drawer and on looking at the date find that it was 18Dec 1953. There were only 22 pupils in the form . With this information it may indicate that the start of the 3rd year was Jan 1953. I remember we were being prepared for sitting "The Common Preliminary " exam (what ever that was) and half way through the term were directed to sitting "O" Levels. In this short period, before sitting the "O" levels in the autumn of 1953, we were well prepared by the talent of the teaching staff resulting in some very satisfactory results.
 
Hi I have just joined the forum and scrolling down the stories of HTS,I was a pupil between 57 - 60.and the picture you put up of class 5A in 1958,I am on there towards the back,and the memories came flooding back,a lots of faces I recognised but names I,m afraid escape me.Perhaps after more reading of postings they will come back.
 
Hi there everybody. Just come across this site a few days ago - what a great site it is. So much of interest. I was at HTS from January '45 to December '46. I was then in the Lab. at McKecknie Bros in Ladywood until National Service in the RAF. After demob in November '51 came back to HTS as assistant Woodwork teacher, mainly at Boulton Road.
By the way my name is Neville Johnson. I can't remember the name of the woodworker teacher at Boulton Road but he was relatively young. He lived in Alvechurch and cycled every day to Handsworth. There are only two names I remember from time I was a pupil, Parmenter [possibly Paul] and the biggest lad in the school, Cook. I must say, though the war was still on during the first couple of terms there, they were still great days. I used to get the tram from the top of Villa Road down to Salford Bridge [now Spaghetti junction] and then walk another mile up Slade road.
As I've read through all the entries I also remember many of the teachers such as Ossie and Sheldrake. I still have my school reports, although extremely tattered, like me. Also I still have a copy of one of Mr. Bryants books.
Does anyone remember Ken Bass? I think He was there about '48 - '49. I was only speaking to his wife yesterday.
Said enough - Bye. Keep up the good work!
 
A big welcome to the forum from one HTS old boy to another.

Sent from my HTC Desire X using Tapatalk 2
 
I have seen a notice of a reunion but only for years 1969 to 1972. So that's me out then.
 
Hi everyone,
Anvil man's comment about school trip reminds me of a holiday organised by the school in 1946. It was an exchange holiday with children in Holland [as it was then]. They came over here and stayed with us for two weeks, and then later we went over there and stayed with families for two weeks. It cost £25, [a lot then]. My parents could not afford it, so I did all sorts to raise the money, one of which was to make tea pot stands that someone else mentioned, made with a four inch square tile with wooden frame. This was one of the woodwork class projects. I sold them for two & sixpence, or rather two sisters living next door took them to work at the GEC and sold them for me. We had a great holiday, the first I had ever been on. But of course it was only just over twelve months since the end of the war and the dutch were only just getting back to normality, as we were. Great times though.
 
Hi Bernie, I seem to remember the name Bates but not the other one, names that come to mind from our form are Round, Beacham (may be spelt differently) Derbyshire, Dugard, Pratt, Mortiboys, Burgess, and I am sure I will come up with some more, I meet up with one of the lads occasionally I'm sure he will remember a lot more.

Goffy

Hi Goffy

Were you in form 4A by any chance during 1958 when you left.

My surname is Pratt but, can only remember the name of Paul Harding from my first two years.

I managed to contact Paul thro' Friendsreunited and he is now in South Africa and is director of a firm specialising in Quality Control.

I am able to remember quite a few names from my time in 5A and 5AX and can post some pictures from 1959 if anyone out there is interested.

Exiled
 
Post away Exiled as I am sure some names will come to me. I recall Onions. Peach and Queusen but only as they were just before me on the register. There was a Brown who was into Buddy Holly and one guy who had a constant cold which I now feel may have been a form of Hay Fever.
 
Hi

Yep Brown and Buddy Holly. He spent hours entertaining us. I'm sure it was Feb 59 Ill check on Google my last term when he died in the plane crash. I'm sure Brown died that day in a way.

mike jenks
 
OK here are a few names to be going on with, and no I don't have a fantastic memory, just a copy of the school magazine for 1958-1959.

In 5AX during 1959 were Jeffrey Bishop, Rojer Burlison, Melvin Cole, Ronald Crisp,Peter Detheridge,Raymond Jones, Norman Reece,Alan Redfern, Kenneth Shipway and my two main buddies of Graham Wall and Trevor Wiley.

One other name from that era was Roger Palser (prefect and head of school). He seemed to be there permanently, although by 1958 he was taking A Levels.

I'll post some photos from the magazine later, when I have more time.

I am also reminded by the mag that in my last year at the school, they started to take entrants from the age of 11 years.
Prior to that, you started at 13.
 
Yes I recall they decided to isolate the little darlings from the older kids - now why did they need to do that?
 
Hi Goffy

Were you in form 4A by any chance during 1958 when you left.

My surname is Pratt but, can only remember the name of Paul Harding from my first two years.

I managed to contact Paul thro' Friendsreunited and he is now in South Africa and is director of a firm specialising in Quality Control.

I am able to remember quite a few names from my time in 5A and 5AX and can post some pictures from 1959 if anyone out there is interested.

Exiled

Hi Exiled, Yes I was in 4A1 in 1958, my final year at tech, I do remember yourself. Strange how we tend to remember surnames. you must remember "big Pete" Derbyshire
a tall lad in the class, sadly he passed away a few years back. The names recalled by BernardR also ring a bell, and there was a chap with a constant cold.
I do have somewhere a picture of Derbyshire and Dugard from our trip to Switzerland, I will post them if I find them.
 
I don't seem to be able to paste the photos I have in my 1959 School Magazine.

I can copy from my Paintshoppro application but, cannot paste on to this page.


Any help would be appreciated.
 

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Senior Football 1959.jpg

Got it at last! You needn't crane your necks anymore.

In my form at some stage were Bill Deakin and Ken Shipwell both talented footballers as I recall.

I also remember Ralph Lawson and Peter Grissell although they were not in 5AX at the time.

Anyone remember any of the other players?
 
Hi Exiled Brummie.
re your photo 1959 circa football team, 3 faces I recall from that time,Ken Shipway,Roger Harrington,and Mike Harris.Bill Deakin also rings a bell,and of course 6th.former Palser,with his ginger hair.
My time there (HTS) was 1957-60.I stayed on for the extra year to do the 0 level GCE'S.Do you recall myself, David Riley,and my mate John Smith, and another mate was Alan Pass,other names which spring to mind,Tony Parker,and Tommy Walsh.
In my last year there I was awarded the Coronation Cup,a sports trophy for being the best all round sportsperson,I was into Football,and cricket big time.The cup was kept in a glass cabinet in the main hall somewhere,I wonder what become of that silverware.I used to enjoy going to the sportsground just off Wood lane because my home was only just down the round from there.
 
Handsworth League XI 1959.jpg

Hi Wattman

Sorry you must have been a year behind me, so the names you mention mean nothing to me.

I have downloaded another Soccer photo from 1958-1959; said to be the Aston League XI.
The lads look younger to me and some may well have been in your class or year.

The names are:-

Back Row: Hughes, Laing, Pearce,Peters, Clowes, Stamper, Cook Coombs and Brown.

Front Row: Oliver, Homes, Allcott, Neale(Capt), Dyke, Harris and Sugden.

Does this bring back any memories?
 
Nice photos of the football teams but has anyone any pictures of the Cricket Teams?? Can anyone recall a chap called Roy(?) Madge? Quite a Bowler as I recall. I only represented the School once at Cricket, dropped at least two catches and never darkened the Pavillion again.
jimbo
PS both Allcott and Stamper were in my year
 
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Hi Jimbo.
The guy I think you were referring to was Mick Madge,yes,he was a good fast bowler,as I found out to my cost,I recall facing him once and went to far forward to hit his delivery accross the field but missed and the ball caught me somewhere painful,in those days wearing a box was unheard of.He was also quite a good goalkeeper.
 
I have been looking at the various threads of the Forum since I first logged in June 2012 and can’t believe that I have only just found this, the “Handsworh Technical School” thread which I have read, front to back, with great interest. I did not realise there was such a large number of the male members (sorry Ladies) of the Forum who, at various times, some earlier some later, attended those halls.
I too, for just two years, was a former pupil of HTS and appear on the “long photograph” circa 1953, a copy of which hangs in my study.
The memories came flooding back when reading the accounts of the activities of those stalwarts who, with varying success, taught us. I was also amused by the antics of some of those being taught. I must have led a dull life.
My class? Some of the names come quickly to mind - Hick, Gibbons, Moran, Begley, Kelly, Trickett, Farmer. Lyndon, Williams, Banner, Stott, Windeatt, Wood, Powell. Others I’m afraid have for the time being, gone into the mists of time. In other classes Ward, Burgess, Bridges, Sutton. I’ll remember more I’m sure now that the grey matter has started churning.
I’m surprised that, unless I have missed it, nobody has mentioned “Fred’s Transport Cafe” where that gastronomic delight of the members of B1 and later 4A3, the “tomato dips with baked beans” could be obtained for 1d, or for the enlarged version 1½d. On opposite corner the “tuck” shop and the owner’s wonderful Humber Super Snipe. Lastly, doesn’t anyone else remember “The Little Red Shop”, the proprietor of which, I was sure supplied tools for every trade in the universe.
I’ve still got my copy of the School Magazine, forty one pages of memories, names and events. Oh my, where has the time gone?
HTS Mag - Front Cover.jpg
 
Hi

Yep 4 years in front of me. Tomato dips sizzling hot That was the Cafe near Boulton Road.
Boulton Road was a miserable place a real trudge. Enjoyed the Metal work room and the Art Room. The Movie Club was there as well. I remember Scott of the Antarctic with John Mills. French was there he canned like a Sadistic person. It hurt especially trying to learn a language.
Thanks for The Tomato dips

Mike Jenks
 
John M
Theres a thread on "Handsworth" - that mentions the the little red shop - interesting that you remember that when you were at college tho :)
 
John M Weoley Castle........Did you sit any Final exams at the end of your time at HTS? I thought probably you would have been there 3yrs if you attended during 1953. I was there from Jan 51 to Dec 53 and sat the 'O' Level exams Nov 53. When the 3rd yr was initiated there was an exam called The Common Preliminary which must have been unpopular as after a couple of terms the 'O' Level exams were the norm. I have a 1952 full school photograph which you could also be on. HTS a fabulous school and as mentioned so many BHF members went there. By the way, I lived at the time in Witherford Way.
 
I was there April 53 to April 55. My Dad died Jan 54 and things were tight on the money front. Had to leave school to relieve the pressure. No "O" levels meant everything from then had to be done the hard way. The 53 long picture is the whole school.
 
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