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King Edwards Grammar School Camp Hill

  • Thread starter Thread starter Happyguy
  • Start date Start date
farmerdave said:
Re #88, the Eastwood twins were David and Derek and a year below me. They each obtained five or more subjects at "O" level in 1960. Certainly remember the name "Fogarty" but not the person. Some boys had surnames that I have not come across since, e.g. Garratt-Reed, Rothera, Barnacle, Graham-Cumming.
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I don't know how many 'O' level subjects they got but I do remember taking their certificates to their home address. During one assembly during my first Autumn term several names and street addresses were read out and a request made for volunteers to deliver a sealed cardboard tube containing certificates. As their address was near to me I duly volunteered.
I can't be certain but I have a vague recollection of hearing of the sad death of one of the twins a few years later.
 
Is there any way of knowing; period covered, word count and amount of illustrations involved please?
Kind regards
Alistair Brewin
Brewin Books
 
jmadone said:
I recognise quite a few names from this post but they were all a few years older than I. As a first former (1M) these guys would have been in the fourth or fifth form. The name Fogarty seems to ring a bell mainly as name read out occasionaly in assembly ordered to attend detention on Thursdays after school. P(ete) Green I was acquainted with already as he and his family lived quite near to me as did the Eastwood (?) twins. Slim Lewis, now there's a blast from the past! Other names I recall from that era, Alfie Phillips, (?)Parker and Ray Letts, all of them prefects and I think Ray Letts was Head boy.
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alib said:
Is there any way of knowing; period covered, word count and amount of illustrations involved please?
Kind regards
Alistair Brewin
Brewin Books
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I assume you are referring to the book by the caretaker. It might be worth sending a private message to "boring Mike". If you click on his avatar you will see "start conversation". Click on that and you can send a message to him. That conversation will be private to the two of you.
 
re image 078(2). I was at school with the group shown . I remember all of them but can only name Bateman on right and possibly Norbury?
 
Baker boy said:
re image 078(2). I was at school with the group shown . I remember all of them but can only name Bateman on right and possibly Norbury?
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L to R Roger Allen, Derek Norbury, ? Fletcher(perhaps). Stephen Bradley. 1951-56 at Camp Hill.
 
I learn from facebook that 2020 "Alumi Day" will be 11th July. I have never been to one of these, always next year, perhaps this year?
 
Came across this short film.
I remember the film being made I think I must have been in the second form at the time. I recognised a few of the faces, mainly the masters. Great shots of Ray Watson, Ron Jones with the inevitable fag in his mouth, Sid Madge talking with Mr Cross a maths teacher from Canada. Does anyone recognise the French master? I have a vague recollection of someone named Perry or Pirrie but I may be mistaking him for a completely different person.
 
Thanks for the video. Tantalising glimpses of some of the masters. I left in July 1961 but recognise quite a few of them. Unveiling of the plaque to Tom Rogers, a previous headmaster, was very interesting. There was a clip of a Founders Day Service on October 12th 1962. I thought all the pupils had a day off on that day. Perhaps only the staff attended the Service. I have just checked my diary on this and we definitely had the day off. Not sure of the name of the French teacher, Powry? He is seated 2 away from Mr. Madge (with moustache) on his left in this April 1960 school photo. Dave.
P1000721.JPG
 
farmerdave said:
Thanks for the video. Tantalising glimpses of some of the masters. I left in July 1961 but recognise quite a few of them. Unveiling of the plaque to Tom Rogers, a previous headmaster, was very interesting. There was a clip of a Founders Day Service on October 12th 1962. I thought all the pupils had a day off on that day. Perhaps only the staff attended the Service. I have just checked my diary on this and we definitely had the day off. Not sure of the name of the French teacher, Powry? He is seated 2 away from Mr. Madge (with moustache) on his left in this April 1960 school photo. Dave.
View attachment 144913
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Thanks Dave for the name. Powry seems to ring a bell. As you left in the July I started the following September. I can never remember attending a church service for Founders Day only a day off. The only church service I recall was the annual Carol Service.
 
Berrihert said:
The instantly recognisable “Shifty’ Watson looking at list[ Alledgedly he was an ex-pro footballer who played for Sunderland]
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Watched a programme today regarding memorable F.A. Cup finals. A couple of stills showing Ray Watson enjoying the post match celebrations with the winning Sunderland side.
Ray Watson at Sunderland FA cup Win.jpg
Ray Watson at Sunderland FA cup Win 2.jpg
 
Hi, Folks! Very close with the name - it was W (Bill) Powrie I believe he and Dai Thomas co-operated in producing that 16mm silent black and white film which I uploaded to YouTube. I have recently uploaded it again, at the correct speed - previously, it was running too fast!
Here is a link to that corrected version - plus another link (I hope these work!) to another film from approximately the same era 1962-1963 which I filmed myself in colour on standard 8mm silent film ...

KING EDWARD VI CAMP HILL BIRMINGHAM 1962

KING EDWARD VI CAMP HILL BIRMINGHAM 1962-1963

... and for good measure, a very brief clip of the rugby team in action ... again c1963 ...

KING EDWARD VI CAMP HILL BIRMINGHAM RUGBY MATCH (very brief!) c1963

Hope these links work! If not, please go to YouTube and search!

Best wishes, Terry
 
hi terry what can i say...i halve only watched the colour video you took on leaving day....what a great testament land legacy to the school..its pupils and teachers you captured...certainly high jinks on last day :) i will watch the other videos tomorrow...many thanks for posting them all

lyn
 
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Astoness said:
hi terry what can i say...i have only watched the colour video you took on leaving day....what a great testament land legacy to the schoo..its pupils and teachers you captured...certainly high jinks on last day :) i will watch the other videos tomorrow...many thanks for posting them all

lyn
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Thanks for your kind words - I am so pleased that facilities such as YouTube and this forum have enabled me to find a new audience for my old home movies - so much more fun than simply letting them gather dust on the shelf! There are one or two other Birmingham-related items in my YouTube channel if you have any browsing time to spare! Here's a link to those ... Terry Pearson's YouTube channel including various Birmingham-related items Best wishes, Terry Pearson
 
thanks terry i will also be looking at those uploads..you are quite right of course our saying on here is please share what you have either old photos ..memories or videos as no doubt so many have been lost or skipped by family who maybe do not appreciate the historical importance of them...and without blowing our own trumpet you have chosen the best birmingham history forum to share as we have a very large audience...thanks again and keep them coming...with a bit of luck we may have members on here who will recognise themselves...if so please step forward :)

lyn
 
At this time of year my wife's thoughts have turned to Christmas cards and can we get them online due to the lockdown. I suggested we tried designing our own, not a difficult task these days on a computer.
I then remembered that each year a school card was produced, printed and sold in the school under the guiding eye of Tony Appleby the Art master. One card I particularly recall was one designed by a pupil, whose name I forget, whereby Santa's sleigh was depicted as being pulled by the three lions from the school badge. Very modern and a striking image for the time. One unfortunate thing I do remember about this pupil was that when operating the printing press he caught his fingers in the unguarded cogs and suffered a really bad injury to his hand. This resulted in guards being fitted to prevent a repetition of the accident.
 
Hi, jmadone! Thanks for your recollections! Approximately what year(s) were you at the school? Maybe one of my e-mail groups will recall the name of the unfortunate printing-press injury victim.
 
Terry Pearson said:
I'm on the case! Our group were there between 1956 and the early 1960s so I'll consult them and report back with any news!
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The lad concerned was a few years older than me. One of his friends I recall was a lad named Plant who lived in Sheldon. I used to deliver papers to his house in Forest Hill Road.
 
jmadone said:
The lad concerned was a few years older than me. One of his friends I recall was a lad named Plant who lived in Sheldon. I used to deliver papers to his house in Forest Hill Road.
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Aaahh! That's useful. I was in the same form as Keith/Ken? Plant, so that ties down the date quite nicely!
 
It looks as if the school is about to have it's very own rail line and station! I wonder how the school catchment area will evolve.
 
JohnLloyd.jpg Does anyone ex KEGS Camp Hill remember John LLoyd who has just died aged 89. He must have been in the 5th or 6th Forms when I was there and I would not remember anyone so remote. There was a small obituary of him recently in the Guardian.

Looking back in these threads, what is this word 'sherrin'? I thought it was 'sherring' = fresh herring. Like our school song this was pinched from KES. Has our school song changed since my time? Then it started "Where the I-ron heart of England throbs, beneath its sombre robe ...".

In 1B we were taught to sing this properly without the glorious glissandi. Of course we always sang it improperly ever after. We were taught this by Mr Howe. His parents unfortunately gave him the forename Isaac pronounced "I's a cow".

One teacher/nickname I have not seen mentioned is Mr "Soss" Hollingsworth. Apparently, before the war there had been a pork butcher's shop near the school with that surname. He was profoundly deaf, probably from service in the Great War. In lessons in the chemistry lab he would fine you 6 d. for making a noise with your stool. He could feel the vibrations but could not detect voices. We took advantage of that.

Soss had a dry sense of humour. During a botany clss in the Lecture Room some one came round selling Remembrance Poppies. He analysed the characteristics of a 'poppy' and proved it was the flower of some other plant. That must have been Autumn 1952.
 
JohnWish said:
View attachment 156762 Does anyone ex KEGS Camp Hill remember John LLoyd who has just died aged 89. He must have been in the 5th or 6th Forms when I was there and I would not remember anyone so remote. There was a small obituary of him recently in the Guardian.

Looking back in these threads, what is this word 'sherrin'? I thought it was 'sherring' = fresh herring. Like our school song this was pinched from KES. Has our school song changed since my time? Then it started "Where the I-ron heart of England throbs, beneath its sombre robe ...".

In 1B we were taught to sing this properly without the glorious glissandi. Of course we always sang it improperly ever after. We were taught this by Mr Howe. His parents unfortunately gave him the forename Isaac pronounced "I's a cow".

One teacher/nickname I have not seen mentioned is Mr "Soss" Hollingsworth. Apparently, before the war there had been a pork butcher's shop near the school with that surname. He was profoundly deaf, probably from service in the Great War. In lessons in the chemistry lab he would fine you 6 d. for making a noise with your stool. He could feel the vibrations but could not detect voices. We took advantage of that.

Soss had a dry sense of humour. During a botany clss in the Lecture Room some one came round selling Remembrance Poppies. He analysed the characteristics of a 'poppy' and proved it was the flower of some other plant. That must have been Autumn 1952.
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John Lloyd would have been before my time at Camp Hill. But good to read of someone who made a difference.
Singing was never one of my strengths I recall being by asked by Mr. Poppleton to mime during one chorus at the Christmas service at Trinity Church.
Strange that Mr. Howe, French and Mr. Hunt, geography, had the same forename, Isaac, little boys have little imagination. I remember Soss Hollingsworth's appearances at lunch time cricket games, he would bowl off breaks with good effect.
 
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JohnWish said:
View attachment 156762 Does anyone ex KEGS Camp Hill remember John LLoyd who has just died aged 89. He must have been in the 5th or 6th Forms when I was there and I would not remember anyone so remote. There was a small obituary of him recently in the Guardian.

Looking back in these threads, what is this word 'sherrin'? I thought it was 'sherring' = fresh herring. Like our school song this was pinched from KES. Has our school song changed since my time? Then it started "Where the I-ron heart of England throbs, beneath its sombre robe ...".

In 1B we were taught to sing this properly without the glorious glissandi. Of course we always sang it improperly ever after. We were taught this by Mr Howe. His parents unfortunately gave him the forename Isaac pronounced "I's a cow".

One teacher/nickname I have not seen mentioned is Mr "Soss" Hollingsworth. Apparently, before the war there had been a pork butcher's shop near the school with that surname. He was profoundly deaf, probably from service in the Great War. In lessons in the chemistry lab he would fine you 6 d. for making a noise with your stool. He could feel the vibrations but could not detect voices. We took advantage of that.

Soss had a dry sense of humour. During a botany clss in the Lecture Room some one came round selling Remembrance Poppies. He analysed the characteristics of a 'poppy' and proved it was the flower of some other plant. That must have been Autumn 1952.
Click to expand...


My notes...
….an excerpt for my school diaries…

Equally ancient and also profoundly deaf was old Len ‘Soss’ Hollingworth, another of the old pre-war guard. Named after a well-known brand of sausage manufacturers of the day, Soss took science and was also a closet train spotter. Being so deaf it mattered not a jot that any train passing completely drowned out anything he said (not that folks were much moved by that anyway) for a good two minutes, and he would carry on regardless. However, there was nothing wrong with this eyesight. When the hiatus had passed he would mutter to Moggy Moore, his bete noire, “Did you get that number Moore?” Yes sir, “ And were you listening to me as well?”. Yes Sir. “Then would you mind sharing with us all what I just said about Boyles Law?” Moggy, being a good lad and very bright would then mouth the answer, probably correctly, who knows. Soss lip read everything, and was not daft. He would nod sagely, whilst we would fall about. From the class reaction he knew the game was afoot. “Right Williams, repeat what Moore just said.” …Blank stare. Wouldn’t know Boyle’s Law from my arse. Gotcha. “Moore and Williams, write out Boyle’s Law five hundred times in detention.” Game over. Wiped out. Brilliant teacher!!
 
I just missed being taught by Mr Poppleton as I entered Camp Hill in September 1954 and he left a few months earlier. There was a short write-up about him in the school magazine of Spring 1955. "Mr. Poppleton left us at Easter 1954 to join the staff at Handsworth Grammar School. He came to Camp Hill from the University College of the South-West in September 1951, and, with his genial approach to his profession, quickly made himself popular with both colleagues and pupils. In addition to his work as a member of the English department, much use was made by the School of his talents, as an organist and choirmaster, in Carol Services and on Speech Days. We wish him well in his new post and hope, as he is still a neighbour of ours, that we shall see him frequently as a guest at School functions." This was written by D. I. Thomas.
 
Sorry boys...but another memory Dai Thomas...

One of the largest , literally, was my first form master, D.I.”Dai” Thomas. A big Welsh sod straight from a Dylan Thomas novel. A gifted History Master, with latent homicidal tendencies towards us English, but tempered with enough of a dry, laconic sense of humour to mostly win us all over.
In first year History we did the Punic Wars and life in Roman Britain. For our first ever homework, an essay was required on this topic. Homework was new to most of us. The standard was not defined. We read the set text book, and did our best. But what did they want? We soon found out. The next lesson after handing it in remained with me forever

Dai. ”Thank you gentlemen. Thank you for your pathetic efforts on the civilising influence of Rome in Europe after the birth of our Lord. Rowlands, stand up lad”. Said with barely a pause between sentences.

Rowlands, a fragile faun from a private school crammer, duly stood nervously by the side of his desk.

Dai, ignoring Rowlands’ upright form for the moment, went on “ I’m now going to read you a little gem from Rowlands’ masterful pen”

Rowlands, risking a little preen by now, stood taller as Dai slowly walked up and down the aisle between our desks, and when approaching him from behind continued:

Dai “For his troubles, Caius Maximus got a bellyful of Gallic steel“

Rowlands’ expression registered a frisson of alarm…

Dai, looking wistfully out of the window, repeated “A bellyful of Gallic steel?” in a tone you would use if the Police had just informed you that your Granny had been found in possession of crack cocaine, continued “And you lad, will get this backside full of Birmingham boot if you write this sort of rubbish again.”

The ‘thwack’, as his boot connected with Rowlands’ rear was matchless. The class fell about. Even Rowlands had to smile. Dai had set out his stall, gained total control, and instilled instant obedience in just over sixty seconds. He never looked back. I was soon to discover that all the good Masters had similar man management skills. Genius.

 
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