Great photos Bob. That stage looks familiar, although much, much smaller than I remember. Thanks for posting. Viv.
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Kingsthorne Cranbourne Rd School
- Thread starter Vivienne14
- Start date
daimlerman
knowlegable brummie
That's definitely us two in the staged "fight"
Can't remember where that pic was taken though. Look a bit old for CRANBOURNE ROAD SCHOOL.
Bobx was always your ID on the card in the Hare and Hounds.
Please PM me. Its high time we had a good catch up. I'm in regular touch with Peter Ricketts, Paul Hayes, and Ray Turner.
That stage brought back memories. I’m not sure how old I was either in top infants, or the first year of junior school. The school put on Peter Pan, and I was chosen to be nana the dog , I kid you not.
I even had a costume made by the school it was brown fur, had a tail, and a head i guess of paper mache, and painted or maybe had fur on it .
The dogs head was fitted over mine, and I could only see out if the mouth.
I had to sing how much is that doggie in the window.
The play was around Christmas time 1955/56, and I remember walking home with Mum, and when we were passing Wanstead Grove we looked up, and saw a shooting star, it was magical.
Of cause after that I had huge aspirations to became an actress for about 6 months.
The stage then looked massive.
I even had a costume made by the school it was brown fur, had a tail, and a head i guess of paper mache, and painted or maybe had fur on it .
The dogs head was fitted over mine, and I could only see out if the mouth.
I had to sing how much is that doggie in the window.
The play was around Christmas time 1955/56, and I remember walking home with Mum, and when we were passing Wanstead Grove we looked up, and saw a shooting star, it was magical.
Of cause after that I had huge aspirations to became an actress for about 6 months.
The stage then looked massive.
Washing up in the 1930s. Viv.
Source: British Newspaper Archive
Source: British Newspaper Archive
i attended Kingsthorne from 1962. Nursery, infants & juniors before going on to complete my education at Kingsrise school for young Ladies & Gentlemen. Thanks Viv. Wonderful descriptive account of your time at Cranbourne road. Jogged so many memories for me. GT.
daimlerman
knowlegable brummie
Hi Viv
The photo of the girls in the hut entrance above rings a bell. The two smiling girls at the front are very familiar to me. The girl on the right looks like Joyce Healey who was in my class. I'm probably wrong, but it was at least 60 years ago.
Jeff
The photo of the girls in the hut entrance above rings a bell. The two smiling girls at the front are very familiar to me. The girl on the right looks like Joyce Healey who was in my class. I'm probably wrong, but it was at least 60 years ago.
Jeff
Daimlerman. I’m certain the girl to the front right with racquet was Christine Lomax (lived on Atlantic Road). The girl lying on the steps above her was Carole Sayers, above her ... not sure. To her left was Mary Jones (lived on Kingstanding Road), below her lying down was Judith ..., ?, next down not sure. Then at the bottom of the steps with the racquet was Susan Eaves (lived in Atlantic Road).
Mary and Judith went on the KEGS and Susan went on to Stockland Green Bilateral.
Viv
Mary and Judith went on the KEGS and Susan went on to Stockland Green Bilateral.
Viv
daimlerman
knowlegable brummie
Thanks Viv,
The names are none I know, but the faces are familiar.
So probably a year or so, apart.
Jeff
The names are none I know, but the faces are familiar.
So probably a year or so, apart.
Jeff
Ray Griffiths
master brummie
Ray Griffiths
master brummie
Reading this thread again I in about 1947 our class was taken to the Birmingham Town Hall to perform a a sea shanty on the sage we was dressed in black a white stripe shorts abs black class made hats
With the recent very cold weather it’s made me think of how welcoming it was arriving at Kingsthorne School in the 1950s. Coming from a house heated by just one open coal fire, I can remember being hit by the heat from the school radiators and sitting in a warm and snuggly classroom (thank you Mr Caretaker !). I never remember arriving in winter to a cold school while I was there.
But I also remember the outside toilets. Although there was a covered but open walkway to reach them, they were outside towards the old air raid shelter. It was soooo cold there in the winter as the doors to the toilets were not ceiling to floor - 12”ish gap top and bottom. Probably put many of us kids off using them.
Viv.
But I also remember the outside toilets. Although there was a covered but open walkway to reach them, they were outside towards the old air raid shelter. It was soooo cold there in the winter as the doors to the toilets were not ceiling to floor - 12”ish gap top and bottom. Probably put many of us kids off using them.
Viv.
Ray Griffiths
master brummie
Remember it in the late 40s having walk from Birdbrook Rd up Dyas Rd. which at that time hadn’t been built it was a track with the sandpits. The worst 1947 winter those toilets was wicked but the classrooms made up for it. The bottles of milk we had the top was forced off with the frost it was horrible milk. Bad as they were we just got on with it with
no buses to school you walked with no real cold weather clothing and rationing still in place it was hard but we survived.
no buses to school you walked with no real cold weather clothing and rationing still in place it was hard but we survived.
daimlerman
knowlegable brummie
Oh yes the warmth of the school radiators. Kids arriving in wellingtons and Duffle coats along with balaclavas and wooly gloves.
The caretaker, Mr Alderwick, would Stoke up the boilers early. They were coke fired under the infants school hall.
I don't ever recall the school being closed on snow days, even during the big freeze of winter 1962/63. The temperatures remained around freezing from boxing day (First snow) until March. Snow was piled up on street corners, which turned filthy black over time.
We even made an igloo in our back garden.
The only times I can remember the weather disrupting school was if fog descended in the afternoon. That good old thick yellow pea soup fog would bring everything to a crawl on the roads and we were sent home early. Brrrrrrr.
Jeff
jadelouise
New Member
This thread has been so interesting to read. Unfortunately, I lost my Nan last year and we found some pieces of paper that she once wrote, that my mum kept, all about her childhood. She lived on Rodwell Grove at the time, I think! And in these memories she wrote, she talked about attending 'Cranborn Road School' which I assume is a slight spelling error hehe and that she was talking about this school... Her name was Margaret Gough (her maiden name, she married and became Margaret Black as of 1964) and she was born in Oct 1943. Unsure which years she would have attended the school but just thought it was nice to post anyway.
It's been so lovely, reading this thread and seeing memories others have had of the school and can imagine what it may have been like for her. So thank you!
It's been so lovely, reading this thread and seeing memories others have had of the school and can imagine what it may have been like for her. So thank you!
hi jade so sorry to hear of the loss of your nan...i live a few yards away from rodwell grove which only has about half a dozen houses including the old farm workers cottages...although a few years older than your nan lived a lovely lady called mary who was born there and she used to tell me about the day the german bombers came swooping over rodwell grove firing over the area and they had to run and take cover...mary had to leave the grove a few years ago to go into a home...i would image that your nan started at cranbourne school round about 1948..i would also think that mary knew your nan..how lovely to have those scraps of paper...hang onto them
lyn
lyn
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Eric Gibson
master brummie
That's certainly how I remember it, except for the painted play markings. Caretaker's house at the right front, infants to the left juniors to the right and the front corners the respective heads offices.
Definitely Cranbourne (later Kingsthorne)Junior Infants. Judging by the lack of shrubs/trees its an early photo of the school, maybe late 1930s ? There are still the air raid shelters to the right behind the Caretaker's house (bottom right). These were still there in the 1950s and into the 1960s. There are no wooden overspill huts on the bank near Tansley Road side (top of the photo) - these were there in the 1950s. There are only a few children in the playgrounds, but not many. Maybe the photo shows the school when it had just opened ?
It's strange, that I had no concept of how big the school was when I attended it and I only remember ever using the playground that runs along the Tansley Road side and the one near the Caretaker's house. Viv.
It's strange, that I had no concept of how big the school was when I attended it and I only remember ever using the playground that runs along the Tansley Road side and the one near the Caretaker's house. Viv.
I have a memory of Mr Martin whose class I was in around 1963. A great teacher, firm but fair. He was obviously a very good teacher being, not only able to teach his subjects in an engaging way, but was also a very good classroom manager. From memory I think he had a lecturn-type desk, in my mind it was high up and mid-oak in colour. During English composition classes he would test individual pupils in spelling. While the rest of the class beavered away at their writing, he'd call you up to his high desk and ask you certain spellings of previously set words. Fortunately I was OK with spelling, but some must have had a terrible time, squirming away under the piercing gaze of Mr Martin.
Thinking back it was quite daunting, but somehow I managed to get through, probably because I made sure I knew my spellings. I think it's almost largely downn to his teaching and encouragement that I passed the 11 plus. Some teachers you have vivid memories of, some for very positive reasons like Mr Martin and some for not such good reasons and memories.
Viv
Thinking back it was quite daunting, but somehow I managed to get through, probably because I made sure I knew my spellings. I think it's almost largely downn to his teaching and encouragement that I passed the 11 plus. Some teachers you have vivid memories of, some for very positive reasons like Mr Martin and some for not such good reasons and memories.
Viv
daimlerman
knowlegable brummie
Hi Viv,
Mr Martin was of the old school, firm but fair brigade.
I too recall those spelling tests and the twists and turns of English grammar. I liked him and found him approachable.
He wasn't a hard disciplinarian, but one day he pulled out this huge tennor recorder and started playing.
Of course, I was parked in the closest desk to him for some reason. Ahem!
I started giggling and looking round at my mate to see if he was giggling. Then CLUNK! , the big recorder landed on top of my head, which caused far more hilarity in the class, than I was trying to muster. Ouch. Mr Martin, didn't say anything and carried on playing.
Mr Martin was also a fine amature cricketer. I think he played for Warwickshire at some point.
He sometimes joined us lads playing cricket against the wall in the top playground, where wickets were painted.
You didn't want to be batting if Mr Martin decided to bowl. He could almost demolish the wall and send us kids scattering.
Hats off to Mr Martin, he was one of the good guys.
Couldn't agree more. He certainly lived and breathed teaching. I had high hopes when I left the school, but 'big school' wasn't quite what I expected. Happy days at KJS. Viv.
This must have been the reason the 'huts' were removed. There was a block each side of the rear school entrance. One of the wooden huts used to house the kitchens where school meals were cooked - a fire hazard in itself.
daimlerman
knowlegable brummie
The wooden huts I remember very well.
The cookhouse was one side of the Tansley road entrance, the othe side was the nursery, where i was bundled into each day, aged about 4. The school dinners were trollied across to the halls in aluminium trays and tubs. The dinners cost 5/1d. Five shillings for 5 dinners, and a penny for the flowers on the tables. The dinner queue was supervised by a little lady named Mrs Priest. Her catchphrase was "Gravy love"?
At Christmas time, father Christmas came with a sack of toys and games. I think it was Mr Alderwick, the caretaker in disguise.
The wooden huts housed the library and a couple of classrooms. At one point, they were used by children with special needs. I think that experiment only lasted a couple of terms.
The Huts were raised off the ground and it was great sport for us lads to scramble underneath and hide during war games.
The big brick wall separating the huts from the playground was also a challenge to us lads. First, to see who could run up the playground and scramble up and over the wall. Second, was to walk along the top of the wall. This was a dangerous game as a fall of about 8 feet into the playground would have caused injury.
The practice was banned, as was scurrying off behind the huts. It was deemed out of bounds.
The Caretaker Mr Alderwick, often left the gates unlocked for an hour or so after school. The local lads would return and play football until the caretaker chucked us out.
Another game which was soon banned, was called tracking. Boys would climb on the shoulders of taller lads and scramble up onto the walkway roofs and hide, to be tracked and found by others.
My earliest memory in life is of stiiting in my pram, in our back yard, just 3 doors from the school and hearing children singing in the hall, then hearing the noise of all the kids outside at playtime, ending when the bell rang.
Its ironic that at nearly 70 years old, that first memory of life, and the school has remained so clear.
Long live a great little school.
Jeff
The cookhouse was one side of the Tansley road entrance, the othe side was the nursery, where i was bundled into each day, aged about 4. The school dinners were trollied across to the halls in aluminium trays and tubs. The dinners cost 5/1d. Five shillings for 5 dinners, and a penny for the flowers on the tables. The dinner queue was supervised by a little lady named Mrs Priest. Her catchphrase was "Gravy love"?
At Christmas time, father Christmas came with a sack of toys and games. I think it was Mr Alderwick, the caretaker in disguise.
The wooden huts housed the library and a couple of classrooms. At one point, they were used by children with special needs. I think that experiment only lasted a couple of terms.
The Huts were raised off the ground and it was great sport for us lads to scramble underneath and hide during war games.
The big brick wall separating the huts from the playground was also a challenge to us lads. First, to see who could run up the playground and scramble up and over the wall. Second, was to walk along the top of the wall. This was a dangerous game as a fall of about 8 feet into the playground would have caused injury.
The practice was banned, as was scurrying off behind the huts. It was deemed out of bounds.
The Caretaker Mr Alderwick, often left the gates unlocked for an hour or so after school. The local lads would return and play football until the caretaker chucked us out.
Another game which was soon banned, was called tracking. Boys would climb on the shoulders of taller lads and scramble up onto the walkway roofs and hide, to be tracked and found by others.
My earliest memory in life is of stiiting in my pram, in our back yard, just 3 doors from the school and hearing children singing in the hall, then hearing the noise of all the kids outside at playtime, ending when the bell rang.
Its ironic that at nearly 70 years old, that first memory of life, and the school has remained so clear.
Long live a great little school.
Jeff
Great post Jeff. In case you havent seen it, there's a photo of the 'Wall' in post #2 - me and some classmates sitting on it. No sense of fear of the drop down! There's another of one of the hut entrances. Looks like the entrances up the steps to two classrooms. These weren't used much in the 1950s, but we sometimes had a lesson in one of them, one I remember was to learn using money. It was set up like a shop.
daimlerman
knowlegable brummie
Hi Viv,
Those photos are great. You're quite right in the fact that none of us feared falling off the wall. It never crossed our minds that falling into the playground would probably result in broken arms etc.
I remember a lad named Noel, falling off the monkey bars, or jungle gym, as we called it. He banged his head and lay twitching, unconcious. Mrs Priest, the dinner lady came and scooped him up; poor lad.
Do you remember the yo-yo craze? Everybody got one after a chap came into the bottom playground, (Later separated as the girls playground, boys were only allowed in the top playground).
The chap who came in was demonstrating all sorts of tricks like "walking the dog" plus other impressive stunts. He was obviously some sort of sales rep. Within days, half the kids in the school were yo-yoing. Another craze I remember was the Superballs. A small black ball made from highly compressed rubber, called Zircon. They were fantastic.
Some other games came and went. "Hot rice" being one, where a group would decide on a lad to throw a tennis ball and try to hit one of the others all running around. Once hit, it was your turn to throw.
Hide and seek with the akeying post. The person who was "on" would hunt the others hiding. Once found, it was a race back to the post and shout "Akey one-two-three! War games, cops and robbers, skipping, all sorts of games made up from pure imagination.
On cold days, a favourite game was playing trains. A long line of kids running around holding onto the coat in front. The leader would puff out breath into the cold air pretending to be the engine. One lad would trot around the playground on his own, pretending to be a bus stopping at various points hoping to pick up passengers, while making all the correct bus noises..ding-ding..pssssst chhhhhh.
No computer games, mobile phones, or anything. Just imagination and wild fun for 20 minutes. Maybe thats what is missing in the modern age, leading to all sorts of "issues". All I remember is it was a happy place. The occasional scrap between two boys, all to queensbury rules, no kicking or spitting, then once finished, they shook hands. Such gentlemen we were. Haha.
Just been looking over Mikejee's post #*46 again. That aeriel photo has sparked a memory about being in the playground and looking over the fence (think it must have been a metal fence) and wondering what it would be like to be a junior on the other side of the fence. The kids in the junior playground seemed so, so much older to me and I remember feeling a bit anxious about 'moving up'. So I must have been standing in the infant's playground looking across to the juniors. That's the only memory I have of the infant's playground and the first time I've thought about it all these years later.
On the right- hand side is a covered walkway leading from the junior school to the outside toilets. I remember feeling very, very sick one day in Mr Martin's class (right over on the other side of the school) and having to run from the class to the toilets along that covered walkway. I just made it in time !
When in junior school I think for us girls the favourite spot was around the monkey bars. We worked hard at perfecting our moves on the bars. I also remember being there after school and eventually being ushered out by the caretaker. There was never any issue about getting home on time as I was a 'latchkey kid' All I had to do was make sure the tea was started (which mum would have prepped in her lunch hour) and was ready to eat when she and dad got in from work.
On the right- hand side is a covered walkway leading from the junior school to the outside toilets. I remember feeling very, very sick one day in Mr Martin's class (right over on the other side of the school) and having to run from the class to the toilets along that covered walkway. I just made it in time !
When in junior school I think for us girls the favourite spot was around the monkey bars. We worked hard at perfecting our moves on the bars. I also remember being there after school and eventually being ushered out by the caretaker. There was never any issue about getting home on time as I was a 'latchkey kid' All I had to do was make sure the tea was started (which mum would have prepped in her lunch hour) and was ready to eat when she and dad got in from work.
Reading through the thread i noticed your sister was Christina . I sat behind her I guess in our last year before going to senior school.
If I remember she sat next to Richard Reynolds, sitting next to me was Stevie Winwood long before the fame part.
She was good pals with Dorothy Thompson who i also was pals with.
When we all went our separate ways to senior school and lost touch mostly with those that had been in infant and junior school.
I passed the first part of the 11 plus, but not the second part, and consequently went to Kings Rise of which I hated the majority of the time. Leaving 2 months after I was 15.
However, I actually believe that Kingsthorn Cranbourne gave me enough education to be able to enter nursing as a pupil nurse, and becoming a qualified SEN, and much later in life converting to a RGN.
Hope all is still well with your sisters.
daimlerman
knowlegable brummie
Hi Diane1947
Unfortunately, Christina passed away six years ago, after a long illness, quite young really . Marie is still going strong. I met up with Dorothy Thompson and Theresa Williams, last summer , with Marie.
I recall Chris talking about Richard Reynolds and Steven Winwood, I remember came in our house and slid down the kitchen wall onto the floor.
Chris passed her 12 plus, a sort of resit for the 11 plus, and went to Marsh Hill grammar school.
Unfortunately, Christina passed away six years ago, after a long illness, quite young really . Marie is still going strong. I met up with Dorothy Thompson and Theresa Williams, last summer , with Marie.
I recall Chris talking about Richard Reynolds and Steven Winwood, I remember came in our house and slid down the kitchen wall onto the floor.
Chris passed her 12 plus, a sort of resit for the 11 plus, and went to Marsh Hill grammar school.
daimlerman
knowlegable brummie
daimlerman
knowlegable brummie
Class 1:1, 1962; at Kingsthorn juniors that me, Jeffrey Egan, top row far left. Teacher was Miss Mathews. Photo courtesy of Ray Turner, still my pal, next to me top row.
