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Leighton House School - Harborne

Aidan

Aidan

master brummie
Several of my family attended this school in the early 1950s when the Headmaster was Mr Leighton (I think it was later taken over by the Marist Brothers). I have been unable to find out much about it online and I would welcome input from any forum members about what it was like, its history, anything really.

Also are there any photos and where exactly was it (I think it was on Ravenhurst Rd, but which side of Wentworth Rd and what number?)
 
Aidan
from 1955 Kellys: Leighton House School, 81 Ravenhurst rd 17. T N Harborne 2063. It was on the west side, close to the junction with wentworth rd . Wellingtron lodge seems to be between it and Wentworth rd
mike
 
Hi Aiden,

I boarded at a convent boarding house in Westbourne Road, Harborne and one of the boys there, attended Leighton House and I remember the school uniform as being very bright blue in colour. I went onto Friends Reunited and downloaded some pics from there. They are not very high resolution but you could get in touch with the person who put them on FR. and ask for a better copy.

Humph
 
Very good of you - thanks Humph - I will investigate with the family members concerned
 
Aidan
I was a pupil of the Leighton House School from 1953-60,and,I was Head-Boy in my final academic year.
Furthermore,only for the autumn term of 1964,the Marist Brother Gerard (Headmaster) appointed me as the teacher of Class One.
A few years ago,I did some research on the history of the L.H.S..
 
Hi Vivian - welcome to the forum - I am going to visit some of my LHS relatives at the weekend and if I get chance I will ask to see if they recognise your name. Did your research throw up any interesting facts or pictures you wish to share here?
 
Aidan
Whilst I was at the school,I was known as Francis,not Vivian.
As I am not very computer-literate,I am unable to send photos,but I will provide much information.
A few years ago,I sent some photos to Ivan Taylor (who is a `Leightonite`),and he put them on the Friends Reunited L.H.S. site. Humph3 has already sent you a few of my photos from this location. Some of the photos are tagged.
 
Ok thanks Vivian Francis. As Humph3 says, they are not of high enough resolution for me to make an ID but my relatives might be able to. Thanks for letting me know
 
tony welby said:
I'm looking for school photos from 1958-1960.Tony Welby.
Click to expand...
I attended LHS from September 1958 to July 1963. I most certainly remember you Tony. I also remember Ivan Taylor who was in my class. I believe that his Father died tragically in a motor cycle accident. I have vivid memories of Leighton House. When I started, Brother Brendan was the head master. He retired later and was replaced by Brother Jarleth. Following his term, Brother Gerrared took over as the headmaster the year following my departure. How well I remember "Darkie" the strap Brother Gerrard used on us. I also remember the lay teachers Miss Cunliffe, Mr Rogers who taught geography and Mrs Turner who taught history. She used to enter the classroom rattling her can collecting pennies for "the sinners mass" It is so neat to find this blog. Please feel free to contact me anyone who remembers those times
 
Hi Humph3. I was that boy in the blue blazer all those years ago.I remember the place very well.I served mass every morning before getting to LHS late and getting six lashes of the strap.Do you remember the oak tree in the middle of the football pitch.The dorm s were the converted stables and the smell of urine from those who wet their beds.Sister joseph was the head,but sister Lucy was the best.Do you rember old father Thomas? He told me that westbourne house used to belong to the Duke of Wellington.If you know more i would like to know.Good luck, Tony Welby.
 
Hi Vivian Francis .I have been trying to contact a school friend .Do you remember Paul Moss,We were also in the scouts along with John Tully, Peter Rainey and Peter Foley.Paul and i formed a band called The Humdingers,our first gig was the church hall in Vivian road Harborne. Has anybody have any news on Paul Moss,would love to know. BFN.
 
Hi. This is Graham Collis I was at Leighton House from approx 1958 till 1962, what memories this site brings back some good some, some bad. anybody also remember Kieran Green and a girl called Stephanie cant recall her surname ?
 
I was at Leighton House in the mid 50's. The first thing I remember is the mud. The playground was just a muddy field when I first arrived, and I remember well when they put tarmac down, with a high link fence around it.

There is a point to this, a little bit of the fabric of the school is still there, or was in 2013. As you walk down Ravenhurst Road, from Harborne High Street, on the other side of Wentworth Road junction, as someone mentioned there now stands a block of flats on the left side of Ravenhurst Road. They were built shortly after the school buildings were demolished. Walk a little further and there is a small pathway where the flats stop, and the first house is situated. This pathway was also the boundary of the school, and is unchanged.

If you walk a few steps up this pathway you can still see part of that original wire fence to your left, and adjoining it part of the original playground behind the flats. The builders did a very good job presumably. Still there well after half a century, and if inanimate objects have memories perhaps they hear the distant echo of little voices singing 'Land Of Hope and Glory' every morning (sigh).
 
Vivian Francis Rynne said:
Aidan
Whilst I was at the school,I was known as Francis,not Vivian.
As I am not very computer-literate,I am unable to send photos,but I will provide much information.
A few years ago,I sent some photos to Ivan Taylor (who is a `Leightonite`),and he put them on the Friends Reunited L.H.S. site. Humph3 has already sent you a few of my photos from this location. Some of the photos are tagged.
Click to expand...

Viv, I did respond to Graham Hall but haven't heard anything back.
Please drop me a line (home address) to let me know how your move went. Ivan
 
tony welby said:
Hi Vivian Francis .I have been trying to contact a school friend .Do you remember Paul Moss,We were also in the scouts along with John Tully, Peter Rainey and Peter Foley.Paul and i formed a band called The Humdingers,our first gig was the church hall in Vivian road Harborne. Has anybody have any news on Paul Moss,would love to know. BFN.
Click to expand...
Hi Tony,
I did make contact with Paul 'Inky' Moss about 5 years ago. He was working with his brother in their printing works in Birmingham.
 
I was at Leighton House and have just found this forum. What happened to the pictures on the Friends Reunited site? I would love to see them. Can anyone help?
 
Andy Owen said:
I was at Leighton House and have just found this forum. What happened to the pictures on the Friends Reunited site? I would love to see them. Can anyone help?
Click to expand...
I was at the school for one year in 1957.. having been abroad with my family.i passed the 12+ exam and went on the King EdwardV! Grammar School.I remember the school very vividly as it was such a crazy,chaotic anarchic place!!!The pupils and staff were a very eccentric mix,.The staff that I remember were Brother Brendan[Aka Brenus],brother Gerrard, brother [Pixie] Evan,Miss Turner,Mr Macnally[Art[,Mr Fitzgerald[Fitzy],”Spud’ Rogers. Geography,Father Damian[scripture],.Mrs Bloomfield ran a rather good Tuck shop with bacon butties!.
The pupils I recall were”Sambo’ Nath,Manfred Macintyre,Berkun Soraya, Arthur Bonichi, but the. Most memorable were “Shez’ Desmond Sheridan Victor Witty,Freddie Lee, Jeremy Macniven[very bright],ralph Jones, Lakey, Lakin,John BowmanSanty, Bernard Cartwright,Roddy Bolton, Mullins,Paul Moss, ,Pete Donahoe, Paul .Espley,Patrick Muleady, were 2 girls only left One was called Gillian Shepherd
if you want stories.. I probably have lots!!The towse[a 3 ended leather strap] was the only form of discipline on the hand.This was because the ‘Brothers drove there every day in an old Morris minor from Wolverhampton So couldn’t have detentions. .Brother Gerrard was my favourite though he was strict ,he went out if his way to make school interesting..he had a tropical aquarium and took us on outings to hear Gilbert and Sullivan `Operas in Birmingham.I still know lots of classic poetry thanks to him... like 25 verses of ‘Leys of Ancient Rome‘ !!!..you got the strap if you missed a line!!. The work was easy ,there as I had already learned some Latin and French at a previous Prep school., Some teachers were useless “`Fitzy’ [biology]was probably senile,”spud’ had a nervous switch in one eye,Pixie was unable to hold class discipline.. :Shez and Witty were early juvenile delinquents who took full advantage....they imitated Spuds twitch and Ran rings round Fitzy.
much to our amusement... I was only 11 years old so just looked on .Shez [a very big blond Irish lad]was once attacked by Father `Damian with a bible.. he didn’t care though he was immune to pain it seemed..The school was a decaying Vicorian house.I still remeber Miss Turner .. we ate our lunch during the ‘angelus’ as she had’a brain like a sieve’.. and was so carried away praying. she Went into a self induced trance!! She smeared lipstick on your books and was said to have a coat made from old teddy bear skins!!..you couldn’t make it up..There was an old air raid shelterin the playground. my parents actually paid fees for this Mad place.. !!!now I look back with great amusement. it was a rather brutal introduction to school like in the Uk but wouln’t have missed it... then there was the time when....... maybe another time
 
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Just joined the forum.

About 1944 I went to St Phillips Preparatory School which was in Plough and Harrow Road, Edgbaston. About '48ish it moved to Ravenhurst Road, Harborne and the name was changed to Leighton House.

I left in 1953. It's nearly 70 years since I left so I can't remember too much about it. Old Mr. Leighton was always known as Tubby. His son "Paddy" was a teacher and I think he died not long after I left. His daughter, Miss Leighton, I remember, was also a teacher. She was mad about the theatre and occasionally she roped in pupils to take part in plays at The Alex.

Other teachers I remember were Miss Brunt, Miss Oliver, Basil Krough, Spud Roger, Mr Durrent who took us to France in the summer. The best teacher was Mr Harris who taught us English.

I did meet Tony Moss a few years ago, we were in the same class.

The standard of education was very poor. We didn't even have a Science teacher, never mind a laboratory. And Maths wasn't much better. We were never taught Logarithms, or any thing like that. Not long after I left I met the girl I was eventually to marry. She was a grammar school girl and she can't believe how poor our education was. She used to say "and your Mom and Dad paid for that" I usually replied "we're very good catholics and that's more important than a good education"

I did have the school photo for 1953, I will look and see if I still have it.
 
Hi I used to live a few doors away from Leighton house School it was sited on the corner of Wentworth road and Ravenhurst road it was a large castellated Sandstone type of building as a kid it always looked spooky to me it had some small doors on the Ravenhurst Road side it was left empty for a few years then demolished and replaced with blocks of two storey luxury flats I used to rent a garage from a lady who lived in one of the flats can’t recall exactly when it was demolished think mid to late 60s possibly .
 
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