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Marsh Hill Girls Grammar Tech School

JosieP said:
Does anyone remember having to make a dance tunic? As far as I recall they only had a one size pattern which had to fit all.
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Hi. I started at MHG in 1964, and was in form 1alpha. My parents were not at all well off, and we’re shocked by the lengthy uniform list, and struggled to find the money to buy it all. My mum decided to make my dance tunic, didn’t use the school pattern - and it was emerald green (not one of the approved colours), and she trimmed it with white daisies round the neckline! In our first dance lesson I was hauled to the front of the hall by Miss Tyson, and ridiculed in front of everyone for not having the correct tunic. I particularly remember her saying “Why do you think you’re so special that you can have decorations on your tunic”? I was mortified and so embarrassed. My mum agreed to remove the daisies, but insisted I be allowed to wear the green tunic as we couldn’t afford to buy another.
 
That definitely wasn't right to be ridiculed in front of the class but I'm afraid that sort of thing was the norm back in the day.

....and yes, uniforms were quite expensive and you could only buy from designated shops.
 
A Sparks said:
That definitely wasn't right to be ridiculed in front of the class but I'm afraid that sort of thing was the norm back in the day.

....and yes, uniforms were quite expensive and you could only buy from designated shops.
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Me and a friend who also went to Marsh Hill were talking about this at the weekend. Her parents also struggled to buy all the listed uniform items. I had never owned two pairs of shoes at the same time. You wore one pair til you outgrew them, then had the next pair. The idea of indoor and outdoor shoes as specified was like something from the Mallory Towers books . I remember Cavendish House being the main stockist of our uniform. You’re right, teachers were definitely given more licence in the way they treated pupils back then. To be fair, some of us girls weren’t the best behaved .
 
Hi i started in the late 60s like you had my dance tunic made also .I did not buy the summer uniform also the straw boater hat or the summer dress.The only place we could buy the uniform was from a shop round the corner I think it was by banks.I remember our berets was demobbed by the older girls .I bet you were one of them girls picking on the innocent first year pupils ha ha !
 
I seem to remember we bought my uniform from Greys but I know Cavendish House was another supplier.
My parents were rather fortunate as I hardly grew and I was wearing the same school mac, blazer and skirt when I left at 16 and a half!!
 
Kathleenw said:
Hi Suzanne
Just found this site and been reading through. I was Kathleen Wilkins then and you were in the z forms with me. I'm having a meal on Friday night with Margaret brain Lynn Hayes, Glenda Nolan and Linda Potter. We haven't met in a while but still keep in touch
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Hello Kathleen - since joining the site I have met up with Susan Laight and Lynn Hayes. I still keep in touch with Lynn. I have (unfortunately) found out that both Ann Turvey and Julie Cope have passed away. x
 
Suzanne said:
Hello Kathleen - since joining the site I have met up with Susan Laight and Lynn Hayes. I still keep in touch with Lynn. I have (unfortunately) found out that both Ann Turvey and Julie Cope have passed away. x
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Oh no Suzanne, so very sorry to hear that about Julia and Topsey :sweat: can't quite believe it.
Anne.
 
Although I didn’t personally know Julia and Lynn, they were both still at the school when I was there. Sad news. Viv.
 
Hi all, especially Jayne Woolaston - you were in my class at MHGS, certainly in 5H anyway. You were friends with Julie Welshman if I remember rightly. I was Barbara Basnett in those days and was friends with Gillian Yates, although we have lost touch over the years. You were talking about the Caribbean Cruise, Vivienne. I have attached a photo from the Erdington News showing some of the girls who went on it, along with two boys (don't know their names). I am in the middle of the seated row. Next to me on the right is Janet Thomas and next to her is Sandra Meacham. Sorry the photo isn't brilliant quality but it is 50 years old!100_3940.JPG
 
Wow, I’m on the photo, back row, 6th from the left ! Have absolutely no memory of having that photo taken. I was in 5S - sciences. A few more names:

4th from left - Sally Smith
5th from left - Marilyn Prichard
6th from left - me
7th from left - possibly Kath Henderson
8th from left - Angela ......
9th from left - Jane Evans

There were one or two girls from another school in our party, they may be on this photo too. Can’t remember names. Viv.


Had a bit of a fiddle with your photo Sasha......

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viv you have not changed could tell it was you....what a great find and it was in the papers...thanks sasha

lyn
 
Earlier in the thread someone was asking about the Speech Day programme for 1969, I kept mine and I have attached it if anyone is interested!img179.jpgimg179.jpg
 

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That's perfectly fine, Viv - I'm not at all tech savvy!! Couldn't get my phone to work and my camera belongs in a museum. I could list most of the names of the girls in the 5th year, not because I have a brilliant memory (I haven't!!) but because I kept a diary and wrote them all down in there. I have also got, somewhere, a class photo of 1 alpha but I haven't yet managed to put my hand on it.
 
Just look how short the skirts were in that photo ! I work at a school and the girls still pull the same trick of rolling up the top of the skirt. And they’re not even as short as we used to wear them.

The photo would have been, I think, 1969, possibly November, and all the girls (and boys) would have been 6th formers. The two male 6th formers look like they still had to wear school uniform. Mr Markwell (Head of boys’ school) must have been less ‘with it’ when it came to understanding teenagers and fashions ! I know Mrs Cockbain (Head of girls) imagined herself a bit of a fashionista when it came to clothing. And probably enjoyed seeing some of the outfits we wore. She once told me she enjoyed reading Vogue magazine ! Yep, hard to believe.

I am very surprised I appeared on this photo, as I spent most of my VI form days avoiding every class, did very little work, wasn’t often in school and was generally a rebellious layabout, unlike my earlier days at MHGS.

Viv.
 
Yes, you're right, I was in the commercial class, lower 6th. I think my skirt is the shortest of the lot!! I was supposed to be doing A levels but when I picked the ones I wanted, I was told by Mrs Cockbain that I couldn't do those as I "wasn't going to pass them anyway". She told me which ones I was going to do and I told her where to put the idea and did shorthand and typing instead! I'm surprised I stood up to her as I was quite introverted at school. I took A levels later at college. It was my mum who kept the photo - I can't remember it being taken either! I found it amongst her paperwork when she died.
 
Here's a photo of the commercial class on the last day in 1970 - what a rum lot! From memory on the left is Sally Smith looking extremely happy, next to her Ann Binsley, Christine Ball, me and the teacher whose name escapes me. I can't remember the name of the next three, then Yvonne Bonquet I think, in the blue jumber Peta Taylor and right at the front Sharon Owen. Then a photo of Mrs Cockbain and Miss Cookley on the SS Nevasa with Marijke Brand at the front.100_1633_resized.jpg
 

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Yes that’s definitely Yvonne. Remember her very well, was quite good friends with her. Sally S, Sharon and Peta were all in my class up to 5th Form. Also knew Marijke well. So nice to see girls from my year. A trip down memory lane for me this afternoon. Great photos Sasha. Thanks for posting. Viv.
 
These two photos were taken on a geography trip - orienteering in the Cotswolds. Not too sure of the date but must have been in the late 1960s.

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Left to right: Susan Vyse, Rose Harvey, Linda Sabin, Christine Sutton, Janet Poxon and I think Lorraine Waldron at the back.

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Left to right: probably Lorraine Waldron (bit blurry), Susan Vyse, Janet Poxon, Linda Sabin, probably Christine Sutton (hidden behind Linda) and Rose Harvey.


Viv.
 
And this one was taken, I think, in one of the top classrooms. This would also have been late 1960s, most probably 5th Form.

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Left to right: Anne Rollason, Peta Taylor, Lorraine Waldron, (behind Lorraine I think it was Christine Sutton), Janet Poxon (sitting) next to her Sandra .... and at the back, Sharon Owen.

This photo shows the various summer uniform dresses. There was a blue & white striped dress (modelled by Peta and Janet) another with thick bands of blue and white edged with flowers (modelled by Lorraine) and the ‘leaf’ pattern (modelled by Sharon) which were hand made dresses, either made in needlework classes or, I think, at home. I made one in needlework in a shift style. Was quite comfy too.

And probably a nod to Mrs Cockbain ‘interest’ in fashion ! Viv.
 
My mother made me one of the leaf pattern dresses when I was in the 3rd year but I didn't wear it much, I never had a stripey one.
I wore the winter uniform all year round.
 
Vivienne14 said:
Edit. A link to Marsh Hill Boys Grammar Tech is here https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/marsh-hill-boys-grammar-tech-school.34993/


The school opened in 1960 but no longer exists. Think it became Josiah Mason College. Headmistress in 1967 was Mrs Cockbaine (who insisted on being called CObaine i.e silent middle c and k !!) Viv.

A school record was recorded in the 1960s. Be interesting to see if anyone has a copy.

The school blazer badge - Non Nobis Solum.
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I have the scarf ....
 
Hi Lena. Think you were the same year as me, but a different form. Your form tutor looks like Mrs Bates.

The school scarf is the first one with narrowish stripes. There was another one - introduced later - for more senior girls with wider stripes.

Viv.
 
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