John my heart goes out to you. My walking needs improvement but hopefully when I finish my Immunotherapy cancer treatment things should hopefully return to close on what it used to be. Good luck.Thanks Brian. Well what's a six year seniority?
My wife is 88 also, but she is in full care now. I looked after her from 2010 until 2016, when she finally had to have more care than I could physically give her. She has Parkinson's and Dementia, and aside from that she is in good health; which is typically perverse. I haven't seen her since lockdown, because the home she is at were locked down fully. They have eased to situation now, but that still leaves me struggling to actually walk around the place, to get to her room. My walking ability is improving though, so a couple of months should do it. She doesn't know our children, and it's looking likely she won't know me when I can finally get to see her. But we must wait and see.
Regards John
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Perry Beeches Secondary School
- Thread starter Maryd
- Start date
Thank you for your kind words
Wobblyclogs
master brummie
Thank you Nick. I just had a few days of conjunctivitis, which has finally eased, so that explains my 'time-out'. Instead of bothering the Doc, I wash my eyes with boiled water, and honey. (Gone cold of course!) Seems to work, but too much honey and I get bothered with big flies! 
BTW Nick, noting you are from Helston: I had 10 months of happiness there, when I was stationed at HMS Seahawk in 1961. The best posting I ever had. Because we were Seamen Anti-submarine ratings, and not Fleet Air Arm types ('Hairy-Fairies') we didn't do station duties and every day was 9-5! Fantastic Floral Day that year!
John
BTW Nick, noting you are from Helston: I had 10 months of happiness there, when I was stationed at HMS Seahawk in 1961. The best posting I ever had. Because we were Seamen Anti-submarine ratings, and not Fleet Air Arm types ('Hairy-Fairies') we didn't do station duties and every day was 9-5! Fantastic Floral Day that year!
John
OM 2 of my children were at the school when the building work was going on....it was a nightmare...they started off in the hutsSome aerial views of Perry Beeches School. It was the first school I went to half a century ago - it was at the top of our road so that's where I went and after 3 days there I walked to school on my own. It was all constructed from wood, so there were a few 'fire' incidents, but it was repaired. There were woods, fields, brooks, sandpits, water filled quarries, and 'haunted' Booths Farm all nearby.
1945
The school as it was when I was there, all built of wood. We had halls with curved roofs and fully equipped gyms in which we could climb ropes to the roof 40ft above. Air raid shelters from which I saw a German ME110 flying over as we were rushed in during an alert. We had a big sports field, nearby woods with frog spawn and tadpoles. Behind the school there was a Quarry full of water and we often played on the ice in the winter.
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1999
50 years later – the 'temporary' huts are still there. Lots of building replacement in the centre of view. The woods are still there and all of the sports field and two of the original four halls remain. The quarry pool has gone and is wooded over – probably safer and for the best.
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2000
Not much has changed but the huts are still there. The woods look 'woodier'.
Lots of car park spaces but that's how things are.
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2001
It has become a major building site. I wonder how the children coped with it ?
One of the original halls remains, some of the sports field has gone. Only two of the 'temporary' huts remain.
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2003
The 'temporary' huts have gone. The school rebuilding looks to be mainly finished. The last hall has been replaced by a new field.
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2007
Well it looks finished in its modern new form.
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1940s
The huts shown to the right of this WWII photo were 'temporary'. They were separate from the main school. We had to walk over to the main halls for school dinners – Sago pudding etc. They started to issue milk in small bottles and we had 'milk monitors'. We had evening wartime play-school with 'dripping' sandwiches and played 'pirates' in the gyms while our parents worked evening shifts for war work.
A streetview nearly matching the view of the huts in a photo above. In other streetviews the caretaker's old flat roof house can still be seen. The school buildings look very modern in other streetview photos. When I went there early in WWII, on some days after we had spent sleepless nights in air raid shelters listening to bombers overhead and explosions, we still went off to school next morning often collecting fallen anti-aircraft shrapnel on the way.
Now it is a modern 21st century school and many changes have taken place.
lyn
miss Doogood was in the juniors.
Gary Freeth was in my year I started September 1959 until 64 when I was 16/17.
Wobblyclogs
master brummie
Miss Doogood was a terror. She never did me any good, but to be fair I never ran foul of her. What we must remember is that female teachers of that age, were often old enough to have lost someone in either of the two world wars; so if they were a bit 'sour', they could have had understandable reasons for their dispositions.
John
John
Gerry Cannell
master brummie
OMG! I was there. Mr. Waterton was the headmaster.....Thanks for the memory!Pupil's fancy dress parade at Beeches Road School, Great Barr, Birmingham in 1958, A frame from the film below.
View attachment 159231
Midlands News: 19.12.1958: Pupil's fancy dress parade, Birmingham
Pupil's fancy dress parade at Beeches Road School, Great Barr, Birmingham.www.macearchive.org
robb58
Brummie babby
I was at Perry Beeches at exactlty the same time and I remember all of those teachers. This is a photo from when I was in the 6th form in 1965 with Mr Cauldicot in the middle. I'm the 2nd from the right in the middle row - others in the photo include Paul Phipps, Talat Kahn Dave Carnell, Gary Connel, Michael Harris, Paul Langton, Pete Coles, Robert Wood, Fenton Peneydo and a few others whose names escape me for now.
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Out in the sticks Brummy
master brummie
What a great photo.
Talat Kahn is next to Mr Cauldicot Fenton is directly behind him, Micheal Harris you can't miss him Paul Phipps sat with him we was in Mr McShanes class they were always in trouble with him. There was Lorreta Lynch Annette ?Margret O Connor Deb Smith and Janet Jones
Talat Kahn is next to Mr Cauldicot Fenton is directly behind him, Micheal Harris you can't miss him Paul Phipps sat with him we was in Mr McShanes class they were always in trouble with him. There was Lorreta Lynch Annette ?Margret O Connor Deb Smith and Janet Jones
robb58
Brummie babby
I remember those girls well, I also remember Jenette Dell and a girl called Gina (Centazzo?).
I loved Mr McShane - he always remined me of Frazer from Dad's Army when he read things to us like the Ancient Mariner, and if you did something wrong he'd call you a "fiddlin' Crook!". After he finally retired I went with my mate, Dave Carnell who was head boy at the time, to visit "Macca" at his flat at Scott Arms. It was quite sad because it was obvious that his whole life had revolved around teaching and he was a mere shadow of his former self. He died just a few months after our visit.
I lost contact with more or less everyone from Perry Beeches when I moved away and went to college, and I rarely visit Brum since I relocated to Cornwall, but I've recently managed to reconnect with Steve Davies and Dave Carnell on Facebook, although Dave sadly passed away last year.
Out in the sticks Brummy
master brummie
Yes he was like Frazer, He always said to me your a crook like your brother before you except your writing is better but your spelling is worse. I knew that he passed away I think it was the shock of have us riff raff as his final stream. Sorry to hear about Dave, my brother Cliff passed in 2020. I kept in touch with Karen Fisher well she lived across the road from me and Edwina Pitt well I had to she is the sister of my brothers wife. Karen lives in Cornwall, Eddie lives in Sutton Coldfield and I'm just outside Worcester Colin Skyers tracked me down a few years ago on Friend united he was a lecturer in Sussex. I don't visit Brum either well Mom and Dad have died and my brother and all my other family have moved or passed.
Can you remember that book the Pearl we had to do nitemare also Ode to a skylark and Tiger arghhhhh
Can you remember that book the Pearl we had to do nitemare also Ode to a skylark and Tiger arghhhhh
robb58
Brummie babby
All of those names bring back memories! Yes, I remember "The Pearl", "Ode to a Skylark" and "The Tyger", all delivered in the most dramatic, eye rolling way by Macca 
If you don't mind revealing it "Out in the sticks Brummy", what's your name - It sounds like we were in the same class? I'm Robb (Robert) Williams - my brother Martin was 2 years above me and my sister Liz (Elizabeth) was the year above me.
I was always keen on Art and went on to study at Bournville school of Art, then on to Maidstone College to get my degree. I met someone who'd attended Perry Beeches some ten years after me and he told me that Mr Varty was (slighty embarrasingly) still showing off my work to all the pupils to show what could be achieved.... which was a bit of a joke because, for all of his talk of him helping former pupils to go to college and have glorious futures as artists, Mr Varty gave me no help at all when I came to applying for colleges, and told me that I'd have to just find out for myself. I'd sort of idolised him before, but he definitely came crashing down in my estimation after that!
Do you remember when there was talk of closing the school, and parents started a "Save our School" campaign where they chained themselves to the school railings - it must've been about 1970 - 71?
Do you remember Mrs Crawford, the history teacher? Whenever you asked how someone died she always said "a shortage of breath". Not the most useful fact to put on your exam paper
If you don't mind revealing it "Out in the sticks Brummy", what's your name - It sounds like we were in the same class? I'm Robb (Robert) Williams - my brother Martin was 2 years above me and my sister Liz (Elizabeth) was the year above me.I was always keen on Art and went on to study at Bournville school of Art, then on to Maidstone College to get my degree. I met someone who'd attended Perry Beeches some ten years after me and he told me that Mr Varty was (slighty embarrasingly) still showing off my work to all the pupils to show what could be achieved.... which was a bit of a joke because, for all of his talk of him helping former pupils to go to college and have glorious futures as artists, Mr Varty gave me no help at all when I came to applying for colleges, and told me that I'd have to just find out for myself. I'd sort of idolised him before, but he definitely came crashing down in my estimation after that!
Do you remember when there was talk of closing the school, and parents started a "Save our School" campaign where they chained themselves to the school railings - it must've been about 1970 - 71?
Do you remember Mrs Crawford, the history teacher? Whenever you asked how someone died she always said "a shortage of breath". Not the most useful fact to put on your exam paper
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I don’t know about chaining to railings to save the School I’d have happily helped whoever set fire to it whilst I was there in 1960. I also retired to Cornwall which seems to be well occupied by Beeches road retired pupils.All of those names bring back memories! Yes, I remember "The Pearl", "Ode to a Skylark" and "The Tyger", all delivered in the most dramatic, eye rolling way by Macca
I was always keen on Art and went on to study at Bournville school of Art, then on to Maidstone College to get my degree. I met someone who'd attended Perry Beeches some ten years after me and he told me that Mr Varty was (slighty embarrasingly) still showing off my work to all the pupils to show what could be achieved.... which was a bit of a joke because, for all of his talk of him helping former pupils to go to college and have glorious futures as artists, Mr Varty gave me no help at all when I came to applying for colleges, and told me that I'd have to just find out for myself. I'd sort of idolised him before, but he definitely came crashing down in my estimation after that!
Do you remember when there was talk of closing the school, and parents started a "Save our School" campaign where they chained themselves to the school railings - it must've been about 1970 - 71?
Do you remember Mrs Crawford, the history teacher? Whenever you asked how someone died she always said "a shortage of breath". Not the most useful fact to put on your exam paper
robb58
Brummie babby
I think there wre a few pupils who had the same feeling
.For me it was not a case of retiring, but one of returning to my roots in Cornwall. I was born there and can trace my ancestors back over 700 years in the county. We moved up to Brum when I was still a baby so that my father could take over his family's business in Erdington. I still have very happy memories of living in Birmingham, but I eventually moved back to Cornwall 25 years ago, and have lived and worked there ever since.
Out in the sticks Brummy
master brummie
All of those names bring back memories! Yes, I remember "The Pearl", "Ode to a Skylark" and "The Tyger", all delivered in the most dramatic, eye rolling way by Macca
I was always keen on Art and went on to study at Bournville school of Art, then on to Maidstone College to get my degree. I met someone who'd attended Perry Beeches some ten years after me and he told me that Mr Varty was (slighty embarrasingly) still showing off my work to all the pupils to show what could be achieved.... which was a bit of a joke because, for all of his talk of him helping former pupils to go to college and have glorious futures as artists, Mr Varty gave me no help at all when I came to applying for colleges, and told me that I'd have to just find out for myself. I'd sort of idolised him before, but he definitely came crashing down in my estimation after that!
Do you remember when there was talk of closing the school, and parents started a "Save our School" campaign where they chained themselves to the school railings - it must've been about 1970 - 71?
Do you remember Mrs Crawford, the history teacher? Whenever you asked how someone died she always said "a shortage of breath". Not the most useful fact to put on your exam paper
Out in the sticks Brummy
master brummie
I was Janice Commander Your brother Martin was in the same year as John Parry and Ron Buswell they used to do the hymm sheets I remember the ropes giving way and they cam crashing down, well it added a bit of excitement for the day.
I have popped a few photos for you to look at. Sorry they arn't very good the old 126 wasn't to good
1 is me and John Parry
2 Molly Crawford and Mrs Ford ( John Fords wife)
3 Jan and Debbie
4 Edwina John Malkin ? and ?????
5 Fenton
6 Me
apart from the first the photos were taken on a 5th year trip to Majorca
I have popped a few photos for you to look at. Sorry they arn't very good the old 126 wasn't to good
1 is me and John Parry
2 Molly Crawford and Mrs Ford ( John Fords wife)
3 Jan and Debbie
4 Edwina John Malkin ? and ?????
5 Fenton
6 Me
apart from the first the photos were taken on a 5th year trip to Majorca
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robb58
Brummie babby
Great to see the photos Janice. I sadly never got to go on the school's foreign trips and remember being really envious when Mr Newel insisted on showing us the slideshow of them lol. I think I can recognise you, but as you say, the old 126 cameras didn't quite capture the details very well - I definitely recognise Fenton though.
My brother Martin and his friend Roy had a bit of a reputation as pranksters who'd do things like wiring the electrical terminals together in the science lab so that the circuits blew when the power was turned on. They also waxed the blackboards so that the chalk wouldn't write on them... They were caught out and I remember watching him and Roy trapsing up and down the corridor past Mr Hall's classroom for hours, carrying the blackboards which they were told to clean off. Such was his reputation that, when I started at the school the teachers all groaned "oh no, not another Williams!"
Out in the sticks Brummy
master brummie
Great to see the photos Janice. I sadly never got to go on the school's foreign trips and remember being really envious when Mr Newel insisted on showing us the slideshow of them lol. I think I can recognise you, but as you say, the old 126 cameras didn't quite capture the details very well - I definitely recognise Fenton though.
My brother Martin and his friend Roy had a bit of a reputation as pranksters who'd do things like wiring the electrical terminals together in the science lab so that the circuits blew when the power was turned on. They also waxed the blackboards so that the chalk wouldn't write on them... They were caught out and I remember watching him and Roy trapsing up and down the corridor past Mr Hall's classroom for hours, carrying the blackboards which they were told to clean off. Such was his reputation that, when I started at the school the teachers all groaned "oh no, not another Williams!"
Out in the sticks Brummy
master brummie
I had a similar thing when I came to school but it wasnt my brother it was his mates. I am on FB under the the name of Judge if you want to find me,
A few years ago I bumped into Mr Waddley PE Teacher he was teaching at Christopher Whitehead in Worcester my middle daughter was there. He married Pam the librarian from Beeches, he recognised me and I him but then made him feel really old when I said this is my daughter and she was 14 at the time. Do you remember Mr Longman geography Phippo and Asman and a few of the other put his car on bricks so he could start it but it wouldn't move. Mr Bloxham French with his 2cv and you couldn't forget Mr Jackson my brother met him at a wedding he had been ordained he passed about 4-5 years ago
A few years ago I bumped into Mr Waddley PE Teacher he was teaching at Christopher Whitehead in Worcester my middle daughter was there. He married Pam the librarian from Beeches, he recognised me and I him but then made him feel really old when I said this is my daughter and she was 14 at the time. Do you remember Mr Longman geography Phippo and Asman and a few of the other put his car on bricks so he could start it but it wouldn't move. Mr Bloxham French with his 2cv and you couldn't forget Mr Jackson my brother met him at a wedding he had been ordained he passed about 4-5 years ago
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robb58
Brummie babby
I remember some cars being man-handled up at the top of the bank but didn't remember that Phippo was involved
. Mr Bloxham's french classes were always a bit chaotic - I'd be surprised if anyone ever learned anything. I remember that for a while his classroom was in some sort of portacabin next to the main building and that on one occassion, whilst Bloxham was out of the room for 10 minutes or so, a bit of high jinks broke out which resulted a chair being thrown with one of its legs punching a hole in the wall... oops.I can't remember the name of the TD teacher (was it Mr Hughes?), but one day when one of the lads asked him what he'd done in the war, he broke down in tears and revealed to us that he'd been a PoW in a Japanese prison camp. We were all stunned us into silence and he gained a new level of respect from us all.
Out in the sticks Brummy
master brummie
My Dad was a F.E.P.O.W I didn't take TD See how many teachers I can remember Mr Jefferson PJ Mr Caldicot Mr Edge Miss Lloyd Mr Longmore Mr Hall Mr Newel Mr West Mr Jones Mr Evans Mr Ford can't remember the DS or Needlework teachers Mr Varty Mr Bloxham Mre White Mrs Crawford and the Waddleys
Out in the sticks Brummy
master brummie
I have some sad news for Beeches pupils of a certain age Mr Longmore has passed to the geography classroom in the sky 23-12-22
Only one teacher got my full attention but unfortunately never taught our class and that was the young lady PE teacher.
Out in the sticks Brummy
master brummie
Yes I can remember the lads drooling over her. The scary thing looking back these new teacher wasn't that much older than us 5th formers. Challenging for themOnly one teacher got my full attention but unfortunately never taught our class and that was the young lady PE teacher.
Just read this post. A bit late I know but I lived in Cliveden Avenue. I knew June very well and Lilly. June lived in Pendragon Ave. Next to Gillian Brown. I'd love to know what happened to Gillian. Susan Hamblyn lived across the road from June. Also Pauline Thrush (Perry Beeches). Pauline Ross also lived in Cliveden Avenue. She was a bit older than me, went to Perry Beeches. In one of the classes they called Remove. Whatever that meant. I believe she had a baby at 16 but I'd already left by then and was living in Australia.
There was a class in 4th year for what was termed as slow learners, Miss Lloyd was the teacher in 1959/60 and the class was 4 L. I remember this well as I was in that class having missed 3rd year.
Hi @Brummiefella I was there at the same time, in the same class as Dave Watroba, Lynn and Maggie Styles etc and recognise a lot of people in the 1965 school photo later in the posts. Do you have any photos of your time at PB?