• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Perry Beeches Secondary School

BrummieFella said:
lol, it wasnt all that bad in hindsight
Click to expand...
Not sure about that. I was also caned on two occasions by dear Mr Edge, in those days you got six on each hand. Both times for smoking, something i have never done. I think they just enjoyed beating people. You were always guilty in their eyes.
 
Maryd said:
Was anyone else unfortunate enough to attend this school in the 1960's when Mr Edge was the headmaster?
Click to expand...
Yes......I attended Perry Beeches S C. 1962/67... Two years later the family moved to Melbourne Aust.
It is with fondness i remember Harold Edge...Arthur Caldicott. Miss LLoyde..Gordon Newell....Mr Evans....
Mr Everleigh...Mr Varty...Colin Clews (yuk) Mr Ford...Mr Siddiqui...Miss Hann... and the Welsh music teacher.
Miss Knox was something secreterial and rarely sighted unless you were near the vestibule..

Memories are such warm things!
 
Hi Astoness......
I remember art classes in the huts with Mr Varty......Also Tech Drawing all those years ago.......The floors were rough wood and i remember picking up a pencil from the same and a nasty
splinter pierced the nail......really painfull and no one noticed! ouch. Must have been around 1965.
 
This thread makes Jimmy Edwards in "Whacko" appear a benevolent old soul and Dotheboys Hall a holiday camp. I went to some hard schools but this one takes the biscuit. OH HAPPY DAYS. ....WHACKOH
 
View attachment 50486Hi Davpen, Sorry this isn't better quality, but can you see yourself on here? I'm 3rd from the right back row. I certainly do remember the coach to Kingstanding swimming baths, where we had to dive for white brick type things and collect them from the bottom of the pool. The lovely Mr Eveleigh, history teacher, who emigrated to South Africa. Do you remember him offering to be caned on the hand by anyone who wanted to, and Leslie Randle did. Such a shame, it would have been much better if no-one had. Yes. and the after assembly inspections to make sure your clothing and hair was acceptable.....perish the thought they should spend the time teaching us! The only decent part of the school was the gym, all polished floors from the 1930's, and that was burnt down - I think in my second year - wasn't rebuilt in my time. Oh, I think Jimmy Edwards would have been a much preferable headmaster!
Maryd
 
Maryd....Thanks for the photo. Yoo hoo! There i am front row ..extreme right. I have an excellent memory for dates/numbers but not so hot on names but i think i can remember the following
boys in the photo....David Halley,John Greaves,Phillip Lambert, Andrew Hough..(guess at 12 y o girls wern,t of much interest *s*)
Yes..i do recall Leslie Randall,s actions...He also amazed us by naming every fielding position on the cricket field....He and Alan Glover were the "sports stars".. I got picked last for
sporting teams...How deflating to ones ego.
On reflection were most of us "All Bricks in the Wall"?
Can you remember when at assembly Harold or was it Arthur Caldicott introduced the first coloured boy to the school.
I wasn,t too sad to see the demise of the gym.....Colin Clews commando style lessons for all just because one boy had talked at the wrong time, and then the communial showers..
Sweaty bodies and luke warm water.....(Scarred for life!)
Also the time when we were actually allowed music to accompany those beaut army style lunches.......It was a local hero record...Steve Winwood playing to 300 of us banging
the cutlery in time to the music........Alas..The day the music died
Best days of our lives? Comments Please!
 
Best thing I remember about the trip to Kingstanding baths was the hot bovril, or was it oxo, that you could buy before you returned to School. Best thing I remember about School Dinners was going up for seconds, loads of fat off the cold ham that nobody else wanted, lashings of salad cream and boiled spuds, know wonder I had, and still do, a weight problem.
 
Yes......I remember Mr Evans. He once lit a peice of paper illustrating that you couldnt destroy anything in the universe.(only change its form)..
As a Christmas treat the whole year packed into his science room where we watched the film The Vikings with Kirk Douglas on a reel to reel projector..

Yes...that nice uniform of Yellow/Green/Black......Would be nice to turn back the clock!
 
Oh yes, I remember watching "The Vikings". Fabulous choice of film for us. "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea" another year - somebody must have liked Kirk Douglas!

As I remember, there was absolutely no sex education - but I do remember dissecting an earthworm!
 
Yes Mary you are quite correct......But i did learn that earthworms reproduce themselves......(Not much use if youre being dissected though!)

I think i recall health and something lessons though.....
 
Mr Newell was OK, but I do remember him leading the whole class in laughing at Tony Venables, when he (quite rightly) said that B.S.C. stood for British Sugar Corporation - when Mr Newell was looking for B.Sc. - Batchelor of Science.

I think he did the same to me once as well, but luckily I've forgotten why...! Not great practice for a teacher.
 
Maryd said:
Mr Newell was OK, but I do remember him leading the whole class in laughing at Tony Venables, when he (quite rightly) said that B.S.C. stood for British Sugar Corporation - when Mr Newell was looking for B.Sc. - Batchelor of Science.

I think he did the same to me once as well, but luckily I've forgotten why...! Not great practice for a teacher.
Click to expand...

Amazing how these memories stay with us......
Mr Newell anounced to the class that i was not the type he wanted in his class because i,d come 33rd out of 34.
(Sure did a lot for ones self esteem and confidence which at 12 i lacked)
Mr Ford..Woodwork also demonstrated my coat rack announcing to the class the gaps in the ill fitting joints were where the flies hid in winter......
Were we not all just Bricks in the Wall?
 
Didn't go to Beeches but all my mates did and my brothers who went to the comp. Went with mates on a beeches holiday on the norfolk broads and think my brother went to Rimini.
 
Don't worry, I distinctly remember being 35th out of 38 one year, but top in General Knowledge, and 2nd or 3rd in English, maybe I should have been a journalist...mmm don't think so.
 
Finished in the second year in July 1959 started in the 4th year Sept 1959, little wonder I ended up in Miss Lloyds class. Hated by Edge as he thought I was thick, most of the teachers only wanted to teach the bright children and had no time for the slower pupils. Just pleased that I ended my working career in 1996 as a Manager for Shell UK.
 
Looking for Family Rice!!!! Perry Common
Hi,
I have been searching for months, trying to find some of our relatives.
If anyone knows the Rice Family's Living in.
Dulwich Road Kingstanding.
Dovedale Road Perry Common.
Abbeyfield Road Perry Common.
Court Farm Road Short Heath.
Winterley Lane Nr Walsall.
I would be eternally gratefull.
We have relatives coming from Australia, and would love to arrange a family gathering.
With thanks. Eileen :)​
 
Well done, Nickcc - I assume you went on to college - or did you work your way up?

Eileen, I've looked on the BT site and can't find Rice at these addresses. Sorry. Maybe someone else knows someone who knows someone
Good luck
Maryd
 
Hello Maryd

Bit of both, Handsworth Tech, in house training and being in the right place at the right time. I remember the time when Shell employed University whizz kids in operational positions, most lasted about six months due to delusions of grandeur.

Best wishes
Nick
 
Hi Nick, I don't understand the 2nd year and 4th year in so short a time - did they miscalculate your age or something????
Regards
Maryd
 
Hello Maryd

Yes I missed the 3rd year as I was born on the 2nd of September and started school a year late. By the time the end of the 2nd year came I was becoming rather expensive for my Single parent Mother to have to support (my father left my Sister and i when I was six months old) so I started work when I was 14 in June 1960. Luckily I worked for a very caring boss who paid me out of the petty cash until I was old enough to work there officially in the September.

Regards
Nick
 
Greetings from Canada, I seem to remember being spanked on the back of my legs by this evel Mr Edge just for talking to a young lady in class, I wish I could find him now and give his some of his own punishment, I never forgot that day in front of the whole class, I remember it very well, I think he was the most evel teacher I have ever met, I hope he got what was coming to him in the end, not a happy time at Beeches Road.
 
A Mr Edge later became Head of another Kinstanding school Kingsland and am wondering if he would be the same person?. Jean.
 
Would anyone known my cousins Jean in her late 70s Ken mid 70s Roger 60+ they must have gone to Perry Beeches as they lived just opposite, in Chelmorton Road 1945 -1970s

Never ever asked what school they went to and I met them all in the last 20 years. Buckley is their name
 
Last edited:
Andrew Hope said:
I seem to remember being spanked on the back of my legs by this evel Mr Edge
Click to expand...
Here is a pic of a smiling Mr Edge before he became Head of Perry Beeches. I've took it from a group photo I posted here

Most of the schoolboys in the main photo went to Beeches Rd School.
I wouldn't say Mr Edge was evil but he did leave his mark on me...
Mr_Edge.jpg
 
Last edited:
Hi Jean,
No I never had the cane there, but I can remember having blue bruised fingers. One teacher (forgot his name) had very bad eyesight and missed the hands and hit many boys on the wrist. Come to think of it I can't ever remember girls being caned !!
Phil
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top