Hi All
I attended St Chad's Secondary School between 1968 and 1973 and have some fond memories of my time there (and some not so great). I still keep in touch with a group of classmates from the 4th and 5th years when we were studying for our CSE's with Sr Veronica and Mr Welton (maths & tech drawing). I still see Sr Veronica and we have some good laughs about our experiences at the school. I do recall some of the names listed in posting 8 - I had Miss O'Connor in 1st year, Miss McMahon and also a Welsh lady (can't recall her name just now) in 2nd year, Miss Tranter (later Mrs Hamilton) in 3rd year and of course Sr V for the final two years. I didn't have much to do with Mr Begley who I think left while I was in the 3rd or 4th year and Mr Cushnan replaced him (and who turned out to be a less desirable character than all the others). Sr Ethna was hard but the situation at that time required a hard leader and I know I had a few canings from her - especially in the first year and after one lunch time incident where a group of us were fooling around at a cake shop on Newtown Row which resulted in a broken window! I did have some poor photos of the school but haven't seen them for a while but should I find them I'll try and post them here. Interesting to hear if others have any photos as I know the hacking episode has resulted in earlier photos being no longer available.
Hi Fred
I have posted this elsewhere on this site. But this may get to you.
Are you in this photo?
Maurice Woulfe
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St Chads Schools
- Thread starter niksagkram
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marie moore (mills )
knowlegable brummie
marie moore (mills )
knowlegable brummie
wow that is heavy stuff, we also used to have brown envelopes handed to us if we had head lice , in front of the whole class room , the school leaders, were quite ruthless, put me off God if he was a loving God then why was his nuns so evil. ( not all i should say but sister edna was, as i have written about in past comments, but when i got older i found God for my self and became a born again Christian and let me tell you the actions of some of some of these religious people at quite contrary to the love of God, in fact, they have to give account for the abuse children suffered at their hands, i forgive them anyway. I remember sister edna called me a scrubber i think the term today would be slut, hahah i was 11 never even kissed a boy, my mom went up the school and confronted her , she said mrs moore a scrubber is a part of a train haha my mother said does she look like a part of a train, hahaha and gave her some of her own treatment hahahaha guess she has a list of wrong doing left behind her name
marie moore (mills )
knowlegable brummie
hi was the girl third from the left back row betty lordon does any one know
This brings back lots of memories: I remember all these teachers...I attended 1973...Question: I want to get a record of my attendance at St Chad's ... I know it was a LONG time ago..any ideas who I would contact?
I remember Sister Gabriel; I couldn't stand her and thought she was a phoney as she wasn't very nice to me...All those teachers you name, I remember them. Mr Gollogly was American and he actually started dating one of the senior girls - blonde hair...I like Mr Rowlands who had a slight stutter...I HATED Miss Ward..she yelled at us...she was the Home Economics teacher...
Have you any idea how I could get hold of my records that I attended Catholic School? It was back in 1973...
I remember Mr Winston - he was OLD...and he had the shakes...what a miserable fellow..didn't like him much at all...Mrs Conner was SO Mean to me..mum would tell her how I misbehaved and she stood me up on a chair in the middle of the classroom and told the other kids not to talk to me....I was SO embarrassed...
terry keating
New Member
Hi Brummie Steve Mr Byrne was a great teacher as was his sister miss byrne Miles Miley Martin Maddox did a carpentry apprenticeship with me at Micheal Whittalls happy days
pjmburns
master brummie
You might be able to get copies of a baptism record or confirmation record - where from depends on which church and the date. Some records are at the individual church and some are held at St Chad's archives. I haven't found a record of any school lists for those dates they all seem to be earlier. You could try asking:
Birmingham Archdiocesan Archives
Cathedral House
St Chad's Queensway
Birmingham
B4 6EU
Email: archives@rc-birmingham.org
Mcloughlin
New Member
Mcloughlin
New Member
I can relate to all you put here I must of been in your class
I attended St. Chad's Brealey Street in the 1950's. First I was in the infant school where Sister Philips was Headmistress.
Then at the age of 7 went up stairs into the junior section which was all girls. This was until I was ten when the school became co-educational. I only had one year at Shadwell street school where there was a Miss Croak who was very strict. The headmaster was Mr. Wells, he remembered my brother Brian who was an all round sportsman and played both cricket and football representing the school. When I was 11 I returned to the Senior School. Sister Ethna was headmistress and ruled the school with an iron rod. Canning was still used then and she used it often. My sister Jean went there before me and I was always told that I was not as good as my sister. The other teachers when I was there, Miss Tye who took us for singing
Mrs Mc Carthy . Mr. Begley. Mrs Greenwood. Mr Conklin who also remembered my brother Brian and he too said you will never be as good as Brian. I proved them both wrong. I was one of the first to stay on at school to do a Commercial Course for shorthand, typwriting, commece, book keeping and English Language. I left school in July 1959. With good grades for my course and obtained a good job working in an office. Memories of school days some good, some bad.
Mcloughlin
New Member
I was at st Chad's from 1970/71 till had to leave in 1980 when was last intake not fair wanted to finish at st Chad's was in brealey street infants then went to hospital street when it opened my name was tracy Mcloughlin then it's now tracy Bambrick on fb if anyone knows me
Margaret Rose Marie
New Member
I attended St Chads in Brealey street from 1959 until 1963 with the infamous Sister Ethna. Anyone got any photos from from that period please.
I went to the infant school around 1964 then onto the junior school by the st Chad's cathedral.i remember some of the classes in the junior school were taken in portable cabins in the playground.i remember in the infants a row of children including me getting a ruler across our hands for being naughty if it happened today the school would be shut down and the teacher put in prison we were only 5 or 6 but it did us no harm anyway it was just how it was in them days.i remember miss lynch and miss rumble who came to visit me in hospital when I had my tonsils out they brought me a pack of pencils and a note book with the Beatles on them so it must have been 1965 or 66 .I also remember miss salmon I think she was the deputy head and the school dinners arriving in metal containers and pushed into the small dining hall.the classrooms were all off one hall where we had to sit on the floor and put one finger over our lips to keep QUIET! Those were the days.
I worked at St Chad's on Brearley Street for a couple of terms in 1972. I just visited some friends in Birmingham and they took me to Brearley Street and Icknield Street. So I thought I'd do some research. I recognised so much of what you have said. I remember Mrs Hamilton who was very much respected and liked, I worked with Mr Miskella (big burly kind chap) teaching history and geography, then there was Miss O'Donnell teaching French, I replaced Mr Giaquinto who taught history, and the other Italian teacher Mr Lancelotto. I remember Mr Rowlands with the slight stutter. I remember his compassion in advising me how to deal with a boy who had recently joined the school who had a bad stutter and telling me I was doing the right thing by relaxing and letting the boy take his time to get the words out. Mr Welford who had been there a long time, Mr Winston who as you say was not the nicest, Mr Gollogly the sports teacher, and Mr Cushenan the headmaster. There was also a teacher, possibly his first name was Philip, who was a 5th year class tutor, a little skinny man. Sister Ethna was still referred to.
I was looking at the photo of 4B and wondering if I had taught any of them when they were younger. Names I remember were Paddy Edwards, Benito McCoy, twins Joseph and Mary Concannon, Norma and ?Imogen? Beckford, surname McIlkenny - a little fair-haired boy, and I do wonder about the name Tracy McLoughlin.
And does anyone remember the new (Feb 1972) deputy head whose name I think was Mrs Kelly. Wore cocktail dresses to work - emerald green chiffon and an oyster cream embroidered thing. I don't think anyone had seen anything like it. She kept forgetting where she had left her handbag which the staff thought was unkind in terms of putting temptation in the way of the many pupils who needed money. One day she announced she had sent Paddy Edwards to find it and the next we knew he was in full view of classrooms, out in the yard, skipping around like a little girl carrying the handbag oh so delicately.
I was there just after the Birmingham bombings. I was sitting in on Mr Giaquinto's class when there was an explosion. No-one panicked, they just said Oh well it was a car bomb. How awful that 14 yr olds should not be shaken by an explosion which blew at the windows of the factory opposite. It turned out to be a gas explosion.
Many other memories, like turning up for work and being put straight onto the coach for a school trip to Blackpool.
And one more - I just wish I could remember his name. Mrs Hamilton was helping one of her class with extra reading lessons. He found it so hard to concentrate and was often in trouble. He would sit at the front, where Mrs H had put him, so there was less distraction. One day I was holding a thin exercise book (open) at the front and he started to fidget, so I made little flap in his direction - about a foot away and never going to make contact - the pages of the book flicked and made a loud bang - he jumped and put his hands to his head in surprise, we stared at one another both in surprise - we both knew the book had been nowhere near his head, but the rest of the class thought I'd clobbered him. This enhanced his reputation, and mine (Wow Miss hit him over the head). We neither said anything and he and I shared the secret. One day he confided that he'd never had a house point (now why do I think it was Moore House) and I said if he could get through a class without "breaking out", he could have a point. He did it. Then I didn't have any points (little cardboard tickets) in my pencil case. He was so disappointed and I feared that he wouldn't trust me any more. So I let him write in pencil on the outside of his exercise book "Miss Price owes me a house point". It was real effort of spelling and writing for him, but he managed it with a little prompting. We would rub it out when I gave him his point. Eagle-eyed Mrs Hamilton spotted the writing on the book and asked me about it, I explained that I had given him permission to do it and that he'd pretty well spelt it unaided. She was pleased, but was very clear that it should be rubbed out when I issued the point. Which I did. His first house point. I hope I helped in some tiny way.
And more memories too. The place made an impression on me. I learnt a lot. Many of the pupils had very hard lives. Like I said, I learnt a lot. And it helped me when I ended up working in the East End of London.
I was looking at the photo of 4B and wondering if I had taught any of them when they were younger. Names I remember were Paddy Edwards, Benito McCoy, twins Joseph and Mary Concannon, Norma and ?Imogen? Beckford, surname McIlkenny - a little fair-haired boy, and I do wonder about the name Tracy McLoughlin.
And does anyone remember the new (Feb 1972) deputy head whose name I think was Mrs Kelly. Wore cocktail dresses to work - emerald green chiffon and an oyster cream embroidered thing. I don't think anyone had seen anything like it. She kept forgetting where she had left her handbag which the staff thought was unkind in terms of putting temptation in the way of the many pupils who needed money. One day she announced she had sent Paddy Edwards to find it and the next we knew he was in full view of classrooms, out in the yard, skipping around like a little girl carrying the handbag oh so delicately.
I was there just after the Birmingham bombings. I was sitting in on Mr Giaquinto's class when there was an explosion. No-one panicked, they just said Oh well it was a car bomb. How awful that 14 yr olds should not be shaken by an explosion which blew at the windows of the factory opposite. It turned out to be a gas explosion.
Many other memories, like turning up for work and being put straight onto the coach for a school trip to Blackpool.
And one more - I just wish I could remember his name. Mrs Hamilton was helping one of her class with extra reading lessons. He found it so hard to concentrate and was often in trouble. He would sit at the front, where Mrs H had put him, so there was less distraction. One day I was holding a thin exercise book (open) at the front and he started to fidget, so I made little flap in his direction - about a foot away and never going to make contact - the pages of the book flicked and made a loud bang - he jumped and put his hands to his head in surprise, we stared at one another both in surprise - we both knew the book had been nowhere near his head, but the rest of the class thought I'd clobbered him. This enhanced his reputation, and mine (Wow Miss hit him over the head). We neither said anything and he and I shared the secret. One day he confided that he'd never had a house point (now why do I think it was Moore House) and I said if he could get through a class without "breaking out", he could have a point. He did it. Then I didn't have any points (little cardboard tickets) in my pencil case. He was so disappointed and I feared that he wouldn't trust me any more. So I let him write in pencil on the outside of his exercise book "Miss Price owes me a house point". It was real effort of spelling and writing for him, but he managed it with a little prompting. We would rub it out when I gave him his point. Eagle-eyed Mrs Hamilton spotted the writing on the book and asked me about it, I explained that I had given him permission to do it and that he'd pretty well spelt it unaided. She was pleased, but was very clear that it should be rubbed out when I issued the point. Which I did. His first house point. I hope I helped in some tiny way.
And more memories too. The place made an impression on me. I learnt a lot. Many of the pupils had very hard lives. Like I said, I learnt a lot. And it helped me when I ended up working in the East End of London.
marie moore (mills )
knowlegable brummie
Yes sister moderator edit to remove named person was a nasty peace of work she would be done for child abuse today
Last edited by a moderator:
Roberta Keenan
Brummie babby
Hi. I am Roberta Robertson (nee Keenan). I attended St. Chad's Infants, Junior and Secondary Schools at Brearley Street and Shadwell Street, leaving in July 1968.
adrian king
Brummie babby
i started at st chads in sept 75 at brierly street and left 80 from icknield st , i remember some of the above teachers someone mentioned in previous posts, had some good times and bad times like all kids did. it was anoying going from icknield school to brierly street for school dinner lol
Roberta Keenan
Brummie babby
Mrs Ralph was the school secretary. I remember she used to sell biscuits at playtime - if anyone could afford to buy them. My whole pocket money of two shillings and sixpence, went on bus fares to and from the school club on a Tuesday night. Joy - in 5th year I worked in Woolworths on a Saturday so could afford the occasional sneaky shared-half- pint of larger in The Stags Head and a packet of crisps with the little blue twist of salt!
Roberta Keenan
Brummie babby
I think I remember your name. Did you take part in one of the schools trips to Skerries, Co. Dublin in Ireland along with Mr Begley and Mr Byrne? I might have a photo with you in a group.
Roberta Keenan
Brummie babby
I remember you being Head Boy at St. Chad's - I think you were in the same year as one of my sisters - Maria Keenan. Eldest sister, Sheila would have been about three years older than you.
terry keating
New Member
hi Roberta unfortunately my mom and dad could not afford for me to go to Ireland when i look back time were quite hard,but it is amazing how well many people did coming from the old back to backs i think the experience gave us all a great work ethic.Tom being a villa supporter i loved listening to you on the radio.
staniforthstreet
New Member
Last edited by a moderator:
Just been catching up on the interesting posts regarding St. Chad's Brearley Street. I remember the school trips to Trentham Gardens, Litchfield Cathedral and also a day trip to Rhyll. Never been to the seaside and the trip had to be paid for. Every Monday I had to take (I think it was 2/- shilling,( 10p), which was a lot of money in those day) this was recorded on a card until the trip was paid for. The day came and we had to be outside St. Chad's Cathedral very early (we had to go inside first to pray for a safe journey) I was an excited 8 year old. The trip turned into a disaster for me as I was travel sick all the way there and all the way back, with very little sympathy. I was told off saying I should not have been on the trip. How was I to know that I would be travel sick having never been on a coach before. Put me off going on buses etc, and so I walked everywhere. The following day at school after any trip we had to write all about our day out. The trips to Litchfield and Trentham gardens where much closer and I sat near the front with a window open and a container in case I was sick, I didn't dare to be. One of the other things that springs to mind is that we had to go to Elkington Street School for Science and during one of the lessons one of the boys attacked the teacher because he had thrown a blackboard rubber at him. I ran to get help, the teacher was shaken but not hurt. The result of this was that our class was banned from science and the boy involved was expelled by (you've guessed it ) Sister Etna. The whole class suffered and never did science. I notice that one of the members is called Tom Ross who lived in New John Street West, I am wondering if he had a sister called Kathy. My granny lived in a yard and there was a family called Ross living next door. At the top of the yard was a shop called Milman's. If this is so then I knew them. Lots of memories from the past reading the forums.
Winterboots
New Member
Yeah Eileen o'hare here,sister marie was my teacher too very very strict,sister etna and sister helen the woerst
Winterboots
New Member
I was there infants and juniors miss tranter was my teacher later mrs hamilton