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Yardley Secondary School Grammar School

I am researching Mabel Tomlinson who taught in the school from 1917-1959. She became senior mistress at the end. I am a geologist researching early female geologists of which she was one. The Geological Society has just celebrated 100 years of the first female fellows and Mabel was one of these. I am writing a chapter on her work. If anyone has any information or anecdotes about her geology teaching or photos of her in the field that I could use I would be very grateful. I understand that she was an inspiring teacher and many of her students went onto lead brilliant geological careers. Thanking you in advance.
Professor Cynthia Burek, FGS, University of Chester
you can contact me on c.burek@chester.ac.uk
 
pete sword said:
Yardley Grammar School traced itself back the old school in Yardley, next to St Edburgha's. In my time there they used to have a yearly service at the church, for which we got the day off (or was it a half day?), but then the school was in Tyseley so it was a bit of a journey to go to the service. Our uniform was green with a yellow and black stripe in the tie, jumper, socks etc. The school houses were Greswolde, Folliot, Marsden, and ? . Up the other end of the road was Foremans Rd Sec. Mod. Later, Foremans RD was renamed 'The Leys'....can you see where this is going? Later still, after the change to comprehensive education the schools were cobbled together to become Yardleys School. I pass both regularly. The old grammar school,now Yardleys school retains the old school badge, but the blazer is black, the old Foreman Rd sec.mod. is now a Muslim run school, and their pupils were the green blazer! I would have loved to have been around when they brought the two schools together, as in my time there was no love lost between the inmates of either school.
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I was there between 1974-1981 and we used to walk between the 2 blocks of YGS and the Leys but we were in effect one school. There may have been some altercations between pupils of the 2 schools but I wasn't particularly aware of anything too bad. I loved the school and was gutted when it was demolished to make way for the town houses on Reddings Lane. Bad move!
 
Attended there for a couple of years, left in 1968 when my family decided to move to Australia, some of these photo's stir the memory bank. I wish I was better with names. A memorable one was George Henry Winston Lockermarsh and my first girlfriend Barbara Essex. (Not sure if allowed to use others names, sorry)
 
I attended Yardley G.S. between 1959 and 65. A great school headed by The "WAJ" - Mr W A Jenkins. I remember the school camp very well as in 1964 at the age of 16, I had a little 3 wheeler bubble car (Isetta) and whilst racing some of my school friends who had scooters, on Wellsbourne airfield, I rolled the car. According to some spectators, the car turned over 14 times! Happy days!!
 
I was at Yardley Grammar School during this period (Tranter) and met my wife Margaret , nee Chappell there.
We have been married for over 50 years. Are there any Old Yardlians out there that remember us.?
 
Pat.Y. said:
I was there between 1960 and 1965 in Marston house.
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i was there from 1959 - 1964 in Este.
I lived a few doors up from the school in Redding’s Lane
my maiden name was Margaret Chappell.
Many memories from those days, and met my husband there during that time. Teachers of the day, Brian Smith, Sam Saunders, Geoff Brown , a lovely french master, whose name I can’t recall. Miss Goodall. Do you remember these people.?
c
 
DavidJ29 said:
I attended Yardley G.S. between 1959 and 65. A great school headed by The "WAJ" - Mr W A Jenkins. I remember the school camp very well as in 1964 at the age of 16, I had a little 3 wheeler bubble car (Isetta) and whilst racing some of my school friends who had scooters, on Wellsbourne airfield, I rolled the car. According to some spectators, the car turned over 14 times! Happy days!!
Click to expand...
 
Mr Ed said:
Attended there for a couple of years, left in 1968 when my family decided to move to Australia, some of these photo's stir the memory bank. I wish I was better with names. A memorable one was George Henry Winston Lockermarsh and my first girlfriend Barbara Essex. (Not sure if allowed to use others names, sorry)
Click to expand...
I was at YGS 63-70 and remember Lockermarsh, he liked his Rugby ?
 
dwilly said:
There was a Yardley Secondary School on Warwick Road by Tyseley Railway Depot, The old school has been knocked down and flats built on the site, the school still exists https://www.yardleys-vle.org/ and must be not far away from the old site as the address is shown as Reddings Lane, it may even be part of the old school, it was a Grammar School for sometime as my Brother-in-law went there in the late 70's early 80's

just looked at the address on Google maps and its across the road from where the old school used to be, the old school was on the corner of Reddings Lane and Warwick Road, the old school wall can be seen from the Warwick Road
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I heard that the wall to the Warwick Road side of the school was the only part of the building that was listed, therefore didn't get demolished..... Might be an urban myth who knows, sad to see it go despite not appreciating the old school when I went there during the 70's. I noticed that another contributor had mentioned the house names but couldn't remember one of them, well, there was Marston (my house), Greswolde, Folliot and Este. The school also had a motto, ''KEEP TROTH'' which used to be under the badge on our green caps and blazers, some of us 5th form rebels used to alter the motto to ''BEER FROTH'' with a biro....not big or clever looking back, thought it was at the time though! Another fact about the blazers was that the ''jublee''(?) that you bought from the tuck shop at lunch time, fitted perfectly into the side pocket, staying upright, so you could be sucking a ball of ice all through the afternoons' lessons behind the teachers' backs! I lived almost opposite the school in Reddings Lane, infact our family home backed onto the playing fields, so me and my mates had our own private park at weekends, we'd play ''shots in'' (football) in the hockey nets, occasionally being chased off by the groundsman. One of my sisters went to Formans Road, and my second sister followed me to Yardley.... two years below me
The three of us had left school by the time Yardley Grammar and Formans Road (then called The Leys) joined forces and moved into the new building on the part of the old YGS's sports field. I have an old sepia postcard of Yardley Grammar School as it was when it opened, (the Tyseley one, not the Yardley one!) when I have mastered the skills involved, I will upload it if anyone would like to see it as it once proudly was.
 
Barry Hughes said:
I heard that the wall to the Warwick Road side of the school was the only part of the building that was listed, therefore didn't get demolished..... Might be an urban myth who knows, sad to see it go despite not appreciating the old school when I went there during the 70's. I noticed that another contributor had mentioned the house names but couldn't remember one of them, well, there was Marston (my house), Greswolde, Folliot and Este. The school also had a motto, ''KEEP TROTH'' which used to be under the badge on our green caps and blazers, some of us 5th form rebels used to alter the motto to ''BEER FROTH'' with a biro....not big or clever looking back, thought it was at the time though! Another fact about the blazers was that the ''jublee''(?) that you bought from the tuck shop at lunch time, fitted perfectly into the side pocket, staying upright, so you could be sucking a ball of ice all through the afternoons' lessons behind the teachers' backs! I lived almost opposite the school in Reddings Lane, infact our family home backed onto the playing fields, so me and my mates had our own private park at weekends, we'd play ''shots in'' (football) in the hockey nets, occasionally being chased off by the groundsman. One of my sisters went to Formans Road, and my second sister followed me to Yardley.... two years below me
The three of us had left school by the time Yardley Grammar and Formans Road (then called The Leys) joined forces and moved into the new building on the part of the old YGS's sports field. I have an old sepia postcard of Yardley Grammar School as it was when it opened, (the Tyseley one, not the Yardley one!) when I have mastered the skills involved, I will upload it if anyone would like to see it as it once proudly was.
Click to expand...
Hello Barry,what years were you at YGS ?
 
Hello, I remember the ''WAJ'', his long reign came to end during my time at Yardley. I was there 1968-1973 (approx!) There were many long serving members of staff, ''GUV'' Young, and "Sam'', Mr Saunders, two that spring to mind. I had Latin with Mr Young in the first form, and he did games too. Mr Saunders was a Maths Master, a real old fashioned teacher, I look back now with a bit of regret that I preferred to play the classroom joker, than knuckle down to hard work, but to be fair, I passed all my subjects and had a successful working life after Yardley, so they ( the teaching staff) managed to equip me with the strengths and skills that enabled me to be able to be proud of what I've done, and of where I am today.Thanks YGS
 
pete sword said:
Yardley Grammar School traced itself back the old school in Yardley, next to St Edburgha's. In my time there they used to have a yearly service at the church, for which we got the day off (or was it a half day?), but then the school was in Tyseley so it was a bit of a journey to go to the service. Our uniform was green with a yellow and black stripe in the tie, jumper, socks etc. The school houses were Greswolde, Folliot, Marsden, and ? . Up the other end of the road was Foremans Rd Sec. Mod. Later, Foremans RD was renamed 'The Leys'....can you see where this is going? Later still, after the change to comprehensive education the schools were cobbled together to become Yardleys School. I pass both regularly. The old grammar school,now Yardleys school retains the old school badge, but the blazer is black, the old Foreman Rd sec.mod. is now a Muslim run school, and their pupils were the green blazer! I would have loved to have been around when they brought the two schools together, as in my time there was no love lost between the inmates of either school.
Click to expand...
The other house was Este. I was in Folliot 1952 to 1959.
 
Hi clive
I’ve racked my brain and can’t add the missing letter to your surname
I was in 2a 3x 4th 5th and 6th forms
captain of 1st team cricket and rugby Where did our paths cross?
Trant
 
I remember those plus Stuart Martin, John Pocock, John Kyte, Ian Minchin, Sid Arklass, Gordon Truman, Paul Pears, PeteHill, Judith Hunt, Janice Simms, Diane Chiles, Judith O’Dell and Patricia Longmore. No doubt others will come to mind later.
 
Rob Edwards said:
I remember those plus Stuart Martin, John Pocock, John Kyte, Ian Minchin, Sid Arklass, Gordon Truman, Paul Pears, PeteHill, Judith Hunt, Janice Simms, Diane Chiles, Judith O’Dell and Patricia Longmore. No doubt others will come to mind later.
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Remember Rob Edwards, I came to your house a few times somewhere off the Ladypool Rd, met your mom and dad, think you had a brother .? Do you remember that fantastic ice cream shop on Ladypool Rd? You had a great brain , what did you finish up doing?
 
Mags680 said:
Remember Rob Edwards, I came to your house a few times somewhere off the Ladypool Rd, met your mom and dad, think you had a brother .? Do you remember that fantastic ice cream shop on Ladypool Rd? You had a great brain , what did you finish up doing?
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Burden’s ice cream, never bettered. Could never pursue further education so had many jobs but was a housing manager in Shropshire. Fondly remember cricket and rugby, good times.
 
Barry Hughes said:
I heard that the wall to the Warwick Road side of the school was the only part of the building that was listed, therefore didn't get demolished..... Might be an urban myth who knows, sad to see it go despite not appreciating the old school when I went there during the 70's. I noticed that another contributor had mentioned the house names but couldn't remember one of them, well, there was Marston (my house), Greswolde, Folliot and Este. The school also had a motto, ''KEEP TROTH'' which used to be under the badge on our green caps and blazers, some of us 5th form rebels used to alter the motto to ''BEER FROTH'' with a biro....not big or clever looking back, thought it was at the time though! Another fact about the blazers was that the ''jublee''(?) that you bought from the tuck shop at lunch time, fitted perfectly into the side pocket, staying upright, so you could be sucking a ball of ice all through the afternoons' lessons behind the teachers' backs! I lived almost opposite the school in Reddings Lane, infact our family home backed onto the playing fields, so me and my mates had our own private park at weekends, we'd play ''shots in'' (football) in the hockey nets, occasionally being chased off by the groundsman. One of my sisters went to Formans Road, and my second sister followed me to Yardley.... two years below me
The three of us had left school by the time Yardley Grammar and Formans Road (then called The Leys) joined forces and moved into the new building on the part of the old YGS's sports field. I have an old sepia postcard of Yardley Grammar School as it was when it opened, (the Tyseley one, not the Yardley one!) when I have mastered the skills involved, I will upload it if anyone would like to see it as it once proudly was.
Click to expand...
 
We must have been neighbours in a Redding’s Lane at sometime.I lived 3/4 doors down from the school.
I am one of three sisters. I went to Yardley Grammar school in1959 to 64. One of my sisters went to Forman’s Rd
There was a small hairdressers on your side of the road , where I had a Saturday job .
Also a family call Wilcox lived on that side of the street.Would you remember them .?
People at Yardley during my years were Hazel Bruce, Digby Singleton, Michael Newman .
 
Mags680 said:
Hi clive
I’ve racked my brain and can’t add the missing letter to your surname
I was in 2a 3x 4th 5th and 6th forms
captain of 1st team cricket and rugby Where did our paths cross?
Trant
Click to expand...
I'm Clive Faulkner. At YGS 1957-62. I was in forms 1b, 2b, 3a, 4a and 5b and Folliott House. We used to play soccer in our lunch break at our peril either at the far end of the playing field or sometimes at Formans Road Rec. Can't remember all the aspiring football stars but Roger Tarver was one.
 
Clive F said:
I'm Clive Faulkner. At YGS 1957-62. I was in forms 1b, 2b, 3a, 4a and 5b and Folliott House. We used to play soccer in our lunch break at our peril either at the far end of the playing field or sometimes at Formans Road Rec. Can't remember all the aspiring football stars but Roger Tarver was one.
Click to expand...
Football on the playing fields lunchtime, highlight of the day.
I remember we used to adopt team names, one day I was Santa Maria for Real Madrid and I got tackled , fell and dislocated my elbow,ambulance, the full monty.
Riger Tarver, small, nippy dribbling winger. Rugby, I was captain, tight head prop what position CF?
 
Mags680 said:
Football on the playing fields lunchtime, highlight of the day.
I remember we used to adopt team names, one day I was Santa Maria for Real Madrid and I got tackled , fell and dislocated my elbow,ambulance, the full monty.
Riger Tarver, small, nippy dribbling winger. Rugby, I was captain, tight head prop what position CF?
Click to expand...
I've been involved in football ever since leaving school. The only years of my life from 10 years old until now that I wasn't involved were the years at YGS where the round ball game was anathema. I'm currently Secretary of Boldmere St Michaels FC.
What I would say about YGS is that it was a great experience that I didn't fully appreciate until later in life. Whatever qualifications were or weren't amassed the education was worth its weight in gold.
 
Mags680 said:
Football on the playing fields lunchtime, highlight of the day.
I remember we used to adopt team names, one day I was Santa Maria for Real Madrid and I got tackled , fell and dislocated my elbow,ambulance, the full monty.
Riger Tarver, small, nippy dribbling winger. Rugby, I was captain, tight head prop what position CF?
Click to expand...
I well remember your accident. I came round your house on the evening to check you were okay. I only lived walking distance from you. I doubt you would remember that though.
 
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