[High Pavement school, Bestwood,]

The references to ‘posh’ Grammar Schools and High Pavement in particular I have found very interesting. @Beekay mentions that lots of the boys were from council estates Strelley, Bilborough etc. and Bulwell, but quite a few were from Radford and Hyson Green.

Our HP under 15 Rugby team at that time provided about 9 of the 15 members of the Nottingham Schoolboys Under 15 Team and we saw what ‘Posh’ was when the Nottingham team played a match at a Public School somewhere near Clumber Park. I cannot remember its name. A lot of the pupils came to watch the match, which we lost. The enormous changing room had 20 roll top individual baths! After the match we were served sausage and mash in a splendid dining room by members of the School. A few weeks later we experienced the other side when the HP team played at Lowdham Grange Borstal. That was a real physical battle as the inmates battered the ‘Posh’ Grammar School boys. We did win though.

[High Pavement School Song...]

I cannot remember taking the 11Plus exam, but I obviously did. It was not made into something special when I attended junior school. I was offered a place at HP and was there from 1953 to 1958.

I was in BulwellBrian ‘s class for a few years and his photograph of his first day at HP in his new uniform reminded me of my first day there. The class was lead from our form room to the Hall and positioned at the front, closely inspected by the Head Boy, who looked to me more like a man (complete with a moustache), on a raised platform. Prefects were positioned all round the walls. The rest of the school followed, the Masters then arrived, complete with academic gowns. Finally a gowned Taff Davies arrived and stern faced carefully appraised the gathered School. I thought I had been deposited into Tom Browns Schooldays!!

[High Pavement school, Bestwood,]

Early on in this forum (April 2021) , lots of teachers were mentioned and Mr King asked if anybody knew the name of a Physics teacher who taught calculus. I believe this was Eddy ( Isaiah ) Saaymans. Yes, one of his eyes was etc.

Rumour had it that in his younger days he was an Olympic standard sprinter representing South Africa. He taught me physics for two years and seemed to possess eyes in the back of his head. On numerous occasions when he was facing the blackboard there would be a “take a detention, boy” catching someone misbehaving behind him. I believe he held the School record for giving Detentions.

[John Bird RIP]

Found the Nottstalgia forums by accident recently when looking for old Radford maps as part of an Ancestry exercise. Spent the last few days reading the many contributions. This has brought back so many memories. 

I was at High Pavement from 1953 to 1958.

DJ360 mentions John Birds death late last year. Not only did we lose John but also Peter Bowles last March. I remember those two well, entertaining us on the coach to 

away matches at Southwell, Grantham, Newark etc. When we played away it was usually the 1st or 2nd fifteen and one of the younger year teams. They were 4 years older than me and played for the 1st or 2nd fifteen. They could do the Goon Show scripts in detail, lots of other popular radio comedies episodes but the Shakespeare did not go down very well !! Henry V and all that.

Mentioning Henry V reminded me of a School visit to see this production at the old Nottingham Playhouse. This was one of the plays for our 'O' Level English Literature exams. This was a couple of years after Peter Bowles left HP and he was one of the cast. Science 4B were sat about two rows from the stage and Peter died at Agincourt immediately in front of us. After a few seconds the first piece of chewing gum hit his armour. This released a torrent of small objects and paper balls at him. He was the only soldier to die at Agincourt with a huge grin on his face. When Taff Davies heard about it there were consequences.