A Up from me - a newbie


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I heard someone on the radio singing Cwm Rhondda this morning. Well it is Sunday. It's been stuck in my head ever since so I've had to take drastic action to oust it. This is the result. I'm sure you

Just fished out my school report book. Yes, I still have it and it is 47 years ago to this very date that I spent my first day at the Manning.   I see from the reports in the book that I had

I feel inspired to add my own tribute to my old alma mater. The tune is well known, please feel free to join in. Apologies to any left wing members for misappropriation of their anthem.   TH

1 hour ago, Jill Sparrow said:

Mrs Glass. Been trying all day to remember her name. 30ish, short ginger hair, supercilious smirk, specialist subject Sarcasm. Taught French. Don't know who was worse, her or Mrs Christie (Bon!...not).

 

Double maths with Davy must have been hell but then she thought we were all going to hell because we were English and, still worse, Protestant!. Fortunately, I was moved into another group for maths and remember seeing Davy the day I left when she smiled at me, trying to be conciliatory, and said in her Irish brogue "You'll be glad to see the back of me!"

 

I think my reply was something along the lines of "Too bl99dy right!" Or words to that effect.

Yes indeed, Mrs Glass ! I do remember her sarcasm very well: I once got the rough end of her tongue because I had 'dared' to leave some loose papers in my exercise book and they fell out onto her living room floor when she marked my work! Pathetic or what?! 

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I'm not sure but I think I would have gone to Manning had I lived on the other side of our road - our road was the city boundary.  From what you are saying about the school, Jill, I'm pleased I was able to go the Carlton le Willows.  I loved it there and had some great teachers, apart from one I didn't get on with very well - don't know why..... It was probably because I had some stroppy teenager moments!

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#52

 

Funny that. I saw the initials GG next to comments for French on my 5th form report and couldn't think who it was. Just goes to show that she was eminently forgettable! Unlike Christie. I still live in fear of the door being flung open and Christie storming in shouting "Knickers, girls!"

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Jill #46.  That poor guy.  Thirty two bars, which were probably not easy and then silence.  I mean!  You've got to feel a bit of sympathy for him.  I'd have probably pulled every stop, hit crescendo and blown the bloomin' lot off the platform with one mighty chord.  They'd have remembered that.  If I remember rightly the Albert Hall has a nice instrument.

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#56

 

Whoops.

 

Many years ago I was studying for a degree as an external student at the university of Nottingham. During a break for coffee at a lecture, a group of us got chatting about schools and I did a bit of character assassination on Manning's deputy head, Miss Colthorpe, who put the fear of God into everybody. When I'd finished, one of our group quietly added, "She's my mother's best friend!" :blink:

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#57

 

It wasn't my idea, Loppy, but I got the blame because I was one of very few girls who studied music for O level with him.

 

Got to watch what I say here because I know he's still alive.

 

I remember one morning in November and we all arrived at the Albert Hall for the speech day rehearsal. Before being placed in our various forms on the horse hair matting on the platform, we sat in the seats of the auditorium. This particular morning, there was already somebody playing the organ and I will never forget because it was the Widor Organ Symphony, an incredibly difficult piece of music and the well-known final movement from the same which is often played at such events as royal weddings in venues as grand as Westminster Abbey. Our music teacher stood there gazing up at the organ loft and wondering, no doubt, who was giving such a fantastic rendition of this incredibly complex piece of music. We couldn't see who the organist was because of the blue velvet curtain which was drawn around the screen of the organ loft. so there we all sat and waited for the recital to finish which it eventually did. After a few moments of silence, our curiosity was rewarded by the sight of the tiniest little nun I have ever seen who emerged from the organ loft with a pile of scores under her arm. You would not have thought her legs were long enough to reach the pedals! She marched down the steps of the platform and out of the Albert Hall, passing our music teacher as she did so and I will never forget the look of incandescent amazement, not to mention jealousy, on his face!

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While we're on the subject of musical activities at the Manning School, I recall visiting Ellerslie House, further along Gregory Boulevard and on the same side as the Manning, one Christmas to sing carols for the residents.

 

I was struck at the time by what a beautiful building this was and, much later, saw some photographs of Edward Prince of Wales who briefly became King Edward VIII, visiting wounded servicemen at Ellerslie House, as I believe it was used as a hospital which specialised in the treatment of back injuries. 

 

Not having passed along Gregory Boulevard for a number of years now, I have no idea whether Ellerslie House is still standing and, if it is, what purpose it now serves. I suspect that, given the present day Elf and Safety requirements, this lovely building is no longer used for its previous purpose and I do hope that it hasn't been destroyed so that someone can replace it with yet another twisted carbuncle of a piece of architecture!

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#63

 

Are you sure it wasn't Forest Dene, Ian? Another beautiful house that stood on the corner of Gregory Boulevard and Russell Road, facing the side of the Manning. I went there several times as a child for chest x-rays because I developed bronchitis most winters after suffering from measles as a 4 year old.

 

Forest Dene is no longer standing and has been replaced with...another twisted carbuncle!

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My late wife suffered bronchitis most winters when she was growing up and into the first years of our marriage.  Once we moved to Canada she never came down with it again.  We often wondered if it was the damp and pea soupers of Nottingham that had a lot to do with it.

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#65

 

Quite likely, Loppy. You could guarantee that by my birthday at the end of November, I'd be hacking all night and keeping everyone awake! It would be a trip down the road to see Drs Halley, McGrath and Young for a bottle of linctus and another of thick, pink, sticky yuk! If either of the first two was sitting, you wouldn't need to be asked to cough because the fog of cigarette smoke in the small surgery was enough to make anybody start hacking!

 

Undoubtedly, it was the weather that caused my problems as November in those days and especially the day of my birthday, was renowned for pea soup fogs where you literally couldn't see a hand in front of your face and also struggled to breathe.

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  • 1 month later...

The Boulevard of Dreams

 

All praise to my Alma Mater,

   On my boulevard of dreams.

Three cheers with fond recall for,

   It's netball and hockey teams.

 

How I wish I was back at the Manning,

   Wearing my navy blue drawers.

How lovely was the experience,

   Couldn't wait to enter its doors.

 

Smartly dressed out, in red and in grey,

   With chic little beret on head,

Oh, weren't we just the dog's dinner,

   Calm down, was it something I said.

 

Revered by most girls, but not all,

   It held a good reputation,

I'll bet a pound to a pinch of snuff,

   It beat today's education.

 

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I feel inspired to add my own tribute to my old alma mater. The tune is well known, please feel free to join in. Apologies to any left wing members for misappropriation of their anthem.

 

THE RED (AND GREY) FLAG!

 

Oh Manning School, Oh Manning School,

What nightmares you've engendered.

Those washing !lines of knickers grey,

So neatly stitched and mended.

Of hockey sticks and muddy boots,

Of laced-up brogues and tweedy suits.

And lessons with sadistic brutes...

Your horrors aren't yet ended.

 

We won't forget the Admin Block!

Its shame and degradation

Were dreaded by those wayward girls

Who gave in to temptation!

"One minute late! It just won't do!

We'll make a scapegoat out of you!

Your hair, your shoes...your skirt length too!

You'll yield to conformation!"

 

We rue the hours of fear and dread

Spent in your draughty classrooms.

Impressed up on our consciousness,

Your range of retributions!

"ONE HUNDRED LINES!  I must conform!"

Oh how I wish I'd not been born,

Or torn up my 11+ form

And flushed it down the S bend.

 

Although there's nothing left to see

Of Manning Penitentiary,

For " Test all things, Hold fast the best"

Has crumbled into nothingness!

To all who stood beneath its dome,

It's time to leave, we're all old crones!

It's gone, so we need no more fear

The red (and grey) flag flying here!

 

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Thought you didn't like poetry, Jill. That is excellent; let's have some more when the mood strikes.. I'm just sorry I got the colour of the drawers wrong. 

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#69

 

Consider yourself in detention, young Chulla, for wearing non-regulation knickers! 

 

It was for penning such anthems and encouraging other girls to sing them that I earned the contempt of the staff at Manning! I was warned not infrequently that my pen would get me into trouble! They weren't wrong.  :wacko:

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My little rhyme was a leg-pull, Jill, but there was a touch of animosity in yours. Was it warranted, I wonder. There is no doubt that some of the Manning 'magic' rubbed off on you. No-one on this forum expresses themselves in the written word better than you do.

 

More apologies - It is Blondie who is not into poetry, not you. 

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I heard someone on the radio singing Cwm Rhondda this morning. Well it is Sunday. It's been stuck in my head ever since so I've had to take drastic action to oust it. This is the result. I'm sure you all know the tune.

 

NOTTSTALGIA

 

There's a site you really need to look at

If you hail from Nottingham.

There you'll find all sorts of information,

Photos, maps, posts...there ain't no spam!

Click Nottstalgia! Click Nottstalgia!

Courtesy of Mick 2 Me!

Open every day and all quite free.

 

You can search among its learned members

For whatever interests you.

Just ask Ben the price of tinned tomatoes

 Circa nineteen sixty two.

Into movies? Talk to Chulla.

Barry Norman move aside!

Nonna's recipes are famed worldwide!

 

If it's pets, you'll find a million photos.

Catfan's had some gorgeous mogs!

Foxes, birds...and what about Mick's silk worms?

Not forgetting Loppy's dogs.

Play the word games, test the mega brains:

Margie, Lizzie, Katyjay!

Once you've started, you'll be there all day!

 

Some folks like a bit of honest plain-speak

And to call a spade a spade.

Pooh-bear, Catfan, Fly or Col and Dawson,

To hold forth they're not afraid.

Chavs and benefits! Kids and lunatics!

JUST GIVE POLITICS A MISS!

No, it's not allowed. It upsets Cliff!

 

It's a site that's not without some talent.

Just scroll down the avatars.

Benjamin's a proper Casanova,

Can't keep pace with his 'amours' !

Terence, Firbeck, Fly and Carni,

Siddha, Mick and Pianoman!

Even Chulla...sitting in his pram!

 

Click Nottstalgia! Click Nottstalgia!

Join with Nottingham's Elite!

S*d the googlebots,

We'll not be beat!

 

;)

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 07/09/2016 at 10:39 PM, Jill Sparrow said:

#56

 

Whoops.

 

Many years ago I was studying for a degree as an external student at the university of Nottingham. During a break for coffee at a lecture, a group of us got chatting about schools and I did a bit of character assassination on Manning's deputy head, Miss Colthorpe, who put the fear of God into everybody. When I'd finished, one of our group quietly added, "She's my mother's best friend!" :blink:

Hi there Jill. I'm a newbie oñ here but saw your post as I was researching a Marian Colthorpe..to take her funeral today. She was the younger sister of Edna Colthorpe your fiercesome Deputy Head..lol. Think Edna died a while ago but Marian was 97 and her younger sister Margaret is 94. They all lived together in a House on Lady Bay Rd in West Bridgford from the 1920's till 3 years ago!! Only Margaret married. Says a great deal about the kind of teachers there were in the 50's!! I had similar ones but over in  North Staffordshire at a Girls Grammar School.. frightening old biddies and awful rules!! Loved your story..hope you might like this news too.

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