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Hi MargieH,   I never really got on with CleWs - never wanted to go there in the first place - my preference was for Bramcote Hills, but as a mere 10 year old my preference counted for nothi

Reading recent comments on the Manning School topic about what our teachers did in WW2 has prompted me to source the following link about my French teacher (and form teacher for 2 years) at Carlton Le

She didn’t improve with age. I was made to do a handstand against the wall in one of her maths lessons.   I was sorely tempted to let down the tyres on her old Rover P5 tank.

Thanks for the heads-up Dave.  Sadly the Nottingham Post have made glaring mistakes in the article.

The Grammar School opened in 1953 (our Margie was one of the early pupils)

The Technical Grammar School opening sometime in early 60s, can’t remember exact year but it was after I started at Grammar School in 1961

They were two separate schools, with the expected rivalry between them.  They had different colour uniforms too.

The first photo, pupils in a classroom is of Mr Bates, Deputy Head and it was the Grammar School

The second photo is the building works of the Grammar School.

The Grammar and Tech Grammar presumably amalgamated when the Comprehensive system began.

I reckon the mistakes have been made because the chap who is heading this reunion was a pupil at the Tech Grammar.  

I will be attending the reunion on Saturday, not sure what to expect, I think it might be best to keep the memories I still have of my schooldays, not see what has happened to the old place in the past 52 years since I walked out of that door.  Although, I did go to a couple of big reunions there, years ago, it was a pretty tatty place, nothing like I remember.

 

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I started at the tech in1964 - brown uniform - looking back I reckon it was a pretty good school apart from Bill Brigham , the head , he was an odd' 'un. - he excluded me in the 5th form for what he called riding a motorbike at a dangerous speed on the top road into the school !,

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The two schools merged in 1973, the year I left the Grammar. Pity, because those snowball fights and rugby matches between the two schools were legendary.

 

Roger’s mention of Mr Brigham has triggered memories of his two very attractive daughters, Helen and Cindy. I met them both at a party at their home and dated Helen for a while in the mid 70s. She was only 16 at the time, and father must have got hold of my school records from the Grammar as he wasn’t very happy and insisted she broke off the relationship!

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12 hours ago, LizzieM said:

Thanks for the heads-up Dave.  Sadly the Nottingham Post have made glaring mistakes in the article.

The Grammar School opened in 1953 (our Margie was one of the early pupils) ......................

 

The first photo, pupils in a classroom is of Mr Bates, Deputy Head and it was the Grammar School

The second photo is the building works of the Grammar School.

 

I started in September1954 (not 1953) which is when the part finished building opened to pupils.  I was in the first form but the school brought in some second form pupils as well, who had spent their first year at Henry Mellish,  West  Bridgeford and (I think) some other schools.  They said it wasn't good for first formers to be without older pupils!  Some of those second formers became prefects - can't imagine a Year 8 these days being responsible enough to be a prefect!

Some teachers also came over to C le W from those schools.

 

We were told that we were all responsible for making the school 'traditions' as it was a brand new school.  The building was only part finished so we had assemblies in the Gym until the hall was finished.

 

You  are right about the teacher, Lizzie - Mr Bates was my French and German teacher, also my form master for 3 years.   He was the favourite of all my teachers.

 

I agree about the photo as well - that was the view out of my first classroom - 1G, Miss Gilbert,  General Science room.   I sat at the back bench in the centre.... 

 

While the building works were being carried out it was VERY noisy...

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  • 1 month later...

When I was there 57 to 62 he was generally known as Basher Bates because of his alleged enthusiasm for laying the cane on hard.  I seem to remember it was only boys who got the stick.  This was probably an undeserved reputation.

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C22s Tailgate....I was never aware of canings in the school because, as you said, girls didn't get caned.  I just remember Mr Bates being my favourite teacher.  I don't suppose I knew you at CLW as you would have been 3 years younger than me...... but good to know there is another person from the old school on Nottstalgia..  whatother memories do you have of your time there?

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Hi MargieH,

 

I never really got on with CleWs - never wanted to go there in the first place - my preference was for Bramcote Hills, but as a mere 10 year old my preference counted for nothing, especially when an absent father assumed he had an exclusive right make the decision. I was at Plains Road primary after going to live with my grandma when my father left us in 1955, (there is a Plains Road primary  thread on the forum) and quite a number of us passed the 11+ and went there together.  I was quite able intellectually but typically for a kid from a broken home, didn't have the support or family resources available to most of my peers, so floundered rather than flourished.  I was a naughty boy besides, and was saved from expulsion on one occasion by my  probation officer! 

 

Ann Wood, PE and maths teacher, quite liked me, I think - perhaps she saw the possibility of better things for me. (If she did, she was right) She taught me to sail at Gunthorpe and encouraged me to play rugby with more enthusiasm - I made the second 15.  Ever the optimist, (my mother had no money for such things) I put my name down for the 1960 trip to the Olympics at Rome, to be told that "Boys like you don't deserve to go on such visits, and you won't be considered"  I always thought very carefully after that before deciding to do anything - good practice for politics.

 

Draycott caned me a few times, but not Bates.  Mr Knowles, English and form master respected my ability to write, and said so and encouraged me, but I still failed GCE English.

 

My forum name is a reflection of  my time at Gedling Colliery, working on a very productive coalface that made us enough money to buy a bungalow as a 21st birthday present to ourselves, and getting active in the NUM, that in turn, led to what I always think of as my real education via the miners day release course at Nottingham University, Ruskin College and an Oxford degree.

 

I assume you know this https://www.docdroid.net/Xk06K5c/carlton-le-willows-grammar-school-pdf.pdf#page=38 and the other sites - since I retired earlier this year I have looked at a few of them, but seemingly no longer active.

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C22, that link was very interesting, although there  are a few errors, the most important being that one of my boyfriends who was in my year has been omitted!!   ( or given the wrong first name?). 

I'm on the list anyway so that's a witness to my existence....

Do you belong to the Facebook group for the school or belong to the newly formed Society?

 

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Dear MargieH, 

 

Im also on the list.  The document in the link looks very much like some of the material on the old CleWGS site and there is a ref in there to Roger.  I've just been told that Roger died, and there is new group being set up clwsalix so will have a look at that.

 

Im not involved with Facebook as I'm not a great fan of social media. At work for the past 18 years one of my colleagues took overall responsibility for that as she was both skilled and keen on it

 

I'm finding it quite pleasant not working any longer as I've done 56 years, and that should be enough.  So I will keep an eye on this forum. We left Nottm in April 1972, but no longer visit as we have no family left there now.

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I’m not on that list either, in fact none of the class of 67 are.

 

As for Ann Wood, my main recollection of her was when she took our class for Maths and noticed that I was wearing white socks (was late changing after cricket). She summoned me to the front of the class and made me do a handstand against the wall, then stand in the corridor outside the classroom.

 

I was sorely tempted to go and let down the tyres on her Rover!

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Rob, the link appears to be just showing random years. My year isn’t there either.   On the old school website that was set up years ago by Roger Pikett all the years were posted.  There was a list of all the teachers too. Not looked at that for a long time, assuming it’s still available.  

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38 minutes ago, C22s Tailgate said:

.....

Im not involved with Facebook as I'm not a great fan of social media. At work for the past 18 years one of my colleagues took overall responsibility for that as she was both skilled and keen on it

 

I'm finding it quite pleasant not working any longer as I've done 56 years, and that should be enough.  So I will keep an eye on this forum. We left Nottm in April 1972, but no longer visit as we have no family left there now.

 

 Several of the members here on Nottstalgia are also on Facebook, and there are several Facebook groups about old Nottingham with lots of photos.   I don't post much on Facebook - I just like to see what all my 'friends' and family are up to!

Now you are retired, you could always have a couple of days holiday in Nottingham, even if you have no family left there now.  We live in Cambs but manage a few trips to Nottingham each year as we just like the place, even though it has changed quite a bit.   We've made friends with some of the members on Nottstalgia and meet up with them every so often in Nottingham.  

 

Btw, I can't really remember Ann Wood - my PE teacher was Anne Pearce (Robinson before she married)  

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3 minutes ago, trophydave said:

Two of my brothers Gerard and Richard Pearson would have been there in the mid sixties.Does anyone remember them?

 

 I was there from 1954 - 1960 so wouldn't have come across them.   Maybe LizzieM will know them?

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28 minutes ago, trophydave said:

Two of my brothers Gerard and Richard Pearson would have been there in the mid sixties.Does anyone remember them?

 

Sorry TrophyDave, I don’t recognise the names of your brothers.  I was there from 1961-66.  

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Rob.L

 

I remember reading an Education Guardian article (perhaps 25 ) years ago when CleWs school magazine won a prize. It mentioned Ann Wood as the longest serving teacher.  Perhaps she had taken against you, I'm sure plenty of them had taken against me.

 

Fred Pennell taught Biology.  Pointed specifically to me in the class where we did reproduction. Tony Hancock taught chemistry and drove a T type MG. Mrs Badger taught French.  Fred Lee taught geography, and his son was a pupil. I,ll think of others

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Was Sidney Wood (History) still at the school when you were there.  He married a friend of mine and they've been married around 54 years now.....

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Rob.L and MargieH

 

You are right, and Harry Makins was one of the staff who were involved with the old CleWsGS society and was given honorary life membership.  The other history teacher was Tom Bird, who was killed in car crash on the continent in (I think) the summer break in1960. He is on the panoramic photo taken in May 1960. I remember he drove a Mini, they were still quite new at that time and attracted the interest of car enthusiastic boys.

 

Sid Wood is also in that photograph. If you have that, he is 9th of the male teachers counting from Draycott. Makins is next to him in 8th. Bird is 16th.

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9 hours ago, LizzieM said:

I don’t remember that name Margie. 

I think he probably left when my friend left in 1961...

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