County high school Arnold

[Holly 1]

It was wonderful to see posts from Adrian (and his comments about me that I'm sure I don't deserve). I recall almost all of the former pupils and members of staff mentioned and over the years, many of our paths have crossed. David Briers was certainly a talented graphic artist. He, Charlie Phipps and I were all at Nottingham Art college at one time. Charlie was accepted by the National Youth Theatre and I remember seeing him in acting a play ('The Apprentices'?) on BBC TV with Barry Rutter. The science teacher, BW Thompson, became a WEA organiser and I ran some courses for him in Carlton-in-Lindrick and we became friends. Brian is sadly, no longer with us but I am certain that many ex-pupils will recall his outbursts of foghorn laughter during school assembly, with great fondness. Mike Ring (Art) and David Wileman (Maths) both sent me messages on Friends Reunited some years back and I have tried to contribute to Barry Hughes' labelling of pupils on the school photograph on the FR site. I also bumped into Nick Alexander, Mick Flint, David Turrent, Sara Neville, Eric Kwiatkowski, Miss Lillie and Nancy Briggs.

Does anyone remember Lower School pupis having to change into 'indoor shoes' (sandals) when arriving in school? - or the mock Election that Bill Bugg won for the Liberal party? - or a Shadows-style school rock band playing in the gym during lunchtime?; or perhaps; the day after the Beatles had appeared at the Odeon (second on the bill to Roy Orbison!) when it seemed that everyone had been (except me)?; or the drama competition that Roosevelt House won with 'Hiss the Villain'? judged by Miss Padden (Elocution - now there's an innovation)

I'm grateful to all contributors for reinvigorating some pleasant memories.

Remember nearly all these names.

[Socram 130]

Someone sent me a link so I signed up!

Currently living in NZ since 1983, but part of the very first intake at ACHS. I need to read through all previous posts before I add anything relevant.

I had extensive communications with J H Higginson ("Harry of England") and in 1988, started a counter to his excellent book "A School Is Born", which he very kindly read and was most supportive. Maybe now I have found this thread, I'll get back to it and bring it up to date.

There are a few errors of fact/spelling in some earlier posts I have skimmed through.

I managed to attend the 1988 and 2009 reunions, so great to keep up with several of my much loved former classmates.

Jim Briers and his twin sister are still in Mapperley and although I haven't seen Jim for a few years now, I have certainly seen his sister.

Ray Green (user name relates to one of my much loved classics cars, spelt backwards, just in case you were wondering...)

[Socram 130]

This is an extract from the 'book' revised back in about 2009, about the gymnasium:

As one of the experimental buildings within the complex at Arnold, the architects or designers here had a fair bit to answer for. As mentioned in 'A School is Born', the original flooring was a type of plastic tile with a textured surface rather than a sprung timber floor. Incorporated into the floor were threaded sockets about every metre or so with corresponding threaded fittings in the roof. Whether these were on some form of beam or not, I cannot remember, but the theory was that the gymnasium equipment would not be the traditional wooden beams but a system not unlike scaffolding with the vertical spars screwing into floor and roof and the horizontals attached by a form of clip.

This would give many options and be more flexible than traditional gymnasium equipment. We were the guinea pigs and had the honour and excitement of being the first to assemble the equipment - when it eventually arrived. A group of enthusiastic 14 year olds rushed around with the verticals and proceeded to screw them into the appropriate sockets. The first two or three went in well and were tightened. As others were put in place, the earlier ones seemed to be loose, so with a few deft turns, they were tightened.

Those holding the later poles suddenly found that their poles went a bit loose too. In spite of this, Dick Warsop, my long term friend - as a fairly lightweight athlete, was despatched by the P. E. teacher (Mr Flint) to climb a pole to test it out. Dick shinned up the pole and triumphantly reached the ceiling. With a great cheer from his classmates, he raised a hand to wave or give a customary two fingered salute which owed nothing to the cubs, and touched the ceiling. The cheers turned to shrieks of raucous laughter as the pole pulled away from the roof and Dick made a speedy return to terra firma. It was at this point, that someone realised the power of a screw thread as the centre of the roof was now higher than it was before - by about an inch!

Back to the drawing board... The equipment was locked away for some time and we had to concentrate on mat work and other exercises at ground level for a few more weeks or months.

[Socram 130]

Brian's mum Hazel, was the wife of my Godfather, Alf, who was my Dad's best pal and best man at his wedding.

My Mum did the Eastwood Roy's Buses run and her sister Doris, did our run to Bramcote. In these days of traffic chaos, interesting to know that the pick up time for Bramcote at the top of Westdale Lane in 1957 and 1958 was 8:26am.

Jim Briers started at Bramcote and we gave him a hard time, though we liked him a lot.

At Bramcote, we had a brilliant maths teacher who was destined to head up the maths dept at Arnold, by the name of Austwick, but he accepted a University post instead. The consequences of that were very much to the detriment of the pupils.

"Chrome Dome" Jones was also at Bramcote and was our form teacher in year 2. Messrs Cawthorne (Physics) , Jones (Biology) and Hind (Chemistry) were very adept at winding up first year pupils between them, much to our amusement.

Our first Arnold History teacher - and the only female teacher we had in that first year, was the very voluptuous Miss D Carter.

[carni 10,094]

Welcome to Nottstalgia Socram. New members are always welcome. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your posts as I am sure the others will do as well. Looking forward to reading of your memories and I hope you enjoy your self catching up on Nottstalgia.

[Commo 1,292]

Welcome to the Forum Socram, you'll find lots of good stuff on here and perhaps come across others who were at ACHS. I was at BHGS and started with the first intake of you refugees who were homeless for a while!

[Socram 130]

Not sure if this works, but not the easiest site to post an image link.

If this works, a pic of the 2009 reunion, with Mr Sargent (music) and Mr Ring (Art). I suppose that as I graduated in 1962 with just 1 'O'level in Art, that makes Mr Ring the only really successful ACHS teacher - for me!

[seg2410 0]

Hi Everyone,

I went to ACHS in 1971 after passing my 11+ and was there till 1977. By then it had changed to Arnold Hill Comprehensive by amalgamating Arnold Girls Secondary School and Robert Mellors secondary School in Arnold in 1975. I would love to hear from anyone in this era at next year it will be 40 years since leaving and thought I would attempt a reunion.

Regards

Sharon Gee

[Stuart.C 491]

Hello, another late finder here.

I was at ACHS 1962 to 1967. Didn't go into the Sixth year.

And lived in Arnold.

I still live reasonably local now.

It was the first year all years were present following the build up.

I was in Cheshire House and Year 1 class 1H

Someone asked about streams, there were at least 2 in year 1 and 2 in the Lower School.

I remember most of the the Teacher names above but the only pupil name who's posted I recognise is Brian L, same year as myself.

Someone mentioned Maria Hawker, she was the same year as me.

Also Nick Alexander, Richard Nix, David Cusick, Peter Addison, Alan Carpenter, Chris Woodward, Richard Kanicula, Peter Bartley, Denis ?, John Dobson, Neil Reid, Jeremy Simonite (?), Tony Evans,

Girls; Linda Lewis, Marylin Carter, Janet Sharpe, Vivien Gath,

[LizzieM 9,508]

Welcome to Nottstalgia Stuart, from another Arnoldite.

[WILF 2]

Hi everyone

Felicitations to you all.

I've had an interesting read through all the postings and re-lived a few memories - not many bad ones except my abysmal A-level results and, although you have made. kind remarks about the art teacher, Mr Ring,  all I remember is that he gave me the lowest mark I ever got for any test except Mr Sargent the music teacher whose comment about my singing was that at least it was loud!!

There was mention of David Briers and  Andrew Morley. They were good friends of mine in the sixth form.  They were (and are I am sure) very artistic people.  

http://www.andrewmorley.com/contact.html

http://www.performance-wales.org/it-was-40-years-ago-today/interviews/08_Briers.htm

Also Carl Beeson whose brewery is called Summerskills down in Plymouth.  He has now retired.

http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/brewery-owner-calls-time-hands/story-15968115-detail/story.html

Over the years Carl and I have kept in touch through meetings at Alan Seymour's home near Stratford on Avon where we also meet up with Colin Humphries, John Shaw and Trevor Elliott. (Alan, Colin and I are from Beeston.  Carl comes from Hucknall, I believe, and John Shaw. lives in West Bridgford.  Ttrevor lives over in East Anglia).

Some of you remember that dreadful fog.  There was more than one time when we had to go home early for fog but this one was the mother of them all.  I got home on the school bus but I remember that it went tghe wrong way round the roundabout that goes into University Boulevard where the Sturmey Archer cycle gear was and next day I counted 90 cars abandoned on the grass verges along the boulevards.

Socrams photo of the 2009 reunion raises one great memory from me in the form of the lady who is unfortunately looking down at the floor.  That is Roberta (Bobbie) Henson - one of the few girls I plucked up the courage to ask out - and she accepted! A pleasant memory even though she hardly remembered me when we chatted at the reunion.  Also I remember Janet Oldroyd known as "dead legs" - something about breaking her ankle when playing hockey I think.

The "smoke room" photo that was posted on Friends Reunited.  I am the one on the far right hand side. I used to swap packets of polos for cigarettes, which came in handy to disguise your breath when you went back into class.

I gave up smoking in 1975 but not drinking.  Brian Thompson (now deceased), the biology teacher, with the amazing laugh is responsible for that.  He demonstrated the making of alcohol.  I never forgot this - now I make all sorts of homemade wine of reasonable quality (I hope) 

I remember the PE teacher Big John Howarth who told me to get rid oi the beard that I had cultivated for two weeks.  I bet beards are all over the place at schools these days (for the boys anyway).

All the best

Wilf

 

[Jill Sparrow 10,307]

Welcome to Nottstalgia, Wilf! I do hope you will enjoy this site as much as the rest of us. I look forward to sharing your memories.

[MargieH 7,600]

Lovely long first post, Wilf..... Hope you'll continue to share your memories

[countygump 0]

I was there 67-72, I certainly remember Jim Briars, lovely man who was still there when my daughter attended the school, although by that time it had become 'Arnold Hill Comprehensive'. Mr Woolard was the PE Teacher and Mr Thompson was there, he taught Chemistry, I think.

[LizzieM 9,508]

Welcome to the madhouse Countygump.  You could well have known my brother, although he would be a year ahead of you.  

[Beasty 1]

Hello one and all, my oh my there are some old faces on here, it's Carl Beeson speaking, Brian Thompson was the teacher who lived in the caravan opposite the school, called The Habitat, he used to come my house for tea, came on his motorbike but wouldn't give me a lift on the pillion I had to catch the school bus back to Hucknall.

There's been a lot of water passing under the proverbial bridge since we rolled up to the school in 1959. Speaking of Brian Thompson, glad I saw him at the 2009 reunion as he died not long after from a brain tumour, very proud that he was our House Master in Makerenko. it is a shame that nobody was prepared to take on the mantle of organising any more re-unions, Doug Downes and his wife Kath (Pembury) and myself organised the first few and as we know the school did the last one, Doug and I called for volunteers for another but to no avail.

Looking through the previous pages there are so many comments that I could reply to but we would be here for so long but I must say that in one of my previous jobs as a Senior Buyer for St. Ivel (Unigate Dairy Division) a regular port of call was Canterbury and dinner with Dr. J.H.H. and Kathleen, brilliant evenings of nostalgia and discussions.

[Jill Sparrow 10,307]

Welcome to Nottstalgia, Beasty. Looking forward to more of your memories.

[Commo 1,292]

Welcome to the Forum Beasty, going even further back you are one of those remembered by Mrs Commo from Annie Holgate Junior. Apparently you sat behind her in class and delighted in pulling her pigtails! She was Sandra Sheldon back then.

 

 

[LizzieM 9,508]

Welcome to Nottstalgia Beasty, look forward to reading more of your memories.  It's odd how the County Council sent us kids all over the county to school. Arnold High was about 300 yards from where I lived but I had a bus pass that sent me to Carlton-le-Willows. There were kids at my school who lived out Hucknall and Kimberley way too.  One friend in Arnold went to Newark for her schooling.  

[FLY2 10,108]

Lizzie, it wasn't done to spilt up the rowdy and unruly elements from the Arnold area was it ? 

 

[Beasty 1]

Thanks for the welcomes me luvvers as we say in Plymouth, my goodness remembered from Annie Holgate Junior school. I presume that Gunner and Trevor S are two of the smoke room or down on the playing field contingent that I remember very well. As to memories when do we start there are so many?

On an earlier post somebody mentioned Brian Andrews, on my first day (in 1964) at HMS Mercury, the Royal Naval Signal School who should I bump into but Brian, after leaving there he seemed to have disappeared into the ether, nobody seems to have heard from him, as we have tried to contact him for some naval re-unions and bearing in mind that the Communications Branch of the RN was a small branch in which most of us knew each other it is very strange.

[alanbrad 0]

Hi,I went to Eastwood for a year before heading to Arnold,a year with Me Hind on the top floor of the science block before joining Mr Barnes in Schweitzer,good memories of a great school

[alanbrad 0]

Should say Mr Baines

[Linda Watts 0]

Can any of you guys remember Richard Perkins ,a county javelin thrower and my Notts AC team mate Sara Neville., whose dad was director at the Nottingham playhouse ?....they were both Arnold high in the 60s

[Linda Watts 0]

What a surprise to see my name mentioned...and all the other memories on the Arnold County High School topic. I was there from 1962 to 1969, Roosevelt House, best friend was Liz Kirkham (who sadly died relatively young). Lots of people remember Sara Neville - I remember going to her house on ?Sandford Rd, meeting her dad the actor/manager John Neville. I remember Brian Thompson leaping onto a desk in Biology and doing effective monkey impressions to stop us chatting when he was talking about evolution. Mr Barlow instilled in me a lifelong love of novels and writing. I also remember a Miss Thistlethwaite who couldn't control the French class. Fantastic to have this forum - when Friends Reunited disappeared I missed seeing the photos of the Mikado performances etc...