Claremont Bilateral/secondary modern

[Craig Strongman 13]

Hi Guy

Before my time I'm afraid .........anyone else?

[zab 47]

Guy,

might be worth visiting Friends Reunited - Ralph Skinner is listed on there so might be able to contact him via the message links on there.

http://www.friendsreunited.co.uk

[Joey 0]

Can anyone remember Jerome Nembhard and Robert Doughtie

They were there same time as Mr dibby

[GrumpyOldKev 2]

Third row second from left........David Smedley front row centre Romeo Dixon....second row third from right I remember him collecting bottles and having a display of them in the window of a building society in town and think his name was also David.

As usual I'm a bit late to the party on this one, but the names you have so far are correct. The other David (the bottle collector) was David Hamilton - he also got on Blue Peter with his collection. It was class 2G, our first year full-time at the Forest Fields site. As 1G we had been based at the Claremont Road/Hucknall Road site. The year (for 2G) was 71/72.

Here's my version of the photo with more of the names filled in. At the time I couldn't remember the tutor's name, but someone got it earlier when the said Milne.

[Michael Booth 7,364]

Welcome to Nottstalgia, GrumpyOldKev. I look forward to reading your posts and sharing your memories. You've made a good start...lol

[katyjay 4,997]

The tall lad, middle of the back row, looks like he's ready to duff somebody.

[STANLEY1706 1]

Been away for a while, but fantastic think you got us all , I still see Clive Rose he still lives in the area and up till Sept I worked in Hyson Green.

[Michael Booth 7,364]

Welcome back to Nottstalgia, STANLEY1706. We've missed you...

[Mess 540]

The tall lad, middle of the back row, looks like he's ready to duff somebody.

Haven't heard that expression for a long time Katyjay. I well remember being duffed up as a schoolkid. Nothing too serious I'm pleased to say.

The most painful assault I ever endured was when a lad quite a bit bigger than me gave me a dead leg. OMG that really hurt.

[katyjay 4,997]

Chinese burns were the worst!

[Retired in Cheshire 1]

I remember Claremont Bilateral School extremely well. I left in 1960, not before time, I hated virtually every minute of it. I remember the canes, the three tongue leather straps and slippers used to administer punishment for the most trivial of causes.

Mr Dibb who throw chalk in gay abandon at anyone he thought wasn't listening

Some of the teachers: Mr Salter, Mr Nightingale,(PE Teacher). Mr Aram Head. The only breath of fresh air was the day Mr Gordon arrived (Flash). His drainpipe trousers and sideburns made him stand out as one of the boys.

Eventually, I became school prefect. this helped me miss the lessons I disliked. Also I arranged to be on late gate, this meant that anyone who arrived later than I did deserved to get lines to write 100s of times.

I learned nothing, because in my mind, Teachers never treated pupils as children that needed to be taught, rather, children that needed to be controlled.

The only exception to this was the love of the book, Wind in The Willows that Mr Dibb taught from. I still love the story to this day and so do my children.

When we played football, we had to carry the kit in massive kit bags, literally wring out the water from the tops before putting them on, sounds

Dickensian but true.

I read in the forum a small remark about a boy who was run over and killed outside the school, he was probably my only friend I had at the school and to my shame I just cant bring to mind his name. He was a small boy for his age. It was a shock when I turned up at school after some time off and was told.

There was an annexe just down the road, I remember this being just a big house with a walk round the sides.

I left and attended Peoples Collage of Further Education where I passed every exam put in front of me, reached the top of my profession.

I only mention this as if you always stay focussed and do not give up you can achieve your ambitions as I am sure many of those on the forum have.

I could go on and on as some of you may have think I have, I put this spiel on Friends United and was surprised how many remembered and agreed.

Kind Regards to all who remember

[LizzieM 9,272]

Welcome to Nottstalgia Retired in Cheshire, hope you enjoy reading the hundreds of threads on here

[Michael Booth 7,364]

Welcome to Nottstalgia, Retired in Cheshire. I look forward to reading your posts and sharing your memories. On Nottstalgia we love our members to put their memories on the Forums, whether it be one word or a thousand. I enjoyed reading your first post (#86).

[ModelTMan 4]

Hi everyone!

My name is John Palmer, I was at Claremont School from 1962 to 1967 and were the worst days of my school life ever! I remember lots of school bullies and that included some of the staff! I went to school frightened to death of what might happen to me every day. I loved my wood working with Mr Bell, film shows with Mr Dib, hated everything else about this terrible school, it was all about control and teaching in my mind was not a priority, constant class infighting. I had lots of good friends though but sadly when we parted company on our last day at school, mine was at the Perry Road annexe near the Prison and was to be handed back to the Seely school the following new term. I lost contact with everyone, but found my really best pal Graham Hickman in 1983-4 whilst I was up a treble extender and wiring up an electric roller shutter door. I only see him every so often as we all have our lives to lead. I am 61 but retired due to ill health some 15-16 years ago and spend most of my spare time rebuilding and tinkering with my vintage cars, I am married with two children Kevin 30 and well into computers and Helen who is now working to gain her MSc in histology and works for the NHS. My wife has also retired but from choice as she is totally bunt out from over work as staff in her office slowly decreased in number.

Well if anyone remembers me come say hi!

[james gibson 6]

hi I went to clearmont from 68 -72

[benjamin1945 15,560]

CLAREMONT,sounded fun,anyone enjoy it lol,

[benjamin1945 15,560]

OH YES,WELCOME JOHN AND JAMES,sorry about your school

[Michael Booth 7,364]

Welcome to Nottstalgia, ModelTMan. I look forward to reading your posts and sharing your memories. I must have missed your post (#89) for some reason. I'm sorry to read about your ill health but I'm sure you must be enjoying the sunshine at the moment. I see that you're interested in rebuilding and tinkering with vintage cars. One of my friends is presently restoring an Austin A40 Sports and he really enjoys it. I hope you find some old friends on Nottstalgia but, if you don't, I hope you find some new ones.

[Cliff Ton 10,009]

Welcome to Nottstalgia, ModelTMan. I look forward to reading your posts and sharing your memories.

Michael, things move quickly round here...... http://nottstalgia.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=12423&hl=

[Michael Booth 7,364]

Thanks, Cliff Ton. What would we do without you. I hope we never have to find out...lol

[james gibson 6]

people I remember from Alfred st north are rob Johnson Patrick Kelly jimmy fisher

[Simon Briley 5]

As usual I'm a bit late to the party on this one, but the names you have so far are correct. The other David (the bottle collector) was David Hamilton - he also got on Blue Peter with his collection. It was class 2G, our first year full-time at the Forest Fields site. As 1G we had been based at the Claremont Road/Hucknall Road site. The year (for 2G) was 71/72.

Here's my version of the photo with more of the names filled in. At the time I couldn't remember the tutor's name, but someone got it earlier when the said Milne.

Hi all, I can confirm the names with a couple of ammendments Dave Brown later changed his surname to Croucher, Pete Bott is actually Peter Boot (Peter Bott joined us in 3G had he not been about 6' tall and blond it would have got really confusing!), Steve Bailey - confirmed. Where was the Evil Imp Pawel Syzmanski when this was taken? I can well remember him putting lighted bangers in peoples pockets and then looking so cute that no teacher would believe he could possibly be guilty!! Romeo Dixon went through a phase of wanting to be called George, I maded the mistake of obliging him in Mr Wheatley's class and got caned for the heinous crime of "not using his proper name"

[Trevor S 2,002]

Welcome to Nottstalgia, Simon.......I look forward to sharing your memories

[Simon Briley 5]

Regarding various posts about teachers, the ones I remember, fondly or not, from 1970-75 in no particular order are:

Mr Laughton or Lawton (?) - A P.E. Teacher with a Comb-Over & a size 12 Dunlop Greenflash for hitting people with.

Mr Jacobs - only served 1 year in Claremont 70-71, in the November he made Gunpowder "as a treat" for bonfire night, sadly he then went to the office to answer a phone call and left the chemical store unlocked, then failed to notice that his little pile had got bigger and lit it anyway.

Marcel Houdon - French Canadian, taught French and Tech Drawing, a former TV repair man who'd come to education after real jobs, he was really great. I still regret the converation that went "Simon why are you dropping French?", "Because I can't think of any possible occasion when I'd want to talk to them!" Well I was only 14, I hadn't worked out that French is a) considered romantic, or b) French is a good way of chatting to French-Canadian Troops who are both on our side and total piss artists. My loss!

Mr David (Dennis) Wheatley - a real character with an unfortunately nasal voice which I could, and still can, mimic rather well, my Mother was NOT happy after her 1st Parents Evening when she'd nearly wet herself having heard my impression all year and then met the real thing! A bit overfond of his cane, his wind-up calculators and his rigid translations of The Rules but, for all that a decent bloke.

Mr Eric Dibb - The long-lost twin brother of Jimmy Edwards, or, more probably J.E. was the watered down for film version of Eric. I can well remember an occasion when 2 student teachers complained to The Head, I think it was Mr Burton at the time, that Eric had caned them, he'd had one of his celebrated rage attacks and caned every pupil present, it was their own fault for trying to be trendy by failing to wear an Academic Gown, carry a cane and, worst of all, having hair that made contact with their ears! It was some time later that another teacher, during a field trip, explained to me that Eric was in the 1st reserve at the battle of El-Alamain where casualties were expected to be 100%, for that alone we can make a few allowances in behaviour.

Mr Merrick - AKA AL Capone - What can I say? A seriously weird individual who dressed like a 1930's Chicago ganster while still living at home with Mummy. He caned me 3 times a week for 3 years until I dropped History, in all that time the only historical facts I gleaned were that the Romans "did stuff" and an in-depth knowledge of the grislier aspects of "The reign of terror" in Revolutionary France that may well have influenced my decision to "Never talk to a Frenchman" (see Marcel Houdon above). I did get my revenge in the 5th form as Captain of the Fencing Team when he threatened to cane me for "playing with a sword in the hall" while I was running a training session, my response was a slightly less than diplomatic "you've got a cane, I've got a bag of assorted swords, lets see who wins?" So he threatened to "Report" me before scuttling back into his classroom, I was never sure who he meant to report me to.

Boyd Chapman - Not too bad a teacher stuck with a lousy subject, "Government Economics & Commerce", he introduced me Adam Smith's 'Wealth of Nations' a book which still sends shivers down my spine. It has to be said though that, as a subject, it's stood me in good stead over the years. Several employers have taken the offhand comment "Oh yes, I read Economics under Boyd Chapman" to mean something rather more than it is, not my fault if they don't bother to check where the guy with the posh name actually worked, is it?

Roger Aldred - A short-arsed former biker & Bass Player from Ilkeston who taught Woodwork, Metalwork, Technical Drawing and Religious Education, added to that interesting blend he was also a confirmed Atheist, a damn good Bass player and a World Class Rock Climber and Mountaineer. Roger taught me many, many, things, among them were 'how to buck and play the system', Jedi class sarcasm, Pie Peas & Stella Lunches, Sound Mixing, Lighting Design, and thinking, both inside & outside of "The Box".

"Eggie" Bird - Former RAF, Science Teacher, Fencing Tutor, Sailing Master. An all round "good egg", crap pun! One of the more advanced teachers, I never saw him hit anyone, he did manage to make things stick in my head, mostly stabbing and boat handling but I still use them so it's not wasted.

Mr Stevenson - Music teacher, he was a jovial old chap, except when he was using his "Tuning Fork", a Scottish Tawse, on your arse in a vain attempt to create a choir in every class.

Mr Green - a slightly effeminate (seeming) RE teacher.

Mr Shooter - well named, collected Antique Firearms, if we were really good we got to fire them.

[Michael Booth 7,364]

Welcome to Nottstalgia, Simon. I look forward to reading your posts and sharing your memories. Two good posts from you.