Henry Mellish

[Jill Sparrow 10,302]

#250

 

Aha! So that's what you look(ed) like, Loppy!  

[loppylugs 8,427]

Yep,. Quite a handsome hound I was.  Modest too.  Always wore a tie like Ben.    I think I've aged quite well, but my memory hasn't.

 

Scared me stiff when she told me her dad was a teacher.  I had not had good experiences with them.  He totally reversed my opinion.

[Jill Sparrow 10,302]

#252

 

Modest, good looking, tie-wearing...could be Ben's twin? Ever had the urge to invest in a liberty bodice?  

[loppylugs 8,427]

. What else can I say?

[Rob J 13]

I note that the year was 1963. Was your appearance influenced later on by the Beatles/Stones ie long hair, pancho moustache,etc? Or did you keep the Clooney look? 

[loppylugs 8,427]

Kept the Clooney look, Rob.  If I'd grown my hair long, my dad would have given me a haircut with a pair of hedge shears. 

[loppylugs 8,427]

For those of you that remember Dannimac.  This photo was taken in 1964 on our trip to Ireland.

 

[philmayfield 6,107]

That's him! Good to see him again.

[Rob J 13]

Oh yes, well remembered and respected by many at the school. Thank you, Loppy.

[Stan The Jockey 21]

 

Without trying to wind anyone up yet again, I’ll now talk about one or two of my friends and acquaintances at Smelly Henry.

　

A was bright. Whilst I was in the "B" form, he was in "A". His Dad was a head teacher, and I reckon he had designs that A would go on to become Head Boy at Smelly. But, when it got to the fifth form, A seemed to suddenly realise his likely direction of travel. And, for reasons unclear, he must have decided that the Head Boy role wasn’t for him. So he began to shout "Yahweh" at one of the previously aforementioned masters. Over and over again "Yahweh" was heard at full volume around the school. A’s plan worked, and the highest level he achieved was Prefect. Nice move! I still keep in touch with A.

 

B was good at sport. Very, very good. But he was rather broad in the beam. He loved Mars bars, crisps, and frozen Jubblies. So I wasn’t surprised when he got a job serving in the Tuck Shop! For a few years B was my best mate. He later went on to get an MBE, or a CBE, or some sort of BE. I don’t think it was BSE!

 

C was mad keen on soul music. Otis Redding was his hero. It was Otis this, Otis that, and Otis the bloody other. Until it drove me bonkers. C was a Mod. He wore a Parka, and when old enough, rode a scooter. C was a really great bloke.

 

D was a bit off-beat. But, even taking this into account, I was still slightly surprised when he started masturbating during a history lesson. At least I think it was history. We were in the New Building. Anyway, he was sitting next to me, and putting his heart and soul into his efforts. And no one took the slightest bit of notice! Despite all the moaning and groaning. I tried to take shelter, fearing a Vesuvius type end result. But I needn’t have worried, as it all ended rather anti-climactically. With a whimper probably best sums it up. I don’t suppose girls’ schools had similar problems.

 

E was also a close friend. He lost his Mum to cancer when he was only 13. So it was very traumatic for him. I’ll always remember the day he told me. It is like it was yesterday. We were on the Back Corridor of the Old Building. As with A, I still keep in touch with E.

　

Is this sort of thing any better? Or am I still in the naughty chair?

 

[loppylugs 8,427]

I don't think you were ever in the naughty chair.. You simply shared your experiences.  Some disagreed, that's o-k it doesn't change the way you saw things and obviously still do.  You have a right to express how things effected you.

 

Thanks for the previous post.  One thing you might enlarge upon a bit for us.  Do you mean some lad literally ran around the school yelling 'Yahweh'. (A Jewish name for God). If that is correct I'm surprised they didn't have him committed?.

 

I guess as they say it takes all kinds to make a world.   Thanks for posting.

[Stan The Jockey 21]

　

Sad news. One of the ex-Mellish boys listed in my earlier posting died in the summer. Aged 66. But I’ve only just found out. He was a friend of our family, so my Mum, brother and wife are very upset. The last time we were all together was at my Mum’s 90^th party in April.

 

I think that the reason that we weren’t informed earlier was because he lived alone, and so one group of friends and contacts didn’t know any other group.

 

In the last few days I’ve had lovely chats with his neighbours and with his brother.

 

That’s taken the shine off Christmas. We normally catch up with him at this time of year.

 

Oh dear.

[katyjay 5,090]

Sorry to hear of the loss of your friend, you must be sad to have missed his funeral.

[loppylugs 8,427]

Sorry to hear that, Stan.  Try to enjoy Christmas anyway.  I'm sure he would have wanted you to.

[woody 552]

Sorry to hear your news Stan. Given the age you say he was he must have been in the same year as me.

[Centaur 71]

I have enjoyed the various postings about the Henry Mellish Grammar School which have brought back many memories, both good, bad and amusing.

In 1961 I was sentenced to five years at this noble institution, where bullying and violence were endemic, both from older pupils and some members of staff. I dread to think what todays ofsted would have made of it all.

Does anyone recall school dinners and queueing to take back the used pots and plates?. By the time you had been prodded and nudged by the tray behind, there was often more custard and gravy on the back of your black blazer than you had had on your lunch.

I recall the experiment of bringing in a lady teacher for the first time since the war, I believe she was a Mrs Reid if I remember correctly. A very nice lady, probably too nice, and I still recall her plaintive cry of "Put Out That Homework" which had been set alight by a lad from Hucknall. ( why were they always from Hucknall ?). Having been told one day a very funny story she laughed so much that her dentures fell out onto her desk. After that there was no coming back and the experiment was over.

I am a man who prefers to remember the good such as Danny Mac, who was a scholar, a gentleman and a truly nice chap. The amusing, such as Sooty Sutherland ( not such a nice chap) who smoked so much that I declared a tap on his temple could bring about a fall of soot.

However, no history of the Mellish could be complete without reference to Pig Hutchinson, who I am sure blighted the geography lessons of generations of pupils, with his highly unpleasant manner, dislike of young people and total unsuitability for teaching.

 

 

 

[Jill Sparrow 10,302]

Welcome to Nottstalgia, Centaur.Mellish seems to be a hot topic on here. I sympathise with your 5 year sentence. Did mine in an all girls' establishment but just as bad. Look forward to reading your future posts!

[woody 552]

Your sentence started the year before me Centaur and I can sympathise with your comments about the returning of the pots. I can also remember the cheer that went up when some poor bu66er dropped something off the tray. I was fortunate enough to only have one year under Pig Hutchinson, having started with Dave Impey and finishing with Roy Price who both would have run circles round Pig. I don't think it ever dawned on him that his attitude could be counter productive and I never heard anybody speak well of him. I always thought Sooty was president of his own fan club but never had any great problem with him. I don't know if any of the staff we knew  who are still alive read this forum but it would be interesting to hear their comments.

[Martin P 3]

In unison with Stan the Jockey, I too have depressing memories of my five years at Henry Mellish. I started in 1963 having passed my 11+, but it seems only just, as this was the criterion which determined which stream one was placed .... in my case 1C. I remember being told during our inauguration in the canteen of all places, that the streaming system was irrelevant for the first year, however it was significant that whilst A & B studied Latin, we didn't. In hindsight it was apparent that we were designated some pretty crap teachers who just went through the motions and ticked the boxes.  Some though did make the effort .... Dunleavy for French, Dave Evans for Eng Lit, ..... hmmmm that's about it I think.

I had left a mixed primary school where I related to girls (even fell in love just before I left), I played football for the school and excelled in athletics.  My friends all lived locally and I was fairly popular.  At Henry Mellish though, I was brought down to earth ..... no girls for the next five years, no football and  the few friends I made all lived a long way away, so very little outside contact. The batman style teachers seemed to revel in dishing out punishment and clearly had zero interest in us C formers.

Although no fault of the school, my travelling was a two hour round trip, involving bus changes and a long walk, however this was the choice of my father who was taken in by the performance figures of the school, which boasted a formidable Oxbridge success rate.  Of course with all the focus on the bright lads of the A stream, to the detriment of us untouchables, I suppose good results were inevitable.

 

I finished in 1968 from 5C, with one O-level, completely inexperienced with girls, and not many friends in my locale.  I must say though, that over the next two or three years, I made up for lost time in each of these aspects.

 

Some names I recall..... Houston, then Ged Strutt as headmasters.  Froggy Marshall - a good 'un, Ena Bonsall, Ellis, Flab Hadwen, Sooty Sutherland, Arsey Bottoms - what a twisted man, was he? Dave Impey, Dunleavy - good bloke, "Pablo" for chemistry, Spud Morrow, Piggy Hutchinson - awful bloke, Dave Evans for literature - one of the best, who seemed to identify with us C-formers, Scratch Hitchinson who was a real arsehole. A big fan of Millwall FC and didn't we bloody know it.  His party piece was to punish wrongdoers by making them bend down in front of the class, while he ran up to them from behind and kicked him in the arse, quoting some stupid Milwall striker. The school captain when I started was named Stimpson.  I remember a sixth former called Michael Peck who was a brilliant batsman.

 

Sadly, I still remember the register of my first year,  Anderson, Barnacle, Bott, Caine, Cox, Fayers, Fox, Goodgroves, Hares, Hudson, Lindsay, Phillips, Pickering ...... OMG this is getting boring.  I still have all the school magazines "The Centaur" and my two panoramic photos1964 & 1968.

 

I learnt to smoke in my third year (gave up 30 years ago), tried a bit of shoplifting in Bulwell and although 100% hetro I even experienced some cross-hand boogie in the outside lavatory.

 

I suppose one's school does help mould one's future, but it still comes down to one's personality and strength of character.  For me, my five years at Henry Mellish were miserable, but in a perverse way, I built on the negatives and consequently appreciated..... indeed loved life after finishing.

 

In a way, I'm sad to see the. school finished and the building demollished,  but the place only has bad memories for me, so I won't loose any  sleep.

 

[Jill Sparrow 10,302]

#269

 

Brilliant first post! Welcome to NS fellow school hater Martin P. Get it off your chest, lad. This site is very therapeutic for us single-sex, grammar school cruelty cases and way cheaper than a weekly appointment with the trick cyclist. Let us hear more!

[benjamin1945 16,139]

Welcome Martin..........I was lucky and loved my mixed school years.......Sec.Mod..Padstow not far from you,great teachers great school-mates both sexes.........left with no qualifications but loved me life........reckon I knew the Michael Peck Cricket lad you mentioned..........

[Jill Sparrow 10,302]

I've said it before. Everyone thinks us grammar school pupils were intelligent. Rubbish, say I. If we had possessed intelligence to any great degree, we'd have torn up the 11plus exam paper and eaten it. True, we might have had a nasty bout of constipation for a couple of days but we'd have had an easy ride for the next 5+ years. Why didn't we think of that, eh?

[MargieH 7,599]

As I've said before, I loved my time at Carlton le Willows - couldn't have wished for a better school.  Most of the teachers were nice and the standard of teaching was very good, I thought.  It was co-ed so it was good fun too!   I feel sad that several people here on NS were so unhappy in their secondary schools, but pleased that they have done OK in the world despite their experiences...  

[Martin P 3]

The 11 Plus was based solely on arithmetic and English.  To think that my whole future was determined by just two subject, beggars belief.  The snobbery of the grammar school system, the pretentiousness, the stiff upper lip, all served to make me a rebel.  Unfortunately the system was so strong that my rebelliousness was always rather covert and curtailed.  They taught us nothing about real life, okay I learnt about the Kariba Dam, Agrarian agriculture, and of course Religious Knowledge, but what about everyday living, girls, politics, cooking, wiring up a plug? No, none of it.  I made sure that my children went to schools where they were happy, consequently they have all done well.  Grammar schools are fine for the academics, but for the rest of us, a more comprehensive education is much better.  Saying that though, The Mellish did give me a good grounding, but it was only when I subsequently went to a college of further education that my potential was realised.

 

[MargieH 7,599]

Perhaps the difference in C le W and the Mellish is that the latter was an older school with fixed traditions built up over the years, whereas mine was a new school - I was in the first intake of pupils in 1954.   I remember being told it was up to us to make the traditions....  and it was co-ed which seems more normal to me.