Cliff Ton 10,467 Posted September 12, 2014 Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 Whilst doing family history research I came across this. A newspaper I don't remember ever seeing; the West Bridgford and Clifton Standard in 1958. A report on the newly-opened Fairham school, with a warning about luminous socks. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mgread1200 141 Posted September 12, 2014 Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 Nice to see something about the opening rarther than its closure I went there the following year in 1959 and can still remember all the fuss with regard to the uniform. Mum and Dad went through hell and high water to make sure I had one even though money was very tight back then. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Karlton 582 Posted September 12, 2014 Report Share Posted September 12, 2014 Worked on the roof at some time can't remember what year tho done me sums years ago as a Chandos Lad Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LymmPie 4 Posted September 14, 2014 Report Share Posted September 14, 2014 Just stumbled across this thread whilst randomly Googling 'Fairham Comp'. I went to Fairham between 1978 and 1983 so much of the above is well before my time but it's still brought back some memories. The likes of Chris Perry, Mike Byrne, Tac Naylor, Mr Smart and Mr Kisby were all there during my time. Stan Bullard was also there and used to give extra reading classes for kids who were falling behind a bit. Another few names to throw in to the mix who I'd always assumed had been there for some time - Henry Fielding (English teacher and Elliot House Master, a really top bloke), John Mills (History teacher, later Hunt House Master - think he may have gone on to become the last Head Teacher before the school closed?). Barry Taylor (History, General Studies and a big Notts County fan), Mr Renton (aka the blackboard rubber chucker who could hit a kids head at the back of the class with almost 100% accuracy!), Mr Grenville the school librarian (an 'unusual' old fella who allegedly had pet names for everything including his typewriter 'Rupert'......) Funny how these things stick in your mind all these years! I live in Cheshire these days but always drive by the old school when I nip down to see my parents. They still live in the house on Thistledown Road where I grew up and it conjures up memories of 'hedge-hopping' (or being thrown over hedges after school!). 'Smokers Alley' is still there too - the entrance to the garages at the bottom of Thistledown where smokers could have a sneaky chuff at dinner time out of sight of the teachers on yard duty. The school itself is a really sad sight these days - why did they close it a few years ago if they were going to take this long to demolish it? I would love to go on a tour of the old place before it finally gets pulled down. I bet it's quite spooky. PS. Look at the date of the newspaper report posted above. Then look at the date it was posted. Now THAT is spooky! 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,467 Posted September 14, 2014 Report Share Posted September 14, 2014 PS. Look at the date of the newspaper report posted above. Then look at the date it was posted. Now THAT is spooky! Me who posted it, and I hadn't noticed the coincidence. I've had that piece lying around for a couple of weeks before I got round to posting it, and I could say I was waiting for the anniversary, but...... I left in 73, but a lot of those names you mention were there in my time. Chris Perry (who can still be occasionally seen in Nottm city centre and he doesn't appear to have aged in the last 40 years); Mike Byrne passed away unexpectedly many years ago; Smart was my house master in Fleming House, a really good bloke who also, I believe, passed away earlier than might have been expected; Naylor is perhaps best left forgotten; and Kisby taught me History for several years. I've never heard anyone say a bad thing about Fielding although I was never taught by him. Grenville the librarian I'd forgotten about …..a perfect example of a genuine eccentric. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Booth 7,364 Posted September 14, 2014 Report Share Posted September 14, 2014 Welcome to Nottstalgia, LymmPie. I look forward to reading your posts and sharing your memories. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
katyjay 5,091 Posted September 14, 2014 Report Share Posted September 14, 2014 Nice first post, Lymm. You have reminded me that my dad who was a signwriter, got his gold leaf from Wright's of Lymm in Cheshire. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LymmPie 4 Posted September 15, 2014 Report Share Posted September 15, 2014 Thanks both. I have been reading nottstalgia.com for a few years now but never got round to posting until recently. Lymm is a fantastic village and a lovely place to live. I have no less than 8 pubs and numerous restaurants all within a 2 minute walk from my front door! Some of my 'illustrious' neighbours include Ian Brown from the Stone Roses, Chris Bisson from Emmerdale / East is East and errrrr Matthew Corbett of Sooty and Sweep fame! I love living here but still get back to Nottingham at least once a month to catch up with family, friends and footy (still a Meadow Lane regular of over 35 years!) Never forget my roots.... 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pres de 1 Posted September 19, 2014 Report Share Posted September 19, 2014 #57 If I send you my email address would you send me a copy of this article? I was at Fairham from '63 to 67, had a brother two years older and two more 10 and 12 years younger who would love to read it. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,467 Posted September 19, 2014 Report Share Posted September 19, 2014 I've sent you a PM on the subject. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Braddy 160 Posted September 19, 2014 Report Share Posted September 19, 2014 When i went to Fairham between 61-64 i did not wear a cap and did not see other pupils wear one. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
don walker 122 Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 hi, I moved to Clifton,( bridge farm lane) from bell street ,meadows. I found it a difficult move from TBS to Fairham comp, what used to unnerve me was those black gowns they used to wear. I went to the reunion they held just befor they shut the place saw some of my old mates alan Curtis , alan towel, amongst others. One golden rule that was at the top of the list was you don,t walk on thee grass and the grass used to grow right up to the walkway unlike the later years, god help you if you got spotted!! I must have pi---- in a vicar,s garden at some point in time in my young life because I was picked out to be in Elliot house! Christ!! what an experience that was !! the house master was the sadistic fred rydell now passed away so I heard. he was a mean hombre, he took English he seemed to get a big buzz out of making life at the school as miserable as possible for every one, I let a firework off in the playground ,it was after school and I was just inside the main gates play ground side and fred copped me he frog marched me to his study , on the way there he picked up doc chapman the French teacher. when we got his study he told me to take the bottom half of my kit off and bend over his desk (I was beginning to think my button was in jeopardy ooo yaa ) but he gave me six of the best, ooops I will rephrase that,,, he thrashed me six times with the cane on my bare ar--- Jesus Christ it didn't,t half smart !! my eyes that is. Because I had had the cane of fred I had to go and see tommy the headmaster and got 3 on each hand from him!!!. It was quiet strange really because tommy had a glass eye and while he was caning me one eye was on what he was doing and the other was looking out the window! strange. Now maybe I did do wrong but what they did was right over the top. Doc chapman, he was another teacher that didn't take any prisoners. why was it that Elliot house had more teacher bullies than most other houses. more of my sad experiences at fairham comp to cheer you up at a later 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
don walker 122 Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 hi all been reading all thee posts about fairham com, fred rydell was an out and out bully, he would cane any boy he did not really need a good excuse, in my opinion he was a sadistic bully !!. when he became chairman of the education authority he was dead against corporal punishment ain,t if marvellous how some people can change their spots, his words aught to have choked him !!!! the 2 faced moron. Has any body had the taste of doc chapmans size 12 slipper, you did not argue with him !!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Radford 17 Posted April 24, 2015 Report Share Posted April 24, 2015 It's been interesting reading this from the other side.My first husband taught at Fairham ,was in Penny House and taught Biology.I agree with some of the staff comments but I saw the other side as well. We're any of you in The Oh a What A Lovely War production it was brilliant ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LymmPie 4 Posted April 27, 2015 Report Share Posted April 27, 2015 Hi all. For anyone who is interested there's now a Facebook page with lots of photos of Fairham in its current sorry state. The photos were taken this weekend. They make for very sad viewing. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fairham-school-last-days-before-demolition/359611034232368 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,467 Posted April 27, 2015 Report Share Posted April 27, 2015 What's even more surprising is that I can recognise most of the locations of those photos, even though I haven't set foot in the place for around 40 years. When I left there were 1,600 pupils; where do they all go now? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bing 78 Posted August 26, 2015 Report Share Posted August 26, 2015 I'd hate for Fairham to just disappear down the list, as if nobody cared. So here's a picture of the lads from 1965, only 50 years ago. http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag119/lungbing/Fairham-1965a_zpstfadj85f.jpg I'm the tall, good looking one, back row, far right. (deluded fool that I am!) Names I remember: Malc Whitt, Alan Curtis, Kevin Gallagher (Wag), Bob Abdy, Stuart Inger, Pete Griffiths, Bob Griffiths, Alan Carver, Dave Donoven, Dave Shaw, Chris Shardlow, Bob Dodd, Dave Bingley, Alan Brough, Tony Shuman, ? Kerry (family had grocers at Clifton), Pete Norman, and of course last but most certainly not least, Paul Irons who played for Notts. RFC and became a teacher himself. I recognise so many other faces, but can't put names to them. Sorry, if you're one of them. Fairham was a very good school. Notice the two different types of tie. If it has the phoenix and crown from the school badge you were a prefect or sub-prefect. The striped ones were in 8 different colours depending which house you were in. Nostalgia ain't what it used to be. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,467 Posted August 26, 2015 Report Share Posted August 26, 2015 Slightly before my time there, but I recognise some of those names. Malcolm Whitt, Stuart Inger, Pete Norman, Chris Shardlow, all lived fairly close to us. And Kerry the grocers; it was one of these shops. https://goo.gl/maps/cAerG Quote Link to post Share on other sites
NewBasfordlad 3,599 Posted August 26, 2015 Report Share Posted August 26, 2015 Anyone remember the new gas mains going in to the dining rooms, I was in charge of the job till I threatened to belt the head master what a complete twat he was!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
siddha 825 Posted August 27, 2015 Report Share Posted August 27, 2015 Did a bloke called George Orton go to Fairham? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
don walker 122 Posted October 12, 2015 Report Share Posted October 12, 2015 I knew a lad called orton, his first name escapes at the moment, he used to be my mate at fairham, he used to live on bridgenorth drive, I think he had a brother, second thoughts my mates name could have been George. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
2mortar1 5 Posted September 3, 2016 Report Share Posted September 3, 2016 On 8/26/2015 at 3:06 PM, Bing said: I'd hate for Fairham to just disappear down the list, as if nobody cared. So here's a picture of the lads from 1965, only 50 years ago. http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag119/lungbing/Fairham-1965a_zpstfadj85f.jpg I'm the tall, good looking one, back row, far right. (deluded fool that I am!) Names I remember: Malc Whitt, Alan Curtis, Kevin Gallagher (Wag), Bob Abdy, Stuart Inger, Pete Griffiths, Bob Griffiths, Alan Carver, Dave Donoven, Dave Shaw, Chris Shardlow, Bob Dodd, Dave Bingley, Alan Brough, Tony Shuman, ? Kerry (family had grocers at Clifton), Pete Norman, and of course last but most certainly not least, Paul Irons who played for Notts. RFC and became a teacher himself. I recognise so many other faces, but can't put names to them. Sorry, if you're one of them. Fairham was a very good school. Notice the two different types of tie. If it has the phoenix and crown from the school badge you were a prefect or sub-prefect. The striped ones were in 8 different colours depending which house you were in. Nostalgia ain't what it used to be. Bing my brother is 6th from left on the top row, Bob Parkes, 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bing 78 Posted September 18, 2016 Report Share Posted September 18, 2016 I know the name Bob Parkes, wasn't he a bit of an athlete? A runner? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Normski 0 Posted November 25, 2016 Report Share Posted November 25, 2016 Norman Butler Hunt house 1964 to 1968. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,597 Posted November 27, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2016 Our paths must have crossed at some point Norm,I was there 64-68,Fleming house under Mr Hind first then Mr Smart took over Rog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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