From:- Colin E.Jones.Attended School 1948 -1953.-   House Lyttleton.

 

What I enjoyed most about the school is that it taught me to enjoy learning and playing sport and it gave me a feeling of pride that I was lucky enough to be a scholar at the school.I can still remember the buildings and playing field that existed at that time and being so soon after the war with rationing still in existence, everything seemed so secure once you entered the school gates.

I remember vividly the first few days at school when all `New Bugs` were inducted into the school via the `Bird Cage` and realising that having a new blazer, cap and satchell were not a good idea if you were to avoid being rounded up during those early days at the school.

The teacher that I most remember was `Sam Ecclestone` who taught me physics but he was also my House Master and he remained a very good friend of mine until his death. He sponsored me for Kings Norton Golf Club of which I am still a member and up till he died he organised the ONA golf day at Kings Norton G.C.

I can still hear Sam shouting from the touchline when playing in inter house competitions `Come on Lyttleton I am watching you` Through my membership of Kings Norton Golf Club I have friends who were at the school the same time as I and infact two of which were in my form throughout my school life. John Toye and Roger Ludford. I also see my 1st eleven cricket captain Len Norris who opened the batting with me (photo attached).

Other teachers that I remember were `Killer Cole` English teacher who also ran the school football and cricket teams and would often give me the great honour of going round the various classes during lesson time to let the other selected players know that they had been selected to play for the school cricket team.`Sniffer Ellis` geography teacher who sold stamps and tried to make us all philatelists.`Splasher Wareham` who lived next door to the tuck shop who was kind to us all.`Piggy Hindle` biology who made us carry the waste food from the kitchens to the pigs he kept at the bottom of the playing fields. There was also `Dickie Dalton` who was in charge of stationery and when you needed a new note book he would check every page to see that you had not wasted any paper in the old book. The other teachers that I remember are `Fido Fawks`French,`Crafty Craig`English, Mr.Welburn Art,`Nunky Rhymes`Maths, Mr.Ward Woodwork,`Claude Levitt` English History. There was also a Gymnastic Teacher whose name escapes me who introduced Basket Ball into the school from which the school went on to be one of the leading schools in the sport throughout the country.

I took part in all the sports that we played and I represented the school at Cricket under 13`s through to Ist Eleven cricket gaining my school colours in 1953. I also played soccer 2nd eleven for school and all the sports for my house Lyttleton.

Mr Reynolds the Headmaster was a very strict but fair. I remember that if you achieved 2 A`s and a B+ for work during a given period you were given an afternoon off and you were sent to see Mr.Reynolds in his office. He was also quite ready to use the cane for any misdemeanour he thought warranted such action. He also took Religous Instruction in my class and everyone behaved impeccably. During my term at the school Mr.Reynolds was honoured with the OBE for services to education.

Discipline was very strict and some of the teachers were quite physical but we thought that was normal in those days. 5 conduct marks in our diaries meant we had an automatic detention which we served on Wednesday afternoon which was our afternoon off. Teachers could award detentions to us for bad behaviour and I would imagine that every child during my time at the school received a detention some time or other during his time at the school.

I don`t remember any world events affecting my time at the school except that most of the teachers had been through the 2nd world war some having served on active service and they at times would describe some of their experiences. I do,however, remember each year that we had an Empire Day and at School assembly on that day we would remember all our colonies throughout the world. All the colonies and dominions at that time were coloured in red in the world atlas.

END.  Colin E.Jones 12th April 2004

 

Cricket Team 1953

Back Row Left to Right Thomas,Mcoy,Winslow,Jones,Frederick

Front Row Left to Right Bruckshaw,Trevis,Weston,Norris,Moffat,Flavell.