By Chris Ray

Email: chrisray1@tinyworld.co.uk

 

My name is Chris Ray and I attended KNGS from 1964 to 1969 having taken my 13 plus and been saved from KNSM. At that time I'm afraid I was a typical bolshy 60's would-be hippie and failed to appreciate the school very much. I left in 1969 under a cloud.

However, in my defence I can honestly say that, during my five years at the school, I never once played hookey. Indeed, I can remember trudging up Cotteridge hill in deep snow, when the buses couldn't get up, just to get to school. I didn't realise it at the time, but I actually loved that school and now regret every opportunity I missed there.

My fondest memories are of "Kipper" Coultas, Fred Vane (Thou shalt not take Fred's nose in vain), Mr.Lewis and Mr "Minnie" Cauldwell. Truly great teachers who struggled daily with the likes of me for God knows what reason. And Howard Stockley, whom I've recently talked to again on the net and who let me go on the trip to Italy in 1970 despite me having already left the school.

Most of all, though, I think often of the library of all things and its wonderful collection of books. My days there were not entirely wasted, however. In 1987, at the age of 34, I finally went to university and obtained a 1st Class B.A. in History, Politics and International Relations and then an M.A. in History. For a while, while studying for a PhD I even taught myself as a part-time lecturer in History at Coventry, Birmingham and Warwick universities. I often wondered what those long-suffering teachers would have thought!

A friend of mine, John Marshall, and another old KNGS boy now owns a large licensed premises in Halesowen and is hoping to organise a reunion there in 2004 to celebrate our years 40th.

 

Chris Ray