Message:

My name is up on the KN site, but, as has been constant during my life, is misspelled. Has two i's, no e!  Other than that, I can offer you the official photograph of the Cross-country team of 1958 (visit http://www.mattoid.com/data/PondLife/TheBigPond_MH.htm)
My memories of the school are varied. I can remember being forced onto the playing fields with the rest of the 3rd form pupils, where our class was ordered to fight the other two at snowballs! Although we won, that occurrence was not repeated, as I recall.. I never woke up to mathematics until I was in the Lower 6th Arts class, where I remember that "points" listing during Geography class was the only way of staying awake.
Not everyone is a success, and my life has been blighted by depression, see http://www.mattoid.com/data/Detritus/Millstone.htm. What has kept me alive is reading, for which I can thank my education at Kings Norton, where I was taught logic, and learned to read critically.
I have had friends from KNGS reach me via this site, and much of what they have said has made me smile. We certainly had lots of fun, even if we had detentions to prove it. Those were the years of Fats Domino, Little Richard, and all of the others whose music became the roots of the Rolling Stones.
Thanks for the opportunity to post my short recollections of the past, and I wonder how many of my years appear at the Old Boys meetings. One day, I hope to appear there, if I ever return to the UK. At least I read about everything from the Internet sites of the Guardian, Times and Telegraph.

Regards,
Paul Dickins

TOP

Message:

I discovered the website purely by chance - and what a pleasant 

surprise!  I was there from 1956-1962, and I'm still looking for myself on the 

school photo of 1962.  Many familiar faces and I'll spend time trying to put names to them.  After years in advertising in London, am now living and working in South Africa looking after Africa and Middle East for a major agency network.  Would love to hear from anyone who recalls me.  Was great seeing Howard Stockley's name - what a character! I recall him taking us on a trip to Venice, and having his only pair of grey flannel trousers stolen.  Why his trousers? He was trapped there until the rescue team returned with a new pair.

Great memories of a great school.  Would particularly like to hear from old friend David Barrett who lived in Handsworth (and last heard of working for an 

accountancy firm in France), Dick Neale, "Titch" Handley and other reprobates who underachieved their way through forms, 1B,2B,3B,4b,5b before most eventually fell into the sixth form.

TOP

Message:

Attended 1957-62 - finally spotted myself in the jubilee photograph after naming at least 10% of the faces. I have many stories of those years - too many to relate here and now. I have been in Australia now for over 30 years but I still cast thoughts back to much simpler times. The web site is excellent and I do find myself continually returning every few months to just meander through memory lane.

TOP

Message:

I was at KNBS from 1958 until 1964 and, although I look back now with fond memories, I can't say I was that excited at the time. Geoff Sheen was the

 headmaster and caned me a couple of times. He used to aim for the top of the

 thighs (very painful). The deputy head was Sam Ecclestone and he only caned

 me once (less painful). I remember some masters fondly, "Kipper" Coultas and "Bilko" Braithwaite; others, like "Sniffer" are fading memories. 

There was a Latin master in 1958 who picked us up by our cheeks, a tool he must have learned from Gengkis Khan I think, but I forget his name.

I still see a couple of my friends quite regularly, even though I live in Canada. 

Martyn Travers now lives in San Francisco, and Michael Baylis is a successful car dealer in Gloucestershire, and surrounds.
I moved from Birmingham to France, then London, Runcorn, Bermuda and finally Vancouver, where I am a sales manager for a television station. We briefly owned a hotel in Banbury between 1984 and 1988 but returned to Canada and  haved lived here ever since. I was in 1b up to 5b with boys like Chris Parsons,  Bailey, Baylis, Cassidy, Chadderton, Worth, Vaughan and Walters. The rest I forget.

Around 1962 we went on a school trip to Sicily and the teachers instructed us, 

if we wanted a nighttime photo of Mount Etna's lava flow, we were to hold down

 the shutter button for 30 minutes! Of course, we all fell for it and it was obviously  the quietest 30 minutes of the entire trip.
I still have the photo of the entire school taken in 1961/62 for the Jubilee Year, 

with one of those cameras that panned from one end to the other. Funny how the same boy appears at both ends!
You have my e-mail address if anyone is in the area.

TOP

Message:

Just attended the Old Nortonians annual dinner for the first time since leaving in 1965 brought back a lot of happy memories

TOP

Message:

I started at Kings Norton in 1958, leaving from Upper Sixth in 1965 to go to

 Reading University.
I have many happy memories of my time at KNGS, and some unhappy ones, 

mainly involving sport, at which I was hopeless, but mercifully was more

 ingnored than humiliated on the subject.
I would like to mention three extra curricular things in particular:
The school trip to Italy (Rome and Venice) in (I think)1962, led by the inimitable Howard Stockley and Mr Shayler. This started a life long love affair for me with  Italy and its culture.
Secondly, the saddest of memories was the serious car accident to my best friend, Keith Thompson, during the summer holiday 1961, which resulted in his being  unable to continue school. I kept up with Keith and his family for about 10 years after leaving, but I am ashamed to say that I have since lost contact. If anyone has any recent news, I would be delighted to hear it.
Best memories were of the school plays produced by Mr. Wilton, assisted by his

 friend John Dutot. I had a very small part in "Hamlet" (1963?) and then was

 Tetzel in "Luther" (1964?). These plays, presented to an extraordinarily high 

standard, had a similar effect on me as regards theatre as did the Italy trip in 

its area.
Having taken my degree in History (Mr. Smith was the inspiration here), I went 

on to be a schoolmaster, in Gloucester and Buckinghamshire, for 19 years. 

Following that, I went on to work for BT, where I finished as Director of 

Development and Training. Last year I joined CRAC (The Careers Research and Advisory Centre) as Chief Executive. I live in central London (Bloomsbury). My interests include opera, theatre, art and architecture, boating and (still) trains and boats and planes. My brother, Gareth, one year younger than me, lives in Lancashire with his wife and two children.
I would be pleased to hear from anyone who remembers me from Kings Norton (or even if they don't, but were there at the same time). And "Claude" Levett told me never to put a full stop after a bracket - or start a sentence with a conjunction.

Congratulations on the website.

TOP

Message:

Message:

Great to have found the website, thanks to a great-nephew currently at 

King Edwards in B'ham. I attended KNGSB between 1959 and 1965 and was 

deputy head prefect in my last year. Lots of great memories of chums and some excellent (in retrospect) masters. Saw the name Howard Stockley on a recent 'comments' entry - the best Physics master! Geoff Sheen was the headmaster at that time - gruff and not too talkative, but deep down was a fine person. Found my way to Canada (after university) thanks to his nominating me for a W H Rhodes scholarship tour of Ontario in 1965. Have spent all my career in the steel industry where I now head up the R&D effort in a division of Stelco - Canada's largest steel company. 

Have not been back to the school although I tried in 2000 (while I was on a 

business trip to the UK) when my wife and I found ourselves walking up

 Northfield Rd. We just didn't walk far enough; came to a church that I didn't remember and so I thought I'd got the directions wrong. I later found out that the church was not that old (sure looked old).

Other masters that come to mind are "Bomber" Blundell - a fine maths teacher

 (if you could read the scrawl on the blackboard), and Mr Jack who taught me 

Latin and Greek, and even a foray into modern greek, and who introduced me

 to Tolkien's Lord of the Rings by loaning me his books. 40 years later we finally have the movie!!

Would love to hear from anyone of the same 'vintage'.

TOP

Message:

Well, it's 2 days before my 53rd birthday, and the memories of KNGSB are still as fresh as if it was yesterday. What would we have been without the like of Geoffrey Sheen, Stephen Jack, "Fido" Faulkes, Messrs. Hindle, Pickering, Woodall, Stout, Guest, Blundell, Taylor(several), Wightman, Knapman, Hipwell, Harmon, Wheeler, Ecclestone, Burrows, Braithwaite, Levitt, and all the others that slip my mind as I write.

Thank you all for some of the most memorable and enjoyable days of our lives.

1960-1965

By the way, where is my leaving certificate ?

TOP

Message:

Pleasant surprise to have been given this web address. Attended KNGS 5yrs from about 62-66. From 3,4,5 Alpha to remove.Played a little basketball,soccer,and cricket for Malcom Burgess, Frank Chin, and Paul Edmunds.Was a hell of a sports school.20+ yrs.in California, have been back and driven by the school and walked  out onto pitch one. A few names of old:GRAHAM PACKER, JONNIE HEAD,GINGER CURTIS,STEPHEN BROOKS,IAN CAPEWELL,PAUL HEATH,+ MANY MORE.

TOP

Message:

I was at KN from 1960-67, since when I have lost touch with all old friends. I 

would be pleased to catch up with anyone who cares to contact me at my e-mail address

TOP

Message:

Message:

TOP

Message:

Well Pugh's spelling has not improved over the years although his memory is outstanding! It's McCOURT, not McCaul! Malcolm is a shining example of the aura of wit and adventure that hung around in the sixties (two carrots and a spud  indeed). Oh yes, we were naughty, but naughty boys are often the brilliant ones once they realise it. (The reverse is not necessarily true so don't try it). One pupil Malc mentions, a dear friend, was expelled. Without revision and whilst working on a building site he passed all his 'O's. He put himself through A's, then embraked on a lengthy 'professional student' stint that earnt him several degrees and a Masters. He now teaches, has family and is a model citizen. And KNGS expelled him in 1968. Ah well, we can all make mistakes.
Malc mentioned Dave Bayliss, form master & Biology 1964-66. He was a beacon of fairness and decency in those days (although he did flip when Dave Harris lit up  a fat cigar in the lab!), a Taffy and all-round great guy. I think he left because he recognised the archaic pseudo-Tom Brown's schoolday atmosphere would take some time to be changed. Now it has. Bravo KNBS.

TOP

Message:

What a great place to go surfin!! I was and still
am very proud and privileged to have attended KNGS- 1963-1968.
Left and joined the Villa, got the "big heave-ho"
from "the Doc". Carried on playing semi-pro football;
hung my boots up in 1985. Now live & work on the south coast.
Son in Australia, daughter at home.

TOP

Message:

wouldn't have recognised the place since I left more than 30 years since.

Regards to old friends especially Brian Sheasby and Jim Bowden .

TOP

Message:

As I haven't put a message on this guestbook for 2 years, I thought I'd update it. I was at KNGS from around 1962-68. Seems like a previous lifetime.
Anyone that remembers me is welcome to email - I'm still in contact with a few 

people and have had occasional emails from old schoolmates such as Mike Burton, Ont (RK Jones), Vo Fletcher, Bob Wood. A few more photos of this period in the archives would be good - I don't have any, other than the big panoramic scroll. The year before I left was the year the sixth formers nearly killed themselves by setting up the Kipps aparatus under the stage at the final assembly - they mis-timed the start of assembly and were stuck under the stage amongst the poisonous hydrogen sulphide fumes. Luckily they were caught - anyone remember (or own up) who it was ?

TOP

Message:

This is the first time that I have seen the web page and I left KNGS for B in 1968 at the end of the 4th year when my family moved down to Cornwall.
My time at the school brings back floods of memories regarding sports, in particular swimming, basketball (I was in the national runners-up team at Tulshill?,
in 1968. Astonishingly I also won the school cross country in 1968 (beating the all-time champ, Phil Bates(?).I remember fellow schoolboys, Stephen (Bertie) Brooks, Steven (Beef) Heath,  Ian Capewell, Graham Packer, Ian Burgess
, Jock MacLaren, and of course Mr. Burgess our basketball coach and Mr. Chin who came over for a year from USA.
After many jobs,I eventually joined the Warwickshire Constabulary and for the past 4 yrs I have been working in the Hague as an investigator of war crimes in the former Yugoslavia. (Bosnia, Kosovo etc). I have lost touch with all of my former schoolfriends and would value contact from anyone who remembers me.

TOP

Message:

Was at KN from 1961 to 1968, and still have fond memories of the place. I hope to be at the Old Nortonians dinner this year and catch up with some old friends. I have enjoyed browsing through the website, my father was at KN before me - if anyone can remember Donald Burton who must have left in about 1935 - 1937 to join the marines I would be pleased to hear from them

TOP

Message:

Strange to see the Jubilee photo on the site. I have a copy scrolled and hidden in a drawer. Pupil from 1961 to 1968. I am now Headteacher of Burford School and Community College, Oxfordshire and I'm still in touch with Loz Inman, Terry Rees and Dave Fryer (all 1961 - 68) and I occasionally work with Les Albiston (1963 - 70?) who is now teaching in Toulouse. The Polish Groundsman's name was Bruno and the grey geese are flying tonight Nickoli.

TOP

Message:

Was at school 1962 - 69, live in Droitwich, two daughters, work for research

company in Droitwich, best wishes to Brian Sheasby

TOP