Did anyone here go to High Storrs school?

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I've seen lots more teachers names I recognise after reading this thread up to date.

 

I can't believe the post by Chairboy about the photo from the 60's which included Miss Russell and Miss Eyre. They both taught me. (late 80's).

 

I've looked at some of the pictures on the HSSchool site posted, and recognise many of the pupils - and a teacher, whose name eludes me. Maybe Chairboy knows her. She was an English teacher, very well spoken, brown hair in a bob, very pleasant and very patient - (which was necessary with me, as I was absolutely atrocious at English:hihi:)

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Thought of some other teachers that I liked. After being put in set 3 for Maths(which lasted a week), I had Miss Price (later Mrs Edwards) in set 2, and after a year she moved me up to Set 1, where I was most comfortable. (Mr Fahidi and Mr Wright taught those), and I liked both of them too.

 

I also only lasted a week in Set 3 of Physics, and moved into Mr Whites set 2 class. He was also one of my favourites.

[CHAIRBOY]

Hi Ash, I wonder if the English teacher referred to was Mrs Smith? She was quiet and well spoken. If so, I have to relate that Nora Smith passed away about two years ago now and is the most contemporaneous passing of a former staff member.

Other names for you from the English dept. post '76; Ollie Smith who was HoD and replaced by Mr Martin when Mr Smith became HoH. Mr Hoffmann, Mrs Canham, Mrs Stow, Mrs Allison, Mrs Connolly, Mrs Ringrose, Mrs Carter, the late Mary Wray, Mr Ball, Miss Douglas, Mr.Tomlinson. Apologies for any missed, these are off-the-cuff.

There was an earlier English teacher called Ward-Drummond who for some reason, decided to scale one of the monuments, either Piccadilly or Trafalgar Square? Hope that helps with your recollections?

[*_ash_*]

Hi Ash, I wonder if the English teacher referred to was Mrs Smith? She was quiet and well spoken. If so, I have to relate that Nora Smith passed away about two years ago now and is the most contemporaneous passing of a former staff member.

Other names for you from the English dept. post '76; Ollie Smith who was HoD and replaced by Mr Martin when Mr Smith became HoH. Mr Hoffmann, Mrs Canham, Mrs Stow, Mrs Allison, Mrs Connolly, Mrs Ringrose, Mrs Carter, Mr Ball, Miss Douglas, Mr.Tomlinson. Apologies for any missed, these are off-the-cuff.

There was an earlier English teacher called Ward-Drummond who for some reason, decided to scale one of the monuments, either Piccadilly or Trafalgar Square? Hope that helps with your recollections?

There you go. Mrs Connolly.

 

Thanks, was on the tip of my tongue. I also had Mrs Stowe in the 2nd or 3rd year.

[CHAIRBOY]

There you go. Mrs Connolly.

 

Thanks, was on the tip of my tongue. I also had Mrs Stowe in the 2nd or 3rd year.

 

Yes, I still see Mrs Connolly around Broomhill. Mrs Stow became head of V1 form. I remember her son David playing football in an Owls' shirt in the gym, alongside the more famous, Jack Lester, but Jack was somewhat naughty because on the bell, he ran out to get changed and all the other lads had to put the skittles and mats away. Don't consider he got away with it though but I've subsequently noticed that attitude in his game!

[soft ayperth]

Most of the comments on this thread refer to the period after High Storrs became a comprehensive school. I'm an older geezer who left HS in '61. Back then, it was cut down the middle, literally, into a boys' grammar school and a girls' GS. And never the twain shall meet. Well, we found ways around that. What intrigues me about the various comments is that several of the teachers who taught post grammar school days also taught afterwards and by the sound of it made the transition very well. Colin Smith, Mr. Herring, Sid Hoffman, and Mr. Tickner (presumably the likeable and eccentric guy who taught us History?) have been mentioned. I'm glad that they fared so well in the change over. It may not sound like a big challenge for them to have overcome, but when I went to HS it was run by George Mack as a facsimile of a British public (i.e. private) school, very elitist philosophy. We used to hear messages of doom and gloom from Mackie about what would happen if the school was threatened by an amalgamation into the comprehensive system. He would call upon the "old boys" to fight to the end. We never did buy into a lot of what he was preaching, though to give him credit, it was an excellent school scholastically under his leadership. One other name has cropped up in the emails, a Mr. Stephenson. I wonder if he would be the same person (Alan, I think) who was a contemporary of mine at HS and who later on went bk to teach there? Science, I believe.

[CHAIRBOY]

rogG - will expand later as I have some gas on. Yes both Ollie Smith, Alan Stephenson (biology) and Peter Hackett were former pupils of the GS who came back to teach there. More teachers of that era soon. "Killer" Johnston just to whet the appetite?

 

Your picture of the "Berlin Wall" within the two schools is accurate. I have some names -off the cuff - so although I like to be definitive, I can't guarantee it. Not in order of command, we have; Griffin (Griff), John Nicholls, Alan Birchall, Ken Sale, Mike Thornton, Tony Wood, Alan Wright, Ian Wright, Keith Newsome, "Polly" Stamford, Jack Tattersfield, Sidney (SEP) Presgrave, Chris Tutt, Brian Lewis, Stan Collier whose wife Doreen taught at the school, Gus Gorton, Fred Allen, Alf Ridler, Glyn Davis, Bob Davies, George Herring, Rod Hayes, Jim Kidling, Sid Hoffmann, Roger Walker, Harold Taylor, David Mann. 'Tick' A.J. Tickner, Derek Marrison, Mike Brady, along with Messrs Billingsley, Ellis and Beaumont.

 

Your reference about bridging the transition of the grammar and comprehensive? I think it came as a culture shock. With Grammar Schools, there was always the sanction of the 'exit door'. With comprehensives - effective sanctions were thin on the ground and it's ever been the case - things have been tried and failed. It seems such a shame when a school has an erudite staff, comprising Oxbridge graduates, not to be utilised to the full but some struggled to come to terms with recalcitrants/disruptive pupils - personally I hate to see the tail wagging the dog - but that often happened. It became wearing so it wasn't surprising that Colin, Tick and others looked forward to retirement.

 

I wonder if you were contemporaneous with some excellent cricketers; Roy Pilgrim, Steven Watt-Smith and Howard Bates?

[soft ayperth]

Aha, Chairboy. Now you've really whetted my appetite. Watt Smith (don't forget that when I went to HS, boys were only called by their surnames. We were discouraged from using first names) was head boy and in the same year as I. Wonder what became of him? Was he so excellent at cricket that he played beyond the school level?

 

Griffin, an ex army guy, was a tartyr. He instilled fear in everyone.

 

Polly Stamford my upper 6th form teacher. He used to ride a bicycle to and from school. Polly was an apt nickname. He had a nose that would have put Snozzle Durant to shame.

 

"Killer" Johnston tried to teach me history but I never took to it. he used to decry science and say that the arts and social sciences were what's important.

 

Jack Tattersfield, "Chad," had such an easygoing disposition that he was easy prey for the more mischievous among us. Story went around that as a prank, someone ordered a load of horse manure to be delivered to his house. I think it may have been true.

 

SEP was my very first form teacher in 1B. Like Chad, he had an easy going temperament and the kids took advantage. Both great guys.

 

Fred Allen, the metalwork teacher. Didn't know him well, bcause I dropped metalwork and woodwork and took Greek instead. Strange choice, I often think.

 

Sid Hoffmann, the English teacher, probably exuded confidence and commanded respect more than any of ther teachers. He was a very competent teacher.

 

Was Birchall a math teacher? If so I remember him as a nice guy, who had trouble keeping discipline among the unruly.

 

Tickner, I've already mentioned.

 

Beaumont, "Monty." Sorry, but I couldn't stand the man and I believe the feeling was mutual. Unfair of me to say disparaging things about him when he's no longer around to speak to them. Some bad memories there, I'm afraid. R.I.P., Monty is the best I can do.

 

John Nicholls? There was a classics teacher, but I seem to recall his name as Nickle.

 

Oh, those happy days.

 

Yes, Alan Stephenson is the same person whom I knew as a student at HSGS. Like myself, I believe he went on to Sheff. Univ and we lost track of one another. Presumably, he's retired now? I'm just about to.

 

Cheers.

[SnifferDog]

Is the Mr Nicholls you mention, one of the former deputy heads along with Mr Trowell ?

[CHAIRBOY]

Is the Mr Nicholls you mention, one of the former deputy heads along with Mr Trowell ?

 

Yes, John Nicholls and Robin Towle who have both retired. Better watch out, I heard Robin had become a JP near home! I think he will make a very good one. His 'intelligence' at solving school incidents was second to none.