SCHOOLS

B.14

BIRMINGHAM…….B14

KINGS HEATH & DISTRICT

HISTORY

SCHOOLS

COLMORE ROAD SCHOOL

By the early 1900’s Kings Heath School was unable to accommodate the number of children requiring education so Colmore Road Schools were built. The Infants building was opened by 1911,shortly followed by the Juniors building.

With the outbreak of the Great War in 1914 the schools were put to use as a 225-bed annexe to the 1^st Southern General Hospital located at Birmingham University, after it became necessary to find accommodation for an additional 3,000 wounded servicemen. The schools were chosen because of their relative proximity to a railway station. The children were transferred to Kings Heath School, where they remained until 1919.

I attended both Colmore Road Infant and Junior Schools from 1953 / 1959. The most memorable thing I remember was the outside toilets we had to use as our classroom was located in a prefab type building separate from the main school, freezing cold in winter and stunk to high heaven in the summer

Colmore Road schools as a VAD Hospital C1915

Colmore Road School today.

BRANDWOOD SECONDRY MODERN SCHOOL

Failing my 11+ exam I left Colmore Road and went to Brandwood Secondary Modern School in Sunderton Road. This was a large modern school compared with Colmore Road, it had been built about 5 years earlier and had many facilities including a large well equipped gym, woodwork and metalwork workshops, science labs and music rooms.

The school closed in 1983 and was amalgamated with Maypole School to form Baverstock School. The building was demolished and houses built on the site.

I was at Brandwood 1959 - 63, teachers I remember

Include

Mr Bill Marshall, Headmaster

Mr Eifion (Taffy) Williams, Art

Miss Meggs, History

Mr Slater

Mr John Morris, Science

Mr Husband, Maths

Mr (Nobby) Clarke, P.E

Mr Stan Collier, Woodwork

Mr Brookes, Metalwork

Mr Edgeworth, Technical Drawing

Mrs Lubbuck, Music

My claim to fame whilst at Brandwood, kicking a ball about with 2 of the Latchford Brothers who both went on to become professional footballers.

Both Dave and Bob played for Birmingham City and other teams during the 70’s with Bob gaining an England cap in a World Cup qualifier against Italy in 1977.

WHEELERS LANE SCHOOL

Wheelers Lane School was built 1938

Wheelers Lane School band c 1960. It is believed these were taken by The Evening Despatch and published in that paper.

Wheelers Lane School 1st year class c1958.

Almost the same picture taken about 14 years earlier. This photo taken about 1944.

The teacher Mrs Green, formerly Miss Dodd.

( thanks to Gwyneth Fookes, née Jones for this photo)

Can anyone add any information to these photographs