South Shields Grammar-Technical School for Boys   
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Viewing messages 11 to 20

Alex Patterson, VUA, 1946-1951 | ad1935ap~AT~gmail~DOT~com
Hello Mike et al,
We’ve been coming across bits and pieces in our recent move, and one of the items was a pencil, which is still in its original condition, unsharpened and unused. It is stamped “WAR DRAWING” and hardness ”H”. It was made by Geo.Rowney & Co.Ltd. I’m trying to remember when we got them. I’m sure it would have been in grade school while the War was still ongoing.
So I contacted the company, now known as Daler-Rowney, in London and I was very surprised to receive a reply by return of email. The respondent with the evocative name ‘Holly Birmingham” was very interested in the pencil and asked if I could send some photos. Which I did and soon had another reply with scads of links to read the story of the ‘war’pencils. Apparently there were thousands of such pencils distributed, some called Utility pencils (memories of CC41) and they were made by many companies, Rowney being one of them.
I wonder if any of our other readers received a pencil like this, perhaps in grade school. I thought I might make a fortune by putting it on EBay, but no such luck…in any case one of my grandsons has laid claim to it.
…..Question for Mike. Is there any way we can send photos to the site?
Take care everyone,
Best wishes from North York on a bright shiny day,
Alex
Thu 19-Oct-2023 19:30 - North York,Ontario, Canada
Alex Patterson, VUA 1946-1951 | ad1935ap~AT~gmail~DOT~com
Hello Mike and all the thousands of readers,
I think Bruce’s mystery Latin teacher may have been F(Frank) W. Dunstan, a.k.a. Pablo, Dopey or The Dreamer. I know he was Head of Department of Latin and Classics while I was in the school, but I can’t remember ever having him for any classes.
We have just completed our move into our new retirement home and just got there in time for a Covid lockdown and for me to contract Covid for the second time. So we were in isolation for the prescribed 10 days and Marjorie was Covid free throughout. She ascribes it to being a teacher and building up an impenetrable immune system.
If you are thinking of downsizing…start it now!! Don’t hang about!! We were lucky in that we had three daughters to do the bulk of the work and I used my draughting experience to illustrate what furniture we would have room to accommodate and then to prepare a plan for the arrangement to give to the removal company to know exactly where to put it. Our Ukrainian/Italian mover, Alex, was pleased with the plan as we were later in the day when everything was in place.
But the problem was all the small stuff that we collect. Even though we thought we had downsized enough, we still had too much left over to put on display. So don’t forget, start it now!!
Does anyone remember Syd Miller? I think he was a year younger than me so he’d be at the school 1947 to 1952/55ish. If my memory serves me right, I think he ran the mile in 5 minutes at the annual sports day. He lived on the Lawe top not far from the Roman Fort. I’ve mentioned before how I would like to read about the lives of our contemporaries and learn what took them to where they are today. I’m still hoping. So anyone who reads this, please add something to the contributions…some of us are interested.
Best wishes from a cool and sunny North York,
Alex
Wed 18-Oct-2023 17:17 - North York, Ontario, Canada
Neale Backhouse | nealebackh~AT~gmail~DOT~com
Hi Bruce. No response,so far, to your request for clarification concerning matriculation requirements.
I can only add that our fifth form (1951) was the first to encounter the new "O level" approach ,which marked the end of the era of school leaving certificates, which I presume required the pupil to achieve a minimum number of passes. I remember Mr Lucas,on announcing this fresh approach to us,expressing his disapproval of the change, feeling that it was of lesser value than what had been in place. We could now leave with a certificate showing only one pass.
On reflection,I would say that it is better to receive such a certificate than to leave after five years of study with nothing.
Certainly, the school seems to have gone from strength to strength over the years with the new system in place.
Local Secondary schools seem also to have flourished and have established streams for over achieving pupils to gain
University entrance.
This is certainly the case here in BC where all high schools follow the same curriculum.
Wed 11-Oct-2023 21:29 - Victoria BC
Bruce Graham | bsgraham~AT~btinternet~DOT~com
To stir the pot one more time. I wonder if any of the "oldies" contributors recall the difference between matriculation and the other qualifications that preceded the GCE "O" and "A" levels that I was subject to?

By the by can any of you remember the name of the senior Latin teacher of that era - whose name I cannot recall - who persuaded me the Virgil and I were a lost cause.

Sat 23-Sep-2023 19:32 - ruskington lincolnshie
Mike Todd | old~DOT~boys~AT~boyshighschool~DOT~co~DOT~uk
I think that there are two main reasons why only a quarter of the school evacuated to Appleby.

Initially, the evacuation zone was only Gateshead and Newcastle but South Shields protested and was eventually included.

But, as far as I can recall, the evacuation zone was limited to those children living close to the river - and since the Harton school was outside that zone, not all pupils were evacuated.

And it was only a voluntary scheme, of course.
Mon 11-Sep-2023 10:59
Bruce Graham | bsgraham~AT~btinternet~DOT~com
Thanks Mike. Absolutely fascinating

Of course it (the site) raises more questions , which is probably why you haven't incorporated the information
into the main school website.

Why just a quarter of the school and the Head-"Pop" Lucas- remaining behind with the rest and most of his staff??

Presumably, if the evacuation was anything like that in the south of the country they didn't stay away for too long.

Sun 10-Sep-2023 21:26 - ruskington lincolnshie
Mike Todd | old~DOT~boys~AT~boyshighschool~DOT~co~DOT~uk
Bruce, a bit of info on the evacuees is on the pages that start at:

http://boyshighschool.co.uk/thepast/wart
ime/ww2/sshs-war-01.htm

I've not integrated that into the public side of the database - at least not yet.

Sat 9-Sep-2023 13:07
Bruce Graham | bsgraham~AT~btinternet~DOT~com
Thanks Mike.

I haven't used this feature of the site much but it has opened a whole range of information, particularly in relation to my own era.

But what a can of worms have been opened concerning those very early years. I think there was a thing called "matriculation" that existed in my brother's time (1945 - 50) but our new correspondent mentions a new category entirely. And what about the years when the school (apparently) was evacuated.

Here we go - we're not finished yet!!



Thu 7-Sep-2023 20:33 - ruskington lincolnshie
Mike Todd | old~DOT~boys~AT~boyshighschool~DOT~co~DOT~uk
Indeed, Bruce - and welcome Earle Stobart!!

As for WWII entries, Bruce, so you get a rough idea if you go to the "Old Boys Database" on the front page.

In the date range just put 1939-1945 and you'll get a list. However, it will include all those who entered in September, 1945, after the end of the war.

It should return 905 records (but with very limited information for privacy reasons). I've queried the database and there were 743 who joined between 1/9/1939 and 5/9/1945

However, these are only approximate numbers/selections as there are other criteria which I didn't control for.
Wed 6-Sep-2023 09:49
Bruce Graham | bsgraham~AT~btinternet~DOT~com
Wow!!!

Not only a new contributor but one older than the "oldies".

Perhaps Mike has some record of those who entered our school during WW2.

Another Canadian too








Tue 5-Sep-2023 21:10 - ruskington lincolnshie

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