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High Storrs School


Sandroulla

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Guest plonko51

I can't believe you don't remember it being taken. It was taken by Graham Beck - Brian's brother and it was the first time such a photo had been taken (to try and get so many people on it) Apparently the tradition is still carried on today 35 years later. BTW that's me front row 2nd from left - David Watkins (with the teddy, don't ask - I've no idea) and next to me (my right) is Barbara Peck.

She was head girl and I was head boy (much to Killer Johnson's disgust I seem to remember) We organised the picture and it's great to see you still have your copy. It would be good to try and put names to pictures. Are you stood next to Brian and Martin Simpson? If you look up to the 3rd set of windows on the right you can see Alan Wright (German teacher) peering out. Barbara and myself still keep in touch very regularly epecially since Barbara retired a couple of years ago from teaching due to illness. Last Saturday (28th April) we went to the school Centralian's reunion (I'm sure we were youngest there)

Good to see some teachers from our era such as Ken Sale (still as loud) but the school looks so decrepit. Same furniture as we used (in the science labs at least) God knows how they teach in such conditions. Shows you the calibre of people who go to High Storrs. Great to see the picture published.

I have such happy memories of High Storrs and regularly bump into people who went there and are very proud of the fact. If you can put some names to the faces that would be brilliant. Here is a couple of pix - me and Barbara 1971 and me last year. I'll post some more pix when I find them.

BTW your photos of Sheffield look great.

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u191/pl...dBarbschool.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u191/plonko51/menow.jpg

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I was in the lower 6th in 1971 and left in March 1972, as I thought I'd better go out an earn a living as I wasn't working very hard at my A Levels! I'm knealing up, 4th in from the right on the 2nd row. To my right I think is Barbara Smith, three to my left is Linda Mallinson and on the end, in the mini dress and looking rather coy, I think is Dorothy (surname escapes me for the moment).

I remember Barbara Peck from your photo, though you were both obviously in the upper 6th and I was only in the 6th form for a couple of terms. Since I left I have hardly seen anyone I went to school with (though I have lived abroad for over 10 years) and despite staring at the photo, I can put few names to faces. I certainly remember Mr Griffin, Mr Mardell and Miss Freeman though. I too have very fond memories of High Storrs and was always very proud to have been there.

The photo is not mine, I just came across it on a google images search and was amazed to find myself on it!

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Guest plonko51

i'm seeing Barbara on Monday so I will ask her to put some names to the faces and post them here so you can see if you remember anyone. I still have regular e-mails from Barbara Smith. She works in PR down in Cornwall. She usually sends me funnies she thinks I will like. I hope others will see the photo and start to add names. Mr Griffin. Mr Mardell and Miss Freeeman are no longer with us. I believe Miss Freeman died not that long ago at home in Huddersfield, she must have been over 80. Sadly Tim Mardell died quite young a few years ago after the family had moved to Kent (I think) Mr Griffin also died a few years ago.

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Guest plonko51

Saw Barbara Peck yesterday. She is not quite sure which one is you (can you be a bit more specific?) but she is sure that the (coy) girl you thought was a Dorothy is in fact Jill Parkin. Ring any bells?

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I left High Storrs in 1966,two months after Tim Mardell took over as Head,but it was obvious then he would be a breath of fresh air in the school.Incidentally,his son Mark is frequently on BBC News as their Europe correspondent.

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Guest plonko51

I left High Storrs in 1966,two months after Tim Mardell took over as Head,but it was obvious then he would be a breath of fresh air in the school.Incidentally,his son Mark is frequently on BBC News as their Europe correspondent.

The Mark Mardell on BBC is not Tim's son. I asked John Nichols a few years ago if it was and he said it's not. I remember Mark joining the school when I was head boy and for some strange reason I made him run round the 800 yds running track. I have no idea why (I guess it was something for him to do) but his Father used to regularly ribb me about it. Incidentally, I got to know Mr Mardell quite well, not just in my capacity as Head Boy, but through his fervent support for Shelter. He spent a lot of time going round giving talks about homelessness and I used to be his projectionist (I used to run the camera club so I knew how to manually thread the rather old projector he used) to show the film 'Cathy come home' Made in 1966 it is still a hugely powerful film that lead to the establishment of Shelter. If you get the chance to see it - see it. You will never walk past a Big Issue seller, without buying a copy, ever again.

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I did my second teaching practice there, one day per week for the whole of the Spring term 1978.

Seem to remember that their chemistry lab contained a lot of oak benches and looked very Victorian.

I was a pupil at High Storrs 1960-66.

I went back about 18 months ago for their 75th anniversary day,and you're right about the chemistry lab,it looked exactly the same as when I left 44 years ago!

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Its time this topic was brought back up.

Did you go to High Storrs School?

Share your memories

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Its time this topic was brought back up.

Did you go to High Storrs School?

Share your memories

Interesting you are bringing this one back up Stuart.

I taught there for a short while and had a cousin that went there.

Did you ever go there? Or have some sort of connection with it?

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Interesting you are bringing this one back up Stuart.

I taught there for a short while and had a cousin that went there.

Did you ever go there? Or have some sort of connection with it?

Never been there personally, however I do have something to post later, once the scanning department has completed its task :)

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High Storrs School opened on 28/6/33, by the Right hon. The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Sir Percy Greenway

This is a scan of the official programme

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High Storrs School opened on 28/6/33, by the Right hon. The Lord Mayor of the City of London, Sir Percy Greenway

What!!!!

Only opened in 1933, only 4 years before Norfolk! :blink:

When I did my TP at High Storrs it looked Victorian, - I thought it was much older.

...and why did they get the Lord mayor of LONDON to open a SHEFFIELD school? <_<

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Does anyone know if Mr Hayes (physics teacher for +40 years) is well? I ask because I have not seen him on the 97/98 bus or Hope Valley trains for some time, probably since summer 2013.

Paul ‘Wazzie’ Worrall

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Guest lindaahutchins

I am in the 1971 photo! I am on the far left standing up in dark clothes and the obligatory mini-skirt! I was Linda Trigg then (now married). In front of me is Susan Chadbourne and Denise Rowbotham to my left. I vaguely remember the photo being taken. My 6th form tutor was a Geology teacher - Mr Sampson? - who died not long after we left. I think that was my lower 6th form teacher but can't remember who upper 6th form tutor was. Can't believe it was 40+ years ago. Would love to try and identify the names of the teachers in the 1960s girls school photo if anyone has seen it?

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Strange that no-one has commented on the photos in the inaugural 7 booklet. No 11 is supposedly the front entrance but from the position of the clock tower it looks more like the girls quadrangle. I am sure there was a front door in the 1940s. And who explained that away to the Lord Mayors?

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    When I started at High Storrs in 1942 it did not occur to me that the school had only been open for some nine years. Most of the staff were well on in life but there was a war  on so the younger ones will be in the forces, won't they?.  The memoirs of Donald H Tomlin (www.omnesamici .co .uk) does give a few names at 1933, not all of whom were still there nine years later. By and large there was little change during the war, the major one being Mr.Cox. (music) who got his Doctorate and later left for Uppingham. His replacement lasted for a short period and then improbably and possibly uniquely  went next door  to the Girls half as their first male teacher. His part-time replacement was the Cathedral Organist Dr. R. Tustin Baker till about the end of the war  He was then  followed by Hywel J. Davies, a keen type who received the Gypsies Warning from the rest of the staff as to what would happen unless the number of Welsh hymns at morning assembly was reduced. Another improbable part-timer who supervised the football periods was Doug. Wright  who was normally employed doing the same for Sheffield United. When he left the respective form masters were told they would have to stand in.  Not well received by the ladies. They never bothered and after a few weeks neither did anybody else. We managed without  a referee.

  All through the war there were two mildly eccentric  teachers who had both come up when the school opened. One was Herr Tuschmidt, a Swiss who taught French, insisted on always speaking French and lived in Room 55 rather than in the Staff Room. The other was Mr. Caddy ( Eng. Lit) who similarly lived in his form room on the front. Most lunchtimes  if fine he could be seen tending  his flower garden under the windows of Room 34.  One thing which stuck in my mind was his declaration that he would not but we would see the breakup of the Soviet Union and then spelled out how and why. We were dubious but in the fullness of time many years later it happened as he forecast. His efforts to arouse my interest in "The Tempest" and  "The Morte d'Arthur"  were less successful.

 Comes the end of the war and the older ones left,  notably Messrs Caddy, Ferrers (Art) Tuschmidt, Tingle (Eng. Grammer), an unremembered lady history teacher and Miss Varah (French) and the Quaker headmaster Mr. Luther Smith who somehow did his job without making waves.  In came their younger replacements, several of them ex-service  and a new ex Army Head  Mr. Mack.. A new regime with a vengeance. "That boy who has dared to come to this assembly without a  tie see me afterwards" initially produced a row of eight or ten outside his office. We learned fast. the numbers dropped  rapidly. And that was only  the start. Before long came an edict, "Only English will be spoken on school premises. Broad Sheffield as she is spoke may only be used up to the school gateposts".   We duly listened. 

The worst  idea led to the Great Cap Rebellion  (well nearly). We were not smart enough  for him. There was a dress code., broadly blazer with badge, school tie, school scarf ( both with equal green and dark blue bands)  and the cap dark blue with badge. First Year turned up thus dressed. Second Year much the same. Third Year generally abandoned the cap  Nobody bothered.  By then dress for the Forth Year and  up was usually suit with tie. Then Himself came out with the unexpected. All else apart the new design cap WILL be worn. This was now divided fore and aft. Right side was dark  blue as before, the left was bright apple green.  "Garish" was a polite opinion. Those of us in the15-17 age group were taken aback. He doesn't mean us ?  He did.    There were underground rumblings in the upper school till finally we let it be known that nice idea it might be but we had no intention of complying. Finally it became a just  a change in design, worn  or not, as before. Whose common sense prevailed we never found out. Some of us were bothered till that happened. Disobedience was not the done thing. 

One bright idea of his was the School Photographs taken in 1947. There was one for each form, total twenty two; one of the staff and one other, all taken in the yard with Ringinglow Road as background.20171020_094729_001.thumb.jpg.3636f904fafacbd89f2c32bda9a2a3a5.jpg

... These are the thirty staff members all present and correct with as many names as I can remember. The gaps are mainly the post-war arrivals who at that time at least had no contact with the Upper School and are now only vague memories.

Front Row  l-r. ?-?-?-Smith (Physics)-?-Mrs. Bevan (Physics)-?-Mack (Head)-Campbell(Deputy Head/Geography)-Bolton(Maths)-Collier(German)-?-?-?(Latin)

Back Row.   Ridler(Chemistry)-?-Stanford(Chemistry)-Tattersfield(Maths)-?-Beaumont(P.E.)-Robinson(Physics)-Jones (English)-Wassall (Metal/woodworking)- Rev. A Wood (R.I.)-Shaw(Maths)-?(English)-?-Russell(English)-Davies(Music)

20171126_173509.thumb.jpg.03dcdf9c8856011955421ab44ce357d5.jpg

We come now to Form 5 Science, all fourteen of us. Again I have to admit to not remembering all of them and it should be remembered there were no electronic connections in those days. After leaving school we dispersed and that generally was that. Future work intentions were not often discussed so there are more gaps. 

Front Row l-r  Parkin - Cooper - Shaw - Albaya da Gago - Smith (Form Master) - Rogers - Fyfe - Seaman - Fulford.

Middle.  Nunnington - ?- Allen - Jones - Tym- Sleigh - ? - Bradshaw

Back Row. Elliott - Wilkinson - ? - ? - Mottershaw.

Directions. :-       Cooper,   Mech Eng / Davy United/Consulting Engineer.

Shaw  Cambridge Mathematics

Seaman.  Oxford  Science

Fulford  Steel Peach and Tozer.           Management Trainee.

Bradshaw  Mech Eng/ Quality Management Contractors Plant.

Wilkinson  Mining Engineering

Mottershaw. Family  Business Sheffield Photo Co

   Counting up there were something like seven hundred of us all wanting our form photograph and the staff one as well. A nice order for the photographer. How many have survived this far I wonder?.Then there was the third photograph. For this the whole school was arranged in a semicircle round the panoramic  camera. That took some while to organise. We were to told to watch the photographer's hand as it it moved round in advance of the slowly  rotating camera. Pointing at you was the signal to freeze till it  had obviously passed on. Dead simple really. So the process started; all was well we thought and looked forward to seeing the result. Later a long thin photo arrived  and our Mr Smith showed us it with a grin. It looked very well. Could we buy one? Well no actually. We could look just the once. Look at the central figure!  Only the Head had moved at the crucial moment resulting in one central wide blurred face and a jacket to match. Himself had apparently let the staff have the samples before looking closely, then  Immediate withdrawal was ordered and it was never seen again which was a pity. Overall it was a good record. The exercise was never repeated during my time. 

Odd thoughts. During the war for whatever reason there was no push towards Oxbridge. Mr Mack was horrified. In his second year the Sixth Forms were told to get working and enter an Oxbridge exam of our choice. Some of us did. Most were unsuccessful but oddly not disturbed.  Seaman and Shaw were successful so Himself was mildly pleased. 

 The saddest case I know was in the year above us. The Head Boy was Eric Waite, a brilliant scientific mind who naturally gained a Double First, married a girl from next door, got a job at the Aldermaston Atomic Research Establishment  but  died of a heart attack some three years on. Nice lad and a great wasre.

It will be noted that there are no first names anywhere simply because in Army style, those were the days when scholars only had a surname. That was the norm. 

Finally we went our separate ways. Not surprisingly contacts after were unlikely. Coming to Daniel Doncaster' s works twenty odd years later I was greeted by the classmate who sat immediately behind me in alphabetical order for three years.  Much later I met up with John Cooper ; we were classmates for all our seven years and then lost touch. We met again in our fifties in the High Court in London in a civil accident case. He came down from Chalfont  and appeared for the owners of one of our machines in Abingdon. I came down from Lincoln and spoke for the company and the Iron Trades Association our insurers.  An unlikely place for  a brief H.S.G.S.B. reunion. 

 Shortly before retirement  I was introduced to one of my wife's work colleague's husband.  She was surprised that I didn't  recognise him. I really had to point out there was nobody at High Storrs  in my time who was 6' 2", bald, had a moustache  and smoked a pipe. If there had been I was sure I would have noticed. When it dawned, I had my ear bent. That was the last one. 

 

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In the 1971 photo I'm on the back row, near the centre (white shirt, no jacket, loosly fastened tie, obligatory long hair), with John Martin on my left.

I remember a few others, but not many. I last met up with Barbara Peck about 14 or 15 years ago, and we looked through my copy of the photo. Barbara was very good at remembering people. Less so me.

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I was at High Storrs Grammar 1958-65. I agree with Keith that one of the brochure photos is mis-labelled, but what a super document. It brought back a lot of memories. I only went back twice to play in Old Boys' rugby matches. Somewhere else on the web I have found a photo of teachers in 1953. Apart from George Mack,  spotted Jack Tattersfield (maths),Alf Ridler (chemistry),"Pop" Robinson (physics), Colin Smith (Latin), "Kipper" Herring (physics), ? Tickner (economics), Tom Haller (science), "Tache" Billington (english?), "Pharoah" Smith (physics), Joe Collier (german), "Polly" Stamford (chemistry) and of course "Monty" Beaumont (games/PE). There are one or two others who seen familiar but I can't put names to them.

I did attend George Mack's memorial service in the Cathedral over the Christmas vacation from University.

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What was the name of the small neighbouring wood, which was out of bounds, and was the site of many a triste between the boys and girls?

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1 hour ago, lysander said:

What was the name of the small neighbouring wood, which was out of bounds, and was the site of many a triste between the boys and girls?

If you mean the one on the slope past the football pitches, The Roughs in my day.

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