Norfolk School, Arbourthorne

[Guest wapntake]

Thats the man. Stan and Mary are my mum and Dad!!. Stan (Pat is his proper name, the vulcan players named him Stan after the comedian Stan Unwin) hardly drinks alcohol so the story you told amused me ). He still has the same sense of humour though his jokes do get boring after about the thousandth time youve heard them!!. The daughter you spoke of i presume was our Tracy. Did she have dark hair?. Stan has been a director at the Sheffield F.A. now for over 20 years.

The landlords colin and elaine's surname was clover and you are quite correct, they did move to the Royal Oak at Intake. They had a daughter called Tracy and two sons, Martin and Matthew.

Our Tracy played for the Vulcan ladies darts team in the mid eighties and my Aunt Ann also played for them. My Aunt had a strange throwing style so if you ever saw her you would remember.

All those years and i never knew his real name, probably because i never heard anyone call him anything different, i know he was very well liked and never heard anyone say anything bad about him, It must be nearly 25 years since i have seen him, i don't know if he would remember me i used to go in with Dave mac and his wife Karen who we have been talking about previously, my name is Gary, we used to sit with two couples Keith Turner (sadly now dead) and his wife Sue (i think her name was) and Les and Darryl, he might remember us through those as i think he knew them very well. i remember that he never seemed to be still and was always chatting and having a laugh with someone which left Mary sat on her own for periods during the night. in the mid eighties i started going in the Punchbowl on Gleadless Common and slowly stopped going in the Vulcan, can't remember how long ago it was when i was last in, it's a Chineese restaurant now isn't it. I have some very happy memories about that Pub it was like a family atmosphere as everyone knew everyone else, it was a time when a lot of people got dressed up to go out on a Saturday Night all the women dressed nice and most of the men in suits (including me and Dave) sounds silly now doesn't it. most people sat in the same spot every week, don't think i have found a Pub like that since. i only saw the odd spot of bother mainly hanbags at 10 paces as they say after a few too many beers. Say hello to your Dad for me, he might still remember me.

[DaveH]

In the mid eighties i started going in the Punchbowl on Gleadless Common and slowly stopped going in the Vulcan, can't remember how long ago it was when i was last in, it's a Chineese restaurant now isn't it. I have some very happy memories about that Pub it was like a family atmosphere as everyone knew everyone else,

My parents and other elder relatives (aunties and uncles) always used to go to the Punch Bowl on Saturday and Sunday nights and they did this all through the 1980's. Unfortunately my mother is the only one of them left alive now.

The Vulcan was closed down for quite a while but has recently reopened as "Jade Orient" a Chinese restraunt and takeaway.

I haven't tried it out yet but it is better that the building be used by some successful business than be derelict or demolished.

I have refered to the Jade Orient / Vulcan in other more relevant topics (Northern Avenue Shopping Centre and Arbourthorne Playing Fields topics) and have also posted pictures there.

[Guest wapntake]

My parents and other elder relatives (aunties and uncles) always used to go to the Punch Bowl on Saturday and Sunday nights and they did this all through the 1980's. Unfortunately my mother is the only one of them left alive now.

I have been more or less going in The Puncbowl since the mid eighties up to about 3 years ago when i moved in with my partner, i now live at Birley so i very rarely go in now, I only go out for the last hour now as my body can't take alchohol anymore. i always went in the Tap Room (snooker Room) i didin't go in the best room very often at all apart from the disco and quiz nights never at the weekend, there was a lot of "I always sit there" and funny looks from people when you had sat in their seat even though there was no-one there when you sat down. it was like two different pubs the snooker room and the best room, there were a few from The Vulcan in there as well and a few ex Norfolk pupils.

[DaveH]

I have been more or less going in The Puncbowl since the mid eighties up to about 3 years ago when i moved in with my partner, i now live at Birley so i very rarely go in now, I only go out for the last hour now as my body can't take alchohol anymore. i always went in the Tap Room (snooker Room) i didin't go in the best room very often at all apart from the disco and quiz nights never at the weekend, there was a lot of "I always sit there" and funny looks from people when you had sat in their seat even though there was no-one there when you sat down. it was like two different pubs the snooker room and the best room, there were a few from The Vulcan in there as well and a few ex Norfolk pupils.

In the mid eighties, and before, I could never stay in the Punch Bowl with my family for more than about half an hour at most.

This was because I was a non-smoker (and always have been). When you went in you could cut the smoke with a knife before you choked your way to the bar to order a drink.

Within 10 minutes my throat was sore and my eyes were stinging.

If I came out after 10 minutes for a breath of air my clothes and hair would already smell strongly of stale smoke.

Talk about enforced passive smoking, - and who knows what it probably has done to my health, - it was like been in a gas chamber!!

The decor in the Punch Bowl was always a sickly brown colour. Once they decorated it in white to brighten the place up but within days it soon went brown again.

i am sure that the ban on smoking in public places has been a vast improvement to the internal appearance of the Punch Bowl and to the health of those who work and regularly drink in there.

[Guest wapntake]

In the mid eighties, and before, I could never stay in the Punch Bowl with my family for more than about half an hour at most.

This was because I was a non-smoker (and always have been). When you went in you could cut the smoke with a knife before you choked your way to the bar to order a drink.

Within 10 minutes my throat was sore and my eyes were stinging.

If I came out after 10 minutes for a breath of air my clothes and hair would already smell strongly of stale smoke.

Talk about enforced passive smoking, - and who knows what it probably has done to my health, - it was like been in a gas chamber!!

The decor in the Punch Bowl was always a sickly brown colour. Once they decorated it in white to brighten the place up but within days it soon went brown again.

i am sure that the ban on smoking in public places has been a vast improvement to the internal appearance of the Punch Bowl and to the health of those who work and regularly drink in there.

Great post Dave, you've just described the Punch exactly how it was even up to the ban on smoking, the decor in the tap room has never changed even though the best room has been decorated a few times, i was h heavy smoker so i contributed quite a lot to the atmosphere i'm afraid, i used to smoke over 40 a day and i could smoke over 20 just going out at night, i think about 80% of people who went in the Punch smoked, parts of it are still a sickly brown colour even after all these years. i started smoking on my 16th birthday in the afore mentioned faces nightclub with dave Mac and a couple of other norfolk kids. i smoked right up to about 1997 when i had a rather nasty chest infection and i was so scared i've never had another one since. i stopped just before i went ski-ing for the first time it was a good job i did as i don't think my lungs could have took the strain at over a thousand feet. it was still the best thing i have done. if i could go back in time and change one thing in my life it would be that night and i would never have had that first cigar. it has definitely affected me after all those years smoking and has probably contributed to my present health more than anything (possibly all the alchohol and chips helped as well) i do agree that the smoking ban has drasticly improved the atmosphere in drinking establishments and it's a lot better going in them now, it's just the tunnel of smokers outside that you have to negotiate now.

[DaveH]

Great post Dave, you've just described the Punch exactly how it was even up to the ban on smoking, the decor in the tap room has never changed even though the best room has been decorated a few times, i was h heavy smoker so i contributed quite a lot to the atmosphere i'm afraid, i used to smoke over 40 a day and i could smoke over 20 just going out at night, i think about 80% of people who went in the Punch smoked, parts of it are still a sickly brown colour even after all these years. i started smoking on my 16th birthday in the afore mentioned faces nightclub with dave Mac and a couple of other norfolk kids. i smoked right up to about 1997 when i had a rather nasty chest infection and i was so scared i've never had another one since. i stopped just before i went ski-ing for the first time it was a good job i did as i don't think my lungs could have took the strain at over a thousand feet. it was still the best thing i have done. if i could go back in time and change one thing in my life it would be that night and i would never have had that first cigar. it has definitely affected me after all those years smoking and has probably contributed to my present health more than anything (possibly all the alchohol and chips helped as well) i do agree that the smoking ban has drasticly improved the atmosphere in drinking establishments and it's a lot better going in them now, it's just the tunnel of smokers outside that you have to negotiate now.

Glad you have managed to pack smoking up wapentake.

Smoking is a serious addiction problem and I do understand the plight of smokers.

But managing to pack it in is probably the best thing any smoker can do for their long term health and life expectancy.

[Guest wapntake]

Glad you have managed to pack smoking up wapentake.

Smoking is a serious addiction problem and I do understand the plight of smokers.

But managing to pack it in is probably the best thing any smoker can do for their long term health and life expectancy.

I was asked if we had school disco's in our time, i can't remember having any, they have school proms now, an import from America i think.

[DaveH]

I was asked if we had school disco's in our time, i can't remember having any, they have school proms now, an import from America i think.

They only have one "prom", and that is when they leave school in their final year.

Disco's are not as popular as they used to be and we seem to have less of them.

In my day Norfolk used to have a Disco at October half term, the photos that Man Piercy took at a disco that me and Stuart developed in the school darkroom (a preparation room between the 2 science labs on the ground floor of the glass tower) were taken at such a disco in October 1968.

There was also a "Christmas Disco", but the timing of this had to fit around other events such as the school Christmas production and form parties and the like.

That was about it, other disco's seemed optional. We did have an Easter disco in April 1970 which I can remember but I don't remember that this was a regular event every Easter.

[DaveH]

They only have one "prom", and that is when they leave school in their final year.

I will be going to my first, and possibly only prom, in all my years of teaching next week.

To be honest I am quite looking forward to it.

[DaveH]

Someone left the gate open on Dagnam Road which gave me access to take this wide angle panorama.

It is taken from the site of the old nursery and pans round from the new licquorice allsort building on Spring Lane, up past the old Junior school on Brimmesfield Road and that wall and those houses are where the secondary school used to be. On the extreme left is the path out between the secondart and nursery schools.

[DaveH]

I will be going to my first, and possibly only prom, in all my years of teaching next week.

To be honest I am quite looking forward to it.

The school prom was fantastic by the way, I really enjoyed it.

It was probably only as good as it was because the students leaving had been with me for the full 5 years since the day they started.

In 33 years teaching this is the only time this has happened to me, usually forms get swapped about.

5 years with the same kids could be horrendous if you got some "wrong 'un's", but I was lucky, my form were fantastic, some of the nicest kids I have taught in my whole career.

In fact, it was only because the kids said they really wanted me to go to the prom that I was encouraged to go in the first place.

[DaveH]

After all the posts about the demolition of the various parts of Norfolk school (secondary school, glass tower, bridge, infant school, nursery school, annexe, gym, - all gone) and the full refurbishment of the old junior school I was more than interested at what has been happeneing down at Manor Lane Junior School, which, even though it dates back to the 1870's, seems to have befallen the same fate.

Manor Lane Junior School was in the catchment area for Norfolk Secondary, it's students were bussed up City Road to secondary school.

As such, a lot of my school friends, especially those who lived on City Road, Manor Lane, Dovercourt Road, Granville Road, Essex Road, St. Aidens Road, Holdings Road, Glencoe Road and lower parts of the Norfolk Park Estate, - oh yes, and not forgetting "Vicki from the cemetry" who lived in City Road Cemetry had attended this school.

Looks like the place is being either done up or demolished.

[DaveH]

After all the posts about the demolition of the various parts of Norfolk school (secondary school, glass tower, bridge, infant school, nursery school, annexe, gym, - all gone) and the full refurbishment of the old junior school I was more than interested at what has been happeneing down at Manor Lane Junior School, which, even though it dates back to the 1870's, seems to have befallen the same fate.

Manor Lane Junior School was in the catchment area for Norfolk Secondary, it's students were bussed up City Road to secondary school.

As such, a lot of my school friends, especially those who lived on City Road, Manor Lane, Dovercourt Road, Granville Road, Essex Road, St. Aidens Road, Holdings Road, Glencoe Road and lower parts of the Norfolk Park Estate, - oh yes, and not forgetting "Vicki from the cemetry" who lived in City Road Cemetry had attended this school.

Looks like the place is being either done up or demolished.

OH NO!!!!

Now that half the closed down boozers in the area are being done up as foreign food outlets / take aways / restraunts it now seems that schools are getting in on the act as well.

Manor Lane Junior School as a Kebab Restraunt

Somehow that just doesn't sound right.

There are so many new foreign food outlets in the area about to open we will be spoilt for choice.

But surely with that amount of competition they can't all become successful businesses can they? :unsure:

[Guest fairdinkum]

new to this thread - Norfolk Comp pupil from seniors in 72 to 6th form in 79, coming from Manor Lane infants and junior - plenty of memeories of the place,

A question - in the 1973 photos taken from the tower block looking towards the school - there seems to be 2 prefab new buildings - what were these?

[DaveH]

new to this thread - Norfolk Comp pupil from seniors in 72 to 6th form in 79, coming from Manor Lane infants and junior - plenty of memeories of the place,

A question - in the 1973 photos taken from the tower block looking towards the school - there seems to be 2 prefab new buildings - what were these?

Welcome to SheffieldHistory fairdinkum and thank you for posting.

We now have something like 12 or 13 members on this site that went to Norfolk school, more than any other school, so we would love to hear about your memories of the place.

The years you went to Norfolk are interesting times. I left in 1972 and my younger brother left in 1977. I had to go to Ashleigh for 6th form as Norfolk only had a 6th form for a short period of time, which you have fallen into and experienced. I would love to know what the Norfolk 6th form was like, what subjects they offered, who taught what and what their results were like.

You were probably taught by the same teachers I have mentioned and displayed pictures of earlier in this topic.

I went to Norfolk Juniors but had friends at Secondary school that had come from Manor Lane Juniors, Mark Cowley and Anne Jow to name just two, both of which lived on Dovercourt Road.

To answer your question I will have to look back at the picture to identify the buildings for you. Can you tell me which picture it is and which post number it is in.

[Guest fairdinkum]

Thanks for your post DaveH.

The photos were in the first post in 2009 - – 1973_133; 1973_134; 1970_C_002 - there appear to be 2 prefab new buildings.

I remember Norfolk as having a lot of hard cases – teachers and pupils! I think bad behaviour increased during my time. But it was great if you were into sport as I was – you could do some sporting activity 2 or 3 times every day and play footy on Saturday. The head of PE when I started was Mr Peers (he left for Jordanthorpe) followed by Mr Bromby (died young in the school hols (74 or 75) due to heart trouble), Mr Ward and Harry Smith. The women were Miss Wilkinson and Miss Hedley (good tennis player). I played in a football team with Pyle, Reeve and Sadler so kept in touch with them into the 80s.

The 6^th form was small – maybe 20 pupils total. They offered all the standard arts/science subjects at ‘A’ level. About 3 pupils per year would go to uni. It was run by Mr Fisher (drove a Triumph Vitesse and lived up Hallam way - he replaced ‘Budgie’ Bridson in 73) , Mrs Johnson and Mr White (Careers). It was a relaxed existence and probably not enough pressure from the bosses to do well.

I was taught by most of the teachers in the photos. We were terrified of Mr Everatt (he took us for geography). After 1973 he had time off due to illness and I think he died later in the 70s. Mr Dickson’s speed writing classes were famous – he once gave us a 30 second break to look at a fox outside the window. I was in the chess club but never beat Mr Chapman. We had a slide show of Hans und Lieselotte who lived in Gelsenkirchen for German classes. Mr Matthews; a very nice bloke. The discipline methods were over the top; canings and the like. I remember one teacher (can’t recall her name) who was a demon with the flexible rubber strip.

Mr Thomson was Head when I joined then retired and was replaced by My Wyman. He died young too after an operation that went wrong in the late 70s. Music lessons were also great. I remember Mr Tanzer playing T-Rex’ latest and Mr Bull was an inspiration to those in the school band. I understand he also died young so must be a Norfolk jinx. Mr Shaw was eccentric, and had been a semi-professional footballer in Nottingham in his youth. I remember playing tennis in a doubles match with Miss Moore (starched Wimbledon whites) – and also the times she had to act as police ma’am in classes when various teachers lost the plot. As the older generation of teachers retired they were replaced by a group of young, more lefty 70s types. I don’t think the old guard approved.

Someone should write a history of those times – though it would probably have to be carefully vetted by the libel lawyers and names changed!

[DaveH]

Thanks for your post DaveH.

The photos were in the first post in 2009 - – 1973_133; 1973_134; 1970_C_002 - there appear to be 2 prefab new buildings.

I remember Norfolk as having a lot of hard cases – teachers and pupils! I think bad behaviour increased during my time. But it was great if you were into sport as I was – you could do some sporting activity 2 or 3 times every day and play footy on Saturday. The head of PE when I started was Mr Peers (he left for Jordanthorpe) followed by Mr Bromby (died young in the school hols (74 or 75) due to heart trouble), Mr Ward and Harry Smith. The women were Miss Wilkinson and Miss Hedley (good tennis player). I played in a football team with Pyle, Reeve and Sadler so kept in touch with them into the 80s.

The 6^th form was small – maybe 20 pupils total. They offered all the standard arts/science subjects at ‘A’ level. About 3 pupils per year would go to uni. It was run by Mr Fisher (drove a Triumph Vitesse and lived up Hallam way - he replaced ‘Budgie’ Bridson in 73) , Mrs Johnson and Mr White (Careers). It was a relaxed existence and probably not enough pressure from the bosses to do well.

I was taught by most of the teachers in the photos. We were terrified of Mr Everatt (he took us for geography). After 1973 he had time off due to illness and I think he died later in the 70s. Mr Dickson’s speed writing classes were famous – he once gave us a 30 second break to look at a fox outside the window. I was in the chess club but never beat Mr Chapman. We had a slide show of Hans und Lieselotte who lived in Gelsenkirchen for German classes. Mr Matthews; a very nice bloke. The discipline methods were over the top; canings and the like. I remember one teacher (can’t recall her name) who was a demon with the flexible rubber strip.

Mr Thomson was Head when I joined then retired and was replaced by My Wyman. He died young too after an operation that went wrong in the late 70s. Music lessons were also great. I remember Mr Tanzer playing T-Rex’ latest and Mr Bull was an inspiration to those in the school band. I understand he also died young so must be a Norfolk jinx. Mr Shaw was eccentric, and had been a semi-professional footballer in Nottingham in his youth. I remember playing tennis in a doubles match with Miss Moore (starched Wimbledon whites) – and also the times she had to act as police ma’am in classes when various teachers lost the plot. As the older generation of teachers retired they were replaced by a group of young, more lefty 70s types. I don’t think the old guard approved.

Someone should write a history of those times – though it would probably have to be carefully vetted by the libel lawyers and names changed!

Thanks for this post fairdinkum,

Much of what you say sounds familiar to me, you have added some new details I was not aware of and apart from the fact that my brother spent just one year in the 6th form before leaving to get a job I knew very little about it.

Someone has suggested before that someone should write a Norfolk school history except that they went a step further and nominated that I should be the "someone" that should do it.

I have thought about doing it from time to time and it may be something I could consider doing after I have retired.

However, writing stuff is not really my thing. I can do it reasonably well because I had Man Wright for English, but I don't really enjoy it as I found English lessons a bit of a chore.

[DaveH]

Thanks for your post DaveH.

The photos were in the first post in 2009 - – 1973_133; 1973_134; 1970_C_002 - there appear to be 2 prefab new buildings.

Had a look at these pictures again and I can't see what appear to be 2 new prefabs.

Do they appear on all 4 photos?

Photo 1970_134 has a building which looks like a prefab in the bottom right hand corner which is located on Arbourthorne playing fields at the bottom of Northern Avenue. This was in fact the changing rooms for local amateur Sunday league football teams which played on Arbourthorne field. Teams like The Vulcan, The Fellbrig and Arbourthorne EA (Eastern Avenue) and their competitors would have used it.

[Guest fairdinkum]

DaveH - the buildings are in the three photos - the flat roof buildings (the one to the right has an extra structure on top and the bridge can be seen to the right coming from the building) that are located beyond the old buildings with sloping roofs. They are the 2 buildings with lots of windows in that stand out like sore thumbs in the pictures. There is a vertical stack/tower between them. Was one the school hall and the other one the classrooms? Or is it in fact 1 building? I should know this after spending 7 years there! In the colour photo they appear to be white due to the exposure.

Writing a history would be a big job even if you could do it full time..interviewing people, verifying facts etc... a labour of love. Gets harder as time passes as participants die or can't be located.

[DaveH]

DaveH - the buildings are in the three photos - the flat roof buildings (the one to the right has an extra structure on top and the bridge can be seen to the right coming from the building) that are located beyond the old buildings with sloping roofs. They are the 2 buildings with lots of windows in that stand out like sore thumbs in the pictures. There is a vertical stack/tower between them. Was one the school hall and the other one the classrooms? Or is it in fact 1 building? I should know this after spending 7 years there! In the colour photo they appear to be white due to the exposure.

Writing a history would be a big job even if you could do it full time..interviewing people, verifying facts etc... a labour of love. Gets harder as time passes as participants die or can't be located.

OK

This is the new part of the school, built in 1965 - 66 which was connected to the old redbrick school (built in 1936) by the bridge.

We tend to call the new school the "glass tower" as it was nearly all window and the wall panels were coloured a horrible green - yellow with glass in front of them. This makes the building very reflective hence the exposure making it stand out. This part of the school was still standing when the rest of it was demolished in 1997 and became, for a while, the junior school. It was however destroyed by fire (arson) in August 2004.

If you can pick out the bridge on the right then the tower structure it connects to is 3 floors high. The ground floor has 2 science labs and a preparation room. The first floor, where the bridge enters it has 4 classrooms and the top floor has 2 girls craft rooms for needlework and textiles and a dressfitting room.

To the left of this tower the building drops a bit in height as the staircase and connection levels are awkward due to the natural slope of the land. This lower bit has an entrance hall at ground level and upstairs were the school office and headmasters office.

The part of the building (it is all one building) furthest to the left is only 2 floors tall and had the school hall on the upper floor. At ground level it had the boiler room, some rooms used by the caretakers, some cloakrooms and some toilets.

I'm suprised that someone who attended Norfolk after the mid 1960's would not instantly recognise that part of the building as it was the only "modern" looking part of the entire school, the rest of it, including the nursery, infants and juniors were all in the same matching 1930's redbrick style.

[jimbob55]

In these pictures of the school the "bridge" can be made out which joined the old red brick school (built in 1936) to the new school which was in yellowy-green glass covered prefabricated sections (built 1965).

In one of the pictures the bridge is just above the only house in the picture which is illegally burning coal and emitting smoke into the air in cotravention of the 1956 clean air act.

This bridge rather awkwardly joined the 2 buildings at first floor level instead of at ground level, - but then again if it was at ground level it wouldn't be a bridge would it?

The bridge crossed over the senior playground and can be seen in this picture. The doors ahead go into the old school staircase and the boys toilets, the rooms on the right are the metalwork workshops where Man Cooke tried to teach us metalwork, a popular subject at the time when we actually had a steel industry with local jobs for lads leaving local schools.

Stuart0742 may recall an incident in which we were throwing some science equipment from the school yard over the top of the bridge and we "lost" it on the bridge roof. We were ordered onto the bridge roof to retrieve it which meant going through the needlework dressing rooms on the top floor of the new block.

! got caught smoking in the toilets...twice ! both by man Smith, he taught us woodwork in the first room on the left on the bottom corridor past the stairs, turning the corner ,first right was the metalwork room with man Cook ( later i think he married miss Curry ) , got caught nicking rivets from there to use as " pellets " in an elastic band catapult for use behind the Trav`s on a friday afternoon when we wagged it during the free lessons, after the metalwork room on the right was the cookery rooms.End of the corridor was the "flat" that was used for domestic science ( no idea what went on in there ! ). Halfway down the corridor on the left was the steps up to the art room in the quad, directly behind which was the library.

Amazing how one picture can bring back so many memories!

And yes, i also tried to get various items over the bridge, on one occasion failing miserably and catching the attention of a bobbing bald head belonging to a certain Mr Witham , those of you that knew of him will not need me to finish that sentence ,as there was only one outcome when you were summoned by him !.

[SteveHB]

! got caught smoking in the toilets...twice ! both by man Smith, he taught us woodwork in the first room on the left on the bottom corridor past the stairs, turning the corner ,first right was the metalwork room with man Cook ( later i think he married miss Curry ) , got caught nicking rivets from there to use as " pellets " in an elastic band catapult for use behind the Trav`s on a friday afternoon when we wagged it during the free lessons, after the metalwork room on the right was the cookery rooms.End of the corridor was the "flat" that was used for domestic science ( no idea what went on in there ! ). Halfway down the corridor on the left was the steps up to the art room in the quad, directly behind which was the library.

Amazing how one picture can bring back so many memories!

And yes, i also tried to get various items over the bridge, on one occasion failing miserably and catching the attention of a bobbing bald head belonging to a certain Mr Witham , those of you that knew of him will not need me to finish that sentence ,as there was only one outcome when you were summoned by him !.

Well as I remember, you always was a naughty little So & So Jim, but not clever enough not to get caught in the act

I pinched a couple of things from our old school, and I sill have one of them to this day :o

[DaveH]

! got caught smoking in the toilets...twice ! both by man Smith, he taught us woodwork in the first room on the left on the bottom corridor past the stairs, turning the corner ,first right was the metalwork room with man Cook ( later i think he married miss Curry ) , got caught nicking rivets from there to use as " pellets " in an elastic band catapult for use behind the Trav`s on a friday afternoon when we wagged it during the free lessons, after the metalwork room on the right was the cookery rooms.End of the corridor was the "flat" that was used for domestic science ( no idea what went on in there ! ). Halfway down the corridor on the left was the steps up to the art room in the quad, directly behind which was the library.

Amazing how one picture can bring back so many memories!

And yes, i also tried to get various items over the bridge, on one occasion failing miserably and catching the attention of a bobbing bald head belonging to a certain Mr Witham , those of you that knew of him will not need me to finish that sentence ,as there was only one outcome when you were summoned by him !.

Hey hang on a minute, you've kept that one a bit of a secret jimbo55.

I never knew that you were an old Norfolk student as well.

That must make at least 13 of us that are members of Sheffield History, 13 of us! That's almost half a class full!

Know exactly the locations and characters you are refering to very well jimbo55

I take it from the numbers in your username and the fact that SteveHB seems to know you well that you started secondary school in 1966 with Steve. That makes you a school year older than me and Stuart.

Wonder if I know you?

[DaveH]

Well as I remember, you always was a naughty little So & So Jim, but not clever enough not to get caught in the act I pinched a couple of things from our old school, and I sill have one of them to this day

But I bet neither of you pinched as much as Frithy

He got kicked out of school for it (expelled) and had to go to another school even though he lived within spitting distance of Norfolk school.

[SteveHB]

But I bet neither of you pinched as much as Frithy

He got kicked out of school for it (expelled) and had to go to another school even though he lived within spitting distance of Norfolk school.

I remember taking home two locusts out of a glass tank,

my dad was not very happy about them flying around in our living room.

Think I was given permission to go into the school to feed the locusts and also a bull frog during school holidays