Norfolk School, Arbourthorne

[Guest wayneybabes]

In response to the photo above, on the Norfolk Comp Facebook Group, Kevin 'Man' Jones said the following:

That corridor reminds me of Bonfire Night. There was always someone who would lay a rocket on the floor, light it, and send it whistling across the tiles. In six years it never failed. I hate Bonfire Night ;)

also, his general response to the school:

Ah the memories. We were so hard up as a school we could not afford enough running vests for sports day. The playground where I faced a students' strike and stopped a local toerag from using the school as a thoroughfare with a huge audience of kids on the bridge cheering me on. The carpark where I reversed my car into the chair of governors' car. And the firework corridor.

[DaveH]

In response to the photo above, on the Norfolk Comp Facebook Group, Kevin 'Man' Jones said the following:

That corridor reminds me of Bonfire Night. There was always someone who would lay a rocket on the floor, light it, and send it whistling across the tiles. In six years it never failed. I hate Bonfire Night ;)

also, his general response to the school:

Ah the memories. We were so hard up as a school we could not afford enough running vests for sports day. The playground where I faced a students' strike and stopped a local toerag from using the school as a thoroughfare with a huge audience of kids on the bridge cheering me on. The carpark where I reversed my car into the chair of governors' car. And the firework corridor.

Some very interesting points here wayneybabes.

Firstly, who was Man Jones? What did he teach? Obviously after my time.

In the 1960's 70's we had no trouble with fireworks in the school building at all, - Man Whitham would have seen to that!

If he can see my picture of the corridor which is posted in this topic is he a member?

If he is a member why isn't he posting on here in this topic, - we need people with memories like these on here!

Or is he just on Facebook and Facebook members can also see our pictures?

If so why aren't facebook members with an interest in our school (The Norfolk Comp group) signing up on here after reading this topic?

[DaveH]

Ah the memories. We were so hard up as a school we could not afford enough running vests for sports day.

When I was at school, and I think this was fairly common in many schools at the time, to make 2 easily identifiable teams for sports such as football one side wore an assortment of any coloured shirts as were available and the other team, being boys and not girls, played bare chested.

The teams were usually called "shirts" and "skins"

Why was it I was always playing for the "skins" and we always did this when it was freezing cold and there was snow on the ground or if their was rain, hail or other awful weather conditions.

Man McDermot must have really disliked me, it was torture!

[Guest wayneybabes]

Some very interesting points here wayneybabes.

Firstly, who was Man Jones? What did he teach? Obviously after my time.

In the 1960's 70's we had no trouble with fireworks in the school building at all, - Man Whitham would have seen to that!

If he can see my picture of the corridor which is posted in this topic is he a member?

If he is a member why isn't he posting on here in this topic, - we need people with memories like these on here!

Or is he just on Facebook and Facebook members can also see our pictures?

If so why aren't facebook members with an interest in our school (The Norfolk Comp group) signing up on here after reading this topic?

hope you dont mind but i 'borrowed' your pic, sorry, i thought i had asked your permission. i have put 'courtesy of Dave Higginbottom, sheffield history website' on the photo description. Your photo is the main photo on the top banner of the group at the moment. a lot of photos i have on there of the school are in colour and i wanted something in black and white which i could add text in the corner 'Norfolk Comp 1937 - 1992'

I was never taught by Man Jones, I think he was Science.

as for why the group members havent registered on here, i have no idea. I have tried promoting this site but to no avail as yet.

[Guest wayneybabes]

When I was at school, and I think this was fairly common in many schools at the time, to make 2 easily identifiable teams for sports such as football one side wore an assortment of any coloured shirts as were available and the other team, being boys and not girls, played bare chested.

The teams were usually called "shirts" and "skins"

Why was it I was always playing for the "skins" and we always did this when it was freezing cold and there was snow on the ground or if their was rain, hail or other awful weather conditions.

Man McDermot must have really disliked me, it was torture!

We very rarely played shirts and skins which made it difficult to pass to team-mates. I do remember if you forgot to bring your own trainers then you had to 'borrow' an old pair from the stock room in the Gym which usually ended up being an old tatty pair of Hi-Tec running shoes with holes in them which made it pretty painful kicking a rock hard football in winter!

[Guest suzy]

If they do redevelop it, including the school field, it would need relandscaping to remove the grass bank and that would mean excavating the old air raid shelters and exposing them to public view for one final time.

OK waynetbabes, - get your camera ready and your "contacts list" of people that will give you a photographic tour of a building site.

We wnt to see it!

Here, Here!!! A heavy weight on your shoulders Nephew but one I believe you can manage following the great job you did previously :rolleyes:

[DaveH]

hope you dont mind but i 'borrowed' your pic, sorry, i thought i had asked your permission. i have put 'courtesy of Dave Higginbottom, sheffield history website' on the photo description. Your photo is the main photo on the top banner of the group at the moment. a lot of photos i have on there of the school are in colour and i wanted something in black and white which i could add text in the corner 'Norfolk Comp 1937 - 1992'

No problem at all with it wayneybabes. Feel free to use my pictures like this to promote both Sheffield History and to further the interest in our old school.

It's just that I thought from your post that Man Jones had seen the picture on here and then replied to it on FaceBook.

I would of course rather him see it on here and then reply on here as a member.

It would also be good if he, and anyone else, had seen the copy you have posted on Facebook and though it interesting enough to take a look on here and sign up.

[DaveH]

I was never taught by Man Jones, I think he was Science.

So, 1980's and 90's then (after my time) and possibly a science teacher.

I was a science teacher myself during this period so I wonder why I have not come across him before?

[DaveH]

as for why the group members havent registered on here, i have no idea. I have tried promoting this site but to no avail as yet.

Keep up the good work and keep on trying.

If any of my pictures being reposted there help feel free to use them.

[DaveH]

Here, Here!!! A heavy weight on your shoulders Nephew but one I believe you can manage following the great job you did previously

If it comes to a redevelopment of the site with further demolitions and excavations then wayneybabes is the man for the job.

Like you said suzy, he did an excellent job last time with the pictures and videos of the old Junior school.

[Guest wayneybabes]

I have asked people this morning to sign up and have informed them that quite a few of the pics i have put on there are Daves Piccies.

I think, if a few do sign up, and i do manage to sort something out re: re-development of the site etc, then as a return of favour, maybe Dave should sign up to facebook? lol

[DaveH]

I have asked people this morning to sign up and have informed them that quite a few of the pics i have put on there are Daves Piccies.

I think, if a few do sign up, and i do manage to sort something out re: re-development of the site etc, then as a return of favour, maybe Dave should sign up to facebook?

My wife is on facebook and uses it to keep in touch with our children and granchildren who do not live local enough to visit very often.

However, Facebook is used by most of the kids I teach at school, and as a matter of teaching professionalism I do not have a facebook account mainly because of the risk of being contacted by students I teach and the mallicious accusations about me that could then be made, or the personal information that could be obtained.

i know people who are confident with social networking will say "there's no risk" and "you can decide who accesses the account and lock people out" BUT it is not worth the risk, and I am acting in line with professional advise from 3 sources, 1 ) school advisory policy on out of school activities 2 ) the ICT be safe online policy and 3 ) the advice of the main teacher trade unions, - who of course would have to handle court cases for teachers accused of misconduct with students.

I know many of my teaching colleages do have Facebook accounts but all of them are very guarded about them. Perhaps if Facebook was of some use to me (remembering that my wife has facebook access and has contact on it with all the people I really need to be in contact with, - my family) then I may be tempted to open an account. Perhaps I will open one when I am retired from teaching and want to stay in contact with other teachers I have worked with.

[Guest wayneybabes]

My wife is on facebook and uses it to keep in touch with our children and granchildren who do not live local enough to visit very often.

if you want to have a look at the group on your wifes facebook, heres the link http://www.facebook....ups/7032310727/

[Guest wayneybabes]

However, Facebook is used by most of the kids I teach at school, and as a matter of teaching professionalism I do not have a facebook account mainly because of the risk of being contacted by students I teach and the mallicious accusations about me that could then be made, or the personal information that could be obtained.

I know Dave, was just a tongue in cheek remark

I have to be the same when i am on the works facebook. As we supply supporters of both Sheffield Clubs, i have to resist giving out banter

my own facebook is a different matter though lol

[DaveH]

if you want to have a look at the group on your wifes facebook, heres the link http://www.facebook....ups/7032310727/

At present I use Sheffield History and she uses Facebook and that seems to work well.

[DaveH]

I know Dave, was just a tongue in cheek remark

I knew it was, however I thought I would explain why I don't use Facebook

[DaveH]

if you want to have a look at the group on your wifes facebook, heres the link http://www.facebook....ups/7032310727/

I have just taken you up on this offer Wayne and had a look at the facebook group from your link using my wifes login.

It looks pretty good, and it seems from your posts on there that you are fairly instrumental in running the group, - well done that man, keep up the good work!

It is so good that I may have to consider opening a Facebook account of my own, setting it to maximum security and then joining the group.

Sheffield History has the advantage over Facebook on the memories, school history and images.

Facebook has the advantage over Sheffield History on number of members that are ex students (315 compared to about 14) and some ex members of staff as well!

It would be nice to combine the advantages of both.

So, if I decide to join I will be contacting you Wayne to let you know.

..and Oh yes, it seems that Stuart is already a member of the Facebook group, - he kept that quiet!

[Guest wayneybabes]

Thanks for the kind words Dave, much appreciated.

Yes, Stuart joined the other day. I had to ask him a couple of questions because we have had a few problems lately with people joining the group just to put spam on the group wall but i think Stuart will understand why i had to ask!.

The group was started by Simon in 2008 and he regards it as his 'baby'!. I added around 50 people to the group so he joked about making me admin so i took him up on the offer!

Simon and myself decide wether to accept or decline people to the group, and only we can ban members.

As you will have seen, i have tried again to get people to sign up to SH and Simon will be signing up as i will keep pestering him!!

[DaveH]

Thanks for the kind words Dave, much appreciated.

Yes, Stuart joined the other day. I had to ask him a couple of questions because we have had a few problems lately with people joining the group just to put spam on the group wall but i think Stuart will understand why i had to ask!.

The group was started by Simon in 2008 and he regards it as his 'baby'!. I added around 50 people to the group so he joked about making me admin so i took him up on the offer!

Simon and myself decide wether to accept or decline people to the group, and only we can ban members.

As you will have seen, i have tried again to get people to sign up to SH and Simon will be signing up as i will keep pestering him!!

Spamming apart, I would have thought that most, if not all of your 300 odd members are ex students, like yourself, Stuart and me.

Is Simon an ex student if he started the group off and runs it?

Has he had a look on here yet to see the sort of stuff we have?

[Guest wayneybabes]

yes, Simon is an ex student. He says he will have a look on here when he gets the time.

As far as i am aware, all members are ex pupils/teachers (Man Pyle is a member but has never posted anything). If not i would say no less than 95% are ex pupils/teachers.

When i get the time, i am going to have a go at doing that sketch of the school i once told you about that i did when i was younger. Its going to take some doing as most will be from memory. I will put it on here and on facebook when i have finished it!

[DaveH]

yes, Simon is an ex student. He says he will have a look on here when he gets the time.

As far as i am aware, all members are ex pupils/teachers (Man Pyle is a member but has never posted anything). If not i would say no less than 95% are ex pupils/teachers.

When i get the time, i am going to have a go at doing that sketch of the school i once told you about that i did when i was younger. Its going to take some doing as most will be from memory. I will put it on here and on facebook when i have finished it!

Is the sketch a plan of the school with all the rooms on.

I did start one for the junior school once but didn't get very far, - it certainly wasn't to scale and certainly not an architects plan by any means. The secondary school would be much harder due to all those strange angular corners.

[Guest wayneybabes]

It would be a sketch of the view from our back garden on City Road, with all 3 schools, annexe, tennis courts, dining room and grass bank/steps

[DaveH]

It would be a sketch of the view from our back garden on City Road, with all 3 schools, annexe, tennis courts, dining room and grass bank/steps

That would be really good.

You were obviously good at art.

I'll tackle the plan of the school as I did better with Man Piercy in Technical Drawing but was never very good at art.

The Art room was the big room in the middle of the quad which had been the school hall before the glass tower extension was built (If I get round to a plan I will include it)

Our Art teacher was a woman called "Lass Bray", but this got altered to "Loose Bra" by some of us lads for fairly obvious resons if you saw her. She left to get married in 1970 when I was in the 3rd year and we never did art again after that. Because she left I never got a photo of her (now, given my description above, that would have been something) so she is not included in my very early posts in this topic with photos of each teacher and a detailed description of them.

[Guest wayneybabes]

That would be really good.

You were obviously good at art.

I'll tackle the plan of the school as I did better with Man Piercy in Technical Drawing but was never very good at art.

The Art room was the big room in the middle of the quad which had been the school hall before the glass tower extension was built (If I get round to a plan I will include it)

Our Art teacher was a woman called "Lass Bray", but this got altered to "Loose Bra" by some of us lads for fairly obvious resons if you saw her. She left to get married in 1970 when I was in the 3rd year and we never did art again after that. Because she left I never got a photo of her (now, given my description above, that would have been something) so she is not included in my very early posts in this topic with photos of each teacher and a detailed description of them.

i can draw buildings but not people!. this project will be more a test of memory than a test of skill

i am hoping that if i miss out a window or a drainpipe then you will pick up on it he he

[DaveH]

i can draw buildings but not people!. this project will be more a test of memory than a test of skill

i am hoping that if i miss out a window or a drainpipe then you will pick up on it

I don't think my memory is that good wayneybabes,

Unless of course I have an old photo showing the correct number of windows and drainpipes