GraceLeah

Hi Legs 49, I went through Beck Road (left around 70/71) and then later through Firth Park (left 1975). I can probably name a couple more teachers for you, Mr Bashforth (Head teacher) Mr Bainbridge Mr Sykes. Mr Hawthorn I only did 3 years at Beck Road - just moved into the area when I was 10 years old - but was there when it changed from a Junior to a Middle School so am I in the right era? My brother Keith followed me through as he is two and half years younger than me. We both were very well known for our swimming. Maybe that gives you a clue as to who I am. I aways hated Mr Bainbridge, my M4 teacher, as he was always accusing me of doing something I didn't do but as a child I wasn't able to stand up to him and he knew it!!! First class bullying to my way of thinking. I know that whilst I was there Mrs Woods (Dubois) as she self-styled her name in french was continually retiring and then came back ...again and again and again. The first time she 'retired' she was bought a sewing machine as a gift but each time she came back and then 'retired' again then the subsequent gifts got smaller and less expensive. She never did like our Keith because he was hopeless at french and she then stated that he would never learn a foreign language. Oh, how wrong can she be? He lives over in Holland and has done for 29 years, married a lovely dutch girl, has 2 brilliant grown-up children and he not only speaks fluent dutch like a native but reads the language too! My favourite teacher was Jack Ellis (my J3 and M3 teacher). He was not only a good teacher but he was such a lovely man too. He helped me enormously as a new pupil to settle in to the school also with my swimming too.. I would imagine that as I am now 52 years of age and a Nanna of three beautiful grandchildren that none of the teachers would still be alive today, but you never know?!?!?

Hi, owlshihgreen, You must have been there at the same time as me. Two names I do remember from the ones you mention as Jane Shemeld was in the same class as me all through my years at Firth Park, and Frank Vaughan (year above me) had a romance going with my best mate Vernell through my 4th and 5th years if my memory serves me right.

I was born in 58 and went through Firth Park at the same time as you. Karen Grant I do remember. We lived on the Shiregreen estate since I was 10 years old. I also have a brother Keith (2 years younger than me) and we had many friends all over Shiregreen. Come back to me if you think you maybe remember us. We, Keith and I, were both well known through our swimming carrers.

Hi dropout, It was Roy Goddard not Tony. My brother Keith went through Beck Road and Firth Park, both of them in the same year. Yeah, he was very good on the violin, composig his own concertos etc. at the age of 12. All the Goddards (in Roy's family) were very clever, his sister, Vernell, being my best mate throughout my time at Firth Park. I left in 1975 but she stayed on (I believe) through the 6th form. I do keep in touch with Vernell on Facebook and was informed that Roy is married but has no kids and is currently living on the west cost of the USA.

Yes he is, 2 years younger than me. I'm Christine and we were both known for our swimming so that should give you extra information. Who are you? Maybe I will remember you too.

:wave: Hi dear , It was Roy Goddard who played the violin but none of his sisters played any instruments as far as I'm aware but the whole family loved music - mainly heavy rock. I remember Roy was writing concertos at 12/13 years old. Bob (he played the guitar), June, Gail, Vernell and Roy were all really very clever. Vernell was my best mate throughout my time at FP and prior to that Beck Road, and at home so I know them all pretty well, I used to live just down the road from them. My brother Keith Burns was in the same year as Roy throughout his school days. I've not long ago got back in touch with Vernell after all these years (we both are 51 now), through Facebook which I am happy really about and she tells me that Roy is now doing well, married and living in the USA.

I left in June 75 and I believe who you refer to as Penfold was in fact Mr Jones the french teacher (I watched Danger Mouse with my son and can see the similarities as to why he was given that soubriquet). I was taught by both these teachers every year of my time at Firth Park. Hate to contradict you guys out there who left after my time but Mr Jones (french) was at first known as "Samantha" Jones which later got shortened to "Sam" Jones due to his rather effeminate manners. When you later pupils changed it to Penfold I have no idea but Mr Jones (biology) was known as Jesus Jones even during my time there and can confirm that the both of them were well established when I started. My son later followed me to to FP as well and he's now 32.

Well, come on then, who are you? The names you have mentioned some of them were in the same class as me, ie: Paul Stubbs, Phil Milburn, Steven Allen - Swimmer - he was the one who gave Caroline Lee her nickname of Pee-Wee, Stephen Kirk, Geoff Hazelhurst, Karen Platts and Jane Shemeld. I do bump into Dougie Bullock now and again as he lives on the same estate as me, had a short romance with him for a few months in the mid-eighties and I was friends with his sister Anne. Paul Thompson, Andrew Wilson, Kim Wood, Jean Short, Beverly Kidd and Mavis Cutts all went through Beck Road Middle School with me. I was friends with Mavis out of school too for a year or so. I also remember Lloyd Siddall, Paul Swift and Denise Harrison as the swimmers. I remember Denise because I was the only one that could beat her (that should give you a big clue as to who I am) and my best school-mate was Vernell Goddard, who also was in the same class. There was also Mr Dentith (maths), Mr Chapman also maths, he always had bad breath, Ma Carr who's aim with a blackboard rubber was second to none. It also wasn't Betty Cordoba, it was Betty Cadona, she married her husband Alistair Cadona while we were there, Mr Upton moved to teach Chemistry at Silverdale School (after we left) and Mr Copley used to give you an involuntary shower when he spoke if you sat in the first two rows and last but not least, Doc Mayhew (Geology), my favourite teacher, who left at the same time as me to go and teach down in Devon/Cornwall. I did get to see some of the old teachers years later as my son, who is now 31 and made me a Nanna of 3 (2 girls and a boy and loving every minute of it!) went to Firth Park too and surpisingly the ones that I saw did remember me mainly through the swimming. Funnily enough, I go there now to the North Building once a week on Tuesday evenings for Computer studies, and boy, has the place changed. Gone is the flagpole, the huts gone too, new wings being built here there and everywhere, even the Bungalow has gone. Shame. I had such fond memories of my time there. Oh yeah, I'm still watching this space!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was also there in the first part of the 70s. I left in 1975 at the end of the 5th year. Just maybe, we all might know each other

I left in 1975 and (I and several others) used to cross the playing field to get (at lunchtime) 5 Parkdrive ciggies and half an uncut loaf from the little shop on Hadfield House Lane, eat and hollow it out whilst going to Lidsters chipshop, across the other side of the junction on Bellhouse Road to have it filled with chips and scraps - a feast from heaven!

The teacher you're refering to was Mr Harrison, universally known as "Pod" and he was a total sweetie. So the story goes that he had his toes on one foot blown off in the war and after that had to have special shoes made with weights to help him balance. After suffering 2 years of blinding science from Mr Renshaw he gave me one to one tuition, took me through, and helped me to pass my O level physics. Also do you remember the old record player he had in his classroom on the middle corridor at Brushes where he would play us one of his favourite records Lucy in the sky with diamonds by the Beatles.

I think you're refering to "Sam" Mr Jones (french teacher) and was the deputy head mistress Mrs Meehan (not sure how her surname was spelled) but she was famous for wearing orange lipstick which didn't suit her and Mr Dougie Jennings with his pronunciation of vey--ickles always caused a few titters when he said it, was the other deputy head at that time. I left in 1975, loved every minute of my time there, cried when I left, but these 3 teachers were still going strong then. I am 50 and back there doing computer courses. My son, who is now 31 also went there. I will also read through the rest of the questions and see if I can help answer any other questions.