St Barnabas School, Cecil Road

[Minimo 59]

I went to St Barnabas on Cecil Rd. I left in 1958 when I was the only child in my year to pass the 11+. The head was Mr Nutting, but can`t remember any other teacher`s names. I used to be in charge of the tuck shop which was held in the head`s office with various chocolate bars laid out on 3 chairs.When my father died in 1954 I had to tell my teacher that I needed free school meals. I can still see the shock on her face as they had no idea my father had died.

The toilets were at the far end of the playground and you had to ask for toilet paper from the playground supervisor, you got 3 pieces, tough if you needed more. We played games like `the farmer takes a wife` (can`t remember the right name) and lots of ball games. Other children I recall were Geoffrey Horsepool, Gwendoline Cawthorne and Frances ....,we were the top 4 and always sat at the back of the room. I still have all my school reports

Got to go the delivery man is here with my new freezer!

[Minimo 59]

Back with some more. Frances was Frances Priest. We used to have to go to the headmaster to read words on a card. I`ve never forgotten the silly looking word phthisis, which I had to read out.

Incidentally I don`t know if the cane was ever used, I never heard of anyone being hit, and don`t remember seeing a cane anywhere. Most kids were pretty well behaved I think.

[only_me 11]

I was there in the early 1970s so most of the teachers etc would have been different. The tuck shop sounds like it never changed though i can remember the big chocolate dundee buiscuits. There were two small play grounds although the one nearest Horner rd had a mobile toilet block put in while i was there (i think the main toilets were beyond repair). The head was a woman Called mrs Edwards (who once slapped my legs so no cane) and i remember a teacher called mrs Batty also a mr Wright. The caretaker at that time was an old man called mr Sears. The school had its centenary year in 1972-3 so that was something i can remember well. CHUSTY, did you go to heeley baths while you were at Cecil rd ?

[only_me 11]

nozzer, unfortunately, it's the other St Barnabas School we were talking about, on Cecil Road, not the one over on Alderson Road (which Is, indeed a bed shop, now)

 

I'm still wracking my brains to remember the material the school on Cecil Road was built in, whether it was brick or stone. I remember, very well, the high wall, and how dark and grimy looking it was.

 

in 1978/9 the first phase of the clearance happened. The top half of Mount Pleasant Road was demolished, and I remember a temporary path through toward Vincent road. We moved out in April 1979, and the remainder of our street was demolished later that Summer.

 

Your right Plain Talker (a previous post) the building was brick and there is a picture of the school on friends reunited.

[Minimo 59]

Only me, I can`t remember going to Heeley Baths, but memory isn`t that good these days. I do remember the absolutely foul food which came in big steel containers. The meat was all gristle, the mashed potatoes cold, grey and lumpy, and the cabbage was dark green and bitter tasting. One of my school reports mentions my not eating the dinners, saying I would not do anything I didn`t want to. Sometimes they would make me sit there long after everybody else had finished, but I never gave in.

[Greybeard 10]

Yes it was brick as I remember it. Inside it was mostly painted green and cream in the 40s/50s. There was wire netting mounted on top of the playground walls, I think to stop balls flying over into the road.

 

Although most people remember these schools as belonging to St. Barnabas they were in fact built before the church. Originally the Alderson road school was affiliated with St. Mary's Bramall lane and Cecil road school with St.Andrews in Sharrow.

 

only-me - did Mr. Sears live at the bottom of St. Vincent road ? If so I knew him well in the 1950s. His son David became the curator of the Bishop's House museum.

[only_me 11]

Not to sure where mr Sears lived Greybeard but i would presume he was local, i seem to remember him as being a quiet type of man.

[Greybeard 10]

Not to sure where mr Sears lived Greybeard but i would presume he was local, i seem to remember him as being a quiet type of man.

 

Sounds like the man I knew, - last time I bumped into him was in that pub at the bottom of Cemetery road, about 1977 or 78.

[Plain Talker 11]

Your right Plain Talker (a previous post) the building was brick and there is a picture of the school on friends reunited.

 

OOh if you have a link to it please will you post it? thanks in advance.

[Plain Talker 11]

Scratch that request! I've managed to find the pic through FU. The school was as dark as I remembered it! hehe

 

That pic must have been taken no later than about 1979/80, as the housing was being demolished just beside it.

 

Do you know, It's weird, I didn't remember Cecil Road sloping as strongly as the picture shows.

[Minimo 59]

How do you get to the pic on FU please, I can`t seem to find it?

[Minimo 59]

That should have been FR not FU