Central Technical School

[Janner 10]

I must state that when I left the Tech. in 49 I had a brilliant education. I joined the RN as a Stoker (too old to be an artificer apprentice) when I left the RN in 72 I had reached the rank of Lieutenant. The comprehensive education I received stood me in good stead.

I had left a Grammar school after two years, couldn't cope with learning two foreign languages, it is the best move I ever made. I think the subjects we covered were very comprehensive , the teaching I thought was excellent. I find some peoples bad memories of the Tech. are vastly different to mine, I have no idea why.

[Vasquez Rich 10]

Ken Westnedge - LEGEND!!

[HPSec 10]

I am John Heeley, and I was at the Central Technical School for five years, leaving in the summer of 1969. There was too much corporal punishment and silly rules at the place, but latterly I had three wonderful teachers (Knight, Hill and King) and left with 3 A levels (two at grade A). Career-wise, I never looked back from that point onwards, and for that reason feel most grateful to the Tec.

 

My hazy school-day memories have been jogged by reading the threads. Names like Chris Pryor and Nobby Clark have suddenly come back to me, while the posts by David Theaker really do resonate! I remember you well, David, and it would be good to hear from you and any other long-lost friends who can remember me!

 

P.S.On leaving school in the summer of '69, I worked for 6 weeks at a Butlins Holiday Camp with my Central Tec matey, Richard Ellin - anybody know what happened to him?

 

---------- Post added 17-11-2016 at 13:48 ----------

 

 

Hi Chris, remember me, John Heeley. Unsure we were in the same class, but I seem to recall you were a Wisewood lad.

 

It looks like you are now living in Lodge Moor. I am just down the road!

 

I see 2 old Tec mates for a drink at Christmas - Alan Curtis and Dave Salt. Let me know if you want to join us.

 

Best, John

 

---------- Post added 17-11-2016 at 14:05 ----------

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Dave,

 

Maybe you remember me - John Heeley? I think we may have shared a route through 2 schools - Wisewood and Central Technical. I remember you well. In one of your posts you also mention K.Harrison - well, she was the focus of my first real 'crush', though you are the first person to whom I have ever owned up!

 

The education I received at the Tec set me up for life and a career which is still rumbling on.

 

I get up to Scotland quite a lot, so who knows we may meet up again after all these years.

 

All the best, John

 

---------- Post added 17-11-2016 at 14:28 ----------

 

 

Yes, Wadge was 'old school' and unforgivably sadistic. I recall shortly after the move to Ashleigh, the whole school was abruptly summoned to witness some poor boy being ritually humiliated by Wadge for prising a small marker disc off a chair. He sobbed abjectly as he was caned ferociously by a seemingly incensed Wadge. to this day I cannot say whether or not the man's anger was theatrical or genuine, all I do know is that this awful spectacle is stamped indelibly on my mind.

 

---------- Post added 17-11-2016 at 15:01 ----------

 

 

My recollections of Charles Haydock are less favourable. He rapped the knuckles of girls for the most trivial of matters; he slung blackboards at pupils; and it was nigh on impossible to judge what his mood would be. His 'jokes' were puerile. He caned me twice, on separate occasions, for spelling mistakes. On the first occasion my hand was so sore and swollen I could not hold my knife properly at tea later on that night, though thankfully Mum and Dad did not spot anything untoward.

 

I hated him so much that on my last day a fellow-sufferer (Keith Dungworth) and I stole his legendary cane and burned it on a bit of wasteland near the school. That little act of rebellio felt mighty good!

 

---------- Post added 17-11-2016 at 15:12 ----------

 

 

New to this thread, but I was at CTS 1963-70 and had a few years of Wadge and all of his rantings and ravings, so I just love this story!

 

---------- Post added 17-11-2016 at 16:18 ----------

 

Further to my last post, four of the class of 1969 (myself included) are meeting up for a drink in Sheffield shortly after Christmas Day. Let me know if that is of any interest to other reprobates from the class of '69 who might be out there and more or less alive and kicking!

 

John,

 

If I say, "Cobblers, Wisewood Road, St Mark's", does that mean anything? And do you have a brother? Sentence there starting with 'and', probably worthy of a big dig or a close encounter with Charlie's peppermint stick!

 

If any of that has a familiarity, I think it could be said that your parents, being of a nation of shopkeepers, were some of the nicest people in the land, quintessential of those happier times (historically and beyond school gates). I guess a small number of months separate us in age, but probably enough, in growing up, to ensure that our paths never really crossed. I mean, one day when I'm old enough, to join the OBA (with which, since Upper Sixth at CTS, I've not had the slightest contact).

 

If I recall, there was a move from Wisewood Road to the top of Hillsborough, near to the Jolly Fryer (which, or who, for a short period of time produced some of the best fish and chips in the area). That gets me thinking of Henderson's Relish and the hot pie shop that used to be near the Park Cinema (as was) in earlier days of childhood. Henderson goes on, increasingly as a national institution, even if the Kinema went an age ago, and lately, I'm told, the Old Blue Ball is gone.

 

Good news though! Eureka and all that! In your name causing me to rake over that old 'post' of mine and through the dim recesses of mind, I've answered one of my own questions; the woodwork teacher at Wisewood was Mr Moffatt (firm but fair).

 

---------- Post added 30-11-2017 at 15:10 ----------

 

I didn't go to the Central Technical School, but do know a Mr Bunn that was a teacher there, he taught French, English, and Scripture.

 

178 Patricia

 

Mr Bunn; one of the best; one of quite a few CTS teachers I owe.

 

I say so despite the NIL still etched on my mind that appeared in the margin of my English exercise book, in pencil in Mr Bunn's hand. I have mentioned the incident elsewhere in these pages. One week I was up there with the stars having written an essay about capital punishment which Mr Bunn had thought worthy to read to the class (somewhere in the bare-boarded West Street building).

 

Stupidly I had taken that event to give me licence to twist the essay title of the following week's homework, which didn't suit me, to something more to my liking.

 

That didn't prove to suit Mr Bunn and his remark, after NIL, said something like, "You can be clever, but still be wrong." Lesson learnt; ever since, I've hung on to Mr Bunn's words of wisdom. When things go wrong locally or nationally, as often they do if forethought is not given to consequences, you'll hear me utter his words and I salute him.

 

---------- Post added 30-11-2017 at 17:18 ----------

 

CTS from September 66 to July 1970. I was in the same year as the first influx of girls from Hurlfield- Susan Benson, Rhona Baker, Renata Sorella, Susan White, Elaine Elsdon, Gwen Foster, Gillian Teanby, Stephanie Crawshaw. Apologies if I have forgotten any other ladies.

 

Leaving in 1968, we were never so fortunate!

 

I ask often enough, Joe, for the benefit of historic record, but I never seem to get the definitive answers, and you may be the one to give them:

 

1.

Contrary to what might be mistakenly said on Wikipedia about CTS, please can you confirm that the last headteacher of CTS and first headteacher of Ashleigh was LDL Fyfe? The last person who undertook to provide the proof disappeared into his attic a while ago and I haven't heard from him since;

 

2.

Can you confirm that Ashleigh came into being in September 1968 or otherwise give the precise date?

 

3.

Can you give a date for the last issue of CTS Diplomas?

 

4.

Can you put a reasonably accurate date on the demolition of Ashleigh Upper School (formerly CTS)?

 

5.

Can you put a reasonably accurate date on the demolition of Ashleigh Lower School (formerly Hurlfield Girls School)?

 

 

Thank you in anticipation. Perhaps, if you can't provide all of this, others will come forward with bits of missing information.

 

---------- Post added 03-12-2017 at 12:32 ----------

 

HPSec,

 

You have made my day, you describe Wisewood and the TECH to a tee.

Haydock was a very strict man, but I will always remember the history of North and South America. He used to get his hand printing unit out and churn out copies, this was the day before photocopies.

I think it was called a Gestetner.

 

All the best

 

Looking back I see I missed off some Wisewood Secondary Modern School teacher 's names - probably more than I know, but including:

 

Mr Kay

 

Mr Packham

 

 

Neither taught the classes I was in, but obviously they made an impression or why would I have remembered them for so long?

 

I did more woodwork at Wisewood than metalwork including the making of a small plywood-faced framed drawing board and a Formica-faced tee-square with a mahogany stock. I see that elsewhere I've said the teacher was Mr Moffit or Moffatt.

 

However, I did do a term or two of metalwork. A brass shoehorn, a square dish formed by folding thin flat plate and a riveted coat hook resulted, but the name of the teacher has escaped me for years.

 

As of the other day, in a reverse senior moment, I recall it to have been Mr Brammer (firm but fair as befits somebody in charge of a wild bunch in a workshop, lab or even a classroom). I can't vouch for my spelling of his name (I'm sure it has variations), but the wood and metal products lasted a long time. My young grandson, not long since having learned to tie his shoelaces, uses the shoehorn without the slightest appreciation of the sweat and anxiety that went into making such things that could go wrong at any moment.

 

The workshop discipline was all useful preparation for life at CTS where, I seem to recall, a careless slip would often give the teacher an opportunity to draw the class around the unfortunate pupil's bench, for the benefit of an example.

Edited December 5, 2017 by HPSec
To correct Lane to Road

[Janner 10]

Are there any old boys remaining from 47/49?

[download 10]

Just scrolling through expats.

Saw your post ,my brother Cyril went to Central Tech and was there 48/49 .

He doesn't do computers,but still lives in Sheffield.You may not even know him,

but would contact him if you did.

[helbo 10]

I was not practically inclined and Ken Westnedge gave me a kick up the backside when working on a lathe, I was poor at technical drawing, foundry practice, physics and chemistry.

I joined the school in 1963 and left with 5 GCE'O Levels, we were perhaps fortunate as Wadge was only there for a year and retired.

I do not feel Central Technnicalt failed me in any way, it just made certain I would not be doing a job working with my hands.

 

Well said John! The whole concept of placing 'late developers' into engineering/building' only, was somewhat restricting and dare I say, self serving for local industry. Leaving the CTS with no qualifications and eventually becoming a teacher at an Australian university, begs the question, was I to be written off as a failure? No way but I had to do it through alternative means!

[hoboslorry 10]

Did anyone go to the Central Technical School between 1952-55.

 

Can you remember the teachers and your other schoolmates.

 

Love to hear from anybody.

 

Happy Days!!

 

hello there

 

My name is Michael hobson and I attended the engineering department of the school in 1955-1958.

I cannot remember a lot about my school days except for a few classmates

name of mick bramhall, ? bellamy, ? woodward ,mick wardlow ?

I would be grateful for any information on how to trace my classmates and your reunion dates please. mick hobson

[johnlittle 10]

Well said John! The whole concept of placing 'late developers' into engineering/building' only, was somewhat restricting and dare I say, self serving for local industry. Leaving the CTS with no qualifications and eventually becoming a teacher at an Australian university, begs the question, was I to be written off as a failure? No way but I had to do it through alternative means!

 

Helbo, I have only just seen your response to my post of last year and it's reassuring to find someone whose experience and understanding of the facts reflects my own.

I, too, eventually became an academic and course leader in a university here but after many less fruitful years of toil to overcome the 'failure' of the 11+ and subsequent 'success' of finding myself at CTS.

I also worked on the 11+ for a time at the Education Office after escaping across the yard. I became familiar with the rationing of grammar school places by means of one's IQ as measured on the fateful day. So many papers, such as mine, were only half completed such was the lack of coaching or readiness for whatever reasons.

I also worked with an important body representing industry and commerce when their call was only for skills and to hell with the rest (unless you were an old- time grammar school boy and company Chairman of course!).

The Education Act of 1945 which set up the 'tripartite system' including technical schools was a brave welfare state measure, well-meaning, but failing so many. It is almost 150 years since the first Education Act of 1870 and yet so little real progress has been made, perhaps not without reason. Still we have the emphasis on skills and business culture. The term 'narrow horizons' comes to mind. Having such can sometimes be an unknown comfort providing acceptance of one's lot but, for others who were failed such as at the CTS, it meant an eternal millstone around the neck which had first to be removed if success was to be achieved. By then, it was often too late for many, such as me, to achieve our true potential.

I still have the useless piece of steel I turned on the lathe at CTS, the tin tray, hearth brush and wooden pattern (a tram handle perhaps!) which I was forced to produce at CTS by often unappreciating staff. What poignant reminders of wasted effort (for me) they are!

Edited May 3, 2018 by johnlittle
few corrections

[Janner 10]

I came to the CTS in 46 by way of a grammar school, which I volunteered to leave because I was hopeless with trying to learn two foreign languages. I enjoyed my three years & throughout life have found the teaching to be very useful. I joined the RN as a rating & left in 72 as an Engineer Lieutenant. I really, from my viewpoint I cannot fault the teaching I received.

[bertiemarsde 10]

Gethro 30-12-2008, Hello Gethro. You were absolutely correct I am Bert Marsden and I remember cleaning Pop Gregory's gun. I really liked old Pop although he did give me a wallop once with the gas pipe. Please tell me who you are. albert.marsden@sky.com. I live in Torquay and at this moment I am with my best mate from SCTS Geoff Smith. We two would like to contact TONY VARDY should you know of his whereabouts please let me know. I was at SCTS Jan '51-Dec 52

 

---------- Post added 07-11-2018 at 20:06 ----------

 

Gethro 30-12-2008, Hello Gethro. You were absolutely correct I am Bert Marsden and I remember cleaning Pop Gregory's gun. I really liked old Pop although he did give me a wallop once with the gas pipe. Please tell me who you are. I am albert.marsden@sky.com. I live in Torquay and at this moment I am with my best mate from SCTS Geoff Smith. We two would like to contact TONY VARDY should you know of his whereabouts please let me know. I was at SCTS Jan '51-Dec 52

[bertiemarsde 10]

I agree with you Rebate,  Wadge was a swine. I was ordered to apologise to him after he had me caned twelve strokes. He then had the nerve to put his hands on my shoulders and started given me and the class a right earache. I told him, " Get your hands off me you *******." He nearly died of shock. I never apologised , left the school and eventually passed the exams and joined the Royal Navy as an Artificer Apprentice. I became a Chief Ordnance Artificer and have had a wonderful life.

The education I received at SCTS was the keystone to my success in life. Mr Shipley was a brilliant Maths teacher. I owe him a great deal.  

[David Ra2 10]

3 hours ago, bertiemarsde said:

I agree with you Rebate,  Wadge was a swine. I was ordered to apologise to him after he had me caned twelve strokes. He then had the nerve to put his hands on my shoulders and started given me and the class a right earache. I told him, " Get your hands off me you *******." He nearly died of shock. I never apologised , left the school and eventually passed the exams and joined the Royal Navy as an Artificer Apprentice. I became a Chief Ordnance Artificer and have had a wonderful life.

The education I received at SCTS was the keystone to my success in life. Mr Shipley was a brilliant Maths teacher. I owe him a great deal.  

I agree Wadge was a bully and a pompous man.

I received a good education at CTS and left in1967.