John W. Cartwright Leaving Date: 1950 Email - Kings Norton Boys

John W. Cartwright
Leaving Date: 1950
Email: jw.cartwright@virgin.net
Location: Timsbury, Near Bath
Message:
Click to Link to Memory Bank
Peter Brown
Leaving Date: 1950
Email: carolinecotteril@fsmail.net
Location: Earlswood
Message:
Well what can I say, I totally enjoyed your web site. It was a change to be able
to navigate around a site without going around in circles. I would love to hear
from any old school friends. I attended Kings Norton from 1943 - 1950 ish. I got
the Daughter to do a web site for those that are interested in what I have been
up to since leaving school. In brief since leaving school I worked at arial as an
apprentice, BSA where my engineering and love for motor bikes led me to become
British Champion Sidecar racer in 1968- I worked at Jaguar and Landrover
as a development engineer- after retiring I, due to one thing and another I became
a District Councilor and in between during free time build Kitcars traction
engines and Steam Engines. Please get in touch if you remember me.
Howard Stockley
Leaving Date: 1951
Email: howard.physics@virgin.net
Location: Alcester
Message:
Student at KNGS as it then was 1943-51, Staff 1957- 87 A Very many thanks to
all who have written to me since the news of my hospital visit became known. It
wasn't too serious and I'm pleased to say I am now almost fully recovered. In
the main my memories of the excellent school are extremely happy ones in both
my periods there. I was very well taught in my student days and those who
were my teachers then made me very welcome as a colleague and set my standards.
Teaching at that time was great fun even if I did lose my cool sometimes
and my apologies to those who may have found themselves on the receiving
end both boys and occasionally colleagues. It gives me immense pleasure to
know that so many of the boys I taught have made such good progress in life.
My very best wishes to all, Howard.
Noel Slater
Leaving Date: 1951
Email: noel@nslater.fsnet.co.uk
Location: Shropshire
Message:
I have only just found this site but will try to put together a few memories from
the past.
I attended the school about the same time as Howard Stockley 1944-51 If my
memory serves me right. I don't remember Howard but my particular friends
were Jimmy Woolley, Len Wilkes and a lad called Steele who lived up Cartland
road. I also remember the Swani brothers who were very good athletes I think

their father was a doctor in Northfield. My science teacher for a time was Butch
Stevens who taught science with infectious enthusiasm. Happy memories of a
long time ago. I remember the thick fogs and having to walk home on several
occasions from school to Kings Heath because the busses had stopped running;
and digging up pig nuts on the edge of the field near the pavilion. Is there still a
field and is there still a pavilion Wednesday afternoon visits to the Birmingham
Rep were another happy memory.
My wife Pam Richmond attended the girls school at the same time, but that's
another story.
Peter Williams
Leaving Date: 1951
Email: plw@peverel.org.uk
Location: Hampshire
Message:
I was at KNGS from '46 to '51, displaying a complete lack of academic potential.
Indeed I left with just three not very good O levels (1951 was the first year of O
levels) Had a go at pharmacy, then enjoyed two years in the Military Corrective
Establishment at Colchester (I was on the staff), and somehow got into Borough
Road teachers training college. Passed and became a Science Teacher, escaped
after pleading the headaches some 15 years ago, and have quietly coached science
and maths whilst living in a converted (by me and my children) first world
war army hut in rural Hampshire. Am I right in remembering a Mr Stevens he
taught me for Science at some point, I enjoyed that. Collected an OU degree in
a clutch of sciences in 1974, and another one in Maths this year to make up for
failing O level maths. In the nearly forty years since leaving I have only met
one member of my form. Years ago walking along the Pershore Road near Lifford
Land I bumped into Chas Cross. I still have a photo of form 1d somewhere,
not a pretty bunch with Killer Cole sitting in the middle.
Phillip Hutchings
Leaving Date: 1951
Email: phutch@lineone.net
Location:
Message:
I attended KNGSforB between 1946 and 1951Head master Mr Reynolds, Art Mr
Walton Biology Piggy Hiddle History Splasher Waring French Mr Cooling ETC
Anyone out there remember me
David A. Hardy
Leaving Date: 1952
Email: dave@astroart.org
Location: Hall Green, Birmingham.
Message:
Link to 'Famous Faces' Section.
Please see 'biography' elsewhere on this site! (or www.astroart.org)
Basically, I combined my school interests in both Science and Art to become a
space and SF artist.
Tony Hemming
Leaving Date: 1952

Email: tonyhemminglombard@yahoo.co.uk
Location: Lichfield, Staffs.
Message:
I seem to remember that 1947 was a heavy "intake" of new bugs and so I
found myself in class 1d, I think. Killer Cole was our form master and I cycled
from Weoley Castle every day to school. (imagine that these days!)
My pals were Mike Hall, Kenny Howard, Billy Horton, Geoff Vernon (who sold
used comics in the lunch break for a penny each and tried to run a book until
complaints to his mum!)
KNGS was a happy school for me even though I wasn't cut out to be a scholar.
After a short career in telecoms and national service I joined the Girling Racing
Department in the 60's then by the 70's was on the road selling chainsaws. I
subsequently started my own business which has now been sold leaving me to
enjoy retirement - perfect!
Maurice Rymill
Leaving Date: 1952
Email: mossrymill@aol.com
Location: Bournville
Message:
Hi! everyone, I was at the school from September 1946 to July 1952, and my
first form was 1c. I remember the register list from the next year (2c), as if it
was engraved on my memory. Avery, Banks, Bates, Cooper, Cross, Gee, Haddleton,
Hayes, Holmes, James, Lewis, Lovegrove, Mitchell, Morgan, Murray,
Packwood, Parsons, Pemberton, Pinkerton, Pownall, Price, Rymill, Skett, Slater,
Steele, Taylor, Tomley, Vaughan, Watson, Weaver, Wilkes, Williams, P., Williams,
J., Woolley, Worth. As you can see there used to be 35 boy forms in
those days! I remember that eventually we had two Vaughan's also, though I
think that by that time we had lost Steele, who, I think, went to another school
when his parents moved. It is strange, but I seem to remember that most of
the boys in my form were forenamed John.
The masters I remember were Mr. Caldwell, (Geography), Mr. Cole, (English),
Mr. Ward, (Woodwork), Mr. Hindle, (Biology), Mr. Stevens, (Physics), Mr. Coultas,
(French), Mr. Welburn, (Art), Miss Thomas, (History),
Mr. Eccleston, Mr. Wright and, of course, the Headmaster Mr. W. H. Reynolds.
I went on to a 5-year apprenticeship in Electro-Mechanical Engineering, with
Chamberlain and Hookham Ltd., Electric Meter Manufacturers, Digbeth. From
there I spent two years in the R.A.F., as an Instrument Fitter, and later gained
various National Certificate and City and Guilds qualifications in Electronics and
Radio and TV repairing, before finishing up for 25 years at Cadbury's, doing Instrument
and Electro-Mechanical repair work in a Maintenance Department, before
being made redundant, in 1993. I retired at Christmas 2000.
Barry J. Watts
Leaving Date: 1954
Email: bwatts@botcot.fsnet.co.uk
Location: Derbyshire
Message:

After leaving KNGS I joined Cadburys and eventually became a Sales Rep for
them, moving to Nottingham.
After leaving Cadburys I had several jobs, all in selling
and ended up running my own business for almost thirty years, still living in
Nottingham, selling racking, shelving and office partitioning. I retired in April of
this year and have moved, with my wife of 42 years, to a lovely cottage in the
Derbyshire Peak District. Our interests now are golf, gardening, walking, painting,
spending time with our Grandchildren and I have just taken up gliding!
My years at the school were as happy as school days can be and I am still
grateful for the start in life that going to a good school gives one. I'd love to
hear from any of my old class mates.
Bryan Dawson
Leaving Date: 1957
Email: bdawson@rjsonline.net
Location: North Carolina, USA
Message:
Wow, it was just great to find this web site. I attended KNGS as it then was
from 1950 to 1957 and just reading all the articles on the site brought back
many pleasant memories of my time there. I can remember many of the Masters
who must have become very frustrated with the task of trying to educate
me; Sniffer Ellis for Geography, Ned Cooling for French, Ted and Aggie Cole,
Dicky Dalton, Sammy Ecclestone, Micky Moore, etc.
I remember some of the pranks that we pulled. Before one of our RI classes we
hid a classmate in the cupboard. Halfway through the class he banged on the
cupboard door and fell out at Clarence Meadows' feet. In the 6th form I took
double maths with Bomber Blundell. There were only four of us in the class and
we would sit one in each corner of the room much to his consternation. I remember
also Mr. Sheen amazing us by solving solid geometry problems in his
head!
I still have the two panoramic photos that were taken during my time there and
can still recognize many people, both staff and students.
After I left, I was a member of the Old Norts Junior club before moving away
from Brum. I studied engineering at London and Manchester and eventually
found my way over to the States in 1967.
I would love to hear from any of my fellow classmates of other friends from
those days. Maybe we can start some e-mail exchanges
Jack Fryer
Leaving Date: 1957
Email: jackfryer@yahoo.com
Location: Warwickshire
Message:
I have just discovered the KNBS (KNGS) web-site and am interested to note
that nobody from my era 1950 -1957 is represented . Like me many of these

individuals are just retiring so they should have more time to make contact with
their old school friends.
My memories of the school are extremely warm, in that period I think that we
were very lucky to have such excellent masters, the ones that spring to mind
are: - Bomber Blundell - great maths teacher , Sam Ecclestone - inspired me
to take a Physics degree , Fido Fawkes / Ned Cooling - both battled to give us
French accents to compete with our natural Birminham vowels , Sniffer Ellis -
who apart from teaching Geography got us all interested in collecting stamps,
plus many others.
After my first degree at Imperial college ,I did a post -graduate degree at Birmingham
and I am just retiring from a career which spanned Rolls Royce , Rank
Xerox, Lucas and Marconi
Dennis W. Hodges
Leaving Date: 1957
Email: dennishodges@hotmail.com
Location: King's Norton, Birmingham
Message:
Became an articled clerk in Birmingham and qualified as a Chartered Accountant
in 1964. Worked in the profession for a few years then became a company accountant
with several companies including the TI Group. Am now semi ret and
work 3 days a week at a small company in Stourbridge. Interests include cycling
and walking , and of course living in King' s Norton. Am a great believer in the
apostrophe in KN as taught to us by our English teacher at that time , Mr
Wheeler .
My 3 sons also went to KN and hopefully my grandsons will do the same.
James Tomlinson
Leaving Date: 1957
Email: jandjtomlinson@tesco.net
Location: Folkestone, Kent.
Message:
After KNGS BA in French at Liverpool then Diploma in Librarianship at UCL.
Worked in publishing until 1990. Since then Prison Librarian at HMP Bedford and
HMYOI Dover. About to retire. Brass band enthusiast (a legacy of the Fens).
Phil Faulkner
Leaving Date: 1958
Email: philpatty@juno.com
Location: Seattle, Washington
Message:
It was with much pleasure and fond memories that I discovered your website.
It would appear that either there are very few of my class left or like myself
they have not felt the need to contact their old school until now. I arrived at
King's Norton in September of 1953, the initiating to say the least was a little
traumatic. Hoards of second and third year students descended on us with
chants of "newbug" and tossing their satchels around our necks trying very hard
(and succeeding) in intimidating us. I hope that there are a few of my former

class that would be willing to make contact. I was in 1A through 5A. Our first
Headmaster was Mr. Reynolds and after a couple of years when Mr Reynolds
retired Mr Sheen became the new Headmaster. I moved to Vancouver B.C.
Canada in 1975 and I now live in the Seattle area of Washington U.S.A. where I
have resided since 1979 Anyone wishing to contact me to share old memories
can contact me at philpatty@juno.com
Robert G. Moore
Leaving Date: 1959
Email: robmoore@bellsouth.net
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Message:
I lived in Barnt Green, Worcestershire, and attended Kings Norton Grammar
School from 1952 to 1959. I then went to Queen Mary College, London, graduating
with an Upper Second Class Honors degree in Aeronautical Engineering in
1962. After working for Vickers Aircraft, and later Hovercraft Development Lld.,
I moved to the US in 1967 and worked for various divisions of Textron till 1999.
I retired as Vice President of Engineering, and currently do consulting work for
several US and English companies.
I met my wife Sheila at Queen Mary college, and we had three sons. All are
now grown and married, and we have four grandchildren.
I am eternally grateful for the education I received at Kings Norton and Queen
Mary College. It has served me exceptionally well throughout my career in Aero
and Marine Engineering