King Henry VIII Grammar School

Mr Leachman tutored me for months on end, along with Mr Brotherwood, whilst I was in Paybody hospital having surgery. I'm very grateful to them both.

Hales house. Early to mid 90's here. Just discovered this thread and it has been very interesting reading. What really struck me when I first joined was just how old everyone there was. The fearsome hollow boom of the older boys in The Cage. The headmasters in assembly: I had never seen anyone that old before. I think that they were Mr. James and Mr. Hough. As I remember Hough retired in the early 90s with James becoming headmaster after that. Looking back now, they seemed to represent the end of the era of Britain as a great power, stood up there so proud and dominant. It is somewhat shocking to read about the things that went on in the past. The violence had certainly gone by the time I got there but there was still an unpleasant and bullying atmosphere, I had particularly unpleasant encounters with one history teacher and one economics teacher. I wonder if they are still there, bullying little children. Mr. Skermer seemed to be particularly friendly towards me when I was younger (I was quite an attractive child) but only up until the age of about 14. I never had any problems with him but the rumours were well known by everyone in the early 90s. He was another one who seemed to be astoundingly old, hard to believe that he was only in his early 40s at the time. He was the Head of Mathematics, Head of the First Year and the organiser of the Photography Club. I find myself almost upset by what happened to Terence Vardon, I think he became headmaster in 1995 following James' retirement. A gentleman and a scholar with maybe some less fortunate interests. He awakened my interest in renaissance art and literature. Dying at 52 seems terribly young nowadays. Tuesday detentions they certainly were in the mid 90's, held in room 10, near The Cage. The one time that I found myself there, it was Miss Rathbone who asked for humorous stories about the other teachers. The Cage was knocked down in the mid 90's and I think it became part of an extended staff room. King's house was indeed abolished in the mid 90s, maybe 1996? It had been decided upon the year before that one of the houses, the house that came last in the annual inter-house competition was to be abolished, which everyone assumed was going to be either White's or Sherwyn's. White's were really the whipping boys, coming last more often than not. King's always seemed to be the traditional powerhouse, always getting all of the best rugby players for example. Everyone was surprised to see King's come last that year and be abolished. Good to see "Fred" Dunn get a mention. By the end, he had built a reputation as a bit of an Arthur Daley character. At one point, one of the Chinese students got their talking dictionary to say "Arthur Daley is a very dodgy dealer" in one of the lessons. He took great enjoyment in the role, at one point saying that he would accept orders for the mathematics books he was selling at his villa. I think he retired in 1997. GPC Courtois was still there in the mid 90s, as a rugby and sports master and occasional English teacher. The school continued its excellent record in sports, turning out England rugby international Andy Goode and 15 year professional Jim Grindall from the 1991 intake, and England U-21 football international Peter Whittingham with more than 15 years as a professional footballer from the 1996 (?) intake. I have just read that he died last year at the age of 35. In one assembly, they invited former Coventry City player David Busst up to speak, maybe a year or two after his horrific injury, probably the worst in Premier League history. I seem to remember he was still on crutches then. There was also Nick Donovan who captained England schoolboys at basketball before having his career wrecked by injury. One of the maths teachers who joined in the early 90s was John G Cooper who I think played chess for England and was an International Master. Someone wrote down Mr. Humphries. He would be terribly angry about that, Mr. Humphrey it is. I still remember him driving around one of the school teams in one of the old minibuses. It really was a very old minibus, with long bench seats running down the length of bus. And no seatbelts. I am sure that you can imagine what happened as the minibus accelerated or decelerated for a traffic light. Groups of boys would fling themselves as hard as they could to one end of the bus or the other, tremendous fun. Unfortunately those buses were disposed of very soon afterwards. Amazing that no one got seriously injured now looking back on it. Boys bounce very well at the age of 11 it seems.

Hi Strachmanaman, welcome to the forum

Hi from me too. I was in Sherwyn's, or yellows. He was the school's first headmaster. Anyway, I was a volunteer PSV driver. During the early eighties, I was driving a Goddess twenty odd seater, which had a massive V8 motor. I was in the far left lane at Swiss Cottage in London with the bus full of youngsters. I needed to turn right, through five lanes of traffic at traffic lights. I warned everyone to HOLD TIGHT. I literally dropped the clutch in first, then with the most rapid gear change into second. We beat everything round. When I looked in the saloon mirror, the welded back door, just as well that it was welded, was simply a sack of bodies. Best wishes to you.

I *think* my dad Phil Shaw is middle row, 2nd in from the right. He was born October 1943 so am guessing this was taken 1954/55 ish? He was awarded a scholarship to Henry's after doing really well at St Michael's primary school. I know nothing about his time at Henry's other than a chap called Adrian Spark(e)s telling me he was really good at maths and did his homework for him... this was after dad's funeral service at the crem in 2002. Going to Henry's opened some doors for him - he applied for a job working in Saudi Arabia in 1979. Had to go down to London for the interview along with 99 others. Chap interviewing him had attended the school himself and also his wife's birthday was the same as mine and my older brothers (we're 4 years apart but born on the same date). Am sure all that helped him get the position.

So after posting on fb it turned out my friend Keith Bushnell is an editor of The Coventrian so he did some digging for me and advised me to contact Helen the Librarian & Archivist at the school. Managed to obtain dad's school reports - he attended from 1955-1960 and also via Keith's efforts a contemporary of my dad's called Pete Owen recalled a fascinating story. He couldn't recall my dad at school but when in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, he remembered being on a lonely walk home late at night with a few work colleagues when a car pulled up and the driver called out "Pete Owen, King Henry VIII, Coventry!" - it turned out to be my dad who recognised him and gave them a lift back to their compound! The school reports also helped with something else. On leaving dad joined the Forestry Commission, Forest of Arden. As a child he took us to a patch of woodland near Bubbenhall which he had helped to plant back in the 1960's. Also found out Adrian Sparkes was actually Adrian Spaak who is sadly no longer with us.

I seem to recall that Pete Owen worked in Beirut at one time

Doug Wylie Retired Teacher of King Henry VIII and Sidney Stringer Schools, Coventry. Passed away on 19th August 2021 aged 92 years.

Worked with Doug at Stringer - a genuinely nice person. Taught me a lot about how to teach. RIP.

I vaguely remember the name Phil Shaw but I don't remember your dad although we may well have been in the same year as I was '55 to '61. I did maths in the sixth form so it seems I should remember. Your photo is amazingly similar to mine that I posted on here way, way back of my first year class. Pete Owen, who you mention, was in my class and we are currently in touch about a small reunion which we have to keep delaying. He has mentioned the Saudi story in emails.

I think I mentioned previously that Pete Owen and his lovely wife Pam (Groves) were out in Beirut for some time.

The old map of 1913 doesn't tell you, you had to be rich to get an education. The top male school in those days was the old red brick King Henry VIII School. Standing in its own grounds, the fees were high, few working class people could afford such for their sons, farmers being the exception. By the twenties and thirties, the only other way was to obtain a school scholarship, this meant being in the top three students at an elementary school during that time. The name Henry VIII became famous for all boys that sought a better education. Right from the age of 8 at elementary school until 14, one strove to obtain one of those places, and being from a historic city, more so, for Henry VIII boasted one of the most famous historic libraries in the country. 'Woe was me', for five years I was in the top three boys at Foxford School, and in the September of my 14th year, war broke out - frustration, evacuation, disruption, young teachers enlisted, retired teachers came back, a student female joined the school. 1940, the fireball of the blitz destroyed over 95% of Coventry historical papers, old stories, letters, books etc. and above all, on 8 April 1941, the famous library took a direct hit. In late 1941 the 8F ATC obtained a class of cadets on Saturday mornings at King Henry VIII School, and an increase of flights at Ansty airfield, so for a few weeks I was able to enter the school that had been my ambition for all those long years, and the air instruction gave me an advantage at Ringway Manchester Parachute School in later years.

Just read on Facebook that Ted 'Droob' Norrish passed away on Friday. RIP Ted.

Thanks, Bags, for the information. Very sad news. RIP Droob.

Indeed, very sad. He never taught me, but influenced many, in a positive way. A character. Requiescat in pace.