Woodlands School

Tom Long, house master of Sparkes used to like wielding the STICK, I remember him giving Len Richards 8 one time.

When I joined in 61, there was one woman teacher, anyone remember her name? Think she was in Perrins house.

I was also there between '66 & 70. Was it Rogers wife that was attacked one day by a pupil that both he and his wife had befriended? If I remember correctly she was lured out to some woods to look at a rare plant the pupil had found. The person concerned didn't return to the school and may have been sectioned. Anybody else recall this incident?

Early years there (61/62) we had a maths teacher whose surname was Bates (cannot remember his first name) he was in Brook house. We were due to have him first lesson on a Wednesday morning but unfortunately he had a heart attack and passed away on the Tuesday night. Remember he used to spit over the blackboard while he was writing on it.

Gordon Wardell was convicted of stabbing a teachers wife (I thought it was a Geology Master by the name of Hayes) in 1970. He was later convicted of murdering his wife in 1994 and stealing a large sum of money from the building society where his wife worked.

Reading this thread for the first time has brought back many memories. I'm fairly ambivalent regarding my school years, there were some good times and others that were forgettable. I do however, remember the transition between West & Thompson, I was in the fifth year. From having just 2 levels of prefects, school and house, Thompson introduced another, even though I was one, I can't remember our title, was it Junior prefect? Under West I can't remember too many problems with discipline, but suddenly when Thompson arrived on the scene, we became a 'police state'. Rollason has been mentioned, he was my year tutor in Gibson House. He was a nice guy, can never remember him getting annoyed. Can anybody recall a history teacher, I'm sure his name was Trollope, he gave me an almighty wallop around my head, can't remember why. There was a teacher who taught or could speak Russian, he was a nasty piece of work. Who was the woodwork teacher? He always took great delight at throwing pieces of wood at you if you weren't concentrating. Do you remember the school play competition? The final, which consisted of 4 houses, was always in front of parents. I wrote a play which was titled 'The Death of Colonel'. Possibly in 1962, we came third. There was a death scene, when the colonel was stabbed and blood appeared on his shirt. Under lights, it turned out to be bright crimson. I recall the adjudicator stating the blood was an unusual colour, but was thankful that we did not use tomato sauce. Little did she know that was our intention, at the last minute we lost it and had to raid the art block for paint. Crimson was the only colour we could find!

I remember that play. Was the "Colonel" a big lad called Elliot of Gibson House ?

Bug ass what a memory! Even though I wrote the play and Ken Elliot was a mate of mine, I had totally forgotten. Ken was a good guy, I recall he played a trombone. Thanks for reminding me.

Hi Billybob The transition between Knocker West and Don Thompson happened at the start of my second year, I seem to remember before Thompson there was no uniform rule? Then like you said it all changed. I can remember Colin Trollope and im sure we all thought him to be a little excentric, never got to be taught by him. I also remember Rollason, he was our RE teacher. Was it a TD teacher called Morgan who could speak Russian, he was a real nasty person. As was a sicence teacher called Panter and HE Jones for French. There were however some decent teachers, I remember Ben Hartley who took us for metalwork, he was also a good hockey player, Chubb Miles and Malc Powell who took games and PE were also ok.

Anyone belong to the ACF in Woodlands? Our OC was Mr Trollope. On first meeting him you would think "who the **** is this". Once you got used to his sence of humour he was a smashing bloke. We used to have drill nights in his day class in Gibraltar Block. Don Thompson turned up and kicked the ACF out which moved to Templars. Mods note: This post copied to, and continues here 7th/11th Royal Warwickshire ACF

Hi wearethemods, was that the Tony Pratt who lived in a bungalow on Broad Lane just before Hockley Lane? Talking of music teachers, I can only remember Pop Major.

Who remembers Ron Ravenhall, he used to come to school on an old motorbike wearing what looked like a French tank drivers helmet. He had a chicken farm near Rugby.

I have no trouble remembering the names of the 10 houses when I joined in 61 and probably at a push the house masters names at the time. But, I,m struggling with the names of the teaching blocks. Gibralter and Leonardo Da Vinchi are as far as I get. Any one help?

I started at Woodlands in 1971, Thompson was head and a more dour, humourless man it would be hard to find. It's a wonder he didn't break his office window rapping on it with his pen if he spotted a boy about to break into a run. It must have been one of the strictest Comprehensives in the country, House assemblies seemed to consist of inspections, measuring hair, trouser widths, collars and checking colour of socks. The litter picked up around the school would be read out in great detail. I was in Smith-Clarke, with Bernard Tranter as Housemaster (also taught me Geography) who was fair and I liked. Mr. Tranter made participation in the Inter-house cross county mandatory in the 1st and 2nd year, as our House and Gibson had won it many times in previous years so there was a great rivalry. 'Lofty' Lee was still there and took me for English, everyone liked him, 'Sooty' Corbett was in Smith Clarke but didn't teach me, Mr. Rollason for Woodwork, Mr.Jones was Deputy Head and also took me in English. 'Bertie' Beckram (rugby player) took PE, he walloped me with the pump a few times. Mr. Ashley (music) was unforgettable, he had a strange voice caused by a hair lip, and for the first couple of lessons it was all we could do to stifle the laughter. He turned out to be a nice bloke. Most memorable though was Sue Underwood, who played havoc with the hormones of young lads. Not only was she my form tutor for the first 2 years, she also took us for Maths and 2 other subjects on the same day, so we saw a lot of her, and there was a lot too see I can't say I really enjoyed my time there but it wasn't all bad.