Windmill Road School

Hi, Yes, Gwen Harris did go to Longford Park School, and did live in Parkstone Road, I know as I am her big sister now living in Australia, but she still lives in Longford.So I only get to see her when we come back to Cov. for holiday.

Hi Downunder [Gwen's Big Sister] Many thanks for replying to my query on Derrick's school class photo with Gwen Harris on it, I must admit that I never knew Gwen had an older sister, mind you, I think that Gwen herself may have been a touch older than me, I was born in 1944. we were never in the same class at Longford Park / Windmill road school. Did you also go to this school ? I cannot say that I knew Gwen particularly well but as I lived in Parkstone Road myself, I remember us as kids, and what I can remember of her she was very nice. I now live in Devon , you nor Gwen may remember me, I had two older brothers and an older sister. However when next you talk to Gwen you can tell her someone still remembers her.

Hi johnwright. We lived at No. 17 Parkstone Road, I think you lived the other side near the top. I went to Windmill Road School, but I'm 3.1/2 years older than Gwen. so did Doreen who is 5 years older than me. I do remember the Wrights but if you ask Gwen she can remember everyone who ever lived in that road. Gwen was born in 1942? Lovely to hear from you, will tell her you are on the forum. Marg

Because I deviated from the original Windmill Road School topic I requested that someone create a topic entitled Upper Foleshill (New Inn Bridge to the parting of the Heaths) This has been done and all the posts about Parkstone Rd and immediate area are now on this topic. Sorry for any inconvenience but PLEASE look.

This is a photo from the class I was in in 1965 (I think) whilst I was at Longford Park Infant and Junior school - the teacher at the back is Miss Harris and she was fab. The names (and where they lived) I remember are: Back row: Debbie Miles (Dovedale Ave), Lesley McConachie(?) (Foleshill Rd?), Valerie Bascott (Dovedale Ave), Leslie Stuart (Berkswell Rd), Michael Brown (Berkswell Rd), Michael Williams (Elmsdale Ave), Phillip Sephton (Parkstone Rd), Me (Benthall Rd) Middle row: Don't know, Don't know, Elaine Robinson, Rosemary Sweet (Cubbington Rd), Bryn Jones (Windmill Rd), Susan Goodwin (Berkswell Rd), Elaine Norcliffe (Berkswell Rd), Carole Williams (Cubbington Rd?), Geoffrey Mitchell, Graham Jones (Windmill Rd) Front row: Gary Wale (Dovedale Ave), Annette James (Dudley St), Don't know, Susan Millner (?), Don't know, Parmjit Kaur (?), Denise Nicholls, Don't know, Don't know, Don't know Other teachers I remember were 1964 - Miss Carpenter 1966 - Miss Davis 1967 - Miss Huxter 1668 - Mr Hill 1969 - Mr Williams The headmistress was Miss Oughton and she was replaced by Mr Woodford in about 1968 I think. I particularly loved the school meals we had then and particularly mincemeat in a pastry flan with a slice of potato on the top, the green (pea) lamb stew and the milk shakes in the coloured anodised aluminium beakers.

Other teachers I remember were: Mr Fuller - whacked a lad who was called "Barrett the carrot" Miss Milner - drove a Mini (and Miss Huxter (Patricia) drove an Austin A40 Farina Mk I) Mr Hill taught me about the A444, how it came from Burton-on-Trent and passed the school alongside Longford Park I remember the New Inn bridge being widened (sometime about 1967 or 1968) and the steel pilings they drove in to retain the canal (and incidentally the widening of the canal bridge on Old Church Road a few years later so the fire engines could get over more easy - the so-called Wood-End ice cream vans due to their frequent callout wailings!) Just next to the New Inn bridge was a piece of land where A L Dunn subsequently built a foundary. I remember a fair being pitched on the site with swinging boats pulled by ropes: these swung out over the canal and I imagined my boat coming off its stand and landing on the water. No idea who ran the fair though. And finally, I have really strong memories of Windmill Road clinic and the smell of surgical spirits. This is where I got my Polio sugar lump (the vaccine was dripped onto a sugar lump to make it palatable for the kids to eat). It was located behind the infant classes and next door to the library and Mr Hill's classroom: the juxtaposition of the latter led me to placing a big heavy book on the classroom's door and its architrave which fell off onto Mr Hills head when he came in who went ballistic! Why I did that I have no idea because Mr Hill was really quite stern. I survived anyway!

Hi Benthall-kid You have me confused when you say that "just next to the New Inn Bridge was a piece of land where A.L.Dunn subsequently built a foundry" . Looking at your class photo taken about 1965 you are obviously younger than I am. I lived in Parkstone road and went to Windmill Road school as did you, I cannot remember any waste ground where you say it was. A.L.Dunn's foundry was always there when I was a kid, so if it was waste ground as you say it was it must have been so after the foundry closed down. Can any other member through any light on this subject please say.

Hi johnwright I'm pretty sure the land was waste where the fair was set up. Its on the space was the New Inn Bridge Industrial Estate shows upon google maps. I think the site was taken over by another foundry but can't remember the name - they did aluminium castings: maybe the fair set up after AL Dunn shut up shop there? Must admit my memory is a bit hazy too!

Hi again Benthall-Kid. Yes A.L.Dunns made aluminium castings, we as kids were often let in to see at close hand what they did, wouldn't allow that sort of thing nowadays. At the back of Parkstone Road was an orchard belonging to Mr and Mrs Lee. the orchard went down to the canal and we used to climb over the orchard wall which then gave us access to the canal on the opposite side of the tow path. A.L.Dunns premises went down to the canal here and we would get into the grounds and find pieces of broken band saw blades. Coming over the New Inn Bridge from Longford the first building on the left was the old Foleshill Gas Club, then Dunns foundry, then a row of shops, the first being a wine shop run by Mrs Aubrey whose husband was the barber further up the Foleshill road. In the middle of this row of shops was the post office, then at the end there was a sort of car park set back from the road in front of a row of buildings which held the offices of Dunns. I often look at the maps on Google earth and the area that I grew up in has changed tremendously as you must know yourself. Ah well you can't turn back time, and what I hear is that Coventry is nothing like it was when we were kids!

Good to see your photo Benthall Kid. I left in 1965 to go on to Woodlands (four bus rides a day ). I remember Rosie Sweet who was the younger sister of my mate Brian (as you say, from Cubbington Road). Was Philip Sephton related to Colin, who was in my class? I remember Mr Fuller, Mr Hill and Mr Williams very well, also Miss Elliott/Mrs Brown and Mrs Edwards who was a proper old battleaxe! And of course Mrs Oughton. I think Mr Hill was deputy head wasn't he? Mr Williams was the father of Nigel Williams who was also in my class.

Lesmac, Hi, Just been going through this topic, and I'm amazed at all those teachers at Windmill rd school during wartime. I can only remember six at Foxford in 1941 so either my memory' gone, or you where a much bigger school than I thought, we did attend Windmill for woodwork from Foxford. Eddie Branson was our youngest teacher, he lived opposite the entrance to Taylors farm in Hall green rd, Like any info'. Would like any one to come in on this please, Foxford is sadly lacking on this forum.

Perhaps, Kaja, it's down to you to start a Foxford thread. I wasn't born until after the 1941 recollection of Foxford you shared with us, but I do recall Mr Branson's still being at Foxford after its change to a comprehensive school from an elementary in 1953. Now you mention that - in your day - you traveled from Foxford to Windmill Road school for woodwork, yet it strikes me that - in my day - Mr Branson taught woodwork. Whatever, perhaps you might commence a Foxford thread.

Yes Kaga... LongfordLad is correct. We Windmill Rd children walked across Longford Park for both woodwork and metalwork. Mr Barry taught metalwork and Mr Branson woodwork the latter often fell asleep during lessons. I remember this well as a good friend and I rarely reached Foxford preferring to bunk off and go spend sixpence for the hire of a rowing boat at the Slough.

LL and NQ, I'm amazed at your answers, the Branson I knew taught music, sports, and I believe religion, all very badly to me, from what I remember, he didn't seem to have the hands for woodwork, I remember him as delicate sort of person, always sat on the coach when he took us to the 'Livi', every so often he asked me to ride his bike home, leave it at the side of the house. Tommy Woodroffe (blackbat) taught maths, history, geography and English, my worst subject, two other teachers went to the forces, and Mr and Mrs Coleman both in there fifties or older taught the 8 year olds. You remember Windmill Library, wasn't quite a help to me. Then came the war and a higher school was shelved, plus three years forces, took me to early 48, now let me continue. Home restless, tried several jobs. Enticed by friend, simple day outing to Ascot, I found gambling, my life improved, time went by, could now afford three roomed flat, new wardrobe etc. 1950 March three day Cheltenham followed by April three weeks Cannes beach, sun swim, books, for the next ten years that was the pattern, and I had found DH Lawrence books, visited cathedrals, churches, Ostend, Paris, Chantilly this was my life. 1954 toured Italy for 4/5 weeks, following the footsteps of Lawrence, Shelley. Tourist places, churches etc. 1960/1 romance/marriage, change of lifestyle, factory/mortgage/kids.

Ah yes Kaga so you read Lady Chaterly's Lover (Spelling?). Not a big fan of his writings..It was the works of Dornford Yates that got me into reading and still average about one book a week,mostly bought from charity shops. As a nipper I was a frequent visitor to Windmill Rd Library, get a couple of books out then over the road to the chippy for three penny worth of chips.