Frederick Bird School

hi my name is paul sadler I went to freddies myself in 1968 and I also know barry alldrick he is a good friend.

hi rrendall there is nothing left its all changed freddies has gone there is only the primary school left which is in place of the secondary modern which I went to in the 60s sorry like me have so many good memories

there is one bit of Freddies remaining, above the main entrance the words Frederick Bird School moulded into the bricks it is about 8ft long and 2 or 3 ft high. this has been re- erected and stands just inside the main gate of the new school...

hi normk thank you I was not aware of anything remaining as I have not been near the old freddies for some time as I only drive past to go into hillfields .

Thank you, I think I know you but not sure

rrendall I went to freddies in fact all of them ,infants, juniors, and secondary modern I from the early 60s right through to 1971 I left at the age of 14 I cant remember any of the teachers from the early days but I remember the ones from the secondary modern I was in 4c right through my last 4 yrs of school .

Hi Rob I did send you a personal message but no reply I think we're old friends if you lived in Sewall Highway in the maisonettes we definitely do know each other we used to play football on Lyng Hall fields.

Early stage of demolition..

I was in that classroom on the corner with the door and concrete steps when I was in my second year the teachers used to stand on those steps to ring the bell to end break time if it was dougie there was always a deadly silence as he scanned the playground looking for his next victim for the cane.

mickw I also remember dougie if he caught you talking at the back of class watch out for the board rubber . do remember any other teachers, I also remember if dougie if he was looking at you down through his glasses he either wanted you to stand at front of class or go to the head for the cane

I remember teachers like Colonel Blink Mr Wildsmith (history) rode a large motor bike, Fred Lydiot (music and occasional RE) Mr Cusworth (metal work) Howel Harris (woodwork) daddy Ireland (I think biology) John Golby my form teacher (maths and resident comedian) Mr Gardner who revived the football and rugby teams (during and after the punch ups) Mr Shannon the less said about him the better Mr Clennet (deputy head and science) Mr Watkins (SF I won't repeat what that class was called in the playground) Miss Yeates can't remember her subject (too busy admiring her ample proportions) Mr Powell (boxing and history in that order if you misbehaved) and the very nice young lady who took us for pottery whose name escapes me but she did bring out the potter in me and of course all the usual so that have been mentioned on here on numerous occasions. One of the things that will always stick out in my mind is when a certain friend of mine purely accidentally broke one of Dougie's personal bats when he took us for cricket once he snatched the handle off him gave him a whack with it and said you boy will never make anything of yourself with your attitude to school. How wrong he was I still see that friend to this day who is now a retired millionaire businessman just shows how wrong Dougie was.

God I remember all these teachers especially Clennet he used to give me the cane for playing truant down town. Do you remember Miss Brown who did PE with the girls and Miss Bishop