Ravensdale School

My wife attended Ravensdale junior school; a name I haven't seen on the forum. Perhaps someone has some memories? She also went to Stoke Secondary Modern, which is, but that school has a website devoted to it.

Our two children attended Ravensdale in recent years and had a lovely time there. Additionally, Muriel Wells (whose memories you might've seen on the main site) kindly sent me a couple of newspaper cuttings - I believe the featured lady was Muriel's aunty. I hope they are of some interest. I wonder if anyone here will recognise any of the pictured staff?

I think the "Miss Colledge" became the Mrs Ison I knew as headmistress in 1952-58. There was a Mrs Kent and a Mrs Appleby, a South African male teacher - maybe Davidson(?). I might remember a few more as the brain cells click into gear. There was also a very large old lady in the infants school who made us have a nap every afternoon - but I always thought she needed it more than we did. I'm wondering now - second thoughts - Mrs Ison was, I think, the teacher who took us for our last year, while I seem to remember a Miss (or Mrs) F Lucas as being the headmistress of the junior school by 1952. Perhaps she had moved on from the infants by then. Mrs Ison spent an hour every Friday afternoon trying to teach us "received pronunciation", which meant that we had to learn to say the "o-u" diphthong as "ah" followed by "oo", like the Queen does, in preference to our natural Midlands "ow" sound. Of course, we got "owt but nowt" from that lesson!

From when I was there, I guess about '71? Think I can spot Mr French, Mr Poole & Jamie's mum, Mrs Hall, the music teacher.

We have some names! My wife was taught by two of the teachers in the group photograph: Mr Tucker, front row, extreme right (first year) Mr Davidson, back row, extreme left (second year). She also thinks the plump older lady, middle of the back row, was Mrs Colpitts, who acted as a stand-in when other teachers were absent, and also took the dressmaking class. The headmistress, Miss Lucas, is sitting in the centre. The photograph of the two headmistresses - Miss Liggins is on the left, Miss Lucas on the right. My wife also thought that the lady in the 1947 photograph was Miss Lucas - she is remarkably like her! Rob, I'll copy the group photo and e-mail it to a friend of my wife's who can probably fill in more names, and then post them. The school is still there, then?

A photograph of my wife's class of 1955, at Ravensdale school: My wife is standing behind the form teacher, Mr Davidson, who is sitting next to Miss Lucas. My wife's friend (still) is standing behind Miss Lucas.

Hi Keith, Many thanks for all those names - and for the other group photo including your wife, too. It's fantastic to be able to build up these little bits of "people" history, isn't it? There must be literally millions of photographs around the country that will get passed down through generations - and yet most of them will feature people that future owners of the photos will never be aware of. I'm so pleased that the good folk using this forum are putting our history together in a way that can be appreciated by future generations.

I, too, went to Ravensdale Road from 1955-1961 before moving on to Caludon Castle. I remember Mrs Ison, Mr Davidson and a Mrs Harris who used to drive a sit up and beg Ford Popular. Some years ago I happened to pick up a copy of the Telegraph and saw that Miss Lucas' funeral was announced and I managed to go. Last year my friend Nick Price and I organised a class of 61 50th anniversary get together which we held at The Blue Lias, Long Itchington. Class mates arrived from all over the place, including America. Considering that a wet weekend in hayling Island was considered to be exotic in the 50's it's quite surprising that more than a few classmates live abroad

I attended Ravensdale School from 1961-1967, members of staff I remember are as follows. Miss Lucas (very formidable lady), Mrs Klennet, Miss Hay, Mrs Carter, Mr Griffiths, Mrs Ison, Mrs Harris, Mr Barnard (nasty piece of work) and Mrs Hill who was Peter Hill's wife while he was the trainer at Coventry City FC. Mr French took over as headmaster a year before I left. His sister was school secretary at KHVIII which was my next seat of learning. I played in goal for Ravensdale during the 1966/67 season alongside Alan Manger, Hansen McClay, Stephen Sharples, Peter Faulkner, Tony May, Robert Geddis, Terry Holcroft, Philip Ward and a couple of others whose names elude me! Well, it was 45 years ago!

I remember Mrs Colpitts, I was terrified of her! I'm sure I had a class with her when I was expected to knit, had no idea what to do and was too scared to ask. She was probably quite nice. Does anyone have any other class photos? I have no photos at all of my childhood and would love to be able to show my children and grandchildren me when I was young. I was at Ravensdale between '54 and '60. Cheers J

Good morning xcovkid and a warm welcome. I was at Ravensdale 55-61. If you wish to email me it may be that we know each other. Best wishes.

Hello I'm a teacher at Ravensdale school and my year 1 class are researching the history of Ravensdale school, I was wondering if anyone had any old photos of the school, staff or pupils they would mind sharing with us, or would anyone be brave enough to come and chat to us at school? Thank you for your help, anything you can offer would be most welcome. Lindsey

I attended Ravensdale school between 1944 & 1950. My teacher for my final 2 years was Mrs Spencer. There were 2 equivalent top classes and Mrs Ison was the other teacher. Mrs Spencer was quite strict but I really liked her and she was very instrumental in helping me pass the 11-plus. I think Mrs Spencer is in one of the photographs shown.

Hello to you Wendykins, & welcome to our forum. Hope you have a happy time sharing with us. Pull up a seat & pour a cuppa. One lump for me please.

I attended Ravensdale from September 1949 to July 1951. However, we were based at the old Hocking Road Congregational Hall. My first class was in ante-room and the teacher was Mrs Rodgers. Then I went into the main hall with Mrs Audrey Dunkley. Her husband was Bert Dunkley was well known as campaigner against the plans to fill in part of the Coventry canal. My second year was spent in the scout hut off Oldham Avenue in a class of 60. The teacher was Miss Harrison. I recall carol concerts at the old Forum cinema. After that I went as a founder pupil at Wyken Croft School.