Folly Lane

Hello Graham, Folly Lane School as it was called then was my first school (Infants) and I remember I had to go over the big (well it was to me) iron bridge. Used to frighten me when the steamers rolled under. We lived in Welland Road. One of my better memories was being able to buy liquorice wood from the nearby chemist. Must have been there around '45 just for a couple of years and then on to Moseley Ave. Wish I could remember the teachers but can't I am afraid. I am sure Folly Lane has been mentioned before.

Graham 224. You mentioned Mr Thomas, he was the senior boys teacher, I was in his class, but the lady teacher you mention was Miss Lewis. Mr Thomas had nicotine stained fingernails, and a neat moustache.

Hi Graham, you won't believe this but I mentioned you and your brother to my wife as we passed your house in Gulson Rd the other day. I said the Balls lived there the Harritys here and then there were the Lambs and the Kemps. We all used Orton's shop or Lawrence's bakery - never forget their bread, I too was at Folly Lane same time, was it Miss Neguses class you were in as I was in Miss Lewis. Classmates were Alan Donnelly, Jack Mason, John Samuels, David Finch, Jimmy Martin, Rob And Marion Ray, Roy Twigger, Christine Finnemore to name a few. Great to see you are still alive and kicking. Best regards Brian

I believe that Folly Lane School became Gosford Park School in 1948. But does anyone know when the new Gosford Park School was built in Humber Avenue or when the old Folly Lane building was finally demolished?

Hi Villiers. I have looked through the newspaper archives. All I can find is that the name of the school was changed because the name of the road was changed from Folly Lane to Humber Road and people could not find the school as they were looking for Folly Lane! No mention of buildings being demolished but planning was applied for to build a kitchen and dining room in 1970. Hope this is a bit of help.

Thanks Annewiggy. I'm aware of the things you say and I too have seen planning applications for improvements to the old school. But I was wondering how long the Folly Lane building lasted before it was finally replaced with the new Gosford Park School in Humber Avenue. I suspect that the old building still survived into the 1980s. Does anyone know when the current Gosford Park School was built?

Gosford Park School has its own thread here

Folly Lane as I knew it was still there in 1946. I know, because I was there (for just a couple of years).

I attended Folly Lane/ Gosford Park 1946 to 1952. The change of name took place in 1950/1 - this moment is etched in my memory. Our teacher was Miss Lewis, she produced a sheet of hardboard in the shape of a shield and asked the class to make a design for a new school badge. We had in our class a very talented artist, John Samuels - he came up with the intertwined initials of GPS which were placed on halves of sky blue and dark blue, the school colours. This was hung over the centre of the stage in the main hall by Mr Thompson, school caretaker of that time.

I was there too, Herberts lad, when the name changed, in Mr Thomas's class. You probably knew my friend Victor Saville who was in Miss Lewis's class.

On a road that divided the parishes of Stoke and Coventry stood a tree that was known as 'Jabbetts Ash' that occupied the gibbet or gallows. To the left of the tree coming towards Coventry was a very old road in local rhyme as "Down Folly-Lane, Tom Arnold he came To ride for Jeffries and Barlow" Arnold was a voter of experience from London. The word Folly is Danish apparently, means people, or their Common House Parliament.

I've got some sketches described as Hough's hovel and Hough's field. The only place I could trace them to was possibly the Folly Lane Boy's Club building. There is a bricked up door and window, could it be the right building? Has anyone been inside and seen any other similar features? Obviously the external timbers are gone.

I've not been inside Helen but I know the place as it's just down the road from my Father-in-Law's. This pic is

Thanks Neil. There is more than one building. The suitable one is at a right angle to the road. I don't think that Hough owned the hovel, he was just renting it from C.S. Irby. If I've got the right building. The sketch would be 1860ish.

Yep I'm sure thats the same one -