Canley (inc. Sir Henry Parkes School)

Was the "Toogoods" green van a mobile shop that drove around Canley selling almost anything from vegetables to canned food? If it was the same van I am thinking of I think I know who the man was.

Had to chuckle at your reference to Mrs Lardner, as although she never taught me I clearly recall other children referring to her in the playground as Caty Lardner. At that age I didn't know it was derogatory, so just as well I didn't have to talk to her as I would probably have been called to Mr Maddison's office to explain! Keith Pitchford was in my class in the Juniors so maybe you and I were from the same era.

Hi Les, I lived on Charter Ave, just down from the island and our back garden backed onto the gardens in Walsall St. My sister Sonia was in the same class as Ant and Sheila was in the same class as me, so we have to be about the same age (63)? I left HP in 1961. Did you know John Davies who lived in one of the prefabs in Mitchell Ave?

Yes Les, I was in Keith's class and therefore yours. I think myself (Pete Grills), Keith and Chris Morris were the only lads to get the cane off Mr Maddison. For breaking a window in the cloakroom when we were in the first year of juniors in the huts.

Coincidence perhaps but the previous topic to this (Dairy on Broad Lane) mentions a 'Maddison's Coventry' milk bottle being found in Birmingham - I wonder if it was the same family as the teacher above ?

Hi Mick. What a small world it is! Our house was at the top of the hill of Walsall St on the right so it backed onto houses about halfway down Mitchell Avenue. I am 65 so must have left HP around 1959 but I can remember Sheila's face like it was yesterday. I only knew her because of where they lived - coming up Walsall Street hill on the left about half way up. My brother is 2 years older than me so he would have been closer to Ants age so was more his friend. I was in Miss Penn's class in the last couple of years. I don't recall John Davies though must have known him if he lived in the prefabs, but do you recall another lad who lived in the Wendiburgh St. prefabs, a tall Irish lad with a mop of red hair who lived just with his Irish mother?

I was in Miss Penn's class for the last two years of HP's school, leaving about 1959. I think I was in the last class on the far right end as you looked at the front of the classrooms with the fields behind you. I can't recall knowing Keith or Chris but seeing a class photo would really help, wouldn't it? I never thought Mr Maddison used the cane, he was such a quiet man. You must have REALLY upset him

The only "tall lad with with a mop of red hair" was Francis Andrews who was in my year which would have been two below you - didn't think he was Irish though. Could it have been him that you are thinking of?

John lived in the end prefab on the corner of Mitchell Av and Thomas Sharp St, his dad drove a coach that was often parked outside. He was a good goalkeeper. I can remember the Hollingsworths who lived at the top of Mitchell on the left by the island. John Rose lived 2 doors away from us on Charter Ave and Les Hudspith lived over the road. They were all a couple of years older than me, so you may have known them. Currently live 3 doors away from Sheila, she is married to Ian Pritchard and still looks the same.

Hi Trying to trace any of the Wilson family who lived in Gerard Ave, Canley, in the 1930s, I would be grateful of any news no matter how small. many thanks Kathy Post copied from topic Wilson - Gerard Avenue, Canley?? by TonyS, 30th Oct 2013 3:25 pm

Hi Tony, yes he did and then he became a professional wrestler. Never knew he was musical. Did you know his older brother Bob?

How many Canley kids can remember walking from Henry Parkes, up Sherriff Avenue to go swimming at the old teachers training college? Cold walking back in the winter.

I'm not sure he was - I just think he fancied my bright red Fender "look-alike". Didn't know his brother. I certainly recall that long walk up Sherriff - and the even longer (and colder) walk back! I seem to recall them just chucking a large rubber ring at us and almost leaving us to get on with it. I think it my very last lesson before I managed my "width" My daughter also learned to swim there - and I recall my son training there with the City of Coventry swimming club (Elwyn's squad?). There was a large balcony overlooking the pool where parents could watch, accessed via an external staircase up the outside of the building. Did we used to enter the site via Norfolk Terrace (which would have meant a left-turn at the top of Sherriff Ave) or via Hunt Terrace, a right-turn from Sherrif? I thought we turned right, which would have meant Hunt Terrace, except that now leads to a field

I am new to the Forum. I am the goalkeeper in the football team picture. It was taken for the "Pink" after we had won the Coventry School's Football Cup in 1964/5. Mr Rae was the "team manager" and I can still see all of us running around the pitch at Beake Avenue having beaten Tile Hill's Our Lady school in the Final. Several of the team went with me to Woodlands and we continued our football success - I don't think we lost to another Coventry school for four years. Did Henry Parkes ever win the Coventry Schools cup again? It was a great year for sport as we also won the Coventry School's Rounders Cup and were beaten finalist in the Cricket cup. I have lived in Kent since 1987, apart from three years in the early 1990's when I lived and worked in Italy, but my Dad still lives in Canley so I have seen the sad demise of the school over the last few years.