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Meerkat

1 of 27  Mon 8th Oct 2012 7:41pm  

Hi All, I went to Whitly Abbey school from 1960 to 1964 I was in Hood house, some very good memories and some not so good but all in all it wasn't too bad. Anybody else go to Whitley Abbey?
Schools and Education - Whitley Abbey School
DBC
Nottinghamshire
2 of 27  Tue 9th Oct 2012 5:51pm  

I was there from 1957 to 1961 transferring from Stoke Secondary Modern after being lucky enough to pass my "13 plus" exam. I was in Kenilworth house and the only teachers I can remember are Mr Day and Mr Knight. The latter ( I think ) was our house master. I can also remember the headmaster who smoked like a chimney and once told us he thought smoking should be made compulsory because of all the taxes it raised. But you still got into trouble if you were found to be smoking!
Schools and Education - Whitley Abbey School
LesMac
Coventry
3 of 27  Wed 10th Oct 2012 3:41pm  

I DID'NT go to Whitley Abbey School. Long before the school was built I used to fish the carp pool there. It was, I believe made by the monks that lived there.As at most monestries around the country a carp pool was made to provide fish for the monks to eat... I recall catching mid range carp there, about 15lb . I often wondered what happened to that pool when the school was built....Les
Schools and Education - Whitley Abbey School
DBC
Nottinghamshire
4 of 27  Wed 10th Oct 2012 4:04pm  

The pool was still there after the school was built. There was a bridge we had to walk across that connected the classroom blocks to the "house" blocks. The pool even had its resident swans, and I remember one occasion when some joker emptied a bottle of ink over a swan and for days after you could see it paddling around with a big blue stain on its back. On another occasion a cygnet tried to take off, misjudged its flight, crashed into the bridge and was killed.
Schools and Education - Whitley Abbey School
argon
New Milton
5 of 27  Wed 10th Oct 2012 4:19pm  

I went to Whitley Abbey's predecessor, Churchfield High School . The headmaster was Frederick William Lewis. He was a heavy smoker. When the school was transferred to Whitley Abbey some of us old pupils went to see him. I remember him bemoaning the fact that they hadn't built a swimming pool for the school. but had, I think, three gyms This always struck me as ironic as in my day we didn't even have a playing field and had to walk up to Stoke Heath playing fields from Brays Lane to play football.
Schools and Education - Whitley Abbey School
Meerkat

Thread starter
6 of 27  Wed 10th Oct 2012 4:20pm  

If I remember rightly the school had it's own fishing club. In the winter when the lake froze up the caretaker and the headmaster (Mr Lemon I think) would check the thickness of the ice and if they considered it safe the kids could go on the ice during dinner break, sounds crazy but it's true, today health and safety would close the school down for sure.
Schools and Education - Whitley Abbey School
Meerkat

Thread starter
7 of 27  Wed 10th Oct 2012 4:28pm  

Lol
On 10th Oct 2012 4:19pm, argon said: I went to Whitley Abbey's predecessor, Churchfield High School . The headmaster was Frederick William Lewis. He was a heavy smoker. When the school was transferred to Whitley Abbey some of us old pupils went to see him. I remember him bemoaning the fact that they hadn't built a swimming pool for the school. but had, I think, three gyms This always struck me as ironic as in my day we didn't even have a playing field and had to walk up to Stoke Heath playing fields from Brays Lane to play football.
When I first started at Whitley Abbey in 1960 Frederick Lewis was still the headmaster, he retired after a couple of years, and the new head was called Mr.Lemon( I'm sure that was his name) he was quickly named Batman because he wore a black teachers gown. Lol
Schools and Education - Whitley Abbey School
DBC
Nottinghamshire
8 of 27  Wed 10th Oct 2012 4:30pm  

On 10th Oct 2012 4:19pm, argon said: The headmaster was Frederick William Lewis. He was a heavy smoker.
I think that must have been the same headmaster I mentioned above. If I remember correctly he had a small moustache which was stained with nicotine.
Schools and Education - Whitley Abbey School
DBC
Nottinghamshire
9 of 27  Wed 10th Oct 2012 4:56pm  

I have just found this picture of the lake,the bridge, a teaching block and even a swan! :- the school Edited by PhilipInCoventry, 10th Oct 2012 5:29 pm
Schools and Education - Whitley Abbey School
derbyskyblue
west hallam, derbyshire
10 of 27  Thu 11th Oct 2012 12:10am  

I have many happy memories of fishing the pool there. Most Saturday mornings I would venture there, was good fishing to be had as well. Biggest one I ever had was 8lb, but I did get snapped up by something while using 12lb line!
Schools and Education - Whitley Abbey School
Rob Orland
Historic Coventry
11 of 27  Thu 11th Oct 2012 7:35am  

On 10th Oct 2012 3:41pm, LesMac said: It was, I believe made by the monks that lived there. As at most monestries around the country a carp pool was made to provide fish for the monks to eat...
Unfortunately, the name "Whitley Abbey" only came about because of the building's likeness to an abbey - it was originally just a large mansion. Just one of those urban myths that's lasted the years I'm afraid! Sad
Schools and Education - Whitley Abbey School
berjay
Bewdley Worcs.
12 of 27  Sat 29th Jun 2013 6:12pm  

Rob, I remember I used to explore the old Whitley Abbey before the war and remember that there were many graffiti on the walls in Spanish. I found out later that Spanish refugees had been billeted there during that countries civil war
Schools and Education - Whitley Abbey School
daffyduck
birmingham
13 of 27  Fri 19th Jul 2013 11:00pm  

I went to Whitley Abbey between 1963 and 1968, I was in Hood house. I remember the bridge across the lake and a group of us jumping up and down on it to make it bounce. Have some good and not so good memories of the school. Bad ones include Mrs Duffy the English teacher.
Schools and Education - Whitley Abbey School
PhiliPamInCoventry
Holbrooks
14 of 27  Sat 20th Jul 2013 6:50am  

Good morning, daffyduck Wave & welcome to our Coventry Forum. Hope that you enjoy your time with us. Wave
Schools and Education - Whitley Abbey School
Baz
Coventry
15 of 27  Sun 28th Jul 2013 9:56pm  

Does anyone remember or know a Mrs Eliott the PE Teacher. She started there in the 70's I believe and is still there. She did and still does the skiing trips and is part of the Netball team. (Please don't give bad remarks, as I married her sister) Lol
Always looking forward to looking at the past.

Schools and Education - Whitley Abbey School

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