Wheatley Street School

Hello and thanks. Do you know when that was?

Roughly 1968/69, but we did not use it for long.

You are correct that there were separate entrances in Ford Street for the girls, and in Wheatley St for the primary school. Before the war there were actually 2 entrances in Wheatley Street, one for Boys, leading to the first floor, and one for Infants who were on the ground floor, as well as the Ford St entrance for the girls, which was the grandest of them. After 1945 the girls had the whole first floor (ie they took over the Boys' half) so they used both the Wheatley St Boys' entrance and the Ford St Girls' entrance. After July 1955 the girls' entrance in Ford Street and the boys' entrance in Wheatley Street were both used by Priory Secondary Modern Mixed. The primary school had a separate entrance. There is some confusion on this forum concerning the building in Fairfax St. This was an old church. It may have been an annexe, but I know nothing of this. I do know that Fairfax St became part of the playground for Priory Secondary Modern Mixed.

Hello. Can you say anything more about Fairfax St school opening in 1963. Are you talking about the extension to the primary school, which had always been on the ground floor of the Wheatley St/Ford St building, and was extended in 1949 onto the site of the bombed out former Pupil Teacher/Special School, which was on the corner of Fairfax St/Wheatley St? I did find a reference to Fairfax St being turned into a playground for Priory Secondary Modern Mixed School.

Just reviving this to ask (though I can imagine the answer!) Was this bulldozed to make way for the ring road?

Are you SL?

Doesn't the bus depot now stand, just under the ring road, on the site of the school?

Round about 1982 the school was used as a temporary courthouse. I went to see a court case at that time and found it really weird watching the court proceedings in what used to be our geography room back in 1968. Happy days

Hello & welcome, Ladyjanamuck. 1968 was happy days for me too, as my 'young-lady' became my wife. I was young then also. Anyway, I hope that you have a happy time with us on our forum.

Dear Wheatley (Leamington Spa.) I started my telecoms apprenticeship with GEC in late August 1970. For the second day (Aug 26th I think) they asked all the new recruits to turn up at Wheatley St School for an induction day. The place was completely unoccupied except for the GEC folks who attended with me. I don't think GEC used it on a regular basis, only when they were stuck for room. So to partly answer your question I think it was used infrequently between 1968 and 1977. I never returned there. The main training was done in Raglan St just up the road.

Picture of Wheatley Street School, I would think 1960's. I am sure one of the car experts can put a date to it.

'67, the support for the flyover is in position but the Ring Road has not yet been built! That's a great view of Ford Street, thanks

The building in the background was once a flour mill but when I worked there as a lorry driver it was Goodwin Foster Brown wholesale grocers. Les

The School can also be seen in this picture of Pool Meadow taken from the Fire Station dated 1951

I attended there and took a City & Guilds Certificate in Photography around 1972, although I have no idea if the rest of the building was in use at that time.