Stoke (Council) School (Briton Road & Annexe)

Sounds like annexes galore. She said the boys' and girls' schools were in separate buildings, so far as she was aware, but were merged the year after she finished (doesn't sound like a wise move in terms of good education, to me. )

Hi again Keith. I remember numbers better than names Does your wife remember Elizabeth Grierson who left in 1962? She went to a teachers training college form Briton Rd school. I enjoyed looking at the web site that you quoted.

Hi Philip Not by name. My wife left either 1 or 2 years previously (she's not sure) but might know Elizabeth by sight. She says there was a separate teacher (so presumably class) for those who went to higher education. But she has some photos, and is going to have a look. Maybe I could scan and post them, and maybe she's on one of them.

Elizabeth, her husband & two daughters emigrated to Canada, 1977, so if they are watching. Hello. Elizabeth was a tall slender school girl, now aged about 67. When we get straight here at home (about ten years time ) I will see if I have a photo.

My wife just checked. She left in May 1960. My wife is the same age as Elizabeth, so may well have known her, but it's a long time to remember everyone at school.

Too true. The only people that I remember from my school days are those that I have come into contact with since. As said, I am better with numbers. Thank you so much for the post.

I went to Stoke Primary School in 1962. The 'baby' class was ran by a Miss Ellis who was lovely. We had chalk boards and a wendy house, sand pit. It was located at the very bottom of the playground and sometimes we would come out and sit under the big tree also situated at bottom of playground. There was a big hut with steps up to it on the right (looking up to the school) and on the left a three sided shed with benches to sit on if it rained at playtime. Then the open air toilets lol, joined onto the shed (you didnt mess about in there it was so cold). Up from that was the main playground with a big climbing frame (looked just like scaffolding really) and then the school itself. Mr Ison was the headmaster and Mr Cooper the deputy head. Mr Cater who used to throw plimsolls at the boys. Miss Carter who was really strict. Miss Scothern who eventually got with Mr Cooper. Miss Simmons (music teacher). I too remember the song after putting your chairs on the table before going home, strange you dont recall it until someones jogs your memory and you can sing it word for word. I also remember the annex on the Walsgrave Road because after the sports day the teacher just said "no need for you to come back to school you only live down the hill, you may as well just go home". I was sooooo scared as I had never gone that way home before and wasnt sure if I would find my way - I trotted off and did get home ok but my heart was pounding all the way. Isn't it strange how you can't remember what happened yesterday but you can remember every detail of your youth. Hope this has triggered some memeories for others.

When Mr Ison was Headmaster of Stoke School, his wife (Mrs Ison!) was a teacher of the final year pupils at Ravensdale Juniors, a worthy seat of learning that attempted to instill knowledge into my humble self.

I remember Mrs Ison. I left Ravensdale in 1961, and last year we had an informal 50th anniversary reunion at the Blue Lias in Long Itchington. We had a school pal fly in from America

I attended Stoke Seniors Annexe 1953/54, the buildings still remain and can be seen on Google maps behind no. 37 Wyken Ave Coventry, have a look and enjoy.

Hi, does anyone who went to Briton Road remember raising money to buy an ambulance, can't remember what year it would have been, I went there between '60 and '65. I'm tring to find photos as I don't have any from my childhood and school photos would be something to show my children and grandchildren, I might just spot myself in a class photo. Cheers Joyce

Hi again Joyce, I was there from '70 to '76, so unfortunately I don't recall any money raising activities for anything like an ambulance. Also unfortunately, I don't ever recall any school group or class photos being taken while I was there - only individual ones. I'd love to be proven wrong though, and it would be fantastic if anyone could produce any class photos from that era so I could try to recognise some old faces.

There was an article in the Coventry Evening Telegraph at the time with a photo, would that be traceable on the net?

It's possible the photo will appear at some time in the future on the Mirrorpix website together with a caption which may or may not make sense. It's extremely unlikely - but not impossible - that the full original article will ever be found online.

Hi all, I went to Stoke Sec Mod School from 1957 till 1969, I remember the caretaker Mr Featherston, had a house in the juniors playground and remember the new (as it was back then) sports block/dining hall being built. The Annex in 1968 had Les Tobey as head teacher with Miss Barton, Miss Stephens, Mr Tommo Thompson, a Mr White; the grounds were set up for girls hockey, three blocks off a central corridor which ran from the main door in to LTs office and right of it the staff room. There was a small step up to the main hallway as I mentioned above, the block back from this step was cut into two units, first the arts room and potters wheels, the second our class, which we had to put desks and chairs out of the way for assembly and then back again. We were called NORMAN house, myself and a few others did a model of the Normandy landing beach if anyone remembers; going back to the main school I remember a nasty bit of work for a teacher who today would NOT have made the grade, namely CAWLEY, and the infants school hated her screaming at the kids, and, yes, I ended up in her class, made me start sleep walking, that's how bad it got If any one here knows any of us from either junior school form 4CA or senior mixed CSE1 or Annex Norman house, I hope I can chat some more, can remember way too much, like who put paint powder in the cold water header tank in the boys as it used to be cloakroom around 1969 about mid week in July before we left for good and I have three mates that will state I was in the TD room with Mr Bell, and that's my story. My best regards to all. Tom.