Sherwood Hall Technical Grammer School

I recently found our Form Photo with Ernie Renshaw and I’m not sure whether it was 4A or 5A, but I have the names on the reverse. No-one signed their Christian name so those I have remembered I’ve put in. So here we go

Back row from the left:

Roy Gregory, Neil Mason, Steve Price, Graham Smith, B Watson, J Beardall, Joe Broadfoot

Next row down from the left:

John Berrill, Robert Grattage, J A Hickling, John Newbery, Stephen Redfern, John A Pemblington, S Oliver, John Stanley

Second row from the front names from the left:

A Clarke, Stephen Lee, Alan Farmilo, David Holt, E B R Renshaw, Albert Pinder, H W (Bill) Wiffen, Chris Wragg, P Savage

Front Row names from the left:

Robert Laughton, R Gibbons, Brian Pickard, Gregory B, Philip Richmond, R Rawlinson, David Williams, Robert Vickers, D Dobb.

I remember going through my school years with nicknames such as “no-neck” & “hunchback” given my two disabilities from birth. (As you see me in the photo with a pronounced left shoulder problem). But that was only from a few and I don’t remember any of my form mates using those names. Memory seems to tell me that we simply got on.

Have I got any names wrong? And is it 4 or 5A? Ernie had his chess club and the store of Brooke Bond tea cards for us to swap. Maths was not my best subject, and I’m not sure what was, but he never gave up!

Comments about this page

  • Hi Rob,
    I’m glad the photo brought back memories. I was in contact with John Pemblington (Pem) last year as he and Bob Grattage were at the same exercise class or gym. Still in contact with Bob and John Berrill. Along with Pem and 2 others (Phil Gilbert was one and he was at Sherwood Hall) we formed a dodgy group called “Saints and Sinners”, I played (badly) bass guitar and Pem played drums, he was good. We had a couple of bookings and then went our separate ways.
    I imagined most of teachers would have “passed on” by now, wonder if they realised how good a job they did.

    By David Holt (06/07/2021)
  • Hi David,

    Thanks for posting the picture. Surprisingly I ended up teaching maths in a secondary school like Ernie B. Now I’m retired and living in the White Peak.
    Other first names I remember are Peter Savage, Roger Gibbons and David Dobb. Last time I knew, Bill Wiffen (or was it Whiffen) was working in the City so could still be in London. I used to see John Pemblington out on the crags because he’s a rock climber like me.

    Ernie Renshaw died a long time ago, more than 20 years ago and I heard a few months ago that Tony Crofts had just died.

    Tiny Johnson was still going strong a few years ago as I saw him at another teacher’s funeral.

    All the best,
    Rob Rawlinson

    By Robert Rawlinson (03/07/2021)
  • Hello Bob, your name rings a bell but at 71 I can’t hear it that well! I think you were in the same year but in another form?
    Bill Wiffen placed a post in March 2017 on the page with our school photo added by Eddie Brooks 25/4/2015. He says that he is still in touch with Steve Price as I’m still in touch with 2 others on this photo. However I’ve been in Norfolk since 1978 so don’t get to the area often.
    I’m not sure if the editors would pass your details to Bill might be worth asking.
    I’m pleased it has brought back some memories, where are we all now?

    By David Holt (13/06/2021)
  • Hello David, I’m not in the photo but I do remember some of the names. I believe Stephen Redfern played in goal for the school football team when I played. I was very goods friends with Stephen Price and Bill Wiffen after we left school. We used to go to the pub on Nottingham Road (I can’t remember the name I’m afraid). We use to hang around together with Mick Seals, John Vickers and Rob Howell. Be great if I could get in touch with Stephen Price and Bill Wiffen.

    By Bob Revill (10/06/2021)
  • Hi John, I don’t think anyone on the photo was at the Nissan huts, we all started as “sprogs” at the new site in Forest Town. The names I listed at the top are pretty much correct and I am sitting (on the photo) to the left of EBR, with Albert Pinder on the other. I don’t remember a Mick Taylor in our year but I may be wrong.

    By David Holt (03/06/2020)
  • I was at Nissan Huts for a year, 1st year, before moving to Forest Town. I’m sure that’s Mick Taylor from Huthwaite, he lived in a bungalow on Blackwell Road, the same road as me. He was an all round good sportsman. He was a friend of my late brother David, at John Davies Junior School

    By john baines (03/06/2020)
  • Alan, don’t be sad about remembering your school mates. They were formative days and teachers such as “EBR” helped shape our futures. Was it 3A? The memory isn’t clear.
    There are more entries on “Our Mansfield” for our school just search Sherwood Hall. It all started with someone posting the school badge and then Eddie Brooks posted the school photo.
    I doubt “EBR” is still with us as I passed 70 years under this lockdown and he must have been middle aged in the photo. I can’t find any obituary on the web.
    I’m still in touch with Robert Grattage, John Berrill, recently John Pemblington and Phil Gilbert who was in another form.
    I moved to Norfolk in 1978 as an out of work husband and found a job (I never had a career) with HMSO. And being retired keeps you busy, apart from the lockdown!

    By David Holt (07/05/2020)
  • Hi David and others. Sadly I still remember most of you in this photo, found it during a boring covid lockdown afternoon. Hope most of you are well and have enjoyed life since SHGS. I think this is a 3rd year photo by the way.
    Anyone know if Ernie Renshaw is still with us? Great maths teacher I thought. I got on well with but have lost touch with Steve Price, John Berrill, Clarkey, Steve Lee, Bill Wiffen, Bob Laughton, Gibbo, Brian Pickard, Dave Williams and David? Dobb, think we sat next to each other in Maths.
    I’m still nearby in the Vale of Belvoir and happy to get in touch, possibly meet up!
    Alan F

    By Alan Farmilo (03/05/2020)
  • Hi David,

    you don’t know me but I was at Sherwood Hall 1958 – 63. First in Nissan huts then up in Forest Town. The photo of EB Renshaw’s form,

    I’m certain that to EBR’s left the boufonted blond is Michael ‘Tats’ Taylor. He was a really good footballer and runner. Judging by the faces I think the form might be 4, it could even be 3.

    I was in 1J5, 2J3, 3T3  4T, then 5T. Stayed another year in 5A.

    In the last year at Sutton road the mass CrossCountry went round the res. Everybody in school, third year up had to run, unless you were afflicted in some way. That year Tats Taylor was seventh, I was eleventh. The two highest third years.

    Happy days, best wishes, Jim Munro.

    By Jim Munro (11/02/2018)
  • Nice to see the photo David. I cannot remember if I ever had a copy of this one. I don’t think that you have any of the names wrong.

    The fact that some of us still keep in touch after 50 years indicates that we were indeed not such a bad lot.

    I attended the weddings of John Berrill and yourself and was the best man for Graham Smith at his wedding. I hope that I did a good job!

    With regard to your comments about any disability,you should be aware, I hope, you are just David. I have known you for many years and, honestly, do not even give a second thought to your “disability” but I think that you already know that.

    Thank you for the posting and keep in touch.

     

     

    By Robert Grattage (16/12/2016)

Add a comment about this page

Your email address will not be published.