Sherwood Hall Technical Grammar School for Boys

Sherwod Hall Boys School Badge 1970's
H Livingstone

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  • Ann was asking about Bill Stone and yes, I remember him well. We grew up together in Clipstone, if it’s the right Bill. Lost touch after Sherwood Hall though. I was there from 1965 until 1972.

    By Stephen Hargreaves (26/12/2023)
  • 1960? Mrs Hollingsworth made me a substitute chorus girl in the Mikado.
    I never got to perform live.

    By Neal Cooper (12/12/2023)
  • Does anyone remember Bill Stone who attended from about 1965 to about 1970? He lived in Forest Town and palled about with another pupil called Spike.

    By Ann (13/02/2023)
  • Hi, Paul ‘Rocket’ Stevenson [1961-1967]. My first year teacher was ‘Jock’ Reid, who taught Chemistry, if anyone remembers him? The names of some of the older teachers mentioned bring good memories to mind: John Cooke [Art], ‘Noddy’ Kaplan [History], Mr. Barber [French], Harry Plackett [Woodwork] and a Mr. Smith? – aka ‘Bangalore’. Good times!

    By Paul Stevenson (26/10/2020)
  • Hi,it’s Yanis Valants (1969-72). I remember the teachers Mr.Hamilton, Chalky White, Shotbolt, Noddy Caplin, Granty. Other pupils, Kev Bowskill, John Kitchen, Martin Chappel, Billy Walker and Frankie Lowe who passed away in his first year there, I could name a lot more! Good days..

    By J.D.Valants (12/05/2019)
  • Hi Bins Yes I can remember getting the stick ( didn’t do us any harm ) off Joe Redford for smoking down the field . Can you remember when you Chubby and I went to Skeggy for a weeks holiday !!! . Happy times at that school would love to meet up some time and have a remanisce.

    By Colin Cutts (12/12/2018)
  • I was at Mansfield Tech from 1958 -64. We moved from the Nissan huts in 61 up to Stuart ave and became Sherwood Hall.

    Bill Shotbolt appears several times in other parts. He was very good to me, on one occasion he could have whacked me without question. I went through a window of one of the huts and he caught me. Instead of punishing he just talked and said how silly I was. Never forgot it. Considering I got 3 strokes for playing brag with bus tickets going home on the bus. Pretty enlightened.

    I remember Keith Berry, in PE he was very good, Alec Grant was a one off, he played golf while we did Javelin and Discus. Tony Crofts played football with us sometimes.

    Can anyone remember the mass cross country around the Res. at Sutton. I was 14 when they did the last one before moving to Forest Town. I got shoes full of sewage slime when we jumped the steam, you had to land in it. I was 11th and Tats Taylor also 14 was 7th. Out of all the upper school.

    I too can remember the pain of indoor shoes at the new building.

    I went to Switzerland and Austria with Ken Jones and TF Woods, Great Times. Dave Charlton and I swam in a freezing mud hole behind the hotel in Austria.

    TF Woods also took us for Russian. I can still remember the Russian anthem he made us sing. Soyuz Neyrushimui!

    Jim Munro. 10/2/2018

    By Jim Munro (10/02/2018)
  • I attended this school 1961-1965.

    Huthwaite lads from John Davies. Rob Norton, Malc Walsh, Dave(Chubby) Hallam and me, John (Bins) Baines

    Chalky White was our first form teacher in the Nissan huts next to Kings Mill Hospital.

    Then to Forest Town. Had Pip Lemon for form master for three years. George Pope took Geography and smoked 50 Gold Leaf  a day but sang like an angel. I didn’t like Cooky  art teacher he was slimy and had his favourites. Clem Marriott, the mad professor. But great Wren, the housemaster.

    Pip Lemon picking me and Chub Hallam up by the neck hair until we squealed just because we mimed playing Frere Jacque on the recorder! Remember Rick Lee giving drumming lessons in the music room after school. He went on to drum for the rock band Ten Years After and played at Woodstock. 

    Can remember Polish Boris, the Biology teacher.  Loved Noddy Caplin for History. Fanny Branston.Freddie Mills, Martin deputy head. 

    Remember John Whetton Olympic Silver Medallist coming to teach Biology, persuaded him to let me and Colin Cutts go and dig up worms for dissecting. Little did he know we volunteered so we could get into whitewashed greenhouses for a fag. That is until Chalky White and Bill Shotbolt caught us one lunchtime. Three off Joe Radford for our troubles. 

    Had a lad called Wilmot in our class who was forever in trouble and sent to Joe for the cane.We worked it out during our last week that he must have had 998 strokes of the cane over five years so on the last day we asked Joe if he could oblige with two more to make it a 1000. Good sport he duly obliged and we carried Wilmot shoulder high around school on the last day. 

    By john baine (14/06/2017)
  • Hi, 

    I attended from 69-72. I came into the school in the 2nd year after we moved to Mansfield from Worksop. I remember Keith Berry, the English teacher and Mr Johnstone, the shortest teacher I’ve ever come across. I enjoyed my time at the school, only the sport’s teaching was a let down. His idea of teaching was to hand over the keys to the equipment cupboard , tell the lads to get what they wanted and go and play for an hour, whilst he sat in his little room in the changing rooms smoking. I remember Glen Miller , John Mercel and Mick Turnbull.

    By peter little (05/10/2016)
  • Hi Barry, one of the other topics, the school photo one, seems to be collecting most comments so I’m off there to post a response. It seems Mr Richardson was wrong in his assumption that he “attempted” to teach us, he did a great job. Watch for a further photo, of Form 4A I think, I’ll see if I can get it posted.

    By David Holt (16/09/2016)
  • I was at the school from 1963 (I think) until 1970 and have fond memories – no doubt coloured by time. I certainly think the curriculum gave me a wide range of skills from which I’ve benefitted greatly. Good memories of ‘Ernie’ Renshaw, ‘Dick Richardson’, Mr Jones, Mr Cooke, Sam Bentley some to mind.  I have 3 panoramic photos 65,67,69.  After living around Sheffield, East Anglia I’ve been back in Notts for 14 years

    By Geoff Lester (09/09/2016)
  • Hi David,  You are right, I discovered my school report book and there it states 1960 was when I started at the Kings Mill Location. I also discovered some issues of “The Seeker” school magazine from ’63 where they mention my design for the new cover had been chosen. Seems that was a compromise solution to the competition. Well I’ve designed a ton things since then and attribute a great deal of that success to the practical education I received there.  I have a couple of those panorama photos hiding somewhere and would enjoy sharing in a “where are they now” exercise.  I’m in California since ’83 after working as a designer in Germany for a decade before.  I studied Industrial Design at Liecester Poly. and interned in N.Y.C. working for Raymond Leowy on NASA projects. Before that, I actually did my basic mining training at Clipstone Colliery, after the RAF declined to take me as a pilot!    I soon came to my senses and after a brief but memorable stint as a Dolphin keeper at Flamingo Park Zoo began studies at Mansfield College of Art.  I would love get in touch with my old school mates and learn where life took them.

     

    Second row from the front 6th in from the right.

    By Barry Wingate (26/08/2016)
  • Hello, I’m Stuart Clarke known as Clarky. I attended Sherwood Hall from 1961 to 1966. I remember the long photo very well. How funny were they. I also remember Eddie Brooks very well we were pals. Although I didn’t like it there much, I still have some funny memories of some of the lads. Regards to you all. …. Clarky

    By Stuart Clarke. (12/09/2015)
  • If anything was saved from the old school then I would hope it is either in the care of the local education authority or Mansfield Museum. Education conditions have changed in Nott’s as the huge school building programme in the 60’s was (I believe) due to the fact that the area had a lack of Grammar schools so the technical schools (aka the old Nissan hut site) were evolved into Technical Grammars. The MP of the time, Don Concannon, brought up the issue in Parliament. All that said I believe there are no plans to rebuild the school but as I have lived in Norfolk since 1978 I’m a bit out of touch.

    If you visit the school photo (another entry on this site) you’ll see most of the teachers mentioned in the photo plus the challenge Eddie Brooks has set us all to confirm names. My form master was Ernest B Renshaw, on the photo, and our nickname for him was “shoulder kiss”. It came about because when he was writing a maths problem on the board, and was perplexed, he would turn his head to his shoulder and appear to kiss it! I seem to remember he ran the chess club and the tea card swap having the cards stored in the cupboard in the form room.

    Alec Grant continued the cross country runs at the new site and we wore the same kit. He had a grey MG(?) the boot of which, in winter, was full of paving slabs to give the rear wheel drive grip. I remember well because some of us were detailed to push him off site one winter!

    By David Holt (05/08/2015)
  • This really is a blast from the past! I was at Sherwood Hall (Sorry King´s Mill) from 1958 to 1961 and then Sherwood Hall. The old Nissan huts are really nostalgic almost sixty years on.I´ll never forget the cross-country runs every week round the reservoir – even in winter it was only plimsolls, shorts and a T-Shirt (Good old Alec Grant). All the masters mentioned I remember – Chalky White, Shotbolt, Cooky, Joe Radford and Pip Lemon. Peter mentioned Pip´s productions of G&S operas. He must have taken over from Mrs Hollingsworth who started the operas. She was music teacher when I started. I was in three of the operas – my wife still thinks I look gorgeous in crinoline. I see that the school has burnt down? Is it being re-built does anyone know?. They weren´t perhaps happy days but age and hindsight make them that.

    By Stuart Johnstone (28/07/2015)
  • We had “Pip” for music. The main thing I remember about him was a saying that he used. We were given recorders to try and play, and the homework was a given piece of music that we had to stand up and play individually the next lesson. His words were, “woe betide any little John Willy that cant play it perfectly”

    By Chris Woodward (08/07/2015)
  • Hi, I was at Sherwood Hall from 64 to 71. Does anyone know if the school photos and the board on the hall wall with who went to university were saved when part of the school burnt down? Chalky White was also my first form teacher. Pip Lemon taught music, re and geography one year, I also remember his productions of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas.

    By Peter Harris (08/07/2015)
  • Hi Chris,

    I well remember Pip Lemon, he was always well turned out in a suit I seem to remember with a dash of white hair around a balding pate. I seemed to be his “Bette Noir” and he gave me the name “Sacrifice” presumably because I disrupted the class. Wherever I sat in the class he would always signal me to front to sit in the smaller desks with the red disk on. (I think the desks were red, blue green in order of size). He knew how to put you in your place. I believe he also gave me the name “Bush” as at that time I had shoulder length hair. If you look at the other entry with the school photo I think you can pick out the teachers and certainly Joe Radford. I was never one for religion so Pip’s lessons never received my attention. Cheers.

    By David Holt (06/07/2015)
  • Hi, I attended the school for one year only in 1962. We moved into Nottingham City with my dads job in 1963. I remember Joe Radford, and Calky White(he was my form teacher). Do you remember Pip Lemon?

    By chris Woodward (05/07/2015)
  • Hi David,

    Moved 5 times, are you on the run?

    I’ve managed to scan the photo in 3 parts {now published under Education]. I think Brian’s sister was named Maureen possibly. I used to do screen printing for Cooky after school for the Gilbert & Sullivan production posters and he took me all the way home afterwards, I think he liked my mum or something. I remember Ken Shotbolt, metalwork master, belting my backside with one of Alec Grant’s giant slippers, P.E.teacher. When we played football in the tennis courts we were told if the ball went into the adjoining court we must go all the way round to collect it, of course we didn’t, we just used to lift the wire netting and go underneath. Great idea until you got your jumper hooked on the wire, couldn’t move and Ken Shotbolt spotted you from the Metalwork shop. Do you remember going in to the shop at the top of Stuart Avenue and buying a protractor, while everybody else filled their pockets with sweets. Let me know how to get the photo(s) to you. All the best Eddie.

     

    By EDWARD BROOKS(EDDIE) (22/04/2015)
  • Hi Eddie, I have you now and a picture of you in my mind because after 3 weeks of searching I cannot find my school photo. We have made 5 moves over the years so at some point it was overlooked and thrown away. If you or anyone can get them scanned it would great to see them here. I knew Gassie well. His granddad lived on Vernon Road a few doors up from me and we played together a lot around the time of our primary school days. Sad to hear he is no longer with us. Only Brian Walker rings a bell as I’m sure he had a sister(?) who knew mine, hence the connection. I kept a few books from the time and I well remember Mr Cooke, the art teacher, who served me with a few detentions. He finally gave up all hope with me and concluded art was not in my soul. Events I remember are Richard Brown picking up very hot (but looked cold) piece of metal in a metalwork class and Chalky White (teacher) cutting himself on the bandsaw. Ian Judge’s racket of selling sandwiches that he made at home each morning and the palaver of having to wear “indoor” shoes.

    Happy days, cheers David.

    By David Holt (16/04/2015)
  • Hi David, I’m next to back row from the left I am 3rd (next to Gassie who sadly left us last year). I seem to recall you as the handsome guy same row at no.9. I originated from Kirkby and lived in the Limeburners Arms (now Countryman) from 1955-1971. I attended Mowlands and best mates at the time were, Gassie (Harcourt Road)Brian Walker (The Hill) and Alan Abbott(Victoria Road). Love your story, Gassie and I wagged it one day, hid in the toilets opposite Shoe Co. cadged a lift to Hollinwell golf course to earn money caddying and Joe Radford was a couple of holes behind us for a full round. Regards Eddie Brooks.

     

     

    By Eddie Brooks (25/03/2015)
  • I have a 3ft photo from 1969. I’ll get it scanned and posted here. Does anyone else have those superb panoramic school photos ?, it would be great to see them. 

    By Harry Livingstone (05/03/2015)
  • Hi Eddie, time is a stealer of memories. I need to consult the 3ft photo you mention. It hasn’t come out of the cupboard for a long time. Counting from the left, and on which row are you? I need to put a face to the name to trigger my memory. Your name rings a bell but the your face & other memories have gone! Although I’ve lived in Norfolk since 1978 I’m still in Xmas card touch with 3 other members, Phil Gilbert (in Spain), Bob Grattage and John Berrill. I have good memories of the school and Joe Radford, he even paid John Stanley and I to have our hair cut, we slopped off into Mansfield and had pie & chips, we never did get our hair cut!

    By David Holt (01/03/2015)
  • Hi ya David, I remember you well, have stumbled onto this page, hope you are well, Do you have the old 3 ft.long photo? I do. by Edward Brooks(Eddie)

     

    By EDWARD BROOKS(EDDIE) (27/02/2015)
  • Optima petimus translating into ‘we seek the best’, was the school badge without change during my time as far as I can remember, two years at the nissan hut site and three at Sherwood Hall with mixed achievements!

    By Nigel Wolden (19/10/2014)
  • David – missed you by a year 1967-74

    By Harry Livingstone (19/09/2014)
  • Age is playing tricks, the school opened in Sept 1961 & I left in 1966! The old school was of course opposite Kings Mill reservoir and comprised of Nissan huts (I’m led to believe).

    By David Holt (10/08/2014)
  • This was the new school badge when the school opened on the new site in 1966. I was in the first intake of “sprogs” following a cousin who had attended at the old site. In the first couple of years some of the pupils who had transferred from the old site retained their old badges with a trowel amongst other things on it.

    By David Holt (09/08/2014)

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