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It is good to see old photo’s of Brackenhoe, though it puzzles me why it is always listed as formerly Bertram Ramsey? It was originally Brackenhoe Technical School,( boys only) and only became Bertram Ramsey when it merged with Bertram Ramsey following the death of the headmaster (Mr Fish if memory serves) I was at the school from 1964 to 1969 and remember it fondly. The pictures of Mr Heseletine in the metalwork shop bring back good memories,as do the time spent doing tech drawing. Not so fondly remembered though are the memories of standing outside Joe Grierson’s office in the school entrance lobby for the cane. No surprises that there is no sign of Mr Bagley in the chemistry lab!
Hi Malcolm, I was in the same classes as you and also have some fond memories of the school. You are right about Mr Bagley never being in the classroom.
Hi Malcolm. I’m sorry but I can’t recall you from my school years, but I can only really remember about 6 lads I was in class with. Surprising really when I spent 5 years with around a class of 30 which remained constant throughout.
Classmate names that come to mind are…..Ronnie Cuthbert, Tom McLellan, Ray Thomas, Andy Thomson, Terry Cassidy & Brian Snaith.
Teachers I recall are Mrs Hodgkinson (English) Twizzle? ( Geography) Mr Cockerill/Sudron ( sports) Mr Shakespear (History) Mrs Batty ( music)
It was a good school, & despite getting the whack a few times over the years it gave me a good grounding for the future.
I remember the classmates you mentioned apart from Terry Cassidy. Also remember Peter Sharp (Ena), Brian Kirkham, Geoff Williams. You may remember me as Monkey.
Hi Malcolm , Ronnie Cuthbert here , just found your message as I was trawling through the net looking for Brackenhoe stuff. This is first time on this website. I won’t type to much as I’m not sure if you will receive this reply being as it is about 20 months since you posted your message.
Terry Cassidy I’m sure should read Castleton , I remember all the names you and Malcolm ( Monkey) Chambers mentioned plus a few I can add – John Culley ( sit next to him at the Boro match) , Tony Harkin , John Whittaker,Alan ( Ernie) South ,Phil Thompson , Richie Lawson , Colin Pearce , Denis Hill,
Ian Cattermole ……Hope you get this message .
Hi Ronnie, Phil Thompson here. I remember you very well, particularly through playing table tennis in the lunchtimes in one of the rooms by the woodwork/metalwork area. I remember Terry Castleton (he had spider writing), Tony Harkin, John Culley, Richie Lawson, Dennis Hill, Malcolm Poskett (or was he an original Bertram Ramsey lad?), Peter Sharp (I was at Linthorpe Juniors with him), Stephen Blackwell (who sadly died on a cross country run in 1967) and some of the teachers, Mr McIver & Mr Finch (both Geography), Mr Lumley (Woodwork), the famous (or should that be infamous) Messrs Grierson & Bagley, Mr Fish (the Head who died), Mr Cockerill (PE), Mr Woods (Maths), Mr Parker (German), Mrs Batty. Good times.
100% correct Malcolm on every count. In fact I think I recall you? Dave Roffey, Dave Nelson, Mick Ruse are other names that spring to mind.
Mick Ruse? Big lad? Think he went on to become a draughtsman. He was big mates with my uncle John (Waland) fromTurford Avenue, Micks nana and mine were next door neighbours.
Brackenoe school was not formerly Bertram Ramsey school. 2 separate schools altogether albeit on the same site. Brackenoe school was formerly known as Brookside school. Why they changed the name to Brackenoe god only knows. I attended Brookside school from September 1973 until May 1978. My brother was one of the first pupils at the school when it opened in 1965.
Brackenhoe came when brookside and bertram ramsey merged
I started at Brackenhoe in 63’, as far as I remember Bertram Ramsey was there then, next door to Brackenhoe but Brookside wasn’t built until later. If you look at the drawing office picture you would have been able to see Brookside through the window, it was built on the empty space you can see there.
You are partly correct Nick, Bertram Ramsey merged with Brookside around 1983 to become Brackenhoe secondary.
My earlier comments are correct, Brackenhoe Tech was around long before that, my father and uncle both attended there before me & prior to it moving onto Prissick base. Joe Grierson made the comment when I turned up in his class “Oh god, not another one!”
In 1968 my father’s cousin became a teacher at Brackenhoe Tech & later went on to marry a teacher from Brookside
I went to Brackenhoe Tech in its first year after completion. Prior to that we were in Middlesbrough ajoining Hugh Bell School.
I was there from 61-65. I agree with Malcolm and his comments. Bagley & Grierson were teachers to fear. The top photo is Mr McPherson the Tech Drawing Teacher, Twizzle was Mr Armstrong and he taught Geography. Mr Kitchen was RI but was easily distracted if you mentioned stamps.
I was also there from 61 to 65 and the comments above certainly jog one’s memory.
Remember Mr. Armstrong for geography, he was an artist at drawing maps on the blackboard and could hit you at 50 paces with the blackboard duster if you were not paying attention.
I was born September 1945 in 50, Cargo Fleet Road. I attended St. John the Evangelist School from 1950 to 1960. I left to go to Brackenhoe Technical School as it was known then. I left school at 16 years of age to join the workforce. I would very much like to communicate with anyone who can remember me.
Awaiting a reply.
Michael
I remember the names of Mr Fish (Headmaster), Joe Grierson (Deputy Headmaster) Mr. Armstrong (Geography) I remember him throwing the blackboard rubber from the front of the class to a student at the back of the class. He didn’t miss him. The Tech drawing master was Mr. McPhearson, I think he was a former commando. If it was him, he thought I was the one talking and he hit me with the palm of his hand on my face. My face was so red and it stung for ages. He then found out it was not me and could not apologise enough. I can remember Mr. Bagley.
I also can remember a Mr (Rev) C of E Priest Tedd Appleyard teaching R.I. and maybe english
Amazing how all of those names bring back memories of that time. They are all very familiar
I attended Brackenhoe ’63 – ’68 and have very happy memories of that school. I remember that the discipline was very strict and was a real eye opener for a young lad joining the first years from junior school. I’ll never forget getting the cane on my first day, after being hauled to Mister Fish’s office by a prefect, for standing on the flower borders…never did it again! I also remember Joe Grierson, a fearsome physics master, who told us what the translation of the Latin school motto (Ad Finem) meant, “Until The End”, he looked at us all in his class with his steely eyes and said “And believe you me, you will all work until the bitter end”. Genuine thanks to Brackenhoe for my formative years.
I was there then too, my intro on the first day was a kick in the Crown Jewels from a yob who I asked “where’s the Geography room please?”
It set the tone for the next 3 years until I learned to look after myself.
Low point of that year was the final day of Summer term 64’, there was a rumour going round that there was going to be trouble and I begged off school that day. Found out later that there’d been a riot, school was smashed up and Mr Fish the headmaster died of a heart attack. So sad, he was one of the good guys.
Brakenhoe school opened in 80s after Bertram Ramsey joined together
I was there 63/68, First day Mr Bagley asked ” anyone got brothers in the school? ” I proudly raised my hand and gave my name, he replied, sit down here in front of me, I’m going to keep my eye on you laddie!!!.
Cannot understand why people say Brackenhoe was formally Bertam Ramsey when originally we were a school for boys who came from premises in Middlesbrough town centre to the prussic site, prior to that development of the original four schools on the site Bertram Ramsey did not exist. During the Labour councils which to start comprehensive schools we were amalgamated with Bertram Ramsey when Mr. Fish died, at the end of that school year. Later in its time as Bertram Ramsey it was decided to go back to the Brackenhoe name and that is were the “formally” come from. Brackenhoe was around a long time before then…. Great school with great Traditions and Teachers.
Yes quite right I was also in the first intake when it opened.
Wasn’t it called Brackenhoe in it’s last incarnation? When I was there, (1963-68) it was Brackenhoe and was an all boys school, Bertram Ramsey as a separate school was there then.
I think it was at the beginning of the Third year, so that would be Autumn term 1965, that we combined with the Bertram Ramsey lot and had to work alongside those fearsome things… GIRLS!!!
I think the site as a whole was called Brackenhoe when I went there when I took my RYA Yachtmaster training about 15 years ago. So, at that point it would be correct to say ‘formerly Bertram Ramsey’
At the end of that first school year (July 1964) there’d been a rumour of trouble on the last day and I pulled a sickie, I didn’t want to be there, that was the day Mr Fish died of a heart attack, still sad to think of it now 57 years later!
I absolutely loved metalwork with Mr Heseltine, and Engineering Drawing, although Mc Gregors habit of selecting someone to have his arms twisted wasn’t the high point of my week! Teaching methods have changed somewhat over the years.
I can remember Bertram Ramsey school me and my brother both went there re about 1971 to 1976 i can remember mrs batty and mr skakespear we were both there when neil pearson was killed on marton road and also we were there when throuhgh the day it went pitch black i was playing cricket at the time.
Phil Thompson , I remember you very well , am I right in saying you lived on the corner of Roman Rd. and the Crescent? Seem to remember walking home with you once or twice and passing your house on the way to mine in the Newport area. Mally Poskett wasn’t in our class (T) but I think he was a Brackenhoe lad and he went onto making a career as a pro.footballer .
John Culley is the only Brackenhoe lad I see regularly. We go to the Boro match together and go walking together both of which are currently in limbo because of Covid . On one of our walks last year we visited Stephen Blackwell’s memorial in Acklam Cemetery, he died 10/9/66 , the beginning of our 3rd year, still remember that vividly, very sad.
Seem to remember you wanted to go into Town Planning when you left school . The technical education we got at Brackenhoe set me on my way to a planning career also but in the oil industry and I travelled the world working on 5 different continents doing it till I retired in 2006.
I enjoyed your comments Phil , I agree they were good times , thanks for responding.
Ron
Yes you were right about our house in The Crescent. I left Bertram Ramsey & did A levels at the High School next door & then did a Town planning course in London & basically have stayed there ever since. Met my wife there & now live in Ealing, west London. Ended up working in housing, first with local authorities in London & then for a housing association, finishing up as Head of Development & Sustainability until I retired in 2016. I remember Stephen Blackwell dying & would love to know where his grave is so when I do get back to Boro I can look at it – my Mum & Dad’s ashes are scattered at the Crematorium gardens of remembrance
Phil
Stephen’s memorial is a plaque is on the top row of the wall in the Crematorium garden of remembrance.
It shouldn’t be too difficult to spot. He doesn’t have a grave to my knowledge. I have a photo of it but I’ve not been able to workout how to post it on this website. You’ve been in London a long time, hope you’ve not lost your Teesside accent ! I spent a bit of time there working in Baker St and Grays Inn Rd in the mid 70’s before venturing abroad. One of my sons lived in Finchley for several years , married a local girl but have now moved out to Buckinghamshire, my other son married a South African girl and they live in Australia , in both cases most of my contact with them is via. FaceTime and WhatsApp- God bless technology. Do you get back to Boro much ?
Thanks for your directions for Stephen Blackwell’s commemoration plaque. We visited the Crematorium in late August & saw it quite easily there – don’t know how I missed it previously. I remember being absolutely distraught when my parents told me he had died & also at the memorial held at school in the days afterwards.
Hi Phil, you mentioned Peter Sharp in one of your posts, unfortunately he passed away two or three years ago.
Malcolm
I’m very sorry to hear that. I often wondered what happened to him & his family. How are you?
Keeping fine Phil. Living in Marton after travelling around quite a bit. Lived in Spain for quite a while and still have a place over there but not been over for a while due to Covid.
Hope you are keeping well.
Tech drawing teacher McPherson as I remember, had my arms twisted up my back a few times from him, and that was for a good drawing!
Great reading all the posts. I joined Brackenhoe Tech the year before it amalgamated with Bertram Ramsey. I remained in one of only two all boys classes (I think 2T & 2S) even when we joined the mixed Bertram Ramsey. A great school. I remember all the teachers, particularly Griersen and Bagley. John Robinson, Richie Lawson, Richie Ward where all mates in my year.
I was there early 90s to mid ninties teacher I remember Mrs Palmer Jones, Mr Sayer(Doc Brown) My Haynes, Mr Boyle, My Phillipie, Mr Grego, Mr Geldard, Mr Watkinson, Mr Geoffs(we called him Gene Wilder) Mr Metcafle(legend English teacher) Mr Walker…those are the ones that come to mind for now
Hi there,
Does anyone remember David Jobling? Think around 1963?