King Henry VIII Grammar School

Very sad - but not unexpected. He's not been well since he had a stroke a few months ago. He would have been 87 this year. I've been in touch with Ted and Emi for years, and visited them several times when I was in Coventry. He would have been pleased to have completed and published his memoirs - Cursus Honorum - in 2019. He had quite a profound influence on me, not least by introducing me to orienteering. RIP Ted! The photo is from his book, and must have been about 1966 - as many of us would remember him!

So sorry to hear the news. I posted a while back about some of my experiences with "Droob" (post 1266 in this thread), he definitely was a character and encouraged me in cross-country. Fond memories, RIP Ted Norrish. Facebook link

Yep, he was a character, I wanted to do cc running but he frightened the kerapp out of me so I took great delight in beating the ccr members in our first year when we could not play rugby, and later beating his athletes in the house matches as I got older. I also thank him for making me give up Latin at the earliest opportunity, yes I could hear the shouting and palpable fear. I also saw the lighter side, the fun when he packed too many into and onto the Droobmobile, if he had just wound in the fierce I think I would have viewed him differently. I see how he inspired others but for me he terrified. Maybe I expected too much, maybe I was a wuss.

Hi all, Just had a reminder of my first day at the prep school. Mrs Gates transition class. At 3.50pm, most of the mum's were there to collect the darlings. All I wanted to tell my mum is how good the dinners were. I was reminded of that as I've just enjoyed some Ambrosia Rice pudding. The dinners, all cooked on site I thought were really good. The senior school salads were really good too. I'm a big boy now, well just a little bit. Someone posted a picture that includes me on the very first post on this topic. My mum & dad only wanted the best. Whatever, I'm so grateful for that!

Has anyone been celebrating their historical O or A level passes of late. Sixty years since my O levels. Can anyone remember the split of the fifth years, upper & lower? It for me was a rare occasion where both my mum & dad were reasonably pleased with the outcome. Just a bit of explanation. King Henry VIII, senior school started as year two. The first year was in the prep school.

4 'O's and requested that I leave and never darken their doors again. Since then I have a stream of qualifications that would have ended in a PhD, but for my stubbornness in 'amending' my research to suit political dogma.

My post on this subject is because for me it's exactly 60 years ago.

I've just found this post. I wonder if you were the boy with the blond hair that Piggy called out in front of the whole school, using the address "the boy with the tea-cosy hair"? I was reminded of KHVIII last night. The Cottage in Kenilworth has recently re-opened after a long closure, and they are now selling Foghorn IPA!

Malvern Can you remember the name of the lad who was with us in the first Michaelmas term in Transition in 1970. He and his family emigrated to New Zealand, I think, and the new boy who replaced him in the Lent term was Cooper, if I recall correctly. Until quite recently I could recall this obscure detail, but my memory is starting to fail me, and you are probably the only person who might remember! Stuart F

The lady between Mrs Hobday and Mrs Gates was Miss Johnson, although I think she might have been UPAlpha not UPA. The lady between DKA and Mrs Wallis was Miss Berill - she left in 71 to get married, I think.

Hi retroman, welcome to the forum Thanks for adding your memories.

There was a lad Mather (Simon, I think) - he was struggling a bit and I remember being moved (we were normally sat in alphabetical order) to sit next to him during maths lessons - my first role as Teaching Assistant! . There was also a lad Pacey (Stuart, Simon, Stephen?) who left a year or two later. I hope that rings some bells? Malvern

Ah you're referring to James Mather! He's to my left in that 2nd photo, the late Simon Coldrick to my right (the two blond lads), but as he's in the photo taken in the summer of '71, he didn't leave at the end of Michaelmas term. Neither did Pacey, who is, I think, to the left of Mather in the photo. As it happens, last night as I was consoling myself with Coventry being robbed in the semi-final, it came back to me - the name of the lad who emigrated to New Zealand after just one term.. Alexander Wing! All the best, Stuart F.