Cottesmore Boys School

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Photographs
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 Memories

Gerry Gamble - Nottingham
I was recently down at 'Anchor Surplus' in the Nottingham Cattle Market when I came across the bell which we used to sound at the end of every period. The bell used to be located just outside the science room and had the inscription TSS WAIMANA cast into it. The bell is unmistakeable as it has hammer marks on it where it has been struck on the outside. Surely there cannot be two bells bearing the same name? Does anyone know any more about this bell and how it has ended up at the Cattle Market?  I was at Cottesmore Boys School until 1963 whereupon I went to work for Imperial Tobacco.  I retired two years ago after almost 42 years service.

William (Bill) Pugsley - New York, USA
I was born in 1933 and attended Cottesmore Boys School leaving in 1948. At this time I used to live on Hermon Street at the top of Derby Road. Among the members of staff at the Boys School I can remember various members of staff including the headmaster C. W. Leaning, and the ogre ‘Jock’ Smiley with his blackjack taws.  There was also Mr. Everett who took metal work (don’t you dare put your work too high in the vice!); Percy Fox – woodwork, ‘Pop’ Mason  who I seem to recall was deputy head; Mr. Hornbuckle – art; Mr. Hopkins – music; Mr. Tuchler & Mr. Collinson (?) – science, (who remembers the old bullnose Morris chassis and the airplane engines in the science room?).  I later met up with Mr. Tuchler when I was working for Notts. County Council and he was head of a school in Mansfield. He was later awarded the OBE. There was also Mr. Hodgkinson; George Happer –geography; Cyril Green our A4 class master (he later became headmaster of the school on Bar Lane, Basford); Mr. Dixon – French (always cleaning his ears with a pin on the end of a pencil!); during my early years at the school there was a Miss. Silkstone.  There was also a teacher from Canada on a training session and he introduced us to a new subject called ‘Civics’.

The classmates I can recall were David Crown, Peter Barry Brown, Mike Pownall (who died in a motorcycle accident), Bert Butcher (who was up a tree in an orchard with me when a farmer and his dogs came into the area but never spotted us – I’m sure he will remember that!), Billy Dennis, Stuart Jarvis, Doug Wragg, Joe Sparham, Brian Bates, John Smith, who went with me to hospital when I fell and broke my arm, Alec Skelton – a great footballer, Stewart Coates, Ashley ‘Spud” Tate, D. Eaton (Easom?),  ? Greenfield, Derek Shooter, ? Weightman, Billy Kelvey, Stuart Skill (of bus fame), George Dabell, and ‘Dickie’ Bird.

My sister Ethel died of TB many years ago, but Doreen married a French Canadian and went to Nova Scotia. Now a widow, she has five children.  Both of my sisters attended Cottesmore Girls School.  I had two older brothers that were away fighting the war while I was at school, one in the eighth army, the other flying Lancaster bombers. Both are now deceased.  Another of my older brothers, Raymond, is alive and living in Clifton while my younger brother, Walter, is a resident of Bestwood.  I came to Long Island, New York. USA in 2000 to remarry but was living in Farnsfield, near Southwell until then. I still keep my cottage there and return twice a year for holidays.

I would very much like any of these people, but especially the first two names, to get in touch if they wish to, either by e-mail or snail mail at loupescoop@aol.com or 19 Bower Place, Huntington, New York. 11743 USA.

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