Mortimer Memories

baldy.smith

Mortimer Memories

Post by baldy.smith »

Having looked at the posts here regarding Mortimer school I am not surprised that not many people are responding. I have read very little about the positive aspects of the school, all anyone seems to do is s**g it off. I was a pupil from 1949 to 1953 and enjoyed it overall as I'm sure most of my classmates did also. I remember well Mr Morton or sniffy as he has been refered to. I have heard many stories about why he sniffed and coughed all ludicrous of course but kids will believe anything if it suits them. Mr Morton was a top sportsman in his day and played rugby at the highest level, something he was very modest about. I always found him to be a gentleman. Mr Gedling got me my first job when I left school for which I will always be grateful, I was in contact with him for several years after leaving school. Mrs Urwin (formerly Mrs Murray, widowed) was also a top teacher, and made contact with me after I left school and was confined to hospital for a long period. Maybe this could be a starting point for hearing more positive things about the school instead of the moaners taking the lead. No doubt Memor will post some intelligent remarks which will test our mental ability and set us thinking.
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Post by Sandy »

There's no doubt that Memor will be replying shortly with some humdinger. He's the expert. I'll post my comments after that.

I'm actually really pleased for you that you have good memories of Morty. I think it's possible things changed later on when Memor and I were there. Whilst my experiences weren't as dire as his, my school life didn't take off until I left when I was 11, having been through the Infants and Juniors.
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Post by baldy.smith »

Well Sandy I trust that you were not infering that the decline of Morty was down to you and Memor :lol: :lol: :lol: I suppose in my days that life ouside school was pretty tough so that made school seem all the better. At that time I was living in Havelock Street, we had relatives living with us so there were nine of us living in two small rooms, no running water unless you went outside to the yard for it, no indoor toilets or baths. A lot of older people refer to the "good old days" well I don't see them like that. Anyway I say "UP MORTY" and you can interpret that anyway you like. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Post by Sandy »

No......I really AM pleased that you say UP MORTY. It's just that I can't say the same about the school several years on from when you were there.

I've been looking for the photo of 1950, complete with Mr Morton, you posted but I can't find it anywhere.

We lived in St Vincent Street and, whilst we did have running water, I also experienced the outdoor toilet in the backyard and no bath, just the tin one or 'washdowns'. What a life when you compare it with what we have now. Memor and I were discussing no central heating, obviously, just an open fire in one room, you'd freeze when you moved to another room or had to go to bed, lino on the floor, 'Jack Frost' patterns on the windows INSIDE, wind blowing through cracked window panes, howling down the chimney, how did we survive? Brrrrrrrh.

Anyway, this is getting away from the thread. I'll be back with my Morty Memories.
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Post by baldy.smith »

Had a workmate who lived at 187 St Vincent Street name of Wills, he was the spitting image of Arthur Askey and about the same height. He had a daughter called Joan who married and ex Morty pupil called George Ogilvy, bit before your time and I don't know where they are now.
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Post by memor »

Baldy I only say it as I found it. When I was there there was some evil
S-O-B's there.

Mr Bacon , Metalwork teacher , who hit boy round head with a wooden mallet he also hung boy out of window by ankles because he displeased him.

Mr Hanson who you had to watch vein on side of head , if it got big and started to throb(vein) you get away fast. He could turn in an instant.

Mr Dreever. He not like the way his class look at him so he cane everyone.

and finally Mr Smith Maths teacher and full time pead ophile and pervert. Who's other sideline was bullying kids (me) it was bad enough being bullied by other kids but a teacher. Needless to say he got his come uppance because he hung himself in a bail Hostel while awaiting trial for having s*x with some eight year olds. I believe they were relatives.

I did have some nice times and their were some nice teachers. Mrs Irvine comes to mind. I not sure she the same as your Mrs Urwin but if it is she one fine teacher.

Maybe it was just my luck to go to school when it full of psychopaths, sociopaths and perverts. It made me care more for the underdog and not to put up with rubbish from anyone.

For all of that I got a better education than kids these days. Discipline was hard and it did focus your mind which kids these days dont seem to have.

My wife was educated by Nuns and she says they were even worse. Apart from the odd slap they told her she would go to Hell if she was bad.
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Post by baldy.smith »

Well Memor I do not know of any of the teachers whose names you have mentioned with the exception of Mrs Urwin or Ervine I'm sure it is the same teacher just at my age I get a bit confused with names at times, I'm ok so long as I keep taking the tablets. The wood work teacher during my time was Geordie Wyatt; a real Rugby fanatic and he was prone to throw things at the pupils but we all thought it was a great laugh. Miss Mullen was the girls PE teacher, she used to get changed behind the blackboard not realising that we could see her reflection in the doors of the glass cabinet, I used to suffer from terrible neck pain in those days. Mr Atkinson (boys PE teacher) had the hots for her but she was not interested. Mr Glenwright was another down to earth good teacher as was Mr Cousins the art teacher and Mr Donaghar. Of course you must call events as you found them is is just a shame that your time there was not as good as mine. All down to the modern teaching methods and uncaring teachers without a calling for the job. :D :D
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Post by memor »

I think a lot of the Teachers had a bad war. Thats the only excuse I can think of for why some were such B astards.

My Father went to Morty School and he said it was as bad in his day. He put it down to First World War.

Anyway as I said it wasn't all bad. For a Secondary Modern I surprise myself and others at amount of Greek Mythology that was taught there.

If anyone stuck on dodgy crossword clue about the Greeks they always ask me for answer. Its not the sort of thing that is taught now.

Anyway I was very sad when they demolished it.

Mr Morton ended up as head Mrs Irvine ended up as deputy head
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Post by Sandy »

Baldy...I promised to come back with my experiences of Morty. I will always have an awful memory of being 'dragged' through my education there, from the ages of 5 - 11 years old, Infants and Juniors.

When starting school, the intake was Sep - Aug and I had the misfortune, along with others I realise, of being born in Aug so was always amongst the 'babies' of the class, struggling with the better aptitude of the older children. A few months to a year in age makes a big difference at that age. This is no fault of the school but it set a trend for me. I was considered a 'bright' child (so they said?!?) and was streamed into the 'A' class. It was a sheer struggle. I was the last to read, found simple maths a problem and learning to write difficult. I wasn't really grasping things. I was always in the bottom section, often 3rd or 2nd bottom, dreading the day when I might actually become bottom of the class. I remember when I was 6, after school one day, walking the whole length of Hepscott Terrace with my mother and current teacher, Miss Payne. This teacher used a question and answer demonstration with me to show my mother how stupid I was, e.g. Jack and Jill went up the hill.......what did they go up the hill for? Full of fear, my tearful answer, "Doooon't knooooow" Sob sob. Humiliation. On Parents Day, it was always the same, current teacher to my mother "Oh Mrs so-and-so, I don't know WHAT we're going to do with Sandy" for all to hear. And I remember Jubb Books. Mathematical exercises of 20 questions. Once completed, you would walk to the teacher's desk for marking. Pupils would be walking to that desk before I had completed question 5 and I never completed an exercise, ever. Shame and terror. I was a dunce.

My points are thus. Firstly, I was not 'A' class material and each teacher, each year, should have relegated me to the 'B' class. But perhaps this would show as failure on their part. Secondly, every teacher enjoyed teaching the 'star' pupils in the upper sections, with no interest for the bottom section. There was no encouragement, extra tuition or adjustment for us. We were left to flounder and just about scrape through the year, picking up what we could. We were made to stand in the corner of the classroom for repeatedly getting things wrong. We were not being naughty. We were just unable to grasp things at this level. Teachers often ridiculed us and pupils in the higher sections didn't want to know us. This was all very wrong. The powers that be at Morty should have sorted this out. Relegation for pupils like me........I was never going to fit in at this level and was learning less because of it.......and a more comprehensive teaching pattern covering all the different abilities in the same class, top and bottom sections!

And so.......Morty became a place of terror for me. Until, that is, Miss Turnbull, the teacher in 3A when I was 9. After dragging me through that year, and then when I failed my 10-plus, she relegated me to 4B for my last year in the Juniors. But perhaps that was what the 10-plus was all about, categorisation, and she was required to do this. There, finally, I was more comfortable, could cope well with the tuition and began to flourish at last.

Like Memor, I do have a couple of nice memories. Being chosen to have my photo in the Gazette, highlighting Kerb Drill. I was supposedly a nice singer and was chosen to stand on a chair and sing 'Glad That I Live Am I' in front of the whole school. And then there was Mrs Percy in the Infants. A lovely, nurturing teacher. The only one. Also, like Memor, I was sorry to see the old building pulled down. I had a soft spot for the building itself and often looked over at it when passing. The modern replacement is charactorless.

And Baldy, just as an aside.......the first teacher I had, at the next school I went to, was Mrs Morton. Mr A Morton's wife! A lovely teacher.
Last edited by Sandy on Sat Jan 15, 2005 7:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by baldy.smith »

Sandy, reading your letter does not show any failing in your education. It is articulated; very clear and sensitive so I have to assume from what I read that you are well educated and very expressive. I think maybe if you do have any failings it may have been over sensitivity; but you have obviously put all of that behind you. I did not go to the lower school at Morty I came straight into the seniors from Holy Trinity and before that Laygate and Baring Street, I also went to a school in Wallsend for a short while. We moved around a lot due to being bombed out during the war I think the Germans were making it personal for my family but we survived to tell the tale. I started Morty at Easter and was one of the older boys in the class and I was always in A class and among the top six most of the time. My drawback was my height as I was so little and at first I had a bad time being picked on, my father told me to fight back or he would wallop me so I had to fight back hard and earned a lot of respect from the other lads. I was the shortest lad in the class when I left school at fifteen but by the time I was sixteen I had SHOT UP to my current height of 5'2"
Great that we can think back and smile eh!!! :D
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Post by Sandy »

Baldy, many thanks for the nice compliments about my post. I suppose something must have gone in at Morty but mostly later, at my secondary school, and then college.

Your stories made me laugh. I suppose I was sounding all too serious but I was just getting my point across. I'm a cheery sort of person really!!
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Post by andysfootball »

sniffer was a right barsteward

did any of you's do the bar in the toilets ?

it was that bar on the roof that you used to be able to hang off

and kick the living daylights out of your opponent

it was also in the same place as the smokers hut !
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Post by memor »

I remember Hanson raiding the boys toilets for smokers but they got wind of him and exited the other entrance.

He was incensed that they got away from him.
Later that day he confronted one of the boys he suspected of geting away.

The boy denied it but Hanson was really having a go. Another teacher had to intervene . The vein on Hansons head was throbbing and his face was red. Hanson was a violent thug pretending to be a teacher.

If he's still alive he's probably a violent thug of a pensioner.

Maybe we should warn Jakey as he hates pensioners and Hanson would probably kill him.
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Post by Derekftm »

Upton was in Hansons league
a pair of tossers who got off in being "Hard" with kids
remember one dinnertime Upton ran across the dinner area to grab a lad called Scotchy and gave him a kicking in front of everybody
Wot a hard man
the fookin pr!ck

do it now you asshole
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Upton, What Did He Teach?

Post by SandancerUSA »

It was Upton who brought my very unpromising football career to a grinding halt by having me kicking me off the team he coached.
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The Bar

Post by SandancerUSA »

I was hopless at the bar. The best i ever saw was Richard (Dick)Bertrum. He was small and agile enough to get his feet on to the bar. All he had to do was either wait until you fell off or, fiendishly, he would go for the hands.

Another great game in the 'bar room' was to get in there with an oversized super ball or two and throw it as hard as you could.
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Post by Big Nick »

The teachers i can remember from my time at Morty were:-

Mr Golightly
Mr Snowdon (think he's Headmaster now)
Mr Parker (sadistic barsteward, wouldnt let me play for the Footy team unless i played for the Rugby and Cricket as well, hated Rugby!!)
Mrs Henderson
Mrs Chidley
Miss Pendelbury - Mmmm.....
Mr Anderson - Charlie Bucket!! (Tech drawing, load of crap)

I did leave in '86 though, anybody here from the same time-ish??
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Mortimer School Jan. 1950 to Dec. 1959

Post by mikemajer »

Well it has been a tonic reading all the reminiscences from 'the lads' who went to my old school, and the impressions that the staff have left you with.

I do remember a few of the teachers mentioned and I'll list them 1 by 1.

'Sniffle" Mr. Montague - I got on well with him and although strict he was a good master and I was proud to be on the senior rugby team for 3 years.

Geordie Wyatt - metalwork teacher, also rugby coach, etcentric to say the least , also organised and ran the summer camp at Fourstones 2 miles from Hexam. He retired whilst I was there.

Mr Bonholm - the nutcase that taught woodwork (next to the metalwork room above the boys toilets (oops - sorry, The Boys Somoking Room). He was a nasty bug*er who threw bits of wood at us.

Alan Galloway - science teacher, also fond memories of him as a good teacher. He Married Miss Murt (girls gym and netball teacher) while I was there. (ooohhh! was she a hot one - in her mini gym skirt and navy blue knicks and boob hugging yellow teeshirt).

Mr. Bragg - the art and music teacher, hated his spineless guts. He once told me I would never amount to anything but a milkman or postman. Well, I'm a Master Mariner, made my first command at 28 and 4 years later promoted to management. been in Marine management for 28 years now. Currently Assistant Vice President of a 26 vessel container ship company. UP YOURS s**thead Bragg.

Sammy Gedling - Head of seniors, a tough strict HM with oodles of experience. Ran the senior choir as well. Lost track of the canings I got from him, all deserved and no hard feelings, at least he was fare. He was moved to the new Brinkburn school and subsequently committed suicide by putting a hose on his car exhaust pipe thru the window. RIP Sammy I respected you. (and your bloody cane)

Mr. Rutter - (juniors) self opinionated bug*er who enjoyed using his cane, sod off you, you could'nt be fare if you tried.

Ahhh Yesss, and THE Mr Smith. Memor! you will remember we exchanged memories of that stinking dispicable pervert. He really enjoyed whacking us lot and didnt seem to care if we noticed his sexual pleasure when humiliating teenage girls and boys in front of a class. He also taught rugby when Geordie Wyatt retired. I remember he used to like taking a shower with the team even though the staff had their own showers at the rugby fields up in Cleadon, Oakleigh gardens. He liked to examine boys bottoms to see if they had been caned, and more than once found exscuses to line us up naked after a game and whack our bare bums with a gymshoe. I was so glad When Memor told me that the pig had topped himself. Too good for him. I just wonder how many kids he abused before he was caught.

Mr Donahue, - next classroom to the science room on the top floor. A Jock, but very fare and always had time to listen and advise. Little did he know that 5 years after I left school I got my leg over his daughter. (We met in the Cellar Club in Beach road).

Well that's all I can remember of the staff just now.

I came to realise that the diversity of the personalities of the staff at Mortimer whilst I was there gave me a good foundation in adult life. I do believe that the cross perspective of the nutters versus the good ones was an experience better learned early than late. I suppose having a very strong personality myself help me to defy the pricks and respect the professionals.

Having spent most of my adult life overseas I have lost track of school friends.

Best regards to you all

Majer'sy
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Post by Big Nick »

Mike,

Which company are you working for in Kuwait?? I am in Dubai working for International Paint, been here for 9 years now.
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Post by mikemajer »

Hi Nick,

I'm working for U.A.S.C. & I.P. has a contract with us.

My mobile in Q8 is 984-8098

Mike
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