The "LIFE of BRIAN" - Part 5

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The LIFE of BRIAN Part 5

So now to I will set the scene for the 7 Coincidences, but first……

A significant contribution from my Mother……..

When it was time to change from the local Junior to Senior school - I did not pass the 11 plus entitling me to transfer to the local grammar School, even though my parents expected me to - they were probably blinded by the fact that at the age of 11 my piano playing prowess was at Grade 6 level in both practical and theory (equivalent to GCE levels). However they probably did not appreciate that a musical prowess is not a substitute for developing intelligence. This was a major catastrophe, so my mother, bless her, ( she was a member of the Junior school PTA and she could not accept that her child would go to the “inferior” Park Road Senior School - incidentally neither did I want to go there - (they gave selected new-comers the “bumps”, in an initiation ceremony and frequently flushed a head down the loo, just for good measure). So she got on a Grape Vine, contacted her ex Headmaster and pleaded her case. The ex Headmaster who then the Head of the next village senior school - Brampton Bierlow Ellis. (12 Bus Stops away) This was a School with a progressive attitude, in fact, the School was so progressive it owned its very own Farm, complete with animals - cows and pigs etc. It was on the edge of a farming community and was providing the education of good proportion of the total students had parents who were farmers and spread far and wide. I recall the Head Masters’ name , an elderly gentleman, as Mr Steer. ( very relevant, don’t you think - animals, cows !!!). I have to thank both him and my mother for that major significant redirecting of my education, for I progressed in leaps and bounds within Brampton Bierlow Ellis, “motoring” through 4 year education levels in just 2 years, culminating in winning a scholarship at the age of 13, awarded by the West Riding County Council (Education) which, praise, upon praise redirected my education , this time into the Engineering stream at Mexborough Schofield Technical School. A school located in the opposite direction in the town of Mexborough (you guessed). This school was at least 20 Bus Stops and 2 bus changes away - travelling certainly brought the “isolationist complex” out off me the result was attending a school where a fabulous attitude and school philosophy prevailed, and together with a fantastic and talented set of teachers, fast tracked the education of children like me through to GCE standard within 3 years - biased towards a technical, building, commercial or nursing background - engineering in my case. I thoroughly enjoyed and excelled in this period of my life. I am deeply indebted to everyone who touched my life at that time for I have benefited greatly from those 3 years at Schofield Technical, benefited ever since. This style of education and the resulting/subsequent Indentured Apprenticeship were instrumental in moulding of my Professional Engineering career. (far from that of a Professional Pianist!!!)

By the way I will be pleased to receive any contact from " Old Mexbro Techies" especially any info re....
Geo Barry Lowe - my long lost buddy