This is all rather surreal! Am visiting Brum, after many years away and presently staying at The Paragon...the old Rowton House!! I can look out on to Alcester St and remember the daily walk from Conybere St to St Annes! I went to all 3 sites, including the room(s) that were demolished, to make way for the hall. Remember the sisters, Mary Joseph and Mary Alphonsos...also Mrs Shrive(r)and Brocklebank. Then moved to the new site at Lowe St...Frank Short, Mrs Conti and Brennan are the only names that spring to mind. There was a bit of too-ing and fro-ing, between there and AlcockSt..meals, I think. There, I recall Mrs Clarkson who would have a smoke, as we swotted! and Ms Fallowfield..a charmer. In there somewhere, was a Mrs Doherty.
Class mates..? Moriarty (mad Birmingham City fan), John Burke, Richard Rice, Mary Ferris, ?Costello, Susan Foster, ?Duffy(who took me to Irish dancing)...think I remember you, Bernadette!
Took my 11+ and was fortunate enough to pass. Only 3/4 of us did, out of a class of 40 odd.
Moved to Hall Green.. attended Kings Heath Boy's Tech and my association with the shool and church ended. Sad to relate, that after being the top of the heap, at St Annes...I was 26th out of 27at my new school. I came to realise that dogma was more important, than education, at primary school. Nevertheless, good memories and I'm proud of heritage.
Brian Moore