SMGS in the 1950's

1950's
The following is a personal view of life at Southwell Minster Grammar School in the 1950's, using the content from the Southwellian Magazine and personal memories. It also draws from the experience of his classmates and friends that were broadly contemporary to him. He goes through the inevitable growing up period in his life and the effect that the school had on him and his final trying to understand how such a remarkable school came to pass Read More...

SMGS Tour

School Yard
A few years ago a small group toured the Old Grammar School (Victorial Version) and we were keen to repeat the event. We had been informed that the building is now a mixture of public spaces, conference facilities and private offices. The building is not in its original form and we would not have access to all the rooms but we were still keen to see if a few ghosts would still linger. Read More...

Don Fox's Recollections

Chricket
It all started with an NUT outing to Cambridge on which our respective spouses, who taught together at a school in Carlton, had persuaded us to go. This was how I first met the redoubtable Dudley Doy. Within a short time I found myself invited to play in the Dudley Doy X1 against the School and managed to resist the worst that Johnny Bell could hurl at me. Read More...

A Morning with Alan (Chocker) Yates

St Pauls
It's mid August 2010 and we are visiting Alan (Chocker) Yates in a care home in Southwell. Alan is now 96 (his son says 97 but non would argue) but still has bright eyes a strong handshake and a lucid voice that commands that you listen. We are taken to the library on the first floor, which Alan handles with ease and the help of the lift and a wheeled walking frame. This is the story of what came to pass over the next one-hour and a half of fascinating and revealing conversation. You can also read in an interview with the Nottingham Evening Post Read More...

Wrong School, an 11+ Mistake?

Bike B&W
We did get the letter about the school but Mam said that they must have got it wrong. They said I was going to Southwell but we never put down Southwell.
It all started one day near Easter at the Junior School (Hardwick Street Juniors if you know it) when they said that we had to do a test that afternoon but not to worry because it was only a practice. Read More...