WYRE FARM CAMP SCHOOL TO CITY OF COVENTRY SECONDARY BOARDING SCHOOL 1957 – 58.

 

WYRE FARM CAMP SCHOOL TO CITY OF COVENTRY SECONDARY BOARDING SCHOOL 1957 – 58.

Put together by Trev Teasdel

Sweeping operational changes were made to Wyre Farm Camp School in 1957 which saw the school rebranded in the press as an "Outside Eton" for Coventry working class boys after gaining a reputation "as a reception centre for teenage misfits who came before Coventry magistrates court." Not everything about these changes are crystal clear, but using press cuttings, memories, school brochures and magazines, I've tried to build up a picture of what was going on.

The prime movers in these changes were W.L. Chinn OBE MA (Director of Education for Coventry) and Mr R.T Morris, Headmaster of Wyre Farm Camp School, who together had a new vision for the old camp school.

Central to these changes was the purchase of the camp by the Coventry Local Education Authority (LEA) from the National Camps Corporation (NCC) who had built and run the camps since 1940. There had been discussion about what would happen after the war to these schools that were functioning as evacuation camps. Some had been sold to Councils or LEA's for use as schools as early as 1945, not so Wyre Farm Camp School.

Wikipedia says

“During the Second World War these camps were used as schools for evacuated children, run by local education authorities.  The first camp to be used in this way was at Kennylands, near Reading. In the decades following the war, most of these camps were sold to county councils and education authorities for use as schools.”  Dent, H. C. (2007). Education in Transition. Read Books. pp. 96–98.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Camps_Corporation#cite_note-Dent-2

In the 1947 Wyre Farm School brochure we read "Coventry Education Committee was granted the use of the Wyre Farm Camp in June 1940 and they still retain it. The whole of the catering and domestic duties are carried out by staff under a manager appointed by the National Camps Corporation."

And "In peacetime they would be rented and used either by Education Authorities as Camp Schools or by approved non-profit making or public utility organisations as Holiday Camps for the rapidly increasing body of workers, with their families, who were obtaining holidays with pay. " Town Thorns website https://www.townthorns.co.uk/1940-1952

Clearly there had been a bipartisan arrangement whereby the NCC ran the camp, employed and paid the domestic staff and outsourced the educational aspects to the Coventry LEA. In 1940 the teaching staff had been recruited from Coventry schools. The purchase by Coventry LEA was made around May 1957.

What Were the Problems?

Mr Morris explains -

"Some people may recall that the school developed a bad reputation some years ago, as a reception centre for teenage misfits who came before Coventry magistrates court. But this is the case no longer."  The Coventry Standard 1957 "No Longer a School for Misfits: A First Class Education is it's Aim"

This would explain why some people on Coventry Facebook book pages still refer to the school as a 'bad boys school' and used to disciplined their sons by threatening to "send them to the bad boys school" . I had no idea where this reputation came from until I read the article.

I can't say to what extent these 'bad boys' were sent to the school in terms of numbers or whose policy it was - most likely it was under Mr Martin the former head from 1942 to 1953 and maybe a policy decision of the NCC. I think the inclusion of  'bad boys' was just a small part of the intake, which included pupils whose parents were away in the forces and 'normal' school pupils of that age group. I can't see any evidence, and none of the old boys have mentioned, that the school was ever any kind of formal borstal! Most likely it was considered that the strict discipline and the outdoor life would be remedial for some types of offender. However, the inclusion of them was enough to spark an adverse reputation in the city and a hindrance to plans being made to expand and develop the school.

The School Rebranded as 'Our Outdoor Eton' 

Mr Morris and Mr Chinn were keen therefore to rebrand the school as 'Our Outdoor Eton' - a Secondary boarding school for Coventry working class boys' (hence the headline of the article here). After the purchase, it became The City of Coventry Secondary Boarding School, soon contracted to The City of Coventry Boarding School and then to The City of Coventry School. It was one of the few municipal boarding schools in the country.

The first annual school magazine - The Boarder, published in July 1958 noted this two page spread that appeared in The Sunday Mercury Sunday 1st June 1958.

"On April 30th and May 1st 1958 a reporter and photographer visited the school. The school was to feature in a double page article. Many photographs were taken and notes on all the school activities - athletics, swimming, cricket and classwork. The article appeared on visiting day Sunday 1st of June. Three hundred copies were ordered by the school and distributed to parents. the feature was entitled "Cleobury's Outside Eton". " A, Baker. Editor. 

What Changes Were Made?

This rebranding gave the school a fresh start and they planned to develop it as 'an establishment with a name for a first class secondary education' with it's advantage of smaller classes and optimal pupil / teacher ratios, monitored homework / Prep sessions and a newly created fifth form for boys who were considered capable of taking GCE's. Mr Morris told a Coventry Standard reporter that "any boy would be considered as a would-be-entrant to the school whether he has been successful at 11+ or not."  and assured the reporter that "There is no possibility of a boy with a police record gaining admittance to the school."

In The Boarder Issue 1 July 1958 It was reported "As this first issue goes to press, the first ever series of GCE examinations are in full swing. For the seven boys concerned this was a culmination of a five year course of study: we wish them every success."

New Buildings

Mr Morris wanted new buildings - class rooms, house blocks, dormitories and a new gymnasium. Not all of these were achieved before his untimely death in 1960. It's possible the prefabricated hut was the new Gymnasium, although as PE Master Glyn Roberts has mentioned, it was far from adequate with its stone floor, so perhaps the new gymnasium was never achieved. PE had originally been held in the main hall. Two new classrooms were achieved however - the music room and one opposite the staff room. 

New buildings were also on Mr Rowlands list but it wasn't until the early days of Mr Parker that the new school block with new class rooms, dormitories, science and biology labs were established in early 1966. Part of the need for new buildings, was that Mr Morris planned to incrementally increase the intake of boys, initially to 200 and more over the years.

The house system also changed - 

The Boarder No1 noted in July 1958 " This has been the first full year of the school's existence under its present title and organisation. It has seen many changes in school life, the most notable being the formation of three independent houses. September saw us living in Stoke, Radford, Earlsdon, and Gosford. They have now undergone a metamorphosis, becoming Blount House, Dudley House and Mortimer House with Annexe providing sleeping accommodation for the overspill." 

New staff were also recruited during this period, and it was estimated that there were 12 fully qualified Masters at the school according to the school brochure.  

In July 1958 the first of three annual (end of year) magazines appeared during Mr Morris's watch -  although produced on a duplicator, The Boarder, edited by a mix of staff and pupils, reflected a dynamic wealth of activity from clubs, creative writing, sports, house reviews, trips and visits, list of starters and leavers and new and leaving staff, religious matters and the launch of the Parents / Teachers Association which often fund-raised for facilities for the school. The magazines are now a great resource in terms of charting the school's history. It's a great shame they stopped after Mr Morris died.

You can read the three copies on this page on this the school site - https://wyrefarmed.blogspot.com/2020/11/the-boarder-second-issue-of-school.html

The Boarder Issue 3 July 1961

In an obituary to Mr RT Morris the magazine wrote "No one can doubt that a major contribution to these changes was the tremendous drive and enthusiasm of Mr Morris."

Ken Short recalls Mr Morris's drive and enthusiasm even before he became headteacher, and the photographic record shows him to be in all the sports team photographs like no other head or deputy head before or after. Ken says "Mr. Morris was headteacher Mr Martin's figurehead. It was always Mr. Morris who seemed to organise things, one hardly saw Mr. Martin except for morning assembly. Even Sunday services at Cleobury Mortimer or Neen Savage was led by Mr. Morris, and on sports day Mr. Morris was ever present, no sign of Mr. Martin!"

The school also got a new Bursar who oversaw the running of the school in terms of catering, buildings and domestic staff who were now paid by Coventry LEA rather than the NCC. The new Bursar, Mr Webb inherited some of the former NCC staff and recruited new ones and eventually the amazing Tony Booton who kept the camp in tip top condition beyond it's tenure as CCBS.

Mr Webb the Bursar and family including Rosemary.

Meanwhile what was happening in Coventry? The Phoenix Rising!

The new Coventry precinct in reconstruction in the 1950's

All lit up and ready to go by the late 50's

In 1957, Coventry was rising from the ashes of war, symbolised by The Phoenix. The foundation stone of the new Cathedral was laid in 1956, the new European style city centre was a good way to completion with Broadgate island and a glorious traffic free shopping centre, designed by Donald Gibson. It wasn't all down to Hitler though, in the 1930's the medieval cobblestoned Butcher Row was demolished to make way for Trinity street and the development of Corporation street with it's Art Nouveau design for Coventry Theatre and The Rex cinema. Donald Gibson was appointed Coventry’s first City Architect and Planning Officer in 1938. His plan involved completely rethinking the city centre in a radical design even before the war. Hitler's demolition job made the new design urgent. As I recall there was still building work going in 1957. By the 1960s, Coventry was a model of modern, brutalist architecture – quite removed from its pre-war image.

The Willenhall Wood Estate, brand new in 1957 / 8 grass and trees out the front and roads at the back. 

New Garden City Estates

Most of the housing stock had been destroyed in the war - quick cheap prefabricated homes were built but by 1957 a brand new estate had been created on the outskirts at Willenhall Wood - it was state of the art - and I grew up there when it was brand new. It was based on the Radburn design which began in Radburn New Jersey in 1929 aimed to incorporate modern planning principles, which were then being introduced into England's Garden Cities. The tradesman's entrance ie the roads were at the back of the house - out front grass and trees and flower beds - safe for children to play (except they never let us play footie out the front because of all the windows!). They were Council houses for (back then) the 'better tenant' without rent areas. White pebble dashed exterior with French windows, American style dining rooms and a hatch to the front room for serving meals, and lots of grass and trees on the estate - Garden city - very aesthetic! It also had a brand new school, Willenhall Wood Junior, and the new headmaster was none other than Mr John Lowe, who up until then, was Mr Morris's deputy headmaster - I went there and it was on account of Mr Lowe that I attended CCBS.

Me, myself at Willenhall Wood Junior School prior to going to Cleobury. Below it's headmaster when he was still at Wyrefarm Camp School in the 50's

Everything at that time was transforming, modernising, both the school and the city.  'A brave-new city taking shape as the Phoenix rose from the ashes of war.' 

(Read more about growing up in the city in the 1950's here - a stream of consciousness essay by Trev Teasdel which has been quoted in sociologist Selina Todd's essay Phoenix Rising: Working Class Life and reconstruction 1945 - 1967.) The link to my essay is here https://coventrymusichistory.typepad.com/blog/2007/03/born-in-the-50s-a-coventry-tale.html

Changes to the Coventry Coat of Arms.

By 1959 these Phoenix like changes were reflected in a new version of the Coventry coat of arms and ultimately on the front gates of the City of Coventry School.

The original coat of arms looked like this -

You can see it on the school sign before 1959 here with the Bursar's children including Rosemary Webb in the foreground.

In 1959, it was changed to this to reflect post war rise of the new city from the ashes of the old - "In 1959 the coat of arms was enhanced by two supporters; the Black Eagle of Leofric on the left, and the Phoenix on the right - representing the ancient town and Coventry's rise from the ashes respectively. "

Charles Joyce playing his guitar in front of the new coat of arms c 1967

Laurie Lindsay at the gate.

Profile of Mr RT Morris

The Boarder Issue 3 July 1961 published and obituary to Mr RT Morris -

""Mr Morris came to Cleobury Mortimer from Frederick Bird School, with the first party of boys in June 1940. He was there at the outset. He was a very keen sportsman and coached the school's cricket teams for many years. He, himself, had played cricket for Coventry and North Warwickshire and Rugby football for Coventry RFC and Warwickshire. After coming to Cleobury Mortimer he captained the local cricket team for several seasons.

He was appointed headmaster in 1953 but before this he was a house master, and Countless boys will remember his firm but just discipline and his pride in the good name of Earlsdon. During the period of his headship, the school changed considerably. The most important events were, as already mentioned, the purchase of Wyre Farm Camp school by Coventry LEA (Local Education Association) and the acknowledgment of the school as a fully recognised Secondary boarding school with a flourishing GCE stream.

No one can doubt that a major contribution to these changes was the tremendous drive  and enthusiasm of Mr Morris. A man of strong personality, he was passionately interested in his school and fiercely proud of its reputation. he expected the best from his boys and staff and was not satisfied with less.

Whatever the future of the school, whatever its successes  and improvements; a great debt will be owed to the man who made them possible - RT Morris."

Mr Morris died on 29th November 1960 and this report was in (I think) the Coventry Telegraph

Mr Walter L. Chinn - Director of Education for Coventry - between 1947 - 1969

The Boarder Issue 1 in July 1958 reported " In the summer term the school welcomed Mr WL Chinn, Director of Coventry Education and his wife on Sports day."

Mr Chinn was a regular visitor to the school, enthusiastically attending sports day ceremonies where the certificates were handed out, and other important occasions. His role was important in pulling the strings from the LEA point of view, and his enthusiasm for the purchase and development of the school under its new identity. Photos were made of him at various events.

He was awarded the "The Coventry Award of Merit in 2013 by the City Council, the award created in the 1960s, was a means of acknowledging and honouring personal behaviour reflecting the highest ideals of citizenship or outstanding performance in any field of human endeavour which enhances the good name of Coventry and affords inspiration to its citizens."

From 1963 Paul Williamson (Cross Country Champion) receiving his certificate from WL Chin. Far right Headmaster Rowlands and with the book master of ceremonies Glyn Roberts PE Master.

Press cuttings and photographs.

Wyrefarm Camp School - School brochure 1947

One of many showing Headmaster RT Morris in a Sports Team photograph (On the left).

And again below.

Photos from the Sunday Mercury "Our Outside Eton" article.

Thanks to Jade Weaver for sending these on behalf of her grandad Peter Gilberthorpe who was there 1953 - 1958

The teacher is Wally Clarke