Barkers Butts 1929 to 1939

Its rather easy to forget that several generations of children attended Barkers' Butts School. It was officially opened on January 22nd 1929 - the exact same year in fact that the National Provincial bank in Coventry city centre (now Natwest) was built.

The school's sole purpose in life was to provide an all-round education and Barkers' provided enough at least to give youngsters a start in local employment, or in the case of girls, basic household training. The school was steered by essentially three heads including (in order) Frank Howe, George Insley, and Edith Fellows. Frank Howe set the style of Barkers and instilled a deep sense of pride in his boys. George Insley was the father of Richard Insley (more about him later) and Edith Fellows took control in the latter years.

Front of Barkers' Butts School - note bicycle tyre on lamppost!!!

The curriculum was standard fare for a manufacturing City and very much in keeping with the work available in the area. Technical Drawing, Metalwork and Carpentry (with some Science thrown in for good measure) were an important part of the days study. Good behaviour and equally good manners were expected of all pupils although there were a few that found it difficult to live up to these expectations! Not every parent could afford school uniform, and group photos (found in our gallery) bear this out. It was expensive to buy in any era (still is), and many had 'bits' of uniform, with only a handful that could boast the full kit.

Origins:

Coventry Education Committee proposed that the newly built Barkers' Butts school would meet the needs of the Radford Housing Estate and was surpisingly well designed - even at the cutting edge for its time. All classrooms faced south for one thing. The whole of one side of each classroom consisted of a series of large glazed doors (see below and in gallery) and when the weather was suitable, anticipated to be nine months each year, the many doors could be flung open for fresh air and sun - deemed good and wholesome for any child. There is at least one photo of Moseley junior in the gallery which shows the same type of doors. The windows could be adjusted at various angles to compensate for wind (airborn rather than inside the classroom), and the verandahs enabled doors and windows to be opened yet protected from driving rain and other unsavoury elements.

Moseley Junior School (only a few hundred yards from Barkers) was built along similar lines and I found many of these similarities when I visited and photographed Moseley prior to it's demolition. I can only presume (with some certainty) that both were designed by the City Architect of the time - Steane (more about Steane further down).

There were three playgrounds which doubled up as hard surface sports arenas and a place to despatch pupils during lunch breaks, although in Winter months these could be particularly arduous. Skidding from one end of the playground to the other to wind up in a heap near the school gates was regarded as an essential seasonal sport at Barkers' Butts (for the boys at least). Getting the 'bumps' on your birthday could be a spine-jarring experience if anyone lost their grip.

The other notable feature was that each classroom had skylights set at angles to provide better lighting. The heating was a low pressure hot water system driven by electric pumps to ensure rapid circulation of heat. In fact five of the junior classes actually had underfloor heating! Its also worth noting that the cloakrooms were actually a framework of hot water pipes designed to dry wet coats so children did not have to go home in wet clothes. The glass in some of the classes was also specially designed to allow for the free passage of Ultra-Violet rays - a scary thought today, but back then was considered a healthy thing for children. There was even a 'mock' flat complete with bedroom and bathroom, kitchen etc above the home economics classroom.

George & Issac Steane - City Architects

There were originally three separate schools - one for each sex, plus an infants school on the far side. The builder was Mr W.H. Jones, the Architect (and also Coventry surveyor of the day) Mr G.A. Steane (George & I ssac Steane). The Steane's also designed Gulson Road Hospital and I believe, a number of other schools which I think have all been demolished now. Amongst them was the former Frederick Bird School which unlike Barkers' Butts had open fires for each classroom - obvious by the array of chimmneys - imagine that, open fires! George and Isaac Steane designed a variety of buildings in Coventry, generally utilitarian, including South Street School which ultimately became Southfields school(built 1874 and enlarged three times up until 1900) , Wheatley Street School as well as one or two churches which still stand today such as the Queen's Road Baptist Church.

Unfortunately, early ultilitatian buldings are RARELY seen as noteworthy or even attractive in their own right by city planners and even today we are still losing them at an alarming rate. One of the few towns that still retains many of its older buildings is Hinckley where some wonderful factories still exist if you look. More information about old forgotten buildings can be found at "Lighting The Darkness" and "28 Days Later" and for those interested in London, there is the wonderful "Derelict London".

Anyone with further information on Steane Architects - please get in touch. Descendants of the Steane family may be able to help on this.

Development of Radford & Coundon in the 20s and 30s

Now, its important to remember that Coventry was a huge manufacturing base in its heyday, making plane engines as well as cars, even bicycles, and this obviously had an effect in terms of a growing population as well as the subject matter taught in local schools. Overcrowding became a problem too. The tiny stone built one at the bottom of Lydgate Hill in Radford was often at bursting point. In fact the Radford housing estate was one of the biggest estates built in the late 1920s (part of which covered the former Radford Aerodrome) and it was during this period in Coventry's history that around ten new schools were built across the City, Barkers' Butts being one of them.

If you are interested in Coventry's history, you may like to visit 'Historic Coventry'.

In terms of employment, the machine and car industry rained supreme - an extension of the Cycle Industry for which Coventry had a long track record. Singer Cycles was one of many cycle manufacturers, and George Singer's home was in fact Coundon Court which later became a school in its own right. Jaguar, originally based at Blackpool moved to Coventry in 1928. In fact Coventry produced many different makes of car over the years, including Armstrong Siddley, Alvis, Calcott Bros, Carbodies (The Taxi makers), Coventry Eagle, Daimler, Hillman, Humber, Maudslay, Parkside, Riley, Rover, Singer & Triumph. Essentially there were many employment opportunities in car making, as well as the smaller companies which supplied them.

To meet demand, many new houses were built throughout the area during the 20s and 30s to meet the needs of workers. Radford had been an airfield during war time and this was gradually built on - Jubilee Crescent perhaps being the epicentre of all the new development. It looks rather dated now but is busier than ever. In any event, a purpose built school to serve both the Radford and Coundon areas was urgently needed.

Between 1944 and the mid 1960s, most local authorities operated a system of Grammar, Technical and Secondary Modern schools, with pupils being allocated to schools on the basis of their performance in 11-plus examinations. Secondary Modern education had a much more practical bias with a great deal of emphasis on Metalwork and Science.

The Secondary Modern school existed from 1944 to the 1970s, created as part of the Butler Education Act where children were tested and streamed at the age of 11. Exams were CSEs with a low take-up of 'O' levels and historically Secondary Modern schools unfortunately came to be seen as 'failure' schools. Today Secondary Modern schools are about 2% with over 80% being Comprehensive schools or 'Colleges' which cater for children of all abilities, but by far the biggest demand in those days was for youngsters who had at least a flair for Technical drawing or Engineering with opportunities for youngsters in companies like Courtaulds or any of the car factories.

The curriculum at Barkers' Butts was largely centered on menial employment with, at that time, almost no opportunities for children to aim much higher without additional help from teaching staff. Later, reforms were introduced to even out the unfairness of secondary education and by 1973, Barkers' was already seeing many changes with a broadening of subject matter (and the beginnings of gender reversal in some subjects) and a more open-minded approach to careers advice by teaching staff. By the late 70s and early 80s, it was at least possible for girls to opt for metalwork and boys choose Home Economics (now Domestic Science).

The Opening Of Barkers' Butts - Eustace Percy

Barkers' was opened by Lord Eustace Percy, Conservative MP, President of the Board of Education and later Rector of Kings College. Unfortunately, on the morning he arrived (22nd January 1929) the whole of Radford and Coundon was plunged into thick dense fog so its doubtful that much (if anything) of Coundon/Radford was seen that day by its prestigious visitor. However, Lord Percy was presented with a gold key with the City Arms worked on it by the schools architect, Mr Steane. The key was inscribed with the words "Presented to Lord Eustace Percy upon the occasion of the opening of Barkers' Butts School" (wonder where THAT is now?), after which Lord Eustace then unlocked the door and led the way into the hall, making his way to the platform.

Lord Eustace spoke at some length about the Education system. In fact Lord Percy often caused controversy with his views about Education in Britain, claiming (quite rightly) that it was totally out of step with what employers needed.

"I am particularly glad to be able to accept your invitation to come here this afternoon because I feel that Coventry represents within itself many of the chief problems that we have to face to responding to the requirements of local Industry. What would have happened a few years ago supposing a President in the Board of Education or a Mayor of Coventry had stood on this platform and said that one of the main aims in educational reform was going to be to meet the new requirements of Industry and Commerce? What sort of things would the Press, the public and even the teachers have been inclined to say? After the war (First World War) there was a great reaction to public opinion regarding what was called 'technical and vocational' education and everybody was aiming at a vague ideal which they called a 'general liberal' education. There was a great deal of suspicion among the public and particularly among the working classes and many teachers of the requirements of business and industry - an idea that when employers said they wanted a boy with a certain amount of technical education they merely wanted a useful cog for the industrial machinery and wanted the school to supply him with wage slaves and a lot of other talk like that. I don't think anyone can deny that a great deal of that suspicion has died away in the last few years".

1933 - Barkers' Butts Girls (Infants)

The origin of the name 'Barkers' Butts'

The following can be found at British History Online:

For those who liked more strenuous pastimes there was archery, racing, bowls, quoits, hunting, and the baiting of animals - bulls, bears, and cocks. One of the grievances of the inhabitants against the inclosure of common land was that it deprived them of their recreation ground where they could shoot arrows, wrestle, run races of men and horses, dance, and hold feasts.

That they did not always confine these recreations to commons is evident from the complaint of the prior in 1480 that his corn and grass had been damaged by the citizens during their 'roving' expeditions. Roving, a popular but dangerous sport consisting of shooting at moveable targets, had been forbidden by the leet in 1468. At the same time butts were ordered to be made around the city in accordance with Edward IV's decree ordering butts to be set up in every township, the inhabitants to shoot there on all feast days. In 1496 every craft was ordered to make its own butts. The position of some of these is known: Drapers' and Skinners' Butts stood outside New Gate, and Barkers' Butts to the west of the city. Other butts mentioned are Somerles, near Spon, and Childrous. Shooting at butts, however, never seems to have been as popular as roving, which survived the decrees against it, and by the 16th century gaming in alehouses had largely replaced it. A leet order of 1517 empowered aldermen to stop 'unlawful games' and to see to the exercising of long bows.

Local Education

The Technical College (Butts) was often a follow-on for many boys at the school - preparing young engineers and draughtsmen for work in the car and engineering factories. In those days the Butts was designed to bridge the gap between school and work, funded in part by local Industry. Most boys leaving Barkers' Butts started apprenticeships (often lasting 7 years or more) and worked their way up. Girls on the whole tended to go into clerical work, shop work, or more likely, became the wives of these young engineers - hence the fact that their classes were more focused on Needlework, baby care, home economics and later, typing.

Butts Technical College

Certainly Barkers was a 'catch all' for those who didn't make the Grammar Schools, but even by 1929 it was realised that the Education system was far from ideal, money being the biggest factor on who went to what school. Unfortunately it took another 25 years for the Secondary Modern concept to take root, which later allowed for minor changes like 'options' to give pupils an opportunity to concentrate on certain subjects. For Boys you basically opted for woodwork OR metalwork, but at least you had some kind of choice. Now we have Comprehensive Schools that take pupils of all abilities with an even wider range of subjects but even these are once again focusing (as are colleges) on the demands of local Industry once again.

Sports

Barkers' Butts did not have a purpose built field on the grounds, although this may well have been a budgetry consideration. There were of course three large playgrounds. That said, sports were seen as a essential part of the week for all children. Hockey, Netball and Rugby being the main ones. Children therefore had to run or jog to whichever spot had been allocated for that particular session - often in bitterly cold weather at that. Other schools, notably Bablake, had their own grounds as did the grammar schools but Barkers' Butts had no such luxury - a contributory factor in its ultimate demise. Realistically, why would the school need a playing field anyway? These kids were surely going into the car industries?. However, as Charles H Mathews (Now 79+) recalls:

"We had a rugby team in local school events in 1930. the opponents were Stoke, Broad street, John Gulson etc. We played on a field that had the name, the J.O.C Sport field in Scots Lane, Coundon, when it really was a tiny narrow lane. The field was bounded on two sides by Scots lane and Hollyfast lane. The third side was a hedge, running from approximately where Haynestone Road is today through to Scots Lane opposite the entrance to the reservoir site. We climbed a stile to go into, and changed on the field, no showers changing rooms etc!"

Oldest Barkers' Butts Pupil?

My name is Charles H Matthews, living still in Coundon. I'm 79 now, but I was a new entrant into Barker's Butts School in 1929 when it first opened. At the time I lived in Thomson Avenue with my parents and a sister Olive ( now in OZ )and a brother Roy.

In fact we all attended Barker's as Infants and later as seniors. I was seven in that year and had previously started at the, then, old Radford School annexe in St.Nicholas' church hall. Many of the early pupils were from the newly developed council housing estate bounded by Radford Road, Lawrence Saunder's Road, the railway and Thomson Avenue. This large influx of children had put and intolerable burden on the tiny stone built Radford School at the bottom of Lydgate Hill. Barker's was divided into three sections Infants, Senior Girls and Senior Boys. Children were placed in the infants section from five years of age up to eight or nine. They then transferred to the Seniors for the next five years to leave eventually at FOURTEEN unless lucky enough to go to Bablake or King Henry Vlll, or in the case of the girls to Barr's Hill or Stoke Park. My teacher in the infants were Misses Lamb and Mcdonald, In the seniors Messrs Tom Garratt, Gildert, Griffin and 'Dad' Wright and in the workshops were Derbyshire (woodwork)and Rippener (metalwork). The tuition was such that I succeeded in obtaining a Council sponsored scholarship to King Henry's so left Barker's in the summer of 1933. Some names I remember, all in the period September 1930 to august 1933: John Billington, Les Cannings, Frank Coles, Ralph Course, Roy Emerson, Ben Garlick, Ray(?) Hammerton, John Harrison, Jack Hartley, ??? Hirons, John Hodson, Graham Hutchinson, Alex Johns, Bob Jones, Sid Longbottom, Bob McKlean, Bill Reah, Hedley Slater, Frank Turrell, Bob Warden, Eric Whateley.

Charles Mathews

The photo above looks like something from a Richmal Cromton book - all aniseed balls and catapults. You might be forgiven for thinking that Barkers' had always been a Secondary school, but not so. In earlier years (and the above photograph bears this out), new children were placed in the infants section on the far side of the school from as little as five years of age - up to eight or nine. They then transferred to the Seniors for the next five years to leave eventually at fourteen, unless academically gifted in which case they might be lucky enough to go to Bablake or King Henry Vlll, or in the case of the girls to Barr's Hill or Stoke Park. The vast majority upon leaving Barkers would have been looking for work..

In 1930 (and I quote from the school log here), "Domestic training was introduced for the girls school including laundry, baby nursing and cooking". Which reminds me of an incident in my second or third year at Barkers in around 1972. You had a year where you could opt for certain subjects and I put a request in to do home economics. What??? A boy doing Home Economics??? Bear in mind the school hadn't been mixed for that long, boys were really expected to concentrate on engineering or carpentry, and I was officially the first lad to ever ask. I figured that being able to boil an egg might actually be a handy skill - I mean you never know. If nothing else I challenged something at Barkers and won, even if the staff felt I'd be ridiculed - I wasn't in the slightest. The changes in 1968 with schools moving over to mixed classes had opened up the floodgates to subjects being less gender dependent. It was really the beginning of the next phase of modernisation of schools in general. In the meantime, I made scotch eggs whilst my pals took metalwork....

Senior Boys 1932 - (Charles Mathews front row, second left - who are the rest?)

Mathematics teacher, Clive Locke, was at King Henry's School with Charles Mathews (pictured above). They were great cycling friends, and Clive was particularly proud of his 'Dawes' bike. During the latter years of the war, Clive trained as a navigator in the RAF in South Africa. His father was an Air ministry inspector and was posted down to Coventry to the aircraft industry preparing for the war in 1939. Clive's widow is still living in Rugby.

New Zealand

Fred Robinson (who now lives in New Zealand) started at the Junior school in 1928, first teacher (a dream he says) was Miss Lamb. Also recalls Mrs Perkins his English teacher, Mr Wright - Senior Maths, who was a big stamp collector and had the 'Cape of Good Hope' - a triangular stamp worth about ?100 stirling then. Mr Mason (metalwork), and as far as Fred remembers, Barkers' Butts had the finest workshops and kitchens in Warwickshire. Mr Derbyshire (Woodwork), left in late 1935 to go to Coventry Technical College, where Fred was taught by him yet again. Captain Major ( Part-time music teacher). During this period, George Boyd (student) won the Larry Adler talent show playing a harmonica and also did a turn Radio as well as Cinema stages. Graham Stokes - he played representative Rugby for schools and the local area. Gerald Hewitt gained a scholarship to Coventry Art School.

In 1929, the R101 Airship flew over the school (now there is an event!) and Fred has a N.Z. cutting describing the occassion. In 1930 they had a trip to London followed by one to Portsmouth in 1931.

Now here I think I agree with Fred: School colours were Archer's Red, Barker's Yellow, Forrester's Green and Tanner's Blue. Wasn't there a Fletchers though??? In 1930 a public library was established in the girls assembley hall, open on two nights a week (6.00 - 8.30pm?). All annual health checks (presumably Rickets and TB and other horrible scourges, lice etc) were held their too.

Fred asks: "Who was De.Di de Mascico and what did he do? Who was Tubby Meakin - lived at 16 Steeplefield Road?" (Answers below)

Alex Greenway

Alex Greenway (above) taught English, and wrote the school song as well as producing the christmas plays in 1934 & 35. Alex led them to victory in the inter-school Voice Speaking Choir in 1935, and later sustained a head injury during the evacuation of Dunkirk which caused him many problems. More remarkably, (and this bit of information was tracked down by John Bell from an article wriiten by Steve Gibbons, a junior member of staff at Barkers Butts in the late 50s and now a Doctor), Alex actually served in BOTH world wars (too young in the first and too old in the second) and during his time at Dunkirk he sat among many dispirited soldiers and couldn't believe his ears when amongst all the hubbub he heard voices singing the school song! Two Barkers' lads had spotted him and broke into song.

You can read more about Alex Greenway and the school song here

Answers To Fred's Question

(Mascico was an Italian ice cream vendor and Tubby was a policeman!)

If you feel you could contribute to this or any of the history pages - email us.

More Years At Barkers' Butts School

Barkers Butts School - Banks Road - Coundon - Radford - Coventry