The Camp School, Bell Heath

A recent enquiry asking for information about Belbroughton ‘Comp(rehensive)’ School in the 1950s had us a little puzzled.  No one could remember a secondary school in the village and in any case, those were the days of grammars and secondary moderns, not comprehensives.  However, Janet Hathaway cleverly solved the mystery by identifying this as Belbroughton ‘Camp’ School and providing us with a short history. 

The Camp School was situated on Quantry Road, and has now evolved into the Bell Heath Study Centre, owned and run by Birmingham Local Authority.  Cadburys donated the ground and the school was built in 1928 with money from the Poor Boys Boot Fund.

The building was banana shaped; the front was at ground level but at the back the land sloped away and the building was on stilts. It remained unaltered until 1960.  During that time, there was no glass in the windows, only shutters opening onto a verandah, where some of the boys slept in the good weather.  Inside, there was a large dormitory which slept 100 boys on camp beds.  There was a wash room with a fire place (the only heating) and a kitchen.  The school was closed in winter – which was probably a good thing! 

Initially the Camp School was a kind of sanatorium for inner city boys with TB and chest complaints.  Later it became a holiday camp for under privileged city boys.  

A former pupil from Osler Street School in Ladywood has put some of his memories of a trip to the Camp School in March 1960 on the web.

Apparently his class was immensely proud to be told that they were chosen to go on this outward bound holiday for being of "exemplary behaviour”, though he now realises that the truth was that they qualified simply as an inner city class!  They were there for three weeks and had a great time out in the country, despite lessons continuing.

He recalls, “We made spears, bows and arrows, rifles and all sorts. We had cross country races and did a census of cars outside the Manchester Inn! (Not one of the most exciting pastimes).  We lived in wooden lodges, slept in dormitories AND had showers.  I went the whole three weeks without a shower because I had my right leg in plaster of paris from the ankle to the hip, due to a chipped tibia playing football. … We visited a working scythe factory called Nashes, which was in Belbroughton, a lost industry. “

If you want to read more, and see a picture of his class at the school, go to: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/macjoseph/oslerstreetschool.htm. 

The Headmasters at the school were:

1928 – 1930: Mr Chatman
1930 – 1940: Mr Menzies, who later married the matron
1940 – 1945: closed for the war: no one seems to know what the building was used for
1948 – 1959: Mr Carter and his wife: he was more of a caretaker and his wife was the cook.
1959 – 69: Erik Knox
1969 – 1994: Terry Hayward and his wife Paula, who retired in 1994

If you remember the Camp School or can give us any more information, we would love to hear from you: belbhistory@btinternet.com or ring Sarah Bradley on 01562 731025