When I learnt from my cousin Richard Billingham (Aston 1954-61) that a new building had been erected I went down there with my camera to see what had been done.
The old building in 1963 |
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| This is what I found: |
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Fortunately the gates were open so I couldn't resist a peek at the playground.
Happily, by this time, that awful toilet block had been demolished. The physics and chemistry labs. had been transferred to the new building. The woodwork room had been brought out of the dungeons and the space used instead for indoor toilets - very civilised!!
The playground in 1963 |
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| Things are a bit different now (2003). The 'open' side looking onto Albert Road has been filled in, using a similar architectural style and materials. |
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| But from Frederick Road the 'old' building looks much as it always did. |
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On the other hand the 'new' building (now called, rather grandly, the 'Science Block') is carrying its forty years much less well!
I was fascinated to learn recently (March 2006) that it has been renamed - Douglas House! |
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| This is the view from the 'Park Lane end' (as it was years ago!) of Frederick Road. The first building on the right is the Sports Hall, opened in 1997 by Sir Adrian Cadbury. It was the first step in a building campaign that has only recently ended with the opening of the 'Watcyn Thomas Wing' of Douglas House. |
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| The next project was to close the quadrangle on the Albert Road side with what is a languages teaching block. |
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| The school still dominates the skyline from Aston Park, though the spires (and most) chimneys are now missing. |
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| This 'unrepeatable' picture, from 1962, was taken just after the houses (including Douglas House Mk. I) had been demolished to make way for the 'Science' block. |
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The work of the Royal Navy, this was used on the cover of the School Record in 1974. At least one pupil had done something similar.
(Click on the photo to see a slightly larger version) |
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So much for the exterior but, for my generation, the heart of Aston will forever be Big School.