Memories of Chris Bird

I went to Nelson Street School from 1946/7 until 1953. Mr. Lubbock was the headmaster and I remember Miss Coupland, Mr. Griffiths and Mr. Brett.

Mr. Brett taught Class 1, the final year. He always seemed to wear the same outfit: a tweed jacket, which had leather elbow patches, corduroy trousers and brown brogues. He was an excellent teacher and was responsible, largely, for enabling me to pass the 11+.

I went to George Dixon Grammar School in City Road, Edgbaston.

The school in Nelson Street had a timber yard as a neighbour, one day we found a finger in the playground! Someone had got too close to the power saw.

Fellow pupils I can remember are: Barbara Law, Harry Ward, Tommy Clutterbuck, Maurice Pemberton, Reginald Hall, Phyllis Luke, Harvey ?

Memories of Jeff Lawlor

I went to Nelson Street School in 1953 and remember Mr Brookes, Mr Roberts, Mr Lubbock the Head, and the new Head John England who on one assembly gave everybody a Penny coin and tried to learn us how to flip it for heads or tails, after this lesson he sent all the teachers down the aisle’s to collect these coins, needless to say a few got lost (Jammie dodgers cost a penny at break time and times were hard!), needless to say he never tried the flip again!  

Photograph courtesy of Mrs. P. Kent

Kenneth Collins who was born in Ladywood

Photograph courtesy of Mrs. P. Kent

Title: Opera Choruses

Kompositör: Gioachino (Antonio) Rossini (1792 - 1868); Giuseppe (Fortunino Francesco) Verdi (1813 - 1901); Pietro Mascagni (1863 - 1945); Giacomo (Antonia Domenico Michele Secondo Maria) Puccini (1858 - 1924); (Domenico) Gaetano (Maria) Donizetti (1797 - 1848)

Main Performer: Biancamaria Casoni (Mezzo soprano); Ruggero Raimondi (Bass); Pauline Tinsley (Soprano); Kenneth Collins (Tenor); David Hughes (Tenor)

Orchestra / Ensemble(s): Ambrosian Opera Chorus; Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; Royal Opera House Chorus, Covent Garden Choir

Releasedatum: 08/1992

Label / Distributor: Studio Plus / EMI

Antal delar i set: 1

Speltid: 1 hour 6 minutes

Genre(s): Stage works

Producent: Ronald Kinloch Anderson

SPAR Code: ADD

Catalogue Number: 764356

Alvaro is sung by Birmingham-born Kenneth Collins. He graduated from the chorus at Covent Garden to sing many Verdi roles with Welsh National Opera and English National Opera before debuting at New York City Opera and later at the Maggio Musicale in Florence as Radames in Aida. Whilst he has not the capacity of Bergonzi to ravish a Verdian phrase, he sings strongly and his Alvaro is suitably agonised in La vita e inferno at the start of act 3

THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

Kenneth Collins (1958-60)

[Born Birmingham 21 Oct 1935]

Tenor Kenneth Collins served in the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company chorus from June 1958 until July 1960, giving one performance in the small part of Francesco in The Gondoliers on June 28, 1960. After leaving the Company he went on to a long and successful career in grand opera, appearing in leading roles as the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, and at major opera houses throughout the world.

Collins has made numerous recordings and is featured as Manrico in the 1983 Australian Opera video production of Il Trovatore, opposite Joan Sutherland.

Nelson Street School Male Choir, unknown date (Photograph by Birmingham Post and Mail)

Front row - Arthur Hands (3rd from right)

Second row - Bill Hands (first right)

Back row - Peter Astley (5th from right); Mr. Collins (6th from right);

Conductor and Pianist unknown

Nelson Street, 1896

Photograph courtesy of David Evans

Nelson Street, 1931

Photograph courtesy of David Evans