Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral Schools Past & Present Mottos meanings and houses

Any more to add from your schooldays
I'm ashamed to say I don't know who/what my schools houses were named after or even remember the colours of the houses
Birkenhead Institute


DOCTUS IN SE SEMPER DIVITIAS HABET
which means "The wise man always has riches within".

Atkin,
Stitt,
Tate
Westminster,
with two more houses of Cohen and Davies being added when the school changed to a High School in the 1970s, moving from its original site in Whetstone Lane to Tollemache Road.

Birkenhead School

Motto is Beati Mundo Corde: Blessed are the pure in heart. (Yeah, right)!

The only house I remember, apart from School House, which was the boarders, is my own: Bushell's, named for a previous headmaster.

Wallasey Grammar School Motto:
"Doctrina vim promovet insitam" (Instruction promotes natural talent).

Atkin - Magenta
Cohen - White
Davis - Brown
Stitt - Green
Tate - Red
Westminster - Blue

Rock Ferry High School for Boys

Remis Velisque - "With Oars and Sails" which meant "With All Your Might" but the pupils pronounced the English as "With Whores and Sailors"

Bedford - Blue
Highfield - Green
Ravenswood - Red
Stoneleigh - White

Birkenhead School

Senior School houses were: School House, Bushell's, Davis's, Griffin's, Pearse's and Sloman's. All, I think, named after erstwhile incumbents of the headmaster's chair.

Davis's colour was green and I think Sloman's was yellow, but it's no use asking me about the rest as I'm colour blind!

Woodchurch High School - It wasn't me it was him! Everyone knew it by heart.