An interior view of the swimming pool at Fairfield Secondary Modern School which merged with Stockton C of E Grammar School to become Ian Ramsey C of E School. c1950
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
An interior view of the swimming pool at Fairfield Secondary Modern School which merged with Stockton C of E Grammar School to become Ian Ramsey C of E School. c1950
Picture Stockton Archive 
Phil Moss 17/1/2017. I would love to hear from anyone who remembers me from school. Ask Picture Stockton: pictures@stockton.gov.uk for my email address if anyone would like to get in touch.
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Hi, are you Phil Moss who lived in a bungalow on Lelahome Grove, if so I remember you well, Steve Hugill off Greens lane, I remember your sister (not sure I think it was Pat) I also remember most of the teachers mentioned in other posts, I have visited this site before but didn’t recognise any of the names, hope you are well.
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I have just come across this site, I attended the school between 1969 and 1973, I remember my friends at the time amongst others: Tony Bodger, Simon Ray, Graham Milburn, Terry Phin, Ricky Saddler and my first ever girlfriend and first kiss Susan Freeman. Teachers then were Mrs Harris, Mrs Ord Mr Riley. I live in Perth, Australia and work in Health and Safety……good memories
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Hi Rob, I used to know a Robert Jones. Did you live in Fairdene Avenue in the 1960s?
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Hi, just seen your message. A Robert Jones used on live down on the same road as us on Fairdene Avenue. Did you use to live at number 10 Fairdene Avenue by any chance Richard?
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Hi Just seen this post. Richard did live next door to you. Me and my brother lived next door at No 8. Hope you get this message and you are keeping well.
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I can’t remember Tony Bodger or yourself, but I was in this year and classes in the school and recall the other names. I still live in Teesside.
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The swimming pool was unfinished between 1960-62 when I attended Fairfield Sec. I was Knocked a few times by” Knocker Dillon”. But what about the hot chocolate the girls made in cookery classes was 2p? in old money. Poor Miss Copper it was a hard life for her trying to teach in the Library. I remember Oscar Murray and Alan Marr in the cross country running team just about unbeatable.
Great times
Michael Wood.
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I am sorry to add to the already long list of thoughts, but I have just come across this post on the first day of 2015. I too attended Oxbridge lane boys school from the mid fifties, then moved to the new Fairfield sec. Modern about 1960 all of the teachers mentioned I remember. The incident about the stolen flowers, when the two lads were caned in front of the whole school I will ever forget, although I felt sorry for them at the time, one certainly deserved it!
Going back to Oxbridge Lane certainly remember some of the girls mentioned above: Christine lipthorpe, Jacqueline Forrest, Edna Bletcher and Carol Cook. It’s good to see you are still in touch with each other. On the rare occasion I come into Stockton from Stokesley I like to think I will bump into one of you and hopefully recognise you and remember our early years at Oxbridge Lane. By the way I still have my school reports from this school showing I was just average.
In about every subject. Sad …….yes!
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Hi Colin, remember me, I went to Oxbridge like yourself ( in the same class ) then on to FSM. On the way to FSM I would call for you on the way to school then onto Keith Burns,s house. I last saw you in an A19 cafe in 1985, I was working away on an ICI shutdown at Bristol and you were coming home from London, working as a contract electrician, if my memory serves me right. This is the only time I have ever seen you since 1966 when we left school. You say your reports show you as average, but I remember you being a good runner, especially cross country ?, and the fact you became an electrician, you have done well. I have just retired last year, and suppose if not you will be shortly, where have the years gone ?.
Happy new year to you
Dave Murray.
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Nice to read this Colin Buckley, I think we had a good education at that school. Christine Swift (Lipthorpe)
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Dave Murray is correct in his statement, it was during our second year at Fairfield Secondary Modern School that we started to use the school swimming pool. I still have the scar under my chin after hitting it on the pool side, when my hand slipped whilst climbing out after completing my survival test. Durham were the Red House, which was the one I was in. I still see Dave Murray when he visits Stockton to see his sisters and remember Colin Medlock and Helen Dickie nee Witham very well. Colin was a good all round sportsperson and Helen was a librarian during our third year 1964 -65, along with myself, Keith Burns, Susan Waddup, Richard Jeal (he became Head Boy the following year), Basil Waddington, Pauline Richardson, Gillian Beaumont, Jackie Beall and Ann Calender. The teacher in charge was Mr. Alcock.
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I, like Helen Dickie nee Witham and Colin Medlock, attended Fairfield secondary modern from 1962 to 1966, (I remember you both very well). In senior one which was 62 to 63 we all went by double decker bus to the Stockton old baths, then possibly in year two, ie 63 to 64, the new baths at Fairfield school were opened. Before the water was cleaned and treated I remember that during PE lessons we used to learn how to capsise a canoe and then surface after tapping 10 times on the side of the canoe. I have quite fond memories of school days, although not all good. It will be 50 years this year since I started Fairfield, and if there is a re-union of our year I hope to find out and attend. I live in Chester but some of my best friends are ex-school pals. Where have the years gone?
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In 1960 I was resident in a childrens home just round the corner from Oxbridge Lane junior school – I went there and was transferred to the then Fairfield Secondry Modern School. I had a scots/irish accent, don’t really remember the swimming baths.
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I went to oxbridge school then Fairfield Secondary Modern in 1960 – 1964. I lived in Eton Road the next road to Windsor where the homes were.
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The pool was where I did my training. I won the Sea Cadets national swimming championship and got my photo in the Gazette. Helen Witham apparently liked me, cut it out and wore it inside a button badge. Immature me told her to take it off because I stupidly didn’t fancy her. Years later I saw this very pretty girl walking along Stockton High Street and I thought to myself, ‘cor, what a good looker’, and then I realised who it was, and naturally did nothing about it out of embarrassment of my previous action years before. It taught me an early lesson in life to be considerate to others feelings thereon, and I think I have. Teachers I remember were: Mr Gibson and Mr Riley, the PE teachers, and Mr Tillie/Tilly West, the cricket master, who had a piece of his finger missing. I was in Canterbury (blue house), the others three being: Lincoln (green), Durham and York (yellow and red, or vice versa). I ran into Patricia Dixon in Los Angeles once, she was the class clown. I live in mainland Europe now but have lived in the United States and the West Caribbean for decades. Still have family living in Hartburn and Fairfield. Memories!
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I went to Oxbridge then Fairfield from 1960-1964 I remember these teachers well, also Mrs Woodcock, Mr Duddles and Miss Harrison.
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Recognised a few names from the past!!
Colin Medlock was a bit older than me, I was at FSM 65 to 70. He was a very good footballer and runner. Michael Thompson was in the same year as Colin if I remember correctly. The two PE teachers, Gibson & Riley I remember, plus Duddles, McDonnagh, Tilly West, Mr Parker in the woodwork area (he had an interesting WW2 history), Mr Palmer in metalwork, Mrs Roberts, Mrs Woodcock & a Biology teacher Mr Abercrombie. Mr Showell was a great influence, he was ill about the time I left but recovered. I met up with him a few times when I returned to the area. Not seen or heard of many ex pupils since moving away in the early seventies, understand the school is not now operational. I’m still working and not ready to retire!
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Chris, I remember you well, we were in the same class, also remember all the teachers you and others have mentioned, and yes’s Mr Parker was in the Chidits in Malaya, Oaktree Grove if I remember
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Steve, good to se your post, hope you are well!! I seem to remember you were a really good swimmer at school? All seems an awful long time ago now. You are right about my folks living at Oaktree Grove, we moved to North Yorkshire before the school year ended, just after the exams finished.
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I attended 62 to 66 from Oxbridge juniors. Mr Showell was headmaster and Miss Cooper took needlework classes. I remember swimming in pool.
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Spike Jackson – I wondered where you went to. I have travelled a bit myself and live in warmer climes – Kuwait and the Philippines. The Caltex Mozambique was the adopted ship. One of the crew was a cartoonist and sent sketches of pupils boozing in the newly built Fairfield pub that replaced the old farm house on Fairfield Road.
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Geoff Mulcaster and Alec Dove pinched the wall flowers. Got cauught when they sold them to a teacher living in Greensbeck road – Mr. Alcock. Swimming opened in 64.
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I remember this they were canned in front of the whole school. I remember you, I was Christine Lipthorpe. Me and Jacqui Forrest are still friends so is Edna Bletcher.
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Although not necessarily the ship that you are referring to, but there was a supertanker called Amoco Cadiz. It ran aground some years ago, spilling it”s load of crude oil, and was eventually destroyed as it couldn”t be refloated.
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When I was there, 1964 till 1966, it was a ship called the Marrowbank.
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CALTEX MOZAMBIQUE was the ship we wrote to during 1961 to 64 but may have changed after I left. I used to write to the Chief Engineer and now work with Chief Engineers on several vessels in the oil and gas field installation industry world wide.
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Was it a Super Tanker called “—— Cadiz”?? most probably wrong. There used to be a company flag in the library.
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Can anyone remember the name of the addopted ship that FSM had? I can remember the name I just want to see if any old pupils can…
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Up until I left in March 1962 the school was still holding swimming lessons at the public baths in Stockton. As I recall these were held regularly once every fortnight. There was no talk of a swimming pool being built at the school when I left but a new building project comprising classrooms had just been undertaken. I first returned to UK in 1982 and at that time FSM and the adjacent C of E school appeared to be separate entities.
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I remember you – I thought you emigrated…
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I went to Fairfield school in the early sixties “till I passed the 13+ and moved to Newham Grange. The pool wasn”t there then as we used the public one at Stockton. I was there when the plants were stolen and the culprits were caned in front of the whole school, but I thought the guys were Geoff Mulligan and Kieth Archibald. Moved to oz in 1964 and hope to return for a holiday next year.
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I went to Fairfield Sec Mod from 1961 to 1965 First day at school we ligned up on what became the tennis courts. I lived on Fairfield Road from 1953 and remember the knocking down of the white farmhouse and the building of the first stage of the school which was the assemble hall and the single story class rooms. After that the “craft” block then came the three storey block. The baths and gym were finished in 1963 along with the surfacing of the “play ground” and the filling in of the valley between the school and the playing field, before that we had to go to Grovner Road field for games. The back of the gym was the favourite spot for smokers. I also remember the building of the Fairfield Pub a favorite at lunch time as the off licence sold sweet and pop. I now live in Aberdeen and have worked all over the world in the oil/gas and cable laying industries.
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hello my name is julie chambers i am trying to find any one who remembers my dad barry chambers he went to oxbridge primary school then on to fairfield modern he is 60 in a few weeks so i am looking for any one who has any old school photos that i could copy . thanks julie
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It’s a bit late but I remember Barry Chambers and Bryan.
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Barry was a buddy and the last thing I remember about him was when he saved my butt from someone who wanted to beat me because I was there. He remembered me and stopped the” hard Guy ” from beating me for being friendly in the high street. I will always remember him for that
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Barry Chambers played football alongside myself and my brother for both schools
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In 1961 as we arrived from Oxbridge. The wood & metal working, art and cooking classrooms where still in the construction stage, and but I’m positive that the gymnasium and the pool were in the final stages of building. As PT was conducted in the large field out back behind the main building. Information gleaned from the report book and the class number, showed I was not the sharpest knife in the draw back then. 1961 class 1C Form Mistress D. Dixon Headmaster F. Showell 1962 class 2C Form Mistress P. A Ogle (I believe she got married during the year!) Headmaster F. Showell 1963 class 3C Form Master John D. West Headmaster F. Showell 1964 class 4G Form Mistress D. G. Wood Headmaster F. Showell The only other teacher I remember was the notorious “Knocker” Dillon as the Science Master.. Called that, for the bad habit he had for rapping his knuckles on your head to as he said “to smarten you up!” I left school 24 July 1964 and worked as a Motor Mechanic at Percy Street Garage, in Stockton, then off to the wide opens spaces of Toronto and point west. Ending up In Edmonton Alberta. I would love to be able to fill on the blanks. Like the trips to Stratford-upon-Avon, a weekend wet and cold camping trip under the guidance of Mr West, then up to Durham to go ice skating. I know we went to sea-side once or twice, but I have no memory of where or when (unless it was Stathes, Seaton Snooks or Redcar! The memory is a wonderful thing, I just wish mine would have allowed some retention of the old memory banks. BUT I Do and Will always Remember Carol Cook! God how time flies. Cheers from -40 Deg C in Edmonton 10 Feb 2008 Mike.
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I was Christine Lipthorpe, I still see Carole Cooke at times and also Jacqui Forrest and Edna Bletcher.
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Dear mike: I apologize for my father “knocker Dillon”. Like yourself I live in Canada now (I had nursed for a year in Wainwright, I understand the -40C). I would like to hear more about my father or any of the Dillon clan from Whitton Rd. Cheers from Surrey, B.C.
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I remember a trip to Stratford upon Avon and going to see a couple of Shakespeare plays. Not sure which they were, both historic I believe. What I do remember was a horse being led onto the stage. I still go to watch some of the Bards plays.
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I went on the trip to Stratford. Christine Swift (Lipthorpe)
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Wow!! Pat Moore, my old neighbour. Yep!! and you had another sister, I actually talked to her again in the late nineties. Sheila Reece keeps me informed on how you are, I visited her last year. I am in Belgium now, near Brussels, and I heard you are on a world tour. Crazy!! to see you listed here. I attended Fairfield Sec. Mod. in Mr. Duddles class when it first opened. I fell in love with Miss Wood the geog teacher. Pat – skype inxl_be Byeee
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The pool was finished before I left in 1964. Mr Gibson our sports teacher used to let us in the pool on canoes, and I remember he let a group of us brave enough to swim in it before the pool was filled with treated warm water, it was so cold the five or six of us who dared to do it,swam one length and came out of the other end like rock hopper penguins. The incident with the flowers involved two other boys one a pupil and one from Richard Hind School. I remember their names but will save any embarassment and not mention them. Although the puishment was brutal a lesson was learned by all the school and I cnnot remember any more incidents in my remaining years in the school
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Hi I left Fairfield sec. mod. in 1971 and I remember the swimming pool. I used to swim for the school and I remember one year we did a sponsered swim to raise funds for the Aberfan mining disaster. Our swimming coach was Charlie Riley
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Hi, were you at Fairfield same time as my step sister….Hazel Lesniarek?
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Bryan Dunning(DOE DOE)I also thought I would never hear your name again, although I often wondered where you had dissapeared to. The name of the kid who dug up the plants at F S M and sold them on Stockton market was Geoff Mulcaster and yes Frank Showell nearly killed him, as he was paraded in front of the whole school, one morning at assembley.
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Dougie Duff!, I never thought I would hear from you again. Remember we used to hang around together when we started at F.S.M. Our home classroom at the time, I think, was the lunchroom with Mr. Alcock. There was you, me(Dun Dun?), Dave (Polly)Pollock and others. There were three of us that passed the 13+ exam – I stayed at Fairfield, a girl (can”t remember her name) went to Newham Grange and you went to Oz. The pool, as well as most of the rest of the school, was finished in about 63 I think. We used it for sure in 64 through the school club. When the school opened remember how proud Frankie Showell was till he discovered that a first year had removed most of the plants and flowers from their beds to be sold at the market, I thought Frankie was going to cane him to death. Ah the good old days.
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I left Stockton Grammar school in 1972 and it was not merged with fairfield school at that time. Also, I am an electrician, and 2 years ago I installed new lighting to the pool area, and also wired the new kitchen and dining room in the old stockton grammar school! They were having a lot of problems with the pool due to subsidence and leeking pipes – don,t know if they are sorted out yet !! Whilst I was attending Stockton Grammar school, we used to use Fairfield”s pool for weekly swimming sessions.
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Don’t know if anyone will remember me but lets see. I was a prefect, and got my finger caught in the hinge side of the girl prefects room door (behind the stage) and was whisked off to hospital for stitches. Why? guess I was chasing someone or other, so it served me right! Eh! I’m trying to find by old report book to get the dates right. I know the school had a Pool, “that we never got to use”. I went on I think two school trips to Stratford-upon-Avon, plus a camping weekend with a group that was lead by I think Mr. West. Anyway you can contact me at mike.j@3web.net if anyone remembers…
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Just doing some updating… If anyone would like to contact me, please contact Picture Stockton for my new email. Cheers
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The date is definitely wrong. I attended Fairfield Secondary Modern in 1960, 1961 and for a little while in 1962 before emigrating to Australia. At that time there was no swimming pool (that”s the kind of thing you don”t forget). I had previously attended Oxbridge Lane Boys School from 1953 to 1959.
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I TRANSFERRED TO FAIRFIELD SEC. MODERN IN SEPT.1960 FROM OXBRIDGE LANE GIRLS SCHOOL.THE SCHOOL OPENED IN SEPTEMBER 1960 I WAS IN CLASS 3b MY FIRST TEACHER WAS MISS COOPER WHO UNFORTUNATLY BECAME ILL AFTER A FEW WEEKS SO WE HAD A LOT OF TEACHERS IN THAT FIRST YEAR.OUR CLASSROOM WAS THE LIBRARY AND TWO OTHER CLASSES WERE ON EITHER SIDE OF US.MY NEXT TEACHER WAS MRS WOODCOCK AND OUR CLASSROOM WAS SCIENCE LAB.I LEFT THE SCHOOL IN APRIL 1962, AGED 15.
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During a “sort” out I found an old School report dated July 1961,Form 3A,Form Mistress N.Neasham, Headmaster F.Showell. April 1962, Form 4N Form Mistress E.Woodcock, Headmaster F.Showell.My final report on leaving in July 1962 Form 4A Form Master C.Duddles and Headmaster F.Showell.These reports are in a blue hardbacked book approx A4 in size.The School was a new-build in 61/62 and had no swimming pool.Anybody out there remember these report books?
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To Pat Moore in Perth, Australia. I remember your twin sister Yvonne Moore. Is she also in Australia? We were in the same year at Grangefield Grammar School for Girls. Prior to that I was at Oxbridge Lane School. I think she was in 4 Alpha. You must look at http://www.friendsreunited.co.uk. There is a reunion planned for November 2006 for the Sixty-year olds from the 1958 intake at Grangefield Grammar School (for girls). Segregated then. If the school was mixed the pupils would run riot. That was the general misconception then. As it was both the boys and the girls schools did run riot. St Trinian”s Mark II would have been an apt name.
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Hello Pat, Have you tried friendsreunited web site, http://www.friendsreunited.co.uk/ you will find your school on there and you may recognise some of the listed names, you could also add your name for people to contact you. Good luck.
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I went to Fairfield school between 1958-1962 and I am looking for anybody who remembers me.I would love to here from them. I am now 59yrs old and living in western Australia (Perth. I also have a twin called Yvonne who went to Grangefield Grammer.
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My brother Hugh went to Fairfield Sec in 1967, and it was definitely still named that. I can remember swimming for Fairfield Juniors in this pool and also for Richard Hind. I recall a guy called David Howe saying I”d “”walked a race” and being very upset as I thought he meant I”d cheated!
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Absolutly 60s I moved to Fairfield in 1957 and attended Oxbridge School. We often used to get off the bus at the junction go through a white gate and then a cornfield (which is now the baths)into the vally and walk home. I transferred to Fairfield Juniors when it became the first School in Fairfield to open.
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The swimming pool was part of the original development but it was a 1960s school not 1950s
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Is the date correct? I attended Fairfield Secondary Modern School in its first year of inception in 1960 – we had been transferred to Fairfield school from Oxbridge School. It was my last senior year and I was the first head girl. At that time I cannot remember the school having a swimming pool.
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