Fairfield cross country team possibly 1964. Photograph and information courtesy of John Robson 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Fairfield cross country team possibly 1964. Photograph and information courtesy of John Robson
Yup, that’s me the tallest guy there (who didn’t grow any more past 5’9″ when people thought I’d rocket into the six-foot). I remember Brian Robson. The only other three I can put names to here are: Beddard and Hart (sitting centre and far right) and Brown (standing far right). If you notice we are all looking rather jocular – that’s because someone ‘let one go’ just then, I kid you not, very funny. Somebody was missing from that photo because the first 10 that finished in the inter-house all-participants school race automatically got to represent the school in the town event against all the other schools a fortnight or so later. It’s possible the missing person was John Harrison who was the best cross country runner we had at the time. David Beddard and I later also represented the school and the town cricket team as the opening batsmen with him taking the new first (very fast) ball as I was too chicken to. Both the school and town cricket teams were managed by Tilly West, too, pictured there. Clive Cardozo and I met in Long Island, New York, early in the new century when he was running an upscale polo club and I was on recall to active duty to Iraq. He said his memory of me was my climb up an electric pylon in the fields outside Hartburn. If I had I would never have lived to write this!
No Colin, Jonathan Shedd and I climbed the pylon…you stayed on the ground.
Okay on the pylon, Clive… that’s why I don’t remember climbing it then! Cheers!
Hey there. Is this the Colin Medlock who is in the music industry? I met a nice man many years ago who brought his music group to Long Island, New York that debuted with my group FEBOP. I lost track of him…
I was chatting with Peter Baker earlier this year and we wondered where you were. Last time I saw your parents was when they were in Harrow-on-the-Hill, I stayed overnight with them before flying out to see my friend in Stuttgart in about 1982 or 1983. Remember you gave me a demo record of a band you knew, I gave it to my German friend, she thought they were great. What happened to them?
The tallest guy in the back row is Colin Medlock. I never made the cross country team – asthma – though they used to make me do it… I forged a shortcut through the woods and cut the course down by 70%… then left for Jamaica. Now I reside in the USA.
With ref to a couple of names. Peter Beeston, (my cousin) is working in the prison service, I believe in the Notts area, and Chris Pearson is working as caretaker at Our Lady & St Bede School. He is still into swimming and cycling, taking part in a triathlon recently.
Re Peter Beeston, he worked for what was previously Cleveland Transit in the machine shop on the lathe, quite a keen footballer, and used to play for Stockton along with Ian Mcquade, another work colleague. Peter lived around the corner from me in Christchurch Drive – Hartburn before joining the prison service,… great lad.
regarding peter beeston, his father was jimmy beeston who was a inspector on cleveland transit, a good man. peter was a shop steward same as me and worked for transit yes he was a good man too i heard that he had gone into the prison service.
Peter Beaston thats a blast from the past,he served his time as a fitter at Head Wrightsons,Thornaby. He was a great lad who later went to work in the prison service.
hello Graham ,,good to hear from one of the old farfield boys enter “cross country” into the search engine to find the team from 66..Chris pearson was a swimming instructor in stockton until recently .But I have heard little from others. Kevin Pitt as you Probably know was a chief of police or somthing in Teeside. Harry works At Darchem Engineering . Ray I think is still at what used to be Brithish Visqueen. Saw John Poole he is living between Yarm and Spain. As for me I”m working as a company secretary for Precept Ltd.
I”ve just started visiting Picture Stockton site,I remember Michael Higgins, Ray Adams, Harry Bishop Dave Straughn, Kevin Pitt, Peter Beaston , plus many others. get in touch
Michael Higgins is correct the Robson family did live in Glenfield Road, Fairfield. Raymond Adams lived two doors away, in actual fact his father and mine were cousins. Brian, my brother, is still resident in Stockton although his job keeps him in London monday to friday. I will bring Michael”s comments to Brian”s attention when he arrives home at the weekend.
I remember Brian he lived on Glenfield Road, Fairfield I think it was next door to Raymond Adams .. I cant remember anyone else though .. I too went to Fairfield Secondary.
Dont know the boys but the teacher is Mr “Tilley” West
My younger brother Brian Robson was a part of the team and is seated front left. Perhaps some other members of the team will be recognised by some of the contributors to Picture Stockton