1960/61 class at Billingham South Modern school. Photograph courtesy of Paul Willows. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
1960/61 class at Billingham South Modern school. Photograph courtesy of Paul Willows.
If you are looking at the site Paul, I saw someone on the picture this week. Alan Sweeting- he recognised my face but had to ask my name. He looks well. He said he hasn’t seen any of our old school friends except Peter Robertson – where has everyone gone?
Jean, it’s Liz Hollinshead here, fancy meeting up for coffee?
The name Kath Harris sounds familiar but I don”t think she is on this photo (if the photo is 1960 approx then the average age of this class would be 9 or 10 ) The school secretary that I can remember lived in Devon Crescent on Cowpen estate, would that be your mam?
This is the year my mam went to this school I”m hoping she is on this photo, can anyone help? Kathleen Harris known as Katy)she left school and went on to be school secratary for a while, her mother also worked at the school in war years as a dinner lady, Sarah Harris.
My brother, David Millward, is in this picture. I will forward it on to him. Being just a tad older than Dave, I also recall those yummy toffee cakes..mmm Reading all the comments on this site brings back fond memories.
Hi Suzanne Lovely to see you on this site. Jean Moore Tinkler) has visited this site and it would be lovely to hear from her also. Suzanne, we used to have such fun times. I remember when your mum used to make cornflake crunchie cakes, yummy, I still make them today and take them into work where they are devoured with such relish, or it could be the cadbury easter eggs I put in them!! Billingham is such a changed place, I alway visit when I go back home, but I always feel like crying…… Cleveland Bakery was such a handy shop and also the “chippy” at the top of the bank, you could reach it through the Black Horse. Living in Bournemouth now and surprisingly I am a grandma – yes it took a while but one of my children has managed to do it. Got to go, will check this site for reply Regards to all who read Liz
I came across this site by accident, but was so intrigued to read messages that roused so many memories of my childhood and “formative” years ! So yes, that”s me third from the left on the front row of this picture, but I”m also the polyblond on the back row of the ICI secretarial college picture several years later! (I have reverted to my natural colour now by the way, enhanced ever so slightly to cover the grey!!) I”d forgotten all about those toffee cakes – we walked such a long way to get them didn”t we, worth it though – but I do remember the Cleveland Cake Shop on Billingham Green that we all visited every lunchtime with our pennies. And I do remember the snowball fights with our rivals at St Johns, but we also had friends there from the street (Marie). And I remember such happy memories of skipping ropes tied to the trees in Central Avenue, playing with Elizabeth and Jean.
Hi Suzanne, just come across this site again and enjoyed looking at all the messages. If you see this, which I very much doubt) please get in touch.
Hi Everyone Suzanne Hillcoat is third from the left on the front row. Can anyone remember walking over to Cowpen on a lunch time to buy a toffee cake from the lady who lived in Lincoln Crescent? Also the snowball fights we all used to have with St John”s Catholic school in the winter? The best thing of all, and I am sure you all know who you are, was the ice cream we all used to get every summer from our form teacher Miss Knifton? Come on you know who you are!!!!! I won”t mention getting into trouble by walking under the class rooms via the trap door in our class – no I refuse to be drawn, but if you know any thing about it…………….. Liz
I didn”t attend Billingham South but I think one of my friends, June Allen, was a teacher there in the early seventies. Also, I recently sent a photo to Picture Stockton of the ICI Secretarial College, year 67-68 and I”m sure, now that I have read the comments above, that Suzanne Hillcoat is on this picture – girl with long blonde hair on back row – am I correct?
Okay, why am I not on any of the photos, nice to hear from you Jean, I wondered where you had gone to. I too can name many of the faces especially Suzanne Hillcoat, whatever happened to her? School days, what memories, I can remember being in the infants in Mrs Davies class with the big fire, in the winter – to keep warm, the wendy house and especially the big rocking horse and oh yes always having a runny nose – Yuck!!! In those days we all went through school together – infants, juniors and then senior school or some left for grammar school, but basically we all knew each other and many lived very close to each other. I must admit when I go back to Billingham I feel very sad as, unfortunately as it does, time moves on, things change, and not always for the better. Regards Liz
Hi Jean,nice to here from you. you have a better memory than i have, thanks for puting the names to faces, i have looked at this picture many times trying to do that and failed very badly.the only one i have spoken to since then is Peter Stonehouse.where did the years go eh? i have some school class pics that go back further than that(1956 & 1959 approx.)will post them shortly,they will test your memory even further. Anyone out there fill in the question marks?
Gosh I have this photo somewhere- I wonder what has happened to everyone.I can remember most of the names-I think- it would be nice to hear from some of them if they are still in Billingham. Top-L to R : ?,Chris Thompson,? Keith?,Graham ?,?,Peter Stonehouse,?,Mr.Willows,? Middle Row-L to R:Gerald Howecroft,Anth Dobson,Bernard Ozleton,David Millward,David Mackin,Jean Tinkler(now Moore)Joan Garbutt,Sheila Smiht,Graham?,Stuart Hodgeson,Alan Sweeting?Paul Myres,?,?. Front Row L to R:?,Judith Crombie,Suzanne Hillcoat,Vivien Moore,Susan Rigby,Mr Harold Davies,Susan Crawford,Christine Hutchinson?,Joyce Grainer?,Susan Windridge, ?.
I love this picture. I went to the same school from 1967-1973. In the background of the picture you can see the veranda that ran the whole way round the quadrant and the classes lead off this on 3 sides and the Hall was behind where the phototgrapher was standing in this photo. I can remember that outside of the Hall windows we grew lavender and then picked dried and put it into lavender sachets and sold them to raise funds for the school. Isn”t it stupid the things that stick in your memory.
This is approx 1960/61 class at Billingham South Modern the teacher is Mr. Harry Davies. I am on the back row (not saying where) I know the names of a few of my class mates I think, but I”m not prepared to make a fool of myself by getting them wrong (it”s an age thing) so I will leave it up to other people who can recognise them.