St. Cuthberts school c1950.
Photograph courtesy of Sharon Finlay
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
St. Cuthberts school c1950.
Photograph courtesy of Sharon Finlay
I can confirm the comments about your time at ICI. Even down to having a countdown chart on your locker with the the number of remaining days until blast off. Although we did have quite a good time there and at college(setting fire to the desk)etc etc etc.
Thank you David I will pass your message on to the people I see and maybe one day you might get a visit from someone..
Hello Dennis, good to hear from you and glad you remember that 6 days makes all the difference… but had I known what drumming does to the knees I may have chosen another career. Sharon.. please pass on my regards to everyone you’re in touch with. Last time I saw Peter Murtagh he was on TV giving an interview as the boss of a company that may have been Hoover UK ? As I said… anyone visiting Camuscross on Skye will likely find me at home… call round, you’re all welcome.
Hello David it’s Tina Walker here, remember me? I always used to be in Alice Waltons over the road from the shop.
David Ritchie, we were always together in Lawson St and Webster St as youngsters, where we grew up together. You are 6 days older than me, and my elder as you alluded on many occasions when you demanded ‘respect’ during our squabbles. We also used to attend the ‘minors’ at the Globe theatre every Saturday morning. I remember your mum, dad and both grandma’s very well and we both stayed with your ‘Ninnie’ in Manchester during one summer holiday, circa 1956. The last time we met was on Stockton High St, when you had just bought a Lotus Esprit as you had begun to get recognised in the world of music as a percussionist. I know that you didn’t much like your ICI apprenticeship as music was your only ambition in those days and the drumming lessons from Billy were the highlight of your day. I hope that you stay safe, and well.
Hey Dennis,
Mike McDonald here from Davy Ashmore days at Bowesfield Lane. Please contact me.
Hi Mike,
I hope that you are fit and well. I lost your contact details ages ago but you can contact me through the Picture Stockton website. Are you still working for Parsons in New York?
Hello David I remember you very well. I am in touch with Susan Duffie who lived in Australia for a number of years but moved back to the North East last year. John Duncan also died a couple of years ago from cancer. I often see Austin Bradley and Mary Roddy. I will tell them about you.
Sharon, please ask Mary if she remembers Marmaduke.
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Hi, I’m aware that this is some 14 years following your post. However… I remember Austin Bradley and more specifically his sister Sheila who was a friend of Jennifer Duffie. Long long time ago I know. But the older we get the less it matters.
Well hello everybody… I was wondering where you all went. First the sad news that Ted Kopec and Roger Whitfield both died quite young – Ted at age 21 in a car crash Delaware, USA where he’d emigrated from Stockton aged ten and Roger at 25 from cancer. Both were my best pals back then. I found this by looking for Damian and yes, I agree, half the class were indeed in love with Susan – all the boys, including me, but I’ve still got hair and a drumkit… which I now call the exercise machine. I returned from California in ’89 and have been living on the Isle of Skye since ’97 and writing a history book, not nearly as boring as it sounds. Anyone passing this way is more than welcome to drop in for a cuppa. Sleat Community Trust on Skye would probably be able to put you in touch… especially if your name is Susan…
Yes Bernard l remember you very well. I remember your father as well and we were all afraid of him.
I am a latecomer to this thread. The first event I remember was that Tadjeu Kopek went back to Hungary after the uprising and invasion by Russian forces. This was in 1956. Miss Sheehan was a class mistress at one time and ruled with a rod of iron. My Dad became Headmaster at a later stage while I was there. If ever I got into trouble and got hauled up in front of him I got twice the punishment that anyone else got who had been involved. David Downing emigrated to South Africa a number of years ago.
I came back to live in the North East 18 months ago. Sharon, I would love to see you again – and others of course.
Damian is right – I never did get caned. I remember Damian as always giving me advice in primary school about what I should wear? I remember our wonderful teacher, Mr Burns. How we all managed to get an education with such overcrowding, I will never know. I remember we had 62 children in the class, at one stage. Could that be right? Would love to have a re-union. Would be willing to host.
I recognise three old friends – Pat McCarrick, Peter Murtagh and Dave Ritchie who later played drums for excellent local group The Denmen and went on to play professionally.
Thank you David Stokes for remembering George English. Saw Seamus Dunn not so long ago. He lives in Ireland but travels all over the world with his job. He looks exactly the same
Have just come across this school photo and can add another name to it. The boy to the right of me, if I”m not mistaken, is George English.
Hello Clare(although l am more comfortable with Mary Clare) l would love to email you but do not have your email address. You can get mine if you contact Picture Stockton. Are you celebrating this big year for us. I have already reached it along with Eileen Burke and Teresa will be with us next Thursday. Linda and Trisha Roberts are 6 months behind us and l think you are as well. Hope to hear from you soon
Hi Sharon Finlay My married name is Gilbert and I dropped the Mary when I left school but thought I”d be more recognisable as Mary Clare Dowson. It would be lovely to hear news of Linda and Teresa as well as yourself of course. I am in contact with Ann Browning from Darlington and come back to Yorkshire every few months to see family. Email me when you have a moment – I remembered the early morning bus but had completely forgotten about the boy, although it”s all coming back now.
Hello Mary Clare, yes l do remember you and the fun times we had travelling on the early morning bus to darlington to see a certain boy. We still have school reunions at Darlington each May so if you are ever here around that time we would love to see you. I am in contact all the time with Linda Parker and Teresa McKenna.
Was Sharon”s maiden name Keogan? If so I was at school with her in Darlington and wonder if she remembers me. I now live in France, though have a sister in Billingham and two sons who still live in Yorkshire. Susan Duffie was also at school in Darlington and I remember her as blonde and very attractive. I attended the Sacred Heart Junior School in Portrack then passed the scholarship at St Mary”s where the class teacher was Mr Smith.
To Catherine l believe this could have been in either 1956/57 as a few people who are not on the picture joined our class a couple of years before the ll plus. Hope this helps. Say hello to Delia for me,
To Catherine Lockwood, Hello Catherine, just wanted to let you know that I spotted Dee when I looked at this picture and I do”nt think she”s changed very much at all since we all met at Fr.Melia”s Jubilee some 2years ago. There is also a picture on this site somewhere that has either Victor or Gerrard Rumak(I”m not sure which) and I do”nt know which page it was on, but it is good to see some relatives on-line
My sister and i would love to know which year the photograph was actually taken in, she herself does not have a copy of this photo but now I believe she has seen it for herself she being Delia Rumak.
I have been sifting through my old school photographs and in doing so ‘googled one of my class mates names for the correct spelling which threw up this old post. Her name is Delia Rumak! Did your sister attend St Joseph’s Convent West Hartlepool? If so I have a few photos of her she may like. One is very blurred with Kathleen Stevenson from the school fete 63 and the other a class photo 63. Also others which include our class mates for a spot of nostalgia.
To Archie Duffie – Susan and l were best friends at St. Cuthberts. We lived next door to each other in Parliament Street and our mothers were good friends. I last saw Susan at Jennifer”s funeral. We made arrangements to meet up with old friends before she went back to Australia but it never happened. If you get my email address from Picture Stockton would you please forward it to her.
Yes Mary Roddy did join the class later on, I still see her and she is still very attractive. I see Catherine Higgins, Joan Armitage and Austin Bradley who also joined the class later. Another boy who joined later, John Duncan, sadly died last year.
This picture must be around 1955/7: I started at the school in 1954. I do remember that half the class was in love with Susan Duffie – me included! Even Billy Burns, our Junior IV teacher would cane everyone in the class except her (or is that the passage of time blurring the mind?) There was another girl in the class who liked me, but perhaps joined later – Mary Roddy. Ahhhh! I saw Catherine Higgins a couple of years ago – she hasn”t changed a lot: I have ratrher less hair!
Loved to see this picture with my sister Susan on it.She lives in Australia ,her married name is Dr.S.Peak and I have forwarded this url onto her.
Some of the names of the pupils : top row left to right ? ? David Stokes, Seamus Dunn, Damian Boddy, Roger Whitfield. Middle Row left to right Michael Cassidy, Colin Twentyman, Peter Skelton, David Ritchie, Anthony Close, Delia Rumak, Catherine Higgins, Bernard Egglington, Peter Murtagh, David Downing, Tadio, Kopek, John Duffield Front Row, ?Flynn, Sharon Keogan, Pat Harrison, Pat McCarrick, Pat Serrechia, Terry Leach, Eileen McWilliams, ? Joan Armitage, Susan Duffie, Pat Evand, Ann Flintoff, Pat Marr
I am not sure of the year of this picture but l was at St. Cuthbert”s school from 1953 until 1959 so it is somewhere between these dates.