Sports team photo from St. Johns, Ragworth – possibly 1963/4. Photograph and information courtesy of Phil Rambert 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Sports team photo from St. Johns, Ragworth – possibly 1963/4. Photograph and information courtesy of Phil Rambert
Picture Stockton Archive 
Cannot see me on that photo but i have a few photos of St Johns myself will try to post on this site
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I’m on this picture and so is my brother, I still have this photo!
Christine & Ian Schubert. I’m on the right end of the front row next to Mrs Ward.
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I started in 66 in Infant 1 with teachers as Mrs Atkinson, Mrs Cornforth, Mrs Ransom, Mrs Ward, Mr Wiseman, Mr Tingle, Mrs Banks with Mr Stones as Headmaster.
I rememember that the windows of the junior classrooms opened out onto the little walkway section, before the flowerbeds and then playground, and I ran along one sunny day when the windows were open and cut my head open on them. The nurse bandaged me up and remarked that I looked like I had a turban on. Loved playing in the sandpit and also when the tractor mowed the school field as it meant a grass fight between ‘The Sconny’s’ and ‘ The Raggy’s’.
Has anyone out there got any Class pics, I left Junior 4 in 71.
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Hi Stuart i was there at the same time and also ran into these open windows.
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If I remember correctly Martin we were told we were sitting together to keep each other awake! I am not sure what your crime was but I was always being told to stop daydreaming and gazing out of the window!!19/03/2012 16:38:15
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Martin Henderson – I was best friends with your sister Valerie, on this site there is a school photo I posted with us both on it (id=5741). I used to come to your house at Ragworth to play, I remember your Mum’s homemade ginger beer which she kept on the pantry floor. I still know your Mum through the Keep Fit Association and live very near to her. Regarding Mrs Ward on the photo, I attended the school anniversary last year and she was there! Still looked very sprightly, and she must be in her nineties by now. Give my regards to Valerie when you see her. 06/01/2012 23:23:23
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Well done Phil (also a twin) for identifying the right Henderson twin on the photo. Clive teaches in Cornwall now, whereas I’m en engineer in York. I remember sitting next to Hazel Bradshaw and Susan Gill in Wilko’s class, and in later life playing local football referee’d by him. 26/12/2011 19:50:45
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I never made it to the sports team so I’m not in the photo, but I remember the New Zealand teacher, Mr Mac Quarry and Mr Wilkinsons name was Alan. I went there 2 years back when I was home on leave and the school is now a community centre.
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I have this picture, my mum Judith Petty is 4th from the left (not counting the teacher) in the middle row. She has written the following names on the back: Back Row 1- Leslie Smith, 2- Alan Green, 3- Ian Blackburn, 6- Ian Shubert, 11- Neil Errington Middle Row: 2- Philip Watson, 3- Shelley Smith, 4- Janet Green, 5- Janet Pinking, 8- Judith Petty, 10- Alan Jakes, 11- Pete Scourley. Front Row: 1- Jean Jakes, 2- Barbara Watson, 3- Valerie Ellis, 5- Susan Gill, 6- Pamela Rollinson, 8- Linda Wilkinson, 9- Christine Shubert. Date: July 1965. I have the Saint John’s Town Sports picture for 1966 also in black and white and the one for 67 in colour with many of the same names from this picture.
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May I ask was the Jean Jakes spelt Jean Jacques as that might be my sister if it was spelt Jacques.
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Also if Alan Jacques middle no9 from left he would be Jean Jacques brother.
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yes I have some myself and I remember your mam yes I am on next to Leslie Smith Michael Corking
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Christine Hughes, you are welcome to a few photos I have – the Town Sports Day parade at Victoria Ground in 1955 showing the St John’s team, of which I was part, walking past. A school class photo from 1952, and a photo taken when the school performed a play called The Golden Touch, about King Midas, at William Newton School in 1955. This was again a Town event, with all the primary schools each doing a diferent play. You say it is the 70th anniversary year, are you planning an open day? Ask the picturestockton team for my email if you are interested in having a copy of the photos. For old pupils who may not know, the original school is now, I think, a community centre, and St Johns is housed in the school across the field, the old Ragworth Primary. Plenty of inter-school rivalry went on between these two schools – funny to think they are now merged.
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I work at St Johns and have done for the last fifteen years and really enjoyed seeing the photo of the sports team and reading all your comments.
St Johns will be celebrating its 70th year jubilee this year and any other photos would be most welcome. Thank you
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Linda Wilkinson is 2nd front right front row
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I was at the school at that time when the photo must have been taken, although maybe about a year or two younger. I remember Urvin Lake who lived in Deal Close and quite a good footballer and Tommy Owens from Droitwich, but most of my class were Vanessa Maxwell, June Livingstone, Barry Hutchinson, Gillian Carr, Peter Burke, David Blackburn, Steven Whittaker, Stephen Burns, Barry Littlefair, Phillip Jones, & Eleanor Ransom,that is just a few I can remember, hope I have remembered them correctly. The teachers at the time I think were Mrs Atkinson, Mrs Cornforth, Mrs Ransom, Mrs Ward, Mrs Evans, Mr Wiseman,& Mr Wilkinson, we also had a teacher exchange from New Zealand whose name I can’t remember but he had us doing all things associated with Maori dancing which was a laugh when I think of it now.
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I went to St John’s School from 58 to 64. My brother is Stephen Burns.
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Hi
There were two Stephen Burns…Steven David and Stephen James…me!!!
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Regarding the catchment area of St Johns which has been discussed – Reggie Franks, Brian Summerhill & Vernon Jones were from Ragworth across the Ring Road(Daventry Ave area), Brian Skerritt was from Airton Street and Billy & Gary Hollis, whose father had the sweet stall on Stockton Market, were from Mount Pleasant, Norton.
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I was in the top class in 1952-3 and I remember being stood in the corridor for talking. It must have been a Wednesday (the dreaded service!) because Father Waker went past and saw me. As my Mum (Mrs Atkinson) was a teacher there he made a big deal about how ashamed she would be. I must have been a naughty girl, because I can also remember being made to stand on my chair during most of the lunch hour. I can’t remember what the misdemeanor was. Some of my contemporaries were Dorothy Shaw, Mavis Barton, Esme Hodgson, 2 boys called Brian Skerritt, Gary & Billy Hollis (twins)Reggie Franks, Derek Marley, Brian Summerhill, Vernon Jones.
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My older brother David Grainger was in the same year. I was in the year below. We lived on Darlington Lane, so could walk over the field. We also went home for dinner. I remember the beds to have a rest, and how could anyone forget Wednesday morning service!! We moved to Bristol in 1964, David lives in Cheltenham. I was staying with Janet Dunn (Burleigh)last week for a few days. Very fond memories of St John”s.
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It was Susan Butler the very tall window monitor! I remember Colin Holdsworth too. He fell over in the play ground and bit through his bottom lip and had to go to hospital for stitches. He was back at school the next day, he couldn”t eat or drink or speak – but he still had to come into school. We were bred tough in those days! I remember the sawdust. It seemed to sit on the floor for days. You had to be so careful you didn”t step in it! We had a lot of outside space, with sprawling playing fields didn”t we, or did it just seem big at that age? We played a lot of rounders, and there was a proper long jump pit. Another David was David Gill, only 2 more to go? There was Barbara Paine and a Dorothy some-one! How many more left to get!
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It was I who posted this picture some time ago, Tom. The Geoff Sadler you refer to is my cousin, currently working for Shell in the Gulf. My good pal Steve Rayner, now out in Adelaide had a big brother in that same class – John Rayner… and yes I do remember Mr Parkin with his bucket of sawdust, and the nit-nurse, and the school dinners arriving in a red/cream dormobile inside these great aluminium vacuum cans, and school milk, and being ink monitor topping up the inkwells and the enforced sleeps on the campbeds after lunch! Happy days at a very happy school!
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Yes it is the same Tommy/Tom Owens who was the lucky little chap who could go home for his dinner as we lived in Droitwich avenue. I am sorry to say that I cannot recall you in my class but then again we were not very interested in the girls at that time! I think that with a bit of brain storming we might name the lot! I have a couple of photos on school trips, one at fountains abbey with Kenny Rodham, David Littlefair and Geoff Sadler and two at Whitby with Robert Close and his Mam, Barry Myers and Adrian Potts and his Mam. I also know that somewhere in the family archives (?) are some at High Force with Alison Hutton and others, I will get them scanned and submit them to the site. Was it Lynn Butler who had the job of opening the windows? She was the tallest in class by far and, as you said, always got that particular job. Do you remember Mr Parkin bringing the sawdust to cover up the sick when some of you had eaten too much school dinner? The dinners would arrive from some central kitchen in aluminium containers and the smell would permeate all through the school, I must say that it was not a very appetising smell and I was glad that I was going home for my dinner! Geoff Musgrave was another I remember, he was running round the back of the school one day when he tripped over some reinforcing mesh for some concreting that was being done and the end of the bar pierced his eye lid, just above the eye, there was a big fuss and the area was cordoned off, nowadays he would be suing the school, then he got a bandage and told not to run! There are so many happy memories, and some not so good, but if I think of any more I will send them in.
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To Tom Owens – you and I shared our juniors school days in the same class. Alas you don”t appear to remember me – in a class of 40 I guess I could go unnoticed! I sat next to Christine McClorin (the only 2 Christines in the class). You were Tommy Owens in those days (I think) and you were envied because you got to go home for lunch as you lived quite close to school – was that you or another Tommy? Another David in class was David Grainger. There was also Stephen Murphy, Marilyn Sayer, Lillian Lee, Carol Dunne, Paul Nugent – Can we name the class between us! I do remember the tallest pupil in the class being given the task of opening and closing the top windows with a hooked window pole? I don”t recall a monitor-ship being bestowed on me – though each year I was class captain for the girls sports team, and Robert Close was class captain for the boys. We competed in the yearly inter schools sports day at Grangefield Grammer, and regularly won the “small schools cup”. As long as we beat Ragworth, we were happy. Mr Wilkinson was our sportsteacher. Mrs Evans taught us all to read and write, and she took wonderful English and history lessons too. I remember we used to have a class christmas party in the main hall, and an end of year concert. Unfortunately I have no photos.It”s quite amazing how many memories are stirred with a little persuasion.
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I attended between 1956 and 1962, teachers were inf 1 Mrs Atkinson, Inf 2 Miss Felgate, Inf 3 Mrs Wright, Jun 1 Mrs Ward, Jun 2 Mrs Evans, Jun 3 Mr Wilkinson, Jun 4 we again had Mrs Evans and some others. Mr Price was the headmaster followed by Mr Beckwith. Caretaker was Mr Parkin who always wore a black beret. In my class were seven Davids, Littlefair, Umpleby, Aylesbury plus others I have forgotten, also in the class were Kenny Lake, Geoff Sadler, Barry Myers, Lynn Corking, Alison Hutton, Susan Waring,Christine McGlory etc etc. Mrs Evans was the best teacher that anybody could have, she did not even need to raise her voice never mind smack you. Mrs Atkinson was a lovely first teacher, I remember her having whistling competitions, Miss Felgate was the glamour puss and newly qualified.Mrs Wright would pull up your trouser leg and smack the top of your thigh really hard if you were naughty. Mrs Ward was a very good teacher who put things across really well. Mrs Evans as I have said was the best !! Does anybody else remeber being milk monitor and ink monitor, this involved mixing the ink powder with water and putting it into stone jars with a chrome spout then filling all of the ink wells !! you can imagine the mess. I am in the process of writing my memoirs, “Memories of a council house kid”, we lived in Droitwich Ave so anybody with any memories can contact me, I am in the phone book living in Norton,particularly looking for any photos but especially the penny a ride, Mr Lightowlers horse and cart that we all used to love to ride on.
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I attended St John”s in 1955, my older brother Ian and sister Pat (who were 4 and 5 years older than me) also attended. Remember well the wednesday services and school dinners, once I was brought back from the playground to finish my sago pudding (horrible stuff). Does anyone remember the camp style cots put up in the hall for the younger children to have afternoon naps?
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The school sports photo is later then 63 more 1965. I left St Johns in 1963 and none of my class are on the picture. I had great times at St Johns, I also played centre forward for the school football team in my last 2 years there. Some people might remember my 2 younger brothers Neal and Barry – regards to all Glenn Hutchinson
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Hi Glenn, hope you’re keeping well. I remember you and your brothers well. Marie
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I”m Chrissie Savage – nee hatfield – and yes you are talking about my dad Jim!!! it”s just wonderful to hear nice things being said about him from some-one else! Thank you. Sadly he passed away in “98. Marilyn Sayer and I travelled to and from school together. Our houses in Roseworth were sort of back to back!! I wonder if she remembers me and the Saturday morning ballroom dance classes at David Cochranes that our mothers forced us to attend? I”ve still got my medals!
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Chrissi Hatfield – was that your maiden name? Did your father used to be a collection agent for Doggart”s department store in Stockton. If it was him, he was a lovely man, he put a word in for me when I got my Saturday job there in 1960 at age 15. Think I got 12/6d for the day (63p) The Margaret Beard you mention is my younger sister – still living and working in Stockton. Marilyn Sayer and her sister are friends of my next door neighbour – small world isn”t it?
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I attended St. John”s when the roof blew off. It was, as David Thompson says, during the night. Our class was accommodated in a hall on the Primrose Estate, off Durham Road until the roof was repaired. Looking at the comments on the state of knees now, I begin to think it must have been the Wednesday morning services and the splintery wooden floors, or could it just be old age! I started in Infant 3 with Rita Cook as the teacher in 1952 when I was 7, and left from Mr Fordy”s class to go to Richard Hind in 1957. David Thompson has the teachers spot on, but there was also Miss Felgate who taught the infants, my sister Margaret was in her class when she started in 1956, and she was a beautiful woman with long dark hair. Mr Price, the head, was Welsh with a wonderful singing voice and used to tell us his cousin was Glynis Johns, the actress. Does anyone remember doing a trial for Cadbury”s Cream Eggs, where we had to say whether we liked the cream one or a turkish delight one? I have a form photo from Infant 3 which I must put online sometime.
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It”s very annoying – a lot of the pupils names mentioned sort of “ring bells” with me – but I can”t quite place them, or what year they were at St Johns. A lot of the time younger siblings followed older siblings to the school. The mention of Janice Umpleby makes me remember David Umpleby who was in my class, possibly brother to Janice? younger or older I don”t know. Margaret Beard”s name seems familier but I don”t know why! Other names in my class were, Marilyn Sayer, who had a younger sister June. Lynn Mason, Alison Leeming, Robert Close, Kenny Lake…ring any bells with anyone else?
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Happy memories of my time at St Johns from about 1956-63 when my family came to Western Australia. Remember the little camp beds we had our rests on and the Wednesday services especially the Harvest service and the fruit and veggies that were brought in. School lunches !! Yummy !!! Still when we came to Oz missed that had take sandwiches or buy a pie or sausage roll from canteen. Remember having to thaw milk on heaters when frozen. Several names sound very familiar Margaret Beard my best friend . love to see some class photos as sadly I have none of myself from that time.
Jeanette
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I remember both Mr Wilkinson and Mrs Ward. Both excellent teachers. I left in 1963 and was at school with Susan Fletcher, Sandra Thorpe Margaret Beard. It was a great school with fantastic teachers. I hated the wednesday service…I remember several times having to leave because I felt faint (was that avoidance behaviour ????? No wonder I have nobbly knees) I would love to hear from others. My name is now Judi Ford
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Seeing this picture brought back very happy memories .I started St Johns in 1963,I remember in infant 1, pull out beds were set up for the little ones to have a rest after lunch. I have to say I dreaded long service on Wednesday morning but we learned some good hymns. Mr Wilkinson lived near me in Norton he had a corgi dog I remember when he went off to New Zealand for a year, and we got a replacement teacher called Mr Maquarie (but I was glad when Mr Wilkinson came back)Lots of happy memories are flooding back
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I went to St. Johns from 1958 until 1964. In fact, I think I’m number 10, middle row in the sports team picture . Some of my classmates were Sheila Scott, Maurice Bell, and Dennis Attey. I remember Mrs. Ward, Mr. Wiseman, Mrs. Felgate (who by the way was like a princess to us) and Mrs. Atkinson. I lived very close and walked to school. After seeing the picture of Mr. Wilkinson, some very clear memories came back. I”m sure it has brought back memories for other former pupils too. Tim Hardy, you said Mr. Wilkinson lived in Nottingham. Could you provide more details because I”d really like to get in touch with any of my past teachers. I’d also like to get in touch with anybody who attended St. John’s at the same time as me.
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Gary Butler, I believe I was in the same class as you, I bump into Dennis Attey from time to time, annoyingly he still looks the same. Also have met Janice Umpleby a few times. I believe Mr. Wilkinson”s first name is Alan, not sure whether I can find out much more as he is a friend of a friend.
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I went to St. Johns from 1958 until 1964. Some of my classmates were Sheila Scott, Maurice Bell, and Dennis Attey. I remember Mrs. Ward, Wr. Wiseman and Mr. Butcher, our RK teacher. I lived very close and walked to school. I really enjoyed my time there. Tim Hardy, you said Mr. Wilkinson lived in Nottingham. I”ve been trying to contact some of my teachers at St. Johns for old times sake. Could you provide more details. Maybe even Mr. Wilkinson”s first name would be great. I”m sure he would like to know how some of his past pupils are doing.
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I was a pupil at St. John”s at the time that the roof was blown off. It happened during the night, and I arrived on the school bus to find the flat roof flipped over and laying in the playground. The consequences if it had happened during the school day don”t bear thinking about. I remember a lot of the children were crying as they stood and looked at the devastation. We were sent home, but only for one day. On the following day school resumed in temporary accomodation. The school was divided between two church halls. Mine was St. Crispin”s Hall, I think it was on, or near, Durham Road. I can”t remember the name of the other hall. At that time the Head was Mr. Price, and the teachers were, Mrs. Atkinson, Mrs. Wright, Miss Ward, Mrs. Evans, Mr. Ogden, and Mr. Fordy…anymore? I can”t remember.
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Yes Phil, it is me! Ann McLaurin went to Cleveland School, which later joined with Queen Vic and became Teeside High, but I”m afraid I lost contact with her after that. I did know that Connie was trying to make contact with fellow pupils…I really must answer her!
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My next door neighbour Karen Ball, went to this school and I went to Redbrook in Roseworth. I remember my teacher, Miss Mason (I think her first name was Doreen) married Karen”s teacher Mr Wiseman. We thought that was so cool back then. It”ll have been in the sixties.
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I went to St. John”s too but left in 1950. I remember the welts on the knees and I blame them for the trouble I have kneeling these days! Father Waker was the priest then but Mrs. Atkinson, Mrs. Evans and Mr. Price were also there. Mrs. Evans lived In one of the streets on the other side of Norton Road from the Moderne and she and her husband drove a little car with the numberplate FUN 43. There was also my unfavourite teacher, Mr. Gale, who gave me the cane for talking. Shows how ineffective corporal punishment was!
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Hi Hazel (Is that Hazel Bradshaw as was?) You are correct it is Ann McLaurin and I knew that – for some reason I just didn”t put it on there! I think Connie Taylor (from our class) is trying to comntact Ann – so if anyone knows where she is these days….. As for Chrissie Hatfield”s entry,the “new” Headmasetr was Mr Beckwith, other teachers were, Mrs Felgate, Mr Wiseman and Mrs Ransom whose daughter Eleanor was in my class.
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I went to St John”s, & left in 1962. Mr Wilkinson was my sports teacher too and I was captain of the girls team in the town games in my last year there and we won the small schools cup! Elizabeth McMann (sister to Robert in the photo) was in my class. I remember Father Stevens. We had some sort of mass on a wednesday morning and we had to kneel on the wooden floorboards which left huge welts on the knees! I remember also Mrs Ward, Mrs Atkinson and Mrs Evans. Mr Price was the headmaster for a while, can”t remember who took over when he left? Happy days!
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Is Middle Row No.7 Ann McLaurin?
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The photograph shows the team which competed in the town sports. I started at St. John”s in 1958 and remember Mrs Ward. I recieved a Christmas card from Mr Wilkinson a few years ago, I believe he lives in the Nottingham area now. Does anybody remember Father Stevens and his weekly service on Wednesday mornings?
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I started at St. John”s in 1959 and there was a very impressive photograph on the wall outside the headmaster”s office of the whole roof lying upside down on what was the “junior” school playground. I was told that the school playground was empty at the time the roof came off although I don”t know if it was a schoolday or outside school hours. I wonder if anyone has a copy of that photo?
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I was living in Laurel Road, Primrose Hill at the time and so was very much aware of the roof coming off the school in Ragworth
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Does anyone remember the time in – I think – the mid-1950s when, as a result of high winds and gales, St. John”s lost part of its flat roof?The children had to be accommodated in other schools, halls etc, until the damage was repaired.
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St. John”s, Ragworth – I think it is probably 1963/4. The teachers are Mr Wilkinson & Mrs Ward. Names are a bit of a problem but…Front Row (L to R) 1. ? 2. ? 3. ? 4. Pat Younghusband 5. Susan Gill 6. ? 7. Trudy Ann Dodd 8. ? 9. ? Middle Row (L to R) 1. Colin Cummings 2. Phil Watson 3.? 4. Janet Green 5.Janet Pinkney 6. Lynn Robson 7. ? 8. Richard McMann 9. Alan Jacques 10. ? Back Row (L to R) 1. ? 2. ? 3. 4. Michelle Rambert (my brother) 5.Clive Henderson 6. ? 7. Steve Rayner 8. Urvin Lake 9. ? 10. ? 11. ? I met up with Connie Taylor from our old class over this last weekend (after 42 years!) and we would be interested in trying to arrange a small reunion if we can track down some people from our year?
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