This photo shows some of the children in a St Johns School play in 1963. Courtesy of Glenn Hutchinson. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
This photo shows some of the children in a St Johns School play in 1963. Courtesy of Glenn Hutchinson.
Yes Anne, your play did involve a horse. The play was about a Sculptor, who designed the perfect horse, and offered a bag of gold to anyone who could find a defect on it. The blind man, played by Richard Allison, finds that it has no tongue, and gets the bag of gold. The photo above was more of a mime with the School Choir singing a song while we four did our bit. All I had to do was enter stage left and stagger across the stage with a pretend bottle of beer, this was something I perfected in later life with real beer. I cannot remember what the Choir had to sing, it may have been a sea shanty. If you have any class photos of our time at St Johns why not send them in to this site.
Glenn, I think I remember you from St John’s days. I do now remember Richard Allinson playing the blind man and John Moreton was also in this play. Did it have something to do with a wooden horse,or am I thinking of another play. If I am right in my thinking my Mam said I was the narrator. I am seeing Janet Burleigh next week, will see if she remembers!!
I seem to remember that we did two plays, both were held at the William Newton School on Junction Road. They were held over a period of a week – afternoon and night. I cannot remember the name of the play you were in, but I can remember Richard Allison played the lead role, he played a blind man.
I can remember being in this play, but not what is was called. My Mam altered her wedding dress and dyed it lilac and I wore a yellow pointed head dress. Am I right in thinking we performed it for some festival?
Tim you were in my year at school along with Don Livingston, Maurice Bell we left 1964. Glenn is my older brother.
I remember you and your older? brother, Glenn. Your photo of the school play reminded me of the Christmas School Play when I was in J2 – Mrs Evan’s class – about the same time. I am still scarred by the memories, Richard McMann and Grahame Spence had ‘mad to measure’ sheep outfits made from blankets and I had a scratty old sheep fleece tied round me with string!
3rd sheep in the nativity play – that was then end of my acting career! I’m still in touch with Steve Rayner, Connie Taylor and one or two others from St John’s – a very happy school.
Tim Hardy, I recognize most of these names you have mentioned, my brother Neal was also in this class, he left in 1964. Gloria Livingstones brother Don was also in this class, your teacher would have been Mr Wiseman. I can remember Mr Wiseman came as a student teacher first, and then came back later a fully made up teacher.
Classmates I remember were Chris Hogarth, David Newey, Dennis Attey, Maurice Burns, Shiela Scott, Janice Umpleby,Irene Ascott, Lynne Wilkinson, Glynn Williams. I think it was 1964 when I left to go to Holy Trinity.
Tim Hardy,I do not recognize your name as being in our class,you might have been a year younger when this photograph was taken, I was in junior4 in 1963,Mr Wilkinson was our form teacher at that time,
I was at St.John’s at this time and I believe that the people named in the photograph were classmates of mine. My memory is obviously failing because I have no recollection of this play. This would probably be Mr Wiseman’s or Mr Wilkinson’s class. I can remember the traditional Christmas plays and an Easter production when I played the part of Christ.
The children in this photo are L-R: Glenn Hutchinson, David Blenkinsopp, Brian Craggs and Gloria Livingstone.