These photographs show the Portrack Primary School staff taken on different occasions in the early to mid-1950s, one in the playground and the other in the school hall. Courtesy of Peter Rigg. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Just to clarify matters. In the Stockton system, I think I sat an eleven plus at Portrack Primary. This filtered out those who were deemed not to be good enough for further education. Those that had passed then did exams set by Grangefield Grammar, Stockton Grammar and Richard Hind schools. I did the Grangefield exam and failed and then did the Richard Hind Exam.
I passed the one to Richards Hind on the basis of my arithmetic test results. Although my handling of English was good, my handwriting and spelling were appalling
I still have the science books given to another boy and myself by Miss Powell (see top picture) for looking after her class as ‘Monitors’. The other boy subsequently gave me his. Her class was aged about eight and him and me were just ten. It was easy, we had no trouble. Can you imagine this today?
John Smith, quite true. I can picture the situation now as I was baffled initially as to what the person who mis-identified me was talking about. Later the Florins showed me a photo of said comedian (apparently highly respected) and it was possible to see the similarities. I cannot think of the comedina’s name now. Over 50 years ago. But I do remember the Smith twins who could be comedians given the right circumstances! That included tormenting members of staff as to which Smith was John & which was Jeff!!! Included swapping of exercise books!!!
You are welcome to e-mail me if you get address from Picture Stockton.
My late wife’s uncle Arnold Walker, from Halifax, died in Perth within the last 2 years. He had been a fighter pilot during WWII.
Ken Sawyer. Mr Sawyer to me, of course, I’m twin brother to Jeff. I spent two happy and interesting weeks with a Swedish family in Falun thanks to your contacts in those days. My attempts to learn Swedish failed dismally. I found it much easier to speak Australian when I ended up here in Perth 15 years ago. You might confirm or deny a story that on one of your trips you were mistaken for a Swedish comedian. Or was that a schoolboy rumour designed to enhance (or otherwise) your reputation?
Paul Dee writes: ‘Knowledge of a foreign language improves rapport with native speakers’ – I absolutely agree. Your confession to being reasonably fluent in Norwegian leads me to comment: Hvordan interessant som du snakker Norsk. Hvordan har det kommet om ? Too long to answer here perhaps. You may get my e-mail address from Picture Stockton if you wish. As for myself I was fascinated by things from Scandinavian from a young age. Small coasters came up the Tees to Stockton to discharge timber. As a small inquisitive boy I chatted with crew members at Corporation Quay plying them with questions and somehow naturally picked up accent. In 1951 and in 1953 I took groups of 15 year old Richard Hind boys on cycling/youth hostelling tours in southern Sweden, as far north as Stockholm, Uppsala and Värmland. Pictures somewhere on this wonderful site. The latter because I was involved in arranging for a whole school class from Lesjofors. They stayed with families of boys and girls of neighbouring Richard Hind girls school. A long story, including their 3 days in London prior to the Coronation. Our travel in Sweden was helped that I learned Swedish from Berlitz books and 78rpm records! Somehow I had been gifted by being able to impersonate accent.
Sweden, Norway (from Kirkenes to Swedish border many hundreds of miles to the south), Denmark were target countries for our holidays.
I agree with Jim McCurley about Billy Burns. He was a top class teacher who made learning fun. He commanded respect and kept an orderly class. I got through both parts of the ll plus and went to the convent in Darlington which left me with very happy memories.