These photographs were taken at Fairfield Secondary Modern School by Jack Marriott in 1960. They show various scenes in the gym, dining hall, woodwork and cookery classes. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
These photographs were taken at Fairfield Secondary Modern School by Jack Marriott in 1960. They show various scenes in the gym, dining hall, woodwork and cookery classes.
Picture Stockton Archive 
There were some brilliant teachers at Fairfield, and one who sticks in my memory is Mr Palmer who took metalwork. The words that always stick in my mind that he always said were, remove the burrs (that is remove all sharp edges), which have stood me in good stead throughout all my working life and DIY.
Dave.
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The second picture is of the lunch hall which was our home room (2A) with Mr Alcock in 1960. It is possibly Roland Clarkson on the right facing the camera. Third one looks like May Brown on the right. Fifth one, I think the girl in the right foreground is Tony Evans cousin, Pat.
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I was there for a few months until I left school in July 1961, having spent the rest of my schooldays at a boy’s only school, it was quite a shock to be in a classroom with girls.
I was helped out by another boy called David Gutteridge and we became good friends until we both departed the school to begin more than fifty years of working for a living.
Those few months were the best years at school, the staff and fellow pupils were great and I wished I had been there earlier.
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Hi just seen your comment. I was at school the same time as you. Lived near David Gutteridge on Brookside Road. I was Linda Spacey then.
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Thelma Reissue (Halfpenny). Do you have a brother called Raymond, if so I was at school with him at Oxbridge then Fairfield. If I remember rightly, I’m sure he became a welder at Waley Welding. Have never seen him since we left school in 1966. He will be retired now, hope he is still fit and well. I have memories of him breaking his leg whilst at Oxy juniors and getting pushed around on a Pram bogey.
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Ray Halfpenny did indeed work at Whaley welding as I was there at the same time, albeit slightly older than Ray. Ray was tall and thin.
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Ken, I remember a lot of names that crop up from around Fairfield area and school, as when up to 5 years of age lived in Bishopton Court till my triplet sisters were about two and then we moved to Newtown to a bigger house. I know them either from the Court, Oxy school or Fairfield Sec Modern. I think my elder brother John was the same age as you (sadly no longer with us). One of my best friends who I mainly stay with when I often visit Stockton is Jeff Gillson who lived at the very end house of the road you lived in. This is a brilliant thread to always read of the days passed. I came across a guy at ICI in the old days that said he once worked at Whaley Welding, his name was Terry Wynne, what a smashing guy he was, and also a brilliant dart player. Did you ever know him?.
Dave.
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Dave, I cannot recall a Terry Wynne but Jeff Gilson lived next door to us along with his older brother Jacky I bumped into Jeff when I was back in Stockton, he worked his whole life with Power gas corporation and now lives in Thorpe Thewles. I have just became friends with Alan Ambler on Facebook from Bishopton Court and Don Jeffels I see on posts relating to ‘Stockton people website’
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Hello Dave
Don’t know if you remember me Dave Beddard I was/am a great friend of Ray’s he was my best man and me his
He’s still kicking about but not on facebook
He loves in fairfield somewhere but don’t know his address
I’m in Portugal now so difficult to track him down
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Hi Dave,
Yes I do remember you very well from school. I am still great friends with Pete Owen ( who I know you see at the bowls club ) Rick Jeal, Ray Kemp and Mike Thompson. We all left school joined ICI, and knocked about on motorbikes. We all got into bike racing and speedway. Have fond memories of days gone by. Can’t believe that Fairfield Sec School is no more as it was only built in 1960.
Dave.
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Yes Frank Showell was a one off, I was sort of related to him he was married to my dads cousin. We used to stay back after school to play football in the yard and he would come out with a crate of left over milk, remember school milk? But first we would have to pick up as much litter as we could find then we got the milk, brilliant!
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Oh well do I remember school milk. Fantastic in winter but absolutely horrible in summer, When I avoided it like the plague.
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I was there the first year it opened, no swimming pool, but it was a very smart school, after Oxbridge School. I too remember Mrs Stellfox. It is great to see pictures of the school as it was back then. Thelma Reiss (Halfpenny)
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I was at Fairfield Secondary Modern when you where there. My maiden name was Spacey.
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I wonder if Mrs Stelfox is still alive. She’d be almost 100
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I was at Fairfield Secondary Modern the first year it opened . Now back in the area first time in many years and wondered if any old friends are still keeping in touch. Charlie Turnbull.
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I was there 1955 – 1959
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Hi Charlie. I think I can recall a Malcolm Turnbull. Were you related?
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Were you Malcolm Turnbulls brother?
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I was there at the same time as you at Fairfield Secondary Modern. I moved away in 1965 and kept in touch with a few people but unfortunately some have since died.
I have only just joined this site so only now seeing these notices
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I had no idea there would be any pictures of inside the school. I was here in early 60’s. How privileged we were to have such a brand new school purpose built with Swimming Pool, Gym, 2 Science Labs, (I worked as a Technician here, with a girl called Susan, in our break & free time), Woodwork Room with all the Tools, a room for Cookery with all the Cookers etc, even a small flat to help us Girls learn how to look after a home. I remember Mrs Stelfox was one of the Cooker Tutors, anyone remember Stelfox Pasties? (as she called them).
We even had a sewing room. Nowadays, most schools have these facilities, but back then we were very lucky.
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Newham Grange had these facilities apart from a swimming pool, the woodwork teacher was Tommy Stelfox.
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Wonder if Tommy Stelfox & Mrs Stelfox were related, its an unusual name & both being Teachers, quite possible.
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I remember Mrs. Stelfox she took me for cookery. Good teacher.
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Hi, Do you remember a Jacqueline (Jackie) Beall from Oxbridge area? Thanks
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Hi Janet. Jackie Beall is my sister along with, of course, her twin sister Janice.
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I was very friendly with the girls, great memories, Don J.
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Now their is a name from my past. Keeping well Don I hope
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Now then Ken, yes I’m doing ok, had a few dealings with your Bernard via TV repairs 😃
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A couple of names keep on popping up, Allan Emmerson Bishopton Road West and FSM school
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Yes I remember Jackie Beall. Good all rounder, head girl. She had a twin sister.. Sue?
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My sisters. Jackie and Janice. Both well and living in Hartburn area.
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Did Jackie go to Brunswick Scout/ Guides?
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Are they on Facebook?
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Cracking pictures from a bygone age!!!
I was at the school 65 to 70, the Headmaster was Frank Showell, what a great bloke ,He was really quite ill about the time I left and moved out of the area.
The facilities were excellent, learnt to swim in what was the only pool in a school locally at that time.This was complimented by the woodwork & metalwork rooms, also a well stocked library The Susan in the Science lab I think you could have worked with was Susan Bamford, may well be wrong on that, she was certainly involved with Science when I was attending.
Chris Stoddart
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Chris Stoddart I remember you. I lent you my football boots for the inter-house football tournament when we were both in York, can I have them back please!?
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Hi Stuart,
I might have to search around a bit, moved quite a few times since then, apologies for not returning them at the time!!!! Not sure which Stuart you are, one or two in the school over the years!
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Thanks Chris Stoddart. Yes Susan Bamford, she was a lovely girl. Often think of her & wonder where she is now & what she is doing. We really enjoyed our Technician work in the Science Lab together.
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Fiona,
Last time I saw Sue it was 1971/72, she was working as an office admin person for an old Garage firm called Chapmans right at the top of Stockton High Street (all demolished long ago) she was still such a sweet natured girl and devastatingly pretty. We caught up a bit about FSM, she is one of only 5 or 6 ex pupils I have seen since leaving the area, mind it was an very long time ago.
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In 1960 the ‘gym’ was the assembly hall untill the gym/swimming pool building opened a few years later.
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I remember when the gym and the pool opened 🙂
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Is this Ian Ramsey School now?
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I believe it is, unless the name has changed again in past few years.
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