This formal school photograph was taken in June or July 1966 in the school quadrangle.
There are sixty children in the picture forming the two top 4th year classes (Year 6 Juniors), all leaving that summer having just taken the 11 plus exam which around round 45 passed. They dispersed to Southend High Schools (Boys or Girls), Westcliff High Schools (Boys or Girls), Rayleigh Sweyne School, King John School, and a few other private schools.
This had been a single class in the first year of Juniors (Year 3), September 1962, with separate boys and girls playgrounds on The Avenue frontage, taught by Mrs Rand (40 in class), second year Miss Slowe (46 in class) [Winifred Slowe 1903-1993], third year Mr. Layram [Douglas Layram 1909-1991] when I recall that the class had reached 48, with large numbers arriving in this period on account of the extensive residential expansion to Hadleigh at the time. In 1965 the Infants had moved out of the Church Road building to their new school in Bilton Road and the Junior School took over the spare classrooms.
By the fourth year (Sept ‘65), it was divided into two A classes (Hadleigh was streamed) of thirty-plus taught by Mr Layrum and Mr Evans. John Denton was the headmaster throughout.
In the Infants school (same site with two mixed but separate playgrounds on the Church Road frontage), those starting aged 5 in 1959 were taught by Miss Bennewith, followed by Miss Hewitt in 1960, Mrs Rogers in 1961, and Miss Hersey [Nellie Isabel Hersey 1899-1986] was the head mistress.
Commence front row, from left (as facing) –
David Beddow, Nigel Seaman, Brian Southgate, Susan Aldridge , ? ?, Susan Head, ? ?, Sally Ward, ? ?, Lesley Hammerton, Elaine Jenkins, Robert ?, Kenneth Morris, Mark Benson, Stephen Oake.
Deborah Main, Sarah Nelson, Jocelyn Holt, Janet Fitzjohn, Anne Bolding, Mary Corps, Sally Wilde, Christine Worpole, Diane Hart, Brenda Wood, Jennifer Williams, Pamela Webb, Roger ?, Gary Santry.
Brian Day, Beth Harmon, Elizabeth Grimwade, Denise Mitchell, Susan Sharpe, ? ?, Amanda Murrell, Maureen Petherick, Barbara ?, Karen Dillon, ? ?, (Sally Budd?), Susan ?, David Hurrell.
Robert Cammell, Nicholas Williams, John Beddow, Christopher Brooks, Barry Swanson, Graham Stroud, Andrew Milne, Martin Wilson, Robert Bearman, Simon ?, Mark ?, Gary ?.
Michelle (Colthorpe?), Janet Hurst, Dawn Bunting, ? ?, Susan Hall.
Corrections to names or other information will be most welcome.
Nigel Seaman October 2012
Includes supplementary material by Chris Worpole.
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I think I was the boy 4th from the right second row down, it was a long time ago but I have another photo of me at the school with the same jumper on.
My family lived at No. 8 Oak Rd North which has been demolished and flats built in its place.
My wife and I visited the school in 2013 but I wasn’t allowed to go though the school at that time.
I remember my first day at the school, I didn’t want to go and after my mum dropped me off I ran away on my trike with my mother chasing me and I fell off into the stinging nettles on the vacant land opposite the school. Happy days.
Hello to all my old school friends,
What a trip down memory lane !
Pamela Webb I remember you well, and your 2 sisters. Stephen Oake and I were good friends at the time. Nigel, I remember you were quite the artist at school along with David Hurrell.
Nicola Skinner I remember, and I think it was Robert Benson perhaps??
Yes it was Michelle Colthorpe. Billy Ledbetter I remember, but not sure if he was in this class at the time ?
The Scott twins I remember, they lived up at the top of Daws Heath, dad was a minister or vicar I think.
Hi everyone, great to see you all in this wonderful photo. What a motley crew we were and who knew we were making history! My name was Marion Taylor and I was a latecomer to the school, joining Mr Layram’s class in the third year and progressing to Mr Evans for the final year. I am situated between Sally Budd and David Hurrell. Does anyone remember another girl called Nicola Skinner in this photo?
It is very pleasing to read Christine, Richard, Pamela and David’s contributions. One day, with a few more commentators, between us we will get all the names right.
Richard, I remember your name, but I am afraid that I am quite sure that the boy front row right is Stephen Oake as we went on to Southend High together, and his mum and my mum were both dinner ladies at the school! Later on my mother Joan Seaman was a secretarial/welfare assistant until retiring in about 1988. If you think you are missing (and I cannot recognise you), this is a mystery, and another who is conspicuously absent is William (or Bill) Leadbetter. I think you are quite right in identifying Matthew and Timothy Scott.
David, I admit uncertainty about the boy front row second in. I have Benson firm in my mind, but was he Chris?
Pam, David, yes lots of our fathers were teachers.
As for knocking down the school, I recall that the old infant side seemed to us aged 6 to be pretty ancient (along with all the staff – except Miss Hewitt!), so perhaps it does need replacing somehow – without demolishing?
Best wishes all,
Nigel Seaman
Richard and Pam, I recall you both (especially Pamela, we were in the same gang for a bit!).
The “naming” of the photo is a “work in progress” and so, if you think that’s you in the front row, Richard, do please shout out a bit louder.
I’ve fixed it now so that, if you click on the picture, it will open much larger. Then, you may “click & drag” a copy to your desktop, if you wish.
What about the lad next to ‘you’ (or maybe ‘Mr Oake’), Richard? I’ve a hunch his name was Chris Benton, not Mark Benson. Any thoughts on that?
Must say, Pam, I’m quite amused that you went into teaching (though I do recollect it was “in the blood”). On reflection though, I bet you were really good at it.
Happy Days!
PS btw… There’s a plan afoot to knock the old School down. Anyone wanna brick?
This photo has just been forwarded to me and it has taken me right back to those happy school days in Mr Layram’s class. I have just retired from teaching and do still remember many of our classmates as they were also friends we played with after school in the local area. Many thanks for the great article Nigel.
The two boys at the right hand end, fourth row back are Matthew and Timothy Scott. Why am I not in the picture (this was my class) unless that is me on the end of the front row mislabelled as Robert Oake?
I remember many of these faces. Thanks for posting.
Richard Newbury
It was really great to see my old classmates again, especially as I don’t remember this photo being taken. It brought back many happy memories.
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