This very large photo was sent by ex-Brightonian Stan (Skippy) Brand who now lives in Australia. It came to us in four pieces and we have done our best to ‘stitch’ it together, so apologies for some loss of clarity.
Stan hopes that old friends who were around at this time – 1958/59 who would like to talk over old times will contact him at …..stanmill@bigpond.net.au…..(Please remove the …. they are inserted to stop the address being picked up by web trawlers)
Click on the photo for the full image to appear in a new window. When the photo appears, click on it again to increase the size.
To view the full photo use the scroll bars at the bottom and the side of the image.
If you are interested in finding out the latest collection of names for the photograph you can download the Word document below.
Comments about this page
Great photo Stan, it must have been taken soon after the school opened? By-the-way, where does the name Nevill come from, ie Nevill Road, Nevill Ave, Nevill Way, Nevill School?
Thanks for your comments Peter. Yes, the school opened September 58 and we only had a 1st & 2nd year. I think we were delayed a week because of problems in the school. It was a really good school but I felt our sporting needs weren’t catered for. We asked if we could have a football team but were knocked back, even though we had organised a game against the Grammar school and beaten them by 5 goals to 2, I think. No cricket team either. I guess when the 11 plus Exams were scrapped they didn’t need the Grammar school. I can’t understand why the Knoll school was joined into the Nevill and Grammar to form Blatchington Mill. I suppose the Knoll became too “run down” to repair. I don’t know where the Nevill name came from because the entrance was in Frant Road, so I can’t help you there. Sorry about the state of the photo but the one I have is only a copy. The creases are in the original. In case you are interested I’ll tell you which one is me. As you look at the photo, the 1st teacher on the right (specs and a moustache) was the French Master. Straight above him in the top row (dark hair, badge on lapel ) is yours truly. The guy to the left of me (blonde hair ) is a guy I’ve just got in touch with since I left school Dec 60. What would we do without computers? I hope you have a good time picking out people you would have known back then. I’m sure we shall talk again. My E-mail address is printed if you want to use it. Take care.
The answer to the name of the school is that the land around the school was owned by Sir Rupert Nevill of Uckfield I think. I can remember going to visit family in Tunbridge Wells and going past his estate. He was I think something to do with the Queen Mother, distant cousin maybe. I will check the Sussex Weald Site and see if it’s on there. I’m in the photo and I’m 5th on the righ, front row. The girl next to me no 4 was Gillian Care. Stan sent it to me and I have to sit down and work out who is who. If any one else can add some names feel free. Take care
Further to yesterday’s comment about Nevill School. Lord Rupert was the Private Secretary and Treasurer to The Duke of Edinburgh and personal friend of the their Highnesses. They spent many weekends at the Nevill’s home in Uckfield, both at Uckfield House and at Horsted House (laterly). Lord Rupert was a Councillor and High Sheriff of Sussex, and on many boards in Sussex, so we can assume that it was an honourary naming of so many Nevills ie: the school, pub, roads, etc in Hove. His official title was the 4th Marquis of Abergavenny. Hope this throws some light on the naming of the school. I remember the Nevill coat of arms at school in the main entrance or in Miss Corderoy’s office.
Thanks Stan for a fantastic photo. I’ts great to see a picture of you and Jenny. I remember Gillian Care. In the 3rd row from the bottom, 11th from the right is Eileen Piper. In the 2nd row from the bottom, 4th from the right is Linda Rice, 9th from the right is Jean Pettitt, 10th from the right, I think is Gail Campbell? 11th from the right Jane or Jennifer Armstrong,14th from the right is Sandra Brewster, 15th from the right Pauline Lucas? I think, 16th from the right Margaret Robinson. Hope you good folks can fill in some more or correct me if I’m wrong.
Hi, found your photo, what a surprise to see myself all those years ago! Behind Mr. Neesham. Next but one on my right is Pat Parker and next but one on left is Susan Stanford then Freda Beard. Can name quite a few old faces but need a cup of tea to recover from surprise!
Hi Janet, remember me? You lived in Hangleton Road and I’ve seen you on the school photo. Do you remember Michele Monier and the girl Brunton who also lived in your road? My email is jenrog@hotmail.com if any one else can put some names to faces, I would like to hear from you. Keep this page going on MB&H, it’s wonderful for the memories.
Hi Patricia, glad you like the photo, I’m sure it will bring back a flood of memories for you and everyone who’s in it. Can you point out where you are then I can put a face to your name? Talk again, take care. Stan Brand.
Hi Stan. Unfortunately I’m not in the photo as I was one of the children who didn’t transfer over to the Nevill. I stayed at the Knoll Girl’s School. But I’m in the photo of the Dick Whittington play under West Blatchington School. I’ve got another photo which I’ll try to scan and send directly, as it was too small for this site.
Hi there. It’s amazing – keep looking at photo and can now identify most girls in my class. I have missed reunions as I live in Lincolnshire but will be returning to Brighton soon, so hopefully there might be another in the near future.
What a surprise! This was before even I was there! …. so nostalgic. The houses behind were the same in our photo -1965.
Do you recognize any one in the photo? If you do please mail me with the row and number from left and we will try to put them all on here. We have 150 of the 270 at the moment, email me on jenrog@hotmail.com or Stan whose email is above. Thanks.
Hi all. Well we now have 217 out of 270 of the school kids’ names. Any more to add – I’m sure there’s someone out there that can finish it for us soon?! Email me on jenrog@hotmail,com if you can add even 1 name, they all help. Send me your email for the list so far. Look forward to hearing from you. Regards, ex-pupil Jenny Stevens.
Hi, my name was Ann Wade and I am the second row down, number 42 along from the left – in between Miss Shepherd and Mrs Dickens – behind the male teacher, whose name escapes me! I have recognised many friends, but my very best friend was Janice Taylor, same row, number 56, who sadly died in her early 50s. It was great to see so many familiar faces and lots of memories have come flooding back. I am now a widow and living by the sea in Eastbourne.
Thank you Ann. Did you live in Poynings Drive near Jennifer and Robin Dexter, I lived at 22, Email me and I’ll send you the full list as it stands. Kind regards
Does anybody have a copy of the Nevill School cine film taken by Mr Baker, of the school and classrooms? I remember him taking it back in 1958. I understand you can buy copies. Anybody have any info on this my email is jenrog@hotmail.com Thanks in anticipation.
Thank you everyone who has contributed to our list, we now have 235 of the 270 - still a few more to finish. Anyone remember these names: Brenda Sturmey, James Titmarsh, Rodney Soper or Jennifer Smeed? Can you see them on the photo? If so, please mail me (email details on other previous messages). The DVD of the first few years of the school is available from “screenarchive” Brighton University, Grand Parade, BN2 0JY.
I think I may be able to fill in some names but do you have a list of the ones you do not have to eliminate time. I am in the front row 15th from left hand side – was Linda Taplin and my sister Maureen is directly behind me. The last girl in bottom row on left is Susan Wheeler. The “girl Brunton” referred to by Jenny Stevens was Margaret Brunton.
Thank you Linda, I have you and your sister and Margaret Brunton. We now have most of the names, You have given us one more and if you email me at the address a couple of articles back written by me I will send you the updated list. New names come in all the time.
Question for Janet Mockford….Did you have a brother called Colin?
Just found this site. I can recall so many school friends; great to see the school photo. By the way I was Eve Del-Monte.
Hi Eve, I remember you well, do you remember me. Can you put a name to the face two along from you next to Penelope Sheldon? My email address is a few back on here and if you get in touch I can send you the list. We have named 241 of the 270 faces on the photo, can you add any more? Look forward to hearing from you. Kind regards Jenny.
Hi Anne Gilmore. The teacher you referred to is Danny Rawsthorne, the Art Master. A truly fantastic guy and talented artist. Nobody has mentioned the names of the teachers in the photo, so here goes: From their left… Hovell,Miss Shepherd, Rawsthorne, don’t know, Davies, don’t know, Neesham (deputy head) Corderoy (principal) Baker, Miss Rawlings, Pugh, don’t know, Hartridge, Oberlin-Harris(sports)! Can’t remember all the lady teachers, maybe you do. Take care, glad everyone likes this site – please keep the comments coming. By Stan Brand
All the names so far are in an attachment at the top under the photo. If you can add any more or if you spot an error please mail me on jenrog@hotmail.com and I will get them added or changed. Teachers: next to Mr Rawsthorne is Mrs Dickens, next lady I think is Miss Richardson. Friends Reunited Schools page has the teachers for 1962/3 – maybe somebody else can name the unknowns. Take care.
How do you add a photo to this site, I have a school photo from Nevill County Secondary School I want to add? [Hello Brenda. Look here you will find a very useful video which should answer all your queries. Good luck and look forward to seeing the photos. Editing Team]
Hi all ex Nevillits, we now have 28 of us in touch and collating the names list and it stands at 253/271 so we only have 18 to go now. Barry Osborn has a photo now with the ones needing identification ringed in red and if you would like to see the ones we need email me and I will pass it on. I made a new list to go with it which is now the most up to date. We are amazed at how many of us have left the mother country to make a new life elsewhere, but we all still hanker for the contact with the old country and this group are all wanting to see this complete. So please help if you can and pass this site on to anyone who went to the Nevill in 1958-1963. We’d love to hear from you if you can add even one name.
Regards Jennifer Stevens (Rogers)
I have not read everything above so I do apologise if I am repeating anything, but there is nothing added to show where the school got its name from. The Nevill School was in fact opened by Lord Rupert Nevill as the land was owned by the Nevill family, hence all the Nevill names around the area so one can make their own assumptions. This I was to take advantage of later on as I was in the Royal Air Force stationed at RAF Hamala in Bahrain. Myself and two members of staff were invited to a club at RAF Muharraq to host the Duke of Edinburgh. Amongst his entourage was Lord Rupert Nevill and as he passed our table I said that it was nice to see him again. Intrigued, he joined us and it was then I had to confess I was one of hundreds of pupils in the auditorium (later to be known as the Assembly Hall) when he opened the school. As he was missed the Duke of Edinburgh and his police escort joined us as well. We must have spent a good 20 minutes or so “socialising” until an officer (we were “Juniors”) came along and broke up our little party. All thanks to the “Nevill School”.
Hi, it was a shock to me to stumble across this website and school photograph. Many memories, some bad, some good. Interesting too to see Barry Osbourne posting as he lived up the road from me in Nevill Avenue and I remember making a self igniting bomb and we put it in his parents water butt, which promptly fell over and covered their lawn in purple water. His mother was not impressed. Mr. Rawsthorne saved my life at school as I hated sport and he encouraged me to study for Art A level. To cut a very long story short, I made a living teaching Art in a college for 35 years, I always practiced what I preached and am still doing so seven years into “retirement” having travelled a great deal recently, including driving through Scandinavia for three months into the Acrtic circle and back, with my partner. If anyone is interested, you can see what I do at http://www.clivevosper.com
Good to hear of Clive again and to know he’s still an engaged artist. I too hold special memories of Mr Rawsthorne and Room 10, the art room. I started when Clive was finishing. I have often wondered what happened to Shirley Palmer and Peter Reygate who were there up to my first and second years. I kept going too and have been very active in Germany and in Wales. (still recently described as “classical” – but in a contemporary way, of course!) You can find me if you type my name into Google. Am just getting to grips with a website…
I saw an article in the Daily Telegraph today about Blatchington Mill School and it sent me on a trip down memory lane. My twin brother and I were in the first intake in September 1958. I was Valerie Lucraft and my brother is Geoffrey. We both started off in the same class, 1.3 with Miss Richardson as our form teacher but Geoffrey moved down to 1.13 I think. I was in Mr Baker’s class, 2.1, in Year Two but we moved out of the area in July 1960. I particularly remember Eileen Piper, Sheila Peters and Gloria Hill. At that time we lived in Poynings Drive next door to Jennifer Stevens. The only boys I remember from my class were Lee Pellegrino and Keith Botting. I did meet up with Miss Corduroy several years after we moved away. By an amazing coincidence the parents of an old university friend of hers lived a few houses away from us. I only found out about the 50 year reunion last year. I would have loved to have gone along.
Hello Valerie. Wow what a lot of years have passed since we first went to school together. Have you seen the school photo on here? We only have 12 more to name now – can you see any not named, or Geoff, it’s the boys we are stuck with. If you send me your email I can send you the updated list. The one on here hasn’t been done for a while. I will put it on here when it’s finished. Look forward to hearing from you, and Janet Mockford, and Clive Vosper. My email is a few blogs back.
There are 30 ex pupils in our group and we have a facebook page called ‘Neville County Secondary School 1959-1969′ where 20 members are all in touch and exchanging experiences and stories from school and our recent lives and experiences and reconnecting. We are sharing the DVD of the school that was taken by Mr Baker. If anyone from our years wold like to join, mail me. Regards
My dad was Mr Pugh. Great memories from this photo.
I only remember being really interested in Art and Sport when I was at the school, with Chess Club thrown in. My family emigrated to Brisbane when I was 14 but when I came back to go to Art College, Danny Rawsthorne helped me put my folio together. A wonderful classical teacher who opened my mind to art.
Welcome to our new names list, there is another one now, check it out – we only have 10 faces to name, can you help to finish it? The girls have done really well and only have to identify row 3 no1, any clues? Come on boys, you have 9 to find. My email further back.
24 members now on Neville page on FB.
Beverley O/l/r/nick anyone know the correct spelling row 3/17?
I think that no. 44 is Goacher (Terry ?).
Thank you Michael, we have him down already. Can you recognise any of the missing ones on the list above? We need 9 boys and 1 girl to finish. We have a facebook page if you would like to join us, my email is above. Let me have your address and I will invite you in, as it is a closed group. We have 33 members of the Neville group, and they all receive an update on whose above ground as well as new members and new names, you can look and see whose in it, but not participate. Hope you will join us or anyone else from the Neville from the first few years. Regards Jennifer Stevens
Well only seven boys to name and I girl on the school photo. Well done everyone, we have over 40 members now on the Nevill School page on Facebook. If you would like contact with any one that you can see on there please email me and I will do my best to put you in touch. It is a closed group and you have to be invited in, but don’t let that put you off. We are a very friendly group.
I’m afraid I can’t help much with the photograph as I didn’t go there until 1965. I’m trying to find out the names of the ‘houses’ that we were put into. I was in ‘Shepherd.’ There was also ‘Sergeant’ and (I think) ‘Scott’ but I really can’t recall the fourth one. Any ideas?
The other house was Sutherland.
It was fantastic to see the school picture again after all these years and all the dear faces of my old school chums. I have very happy memories of my time at the school.
Thanks Jenny, Sutherland, it was.
I have only just seen this photo and although I didn’t start there until the 60s, my brother John is in the photo, second row down, third one along from the left. Just thought I would let you know as he is wrongly named in the list. Great photo though.
Hi Marion, yes John was in my class and I believe he worked in a garage at back near Hove seafront.
Hi Jacqueline yes he did think it was Connaught Road, but will ask him when I speak to him next. He now lives in Eastbourne and I’m down in North Devon. Remember quite a few names on here through, John and brother Eddie.
Hi Marion, I think I have been speaking to Eddie – is he your brother? I am the one to change the names, so will do that a soon as practical. If you message me I can send you the updated list as it stands.
Yes Eddie is my brother also have a younger brother Andy. Will look forward to getting up dated list.
I remember John Feaver well. I lived in Beeding Avenue and John was in my year at school. I think he worked for Mann and Woodland, the Saab garage in Hove, with Peter Wrench who lived in Clarke Avenue.
Yes Ken, he did work at Mann and Woodland and then went out on his own. He does sometimes look at this site.
To Ken Hill and Marion Lea. I just thought you could pass on a message to John Feaver. My father was Henry Mann of Mann and Woodland, sadly died in 1989 but Keith Woodland now retired of course lives in Rustington.
Just to add to the record of identification: top row, 5th in from the left, right on the crease, is my oldest brother John Keary (now no longer with us). Hope this helps.
Michael Polirer 17th top row right, also in top row; Bruce Hood, David Jacobs, Allan Israel. I recognise quite a few after all this time, it’s made me very happy, and sad.
I am top row above Mr Neesham.
I am in this photo. My name was Linda Capelin. I recognise a lot of these names and some of those in the photo.
Hi everyone we now have 72 members in the Nevill group and still looking for Hilary Parry, if anyone knows of her, please let her and anyone else in the 1958-1959 photo, know we are trying to have a 60th reunion in sept Jenny Drewitt is organising on Facebook.We have spread all round the world NZ, Australia, Canada, France, Spain,Israel,Germany, to name a few. Greetings from me and for the New Year to you all.- Jenny Rogers.
Hi I’m in row 4 number 22 Barbara Cooper now known as Babs Wickham. I’m in Lincolnshire and still working, out of choice mind. Great to see photo. Have spoken with Vikki Say and also put a message on face book for Jenny Dewitt but as yet no reply from her. Would love to come to the reunion in September.
Babs
Thanks to the fact that I keep in touch with Babs Wickham, I am lead to believe that there is to be a gathering of the Neville School old timers this year. I too have tried to contact Jenny Drewitt with no joy. Can anyone help? It would be truly great to get together again. Still married to Bob Pomfrey, who is in the original photo, as Stan Brand pointed out.
Hi everyone, Jenny Drewitt has got a hall at The Nevill pub for the 8th Sept. She is on Messenger and facebook for any info. Please let anyone else that would like to be there know.
Can anyone remember the name of the caretaker that lived in the house next to the school? I went to the school in 1960 and of course recognise the names mentioned, but for the life of me and my family we cannot remember the caretaker’s name!
The school is having a reunion at 12 noon on 29th Sept at the Nevill pub, Hove. See Jenny Drewitt on facebook for more info. All are welcome for the 1958-1960 intake,the first 3 years. Please come and meet old friends. With 80 members the Nevill group is still growing. Regards
I can’t believe I have not seen this page before! We held the renunion yesterday at the Nevill Pub, it was lovely to see about forty people attend including Miss Shephard. They want another one in five years! Age maybe against us! So I did half heartily suggest perhaps to meet up occasionally at the Nevill Pub, would any of u be interested! Jenny Drewitt nee Armstrong.
I found this site for the first time yesterday and have found it fascinating spending awhile catching up with all the memories from the names shown! I am married to Stephen Eastman who joined the school in 1960. We were in France and so sad to be unable to attend the latest reunion. Hoping to see some photographs?
Hi, I have just stumbled on this page! I am in the third row, fourth girl to the right of Mr Hovell, Susan nee Cross. I went on to be the assistant Bursar at Blatchington Mill School working alongside a number of the teaching staff who taught me!
Is there a Facebook page for old pupils?
Hi, just an update about Clive Vosper, my brother. He died on 6 August 2018. Prostate cancer.
I will never forget Mr Rawsthorne. An outstanding, exceptionally gifted art teacher. We were so lucky to have him. Unfortunately, when Miss Corderoy became headmistress she took a dislike to him and subtly forced him out. Never forgave her. He was devoted to his pupils and gave extra evening classes to those of us who were keen to progress. He was also highly regarded by many of the other teachers.
My Name was Linda Price. I found myself in the photo.
I was there 1958-59 when the school first opened,
2 years started the school 1st years had 6 streams 2nd
Year had 3 streams.
The memories came flooding back, my friend was
Beverley Olnick my form teacher was Miss Shepherd.
Would Ann Gilmore please contact me.
I now live in Eastbourne.
I’m Linda Price now Gregory I went to your wedding and
you came to mine.
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