Meeting up with old pupils
For a few years now I have been meeting up with a couple of school friends, Margaret Charman (nee Bean) and Valerie Stone (nee Houston) from our days at Moulsecoomb Junior School. Last year I found this photograph and showed it to them.
Trying to identify everyone
We have since been trying to identify everybody and have almost succeeded apart from just a few. I am the one in the second row with the big bow in her hair. When we met today we decided that perhaps it was time to put it on show and see what the response would be.
Can you help?
This photograph has given us much pleasure, instigating much reminiscing, and it is incredible what you can remember between you. In those days you did not have a care in the world.
If you can identify yourself or someone else, or have memories of the school, please leave a comment below.
Comments about this page
Hi Wyn, A voice from the past! I believe I may recognise a few faces in this:- Yourself, Anna Patenden, Margaret Bean, John Langridge, David Marchant, Geofrey Plank, Daphne Goddard. I am not sure whether I am in it; one person looks vaguely like me, but I have no personal photographs of that time to compare. I certainly was in your year group in the latter years leading up to the eleven plus. I would certainly like to have sight of your ‘list of suspects’, and if you think that I may be able to help identify the names above I will forward you my email address.
Hi John: nice to hear from you, and yes, we believe that it is you next to Margaret in the picture, I hope we are right. Which do you think is Daphne Goddard as we do not have her at all. Once the festive period is over I will send you the list if you could give me your email address. Bye for now, Happy Christmas to you and yours.
A few faces that I can recall: Back row:- right hand end, David Tester; next to him Alan Longley. 3rd row (from bottom):- right hand end, John Langridge; 6th from right, David Marchant. 2nd row (from bottom):- 2nd from left, Anna Pattenden; 4th from right, Stella Johnson. Bottom row:- 3rd from left, Geoffrey Plank. I remember the ‘slides’ that we made in the playground following heavy frosts. By running and then sliding on the frost, the surface would glaze over and after a few goes a well defined iice ‘slide’ would be formed down the playground. I recall that one of the young male teachers, whose name escapes me, was particulary instrumental in assisting us make these. I guess nowadays it would require a safety audit, elbow and knee pads, helmets, and St John’s Ambulance to be in attendance for this to be allowed! John Hayes
I, along with Anne Smith have recently discovered this page and found it highly amusing trying to identify everybody. We do recognise quite a few. It’s nice to know some of you are still in touch as Anne and I have remained friends all these years( 65).Others names not mentioned are Peggy Tullet, Jennifer Yates, Jacqueline Lewery, David South, Rosalind Niblett, Barry Epps, Josie Long, Barbara White and Julia Peach.
Could the girl fourth from the left in the back row be Pauline Coe?.
I was hoping that Wyn Burgess, the originator of this page might respond to Irene and Mick’s postings. I do hope she is ok, it is some time since I have seen any postings from her. To answer Mick’s posting first: we believe the girl, fourth from left in back row, to be Jacky Lewry. I don’t recall a Pauline Coe being in this class. Perhaps Irene could comment on this. Wyn had quite a comprehensive list of all the people she and a couple of her ex. Class 2A friends thought they recognised. However they were hoping to get some input on this page from a few more ex. Class 2A pupils, to both confirm their sightings and to fill in a few missing links, before posting the list. I have a copy of Wyn’s list, but don’t want to ‘rain on her parade’ by posting it. Irene, if you want to post some more details on this page of who you recognise and where they are in the photo, I can check these against Wyn’s list and let you know how they tally. Happy New Year to you all! John.
Hi John, Irene & Mick, have just popped back to check any postings, I had been visiting regularly and gave up sometime during 2012 quite disappointed - I should have known there were others out there! I agree with John: the person who Mick thought was Pauline Coe is definitely Jacqueline Lewry. Irene, it was great to see a response from you, and, yes all the people you named are in the photo. At this moment in time I have mislaid the photo with all of the names on but will now search diligently and report back. Great to hear that you and Ann have remained friends. I will be back!!
Hi Wyn, John & Mick. Firstly, I can’t help concerning Pauline Coe, but a few more we have recognised are :Back row 6th from left Janet Nutley, 3rd from right Anona Hewlett, 4th from right Pearl Eldridge. Front row far right Roy Munro. 2nd row from front 2nd from right Valerie Adams, 3rd from right Pat Harper. Hope this helps, we will keep looking and let you know if we remember any more names. There are several faces we remember but can’t put names to as yet. Did any of you recognise us?
Hi all. I have at last found the original picture with the added names, it would seem that we have done very well between us and have named all but one person – the boy sitting 2nd from the left in the front row between Freddie Milliner and Geoffrey Plank. There is also a query about the girl on the extreme left of the 3rd row back – some say Daphne Goddard and some June Burville. My thoughts are leaning toward Daphne as I seem to remember that June did not join us until the last year. Irene, if there is some way you can send me your email address I will send you the completed (well nearly) list. Irene, where are you and Anne living now? My memory thinks you both used to live in The Roundway, Coldean. I was still living in North Moulsecoomb when I married in 1961, I then moved to Hangleton and had two children. I still live in Hangleton but after losing my husband in 2001 I now share a house with my daughter. I would love to have news of you and any other mutual friends/acquaintances we may have.
Hi Wyn, my brother David Johnson directed me to this site today. Certainly faces from the past! I remember you well and years ago, my mum had sent me a newspaper cutting of your wedding day. I left Brighton in 1961 to take up my first teaching post in the Reading area and am still living here. I have often wondered what had happened to everyone! Would be great to catch up on news.
Hi Irene, I know a comment from yourself was posted on this page on 27th May, along with a brief message from one of the editors regarding your email address. However, when I returned to reply to you on the 28th it had disappeared, I did query this with the people who maintain the site but they had no explanation. However, I did ask them to forward you my email address so that you could contact me and I could then send you the full (or nearly full) list of names. I look forward to hearing from you
Hello Stella, Lovely to hear from you, it must be 50+ years since we were at school together. Although the picture was taken more than 60 years ago, do you recognise many? Loved hearing about your Mum sending you my wedding photo. Pity you live so far away, would love to have met up with you again. I shall be meeting up with Margaret and Valerie again in early July. I am hoping Irene Ransom will get in touch with me soon as I would also love to meet up with her and Ann Smith again too!
Hi Wyn, Stella. Irene, and Ann. It’s good to see a few more faces I recognise contributing to this page, I feel a bit outnumbered being the only male! I find it amazing how it’s possible to recall and match faces and names after more than 60 years.
Wyn, can you send me a copy of your updated list, I believe you have my email address. Best wishes to you all. John Hayes.
I was browsing this website, my brother had told me about. I found the picture of 2a, Mrs. Briggs class. Lo and behold I realised it was the class I was in. I remember lots of names including Margaret Bean, Anna Pattenden, Jacqueline Newry and David Tester. I am on second row third from left. I was only at Moulsecoomb school for this year.
Hi Barbara. Lovely to hear from you – I am sitting on your right hand side with the “big bow” in my hair. Where are you now – do you live locally? I would love to hear more from you.
Bye for now
I was delighted to see this picture of my dear Uncle Alan (Alan Longley).Thank you for posting this.
Hi everyone, I know I’m really late but I was wondering if anyone could help me, my Nan (Janet Weller) believes she may be in this photo (2nd row from bottom on the very far right) as she also knows Roy Munro, she was hoping that someone could give her a photo with all the names as she’s trying to identify everyone.
Hi Keith,
I am in the photo, and recognise quite a number of the faces and names which have been identified by others in the past. However I do not recall the surname ‘Weller’. Is that your Nan’s maiden name?I believe that there was a list naming most of the people in the photo, collated by Wyn Burgess, but unfortunatley she has been off the radar for a number of years.
Regards,
John.
Hi John.
So sorry I’m getting my surnames around the wrong way 😅 my nans maiden name was “Tee” she does on the other hand have 4 sisters so hopefully that surname does ring a few bells 🤞
Keira.
HI Keira,
First my apologies for getting your name wrong.
This is getting a little confusung, as I have now found a reference to the person 2nd row extrme right.
She was identified as Ruby Weller! Does that make any sense?
John.
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