I went to this school between the ages of 8 - 11 so I would have left in 1959. Over that time I only remember Mr Brooks, the sweet shop and the cattle arch to Vale Road. We lived in St Andrews Road at that time moving up to Old Shoreham Road opposite the Golf Course later on.

I went to this school from 1967 to 1969 when I moved to Brisbane, Australia. I would love to see photos of that time if anyone has them. I lived in North Road, Portslade.

Hi Kim. I used to live in St Andrews Road, we used to play in all the wrecked houses between North Street and St Andrews Road. I would think it was very dangerous but what did we care! One Nov 5th there was a giant bonfire in one of the streets. Another favourite place was the waste ground off Vale Road - lots of earth mounds to jump our bikes on. I left Benfield for Portslade County in 1959-60.
By the way - I'm in Brisbane too - Eight Mile Plains. chrisedwards48@gmail.com

My sister Gill Edwards went here until 1964 - then Portslade Girls. She lives on the Isle Of Wight.

Hi Alan, Let me see if I can fill in some of the names:
Back row l to r: ?, Pamela Thompson, Peter Crouch, ?, Margaret Hughes, ?, Raymond Guy (deceased), John Baker, Alan Phillips.
3rd row l to r: ?, Judith Clark, ?, ?, ?, Susan Vassey, David Fuller, ?, Roger Reeve, ?, ?, Chris Poole (?).
2nd row l to r: Derek Gough, William Mason(?), Maurice Forrest, Trevor Mayhew, Arthur Pumfrey, Brian Harding, ?.
Front row l to r: Kenneth Wrist, ?, Paula Harisson, Angela(?), ?, ?.

John Baker, do you have a son called Michael Baker, who used to be a Mod in the early 80`s?

A long time ago but I think one of my childhood friends was Derek Gough, we lived in Links Road. I didn't go to Benfield myself, being a Catholic I was sent to St Mary's in Trafalgar Street I think it was. Derek had a brother, twin I think, and we all hung around with a girl called Helen - my first love! Circa 1957-8.

What a lovely surprise Stuart - I just took a second look at this page having found it a few days ago.  I lived in Links Road from 1953 to 1974. Derek Gough and his older brother, Malcolm, lived a few doors down from our house - we lived at 47. I went to Benfield School and have a very similar photo to the one posted on here - must get round to putting it on the site.  So many memories have been triggered by this comment - playing in the woods on the golf course, making tree houses and camps, building home made go-carts and trying them out in The Gardens and Garden Close - where two other friends, Ann Holland and Susan Bennett, lived.  Later we tried out the carts at the 'Rec', which had quite a steep hill at the northern end- I had a habit of falling out of the carts and I still have the scar on my knee from one of those.  Some of the other kids in Links Road, some of whom also went to Benfield, were Victor Leonard, Nicholas Coxhill, Janet Chandler and Margaret, whose last name is something like Hardman - possibly. My mind has gone blank on the others I am afraid.  Thank you so much Stuart for the trip down memory lane - I hope life has been kind to you.

I went to Benfield the first year it opened. I think Miss Hunt was Head and Miss Clifford, deputy. Miss Clifford sacked me as Jesus in the Christmas Nativity Play. What happened to Jill Russell from Foredown Drive?

Don't you mean Jackie Russell? I always thought that she was lovely! Her Dad was a pianist and always encouraged me to continue playing the guitar. I still play 53 years later!

Living at 24 Links Road, having been born at no. 3 in 1944, I watched the main hall being built, as it could be easily seen from the front windows of no. 24, looking straight up the Gardens (there weren't the trees then). I recall being told that "that was where I would be going to school", as indeed happened after St Nicholas Infants. Miss Belinfante (later renamed Belafonte) is my abiding memory, and I am sure she had much to do with my love of English later on. I also recall Mr Galagher and his early Vespa scooter.
Mr Andrews was the kindly old gent with the sweet shop, where our pennies were easily spent, when we had any. (Scavenging discarded orange boxes from Fryco in Victoria Rd., and then selling them for firewood to the inhabitants of Links Rd. was one way I and Stephen (Steven?) Clifford from no. 47 would augment our meagre pocket money). I too recall the soap box rides down that steep slope in Victoria Rec - Steven had made a cart from just such orange boxes; it seemed that the more hazardous the pursuit the better it was ! From the school I particularly recall Sandra Butterworth (coming up for 65 next Feb 22nd - sorry Sandra !, Gillian Secker, of hand puppet fame, and Veronica Harland, next to whom I sat in Class 1, and Rita Shimmins, sadly no longer with us . - seems I only recall the girls! Oh yes -Jeremy Pender, of course - we made good and made it to the Hove County Grammar, as did Sandra, and Gillian, I think, with Rita excelling and getting to the GirlsHigh School. Happy days!

I just came off the phone from speaking to our fellow-Benfielder Frank Morgan (Drove Crescent, then Brambledean Road), it being his own 65th today, trying to convince him how splendid next summer's reunion is going to be. Sadly, though, his mother (Dulcie) has now passed away, and he feels no great pull to Brighton and Hove anymore.
If any of you by any chance fancy joining in with helping to rustle up a few other prospective attendees for the event, please contact the illustrious Portslade and West Hove Fifties Nifties group: portslade_and_west_hove_fifties_nifties-owner@yahoogroups.com

From Roger Hudson via email: I always remember Frank Morgan's birthday, and rather curiously have done ever since we were at Benfield together. He was also my next-door neighbour in Drove Crescent for a few years before moving down to Portslade proper! The reason is that he was 10 on the 10th of the 10th. I spoke to him a few years back, but realised that he had certainly moved on from his childhood days. (Haven't we all!) Frank, I believe, owned a few betting shops in the last few years. He was always good at maths! We were mates for a little while when we were kids. I remember his mother Dulcie well too, who was also a friend of my mother's for a short period before she moved away from Portslade.

I just came across this sight because i am writing a book about my childhood in the 1960s and was doing research about my old schools. I was at Benfield between 1964 and 1968. One chapter in my book is actually called Miss Belinfante! She was an amazing woman and I agree with you Terry, she certainly inspired me. Thanks to her I was fortunate enough to go on to pass my 11 plus. All those horrific monthly tests certainly paid off. I too remember Mr Gallagher and Miss Clifford. Also Mrs Dawson, Mrs Royston and Miss Riley who taught those we used to call the 'slow' kids.
I lived in St Nicholas Road, so all the above places mentioned are very familiar to me. My maiden name was Clark and all of my older siblings went to Benfield, Tony, Anne, Michael and Peter. Anyone remember them?