I just wanted to say thank you to Malcolm Staley for posting the photographs. They bring back many memories. Are there are more? I was a prefect and joint Head Boy some time between 1957 to 1962.

I had left Fawcett when the photo of the school prefects was taken but it was nice to see one of my old friends in the photo (Victor Dockerill), he is the one sitting on the floor on the left of the photo. It has been about 48 years since I last saw him. I think then he lived in Preston Road near the garage and I lived in Dyke Road Drive opposite the garage. What a small world this is.

Well before my time although I was a pupil at the school in the 60s. Very interesting however to see. How the world has changed?

I was directed to this site by an 'old boy' Fred Hards. I remember 'Titch' Freeman, far right seated, useful spinner, and David Eagle, top row second from left, used to play right back in the 1st Xl, thunderous right foot. Victor Dockerill I remember, shock of red hair. Faces I remember, names not so good. I'm the one seated next to 'Titch'. Anyone remember the Bison Club?

This brings back some memories and like John I recognise faces but have difficulty with names. Certainly Roy Ellyatt and Bruce Boxall. We three together with another whose name escapes me at the moment, formed a skiffle group. Also, I was at Roy's wedding.
Mike Bradley was a good mate of mine for many years, whilst his sister Nikky and my sister were close friends for a long time.
How many are still arround and in touch? I had left Fawcett by the time of those photos and went into the RAF a Halton Apprentice. What are the chances of a reunion?

What memories! Members of staff shown in photo are Mr Pollit (headmaster) and Mr Coxhead (deputy head).
Mr Coxhead once lost his voice due to a bout of laryngitis and took classes by writing EVERYTHING on the blackboard. He maintained complete discipline with the pupils though and everyone got on with their work, or else! Mr Benson (RI) was the best-loved teacher, as was demonstrated in the school playground when the school photograph was taken. The whole school stood up spontaneously and clapped and cheered him.

My Dad was a member of the Bison Club in the early 1950's! He ran the 440yds and won the Brighton Schools at Preston Park, then the Sussex comp at the Greyhound Stadium, before representing the Southern Counties at Bradford for Olympic trials all in the summer of 1952 at age 15. Any memories or photos from anyone would be brilliant!
I forgot to mention my Dad's name in all the excitement of the athletics results! His name is John Mitchell and he started out at Finsbury Road School before going to Fawcett. Does anyone remember him?

To John Latham.  The Bison Club, although now defunct, still meets two or three times a year. The guys who are still involved are a bit younger than John but I remember John well and most of the lads that he played football with. Ray Redpath is one of the guys who still meets up. It would be great if any of the other guys from John's era are about: Frank Knapp, Freddie Hards, Tiddler Thompson, Roger Taylor, Roger Long, Dave Round, Keith Mockford, Pete Harris. There are also some younger guys that would be good to see: Ray Bevan, Roger Sutton, Terry Sullivan, Derek Keats, Ian Pattenden. There must be more. Please get in touch.

My Dad - Geoff Wares - was a member of the Bison Club. There are a few names on here I recognise - Frank Knapp, Fred Hards, John Latham. I'm going to pass this page on to him to see if he remembers any more names and faces.

The picture of the prefects brings back memories, and Ken Robinson on the right-hand end of the second row was my best friend at school. I attended Fawcett from 1953 to 1957 and my two brothers were also there in later years. We all still talk fondly about Bill Benson from time to time as he was really a very nice person and instilled a love of reading in us all. Fawcett in those days was really a tough school and in the classes in the lower streams it was really difficult for the teachers to keep control, without frequent use of the strap. However true to form Bill Benson was not very good at administrating the strap and the one he used was of a much lower quality than the other teachers. The teachers however must have all done something right because in later life I managed to carve out a decent career as an electronic engineer.

How pleased I was to discover the old Fawcett school on the web. I was a pupil from 1950 to 1954. Whilst not recognising any of the boys in the prefects photo, Mr Coxhead the art master was there. I also vividly remember Mr Bond the mad music master. Mr Forham, maths. Mr Webb, English. Mr Bowles, French. Mr Finemore, maths and fierce strap! Mr Benson, history. Mr Bolton, geography and Mr Ross and Mr Dyer who gave me his running spikes which I took to Malaya with me when I went into the Air Force. Some of my contempories were Chas Rivett, Barrie Chapman, Bobby Bown, Gerald Booty and Alan Gibbs to name a few.  A first rate school well run by Norman Carter the head and really good teachers. I think today's education system could learn a lot from those days. I am in my 70s now and I think I had a better all round education than my chidren. Is the playing field at Loder Road still there, or I expect it has gone for housing?

There is a photo of the Bison Football team c. 1960 in People - Local Folk. Several of the names from above are featured.

What a great surprise! Just on a whim I looked up the Fawcett name on Google and there was a pic of the prefects from 1956/57, what memories! Don't know Malcolm if you remember, we used to cycle to school together in those days!
I now live in the Philippines but still meet up with Ted Lear and Phil Witten on my visits back to UK. I hope to be back there for a couple of months in this summer.
I retired at the end of 2006 after nearly 40 years flying as a Flight Engineer having lived during that time in Lebanon, Kuwait and Hong Kong, as well as a few other places. My career started after leaving Fawcett in Summer '58 when I started an aircraft engineering apprenticeship at the newly opened Gatwick. I moved on to flying at the end of '67.
It was good to hear that Ray Bird is still around,wonder if he's still playing that trombone.
By the way, my sister Nikky (as mentioned by Ray) married another ex-Fawcett guy, Bill Morrison, they still live in Brighton.
If there is any get together planned, I'd be pleased to hear of it. I know Phil Witten has spoken to me of the possibility on previous occasions.

I went to Fawcett from 1961 to 1965 when they amalgamated with Patcham school and moved to Patcham. I remember a few of my old pals, Bob Johnson who I still keep in touch with, Tony Tovee, ginger, Mick. Where has the time gone? If anyone has photos of the 60s please post them on.

Cliff Pittam - did you leave a posting on genealogy.com? If so, please have a look at my response.

Hi, I just wondered if anyone can remember my dad who attended this school in the late 1950s early 1960s. His name was David Vaughan. He had 2 brothers Dennis and Donald and a sister Diane. It would be great if anyone remembers him.

Hi Jenene Craven, I remember your Dad very well, he attended Fawcett from the early 1960s until the late 1960s. David was full of character, always smiling and always up for a good time. He, like most of the Fawcett lads, had a great sense of humour (you had to in the old school). The family lived in Viaduct Road, Brighton. I have a photo of the whole school taken in 1965 on the new Patcham Fawcett playing fields, I will try to put it on this site for all to see in the hope it will bring back some happy memories - it has for me. Lots of fond memories of a great bunch of lads.

Hi Farid, its wonderful to hear from you and that you remember him so well. He'll be 60 next year, so I'm trying to put together a family history piece for him including his early school years. It would be great to see any photos you may have and anything else you can remember about school life, friends, teachers and even the area.

Hi Jenene I have attached a copy of Fawcett School photo 1965/6 but it's in four sections. I think dad is in photo two, right of centre, four rows back behind the teachers. He is the one with the biggest smile. If you click on the photo and enlarge, then right click, hold and scroll along you will enlarge the face. "Good Luck". let me know how you get on when you show him. Regards

Hi Farid, Many thanks but I can't find the photo. Kind Regards.

I was at Fawcett School from 1950 to 1954 when I joined the Royal Navy. Reading the comments about the school, I am wondering if it is the same one as I went to. Can't remember any school or class photographs. In fact the only thing that sticks in my mind was being hit on the side of my head by a teacher and it burst an abcess. I believe there was an A stream and then just the rest of us oiks.

Hi Farid Ulah, Could you leave me a note if you work for the railway, if so I would like to talk to you please?

Does anyone remember me? I attended Fawcett school from 1952 until 1957. Had a great time; missed lots of lessons due to showing an aptitude to all types of sport. Had a very good pal John Latham - we often ran together at Withdean Stadium. I seem to remember we ran for the Bison club whilst still attending school,  bearing in mind the Bison club was set up for pupils who had left the school. Had the following form masters; Daddy Dyer, Berty White, Mr. Griffiths and the one and only Mr. Podmore. Time has flown  by - brain still thinks I am only 15. I miss those very good old days. I hope not too many of my friends have joined that school in the sky

Perhaps John Latham would like to contact me. I have already commented on the Bison club and still have certificates from running and jumping for them

Hello Robin, I bumped into one of the 'old boys' the other day and he mentioned that you were looking for me. So if you pick this up, leave a message and then we can meet up somewhere.

Hi mate, I was getting worried all my old school mates had gone. Please ring me on 07890062485. It would be great to meet up.

Message for John Latham: I am awaiting a reply hope you are ok.

I have only recently been introduced to this page and am delighted to see some names that I remember well in my five years at Fawcett. There is mention of the BISON Club and I am very pleased to tell all ex Fawcett boys that the Club still exists! It started as a meeting of the old boys who played football for the Club in Len Vallier`s (now sadly deceased) time when we had great success in the Brighton Youth and Brighton & Hove District Leagues but now has gathered some of those who were not footballers and just enjoy meeting old schoolfriends .We meet twice a year and there are currently thirty four on the mailing list. The next meeting is in the form of our annual reunion dinner, which will be held at the Brighton Marina Casino Rendezvous Restuarant on Friday 12th February 2010. Those who may be interested in a very reasonable night out with good friends - please contact me for further details. Look forward to hearing from you. Chris Simms. c.simms@sky.com

Hello Chris. I seem to remember you played in goal for the BISON team when I was looking after them for a couple of seasons. Ray Ridpath has some photos of that team which I passed on to him, have you seen them? There is also a picture of the earlier team on this site (local folk) where you will probably reconize most of them. Good to hear that the club's name is being perpetuated by yourself and others. Regards Fred

Saw some of the pictures and some of the names. Quick trip back to the "good old days." I was at Fawcett between 1954-1959 and what a blast it was. Them and us. Getting the strap for next to nothing, well sometimes anyway. For example, the gym shoe fight in 3G in 1956 just after the room had been repainted. The whole class was straped by Jazz Bolton who was the form master at the time. Any more anarcists from that time? Spoons, Duffer Hearne, Slim Trowhill, Jumbo Wyatt, Pete Best etc.

Hello Peter. This is your old mate Chris "Spoons" Simms. Good to hear from you after all these years. I well remember some of the antics we got up to especially spending our dinner money which entailed a trip to Oxford Street for a stale loaf from Beryl at Ogdens the bakers stuffed with three pennyworth of chips and an ice cream from Mr Pip and then over to the Level for a gourmet lunch. I have lost touch with the old "fifth form failures" but have bumped into "Puffer" Hearn and "Slim" Trowhill over the years. Simon Fallon moved to the Midlands to set up a Financial Services company but I have not heard from him for years. If you would care to contact me direct please write to me c.simms@sky.com. I have lived in Burgess Hill for many years now but retain my links with Brighton and some of the Fawcett old boys.It would be good to share some memories! Best wishes.

Hi Robin. I remember you - I think you lived in Centurion Road or thereabouts. I lived in Clifton Street not far from you. I was a good mate of Eddie Warneford's who sadly passed away. I don't know if you remember me? They were good days at Fawcett. All the best.

It is a while since I last looked at this topic and have just noticed that Mike Bradley has commented. Last time I saw Mike was about 50 years ago when he had a BSA A10 sidecar outfit. In the unlikely event that he reads this, please drop me a line at dickie.bird1@ntlworld.com. Or any other old mate from those times.

I've just visited this site again, after a while, to find that Ray (Dickie) Bird had found my earlier entry. I wish I had been able to reply to his request sooner. I am doubly sad that I have just received news, via an old work pal, that Ray passed away last week whilst attending an RAF reunion in Lincolnshire. Whether that was an ex Halton or ex Sqaudron do, I'm not sure. However his funeral will take place on 23rd August 2011 in Lincoln.

Hi Mike. It has been some time since I last visited this site, and was saddened to see that Ray Bird has died. I would like to meet up with you for old times sake, maybe at one of your reunions. You can contact me at Malstal@hotmail.com.

It's nice to see all these reports about teachers,being an ex lad of Fawcett a lot of memories came back. I am trying to find out if anybody has any pictures of the football double side 1958-59, there must be some about.

Very sad to see that Raymond Bird has gone but I suppose we are at that age group when it's going to happen. Last time I saw him was at some function in Preston Park around 15 years ago, dressed as a policeman. I can't remember what he played in the skiffle group (the Skuffles) but I'm pretty sure it wasn't the trombone!

Just to let any former Fawcett/BISON boys know that our annual reunion dinner will take place at the Rendezvous Casino Restaurant, Brighton Marina on Friday 15th February 2013. Anyone who is intersted please contact me for further information. Chris Simms c.simms@sky.com or 01444 245743