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School Photographs

1938/9  (For enlargement, click on the 'magnifying glass' symbol [top right].)

Miss Hinchy is in the gown, the Gym teacher (with the resemblence to Joyce Grenfell) is two to her right.  Michael is third row, left-hand side, his brother is kneeling in front of him scrutinising the mat.

Michael Pierce ('36-'39)

Three images - probably taken in early 1952:

Chris in front of the school's Merit marks tally board featuring the school's latin motto: "Nunquam Otio Torpebat".  (The same motto as that of St Bede's College [Independent, Catholic], Manchester.  Should we infer some connection?)

A "lion and unicorn" pageant - possible commemorating QEII's accession in February '52.  Chris is sporting the lion smock, Susan Johns is at the right-hand end of the left-hand block of kids; Susan Snelling is back row one from the right… the performing pair? - we'll probably never know.

… and a pupil group taken at the same event.

Does anyone remember the event at which these photos were taken?

c. 500KB

Chris Cartwright ('50-'56)

'Long' Photographs

Summer 1952.  Staff, from the left: Patricia Brown, ?, Mrs Gertrude Doctor, Mrs Beauvoisin (Peter Davis remembers her as 'Madge', an abbreviated form of 'Magdalene'), Mr Paul Beauvoisin, Mrs Kendall, Mrs Madge Irving, Mrs 'Mac'.

Pupils: back row, left - Anthony Foster, then Stephen McMurray - Tony x; back row, from left, 6th person along - Faith Mesger who lived about three doors down from the school; 8th along - David Rumbold (lived in Honeypot Lane); 9th along - Susan Johns; 10th person - Susan Snelling; third from the right is Peter Davis; from the top, second row - Frances Weir followed by Anne LaRue Frakes*, an American girl; the boy behind and between Mrs Kendall and Madge Irving is Christopher Beau.

From the back, two rows down, the girl with dark hair and broad smile behind the unknown staff member (in gingham) - Hilary x (twin of Adrian x - who was apparently good at high jump) (Gordon Avenue - the 'Seven Balls' end) (I was taught boxing, for which I had very little aptitude, by the father of Adrian and Hilary - Peter Davis); in front of David Rumbold - Pauline Dick; second from the right, cheekily flaunting her tongue - Helen Lowe (possibly the vicar's daughter).  On our right of Helen - Tony Beau.

Third row up, from the left, third person along is Michael Davis; on the same row, from the right, on the end may be John Golden, and next to him is Chris Cartwright.

The girl in front of Mrs Irving, with a light-coloured hair ribbon is Susie Beau - now living in France (2003).

Front row centre: curly headed Jill Davis, the youngest of the 'Davis' siblings, and on her right, struggling to stifle a yawn - Colin Poyton.  (The 'Davis'es' lived at 45 Marsh Lane next to the 'Frakes'es' at 47 and, at 43, Air Marshal Sir Lawrence Pendred, father of Gerald.  [These three, adjacent properties spawned a staggering total of six licensed pilots between them.]  The Mesgers lived at either number 39 or 41.)

Secreted somewhere in this image are Monica and her brother Hugh Maitland-Walker (Gordon Avenue).

This 15"-wide photo is printed on 0.5mm thick board and was scanned (high resolution) in two-halves and then merged.

* - Anne LaRue Frakes was daughter of Jim 'Tut' Frakes a reconnaissance pilot in the USAF.  Besotted by his infant daughter, Capt. Frakes' crew named their Lockheed P-38 ("Lightning") aircraft "Turbo Anny".

"I used to call her "LaRue" … I think her father was in the USAF as, if I remember correctly, his uniform was blue… I remember he was the most handsome man I had ever seen… that's all I can remember about them, they did live on Marsh Lane a bit down from the school." - Susan Johns.

"LaRue" only attended St Brendans for a year and " does express surprise that anybody would remember her." - Peter Davis (2010).

"I do remember my parents were friendly with an American couple (he was in the USAF) and at some time they crashed their car in Honeypot Lane and I think turned it over." - Chris Cartwright.

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Chris Cartwright

Most names contributed by Susan Johns - but thanks also to Chris Cartwright and Peter Davis.

1952. The school uniform - Chris on his trike' outside his front door.

Chris Cartwright

Winter '59/'60 right half.  It is a salutory reminder to reflect that most of the staff here were younger than we are today.
Chris's 19"-wide photograph has been kept in a frame and, except for some minor 'cockling', mainly along its lower edge, is in excellent condition.  The image is only reproduced here at 600ppi as, even at that resolution, it exhibits de-focusing towards the edge.  Also, unfortunately, the right-hand edge of the print is rather 'washed-out'.

1.5MB

Chris Thrift ('54-'60)

Winter '59/'60 left half.  The same caveats as above apply.

1.62MB

Chris Thrift ('54-'60)

Spring '61 left half.  This image is a higher resolution version of the one Monica has put on 'Friends Reunited'.  Monica kept her print rolled-up but it unfortunately collapsed and eventually shed some of its surface material along the three fold lines that subsequent developed.  The lost detail has been replaced by cloning narrow, adjacent strips of the print.  Interestingly, this image displays similar de-focusing towards its extremes as Chris Thrift's.

794KB

Monica Kendall ('60-'65)

Spring '61 right half.

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Monica Kendall ('60-'65)

Miscellaneous

1953 - Coronation celebrations at the recreation ground on Stanmore Hill.  Susan Johns as "Our English Weather" - winner of the fancy dress competition.  The event started at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital and contestants rode down Stanmore Hill on floats.  The photograph also features Helen Lowe and the Beaus.

214KB

Susan Johns (now 'Rundles') ('48-'54)

1949 School Report.

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Susan Johns (Rundles)