A few months ago I wrote an article about a school record that was set in 1949 and, despite the best efforts of some of the finest athletes in the school’s history, could not be broken.

It was set by David Read who, at the annual sports day on Thursday 30 June at Cambridge University Mission Sports Field, Avery Hill in New Eltham, jumped 16ft one inch.

David had arrived at St Mary’s College in 1947, from St Joseph’s Convent school in Hatherley Road, Sidcup. I had no record of what happened to David after he left St Mary’s in 1953 so it was a delight to receive an email from him a few weeks after I’d posted the article.

As a bonus, David kept a wonderful collection of memorabilia from his time at St Mary’s College including many photographs, sports day programmes, reports and rare examples of what I believe was the first attempt to produce a school magazine, which lasted for a few issues between 1948 and 1949.

But what of that prodigious leap all those years ago? There were seven competitors – all, oddly, representing Fisher House – and, apart from David, these were Clarke, Hunt, Jones, Carroll, Tyack and Clifford. But they all stood no chance as David sailed through the air.

As he did so, his mother who was standing by the long jump pit, snapped the photograph which is reproduced above. Jimmy Carroll, who came third that day, is watching on, on the left hand side of the picture.

Here’s the man himself who is now a sprightly 84 and living in Dorset: “In the early competitions, I used to put a marker in the sand where I wanted to reach and officials used to laugh, never believing I’d reach that point. I don’t think that would be allowed these days.”

David starred at every Sports Day he took part in, and was also a valuable member of the school football team. He went on to represent Kent Schools at athletics and the National Championships.