You’ll often hear me bemoaning – or at least regretting – the paucity of photographs capturing everyday St Mary’s life in the 1960s or 70s.

Perhaps it’s because we live in an era of image saturation where anything and everything is photographed on mobile phones and shared on social media.

So I get quite excited when I see photos from the days when it was quite a thing for someone to produce a camera and capture a moment in time.

The above photo, shared by 1962 St Mary’s joiner Martin Downy, does just that. It’s a true rarity and, unless someone, somewhere is sitting on a whole stash of photos from this era, very much one of a kind.

These lads, who like Martin all started in 1962, were in the upper sixth when this was taken some time during the academic year of 1968/69. The bare trees in the background, next to the old caretaker’s house suggest it was either very late ‘68 or early ‘69.

I believe the new sixth form common room was constructed in 1968 and it appears to be in use with the face in the window possibly – not definitely – belonging to a lad called Elliott. Clarification or confirmation would be appreciated.

After consulting with a number of contemporaries, Martin believes the lads in the picture are as follows:

Standing at the back, left to right, are Chris Tauber (wearing the grey cardigan), David Philipson, John Webster, ? Elliott, David Skinner, Kevin White, Tony Robson, Phil Burnell (in the background), Malcolm Taylor.

Seated, left to right, George Kopczyk, Daniel Donovan (who Martin believes preferred to be known also as Martin), Chris Green, Martin Downy.

Thanks to Martin for sharing this picture. If there are any others lurking out there, you know where to send them!