21 Mar 2021 Written By Matthew Eastley

Daily life at the new school

These great photographs are a rare thing indeed, in as much that they show scenes of everyday life at St Mary’s. They were taken in the spring of 1958, just over a year after the new site opened. I’m indebted to John ‘Fred’ Ward, who attended St Mary’s between 1955 and 1960, for supplying these rarities. They are interesting in that they show evidence of ongoing building work and that may even be the caretaker’s house being erected in the background of the photograph in the middle right. Could that also be a pre-war Hillman Minx in the top left and bottom right pictures? John himself is pictured in the top left hand picture. That’s him on the right with Jimmy Pontin. Other boys photographed include Eddie Godolphin, Terry Futter, Jan Blachoviak, Michael Szatkowski, Mickey Snelders and Barry Harding.