LOOKING BACK - April 6, 2017 edition

Tower Lodge School, 1950s
Tower Lodge School in the 1950sTower Lodge School in the 1950s
Tower Lodge School in the 1950s

We have one of our readers on the other side of the world to thank for this week’s picture.

Carolyn Savill, who has lived in Australia since 1975, got in touch after seeing herself (then Carolyn Garton) and some of her old friends in the Tower Lodge School 1956 or 57 nativity scene, from our January 5 edition.

which was sent in by Janet Gilks.

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This week’s school photograph is another from Tower Lodge from around that time.

Carolyn can name a few faces including Ruth O’Rielly, Robert Spencer, Jane Liggens, Keith/Alan Proctor, Peter Haddon.

Her brother Christopher Garton is also pictured.

Janet Gilks has kindly been able to help with several more names and a few other interesting details she can remember, which might help jog a few memories for fellow pupils.

She says: “The boys on the front row include Allen Veasey, Robert Borsely or Bordesly (his mother was a teacher at the school and father ran the general store at Stretton on Dunsmore - which I think is still a shop), David Cumella and Malcolm? Underwood (his father had a car salesroom).

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“Girls on second row include Ruth O’Reilly (her father was a doctor in town) Helen Chambers, Gillian Thomas, Susan Livingstone, Carolyn Garton - maybe on second row, Elizabeth Campbell and myself, Janet Gilks far right.

“In the next row are Jennifer Brookes, Jane Liggins and Susan Miller, daughter of Dr Peter Miller.

“The fourth row doesn’t have anyone I recognise.

“In the fifth row there is Susan Wiggins (daughter of the Wiggins part of Wiggins & Russell estate agents) and in the back row Anne Miller (Susan’s sister) and Keith Proctor and possibly Marion Davies. Susan Livingstone had brothers and cousins who may be on the photo.” Carol Spencer and Ruth? Skelton may also be there.

“Staff at the school when I was there include Mrs Worthington - her brother was Norman Painter who acted in The Archers and I met him at a fete I went to in Clifton on Dunsmore with Carolyn,” added Janet.

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“The other class teachers I can recall were Mrs Borsely and Mrs Cowie, headmistress was Miss Darby and Miss Carvell took games - her parents ran a shop in town.

“We went across the road to The Oakfield Co-op Club for gym lessons and summer games on the field - Oakfield was a school in the 1920s and 30s run by Rugby’s Charter Mayor, Mr A. Wise and my father, Edwin Gilks, attended.

“Winter games for the girls was netball in the playground - just about where the photo was taken.

“I can recall going into the ‘hall’ on the ground floor for morning milk at breaktime and then we had our cooked lunch there.”