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Pelsall Secondary Modern 1952 - 53 The School Reunion
Back in 2002 I received the following letter from Mrs Veronica Holt.
The enclosed photograph is of a group of girls from Pelsall Secondary Modern School on a camping holiday at Beaudessert in July 1953, this I remember at a cost of £1 per pupil!
I am hoping that through Pelsall Times and this photograph some of the girls present may get in touch, and who knows, we could be able to arrange a grand reunion. I enclose a list of most present on the photograph, although some, I can't remember. I was born in High Heath as Veronia Lowbridge, educated at Pelsall Church School 1946-52 then at Secondary School until 1956, leaving to work in Pelsall Co-op which was a really busy shop. Mr Faulkner was the manager and Mr Jones, his assistant.
I recall many people and places in Pelsall. Names that spring to mind are the Copeland family, Charlie, Ruby, Elizabeth, Cyril and also the Baggots who had several children including, Jean, Hazel and Marlene.
I well remember the Midnight Baker used to call at my home daily and his sugar buns were a real treat for us.
Summer days were spent in the brook near the railway bridge, crowds of us sharing a bottle of water and a loaf, why did it never seem to rain? The sun seemed to shine endlessly.
Does anyone remember the productions of Gilbert & Sullivan produced by Mr Massey? My year was 'The Mikado' when I was one of the three little maids along with Kathleen Rogers and Paula Green. What fun we had, we really thought we were stars.
Back Row L-R Heather French, Judith?, Janice Challis, Brenda? ? Rose, Margaret Neale, Warden, Pat Cartwright, Dorothy Pritchard, Brenda Hooker, Joyce Hooker, Miss Ewing (Teacher)
Front Row L-R Myra Holland, Janet Handley, Veronica Lowbridge, Pat Yates, Mary Flyn, Gillian Arrowsmith, Doreen Garratley,?,?,?,?,?
The photograph above was sent to Pelsall Times by Mrs Veronica Holt of Machylleth, Powis
Following the publication of the photograph above in Pelsall Times Issue 11 in July 2002, Mrs Holt received a number of calls and a great deal of enthusiastic interest in the school union much to her joy.
One of the first to get in touch was Mrs Pat Booker (nee Cartwright) who was soon to become the person to help put Veronica's dreams in motion.
Mrs Pat Booker played a crucial role in this gathering. As Veronica lived in Wales, organising such an event would have been difficult. Pat who lives in Pelsall readily took on the challenge to organise things in the end, and worked with Veronica to make sure that the day was a success.
After a lot of hard work, dedication and commitment, final preparations for this very special event were complete and the School reunion took place on Saturday 1st March 2003.
In all there were 26 ladies at the reunion, some of whom were in addition to those on the photograph.
When I arrived at the Twin Crescents Community Room, a fantastic hubbub could be heard as I walked up the path as the ladies were re acquainting themselves and catching up on the good old days.
Numerous photographs were passed around, including those of the well remembered and much talked about 'Mikado' production.
It was amazing to see just how much the ladies still had in common after all those years. It seemed that not a day had passed since they had seen eachother last.
To be at the school reunion the ladies had travelled from far and wide including Walsall, Walsall Wood, Rushall, Aldridge, Brownhills, Sutton Coldfield, Herts, Staffordshire, Devon, Nottingham and of course Wales.
And it goes with out saying that a great day was had by all.
Back Row: L - R Barbara Addis (Ashfield), Doreen Croft (Reeves), Heather Jones (French)
Front Row: L - R Brenda Rushton (Hooker), Joyce Peate (Hooker)
L - R Heather Jones (French), Paula Baker (Green), Barbara Warren (Waring), Pat Booker (Cartwright), Josie Etheridge (Harrison), Margaret Neale (Ratcliffe)
Back Rpw L-R Joyce Peate (Hooker), Josie Etheridge (Harrison), Margaret Neale (Ratcliffe), Brenda Rushton (Hooker), Heather Jones (French)
Front Row L-R Betty Sedgewick (Birkett), Margaret Wood (Neale), Maureen Mansell (Allan), Doreen Croft (Reeves), Myra Moore (Underhill)
Back Row L-R Maureen Hall (Rogers), Evelyn Talbot (Timbrell) Maureen Croft (Lowbridge), Veronica Holt (Lowbridge)
Centre L-R Eileen New (Harrison), Jeanne Webb (Lowbridge), Myrna Griffiths (Jones)
Front Centre Rita Nock (Lowbridge)
Back Row L-R Veronica Holt (Lowbridge), Myra Moore (Underhill)
Front Row L-R Lucy Poxen, Mrs Bolton
Back Row L-R Barbara Waring (Warren), Paula Baker (Green), Sylvia Broome (Sweet) Margaret Lury (Parker)
Front Row L-R Pat Booker (Cartwright), Pamela Hill (Collins)
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