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This is a school photograph taken in the summer 1956 of my class at Far Cotton County Primary School.
1 Peter Clifton: A quiet, clever, humorous boy I was good friends with. His father was landlord of the Golden Horse pub in Southampton Road, on the other side of Towcester Road.
4 Me.
5 Richard (I think) Webb: Sociable, and a good athlete.
6 Freddy Church: An opinionated individualist, whom we conformists thought slightly crazy. I have no idea what became of Freddy in later life; but if he found his natural calling, he is now a radio talk-show host.
7 Martin Draper: Bright and dependable. He would have made an excellent army officer. In fact he went into the local police force, eventually retiring with the rank of Chief Inspector.
8 John Watts: Smart and interesting, but a bit of an Eeyore.
9 Keith Brice.
11 Alan Mawby: For some reason, Alan incited all our worst boyish instincts. We persecuted him mercilessly, even following him home — he lived on the London Road — taunting him all the way. After all these years, I feel great shame at this — at not having had enough strength of character to resist following a multitude to do evil. Sorry, guy, really sorry.
12 Surname Preese or Price, first name William? A very bright & lively boy, but in a disorganized and random way. It was thanks to him that I read my first adult pop-science book: George Gamow's 1-2-3-Infinity, which he brought to school one day.
17 I'm pretty sure this was Trevor Longhurst, our neighbor across the back fence (i.e. he lived in Friars Close).
18 This lad's surname was Musgrave or Musgrove. A very decent kid with good moral instincts, though quiet and not much of an achiever in class.
19 Kenny Cadd, a near neighbor of ours from further down Friars Avenue. A live wire, funny and mischievous, a keen swimmer.
20 Andrew Wilcox, a Geordie.
21 Kevin Poole, who lived in the prefabs on Gloucester Avenue.
23 Colin Something. It was from him that I heard my first dirty joke: the one about Freddy Fuccarada busy with a young lady behind the garden shed when his mother calls him in to dinner.
24 Ann Garlick.
25 Daphne Wright.
26 Sheila Campbell, a very pretty, bright, quiet girl who lived on Queen Eleanor Road. She was another keen swimmer.
27 Jill Watts?
28 and 30 These are the Lawrence twins, Jennifer and Wendy, a/k/a "the terrible twins." Active, scatter-brained, and mischievous, they lightened up our school day, but were probably a headache — two headaches — for the teachers. Jennifer eventually became a Higher Courts Advocate; Wendy married an Anglican minister and became Head of Science at Northampton School for Girls.
29 Josephine Bailey.
31 Valerie Richards.
32 Hazel Stent, who lived three doors east of us in Friars Avenue.
33 Diane Chambers.
34 Lynn Rolfe.
35 Ann Welch, whose parents owned the Farm at Biar Hill Farm.
36 Judith Butlin.
37 Josephine Stockwin.
38 Pauline Thomas.
39 Elaine Stevens, whose parents, like Peter Clifton's, ran a pub: the Pomfret Arms on South Bridge.