Alumni record for Richard Jackman (Class of 1960)
I was at Reddiford from around 1956 to Easter 1960
My form teachers were Miss J M Blackwell (who married to become Mrs Chapman), Mrs Ellis,and Miss White in what was then the garden room.
Mr White was teaching and other teachers I remember are Mrs Hayden and Miss Lester.
I went on a school trip to Koblenz which Mrs Hayden organised. I was in Chester (green).
Other houses were Exeter,- blue, London – red,and York – yellow. In the football each week, where we used to travel up to Montesole playing fields I was in the Greeks who were I think purple bands with Trojans in orange!
In one of the 1958 photos outside the school is a picture of a boy and a car. The registration number looks like KAN 947 which, if so, was my father’s car! The boy though is not me.
When I left I collected autographs, so have names of many of the pupils, and yes I do have young Reginald’s! At the moment I am not sure where it is.
I was on the school trip to Germany in 1959, which looking back, I realise must have been quite a tough decision for my parents, given that he had served in the army, before during and immediately after the war.Looking at the picture, going from R to L – I don’t know who the man is but next to him is probably Mrs Hayden’s son, who was about 15 or 16, and although not at Reddiford was on the trip, Mrs Hayden, Miss Lester with the glasses I think, Miss Blackwell (or she may have been Mrs Chapman by then) in the duffle coat.
Moving on the boy in the cap is Michael Smith, and 2 away from him is ??? Carter. I remember bits of the trip. We went on boat up the Rhine to the Lorelei rock and also I seem to remember going to a place called Bad Ems which I think had some sort of health spa associated with it.
I also saw that in Speech day 1958 Rev. F.H Hopkins was at St Edmunds. he later went on to become vicar at our local church in Hatch End, St Anselm’s. There was someone called father Davies at St Edmunds who used to give us a sort of sermony talk, a modern day parable. He was always very entertaining and had the most expressive eyebrows!
I also looked through the honours board list, which I remember being displayed in the hall with all the names beautifully handwritten in black ink. There are a few more names there that I can put faces to. In those days (gosh that sounds old but not as old as if I wrote ‘in my day’!!) – there were several girls who stayed on up until school leaving age being taught by Mr White, I remember 3 sisters Pat, Valerie, and Deirdre Gunning. Deirdre was about my age and at the time most of the boys fancied her!
My father was an insurance surveyer of non domestic properties so would travel round S E England by train/bus. He put forward a case for having a company car and KAN 947 was his first one, although I don’t recognise the boy. and nor does my yonger brother Andrew.
I see that St Helen’s is one of feeder schools and my wife taught there for about 35 years including maternity breaks, and remembers most of the ex Reddiford pupils.
