A photographic history of Newbold Verdon Primary School.
Thanks to the former teachers and pupils for all the photographs within this blog they have kindly shared.
From what we’ve found so far the earliest official class photos have originated from 1961 - 1963. The only other group photos taken were of sporting teams who had won trophies, mainly from the 1950’s.
After 1963 a format was introduced whereby pupils had individual portraits taken. These proved to be more popular with parents than the class photos as they could now frame them and clearly see their children.
The photos when printed came in a pack of three various sizes; one large, two medium and four small passport sized prints. The medium sized ones were ideal for giving to grandparents; the large would be framed for the living room whilst the passport sized ones could be put in wallets and in later years inserted into clear perspex key-ring holders.
Schools soon realized that parents would often want their other children in the photos too; so from the mid 1960’s to 1976 individual portraits were taken of pupils with or without their siblings.
If their siblings were pre-school age they too were taken in on the designated time and day for the photo-shoot.
This system continued until 1977 when the official class photographs were reintroduced for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Year. As these proved to be successful with parents, the class photos were reintroduced and continued again until approximately 1981. After that time the individual portraits were reverted back with just sporadic years having class photos. From what I can gather, the sporadic years being 1985, 1988 through to 1992.
The only time a photograph was taken of the entire school classes and teachers was in 1985, this more than likely would have been taken as it was the schools 75th anniversary.
Here are three examples of the individual portraits taken in the late 1960’s all kindly donated by Louise Mathers nee Nield.
1968
1969
1970
Louise and her elder sister Glenda left the village in 1971 for Coleman Road Junior School in Leicester before emigrating to Australia in April 1972. The photo taken in 1968 was Louise’s first year at the school. From school reports that she still has a teacher comments that her stories were ‘uninteresting and repetitive’ whilst her elder sister Glenda was ‘a pleasure to teach’!
Glenda can also be seen in the 1971 photos of Miss.Broomfield’s class. These photos were taken personally by Ann Burdett nee Broomfield and were not available for parents to purchase.
The photograph below is a scan of the school’s 75th anniversary photo taken in 1985. (If you double click over the photo it will enlarge)
Many thanks to Louise Mathers in Australia for her photographs and to Linda Austin for the 75th Anniversary photo.
On the 3rd.July 2010 a reunion was held at the primary school. One hundred and twenty five people, the maximum the school allowed, met for a beautiful summers evening of catching up and reminiscing. For some it was the first time they had met up for over thirty years.
In order to attract publicity for the reunion a video was made showing people in a then and now situation.
One year, made up of people from the birth ages of 1968 and 1969, assembled to recreate their school photo taken in 1977 with teacher Averil Woolerton.
People who attended were:
Emma Yeo (Passfield) and husband John Yeo, Andy King and partner Lisa Smart, Jennifer Hardbattle (Warner) and husband Richard, Paul & Alison Blackery, Keeley Goslin-Minter (Blowers) and husband Steve, Paul Barnes, Alison Wadsley, Mark Cole and sister Hayley Cole, Joanne Alvis (Hayes), Simon & Tracey Lane (Dale), Nathan Vesty, Lee Bird and partner Lynne Horsley, Pip Pateman and partner Kelly, Ben Heath, Ian & Joanne Westaby (Hitchman), Michelle Hammond, Louise Thomas (Piggott), Karen Haywood (Shaw) and husband Steve, Tracey Malsbury (Davies) and husband Christer, Richard & Michelle Lewis, Amanda McCullock (Millard) and her sister Alison Boreman (Millard), Melanie Smith, David McCallum, Karen Mead and partner Paul Williams, Gillian Black (Pape), Karen Rowell (Freeman) and sister Susi Stimpson (Freeman), John Freeman, Nicholas Reid, Tina & Paul Willettt (Stanton), Steve & Helen Cawrey (Fox).
Jane Macey (Bills), Angela Dixon (Ord), Georgina Woodward (Coles), Kate Ormond, Martin ‘Bud’ & Liz (Bird) Cole, Vicky Ryde, Andy (Butch) Edwards and partner, Roger Goddard and partner Cathie Davies, Teresa Lambert (Measom), Paul Bartrum, Claire Painter (Stevens), Elaine Suart and partner Nick Bryan, John & Liz Brewin (Lane), Harry & Fiona Masters (Measom), Cathryn Petcher and partner Chris Reed, Rachel Gilbert, David French, Paula Swann-Jones, Krista Alford, Jeff & Susan Woodward (Davies), Julie Weston (Morten), Diane Houghton (Pennington), Clive Alexander, Lisa Borely (Boulton), Dean & Nicola Yates-Smith (Edwards), Mark Henderson, Lisa Pettit (Preston), Victoria Walker (Lane), Robert Webb, Richard Shelton, Chris Wright, Simon Bates, Sue Wetherby (Marriott),Richard & Carla Barnes (Pitt), Tracy Carpenter (Crowther) & friend, Colin & Mairi Bell (Kirkland), Darren White, Carl Pettit
Former teachers and guests:
Norma Mould, Alison Spencer (Mould), Mrs. Sidhaye & daughter Meena, Peter Smith, Pete & Sue Rayers, Roger King, Vicki Heath, Linda Austin, Jackie Mason (Dexter), Judith Nix (Hatson), Ann Burdett (Broomfield), Avril & David Woolerton, Mrs.Esme Clinton.
Former teachers and guests assembled for a group photo:
Back Row: Roger King, Peter Rayers, Judith Nix (Hatson), Peter Smith
Front Row: Ann Burdett (Broomfield), Kunda Sidhaye, Sue Rayers, Esme Clinton, Norma Mould, Alison Spencer (Mould), Averil Woolerton, Vicki Heath
Left - Right: Judith Nix, fellow organiser Tracey Malsbury (Davies), Jackie Mason (Dexter) and Linda Austin
After costs a total profit of £327.00 was made which was given to the school to be contributed towards the expense of an all-weather outdoors surface for the adventure playground.
