LOOKING BACK - March 31 edition

Seeing our recent photograph of boys from Elborow School (February 25 edition) reminded Jackie Hinks of a picture taken in Coronation year when she was at Pennington Street School – for 5-8 year olds who then went to Chapel Street or Elborow.

The boys she recognised in the Elborow picture were Keith Hibberd, who later became a neighbour in Bath Street, my second cousin, Roger Garratt, David Clowes who later went to Dunsmore School, and Alan Nicholls.

Jackie’s picture is of a group who did an English Country dance display in the Coronation Pageant, which took place at St. Matthew’s Infants’ School and the children in it are: Pat Beech (or maybe Birch) Isobel Mann, unknown, unknown, the ‘boys’ standing behind them are: Unknown, Jackie Williams (now Hinks), unknown, ? Sheffield, and Alan Nicholls. Jackie can’t remember the name of the boy whose place she took, but for the dancing she had been cast as everybody’s understudy – girls and boys alike!

In the Pageant Roger Garratt played the part of St. George and Jackie wonders if there is anyone out there with a picture of him?

“We dressed up in all manner of fancy dress, sang patriotic songs, did country dancing, and I remember – with mild envy – the green dress of the girl who was a sort of ‘Mistress of Ceremonies’; it was embroidered all over with daffodils, thistles, roses and shamrock,” she said.

“In those days of true austerity it was joy to behold. I think her name was Jacqueline Tolcher. Are there any photographs of anyone else in the pageant, apart from my one reminder of an afternoon over 60 years ago when I wore a pale blue taffeta dress suit, white shirt and bow tie and danced ‘The Sir Roger De Coverley’ or ‘The Irish Washerwoman’?.”