Longmead County Primary School 1970-1976

Longmead County Primary School was and indeed still is in part, a small infant and junior school on the outskirts of Tonbridge in Kent built at the tale end of the swinging sixties.

This is where I was sent by my parents for six years in about 1970 and this page is dedicated to the happy memories I still have of my time there (as opposed to the following miserable time I had at Tunbridge Wells Technical High School !!).

In 1970 the two schools that make up the infants and juniors was still quite new although as a small five year old it may well have existed for thousands of years. I only have a few small memories of the infant school but as I recall the Headmistress was a Mrs Barnstable and I was taught by Mrs Keys and then by Mrs Fraser (I got to know her son years later and sadly Mrs Fraser died some years ago.

The Junior school was a few yards further down a quite access road, surrounded by fields and woodland and here we was taught by Mr Beadle (With a range of suspect punishments involving baby reins as I recall !), Mrs Watson (who I never really liked), Mr Everitt (Nice line in velvet jackets) and The Revd P.I. Rudland (also the chaplain of Tonbridge school).

By the time I left in 1976 we were a class of 34 kids, but as I left for "big school" in Tunbridge Wells and my fellow students except for one remained in Tonbridge the friendships developed in my formative years were abruptly severed.

However here we are twenty-five years later and thanks to the Friends reunited website http://www.friendsreunited.co.uk and a bit of hard work by Sharon Lyons (A big thank you), some of us met for a small reunion on the 9th March 2002 in the Humphrey Bean public house. Those present on this occasion were -

Sharon Lyons, Claire Kirkwood, Sandra Cavie, Amanda Matthews, Owen Thake, Diane Jeffery, Peter Simmonds, myself (Nick Wickens), Mark Parrin and a fleeting visit from Denise Jenner who unfortunately received some bad news and had to leave before myself and Owen at least had a chance to recognize her - Sorry Denise !.

If anyone from Class 4R of 1976 wants to do this again sometime - register with http://www.friendsreunited.co.uk or drop me details of your email addresses at nick@nickwickens.co.uk together with any ideas (Bowling etc) and I'll tell Sharon to organise it (only kidding Sharon !).

Some pictures of the evening are available below but first (And to give Sandras workmates a laugh) here are some memories from the Seventies. If anyone else has any junk from back then Scan it in and send it over and I'll post it up.

Click on a picture to enlarge

School Netball team 1975

School Play Program 1976
(Pg 1) Complete with traditional autographs - wonder if they'd still be valid scanned onto cheques ?

School Play Program 1976
(Pg 2)

School Trip details 1975 .

Still one of the highlights of my sorry little life !. How the teachers coped I'll never know.

And the award for best .....

Company of players (Big file - Sorry about missing left section - email me if you want it !)

Hey you're wearing girly tights !

Not sure of everyone here - but Jane Passey,Helen Burns,Me,Nick Wood,Colin Lax. (Unlike Dick I earn'nt naff all in London !)

How can you have any pudding if you don't eat yer meat !!

One of these dinner ladies is Doug Medhursts mum. Mines there as well !

All because the lady loves ....

Nice picture of Avebury Stone Circle ruined by man in black Monty Montandon

Class reunion March 2002 - Click thumbnail to enlarge.