Memories from 1967

c 1967 at St Luke's school
Photo submitted by Ruth Touhey

All I can tell you is that this photo was taken in 1967 at St Luke’s school.

I remember playing Batman & Robin with two of the guys (I think one of them was Paul) and I was always Catwoman!! Don’t remember who my teacher was or anything that would be worth writing about.

We lived at 114 Freshfield Road in a house that was owned by BR at the time. My dad worked for BR. I do remember some of the Xmas parties that were held for the BR families – they were held in the social club at Newhaven.

We moved away from Brighton shortly after this photo was taken. We returned to Sussex – Worthing – in about 1973 and I have stayed in the area ever since. Would love to hear from anyone in the infants at the time who may see themselves in the photograph.

Comments about this page

  • I go to St Luke’s! The head teacher is new and is called Mr Cooper. Mr Bullen is the best teacher in the world!

    By Carina (11/11/2005)
  • I went to this school about 4 years ago and I had a great time. I was just looking it up to see how it is going.

    By Susan Stead (30/11/2005)
  • I went to St Luke’s CS Boys School up until 1963 – it was the Finsbury Road site which later became an annexe for the Brighton Polytechnic I think. I now live in Australia near the Gold Coast. I left school at 15 yrs and and remember it as a fairly ‘rough’ school with a tough reputation. The head was Mr Bacon I think – we used to call him ‘Streaky’. My mates at school were Alan Clifford and Rodney Marchant. I was a librarian and remember that we had to be ‘on duty’ at the library during lunchtimes – we often had fights with the ‘Printers’ down the corridor and used to have an assortment of weapons (board rubbers and chalks) that we would hurl at their doorway…. they would in return chase us back to the library and we barracaded ourselves in – it was great fun! Regards to all.

    By Mike Church (03/03/2006)
  • I was at St Lukes in the late 1960s. Mr Dunkerley was the headmaster and Mr Tredrea was our football coach. The pool was where I learned to swim. I also remember a War Memorial in the Hall, and Mr Bentham who had once played for Everton.

    By Paul Hubbard (20/10/2006)
  • I went to St Luke’s Infants School (1928) the headmistress was Miss Winkworth. Then St Luke’s Junior Mixed (1928 – 1932), Headmaster Doctor Raisbeck. I remember Miss Dodge because she took us swimming in the school baths, though I was taught to swim by a man from the News Chrobnicle at the Black Rock Pool.
    I went to St Luke’s Senior Boys (1932 – 1936), also headed by Doctor Raisbeck, with teachers Godfree, and “Nunky” Lloyd. We had physical training (PT) twice a week (for which we had to change in the class rooms, no locker rooms for us). PT was conducted in the large hall and the best part was called tumbling, consisting of throwing yourself about on large (mostly unyielding) doormats.
    At regular intervals the Corporation sent a Mr Watters (I think) to check that our PT class was conducted properly. Mr Watters was a small man who bounced around like a large rubber ball and could do all the exercises far better than we could. Best of all was one afternoon a week whenwe went up on to the Race Hill and down to Whitehawk Bottom, to play cricket in the summer and football in the winter.
    I failed the eleven-plus in 1933 so didn’t have to travel across Brighton to attend Intermediate or Varndean. I was forced to leave school at the end of 1936 because I was 14. I went to night school to finish my education, until the war started when I was sent to work at Crawley Aircraft as a welder. I also joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve, and when aircraft work became less urgent, in 1944, I went into the RAF as a flight engineer.

    By Robert E. (Bob) Green (05/02/2007)
  • I went to St Luke’s CS Boys School up until 1963. Left UK in 1974 and spent about 30 years in South Africa. Now living in Oxfordshire. I remember Alan Clifford and Rodney Marchant, can’t place Mike Church. Hi to you all out there.

    By David Mitchell (15/09/2007)
  • My husband went to this school. His name is Nick Dawkins, now living in Swindon.

    By Bridget (24/09/2007)
  • I went to St Luke’s Infants and Junior Schools from the late 50s into the early 60s. I have been attending the annula Past Pupil’s reunion since 2002 and have recently been involved in helping with the restoration appeal for the WW1 War Memorial in the top hall of the school. After a busy time trying to get funding from all sorts of sources and thanks to a huge sum of money from Brighton and Hove City Council the restoration has been given the green light. Work started during the summer holidays 2007 with the conservators moving in for several weeks. The main work has been completed but there are still aspects to the project to be completed and funding still needed. The school is planning a rededication service in November, so if you would like to know the details please contact the school. Those unable to attend can contact the school to arrange a visit at a suitable time for the school (obviously) or alternatively should be soon able to access a web site which contains details of the artist and all of those named on the memorial. Look for “st lukes war memorial”.

    By Jeanette Eason (03/10/2007)
  • I went to St Lukes School from the 1950s until 1963 and apart from the Choir I can honestly say I hated every day I was there. Mr Taylor was our choir master and he put heart and sole into the choir which enabled us to win numerous cups at the Brighton Festival.

    Mrs Back was my first teacher in the Junior School and was the best teacher there. The others did not like the fact that I was shy and quiet and would always go out of their way to put me down.

    Miss Edgell was the headmistress. Some of the other teachers I remember was Mrs Morgan (scary) Miss Wallace and Mr Tamplin. Miss Beaugard (never did get the hang of french), Mr Daffin and Mr Starling.

    By Yvonne Taylor (10/09/2008)
  • I attended St Luke’s until 1970. I was in class 4L, Mr Guildford was my headmaster. Our football team used to play on Saturday mornings at Whitehawk playing fields. Oh happy days!

    By Jon Walls (25/09/2008)
  • I attended St. Lukes Infants and Junior Schools from 1962 until 1968.
    I can remember headmistress Miss Edgall and teachers Mrs Batchelor, Miss Crowley, Mr Dunkerley, Miss Beuagard and Mr Daffin.

    By Michael Francis (05/12/2008)
  • I was at St Lukes from 1971 to 1976. Mr Dunkerley was the first headmaster until his sudden death in about 1972, when Mr Daffin took over. The teacher I most remember was Miss Holgate. Her classroom was painted in the same colours as Brighton Station. I remember the portacabin classroom being lifted over the wall into the playground by a crane – the school was crammed with kids and needed the extra space. We were about 33 in each class and 3 classes per year.

    By Miranda Collett (31/12/2008)
  • I to went to St Luke’s from 1969 to 1975. My mum, Mrs Joseph, was the school secretary from 1971 until 2002, she is now retired and lives in Hove.

    By Stuart Joseph (05/02/2009)
  • I went to St Luke’s from 1972 to 1979. Mr Daffin was the headmaster. There were a number of notable teachers at the time. In the infants there was Mrs Radcliffe and Miss Laurie. In the Juniors there was Mrs Wallcott and Miss Bierski. I had a great time at the school and made some good friends at the time.

    By Chris Bankes (28/04/2009)
  • I’m coming to the reunion for the first time, end of June 09. Looking forward to that. Whilst I’m at it, does the infant playground wall still have the tiger painted on it? I helped to paint that, which explains why I’ve been working in offices since the age of 17! Funny that. Not been in St Lukes since the end of 1980. I wonder if Ron Guildford will turn up? Might just e-mail him and frighten him again.

    By Darren Stuart (01/05/2009)
  • I went to St Lukes infants and juniors from around 1959/60. I don’t remember much about the infants apart from being in a photo for the Argus with the headmistress and a basket of easter eggs! I was in 1a (Miss Back) 2a (Miss Girling) 3a (Miss Morgan) 4a (Mr Daffyn). I remember a Susan Wellman (red curly hair, lived in Freshfield Rd). Is this a sister of Ruth above?

    By Christina Mitchell (nee laycock) (27/05/2009)
  • I also remember Miss Back and Miss Girling and i remember Mr Daffyn. I’d like to know of anyone that remembers me, I went to Patcham after that. Before I went to St Lukes, I went to Rugby Rd school infants.

    By Ronald Edmonds (21/10/2009)
  • I was at St Lukes senior school for boys in Finsbury Road, Brighton. I was in 4b, I remember a boy called ? Bradley Michael Mckay Edward Brailard. I am trying to trace Michael Mckay, he would be 61years old now, he used to live at the back of Elm Grove in Agnes St. I think any help would be much appreciated.

    By James Wells (11/01/2010)
  • On the opening day of the 1961 autumn term, Miss Back dropped a large bottle of ink when taking the first register for Class 1A. She was standing on the raised dias that used to be at the front of the room. Somewhere under the lino the mark’s probably still there!

    By Phil Coles (08/04/2010)
  • Ruth’s older sister – I remember Mr Daffin (fondly known as Daffy Down Dilly) the most inspirational teacher ever – I’m now a teacher myself. I was in the same class as Cleia, Thea & Anne, Philip and Michael.

    By Susan Wellman (08/08/2010)
  • I went to St lLukes from 1975-1980. The head master was Mr cchurch then came Mr Striker (his first assembly he first introduced us to Jerusalem with Miss Anderson banging out on the piano- since then it’s been a favourite of mine. My fav teachers were Miss Whitelaw, and Mr Dumpfrey. Those were the days. Mr Cooper or as we called him super cooper was the dude though, but this is the 1 million pound Question. Who was the caretaker? and what were his sons called? Here’s a clue- he was greek.

    By wayne Gambrill (10/09/2010)
  • Hi Susan, I really must dig out the old class photos including the prefects of 1965/66. I remember Thea Thompson, Ann Down, Celia Randall too – where are you living now?

    By Christina Mitchell (Tina Laycock) (12/09/2010)
  • I was at St Lukes senior school for boys in Finsbury Road, Brighton from 1960 -63. I was in all the B classes. The teacher I remember most was Mr Homer, the History teacher who drove an old soft top Morris. We used to cycle out to his house in Millyard Crescent, Woodingdean and he and his wife would give us lemonade and cakes. The other teachers i remember are Mr Wilson (Maths) and Mr Tanner (Geography).

    By Richard Pearce (19/02/2011)
  • Hi there, I remember my school days – just like at Queens Park, I had many friends to remember here too. I do remember a few teachers too. I lived at Pankhurst Avenue. I remember the teachers Mr Tanner, Mr Guildford, Mr Tamlin, Miss Beaugard, the French Teacher. Friends were at the time Tony Dickens, Ian Welch and Simon Collins. I remember no girls names though. I so hope you can jog any memory of people reading this. Get in touch pjhorny58@hotmail.co.uk..many thanks

    By Paul Jordan (13/04/2011)
  • Hear there’s a reunion Saturday 9th July – where and when, please?

    By Keith Page (05/07/2011)
  • I went to St.Luke’s Senior Boys in Finsbury Rd 1960-1963. I was in the A stream. Some of my classmates were Steve Ferrone, Chris Blackwell, Jeff Saunders, Alan Woodham, Phil Byford who lived at the Beaufort Inn at the top of Islingworth St amongst others. I remember Mr.Wilson math teacher and Mr.Homer, Mr. Tanner also Mr. Drake the music teacher.

    By David Ancell (20/07/2012)
  • Thanks to David Ancell reference his comments. Mr Wilson for Maths is a very strong memory of mine too, he had an inhaler from memory he often had to use, attended his classes wearing blazer, shirt and tie.  As often was the case at that time, any misbehaviour was usually dealt with by him throwing his chalk at the offender or the board rubber!  English teacher was Mr Bowden I believe who also took Drama and the school play, Macbeth comes to mind, I played Banquo – and a production involving a desert island, the scenery was produced in the Art Class …. anybody else remember?  Mr Drake the Music teacher was awesome, I sang in the school choir and we took part in a schools’ spectacular at The Dome – I remember the rehearsals, we were singing Ave Maria. Another feature of the school were the visits to Sussex Street for Wood/Metalwork classes but the teachers’ names escape me. Sussex Street had an old underground air raid shelter in the playground which smelt of wee but we still played in it!

    By Mike Church (20/01/2014)
  • I was at St Luke’s Terrace, infant and junior 1961-1967ish. I remeber Mrs Morgan and Mr Daffin. I remember having to write ‘St Luke’s Terrace County Primary Junior School’ on each page of the 11 Plus exam taking up a lot of the exam time. The playgrounds were all tarmac surrounded by tall brick walls, with a few square wooden tubs full of earth, but nothing growing in them, around the edge. I too learned to swim in the swimming pool there. There was a very grumpy lollipop man to help us cross Freshfield Road.

    By Ian Morgan (06/03/2015)
  • I was at St Luke’s from 1962-1968. I remember Miss Girling – nice, Mrs Morgan ….. I was one of the last in my class to move from writing with a pencil to using a fountain pen because my writing style was poor, according to Mrs Morgan.

    By Jackie Knight (27/11/2016)
  • Some more wonderful memories from St Luke’s – Mrs Taylor was a music/drama teacher alongside I think she was called Miss Holman/Holford? They put on fantastic shows with the children, the main one I remember was Chitty Chitty Bang Bang performed at the school and then at The Dome in Brighton. I think Mr Bentham played the piano and he was pushed on stage playing a piano, wearing a bowler hat and we all wore brightly coloured red, orange clothes that had been dyed especially for us. Mr Dunkerly was the headmaster and I adored him. I was a prefect and one of the duties was standing on the steps at break times and making sure everyone went out slowly and with no pushing. Sometimes, as a prefect you had to run errands like taking a note to another teacher from Mr Dunkerley. His office smelt of leather and he was such a handsome man. Mr Daffin was my form teacher in 4a and he was lovely. Once, we put a Whoopee cushion under his cushion on his chair and of course when he sat down, we thought that was hilarious. He pretended to be cross but smiling at the same time. On a sunny day a naughty boy, called Kempton Archer (great name) who sat at the back of the class, used to reflect the sun from his protractor into Mr Daffern’s eyes and as he wore glasses he couldn’t see so that was a source of fun too! 

    Some of my class mates were Peter Deacon, Wayne Ducharme, Thea Thompsett? Judith Pavier, not great on surnames but there was a Sally, Dinah, Sylvia. Wonderful memories!

    By Jackie Knight (nee Gander) (17/05/2017)
  • I have some very happy memories of St Lukes infant & junior, I remember teachers Miss Girling, Mrs Back, Mrs Trenchard, Miss Holford, Mr Daffin, pupils: Stephen Spicer, Glen Williams, Stephen Mercer, Paul Hart (he was our head boy), Susan Illman was our head girl), Eileen Harland, Janie Olivier, Gary Homewood, Sharon Dawes there’s many more, I was there between 1961 -1967. Do any of you remember ??? 

    By Sharon (nee Johnson) (09/07/2017)
  • I can remember starting school at St Luke’s and remember crying my eyes out at the thought of being there.

    I started there around 1962 ish at the first school and Mr Dunkerly was the head.

    I learnt to swim in the pool to but was a slow learner didn’t learn till my final year there.

    I remember playing footy in the playground every day and we had a very good footy team I was the goalkeeper.

    Pretty ironic that I’m now a Premises Manager at a Primary School in Lancing, if anyone recognises my name please get in touch.

    By Tony Bonwick (07/10/2017)
  • Hi, I remember Ruth and remember how I felt when she left. Great great memories from St Luke’s.

    By Paul Hawkins (06/04/2018)
  • I have that same photo from 1967. I am Keith Golding and I am at the right end on the top row with the blonde hair.

    By Keith Golding (26/08/2018)
  • Tony Bonwick. did you have a sister Valari Bonwick? If so did she have a friend Tina Funnell and Trudy Payne. She gave me a satchel???? I went to St Luke’s from 64  to 68 ish. Also went to St Luke Infants.. remember Mrs Back. Mrs Edgil was the head teacher. I remember a Malcolm Beeny for some reason. How the memory works. 

    By Barry (28/08/2018)
  • Sharon, I do remember those names. Stephen Spicer for some reason springs to mind. I would have been five in 61 and (obviously) 11 in 67 then went on to Brighton Secondary Tech and left in the fourth form (1971 aged 15) been trying to wonder at what age I started in 1B. Doing my head in now. 

    By Barry (28/08/2018)
  • HI, all and a special hi to Jackie (Gander)Knight . We were good friends in infants/juniors . I remember your labrador Sandy . So I was at St Lukes from 1963-69 . The Infants head was Miss Mason , then Miss Edgell in Juniors who retired followed by Mr Dunkerley . My favourite teacher was Mr Daffin . We were in his class 4a for our last year . I remember Veronica Brooks , Dinah Harland , Jenny Tompsett , Jackie Nash , Lorraine Brooks . The boys included Steve Illman , Peter Tampkin , Keith Austin . Mr Daffin was a great teacher , firm but fair and funny … perfect combination. They were such happy times , I left very reluctantly to go to Varndean Girls Grammar ( whole other ballgame , no good memories from there ) . Fast forward to Autumn 1974 and I had left Varndean and was starting work . My mum told me that Mr Dunkerley had died suddenly . I nipped across the road to see Mr Daffin , who was made acting Head . We had a good long chat . He encouraged me to become a teacher . Sorry I never quite made that ! Other teachers spring to mind – Miss Crowley who used to bring her Pekingese dog in every day in a wicker shopping basket , Mr Davies , Mr Tredrea Miss Girling, Miss Holford , Mrs Taylor ( she slapped me because I made a mistake in country dancing – I refused to cry ) , Mlle Baujard , Miss Emery was School Sec and Mr Collinson was caretaker . I used to hear the trains rumbling underground to the depot at the bottom of Freshfield Road . It closed late 1960,s . I now live a long way from Brighton but home is where the heart is and mine is there .

    By Judy (Pavier ) Wilson (22/03/2022)
  • Barry, just seen your reply lol, what was your surname ?
    Good times, happy days 😊
    Always wonder where everyone is now & what they’re doing ?

    By Sharon Peake (20/08/2022)
  • I’ve just seen this page ! I’m Jenny Tompsett and I was at St Luke’s I think until 1969. My bestie was Judy Pavier and I was so upset when we both went to Varndean Girls Grammar but were split up ! I remember she lived opposite St Luke’s and we used to alternate between each other’s houses each Monday for tea. Her mum did the best teas ever and her dad used to run me home in his little car. People have mentioned Thea Tompsett who was my older sister. Mr Dunkerley was head and I was in Mr Daffin’s class who I agree was a wonderful teacher. He was very keen on us doing “compositions”, at which my friend Judy excelled. I remember Miss Beaugard because my mum made me go and have extra French lessons after school at her house (for which I’m v grateful now). We lived in Kemptown. I remember Freshfield Rd being soo long. I too recall performing Chitty Chitty Bang bang at the Dome-such excitement. I also remember Dinah and a Linda (?) head girl and deputy head girl ? I think I also remember the naughty Kempton. I also remember Miss Back (Black ?) in my first year, who was so kind. PS Judy – I’ve just noticed your comment. I hope you’re well. I still remember our happy childhood friendship. I’m sorry Varndean didn’t work out for you. I wasn’t too happy there either but slogged it out until the end.

    By Jenny Tompsett (15/09/2023)

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