A FORMER pupil of the Canterbury Road School in Colchester has unearthed these vintage photographs.

The school recently featured in a set of archive images of schools in the area, many of which are no longer open.

Barrack Street School, the Bluecoat School and Endsleigh Schools were all among those which are no longer open along with St Mary’s-at-the-walls.

And the Canterbury Road School might appear to be among them although it is actually still open.

It is now known as St George’s School, still in the New Town area of Colchester, but there will be many who remember it in its previous incarnation.

Among those are Ron Gooding who was born in the Dutch Quarter of the town before moving to New Town as a child.

He was a pupil at the school from 1932 and 1939 and knows most of the names of his classmates.

There are a handful of missing names he would love to fill in.

But Ron, who is second left on the back row, says many were from, army families stationed at the nearby barracks and probably moved away.

On the back row, Ron believes the children are Harold Hunt, Ron, Albert Benton, Peter Hawkins, Jack ruddock, Dennis Crump and Desmond Baynton.

He is unsure who is next and then there is Frank Howe, Alec Beniams and then the two unknown youngsters.

As well as being keen to fill in those names, Ron can remember Jean Holden, Kathy, Smith, Joan Sparrow, Doreen Rayner, Irene Hamilton, Pat Walby, Betty Foster, Pam Talbot, Doreen Kenard, Dorothy Bradshaw and Peggy Ruddock.

In the middle row of the 1939 photograph there is a question mark over the name of the child of the first left and then Ron On the front row Ron needs help naming his classmate sitting sixth from the left but can name Thea Davidge, June Dehaney, Edna Garnham, Sylvia Warren, Betty Wright, Yvonne Kent, Jessie Francis, Beryl Hart, Daphne Beany and Iris Shearman.

He recalls the little girl sitting on the far right at the front as being named Pam Hawkins, Beryl Corns and Ray Game are at the front, but would welcome any information anyone has.

He has good memories of being at the school.

“I remember they named a May King and Queen every year and in 1933, when the earlier photo was taken, I was chosen along with Thea Davidge as the May Queen,” he adds.

After primary school Ron went to the Wilson Marriage School but lessons were disrupted by the Second World War.

“We had to leave the school and have lessons in private houses sometimes,” recalls Ron, who now lives in Brightlingsea.

Canterbury Road school was opened in 1903 in a bid to relieve pressure on the Barrack Street Board School and overcome a lack of school spaces.

In 1933, it was re-organised, with senior pupils being transferred to the Senior Mixed School established at Barrack Street and the remainder divided into Junior and Infants Schools.

It was in 1953 the school was re-named as St. George’s County Junior and Infants Schools.

If anyone can help identify the missing pupils’ names in the images please call 01206 508186.