BOB HIND'S NOSTALGIA: Prize-giving on Southsea Pier

And June Blitz from Cowplain dropped me a line with one of her memories of the old pier.

She went to the Southern Grammar School (now Priory School) and a prize-giving ceremony was held there as the school it seems was too small to cater for the event.

June says: '˜All the pupils lined up outside the foyer and then marched in silence to the theatre to take their seats. Parents were seated in the balcony.

'˜After the speeches and singing the winners went up on to the stage on the right hand side to be presented with their prizes by Councillor Maidment and then exited the stage on the left.'

Sometime in the 1950s the Labour Party held a dinner dance there and June's father was the president of the Labour Club in Arundel Street so all the family attended. Ah, dinner dances, now there's an old-fashioned phrase.

June tells me she is so glad that everything is up and running on the pier once again.

SUNDAY'S BIRTHDAYS

Ken Maginnis, Baron Maginnis of Drumglass, politician, 80; Jack Nicklaus, former golfer, 78; Placido Domingo, tenor, 77; Martin Shaw, actor, 73;

Jill Eikenberry, actress, 71; Billy Ocean, singer, 68; Geena Davis, actress, 62; Ian Salisbury, former cricketer, 48; Nicky Butt, former footballer, 43; Emma Bunton, singer, 42; Philip Neville, former footballer, 41.