NOSTALGIA: Portsmouth teacher who was admired because HE HAD A CAR!

Wimborne Junior and Infants Schools at Southsea have spent much of the past year celebrating their centenary.
By The Newsroom
Published 13th Dec 2017, 20:00 BST
Wimborne Road athletics team, 1951/52.Wimborne Road athletics team, 1951/52.
Wimborne Road athletics team, 1951/52.

It was a milestone which sent former pupil Rob Jerrard scurrying to his archives for the three pictures featured here.

He now lives at Budleigh Salterton, Devon, but 67 years ago he went to what was then called Wimborne Road Junior School, Boys.

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Each photo is from 1951/52 and the same man features in the back row on the left.

Wimborne Road cricket team 1951/52.Wimborne Road cricket team 1951/52.
Wimborne Road cricket team 1951/52.

Rob says: ‘I think he was probably the headmaster.

‘And all I can recall of the teacher on the right is that he had a car and was a JP.

‘To have a car then was something to talk about. It was, I think, one of those Ford sit-up-and-beg cars. ‘

He adds: ‘I recall playing centre-half and have a vague memory of [former Pompey defender] Phil Gunter coming to see us play and some discussion that he played in that position for Wimborne School himself, but you know what memory is...

Wimborne Road Junior Schools football team, 1951/52.Wimborne Road Junior Schools football team, 1951/52.
Wimborne Road Junior Schools football team, 1951/52.
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‘At that time we lived in Pretoria Road with our grandparents as our parents were RAF and in the process of waiting for a house in Portsmouth.

‘I was in the Royal Marine Cadets at Eastney.’

Rob continues: ‘During the war we lived in Haslemere Road and I recall going under a Morrison shelter in the back room during bombing.

‘The large warehouse beloning to Pickfords was next door and burnt down.

‘We must have been lucky because there was a lot of damage around us.’

Related topics:NostalgiaPortsmouthSouthseaDevon