1985 - The End of an Era

We have been very lucky over the last twelve months to receive photos and recollections from so many past pupils. Katy Oxton got in touch with us a while back and kindly shared a large number of photos that she took at the school in the 1980s.

Her photo of Mr Powell Davis in the classroom appeared in the Gazette and on the front of the Essex County Standard last November and another selection of her photos are published in the Gazette today. 

This collection were taken in 1985 as the North Hill site was closing. There is a mixture of beauty and melancholy tinging all these wonderful images of empty corridors and once familiar classrooms. Katy has perfectly captured the old school just as it was fading away.

You can only really appreciate how run down the school had become by this point when you compare these images with the 1966-67 cine film which showed the school in its prime. 

Because the images are so atmospheric we have created a short film setting them all to music.

The following photos are published in addition to those featured in the Gazette today.

My thanks to Katy for sharing her photos with everyone. The good news is there are lots more to come! We're holding her photos of the Cock and Pye back for an in-depth article currently being worked on and there are collections featuring students and teachers that we hope to share very soon. 

Thanks also to Michele Newman at the Gazette for publishing this piece and promoting our website. Please do share links to this site on social media so that we can reach as many past pupils as possible.