Days Gone By - When school pets, gymnastics and road safety were all part of the day

A class at Downing Primary School, Ipswich, in November 1977 Picture: JERRY TURNER (Image: Jerry Turner)

What is now Sprites Primary Academy, Stonechat Road, and The Willows Primary School, Downing Close, Ipswich, have decades of history.

A little over 40 years ago this newspaper’s photographer Jerry Turner Owen Hines and Paul Nixon visited the schools to capture life there.

School pets, gymnastics lessons and road safety instruction were all part of a pupil’s day. Were you a pupil at either of these schools? If so send an e-mail to Dave Kindred.

Picture: TONY RAY (Image: Jerry Turner)

Names have been added to the photograph above which was taken at Stoke High School after it featured in a recent article.

Susan and John Gostling said: “We loved the pictures from Stoke High School; especially the one that shows the producers of the Stoke High School Newspaper. Sadly, although faces are familiar, I can only name the girl in the middle who is our daughter Tina Gostling, and the young man sitting on the left is Jonathan Payne. I remember Tina having great fun being part of this venture into news reporting. However, she didn’t become a journalist, but a Metropolitan Police Officer in London, where she still works as a Detective Sergeant.”

The photo shows pupils at Stoke High with the school’s newspaper in November 1986.

Picture: JERRY TURNER (Image: Archant)

Readers have responded to the Days Gone By pictures, by staff photographer Jerry Turner, of the Surrey Road, Ipswich area, taken in July 1976.

Mr J A Yeoman said: “The photo of the kids in the 70s is of me, my brother and sister and friends. It was taken in Surrey Road, Ipswich.

“It brings back the memories.”

Picture: JERRY TURNER (Image: Jerry Turner)

Rob Thorpe emailed about Jerry Turner’s photo to say “I am one of the boys in the picture, standing with my brother Andrew, who is wearing the flares and my little sister Christine is the girl in the middle.

“Its great to see the pictures, which bring back memories.

“It was my twelfth birthday in July 1976.”

Keeping fit at Downing Primary School, Ipswich, in 1977 Picture: JERRY TURNER (Image: JERRY TURNER)

Can you add any names to these class pictures taken in 1977 at Downing Primary School, Ipswich? Picture: JERRY TURNER (Image: JERRY TURNER)

Can you add any names to these class pictures taken in 1977 at Downing Primary School, Ipswich? Picture: JERRY TURNER (Image: JERRY TURNER)

Happy young faces in the gymnasium at Downing Primary School, Ipswich, in 1977. Were you there? Picture: JERRY TURNER (Image: ArchantJERRY TURNER)

The cast of the Christmas play at Sprites Primary School, Ipswich, in December 1976 Picture: OWEN HINES (Image: Owen Hines)

Learning the importance of road safety at Sprites Primary School, Ipswich, in September 1976 Picture: OWEN HINES (Image: Owen Hines)

Learning the importance of road safety at Sprites Primary School, Ipswich, in September 1976 Picture: OWEN HINES (Image: Owen Hines)

Playtime at Downing Primary School, Ipswich, in November 1977 Picture: JERRY TURNER (Image: JERRY TURNER)

The cast of a school play at Sprites Primary School, Ipswich, in March 1983 Picture: PAUL NIXON (Image: Paul Nixon)

Sprites Infants School, Ipswich, is top right of this aerial view taken in March 1994 Picture: OWEN HINES (Image: Owen Hines)

Annette Pitman wrote to identify this couple, she said The couple are Susan Kersey and Robert Vince who later married. (Image: Jerry Turner)