Forty years on: Approaching anniversary of the closure of a city school

St Martin's Boys in The Trinity was founded in 1883, but it held its final "Farewell Presentation of Prizes" on July 20, 1961, in the adjacent St Swithun's Institute.

Memory Lane has previously featured this old educational establishment through the reminiscences of readers, who were pupils there down the years and who fondly remembered their school days.

And this week's nostalgic look back to the school's final years comes courtesy of Peter Smith of Winchcombe Drive, Blackpole, Worcester, who was among St Martin's last pupils.

He was prompted to contact me after I recently published a request for information from Keith Price, a Worcester "exile" now living in Queensland, Australia. Keith mentioned in his e-mail that he had been a pupil at St Martin's School and much treasured a photograph signed by the last headmaster Eric Baker, deputy head Jim Harber and classmates.

Peter Smith vividly remembers Keith as a fellow pupil at St Martin's and was keen to show me school photographs and other memorabilia in which they featured. He also his copy of the New English Bible, which was presented to every pupil at the time the school closed. It was signed by the Rev N.M Denlegh Maxwell, chairman of the school managers.

Peter also has a copy of the final St Martin's School magazine of 1961, which includes a short contribution from Keith Price under the heading Rabbits.

The introduction tells us that "Rabbits are the third most popular pets. They are very cheap to keep and do not need a lot of care. Most rabbits will be content with a simply made hutch. The food can be odds and ends collected from the hedgerows. Household scraps (vegetable) can be cooked and made into a decent meal for your rabbits when served with hay in the morning."

Peter recalls: "Some good times and some super mates" at St Martin's School, though the teachers were "very strict and often used the cane".

One of the most enduring memories of his schooldays is not, however, concerned with education but centres on confectionery delights. "At break times, we would often nip to the nearby Johnsons Bakery for a bag of their dripping cakes which were very, very nice!"

For a time, Peter was also a choirboy at Old St Martin's Church, a job which regularly entailed cleaning the brasses. However, his choir days were to come to a premature end.

"A few of us would occasionally go up into the balcony of the church and fire down on people below with our pea-shooters. We were eventually caught at it and all politely invited to leave the choir."

Peter was a member too of a club run for youngsters one evening a week at St Swithun's Institute.

"The Rector, Mr Denlegh Maxwell and others occasionally took us on train trips to the seaside, and I have photographs of one particularly happy outing to Rhyl."

Peter tells me he is keen to trace and meet up again with one of his close friends at St Martin's and also at their previous school, Gorse Hill.

"Ivor Grubb and I were both brought up in Avon Road, Tolladine, and were great buddies, but, alas, I lost touch with him some years ago and would dearly like to meet him again."

If any readers can help Peter in his search for Ivor Grubb, please contact him on 01905-454137 or myself at the Evening News.

When St Martin's closed, Peter completed his education for a short time at St Paul's School, Worcester, and later worked for many years in the control room of the former Worcester Waterworks at Barbourne. He now drives for Arriva at Bromyard Road.

After visiting Peter Smith, I contacted Keith Price again by e-mail and he has sent me a different group photograph taken in the final years of St Martin's School.

Like Peter, Keith remembers being given a Bible and a copy of the last school magazine, though he has lost the latter and can't remember writing the item Rabbits. However, he did breed "such delightful creatures" as a hobby in his boyhood.

Again, like Peter, Keith was brought up in Avon Road and also went to Gorse Hill School. He was at St Martin's for its last two years, before closure and then transferred to Christopher Whitehead Boys School.

"I was a goody at St Martin's, always trying to avoid the early caning ritual of the head Eric Baker," recalls Keith. "I may have succeeded but this is more than I can say for a few others who must have become immune to the pain and suffering."

Keith's friends at the school included Phil Tansell of the transport and garage family firm, Anthony Thomson ("We competed for a job as an artist with Royal Worcester Porcelain - he won), and Christopher Weston from Ransom Avenue ("He and I used to bike out to Linley Green, Knightwick, to help a St Martin's teacher, Michael Jefferson Brown - later of daffodil-growing fame - with his gardening and flowers").

In 1963, Keith started an apprenticeship with engineers James Archdale & Co., and in 1969, married Janice Taylor of Troutbeck Drive, Worcester, leaving the city shortly afterwards to start a new life in Africa.

They spent the next 23 years in Africa and Asia and ended up in New Zealand in 1993. Just over a year ago, however, they moved once again, this time to their present home in Queensland.

Keith remembers that on one of his return visits to Worcester, in the 1970s, he and his older brother Doug were watching Worcester City at St George's Lane when they met up again with their former head Eric Baker and enjoyed "a good yarn. I am sure he is sadly missed."

Keith's in-laws, Tom and Jean Taylor continue to live in Troutbeck Drive. Tom is a past pupil of St Martin's School and was a leading figure in the Worcester Sea Cadet Corps for some years.

6 Keith Price originally contacted me in a bid to find out the location of Factory Walk, the home of some of his forebears, the Tylers, in Victorian times.

I was able, though researcher Colin Roberts of the Guildhall staff, to tell him that this former thoroughfare ran between St Martin's Gate and Lowesmoor. However, Kevin Poole of Howard Road, Worcester, has since provided me with a photostat copy of an 1838 map of the city which shows the precise route of Factory Walk.

It led off Lowesmoor and passed through the Hill, Evans' Vinegar Works site before going in an L-shape to Pheasant Street, running alongside the rear of Grainger's China Works which fronted on to St Martin's Gate.

In his family tree searches, Keith is also keen to trace a relative, Mrs Betty Trevellan, who lived in Whites Road, St John's, Worcester, in the 1960s but then emigrated to New South Wales, Australia. Keith thinks Betty's daughter, Susan, of her first marriage to John Phelps, may still be living in Worcester.