Old photographs recall school days (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Old photographs recall school days

2:00pm Thursday 9th July 2009 in

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FORMER pupils of Darwen Vale High School have been catching up on their past with an exhibition of old photographs at the library.

On show are images of Darwen Grammar School pupils and staff from 1909 to 1967.

They have been arranged by past pupil and historian John Dalton, who has set himself the task of finding everyone’s name.

The school started life in the stone-faced ‘tech’ building in Union Street, as Darwen Secondary School, in 1896.

It was renamed Darwen Grammar School in 1929 and then moved to the new building in 1938.

The original premises became the Technical School. On reorganisation in 1972, the school was amalgamated with Spring Bank Secondary Modern and renamed Darwen Vale.

Said Mr Dalton: “The amount of interest shown in the old photographs is quite amazing. Some are looking to spot themselves, some are looking for friends who went there, and some for parents, or other relatives. They all say what good memories they bring back.”

One former pupil, now in her mid-eighties, was involved in the move from Union Street in 1938 and is in touch with an old friend who now lives in California.

She has sent a copy of the full school panoramic photo, taken in June 1939, to the USA for her friend to add some more names.

The exhibition closes tomorrow, but maybe you could help by adding some of the old names to the register.