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Introduction
The first Wymondham College pupils arrived in April 1951 and formed what was known officially as the 'Pilot Course.' Unofficially, they were (and still are) the Guinea Pigs. Photos of many of those listed are on the Forms - 1950s page
Unknown to each other, two of the pioneers, Margaret Smith and Mike Stacey, set out to record the names of those in the first classes and their independent efforts are recorded on this page. Margaret and Mike only came to know of their parallel quests in April 2003 and it will take a while before we can hope to see a final consolidated set of names. This page will record progress. If you can contribute to the research, please get in touch with mws_6@talktalk.net.
Phase 1
Here we have the initial lists provided by Margaret and Mike, together with suggested modifications from contemporaries. Names common to both lists are in bold.
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Initial list provided
by Margaret Skipp (nee Smith) |
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Alan Algate John Bacon David Batterbee Geoffrey Boldero John (?) Bone David Brown John Brown John Cushion Reginald Daniels Michael Doe Simon Doe (or Dow?) David Everitt Robin Fancy Brian Figgis John Goss Aubrey Hammond William Hammond |
Stuart
Handley Hubert Harbord Ivan Hipperson Joseph Keddy Anthony Lake Brian Leverett Michael Lincoln Lenard Malkin David Nichol Brian Raines Reggie Reeder William Sendall David (?) Sewell Michael Stacey Andrew Street William Woodward |
Madge Allard Carole Baker Phyllis Barker Pat Basey Monica Baumber Anne Bean Annette Blunt Sheila Bolton Pauline Crowe Pat Dack Eileen Doy Doreen Fenton Rae Fuller Wendy Fuller Mary Hall Judy Harris Shirley Jaggard |
Shirley
Johnson Hazel Leveridge Gwen Medler Janet Palmer Mildred Roberts Margaret Sandford Maureen Seaton Margaret Smith Rosamund Walker Janet Wing |
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List provided
by Mike Stacey |
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Alan
Algate John Bacon Geoffrey Boldero Frank (?) Bone David Brown John Brown Alan Chilvers Gerald Burrows Robert Collins John Cushion Reginald Daniels Simon Dow (or Doe?) Terence Eagling Robin Fancy Robin Farrow Brian Figgis Maurice Follen William Freestone John Goss William Hammond |
Stuart
Handley Hubert Harbord Ivan Hipperson David Howard John Howard Joseph Keddy Douglas Knights Anthony Lake Brian Leverett Hugh McNeill Wilfred Nicholls Clive Pratt Brian Raines Reginald Ramm Peter Read Reginald Reeder Denis (?) Sewell Michael Stacey Andrew Street Terence Wagg |
Phyllis
Barker Patricia Basey Monica Baumber Anne Bean Eileen Blunden Annette Blunt Sheila Bolton Ruth Brown Stella Carmen Janet Carr Beryl Chilvers Patricia Coles Pauline Crowe Patricia Dack Eileen Doy Doreen Fenton Mary Freestone Rae Fuller Judith Harris Janet High |
Mary Howlett Rita Last Hazel Leveridge Eunice Mallett Gwen Medler Doreen Rushbrooke Marion Savage Maureen Seaton Pansy Sewell Margaret Smith Maureen Spooner Angela Tagg Rosamund Walker Doreen Wilkins Janet Wing |
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Anne Bean’s suggested amendments to Mike's list |
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Deductions |
Additions |
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Eileen Blunden (Sept) Ruth Brown (Sept) Stella Carmen (Sept) Janet Carr (Sept) Patricia Coles (Grammar) Mary Freestone (Grammar) Janet High (Sept) Mary Howlett (Grammar) Eunice Mallett (Sept) Doreen Rushbrooke (Grammar) Marion Savage (Grammar) Pansy Sewell (Grammar) Angela Tagg (Grammar) Doreen Wilkins (Sept) |
David Howard (Sept) Clive Pratt (Grammar) Reginald Ramm (Sept) Peter Read (Sept) |
Madge Allard Shirley Doughty Wendy Fuller Mary Hall ? Shirley Jaggard Ann Keeler Janet Palmer Mildred Roberts Margaret Sandford Sonia Talbot Vera Trundle |
David Batterbee Graham Crane Michael Doe Derek Everett Derek Forder William Sendall David Thomas |
I have now compiled three lists of names (above) that may have or not have been original 'guinea pigs'. That is not quite true, as the list from Margaret was only reproduced in alphabetical order for easy reference. I know Anne is hoping to speak to Geoffrey Boldero and Maureen Seaton soon, so hopefully a little tweak here and there may be forthcoming.
On Margaret's list Aubrey Hammond appears but I have been assured from more than one source that he was not 'one of us'. Also on Margaret's list the name of William Woodward appears but I have not seen that name on any of the information I have gathered.
If anyone can give me any further information it will be greatly appreciated. My next move is likely to be amalgamating all the names that have been put forward and see what that brings. I will circulate that when that is completed, but will wait until I hear from Anne again before taking that step.
Thanks once again for everybody's help. Things have come on in leaps and bounds in the last few weeks.
Mike Stacey
Phase 2
I have amalgamated the information I have had so far and attach a list of names that have been put forward from all sources. A good number of them are common taking any two from three. Margaret has confirmed William Woodward came from her school so he is a definite. Some of them have now been deleted from previous lists as they were either Grammar School or Thetford Transferees.
Mike Stacey
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Alan
Algate John Bacon David Batterbee Geoffrey Boldero Frank Bone David Brown John Brown Gerald Burrows John Cushion Reginald Daniels Michael Doe Simon Dow Terence Eagling Derek Everett Robin Fancy Robin Farrow Brian Figgis Maurice Follen Derek Forder William Freestone John Goss Aubrey Hammond William Hammond |
Stuart Handley Hubert Harbord Ivan Hipperson John Howard Joseph Keddy Douglas Knights Anthony Lake Brian Leverett Michael Lincoln Leonard Malkin Hugh McNeill David Nichol Wilfred Nicholls Brian Raines Reginald Reeder William Sendall Denis Sewell Michael Stacey Andrew Street David Thomas Terence Wagg William Woodward |
Madge Allard Carole Baker Phyllis Barker Patricia Basey Monica Baumber Anne Bean Annette Blunt Sheila Bolton Beryl Chilvers Pauline Crowe Patricia Dack Shirley Doughty Eileen Doy Doreen Fenton Rae Fuller Wendy Fuller Mary Hall Judith Harris Shirley Jaggard Shirley Johnson Ann Keeler Hazel Leveridge Gwen Medler |
Janet Palmer Mildred Roberts Margaret Sandford Maureen Seaton Margaret Smith Sonia Talbot Vera Trundle Rosamund Walker Janet Wing |
Phase 3
I have taken some time out to look at my list of guinea pigs in an effort to come up with some sort of working list by looking at all the names I have been given to find some common ground.
The girls list has been relatively easy, thanks to Maggy's photo, now displayed on WCRemembered [here - Ed.]. There are 33 girls on the photo and someone must have taken it. Maggy has come up with nearly all the names and it was pretty much the same as those I had gathered. Assuming everyone was involved from the original girls, that told me there would have been 34 in total. I had a list of 32 names, 31 of whom are allied to the photo. A second assumption here was that Shirley Johnson took the picture. That has left me with one name, Beryl Chilvers, unaccounted for plus two people who are currently 'nameless'. Can anyone throw any light on 'Beryl Chilvers' or the two missing names from the photo (three if Beryl is not one of them)?
The boys list has become a bit more complicated (I can hear the girls saying something like "that is not unusual!"). Starting with an initial 46 names, I have been through all the information I have been given and taken out all the names that had attracted at least two 'votes' (i.e. mentioned by at least two people). Some I have had confirmed from various sources accounting for about 14/15. That leaves me with a second list of names that have been mentioned by one person, or in a few cases none other than myself. These names are the bottom 10 on the attached list. There has been some speculation over Aubrey Hammond (as to when he started) but I have information that he definitely joined us at some time. Maggy has put forward the name of William Woodward and confirmed that he came from her school at the same time as she did.
I am looking for any help that anyone can now give on any of the names on the lists below.
Mike Stacey
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Alan Algate John Bacon David Batterbee Geoffrey Boldero Frank Bone David Brown John Brown Gerald Burrows John Cushion Reginald Daniels Michael Doe Simon Dow Derek Everitt Robin Fancy Robin Farrow Brian Figgis Maurice Follen William Freestone John Goss William Hammond Stuart Handley Hubert Harbord Ivan Hipperson Joseph Keddy Anthony Lake |
Brian
Leverett Michael Lincoln Leonard Malkin Hugh McNeill Wilfred Nichols Brian Raines Reginald Reeder William Sendall Denis Sewell Michael Stacey Andrew Street Less probable: David Allen |
Madge Allard Carole Baker Phyllis Barker Patricia Basey Monica Baumber Anne Bean Annette Blunt Sheila Bolton Pauline Crowe Patricia Dack Shirley Doughty Eileen Doy Doreen Fenton Rae Fuller Wendy Fuller Mary Hall |
Judy Harris Shirley Jaggard Shirley Johnson Anne Keeler Hazel Leveridge Gwen Medler Janet Palmer Mildred Roberts Margaret Sandford Maureen Seaton Margaret Smith Sonia Talbot Vera Trundle Rosamund Walker Janet Wing Beryl Chilvers |
Phase 4
I had pinned a lot of hope on getting a full list of names from Norfolk County Council Records Office [but no luck - Ed.]. The Education Department of the Council had previously told me the Records Office would be a good place to go.
I had one reply to my 'article' that Sharon Richardson ran for me. It was from Robert Mapes (1952) who offered the names of Aubrey Hammond and Brian Raines. Maggy has confirmed with Aubrey he joined us later, and we knew of Brian. A second e-mail from Robert put forward the name of David Norfolk. I will send him an email (through Carole) and ask him to confirm unless anyone out there has some definite information on David Norfolk.
I will write to the Editor of the EDP as suggested by Freda Wilkins-Jones but do not expect any better response than from the 'Freebie' exercise. I feel like a dog with a bone at present but fear my possible sources are drying up! In the meantime I will attach the latest lists for an update on WCRemembered.
Mike Stacey
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Alan Algate John Bacon David Batterbee Geoffrey Boldero Frank Bone David Brown John Brown Gerald Burrows John Cushion Reginald Daniels Michael Doe Simon Dow Derek Everitt Robin Fancy Robin Farrow Brian Figgis Maurice Follen William Freestone John Goss William Hammond Stuart Handley Hubert Harbord Ivan Hipperson Joseph Keddy Douglas Knights Anthony Lake |
Brian
Leverett Michael Lincoln Leonard Malkin Hugh McNeill Wilfred Nichols Brian Raines Reginald Reeder William Sendall Denis Sewell Michael Stacey Andrew Street (total 37) Less likely: David Allen |
Madge Allard Carole Baker Phyllis Barker Patricia Basey Monica Baumber Anne Bean Annette Blunt Sheila Bolton Pauline Crowe Patricia Dack Shirley Doughty Eileen Doy Doreen Fenton Rae Fuller Wendy Fuller Mary Hall Judith Harris Shirley Jaggard Shirley Johnson Anne Keeler Hazel Leveridge Gwen Medler Janet Palmer Mildred Roberts Margaret Sandford Maureen Seaton |
Margaret
Smith Sonia Talbot Vera Trundle Rosamund Walker Sheila Webster Janet Wing (total 32) Linda ? |
Phase 5
Since the latest amendments were put on the website I have has a couple of emails telling me that some of the names under query were in fact 'guinea pigs'. You listed them as something like less likely, but that was not the case. They just hadn't been nominated by two people, but some now have. I think it reasonable to put them all as originals and they can be taken off if someone subsequently comes up with some evidence they are wrong.
I got very little response from the freebie papers. I was hoping some of the people I had not heard from might come forward with their own friends from the time but no such luck. I will probably write to the EDP address for the magazine you gave me when I return from my Xmas break away. If the past is anything to go by I don't expect to get too many answers. There are still a lot of the old pupils living in Norfolk they just seem to read the wrong papers!
Mike Stacey
I have a slight update on the 'guinea pigs' list for you. Maggy Skipp (Smith) sent me an email today saying that she has been talking to Maureen Boldero (Seaton) and also comparing the 'girls' photo with my list. My list does not contain the name of Nesta Wilkins but the photo does. Nesta was definitely a guinea pig so should be added, she was a friend of Maureen's. Now that I have been reminded, I recall the name. It would have made sense if I had compared my list to the photo but as I told Maggy I like to do things the hard way! There is some doubt over the name of Carole Baker so she is currently a query.
Mike Stacey
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David Allen Alan Algate John Bacon David Batterbee Geoffrey Boldero Frank Bone David Brown John Brown Gerald Burrows John Cushion Reginald Daniels Michael Doe Simon Dow Derek Everitt Robin Fancy Robin Farrow Brian Figgis Maurice Follen William Freestone Derek Geary John Goss William Hammond Stuart Handley |
Hubert
Harbord Ivan Hipperson John Howard Joseph Keddy Douglas Knights David Ladbrooke Anthony Lake Brian Leverett Michael Lincoln Leonard Malkin Hugh McNeill David Nichol Wilfred Nichols Brian Raines Peter Reed Reginald Reeder William Sendall Denis Sewell Michael Stacey Andrew Street David Thomas Terence Wagg William Woodward (total 45) |
Madge Allard Carole Baker Phyllis Barker Patricia Basey Monica Baumber Anne Bean Annette Blunt Sheila Bolton Pauline Crowe Patricia Dack Shirley Doughty Eileen Doy Doreen Fenton Rae Fuller Wendy Fuller Mary Hall Judith Harris Shirley Jaggard Shirley Johnson Anne Keeler Hazel Leveridge Gwen Medler Linda Nichols |
Janet Palmer Mildred Roberts Margaret Sandford Maureen Seaton Margaret Smith Sonia Talbot Vera Trundle Rosamund Walker Sheila Webster Nesta Wilkins Janet Wing (total 34) |
Wymondham College Remembered