READER Arthur Kelly brought in this wonderful photograph showing the school-leavers of Park Grove Secondary School in 1949.

Arthur, a 79-year-old grandfather and great-grandfather from Huntington, was just 15 years old at the time. He is pictured sitting in the foreground, on the far right of the picture: and he accepts that he looks much younger in the photograph even than he was then.

He's always had trouble convincing people of his age, he says. When he turned 18, and went to a pub for his first drink with a friend, a policeman was waiting for him when he came out. "He gave me a right rollicking, but I said 'I'm 18 today! I'm 18!' I convinced him."

He's pretty sure this photo dates from 1949. And if he's right, within a few days of it being taken, he'd started work.

"I left on the Friday, and on the Monday... well, in those days we weren't as well off as we are now," he said. "You had to look for a job as soon as you could." He spotted an advert for a 'boy wanted' at a printers, and went to ask about it. "They said 'when can you start? So I started on the Monday morning!"

We'd be interested to hear from any of Arthur's old classmates who recognise themselves in the photo: if you like, we'll be able to put you in touch with Arthur himself.

Pictured:

Park Grove Secondary Modern, the class of 1949: Back row: Alan Rice, Geoff Hanson, Ian hunter, John Allen, Raymond Crow, Pete Adamson, Ian Addy, Brian Walton

Middle row: Roy Fox, Sid Scarborough, Pamela Gibson, Shirley West, Eileen Ellwood, Brenda Maw, Alwyn Cammidge, Phil Burrows

Front row: Janet March, Betty Leather, name not known, Janis Page, Beryl Preston, ? Taylor, Thelma Sweeting, Pauline Jacket, Jean Gibson

Sitting in foreground: Barry Blakeley, Roy Blackburn, ? Green, Arthur Kelly