Lots More Pictures of 1960s George Abbot Pupils: Are You Among Them?

Published on: 25 Nov, 2016
Updated on: 28 Nov, 2016

A reunion that took place in June of former George Abbot School pupils who attended it in the early 1960s was a great success. Click here for our story.

Ahead of the reunion, The Guildford Dragon NEWS published a number of school pictures of pupils who the reunion committee was keen to hear from, and many replied.

Committee member Jenny Whatley now says: “Following our latest reunion committee meeting we would like to thank you again for publishing our 1962 school photos and articles relating to our June 2016 reunion.

“We are pleased to say that additional names, corrections and comments are still coming through to us, largely from your readers and we are very keen to maintain the interest shown in this project.”

Jenny has now updated all the photos, including the year 1965, and we now reproduce them below. Staff are also pictured.

If you are among them and would like to get in touch with Jenny and the reunion committee, email her at jenniferwhatley@btinternet.com giving your name, the number you are on the photos (either 1962 0r 1965), and any other details you may have.

These are the 1962 pictures. Click on all pictures to enlarge in a new window.

These are the 1965 pictures:

Responses to Lots More Pictures of 1960s George Abbot Pupils: Are You Among Them?

Jack (John) Balchin Reply

November 27, 2016 at 11:59 pm

This numbed me up! Shocking rush of forgotten faces and names. Kind of thrilling in an ol’ codgerly way.

I suppose thanks for the serendipitous connection.

PS 62 p1 #27 is me. I was John but graduated to Jack in 1968.

Happy trails.
Douglas Ashby Reply

March 29, 2017 at 11:54 pm

699 in the 1962 is Doug Ashby, now in South Australia
Juliet Miller Hills Reply

April 20, 2017 at 7:01 pm

I think the 1965 photo might actually have been taken in 1964, because one student in it was gone before the 1964-65 school year.

I remember stories of some of the teachers, and often think of how Mr Cooney would love to know his hard work paid off and I now live in the city where the typewriter was invented!

Mrs Ware said I would never amount to anything and evicted me from literature, and I went on to be a librarian.

One student friend in the photo climbed up a drainpipe to get the Beatles’ autographs at the Odeon, and at her house they had a tin bath in front of the fire as there was no proper bathroom.
Sheila Atkinson Reply

February 5, 2021 at 9:10 pm

I have just looked at these photos again. I think No 89 on page 2 in 1962 may be Pat Lemon. I know for certain No 211 on page 2 in 1965 is Mrs Brown and 212 is Mrs Payne.
Pat Odlum (nee Bassett) Reply

June 17, 2021 at 1:53 pm

I have just come across these photos – I attended George Abbot School from 1961 to 1965.

Below are some faces I recognise:

1962

Page 1 – Either Tina or Judy Spooner (twins)
Page 5 – 455 Joan Gunner
Page 6 – 548 Sandra Barnett
Page 7 – Either Tina or Judy Spooner (twins)
Page 8 – 729 Linda West

1965

Page 5 – 519 Marilyn Pash
544 Linda Searle
532 Linda Rogers
Page 8 – 700 Janet Spinney
705 Janice Thorogood

1962 Boys

Page 1 – 77 Andrew Bassett (my brother)

1965 Boys

Page 3 – Next to Nigel Holmes is not Ian Marshall
Andy Lewis Reply

July 31, 2023 at 10:55 am

I’m 651 in the 1965 photo.