PUPILS AT WIMBOLDSLEY SCHOOL, 1950s

This picture was originally posted on Facebook on 22nd July 2011, just for a laugh. We were interested to see if anyone could identify one of the children, now a very well-known Middlewich 'Personality',  at Wimboldsley School (or 'Occlestone' as many called it) on a far-off day in the 1950s. It stirred up quite a bit of interest, so we've decided to include it here..Below is the original caption, together with the Facebook feedback and (of course) the answer.


We'd be grateful if anyone could help us identify the other people in the photo.
Second from the left is David Bradley, and I'm on the extreme right; the identity of the little chap  third from left is about to be revealed, but who are the other two?


 Original Caption
Just for fun, for all you Middlewich aficionados, here's a picture taken at Wimboldsley Primary in the 1950s. The cheeky chappie on the right is, of course, me, as evidenced by the fact that I haven't changed a bit. But there's one other famous - or infamous - Middlewichian amongst those present. Any ideas?



SEE ALSO: PUPPETEERS AT WIMBOLDSLEY SCHOOL 1960s

• Mally Mal The little chappie second from the right looks familiar, but I'm not sure why...
  

  
  
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  Dave Roberts He's not the one I mean, Mal. To my shame I can only remember the names of two of the people here (three if you include me). It would be nice to name everyone, of course. But one of these mini-scholars is very well known in Middlewich.
  

  
  
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  Lizzie Rosenfield That wouldn't be a train set you are playing with there would it Dave?? MMM! Enough said!!
  

  
  
  
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  Dave Roberts Of course. Lone Star Railways. That's a diesel shunter on the table.
  

  
  
  
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  Dave Roberts Here's a clue: If you were to replace one of the wooden sticks they're holding with a tin whistle, you might get closer.
  

  
  
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  Lizzie Rosenfield Trampas!!?
  

  
  
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  Dave Roberts Correct. It is young Mr Woodbine (third from the left)
  

  
  
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  Geraldine Williams Yes, of course it is. Blindingly obvious once you know.......!!
  

  
  
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  Geraldine Williams Bet Wimboldsley didn't know it had an embryo folk group in its midst!
  

  
  
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  Dave Roberts I sometimes think that's where the whole Middlewich 'folkie' thing came from. We had to do country dancing (my partner was Margaret Jones) and also dance round the maypole (where I was one of the few to master the art of 'plaiting'), all to the accompaniment of Jimmy Shand 78s. Dave Thompson went to Wimboldsley as well, I think, a few years later.
  

  
  
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  Geraldine Williams Can you refresh my memory about Wimboldsley School? I'm sure we used to call it 'Occlestone'. Was it just a village school or was there an element of 'private'? I know there was always a long waiting list for places and that quite a few Middlewich children attended there - presumably before catchment areas set in!
  
  
  A lot of people did, and do, call the school 'Occlestone' - Occlestone Green is a short distance away down typical leafy Cheshire lanes. As far as I know it was always just a state school, run by the Cheshire Education Committee. And I think it had (and has) many Middlewich pupils because Wimboldsley is a parish within the District of Middlewich. -ed.
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  Mystery Middlewichian revealed! Well done to Liz Rosenfield for correctly identifying Michael Woodbine in his formative years. Most people call him 'Trampas', but I don't. To me he's always plain Michael.

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  
  

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      Sharon Mather Ha ha - oh yes of course! He's not changed :-)
      

      
      
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      Geraldine Williams Did his nickname stem from Doug McClure's character in 'The Virginian'?
      

      
      
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      Dave Roberts Yes it did.