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It was with great interest that I found your website with questions regarding Gosport High School.

I was a pupil there from 1966 to when the school closed in (and my memory may be stretching) 1971. I have annual awards from the school - I'll confirm the dates. Mr Bond was our headmaster. It was a magnificent school and I was absolutely devastated when I returned to the UK in 1989 to discover it had been leveled to put up commission houses (Council houses). The old bike shed was an air raid shelter from WWII. The multi-story house still had the original servants bells - I have a million memories. I have a photo of the school somewhere that I found in the historic society in Gosport. I'll see if I can locate it and scan it for you. The girls school that was referred to was a Grammar school from memory - there were two schools - the one also referred to in the requests - I went to for bicycle riding lessons. I lived in Gosport then Lee-on-Solent most of my life before moving to Australia in 1973. I have wonderful memories of the Seahorse Hotel and the huge fairground down at Lee-on-Solent. Gosport High School was a 'private school' - but in UK called 'public school'. There were hefty fees per term. It was actually a school for gifted children as the only way to progress was to pass a series of exams to get to the next level. I was in Form 5A when the school closed down. The subjects were the equivalent of what Form 5 would teach to older students - History, Chemistry, Biology, etc. I miss the school and always will. Is there any other information I can tell you about the school - the layout - where the form rooms were in the house? Mrs Florey the secretary to Mr Bradshaw Bond - the stationery cabinet with the inkwells and blotting paper.

There was another school in Privett Rd that I cannot for the life of me remember the name of - I remember going there after Gosport High School closed its doors - it was behind Privett Rd - accessible through a large vehicle lane way. From memory, our fees were around 300 pound a term which was an extraordinary amount of money to pay back in the 60's. I am guttered by the destruction of this building that was historically significant - I feel like part of my childhood - a special and most precious and the most wonderful part of my childhood - has been taken away from me by the council who approved the demolition. I just loved it so much- I'll try and dig out as much as I can - we didn't bring much of my childhood memorabilia with us from the UK to Australia but can scan whatever I have..

My GOODNESS how things have changed! I was going to buy in Gosport - house similar to the one you are describing that you live in for around £35,000 or so!!!! I'll dig through some of my things- the books with the awards have Mr Bradshaw-Bond's signature etc and I know that I have a picture of the school from a Gosport book I bought when I came home in 1989. Can't believe those house prices - astronomical given the proximity of Gosport to London - imagine what the prices there are like! Australia has a lot more opportunities for first home buyers - you can buy a nice block of land and a huge - and I mean HUGE house out here in Sunbury for around $235,000 maximum (around £100,000)  - four bedrooms, study - large front and rear yards etc.

Just read through the 'Are you there' section - my goodness - Mr & Mrs Cresdie are my sister-in-law's parents! Cannot remember their christian names but Mrs Cresdie died in her 80's in approximately mid 80's. Mr Cresdie passed away in the 70's in his 70's. Not sure what age the Cresdies are that are referred to on your site, but if older, then they would be Valerie's grandparents. I have a photo of Mrs Cresdie somewhere - I know there is a link there as I seem to recall some of the stories when a small child.

These memories are coming in thick and fast - just read about St George's Barracks - I'm sure they're the ones my brother told me about - they looked like they should've been in India because of their architecture - and as the website says the story is.... they should've been - somehow - an administration slip - the barracks for that site were actually built in India and vice versa!! Although it says it's legend, it's a true story- my brother served in India and stayed in the other barracks - he doesn't have photos of them but they are definitely not intended for the Indian climate!!! He  was in the Air Force until around 1969 - I remember the Lunar landing when he came home in his Air Force uniform. He's been all over the world with the RAF and Australia was the only place he didn't go to - that's why he emigrated here - my parents and I followed him in 1979 on the £10 deal