WE received an excellent response to a photograph of Barnsley Girls’ High School pupils recently featured in the Chronicle's Memories column.

The photograph was submitted by one of the pupils Betty Allison (nee Grafton) who now lives in County Durham.

We asked for ex-classmates to make contact and Betty was in for a special surprise when her needlework mistress Mabel Vernon (now Duxbury) rang her.

Mrs Duxbury, 83, and living in West Yorkshire had received a copy of the Chronicle from a friend who lives in Barnsley.

Betty said: “I was absolutely delighted to hear from Miss Vernon. It was a lovely surprise.”

Several of her former school friends have also made contact and we have now been able to name all the pupils as follows: back row, left to right: Jean Ibberson, Mavis James, Joan Hind, Mary Willis, Sheila Cole, Jean Graham, Dorothy Hoyle, Doreen Silverwood.

Next to back row: Nora Rush, Vera Foster, Beryl Auckland, Betty Grafton, Eileen Booth, Freda Rawlinson, Kathleen Barham, June Kilner, Monica Laughton.

Next to front row: Rita Landon, Joan Parkin, Joan Allott, Mabel Vernon, Norah Leahy, Betty Archer, Pat Jackson, Joyce Midgley.

Front row: Iris Kaye, June Priestley, Brenda Scott, Doreen Smeaton, Ena Jacobs, Barbara Lawson. Another pupil, Joan Waterhouse, was not present when the photograph was taken.

It’s believed the photograph was taken in the summer of 1946 or 1947 when the girls sat their School Certificate exam. After this some left to start work in Barnsley offices but others continued their education at Sixth Form level and then went on to teacher training college or university.

My thanks to everyone who made contact and provided interesting information following the publication of this photograph.

Mrs Allison, who qualified as a teacher in 1950, would still welcome contact from any of her school friends. She can be contacted through Kath Parkin, Barnsley Chronicle, 47 Church Street, Barnsley S70 2AS.