A NEW register of former pupils of Miss Regan’s Preparatory School, Darwen, is now being called.

For a group of them are planning a reunion and want as many of their classmates to come along.

Looking Back heard from Ann Stokes nee Ainsworth, of Darwen, this week, who has appealed to former students to get in contact.

She’s also seeking information on past pupils, wants to hear stories from the past and wonders if anyone knows the whereabouts of the old school records.

Ann has sent us a couple of photos from the 1950s taken in the school’s music room/ playroom in the Provident Hall at The Green.

On the left of the back row in the class photo are Ian Smith, Lionel Shepherd, whose parents ran the draper’s store in Bridge Street, Geoffrey Baxendale, Michael Taylor and Stewart Camb.

On the middle row are: Nicholas McCarthy, Jimmy Duxbury, Judith Ingham, head girl Sylvia Carter, Margaret Taylor, Jack Taylor, whose family had a shop in Darwen market house and John Bury.

Front seated are Dorothy Shepherd, Nigel Pierce whose parents ran a dance school, Rachel Hollingdrake, Adrian Lees and Patricia Grisedale.

Sat at the very front are Ann and her friend Jane Eccles.

The smaller group photo shows back, from left Judith Ingham, her brother Roger, and Ann, while at the front are Jane Eccles and Rachel Hollingdrake.

Ann said: “Miss Regan also taught my mum Edith Ainsworth, and two aunts Joan Livesey and Adine Jackson, all nee Bury and my sister Elizabeth.

“I also remember Susan Raine, whose family has the chemist and Barry Gordon, who had twin sisters.

“Some of us are interested in getting together for a reunion meal and we would like other past pupils to come along and join us.”

You can contact Ann at 16, Peregrine Drive, Darwen.