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18
JUN
2019
The Old School main Building Front, and the Playground out back
I was fortunate enough to have the chance to visit the old school one last time, before all those cherished memories were finally laid to rest.
If, like me, these pictures stir a familiar sense of nostalgia, take a moment to wander through them... you can almost do it without leaving your chair.
Steve Watson, Kevin Handley, and I jumped at the chance to return, just for an hour or two. You can probably imagine the conversations we shared as we wandered through those fading memories. Not just our own, but those of so many others who were lucky enough to have this place as part of their journey, a stepping stone toward who and what they became.
And sometimes... the silence itself was as loud as you could bear.
Inside the Old School
The more I look at these pictures, the more the past comes back to life.
Each image unlocks something half forgotten, a sound or a moment caught between the school years.
If only I’d known then how much this place would come to mean, I would have taken more photographs… paused a little longer… looked a little closer.
So many footsteps have echoed through these corridors, up these stairways, and across the classrooms... each belonging to someone at the very start of their story.
We were all finding our way, without knowing how fleeting it would be.
Just then as I stood taking it all in, I could almost see each of us making our way to the next lesson, all running to the same destination....I realised that even though the buildings have gone, and indeed some of us... the memories have found a way to stay.
Old School Gym
The sports hall was alive with echoes, shouts bouncing off the polished wooden floor, the squeak of trainers as we darted about, and the sharp blast of a whistle cutting through the air.
Many hours were spent here, chasing the ball in five-a-side matches or scrambling about in the chaos of “Pirates,” a game that seemed to bring the whole hall to life with laughter and energy.
That familiar smell of the equipment, or the mats, lingered in the air, mingling with the warmth of energetic excitement.
Sunlight streamed through the high windows, while the heavy doors creaked open to reveal another eager group ready to play.
Back then, our sports master was Mr Baker. A fine man, he carried himself with quiet dignity and an unmistakable sharpness. Always immaculately turned out, he had a way of making every pupil feel seen and valued. He never rushed, never dismissed, he always had time for everyone. His encouragement was steady, his humour gentle, and his presence reassuring. Looking back, he was not just a teacher but a figure of respect and kindness, and without doubt one of my favourites.
Old School Gym
There are friends who pass through our lives, and then there are those rare souls who leave an imprint that never fades. My good friend Kev Handley was one of those people.
I can still picture him doing what we all did back then—searching for a “bean bag”… and yes, he found one!
That small memory makes me smile, because it sums up so much of what Kev brought into my life: laughter, lightness, and the joy of simply being together.
Kev was funny, clever, calming, and in so many ways the perfect friend. He had a gift for making those around him feel at ease, and his presence always lifted the mood. We shared countless moments in our youth, times of carefree adventure, discovery, and friendship that shaped who I am today.
Losing Kev had a huge impact on my life. I miss him deeply, and I doubt I will ever truly get over his absence. Yet, I hold onto the memories, because they remind me of the unique man he was and the joy he gave so freely.
Kev’s spirit lives on in the stories we tell, the laughter we recall, and the love we carry forward. He will always be part of my journey, and part of the fabric of East Malling’s memories.