Jo Eggerton Rance (nee Joan Kelly)

In 2 January 2016 Jo emailed in response to my posting some late 1960s photos.

I was Joan Kelly (Jo) and I was at the school between either 1964 and 1969 or 1965 and 1970. My sister, Judith Kelly came to the school two years behind me.

It is my pen-line drawing, which I was chuffed to read as 'excellent', from the school magazine. It was done in Art with Mr Makins ('Mucky Mack') of Janet Elliot who was in my class.

I also have names for the 1969 orchestra. The girl with dark socks, front row is Judith Kelly (my sister) and it me sitting to her left. Middle back (the girl with the trumpet) is Rita Ward - also in my class. Opposite end to Judith (girl with glasses and holding flute) is Audrey Bayes - also in my class. The boy in the middle behind the girls with flutes is Stewart Hartley ('Jammy'). The dark-haired boy with the trumpet at the back behind the girl with the dark shirt is, I think, Simon Featherstone.

The play photo (St Patrick's Day 1969) has me as the maid in the front row. Directly above me is Paul Gorford. To his left, above my left shoulder, is 'Jammy' Hartley and tucked behind Jammy (leftish) is Peter Bogue - also in my class.

I left Malton Grammar after Lower Sixth, Pip Taylor awarded me the Kirk Cup for enterprise - I did a lot of fundraising (often with my sister, Judith) and I handled the Dr Barnados collection boxes). Sadly we had to move to Richmond, Yorks to be near where my Mum had a new job. Richmond High School for Girls was nowhere near as good as Malton Grammar. I actually enjoyed my schooling there overall - the school ethos under Pip was amazing - he had such a great compassion for his students - his office door was always open to students who wanted to talk.

I also loved Mr Pay who was a kind listening ear to me and my sister as we had no father at home to talk to (divorced parents). Ducky Wellard was another favourite - I loved discussions in his lessons. Oh - I liked Mr Read too - he encouraged my sister and I in our bone collecting.