Former pupils of the Angel Road Secondary Modern School in Norwich hold a re-union at the Gibraltar Gardens pub in Norwich Photograph Simon Parker

The way we were – and the way we are. Here we have the girls from Angel Road Secondary Modern School in Norwich of 1952 and pictured again in Norwich of 2012.

Girls attending the Angel Road Secondary Modern School in Norwich Photograph Contributed

So much has changed over the years, it’s a different world, but their friendship, forged in the classrooms all those years ago, has now been rekindled at this fantastic reunion organised by Janet Foster (nee Cawdron).

The girls left Angel Road school between Christmas 1955 and the summer of 1956. The last reunion was held in 1986 so Janet thought it was about time they had another one.

I helped to spread the word and before long the girls, many now mothers and grandmothers, were being found across the city and county.

Janet enlisted the help of Pauline Gowing (Bull), Jacqueline Bygrave (Fulcher) and Wendy Wilson (Brighton) and the reunion was held at the Gibraltar Gardens, Heigham Street, this month.

We were there to record the event and Janet said: “The arrival of your photographer was the icing on the cake.”

About 30 former pupils of Angel Road Secondary Modern School for Girls in the 1950s turned up and all agreed that from now on they would keeping in regular contact.

“Everyone was so chatty and happy to be together again. Although we are in our early 70s we are certainly young at heart,” said Janet.

In those days the girls went to Angel Road while the boys were pupils at Alderman Jex.

“From now on we shall be keeping in touch with each other and we are planning to have an annual dinner.

“Thanks to you at the Evening News for making the evening so successful,” she added.

The school picture, left, belongs to Daphne Swatman (Burroughs) and is thought to be class IM at Angel Road Secondary Modern School in 1952.