To locate - if at all possible - a press cutting featuring a photo showing pupils at Westfield Middle School clearing up after a flood, which I secreted away at home at the time, but destroyed about two years later in a clear-out.
I remember the photo included someone who later appeared prominently in the Sports Mail on 16 June 1984 (see 29 August 2018 entry) who then wore a sleeveless jumper.
In 2001, I attempted to locate it when I consulted the papers at the former British Library newspaper reading room at Colindale, but time pressures because I was only there for the day from Yorkshire and the fact I only searched The News between 14 February-23 July 1977 might have resulted in me missing the article.
It could be that the article might have been omitted from the edition deposited at the British Library, because by then The News was an early adopter of computer typesetting and the paper ran several Portsmouth city editions every weekday, not also forgetting Gosport/Fareham, Havant and West Sussex editions.
Tonight, I re-discovered the articles that I arranged to be copied by library staff at Colindale in 2001 about Westfield pupils and staff. Apologies for the quality, they're reproductions of reproductions!
When I re-examine the newspapers, they'll be replaced with better quality photos.
The News, Thursday 17 March 1977
Six girls from King Richard School won the Southern Region final of the National Schools Under 13 Gymnastics Team Championships at Eastleigh, versus Westfield Middle School.
Westfield Middle School, back row, left to right: Carla Thompson, Julie Moody, Michelle Lucas, Tyree Smallwood, Sarah Smith, Julie Bowler, Wendy Elford.
They were managed by Mr I. Davis (Idris Davis).
Published late June 1977 (didn't write down the date) in The News, showing teacher Roy Smith (standing on right). Kevin White was one of the pupils who attended the special unit at the school and came in from Havant daily.
The headmaster at the time was Mr J. Odgers.
I'll note down all mentions of pupils - as far as possible - who attended Westfield Middle School who turned 12 between these dates - and staff - and all photos about individuals in my year group who attended the school, which were reported in the newspapers.
UPDATE 21 September 2018:
I've retrieved my records of ex-pupils obtained mainly from old electoral registers which I used as the basis for organising the school's 2002 reunion in order so that I can cross-check them when I come across mentions of them in The News' Chipper Club, etc.
On Monday 24th, I'll request The News/Sports Mail volumes from storage at the British Library, initially for September-October 1976 and August 1977.
UPDATE 26 September 2018:
I'm currently scanning July-August 1977 issues, then September-October 1976.
I'll post blog entries covering two months' issues at a time, plus a postscript on what happened to ex-pupils from my viewpoint.
UPDATE 29 September 2018:
Scanned September 1976 and July-August 1977 issues, photos of news articles will be taken and uploaded here on brief details of the school's football team which I hope to find out more information once more newspapers are scanned, including line-ups and results, and a participant in athletics during summer 1977. So far, most pupils' mentions relate to their 12th birthday celebrations in the paper's Chipper Club.
UPDATE 2 October 2018:
Completed covering July-August 1977 blog including all photography, finished scanning all October 1976 issues, will photograph relevant articles in the next few days or so.
UPDATE 5 October 2018:
Completed September-October 1976 blog entry. I'm scanning November 1976 issues and some names from Westfield's football team are mentioned for the first time.
UPDATE 8 October 2018:
All November and December 1976 issues now looked at in detail. Quite a few schools in Portsmouth had photos of nativity plays or other dramatic activity published in the period leading up to Christmas, but none for Westfield, I'll photograph articles in the next day or so.
UPDATE 12 October 2018:
Completed November-December 1976 blog entry. Requested two bound volumes of The News/Sports Mail covering January-March 1977 for consultation on 15th or 16th October.
UPDATE 15 October 2018:
Both bound volumes arrived, I've already scanned three weeks' issues of January 1977's newspapers, all very quiet about the school's pupils and staff so far.
UPDATE 19 October 2018:
Scanned January-February 1977 issues, will photograph articles next week.
UPDATE 24 October 2018:
January-February 1977 entry published, scanning March 1977 issues, requested mid-May, June 1977 issues - they're the remaining print-only volumes. April, mid-May 1977 issues now microfilmed and will be requested last of all.
UPDATE 31 October 2018:
All March, and mid-late May, June 1977 issues scanned and articles photographed, including the elusive Westfield Junior School flooding incident which sparked off the whole project. I'll request the April to mid-May 1977 microfilms in the next day or so.
UPDATE 22 November 2018:
All work completed and microfilms handed back for storage.
[Added photos on 18 September 2018]
[Revised 19 September 2018 announcing search strategy]
[Revised 21 September 2018 announcing intention to request back issues]
[Revised 22 September 2018 with more information on individual in missing photo and rewording of article]
[Revised 26 September 2018 progress report]
