They’ve arrived. Diggers have started work on the site of the old Phoenix School in Dawley, bringing down the final curtain on a story which began 70 years ago.
Coming soon - houses. Plans have been approved for over 200 homes on what is one of Dawley’s last big green expanses.
But even as the site is transformed, memories will endure of what began in September 1956 as Dawley Secondary Modern School and became Phoenix comprehensive in 1965 and, had the cards fallen differently, would have been the flagship school in what was back then Dawley New Town.
- See these 37 pictures capturing life in Victorian Shropshire
- Shrewsbury in 1979: 25 pictures of football glory and life around town - see them here
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5. Pioneer pupils
Young Jim Yates, who was born in 1941, is the young lad on his feet, addressing a council meeting of Dawley Secondary Modern School. He was its chairman. Jim thought the picture dated from 1955-56 and, as the school opened in September 1956, it must be the latter year, meaning these are some of the first ever pupils at the new school. He had been to Pool Hill School previously. He lived at 3 Harp Lane, Dawley. He would recall: "The councillors took over from the prefects at the new school. Going clockwise, Jim Yates (standing), Leonora Tonks, Jean Vickers, Derek Payne, Bill Guest, Barbara Horler, Pat Burford, Marian Hassel, Bob Upton, Barry Spurway, Terry Skelton, Brenda Gough and Margaret Clift." | Jim Yates
6. We're the dinner ladies
The cooks and dinner ladies in about 1960. And no, that isn't what they cooked on. The photo came from Mrs Christine Heighway - incidentally, daughter of Shrewsbury Town player Jackie Butler. She named them as, from left: Mrs Doris Davies, of Castle Road, Dawley; Christine's mother Mrs Marj Butler, of Springhill, Dawley; Mrs Lily Rogers, of Portley Road, Dawley, who apparently was called Lilty Rogers; Mrs Margery Amias, from Castle Road or Trinity Road, Dawley, who was the main cook. On the right hand side are Mrs Joan Bailey, from Deepfield Road; Mrs Annie Heighway from Johnston Road; and Mrs Vera Kitson, of Webb Crescent. After we published this picture in the past Margery Amias' daughter got in touch to explain what's going on. "The occasion was on a summer Saturday morning, about 1960, when a gentleman from the Shirehall in Shrewsbury had arranged to come along and show how to build a field kitchen in the event of a National Emergency." | Christine Heighway
7. Cooking steps
And here they are in their dinner ladies' uniforms. The date is uncertain but the picture was taken in the pre-Phoenix days. | Christine Heighway
8. Taste of a hot dog
The school's Sports and Gala Day in September 1963. Sampling the cooking of the 2nd Dawley Scout Group is Mrs R Penrhyn-Owen, while her husband, who was general manager of Dawley New Town Development Corporation, looks on. The cooks are Scoutmasters D W Lloyd and W A Edwards. | Shropshire Star archive