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
- You can enjoy this and more with our weekly FREE Nostalgia Newsletter - with scores of archive pictures and exclusive features on the history of Shropshire and Mid Wales - all sent to your inbox every week. Sign up here
13. Sitting in the Chetwood Hall
One of the new developments was the creation of a new assembly hall, which was called the Chetwood Hall, no doubt named after local council chairman George Chetwood. Here are pupils there in February 1972. The main assembly hall was called the Rainford Hall. | Shropshire Star archive
14. Proud pupil receives a trophy
Telford Journal editor Brian Mason makes a presentation to one of the schoolgirls in the early 1970s watched by, among others, head Richard Neal. | Shropshire Star archive
15. Piece of a panorama
Here's a section of one of those big panoramic school photos from the early 1970s. If you were at the school then, how many of the staff (and, indeed, pupils) can you name? | Submitted
16. Reaching out to the community
Phoenix was a pioneer in opening up school facilities to the general public. Here in 1981 at Phoenix Centre, as the community arm was called, a yoga mini congress is under way organised by West Midlands branch of the British Wheel of Yoga. The day included practical sessions and discussions led by Mr Philip Jones, guest instructor. | Shropshire Star archive