About This Site

This site is called 'Costons' because it's all about Costons School - right? Wrong, actually. You see there never was a Costons School. There were 3 Coston schools and this site is about one of them - Coston Junior Boys' School. But everyone used to refer to the school as 'Costons' and they probably still do.

Also, this site only deals with a small slice of Costons' history, that being the class taught by Kenneth Double during the period 1956-58. So the correct title for the site should be 'The Boys Taught By Kenneth Double At Coston Junior Boys' School During 1956-58'. I decided to call it 'Costons' - some decisions are easy.

So what was so special about that class that it merits a Website? Nothing really. We were just another contingent of the 'baby boomer' generation - born too late to have lived through any part of World War II but still old enough to remember sweet rationing and evenings spent reading or listening to the wireless. In Ken Double's class we did the same as every other bunch of 9 to 11 year olds at that time - chanted multiplication tables, practised writing using real ink and made works of art out of soggy newspaper. At break time we would swap cigarette cards, race Dinky cars, blister our hands on the climbing frame or play 'bunging'. This took place against a historical backdrop of the Suez Crisis, the first man in space, the Munich air disaster and the advent of Rock 'n Roll.

After leaving Costons most of us lost contact with one another and it stayed that way for over 40 years. But the wonder of the internet has enabled us to re-establish contact and to share our memories and memorabilia of those school years. However, memories are perishable - they need to be refreshed to protect them against fading and loss. THAT's what this site is about.

I am grateful to all those who have contributed to the site by supplying names, material and ideas. I have tried to acknowledge this in the relevant section. Special thanks are due to Bob Stanbrook for his on-going help, enthusiasm and support. I hadn't realised how strong friendships forged at an early age can remain, even with no contact. Perhaps I should have listened to more Rolf Harris records.

I would be delighted to receive further contributions for the site. Please email me