Brandeston Hall near Framlingham 75 years as pupils return

Jim Blythe, who now lives at Stowmarket, was the first boy to arrive at Brandeston Hall - and it was all boys for its first 30 years.

Jim Blythe was the first boy to arrive at the school in 1948 - and remembers being told to beware of bombs in the area! (Image: Paul Geater)

He remembered:  "The first person we saw was the headmaster, David Kittermaster. He told me to go and look around, but don't wander too far or pick anything up because it could be a bomb!"

The hall, parts of which date from Tudor times, had been an army headquarters during the Second World War and had been bought by the Society of Old Framlinhamians (SOF) as a permanent memorial to former College pupils who had been killed in the wars.A group of the first boys at the school who were able to attend the reunion. (Image: Framlingham College)

Mr Blythe, who is now 85, remembers there were 60 to 70 boys at the school - all aged between eight and 13 years old - during the first year.

He continued his career at the college and later became President of the SOF which continues to support Framlingham today.

Visitors at the Brandeston Hall reunion. (Image: Paul Geater)

As well as former pupils, there were also former teachers at the event - including Bob Williams who spent nearly 40 years at Brandeston after arriving in 1970.

The reunion included a short service in the church - which thousands have attended over the years - and tours of the school by current pupils showing a very different place to that most remember.

Paul Geater found himself in a school picture from 1972. (Image: Framlingham College)

And there was an exhibition of old photographs and memorabilia in the Rowley Hall - giving visitors to chance to hunt for themselves in the years gone by.

The event was hosted by Junior School head Jonathan Egan and College Principal Louise North.