David Lydford (1964-71) remembers...

I joined Price’s school in September 1964 and stayed there until the July of 1971. I remember vividly my first day at Price’s having travelled there on the Provincial Bus from my council house home on the edge of Bridgemary, Gosport, resplendent in my cap, blazer and shorts. It was a completely alien environment to me and I remember being really quite scared. However it didn't take long before I settled into the regime at Price’s as a member of school house. Over the years I became embroiled in many activities including, The school orchestra, the CCF band (fife and bass drum),the 1st 15 rugby team, several school productions including playing in the orchestra for HMS Pinafore, being in the chorus for the Mikado and Iolanthe (the main benefit being that we got to meet the girls from Fareham Grammar and secondary schools) and rather prophetically the part of the Policeman in The Crucible. I also managed to secure a Flying Scholarship whilst in the RAF section, which lead to an enjoyable month flying a Cessna at Thruxton Race Circuit including 10 hours solo!

A fan from the School production of the Mikado, signed by all the performers.

Having only secured a meagre one ‘A’ level in Geography the time came for me to venture into a career, rather than university and having considered and discounted the Merchant Navy and the RAF (at 6’4” I was too tall for fast jets!) I found myself following my school friend Gary Hemmings into The Hampshire Constabulary as a Police Cadet. Over the next thirty years I slowly progressed through the ranks and was involved in many areas of policing until I was eventually promoted to Superintendent and commanded my own Division at Eastleigh from where I retired in 2002.

My wife Kate and I decided to move nearer to our son and daughter who were both married and living in North Wales. So in 2003 we moved to Gwalchmai on the Isle of Anglesey where we lived happily for 15 years, whilst I persued my further careers as a tutor in Further Education (having acquired a Cert Ed. F.E. and a B.A.(Hons) in Education whilst working in Police Training) and a ten year stint as a Foster Carer.

Seven years ago we moved to Marchwiel a small village on the outskirts of Wrexham and my days are now filled our six grandchildren, and my roles as Rotary (District Learning Facilitator), Cantorion Rhos Choir (Chair), Rossett Crown Green Bowls Club(Captain) and Trustee of our local village hall. No peace for the wicked!!