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Lynne Platt (Heywood) - 1961/65
Christchurch, New Zealand

Ah! Winton!  I nearly didn’t go there, the school boundaries kept on changing.  My oldest sister Pauline attended Winton, my middle sister was due to wear her cast offs, but the boundaries changed and she attended Ellesmere Park.
My Mother duly kept any items of clothing she had out-grown and discarded the Wintonian uniform, (with the exception of the school tie and sash). By good fortune (for me, not Mum & Dad), the boundaries changed once again and I was zoned to attend Winton, hence the love/hate relationship with my Secondary School began.
I attended Winton from the Summer of 1961 to the Summer of 1965. I remember the first assembly where all the new entrants were placed into temporary forms. I sat there resplendent in my new uniform (but with my sisters used and faded school tie and sash). I wore them throughout my time at Winton, and still have the tie. To my utter astonishment, I was placed (temporarily in Form F1). After the entrance examinations, I was further amazed to find that I was still in Form F1. Mum and Dad were duly very proud and I was duly puzzled.
During my four years at the school, I believe there was a mutual liking between myself and some of the teachers, Miss Littler, Mrs Livesey (nee Wilkinson), Miss Cooper, (bless her, I must be the worst art student she has ever come across). She used to look at my masterpieces! suppress a smile, then proceed to enhance them with the stroke of the paint brush. She would then stand back and say, “Doesn’t that look better!” I wholeheartedly agreed. When the marks were given at exam time, I usually managed a B, because she marked my work on the finished product.
Miss Hawkins to whom I owe my love of the written and spoken word. She believed in me and as I had a slight stammer when I commenced at Winton, with her assistance I overcame this and my confidence in the spoken word blossomed.
Miss Hunter, who put up with an awful ego performance from me for four years (I was very good at sports, and I knew it).
The reverse side of this was Miss Williams, there was a very strong dislike/dislike from the first moment we met – and this continued throughout my four years.

I wasn’t a naughty student (mischievous maybe), like when we had craft lessons with Miss Ellison, I used to sniff sneezing powder. The resulting noisy attacks were of amusement to the class, but a sheer puzzlement to Miss Ellison who decided I must be allergic to some of the raw materials we used. Then there was the ‘Super Choir’. We had to sing The Holly and the Ivy, and by sheer chance, I hit all the right notes and along with five other students was placed in this league. I was terrified, I don’t have a bad voice, but I am definitely not in the Super League. When we had to do a verse (just the six of us) I either mimed, or, if I didn’t know the words, would mouth Rhubarb, Rhubarb throughout our performance – I managed to pull this off for four years.
Academically, I loved English and History. I hated Maths (I decided early on that I would have nothing whatsoever to do with numbers, except in the most basic of ways) and I believed Geography was a complete waste of time as I WAS NEVER going to leave my beloved Manchester.
I did OK at school, Form F1, was followed by Forms S1, T1 and T41, then I left to join the big world of commerce. I started as an Office Junior at the Manchester Oil Refinery and progressed to the typing pool.
When that closed I moved onto Massey Fergusson C P O and moved from the typing pool there into the Audio (Dictaphone) pool – I had found myself – no numbers involved.
I spent most of my spare time following Manchester United, at home and around the Country. My boyfriends were mainly found on the terraces of Old Trafford, or at the ground of some other football team. This was to change in 1967.
To cut a long story short, I met a girl while watching my then boyfriend play soccer on the local park. She advised me she was going to the Silcock’s Fair in Leigh Street, did I want to go. I asked my boyfriend if he was interested in going, he declined, so we two females (I can’t even remember her name now) went to the Fair. We were on the Big Wheel and were about to get off when suddenly a young bloke (John) jumped in between us (apparently he knew the person I was with) and paid for us all to have another ride. At the end, she got off, I stayed on and he walked me home. Two weeks later he joined the R A F (he assures me it had nothing to do with our meeting) and in July 1970 we were married.
We spent the next eight and a half years moving around England, Scotland, Wales and we had three wonderful years stationed in Germany. Our daughter was born in a British Military Hospital whilst we were posted there, so that made our tour complete. It also gave us a glimpse of the life we would like to lead, ie. B B Q’s, entertaining at home rather than going to the pub, eating out and much, much more. Also over this period of time, as we moved around quite a bit, I took employment where I could find it and not only did typing, but learned about Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, General Ledger Entries, all things to do with the hated numbers, surprisingly, I found I enjoyed it.
John came out of the R A F in 1979 and in December of that year we emigrated to New Zealand. We spent the first seventeen years here in Auckland and moved to Christchurch almost 6 years ago. Since I have been here in N Z, Career wise, I have concentrated on Accounts Work, and my last few jobs have been as Company Credit Controller/Credit Manager.
John and I started our own business last April importing decorative mouldings from Europe and it has been a huge learning curve for both of us, he with Sales and Marketing. I with the responsibility of the Companies Books, (Accountants should only be heard from once a year in my book) and also learning the RED TAPE and forms to be completed (in triplicate of course), with importing goods.
So for a slightly mischievous girl who WOULD NEVER EVER LEAVE MANCHESTER AND WHO HATED NUMBERS WITH A PASSION, I have come a very, very long way, both figuratively and actually.
Thank you Winton, and all those teachers who continued to pump information into my brain (even though it must have appeared to be a lost cause at times), as somewhere along the line, the information was stored and has helped me become the person I am today. Thank you too, to all the friends I made there (some came with me from my primary school) some were made there. I have memories (good and bad) but in the main good and I know I am a richer person for having known all of you.
wow! Lynne, wonderful memories, wonderful life. fantastic!- Ernie

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