A FORMER Lowestoft schoolboy who now lives across the pond has taken a trip down memory lane after uncovering some photographs from his childhood.Neil Whyman left Lowestoft in 1974, but after living in Ipswich, Durham and Chelmsford, he moved to Pennsylvania, USA during the mid 1990s.

A FORMER Lowestoft schoolboy who now lives across the pond has taken a trip down memory lane after uncovering some photographs from his childhood.

Neil Whyman left Lowestoft in 1974, but after living in Ipswich, Durham and Chelmsford, he moved to Pennsylvania, USA during the mid 1990s.

During a recent period of reminiscing, Mr Whyman uncovered these two pictures which feature him on an end of term outing with Gorleston Road Primary School in July 1971 and as part of the Roman Hill Middle School band in March 1972.

The primary school picture shows the fourth year junior class aboard the sailing barge SS Cambria in the harbour at Lowestoft.

Standing on the left of the mast are Rosemary Jackson, Katie Bean, Jane Balder, William Hill, Susan Cutler, Karen Alexander, Lynn Porter, Julie Sustins and Elizabeth Boyd. Sitting in front of them are Jacqueline Forster and Julia Riess. Between the sail and mast is Alan Dungate.

To the right of the mast are Simon Preston and Michael Paine. In front of them are Michael Pretty, Neil, Carol Ellis, Sally Greengrass and Caroline Thompson. In front of these are Ian Moore Richard Patrick and Kim Williams, while the five boys sitting at the front are Phillip Wink, Mark Ford, Paul Wylie, Andrew Ingles and finally David Hutton.

Those who were also in the class but not pictured are John Parker, Denise Jarvis, David Thacker, Ian Symington and Mark Dunster.

The picture at Roman Hill Middle School was taken when Neil had just turned 12 years old.

'Roman Hill had been a secondary school up until the immediately prior school year, so it had just shed its fourth and fifth years. We were the first intake as a regular middle school year. But it was boys only at that time. They didn't start mixing the first year until we were in our third year,' he said.

Amongst those pictured in the band are old classmates David Hutton and Michael Paine, who are far left of the back row. Neil is in the middle row holding the trombone, while three to his right are Ian Moore, Paul Wylie, Andrew Crisp and Malcolm Morling. In front of Malcolm is John Parker.

'I have been a trombone player ever since. I got to play for the Queen at the Silver Jubilee and I even ran a Symphony Orchestra for a while,' said Mr Whyman.

'My years in Lowestoft seemed like the best years of my life, and I was devastated to have to leave there in 1974 at the age of 14. These were good friends, and I often wonder what became of them.'