THIS 1932 school photograph loaned by Jim Rigby marks a milestone in education.

Jim, then aged 12, is seated, arms folded, in the centre of the front row surrounded by pals from a variety of Leigh schools who had been brought together by education system reforms.

"We were the first pupils in the secondary modern school system," recalled Jim, of Sydney Avenue, Leigh.

"Before then pupils went through the same school until they left at 14. We were the first Leigh Central Council School pupils and our home was in the technical college building in Railway Road.

"I was looking through some old Journal records in the library and noted Westleigh and Manchester Road secondary schools also opened around the same time."

At Christmas 1933 Jim left school, and in February 1934 started work at the Albion Foundry, retiring from there in 1980.

Among his school colleagues pictured here are Ronnie Taylor (extreme left, back row) who found fame with Gracie Fields, and rugby player Percy Aldred (extreme left, front row).

Others include T Jones, G Hodson, K Brown, Mr Jeffries, L Coope, H Pasquill, C Alder, W MacDonald, L Stevens, J Webster, R Evans, H Flitcroft, R Keegan, L Flitcroft, E Goulden, L Hartley, W Allred, H Edwards, H Buckley, L Hindley and K Whittle. NON

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.