Lae Primary “A” School,

(AKA Coronation Primary School)

~ 1951 to 1975 ~

School badge courtesy of Scott Martin)

Press F11 to maximize viewing.

 

Student/Teacher List dated from “new school building” 1951 to 1975

(Created and maintained, with your help, by Wendy Phillips. Our aim is
to encapsulate that post-WWII era through to Independence.)

·          See my Lae schools photo album for class photos referred to in “snippets”, plus links to PNG Forum and Schoolfriends:
a way to contact ex-schoolmates. You can also contact those ex-classmates who have signed my guestbook direct, or have me list your contact details here so they can get in touch with you.

 

NAME (× indicates active participant).

Student or Teacher

Current location & contact details

Parents’ names & PNG occupations

SNIPPETS (past & present)

Ahnon, Betty

Student

 

 

Scott Martin’s Grade 4 photo 1968. See Wendy’s guest book to get in touch.

Ahnon, Gwen

Student

 

 

See Grade 5 1963 photo from Larian Rutland.

Ahnon, Roderick×

Student

 

 

John Zuill’s Grade 3 photo, 1968. Roderick lived near China Town in Lae (info supplied by Cheryl Pech). See Wendy’s guest book to get in touch.

Albrecht, Jonathan

Student

 

Ralph & Sheila – engineer Qantas

Info supplied by Cheryl Davey & Jan Stuart. Thanks to Jan and Graham Campbell for correcting the original spelling.

Albrecht, Randolph

Student

 

 

Info supplied by Cheryl Davey

Arenas, Martin×

Student

 

Alf Arenas, Service station owner

Scott Martin’s Kindergarten photo ‘64 & Grade 4 photo ‘68, also Schoolfriends (Lae Primary School up to 1975). Worked In Local Government for 12 years, now owns a newsagency in the city. Married Kim Connolly, class of 76 Cairns State High; they have three young children

Armstrong, Ian

Student

 

 

Ian Weeks’ grade 2 photo 1964

Ashforth, Steve

Student 1967, ‘68

 

 

See Schoolfriends (Lae International Primary School).

Atherton, Martin

Student

 

Kit Atherton

Lesley Hawken’s Athletics Team photo 1959. Had a half-brother, Julian Collins (info supplied by Genevieve Breene).

Aveling, Alan

Student to 1963

 

 

Kim (Wendy) Seeto’s Grade 6 photo 1963

Bailey, (sister)

Student

 

 

Lived at Greenwich Village out near Malahang. Info supplied by Cheryl Davey

Bailey, Barry

Student

 

 

Lived at Greenwich Village near Cheryl Davey.

Bailey, Jim

Student

 

 

Lived at Greenwich Village near Cheryl Davey.

Bamber, Jim

Student 1966

 

 

See Schoolfriends (Lae Primary School up to 1975), also PNG Forum member (user name jim bamber)

Bangari, Norman

Student

 

 

John Zuill’s Grade 3 photo, 1968. Info supplied by Cheryl Pech.

Barbour, Stephen×

Student 1970-‘74

 

 

Lived at the end of 4th Street, where the back road ran along to Second Street and the TAA club. See Schoolfriends (Lae Primary School up to 1975). Remembers a time capsule being buried at one side of the grounds near the basketball courts where assembly was held.

Barbour, David

Student

 

 

Info supplied by Stephen Barbour

Barnes, Terry

Student

 

 

Info supplied by Rob Swinbourn. See also Grade 5 1963 photo from Larian Rutland.

Batze, Lorraine

Student to 1962

 

 

Same class as Jan Stuart and Leonie Phillips. Later attended Lae High School Info supplied by Jan Stuart.

Batze, Ray

Early student

 

 

Barbara Taylor’s Sports Day photo 1951

Batze, Ruth

Early student

 

 

Barbara Taylor’s Sports Day photo 1951

Bell, John

Student to 1963

 

 

Kim (Wendy) Seeto’s Grade 6 photo 1963

Bendall, Terry

Student

 

 

Injured hands. Info supplied by Cheryl Davey

Bigg, Chris

Student 1958-‘61

Darwin

Father: Pilot MAL, Ansett

Mother: secretary Dept Education

Chris and his family arrived in Lae in 1955, lived initially in 9th St, then 10th St, then Hibiscus Ave and finally in Casuarina Ave. He moved to North Lae Primary in ’62, then on to boarding school, and he and his parents went finish in 1973, his brother Michael following a couple of years later. Chris was drawn back to PNG; he spent 10 years with TAA in PNG and Australia prior to arriving in Darwin in 1982. Since then he has worked for the NT Government, mostly in transport administration, except for a year in the UK to obtain his Masters’. He has been married to Lynne for 30 years, they have three grown-up children, and his current position is Executive Director Transport. See Wendy’s guest book to get in touch.

Bigg, Michael

Student

Brisbane

See above

After finishing school, Michael spent a couple of years working for Ansett and the Kaivuna Hotel in Rabaul before moving to Brisbane around 1975. He is a lawyer and one of the senior partners in Bennett and Philp, and is married with two grown sons. (Info supplied by Chris Bigg.)

Birrell, Jim (Moresby)×

Student

Madang, PNG

Jim and Ela Birrell. Century Motors, Girl Guides.

See Grade 5 1963 photo from Larian Rutland. The Birrells are listed as living in Rotten row in Wendy Phillips’ PNG 1966 phone book. Jimmy’s mother Ela, was Flora Stewart’s daughter. (Flora built the Hotel Cecil), and was well-known in Lae for her involvement in Brownies and the Girl Guides movement. In 1977 she was awarded the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal for her work. She and Jim (senior) retired to Queensland in 1989 and Jim himself now lives and works in Madang. See Wendy’s guest book to get in touch.

Blackley, Neil

Student

 

 

Info supplied by Rob Swinbourn

Blackley, Terry

Student

 

 

Info supplied by Rob Swinbourn

Blackman, David

Student

Melbourne VIC

T.A.A.

Wendy (Kim) Seeto’s 1962 Red Cross photo; Diane Phillips’ Grade 5 photo 1964

Blackman, Rochelle

Student

 

Father, Larry was a pilot. Mother: Shirley

Reid Lowe’s class (see grade 1 1964 class photo. Info supplied by Reid Lowe).

Botterill, Danny

Student

 

 

Lesley Hawken’s Athletics Team photo 1959

Botterill, Kevin×

Student

KEVIN BOTTERILL

27 PACIFIC PROMENADE

CRAIGNISH/HERVEY BAY 4655

QUEENSLAND.

 

EMAIL: ockerkb@msn.com

PHONE: 07 4128 7173

 

In the same class as Leonie Phillips, Jim Dudgeon and Gary Gould. Kevin now lives in Craignish, Hervey Bay, Qld. His family lived in Lae from the mid 50’s to the mid 60’s. He remembers Steven Haynes, his best mate, who ended up going to Manus Island, also a teacher, Mr Huey, whom he thought was a great teacher. He can still remember a song Mr Huey taught the class – “Ricey”, about the war in the Pacific and the natives who helped save a lot of lives, and who only had rice and dried fish to eat. Kevin joined the army in ’67 and served a year in Vietnam. He would love to hear from any old PNG friends (see contact details left).

Botterill, Lynette

Student

 

 

Info supplied by Kevin Botterill

Botterill, Michael

Student

 

 

Info supplied by Kevin Botterill

Bohringer, Geoff

Teacher

 

 

Info supplied by Ross McDougall.

Bowman, Deborah

Student

 

 

Ian Weeks’ grade 2 photo 1964

Bowman, Peter

Student

 

 

John Zuill’s Grade 3 photo 1968, also Scott Martin’s, football photo 1970. (Info supplied by John Zuill, Scot Martin and Cheryl Pech.)

Bowman, Susan

Student

 

 

In Stephen Barbour’s class. Info supplied by Stephen, who advises that Susan’s family were long-time PNG residents.

Box, Barbara

Student

 

 

See Grade 5 1963 photo from Larian Rutland.

Box, Geoffrey×

Student 1963-65

 

 

Diane Phillips’ Grade 5 photo 1964

Bradford, Ralph

Student

 

 

Mark Milburn’s Grade 5 & 6 photo 1973 (info supplied by Michael de Rose).

Bragg, Susan

Student

Haberfield, NSW

Bill Bragg, Qantas (deceased), Norma

Cheryl Davey in touch with Bragg Family, who lived in Rotten Row, then 6th Street, Lae. Susan, who remembers being a princess in a school play, later married John Manly, and is Owner/Manager: Suzy Cue.

Breakspear, Bobbie

Student

 

Dept Education

Headmaster’s son, in Cheryl Davey’s grade

Breakspear, Dian

Student

 

 

Info supplied by Sandra Seeto. Dian was in her class.

Breakspear, Robert?

Headmaster 1954, ‘55

 

Dept Education

Info supplied by Cheryl Davey and Jim Dudgeon, who both remember getting the “cuts” from Mr Breakspeare.

Breene, Genevieve×