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From Robert Cook in Canada:

Attached is a picture of the Ardrossan Academy Junior boys choir which won the Ayrshire Festival Cup. I believe this was 1954 as I was in Form 1.
The music teacher was Miss Scrimger and the Headmaster was MacFarlane.
We sang the Welsh song “Men of Harloch”.
Besides myself (second back row extreme right with the specs) the only other name I remember is Bruce Macdougal
second from the left 3rd row up from the front.

I recognise a few faces of former Eglinton school pupils who moved to the Academy after the "Qualifying", including Robert. Possibly David Alcroft seated in front of Robert, and another standing next to Robert. Also on the left of the cup, can't recall the names though.

Anyone recall other names?

I recognised Bruce McDougall who lived in Linn Road, Ardrossan, and I think Douglas Davis from Rowanside Terrace, Ardrossan, is also in the photograph. And could the boy holding the cup be Jack Francis, also of Ardrossan?

I THINK I can name a few .
Working from the bottom as row 1
Row 1. 1st right. Brian Johnstone?
Row 2. 2nd from right. Douglas Beggs
3rd from right. Ian McNab
1st from left. Alan Leishman
Row 3. 1st from right.
3rd from right. Philip Taylor
5th from right. Jack Kerr
Row 4. 7th from right. Robin McPherson ?
9th from right. Ian Douglas

Hughie
The two you identified I believe are/were cousins.
I think Penny Tray is correct with the last name "Francis but I believe the first name was Alec or Alex

Robert, were all the boys in the same year as you. The ones I have tried to name were in my year but I don’t remember you.

I Believe all the boys were in form 1. I know I tried out for the choir again in form 2 but my voice had changed so got the boot.
There was also a senior boys choir and they sang "Scotland the Brave".
Though I don't remember you either I knew Bobby quite well as he was in my class at Eglinton. (see 1953 photo)

Robert Cook wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2020 5:33 am
I think Penny Tray is correct with the last name "Francis but I believe the first name was Alec or Alex

Robert,

My instant reaction was that the person holding the cup was Jack Francis, who was a year or two above me at Winton/Eglinton schools. However, having checked 'births' in the Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald database, I now think he had an older brother born 1942, who may have had a striking resemblance to him. Others will forgive me but living at one time within three doors of you, I know that you are older than me and that someone born in 1942 could indeed have been Alec or Alex Francis as opposed to Jack .

Robert Cook wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2020 4:55 pm
Though I don't remember you either I knew Bobby quite well as he was in my class at Eglinton. (see 1953 photo)

Bobby remembers you too but Iam confused (I know Hugh will say that’s not unusual) If you were in Bobby’s class you should have been a year ahead of me at the Academy as he was born 1941 and I was 1943.

Bobnetau

The more I think about it the more I am convinced that the photo was 1955 not 1954.
I left the Academy in June 1957 to emigrate and at that time I had just completed form 3.
So going back to form one that would make it 1955.
That being said I was probably one year ahead of you at the Academy.

I was born in 1942

Robert, are you related to Billy Cook who was also in Bobby’s class.
The boys I mentioned in the choir photo were in my year at the Academy, think you must have been a year ahead

Billy was not a relative though I was friendly with him in the lower grades.