Former Penwortham head boy and girl reunite after 66 years

Sonia Ward and Roy Rich. Penwortham_12/9/22_©Andy Ford

The first Head Boy and Girl at Penwortham Priory Academy were reunited after almost 66 years and met the current students in the posts.

82-year-old Sonia Ward (nee Taylor) visited the school earlier in the year and after viewing the story in the press, Roy Rich, who was the Head Boy alongside her contacted the school to arrange to visit the school with her.

When Sonia and Roy attended the school it was called Penwortham Secondary Modern School.

Roy said: “I saw it in the newspaper and made contact with the school. It’s great to come in and see the school. I have got lost already as it’s totally different!

“It’s weird as both Sonia and I went to work at County Hall, it’s a vast place, and we never saw each other so this is the first time I have seen her since we left school.

“My son Graham, who now teaches in Spain, attended Priory so my last visit would be with him when he left to go to Runshaw College,” said Roy, 82, who finished his career as the Local Government Review Officer for Lancashire County Council.

“It was an honour to be Head Boy then, one of my jobs was to instil a little bit of discipline. Smoking was a big thing then so my job was to report it to the Head Master.”

Sonia said: “It’s amazing, as soon as I saw Roy I recognised him immediately. I haven’t seen him since I was 16 but he still looks the same!”

Roy and Sonia met the current Head Boy and Girl. Penwortham_12/9/22_©Andy Ford

The duo looked at archive photographs of their time at Priory with the new Head Prefects, Fatima Hussain, Ben Middleton and Taylor Grafton.

Fatima said: “It was amazing looking at the photographs. It’s weird as some of it looks like a different school although some parts look the same with different decorations. It’s great to be able to meet Sonia and Roy and follow in their footsteps.”

One thing that hasn’t changed is football – Roy was in the Priory football team and Taylor was happy to share football stories with Roy!

They gave Sonia and Roy a tour around the school and Taylor added: “It was a pleasure to meet them and hear their stories.”