View attachment 184873
Well, it's taken me a while to reply to this - I had no idea such a forum existed and only came across it yesterday. The last line from Spargone above prompted me to dig out a photo from our family album of what appears to be a Mapledene male voice choir in cowboy gear - probably around 1957. Our choir director (whose name escapes me) was a fan of Burl Ives, so we sang "Big Rock Candy Mountain", and 'Chivalrous Shark".
So, back row, l to r, David Hughes, Ivor James. last on right Brian Astley. Front row, l to r, Julian Partridge, MIchael Smith, Roger Macfadyean, unknown, yours truly Christopher (Chris) Rowan, Jeffrey someone.
It's been a long time since I thought about Mapledene, so it was good to find my memories refreshed by some of the posts here. Messrs Wimpery, Cullen, Bates, and course Mrs. Best (and Miss Hay).