OUR recent articles on Weymouth Grammar School certainly stirred the memories of ex-pupil Bob Diamond.

Bob, aged 87, paid the Echo offices a visit to share some pictures of his time at the school.

Bob, of Grafton Avenue, Weymouth, attended the school - which was where Budmouth College is now - between 1942 and 1947.

His favourite activity at the school was doing sport - he played on the school football team and was a fan of the headmaster of the time - Mr Linnet.

Bob said: "I liked the sport at school most of all and I liked the fact that Mr Linnet was a disciplinarian. The school motto was 'work hard and play hard'."

When Bob attended the school he was known as 'Diamond' - a change from his previous school, Osmington Primary, where has was affectionately known as 'Bobby'.

"My headteacher in Osmington was Kathleen Flint and she was a wonderful teacher. She used to call me 'Bobby'. She was so good at getting pupils into the grammar school, she would help us be ready for the eleven plus. Every time we moved up a year in the school we would move forward a row in the classroom and you knew that when you got to the very front you had made it!

"When I arrived at the grammar school I was surprised to see all the teachers wearing gowns."

Bob enjoyed his time in Weymouth Grammar School's cadets and attended camps in Dewlish, Cornwall and Poundbury. In the1945 picture he has shared with us of an inspection in the boys' playground he can be seen on the far left as an 15-year-old when he used to wear size 11 boots!

On the left is Sgt Major Dowel or Portland, and on the right is Inspecting Officer Major Ted Honeybun with headmaster Lt Col C.F. Linnet on the far right.

Mr Linnet, whose nickname was 'Cocker' was also president of the Dorset FA.

Bob said: "He was a class one referee and was well known in football circles for introducing a 'no steps' rule for goalkeepers."

If you look carefully in this picture, Bob says, you can see air raid shelters in the background. "I remember taking exams when an air raid would be on," he recalls.

You can also spot the covered walkway which divided the boys' and girls' playgrounds at the school.

"During break time the masters would patrol the covered walkways and stop any boys from talking to any girls," Bob remembered.

Bob loved his time on the football team and even remembers winning the Dorset schools junior cup.

He left Weymouth Grammar School in 1947 and had planned to work in the drawing office of a dockyard or for Ordnance Survey in Southampton.

"But my father got thrown off his horse and bust his knee so I had to stay and help on the family farm in Osmington," Bob said.

Bob had to do six months' national service and four years in the Territorial Army - he was 24 when he was demobbed.

He then went on to help a friend who had injured his collarbone while playing football and would drive a car selling tobacco for Bournemouth Wholesale Tobacco company, based in Great George Street, Weymouth. It was a temporary arrangement but Bob ended up staying there for 40 years! The company went on to become the Weymouth Wholesale Tobacco company.

In 1957 Bob married Brenda Fall after meeting at a dance - the pair have been happily married for 61 years and have a daughter who lives in Bath. Brenda is a former bookbinder for Sherrens printers and was once the county high jump champion.

And although much time has passed since he left school, the memory of Weymouth Grammar School stays with Bob forever when he drives past Budmouth.

He said: "To this very day every time I go past the school I salute it, just like we used to have to do at the grammar school every day."

Thanks to Bob for his very vivid memories, which certainly brought Weymouth Grammar School to life.