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Our schools archive continues to grow. Here Peter Seddon presents a short piece on Hargrave House in another of our popular 'Stories behind the Pictures' series. Although the school no longer exists, the building on Burton Road is a well-known Derby landmark, the International Hotel.

The delightful picture above was taken in either 1965 or 1966. It shows a teacher and her evidently very happy group of children peeking out of the window at Hargrave House School, Burton Road, Derby.

Little has been written about the now long-defunct school, although the distinctive yellow-brick building itself has become quite a familiar landmark. It is now the International Hotel, which countless motorists and pedestrians pass by each day on the road linking Derby city centre to Littleover and beyond.

More memories of the school are required, but here is what is known so far.

It was a private establishment which - certainly by the 1960s at least - was exclusively for pre-school children aged between 4 and 5.

Documentary evidence suggests the school certainly existed as early as the 1940s, and a foundation date of 1946 has been suggested by at least one source. The Principal in the 1940s was possibly a Mrs. M. E. Huxley, and at that time it is thought the children wore a smart uniform of brown blazers with a yellow trim.

By the 1960s the Principal was believed to be the late Jeffery Tillett, who subsequently became a well-known Tory councillor and in 1977 Derby's very popular mayor, the first for the newly-created City of Derby.

The picture is thought to have been taken at the rear of the building and the children were looking out over the area which is now the car park to the International Hotel.

Only one of the names is known - the grinning face second row second left belongs to Littleover-born Kate Ibbitson. In the fullness of time she progressed to Littleover Secondary School and qualified as a Chartered Surveyor.

Quite when the school ceased to operate is not known for certain, but one source has suggested a date of 1968.

This is one of the schools featured in our archive for which more memories are needed. If you can add to this piece or put more names to faces, just click on 'edit' or 'discussion' to make a contribution.

• Hargraves House School became Hotel International
• The 'Stories Behind The Pictures'

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County:  Derbyshire