FOLLOWING the letter from Barry Rogerson published in SAM, readers may be interested to know of Lonnie Donegan's connection with St Ambrose College.

Lonnie Donegan - then named Anthony - attended St Ambrose at its original site in dunham Road, Altrincham. We know this from first hand accounts and an original Easter 1945 copy of 'The Ambrosian', the school review, showing that he won the first prize in Form III in 1945. He also contributed an article to the magazine.

Finally, he appears on the 1947 school photograph, a copy of which can be seen in the Old Boys' display cabinet in the school foyer.

Br Malachy Gillen, Province Secretary, Congregation of Christian Brothers.

LONNIE Donegan moved to this area with his mother from London to escape the blitz in the Second World War and lived with his uncle Tom and Auntie Grace at 29 Hillcroft Road, Oldfield Brow. He briefly attended St Ambrose College in Hale during his short stay in Altrincham.

Tom and Grace Baxter became Mayor and Mayoress of Altrincham in the Fifties and Lonnie kept in touch, visiting them often.

Sadly the Baxter family have all passed away, so severing all ties with Altrincham.

Ken Glarvey, Timperley.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.