The generational divide disappeared in an instant when a school's present-day pupils met its oldest known living alumni.

Former pupils of Archbishop Tenison's Church of England High School, now in their nineties, came face-to-face with youngsters of today to mark the Selborne Road school's 300th anniversary.

Stanley Kirby, 96, and Yvonne Secker, 93, recalled their schooldays as they spoke to pupils at the launch of a book about Archbishop Tenison's history.

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Memorabilia in an exhibition about the school's history at Fairfield Halls

Ms Secker recalled a curriculum including cleaning, knitting and needlework, while Mr Kirby vividly remembered watching an R101 jet fly over the school in 1930 on its maiden overseas voyage to France, where it crashed killing 48 people onboard.

The two former pupils had never met before because when they were pupils, girls and boys were segregated at school.

The book, Archbishop Tenison’s School - A History, was written by local historian David Smith.