THIS is Darlington's West End taken in 1951 by Jimmy Blumer, the latest in The Northern Echo's series of Jimmy's extraordinary aerial views.

The West End is Darlington's educational epicentre. Standing in the middle of the picture is The Free Grammar School of Queen Elizabeth (No 1).

It was founded in 1563 and was based in the Lead Yard (where the new Town Hall is today) until 1878 when architect GG Hoskins built here in Vane Terrace.

In 1970, the grammar school became the Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College.

Beside it stands the British and Foreign Schools Society College for the Training of Mistresses for Elementary Schools (No 2).

This was built in 1876 by another well-known local architect, JP Prichett, and it trained teachers until the 1970s. It has been the Arts Centre since 1979.

In front of the grammar school and college stands Stanhope Park (No 3) which was laid out in 1879 to give the children somewhere to take the fresh air.

They were not allowed to play games here. The original suggestion for the name of the park was College Green, because of the educational establishments around it, but Stanhope Park was chosen out of deference to the former landowner, the Duke of Cleveland, who had just married the daughter of the Earl of Stanhope.

Also visible on Jimmy's picture is the Girls' High School (No 4) in Cleveland Avenue.

It was founded in 1885 in Trinity Road but moved to these premises in 1911.

In 1949, it was decided to transfer the school to Hummersknott and put the technical college from Northgate in its place.

Between 1955-1972, a large building programme created the college which now covers much of this green field.

It is also worth pointing out the site for Abbey Road School (No 5) which was built about ten years after the picture was taken, and also St Cuthbert's Girls Home (No 6), an orphanage that was built in 1922 and demolished in 1974.

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