Cradock High School
Portsmouth, Virginia
1920 - 1992
The original building for Cradock High School was built in 1918 on the site of the current Cradock Middle School (at one time named Alf J. Mapp Junior High). The first school session was held in 1920 with 16 teachers and 546 students in grades 1 through 11. The school was named for Sir Christopher George Francis Maurice Cradock, Admiral in the British Navy, who went down with his ship off the coast of Chile in 1914. The Class of 1952 was unique in that it was the first class required to complete 12 years of schooling in order to graduate. Those who began school at the "Cradock High and Elementary School" in 1940 would have the additional year, called 8th grade. All of those students were bussed to Alexander Park School. During that year they had their own sports teams, proms, May Day, and matured into upcoming Freshmen and returned to "Cradock High School" in the Fall of 1948.

The second building for Cradock High School was built in 1954. It housed grades 7 through 12. In 1979, the Norfolk Naval Shipyard presented the "Anchor of Friendship" to the school. Also dedicated to the school was a ship's bell from the USS Gettysburg. The "Victory Bell" was always struck 7 times after each athletic victory. When the final bell rang at Cradock in 1992, it was one of only two high schools in the area that housed 8th grade.

Since 1937, Cradock High School produced 8,502 graduates. Many of us have since left the area to go on to other things. But no matter how far we travel, CHS will always be home. For it is gone, but not forgotten.

Remembering Cradock Students Who Are
Gone But Not Forgotten
Cradock Teachers & Administrative Staff
  1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990
  1931 1941 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991
  1932 1942 1952 1962 1972 1982 1992
1923 1933 1943 1953 1963 1973 1983  
1924 1934 1944 1954 1964 1974 1984  
1925 1935 1945 1955 1965 1975 1985  
1926 1936 1946 1956 1966 1976 1986  
1927 1937 1947 1957 1967 1977 1987  
1928 1938 1948 1958 1968 1978 1988  
1929 1939 1949 1959 1969 1979 1989  

Cradock High School Yearbooks Index

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