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On 30th December, 2002, a reunion was organised for the South
Shields High Schools and Grammar Schools. It was the first time such an event had been held, and
it was a huge success. The article below is from the Shields Gazette of 3rd January, 2003, and
is reprinted with their permission.
Names not given in the article:
Back: Audrey Searle (nee Purvis), ?, Maureen Turnbull (nee Overton), Bert Land, Alan Johnson,
John Coulson
Front: Noreen Gasston (nee White), Eric Moyse (organiser), Adrienne Land (nee Little) |
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OLD PUPILS GO BACK TO SCHOOL |
AN old boy at a South Shields school travelled
from the other side of the world to meet up with old classmates at a reunion back in the town.
Age and distance proved no barrier to former classmates determined to attend
a get-together of former pupils who attended South Shields High School for Boys and Girls
and South Shields Grammar-Technical Schools.
More than 300 people turned out for the event held at the South Shields
and Westoe Club on Monday.
And the prize for the person travelling the furthest went to Colin
Henry, who came all the way from Tasmania to meet up with some old pals.
Also in attendance were three octogenarians and 10 former staff, most
of whom were also former pupils. |
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Councillor Joan Jackson (nee Blenkinsop),
another ex-pupil, attended with her husband and mayoral consort, Arthur.
Alex Patterson also telephones from his home in Quebec, Canada, with a "wish
I was there" message.
Tributes were also paid to three distinguished former pupils who died in
2002 - John Erickson, Professor Robert Wilson and the author James Mitchell, creator of TV's
When the Boat Comes In.
Eric Moyse, one of the event organisers, said visitors brought selections
of old school memorabilia, such as scarves and caps, and reveals that a visitors' book, signed
by those in attendance, was now kept at Harton Comprehensive, the successor school to the
former Boys' Grammar. |
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