UPDATE (how things are going)

This Web site now has a page for those who want to publicise when they will be at the reunion. If you want to let people know if and when you're attending just email me (or contact Eric Moyse, or Ian McKenzie, phone details are below) and I'll put the details on the page as quickly as I can (the main page for the site will note whenever the page is updated).

However, for privacy, this page is "hidden" - it isn't linked from anywhere, and only those who know exactly where to look will be able to see it. Old Boys and Girls (and staff) who are attending the reunion can have the details of the page on request from me, Eric or Ian.

Please let us know who you are, when you were at the school, when you're likely to go, and also any contact details (address, phone and/or email details) so that fellow Old Boys and Girls can get in touch.

What we would like to do (and thanks to Bruce Graham for this idea) is to maintain this page after the reunion to reflect just who exactly did go (if nothing else, you'll know who you missed!)

The reunion itself was the idea of Eric Moyse, and he reports that Pat Kitson (nee Gillan and wife of Ian) asked Janis Blower to publicise the event. Janis (a former pupil of the Girls’ School and whose husband attended the Boys’ School) gave the event a good write-up in Cookson Country and the article can currently be seen on the Gazette website. Pat is also kindly looking after some of the domestic arrangements

Ian McKenzie organised a reunion for his age group a couple of years ago and is liaising with Paul Byrne, a former pupil and present teacher at the school. Ian is also doing a sterling job of information and invitation while Paul is seeing to memorabilia. Ian is getting help from Graham Abrahamson who is sending out invitations to many of his contemporaries.

One distinguished pair of former pupils who will be attending are Her Worship the Mayor of South Tyneside, Joan Jackson (nee Blenkinsop), and her husband and consort, Arthur.

What may be the longest journeys undertaken to the reunion will be that of Colin Henry, who is making the trip from Tasmania, and there will be others from many parts of Britain. I (Mike Todd, that is) hope to be there too, although this will depend on a number of factors, as I finish work in London after a 12-hour night at 8am on the day! If I do make it, I'll bring the new-look Web site with me on a laptop (the new-look site will go online on 3rd January) and I'll have camera and scanner to capture any material that may be brought, in order to preserve it electronically.

Visitors should bring their own memorabilia and in addition there will be visitors’ book, which will afterwards be kept at Harton Comprehensive the successor school to the former Boys’ Grammar School.

As the event goes on for eight hours, old boys and girls will not wish to miss seeing what the ravages of time have done to their contemporaries (thanks to Alan Staff for that turn of phrase) and so arrive at specific times. One particular age group now in their mid-sixties has arranged to be there at 7pm and if any other group of friends have times in mind they may telephone Eric on 0118 975 1216 or email him at eric.moyse@ntlworld.com.