Old Boys, Girls and Teachers Guestbook

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Welcome to the Guestbook
Feel free to add messages relating to the site and the school. The only rules are: real names only, no personal attacks and no unrelated messages (inappropriate messages may be edited/withdrawn without warning).

It would be appreciated if you gave an email address, where you now live and said when you were at the school, but you don't have to.

Plase note that if you click on an email address below you will need to replace ~DOT~ with . and ~AT~ with @ in your email program. The Guestbook presents these this way to avoid email address harvesters collecting your email addresses from the page. I know it's a pain, but it's very much better than the alternative.

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There are 501 messages in the guestbook
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Viewing messages 191 to 200

Bruce Graham | bsgraham~AT~btinternet~DOT~com

Robin Leslie has a very good memory!

Yes I was a chorister at St Peter's church which led to an interesting event when I went to our school in 1950.In those days the school had a (really quite good) choir that led the choral efforts at morning assembly, among other things. Each year Mr Jackaman (head of Music) had a recruiting drive among the new boys to bolster the ranks in his choir as the older boys left because of breaking voices. Based on my experience at St Peter's I put myself forward for inclusion. Now, although I had several years experience as a chorister I have to confess that my vocal talents were limited and Mr Jackaman was very dubious about taking me on. However, he gave me the benefit of the doubt and I joined the choir as the pictures in the school photographs for 1950/52 verify.

Robin, I have no knowledge of what happened to Mr Rpbertson but I do recall the choirmaster at St Peters. The other person who sticks in my mind was Mr Fairs who lived in a very big house in North Avenue and held memorable Christmas parties for the choir.

Thu 27-Jan-2022 14:53 - ruskington lincolnshie

Robin Leslie | robin~DOT~leslie~AT~yahoo~DOT~com

Hello all who continue to be in touch with this excellent Alumni website, and a special thanks to Mike for a great effort on all our behalf. A word for Bruce(Graham). Bruce I think you said a while back, that you had sung in St. Peters Church Harton choir between 1948-1954 and you remembered a Mr. Davidson (never knew his Christian name)the choirmaster with tuning fork at the ready. Just to recap do you know what happened to Rev. Henry Robertson. Others who were in the choir at that time were Wentworth Driver, Geoffrey Hilcoat, Ronnie Kemp. I found out about Ronnie Kemp, he played a big part in South Shields Amateur Dramatic Society then moved to saltburn where he died 15 years ago. I have no idea what happened to anybody else(perhaps you know).Im trying to recover information about loose ends in Shields.

Tue 25-Jan-2022 15:11 - Cobham Surrey

Colin Harrison | 01mackem~AT~gmail~DOT~com

Hello, I just wanted to ask if anyone remembers me from 1965-73? I was in 1o, 2o, 3Sa, 4Sa, 5Sa and 6I. I was made House Captain by Fred, and had the honour of being addressed by him by my Christian name in front of the whole House. I later became an English teacher through his inspiration.

Wed 19-Jan-2022 16:05 - Knaresborough

Bryan Cooper | brayncc~AT~gmail~DOT~com

Does anyone have any information as to the whereabouts of Kenneth Cooke (1954-1959). He live in Witton Avenue, just as it joined Centenary Avenue. A friend of mine, Bill Scott, has recently been given some scout memorabilia that will be of great interest to him.

Sat 15-Jan-2022 12:41 - Whitchurch

Bruce Graham | bsgraham~AT~btinternet~DOT~com

Good to see Alex back in the Guestbook contributors fold ("We few" springs to mind!)

I seem to recall one of the few remembering the "Grahams" of the year ahead of them, particularly in respect of rugby. It was a curiosity - perhaps Unique ( a word not to be used lightly as it is an absolute adjective)
that there were three boys in the "A" form from 1945 sharing the same surname, two of them (my brother CD and GG) from the Sutton Estate,. It must have been very confusing for the teachers but I think the lads got by with appropriate nicknames base on initials.

I can't understand why the "old" school building isn't listed.

Thu 13-Jan-2022 19:00 - ruskington lincolnshie

Alex Patterson 5UA 1946-1951 | ad1935ap~AT~gmail~DOT~com

Hello Mike,
I forgot to mention that the reason our Boxing Day get-together was cancelled, was because my son-in-law host had contracted COVID. However here we are 10 days later and he is back to normal except for a lingering congestion; his latest test today shows him clear of infection
Regards,
Alex.

Thu 6-Jan-2022 01:54 - North York, Ontario, Canada

Alex Patterson, 5UA, 1946-1951 | ad1935ap~AT~gmail~DOT~com

Hello Mike,
I was sorry to read about your recent heart episode and hope that everything goes well with treatment and medication. I had my first heart attack over 50 years ago when I was 36 then two more 2 years ago. I didn't know I was having any problems...only a very bad cough. After the third attack I was taken to the emergency ward, still no discomfort and had a pacemaker installed next morning. no problems subsequently. I hope you'll be as lucky and you'll be at the 100th anniversary of the school...see you there. We spent Christmas Day with one of our daughters here in Toronto with two of our grandchildren and were due to spend Boxing Day with the whole family (15 of us) but COVID restrictions prevented that, limiting gatherings to 10 fully vaccinated people. Our middle daughter called to tell us the party was off...her husband had tested positive!! So we had to make do with a nosh up of French Toast and some Turkey that our Christmas Day son-in-law cut up for us.
Our Granddaughter and our two great-grandchildren joined us here last Tuesday so we managed to see the whole family in dribs and drabs over the holidays. I don't know about anyone else, but I find the days fly by...I thought being retired would be lazy days galore, but I'm busy from morning until bedtime and reading in bed is a thing of the past. Speaking of which, it's bedtime as I write...so 'Good Night' everyone and best wishes for a happy and healthy new year filled with good cheer.
Aaaaarrrabest,
Alex

Sun 2-Jan-2022 06:20 - North York, Ontario, Canada

Neale Backhouse | nealebackh~AT~gmail~DOT~com

Merry Christmas Mike and to all members of the Guestbook fraternity. I was about to say from the Colonies, but the mood here in BC is all about promoting the removal of all vestiges of Colonisation and emphasising efforts at reconciliation with indigenous groups. That said, the latest proposal to overhaul sections of the Provincial Museum, here in Victoria, which highlight the history of early, mostly British, settlers has met with a storm of opposition. Long cherished exhibits are being dismantled in efforts to "soften" the historical record. A sign of the times I suppose.

Fri 24-Dec-2021 19:54 - Victoria BC

Bruce Graham | bsgraham~AT~btinternet~DOT~com

Mike

"It" - the site - didn't just come into being, YOU created "it". All of us who have enjoyed your handiwork owe you an immense debt of gratitude.

Hang on in there, all oy you.

Sun 19-Dec-2021 13:31 - ruskington lincolnshie

Mike Todd | old~DOT~boys~AT~boyshighschool~DOT~co~DOT~uk

Can I just say a huge thank you to all those who have visited the site since it was created 20 years ago this week, particularly those who have commented here. I don’t often say much, but I read all messages (I think!)

There is so much affection for the old Alma Mater (yes, we do “revere thee, standing guard on northern shore”) and I’m pleased that the original plan to knock down the old school was ditched.

I had a couple of discussions with Ken Gibson at the time and stressed the hope that the old building would be preserved. I like to think these, and some of the content of this site, might have had some influence on the decision to preserve it. We even talked of trying to get it listed, but that didn’t happen.

The old building will be 100 years old in 2036 - I don’t know if I’ll be around then, but who knows.

2021 has been an awful year all round – not just with Covid, but on a personal level I ended up in hospital a couple of times in the early spring, had a burst gallbladder removed then went into severe sepsis. This latter has certainly affected my cognitive abilities, but I'm hanging in there.

Then my car fell apart - so I’m now driving an electric. And then the big storm hit. I was lucky to be less affected than many others here in Rothbury and the rest of Northumberland.

So I wish everyone here a VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS, and big hopes that 2022 will be markedly better for all. I also hope that the site continues to attract Old Boys over the coming years.

Sat 18-Dec-2021 22:49 - Rothbury, Northumberland

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