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only rules are: real names only, no personal attacks and no unrelated messages (inappropriate messages may be edited/withdrawn without warning).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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Viewing messages 381 to 390

Alan Coombes

I thought it was "Lang may your lum reek", whatever a 'lum' is, supposedly a chimney??

Fri 3-Jan-2014 14:42 - Boston MA

From Mike T: It is, and it is ... but Alex was spoonerising :-)

Alex Patterson, '46-'51, VUA | alexpatterson~AT~videotron~DOT~ca

Hi Mike,
It’s New Year 2014 there in the UK and it’s still Old Year 2013 here in Montreal. It’s - 18 C at the moment, going steadily downwards to a high of - 23 C on Friday. Roll on summer.
If I’m the first contributor in your New Year, here’s wishing you and yours a happy and healthy 2014. My wish is for more readers and contributors and I second Bruce’s offer of help. If there’s anything I can do long distance please let me know and I’d be happy to do something to help keep the SSGTSFB site vibrant.
And Michael, I thought the expression was, “Lang may your rum leak.” It certainly will be here the nicht.
Aaarra best from a cold and snowy Montreal.
Regards,
Alex Patterson

Wed 1-Jan-2014 01:48 - Montreal, Canada

Michael Lawrenson 1946 | lawrenson~AT~hollyburn~DOT~plus~DOT~com

New Year greetings from Scotland to Mike and all the ‘trusty crew’. Here’s to 2014 (a long, long way from 1946!), have a good Hogmanay and lang may yer lum reek.

Mon 30-Dec-2013 23:49 - Scotland

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

Mike

Just a thought (and it probably would be a logistic nightmare) but when you mentioned the timescale for the transcribing of old data I was reminded of a similar problem faced by the originators of a site called FreeBMD (free Births Marriages and Deaths) that I am sure many of us have visited. They enlisted the help of thousands of local volunteers to help with the task.

Is it possible that any of us could help you - your trusty band of correspondents that Neale mentioned.

As has been regularly mentioned you have done such a fantastic job in putting it all together, and we have all benefited enormously, that if assistance could be made to work then please count me in.

Bruce

PS And by the way, a Happy New Year to you all!!!

Mon 30-Dec-2013 16:41 - Ruskington, Lincolnshire

From Mike T: Bruce - Happy New Year to you too.

Thanks for the thoughts. Indeed, in the early days I did consider getting help with the transcriptions. But I decided that the investment in writing software, distributing the source material and doing the admin would probably take about as much time as transcribing the 10,000 names. Had there been 100,000 I might have felt differently.

But it's good to know that there is help should it be needed!

Mike Todd

Thanks to Neil and Alex for their best wishes.

As the site hits its 12th birthday, it seems to remain fairly popular, although visitor numbers have dropped a bit over the past couple of years.

My time in retirement is being spread a bit thin, and progress that I'd like to make has not been what I'd have hoped for. There are still quite a few Atoms (and the Westoe chool's "Westovian" magazine) to be processed and uploaded, along with lots more school photos (either new, or improved quality).

The database of pupils from 1885 to 1975 is more or less complete (nearly 10,000 names!), but data protection laws may limit how much of this can be made available online. However, I have been trying to match those in the school photos with the database which should, in due course, allow a better photo name index (possibly extending to the Atom and other areas of the site).

In the meantime, our old school seems to go from strength to strength. The year was marked with the Executive Head, Ken Gibson, being given a knighthood - something of a rareity in the world of education.

A very Happy Christmas (or should I say Boxing Day) and New Year.

Thu 26-Dec-2013 09:20 - Rothbury, Northumberland

Backhouse | nealebackh~AT~gmail~DOT~com

Merry Christmas Mike,
Steady at the helm, from your trusty crew:
Ed,Fred,Cloustan,Michael,Alex,Eric,Bruce,B
ryan,Robin,George,Alan and from all the others I may have missed. And from me, Neale.

Thu 26-Dec-2013 01:52 - Victoria BC

Alex Patterson, '46-'51, VUA | alexpatterson~AT~videotron~DOT~ca

Hi Mike,
It’s Christmas Eve here in Montreal and all the family are here for the celebrations, from two years old to seventy eight. We’ve had really poor weather for the last few days with 25 cm of snow, ice pellets and freezing rain. The temperature currently is -14 C going down to - 18 C tonight. With the windchill factor it feels like -25 C.
However it’s getting better and promises to be better for tomorrow. So I wish you and all your readers and contributors, a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.
Take good care of yourselves and your loved ones wherever you may be, after all that’s all that really matters.
Regards from a cold but clear skied Montreal.
Alex Patterson

Tue 24-Dec-2013 21:53 - Montreal, Canada

clouston chalmers | clouston1~AT~shaw~DOT~ca

Re David Abernethy.
Worked with David from 1946 until 1954.
One of the men I looked up to in my lifetime
South Shields is a better place today because of the volunteer work David did with the Rotary Club (and others).
It's the quiet people who pass through this life that make a difference.
David was one.

Fri 20-Dec-2013 20:41 - Cranbrook BC Canada

Ed Forster | r2edforster~AT~live~DOT~ca

Another Xmas is almost here, I only recall about 84 of them (88 next month)
I'd like to wish Mike & all the GB contributors a great Xmas & a healthy & happy new year from a snowy & caad PEI.

Thu 19-Dec-2013 12:40 - PEI Canada

Joan Geach | jgeach~AT~y7mail~DOT~com

My father David Parr Abernethy passed away suddenly at home in Durham he was 91 years old. He attended South Shields High Scool for Boys from 1931 to 1938.

Mon 16-Dec-2013 05:47

From Mike T: Joan - a belated thank you for letting us know, and our sympathies.

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