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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only rules are: real names only, no personal attacks and no unrelated messages (inappropriate messages may be edited/withdrawn without warning).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 500 messages in the guestbook
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Viewing messages 41 to 50

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

Indeed, Bruce - and welcome Earle Stobart!!

As for WWII entries, Bruce, so you get a rough idea if you go to the "Old Boys Database" on the front page.

In the date range just put 1939-1945 and you'll get a list. However, it will include all those who entered in September, 1945, after the end of the war.

It should return 905 records (but with very limited information for privacy reasons). I've queried the database and there were 743 who joined between 1/9/1939 and 5/9/1945

However, these are only approximate numbers/selections as there are other criteria which I didn't control for.

Wed 6-Sep-2023 09:49

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

Wow!!!

Not only a new contributor but one older than the "oldies".

Perhaps Mike has some record of those who entered our school during WW2.

Another Canadian too

Tue 5-Sep-2023 21:10 - ruskington lincolnshie

Earle Stobart | estobart~AT~sympatico~DOT~ca

Anyone left from the 1948 Higher School certificate class left

Tue 5-Sep-2023 14:54 - Canada

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

Not good news from the "oldies" who seem to be the only contributors. Wouldn't it be great if some of the "in-betweeners" -ie those before the internet - joined in.

I have a new rule for those in their later years. THOU SHALT NOT FALL DOWN STAIRS.

1. It hurts

2. The effects last forever.

Other than that follow Winston Churchill's dictum and "keep buggering on"

Fri 1-Sep-2023 20:26 - ruskington lincolnshie

Mike

Not sure, Neale - I'll have a look later (just heading off to the Freeman to have my kidneys checked!) - but it looks like the RETURN key got stuck
Just waiting to leave and checked - lots of RETURNS so I've removed the.

Thu 17-Aug-2023 12:42

Neale

Sorry about that Mike. What am I doing wrong?

Wed 16-Aug-2023 20:06

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

Sorry to hear about your hospital stay, following kidney problems, Alex. I will take heed of your advice about blood tests.
Maybe it was all those writhing winkles you consumed ( I know,I know,totally inappropriate.)That's sapper humour.

Liz and I have been below par of late too. I mentioned earlier to you about our cruise to Alaska. We caught Covid on the trip and for the final two days were quite sick. We're free of the virus now but it has left us feeling tired and listless and (myself) with a continuous cough. But I can't blame it on winkles.

Retirement homes are not yet a looming presence for us but I realise they're out there. I admit I couldn't help thinking "Another first for Patterson" One minute he's in VUA and the next he's in a retirement home. I look forward to you topping the bill at their next concert.
Keep well, both of you, and start practicing!

Wed 16-Aug-2023 20:03 - Victoria BC

Alex Patterson, VUA, 1946=1951 | ad1935ap~AT~gmail~DOT~com

Hello Mike, Neale, Bruce et al,
Winkles…….that’s the word I couldn’t recall…I don’t think I ever used the terms “Whelks or Willocks” By the way. I am neither dextrous nor ambidextrous although I would give my right hand to be.( corny old joke)
When I was going to the Odeon on Saturday mornings, I bought a sixpen’orth bag of winkles in a white paper bag, with one side longer than the other. Why
longer? I don’t know!!
This was my technique for disembowelling a winkle:-
1…..With bag of winkles in left hand, select a winkle with the right hand.
2…..Place bag into lap and transfer winkle into left thumb and index finger
3…..Take pin (safety pin, straight pin or upholstery pin) in right hand and remove winkle from shell. “Howk it oot”

P.S. I used an upholstery pin from my Mum’s sewing box; it had a shirt-button sized head with a short spiral pin…ideal for winkles.

On another topic I have just returned from a 5 week stay in Hospital. We went for our annual medical check up. My doctor didn’t like my bloodwork results and sent me for a repeat test. She called me immediately, “Go to emergency NOW!!” I did, even though I had no symptoms, pain or discomfort. I was diagnosed with ’acute kidney injury’ and my creatinine levels were 4 times higher than they should have been, in the high 500’s. I was injected with high doses of anti biotic until the readings started to recede into the mid 200’s where it seems to have stabilized. So go get your bloodwork done on a regular basis. It’s worth the effort,,,it might save your life,
The medical care here in Toronto is marvellous, the help has been fantastic and we are being well looked after by our three fabulous daughters. We’ll be moving into a retirement home next month.
Best wishes from a sunny and warm North York,
Alex

Tue 15-Aug-2023 17:44 - North York, Ontario, Canada

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

Hi Mike. Hope you are keeping well.

Alex and Bruce's foray into the world of whelks,Willocks and winkles (I seem to remember they were winkles on the Sutton) had me returning in memory to what was virtually a rite of passage at the time they describe. I must admit that I failed miserably to pass the test . Nothing could persuade me to disembowel an unfortunate winkle by means of a pin and pop him in my mouth. I watched other kids do it and marvelled at their dexterity,and feeling at the same time the stigma of failure which attended my decision. I was forever banished from the winkle crowd. I am therefore intrigued by Alex's admission that he carried a bagfull (presumably a cornet of newspaper) of these creatures to the Odeon National Cinema Club. How did he manage the disembowelling in a darkened cinema. He only had two hands, one to hold the bag and the other to select a victim. So where did the pin fit in?
I was also a member of the Odeon Club.(The first movie was an animated version of Gullivers Travels) and remember the soft drink stall in the Market Place, as we emerged in bright sunlight, and bought Dandelion and Burdock with it's frothing beer like head. That put a suitable cap on the morning's entertainment.
Liz says It's movie time.
Bye for now, Neale,

Sat 8-Jul-2023 04:58 - Victoria BC

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

I love Alex's recollection of the Saturday morning at the Odeon, But, Whelks? Quite large and up-market!

On the other hand you could buy a packet of winkles in the market en-route to the Odeon, enjoy them courtesy of a pin and then throw the shells around!!

Anyone who is not from that generation will be wondering what the (Choose your own expletive) are these ancient people talking about.

But we're still here.

Fri 7-Jul-2023 18:44 - ruskington lincolnshie

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