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only rules are: real names only, no personal attacks and no unrelated messages (inappropriate messages may be edited/withdrawn without warning).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 500 messages in the guestbook
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Viewing messages 471 to 480

Neale Backhouse '46- '51. | nealebackh~AT~gmail~DOT~com

Hi Mike
Now that my responsibilities extend to little more than emptying the dishwasher and putting out the garbage, it has taken a prod from Bruce and Michael to shake off my ennui and get me tapping again.
I was listening to a CBC radio interview this morning with Dustin Hoffman,still acting and directing at seventy five. I liked what he said about staying involved as we grow older. "Of course we don't have the staying power which we had as young men but if you are doing something you love, even if it's only at ten percent, don't give up." Good life lesson I'd say.
September remains semi-tropical here in Victoria (not quite Californian)but warm nevertheless. We seem to have a high pressure system permanently parked over BC. It seems like it will never rain again but I know that that will change to "Will it ever stop", once we're into November.
I was encouraged to leave my perch recently and play a round of golf, which I do infrequently and badly, with son David and Grandson Ryan (13). I was astounded when this babe in arms, of only yesterday, launched a drive at least fifty yards farther than his Dad and a furlong longer than my miserable effort. It's occasions like this that make the perch feel more welcoming. But then as Dustin says, 10 percent is better than giving up.
Cheers, Neale.

Tue 18-Sep-2012 03:48 - Victoria BC, Canada

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

Hi Mike

Bruce asks where all the regular correspondents are. Just to let you know that we’re still here, grimly hanging onto those perches and waiting to see the youngsters from the 60s, 70s , 80s and 90s do their bit. It’s a long wait…

Mon 17-Sep-2012 23:28 - Scotland

Bruce Graham

At the reunion held in 2002 at the Westoe Rugby Club there was a fair representation of ladies from the Girls High School - in the afternoon at least. I exchanged some very pleasant reminiscences with them looking at the photographs that were on display.

The reason that there isn't an equivalent site for the girls school is that they have not (yet) produced a Mike Todd. Without him the site would not exist.

I know that there is significant interest out there among the girls - particularly of that vintage - but somebody needs to get things starting. I don't know if Mike has had conversations, or enquiries, with our female opposite numbers about the possibility of a corresponding site?

By the way, where are all of the regular correspondents in the Visitorbook? I know we're all getting old but I hope that we're still hanging onto the perch. Having watched the Great North Run this morning and seen an episode of Inspector George Gently last week with the penultimate scene filmed on Cleadon Hills I'm sure there are more contributions to come.

Sun 16-Sep-2012 20:07

Kath Hedley

I have been looking at this site and have found pictures of my brother, and of my husband. My brother is in the photo 1955-5ld, and his Christian name is Brian (Youll). A really good site and full of memories and information. A pity that there is nothing similar for the Grammar School for girls in South Shields where I attended in the fifties.

Sun 16-Sep-2012 15:47 - UK

From Mike T: Thanks for the name.

There are actually two possible Youll entries in the school records, and your message has identified which one this is.

I've noted it, and it'll get changed when I next do a name update.

David Carrick | dccarrick~AT~bigpond~DOT~com

I was a student from 1956 to 1961.

I've just found the site and recon it's fantastic.

I'd be very happy to hear from anyone who was there at the same time.

Sat 11-Aug-2012 10:05 - Australia

Bryan Cooper | bryglen~AT~bryancooper~DOT~wanadoo~DOT~co~DOT~uk

Hi Mike,
Just to muddy the McDougle/McDougall further: Ian is brother to Bruce, see 3S 1958/59 and note strong family resemblance. Both are sons of Hugh McDougall who taught Chemistry.

Mon 23-Jul-2012 18:26 - North Wales

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

Mike

Congratulations on completing the first step in your mammoth task of updating the school photographs.

I can help with a few of the christian names on the new 6th form pictures for 1955/6.

In the 6C group it is (James) Sharp and (Harry) Abernethy.

In 6U(Prefects) it is (Billie) Edgar abd (Cyril) Jefferson.

Lastly, in 6UX it is (Ian) McDougall, (Roy) - not Alan - Thompson and (Robert) Chritiansen.

Fri 6-Jul-2012 14:26 - Ruskington, Lincolnshire

From Mike T: Thanks for the comment, Bruce, and for the name updates.

McDougle (which is how the name is spelt in all the school records) is actually George Ian McDougle, and I just assumed he went by his first name (a surprising number didn't)

Roy Thompson was in a different name sequence in the admission records, along with Robert Christiansen. Now they're found and updated.

Thanks

Andrew Scarth | andrewscarth~AT~hotmail~DOT~co~DOT~uk

The school trip to Italy Gary.Kev Waughs probably still got the crutches.

Mon 2-Jul-2012 19:19 - Jarrow

aAlan Whittaker (53-59) | alan~AT~whittaker4000~DOT~fsnet~DOT~co~DOT~uk

Does anyone remember the "Nook Netties". They were located under the bus shelter and the air bricks which fed into the bus shelter at floor level were a popular target for ambitious "scoiters" hoping for a hit on someone waiting for a bus

Thu 28-Jun-2012 10:58 - Somerset

Eric Moyse 1946 to 1953 | eric~DOT~moyse~AT~sky~DOT~com

Another word about "Removes." In 1950 or 1951 the GCE replaced the old School Certificate. One difference was that it was only open to candidates who would attain the age of 16 years on 1 September in the year of sitting. I was one of a good few people in my year with a birthday too late so we had to wait for a year. Those who would leave after O Levels in the following year were placed in the "Shell" while those like me who would stay on for A levels (for which there was no such age limit) were placed in first year VI and so we took O Level and A Level in successive years. A third group, who were old enough to have taken GCE but who were awaiting starting work such as as in the Clerical Grade of the Civil Service and would leave at various times,were placed in the "VI Remove." The age limit problem was later solved by only allowing children who were 11 y.o. on 1 September to move into secondary education.
Funny but this seemed interesting when I started writing it. Anything more about skoitin' ower the netty waals?

Thu 28-Jun-2012 09:59 - Reading Berkshire

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