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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only rules are: real names only, no personal attacks and no unrelated messages (inappropriate messages may be edited/withdrawn without warning).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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Alex Patterson, VUA 1946 - 1951 | ad1935ap~AT~gmail~DOT~com

Neale...what a memory !! I was never a supporter of South Shields, in fact the only time I ever went to Horsely Hill was for the Old Timers' match and I think that was annually on Good Friday, or thereabouts. I was always playing pick-up football and started at Brinkburn before I was in high school. Then I played in the Jarrow JOC League, for the South Shields Boy's Brigade and my claim to fame was being on the team's caricature portrait, by Dodge, in the Gazette's Saturday Sports edition, printed on green paper, a copy of which I have here on my desk as I write. I also played in the Sunday league for Smith's United whose premises eventually became La Strada. Throughout my apprenticeship I also played for Hawthorn Leslie in the Industrial League. Consequently I was often playing two or three games on a weekend and dating at the same time and like you, dancing at Jean Hielbron's. No time for watching somebody else playing. Then when I was in the Air Force I played 3 games for Forres Mechanics, who were in the Scottish Highland League, after our station Air Force team played a friendly with them. I obviously played well enough against them, but I never played as well for them as I did against them.
But years after, maybe 2015, when Marjorie and I were on a cruise in the Caribbean, I was looking out at the sunset and this guy came over to talk to me. I recognized his Scottish accent and asked where he was from. He said, "I don't think you would know it, it's just a small town in the north of Scotland." I told him I was in Scotland for National Service in the late 50's at RAF Kinloss in Forres. He told me he lived in Lossiemouth, but worked in Forres and owned the Forres football club !!!! I couldn't believe it... and he couldn't believe it. I told him about my granddaughter playing football and my eldest daughter being a referee. We had drinks with our wives afterwards and we exchanged addresses. Weeks afterwards a huge parcel arrived on our doorstep and in it were 2 Forres football strips, 2 scarves, 2 pairs of socks, 4 shin pads, a football, a history of the club, complete with photos through the years, but not mine. If I had lasted more than 3 games with Forres I might have played against Dundee in the Scottish Cup. Aaah memories!! Enough about football for just now.
Howay the Mariners, my favourite team and take good care of yourselves.
Alex

Wed 8-Oct-2025 05:41 - North York, Ontario, Canada

Neale Backhouse | neale1447~AT~gmail~DOT~com

Thanks Eric, but it's June 18th.
Much as I admire Alex's Guestbook logistical enterprise, I just can't recall him being a fan of South Shields AFC (The Babes or the Mariners). It's not something we discussed at school.Sorry Alex if I have it wrong.
I do recall my first visit to Horsley Hill Stadium to watch "the Babes." That must have been 1946 (or 1947), accompanied by Bill Dodds, from our form. Bill's dad worked at a turnstile at the greyhound side grandstand and he let us in for free.(not cool today).
Around that time our much admired prefect Graham Duncan turned out for the reserve side and scored four goals on his first appearance. He became an instant hero at school. I don't recall how he progressed as a soccer player,but to us at that time he was the man!!
Mike has a photo of Graham via his thumbnail index. Visit the 46/47 Prefects Photo.
On the same photo sits another of our sporting heroes, Mel Murdoch, cricketer extraordinair, who opened for the first eleven, with Duncan. Sadly Mel died tragically whilst conducting weapons training, during later army service.
Also on the same photo is John Ericson, later to become Professor Ericson, a celebrated historian and author of Russian history. I remember John as a much admired member of the sixth form. No prefect quite read the morning lesson with such confidence and clarity as John. Some memories never fade.
Cheers,Neale.

Wed 8-Oct-2025 00:16 - Victoria BC

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

Speaking of birthdays, mine is 12 Feb 1935, I'm going to have a wild guess at yours as 6 Oct 1935 and Neale's is either 8, 18 or 28 June 1935. I know there's an 8 in it somewhere.
I've been in the residence here for two birthdays, neither of which has been celebrated in the Country Kitchen, where there is a monthly gathering of people getting older. This year I queried the omission and found out that on my entry details from 2 years ago the anonymous "they" had put my date of entry into the residence, in the box where my birthdate was supposed to go, which implied I was only 2 years old this year. "He hasn't aged well, has he?" But they did me proud by having a one-off birthday party the following week. The Country Kitchen BTW is a really nice coffee shop with a free multiple-choice (12 options) coffee machine and cookies galore, soft drinks, tea and juices as well as fresh fruit, jello and yoghurt. It can get busy, until about seven when the majority of the residents seem to go to bed !!
I guess that you, Neale and I are among the oldest still writing to the GB. Keep going guys and we'll break the record this year. Our Flu and Covid shots are coming up soon, so I'll be up to my 8th or 9th Covid shot. I've tested positive twice but have not had any symptoms, so it's fingers, legs and eyes crossed to ward off the awful viruses (virii ?)
Keep Well all you hordes of readers,
Alex

Tue 7-Oct-2025 23:28 - North York, Ontario, Canada

Eric Moyse 1946 to 1952 (Boys) | eric~DOT~moyse35~AT~yahoo~DOT~com

Oh and congratulations to Neale, too. I have a vague recollection that your birthday was in August but I may well be wrong.

Tue 7-Oct-2025 10:46 - Reading, Berkshire

Eric Moyse 1946 to 1952 (Boys) | eric~DOT~moyse35~AT~yahoo~DOT~com

Thanks Alec. I wish I could remember your birthday but congratulations anyway.As both Doeen and I attained 90 yo this year, We have had a series of lunches for family and friends all year and today we are treating fellow Rotarians to drinks.
The reference to Hansard happened as follows: Last year our daughter Susan helped with canvassing with a parliamentary cnadidate who proved to be successful.As a reward Susan and we were invited to the House of Commons for afternoon tea. Afterwards we were amazed to learn that our "accomplishment" in both attaining 90 yo had been mentioned in parliamentary proceedings and we were later sent the relevant edition of Hansard.

Tue 7-Oct-2025 10:43 - Reading, Berkshire

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

Hello Eric, I'm hopeless with birthdays and generally end up a couple of days late or miss out altogether. I put it down to the loss of most of my diaries, over the past few moves. However I think your birthday is around the beginning of October or April...so I'll take a wild guess and wish you either a belated 90th birthday or a very early one. Take care of yourselves. If it is this week...Happy Birthday, Eric and many more in good health.
Alex

Tue 7-Oct-2025 03:57 - North York, Ontario, Canada

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

Well said Alex.

It's the first result I look for on a Saturday afternoon.

Hopefully we can survive to see them in the EFL

Mon 6-Oct-2025 19:25 - ruskington lincolnshie

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

South Shields have played 10 games in the National League North, won 8, drawn 2 and are top of their division. Howay the Mariners!!!
Alex

Sat 4-Oct-2025 23:11 - North York, Ontario, Canada

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

OOOooopppsss again !! that should have read 2013 47(3) - 49(10) 23,
Alex

Sat 4-Oct-2025 16:44 - North York, Ontario, Canada

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

OOOOOooooops!!the figures for 2013 should have been 2013 47(3) - 50(10) 23.
Sorry,
Alex