Old Dartechs and Wilmingtonians Association
Summer Newsletter 1999
Newsletter No. 10
June Braxton (Office 1950’s)
Dear Dennis,
Your item in the Saga magazine regarding the reunion for Dartford Technical Boys School brought back many memories.
I ran the office for the period you mention and whilst pupils names do not readily come to mind, the following members of staff are recalled:
L.V. Wall Headmaster - wanted to retire to his native Northumberland.
F. French Deputy Head - had an ‘ancient car with what appeared to be a home made body. Went on to a Headship I think at Chis & Sid.
Ablett
J. Austen Technical Drawing
Burchnall Geography
Andrews French - Ginger hair and moustache - drove a green mini
Edgington English and R.E.
Clare Music
Gough Woodwork
Gregory Woodwork
Payne Metalwork
Pestell Metalwork
Orton Art
Ted Harper P.E.
Aileen ? Taught a science subject for a brief spell and married Ted Harper.
M. Mountjoy French
P. Black Physics
E. Lewis Chemistry - remembered for being one of the first staff
members with a brand new Ford (black of course)
J.Hughes Ag. course - lived in the farm cottage
Betty Sanders Lab. Assistant - envied by all for driving a Sunbeam Alpine
Names that elude me are the Head of English who went to Australia and a Science teacher who lived in the then new estate at the top of the hill close to the school, also the man who looked after the school gardens.
The caretaker stoked the boilers in the basement of the main house and filled the office with fumes. Dinner money was counted in the office each Monday morning, thus making the bearer of the register one of the more pleasant tasks. The safe was the old butler’s pantry with a huge steel door on it, useful for office paper and the biscuits for our morning drink - brewed in the basement by the caretaker, who lived in a very old house near the gate. I recall the science labs and technical drawing room were housed in a separate building. There was one lad on the Ag. course who was keen on John Hughes’ daughter, but don’t know if anything came of it.
My best wishes for a smashing re-union - the foregoing might give a slightly different topic of conversation. Regards, June Braxton
Jim Austen (1954-74)
‘Down on the Farm’ resurrected many memories of the Ag. stream. As a new boy to the Tech, I avoided School Dinners on the assumption that the extraordinary smell which floated into the D.O. Store window started life in the canteen below. It was later that I discovered the cellar window below the D.O., where a covern of Mr. Hughes’ Ag boys would be moved to boil a cauldron of earth and water to produce the sterilised soil. During my times in the old D.O. I reckoned that sufficient soil had been produced to cover Kent to a considerable depth.
The Biology Lab opposite the D.O. was used as an Ag. stream Form Room. At the time of reports going out Mr. Wall would deliver a broad side concerning the dire punishment which would be inflicted on any boy having the temerity to open a report envelope addressed to his parents. This usually resulted in a paper-chase of envelope flaps by the main gates.
Going home at the end of one such day I overheard the following at the bottom of the D.O./Lab. steps
‘Ere, what’s all this ‘orticulter’, where old Hughes has put ‘lazy’?’
‘You know what that is, its ‘Horticulture’; you know, all that ******* digging’.
I do remember however a grand School Captain from the Ag. stream. Ginger hair? A terror on the Cricket field as a bowler I recall. Regards, Jim A.
Jeff Boult (1954-58 Ag. Stream)
In 1954, after passing my exams at secondary school, I had chosen Dartford Technical School because of its agriculture section. I had hoped to gain the qualifications needed to become a farm manager or perhaps owner. In 1958 I walked up Common Lane for the last time knowing that farming was not for me.
Returning to The School after forty years was with mixed feelings. I had meant to go to the annual meeting on the 7th March but arrived two hours early with the intention of viewing the school that I had attended between 1954 and 1958.
Gone were the large iron gates where the prefects, wearing their long peaked caps, waited for latecomers. The unfortunate pupils names being taken and after three entries in the prefects book the boys received detention. I remember receiving Saturday morning detention for arriving late on numerous occasions.
On the right, the stable block remains almost exactly as it was forty years ago; the science rooms, on the ground floor, and the Biology room up the concrete steps. What is now the Wood Store was where the Ag pupils sold apples, collected from the school farm orchard, to the other pupils at dinner times.
The path opposite the science rooms, guarded by the rails, lead to the Assembly Rooms, which together with the Stable Block, seems unchanged. Looking through the window bought back memories of the audition for a place in the choir, that I had had with Mr. Clare which he held in the hall. The choice was French lessons, or the choir [at the time I hated French, but now due to my interest in World War One, the lessons would have been invaluable!].
I remember we sang Christmas Carols in Wilmington church, and at Crayford Town Hall. I believe we won first prize for singing Non nobis Dominae, Not unto us O’Lord [at least I think that’s what we sang !]. The choir coach trip, shown in the photograph in issue number five [I am standing at the back of the group].
Beyond the Assembly Hall lay the vegetable gardens and greenhouses used by the Ag pupils for their seed growing lessons. Now grassed over, there is no sign of the gardens, greenhouses, or the heavily buttressed Victorian wall that stood at the far end of the garden.
I retraced my steps and went past the ‘new buildings’ towards the school farm. This is now a builders yard and the way is blocked by a large gate. However by squeezing through a gap next to the gate I gained access [highly illegal I suppose but after forty years my curiosity got the better of me!]. Most of the buildings on the right side were almost exactly as they were when we used them, however the original buildings on the left have been replaced by garages. The office where eggs, and honey [from the schools own hives] was stored no longer exists and yet the old Dutch barn has been left much as it was forty years ago.
Leaving this area by the way I came, I was then standing in front of the row of cottages that was then occupied by the Ag pupils teacher, Mr. Hughes [nicknamed by the pupils as ‘Jack-o’-Bow, the reason why eludes me at the moment...] together with his wife and two daughters [approximately our ages, Mr. Hughes daughters were strictly off limits!]
Paired off, the Ag pupils would attend to farm duties after school, and at weekends. This mainly consisted feeding the chickens, and collecting the eggs. At Christmas some of the chickens were killed, plucked and prepared by the boys, for the teachers and pupils of the school [by this time I was losing my taste for chicken and for farming!].
Opposite the cottages lay the orchard where geese ‘roamed’, and beyond the orchard [now the sports field] the chicken hutches were to be found.
Other activities related to farming must have taken place but time seems to have clouded my memory. Lessons on farming revolved around a textbook called The Farming Year by A.G. Street which we received at our first lesson.
Whether or not my time at the school studying farming influenced my decision not to take up agriculture as a profession, I cannot be sure, but my employment since leaving the school has been in engineering and production management.
I apologise for not staying for the annual meeting but after my visit I was both physically and, to my surprise, emotionally drained. My school days had not been the happiest time of my life, but I felt this visit had been well worth the effort
Steve Boakes (1963-70)
Dear Dennis
It was a pleasant surprise when my parents forwarded on an issue of the Dartech and Wilmington newsletter a few issues ago and I appreciate that despite the distance you have been good enough to send me subsequent issues. I feel that to reciprocate, the least I can do is offer some comment for you to publish if you wish.
As I look back on my school days in Wilmington, more because of pending old age than anything else, I feel my memory leads me to the sporting memories rather than those lovable rogues I spent my latter school days with. I do remember the school with fondness and have gone as far as to bring visitors from abroad to show them around the school grounds. I even remember the school hymn. . . “Forth In Thy Name O Lord I Go”.
As with any school career it tends to be a journey through highs and lows. My earliest low being the first day I joined Dartford Technical High, as it was then, to find that I was only one of three boys wearing short trousers in the whole line of new recruits. I vowed I would never embarrass my sons like that and God made sure I didn’t, blessing my wife and myself with two daughters. Another low was contracting German Measles two days before the football team was due to tour, ironically enough, to Germany.
As I say, the sporting life at the school provides my lasting memories. Numerous games of football in the light and blue quartered shirts which in my latter years were replaced with amber shirts and black shorts. Trips on a Saturday morning to take on the low lifes in Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone, Gravesend and many other local schools who tended to provide fodder for a very strong football team. The master as I recall then was Gavin Russell.
I should be able to recall the mainstays of the teams with which I played but alas the 1968 Manchester United European Cup team springs more easily to mind. I do recall however, Gary Munday, Phil Thomsett, John Wolstenholme and being the right winger, my partner in crime from the left whose name was Adrian White.
Under the watchful and youthful eye of Terry Moyle I enjoyed being a member of the school tennis team which remained unbeaten for three consecutive years.
Cricket, track and field and even a one off attempt at rugby when the football team played an opposing football team at the ancient sport. If there was ever a school called Lowfield in that area at that time, then they were the foe.
There was of course an academic element to my schooling although a minor altercation with the Headmaster ( Mr Mogford ) at the time led to me walking out on school eight weeks before my A levels, never to return. Minor in my eyes but in the eyes of my parents a monumental mistake. Fortunately by luck and good fortune, the rush of blood to the head in the Headmasters room that day was to prove nothing more than a talking point in years to come.
On leaving the school I went immediately to work for Standard Life in The City, and after eighteen months moved to Cardiff to start a career in insurance broking and get married to a then student at Cardiff University. After eighteen years in the insurance broking industry my wife and myself decided to move to Vancouver, British Columbia, a city we had fallen in love with many times on vacation.
Using my education gained at Dartford Technical and my career experience from those days on, I now find myself living in my idea of paradise and being an executive of one of Canada’s largest credit unions. (comparable to British building societies).
Throughout the newsletters you send me, I see names of teachers that bring back memories. Mr Hollingsworth who led me through social and economic history, Mr James, a man with a passion for the English language who instilled in me a love of poetry which I still maintain. Gavin Russell and Terry Moyle who I have already mentioned. Mr Black who was the Deputy Headmaster and the only person on this planet ever to cane me. Mr Parker the maths teacher and I think I recall a Mr Smith who taught geography. Oh and of course, Pat Rudman, the only person ever to drop me from any sort of sporting team. I vowed revenge but have mellowed with age.
In my years as a parent, I have always looked in schools my daughters have attended for the same social rapport and informality that I enjoyed with the teachers at Dartford Technical, but the biggest compliment I can pay the school is to say that none of the schools I have observed have come anywhere close.
Just a quick footnote. In my lower and upper sixth years there used to be a young man who cut hair for a modest sum in the common room in the old Wilmington Hall and swept all the hair under a loose floorboard. When the building was demolished was the evidence ever discovered?
I have enjoyed recalling a few memories to put into print and look forward to receiving further copies of the news letter in due course. May I wish you success with all your functions and activities on behalf of the school.
Dave Catchpole (1957-64)
Dear Dennis:
Thank you for sending me Issue 7 of the old school newsletter. It is always nice to receive it and scan to see if anyone I know has contributed. Through past newsletters I have been able to correspond with Mr. James and Keith Salmon, having not seen either since 1964.
First I must send my apologies that I will not be able to attend the Annual General Meeting and Dinner on March 7th . Although I will be in England the first few days of March, unfortunately I have to return to the USA on the 4th, so close but so far away perhaps next year. Please pass on my regards to all those who are able to be present, particularly Sam Austin, whom I remember very well.
With regard to the newsletter, have you considered having a “where are they now” section. As well as reading about remembrance, it would be nice to know where old friends are and what they are doing. If you start such a section feel free to include my details. My family and I have been in the States for 23 years, almost 19 of them spent in Alaska - so you could say we like the last frontier. I work for BP Exploration in their Health, Safety and Environment department. My job responsibilities include assessing and advising on the impact of climate change and ozone depletion on the oil industry, quite a change for a Math’s graduate who has spent most of his working life developing computerised control systems.
Have you compiled much of a list of email addresses yet? I find this a useful and cheap way to correspond.
Please find enclosed a cheque for 20 pounds to help offset the costs of running the Association and printing/distributing the newsletter. Keep up the good work
Yours sincerely, Dave Catchpole
OBITUARIES
Matthew Lewis, Ian Edwards and Paul Hopkins
I am writing to the “Old Boys” newsletter to pay my tributes to my great friend, Matthew Lewis. Matt., together with two other old Wilmingtonians, Ian Edwards and Paul Hopkins, and Paul’s partner Emma Ray, were tragically killed in the primes of their lives, in the avalanche on Aonach Mhor, on December 29th.
I hardly knew Matt at all until we began the sixth form in September 1986, however we hit it off straight away, both having very similar tastes in both music and comedy. In fact, one of Matt’s greatest attributes was his wry, wicked, and sardonic sense of humour, a cross between Ben Elton and Victoria Wood.
One thing Matthew was well known for was an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of popular music. If you hummed a tune, from almost any record of the 80’s, Matt would not only know who it was by, what year it was released, where it got to in the charts, but also who sung it originally, and he would then go on to tell you how much better they sounded live when he saw them at Wembley or Hammersmith.
Almost all of my favourite acts, Simple Minds, U2, Depeche Mode, Eurythmics, The Communards, Peter Gabriel, the list could go on, were shared with Matt, and we embarked on a series of gigs and concerts all over London, always necessitating a last minute exit after the third encore to catch the last Swanley/Farningham Road train.
Those two years during the sixth form, although they seem an age away now, are one long happy memory of music, laughter, and manic excitement. How we ever got any study done I’ll never know.
On leaving school, with me off to Portsmouth Poly, and with Matthew staying put in Sutton-at-Hone, with a job lined up in a London insurance company, we kept in touch by letter, phone and through regular vacation get-togethers, although the inevitable happened, and we got to the stage where other events I friends I appointments filled our diaries, and as each year went on, so we had to book in our night out together even further in advance.
Matt also had a quiet and sensitive side, and when I was experiencing emotional turmoil, turned out to be a surprisingly good listener, and truly modest helper. It wasn’t simply a case of being the right person at the right time, he seemed to have the hidden resources to ride the storm with you and take you to a safer place.
Matt was killed during the first day of a winter skills mountain course, which had been arranged with members of the Dartford Scout Fellowship, an organisation for those who had gone through the Scout movement, and who wished to keep their interests going, and as a former Scout myself, I know that Matt embodied all that the organisation stood for; trust, loyalty, adventure, and help for others.
At Matthew’s Committal service at Eltham Crematorium, his coffin was carried out to Simple Minds greatest hit Don’t You Forget About Me.
Well Matt, with a friend so great as you, there’s no chance of that.
Yours Darrell W. Gale, (1981-1988)
John F. Fergusson (1963-68)
Dear John,
It is with great sadness that I write to advise you that my younger Brother John died on Tuesday, 15th December, 1998. John collapsed on Saturday 12th and was rushed to Hospital where he was diagnosed as having had a mild stroke, his condition worsened on Monday and a scan revealed a major thrombosis. John’s premature death at the age of 46 has left the family in a state of deep shock. His son James (21) is in his final year of an Arts degree at Middlesex and his daughter Louise (18) is about to take her ‘A’ Levels and hopes to read Art at University.
John had achieved a great deal in his life and was much qualified but the MSc he gained from Surrey University was without doubt the most satisfying he gained. The study was based on a new method of identifying and eradicating the bacteria which causes ‘Legionnaires Disease’. Already a Health & Safety specialist, John’s services were much in demand and in January 1998 he started his own, very successful, consultancy practice. With so much achieved and so much to achieve, his passing has added poignancy and his Funeral on Wednesday, 23rd December was attended by many, including some old School chums.
John enjoyed meeting you again at the Annual Dinner in 1997 and particularly hearing that you both still like the same hobby - shooting. He often mentioned it when we met and was intending to come to more Annual Dinners. Yours sincerely David Ferguson (1962-68)
Michael Samuel (1956-62)
My daughter, in her final year at Leeds University, constantly advises me that education in the older (her Fathers) days was much simpler. Calculators, Computers and other such aids were not necessary, as they apparently are today - she says.
I don’t quite agree! My ‘era’ please recall:
12 inches = 1 foot 16 ounces = 1 pound 8 gills = 1 pint 4 farthings = 1 penny
3 feet = 1 yard 14 pounds = 1 stone 2 pints = 1 quart 2 ha’pennys = 1 penny
22 yards = 1 chain 2240 pounds = 1 ton 8 pints = 1 gallon 6 pence = ‘a tanner’
1760 yards = 1 mile ?? pints = 1 ferkin 12 pence = 1 shilling
8 furlongs = 1 mile (and a hangover) 240 pence = 1 pound
5280 feet = 1 mile ?? gallons = 1 barrel 30 pence = ‘Half-a-Crown’
60 pence = 5 bob
5 bob = 1 dollar
24 pence = 2 bob
2 bob = 1 florin
Etc., etc. as far as I can remember.
Why are calculators now so much more vital when all that’s required is to multiply by 10 or simply move a decimal point?
I rest my case. Your truly (and despondently), Michael Samuel.
Roy Hoddinott (1961-66)
Dear Mr. Daley,
I have just become aware of the existence of the Old Dartechs’ & Wilmingtonians’ Association. Perhaps you could let me know when the closing date for the next Newsletter is and I will try and pen something worthwhile.
I was a pupil from 1961-1966. For some strange reason I can recite the register or should I say a register, although I do not know which year.. I will put this in my letter but for your information the register comprised the following:
Anstead, Baines, Bills, Boakes, Caplis, Crouch, Earwicker, Edwards, Hancock, Harding, Hemsley, Hill, Hoddinott, Knight, Mingham, Moore, Peacock, Pearce, Rawlings, Rooke, Rose, Scott, Selves, Sharp, Tamsett, Taylor, Tomalin, Whiting, Willeard and Wood.
I would be interested to know whether any of these fine chaps are members of the Association and attend your reunions.
Yours sincerely Roy Hoddinott
Class of ’56 reunion 13 June 1999
In common with most gatherings of old boys this started in a pretty small way with a group being assembled by Mike Samuel for a reunion drink in July 1998. Five of us attended that. Through various meetings, emails and phone calls more of the year of ’56 were traced culminating in twelve at the annual dinner in May and about fifteen, several of whom had travelled a fair distance, at the gathering on 13 June at the Horse and Groom at Leyton Cross (now our adopted home?). Some new faces have appeared on each occasion thanks to the efforts of several of the group and Brian Hyland’s sister who seems to have a great gift for tracing old Dartechs. Well she did attend the Girls school opposite!
Some ancient photographs have been found and circulated as part of this whole exercise including one of 6L in 1962. We’re still working on tracing five of that class David Budd, Tony Gilmore, Paul Oakley, John Stevenson and Pete Woodward. If there is anybody out there who knows anything at all about them please call me on 01892 862405. Rather like the Mounties we always get our man
One of these gatherings also enabled me to return to Robin Pitman two LPs including one 10 inch (remember them?) which I had originally borrowed in 1962. How honest can you get. I hope he enjoys hearing them again after that short intermission!
I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised but it really is quite amazing how little most of one’s classmates have changed over the last thirty five plus years. Sure there isn’t so much hair, they all need glasses and a few pounds have been added here and there but it’s still the same character and personality you remember from all those years ago.
The date of the next ’56 Horse and Groom reunion has been fixed for Sunday 14 November. If you missed the earlier meetings and joined the school in 1956 or joined that year later and would like to attend next time please give me a call on the above number.
Nigel Bourne (1956-63)
1999 Annual Dinner and A.G.M.
The Sixth Annual Dinner, held on Saturday, 13th March, 1999 was once again a very successful evening that was enjoyed by almost one hundred members and guests. Our Guest of Honour, Wally James kept everybody enthralled and amused with his recollections of applying for a position on the Staff of Dartford Technical High School for Boys in 1957 and of his early days as a Teacher. Our thanks go to Wally for his attendance. It was good to see such a wide age span, with Roy Warman (1942-44) being the most senior Old Boy and Anthony Martin (1983-89) being most Junior. Unfortunately John Daley was not able to attend owing to illness and has since been admitted to Hospital.
Arrangements are well in hand for our 7th Annual Reunion Dinner & Annual General Meeting, which is also our Millennium Dinner on Saturday, 6th May, 2000. Following comments made after this years dinner we have invited Stan, the previous School Catering Officer, who arranged our early dinners to return and cater for us.
Our Guest of Honour will be Graham Nicholls, who has been a Member of Staff at the School for many years. We have co-opted Marion Miller (1971-89) and Graham Nicholls onto the Committee and are hoping to encourage a better attendance from our younger members.
We are hoping to encourage more groups to get together and search for their former School friends, as the 1954 intake did when the current Association was reformed, finding 34, and the 1956 intake are now doing having reached 2?. We are hoping to get a larger group of former and present staff together, also to find more former Head Boys.
If there is sufficient interest we plan to arrange conducted tours of the School and Grounds during the afternoon of the 6th.
With this issue of your Newsletter we enclose a form for you to confirm your details; to advise us if you wish future Newsletters to be sent to you in the form of an email (as suggested at this years A.G.M.), obviously we will require your email details; also if you have any suggestions to make our Reunions more appealing.
If you are interested in finding more of your own year, we can offer advice and help in searching for them. Dennis Wells (1954-59) Chairman
1999 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND REUNION DINNER - Saturday, 13th March
OFFICIAL GUEST LIST
Mr. W. H. James (Guest of Honour)
1957 - 1989 (Staff)
Mr. B. Titterington (President)
Dennis Wells (Chairman) 1954 - 1959
Roy Warman 1942 - 1944
Alan Riddington 1951 - 1953
Ray King and Guest 1951 - 1955
Michael Phillips 1953 - 1957
Adrian Boyling 1953 - 1956
Alan Gregory and Guest 1953 - 1957
David French 1954 - 1959
Bruce Timms 1954 - 1959
John Gatland 1954 - 1960
Ken Prebble 1954 - 1961
Adrian Hatley 1954 - 1960
Kenneth Baker 1954 - 1960
Jim Austen 1954 - 1974 (Staff)
John Mummery 1955 - 1961
John Nunn and Guest 1955 - 1961
Brian Hyland 1956 - 1963
Michael Lyons 1956 - 1962
Robert Crighton 1956 - 1963
Michael Ashpool 1956 - 1962
Nigel Bourne 1956 - 1963
Tony Clark 1956 - 1963
Michael Samuel and Guest 1956 - 1962
Robin Pitman 1956 - 1963
Ralph Smith 1956 - 1962
Malcolm Bourne 1956 - 1961
Roger Hammond 1956 - 1961
Christopher Taylor 1956 - 1962
Martin Goddard 1957 - 1961
Malcolm Green 1957 - 1963
Paul Tully 1957 - 1963
Frank Pearson 1957 - 1964
John Bradford 1957 - 1963
Chris Portwine 1957 - 1965
Michael Watts 1957 - 1962
David Catchpole 1957 - 1964
Peter Liddle 1957 - 1961
Carl Targett and Guest 1957 - 1963
Stuart Hall 1957 - 1963
Geoffrey Jewiss 1958 - 1962
Mr. P. Cartwright 1959 - 1966 (Staff)
John Meakins 1959 - 1964
Len Hollingsworth 1960 (Staff)
David Cockburn 1960 - 1966
Graham Carter 1961 - 1967
David Brenchley 1962 - 1967
David Ferguson 1962 - 1968
Bob Richardson 1962 - 1967
Paul Parker 1962 - 1976 (Staff)
Perry Scoffield 1963 - 1970
Chris Laker 1963 - 1970 (Staff)
Philip May 1963 - 1968
Richard Abel 1963 - 1969
Ian Bell 1963 - 1970
Christopher Proctor 1964 - 1972
John Jarvis 1964 - 1971
Terry Cole 1964 - 1971
Roy Jackson 1964 - 1971
Paul Swinscoe 1964 - 1972
Brian Adley 1964 - 1971
Derek Seal 1965 - 1970
Howard Little 1965 - 1972
Anton Syrocki 1965 - 1972
Keith Bell 1966 - 1971
Chris Smith 1967 - 1974
Michael Coomber 1967 - 1974
Andrew Suter 1968 - 1974
Wade Nash 1969 - 1976
Ian Dennis 1969 - 1974
Kevin Rogers 1969 - 1976
Mike Wesson 1969 - 1995 (Staff)
Bill Leavens 1969 - 1976
Alan Hamerschlag 1970 - 1984 (Staff)
Nicholas Facey 1970 - 1975
Mrs. M. Miller 1971 - 1989 (Staff)
David French 1972 - 1979
Gary Love and Guest 1972 - 1977
Nicholas Aish 1973 - 1979
Mrs. J. Webb 1973 - 1986 (Staff)
Mrs. L. Kent 1974 - 1985
Christopher Schoffield 1976 - 1983
David Strachan 1976 - 1983
Kevin Cook 1976 - 1983
Stephen Hale 1976 - 1983
Mrs. M. Frankton 1978 (Staff)
Andrew Davies and Guest 1978 - 1983
Mr. R. Laddell 1980 - 1995 (Staff)
Darrel Evans 1981 - 1988
David Stelling 1981 - 1989 (Staff)
Anthony Martin 1983 - 1989
Apologies received from
Mrs. June Braxton 1950’s (Staff)
David Walden 1951 - 1954
Neil McKay 1954 - 1959
Paul Mason 1954 - 1959
Stan Frith 1954 - 1959
Terry Goldson 1954 - 1959
Terry Whiffen 1954 - 1959
Ian Bullock 1957 - 1962
Grahame Mole 1957 - 1962
Greg Hall 1958 - 1965
John Daley 1963 - 1992 (Staff)
Terry Moyle 1966 - 1972 (Staff)
Ian Blades 1970 - 1977
Graeme Maidment 1978 - 1983
CELEBRATE THE MILLENNIUM
ANNUAL REUNION DINNER & A.G.M.
on Saturday, 6th May, 2000
We are looking forward to our MILLENNIUM Old Boys' Dinner being a very special occasion.
We are making a special effort to get past Headmasters and Head Boys to attend.
Mr. Graham Nicholls (Member of Staff since 1970)
will be our Guest of Honour.
Come and Toast "Twizzle"
There will be a grand dinner and of course a Licensed Bar
Who do we need to make this a success -
WE NEED YOU!
If you are reluctant to come or too shy we hope to be able to advise you in advance the other people from your year who will be coming. Partners will be most welcome.
(Final details with next Newsletter)
We are in the process of setting up a web page, watch out for www.odwa.freeserve.co.uk
Your next Newsletter is due to be published in December but to do this I need articles and correspondence, both of which have been sadly lacking recently. Comments with regard to your memories while at the School or details of your own life since leaving will be greatly appreciated.
Please contact Dennis Wells, 3 Millbro, Victoria Hill Road,
Hextable, Swanley Kent BR8 7LF. email: tartwells@aol.com
Dear Member,
With arrangements well in hand for our Millennium Dinner on Saturday, 6th May, 2000, we would appreciate it if you can complete and return this form as soon as possible.
Surname......................................................………
ChristianNames ...............................................…….....................
Address…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. Staff/Pupil from 19...... to 19......
Tel. No. ......................................……………….
E-mail address ...................................................... Please send/do not send Newsletters by Email
I hope to/will not be able to attend the reunion in 2000.
Suggestions to make Reunion more enjoyable……………………………..……………………… ..................................................................................................…………................................... Signed..............................................……………
Please return to D. R. Wells, Chairman O.D. & W.A., 3 Millbro, Hextable, Swanley, Kent BR8 7LF