OLD DARTECHS’AND WILMINGTONIANS ASSOCIATION

NEWSLETTER No 14                NOVEMBER 2001

EDITORIAL

May I take this opportunity of apologising for the long gap since the last Newsletter, but at last time to complete Issue No. 14, which incidentally was started at the time of the Issue of No. 13.

Since that Issue in February we have held our Eighth Annual Reunion Dinner and A.G.M., when 100 former Members of Staff and Old Boys, enjoyed a 4-Course Carvery Meal and welcomed Allan Hamerschlag, (Member of Staff from 1970-84) as our Guest of Honour. Alan is also our Association Treasurer.

Owing to the success of the Carvery format at our Dinner we have decided to do the same again for our Ninth Annual Reunion Dinner / A.G.M., which will be held on Saturday, 11th May, 2002. Our Guest of Honour will be Len Hollingsworth, Member of Staff  1960-99. Booking form and Menu will be in our next Newsletter, hopefully in February, 2002.

We try to donate any profits from our Dinners and the Raffle to the School and the project that we are encouraging within the School at the moment is for Indoor Cricket Nets, but with an approximate cost of £8,000 we are seeking support from other quarters.

Future visitors to the School will be able to see Honours Boards that we have donated,  in the Main Hall, bearing the names of successful students at University Entrance Level since the Millennium

Please note that all donations that we receive are used  to publish our two Newsletters a year, which cost about £350 for printing and mailing, so any members that receive this Newsletter by post and are able to receive it by email, please do not hesitate to let us know for the future. We are trying to continue with our policy of not having an Annual Membership Fee, so obviously any donations are appreciated.

We received the sad news early this year that Ivor Jenkins, an Old Boy of 1943-46, and Member of Staff from 1970-1991 had passed away, I hope to publish an obituary in the next Newsletter and if any member has any memories to add they will be appreciated.

It is becoming more difficult to compile Newsletters and I have to rely on notes received, mostly via the Website to fill our few pages, so any memories, fond or otherwise please to me, Dennis Wells, 3 Millbro, Hextable, Kent BR8 7LF. Email:  tartwells@aol.com or the Association Website: www.odwa.freeserve.co.uk

FRENCH AT DARTECH  -  Frank Pearson, 1957-62

Piggy Robinson (aka Chunky after the marmalade, presumably manufactured by Robinson’s) had a cartoon on his wall in Room 4. It showed a startled pupil pointing out the window at some beings from another planet about to invade the school from their flying saucer. The master is saying “En Francais, Jones, en Francais”. I empathised with Jones. I wanted to say “French is not so much strange as it is bizarre” but even now I wouldn’t know how or if this can be expressed in French. Somehow I managed to get ‘O’ Level French and even more surprisingly I passed the Oral. After four years of training from Mrs. Mountjoy, I finally arrived in 5A and moved from Room 7N to Room 4. It was Mr. Robinson’s first brush with Frank Pearson so at the first Oral lesson I was out to impress. I read something in my very best French accent to which the teacher’s response was “If you’re going to muck around Pearson, Get out!”. He refused to teach me Oral from then on.

To me French was just a method of clocking up a minimum of seven ‘O’ Level passes. Mrs. Mountjoy was of a different opinion and said that those of her pupils who had my attitude to French invariably returned, in the fullness of time, to thank her because the French she taught them had become a source of opportunity and pleasure. Now that Mrs. Mountjoy is sadly no longer with us, I have decided that it is safe to venture onto French soil for the first time in my life. This Saturday I am booked to go on a Hertfordshire Rail Tours Eurostar to Paris. The three and a half hours I shall spend in Paris should be sufficient opportunity to talk to some of the natives, Can’t think that this will justify five years of five periods a week plus slogging away at homework though. Still it will be good to ascertain whether the postman marches dans la rue. I bet he walks on the pavement like the rest of us.

P.S. I was always under the impression that Maggie was not short for Margaret but for something else, possibly Margery. She was purported to have been a French Canadian but I remember a certain Sports Day Programme where she was listed as Mrs. Mountjov. The lady with the starting pistol was obviously a Russian.

Barry Wright, 1977-1984

Once again another excellent newsletter, the note from Darren Aylward particularly amused me in that he also remembered the Bruges trip very well. Paul Owers, what can I say other than I can picture him now on the steps outside the back of the school in the corridor to the old metalwork room. He is heavily engrossed in drawing soldiers (in his GNB) with large guns, the red pen being used in excess to mark bullet wounds whilst the occasional sound effect of gunfire emanates from his mouth. He was a fantastic artist and had passed his ‘smurf’ phase of the early Bruges trip, I wonder what he is doing now, designing military or science fiction book covers possibly? His artwork was certainly very impressive and it seemed to me of a very high quality. Other memories are in brief as follows, the small explosion in the Chemistry lab, a few seconds after Philip Ely said aloud I bet that blows up?, the loss of our common room in the sixth form, the result of a dismantled toilet and a fir tree ‘acquired’ from Joydens Wood to celebrate Christmas, the locks being changed the next day, use of the room never granted again. Another memory, my first few weeks at school, when I was given a detention by Graham Nicholls for speaking in class, the reason being I was confused whether the word was ‘mascular’ or ‘masculine’ and asked the lad next to me, evidently a bad move, Mr Hodgsons office here I come! An event in the second year always springs to mind when I was violently sick in the canteen all over one of the prefects puddings, an unintentionally good aim. Lastly I would like to thank Sean Gordon for mentioning Peter Boxall, gone but not forgotten. He was an absolutely superb teacher, great team leader, all round naturalist and as a result of my interest in Birdwatching a damn good companion on birding trips. To this day he is sadly missed by all who knew him in the birding World and personally someone that I had a great deal of respect for and wish he was still around. Apologies for ending on a sad note, the memories are still there and his memorial service that I attended is still fresh in my mind. I am sure that others have stories about Pete Boxall, I certainly have a few. All the best with the next newsletter.

Cheers (Barry Wright 1977 to 1984, still birdwatching, and still in Joydens Wood, though NOT collecting Christmas trees!)

‘From Old Girl to Old Boy’

Perhaps the title needs some explanation. I am not an Old Boy, but I think I achieved honorary status as one, largely thanks to that august body of gentlemen, the Class of 56-63.

I come from up the hill – Parson’s Lane to be exact.  My old school is situated a stone’s throw from the Boys’ Tech (as it was once called)  Many years ago, I was one of a cohort who entered what was then Dartford Technical High School  for Girls.  The school had only come into existence for a year or so.  My brother David had just left ‘Dartech’ down the hill. An abiding memory of David by the way,  is seeing him speeding along on his bike with his cap stuck on the back of his mop of thick dark hair. The cap never came off – it seemed to be glued, (and how he’d love that hair now!).

However, a past event in my school life, and one which brought about my contact with you Oldboys in 1999, was meeting my first boyfriend many years ago in 1961.   We met at a church youth club in Dartford.  I was 14 , and he was getting on for 16.  ‘He’ was Bob Crighton, academic star of his year and with a record of ‘O’,  ‘A’, and ‘S’ levels which perhaps has not been surpassed even now.   I tended to remain in his shadow then, and was even daft enough to watch him grapple with his pure and applied maths homework while I sat watching  tv, and eating Penguins and Wagon Wheels so thoughtfully provided by his mother.  Did I have homework?  Of course I did.  But who wants to do homework when you can gaze at your boyfriend while he does his? Such a dreadful attitude and one which as a teacher now, I occasionally come across in adolescent girls. I sometimes tell them of my lost homework years.  They are fascinated, and very amused, but my tale does not have the desired effect of making them work harder!.

Another time-wasting activity was when I, along with a bevy of girls would come down to the bottom of our grounds which overlook your school, and stand hoping for a glimpse of our ‘boyfriends’.  My task was helped considerably when Bob, at 17,  dyed his hair a striking canary yellow!   He already had blond hair so this was quite unnecessary.  However, from that distance it made him glow.  Thus, when he climbed the steps to the Physics lab he was easily identifiable.  I used to wave frantically, standing atop a treetrunk — skirt rolled up as far as decency allowed  (well this was the swinging sixties), and rolled down again for lessons — while he would respond with a curt wave or a wild two-armer,  according to mood, and/or opportunity.

It became fashionable after a while, for the rest of my classmates to acquire an ‘old boy’. They tended to come from Bob’s year too.  Thus in time, there was Sheila, who walked up to Leyton Cross with Ken Kirk.  He would scoot along grinning away at this good fortune;  Sheila was very pretty and petite.  Then came Mary, who would walk with Robin Pitman. (or ‘Features’ as we girls secretly called him due to his dark good looks).  Robin didn’t have a bike – far too cool for that! — but he and Mary would ride into Bexley village, and later, Robin would catch another bus up to Bexleyheath Broadway  –  (For an assignation with a ‘grey-bird’ Robin?)

I would be strolling along with Bob of course, while he would trail a leg to steady the bike. We’d part at the bus stop at Leyton Cross where dozens would gather for various buses.  Clumps of maroon and navy. 

I mustn’t forget Susan. She and her beau, ‘Wally’ or Roger Hammond (more on that gentleman later)  would also be there; he on his bike and she walking like me. Later on I had my own bike — a totally unsuitable Dawes racer –  unsuitable for me anyway, since I came off it at high speed and suffered pretty nasty injuries.  Ah well, it got me out of Maths for a week or so.  Another cyclist who pedalled along in those days,  and who claimed to have recognised me instantly when I came to the May 2000 dinner, was Tony Carpenter.   He said I hadn’t changed a bit.  (What a gent – thanks Tony).

So Leyton Cross had many tales to tell, and still does if a cursory glance on my detoured  route home last summer is anything to go by. There I saw dozens of girls and boys waiting for buses, chatting away, some of whom looked as if they were having quite serious conversations. Good Heavens! We didn’t have many of those. How times must have changed in that respect.

Let us fast forward now to more recent history, and how it is that I came into the frame. It all began one December night in 1998. I was at the home of  Mr and Mrs Crighton when the phone rang. It was Joan,  sister of  a Brian Hyland.  Did Bob still live there?  Did he know there was a reunion dinner in March ’99. Would he like to go? My main thought at the time was: Why would Brian Hyland, a sixties pop icon who had a hit with, ‘Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini,’ be trying to contact Bob about a school reunion dinner?

But time and space insist that we cut to March the 13^th 1999.

Bob was  nervous about meeting his old school mates. He knew he’d changed – white hair (where he still had some!), a more rotund shape (a far cry from the beanpole who stood in front of the goalmouth during school football). His greatest fear though, was not recognising anyone and being left by himself all night. But he had to go. Curiosity and my encouragement won.

The arrangement was that I would ‘rescue’ Bob and taxi him home to his parents’ house – just in case he’d had  one too many. (Never, surely). I hoped he wouldn’t want to rush off.   As luck would have it, I arrived just as the speeches began.   A witty and erudite English teacher, Wally James,  was recounting his experiences and proved to be very entertaining. I sipped a glass of wine, kindly provided by the caretaker’s wife, and surveyed the gathered company. I could see Bob’s table and noticed one or two heads turning.

Speeches over and Bob beckoned me to join him.  I made my way down the room feeling somewhat conspicuous. (After all, I was the only female in view).  A man stood and offered me his seat. I glanced at him. He at me. It wasn’t! No! It couldn’t be? But it was: ‘Features’, the great  Robin Pitman. Gulp! 

I managed to compose myself and sat down.

Straight away Bob set me a challenge: ‘So, who’s this?’ he said, indicating a chap on his left directly opposite me: ‘Wally Hammond’, I replied without  hesitation. There was an explosion of laughter  while the said gentleman sat stunned, unable to do anything but smile broadly. For Roger (let’s drop the ‘Wally’ – the poor chap has been trying to lose it for years after all) — was astonished. You see, he had no idea who I was at first. Shame on you Roger! To add to the poor  fellow’s confusion, I was able to regale him with a few incidents pertaining to his misspent youth,  none of which he immediately remembered, (and most of which he wanted to forget).   By the end of the evening, however,  it had come back to him.  I can’t remember,  if I received any thanks for my vivid recollections by the way.

 What of these old boys now?  I can bring you up to date on a selected few: Well, Bob still flies back and forth across the Atlantic between New York and London on business.

Robin went into Physics and is now ‘something big’ in Whitehall.

Brian Hyland, did not go on to make any more hit records, but became an engineer, presently involved in the Athens metro project which has greatly reduced the pollution in that city.

Tony Carpenter has lived in Milan for some time and, like Bob, is also in the computer industry.

As for Roger Hammond, would you believe he’s retired and resides in country squiredom in middle England? Is it any wonder he looks about ten years younger than everyone else and why, consequently, he was so easy to identify?  (I think it’s time he got back to work like the rest of us.)

Lastly, David my brother. He is an engineer and has worked abroad for much of his career,  the most recent being the Gulf coast of Mississippi.  Back in the UK now, he commutes from E.Sussex to London every day.

And I?  I became a teacher and no-one is more surprised  about that than yours truly.  I studied up to MA level,  abandoning a further doctorate in recent years due to lack of time and energy.  You can’t be a full-time teacher and study effectively at that level these days.  Bob and I remain friends and consider ourselves fortunate to have sustained this long association over so many years.  Despite the vicissitudes of life, we have retained the bonds of the past up to the present day.  Our parents live close by each other so this has enabled us to meet regularly over the years.

I’ve  enjoyed my special guest status these past two years and feel lucky  to have been able to make new friends from old acquaintances.  I haven’t spent all the time at the reunions,  and prefer the smaller gatherings at the Horse and Groom. Also, I have tended to arrive towards the latter part of the evening or afternoon, but each time, I’ve been struck by the warmth and generosity of spirit that flows from these occasions.  There is a unique bond between the boys they once were and the men they have become.  The years roll away and there is genuine affection and respect.  Egos are muted and nothing but goodwill is generated.  It’s impressive.

I wish we had something like it for the girls up the hill.  To date,  there doesn’t seem to be a school website or ‘Old Girls Association’. However, thanks to an excellent website:  www.friendsreunited.co.uk  many of us have found each other after all these years and are now planning our own reunions. Some of the girls mentioned above for instance, are hoping to meet at Christmas. But for me the real find was Susan May.  She has expressed an interest in coming to the next Horse and Groom lunch in November to meet the boys of 56 – 63!!  Would anyone care to invite us?               Mary Orme  (David O’Neill’s sister)

Ian Dalton, 1969 - 1974

Left at the end of the 5th year nearly a year older than everyone else, which was because of where my birthday sat in relation to the start of school year. Went to the MOD on an apprenticeship in electronics and ended up staying there seven years. Progressed from there to the BBC and, another seven years later, became chief engineer of a long since departed company called ‘Network One’, the only claim to fame for which is it made the first ever series of ‘Alas Smith and Jones’ for the BBC. In the midst of all this, got married in ’89 to Karen and had 2 children, Alex and Sophie. When Network One croaked in 1991, I went freelance for four years, which ended being too stressful, so got a job with NBC in 1995. I still work for them now, but for CNBC, the satellite business news channel. I’m also a director of a computer company, which is effectively a spare-time occupation, but you never know... After leaving school, many a Saturday lunchtime was spent in the Foresters with Mike Wesson, Ivor Jenkins, Stuart Butler (until he left) and, very occasionally, Graham Nicholls. I ended up doing jury service with Mike Wesson at Maidstone County Court in 1990. I have a habit of calling Mike ‘Mick’, which he definitely doesn’t like. The only former classmate that I have met again since leaving is Mick Browning, but I see that there are quite a few more of the 1974 ‘5D’ names on the site. Pity Kev Rodgers has ‘disappeared’. Tried and failed to get my own son, Alex, a place this year. Went to the open evening. I didn’t see Graham Nicholls, who was supposed to be there, but was probably (knowing him) at Highbury? What prompted my joining? Two things, nostalgia and the fact that Fred Hewitt lives 4 doors up from me!

Alan Peter Mead, (1950-1954)

How wonderful to find my school on the internet, if just a few days after the May 12 2001 reunion which I would loved to have attended.

I have just unearthed issues 4 (July 1956) and 5 (July 1957) of the magazine of the Dartford Technical School for Boys.

I have spent the last 2 hours browsing the site fantastic and a credit to all concerned.

They were great days. I can remember lots of faces but few names; Paddy Rolfe, Geoff Sinclar, Alan Riddington (high jumper) and ? Amos. Sorry to hear that Maggie had died. I live in Oxfordshire and retired from AERE Harwell in 1995 Anyone remember me?

I have sent details to you.   Please contact me I can’t wait to visit the school.

Ian McCune, (1965(2)-69)

Thanks for the email - I was Head Boy during 1968-69. I did not pass the “11+” and transferred to the school in 1965 - “a late developer” ! Therefore, I am really associated with those who joined in 1961 or thereabouts. I went onto the University of East Anglia and became a teacher. (Lots of us became teachers in those days!). I am married with a daughter currently at medical School in London. I married my wife, Bernadette, in 1978. Since 1985, I have been head of Economics and Business Studies at Dane Court School in Broadstairs, having previously worked in Surrey and London. A year or so ago, I contacted Len Hollingsworth and we spent a pleasant day together talking about the “old days”. I have no real contact with anybody from school apart from Gary Cox. Gary and I became very close friends and we regularly visit each other - he now lives in Dorset where he is a solicitor. He met his wife through our friendship and so this has further strengthened our relationship. I was bestman at his wedding in 1976. There is little more that is really relevant - however, I did see Martin Fielder White a few years ago - he was still recognisable even if I am not!

I grew up playing with Christopher Bull in the early 1950s - I notice that he is on your list - I will try to keep in touch.

David Benson, (1953-57)

Thanks for you note and the Newsletter. Sorry for a slight delay in replying as I have been away on holiday.

You are probably correct for the year that I started as you have taken it from school records. I was at the school when they used the lower part of the playing field to build the new block to make room for the 11 year olds and thought I was still under 13 by a few weeks when I started but memory sometimes plays tricks. Seeing the part photo of ’54 with Keith Richards and others brought back many memories. I’m sure I have an original somewhere in the loft. I notice Colin Slack is on the list as well as in the picture. You probably have many of the names but I will try and help if at all possible.

I will contact you again when time permits.

Michael Whitewood, (1955-59)

Hi. Dennis, great to hear from you. This is all quite exciting for me our school days are such a distant memory these days, it has become very difficult to put faces to names now but I am sure that we can rectify a lot of that problem in the near future. Thanks for the kind comments about the cricket. That 102n.o. on my last day at school in the House final is of course one of my all time fondest sporting memories. I now live in Cornwall Near Launceston with my second wife of 13 years. I emigrated to Oz in 1962 with a mate and got married there we had two kids and came to live back in Blighty in 1979. Bought a pub in Gravesend. First wife died. My two kids now live in Florida USA. Ideal for long holidays. I don’t work now due to MS but am still able to get around as I refuse to let it beat me. Were you in my class? I think I left in 59, I did the 6th form to try to add to my GCE total but was useless at that. I remember Michael Carr and Gerald Pickering who came back to re-do the 6th Form I think Gerald was into Gliding. Funny how things are starting to come back. I noticed on the website that Ken Howton (should I know that name) mentions a lot of names I know Nunn, Beresford, Pierce, Fitton, Mummery, as I remember they were the academics in our year. I am so pleased to be in contact, please give me as much info as you can manage, I will be very pleased to relive some old times the memory is very poor. Regards  (Mick at school as I recall)

Keith Chessell, 1947-51

Many thanks for contacting me. I have just spent half an hour looking at the website. Next time there is a reunion dinner at the school I will certainly hope to be there. I assume Mr Day was still the headmaster in your day? Was Mr Black still around? I was very interested to hear that Maggie was still alive until very recently. I do have good memories of her. Unfortunately as time marches on I find my recollection of faces and names is not as good as it once was - but then it is over 50 years since I left Wilmington !

John Rawlins, 1973-77

I was unexpectedly struck with nostalgia browsing through your excellent website. I joined the school at the end of the third year in 1973 after moving to Dartford from Tottenham. I found Dartech much gentler and greener than the school  I had left behind. This was despite the fact that Martin Smith insisted on following me home after my first day and punching me squarely in the face. He later became my younger sister’s boyfriend. All forgiven ? on both counts. I can still remember how strange it was to address each other by our first names in that first term of the lower sixth. If I remember correctly, some of us didn’t even know each others first names as we all had strange - and sometimes cruel - nicknames. Thanks to the late Mrs Mountjoy I still imagine that I understand French, thanks to Len Hollingsworth I still read The Economist every week, and thanks to my old friends I still have a lot of great memories. I left in the middle of the upper-sixth after starting some silly dispute with the headmaster, Mr. Edgeler, about whether sixth-formers should have to wear uniforms or not. I have not been in contact with anyone from the school for over 20 years and so I’ll be happy to hear from anyone who remembers me. My email address ? rawlins@arrakis.es ? can be published. Thanks

Tony Little,  1963-68

My son found the friends reunited site and I added Dartford Tech for Boys, since then there have been a few submissions. It is very difficult when you lose touch with people for 30 years to find
anything in common so it must thought about carefully before trying to make any contact. I would however like my name to appear in your list as long as there is no compulsion to make contact and it is left up to me. I am sure you understand.

What details would you like from me, as you saw from the site I joined DTHS for Boys in 1963 and left in 1968, I still live locally in Bexleyheath, but what else would you like to know? Depending on when you get back to me I may be able to answer straight away but I am going on two weeks holiday from Tuesday next.

Thanks for making contact and I look forward to hearing from you.

Peter Ferris, 1963-68

Just to say I have fond memories of Miss Mountjoy from 1963-68 when French was my best subject by miles due to Maggie’s talent and energy. Probably the only teacher at that time who took an interest in me and succeeded in getting me through a year of A level French while still 15yo.

Peace MM and thanks.

Marc Frost, 1979-84

It appears from the re-union pictures that most of the old boys who make the effort to attend probably left in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. Do you have many old boys from the 80’s ? I was at the school between 1979 and 1984 and am interested to know how many others are involved and know about this site. Thanks.

Dominic Lake, 1987-94

Saw the class photo for 1983 A level students. Any chance of starting a database with photos of other years? P.S: very weird seeing photos of Mr Laddell and Mr. Daley after all this time at the dinner you guys had. Final footnote, Kieron Lake recently passed the LPC from the College of Law, after previously graduating Law. Know of any oldboys with legal links in the City. Kieron is looking for Articles. Any help or advice appreciated. kieronlake@hotmail.com

Andrew Pordage,  1984-91

Left school in 1991, started studying for accountancy exams. Qualified at AAT then at CIMA. Am now married (June 2001) and am looking to become a Finance Director in the next few months. I’m still in contact with some guys from my year. My best mate Nick O’Farrell, who is also an old WGSB boy was my best man in June, with others attending including Michael Bate and Simon Copley

Dick Turpin, 1958(6)-62

Thanks for contacting me. I guess the reason my name came up in relation to the 1956 intake despite my actually joining the school in 1958 is that I was a late entrant, i.e., I joined in the third year. I regret I do not remember you and I have only vague recollections of Brian Hyland and Robin Pitman. This may due to the little grey cells dying or more likely because I never formed really close friendships with my fellow students for a number of reasons. Firstly, I lived a long way from the school, in Orpington. Why my parents allowed me to go to Dartford when, for instance, Cray Valley Tech was perhaps a mile from my home, is a mystery.

Secondly, my passion from the age of 13 was sport but not the sports encouraged at Wilmington , e.g.., rugby and tennis where I played both at County level ... so my leisure time was also divorced from my school. I really regret this now as I am sure I missed out significantly on an important range of friends.

Add to all this I was also a pretty pathetic student and struggled to 9 O’levels after a year in the lower 6th, school for me was a poor experience. Anyway I came through, learnt how to study, became an accountant and have had a career which included advising Government Ministers on controlling Public Spending in the 70’s, managing a money broking business in the 80’s
and becoming a partner of Deloitte and Touche in the 90’s. I am now stumbling towards retirement as a director of an outsourcing company.

Colin Acton, 1950-53

Great to hear from you, I checked out the site and was very impressed, but at the same time sad to learn of the death of my old English teacher Mrs Mountjoy. I submitted all of my details on the site to be added to the data base, and was amazed to see that the top four names in the listing for the years 1950 1953 were actually in my class at some time during my stint at the college, unfortunately they do not list E mail addresses. Perhaps you can advise on how I can obtain their contact details

Regards from down under (sorry about the cricket)

Mike Cassell, 1958-66

Hello there Dennis Thanks for your e mail.

Our paths at the Tech must have briefly crossed in those now dim and distant days when Mr Wall was headmaster. I was a pupil at the school from 1959-1966 I’d be interested to have more details about the association and obviously any details about any contemporaries who left school circa 1966. I don’t have any contact whatsoever with anyone from the school and I would be intrigued to know what has happened in the interim.

Report of Gathering of those that joined the School in 1957

On Sunday 30^th September our group met at The Horse and Groom. Unfortunately our numbers were abbreviated by travel arrangements caused by the events of the 11th. Those of us that were able to attend enjoyed our afternoon together and once we had recognised each other the memories of schooldays came flooding back.

It was suggested that we should continue having a September event, but when and where, perhaps on the second Sunday of the month at the Foresters, more discussion about this in the future.

Should you wish to see some of the photographs taken please point your browser at: http://uk.y42.photos.yahoo.com/bc/chris_portwine and click on Reunion September 2001

Memorium

We have been informed of the deaths of the following Members

Derek Kaye (1945-48),   Peter Gee (1942-45),   David John King (1958-63),  Ivor Jenkins (1943-46, 1970-91)

ANNUAL REUNION DINNER & A.G.M.

on Saturday, 11th May, 2002

LEN HOLLINGSWORTH

(Member of Staff 1960-1999)

will be our Guest of Honour.

There will be a Carvery Dinner and of

course a Licensed Bar.

Final details in next Newsletter.

All ages are Welcome.

If you wish to find former School friends and

get more of your own age group together do

not hesitate to contact us, as we have the

original Intake lists and facilities to

make comprehensive searches.

Visit our Website and check out the names that we have, and give us details of any you know that are not there

www.odwa.freeserve.co.uk

Your next Newsletter is due to be published in February but to do this

I need articles and correspondence.

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