
On Wednesday 23rd October 2019 at around midday fifteen Old Stationers from the Class of ’63 met at The Parcel Yard, King’s Cross, for their fifth reunion in recent years. Once again a good time was had by all.
Although we did not welcome any new faces this year we were pleased to renew our acquain-tance with Tom Waples from Leeds, an absentee from recent meetings. We attracted friends from many parts of England. Geoff Edis travelled up from Teignmouth, Chris Bell from Bradford-on-Avon, Tony Little from Swindon, Clive Jackson from Sussex, Nigel Dant from Reading, Keith Hacker down from Wellingborough and Peter Winter from Warrington. We have some contact with about 45% of our year group, and it is a matter of regret that the majority either remain elusive or choose to be absent!
Aided by a few well-chosen pints we rolled back the years and reminiscences were bounced back and forth across the long bench table. Tony Little grudgingly admitted that he drove a scooter and sidecar in the Sixth Form and that his nickname in the first form was “Shirley”. Geoff Edis pretended to forget that, again in the first form, he got the Potters Bar contingent into trouble by shouting at a Hornsey High girl on Potters Bar station in the hearing of chemistry teacher Dr Andrews. An uncomfortable dressing down followed later that day in Dr Andrews’ Lab.
We also remembered the last day of that summer term when the leaving Sixth Form scientists had spread a chemical which exploded on contact along the corridor leading to the Hall. Blocking the route stood Jimmy Bean (aka Mr Grant, Head of Physics) who commanded us: “Go back, my children, the Hall’s been mined!”
Clive Jackson impressed us with his memory of every woodwork project we were set, in chronological order. Nigel Adams made a speech full of backhanded compliments – although apparently generous - thanking the organiser for his work in getting the group together. In the course of his speech he only managed to insult the organiser thrice (not bad for Nigel, pretty tame) thus ensuring his exclusion from next year’s invitation (only joking, Nigel).
There was further chatter ranging on subjects as diverse as goalkeeping, Antarctic expeditions and the cost of divorce (Nigel A again!). All too quickly the lunch was over. Some said farewell, others adjourned to Starbuck’s within St Pancras station to continue our inane ramblings and await trains. 2020 is the fiftieth anniversary of our leaving date and we determined to meet again at the OSA Dinner in the Spring and again in the Autumn of 2020.
Steve Bensley
(clockwise from front in photo): Geoff Edis, Bob “Neddie” Segall, Tom Waples, Alan Burgess, Keith Hacker, Clive Jackson, Peter Winter, Tony Little, Dave Clark, Nigel Dant, Chris Bell, Steve Bensley, Simon Gouldstone, Frank Clapp