1973 intake reunion

Classof73_Reunion

Some of us thought 50 years was worth celebrating and so our school captain Michael Howell started to search for Stationers who joined in 1973. Yes, 1973 when Ted Heath was in power, and Labour won control of the GLC. When Pink Floyd’s 'Dark Side of the Moon' was released, and British Leyland announced a new car - the Austin Allegro. Pizza Hut opened in Islington, Capital Radio began as did Last of the Summer Wine on TV. And when Sunderland shocked Leeds in the F.A.Cup and the mighty Spurs won the League Cup.

Yes, it was a long time ago when me and many other young boys entered the gates to the lower school in Denton Road. With many like me feeling apprehensive at joining such a big school. Even after so many years Michael managed to trace a good many now slightly more  mature Stationers and had 16 or so ready to meet one Saturday. A visit to the school site then a drink and a meal were proposed. But Network Rail had other ideas. Train strikes thwarted us and derailed us twice but third time lucky and we were back on track for Sunday 1st October, and we finally met, but the strikes had taken their toll and 10 of us got together.

I met with Michael Howell, Michael Ttofi and Stephen Baldwin at a cafe in Weston Park. It was close to the site of the bakers where we used to get half a loaf for lunch as long as you could find someone to share with you. We remembered the oozing butter that went all down your chin (and tie) and I thought it was ham, but Steve said it was spam. I'm sure he's right. From there to the school. We started by trying to figure out where the huts were and the tennis courts and the pathways to the upper buildings and the terraces where we played football. We found what was the gym and entered to find it was still the gym, unchanged after all these years. 

Everyone remembered Toomey's bunny hops! Agony! The gym is now part of a community centre. A friendly caretaker let us then look at the dining room as we knew it now being used by residents on that day being set up for a children's party. Good to see the only parts of the lower school that remained. A walk to where the upper building once was brought back the memories of the figure of eight runs. Or walks for me! More agony! We talked of prefect duties and in Mayfield Road found the plaque and had a photo stop. As we reminisced about moving tables and chairs down the hill in the snow for exams during a strike Ttofi looked up who was No. 1 when we started. Donny Osmond with 'Young Love' followed by Wizard and 'Angel Fingers'.

Next stop was St Pancras (such an irony we planned to meet at a railway station) and we were joined by Paul Clague, George Gibbs, Idrees Rafiq (all the way from Dubai), John Hadjisavvas, Costakis Demetriou and Ian Nouch.
A drink and then a meal and conversations flowed. What we were doing now, wives, current and ex's, children, football rivalries, music, especially the sounds and talents of Vox Populi!, but of course everything led back to Hornsey and those schooldays. I had kept in touch with the two Michaels, and Mark Willson and John Lane (both of whom sadly couldn't make it) and it was clear others still met up and friendships remained over half a decade, but there was so much talk of those who weren't there and whether others had seen them or knew where they were, and Ttofi proposed a toast to those we knew who had sadly passed away. We talked about the teachers, the good and the not so good, the ones in the Grammar school robes and the ones in the corduroy jackets and knitted ties, such a contrast. Conversations continued for hours with so many memories. The camaraderie was evident, the chatter relaxed, and a good time was had by all.

As schoolmates started to leave there was constant talk of meeting again and finding more and more of our intake and maybe a bigger get together. So, let’s hope we do, if Network Rail don't mind!

Tony Eade