KBGS Old Boys' Forum

A place to discuss Keighley Boys' Grammar School. 


Terms of use.  Anonymous, offensive, or malicious postings will  be deleted. School-related topics only please. If you need to add a "family notice" reply to any of the current messages in that thread, and remember to change the Subject to the name of the newsworthy person.

 

 

KBGS Old Boys' Forum
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Trying to trace old boys from my era

Hi Derek, Our paths cross again. Remember us both being at Grattan? I may be missing the target completely; but you seem to have some sort of role as record keeper. I am trying to trace as many old boys from my era as possible. Some, James Hall, John Bailey and John Briggs have already departed this world. So before I or the rest do the same wonder what sort of contact list you have? You may be able to help me speed up the search. Cheers Bill

Re: Trying to trace old boys from my era

Would you be the "Willie" Darlington from my era - both 1C in 1958/9, then separated for a couple of years before being reunited in the X form.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958 - 65

Current location (optional) Dudley, West Midlands

Re: Trying to trace old boys from my era

Hi Bill,

Click the Index of members in the guest book of the forum and click "sort of Old Boys by year attended".
This should give you a good start/check list.

Maybe the members organising the Xmas reunion will have a more comprehensive list
Regards
Derek

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1950-1955

Current location (optional) KEIGHLEY

Re: Trying to trace old boys from my era

Hi Bill (ne Willie).. nice to hear from you! You'll find a few of our year around these parts if you look hard enough. Some are regular posters, some are lurkers, and some visited for a short time then kind of disappeared from view again. I'm interested in what became of John Bailey, who, along with Jim Hall et al, were in Wilbur's 6th form Latin class. Perhaps you could post something about him in the Family Notices section if, indeed, he's no longer with us. I had a brief email exchange with him a few years ago and we provisionally arranged to meet up at Colne Blues Festival one year. Can't remember what happened, but the meeting never took place, much to my regret. It would've been good to catch up. Anyway, have a ferret around. You'll encounter some familiar names I'm sure.

Re: Trying to trace old boys from my era

Hi Brian, I am the one and same Willie Darlington.I have posted a few messages all over the place in the hope of making contact with some of the old boys from our class. I am pleased that there are still so many about. I've asked quite a number of questions under Christopher James Hall's page.Rather than repeat them all here would you read them there and let me know what you think. Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-1965

Current location (optional) Brighouse West Yorkshire

Re: Trying to trace old boys from my era

Hi Derek, Thanks for that sage advice. I should have known your computer background and knowledge would help. So it has. But there are not as many as I'd hoped. Perhaps everybody is as shy as myself!
How are you doing and what did you get up to after Grattan? Do you meet up with anybody from there? Do you hear anything of Don Wright? I've bumped in to Peter Lord when researching our Family Tree. He's a big cheese at Brighouse Family History Society.
Great to hear from you and thanks again for the tip.
Cheers. Bill

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-1965

Current location (optional) Brighouse West Yorkshire

Re: Trying to trace old boys from my era

Hi Jonah, It's also good to hear from you. There's alsorts of memories flooding back. I'm not sure how accurate they are. On one occassion we were all in the prefect's room supposedly revising for some exam when some wag suggested bridge or dominoes. The noise level increased. Then somebody turned round and said " Where's Jonah?" I think it was John who said he's revising in the loo.It's the only place he can find any peace and quiet!

Talking of John. I always felt a debt of gratitude to him. We both used to play soccer for Cowling and then join the coach for the Imperial Ballroom in Nelson. I was living in Bradford so I stayed over at John's place. Anyway about five/six years back I traced him to Nelson and we took him out for a meal as a belated small thank you gesture. He was/ had just retired from teaching languages(cannot remember which school) but he used Jim Hall's text book and one of his headmasters was our old English teacher- Mr Williams.

We then kept in contact on a casual basis by phone and when he and Carol moved to Lanshaw Bridge we had a few pints in a local hostelry- that would be May 2006/7(?). I didn't phone again till October 2007/8(?). Carol answered the phone and told me John had developed a back pain in Oct 2006/7 which turned out to be bowel cancer. He died the following March.

I still have Carol's contact details so I'll give her a bell to confirm some details and then I'll gladly post something on Family Notices.

That's as much as I can remember.
Cheers. Bill

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-1965

Current location (optional) Brighouse West Yorkshire

Re: Trying to trace old boys from my era

Hi Jonah, Spoke to John's widow, Carole, and she said John would have been in favour of some comments on the Family Notices. So I've added a few personal comments. Perhaps you could add more. Hope to see you again sometime. Cheers. Bill

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-1965

Current location (optional) Brighouse West Yorkshire

Re: Trying to trace old boys from my era

Will do! That's really sad news about John. That must've been around the same time that I was briefly in touch with him. Anyway, here's one for Chris (don't know if it's possible). Chris: a lot of internet forums (fora?) have a PM or private messaging facility built in to the software. Could this be added? It would exactly meet Bill's need for getting in touch directly with individual former classmates, rather than adding to an existing thread. Just wondering.