KBGS Old Boys' Forum

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Re: REUNION 2014


OLD KEIGHLIANS’ REUNION, 2014

The next Old Keighlians’ Annual Reunion, the eleventh since 1995, will be held at the Keighley Rugby Union Football Club House, Skipton Road, Utley, between noon and late afternoon on Friday, 26th September, 2013.
I am very pleased to be able to tell you that, in spite of the ‘financial situation’, the price of the buffet lunch will be £17 per head, a pound cheaper than last year. Wives and partners are, as always, very welcome, as are indeed, and especially, widows of our deceased ex-school-fellows.
I do hope you will be able to be there to meet old friends, and make new friends, on what, we are sure, will be as convivial an occasion as it has always been.
If you happen to be aware of any other Old Boys who may not know about the event could you please put them in touch with me at the address below or at a.d.thompson@hull.ac.uk. Many thanks.

Please send cheques (BEFORE Friday, 19 September, 2014) payable to:

A.D. Thompson

‘Coanwood’, Manor Brow, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 4AW

With all good wishes, in the meantime,


Doug Thompson

…………………………………………………………………………………….

NAME:

Please delete as applicable.

My wife/partner/other and I wish to attend the Reunion

I enclose a cheque for £________ in payment for ______ buffet lunch(es)



Re: REUNION 2014

Too bad Doug having the reunion so late . I took a gamble and booked early for another last trip to UK assuming that the date would be around the 10th to 20th ,only to find you had decided on the 26th . We fly out on the 22nd and I can't change the date now . Too much hassle . Hope the event is a success and I send my good wishes to all .-----Mike

Current location (optional) Tasmania

Re: REUNION 2014

Mike,

I realise how disappointing that is for you - and I'm disappointed you and Mary won't be with us. It is one of those situations in which you really can't please all of the people all of the time. Since I took over the organisation from Robert Bracken I have, each year, received mildly complaining letters from OBs who find early September clashes with their holiday weeks, often involving grandchildren, so I decided to try and accommodate those people, this year, by pitching it at the end of the month, when grandchildren, at least, are safely back at school.

It's a great pity you took a gamble on the date because it was actually fixed, and announced, at last September's reunion. If you had contacted me before making your booking, it is likely this unfortunate state of affairs could have been avoided. I really do hope, though, that given this 'miss' you will make one further last trip - and I'll ask you to choose the date!

Best wishes,

Doug

Re: REUNION 2014

No fault of yours Doug, in my haste to book when Mary said she would try one more trip I overlooked the reunion. Our dates were tied to our sons already arranged times in the UK when we are needed here to fill in . Just my luck !
Will take great care next time .

Current location (optional) Tasmania

Re: REUNION 2014

Mike

That sounds as though you are willing to contemplate a next time, so we'll try and get it right!

Best wishes, as ever,

Doug

Re: REUNION 2014

Wow! To bad for me too with that date. I am returning to Keighley (via trip on the Leeds & Liverpool canal ) for the first time since leaving UK in 1961. Thought I would do a little browsing before coming over next week and found this site. Have just looked at our dates and find we also leave the UK a week before the reunion! Dammit - would have been interesting, to say the least.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1958-1961

Current location (optional) S. Island New Zealand

Re: REUNION 2014

What are your dates for the trip on the canal , we could have a reunion of our own . Where in the South Island are you ? I am near to Keighley 26-28th August .

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 43-46

Current location (optional) Tasmania

Re: REUNION 2014

Apologies to all (both of) those who were looking forward to seeing me at the reunion meal.
Unfortunately a family holiday has intervened. I have suggested to my wife that she consults the diary in future before making such arrangements, so I expect to be at the 2015 reunion meal.

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

Current location (optional) Leeds

Re: REUNION 2014

John Howe
Wow! To bad for me too with that date. I am returning to Keighley (via trip on the Leeds & Liverpool canal ) for the first time since leaving UK in 1961. Thought I would do a little browsing before coming over next week and found this site. Have just looked at our dates and find we also leave the UK a week before the reunion! Dammit - would have been interesting, to say the least.


Hi John, welcome aboard. Good to see another Keighley lad found Godzone. Mike got in first-I look forward to hearing where you are living down South. My wife is a Rangiora lass. Enjoy your visit home, it is always nice to see the old place again and wonder about all the changes. Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1947-51

Current location (optional) Auckland, New Zealand

Re: REUNION 2014

Sorry that I will not be able to be with you this year. A busy September and, also, I don't have anyone to drive me to Keighley this year. Many regrets and have a wonderful day.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1940-1948

Current location (optional) Epsom

Re: REUNION 2014

A pity, Tom. You'll be missed.

Just learned that Mike and Mary Nichols (Tasmania) are going to be with us after all. And at considerable cost, having had to change their flight back to Hobart to do so. I'm sure we all look forward to seeing and welcoming them once again!

Doug

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1951-58

Current location (optional) Keswick, Cumbria

Re: REUNION 2014

As I shall be out of the country from 13 to 24 September, could anybody else intending to come to the Reunion on 26 September please get their cheques in to me by the 12th. I shall need to give catering a good idea of the numbers involved before I leave.

If, for any reason, you can't do this you won't be precluded, as long as your cheque is waiting for me when I get back to Keswick.

Many thanks,

Doug

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1951-58

Current location (optional) Keswick, Cumbria

Re: REUNION 2014

How was the latest reunion? Any reports or photos?
Chris

Re: REUNION 2014

Sorry about the delay in responding to your question, Chris. A report on the Reunion and peripheral activities should appear in tomorrow's 'Keighley News', unless they found room for it last week. However, in brief, there were 33 of us there this year, including Mike & Mary from Tasmania, Gil Swift's grand-daughter, Kate Metcalfe, who is Events Secretary at the rugby club (clearly its in the blood),and, of course, Spike Rannard. Four people who had paid didn't show up but there were also a few new faces, as well as one or two 'returners' who hadn't been seen for a while.

The total number was disappointing, seventeen down on last year. I had thought that pitching it right at the end of the month would bring in more people but I had letters and messages from several people who were going to be on holiday - so travel, not the grim reaper, conspired against us. This next year, after canvasing opinion (and still am) I'm thinking of reverting to nearer the beginning of the month.

The occasion itself was great fun, as ever, though Joe McDowell assured me it had been 'the best yet', while the meal was sumptuous as ever, and Janet Feather, the cater, having already done us proud, then offered generous 'doggy bags' to any who cared to take them - and several people did. So, what we lacked in numbers we seem to have made up for in spirit!

We are almost on the brink of the tri-centenary of the founding of the first grammar school in Keighley, the Drake and Tonson School, whose founding Gareth Whittaker very kindly researched for me. Apparently John Drake left money for the founding of such a school in 1714, it seems to have been established some time after, then amalgamated with a rival school, set up on the other side of town at more or less the same time, in 1716. I am taking that date to be our founding one, the establishment of the Drake and Tonson School; so we'll be looking to make a splash the year after next. If anyone has any bright ideas about where we might advertise it nationally, or even more widely in the North, I should be very grateful. The Saga magazine has given up advertising such events, I checked in 'The Dalesman' and 'Cumbria' but they seem not to do so either, so at a loss.

Photos now posted under 'Reunions' and, if I can work out how to do it, I'll also include there the list of this year's participants.

Doug

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1951-58

Current location (optional) Keswick, Cumbria

Re: REUNION 2014

KBGS Reunion List, 26 September 2014

Bracken, Robert (1938-46) & June
Butterfield, Roy (1958-65)
Ebden, Stuart 1956-63) and Penny
Holt, Colin (1946-51)
Kirkley, David
Lougee, Marten (1954-62)
McDowell, Joe (1939-46)
Marsden, Keith (1936-41)
Marston, Terry (1952-60)
Metcalfe, Kate
Newiss, Derek (1950-55)
Nichols, Mike (1943-46) & Mary
Ogden, Jim (1940-47) & Mark Watson (son-in-law)
Pickles, Denis (1945-50)
Place, Bill (1951-56)
Rannard, George (1943-60)
Rannard, John (1956-63)
Robinson, Allan (1958-65)
Rotheram, Jan
Sabey, Denis (1951-57)
Seeley, David (1945-50)
Simpson, Doreen
Smith, John (1939-45)
Sutcliffe, Derek
Thompson, Doug (1951-58) & Gill
Webster, Dorothy
Whittaker, Gareth (1954-59)
Young, Peter (1951-56)

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1951-58

Current location (optional) Keswick, Cumbria

Re: REUNION 2014

Doug,

Thanks for that info.

I will really try to make it in 2015. There's a good chance I will be living in UK from 2016 so I should find it much easier to attend the 2016 event.

Best wishes
Chris

Re: REUNION 2014

The home page has 2 new links to photos of 2013 and 2014 reunions.

Re: REUNION 2014

Very many of us will look forward to hosting you whenever you can get there, Chris; we are all very much in your debt!

All good wishes,

Doug

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1951-58

Current location (optional) Keswick, Cumbria