The Reunion Pamphlet

It has been suggested that a few notes on what I have done since retiring from King Edmund's in July 1971 would be of interest. In that time I have never been in the position of looking for something to do; on the other hand, I have frequently wondered how I found time to go to work.

When I addressed the school on my last morning, I said one priority was to go to the Chelsea Flower Show. This had never been possible because it always took place during the school term. I fulfilled this wish the following year, and have been on several occasions since. My own garden and greenhouse have provided me with much pleasurable work, and I have enjoyed visiting many gardens open to the public.

Two or three years ago I read in the local paper that pupils of King Edmunds were commencing Nature Conservation work in the neighbourhood. My mind went back to those good lads who had brought credit to the school by putting in literally hundreds of man/hours with me at Conservation tasks all over Gloucestershire for some years before my retirement. Not only that, but some continued for several years afterwards. I'm not going to name names, but if you recognise yourself, stand up and say to your children, "I was one of those".

I have beside me as I write, the book on the English Lakeland presented to me in appreciation by those 9 boys who spent Easter 1965 by the side of Coniston Water and I remember with pride and gratitude the impression they made on the staff there, by their conduct, attitude to work and pleasant co-operation.

One of the things in which I became interested after retirement was Archaeology. I took a course at 'A' level, and worked on "digs" at Farleigh Castle, Chippenham, Bradford-on-Avon, Langley Burrell and Marshfield. When a Farm Museum opened in the village, I volunteered to help, and spent a lot of time acting as a guide to conducted parties, especially of school children, as well as assisting in a general way. Unfortunately the owner had to close this project down because of other commitments.

In 1979 I was one of a small group who founded a local History Society in the village, and this still continues to attract some 50 members. Genealogy has also become an interest of mine. Besides working on my own "family tree", I have helped a number of friends with theirs, in addition to searching our own parish registers in order to answer queries which have been received by the vicar and churchwardens. This work has taken me to the Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Bristol Record Offices, and also to London to the Public Record Office in Portugal Street for Census returns, to St. Catherine's House for certificates of birth, marriage and death, and to Somerset House for wills.

If any old pupils are interested in tracing their ancestors I strongly advise them to start young, while they have parents and grand-parents to help them. Always write names, ages, etc. on photographs, and work with the knowledge that most families had a black sheep or two. After all, the notorious "Wickwar Gang" of the last century largely came from Yate and Iron Acton!!

A few years ago the archives of the Codrington Estate were withdrawn from deposit at the Glos. Record Office and were about to be auctioned. These not only concerned Codrington and Dodington but Chipping Sodbury and many of the villages around, and it would have been a great loss to the neighbourhood had they been dispersed. A local business man stepped in and negotiated with the owner and was able to buy them. A small committee was then set up in Marshfield to raise the sum involved and in a few months we were able to reimburse the business man, and the archives are now back at Gloucester in safe keeping for ever. I had the honour of being Treasurer to this committee, and the pleasure of sending a receipt to the Prince of Wales for a generous donation.

Another hobby that has developed over the last sixteen years is that of making a collection of the brass emblems carried by members of the old West of England village Frieldly Societies on their Feast days. These Societies were the forerunners of the Foresters, Buffaloes, etc., and indeed of the N.H.S. I have managed to gather together some 140 examples, and by a little research at the Record Office at Kew have found copies of the rules for some of the local Societies including Tormarton, Chipping Sodbury, Marshfield and Cold Ashton.

More recently I have given a lot of time helping a group of people who have set up a small Museum at Castle Combe, where I was born 76 years ago. It was while doing duty there one Sunday that I had the pleasure of meeting Marjorie Hedge and her family. Fortunately, I have had considerable success in finding fascinating material amongst the archives held at the Wiltshire Record Office concerning the history of the village, and it is hoped that it will be possible to publish some of it in the near future.

I have been able to spend interesting holidays in Scotland, Wales and the picturesque parts of England. Events which I much enjoyed included the Highland Games on Skye; Fell Racing, Hound Trailing and Lakeland Wrestling at Grasmere; the Queen driving to open Parliament on several occasions; and probably the most memorable, the Procession at the Garter Ceremony at Windsor Castle.

I think I've written enough to show that I have not vegetated during my retirement, but have made good use of the years that have been given me; at the moment I'm at a standstill following a hip replacement, but I'm hoping to resume activities before long.

May I extend greetings to all who read these notes, and wish you happiness and success in the future.

Mr Hayes.

I retired from King Edmunds School in 1973 not knowing what life would hold for me in the years to come, but I soon found that retirement could be full, varied and interesting.

Immediately upon retiring I set off for a holiday in Austria and a few weeks later I embarked on a round the world tour which lasted several months and took me to Russia, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, Fiji, Mexico and New York. It was a fabulous adventure, during which I saw many picturesque sights and experienced some fantastic places --- perhaps Tokyo and Fiji were the high-lights, but, also, I shall never forget the experience of landing at Hong Kong, in the late evening when the lights from myriads of small boats were reflected in the harbour.

The following year I journeyed across Canada with friends, using Greyline buses and stopping off where we pleased and for as long as we wished. Niagara Falls were a sight that lived up to it's reputation; I thought Ottawa was the finest of all the Canadian cities; the Prairies were mainly bright yellow with crops of rape when we crossed them in June and bright blue with flax flowers as we returned in August. The mountainous Rockies region has some superb scenery and we stayed longest at Jasper and Banff, from where a tour across the Athabasca glacier, in a snow-mobile, was a trip to be remembered. At Vancouver there are some of the finest totem poles in the world and when I saw these I felt that, perhaps, these were what I had really travelled so far to see.

From Vancouver it was possible to go northwards to the great fishing port of Prince Rupert and then north again into true Indian country using the Alaskan Highway for a short distance — I would like to have gone further on this road but, alas, time did not permit — I thought, perhaps, I would go back one day, but this has not happened yet!

Each year I have visited some foreign parts — Tunisia, Morocco, Sicily, Italy (several times as I have studied Italian in my spare moments), Portugal, Crete, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Bankok, and Sri Lanka, which for me out-shone them all.

Most summers, too, I have taken my car and spent a fortnight or so exploring various parts of the British Isles — from Scotland to Cornwall, from Wales to East Anglia.

In between travelling I have found plenty of voluntary work to do mainly serving on various committees. Chipping Sodbury has a number of charitable trusts which administer legacies from past centuries. One of these, the Town Lands' Charity, of which I have been Vice Chairman, has proved very active and interesting in recent years for its funds have been used to convert the ground floor of the Old Grammer School, in the High Street, (where most of you commenced your Secondary Education), into a Community Centre, and the same charity has built a new Town Hall behind the old one. These projects, though time consuming, have been stimulating and rewarding.

At one time I served for several years as a Governor of the St. John's Primary School in Chipping Sodbury and also of the new Brimsham Green Comprehensive School at North Yate, and as Vice Chairman of the main Governing body of Chipping Sodbury Comprehensive School, which, in addition to the main governing body has a small board of Foundation Governors who administer a Trust Fund which has a fairly large annual income to spend on the school and at present I am its chairman.

Ever since I retired I have been Secretary to St. John the Baptist Church at Chipping Sodbury — another interesting and rewarding job.

Life has never been dull although I am much slower now than I used to be but I still manage to get around. Just as I enjoyed my years in teaching I am still enjoying the years of retirement.

K.E. Watkins

1970

Secondary Modern School closed. King Edmunds Comprehensive School opened. I began Open University degree course.

1971

O.U. or rugby? - O.U. won so I gave up playing rugby.

1975

B.A. (O.U.)
SEPTEMBER Took over careers teaching and advising almost full-time. Taught only first year woodwork henceforth.

1979

Applied for and was granted early retirement. County Education Committee eventually felt I had served my sentence.

1980

Joined W.R.V.S. Emergency Service. Became involved in most activities of the service including becoming Emergency Services Organiser, Northavon (1982) and giving talks and training to groups both within and without the service.

1986

MAY 1st
Amanda Claire Willmott arrived. Smashing (arn't they all) first grandchild.

Arthur Willmott.

Having lived in Yate (not half a mile from my parents) since leaving school I was moved by Clare (Mills) Lea's letter in the evening post last year. Much to my shame I had lost contact with all of my school friends. This I thought must be rectified.

I managed to contact quite a few former school friends in the months following and soon decided that at least some of us would like to meet up again. In September 1986 some 70 people (including some spouses) met for the evening at Stanshawes Court Hotel. Rona (Burr) Thieme travelled over from Ueltzen in West Germany and stayed with us for the week. I for one enjoyed the evening very much.

Whilst contacting relatives and friends of school friends I was aware that others would also like to re-unite with their former classmates. This year being 21 years since King Edmunds opened seemed too important an event to overlook.

The task of organising such an event was obviously suited to a committee of former pupils and staff, who would be able to remember and contact many of the former pupils.

Any credit for the evening must go to all who attend but especially to the following who have given up their time and energy to arrange this 21st re-union.

• MISS WATKINS
• MR WILLMOTT
• MAVIS (STINCHCOMBE) WILLIAMSON
• MARY (SMITH) WILLIAMS
• JILL (VINER) BIAGIOLI
• CHRIS (HOWES) OFFER
• ESME (BELCHER) BEZER
• PETE SMITH
• JEFF LANE

King Edmunds School has not as yet formed a society for former pupils. This may be as good a time as any for the seeds of one to be sown. Please keep in contact, notify changes of address and let us know if you are interested in forming a society for former pupils.

Nigel Woodford.