Co-organisers
Ian Macdonald (JRGS 1958–65) and Richard “Tom” Thomas (JRGS
1957–64) have been hard at work during the past several months
finalizing a date and location for the planned Fifth John Ruskin Grand
Reunion. The date is Saturday 5th September 2015; the location is
John Ruskin College in Selsdon, just a few miles away from the
former school building on Upper Shirley Road - shown right.
We are cordially inviting all JRGS Alumni to attend, which includes
former teaching and support staff, alumni of the various John Ruskin
schools located on the Shirley site, together with alumni of previous
JRCS/JRGS schools in the Croydon area. The Reunion at John Ruskin
College will be centered around a semi-formal, sit-down lunch, with
accompanying presentations that will include specific items focused on
the foundation of the first Ruskin School in Croydon and related Ruskin
history.
As the Alumni may already be aware, 2015 marks not one but four
important celebrations: the 95th Anniversary of the school’s
opening as a central school on Scarbrook Road in 1920; the 80th
Anniversary of the school moving to Tamworth Road in 1935; the
70th Anniversary of it becoming a grammar school in 1945; and the
60th Anniversary of the school moving to the Upper Shirley Road site
in 1955.
“We would be extremely pleased if overseas Alumni can coordinate
any planned visit to England in 2015 so they can attend this landmark
Anniversary Reunion,” offers Tom, who with Ian has been working closely
with former JRHS teacher/principal Anne Smith, the former Ruskin
College principal Tim Eyton-Jones, and Debbie Wright, head
of college’s facilities and health and safety. (The new Ruskin College
principal is Mohammed Ramzan).
UPDATE February 2015: Ian and Tom report that plans are
progressing well for the Fifth Reunion. Archive research by Peter
Marchant (JRGS 1949-56) has produced some interesting details of
early days, and the original inspiration for the school motto – only to
be revealed to those attending the reunion! And, of course,
spouses/partners are most welcome.
During the event there will be light refreshments upon arrival, a
main meal early in the proceedings and light refreshments again at its
conclusion; the total cost is expected to be around £30.00. To assist
with catering and seating arrangements, Ian and Tom ask that you show
your commitment to attend by paying an initial and
refundable deposit of £10 per head. They prefer that you send
this payment electronically to the following Nat West Bank account: Sort
code 55-50-05 | Account no 55706924 in the names of Mr. Richard L.
Thomas and Mr. Ian D. Macdonald. The very necessary reference is your
name on the bank transfer, so that we know who has paid.
If you do not have electronic banking, please send a cheque for
this amount, payable to the same persons listed above, to Tom’s home
address at 8 Severn Street, Shrewsbury, SY1 2JA.
Ian and Tom would love to receive details of any JRGS memorabilia
that you plan to bring. For the displays it would be helpful if you
could send photographs beforehand by email or by post. For added
security, please email or phone Ian for his home address.
There is plenty of parking at the John Ruskin Sixth-Form College,
including spaces for the disabled; more details will be made available
closer to the reunion. The college is also conveniently located on both
bus and tram routes to/from East Croydon railway station.
Program details are still being refined - including 8mm films
dating from the early Sixties - together with the final costs. The
organizers also plan to send out a list of attendees. But please don’t
wait until then: Ian and Tom ask that you make your booking now!
UPDATE August 2015: "It would be very
useful if people could let us know as soon as possible that they plan to
attend,” Tom advises, “so that we can finalize the catering arrangements
and the number of pupil guides we will need to serve as ambassadors for
the college; such tours are a practiced feature for open days.”
The list of potential attendees is show below; apologies to anybody
who has contacted Tom or Ian since it was compiled and/or paid a
deposit - those listed in bold type - or the full amount of £35
per person. To date, the total number of potential attendees is 48.
"Some Alumni have kindly sent us payments as donations for a John
Ruskin College fund, details of which will be announced by the Ruskin
College principal on the day," Tom adds. "If any Alumnus would like to
include a small contribution to be passed on to the College as a
donation from the John Ruskin Grammar School Alumni Society,
please include that with your payment for attendance at the Reunion."
People who have expressed
an interest in the Reunion |
Years attended JRGS
or in post |
Possible
Attendees |
David Anderson |
1964-71 |
1 |
Howard Air |
1960-62 |
1 |
Mike Balme |
1958-65 |
1 |
Geoff Boyce |
1958-65 |
1 |
Tony Childs |
1947-53 |
1 |
Jeremy Clarke |
1951-57 |
1 |
John Cobley |
1958-65 |
1 |
Steve Collin |
1966-71 |
1 |
John Crumplin |
1945-50 |
1 |
Peter Curtis |
1957-62 |
1 |
Robert Davis |
1942-43 |
1 |
Ian Davies |
1958-65 |
1 |
Graham Donaldson |
1962-69 |
1 |
Nigel Ellis |
1968-70 |
1 |
Harold Fish |
1951-56 |
1 |
Paul Graham |
1959-66 |
2 |
Peter Goulding |
1958-64 |
1 |
Grant Harrison |
1959-66 |
1 |
Bob Hawkins |
1958-64 |
1 |
Jon Harris |
1988-08 |
1 |
Rodger Holcombe |
1959-64 |
1 |
Stephen Lander |
1959-66 |
2 |
Ian Macdonald |
1958-65 |
2 |
Peter Marchant |
1949-56 |
1 |
David Metz |
1962-64 |
1 |
Frank Millington |
1946-49 |
1 |
Martin Nunn |
1957-71 |
1 |
John Phillips |
1955-58 |
1 |
Martin Preuveneers |
1958-65 |
1 |
Michael Rutt |
1959-64 |
1 |
Anne Smith |
1970-99 |
2 |
Andy Strevens |
1958-63 |
2 |
Eric Taylor |
1941-47 |
1 |
Peter Townsend |
1947-54 |
1 |
Richard "Tom" Thomas |
1957-64 |
1 |
John Turner |
1959-65 |
1 |
Robert Wane |
1945-53 |
1 |
Reg Whellock |
1946-56 |
1 |
Richard Winborn |
1961-68 |
1 |
Ken Woolston |
1934-39 |
1 |
Ray "Sprout" Young |
1950-55 |
1 |
"The Sixth Form College’s new principal,
Mohammed Ramzan, is enthusiastic about the planned reunion,” Ian
reports. “We will be using the canteen and smaller tables for our lunch
and afternoon refreshments, which will be ideal.”
While the schedule is still under review, it will be based on the
following:
12.00 to 12.30 - Check in at reception
desk for registration and to collect name badges; attendees will be
directed to the main Resource Centre at end of a nearby corridor.
Attendees will be greeted with live music provided by Alumni Mike
Balme, John Cobley, Pete Curtis, Bob Hawkins
and John Turner. This assembly point will offer chairs and two
large tables upon which will be displayed various items of memorabilia.
Tea, coffee and fruit juice also will be served upon arrival.
12.45 to 12.55 – Tom and Ian will welcome
attendees and offer a brief summary of the afternoon’s proceedings.
12.55 to 13.05 – Welcome Address by Ruskin
College principal Mohammed Ramzan.
13.05 to 13.15 – Presentation by Sally
Obertell regarding the College’s overview and pupil perspective.
13.15 to 13.25 – Comfort break.
13.30 to 14.30 – Luncheon in the college
canteen. (The three-course menu is listed below.)
14.30 to 14.45 – Visit to Hair and Beauty
Department with college pupils as guides.
14.50 to 15.00 – Visit to Media and
Student Center with college pupils as guides.
15.05 to 15.15 – Visit to Virtual Hospital
with college pupils as guides.
15.15 to 15.30 – Comfort break.
15.35 to 15.50 – Film show by Tom using
projection screen in Resource Center.
15.50 to 16.05 – Presentation by Tony
Childs (JRGS 1947-1953) on “The Tamworth Road Days”, together with
Peter Marchant (JRGS 1949-56) providing comment on other Ruskin
and antecedent institution history.
16.05 – 16.15 – Representative from the
college will receive a special trophy, the nominated category for which
will be chosen by the new principal; gift vouchers will also be
presented to pupil volunteers. There will also be additional prizes,
including bottles of wine for such categories such as Farthest
Travelled, etc.
16.15 to 17.15 – Free Association and Time
for Reminiscing, with an interlude of live music provided by Alumni
Mike Balme, John Cobley, Pete Curtis, Bob Hawkins
and John Turner.
17.15 to 17.30 – Refreshments before the
reunion concludes.
Incidentally, the college site is
wheelchair friendly, with ramps and lifts. There is also a sound system
for hearing-challenged individuals.
Here are details of
the three-course menu for our reunion luncheon:
Starter: a choice of Rustic French Onion Soup with a Sourdough
Croûte and Melted Cheese, or Mixed Melon with Feta and Mint Dressing.
Main: a choice of Roast Lamb Rump
on Flageolet Bean Mash with Tarragon Jus, or Goat’s Cheese and Red Onion
Tart with Balsamic Salad; served with Glazed Carrots with Parsley,
French Beans Lyonnais and Baby New Potatoes.
Dessert: a choice of Mango and
Coconut Cheesecake with Crème Fraîche, or a selection of Cheeses with
Celery, Apple and Chutneys.
Travel to
John Ruskin College, Selsdon
Park Road, South Croydon, CR2 8JJ | +44 (20) 8651 1131.
By Train, Tram and/or Bus:
• Bus 64 runs directly
past the college from Thornton Heath Pond and East Croydon Railway
Station to New Addington; if you reach Gravel Hill you’ve gone too far.
•
Bus 466 runs down Gravel
Hill from East Croydon Railway Station to the Addington Village tram
interchange; the college is a short walk from the foot of Gravel Hill,
in a south-westerly direction. (The bus also travels between
Caterham-on-the-Hill and East Croydon, via Purley in the opposite
direction.)
•
Bus 130 also runs down
Gravel Hill from Thornton Heath High Street via Norwood Junction Railway
Station and Woodside to New Addington, but no longer passes East Croydon Railway
Station - it joins the "old" 130 route at Shirley Park; the college is a short walk from the foot of Gravel Hill, in a
south-westerly direction.
•
Tram 3 also runs down
Gravel Hill from Wimbledon Railway Station to New Addington; the college
is a short walk from the foot of Gravel Hill, in a south-westerly
direction. (Note that from Monday 13 July until October 2015, there will
be no service between Wimbledon and Dundonald Road due to construction
of an additional platform at Wimbledon station. A normal tram service
from New Addington will terminate at Dundonald Road, which is a
10-minute walk from Wimbledon station and the town centre. See update
below from Graham Donaldson.)
By Car:
Use the Postcode
CR2 8JJ to obtain a location plan or route from internet sites, or
to set your Satnav. The nearest exit from M25 is Junction 6, heading
north towards Caterham.
• By car from Central/East Croydon take A232 (Addiscombe Road then
Shirley Road) to the roundabout at the bottom of Gravel Hill, and head
South-west. The college is a few hundred yards from the roundabout.
• If travelling by car from the south from A2022 (Selsdon Road/Kent Gate
Way) proceed towards the Gravel Hill roundabout and then head south-west
to the college.
Car Parking:
There will be plenty of free parking at the college. All those who have
no difficulty walking are asked to go round to the rear of the college
by driving along the internal road and passing the college on their
right.
There are also parking bays for the less mobile in front of the
building, near the main entrance. Turn right just before getting level
with the main building, as shown in the image at the
top of this page.
Emails for Reunion co-organizers:
Ian Macdonald (JRGS 1958-65) |
Richard Thomas (JRGS 1957-64)
UPDATE September 2015: Tom advises that the "definitive”
total that will be attending the reunion will be 44 attendees, including
the college principal and another member of college staff, Sally
Obertell. "However, it is possible that one Alumnus will not be able
to make it on the day, due to family problems," he advises."Other than
that, one cannot account in advance for any cases of illness on the day.
However, this is a fine number, since my very first estimate last year
had been for between 20 and 60 attendees."
Graham Donaldson (JRGS 1962-69)
adds: Thanks for the
update; it sounds like we are in for an interesting afternoon. I'm sure
it will all seem very different to what we remember! Visiting alumni may
like to note that the Shirley Windmill will be open to the public on
Sunday 6th of September, 13.00 to 17.00 with the last tour starting at
16.00. Motorists are requested to park in Oaks Road. Further details are
available on
www.shirleywindmill.org.uk
I have just returned from a very enjoyable week in Switzerland, based on
Lucerne. This was despite disruption on Eurostar in both directions! The
city has a trolleybus system, of course, and whilst I was having a ride
on Sunday morning, to fill in time before our lake steamer trip we had a
de-wirement - the only one I saw on the visit. Did they stage it
specially? Click on the thumbnail
right
to view a larger version.
As many Alumni probably know from such systems in the USA, the
poles can be automatically retracted to the dock position, and the
auxiliary diesel engine was started up to get us out of the way.
As we had now arrived at the Bahnhof terminus, an official quickly
appeared with a bamboo pole to put matters to rights - it certainly
brought back memories to see this performance enacted before my eyes.
Having once tried it at the Sandtoft Trolleybus Centre near Doncaster, I
can vouch for the fact that it is quite difficult.
Peter Townsend (JRGS 1947-54)
adds: I thought I would
pay my £10 fee for the reunion electronically today. It appears there
are not too many from the era of Tamworth Road.
I look forward to meeting Mr. Reg Whellock again - he was
the school's biology teacher from 1946 to 1956. Curiously, I always
liked him from when he taught us general science in the 1M classroom
from 1947 to 1948, with the demos all done on the teacher’s desk in the
form room. For example, hydrogen was made and collected. Later I had
three years in the Biology lab.
I was one of those who were too young to take the O-Level, and
Mr. Lowe made a new group called the "Lower Sixth Younger", overseen
by Mr. Fisher - well, he came in and took the register! I think
there were about six or seven of us who kept the O-Levels on the boil,
at the same time as attending the A-Level courses. Unlike others, those
doing Botany, Zoology Chemistry and Physics had a very busy time. I only
had one free period in the whole week.
I never had any further tuition in maths but got over 70%. "Joe"
Lowe wouldn’t let me sit my other favourite subject - namely
geography - because he thought it would be too much for me!
I do remember that after a bit of foolery with a chap named
Dixon, we broke a pane of glass in a door whilst waiting to
be let into the dining hall for the second sitting. "Joe" advised us
that the cost would be 10 shillings each, or we could choose Corporal
punishment - that punishment was never fully explained to us as we
quickly agreed to pay.
I had had a taste of that sort of punishment at my Junior School
with three strikes on my left hand, just for pouting having got a sum
wrong again! Strange thing is that the arthritis is worse in the fingers
of my left hand!)
So I gave up what was to me my earnings from my paper round that week.
I don’t remember any other misdemeanours, but in the chemistry lab
Mr. Pearman gave us a mixture of salt to analyse, a regular
weekly event in the practical. At the same time I dissolved a silver
Swedish Krona that had come into my possession and which I dissolved in
acid and got a lovely green liquid from the nickel salt. Mr. Pearman
spent a long time wondering how I got that as there was nothing like
that in the salt to be analysed. I refined the silver and still have got
the pure silver ingot to this day! I did tell him in the end!
Karl W. Smith
(JRGS 1946-1951) adds:
Thanks for the update, but
there's no way I can attend - for two good reasons. 1. I'll be in
Canada; and 2. it would be too costly to make the trip and stay
overnight even if we were at home in UK.
May I send my good wishes to all, especially Mr. Reg Whellock
for a successful evening. Although he didn't teach me Bilge [biology], I
knew him from my Sixth Form days at Tamworth Road. He may not recall me
from 1949/50 but may better remember my contemporaries: Roy Baldwin
(who later joined JRGS staff); Philip Bamford; and The Prevett
Twins.
Graham Donaldson adds:
I'm pleased to report that trams on the Addington line should be running
normally on the 5th of September, as track work was completed during the
first two weeks of the summer holidays. The only issue to be aware of is
that the trams are currently not serving Wimbledon station while work is
ongoing to provide a second tram platform. So, follow the walking route
(signposted) to the Dundonald Road stop, or take a 93 bus to Morden Road
to catch a tram from there. Gravel Hill is the nearest stop the school.
Bryan Burchett (JRGS 1941-1946) adds:
Unfortunately, I'm unable to
attend the reunion due to hosting a party of well wishers - I trust they
come under that heading! - at my 85th birthday celebration. I’ll mark
the date for next year and try to secure the attendance of three or four
living “old boys” of my
vintage at an outrageous party! Best wishes to all present.