Old Colytonians 1958 -63 (/65)

So far we have found:
(Click on underlined names below to go direct to details)
( Note that @ in email addresses has been replaced by # to circumvent automated skimmers )

Tony Anning
Myra Arthur (Clayton)
Hilary Bastone [alias Father Christmas]
Meryl Blackie (Duckhouse)
Mary Burrow (Felstead)
Diana Churchill (Loveridge)
Mary Colby (Rodgman)
Mike Collop
Robin Cottrill
Robert Crichard (no details & prefers not to be contacted)
Caroline Ellis (Collier)
Mick Frayne
Jenny George (Hawkins)
Sheena Gillson (contact via Mary Felstead)
Trudy Hansford (Rodgers)
Terry Hooper
Ann Humphry (Gillingham)
Sally Jones (Jellyman)
Sally Marshall (Bentall)
Lester Miller
Karen Paine (Clayton)
Nick Pearse (no details & prefers not to be contacted)
Mary Quick (Wadland) (no details & prefers not to be contacted)
Mervyn Quick
Ray Rendell
John Salter
Jim Sandford
John Scott
Colin Somers
John Stephens
Neil Tolan
Trudy Tolman (Coleridge)
Paul Trenchard
Richard Tye
Steve Verrinder
Martin White
Chris Wills (Cardozo)

In Memoriam: Myra Arthur
                            Annette Serle
                            Dennis Smith

1. Name whilst at School: Neil Tolan

2. Name by which you are known now: Neil Tolan

3. Current geographical location: Newton St Cyres, Exeter

4. Brief summary of key events in life to date with current situation:

As some people may remember I left school in disgrace as we got our own back on Anthony Kent on the last day and subsequently were sent home. I was offered a return to do A Levels but had already accepted a job in the Royal Navy so joined up in Sept 63. We all make mistakes and this was a big one for me. Had some great times but it was not the life for me and eventually I left in 1967 and completed my apprenticeship in engineering in Leicester.

Met my wife Lynette in Leicester in 1970, we married in 1971 and have just celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary. In 30 years we have travelled and moved about a great deal because of my work. I have been in Project Management most of my working life and the last 25 years has been spent in the oil and gas industry. We have lived in Algeria, Germany, Norway and several locations around the UK. My work has also taken me to many parts of the Middle East.

We settled back into Devon in 1990 when I got a job with South West Water. I missed the buzz of the offshore industry and returned to it after 2 years, but we have maintained our home here in Devon.

I am currently a Project Manager with a British company called AMEC. I manage our contract in the Southern North Sea that we have with Shell so commute every week between Lowestoft and Devon.

Looking forward to semi-retirement soon.

5. Family: 2 Boys aged 27 and 23 who are currently sowing wild oats having managed to do something their father didn't and obtain degrees.
[Webmaster says: Do you mean the Quaker bit or BSc?]

6. How you would wish to be contacted by fellow year group members.

e-mail address: neil#ptolan.freeserve.co.uk

Postal address: 4 Meadowlands, Newton St Cyres, Exeter EX5 5BH

7. What specific memories of Colyton Grammar School have remained with you?

Like most people cross country. Building my canoe in woodwork lessons and then having a great holiday with the woodwork master, the Newbury brothers and Dennis Smith. Dancing Lessons after school because I had a crush on one of you (a girl!) and never had the courage to tell you. Just realising how lucky we were to have that opportunity. Regrets on how bad I have been in losing touch.

1. Name whilst at School: Colin Somers
I was known as Stumpy at primary and this stuck with me at Colyton with some people.

2. Name by which known now: Still Colin.

3. Current geographical location: Bournemouth

4. Brief summary of key events in life to date with current situation:

I worked for Post Office Telephones (which later became British Telecom) in Exeter after leaving school. From October 1970 I spent six months on secondment to London, followed by six years travelling around the South West based in the regional headquarters at Bristol and working in the seven district offices. I took up a manager's post in Bournemouth in 1977 and worked on various managerial tasks before taking voluntary redundancy in 1995 following restructuring. During my early years in Bournemouth I was the trade union branch secretary and this was where I met my wife, June, who was also on the committee.

After my redundancy I worked for two years for a friend in a motor-caravan repairs and spares business, dealing with the mail orders. As this was only on a casual basis I left after two years and following two months unemployment obtained a position with PricewaterhouseCoopers in their insolvency office, where I am at present.

I still have connections in Devon as I am the Secretary of the Otter Vale Motor Cycle Club and go down at least once a month. (That was before Foot & Mouth curtailed activities). We usually run motor cycle trials once every two months, two of which are national events, attracting British Championship status and riders from all over the country.

June and I are members of a very active Dog Training and Social Club, which apart from training events runs beach and forest walks, social weekends away with our dogs and skittles evenings. Our dog Murphy is very much my dog, much to June's chagrin, following me everywhere I go. He loves the beach and forest walks where he can romp around with about 60 of his "mates" !!

We often meet up with a couple of friends for a quiz night at a local pub. We are not that good, but it is an enjoyable evening out and we have managed to get placed a couple of times.

We seem to be spending a lot of time lately working on the house and garden., as we would like to move to a bigger property when we have got this one into a sellable condition.

5. Family: My wife, June, gave up work a few years ago, but keeps threatening to go back part-time. One son.............................a black Labrador called Murphy!! I only have one brother, but June's family make up for this, she being one of eight I now have relations galore.

6. Contact methods:

e-mail: colinsomers#waitrose.com

Postal address: 4 Moorland Road, Bournemouth BH1 3ST.

7. What specific memories of Colyton Grammar School have remained with you?

My memories of Colyton Grammar are hating cross country, spending most of the last year helping Bunny
White, the groundsman, including cutting down the branches and creating the small tennis court in the 'L' between the domestic science and woodwork rooms, whilst looking for a job and taking three O levels. Also, walking over the tops of the hedges for a mile to get to the main road to catch the school bus in the winter of 1963, when Branscombe was cut off because of the snow. Feeling sorry for Bogo (Mr Howard) on speech days (the only time), when all the other teachers put on their gowns and mortar boards, but he never got his degree, so couldn't wear one.

1. Name whilst at School: John Scott

2. Name by which known now: John Scott

3. Current geographical location: Beer

4. Brief summary of key events in life to date with current situation:

After leaving school I did a 5 year apprenticeship in traditional boat building and design which I continued for several years. I now run Beer Quarry Caves as a tourist attraction and carve stone when time allows.

5. Family: I married Sylvia (Gigg) from Seaton in Oct. 69. We are still together and have three daughters, two sons, and seven grandchildren! Both of our sons and the youngest daughter we adopted, and over the years we have fostered numerous other children, usually those who were at risk for various reasons.

6. Contact by fellow year group members:

Best way is by email: john#beerquarrycaves.fsnet.co.uk

7. What specific memories of Colyton Grammar School have remained with you?

There are many fond memories of Colyton but one speech day springs to mind, hooking John Pumfrey for four, the ball crossing the boundary, entering the marquee and wrecking one of Miss Goate's trifles. I had never seen Sid Bradbeer, who was umpiring at the time, with such a huge grin, and he never failed to mention it whenever we met afterwards, whereas it was some time before Miss Goate stopped giving me the evil eye.

1. Name at school: Mervyn Quick

2. Current name: Mervyn Quick

3. Current location: Calne, Wilts

4. Brief Summary:

I left Colyton Grammar after the first year in the sixth form and joined the RAF in October 1964. Initially working as an assistant air traffic controller I quickly found myself posted to the Far East, which was an eye opener for someone who had just turned eighteen. In those days Borneo was definitely not a holiday destination and Singapore was very much the colonial city associated with Raffles.

Gravitating upward, I eventually became a fully-fledged controller and, for my sins, spent the next ten years in the far north of Scotland.

I was commissioned in 1986 and eventually took voluntary redundancy after returning from an exchange tour with the Royal Air Force of Oman. That wasn't the end of the story though. It seems the RAF made too many controllers redundant so I am now re-employed as a civil servant (in uniform) doing the same job at Lyneham in Wiltshire which will probably close about the same time as I finally retire.

5. Family matters.

On the personal side, my life has been somewhat erratic. Married three times, divorced twice, separated at present although the current arrangement has developed into a very close friendship which, as we only live 10 miles or so apart, is ideal for our football mad son who thinks sharing houses is great fun. Although not ideal, I am thankful that I am no longer in the RAF where a posting away could have the same effect as in my previous marriages.

6. Contact details:

Postal address: 4 Falcon Road, Calne SN11 8PL (e-mail problems not sorted out yet)

Tel: 01249 814675

7. Colyton memories: (See Paul Trenchard's additional 'revelations')

1. Name at school: Trudy Hansford

2. Name now: Trudy Rodgers

3. Geographical location: Beer

4. Brief summary of key events in life to date with current situation:

On leaving school I went to work for the Midland bank at Seaton where I worked full-time and part-time until 1994 (with a break of six years when the children were small). In 1968, I married Dave Rodgers, a local Beer boy. On leaving the bank, Dave and I took over my Dad's business - the local Funeral Directors, which we now run with our middle son, Brendon.

5. Family: We have three children, Leigh (31), Brendon (29) and Sadie Ann. Leigh works for Telecom and still lives at home. Brendon is married to Katrina and they also live in Beer. Sadie will be marrying Martyn Bagwell (Ena Kerswill's middle son) on 3 August 2002; they live in Weymouth.

6. Contact details:

e-mail: hanfords.beer#btinternet.com

Postal address: Lebrensa, 6 Townsend, Beer, Seaton EX12 3LH

Telephone: 01297 22538 Fax: 01297 24805

7. School reminders and meetings:

Over the years I have met many of my ex-schoolmates either at the bank or through my work as the Funeral Director. In 2001, I met Ann Humphry and Jenny Jones, who I had not seen since leaving school in 1964. I see Miss Goate quite often and we usually have a little chat.

I am very disappointed that I will be unable to attend the reunion on 14 September 2002, due to a family wedding that day, but hope you all have a really enjoyable time and I hope to be able to see how everything went on the updated webpage.

1. Name at school: Hilary Bastone

2. Name now: Hilary Bastone

3. Current geographical location: Paignton

4. Brief summary of key events in life to date with current situation.

I left Colyton Grammar School with 7 GCE '0' Levels and took my first job in Ground Services with Westpoint Airlines who operated Dakotas out of Exeter Airport. But I had a desire to take a career in banking. This I soon did, starting with the Devon & Exeter Savings Bank which through a variety of mergers over the years eventually became Lloyds TSB. I started as a clerk at Sidmouth becoming a cashier at Seaton and on to become Relief Manager for the East Devon area. In 1974, at the age of 28, I was made Manager at the new branch at Dartmouth. We opened the doors on 24th July, 1974, without a single customer but soon made good progress.

The unfortunate thing about Dartmouth is that it is a great killer of ambition. A real gem of a town set in lovely surroundings on the beautiful River Dart and a good place to bring up children. However, in 19871 was persuaded to take a branch in Torquay with the proviso that I could continue living in Dartmouth.

The cost cutting exercises by the banks in the early nineties gave me and many other managers the opportunity to take voluntary redundancy which I did after 25 years in banking, seventeen as a manager.

Within two days of leaving the bank I was working as General Manager for a multi-millionaire with a variety of businesses mainly based in Dartmouth. This has been my main occupation for the past eleven years.

When I left school, I had this vision that it was the last of studying and taking examinations. How wrong! I was soon into banking studies and qualified in 1969. One thing led to another and my string of letters read as follows: FCIB (Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers), FFA (Fellow of the Institute of Financial Accountants), MIMgt (Member of the Institute of Management), FIAB (Fellow of the International Institute of Book-Keepers) and FRSA (Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts).

In the eighties, whilst still with the Bank, I was invited by the Torbay Herald Express to become their Rowing Correspondent which led to me also becoming their Dartmouth Correspondent seven years ago. I continue undertake both these duties in my spare time which I have done on a freelance basis. The rowing coverage entails producing reports whenever there are rowing events involving South Devon crews, which is most weeks of the year, and I have a regular Tuesday page entitled 'Around Dartmouth' full of Dartmouth news and photographs.

Down the years I have been involved in many sporting, particularly football and rowing, and community activities which have led to me meeting interesting people including the famous, hence the photographs. In return for my involvement I have received many honours including Life Member of the West of England Amateur Rowing Association, Honorary Life Membership of the Dartmouth Yacht Club and Honorary Life Steward of the Port of Dartmouth Royal Regatta.

5. Family

On the family front, the most devastating event for me was the death of my mother from cancer at the age of 50 in 1970. Still in my early twenties I witnessed the break-up of my family of two brothers and three sisters as we all went our separate ways. I married Jackie in 1972 and we subsequently had two children: Jonathan now 24, the manager of a photographic shop in Dartmouth, and Julia now 20, studying Environmental Studies at Kingston University. Jackie and I separated in 1994 and divorced last year. I now live with my partner Debbie in Paignton. Last June I became a proud grandfather when my son and his partner Helen produced grand-daughter Mia Victoria Bastone. She is absolutely gorgeous and her arrival has affected me greatly.

6. Contact details:

e-mail: hilarybastone#hotmail.co.uk

Postal address: 30, Rosemary Gardens, Paignton TQ3 3NP.

Tel/Fax: 01803 666322

7. Memories of Colyton Grammar School

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Colyton Grammar School and particularly the sport obtaining 'full colours' at both football and cricket. Sadly, the friendships I made at school were not maintained.

1. Name whilst still at school: Robin Cottrill

Teachers knew me as COTTRILL though a few may have been on 1st name terms with me and would therefore have called me Robin. The name BINS was current amongst one or two, notably Paul Trenchard, sometimes corrupted to Bizzle for some reason. COTTY was undoubtedly the most favoured appellation amongst my class mates.

2. Name by which I am known now.

Much the same. My sons address me as MR. DADDY - my wife as I'M TALKING TO YOU!

I have considered changing my name to something else a bit more flashy and easier to say (my name is very difficult to say in Japan).

3. Current geographical location: Alresford, Essex (not Hants.)

4. Brief summary etc.

After leaving Colyton after O levels, shipped off to Bryanston School, Dorset. Did degrees in Art and Architecture. Decided Architecture offered a more honest living, though Art of course more fun and offered more chances of irresponsible behaviour. Have done some other strange things, like spending 6 weeks teaching Art at Colyton in (I think) 1975. Met wife (Phillippa) 1978 while digging holes and cutting down trees (otherwise known as Conservation). Married 2 years later after whirlwind romance. Currently preoccupied with the fate of the earth etc. Will the world end before Crossroads comes back? I hope so.

5. Family

Two boys: Julian 19 and Gareth 17. Excellent fellows both.

6. Contact: I'd be pleased to hear from any old 40-years on-ers, in whichever way is more convenient, though those considering tele-portation would be advised not to arrive in the same room as the cat.

e-mail: robin.cottrill1#btopenworld.com

Postal address: 13 Crestlands, Alresford CO7 8AF.

Tel. 01206 826418.

7. Specific memories of Colyton.

As a pupil: Being made to watch From Russia With Love in the School Hall. The roar of the crowd as I finished No.27 in the Cross Country. (Looking back I think the crowd were roaring for the start of the next race).

As a teacher: I borrowed a jacket with a belted waist which I wore in the casual manner, i.e. dangling. The girls used to grab the belt ends from behind as I proceeded down the corridor. Will I never learn?

1. Name whilst at School: Collop, Mike

2. Name by which known now: Mike/Michael Collop

3. Current geographical location: Enfield, London

4. Brief summary of key life events:

After A-levels, left CGS in December 1965. 1966-69, read Mathematics at Queen's College, Oxford; 1969-73 mathematical research at University of Warwick (MSc 1970, PhD 1974). Joined Civil Service, eventually as member of the Government Statistical Service in the Departments of Environment, and Transport. 1978-79, studied at LSE for Diploma in Statistics. 1979, married Ruth, and we moved to Tottenham. Children Catherine Helen (b. 1983), Peter John (b. 1985), Thomas James (b.1989). 1985, moved up the road to Enfield. Employment, moved with job to Transport for London, July 2000 - responsible for London Area Transport Survey 2001. Licensed Reader at St Andrew's, Enfield (C of E).

5. Family: as above.

Catherine, to take up place to read Zoology at Nottingham University in September 2001. Peter, at Latymer School, Edmonton, taking GCSE this summer. Thomas, now at St Andrew's School, Enfield, to go to Edmonton County School in September.

Many Old Colytonians will remember my father who taught French there from 1955 until his retirement in 1974. He died in 1990. It was always a mystery to him how he gained the nickname 'Fred'.

6. Contact details:

e-mail: m.collop#btinternet.com

home address: 1 Rowantree Road, London N21 3ED
'phone: 020 8360 6527

7. Memories of CGS:

Many and various, some painful but mostly mellowed with the passage of time. My relationship with the school (and I suppose with some of my classmates) was complicated by my father being a teacher there. Painful memories associated with the sports field, and especially cross-country runs. Particular memories of being a cave-man in the pageant in our first year; of art classes spent idly at the top of the school field; of playing football during the Cuban missile crisis (which now my son studies as history for GCSE!) and half expecting to hear that the world would end soon; of the exquisite torture of Dancing Club; of looking at the craters of the moon through the astronomical telescope we put together with Mr Hemmings and Mr Pumfrey. Teachers' eccentricities and (mostly) dedication to the job. Trenchard et al cooking up nitro-glycerine on blotting paper and random explosions as it dried out on the pipes. The smell of the science labs. Curious obsessions with dog-fish. Nostalgia for end-of-term assemblies with the sunlight streaming through the hall windows, 'The day Thou gavest ...', and the head-boy asking for permission to lower the flag. Many individuals it would be invidious to single out, but fascinating to meet again.

1. Name at school: Meryl Blackie

2. Name now: Meryl Duckhouse

3. Current geographical location: France

4. Brief summary of key events in life to date with current situation.

Left CGS for Nottingham College of Ed, along with Mary B. Started teaching in Southampton middle schools in 1969. Married him upstairs - Chas Duckhouse (surgically welded to computer) in 1970. Headteacher of a Hampshire infant (!!!) school until retirement in 2003.

5. Family: Two male offspring, respectively programming computers in London and teaching English in Milan.

6. Contact details:

e-mail, via censor: cduckhouse#free.fr

7. Memories of CGS:

Cultural & Educational - Chalmers's wart-retailing initiative, hiding under coats in cloakroom on cold days, stretching Patsy Searle so she could record a height of 5ft. on her school report, knicker checks, keeping sock on big toe whilst sunbathing in order to comply with regulations re bare legs, committing Psalm 20 to memory, tots & order marks (whatever they were), Boolean Algebra, playing with mercury in science room, being cold in science room, educational visits to Old Vic and Devon County Show, being forced to play hockey as the world threatened to end over Cuba.

Pyrotechnic - Patsy blowing eyebrows and lashes away whilst operating gas oven, Rowena Jones setting fire to waste bin, Paul & Wigit coating heating pipes with explosive substance.

Culinary - being ambushed on the way home whenever one was carrying goodies produced in DS, Potato Puffs.

Sporting - swooning over Bungert, cross-country diversions to local building site.

Musical - Dancing Club (Del Shannon - 'Runaway'), Wigit leaning over during Latin to ask if I'd heard this new group with the silly name - the Beatles.

1. Name at school: Paul Trenchard

2. Name now: Paul Trenchard or just Trench!

3. Current geographical location: Penylan, Cardiff

4. Summary of key events in life to date with current situation:

Clinical and Academic Work
Graduated in Biochemistry (1968) and Medicine (1971) at Bristol, with distinction in surgery. Post-graduate general training in pathology, then specialising in haematology. Clinical haematology training in Cardiff (1975) culminating in consultant appointment in Cardiff (1979). Main pre-retirement research field: platelet biophysics (PhD and publications). Two bioengineering patents (although, unfortunately, they never made it to the commercial marketplace). Retired in 1995 through ill-health but continue to live in Cardiff. Post-retirement research field: 'joint-cost allocation problems in the manufacture of blood products' resulting in a number of peer-reviewed papers written in collaboration with the University of Durham. Honorary appointment as Visiting Professor (research) in the University of Durham Business School (1999 - currently).

Music
Piano at school. Then, whilst a student at Bristol, experimented with classical improvisation and learnt the flute (gained teaching diploma, Trinity College, London). Interests matured from classical only, to Beatles, to Cream etc., and eventually into jazz, particularly jazz/rock fusion and impressionistic jazz. Natural progression was to learn alto and soprano saxophones, a bit of drums and percussion, some guitar and currently fretless bass. Do a lot of playing, mostly in the context of church-linked worship both in our own local church but also for special events in Wales and elsewhere. Also do a bit of Pub/Club playing in the Bristol area and a bit of session playing.

Have two of my own albums, so far, entitled:
"Running in the Light" (2000): mixture of instrumental and vocal tracks based on various verses of scripture).
"Holocaust to Hope" (2001): entirely instrumental and based mainly around four commissioned compositions for a special Christian dance presentation in St. Georges, Bristol, last November. Interestingly, this was performed again in November 2002, at The Maltings, Snape, Norfolk (famous for the Aldburgh festival initiated by Benjamin Britten)

Mick Frayne has a copy of each, which he has evaluated. If you are at all interested in a copy perhaps have a chat with him first, or give me a call.

Maddest Moments
Cardiff continues to be a great place to live: near to family, exciting church and music scene. It also has great countryside nearby and great water to paddle in or on. My maddest ventures in a canoe, were both off the Welsh coast. Firstly, the thrill of canoeing the North Stack tide race, off Anglesey, in force 6 winds and at full spring tide through 10-12 foot high waves. Secondly, to canoe from Rhossili (Gower coast) to Lundy Island, and back, non-stop, alone: approximately a seventeen hour trip including being in the Bristol Channel in the dark for about six hours. It is good to be getting back into canoeing again with my son-in-law.

5. Family
Married Sue in 1970. Sue did her initial nursing training in Exeter orthopaedic hospital. When we met subsequently, in Bristol, it was a great surprise to find that her fellow students at Exeter included Trudy Tolman and Pat Searle. Sue still works as a nurse, but part-time. We have two daughters, Anna (30) and Lynda (28). Lynda is married to Mike. They are truly wonderful, and moderately sane. However, they have provided us with four grandchildren, which in the eyes of some, but not us, is insane. They live less than ten minutes walk from us, so I have the great pleasure of walking two of them to school most mornings (something that I don't think I ever did with either Anna or Lynda). Anna maintains our link with Bristol by living and working there. She is also wonderful but most definitely insane: a laugh a minute, including blonde dreadlocks. We are all very involved in our various local churches. Our own church is quite fascinating and seems to be fairly outgoing. It does a lot of schools work, runs a debt counselling centre, runs a church in a pub in the centre of town once a fortnight, and is currently significantly involved in helping to establish a large scale community creative arts centre.

Mum died some years ago and my father still lives in Seaton and remarried. I am not fully fit, but overall have so much to be thankful for, of which my school days at CGS comprise a significant part.

6. Contact methods:
Postal address: 44 Melrose Avenue, Penylan, Cardiff, CF23 9AR
Tel: 02920 498599

e-mail: cruxlux#aol.com

7. Specific memories of Colyton Grammar School:

For many VIVID FLASHBACKS and revelations, including what nobody else has dared write about the fifth form insurrection, click here.

1. Name at school: Ann Humphry

2. Name now: Ann Gillingham

3. Current location: Bovey Tracey, Devon

4. Brief summary of key events in life to date with current situation:

I went to Australia in 1972 on a Young Farmers Club scholarship after Agricultural College. I have been married to Nigel Gillingham since 1975. After getting married, Nigel and I lived in Honiton before moving to Kingsteignton 1978 where we lived for 25 years . Nigel is a civil servant with the Employment Agency and I run my gardening business from home. We both love it here close to Dartmoor, where we enjoy walking while we are still able and fit!!
It has been quite spooky seeing what everyone has been doing since school!!

5. Family: We have 2 children; James is a teacher in London and Lisa, who also had a spell in Australia, is in the big city as well.

6. Contact methods:

e-mail: nigel.gillingham1#btinternet.com

Postal address: Cranbrook, Moretonhampstead Road, Bovey Tracey, Newton Abbot TQ13 9LZ

Tel: 01626 833350

1. Name whilst at School: John Stephens

2. Name by which known now: John Stephens

3. Current geographical location: Chiseldon, Swindon

4. Brief summary of key events in life to date with current situation:

1963, moved to Tunbridge Wells and joined the 6th form at a boys' school. After A-levels, started work at an international plastics product manufacturer whilst still 17, did day-release study at college for six years, became head of physics and weathering sections until the research centre closed. Joined water industry research centre, moving to Sonning Common and later Swindon, became a contract manager until "downsizing" in 1994. Have been a standards consultant since then, and also undertook various sales and market reseach activities for quite a period. My full-time job is Specialist Groups Executive with BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, where I have worked since 2003.
Professional qualifications: CSci CPhys FIMMM MInstP MCQI MBCS CQP. Was LEA governor at Foundation comprehensive school for very many years. Resigned my last governorship at an SEBD primary school in Sept 2008. Claim to fame: sang on an LP (not Beatles - Swindon Male Voice Choir). Formerly parish councillor for 10 years. Bellringer & Highworth Choral Society member.

5. Family: Married Gillian Warren in 1972. Son, Matthew, born 1977, working for a hedge fund in London. Daughter, Emma, born 1980, MSc, now a primary school teacher.

6. Contact by fellow year group members:

e-mail: john#stephens.me.uk
Address: 61 Station Road, Chiseldon, Swindon SN4 0PW
Tel: 01793 740774

7. Specific memories of Colyton Grammar School:

Speech Day in a marquee with the rain lashing down, singing the School Song and "The day thou gavest Lord is ended". Mr McKay-Ohm in his vermillion gown. Paul Trenchard wanting Mick Frayne to punch him in the stomach to prove how strong he was. Raymond Rendell making a head-sized hole in a window (with his head) but not being cut. Mrs Hill always causing mirth by referring to laboratories as "labretries". Miss Sollars and our first history book, "From Ur to Rome" and the Ziggerat at Ur. Mr Hemmings always saying "top de talking". Mr Mason being generally useless and also making me ruin the only decent pencil sketch I have ever done in my life (of Mick Frayne) by insisting it was a crayon exercise. The fierce Madame Morisset baffling us all with her French (but no English). Samuel Taylor Coleridge's Ancient Mariner week and the only decent painting I have ever done in relation to this. Marys Burrow & Quick, Sallys Marshall & Jones. (+ more).

1. Name at school:      Mary Burrow (Mary B)

2. Name now:              Mary Felstead

3. Location:                 Yeovil, Somerset

4. Life's Key Events:    Began teaching in Yatton, nr Bristol in 1968; married Trevor Hosie; moved Yeovil 1971; taught infants for nine years; contracted ovarian cancer and survived(!) taught at special school for 17 years; divorced 1985; married Bob Felstead 1989; took early retirement 1997.

5. Family:                     Step-daughter and step-son. As a result, I now have three step grandsons and one
                                     step grand-daughter.

6. Contact:                   e-mail: mary#bobfelstead.fsnet.co.uk

Address: 3 East Coker Road, Yeovil BA20 2LT
Tel: 01935 706943

7. CGS Memories:      Smoking on front lawn and in Micky Mason's art cupboard; Miss Goate throwing a dish-cloth at me for talking during Cookery lesson; being put in detention for sending a rude note about Miss Goate round the class and getting everybody to add comments and getting caught by 'Lucy Lambert'; getting sent to Coventry by my best girl friends and thinking it was the end of the world; Robin Cottrill asking me to the school dance and my being really horrible to him (sorry Robin!); Martin Beavis always wanting to dance with me at Dancing Club although he was so much shorter than me.

1. Name at School: Sally Marshall

2. Name now: Sally Bentall, (�Ma�, and �old tart� by my daughter)

3. Location: Sidmouth

4. Brief Summary:

I stayed on for another year after �O� levels and messed with �A� levels, then went to the South Devon Tech., learnt to type restaurant menus and a bit of bookkeeping and not a lot more! Worked in a hotel in Exeter for about a year and after deciding I was fed up with six days a week for �4, took off for the bright lights of London in early 1966. Worked in various hotels and after some dodgy accommodation shared a house with four other girls including Sally Jones and five mad BBC cameramen. Sally married one of them. She is still happily with him and we are in close touch. We had a great time and really enjoyed the �Swinging Sixties�. I met my husband in 1968 when we both started at a hotel on the same day. We married and moved to Marlow, Bucks in 1970 and quickly had two children. Moved to the wilds of the Suffolk countryside in 1974 and I started work at a US Airforce Base in 1976. Stayed there until it closed in 1993 and semi-retired until 1996 when I was asked to work as a contractor at another US base 50 odd miles away. Luckily that job still continues and keeps me busy. We moved to Ipswich in 1988.

We bought a complete wreck of a house in France, (four walls and a roof only) and some land, four years ago and it is now almost finished - my husband�s pride and joy. He wanted to retire and live there immediately! My mother still lives in Beer and is pretty well. She�s nearly 85 and is still independent, drives and plays bridge etc. Now we have moved three houses up the road from Sally J!

5. Family: Husband - Anthony; Children - William (nearly 35), is teaching in Brighton, and Kate (32) is living and working in Colchester. We�re reduced, at the moment, to one mad accident prone cat called Steve.

6. Contact:
e-mail: antandsal#bentall209.fsworld.co.uk.
Address: 1 Burnside, Bickwell Valley, Sidmouth EX10 8RF
Tel: 01395 513617
I would love to hear from anyone who remembers me!

7. Colyton Memories:

Much the same as some others: Queuing for lunch in the draughty wet corridors; Micky Mason�s art classes (I don�t remember smoking there though); Fred Collop despairing of my French! Lucy Lambert despairing of all of us! Poor Pat Goate losing her rag in cookery lessons and my apron taking at least three years to complete. The cross country runs which always seemed to take us to the shop to buy fags. I don�t remember running anywhere except the first and last few yards. Enjoyed tennis a lot (gone by the board now) and often stayed to practise, usually with Jenny, and had to walk home to Beer! Also much enjoyed our Swiss trip (ask Sally about wardrobes and Les, Dick and Pat Goate!!).

1. Name whilst at school: Christine (Chris) Wills

2. Name now: Chris Cardozo

3. Geographical Location: England again: New Barnet, Hertfordshire.

4. Brief summary: Moved to London aged 14. Two-year secretarial course at Holborn College of Law, Languages and Commerce. Met husband Ken in '66 and married in '68. Son Daniel born 1970, daughter Karen born 1974. Whole family drove overland to India and onward to Singapore in 1976. Events since then pale to insignificance, except we moved to Cyprus three years ago. Now back in England. Ken was diagnosed with Alzheimers Disease shortly after we had signed the contract on our house in Cyprus and his condition has deteriorated rapidly during the course of the last year, hence our return. After a rather unsettling time when we first arrived back here, Ken is now settled in Elmstead House, a care home in Hendon, a 45-minute bus ride from New Barnet. I go and visit him once or twice a week. It has been quite a culture shock, not to mention a climate shock, coming back to the UK. As you can imagine, life is very different now and I'm having to adapt to the change in circumstances, i.e. living on my own. Luckily I am only a short distance from Karen and Shane and see them at least once or twice a week.

5. Family: See above - Karen works as a tax assistant and Daniel is in fast food.
First grandchild, born to Karen and Shane McDonagh, Lauren Kasey McDonagh, born 24.11.2003.

6. Contact by year group members, as below:-

e-mail: christinecardozo123#btinternet.com
Postal address:
97 Shelley Court
Woodville Road
New Barnet
Hertfordshire EN5 5ND
Tel: 0208 440 4850
Mob: 07947 806977
Email: christinecardozo123@btinternet.com

7. Colyton Memories: Mr Bradbeer (Latin) reading from his Billy Bunter excerpt (in Latin!) and also readings from "1066 And All That". Enjoying lengthy conversations with Mary "B" while pretending to play hockey.

1. Name whilst at school: Martin White
Perhaps others called me something different, I can't recall? Whitey; Whiggit!

2. Current name: Martin White

3. Current geographical location: Nelson, (South Island) New Zealand

4. Brief summary of life events!!!:

After a disastrous showing at A levels in 1965 I found a job as trainee property manager at Lloyds Bank in the City and was therefore lucky enough to experience London in the Swinging Sixties. Somehow I managed to qualify as a Chartered Surveyor and got married in 1971.
Shortly thereafter my wife and I packed our belongings into a LandRover and set off for Africa overland. We only had a vague idea of where we were headed although I did have a job offer in Uganda and a few contacts in East Africa.
I didn't take the job in Uganda (fortunately because this was just before Idi Amin threw all the Asians out and we would have been repatriated within a few months) and we eventually ended up in the then Rhodesia for a couple of years before moving down to South Africa; firstly Johannesburg and ultimately Durban.
We have lived in Durban since 1976 although dropped out for a year or so in 1978 to bum around South America. (We have always travelled extensively and I spent several months in Australia on sabbatical a couple of years ago whilst on a round-the-world trip.)
My work in Southern Africa had been as a consultant property valuer, also involving much travel, and I was Director of an international real estate company.
I picked up an MBA along the way (mid-life crisis?) and my exposure to academia led me to obtaining a post at the University of Natal where I lecture property development topics. I was delighted to retire from this in 2002 to indulge in more hedonistic pursuits.
I have developed a passion for all types of music and singing and perform everything from opera and oratorio with the local symphonic choir to rock 'n roll and comedy with a small entertainment group of which I am a member.
My wife and I divorced some years ago but are still the best of friends and I lived with my partner Monique up in the hills about 30 kilometres from the centre of Durban until the end of 2003.
Monique and I moved to New Zealand in November 2003 and have truly found paradise. We live in the small city of Nelson (it has a cathedral) with a population of 44000 at the top of South Island. We enjoy a mediterranean climate with many vineyards and fruit orchards in the area. Nelson has the highest sunshine hours of New Zealand, (being about 2600 per annum, forget about the popular perception that it rains all the time) and is on the Tasman Bay. Monique and I have a 5 acre smallholding ten minutes drive from the centre of town with views over the bay to mountains, which are generally snow capped for 8 months of the year.
Nelson is known as a centre for the arts and we belong to two choirs and amateur drama clubs.

5. Family: We have no children together but we do have two goats and eight sheep (Well you have to in New Zealand).

6. Contact details: e-mail: martinique#tasman.net

Postal address: 15 Biggsburn Way, Todds Bush Road, Todds Valley, NELSON RD1, 7001 New Zealand
Tel/Fax: 0064-3-545-1305 Mobile: (0064) -21 0335403

I have no objection to the above details being made known and would enjoy meeting any of my old classmates who might be passing through NZ.

7. Specific memories of CGS: Smoking on the front lawn; "Cross-country runs"; Characters such as Bogo, Mickey Mason, Alan Jones, Pat Goate

1. Name at School:     Mary Colby

2. Name now:                 Mary Rodgman

3. Currrent geographical location: Upper Strode, Winford

4. Brief summary of key life events:

I did my A-levels at Sherborne and then went onto medical school at The Royal Free in London and qualified in 1970. I worked inially in London and then moved to Bristol area in 1977. I worked mainly at the Children's Hospital in Bristol and retired a couple of years ago as a consultant Paediatrican.
I got married as a student and have just had a ruby wedding ... doesn't time go! We live south of Bristol, do a lot of long distance walking, play bridge, try and keep the large garden under control, fit in the odd holiday or two and the days just fly by!

5. Family: Husband Alan. We have two offspring, Jane who (in 2010) is 33 and lives near Malmesbury and David who is 32 and lives just south of Cambridge, but no grandchildren!

6. Contact details:

e-mail: alanandmaryrodgman#fastmail.co.uk

Postal address: Laurel Farm, Upper Strode, Winford, Bristol BS40 8BG

7. Memories of CGS

Chasing drops of mercury around the physics lab, Mr Mason's art lessons, Miss Goate (of course), and not being allowed to do woodwork.

1. Name at School: Michael Frayne (�Fran�)

2. Name now: Mick Frayne

3. Geographical location: Worthing, West Sussex

4. Brief Summary:

I moved to Ilfracombe Grammar School after our �O� levels and from there I worked in the National Provincial Bank, being short of ideas (with apologies to all you bankers!). In 1968 I damaged my knee in a car accident and this prompted a change in direction. I chose a teacher training course at Bognor Regis and was ultimately offered a teaching post in the school of my final practice, a boys high school in Worthing. In 1975 my career was given an enormous boost when I was appointed to the staff of a newly built comprehensive school at Angmering - progress I had been watching longingly on my usual route to school. I was in charge of Religious Education, believing that with hard work I might even surpass Bogo�s efforts! After one year I was made Head of Year and then through being an �on the spot� candidate, progressed to Head of House, School Counsellor and finally the Youth Project Manager, which is my current post, although I have now retired from classroom teaching. I am interested in family history research, digital photography and am lead guitarist in a school rock band. I have, for some time, been in regular social contact with Meryl and her husband Chas (Duckhouse), and Lester and his wife Pam.

5. Family:
I was married in 1970 and became Dad to three beautiful daughters with whom I am in frequent contact. Carly was born in 1977 and she is now back in Devon, in Tiverton with her husband Royce and two children (Micah, born 2004, and Elysia, born 2006); Bonnie was born in 1978 and lives in Liverpool with her husband Paul - and at the time of writing (early 2009) she is expecting her first child, due on my birthday in May! Melody was born in 1980 and she is also living in Liverpool and is still single. My first marriage ended in 1990 and I married Sarah (an ex pupil of mine!!). We are approaching eighteen years of happy marriage and have Jessica who was born in 1996. Our time seems to revolve around Jess these days, as she is a South East Regional swimmer. My Dad died at the age of 65 in 1989 and Mum came to live here in Worthing for a short while until she died in 2002.

6. Contact:

I am delighted to be contacted by any fellow year group members by any method, but e-mail is my usual link as I spend hours at the keyboard.

The e-mail address: m.frayne#ntlworld.com

Postal address: 50 Strathmore Road, Worthing, West Sussex. BN13 1PG

Telephone: 01903 526319

7. Colyton memories:
My memories of our Colyton days include - tuck shop queues for potato puffs and fig rolls; dancing Club; Bogo�s cross country cycle ride; bottom pitch football; cricket boredom; Devon County Shows; mercury football in Chemistry; and of course, fagging!

1. Name whilst at School: Sally Jones

2. Name now: Sally Jellyman

3. Current location: Sidmouth.

4. Summary to date:

Having intended to return to Colyton for A-levels, I made a rather hasty departure by suddenly deciding to go to Exeter Tech instead, so never really said a proper goodbye to most of you. I spent two years commuting to Exeter doing a secretarial and then language course (despite having failed French �O� level - Fred would have been proud of me). In 1965 I applied to the BBC for a job in their World Service Radio Department at Bush House in Holborn and departed for the big lights and the swinging sixties!! It was a great time to be in London and working for BBC we managed to gatecrash Top of the Pops regularly for recordings and any other music events we could find. I returned for nearly a year to Exeter (boyfriend trouble!!) and then went back to London, living in Parliament Hill Fields in a bedsit with a friend. I then had a phone call from Sally Marshall asking if I would like to go and share a flat in Ifield Road, Fulham. She had three friends wanting to share a flat and they had found a nice one for five. So Sal and I moved in together, sharing a room in a very nice flat and had quite a mad year there. Living upstairs were five boys all working at the BBC and we got on with them well. I got on with one so well that I ended up marrying him in December �68 and we are still together now. Scary thought! Steve is still a cameraman, working freelance now and does a lot of sport, particularly the PGA European Tour golf.

We lived around Bourne End in Bucks from when we were married (and where I worked as a medical secretary in the village) until moving back to Devon in August 2002 so that Steve could slow down on the work front a bit. I sang with the local Operatic Society in Bourne End and feel as though I have been on PTAs for many years. As we are back in the Colyton vicinity we would love to see any of you who are still in the area. Please give us a ring. I still have quite a lot of family in Devon. My sister in law, Vicky Jones, lives in Colyford and my mother and brother in Hemyock with various attachments of family all around. I do hope we manage to meet up again at sometime. I would love to hear how you are all doing.

5. Family: We have three children. The first two we adopted - Harriet (born 1980), Sam (born 1984) and then we managed to produce one of our own, much to our surprise, which is Kate - born in 1992 (and yes I was quite old at the time!).

6. Contact methods:

Postal address: Littlebrook, Bickwell Valley, Sidmouth EX10 8RF

Tel: 01395 513606

E-mail: sally#jellymans.fsnet.co.uk

7. Colyton memories:

Do we have any news of any of the teachers? I know Miss Goate is still around. Miss Goate shouting down the corridors for us to walk or stop talking to BOYS! Fred�s sarcasm, particularly in the snowy winter (1963) when my mother hit the vicar in the car on the way to school. The building of the swimming pool and learning life saving in the freezing water. Cookery when we had to cook a complete meal and ask a friend (poor friend). Sal and I always had the messiest kitchen. No comments now! Miss Lambert with her handkerchief in her knickers. Mme Moriset who said we were a �large form� and couldn�t control us. Mr Mason�s Art lessons - always an excuse for a bit of liberation. Cross country runs when we used to stop for a fag on the way back, on some building site.

1. Name at school: Raymond Rendell
Nickname: LaLa (thank you Mr Collop)

2. Current name: Ray Rendell

3. Current location: Exeter, Devon.

4. Since I left school:

After passing the grand total of four O levels I left C G S in 1963 (staying on into the sixth form was not an option as both my parents had retired by this time so I had to get a job to earn my keep).

After a month working at Devon Trading, Axminster where Martin Beavis' father was manager, I started work for British Railways at Axminster station in the Booking Office. In 1968, in the aftermath of the Beeching Report and subsequent rationalisations, I was made redundant. Pressure from the girlfriend meant I opted to stay in the Axminster area rather than taking a job away from home, so I started work for Bradfords at Colyton in the old railway station there as a ledger clerk. After a couple of years I was head hunted by a rival firm the proprietor of which was the uncle of a close friend. Unfortunately the golden promise of more money and better conditions were counterbalanced by the feeling of exploitation as more and more favours were expected. The desire to make some use of my intelligence led me to look into the possibility of gaining some sort of qualification. As a result I found myself taking another O-level at C G S in 1971 (courtesy of 'Hoppy' Henwood) and in 1972 I started as an Audit Clerk at Lentells of Seaton where Paul Trenchard's father was the senior partner. The intention was to take ACCA professional exams over a period of three years. Again misfortune struck when the Association decided to rehash their syllabus completely, meaning that I would require five years to complete the course. Lentells were not prepared to sponsor me for a further two years and I could not afford to live on what they were paying me. At least I have an ONC in Business Studies gained on Day Release at Exeter College and four Intermediate subjects to show for it. A friend who worked as a signalman suggested I asked about vacancies back in the railway industry so 1975 saw me working as an Information Clerk at Taunton. Promotion followed in 1978 to the Travel Centre at Exeter St Davids and in 1981 to the TOPS Computer office in the freight yard. In 1980 I had moved from Axminster to Exeter with my mother and sister, my father having died in 1968. Mother died in 1981, and then I shared a house with my sister.until she died in May 2005. After 14 happy years working on computers my post disappeared as a result of sectorisation (a precursor of privatisation). I then had a variety of posts at Exeter St. David's, working as a Welcome Host on the Help Desk then finally in the Power Signal Box as a Customer Information Systems Operator until November 2007 when I opted for early retirement following redundancy.
I am now enjoying a peaceful and relaxing retirement.

MENSA member from 1984 until 2007

My health isn't so good these days. I'm on medication for hypertension and sciatica causes me problems from time to time.

5. I am unmarried but still living in the hope that
there is someone out there for me.

6. Contact me by e-mail at rayrendell#aol.com

7. Memories of C G S:

Jammy dodgers from the tuck shop. Playing a caveman in the first year pageant. Tormenting Sally Marshall by moving my desk beside hers. Anne & Ena Kerswell. Throwing the medicine ball in the hall and knocking a cup off the table. Cold water in the swimming pool. Milk was either frozen in winter or sour in summer. I remember an incident in the woodwork room when I attempted to hit some wood shavings for six cricket-style using a file. Standing there looking rather stupid with just the file handle in my hand while John Pumfrey examined the neat hole in the window. That window cost me 7s 6d (that is 37p if any Earthlings are gatecrashing our site). Talking about playground activity, I recall 'Stumpy' Somers being caught by Hoppy Henwood half in/half out of a window in the process of retrieving a lost ball eliciting the famous remark 'extract that boy'. I remember Martin White getting caught by Miss Goate hacking chunks out of the door post with a penknife (quote: "I was just testing my knife, Miss"). I think he got I detention for doing it and got one for letting him do it.

1. Name whilst at School: Steve Verrinder. (SAV).

2. Name by which you are known now: Steve Verrinder

3. Current geographical location: Watford

4. Brief summary of key events in life to date with current situation.

We moved up here in 61 or 62 and I was soon enrolled in the local School, which had Grammar status but was designated as Watford Technical High School, this to differentiate it from Watford Grammar, and was supposed to have a leaning to the Sciences - so I concentrated on the Arts! In fact, it was the move from Colyton that probably ruined my education as they worked to a London University syllabus in Watford and not the Oxford one that we had at Colyton - consequently stuff we were taught at Watford I had already been taught at Colyton and in other subjects I had missed the first three years, so I became an expert in some but a complete duffer in the rest. However I stayed on to the sixth form and left school with 7 �O�s and 2 �A�s. Funny how in later life you wish you had paid more attention! Not having any idea about a career, when I left school, I went into the Civil Service at the Fire Research Station in Borehamwood - the idea of setting fire to things appealed at the time. ( I think there is a bit of a pyromaniac in all of us!) Eventually, when I was old enough, I joined a Veterinary Pharmaceutical company as a rep and worked in that line for about 13 years and then moved into the Pet trade as a salesman where I still am - I have got a much fancier title now but basically it�s the same job - and I still enjoy it! I�ve always got on well with people and I enjoy the freedom of being out on the road - I�ve only spent about 6 months of the last 40 years in an office environment and I reckon I�ve driven close to a million miles now!

5. Family

I got married in `67 and am still with Ann who I met when I was 17, we have two kids - Nicola (32) and Andrew (30) both have their own homes so there are just the two of us rattling around in the house.

6. Contact

e-mail: ??

7. Memories

I�ve just had a look at the Colyton site and was pleased to see that everyone else has aged whilst I have remained so young looking. My God, all those names staring back at me and all the memories that they evoked! Funny how cross country running seemed to feature in almost every resume - even the thought of it brings on pain. Bogo on his bike encouraging us to put a bit more effort into it while he free-wheeled down the hill! I suppose Bogo must be dead by now together with most of the other teachers, I fondly remember Mr Jowett whom I sat in front of doing "Tots" during detention, the Head giving me the cane, Lucy Lambert giving me a double detention for not doing my homework, Eddie Bond for making me stand on a bench in the woodwork room and highlighting my drainpipe trousers to the rest of the class and Fred Collop for being a gentleman teacher. I have too many memories of the other kids to list but a few are worth noting - a kid called Welch who borrowed my 12 speed Lenton Grand Prix from the bike sheds, without my permission, and returning it with the gears jammed in the spokes - this turned out to be an expensive mistake for him. Chris Drew who took me under his wing when he was a prefect and kept me safe from the playground bullies.