The Class of 64 Reunion, 13 November 2004

Steve Garrett writes:

Earlier this year, Fred Tyler thought it a good idea to see if we could celebrate (!) the 40th year since, as first years in our shorts and caps (and that was just the girls), we passed through the gates of Trinity High School for the first time.  As both Jacqui and I spent our teens at Trinity, we had three former pupils and the making of a reunion already. (Jacqui, was Jackie Brown when at school).  Using our extensive list of contacts - a dozen or so - and the brilliant 'Tower Revisited' website, Friends' Reunited and the MSN 'Northampton Trinity' website, we thought we could get together a cast of thousands; well tens!

Messages were placed on the message boards and websites and a date fixed.  Fred wrote to the Chronicle and Echo hoping to inform others of the event, although the article was published on the following Monday.  Why?  [The C&E article can be found from the link at the bottom of the page].  The venue was arranged: an informal get together at the Romany followed by a meal, if there was sufficient interest.  The Romany has a special place in our memories, as it was where many of us spent our evenings when Watney's Red Barrel was the beer of the day, or Mann's Brown for the posers, and a game or three of table skittles.  Oh happy days.

Jacqui and I travelled up from the south coast on the Saturday morning meeting Fred at Didcot railway station - all three of us no longer live in the town, although the majority of my family still do.  We arrived in good time at the pub and ordered our beers.  I can recommend the Grantham Gold (4.3%), brewed by the Oldershaw Brewery in Grantham.  To help pass the time before the hordes arrived we had the Tottenham v Arsenal game on the big screen.  Needless to say we had a longer wait than expected, well hoped really, for if the truth be told, none of us expected anyone to turn up.  Every time the door to the Music Bar opened we anxiously looked at the new arrival to see if he or she was a former pupil.  The door opened frequently because the pub is used by a local hockey team for post-match teas and drinks.

We three eventually fortified ourselves with further beers.  Fred decided to mix his drinks and had a Caledonian 80 shillings (can't find the shilling symbol on my keyboard).  We also ordered food - very good value and just right for soaking up the beer.  And still no-one else arrived.  In honour of the event we decided we should reminisce - although this was short-lived because in came Dave Walder.  The following day my son pointed out "Look Dad, those present were you, your wife, your oldest mate and your Best Man!"  After supplying Dave with a pint, the conversations turned to "well thank goodness some one turned up" and then we got down to some serious reminiscing.  "Do you ever see so and so". "Do you remember when ……"  "Did you know that such and such does ….." "What's happening at the school" etc. etc.

We gossiped for an hour or so before deciding to walk up to the school to see the building progress.  Our initial thoughts were how can the school function with so much of the it a building site.  To our horror the school hall has broken windows - is the hall being demolished?  We noticed that for the first time ever there was no Gallone's van outside, although the main entrance has moved up Trinity Avenue, but the litterbin is still there.  We took some photos to mark the occasion and walked down to Balfour Road and along to the old Sixth Form block.  Dave noticed that steps have been cut into the bank - what wimps he said, we didn't need steps.  I guess there was some sadness that our old school where we had spent seven years of our lives was disappearing in front of us.  Aaaaaaaah.  I suppose not everyone feels sadness and many of the pupils 40 years ago would have been happy if the school had suffered the same fate as the pavilion on Bonfire Night, 1970.

So we returned to our cars, wished Dave all the best and went our different ways.  It was a bit sad that no one was able to come along.  Still anyone up for 2014?  Perhaps we should start organising now!!!!