Bishopshalt 1947 Entry Register as at 13 March 2002
 
Armstrong Kenneth
Arthur Joyce (Wilkinson) Woking?
Atkins Margaret (Baker) Langley, Bucks.
Baggott Bryan 1120 Lake Twintree Drive SE Calgary Alberta Canada T2J-2T1 001 403 278 2067
Bailey Norman
Ball Shirley (Morgan) Last known address The Greenway, Ickenham.
Barnett Roger 835, West Longview Avenue, Stockton, California 95207-4714. Tel:00 1  209 4780631
Barnett Tony Uxbridge, Middlesex.
Beagley Pamela (Knight) Cobham, Surrey
Beaven Peter 73, Waterloo Road, Crowthorne, Berkshire RG45 7NN. 01344 772815
Bennett Mavis
Bird Arlene
Patricia Blackford (Parrott) Widowed-Living on the Regent canal
Blackmore Ruby
Bray Philip
Burt Barbara (Dean) Swindon, Wilts.
Butler John
Carpenter Edward
Coleman Margaret (Rodman) Wellingborough, Northants,
Conway David Deceased
Copeland Ann (Vincent) Deceased
Crook Ann (Potter) Medina, Ohio 44256, U.S.A.
Cross Gordon
Crozier Frank Torquay, Devon
Daley Brian Deceased
Davis Jill
Davis Thelma (Tilley) contact via Elinor Watson (Murton)
Dicker John
Dunsford G.
Ealey John Bromley, Kent BR1
Eggleton David Aston, Hertfordshire
Elliott Constance (Lankford) Moved to Oregon
Elliott Ian 60, Woodcrest Walk, Reigate, Surrey, RH2 0JL 01737 761488
Fielding June
Fisher Janet (Hardman) Deceased
Fisk James
Forrest Joan (Taylor) Reigate Hill, Reigate, Surrey
Foss Richard Kirkcaldy, Fife
Fountain Michael
Gallavan Maureen
Gault Gloria Deceased
Gaylard Janet (Cant) Kinsgsbury NW9.
Gibbs Marilyn (Hawkins) Cheshunt, Herts, EN7 6QN.
Gibson David Eastcote, Middlesex,
Gittins Monica West Drayton, Middlesex, UB7 7QA. 01895 442919
Goold Bernard Deceased 2001
Grace Michael 137, Cherry Tree Road, Holtspur, Beaconsfield, Bucks. HP9 1BD. 01494 674858
Gullen Majorie Deceased
Harmer Gillian (Pryce) Pipits, Street End, Blagdon North Somerset , BS40 7TL 01761 462241
Harries Beryl (Kay) South Carolina
Harries Gwen
Hill Sonia
Hill Cynthia
Holland Joan
Hollingsworth Doug 102, Longhill Avenue, Doonfoot, Ayr KA7 4DF. 01292 442606
Hudson Iris
Huggett Janet
Hunter Clive
Ing Shirley
Kempton Phillip
Kensit John
Laker John Hillingdon, Middx
Lancaster Ian Aborfield, Reading
Lanham Gwen Deceasedin1984
Lee John West Drayton, Middlesex. 01895 443243
Leigh Desmond Felpham, Bognor Regis, Sussex.
Margetts Brian via Mike Grace
Manders John Seavington St Michael, Ilminster Somerset
Mitchell Linda (Pocklington) Marval, Saint Mathieu, Haute Vienne, France
Mitson Jimmy via Tom Smith
Morley Gillian (Poland) 7, Lodge Close, Benfleet, Essex. SS7 3DA. 01268 753828
Newman Hilary (Brooks) Harmondsworth, Middx.
Organ Peter via Tom Smith
Palmer Mary (Connor) Windsor, Berks..
Palmer Rex Fairmeade, 24, Fishbourne Lane, Ryde, Isle of Wight PO33 4EZ. 01983 567611 (Office) 01983 882795 (Home)
Powell Janet (Bouri) Ealing, London W5
Price Janet
Read Brian 14, Woodlands Avenue, Eastcote, Ruislip, Middx HA4 9RJ. 0181 868 8266
Reeves Mavis (Bainbridge) Maidenhead, Berks
Rich Joan (Harman) Peacehaven, East Sussex
Roberts Iris
Rodway David
Rogers Alan Uxbridge, Middlesex.
Rossell Patricia (Fay) St. Thomas, Exeter
Russell Charles Gerrards Cross, Bucks
Salisbury Ann (Murdoch) Iver Heath, Bucks
Sharp Brian 3, Fleet Close, Ruislip, Middx. HA4 7AZ 01895 635868 
Sheaff Mary (Durham) Marlow, Bucks
Skates Jim Mt. Yokene, Western Australia.
Smith Ann Duffy (Mangeon) Canada?
Smith Jacqueline (Thorne) Deceased 2001
Smith Thomas 68, Tradescant Drive, Meopham, Kent DA13 0EF.
Southworth Dave Hayling Island
Speechley Robert Wroxton, Oxon
Stennett Wendy
Stewart Joan (Walker) Tylers Green, Penn,
Stokes Lucy (Waters) Bedford,
Stripp Gillian (Murray) 8908 Southshore Court, Polk City, FL 33868, USA 01 863 984 8272
Swift Eileen (Graham) London SE23
Tanner Pauline (Barron) Esher, Surrey.
Taylor Margaret (Miller) Ruislip Manor, Middlesex.
Taylor Pauline (Green) Sandton, 2146, South Africa. Contact via Mary Connor
Taylor Sheila
Thorne Brian 23, Poplar Road, Ashford, Middx TW15 1EF. 01784 255164
Thornett Wesley Hayes, Middlesex.
Thorogood Anthony Cranleigh, Surrey
Tompkins Robert Radlett, Herts
Udy Majorie (Barback) Winchcombe, Glos.
Walker Brenda (Pain) 1, Woodfield Grove, Streatham, London SW16 1LR. 0181 769 1599
Walker Nella Cheltenham, Glos.
Watson Elinor (Murton) Ickenham, Uxbridge,Middlesex.
White Alan Ealing W13
White Myra
Whitehorn Doug
Wilkinson Geoffrey Deceased 1996
Williams April (Breese) Ballasalla, Isle of Man.
Willsher Mara (Buchanan-Jones) West Putford, Holsworthy, Devon
Wilson Douglas
Woolley Sheila (Astill) Horncastle, Lincs
Wright Naomi (Smith) Hutton, Brentwood, Essex


After leaving school BRYAN BAGGOTT attended Birmingham University where he gained a BSc degree in civil engineering and university colours for basketball. He returned to Birmingham University in 1964 and obtained an MSc degree in geotechnical engineering. Two months after obtaining his first degree he found himself in the middle of Labrador working on the early stages of a hydroelectric power project. This was the beginning of his 41 year career in the water resource and power sector working for Canadian consulting engineering companies based mostly in western Canada. His work, in both engineering design and site investigations, has taken him right across Canada into most of the Canadian provinces and the Northwest and Yukon Territories. He has also lived and worked in Australia, China, Iran, Lesotho, the Philippines and Thailand fulfilling his schoolboy ambition to combine his career with his desire to see the world.

He lost his wife to lung cancer in 1993. In 1998 he retired and now lives with his second wife, a childhood friend from Ruislip, in his Calgary home of the past thirty years. Their home is located less than a 20 minute drive from those of Bryan's two sons and daughter and only about 1.5 hours from the heart of the Rocky Mountains where he and his family indulge in their passion for the mountains and the outdoors. Return to list


After spending an extra term at Bishopshalt, ROGER BARNETT worked at EMI for eight months as a shipping clerk before joining the RAF as a typist for two years, after which he read geography at Cambridge. Two years as a planning officer at Norfolk County Council were followed by three years as a graduate student in Geography at the University of California, Berkeley (where he finally finished his Ph.D), and then appointment in 1965 as Assistant Professor of Geography at the University of the Pacific, in Stockton, California. In 1968 he married Françoise Debord from Sarlat in the Perigord and their son Marc-Alain was born in 1969. After 34 years in the same academic post at U. of the P. After 34 years in the same academic post at U. of the P. he retired in June 1999, closing out his career with a part time final year. Return to list

On leaving Bishopshalt in 1955, PETER BEAVEN read geology at Exeter University, and then joined the Colonial Section of the Road Research Laboratory. He married Pella (Pamela) Evans, whom he met at Exeter, in 1959. They have four sons.

Peter has worked in Nigeria, Malaysia, Hong Kong, the Caribbean and southern Africa, lecturing and working on research projects. This included planning a roadway on the island of Saint Lucia. In 1977 he took over a joint research project with the Highway Authority in Ethiopia. On returning to the UK he developed an interest in satellite remote sensing.

After a lecture tour in China, he continued with survey work in central Africa and Indonesia. Prior to his retirement in September 1996 he became Overseas Centre Manager of the Transport Research Laboratory. Return to list

Soon after leaving school, BARBARA BURT ( Dean) lost her fiancé Norman Hadnutt, who was killed in a flying accident in the Fleet Air Arm on National Service three weeks before they were to marry at St John's Church, Hillingdon. Norman had attended Bishopshalt and was a member of the 1st football team from 1951-2.

Barbara was nursing at Hillingdon Hospital on the ward where Gloria Galt was brought in from her fatal road accident.

Later she married Robert Dean (Bishopshalt 1944 entry). They have four sons, all now married, and several grandchildren. One son (Bill) flies a Royal Navy Sea Harrier from Prestwick air station, where he may be in contact "over the air waves" with Doug Hollingsworth. Return to list

After reading economics at Southampton University, FRANK CROZIER became a second lieutenant in the army for two years and then spent a year driving around the USA, Canada and Mexico before working for a year at Shell Mex and BP Ltd ("Sales, and hated it!") He then went to Jesus College, Cambridge for a postgraduate education year. While there, he gained his blue, taking part in the Oxford and Cambridge v Harvard and Yale match. Between 1963 and 1970 he was teaching in Bucks, and then came ten years in the Bahamas, firstly teaching at the Govt. High School and then lecturing at the new College of the Bahamas. From 1980-87 he was in Windsor, teaching at the boys' grammar school in Maidenhead. During this time he gained a BA (Hons) in English to add to his B Sc.

He represented the Bahamas in the Central American and Caribbean Games, and in football teams v. Mexico, Panama, Bermuda and the Dominican Republic. He has travelled throughout Anglo and Latin America from Canada to Chile, and in the Middle and Far East.

In 1987 he retired to Cornwall, and married, moving to La France Profonde in 1992, where he has been renovating a 200 year old farmhouse. He moved temporarily to the Ardèche followed by time in Yorkshire and is now living in Devon. Return to list

JOHN EALEY took his octet of O-levels to Ealing Town Hall in 1952 for eighteen months before engaging in clerical work with the RAF for three years. 1957-63 was spent with Nestlé in Hayes on the technical and manufacturing side, and the next thirty years with G Payne & Co ("the 'Poppet' people"), where he rose from junior management on the Croydon factory floor to general works manager, responsible at board level for over 200 employees. In early 1996, at the age of 60, he was "delayered and restructured", and left with a pension and little hope of another job.

However, he says "the gods must have been smiling" upon him for within three months he obtained a two-year contract with a small company in Dorchester making high-class chocolate products. At present he is working a three-day week, which he considers is a good preparation for an earlyish retirement.

He has gained an OU degree featuring "a cocktail of arts and technology.".

From his first marriage he has two children, both about thirty years old. He and Dolores, his second wife, have been married for 26 years and are grandparents, to the two children of John's daughter Louise.

Over the years he has kept in touch with Alan White, Eban Mitchell and Tony Barnett, and has now re-established contact with Frank Crozier. He often thinks of Brian Daley, whose early death was a severe blow to him. Return to list

After gaining a degree in aero-engineering at Bristol University, DAVID EGGLETON joined DeHavilland as a post-graduate trainee, installing computers for production control. He went on to computing/IT in systems management for Hawker Siddeley, Babcock & Wilcox, Texas Instruments, APV and ITT, finally becoming Head of IT for BP worldwide. After retirement in 1990 he set up his own consultancy business for a number of large organisations. Besides being a director of various companies, he is also a Freeman and Liveryman of the City of London and Fellow of the RSA. He has lectured throughout his career.

As well as being an angling devotee, he is a collector of antiquarian books. He and his wife Pearl, to whom he has been married for over 40 years, have two sons and six grandchildren. Return to list

IAN ELLIOTT was at Bishopshalt for three years (5th and 6th forms) only. He read economics at Exeter University, immediately after which he went to Sweden to marry Brit, whom he had met at Exeter where she had studied English for a term. 2 years National Service were followed by 7 working for British Railways, another 10 in the National Economic Development Office, and the remainder (until retirement) as an economist in the DTI. A daughter, Eva, was born in 1960, and a son, James, in 1962, each of whom have two children so far. Return to list

This obituary of JANET FISHER was printed in the Old Uxonians newsletter

As young woman, Janet had two passions, athletics and dancing, and it was at a dance that she met Alan, who was doing his National Service at RAF Uxbridge. They married and settled in Cheshire, and it was not long before they founded the Altrincham and Timperley Athletics Club. At the age of fifty, Janet became the national over 50s discus champion.

Janet also researched the history of the Altrincham area, and much of her work was published. She also pursued her own family history back in Uxbridge. Her organic garden kept the family in vegetables the whole year round. Her last years were clouded by the onset of Wegener's granulomatosis, and this debilitating disease at first left her feeling very isolated. Yet to Alan and Janet, it proved another challenge. They researched the disease, and eventually produced a leaflet to help fellow sufferers and this in turn has led to the founding of a nation-wide charity.

Janet died from her illness on January 28th 2001. To Alan, her three daughters, and her sister Wendy Reading, we extend our deepest sympathy. Return to list

After "happy but lazy" school years, JOAN FORREST (Taylor) attended Shenstone Training College before teaching infants for seven years prior to becoming a full-time housewife and mother. She married Len thirty-nine years ago. Although they lost a handicapped daughter at two and a half years, they have two sons, one of whom is married and is just home from Hong Kong. The other is still working out there. She says she has had a "good lucky life" full of various interests - painting, quilting, yoga, skiing, family history and for the last twenty-four years cultivation of their Reigate garden.. For a while she had two goats, two dogs and three cats, but currently has just one cat, who appeared out of the great storm of 1987. For the past twenty years she and her husband have been "turning a barren quarry into a green haven" for wildlife, particularly badgers, deer, snakes and wild flowers that have returned.. Return to list

RICHARD FOSS joined EMI after leaving in the fifth form and was assigned to the (then) new Computer Division. After doing a part-time HND he studied at the University of Durham on a State Scholarship, ultimately gaining a Ph.D. He also became an Acting Pilot Officer with the RAFVR.

In 1964 he went to Plessey, heading a small group designing some of the first silicon chips, and then moved to Ottawa, working for Microsystems International. After this followed a spell of consultancy work before he and an ex-Plessey colleague set up MOSAID (Metal Oxide Silicon "Help") to design new memory chips. This is now a public company on the Toronto Stock Exchange, whose designs are licensed to major Far East makers, as well as supplying Automatic Test Equipment for new memory chips worldwide. Richard is chairman of the company.

He has one home in Canada on Lake Calabogie and another in Kirkcaldy, Scotland. He has four children from his first marriage, and now lives in Kirkcaldy with his second wife, Gail, and their two children, Christopher and Charlotte. Return to list

DAVID GIBSON writes: I spent my first few years after leaving school sponsored by the Ministry of Aviation, learning Engineering, then another few years drifting around various companies designing bits for missiles, and aircraft instruments, and getting married. When my wife presented me with twins in 1969, I thought I'd better take a more serious attitude to work, so I joined British Airways to help look after their flight simulators. This really was tremendous fun, so much so that I stayed there doing virtually the same job until I retired in 1999. In parallel with working for BA, I worked as a freelance design consultant, which was also enormously satisfying, designing bits of hardware and electronics for simulators.

Having been pretty useless at football at school, I discovered my sporting forte the year I left, taking up rugby, an activity which admirably suited my proclivities. Partly because of my late introduction to the game, I didn't stop playing until I was about 50, by which time it was too late to do anything about getting my golf handicap down. But I still work at it occasionally. We also sail as much as we can, both in our own boat, and in chartered vessels around the world, (where working for BA was a definite advantage.)

The twins, both girls, were followed by another daughter a few years later. They've all now flown the nest; one of them literally - she's a BA pilot; another's a teacher and the third's a lawyer. I won't say they're all barren, but they've signally failed to satisfy Jan's ambition to be a grandmother, (at the time of writing, Dec, 2001). Return to list

MIKE GRACE went from the sixth form into the RAF for national service as an Air Radar Fitter, dealing with repairs. This was followed by a career in the building services industry, specialising in various aspects of controls systems for heating, ventilating and air conditioning. He has worked for Drayton, Billman (Swedish), and Landis & Gyr (Swiss), first as a contracts engineer, and was then appointed UK Service manager in 1975. After seven years building up and running a nationwide field service team, he moved on into the training of staff and customers in the controls field where, since redundancy for "downsizing" four years ago, he is still in self-employed demand, running courses in such places as defence bunkers, operating theatres and cheese factories!

Since 1964, Mike's home has been in Beaconsfield. His wife Margaret is still employed as a social worker and they have three sons, Stephen, Andrew and Christopher, all with degrees. Mike's hobbies are gardening and DIY; he has also run a cub scout pack for twelve years, and for the last three years has been a churchwarden. He has toured the continent plus much of the UK by caravan, and has a small cruiser near Marlow where we are offered a "hassle-free day on the Thames"! Return to list

GILLIAN HARMER (Pryce)
 

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After a term in the sixth form, DOUG HOLLINGSWORTH worked in his father's business before entering the RAF Air Signallers' School in Norfolk (where he coincided with Jimmy Mitson who arrived there for National Service). He was in Coastal Command "doing his bit for Queen and country" by "chasing submarines and Soviet cruisers" and learning how "to shoot down attacking MIG fighters (theoretically)" and "to find a periscope in a Force 8 gale". After ten years he returned to civilian life in the Air Traffic Control service, and spent 33 years based in Aberdeen, covering most Highland and Island airports as well as Prestwick. Wedded to Wendy, with a son of 22 and a daughter of 19, and to life on the West Coast of Scotland, he retired last year. He comments that "we are all golf-mad up here". They live a mile from Robert Burns's cottage, and offer a welcome to any old friends who might be around to call in. Return to list

After National Service in the RAF (Linton-on-Ouse), JOHN LAKER joined Hoover Ltd at Perivale, where he became responsible for sourcing and purchase of materials and components for the three UK factories. In 1976 he moved to London Transport, where he became Principal Purchasing Assistant, and upon the formation of London Buses he became Contracts Manager and Sales Manager. Among other things this involved visiting the Far East including Hong Kong, China and Sri Lanka. After taking early retirement when London Buses was wound up in 1995, he worked part-time for the Purchasing Organisation, Rank Xerox (UK) Ltd but is now finally retired. During his career he has been chairman of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Energy Committee. He is on the council of the Light Rail Transit Association, and is a member of the Tramway Museum Society. He has had many tram and railway photographs published, and has been involved in the production of transport videos.

Married to Sarah, he lives in Hillingdon. Return to list

JOHN and Di MANDERS (Di nee Rowe, 1949-53) were married in September 1956 after John had gained a National Diploma In Agriculture from Writtle.

Most of the next ten years were spent in the Cotswolds, initially working on farms but then came a time in the Meteorological Office, during which they moved to Aberdeen. A return to agriculture with the North of Scotland College of Agriculture happened at the same time as an ever increasing involvement with people with learning difficulties began to develop. This latter interest resulted in the family moving to Somerset in 1971 where they have remained ever since with the balance of John's working life continuously shifting, to the point where his only connections with agriculture are his NFU Countryside membership and a few hens. Return to list

LINDA MITCHELL (Pocklington) spent three months in Switzerland before starting work in 1954 with the Council of Industrial Design in Petty France (later in the new Haymarket buildings in 1956). She enjoyed working on exhibits for overseas, in the Press Office and as editorial assistant until her marriage in 1961, when she and her husband moved to Berkshire. There she did public relations work, first for Courage hotels and then for the educational Cuisenaire Company, while husband Frank's career progressed from Picture Post photography and Granada TV to BBC "Tonight" and camera commissions which took them to live in Cheshire (working on Granada's "World in Action") and then in Yorkshire to work with Alan Whicker for seven years, after which Frank directed documentaries. Their daughters, Sarah and Caroline were born in 1967/8. While living in York, Linda gained a Fine Arts degree with ceramics.

In 1994 they retired to a converted farmhouse in France where they are happily engaged in gardening, forest management etc., and extend a welcome for a call or stopover! Return to list

After reading English at Exeter and taking an intensive secretarial course at Kilburn Polytechnic, GILLIAN MORLEY (Poland) spent two years on the editorial staff of "The Drapers' Record", reporting news and fashion. She then took a postgraduate education course at Sheffield University before marrying John Poland in 1961. Part-time lecturing at Ealing Technical College and Crewe Technical College, with some voluntary preschool playgroup work, was followed by teaching in Essex secondary schools. After retirement from teaching, she took up part-time and then full-time legal secretarial work until welcome redundancy and has since been indulging in freelance writing, Scottish country dancing, music, and fundraising for the local "Crossroads" care attendant scheme. She and John have two sons, now in their mid-thirties; one is a systems manager and the other is in horticulture. Return to list

On leaving school in 1952, REX PALMER, MBE, obtained a student apprenticeship as an industrial chemist at Cooper's Mechanical Joints in Slough. He later switched to metallurgy, and backed this with engineering. As an aircraft electrician, he served in the RAF at Bridgnorth, Melksham, Hullavington and finally VIP flying at Northolt. On completing his National Service he briefly rejoined Coopers and then moved to Trucast Ltd in 1962. He has now been with them for thirty-five years, serving successively as Process Controller, ADQ Approved Metallurgist, ADQ Approved Radiologist, Chief Inspector, Group Chief Inspector, Technical Manager, finally becoming Technical Director seventeen years ago.

He has also chaired the UK Trade Association's Technical Committees for over 25 years and is now one of its 13 non-paid directors. On his retirement last year he was awarded the Douglas Armitage Award for services to industry and to the country. It was in March 1993 that he received his MBE for Services to Defence, for which he had been recommended by Vickers PLC who currently own Trucast.

Divorced and remarried, he now has four children and five grandchildren. He writes that his life has been "pretty hectic" and cites as invaluable the support of his wife Carol. Return to list

JANET POWELL (Bouri) recalls being maybe the only person in our year who did not "pass the scholarship" in 1947 but one year earlier, when her family was living in Swansea. The move to Outer London and the months spent at the Bourne Secondary Modern School before taking up a place at Bishopshalt were something of a culture shock and probably had far-reaching effects. A holiday spent in a pen-friend's family in northern France at the end of the second form confirmed her interest in the wider world and her inclination to learn foreign languages. After taking a degree in French and German and a few years spent teaching in the London area she moved abroad and has now spent most of her adult life outside Britain, including a total of twelve years in Algeria (her ex-husband is Algerian), five years in Washington D.C.(where her husband was posted to his country's Embassy) and, most recently, in the Netherlands where she has just completed a stint of more than 11 years as a linguist (French/English translator and interpreter) at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Having retired she has moved back to west London near to her two children. Return to list

Having passed the Civil Service examination while still at school, BRIAN READ spent his National Service in the RAF at Innsworth, near Cheltenham. After a short spell at HM Stationery Office, he joined Kodak and worked his way up to become Supervisor in Production Planning. With various qualifications in business studies and management gained through evening classes at Harrow Technical College, he moved into O and M (Organisation and Methods) work, first with Sperry Remington at Holborn, then with Lucas CAV at Acton, EMI at Hayes, Cannon Assurance at Wembley, John Brown Engineers and Constructors, the NSPCC, Reuters, and Argos Distributors, eventually setting up his own business as an independent management consultant in 1989.

He has an overall interest in sport, having played cricket and soccer for Kodak, as well as taking part in tennis, squash and athletics at various times, and is now a member of the youth development committee at Wasps Rugby Club. Brian also has a strong interest in music, having been involved in "Kodak Players" productions of Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, and he particularly enjoys modern jazz and big bands. His other interests include photography, motoring, theatre-going and eating in good restaurants. Return to list

JOAN RICH (Harman) made her secretarial start with Dean and Dawson at Green Park, then left London for eight years with Taylor Woodrow at Greenford, and continued to work part-time till 1995 - through from the old manual typewriter of Bishopshalt days to electric and present-day PCs. Now "busy doing nothing" ( as well as meals-on-wheels, W I, line dancing, gym) she lives by the sea with husband Jim, a self-employed cabinet maker - the teenage sweetheart who used to meet her from school in his army uniform during his National Service days. They married in 1956 and have two daughters, Sue and Nicky, adopted at six weeks old. One has her own son now, and they are all living at Peacehaven. Joan writes "If I sound happy - it is because I am!" Return to list

BRIAN SHARP After leaving school he worked for a few months in the Post Office Savings bank at Kew before joining Rank Film Laboratories, Denham. In 1957 he started a course at Exeter University and obtained a degree in Government. He worked with Middlesex County Council for 18 months before joining the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in S Rhodesia in early 1962. His main area of work was the encouraging of manufacturing industry. On his return to UK at the end of 1965 he worked for the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce on export promotion. At the end of 1968 he moved to similar work for the Hospitals Export Council in London. In 1974 he joined the Insurance Company Trade Associations where his main area of work was insurance legislation and regulation. From 1994 until his retirement in mid 1998 he worked for the Prudential Insurance Co, again on legislation and regulation. Having retired, he is missing work and so has signed up for an OU course
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After leaving school, JACKIE SMITH (Thorne) worked as a clerical officer in the LXX Supplies Department, and then in the Treasurer's Department of the Hayes and Harlington Urban District Council as a Clerical Officer. She then became a secretary in the Flight Department of the College of Aeronautics, and subsequently worked in the wages department of BOAC. She married Brian THORNE, and after eleven years as a full-time mum, she worked for 22 years as a school secretary, initially at Felthill Hill Nursery School and then at Cardinal Road School, Feltham, retiring in 1994.

Her leisure activities include membership of the Hanwell and Ealing Operatic Society and committee work for the Guide Dogs for the Blind. At St Matthew's Church, Ashford, she is on the Parochial Church Council and is also leader of the Mothers' Union, as well as being Brown Owl for the 1st Ashford Brownies.

Jackie battled with cancer for over a year but died in October 2001

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Having worked for a brief spell at Boots, TOM SMITH did his National Service in the RAF at Hednesford, Melksham and Northolt. There he "got hooked" on engineering and after demob graduated in electrical engineering and, later, in mathematics. He entered the Civil Service as an engineer working with the army and, most recently, with the RAF (flying training). He writes "While I cannot say that I strode the Corridors of Power, I have occasionally peered along them when no one else was looking and once used the toilets there."

Married in 1960, he and his wife have lived in Tring, Reading and Meopham. They have three children and four grandchildren. Tom retired in 1993 and now tutors maths, as well as playing "hopeless" (his adjective) golf. Return to list

ROBERT (BOB) SPEECHLEY left school after the fifth year with "a handful of GCE's ". There followed various accounting positions including two years of National Service, during which he became a sergeant. His family moved to Eastbourne, where he held more accounting positions. After returning to the Hillingdon area in 1959 and joining BOAC in 1960, he married in 1963. "Courtesy of BOAC and latterly British Airways" he travelled the world extensively, and in 1971 "emigrated" to Oxfordshire. His two sons are both university graduates. In 1989 he took early retirement because of his first wife's illness; she died in that year.

He has since worked part-time in a variety of jobs - as a pub short order chef, as a furniture and buildings restorer, and as a decorator. His hobbies include sailing, a love of France and fine art, and weekend water-colour painting .

In 1992 he moved to his present apartment in the picturesque village of Wroxton (thatch, duck pond, two pubs and Abbey) , and is employed part-time as a homesitter countrywide.. In 1993 he remarried and "is blissfully happy with new life and new wife". He thoroughly recommends retirement as a full-time occupation!

He says he is eternally grateful to Mr Coleman for art, Mrs Butler for love of music, "Spider" Buck for maths, Mr Capron for woodwork and "KB" for his smattering of French. His epitaph, he suggests, should read "It seemed like a good idea at the time!" Return to list

GILLIAN STRIPP (Murray) trained as a technician at The King Edward VII Hospital, Windsor and then worked in Haemotology at Hillingdon. She moved to the US in 1961 and married Paul Knoblett, who was in the US Navy. Their postings included Scotland and Spain before returning to Maryland. They have a daughter and son, but Paul died in 1981. She has now married Jim Murray and lives in Florida. Click here for more details; for information on her present family, click here, or Return to list..

PAULINE TAYLOR (Green) and her husband Jim, who now live in South Africa, have celebrated their ruby wedding anniversary. In 1957 they married in Hayes and moved to Witney, Oxfordshire, where their two children (Lindsey and Adrian) were born. They then moved to Hayling Island and, in 1971, to South Africa, just north of Johannesburg. They have four grandchildren.

Pauline has worked at a Home for the Aged for twenty-five years, first as Secretary/Treasurer "but since the Chairman recently retired I seem to be doing that job as well."

Her hobbies have included badminton and yoga, but since a spell of ill health last year she has taken up Bowls, which she recommends as "a great game". Return to list

BRIAN THORNE took up an apprenticeship with BEA and studied at RAE Farnborough, later attending the College of Aeronautics at Cranfield. He holds the qualifications of M SC., C. Eng., M I Mech E and M R Ae S. He worked in Performance and Flight Testing, BEA (later BA), retiring in 1994.

His leisure activities include chairing the Hanwell and Ealing Operatic Society and acting as Treasurer for Spelthorne Guide Dogs for the Blind and for the Feltham Unit of the Girls' Venture Corps Air Cadets. He has also been on the committee of 94 Feltham ATC.

He is married to JACKIE SMITH, and they have two sons, Alan and Robert. Return to list

MARJORIE UDY (Barback) and her husband Norman now live at Winchcombe, Glos. Marjorie took a degree at Southampton University before becoming a BBC radio production secretary for overseas talks, and after that became an editorial assistant on a trade paper. In 1961 she married Norman; they have a daughter and a son. Marjorie has had various PA/secretarial/administrative jobs, as well as engaging in freetime activities which have included research and writing for a local street pageant, editing various association newsletters, being twinning secretary for a local Franco-British society, renovating three homes and "GARDENING!" Return to list

BRENDA WALKER (Pain) read maths at Imperial College, London, for two years, and then became Information Officer to the British Plastics Federation; afterwards becoming Librarian for the Tobacco Manufacturers' Standing Committee. In 1958 she married "Bill" Pain, a civil engineer. They have two daughters, Jo and Angie. Angie took part in the Olympic marathon at Seoul, where she came tenth; she also won a bronze medal in the Commonwealth Games at Auckland. Brenda met Gillian Pryce (Harmer) in Wales when both their husbands were working on the old Severn Bridge. Brenda and Bill then went to Malaysia (where Bill had been during army days), where Brenda taught maths, and there they encountered Peter Beaven.. On their return to the UK, Brenda taught maths at the Italia Conti Academy of Dramatic Arts. Her pupils included some well-known models and stage personalities. She and Bill are now both retired, but "involved in all sorts of things". Return to list

NELLA WALKER
Most of ALAN WHITE's life since leaving Bishopshalt has been spent in engineering and management. His qualifications include B.Sc (Eng)(2.1), C. Eng., M I Mech E and M I M (now lapsed). He has worked mostly in the U K and also spent four years in the USA in Los Angeles and Pittsburgh from 1964 to 1968, and since then he has lived in Ealing. He married Barbara in 1966 and they have two daughters, now in their 30s.

His work has been in the field of heat transfer and energy related systems and equipment, supplying mainly to heavy industries such as iron and steel, oil refineries, chemical plants, offshore platforms and other energy users. Fortunately, this has meant quite a bit of worldwide travel which has been both interesting and educational. He was Managing Director of the company for ten years until April 1995 when he took early retirement following a major cancer operation and subsequent treatment.

He now potters about with DIY, gardening, reading, doing some part-time consulting work and "trying not to sound like Victor Meldrew". Return to list

MARA WILLSHER (Jones)'s husband is Mike Jones who was at Bishopshalt between 1943 and 1950. They have two daughters and two grandsons. For a few years in the 'sixties and again in the 'seventies they lived in West Africa. They have travelled on business to the Caribbean and the Far East, including a trip to China when the Chinese first opened their doors to the West.

In Africa they kept a snake collection and on leaving, sent specimens to London and Dublin zoos. They helped to build a theatre and took part in amateur dramatics, and in their second spell there spent much of their free time in an inflatable boat in the mangrove swamps and creeks studying the wildlife.

Their nature studies are still pursued in rural Devon, where they have badgers, foxes and deer for company. Return to list

NAOMI WRIGHT taught full-time and part-time for five years, and after her first husband died she attended Garnett College to gain a formal qualification to teach in Further Education. She has taught in two Hertforshire colleges and three Essex ones, including Basildon Technical College for thirteen years, and Colchester Institute, where she attained a senior position and from which she retired two years ago. She now works part-time as an external verifier for the Royal Society of Arts.

In 1980 she remarried but sadly was widowed again after only two years. She now lives with her partner, Cliff, a retired food science lecturer from Smithfield College, and they travel a great deal. Return to list