PLEASE NOTE THAT REUNION 2020 PLANNED FOR THE WEEKEND OF 19th/20th SEPTEMBER HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO UNCERTAINTY OVER THE CORONAVIRUS EPIDEMIC WHICH HAS RESULTED IN THE CLOSURE OF THE BINGHAM HALL UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
THE BULLETIN
of
THE CIRENCESTER OLD GRAMMARIANS 1940s ASSOCIATION
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The Association was formed in 1988 with the object of ‘keeping alive the spirit of the pupils who attended the Victoria Road school during the 1940s’. Former pupils from other decades are also welcome and the Association already has on its books members from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. The ‘spirit’ is kept alive by quarterly lunches in and around Cirencester and these are well attended by members and their guests.
The venues and dates for 2017 were:
Spring The Highwayman 9th March 2017 (58 attended)
Summer Minchinhampton GC 8th June June 2017 (64 attended)
Autumn Corinium Court Hotel 4th October 2017 (37 attended)
Christmas: Crown of Crucis 14th December 2017 (61 attended)
Forms on which to indicate interest in the lunches are forwarded to each member with The New Cirencestrian in December each year. To receive details please make sure you return the form together with the appropriate number of SAEs. No additional places can be guaranteed without such prior notice. It’s important to send the form in early and sometimes space is an issue – and we hate to disappoint.
In addition to the quarterly lunches, members are kept in touch by means of this website and our annual magazine The New Cirencestrian.
The dates and venues for 2018 were as follows:
Spring The Highwayman 8th March (48 attended)
Summer The Corinium Court 6th June (35 attended)
Autumn The Crown of Crucis 20th September (32 attended)
(Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the founding of the 1940s Association)
Finally
Christmas Minchinhampton Golf Club 4th December. (52 attended)
The dates and venues for 2019 were as follows:
Spring: The Corinium Hotel- 27th March (42 attended)
Summer: Minchinhampton Golf Club – 9th July
(40 attended)
Christmas: The Crown of Crucis – 10th December (45 attended)
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The dates and venues for the 2020 lunches are as follows:
CANCELLED Spring The Crown of Crucis – 19th March CANCELLED
CANCELLED Summer The Minchinhampton Golf Club – 7th July CANCELLED
Christmas The Crown of Crucis 10th December
FINGERS CROSSED !
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24th OCTOBER 1881 – 14th JULY 1966
CIRENCESTER GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Victoria Road
Cirencester
COMMITTEE
President – Dr Brian Gegg
Vice-President – Peter Rowe
Chairman – this office rotates amongst the committee members
Hon. Joint Secretaries – Ann Green (Da Silva) & Pauline Parker (Sampson)
Hon. Treasurer – Pauline Parker (Sampson);
Members – Malcolm Whittaker, Isabel Pitts (Beale), Frances Chapman,
Daphne Lissimore and Ralph Wilkins.
(The 1940s Committee meets on a quarterly basis and the next meeting will be held on a date to be fixed).
OLD GRAMMARIANS NEWS
This slot is available for any news concerning Cirencester or Old Grammarians that comes to light during the year. In particular, we are interested in anniversaries and general family news
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TRYING TO TRACE
CLASS 1A of 1959
Michael Jenner would like to hear from any of his former Classmates. He can be contacted on:
michaeljenner2010@gmail.com
Long lost relative in New Zealand would like to re- establish contact with his cousin Betty BREWER.
Betty was an Old Grammarian, round about Class of 1949/50. who lived at Woodmancote. Used to cycle to school each day. Mother was Gwen. It is thought she went to London to study and work in a hospital. Believed to have married but new surname unknown. Any information that might help to your editor – Peter Rowe.
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Also trying to trace Jane SELBY, born circa 1922, at the Grammar School from early to mid 1930s. An accomplished swimmer, she was also a high diver of some fame. Again, Peter Rowe would be grateful to receive any news of Jane’s adult years.
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Margaret FRENCH our Centenarian
Margaret was born on 14th January 1917 in the shadow of the Parish Church and grew up in Gosditch Street. She attended the Grammar School in a Class of the late 1920s and on leaving became a teacher before attending a missionary training college.
Margaret became a missionary being posted to Egypt and returning to Cirencester in 1969 fluent in both Arabic and French. She was long serving member of Cirencester Baptist Church and often played the organ during services. Margaret lived in the Watermoor Road almshouses. Many congratulations Margaret! Sadly, Margaret passed away on 11th January 2018.
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John LIGHT
John, who is an Old Grammarian, is one of two new columnists on The Wilts & Gloucestershire Standard.
Incidentally, The Standard, which has been based in Dyer Street for 114 years, has moved to Stroud.
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Malcolm WHITAKER
During 2016, during a special ceremony at Syde, the Gloucestershire High Sheriff, the Countess Bathurst, presented Malcolm with the High Sheriff’s Certificate (the first she had awarded), in recognition of ‘his great and valuable service to the community’.
As Chairman of the Gloucestershire National Farmer’s Union in 1989 he saw at first hand the changes that were taking place in farming. Importantly he recognised the problems these brought to the farming community who had little chance of being able to discuss their difficulties and worries with people in a position properly equipped to advise them. Malcolm recruited a group of farmers to bring their special talents to the task of helping farming communities.
This led to similar groups being formed nationwide under the umbrella of the Farm Community Network supported by other charities and is there to help and advise members of the farming community.
Congratulations Malcolm – job well done!
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KEEPING IN TOUCH
Like most similar organisations we occasionally lose contact with members. Especially those who either live abroad or spend a lot of time out of the country. No-one has to keep in contact, of course, but it is nice to know how people are getting on, where they live and so forth. This is a plea to people who have not been in touch for a while or able to attend quarterly lunches etc. So please get in touch with us, let us know you are alive and kicking. The contact email is:
peter.rowe137@gmail.com
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THE ‘NEW CIRENCESTRIAN’ MAGAZINE
The Association’s annual magazine, The New Cirencestrian, for 2020 is being worked on and will be published in December. Contributions for the edition will be welcome.
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STOP PRESS – REUNION 2020 – CANCELLED
THE TWELFTH GRAND REUNION WHICH WAS DUE TO BE HELD AT THE BINGHAM HALL ON THE WEEKEND OF 19/20th SEPTEMBR 2020 HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS EPIDEMIC AND THE CLOSURE OF THE BINGHAM HALL.