WEB PAGE NO.2800 10th July 2021 1ST PICTURE: School Choral Society that sang The Messiah

2nd PICTURE The Messiah Programme signed by the music master John Stephens

3RD PICTURE John Stephens teaching in the Music Room

4TH PICTURE Speech Day Programme

Some time ago I was sent the list of the members of the school choral society who sang The Messiah. I reproduce it below the members in heavy type over the years I have had contact with but does anyone know where any of the other are. I know that some are no longer with us but it would be nice to know where the others are. SCHOOL CHORAL SOCIETY Sopranos Mary Abbott Kattisha Forbes Ann Piper Rosemary Bailey Gillian Gale Hazel Pratt Sharon Ball Janice Garland Barbara Quinnell Jill Budd Jean Griffiths Susan Richards Heather Butt Christine Guymer Margaret Roberts Linda Capp Christine Hall Jaqueline Stone Deborah Coates Madeline Hallman Susan Sutton Rosamund Coates Valerie Hampton June Thorn Lynda Collins Oriana Henwood Anne Turtle Susan Collins Susan Jones Jill Wakdy Kathryn Cooke Michele Laviers Jennifer Went Ann Davies Anthony Lyne Catherine Whiteman Gillian Davis Linda McIntyre Susan Whitwell Joyce Dodd Marilyn Mercer Lyn Willows Graham Elderfield Janet Munford Sheila Wilton Contraltos Maureen Albertolli Angela Ellis Pat Keers Janice Austin Roberta English Carole Langford Christine Bailey Anne Fido Diane Ledger Jean Bennett Hazel Flowers Sandra Mack Christine Biddlecombe Pauline Flowers Carole Osborne Geraldine Buckeridge Marilyn Flux Susan Perry Christine Budd Geraldine Foley Berenice Pert , Christine Butterfield Carole Gill Norma Plumb Lesley Chapman Yvonne Glasby Kay Ponsford Ann Denly Janet Huggins Diane Thomas Claudia Dunthorn Carol Janczur Irene Thorrowgood Laraine Durow Lorna Judson Ann Williams Tenors Keith Andrews Christopher Farmer Leslie Smith David Bartlett John Halford Christopher Talbot Howard Bradshaw Frank Howells Keith Taylor Peter Bridger Richard James Stuart Turtle Nigel Bridges John Pearce Philip Ward David Cookson John Quarterly Philip Wheaton Anthony Duncan Carl Randall Michael Willenbnich Frederick Dyson Alan Sawyer John Wilson Philip Woods Basses Colin Blake Stephen Carter Robert Cooke Alan Cox Adrian Gee Melvyn Griffiths Barry Jackman Peter Keat Peter Mereckel John Mortimer Peter Odell Brian Palmer Peter Westcott David Wyatt 120 members Ahh! Memories from the past! Jonathon Writes:- Good morning Peter, Greetings from lockdown in South Africa. We have not been able to return to our home in the UK for nearly two years now because of the onerous travel restrictions and the need to stay at huge expense in a government controlled Quarantine hotel ( 3000 pounds). Still we get on with life and make the most of being with our three grandchildren every day in Johannesburg. You reminded me of memories of travelling to school and cycling. My first "grown up" bike was a drop handle bar white racing bike with derailleur gears and I would cycle from Rectory Ave to Tangiers Road off the Eastern Road with my satchel strapped under the crossbar. It was perilous then...... Lord knows it would be deadly now. We had a special way of holding the satchel after dismounting ........from one of the buckle straps very cool and eschewed the use of a shoulder strap, in fact this was removed. The cycle sheds had hangers so the bikes were stored vertically and we never doubted they would be there when school finished. We would smoke secretly behind the cycle sheds with someone on watch for teachers. I eventually got expelled from school for smoking blatantly at the Tangier Road (143) bus stop in uniform. I was by then 18 years old and in my third year in the sixth form and studying for O level Latin to qualify for my College place at Emmanuel as a two language O level requirement was placed on my offer. So I studied the Latin at home and passed it with ease as the Latin teacher gave me all the set book translations before I left. (He is still alive to my knowledge and attends the school reunions currently on Covid hold). I worked my gap year at AEW (Admiralty Experiment Works Haslar) in Gosport as an Assistant Experiment Officer and signed the Official Secrets Act......so I still cannot say what I did there. As a much younger boy my brother Julian and I used to ride our much less splendid bikes from Rectory Ave along the A 27 all the way to Bosham to visit our Uncle and Aunty and three cousins in a little cottage on the sea front. Again a journey you JUST could not think about today as an 8 year old. We also used to walk from Rectory Ave to Solent Road school as littluns and also to the Scout Hut for cubs where I first met you Peter. Very happy memories Jonathan Stay in touch Peter gsseditor@gmail.com