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For your diaries and calendars - our next Reunion Lunch will be on Saturday October 7th, 2017
** If you are ex-SGS - pupils or staff - please contact us if you are NOT on our list of All in Touch
or ARE on our Out of Touch page - see via Those we are in touch with and those we seek **A photo report of the 2016 Reunion Lunch is now available. It links to Mike Barningham SG60's talk
Inclined to Wander - see via Reunions or click on 2016 Reunion LunchSeptember 2017 - please view Helpful Points, make use of the Search this site facility, and also check Messages
- 22nd September - final call for this year's Reunion Lunch - 68 have booked as of last night - call John Dimmock now - see Booking details.
August 2017
- John Lenanton SG46 makes contact from California: I was at SGS from 1946 to 1955. I taught Rural Studies and Horticultural Science at The Regis School in Tettenhall from 1959 to 1968. In that year I married, quit my job at the Regis school and moved to to California to become a student at UC Davis. After completing a Masters degree, I was offered a position at Orange Coast College in Southern California in 1970. I retired from there in 2005 as a full professor and continued to lecture part-time until 2013.
Since coming to the United States I have only have had one contact with a Soham Grammarian. It was Tony Lack. In 1979 I was in Australia on a sabbatical leave. I was sitting with my wife in a hotel room in Sydney, one evening and told her that my best friend had emigrated to Australia when we were at SGS. I remember my wife giving me the phone book and there was an entry AA Lack. I telephoned and Tony answered!! He look a day off work next day and showed us Sydney. I still remember that memorable day.
I go to England most years, but have only visited Soham once since moving to the States. That was the time I saw Shirlie Martin-Bavester. That meeting was amazing. I asked around and found she lived opposite the cemetery. I walked up to her door which was open, and said aloud "Shirlie are you there?”. She replied, "Is that you, John”. I could not believe it. I do not think we had seen each other, since we were in The Ten Little Niggers! I was with a friend, who was amazed too. We spent the afternoon together.
The only regular contact I have with SGS is the spoon celebrating the Coronation in 1953, which was given to every pupil in the school. I wonder how many other Soham Grammarians have their spoon? - see also Productions via History > History 2- Ann Tomalin has been in touch to say that her husband Arnold Tomalin MBE (SG39) died on Wednesday 2nd August. He was 89. He had been unwell for some time. His funeral will be at mid-day on 23rd August at the Earlham Road Crematorium, 193 Earlham Road, Norwich NR2 3RG. A Service of Thanksgiving for his life is planned for October. Via Mrs Ann Tomalin. Arnold was for many years prominent in the Old Boys Association - see also In Memoriam
- Mrs Vivienne Matthews has let us known that her husband Geoff Matthews SG50 passed away in hospital on the 17th June after a short illness, and was cremated on the 2nd July. He was 77. An entry will be made on our In Memoriam page when we have more information
- See July for information about this year's Reunion Lunch
- This year's Reunion Lunch is on Saturday 7th October 2017, in Beechurst Hall (the SGS Assembly Hall for many of us) at Soham Village College. We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible. If a partner, relative or supporting friend enables you to attend they may enjoy the company and are welcome.
Our speaker is Professor Geoff Fernie SG59, who is travelling from Toronto in Canada.
Geoff lived in Ely when at SGS.
He will recall his SGS days then tell us about his work on technologies to prevent injury and disease and to help individuals and their family caregivers continue to live in their own homes as they age.
The price is the same as last year £28 per head including wine for a three-course meal and tea/coffee with cheese & biscuits.
Our caterers need all bookings to be received by 22nd September – don’t delay!
As is customary you are invited, when making your booking, to include a donation towards our fund for worthy SGS related projects.
Can you bring another Soham Grammarian with you to our Lunch?
Do you have news of a change of address or the death of a Soham Grammarian?
Click for Booking details.- Michael Reeve SG52 has reported the death of Keith Woodroff SG53 of Fenstanton at the age of 74 after a short illness, on Friday May 5th 2017 - see In Memoriam
- Brian Lane SG48 died on 22nd May aged 80. Brian made a successful career of his hobby, photography, and there are numerous photos taken by him on the SGS and EHS websites. In recent years he had been resident at the Cambridge Manor Care Home. Our condolences go to his widow Beth and the family. Brian's funeral was at 10.30am on Thursday 15th June 2017 at March Crematorium. If desired donations may be made in his memory for Children United! sent to Ely Funeral Service, 4 Tower Road, Ely, CB7 4HW - via Donald Monk and Brian Knott: a page on Brian is in preparation
January - March 2017
- Roy 'Mick' Allen's daughter Amanda has spotted her father on the 1949 School Photo. He may also be in a 1948 group photo. Amanda informs us that Roy died on 2nd February 2016.
December 2016
- Don Delanoy passed away on the 5th December, aged 88 years. His funeral service was at the West Suffolk Crematorium on the 20th December 2016. Donations were sent to the Forget-me-not Dementia Campaign - for more see In Memoriam
- His widow Gwen has informed us of the death on 24th October 2016 of John Ambrose (1943 entry) of Ely at the age of 84 - see In Memoriam
- 'Dickie' Jeeps CBE, whose father Mr FH Jeeps MC was eventually Chairman of the Governors of SGS, died in October aged 84. From a Willingham fruit growing family, he was educated at Bedford School.
Dickie presented the prizes at our 1970 Lower School Speech Day. He played at scrum half for England and was capped 24 times, 13 as captain. He made 13 Test appearances for the British & Irish Lions. He was later Chairman of the Sports Council. Mr John Browning (History 47-51 and author of our School History) was Vice-Captain of the 1949-50 Cambridge Town RUFC team which included Dickie, who also played for Northampton Saints RUFC.
According to the Newmarket Journal (3 Nov 2016) at various times Dickie lived in Burwell, Newmarket and Bottisham. He was Captain of Newmarket Links Golf Club in 1975. He also owned and ran Stocks Restaurant in Newmarket for some years. His funeral was at Holy Trinity Church Bottisham on 28th October 2016.
His obituary in the Daily Telegraph can be seen here.- Earlier this year we learned of the death of George Dann (1933 entry). For some time George was the oldest Grammarian at our Reunions. A tribute to George has been prepared with the help of Ely historian Pam Blakeman, whose cousin Pat was married to George. He had an eventful time on 620 Squadron in WW2, dropping agents in Europe and taking part in the Airborne element of Operation Varsity, the Crossing of the Rhine - see this tribute via In Memoriam
If you live in Cambridgeshire please contact the editor with details of how to get in touch with your local paper, village or church or club magazine etc so we can publicise the Soham Grammarians and our annual reunion.
To thrive we must reach the many Grammarians we are not at present in touch with.
This is crucial to our continued success - please do help us in this way.
If you or a member of your family or a friend are involved in the media, again please let the editor know
- A photo report of the 2016 Reunion Lunch is now available. It links to Mike Barningham SG60's talk Inclined to Wander - see via Reunions or click on 2016 Reunion Lunch
- Fred Eden SG44's daughter has taken photos of the Old Grammar School in Soham - the one the school moved from to Beechurst in 1926 - these can be seen via Scrapbook - Other - The Old Grammar School
- Ron Meadows SG53 - one of the five new faces at this year's reunion - has provided photos of the second form pageant King Arthur's Court performed during the 1955 Speech Day under the direction of Mr Waller and Mr Pusey - see via History > History 2 > Speech Days > 1955
- Alan Diver SG40 has donated a school cap to the archive. The name in it is JW Boyce gained his Cambridge School Certificate in July 1934 and is on the 1929 School Photo, but Alan believes it may have belonged originally to his late brother Reg Diver, who was at SGS in the 1920s. It is in remarkably good condition - see it via Scrapbook - Other - Uniform items
- Neil Holmes SG52 reports the death of his older brother Michael J Holmes (1949 entry) in January this year at the age of 77 - see In Memoriam
- Neil is also adding names to the 1952-53 Form 4A photo (they were the 1949 entry) - can you also help? - see via School Lists > 1940s > 1949-50 > Form II > Form IIA photos
- Paul Holmes SG46 who is in Cambridgeshire, has made contact. He is Neil's eldest brother and a retired magistrate.
- Charles Holleyman BA (Hons), PhD SG61 is added to the Queen's Commendation section of our Honours page. Charles retired as a Superintendent in the Metropolitan Police - see via School Lists > Honours
- If you are interested in living longer you might want to look at Prof Geoff Fernie (SG59)'s TEDx Maastricht 2013 talk
September 2016
- Our letter to Bob Leonard SG41 was returned with a note that he had died in 2014. Further research on the internet showed that he died aged 85 on 15th November 2014. All the contact details we had for him are now out of date. Did he have family? Did any of you go to his funeral? Any information or recollections you have on Bob, please let the editor know - for the details we have see In Memoriam.
- Geoff Rouse SG56, died aged 71 on 15th September. His funeral was on Friday 30th September, at noon, at St Martin's Church, East Horsley, Surrey. Those attending were told it was Geoff's wish that they wear something red (he was an Arsenal supporter)! Barry Lowe SG55, John Laycock SG50 and Frank Haslam SG'59' were there. If you have recollections or photos of Geoff please send them to the editor, who will pass them on to the family.
- Ian Allen SG67 has made contact from Cambridgeshire.
- Ron Meadows SG53 has also made contact from Cambridgeshire.
- We have learned of the death of George Dann SG33 in December 2015. George was for many years our oldest regular attender at reunions - see In Memoriam.
- Rod Else SG56 has provided an appreciation of Brian Alps SG50 who died in 2015 - of particular interest to those interested in medicine and veterinary matters - see via In Memoriam
- Booking for our Annual Reunion Luncheon on Saturday 1st October has now opened.
The closing date for bookings set by our caterers is 19th September so please act now.
Our speaker will be Mike Barningham SG60, ex Royal Marine Commando and now a much travelled structural engineer. Apologies to Mike for at first reporting that he is an SG65!
Click here for the booking form.- Ed Reed SG67 writes: "A special effort is being made this year to get as many to come from the 1967 entry year as possible as there are a number of regular attendees but unfortunately we have never all attended on the same reunion year. So if possible could everybody that is able from the 1967 entry do their best to come along and make this a particularly special year."
Mike Barningham will no doubt hope that the 60ers will also turn out in force ...
- Rosalind Hobbs informs us of the death of her husband David Hobbs SG49 on May 11th. An entry for our In Memoriam page is being prepared. David was a Burwell boy, whose mathematical aptitude flourished under Mr Lawrance, who encouraged him to go up to Cambridge. He went on to become a teacher and though he spent most of his life in Devon, never lost his love of the Fen Country.
- Stan Harley has informed us of the death of Alan Bye (1954 entry) - see In Memoriam.
- Julie Ogle has spotted her late father Tom Mann on the 1935 School Photo. His entry year was possibly 1931 - see In Memoriam for more about Tom, who died in 1990 aged 70.
- Julie also writes: I can also help you with something else. On the website you have a photo called "early 30s" and ask if anybody knows the date. We have that photo at home and it is dated May 1932. My dad is in photo 3/13 front row, no. 2 (the middle boy sitting cross legged on the floor).
March 2016
- Peter Hobbs SG61 makes contact from Hertfordshire
February 2016
Did any of your friends or family go to Ely High School? The EHS Annual Luncheon in Ely is coming up on 21st May and bookings close on 12th May. For more information please visit the EHS website
Eric Pearson SG60 makes contact from Canada, where he has been since 1969. During his time at SGS he moved from Littleport to Cambridge.
Mr Riley's page updated with a link to information on 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division, which included the unit with which it is believed he served, 43rd (Wessex) Divisional Signals Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals. He apparently never spoke about his wartime experiences. The Soham Grammarian Autumn 1941 reported 'Before the term began we lost Mr Riley, who was called up for military service.' The added link at least provides a little better idea of his service.
- Colin Hambidge SG68 adds a related recollection involving a tv programme on the Battle of Arnhem - see via In Memoriam, or via School Lists > Staff > left pre-1972
January 2016
- All the best to you for 2016!
- WJ 'Bill' Fyson (1947 entry) passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday 12th January 2016 aged 79 years. His funeral was at St. Marys Church, Ely on Monday 1st February: via Brian Knott, who notes that Bill was Fyson when at SGS, but appears to have taken the name Lennie later. He had a younger brother, Chick Lennie - see In Memoriam for more information
- Roger Wright SG49 identifies Roy Southgate, then from Soham, on the July 1952 School Photo.
Roger also informs us of the death of Barrie (Barry) John Martin (1950 entry) on 16th December 2015, at the age of 76 - see In Memoriam for more information- According to the BBC website the Friends Reunited website is to close.
- Mr Steve Hills who was a student at Avery Hill College writes: "my Ceramics tutor at Avery Hill gave me a pottery bowl and said that it was one of Dilly Drake's. [Dilly, Mr KD Drake SG42, taught Arts & Crafts at SGS 1948-1954.] Many years passed and I found it again, looked up Dilly and found your mention of him, hence this contact. ... The bowl has a D potter's mark to the base and I am certain my tutor would have been correct." Dilly's nephew, Russell Drake SG52, has been put in touch with Mr Hills.
December 2015
- Michael Butcher SG58, now in Norfolk, regains contact. He adds Alexander MacMillan to the 1965 School Photo. "I would also like to lay claim to the 440 yards Open record in 1965 - 55.8 seconds. I did have the winning certificate somewhere and will forward it on if it will be any use for the archives. I remember the race well because my ‘mate’ Richard Mellors ran me really close and a photo - long lost - did appear in the local press with me chesting the line!
November 2015
- David Sale SG46 fills in a couple of gaps in the 1949 School Photo, adding himself and John Christopher ('a senior police office in the Cambridgeshire force').
October 2015
- Andrew Cullum SG58 adds names to the 1960 and 1965 School Photos and provides a reminiscence of a Sixth Form Revue done at an Old Boy's Dinner which is to be added to the report on Mike Petty's talk.
- Another enjoyable reunion, 58 attending (and it could have been more). Mike Petty SG57, our speaker, was pleased to be back among us, A full report is being prepared.
Next year's Annual Luncheon is on Saturday 1st October.September 2015
Booking forms for our ANNUAL REUNION LUNCH on Saturday 3rd October, 1230 for 1330, were posted or emailed as appropriate on 1st September.
The price including wine is £27 for a three course meal and tea/coffee and biscuits.
The talk this year is Reflections on Eight Decades of looking Back on Cambridgeshire and will be given by Mike Petty MBE, who came to SGS in 1957. He was the founder of the Cambridgeshire Collection and is a well known local historian.
Please book as soon as possible - click on 2015 booking form
- Dannie Nicholas SG59 has asked me to remind all SG59ers that he hopes that as many as possible of you will make it to the lunch this year. He already has drummed up support from several of us. As Chris Bent SG53 our usual MC is still recovering from heart surgery, John Dimmock SG59 has stepped in as MC this year.
- Stu Porter SG59 is now in contact. He lives in Pennsylvania, USA. On the Pages by/on SGs page there is a link to a page about him.
- Lewis Heavens LLB SG44 died on 7th July 2015 aged 82. Ill health prevented from attending recent reunions. Originally intending to study pharmacology sponsored by Boots, National Service in the RAF attracted him to the service kind of life. He retired as Chief Inspector in the Norfolk Police. He then studied for a degree in Law whilst working for a firm of solicitors in Kings Lynn. He finally retired, from teaching Law, at the age of 75. A full obituary provided by his widow Sheila can be seen on the In Memoriam page.
- John Gammon SG63 died at his home in Ely on Monday 10th August 2015 aged 63. A Benefit Gig for John will be held at The Kings Arms, St. Mary’s Street, Ely on Friday 4th September, music starts at 9pm. His funeral will be at Cambridge Crematorium West Chapel on Monday 7th September, 2015 at 4.30 pm.
See also an obituary from the Wisbech StandardAugust 2015
- Barry Jelleyman SG49 has died aged 77. His funeral was at St Peter's Church, Fordham on 28 July 2015 - see In Memoriam
- John Clayton (John Golla SG68) has made contact to correct some IDs on the 1972 School Photo.
- Wilkes Walton SG36 has provided updates to Fred Hockley's page. Fred was the last British combat casualty of WW2, shot down over Japan and executed 9 hours after the Emperor's surrender broadcast - see via In Memoriam > WW2 Roll of Honour > Fred Hockley
July 2015
- An obituary for Graham Whiting SG70 has been added to the In Memoriam page. He died in November 2013.
June 2015
- Please keep Saturday 3rd October free in your diary - that's the day of our Annual Reunion Lunch this year - more details soon.
- Richard Crofts SG63 IDs himself on one of the 1967 Senior Prizegiving photos - see via Scrapbook
- Albert Edwin Peacock (1930 entry?) died on 21 May 2015, aged 96. He served with the Royal Artillery in WW2 in Burma and India. He played cricket for Soham in his youth. He was a farmer. He was much involved with Soham Berrycroft Methodist Church, where his funeral took place on June 9 2015 - see In Memoriam
May 2015
Robert Wiseman SG70 makes contact. He was a boarder. He lives in East Anglia.
April 2015
Colin Hambidge SG68 spotted an announcement in the Cambridge News about the death of Robert Medlock SG68 on 12th March 2015 aged 58. His funeral was on 21st April at the Chapel, Newmarket Road Cemetery Cambridge. He contributed several items to this website.
Scrap Book of the Isle of Ely is the title of a collection of references to the 'forgotten isle'. Many SGS boys and EHS girls lived in that part of Cambridgeshire. Mike Delanoy (SG48) with his wife Lorna (née Freeman, EHS 51) have collected memorabilia over the years and have produced this little book. It costs £4.50. All profits go to East Anglian Children's Hospices. It can be bought from Burrows Bookshop in Ely or ordered direct from 01353 777691.
Vernon Fretwell SG50 writes: my brother Cedric Fretwell SG48 passed away on Friday March 27 2015. He had been quite ill for some time but died peacefully in Kings Lynn hospital. Cedric leaves a daughter and three sons and their families. His funeral service will be held on April 24th at 3pm at the Surfleet (near Spalding) Crematorium and also following this at the Chapel in Gosberton, Lincolnshire - for more see In Memoriam
Did any of your friends or family go to Ely High School? The EHS Annual Luncheon in Ely is coming up on 16th May and bookings close on 2nd May. For more information see EHS 2015 booking form
March 2015
Bernard Anderson SG65 died on Sunday 15th February while on a skiing holiday in France with his son. He was 61. His funeral is at 2.30pm on Friday 6th March, at St Mary the Virgin, Salehurst, East Sussex. Bernard had built up a quality certification business, Eagle Certification Ltd, based in Robertsbridge: via John Lester
February 2015
The page on Mr WAG Burroughs of Soham who took many of the photos of school events, reported in November/December, has now been completed with the help of his family, especially his daughter Jill. The origins of the painting by WAG recently donated to SVC have been clarified - see via Scrapbook
Via Lees Donaldson '59' news of the death of Ronnie (Ronald James) Southgate 45 at the age of 80 in Newmarket on 28th January 2015. There was a memorial service on Saturday 14th February at 2.30pm at St Martin's Church, Exning. Lees worked under Ronnie at Spillers as did some other SGs.
Philip Oakes 61, in the West Country, is back in touch.
January 2015
All the best for 2015 to you.
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Contacts list: Those we are in touch with and those we seek
NB - names are shown with entry year (late joiners adopt the entry year of their peer group)additions to those on email, in 2016:
additions to those on email, in 2015: Graham (Harry) Audus 61, Michael Butcher 58, Robert Wiseman 70.
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How do I get a tie? SG tie
website editor Frank Haslam - May 1965 LVI : in 2002
