| It was
Christmas-time 1980, on a return visit to
Merseyside, when I heard to my horror that
Prescot Grammar School had been the target of an
arson attack. I resolved to visit the scene of
devastation. Only the old woodwork room and the
dining room had survived the fire, together with
a small portion of what had been Form 3A
classroom in my day and the cloakrooms opposite.
Most of the rest had gone, leaving the vague
outline of the quadrangle where I remembered
summer morning mnnidhl inn in the fresh sunshine.
I felt desolate but angry. What could be done to
restore the situation? It came to me in a flash.
If we could not recreate the buildings, at least
we could try to recreate the society. I contacted
the secretary at Prescot School, encouraged by
Headmaster Peter Barlow. Soon, the 1940 records
ware open in front of me. Joe Reuse, Taffy
Roberts, Titch Farrell, Bill Fawcett........ all
the names of my Form Va form-mates flooded the
memory. I could see their faces as clear as
daylight, and almost hear their voices.
Equipped with a list of names, I approached the
Prescot & St Helens Reporter and the
Liverpool Echo to announce that I wished to get
in touch with the members of my 1940 School
Certificate class, some twenty-five boys in all,
with a view to organising a Reunion. The response
was prompt and magnificent. long before Easter,
22 of the 25 had responded and we met at the Old
Vicarage Hotel, Whiston on 25 April, 1980. What
an evening of nostalgia! What memories and
experiences were fondly and amusingly recalled -
once we had recognised each other! When I first
entered the bar, I thought it was full of
commercial travellers. Then, gradually, one by
one, the pennies dropped! "Nay, Jem, how
goes it ?", "Crikey, there's a lot more
of you!", came out. Eager handshakes and
warn back-slappings were followed by endless
reminiscing. We drank well, we dined well and
resolved that we should meet again, probably in
12 or 18 months time.
Before the next Reunion, I had welcome and
exciting news of the addresses of Fred Stevenson
and Geoffrey Dixon who joined us for the 1981
meeting. I had also extended the age range a
little to include some slightly older (pre-1940)
and younger (post-1940) Old Boys who had surfaced
in the meantime via the bush telegraph. Cecil
Pickavance took pity on me, frantically
collecting subscriptions after the meal was over,
and offered to help with the organisation. He has
done so, ably, ever since.
Subsequently, we have met every 18 months and,
latterly, every 12 . months. Unfortunately, Fred
Stevenson died in 1987, but Geoffrey and Masie
Dixon and, additionally, Jack Smith and Margaret,
Charles Middlehurst, Peter Barlow and Carroll
have become our regular guests. Memorable
speeches, some reported in this publication, have
been given. The intention is to include others in
successive issues. They will provide, in their
own way, chronicles of the Prescotian past.
Attendances at the reunions have now reached 125:
Old Prescotians who wish to do so bring along
their ladies. Significantly, we had several
younger Prescotians attending from the 1960s and
70s. The next Reunion, our ninth, is scheduled
for 28th September, 1990 at the Statham Lodge
Hotel, Lymm near Warringtion and will be attended
by three members of the last VIth Form (1987) of
Prescot School. This is a healthy sign for the
future.
The OLD PRESCOTIAN SOCIETY has truly arisen, like
Phoenix, from the ashes. Long may it prosper
('Floreat Presootia', Ed.) but please that its
future lies in the hands of each and every one of
us. FUTURAM CIVITATEM INQUIRIMUS', "We seek
after a State to come".
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