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Reunion 29th March 2001
The idea started off when Dave Preston told Kevin Arbuthnot and me that he was flying over from Canada and suggested we meet for a drink. I built on the idea and arranged an informal reunion, which was to include a visit to the school.
We, Kevin Arbuthnot, Dave Preston, Richard Dawson, Richard Chandler, Mike Hardy, John Wardle, Valerie Hickes, Linda Andrew (now MacKinnan) and myself, met at “The Old Lodge Hotel” for morning coffee and our press photograph. We all had photos and mementos from our school days and Valerie Hickes even brought along her old satchel! After lunch we took a nostalgic walk down into town and up Wheelgate and Middlecave Road to Malton School. The headmaster met us in the new Library (where the MGS Dining Room used to be) and he introduced us to the Maltonian Section. We presented a book, which we had all signed, to the headmaster for the library marking our reunion and visit. We then went on a tour around both wings of the school, guided by a couple of pupils. Each classroom had its own memories for each of us. The Physics Laboratory has not changed at all since we were there and this was of particular interest to us. Entering the Quadrangle, a tennis ball suddenly appeared and we all had a quick game of “Quad Football” until Dave Preston kicked the ball over the roof - nothing has changed! Having found the ball again we continued our tour and ended up at the end of the old Woodwork classroom and spent some time playing “Spot”. As the old Art Room has been demolished, rebounds were no longer possible. Other things that went on behind this building are no longer possible either!
With our tour completed just as the school day was ending, we walked back down Middlecave Road with all the pupils who were just as boisterous as we used to be, Richard Dawson kept saying “things haven't changed” and how true his words are - some things will always be the same! Our first port of call was “The Cross Keys” where Kevin Arbuthnot lived in his school days. We had a tour of the crypt, which is going to be converted into a tearoom. From there we went to another Pub, Richard Chandler’s former home, the "Kings Head", which was unfortunately closed. We finally ended up at “Jacky Taylor’s” in Wells Lane for Fish & Chips. The place has had another name for years now - only us older folk remember it by its original name!
In the evening back at the “Lodge” we were joined by Valerie Wilson (now Ventress), Joanna Carr (now Kelly), Susan Lee (now Barker) and Philippa Brockless (now Holtby) to bring a fantastic day to an end with the resolution to meet again in the not too distant future.
Simon Crozier, April 2001 |
Gathering in The Old Lodge
 | Back Row
Richard Dawson, John Wardle, Richard Chandler,
Simon Crozier, Kevin Arbuthnot
Front Row
Valerie Hickes, Dave Preston, Linda (Andrew), Mike Hardy |
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 | Talking about the school days over a cup of coffee and studying the photographs and other items some of us had brought along. |
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 | One thing that struck us is the change in hairstyle since the school days! Compare these photographs with those taken in 1971. |
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 | Notice that Richard Chandler is wearing his old school tie.
Look out for Valerie and her old school satchel. |
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Arriving at Malton School
 | When we arrived at the East Wing of Malton School, the former MGS, a school tie suddenly appeared (I think it was Richard Dawson) and we convinced Mike to put it on. He got a little help from Valerie. You can also see Val's old school satchel. |
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 | Either Mike has grown or the tie has shrunk! |
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 | Richard Chandler with his old school tie, which hasn't shrunk! |
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 | When Richard Dawson left school he vowed never to set foot in the building ever again. Almost 30 years later he was about to break that vow for the very first time. He did not regret it. |
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 | We all gathered in the entrance area of the East Wing, just like we did back in September 1969 when it was still MGS. For some it was a very moving moment as many memories were about to come flooding back. |
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Presentation in the New Library
 | The new school library is now where the MGS kitchen and dining area used to be. We had decided to donate an encyclopedia to the library marking our reunion and visit, which we had all signed on the inside cover. The local press later published a photograph of us signing the book outside the Lodge. I made a little speech and presented the encyclopedia to the MS Headmaster, Mr. D J Roberts. |
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 | A good view of the new library where we used to argue about extra portions! Mr. Roberts is thanking us for the encyclopedia, with the deputy headmaster Mr. S T Fearnley looking on. |
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 | Another view of the library with the Maltonians Section in the background. |
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In the Maltonians Section
 | Valerie, Linda and Richard Chandler browsing through an old book from the Maltonians Section, where the MGS kitchen used to be.
Behind them on the wall are photographs of Mr. Williams and "Pip" Taylor, the last two headmasters of MGS. The photograph on the right is of Mr. Gresswell, the last deputy headmaster of MGS and first headmaster of MS following the death of Mr. Taylor. |
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 | Richard Dawson, Mike and Val take a close look at a ticket rack, trying to work out what it would have been used for. Our guess is that it was for library tickets. |
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In the "Quad"
 | The walk through the Quad brought back so many memories, not just of Quad Football. Some of us spent our first year in the classroom seen in the picture, with Miss Blake as our form teacher.
Somebody then produced a tennis ball and a quick game was played! |
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Former Art Room & "Spot" Arena
 | Kevin and Val are standing on the foundations of the Art Room, now demolished and gone, taking with it many romantic and other memories from the back of the building. This is also the area where "Spot" was played.
The tennis ball appeared again...... |
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A Game of "Spot"
 | ..... and so we had a quick game of "Spot".
Our 2 student guides look on in amusement. We had explained the rules to the girls so they could understand what we were up to.
The wooden hut, which wasn't there in our days, is an added obstacle to make the game more interesting and compensates for the missing art room!
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 | Notice the floodlights, something we didn't have in our days!
Floodlit "Spot" is certainly a new idea, if it is played at all that is.
The wall seemed much smaller than in our schooldays, or is it perhaps that we have grown older and our memories have shrunk?
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Group Photo (Just like 1971)
 | Outside what used to be the headmaster's study, now an admin office. This is where the 1968 and 1971 photographs were taken. Notice Valerie with her old satchel full of memories.
Many thanks to the unknown pupil who we roped into taking several photographs of us "Old Maltonians". |
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In Town (The Old Haunts)
 | Having walked back into town with the pupils, a memory in itself, we visited the old haunts like the Cross Keys, Kevin's old home and the King's Head where Richard Chandler lived. As the King's Head was closed we went to the pub next door where the barmaid took this photograph. Linda had left us to visit somebody and would join us again later. |
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Evening back at The Lodge
 | After "one of each" at another old haunt we all gathered again up at The Old Lodge for the evening. We were joined by Joanna (Carr), left, Valerie (Wilson), between Mike and Richard, Susan (Lee) on the right and Philippa (Brockless). |
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 | Susan (Lee) and Philippa (Brockless), either side of the curtain, joined us in the evening as mentioned above already. |
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 | Clockwise from me is John, Jo, Dave, Mike and Valerie..... |
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 | .......Susan, Philippa, Linda, Valerie and back to me (providing reflection for the flash) and John.
Richard Dawson is behind the camera, hence the empty chair. |
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 | Sue, Phlippa, Linda, John, Richard and Val.
(Kevin had had to leave us early unfortunately) |
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