Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine sleuthing by many, we managed to make contact with eighty of our year and it is hoped that this will be the first of many reunions to come. The School visit was a great success, with an interesting and informative reintroduction to the School by Janet Adams, the Deputy Head Teacher. We then set off in two groups to walk, once again, through some familiar areas and some completely new ones. We were expertly led around with Catherine and Fiona leading one group and Deirdre and Cara leading the other. It was great to be shown around the School after so long. The main changes were in the area affected by the fire in 1986 but many other areas were immediately recognisable. The School had just finished an Inspectors’ visit a few hours earlier and, at the end of the tour, we were able to visit the staff room where we were rewarded with some platters of sandwiches. Whilst in the staff room, a small collection was made by us to help to contribute to school life and a cheque for £483 was delivered to the School shortly after our reunion weekend. After the school visit, the group split up and disappeared in different directions to continue renewing old friendships. The reunion dinner was held in the Great Western Hotel on the Saturday evening with a ‘dry’ run held by a number of us on the Friday night. During Saturday, a number of events took place including a run along the beach, a wee walk in the country and a visit to Rubislaw to see the FP rugby team play Cartha Park. In the evening, it was all hands to the Hotel and a meal with some refreshment! As part of the reunion, we were delighted to have two of our teachers in attendance – Patrick Scott and Bill Williams. Bill May was also invited but was unfortunately a late call off due to family reasons. A first class meal was served and there was quite a bit of banter as the evening progressed. Our MC was Rory McKay who was our Head Prefect and he ensured the evening got off to a good start by explaining how lucky we all were to have attended such a good school and then by thoroughly embarrassing the writer in presenting him with a Quaich with the School badge engraved. Much appreciated but far too much for sending out a few emails. Despite it being fifty years since we left school, we were all pretty recognisable despite a few hairs missing on top, a few hairs grown on chins and slightly larger waist sizes – apart from the three who were wearing their school blazers at the dinner! It was great to see so many making the effort to get back to Aberdeen for our first reunion. We had attendees from Canada, USA, Italy, Holland, Germany, the rest of Scotland and that wee place just south of Scotland. Here’s hoping for more reunions to come and if they are as good as this one then it will be thoroughly worthwhile. Thanks to all who contributed to the reunion by attending, chasing contact details, arranging the school visit, supplying memorabilia and making it such a memorable occasion. Attendees: Bill Alexander, Gordon Anderson, Kerr Anderson, Neil Andrew, Ray Binner, Alan Buck, Jim Cooper, Robert Cranston, Ron Davidson, Derek Dey, Sandy
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