| The Past is Present |
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Generations met together on Saturday 22nd May 2010 for the very last time on the Radcliffe Upper School campus and what a glorious day it was. The sun shone on over 500 people in attendance. 
The final farewell finale saw many friends, relatives, past pupils and teachers reunited on the very premises they once loved and learned in. With an unbelievable turn out, there were many stories shared and remembered throughout the day. We saw Margaret Wright - 88 years young who was one of the very first pupils to attend the Radcliffe joining the school in January 1932. Margaret spent her time reminiscing, photographed sitting at one of the schools desks, she also commented on the funny looking boards in the room (interactive whiteboards to you and I) Mona Anderson was a pupil in 1934 and was looking for articles and photos of a trip to York she went on in 1936. Mona enjoyed it that much she remembers the fine details even today. As a lovely coincidence, Mona turned out to be the cousin of Margaret mentioned above they hadn’t seen each other in over 40 years! Irene Gore is pictured finding her name on the achievement board. In her sprightly days, Irene was the athletic champion more than once and won numerous awards for her swimming ability. Edward Davenport, 83 years young proudly showed me a book he was awarded in commemoration of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Coronation and other memorabilia he had preserved. His best pal Lesley McClurg, also 83 years young shared many stories. They had stayed best friends since their time at school, both served in the Royal Navy and both were best man for each other and godparents to each others children. We laughed together as they remembered looking over at the girls in their short skirts playing netball and admiring legs. They told of the strictness and how the premises had to be maintained, kept well and up to standard, the grass had to be cut so precise and the weather was checked twice a day to make sure it was going to be watered! Records of Punishment books were a big hit everyone flicking through them trying to find their names. Duncan Engman laughed as he found his name amongst a few of his mates. He had received one stroke of the cane for running around school and truanting a lesson in 1981. Strokes of the cane were awarded on a 1-4 basis - having a sneaky ciggie, setting the fire alarm off and truanting would all cost you between one and two strokes of the cane. However! Spitting or being disrespectful to a teacher was just not acceptable in the early days … 2-3 strokes for that. One unlucky pupil got 4 sets of 3 for fighting and dislocating another kids shoulder. Another got 4 for not staying for a detention and climbing out of the window to escape! What a fabulous day - many, many stories like the ones above filtered and echoed around the building bringing back a surreal sense of life to the old bricks and mortar. Well done to the organisers and all who helped put this fantastic Remembrance Day together. A superb job. My final note is to say a lovely thanks to all that stopped, chatted and shared their memories with me especially the two fine fellas mentioned in this report I could have chatted to you two all day … LOL… that’s laugh out loud to you two! Big thanks to Miss Sue Jones for the words. 
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