Today was an opportunity to meet up with some of the Old Croydonians Association Committee from my days as their Chair (2010 until 2016). It was one of those increasingly rare occasions when I took the train to London from Kettering to St Pancras International (I don’t get out much these days!). Roger met me …
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Category:The OCA
Greenwich and Beyond!
We travelled down to Greenwich today for our annual cultural day out, courtesy of The Old Croydonians’ Association – the ex-pupil association of my old School. Last year, in October, the OCA organised a behind the scenes at the Royal Opera House, and it was great day out. This time, we’re looking ‘beyond the obvious’ …
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School Reunion 2024
Yes, it’s that time of year again! My annual School Reunion! 👍 Unlike last year’s event, where a) I travelled by car and b) Roger H travelled with me, for 2024, a couple of changes were made. First off, the journey by car last year was full of stops and starts (mostly ‘stops’) making it …
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School Trip
A trip to London today! My old school’s ex-pupil Association had arranged a ‘behind the scenes’ tour of the Royal Opera House! 😁. Our train connections were good and we even had time to drop into Fortnum & Masons beforehand for a few Christmas gifts! It was a well-supported event with around 20+ ex-pupils, partners …
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School Reunion 2023
They say ‘every day’s a school day’ – today was literally true! 🤔 Today, I took the rather long journey by car to my old school. Keeping me company, was Roger Hill, one-time Head Boy, and fellow committee colleague from a few years back. What made today different was that this was my first visit …
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RIP: Peter Juniper
Today, I (and a lot of others) said their final goodbyes to Peter. The service was held at Bluebell Cemetery in Halstead at 11.15 on a gloriously warm day. I met the current Chairman of the OCA, Cortland Fransella, in the car park and we grabbed a cuppa and sat outside reflecting on the man …
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Bye-bye OCA
Well, all good things come to an end, and today, I said my final ‘goodbye’ to The OCA after 13 years as their WebMaster. Having stepped-aside as Chair and Magazine Editor this time last year, this was the final (final!) ‘cheerio’ having allowed a year to find a replacement. Going forward, I’ll simply be a …
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End of Term – Oliver
We drove down to Roger, Jane and Oliver’s for Oliver’s end-of-term musical concert at his new school: Richard Hale. The past few days have been roasting – and today was no different with temperatures in the mid 30s. I feel like I’m getting old! ☹️ Oliver’s solo piece was entitled: ‘Nobody Knows’, and he certainly …
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Big Nose!
After yesterday’s trip into London for possibly my final informal School event as Chairman, it was a quick turn-around, and then off to Stratford-upon-Avon and Second Thoughts’ 7.30pm production of Cyrano De Bergerac. Unusually, it played at The Bear Pit, rather than the Civic Hall – but that didn’t diminish the attendance, as it was …
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Eastbourne or Rust!
After the torrential rain on the south coast last week, it was good to learn that we wouldn’t end up rusting this weekend as the weather forecast predicted a heatwave! So, we left home just before 9am, in the direction of Eastbourne, with a plan to stop of along the way, somewhere, and enjoy a …
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Birthday 2014 – Steve Serenaded/Men with Pikes/High Points/Low Points/Swans on the Bed/Pigeon Paranoia/East v West/Wow Factor 11
As the title suggests, this year’s birthday celebrations have been especially memorable. Loyal reader, read on… Even before the celebrations began today, I had a rather unexpected birthday-call the previous evening. The phone rang, and I didn’t recognise the number that came up, nor the voice at the other end. The mystery voice immediately sprang …
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Theatre: South Pacific
Another superb performance from the Kilworth House Theatre tonight as they sang their hearts out performing South Pacific. It wasn’t quite a packed house (only about 99% full), but everyone clearly enjoyed themselves (including us – Ann, Jo, Janet, Carol, Chris and Pete) on one of those rare very warm evenings (that inevitably turned to …
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Antique Chair
After a brief visit to Neil’s and then Mum’s, I was then off to the annual reunion & AGM of the OCA, and hopefully my re-election as Chairman. It was a good turnout by recent standards and I wasn’t completely surprised that in spite of contacting every member (all 500+), a month-or-so ago, to ask …
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The School Re-opens
In my capacity as Chairman of the ex-pupils association, ‘The Old Croydonians’, I was invited with many others, to see the official re-opening of the school, now reborn as: The Crescent Primary School. It was a well supported event, with the pupils singing their school song and the head-teacher recounting how the school reinvented itself. …
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Lovely Lamb!
Phew! Another one of those manic Saturdays, where it’s all go-go-go! We were both ‘up with the lark’ – Ann dropped me at the station for 8.30 so I could get to St Pancras International in time for chairing the twice-yearly OCA Committee meeting (we chose the Parcel Yard at Kings Cross again because of …
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Searcy’s
As a way of saying ‘thanks’ for proof-reading the annual OCA Members’ Magazine, I enjoyed a very pleasant lunch with Keith W today. Searcy’s (as normal) was the height of efficiency – and the food was excellent too! Perfect timing in that we had time for three courses and a couple of coffees before my …
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Lunch with Roger H
I live such a exciting life, as I spend quite a few evenings impersonating taxi-drivers waiting outside Kettering Station. And now, life now has got much more interesting as I’ve started doing the same at PETERBOROUGH station. So, today, I could hardly contain myself when I drove to MARKET HARBOROIUGH Station!!! – is there …
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OCA Newsletters
I drove down to Peter J’s today. He’d kindly offered to help collate the annual newsletter for The Old Croydonians’ Association. I’d received the pre-addressed envelopes courtesy of Isabel, and Peter had the printed newsletters delivered direct to his home. We made good time with this repetitive task – almost 300 all sealed in envelopes …
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London Calling
I met up with Keith (an ex-committee member from the OCA) for our annual get-together today. We met at London Bridge station (which seems to have changed out of all recognition, since I was last there). With the Olympics going on, the station was heaving, but luckily there was plenty of Olympic Volunteers on hand …
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