Success Stories

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05/06/2003 16:25 Posted by Birchie
With many thanks to Keith Williams my old school chums and I were able to locate Netta Wilson and Eileen Shields, before the 2003 re-union, and it was absolutely wonderful meeting up with them after over 50 years. What a wonderful day and evening we all had. Once again Keith, many, many thanks. Joan Carolon (Birch)

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04/06/2003 17:07 Posted by ganey
I used the site to find an old school friend whose address I had mislaid over the years. I registered January 2003 and succeeded in finding Glynis in April - through her brother who registered after me. I also managed to reunite a work colleague with one of her old pals.

I now use the site for enjoyment and found it quite scary to see myself on a class photo recently posted!

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04/06/2002 01:02 Posted by bonz

Mark,

I don't know how many world champions TGS have produced, but I know of one who I don't think has been mentioned. Michael Needham, who I would guess started in 1947, was the World Ballroom Dancing Champion for several years. Sadly he passed away, but I can tell you that later world champions, had nothing but praise for him. I think he was in the same year as Don.

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26/04/2002 08:12 Posted by MarkAHepworth

Vic Shirley and Brian Grainger were at Dunsville Primary together from 1950 to 1954 after which they passed their 11 Plus and moved on to the Big Time at Thorne Grammar School. Vic was good at Cricket and Soccer and Brian at Cross Country and Soccer but to participate in their favourite Sport was to run the risk of offending Reg so we did our best at Cricket and Cross Country respectively. After TGS Vic made his mark by marrying classmate Judy Williams and they developed a profitable business together and a beautiful family. Brian took off for Europe( since in those days UK was even less so)and made his career there and has a 'European' family which has never lived in UK.

Despite the parting of the ways in 1961, when these old classmates met up again in Provence last week we had hours and happy hours of memories to mull over together and have re-established a warm friendship. I thank Mark and this site for having got us together again and hope that many other site members will be able to experience such happy reunions.

Brian Grainger, Vermuyden 1954 - 1961

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21/01/2002 13:07 Posted by MarkAHepworth

Subject: THORNE GAZETTE / THORNE GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Letter to the Editor

My sister (a Thorne resident) phoned me in Australia to tell me about the Thorne Grammar School old boys web site (11/12 January edition). I left Thorne aged 18, 41 years ago to go to Durham University and then moved to Australia 34 years ago and on receiving the news I immediately registered on the site. Lo and behold within 48 hours I received two emails from old school friends who remembered my writing and even my drain pipe trousers. Wonderful memories relived. Thank you Gazette and perhaps you might tell everyone about the web site again.

Les Grantham

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13/01/2002 01:00 Posted by LES_VG

This item is probably pre-TSG but still of interest. Listening to the local Sydney, Australia radio station, a news item said that "it was (Sir?) Thomas Crapper's birthday, the man who invented the toilet as we know it now and who was born in Thorne in Yorkshire in the UK". I thought I knew everything (and everybody) when it came to Thorne but this was a new one on me. A quick check on the Internet and sure enough he was a Thorne lad so when you hear the slang term "having a crap" you all now know where it comes from. I'm sure with such ingenuity, had TGS existed at the time, he would have attended (and he would have known Reg Clayton, because everybody else does!).

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02/01/2002 21:42 Posted by rob

This is a great facility to have available and has resulted in me contacting some friends I have not seen for over 30 years. I also discovered that a colleague at work had been a head boy at TGS (he's some years younger than me). He was also able to remind me that TGS had produced one Nobel Prize winner in the person of George Porter. George is still alive but is now Lord Porter of Luddenham you can check his entry in the current Who's Who. I remember Prof Porter, as he was, coming to give a speech day address circa 1966. He was inspirational and made the point that many of us had the ability to do great things but were often influenced to have low level aspirations!

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27/12/2001 02:57 Posted by rowena

I have really enjoyed finding the site, and finding some familiar names and hoping more will sign up soon. I do have a photo of Merrie England somewhere and school class photos - if I can dig them out! Just reading Lesley Garrett's autobiography, for old time's sake, and am sorry I wasn't there a few years later when it seems the new music teacher took a great interest in talent. I too think the idea of informing the local newspaper of the TGS site might drum up some interest. I don't know what the local paper is these days in Doncaster!

How about a category listing careers ex pupils have gone into - might be an interesting survey. I'm quite surprised to see the number who are teachers or involved in remedial teaching or social work. Any millionaires?

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05/12/2001 08:38 Posted by MarkAHepworth

I would like to thank you for starting this site, I have managed to contact several people, and just today I have had lunch with someone that I haven't seen for 32 years!

Chris Breslin (Chrissy B)

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25/09/2001 09:34 Posted by Rachel
What a wonderful site. I have already made contact with and been contacted by people who were at school with either myself or my sisters (1958-1967) - we were the Symons girls and when my mother went to Gaffer to ask something he nearly went into shock when he thought there would be more of us. Regards to everyone who attended the best school in the world from sunny Australia