I
Remember
Colin C. Lance Miss Makie Ron Colin B. George
~~~~~~~~~~~~
How
do you begin to organise a get together of people who haven’t seen each other
for nearly 50 years?
It
began when Colin Carter, George Watt and myself met up for a pint many, many,
years after we’d left Jarrow Central School.
I’d
met George a couple of times the circumstances of which are a story in itself
– however I will save that for another time!
I
hadn’t seen Colin since we left school in 1953 and probably still wouldn’t
have done had it not been for the Friends Reunited web site.
We
made contact and exchanged Emails and anecdotes.
I did likewise with George.
When
the three of us eventually got together for a pint we enjoyed it so much we
decided to do it again.
This
time we drew Ron Niven and Colin Bell into our circle – or should it be a
pentagon?
Next
time around Ron Arnott and Malcolm Rigg came along.
This
was when it occurred to us that if we all enjoyed renewing auld acquaintance
there must be a lot of other ex Central School men and women who would like to
do the same.
This
was when it began in earnest.
Once
again the Friends Reunited site provided a good starting point and I began
emailing everyone within a few years either side of our leaving year which was
1953.
The
response was encouraging.
Items
in the Evening Chronicle and the Shields Gazette got the ball rolling faster
and, with each phone call and email, my adrenaline also became more agitated.
George
Watt was able to put me in touch with a reporter who gave us more coverage in
the local papers.
This
drew more enquiries including some from the years outside of our defined
boundaries. I decided this didn’t
matter as, speaking to them, their enthusiasm for the school overrode any time
scale.
Came
the big day and I arrived at the Union Rooms pub in Newcastle just before noon.
I didn’t see anyone I recognised and I suddenly had the horrific
feeling that I was the only one who was going to show up!
A
chap standing at the bar seemed to be staring towards me.
I
said, “Jarrow Central School?”
He
looked at me with a blank expression!
I
looked at my watch – 4 minutes to twelve – still no one!
I
wondered should I cut my losses and just jump off the Tyne Bridge?
Then
George Watt arrived followed by George Clennell and Alan Robinson.
Shiela Knox was next and I began to relax.
After
that it was as if the floodgates had been opened and they came in so fast and
furious I was unable to keep track of who was who!
Eventually
we numbered 36 and I was pleased I had had the foresight to ask people to sign
in so I would know who was who!
As
the afternoon went on and relaxation (for want of a better word) set in it was
as if we were still in 4a, 4c or 4t and Guy Mitchell, Frankie Laine or Johnny
Ray were top of the charts.
Jessie
Holmes summed it up when she looked around the room and said, “I feel so
emotional.”
It
was an emotion I think we all felt.
I
am sure we will have more reunions but I don’t think any of them will have the
emotional impact of that day on 16/10/03.
Lance Liddle