George Abbot School Reunion – Calling Mid 1960s Pupils

Published on: 26 Jan, 2016
Updated on: 26 Jan, 2016

A reunion is being held for pupils who attended and then left Guildford’s George Abbot School in the mid 1960s.

It is taking place on Friday and Saturday, June 10 and 11, and the call goes out to any former pupils who would like to take part.

There will be a tour of the school on the Friday from 1.45pm, and on the Saturday there is a get together from 1pm at Guildford Rugby Club at Broadwater.

Familes of those who attended will also be welcome along with any former teachers.

Boys from George Abbot School in the 1960s. Recognise any faces? Click on image to enlarge in a new window.

Published here are two of a set of images the organisers have of pupils. Some are named. Are you among them? If so they’d love to hear from you.

And here are some of the girls. Are you featured? Click on image to enlarge in a new window.

Further pictures will be published here at a later date.

[Guildford Dragon NEWS’ David Rose adds: “In the boys’ picture one of them is captioned as John Renbourn. This must surely be the famous acoustic guitarist, extremely well known on the British folk music scene and who was a founder member of the band Pentangle? Many years ago, when I was at Guildford CofE School, our maths teacher Duncan Garment, who may also have gone to GA, told me Renbourn went to George Abbot School and only took up the guitar when someone was required to play a bit in a school play. This is the first time I have seen any evidence of him linked to the school. He died in March 2015.]

For full details see the poster below, click on it to enlarge in a new window.

Responses to George Abbot School Reunion – Calling Mid 1960s Pupils

Ramon Burley Reply

February 7, 2016 at 8:09 pm

Yes! I’m in the boys photograph (Ramon Burley) and I recognise 28 as Michael Buck.

Any chance of seeing the other half of the boys and girls pictures?

[Ed: yes to seeing the other half of the picture when the organisers of the reunion release it to us]
Kelly fidgett Reply

February 9, 2016 at 4:51 pm

Has anyone got the other half of these photos please
- Jenny Whatley Reply
  
  February 13, 2016 at 6:41 pm
  
  Yes Kelly, there are more to come and some will be added next week.
  
  Thanks very much for your interest.
Ramon Burley Reply

February 21, 2016 at 2:01 pm

30 is almost certainly John Burch (maybe Birch).
Jenny Whatley Reply

February 23, 2016 at 8:21 am

Many thanks Ramon. I will add John Burch to the photo.
Nigel Warner Reply

March 9, 2016 at 6:40 pm

Pretty sure No16 is “Bugsy” Baker. He was a good mate of mine (Nigel “Waggy” Warner).

Another mate was Smudger Smith, but I don’t see him or me in the photos.
- Jenny Whatley Reply
  
  March 10, 2016 at 9:28 am
  
  Many thanks, Nigel
Reg Nettleton Reply

April 6, 2016 at 10:33 am

David Franks at 22

(Nigel ?) Spearing at 34
Kitty Howard (Gibb) Reply

May 6, 2016 at 6:06 pm

Look forward to seeing the other half of George Abbot Girls School picture 1962, as the top row – Susan Fears, Shirley Sutton, Jackie Ferneaux etc were in my class. I must be in the other half somewhere.

I left in 1963, is there a picture from that year also?
- Gloria Crouch Reply
  
  June 1, 2016 at 12:00 pm
  
  Hi Kitty….same time as me…Gloria Crouch (nee Seymour)..I have a very large School Photo dated July 1962 on my wall….I’m in top row about 1/4 along from left…I left July 1963…I was in the Commercial Stream!..x
Jenny Whatley Reply

May 26, 2016 at 10:17 am

There are seven more photos for 1962 (link currently on page 3).

I have looked for your name (Kitty) but was unable to find it, so look forward to you identifying yourself.

We do not have any photos of 1963 pupils but we have 1965, which will be on display at the reunion.

I do hope you will be able to come.
- Ron Keene Reply
  
  July 9, 2016 at 10:51 am
  
  I have the boys long photo for July 1963. If Jenny Whatley has not got it I can send it.
  Also, I would be interested to find out who named me on the 62 photo.
Geoff Newman Reply

September 10, 2016 at 4:33 pm

Here are some more of the missing names:
107 Simon Grundy
111 David Wreford-Bush
115 ? Thomas
164 ? Parker
167 Robert Ives
168 Martin Walls
252 Robert Gladys
253 Brian Rich
255 Kevin Crangles
257 ? Thomas
340 Robert Burrows
433 Jonathan Smith
389 Dennis Garland
391 Robin Nicholas
393 Nicholas Pearne
395 Michael Squires
396 John Bradley
397 John (Budge) Avery
561 ? Ide
562 Michael Adlam
555 Alan Looseley
673 David Grant
22 David Franks
33 ? Coleman
34 Paul Spearing
24 Clive Teal
26 David Girdler
35 Paul Barnett
69 ? Evans
72 ? Butcher
Sheila Atkinson (nee Brown) Reply

September 10, 2016 at 11:07 pm

On page 1 no 61 is Janet Baker and 62 is Freda Haskell. I went to Pewley School with them from 1956 – 1961.
Alan Snow Reply

December 29, 2016 at 5:00 am

Thanks for this. When will we be able to view the other pages of the 1962 Boys School photo please? Do you have a copy of the 1965 school photo set up page by page?

[Ed: we have previously published earlier pictures: Go to: https://guildford-dragon.com/2016/01/26/george-abbot-school-reunion/

And: https://guildford-dragon.com/2016/02/28/more-faces-of-mid-sixties-george-abbot-pupils-to-identify/

The 1965 pictures can bee seen by clicking on: https://guildford-dragon.com/2016/11/25/lots-pictures-1960s-george-abbot-pupils-among/ ]
Steph Bennell Reply

March 19, 2017 at 6:03 pm

In the girls picture I am No 72 – Stephanie Bennell
No 70 was I think Hilary, but can’t remember her surname.
Juliet Miller Hills Reply

April 19, 2017 at 10:16 pm

29 girl’s photo was an American girl. I remember 37 and 39 but can’t dredge up their names. 51 was Carol Birchett.

I’m still in contact with Barbara Allen, but neither of us is in this part of the picture.

We were there from 1961 to 1965, though she left a year early as her dad got a job in Northamptonshire.

I have now found myself in the girl’s 1965 photo at 588, and Barbara Allen at 486 in a different section.