Return Visit For Pupils Who Left George Abbot School 50 Years Ago

Published on: 18 Jun, 2016
Updated on: 20 Jun, 2016

Former pupils who left George Abbot School 50 years ago enjoyed a full programme of celebrations to mark the milestone.

More than 40 travelled from far and wide to the secondary school in Burpham on Friday last week to see how it it looks today.

Former George Abbot School pupil Tim Farwig presents a plaque to current head teacher Debs Cooper, marking a return visit by those who were there 50 years ago.

Ahead of the reunion, an appeal was made on The Guildford Dragon NEWS inviting former pupils to attend. Photos of pupils were also published hoping faces could be identified. Click here for first story and second story.

One of the organisers of the reunion, Jenny Whatley, said: “Twenty people replied with comments to the photos on your news website, resulting in 100 extra people being identified.”

At the school head teacher Debs Cooper (who retires at the end of this summer term), gave the visitors a great insight into how a school of 2,000 pupils is run today, while comparing and contrasting how it was for those who were educated there in the 1960s.

A commemorative brass plaque created by former pupil Tim Farwig was presented to the school.

Some of those who enjoyed a tour around their old school.

A full tour of the school followed with groups of 10 each accompanied by two pupils. They did today’s school proud with their explanations and by answering difficult questions as the tour progressed through the Elmslie and Raynham Buildings.

Miss Elmslie and Mr Raynham were the first heads of the then separate girls’ and boys’ schools when the visitors were being taught, starting in the late 1950s.

Close-up view of the plaque.

Then on Saturday afternoon last week, nearly 100 former pupils – some travelling from as far as Durham, Edinburgh, Norwich and Hereford – met at Guildford Rugby Club for an informal gathering to catch up on old times.

They examined plenty of old school memorabilia brought along by the participants.

The organiers of the reunion say they sincerely hope everyone will make the next scheduled reunion in five years’ time.

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