Notes about the future of the OPA The College Alumni page on Facebook NEWS ITEMS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING NOVEMBER 2023
Chairman -
Jill Snelling 1980 - 83 ==================================================================== Feb 2024 - Updated names from Glyn Jones for people in photos by Paul King. 2023 - Some interesting documents from Bert French 2022 - A quiet year but keep looking, you never know what might turn up June 2021 Greek Theatre Transformed
Thank you to all of the wonderful staff volunteers who worked hard to start the restoration of the 1950s Greek Theatre at our Palmer's Campus. Suzanne Perry, Nickie Hillebrandt, Nichola Lowry, Liz Meachin, Leanne Jordan, Tracy Wingrove and Rob Clack did an amazing job clearing up the site ready for the next stage of the renovation. Leanne Jordan's fiancé Scott Churchill also came along to help with the project. A special thank you goes to Liz Meachin who has been the project manager and has a real passion for returning the theatre to its former glory! If you know of anyone who is a structural surveyor who would be willing to help out with some advice for the next stage of the project, please contact Liz Meachin. elizabeth.meachin@uspcollege.ac.uk Very many thanks January 2021 Another video from David Bishop - Palmers Boys in the 50s Eddie Hunt has identified some faces in Paul King's photos December 2020 1950s cricketing photos from Paul King on behalf of his father Graham King.. January 2020 Updated links to David Bishop's film of Palmers in 1959. And a video showing the demolition of Palmers' Boys School in 1980. Terry Lewis identifed himself in Glyn Jones' photo 13 October 2019 David Rice, Sydney, Australia provided some additional names for Martin & Chris Bridge's photo #10. August 2019 Ken Nicholls has been identified
in the third row of photos by David
Brigg's - July 2019 Glyn Jones sent in a series
of photos. May 2019 Eddie Hunt has spent much time converting the book '250 Years On' into a PDF format. The book was written in 1956 by J R Hayston to commerate 250 years of the Trust Deed by which William Palmer endowed in 1706 a school in Grays Thurrock.
April 2019 Information on Tony Hendry’s photo no. 24. From the daughter of Brian Chaplin. February 2019 A typed version of the handwritten
diaries of the Girls’ School trip to Hamburg in1955
that Miss Magnus, the German teacher at the Girls’ School, discovered
during a sort out recently. November 2018 The membership lists have been updated. April
2018 1. We have received a large box of past editions from David Chaplin (1947-53). It is interesting to see the changes in format and size that have occured over time. A list of the editions appears on the 'Old Palmerian' page. Two sets of old association rules were also in the box (1977, 1980) 2. We are planning a Palmer's School for Girls magazine section, with two editions (1960 and 1962) received from Eddie Hunt's wife Dot. Dot also provided two Speech Day programmes. If you have other Palmer's Girls magazines or related paperwork that could be either donated to the Association or loaned for a 'copy and publish' exercise, please contact the secretary with the relevant details. February
2018 January 2018 October 2017 An additional name, Stewart Jubb, from Martin Reeves for photo 13 from Glyn Jones. And some more names for Glyn's photo 13 from Eddie Hunt. July 2017 A series of photos from GLYN LONES. If you can name the players please let us know. January 2017 A 1960/61 cricket team photo from JOHN BIRD. December 2016 Claire Hargrave advised us that, in some of Peter Smith's photos, references to Peter Redman should actually be for Micheal Readman. Claire is Mike's daughter. Often when people submit photos their memories of names are a bit hazy and the boys were often only known by surnames in class, so the Christian names get muddled. If you spot anything that needs amending please let us know. November 2016 The programme for the 1968 production of G&S Sorcerer has been added, as provided by PAUL NICHOLSON. The Audrey Leworthy Cabinet JOHN SACH has refurbished the Audrey Leworthy Cabinet and, with the help of one of the caretaking staff, fixed the cabinet to a wall in the reception area. Click to see John's note and some of his photos. IVOR RICHARDSON came across Tony Hendry's photos and two of his emails have been added to 'Tuff's page. Ivor also sent two of his own photos that can be seen here. |
August 2016 Did you spot the mistake
in Peter
Smith's photos ? |
May 2016 MIKE AUSTIN provided details for Richard Lehman's photos. |
March 2016 STEVE NEWLYN provided some more names for Peter Smith's photos. If you recognise anyone in a photo for whom we do not have a name, please email the details to the secretary so that we can continue to expand the site's information. |
February 2016 Some layouts of the Boy's school have been added and it is hoped to annotate them with classroom details. Also, conext links will be added to some of the many photos supplied by members. |
December 2015 |
May 2015 Old school photo from Geoffrey H Wood and menu for 1963 school cricket XI dinner from John (Billy) Bird |
March 2015 Note regarding John Francis Iffland in the Colin Peplow's photo, from his son Clifford. |
February 2015 ROGER PEEK (1956 - 1963) has supplied scans of the 1963 programme for the play Arms and the Man by Bernard Shaw. |
January 2015 RICHARD LEHMAN has supplied photos of the Boys School, that he was given by Juliet & Jane Smetham (as were) - the last headmaster's daughters. |
October 2014 Some updates to a Stephen Newlyn skiing photo and another Gibert and Sullivan entry (Mikado 61) from Geoff Kempton. Apologies once again for
the delay to those who provided updated names and notes for the photo
galleries over the Summer but they have now been applied. Also thanks to Geoff Kempton for the many additions to the Gibert and Sullivan section. |
June 2014 Postcards of Palmer's in the early 1900s and 1960s provided by Leigh Everingham. |
March 2014 We have had a request for news of three Old Palmerians who are not members of the Association. If anyone can help will they please contact Ruth Hunwick. David John Newman 1957 –
1964
David John Hodgson 1957 –
1964
John Hodgson 1954 – 1961 |
February 2014 Some photos sent in by Stephen Newlyn showing some of the staff and boys on the 1966 skiing trip to Fieberbrunn, Austria |
October 2013 Some photos sent in by Stephen Rushbrook showing the demolition of the boys school in 1980. |
June 2013 Website updates The members listings have all been updated and names have been added for the front row of the 1963 1st Eleven football team photo supplied by Martin & Chris Bridge. |
March 2013 Old Palmerians Lodge The Old Palmerians Lodge
is a Freemasons Lodge exclusively for Old Palmerians. |
January 2013 A fact sheet on Gordon Charles Steele VC which Jonathan Catton produced for the unveiling of the Plaque in the Library at Palmer's College on 14th December 2012 can be found here. |
November 2012 The Grays Parish Church Council
is intending to renovate and restore the former south chapel, which
currently contains the redundant pipe organ, and rename it ‘The Palmer
Chapel’. |
August 2012 Names added to photo 8 from Peter Smith by Ray Williams |
March 2012 Ernie Couchman (1950 - 1957) has supplied photos of two more of the G & S productions, Princess Ida (1952) and Patience (1953). |
January 2012 1st Jan - off to an early start! Names added by Anthony Benjamin to the 63-64 football team photos from Martin & Chris Bridge and Peter Smith |
December 2011 Some photos sent in by Michael John Hendry's daughter Sue Wonnacott. Names added to photos from Tony Reeve and Peter Collins by Mick Mancer |
October 2011 Apologies for the delay
to those who provided updated names and notes for the photo galleries
over the Summer but they have now been applied. |
April 2011 A new menu item has been added - G&S Operas. This section will be used to present photos and information about the many Gilbert and Sullivan operas that were performed by the boys at Palmers. The first set, for the Mikado, has been supplied by Geoff Tyler (1951-58). Should you have any other photos or information that you would like to be included, please contact the secretary@oldpalmerians.co.uk with your details. Howard Rider identified himself in photos supplied by Peter Smith and Martin & Chris Bridge |
March 2011 Steve Saint provided updates for the photos supplied by David Bannister. Trevor Layzell recognised
John Marshall - an Old Boy in one of Brian
Ross's photos. If you can supply any names, dates etc., for our photographs section, please contact the secretary by email. |
February 2011 A football flyer for the 1965 Hicks Cup has been received from Richard Lehman. The match was played at the Clacton Town football club. |
January 2011 Alan Reynolds provided further
updates to the names of the people in the photos supplied by |
December 2010 3 photos added to Brian
Ross's page. Names have been added to one of Tony Hendry's photos by Wendy Ditcham, Roger Noble's sister. |
November
2010 |
August
2010 Letters can be sent to the secretary and the commitee will manage the transfers to the website. |
June
2010 A scan of a Girl's School Magazine from 1934 has been received from Margaret Nathan. |
February
2010 A scan of the programme for the Order of Ceremony of the Opening of the Girls' School in 1931 has been received from Margaret Nathan. |
January
2010 We can always do with some more - if you can put names to any of the faces please contact us with the details. |
November
2009 |
April 2009 Photo contributions have
been received from Peter Smith. |
February 2009 Photo contributions have
been received from Tony Reeve and
Peter Collins. |
November 2008 The Association's new rules were agreed at the AGM on the 11th. Also .. Photo contributions from
Steve Wood of the 1963 Cricket Tour.
|
March 2008 Tony 'Tuff' Hendry was 80 and met up with some 'Old boys' in Whitam. Tony also brought along his photo album covering the period he boarded at Palmers Boys. A selection of his photos,
and some initial descriptions can be viewed
here. |
February 2008 We are sad to announce the death of John Moore, who was History master and Conductor of the Boys’ School Choir for a number of years. A Memorial Service for John was held on Monday March 10th 2008 at 1 pm at St Bartholomew's Church, Wickham Bishops. Many 'old boys' and past masters attended. |
May 2007 Photo contributions from
David Bannister and David
Briggs November 2006 300th Anniversary write up and photos. |
April 2006 300th Anniversary Old Boys Reunion Football Match held on the 8th April 2006. 300th
Anniversary Celebrations (2006) - “A very successful
occasion, with great numbers of Old Palmerians enjoying both the Open
Day/Garden Party and the Celebration Evening Buffet."
|
Boys School House Names Copies
of The Palmerian articles from 1947, describing how the
PALMER'S ALUMNI The College has an Alumni page on Facebook and would
like all Old Palmerians who use Facebook to join their Alumni page at
www.facebook.com/palmersalumni
|