New Members

6/8/2009 9:00:29 PM

Hi everyone, still trying to drum up new members, anyone remember Roger, at least he could be bothered to reply, the following is from Friends Reunited, read from the bottom up

Hi Roger, I understand and am sorry that you don,t have any good memories of your days at Bath Tech, I hope you are in good health and enjoying your retirement years, all the best -Tony--the offer is always there if you change your mind

------------------- Original Message -----------------

Hello Anthony. I remember you well even after some 40 odd years. I don't have particularly fond memories of school days and I am therefore going to decline the offer of joining this group. Thanks anyway for the invite. Very best wishes

Roger Porch

------------------- Original Message -----------------
Hi Roger,don,t know if you remember me, we were in the same class at Bath Tech, some of the guys have formed a group on Windows live and I wondered if you would like to join us , the link is http://bathtecschool.groups.live.com/ best of luck Tony Eccles

Comments

- 6/8/2009 9:23:03 PM

Shame about Rog Porch, can't say I remember anything particularly bad happening to him, I guess if we wished we could all find something bad, personally I didn't enjoy school that much but as I grew older and got to understand more of the world I realised that it hadn't been so bad, we all grow both in age and wisdom, (allegedly), there are a number of things I could feel - searching for right words here - aggrieved about, that'll do, but in the same instant I gained so much that has stood me in good stead over the years, and we all grew up a hell of a lot once we left school. For all the faults in the education system of our day I think the knowledge we gained was greater than we realised at the time, Steve's a good case in point, from Gas fitter to a Masters degree, the Tec must have had an influence somewhere.

I'll drop Rog a line on Friends and see if I can't persuade him, after all he did place his name on the site presumably with the intention of making contact with someone.

Stu

- 6/8/2009 9:36:30 PM

That might help Stu, I did,nt mention who was on the site or in fact anything about it other than what you can see in the messages, I am sure we all had some bad memories of school days, as Steve has said I remember getting a wack around the head from Williams in chemistry and to this day can,t remember what for, a wack on the backside with a piece of knotted rope while in the scrum for not getting down quick enough, but for all that it wasn,t that bad and I am sure if we had our time over we would have enjoyed it even more than we did.

- 6/8/2009 10:50:53 PM

If we'd known then what we know now, Eh Tony, you're absolutely right, for all the stuff which at the time seemed bad, there was a hell of a lot worse to come once you started work, particularly as an apprentice. I was glad to leave school but within six months of starting work wished I was back there, still you learnt to take it, harden up, not to react and it soon went away. I'm definately not the same person now that I was then, and neither are any of the rest of us, I think that's the main reason we can look back and say "Well so what? that was then, this is now!"

I've left a message on Roger's Friends page, tried to set an appropriate tone but ultimately it's up to him. I do, on occasion leave notes on other peoples pages, particulary those of our year and class, but for all their seeming wish to contact old school mates they seem somewhat reluctant to do so, bit odd really. Like the guys that have joined our group and never have any contact, do they read any of this stuff do you think, maybe have the odd chuckle, or perhaps think we're a bunch of boring pratts? who knows. I don't particularly care I enjoy it, some pleasant exchanges, a bit of mickey taking and some reminiscing, I'm looking forward to a day when we can get together, even if it is just to say "Well look at the state of you".

Stu

- 6/9/2009 9:09:59 AM

Hi all,

As a contributer to this little group for about seven years now .. there is one thing I have been consistent in .. repetition ...it`s good for the soul ..Ha Ha .. Roger Porch did send in a picture to the bath Chronicle some years ago about his School days .. and a picture of the Green Park engine sheds ..it`s in the Skydrive odds and ends (trains2) gives his location as Keynsham .. so obviously didn`t move far .. I know we gave him some stick about not being very good in Gym .. but hey .. not many of us were much better .. me included .. as a wearer of glases confrontation was not on my cirriculum either in those wonderful days (and nights)

The banter .. the mickey taking .. well we never grew up ..as for boring .. can I have the first nomination please ? .. I submit myself .. there is after all , only so much to talk about, and a limited number of keys to use .. but if your mind is active .. and you can still type (or get assistance) .. it breaks up the monotony .. and as Steve said .. before we fall off our perches ..

Herbie Buhr.. anybody heard from him lately .. he still has the Riflemans arms, the Swan and the chipper in Moorland road I think .. and Dougie Gray .. I reckon he is still stuck in a layby somewhere in darkest Kent , London, Surrey waiting for Ian (jethro) Taylor .. either that or he`s been banned from talking to us by his significan other .. (that`s me .. still got the glasses on lads)

- 6/9/2009 2:53:25 PM

Bill if I didn't repeat myself I'd have forgotten who I was, where I was and what I was doing there a long time ago.

Now what was I doing?

Stu

- 6/14/2009 10:24:09 PM

Hi Guys.

As a new member, feel a bit of an intruder really. Still I think I am perfectly capable of proving that you guys do not monopolise the title 'boring old fart'.

From what I can gather from your banter you all knew each other from school, unforunately I was in the fifth form when you were all in the first so it is unlikely that our paths would have crossed, but judging by some of your comments there are many common factors in our lives. I'm 65 now and still in harness, like you guys still have most of me faculties but have a tendency to information overload and need to write down complex things I have to remember. You know really difficult things like, have breakfast, take pill, where are van keys, stuff like that! However I can still remember most of my school experiences and agree with your theory that you only tend to remember the good things, yes there was some s**t but its difficult now to remember what.

This guy Mr Coard you mention, should I know him? The name is not familiar, was he an art teacher? I did art as an after school subject and passed GCE, but the name is does definitely not ring any bells. Is this just another example of 'brain fade'? I remember 'Jimmy' Edwards being involved with sport, but does anyone remember Jack Leisham (not sure of spelling), he wielded a mean dap! More of him another time perhaps.

I could go on almost indefinitely but on this occasion will be brief, I will admit that one of the reasons that I am joining your little group is in the hopes that I will preovoke a response from some of my compatriots and others which could result in the website becoming a much broader church, but if it doesn't, what the hell!

Finally, your associate Rog Porch has to be one of the good guys if he has photos of Green Park engine sheds. I'd love to know which one, S and D or LMS, or possibly both. They were an absolute temple to the steam locomotive and I've long regretted not getting to know the shedmaster in those days when the opportunity so commonly presented itself.

- 6/15/2009 6:55:53 AM

Morning all

Don.t worry about being a "bof" John, we're all after a degree in wafflese. Yes we're largely all from the same year, except for Rich he's the baby of the group at present but we've forgiven him for that as long as he doesn't throw his toys out of the pram, it'll be good to have an "elder statesman" perhaps you'll keep us in order, seriously though, it will be good to have another voice, perhaps, with luck, it may bring some more out of the woodwork.

You know the memory thing is just because we've amassed so much information during our lives, and generally have so many things that we're concerned with that little things get forgotten, the wife's birthday, wedding anniversaries, it's either that or I've got a death wish. I lost my mobile 3 days ago, if it was switched on I could phone myself up and find it, I suppose it'll turn up eventually, just after I've been disconnected no doubt!

Peter Coard was indeed an Art teacher, and concerning Jack Lyshon and Jimmy Edwards plus others, how come so many of our teachers were Welsh, and does this give some indication as to the reasons for aversion to the Welsh in general.

It would be good to get Rog Porch to join the group, but at present he's reluctant to join, Tony's tried as have I, I've yet to receive a replyso I think it unlikely, shame I'd like a peek at his pics. As for getting to know the shedmaster at Green Park my only acquaintance with the gentleman was his hand on my collar on occasion whilst zipping round the shed notebook and pencil in hand, it's a wonder we weren't called out in assembly for it really.

I'm off to look for a pic To place in "Odds 'n Ends" if I can find it.

Stu

- 6/15/2009 8:54:26 AM

Hi John, Stu, Tony and anyone not on holiday,

Well John, I am 61 and a quarter .. so that make you only just over three years older . we had a broad spectrum of ages at one time as memebers varying from 1947 intake onwards .. as time ticks by some of those "originals" may return .. like busses if you know what I mean .. I am still putting up information in the Skydrive storage area .. I`ll try and list a few Email addresses and names .. there may well be a few you remember .. one you might remember is John "hunter" Stacey (55-6 intake).. always wore a jacket with millions of pockets .. still lives in Bath has a shop in Chelsea Road. Tony Madden also from that period .. David Hough .. Gordon Williams .. just a few that come to mind at the moment .. what is your experience of "Pub Pals" John?, have you had any success with contacts? .. Hey, thats enough questions to be going on with .. I have to get back to the Summer House I`m building .. off on holiday this thursday .. catch you guys later.

- 6/15/2009 9:57:33 PM

Hi Stu, Bill and all.

Thank you all for your prompt replies and friendly welcome. So that's how you spell it! Lyshon was it, 'There's lovely now'.

I never did know.

Do you guys remember the sports field near St Martin's Hospital, before the move to Brougham Hayes. Like yourselves our little group of close friends were not much good at anything athletic, and not much interested either. Much to the frustration of Jack. In the winter we tried to avoid if possible rugby and football but elected instead to go cross country running. Bad move I can hear from all, but we found out from the boys that lived down Welow and Binegar way, that if you really ran as fast as possible you could just catch the Pines Express in Lyncombe Vale. Of course everyone wanted to see what was at the front, West Country and 2P, Black five and 2P etc. Poor Jack thought he had it cracked when he saw us running with such gusto, but little did he know!

Can't understand what it was with the Welsh teachers either, of course Killer was Welsh also. The one that had a Welsh name but as far as I know was not was Williams. Seemed to have a thing about using violence as a teaching aid but always on kids smaller than himself which narrowed it down quite considerably, but what the hell we all got there in the end and from what I read have not had bad lives.

Incidentally the close groupe were Jimmy Nixon, Tommy Ralph, David (Bomber) Trotman and yours sincerely. 'Bomber' 'cos he lived at Colerne.

Returning to reallity, these days I am quite involved with the vintage preservation movement, I guess its because of the nostalgia thing, I don't know. For my sins am chair of Stroud Vintage Transport and Engine Club, we stage the show on Kemble airfield the first week end in August every year, see WWW. steamextravaganza. com. I also publish the club newsletter every month. Besides this we have a domestic program partly associated with vintage machinery, that makes painting the Forth Bridge look easy. (We have half a dozen or so vintage and classic tractors).

I think what I am trying to say is that will keep in touch regularly, but may not always be as prolific as yourselves for obvious reasons. Oh, by the way sometimes I work away from home, Southern Ireland etc. so don't be surprised at odd gaps.

Good luck with the summer house, Bill, do you have a target date for completion or is it an ongoing project? Regarding pubpals, I find it more difficult to communicate as they are so much later. Did not appear to know much about Weymouth House until some of the older guys came on the scene. I have not had any result from my communications other than yourselves, but continue to visit the site and may add more comments in the future.

Bye for now.

- 6/16/2009 10:00:36 AM

thanks for the info John, yes we all suffered much the same treatment at school as yourself by the sound of it .. yes, you`ll find some photos of the sports field at Combe Down in the Skydrive in "odds and ends" .. we never got to play football (that I can remember) there .. but certainly cricket and rugby. Tony has some "good ?" memories of old Jack Lyshon .. I just remember the cold showers!

I guess a lot of old boys of our vintage love machinery of any kind .. I am a "dabble" with a metal working lathe and a milling machine (which I designed & built over a 25 year period) .. you never know who you`ll bump into at these "steam fars" . Every time we go away I always seem to find out the local Steam Railway etc .. Oh, the summer house .. bit of a long term "garden improvement project" .. ongoing for two years now .. do it when I feel like (much to my wifes frustration) .. if you rush these things when you`re retired you soon run out of things to do .. Ha Ha .. besides, I get chance to get out on the scooter every day instead !

Bath Tec School