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AOSA ANNUAL
REPORT 2001 - NEWS OF OLD SCHOLARS |
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[Page seventeen]
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ED PARRISH (1981-86) who sent us such detailed news last year has transferred from the Gloucester Fire and Rescue Service and is back working for the Cleveland Fire Brigade; he does not, however, say where he is based. On 4th November, 2000 during the appallingly wet weather which hit the Yorkshire area and others, came an e-mail from our Reunion’ Co-ordinator TESSA SNOWDON (GREENWELL 1981-86) to Dick Dennis, our Records’ Secretary, describing the conditions in Ayton: -‘I was out ‘til 1am last night as the High Street near Hollygarth was under 4 feet of water, it was running down Station Road like a river, going straight over the little roundabout at the new junction and into the school where it carried on through the railings and created a new waterfall into the beck in the old boys’ bridge area. Someone had tried to drive their van through it and it was stuck up to its headlights in water. The girls’ bridge was under water and Bottom Field was flooded. The stone bridge didn’t have enough height, so it was acting like a dam and the footbridge opposite the Conservative Club near the ‘Buck’ was underwater. Low Green was a lake!’ Earlier in the autumn, Tessa bumped into her contemporary, IAN BRAKENBURY (1981-88) at the Stokesley Show and gave him details of our website, which resulted in him contacting Dick Dennis. Ian’s brother, ANDREW was at the school from 1982-87. This e-mail arrived from PHIL HARRIS (1983-87) in mid February 2001, just in time to make the annual report: “Dear Gill, I have been asked to contact you to provide a few details about myself. I was a former student at Ayton from 1983-7 and now have ended up in that big brown land called Australia. I have already e-mailed Dick and Arthur just to let them know I have sent
an application form to the UK for membership to AOSA, which should arrive in the next week or
so. I have lived here since 1988 in Brisbane and am a senior pilot for a local flight school/charter company, mostly training student pilots, but often away for days on extended trips to other capital cities and deep into outback Australia, which never ceases to amaze me! What a big dry, country. Some trips require me to depart Brisbane 5.30 am and 4 hours later, I am still only 33% across the continent. It certainly beats working for a living though. This year, I hope to resign from my current job and join a domestic carrier, which will enable me to spend more time with my wife and maybe start a family. Mel and I plan to return one day to the UK for a holiday to coincide with an AOSA reunion one day, something to look forward to. To those you remember - you're welcome to contact me at phil.harris@mail.com.” ROY OPENSHAW (1985-92), who had read my article on ‘Tanner Jackson’, thought I might be interested in Richard Blakeborough’s book, ‘Wit, Character, Folklore and Customs in the North Riding of Yorkshire.’ He attended the Summer Reunion and brought the book with him for me to see; he was quite right, it contained some fascinating stories. Roy also sent me, via e-mail, details of friends and contemporaries from Ayton with whom he is in contact. -‘ ALASDAIR MARSH (1987-92) is living in London, working for GEC, living with KEIKO SHIELD (1990-94) and CECILY MENNEL (1987-94). ALEX BROWN (1987-90) returned from globe-trotting to take a course at Teesside University, after doing a spell in Zimbabwe, elephant training! He lives in Stokesley, close to JOE ESSEX (1985-89) who now has his own graphic design business. MARK LINDSEY (1986-92) is working for a construction company near Mansfield. RICHARD BOLLANDS (1985-92) is working in Newcastle and has a baby daughter. PAUL WATSON (1985-90) is now married and living in Washington, Co. Durham, when I last heard he was, I think, managing a department store in Hartlepool. RYAN CHAMPION (1986-93) is rally-driving, test driving cars and working in the family garage in Castleton. MATTHEW TRUSCOTT (1989-93) is in Holland with his girlfriend.’ Roy also sees the JONES FAMILY and IAN (1986-90) and JANE FOX (1986-93). SUZI SCAIFE returning some of the proofread articles for the 2001 Annual report told me the wonderful news that daughter LUCY (1988-93) graduated from Glasgow University Vet school in July 2000 with a BVMS MRCVS and she is now working for a vet in Stirling. Her family is very proud of her. |
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