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A.O.S.A. 2002 ANNUAL REPORT |
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[Page eleven]
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This amusing e-mail came in from NICK EMMETT (1970-76) …. “I would like you, if you would, to picture the situation. I’m on an oilrig on Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela sharing an office with a well site geologist who has his computer on a search program into the history of names. He suggested that I enter the name Nick Emmett in an attempt to check out my family name. Imagine my surprise (gob smacked amazement more like) when I see the names NICK, GLEN PICKERSGILL, GRAHAM COOK, PHIL RAMSEY (all same dates – 1971-76). ‘Stop’, I shouted, as he scrolled through the pages, ‘I know these people!’ ‘Oh yeah sure,’ was their first reaction. But then as we read on and I was getting really excited and explaining who was who, they started to believe me. Names like MARK GREGORY (1973-78), MANDY MORGAN (WILSON 1971-79), TONY BURNS (1973-78), NICKY BECKETT (1974-77) – my first love - all bringing back times that I have not thought of for a long time. ‘Emmett and Pickersgill, outside my study after morning Meeting,’ was a familiar memory for me at Ayton. We had somehow got into the pages of the Ayton School website!” Nick works in safety on oil drilling and production installations and can have as little as three hours’ notice to pack his bags and head for Teesside Airport ready to be sent anywhere offshore from the North Sea to Rio de Janeiro… “It may have a glamorous ring to it, but believe me it is not. I spend a lot of time at sea floating around on junk. My intention is not to be sitting on one of these things next Christmas (2001.)” In response to my reply to this amazing e-mail, Nick sent even more amazing revelations of his life at Ayton, some of which might not pass the censor. Does anyone remember the time when Nick (then in third form) had an adventure relating to the ‘B’ dorm clock? …. “ I discovered that the pendulum for the school clock ran all the way down to the basement. It was actually boxed in on the inside of the building and of course came through ‘B’ Dorm. There was a small padlocked door on the panelling and, unfortunately for the clock, I had a key that fitted. I rooted around and with an assortment of ties and dressing gown cords, proceeded to tie the pendulum off to an anchor point and promptly forgot the whole thing.” …. The result was, of course, that the clock stopped and the repercussions for Nick were dire, John Reader and his colleagues were definitely ‘not amused.’…. One Sunday Evening Meeting which stood out in the mind for Nick was the time the speaker talked about ‘Birds of prey’, bringing with him, some of his birds to demonstrate the talk… “We had some huge birds flying round the Meeting House, the bird handler sent these birds flying from one end of the room to another, landing on anyone who cared to have a go. I was one of the ‘have a goes’ and off I went to the end of the room and stood with my arm at right angles to the rest of my body, holding onto a lump of raw meat. We were told that the important bit was to keep your arm straight when the bird landed, because, if you did not, then it had a habit of clawing its way back up, using your ear as a pulling point with its beak.” Apparently my contemporary, DOROTHY DAWSON (EASTON 1947-53) then on the staff was also one ‘to have a go-Ed,… “ but could not keep her arm straight due to the weight of the bird. I do remember that we were using big European eagles, not just your average sparrow hawk. As the teacher’s arm got lower and lower, the bird did, indeed, start to climb up. At this point the handler had to drop everything and run down the Meeting House to perform a rescue. I feel quite sure that no-one was in any real danger, but the thought of having your ear taken off by a bird of prey, in a Quaker Meeting House, really was quite something.” I was sent a cutting from an ‘Evening Gazette’ of last February which had a photo of TIM WESCHENFELDER (1970-77) receiving his company’s ‘CLEVER’ Award from the Middlesbrough South MP Ashok Kumar. “Clever” stands for Coastal Liquid Effluent Volume Reduction which aims to: Reduce water consumption by at least 20pc; Reduce effluent production by at least 20pc; Save the participating companies money; Make them more competitive; Improve the environment. Tim’s firm was one of ten taking part and he said that he wished they had been involved with the scheme years ago. KARL HOROWITZ (1970-75) is still looking for his friend, JEREMY TEASDALE (1969-76), last heard of in Canada 12 years ago. Arthur Grainge tried to locate him, but without success. I will ask Dick Dennis to post this notice on the ‘getting in touch’ board on our website and you could also try the website ‘friendsreunited’. Karl is also interested in obtaining a copy of the school film for 1955 or thereabouts – can anybody help him? ALISON LEES (THOMPSON 1971-79) sent a note to
her District Secretary TONY JEFFRIES (1944-51), “I left IBM 3
years ago to spend more time with my children (7 and 5.) I have found a
nice little niche over the past year, giving private lessons to people
(business people, housewives, offices etc) on how to use their PCs. It
seems to be a requirement much in demand, so I’m managing to work, but
only when the children are at school – excellent.” Alison was very
sorry that she could not attend last summer’s reunion, as she missed
out on a get-together with many of her friends. See below for details. |
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