Co-organisers Ian Macdonald (JRGS 1958–65) and Richard “Tom” Thomas (JRGS 1957–64) have been hard at work during the past several months finalizing a date and location for the planned Fifth John Ruskin Grand Reunion. The date is Saturday 5th September 2015; the location is John Ruskin College in Selsdon, just a few miles away from the former school building on Upper Shirley Road - shown right.
   We are cordially inviting all JRGS Alumni to attend, which includes former teaching and support staff, alumni of the various John Ruskin schools located on the Shirley site, together with alumni of previous JRCS/JRGS schools in the Croydon area. The Reunion at John Ruskin College will be centered around a semi-formal, sit-down lunch, with accompanying presentations that will include specific items focused on the foundation of the first Ruskin School in Croydon and related Ruskin history.
   As the Alumni may already be aware, 2015 marks not one but four important celebrations: the 95th Anniversary of the school’s opening as a central school on Scarbrook Road in 1920; the 80th Anniversary of the school moving to Tamworth Road in 1935; the 70th Anniversary of it becoming a grammar school in 1945; and the 60th Anniversary of the school moving to the Upper Shirley Road site in 1955.
   “We would be extremely pleased if overseas Alumni can coordinate any planned visit to England in 2015 so they can attend this landmark Anniversary Reunion,” offers Tom, who with Ian has been working closely with former JRHS teacher/principal Anne Smith, the former Ruskin College principal Tim Eyton-Jones, and Debbie Wright, head of college’s facilities and health and safety. (The new Ruskin College principal is Mohammed Ramzan).

UPDATE February 2015: Ian and Tom report that plans are progressing well for the Fifth Reunion. Archive research by Peter Marchant (JRGS 1949-56) has produced some interesting details of early days, and the original inspiration for the school motto – only to be revealed to those attending the reunion! And, of course, spouses/partners are most welcome.
   During the event there will be light refreshments upon arrival, a main meal early in the proceedings and light refreshments again at its conclusion; the total cost is expected to be around £30.00. To assist with catering and seating arrangements, Ian and Tom ask that you show your commitment to attend by paying an initial and refundable deposit of £10 per head. They prefer that you send this payment electronically to the following Nat West Bank account: Sort code 55-50-05 | Account no 55706924 in the names of Mr. Richard L. Thomas and Mr. Ian D. Macdonald. The very necessary reference is your name on the bank transfer, so that we know who has paid.
   If you do not have electronic banking, please send a cheque for this amount, payable to the same persons listed above, to Tom’s home address at 8 Severn Street, Shrewsbury, SY1 2JA.
   Ian and Tom would love to receive details of any JRGS memorabilia that you plan to bring. For the displays it would be helpful if you could send photographs beforehand by email or by post. For added security, please email or phone Ian for his home address.
   There is plenty of parking at the John Ruskin Sixth-Form College, including spaces for the disabled; more details will be made available closer to the reunion. The college is also conveniently located on both bus and tram routes to/from East Croydon railway station.
   Program details are still being refined - including 8mm films dating from the early Sixties - together with the final costs. The organizers also plan to send out a list of attendees. But please don’t wait until then: Ian and Tom ask that you make your booking now!

UPDATE August 2015: Tom reports that cheques and electronic payments for deposits are steadily trickling in, although it is a gradual flow! "Having paid in a tranche of cheques last week," he writes, "I have made a list of those who so far have expressed an interest in attending the Annual Reunion, with details of those who have paid the deposit. Please make your full payment to either of us as soon as possible - less any deposit you have already paid - either electronically or by cheque, as detailed above."
   The list of potential attendees is show below; apologies to anybody who has contacted Tom or Ian since it was compiled and/or paid a deposit. To date, the total number of potential attendees is 46.
   "Some Alumni have kindly sent us payments as donations for a John Ruskin College fund, details of which will be announced by the Ruskin College principal on the day," Tom adds. "If any Alumnus would like to include a small contribution to be passed on to the College as a donation from the John Ruskin Grammar School Alumni Society, please include that with your payment for attendance at the Reunion."

"The Sixth Form College’s new principal, Mohammed Ramzan, is enthusiastic about the planned reunion,” Ian reports. “We will be using the canteen and smaller tables for our lunch and afternoon refreshments, which will be ideal.”
   While the schedule is still under review, it will be based on the following:

12.00 to 12.30 - Check in at reception desk for registration and to collect name badges; attendees will be directed to the main Resource Centre at end of nearby corridor. Attendees will be greeted with live music provided by Alumni Mike Balme, John Cobley, Pete Curtis, Bob Hawkins and John Turner. This assembly point will offer chairs and two large tables upon which will be displayed various items of memorabilia. Tea, coffee and fruit juice also will be served upon arrival.

12.45 to 12.55 – Tom and Ian will welcome attendees and offer a brief summary of the afternoon’s proceedings.

12.55 to 13.05 – Welcome Address by Ruskin College principal Mohammed Ramzan.

13.05 to 13.15 – Presentation by Sally Obertell regarding the College’s overview and pupil perspective.

13.10 to 13.25 – Comfort break.

13.30 to 14.30 – Luncheon in the college canteen. (The  three-course menu is listed below.)

14.30 to 14.45 – Visit to Hair and Beauty Department with college pupils as guides.

14.50 to 15.00 – Visit to Media and Student Center with college pupils as guides.

15.05 to 15.15 – Visit to Virtual Hospital with college pupils as guides.

15.15 to 15.30 – Comfort break.

15.35 to 15.50 – Film show by Tom using projection screen in Resource Center.

15.50 to 16.05 – Presentation by Tony Childs (JRGS 1947-1953) on “The Tamworth Road Days”, together with Peter Marchant (JRGS 1949-56) providing comment on other Ruskin and antecedent institution history.

16.05 – 16.15 – Representative from the college will receive a special trophy, the nominated category for which will be chosen by the new principal; gift vouchers will also be presented to pupil volunteers. There will also be additional prizes, including bottles of wine for such categories such as Farthest Travelled, etc.

16.15 to 17.15 – Free Association and Time for Reminiscing, with an interlude of live music provided by Alumni Mike Balme, John Cobley, Pete Curtis, Bob Hawkins and John Turner.

17.15 to 17.30 – Refreshments before the reunion concludes.

Incidentally, the college site is wheelchair friendly, with ramps and lifts. There is also a sound system for hearing-challenged individuals.
   “It would be very useful if people could let us know as soon as possible that they plan to attend,” Tom advises, “so that we can finalize the catering arrangements and the number of pupil guides we will need. Mohammed is confident that pupils will serve as ambassadors for the college, and such tours are a practiced feature for open days.”

We now have details of the three-course menu for the reunion luncheon:

Starter: a choice of Rustic French Onion Soup with a Sourdough Croûte and Melted Cheese, or Mixed Melon with Feta and Mint Dressing.

Main: a choice of Roast Lamb Rump on Flageolet Bean Mash with Tarragon Jus, or Goat’s Cheese and Red Onion Tart with Balsamic Salad; served with Glazed Carrots with Parsley, French Beans Lyonnais and Baby New Potatoes.

Dessert: a choice of Mango and Coconut Cheesecake with Crème Fraîche, or a selection of Cheeses with Celery, Apple and Chutneys.

Emails for Reunion co-organizers: Ian Macdonald (JRGS 1958-65) | Richard Thomas (JRGS 1957-64)

Graham Donaldson (JRGS 1962-69) adds: Thanks for the update; it sounds like we are in for an interesting afternoon. I'm sure it will all seem very different to what we remember! Visiting alumni may like to note that the Shirley Windmill will be open to the public on Sunday 6th of September, 13.00 to 17.00 with the last tour starting at 16.00. Motorists are requested to park in Oaks Road. Further details are available on www.shirleywindmill.org.uk
   I have just returned from a very enjoyable week in Switzerland, based on Lucerne. This was despite disruption on Eurostar in both directions! The city has a trolleybus system, of course, and whilst I was having a ride on Sunday morning, to fill in time before our lake steamer trip we had a de-wirement - the only one I saw on the visit. Did they stage it specially? Click on the thumbnail right to view a larger version.
   As many Alumni probably know from such systems in the USA, the poles can be automatically retracted to the dock position, and the auxiliary diesel engine was started up to get us out of the way.
   As we had now arrived at the Bahnhof terminus, an official quickly appeared with a bamboo pole to put matters to rights - it certainly brought back memories to see this performance enacted before my eyes. Having once tried it at the Sandtoft Trolleybus Centre near Doncaster, I can vouch for the fact that it is quite difficult.

Peter Townsend (JRGS 1947-54) adds: I thought I would pay my £10 fee for the reunion electronically today. It appears there are not too many from the era of Tamworth Road.
   I look forward to meeting Mr. Reg Whellock again - he was the school's biology teacher from 1946 to 1956. Curiously, I always liked him from when he taught us general science in the 1M classroom from 1947 to 1948, with the demos all done on the teacher’s desk in the form room. For example, hydrogen was made and collected. Later I had three years in the Biology lab.
   I was one of those who were too young to take the O-Level, and Mr. Lowe made a new group called the "Lower Sixth Younger", overseen by Mr. Fisher - well, he came in and took the register! I think there were about six or seven of us who kept the O-Levels on the boil, at the same time as attending the A-Level courses. Unlike others, those doing Botany, Zoology Chemistry and Physics had a very busy time. I only had one free period in the whole week.
   I never had any further tuition in maths but got over 70%. "Joe" Lowe wouldn’t let me sit my other favourite subject - namely geography - because he thought it would be too much for me!
   I do remember that after a bit of foolery with a chap named Dixon, we broke a pane of glass in a door whilst waiting to be let into the dining hall for the second sitting. "Joe" advised us that the cost would be 10 shillings each, or we could choose Corporal punishment - that punishment was never fully explained to us as we quickly agreed to pay.
   I had had a taste of that sort of punishment at my Junior School with three strikes on my left hand, just for pouting having got a sum wrong again! Strange thing is that the arthritis is worse in the fingers of my left hand!)
So I gave up what was to me my earnings from my paper round that week.
   I don’t remember any other misdemeanours, but in the chemistry lab Mr. Pearman gave us a mixture of salt to analyse, a regular weekly event in the practical. At the same time I dissolved a silver Swedish Krona that had come into my possession and which I dissolved in acid and got a lovely green liquid from the nickel salt. Mr. Pearman spent a long time wondering how I got that as there was nothing like that in the salt to be analysed. I refined the silver and still have got the pure silver ingot to this day! I did tell him in the end!

Karl W. Smith (JRGS 1946-1951) adds: Thanks for the update, but there's no way I can attend - for two good reasons. 1. I'll be in Canada; and 2. it would be too costly to make the trip and stay overnight even if we were at home in UK.
   May I send my good wishes to all, especially Mr. Reg Whellock for a successful evening. Although he didn't teach me Bilge [biology], I knew him from my Sixth Form days at Tamworth Road. He may not recall me from 1949/50 but may better remember my contemporaries: Roy Baldwin (who later joined JRGS staff); Philip Bamford; and The Prevett Twins.