In 2023, it will be 65 years since our Class of 1965 crossed the threshold into Adams! We met many of them in 2015 when they joined us to mark their 50th year of leaving school, and it was wonderful to see so many of them again in July 2022. Thank you Class of 1965 for keeping in touch and sharing your memories and huge thanks to David Cordingley for making it all happen. David has kindly shared a few entertaining words below:

"Those of us who first walked through the gates of Adams in 1958, probably for an interview with ‘George’ Glover, will know that the beginning is a very good place to start ….. so how did it start?

"And how come that genius behind the evil Satis Card could not be bothered to learn any pupil’s name?

"This reunion started with the realisation that with at least four RIPs since we last met in 2015. the loosely planned reunion in 2023 would probably be too late for some ….

"Caroline's response to our ‘Could you bear another reunion?’ was as welcoming as we’d hoped so off we set with our usual ‘what, where and when’ questions, bolstered with the usual ‘where are they now?’ follow up.

"And with super-sleuthing from Arthur Lewis and others we found ‘em: Chris Jacobs flew in from from Pennsylvania, Geoff Roberts and wife Marion from somewhere in the Australian outback and Malcolm Rimmer from Melbourne. Nigel Histon was located in Calgary and Malcolm Hawkesford in Nottingham … Ian Ferguson as far away as Cheshire …..

"Thirty or so kicked off early - eating and drinking together, (tho’ not necessarily in that order), at the Premier Inn / Beefeater on the Thursday evening. If you’re a vegetarian the clue is in the restaurant’s name – but you’ll manage. Probably.

"The school did us proud. The welcome in Big School (The Library) was warm, organised, easy and relaxed, the croissants and coffee up to scratch and, once the names on the labels had been deciphered and digested, promised life-long friendships which had faltered in the late ‘60s fell back into place….

"For those of us accustomed to a blackboard and chalk and avoiding the board wiper winging towards our foreheads, the head’s Powerpoint presentation about the school ‘then and now, about the major changes over the years, about the life and experiences today’s students enjoy – (yep, I said enjoy) was beyond interesting: it was heart-warming, fascinating, and, ultimately, the stuff of dreams.

"Outside those on the inside track, we were the first to hear of the school’s ambition to become co-educational – a notion that seemed to meet with universal approval. Long-overdue, in fact.

"It would be true to say that this man, a former primary headteacher but who struggled at Adams and was pretty much left to struggle, would be very happy to have his grandkids attend any school with the ethos and wide-ranging aspirations that this head, Gary Hickey, outlined. And he’d bet that this head knows every student’s name to boot.

"The ‘it’s Friday so it’s fish and chips’ lunch was welcome – and, with the world being as small as it is, we Zoomed Ray Bromley in New York state and Graham (Henry) Murray in Los Angeles.

"A quick refresh at people’s bases and on to Newport Rugby Club for the evening: (thanks, Steve Murphy, for organising that …. a great facility, great buffet and testament to the hours you’ve devoted to the club). There the talking, the catching up, the drinking, the eating and the Zooming – (Nigel Histon in Calgary) went on.

"And on, and on …

"And just this week, too late for the 2022 reunion, Chris Swinn was located ….

"Next one? Over to someone else!"

David Cordingley (pictured below, front right)
Class of 1965