OUR BACK PAGES
For many, schooldays represent some of the happiest times of our lives – activities, new friends, and a foundation for the future. The launch of “We Did Our Homework On The Bus” in 2022 and the centenary celebration in October 2024 brought together many former students who fondly remember their time at St. Mary’s.
Unlike the usual yearbooks, these events produced three special publications. “We Did Our Homework…” has sold out (although a reprint is possible) and two more publications specially produced for the centenary are well on their way to selling out.
“All Our Yesterdays” is a 314-page glossy book featuring many never-before-seen images, school play programmes, press reviews, sports teams, teachers and achievements. It has been specially produced for those who want to remember how things looked then, connecting our past to our present.
The book plunders the archives to tell the story of an educational establishment which began life as a small fee-paying college on Main Road in 1924, moved to a gleaming new building half a mile up the road in 1957 after winning hard-fought grammar school status before, amid huge controversy, becoming a co-educational comprehensive in 1979.
It has been compiled and edited by Matt Eastley and Phil Mackie who started at St Mary’s in 1977 and 1963 respectively
“All Our Yesterdays” is a visual companion piece – but a very different publication – to “We Did Our Homework On The Bus,” published by Matt Eastley in 2022.
To place an order, email Phil Mackie on philipamackie@gmail.com stating your address and the number of copies you would like.
The book costs £25 plus post and packing
“Spectrum 1962 and Spectrum 1964” brings together two exceptional literary magazines. The first edition was edited by Godfrey Newham with Richard Gregorian as his vice-editor and supported by a committee of excellent contributors including Lou Harris, Bert Moniz, Michael Phillips and Rudy Stocking. Sixty-two years on, Godfrey has written a new introduction reflecting on how that historic first edition came about.
It was an excellent debut.
Two years later came the second and final edition of this excellent short-lived publication. This time the editorial committee consisted of Alec Coleman, Patrick Demwell, Philip Ebden, Anthony Hodges and David McAuliffe, who would return to the newly-amalgamated, co-education and comprehensive school as music master in 1979.
Phil Mackie was just ending his first year at St Mary’s when this second edition rolled off the press. Phil provides his own unique take on this edition in the newly packaged and republished version.
The excellence of these two magazines should really have been the springboard for annual publications but, for whatever reason, it never happened so we are just left with these two fine publications to savour to gain a fascinating insight into how the school was back then.
Get your copies before they’re gone! “All Our Yesterdays” is £25, and Spectrum is £10. Postage and packing extra.
Send your name, address and details of books required to philipamackie@gmail.com . Phil will confirm your order, take your payment, and dispatch your books to you.