TON UP FOR ST MARY’S SIDCUP

                                         Great to see you again: 1973 joiners, Michael Brown, Chris Rogan, Joe Brock and Duncan Wells, roll back the years.

In the year George Gershwin released ‘Rhapsody In Blue’ and Ramsay MacDonald became the first ever Labour prime minister, The Marist Fathers opened St Mary’s College in Sidcup.
That year was 1924 and, on 19 October, nearly 200 people gathered to mark the centenary at Sidcup Rugby Club.
They included old boys of St Mary’s College and St Mary’s Grammar, old girls of St Joseph’s Convent and former pupils of St Mary and St Joseph’s, the new school formed after the 1979 amalgamation.
In the afternoon, old boys who had started at St Mary’s before 1965 enjoyed an afternoon tea including a special centenary cake.

Mick O’Hara, (1958)  John “Buck” Hennesy, (1958)  Maggie Bearchell, (wife of Patrick) and  Dick Moger (1950)

The room was packed with old photographs, a special commemorative pop-up banner while two new books were on sale – ‘All Our Yesterdays’ and ‘Spectrum’

The oldest gentleman to attend was Richard Sims who started at the College in 1949.

David Palmer, a 1960 joiner, brought along a copy of the whole school photograph taken in 1965, which gripped the attention of many as they tried to put names to faces.

(Left to Right  Chris Miller, (1963) Phil Mackie, (1963) Patrick Driscoll (1960) and David Palmer (1960)

During the afternoon there was a live link up with 1954 joiners Bert Moniz and Rudy Stocking who joined remotely from America and Canada respectively.

From 6pm, old boys and girls from later years arrived at the rugby club.
Many were wide-eyed in astonishment as they clapped eyes on former friends and classmates they had not seen in years.

Just after 7pm, 1973 joiner Joe Brock took to the keyboard to lead a rousing rendition of the school song.

Joe at the keyboard

Steve Jarvis (1977 joiner) met Steve Jarvis (1967 joiner) …………….

…………  while John Battison (1972) and  Matt Eastley (1977), pictured below, reflected on how an incredible chance meeting outside Blackpool FC led to the events surrounding the launch of We Did Our Homework On the Bus in 2022 and the centenary.

While the organising committee say they have no plans to put on any further events they have collectively said ‘never say never.’

For now, the last word can go to 1971 joiner Mick Rogan who said: “I had a fabulous evening and really enjoyed the nostalgic catch up with numerous people that I hadn’t seen or spoken to for over 40 years.” Mick is pictured, far right, with fellow 1971 joiners David Hawes and Paul Daly.

While 1959 joiner David Hurley said: “A magnificent celebration, tonight. A huge thank You to all the committee for generating such a superb and enjoyable effort.”

David, on the right is pictured with fellow 1959 joiner Patrick Burchell