Annual Meeting & Reunion: 18th May 2001

The Burton Grammar School Old Boys' Association, founded in 1921, held its annual meeting and reunion dinner at the Riverside Hotel, Branston recently.   Over 70 members and friends again attended. At the meeting the retiring president Peter Booth handed over the chain of office to the newly elected president Keith Rushton of Storrington, West Sussex and thanks were expressed to the retiring president for his year of office.

Alan Neal of Hall Green, Birmingham was elected vice president. The remaining officers, secretary Ted Warren, treasurer Roger Deacon and newsletter editor Norman Binns were all re-elected. The editor gave a list of obituaries and members were sorry to learn that since the newsletter had been completed on March 1, five members of the association had passed away: The Rev. Canon Paul Appleton. (Lincoln), the Rev. Malcolm Griffin (Cheadle), John Ashforth, Cliff Goodhead and the oldest member of the Association, Norman Talbot Townsend in his 98^th year.

The Head of the Abbot Beyne School, David Marriott, spoke at the meeting, as well as president Norman Tomkins.

After the dinner, the editor welcomed all present including new members one of whom was the Rev. Michael Freeman, the newly installed vicar of St John the Divine, Horninglow, and also John Newton. About 35 members came from the Burton and, Derby areas with the rest travelling from all parts of the country including, Sir Oscar Deville, His Honour Judge David Brunning, Baron Sydney Brewin, Rev. Ray Gilbert, Sam Crooks, Frank Toon Richard Wain, Robin Richards, Gwyn Richards, David Woodcock, John Picketing, Clifford Rose, Roger Andrews, John Clubb John Oliver, Peter Ellis, Anthony Walker-Morecroft,   Bert Young, Peter Thompson (USA), Peter Stanley, Kevin Fisher and Don Payne. Nineteen past presidents also attended. Among the apologies were those from Sir John Dent, past presidents: Lewis Dunkerley and. Peter Hartley, Arthur Fallon (Malta), Andrew Bauer, (Hong Kong), Derrick Pounds, (Canada), Peter Aspley (Canada), Claude Fabre (France), Cannon   Erick Lowe and the Rev. Edgar Blant.

The annual golf competition for the Lowe Cup was played earlier in the day and attracted 10 entries. The winner, for the first time, was Peter Farmer (Tutbury) with 35 points and he was presented with the trophy, by, the president at the dinner. The joint runners-up were last year's winner Roy Biddulph (Breadsall) and Mike Hamilton (Rolleston) with 32 points each. Thanks were expressed to Don Sharratt who had run the tournament for the past 12 years, His successor will be Norman Harvey.