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Latest addition to known member list : Robert Harland |
| 2024 |
"Missed" page updated |
| August 2023 |
I am very sorry to inform you that Michael Pearce, our Dad, passed away peacefully in his sleep in the early hours of Friday 4th August. He had recently celebrated his 90th birthday but had been admitted to hospital with symptoms of heart failure. He was treated in hospital for a month and improved enough to be discharged into respite care in Bedlington with a view to returning home. Unfortunately, his polymysositis (immune system attacks muscles) returned and it was too much.
Dad was born in 1933 in Bolton and moved around the north of England as his father built a career in the local and regional library service. He attended Loughborough Grammar School and Leeds University where he was awarded a PhD in French. He spent time in the RAF as an education officer and code breaker. His early career as a teacher was at Morecambe Grammar School and in 1967 he moved to the North East to work at Benfield Comprehensive School where he became the Deputy Head Teacher and led many adventurous outdoor activity trips for pupils. He retired in the 90s.
Dad was an active member of the Northumberland Wildlife Trust (Gosforth), the Northumberland & Newcastle Society (magazine editor), Friends of Throckley & Walbottle Dene and the U3A in Ponteland (led the French group) among other environmental and educational organisations. Earlier he served in the Mountain Rescue. He was a keen naturalist and photographer, loved many outdoor pursuits, especially mountaineering and hiking in the Alps, Scotland and the Lake District. He studied industrial heritage and architecture among a very wide range of interests.
Dad suffered many health problems in his later years and became disabled and frail and so moved to his daughter & son-in-law's home in Morpeth in 2022. We all did our best to care for him and he was surrounded by family.
He is survived by Ken, his younger brother and his sister-in-law, Brenda in the Yorkshire Dales, his daughter, Alison, and son-in-law, Andy, in Northumberland, his daughter, Nicola, in North Tyneside, his son, David, and daughter-in-law, Maggie, in the Lake District, his grandchildren Katy, Brendan, Harry, Jamie, Suzy, Freya, Izzy & Ewan and 8 great-grandchildren: Ryan, Jay, Maddie, Rannon, Aria, Chrissy, Zack & Nina.
In accordance with his wishes, Dad will be cremated without a service and we will take his ashes to the Lake District to be buried or scattered. However, many will want to pay tribute or send messages, and the family would appreciate a collection of these along with pictures so a memorial site has been set up here: https://michael-roger-pearce.muchloved.com. Please follow this link and then click on "Contribute" in the top left to leave a thought, a story or a picture and "Visit the Galleries" to see what others have left. We hope this will do more justice to his long life and many contributions than this brief message. Condolence cards can be posted to the address below for sharing with the family. If you would like to make a charity contribution in his name, please send it to an environmental or heritage charity of your choice or the Air Ambulance service. Alison, Nicola & David
c/o 13 Olympia Gardens,
Morpeth, NE61 1JQ. |
| March 2023 |
"Missed" page updated |
| July 2022 |
From
Philip Carman ...
Hi. I'm sorry to announce that our mother Doreen Carman (nee Graham) who was Art Teacher at Morecambe Grammar School from 63-early 70s, passed away last week peacefully after a short illness.
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| April 2022 |
Sadly, I have to report that Sylvia Harrison ( nee Foster) died suddenly on 15th April. Her daughter wrote -
"I can’t believe I am writing this post Sylvia Harrison for all my friends/mums friends here, my lovely mum, my best friend, passed away in the early hours of yesterday morning after becoming very poorly Tuesday morning oh Mum …. what should have been the start of you big week celebrating your 70th birthday today, instead we are all left utterly heartbroken Am lost for words at the moment, but we have put up your special cards and I will carry out out some birthday plans with some friends in your honour over the coming weeks Rest in Peace my beautiful Mummy, heaven has just got themselves one heck of an angel Thanks to everyone who already heard this news for your kind words and support at this truly sad, and unbelievable time"
Funeral is 11.30 at Lancaster & Morecambe crematorium followed by a celebration of her life by friends at VoL |
| January 2021 |
Gwyn Edwards daughter has just contacted me to advise that her father, Gwynfryn Edwards died Jan 2020. |
| November 2020 |
Receceived from George Povey
Hi
Hopefully this email account is still monitored, and if so I thought I'd pass on the sad news that my Grandpa and your former art teacher, Donald Povey, passed away a couple of weeks ago.
I found this website a few years ago, and showed it to Grandpa, we went through the old school photos and he told me all sorts of stories about the teachers and students there at the time.
It was really lovely having that moment with him and it is something I look back on with great fondness, so thank you to whoever set up this website.
If anyone has any messages or memories that they would like to share please feel free to reply at this address and I'll pass them on to my Grandma and the rest of the family.
Thanks,
George
Email address : gpovey@gmail.com |
| August 2020 |
We have sent this to all subscribers on our mail list :
It is with regret that we have had to reschedule the 2020 Reunion until, hopefully, next year.
Obviously this is caused by uncertainty regarding the Covid virus.
We will keep you informed when we are able to set a new date.
Regards
Peter Hornby
Carole Bould
Vic Price
Sheila Crossley |
| April 2020 |
Fred Siddle retirement speech and early MGS history added here |
| March 2020 |
2020 Reunion confirmed
This is the email I have sent out to those on my mailing list :
Hi
This was originally intended to be around the end of September. Synchronising venues and caterers has resulted in a slight delay.
Caterers and Venues are now booked for 19.00 Saturday 24 October 2020.
Start years 1962,1963,1964 are welcome. Most of these folks will now be 67 - 69 years old.
Please confirm if you are able to attend.
As people are now retired, email addresses have changed and I would welcome any current contact details for the following:
| Irene (Mc Vickers) Warner |
Alan Freear |
Susan O'Brien |
| Iris Barstow |
Ian Gardner |
Carys Owen |
| Sheila Bird |
Brian Gibbon |
Carol parker |
| Helen boak |
Bill Grace |
Dennis Robinson |
| Chris Bowerman |
Stephen Haigh |
Linda Robinson |
| Eric Bryan |
Judith hallahan |
Pam Salter |
| David Creedy |
Robert Harland |
Michael Savage |
| Richard Crossley |
Sylvia jones |
Helen Shorrocks |
| Susan Devenport( nee Haworth) |
Ray keighley |
John Simpson |
| Sheila Dingley |
Nicky Louette |
Linda Taylor |
| Linda Doherty |
Yvonne Moorby |
Lindsay Whittaker |
| Michael Elsworth |
Anne Morgan |
Steve woods |
| Sheila Ferguson |
Kirstie Murdoch |
Roger Yates |
Regards
Peter
|
| January 2020 |
2020 Reunion ?
This is the email I have sent out to those on my mailing list :
Hi
The intention was to have a reunion in 2019, which was the 100 years anniversary of the original grammar school and 80 years at Dallam Avenue. Morecambe High School contacted me advising us that they would have a major anniversary event in Spring 2019. It seemed sensible to synchronise dates combining our own reunion with their event. For various reasons* Morecambe High School did not hold the event and it was then too late for us to organise our own reunion, despite much interest.
2020 will be 50 years since my year left the school. I have had various contacts asking about another reunion.
I think we need to organise a few things:
1) Decide a suitable date. I have been advised 9-9-2020 is out !
2) Establish a group to help with the organisation
3) As we are mainly retired, many of the emails in the database will have lapsed. I will send a further mail with a list of "lost" people !
4) We need to decide on a venue, catering etc
I am open to ideas !
Peter
Contact email : mail@mgs1970.com
There is also a Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/5324373242
* MHS suggested May, and provided a link to their website where the details were to be provided. At this stage, it seemed OK and I agreed to provide various nostalgia items for a memory wall. MHS became an academy and the date was postponed with September being suggested. The reference to their event then vanished and I heard no more. |
| April 2019 |
CHANGE OF DATE
Message from Morecambe High School
"Just to let you know the centenary celebrations have been postponed until July, this is because of the conversion to an academy on the 1st May. We will put all the information about this on our new website. " |
| April 2019 |
Message from Morecambe High School
100 Year Celebration
In May 2019, the school will be celebrating its’ Centenary marking 100 years of econdary education in
Morecambe. Amongst other events, the school is creating a “time tunnel” full of old photographs and artifacts
which will be open for alumni to walk through and see how education in Morecambe has changed through the
ages.
Can you help us? Do you have any old photographs, memories or printed material and could we borrow it or
copy it?
Please email cmarney@morecam.be.
All ex students and staff will be welcome to our school during our celebrations which will take place over the
weekend of the 25th and 26th May – Save the date! |
| April 2018 |
Various reunions planned. Letter sent to registered members here : |
| April 2018 |
Pat Hoyle (Train) left us in April 2017 |
| February 2018 |
Patience programme added (Thanks to Carol Hutchison) |
| January 2018 |
HMS Pinafore programme added (Thanks to Lindsay Gilliers) |
| January 2018 |
Doc Pearce advised that ex teachers Langtree and Bell have recently died |
| June 2017 |
Morecambe timeline updated |
| May 2017 |
Latest MGS annex Broadway news here |
| June 2016 |
65th birthday reunion attendees here |
| May 2016 |
Last reminder for 2016 reunion here |
| March 2016 |
Confirmation mail for proposed 2016 reunion here |
| February 2016 |
Contact mail for proposed 2016 reunion here |
| January 2016 |
1963 1964 1965 Speech Day programmes added |
| December 2015 |
Linda Casson has left us. Link |
| February 2015 |
Commenced uploading old school documents donated by Moreen Francis here |
| January 2015 |
More Morecambe postcards added here |
| April 2014 |
Added images of old Morecambe postcards here |
| January 2014 |
Many more Morecambe nostalgic photos here |
| October 2013 |
The school has been much expanded since 1963-1970 to house around 1500 pupils. The layout for 2013 is here |
| October 2013 |
Reunion photos in Lancaster Guardian : http://www.lancasterguardian.co.uk/news/community/slideshow-guardian-people-morecambe-grammar-school-reunion-1-6115030 |
| October 2013 |
50th anniversary photos added here |
| October 2013 |
The following have recently changed their email address and latest mails have bounced: Steve Baldrance, Nancy Evans, Anita Finch, Roy Gillson, Pauline Harrison, Tim Smith, Christine Wild.
Any information welcomed .... |
| September 2013 |
More photos added here and here |
| August 2013 |
Latest information regarding 50th anniversary meet up |
| August 2013 |
Links to local video clips by Chris Abram added |
| August 2013 |
Images of 1968 school diary added here |
| August 2013 |
The Broadway hotel will be known to many! The loss of summer visitors resulted in the five bars open to the public being reduced to one many years ago. It has survived as a low cost stop for the coach trade. This business has seen a dramatic reduction following the UK recession. Planning permission for demolition and replacement with an apartment block has recently been renewed and developers are proposing to hold a public meeting next month. A recent report from The Visitor tells more. |
| July 2013 |
The 50th reunion is approaching and many new faces are appearing. Email from Doc Pearce :
Hello everyone!
Lindsay Gilson (who has recently found me) says you wanted a contact address for me, so here it is. Since leaving Morecambe I have been in and around Newcastle but retired in 1990. I've just had my 80th birthday and am slowing down a good deal. I was at MGS from 1961 to 1967. Sadly I cannot make the reunion on 7 September. I have agreed to give a talk then - assuming I can remember what I want to say! Life is also cluttered with hospital appointments. All the best to you all.
(Doc) Mike Pearce |
| July 2013 |
Old and new Lancaster videos by Stuart Reilly 1 2 3 4 |
| July 2013 |
Lancaster and Morecambe nostalgia video from Andy Forshaw |
| July 2013 |
Website statistics to June 2013 |
| June 2013 |
Video documentary about Morecambe from Kris Knowles using some material from this website. |
| May 2013 |
Beach train clip |
| May 2013 |
More photos added to "then & now" |
| May 2013 |
More old maps and data added to the Morecambe nostalgia page |
| April 2013 |
50th year anniversary confirmed here. |
| March 2013 |
From the Bare Village website, a 1936 receipt for advertising in The Ship MGS school magazine |
| March 2013 |
I've added many Morecambe nostalgia images here ... |
| February 2013 |
There is interest in a 50th year reunion here ... |
| January 2013 |
http://morecambeonthebay.blogspot.fr is a blog with old and new photos of Morecambe. it has been added to the links page. |
| January 2013 |
Published in the Visitor on 23 January 2013
SUNDERLAND - On 10th January 2013 in hospital PETER aged 61 years. The very dear son of Peggy and the late Walter, dear brother of Mike and brother in law of Yvonne. The funeral service will take place at the Lancaster and Morecambe Crematorium on Friday, 25th January at 11.45 a.m. Family flowers only please. Alex Willis Funeral Home, 2 Middleton Road, Heysham, LA3 2QD. Tel: 01524 851595
This hides a sad story. Peter Sunderland (MGS 1962-1969) left university and travelled in Asia where he succumbed to a neural tropical disease. He suffered from mental health issues until his untimely death. |
| January 2013 |
Heysham village video clip |
| January 2013 |
2012 Review from The Visitor : January to June ... July to December |
| December 2012 |
John S Taylor was an English teacher at MGS in the late 60's. He subsequently worked in various countries before retiring to Andalucia. His website details his past experiences as well as his current life as a writer : http://johnsharrocktaylor.webs.com |
| December 2012 |
I have had a contact asking for news of Mr Linton who was an MGS history teacher as recently as 1970. Information can be forwarded ... |
| December 2012 |
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| December 2012 |
New Lower 6th photo from 1969 added here. Is it L6SC1 from 1969 ? Thanks to Julia Russell. |
| December 2012 |
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| November 2012 |
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| November 2012 |
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| November 2012 |
Some more Morecambe photos added here |
| October 2012 |
Some photos from the 2002 reunion have been found and uploaded here. Names and more info here. |
| October 2012 |
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| October 2012 |
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| October 2012 |
Video clip of quicksands in the bay here |
| September 2012 |
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| August 2012 |
Added miscellaneous Morecambe pics from c2000 here |
| August 2012 |
Interesting aerial photo from 1920 |
| August 2012 |
Link to Morecambe historic town survey added |
| August 2012 |
Added "About" page to index |
| July 2012 |
More reunion photos added here. I need help in finding more then and now pics and we don't have any photos from the 2002 reunion - unless you know better ? |
| July 2012 |
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| July 2012 |
Added live weather cam from Glasson Sailing Club. Click here for larger. |
| July 2012 |
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| July 2012 |
This website still becoming better ranked in search engines : Google.com |
| July 2012 |
Some interesting photos of old Morecambe theatres here |
| July 2012 |
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| July 2012 |
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| July 2012 |
Then and now photos updated here. We welcome better scans of the 1968 senior school photo and the missing 6th form group photos. |
| July 2012 |
July update newsletter sent to 86 email contacts. If you have haven't received it, please let us know. |
| July 2012 |
Automated newsletter sign up added to menu. Existing "known" pupils already included in the database. |
| July 2012 |
Known and Missing members updated with latest information. Any help regarding "missing" pupils welcomed. |
| June 2012 |
Some interesting aerial photos here. This one from the 20's has been cleaned up and there is much of interest. Spot the bathing machines ? |
| June 2012 |
We'd be delighted to have scans of old school photos. In particular, anyone having photos of the 5th form / upper & lower 6th please contact me. |
| June 2012 |
1969 Lower VI Language (R) photo uploaded here |
| June 2012 |
Draft reunion attendee list here. Anyone forgot to sign the attendance sheets ? |
| June 2012 |
More reunion photos from Helen Waner here |
| June 2012 |
Eric Withey has organised a school visit for 12th July. I will forward emails for those who are interested in joining him. |
| June 2012 |
Peter Hornby random photos of 2012 Morecambe area here |
| June 2012 |
David Wilkinson photos of the reunion here |
| June 2012 |
The 2012 reunion was held on 9 June at Vale of Lune rugby club. Site info and contact lists are currently being updated. Approximate numbers were : Attended=50, Unable to attend=30, Apologies 15. Unfortunately 25 contacts have been lost due to changed email addresses. |
| Prior News archived here |
