"A fresh bout of nostalgia overtook me last night. I was then to discover your web-site. So incredibly evocative that when I finally got to bed (3am) the thoughts kept tumbling for a few hours more. So ironically coincidental, after all this time, that last night (12 Nov) happened to be the occasion of the Old Boys reunion at Villa Park. I trust it was a good evening.

Regarding the teachers, Tyson, "Billy" Chivers Fenton, Edwards, Fox et al - memories all!! Calvert "always" wore a light blue tweedy jacket and bicycle clips. Painter's jacket was equally roughcast & light brown. Do you not remember Bentley's winged collar or "Dotty" Ray the geography teacher, "Baggy" Barrows who taught history and married Pinder? "Tiny" Winton who taught History I think? And what happened to "Daddy" Harris, who was somewhat crippled and spent his day at the piano in Big School, rehearsing the school song and occasionally regaling us all with Chopin's Polonaise in A etc.

I have always been proud of my affiliations with KEGSA and strange and unwelcoming territories around the world have been wont to be serenaded by my own personal, half-remembered, less than dulcet delivery of my own, personal, version of the school song. Courtesy of your kind self I can now swot it up again. Maybe, refurbished, the "local" natives will find it less offensive. Though I imagine that to propose their participation would be pushing it!!

Whilst at school (two years ahead of you think - intake of 1948), I did quite well academically. I think I'm on the, apparently eroding, honours board. I was the chess, athletics & cross country champion. (Though it was always the house (in my case "Temperley") that had its name inscribed on the winner's cup!!) I was one of the earlier "Senior Prefects" but, of course lost the badge with my papers!! I did quite well in the Birmingham inter-school mile and the Midland championships 1/2 mile. So, one way or another, my memories are fond.

As a young girl, my mother threw stones at the "Grammar Grubs" of KEGSA. So what could have been a more natural ambition for her than that her only child should vicariouly turn the tables for her, on her own childhood, attend that self-same school and do so successfully. I guess her upbringing was thus purged!! So to her and to KEGSA, I owe the interest and success of my life and am truly and duly grateful." (David Powell, New Zealand)