Reunion 11th & 12th October 2008

13 October 2008

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On Saturday 11th October 2008, Over 500 students took a trip down memory lane as they returned to Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School (BRGS) for an emotional reunion.

Reunions for all former students take place every five years and this time the reunion celebrated 95 years
of the school.
Classrooms were divided into different decades to make it easier for friends to spot each other. The official welcome from the headmaster at the start of the weekend was slightly delayed because friends were so intent on chatting to each other!
As for previous reunions, former students travelled across the globe to attend and some were reunited with classmates whom they had not seen in over 40 years.

Headmaster Marc Morris, who has been at the school for nearly four years said: “Watching people walk through the doors and seeing their obvious affection for the school and for friends they have not seen for a number of years was quite touching. Most of the former students who attended were pupils during the 1940s to 1960s but we also had some recent leavers who particularly enjoyed our evening reception in the sixth form centre.”
“Current students helped to make the day a real success and the musical entertainment they provided ranging from the pianists accompanying afternoon tea to the jazz musicians playing throughout the evening was outstanding.”

The weekend also saw the return of former BRGS headmasters Martyn Morris (1988 – 2004) and Philip Clark (1969 – 1988). Their headships along with that of the current headmaster span nearly 40 years.

The next reunion will be in 2013 when the school will celebrate its centenary.

Reunion 11th & 12th October 2008

The programme for the 11th October was:

12 p.m.	School opens
1.30 p.m.	Official welcome by Marc Morris, Headmaster
1.45 – 3.00 p.m	Afternoon teas available: an ideal opportunity to arrange to meet and chat to fellow former classmates over a cup of tea.
4.00 – 5.30 p.m	Buffet teas available. In the next ‘Friends of BRGS’ newsletter there will be a booking form for the buffet tea (other refreshments do not need to be pre-ordered).
6.00 – 7.00 p.m.	Evening concert with music from current and former students.
7.00 – 9.00 p.m.	Canapés and drinks evening reception in the sixth form centre.

The traditional thanksgiving service took place at 11.30 a.m. at BRGS on Sunday 12th October

If you are eager to trace former classmates or you need a quick reminder of who was in your form, do look at the school website where we have been busy expanding our archive section and adding class lists. Class Lists

If you have your own copy of a class list and it does not appear on the website please do contact Laura Sharples at lcs@brgs.org.uk.

See photographs from the last whole school reunion in 2003

Past Reunions

75th Anniversary Reunion Programme 1988
Article in 1994 Squirrel Magazine: 80th BRGS Reunion, 9th April 1994
"Class of '66" Reunion in 1995