Old Godhelmian Association Newsletter (20) August 2022  Dear Old Godhelmian, We hope you are all well. It’s been quite a busy summer so far. A couple of reunions have taken place this year: On Saturday June 11^th there was an informal reunion for those who left Godalming Grammar in 1972 at The Stag on The River in Eashing. 25 OGs attended for lunch. English teacher, Neil Martin, joined us in the afternoon. It was lovely seeing people again and we all had so many, mostly good, memories! The Godalming Grammar class of 1970-77 met up for a picnic and tour of the college on Sun 17th July. It was great fun reminiscing about our school days and we even had a teacher, Mr Peter Clake, pop in. The plan is to do it again in 2024 on the 50th anniversary of the 1974 school photo. A smaller group of us regularly meet for lunches and dinners and all are welcome. The next full reunion for all Old Godhelmians is scheduled for October 2023.  Book - Godalming Grammar: A School on a Hill.  The book continues to make good progress. The editorial team of Annette Ettorre, Shirley Coleman and Eleanor Andrews has now chosen a printing firm and they are finalising details.   However, it is not too late if you want to add an article or a photo.  The deadline is 30^th September 2022.  We want your anecdotes about sports activities, the Debating Society, trips abroad, the staff (also from the staff too), any clubs you might have been involved in and any GGS traditions. Do you have any recordings of GGS dramatic or musical productions? Was there someone in your year who stood out for any (good) reason? What about the music scene outside school?  Were you a frequenter of the Gin Mill, for example?  If you have any interesting information or photos about the school, please send them to [email protected] We have decided to go for pre-sales donations to help pre-fund the printing.  Details to follow. We have already received a very generous pledge from one OG. The price per book will be around £20. We are hoping that the book will be available in 2023, with copies on sale at the October Reunion. Purchase by post is being discussed by the committee.  Help Needed

• We need to borrow the 1964 copy of the Godhelmian as the one we have is missing pages 3 to 8. Do you have one?
• Does anyone have a photo of pupils going up Holloway Hill – from any era – that we can put on the cover of the book?
• We would like to make a memory book about Mini Brown who died earlier this year. Please send any contributions to [email protected]

Poetry Workshop The online poetry workshop will be a discussion group, similar to a book club, and there will be a session sometime in the autumn. If the trial run is successful, it will become a regular event. Each session will be led by a different person, starting with Pat Williams (née Youngfir). This is one of Pat’s choices: https://poets.org/poem/one-art Website Please let us know if you have any problems logging on to the website.  We have increased the security and it may affect people living overseas or people using Apple equipment. Please register on the website (https://www.theoga.org/) in order to access the full range of information and photographs. Membership To date (August 2022) 461 people have confirmed their membership of the OGA and 157 people have registered on the Website. Treasurer's Report Many thanks to all who contributed to the fundraising appeal. £560 was raised which will keep us in funds for some time and allow me to retire the begging bowl for a while. Further thanks to those who made out a standing order which will save having to hear from me again for a lot longer!  Hope everyone enjoys this hot Summer and look forward to seeing a lot of you again next year. Pete Cousins Our bank account details are as follows: Old Godhelmian Association Co-operative bank Sort Code: 08-92-99 Account No.: 65719682 Best Wishes, The OGA Committee Essential Information Website 

• The website (www.theoga.org) has been updated by Richard Hindle with support from Mary Pugh and Eleanor Andrews and is now live.
• Archive material (photographs, obituaries, history, etc.) from the original website has mostly been retained.
• We are adding more material all the time.

 Archive

• We would be grateful for GGS images, in high definition. Until further notice, please send in digital form to Eleanor ([email protected]).

 Social Media

• Currently, there are three Facebook pages for ex-pupils of Godalming Grammar School:
  • GGS School Reunion 2017 (a closed group set up for that specific purpose)
  • Godalming Grammar School Reunion (a public group set up for a specific reunion)
  • Godalming Grammar School (a closed general group)
• Godalming College has a Facebook page.
• There is another interesting Facebook page for Godalming Town Past and Present.
• Twitter - @Godalming Grammar School, @ Godalming College
• Instagram – Godalming College

Eleanor Andrews (née Whitcombe) – Secretary Jude Baker (née Tribe) Caroline Brooks (née Bailey) Shirley Coleman – Chair Peter Cousins – Treasurer Annette Ettorre (née Pickford) Hazel Freeston (née White)

65 – 72 65 – 72 66 – 71 65 – 72 65 - 72 65 - 72 47 - 54

David Hayes Susan Hindle (née Potts) Jane Jopson (née Harris) Mary Pugh (née Pout) Marta Riddle (née Grabiec) Judy Stoker (née Bennett) Steve Teague

66 – 71 65 – 72 67 - 74 65 – 72 65 - 72 55 – 61 70 – 77