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News > Reunions > The 70 Years-out-of-school Leavers visit The Mitre.

The 70 Years-out-of-school Leavers visit The Mitre.

The were welcomed to a lovely Tea.
14 Mar 2025
Reunions
Members of the Class of 1954/55 and their partners at The Mitre.
Members of the Class of 1954/55 and their partners at The Mitre.

Several members of the Class of 1954 and 1955 met on Founders Day at a special Tea arranged for them by the ODU.

It is 71 and 70 years respectively since the 1954s and 1955s matriculated. 

Margie Brown whose late husband Ian Brown was in Gray House, continues to be a stalwart in the group, organising events such as the one recently held. 

Margie reported back: "Five members attended the Chapel Service and were joined by four more for a delicious High Tea at the Mitre. Dr Paul Murray then conducted them on a fascinating tour of the Museum".

In the photograph taken in The Mitre Lounge are:  In front from left to right - Tossie van Tonder, Kitty Plummer, Ceri McKellar, and Margie Brown.

Standing from left to right at the back are John Cartwright (1955G), Anthony Plummer (1955G), Frank Purcell (1955/1956S/O), Robin McKellar (1954O), Anthony Keen (1955G), John James (1955O), James Willis (1954/1955F/W) and the recently elected Chair of the ODU, Simon Koch (1977S).  The photograph was taken by Paul Murray (Staff: 1991 - ) who conducted a tour after the tea, for the ODs and their wives. 

Writing in the December edition of the 1955 school magazine, the editor said:

"In this hurrying world of ours another year has chased away; a momentous year for a number of fellows who have spent four or five years here with us at the College, and some an equal length of time at the Preparatory School. Life at any school is of necessity to some degree confined, and perhaps we here lead in some ways a more insular life than many, so numerous are the activities outside the essential curriculum claiming our time and interest in this pine-girt island of ours. We may well be almost too self-sufficient."

One can only wonder how much things might have changed from that time 70 years ago.

We wish the 70 Year Leavers and their spouses/partners and families all the very best and look forward to their next reunion which will be in 2030!

As Margie writes: "We look forward to 2030, the 75th!"

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