BRANCH ACTIVITIES:

Bristol and West of England
The Bristol and West of England Branch held a very successful dinner on May 27th at the Ship Inn, Alveston, just outside Bristol.
We were twenty one at the table including our guest the Head (though, sadly, on this occasion, without Helen). Another absentee was the Society President. Don has been a faithful attendee during his term of office and we missed him. As always it was good to hear Philip Capes respond to the toast of 'The School' with an account of what's happening at St Bees. The school is of course a very different place from the one many of us knew fifty or sixty (or eighty) years ago but it was good to hear of how values and a spirit of enterprise were still being maintained. Alec MacCaig responded to the toast 'The Society', paying tribute to the achievements of Don Williams as President and reading from a speech prepared by Don.
It is always a good occasion, small enough to be intimate but large enough to feel it's a good gathering. We plan to schedule the 2012 event at the same time, just before the Spring Bank Holiday - and we'd love to see anyone who could come.  Present were: Dr A.W. (Bill) Frankland (F 26-30), Mr C.A.E. (Tony) Davy (F42-45), Mr A.S. (Alec) MacCaig (FS 42-46), Mr D.R.W. (David) Hartley (FS 44-48), Dr W.S. (Bill) Affleck (SH 45-51), Mr M.T.R. (Michael) Wiggans (SH 45-51), Mr D.A. (David) Johnston (G 47-51), Mr G.M. (Gerry) Beighton (FS 48-52), Mr D.R. (Dacre) Watson (SH 56-62), Mr S.G. (Stuart) Withnall (G 58-63), Mr J.P.C. (John) Holden (F 59-63), Mr S.F. (Stephen) Moss (SH 63-68) and Miss E.V.K. (Emma) Pyle (L  89-92). And the Ladies: Mrs Helen Davy, Mrs Mary McCaig, Mrs Joyce Affleck, Mrs Maggie Beighton, Mrs Ann Watson, Mrs Diedre Moss and Mrs Susan Pyle. And our Guest: The Head, Mr P.J. (Philip) Capes.
Bill Affleck.

Manchester
On Saturday, 21st May a dinner for Old St Beghians was held at the Hilton Hotel in Manchester.
Those in attendance were: Mark Rocca (FS 75-80), John Boag (FS 74-81), Ken Rangecroft (FN 73-78), Torquil Macleod (FN 74-81), Roy Calvin (SH 79-83), James Strain (SH 74-81), Iain Braithwaite (G 71-78), Andrew Haile (F/SH 76-83), 
Belinda Morvan (G 79-81), Sam Robson (G 79-81), Anya Robson (G 81-83), Yvonne Reay (G 79-85), Mark Varley (G 72-77), Sara Calvin (G 77-84), Howard Batey (F 73-79), Rosie Larkin (L 77-79) and Matthew Rigby (FS 73-78).
Many of us had not seen each other since leaving the school, but it was remarkable how easily the conversations flowed and how the laughter got louder. Ours was not talk of careers built or fortunes lost but of ‘Ron’ Dearle staring out of the history classroom window at a train which dared to be late. Or of Alan Francis telling us our hair was too long and to get it cut like his (it's short but modern laddie!!). We all have memories of characters like TAP Rice, David Marshall and Peter Olivier, and how you could hear a pin drop when Mr. Lees came into the room. Old St. Beghians have a rare skill for not taking life too seriously and being able to laugh at themselves and I felt this was very evident on Saturday. The dinner itself was brilliantly organised by young Rocca (I always said he'd go far that lad. Apparently he already has). Eventually, at about midnight, Matthew Rigby stood up to speak on behalf of the Headmaster, and as an Old Boy/Governor gave a report on the state of play at the school right now. He can't remember what he said but the essence was "Could try harder". The extent to which St. Bees School has shaped all our lives and enriched us as people is something we will have for ever.
We all resolved to reconvene in May 2012 at the Manchester Hilton, when it is hoped that many more Old St. Beghians will be able to join this thoroughly enjoyable event. Oh, and let distance not be a barrier considering we had colleagues from Montpellier, Paris, St. Bees, Newcastle and Buxton at this dinner.
Matthew Rigby.
Please Click Here to see photo of the survivors (taken at 2am!).

West Cumbria Branch
The West Cumbria Branch Dinner of the St. Beghian Society was held in the Manor House, St. Bees on Friday, 15th April with 26 members in attendance. It was good to see that people from the North East, Preston, South Lakeland as well as from the locality were present. We were pleased to welcome Bill Roberts and his wife Annette as our guests; Bill is deputy chairman of the governors. We were also delighted that Don Williams and his wife Linda were in attendance. Sadly the Headmaster and his wife were not able to attend as he was on a promotional tour in Romania.
The Loyal Toast was proposed by Mike Brandwood. Darryl Davies then spoke about his recent appointment as a governor and his role in the newly formed Development Committee. Jane Dyer (deputising for the Head) gave an excellent speech outlining the highlights of a very successful year at the school. She proposed a toast to the St. Beghian Society. The response was made by our President, Don Williams, who gave an emotional speech about his final days in office and how much pleasure he had got from the post. You could have heard a pin drop, such was the quality of his delivery; it came straight from the heart. Don then proposed a toast to the school.
The evening continued well into Saturday morning with groups chatting over a pint. The Manor House proved to be an excellent venue with good food and a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
The following were in attendance:- Don Williams (President of the Society) (F 61-64) and his wife Linda, David (Fred) Lord (secretary of the Society) (SH 60-65) and his wife Fiona, Darryl Davies (local secretary) (FS 62-68), Bill Roberts (guest of the Society) and his wife Annette, Jane Dyer (representing the school), Stan Holmes (SH 45-50), James Brindle (G 49-53), Mike Brandwood (FS 61-66) and his wife Kate, John Boag (FS 74-81), Andrew Haile (F/SH 76-83), Claire Holliday (nee Haile) (G 80-83), Ruth Edgar (L 81-88) and her partner Cain Martin, John Woodhouse (SH 99-02), Daniel Pitchford (G 95-02), Paul Drysdale (SH 95-02), Jonathan Teasdale (SH 02-06), Kieran Marshall (SH 98-05), Matthew Drysdale (SH 98-05), Alastair Booth (SH 96-03) and David Bushby (SH 95-02). Anna Howard (L 83-86) also popped in later in the evening.
Darryl Davies.
Please click on the name for photos of the evening from Darryl Davies and Don Williams.