John Cade (FS 58-64) has written with details of a reunion which took place last year:

“An unofficial reunion of Old St. Beghians was held over the weekend of 22nd-24th October at The Bear Hotel in Woodstock, a small village north west of Oxford. All who were present left school in 1963 and 1964. Some had not seen each other for over forty years, but it was as if we had met only a few weeks previously, such was the bond established during our years at St. Bees.

The following is a list of those who were present:
Nigel Wagstaff (G58-63), Clive Milburn (F 58-63), Martin Dawson (F 58-63), Alan Birkinshaw (FS 58-62), Duncan Peel (SH 59-63), Nick Acons (SH 58-63), Peter Dixon (FS 56-63), Pat Stobart (SH 58-63), Rod Murray (G 58-63), David Waldron (G 58-63), John Cade (FS 58-64), David Cade (FS 59-64) and Dick Lockwood (FS 59-64).

The reunion was mooted in 2009 at a meeting between Nigel, Martin and Clive. Nigel was designated to set up the event, which he did with considerable aplomb. Nick Acons travelled from Norway and John Cade from South Africa. Chris Greetham was unable to join us as he had to return to Bermuda.

The Friday night activities ended with a loud bang and the sound of breaking glass from the bar area. It was discovered that Dick Lockwood had lost his balance on an imaginary slope while leaving the bar. He careered head first into a glass pane, which looked out on to the internal passageway where 13th century carriages had passed into the Bear Hotel so long ago. As luck would have it, a recently retired surgeon, David Cade, was close at hand to assure Dick that no serious damage had been done. It was explained to him that his main problem when he returned to Yorkshire would be explaining to his wife the cause of a bloody graze on his forehead! Many explanations were readily forthcoming at breakfast the following morning. As our group of Old Boys assembled in the courtyard before departure on the Sunday morning, an almighty crash of bottles emanated from the nearby kitchen area. Dick had intimated that he would leave straight after breakfast before the rest of us. We are not sure that he did!

The reunion was a very special occasion and more regular contact via email is ongoing.
We all look forward to another such event in the not too distant future.”