Friday the 29th of May 2010 saw the Pembroke Grammar school re-union of the class of 61. No hiding your age at this bash, as all seventy of us are in our 60th year!

History tells us that in the year of ’61, our Prime Minister was the dour Harold Macmillan, and the newly elected President of the USA was the charismatic and forward thinking JFK.

On a more trivial note, but of far greater importance to us kids, was the fact that Bobby Vee was top of the hit parade with ‘Take Good Care Of My Baby’ and my idol John Leyton was belting out ‘Johnny Remember Me’.

It was also the year that ninety eleven year olds from Pembroke, Pembroke Dock, and outlying country areas, began their secondary education at Pembroke Grammar School.

This get together was the brain child of Margie Griffiths and Sally Ann Rees, who idly suggested over coffee one day, that it would be a great idea to stage a re- union. They voiced their proposed plan to Johnny Power and Lionel Nutting who both readily offered to help with the arrangements. The rest as they say, is history.

The Quins function room was bedecked with the school colours that were reflected in the black and gold balloons festooned from the ceiling, to the matching serviettes on the guest’s tables.

The tickets cost a mere five pounds per head, and included a ‘Bucks Fizz’ on arrival and a stupendous buffet, organised and laid on by the Quins Ladies Committee.

Shirley Jones travelled all the way from Dusseldorf to attend, whilst Ritchie Davies had embarked on a mammoth car journey, which took him from Norfolk to Pembroke Dock.

Greeting the guests was Lionel who distributed cute little laminated Kipper ties in black and gold, with a message embellished on each one. Ex pupils received a tie with their name on, whilst partners who had not attended Bush, had one that read, ‘I was dragged along by---“--- The raffle made a total of £260 and donations were made to the RLNI and the Quins Youth Section.

Mine host for the evening was that irrepressible and mischievous imp Johnny Power, whose burbling, lively banter made the evening come alive and go with a swing. Incidentally, he seems to have gone backwards in time, and still only looks about fourteen! (Swine)

A fantastic time was had by one and all. It was Robin Williams who reputedly said “If you can remember the 60s you weren’t there.” Well, we were true children of the 60s, and that slick remark might have been true of Carnaby Street or the Kings Road Chelsea, but in Pembroke Grammar, the only grass to be found was on the hockey and rugby fields and the only weed we encountered was a puny, skinny wretch of a sixth form prefect who took great delight in ‘booking you.’

What we do remember about the 60s however, was our excellent, well rounded, and superb education, and how proud and privileged we were to be a part of it all.

Proud to be a County Kipper. “County Kippers sat upon a wall Correr cods came an eat ‘em all.”
(And the reverse of course)

Mel Phillips

Check out the PHOTOS page for a gallery of photos taken on the night for the Class of 61!