The "49ers"

The 49ers are a group of OBs who have been collaborating to collect names for the 1949 photograph. They are also turning their attention to the 1947 and 1952 photographs.
Amongst their members are Brian Ransley, David Wiltshire, Rennie Vickers, Terry Williams, Brian Veale, Brian Bignell, Ron Wynands, Peter Rogers, Geoff Sherlock, Donald Sainsbury & Geoff Pask..   You can read some notes that some of the 49ers have submitted themselves describing their acheivements and present situations.

Some of the 49ers still living in the High Wycombe area now meet occasionally at "The Polecat" in Prestwood for a few drinks and a lot of chat.
Scroll down or click the links below to see photos taken on these events

   First 49ers meeting 15th July 2009      December 2009 Polecat reunion                April 2010 Polecat reunion      Rennie "down under"     Ken Bowell, latest member   

Pictured above are Rennie Vickers, Brian Bignell, Brian Ransley (taken on 6th Sept 2008). 

The first Polecat meeting 15th July 2009

from L - R, Terry Williams, Donald Sainsbury, Rennie Vickers, David Wiltshire, and Ron Wynands.

Wednesday 2nd December 2009, The Polecat.

David Wiltshire took the photo above.

Rennie "down under" 22jan2010

Brian Ransley wrote on 22jan2010:-
Met Rennie & Pat Vickers yesterday evening and we ended up at our golf club for dinner.
The arrival of the Vickers brought us a little and much welcome rain, but it didn't last long.I don't normally wear longs in January, but I didn't have a pair of clean presentable shorts handy to wear for dinner.
No cordylines in the photo unfortunately. I promise to do better next time!
They've now boarded their cruise ship and are en route to Tauranga then all ports south and west to Sydney.

Tony comments: The Cordylines Brian refers to are somtimes called Australian Cabbage Palms but are more properly described by their scientific name of "Torbay Palms"

To which Brian replies: "Australian Cabbage Palms, indeed!!!!!    Tsk, tsk. The australis as in Cordyline australis means southern, as any of ERT's Latin scholars would tell you the good people of Torbay. 
Crikey, they pinched Clarrie Grimmett, Pharlap  and Pavlova,  and now you're giving them another one of our icons!"

Sorry about that Brian, please accept this icon as a peace offering 

The Polecat 28th April 2010

Left to right Don Sainsbury, Sir Peter Fry, David Wiltshire, John Read, Terry Williams, Tony Barr, Ron Wynands, Rennie Vickers

Rennie reports:- 

This was the 3rd lunch time meeting of the 49ers held at The Polecat in Prestwood and in my opinion the most enjoyable to date.
On this occasion the 49ers were delighted to welcome ex Head Prefect and Captain of Youens House and former long serving Member of Parliament for the constituency of Wellingborough, Sir Peter Fry.

Tony Barr, has since remarked "I very much enjoyed our lunch together and see that there is still a good deal to turn-over from our days at the RGS"
Peter Fry commented  "I must say that I enjoyed myself very much and it was great to see you all after all these years. It seemed such a happy occasion that the years rolled back and I am now very much looking forward to future gatherings".
David Wiltshire added "These little gatherings we have had are most enjoyable and, unlike those which cover all eras, you are meeting people of your own vintage who shared common experiences. It occurred to me, looking back at all our cleared plates, that we just had to have grown up during the war when wasting food was unthinkable. That's something you never forget. Had it been a similar gathering of people who had left school more recently, a lot of food would probably have remained uneaten".