News and Views

Hi just to let you know that Chard was the best primary school that I have ever been to. I learned a lot especially in french.

Hi people! How have the tests been going??! :-)

I was at Chard from around 1967-1971.Names that spring to mind..Gus Spears, Sean McCormick, Robin Elliott, Lawrence Wiafe, Adrian Thorne, Jeremy Truelove. Most of those guys were older than me but I spent most of the time with them ! Bob Critchlow taugt there and was in charge of cricket. I ended up as Headboy, captain of Rugby, Cricket & Hockey. Anyone remember me???

Did anyone go to Chard School around 1984-1988? I was in the same class as Alex Froom and Esther Jeanes. i would love to get in touch with Gregory Peters and Amy Hutchings if anyone remembers them.

Hello Everyone!
I just came on here to say that:
chard school was such an amazing place to grow up, i loved every minute of it! i made some AMAZING friends and have soo many good memories!
i want to thank all the amazing teachers for helping me so much!
its such a cute little place! i miss it!
hope to see some people again soon!
lots of love
x x x

Having just received the latest Neswletter prompted me to again look at the website and catch up on some schoolmates. I am still working in the rural industries with an rural export companyin Narrabri NSW and manage to keep in touch with a few old Cerdics. Perry Mason called in last year as he lives in Sydney and had a few of the old roll up photos and it was good to pick out familiar faces. He was talking about trying to arrange a reunion here in Aus which would be good. My brother Bill who is also an Old Cedic has returned to the UK with a post at Edinburgh Uni.

A big thankyou to all the teachers and pupils who made it to school on Friday 6th February 09. I had so much fun having snow ball fights that my sides ached from laughing so much!
I could not have picked a nicer bunch of people to spend the day with.
PS Next time it snows, Miss T had better BEWARE!!
Mrs Dumble.

Hi guys, how's school? Colyton's fab. The teachers are nice and so are all the pupils! I've made some new friends - Nicola, Katherine, Megan, Becky and loads more. Of course, I still have my best bud - Maddie! See ya!

Chard School is a great opportunity to learn, have fun and enjoy every single minute of your life. Hope that applys to you too!

I have had so much fun at this school.I have loved the plays that we have done and all the music.All of the teachers are really good and helpful and I will miss you all next year.I hope that all of this years upper cerdic will have a great time in their new schools.

Really good to hear from you all. John Stotesbury is now Chairman of the OCA . Me ? I am now the Hon.Sec. Mike Horwoood has retired from the job after 13 years. He served the School and the OCA with distinction during this time.
Our new Chairman (!!) keen to get on with his new task has convened a meeting of the committee for 25/09 in order to "brain-storm" ideas for future reunions of Old Cerdics. We want to know what you want so OC's can get together and renew old friendships. Any ideas please let us know ASAP. Better still come along on 25/09 (working lunch 1.00pm).
Best wishes to you all, Graham Chamberlain (Hon.Secretary - Old Cerdics Association !! )

I went to this school from nursery - Monmouth (year 2).
i was the youngest in my year but i made friends with one person who is a year older than me. (well when i say a year i mean 11 months) She did live down my road but i moved house and so now she lives at the bottom of chard and i live at the top! We still keep in contact.

This school really helped get use to what it would be like when i grew older. I learned alot of things in that short amount of time.


I can still remember when we did a play and i was a granny. i was ill on the opening night. i came into school with my pyjamas and my dressing gown on and they said that i could still do it because all i had to do was sit in an arm chair!!!!

I have only just come across this site’s guest book – definitely feeling guilty.

I was a boarder at Chard (Wyndham House – wasn’t me Guv!) from September 1953 until sometime in 1957 when I went with my parents to Cyprus (can’t remember exactly when) and recognise quite a few names on the current committee from that time.

When I joined the school I was seven and I believe the youngest and most precocious pupil the school had ever had – it was all the canings I received that make me think I was – “Go down to the hedge at the bottom of the playing field and choose a suitable cane and report to me at break tomorrow morning!”.

I was very sad to hear of the death of Doug Harding – I seem to recall that Doug was our star cross country runner. I remember one Saturday afternoon when our X-country team was running against Millfield (even now on their website they boast of their sporting prowess) and the boarders were on the playing field waiting for the teams to arrive at the end of the run ……… first we saw a pack of eight (Millfield) and then we saw Doug a few hundred yards behind the pack followed by the rest of the Chard team stretched out behind!! What a cheer Doug received.

I see there is an AJ Yule on the committee – is this actually Tony Yule who played Lady Macbeth in one of the Christmas plays ? Other names I also recognise - Lawson (x3?), MacMahon, Griffiths, Horwood (we have been in touch) .

I feel LSP somehow or other influenced my future life in that I joined the Royal Marines even though I did eventually transfer to the Royal Navy to fly. I am glad that he and Eileen lived long lives. Hopefully the genes have passed onto their daughters – I see Elisabeth is around but am not sure what has happened to her sister.

For some reason all my Chard School photographs have gone AWOL and if anyone has any of the rolled up annual photos or any others (cricket, rugby group photos etc., for the period 1953-1957), I could borrow to scan in I would appreciate it – all postage costs refunded.

Anyone who remembers me then please email me at (contactlt at btinternet dot com) - @ and . removed for, hopefully, obvious reasons (I get about 200+ spam emails a day !!)

hello I spent 5 years at chard school and really enjoyed it there.I recived lots of support from the teachers and lots of encouragement from them. I am now at Kelly College Tavistock and I am haveing a fantastic time. Would love to here from anyone who was at chard at the same time.

hello how old is this school??

Hello George. The school was founded in 1671, and has been operating on this site continuously since that time.

Chard school was the best 7 of my life! To any students who think that it is a waste of time etc, just enjoy it while it lasts, secondary school is much harder!!! Hope to see some old friends at the feyte.

I see the last time I looked at the site was April 2005. How time flies when you're having fun!
My wife and I haven't been back to England since 2005 when everyone was reeling from the London terrorist attacks. We might be over again in 2010.
I am just coming to the end of a 10 months Locum at the Anglican Church in Burnie on the north west coast of Tasmania. We stopped off in September 2007 from our around Australia in a caravan (travelled over 17,000kms so far), to do a 5 month stint which turned into 10 months.
Tasmania's scenery is quite stunning and its people warm and friendly.
We return to Melbourne on 1st July, pick up the 'van and head westwards.
Have to be back by late August to attend my 70th birthday with the family.
We hope the School continues to flourish and the OCA events later this month go well.
Regards to you all
Brian Vaughan.

Hi
I loved Chard School it was great, i really enjoyed the sport with Miss T and Mr Wellington. I also loved the science at chard school.

I chanced across this web site this morning - I have learnt a lot reading some of the comments. I was at Chard School during the 1940's. Lawrence Powell returned from WWII to the headmastership. I have remembered him with growing affection through my life. Through comments listed here I have just learnt that he died in 1998 and that Eileen, his wife, died in 2005. I visited England (I live in Victoria Australia) in 1997 and now realise the importance of that missed opportunity. I did go to Chard School during that visit. Alas it was holiday time and nobody was about. I dearly wanted to meet Lawerence Powell and his wife again. At holiday times I sometimes remained at school, my parents being overseas. More than once Mr and Mrs Powell took me with them to their cottage at St. Just-in-Roseland. It was there that Mr.Powell taught me to sail his boat 'Peanut" and we sometimes raced it out of St. Mawes. I remember too two little girls from those days. So it was a great thrill to realise that comments posted here by Liz Downes were from Elizabeth Powell. Liz I might even still have a photograph of you on a swing in the garden at St. Just. In ones passage through life one sometimes meets special people Lawrence and Eileen Powell were two such people.
If someone thinks of looking at old records may I point out that I changed my surname after leaving school. While at Chard my surname was Ensby. With best wishes to all.

hi, i loved chard school it was a great school!!!!!!! I really enjoy my school and i have made loads of new friends, everyone who was in my class at chard, please keep in touch with me!!!! Thanks to all my teachers who helped me get better in all my subjects. Thanks alot!!!!

hi as you may of guessed this is amelia welch charlotte w-a and our new best friend at colyton- nina. we are having loads of fun here and the work isnt that hard...yet

Did you see "Becky braves the elements" Chard & Ilminster News last week ?
Young Old Cerdic and Windwhistle golfer Becky Dowell finished 12th in the English Ladies Closed Championship at Siloth-on-Solway, Cumbria.
Becky who is a student at Bethune-Cookham University in Florida returned rounds of 77, 77, 82, and 80 for a total of 25 over par in wqet and windy conditions.
Well done Becky - keep it going.

On the last day we tried to hold our tears in, but all our happy years here made us just blubber!!! We ended up walking through chard with smeared felt tips all over our face(everyone drew on our face). Don't think you have got rid of us, we will be visiting you for many more years!!! Byexx

Thank you to all concerned for making sure that HARRIET won the best team player award, awarded by the Coleman family. What an emotionally draining day - wasnt expecting that one!!!!!!!! We are so much more proud of this prize than one of ability.. Thank you again, Nancy Allen

bye bye chard all upper cerdic will miss you loadsxxx

Couldn't agree with you more Katie, Charlotte & Amelia. Chard School is a great school and I was there over 50 years ago !!
It has been a most successful year so far for the school and the OCA but it would be nice to hear from some of you guys out there. Come on boys and girls what are you up to?
There was a record attendance for the Maidenhead reunion and the new event last month at the Perry Street Club was a tremendous evening. (Some of us are still recovering !) See the Old Cerdics page for an in depth account.
The school has now broken up for the summer. The annual prize giving was a most enjoyable occasion, as ever. The HM's report will be on the web shortly so keep tuning in.
The most significant event this year has been the publication of the long awaited history of our school. It has proved to be a mammoth task with a most worthwhile outcome. Over 140 pages and numerous photos. It is compulsive reading and anyone with a modicum of interest/"love" for our school must have a copy !! Available from the school @ £15.00 percopy.
Anyone reading this please add your comment and keep in touch.
Graham Chamberlain
Old Cerdics Association

we need some pictures on here for the upper cerdic herald but this is the best school ever!!!

Chard School was so brilliant and is really helping me through secondary school (espesically in French!!)

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OLD CERDICS
2007 promises to be an exciting year for the OCA
Our anuual Newsletter will be published early in January and will be available on the School website by the end of the month. Click onto the Old Serdics' page.
During 2006 the School and the OCA have been engaged in writing a history of the School through three centuries - a mammoth undertaking. This should be available for publication by the Spring and will be of considerable interest to all those who know the School.
Our first event of the New Year will be the annual get together at the Maidenhead Rugby Club for lunch on Saturday 17th March. Details with the Newsletter.
The annual Chard Reunion is Friday & Saturday 16th/17th June. This year there will be an entirely new event on the Saturday for the whole "family" of Chard School - a dinner/dance at the Perry Street Club near Chard, organised in conjunction with "The Friends of Chard School". This promises to be a big occasion so book early. Again details with the Newsletter.
Warm regards to you all,
Graham Chamberlain
Chairman Old Cerdics Association

Have not come to this location for a long time. Was a boarder from 1946 to 50. Pleased to get updated news .
For myself Joyce and self live in a very nice location Vineland,not far from Niagara Falls.
Canada Where Chard was noted for der mills m there are over 40 wineries in the area using both local and grapes from other countries mainly south America and Europe.
Our younger daughter Barbara and hubby Nicholas Gill live and work in Barbados. We try to visit them at least once a year and are due to enjoy a three week holiday there from early next month arriving back just in time to spend Christmas day with our other daughter Lesley and John Camelford they have a daughter and son Shane who is 23 and plans to get married in September 2007.
My last visit to Chard was in 1997 and was pleased to meet Michael Farthing. If any one is in touch with him give our regards ( He is not on the Internet ).
I would also be pleased to hear from oldv Cerdics from my era and any living in Ontario Canada . Regards to All . Mike
I have been retired for 10 years

CHARD SCHOOL REMEMBRANCE SERVICE 2006
Last Friday 9th November I was privileged to attend this annual event and to have been invited by the Headmaster to read out the names of those Old Cerdics (29) who died in the Second World War. For a small school we lost a relatively large number of former pupils. Although Armistice Day fell on a Saturday this year and therefore did not coincide with a a school day the service in chapel was nonetheless a most moving experience. All pupils wore blazers and every child had a poppy in their lapel. The Headmaster is to be commended and indeed thanked for maintaining this tradition that only endorses the close bond that still exists between Old Cerdics of all ages and the School.
CHARD SCHOOL CAROL SERVICE 2006
All Old Cerdics are welcome to attend this annual event which as usual will be held at the church of the Good Shepherd, Furnham Road in Chard on Thursday 14th December 2006 at 5.00pm followed by mulled wine and mince pies at the School.
This will be the last Carol Service to be arranged and conducted by Mary Carpenter as she is retiring from the School at the end of term after 25 years service.
An informal reunion lunch will be held beforehand at The White Hart, North Curry near Ilminster from 12.00/12.30pm should anyone wish to come along. Please let me know.
FUTURE EVENTS FOR 2007
SATURDAY 17TH MARCH 2007
REUNION LUNCH from 12.00 noon at the Maidenhead Rugby Club, Berkshire
followed by local derby between Maidenhead and Reading (SW1 League Match)
FRIDAY/SATURDAY 15/16TH JUNE 2007
ANNUAL REUNION WEEKEND IN CHARD
Traditional skittles evening at The Windwhistle on the Friday
Summer Fayre at the School on Saturday from 12.00 noon
NEW EVENT SATURDAY EVENING AT THE PERRY STREET CLUB
DINNER/DANCE FOR YOUNG & OLD!!
FORMAL DINNER FOLLOWED BY DANCING WITH "OLD DOGS NEW TRICKS"
Let's have a good turnout. The OCA needs you!!
Regards to all,
Graham Chamberlain
Chairman Old Cerdics Association

i came to this school this year and its quite fun and im hoping to go to colyton. im in upper cerdic its the best!!!!!

i like the website very much

i love chard school, being in the top class is so much fun even though the work is quite hard.I will be really sad to leave next year. I am really looking forward to the play and the pepy's show last year was really good. I love it here it is so much fun!

I would like to get in contact with whoever was in the period 1946 1950 I have found some old photos which I shall be sending shortly as soon as I have them collated. Is anybody interested?

Perhaps Liz Downes, as daughter of headmaster Lawrence Powell would be interested in organising a reunion of old cerdics in Australia since there are apparently so many of us living here in gods country.
When I browse through comments sudenly I recognise a name from my days at chard,
and I can recall a long forgotten face.
Examples, Charles Denma n, Mark Ferland(headboy), Brab Hallowes,(sadly Rupert Hallowes too) & Perry Mason, all of whom are mentioned todate.
I will never make another trip back to the UK since my family in uk have mostly passed over, now having a young family of my own here in queensland, and being a late starter
in having a family. Four daughters between three months & nine years my hands are full and tied.
I am pleased to see the way in which Chard school has progressed, keep up the good work.
Bryan Thomas 1964-65

The OCA wishes to place on record the sad death of Michael Wheaton, Old Cerdic who was at the School in the 50s/60s. Michael died at Musgrove Hospital, Taunton on 28th July 2006 aged 69.
He was the eldest son of the late Jack & Mary Wheaton of Chard Junction and was a Director of the family haulage and storage business of J.B.Wheaton & Sons Ltd. He will be sorely missed by his family & friends.
The OCA was represented at the cremation at Taunton Deane on 11th August 2006 by Pat & Ann Cleal.
Deepest sympathy is extended from us all, particularly to his widow, Sue Wheaton and Gary & Mylena Wheaton (son & daughter-in-law)
Graham Chamberlain Chairman OCA

i dont want to leave next year. Chard School is a great school and my sister loves it already!!!!

It is great to see this site and the names that bring back so many memories. I was at Chard in the late fifties early sixties and emigrated to Australia in 1969. My father Vivain Rees was also an Old Cerdic having been there in the twenties( There used to be two old Shakespear programmes showing him as Shylock in the M of V and also in the Tempest just in side the front door . He passed away last July after rising to the rank of Group Captain in the RAF and serving all over the world.
My younger brother Bill was also at Chard in the sixties and is currently Director of Accountancy at Amsterdam University.
I have had a number of jobs in Australia mainly in banking and am now involved in cotton growing research. I am married with a couple of married daughers and two grandsons and still keep in contact with Clive Barton, Geoff Littlejohns,Tim Trent and Tim Cory the latter two who are also in Australia

Attended Chard School in the forties under Mr. Powell, and "Peanut" Hicks. Lived on Fore Street, at Lloyds Bank, opposite the Corn Exchange. Would like to hear from anyone who remembers me. Have lived in Canada since 1950. Married Fay Mear, whom I am sure most students knew at that time. However, she passed away in Canada at age 57.

CONGRATULATIONS Many, many congratulations and all good wishes from us all to Hazel & David (Critchlow). Hazel & David were maried last Saturday 20th May 2006 in the small village of Carham with the reception in Kelso in the Scottish Borders where they intend to live in Cornhill-on-Tweed. As always on these occasions a true OCA connection with Doreen & Michael (MacMahon) and Mark & Bronwen (Ferland) among the guests, also Keith Jeffrey (Trevor Jeffrey's son) & family as well as Theresa & good self. Hazel & David - it was a wonderful wedding!!!!!!!!! Can we persuade the Scottish band to come to Chard for one of our reunions?

Calling all former pupils of Chard School join us for the annual reunion in Chard next month 16/17th June. Traditional Skitles Evening at the Windwhistle Inn from 7.00pm Friday 16th June. Annual School Fete on Monmouth Lawn at the School from midday on Saturday 17th June followed by OCA AGM and annual dinner at the Shrubbery Hotel, Ilminster from 6.30pm. Further details call me on 01344 423395. Regards to all, Graham

How amazing - I haven't looked at this site for months and when I do there is a recent posting from John Westcott wondering if I had attended his sister's party in Crewkerne more than 50 years ago - what a memory! The quick answer is Yes - and I do remember your sister, and the party, and even (believe it or not) that I wore a pink angora jacket which I thought was the bee's knees at the time, I would have been about 8 or 9 years old? I'm pretty sure that it was at that party that we had a Mickey Mouse cartoon, my first experience of such a thing. I remember your sister well - we were classmates and friends at St Gilda's convent. But what a shame I have no recollection of the drive home - though evidently it must have made quite an impression on me at the time !
While I am writing, I would like to express belated thanks and appreciation to all the Old Cerdics for the wonderful friendship and support they have showed to our famlly over the years, especially of course to my parents in their later years. It was wonderful to see so many at mother's funeral in December (what a difference you made to the hymn-singing!) and to receive so many cards and letters with your own memories and tributes.
Good to see more OCs leaving messages on this site (nearly all from people I remember from those long ago days) - I will try to visit it more regularly.

Having found the web page, I was interested to find comments from so many contemporaries;I wonder if the Liz Downes, is the young lady , who came to a party of my sister Susan at Crewkerne, as she was of the same age, I think she must have been the one. After the party she waited for hours , harrangued by a chatty little boy, until my father returned late to take her home, across Windwhistle, at all of fifty to sixty miles an hour in the dark, (Did you know that car hadn't any brakes?). Next morning, in class, I was jerked out of my early morning reverie, by a bellow from the headmaster; "does your father drive fast?". I thought I had done something wrong.
I was sorry to read of the death of the "elder" Gant; we of course, in those days, only knew sire names, so I cannot remember the initials; I remember him as the "great man", who tried to protect me from the, what would be termed nowadays, as "Bullys, and be the subject of an enquiry!" I note that none of these seem to be present among the letters.
Thirty five years ago, at the Tricentenary, and the demise of the original school, I stayed at the Pine Tree cafe, above the Travellers Rest, on Windwhistle, the proprietoress, there told me how during the war, the Chard School boys used to walk up there of an afternoon to buy their buns, etc. I wonder if there are any of those OCs around now who remember that.

I am glad I finally found the website for the Old Cerdics. However, It does not say much for my computer skills! I attended Chard from September, 1946, to December, 1952. I then did my national service in the Royal Marines and went to Bermuda.. I have since lived most of my life in Ontario, Canada. I managed to obtain two degrees from McMaster University and then spent my last final working years teaching architectural technology at a community college. Yes, I often think of the school and a number of my fellow students. I still hope to visit the place before I get too old.

Derek Warren (Old Cerdic), who is currently putting together a book on the history of Chard School, has asked me to put out an appeal to all Old Cerdics who attended the school during Lawrence Powell's time as headmaster, particularly during the 1940s and 50s. He is particularly interested in receiving anecdotes and memories from pupils during this time, as these are currently in short supply. Judging from the Old Cerdics who have contacted this site over the past couple of years, there must be quite a number of you out there who would be able to help out, so please forward your stories to me at the earliest opportunity so that I can pass them on to Derek - he assures me that names will not be included! Thank you for your help.

It seems, sadly, this page is becoming used more and more for obituaries. This time we have to record the death of one of my contemporaries Lt.Col.D.J.Harding. Doug Harding was a pupil at the School from 1950-1955. Prior to Christmas we all knew he was suffering from cancer but understood that with treatment he could have another 2/3 years, sadly it was not to be and he died rather suddenly last month. A Service of Thanksgiving was held on Monday 6th January 2006 at St. Peter's Church, Lynchmere, West Sussex. The OCA was represented by myself with Tony & Mike Yule. A full obituary will be published in the next edition of the Newsletter later in the year.

The pictures of the old school bring back memories.Chard was a really important part of my life and gave many of the values that I hold so dear now.
I was a dayboy from 1944 to 1954 when I left to go to Welbeck College and then onto Sandhurst and then into the regular army.I then as years passed gained a B.Ed.degree and ended up teaching in North Devon,at Bideford.I served as a County Councillor on Devon CC for some years.I am now a Governor of North Devon College.
It is interesting to see,I assume it is "Jinks" Chamberlain,as Chairman of the Board and also I assume,David Critchlow to be "Uncle Bob's son.I am sure that the school is in good hands.
I shall look at this site in future as it brings back many happy memories.
Regards and best wishes to all, Reg Cane

Nice to find the site, already found some names I remember. Moved back to Westcountry after 30 plus years in Birmingham. Now living in Offwell,Devon. Looking forward to renewing old friends during the comming year. I was at Chard between Sept 61 and December 65.

I was a boarder from 1959 to 1966 and after continuing my education at Bristol University before emigrating to Australia in 1970 where I now live and have an Australian wife and 2 grown up daughters. I was surprised to find the web page for the school and in fact very excited at the prospect of maybe making contact with other that I grew up with in those important years. I note from other comments made that many OC's are in Australia and I would love to hear from anyone with at least the same school in common. My email address is jucoma@unwired.com.au I would also like to be placed on the circulation list for the newsletter which may well still be posted to my parents address. They moved many years ago. So if those responsible could contact me on the above mentioned email address I will forward my postal address direct.

I expect to be visiting the UK in 2007 and I now hope to time it to coincide with a reunion.

Regards to all

Colin (Perry) Mason

Obituary - R.L.Stoakes News has just reached the OCA of the sad death of Ricky Stoakes, a pupil of the School from 1946-1950. A full obituary will be published in the next edition of the Newsletter. Graham Chamberlain

Happy New Year to all Old Cerdics across the Globe. Our next reunion event is at the Maidenhead Rugby Club Saturday 25th March 2006 from 12,00 noon. Please email me for further details. Graham Chamberlain Chairman Old Cerdics Association

EILEEN POWELL, It is with great sadness we have to record the sad death of Eileen Powell who passed away peacefully in hospital after a short illness on Tuesday, 22nd November 2005 at the age of 93.
A private cremation will take place at 1.00pm Thursday 1st December 2005 followed by a Service of Thanksgiving at St. Nicholas Church, Godstone, Surrey at 2.30pm.
Flowers, or if anyone wishes to make a donation for the RSPB or Oxfam please send to - Stoneham Funeral Service, 45/47, High Street, Godstone, Surrey.
To many this will be the end of an era. Eileen first came to Chard School in the late 30's when her husband Lawrence Powell was appointed Headmaster. She was very much a part of the School for over threee decades and maintained contact with many Old Cerdics after she left Chard and to the very end.
The OCA and the School extend deepest sympathy to both Susan & Elisabeth at this sad time.
Graham Chamberlain Chairman Old Cerdics Association 28th November 2005

I'm trying to locate a Jonathan Marsh who was at Chard School at the end of the 70's, when I was there. Also anyone remember the art teacher Miss Warmington?.... still doing art to this day because of her, although it's now graphic design for my own company in Nottingham. Love to hear from anyone who remembers me!

Hello! I'm a primary school teacher in a Romanian middle school located in the city of Târgu-Mures, central Transylvania. We also have a schools.ik.com website and we'd be delighted to exchange opinions about school stuff. Please visit us at www.ggcosbuc.ik.org and leave a comment in our Forum page.
You can also place a pin on the Guest Map or, if there is no room left on the map, join our site ring in order to build a large community of schools.ik.org websites and send visitors to each other. Thank you!

It was nice to stumble upon this page and see the news of some of the CS folk of yore.
My brother, Ricki and I attended Chard from 1954 (I think) - we joined the term after the Great Cider Scandal. I left in 1959 and Ricki the year after. There have been far too many events and activities to fill in the intervening time. I recently had to provide a brief biography which went along the lines "Michael has interests embracing an eclectic range of activities. In addition to his hobbies of photography and the restoration of old vehicles, he is interested in music in which he sings with the University choral society and takes lessons on the cello. He enjoys the company of his family (2 boys and a girl- 34, 32 and 28) and, on most weekends, may be found indulging in long distance ocean swimming, the maintenance of his 120yr old house and the restoration of two Lambretta scooters. Periodically, as time permits, he pursues the studies for his PhD and fulfils his academic role as a research fellow in education at Sydney University".
I was glad to catch up with LSP in 1996. It filled me with great pride that he was able to share in the award of my Master's degree and to realise the potential he always saw in young men.
Rick, unfortunately, died of a heroine overdose in the early seventies. A sad end for a charming young man.
I've lived in Sydney Australia off and on since 1967 and would love to catch up with any OCs in this part of the world.

Having read through the comments of many Old Cerdics there seemed to be a distinct, though not surprising, male bias - so just to even up the balance I thought I would send a comment in time to wish all of you OCs a pleasant and successful reunion weekend. For those of you who don't recognise my name (and wonder what this sheila is doing muscling in on your page!) I was Elisabeth Powell, younger daughter of Lawrence Powell, headmaster during the forties, fifties and sixties. It's great to see this website is helping old friends keep in touch with each other and keeping everyone up to date with school events and progress. Just looking at the photos brings back many memories and I remember many of you who have left comments in this section. I also met quite a lot of you at the occasion of my father's cremation service in 1998. I have lived in Queensland Australia since 1970, with about six trips back to visit family in that time but have only managed the briefest of visits to Chard itself. Hope to change that one day, but who knows? I could ramble on forever with memories of the school from a very early age to young adulthood (bonfire nights when certain small boys would leave bangers right behind me and the Catherine wheels always refused to spin, watching the town carnival procession from my bedroom window with Chard School boys carrying flaming torches, serving tea and chocolate biscuits in the interval during Shakespearian productions, summer gaudy weekends and my first taste of beer, secret passages and how scared I used to be running through School House to get down to our old dining room after dark when the school was empty of boarders!) - but for now I'll just wish you all G'day in true Aussie style, have a great weekend and, of course the best of British to the England side in the Ashes series -though naturally I still hope the trophy remains safely down under!

Wayne, good to hear from you, School going well, suggest you keep in touch by logging on to this site both "Latest News" of the School and the Old Cerdics page. Why not come along to the School Saturday 18th June Summer Fayre 12.00 noon. Old Cerdics dinner in the evening at the Shrubbery Hotel Ilminster. Best Regards, Graham Chamberlain Chairman Old Cerdics Association

Hello you may not know me but if you look in your files going back about 1979 to 1980 my name will be in a file i live in Devon now and would like to know how the school is still goin fine i hope but just bringing back memorys thanks anyway Wayne Shattock.

My wife, Ann and I will be in England again this year, and I see we've managed to time it so that we miss all the OCA activities! We arrive in London 21st July and return to Oz on 22nd Sept. The main reason for our coming is to attend a wedding at Corfe Mullen for one of Ann's childhood friends, who lost his first wife with cancer a few years ago. I have been asked to help with the ceremony, though with the Bishop of Salisbury also part of the clergy team, I don't know where I shall fit in!
Stewarth Hull, also of Western Australia has made contact, but I've not been able to follow him up as yet. I've been working as Locum in my home parish for the past 2 months and the old grey matter has been well stretched.
Does any OCA know of the whereabouts of a couple of friends from school days: Barry Moore who used to live in Axminster and Richard Bright who lived at Colyton. The time scale goes back to the mid 1950's. You can reply direct direct to my email: sherton@optusnet.com.au.
My very best wishes for all the OCA activities this year.

The reunion at the Maidenhead Rugby Club last Saturday proved, as always, to be a most enjoyable occasion. A few more bums on seats would have been welcome none the less. Perhaps next year?
We move on to our next "do" in the summer at Chard 17th/18th/19th June
Skittles at Windwhistle on Friday evening, Summer Fayre at the School Saturday morning, OCA AGM and Annual Dinner at the Shrubbery, Ilminster in the evening, and finally music and picnic on Monmouth Lawn Sunday lunch time.
For further details and up date visit the Old Cerdics page on this web site Graham Chamberlain Chairman Old Cerdics Association

Hi all especially Mark Ferland. I think I remember you as you had spent some time in the west Indies before you arrived, I remember it was an old tredle organ that you managed to wheezea tune out of . I was in school House with Bladen (Blanco), Rees, Blackmore and Socrates. I have just found the web site and had often wondered what had happened to the school. I will have to rack my brains to think of more inmates. I might have a picture or two of the ACF details, when we received our Lance Corporal stripes, in th attic.

Have just received and read the latest Cerdic Newsletter. Quite a change of format, which may take a bit of getting used to. It was certainly good to see so much news from the School and to read that it appears to be flourishing. 'What a shame that so few Old Cerdics seem to send their news in for publication - I'm as guilty as anyone else by the way.

REQUEST - does any one out there know the whereabouts of the following, who were all friends of mine around the 1960 era - Roger (George) Pike, also known as Lunty! Colin Ford, known as Stumps, and David Bevan-Jones, known simply as Taff!! Thanks in anticipation...........Stewart Hull

I am very impressed with the Website. I was especially pleased to see the emphasis being given to Music in the curriculum. I was a boarder from 1960-65, and used to play the organ for the daily service in chapel. The late Lawrence Powell ( Headmaster in my time) would have been delighted at the school's continued success.

Dear MrStotesbury
When I was teenage I was a Chard Schhol student in you place . Today I live across the ocean in Beaumont Texas. When I was in Chard School in back in1967-1968 back to that time the headmaster was Mr Lawerence Powell . Now I live in U.S.A. I hope one day I will back for a visit
Jack

Happy New Year to all former pupils of Chard School (Old Cerdics)
The first reunion event of the year will be on Saturday 12th March at the Maidenhead Rugby Club in Berkshire from 12.00 noon Cost is £12.75 per head to include lunch and seat in the stand for the South West 1 League match Maidenhead v Cinderford If you have not received details through the post please call me on 01344 423395 All Old Cerdics welcome plus guests Graham Chamberlain Chairman Old Cerdics Association

Today is the first day of the Spring Term and I wish all Old Cerdics a very happy new year.

We were straight back to work and the major discussion is how we can help the survivors of the Tsunami disaster. We are frantically collect bedding etc which will be flown out next week (see the school's "latest news" for details).

I am looking forward to the Maidenhead v Cinderford Rugby match and the lunch on Saturday 12th March and hope to see you all there! (see Old Cerdics "latest news")

Dear Headmaster

Greetings. Congratulations on a very nice homepage of Chard School. It brings back warm memories as i was a student there in 1969. I am now back in my country Singapore. I hope to visit Chard school again sometime soon. My very best reards to you, Sir.

We are trying very hard to keep the website up to date, but we welcome your comments and news. The latest from the school is of further developments - new computer room with broadband et al, lots of redecorating and changes to the staff car park around the Chapel. On Thursday we are having our Armistice Day Service at 10.45am (all Old Cerdics welcome) - this year we shall be reading out the names of those former school members, who fell in the First World War. Last week I heard the first carols being sung. A happy Christmas to all Old Cerdics - please come to the Carol Service.

I've just taken my first look at the old school's web site and am finding it very interesting. A message to Stewart Hull of Western Australia: where are you in WA? I live in Busselton. If you see this message and feel like sending me an email on sherton@optusnet.com.au I'd be pleased to hear from you. I was at Chard from 1951-55.

It is with great sadness we have to record the sudden and unexpected death of Peter Harley following a massive heart attack shortly after his 60th birthday. Peter was a boarder at Chard School from 1956-1959. His untimely death is particularly sad given he was present at the annual reunion in June of this year during a visit from South Africa to his mother and sister Denise in Taunton. The OCA extends heartfelt sympathy to both Eileen and Denise at this sad time Graham Chamberlain

Photos - if you have any relating to the school (both of people and the environs) and they are no longer required please pass them to the school for my attention. Even if you think we have copies, displayed photos do deteriorate and copies ensure that we can perpetuate the memories.

School concert and prizegiving - another excellent performance from the pupils (credit to all staff) both in presentations and the levels of achievement. Weather held off just at the right times and enabled an amiable gathering for tea afterwards. Well done, School.

Thankyou for your reply, nice to know someone still remembers those years.
I don't really remember that much about things as I was evacuated to Chard school
to avoid the last year of the war as we lived in Hammersmith which was getting heavily hit.
I do not remember your brother and in any case in those days we all knew each other by our surnames. The only one I can recall was 'Cornell' (spelling; that may be one 'l')
We were all very familiar with the ghost at that time who lived in the corner tower by the drive in archway. The room above at that time had no way in and yet was inhabited.
We askked a lot about it of the local residents as well as the school masters but none would comment!
I would appreciate an email photo of the whole front of the school showing that archway etc.
Obviously many things have changed over the years and it's only the computer age which has brought back any sort of contact.
I emigrated to N.Z. in 1953 and have been back twice to see my brothers etc.
All the best to you and may the school continue to prosper.
regards Trevor.

Trevor, good to hear from you, joined School in 1945 (third youngest boarder and slept in Monmouth Dormitory!) Miss Willett was matron and well remember Mr Hicks who was caretaker Headmaster pending return of Lawrence Powell from active duty. You may know my brother Derek 43/48 but sadly have lost touch with most of your generation. Feel sure School House is still haunted by the "Weeping Nun" but glady cannot claim any personal knowledge!! Do keep in touch. Graham Chamberlain, Chairman Old Cerdics Association

Great weekend, feet didnt touch the ground from Friday evening at the Windwhistle to the picnic on Monmouth Lawn on the Sunday!! Many thanks to everyone who attended the various functions particularly the young OCs, the Cerdic Band and Becky Dowell for raising the flag to mark the 75th anniversary of the OCA. All welcome at the School Prize Giving Thursday, 8th July 2004 Graham Chamberlain Old Cerdics Association

I was a pupil during 1944/5. I would like to know if there is anyone who still remembers
that far back when Mr. Hicks was headmaster.
Is the building still haunted?

Me again. The reunion at the Maidenhead Rugby Club on 3rd April was a huge success. Now looking forward to a full weekend of activity in Chard 11th/12th/13th June Friday through to Sunday Still a few places left for the annual dinner at the Shrubbery Hotel, Ilminster on the Saturday. Latest news - to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the OCA a new flag will be presented to the School on the Saturday at 12.00 noon All Old Cerdics welcome GRAHAM CHAMBERLAIN CHAIRMAN OCA

Many thanks to every one who came to the skittles evening last Friday week 5th March, especially all the Young Old Cerdics. Sorry you lost so overwhelmingly to us old uns even if we did have some help from the Headmaster! Opportunity for revenge however at the Windhistle on Friday 11th June. Hope to see you all. GRAHAM CHAMBERLAIN OLD CERDICS ASSOCIATION

I was a boarder at Chard from '58-62 and have very fond memories. I now live in Western Australia and have just found the web site - very good and great to see a picture of the old place looking exactly the same! Was particularly impressed with the photo of the old Chapel which looked great...........LSP would be thrilled to see it looking so cared for - well done and best wishes for the future. Stewart

"YOUR VIEWS" is a new page for the Chard School web site. We are particularly interested in contributions from anyone interested or involved with the School, especially former pupils. As Mike says news of the Old Cerdics Association can be found on a separate page marked "OLD CERDICS" which will be up-dated on a regular basis. Currently there is a calendar of events for 2004 and details of our next reunion at the Maidenhead Rugby Club on Saturday 3rd April.
GRAHAM CHAMBERLAIN CHAIRMAN - OLD CERDICS ASSOCIATION

I'm not quite sure how this works. i had expected to see new of the OCA?? Perhaps I got it wrong. Otherwise, this is an excellent site for the school.

OCA news can be found on the Old Cerdics page of this site. If you want to add your own news, then you can send in 'Your Views' which I will post up on a weekly basis. Hope that helps!