JOHN RAMSEY (1951-56)

Died on 26th June 2011.
John was working on a new project for the VSO in Tanzania when he died. He had recently moved there from Zambia. He joined the VSO after retiring as Financial Director of EKP (East Kent Packers), about ten years ago. He survived the 2004 (Boxing Day) tsunami whilst in Sri Lanka.
John’s account of this event was posted in the 2005 edition of the Newsletter, which can be viewed in the Archived Newsletters section on the school website.

https://gravesendgrammar.eu/

Acknowledgement to Gravesend Grammar School 2011 Newsletter for text and photo.

All John’s posts to CoFoC are filed in this category here.

04/10/2005

Hi Bill

Excellent get together this weekend.

On a sad note, I have just heard that Bob Luckhurst died on October 1st.
He had suffered a second stroke at the beginning of September and later developed pneumonia.

Attached is a picture of Bob.

Can you pass this on to eveybody in the Group.

Best regards

Don

From Wikipedia

Motto and school song

The school motto, Consule Cunctis, was adopted in 1925, and whilst originally translated as “Do thou take thought for the good of all men”, is now taken to mean “take thought for everyone”. Originally, the school song was “Forty Years On”, the school song for Harrow School, but in 1926 two friends of the Headmaster wrote a new song, also called “Consule Cunctis”. “Forty Years On” continued to be sung along with the new song at important dates in the school calendar, such as Speech Day, until the late Forties. To reflect the ever increasing numbers and diversity of the school, and particularly the inclusion of female students within the sixth form, the words have changed from “four hundred fellows” to “one thousand students”:

Consule Cunctis: We readily grant it
Who will not hearten the song as we chant it
Some 1000 students assembled in hall?
For the splendour of life shall illumine our faces
While boyhood’s a game that delights us and graces
Our “Play for the side with your face to the ball”.

Consule Cunctis: When school days are ending
There’s none shall escape from the duties attending
All 1000 students assembled in hall,
Though the ground to our feet may ring flintily, dustily
Forget not the chorus but sing it right lustily.
“Play for the side with your face to the ball”.

Consule Cunctis: in fair or rough weather
We’ll play to the whistle, stand fast all together
We 1000 students assembled in hall.
Consule Cunctis: the world stands before us
And we’ll yet make it join in our full-throated chorus
Of “Play for the side with your face to the ball”.

Headboy: School! Selah! C’est a dire!
All reply: Alors! Oui, bon. Oh, aye. Oh, aye, aye. Zen, Zen, Zen!

Hi there
My name is Barry Dobson I am not the class of 51 but thought you may Be interested in this old photo that I have from my stay at GGS .
I attended the school from 1958-1963. I came across your website whilst visiting the school site recently. I recognize my fellow students but unfortunately can only remember the names of two of them. I left the UK in 1974 and have lived in Australia ever since. I have returned a few times but up till now have never been able to catch up with any old boys from my era. I get emails, and managed to get copies of the Miltonian 1958to63 from Deborah Nurdin who keeps me up to date with news letters so they(the miltonians) took me down memory lane for a while. Anyway hers hoping somebody in the photos sees them and maybe even would like to get in touch.
I am in the photo, front row third from the Right

My details just in case:-

Barry Dobson
Contact details can be obtained by members from the Webmaster by asking via the contact us form

Best regards

Barry