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 Where are they now?
Topic Originator: GG Riva  
Date:   Mon 25 Jun 06:04

A chance glance at a fellow dotnutter's email in his profile, earlier this year, alerted me to the possibilty that I was at school with his dad and so it turned out. We've met up a couple of times now, after a gap of almost 50 years and our friendship picked up where it left off.

As a result of this, I'm keen to organise a reunion with as many of my old class and others in my school year as I can towards the end of this year. I've provisionally booked the Rennie Suite at EEP for Sat. 24th November and really looking for 40 - 50 people to make it worthwhile. I've got a hot buffet lined up and a DJ who can provide a 60s disco. What more could any 65 year old swinger want? :-)

The trickiest part of all is getting in touch with many of my old classmates and I'm hoping some of you might be able to help. I've come across an old photo of us in first year at St Columba's Cowdenbeath, taken in 1965. I don't know how to control the size of it so here goes:-

Expletives deleted. I can add the pic but it takes up the whole screen so I can't click on 'post.' Grrr! Maybe I'll work it out eventually. In the meantime here are the names of those in the photo I can remember:-

Back row - Francis P. McLaughlin, me, Willie Reilly, Jim Wilson, George Eadie, Joe Mallon, Tommy Close, Lester Leitch, George Keenan and Johnny Turner (RIP)

Middle Row - Tommy Ritchie, Derek Murphy, John Dodds, Josephine Scott, Elizabeth Johnston, Tommy McFarlane, Francis McLaughlin and Bill Robson.

Front row - Joceyln Alszock, ?, Melanie Alszock, Angela Wilson, Frances Duffy, Bridget McMonigle, Theresa Clark, ?, ?. Not sure if I've spelt all the names correctly and apologies to those whose names I can't remember. If any of you can help to put me in contact with any of them it would be much appreciated. Thanks.





Not your average Sunday League player.

Post Edited (Mon 25 Jun 06:24)
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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: veteraneastender  
Date:   Mon 25 Jun 08:59

Try imbgg.

https://imgbb.com/

You should be able to manipulate the image size - failing that get one of the grandkids to help.

An ice cream is a good "do me a favour" barter offer in this weather.
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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: GG Riva  
Date:   Mon 25 Jun 10:52

Here goes:-

https://ibb.co/e70dLT

ETA - You're a good man, VEE. I forgive for all these times you belted me for no good reason. :-) Do you prefer a cone or a wafer? What the hell! How about a knickerbocker glory?



Here are the names again:-

Back row - Francis P. McLaughlin, me, Willie Reilly, Jim Wilson, George Eadie, Joe Mallon, Tommy Close, Lester Leitch, George Keenan and Johnny Turner (RIP)

Middle Row - Tommy Ritchie, Derek Murphy, John Dodds, Josephine Scott, Elizabeth Johnston, Tommy McFarlane, Francis McLaughlin and Bill Robson.

Front row - Joceyln Alszock, ?, Melanie Alszock, Angela Wilson, Frances Duffy, Bridget McMonigle, Theresa Clark, ?, ?.







Not your average Sunday League player.

Post Edited (Mon 25 Jun 10:56)
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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: parbucks  
Date:   Mon 25 Jun 13:37

You’re a bit younger than me GG but I recognise a couple of faces and names.

Derek Murphy: parents had a chippy in Hill O’Beath. I knew Derek’s older twin sibblings. Last I heard he was living in Milnathort where he also ran a chippy, I think, a number of years ago.
Josephine Scott: her family were our next door neighbours in Whitelaw Road in the late 50’s, 60’s.

Not a lot of help.
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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: GG Riva  
Date:   Mon 25 Jun 16:00

Quote:

parbucks, Mon 25 Jun 13:37

You’re a bit younger than me GG but I recognise a couple of faces and names.

Derek Murphy: parents had a chippy in Hill O’Beath. I knew Derek’s older twin sibblings. Last I heard he was living in Milnathort where he also ran a chippy, I think, a number of years ago.
Josephine Scott: her family were our next door neighbours in Whitelaw Road in the late 50’s, 60’s.

Not a lot of help.


Good to know I'm still younger than a few folk, Parbucks.😊
Interesting that Murph had older twin siblings. Never knew them, but I really want to try and contact these folk asap, Found out today that my new postie is Eddie Burke from Inverkeithing. He was a year below me and became British Middleweight Boxing Champion after He left school. He once got 12 of the belt from wee Sanny (administered at two different times) for setting fire to a paper towel in the toilets.



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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: veteraneastender  
Date:   Mon 25 Jun 16:06

GG, the local ice cream van man used to sell a double chocolate nougat - called it a “black man” - you can’t say that now of course !!!

It was a challenge to get upper and lower jaws around it, but somehow we managed.

If you save and paste the imbgg embedded code the image should come up direct on your message, no need for link, at least that’s what I’ve found by trial and error, mostly the latter.
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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: Jeffery  
Date:   Mon 25 Jun 16:45

Think I might know Tommy Close, I'll send it on to his daughter.
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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: GG Riva  
Date:   Mon 25 Jun 18:10

Quote:

Jeffery, Mon 25 Jun 16:45

Think I might know Tommy Close, I'll send it on to his daughter.


Thanks Jeffrey, but I managed to get in touch with Tommy through his daughter who teaches at McLean PS and I asked her during our Pars Tackle Health session there. Close isn't a very common surname in these parts, I don't think. I've also been in touch with George Eadie, Tommy Ritchie, John Dodds and Joe Mallon.

Any other leads would be much appreciated.



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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: Grant  
Date:   Mon 25 Jun 19:43

Asked the wife if she recognised any of the names with her and her family being from Cowdenbeath but it draws a blank.
There's a Facebook page called "St Columbas High School Cowdenbeath Fife 1940 to 1980 Former Pupils".
No idea if it will have any of your mates but it's worth a shot, might have relatives with the same surname etc?
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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: parbucks  
Date:   Mon 25 Jun 20:37

GG

I remember wee Sanny from my St Columba days. Head English teacher before we moved to the new school in Kirkcaldy.
He was a greeting faced wee so and so and yet his daughter was a very sociable person.
Didn’t he become the first Head at St Columba’s in Dunfermline?

On reflection another name resonated with me, Lester Leitch. An uncommon name.
I realised he is a pal of an old school friend of mine. I have made some soundings and he may get in touch. He still lives locally, I believe.

Good luck



Post Edited (Mon 25 Jun 21:07)
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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: buffy  
Date:   Mon 25 Jun 21:10

I was speaking to George Eadie on the phone today!

Just saw yer post you’ve been in touch with him.



”Buffy’s Buns are the finest in Fife”, J. Spence 2019”

Post Edited (Mon 25 Jun 21:11)
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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: GG Riva  
Date:   Mon 25 Jun 21:33

''I was speaking to George Eadie on the phone today!

Just saw yer post you’ve been in touch with him.''

Yes thanks, Buffy. He's one of the few I've managed to locate. He's a director of CR Smith, so he done no' bad for a junior secondary boy as St Columba's was then.



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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: GG Riva  
Date:   Mon 25 Jun 21:46

''There's a Facebook page called "St Columbas High School Cowdenbeath Fife 1940 to 1980 Former Pupils".
No idea if it will have any of your mates but it's worth a shot, might have relatives with the same surname etc?''

Cheers, Grant. I'm not on Facebook, but I know a classmate who is. I'll pass that info on to her to see if she can find out anything.

Having said that, we had quite a bad fire in the new Dunfermline St Columba's school office, in the late 70s, I think, which wiped out a lot of records and information stored there so the Facebook page may well be incomplete.

''I remember wee Sanny from my St Columba days. Head English teacher before we moved to the new school in Kirkcaldy.
He was a greeting faced wee so and so and yet his daughter was a very sociable person.
Didn’t he become the first Head at St Columba’s in Dunfermline?

On reflection another name resonated with me, Lester Leitch. An uncommon name.
I realised he is a pal of an old school friend of mine. I have made some soundings and he may get in touch. He still lives locally, I believe.''

Wee Sanny was Head of St Columba's in Cowdenbeath and moved to the new building in Dunfermline in 1968. His efforts helped the school to become a 6 year comprehensive a year later. And that's where his good deeds begin and end......

I've seen Lester occasionally. He used to be a regular at EEP but hasn't enjoyed the best of health for many years. Didn't stop him completing a few half marathon's in very respectable times. He was called after the jockey, Lester Piggot, after his dad won a bit of money on the derby by backing Piggot's horse.



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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: parbucks  
Date:   Mon 25 Jun 22:11

Spot on GG. My mate said he was named after Piggot but I didn’t believe him!

I’m pretty sure Lester was at our table in hospitality at the DU game last autumn.
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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: PARrot  
Date:   Wed 27 Jun 05:33

I worked with Lester for 20 years at Carnegie. He had several kidney transplants. When he was feeling good he took part in the transplant games and won loads of medals. Quite an inspiration is Lester. I could find him no bother if you want me too.
I dont know if there are two George Keenans but I know one of the approximate age. He went to America and played in a band. He more recently owned tanning salons and now he's an exceptional carpenter. If it is the right one you will find him leading the worship band at the Vine church every Sunday. He lives in Lochgelly now.

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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: GG Riva  
Date:   Thu 28 Jun 07:18

Quote:

PARrot, Wed 27 Jun 05:33

I worked with Lester for 20 years at Carnegie. He had several kidney transplants. When he was feeling good he took part in the transplant games and won loads of medals. Quite an inspiration is Lester. I could find him no bother if you want me too.
I dont know if there are two George Keenans but I know one of the approximate age. He went to America and played in a band. He more recently owned tanning salons and now he's an exceptional carpenter. If it is the right one you will find him leading the worship band at the Vine church every Sunday. He lives in Lochgelly now.


Sent you an email to the address in your profile, Polly. The George Keenan you describe doesn't sound like my old classmate but I'll chase it up anyway. He might have been struck by a lightning bolt on his way to Damascus. 😃



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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: PARrot  
Date:   Sun 29 Jul 15:58

Quote:

GG Riva, Thu 28 Jun 07:18

Quote:

PARrot, Wed 27 Jun 05:33

I worked with Lester for 20 years at Carnegie. He had several kidney transplants. When he was feeling good he took part in the transplant games and won loads of medals. Quite an inspiration is Lester. I could find him no bother if you want me too.
I dont know if there are two George Keenans but I know one of the approximate age. He went to America and played in a band. He more recently owned tanning salons and now he's an exceptional carpenter. If it is the right one you will find him leading the worship band at the Vine church every Sunday. He lives in Lochgelly now.


Sent you an email to the address in your profile, Polly. The George Keenan you describe doesn't sound like my old classmate but I'll chase it up anyway. He might have been struck by a lightning bolt on his way to Damascus. 😃


It is the same guy. He says to get in touch. I sent his number to your talk talk account via text.

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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: GG Riva  
Date:   Tue 31 Jul 12:31

Quote:

PARrot, Sun 29 Jul 15:58

Quote:

GG Riva, Thu 28 Jun 07:18

Quote:

PARrot, Wed 27 Jun 05:33

I worked with Lester for 20 years at Carnegie. He had several kidney transplants. When he was feeling good he took part in the transplant games and won loads of medals. Quite an inspiration is Lester. I could find him no bother if you want me too.
I dont know if there are two George Keenans but I know one of the approximate age. He went to America and played in a band. He more recently owned tanning salons and now he's an exceptional carpenter. If it is the right one you will find him leading the worship band at the Vine church every Sunday. He lives in Lochgelly now.


Sent you an email to the address in your profile, Polly. The George Keenan you describe doesn't sound like my old classmate but I'll chase it up anyway. He might have been struck by a lightning bolt on his way to Damascus. 😃


It is the same guy. He says to get in touch. I sent his number to your talk talk account via text.


Cheers, Parrot. I'll contact him when I get back from holiday, next week.



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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: renegade master  
Date:   Tue 31 Jul 20:49

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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: Paristotle  
Date:   Tue 31 Jul 23:02

Quote:

GG Riva, Tue 31 Jul 12:31

Quote:

PARrot, Sun 29 Jul 15:58

Quote:

GG Riva, Thu 28 Jun 07:18

Quote:

PARrot, Wed 27 Jun 05:33

I worked with Lester for 20 years at Carnegie. He had several kidney transplants. When he was feeling good he took part in the transplant games and won loads of medals. Quite an inspiration is Lester. I could find him no bother if you want me too.
I dont know if there are two George Keenans but I know one of the approximate age. He went to America and played in a band. He more recently owned tanning salons and now he's an exceptional carpenter. If it is the right one you will find him leading the worship band at the Vine church every Sunday. He lives in Lochgelly now.


Sent you an email to the address in your profile, Polly. The George Keenan you describe doesn't sound like my old classmate but I'll chase it up anyway. He might have been struck by a lightning bolt on his way to Damascus. 😃


It is the same guy. He says to get in touch. I sent his number to your talk talk account via text.


Cheers, Parrot. I'll contact him when I get back from holiday, next week.


There is absolutely no way THAT George Keenan is old enough to have gone to school in the 60's!!!
He's got some solo on him though tbf.
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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: PARrot  
Date:   Wed 1 Aug 02:06

He's a guid bit older than me and I was at school in the 60s. Spoke to him at church last week. Defo him. He has put most of us to shame in the taking care of yirsel bracket though.

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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: GG Riva  
Date:   Fri 17 Aug 19:01

Bump!

Now I'm back from holiday, I'm making a serious effort to locate some of these auld folk. Spoke to George Keenan the other day, thanks Parrot and He's on board, as are quite a few others. Tracking down the girls is hard as they mostly have different surnames now. I'm not on Facebook but one of my classmates is and I've got her on the case.

If any of you know anyone who was at St Columba's in the mid/late 60s please point them towards this thread or give me their name and I'll chase them up. Have booked the Rennie suite at East End Park for Saturday 24th November. There will be a bar, hot buffet and a 60s/70s disco.

What more could any senior citizen want? 😃



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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: ipswichpar  
Date:   Fri 17 Aug 19:44

What music will be played at your 60s/70s disco?
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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: GG Riva  
Date:   Sat 18 Aug 12:08

Topic Originator: parbucks like | nolike
Date: Mon 25 Jun 13:37

You’re a bit younger than me GG but I recognise a couple of faces and names.

Derek Murphy: parents had a chippy in Hill O’Beath. I knew Derek’s older twin sibblings. Last I heard he was living in Milnathort where he also ran a chippy, I think, a number of years ago.
Josephine Scott: her family were our next door neighbours in Whitelaw Road in the late 50’s, 60’s.

Derek's been in touch, Parbucks and his memory is first class - he was able to name everybody in the photo. Yours isn't so hot, though. His ''twin siblings are 9 and 7 years older than him, so they must have been born 2 years apart.

That would be some sort of record for twins, don't you think?...... ;-)

Topic Originator: ipswichpar like | nolike
Date: Fri 17 Aug 19:44

What music will be played at your 60s/70s disco?

Oh, Bing Crosby, Perry Como, Val Doonican and Max Bygraves, mostly, with a bit of Sydney Devine for the girls.



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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: average white par  
Date:   Sat 18 Aug 13:39

Slightly disappointed at the lack of Engelbert Humperdink there GG... perhaps a spot of Barry Manilow to get the place rocking...?

Seriously though, hope it goes well mate, enjoy...

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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: GG Riva  
Date:   Sun 19 Aug 10:35

Quote:

average white par, Sat 18 Aug 13:39

Slightly disappointed at the lack of Engelbert Humperdink there GG... perhaps a spot of Barry Manilow to get the place rocking...?

Seriously though, hope it goes well mate, enjoy...


Engelbert? Good shout and maybe a bit of Des O'Connor an' a'.

D'you fancy coming along as my special guest, AWP? I think you may have gone to the wrong skool, but if you get wan o' they Kafflicks tae teach ye how tae bless yersel', ye should get past the bouncers, nae probs.



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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: ipswichpar  
Date:   Sun 19 Aug 10:55

Is 'special guest' synonymous with 'my plus one' ?

Whatever you decided awp, I hope you find happiness.
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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: average white par  
Date:   Sun 19 Aug 12:41

I hope so too mate...

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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: ipswichpar  
Date:   Sun 19 Aug 14:13

And with a much more serious head on... I hope this is a roaring success GG. It makes one realise when you move away just how hard it is keep valued relationships going. But I am sure it's hard even if you stay local as folk take their different paths.

There aren't many things that feel better than losing touch, meeting up after yonks and falling straight back together.
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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: average white par  
Date:   Sun 19 Aug 18:48

I must agree with ipswich here...I've spent most of my adult life away from the toon, getting into all kinds of fun and trouble... a few years ago I came back to the toon for some family business and made contact with some old friends...we enjoyed some days at EEP and spent some time catching up...
Some of these friends are now married with children, and substantially more respectable than they were when hanging around with the likes of me...
Since we're all now relatively middle aged and respectable, I thought perhaps we would have a fluffy and cozy type of catch up, filled with heart warming tales of love, maternity and mortgages...

What did I get after 25 years absence?

"Haw ya pr*k! Alright ya cnt? Your fkn round ya wee t*ss*r!"

Some people would be surprised by this, but it was exactly what I expected and frankly made me feel much more at home than any conversation about pensions or school catchment areas would ever have done...

This is how it should be imo, although maybe I should have chosen my teenage friends with greater care..

Fuds, the lot of them (and you know who you are...)

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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: GG Riva  
Date:   Sun 19 Aug 19:52

Well, I'm happy to say that the folk I've managed to contact so far have been far more restrained than some of AWP's auld pals. One of them whom I Iast spoke to briefly in 1980, has since phoned me 5 or 6 times in the past week, each time to tell me he's uncovered another auld fossil and given me an address or phone no.

Maybe my classmates are just more mature than yours, AWP, or you were just a bit careless with who you chose to pal about with? Not that I had any say in picking my classmates, of course, but there's I feel there's a strong bond there, like folk who have shared a hospital ward or a prison cell......

I ran for some 3 hours with a perfect stranger in the London Marathon 20 years ago. I told him to go on 5 miles out (he was half my age) so I never saw him at the finish. I managed to track him down as I knew his name and race no. and we kept in touch for about 8 years afterwards, until he got married, but we never did run another marathon together and we never met. Last I heard he was a pilot with BA.



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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: average white par  
Date:   Sun 19 Aug 20:56

I must say GG that they're all fantastic people and, as usual, I've jazzed up the story a bit for comic purposes..

What I will say in all seriousness is how pleased I was at the absolutely effortless way that we all slid back into the same friendly vibe that we always had, despite the many passed years and changes in our lives... it was (and continues to be) a confirmation to me that these are genuinely good people and I'm genuinely thankful for that... there are, as you know, a lot of horrible bastards out there but I immediately felt safe and comfortable with my old mates..

I hope you have the same experience with your upcoming reunion mate, and I'm sure you will...

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 Re: Where are they now?
Topic Originator: GG Riva  
Date:   Mon 20 Aug 08:16

Quote:

average white par, Sun 19 Aug 20:56

I must say GG that they're all fantastic people and, as usual, I've jazzed up the story a bit for comic purposes..

What I will say in all seriousness is how pleased I was at the absolutely effortless way that we all slid back into the same friendly vibe that we always had, despite the many passed years and changes in our lives... it was (and continues to be) a confirmation to me that these are genuinely good people and I'm genuinely thankful for that... there are, as you know, a lot of horrible bastards out there but I immediately felt safe and comfortable with my old mates..

I hope you have the same experience with your upcoming reunion mate, and I'm sure you will...


Yeah, I got the humour, AWP and I was replying in kind. I'm looking forward to a great night, once I get over the shock of how old they'll all look. (Have you noticed how old age is something we only impose on other people, conveniently forgetting to look in the mirror?) One of my female classmates, whom I see regularly, asked me how everyone will recognise her. I told her to bring a photo of her teenage self. She was quite indignant. "You're supposed to say I haven't changed a bit!", she spluttered.



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