Guestbook

Thank you for visiting our pages. We would love it if you would add to this guestbook by emailing me at the address shown! By the way, any message mailed without a legitimate Email address will be ignored. Any photographs that you may like posted, must be attached to first. There may be a one day delay before any message is displayed on this screen.

Due to an increase in SPAM, I have removed many Email addresses from these pages. If anyone should wish me to put them back I will use Java script which should make them invisible to web bots collecting Email addresses for spam purposes.

Dear / Sir Madam,

I have just 'stumbled across' the Old Pharosian Archives section of the Dover Grammar School website on the Internet. I am not an Old Pharosian myself, but my father and his two brothers attended Dover County School. The site is most impressive and the WWII Roll of Honour is a particularly fitting tribute to those who died serving their country - especially as Dover County Council never erected a memorial to the fallen of that war (or at least it hadn't last time I was there!).

With reference to the 1936 School photograph, I recall seeing a copy of this as a boy at my grandparents' house in Dover and can corroborate that Segment 6 Row 5 No. 68 is Alan George Paddock (1922-44), confirm that Segment 2 Row 5 No. 25 is Geoffrey John Paddock (1923-2001; my father) and advise that Segment 1 Row 7 No. 5 is Colin Paddock (1920-94). As recorded in the School Roll of Honour, Alan was killed in action in Burma in 1944. Colin was taken as a prisoner of war, but managed to escape and made a 'home run'. Both he and Geoffrey were career soldiers, although my father had a much quieter war than his two brothers!

With kind regards and best wishes,

Rory J.M. Paddock
Wellington
New Zealand

Dear Paul,

I would like to trace what happened to Mostyn Robson born 1916.
He was mentioned in 'The Pharos' between 1929 and 1939, usually as MWF Robson.
In March 1936 he was congratulated on his place at Loughborough College
The last mention I find for him is in 1939 when Mostyn Forth Robson's married Aileen Pierce at Deal.

Many thanks to you and your colleagues for making this information available.

I understand that he went to Australia before the war.

My mother was Mostyn's only cousin on the Robson side and she would like to know more about him

Regards

Jacqueline Davies
Pauline Robson Davies' daughter.

I went to university with Jeremy Crewdson (1989 segment 5 row 10 number 37) but have lost track of him over time. I found your address while attempting an internet search. I would not expect you to give me any details you hold but would kindly request that if you have an email address for him that you forward this message so that he will have mine.

My name is Joseph Spencer DAVIS. Both my father, name identical to mine, born 13/4/1907 and his brother John Matthew Davis, born 1911, attended the school, although I do not know exactly when. I can recall as a young child in the 1930s my father going off to play football for Old Pharosians. His brother was a notable cricketer and both played hockey well, I believe. My father died 26/6/1996 at Ashford and his brother 29/3/1981 in Guys Hospital in London.
I am now a keen family historian and would be keen to learn anything I can about either of them, particularly when they attended the school and any sporting achievements. I would, of course be happy to respond with anything I know that is of interest to the school or Old Pharosians.

Looking forward to a response,
Regards,
Mike Davis, but officially JSD.

Hi, Paul. I noticed a message from Peter Wilberforce on the site, and yes, I am the lad he remembers. We lived at a farm between Wootton & Selstead, Park Side Farm, And we left there in 1959. I now live in rural New Zealand (where we have been visited by Ken Lott and his son), and if Peter ever gets to NZ my wife and I will be delighted to offer some hospitality.

Peter Waring

I am writing to you regarding a man I believe was a Dover Grammar School student, J.G. Dixon. I am currently a Ph.D. student in the History Department at the University of Toronto. My dissertation is entitled "Reconstructing German Sport to Rebuild Germany, 1945-1955". Dixon was the sport and physical education advisor in the Control Commission for Germany, British Element, following the Second World War. From the searching on the internet, it appears as though the J.G. Dixon in whom I am interested is the same man who attended and taught at the Dover Grammar School.

I have already been to the National Archives (formerly the Public Record Office) in Kew to go through the official CCG(BE) papers. However, I am interested in locating Dixon's heirs to see if
they still have any of his papers or other items from his time in Germany. I am hoping that your school can assist me with this task, as I have no other information regarding Dixon prior to his appointment as the sport and physical education officer, nor any other information following his departure from that same post, except a brief stint he held as the senior mathematics master at Katherine Lady Berkeley's School in Wotton-under-Edge.

I realize that this is short notice, but I only discovered Dixon's connection to the Dover Grammar School today. I will be returning to England for a brief visit from May 11-15, and if it is at all possible for me to get in contact with Dixon's heirs prior to my trip, I would greatly appreciate it. If you can either pass along this query to his heirs or pass along their names and contact information to me, I would be most thankful.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me via email or at +49 151 169 69077, my current phone number in Germany. Thank you very much in advance for your assistance.
Sincerely,
Heather

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Heather Dichter
Ph.D. Candidate, Department of History
University of Toronto
heather.dichter@utoronto.ca
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Congrats on the centenary - but the formal, not my sort of thing.

As the years went by I realised that the education I had at DCGS gave me a headstart when I went to college especially due to the guidance of Mr. Kendall (chemistry), Mr. Jacques (math) and the physics master, I believe the physics teacher was Mr. Pearson.. In those times (c. 1955) we reached a level in the sixth form corresponding to about second year at an average US University today (I live in the US).
With that grounding, I ended up in Materials Science and have always had one foot in the space arena - so today, semi-retired, I consult on materials for ramjets and scramjets for Boeing/Pratt and Whitney/NASA.
In the long-term this will make entry to space much cheaper than nowadays. The most recent successful test of these engines in Australia is stimulating research. New types of insulating blankets for the space shuttle have also resulted from my work and some of these have just returned from three years on the space station. And, (never start a sentence with "and" - baloney!) many other materials... I owe it all to DCGS teachers for initially steering me and encouraging me to original thinking in those formative years.

Thank you,

Dr. P E D Morgan
USA, Japan, Europe, India etc. etc.

Hi Paul, I used be a pupil at DGSB, I left in 1989 to be precise, I wasn’t the greatest academic at that time in my life and went to College at 16, however I did end up getting a 2:1 honours in Business, so the school must have done me some good. It wasn’t until I got to about 21 I wanted to knuckle down and get decent qualification. Your site is good and I am sure helpful to those studying.

I was wondering if you could help me. I am thinking about setting up a clothes shop and would like to stock the school uniform. Do you know if Ernest Newson has the exclusive right to sell the uniform of whether they are the only ones doing it? If I were allowed to sell the uniform, and help as to how I would go about getting the badges and ties?

Not to worry if you cannot help, but thought I would ask anyway.

All the best
Steve Howard

I am sorry to bother you but I would appreciate your help.
I came by the following from the Dover Grammar School For Boys THE "FIRST THURSDAY"
NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2000 No 66 Web Site.
It was regards WALTER "ROBBIE" ROBERTSON (Chairman of Governors), the newsletter covered the funeral services and a brief history of his time which included his naval period.
The point of interest being that in 1940 he served with my father on the HMS Curlew that was sunk by a German bomber, in the Norwegian fjord, he too like Walter Robertson swam through icy seas to be rescued.
My father has since passed away but he would never talk about his war period but maybe Walter Robertson's family would have some history, photos and valuable information relating to this period.
Would it be possible for you to pass this information to Walter Robertson's family, and hopefully they may be able to reply.
You have my email address, if you need my home address I can give you that or alternatively
Walters family my give me their address (if they do not wish too then I will understand)

Thank You
Christine Sawyer (Daughter Of Thomas (Tom) Alfred Price)

Hello: My Wifes Father Thomas Collins was born in Dover at St. Mary's in 1907 son of Joseph and Sarah Ann. They lived at #4 Mount Pleasant. Mr. Collins was sent to Canada in 1921/22. Would you know of any Collins family that might be related? Thks J.C. (Great site) My Brother went to Borden Grammar School in Sittingbourne, I went to St. Michael's then on to Westlands.

hi iv notices a prob with ur site amongst many other the screen res u r looking for is 800x600 not 600x800 and also it would be nice if u could include your own java applets instead of using other peoples also your website needs a hell of a lot of modifications as there are still links to the homework links even though you no longer work at dover grammar school also i have noticed there is no picture of the schools current head teacher as this is probobly one of the most important parts of a schools enviroment.
I have noticed u have no link to the schools official website , dont u think this is slightly important as you have created this website about the school however there is no link to its current site. Many pupils i have spoke to seem annoyed because going to www.dovergrammar.co.uk takes u directly to the old pharosians site and younger pupils find it hard to remember the schools full domain name www.dovergramboys.kent.sch.uk. i do believe adding a link to the schools internal website will be benafitial to you because im sure that miss harris would add a link to your website from the schools one. this would allow many pupils and staff to easily view the schools history and interesting information u keep on ur site. anyway enough of the rambling on other that the look of ur site the content and information is relevent and interesting and i believe the school could use it a good reference

Yours Sincerley

A.N.Other

ps. good luck with the dover website

Hallo Mr. Skelton,

First let me congratulate you on your hard work putting this show on the road.
In the hour I spent last evening browsing through all the photos, I felt the years slipping away and names coming back!
I was a pupil at DGSB between 1961/67 before starting my first career as a Deck Officer in the MN. The last 25 years have been spent here in Northern Bavaria (where I live) and Frankfurt running IT departments for small industries and banks/broker houses.
I remember well those 6 years of mornings walking first a mile to the station in Aylesham and then another mile up Priory Hill before scraping in just before the bell sounded. Many folks despised us Ayleshamites for being rowdies and not as boisterous young lads from a multi-culti mining town in the charming Kentish countryside. Aylesham provided many avid sportsmen for the school in the names of McMahon, Bruce, Williams, Bartlett, Braziers, Meehan to mention just a few. Yours truly played basketball and cricket as an Under XV but have failed to find myself in any of Arthur Elliot's photos. But...if you look at the 1963 school photo Segment 1, Row 2, Number 7 you will espy the perpetrater of this mail !
'Forty years on growing older and older'.....how those words of the old song have become reality!!!
Keep up the good work.
.....and just so that you know who you are dealing with I've attached a recent pic of myself ;-)))

Regards,

Paul O'Donovan
Risk Invest Deutschland AG
Kaiserstr. 35
D-60329 Frankfurt
Tel: +49 69 27139751

Hi Paul,
Just spotted the name "Peter Waring". I wonder if he is the lad I knew back in about 1940. We lived for a while in Todor Cottage between Selstead and Wootton. Peter Waring lived a short distance away, but I cannot recall the name of the house. I seem to remember that he joined the RAF and I met up with him once at the school. Anyway, if he perchances to read this, I send my sincere greetings.
All the best,
Peter Wilberforce
DGS 1947-1954

I write to advise you that my father Lt. Col. Reginald Alfred Crofts CBE died peacefully at Lowestoft on 15 May 2005. He was at the Dover County School from 1920 to 1929 and always spoke of it with affection.

Michael Crofts (16 May 2005)

To whom it may concern,

I have pored over the 68 picture intrigued. However ime afraid I couldn't be in it because John Mc Mahon is there, and Lawrence Briggs. I was one of the same Aylesham ruffy tuffies but alas I came in the September intake. I will get back to you if I make some identities. I think I can see George Middlemiss. Dick Hadfield is my cousin. I had some of Lawrences cast offs to get to the school suitably attired. I also had uniform from Tony Bartlet too when I got into the fifth form.

I there a picture of the next year, it would be nice to see, cant imagine anyone from aylesham affording one at that time.

Les Powell (PRIORY) Sept 68- 74

Wow, a guestbook! Most of my contact' til now has been through Friends Reunited (membership lapsed, email details old) . I'd like to be remembered to former class mates and any teachers still in touch with the school. I'm an old Pharosian, but haven't been back since I ran joyfully from the top gates in June 1980.

If anyone who knew me is reading this, I'm going to be in the neighbourhood to see Idlewild at the Leas Cliffe hall in Folkestone on the 15th April. Tony Lyons, and possibly Kit Keen, are going along.

Lee Hearl
(Priory House)
Edinburgh
7th April, 2005

Hi Paul....for your scrap-book!
Many thanks for the tour, it was a pleasure meeting you and harking back lo those many years. I found the steps back to Dover Priory - we walked a heck of a distance every morning and afternoon (or am I simply getting older...?)
Kindest regards,
Mike Grover. (29 Mar 2005)

My mother has a photograph of the cross country team for 1966 or 1967, I am not sure which. Mr Horne was the master in charge and we are as usual at the bottom of the tower before that horrible paint job. We wore overlarge red running vests. I will try and get the picture copied to you and try to identify the runners. That year I got carried away during the Powell Cup and foolishlessly overtook a runner on the top field. If I had done my research I would have known that the first eight qualified for the school cross-country team!
I finished eighth and my fate was sealed. Wednesdays were never the same after that. Our first outing was against the Royal Leaders. Our captain ran up the slope at the rear of the school while we all crawled up grabbing clumps of grass to prevent our sliding back down the hill. Apart from our captain the Leaders won easily. Our mst successful run that season was over the sand dunes at Manwoods. It was the first time I didn't actually finish last but I always finished even if it was once in one shoe having picked up a large thorn from a recently cut hedge in Canterbury. The opposing team's captain rather rubbed our noses in it by running the six mile course backwards(honestly). We had to pay to run in those days. We had to contribute to the cost of the post run tea. I must confess to my shame that I tried to get out of paying.
Richard Swain (21 Feb 2005)

Could a note be put onto the website..I am interested in obtaining a copy of the 1973 year photo..all of us in the 3rd year just before the 1974 you show on the website..thanks Rex Fletcher fletcher_rex@yahoo.com

If you do get a photo, I'll certainly be interested in also receiving a digital copy for the web.

Just been looking at the piccys again. On the 1963 one I see that Miss Ecclesden has degenerated to Miss Beets (the head cook). This is definitely wrong, and I believe I mentioned before that she or her nickname from the fact that she "borrowed" a 1/3 pint of milk that was supplied for the students each day and took it to her lair between the Junior and Senior Chemistry Labs, where coffee was made throughout the day. (I might have spelt Ecclesden wrongly!)
Will sought some names out for the 68 pic when I get a few minutes.
Best wishes, John Lynge

Hi while surfing I thought I would see if my old school was around, having passed through Dover a few times en route to France!
Great site very informative.
I attended from 1962 to around 69, although we spent a year away (father was Royal Marine at Deal), where we lived, fond memories of the daily bus rides and long walk to bus station when I stayed after school for sport and CCF!
I left school when father was again posted back to Chataham, not a very successful student 3 "O" levels!
I joined the RAF in 71 and spent 24 years as an aircraft technician, now reside in Shropshire, working as an engineering lecturer. The basics instilled in me at school must have stuck as I went on to get
higher level qualifications, eventually gaining a degree in the early 90s!! It was so much easier when I was young!!
Regards to any former classmates.

David Sumner (11 Dec 2004)

Dear Mrs. Bell, 5/May/2004

You may be surprised to receive this letter. Allow me to explain:

I was a Jewish refugee child aged 15 when I was sent to Dover County School for Boys by my hosts, the Howard family of "the Glack" in Deal in December 1938. I much enjoyed the two terms I spent at the school (My sister Hanna was sent to the equivalent girls' school in Dover). My headmaster was Mr. Booth.

I am now 81 years old and am completing my autobiography. The proposed entry of my time at your school is in the following page.

I came across your website containing so much interesting information, that I simply had to write to you. I also have a request: I would very much like to include a photo of the school, for which I had already allocated an illustration number in my manuscript. I would be very grateful, if you could have a copy of a good photo made, for which I would of course pay. You may find it difficult to meet another request: While I have a picture of myself in cadet uniform, I have none as the big drummer of the cadet bugle band. But if by chance you can find such a picture, perhaps taken at camp in Sandwich in July 1939, I would be overjoyed.

This is the first contact I am making with your school since I left after the cadet camp in the summer of 1939. But I did drive up to the school on my return from France in 1972.

I am so pleased your website has enabled me to make contact.

With all good wishes for you, your staff and the school,

Yours sincerely,

Dr. Herbert Loebl

Hi There,

I too came across the site by pure chance and glad I did. I am looking to find out the first names of the Foad's listed on the site with the Old Pharaoh's section. If anyone knows who they are or even better knew them personally I would love to hear from you.

Thanks very much

Suzannah Foad
Margate Kent

Hi

Surfing the web and trying to locate family members. Came across W E Pearce, physics teacher and deputy head I believe (1940 to 1960 approx) - my wife's grandfather. Does anyone remember him?

Dennis Hopkins
Inverness

Dear Paul 15/Feb/2004

More or less by chance I came across the site, and, thanks to the Guest Column, I have established contact with two contemporaries who were with me from 1945 until 1951, Wyn Watkins and Ken Lott. In retirement, there is time to browse! I'm now living in a small town in the lower centre of the N Island of New Zealand, called Eketahuna, after a fairly varied career in aircraft, the motor industry, journalism, scientific research and, lastly, road safety policy. If anyone from my year passes through New Zealand, I and my wife would be very pleased to see them, and offer hospitality and some sightseeing around this very beautiful part of the world.

Peter Waring

I was idly surfing the web and I happened to come across my father's name on your web-site. I believe it said that you were looking for information on old boys. As you will see from your site A.T.Grimer was a very old boy indeed.

He joined the Civil Service as a boy-clerk and went to Waterford when Ireland was still part of the UK. He joined the Civil Service Rifles and was at summer camp when the 1914-1918 war broke out. He went straight off to battle. He marched through Jerusalem with Allenby and after the war married my mother (Maria Ida Alida Julia Bockaert) who fled from the Germans and was billeted with my grandfather at Maison Dieu Road if I remember the address correctly.

He spent his entire career in the Civil Service and retired as a Senior Executive Officer. He had 4 sons, I am the youngest. I have 9 children and 46 grandchildren so education in the Dover air must have been good for his genes, eh.

Congratulations on a very interesting web site.

Cheers

Francis Joseph Grimer

Dear Sir/Madam,

I wonder if you can help me please with a mystery that has haunted my Mother in Law for many years.

She owns a gold metal medal, on the front of the medal are the initials D.C.S. F.C. and the year 1924. On the reverse side are the initials H.L. After scouring the internet, I believe that the medal may have come from your school. Would this be possible? If so, perhaps you could point me in the right direction for my further research?

Thank you for your time.

Yours truly
Anita L Moiser

I linked up with The Old Pharosians web site by accident, when researching my surname for genealogical purposes. Lo and behold! - I appear in the 1945/1946 archive material. Warm regards to all those who knew me in those dim and distant days! Best wishes to all 'Old Pharosians'. Trevor Durbidge. My URL is: http://www.members.tripod.com/tevvydee/

Many Old Pharosians, particularly those involved with music during the early 80s, will remember Ted Armitage, who was a visiting piano teacher at the the School. Sadly, Ted died last week in Folkestone.

He came to DGSB upon retiring as Director of Music at Junior Kings School, Canterbury, and his interest and support for school music was far beyond the normal call of duty for a peripatetic teacher. He was especially thrilled on those occasions when the school choir, under the direction of Adrian Boynton, sang Evensong at his beloved York Minster.

He maintained contact with many OPs, and supported them in their careers, in many cases with financial assistance. His knowledge of the Church of England, its politics and its music was unequalled, and many a happy hour was spent in his company, hearing tales of ecclesiastical manoeuvrings. In the last years of his life he found it impossible to choose between Kent and Yorkshire, moving to and fro four times in his last six years. The final move, to Folkestone, was to enable him to retire properly from playing the organ. Although well into his eighties, all the while he remained in Yorkshire his talents were required from Sunday to Sunday at one church or another.

I hope to represent the OPs at Ted's funeral in York.

Stephen Yarrow (DGSB 1976-83)

So pleased to discover the DGSB website. Hours of browsing guaranteed.
Having left to go to art college in 1971, it is bringing back a lot of memories.
geoffrey brain
England - Monday, June 16, 2003 at 05:24:38 (EDT)

Is it true that Mrs. Julia Bell will be new head??
Bean
Kent, England - Sunday, June 15, 2003 at 07:49:14 (EDT)

Nice site!
Loved the old "Let there be light" soundbite. Fond memories of the old place. 1968-1975. Frith House. Sportsmad.
Round the world twice before setting up my own Building & Civil Engineering Company. Wife and two children (girls) residing in Bearsted.
Climbing Kilimanjaro this summer with Woolhouse and Ashenhurst (because I can!)
"This life is more than just a read through"..........red hot chilis

Kev Minnock
Maidstone, Kent England - Friday, June 13, 2003 at 08:39:59 (EDT)

Just passing through the web, and I came across the site. I'm a past student, thankfully, so some of you may remember me! Anyway, if you do, or if you don't, then go to my fabulous web site below, and see what a star I have become:

www.thekliq.4t.com
Simon Lawfull
London, England - Thursday, June 12, 2003 at 10:16:08 (EDT)

Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink I feel ashamed.
Then I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes and dreams.
If I didn't drink this beer, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered.
Then I say to myself, It is better that I drink this beer and let their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver
- Jack Handy

Angilica B. - just a Vodka Tourist :)
Lost In Space..., TX USA - Wednesday, June 11, 2003 at 21:45:41 (EDT)

We would like to say that it is with great regret that we say goodbye to the best headmaster a school could ever have! Thank you for everything you've done for us and good luck in the future.
Collective year 12
Dover, England - Thursday, May 08, 2003 at 07:19:31 (EDT)

We're Tony & Steve, the Dover Loaders. We love your site and invite you to join us for our own series of 'fly on the wall' documentaries, called 'DoverLoaded'. You'll find them at http://www.the14thdisciple.com/doverloaded
Best wishes
Tony & Steve
PS : Please remember to keep your baggage with you at all times ....
Dover, England - Thursday, April 17, 2003 at 16:41:04 (EDT)

Great site, happened on it by accident whilst searching for a DGGS old girls site. Does anyone know whether there is such a thing? It was rumoured there would be one late last year.
Margaret Philpott
Folkestone, Kent England - Saturday, April 19, 2003 at 06:25:03 (EDT)

Congrats on a job well done....If every school had a site like this it sure would give me the idea of turning my site into a real one ....
Well done again
All the best
Tom
ps..Thanks for signing my guestbook at World School Photographs
Tom McDermott
Ireland - Thursday, April 03, 2003 at 13:31:05 (EST)

Thank you very much for such an informative site. This is an incredible resource for students. I will use it for all my term papers, research papers and cliff notes. Keep up the great work!
free essays
- Wednesday, March 26, 2003 at 22:38:30 (EST)

Pharos magazines bought back great memories, don't even remember being in the '79 addition! Drove past the school the other month for the first time in 15 years, my children thought it look liked a "scary castle", which wasn't far removed from my first impression all those years ago.
Sitting outside, I could still hear "metalhead" Smith calling us all useless and "inviting" us to detention, once again.
Still metalwork and tech drawing had to be better than French and art?
Please, please take off the ever bouncing menu bar!
good luck.

Greetings from Houston, TX. My name is Lisa. Let me thank you for such an informative site. I used it to compose free essays
- Saturday, March 22, 2003 at 20:09:32 (EST)

Lots of love from the ex French assistant. I'd never been on the website yet and actually it's great! I really want to thank all those who helped me during my year in this school and good luck for all the students I knew. I'll take my French exams to be an English teacher in 2 weeks now. I hope that will be good. I hope to see you all soon.
Julie
Paris, FRANCE - Monday, March 10, 2003 at 15:32:23 (EST)

Super, super site. Very well done indeed.
Douglas Daugherty
Des Moines, IA United States - Sunday, March 09, 2003 at 14:12:46 (EST)

Browsing the site on a rainy Saturday afternoon waiting for the Gunners to slaughter Chelsea in the FA Cup (hope my words don't come back to haunt me). Looking at the archives, It's interesting to note that a search under my name yields two more entries than K.F.Best but three fewer than A.K.Boynton - still some way to go, then. Son, Joe, now in Yr 9 (that's third year in real money) and Dave Murray is still handing out detentions to the Yarrow boys a quarter of a century on. Plus ca change.....

Stephen Yarrow
Dover, Kent England - Saturday, March 08, 2003 at 10:10:34 (EST)

Hi, my name is Virginie, I did an Intership in your school in November 1999. I just want to say hi to the office and whoever I met during those unforgettable 6 weeks. Kind Regards,
Virginie
Dublin, Ireland - Sunday, February 23, 2003 at 10:18:08 (EST)

I am not sure what this is all about yet. Chanced here. What would Bukowski do? That is what we should all be asking. Steve S. from www.saroff.com -- come and visit to read stories and see pictures.
Steve Saroff
Missoula, MT - Saturday, February 22, 2003 at 16:05:13 (EST)

Just surfed in. Nice Web site. Thank you. Will there be updates to your site soon?

Calie from www.FlixTown.com
Calie Flix
Gainesville, FA - Saturday, February 22, 2003 at 14:54:02 (EST)

There are updates on an almost daily basis. Just look under WHAT'S NEW for the latest.

A very colourful and exciting site, but I couldn't find and contact address/ telephone number for the school.
John Dixon
London, Surrey England - Wednesday, February 19, 2003 at 05:01:17 (EST)

Great site when was it put up? We all miss the school and the laughs we all had, always in trouble!

I think we have all matured a lot now!
Thanx for everything....

Richard lingard....doing a Btec in media production
Ben Cooper...1yr in to engineering course for P&O
Matt Scott...Btec in media Production
Scott Lawrence....Bum

Thanks to,
Mr Davis
Mr Thompson
Mrs Lloyd
Mr Woolger and to everyone else who taught us

Richard Lingard
Ben Cooper
Scott Lawrence
Richard Lingard
Deal, England - Wednesday, February 05, 2003 at 09:39:02 (EST)

What is Mr tuckers first name?
Fish
Dover, Kent England - Tuesday, February 04, 2003 at 16:31:46 (EST)

Why not ask him! (Webmaster) Or leave a legitimate Email address and I'll get back to you!

April 3rd Hope Everyone Will Be Supporting The School's 1st XI In The Kent Cup Final Up Crabble!
Come On Boys!
Student
Tuesday, January 28, 2003 at 08:33:45 (EST)

Greetings from Huston, TX. My name is Lisa. Let me thank you for such an informative site. I used it to compose cliff notes and free essays for my class. Your site is indeed a wonderful source for all my future term papers and research papers. free essays
- Monday, January 20, 2003 at 21:16:25 (EST)

I now live in Bristol but have just read that Mr Falconer has left. I'm sure he will be sorely missed as he really was an asset to the school.
However, it is good to see that Dr Jackson, Mr Jolliffe etc are still slaving away.
Well done Paul, the 1st Thursday newsletter is a great way for old boys to keep track of what is going on at the school.
Ivan Hargrave
Bristol, England - Tuesday, January 21, 2003 at 10:25:40 (EST)

Impressive website. Love the moving menu and moving picture of Mr Slater.
Praise to the designer and software writers who created it.

Love to see the school Athletics records - for obvious reasons.

All the best

Steve T
Steve Talbot
London, England - Thursday, January 09, 2003 at 09:17:42 (EST)

I hope I can interest someone in a bit of genealogy work. I am a Wratten, 7th generation from Thomas Wratten (born about 1795) in England.

I noticed that there have been Wrattens attending your school, and since it is not a common name, perhaps they belong in the same line of genealogy. The difficulty is this: Thomas Wratten information is difficult to come by, and we only have his wives (both Gilleys) and many children.

We hopefully search for his parents and siblings, etc. Thank you for your consideration!

My Grand Uncle was Harold Victor Gasson, he seems to have been a at the school prior to 1915 (he was born 1895 in Dover) as was present at the Jun 3, 1914 dinner with respect to the "The mustard seed" that the proverbial large tree will spring from.

It is mentioned that he emigrated to Australia in 1914, and there is a mention of him visiting the school during a leave from the front in the March 1918 issue.

Without this being on line I would not have found his Army record online with the National Archives of Australia. I was actually able to read the scanned pages of his tour of duty (he was wounded twice and gassed once - amazingly they just kept sending him back to the front).

My Grandfather was Kingsley Gasson (Harold's brother) and was born at 52 Folkstone Road, in 1911.

I will look at the photos, but it seems that the Gasson families of Dover that I am related to seemed to have lived in the area from about 1800 as far back as I can tell from my online info to about the 1920's, but later than that I am unable to ascertain was research from overseas is a little bit harder.

Thank you again for this wonderful site, keep up the good work.

Wendy Parker
Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada

Spectacularly cheesy website - my favourites are the picture of Neil Slater that follows you around the welcome page, and the archive page which plays Fiat Lux while you browse - nice touch...

Like the archives although, having searched for my name, disappointed that brother appears considerably more often than me.
Tim Spence
England - Thursday, January 02, 2003 at 17:49:01 (EST)

Hi there

I'm a 11 year old from the downs primary school Walmer, Deal, Kent I'm hoping to get into your school and I'v made an appeal, great site!!
Michael
Kent, U.K England - Thursday, January 02, 2003 at 17:20:50 (EST)

I am just a proud as punch, I found some info regarding my Grand Uncle Harold Victor Gasson, an 'Old Boy' and some info on him regarding WWI and his emigrating to Australia in the old Pharo.

Thank you so much for keeping this web site up and running with the info you do have.

I never would have found this out about my family history.

Thank you again.

Wendy Parker
Wendy Parker
Coquitlam, BC Canada - Tuesday, December 31, 2002 at 21:44:40 (EST)

I find this site amusing, it reminds me of the sort of sites that were on the Internet in the mid 90s. It shocked me to find a site like this still around, it is the last sort of site I would expect to find representing a school.

The whole "cram as many corny flashing, gaudy and moving things into one page as you can" idea just looks cheap and tacky. I might forgive someone for having a personal web-site like this, but for a school?

That's just my opinion anyway, but I'm sure you welcome opinions and it would be wrong of me to lie.

Good luck with the site anyway.
James:
Leeds, England - Saturday, December 21, 2002 at

The website has improved considerably since I last looked, but still has a way to go...

Nice to see all the First Thursday newsletters archived (complete with a couple of rather familiar satirical sketches...) - I managed to pull out some useful info that I had forgotten about.

One objection - while searching through the First Thursday archives, I notice that in issue 63, congratulations were handed out to my two friends when we graduated together from the Kent Institute of Art and Design... but not me! I graduated too you know! Have I been censored???
Was I such a terrible student that the authors of the "First Thursday" have chosen to eradicate my memory from the history of the School? Oh well...

Chris
Chris Lightwing:
England - Friday, December 20, 2002 at 09:14:08 (EST)

Whilst browsing the internet for information relating to my family I came upon the Pharos Magazine Archives and was fascinated to find that my grandfather Herbert Ashman had presented a prize to the school - The Frederick Ashman Memorial Prize.

Frederick Ashman and his younger brother Bertram George Ashman (My father) were both members of your school prior to the 2nd World War. Frederick joined the RAF as a navigator and died on his 13th mission in a Lancaster over Berlin in 1943.

I feel warmed that the prize has been presented for achievement in mathematics, as without the math. skills Fred obtained whilst at your school, he and his crew could still be flying around Europe looking for somewhere to drop their bombs.

Sad it is that at anytime, man should wish to create war. The loss felt by families when their children die before them is well known and I now understand the anguish my grandparents showed at this time of the year. It is obvious to me why Herbert and Edith presented the prize to the school, and wondered if the students receiving it in the 21st century are curious why it, and other prizes you present at the school, exist.

You may wish to visit Frederick's (and Bertram's) wartime webpages on my family website "Ashman In
Kent"

Fred Ashman 1939/43
Bertram Ashman's Secret War including video
Herbert's War 1914/18 including some wartime experience voice tracks in his own words recorded on his 90th birthday in 1991.
Regards
Chris Ashman

As a Pascall archivist ( and deriving from Dover) May I politely ask for the name of the donor of the "Pascall Cup" shown in your website?
Peter Pascall
Christchurch, New Zealand - Friday, November 15, 2002 at 00:21:23 (EST)

Mark Gabriel 2000 leaver.
Now studying for finals in Computer Science at St Catherine's College, Oxford.

In July 2002 I set off with 7 fellow oxford students, under the wing of our charity Travel Aid, to the Central American country of Guatemala. With our huge bags stuffed with provisions for the 2-month voyage and over £3000 in traveller's cheques that we had raised in the previous weeks we stepped, still wet behind our ears, into the third world.

"A relatively high level of violent crimes are committed against foreigners in Guatemala, so travellers should always be alert to potentially dangerous situations. Incidents of bus- and car-jackings are quite common, and Guatemala's larger cities can be dangerous after dark. Intercity travel after sunset should be avoided. Kidnappings, rapes and assaults do occur during daylight hours and in some cases affect entire groups of travellers." - Lonely Planet World Guide

The charity work in which we participated was with an organization called Safe Passage. Safe Passage educates, feeds, and provides essential services for children (5-13) who live in Guatemala City's Zone 7, the municipal dump. Several thousand families live in the dump and survive by scavenging trash; many live in houses made of garbage. The infant mortality may be as high as 50% before the age of one, and few residents have running water (let alone potable water), medical care, or, quite frankly, anything.

Safe Passage serves 70 of the neediest of these children in formal classes (preschool and non-accredited elementary) and many more in an afternoon drop in program. It provides meals for all children, case management (particularly relations with schools), food for participating families, work with families, and play therapy.

After an incredibly rewarding but tiring month on the project we set of for the final month of travelling around Guatemala and neighbouring countries of Belize and Honduras. During the time I climbed an active volcano, swam in the Pacific and Caribbean, learned to dive, held snakes and crocodiles, investigated 70m high Mayan temples in deep tropical rain forest, and spent several days on the toilet with a very doggy stomach.

Overall a superb time was had by all, and I would recommend anyone who fancies a change from the norm to visit this culturally and physically exhilarating country.

A view from the cone of the

active volcano Pacaya

Some of the children on the

Safe Passage project

Hiya! I go to the Girls Grammar school. I'm in my I.T. lesson at the moment, and we are busy making pages for our webstie, can't wait till its as good as this one!!! lmao. ok, bye.
Kimberley
Dover, England - Tuesday, November 12, 2002 at 07:25:07 (EST)

this is a gr8 site, i like ur xmas cards. i go to the girls skool adn i wish we had suah a good site, we're making one at the mo, but it probably wont b as gd as urs.lol. :)
rahel
dover, kent England - Tuesday, November 12, 2002 at 07:23:37 (EST)

My grandfather owned Noah's Ark Farm which I think occupied part of the land on which the school is built. I am just starting to do some research into my family history and wondered if you have any contacts that I might use. I think that my family would have left the farm in the 1920's - my mother was born in 1918 and had some memories of it and a dairy that they ran nearby. I was interested that your site had mention of a book by K.H.Ruffell that covers the period in question.
Any assistance would be appreciated.
Roger Clarke
Gerrards Cross, Bucks , England - Wednesday, November 06, 2002 at 10:10:50 (EST)

Lol Paul could you have designed a tackier website? But nice work though, I think it suits the old place. Hope all is well and Messrs Callacher, Blake, Harrison et al are happy (like they always were). And Imperial could do with a Mrs George to tell you not to sit on the tables.
Tom Freeman
London, England - Sunday, October 13, 2002 at 18:11:42 (EDT)

Keep up the good work Paul, great to keep in touch with the school via the site!
James Eberlein
Reading, England - Friday, October 11, 2002 at 10:04:13 (EDT)

The very fact that so many of these postings are from boys who left the school so long ago is a great testament to the effect it had on us. 1977 to 1984, I was in Frith, and Simon Edwards who was my best friend then is still my best friend 25 years later and we live less than 30 miles apart here in California. Hymn number 303...let's rock!
Rob Perkins
Newport Beach, CA USA - Monday, September 23, 2002 at 20:16:52 (EDT)

I am still trying to contact someone at the school who would be willing to look up old records for me.
I would like to find school sports records and rugby records
My D O B is 26/01/55
I was in school in the 1960,s therefore
Anyone you suggest I should write to or email ?
I tried your previous suggestion but no reply
THANK YOU
Oliver Sansum
BUCKS, England - Tuesday, September 03, 2002 at 07:09:08 (EDT)

This is the first time that I have looked at this site and am very impressed. It is hard to believe that it is nearly ten years since I left a place with many happy and fond memories. Only another thirty years to go before I can legitimately sing 40 years on... Don't get back to Uk that often, but when I do I look up the old place. Never guess that Rob Ahley lives 20 metres away from me!! Keep up the good work.
Miles Williams
Gutersloh, Germany - Thursday, August 29, 2002 at 15:50:31 (EDT)

I am a DCGS "oldboy" (cira 1948-1954)- by going to google and typing in "ped morgan" you find out about me on the www - well anyway what other people wanted to put on, because I never put anything on myself.
peter e d morgan
thousand oaks, ca usa - Wednesday, July 24, 2002 at 13:41:15 (EDT)


Dunno if this might help you to remember me! I've just got back from Afghanistan...that's Kabul in the background. Cheers	I wasn't there for long... just long enough to compile a couple of 4 minute news reports about the work in the community that the army is doing. Me and my cameraman (see pic) actually had a great (though tiring) time - the people were very friendly. Trouble is, the place is rife with sickness - we had to be VERY careful about what we ate and drank. Tell you what, the mountains which surround Kabul are magnificent - it would have made a great geography field trip! Ken
From: Ken Goodwin

Great website, a joy to look through one question when did the house names change and why?
Andy Knott
England - Saturday, July 13, 2002 at 16:01:36 (EDT)

Default Country should now read ENGLAND
Web Master
England - Monday, July 08, 2002 at 16:20:49 (EDT)

Thank you for your reply to my Guestbook entry. I am going to be e-mailing you again telling you how to claim your award. I was looking at your website and noticed a 'First Thursday Newsletter' could please say in there that my company are looking at allsorts of websites and will be giving out awards.
Speak to you soon

B.R. RICHARDS
ICT WEBSITE AWARDS
uk - Tuesday, July 02, 2002 at 14:11:58 (EDT)

I have recently been visiting all the school websites in your area and this one has stood out the most. I am a new organisation which allows websites to be recognised and receive awards. If you would like to receive an award for this website please reply to the E-Mail address given.
Yours Sincerely
B.R. Richards
ICT WEBSITE AWARDS 2002
LONDON, UK - Monday, July 01, 2002 at 14:08:43 (EDT)

I am constantly impressed by the changes to the website any time that I return. The flashing graphics do get a bit annoying, but considering that it is 40 Years On since I started at DGSB, it must be an 'age thing'! I can't seem to find the school tour - is it still available or has it been dropped? Keep up the great work!
Robert Banning
Toronto, Ontario Canada - Tuesday, June 25, 2002 at 22:10:21 (EDT)

I was at the school from 1960 - 1966. I now manage a Dover company that employs 50 people - was formerly the Dover Engineering Works Ltd - but is now known as Elkington Gatic.
We export 50% of our product overseas, we have manufacturing units in China.
The Elkington GATIC cover is a world leader in high performance access covers for safety critical situations such as airports.
Gatic is a Dover product that has sold worldwide for 80 years.
David M Harvey
Dover, UK - Tuesday, June 25, 2002 at 16:31:20 (EDT)

Well, I don't think I've actually been back to the school since I left four years ago. I'm intrigued by the new-look chemistry labs - will have to pay a visit sometime. I've just got a 2:2 in Physics from Imperial and am waiting to hear about an MSc in Photonics here.
Two comments:
-Yes the website is fun, but it's also extremely TACKY TACKY TACKY, and the flashing graphics are painful. I'd have thought that something a bit more classy would better suit the school.
-Why, when you needed a fourth house, didn't you go back to the original four and leave Channel, Port and Castle as an unfortunate blip in history?
J.
James
London, UK - Monday, June 24, 2002 at 05:11:03 (EDT)

I found your site while surfing the web. What a great place!
Cryssy
Nv USA - Saturday, June 22, 2002 at 03:46:12 (EDT)

good job on the site.
'get off the cricket square'!!
peco&galmis31.freeserve.co.uk
USA - Tuesday, June 18, 2002 at 16:07:19 (EDT)

Well, well - how times move on! Nice to see a website up and running for the school - not sure about the headache inducing flashing images all over the homepage, but none the less! Hope all you old boys are well - this old girl is still in Dover and running the DODS website.

Keep up the good work webbies!
Justine
Dover, USA - Tuesday, June 18, 2002 at 10:35:28 (EDT)

WHO SHOULD I CONTACT WITH REGARDS INFO ON PAST HISTORY.
I WAS AT THE SCHOOL ( D O B 26/01/55 )WHEN MR COLMAN WAS HEAD.I SENT AN email TO MR TUTTLE BUT NO REPLY YET. I WANT TO KNOW IF RECORDS AND PHOTOS STILL EXIST OF PAST SPORTS DAYS ALSO RUGBY AND CROSS COUNTRY AT THE SCHOOL CAN YOU HELP OR ADVISE WHO TO CONTACT
THANK YOU
Oliver Sansum
Chalfont St. Peter, BUCKS G B - Friday, June 14, 2002 at 12:02:49 (EDT)

Good website. How about a wav. file which plays "Let there be light" when you enter the homepage?
Ken Goodwin
USA - Wednesday, June 12, 2002 at 18:00:56 (EDT)

Good website! the homework info is handy for those lost sheets! well done
Graham Savage
USA - Wednesday, June 12, 2002 at 14:29:51 (EDT)

I left school in 1952 & was House Captain of Park House until I left to join the RAF. I am now retired after spending a lifetime in aviation. I would welcome contact with any of my old friends who may still be around.
Wyn Watkins
Newport, Shrops UK - Saturday, June 08, 2002 at 16:02:06 (EDT)

hey ! great website. can't seem to get DGGS' website up though. Can you please create a link to it. ! THANKS !
Kirsty
England - Tuesday, May 21, 2002 at 05:51:30 (EDT)

Adam: Hello, your school website is sooo upbeat and cool compared to ours!!! Ours is rubbish! I haven't ever been to your area, as I am in Plymouth, we are just leaving on study leave!!

Laura: hello, I am a big Ash fan, and I would appreciate e-mails with pics of Tim Wheeler! thanx!
Adam Leaves & Laura Hogg
Plymouth, UK, Devon UK - Thursday, May 16, 2002 at 10:24:17 (EDT)

Hi, very impressive website, am ex-DGGS girl, could you give them a push in this direction, can't seem to find a website for them and this is pretty impressive!
Lyndsay Hackett
England - Tuesday, May 07, 2002 at 18:39:49 (EDT)

Good Morning,
What a pleasure to meet several of you at Hever Castle last week! I have flown home safely and I am looking forward to bringing the boys at Fenn School your interest in communicating by Pen(e-mailing is move like it) Pal. Please send a list of boys names, grade, interests, and e-mail addresses and I will connect you to someone of like interests.

I enjoyed the country-side in England, especially the animals and the hedges along the roads.

I look forward to hearing from you.
Fondly,
Mrs. Fowler, nurse

PS Your website is terrific! Please take a look at ours www.fenn.org
Betsy Fowler
Concord, MA USA - Sunday, May 05, 2002 at 06:49:20 (EDT)

If anyone is interested in Radio - dont forget the Dover amateur radio Club meets every Wednesday evening at the Boys Grammar school, from 19:30pm.
please take a look at our website for more information
Matt Curtis
Dover, UK - Saturday, May 04, 2002 at 10:06:34 (EDT)

Thought Id have a look for interests sake. As a former House Captian of Priory (1975) delighted to see it remains but why have Astor, Frith and Park disappeared?
Trevor Pearce
USA - Monday, April 22, 2002 at 16:21:33 (EDT)

Like your website..I was an Austrian exchange teacher at DGSB in the academic year 1979/80. Say hello to Dave Murray, maybe he could get in touch...
best rei
Reinhard Auer
Salzburg, Austria - Monday, April 22, 2002 at 10:02:24 (EDT)

Anyone out there who remembers me?
Nick Taylor
Perth, WA Australia - Tuesday, April 09, 2002 at 04:02:25 (EDT)

ex. Arthur Road - remember lots of names, but dont see anyone1
Chas Robinson
Hythe, Kent United Kingdom - Friday, April 05, 2002 at 23:21:50 (EST)

Who would have thought that my old school could come up with such a good site? Well done to all concerned. (Attended 1987-1994)
Brendan Bowley
Dover, - Friday, April 05, 2002 at 06:17:48 (EST)

Wow! A really impressive site, a joy to surf through! Congratulations and well-done, keep up the good work.
Tom Auld
Dover, kent UK - Friday, April 05, 2002 at 06:07:30 (EST)

Just saying Hello. At school 1942-1947. Good Luck to all of you. I am currently exchanging e-mail with Brian Bacon a contemporary of mine who now lives in Coolum Beach Australia site of the recent Commenwealth Heads meeting.
John Talbot
Bristol, UK - Friday, April 05, 2002 at 05:12:12 (EST)

Hi nice site i go to Astor next door to you i looked at their site and then yours their both good. Try astors, www.astor-school.co.uk
John S
Dover , Kent England - Thursday, March 21, 2002 at 12:29:05 (EST)

just thought i would visit the site, just like to say its Wicked Nice One!!!!!!!!!!!
Freddie Cameron (8PT)
Dover, Uk - Thursday, March 14, 2002 at 15:59:52 (EST)

It is nice to be able to "walk around" remotely. It will be interesting to see the number of Old Pharosians that your guestbook drags out of the woodwork. So far your overseas members are doing pretty well. (My years '49 - '55)
Trevor Heaver
Vancouver, Canada - Wednesday, March 13, 2002 at 17:59:49 (EST)

Great site, finish school tour and it will be perfect
Adrian Bailes
DeLand, FL USA - Wednesday, March 13, 2002 at 09:38:55 (EST)

So what do you do on a quiet afternoon in March? You've spent the week engaged in negotiations over the rateable value of offices in Hampshire, the pub has just closed and most of the suppliers have decided to utilise "P.O.E.T.S"
Well, you trawl through the Net. From the misty reaches of the back of the cranium comes four letters...gentlemen, I refer to "DGSB"...What causes this to come to the fore is unclear, however I must say it is a pleasure to find the Ol' school has a concise website befitting its status. As a consistent underachiever during my time in those hallowed halls, it is pleasant to "Take the tour"....possibly it wasn't all THAT BAD back then!!
Howard Golding
Andover, USA - Friday, March 08, 2002 at 09:20:17 (EST)

A GREAT WEBSITE, LOTS TO DO AND IS FUN FOR PUPILS!!
James
- Monday, March 04, 2002 at 14:56:48 (EST)

I'm very impressed. You've created an attractive, informative site. Well done...and keep up the good work.
Alan Dowie
UK - Monday, March 04, 2002 at 05:03:19 (EST)

Not bad going on the site. I'm glad they got the guest book in...
good work fellas
Ro66
USA - Friday, March 01, 2002 at 06:56:18 (EST)