Friends Reunited

As a result of the troubles currently affecting ITV, there have been some newspaper stories about their ownership of the "Friends Reunited" website. Apparently ITV paid £175m to buy this but it has been eclipsed by sites such as myspace and facebook. I had been onto the site a few years ago but wasn't interested enough to actual pay to register.

But the newspaper today said that the site was now free, so I have registered, joined the group of people linked to Kenilworth School who graduated in 1981 and am amazed to discover just how many people that I did know at school are on the site. And perhaps more oddly, I am amazed by just how many names I had forgotted over the years.

So among people on the site were Tim Baumfield, Andy Belgrove, Louise Burgess, Sarah Clutton, Nick Cox, Elisabeth Cunliffe, Amanda David, Huw Davies, Judith Fardon, Mark Finney, Suzanne Foster, Sue Gould, Alison Griffith, Robert Griffiths, Sian Hamer, Richard Harrison, Debbie Hinks, Simon Inchley, Ann Jackson, Gill Jowers, David Law, Cathy Leach, Paul Lewis, Sally Love, Helen Manger, Anthony Marsh, Clare Moseley, Alison Muckersie, Neil Orridge, Pete Farr, Laura Robertson, Mark Robinson, Rachel Sharman, Louise Sheard, Iain Shearer, Mark Shuttleworth, Laurence Sibley, Ian Tebby, Helen Tredwell, Helena White, Yvette Woods, Mark Woodland and Elinor Woolley.

What is the immediate thing that springs to mind when I think of each name? So some free association . . .

Tim Baumfield was, for many periods, quite a close friend. He worked at the Bear when I was there and, famously, went out with the barmaid Cressida, who was several inches taller than him. Last saw him in a pub in Kenilworth about 10 or 12 years ago with Jonathan Oliver and Mark Tatman. Andrew Belgrove ("Belly") was something of a wild bloke when we were growing up. He once avoided paying for a curry by climbing out of the upstairs window of the restaurant. Linda and I once met him in the Bear and Ragged Staff pub in Kenilworth. He was, for many years, employed as a van driver! Louise Burgess is a very familiar name but I can't quite put a face to it at the moment.

Sarah Clutton lived near me. She once came down to London with me and a few others for a day out. Nick Cox once tried to hit on Sally Barrass, a girl I was taking to a Genesis show at the Birmingham NEC at Christmas 1981. Elisabeth Cunliffe was very smart and had curly hair. Amanda David was best friends with Alison Griffith, who were the first two girls I ever saw in their underwear! Huw Davies is the only person I have tried to contact via this site. He was my best friend for years and an usher at our wedding. Haven't seen him for perhaps 18 years. I will no doubt write more about Huw at some stage.

Judith Fardon is a name I had forgotten till now - can't quite picture her at the moment, but she was in my class for 5 or 7 years! Mark Finney was a part of the Baumfield-Davies-Inchley-Mike Bolton group to which I also belonged. He came on a walking trip to the Lake District with me once. We stayed at mum and dad's caravan and did my first ascent of Scafell Pike together. Suzanne Foster was lovely. I once sent her a valentine's card, but it was unrequited. Sue Gould was also lovely. She was part of my small outward bound group when we all went to the Lake District in 1978. I think she is married to Lawrence Sibley and lives in Windy Arbour.

Alison Griffith was the girl I fancied most at school. She had the most beautiful eyes. She was also the first girl to wear a really short skirt to school and she had great legs. We were actually quite good friends and occasionally went a tiny bit further. She memorably got really drink at my house once while my parents were away. We spent much of the evening drinking red wine and listening to Fripp and Eno's Evening Star with the lights turned out - it was a far out night! That was the occasion when she and Amanda David stripped to their underwear. I have loads of memories of Alison. On one of the last times I saw her, she asked me why I had never asked her out. I said I was too shy and didn't want to spoil our friendship. She said that was a shame and she would have definitely gone out with me. I regretted that for years. I had heard she had quickly got married after school and had quite a number of kids. Her online profile doesn't say anything though.

Robert Griffiths used to occasionally come round my house. We weren't close firends though. Sian Hamer and I were at primary school together and once sang a duet in a Gang Show - "If you were the only girl in the world and I was the only boy". Once, many years later, when drunk in the White Lion pub, we sang it in front of everyone and could remember all the words and our choreography. Richard Harrison ("Harry") was very sporty - don't remember much about him though.

Debbie Hinks helped me with the production credits for the movie we made at Easter 1980. She married Simon Inchley I believe - childhood sweethearts. Simon and I went fishing together loads of times (maybe 30+ times) and he was part of the Irish holiday group in the summer of 1980 - had the most amazing bowling action at cricket and was great at tennis. Me and Kathy Yorke beat him and Sue Gould in the school mixed doubles competition two years in a row. Ann Jackson had beautiful red hair and was a friend of Joanne Styring - the third girl I ever kissed. Gill Jowers sat next to me in maths and physics "A" level class for two years and we worked as a team. I have many fond memories of her. She had liked older boyfriends though. David Law was my main rival for the affections of Rachel Sharman, my first girlfriend. Cathy Leach was one of the main organisers of things at school - if there is ever a school reunion, she would be the person to organise it.

Paul Lewis was a maths genius (or so it seemed to us) and a deeply committed Christian. Sally Love is a very familiar name but I can't quite picture her. Same with Helen Manger. Anthony Marsh was the main "jock" in our class - a very fast sprinter, great rugby player, etc. There is a picture of him on the site - I would not have recognised him. Clare Moseley was a tall, slim blonde girl who also liked older men - rumour had it that she was going out with a garage owner. Alison Muckersie was at Park Hill (primary school) with me, where her dad was a teacher (?). She had very dark hair and lived just up the road from me. Neil Orridge was in the year below me and a friend of my brother, but I could be wrong about that. Pete Farr was best friends with David Honeybone, who lived two doors from me and with whom I grew up - we were born just 10 days apart and our mum's were best friends. David was an usher at our wedding and I haven't seen him since - he now lives in Australia. Pete was the main founder of the school band - the Duffle Boys.

Laura Robertson was also gorgeous from what I remember. She was in my class up until the 6th form and then in my economics "A" level group. Long dark hair and a beautiful face. Mark Robinson went out with Alison Griffiths for ages and then went to work at CERN.

Rachel Sharman was my first girlfriend and I will always think rather fondly of that whole experience. We hooked up around the time of the Lake District outward board trip, but weren't together long. I was totally out of my depth with her. But she was the first girl I ever kissed or held hands with . . . so she was my "first love". Her online profile ways she is married, lives in Yorkshire, has three kids and works part-time in a school. Good for her!

Louise Sheard was something of a "babe", though I don't think I ever spoke to her. Most of the boys at school really fancied her. Iain Shearer is a name I recognise but can't at present put any events to. Mark Shuttleworth and me were good friends on and off. Last saw him in Forest Gate in 1985. His profile suggests he has done very well. Laurence Sibley and I were good friends for a short period of time when he was going out with Caroline Kemp, who lived just up the road from me. Ian Tebby went out for ages with Val Taylor, my second girlfriend. Helen Tredwell was best friends with Val Taylor and Rachel Sharman.

Helena White was one of our year's racier girls, from what I remember. Yvette Woods is another name I know really well but which I can't think of a specific incident for. Mark Woodland was a great swimmer and a front row forward for the rugby team. Elinor Woolley was very tall and slim with dark hair - I think.

So many names I haven't thought about for years. But only Huw that I have tried to get in touch with.

A very strange experience looking through the site I must say. I wonder if anyone will contact me as a result of me being on there - somehow I doubt it. I was, it has be said, rather an odd child!