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On the afternoon of Saturday 1 October 17 Classof76-mates met at FSL for a tour of the school.

We were shown round by the current school Principal, Stephen Moore, a graduate in French and German from Oxford University and the first non-Quaker Principal at FSL. We lamented the disappearance of the Silo, the Victorian swimming pool and Harding House. However developments have been most impressive, for instance a state-of-the-art music department equipped with recording studios, mixing in a MAC suite and fully sound-proof classrooms. The newest classrooms have touch-screen 'blackboards' like giant ipads and built-in desk furniture for teachers.

After the tour we were invited into the Archive Room where our former Principal Arthur Chapman had displayed artefacts of interest to our year, namely sample record cards, photographs, newspaper articles and Past & Present magazines and a box of limited edition LP records of FSL Choir of 1976. Most precious of all was a bible dating back to 1610, presented to FSL in the 1800s by the owner of the land on which the school now stands.

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Simon Gilbert sent photos from the visit. View them in the gallery:

http://www.classof76.net/cgi-bin/gallery?instanceID=3

(and Maggie Thompson forwarded the group photo of all who attended).

Also Simon forwarded two photos of the reunion dinner...

• one was taken when I was giving a wee speech and it looks like I've a chin like Bruce Forsyth—I haven't!
• the other of those who refused to leave the bar until 03:30am :-)

It was great to meet you all.

Christine and Julie have been working to add and label photos taken last Saturday evening. All photos can be viewed by selecting the "Photos" section of this web site from the menu above. Christine's message:

Hi all,

It was great to meet some of you at the 40th Reunion dinner on Saturday.

I took some photos during the evening... here is the link to about a third of them that I think are the best:

      http://www.classof76.net/cgi-bin/gallery?instanceID=2

Thanks to Julie for keeping me right with the names :-).

By default, the photos are displayed as small thumbnails. Select anyone to view a larger photo in a slideshow. Your computer should allow you to use the left and right arrow keys appropriately to move through the slideshow. Select outside the photo area to go back to view the thumbnails.

However, if you just want to view those photos that a certain person is in, before you go into the slideshow, use the option labelled 'Tag cloud' (below the 40th reunion main heading on the page) to view the list of names. Once you select a name, the page will refresh to display the thumbnails of the photos that person is in.

If you know I took a photo of you and it's not on the site and you'd like to see it, just email me and I'll forward it to you.

Or if you have any photos you'd like to add, please don't hesitate to forward to Julie (julie.smyth@classof76.net) or myself (christine@classof76.net). Or if you would like to add them to the site yourself, I can set up access for you, just say.

All the best, to the next time we meet, love,

Christine

BTW for those who don't recognise my name, I'm George Munroe's partner and, as you may have seen from the web site, been part of the Class of 76 running team since it started.

Thanks to Paul Roberts who hunted out this photo, scanned it and forwarded it for inclusion on the web site!

Select the photo to view the large photo and see if you can recognise someone you knew... even if it's just yourself!

Or if it's too small, select this larger photo:

http://www.classof76.net/classof76/documents/blog-000788-20161002210942.jpg

And an important memory from George Redpath about this photo:

I would like to claim copyright on the photo Paul posted, as I believe I took the photo. At that time my interest in photography was developing and I just acquired my first SLR, a Minolta SRT. It was of course second hand and there was a knack to getting the shutter to operate correctly. If the shutter release was not pressed firmly the mirror would lift, making a noise, but the shutter wouldn’t open, and no photo would result. After I had taken the photo, Bouncer offered to take a photo with me in it, but he didn’t have the knack, hence I am not in the photo.

Presented on the night of the 40th reunion celebratory dinner on 1 October 2016 at Ramada Hotel, Belfast...

Forgive the intrusion... I'm Christine, George Munroe's partner... I'm a youngster here by all accounts. I'm 23 (not really, 54!)... but I think 23 (or thereabouts) is the age we all see ourselves in the inside!

With fear and trembling you've arrived all today.

Perhaps you're wondering would anyone recognise you... though surely to goodness "Julie Smyth" would. But more importantly...

• how would anyone remember you
• what embarrassing moments or photos would they expose
• would they think you look better now than you did then or vice aversa!

Then you may be wondering about your classmates, the ones that stood out, in those days "you thought would never end"... (George bet me I couldn't put lyrics into a song in this speech somewhere :-)...

• what came of the heart throb Michael Snoddy, would he still have that athletic physic and continue to excel in his sporting prowess
• what about "Dinger" Bell, was there any hope for him, would he be a dropout or would he surpass your expectations? or
• the reserved, nerdy George Munroe... would he be a stuffy professor (sorry for those that are! :-) or be a respected businessman or a bit of both?

Who knows?

Does it really matter!?

You've come a long way - 40 years - you've had your highs and lows - regrets and precious, cherished moments - victories and disappointments.

Maybe your school days were the best - or maybe for you the worst!

But, boy, hasn't 40 years gone fast!

No matter the life or the outcome - we are here to celebrate your lives - you've got thus far!

Sadly, some are no longer with us so, in our celebrations, we raise a glass to them and to you.

God bless you all,

Class of 76

Thanks to Beulah for her memories and update, priceless!

Please pass on my best wishes to everyone at the reunion. Sorry I can't be there but I wish you all a great night.

Some memories to share

• Pranks during 'Big Dave's A-level Biology classes—we once told him we were just getting some grass for the locusts, then everyone went AWOL for the whole biology class until the bell rang.
• Ivan and John sabotaging Ian and Hugh's dissection, and vice-versa, by cutting out key organs—it escalated to blazer pockets and ties being sliced off (actually, I think it was Ivan and Ian who were the culprits but as I remember, Hugh got whacked by Big Dave for it). Vicky Hodge and Jane McVea might remember!
• Mr Jamieson's first geography class from the air; flying over the drumlins (basket of eggs formation) and throwing up.
• The upper-sixth fun charity mixed-rugby match; Arthur Chapman banned a mixed scrum but we duly ignored him.

Life after Friends' School

• BSc (Hons) at QUB; PhD Wales; post-docs at Saint Andrews and then Cambridge University, lectureship Durham University; currently A/Professor in Neuroscience, University of Otago, New Zealand.
• Married to Nigel (also university academic) with one daughter Bethan (16 years old) who we are blessed to have after six miscarriages.

More memories and an update from Sandra (can anyone remember the occasions of all the photos):

Sorry I won’t be there tomorrow but we go on holiday early on Sunday morning.

After seeing others post photos I have located mine and have attached some together with a recent photo! The black and white one was in the Belfast Telegraph after the new school library was opened.

Memories of Friends

• Geography lessons with Miss Andrews who tried to analyse our personalities by the colours we used on our maps
• Chemistry lessons with Mr Kinkead handling mercury and radioactive materials and all sorts of weird and wonderful experiments and explosions
• Physics lessons with Mr Boyd who didn’t think girls should be doing physics
• Further maths and Scripture Union events with Mr Hunniford
• Everyone setting fire to paper in their desks with a student French teacher

Life after Friends

I went to UEA in Norwich and did Maths. Then went to London and qualified as a Chartered Accountant. Met my husband Jon there and had our first child there. Moved to Manchester in 1990 and had our second boy. I now work part-time as Finance Manager for a small charity called BASIC-Brain And Spinal Injury Centre in Manchester.

I go back to Lisburn every couple of years to visit relatives. When I was there last year I managed to meet up with Vicky Hodges, David McCabe, Gilda Gourley, Kathy Farnham and Tracey O’Neil.

Have a great night!

Sandra Savage (Ingram)

Simple memories and a poignant thought from Jane:

First memory... sitting beside Jane O'Sullivan doing... was it an entrance exam?

Last memory... discussing life and times... and rugby with John Barr every morning.

Would you all take a moment though to remember those who didn't make it this far. Carolyn McMahon died before we even left school... just pause and be grateful for everything we have achieved.