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CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

Who would have thought that a modicum of red wine would lead me to being persuaded to organise a 50th Reunion for those OCs who left the Conway in 1961?

My wife Pat and I had decided to attend the CWP Reunion in Melbourne in October of 2006 and sat at a table with Roger Tonge and Geoff Garrett and there the deadly deed was done. A spilt bottle of red and before I knew it, I was agreeing to their suggestion.

A Committee was formed in my mind and when we returned to the UK, I sought the assistance of Bill Thompson, living handily in North Wales, Guy Moreland Green, down south in Maidenhead, and latterly, Merfyn Thomas, or Councillor Thomas, to give him his correct title, for all the local contacts that we would need. Roger Tonge was to be the man ‘down under’.

Using every source at my disposal, Old Conway Lists in The Cadet, an address book I had had from my time at Conway, and Friends Reunited Website, a list was collated of those cadets that we could write to and ask whether or not they would be interested. However from an initial list of maybe sixty names, it grew to more than double that, even though many of the addresses were old and out dated. It was a starting point, but trying to get a person interested in something that is not going to take place for four and a half years or more is hard work.

Little did I realise what I was letting myself in for. It soon became obvious that I had to become a detective as many of the addresses were hopelessly out of date, and many had not left forwarding addresses. Website searching became my main sources of intelligence, and using my Conway training, I became quite adept at asking complete strangers, whether or not they knew where the particular OC had moved to; slowly but surely, my list became factual.

Over the next four years, I visited Bill in Deganwy regularly, enjoying his hospitality, as we reccied the whole of Anglesey and North Wales to find suitable venues, There was only one that could take the numbers that we envisaged would attend - The Quay Hotel and Spa, Deganwy, overlooking Conwy Castle and the Conwy estuary. We also took time in planning what we wanted from a long weekend. Sadly there were no boats big enough to take an expected party of 75 persons through the swellies for a day, so that was knocked on the head.

One thing became certain, we needed the costs to be reasonable, and because we expected a large number from overseas, they had to be exact, so they could save up. In the middle of this was the 150th Anniversary of Conway, and so for some it became a choice between it and the Reunion. However, satisfactory negotiations were carried out with The Quay Hotel over room rates and drink costs and we were ready to go public.

Eighteen months before the Reunion weekend, Bill produced an amazing website, where the information was in real time and up to date. It meant that we could put all the details on it for everyone to see, including bank details for their deposits; also things to see and do in the area. I have to say that without someone of Bill’s calibre and latterly Merfyn with his contacts, the weekend could have been a failure; however it wasn’t, as we had planned meticulously, so the weekend became a roaring success.

On Friday, 4th August, 38 OC’s and 29 Guests arrived at our chosen venue from the four corners of the globe... Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Eire, France, Malaysia, New Zealand, Spain, the USA  and of course from the UK. Drinks were held on the Hotel terrace, overlooking the Conwy estuary and Merfyn and Bill manned the Conway Shop, where business was brisk.  This was followed by a Hot and Cold Buffet, and the bar was still going at 02.00 hrs on Saturday!

Following a hearty breakfast on Saturday morning, we mustered at 10.15 hrs to be transported to Plas Newydd. For many on the coaches, this was either their first visit for 50 years or in the case of partners, their very first visit.

Just to see the Kelvin Block, was enough to bring memories flooding back. It was sad to see that the dockyard and in particular the Boson's Lockers not being used as some form of Conway Museum.

At one point we were asked not to go along the wall alongside the dock as ‘Health and Safety’ was involved and we may have fallen! The young lady involved didn’t realise that we used to heave the lead at the end of same wall, we certainly didn’t have life jackets on and we didn’t need the steel barriers that had been put up to stop people falling into the dock or pool!

Onwards and upwards to the House, where we were allowed to go upstairs into the old dormitories, some of which were being used as offices by the National Trust. Everything seemed smaller and a visit to the old Mess Deck, now turned into The HMS Conway Coffee Shop, was made very special as David Nut man had arranged for a Summer ’61 Whole School photo to be on the notice board and also the Rev Alan Caldwell was there to greet us. He was the form master for the Christmas 61 Term and at 82 years of age he was as sharp as they come and still driving. Following lunch we headed back to Deganwy to prepare for a special Dinner.

At 19.30 hrs we met for pre-dinner drinks in the Hotels’ Castle Suite, and at 20.00 hrs we sat down to an excellent meal. During the dinner, toasts were made to ‘Her Majesty The Queen’, and ‘Absent Friends’ (there being 20 of our year that had sadly crossed the bar).

I also read out a warmly received message from Tom Mason, our Club President, and numerous messages from those OCs who were unable to attend.

David Lawson, SCC Main, made a well received ten minute speech which reminded us all of the qualities that Conway gave us for life. Success can be measured in all sorts of ways, and in that room were 38 x OC’s who were successful in their chosen careers and family life and you could have moved from table to table and heard similar stories as if it had been fifty years ago, when we were just starting out in life.

We then had an auction for Geoff Topp’s waistcoat, which Joe Simpson kindly bid £102 for. The waistcoat had come from the 1960 Reunion from Jimmy Quinn in Australia and will now go to the next Reunion to be held to be bid for again, and raise more money for the Club. Group photos followed and then we had a Hullaballoo and everyone went to the bar to carry on where they had left off and yes, it was another 02.00 hrs job!

Sunday was a day of leisure, but at 17.00 hrs, 10 members of the very successful 60/61 First XV met in my room, where they all received a replica jersey that had been kindly paid for by Dave Chambers, CCC Easter ’61. There then followed a photo shoot and a quick scrum down and another Hullaballoo!

At 18.00 hrs, everyone met for a BBQ, and the weather was kind enough to to use the terrace for our drinks and coffee.
I had the great pleasure of downing a few Malts with Keong Choon Keat, who had not changed in fifty years, apart from losing a mop of hair. He’s the gentleman that he was fifty years ago and can still get into his old Conway blazer.We left the bar extremely late!

On Monday morning we said our emotional farewells, with the Committee knowing that 99.9% had enjoyed themselves thoroughly, and a job well done.

For my part, I’d like to give enormous thanks to Bill for being such an incredible worker and ‘second in command’ and Merfyn for all the work he did with the Wine Merchant and Bus Company and not forgetting obtaining a berth for Joe Simpson’s Yacht! The whole weekend was an enormous success, and for the next one in possibly five years, someone else can take the reins!

Mike Sanders

Chairman

58-61 Reunion Committee

Anyone thinking about staging a Reunion in the future, the Quay Hotel and Spa in Deganwy would be delighted to be of service to Old Conways.

A report of the Reunion appears in THE CADET March 2012 / No.63

See pages 13/14