Are you a former classmate? St Albans reunion organisers appeal
The Francis Bacon School class on a geography school trip. Picture: Lyn Huddleston - Credit: Archant
Reunion organisers are putting out an appeal for any of their former St Albans school friends to come forward.
Anyone who is currently 66 or 67 and attended what was then called Francis Bacon School is invited to reunion in St Albans to reconnect with former fellow pupils.
There are people travelling from all over the world to attend the event, including from Australia, Hong Kong, and France.
An organiser, Lyn Huddleston, said: “I don’t feel like I left school 50 years ago, I still feel the same. I still see two of my closest friends and a couple of people on the periphery.
“I couldn’t describe the feeling [when you reconnect with an old friend]. The years are gone and you are back where you were.
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“You have something in common in your memories - they will say something that reminds you and it all comes flooding back.
“It is quite unique that it has been 50 years and a lot of us are still in touch.”
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She said that they have been able to contact 80 people about the event, out of 130 in their year.
Lyn and her friends have used Facebook and historical records to trace their old classmates, getting in contact via mutual friends, letters, and social media messages.
However, the remaining women are more difficult to trace, Lyn said, because they often no longer use their maiden name. Her own former surname is Havell.
She added: “I think we will have to wear name badges because we won’t know who people are and might forget.”
Francis Bacon School, in Drakes Drive, was named after the famous author, philosopher and statesman from St Albans.
It was rebranded as Samuel Ryder Academy in September 2012, after the St Albans man who founded the Ryder Cup - the golf trophy for which teams from Europe and America compete every two years.
Lyn said her year group was one of the first to be situated at the Drakes Drive site after a relocation from Alma Road.
The reunion will take place on May 18 from 2.30pm at St Albans Rugby Club on Oaklands Lane.
Anyone who thinks they attended Francis Bacon School at the right time should contact Lyn at lynhuddleston@rocketmail.com
