Shropshire Lunch

On Wednesday, 1 May 2013 seventeen members of the Class of '51, accompanied by their Ladies, met for a convivial lunch at The Clive Restaurant at Bromfield, just north of Ludlow. Many of the group stayed at The Clive for a few nights to enjoy the chance to explore the surrounding area, one of the most delightful parts of England.

Peter Tyrer had arranged for Veslemoy Lunt to join us as our guest for the day and it was a delight to have her company. We were also pleased to welcome two of our contemporaries who were making their first visit to a Class of '51 lunch. David Page had flown down for the day from his home in Scotland and Alan Pearson was visiting the U.K. from his home in Toronto.

Our group relaxed and chatted over drinks followed by an excellent meal and it was well after four o'clock before we finally left the dining room! In that time conversation flowed as freely as ever and there were entertaining reminiscences of school days in the 1950s.  

Some of the party recalled a Youth Hostelling trip to the area. Another recalled the association with Milton's Comus, first performed at Ludlow in 1634, and which one year formed part of an English Literature course. That had been made particularly memorable for young gentlemen of the mid-'50s by the eponymous coincidence of Milton's Sabrina, nymph of the Severn, and a certain generously endowed nymph of the television screen. Peter Tyrer took us north from Shropshire with a recitation of an extended version of the Lancashire monologue about Albert and the Lion. Our afternoon at The Clive concluded with a rumbustious rendition of the school song in which it was clearly evident that Veslemoy Lunt recalls the words of the school song rather better than some Old Edwardians!

Those attending the lunch were:
Mrs Veslemoy Lunt (Guest)
Mike and Chris Barnsley
Max and Veronica Beran
Roger and Pat Bickerton
Richard and Julie Birch
John and Anne Cowan
Alan and Eleanor Cowie
Robert and Barbara Darlaston
Andrew and Evelyn Hornig
Ian and Lesley Knowles
Nick and Susan McCarty
David Page
Jim and Angela Parke
Alan Pearson
Geoff Purkis
Bernard Richards and Su Goddard
Peter Tyrer
Steve Watson

If any members of our year at school would like to join our future lunches, please contact Robert Darlaston at robertdarlaston@btopenworld.com