There was no one special teacher because they were were all so unforgettable and all hold a special place in my heart. I remember them all: Mr Wade, my second form teacher; Mr Day who taught me feudalism in the second form. I had a nose bleed while writing my final exam, smeared my paper but did very well in my exam anyway; Mrs Day who was not as strict with me as I had expected when I copied Jenny A'Brook's English homework, verbatim including the errors!

Barrie & Sue Day

Mrs Gervasio, who was my science teacher in the second form. One day someone stole a scalpel and the whole class had to stay after school in the hope that the guilty person would confess. I do not know that that happened. Even Mrs Day encouraged the unknown student to come forward; Mr Chalmers who taught me the mnemonic: 'the cat sat on an orange and howled horribly.' The first letters of these words helped me to figure out cosine, sine and tangent angles. I worked with that mnemonic all through my high school years. Thanks Mr Chalmers; I remember Mrs Nicholson, who apart from begging Jenny and I to be quiet in French class, encouraged me to keep my hair cut short as it 'matched my face.' It took me a while to get use to the look but once I did, there was no turning back. Mrs Nicholson was quite a stunning woman herself. Her hair was short and she wore beautiful clothes;I desperately wanted to be in Mrs Gregory's English class but never had the opportunity. She was always smartly dressed, spoke very quietly and was always in control. She treated me to lunch a few years ago. Thanks Mrs Gregory!

Mrs Janice Buwalda taught me English in either the 2nd or 3rd form. I remember learning the definition of 'hyperbole' as well as the phrase 'social norms' with her. At the end of the term, she gave me an English dictionary which I had for years. She had taught my aunt at Glenmuir High School in May Pen years before.

Mrs Hernould and I exchanged a few letters in the early eighties and I am glad to know that she is still doing well.

Mr Davis tried in vain to teach me perspective in art class.

I had a bit part in one of Mr Rashleigh's plays.

I got 100% in Mr Grabowski's physics class and then failed physics miserably at Wolmers High School which I attended from 1978 to 1981. That ended my dreams of becoming a doctor!!! But my strengths were not in the sciences anyway as I later discovered.

I was friendly with many of the students all through my years at Priory but Katherine Atkinson and Jenny A'Brook were my best friends. Katherine Atkinson came to my 12th birthday party. I still have the pictures.

Katherine Atkinson

Shortly after Katherine left Priory, I became friendly with Jenny A'Brook and I still remember asking her to be my best friend right in front of the lockers on the first floor, near the cafeteria. Jenny was a very bright girl and it was always my intention to be just like her. She wrote such beautiful stories and read aloud in class so well. Our friendship is one of the most beautiful memories of my teenage years.

Jenny A'Brook

When Jenny and her family returned to Wales in 1976, Jenny and I exchanged letters which would sometimes total 10-12 pages! We talked about everything but mostly music. Jenny was a great fan of Bob Marley, to say the very least. One day I was coming home from Priory along Hope Road and happened to see Bob at his home. I went home and asked my mother if I could return for an autograph. At first, she said no, but then she relented. Mr Marley was quite gracious and gave me two autographs, one for me and the other for Jenny. I wish I could have been in her house the day she received it. I understand that she shrieked with joy! I don't know if Jenny still has hers but I don't. Even if I did have Bob's autograph, I have often wondered who would believe me if I told said that a scrap of paper held the signature of one of the world's greatest reggae singers?

Bob Marley's Autograph

On March 22, 1978, the 4th, 5th and 6th formers left for a two-week trip to England. I had decided that I would surprise Jenny and so in the weeks leading up to the trip, only informed Jenny's parents who in turn told her older brother Richard. The plan was that the A'Brooks would meet the Priory tour coach in Ironbridge, pick me up and I would spend a week with them in Aberyswyth, Wales before returning to London to spend another week there with my father. I managed to keep the secret until the day before we left for Ironbridge. I could hold it no longer. I called her up from the hotel in London and told her that I would be seeing her soon. We had a smashing time!

Until I found this site on my birthday back in February, I had not been in touch with many people except Paul Lopez. I have seen him quite often over the past 25 years because shortly after moving to Florida in 1981 and while at a church in Fort Lauderdale, I met Opal who then met and married Paul. Opal and I have been very close friends ever since. Paul and Opal have three beautiful children. I could not attend their wedding as I was in nursing school in England. Paul, his sister Joanna and brother Christopher all studied at Priory. Joanna and I were in the same year.

Joanna Lopez

I would be delighted if anyone who remembered me, would contact me!! I would love to talk to Suzanne Brown. We started Priory on the same day, January 8th, 1975 and walked into our class S1// holding hands. Jenny and I once spent an afternoon at Suzanne's home in Stony Hill and in haste, I had written her phone number on my mother's box of buttons where it remains to this day.

Suzanne Brown

This may not be the most appropriate time to do this, but I would like to remember David Campbell who died in January 1978. He came home from school one Wednesday evening and that night, suffered a brain aneurysm. The following morning the students gathered in the auditorium to pray, the only time I can ever recall Priory students praying about anything. It was a very sad morning. I did not know David well but knew that he was on the football team and was an excellent player. He was nicknamed 'Dago' and 'Bomber' because he always bombed a ride home. I was deeply affected and for the next couple of days waited desperately for any news from the hospital that David had improved. That weekend I went to a party and remember calling the hospital for an update on David, with Odyssey's 'Native New Yorker' blaring in the background. I was convinced that I too would die at 16. I was 14 at the time. Almost every year, I remember the anniversary of his death and his birthday on June 3rd.

I also often think of the two Peruvian girls whose father, an attaché from his country, was assassinated in front of one of the girls. I was in the second form, sitting in a French class and through the window, could see both girls standing outside Mr Bourke's office. I remember visiting my grandmother in May Pen and telling her all about it. It would be nice to know how those women have coped over the years.

Kevin Corpe and Kirk Hendriks kept me laughing and it would be wonderful to know how they are doing.

Kevin Corp and Kirk Hendriks

Charles Tomlinson may not remember but he had to sit a O'level mock exam in mathematics and for some reason did not have a geometry set. I lent him mine and remember feeling so important, being able to help a student in need and of course a student like Charles. He was a very bright student. Charles and I were in the first form together. One day in class, the teacher asked if anyone knew the temperature of a healthy person. Charles blurted out, "98.6!" I have never forgotten that. Thanks Charles! At the beginning of the second form, I did not see Charles and was then informed that he had skipped and gone on to the third form. Wasn't I impressed!

Charles Tomlinson

I am afraid I was not the wild type!! But I do remember staying on at school one afternoon to attend a party which my mother had expressly forbidden me to do. She met me at the front door with a stick...

It is simply fantastic. I came upon it quite by accident. On my birthday this past February, while sitting in the computer lab at work, I suddenly thought of Metry Seaga and decided to search for him. I was then led to the Priory site. Thanks so much Steve, for giving me the chance to remember a very happy chapter of my life.