This Site Was Last Updated on Friday, 26 October 2007
Site Owner - Stephen Smith
Shelly, Lucia and their sons
(Click on picture to enlarge)
When did you attend Priory?
1975-77
Who was your most unforgettable teacher?
During my time Priory was really Mrs Gregory's roost, and with good reason - she had (and probably still does) a presence and demeanour that demanded respect and admiration.
Who were your best friends at Priory?
David Smith, Richard A'Brook, David Boothroyd, (all of whom I'm still in touch with), Steven Hanna, Howard DaCosta, Sarah Philpott (still looking for her again - help!), Kate Wolff, Alison Baldwin.
Richard A'Brook
Who are you in touch with now
David Smith and David Boothroyd pop an email every few weeks; Richard A'Brook and I have emailed every day for the past 2 years, and have visited each other's homes in the 80's (he in Scotland, me in Chicago); occasional notes from Mrs Gregory which are always a pleasant surprise.
Who would you like to trace if you could?
I went to the graduation prom with Sarah Philpott, I'd love
to track her down. Also some teachers I had a good time with - Jenny
Waterhouse, John Batten, Stan Grabowski.
Sarah Philpott
What was the wildest thing you did at Priory?
Never was a wild one. Stupid things, yes. Wild, not so much.
Who was the craziest person during your time at Priory?
Steven Hanna (I presume this is the "Steven guy" that Tigger Gray was thinking of) - a born comic actor, creative and funny, could always make anyone laugh.
Where do you live and what do you do now?
I live in the suburbs of Chicago, being a doctor-person
Tell us about any significant others
Married the only person I could find who was even more left-wing than me, a librarian named Lucia - we spent most of our first date commiserating over the sorry state of liberalism in American politics. (yes, it was a wild date - but hey, it was only lunch!) We have two kids that keep us busy, boys 8 and 4 - they haven't killed each other yet, which I see as a major victory for diplomacy.
Tell us about your most unusual meeting with an ex Priory person
I left Priory in 1977; I had been back twice in the 80's and met my friend David Smith each time, but David keeps a busy schedule and over time we lost track of each other. I visited Priory again with my girlfriend (now my wife) Lucia in 1993, and I hadn't heard from David since 1987. No clue where he was, in country or not. Lucia and I played tourist up on the north coast for most of our stay, but we decided to come to Kingston and see the old hang-outs for a day. I didn't make hotel reservations in Kingston - when I got to the Mayfair Hotel, to my surprise it was all booked. I scratched my head a bit and remembered another hotel nearby (name I've forgotten now). Got lost on the way, did some winding about the streets until I sorted it out (male driver - never ask directions). In the dark parking lot, I decided to change out of my wet bathing trunks in the car. When I finally walked up to the check-in desk, who should be standing right there, delivering a package, but David Smith. He was just there for a minute, dropping off his package. I though about all the small delays and detours we'd made during the day, even down to changing my shorts - a minute here or there and I would have missed him. Well, we had a nice dinner together and got caught up. We still keep in touch, though as usual he's pulled in a hundred other directions. Anyways, it's a story I won't forget.
What do you think of the think of site?
I think it's a great idea and obviously requires a lot of work. I'd like the
bulletin board chatter to go beyond Priory reminiscences, to cover sport,
politics, film etc. Richard A' Brook and I
dispensed with Priory talk in about a week after we began emailing, and our
discussion has ranged over just about any topic you can imagine. The great
strength of Priory alumni is their diversity of experience, and I'm sure the
discussion would be fascinating.
Click here to e-mail Stephen Smith
© Stephen Smith 2007
Re-published on the Priory Website Sunday 28 October 2007