1964 Mick Bird
I don’t know If Glyn Summers will remember me, but when I first joined Mayfield he was my English teacher. In a moment of joviality, Glyn called me Dicky Bird (ha, ha). For the rest of my time at Mayfield everybody thought my real name was ‘Dick’, and my friends and school chums called me by this name well into my adult life.
As is often the case, I’ve lost contact with all my friends from those days. I have very fond memories of my best friend throughout my school days, Doug Harman, who I believe moved to Bristol. We were inseparable; going to youth clubs, and of course whizzing round to the girls school on my Lambretta. On more than one occasion the Headmistress came out and shooed us away. Do any other ex-pupils remember the ‘scooter days’ and the MODS.
I remember very clearly, 1962 I think it was, being allowed to have a gramophone at school for some term end celebration and one record being played over and over again because it sounded so different. ‘Love Me Do’ by a new band called the Beatles. The rest as they say is history.
Hi Mick,
Good to see from your photo that the years have been kind to you! I see elsewhere on this site that you’re trying to find Dougie. If you haven’t already found him, let me have a try as I’m in the West Country and my son is in Bristol itself. It would be great to catch up.
Jef
Hi Jef. Great to hear from you, what a blast from the past. Very clear memories of the days in the 60,s and all the fun we had at Mayfield and whizzing about on scooters etc. I’m currently living on a boat in the Isle of Wight whilst trying to sell my house up in Essex. Have 3 great kids and one grandson (aged 16). Retired just over a year ago and have picked up my musical interests and joined a band on the Isle of Wight called “Backburner” as their keyboard player. Trying to make the most of life before all the nasty stuff catches up with us. Can’t believe I am 66. The time has gone so quickly but I would not have been born at any other time. I am very comfortable where I am in life. Worked hard, got a half decent pension and making the most of it. Would love to hear how you have faired. Great memories of your parents who always made us feel most welcome and your Mum did not tell us off when Doug Harman and I made a mess of cutting your hair.(Remember that!) Best regards Mick.
Hi Mick,
Great to hear back from you too! I have a granddaughter age 1year next week and what a delight she is. My two children, Faith and Max have done very well for themselves and we still have Janet’s (my wife) mother living in the same village (now a town).
I went into insurance, winding up in Leadenhall Street for a few years and kept the music going at that time often working six nights a week – couldn’t do it now ‘though. Couldn’t find a career path with insurance so went to Rush Green College, then University of Essex and after, College of Law at Chester. Strangely from there I went into NHS Estate Management, to specialize in sales and acquisitions of major land and property and capital project management – long story!
To cut it short, I retired in 2005 and was able to devote my time to continuing community stuff I’d been involved in whilst employed. I knocked up 35 consolidated years as a school and college Governor, worked with the Scout Association for 11 years on appointments and complaints and so far have completed 18 years as a Magistrate including Chairing the whole Bench itself. I hold tickets for chairing in the Adult Criminal Court and the Family Court and sit with a Judge in robes to hear appeals in the Crown Court. Great stuff and fascinating.
But as you say, Mick, there’s a time when the nasties catch up with us and I’m off to hospital today hopefully for no more than five days as part of an on-going problem.
Do tell me if you tracked Dougie down and if not Could I have a go?
Best, Jef
Hi Jef. Well what a life you’ve had by the sound of it. All my efforts to track down Doug Harman have been fruitless. He may have emigrated (or worse no longer be with us!). If there is anything you can do to see if he is still around it would be great. Hope the hospital thing goes alright for you. Let me know how you get on. Regards Mick
Grief – you don’t look a day older than the photo of me on drums, you on piano and John Arnold and Andy Maynard playing at a holiday camp (Warners Coronation camp on Hayling Island?) in 1963. Don’t suppose you remember trying to come up with a name for your group in your front room next to Christine Peck’s house and Ron Scaines. I went off to join the airforce and a life fixing Radar and then computers and then selling computers… which has given me an interesting life. I am still working at 66 live in a little Surrey village near Farnham and promised to never go onto Mayfield web site after a really bad experience with Andy Maynard – but hey life has changed all of us – yours sounds really interesting – best regards – Phil (Mish) Marshall.