Cecil Plains Rollcall 2016
It was lovely to visit Cecil Plains in Queensland on the 19th March, just a week shy of the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Secondary Department. As one of the ‘first class’ students this was the third year I’d been part of the top class in the school. We were the first Grade 8, then 9 and by this time of the year we were looking forward (some more than others) to our Grade 10 exam at the end of the year. There were only 14 of us in the group, with two boys, both of whom showed up on the 19th – ‘Will-am the Villain’ (Bill Heiner) and Lloyd Thies. Altogether there were six of us who managed to make it apart from the two ‘boys’ – Janet Bell, (though she had to leave early), Dianne Cesari, Ann Bidner and me, Lesley Holland. I think we’ve all done pretty well to look as young as we all do. 🙂
Many of us had spent most if not all our school days in Cecil Plains and some went back as teachers. I was very happy to catch up with Wendy Skene and Diane Gersikowski and confirm that I hadn’t, in my first year teaching, managed to destroy their lives! It was lovely to see Alison Geraghty (Balke) who tried to introduce us to the basics of hand sewing in early primary years and catch up with Murray (cheeky as ever) and his brother ‘Robbie’ Wilkins, Pauline Sullivan and Robyn Davidson who always beat me at running. To the lovely elder ladies, Nancy Cesari, Betty Davidson and Margaret Brandrick – you look great – may we do as well as you have.
Credit goes to my sister Sheena and my patient husband Robert, who supplied some of these photos and I guess to all those other spouses who knew nobody but managed to hang in there for us.
P.S. Does anyone have a better photo of the 1961 Grade 5 class? We were the first non-composite class in school at the time. I can remember most of the names, but a few escape me. These are the ones I remember:
Andrew Miller, Ann Bidner, Betty-Jean Small, Billy Heiner, Brian Birmingham, Brian Lambert (Pud), Delwyn Bruhl, Dianne Cesari, Ellen Jeffrey, Johnny Lemon, Judy Brandrick, Lesley Holland, Lloyd Thies, Lois Thompson, Lorna Gherashe, Lynnette Derrick, Pederson boys, Louise Pike?, Richard Merson, Roger Telford, Rosslyn Clarkson, ? Shultz, Stephen Isbister, Una Anderson, Victor Wiesner
If you are keeping a list of past students, I would like to be put on the list. I have never heard of any of the past reunions. I was in the same class as Anne Kirkwood, Deanne Jeffries, Sheena Holland…… My siblings names are Walter, Noela, Greg and Tom. We lived at Nangwee. It would lovely to attend the next reunion.
Hi Pam, Lovely to hear from you. If I remember, Ann is your cousin, right and I remember you and your brothers Greg and Tom well. Greg with the gangly legs and red hair. I’m not keeping a register, I think it was some of the ones who still live out in Cecil City. Some of the Wilkins family, I think.
Hi Lesley & El
The Pedersen boys were John and Danny (@ end of row).
Janet Smith is next to Lorna Gherashe – she came in from Nangwee School when it closed.
Thank you Lesley & Rob for all your pics. I actually have that class photo in one of my “vintage” albums so will endeavour to get u a copy.
It was a great day – missed u there El & Jude Stower. Fantastic effort for so many of our class to cover such long distances – Malaysia has to take the Blue Ribbon for distance, Bill from Cairns , Janet from Sydney. Was hoping to see Brian Lambert there too & so many others.
Dianne Hazel (Cesari)
Thank you Lesley for sending the photos. Does anyone who has seen these photos have contact details for either Dianne Cesari or Margaret Jewel please. Kathy Smith (nee Kathleen Weh) my email address is [email protected]. I am also happy to hear from anyone else who may have been in my class or knows me.
Hi Kathy – really missed u & Jenny there. I will b in touch with Marg’s address. She stays with me regularly & I know she would have loved to have seen u both.
Dianne
These are the ones I think I remember!
PATRICK BERMINGHAM
JOHN LEMON
BILL HEINER
… PEDERSEN
VICTOR WEISNER
LLOYD THIES
STEPHEN ISBISTER
RICHARD MERSON
… PEDERSEN
BRIAN LAMBERT
LOIS THOMPSON
ROBYN DAVIDSON
ROSLYN CLARKSON
SHIRLEY SCHRAG
DEL BRUHL
UNA ANDERSON
ANN BIDNER
LESLEY HOLLAND
ELLEN JEFFERY
ROGER TELFORD
…
JOAN MILLER
LYNETTE DERRICK
BETTY JANE SMALL
JUDITH BRANDRICK
DIANNE CESARI
…
LORNA GHERASHE
ANDREW MILLER
I think one of the Pedersen boys was Aaron.
Hi Ellen,
Dianne would be able to confirm that. I think one of the Pedersen boys was Danny, but not sure about the other one. That’s me with the pulled back hair second from the right in the middle. Is that you beside me? Thanks for helping. 🙂