Manor Mission 21st April 2012.

Special Memory- Reunion Day

Fifty or so people attended the get together at the Manor Mission on Saturday for a few hours of sheer enjoyment. The hall looked good with a wonderful selection of photographs on display thanks to Ian Mott and Ken Porter. Patsy Mott, as always, was kept very busy at the merchandise table, meeting and greeting people and answering their many questions. Ian had provided a video presentation, which was projected onto a screen and included enlarged versions of the long school photographs.                

Guests started arriving at 10 am and soon former school chums and neighbours were greeting each other, sharing memories and lots of laughs. Guest of Honour, Ken Page was in great demand, everyone wanting to chat to him. It was great to see Brian Cordell, Christine Oliver, Micky Pratt, Joan Baterip, Doris and David Sarfas, Ellen Burr, Peter Townsend and many others. Another special guest was Dr Chowdhary’s daughter Shakun and her husband Tony. 

By midday, the hall was really buzzing and Joe Goodman arrived in fine form to entertain the gathering with his memories of the Plotlands, throwing in some of his famous one-liners for good measure.

Fred Taylor and Andrea Ash deserve a great big ‘thank you and well done’ for organising this special event. The meeting came to a reluctant close at 2 pm leaving us feeling happy and uplifted after a most thoroughly enjoyable and successful reunion with the hope that there will be another to look forward to in the not too distant future.    

Colin Humphrey
Colin Humphrey
Back row from left. Shakun Banfield (nèe Chowdhary), Peter Sloper, Sue Ranfold, Patsy Mott(sitting), Ken Porter, ?, Brian Cordell, Joe Goodman Andrea Ash, Chris Ash.
Colin Humphrey
Colin Humphrey
From left: Nina Humphrey, Shakun Banfield (nèe Chowdhary), Tony Banfield.
Colin Humphrey
From left: Nina Humphrey, Marion Allwood, Ken Page, Pat Franklin, Michael Marchant, Joe Goodman and ?
Colin Humphrey

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  • Hi Andrea, Sad to have missed this reunion as my family were very involved with the Mission. My job scrubbing the Mission floor once a year and black leading the old stove. I am sure some of these folks will remember this. Love to get in touch again perhaps you might email me. We noticed with interest your write up and photos of the Dunton Reunion when we met up in August. Hazel

    By Hazel Shrimpton(Cuttler) (22/12/2012)
  • Thanks for the names. Shakun has changed, but then it’s 63 years or so, since we were in the same class at Markhams Chase. By the way, Shakun, we still have the tablecloth your Mother gave us as a wedding present 40 years ago and I still have her cookery book on my shelf!

    By Mary Cole (nee Norman) (07/07/2012)
  • Hi Mary; I think you have my email address – if you want to let me know the folk you can describe, then I will try to help with names.

    By Andrea (02/07/2012)
  • I have added names to some of the photographs – hope this helps.

    By Nina Humphrey(née Burton) (02/07/2012)
  • I do wish you had been able to put names with those photos!!  I think I recognised one or two, but after 40 or 50 or 60 years, we have all changed from the old Manor Mission days (Sunday School and Brownies in 1940s and then inter-church activities 1950-1972)

    By Mary Cole (nee Norman) (24/06/2012)
  • Nina, I was thinking that we would meet at last, with so many old stories to exchange. Not to be, never mind one day I hope. Gloria x

    By Gloria Sewell (27/04/2012)
  • Hi Gloria, I was really looking forward to catching up with you after all these years. I think the last time we met was in Wickford market, goodness only knows how many years ago!  As you have read, the morning was a great success and I REALLY hope the event will be repeated again very soon.

    By Christine Hutchings (nee Oliver) (27/04/2012)
  • Hi Ken, Barb and especially my old neighbour Joan, what a lovely chance of catching up I missed.  I cannot believe there won’t be another chance, I really do hope there will be. Gloria x

    By Gloria Sewell (27/04/2012)
  • The reunion day was a tremendous success and thanks to everyone who organised it – specially Ian and Ken. Since discovering the website I have felt heartened by the revival of community spirit through memories and attachment to the past. Meeting people in person was the icing on the cake! The enthusiasm and affection abounded. Lovely for me to hear the praise and appreciation still expressed about my father and I somehow felt his spirit hovering over us! The Manor Mission Hall holds a special memory for me as it was there that my first theatrical experience took place on the stage when I was four years old and sang “I’ll be your sweetheart” with a little boy of similar age at a concert in a packed hall. I often wonder who he was – perhaps he will read this and contact the website. Hopefully it will be possible to organise more reunion events like this from time to time.

    By shakun banfield (nee Chowdhary) (27/04/2012)
  • Oh how we all enjoyed ourselves at the reunion last Saturday!! So many old school friends to catch up with, many I haven’t seen since the final day at school. My throat was quite sore form all the talking, and I was sorry to have to leave earlier than I wanted. Well done for all the hard work every one put in to make this the wonderful success it was!!

    By Christine Hutchings (nee Oliver) (26/04/2012)
  • Andrea, all odds were against me I’m afraid, wasn’t too sure but my granddaughter having a car accident 3 days before was the final no go for me.  I see I missed a great time, I spotted Chris in his check shirt, not changed a bit. I need help on the rest, I see faces that I know, just need to put names to them; please help when you get a mo.  So glad it all went well and you all enjoyed it so much. Gloria x

    By Gloria Sewell (26/04/2012)
  • Hi Christine, how I would have liked to have seen you all.  Andrea and all involved worked so hard to make a successful day and it seems it was.  Maybe Andrea told you why I could not come this time, but next time I so hope so. x

    By Gloria Sewell (26/04/2012)
  • Would just like to say a big thank you for the lovely event on the 21st. What a great atmosphere, and so many memories, I didn’t want it to end. I met a dear friend Patricia O’Rouke who I hadn’t seen since I was 13!! Also met up with Joyce Dean and Ellen Burr (their maiden names) plus Jean Byron and so many others who I hadn’t seen since 1960. 

    Since some people recognised me before I had said who I was, I am now wondering if I looked 67 was grey haired and rather overweight when I was 15!!! 

    But honestly what a smashing time I had, thank you all again for your hard work.

    By Joan Baterip (25/04/2012)
  • Hi Nina, you have said it all – wasn’t it a great day; Fred, Patsy, Ian and all must have tired themselves out! I am still reeling from it – seeing so many faces from the past – what a lovely bunch of people, so happy. I know that Ken and ever patient Barb thoroughly enjoyed the day; he especially has some wonderful memories to go back to Oz with. Chris my other half caught Ken outside chatting with the original motor bike lads – he seemed so well at home. Ken and Barb stayed with us at our home and we all had a great time; miss them like crazy now they’ve gone but we will be seeing them one more time for a few days when they come to return their hired car – lovely couple and welcome at our home any time.

    By Andrea (24/04/2012)
  • Thank you to Everybody for making it such a Wonderful time. Both Marlene, who journeyed from North Wales, and I from Norfolk, though not as far as Ken Page, thoroughly enjoyed the many memories shared, even with Joe Goodman who even asked me to help build his garden railway. Whether or not Joe was serious, I was Honoured to be asked, plus it was a Pleasure meeting him. Thank you Joe. Despite the hard work in arranging such an event, it is such a pity it couldn’t be done annualy.

    By Brian Baylis (23/04/2012)
  • Gday Ian and everyone that was at the memory/reunion day today. Barbara and myself had a fabulous day meeting old friends and aquaintences, too many names and faces for my old brain to remember and I didnt get to talk to enough of you unfortunatly we wont be around to do it again.I wish you all the very best for the future and will stay in touch via the internet, keep the stories, photos and memories flowing, love and best wishes to you all Ken and Barbara Page.

    By ken page (21/04/2012)
  • G’day all. We are now in UK , at the moment in London , will be in Laindon area from 18th until the 22nd April staying with Andrea and Chris Ash [thank you Andy].  I am looking forward to meeting as many of you as I can make it to the Manor Mission on the 21st for the memories day.  I haven’t seen most of you for well over 50 years I wonder if any of you have changed much, I know I haven’t!!!!  Thanks to Ian and Andrea for putting this event together, looking forward to it immensely, regards Ken Page.

    By Ken Page (14/04/2012)
  • Thanks Ian for helping with Ken Page’s Reunion day; here are some of the names he has mentioned he would like to meet up with: Brian Cordell, Mike Pratt, John Ward, Dave Franklin, Christine Hutchings, Alan Chapman and others he has chatted to on this site. I can’t remember all the names he mentioned. His cruise is going well and next stop is India.

    By Andrea Ash (Nee Pinnell) (15/03/2012)

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