The idea for running a weekend for a reunion (rather than a single event) was in itself a bit different and it had been hoped that this would get some interest. Also the idea of revisiting the original school location, and for the girls to go back to where they started their high school experiences all made sense. Add to that going to a heritage listed hotel in walking distance would make the logistics work just fine. Why not also track down a few teachers and get them to come along?
Would this all work? With some due focus yes it could and from feedback across the board, yes it did just that!
We had a large non Sydney metro attendance with 6 people from overseas, 15 from interstate and many from rural NSW. Oh and we did get 7 teachers to turn up including Miss Hinckley at 99 years of age! All in all, including partners, 114.
About a dozen people arrived Friday evening and this saw a group go out in the blinding rain to visit a restaurant, which was thought to be close, but was in fact some fair old walk around the waterfront. Brett Callingham and his wet shirt created some merriment for this hardy group of Fortians.
Following day the rain continued to fall and was a constant all morning. An idea had been hatched for attendees to walk to school like they use to in the old days. Thus we split into girls (coming from Wynyard), boys coming from the Lord Nelson Hotel (would they come from any other location but a pub?) and a co-ed cohort from the Marriott Hotel Pier One. A good number had also met up for morning teas / brunches prior to this occurring.
Whilst people were doing various forms of screaming, hugging and hand shaking as old and familiar faces started turning up (that was the boys, not sure what the girls were doing!) the committee was hard at work up on Observatory Hill. 30 picture panels had been created to cover off also sorts of aspects of our school days and the focus at this location was upon the girls. Oh and all of a sudden the clouds parted, the sun came out and no one was going to get wet!
It had been planned that the girls arrived first, the boys second and the co-ed third and this did in fact occur. We had access to the first two main rooms off the entrance and one of these housed a selection of the panels as well as afternoon tea and the other had super 8 movie footage of our girls going to school there in 1974! Candidly the reaction of the all girls group to this vision was something to behold. More mobile phone filming action going on than at a current teenage concert! And laugh – there was a constant buzz of oohs and arrghs amidst the chortling as images kept coming up.
The reality is that the school buildings in the main have been demolished, so not much to see in this respect, but quite obvious the memories for many were coming thick and fast.
The focus then moved to walking back to the hotel and getting ready for the evening events. Many had a leisurely stroll back and it was becoming evident that old connections were being cemented, as well as chats being had with people you sort of knew from back then. This became an ongoing reality for the rest of the gathering.
The evening started with a Welcome to Nation by Leo Notarangelo, a Prayer of Thanksgiving for our school years by Ian Peters, a general welcome to all those from near or far and an introduction to our very own bouncer Omar (they cannot trust 58 year olds these days). A girls and boys photo session in the foyer and an entire group one on the balcony overviewing Walsh Bay followed and then it was mingle time and enjoy the drinks and canapés.
Also the remainder of the photo boards had been spread around the room, so plenty to look at here for the assembled. Also memorabilia like blazers, ties, dresses and the like were spread around the walls. Decorations were shades of those at the school dances in the Memorial Hall at Petersham!
Time had been set aside to go through material which had been discovered / created in the planning process. This ranged from comparison of canteen pricing from 1978 to 2018, to a photo review of Petersham as it is today and excerpts from the Fortian school magazine. And no gathering of any decent Fortian year would be complete without a full rendition of Gaudeamus Igitur, plus of course the girls (hip hip hip hip hurrah – and so say all of us) song, plus the boys song which is still ringing around the world whilst unfurling flags.
Messages were sent from absent friends overseas and so the likes of Karen Shepherd, Sanjay Seth, Geoffrey Lane, the Janine’s (Lawrence and Brady – sorry about the spelling) as well as our married couple Pangy and Jim out of China all sent fond greetings!
There was a special revisiting of a super 8 movie made by our girls which was all about dance and featuring many who were present. Re-enactments of their dance routines were called for and mostly done as best as could be remembered. Jackie Largo’s effort was a treat! Elsa Comacho and Nalan Kaptan, who were attached at the hip most of the night, were priceless to watch as they viewed the video footage and were moving and grooving to the beat of a silent movie!
A section of memoirs from that time were offered up and the common theme involved truanting! Mila Tutor’s impersonation of her sister in a pay phone booth calling Mary Pickard to avoid suspension was a classic. The prize though had to go to Oona Nielssen and her foray on the first day of topless bathing at Bondi were she held the Fort Street flame high over head, as she did her bra!
This part of the evening approached wind up with a three panel interview of teachers, Graham Hodgkins, Chris Moynham and Jackie Marchant who acknowledged what some of us achieved and were like back then. There was a salute to Jackie Largo who won the Peoples Award for her service to animal care through the Police Force, as an example of our teacher’s handiwork.
As with all our events we also have a vale to those of our friends from those days who are no longer with us – 15 now in all!
And from there the lights were to dim but didn’t, the disco music was to swirl into action and didn’t, however the gentle fragrant aroma of cannabis (purely for medicinal purposes) wafted across the dance floor like a smoke machine gone wrong!
Omar the bouncer was not to be seen – a very discrete man indeed and we were able to get the bar to stay open to 1 and gave it a right old (but responsible) caning! Yes there is still life in us 58 year olds to be sure!
Some did not get to bed until 4am apparently (there were about 35 rooms taken by us) - also not a bad effort given day light saving started that night!
Thus our 40th reunion was over. Stragglers came into breakfast the next morning and some lunches were had by a few so the energy kept up for some well into Sunday.
And the memory of our year will linger on with the $2,800 raised in donations to fund a cabinet and permanent 70’s exhibition at the soon to be unveiled school museum at Petersham.
Yes we are the makers of our own fortunes!
Regards,
Robert Wood