Graeme Rudd

I was proud to have attended Shene from 1969 - 1975 after amazing myself and probably parents to by passing the 11+ examination.

I wasn't particularly academically bright and left with a measly 4 O levels, thankfully including Maths (probably by a 1% pass margin) and English. My main achievement was to be a weekly regular in the 1st team at Rugby throughout the 6 years I was there. I have fond memories of home matches at Barn Elms but mainly enjoyed the away games where we used to arrive at the school gates to meet the coach taking us to various other schools elsewhere around the south London area. These were always my favourite as they usually put on a better "spread" of sarnies/snacks/drinks afterwards. 

A few fellow players I recall were Peter Budney (prop), Jeremy Huxtable (fly half), Greg Stephens (captain) I think, "Wobbley" Walters (centre) whose first name I can't remember but nickname was for his mesmerising swerves).

Russell Batten was my best mate at the time and near neighbour to me in Ham.

1975 saw my dad retire to York and I went up there beforehand to stay with an Aunt, to start my A levels at a York school, rather than move mid term.      

This proved a seismic change in my life which was for me jack in school altogether after a couple of months and walk into a full time job the following day at a York supermarket. I didn't settle at this new school and figured I'd be far better off just getting on with life as an employee, rather than the scholar that I never really was. 

I spent the next 6 months applying for a "proper" job and was successful in joining the Civil Service. Life was all about girls, motor bikes, beers and then punk. To me, life was great. 

Then in July 1977, still just 18 I had a near life threatening bike crash (by then my wheels were a Suzuki 750) in which I broke my back leaving me completely paralysed from T4 (upper chest) downwards. What a bummer! After 3 1/2 months in Pinderfields Hospital Spinal Injuries Unit, Wakefield, I was back home and luckily, was able to go straight back to work. I retired a couple of years ago after 42 years service with barely a few days off sickness that entire time. I changed departments a couple of times, moved to Northampton on promotion on one occasion, then back to York after divorcing from my then first wife. I retired on a lowish to mid ranking Management grade, but I'm quite happy with my achievements. I never did really enjoy staff management! 

I remarried 26 years ago and am quite happy now, doing a range of voluntary roles - supporting a couple of charities, the CAB and York Central Library. My wife is ex British Airways long haul senior crew so I've enjoyed many, many travels to all corners of the world, surprising a lot of people seeing me in my wheelchair - pushing along the Great Wall of China, through a jungle in Borneo, in a sidecar in Vietnam, scuba diving in Grand Cayman, safaring in Sri Lanka a couple of weeks before UK Covid and many other fond memories. 

Oh dear......I'm aware this has been more about me than school/teacher memories. To be honest, I can concur with many others comments all of which have been done with better details and eloquence than I can manage.

That said one memory not replicated by anyone else I see, was my and others occasional lunchtime trips down into Shene, dressed in an older boys coat "borrowed" from the cloak room. We used to go to and get get served with beer/cider or lager amazingly!!, at a pub called The Hare and Hounds, it's still there, I've just googled it. God knows how we got served, at 16 I reckon I looked nearer 14! We'd have a couple of halves and play bar billiards before returning to school, probably bragging about where we'd been, and in an ideal world, would have had double French, scrapping over who got a front row seat in one of Miss Ryde's (spelling.......but who cares?) classes, she of the impossibly shapely legs fame, commented extensively elsewhere on this site!

On that note I'll end my lengthy reminiscing and wish all former pupils and teachers all the very best. 

Happy, happy days. 

Graeme Rudd (House - Fife), West.....I think