St Augustine's Grammar School Old Boys
Visitors Book 2010

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My dear visitor, thank you for visiting www.staugs.org, the virtual home of the Old Boys of their alma mata, St Augustine's Grammar School.
All friends of this great school are cordially invited to mark the occasion of their visit by appending their signature and comments to this esteemed visitors' book.
However, be assured that in the event of inappropriate entries, particularly from those who have no regard for this school, these will not be tolerated and the usual and full measures will be implemented including suspension.

Glad to see the site is still going..good memories.. apart from some sadistic teachers..Happy New Year to all
terry moroney <terry101010@aol.com>
Manchester, UK - 31 December 2010 at 15:37:33
I love your website-some of your expression are priceless.
Dinah <anaesthetic@gmail.com>
Long Beach, North Carolina USA - 15 December 2010 at 17:39:02
Please don't think I'm being er, hypercritical but I disagree and not to say so would be sheer epochrasy. If McSweeney has spent less time twisting our sideburns and more time teaching us, we wouldn't have this problem!
Tutbloodytut <stillrubbing.co.uk>
UK - 01 November 2010 at 20:06:40
St. Augustines, hated every moment of it. Full of sadists, perverts and hypocrits. Wouldm't stand up for academic scrutiny these days.
Chris Wyatt <cwyatt@blueyonder.co.uk>
Freckleton, The Fylde UK - 28 October 2010 at 13:15:23
I always remember the sad passing of Mark Hopkins. I can only imagine the pain that he must have expereinced being run over by a articulated lorry reversing over him. God rest his soul.

Does anyone think they could still run the Gatley course? I also remember being fearful of Mr. Macillwain's size 11 pump if he was on duty.
Edmond Millar <edmondmillar@msn.com>
Fort Lauderdale, Broward USA - 21 October 2010 at 03:36:06
I always remember the sad passing of Mark Hopkins. I can only imagine the pain that he must have expereinced being run over by a articulated lorry reversing over him. God rest his soul.

Does anyone think they could still run the Gatley course? I also remember being fearful of Mr. Macillwain's size 11 pump if he was on duty.
Edmond Millar <edmondmillar@msn.com>
Fort Lauderdale, Broward USA - 21 October 2010 at 03:34:42
I always remember the sad passing of Mark Hopkins. I can only imagine the pain that he must have expereinced being run over by a articulated lorry reversing over him. God rest his soul.

Does anyone think they could still run the Gatley course? I also remember being fearful of Mr. Macillwain's size 11 pump if he was on duty.
Edmond Millar <edmondmillar@msn.com>
Fort Lauderdale, Broward USA - 21 October 2010 at 03:34:28
Agree that Spike was a swine and ruled with an iron fist. Still happy days fondly remembered.
Chris Gibbs Started Sept 67
Chris Gibbs <chris.gibbs7@googlemail.com>
Wakefield, West Yorks UK - 08 September 2010 at 23:14:41
I agree with the above, these were the decent teachers, but you can never taken away the fact that Spike ruled both teachers and pupils with an iron fist inside an iron glove. He was an absolute bastard.
Form 1L 1968 <nodyy69@virginmedica.com>
Manchester, UK - 06 September 2010 at 14:09:35
McGuiness was a sadistic old sod-he once gave a lad in our class 6 on his bare arse because he wagged it!Spike made him take his trousers and undies down to administer the beating.I witnessed the marks myself.He should have been prosecuted.I was one of the originals back in '65-There were some great teachers there also.Fr Abbott the deputy head was a decent bloke,McCabe ,Brennan ,Hartley Howells and Addis ,all good teachers.McSweeney another bully of the highest order-remember him?I'd love to meet him again.
paddy freney <pfreney@tiscali.co.uk>
m/cr, m/cr UK - 27 August 2010 at 22:27:24
No idea really about what sort of man Spike was or how different school was for us compared with our contemopraries. If he was a criminal he should have faced the full fource of the law. But then again, he belonged to an organisation that was corrupt to the core and to the top and still is.
old boy
manchester, cheshire UK - 23 August 2010 at 00:06:45
I think the reports in the local papers at the time (late 70's if memory serves) went along the lines of: "LOCAL PRIEST IN DRINK DRIVE/HIT & RUN SHAME! An elderly pensioner was left for dead in the road after being hit on a zebra crossing by a car driven By local catholic priest and headmaster the Rev. F.J. Mcguiness who was drunk at the time." The courts gave him probation, showing a quality of mercy sadly lacking in him. Unless of course there was a side of him that some of us never saw. Step forward defenders of Spike, now's your chance!
65-70 < stilloneolevel@ co.uk>
UK - 17 August 2010 at 18:44:41
can anyone enlighten me on the circumstances of this event on zebra crossing
John B <johnboyle007@hotmail.com>
derby, derbys UK - 12 August 2010 at 12:43:51
It certainly does no harm to have the occasional dose of reality every now and again. However you run the risk of being told you need to "move on" from the more forgiving (and possibly slightly holier than thou!) members of the fraternity.
I well remember the joy I felt when reading newspaper reports of Spike's little local difficulty on a zebra crossing. If ever an event summed the man up that was it. It confirmed everything I had ever thought about him. My only disappointment was that he didn't get the prison sentence he deserved.
Now of course being much older and wiser, I have mellowed to the point where I would really only like to kick him up and down Sharston Mount just once for old time's sake. Doffing my cap repeatedly, naturally. As for rotting in hell, don't forget he was always nearest to his own piano playing and singing. Hasn't he been punished enough?
Arfur Bitter & Twisted <who,me?@65-70.com>
UK - 31 July 2010 at 19:10:31
just visited the site and am amazed at the rose tinted view most of you seem to have off the school and the original headmaster. He was a sadistic bastard and I for one do not miss him at all. May he rot in hell
Form 1L 1968 <noddy69@virginmedia.com>
manchester, UK - 29 July 2010 at 17:43:44
To the Right Reverend Monsignor McGuiness
most Reverend Sir,
loth as i am to do so, it is my duty to bring to your attention the fact that one of your youngest boys (entry year 75) was seen in compromising circumstances with a member of staff just last week.
It was whilst on a business trip to Bishop's Itchington in the midlands, that I happened to see the pair in the hamlet of Prior's Hardwick, engaged in activities which could only euphemistically be classed as extra-curricular to an upstanding Catholic community such as that which cmprises St. Augustines.
I trust that you will take the necessary steps to seek out and admonish the nefarious perpetrators.
your humble servant
An outraged parent
concerned parent
UK - 22 May 2010 at 11:05:10
Just read a piece by John Greenwood that I found by searching against his name. It was called 'My Schooldays, Part1' and described the experience of those of us who attended St Greg's Annexe in Levenshulme while St Aug's was still being built in 1964. In there describes a mass flogging by a Mr Connor but in my view the person he describes was not Connor but a certain Dudley Farrell, music teacher whose nickname (the broadcast of which from a top floor window was the cause of the pogrom) was 'Lofty'. Anyone else recall this?
John Taylor <j.taylor@anu.edu.au>
Canberra, ACT Australia - 10 March 2010 at 09:34:50
Just found this site and enjoyed many memories for the last hour.I was there on the first day and was sent out for a haircut!
Joe Blaney <jblaney676@aol.com>
Sale, Cheshire UK - 06 March 2010 at 16:21:48
Hello,
I have just set up a Facebook group in memory of former pupil - Gerry Sundquist. If you knew Gerry (or Ged as he was known) and would like to join the group and share your memories, I would be delighted to have your input and support! The link to the group is http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=296988184382&ref=ts#! Thank you.
L Gamble <lucy@lgamble.wanadoo.co.uk>
UK - 12 February 2010 at 17:44:12
hi i am trying to find out details about Nigel E J Bradshaw he may have gone to your school this on behalf of his good friends Joe Gardners daughter who lives in the Bahamas I think he was involved with a company called W T AKED & CO LTD any information would be appreiciated
richard longman <dizzylongman@aol.com>
burley, hants UK - 02 February 2010 at 09:20:18
I was at St Augustines from 1974-79 and generally had a decent time of it. Does anybody know what happened to Barris Walker?
John Whelan <yinkaola@hotmail.com>
Stockport, Cheshire UK - 21 January 2010 at 14:50:36