Pilton School Reunion

(Back for Detention!)

It all started with a chance remark about the Pilton website. I happened to speak to Valerie Vezey (nee Watford) at Shepton Hospital and we mentioned the 1949 school photo on the website – we are both on it – and wondered if it might be possible to arrange a get-together of those people and perhaps re-recreate the photo.

The idea soon snowballed and with help from Philip Eavis and the Pilton Day Committee it was decided that a reunion of anyone who went to the school should arranged for the Sunday after the Pilton Day.

The original idea was that we would meet in the afternoon at the marquee on the Playing Field and then walk through the village and up to the school for a photo, returning to the marquee for a cream tea. The weather had been atrocious on the Saturday of course and the meeting was hastily re-arranged for the Parish Hall.

It worked really well. About fifty former pupils turned up and we had a wonderful time! After lots of talk (amazing what everyone could remember) we walked up Parsons Batch to the school. The owner had said that he would be very happy for us to gather in the old playground to take photos. He also conveniently went out for the afternoon! The Shepton Journal photographer was there and a photo appeared in the Journal the following week.

We then returned to the Parish Hall for an excellent cream tea, very kindly provided by Gill Eavis, Eileen Govier and helpers.

Those who wished then went on to the Songs of Praise at the Parish Church.

We were made very welcome and it was a lovely service. Former school pupils and current residents of the village gave their thoughts on life in the village over the years (people with memories of 60 years down to a resident of only 2 years). Each of the speakers chose a hymn and explained the reason for their choice. I chose `We Plough the Fields and Scatter `– partly because it was harvest time but mostly because the chorus `All good gifts around us` was something we sang every day before school dinner. Every time I hear it now I can smell those dinners!

Everyone enjoyed themselves. Our thanks to Gill & Philip, Eileen and Jim Govier, Ann Millard, Ruth Eavis, Jenny de Gex and everyone in Pilton who helped. Jim found his mother`s `lollipop` and walked in front of the party through the village – we needed it too when crossing the road by the school.

Several people had old photos to pass around that were very interesting. We thought that this year (the school closed in 1969 so this is the 40^th anniversary) there could be a display of photos relating to the school (or from childhood in the village) in the marquee on Pilton Day. So rather than a structured reunion former pupils (or people who were brought up in the village) could be asked to loan copies of suitable photos, visit the show and meet informally during the afternoon. More of this later.

Hedley Lomas

Click for a larger pictures

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