Home Links Photos - Then and Now Visitors Book Staff and Rules                                         This site is administered by Mick Bromley,  a member of the Class of 1980,  and any suggestions or contributions are welcome!  It is entirely independent of the school itself and views expressed here are not necessarily those of Thistley Hough High School or Mick Bromley.   Any information believed to be inaccurate will be corrected or removed upon notification.  All copyrights are respected.

When this site first started several years ago, we only had a very modest Visitors Book which held about a hundred messages.  Consequently, old messages kept 'dropping off the bottom' as new ones were added.  The old book was long ago replaced by one that stores much more, but some of the memories of the old book, happy and sad, linger on... "This has to be the scariest site on the net. Has it really been so long since we tormented Mrs Goodwin to bits in maths lessons?  Well done Mick for this site. Can't wait for a proper reunion at The Marquis. Whatever happened to Geoffrey Boulton and his mate Peter Farrington? Haven't seen them for years." - Julie Yates, Stoke on Trent "I believe that Geoffrey Boulton joined Anthony Butler in the Royal Navy and went out to the Falklands in 1981. I heard rumour that Anthony Butler was aboard HMS Coventry when it was sunk by the 'Argies'.  " - Kevin Lowndes, Huddersfield "I remember "The Hum"  - I do believe we nearly gave Mrs Goodwin the Maths teacher a nervous breakdown!! How hideous we all were." - Julia Cartwright,  Stoke on Trent "There is very sad news with regard to Anthony Butler. I'm sorry to say that he is no longer with us. I was told a couple of years ago that he despaired at the daily toil and took the decision to leave it all behind. Sorry guys. We will have an honorary drink on his behalf"  - Julia Cartwright,  Newcastle under Lyme "Who remembers the fart tennis incident between classes 5/1 & 5/2 on the stage (I think , in fact I know, Butler & Kessel were the culprits), it was Mark Wilson who was on HMS Coventry, he got a shrapnel wound to the head, came home, then broke his neck in the Navy gym, he had to wear a plaster cast helmet but was OK."  Nicholas Hale, Greece "I still keep in touch with Mandy Bateman. She lives in Scotland and is married with a little girl and baby boy." - Gill Underwood, Hartshill "The 1980 photos are the scariest thing I ever saw.  Please let me know what everyone is up to. I lost touch with everyone about twenty years ago.... that long ago? Peter Farrington and I still chat occasionally.  Thanks to everyone for making the last year in Thistles so memorable........  I had secret hots for Jayne Leigh!!!  ooooh!"  - Dave Tye, California "Remember..."Smoke on the Water"-Talent contest ? Still the only tune I can play on the guitar" - Andrew Wagg, Newcastle under Lyme " I remember the curtain opening and everyone staring....no noise, just anticipation! I think we forgot two verses or we played the first one three times. We were the best band in Thistles....and the only one I might add." - Dave Tye, California "Tyzer - re: you being the only band - that's not entirely accurate. Mark Osbourne also had a "band" in the Talent Contest. Well, at least, there were several bods on stage who were holding various instruments and some geezer hidden behind a set of drums. Black Sabbath got the treatment, "Paranoid" I think....hmmmmmm...'nuff said." Nell Kimberley, Manchester "I remember the Talent Contest....hootilicious....remember the staff doing The Spam Song????. Tyzer, as to what I'm doing now.....well, I dropped out in 1981 and just never managed to drop back in again. I prefer to spend my time hugging trees and thinking happy, happy,  joy, joy thoughts. (All together now...... OMMMMMMMMMMM).  Nell Kimberley, Manchester "Does anyone remember Mr Dawson in the talent contest dressed as a scout and doing Hello Mummy?" - Julia Cartwright,  Newcastle-under-Lyme "Kev...I know you were Head Boy.. confession time...I used to let all my mates into the Prefects' Room!!  Julia, remember when you fell asleep in Mr Ernest's class and shouted out some obscenity when you woke? Funny how you remember the small stuff...or was it the obscenity?"  Dave Tye, California "My hero at school was a supply French teacher by the name of Mr Mullen;  he was only there a few weeks can anyone remember him ? Funny, funny man - WEIRD but funny" - Andrew Wagg, Newcastle under Lyme "I don't suppose any of you other whippersnappers will know me, I was there when it was a REAL school you know!. In my day there were still Grammar school girls, and the Head wore a gown !!  ( I left in '76....1976) Hi to anyone who knows me" - Doug Laird , Trentham "I left in 1977 and would love to contact anybody from that year.  I was in Mr Alcock's form in the last year, also was a school prefect!" - Graham Wain, Tamworth "Love to hear from anyone who remembers me. I worked at Thistley Hough until recently and am now tutoring at Stoke-on-Trent college. Lots of the same staff were there when I arrived 1993, still teaching, and though many have gone now, there are still some left. " - Christine Williamson, Newcastle under Lyme "Hello to everyone who left in 1978 .I am one of the Cooper twins.  If anyone remembers me or Sandra it would be good to hear from you!  Teachers I remember are MrEvans for French, Mrs Taylor for History, Mrs Goodwin for Maths, Mrs Haycock for Needlework,  Mr Keys for English, Mrs Steele for Drama, an Irish teacher for English (cannot remember his name),  Miss Pohl for Cookery.  Miss Pohl was working at my son's school until very recently,  Endon High" - Sylvia Kent, Hanley "Mr Bentley has only just retired from school. My two eldest boys are at Thistles now and to meet him as a parent is just as scary as it was when I was a pupil!! Mr Frost and I met last year when it was parents night .  Mr Minshull teaches both of my boys PE. He's just the same as he was in 1980. Mrs Sankey also deals with the Senior Students (that's prefects to you and me!)" Julie Yates, Stoke on Trent "The school concert..... Oh yes, that's where I first fell in love with Adrian. Even now whenever  I hear Smoke on the Water, I have a little smile to myself! To this day he still can't play the damn thing on his guitar!  And like the famous line from Jane Eyre I take great pleasure in saying  ...... Reader , I married him!  Yes. That's right, Bernita Fletcher married Adrian Hall and we are still together after all these years.  Ah....."  Bernita Fletcher, Hertfordshire

Gill Devgon (neé Underwood) has kindly compiled a contact list for the Class of 1980; if you want to be added to the list and receive regular updates, please click here to visit Gill's page on Friends Reunited, from where you can email her.  Looking forward to hearing from you!