Gosford High School Reunion

It has come to our notice that one of our former GHS colleagues passed away at Avalon on July 13th 2011.

Many of you will remember Robert Howes….he was tall, good looking, had a roving eye for the girls, a great sense of humour and was a top A Grade Rugby player,

On completing the L.C. Robert went to Newcastle Teacher’s College and trained as a primary teacher. His first school was Gulargambone Central where he met his future wife Sandra.They had three children. He then moved on and had two years at Boorowa Central teaching alongside Christine Brodie (ex GHS L.C. 1959) and her future husband Daryl Hyslop.
From there he moved to the Bilgola Plateau area where a change in career path saw him working at the ABC. He later attended new England Uni at Armidale and completed a B.A. majoring in English. Robert taught at various High Schools around the Northern beaches namely Pittwater High where he met up with another ex GHS person, John Smith. (married to Sue Haron, Girls’ captain1959)

Sadly Robert succumbed to lung cancer. His colleagues from Gosford High 1956-1960 extend their sympathy to his family and friends.

Information supplied by Christine Hyslop (nee Brodie)

Recollections of Howsie by Russ King

The following recollections are from Rus King. Russ clearly has retained a very good memory for detail

Robert HowesThe Big Fight
The year would have been 1956, first year at GHS. for some, including a tallish,gangly pasty looking kid with big ears called Bob Howes.
He used to alight from “The Entrance Bus” and walk past the “music room” entrance into school grounds and find his way to his own “group”..
Best mates Mick Stratford and Russ King used to heckle him {as half smart little bastards do when they are 2:1} with words like “P..f…a ” and “Softie” et al. as he walked past with total ignore.
However this day changed it all.

Round 1
Apparently there had been some “agro” on The Entrance bus on the way to school.
As the pupils walked into the school grounds it exploded into a fight between ‘Howsie’ and one other, possibly Ray Salmon.
This 30 second fracas was sufficient to draw the usual crowd with accompanying chant of FIGHT…FIGHT…FIGHT…etc etc.
Within that short time span, ‘Howsie’ managed to demolish his opponent, tear his shirt, rip his buttons off and push him against the garden retaining wall.
Stratford & King took a backward step.

Round 2
As Bob was usually one of the first from the bus, some 45 seconds later followed his sister.(Anne)??
She being four years his senior and possibly a Prefect, had the responsibility to see all were safely alighted before herself.
Responsibility lay heavily upon the shoulders of one whose father was “Shire Clerk” of Gosford Shire Council.
She came upon the melee. She recognised her ‘little brother’. She grabbed him by the hair or ear. She scolded him and used words unbeknown to Stratford & King, like “Shameful, disgraceful, unbecoming” etc. etc. and led him upstairs inside the building.
Bob’s moment of glory suddenly turned to mud.
Stratford & King never bothered him again.

The Next Meeting
Approx 1964. Bob was teaching at a small community near Canberra. We bumped into each other at the Canberra Civic Centre shopping centre one Friday night. Had a good chat and caught up on old past times/girlfriends/experiences. Great memories.

From Hugo & Wendy Ferguson

We are in the U.S. at the moment visiting our daughter but will be back 6th December.

Yes it was very sad to hear of Bob Howe’s passing. He and I used to “hang out” …. In those days I think we would have said “knock around together”. I was always disappointed that we lost contact over the years.

Muriel Oag Turns 99Now talking of “oldies’….here’s one who does qualify! Ros Mort’s Mum Muriel Oag turned 99 on August 26th. Can anyone beat that???

Grandma Oag celebrated in style with a picnic lunch at Lane Cove National Park with Roslyn and grand – daughter Belinda.

The dear little birthday cake was an orange cake made by Belinda. It was just like the ones she used to make years ago with the Lisarow oranges fresh from the farm.We had trouble fitting on the 99 candles! After lunch we adjourned for coffee at Eden Gardens.