Down Memory Lane

OB Norman Wigg has previously provided a personal history of the Battle of Britain over Kent. Now he has penned a further article on his wider memories of a Kentish schoolboy during WW2.

Paul Dawkins has sent a rogues gallery of photos from his final year at the School - 1970/71, including for the record, a shot of that year's prefects. 

Alan May (1955-62) has been in touch to share some memories and photographs of his time at the School.

Something from the Maroon archives to throw you back through the years....

In the 2008 Maroon John Macrae led readers through a personal tour of the School, illuminating some of the history of the rooms and buildings as well as his memories of his time in the School. Whether you were a pupil in 1958 or 2008, you will find something of interest here.

Bill Usher writes to send greetings to those in the Association who remember him from School and past dinners.

An article was published in a recent edition of the local newspaper, the Sittingbourne News Extra, showing the new boys of 70 years ago!  This is reproduced below (with acknowledgement to SNE):

Continuing the series of articles produced by Norman Wigg (see Recollections of the Battle of Britain below), here he recalls his days at the school.

For the next five years, I caught the No26 bus from Teynham, to Sittingbourne, getting off at the post office, then walking up through the alleyway past the Bull Inn, to arrive at the Grammar School. In the evening, I caught the bus outside Burton's to return to Teynham. As my father was a bus driver, I got a cheap season ticket, but that was about all the financial help my parents did get. I cost them a lot of money, in the next few years, but they never complained.

Old Bordenian Norman Wigg (BGS 1943 - 1948) has sent me a number of articles recalling stages of his life, including his experiences of the Battle of Britain whilst living in Teynham and his days at Borden Grammar School.  I will add these over the coming weeks, but will start with his recollections of the Battle of Britain.  Whilst Norman was too young to be at BGS at the time, I think this will be of interest to many visitors to this site.

Norman writes:

Old Bordenian Cliff Cork (BGS 1965-1972) has discovered several photos from the archives of Sittingbourne Heritage Museum. A few sporting members of the committee have added some details, but if you can provide any missing names or dates, please send them to us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 Sports day - senior mile

Date: unknown.

Runners: Stevens (right); Lewis (left)

Spectators: John Weekes - right, Ken Booth -left (Latin), Mr Bishton - to the right of Ken Booth

Continuing the publishing of old GCE papers, this link will take you to the 1973 Additional Mathematics 'O' level paper - https://flic.kr/s/aHskyth5wy. As usual, click on the individual pages to expand.