Published: Friday, 13th July, 2007 12:44
Enjoying High life after 60 years
By Jamie Halpin
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WHEN a group of excited boys and girls had their first day at Peebles High School just after the Second World War, they could never have guessed that many of them would get together again 60 years later.
The fourth reunion of the pupils who began their secondary education in 1947 took place with a dinner at the Tontine Hotel last Sunday and a lunch the following day. Out of a total of 27 people who attended, 20 were pupils from that year.
David Raeburn travelled the furthest to the reunion, having come all the way from South Africa. And, as the longest surviving Peebles Cornet, he was fascinated to see the Beltane produce another piece of history this year.
“Of course, it’s not the first time that there has been heavy rain at the Beltane,” he joked.
“But it was strange to see that the crowning was happening inside.”
David, who was Cornet in 1958, lived at Edderston Farm when he attended Peebles High and he has worked in textiles and the garment industry in eight different countries since he left the town. But home is where the heart is, and he is intending to come back to Peebles when he retires at the end of this year.
Organiser of the event, Jeanne Fleming, first had the idea of a reunion in 1992, when she discussed it with her cousin Moyra. A reunion took place that year and there have been subsequent ones in 1997 and 2005.
Jeanne, who now lives in Forres in the north of Scotland, remembers the class of ’47 as being friendly and close to each other. “I think that’s why the reunions have been so successful since then, as we all got on well from the start.
“There are 20 of us who have attended this year and that tells you a lot about the strong friendships we had from the beginning and have maintained ever since.”
Jeanne was particularly proud of the decanter and glasses she was presented with as recognition for all the work she has done in arranging the reunions over the years. But she was quick to stress the importance of the efforts of other people. She said: “I would like to give credit to John Veitch and Alastair Weatherston for their help in organising this.”
For Alastair, who lives in Edinburgh and had a career in the Civil Service there, 1947 was a doubly important year. He said: “As well as starting Peebles High, I was First Courtier at the Beltane.
“It was funny seeing a picture of me from that year in this year’s Beltane programme.”
But this year’s reunion will definitely not be the last and there is talk of another in two years time.
“We talked about the one in 2005 being the last one, “ Jeanne recalled. “But here we are again.
“When you have known each other and have been friends for 60 years, what’s another two?”
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