During the organisation of our first '69 reunion in November 1999, Stavors suggested a year book
- I said "It'll be out of date in a year, what about a website."
[Some day I'll learn to keep my
mouth shut!]
However one wet Sunday in an island off the north of Scotland,
the St Augustine's website was born.
Initially conceived to be just a contact list for staff and '69 entry, the scheme mushroomed. Anecdotes and memorablia arrived in my inbox. Interest came from ALL entry years to St. Augustine's.
It had filled a void and quickly became the virtual home of St. Augustine's Grammar School Old Boys.
It was built piecemeal using 1999 technology and with limited resources; nevertheless, it soon achieved a significant following.
Two Grand Reunions followed (2002 and 2005).
The website is now in its 25th anniversary!
The discussion board provoked some lively debate - St. Augustine's was a strange place but was a part of a formative influence for us all. Some of it was good, some was definitely not.
Some old psychological scars were reopened. Many school friendships were rekindled.
Inevitably after the initial information tsunami, my inbox quietened down and new material was sporadic.
With other demands on my time it has to be said, my own interest waned.
Meanwhile the internet moved on and became a ubiqitous part of most of our lives. High speed information is now readily available though smartphones in our pockets.
In 2023 the Old Boys website looked dated and was no longer fit for purpose. It was never designed to be what it became and was horrendous to maintain. Deprecated functions rendered active parts inactive.
Ongoing expenses made me (and others) question whether it was still worth maintaining. "It was fun and good while it lasted".
However there was still those that were keen that it should be maintained. I put out feelers for someone else to take on the reins - surprisingly no takers, although there was a readiness to chip in to support financially.
The WhatsApp group for 69 entry raised funding for 2024-25 webhosting which was gratefully received
After the uncertainties of continuation, there was a misunderstanding with the webhosting company in March 2024 and we permanently lost the "staugs.org" domain name (to a dubious Korean gaming site!).
Meantime we had still paid up for hosting until November 2025 and the tight B***** in me kicked in ...
It was one matter to let the site fade, but another to be kicked out of existence by a Korean gaming site after after an administrative hiccup!
A new domain name - sharstonmount.uk - was purchased for one year (ongoing renewal fees apply) and the hosting company was persuaded to link this to existing webhosting
- St. Augustine's Grammar School Old Boys lives aother day!
It was then that I "bit the bullet", realising that only one person would bring the site back to life.
This was not mere window dressing but totally rebuilding the site.
It had to be readily maintainable and fit for today's usage yet retaining the querkiness of the original site.
I hope I have achieved this.
A deluge of new material relating to our time at St. Augustine's is unlikely. Some material has been reworked.
The site has been a contact source and communication channel for Old Boys and staff - hopefully this will continue.
Please keep your personal pages up to date.
The rebuilt site became live in June 2025.
It is hoped that "crowd funding" voluntary contributions (present day organ fund?) will keep the site up and running.
Accounts
[pjf]
Whilst it is unlikely much new historical information is still out there, all material relating to St Augustine's is still welcome.
Thanks to all those who have helped create and maintain this site
Iconography Many icons modified from icons created by Freepik - Flaticon
Slideshows
Slideshows based on script by PHPSlideshow by greg lawler at zinkwazi.com
MONUMENT and eraser.dust fonts fonts from 1001fonts.com
Bulletin Board and Scripts from Matt Wright
Funding
Hosting Fee 2024 raised by 1969 entry group
2025 Voluntary donations from various Old Boys and Staff
Mark Brennan (AKA Chief
Archivist)
- access to his incredible and invaluable
collection of things Augustinian: numerous photos (incl uniform
photos); letters from the headmaster; various event programs; Initial concept for "For
All the Saints" and valuable editorial input
Paul Fay (my brother)
- Numerous photos, programs, miscellaneous
stationary, letters from the headmaster, locating TV Top of the
Form Quiz Books etc etc
Andrew Stavordale
- the prime mover! without him, this site would
never have been conceived
- responsible for initial and updated contact details of many
boys of 69 and staff
Photos
- Paul Fay, Mark Brennan, Rev Roger Callan, Rev
Gerard McGuiness, Richard Fay, Dave Espley/Anthony Thorpe, John
McGuiness, Brother Cyril (Xaverian), Catherine McGuiness, Jason
Birch, Jeremy Griffiths, Jim Toft, Sean O' Callaghan, Josephine
Maltby, John Lally, Mark Brennan (the Elder), Greg Howell, Nick
Wall, Mark Dean, Geoff Sharp, Peter Yearsley, Sally Drummond,
Peter Hartt, Paul Tickle
Original Letters
- Paul Fay, Mark Brennan, My Parents, Mike
Maybury, Mike Nelson, Damian Hickey, Andy McHugh, Steve Livesey, Peter Yearsley, Niall Giblin
Original Speechday and other Programs
- My Parents, Paul Fay, Peter and Celia Cameron,
Mark Brennan, Mark Brennan (the Elder), Paul Stevenson
Original Uniform Items
- Mark Brennan
- Lawrence Tottle (school blazer badge)
- Jez Griffiths (Plessington Badge)
- Paul Stevenson (scarf)
Sermon for the Memorial
Mass for Mgr McGuiness
- Rev Peter Phillips via Paul Fay
Art Gallery, Memories and Quotations
- Unmentionable staff and boys!
"A Leader to
Remember"
- Alan Johnston
Local Newspaper Clippings
- Rod Bladon and Heather Turner at The
Forum Library, Wythenshawe
Roll Numbers
- Lynn Wright, Manchester City Council Education
Dept
Maps
- Ordnance Survey for permission to reproduce ©
Crown Copyright maps.
History of the Organ
- Rushworth & Dreaper,
Liverpool
- Juliet A Carter , Parish Secretary, Woolston St Margaret's
Church
- Jacquie Rayner, Prison Service Training Services
Television Top of the Form
- BBC Archives (unfortunately yielding no relevant
material)
- Geoffrey Wheeler - personal recall and loan of theme music tape
("Marching Strings")
- Bobby Cree - names of the Stranraer team
- Mark Brennan
- Paul Fay
- Josephine Maltby (nee Finan) personal recall
- Pat Harris - excerpt from Hollies FCJ Annals
- Andrew Hemmens and James Fitzsimons
- Sally Drummond - Stranraer team photos
Architectural Plans
- Brian Mooney of Reynolds and Scott
- Mr Hilton, City Architects Dept, Manchester City Council
Filling Gaps in Lists of "Boys"
- Paul Johnston, Carl Brennan, Denis Murphy, Barry
Brennan, Phil Ryder, Andrew Murphy, Martin Wilson, Dave Espley,
Anthony Thorpe, Richard Fay, Dave Williams, Andrew Hartnett,
Steve Williams, Chris Keeling, Phil Howells, Patrick Greenhall,
Steve Law, Antony Barrows, Paul Cochrane, Jez Griffiths, Ged
Start, Steve Callaghan, Chris Blaydon, Mark Brennan (1965),
Robert Renshaw, John Gee
The Smiths Connection
- Andrew Murphy, Martin Wilson & Dave Espley
Details of Theatrical Productions
Roger Callan, Mark Brennan, Peter Cameron, Eddie
Tickle
Examination Papers
Mathematics (Martin Harding)
1975 page
Maintained by Simon Withers for a number of years
Domvs L-Caecili Ivcvndi (photo)
Trevor Madden
And any I have omitted to mention!
Thanks