Chris Ward

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I'd left "anybody there??" bleats all over the place, and Chris replied. After the initial "is it you?" mails we got down to memories.......

From: Chris Ward <chrisward@zx9r.demon.co.uk>

Date: Fri, 4 Jan 2002 10:32:42 +0000

Subject: Grange Park

Hi Mike, Nice to hear from you after so long. I found you on the Grange Park web site on the EX Hillingdon Pupils link I can send details if you want

Yes you are right on all the things you mention. John Hollis !!! built like a bloody great tank!!! we were all in awe of him, but when he returned in a hurry from that holiday he did not feel well thank god anyway Billy Bunn ran rings round him. We did well in that game beating Wood End Park 2 nil because they were the favourites to win, they were a strong side and went on to win the schools league, but we beat them well I remember myself saving two certain goals but after all I was a brilliant Keeper (and modest). Mr Frank Taylor yes thats him a very nice teacher. I have also made contact with Ronnie Mills he lives in Canada.

What's a matter with you lot, you are like a load of travelling Gypsies!!! I am still in England living on the Norfolk Suffolk Border, my Wife and I have our own small Residential Home. It Would be nice to contact the rest of the team if possible I am sure you remember them like me but here they are any way Chris ward, Mike Curley, Colin Pool, Ronnie Mills, Robin Scrimshaw, Peter Turner(capt), Keith Richarson (scored both goals in final) John Lugaurd Billy Bunn, John Magill, Geoff Barrow, Ken Hipper (reserve ) Again you are spot on with Mr Taylor I think he had something going with Mrs Gordon. I used to be in love with Yvonne Russell in the girls netball Team but Ken Hipper pinched her , I was very sad about that!!!! Do you remember the Girls netball team won the schools Netball shield the same year so we done the Double so to speak we were all very proud walking around the day after the final wearing our medals we were famous and all hero's for a few weeks, I only remember a few of the girls June Payne (capt) Jean Glover and of course Yvonne!! It would be nice to meet up again some time, but I expect the next team member to turn up will live in outer Mogolia somewhere!!

Keep in touch Mike great to hear from you.

Chris

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Chris,

No, no – I have left messages in lots of web-sites – couldn’t remember the Hillingdon one, but I know how to get back to it, thanks.

I cannot put a face to Billy Bunn, if I had access to the old school photo I’d probably be able to place him – maybe that’s a good reason to visit the UK – sort out all the rubbish collected over the years, and bring the photos and diaries etc.. back here..

I remember our right wing Keith Richardson – and (modest like yourself) – I’m sure he scored both our goals from passes from………. yours truly (not!). On the subject of your magnificent saves – are you sure..?? Surely such a well ordered, drilled and efficient defence wouldn’t have allowed shots on goal..??

Also I think I remember our skipper Peter Turner, I can picture a face, tough little bugger as I recall??

Now – Ronnie Mills – very white/blond hair, smallish?? If that’s him – I was on good terms with him… do you have an email address for him?? Silly sod – why’d he go to such a cold country?? (As it turns out my memory was a complete failure - I was thinking of Ronnie Stone. Ron Mills was middle sized with fair straight hair)

I cannot speak for the other travelers – but I do like trips back to the UK (don’t do many, only 2 or 3 in 8 years) – only in July/August though – and honestly (even around London) I always feel that the whole countryside is like driving through a fantastic park – everything is so well tended – even the trees in farmer’s fields look as though they’ve been located there by some “great designer/landscaper” – and where you are I’d guess is even better than the Home Counties?? I’ve got a great friend who lives in Shottisham in Suffolk, he’s the Landlord of the Sorrell Horse pub.

Well done – Mrs Gordon – forgot her name… did Yvonne Russell live down Lansbury Drive, sort of backing onto the school?? – fairish/blonde hair?? I must have had a liking for her – ‘cos I cannot remember any of the others you mention – useless brain!!

My soccer career didn’t exactly “ascend” after leaving Grange Park… I went to Townfield Secondary school which was more towards Hayes Town, had a “tough” reputation – and we didn’t play soccer there. Around the age of 13 I went to Ealing Tech – and would you believe – ended up as their goalkeeper!! Now this is where I hope you’ll realise how important the defence is….. I claim that mine was bloody useless (that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it!!) – in 3 matches – I let in 20 goals!! They didn’t invite me to play in the 4^th match….. but they should have ejected the defence – not me!! I think my career ended on that sad note!!

What business did you go into, where – how many kids etc.. details please..… do I understand you have a Residential Home – I think that means – “old people” – “retirement home” – true??

I fell into the computer industry aged about 18, and retired about 2 years ago – rarely worked for any company – I used to “freelance” writing programs and systems for anybody who wanted them, so not much of a “career”, just a succession of “projects”. Cannot remember what I told you in the earlier email – so excuse any repetition – married a German lady in 1971, when I was living in South Africa, we returned to the UK in 1973, had 2 super girls, separated in 1989 and I left the UK for Asia in 1993. The kids are now 27 and 25 – one in Somerset, the other backpacking around Oz & NZ – soon to pass through Singapore – kids are brilliant!!

I have a web-site – but nothing in it relating to Grange Park etc… if you/I/we can get a few more contacts (Ronnie Mills??) – I’ll add a section – who knows – a reunion may not be impossible. Of course, you might be the only one still in the UK – and therefore have to travel to somewhere equi-distant for all the others – maybe – as you say – Mongolia!!

Chris – as you say – keep in touch – lets have some details of what the last 45 years have dealt you – AND….. you did have a green goal-keeper jumper didn’t you..??

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From: Chris Ward <chrisward@zx9r.demon.co.uk>

Date: Sat, 12 Jan 2002 13:42:52 +0000

Subject: Life Story

Hi Mike,

Still setting up new computer so thought I would have a break and give you my news. Left grange park and went to Mellow Lane in the Fotball team there all the time but in the last year came out of goal to play center forward, Played for area schools Goalkeeper each year left in 59.

School was not a very happy time for me as bullied a fair bit and took a lot of knocks, I got fed up with all that and it spurred me on to study and train in the martial arts Judo/ Karate for over 30 years at present I am an Instructor at 2 Karate/ Martial Arts Schools in East Anglia although I am getting a bit passed my sell date!!!

I was married in 1962 to Margaret but we were far to young and life was not easy for us as we lost both a son and a daughter with a genetic Disease which was terrible for us. We had another son Steven who was OK and he is now 31 years old and in the Royal Marines an ugly sod like me and completely mad, you have to be to be a Marine I can tell you.

Margaret and I parted in 75 but remain good friends and we see each other from time to time. I remarried in 78 to Jeanne who was a widow with 3 children we are still together all the children are grown up and we have 5 grandchildren, I worked as a Rep for 25years selling OIL until it got such a rat race, so we started our own Residential Home looking after 3 elderly Ladies they are all in their 90's but they are lovely.

In 1983 I was foud to have a cancer in my left eye and had to have it removed so I have an artificial eye that was hard to take at the start but you get used to it.

The GoalKeeper Jumper, I had two one Blue and one green!!

Peter Turner yes as you said a tough little bugger and I was on the receiving end a few times. But he pushed his luck to far one day and whacked Colin Pool that was a big mistake because Colin whacked him back and that bloody shook him, I wished I had had the courage to do it, he was not so cocky after that!!

As to the well organised defence, what a load of Bull you all were so laid back because you all new that I would keep the buggers out!!

But as I remember for real!! we were a good team and worked hard for each other practising each play and dinner time with the help and encouragement of Mr Taylor.

Yvonne Russell you are right again she lived just outside the school gates as you came out on the left about 3 or 4 houses down, I was well smitten with her I thought she was so pretty and I was totally in Love with her until Ken Hipper pinched her rotten sod!!

We must try and track the other buggers down some how so look out for any leads. Has Ronnie got hold of you yet?!!

Keep In touch

Regards Chris

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Chris!!

Versatile lad!! Goalkeeper to Centre Forward.. didn’t know about the bullying, but it pushing you towards Karate etc.. and martial arts then being such an important part of your life for so long – maybe there’s rhyme and reason in everything??

I did a bit of Judo at Ealing Tech – only maybe 6 months, and then some Karate in South Africa, again (not much) – I treated them a bit like I treated Golf – do it at a time in your life when you want to do it…. But that turned out to be a “not very convenient time” – like with golf… working hard, have a family and then spend a quarter of each weekend playing golf….?? Silly… should spend time with the family…. And now when I’ve got all the time in the world… I don’t play at all!!

Wow.. the first marriage and losing the kids – disaster, sorry to hear that… but son Steven in the Marines – I thought you said he turned out OK?? Glutton for punishment – I think!! But brilliant to be so fit.. so alive!!

Glad to hear life settled down – with Jeanne etc.. – but then the left eye/cancer etc.. that must have been terrible.. I guess though, after the initial shock of the news you have to weigh the pros and cons, and there is only one course of action… and then you have to face up to doing that..?? Funny… just yesterday, I was out on my bike and an insect got into my eye – it really hurt, must have been a bit acidic or something, and for a while I was going along with just one eye – the perception of depth is gone, and the initial getting used to moving your head a bit more to see things on your left made me realize just how we take things for granted. Also the residential home – just 3 ladies, sounds much nicer than some of the ones I saw when my old mum had a problem and had to go into one temporarily – 100+ people, either sitting in the BBC room or the ITV room – bedlam!!

Ha-ha!! It was Green!! Thanks… I have a vision – which you’ve confirmed.

Now Colin Pool.. I used to travel on the train with him sometimes – from Hayes up to Ealing Broadway – we must have been about 18 and I think… working, but lost touch with him after that.

See, you’re memories are different to mine… firstly on the “brilliant goalkeeper” front – and also on the “working hard as a team” issue. I honestly cannot remember much more than bits of the final – and the occasional glimpse of the pitch at Grange Park… Allotments all around, the smell of bonfires on the allotments, and skylarks that just hang, high up in the sky, twittering and warbling away… maybe I was more interested in those things than the football?? As to remembering matches we played, or training….nothing… its all gone!! What I need is some stimulus, for example the medal we won, or the photo of the Team, (both of which I have somewhere back in the UK) and then I’ll start remembering, but sitting here in 32 degree heat everyday, the sun on the sea, the palm trees “beware of falling coconuts” its all so far removed from Lansbury Drive, Yeading Lane etc.. its difficult to get focused.

No, nothing from Ronnie Mills – do you have his email address?? I’ll do a bit of searching for the other boys soon – now you’ve provided all the names – I should find one or two!!

Hope you get the new PC working – stay in touch,

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From: "Chris Ward" <chrisward@zx9r.demon.co.uk>

Date: Sun, 20 Jan 2002 11:21:39 -0000

Subject: Ronnie Mills

Hi Mike,

Ronnie Mills email address is dearron64@hotmail.com

He said he had emailed you but his wife singned it Val so you might not have guessed it was from him.

I am still trying with this new computer I have gone from windows 95 to windowsXP so it is a bit of a jump and I am finding a few problems, I am not very quick to learn when I have to read instructions and manuals. I get on much better if someone shows me what to do. The Modem is 1.53Gh and 512 mb memory so it works much quicker.

I have spoken to Tony Borlace who was reserve goalkeeper to me in the team he is trying to trace Keith Richardson who he was friendly with but lost contact, this is the only lead I have at the moment but I will keep looking.

The weather here is bloody awful raining and windy roll on summer if we get any. Keep in touch

Regards

Chris

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Chris!,,

Thanks for Ron’s address – I have received a mail from him – so we’re off!! Thanks again.

Yes – I moved from windows Me to XP a week or two ago – must say XP is very much better – no crashes!! Hooray!! – But on the downside – my Scanner doesn’t work now – and manufacturer just says “we’re not producing a driver for XP”…. Very helpful supplier!!

Borlace and Richardson.. I’d be pleased to hear any news about/from them.

I was checking out Robin Scrimshaw… not much… until I started to pick up a stage name of Robin Shaw….. Born Hayes Middx, 6 Oct, 1943…. A Robin Scrimshaw was a member of the FlowerPot Men band/group, who had a big hit with “Let’s go to SanFrancisco” in the 60’s, that’s where the stage name started and he went on to join White Plains (never heard of them – but they had a hit in 1974 with Beach Baby) and Chris Bennett & the Rebel Rousers – heard of them – there are pictures of groups – but they don’t identify who is who.

What do you think…..?? could it be our man..?? Didn’t follow it all the way – to perhaps some email address or “fan-club” sort of place – but may do in the next few days..

Shame about the weather in the UK… but there again if it was perfect the Brits would have nothing to talk about. Janet (who I live with) returned from Philippines/Manila on Saturday – she is a Filippina, but was there working for 3 weeks – alas she doesn’t like all the windows being open all day long – she reckons too much dust comes in – so all day Sunday we had the Air Conditioning on and the windows closed – shame!! Such a brilliant day!! Anyway I have my revenge – she’s working Mon-Fri – so I switch the A/C off and open the windows all day long!!

All the best,

Back to Grange Park

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Link in this site

Britts Cackle Handa Chris Ward Ron Mills Tony Borlace Peter Turner Keith Richardson John Lugard Billy Bunn John McGill Frank Taylor Ken Hipper Grange Park Townfield Ealing Tech Hawes Trophy Colin Pool Robin Scrimshaw Photo 1958

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Last update - February 1, 2008 - email to djmikecurley@gmail.com