Grove Park Grammar School, Wrexham
Please
visit:
www.oldwrexhamians.co.uk
The track playing is "Lost Not Found" with former classmate Derek Crewe on Piano!
One of the major influences in my life was my
High School. It was here that my love of sport really flourished and the term
"team spirit" became meaningful to me. It was here, also, that I made
friendships that would last a lifetime. It was of no surprise to me that, after
my accident, it was the "Old Wrexhamians", as ex-pupils of this fine educational
institution are known, who rallied around and helped me through the trauma.
It was at Grove Park that "The Renegades" were conceived, born and nurtured!
In fact three of the group, Steve Lloyd, John Andrews and myself, were in the
same class!
My love of Rugby began here and, under the guidance of various teachers,
especially D.A.Jenkins, became a fairly accomplished player. Accomplished enough
to make my debut in senior club rugby, at Wrexham R.U.F.C. at the age of 17.
Roy is third from
left, back row.
By that age I had progressed into the 6th Form and had been made, to my
great surprise, a prefect. This entitled me to wear, with great pride, this
famous badge:-
It is interesting to note than when I began to
organise school re-unions, the team that I gathered around me had all been
members of various school sports teams!
The great thing about Grove Park is that it was
not "elitist". If you passed the entrance examination, you were accepted. For
many of us, brought up in the poorer part of the town, it was a chance to
substantially enhance our future prospects.
We may not have appreciated it at the time but I
think that most of us can now look back, with pride, on memories of
"the old school".