Many of those attending, wrote a contribution in the Visitor’s Book
Maybe it will bring back special memories.
They illustrate just how big and important Kilquhanity and John and Morag were in the lives of these ‘children’, ‘staff members’ and ‘friends’, old and new.
I have transcribed the contributions as written – spelling mistakes etc.
Claire Albon who attended the Jubilee has sent some composite photographs from her own collection which I have inserted throughout these recollections.
Visitors' Comments
Fermain Milne student 1947 – 1955 Good to be back and see everything.
Harriet North Lewis Student 1980 – 1986 Good to be back.
Alison North Lewis (mum) lovely memories of happy times.
Kieron and Norah Kelly Dublin
Maggie Potter Bargatton Tipi, Laurieston
Margaret Anderson, Auldgirth.
Rosie Simister – ex pupil – I am sad that I left but its good to be back, I remember the good old times. Hope there are many more years of Killy.
Alice Blaschek: I’m sad to be leaving, but I’m sure I’ll be back for a visit.
Gillie McEwan (Black) 1940 – ‘44
Alice Winning – I’m sad to be leaving -see you soon! . . . .
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Betty and Jony Sassoon – wish you another happy 50 years. ’50 years’ is not nearly enough – only a beginning.
Jean Allen (formerly Shrimpton) 1946 – 1948 approx. The winter (1947?) when Kilquhanity was snowed up for almost a term, is unforgettable. Water supply frozen, pails of water drawn from a frozen well – we had to burn straw to thaw it -fifteen pails of water to be carried to upstairs tank for a bath. Later food stocks ran low; John and senior boys trudged over six foot of snow and back for supplies.
Sherry Campion It’s great to be back (not that I’ve been away that long). I was a little apprehensive about coming back and being with a lot of people I don’t know. But as I found, after chatting, once a Killy kid always a Killy kid. P.S. I’ve been told to tell anyone who would like to say something – take a page or so to yourself. Memories, the lot, have a ball!
Kevin D. . . . . Good to be back. Lots of Love, Kevin
Mary Sutton (New Zealand) Visiting Judith Gibson, Dalbeattie. We have several schools similar to this in N.Z., but I have never been to any for fear of my reaction (establishmentarianism!) My memories of Killy will always be good, and I’ll have no problem visiting ‘alternative schools’ in my own country now. Thank you Killy for a lovely day and welcome. May you continue in your good work.
Sam Barlow yrs ’80 – ’84. Orchardton House notsofarfraehere. Interesting to be back, hope to see some of you in the future.
Margaret Cox (now Cubbs) Thanks Killy. 1974 -76 pupil.
Judith Gibson Dumfries (now Dalbeattie) Great to be back and have a look around again, meet familiar faces and read old broadsheets. Good luck for next 50 years.
Happy Associations with Kilquhanity Bob and Agnes Field
Samba Squad Live On
Wild Will says hellow.
Neill Aitkenhead Longdean Cottage Castle Combe Pupil 1940 – 54 and Mary Gell – friend of Neills
Sallie and Tony Withers Lovely to see the Bullock Shed unchanged and unchanging. Fingers itch to Broadsheet again.
Claire (1973 – ’79) I’ve had the good fortune to visit quite often – so the school feels like an old friend.
Mike Kerr , charcoal burner, glass maker, potter, chair-maker, builder of the log-cabin and canoe, was here for the Jubilee august 1990, cocky as ever.
Joyce, Andrew, Matt and Kirsty see you for the 75th! Great memories of very, very happy days.
John Agee, USA
Hilary Mayer
Favit Ovanger, Oslo
Gillis Halliday Its bloody, bloody brilliant to be back, and the place is looking just the same. I don’t want to write an essay. Thanks John.
Cyrus Colquit Thanks John
Ben Lyle The 50th – great atmosphere, great occasion. Thanks Killy.
Alan Lawson (Radical Scotland Magazine) As an outsider , enjoyed every minute of my visit, a great atmosphere.
Charlie (Joe Jackson’s mum) Its always wonderful to be here!!!! (What it is to be envious of those who went to school here). With thanks and love.
Alex Halliday Still can’t write but still truckin after so long. XXX
Kathleen Heeeeelo here I am standing on the landing writing this waaaaa hell what can I say. Peace brothers and sisters. Cheerio loads of love.
Helen Lloys Frae Glasga Summer ’88 Sob sob soooooooobbb I’m back at last. I love you all. Peace be with you. I miss you all.
Sarah Barr (daughter of the famous (LIO RANTELL) Remember her – no! Well she remembers you! This is the first time she has returned for 38 years – wow.
Well I hope good old Kilquhanity keeps going another 50.
Martin Barr 1990 13 thought the lovely shades of turkois and orange are to great taste. Ye Yeeeee! No seriously the schools very interesting.
Heather Bradley Still in love with Dougie after all these years.
Chris Heughan 24th august 1990
Sam Heughan 24th august 1990 great school.
Joan Pyle – Lovely to be here, and ditto Eric Pyle
Doreen Winning I hope to be here for the 60th.
Doreen Winning, Steve and Phil’s mum on left of Joan Pyle – my mum, Loch Ken, Galloway in the background
Cirdan Heughan Student ’82 – ’84 after being at a normal school for the last few years, to come back and find the school almost unchanged is great. I hope to make many more visits and relive the memories. Wish you another happy 50 years. May the spirit live on!
Geraldine Hill ’85 – ’89 Great to be back and see everyone again after a year, hope the school sees another 50 years. Cheerio . . . !
Lao Holland Wonderful to see faces again that were just long and distant memories of the past. Memories of of fantastic potato fights in the dining room, long stories told by Bet, racing round with turning lanterns at Halloween in carts which surely would never have passed the MOT!
Ella Gunn ’85 – ’88 Great to be back it’s a shame I missed seeing everyone, hope you all have great lives and Killy goes for another 50 years. Love Ella.
Colin Steele – Student 1963 –’67 So many great memories, seeing so many old friends after so long – we must have more reunions. Amazing how little has changed after 23 years. Hope the school lasts for many more years to come – so here’s to the next 50 years – p.s. also great to see all the old Broadsheets, but a bit embarrassing reading about what I used to get up to when here.
Clio Barr (Rantell) student 1953 – 56 It’s amazing to be back here and see everything so reassuringly familiar such idealism for 50 years.
Liz Scott (now Fish) great to be back.
Shelly Hibennglin ‘70s Wow. Mega. Rave on Killy.
Mary Roslin (Rosie and Tom simister’s mum) Wot – no National Curriculum! Wonderful to be here as always. A great week!
??? From the first day we saw ‘it’ we knew Kilquhanity was a happy place – still today 1990
Jean Allen 1946 – 8 approx. Last here 42 years ago. Memories as bright as ever. The first of these was in the dining room – a new English bride of 21, with little history knowledge, either of England or Scotland, holding her personally responsible for what happened to Bonnie Prince Charlie! She admitted she didn’t know what had happened to B. P. C. which caused further fury. With so little material for discussion, the meal ended very amicably much to her relief. This incident did not prevent the growth of deep affection for the senior boys, and all children and staff of that time. This jubilee visit has proved a momentous experience, especially finding John and Morag as giving and enthusiastic as ever.
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Patrick Allen – thanks.
Benedicte Pupil 1974 – 1976 It’s so good to be back! Love.
David Hendry – pupil 1945 -52 Still playing football (fitba’?) in California after proudly representing Kilquhanity against various local teams! Wonderful to be back again.
Alistair Milne Pupil 1941 – 45 approx. Yes, it was me who went over the bannister in ’43. Good to see the old school again and the various developments which have taken place since. But from the outside it seems little changed and that isn’t, necessarily, a bad thing. It helps – at least for a short while – to see and meet old school pals.
Aline Robinson – pupil 1943 -47
Allen – staff 1965 -67 - we never grow old while Killy is here.
John and Netta MacFarlane ‘ For Freedom and Self Government’ it said. The advert in the New Statesman and Nation that we read in 1942 which brought us to Kilquhanity. Told by John we could come over just for an hour and chat. Then we would have to go. The chat lasted 14 days. Its not finished yet. It’s all about friendship, warmth and love. Which we found and all can find who visit Kilquhanity. What a blessed day that was for us in 1942.
Winifred McEwen 1971 – ’74 Kilquhanity still stirs my heart – it was a wonderful apprenticeship for me – and memories of Lodge girls. Red House boys- working and teaching with the best teams – have sustained me and inspired me since. I hope the quiet strengths of this place will continue to flourish.
Jessie Hepburn Good to see old friends again. I love it Kilquhanity.
May Hepburn Heard so much about it – had to come to see the real thing. Thanks for the lovely welcome – it hadn’t been exaggerated in the tales.
Amy Tavendale, Jan Tavendale – wee sisters let big sisters speak for them!
Jo Brock I can’t think of anything that really needs to be said except thanks for all the hard work.
Lynne, Jon, Christian, Matthew and Benedicta (Lynne MacFarlane 1952) It’s wonderful to be back again after all these years and to be able to be a part of the 50 years celebrations. With much love to John and Morag from us all.
David MacFarlane ‘52 and 67/69. Its great to be back for the 50th anniversary seeing old friends the wonderful memories flood back,
Angus Cameron Dear god! Did I really grow up with this lot! (Glad I did)
Bengt Wasen Sweden At Kilquhanity 1966 – ‘68
Jane and Phil . . . . . to be here for the Banquet celebrating 50 years, what an inspiration now- as 30 years ago, John and Morag.
Kim and Morag Redpath We love Killy. Magic!
Gerald . . . . . . It was great to be back. So much has changed yet so little has changed. Enjoyed every minute of my visit.
Sue Ellen Hall 1972 – 74 What joy! To see my little kids as lovely adults – to dance the old dances and to refresh memories and friendships after all these years. Thanks.
Katie Frame Wonderful party. Thank you.
Macarty Black, Hilary J. Black Two short words sum up our feelings ‘Thank you’.
Suzanne (Toni) Dance It has been beautiful to see the school again and to walk around familiar buildings and to see the Holm and the hills. Not to mention old faces and friends! Thank you Morag. Thank you John. Thank you Kilquhanity.
Jackie Sutherland Kilquhanity, a wonderful idea. A very special place.
Lois Aitkenhead
Joe Byerley, Jenny, Cary. With so much love. May Killy never change.
Niall Sutherland The generation of happiness has become generations of goodness. If that’s all we live to see in life, it’s enough/
Jim Hughan What a wonderful week. New friendships made and old ones re-kindled. The 50th party was quite superb. Upstairs wash-up conducted over four or five hours and featured Mary and Sue with John Agee and myself actually washing dishes when it wasn’t a punishment. Congratulations and thanks to John and Morag.
Beryl A wonderful week and have enjoyed everything so much, thank you for a memorable time meeting all old mates and new ones. Here’s to John and Morag and the next 50 years.
Annie Vickerstaff Thank you John and Morag, Val, Lois, Jem Jools et al ad infinitum (Latin eh? What a posh education I must’ve had) It’s been wonderful – see you at the 60th!
Thomas Bostels Good to be back at Kilquhanity, to put all the memories into this right place again. Maybe to find out that everything is relative. To see that the school is still running with new people, new faces. Lots of things have changed but the true feelings are still there. I feel like coming home.
Adam Booth Still a day kid.
Della John and Morag and all who made such a fabulous time: heartfelt thanks for a great welcome. So good to see again ‘our’ kids, grown, and to see the new kids to know they’ll have and experience here that’s never forgotten, and to see old friends and renew the friendships.
Luke – cheers.
Andrew Priestman 1985 – 1989 Thanks everyone for a great Party/ Banquet/Dance etc See you all the 60th, 70th, 80th . . . . anniversaries. Cheers
Nicky Walton An unbelievable 2 days.
Dan Graham 1985 -1990
Ewan Crallan
Mat Winning
Cya, John and Morag: Admiration is the personal response – beyond that lies the perspective in which Kilquhanity belongs – to the history of the emancipation of childhood.
Owen Ross SAMBA ‘90
Odette Blum spring ’84 – Summer ’85 The happiest year and a half of my youth! So many things remembered: when the staff and pupils changed places for a day, the staff and pupils thought it was grand and it went on for 3 days! When the staff went on strike because someone pinched the larder key! Milking the cows. Hild and I taking over the kitchen every Saturday and doing the cooking – to the delight of the cooks! Saturday night dances with Hedley playing the piano preceded by games such as Postman’s Knock to much laughter and joking. So thanks for all the wonderful memories. Many years more to you.
Lachlan See you after being a monkey and climbing many trees in Skye. By the way the Monkey Puzzle needs dead-wooding. Ouch oyah! Ow!
EDWARD SAMBA 90
SAMBA SQUAD The cycle race was exalant thow the Sambas could of dun better. ‘you can’t burn the candle at both ends but you can make a dambed good try!
Wild Will (Brother) says ‘you can’t conquer dyslexia, but you can try’.
Keith Gibson Great to come back and see everyone again and take part again in something I’ve fairly missed since I left. Yours ever.
Jo Scott-Moncrieff Fifty years of Killy speaks for itself. I think all the appropriate adjectives to describe the Jubilee celebrations have already been used – I agree with them all, The ceilidg, the dance, the fireworks (brilliant), the banquet but most of all the people and the place were great! There must be Killy kids all over the world. Meeting another Killy kid, even if they were here in the ‘40s and you in the ‘80s you have an instant common bond and of course you’re always known and remembered by John and Morag – an amazing feat of memory/ you might leave Killy but Killy never leaves you. Thanks John and Morag, it’s great to be back.
Sherry, Shelly Jo- SM, Jo – B. Ta! Gunroom gals!
Andrew Steed (John Agee’s friend) Did not want to start a new page but have gotten to realize that that’s what this place is all about – taking a chance on something unknown and known! Enjoyed most every minute and was glad to see people so taken with a place and ideas that I could care about easily.
John Nichols Friend of Kilquhanity since 1970 – unfortunately not an ex-pupil. What riches are here.
Jools Cox Apprehension, fears, worries and sleepless nights all unnecessary, the Killy Magic won through! Even when we ran out of water on Thursday night the heavens opened and solved the problem. Special thanks to Chris for the amazing fireworks and all the helpers in the kitchen. I can’t believe its all over and I am still on a high from the exuberance and spirit of it all. Thank you all the Aitkenheads for making it all possible. We’re planning the 60th!
Jem Cox = Looking forward to it. P.S. Thanks for letting me take part.
Margaret Cox Glad I didn’t miss it – an amazing experience.
Tom Simister love from Tom
Dan Cohen All the way from Hawaii and worth the trip! What a wonderful collection of old and new friends, activities and memories. And the band kept playing on . . .
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