George Eldridge, a pupil at the school from 1952-1957, recently discovered this site. This led him to reconnect with his school friend Jim Tarrant. George now lives in Australia, and would be very keen to speak to other Bournemouth School alumni of the same era who have also migrated to the antipodes. He has sent use the following update of his life since leaving the school.

I joined Bournemouth School in 1952 and left (very early) in 1957 to join the Metropolitan Police Cadets in London.

I was at the school in the days of the Headship of Mr. Parry and how could one not mention the man himself – Mr. Jasper J Dodds! I sat through many a history lesson from Mr. Dodds, wondering who in my form would be the most likely to be on the receiving end of a solid wooden backed blackboard duster! There was also a fair degree of personal trepidation involved in this as JJ’s aim was not always what he would have liked and the person struck was not always the intended recipient! Ah, how times have changed! If you had been struck by the duster you suffered in silence and certainly would not have reported the event to your parents thus fearing another session from either Mum or Dad – or even both!

After joining the Metropolitan Police I transferred back to the (then) Bournemouth Force that which in 1967 was amalgamated with the Dorset Force. After that, as anticipated by the locals, things changed and not necessesariy for the better. I saw the writing on the wall and rather reluctantly resigned and entered into Teacher Training as a mature aged student.

I studied PE at a now defunct college in Kent where I met my wife and we married in 1971. Four years later we obtained 2 year teaching contracts in Melbourne, Victoria at the conclusion of which we returned to the UK in very late 1977, as we both then had family members living. This was a mistake as we had enjoyed our time and the lifestyle in Australia and we found it somewhat difficult to re-settle. The Victorian Education Department had kept our teaching positions open for us and in March 1980 we returned to Melbourne and have lived in Victoria ever since.

Although my wife returned to teaching, I realised I was not cut out for it (despite the hours and holidays!!). I applied for a position with the Australian Federal Government and remained so employed until I retired in December 2004.

I turn 74 in April of this year and I am proud to say that despite residing in Australia for the larger part of my life I will always be an Englishman. That can never be taken away from me. However, let me tell you Australia is an awfully tricky place to live if you are a `Pom’ when the all blooming conquering Aussies are handing out their usual treatment during an Ashes series!!!!!!!!! More recently the One Day World Cup international defeat by Bangladesh was also the trigger for much merriment from Australian friends!!

I think often of the School and what may have happened to those I knew. I am very willing to provide my email address to anyone who may like to contact me.

We have removed George’s email from this update. However, if you would like to get in touch with George, please leave a comment here and we will forward your details on to him.