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 Records of thriving Old Grammarians’ Associations (separate organisations for men and women - of course) existed at least as far back as the early 1900s. Mr ACK Toms, the headmaster from 1903 to 1915, formed an Old Boys association at Christmas 1910 with the first annual dinner being held on Boxing Day 1911. It seems the major events in the Association’s year consisted of Old Grammarians playing school teams at various sports and holding annual dinners. In the main it was organised from within the school and for many years Frank Miles, a science master, was its secretary. Its activities are recorded in editions of the school’s magazine Cirencestrian between 1919 - 1966. After World War II, and particularly when the days of the school were obviously numbered, support for the associations dwindled and eventually both were wound up. Despite this, a few individual groups, usually representing particular years, continued to meet informally but no attempts were made to revive the former associations. Only a few records remain of this period in the Association’s history. During 1988 a reunion of staff and pupils from the 1940s took place at Syde. This was so well supported that the Old Grammarians (1940s) Association came into being and meets regularly at venues in and around Cirencester. The 1940s Association holds quarterly lunches and publishes its own magazine, the New Cirencestrian. In the early 1990s a committee was formed with a view to planning a ‘Reunion of Reunions’ to which all surviving staff and pupils from any year would be welcome. In October 1993 a ‘Grand Reunion’ was held at the Bingham Hall attended by about 600 Old Grammarians and their guests. Encouraged by the response, similar events were held in 1996, 2000, 2003 and 2006, the latter still attracting over 300 members and guests. This is the ‘Reunion Committee’ which publishes a regular Newsletter and administers a Prize Fund built up from sales of two books on the school. Since the last reunion the Trustees of the Bingham Hall have invited the Reunion Committee take part in the Centenary Celebrations in October 2008. The Committee has accepted the invitation and hope to hold a Saturday evening 'Reunion' similar to those held in the past. The Reunion Committee have resolved to meet during November 2007 to plan the precise format and confirm a date. When this has been done full details will be sent out in January 2008 to Old Grammarians who have attended past Reunions. The latest news can be accessed via the Bulletin Board on www.cirencesteroldgrammarians1940s.co.uk
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