Old Grammarians celebrate their club’s 90th birthday
School chums of all ages got together to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Old Grammarians’Club.
The organisation helps keep former pupils and teachers of Paisley Grammar generations in touch with each other so that they can meet up from time to time to enjoy other’s company and reminisce about the best days of their lives.
The 90th birthday bash was held at the David Lloyd Centre, in Renfrew, and there were two guest speakers at the event.
One was former rector Hugh Nisbett, who was also a pupil in the 1950s, and Joyce McMillan, the distinguished theatre critic of The Scotsman.
Melvyn Haggarty, a former teacher of history at the school, was one of the organisers of the event, which was a big success.
He said:“It was excellent. We had 120 people there, former teachers, Old Grammarians, and some of the sixth year. “And, of course, we had the two excellent speakers.” Old school shows of the past were also recalled with a singalong culminating in a rendition of the school song Oriflamme.
“And we also had Molly Quinn, who’s in third year and sings with Scottish Opera, and she did Hallelujah for us, Mr Haggarty said.
The 90th anniversary of the club was remarkable not only for its longevity, he added.
“Most state schools don’t have that sort of thing nowadays,”he said.“But ours has survived.
“And on the day we had a wonderful display of memorabilia as well. There were portraits of the rectors that used to be in the school hall.
“And we had all the school magazines from 1923 until 2017, as well as loads of pictures. “It was a most successful.” Any former pupil who wishes to join the Old Grammarians can get in touch with Melvyn Haggarty at jmelvyn@googlemail.com