News Compendium

Continuing the series of articles produced by Norman Wigg (see Recollections of the Battle of Britain below), here he recalls his days at the school.

For the next five years, I caught the No26 bus from Teynham, to Sittingbourne, getting off at the post office, then walking up through the alleyway past the Bull Inn, to arrive at the Grammar School. In the evening, I caught the bus outside Burton's to return to Teynham. As my father was a bus driver, I got a cheap season ticket, but that was about all the financial help my parents did get. I cost them a lot of money, in the next few years, but they never complained.

We have received the following employment opportunities for current pupils at Borden Grammar School from a local Insurance Broker, based in Oad Street, Borden.

The Insurance Broker contacted us back in 2013 and 2015 with similar opportunities.  Neil Barlow, director of the company, now has a further opportunity for two apprentices to start in the summer.  Neil is also offering work experience opportunities for 1 or 2 weeks. Neil has written to the School and the Association with the following offer:

We have recently heard that Graham Holbrook (BGS 1955-62) has passed away.  Graham was admitted into the Canterbury Pilgrims Hospice on Friday 17th March and he passed away peacefully early on Monday morning 20th March 2017, with his family by his side. The date of the funeral is 4th April 2017 at 2.40pm at Barham Crematorium, Canterbury Road, Barham, Near Canterbury, Kent,  CT4 6QU.

All are very welcome to join the family afterwards at Olly's old watering hole, the Anchor Public House, at the far end of Abbey Street, Faversham, ME13 7BP.  Should you wish to attend a reply of numbers would be gratefully  appreciated. Please email the OBA at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we shall forward the information to Graham's family. 

Graham is pictured in the 1956-57 Form Photo on the OBA website below (1956-57 Form Photo). He was known as "Fish" Holbrook....as his family ran the wet fish shop in Sittingbourne High St.  From school he joined the RAF and followed that up with a varied career in business and consultancy.

We sadly heard of the death of Freddie Cooper many months after the event.  He had been a regular at the Dinner for many years with a group of his contemporaries.

His son wrote to us:-

"Thank you for sending the latest edition of the Old Bordenian Website Digest.  My mother forwarded the digest to me today and remarked how much Freddie enjoyed receiving and reading the various articles.

My father Freddie Cooper, d.o.b 13 February 1923, died peacefully on 7th July 2016.

Freddie was at Borden GS from 1934 to 1941 and continued to attend the annual old boys' dinner until the age of 84 years old.  He always spoke with great affection for the school and appreciated the excellent education and start in life provided by Borden.  Freddie joined the RAF in 1941 and gained his wings in 1942 and was fortunate enough to continue flying with the RAF until the early 1960's, retiring as a Squadron Leader in 1966."

Richard Evans has sent in the names of those in the School Photograph for 1956/57.  I have added these as a comment to the original article: BGS School Photograph - 1956-57.

Old Bordenian Norman Wigg (BGS 1943 - 1948) has sent me a number of articles recalling stages of his life, including his experiences of the Battle of Britain whilst living in Teynham and his days at Borden Grammar School.  I will add these over the coming weeks, but will start with his recollections of the Battle of Britain.  Whilst Norman was too young to be at BGS at the time, I think this will be of interest to many visitors to this site.

Norman writes:

It is with regret that we have to pass on the news of the death of Dr Andrew Edney on Friday 3 March 2017.  Andrew's funeral will take place at 12.40pm on Monday 10th April 2017 at Worthing Crematorium, Horsham Road, Findon, Worthing, BN14 0RG, followed by a wake at Findon Manor, East, High St, Findon, Worthing BN14 0TA from 1.45pm.  Donations if desired to the Blue Cross, by way of collection on the day, care of the funeral directors HD Tribe of Storrington. If you have any personal stories or readings etc. that you would like to share on the day, or if you intend to attend the funeral or wake, could you let Andrew's solicitor, Lucy Samy, know at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Doctor Andrew Edney was a veterinary surgeon for some 50 years. After attending Borden Grammar School from 1943 to 1950, he attended art school before eventually graduating from the Royal Veterinary College at the University of London. Post-graduate studies led to a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine and a Masters degree in History. He worked as a freelance writer and editor and wrote a number of books relating to animals. His book “And While You’re Here – Episodes in a Vets life” covered his early life as an evacuee during World War II, to National Service in the RAF, student days, work in general practice and beyond. He was past president of the British and World Small Animal Veterinary Associations and the Central Veterinary Society from 2007-2009. He lectured throughout Europe and the US on his speciality – the portrayal of animals in art.

Andrew was a regular attendee at the Annual Dinner, and indeed attended in 2016

He never married, and leaves no children.

This is a reminder for all those Old Bordenians intending to attend this year's Annual Reunion Dinner on 25 March at the UK Paper Leisure Club, Sittingbourne.  There are only a few days left to book your place at this event.  Full details and how to book are included in the article below (follow this link: Annual Reunion Dinner - full details). There are a couple of groups celebrating major milestones at this year's dinner.  They are the class of 1967 starters, who are celebrating 50th anniversary of starting at the school and the class of 1987-1992, who are celebrating their 25th anniversary of leaving the school.

I have been given copies of the OBA annual yearbook, The Maroon, from 1951 to 2009 (the last publication) with just four years missing.