Some of the officials and guests at the annual dinner of the London branch of the Burnley Grammar School Old Boys' Association. Front, from left: Sir Hubert Newton, Lt. Col. H. Lacy, Mr. T. Alston. Back: Messrs J. Adamson, J. K. Helliwell, N. B. Stokes, F. Simpson, R, Hargreaves, D. Riley.

Burnley Grammar School Old Boys' Association London branch annual dinner at the Bonnington Hotel, Southampton Row, on Friday evening, 6th November 1970, was an occasion with a genuine flavour of sport. Members of the five-year-old branch from many parts of South-East England, and officials of the parent association, were joined by Mr. Bob Lord (chairman of Burnley Football Club), Mr. Jimmy Adamson (manager), Mr. Tom Alston (chairman of Burnley Cricket club), Mr. Roger Hargreaves (director of Burnley FC and CC) and Mr. Keith McNee (sports editor of the Burnley Express). Mr. Lord, one of the speakers, took the opportunity to offer a brand new explanation for current Turf Moor headaches, referring to a four-year period in which the club had "gone to sleep" from the viewpoint of player recruitment. The dinner coincided with the Clarets' First Division fixture against Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on Saturday and a delegation from the old boys' association watched the local club's defeat as guests of the football club directors.

Earlier the toast to the school had been proposed by one of its most distinguished old boys, Sir Hubert Newton, chairman of the Leek and Westbourne Building Society. Sir Hubert congratulated the headmaster, Mr. J. B. Stokes on the wonderful results achieved at the school under his leadership. Among those attending the dinner were the secretary and treasurer of the parent body, Mr. J. K. Helliwell and Mr. D. Riley, Mr. C. Brown (a school governor), Mr. H. G. Leaver (former deputy headmaster and senior classics master), Mr. J. R. Chaplow (former senior English master), Mr. W. S. Broster (former French master), Mr. J. W. Bather (former treasurer of BGSOB for 25 years), Mr. T. Greenwood (London branch secretary), Mr. G. A. Wildras (London branch treasurer), and Mr. Martin Starkie (an old boy actor-producer whose production of "Canterbury Tales" has broken all records at the Phoenix Theatre).