I had a great time at King John between 1958/63 through all sports. This picture shows our Rugby Team for 1961/2.
Top row left to right: Graham Burroughs – Ray Norton – Peter Norbury – ??(see comments below) – Will Harris – Merlin Dexter – Roger Taylor – John Wimbledon – Anthony Wilkins – Geoff Wall.
Sitting left to right: Tony Herring – ??(see comments below) – Mr Evans – Dick Collie – Doug Wilson – Dave Earey
Peter Shaw is missing who was our huge No 8 and played for Essex. Dick Collie, I think, went on to play for Blackheath?
Nice hair styles! We had a brilliant team coached by Mr Langloise in the early years and then Mr Sweyne and Mr Williams.
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Mick Beale, if you would like to meet up with the old boys, we have a beer at the Zac Wiltshire pub in Benfleet from time to time.
Let the website know and they can give me your details and I can add you to the list when I send out any info on when we are meeting up
Roger Taylor
Peter Shaw and myself are not in the photo because we were both in Germany touring with Essex. Peter never played at no.8 that was my position, he always played in the second row with Harris.
Whilst I did not attend King John, I do remember many of the members of both rugby and football teams. I went to Sweyne in Rayleigh and recall that whenever we played KJ at rugby we were soundly beaten. Pete Shaw was big, scary but affable! I later played with some of the members of these teams in representative matches and local teams and ran with Dougie Wilson who was an excellent hurdler and sprinter I also remember the encouragement of Albert Evans and Sam Williams even though I didn’t play for their teams! Incidentally Graham Burroughs became a professional golfer post school years.
Golden years for sport at King John
Hi, I was the hooker for this age group so I don’t understand why I am not in any photos. Dick Collie did play for Blackheath, a pretty good club in those days. Unfortunately Peter Shaw passed away about three or four years ago but I still stay in touch with his wife. Although me and Bert didn’t always see eye to eye I remember being his friend when we played Westcliff High on their ground one Saturday morning and beat them, something that wasn’t supposed to happen given their status in these parts. Merlin Dexter, Big Peter Shaw and I were shunted off to Woodlands in Basildon for a year. It was a very new school and we had to practice on the playground with John Mansfield a brilliant teacher but he stayed with Woodlands when we returned to K J. I can’t remember the name of the teacher who coached us when I played but he was a Welshman who new knew all about Rugby and was very hard if anyone took a knock and complained. I became very good friends with Billl Langloise because I was pretty good at Cross Country and won a few medals including one for K J winning the Essex Schools County Championship. I honestly don’t recall Mr Sweyne coaching us but I do remember him in his Bowler hat. Incidentally, I remember all the guys mentioned in your comments and for what it is worth my brother played for Thurrock and Eastern Counties. .
Next to Bruce Tyrie in the back row is Keith Little
Player next to Tony Herring is Gordon Murray.
At a recent reunion we had 10 of these players in attendance, and two others who couldn’t get there on the night, hoping to get a full house in the future apart from Bruce Tyrie who has passed away. Great Loss
Just to amend the names
Top row L/R Bruce Tyrie is between Peter Norbury and ?? – rest the same
The player next to Tony Herring sitting could be Micky Beale.
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