Newcastle University

Newcastle Law School recently hosted an informal reunion for the classes of 1958-1961. The following is a summary of the event written by Jim Alexander. 

On the weekend of 9/10 September 2011 a number of Law Faculty (as it then was) graduates from 1958-1961 gathered at the Copthorne Hotel Quayside to celebrate their 50th year since graduating. Those in attendance included wives and also friends from other faculties. 

Some of those who had arrived on the Friday enjoyed a gentle stroll down by the Quayside on an uncharacteristically warm evening, an experience which was beyond the imagination 50 years ago when the outcome of a visit to that area could have been a seedy proposition or a serious assault. This was followed by an informal Italian meal in Uno's where everyone played catch up. 

On the Saturday morning, Dr. Jonathan Galloway led an enthusiastic but aged group of former undergraduates round the new Law School on Windsor Terrace with its impressive high tech facilities doing justice to its ranking of 1st. among UK Law Schools - a far cry from the then state of the art Percy Building where less than 30 of us endured lectures in a spacious yet unsophisticated auditorium. 

After this intellectual and informative tour four of us, in true Last of the Summer Wine style, shambled our way down Percy Street to find one of our old watering holes where we drank a pint or three of to-day's ale, bemoaning the demise of the old Scotch and Exhibition brew which used to pass our lips. 

We then lurched our way back to the Copthorne Hotel via Pilgrim Street expecting to find the Liberal Club (where a number of evenings was spent playing snooker ) only to find that this magnificent building, known as Alderman Fenwick's House, had been acquired by, and its future secured, the Tyne and Wear Building Preservation Trust. 

Another unseasonably warm and sunny Saturday afternoon saw most of our party barely concealing its delight at the commentary during a one hour boat trip down the Tyne. The evening brought us all together again for an enjoyably informal dinner of undisciplined revelry in the presence of Professor Joanna Gray who must have wondered how any of us managed to graduate. 

Sunday morning eventually arrived and we all left for our respective Care Homes in the knowledge that we had renewed friendships and with the resolve that we meet again - in 5 years?