The Penvro ~ About

CLIFF - All ex-pupils of PDGS and PGS will remember The Penvro. Besides containing a selection of short stories, articles and poetry, it recorded the academic and sporting achievements of students, school teams and contained memorable photographs. There was also a regular feature devoted to alumni -'The Old Pupils' Association', giving news of ex-pupils and staff, their engagements, marriages and even the births of their children. In those days, there were also Annual re-unions. The modern equivalent is a website which several of us had talked about for some time. When the chance came, we took it, and there was no hesitation in naming it thepenvro.com, in recognition of that rich heritage. Now it's now up to us to build on this excellent start and do our best to ensure that thepenvro.com realises its full potential. ____________________________

Greg Ralph with Dave John and the QE2 in Freemantle Harbour, Western Australia ___________________________________
	CHRISTINE–I am so blown away by the Penvro site! Many congratulations to everyone involved. I can't wait to read the Guestbook when we are launched fully. Rosalie, Cliff, Dick and RogerMac are all dear friends and I feel very honoured to be on The Penvro Team with them and to make renewed aquaintance with the other great team members.
Christine Peers (Lewis)
I feel so privileged to have been a pupil at PGS with such great influences: Islwyn Grifiths, Maureen Ebsworth and Dennis Lloyd, the love of Welshness, international awareness, diversity, concern, involvement, respect, team-work, success, pride. I do hope many of us PGS'ers will meet up at another re-union very soon. In the meantime, let's keep in touch! And don't forget to pass on the news about The Penvro!" ___________________________

Roger MacCallum
ROGER–It was a privilege to attend PGS. This was something perhaps not realised at the time but with the passage of years and conversations with others about their schools, it made me realise how lucky we were. (Mind, I wish I’d paid a lot more attention in Class!) When asked to help with the website I was delighted to agree. I have a fairly good collection of old school photos, now held digitally, dating back to the 1940s in some cases with subjects ranging from old school plays to various rugby teams. I am also incredibly lucky to have been able to scan a wonderful collection of colour slides taken by Mr Islwyn Griffiths in 1961. We are indeed indebted to him for these, some of which already appear on the website, with more to follow. I look forward to seeing thepenvro.com develop with all on the team. With the demise of the ‘real’ Penvro and the old pupils association, this website can be a more than worthy successor. __________________________

Mike Knill, Islwyn Griffiths and Dick Roberts-Thomas (Bubbles)
DICK–Like Ros I joined the school in 1953 and became a border in Bush House in 1957. After I left school I lost touch with most of my old school friends until some of the girls set up a Form 2B reunion. This was followed by a couple of other very successful reunions where it was great to meet people I hadn’t seen for almost half a century. After the last reunion some of us felt it would be shame to loose touch again so we spent ages discussing the possibility of setting up a website and a former pupils association. Unfortunately, we were unable to find anyone who could do it. Now it's all come together and we are off and running with lots of content, exciting projects already underway, and great team-mates.
MIKE–It is nearly 56 years since I entered the gates of Pembroke Grammar School meeting the headmaster, Mr. Roland Mathias, who was some three years later was to give me 'six of the best' for mitching school to watch Trevor Ford play for Cardiff City against Pembroke Boro. I remember it as though it was yesterday! I look forward to reading all those memories of school life that members will share as well as contributing to and promoting our new website.


Cliff James (Ebbw Vale RFC ) with Bruce Penfold ( Blackwood RFC) get their Pembroke Dock hands on the Triple Crown and 6 Nations trophies! ___________________________________
GREG –The collaboration between myself, Lauren and Cliff - to ‘set-up’ this ex-PGS pupil website has signalled the rebirth of an old favourite. When we sought a name - thepenvro summed-up all that we were trying to achieve and we quickly settled on that as the best name for the site. The three of us were quickly joined by the other team members on this page and all have been instrumental in ensuring that this website will be of great interest to anyone who might visit it. Most ex-pupils I speak to, share my opinion and confirm my own experience – that the social and character learning element at Pembroke Grammar School was paramount and in my case has served me well in life. What is more important, on a personal level, is that I regularly look at the old school photos and recognise or relate to the majority of faces – most of whom I have not seen for more than fifty years. I do hope that the creation of this web-site will present an opportunity for any ex-PGS pupil to share with his or her past school-chums – their photos, snaps or simple memories. The team will encourage everyone to contact them, either individually or by using the ‘contact’ page. Hopefully a side benefit of everyone being ‘interested’ is that future re-unions/get-togethers will be well supported. My own contact webaddress is gregralphperth@gmail.com __________________________
DAVE–Each new issue of The Penvro was greeted with eager anticipation and generated an excitement and interest that extended throughout my schooldays and into adulthood. Now, thanks to all of the team working together, we have the chance to relive those times as The Penvro is back!! So, dust off those old school photos and get reacquainted with your old chums ( no more need for a "wots-is-name"- everyone readily identified on the large school photo) Get cracking and say "Hello". I’m delighted to be involved too! __________________________
ROSALIE–I joined the school in 1953 and afterwards went to Secretarial College in Cheltenham. I had big dreams, back then, of being a journalist, but ended up doing secretarial work. Upon returning to Pembroke I joined the Pembrokeshire County Council staff Committee Section. After retirement I was persuaded to stand as County Councillor for my Ward and was elected. Five years on I am in my second term, but I make sure I have plenty of time for my schooldays friends.
Rosalie Lilwall (Minchin)	I find it hilarious that I am now a governor of Pembroke Comprehensive School (1,478 pupils- the biggest in the county). They say that you only appreciate something when it's gone, and it's only looking back that I realise what a good school and what good years they were. I'm so proud to have been part of a school that sent out into the big, wide world so manywho have done well, and glad that there are so many lovely people still around to meet and talk over old times!
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David Brown & wife Lauren
DAVID–My sister Pam and I found a few classmates on Friends Reunited, but it was Cliff who told us about a core group who often meet up and wanted to set up a site to reach more past pupils. It will be fantasic to connect with and meet up with old classmates (and any rugby team-mates!) to learn what they've been doing all these years. It's great to be working along side Cliff, Roger and Dick cataloging the class photos and archiving the original issues of The Penvro. LAUREN–Athough I'm from a New England town, it was very much like Pembroke Dock-- a town of shipyard workers, fishermen, and the military but situated on rugged Atlantic coastline and dotted with stunning beaches. So I truly appreciate David and Pam's fond memories of Pembroke Grammar School and carefree summers at Freshwater East. I'm really enjoying the development of the website and working with all on the team; but I am absolutely looking forward to any reunions or get togethers in the future! __________________________
	SANDRA–I arrived at Pembroke Dock Grammar School in 1954 and left in 1960) and my sisters attended as well: Susan (1958-1965), Angela (1963-1970) and Karen (1964-1971). I now live in Talybont-on-Usk near Brecon. This is the village where Roland Mathias was born and bred but sadly his family home Ffynnon Fawr was submerged in the 1930's to create Talybont Reservoir.
Best wishes to all those who have worked particularly hard on getting the site up and running. I enjoy working with you!
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