Former Carrick Academy pupils at their nostalgic reunion in Maybole Town hall on Saturday night.

A 48-year-old flag bearing the school crest hangs behind its creators (left to right) Helen Smith, Jess Reid, Betty Heath and Jean Wilson. Man in the middle John McCulloch was in the same year (but not the same sewing class!) as the ladies.

A COMPANY of 100 former Carrick Academy pupils took a nostalgic trip down memory lane at the weekend. They relived their schooldays at a reunion in Maybole Town Hall. Students from 1954 up to the present day enjoyed renewing acquaintances with people they had not met for 30 years and more. Co-organiser Janice McKellar reported: “It was great — a super night. “Everyone I spoke to said we should do it again soon.” And for four members of the party, there was tangible evidence of their time in the Maybole school’s classrooms. A flag they designed and stitched, bearing the school crest, was on display for the evening. The seamstresses, all in class 3A in 1954, were Helen Smith (formerly Kelly), Jess Reid (Campbell), Betty Challis (Heath) and Jean Wilson (McFadzean). Five teachers bravely turned up to meet again youngsters they had taught: Hugh Brown (English), Raymond Bramwell (music), Margaret Hogg (geography) and husband and wife Roy and Jenny Alexander who both taught in the PE department. Guests at the function paid a fiver for the privilege of meeting old buddies, and any proceeds left after expenses will be donated to the Ayrshire branch of the Multiple Sclerosis Society. There was dancing to the music of West Coast, and Carrick Round Table members laid on a barbecue. A raffle offered a host of prizes gifted by generous local businesses, and Janice passed on the thanks to the organisers to donors. ( Ayrshire Post September 20th 2002)

Trip down memory (or lovers ?) lane - by Rab Hempkin who attended this reunion

I came into town from Rabbie's birthplace along the more romantic and old -fashioned high road, passing ´´lovers lane´´, where I'd in my youth spent the occasional hour or so. Above the railway line there seem to be a few factories ´´at work´´ and the houses along towards the station still have delightful front gardens , accurate and correct, like their owners I suppose. Reaching the high street through the town green, (which looks very tidy!) I stroll down past the town hall library and old castle which still have that defiant look about them, although a small part of the castle seems to have lost the battle against the years. I'm sure it'll be repaired soon! I then veered down past the Glebe park which looked in better condition than when I played on it ! and saw that the old villa still has ´´Carrick Colts´´ on it, a memorial in my eyes to Tom Corbett, ( the founder of the club ) Do they still play actively ? I then reach my destination, the graveyard where I spend over an hour discovering that many old friends are not more with us. I visit the grave of my parents, and find that more or less the whole of the shore boys that I used to know, have got together again , instead of at the old hut at the shore where they used to play cards I m sure they re playing ´´up there ´´ and still laughing as much as they did in those far gone days. I of course then visited Hicks Avenue , not much change there , too many cars now for a good game of football to be played there I'm afraid , and went down the Cairders burn , which at least looks exactly as it did when we used to dam it and pretend we were Olympic swimmers many moons ago. Next stop was ´´high living ´´ which used to be not my favourite area, but I was amazed to see what a magnificent view of the Galloway hills the place offers.

What an amazing feeling ,on the Saturday, lots of questioning faces , wondering who could that be? I certainly enjoyed putting stories behind those faces in my mind and had great fun chatting with several long lost but never forgotten friends, isn't it amazing how the ladies all look top fit and get us men back into training as soon as one gets back home (wonder how long it'll last this time hahah ) Great to see you all best wishes from sunny!! Germany , Rab Hempkin

 Other Carrick Academy Reunions:           Classes of the Early 60s       │    Class of 1995