Watson High Class of 1969

In February 1965 Watson High School opened its doors to 265 first form and second form students (there were 14 full-time and 3 part-time teachers).

Many students continued all the way from second form in 1965 to sixth form in 1969, while others came later. Many left at the end of fourth form. Meanwhile the school student body, staff and buildings grew ever bigger to almost 800 students and 55 staff.

In 1997, 2000, 2009, 2011, 2017 and 2019 we have held reunions of students who were part of this year group and some teachers and parents. We’re sorry if you missed any of these. We did try to contact as many ex-students and ex-teachers as we could find!  Photos of past reunions are posted below, including the latest reunion on 26th October, 2019, which marked the  fiftieth year since many of us finished Year 12.

We’re planning another reunion in November 2024. If you haven’t received an email from us, and would like to know more, please contact  us at watsonhigh40@gmail.com 

Discussion, comments, questions

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Photos

We’ve tried to get as many photos from our school years as possible – class photos, sport, musical productions, Ku-ring-gai visits, excursions, etc. Let us know if you have any more photos and we’ll gladly add them. Please contact us by email at watsonhigh40@gmail.com – and we’ll work out how best to get a copy from you.

More recently added photos appear at the start of the collection.

We’ve also posted most of the photos from previous reunions in the “Stories, biographies, reminiscences” section below.

Stories, biographies, reminiscences

We’d love you to share your life story or memories of our school days on the blog below. Include a photo if you like! Send your contributions to watsonhigh40@gmail.com.

More recent additions will appear at the top of the list. Click on “Previous entries” for earlier posts.

Messages from teachers.

Pat (Kirkham)

Ku-ring-gai visit 1965

What went on whilst we were inside the hall enjoying our school socials

Suzanne (McHardie)

Debbie van Voorst

Musicals, 1967 – 1969

Miss Peaston – (music teacher extraordinaire)

Anne (Bennie)

Anne (Harkness)

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Historical Photos

The dancers from No No Nanette, 1969 -Terry Moore, Martin Langham, Tim Kilby, Stephen Billingham; Lesley Stenhouse, Faye Wark, Brenda Bagshaw, Dolores Schneider. Kathy and Koby cut the cake at the Farewell, 1969. 1966 Girls' hockey team (Saturday comp - premiers!) Thanks to Mrs Watson for bringing this along to the reunion! Boys' Basketball, 1967. Attila Kaszo- back row. 2nd row: Terry Moore, ? Warwick Temby, Martin Langham, Max Gillard? , ? , Max Larter? Front row: Stig Virtanen, Peter Carlin?, Mr Peter O'Connor, Paul Kwaczynski, Peter Freemantle. Basketball match, 1967. Attila jumping for the ball, Mr O'Connor in the scarf. 1969 Staff photo. Top row: Mrs Somes, ?, Mr Beatton, Mr Sweaney, Miss Peaston. 2nd row: Miss Buchanan, Mrs Chapman, Mrs McPherson, Mrs Bergin. 3rd row: Mrs Frommer, Mrs Johnston (canteen manager) Mrs Meyer, Mrs Grayson, Miss Clee, Miss Antoniou,Miss Becket, Mrs McGee, Miss Jordan, Miss Plews, Mrs Walton, Mrs Growder. 4th row: Mrs Ross, Mrs Smythe, Mrs Harrison, Mrs Roy, Mrs Duncan (canteen assistant manager), Mrs Haddrick, Mrs Freemantle, Miss Cain, Miss Lowes, Mrs Satrapa, Mrs Gorrie. 5th row: Mr Neale, Mr Lee, Mr Mitchell, Mrs Vinogradoff, Miss Keraitis, Miss Myers, Miss Dennis, Mr Rankin, Mr Cullen, Mr Lubans, Mr Miller, Mr Backhouse (Science), 6th row: Mr Vance, Mr Patis, Mr Searle, Mr Rumble (janitor), Mr McGee, Mr Smythe, Mr Fisher, Mr Reynolds, Mr Bondfield, Mr Tankey, Mr Wind. Mr Beatton speaking at the Farewell. (Mr Sweaney seated - is that what we think it is in his hand?) Watson High staff, 1968. Back row: Mr O'Connor, ?, Mr Neale, Miss Buchanan, Mrs Vinogradoff, Mrs Somes, Mrs Bergin, Miss Jordan, Mr Mitchell, Mr Bondfield, ? , Mr Miller, Mr Murray. 2nd row: ?, Mrs Grayson, Miss Beckett, Mrs Sinclair?, Miss Peaston, Mrs McPherson, Mrs Frommer, Mrs Satrapa, Mrs Growder, Miss Clee, Mrs Affleck?, Mrs McDougall, ?, Mrs Freemantle, Mrs Haddrick, Mrs Myer. Front row: Mr Wind, Mr Rankin, Mr Searle, Mr Beatton, Mr Sweaney, Mrs Walton, Mr Cullen, Mr McGee, Mr Smythe, Mr Backhouse (Science) Farewell card to Mr Beatton from our year (many thanks for digging this out, Kay!) Our signatures on the farewell card, 1969. Guy and Barbara, 1967? Sports day, 1967? Greg, Barbara, Kerry, Anne? Souvenir of our final year. Convict day '69 - Paul K and Bill Walker In the kitchen Gerringong Science Excursion 1968 - Paul, Debbie (obscured), Koby, Ian, Stig Gerroa Science Excursion, 1968 - L to R: Ian, Koby, Stig and Paul as you have never seen them before! Netball team, 1965. Mrs Bush, Ria Vink?, Therese Toplek, ?, Diane Werner, Anna Baran, Vicki Beard, Jill McLellan, Dagmar Platzer, ?. Anna, Yo and Vicki at Gerroa, 1968. Domestic Science demonstration, Open Night 1967- Lillian Lillian and Yo, Domestic Science demonstration, Open Night 1967 View of front of WHS 1967. Photo by Alan Murray. Choir, Open Night 1967. Dolores and Lynne up the back - any others from our year? 'Lil' in Room 81, 1967 Gerroa Excursion March 68, 5th Form girls on 7 Mile Beach Gerroa Excursion March 68, Students on Rock Platform Gerroa Excursion March 68, Students at edge of Rock Platform with Mr Peter O'Connor Downer Primary, 6C, 1963. Can you recognise Ian, Paul, Stig, Bruce, Barbara, Tricia, Suzanne, Darilyn, Vickie, Kim, Ian, Robert, Nick, Greg, Natalie, Sharyn, Kerry and Kathy? They all went on to Watson High in 1965. Dickson High School, 1964. Class 1A - 40 students! Can you see future Watson High students Robert, David, Paul, Koby, Jim, Kim, Denise, Stig, Janet, Nick, Suzanne, Shirley, Natalie, Faye, Jenny, Salli, Tricia, Vicki, Darilyn, Ann and Kathy? Report card from 5th form, 1968. Look at all the subjects we had to choose from! 1969, 6th form farewell: Maryanne, Suzanne, Annette, Anne, Meryl and Sue. Anne still has her dress, it's in perfect order and it still fits! Class 2-1, 1965. Top: Faye Wark, Denise Ford, Lorraine Brown, Janet Coles, Debbie Van Voorst, Alyx Urquhart. Centre Back: Patricia Jeffery, Carolyn Straney, Salli Holden, Yolanda Chalker, Anne Linton-Smith, Vicki Beard, Dolores Schneider, Gwen Boardman, Anna Baran. Centre Front: Kim Rennick, Paul Immonen, Robert Hoffmann, Koby Boer, Michael Penny, Paul Kwaczynski, Grahame Niemann, Stig Virtanen, David Moss. Front: Lynne Haeney, Kathryn Leppert, Lesley Stenhouse, Beth Munroe, Margaret Wilde, Natalie Malecky, Brenda Bagshaw. Class 2-3, 1965. Back row: 1. Chris Lawson, 2.? 3. Roy Johnston, 4. Kevin Pola, 5.? 6. Paul Levier, 7. Michael Doyle. 2nd row: 1. Betty Lee, 2.? 3.? 4. Angela Navara 5. Glenda Kidman, 6. Meryl Midgley, 7. Suzanne McHardie, 8.? 9. Mr Tankey. 3rd row: 1. Peter Laven, 2.? 3.Peter Lude 4. Jim Moyes, 5. Nigel Atkinson, 6. Colin McKenzie Front row: 1. Anne Carpenter, 2. Faye Hicks, 3.Chris Langhorn, 4. Linda Dukes, 5. Erica Wymark. Class 2-4, 1965. Top row: 1. ?, 2.? ,3. Rosina Taurasi, 4.Gail Cooper, 5. John Beattie, 6. Sue Moses, 7. Aria Spannari, 8. ?, 9. ? Middle row: 1. David Pola, 2. Alan Evans, 3. Ken Flemming ?, 4. Leon Cornish, 5. Gary Foster, 6. Attila Kaszo, 7. Milenko Reminic, 8.?, 9. Robert Jansen, Mr Peter Scott. Front row: 1. Pam Foster, 2. Barbara Voss, 3. Yvonne Lawrence, 4.Janette Kimber, 5. Lillian McMahon, 6.? A1 Hockey team, 1965. Mrs McGlynn, Margaret Wilde, Dolores Schneider, Susan Tongue, Glenda Kidman, Annette Folkard, Christine Beveridge. Front: Elizabeth Lee, Cathy Burrell, Linda Dukes, Tricia Jeffery, Kathy Leppert, Brenda Bagshaw. Boy's basketball team 1965: Back row: Kim Sargeant ?, Mr. Fleischer, Koby Boer, Front row: Guy Holden, Milenko Reminic, Peter Lude, Ian Howe, Paul Kwaczynski Girls' Saturday netball team, 1965. Yolanda Chalker, Lillian McMahon, Denise Ford, Tish Best, Pamela Crook, Faye Wark, Kathy Leppert. Netball team 1965: Janet Coles (goal defence), Diane Werner (defence wing), Wendy Sharman (goal defence assistant), Patricia Jeffery (captain, goalie assistant), Salli Holden (goalie), Natalie Malecky (attack wing), Christine Beveridge (centre). 1965, school tennis team. Back row: Geoff Bowmer, Ian Clayton, Graeme Power, Kim Rennick. Front row: Lesley Stenhouse, Margaret Buzzard, Susan Little, Anne Bennie. House captain badges - Red - Karumba house; Navy blue - Aranda; Aqua - Pinjarra; White - Barada. Don't we all remember singing this at every assembly?? Thanks, Phil! A very memorable tune, in fact. 1965 Softball - Pamela, Faye , Yolanda and we're not sure who else! 1965 Softball team: Back row: Linda Dukes, Faye Wark, Yolanda Chalker, Meryl Midgley?, Lillian McMahon, Lesley Stenhouse. Front: Pamela Crook, ?, ?, Natalie Malecky February 1965 : Faye Wark, Lesley Stenhouse, Anne Linton-Smith Founding staff of 1965. (Should read "Louise Blue".) Class 4-1, 1967. Back row: David Moss, Michael Harrison, Paul Immonen, Stig Virtanen, Robert Hoffman, Chris Lumb, Kim Rennick. Second back row: Gwendoline Boardman, Suzanne McHardie, Keith Skelton, Ian Howe, Nick Richardson, John Paloni, Paul Kwaczynski, Sue Salisbury, Debbie van Voorst. Third row: Lorraine Brown, Denise Ford, Alyx Urquhart, Mr Backhouse (Science), Philip Henry, Lynne Heaney, Beth Munroe. Front row: Natalie Malecky, Lesley Stenhouse, Kathy Leppert, Vicki Beard, Jenny Vaughan, Patricia Best, Patricia Jeffery, Faye Wark, Salli Holden Class 4-2, 1967 Back Row: Ian Robinson, Graeme Power, Nigel Atkinson, Peter Freemantle, Uwe Niklas, Ian Clayton, John Fleming; Second Back row: Warren May, Anne Linton-Smith, Shirley Wind, Pam Fraser, Sharon Pritchard, Meryl Midgley, Guy Holden; Third row: Ria Vink, Jan Watson, Janet Coles, Peter Scott, (Science teacher), Greg McKay, Anne Bennie, ? Yolanda Chalker; Front row: Roslyn Johnston, Brenda Bagshaw, Kerry Betts, Anna Baran, Annette Folkard, Dolores Schneider, Janice Moulang, Margaret Power 4-3, 1967. Top row: Gavin James, Michael Doyle, Roy Johnston, Attila Kaszo, Jim Moyes, Peter Laven, Leon Cornish. Middle row: Chris Lawson, Barbara Voss, Anne Carpenter, Ann James, Vicky Ross, ?, . Front row: Chris Langhorn, Erica Wymark, Lillian McMahon, John Fleming, Mrs McPherson, Angela Navara, Sue Moses, ? Debating Team, 1967. Philip Henry, Kim Rennick, Robert Hoffmann, Salli Holden, Nicholas Richardson. Stars (Saturday comp) Girls' Basketball team, 1967. Salli Holden, Denise Ford, Lesley Stenhouse, Kathy Leppert, Yolanda Chalker, Lillian McMahon. Faye Wark. Salli dancing with Mr O'Connor at a school social, 1967. Looks like the Barn Dance! Girls' tennis, 1967. Debbie van Voorst, Mrs Walton, Anne Bennie, Meryl Midgley, Janet Coles, ?? Athletics team, 1967. Look for Paul, Michael, John, Stig, Nick, Tish, Pam, Brenda, Erica, Jenny, Lesley, Faye, Lillian, Yolanda and Vickie from our year. (Any others?) Mike Doyle, Anne Harkness and Salli Holden, September 1967. 1967 Rugby team. Find John Paloni, Nick Richardson, Leon Cornish, Ian Howe and Michael Harrison from our year. Student Council, 1967. Back row: Tish Best, Ian Howe, Jan Watson. Second row: Martin Langham, Stig Virtanen, John Paloni, Nick Richardson, Leon Cornish, Paul Kwaczynski; Front row: Vickie Beard, Salli Holden, Lesley Stenhouse, Mr E. A. Sweaney, Yolanda Chalker, Yvonne Lawrence, Kathy Leppert Calamity Jane, 1968 - Cancan girls - Brenda Bagshaw, Dolores Schneider, Lesley Stenhouse, Faye Wark. Calamity Jane, 1968. Adelaide Adams and the "stage boy Johnnies" --Craig Withall, Richard Luke, Lesley Stenhouse, Dirk Einfalt. Calamity Jane, 1968. Katie Brown comes to town, pretending to be Adelaide Adams - Glenn Billingham, Bill Jackson, (Dolores in the background), Janet Lever, Kathy Leppert, John Walker, David Gibson. Calamity Jane, 1968. Director Anne Somes (to us she was always "Mrs Somes".) Calamity Jane, 1968. Musical director Kathryn Peaston (Miss Peaston). Class 5-1, 1968. Back row: Bob Jones, Nick Richardson, Robert Hoffmann, Kim Rennick, Philip Henry, Grahame Niemann. Middle row: Kathy Leppert, Brenda Bagshaw, Patricia Kirkham, Beth Munroe, Debbie Scott, Dolores Schneider, Vickie Beard, Anna Baran, Salli Holden, Mrs MacDougal. Front row: Pat English, Debbie van Voorst, Suzanne McHardie, Anne Lynton-Smith, Lynne Haeney, Gwendoline Boardman, Pam Fraser. Class 5-2, 1968. Back row: Koby Boer, Peter Freemantle, Michael O'Sullivan, Stig Virtanen, Chris Lumb, Geoff Leaver, Ian Howe, Ian Robinson, Guy Holden, Paul Kwaczynski. Middle row: Mrs Haddrick, Alyx Urquhart, Janice Moulang, Roslyn Johnston, Faye Wark, Maryanne McGuiness, Anne Bennie. Front row: Lesley Stenhouse, Yolanda Chalker, Shirley Wind, Sue Salisbury, Janet Coles, Lynne Edwards, Jenny Vaughan, Patricia Jeffery. Class 5-3, 1968. Back row: Greg McKay, Peter Laven, Jim Moyes, Michael Doyle, John Paloni, Mr Searle. Front row: Annette Folkard, Lillian McMahon, Vicky Ross, Anne Carpenter, Jan Watson, Jenny Melville, Meryl Midgley, Annette Leahey Another photo of Class 5-3, 1968. Back row: Greg McKay, Peter Laven, Jim Moyes, Michael Doyle, John Paloni, Mr Searle. Front row: Annette Folkard, Lillian McMahon, Vicky Ross, Anne Carpenter, Jan Watson, Jenny Melville, Meryl Midgley, Annette Leahey Girls' netball team, 1968. Back row: Pat Kirkham, Marcia Quinane, Salli Holden, Jenny Melville, Narelle Hawton, Mrs. MacDougall. Front row: Denise Breen, Jill McLellan, Leween Constable, Margaret Morrison. Tricia, Debbie and Dolores, no doubt about to head off for Southwell Park to play hockey. School Council, 1968. Standing: Mr Sweaney, Peta Allen, Meika White, Peter Freemantle, Koby Boer, Ian Howe, Beth Munroe, Tricia Jeffery, Cornelius Alferink, Jenny Jacobs, Wayne Southwell. Sitting: Pat Kirkham, John Paloni, Lesley Stenhouse, Jan Watson, Paul Kwaczynski, Stig Virtanen, Kathy Leppert, Jill McLennan, Bill Jackson, Dagmar Platzer, Robert Cameron. 1968 Senior boys' cricket team. Top row: Colin McKenzie, Michael Dent, Peter Freemantle; Middle row: Mr Searle, Alan Latimer, Cornelius Alferink, Stig Virtanen , Koby Boer; Front row: Ian Aust, Ian Howe, Paul Kwaczynski . Class 6-1, 1969. Mrs Vinogradoff. Top Row: Faye Sutton, Lesley Stenhouse; 2nd row: Kathy Leppert, Beth Munroe, Philip Henry, Kim Rennick, Nicholas Richardson, Grahame Niemann, Lynne Haeney, Salli Holden; Bottom row: Pam Fraser, Anne Linton-Smith, Brenda Bagshaw, Suzanne McHardie, Patricia Kirkham, Debbie Scott, Debbie van Voorst, Gwendoline Boardman. Missing: Bob Jones, Pat English. Class 6-2, 1969. Carol Clee; Top row: Janet Coles, Dolores Schneider, Vickie Beard, Janice Moulang; Second top row: Shirley Wind, Anna Baran, Lynne Edwards, Sue Salisbury, Faye Wark, Alyx Urquhart, Marianne McGuiness, Jenny Vaughan; Bottom row: Guy Holden, Stig Virtanen,Paul Kwaczynski, Ian Robinson, Tricia Jeffery, Geoff Hobart, Koby Boer, David Moss, Geoff Leaver. Class 6-3, 1969. Teacher- Mr Fisher. Top: Gavin James, Ian Howe, Greg McKay. Middle: Peter Laven, Chris Lumb, Meryl Midgley, Annette Leahey, Anne Bennie, Yolanda Chalker, Paul Szabo. Bottom: John Paloni, Bill Walker. Our headmaster, Errol Sweaney and his wife at a school social. Salli, Grahame and Koby at Pacesetter, February 1969. School Council 1969. Robert Cameron, Miriana Kosnoskovic, Karen Wurm, Peter McDonald. 2nd row: Garth Wooley, Brenda Bagshaw, Chris Lumb, Kathy Leppert, Mr Sweaney, Koby Boer, Beth Munroe, Paul Hogie, Pat Kirkham. 3rd Row: Judy Ash, Sonny Costin, Lesley Stenhouse, Ian Howe, Ken Sanderson, Jenny Jacobs, Paul Kwaczynski. 4th row: Janet Lever, Christine Bennie, Stig Virtanen, Sandra Coyle. Errol Sweaney shield for Inter-House Aggregate (combined scholarship, service and sport). 1965 Pinjarra, 1966 Barada, 1967 Karumba, 1968 Aranda (yay!!), 1969 Barada. Slave auction to raise funds for the 6th form Farewell. Slave auction. Wonder who bought these fine specimens? Teachers in 1969. Teachers in 1969. Teachers in 1969. Teachers in 1969. Muck up Day: 6th formers tying a teacher (Mr Neal?) to the flagpole. Jenny, Lynne, Yolanda, Pam. Returning the flag pole at the end of the day. Muck up Day: Debbie and Pam doing a striptease (down to bikinis) on the roof of the canteen at morning assembly. The new (improved) version of the school song that we sang at the Muck-up day Assembly in the Hall. A1 Hockey Team, 1969. Cathy Burrell, Moira O'Connor, Lynne Edwards, Dolores Schneider, Tricia Jeffery, Brenda Bagshaw, Jenny Vaughan; Front row (seated): Jan Watson, Annette Folkard, Pam Fraser, Beth Munroe, Mrs Somes. Quotes for each departing 6th former in Namalata. (Did Mr Searle have a hand in choosing these, we wonder?) Quotes for each departing 6th former in Namalata. Brenda, Anne, Janet, Beth, Lesley, Kathy at the Sixth Form Farewell Ian, Kathy and Koby at the farewell. Koby speaking at the farewell. Programme for the Sixth Form Farewell, held in the Canteen and the Hall. Staff photo from Namalata 1970. Photos of teachers from 1970 Namalata. Gathering at Lake Ginninderra, 1982. Back: Paul, Koby, David, Bill, Susie. Front: Kathy, Salli, Pat, Lesley, Dolores, Pam, Faye, Tricia, Meryl. Get-together in October 1997 in Dickson. Back row; Brenda, Lesley, Kathy, Alyx, Faye, Annette, Pam, Sharon, Janice. 2nd row: David (obscured), Koby, Janet, Peter, Chris, Denise, Jan, Tish, Nigel, John, Bob. 3rd row: Beth, Michael, Tricia, Kerry, Lynne, Vicki, Ann. Front: Ian, Greg, Salli, Faye, Barbara, Annette. The group photo of the January 2000 reunion, orchestrated by Salli (What an organiser!) Back Row: Philip Henry, Kim Rennick, David Moss, Tricia Darmody, Brenda Rowe, Meryl Elphinston, Annette Lonergan, Faye Southwell, Deborah Chadwick, Kathy Ellerman. Standing: Lynne Gorrie (S), Betty Growder (S), Gwen Ballard, Jan Watson, Janice Twite, Anne Higgins, Lynne Clark, Bill Walker, Dolores Schneider, Denise Thoroughgood, Janet Kousal, Anne Evans, Erika Kane, Allan Murray (S). Seated: Maurice Beatton (S), John McGee (S), Peter Searle (S), Vicki Beard, Fran Bush (S), Pam Hauptmann, Anne Sommes (S), Lorna Freemantle (S), Louise Blue (S). Seated on floor behind front row: Tricia Jeffery, John Paloni, Alyx Russell, Yolanda Chesworth, Guy Holden. Front row on floor: Lesley Stewart, Ian Howe, Patricia Coles, Faye Argento, Peter Laven, Salli Chmura, Beth Harris, Geoff Leaver

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