A postcard to fellow pupils; Terence's New College connection.

Byline: JOHN AVISON 

TERENCE Cooney has lived in Nantes, France, since 1971.

A metallurgist, he started work for British Steel and moved to work - and get married - in France.

He retired in August, 2008 after 36 years working in the French steel industry.

Though he has several relatives in the Huddersfield area, a couple of pictures in the Examiner's Tuesday feature Class Act sparked renewed interest in Terence's early Huddersfield days. He now plans to visit.

"It was a real surprise when, a few weeks ago, I received a letter from (fellow pupil) Clive Waddington about his planned organisation of a reunion dinner on the September 5 at the George Hotel to mark the 50th anniversary of our entering the first form at Huddersfield New College," he said..

"When I received Clive's letter I had difficulty sleeping for the next two or three nights.

Many memories kept coming back and I managed to recollect the names of everyone in the 5A photo from 1963." He also recalled his nickname, 'Tes' and it may be that that name will trigger memories for some of his HNC pals.

" The class tutor in 4A and 5As George Redmonds, who was also our French teacher. I can even remember some of the nicknames," he said.

"This pleasure is saddened by the early deaths of several former classmates.

"I was a pupil at HNC from 1959 until 1967 where I was probably more interested in sport than academia, gaining 'colours' in football, cricket and cross country.

"But after obtaining O Levels and A Levels I went on to obtain a degree in metallurgy at Sheffield University. Having left Huddersfield in 1970 I have had no contact with the majority of the class for nearly 40 years ! "I had other things scheduled for September 5 date but I will be doing my utmost to be present at this occasion.

"It will be an immense pleasure to meet up with all the other old school chums, and especially with our former French teacher George Redmonds.

Terence said he now had little contact with Hudderfield.

Both his parents are dead, but he still has a younger brother Des, a former local footballer; a nephew Christopher, also an ex-footballer; and a niece Kirsty, all of whom still live at Kirkheaton.

"At the New College one of my best friends was Robbie Field, well known in the Huddersfield District football circles," he said.

" I also knew Robin Wray, formerly with Town, who was in charge of football during my last few years at the New College, aS nd Gerry Murphy who's just retired from his post with Town. I played with and had Gerry as coach in local football.

"Whilst at Huddersfield I played locally football and cricket and I've always kept a keen interest in all sport. I even manage to keep up to date on the English football results and played football myself until I was well over 40.

"I was a regular reader of the Examiner, especially the sports pages.

"When I first came over to France, probably one of the things I missed most was cricket. I was a keen player and a loyal Yorkshire and England supporter at a time when both were at the top. My hero was Geoff Boycott.

"I often tried explaining the rules to various French people but they could never understand.

I often gave up telling them it was too sophisticated for the French and that they were better keeping to their much simpler game of boules.

" After all these years in France I still have my English/ Yorkshire accent, with probably a mixture of a French, but then our roots lay in our childhood." Contact Terence at 2 Rue L e m o t , 4 4 1 0 0 - N a n t e s, FRANCE..

CAPTION(S):

NANTES: Above, a street scene in Nantes, and below, an aerial view of the city, L'Isle de Nantes, and the River Loire OLD PALS: Huddersfield New College pupils, Class 5A, in September 1963. Terence (ringed) is second from the right on the back row. His friend Clive Waddington (also ringed) is fourth from the right, middle row (S)