SGS1963USSR_1

Slough Grammar School for Boys 1963 USSR Trip Photograph No. 1 - Setting Out
include page="&stdnameswords"

To display the photograph in a separate Tab/Window, [|right-click on this link].

The photograph was taken in 1963, by an unknown photographer, as the group was about to depart. See below for a transcript of a news article about the trip.

__Single Row__ (01-04): Christopher Morffew (in doorway); Michael Ward (on step); Mr Boardall; David Boul; (05-08): Bill Birmingham (glasses); J. Murray; Barry Walker; (? - obscured); (09-12): Peter Firth (glasses); A. Livingston; Peter Newby; ? Hester; (13-16): (? Virgo? - obscured); Tony Mayo (glasses); David Dilnot; (? Virgo? - obscured); (17-20): Howard Smith; Chris Hare; Roger Fountain (side view); Clive Burley (on railings); (21): Bob Moss.

Seven unidentified names: Clive Timms, C. Evans, J.M. Virgo, P.R. Virgo, J. Dodd, G. Hestek, Mr Avis (the photographer?). Four unnamed places: 08, 12, 13, 16. There are only 21 people visible, and so three must be absent or totally obscured from view.

//"Names (some!). Working from RHS: Bob Moss, Roger Fountain (side view), Chris Hare - with Clive Burley behind on railings. Chris Hare, Howard Smith, Tony Mayo, Peter Newby, (?), Murray. In behind are Bill Birmingham and David Boul, Mr. Boardall, (?), (?)."//

They'll see Mayday in Moscow
__First School Party to Soviet Union__ Twenty-two boys and two masters set out from Slough Grammar School on Monday morning - destination Moscow. Under the leadership of Mr George Avis of 43 Humber Way Langley and Mr S.J. Boardall, both teachers of Russian, the party boarded a coach to London. There they entrained for Tilbury and their Russian ship, the SS Estonia. At two o'clock they set sail. First port of sail was Copenhagen, where the boys spent a day before going straight through the Baltic to arrive at Leningrad tomorrow. They have 1.5 days in the old capital and then take an overnight train to Moscow where they will see the famous May Day parade.

__At Kremlin__ They also intend to visit the Kremlin, a theatre, an economics exhibition, a 'pioneers' palace (for young children) and Moscow University, which is old stamping ground for Mr Avis. He spent a year there doing a post-graduate course in Russian. Leaving Moscow the party will rejoin their ship at Leningrad and cruise back calling in at Stockholm for a day to arrive in England on May 7.

The trip costing £53 each was arranged to help the boys both with their Russian studies (eleven are learning Russian) and with such subjects as history and economics. Last Summer the School gained 13 GCE passes in Russian at 'O'-level, one at 'A'-level and one at 'S'-level.

__Atmosphere__ 'As the ship we are going on is a Soviet one' Mr Avis pointed out 'we shall be in a Russian atmosphere all the time.' Most of the boys are all in favour of this 'Russian atmosphere' though a few had slight qualms. Mrs PG Morffew, of Bentley Road, mother of 15-year old Christopher, the youngest boy in the party, said: 'I am so afraid that he will say something silly and get himself arrested'. Christopher is the only fourth form member of the party.

Others who went are: - (Third year Sixth): C. Timms the head boy, C. Evans and C. Burley. - (Second year Sixth): W. Birmingham, R. Fountain, C. Hare, R. Moss, P. Newby, A. Mayo, H.M. Smith, and twins J.M. and P.R. Virgo. - (First year Sixth): A. Boul, J. Dodd, P. Firth, A. Livingston, J. Murray, R. Walker, and M. Ward. - (Fifth Form): D. Dilnot, G. Hestek. - (Fourth Form): Christopher Morffew.