They first met as freshers in 1964 and 50 years later, a group of alumni returned to the School of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering to see how things have changed.

The group spent a day on campus and were given a tour of the department by current PhD student James Churm.

Robin Stevens (BSc Electronic and Electrical Engineering, 1967) says: ‘We all stayed in a holiday cottage near Stratford-upon-Avon and it was great to meet, share memories and talk happily about our student days.’

He recalls attending lectures in a collar, tie and sports jacket during the 1960s and said the highlight of his week was attending the hops in the Students’ Union (now the Guild).

Another member of the group, Vera Male (née Parkinson), was the only women studying Electrical Engineering in 1964 among a class of 200 men.

‘I had to share the ladies’ toilet with the secretary and still remember carrying my tools around in my handbag, because all the lockers were downstairs where the boys got changed for rugby,’ she says. ‘I still carry tools in my handbag to this day.’

If you would like to be reunited with former classmates, join the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences reunion on Saturday 20 June, 2015. 

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Left to right: Robin Stevens, Marlene Simmonds (née Edwards), Vera Male (née Parkinson), Bill Gilliham, Geoffrey Rose, Mike Tate, Mike Thompson and Richard Terry.

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Back row (L to R) Bill Gilliham, Robin Stevens, Mike Tate and Richard Terry

Front row (L to R) Vera Male (née Parkinson), Marlene Simmonds (née Edwards) and Dorothy Williams (née Elworthy)

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The Electronic and Electrical Engineering Department, 1966-1967

Many thanks to Robin Stevens for supplying the images