Ashburton Technical College Ag Class of 1961 reunion organiser Philip Crozier (left) with classmates Lloyd Robinson (seated) and Trevor Pawsey who travelled from Australia to attend. Photo Sue NewmanThe ‘ag’ class of 1961 could hold a New Zealand record they’re not even aware of.

Fifty-six years ago 47 young teens started their secondary school lives at Ashburton Technical College.

They were the Ag Class of ’61.

Today all but two of those are still living and meet regularly.

Many still live in the Ashburton District but a reunion this week saw ex-classmates from as far afield as Southland, Nelson and Australia make it home for a Christmas get-together.

Philip Crozier has been the glue that has bound the ‘boys’ together.

He maintains a contact list for every classmate and he’s the person masterminding each reunion.

And this week’s get-together was one of the biggest yet with two teachers – Alan Packman and Bill Corbett also there to share classroom stories.

Students in the 1961 Ag Class were:

Geoff Linton, Graham Harris, Lloyd Robinson, Brian Davidson, Brian Digby, Keith Hood, Colin Reeves, Colin Maw, Ian Cartwright, Kevin Connolly, Keith Girvan, Ian Vessey, Philip Crozier, Alan Haslet, Alan Proctor, Rex Green, Graham Wells, Jim Petrie, Ian Lilley, John Knox, Alister Sutherland, Neil Connelly, Ian Joyce, Greg Prendergast, Alister Bird, Wayne Robertson, Larry Watson, Trevor Pawsey,  Peter McMillan, Kevin Cartwright, Owen Haack, John Stewart, Michael Bartlett, Richard Reddicliffe,  Graham Bishop and Tom Gundry, John Hands, George Brown, Neil Clucas, Bryan Wilkins, Peter Hulme, Murray Nordqvist, Wendy Blackler, John Linton, Derrick Connelly, Kenneth Chaney and Mathew Kirdy.

By Sue Newman © The Ashburton Guardian - 22 December 2017