The Exchange Hotel, 1949

Photo provided by Bill Addington

The Exchange Hotel, 1955

Photo provided by Sara Thompson

Sara, writes:

"I've been sorting through some photos relating to my father (L.M. Fraser) and uncle (R.H.E. Fraser) and came upon one of a dinner with very many more people, all in middle age. This could be an old boys' gathering covering a number of years --- they appear in the row of men standing on the right of the picture, the 9th (LMF) and 10th (RHEF) men from the right.

After their school days, my father and uncle went in very different directions, my father to Balliol and my uncle, first to Chile and later to Inverness, where he raised chickens and acted as an auctioneer, and I can't think of another body of men which would have included them both. I'd greatly appreciate confirmation at some point that this is an old boys' gathering. There's nothing written on the back, by the way. I suppose the banqueting hall might be familiar to Liverpudlians?"

and later:

"Amazingly I've just come across the envelope in which the Old Boys photo was sent to my uncle. On it is pencilled: Liverpool Institute Old Boys Dinner 1955. I hope this is confirmed by your members, but I think we can take it as pretty certain. The postmark is also dated '55."

Note: The Frasers appear to have left around 1922 and 1923.

Institute Old Boys' Dinner, London circa 1960

Place your cursor over a face to display a name.

Photo provided by David Thomas

David, writes:

"The photo is of the London, Institute Old Boys' dinner. "Dusty" Durband is visible, but Arthur Askey failed to turn up on these occasions, even though he did turn up to other dinners where I do not have photographs.

Number 16 is my father, Eric Thomas 1925-1931.

I though Dusty Durband was number 6 not 28 as shown? He organised the meal, so I assumed he would be on the main table. Both number 6 and 28 look like Dusty Durband.

The photo is 1961 at the earliest as Roy Pybus would only have gone to University in the Autumn of 1960. The latest date would be 1965."

Liverpool Institute Old Boys' Association Dinner, 1975

Programme and attendee list provided by Bob Balfour