Gordon Beastall Drama and Music in 1971 - 74

I was 25 years old when I started at Bretton Hall, but prior to this I lived in Matlock and worked as a Tax Officer for HMRC, as Manager of a Delicatessen and then as a representative for Tetley Tea, selling teabags from the back of a van. During my late teens I belonged to two Amateur Drama groups and an Operatic Society. On joining the Drama course, under John Hodgson, I realised that I was the oldest person and most of the others were straight from school at 18 years of age. I loved my three years there and experienced the company of a generous bunch. I was married in my second year to Rachel, who was in her third year of a Music course at Bretton Hall. We rented a house in West Bretton for 2 years, eventually moving to Withernsea, (a coastal town in East Yorkshire about 20 miles east of Hull) where I got my first teaching post at the High School. I remained there for 30 years and eventually became Head of the Arts Faculty.

In 1985 I was seconded to ‘The Arts in Schools project for a year, working alongside Ken Robinson, another ex-Bretton student. I left Withernsea High in 2005 and started my own company providing drama and music workshops in local Primary Schools as ’barnstormersdrama’ I also worked with a company called ‘Young Enterprise’ which provided workshops in schools and in large venues where I facilitated day-long events for up to 200 pupils. I am currently working for York St John University, mentoring students on Primary teaching courses as they go on teaching practice. I love this work. l am still singing folksongs with my wife for various local organisation, playing in a folk-band called ‘Morning Dew’ and singing with three other 70+ lads as ‘Quarto’.

Final year (1974) production of 'Three Sisters' at Bretton Hall. What do these photos bring to mind? I seemed to play a lot of older characters in my time at BH..e.g. a Professor in Year 1 and Ferapont in Year 3. I was 25 when I joined the drama course and the rest of the group were much younger than me with the majority being just 18!

Jim GordonI was a student from 1971 until 1974 and was at the reunion in May where I met Liam Arthurs amongst others.
I was involved in the Holyground Concert( Fringe festival)  which is just now being released on CD and DVD...most likely you already know about that?? Liam was involved also. I was half of the duo Blue Epitaph whose Album "ODE" was recorded in 1972 whilst we were students and was mainly sold to students....was financed by a loan ( paid in full ) from the students Union. Today a mint copy worthy something like 500 pounds.
For more details contact Mike Levon at Holyground records at   (Mike Levon died in 2011, but the company remains)
http://www.holyground.co.uk/

The cd and Dvd are beiong released sometime this month and as you probaly know Holyground records had its origins at Bretton Hall in the mid sixites when Mike was a student.

I now live in Bergen in Norway and am a psychodramatist as well as being a singer/songwriter.
my music web site is
www.Jim-Gordon.comFrom Limavady in Northern Ireland, Jim moved to England in 1971 and joined "“Blue Epitaph”, producing ”Ode by Blue Epitaph” on Holyground Records .
In 1978 ”Magus” was formed with Pete Howells. “Magus” toured extensively, appearing on BBC radio and television, at Covent Garden and was in concert with Ian Gillan (Deep Purple) and Julie Felix. Pete and Jim also founded “Household Names” in London in 1980.
He moved to Norway in 1982.
Jim’s s first solo CD “Dreaming Again”, produced by Doug Morter, was released in 2000. After this he toured extensively with Doug as a duo.
Jan 2004 "The Jim Gordon Band" was formed with Ole Amund Gjersvik , Helge Nyheim and Arild Seim from Bergen in Norway.
The new cd "Scenic Tours In The Darkness" was released on Acoustic Records

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