Newsletter
Winter 2014
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1
President’s
Report
T
o be your President has been
enjoyable and a great honour.
As we get older I think we
appreciate just how much our lives
have been influenced by our old school.
We were privileged to attend Queen’s
College. School also instilled in us all an
appreciation of our good fortune and,
also, a sense of humility in our personal
and public lives.
Although I could not make the summer
reunion in June, over 200 guests enjoyed
the family afternoon. The cricket match
was the main feature of the day and it
gives me great pleasure to inform you
that the first female OQ was involved. Flo Broderick has a great interest in the
game and thoroughly enjoyed being part
of the team.
Families made use of the swimming
pool before the hog roast lunch was
served, The OQs tennis match was
played afterwards and both sides
enjoyed the match.
This summer reunion has been in the
calendar for many many years and I am
pleased to see the support it still has
from OQs some of whom travelled long
distances to attend.
2
I was invited by Kim Boalch to attend
final assembly in June. For those of you
who were at Queen's fifty or sixty years
ago you will be surprised to hear from
me that the hymn - "God be with you
till we meet again" - was sung as it was
then. Whether it is still hymn number
914 in the Methodist hymn book I have
no idea as these days hymn books
have been replaced by words on a large
screen. Then followed a presentation of
awards for achievements and, I have to
say, some rather amusing reports from
house and team captains.
It was a pleasure to make the traditional
presentation to Year 13 of ties for the
boys and pearl necklaces for the girls
in the new Sixth Form Centre. It was
an opportunity to inform the leavers of
the history of the Association and its
objectives. It was a delight to talk to
the students leaving Queen’s - some
having been there for 16 years (can you
imagine their feelings!). Every one of
those present was so polite and wellmannered - confident young men and
women ready to make an impression in
the next stage of their lives.
Finally, thank you for your support and
may I wish my successor, Ben Porter,
a very enjoyable two years as President
when he takes over in November.
Graham Ten Broeke (1954 - 1961)
Front cover: left to right; Michael Powell (1958 - 1967), Vice-Chairman of Governors,
Chris Alcock (Headmaster), Andrew Dyke (1965 - 1970).
Development Office
New Faces
Nick Lieper joins us as the Director of
Marketing and Development. He has 20
years experience in this work in addition to
a deep understanding of education having
taught at Uppingham, Loughborough
Grammar School and Ampleforth. He has
made a positive impression on his staff
and all those he has met.
Ben Porter begins his term of two years
as President of the OQA from early
November. He was at Queen’s from 1998
to 2003 ending his school career as Head
Boy. He graduated from the University
of Birmingham as a doctor of medicine. Currently, he is an anaesthetist at the new
Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.
He married Amy (née Smart), also an OQ.
We would like to thank Graham for his
support as President and especially for
his wise words when addressing OQs
at functions and gatherings or pupils at
school. Thanks are also due to Ginny, his
wife, for her support for Graham and her
involvement in OQ functions.
The Year Ahead
The calendar for this year is busier than
ever and we hope there is something
in it for everyone. It began on a high
note with the trip to Ypres. This proved
to be a memorable few days and a
marvellous example of the advantages
of drawing together OQs, parents, staff
and friends of the school. Events in the
immediate future are advertised in this
newsletter and on the website or by
contacting the office.
The Sibly Society is well established and
we expect membership to grow steadily
if slowly. Every year new members join:
at the moment membership stands at
20. The annual lunch in the summer
term was a very fine occasion this
year. It is not only an opportunity for
members to meet each other but also
to hear the Headmaster speak and to
put any questions they have about the
school to him. Those who reach their
60th birthday in the course of each
academic year are invited to join. The
Sibly Society is open to anyone prepared
to make a legacy pledge or who donates
£1000. In the course of the year we also hope
sufficient funds will be raised to help
provide bursaries for deserving pupils
and to cover the cost of the projects we
listed in the last newsletter: a tennis
ball machine, a bookbinding press
and ipads. Your help would be much
appreciated. Please contact us if you
would like to contribute. Geoff Bisson and Kim Boalch
3
Over the summer, Queen’s students
represented the school in numerous
sporting events. Holly Brown achieved a
personal best in the 1500m steeplechase
at the English Schools Championships to
win the race a year young, ranking her 2nd
in the UK. Dan Wilde came 5th in his age
group in the same event. We also had two
boys representing national U16 hockey
teams; Dan Wilde for Wales and Patrick Free
for England. Success was also seen in the
pool as Rebecca Wilde and Jacob Greenow
won numerous medals in the British Youth
Championships and at the school games.
School News from
George and Alice
A
s this term has got into full swing
we are once again welcoming
an array of performers for the
Quartz festival. This year we have already
experienced magic, a classic rendition
of Romeo and Juliet and a very popular
Shaun of the Dead Film Night. We also
enjoyed a range of musical performances,
in particular, the addition of the New
Music Festival Night.
Always of interest, this year’s festival
had the added attraction of 31 colourful
dragons lining the front drive. Most of
these were auctioned off on Sunday 12
October to raise money for the Taunton
Deane Community Fund.
4
As usual, some memorable trips took
place over the summer. Students from
years 8 to 13 set off to the Durance
valley at the beginning of the holiday
for ten days of unforgettable kayaking.
Water levels were higher than expected
but everyone rose to the challenge,
improving their skills massively and
completing some challenging slalom
courses and high grade rapids.
The girl’s first hockey team took the
opportunity to go to Hamburg in
Germany to play some top level teams
and experience some German culture
and site seeing. This trip contributed to
the fantastic start they enjoyed to their
season. They won four of their first five
matches played and the Sherborne
tournament on the first weekend back!
During the autumn half term Year 13
historians travelled to Madrid and, in
addition to the sites of the capital, visits
to Toledo, El Escorial and Segovia were
included in the itinerary.
Over the summer holiday much
work was carried out to improve the
school grounds and buildings. Notable
developments include the completion of
Highgrove, the new extension to Hutton
Boarding house. It has spacious new
rooms and up-to-date furnishings which
are the envy of the rest of the house.
School house has also been extended to
accommodate an influx of new boarders
and renovation is set to continue.
Recently, a number of OQs were
welcomed back to share their knowledge
and experience of University and career
success with our students for the OQs
careers evening. The students really valued
the advice and help provided as well as the
chance to catch up with old friends.
George Shepherd & Alice Mitchell
(Head Boy & Head Girl)
OQs Christmas
London Lunch
Friday 5th December 2014
at HMS Belfast
£50
£35 Student Concession
Programme
12 noon – Pre Christmas Lunch Drinks at The Horniman at Hays
12.40 – Arrive HMS Belfast
13.00 – Lunch in The Morgan Giles Room
14.30 – Toast to Queen's College
14.40 – Headmaster's Response
15.30 – Opportunity to explore HMS Belfast Museum
17.00 – Carriages
5
The Young Ones
F
lorence Broderick, (2001 - 2009),
has been selected to attend the
world’s second largest gathering
of countries after the Olympic Games.
One Young World, brings together
global young leaders from the age of 18
to 30 to debate, formulate and share
innovative solutions for the pressing
issues the world faces. Last year’s
summit was held in Johannesburg and
brought together 1,250 delegates from
190 countries. However, this year in
October, Florence will be heading to
Dublin for this life changing experience.
At past summits, delegates were
joined by Desmond Tutu, Bob Geldof,
Kofi Annan, Sir Richard Branson
and Jamie Oliver to discuss issues
such as sustainability development,
education and human rights. Florence,
who is currently working in Madrid
in marketing, submitted a video
application (https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=FL8yo0su4oo) and was then
selected as one of fifty to attend by
Telefonica, the Spanish multinational
owner of O2.
Florence, who graduated from
Southampton University in 2012 after
studying Modern Languages, said
“I’m absolutely thrilled to be given the
opportunity to meet and debate with
millennials from such a wide range of
backgrounds - the room will be full of
change makers and I’m excited to see
what ideas we come up with’’.
For more information about One Young
World visit their website:
www.oneyoungworld.com
Helen Broderick (Governor)
Riverside Lunch
Many thanks to Arthur Watson OQ (1944
- 1954) who kindly invited us back again
to his restaurant at West Bay. 28 OQs
and guests enjoyed a delicious lunch
whilst overlooking a sun-kissed bay on
a late September afternoon.
Kim Boalch
6
Leavers
The following became members of the
OQA in 2014.
Aaron Dawson-Riley,
Daniel Handford
Abigail Sanders-Dutton
Dominic Alcock
Adam Carthew
Douglas To
Adam Tanner
Edward Garvey
Alexandra Hoskins
Edward Barrett
Alice Chin
Edward Clear
Alisa Buravytska
Ella Vacani
Alexandria Chilcott
Elliott Floyd
Alice Hughes
Elvin Delaney
Amir Gharagouzli
Emilie Jackson
Amy Patterson
Emily King
Benjamin Hughes
Emily Sage
Benjamin Jolliff
Eva Phillips
Benjamin Dunton
Evan Storrs-Fox
Benjamin Wylie
Flora Whitmarsh
Bethany Hobbs
Florence Biss
Bonnie Free
Frederick Parrish
Callum Brunton
Gabriel Evans
Carrick Biddle
George Searle
Chak Wai Li
Georgia Morley
Charlie Munson
Georgina Wride
Charlotte Dawkins
Guangyu Jiang
Charlotte Long
Georgie Maclachlan
Chun Hin Fung
Gregor Grant
Cheuk Kan
Gregory Wotton
Ching Wong
Hannah Robinson
Chloe Fearnley-Derome
Hannah McLeod
Christopher Ajmaya
Haddad
Hannah Clarke
Chun Fung
Harriet Smith
Clarence Nicholls
Claude Mahlich
Daisy Pike
Daniel Hood
Daniel Chidgey
Hannah Fisher
Harry Baker
Ho Sum Lau
Ho Wai Chan
Ho Ying Cheung
Hope Pointing
Oliver Beswetherick
Hope Turner
Oliver Burt
Hou Hin Yong
Oliver Lintott
Jack Musgrave
Ophelia Wong
Jacob Slingsby-Smith
Orlando Cazalet-Hyams
Jamie Davidson
Patrick Goddard-Watts
Jessica Bowering
Patrick Thorpe
Jie Zheng
Piers Nayler
Jonathan Jacobs
Pok Man Heung
Jonathan Mudge
Pui Chun Hui
Joseph Fender
Qizhi Sun
Joshua Armytage
Rhys Robson-Edmunds
Joshua Bolam
Richard Venn
Julian Harding
Samuel Greenshields
Kai Hei Ng
Samuel Livingstone
Katherine Johnson
Sarah Marsh
Katherine Newey
Scarlett Scott-Collins
Kay On Sin
Scott Howe
Kin Wai Kwok
Shiyun Zhan
King Fung Kwok
Syed Akhter
King Man Hung
Tsang Ng
Klimentiy Artemov
Tsz Ho Kwok
Kwan Yiu Hung
Valeriia Shypovska
Kyran Kenworthy
Wai Chun Tsang
Lang Lin Cai
Wai Lun Kong
Lauren Theobald
Wai Yip Tsang
Lee Sze Ho
Wan Ki Tsoi
Lok-Yi Lee
Wang Kit Cheng
Luke Bartlett
Weng Tee
Megan Coles
Wenyin Zheng
Megan Thresher
Wilson Tsang
Megan Loveridge
Wing Yan Lee
Melinda Beaumont
Yan Wing Lo
Mohamed Saddik
Yanzhen Cui
Molly Threlfall
Yau Ying Shum
Molly Priory
Yinying Hu
Natalie Too
Zoe Sanders
Nicholas Lewis
Nicole Keitch
Oliver Giles
7
Smile Please
I
n August 2014 I undertook my
dentistry elective with 'Work the
World' who specialise in medical
projects overseas. I spent two weeks
practising in Iloilo, a highly urbanised
city on the Southern coast of Panay
in the Western Visayas region of the
Philippines. I spent my mornings in the
City Health Dental Clinic, a governmentrun walk-in centre where the majority of
patients arrive in some pain. Because of
the level of poverty, barriers to regular
oral healthcare and their high sugar diet,
97% of Filipinos have dental disease - an
alarmingly high statistic!
I treated my own patients mentored by
my dental supervisor Dr Ana. Patients
have to pay per cartridge of anaesthetic,
so they often choose to have their
decayed teeth extracted rather than
restored to save numerous, expensive
visits. The idea of valid, informed
consent that governs dental treatment
8
in the UK was a very grey area in Iloilo.
The patient would walk in, point to the
tooth they wanted removed, we’d numb
them up, take it out, they’d pay their 100
Pesos (approximately £1.40) and leave.
In Bristol I extract maybe five teeth per
month but in Iloilo I was removing ten
every morning! It is, therefore, sadly
the norm for twenty year olds to walk in
wearing dentures.
Only 4.1% of the GDP is spent on national
health in the Philippines, 40% of which
is used in the public sector so funds
are extremely limited. Because of this,
there was a noticeable lack of gloves and
masks and many dentists would often
not wear them. If they did have them
they reused them for all patients in one
session and they have developed their
own ‘no hands in the mouth’ extraction
technique to help prevent getting blood
on the gloves. This shocked me as by
doing this there is less support for the
jaw and the risk of fracture is much
higher. There was no sterilisation
between patients – the nurse washed
the instruments in the sink and wiped
the chair down with a rag. Every patient
was prescribed antibiotics to help prevent
infection; the risk of resistant superbugs
was not a priority! No x-rays of the teeth
were available and the patient records
were very basic.
Our afternoons were spent visiting
outreach clinics, local schools and
daycares to examine the children,
apply fluoride varnish and give out free
toothbrushes and toothpaste - a luxury
that many of them can't afford. It was
truly shocking that so many of them
needed multiple extractions; the level of
decay was unlike anything I have seen
so far in the UK.
When we weren’t working we could be
found exploring the city by ‘jeepney’ or
tricycle, practising our newly-learned,
dental specific Hiligaynon (the local
dialect) in our language lessons or
getting to know our housemates who
had ventured to Iloilo from all corners of
the globe. I also took the chance to do
some trekking and island hopping around
Guimaras; a picture-perfect paradise with
a turtle conservation centre.
It was an incredible, eye-opening
experience that I know will stay with me
throughout the rest of my dental career
and my everyday life. I am certainly
more appreciative for what we have,
particularly the healthcare system we
take for granted. Thank you very much
to the Old Queenians Association for
supporting this invaluable opportunity.
Amy Alger-Green (2003 - 2010)
Old Queenians
Taunton Christmas Dinner
Friday 12th December 2014
The Mount Somerset Hotel
Lower Henlade, Taunton, Someset TA3 5NB
£35
Drinks Reception 19.00 – Dinner 19.30
9
A Year in the Life of
John A. George
The Autumn Term 1914 at Queen’s College
(Note. The entries printed are a selection only. They are printed in full, between
inverted commas, faithful to the original punctuation. Comments within the brackets
are supplied by the editor and, in most cases, are based on cross reference to the
Autumn 1914 edition of the Wyvern.) July
Saturday 25: ‘Home, went in the village, saw all the girls and boys’
(This was the first day of the holiday and John was clearly eager to meet up with his
local friends.)
August
Friday 7: ‘My birthday, had thousands of things, had to write a lot of letters worst
thing about them, lovely time went to the Royal at night’
Sunday 9: ‘Did not go to church but did a bit of shooting instead killed 1 water hen or
moorhen’
(Over the next few weeks he records shooting grouse and lots of rabbits which
accounts for part of the following entry.)
Tuesday 11: ‘Went to Alcester to get some more ammunition and fags, rode Daisy,
not a bad pony’
(In the next two weeks John indulged his passion for shooting, fishing and rowing.
A seaside holiday from Tuesday 25 gave him the chance to swim but seems also to
have disrupted his routine of writing in his diary as it is blank for almost a month.)
September
Monday 21: ‘Came back to school, lovely journey did not meet anyone.’
Tuesday 22: ‘Slept in a private room hope I shall have it all the term’
Friday 25: ‘Mrs H [could this be a reference to Mrs Haslam?] told me I could have my
room for the whole term awfully glad’
October
Thursday 1: ‘Compulsory walk to Corfe, went through the fields and saw some men shooting’
10
Monday 5: ‘North House paper sale, bought the ‘Illustrated War News’
Friday 9: ‘Soldiers came to Cotlake’
(Apart from these oblique references to the war, there is only one other mention of it,
below.)
December
Thursday 3: ‘Cadet route march, went to a farmer who gave us as many apples as we
wanted’
(The Cadet Corps was started in the autumn term in response to the outbreak of war.
The Wyvern records that the Headmaster reviewed the corps on November 25. Apart
from the entry above, the diary is virtually blank from Monday 12 October. As such, for
information about life at school in the last two months of the term we are reliant on
the Wyvern.
It is surprising that John made no reference to a writing competition organised by the
Debating Society. The Wyvern records that on Saturday December 5 JA George was
the second participant of four to read an essay; his was entitled ‘The inventions and
discoveries of the last century’. Interestingly, the other three essays read out were
on ‘The manufacture of armour plate and guns’, ‘The increasing value of aircraft
and submarines in warfare’ and ‘The Life of a French soldier’. Indeed, throughout
the term the Debating Society had focused on issues of war. For example, the first
debate on September 26 was ‘The Future of Germany’ and on October 3 the motion
was ‘The Neutral States should intervene in the present war’ [which was defeated by
13 votes to 12]. On October 31 GB Dallas opposed the motion that ‘The present crisis
justifies Conscription’ which was defeated by a similar margin. Dallas was to serve
in the army and was killed in 1919 fighting in Russia against the Reds. The report of
the Debating Society was written by HL Brampton, Hon. Sec.. He died on June 7 1917
when shot by a sniper as he led his men in an attack on Messines Ridge.
The effect of the war on school life is evident in many of the references made in the
Wyvern. For example, the report on North House starts ‘Many old Northerners have
enlisted and the House wishes them the best of luck’. South House reported that
‘Owing to the loss [absence] of Hale, Westoby, GH Bland and the brothers Ross, we
have not been so successful this term’. In fact, three of these boys later lost their
lives in the Great War: Bland and HH Ross survived. The Wyvern informs us that
‘special certificates were designed by the Headmaster to commemorate the Speech
Day of the year of the ‘Great War’’ – it is interesting to note that the conflict was
already known by that label as early as October 1914.
In the OQ Notes there is a report from Mr G Cooke on his experiences with the Army
in East Africa. It is also stated that the usual autumn dinner was not held ‘owing
to the fact that so many Old Boys are serving their country. There is a long piece of
dialogue entitled ‘Recruiting’. Notes on ‘Junior’ report the arrival of ‘our new little
11
Belgian friend’ whose ‘English is amusing – he called a certain master, Mr German’.
The centre pages of the Wyvern present the ‘Roll of Honour’, compiled in December
1914, and lists the names of 151 OQs known to be in the services at this time. By this
date no OQ had been killed though early in the New Year one of this number, Thomas
Dowsett, was to become the first fatality when he was killed on 30 January 1915 in
the Ypres Salient. The bulk of the second half of the magazine is dedicated to match
reports. It is sad to record that amongst the names of those listed as playing for the
school or the house were many boys who were to die in the next few years in the
Great War.)
Geoff Bisson (Editor)
Centenary Commemoration Dinner
on Saturday 8th November 2014
18.45Drinks Reception in the St Christopher’s Art
& Drama Studio
19.15Short play by OQs entitled ‘The Assassination
of Archduke Franz Ferdinand’.
19.45Commemoration Dinner in the Great Hall
(Performing Arts Centre)
23.00Carriages
£35 per person. Numbers are limited.
If you would like to attend please enclose a cheque
made payable to Queen’s College and return it to
Mrs Kim Boalch, Queen’s College,
Trull Road, Taunton, Somerset. TA1 4QS
There are also the following options
should you wish to attend:
Visit to Castle House, Watching rugby,
Tour of the school, OQ AGM
Sunday: Hockey and lunch
Please call Kim on 01823 340839 to register your interest
12
Visit to Ypres
On Friday, 19th September, a trip to
the battlefields of northern France and
Belgium began. Starting at Taunton,
followed by several stops to pick up
others in the party, we eventually arrived
at our hotel on the outskirts of Lille. However, beforehand there was time to
visit the grave of George Bewsey Dyke - in
Reninghelst New Military Cemetery - who
died in April 1916. This was of special
significance to Andrew Dyke, who was able
to see the resting place of his great uncle
for the first time. The sky was black and in
the background the sound of thunder could
be heard, evoking the noise of artillery,
which was particularly appropriate as GB
Dyke had been a gunner. The following day our visit to Messines
Ridge gave us a wonderful view of the
countryside, now so tranquil in contrast
to the turbulent scene in 1917 when the
battle for the ridge began. Nearby is
Spanbroekmolen, the site of a huge crater
that was created by tunnelling under the
German lines before detonating 91,000
lbs of explosives which signalled the
start of the battle. Following a visit to the
impressive Ulster Tower commemorating
Irish soldiers, we stopped at Oosttaverne
Wood Cemetery for the grave of the Rev. CH Reed. Lunch was taken in Ypres after
which we visited the splendid museum in
the old Cloth Hall which was rebuilt after
the war.
The itinerary on Sunday included visits
13
to Polygon Wood (grave of HF Baselow),
Gheluvelt (where the Lee Enfield rifle
was demonstrated) and Hill 60 which
was the centre of fierce fighting in 1915.
After lunch at Zonnebeke we visited the
Memorial Museum and were able to enter
a reconstructed trench which provided a
fine insight into life and conditions on the
front line. Following this we visited Tyne
Cot Cemetery, the largest Commonwealth
War Graves Commission cemetery in the
world, containing nearly 12,000 graves and
the names of 35,000 others named on the
memorial wall, including RH Westoby, OQ.
It was interesting to then visit Langemarck,
the German Military Cemetery, which
contrasts sharply in style to the British
cemeteries.
The ceremony held every day at 8 pm at
the Menin Gate was a special occasion
that Sunday evening with the Headmaster
laying a wreath on behalf of the school to
commemorate the Old Queenians who
gave their lives in the Great War. After
the buglers had sounded the Last Post,
Mr Alcock, flanked by Andrew Dyke and
14
Michael Powell, a school governor, crossed
from one side of the arch to the other to
lay a wreath on behalf of Queen’s College
in remembrance of those OQs who served
their country 100 years ago, one of whom,
JP Worton, is commemorated on the Gate.
The singing of a male choir during the
laying of the wreath reinforced the solemn
splendour of the occasion.
On our last day we visited Hagle Dump
Cemetery where a cross was laid on
the last resting place of another OQ, GM
Swales. At Poperinge the spot where
soldiers who had been condemned to
death were ‘shot at dawn’, and the cells in
which they were held the night before, were
visited. Before heading for the Euro Tunnel
we paid a visit to Lijssenthoek Military
Cemetery and the graves of two OQs, CM
Cook and AL Hale.
I would like to thank Kim Boalch and Geoff
Bisson for organising such a wonderful
trip and also our marvellous guide,
Tim Stoneman, whose vast knowledge
of military history and his outgoing
personality added immensely to our
experience. Thanks also go to Steve, the
coach driver from Berrys, who steered
us through the French and Belgian
countryside, and whose skills in reversing
left us all speechless.
Those in the party: Chris and Linda
Alcock, Richard and Heather Baker, Steve
Bartlett, Lindsay and Catherine Benham,
Stephen and Jane Beswetherick, Geoffrey
and Sarah Bisson, Kim and Tim Boalch,
Martin and Viv Bream, Anne Broadley,
Mark Cox, Caroline Craggs, Andrew Dyke,
Sue Dyke, Wendy Flint, Richard Harding,
Brian Hunter, David Jones, David Jordan,
Stephen and Amanda Lock, Andrew Main,
Richard Main, John and Angie Milner,
Robert Neil, Barry and Pat Pearson, Mike
and Kathy Powell, Philip Robins, Brian
and Zenah Rowe, David and Jan Sargison,
Kumar Sivam, Malcolm Taylor, Marjorie
Taylor.
David Jordan (1966-1971)
15
Caring in Cameroon
E
very summer, senior medical
students are given a chance
to undertake a placement
abroad, which lets us appreciate other
countries’ health care systems and
culture. In 2014 summer, I worked
four weeks at the Hopital Protestant
De Foumban in Cameroon. It is a
district general hospital that covers
the south of Foumban. It had different
departments and facilities, including a
clinic area, medical, surgical, paediatric
and maternity wards, laboratory, two
surgical theatres, various machines
(ECG, ECHO and radiography
machine), and a newly built mortuary
(one of the two for the whole city).
In Cameroon, there are public and
private health care sectors. However,
the public sector is not heavily
subsidised by the government and
the costs for patients to see either
is similar. Their health care system
16
is unlike the NHS. For example, one
needs to pay for all the instruments
and medications required for the
surgery before it starts. Even if it is an
emergency situation, surgery will not
be carried out until costs have been
paid. Because of this, patients are often
admitted critically ill. This complicates
the treatment plan and worsens the
prognosis. I found this distressing when
we knew the condition could have be
treated earlier but was not because
funds were lacking.
For instance, a patient was involved in
a road traffic accident and neurological
examination revealed that he had
substantial brain injury. However, the
closest CT scanner was a five hour drive
away and the family could not afford the
cost of the investigation. The patient
could then only be monitored hourly
by the nurse, after which he regained
consciousness, luckily.
Meanwhile, resources in the hospital
were never abundant – re-usage of
surgical masks, incompetent aseptic
technique and inappropriate analgesic
administration, due to a limited variety
of drugs, were not uncommon. Despite
this, doctors in Cameroon were
generally making very good use of the
limited resources at their disposal, and
were certainly doing the best they could
in the circumstances.
As well as assisting in surgeries, I
helped out during ward rounds and with
out-patients in the clinics by performing
physical examinations. Even though the
language barrier limited my exposure,
I still learnt through observing their
clinical practice, seeing tropical
diseases that are rare in the UK and
exchanging information about the UK’s
local guidelines in treating diseases we
have in common.
I am very grateful to have had the
opportunity to visit Cameroon. The
experience really put into perspective
for me how lucky we are that in the NHS
we can practise quality medicine with
fewer restrictions. After my placement,
I went to explore the rainforest and
climbed Mount Cameroon, which gave
me the chance to appreciate the breathtaking landscape of this beautiful
country.
I would like to thank the Old Queenians
Association for their support of my
African trip.
Arthur Woo (2007-2009)
Golden Memories
Tony Tucker (1944-54) and his wife
June celebrated their Golden Wedding
Anniversary at Queen’s recently. The
Old Music Room, formerly the Library
in his day, was a lovely venue for the
luncheon. Among their guests were
Tony’s contemporaries, Arthur Watson
(1944-54} and Neville Heath (1946-53). The
lunch, provided by the catering staff at the
school, was superb and the ambience of
the school on a beautiful day made it a
memorable occasion.
Kim Boalch
17
What a Surprise
O
n one of my infrequent visits to
London last month, and being keen
on organ music (a hangover from
my time at Queen’s), I looked on the website
to see if there were any lunchtime recitals to
go to. As a pure coincidence, that very week
Dr David Ponsford gave a recital of music by
Bach and Clerambault at St Lawrence Jewry
next to The Guildhall. Not only had David
and I been at Queen’s at the same time, but he
also played the organ at my wedding in 1979!
On leaving Queen’s David studied as an organ
scholar at Emmanuel College, Cambridge
and whilst there became a Fellow of the
Royal College of Organists. On graduating
from Cambridge, he was appointed Assistant
Organist at Wells Cathedral. Later, he
studied for a PhD on performance practice in
French Baroque organ music. David is an acknowledged authority on
the keyboard music of the seventeenth
and eighteenth centuries and regularly
performs on harpsichord or organ as a
soloist, with chamber ensembles and many
orchestras. Following the publication of
his book ‘French Organ Music in the Reign
of Louis XIV’, he is currently engaged by
Nimbus Records to record a series of CDs
of the essential French Baroque organ
repertoire on historic French organs,
of which the first three CDs have been
released and have met with critical acclaim.
18
In recent years, David has given concerts
in Singapore, Poland, Germany, France,
New York and Montreal, in addition to
those in the UK such as organ recitals at
King's College, Cambridge, Westminster
Cathedral and the London Oratory, and
harpsichord recitals in the Purcell Room,
London, as well as various festivals. As
a continuo player, David has played with
many of the major UK chamber orchestras
and choral societies, and now plays
regularly with Orchestra of the Swan and
Armonico Consort. With Ex Cathedra
he has appeared in festivals in Belgium,
France, Finland, the BBC Proms, and made
recordings on the ASV and Hyperion labels. His recordings include Bach's complete
violin sonatas with Jacqueline Ross,
the complete Handel recorder sonatas
with Alan Davis, and a recital of early
seventeenth-century English songs and
keyboard music with his son, Simon
(countertenor), who is now a Lay Vicar
(choir member) at Westminster Abbey.
Richard Castle (1960 - 1966)
Obituary
Louise Lewis (1984 - 1988) was
tragically killed in an avalanche in
Switzerland on 19 July 2014. She was
at Queen’s with her sister Nathalie.
She left at the end of the U4 in 1988
to move to Cambridgeshire with her
family. While in the junior school she
was a day pupil living near Raleigh’s
Cross, later boarding in Southcombe
while in the L4 and U4. She had been
living in Switzerland for the last 2 years
with her partner who was also killed
in the same avalanche. She went on to
studying a nursing degree at Homerton
School of Heath Studies.
Ed Lewis (1981 - 1992)
Queen's College Lodge
A
t his installation earlier in the
year the new Master of Queen’s
Lodge, Richard Teague, asked for
all alms raised that evening be donated to
Somerset & Dorset Air Ambulance. The
presentation, delayed until the summer,
took place on the front steps of Queen’s.
The photo shows Richard presenting a
cheque to Debbie Birtwhistle, the Air
Ambulance Fundraising Co-ordinator,
with Jim Wiltshire, Charity Steward, and
Geoff Dolling, looking on.
A booklet entitled 'The War
Memorial and Thanksgiving
Fund', first published in 1919, has
been reprinted. It provides short
biographies of OQs who died in WW1.
A wrap containing explanatory notes,
photos and details of the cemeteries
and memorials of OQs who died
in the conflict accompanies the
booklet. This is available from the
Development Office for £10.
Richard Baker (1955-1965)
19
OQ Events
November
8th Centenary Commemoration
Old Queenians
Association
Dear Member,
Dinner, Queen’s College
9th Hockey: OQs v Queen’s
11th Remembrance Service,
Queen’s College
December
4th OQs drinks with the Headmaster,
Lansdowne Club, London
5th OQs London Christmas Lunch, HMS Belfast
12th OQs Taunton Christmas Dinner,
Mount Somerset Hotel
18th Carol Service, Sibly Society Guests
The Annual General Meeting of the Old
Queenians Association will take place
at Queen’s College on Saturday the
8th of November 2014 commencing at
6.15 pm. This is before drinks for the
Centenary Commemoration Dinner.
Venue for the meeting to be advised on
the day. This is your Association: please
try to attend.
AGENDA
Apologies for absence
Old Queenians Association
Committee
President - Graham Ten Broeke
Vice President/Website Manager
Ben Porter
Secretary - John Elford
Governors Rep. - Mike Powell
Treasurer - Mike Randall
Members - Matthew Lee, Paul Palmer, Flo
Broderick, Simon Alcock, Roger Westoby,
Aletta Warne, Sophie Barrell,
Mark Davenport, David WO Jones
Ex Officio - James D Jones,
Chris Alcock (Headmaster)
Kim Boalch (Alumni Relations Manager)
George Shepherd (Head Boy)
Alice Mitchell (Head Girl)
Minutes of the previous meeting held on
the 9th November 2013
Matters arising
Secretary’s report
Treasurer’s report
President’s report
Headmaster’s report
Events report
Election of Officers
Any other business
John Elford, Hon. Secretary
Kim Boalch, Alumni Relations Manager
20
It is important for our records to be kept up to date.
I would appreciate it if you could inform me of any changes.
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