The
Old Bradfieldian
The Old Bradfieldian Society Newsletter
In this Issue
Up Kili with Kaddy
Greeker re-opens for business
Also featuring: OBs celebrate sporting success
Autumn 2013
WELCOME
Officers of the Old
Bradfieldian Society
President
Peter Gangsted (D 73-77)*
Past Presidents
Martin Young (C 59-64)
James Wyatt (G 58-63)
Vice Presidents
John Bodie (C 44-48)
Paul Brader (C 45-48)
Martin Brewer (A 43-47)
Jumbo Fuller (H 51-56)
Chris Gorringe (E 59-64)
Charles Lepper (A 36-40)
Nigel Robson (H 49-55)
Peter Slot (E 46-51)
Michael Stone (E 49-54)
James Tyrrell (G 54-59)
Richard Youard (B 46-51)
Welcome to another jam-packed edition of the OB Newsletter. We have
had a particularly busy six months as can be seen from the activity in these
pages; there is an exciting vigour among the Affiliated Clubs (p. 22-26) with
notably the Sailing Club re-forming and Netball entering its second season.
There’s been plenty going on with our younger alumni – with the
popular pub nights and strong support for year-group reunions. The
summer Bradfield Day saw a record turnout – over 250, and the Junior
Tempus Fugit Lunch was attended by in excess of 100 OBs. It’s
encouraging to see thousands of you now engaging with us online, but
watch this space as we have a new website launching in the new year!
I would like to welcome our new Treasurer, Ed Wilson (F 95-00) and pass on our thanks to Martin
Latham (D 56-61) who has served the OB Society as devoted Treasurer for over 13 years (see p. 31).
At the last meeting of the General Committee, and after a good deal of discussion, we unanimously
gave our approval to the concept of the Bradfield Society, an umbrella organisation for OBs, current
and past parents and Friends of Bradfield. Run by the Development Office, with regular input from
OBs, the new management structure will ensure that all three constituencies benefit from additional
resources made available by administrative streamlining while protecting the interests of each
community. By bringing the three groups together into one body we can build a broader base of
connections, experiences and advice to support the College and its current and former pupils.
General Committee
Hon. Treasurer
Edward Wilson (F 95-00)*
Chairman Sports Committee
Will Barrett (F 95-00)*
Although the General Committee has shown its support for the new structure, we would like to give
all members the opportunity to share their views at an Special General Meeting of the Society to be
held at 7pm on Thursday 6 February 2014 at Bradfield. Further details can be found on the website.
Please let the Development Office know in advance if you would like to attend this meeting.
Bradfield Club in Peckham
Charles George QC (A 58-63)
______
Will Barrett (F 95-00)*
Micky Denehy (E 73-78)*
Ted Garrett (F 63-68)
Mike Jones (F 67-71)
Martin Latham (D 56-61)
Tom Robertson (F 95-00)*
David Shilton (C 60-64)
______
Director of Development
Alastair Waddington
Deputy Director of Development
& Director of Alumni Relations
Tom Robertson (F 95-00)*
Development Office
Clare Bradley
Pippa Jones
OB Society
Bradfield College
Reading, Berkshire RG7 6AU
E-mail: [email protected]
Tel: 0118 964 4840
www.bradfieldcommunity.org.uk/OBSoc
www.facebook.com/oldbradfieldiansociety
* Executive Committee Member
Front cover picture by John Jobey.
2
Peter Gangsted (D 73-77)
President
I am delighted to report that the College continues to go from strength to
strength. We have 770 pupils this term, an increase of 40 over this time
last year, and we are increasingly oversubscribed at all levels. Our exam
results in the summer maintained our recent academic momentum. Our
pupils secured excellent A Level grades with well over three-quarters of
all entries graded A*- B and nearly half awarded A* or A. We had the
best GCSE results in our history with 317 coveted A*s contributed to
well over 50% of entries being graded A*-A. Outside the classroom our
pupils continue to excel in all areas and the College has embarked on its
sponsorship of Theale Green following its conversion to an academy.
The Warden, Council and I wholeheartedly support the introduction of the Bradfield Society.
The new structure will allow us better to support OBs of all ages through a wider range of events,
a broader careers network and improved communications, while at the same time providing an
opportunity to strengthen relationships with all who hold Bradfield dear.
I am delighted that Greeker is now back in action and am indebted to all OBs who so generously
supported the restoration. We would like to encourage you to come back to the summer Greek
Play, which will be Antigone, dates are listed on the reverse of this newsletter.
Simon Henderson
Headmaster
CONTENTS
COLLEGE NOTES
Officers of the
Affiliated Clubs
pages 4-9
Please contact the following
Hon. Secretaries for further information:
Bradfield Waifs Cricket Club
Will Kendall (A 87-92)
07957 215080 (m)
[email protected]
OB Choir & Orchestra
Zara Farrar (J 04-06)
07894 709729 (m)
[email protected]
pages 6-7
SPORT
page 8
ARTS
OB Cross Country
Tom Fortune (F 91-96)
07798 525011 (m)
[email protected]
OB Fives Club
Jeremy Sinton (F 91-96)
07908 992166 (m)
[email protected]
FOUNDATION
OB Football Club
Jon Martin (C 01-05)
07852 254307 (m)
[email protected]
SNIPPETS
OB Hockey
Sam Bide (D 98-03)
[email protected]
pages 12-13
pages 10-11
FEATURES
pages 14-15
FROM THE
ARCHIVES
OB Lawn Tennis
Charlie Billington (H 93-98)
07769 678786 (m)
[email protected]
Maria Vildavskaya (J 05-09)
07795 465490 (m)
[email protected]
pages 16-17
ANNOUNCEMENTS
OB Netball Club
Sophie Matthews (I 05-07)
07940 707650 (m)
[email protected]
AFFILIATED CLUBS
pages 22-26
page 18
OBITUARIES
OB Golfing Society
James Wyatt (G 58-63)
0118 970 0028 (h)
[email protected]
OB Sailing Club
Archie Massey (D 90-95)
[email protected]
OB Shooting Club
Richard Vary (E 86-91)
07920 272750 (m)
[email protected]
Shooting
Football
Sailing
Cricket
Golf
pages 27-31
OB Squash Club
Andrew Dixon (C 00-05)
[email protected]
REUNIONS
OB Masonic Lodge
Tim Parker (G 72-77)
01483 420 999 (h)
07753 606810 (m)
[email protected]
pages
19-22
Mike Clark Memorial Day,
1951-52 Football XI Reunion, OBG Lunch,
Monthly Pub Nights, Classes 1992-2002, OB Society Award
Bradfield Club in Peckham
Charles George QC (A 58-63)
01732 451875 (h)
[email protected]
3
COLLEGE NOTES
Bradfield pupils again secured excellent A Level
grades with well over three-quarters of all
entries graded A*-B and nearly half awarded
A* or A. This comes against a backdrop of a
decline in the number of top grades awarded
nationally for the second year in a row.
College’s top musicians, actors and athletes
returned excellent academic performances, not
least Head Boy William Minter-Kemp (E), top
all-rounders Chris Bailey (H) and Anna Davies
(M), star sportsman Miles Covers (D) and
talented artist Jessica Rowlands (K).
Special mention must go to William Hartz (F)
and Jessica Kingsbury (I) who were both
awarded three A*s. William is one of those now
moving on to study at Oxford University and
he and Jessica were amongst 22% of the year
group who recorded at least three A*/A grades.
As ever, the College pupils proved that academic
success and full commitment to wider school
life tend to go hand-in-hand. Many of the
The Headmaster said ‘Although they didn’t quite
match last year’s record results, we are delighted
with all that this year group has achieved. The
pupils have worked extremely hard and this,
combined with some excellent teaching, has seen
them achieve such notable success. Of course,
Bradfield College is not just focused on academic
results – our pupils are also committed to taking
full advantage of the multitude of opportunities
on offer beyond the classroom – but it is great
to see a talented and hard-working cohort
receive the results that their efforts deserve.’
Leavers Ball
2013
The 2013 leavers celebrated in style at the
fifth annual Leavers’ Ball on Saturday 29 June.
The evening began with a drinks reception
and photos on Quad with the sunny weather
showing Bradfield at its best. Guests were
then treated to a delicious four course meal,
followed by a fun fair, live band and disco in
the beautifully decorated marquee.
Bradfield joins
Theale Green
School in
Celebrations
Bradfield’s Head, Simon Henderson, joined
Headteacher, David Bromfield, and the pupils
and staff at Theale Green School in celebrating
the school’s 50th anniversary and in marking its
new chapter as an academy with Bradfield
College as its sponsor.
Headteachers David Bromfield and Simon
Henderson cut a cake celebrating the school’s
birthday and the new partnership between the
schools.
Bradfield
pupils excel
at A level
The year group as a whole was also incredibly
successful in terms of university entrance.
The school opened as a grammar in 1963
before becoming a community school in 1987,
and it has now agreed a sponsorship
partnership with Bradfield.
Guest of honour at the ceremony was Lady
Elizabeth Benyon who spoke about the many
changes the school has been through before
wishing the school well.
Staff and students joined Lady Benyon as she
unveiled three plaques to commemorate the
various changes in name over the school’s
50 years.
4
Mr Bromfield said: “For 50 years there has
been a secondary school in Theale with an
emblem of an eagle. It symbolises high
expectations. We are now, more than ever,
aiming high and expect to achieve this
excellence through partnership with Bradfield
College.”
Simon Henderson said: “As Theale Green
School celebrates its past and opens an exciting
new chapter in its history, Bradfield College is
delighted to be able to support it on the journey
ahead and is totally committed to the success
of a long-lasting and sustainable community
partnership that will work to the mutual benefit
of the young people at both schools.”
COLLEGE NOTES
In August the College opened a splendid new
Reception in a prominent position immediately
inside the Gateway and facing towards Army
House. With an impressive glass frontage
created in the former archway to Budgeon’s
Yard, the new Reception provides a larger and
much more appropriate setting to welcome
visitors to the College. The main seating area is
light, elegant and comfortable, with a screen and
other displays to showcase pupil activities. The
facility also includes toilets and a kitchenette to
better provide for guests and the reception staff.
The new Reception has drawn many
favourable comments from College staff and
visitors, often with the observation that it looks
as if it has always been there, which reflects
well on the imaginative design and the
successful execution. The architect for the
project was Nigel Taylor of Gotelee OrchardLisle and the construction work was
undertaken by Feltham Construction.
On Monday 19 August 13 young people and
four staff from the Bradfield Club in Peckham
arrived for their annual visit to the College.
They were here for four days to take part in
various activities design to challenge them and
develop the children’s self-reliance and
confidence.
With two evenly matched teams it all ended in
a hotly contested draw. With a few bruises, but
no injuries, everyone showered and dressed up
for the formal dinner held in Faulkner’s dining
hall in the evening.
Monday was spent settling into Stanley House
and orientating themselves to the College with
a river crossing exercise over the Pang and a
swim in the pool. This was followed up with a
welcome BBQ outside Stanley House to round
off the busy first day.
New
Reception
David Palmer
Bradfield Club
visit College
The last morning saw the Club at the climbing
centre in Reading for an introduction to indoor
climbing which culminated in a very fiercely
contested team speed climbing completion at
the end. It was then back to College, lunch and
down to Theale and a train trip back to
London for a tired but cheerful group.
Maurice Maynard (SCR)
The second day was equally as busy, with riding
at Cullinghood Equestrian Centre in the
morning and a trip over to the Snowcentre in
Hemel Hempstead for a snowboarding lesson
in the evening. Quite different activities, but
both enjoyable challenges for the young people.
Wednesday was an extra day compared to last
year and this allowed for two new activities,
Karting and Paintballing. The karting was very
competitive amongst all the children and staff
and lead to fast furious racing, with a little
contact at times! This was then followed by the
adrenaline fuelled contest of five paintball
games over in Bucklebury at Bedlam paintball.
5
COLLEGE NOTES – SPORT
Give It
Your Max
On Sunday 19 May lots of OBs, current
parents, pupils and staff turned out to support
the Give It Your Max mixed doubles charity
tennis tournament.
The Charity was set up by the parents of
Max Stotesbury (H 99-04), a great tennis
player for the College who sadly died a few
months after leaving Bradfield. The Stotesbury
Family very much appreciate the continued link
with the College.
The ICGB v
Bradfield
The 52nd Match between The International
Lawn Tennis Club of Great Britain (ICGB) and
Bradfield took place at the College on Monday
13 May.
The match was played outside on the hard
courts with brief interruptions for two showers.
OB and former College team member Chris
Gorringe (E 59-64) and his wife Jen came along
to support the pupils.
This year a women’s match took place
alongside the men’s, with pupils Lucy Collins
(K), Daria Galianova (I), Louisa Gray (M) and
Charlotte Masquelier-Page (I) taking part.
Max’s doubles partner from school, Edwin
Cheung (D 99-04) qualified for the final. The
tournament was won by Rory Baynham (F) and
his mother Suzie after a tight final game ending
in a tie-break.
Although the result was one-sided, with the final
score at ten and a half games to the ICGB and
two and a half to Bradfield, the men’s matches in
particular were closely contested. The supporters
were particularly grateful to have been replaced
this year by younger members. Seth Dunford
(D) and Penn Frank (F) the Bradfield second pair,
both aged 15, showed considerable promise.
The other pupils playing in the men’s were
Harry Quartermaine (H), Danny Tomlinson (D),
Calum Perry (D) and Edmund Wintour (A).
The match was greatly enjoyed by both teams
and was followed by a splendid dinner in college.
Tony Billington (H 59-63)
6
COLLEGE NOTES – SPORT
The Bradfield Sailing Team achieved a
clean sweep at The Berkshire Sailing
Training Centre Regatta on Saturday
18 May. There were three categories:
Novice, Intermediate and Senior and
Bradfield won all three categories,
fending off competition from the likes
of Pangbourne College, Downe
House and Leighton Park.
West
Berkshire
Sailing
Champions
Patrick Taylor (helm – AL) and
Barnaby McDougall (crew – CL) won
the Senior Regatta, Nicholas Vaughan
(C) won the Intermediate (solo helm),
and Robert Wolrige Gordon (helm –
EL) with Edward Perry
(crew – F) won the
Novice.
Ryan Higgins (D 09-13) and Captain of cricket
in 2013 has been awarded his first professional
contract by Middlesex.
Ryan has come through the Middlesex
Academy and this summer scored 356 runs at
an average of 71 for England U19 in the Tri
Series against Pakistan and Bangladesh. He
passed 50 in four consecutive games in the
series including a century.
“It is rewarding to sign up talent that we have
developed”, said Middlesex Director of Cricket
and former England fast bowler Angus Fraser.
The Bradfield Shooting Team went to Bisley on
Sunday 19 May to shoot in the Berkshire
County Rifle Association Championships. The
competition is shot over 300, 500, 900 and
1000 yards and is the ultimate test of any of our
Bradfield shots. Due to this fact the competition
was also being combined for the first time with
the Bradfield College Championships.
“Ryan has been in Middlesex’s system for quite
some time. He is an exciting young cricketer
and we are confident he is set for a successful
career with Middlesex.”
The pressure was on for Ryan after he was
named as the Middlesex youth player of the
year in 2012, but he has lived up to
expectations with a successful year.
Higgins signs
with
Middlesex
He is now aiming to secure a place in the
England squad for the next ICC Under-19
CWC in Dubai.
Along the way the Bradfield “A” 3 man Tyro
team won the Carter Cup and the Eagle Shield.
What had been a good morning had turned
into a great day. The experience had been an
excellent one for all.
Berkshire
County Rifle
Championships
With the good weather came some very tricky
wind conditions for target rifle shooting. All the
boys coped admirably and they shot very well
in the morning at the shorter ranges. After
lunch in the North London Rifle Club it was on
to “Stickledown Ranges”. None of the boys
had shot at 900 or 1000 before so their results
were all the more pleasing. We were among
some illustrious company including many OBs
and did not expect a finish of any kind.
Rufus Horne (A) had an overall aggregate of
161 with 6 “V’s” and is the College champion
for 2013. He was presented with the Fuglesang
Cup by former Bradfield Shooting master and
president of the BCRA Nigel Suffield-Jones.
Will Hall (E), Elliot Van Der Wyck (C) and shooting team captain Rufus Horne (A)
with Nigel Suffield-Jones
7
COLLEGE NOTES – ARTS
Edinburgh
Festival
“Theatre Oikos’ take on one of the densest of
Shakespeare’s works is vibrant and zippy. It’s a
bold decision to turn Shakespeare into a gangster
tale but with a few tunes from Arctic Monkeys, a
pinch of street slang and sovereign rings, the
Bard’s been updated!” (The List)
Every year Bradfield takes at least one show to
the Edinburgh Festival under the name Theatre
Oikos. In 2011 we took our first OB
production, Woyzeck, to Edinburgh. We gained
our best reviews to date, gaining 4 star reviews
from Three Weeks and The British Theatre Guide.
Oikos was created in 2009 for the devised
play, Home. The name Oikos was chosen in
honour of Bradfield’s link with ancient Greece;
Oikos means home in ancient Greek!
During the first week of August 2013 we
performed our first Shakespearian production,
Bradfield
Choir receives
warm
welcome in
Canada
8
a contemporary interpretation of Shakespeare’s
‘problem’ play Measure For Measure, at ZOO
Southside on Nicolson Street. The company
consisted of 21 pupils, 18 cast, two student
technicians and a publicity and marketing
assistant. For the first time we also had a London
preview at The Chelsea Theatre, where we
played to a very appreciative, sold-out audience.
We got some great audiences and reviews in
Edinburgh, so well done to the whole cast and
to Hannah Dalton (J), Harry Gaff (G) and
Harry Stopps (F) in particular – who played
Isabella, Duke Vincentio and Angelo.
Details of next year’s productions, including
another OB play will be on the website in the
new year www.theatreoikos.co.uk
Julia Crossley (SCR)
The sun was shining in Toronto when the Tour
Choir landed at Lester B. Pearson airport.
Our first concert was at the historic house,
Casa Loma, where crowds of visitors
wandered through and stopped to hear our
programme. Built by financier Sir Henry Pellat
founder of the Toronto Electric Light
Company, Casa Loma features not only an 800
foot tunnel, decorated suites and a theatre
organ, but also a beautiful conservatory with
excellent acoustics.
After such a wonderful time in Niagara Falls
we then had the opportunity to visit the CN
Tower in Toronto taking a 58 second journey
on a lift to reach a height of 346 meters and
walk on the glass floor. There followed a
private tour of the Rogers Centre, Toronto’s
stadium which can seat over 68,000 people and
a baseball game. The Toronto Blue Jays were
not having a good season but our attendance
at their game against the Minnesota Twins
brought them good luck and an excellent win.
The next day found us visiting Niagara Falls and
taking the Maid of the Mist as close as you can
get to the Canadian side of the Falls. A
somewhat wet group then walked through the
sunshine grabbing photo opportunities before
getting wet again as we walked behind and
under the Falls. Drying off once more, we went
to Lundy’s Lane United Church to rehearse
for our next concert. We were surprised and
delighted to receive a gift and certificate of
welcome from the mayor of Niagara Falls and
we had a very warm audience who thoroughly
enjoyed our performance.
Our last concert took place at the beautiful
Cathedral of St James in downtown Toronto.
One of the oldest churches in the country and
now near the glittering spires of the financial
district, we were very fortunate to sing in
such a wonderful building. Choir members all
agreed that Canada is a terrific place and they
certainly charmed and wowed all the
Canadians they met.
The choir are very grateful to the OB
Society for their generous support in
sponsoring this trip.
Ann Wright (SCR)
SCR
Summer brings with it many joys, but for those
who live and work in educational institutions it
also brings a degree of sadness as we have to
say farewell to departing pupils and colleagues.
Stephen Lunt has made an enormous
contribution to Bradfield over the 18 years
he has been with us. His most significant work
has been in the Chemistry department, which
he led with great success for several years,
but he has also been an excellent Sports coach
and House and Academic Tutor. In recent
years he has taken on the oversight of the
Duke of Edinburgh programme. Hardly a child
in the College will not have been affected by
the good work he has done in one or other
area of College life, something which might
also be said for Maria Ashcroft, who retires
after a similar amount of time in College
service. Maria has been an effervescent and
colourful presence in the classroom, boarding
house and SCR over the years and, although
Bradfield will be much quieter when she goes,
it will also be a little less fun.
Helen Allen and Christine Whittingham have
done remarkable work with individual children
during their years in charge of the Careers
Department and Support and Study Skills
Department respectively. Helen has been the
guiding hand behind countless UCAS and
tertiary career choices over the last eight years
and Christine has overseen one of the most
important academic support areas of the
college. Both have provided specialised advice
and support of the very highest quality. We
wish them well in their retirement as we do
to John Wigley, who has been an outstanding
Technician in both the DT and Physics
departments for nearly two decades.
Retirement also calls for James and Anne
Nalty. They may teach in very different areas of
the curriculum, but it is difficult not to think of
them as a very close team. Ann has made a
significant mark at Bradfield. An excellent
teacher of French, Housemistress of Stevens
and, latterly, as ‘Mum’ to the Gappers, her
skills – academic and pastoral – have touched
so many young lives in her time with us. James
has been the driving force behind the complex
ICT and MIS infrastructure operating in the
College today. He has led the building of many
of those systems from scratch and undoubtedly
his skills will be much missed, as will his
contributions to netball, tennis and, most
significantly, croquet, a game he has very much
brought to life at Bradfield. James and Ann
represent one of those couples very much at
the heart of the Bradfield community and,
indeed, the community values – hard work,
support and good humour.
It is not the joys of retirement, but the
excitement of promotion and further challenge
which takes another very talented couple away
from Bradfield. Diana and Mark Harrison have
between them made enormous contributions
to College life over a number of years. Diana
has been an outstanding Housemistress as well
as teaching Physics and contributing to girls’
games. Her promotion to a Deputy Head
post is thoroughly deserved but sad, too, as
we not only lose her skills but also those of her
husband Mark, one of Bradfield’s most talented
and committed teachers. Mark has been Head
of Physics, teacher in charge of Fencing and
an Academic Tutor of excellence, and he will
also be missed greatly by pupils visiting on
Primary School Science Days, where he plays
the part of the mad professor who sets off the
‘nitrogen bomb’.
Staff leavers
2013
A number of other staff move from Bradfield
to take more responsibility in other schools.
Dave Lait transfers to Cheltenham College
to lead their development in Design and
Technology, and Chris Ashurst, who has led
the Politics department for the last four years,
moves to Denstone College into a significant
pastoral care role.
Staff Welcome
Jonny Saunders (F 88-93) joined the
College in September as an English teacher
and as Deputy Head of Faulkner’s. In
September 2014 he will become Housemaster
of Faulkner’s (Boys).
Jonny has been teaching at St Edward’s, Oxford
in recent times following a very successful first
career as a radio journalist. Notably as Chris
Evans’s sidekick on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show
and as a 5 Live sports commentator.
Phil Clegg (H 82-86) also joined the College
this September as Head of Biology. Phil has
been Education Director of Perform Group
and, more recently, Managing Director of
MotivatEd where he led the development of
educational resources for the likes of UEFA,
the World Wildlife Fund, Canon, The FA, the
RFU, the ICC and, most recently, the London
2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. He has
spoken at conferences around the world on
‘E-learning and games/sport’ and ‘E-safety’.
9
FOUNDATION
Greeker
Work on the Greek Theatre has continued to
make great progress over the last few months.
Restoration of the seating has largely been
completed and construction work on the new
skene (theatre building), access arrangements
and walkways has progressed well with work
now nearing completion.
The College is indebted to the work of the
Foundation and to all Old Bradfieldians
who chose to support the project. We
hope that many from the OB community
will join us for the production of Antigone
in June next year.
Antigone, Greek Theatre
Friday 20 and Saturday 21 June, 8.30pm; Sunday 22 June, 3.00pm;
Tuesday 24 June, 5.00pm; Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 June, 8.30pm.
OBs are encouraged to come to the performances on 21 and 22 June.
10
FOUNDATION
The Bradfield Foundation is launching an appeal
to restore the pavilion on Major playing fields.
The pavilion has performed many functions
during its lifetime, as a cricket pavilion, as the
College tuck shop ‘grubs’ and as Blundell’s – the
sixth form club and junior school tuck shop.
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you
can help.
Blundell’s
For more information contact:
[email protected]
0118 964 4840
The vision is to create a space for the whole
Bradfield community to come together. The
redesigned building will serve as a coffee shop,
a meeting place and sixth form bar. The restored
building will primarily be for the use of pupils,
but there will be times during the week when
it will be open to parents, Old Bradfieldians
and the wider Bradfield community to meet
and mix. The new design will ensure the
building is fit for this purpose, decking will be
added to the front, providing additional space
during the summer, structural changes will be
made to increase light and space and special
consideration will be given to the fit. The cost
of the project will be £650,000.
The Foundation is seeking support from the
whole Bradfield Community, through pledges
and donations or from anyone who can help
with the fit out.
11
SNIPPETS
Chris Romer-Lee (A 86-90) is co-founder
of Studio Octopi who have unveiled their
vision for a swimming pool in the Thames.
Architects have suggested creating a floating
25m pool and plunge pool within the river,
with floating pools on wooden and steel
struts overhead beside Blackfriars bridge.
It is believed the river will be clean enough
for leisure use once Thames Water’s
proposed supersewer is completed in 2023.
Robin Booth (D 58-61) served as Master
of the Clothworkers’ Company for 2012-13.
Founded by Royal Charter in 1528, the
Clothworkers is one of the City’s Great
Twelve Livery Companies and a leading
grant-making charity, its Foundation having
awarded grants in excess of £100 million
since it was established in 1977.
A Chartered Accountant, Robin’s City career
spans nearly fifty years. Having qualified with
Moore Stephens & Co., he worked for the
private bank Rea Brothers for sixteen years
before becoming Finance Director of the
London Chamber of Commerce and
Industry in 1990. Now retired from
executive roles, he remains a Trustee of the
Chamber’s Commercial Education Trust.
David Shepherd with Davina Bosanquet (I 98-00)
Davina Bosanquet (I 98-00) recently won
the ‘wildlife in motion’ category at the
Wildlife Artist of the Year Awards 2013, an
award she also won in 2010. She has spent a
lot of time abroad, painting the landscapes
around her as well as the animals within
them. In 2013 Davina has focussed on South
America as a theme travelling to both Brasil
and Patagonia.
Davina recently begun an oil painting course
in Patagonia instructing budding artists on
portraiture, landscapes, and painting animals,
magnificent views, spring flowers and an
introduction to the hugely welcoming
Argentinean culture.
12
The idea, inspired by the popularity of the
Thames as a swimming destination after the
arrival in the capital of the first sewers, has
been revealed at a London As It Could Be
Now exhibition at the Royal Academy.
Left to right: Julian Spencer (D 70-74),
David Norwood (Housemaster D 63-82),
Colin Burgess (House Tutor 72 - present),
Adrian Rose (D 61-66)
D House Lunch: I recently set my ‘Satnav’
for the Memory Lane route to deepest rural
Dorset to meet up with David Norwood
and two distinguished former members of
D House. Numerous reminiscences were
exchanged over a most congenial farmhouse
lunch which David very kindly convened and
hosted. It was fascinating to compare notes
on what had – and what hadn’t – changed
over the several decades spanned by the
assembled company.
Colin Burgess, SCR
Tim Luther (A 88-93) recently opened
London’s first traditional sherry ‘tabanco’
tavern in the West End. Drakes Tabanco is
an authentic Jerez tavern serving the fortified
wine straight from the barrel. The launch of
the Spanish-style tavern indicates the
growing popularity of sherry among a
younger generation of Londoners.
Tim, owner of central London’s Barrica and
Copita tapas bars, said he believed it was
the first true tabanco to open outside of
Spain. The tabanco sells five types of sherry
by the glass from 50-year-old oak barrels. It
is named after Sir Francis Drake, known as
El Pirata in Spain, who is credited with
introducing the drink to England after a raid
on Cadiz.
Mark Slingo (C 95-00) is a PADI (Professional
Association of Diving Instructors) Course
Director in Phuket, Thailand.
After learning to dive on the Great Barrier
Reef whilst backpacking around Australia,
Mark became hooked on diving, He has
worked his way up to PADI Instructor,
diving in many countries including Kenya,
Spain, Malaysia, Croatia and Thailand.
After this Mark worked towards the rating of
PADI Course Director in a 5* Career
Development Center in Thailand. He earned
this rating in 2008 at the age of 25,
becoming one of the youngest Course
Directors in the world. He followed this with
a stint as a Course Director in the Red Sea.
In the past few years Mark has worked with
hundreds of students on Instructor
Development Courses to help them in their
goal of becoming PADI Instructors.
He has also set another landmark. On land,
at least, Mark is confined to a wheelchair
following an accident (non-diving related)
when he was working in Thailand. He is the
first and only wheelchair user to achieve the
rating of PADI Course Director putting him
into the top 1% of PADI Instructors.
Mark specialises in showing others how to
properly interact with, train and motivate
people who have overcome physical
challenges. Teaching primarily through
Disabled Divers International (DDI), those
he teaches truly benefit from his first-hand
experience.
James Nicholas (A 64-67) has been made
Deputy Lieutenant of the county of
Herefordshire. The role of a Deputy
Lieutenant is to support and promote the
Lieutenancy in Herefordshire and to represent
the Lord-Lieutenant in performing a range of
public duties when required. Deputies do not
receive any remuneration for undertaking
duties on behalf of the Lord-Lieutenant, and
their service to the county is entirely voluntary.
SNIPPETS
Micky Denehy (E 73-78) and his son Sam
(D) swam the Henley Classic at dawn on
Sunday 30 June for Reading And District
Hospitals Charity raising over £4,400. It took
them 1 hour and 10 minutes of hard
swimming ending with the wonderful sight of
dawn rising over Henley.
The Henley Classic swim is 2.1 km
endurance swim in the Thames, the course
runs upstream the length of the Henley
Regatta rowing course. The money raised
went to the Dingley Specialist Children’s
Centre at the Royal Berks Hospital.
Alexander (F 98-02) and OB parent Nick Wooldridge
Alexander Lezaic (F 98-02) founded
freestyle ski clothing brand, ESDS Clothing
in Meribel in 2011, aiming to bring colour
and style to the mountains.
Henry Hanning (A 52-57) held a regimental
lunch at Bradfield on Sunday 1 September to
commemorate the centenary of the Reading
and District Branch of the Grenadier Guards
Association. Both the National Association
President and his successor in January are
OBs Euan Houstoun (E 59-63) and Richard
Aubrey-Fletcher (C 68-72) who attended
the lunch.
Colonel Euan Houstoun OBE (E 59-63)
cycled from Wellington Barracks, London to
Waterloo in Belgium on 24-27 September,
with at least 299 others. He has so far raised
over £3100 in aid of The Colonel’s Fund
Grenadier Guards, which has been raising
money since 2007 in order to provide
support to Grenadiers who have been
seriously injured in Afghanistan, and to the
families of those who have been killed. The
Grenadiers have carried out three tours in
Helmand Province and have lost 15
members of the Regiment who were killed
in action; in addition, the Regiment has
sustained a large number of battle casualties,
with many suffering life changing injuries.
The fashion brand recently signed a deal
with the Extreme Sports Company. The deal
with ESDS will result in a range of limited
edition t-shirts sold exclusively from the
ESDS website followed by a winter range
of hoodies and long sleeve t-shirts.
Alexander says: “since leaving Bradfield,
I have amused myself with several different
industries. Undecided on what to do,
I sought advice from my wonderful mother.
She advised me to pick something I love,
anything at all, and make money from it.
I picked fashion and skiing!
I came up with a new ski clothing
accessories brand called ESDS Clothing.
ESDS being an acronym for Eat, Ski, Drink,
Sleep! What does one do on a ski holiday
anyway?! The brand is very bold, and
extremely colourful. I feel skiing is a time
where one can be a bit more extrovert and
dress more colourfully than the everyday
conservative office attire. Please feel free to
check out the website www.esdsclothing.com.
The beanies and headbands (pictured
above) make super stocking fillers!
If you’re in the Three Valleys at all this
winter, look out for me at any of the Meribel
après haunts and be sure to say hello!”
Lily James as Lady Rose with Andrew De
Perlaky (H 95-00) as Sir John
Andrew De Perlaky (H 95-00), who goes
by the stage name Andrew Alexander,
recently made his Downton Abbey debut as
Sir John Bullock. His character has been
described by show insiders as a party-loving
cad who likes a drink and as Sir John Bullock
he caused a bit of drama at Downton.
Andrew has previously appeared on stage in
The 39 Steps in the West End and he’s also
set to star in The Monuments Men, which is
packed with A-list talent including George
Clooney, Matt Damon and Cate Blanchett.
Andrew was reportedly Kate Middleton’s
childhood crush, playing Freddie EynsfordHill alongside Kate’s Eliza Doolittle in St
Andrew’s Prep School’s production of Mr
Fair Lady.
Will Russell (E 02-07) completes Ironman Wales
On New Year’s eve last year I decided to
sign up for Ironman Wales and so the
journey began. After taking part in London
Triathlon, Marathon and some other swim
races at Eton Dorney as preparation the big
day soon arrived.
It was a pretty gruelling challenge as you can
imagine and I was incredibly delighted in the
end just to finish. At times, the open water,
rolling hills and cobbled streets seemed
never ending but with lots of tremendous
support especially from some of my
dedicated training buddies along the way,
I managed to cross the line in just over
15 hours! It truly was an unforgettable
experience, bar a couple of unpleasant dark
and wet hours towards the end, yes – not
most people’s idea of fun but the local road
side entertainment especially from some
friends and family who made the long
journey down to Pembrokeshire sure carried
me over the line!
With many kind donations throughout the
six month journey, I have raised over £5000.
This is an unbelievable amount and far more
than I ever imagined. Without people’s
generosity Anthony Nolan could not
continue to prosper in delivering a
sustainable charity. There is still time to
donate, to view my page please visit
uk.virginmoneygiving.com/williamrussell1
Gordon Wetherell (A 62-66) retired from
the Diplomatic Service in 2012 having served
in his last four posts as Ambassador in
Ethiopia and Luxembourg, High Commissioner
in Ghana and Governor of the Turks and
Caicos Islands. He was also non-resident
Ambassador to a number of other African
countries. He was appointed Companion of
the Order of St Michael and St George
(CMG) in the 2011 Birthday Honours.
13
QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY HONOURS
Oli Barrett
MBE (F 91-96)
We would like to congratulate Oli Barrett
(F 91-96) who was awarded an MBE in the
2013 Queen’s Birthday Honours for Services to
Business and Entrepreneurship.
Oli became a successful entrepreneur when he
came up with the idea for the Tenner scheme,
the national schools enterprise challenge, after
being inspired by a local vicar who handed cash
to his parishioners and challenged them to
make money for the church.
Make your Mark with a Tenner started five
years ago and 25,000 young people are set to
take part this year. School pupils are given £10
from the Tenner Bank and use this start-up
capital to get their business off the ground,
working alone or in a group. They have a
month to make as much profit as they can
from their tenner while also trying to make a
difference and give back to society.
His £10 challenge, currently run by education
charity Young Enterprise, has been taken on by
more than 100,000 school children, with the
money returned if a profit is made.
He is also a co-founder of StartUp Britain, the
private-sector led initiative launched by Prime
Minister, David Cameron his Government and
60 firms in 2011. Its aim is to help budding
entrepreneurs around the country by giving
them access to practical support from
established businesses and business owners.
The not-for-profit campaign engages with
50,000 children across the UK.
Oli’s main business is Cospa, where he is a
Director and co-founder. Cospa is interested in
helping brands to get better business returns
from what might have previously been seen as
‘CSR’ or ‘social action’ projects.
Responding to the award, Oli said “This comes
as a complete surprise and I’ve been
overwhelmed by the amazing response from
friends and colleagues. Every project I’ve ever
worked on has only been made possible by
fantastic partners and colleagues. Without
them, most of my work would have stayed on
the drawing board. I’m incredibly thankful for
their support and look forward to working with
them and others to create the next projects”
Sarah Fane
OBE
We also send congratulations to Dr Sarah Fane,
Founder of Afghan Connection who has been
appointed as an Officer of the Most Excellent
Order of the British Empire(OBE) in recognition
of her services to charitable work, particularly
for young people in Afghanistan. Sarah is a
Governor of Bradfield and a current parent.
of our donors, who have had the courage to
support our work in education in one of the
toughest environments in the world.
Recognition too, must go to the M.C.C. who
give us vital support for our cricket projects,
helping us to bring joy and hope to thousands
of children across 22 provinces of Afghanistan.
“It is a great privilege to be recognised with this
honour. Afghan Connection is proud to have
played a part in the great success story of
education in Afghanistan which has seen
enrolment in schools increase from just 1
million children in 2001 to over 9 million
children today.
My inspiration comes from my own family,
from the determination of the Afghan people
to have their sons and daughters educated and
from the children themselves, who want to be
the generation to bring peace and prosperity to
their country.
Our achievements have been possible only
because of the small but superb team of
dedicated people at Afghan Connection, our
partnership with the Swedish Committee for
Afghanistan, and the extraordinary generosity
14
We are about to fund our 40th school and as
the world starts to withdraw its troops from
Afghanistan, we will pledge to continue our
support for the years ahead in the firm belief
that education is the key to the future of
Afghanistan.”
COVER STORY
There are five main routes up, we did one of
the longer routes, Lemosho, allowing an extra
day for our bodies to acclimatise to the hostile
oxygen depleted environment. Camping for
seven nights without any creature comforts, or
comfort for that matter, is tough in itself, but
add to that the fact that from night two you’ll
be subjected to freezing temperatures, invasive
sub-zero fog and, if you’re lucky, only the minor
side effects of altitude sickness.
The walking aspect of the challenge is definitely
doable. You just trek ‘polé polé’ (‘slowly slowly’
in Swahili) for several hours a day passing
through monkey filled jungles, lunar landscapes,
clamber over giant boulders, and then up
above the snow line. Camaraderie in the group
is brilliant and a real boost when the lack of
privacy and your resilience to yet another night
listening to people snoring threatens to awaken
your inner grump monster. However, one of
the biggest surprises along the way was that
the food was exceptional! We all had hopes of
losing a few pounds on this trek of a lifetime,
but the chefs prepared gourmet 3-course feasts
for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The porters did
a superb job, and I’m half embarrassed to admit
that for the 21 of us we had a crew of 81
porters, cooks, guides, water carriers and one
poor chap in charge of the camp toilets, but
each of them were instrumental in getting us
up that beast and we couldn’t have done it
without them.
of us, the head torches of a few hundred other
brave souls attempting to reach the summit for
sunrise.
I can hardly remember the details of that sixhour, pitch-black stagger up the mountain. At
one point I started to have a panic attack at
the lack of oxygen, which nearly became an
unbearable spiral of uncontrollable fear until
that nagging voice in my head reminded me
that if a clinically obese, fag-smoking Radio 1 DJ
managed this darn mountain then I could too.
(Though by all accounts the celebrity team
took nearly twice the time to reach the top,
aided by the gift of an oxygen tent to rest
in . . .)
Kaddy Lee
Preston
(I 93-95)
‘Climb and punishment’
On finally reaching the summit I didn’t even
have the energy, brain power or coordination
to dab on a bit of the make-up I’d carted up
there in the hope of sprinkling some glamour
onto my face. All I could manage was a robotic
wave and a sob of relief. We’d done it, and
raised £77,000 for a local school with the
British run charity Village Education Project
Kilimanjaro.
Photo: John Jobey
Climbing Kilimanjaro has been the best and
worst thing I’ve done in my life. I signed up for
the challenge at Christmas, cushioned by the
10 month stretch between agreeing to it and
actually setting off. A group of 21 of us flew to
Kilimanjaro International Airport on Friday 13th
(lucky for some) September and of that six
didn’t make it all the way to the summit of
Uhuru (meaning ‘Freedom’ in Swahili). One in
four who attempt Kili don’t make the 5895m
(19,341ft) true summit, either being taken
down with Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), or
worse, or having to turn back at the crater rim,
unable to push to the peak.
So, what makes it all worth it? Aside immense
elation and satisfaction from pushing your limits,
seeing dawn break over a volcanic crater rim
and eerie grey moonscape, glaciers slowly
lighting up in warm pink rays is an out-of-thisworld experience. For ten minutes or so, we
basked in delirious high-altitude pride, and one
of the most glorious natural sights in the world:
the glaciers on the Roof of Africa. It was 0650,
and ten minutes later we started our two day
descent . . .
Photo: John Jobey
Whilst each day has its own difficulties, it’s the
summit night itself which really hurts. You have
dinner perched at 4,600 metres at a bleak,
post-apocalyptic boulder-strewn camp site,
enveloped in pervasive freezing fog above the
snow line. It is here the doubts and the cold
really start to creep in. Just after midnight on
the Autumnal Equinox 22nd September we set
off in high spirits, buoyed by seeing the
flickering of tiny lights up the mountain ahead
15
FROM THE ARCHIVES: MILITARY
Lieutenant
Commander
Geoffrey
White
(1900-01)
The submarine HMS E14, Captained by OB
Lieutenant-Commander Geoffrey White at
Bradfield 1900-01, has been photographed in
her final resting place, 94 years after she went
down under heavy shellfire during the First
World War.
Found after 94 years –
the submarine which
won two VCs
The precise location of the wreck in the
eastern Mediterranean was a mystery until it
was discovered by Turkish divers this month.
The British government has been informed of
the discovery and is due to raise the matter
with the Turkish authorities to ensure the site
is properly preserved as a war grave.
She is a vessel unique in the history of the
Royal Navy – the only one in which two
captains won the Victoria Cross for their
exploits aboard.
E14 sank in January 1918, with the loss of 25
lives, after she was sent around 20 miles into
the heavily fortified Dardanelles, the narrow
straits between modern-day Turkey’s European
and Asian coasts, to torpedo the flagship of the
Ottoman empire’s navy.
She navigated through dense minefields and
past a string of enemy forts on both shores but
when her captain, Lieutenant-Commander
Geoffrey White, found that his target was not
where it was expected to be, he instead
attacked another enemy vessel in their path.
However, one of the torpedoes exploded
prematurely, damaging E14 and alerting
Ottoman forces along the coast to the
submarine’s presence.
White headed back down the straits towards
safety but was eventually forced to surface the
craft after her controls became unresponsive
and the air on board began to run out. The
vessel was instantly battered by intense
bombardment by guns from both sides of the
straits, but White left the comparative safety of
the boat’s hull to go up on deck to navigate.
Realising the submarine could not reach the
open sea, he directed her towards a nearby
beach, in an effort to save the crew. A survivor
recalled that his last words were – “We are in
the hands of God”, uttered moments before
he was killed by a shell and the submarine
went under.
For his actions, he was posthumously awarded
the VC. Only seven of E14’s 32 crew managed
to escape from the stricken craft.
The shipwreck was discovered by Selçuk Kolay,
a Turkish marine engineer, and Savas Karakas, a
diver and filmmaker, who have spent three
years trying to find it.
They established the approximate location
from studying documents kept at the National
Archives, in Kew, west London, as well as
surveying the positions of coastal defences. In
2010, they detected an unusual object on the
seabed just off the town of Kum Kale while
scanning it from a boat on the surface.
The submarine was found at a depth of 65ft,
around 800ft from the beach. It is lying at an
angle of almost 45 degrees on the sloping
seabed, and all but the front 23ft of the 181ft
vessel is covered in sand.
While the wreck looks largely intact, at least
one shell hole is visible near the bows,
indicating the battering the submarine took.
Her location also suggests she was less than a
quarter of a mile from getting out of the straits
and out of the range of guns.
White was from Bromley, Kent, and had gone
to school at Bradfield College, Reading. He was
killed at the age of 31, leaving a widow, Sybil,
and three children under the age of six.
His medal is now owned by his grandson,
Richard Campbell, 60, from Pulborough, West
Sussex, who keeps it in a bank.
“I have always felt that my grandmother is the
only person who really had the right to sell it, if
she wanted to,” he said. “It was very dear to
her. She had great pride in it, without a doubt.”
16
FROM THE ARCHIVES: MILITARY
A plaque in memory of war hero and former
Milford resident John Ouvry, at Bradfield
1905-09, has been unveiled at the village’s
All Saints’ Church. The plaque, which marks
Johns work in successfully recovering a German
magnetic mine in 1939 which enabled Allied
forces to combat their use in sinking ships, was
revealed during a dedication service led by the
Reverend Dominic Furness.
John served as a midshipman and later sublieutenant on battleships throughout the First
World War. At the end of the war John
worked as a torpedo officer specialising in
mine warfare. He was seconded to the Royal
Australian Navy as head of their torpedo
school.
By this time John had firmly established himself
as a torpedo and mines expert and his next
move was to a shore-based position with EMS
Vernon near Portsmouth, where he was put in
charge of the department which rendered
mines safe.
The experience that John amassed In his career
became critical to Britain in 1939, when, after
the loss of two destroyers, a cruiser and 27
merchant ships to German magnetic mines,
John was charged with retrieving one so a
means of neutralising it could be found.
Working on direct orders from Winston
Churchill, John found himself deployed to the
Thames estuary at Shoeburyness in November
1939 where a mine had been spotted.
Led by the army private who first noticed it,
John and his colleagues waded out through the
mud flats in pouring rain to the large menacing
object which was partly embedded in the mud.
By the light of lamps John took rubbings from
two fittings at the end and special tools were
quickly manufactured to work on the device
which was packed with 1,000lbs of high
explosives.
The following day they returned and over a
period of around 40 minutes John unscrewed
and lifted out the hydrostatic valve which
armed the mine, as well as two primes and
two detonators. The various fittings were then
taken back to EMS Vernon where their secret
was revealed - an electromagnetic device
which detonated the mine when ships passed
overhead. Within a few months John’s work
had enabled Britain to develop sensors that
would give an advanced warning to ships
approaching these mines. A month later John
received the DSO (Distinguished Service
Order) medal when King George VI personally
visited EMS Vernon to carry out the Investiture.
Commander
John Ouvry
JP DSO
(1905-09)
Plaque in memory of war
hero who unlocked secret
of Nazi ship mines
The plaque, which has now been Installed
inside the church close to the existing war
memorial, reads: “In commemoration of a
brave and gallant naval officer who left behind
a lasting legacy in rendering safe mines and
explosives. He and his beloved wife Lorna
were much beloved members of this church
community.”
John and Lorna lived in Milford from 1959.
and John was a magistrate at Lymington until
he was 70. Several of his former friends and
church colleagues were at the memorial
service, along with representatives from Milford
British Legion and the villages historical society,
two of his four sons, David and Geoff, and
several grandchildren including Lieutenant
Commander Janet Ouvry.
17
ANNOUNCEMENTS
MARRIAGES
BILLINGTON, Charlie (H 93-98) to Naomi Martin on 26 May 2013 at
Parish Church of All Saints, Kenton, Devon.
BOURIAK, Anna (K 98-00) to Robert Martin
on 21 September 2013 at Cliveden House,
Taplow, Berkshire.
DADAK, Rupert (C 93-98) to Alice DelmarMorgan on 21 September 2013 at All Saints’
Church, Thornham.
ELVIN, Christopher (C 94-99) to Helen
Huxtable on 6 July 2013 at St. Andrew's
Church, Monkton Wyld, Dorset.
HANNING, Christopher (A 94-99) to Charis
Anna Bouriak
Cheung on 15 June 2013 at Christ Church
(K 98-00) and
Mayfair, London.
Robert Martin
Charlie Billington
(H 93-98) and
Naomi Martin
Christopher Hanning
(A 94-99) and
Charis Cheung
Marissa Jacoumis
(J 97-99) and
Edward Winslet
JACOUMIS, Marissa (J 97-99) to Edward Winslet on 14 September
2013 at The Guildhall, Windsor.
LOWNDES, Emma (J 98-00) to Liam Ryan on
6 July 2013 at All Saint’s Church, Farley,
Wiltshire.
ORTON, Jamie (D 93-98) to SIMONDS,
Johanna (I 96-98) on 11 May 2013 at St
Peter’s Church, Clyffe Pypard.
ROBERTSON, Stuart (F 95-00) to Holly
Knight on 13 July 2013 at Church of the
Blessed Sacrament, Exeter.
TARRY, Chloe (I 03-05) to Joseph Goode on
4 May 2013 at St Mary’s Church, Long
Chloe Tarry (I 03-05)
and Joseph Goode
Crendon, Bucks.
Stuart Robertson
(F 95-00) and
Holly Knight
Will Simonds (C 98-03), Jamie Orton (D 93-98),
Johanna Simonds (I 96-98) and Raymond Simonds
(B 62-66)
BIRTHS
BARRETT, Will (F 95-00) and Zoe a daughter, Heidi Marina, born 5 September 2013. A sister
for Flo.
DUNN (nee Suffield-Jones), Siobhan (I 95-98) and Adrian a son, Jeremy Nathaniel, born 6 May
2013. A brother for Lydia.
FISHER, Paul (F 95-00) and Sam a son, Henry Oliver Floyd,
born 3 April 2013.
Henry Fisher
MASTERS, George (E 94-99) and Elizabeth a son, Frederick
Theodore Lightfoot born 4 October 2013.
WEATHERLAKE, James (A 91-94) and Teodora a daughter
Sophia Elena, born 18 September 2013.
Heidi and Flo Barrett
Lydia and Jeremy Dunn
WILSON, Peter (F 94-99) and Francesca a daughter Grace
Elizabeth, born 2 July 2013.
Sophie Weatherlake
DEATHS
ARDAGH, David Guerin (E 43-46) on 5 August 2013
FYJIS-WALKER, Richard Alwyn (E 40-45) on 17 September 2013
GOULDEN, Charles Edward (H 36-41) on 22 December 2012
GREEN, Henry Hillersden (D 56-60) on 18 August 2013
HUYSHE, Alan Nigel (G 69-72) on 25 July 2011
KNIGHT, David Robert Walker (G 46-51) on 9 February 2012
MORTIMER, David Lawrence Fortescue (A 36-40) on 28 May 2013
NOBLE, James Douglas Campbell (F 35-36) on 16 August 2013
PORTER, Alistair Michael Douglas (B 60-64) on 13 May 2013
REEVE, Philip Alfred (E 43-45) on 23 December 2011
ROBINSON, John Abrahall (E 44-47) on 21 May 2013
ROWELL, Oliver John (G 45-49) on 25 June 2013
RYE, Nicholas Arthur (A 52-56) on 28 March 2013
SADLER, Michael Richard (H 60-64) on 27 March 2013
SMEE, Philip James Brock Mcneil (B 58-63) on 25 December 2012
STURROCK, John Wilfred (G 36-40) on 6 September 2013
TAUNTON, Richard John (H 39-44) on 27 June 2013
TYNDALL, John William Marriott (H 57-62) on 29 September 2013
URQUHART, Ken (SCR 80-06) on 28 October 2013
WILLIAMS, Robert (C 64-68) on 18 September 2013
WILSON, Snoo (Andrew James) (G 62-66) on 3 July 2013
IN ORDER THAT ANNOUNCEMENTS ON THIS PAGE ARE ACCURATE, OBS AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE URGED TO SUBMIT THE CORRECT INFORMATION.
18
OBITUARIES
James Douglas Campbell Noble was born in
Victoria, Vancouver Island, on April 21 1921,
the fifth and youngest son of Captain Frederick
Noble, RN, and his wife, Elsie Mackintosh. After
school at Bradfield and Canford, he was
commissioned into the Argyll and Sutherland
Highlanders in 1940.
As a young officer in 1942 Noble was taken
prisoner at the fall of Singapore and spent the
next three years in brutal conditions of
punishing labour and near-starvation. Many
fellow prisoners succumbed to tropical illness.
Modern historians place the death toll on the
Burma-Siam railway at around one in five Allied
PoWs – upwards of 12,000 men.
At great personal risk, Noble kept a diary,
devising numerous ruses to hide it from his
captors as he was moved from camp to camp,
finally burying it for friends to find later and
return to him after the war. “The ink had
faded, and parts were eaten away by white
ants,” he recalled. “As I read it in the civilised
surroundings of my home, I could not believe
that I had written it. The handwriting was mine,
but it might have come from another world.”
After demobilisation, Noble joined the
investment department of Kleinwort Sons and
Grahame Blundell left Bradfield in July 1945. He
joined up and after initial training was posted to
the Royal Artillery 25th Training Regiment at
Watchet, Somerset. He was selected for officer
training almost immediately. He expected to
make the army his career choice for life,
however, while at the RA OCTU, he was
diagnosed with an illness that forced him out of
the army. He then received special training for
ex-officers at Bristol’s Merchant Venturers
College for a potential business career.
He joined an advertising company in Gloucester
where in his free time he reorganised the
“Young Conservatives”. He was soon
appointed to head up the London and
European office of the Gloucester company.
Some years later he joined Rank Xerox as the
International Showrooms and Exhibitions
manager for the company where his duties also
involved organising special events. In 1967 he
went to Hong Kong to take responsibility for
the Hong Kong Government pavilion at
Expo’70 in Osaka, Japan. He was resident in
Japan for a year in 1970. In 1971 he was
awarded the MBE. After the close of Expo’70
he returned to Hong Kong as an Assistant
Director of the Government Information
Services. From Hong Kong he and his family
for the next 35 years managed the portfolios
of a wide range of institutions and individuals as
a partner, successively, of Fieldings, Colgraves
and Kitcat & Aitken.
James Noble
(F 35-36)
In the late 1950s, through a fellow Far East
PoW, Noble was introduced to Binkie
Beaumont, managing director at HM Tennent,
who was looking for a finance director following
the company’s successful investment in the
newly-formed Anglia Television. Noble held this
position from 1958 until Beaumont’s death in
1973, a period during which Beaumont was one
of the most powerful figures in British theatre.
After Beaumont died in 1973, Noble remained
chairman of HM Tennent for four years until
the company was sold, working with Sir John
Gielgud, Sir Ralph Richardson and Lord Olivier,
among others. Although never particularly a
theatre buff himself, as finance director he
proved a safe pair of hands for the agency as it
produced some of the most glamorous and
commercially-successful West End successes of
the post-war era.
James Noble married, in 1956, Patricia TaylorYoung, with whom he had three daughters and
a son. Their marriage was dissolved and in 1978
he married Tessa Luckock, who survives him.
then moved to Alberta, Canada where he
continued his work on special events including
responsibility for the Alberta Government
pavilion at the Expo’86 in Vancouver, Canada.
He retired from the Alberta Government in
1994 and started his own company teaching
media courses mainly to the ‘oil patch’. He
finally wound down his company and
immediately used his experience as a special
event organiser to raise money for his local
municipal library in Strathcona County Alberta.
Grahame
Blundell MBE
(A 40-45)
Grahame had a keen interest in the arts and
spent many hours in art galleries throughout the
world, going to concerts and the live theatre
wherever he was. He was an inveterate traveller
and went around the world several times. He
was fantastic company and would chat long and
hard, well into the evening, on subjects as varied
as culture, cricket and decent cheese and wine.
He died on 11 April 2013 leaving his wife Lisbet,
two daughters in Canada and two daughters
from his first marriage in England. He leaves
seven grandchildren in the UK and Canada. He
will be much missed and remembered for his
humour, generosity and zest for life.
David Blundell (A 72-76)
19
OBITUARIES
Richard
Fyjis-Walker
CMG, CVO
(E 40-45)
Richard Alwyne Fyjis-Walker was born in 1927
and educated at Bradfield and Magdalene
College, Cambridge. At 13 he made the first of
many appearances in the correspondence
columns of The Times, when his father wrote
quoting the boy’s account of a night air raid he
had witnessed at his school. “There was a
terrific row. AA guns blazed away; a few eggs
came earthwards and the place shook and the
windows rattled; altogether a good show.”
There, already, are the composure and gift for
wry observation that would stand the future
diplomat in good stead in some of the world's
more awkward spots.
After three years in the 60th Rifles, serving in
India and the Netherlands, he turned to
merchant banking, before Joining the Foreign
Service. Fifteen years of postings followed, two
of them – unusually for a man who was not an
Arab specialist – in the Arab world.
A turning point came in 1971 when FyjisWalker, at the age of 44, was posted as
counsellor to Ankara. In 1951 he had married
Barbara Graham-Watson, with whom he had a
son. That marriage was dissolved, and in
Ankara he married Gabriele Josefi, a member
of the German diplomatic service. She brought
him much happiness, as well as wholehearted
and elegant support in the second half of his
diplomatic career.
In 1974 Fyjis-Walker was transferred to
Washington as Information Counsellor. In
Washington he had a more convivial, if not
unchallenging task. In 1976 he stood perilously
but successfully between the American media
and the organisers of the Queen’s state visit for
the bicentenary of the United States, man aging
the difficult feat of winning respect and
affection from both. He also had to deal with
the rambunctious British press party
accompanying the royal trip. The Queen
appointed Fyjis-Walker CVO at the end of the
visit.
He stayed in Washington for three happy
years, in which he and Gaby supplemented
established diplomatic friendships with a rich
acquaintanceship among the press. A year at
the United Nations in New York followed: too
short a period to get fully on top of the job,
but a welcome chance to explore the city's
artistic side. Then, at 52, came appointment as
Ambassador in Khartoum. He stayed almost
five years in the heat, dust and difficulty of the
Sudan. Fyjis-Walker’s rather old-fashioned
courtesy and calm served him well; he and his
20
wife both claimed to have enjoyed almost
every minute of what was a difficult and overlengthy mission.
In 1984 he was transferred as Ambassador to
Pakistan, again no bed of roses and again a
country in which Britain both enjoyed and
suffered the consequences of a past imperial
relationship. As in the Sudan, Fyjis-Walker's
quiet, almost quizzical approach won much
admiration. At the same time, his physical
appearance amused his hosts: with a dark
complexion, thick greying hair and a drooping
moustache he was the very model of a
Pakistani of distinction, and was occasionally
mistaken for one.
The year 1987 brought retirement to London.
With a young son to educate, Fyjis -Walker
wanted employment, and found it as chairman
of the Commonwealth Institute. It was in its
own way a bed of nails to equal some of his
diplomatic appointments. Eventually Whitehall
decided that the Institute should go to the wall
if it could not secure its own financial future.
Throughout these travails Fyjis-Walker, by
nature a moderate and even a sceptical man,
flung himself energetically – if unavailingly – into
the Institute's cause. In 2002 the Institute's
building was at last, controversially, closed. Only
now, more than a decade later, is it being
redeveloped as the new home of the Design
Museum.
That dispiriting end came after Fyjis-Walker had
left. From 1993, now in his late sixties, he set
about enjoying retirement. He remained
engaged, however, with the political and
diplomatic world.
Fyjis-Walker and his wife had cultural
enthusiasms, travelled widely and had many
friends. Their beautiful house in Islington, North
London, was the scene of warm and elegant
parties. They lived a happy life to the full, and
Fyjis-Walker remained active until a matter of
days before his sudden death.
Fyjis-Walker was appointed CMG during his
service in Khartoum, having been rewarded
with the CVO for his efforts four years earlier
with the royal visit to the United States. He is
survived by his wife and his two sons.
OBITUARIES
Oliver John Rowell was born on 25th February
1931 to Andrew and Olive Rowell. Andrew
was a successful Actuary, working for Clerical
Medical and General whilst Olive was busy at
home, raising Jean and Oliver.
to the 41st Field Regiment meant relocation to
Ismalia, Egypt.
Oli started his education in 1936, when he
joined Beaconsfield’s New Gregories School.
Two years later, he moved to Norfolk House
School in Knottys Green, where he spent eight
years in preparation for the tricky Common
Entrance examination, which he sat as
hostilities ended in 1945. Happily, Oli cleared
this academic hurdle, and so began four, in his
own words, ‘blissfully happy’ years at Bradfield
College. Academically Oli progressed well,
obtaining his Higher Certificate, but his efforts,
especially in the latter years, were diluted by
personal interests in the cinema, cycling and his
housemaster's rather attractive daughter!
Following the completion of his National Service
in 1951, Oliver returned to Calumet, where his
father (now Sir Andrew Rowell, following his
knighthood in 1948) had been busy building the
British United Provident Association (now known
as BUPA). In February 1952 Oli started as office
clerk in BUPA's Claims Department, Oliver was
in fact fathering what was to become his second
family. BUPA's explosive early growth meant
that by April 1953 Oliver had been promoted
to Assistant Manager of the Hampshire /Dorset
regional Office, and his return to London in 1955
was heavily linked to the creation of Nuffield
Nursing Homes Trust two years later. Oli left
BUPA to join Nuffield in 1959 and seven years
later he was appointed their General Manager,
a post he held until his retirement at 60.
In Summer 1949, Oli left Bradfield, with two
years of National Service stretching before him.
Lance Bombardier Rowell completed his basic
training in Oswestry Shropshire, and joined the
Royal Artillery’s 39th Medium Regiment,
stationed in Horns, Libya. A subsequent move
Oliver married Sue Viccars in September 1959,
at Loretto School in Musselburgh, Scotland. She
survives him along with three children, Sara
Frances, Fiona Mary and myself, and six
grandchildren.
Andrew Rowell
Andrew James Wilson (Snoo was a childhood
nickname) was born in Reading and educated
at Bradfield, where his father was a teacher and
where Snoo obtained a glider pilot’s licence.
His mother was the headteacher of nearby
Downe House. Snoo went on to the University
of East Anglia to read American studies under
Malcolm Bradbury and graduated in 1969.
But tastes in the theatre change with the
political climate. Artistic directors began to look
to a dour and nihilistic political theatre to
reflect a more despairing zeitgeist, or to more
commercial projects to keep their doors open.
It was not for another 10 years that Snoo’s
second golden period began, back at the Bush
theatre, under Jenny Topper’s management,
where Simon Stokes brilliantly directed The
Number of the Beast (1982), More Light (1987)
and Darwin’s Flood (1994).
In 1968 he was a founder member, with David
Hare and Tony Bicât, of Portable Theatre.
After he had worked as a script editor for the
BBC’s Play for Today strand, Snoo’s plays The
Soul of the White Ant (1976) and Vampire
(1977) were critically praised. Snoo also wrote
plays for larger stages commissioned by the
major subsidised companies, though not the
National Theatre. The Royal Shakespeare
Company had success with his play The Beast
(1974), which portrayed the magician Aleister
Crowley as a fantasising and seedy hedonist.
The Observer’s Robert Cushman praised the
“Stoppardian exhilaration” of Snoo’s The Glad
Hand (1978) at the Royal Court.
In 1985 Snoo was a successful, widely published
and prominent writer. His libretto for Jacques
Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld, in which
the character of Public Opinion was clearly
modelled on Margaret Thatcher, was
performed by English National Opera.
Oliver Rowell
(G 45-49)
Snoo (Andrew
James) Wilson
(G 62-66)
Snoo was busy to the end of his life. He had
begun a commissioned play for the Theatre
Royal in Plymouth. His play about the painter
Egon Schiele, Reclining Nude with Black
Stockings, was performed in 2010 at the
Arcola theatre. There are plays still to be
performed and many are still in print, waiting
to be rediscovered and reworked by future
generations.
Snoo was a warm and generous man, a loyal
friend and as wonderfully eccentric as his work.
He laughed a lot, occasionally at his own jokes
– a transgression that was easily forgiven.
He is survived by his wife, the journalist Ann
McFerran, whom he married in 1976, his
daughter, Jo, and two sons, Patrick and David.
21
OBITUARIES
Henry Besant
(A 86-91)
Henry Ernest Bryden Besant was born on 19th
May 1972 and attended Bradfield, where he
was a member of the Football 1st XI and
performed in Greeker.
Henry was a leading figure in the London
drinks industry, having held positions behind
some of the city’s finest bars.
His first big break came in 1993 when he
opened the legendary Mas Café in Notting Hill,
which he ran for four years. In 1997, the group
expanded, with Henry becoming director and
general manager of 57 Jermyn Street, an
exclusive Mayfair members club.
Henry set up another legendary bar, The
Lonsdale in Notting Hill, in 2002, which received
numerous awards. He is the only venue manager
to have ever won the Time Out Bar of the
Year award for two consecutive years, securing
it for the Lonsdale in 2003. Other awards
included Best New Bar in the Class Magazine
awards in 2003 and Flavour magazine awards in
2004 followed by Best Bar Manager UK in both
the Class and Flavour awards in 2005.
In 2004 he co-founded drinks consultancy
Worldwide Cocktail Club along with fellow
cocktail enthusiast Dre Masso.
He is renowned for his love of Tequila, which
led him to co-create the Olmeca Altos brand
and launch the Tahona Society with Masso in
2009, which today has more than 1,300
members around the world.
By 2010, Henry joined Strangehill, an industry
consulting firm launched by Nick Strangeway
and Cairbry Hill, where he continued to
support the Olmeca Altos brand as well as
establish the Tahona Society.
Henry is survived by his three brothers, Tom,
Will and Leo, plus thousands of friends around
the world.
AFFILIATED CLUBS
Waifs v
Pelsham
Golf Day
22
On Friday 13 September 12 Waifs and 12
Pelsham Cricketers took to the Golf Course
once again for a friendly competition. The day
began with tea, coffee and bacon rolls at the
Club House followed by a shotgun start and a
morning of golf. Luckily the rain held off for most
of the morning. The players then enjoyed a
drinks reception followed by lunch in Pit Pavilion.
AFFILIATED CLUBS
His brother Richard Morris (G 00-05) scored a
match-winning century, earning himself man of
the match.
Richard smashed 112 off 95 balls including
three sixes and 12 fours. James Morris said: “My
little brother played the most sensational knock
in one day cricket I have seen since I started to
play Minor Counties games.”
Rather like the College shooting, the Old
Bradfieldian Shooting Society has had a bit of
a resurgence this year. The Public Schools
Veterans Match in July was well attended by
some of the regulars and also by a number of
people who have not shot for many years.
Team selection proved difficult, with many
people shooting well on the day, and we
entered three teams of five for the Public
Schools Veterans match. We were not quite
good enough to beat the Old Malburians,
who won the day, but it was a perfect
summer evening and we enjoyed the match.
Our A team came 4th, with Nick Tremlett
(A 72-76) top scoring to win the Elgood
Trophy. The B team came 10th. 12 OBs sat
down afterwards to dinner in the North
London Rifle Club.
Our chance to settle the score came in
September. The Quadrangular match is shot
annually between the old boys of Bradfield,
Wellington, Dulwich and the winners from
July, Marlborough. The OBs were
represented by Tristan Head (D 86-91) (who
in last years’ match had picked up a rifle for
the first time since leaving college), Edd
Richard has been plagued by back trouble and
almost quit cricket four years ago but this
performance confirmed his remarkable
transformation from bowler to batsman.
Three OBs in
winning team
Back in 2009 Richard was released by
Hampshire and was suffering from a third stress
fracture in his back. He had to give up bowling
and was struggling to bat too. “The hardest
thing was to find the motivation to keep going.
I always had a little ability with the bat but I had
to change my mind-set as you only get one
chance batting and if you mess up, you’re out”.
A third Bradfieldian, Shelvin Gumbs (G 07-09)
was also part of the winning Berkshire team.
Mearns (H 04-09), Simon Dixon (C 58-61),
Paul (D 69-74) and Nick Wakefield (D 74-79)
and Richard Vary (E 86-91). We started in
light rain and a moderate wind at 500 yards.
Tristan, borrowing Richard’s rifle and Edd’s
jacket, dropped only two shots out of the
bulls eye for a very healthy 48 out of 50. Edd
(also borrowing a rifle) came away with a
solid 46. Paul and Nick each managed a 47,
and Simon lost only one for a 49. He then
coached Richard, keeping all his shots within
the bull for a 50 (his coaching was all the
more impressive since Richard had
got down with the elevation for
600 yards on his sights).
Photo: Eddie Greville, Reading Post
James Morris (G 98-03) captained the
Berkshire County Cricket team as they won
the Minor Counties Cricket Association
(MCCA) trophy for the second time in three
seasons. The team defeated Shropshire by 128
runs at Wormsley.
Richard Morris (G 00-05) with brother
James (G 98-00)
Shooting
Falling back to 600 yards we were
solidly placed but by no means winning.
The rain cleared to a bright evening with
a steady breeze, and the team shifted up
a gear. Tristan put in a personal best score
of 49. Edd, Simon, Richard and Paul all had
respectable 48s, but Nick dropped only one
for a 49. It was enough: we beat Marlborough
into second place by five clear points and
retained the trophy for a second year.
Richard Vary (E 86-91)
23
AFFILIATED CLUBS
A Celebration
in Honour of
Steve Long
On Saturday 2 November a celebration in
honour of Steve Long to mark 26 years as
master in charge of Bradfield football took
place at the College. The day began with an
exhibition match on Rectory One played by
two hand-picked teams of old members of
the football 1st XI and some members of the
SCR. The match was refereed by Steve Long
himself; ex-Radio 2 sports reporter and
current Deputy Head of Faulkners, Jonny
Saunders (F 88-93) commentated. The final
score in an exciting close match was 4-3.
Teams then headed up to the AWP and
were met by other OB footballers to play a
competitive six-a-side tournament. Six teams
of Old Bradfieldians from different year groups,
ranging from the class of 1990 to 2011 leavers,
and an SCR team took part. In the closely
contested final the SCR team took on Daniel
Hutchinson’s (C 00-05) team. The OB team
of 2005 leavers managed to secure the win.
The evening’s celebrations began with a drinks
reception in the Linnell Room followed by a
fantastic three-course black tie dinner in Hall.
Speeches were made by Headmaster, Simon
Henderson, Chris Saunders (SCR 64-80) and
BBC Berkshire news and sports commentator
and reporter, Tim Dellor (G 89-94). Steve
was then presented with a framed picture in
recognition of his service to Bradfield football.
Luke Webb (G 00-01) succeeds Steve as
Master in Charge of Football.
Football
24
The Old Bradfieldian Football Club
unfortunately finished a promising 2012-13
Season on a low ebb, as a twelve match
unbeaten run came to an end in our last game
of the season, which also resulted in our
missing out on promotion to the Arthurian
Premiership. In a game where nearly
everything that could have gone wrong did go
wrong Bradfield succumbed to a 3-1 away
defeat to Malvern, finishing the game with a
patched-up medley of walking wounded.
There were around five injuries during the
game and two players reported ill on the
morning of the game.
Nonetheless after struggling through our first
five games of the season, winning one,
drawing two and losing two our turnaround
in form, which almost resulted in promotion
and in reaching the Quarter Finals of the
Arthur Dunn Cup, including a memorable
home win over Premiership Eton, was
incredibly encouraging and suggests that the
Old Bradfieldians can emulate the College’s
footballing prowess over the next few
seasons. The new players who joined the
Club last season brought quality and
character in equal measure and combined
with some of the more established faces of
AFFILIATED CLUBS
recent seasons the structure of an excellent
team is emerging.
this in mind we are keen to hear from anyone
interested in running a team.
The 2013-14 Season will undoubtedly provide
many challenges and indeed our first game
resulted in ignominious defeat, with a very
revamped an inexperienced side, but the
ambitions for the players must be to secure
promotion to the Premiership. To do this we
need a strong squad and are always keen to
hear from good players looking to get involved
with Old Boys Football. The Club is also
actively looking to re-establish a 2nd Team
for the 2014-15 Season, as a strong Club
requires more than one team within it. With
Looking back on last season it would be unfair
to single out individuals, so instead I would like
to thank all who played for their efforts and
commitment. One exception is Jon Martin
(D 00-05) deserves a mention and thanks for
his hard work, terrifyingly organised approach
and dogged tenacity in the role of Club
Secretary. Finally on behalf of the Club I would
like to thank the Old Bradfieldian Society, Will
Barrett, and Luke Webb for their support in
running the Club.
Julian Stutley (G 98-03)
Bradfield OBs made a dramatic return to the
Arrow Trophy, an old public schools event.
It is held on the Solent in Sunsail’s new fleet
of Sunfast 40s, competed between the usual
suspects of Wellington, Charterhouse,
Uppingham etc. 22 teams in all.
after the Saturday, with every other team bar
one having at least one big result in their
score-line.
Bradfield hadn’t competed since 2006 and
before that 2001-04, where we managed to
win it three times with one second place
overall. With the return of Archie Massey
(D 90-95) into the team, fresh from winning his
fourth International 14 World Championships,
expectations were high. We also had many
of the original team from the early 2000s
returning in the form of Douglas Peniston
(F 72-76) (Navigator), Rich Rowntree (F 86-91)
(Bow), Ollie Meats (D 86-91) (Trimmer), and
a number of new faces, Ben Watts (C 95-00),
Peter (A 86-91) and James Lewin-Harris
(A 84-88), Mark Stubbings (A 78-83) and
James Lavery.
After a fast blustery sail over on Friday night,
we had a short windy night in Cowes Marina.
(I think next year, I might follow other teams
examples and sleep off the boat.) Anyway we
had the briefing at 8.30am Saturday, followed
by a 10am start. The Saturday of the event
entails a series of four 1-hour long races to
determine the top four, who then go onto
the Match-racing finals on Sunday. The
remainder of the fleet fight it out for fifth in
another two fleet races.
So to the racing, we managed to consistently
finish around fourth in every race in what was
some pretty light fluky winds and a strong
tide. Meanwhile leaders in the first races
would follow with 17ths. This consistent
performance allowed us a surprise 2nd overall
Sailing
Saturday night, we had the usual prize-giving
of the year before’s winner and dinner in the
Royal Corinthian. Bradfield was sat in the
perennial table in the far corner of the
Marquee, with the gentle cool breeze.
Sunday arrived with a bang and 20
knots of wind. In the first race, we
were nicely in control of the start,
until suddenly we weren’t. However
we kept it close up the first beat
and with superior spinnaker work,
rolled Uppingham on the run.
However our drop never quite
happened. By the time, the
spinnaker was untangled from the
jib, Uppingham were well gone.
On the second match we
quickly dispatched Wellington,
without spinnakers as the
wind-limit had been
reached. This left it do or
die against Winchester to
reach the final. Although we
started ahead, our upwind
pace wasn’t quite there and
we were passed on the
second beat. And in the
third/fourth play-off,
we lost both starts
and hence both races to Wellington. All
slightly disappointing after Saturday’s success.
Anyway, next year we’ll take all we’ve learned
about the Sunfast 40s and hope to regain the
form or yesteryear!
Archie Massey (D 90-95)
Arrow Trophy led
by Commonwealth
Champion
25
AFFILIATED CLUBS
Golf
Changes were put in place prior to the 2013
Season at the AGM in November 2012. Simon
Osborn was elected Captain for 2013 and
2014 in succession to Martin Young, who was
proposed as a Vice President, his election was
greeted with acclamation.
Once again the Spring Meeting was held in the
delightful surroundings of Worplesdon Golf Club.
The morning Stableford Singles for the Blunt
Salver was won by Andrew Shilton (C 73-78).
The afternoon Foursomes competition was
won by Andrew Shilton and his guest, Phil
Jacobs, on a count back from John Allday
(E 53-57) and Simon Osborn (A 71-76).
The Grafton-Morrish team of Charlie
Oldmeadow (C 96-01), Will Cairns (G 83-88),
Jeremy Silver (H 88-93), Paul Robson (H 89-92)
and Nick Garrett (F 95-00) and led by Nick
Coombs (C 85-89) qualified joint first at
Denham. In the finals at Hunstanton we were
less successful narrowly losing to Glasgow
Academy 2-1 in the 1st round. In the Alba
Trophy at Woking we were represented by
Ben Metters (G 03-08) and Jonny Rafferty
Waifs Cricket
2013 was much more conducive to cricket
than the wash-out of the previous year;
14 matches were played, not as many as on
the fixture cards of years gone by but twice
as many as last year. Altogether six were won
and five drawn, in three of which the Waifs
had the opposition nine wickets down.
Sadly one of the three defeats was at Oundle
in the first round of The Cricketer Cup.
Oundle Rovers were contained to 218 for 9
in their 50 overs and despite a flourish at the
beginning and again at the end of their innings
the Waifs fell short by 23 runs. Charlie
Russell (E 98-03) started the reply with 35 in
four overs with three sixes but apart from
Jack Bransgrove (D 07-12) who held the
innings together with 53 on his Cricketer
Cup debut (having earlier taken 3 for 51 in his
ten overs), the middle of the innings folded
disappointingly and only a last wicket stand
of 40 between Alex Lezaic (F 98-02) and
George Graham (D 05-10) showed what
might have been. Next year the Waifs travel
to the same region to play Uppingham Rovers
in the first round; success in that match will
be rewarded with a home draw through the
rest of the competition.
Matt Judge (D 06-11) at Waifs Week in July
26
In Waifs Week the matches against Free
Foresters and Pelsham respectively ended in
two close finishes. Over two thousand runs
(H 03-08) and they finished in the top four in
this Scratch Competition.
The Summer Meeting was held in the glorious
surroundings and conditions at Bradfield but
sadly attracted a very poor entry. Colin
Roberts (H 53-58) won the Singles
Competition for the splendid Cooper Tankard.
A very enjoyable afternoon round was held at
Royal Wimbledon and the Ruperti Salver was
won by Andrew Eve (G 71-75). There were
also several convivial matches against the Old
Canfordians at Huntercombe and the Old
Carthusians at West Sussex, this provided a
very satisfying win against our old rivals!
Following another happy and successful
weekend at Littlestone we received the very
sad and shocking news of the sudden death
of John Tyndall (H 57-62) a very loyal and
regular supporter of the OBGS. He had been
a gentle and unobtrusive organiser of golf and
transport on numerous tours. He will be
greatly missed by us all.
James Wyatt (G 58-63)
were scored over the four days but both
games ended with the Waifs one wicket short
of victory. On the Friday MCC were bowled
out for 206 but the Waifs could only manage
183 in spite of fifties from Andy Rishton
(F 08-13) and Craig Williams (E 89-94). On
the Saturday Hampshire Hogs were easily
overcome, their total of 132, unusually low
for them in the Week, was overtaken midafternoon with only three wickets down.
In the other out-matches there was a
comprehensive 170 run win against the
Butterflies: Jonny Gaffney (F 06-11) took 4-27
after Hugo Darby (C 07-12) had hit 154, the
highest score by a Waif in many a year and
Jack Bransgrove 90 which he followed with
109 in the traditional game against the
College XI. For the XI there was then an
opening partnership of 161 between Prithvi
Shaw (A) and Andy Rishton but Hamza
Riazuddin (G 03-08) with 5-16 bowled the
rest out for just another 35 runs. Against the
Strollers Craig Williams made a hundred and
Alex Lezaic just short with 93 against Gemini.
With many recent leavers playing and making
significant contributions to the Waifs over the
summer this was an encouraging season and,
we hope, holds the club in good stead for
2014 and beyond.
Robert Stallard (G 57-62)
REUNIONS
On Sunday 11 August it was lovely to see so
many turn out to remember Mike Clark
(H 95-00) at Bradfield.
The day began with a few words of dedication
alongside the installation of a memorial bench
and planting of a tree in memory of Mike by
the score box on Pit.
Following this the Waifs played in a friendly
cricket match against Mike’s university;
Southampton University Cricket Club on Major.
The Waifs were victorious!
Mike Clark
Memorial Day
It was a beautiful summers day and fitting
tribute to Mike.
27
REUNIONS
1951-52
Football XI
Reunion
“Alive but not kicking”
On July 27 2013 five members of the 1951-52
Football XI met at Simpson’s-in-the-Strand for
a joyful and happy reunion.
The five consisted of the captain Michael
Parkinson (G 47-52), Chris Pool (H 47-52),
Henry Maitland (F 47-52), George Burne
(A 48-53) and myself Charles Clore (D 47-52).
Thanks to the power of the Internet Chris was
contacted in Uruguay and Michael travelled
from South Africa to be with us.
Left-Right: George Burne (A 48-53), Charles Clore (D 47-52), Michael Parkinson (G 47-52),
Chris Pool (H 47-52) and Henry Maitland (F 47-52)
Over copious amounts of red wine and roast
beef, memories came flooding back particularly
of huge wins against Winchester and Eton.
Regretfully I reminded all present those
matches were played in the spring of 1951 and
we all only played because of a flu epidemic.
Michael’s Team still holds the record for the
fewest wins and most losses of any Bradfield
team since the Second World War but having
now held our first reunion we are determined
to uncover other survivors for our next
reunion in 2014!!
Glasses were raised to remember Dick
Chapman (H 49-54), probably the best postwar Bradfield footballer without him even our
two victories may not have happened!
Foremost in the memories of all present was
the visit to Highbury in 1952 to see Arsenal
beat WBA 6-3 and then the subsequent
magnificent tea laid on by my parents Miriam
and David Clore in their West End Flat.
Hopefully other members of Michael’s XI will
read this and get in touch.
Charles Clore (D 47-52)
OBG Lunch
28
On Wednesday 15 May a group of around
30 Old Bradfieldians, who were at the College
during the Winter of 1946-1947, met for their
annual convivial lunch at the Boot and Flogger
near London Bridge Station.
REUNIONS
We have had a fantastic response to our
monthly pub nights, which began in September
last year. Each month we see new faces as well
as regulars and it’s great to see everyone
catching up and enjoying a drink together.
Over the summer we tried new locations and
different days which proved popular. We hope
to hold a Friday evening pub night followed by
a club night in London later this year.
Monthly
Pub Nights
29
REUNIONS
Classes
1992-2002
30
On Sunday 23 June a record turnout of over
250 OBs, guests and children joined us at
Bradfield for a windy but thoroughly enjoyable
reunion. The day began with a Pimm’s reception
on Quad followed by a three-course lunch in
the marquee on Major. Children were treated
to a fantastic crèche facility so that parents had
time to catch up with old friends. Following
lunch pupils led tours around the College before
everyone reconvened in the marquee for tea.
REUNIONS
At the Junior Tempus Fugit lunch on Thursday 31 October, Martin Latham (D 56-61)
was presented with the OB Salver for 2013-14 by the Warden, Martin Young (C 59-64)
for his outstanding contribution to the College and the Old Bradfieldian Society.
OB Society Award
Martin Latham has
served on OB Society
committees for over
15 years, 13 years of
this as Honorary
Treasurer for the
Society, he was also a
member of Council.
The award marked
Martin’s retirement
from the position of
Honorary Treasurer
for the OB Society.
He has been
succeeded by Edward
Wilson (F 95-00).
31
Diary of Events
Sunday 8 December:
Festive OB Day and Huxham 10 Miler
11.30am – Football Tournament (AWP)
12 noon – Huxham 10 Miler (Major)
Hockey Tournament (AWP)
Netball v College
Fives v College
Shooting v College (Range)
Squash v College (Bodie Courts)
2.00pm – Lunch (Hall)
2.30pm – Trophy Presentation
3.30pm – Carols by Candlelight (Chapel)
followed by mulled wine and
mince pies
Monday 16 December:
Class of 2012 Reunion, 7.00pm
Tuesday 17 December:
Class of 2009 and 2010 Reunion, 7.00pm
Wednesday 18 December:
Class of 2011 Reunion, 7.00pm
The Duke on the Green,
235 New King’s Road,
Fulham, London SW6 4XG
Saturday 21 June:
Bradfield Day
Classes 1963-1973, Lunch at Bradfield
Antigone, Greek Theatre
Friday 20 and Saturday 21 June, 8.30pm; Sunday 22 June, 3.00pm;
Tuesday 24 June, 5.00pm; Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 June, 8.30pm.
OBs are encouraged to come to the performances on 21 and 22 June.
Please visit www.facebook.com/oldbradfieldiansociety
or www.obsociety.org.uk for information on any of
these events.