The Bugle - Autumn 2021

THE

Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2021

BUGLE

Autumn 2021

Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2021

CONTENTS Stay in Touch 2 2 Stay Connected Bolton School Merchandise 2 Welcome Messages Roy Battersby, President of the Old Boltonians’ Association 3 Nic Ford, Head of Boys’ Division 3 Foundation News Farewell to Sue Hincks 4 A New Structure for Bolton School 4 Welcome from the Head of Foundation 5 The Mail Bag 6 Continuing Support 8 School News Founders’ and Benefactors’ Assembly 9 Charity Fun Run 9 MCC Cricket 9 Prizegiving 9 Andy Compton Retires 10 Scott Trust Takes Over Clifford Ingham Fund 10 Development Team Expands 10 Results Day Celebrations 11 Gold All Together Status 11 School Celebrates Black History Month 11 Old Boy Features Inspiring the Next Generation 12 An Unconventional Life: Jeremy (Sid) Lomax 13 Alumni Authors 14 Find Your Path – Old Boltonians’ Mentoring Scheme 15 Countdown Success: Adam Latchford 16 Football Focus: Nat Phillips 17 Gin Genius: Andrew ‘Ned’ Niedzwiecki 18 Freemasonry 18 Channel Challenge: Chris Fairweather 19 Staff in the Spotlight: Mrs Edge, Mr Harrison and Mr McNeil 20 Ironman 22 23 Events 25 The Bolton Alumni Network 25 The Boltonian Sports OBAFC Report 26 OBAFC Centenary Publication 26 Old Boltonians’ Golf Society Report 26 Man Up! Water Polo Competition 27 Mervyn Brooker Memorial Cricket Match 27 27 Bolton School Wine Collection Old Boys’ News News of Old Boys and Former Staff 28 Mini Reunions 32 Archives Looking Back 33 Ask the Archivist: Treasures of Bolton School 34 35 Lives Remembered 43 In Memoriam

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STAY IN TOUCH Connect with Old Boys and Old Girls on the Bolton Alumni Network: www.boltonalumninetwork.com.

CONTACT US

Connect with fellow Old Boys on LinkedIn: connect with Bolton School Alumni and join the Bolton School Group

T: 01204 434718 E: development@boltonschool.org

Development Office Bolton School ‘Like’ our Facebook page for event invitations, Chorley New Road School news and memories: search Bolton Bolton School – Old Boys and Old Girls (Official) BL1 4PA

Follow Alumni and School news via Twitter: @BoltonSchool/@BoltonSchAlumni Watch short films posted on the School’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/ boltonschoolmedia

THE TEAM Rebecca Brayshaw Development Manager Laura Firth Director of Development and Alumni Relations

Read regular blogs from pupils and staff from Hannah Fox across the campus: boltonschool.me/ View photos of Alumni events on Flickr at www.flickr.com/photos/bsalumni/albums Follow boltonschoolalumni to keep up with news, events and memories on Instagram. You can also follow bolton_school_foundation for the latest news and photographs from School and use #BSAlumni to share your own memories and photos.

Development Officer Frances Johnson Development Assistant Caspar Joseph Old Boys’ Liaison Officer Emma Metcalfe Alumni Engagement Officer Kathryn O’Brien Development Assistant

Visit the ‘Former Pupils’ section of the School website at www.boltonschool.org to see event photos, read Alumni career profiles, find news of Old Boys, view an up-to-date events calendar, update your contact details and more.

Stay Connected We hope you enjoy being kept up-to-date with what is happening at School and within the Old Boy community as much as we value the opportunity to stay connected to you. If your contact details have changed, or if you have not yet let us know your communication preferences and wish to continue hearing from School, then please contact the Development Office as soon as possible, or complete the Former Pupil Registration form found in the ‘Former Pupils’ section of the School website, www.boltonschool.org.

Bolton School Merchandise A variety of merchandise, including badges, photo frames, pens and umbrellas, is available from the store on the School’s website – please visit www.boltonschool. org/school-services/bolton-school-merchandise to see the full range and details of how to order.

All profits made from the sale of merchandise go directly to the School’s Bursary Fund which helps to make a Bolton School education open to all academically gifted pupils, irrespective of their families’ financial situations.

Newsletter Autumn 2021

WELCOME FROM THE PRESIDENT I am so glad to welcome everyone to the latest edition of The Bugle and with the optimism that we may well be about to resume in-person events after cancellation in the 2020-21 academic year as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The calendar this year will hopefully have its familiar rhythms: the regional dinners, the Cumbria lunch, leavers’ reunions, the Old Boltonian lunches, and the annual dinner.

The decade reunion which took place on Saturday 25th September for 1950, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, and 2010 leavers was very well attended and, as I write, there are a number of further events planned, including the Oxford Dinner on Friday 12th November and the annual Old Boltonians’ Dinner on Friday 3rd December. I very much hope we will have large attendances at these events and others through the year to give Old Boltonian activity the boost which the Association needs after such a fallow period.

A MESSAGE FROM THE HEADMASTER Welcome to this edition of The Bugle, the first to be published since I took over the leadership of the Boys’ Division.

In the six years since my arrival at Bolton School I have constantly been impressed by the achievements of the pupils, both in and out of the classroom. In addition to cultivating their own special interests and talents via the vast range of extracurricular activities on offer, they support a wide variety of charities and contribute in countless ways to the local community. Reading through The Bugle it is apparent that those compassionate qualities engendered by the School endure long after leaving this great institution – the Boys’ Division is clearly succeeding in its aim of producing young men who will make a difference for good.

The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted education hugely during the last two academic years. Schoolchildren throughout the country have had to contend with lockdowns and online lessons, and, on returning to the classroom, have had to stay in year group bubbles, with

Despite the cancellation of in-person events until recently, I was nevertheless very pleased to participate in a number of so-called ‘happy hour’ meetings via Zoom which helped to keep those present informed about progress at School despite the restrictions. One could not help but be highly encouraged by the resilience, sense of purpose, tenacity and adaptability shown in such difficult times.

The only in-person event which was able to be held was the annual cricket match between the School First Xl and MCC in July which was most enjoyable, even though we had to forego the sumptuous tea which is normally served on this occasion! It was a delight that during the afternoon I was able to catch up with a number of Old Boys and members of staff and enjoy the sound of willow on leather on the bottom Level.

For me the disappointment of lockdown is tempered by the fact that the Association has invited me to extend my term of office for a further year, an invitation which I am honoured to accept. I am looking forward once again to meeting with Old Boys at various occasions as the year unfolds and to indulge in the nostalgia of remembering “what we were like in our work and our play”.

Roy Battersby (1953-1961) Old Boltonians’ Association President, 2021

many of the regular aspects of school life put on hold.

Yet the atmosphere in the Boys’ Division has remained upbeat throughout: it is testament to the spirit and ethos of Bolton School that, far from being a negative experience, staff and pupils embraced the enforced circumstances and the changes they brought. In fact, a survey of boys, parents and colleagues revealed that some of the adjustments made to School life during the pandemic had been seen as improvements and should be retained – these include the continuation of homework being set and marked online and of parents’ evenings to be held online rather than in School. Interestingly, boys and parents alike wished for full uniform to be reinstated after it was temporarily made less prescriptive to facilitate more frequent laundering!

Another positive outcome of the pandemic is the increase in the number of Old Boys and Old Girls who have offered careers advice. Thanks to Zoom, Alumni from around the world have shared their expertise with Junior, Senior and Sixth Form pupils across the Divisions and have found this to be a rewarding experience – if you would like to motivate and inspire current pupils, please get in touch with the Development Office.

Now that restrictions have eased, it is wonderful to see the resumption of in-person Alumni events and I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible at the various reunions, lunches, regional dinners and School events planned this year.

Nic Ford Head of Boys’ Division

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Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2021

Foundation News Miss Hincks Moves On Miss Sue Hincks stepped down from her role as Headmistress in the Summer after guiding the Girls’ Division through a period of unparalleled success.

During her ten years in charge of the Girls’ Division, there was much to celebrate: Bolton School was named TES’ Independent School of the Year, received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service and achieved the highest possible outcomes during inspections. Sue also served

as President of the Girls’ School Association during 2019.

Many Old Boys will have met Sue and heard her speak at various Alumni events over the years and on behalf of the Old Boltonians’ Association we wish her all the very best for the future.

Sue Hincks

A New Structure for Bolton School The Bolton School Foundation has undergone a structural change. From 1st October Philip Britton, MBE, who successfully led the Boys’ Division since 2008, took up the new position of Head of Foundation, with oversight of all elements of the Foundation, including the newly-created Primary Division.

Nic Ford, who joined the School in 2015 as Deputy Head (Academic) in the Boys’ Division, has been appointed as Acting Headmaster. Following the departure of Sue Hincks at the end of the previous academic year, Lynne Kyle, who has served as Deputy Head in the Girls’ Division since 2008, is currently Acting Headmistress. During the coming months the Governing Body will conduct a full recruitment process to make permanent appointments to both of these roles.

Sue Faulkner, currently the Head at Beech House, and previously Head of Park Road, has been appointed to the new post of Head of the Primary Division, which comprises the School’s Nursery, Pre-School Class, Infant School, two Junior Schools and wraparound childcare facility, Kidzone.

The day-to-day education for boys and girls across all parts of the Foundation will be unchanged and for them there will be clear leadership across the three Divisions from faces familiar to both pupils and parents.

Commenting on the reconfigured arrangement, Ian Riley, Chairman of Governors, said: “At a time when the Foundation has more pupils than ever, these changes reflect the Governors’ desire to build for the future whilst retaining the strong identities and high academic standards of the individual schools. The Governing Body believes that now, with the School thriving, is the right time to implement change to invest in our future.

The Foundation of Bolton School envisaged by Lord Leverhulme intended much closer co-working between the two Divisions than has often been the case in our first century, whilst maintaining the vibrant identities of both

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single-sex girls’ and boys’ schools for children aged seven to 18 years. The growth of the younger part of the school, from babies in our Nursery to 11 year olds in Hesketh House and Park Road, could not have been anticipated by our founder. The brand new Primary Division mirrors his vision of the Boys’ and Girls’ Divisions, bringing greater focus to that part of the School and those important early steps in education.

“The School’s founding ethos – that children of the highest potential should be afforded the best possible education, irrespective of their financial circumstances – forms the blueprint for the Governors’ vision for the future of the Foundation. Led by Philip Britton, this new structure will help to keep our fees affordable for parents whilst driving forward the Governors’ agenda of widening access to the School through its bursary scheme, delivering true social mobility in Bolton and beyond. The new structure will allow us to build upon our nationallyrenowned reputation for partnership work within the local community, enhancing our reputation as one of the leading institutions in the town.”

Philip Britton commented: “It has been a great pleasure to lead the Boys’ Division for the last 13 years, sharing all that the boys and my colleagues have achieved. The opportunity to be the first Head of Foundation for the School is an enormous privilege. In the last decade, we have become recognised nationally as a leader in education and that focus on the experience of the girls and boys being the best they can be will continue to inspire us. Both Divisions are amongst the largest singlesex schools in the country and have shown the huge benefits to pupils of that approach to education, whilst also working together to provide the ‘best of both worlds’ for pupils with mixed activities where that adds value to the school day. Being able to take an overview of the next steps for the Foundation and to ensure its continued success, alongside the Primary Division and our commercial activities at Patterdale Hall and within School, will help us prosper in the future as we consolidate and develop our reputation as leaders in academic success, character development through activity, e-learning, social mobility and partnership work.”

Newsletter Autumn 2021

From the Head of Foundation: A New Chapter for Bolton School For Old Boys this is an occasion to say farewell as Headmaster of Boys’ Division and to say hello as Head of Foundation. For many Old Girls this is a chance for me to introduce myself, although I have met a great number of them at various events over the years and I look forward to meeting many more in the future and working with the Old Girls’ Committee.

I have spent many years talking about the history of Bolton School, celebrating our anniversaries and events and all that they mean for us. It is a rare moment when we are part of that history ourselves, yet the changes in the Foundation that took place on 1st October 2021, reported on the previous page, are just that. I feel privileged to be part of those next steps and wanted to share them with you.

In 2008 I soon found that being Headmaster of Boys’ Division was, in one sense, straightforward as the path had been well trodden by Poskitt, Baggley, Wright and Brooker before me. Each had brought their own character to essentially the same task of interpreting an enduring ethos of Bolton School in the times in which they found themselves. A Head must always know that, whilst they do add their own character to the role (and there are some big characters in that list) in the end, they are just adding their part to a much longer story of the School. The same is true of Girls’ Division, where the Heads follow a path made by Higginson, Spurr, Panton, Richards and Hincks. One feature of our new structures is that this must remain the case: the Divisions are led by the Heads and it is they who stand in that line of succession leading colleagues and boys and girls alike.

So what will the Head of Foundation do? I cannot follow the example of my predecessor since this is new to us all. Obviously, there is a job description, but we all know that only covers the basics of any role somewhere like Bolton School. The poet Machado wrote “Paths are made by walking, when you look over your shoulder you see a path you’ll never walk again”. If I can’t follow in the footsteps of others, we will, together, make a path.

As we all know, the Bolton School Foundation, which came into formal being on 1st April 1915, was very much the creation of Lord Leverhulme as he brought together the High School for Girls and the Grammar School for

Boys. It is quite clear from his writing at that time that he was committed to a clear identity for the Girls’ Division and the Boys’ Division and equally that he wanted the two schools to work together, taking advantage of their shared site and heritage – to have, as we say now, the best of both worlds. A significant part of my new role as Head of Foundation is to ensure that we have the necessary oversight, collaboration, and vision to identify those opportunities and to make the most of them.

To do so I will lead the team of the Head of Boys’ Division, Head of Girls’ Division, Clerk and Treasurer and the Head of the new Primary Division. The Primary Division draws together the younger parts of the School (the Nursery, Beech House and the Junior Boys and Junior Girls schools. Each will retain their own identity, but work together with an overview taken by the Head of Primary Division). This is also a new path being made, with the same intent of drawing on the very best from all those settings, making connections, celebrating differences, and shaping the younger part of our School that was so much less significant in 1915.

Over the years Heads have become more and more burdened with administration and compliance. In sharing these duties another aspect of my role will be to allow the Heads of Division to work much more closely with pupils and colleagues, knowing them just that little bit better and perhaps much more like what was possible in previous generations.

Finally, taking the lead that the role of Head of Foundation will be to carry forward the work envisioned

by Lord Leverhulme, I will be very closely involved with our bursary development work. This is about fundraising, but also about seeking and shaping the applicants for those bursaries from all parts of our local community, overseeing their time at School and launching them into the world of HE and work in such a way that they will thrive. This is real social mobility, something that Bolton School has often led the way on and will continue to do so.

These are exciting and enlivening times: a time when we can move on positively from how well the Foundation has coped with the challenges of Covid-19 and make a future for Bolton School we will all, quite rightly, feel proud of and that connects with the past, whilst looking to the future.

Philip Britton, MBE Head of Foundation

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Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2021

THE MAIL BAG A selection of emails and letters received since the last edition of The Bugle was published.

STAR LETTER Croquet Ted McAvoy (1958-1967) sent in this fantastic photo. Ted explains: “Over the years, our School has produced many excellent sportsmen with , Back row, L-R: David Hodgson a wide range of voy, Andrew Park, McA Ted skills. However, on Andrew Hilton, Roddy Thomps er Lees, only a few will Front row, L-R: GP Baxter, Rog remember the John Martins enthusiastic, but m. Founded in 1966 and short-lived, School Croquet Tea a single competitive had e hav defunct by 1967, we may match – but I’m not sure!”

Chorley New Road Michael Haworth (1955-1962) read with interest the feature in the Spring 2021 edition on the buildings along Chorley New Road associated with Bolton School and has provided some additional information: “It is my understanding that Beech House was the home of the Scott family around the start of the 20th century. The head of the household (either Samuel or [Sir] Francis Scott) founded the Provincial Insurance Company in 1903 – its first Head Office being in the town centre in Hotel Street on the site of what is now the TSB Bank.

“The Scott family moved up to the Lake District area in the 1920s because of Lady Scott’s health problems and about that time the School took over the property. Because of this connection, the School developed a long connection with the Provincial and many ex-pupils started employment there, after going on a ‘short-works’ course to learn about the insurance industry. I was one such ex-pupil, starting there in 1962 and working for the company until 1978.

“I know of several other Old Boltonians who also embarked on careers in the insurance profession via that same route during the 1950s, 60s and 70s, prior to Provincial being swallowed up by larger companies – RJ Heslop, JN Scott; D Sutcliffe; FV Trevena; JB Whittle; L Duckworth; JV Higson; J Wilson and FGI Nicholson to name but a few.”

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Fruitful Football Team Roger Farrington (1964-1971) sent in this photograph of the 1970-71 First XI football team. He recalls: “This team won the Public Schools sixa-side competition for the second successive year.

Back, L-R: Roger Farrington, Played on full size Johnnie Laverty, Guy Bewick, pitches on a single David ‘Chippie’ Fryer, Chris Carley, day, the team John Hardwick conceded only one Front, L-R: Paul Harrison, Nicky Sharrock, Carlton ‘Billy’ Wright (Capt), David Bailey, goal in six matches Alan Parkinson (0-0, 2-1, 2-0 in the group stage; 5-0 v Bury GS in the quarter-final, 1-0 v Malvern in the semi-final and 2-0 v Alleyne’s Dulwich in the final).

“Playing in all matches were: Carlton Wright, David Fryer, Roger Farrington and Alan Parkinson, with Paul Harrison and Nicky Sharrock making up the team in the final. Johnnie Laverty and David Bailey also played.”

Physics Fun Andrew Jameson (1963-1970) recalls relieving the tedium of a Physics lesson with some impromptu experimenting – with regrettable results!

“I enjoyed Physics at School, but one afternoon in the Sixth Form I became increasingly bored by the ramblings of my temporary teacher, Terry Butterworth, who was covering the absence of Brian Gallagher. I contemplated the Bunsen burner and its orange rubber gas tube and the swan-necked spout of the tap over the sink in front of me … I wondered if the tubing would fit on the ribbed outlet of the water spout. I discovered that it did without effort. With water and gas outlets connected it was not unreasonable to consider the interaction of water and gas – so, for over 15 minutes, water and gas taps were turned on. Unsurprisingly, not much happened and the gas tube was reconnected to its earlier host.

“For the next few days, the School heating and the kitchen experienced problems associated with gas supply that proved to be associated with water contamination. A few days later, I was summoned to the office of Mr Baggley, then Headmaster. I was fortunate that caning had stopped, but I nevertheless received six weekends of detention following my impetuous experiment – I never discovered how my guilt had been detected; my assumption remains that there must have been a ‘snitch’ in my class.”

Newsletter Autumn 2021

The Bolton School Ethos Stuart (Bill) Cumming (Class of 1951) was prompted to get in touch after reading the full text of his old School friend Raymond Doldon’s reminiscences (featured in the Spring 2021 Mail Bag). Bill and Ray have maintained contact since they both left School in 1951. Bill recalls his first day at Park Road and the consequences thereof: “My name was James Stuart Cumming, my mother’s name Marjorie Stuart Cumming. On my way to my first day at Park Road, I believed I had a girl’s name. Waiting at the bus stop in Turton, I saw a burly man repairing the road and heard his name, ‘Bill’. I gave myself that name on my first day at School – and as recently as last year have received notices from the School addressing me as such! I was in the gym eight and my name had the initial ‘W’ on the shield.

“I was very happy at School and will be forever grateful for the diverse and excellent education I had there and for the friends I made among both the students and staff.”

1960 Invincibles In difficult times it is often reassuring to look back and fondly remember the halcyon days of one’s youth.

Geoff Ogden (19501960) experienced such feelings recently when searching through some old photographs and records of School football and cricket teams.

“During the summer the 1st XI cricket team also remained undefeated, winning 14 of the 21 matches played. Duncan Worsley (1948-1960), the captain, showed great promise and was rewarded by being selected to make his debut for Lancashire CCC against South Africa at Blackpool CC where he scored 28, opening the batting with test player Alan Wharton.

First XI, 1960 (unbeaten by a school team) Back, L-R: L Mellor, D Callaghan, A Holcroft, D Worsley, T Broadhurst, D Gerrard, R Blagg (Linesman) Front, L-R: C Harrison, L Vickers, G Ogden (Captain), P Jarvis, D Jenner

“It was only then that I fully realised what an amazing year 1960 had been on the sporting front and how much I owed to my all-embracing education at Bolton School as I prepared for life in the outside world.

Six-a-Side Team 1960 Back, L-R: L Vickers, P Jarvis, D Worsley Front, L-R: C Harrison, G Ogden (Captain), L Mellor

“1960 was, without doubt, an outstanding year for the School senior football and cricket teams.

In January the six-a-side football team won the Public Schools Competition for the second year running by beating QEGS Blackburn 2-1 in the final at Charterhouse School. The 1st XI football team was unbeaten in school matches, winning 21 and drawing 6, and recorded a rare victory against the Old Boltonians, who were always a strong side.

“After leaving school Peter Jarvis (1952-1960) and I went on to gain football blues at Cambridge, playing against Oxford at Wembley, whilst Duncan gained his Oxford cricket blue against Cambridge at Lords. Furthermore in 1960 Peter and I were regular members of the Lancashire and Cheshire GS football team that was also undefeated whilst all three of us were in the Lancashire U19 cricket team that never lost a match.

“It is also worthy of note that the Farnworth CC team that won the Bolton League Hamer Cup final in 1960 against Walkden at Tonge CC included seven Bolton School boys. Apart from the three players already mentioned, Roland Gee (1953-1959), Peter Boardman (1950-1960), Alan Rushton (1945-1953) and Frank Hodgkiss (19571965) were also in the eleven. 1960 was indeed a year to savour!

First XI 1960 Back, L-R: D Ratcliffe (scorer), D Jenner, H Nightingale, D Stokes, M McNeill, T Howarth, P Shaw Front, L-R: D Walker, P Boardman, D Worsley (Captain), G Ogden, P Jarvis

“I am sure we are all very much looking forward to normal Bolton School education and sport resuming as soon as possible.”

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

Wakes Weeks, the exams having all finished.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme has long been a feature of Bolton School and the experiences of Peter Chandler (19581965), who completed his Bronze Award in the 1960s, will no doubt strike a familiar chord with many Old Boys and Old Girls!

“Our Expedition was a 15-mile hike, with an overnight camp.

Mr Jones took us over to Crown Point in Burnley. It rained so much that we were all too wet to camp out and so we stayed the night in the radio station up there. A group of us missed the bus back to Bolton and were picked up by a lorry which managed to overtake the bus in Ramsbottom – we jumped on at the next stop!”

Peter recalls: “The Expedition section was completed during the last days of the Summer term as we did not do anything too productive in the few days left after the two-week Bolton

Peter’s DofE reminiscences can be read in full in ‘Memories of School’ in the ‘Former Pupils’ section of the School website.

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Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2021

Continuing Support Thanks to the extraordinary kindness of our supporters, the School continues to offer one of the most generous bursary schemes in the country. Currently, one in five pupils in the two senior schools receives financial support for their education, with one third of recipients – 6% of the pupil body – receiving fully-funded bursaries.

One former bursary recipient who credits his bursary place with providing him with a foundation success is Joel Burgess, who left the Boys’ Division after receiving his GCSE results this summer. Joel signed scholarship forms with Bolton Wanderers FC earlier this year, and made his first team debut this July, when he came on as a substitute in a cup match against Chorley FC. Joel has signed with Sadly, Joel’s scholarship requires him Bolton Wanderers to complete a BTEC alongside his A Levels, meaning he was unable to continue his studies into the Boys’ Division’s Sixth Form.

His mother, Lesley Burgess, reflects: “Joel is extremely fortunate to have received such an outstanding education and we are very grateful to the School for their support over the past five years. Joel is a determined young man and playing for Wanderers has always been his dream. He has a strong foundation now on which he can build, especially if he should not be successful in pursuing his dream of becoming a professional footballer. I would like to thank the School so much for providing the opportunity for him to experience five years of an outstanding, all-encompassing, education.”

In order to demonstrate the transformational impact of their donations, the School is always delighted to be able to link significant supporters of the Bursary Fund to specific bursary recipients. Throughout his time in the Boys’ Division, Joel was linked with Taylor & Taylor Financial Planning, a family-run business owned by Old Boy father and son, Chris Taylor (Class of 1973) and Ross Taylor (Class of 2004). Chris and Ross have been supporters of the Bursary Fund since 2015, and have been delighted to follow Joel’s progress during his time in the Boys’ Division. They share the School’s pride in all that Joel has achieved, and hope to be able to watch him play for Wanderers in the near future.

Another such supporter is Old Boy Adam Crook (Class of 1992), who, after his promotion to the partnership of Goldman Sachs, the American investment banking firm, earlier this year, arranged a significant donation to the Bursary Fund through the Goldman Sachs (GS) Gives Fund to establish four new Sixth Form bursaries in the Boys’ Division. The first Adam Crook/GS Gives Bursary pupil joined the Boys’ Division in September this year, with further recipients set to join in the following three academic years.

Adam had strong personal reasons for wanting to make the

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donation, reflecting thus: “Looking back at my own family history, it’s only really in the last couple of generations that there has been genuine potential for social mobility, through access to education and a broader more meritocratic society. Education is transformational and for my grandparents, growing up in Bolton, today’s opportunities Adam was inspired to were just not available. Every child give something back should have the opportunity to to his former School fulfil their academic potential and that shouldn’t just be a function of where you grow up or whether your parents can afford it.

“I do think the School offers something unique and truly opens children’s eyes to opportunities in the community and beyond. I would love to be able to support some of those children who can’t take advantage of these opportunities because of family circumstances.

“Being at a US firm, the ethos of donating to a former school or college is quite engrained. It made sense to me, along with some other things I am doing with Veterans’ charities, to give something back to my old school and community.

The School’s Bursary Scheme does an excellent job of broadening access to education across the community and I would encourage any former pupil, who finds him- or herself in a position where they are able to help, to consider contributing to this effort.”

The School remains intent upon its long-term ambition to deliver needs-blind access to the transformational education it offers, and is indebted to its donors, like Adam, Chris and Ross, who have continued to offer their generous support to the Bursary Fund despite the challenges of the past eighteen months.

If you remember your time at the School fondly, and would like to ensure future generations of Boltonians receive the same opportunities your education offered to you, then please do consider pledging your own support to the Bursary Fund. Whether you choose to make a one-off gift, set up a regular donation or remember the School in your will, your generosity will make a real difference to the School’s ability to offer financial support to future generations of bright, talented young people, who will in their turn go out into their communities and make a difference for good.

To discuss in more detail how you might choose to support the Bursary Fund, please contact Laura Firth, Director of Development and Alumni Relations, by calling 01204 434718 or by emailing development@boltonschool.org.

Newsletter Autumn 2021

SCHOOL NEWS Assembly Celebrates Founders and Benefactors Old Boys from around the world Zoomed in to the Great Hall to watch this year’s Founders’ and Benefactors’ Assembly. The annual event, inaugurated in 2015 in the School’s 500th year, marks the anniversary of the death of Lord Leverhulme who died in 1925.

The Headmaster gave a brief recap of the School’s history, before focusing on the year 1905 when Mr William Hesketh Lever, as he was known then, gave the School a swimming

pool, which is now the Arts Centre. Lever’s notion that it was important to build a swimming pool reflected his belief in people getting better through education and exercise – the concept of an holistic education to which Bolton School still adheres today.

In drawing the assembly to a close, Mr Britton ‘congratulated’ the Year 13 boys on sitting through at least 400 of his assemblies and consequently having spent a week of their lives listening to him!

The assembly, which included the singing of Forty Years On and Jerusalem, can be watched on Bolton School TV at www.boltonschool.org/i-am-looking-for/bolton-school-tv.

Charity Fun Run On their penultimate day in School, Year 13 boys donned fancy dress and completed several laps of the Levels (walking or running as their costumes permitted!), raising nearly £200 for Barnardos.

MCC Cricket Fixture Returns It is a long-standing tradition that the Bolton School First XI cricketers face the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) team each summer on the School’s Levels. The annual match went ahead this year under Covid-secure conditions, after being much missed in 2020, and was thoroughly enjoyed by both sides. The sun even shone for the occasion!

The MCC match was also one of the first opportunities for Bolton School to welcome Alumni back into School grounds since the outbreak of the pandemic: a modest group of Old Boys came along to spectate the match while observing safe social distancing.

Prizegiving This year’s Prizegiving ceremony marked a welcome step forward after last year’s online celebration when neither guest speaker nor pupils were able to attend in person due to lockdown.

This time, the Headmaster was delighted to be able to welcome the prize winners and their guests into the Great Hall (albeit in a socially-distanced fashion) to listen to his customary overview of the year. Mr Britton presented the

prizes to all the worthy winners and congratulated them on their achievements.

Musical entertainment was provided The 2021 Prize Winners by violinist Harry Adams (Year 10) and pianist William Miles (Year 12).

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Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2021

Head of Cricket Retires after 18-Year Innings Andy Compton has retired as Head of Cricket in the Boys’ Division, having seen the School become national champions and several boys go on to forge careers playing at county and national level.

In addition to coaching the first team and overseeing the training of other teams across the year groups, Andy has arranged fixtures, Cricket has flourished under organised indoor and Andy’s stewardship outdoor net sessions, secured kit sponsorship and overseen improvements to

Scott Trust Takes Over Clifford Ingham Fund The Clifford Ingham Fund was established in 1987 to commemorate the work of former Boys’ Division Staff member Clifford ‘Butch’ Ingham, whose legendary status continues in the memories of generations of Old Boys, and Bolton School folklore, to this day, thanks to the ‘Trek Camps’ he ran for some 40 years. The aim of the fund was to offer financial support to Boys’ Division pupils to engage in outdoor activities which they would otherwise be unable to afford.

The Scott Bolton Trust Fund was established in 1962 by the Scott family to contribute to the cost of expeditions and travelling undertaken by pupils and former pupils

Development Team Expands In the Spring the Development Office bid farewell to colleague Laura Rooney as she took her knowledge and expertise to lead the Development Office at Bury Grammar School.

Laura joined Bolton School in 2017 and, amongst many achievements, played a significant role in boosting the number of Old Boys and Old Girls offering careers advice to current pupils.

Laura was held in high esteem by all those Old Boys and Old Girls who met her and we are sure you will join us in wishing her well in her future endeavours.

Old Girl Rebecca Brayshaw (née Hayton, 1990-1997) was welcomed to the Development Team in the Summer.

On leaving School Rebecca gained a

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the facilities. He has also been pivotal in four tours to the Caribbean, including visits to Grenada, St Lucia, Barbados and Antigua, which many Old Boys will remember.

Andy’s personal highlights include winning the national U15s ESCA/ECB T20 Final in 2012 at Arundel and helping the School to become one of the seven original MCC Foundation hubs, not to mention coaching future England opener Haseeb Hameed (Class of 2015) and Matthew and Callum Parkinson (both Class of 2015), who now play for Lancashire and Leicestershire, with Matthew also playing for England.

Liam Watkinson (Class of 2009) has taken over as Head of Cricket in the Boys’ Division – as Captain of the First XI he was coached by Andy. His appointment should make for some interesting matches with local rivals Manchester Grammar School, where his father, Mike Watkinson, is in charge of cricket!

of the School. Given that the objectives of the two funds overlap, the Trustees of the Clifford Ingham Fund proposed that the assets of that Fund should be donated to the Scott Bolton Trust Fund. Chairman of the Scott Bolton Trust, Dr Sheila Fisher (née Platt, Girls’ Division 1963-1970), is delighted to announce that the Scott Bolton Trust Management Committee has now taken on the responsibility of awarding the funding from the Clifford Ingham Fund to pupils.

Thank you to all Old Boys who have so generously contributed to the Clifford Ingham Fund: the new arrangements will ensure that their donations will continue to be awarded to pupils from both Divisions so that they may participate in and enjoy outdoor pursuits in the spirit engendered by Butch himself.

degree in Psychology from the University of Manchester.

Having managed her own company for a number of years, she brings a wealth of business acumen and events management experience to her role as Development Manager, in which she will work with the rest of the Team to promote the School’s Alumni and community engagement programmes.

In November, the Development Office gave a warm welcome to Old Girl Emma Metcalfe (Class of 2014), who joined the team in the newly-created role of Alumni Engagement Officer.

After leaving the Girls’ Division, Emma studied Marketing at Liverpool John Moores University. In her role in the Development Office, she will work alongside the Careers Departments and other academic staff in both Divisions, to develop the School’s programme of Alumni involvement in pupil careers and enrichment activities.

Newsletter Autumn 2021

Return of Results Day Celebrations Year 13 students departing Bolton School this summer had a highly unusual Sixth Form experience. They had essentially one normal term of Sixth Form life before the pandemic meant their educational journey had to continue through lockdowns, across distance learning and back in the classroom in year group bubbles.

and made the most of the limited opportunities available to them. Their hard work and perseverance paid off and they were able to enjoy a ‘nearly normal’ Results Day to celebrate a fabulous set of A Level grades. We wish them all well for the next steps in their life beyond Bolton School.

However, in true Bolton School spirit the boys did not moan about what could not happen, but stayed motivated

School Achieves Gold All Together Status Bolton School Boys’ Division has become a gold All Together school after taking part in the Anti-Bullying Alliance’s All Together programme. The award signifies that the School has reached the highest level in proving its commitment to stopping bullying and improving the wellbeing of its pupils.

A delighted Deputy Head (Pastoral) Helen Brandon said: “The whole Pastoral Team is very proud that our strategies to challenge and change the behaviours of those who engage in bullying behaviour have received Gold Status recognition.”

School Celebrates Black History Month Throughout October the School Boys’ Division was engaged with Black History Month.

Year 12 boys, in a session with Dr Liam Maloney from the University of York, learnt about segregation and racial disparities in Chicago, including the practice of ‘redlining’ where neighbourhoods, typically black and poor, received inferior levels of banking, insurance and government support, such as in schooling. They went on to explore the development of House music, tracing its socio-cultural and economic origins via slavery, the Great Migration, redlining and the Civil Rights Movement.

As the month unfolded, the School celebrated black cultures, drawing marginalised narratives into the frame and reflecting on important social questions. A ‘banned book trail’ invited pupils to participate in a range of challenging literacy activities, which included review writing, poetry composition and writing Galileo’s trial defence. It encouraged the forms of critical thinking required to form balanced, fair and considered viewpoints.

Departments across the School set tasks related to intellectual freedoms and diverse cultures. Students enjoyed working in response to extracts from Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam, reflecting on why To Kill a Mockingbird was so widely banned and learning about Partition in Broad Strokes, alongside Hind Swaraj, or Indian Home Rule, by Mohandas K ‘Mahatma’ Gandhi.

Clockwork, the School’s reworked version of A Clockwork Orange, to be performed in December by pupils in Years 10 to 13, explores contemporary social issues that have been prevalent in the news – the Black Lives Matter campaign, climate change concerns and women’s safety – and what it is like to be a teenager in the world today.

Two Sixth Formers were shortlisted as finalists for the Royal Society of Arts’ Pupil Design Awards in the summer.

Their project, ‘Engaging with Leverhulme’s Legacy’, was a response to the RSA’s ‘Roots to Empowerment’ brief ‘How might we challenge systemic racism by redefining heritage to ensure that future generations engage with a more inclusive story of our past?’ The students’ plans connect School, the Bolton community and other cultural organisations endowed by Lord Leverhulme, to the White Cube gallery in Lusanga, formerly Leverville. The judges praised the boys’ understanding and communication around cultural wealth and their approach in addressing this.

Autograph ABP’s The Missing Chapter exhibition has been on display in the Boys’ Division for over a year now and recently enquiry questions were added to the exhibit to encourage engagement. A temporary exhibition of Mauritian photographer Audrey Albert has also been displayed. Questions of identity and representation were raised within this exhibition too. Later in the year, Year 13 boys will consider The Missing Chapter photographs and matters of race and representation in popular culture via SPACE enrichment sessions. There will also be a screening of Freedom Fields.

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Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2021

OLD BOYS’ FEATURES Inspiring the Next Generation Old Boys studying and working in a variety of professions continue to offer their assistance to the current generation of Bolton School boys, sharing professional expertise and offering guidance. The Development Office and the Careers Departments have been delighted to work together to welcome these Alumni back to School for the benefit of pupils throughout the Divisions.

The full features can be read at the ‘Former Pupils’ section of the School’s website.

Interview Skills Evening The annual Joint Year 12 Interview Skills Evening in June had no choice but to be run virtually – which enabled a fantastic number of Old Boys to hold mock interviews with Sixth Form pupils. Thank you to the following for offering their time and expertise: Dental Surgeon Chris Harbour (1972-1979), Financial Services professional Carl Howard (1980-1990), Commercial Lawyer Stephen Lintott (1982-1989), Chartered Accountant Adam Syddall (1984-1998), Consultant Neurosurgeon Adam Razak (1992-2002), Sarfaraz Munshi (1994-2001), Medical Director with the NHS, Alex Shaw (Class of 2006), Speciality Registrar in General Surgery, Civil Engineer Afzal Ginwalla (Class of 2007) and Waqqas Patel (2007-2014), Foundation Doctor with Buckinghamshire NHS Trust.

Professor Edge Zooms in from America Professor Ronald Edge (Class of 1947) spoke to a group of Year 12 Physics pupils, offering both careers and general life advice.

He joined the boys via Zoom from West Columbia, South Carolina, to talk about his experience of working on the design for a nuclear accelerator, going two miles deep underground into gold mines and lecturing at many universities. He also spoke about his interest in optical illusions and US politics. The boys were also keen to hear about his memories from his time at School – especially his involvement in Pig Club!

Careers Carousel Continues Mentoring Opportunity Covid restrictions did not stand in the way of for Sixth Formers this year’s junior careers carousel!

Thanks to Zoom, Year 6 pupils at Park Road and in Hesketh House were able to be Rob gave a inspired by representatives from a variety of fascinating occupations. Rob De Maine (1995-2002), a overview qualified helicopter instructor with the Royal of being a Navy, joined Old Girls Natalie Rout (1993helicopter 2007), a London-based GP, Hannah Earp pilot (2000-2010), a marine biologist, and a team from UK Fast, a Manchester-based cloud-hosting company, to enthuse the boys and girls and to answer their probing and thought-provoking questions.

Individual Advice is Much Appreciated Thank you to vets George Peart (2006-2013) and Joseph Winrow (2008-2015) and to civil engineer Christopher Sumner (2004-2011) who kindly gave up their time to speak personally to current pupils seeking advice on how to apply to study these disciplines at university.

Thanks also to Giles Lever (Class of 1986), Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, who spoke to a group of Year 12 boys about a career in the Diplomatic Service.

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During a recent SPACE session (regular afternoons off-timetable in the Boys’ Division in which students engage in activities beyond the curriculum) boys in Years 12 and 13 were introduced to the Find Your Path mentoring scheme.

David takes part in the group discussions

Peter Acton, David Seddon and Peter Walker (all Class of 1971) introduced the Sixth Form to the scheme which was established in 2017 by a group of Old Boys keen to pass on their experience to recent leavers seeking support Peter Acton and guidance on their journey into the world gives an of work. During the session the students were overview of encouraged to think about the obstacles they the mentoring might face when entering the workplace and how scheme they could overcome them. The benefits of taking part in the Find Your Path scheme, including bespoke guidance from an individually selected mentor, assistance with interview techniques and preparation, were then explained to them. Further details about how to access the scheme can be found page 15.

Helicopter Hero Commander Rob O’Kane (1984-1994) spoke to Year 10 boys via Zoom about careers in the Royal Navy as part of a ‘Careers in the Armed Forces’ event. Rob is Commander of the Merlin Helicopter Force at the Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in Cornwall.

Newsletter Autumn 2021

An Unconventional Life David Brookes (1950-1961) tells the fascinating story of his old School friend Jeremy (Sid) Lomax (1949-1959).

Scout Camp, Holland, 1958 Back, L-R: Jeremy Lomax, Mike McNeill (1953-1961), Steve Ridings (1950-1959) Front, L-R: Teddy Cheers (1951-1958), David Prag (1953-1960), David Brookes

This is not an obituary, but a story of a life well lived by an Old Boy who now lies seriously ill in a hospital in Lightning Ridge, NSW Australia, after a comprehensive stroke which has left him seriously paralysed.

I became friends with Sid in the Junior School in 1950. This friendship continued through School as we were both involved with the Scouts, stage crew, and assisting with Sergeant Hickey’s Junior School camps in the village hall in Grasmere. On leaving School he went to the London School of Economics (LSE), which then, as now, was a hot bed of radicalism. There he shared a flat with three postgraduate Canadians who planned to make their way across Asia and eventually back to Canada. Sid decided the degree route was not for him. He left LSE after one year and, with the Canadians, bought an old army desert car and travelled across the Middle East and down to the southern tip of India. Two of the Canadians worked their passage on a boat to Perth in Australia. Sid, accompanied by the remaining Canadian, made his way up through India to Calcutta and then caught a rubber tappers boat to Penang and on to Singapore. There they settled in a Sikh temple to await money being forwarded by the others from Australia. On receipt of the money they tried to get through to Papua New Guinea (PNP), which entailed a complicated journey through Indonesian islands with a difficult land border crossing in PNP. At this time there was a civil war taking place in the islands, known as The West Irian affair, but after many adventures all four were finally reunited in Sydney and worked as labourers on various building sites.

They heard that money could to be made opal mining in Lightning Ridge (LR), which is on the NSW/Queensland border, some 800 miles inland. The four of them moved up there, bought and marked out a concession and started mining for opal. This consisted of digging a onemetre diameter hole down some 60 feet or so to reach an opal-bearing level; then the miner digs horizontally in the hope of finding some opal – a dangerous, risky and precarious way of making a living. Air had to be pumped down to the miner, often by a man at the surface, pedalling a bicycle contraption which operated an air pump. Sid and his Canadian partners became successful and started to concentrate on buying stone off other miners.

In 1967, whilst living in Sydney, I went up to see him in Lightning Ridge. Their camp consisted of a corrugated iron hut with a dirt floor and an old oil tank made into a cooking stove and used by an Aboriginal lady. It was an extremely rough and hard way of life, but everyone was happy living an unregulated life far from rules and authority. LR was then a small mining town with a pub, a shop, a garage, a hot spring miners’ bath and a stretch of tarmac some 200 yards long by the pub: the other roads were laterite (dirt).

In 1974, when we were back in Bolton for a couple of years, Sid contacted me out of the blue and came to stay on two or three occasions when selling opals round Europe. Once he came with two of his children; he had by then been married and divorced twice. Opal mining had obviously become very profitable as The Canadians, as their loosely organised group were referred to, bought the local pub and garage, plus a sheep trucking business, a small house/hotel on the Barrier Reef coast and a small plane in which to travel up and down to Sydney. They also had opal sales agents in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Amsterdam, London and New York and a jewellers shop in Sydney.

The loose-knit Canadian group eventually split up, but Sid continued on his own, buying and selling opal and expanding his markets in Hong Kong and Japan. Later, Paul Brooks (1982-1990), the son of good friends of ours, went out to Lightning Ridge and worked with Sid as a contract miner for a year.

In 2019 my wife and I drove to Lightning Ridge to stay with Sid and his wonderful partner, Helen. It took two days to get there. The turn off from the highway to LR was marked by their answer to our Angel of the North, a huge piece of architectural welded steelwork. We stopped to look and found that Sid was one of the main benefactors.

The town was much changed. It had transformed from a rough and ready mining hut encampment into quite a sophisticated tourist town. There were still the obvious signs of the mining industry with many spoil heaps around numerous mine shafts. Sid lives out of town with Helen and he now has a brick house with a swimming pool, very different from the original accommodation. He is still involved with opals although not personally mining. He provides ‘grub stake’ money to start up miners who need cash for food when they start their new ventures. LR is still a self-help society and Sid is a very well-known figure in the area, being a recognised benefactor of many things, including the hospital, school sports pitches and the miners’ hot spring bath which had completely changed from the rough concrete, rather dirty, washing pool of my first visit in 1968, to a sophisticated hot spring tiled pool.

Recently I was sad to hear from Helen that Sid has had a serious stroke, which has left him very damaged. Helen has managed to move him to the LR hospital where she can visit him daily. His four children come up often from Sydney and Coffs Harbour to see him. We wish him well and hope that he may be comfortable in his much loved Lightning Ridge looked after by Helen.

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Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2021

ALUMNI AUTHORS George II

by Norman Davies (1948-1957) Published by Allen Lane ISBN 978 0 141-972842-0 A useful series of notes incorporated into the second chapter introduces the common reader to European conflict at the end of the 17th century and to the ‘incessant war’ which followed. In England, suffering its own political and religious conflicts, the Act of Settlement led to the nomination of Sophia, Electress of Hanover, as successor to the throne. When she died the succession passed to her son and eventually to her grandson, George II of Great Britain and Elector of Hanover.

Succeeding to the throne George was already familiar, through residence in London, with English affairs and customs. He had known the Stuart invasion of 1715, survived an assassination attempt, witnessed the South Sea Bubble and seen a ship named after him. During this early period he formed a constructive relationship with Robert Walpole, ‘a worthy teacher of the political arts’. Princess Caroline, the future Queen, cultivated Walpole and presided at her own

In Soviet Times People Knew where to Cross the Road

by Mark Doel (1962-1969) This is the most unusual novel I have ever read.

I found it interesting, amusing, informative and beautifully written. The novel is set in Armenia a few years after the disintegration of the Soviet bloc. The picture of a country plunged into chaos is most convincing. The main protagonist is an English university don on a cultural visit to the university in Yerevan, the capital, where he is to assist in the making of a video. We soon find that he cannot understand any of the language and is himself misunderstood at times even by the few people who can act as his interpreter. We learn along with him as he tries to cope with linguistic and social mismatches and with the art of living in a country where water and electricity supplies are very unreliable.

The writing is so convincing that I soon found myself puzzling as to how to deal with the problems and who, if anybody, could be trusted. This must appear very bleak, but it is lightened by author’s wonderful turn of phrase and his ability to use his dry humour to make observations that could apply equally to our own ordered state. In the introduction he tells us that the book is based upon notes he wrote of his experiences on a working visit to Yerevan some 25 years ago and it is clear that in his treatment of the chaos he is by no means belittling the local people. We share the tribulations of the visiting academic from whose point of view everything is

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salon, whose guests included Newton, Pope, Montesquieu and Handel.

These references illustrate the range of this short book which meets the conventional criticism that George was limited in understanding and preoccupied largely with German affairs. He knew a variety of religious traditions and, though Defender of the Faith, did not impede the progress of nonconformist sects. He tolerated two antagonistic political groupings, the monarchical and the patriot, which created difficult problems for Walpole. This was a period of important industrial and financial developments and a period when the arts flourished. Famously standing for the Hallelujah Chorus he had a high regard for Handel who represented a ‘fusion of German and British elements’.

The section on Law is fascinating. English became the obligatory language of the courts and Montesquieu, French politician, philosopher and lawyer, was ‘duly impressed by the extent of free speech in England’. Trained as a soldier, George was actively interested in British and European military campaigns. After the prolonged struggle of the Seven Years War both his kingdoms were secure. The range of his interests and experiences is colourfully illustrated in the pictorial section of this book, which does much to secure a better reputation for a generally vilified and pilloried king.

Charles Winder (Boys’ Division Staff, 1964-1999)

written and we are skilfully led to empathise with his doubts and concerns so that we do not know who cannot be trusted at all or who can be fully trusted.

We are taken at times on visits to surrounding areas and a picture is built of a country with a significant past and areas of undoubted beauty. At times I had to supplement my own ignorance by consulting Google Maps to see exactly where Yerevan, and indeed Armenia, is and to understand just how near it is to Mount Ararat and Baku both of which are featured. At least I found my view of its connection with Turkey to be correct.

The action, as I have stated, is based on the Englishman’s perception of it, but there are also interludes where the Soviet state’s view of, and power over, the country is highlighted. We are made aware of how the country had been made so dependent on the Russians that suddenly having to cope for themselves had been a major problem.

These observations are accompanied from time to time, without comment, by short quotes from Intourist Armenia and various Soviet politicians. An air of intrigue puzzles the Englishman throughout, sometimes in suspicions that could just be his paranoia, but at other times totally obvious but equally puzzling and ill-deserved threats.

So, to sum up, this was a novel that challenged me by its levels of mutual misunderstanding between the Englishman and the locals, but which kept me interested and entertained throughout and led to an unexpected denouement. I can thoroughly recommend it.

David Shaw (Boys’ Division Staff, 1964-2002)

Newsletter Autumn 2021

The Boy from the Back Streets of Bolton

by Norman Longworth (1947-1953) Amazon Fulfilment, ISBN 9798589045352 Fred Longworth, Norman’s father, spent 40-years collecting insurance premiums, mostly by bicycle. Norman attended Oxford Grove School then Bolton School and in the course of his work has travelled the world. This is one of many reflections of Lord Leverhulme’s vision for the School. From Oxford Grove Norman brought a developing interest in music and from the Unitarian Church an active social life. At Bolton School he became a keen cricketer and discovered a talent for languages. In the RAF he trained as a statistician and after national service he became a teacher. Always inventive and innovative he created a medieval village with his class in one school and devised outdoor geography projects at another, taking pupils to Scotland, Wales and the continent.

His experience prepared him for a role in education at IBM and this also required further training in maths and computer science. In London he worked with IBM on liaison between

Find Your Path The Old Boltonians’ Association’s ‘Find Your Path’ mentoring scheme has been supporting young Old Boys with careers advice tailored to meet their individual needs for four years, during which time almost 60 young Old Bolts have been mentored by their fellow Old Boys as they enter the job market post-graduation.

The Find Your Path scheme is offered free of charge to all young Old Bolts seeking support and guidance on their journey into work. Every mentee is personally hand-matched with a mentor specifically chosen for their wealth of professional experience and extensive network of contacts. Through their mentors’ bespoke advice and specialist insights, including assistance with application processes and preparation for interview, mentees are able to leverage the Old Boltonian network to help set themselves apart from the competition.

Two recent participants in the Find Your Path scheme can attest to its impact. Ben Crossland (Class of 2014) sought the support of a mentor in navigating the first unfamiliar steps onto the career ladder, after completing a degree in International Relations at St Andrew’s. After working with his mentor to assess the opportunities available to him, Ben Ben now works for a tech company in was able to move forward with clarity, initially securing a role with a Digital the USA Marketing start-up in London and subsequently being recruited to Oracle, a tech company based out of Austin, Texas.

schools and industry. A particular highlight was a session with the Covent Garden Opera at Woodberry Down School whose headmaster was a nationally-recognised figure. A conference in Marseilles was the beginning of Norman’s international career. In South Africa he was uncomfortably aware of the difference in provision for white children and black children for whom he was assigned to install computers, learning later that the government “had reneged on the agreement”. In the USA he examined developments in satellite distance learning.

Norman was invited to take part in the European initiative for lifelong learning, linking schools, cities, countries and continents. UNESCO envisaged a global platform for learning cities and principles continually evolved, leading to definitions of skills and their applications.

Travel introduced amazing experiences. In Australia with Maggie, his wife, he saw aboriginal cave paintings, in Zambia they visited the Victoria Falls, in China they saw the fields of terracotta warriors. In Thailand he concluded, “My dad was wrong. There are places worth seeing outside of England.”

Now they have retired to the South of France and this book is witness to shared ability, active lives and dedication to lifelong learning. Bolton remains a vivid memory as a series of dialect poems shows and the reader recognises the depth of Norman’s gratitude to the town, his parents and the School.

Charles Winder (Boys’ Division Staff, 1964-1999) Muhiyud-Dean Mirza (Class of 2017) joined the scheme during the final year of his Mathematics degree at the University of Warwick. MuhiyudDean’s parents work in entirely different occupations, and thus were not able to offer informed guidance on how he could make best use of his Mathematics Muhiyud-Dean degree. Being paired with a mentor has joined a consultancy firm from outside his family network, who was able to offer neutral, tailored advice, was invaluable to Muhiyud-Dean as he considered the career path most suited to his skills. Through his mentor’s extensive network of contacts, he was connected with professionals working in the industries he was considering, as well as with senior figures in several industries of which he had not previously been aware.

As a result, from knowing nothing of how a Mathematics degree could translate to a career in Consulting, MuhiyudDean secured a job offer from Kubrick, a consultancy firm specialising in data, where he started this autumn.

In these uncertain times, where the graduate employment market is the most competitive it has ever been, bespoke advice from an experienced mentor can provide the margin of difference required to succeed. Whether you’re considering the career path you wish to pursue post-graduation, or have found your plans have been disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, working with a Find Your Path mentor could be of real benefit to your prospects of success.

If you feel the Find Your Path mentoring scheme could make a difference to your career progression, or would be interested in supporting fellow Old Boltonians as a mentor, please contact the Development Office.

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Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2021

Countdown Success!

Feeling a little bored during lockdown, Adam Latchford (2005-2012) applied to appear on his favourite TV game show. Here he describes the pressure of preparing and competing – and the exhilaration of being crowned Countdown champion!

It may sound weird, but this was never supposed to happen, yet was always destined to happen. I loved Countdown for many years, and was always good at it, but I never thought I’d actually apply.

Then lockdown struck. There was nothing to do, and rather than the office environment that I was used to, I was working with the TV on in the background. And thus my love affair with Countdown was reignited.

I applied in the September, had an audition in the October and was filming by November. I can still remember how isolating the initial experience was: nobody allowed to travel with me, nobody allowed to watch from an audience. But, as I was led to the chair, to face winner of two games Conor Morgan, I started to really feel the nerves.

We had one of Countdown’s all-time classic games. I was behind by ten points going into the conundrum, only to solve it to tie the scores at 72-72. Had he not buzzed in early, he would have solved it first and I’d have been out there and then. Another conundrum came up – NIGGLEDAZ – which I quickly solved in less than two seconds, realising was ‘deglazing’. The feeling was euphoric – all I wanted was an episode to be proud of and I’d had an all-time classic that people loved.

Then I played another game, and another, and another, until I had won six games. This is where the true craziness began. I was on my fifth game on the day. There was no coffee allowed on the set, I was bereft of sleep, and I couldn’t carry on. I proceeded to play my worst game, but was still in touch by the time the conundrum rolled around.

NATURALAT was the scramble. 11.5 seconds in, my opponent buzzed in; I knew I was out. Somehow I was granted a second reprieve as he incorrectly answered ‘unnatural’. Time continued to pass – I could not see it. At 29.5 seconds I buzzed in, as the lightbulb moment hit. ‘Tarantula!’

I proudly announced, to create another Countdown classic

moment. That was game number seven under my belt, and it was incredible. Game eight was filmed a month later, and I won in anti-climactic fashion to become an ‘Octochamp’ (the name for someone who wins eight games of Countdown).

This is where the hard work began. I knew I’d qualified for the series finals and knew the standard of opposition was about to increase. So I began to practise my maths and anagramming skills.

Hours and hours of practice, learning factorisation and words that I have never learned before, harked back to my School years. I was never the best at Maths nor English, yet here I was on the show that showcased both. I’d have to pay homage to the teachers who tried to bring my skills out of me, Mr Holmes and Mrs Spencer-Jones in particular – the invaluable practice I gained here played a huge part in what was yet to come. After five months of additional practice, it was time to film the finals.

I qualified as third seed, meaning I was against the sixth seed.

The first time I could be considered a favourite. I took a very early lead and won 99-40, settling me down and qualifying me for the semi-finals. In the semi-final I played a national Scrabble champion. Again I entered with trepidation, but I managed to hold my nerve and beat him with my numbers skills to secure a narrow win.

This led to the final against the second-highest point scorer in Countdown history. His name was Luke-Boynton and he had scored 1,032 points in his ‘Octochamp’ run. I had scored 732.

The gulf in class was clear for all to see, but I had set up with a plan. The way to stilt somebody in Countdown is to make the maximum possible word be as low as possible. So horrible letters, and making sure there weren’t lots of vowels had to be the tactic. I won the first round, I won the third round and I won the fourth round to give me a shock 30-7 lead. I couldn’t believe what was happening, but saw my hopes get dented (no pun intended) by him winning the fifth round with the word ‘ironical’. However, I managed to tie every round, using new words I’d learned in training, such as ‘guimpe’ and ‘metapode’, to take us to the final numbers round. A solve inside ten seconds secured me the victory – I collapsed onto the desk and struggled to say the answer. Rachel Riley commented that I was no longer dancing, but I was incredibly relieved. The parting shot of me and the trophy will live with me forever – and I’ve written myself into gameshow history.

And to think, if it wasn’t for the pandemic this never would have happened. 2020 was crazy – but 2021 might just be crazier!

Old Boys on Film A number of nostalgic DVDs of old School camps, trek camps and George Higginson’s History of the School, plus some showing footage of Bolton School ski trips, are available to purchase. The full list of titles can be viewed in the ‘Former Pupils’ section of the School’s website. Each DVD costs £5.00, plus £1.50 postage and packaging, and may be ordered via the Development Office.

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Newsletter Autumn 2021

Nat’s Football Focus Liverpool FC’s centre-back Nat Phillips (Class of 2015) took time out from his pre-season training in Austria to recall his path from the School’s First XI to the Premier League.

Nat’s favourite subjects at School were Maths (he enjoys problem-solving) and Geography – thanks to Mr Jackson he still looks at places he visits through a geographer’s eye to consider why they appear as they do! He enjoyed English lessons with Mr Shewan (Boys’ Division Staff, 1980-2010) – the class never knew what to expect! – and he also studied German to GCSE which stood him in good stead during his year on loan to VfB Stuttgart. Of course sport was very important and Nat has fond memories of representing Bolton School in Year 8 to win the ISFA final and reaching the final again in Year 11.

It was always Nat’s aim to pursue a career in football and, thanks to the understanding of Bolton School, he was able to realise his ambitions while studying for his GCSEs and A Levels. He notes that Mr Chilton (Sport) and Miss Tunstall (Head of Year) in particular were very understanding and went the extra mile to ensure that his studies were able to progress alongside his training.

Whilst studying for his A Levels, Nat was at Bolton Wanderers Academy. At that time, the Club was struggling so Nat decided he needed a backup plan: he secured a scholarship at the University of North Carolina.

However, a couple of weeks before he was due to start he was invited for trials at Liverpool FC … and signed a twoyear contract with the Club the day before his planned flight to America. He played for the U23s at Liverpool before progressing to the first team, then spent a year on loan in Germany.

The biggest challenges to Nat’s career so far have been injuries. He has suffered back and ankle problems, spending several months recovering. Those were frustrating times as he feared for his career while at the same time needing to stay motivated.

Asked about his greatest achievement to date, Nat cited his performance last season. At the start of the season he had a transfer lined up which fell through in the last minute, but he then went on to play for the team which had just won the Premier League. It was a tough season, but with ten games remaining the team won eight and drew two, thus qualifying for the Champions League.

Nat played in the majority of games and is proud of his contribution. He is also proud of his contribution at VfB Stuttgart, helping the club get promoted from the second division to the Bundesliga.

There will be many boys currently playing in the School’s football teams who aspire to be professional players.

Nat’s advice to them is to dedicate themselves to the game and to strive always to give 100%. He recalls that

during his time at School a number of boys played for academies; by his own admission, some of them were better players than he was, but he succeeded because of his dedication to Nat was proud to represent School the game – he worked hard, both on the field and in the classroom, and sacrificed his social life to achieve his dream. He also recommends a backup plan! Nat recently contributed to the School’s SPACE programme in which Year 7 boys enjoyed discussing the similarities between how a premier league footballer prepares for games and how they should prepare for tests and exams.

Bolton School played an important role in Nat’s success.

Aside from the outstanding sporting facilities (on Open Morning the only thing Nat wanted to look at was the Levels!) and the excellent standard of sport, the teaching and pastoral staff were incredibly supportive: arranging his Liverpool’s Player of the timetable to accommodate his Month, March 2021 training, helping him to catch up on missed lessons during lunchtimes and liaising with his parents to ensure that he was able to devote himself to his training secure in the knowledge that he had academic achievements to fall back on if necessary.

During this great summer of sport, Nat had to be asked about England’s performance in the Euros … he watched many of the matches with a group of Old Boys and Old Girls with whom he remains in close touch and he was very impressed with the team, both the way they played and the way they united the country – not surprisingly, he has ambitions to play at international level himself.

Of course, there are many Old Boltonians playing many sports at many levels. The Old Boys’ Association has its own football team – Old Boltonians AFC – and its own Golf Society – The Old Boltonians Golf Society – and new members are very welcome at each. Please contact the Development Office for details of how to join.

Nat celebrates scoring against Burnley

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Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2021

Gin Genius Over the last few years, gin has enjoyed something of a renaissance, shedding its reputation as ‘mother’s ruin’ to become the drink of choice, both in fashionable bars and at home.

Part of the ‘gin revolution’ is Old Boy Andrew ‘Ned’ Niedzwiecki (1991-1998) who was inspired to distill his own version and create a unique small batch gin based upon molecular science. Following the successful launch of Worsley Gin the brand is receiving rave reviews and Ned’s business is now booming.

Ned attended St Peter’s Primary School in Swinton before following his older brother, Michael, to Bolton School Boys’ Division, both benefiting from Assisted Places.

Attending Bolton School inspired the family, where even younger brother Richard, who went to school elsewhere, broadened his horizons after seeing Ned and Michael flourish.

Ned speaks fondly of how his favourite subject at School was Chemistry (which links to his ambition to create a gin based upon scientific principles!), and while he admits it was not his strongest subject, lessons with Dr Chambers (Boys’ Division Staff, 1969-2000) were always fun. Ned also enjoyed Biology Ned’s gin is proving lessons with Dr Pacini (Boys’ popular Division Staff, 1990-2001) and Dr Mullins (Boys’ Division Staff, 1994-present). He recalls Dr Mullins’ tales of his escapades as a black belt third dan in karate and Ned and his classmates nagging him to demonstrate his karate moves … one day, completely out of the blue, he did an amazing kick, several feet in the air – after that, the boys knew he was for real! Away from lessons, Ned has fond memories of playing football at break times in the Dobson Road quad and of outdoor pursuits trips, particularly to Llangollen.

After School Ned gained a degree in Business from the University of Salford then spent a number of years working in the competitive world of retail, firstly on a graduate scheme with Iceland, based in London, and then for Boots in the North West. A call from a headhunter in 2013 persuaded him to change direction and he is now COO of a training provider helping people of all ages to

Freemasonry The Old Boltonians’ Masonic Lodge, No 5814, meets regularly in the Senior Library at School throughout the year. In line with the charitable intentions of the society, each year the Lodge provides support to both Divisions of Bolton School, in the form of pupil bursaries and scholarships.

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realise their potential with skills and employability training.

As well as being more fulfilling, his new ‘day job’ also gave him more spare time in which to pursue Worsley Gin which began as a hobby and is now a flourishing brand.

In 2016, having purchased a bottle of gin from a craft shop searching for something a little bit different, Ned found he was disappointed to find that it not only tasted mediocre, but that the packaging was poorly produced.

He was intrigued as to how the manufacturer had obtained a licence to produce it and in the course of his research he discovered that the distillation process, whilst pretty simple, takes years to master. He decided to enlist the help of master distiller Dr J and the pair developed some fantastic-tasting gin using cutting edge scientific techniques and production methods. Ned recruited a design from Argentina and marketing team from Oxford – and Worsley Gin was launched onto the UK market in September 2017.

Ned cites his biggest inspiration for Worsley Gin as Francis Egerton, the Third Duke of Bridgewater, who had the foresight to bring together a team of talented individuals to design a canal from coal mines north of Worsley to the industrial areas of Manchester – the Bridgewater Canal was the spark that ignited the industrial revolution as well as the transport not only of coal, but of many other goods, including gin.

Worsley Gin is named after the village which was home to the Duke of Bridgewater and also home for Ned. Having originally intended to name his product Manchester Gin, he was beaten to it by the company of the same name, and so decided to take inspiration from his home village, which was about to become home to the newest RHS garden project, and is expected to attract over one million visitors a year, only for the RHS to name the visitor attraction RHS Bridgewater! Happily, the two are now collaborating and Ned will shortly be bringing out his Bridgewater Gin (a seasonal limited-edition gin) using fresh botanicals from the RHS. In the meantime, his founding product, Worsley Gin, is selling very well in the Worsley building at RHS Bridgewater.

Ned is grateful to Bolton School for encouraging and supporting the entrepreneurship, initiative and leadership which have shaped his success and he is a huge advocate of the bursary scheme which continues to provide opportunities for bright young boys and girls to receive a transformative education.

Whilst membership of the Lodge has been opened up to other Freemasons, the majority of its members are Old Boltonians, providing a unique way of keeping in touch with fellow Old Boys. Members range in age from their 20s to their 80s, providing friendship to fellow Masons of all generations.

If you would like to hear more, please contact: David Poppitt – The Lodge Secretary, E-mail: DPoppitt@aol.com, Tel: 07785 728700

Newsletter Autumn 2021

Chris’ Channel Challenge On the evening of 20th July 2021 Chris Fairweather (19992009) set off from Samphire Hoe Beach, just outside Dover, with the aim of not putting his feet down until he got to France. He describes how with careful preparation and great determination he reached his goal.

“When you first sign up for swimming the Channel, the first task is to identify a boat pilot to accompany you to France. The Chris took on the challenge swim windows that are offered wearing his Bolton School are two years into the future so, water polo trunks! having accepted one and paid a chunky deposit, nothing happens until you start serious training. For a long while you forget about it, but then time catches up with you.

“On Sunday 18th July I drove down to Dover with my brother, Jack, and my friend, Jess. They were to be my support crew for a swim planned for 6am the following morning. Upon our arrival the sky was so clear we could see the French coast.

I’d never seen it from England before and it was a huge confidence boost. There’s no doubt I was still nervous. After months of training and daydreaming though, I was ready.

At 3am the next morning we woke to our alarms and saw a message to say that problems with the boat meant the attempt was off. So close, but yet so far.

“My options now were either to try again overnight on Tuesday or to swim during the day on Wednesday. The former was not appealing because I was very tired after having had such little sleep on Sunday and I had not done any night swimming during my training. That said, the daytime swim posed different problems because the tide was to be so much stronger. I consulted a few friends and, with the consensus being that the daytime tide was the greater concern, I decided to swim overnight.

“We returned to Dover on the Tuesday and at 8:04pm that evening I was standing on the beach, when the boat’s siren signaled the start. There wasn’t room to allow thoughts of how far it was or how long it might take. It wasn’t a race. I just had to keep going. This was it.

“I hoped to get to the six-hour point feeling in control as that was a regular training distance. In actual fact, the sun started going down inside two hours and the night started to feel like it might be rather long. At three hours (11pm) I was already starting to feel tired.

“I was stopping every hour for 60 seconds to feed from a water bottle (filled with a magic powder of maltodextrin, the fuel of choice for distance swimming as solid foods take too long to chew) and these stops became the milestones to track my progress. The bottle was thrown to me as I was not allowed to touch anybody or anything during the swim.

“The boat can’t go as slow as a swimmer and so moves ahead, lets you swim past, then moves ahead again. On one such occasion it was so far ahead I lost sight of it. This was the only time that the night concerned me. Here I was,

halfway to France at approximately 1am, in darkness, with no food, no wetsuit and no buoyancy aid. There was no time to dwell on this. Instead, I put my head down and kept my arms turning.

“The morning took a long time to come. The sunrise was going to be a big deal. It meant I was eight hours in and, hopefully, two thirds of the way across. There was no doubt the light was a motivator, even being able to see my crew on the boat again was a pleasure. By this stage I was struggling to keep my drink down, which meant I was not only struggling for hydration, but for calories too. The crew got worried.

“It’s one thing being determined (or even stubborn), but humans don’t work without calories much as cars don’t run without petrol. This needed to be fixed. The crew opted to increase the rate of my feeds from every hour to every 45 minutes and then to every half hour. Forcing it down was thoroughly unpleasant. In my mind I felt uncomfortable, but I was still making progress. From the crew’s position, I was getting ever slower with the risk that the changing tide would push me northwards and threaten my chances of finishing.

“Jack got in for an hour as permitted by the Channel swimming rules. The idea is that it would help focus me on moving forward and remove some of the monotony. It did help and it didn’t. I was so tired I was struggling to keep up and the carrot wasn’t worth chasing. I was tired and it became a fight.

“From about eleven hours I could see the French coast and it was teasing me as it didn’t appear to be getting any closer.

Jack got in again.

‘This is the last push now. Get it done.’ I pushed and pushed.

I had felt like I had been doing so for three hours now. Then I saw the bottom.

Sand. It was a bright morning on a shallow beach, so I still had twenty minutes or more to go, but I was getting there.

Then I could make out people and trees on the beach, then the water became warmer as it got shallower. Then my feet were down.

“I took a moment to steady myself. To finish you have to fully clear the water, so I took myself up the beach. I had made it in a time of 13 hours 39 minutes and, according to my watch, 2 seconds.

“I can’t say I experienced a wave of euphoria or relief: I was just tired. I sat there, we took some photos, picked up a pebble from the beach and swam (breaststroke!) back to the boat. You’re only allowed about five minutes in France!

“It’s only now, in the days and weeks after the event, that I’m beginning to appreciate what I’ve achieved. It’s the enthusiasm others show and the size of the blue gap on google maps that brings it to life. It’s the thought that I didn’t put my feet down from when I left England to when I arrived in France. Of that I’m truly proud – but never again …”

While it was not his primary goal, Chris is delighted that family, friends and colleagues have donated over £2,200 to Macmillan in recognition of his fabulous achievement.

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Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2021

Staff in the Spotlight This Summer the Boys’ Division bid a fond farewell to Mrs Edge (Business Studies), Mr Harrison (Maths) and Mr McNeil (French), with a total of 76 years teaching at Bolton School between them. We asked some Sixth Formers to find out what it is about the School that made them stay so long!

Mrs Edge was interviewed by Year 12 pupils Daamin Aslam and Robert Morgan.

How many years have you worked at Bolton School?

I’ve been here for 19 years.

Do you have any standout memories from your time at Bolton School?

My standout highlight was going on the bi-annual trip to Russia – more specifically, the overnight train from Moscow to St Petersburg. However, I also have fond memories of the ‘old-style’ Sixth Form Patterdale trips; during my first ten years at School the Sixth Form would go in two halves over a week in December – it was instructive, developmental and fun.

Was it your first teaching post?

No, it was my third. I started my career working at Bury College and from there I went to King David’s (Cheetham Hill) before coming to Bolton School.

Have you always taught boys?

No. At Bury College all teaching was mixed, as it was at King David’s too, but there they also had a particular section for Orthodox Girls so I had both mixed and single-sex classes there.

When I first came to Bolton, Economics lessons were co-ed and one year we also had some girls for Business Studies.

Did you always want to become a teacher?

No – I decided to go into teaching after having a commercial career.

Where did you train to become a teacher?

I trained at Edge Hill, affiliated to Lancaster University.

What would you have done if you had not become a teacher?

I think I might have done a law degree and become a lawyer.

What do you enjoy most about Bolton School?

I really enjoy the fact that the students are generally polite and respectful and I like working in that kind of environment. It’s always very rewarding to see the boys on results day and to see how they are all looking forward to the next stages of their lives.

Do you have any other standout memories from your time at Bolton School?

Again, this occurred on the Russian Trip that I was a part of: we were going to see a great cityscape from the top of a cathedral.

So, I dutifully (and mindlessly, as it turns out!) led my group

upwards through a narrow ‘turret’ via hundreds of steps and out to the top to climb a steel-ladder walkway up to the next level. Except that I couldn’t progress. My group passed me, as did all the rest of our School’s groups. I was standing – waiting for I’m unsure what – and then Mr Wardle shouted “Mrs Edge!”

I did as I was told and climbed the ‘ladder’; I didn’t look down and followed Mr Wardle down the descending turret. I had such empathy for all the lads that had ever been told what to do by RDW – how could anyone not?!

How has school life changed over the years?

We are now on a two-week cycle. There are linear exams so we cannot give a wake-up call after AS exams. We now have more pupils than previously. And, of course, there has been a change in technology, which definitely frightened me – especially in March 2020, as I had to learn how to use it! That was a very sharp learning curve as I’ve always been used to students using just paper and me using the white and roller-boards – not even, until recently, the smart-boards and Apple TVs! What are your plans for your retirement?

The plan, at the moment, is to not make any plans until early next year. I am just going to take a breather. But I have made one definite move and that is that I will be away in Spain in the sun when School starts again in September!

What is your favourite Bolton School tradition?

It does not happen anymore: it was a staff lunch before Prizegiving which previously took place in the afternoon.

What is your teaching philosophy?

Little or no tolerance for late work. Iron fist or velvet glove!

Over the years, how have you motivated your students?

I think some motivation comes from me being generally enthusiastic about the subject area. In reality, though, I think there are far more students who are motivated by ‘other’ than me and/ or by their own means.

Have you kept in contact with any students over the years who have done well?

Mr Britton announced my retirement on Twitter and some former students got in touch. It is always such a pleasure to hear from ‘Old Bolts’ and a lot of my former Business students have gone on to do really, really well.

Mr Harrison was interviewed by Year 12 students Arsh Patankar and Ben Hunt.

How many years have you worked at Bolton School?

I’ve been here for 31 years.

Was it your first teaching post?

No – prior to joining Bolton School I taught for seven years at William Hulme Grammar School in Manchester Have you always taught boys?

No – I did teach girls, too, at William Hulme, although I prefer teaching boys.

Did you always want to be a teacher?

That’s a difficult question. I considered being a teacher or a doctor. Then one of my teachers suggested I should go into teaching so I followed that up.

Why did you want to be a teacher?

I did not want an office job – even though that would probably pay more, teaching was more appealing: I liked my subject … and the holidays were attractive. I was not sure what to do after I did my degree and ended up being a teacher – I don’t regret it.

Where did you train to be a teacher?

I did my degree at the University of Warwick and my teacher training at the University of Birmingham. My first placement was at an inner-city school in the middle of Birmingham and at this point I did think about giving up. Everyone spoke with an accent – they didn’t understand me and I didn’t understand them! Then I was sent to Camp Hill Grammar School in Birmingham (former Headmaster Mervin Brooker’s previous school) and I finally knew I wanted to be a teacher and what type of school I wanted to work in. I’ve only worked in two schools and they were both independent schools.

What would you have done if you had not become a teacher?

I haven’t a clue! As I said before, I certainly didn’t want to be in an office, but the careers advice at the time was almost non-existent.

What is the best part of teaching at Bolton School/what do you enjoy about working at Bolton School?

There must be something about the place as I’ve been here for 31 years! The first thing is the impressive building. Inside that building, the staff are excellent – in the Maths department we just laugh all the time! The boys are brilliant, too. I love the trips and the opportunity to go to Patterdale. I look forward to coming to work every day (except, perhaps, on the first day after the Summer holidays!).

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Newsletter Autumn 2021

Do you have any standout memories from your time here?

Yes, particularly the trips. I’ve been to Paris, Russia and Germany.

A standout memory is having breakfast on the ferry on the Rhineland trip, being tapped on the shoulder and hearing the words: “Young man, are you in charge of the boys here?” – which is the worst thing a teacher can hear, as you know there is going to be a complaint. But then: “I’ve made this trip many times and this is the first time I’ve seen such a well-behaved bunch of boys!” which was so unexpected that it sticks in my mind!

How has School life changed over the years?

For one thing, as you can see from the staff photos, I had dark hair when I started! Thirty-one years ago there were no such things as iPads, mobile phones, electronic white boards: teaching was chalk and talk. Quite a few people wore gowns to keep the chalk off – not because it looked posh! Bolton School has been one of those institutions to push the boundaries and is still doing so; the way we teach now is completely different.

What is your favourite Bolton School tradition?

There are lots, but Christmas is pretty good here, especially the Carol Service. I also like the relatively new tradition of the staff

band playing Christmas songs in the dining room on the last day of term. We still have the traditional Christmas lunch, but years ago the dinner ladies would bring the food to the tables and the boys used to bang their knives on the tables in between courses – the dents are still there! Dinner times also used to be much more religious – a Sixth Former would stand up and say grace.

What are your plans for your retirement?

One, not thinking about work. Two, being given a list of decorating jobs in the house! I want to get out and do a lot more walking. We would like to go out to the Lake District during school time and go on holiday off-peak when it doesn’t cost as much.

What is your favourite Bolton School fact?

Years and years ago, in the early nineties, the School magazine held a vote for the coolest member of staff – and yes, I was that member of staff! (This was in the days when I had spiked hair.)

To my knowledge there has not been a vote since, so technically I am still the coolest member of staff … When you get time you should wander around and see if you can spot my photograph.

Mr McNeil was interviewed by Year 12 students Anuj Mishra, Thomas Martin, Max Turner and Millie Ashton.

For how many years have you worked at Bolton School?

26 years.

Was it your first teaching post?

I taught at a highly-selective boys’ grammar school in the SouthEast before I worked here. Prior to that I worked in Paris for a year as an English assistant.

Have you always taught boys?

No, in France I taught boys and girls. That being said, I have taught boys for the majority of my career. Languages hardly tend to be the preserve of male students, so I am glad to have taught both.

Did you always want to be a teacher?

I don’t think so. In the third year of my degree, I worked in a fairly tough French boarding school, which gave me a good grounding in what the job was really about.

I did wonder at one stage about going into the prison service, because I think that is something that, as a country, we should do better than we do. At the time I had also been working for Marks and Spencer and was put forward for their graduate training scheme, which I probably would have done had I not gone into teaching.

Did you find any vast differences between your pupils in France and in England, and your experience of teaching them?

In some respects I think that it remains the same wherever you go. You can change the ties and you can change the exercise books, but the basics are the same. However, there is really no pastoral side to the role in France, so the definition of being a teacher itself in France and in the UK is very different.

Where did you train to be a teacher?

I trained at Homerton College, Cambridge, and I did my main teaching practice at a comprehensive school in Suffolk.

What is the best part of teaching at Bolton School, and what do you enjoy about working here?

I find that you either enjoy teaching or you don’t. Teaching, when it goes well, is a fantastic job, and there are different rewards in different schools.

I like the fact that I have a level of freedom here to do what I want with my subject and to play around with new ideas, which has probably disappeared from a lot of other jobs in most walks of life.

And one of the best things about this place is the boys’ humour.

Do you have any standout memories from your time here?

I have great memories of trips abroad. It was very nice to be sitting on Capri in a wisteria-grown restaurant having a good chat with some nice, interesting lads outside the usual teaching

environment. I also quite like Sports Day, seeing colleagues in different contexts and having a natter with the boys. And the Christmas Assembly, even though we all say we don’t want to go, has some of that pride-of-place and a sense of togetherness.

Have you had any memorable classes in your time as a teacher?

In general, I tend to remember the Sixth Form groups. I’d probably turn the question around and say that in 33 years of teaching, there are very few classes which I haven’t found amenable.

How has school life changed over the years?

There is less informal chat and the IT has not necessarily brought people closer in terms of communication. Over my time at School people have certainly become kinder to one another. Boys’ schools are notably less brutalizing than during my childhood, too.

What is your favourite Bolton School tradition?

My favourite tradition no longer exists because it was the familyservice Christmas lunch we had. I didn’t actually go to it most of the time if I’m honest, but I liked the idea of the atmosphere it created. One of the good things we have done over the last ten years is to start to bring back some of the traditions which we may have forgotten about.

What are your plans for retirement?

I don’t aim to spend weekends clipping roses! It’s less of a question of what I intend to do and more the ability to be able to do things spontaneously. It will be nice to be able to travel outside peak times, so I intend to visit some parts of Canada and the south of France again. I also would quite like to pick up some of my German and Italian again, and to learn how to draw.

How has teaching languages changed over the course of your career?

When I started, there was a black-and-white textbook, a cassette, and a piece of chalk, and it was very difficult to create a sense of the language, even to hear some French without tuning into a distant radio station. The range of technology available has massively changed that.

In view of the decreasing numbers of people taking languages at higher levels, what do you see the future holding for language-learning?

I don’t think the British have ever been all that good at languages; when I was a boy, few children had access to language-learning at all unless they went to grammar school. And there has always been a minority interest in language-learning. We need to get away from some of the repetitive ‘social’ themes, look at why people actually want to learn a language, and start involving some of the students in the way we plan the curriculum: middleaged people sitting around a table thinking they understand what makes teenagers tick is probably not the best way forward!

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Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2021

Ironman Comprising a 2.4-mile open water swim, a 112-mile cycle ride and a 26.2-mile run, Ironman is not for the fainthearted.

Nevertheless, inspired by a variety of reasons, a number of intrepid Old Boys – and a courageous teacher in the Boys’ Division – completed the Ironman UK challenge which took place in Bolton in July.

David Devine (1994-2008) Having contemplated doing an Ironman for a while, and after plenty of encouragement and support from his mother, Ann, Dave took the plunge and entered this year. Last Summer he was knocked off his bike and was rescued by a kindly passerby who wasted Dave passes the Park Road no time in driving Dave Boys’ Junior School (and his bike) home. That Good Samaritan worked for The Christie and Dave was prompted to dedicate his Ironman to raising money for that great cause.

“The race actually went pretty well for me. I finished in 10:49:33 – 37th overall and 8th in my age group, which qualified me for the world championships in Kona, Hawaii. This came as a huge shock as I originally just wanted to finish, but it’s the chance of a lifetime. Due to the pandemic the Kona race has been pushed back to February 2022 – fingers crossed I’ll be able to go, although the climate in Manchester is a touch different to Hawaii so that will be a shock to the system!”

Martyn Barmby (1986-1993) Martyn was delighted to come back ‘up North’ to compete in Ironman UK on 4th July. The route involved cycling past Bolton School four times and running past it eight times – Martyn was thankful to have some happy memories of his time there to distract him from the physical effort!

“I was delighted to complete the event spurred on by the fantastic crowds. Of course, I would expect nothing less from my friendly home town!

Martyn crosses the finishing Everyone I spoke to after the line with a mixture of joy and event said how impressed relief they were with the beautiful scenery around Bolton – as well as noting the steepness of the hills. The whole event was really well run and even the rain didn’t dampen spirits!”

Max Hopkinson (1988-2002) Max was inspired to train for the Ironman challenge by his Dad, the late philanthropist and fundraiser Nick Hopkinson.

Twelve months of sacrifice (no alcohol) and working out (including the discovery that he does not really like cycling!) paid off – Max completed the course and raised over £15k for The Bursary Foundation which tutors and

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mentors disadvantaged primary school pupils to connect them with the best educational opportunities, and with which Bolton School is proud to partner.

“I completed the Ironman in 14 hours and 46 minutes. I failed to achieve my 12-hour goal. But it was a great failure and one I’m proud of. And if I hadn’t shot for 12 I’d probably Max punches the air as he completes the challenge be writing about 16 hours something. I also managed to raise a load of money for underprivileged kids – over £15k, which I can’t get my head around!”

Peter Jackson (Boys’ Division Staff) Pete first completed the UK Ironman in 2012 and entered the 2019 race; after a skiing accident in which he dislocated his shoulder, and the cancellation in 2020 due to you-know-what, he finally made the start line in 2021. His training went well: a typical week would involve a swim session (both pool and open water), a long bike ride (40-70 miles) on a Sunday and a long The swim section went run (8-16 miles). Other training very well for Pete included commuting to work (cycling or running), a bit of strength work and some yoga/stretching.

“The day itself was amazing. The start at Pennington Flash was electric. You can smell and taste all that nervous energy and anticipation of 1,800 people waiting to get started. The swim and bike section both went well. Even the heavy rain on the bike ride didn’t faze me and actually cooled me down. However, the run was a different story.

My legs were heavy as I made my way into Bolton town centre for the first lap of the run and I soon felt the cramp and dehydration set in. I thought I had my nutrition plan perfected for this race – in hindsight the warm temperatures and fast-ish bike section had taken their toll.

I had no choice but to adopt a walk/run strategy.

“I eventually finished in a time slightly quicker than I had done in 2012 which I was extremely pleased about. The support on the day was tremendous and the people of Bolton most certainly help you around the course and deserve the accolade as one of the best supported races in Europe.

Would I do it again? Yes – I’ve already entered for 2022!”

Newsletter Autumn 2021

EVENTS Alumni Examine Brexit On Tuesday 8th June Alumni and other members of the School community enjoyed debating ‘The UK’s Place in a Post-Brexit World’ at a virtual networking event held via Zoom. Old Boy Ravi Bhatiani (Class of 2001), the Executive Director of FETSA, The Federation of European Tank Storage Associations, and Old Girl Amanda Brooks, CBE (Class of 1989), Director General, Trade Negotiations at the Department for International Trade, were keynote speakers at the event, sharing their thoughts on the future of UK trade and international relations on the global stage before leading discussions between fellow guests in breakout rooms.

Ravi originally trained as a lawyer in the UK, specialising in EU and competition law, and, before joining FETSA, advised leading businesses and associations on their engagement with the EU. Through FETSA, he leads the engagement of the tank storage industry towards the EU bodies in Brussels, working on a wide range of (often controversial) EU policy and political topics.

Prior to the event, Ravi was asked to reflect upon his time in the Boys’ Division and how this has helped him to

achieve his ambitions.

Although trips such as the German Exchange and the Trek Camps stand out as highlights, Ravi recalls enjoying every day he spent at School, thanks to his classmates and teachers. The building itself also helped to create a special atmosphere.

Mr Hiepko inspired in him a love of German that he retains to this day. Ravi often remembers the words Mr Hiepko wrote on his final School report about what it takes to succeed – he has used this advice to help not only himself, but also others.

Ravi believes that his experience at Bolton School has instilled in him three qualities which have stood him in good stead both personally and professionally: perseverance to work hard and keep at the task in hand, even if it is difficult; humility to treat people well and with respect, regardless of the background or situation; and a sense of loyalty developed through friendships with fellow pupils, relations with the staff, the values of the School and of his family – including his sister, Maya, who attended the Girls’ Division (1996-2003).

Cumbrian Conversation With many of the lockdown restrictions still in place, unfortunately the annual Cumbria lunch was unable to take place this year. Instead, Old Boys and Old Girls chatted in a virtual ‘happy hour’. There was plenty to talk about, but all agreed they were looking forward to enjoying some proper Lake District hospitality at the Lindeth Howe Hotel, courtesy of Old Boy Stephen Broughton (Class of 1970), next Spring.

US Alumni Zoom In Although many in-person events have had to be replaced with virtual ones, technology has actually enabled Old Boys and Old Girls living abroad to have more contact with School. A great example of this was the Zoom get-together with our US-based Alumni who welcomed the opportunity to chat and reminisce.

Allan Slimming (Class of 1974) chats with the Headmaster and Laura Firth, Director of Development and Alumni Relations

Old Boys’ Enjoy Lunch Again Monday 13th September saw the first in-person gathering of Old Boys since the first lockdown!

There was a great turnout at the Old Boys’ Association Lunch.

After important business was discussed at the Association’s AGM, there was lots of catching up to do and everyone was very pleased to have the opportunity to chat to old friends.

L-R: Treasurer Phil Riding (1965-1978), President Roy Battersby (1953-1961) and Secretary Jon Twist (1982-1992) oversee the AGM

L-R: Peter Leather (1973-1980), Michael Griffiths (1958-1965), David Allen (Former Boys’ Division Staff) and Robin Magee (1953-1964) enjoy a catch-up

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Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2021

Recent Leavers Relish Reunion After being deprived of their customary opportunity to return to School one year after leaving, members of the Classes of 2019 and 2020 were thrilled to be reunited with their classmates at a special reunion in September.

Our youngest Old Boys and Old Girls took part in a question and answer session in which current Year 13 pupils were able to get the lowdown on university life, the world of work and the pros and cons of taking a gap year.

Afterwards there was a real buzz of excitement as everyone caught up with friends and former teachers.

Ben Turner, Nathan Donaldson, Adrian Zahir (Class of 2020)

Harry Round, Dominic Hardy, Shivam Patel, Tom Guest (all Class of 2019)

Harry Round, Joe Child, Cassia Drummond, Lorna Stirzacker, Issy Plant (Class of 2020)

Safiyya Patel, Huma Azim, Hamzah Babaria and Huzaifa Anwar (all Class of 2020)

Nathan Hayes, Aden Stephenson

Decade Reunion Delights After having to shelve Alumni events for many months, it was fantastic to welcome leavers from 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2010, along with former members of staff, back to School at the end of September. There was a wonderful atmosphere as Old Boys and Old Girls returned to reminisce, to see what has changed since they left – and what hasn’t! – and to enjoy a good old school dinner.

Graham Jackson, Simon Gatenby, David Keene (all Class of 1980)

Members of the Class of 1970

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Bob Higson, Rob Haworth (both Class of 1970)

Richard Williams, Ben Williams, Jonathan Ishaque, Richard Bishop (all Class of 1990)

Chris Mangham, David Keene, Graham Jackson (all Class of 1980)

Members of the Class of 1980

Gareth Mawdesley, Jonathan Ishaque (Class of 1990)

Nicholas Fletcher, Alistair Cannon, Jonathan Evans, Michael Durbar (all Class of 2010)

Geoff Nicholls (Class of 1960), Kenneth Thomas (Class of 1960), Colin Appleton (Class of 1960), Peter Nightingale (Class of 1961), Roy Battersby (Class of 1961)

Newsletter Autumn 2021

ALUMNI EVENTS CALENDAR 2021 Friday 3rd December Wednesday 15th December

OBA Dinner Boys’ Division Christmas Festival

Arts Centre, 6.45pm Great Hall, 7.30pm

2022 Monday 17th January Thursday 27th January 2022 Friday 4th February Friday 4th March Wednesday 23rd March Sunday 24th April Saturday 30th April Friday 6th May Monday 16th May Friday 10th June Friday 24th June Monday 27th June June TBC Saturday 9th July

Old Boys’ Lunch Tillotson Lecture

Cambridge Dinner London Dinner New York Dinner Patterdale 25+2 Open Day ‘1’ Class Reunion Scottish Dinner Old Boys’ Lunch and AGM Friends of Bolton School Dinner Cumbria Lunch Recent Leavers’ Reunion, Class of 2021 MCC Match OBAFC Tournament and Reunion

Arts Centre, 12 noon Bolton School Venue TBC, 7pm Armourers’ Hall, 7pm Harvard Club NYC Patterdale Hall, time TBC Bolton School, 11.30am-4.30pm University of Edinburgh, 7pm Arts Centre, 12 noon Arts Centre, TBC Lindeth Howe Hotel, 12 noon Great Hall/Leverhulme Suite, 3-5pm Bolton School Bolton School

To reserve your ticket for any of our Alumni events, please call the Development Office on 01204 434718, email development@boltonschool.org or visit the ‘Former Pupils’ section of the School website (www.boltonschool.org) where you can book online.

The Bolton Alumni Network The Bolton Alumni Network has continued to grow throughout the last year and with the addition of the free Business Directory, which offers self-employed Alumni the opportunity to promote their businesses and services, we are able to present a networking community that spans the globe.

With 2,700 registered users in the UK, Australia, Europe, the USA, Canada, the Far East and beyond, the Bolton School Alumni network offers a diverse spectrum of support for Old Boys, Old Girls and Former Staff in a variety of sectors.

The use of the Bolton Alumni Business Directory as a free tool to showcase services to an active network has proved very popular, as has using the platform to offer benefits directly to members. The network of registered users can also be used as a free recruitment tool and we actively welcome any members of the Alumni community who work within, or are responsible for, recruitment to make use of the varied and engaged pool of potential candidates.

In the last six months, 73% of users have indicated they are willing to help those within the Bolton Alumni Network community, and offering advice, mentoring, recruitment and sharing of connections are the most common forms of interaction amongst network users.

For advice on how to advertise a vacancy or search for a mentor within the network please see the informative ‘How to’ videos in the Resources tab. We also welcome any Old Boys and Old Girls who are keen to post a careers skills video specific to their industry to contact the Development Office.

• • • • •

1,700+ users are willing to answer industry-specific questions 1,400+ are willing to introduce other Alumni to their connections 1,500+ are happy to offer advice 1,200+ have offered to review CVs 250+ currently offer work experience or internships

If you are not yet a member of the Bolton Alumni Network, you can join today by signing up at www.boltonalumninetwork.com with your LinkedIn, Facebook or Google Account or with an email address.

The School Magazine The Boltonian remains the premium magazine for the Boys’ Division. As an Old Boy it is possible to become a subscriber to The Boltonian and have a copy mailed directly to you each year.

The magazine costs £15 per annum for UK subscribers and £20 per annum for non-UK subscribers. All prices include postage and packaging. Single editions (including some earlier editions) are also available.

Any profits made from the sale of the magazine will go towards the running of the Old Boltonians’ Association.

For details of how to subscribe, please contact the Development Office.

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Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2021

SPORTS

Well, I Never … Football Didn’t Come Home

As all readers will know, football did not quite come home internationally at the Euros. It will come as no surprise that neither did it return to its Boltonian home in any serious way.

The promise mentioned in my vernal report was largely unfulfilled. The adult teams all attempted some form of reimagined competition; leagues floundered, however, so, for example, the First XI used their matches as preparation for the season ahead and the others reacquainted themselves with the game and concomitant injuries! Another hiatus in any commemorative centennial football festivities has reared its ugly head.

The bonus of a largely inactive 18 months was twofold. The club finances have never been stronger, even with significant planned spending on the kit of new tracksuits et cetera and the kaboodle of the pavilion, the pitches and their surrounds.

Equally, with more aeration and drainage work in the pipeline,

the pitches are in even better condition than ever prior to whatever the 2021-22 season holds.

Your correspondent is reluctant to suggest just what awaits the three Saturday teams, the Vets, the Ladies and the longpromised, now operative Youth team. The youngsters played 2020-21 as two squads and one won their league! All leagues are planned to be in full flow when this is published. The ever-magnificent team of volunteers from managers through Grounds and Pavilion maestro to executive officers continues to work tirelessly to make it possible to play whatever the gods throw at us … and maybe, you never know, without premature fowl counting, by the time the next Bugle blows, in harness with sixfold successful performances, we will have in place a new programme of celebrating the 100, 101 and 102 years of OBAFC! Martin Wadsworth (Boys’ Division Staff, 1974-2006)

Old Bolts Football Centenary Publication To help celebrate one hundred years of OBAFC, admittedly a little late following recent constraints, the Football Committee is planning a booklet of commemoration. If any former players, or their families, have any memorabilia they feel could be included, please contact the Development Office and names and details can be passed on to the intended authors, who will themselves get in touch to discuss inclusion or display!

OLD BOLTONIANS’ GOLF SOCIETY REPORT: Autumn 2021 After emerging from Lockdown two, three or four (I lost count) there was certainly a lot of enthusiasm to get back out on the golf course . The issue I think many found was that it took some time to get the condition of the courses up to standard following a harsh winter and reduced greenkeeping staff due to furlough. The other issue was that whilst golf courses opened in late March, it was some considerable amount of time before clubhouses and catering were able to follow suit, which made the organising of events somewhat difficult.

I am, however, happy to report that the annual match play Rosebowl took place and saw Frank Hodgkiss come out the victor over Ross Taylor in a very close final. Many congratulations to Frank.

We played The Taylor Trophy at Bolton Golf Club on Sunday 10th October and for once the weather played its part. Bolton Golf Club was, as ever, a superb host, with the course in excellent condition and the catering not disappointing.

Twenty Old Boys participated in the event and, in a very close result, Mark Millhouse won The Taylor Trophy by one point over Frank Hodgkiss, with Chris Taylor a further two points back in third place.

Following the meal and a brief AGM, it was resolved to revamp the format of The Gwynne Jones Goblets event to include boys and girls currently at Bolton School, along with

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their parents (parents do not need to have attended the School). The intention with this is to bring the School and the OBA closer and I will be in contact over the coming months with the event hopefully being held in April.

Lastly, I am extremely happy to report that, after a number of lean years, we once again managed to qualify for the Grafton Morrish Finals at Hunstanton and Royal West Norfolk on the weekend of 2nd October. A somewhat depleted team of Mark Millhouse, Mark Worsley, Norman Fletcher, Guy Haynes, Jeff Bennett and Nigel Compsty travelled to Huddersfield Golf Club and managed to qualify in second place with a total of 84 points. Given the age and ability profile of the other schools attempting to qualify, this was a fantastic achievement – my sincere thanks to those who represented the School. The same team, with the exception of Nigel Compsty (who cited substandard accommodation and lack of passport requirement as his reasons for not travelling, and was replaced by the evergreen and easy going Phil Riding), gave a good account of themselves, eventually losing 2-1 to Berkhamsted.

As ever, if any Old Boy wishes to get involved with the Society, particularly those with a low handicap who could help us in Grafton Morrish qualification, please contact me at mark_millhouse@yahoo.com or on 07711 594030.

Mark Millhouse (1989-1994) Golf Secretary

Newsletter Autumn 2021

ManUp! ManUp! is a ‘beach-style’ friendly senior water polo tournament held annually at the Albert Docks, Liverpool, and Salford Quays, Manchester. The Boys’ Division Senior Water Polo Team, undefeated throughout their time at Bolton School, competed in the Albert Docks event.

The ManUp! Tournament proved to be fast-paced, competitive and exciting to both play and watch! Matches were six-a-side with two substitutes, lasting eight minutes and played in a shorter pitch of 18 metres. The ten teams taking part were divided into two pools of five and after the ‘round robin’ group stage each team finished with a further playoff match.

Bolton School finished third in their group of five and then won their fifth/sixth place playoff.

The Bolton School team comprised Year 12 pupils Harry Bentham and James Blenkinship, Year 13 pupils Daniel Bentham, Jensen Myerscough, Tom Simpson and Thomas Yates; and Old Boys Marcus Crompton (Class of 2020) and goal keeper Matthew Schaffel (Class of 2019).

L-R: Harry Bentham, James Blenkinship, Marcus Crompton, Thomas Yates, Tom Simpson, Dan Bentham, Matthew Schaffel

There were also a number of Old Boys playing for different teams. Simon Baker (Class of 1993) played in goal for Nomads, Ollie Rhodes (Class of 2016) represented Liverpool University and Ben Riding (Class of 2017) played for the Oxford team, who were undefeated at this year’s ManUp! to be crowned overall winners.

In the other group, Peter Flaherty (Class of 2019) and Chris Rhodes (Class of 2020) played for Tyldesley. Alex Saunders (Class of 2010) represented Bridgefield 1, who won the group but were defeated by Oxford in the final.

Mervyn Brooker Memorial Cricket Match During the summer holidays, a Bolton School XI played an Edgworth CC XI to honour our late Headmaster, Mervyn Brooker.

Mervyn’s love of cricket saw him play his club cricket at Edgworth after watching the early morning’s play of School cricket and it seems only fitting to have an annual fixture in his honour. The Bolton School XI, made up of current players, members of staff and Old Boys, posted a total of 248, with Joe Ball (Class of 2019) batting superbly at the start of the innings, followed up by Luca Williams-Denton (Class of 2021) and 13 off 70 balls from Jim Farrell (Class of 2007). With what was thought to be a The Bolton School XI winning total, Bolton School went into the second innings confident of retaining the trophy. However, complacency crept in, meaning extras top scored with a chanceless 50 runs. The game went down to the wire with Edgworth making the winning runs with just one over to spare – a fantastic game watched by Mervyn’s family and friends. We look forward to winning back the trophy next year.

Brigid Brooker presents the Mervyn Brooker Trophy to Edgworth Captain James Lea

THE BOLTON SCHOOL WINE COLLECTION The Friends of Bolton School are pleased to present the Bolton School Wine Collection, an exclusive range of wines carefully selected in partnership with T Wright Wine of Horwich.

There are six wines in the collection, each priced at £9.95 per bottle; a Pinot Grigio, a Sauvignon Blanc, a Chardonnay, a Shiraz, a Merlot and a White Zinfandel. Delivery is free in the Bolton area (minimum 6 bottles) and all profits are donated to the Bolton School Bursary Fund.

To order please visit www.twrightwine.co.uk/13030. For more information please email bsfwines2015@gmail.com.

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Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2021

OLD BOYS’ NEWS

If you would like to get in touch with any of the Old Boys featured – or any other Old Boltonian – please contact the Development Office.

Class of 1950-1959 Norman Davies (1948-1957) Norman joined Melvyn Bragg for In Our Time to discuss the PolishLithuanian Commonwealth which flourished for 400 years until the middle of the eighteenth century.

There is a brief review of Norman’s recent book on George II on page 14.

Roger Gould (1948-1959) Roger and his wife have moved to a new abode in Keyworth, Nottingham, where their daughter and her family live. However, they have also bought an apartment in Saddleworth, the area where they have lived for the past 47 years, so that they can keep in regular contact with friends there and other family members and friends in the North West, including those in Bolton.

They are looking forward to freedom from some of the local commitments they have had for many years and to the opportunity to visit people in other parts of the country that they haven’t seen for some time. They enjoyed a large gathering of family and friends in August, when their son, Richard, got married in London, with their three granddaughters as bridesmaids.

Norman Longworth (1947-1953) Norman is well into retirement now after stopping work at the age of 83 with a visit to Taiwan where he keynoted a conference on learning cities. He passes the time by writing poetry and music – and avoiding Covid! He has updated his book, The Boy from the Back Streets of Bolton, especially the chapter on Bolton School – a review of the book is on page 15

Class of 1960-1969 Andrew Hilton (Class of 1967) For 18 years Andrew ran a Shakespeare company at the Tobacco Factory Theatre in Bristol. The company played 12week seasons there,

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toured around the UK, and appeared at international festivals in Eire, Germany and Romania. All that has been paused by the pandemic (and Andrew has retired from the company), but they are seeking smaller projects to maintain sanity and, if possible, some income.

Andrew recently directed a reading of King Lear which was live-streamed in July and is now available on YouTube.

The distinguished cast, which includes David Horovitch, Rory Kinnear, Nicholas le Prevost, Richard O’Callaghan and Dorothea Myer-Bennett, is raising funds for Acting for Others charities which provide help for those in the industry in the severest need. Find it here: youtu.be/z1hzjxF88nA. In the late Autumn Andrew will continue his ‘Interpreting Shakespeare’ classes at the University of Bristol with an in-depth look at Twelfth Night. This is part of the University’s lifelong learning programme, is open to any Shakespeare enthusiast, and will this year be conducted via Zoom. For details, keep an eye on: www.andrewhilton.online.

Meanwhile Andrew awaits the publication, by Nick Hern Books, of his book about Shakespeare production, Shakespeare on the Factory Floor, long delayed by the pandemic.

Andrew is in regular touch with three old classmates: Duncan Nightingale, Michael Richardson and Ian Walkden, and is keen to catch up with Susan Packer (Class of 1967).

Mark Doel (1962-69) Congratulations to Mark on the publication of his first novel: In Soviet Times People Knew Where To Cross The Road. Mark has published several academic books in the field of social work, but this is his first work of fiction.

A review of his novel is on page 14.

Copies of Marks book are available from Aspect Press: allan@aspect-design.net for £8.95 + pp.

Class of 1970-1979 Phil (Artie) Gaskell (1963-1970) Artie has been a Trustee of the Sir John Sedley Educational Foundation (sirjohnsedley.org.uk) for 40 years and Chair for around 15 years. Trustees include Lady Jennifer Gretton (retired Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire), Sir Richard Tollemache and Malise Graham (former Chair of Melton Borough Council).

The Foundation has recently completed the sale of over 40 acres of its farmland at Melton Mowbray (land purchased

by Lady Elizabeth Sedley in 1641 after the death of Sir John in 1637). This has been a protracted (but interesting) process lasting over ten years since the announcement of the Melton Sustainable Urban Expansion. The current stage involves Artie and Sir Richard investigating and mapping out the investment policy of the Trust going forward with its new found wealth (£5.2 million). This for a charity previously with an income in five figures (just), which grants funds to local young people in Wymondham (Melton Mowbray) and the surrounding Parishes.

Andrew Jameson (1963-1970) Every child begins life with a book of blank pages.

The content, often beyond their control, is initiated and influenced by others, especially parents and educators. The significance and importance of these experiences are never fully appreciated until the past becomes an integral part of the present and the future.

Andrew’s background in television broadcasting, predominantly engineering, was inspired whilst a pupil at Melville College, Edinburgh. A holiday project to design and build a crystal radio set led him to Modern Radio, Bolton.

Newsletter Autumn 2021

Mr Burrows realized his enthusiasm and drew a simple diagram and sent him home with all the relevant parts.

Success breeds success, leaving him with the desire and thirst to learn more.

His love of maths was recognized

by Mrs Wolfenden at Bolton School and she encouraged him to read mathematical puzzle books by Martin Gardner.

In 1980 whilst working on the Black Isle, Inverness, for the IBA, Andrew was invited to use his programming skills to design Channel 4 studios. The launch in 1982 saw the first totally automated playout centre in the world.

Andrew has also had the privilege of sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm with others; training unskilled young people and watching their careers flourish in the broadcasting industry; including his daughter, Rachel.

Redundancy gave him the opportunity to utilize all his software development skills and launch his own company SoftSpot Software, in 2004, selling word games throughout Canada and Europe.

Age does not inhibit his quest and zest for life. He and his wife Jane went to live in a small fishing village in Cantabria, Spain over 12 years ago and integrated fully into a non-English speaking society.

Covid-19 has separated them from family for too long and they are about to begin a new chapter in Scotland.

Andrew’s circumstances have changed many times over the years and he sometimes feels like Forrest Gump sitting at the bus stop looking back in wonder at all the people who have touched his life along the way, and arriving in places that had not been planned.

“I seldom end up where I wanted to go, but almost always end up where I need to be.” Douglas Adams (1952-2001) Ivor Timmis (1970-1977) Ivor had his first football article published in the April edition of Late Tackle magazine. The article, called Talking a Good Game: the Strange Language of Football, brings together his interests in sport and in language, both of which were nurtured at School.

Dr Arpan K Banerjee (1973-1978) On leaving Bolton School in 1978 Arpan went to St Thomas’ Hospital medical school, London, graduating in Medicine in 1983. After junior medical jobs at St Thomas Hospital, Leicester teaching hospitals, the Royal Free and The Royal Marsden HospitaIs, he specialised in radiology at the old Westminster Hospital and back at St Thomas and Guy’s hospitals.

He was appointed a consultant radiologist at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital in 1995 where he worked until his retirement in 2019. He was a postgraduate tutor in radiology, taught medical students, and managed to pursue his research interests, publishing several papers and books, including a bestselling textbook, Radiology Made Easy. Arpan served as President of the Radiology section of the Royal Society of Medicine, London, from 2005 to 2007, as well on the Royal College of Radiology Scientific Committee, and organised and lectured at numerous national and international scientific meetings.

The latest of Arpan’s seven published books is the co-written The History of Radiology, published by OUP in 2013.

He was a radiology history adviser to Downton Abbey.

Arpan is married to Tina, a GP, and they have two daughters: the elder is studying economics at Oxford University and the younger plans to study natural sciences at Cambridge from October.

In his retirement Arpan continues to write and study medical and radiology history and has recently helped to translate a new biography of Röntgen from German to English. He is currently Chairman of the International Society for the History of Radiology (ISHRAD) which provides a platform for him to pursue his interests in this field and still travel and lecture a bit. Earlier this year he was a guest speaker on the BBC World Service radio programme The Forum, titled ‘X-Rays – A New Way of Seeing’, which covered the early development of radiology.

Arpan attributes his interest in matters historical to the brilliant history teaching at Bolton School by Mr Northam (Boys’

Division Staff, 1963-1996) and the late Mr Eames (Boys’ Division Staff, 1966-1997). He also remains eternally grateful to Mr Winder (Boys’ Division Staff, 1964-1999) for his encouragement with debating which honed his public speaking skills, and remembers the superb Chemistry department – it was a privilege to be taught by Dr Watson (Boys’ Division Staff, 1973-2008).

Arpan would love to hear from old classmates and can be contacted via the Development Office.

Ian Hamer and Tim Taylor (both Class of 1979) In September Bolton hosted its first Half Iron Man event and World Championship qualifier. 1.2 miles murky swim, 56 miles hilly Ian and Tim with their cycling and 13.1 well-deserved medals miles undulating running. Ian Hamer and Tim Taylor, both 1979 leavers, took up the challenge and embraced the opportunity to race in front of a home crowd. The event started at Pennington Flash with a perfect water temperature of 17 degrees. 20 miles in to the bike phase the real climbing started and local knowledge was used to the full to make progress through the field. As the run stage started the sun came out to add to the challenge. Two laps through town, along Chorley New Road and past School took its toll on the competition as the ‘79 leavers got stronger.

The pair were delighted to achieve podium finishes in the V60 category, Hamer in second (just missing World Championship qualification) in 6 hours 17 minutes and Taylor third in 6 hours 21 minutes.

Class of 1980-1989 Nigel Short (Class of 1983) Nigel was interviewed for the September edition of The Cricketer. He described his late growth of interest in the game and noted that he attended the same school as Haseeb Hameed and Callum and Matthew Parkinson (all Class of 2015). Living in Greece, he has enjoyed informal games as player and spectator and in his travels as Vice President of the International Chess

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Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2021

Federation he has introduced a number of leading chess players to cricket.

Academic Teaching, Clinical Excellence and Customer Care.

Nigel Tapp (1976-1983)

Michael Evans (1991-1998) The Summer saw double celebrations for Mike. Not only did he add a BEng in Civil Engineering (First Class Honours) to his MA in Russian, Mike graduated but he and his wife, from the University of Bolton Leila, celebrated the arrival of their fourth child, Reuben Wilfrid Evans, on Friday 9th July!

Nigel and his new toy!

Nigel has opened a Great Manchester office surveyors in Stockport for his firm of chartered surveyors to complement the existing Leeds one. The firm’s workload is growing in the North West for private clients, charities and housing associations. He is especially busy with a wide variety of Expert Witness valuation cases referred from solicitors.

Working with a local church he has developed a ‘reach out’ work in Marple, taking a food bank out into needy areas.

Nigel has also treated himself to an antique toy!

Neil Edwards (1975-1984) Neil is enjoying la belle vie in the Haute-Vienne. In spite of retirement plans, he is still grinding the wheel of software engineering. Covid-19 has mostly passed him by on the grounds that in département 87 people are outnumbered ten to one by cattle.

Life consists of potager, pool, poker and pétanque and some other stuff which doesn’t begin with the letter p.

Neil is now acting as translator for the local Auberge owner – the late Mr Tatman would be astonished! He is still attempting to educate the French in the concept of the pie, although expectations on that front are low.

Class of 1990-1999 Sameer Mehta (1990-1992) Sameer was awarded the prestigious Outstanding Achievement Award for Healthcare Excellence for his efforts in combating Covid-19 in India. He is the Vice Chairman of Dr Mehta’s Hospitals, which has recently been recognised as the leading institution in Clinical Outcomes having successfully treated over 3,000 in-patients. The institution has won multiple international awards in

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Mike is currently working as Off-Track Asset Engineer for the North West for Network Rail and so is relying a little more on his civil engineering than his Russian at the moment.

Mike and new arrival Reuben

Mark Millhouse (1989-1994) Congratulations to OBA Golf Society Secretary Mark who reached the Final Qualifying for the Open Championship at St Anne’s Old Links Golf Club Mark with the famous in June. On the Claret Jug Saturday, he recorded a one under par to claim one of the spots in the Finals. With only three spots available in the Open itself, it was always going to be a challenge for any club amateur to progress, but nevertheless he played exceptionally well.

The day started with a photo next to the famous Claret Jug. He was quickly two under and was in fourth place on the early Leader Board through 12 holes. A couple of dropped shots saw him back on level par for the morning round, so no damage done.

The afternoon started well, again going two under through eight and a couple more chances to go four under slipped by as the ball lipped out on the fast greens. Maybe the heat and tiredness took over as Mark approached the final

three holes, still two under, but dropped shots saw him finish one over on the day and level for the tournament. As his caddie, Mike Lay, former Lancashire President, remarked, “Technically, you were the lowest ranked player in the field, with Walker Cup, Ryder Cup and European Tour Winners making up the field, so it was a great performance.”

Class of 2000-2009 Sean McAllister (Class of 2005) Sean will be retiring from professional football after a career that began in 2006. He is currently playing Sean celebrates after with Newtown in scoring for Sheffield the Welsh Premier Wednesday against League and starts Crystal Palace the new season in the Europa Conference League which, having considered everything, will be his last as a player. Fortunately Sean’s association with the sport is not ending as he will join the first team staff at Newtown as a coach whilst also working towards the UEFA A Licence.

Alex Symes (Class of 2008) Congratulations to Alex and Harriet Henthorn (Class of 2010) on the arrival of their first child, Annabelle Rose Henthorn-Symes, on Alex, Hattie and 27th May, weighing baby Annabelle 9lbs.

Class of 2010-2019 Andrew Clelland (2008-2015) After gaining a First Class degree in Mathematics with Russian, with a Distinction in Spoken Russian, from the University of Manchester in 2019, Andrew spent two years at Novosibirsk State University in Russia, where he achieved a Distinction in his Oil and Gas Management Master’s degree. From October 2021 he will be undertaking a PhD at the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge to research links between climate change and forest fires in Siberia.

Newsletter Autumn 2021

Hal Cowling (2003-2017) Hal studied Physics with German at the University of Nottingham, which ran Despite being unable modules in to attend an in-person conversational graduation Hal enjoyed German, celebrating his firstalongside class degree core physics, to prepare him for a year in Munich studying at Ludwig-MaximilianUniversität. It was during this year abroad, at a wet Parkrun in late September, that Hal met some Patent Attorneys from Manchester on a business trip. He soon found a shared interest for their work: a career which makes use of both communication and scientific skills, and rewards them with a unique exposure to the latest ideas and innovations in a variety of fields and locations — facilitating a continued application of the German language.

Two years on, after a successful job application to Kilburn & Strode, Hal is set on joining the world of intellectual property law, and equipped to give the same advice that he once received to any gregarious science undergraduate out on a morning run.

Arron Davies (2010-2017) Congratulations to Arron who has become the British National Open Men’s Water Skiing Arron at the 2015 Champion European U17 Water Skiing Championships. following a competition in Oxford in September. His performance put him in the top 13 in the world and was within five buoys of a world record!

As a result, he qualified for the Open World Championships, held in Orlando, in October.

Arron’s passion for water skiing led to international success even during his time as a pupil: he had a spot on the British junior water skiing team and earned multiple medals at European competitions, as well as a silver at the Junior World Championships in Year 13.

After leaving School Aaron went on to study industrial engineering at the

University of Louisiana in Lafayette. He is now a member of the illustrious ULL water ski team.

Alex O’Loughlin (2003-2017) Alex studied Drama at the prestigious University of Exeter. After graduating in the midst of the pandemic, he went on to work in the digital publishing space starting at Pink News. He is now working at globally renowned newspaper The Financial Times, where he works across FT Live events, conferences and summits. At the FT, he is based in the historic Bracken House, just a stone’s throw away from London’s St Paul’s Cathedral. He notably worked on a crisis summit event for the Afghanistan conflict where the company saw a record number of viewers.

Muhiyud-Dean Mirza (2010-2017) Congratulations to Muhiyud-Dean who has gained a First Class MMath degree from the University of Warwick and who has also secured a job with Kubrick, a consultancy firm specialising in data, which he commenced in October.

Andrew Lee (2010-2017) Well done to Andy who has received a Congratulatory First in Classics from Oxford. Andy is now studying for an MPhil in Classics at Cambridge, where he is fortunate to have gained a Studentship from the Faculty to help fund his studies.

Luke Cavanaugh (2004-2018) Congratulations to Luke who has graduated from the University of Cambridge with First Class honours in English. Luke is now in China, studying for a Masters in Global Affairs on the Schwarzman Scholars Programme in Beijing. Set up by American philanthropist Steve Schwarzman as the ‘Rhodes Scholarship for Asia’, the Schwarzman Scholars programme is a one-year, fully-funded master’s programme based out of Tsinghua University, designed to build a global community of future leaders who will deepen understanding between China and the rest of the world.

Adam Critchlow (2004-2018) Congratulations to Adam who has graduated from Newcastle University with a First Class degree in English Literature and Philosophy.

Adam is now studying for a Masters in Philosophy at Durham University.

Adam Hall (2016-2018) Congratulations to Adam who has been elected to a scholarship of Jesus College, Cambridge and was also awarded the Sir Leslie Martin Prize for his results in the Architecture tripos.

George Hill (2007-2018) Congratulations to George who has graduated from Keele University with a 2:1 in BSc Hons Neuroscience. He has also secured a job straight out of university and is now working with PepsiCo. Stewart Knights (2011-2018)) Congratulations to Stewart who has graduated from Lancaster University with First Class Honours in BSc Business Management. Stewart is now looking forward to continuing working with his two organisations, Millxnnials Public Speaking Consultants and Context Culture.

Sam Warburton (2011-2018) Congratulations to Sam who has gained First Class Honours in Jurisprudence from Somerville College, Oxford. Sam remains in Oxford where he is now studying for the Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL).

Class of 2020 onwards Aden Stephenson (2013-2020) Congratulations to Aden on his engagement to Grace! The pair met at Warwick University and plan to marry Happy couple very soon.

Aden and Grace

Former Staff Mike Percik (Boys’ Division Staff, 1990-2009) Mike is very proud that his daughter, Annie Percik (Girls’ Division 1990-1996), recently had her debut novel published, a fantasy entitled The Defiant Spark.

The book was reviewed in the Spring edition of the Old Girls’ Newsletter and the review can be read at boltonschool. org/former-pupils/newsletters.

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Mini Reunions Class of 1971 – 50 Years On Here are (L-R) Robert Kay, Henry Jones, David Seddon and Stephen Aldred pictured at Steve’s house in Putney, after an annual lunch in August with their wives.

The four Old Boltonians have been meeting regularly since the late 1980s when they found themselves all living in London. David and Henry go back to Form 3A2 in 1965-66 and all four were in the Sixth Form together in the late 1960s. The picture was taken by Rebecca Seddon (née Good, Class of 1973, Girls’ Division).

Class of 1963 Reunion John Wright (1953-1963) reports on the fourth, and again very successful, reunion, held in September:

memories whilst partaking of some superb food and a glass of wine or two! After a brief rest, most of us reconvened at the nearby Jolly Crofters to continue the celebrations into the evening.

“After reuniting at the 2015 100/500 Year Anniversary Grand Reunion Day at School we pledged to hold biennial reunions – for as long as we could! Sadly, two of the original group have died: Alan Brookes and Lord Peter Smith. Sickness prevented some attending this year, moving house others, and David Gregory, who lives in Cape Town, was prevented by Covid-19 restrictions – luckily Alan and Aracelis Nimmey were able to travel from their home in Bordeaux. We were also pleased to welcome two special guests: former teacher and scoutmaster David Allen and his wife, Margaret.

Standing (left to right): David Brookes, Harry Lane, Keith Washington, Robin Magee, Alan Nimmey, John Wright Seated (left to right): Tony Castledine, Ernie Marsh, David Allen, Robin Simmons, David Fielding, Glenn Sutton, John Shuttleworth, Mick Taylor, Ted Wood

“As in 2019 we gathered at the Ridgmont House, Horwich, an excellent venue ‘far from the madding crowd’, and enjoyed several hours renewing friendships and sharing

Magical Meeting Despite being in different School years, Tim Maudsley (1957-1965) and Peter Whalley (1959-1966) became good friends as they both lived near to each other in Coppull, near Chorley, and travelled to School together.

After School, Tim took up a Mechanical Engineering Tim (left) and Peter Apprenticeship at the Royal get reacquainted Ordnance Factory in Blackburn, while Peter went on to the University of Liverpool. The pair last saw each other at School Sports Day in 1966

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“Thank you to Robin Simmons for taking many superb photos, now on his website, and to Robin Magee for once again taking charge and organising the day.

“We all now look forward to ‘Reunion-2023’ – God willing!

If any readers of the same vintage would like to join those of us still able in two years’ time, please contact Robin Magee via the school Development Office.”

(Peter winning the 440 yards, 880 yards, and mile races) then lost touch owing to their diverse careers. Earlier this year, Tim mentioned Peter to his wife and she managed to find him on social media. The two old School mates made contact and arranged to meet up for lunch in Oxford.

Tim says: “So, after 55 years, we got together again in May this year and chatted together for a few hours about what had happened to us both in the intervening years!

A magical afternoon, with our wives meeting for the first time, along with my sister, Rosalind, who was also at Bolton School and knew Peter back in the 1960s. We have met up again since then and have promised to keep in touch.”

Newsletter Autumn 2021

Looking Back 62) sent in this photo Bill Stephens (1956-19 1960. of of the Hockey Team ; GP Gubbin, DL ens ph Ste WA : L-R Back, y, J Shuttleworth lsb He ? r, Speirs, ? Walke Lee, RM Falconer, RF n, Front, L-R: MJ Murde s ter Pe R s, KT Schole o his seventies, finally Bill played hockey int s uld love to hear new retiring in 2015. He wo members m tea l oo Sch n lto of the other Bo Office. via the Development

6 U14A Football Team This photo of the 195 ver (1952-1962) Lea n was sent in by Ala 1983-84 Football 1st XI Back, L-R: John Stopfo rd, Martyn McDonald, Chris Sto ddart, Richard Sharples, Dave Shoes mith, Ian Hilton Front, L-R: Chris Chad wick, Julian Darby, Mick Seddon, Gary Rowson (Captain), Henry Wo ods, Marcus Radcliffe

nd this old photo Martin Wadsworth fou otball Team in of the 1995 Senior Fo North Wales

PT Competition, 1953 – Chorley House were the winners Thank you to Martin Thompson (1959-1973) for these three photos of Beech House c 1961

Andrew Jameson (1963-1970) sent in this photo of the Scout long cam p in Baronscourt, Co Antrim, 1965 Back, L-R: Pete Walker, ? Rushton, Mick Powell Middle, L-R: Mark Grundy, Pete r Taylor Front, L-R: Andrew Jameson, Sim on Brindle

Don’t forget to take a look at the ‘Scenes from the Past’ page of the School website, which we regularly update with new Archive photos: www.boltonschool.org. You can also share your own archive photos on the Bolton Alumni Network: www.boltonalumninetwork.com.

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ARCHIVES Treasures of Bolton School How many boys who walk through the landing behind the organ, whether en route to the Library, to the Great Hall or to C Corridor ever give more than a passing glance to the old chair, the chest or the bookcase?

The Headmaster’s Chair

The Headmaster’s Chair from the old Grammar School dates back to 1685 when it cost about four shillings. Made of oak, it is extremely well built and appears in photographs of the old School with a gown draped over it to disguise the loss of the original arm.

Until a relatively short time ago the School Chest was where all the School’s early records were kept. They were very dirty until 2003 when Dr Holland and Mrs Nightingale removed, cleaned and catalogued them under the guidance of the John Rylands Library in Manchester before storing them in protective files in the archive. The chest is likely to have been produced in Nuremberg in Germany and is made from wrought iron with interlaced iron bands. It was imported initially for use as a safe and the documents it contained suggest it dates from the early 17th century. Until 1832 the School did not have a bank account so the chest would have been used to store all its coins of the realm.

Aware of the need for new bookcases, Dr Holland designed a new set which complement the Great Hall doors and which were made by craftsmen trained by Sir Gordon Russell (who designed all the original furniture and fittings throughout the School). The Parents’ Association kindly donated £8,000 towards the cost and the bookcases were unveiled in the Autumn Term 2007. The translation of the inscription is ‘The least knowledge that we can have of the highest things is more desirable than the surest grasp of those things that are the least’.

Within the bookcases is the jewel in the crown – the chained library. One of few chained collections remaining in the country, it is the only one in a school with the original fittings intact.

Chained libraries were commonplace between the 14th and 18th centuries in cathedrals, churches, universities and major schools, but few remain and only two in schools, one at Bolton School and one at Royal Grammar School, Guildford. The Guildford The Chained Library library, however, has lost its original woodwork so Bolton’s is therefore unique. It is all that is left of two local 17th century libraries in the town of Bolton-leMoors, one being from the old Bolton Grammar School, the other from the old Bolton Parish Church. The two libraries were merged in the mid-19th century. There are 97 items in total, 56 of which are chained in the oak cabinet given to the School in 1694 by Mr James Lever and the dates of the books range from 1608 to 1823. Most are theological, which is not surprising, given that education then was largely based on Divinity and Latin, and almost all are in English.

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Many books have suffered from damp over the years, a large proportion of which were restored at the expense of a Governor, Fred Tillotson, whose father, William, had been married to Lord Leverhulme’s sister. William Tillotson was also the founder of the Bolton Evening News in 1867. The books are not necessarily rare, but they form part of a library which is likely to have been read by ordinary people, including clergy. They were for use, not ornament, so the bindings are plain and utilitarian. The library comprises a lectern system with a desk on which to read the books. The chains are linked to a front corner of the book because if they were chained to the spine the book would suffer greater stress from being moved on and off the shelf. Moreover, the books are placed on the shelves with the binding to the rear so that each book may be removed and opened without the need to turn it round, thus minimising the risk of the chains getting tangled.

One of the most prized books is the Ainsworth Dictionary. Robert Ainsworth (1660-1743) was a pupil at the Grammar School and later taught there. He later moved to London and opened a boarding school. He insisted on Latin being The Ainsworth Dictionary the only language used by the boys he taught. He is remembered for his Dictionary of the Latin Tongue, which was the most important Latin dictionary of its time and remained the standard Latin dictionary until Victorian times. The copy in the chained library was his gift to the School.

The most interesting books are arguably the three-volume copy of the Acts and Monuments by John Foxe, full of woodcut illustrations of people condemned to death during the reign of Queen Mary Tudor. When first produced Foxe’s Acts and Monuments in 1563, this was the largest publishing project ever undertaken in England. It was reprinted many times; the edition in the chained library is the ninth edition, printed in 1684. It is often referred to as the Book of Martyrs, but that was not John Foxe’s title and it only became known by this name after the edition printed in 1631.

All are indeed treasures of Bolton School.

Meet the Archivist Eric Fairweather If you have a question about the School’s history or would like to donate to the Archive any photographs or artefacts from your time at School, Eric would love to hear from you.

E: development@boltonschool.org

Newsletter Autumn 2021

LIVES REMEMBERED Terry Butterworth (Boys’ Division Staff, 1969-1977) Terry Butterworth was a member of the Physics department when I arrived in Terry in the Cuillins 1971. I found him a friendly, approachable person who I felt was willing to give me good advice as I set out on my teaching career, and so it turned out. Terry was the person who I turned to first if I wanted help, and if he felt that others were better placed to help, he would direct me to David Shaw, Eric Rawlinson or Brian Gallagher, or indeed a member of the staff in general. Terry was far more than just a Physics teacher; many people reading this may well remember him as the Fourth Year Block Master whose wise words of encouragement, or indeed admonishment, were received and acted upon, and as a teacher of lifesaving in the old pool.

But the extra-curricular activities which most will remember will be linked to his love of the outdoors. He introduced me to hill walking, involving me in trips to the School house at Cautley and the holiday trip to the Isle of Arran. His trips to Cautley were memorable for the respect shown to him by the pupils on the trip, for the walking and the food.

How could you forget peeling potatoes for 32 hungry people or indeed the roast pork dinner with excellent crackling? It was from here that we also started taking pupils on potholing outings. Upper and Lower Longchurn were the starting caves, and if these were survived there was Kingsdale Master cave. This was always exciting for Terry, seeing the reaction of the first timers as they approached a dustbin lid in the middle of a field. This was lifted to reveal the entrance where you slid into the restricted passage with water up to your waist. There you bent with your head between the water and the ceiling and made your way into the real cave system.

The trip to Arran was another trip to evoke many memories. Terry leading off the ferry, straight to the bike hire shop to collect your bike before cycling to Brodick youth hostel. No hot water for washing meant that you were wide awake for breakfast and the walking to come. The walking was after you had completed the morning tasks set by the Hostel Steward. How many people can remember the ride to the shop in Brodick to buy his cigarettes! As you went to the hills, Terry would tell of the time he led everyone down from one of the hills when the mist fell on the hillside. It was only the next day that they were aware of the path taken to come down and were astonished that Terry had managed to bring them all down safely. On all my trips with him, he insisted that safety was the top priority.

Terry was happily married to Jen who often came with us to Cautley. Later, as his family increased and grew up, it was obvious how proud he was of his family.

I am sure that we all send our best wishes to them and allow them to take comfort in the thought that their father has had a positive impact on so many young lives, both in Bolton and in the other schools that were lucky enough to have him as a member of their Staff.

Eric Dawber (Boys’ Division Staff, 1992-2011) Terry was my friend and hiking/ scrambling/ fell-running mate for 46 years.

Strangely, Fellsman 1977, L-R: Terry, he never Nick, Rik, Phil taught me at School, but was one of those teachers that everyone knew and respected.

My association started through my older brother, Gary, who was one of a group of lads that regularly went caving with Terry and his brother, Alan.

I went along for a taster, but crawling up streams in a boiler suit and wellies, wriggling through openings the size of a letter box, didn’t really do it for me, so I wasn’t a regular.

Terry ran a trip to Cautley (the then School outward bound centre) for our year group (Fifth Form) which seemed to have a common thread of being for those interested in things outdoorsy.

After a day walking and bivvy-bagging in the hills, the highlight of the evening entertainment was a singalong round the piano as Terry played all requests and ad-libbed his own verses relating to lads on the trip. He had an amazing gift on the piano to ‘play by ear’ which he inherited from his father who had been a regular performer in Derby’s pubs and clubs.

At the start of Sixth Form, Terry invited me to join him, Rik Thwaites and Phil Collier (both Class of 1977) to train for The Fellsman (a 62-mile hike in the Yorkshire Dales) to be followed with a Summer trip to the Isle of Skye for an attempt on The Black Cuillin (one of Europe’s toughest ridge walks). Training comprised of Sunday morning outings alternating between Rivington Pike/ Winter Hill runs and morning walks in the Lakes or Dales taking in a ‘round’ of mountains. For the Lakes Terry would pick up at 6am and we’d be parked up by 8am for a blast up, around the peaks and run off back to the car for 1pm and the drive home.

The Fellsman was our first target in early May and, dressed in the hiking gear of the day (heavy boots, long socks, moleskin breeches and a woolly shirt), we set off from Ingleton in great spirits. The event had a system of ‘grouping’ by cut off time at checkpoints and despite sizeable blisters I managed to make it through to an evening group with Terry and we finished in a time of 19 hours and 46 minutes, with the other lads an hour or so behind, all ahead of a chap called Don Robinson of Leeds University Outdoor Club who was Terry’s mentor and inspiration in the world of caving/ potholing, and the fells.

The following month, straight after end of School term, we were off up to Skye and settled into Glenbrittle Youth Hostel. We spent a week of long days recceing the route of the ridge in various stages and then waited for a

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weather window for the attempt. On the day, despite low cloud at 3am, the weather had cleared by 6am and we set off from the hostel. We finished the ridge in a time just under eight hours, completely bushed, but a very creditable time and achievement, even in modern times with lightweight gear.

Terry had continued to do The Fellsman most years and progressed from Bolton School times to be the stand-out fell runner of his age group – although I returned a number of times, I was no longer able to keep with him.

Terry’s passion for Scotland saw him doing trips north most years and he completed two rounds of the Monros (282 mountains over 3000ft), the second including all the Tops (272 peaks not considered Monros)!

team and continued to play when he went up to Balliol.

Bolton School played a big role in Tom becoming a professional French horn player. Apparently he was handed a French horn by the music teacher and was told to learn to play it! His parents asked Sydney Coulston to take him on as a pupil and his love of the instrument grew from then. When he went up to Oxford to read Physics, a large part of his time was spent playing music.

He also played in the National Youth Orchestra. The day after graduating from Oxford he shocked his parents by telling them that Physics was not for him and that he was auditioning in Ireland for what was then the RTÉ Symphony Orchestra.

Having left School, I rejoined Terry throughout my twenties as an Old Boy with a number of groups from his subsequent schools, going up to Skye and the Highlands. We kept in touch throughout the years, and in the last decade rejoined regular trips with lads of our era and also later generations, recently including my son and younger brother.

These trips included several Skye visits, the Dolomites, and lastly, this Summer, the Torridon area of Scotland with groups ranging in age from 73 to 18, former pupils from three schools and their sons/friends. Activities included via Ferrata, climbing, scrambling, walking, fell-running and cycling, with experiences of the day being recounted over beer and dinner in the evening – all having a great time enjoying each other’s company.

In recent years Terry had set up a Weight Group for four guys on WhatsApp with him charting over time stats for each of us. This, coupled with use of Strava for recording ‘activities’, was our incentive to keep fit for trips.

This has now been renamed TB’s Tracker, with six reporting, and we have pledged to keep ‘Terry’s trips’ going.

Nick Battersby (1971-1978) Tom Briggs (1951-1958) Tom went to Church Road School before winning a partial scholarship to Bolton School. He enjoyed his School Trip to Clermont Ferrand in 1954 and spoke highly of his pen pal, Jacques, and his family. He enjoyed being a member of the hockey

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Clermont Ferrand, 1954 – Tom is front row, second right, next to his pen pal, Jacques, wearing the plus fours

Tom played with the orchestra as principal third horn for 43 years until he reluctantly had to retire at 65. Tom also played in the New Irish Chamber Orchestra and later on in The Orchestra of St Cecilia. He continued to play as a freelance player until he was 72 years old, then never played his horn again – he gave his horn to a Youth Orchestra in which he had mentored the horn section.

Tom married Anna in 1966 and they had a son, Simon, and two daughters, Carla and Melanie. Aside from his family, making music was his life: about eight years before he was stricken with Lewy body dementia he joined a male voice choir and was thus able to continue to enjoy making music.

Anna Briggs Tom was a stellar French horn player while at Bolton School in the 1950s, being appointed principal horn in both the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain and the European Union Youth Orchestra. Understandably, when I first joined the School orchestra as a novice horn player in the late 1950s, it was with a certain trepidation that I sat down to

play on the chair next to Tom. I needn’t have worried, as he immediately put me at ease by offering words of great kindness and encouragement. The first piece we played together in a School concert was Beethoven’s Symphony No 1 – and I was terrified. The second movement contains a particularly exposed solo duet for the two horns, just a few bars long, which looks easy in the score, but to a novice was more than challenging. Thanks to Tom, it went brilliantly! I was playing an old Boosey & Hawkes piston valve (peashooter) horn that came with a certain provenance, as it had been played in several NYO concerts by Tom before he moved on to play an Alexander German horn. Many readers of The Bugle will instantly recall that another great horn player (Dennis Brain) had also changed from piston horn to Alexander, just a few years earlier. I remember that Tom always referred to Dennis Brain as DB, a familiarity perhaps acquired when DB used to mentor the horn section in the NYO before his untimely death in 1957.

Tom’s last School concert before he headed up to Oxford University contained two movements of the Brahms Horn Trio Op 40, in which Tom was accompanied by my father (PAS Stevens, Boys’ Division Staff 1944-1968), the School Music Director, playing piano, with the violin teacher Jack Hughes (Boys’ Division Staff 1947-1980) playing the challenging violin part. I suspect Tom would have been 17 or 18 at the time and he gave a flawless performance, equalled only by his truly virtuoso performance of Schumann’s very difficult Adagio and Allegro Op 70 at his final Speech Day recital. I remember him rehearsing it with my father in our lounge at home just a few days before the performance. Only a handful of professional players had recorded Schumann’s Op 70 by that date, but Tom absolutely nailed it!

I attach a photo that features the Bolton Choral Union performance of Handel’s Messiah from 1960 – my father again conducting, with me sitting in the middle of the three horns, with Tom on the left. It was a great experience for me playing alongside Tom whenever possible and I soon progressed to confidently playing First Horn parts

Newsletter Autumn 2021

myself. Those with keen eyes may recognise others with Bolton School connections in the BCU Orchestra.

what he missed while in hospital. He remembered the kindness of everyone at the School throughout his life.

The last time I met Tom was at Speech Day in July 1962. After serving as Captain of the School team in the annual swimming and water polo match versus the Old Boys, I hurried from the Old Baths back up to the Great Hall to perform on the horn in the musical recital. I elected to play the Rondo of Mozart Horn Concerto No 3, K 447 with my father at the piano. I really enjoyed the performance and afterwards while I was busy backstage emptying the ‘juice’ out of the horn, who should pop up out of the audience, but Tom Briggs. As always he was full of kind words about my playing, while very gently pointing out, with that little twinkle in his eye, that I should really have played the version with arpeggios in the last few bars! Two months later Tom embarked on the next and what was to be the final step of his horn playing career.

In adult life he became a teacher and later in life opened The John Denham Gallery, specialising in immigrant artists who fled Nazi Germany.

After Oxford, in September 1962 Tom joined the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra in Dublin as a professional principal horn player. He remained with the orchestra until his final concert on 16th September 2005 that marked 43 years’ distinguished service. His death on 25th March 2021 was announced by RTÉ on 26th March and that evening’s RTÉ NSO concert, with Chief Conductor Jaime Martín, was dedicated to Tom’s memory.

Howard NE Stevens (1952-1963) John David Rhodes Denham (1949-1958) John attended Bolton School in the late 1950s. Although he had two serious childhood illnesses, he had very fond memories of the School. He remembered great conversations while eating meals on the large dining tables with staff, the rambles, and the sports days in the grounds.

John played trumpet and later the double bass in the School orchestra.

During university breaks he played in a jazz band with friends from Bolton School.

When John was in hospital the whole class sent get well cards and his good friend Peter Gilbert (1946-1959) visited.

For many years Peter and John would call each other up on their birthdays and play Happy Birthday over the telephone on brass instruments.

The staff at Bolton School gave John extra classes to help him catch up on

He was a keen gardener and writer.

He was kind and quirky. He is greatly missed by his wife, Anne, his daughters, Juliet and Alison, and his grandchildren Jo and Daniel.

Alison Denham John Welsby Kirkham (1938-1948) John Welsby Kirkham passed away peacefully on 21st May 2021 at the age of 91, surrounded by his family and loved ones at his home in Bolton.

John commenced Bolton School in 1938, when the Boys’ Division building was still very new. He became the captain of the swim team and created wonderful memories in the Bolton School Scout division that he often shared with his family.

He continued his studies until he left to attend St Andrews University, Scotland, to study engineering.

Until very recently John still looked forward to attending the Old Boys’ Luncheons to connect and catch up with friends and reminisce about their time and memories in the Boys’ Division.

John’s family and friends were always amazed by his breadth of knowledge around a plethora of subjects, and in turn has inspired his grandchildren Charlie, Samuel, and Oliver to ask questions and recognize the importance of learning about the world around us.

John’s gentle nature, and wonderful smile will be forever remembered by his family: his wife Sylvia, daughters Sophy, Joanne and Emma, sons-in-law Andrew and Chad, and grandchildren Harry, Charlie, Samuel and Oliver.

The Kirkham Family Paul Mariner (Former Boys’ Division Staff) I think it was the Autumn Term of 1994-95, just into my second season as Master-in-Charge of Football, when I received a call in the Staff Room from the then Director of Sport asking: “Do you know Paul Mariner?” I said that I

knew who he was, but not personally.

“Well he’s down here, in the Tillotson (Pavilion), and wants to do some coaching, you’d better come down.” I walked in to be greeted by a giant of a man in terms of both physical stature and personality, still with the widelyrecognised shock of heavy-metal long hair. Paul was coaching at a number of clubs in the area but, as a genuine Boltonian, and perhaps knowing of the School’s reputation for football, offered to do six hours a week. In the following two seasons this grew to eight and then ten hours a week.

Bolton School Staff Football Team, 1993/94 Back: Wardle, Robertson, Fernside, Mariner, Rashleigh, Green, Joseph, Percik Front: Rogers, Pownall, Sakib Burza (Class of 1995), ?, Rigby

If any proof were needed of my Mother’s adage “It’s better to be born lucky than rich”, my fortunes – and those of Bolton School football – took on a very rosy complexion that day.

Rumours spread fast on the ISFA circuit that Bolton were engaging in a rathertoo-professional approach to building (further) their footballing reputation.

However, the reality was that Paul was not interested in coaching the First XI or in any reflected glory from that (if there was such a thing); he was far more interested in developing the technical skills in the younger year groups and the Junior School and in sharing his coaching expertise with Staff colleagues.

By then Paul was one of the exprofessionals that the Coerver Coaching organisation used in their summer camps and promotional material.

Coerver Coaching was built on the work of the former Ajax coach Wiel Coerver and in the 1990s the English FA coaching programmes were only just beginning to latch on to what all European countries already knew and practised, namely that mastery of the ball had to be the foundation, and were developing the ‘Cruyff turn’ and the ‘Rivelino’ in youngsters very effectively from an early age. I personally benefited enormously from the opportunity to join

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Paul during two summers at Coerver’s Summer Camp at Lake Placid and was able to bring back many technical practices to share with colleagues and the boys.

Far more importantly, however, Paul had a wonderful personality – funny, warm, engaging, with no fancy ideas about having played successfully at the highest level; playing non-league for Chorley would have contributed, I am sure. I remember he was brilliant at learning and using the names of the very young boys very quickly which endeared them to him. He was willing to turn out in Staff matches. He was also the brains behind the preseason training camp at Llandudno, undertaking the reconnaissance of the hotel and planning the three-day programme.

To conclude, he once shared with me that the day he walked through the gates of the School he felt more nervous than he had when walking out at Wembley(!), having only ever travelled past on the bus what he referred to as ‘The College of Knowledge’. Whilst his departure was far too early I believe that Bolton School and those who were lucky enough to spend time with and learn from him are both lucky and richer for the experience.

Chris Rigby, (Boys’ Division Staff, 1991-2003) My early encounters with Paul were limited, as when he was taking part in School football, I was always on the rugby fields. This changed when he turned out for the staff football team one night. He had no qualms at all about playing for the staff against the Sixth Form. He took up his usual centre forward position and played with a huge smile on his face. He was very supportive of the lesser mortals around him and quickly became part of the Common Room.

He also took staff CPD training, as we all took part in the Coerver coaching awards he was running. One man, one ball, was the order of the day, as he worked miracles developing the skills of the staff. This could only be helpful for the School footballers as the staff took their new coaching techniques to the sports lessons.

Paul played several times for the staff team (see photo); a great experience for staff and Sixth Formers alike. Yours truly managed to cross a ball with his useless left foot and Mariner appeared

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at the back post to head home. He was praising the cross … it was more a case of his athletic prowess in the air. He was a huge man, very powerful, and it was the height from which he headed the ball that astounded us all.

Paul was a very generous man, both of his time and his thoughts. His football knowledge was superb and there was nothing better than sitting chatting to him after a game, reminiscing about his football times at Chorley, Plymouth, Ipswich, Arsenal and England, to name a few!

We had a few games of golf with Denis Crompton, who was also in the Sports Department at the time. Great times. A round of golf seemed to disappear in seconds with such humour from two characters of the Department.

Paul moved to America to coach soccer at Arizona University and then New England before moving to Toronto FC. He returned briefly in 2009 to manage Plymouth Argyle where he is considered as one of the club’s best ever players.

His time at Ipswich saw him play in their FA and UEFA cup winning sides.

Paul also played for his country 35 times, scoring 13 goals for England.

His time at School was a huge success for all concerned. Paul was an endearing man who took time to share his knowledge, which was appreciated by staff and pupils alike.

It was an honour to have worked with him. RIP Paul Fernside (Boys’ Division Staff, 1992-present) I reckon it was Spring 1995 when our third year football coach, Martin Boden, wrapped up early evening midweek training by telling us that some bloke (whom we’d never heard of) was joining the coaching staff at School. As my Dad drove me home from School, I told him the news. “Apparently we’re getting somebody to help out with the coaching. Mr Boden says he played for Arsenal and Ipswich a few years ago”, I said, carelessly. “You don’t mean Paul Mariner, do you?” “Not sure, Dad. But yeah – something like that.” Dad was sure and suddenly the School fees felt like terrific value.

By the time I met Paul I’d been well briefed: he was a titan, an England international, a sporting rockstar and he was coming to Bolton School. I remember first meeting him outside the changing rooms on Top Level. His hair was massive, his calves were massive,

and his voice was pretty massive, too.

He looked like he had been quarried out of granite. We felt pretty small in his presence, but that didn’t last for long as he immediately set about coaching us, encouraging us and squeezing more out of us than we knew was possible. He radiated presence. In my fifth year, I’d broken into the First XI and Paul looked after me. He made us all grow a couple of inches when we ran out onto the First XI pitch. We sensed that the opposition parents and coaches, if not the players, knew that we had an international ace in our pack. The quality of his coaching was off the charts, but his presence on the touchline was often worth a couple of goals head-start too. He was modest and generous, but, like any proper rockstar, he turned heads.

He had that rarest of rare qualities of making each of us feel like worldbeaters. He’d compare us favourably to some of the megastars that he’d played with in his career. “Biggest match of my life this afternoon, Willow. It reminds me of the Wembley dressing-room just before I scored against Hungary to send England to the World Cup in ’82, but I think this is bigger. It FEELS bigger doesn’t it, Willow? What I would give to be playing in this one...” We’d laugh with him, but his relentless drumbeat of confidence-boosters all totted up.

During a golden age of School football in the late 90s, our First XI added up to more than sum of its parts and Paul helped to take us there. His reach extended far beyond football coaching: he was a life coach before it was a thing, and I will be forever grateful to him for helping to forge rock-solid friendships, often across the years, that survive to this day. When he passed away, a few of us – now in our forties – swapped tales and smiled again, sharing memories that are as fresh today as they were in those salad days in the 90s when he prowled the Levels, all hair and muscle.

He was the ultimate footballing rockstar and it was a privilege to be in his presence.

David Williams (1992-1999) Here are some memories of Old Boys lucky enough to have been coached by Paul: “The most influential coach I’ve had.

Training sessions were really inventive and he gave me loads of confidence that I could actually play, while making every session fun – even early morning runs on the beach!”

“I remember his big personality and his

Newsletter Autumn 2021

great energy, as well as how he spoke to you and explained things one-to-one.

He made such an impression on the whole group; those training sessions still get talked about even when we meet up nowadays.”

“I remember his ‘one for the defender and one for you’ line; that definitely got me a few goals over the years. A thoroughly nice person.”

“Rondos, toe tapping and passing drills more complicated than a Further Maths lesson. I learnt more in my first training session than I had in five years of junior football.”

“Paul was coaching Preston North End at the same time that he was at Bolton School, and after he heard I was a Preston fan he very kindly brought some club training kit into School as a gift for me.”

James Sargent (1977-1986) I met Jim Sargent on my very first day at Bolton School in September 1979, but it was not until the Sixth Form that we became the unlikeliest of friends. We were vastly different personalities, but in the Lower Sixth found ourselves in the same bizarre but loyal friendship circle of misfits, weirdos and nerds, or as Jim put it “the only sane men in the asylum!”

From these unlikely circumstances there grew a friendship that lasted for more than 40 years.

Jim Sargent was in every way a larger than life character, he loved a pint and a flutter on the horses, the hail-fellowwell-met propping up the bar long after the lightweights had given up and gone home. Although never what you would call an academic, he had an encyclopaedic knowledge of sport, history and politics which won us many rounds of drinks at pub trivia nights throughout the late 80s and 90s.

I moved to Australia in the early 2000s, but kept in close touch with my old friend, and driving over to Heywood for a pub meal, a few pints and many fond reminiscences was something I cherished every time I came back to England.

Jim’s sudden, but mercifully instantaneous, death from a pulmonary embolism in March 2021 has robbed me and many others of a true and steadfast friend. He was just 53.

Jim never married or had kids, but he leaves a huge hole in the lives of

everyone who knew him, and he will be greatly missed.

Lee Fairbank (1979-1986) James N Sargent; by far and away the greatest bon viveur I have ever known with quite the finest wit bar none and, by a country mile, the most engaging character one could ever drink and/or dine with.

Jim was the veritable life and soul of any shindig whether during a casual round of post-graduation imbibing or more concentrated round of ‘Sleaze Club’ reconvention, years later, and was blessed by a mental alacrity that prevented him from being educated beyond his intelligence which, in contemporary parlance, translated as ‘doing the bare minimum’.

This heroic dearth of ambition ensured a mindset quite at odds with the wearisome, thrusting ambitions of school days and beyond, serving as the basis for something akin to a cultural bulwark against the same and, in the consequent radiation of our wee numbers’ collective disdain, a relaxed humour spanning several decades.

Within Jim’s orbit, you very quickly abandoned the chastening shackles of adulthood to adopt the free-breathing mentality of the unjaded 18-year-old, albeit one lamenting the state of things in general, but it rarely took long before you were metaphorically back in the Undercroft, attempting to ‘check out’ in the manner of Cliff Lazarenko or Keith Deller and reimagining all those halcyon moments in a manner which, I guess, many Old Boys down the years have cherished.

His escapades were myriad and those who knew him may recall them fondly; certainly, news of his untimely exiting ... stage left, emphatically took the wind out of my sails and it remains barely conceivable that the option of a banal but highly cathartic text will no longer be quickly and hilariously reciprocated.

Jim was the best of the best and I’m going to miss him like hell.

Rock hard, ride free, my old chum ...

Simon Clarke (1984-1986) Lord Peter Smith (1956-1964) Peter Richard Charles Smith was born and raised in Leigh. He attended Butts C of E School before joining Bolton School on a scholarship, following

his brother Robin (1953-1959).

During his time at School Peter was Secretary of the Jazz Society, Secretary of the Geographical Society, a Deputy Monitor and House Secretary. He played in the Rugby Second XV in 1962 and in the First XV in 1963. He was also a member of the School tiddlywinks team which celebrated a stunning victory over Manchester Grammar School! However, his fondest memories of his time at School were taking part in various treks organised by Clifford ‘Butch’ Ingham to Scotland and Europe.

He valued the independence and comradeship the trips engendered and he described the interesting and unusual places they visited as “mindopening”.

Peter’s political beliefs were clearly developing during his School life and he identified himself with the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, the Abolition of Capital Punishment, and Freedom from Hunger. His reading also reflected his interest in social problems: in his final year he read books by such as Bertrand Russell (Has Man a Future?), Gunther Nolan (International Communism and World Revolution), Graham Greene (Brighton Rock), Ludovic Kennedy (Ten Rillington Place) and Patrick Van Rensburg (Guilt Land). One Headmaster’s report described him as “an able boy of distinct and intense individuality. Possibly inclined to think with his heart and let emotion strongly influence reason”. Other reports had also criticised him for ‘scepticism’, ‘political bias’ and ‘too much time spent on tiddley-winks’ (sic). He was urged to ‘take on more responsibility’.

Despite pressure to try for Oxbridge, Peter insisted on entering the London School of Economics – but was not overly impressed: he wrote to Mr Poskitt that the LSE was “not at all the centre of left-wing activity portrayed in the myth held by most people”. After graduation and a period of unemployment and short-term jobs, he trained as a college lecturer at Garnett College, going on to teach politics and economics in London and Manchester. He married Joy (née Booth, Girls’ Division 1953-1961) in 1968; their daughter, Anna, now a successful artist, was born in 1983. In that same year he gained an MSc in Urban Studies at Salford University.

His career in local government began when he was elected as a Labour Councillor to Wigan Council in 1978. He became Chairman of Finance in 1982, and Leader of the Council in 1991.

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Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2021

His success as council leader led to many regional and national appointments, and in 1999 he was given a life peerage as Lord Smith of Leigh for services to local government.

LGiU Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication to improving Wigan Borough.

Nationally, he was appointed by the Local Government Association (LGA) as a trustee for the Leadership Centre for Local Government, and he became the LGA Vice-President. He was also ViceChairman of the Special Interest Group for Municipal Authorities (SIGOMA).

He valued his education, in particular the encouragement of intellectual rigour, and the ability to approach problems logically.

He was Chair of the North West Regional Assembly from 1999-2000 and was the first ever Chair of the influential English Regions Network.

In 2000 he was elected chair of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA). A board member of Manchester Airport plc from 1986 to 2006, he held the chair of the company in1989/90, helping it to become recognised as the Best Airport in the UK, and one of the best in the world.

A major advocate of expanding the role, scope and influence of The Greater Manchester region, he was instrumental in Devolution, and was elected chair of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, and of GM Health Partnership.

In 2011 he was made an Honorary Freeman of the Borough of Wigan.

In 2012 he was presented with an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws by Manchester Metropolitan University for his contribution to regional government in Greater Manchester, and in 2014 shared the LGiU ‘s Judges’ Special Award for services to local government.

Peter told the LGA that, if he was to have a motto, it would be “I Care”.

His career was dedicated to improving the lives of others through getting people to co-operate with each other for the greater good; learning, and thinking through problems, taking the initiative, and acting rather than talking.

His innovative ideas, such as ‘The Wigan Deal’, borne of the pressures on Local Government finance, are being rolled out across the UK and in Europe. His work, was, essentially, a labour of love.

Quiet, and deeply loving, Peter leaves a proud, but grieving, family.

Joy Smith (The Lady Smith DL) David L Speirs (1954-1962) David was born on 15th September 1943 in Bury, Lancashire. A wartime baby born in the midst of the Second World War, he did not meet his father until he was three years old. After attending primary school in the village of Ainsworth, he passed the 11+ and gained a scholarship to Bolton School, where he was awarded Full Colours for hockey. He went on to read Metallurgy at Kings College, Durham University.

Despite mixed academic success at Bolton School, David was convinced that it had given him the best chance in life.

Although he enjoyed Rugby Union at school, as a true Leyther, the love of Rugby League remained throughout Peter’s life. He was a huge supporter of Leigh Centurions RL Club. He aimed to improve the health of local people by providing the very best sports facilities in the borough and was instrumental in the the development of Leigh Sports Village which was officially opened by the Queen in 2009. He was also involved in the building of the DW Stadium, the home of Wigan Athletic and Wigan Warriors at Robin Park.

David graduated with an Honours Degree in Metallurgy in 1966. He was awarded a four-month scholarship with Atomic Energy of Canada, living in Ontario – when he returned to the UK he was able to exchange his first car, a purple 948cc Triumph Herald Coupé which he got on his 21st birthday, for a new Ford Cortina GT. He maintained a love of cars and all things automotive throughout his life. The posting in Ontario led to a new field of metallurgical research, culminating in him being awarded a PhD at the young age of 24.

After stepping down as Council Leader in 2018 he continued to champion health issues as lead member for the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership. In 2019, he won the

In 1969 David joined British Ropes Ltd in the role of Research Metallurgist at their Doncaster Research Centre – a timely move, as his daughter, Lorraine, was born in February 1970.

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From British Ropes he joined Dunlop’s oil seal division in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear – his favourite part of the country.

However, after only two years there, he was promoted to the role of running Dunlop’s steel wheel and suspension operations, and was ordered back to the Midlands.

David’s responsibilities as CEO of the Automotive Operations Division grew and a perk of his job was the use of a new development Range Rover which had the registration ‘A1’ and thus attracted a lot of attention – Lorraine distinctly remembers that car being surrounded by photographers in a Fort William car park upon their return from climbing Ben Nevis during one of her many walking holidays with her Dad! In 1991 David joined Coats Viyella plc as CEO of its global engineering division, Dynacast. He was hugely committed to Dynacast and for nearly a decade was highly successful. On the back of his success, he was made a Main Board director of Coats Viyella plc. Eventually Coats Viyella sold Dynacast; David found the new private equity ownership and a new Chairman difficult to handle and he retired in 2000.

During his highly successful and influential career, David inspired many people and he took great pleasure in developing younger managers and seeing them move on to greater opportunities. He showed a genuine interest in all of his staff, going out of his way to speak with people at all levels in an organisation. He was very focussed and committed and his insistence on punctuality was legendary.

The noughties involved him in a number of successful non-executive positions which permitted him to spend more time with his partner, Sheila, his family, his beloved Labradors, DIY and wood working. He and Sheila enjoyed many walking holidays: favourite destinations included the Austrian Tyrol, Scotland, North Yorkshire, The Lake District and Northumberland, always with the Labradors. On retirement, David also had the time to revert to his real academic love, the study of modern history, particularly WW2.

In 2011 David was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. Sheila loved and cared for him until he passed away on 19th June 2021. He is greatly missed

by Sheila, Lorraine, of whom he was

Newsletter Autumn 2021

immensely proud, his grandchildren, Charlotte and Darren, Sheila’s grandchildren, Isla, Hamish and Daisy, and countless friends and former colleagues.

Based on the eulogy given at David’s funeral.

David N Stokes (1955-1961) David Noel Stokes came to Bolton School in 1955. He was born in November 1942 in Wolverhampton. He and his family moved to Bolton when his father became headmaster of (the very new) Hayward Grammar School.

We met at that time and were to become lifelong friends. It was apparent from the start of his education at School that he was a very clever young man and went on to take his O Levels in 1957 when he was still 14 years of age.

During our years at School he and I spent time together because we lived in close proximity to one another and we also spent many hours practising sport together.

He never took his education for granted.

He worked hard but enjoyed himself immensely too. He developed as a good footballer and cricketer, and in his final year at School was captain of cricket. I remember his penetrating intellect and his dry sense of humour which attracted attention from all.

In particular he had an excellent grasp of mathematics and in 1961 was awarded a place at Jesus College, Oxford, to read for a degree in that subject. After graduating he became a systems analyst and his career took him to high levels in the building society industry. He first joined Burnley Building Society to take a leading role in the installation of head and branch office computers and software. When that society became absorbed into Abbey National he had overall responsibility for its computer development.

He had also become a very accomplished cricketer as an attacking and hard-hitting batsman and was captain of Bolton Cricket Club for a number of years.

His final career move was to Portman Building Society in Hampshire where he was appointed their Information Technology Director. It was there that he and his second wife, Eunice, took up residence in Verwood close to the edge of the New Forest and where they spent many happy years.

On his retirement David and Eunice returned to live in the North, buying an

apartment near to Blackburn and their lodge near Formby where they spent many happy days. We continued to meet frequently and I will remember Dave for his outstanding judgment, sense of fairness, patience, and good humour.

He passed away on 17th April 2021 after a short illness in East Lancashire Hospice, holding Eunice’s hand. Sadly since then she also has died. He leaves two daughters, Vicki and Cathy, a step-daughter, Anne, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Roy Battersby (1953-1961) Andy Sumner (Boys’ Division Staff, 1963-1969) Andy Sumner joined the teaching staff as an energetic young member of the Languages Department, specialising in French and fluent in Spanish as well. He was a fine and forceful footballer, representing Preston Grammar School Old Boys in the Lancashire Amateur League, and an active cricketer, representing the staff, in the days when they had fixtures against other school staffs most weeks. He coached teams, but his major dedication was to boxing, in which he held university championships and sustained an active interest, training and supporting at club level throughout his life. Some years ago we published a review in The Bugle of his biography of Brian London, sometime British heavyweight champion, written in retirement and based on conversations in which the two boxers clearly appreciated each other. The book has the qualities you would expect from a writer with Andy’s sporting and academic strengths.

He was popular and respected and became a successful Head of Languages at Penwortham Girls’ High School. Despite his long career there he retained close links with Bolton School and he and his wife were always welcome at lunches for retired staff.

Marilyn, well known to us, has the loving support of their son and daughter and they all have our sympathy. The photograph shows Andy in 1966 as a member of staff at the Saundersfoot Camp.

David Shaw (Boys’ Division Staff, 1964-2002) and Charles Winder (Boys’ Division Staff, 1964-1999)

Michael Peter Sylvester (1953-1961) Michael Peter Sylvester was born in Bolton on 1st May 1942. He was known by a surprising number of names, often depending on where he was and with which circle or group of friends. He was known by his family in Bolton as Peter, Mike by his school friends, Sly by cricketing colleagues, Pete when broadcasting on the BBC and latterly Peter by his friends in Cleeve Prior.

Peter spent the majority of his childhood in Bolton save for a few years when the family moved to Glasgow. (His first taste of football was a RangersCeltic derby in the early 1950s.) Alan Marsden remembers vividly his first day in September 1953 in Shell A2 (along with Len Vickers and Leon Metcalfe) when amongst the Bolton and Lancashire accents was heard what seemed to the others a very exotic Scottish accent. The form master and Maths teacher Brian Gallagher asked Peter (then Mike to us) where he came from. Peter answered “Paisley, next door to Glasgow” - whereupon Tubby Gallagher asked, “Really, what number?”

Peter played a full role in the life of Bolton School. He was Captain of the Junior Chess Club and later played for the Senior Chess Club. He was a keen member of the Literary and Debating Society. One meeting in the Autumn Term attracted an audience of nearly 50 to hear Mr Banks, Mr Sawtell, Peter and the then Secretary of the club, Ian McKellen, read extracts from famous public speeches.

Peter succeeded McKellen as Secretary.

Peter was also prominent in the Political Study group. At one meeting Peter courageously tackled the delicate subject of the Wolfenden Report, which he elaborated clause by clause. The interest in literature and politics spun over into out-of-school hours and Bob Percival recalls that he, Peter and Tim Brown in their last years at School often headed furtively to Bolton’s trendy café for a cappuccino and a Woodbine, with caps and ties hidden under their coats. They sometimes ventured further afield for an illicit Magee’s, always a half of half and half. Their talk was alert to literary scenes and LibLabCon politics.

Sylvester and Brown knew that wellhoned commentary was more influential than activism. Not for them CND,

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Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2021

Bolton Young Socialists, and subversive campaigns for comprehensive schooling: it was about talk and text.

While at Bolton School Peter developed a love of the theatre that stayed with him throughout his life. When Leonard Roe produced the famous scene from The Merchant of Venice with IV Alpha, Peter played Shylock “with surprising vigour and obvious appreciation of the part”. Peter trod the boards in many School plays and 65 years later would at the drop of a hat still quote his first lines as a messenger delivered to Ian McKellen, along with the very complimentary review he received.

Peter was also a keen sportsman.

He was an avid cricketer and played a lot of Second XI cricket. He was a regular attendee at the Lilleshall cricket coaching course and a canny legspin bowler. He was also in the Senior Athletics team.

Peter was awarded a Bolton Education Committee Exhibition and proceeded to read English at Birmingham University. There he played football for the English Department and attended indoor cricket nets at the Test Match ground in Birmingham. He was a member of the Debating Society, the New Thinkers group and the English Club. His love of acting meant that much of his time was taken up by the Guild Theatre Group: he played the Governor of Tilbury in Sheridan’s The Critic and the male lead in Tagore’s The Post Office. In the Debating Society Competition he reached the final with five other students out of an entry of 33 competitors.

After leaving Birmingham University, and after briefly considering an acting career, he married, became a teacher and settled in Bewdley where he had three children, Nathaniel, James and Kate.

Although Peter was a county squash player, cricket continued to be his great sporting passion; his prowess as a leg spin bowler led to his being plucked from Kidderminster Thirds to play in the Firsts in Division 1 of the Birmingham League where he won a league winner’s medal.

After teaching for several years, ill health forced him to retire. However, he then became a successful market trader selling gold and silver in Wells, Ludlow, Market Drayton and other markets. At this time he met Mary, who became his second wife, and they enjoyed 35 happy years together. Peter then had

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another change of career working as a presenter of the Breakfast Show for BBC CWR and subsequently as a freelance journalist and broadcaster for BBC Radio 4 and 5.

what an optimistic, kind, generous, interesting and knowledgeable person he was and he will be greatly missed.

Sadly Peter had a severe stroke in 1998 and had to take early retirement.

However, having made a full recovery, he and Mary enjoyed renovating two thatch cottages in Warwickshire and Worcestershire and a house in France, despite Peter’s constant assertion that he hated DIY and was no good at it. Also during this time Peter enjoyed playing bowls, bridge, boules, croquet and golf and taking numerous holidays abroad and in the UK. Peter and Mary also attended the 5 Alpha reunions. These meetings started in 2005 when a group of Old Boltonians, who had been together in 5 Alpha met, along with their wives, at Lindeth Howe, Bowness. This first meeting was so successful that it became an annual event and the group has met at venues in Scotland, Wales, England and France. After a gap of 45 years many of us met Peter again at the second of the 5 Alpha reunions at Alan Marsden’s property in Trémolat in the Dordogne when he and Mary, along with Alan and June Cooper, joined the party. A few months later Peter and Mary returned to Trémolat with a view to buying a house. Alan Marsden helped them to find a house in the village which suited them ideally but required a lot of work. Over the next few years Peter’s DIY and woodworking skills would have astonished Messrs. Crispin and Sefton! No fewer than four of the 5 Alpha reunions have been held in Trémolat, thanks to the accommodation made available by Alan and Peter.

Peter’s hilarious performance as Toto (from the Emma Saxelby first French textbook that we all studied) at one Trémolat reunion is fondly remembered by everyone who was there. For ten years Mary and Peter would visit and work on their house and in summer would be joined by their children and grandchildren. The long journeys eventually became too much and they decided to sell in 2017. Since then Peter and Mary continued to be loyal attenders at the 5 Alpha reunions.

Thomas Jeffrey (Jeff) Taylor (1951-1958) Jeff was born on 16th November 1939. He attended St Bede’s Church of England School at Morris Green before entering Bolton School where he was a member of Wigan House.

Peter’s large extended family – Mary, five children and eleven grandchildren and numerous friends – all recognised

Steve Ashcroft and Alan Marsden (both 1953-1960)

Jeff had a great interest in sport generally and football in particular. He was his Form football Captain in 1952, the Under-14 Captain in 1953-1954 and played for the First XI from 1954-1955 until he left School, becoming Captain in his final year. He was also a member of the School Athletics team with his most successful year being in 1955, when he won the 880 yards race in 2 minutes and 29.8 seconds and the 110 yards hurdles in 19.9 seconds.

Football First XI, 1956-57 Back, L-R: M Green, TJ Taylor, M Stevens, JB Holt, G Saunders, G Ogden Front, L-R: A Joyce, G Chesters, K Nightingale, INR Davies, P Bate

Jeff was a member of the School’s Scout Troup and attended a number of camps, including a trip to Luxembourg in 1955, by which time he had become a Patrol Leader. At School he became a Deputy Monitor in 1957-58.

Jeff thrived on being active. His interests outside School included cricket, swimming, table tennis, fishing, astronomy, cycling, art, photography and playing the guitar. He was also a member of Bolton Harriers.

Jeff played football for the Old Boltonians and was a member of the side that won the Lancashire Amateur Cup for the first time in 1961 with a 4-1 victory over Whalley Range at

Newsletter Autumn 2021

Old Trafford. The following year they went one better when they not only retained the Lancashire Amateur Cup, beating East Chorlton 2-0 at Old Trafford in the Final, but also won the Lancashire Amateur League Central Section Championship. Jeff was again a member of this record-breaking team.

He was a true gentleman, always willing to help and encourage, and did his best to make sure everyone enjoyed life with a smile.

After School Jeff completed a Diploma in Applied Chemistry at Salford Royal College of Advanced Technology and was awarded a Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Award to carry out research for the degree of DPhil at University College, Oxford. Whilst there he was awarded his Association Football Blue and played for Oxford in the Varsity match at Wembley Stadium – his team was coached by none other than Bobby Robson and the goalkeeper in the opposing Cambridge team was Old Boy Rodney Ward (1952-1962).

Leonard Vickers (1953-1960) Leonard Vickers, a leading figure in New York marketing circles for three decades, died of cancer on 29th June at his home in Stamford, Connecticut. He was born on 29th January 1942 in Bolton.

His father, Harry, was a self-employed roof slater, and his mother, Phoebe, a housewife. He had two older sisters, Audrey and Dorothy.

After leaving Oxford in 1966 Jeff and his wife, Irene, whom he married in 1965, moved to Cheshire where he worked in research and development for Silentnight. Their son, Garic, was born in 1969, followed by Glenn in 1973.

In 1972 Jeff started up his own business manufacturing polythene bags. He continued to play for the Old Boltonians.

When the business closed in December 1998, Jeff found himself with time on his hands. He had been helping with the youth team at Burnley AFC for several years on a voluntary basis and in June 1999 was offered a full-time post scouting and helping at the Centre of Excellence. He stayed there until June 2013. In October the same year he took up a similar role at Blackburn Rovers AFC where he remained until he died.

Jeff often spoke of his days playing for the Old Boltonians, the friends he had made and lots of treasured memories.

He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Irene Taylor

After primary school, Len was granted a scholarship to the esteemed Bolton School, which he attended for eight years and finished as School Captain.

Len was then awarded a scholarship to Downing College, Cambridge, where he studied Modern Languages (French and German), and played a great deal of soccer. He felt his time at Bolton School had been very formative, and had brought out his innate strengths.

Education remained important to him and he would point out that education’s Latin root is ‘educare’ – which means to ‘bring out’, not to ‘put in’. He was always interested in leadership and what it could accomplish, and was inspired by Winston Churchill throughout his life.

Upon graduation he was offered a position in the relatively new field of marketing by Unilever, which he managed to defer for two years. During this time he worked as a tour guide in Europe, and travelled around the US, including working in the Civil Rights movement on voter registration in the South. He returned to England to work as a product manager for Birds

Eye Foods before moving to New York in 1968 to work in marketing, joining SSC&B, and BBDO advertising agencies. In 1978 he was brought on

by Jack Welch to join his client, GE, to help reposition the company, and was responsible for the ‘We Bring Good Things to Life’ campaign. Later, Len was hired by Xerox as the SVP of Marketing, and was responsible for the ‘Xerox – The Document Company’ campaign. Subsequently he formed his own consulting company, Len Vickers Associates, operating in the US and Europe.

While Len took his work seriously, he never took himself seriously, and he had a true interest and respect for all people with whom he came into contact. Len was a genuinely funny and clever man and would delight those he knew, and even those he didn’t, with his stories, of which he had many. One of his favorites was how he penned a pre-fight poem for Mohammed Ali towards his opponent, Joe Bugner, which Ali recited on The Johnny Carson Show. An avid recreational runner, Len was especially proud of the fact that he ran in, and completed, the 1979 New York City Marathon.

Len is survived by his wife of 39 years, Gunilla, and their daughter, Phoebe. He is also survived by his three children from his first marriage to Betsy Vickers – Tess (Doug), Susan and Ned, and five grandchildren: Emma, Ben, Aidan, Cece and Jasper. Len will also be missed by three nieces and a nephew: Nina, Thea, Adele and Austin. In retirement Len and Gunilla lived mainly in Connecticut, but also travelled to homes in Sweden and Kenya.

On the subject of life, when asked ”What’s it all about?“ Len would often repeat the words of Noel Coward: “Jolly good company … filthy stories and all that … but most of all, love.”

Gunilla Vickers and family

IN MEMORIAM Tom Benson (Class of 2003) – Died 6th November 2021 David Cole (1971-1978) – Died 17th August 2021 David Haslam (Class of 1980) – Died 23rd August 2021 Melvyn Hilton (1949-1955) – Died 1st August 2021 Peter Parkinson (1952-1960) – Died 19th July 2021 Alan Sutton (1947-1953) – Died 5th August 2021

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THE

BUGLE Old Boltonians’ Association Autumn Newsletter 2021

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