The Bugle - Autumn 2016 by Bolton School Development Office

THE

Old Boltoniansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association 1895 - 2016

BUGLE

Autumn 2016

Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2016

CONTENTS Stay in Touch Bolton School Merchandise Messages

2 2

Sir Philip Craven, President of the Old Boys’ Association 3

3 4

Philip Britton, Headmaster

The Mail Bag Continuing Support School News

Battling Bands impress 5 Doctor Faustus production helps mark 500th anniversary 5 Alumni applaud Duke of Edinburgh achievements 6 Evensong sees School return to its beginnings 6 Cricket’s greatest all-rounder at Bolton School 7

7 8 8 8

Bolton School Wine Patterdale Hall looking good Port Sunlight concert

Success celebrated at annual Prizegiving Quincentenary Assembly celebrates School’s history 9 Judge explores the origins of human rights The 100 Campaign for Bursaries

9 10

Old Boys’ Features 11 12 14

100 Inspiring Minds Inspiring the Next Generation

Water Polo wonder Memorial Bursary opens outdoor opportunities 15 Trio awarded with Queen’s Scout Honour

Freemasonry Richard’s 280-mile challenge The Bolton Alumni Network OBA Ambassadors

15 15 16 17 17

Events 18 19 20 22

Centenary Celebration round-up Tillotson Lecture Photo Wall Reunions Sports

23 23 24 25 25 25

OBAFC Report Bursary Golf Day First class trio A cricketer remembered Old Boltonians’ Golf Society Report 30 years of success

Old Boys’ News 26 28

News of Old Boys Mini reunions

STAY IN TOUCH

‘Like’ our Facebook page for event invites, School news and memories: search Bolton School - Old Boys and Old Girls (Official)

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

Follow Alumni and School news via Twitter: @BoltonSchAlumni / @BoltonSchool

Read regular blogs from pupils and staff from across the campus: http:// boltonschool.me/

Follow bolton_school_foundation and use #BSAlumni to share your memories and photos.

Watch short films posted on our You Tube site: http://www.youtube.com/user/ boltonschoolmedia

View photos of Alumni events at https:// www.flickr.com/photos/bsalumni/albums

CONTACT US Development Office Bolton School Chorley New Road Bolton BL1 4PA T: 01204 434718 E: development@boltonschool.org

THE TEAM Julia Bates Head of Development

Laura Firth Development Manager

Carol Haslam Old Girls’ Liaison Officer

Visit the Old Girls and Old Boys section of the School website at www.boltonschool.org for event photographs, Alumni career profiles, news of Old Boys, an up-to-date events calendar, to update your contact details and more.

Frances Johnson Development Assistant

Kathryn O’Brien Alumni and Development Assistant

Archana Patel Alumni Officer

Jenny Salerno Development Officer

BOLTON SCHOOL MERCHANDISE School now has an Online Merchandise Store, selling all of the items previously sold through the Development Office, and many more. A variety of items are available for purchase, from Old Boy cufflinks and ties, to iPad cases and photo frames. Also available is The Genesis of Education in Bolton, a complete history of the origins and foundations of Bolton School, written by Old Boy Malcolm Howe (1948-1956). All profits made from the sale of merchandise go directly to the School Bursary Fund, which helps make a Bolton School education open to all academically gifted pupils, irrespective of their family’s financial situation. Orders are usually delivered within five working days, and overseas delivery is available.

Genesis Book

Archives 29 30 31 35

Meet the Archivist: Forty Years On Looking Back

Lives Remembered In Memoriam Yellow Pull-Out Section Alumni Events Calendar The Boltonian order form DVD order form OBA Annual Dinner 2016 booking form

i ii iii iv

Bolton School Pens

Snugg iPad Case

Bolton School Bag

Bolton School Photo Frame

To order your items, please visit: www.boltonschoolmerchandise.org or call 08450 504015

Front cover picture: School Assembly at the Grand Reunion, September 2015

Newsletter Autumn 2016

WELCOME FROM THE PRESIDENT As I come to the end of my two-year period as President of the Old Bolts, my first thought is that I really have not been showing up all that often at OBA events. A partial excuse for this is that when I was invited to be considered for the position of President I did inform everyone that 2015, and particularly 2016, were going to be incredibly busy years for me as President of the International Paralympic Committee, and in fact that is how it has turned out. However, before I relinquish my chain of office on 9th December, I hope to attend a lunch at School and also to be at the Oxford Dinner. So what are my thoughts as I have less than two months to go? Well, I am even more convinced of the credibility and the great energy that exists within the OBA and, of course, within its members. That sort of energy was crucial to me earlier this year when we took on the task of trying to organise the Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro when, only one month before the Opening Ceremony on 7th September, the International Paralympic Committee was informed by the CEO of the Organising Committee that there was a high probability that there would be no money left by the time we got to the Paralympic Games. This, of course, was of reasonable concern to the President and also to the Chief Executive Officer and we then had to try to find new money from both the acting Federal Government and also from the city of Rio de Janeiro. This turned out to be a monumental task, but never did I think that we wouldn’t succeed – and one of the reasons for that is the principle that I learned both at School, then at university and throughout my sports career, that if you get through to the people and you are reasonable with the people, then the

A MESSAGE FROM THE HEADMASTER The new term begins with a great sense of purpose for the Association. Looking towards 2020, when the OBA celebrates its 125th year, the Committee has announced the strategy of ‘Deepening Engagement’. The aim is to establish contact with as many members as possible and in each case seek to deepen their engagement with the Association and the School. For those who already read The Bugle it may be coming along to an event; for those currently out of touch it will simply be reading what is going on. A special focus of this work will be what has been termed the ‘Wright Generation’ – those who were at the School between 1983 and 2003 when Alan Wright was Headmaster. These boys (men) will now be between 30 and 50 years old. One means of engaging will be via a website called The Bolton Alumni Network, and another is the introduction of OBA Ambassadors, about which you can read on page 17. Finally, nothing beats word of mouth, so if you know an Old Boy who is out of touch with the School, please put him in contact

people probably are going to deliver. That was the case and through the incredible work of our CEO, and also our Vice President Andrew Parsons – who, despite his name, is a true Brazilian – and also myself, we were able to find the necessary money and then, through Andrew’s good offices, find ways of lifting a legal injunction and also a similar instrument that had been levied by an electoral commission looking into the forthcoming mayoral elections in Rio de Janeiro. Once that money was made available, and once the organising committee realised that they could sell a heck of a lot of Paralympic tickets (only 200,000 had been sold by the first morning after the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games), then things seemed to move forward. I had already said that these would be the People’s Games. That is, in fact, how it turned out, with 2.15 million tickets being sold by midway through the Games, and there was an amazing atmosphere in the Barra Paralympic Park whenever I got some limited time to soak in that sporting, fan-like experience which was the equal of, if not even more passionate than, what had occurred in London at the Olympic Park some four years before. So I have had one heck of a year, both through my work, but also through the few moments that I have been able to spend with the OBA. I am looking forward to the final dinner when, as I have said before, I shall relinquish the chain of office, but I shall not relinquish the memories that I will take with me from the past two years. One particularly fond memory is of the Cumbrian Dinner last year, when my wife and I were in that wonderful area of the country, with some great people from the Old Boys’ Association. So many, many thanks for this opportunity and I look forward to being with many of you in six weeks’ time. Sir Philip Craven (1961-1969)

with us. As a start lets those of us who live locally aim to have a few more tables at the Association’s Christmas Dinner. In our 500th year, the traditional Tillotson lecture has taken the form of a series of lectures, each reflecting a different aspect of School life. First this term was a lecture representing our academic life, with Old Boy Roy Battersby tracing the origin of modern Human Rights from the Magna Carta and then linking that to the important modern questions about immigration. The final lecture in the series represents our active life and will be given by Old Boy Chris Eatough, a former World Mountain Biking champion. Chris is one of our foremost athletes and his will be a popular lecture. Details of the event can be found on page 19. Finally summer 2017 will mark the retirement of Trevor Pledger, who has been OBA Liaison Officer in recent years, as well as Director of Partnerships for the School. To celebrate his longstanding involvement in School life there will be a celebration of 30 years of Water Polo at the School on Saturday 8th July, with games in the afternoon and an informal evening buffet. Do please come along to celebrate with Trevor and to celebrate this part of our School life. Details of how to register to play or spectate and for the evening event (which is free) are later in this edition. Philip Britton

Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2016

THE MAIL BAG A selection of emails and letters received since the last edition of The Bugle was published. Please send in your feedback to the Development Office by post or by email with the subject MAILBAG – there is a Bolton School themed prize for the writer of the Star Letter in each issue!

STAR LETTER Bolton School gentlemen

After many years reading his brother Harry’s copies of The Bugle, Robin Mitchell (1948-1956) L-R: ?, Kirby, Nuttall, Robin Mitchell, ?, Leyland was prompted to get Ba ck L-R: Thomas, ‘Tic in touch with School h’ Grey, ‘Mich’ Green, ?, Sharp les himself after reading the obituary of former Headmaster Alan Mitchell. of my namesake, ‘I was sad to read the obituary from my er emb Alan Mitchell, who I rem and last met in XI, s’ cricketing days in the Colt rt visit to School. sho a the early 60s when I paid immediately who , Alan I was reintroduced to – left hander”! yes , “Ah : recognised me and said to us all. I would e mpl exa an What a great life and and a man tle gen “A love to have the words ne.’ dsto gentleman” on my hea below – if Robin also sent in the photograph -mates, please team his of anyone can identify any w. kno ce let the Development Offi Robin would love to hear from old School friends – please contact the Development Office if you would like to get by’ orsley, ?, ‘Nob W R: in touch with Lt r, on ke Fr Bar bin Mitchell, Norbern,?, Ro him. ‘Tich’ Grey rby, ich’ Green, Ki Back L-R: ‘M as, ? Nuttall, Thom

Nearly 70 years on… David Hart (1944-1949), winner of the FC Scholes Camera Prize in 1948, sent in this photograph of a party of Bolton School boys on a trip to Loches in central France. David writes: ‘I think this was the first trip abroad from Bolton School after the end of WWII, organised by French Master Mr B Harrison (Staff 1929-1971). The School party, wit ‘The journey in 1947 was quite h Mr Harrison, fro nt row left arduous compared to present days. We travelled to London on the first day and stayed overnight at Highgate Youth Hostel, then took the cross-Channel ferry to Boulogne, eventually arriving in Paris for another overnight stay. On the third day we arrived in Loches, near Tours; passing through Orleans we saw from the train considerable bomb damage to buildings.

‘We stayed in a boarding school in Loches, closed for their Summer vacation. The boys shared a dormitory, the masters had their own accommodation. The ablutions were basic, to say the least … ‘During our stay we were given a civic reception at the Hôtel de Ville where we were each presented with a local guide book. We also visited some families in their homes to involve us in a little conversation – in French, of course. We were advised to bring coffee with us, a rare commodity for them at that time, and they would greet us with open arms on receiving it. The French people could not do enough for the English in those early post-war years. ‘I remember very little about the return journey – nearly 70 years have passed since then – but it was a very enjoyable, educational and memorable trip with wonderful weather under the cloudless blue skies of central France. ‘I hope some of the boys, now aged between 83 and 87 years, recognise themselves in the photograph – please let the Development Office know if you do!’

Newsletter Autumn 2016

SCHOOL NEWS BATTLING BANDS IMPRESS Old Boy Tom Besford (Class of 2005), Arts and Heritage Manager at the Rochdale Boroughwide Cultural Trust and a freelance events manager with lots of experience organising gigs and festivals, was delighted to be invited to return to School in April to judge the annual Battle of the Bands competition.

have opportunities to take part in events such as this in School and how pleased he was to come back to School to witness the next generation of musicians.

After listening to the talented and richly varied performances of the four bands contesting the title, Tom praised the high quality of the competition, before awarding the trophy to Matthew Kay (Year 12) and Jay Harland (Year 11), who both played acoustic guitar with Matthew providing vocals. Speaking to Mr Bleasdale, Head of Music, and Mr Britton, Headmaster, after the Battle of the Bands, Tom commented on how wonderful it is that pupils

Battle of the Bands winners Jay (left) and Matthew (centre) receive the trophy from this year’s judge, Old Boy Tom Besford.

DOCTOR FAUSTUS PRODUCTION HELPS MARK 500TH ANNIVERSARY Doctor Faustus, a play almost 500 years old, was chosen as the Joint Production in the year Bolton School celebrates the 500th anniversary of education in Bolton. As the vast majority of characters in Doctor Faustus are male on paper, a genderblind approach to casting was The cast of Doctor Faustus necessary to stage the play as a Senior Joint Production. After impressing in auditions, Year 12 Natasha Bagnall took the lead role and Alex O’Loughlin, also Year 12, played the Demon Mephistopheles.

of artwork inspired by Doctor Faustus, as well as entertainment in the form of ‘science as magic’ – Boys’ Division teacher David Teasdale (2000-2007) oversaw boys changing the colours of liquids, levitating cards, making the words written on a note disappear and reappear, and repairing a broken test tube, all apparently by magic, with scientific explanations following Alex O’Loughlin as the Demon Mephistopheles their amazing displays. Stunning music, including tracks created by students, an inventive stage set, a host of incredible props and prosthetics, plus marvellous costumes loaned by the Royal Exchange Theatre, all came together to create a stunning interpretation of this dark tale.

During the interval, the audience enjoyed an exhibition

Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2016

ALUMNI APPLAUD DUKE OF EDINBURGH ACHIEVEMENTS Back in April Old Boy Toryn Dalton (2003-2010) and Old Girl Laura Moss (née Tomlinson, 1994-2001) returned to School to address pupils and parents at the annual Duke of Edinburgh Awards Evening. Addressing boys and girls who had completed Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards, Toryn, who himself achieved all three levels of the Award while at School, spoke about the varied activities he undertook as part of the scheme and how these had not only provided some incredible memories, but had also helped to prepare him for the journey through university and into later life. His overall message was that the Duke of Edinburgh Awards are a great way to learn transferable skills, and he urged pupils to take advantage of the opportunities the scheme offers. Laura then talked about a round-the-world cycling trip which she had undertaken in 2013/14, and she, too,

explained how things she experienced during this adventure now help her in daily life. She also talked about how the Duke Loanne Deverdie, Toryn Dalton, Gold Award of Edinburgh recipients Emma Hailwood and Ethan Award and Watson, and Laura Moss Patterdale Hall had opened her eyes to the fact that anything is possible. The pupils who achieved Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards this year then took to the stage to receive their awards from Loanna Deverdie, Duke of Edinburgh Awards Operations Officer, who congratulated them on their incredible achievements.

Evensong sees School return to its beginnings Bolton School returned to the site of its earliest incarnation 500 years ago in the grounds of Bolton Parish Church for a celebratory Choral Evensong that gave thanks to the School’s founders and benefactors. The Vicar of Bolton spoke about how the School’s beginnings were closely associated with the church and explained how, on 12th July 1516, John Barton signed his will and bequeathed money to a clerk in Holy Orders, Nicholas, to educate young people at The Junior Girls’ and Junior Boys’ Choirs with the Friends of Bolton School Choir the school in Bolton. This is the earliest mention of Bolton School and of Prayers were read by School Captain Chris Pantelides education in the town; the initial school and Deputy Head Girl Alexandra Hopkinson. The evening was sited by the Parish Church and for many years closed with a stirring rendition by all of Bolton School occupied the building that is now the church hall. favourite Jerusalem. A varied programme of music was performed by the Junior Girls’ Choir, the Junior Boys’ Choir, the Friends of Bolton School Choir, the Bolton School Choir and the Bolton School Chamber Choir.

After the service guests were accompanied by the School Jazz Band as they enjoyed refreshments in the Parish Hall.

Newsletter Autumn 2016

Cricket’s greatest all-rounder at Bolton School The cricketing community at Bolton School was thrilled to welcome Sir Garfield Sobers, widely regarded as cricket’s ‘greatest all-rounder’, when he visited in June. The cricketing legend met pupils who will be playing for Bolton School’s senior team in the Sir Garfield Sobers Cricket Tournament as part of its tour of Barbados in July 2017. Garry Sobers played Test cricket for the West Indies from 1954-1974, amassing 8032 runs and building an average of 57.78; he also claimed 235 wickets over 93 Tests. He was the first player to hit six sixes, which he did in 1968 playing for Nottinghamshire against Glamorgan. He was knighted in 1975.

Sir Garfield Sobers with Master of Cricket Andy Compton and the School’s cricket team captains

After thanking pupils for a ‘great northern welcome’, Sir Garry gave a lunchtime address to an enthralled audience, recalling stories from his long sporting career and enthusing current Boys’ Division players.

Correction In the Spring 2016 edition we published a photo from the Grand Reunion sent in by John Wright (1953-1963) – but unfortunately John himself and classmate Peter Rothwell were cropped out of the picture. Apologies to both Old Boys – here is the photo again, with everyone present and correct.

Back Row: Peter Rothwell, Robin Magee, Glenn Sutton, Richard Lowe, John Shuttleworth, Steve Ramsden, Ted Wood, Peter Smith, Alex Dickin Middle Row: Alan Nimmey, David Brookes, Peter Nightingale, David Gregory, Tony Castledine, Tom Bamber, John Wright Front Row: Keith Washington, Phil Westhead, Alan Brookes, Alan Gibson

THE BOLTON SCHOOL WINE COLLECTION To mark the 100/500 anniversaries, the Girls’ Division Parents’ Association has launched The Bolton School Wine Collection, an exclusive wine selection carefully selected in partnership with T Wright Wine of Horwich. There are six wines in the collection, all priced at £9.95 per bottle: a Pinot Grigio, a Sauvignon Blanc, a Chardonnay, a Shiraz, a Merlot and a White Zinfandel. Wines are available by the case (6 bottles) at a discounted price of £56.75 in any bottle combination you would like. Delivery is free (minimum order one case) throughout the Bolton area, and all profits will be donated to the 100 Campaign for Bursaries. For more information please e-mail bsfwines2015@gmail.com or, to place your order, please visit www.twrightwine@co.uk/13030

Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2016

PATTERDALE HALL LOOKING GOOD Hundreds of guests who attended the Patterdale Hall Open Day in June were delighted to see just how well the Hall and grounds were looking after the completion of Phase I of renovation work on the estate. The newly refurbished accommodation wing was admired, as was the pointing, the painting and new roof, along with the extensive work that has improved the gardens and grounds. The 80-acre estate on the shores of Lake Ullswater, owned by Bolton School, played host to pupils and their families, teachers, staff, governors, friends and neighbours who enjoyed a range of displays and activities including archery, canoeing, bush-craft and orienteering. Guests also sampled the first-rate cuisine for which Patterdale Hall is famed, enjoying both lunch and afternoon tea.

Fundraising activities included a hotly-contested duck race and guess the weight of the cake and guess the name of the doll competitions. Several hundred pounds were raised for the local mountain rescue team and for the Friends of Patterdale Hall. The fully-equipped adventure learning centre with its own qualified instructors and domestic staff hosts Bolton School pupils from Year 4 through to Year 12. It has also operated commercially for more than 20 years and is regularly utilised by other schools, colleges and universities as well as businesses and individuals. Post-event, VIPs enjoyed a Hog Roast and Chairman of Governors, Mr Michael Griffiths, unveiled a plaque celebrating the completion of the first phase of renovation work on the Hall and its grounds.

Port Sunlight Concert The sun shone for this year’s annual joint Gala Concert which was held in March in the marvellous setting of Hulme Hall in Port Sunlight. William Lever re-endowed the Bolton School Foundation as a model of aspirational education; he also built Port Sunlight as a ‘model village’ for the workers at his Sunlight Soap factory in the same spirit. Hosting the concert in this venue therefore brought together the shared heritage of the School and the village, linked by the 1st Viscount Leverhulme and honouring his legacy to education.

Brass Fanfare, conducted by Mrs Andrea Price, Head of Music in the Girls’ Division

This wonderful afternoon of music showcased some of the best musicians in the Boys’ and Girls’ Divisions, and the concert was a fitting continuation of the School’s 500th anniversary celebrations. Some videos from the concert are available to watch on Bolton School TV at www.boltonschool.org/i-am-looking-for/bolton-school-tv/

The finale was Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, played by the Senior Orchestra, conducted by Mr Jeremy Bleasdale, Director of Music in the Boys’ Division

Success celebrated at Annual Prizegiving Robin addresses pupils, staff and parents at Prizegiving in June

Old Boy Robin Partington (1964-1978) was the guest speaker at this year’s Prizegiving ceremony. Robin is a successful architect and is behind the design of the ‘Gherkin’ and other iconic buildings on London’s famous skyline. During his visit to School he talked to Senior and Junior School pupils about his career before presenting awards at the Boys’ Division’s Prizegiving evening.

Newsletter Autumn 2016

QUINCENTENARY ASSEMBLY CELEBRATES SCHOOL’S HISTORY On Monday 9th May pupils were joined by Old Boys, Governors, former Headmaster Mervyn Brooker and the families of two previous Heads for a special celebration of the School’s 500 years of history. The Anniversary Assembly – which coincided with the unveiling of the new Headmasters’ Board, which lists the names of all known Headmasters from the 16th Century to date, and a display of Chairmen of Governors – began with a long-standing Bolton School tradition: the singing of Jerusalem. Key moments in the School’s past were then interspersed with recollections of four former Headmasters from the last century while musical performances from current pupils evoked different historic periods. Mr Britton read recollections of Mr Poskitt, the Headmaster from 1933 to 1966. Greg McMillan (1975-1982) and David Teasdale (2000-2007), both Old Boys on the current Boys’ Division staff, recalled their personal memories of Mr Baggley (Headmaster 1966 to 1982) and Mr Wright (Headmaster 1983 to 2002) respectively. Finally, School Captain Chris Pantelides offered a summary of Mr Brooker’s time as Headmaster from 2003 to 2008.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS DATES FOR YOUR DIARY The next Old Boys’ Lunch will be on Monday 14th November, at 12 noon in the Arts Centre. University Drinks – Old Boys of all ages are invited for drinks and canapés on Friday 25th November at the University of Leeds. The Old Boys’ Association annual Christmas Dinner will take place on Friday 9th December in the Arts Centre.

SAVE THE DATE! ‘7 Class Reunion – On Saturday 13th May 2017 we will be holding a Reunion at Bolton School for 1947, 1957, 1967, 1977, 1987, 1997 and 2007 leavers, plus former staff. To book your tickets for any Alumni events, please contact the Development Office, or book online on the Alumni section of the School website.

The Headmaster with guests at the unveiling of the new Roll of Headmasters board – from L to R: Celia Freeborn (née Baggley), Philip Britton, Rachel Baggley, Malcolm Howe (1948-1956), Martin Baggley, Mervyn Brooker, Michael Griffiths (1958-1965, Chairman of Governors) and Paul Freeborn, Elizabeth Poskitt

Pupils and guests concluded the Assembly by raising their voices to sing the School song Forty Years On – this was the first time in fifty years that it had been sung by the current student body, and Old Boys of a certain vintage will be pleased to know that the Boys’ Division intends to rekindle the tradition! The full Anniversary Assembly can be viewed (in three parts) on Bolton School TV at www.boltonschool. org/i-am-looking-for/bolton-school-tv/

Judge explores the origins of human rights The 44th Marcus Tillotson lecture in September was given by Judge Roy Battersby (1953-1961) on the subject of the Magna Carta and the foundation of Human Rights. In a fascinating and thought-provoking talk, His Honour Judge Battersby noted that 2015 was a significant date not only for Bolton School, but also marked the 800th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta; he described how the ideas contained in that document were the precursors to the 1950 European Convention of Human Rights. He then spoke about refugees and his work as an immigration judge, which led to a discussion of a number of important contemporary issues – no doubt sparking a huge number of conversations over tea and coffee in the Riley Centre afterwards.

Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2016

THE 100 CAMPAIGN FOR BURSARIES – aiming to re-establish genuine open access at Bolton School BOLTON SCHOOL IS SPECIAL FOR MANY REASONS, ONE OF WHICH IS THE WIDESPREAD AND INCLUSIVE BURSARY SCHEME WE OPERATE. Open access has always been at the heart of School’s ethos, giving bright children an outstanding education whatever their background. Thousands of Old Boys have benefitted in this way, as they will have received financial assistance of some guise to come through School. This was Lord Leverhulme’s founding principle 100 years ago and remains our priority today.

£2.7million which is fantastic. However, this is just the beginning.

We are really proud of our bursary scheme, which is one of the most extensive in the UK; it enriches all areas of School life, keeping our academic standards high and the social mix broad, as well as breaking through social barriers for the recipients. Since the retraction of all government funding 20 years ago, we have had to source all our funds privately and have built up a fund of £25million to keep Bolton School accessible. While our Bursary Fund is the envy of many schools, it still does not go far enough. For every gifted pupil we are able to admit on a bursary, sadly we have to turn another away because we cannot stretch our funding far enough. We want to redress this balance to ensure that we take in the brightest children we can, and that we do not continue to miss out on talented candidates, who could bring so much to our School, simply because they cannot afford to pay fees. To achieve genuine open access we will need a further £25million. Raising these funds will take time – it’s a long-term ambition. But, as our centenary celebrations have proved, Bolton School is resilient and determined. It is here to endure. We launched the 100 Campaign for Bursaries last year to make a start and, so far, have raised

If you feel this is a worthwhile ambition, please consider supporting the School in whatever way you can. The Development Office can be contacted on 01204 434718, or by emailing development@boltonschool. org and the team would be delighted to talk to you in person, whether it be about giving to the Campaign or about remembering School in your will. We are sincerely grateful for the generous donations we receive from our Old Boys for our bursary fund. It is truly humbling and will help pave the way to re-establishing genuine open access on Chorley New Road, for future generations of talented young Boltonians. Thank you so much for all your help and support!

If you would like to support the 100 Campaign for Bursaries, please contact the Development Office on 01204 434718, or by emailing development@boltonschool.org

Newsletter Autumn 2016

OLD BOYS’ FEATURES 100 INSPIRING MINDS During the past year, as part of its Centenary celebrations, School has been profiling some of the most inspiring and influential people from Bolton School’s history, some of whom have made an impact on society, shaping our businesses and communities, and some of whom have devoted their lifelong careers to the School and its pupils. The aim is to compile a list of 100 of these remarkable individuals – Bolton School’s 100 Inspiring Minds. Profiles have been published weekly at www.boltonschool100500.org in recognition of the subjects’ contributions to society and to the Bolton School Foundation. Below, you can read one such profile – the former Headmaster Alan Wright, who led the School from 1983 until his retirement in 2002.

A graduate in Chemistry from University of Birmingham, Alan Wright came to Bolton School from Newcastle Royal Grammar School, where he had been Head of Department. In 1983 he commenced what became the third longest headmastership in the School’s history, presiding over the Boys’ Division for almost two decades. Alan Wright arrived as a mould-breaker, being the first scientist in the post, and he soon demonstrated his ability to find innovative solutions to problems which, ‘during times of considerable change’, made him an outstanding Headmaster. ‘A key phrase in the literature for prospective Headship candidates attracted me: “Bolton School is an interdenominational Christian foundation”. I couldn’t imagine a better ethos in which to work. The last Headmaster to occupy Leverhouse, I was greeted by a warm and welcoming team of colleagues who were very supportive in what, for me, was an immense leap from being a departmental leader to headship. ‘The Head of my previous school told me that “buildings were the easiest part of the job to get right”, and I was immediately forced to prove it. A major campaign got underway to raise funds for a new sports hall and swimming pool, the first joint project to fulfil Lord Leverhulme’s intention that the Divisions share such facilities. The OBA applied funds raised to commemorate Richard Poskitt, who had died in 1983; and the new sports hall opened in 1986. Thanks to another fundraising drive in partnership with parents which raised £1.2 million, the old swimming pool became the Arts Centre, opened by Diana, Princess of Wales in 1993. Her visit was a triumph: she couldn’t be torn away from the Beech House children, the carefully planned timetable disintegrated and even the more cynical of the older boys crumbled. As a final flourish, the clock tower abseil descent and subsequent presentation to Ma’am of a box of Milk Tray made the national and international front pages. ‘A number of clever adaptations of space followed. The Miniature Theatre corridor was turned over entirely to technology as the IT age took hold, the Common Room on C corridor, formerly the Lecture Room, became the Drama Studio and the Undercroft was transformed into the IT Learning Centre and Sixth Form Common Room, opened by the Duchess of Gloucester in another royal visit. ‘I inherited the last cohort of Direct Grant pupils, and saw the Assisted Place Scheme come and go. The Scheme, together with other grants and scholarships, had meant we could be what we were intended to be: a grammar school for Bolton, open to

all who qualified regardless of parental means. When APs were abolished, we were able to offer bursaries immediately, thanks to the foresight of the then Chairman of Governors, Lord Haslam, but inevitably the social and academic makeup of the School slowly changed. Coming from industry, Lord Haslam saw the School’s commercial potential. Functions helped fund bursaries, as did Patterdale and the new coach services, and of course the Nursery which opened in 1998. ‘Under Lord Haslam and his successor, Sir Alan Cockshaw, more significant and structured liaison with the Girls’ Division developed. Informal liaison too: Sixth Formers were now allowed into each others’ common rooms. More illicit liaisons for some reason favoured the Chemistry department steps – I don’t think anyone realised they were clearly visible from the Headmaster’s study! ‘As well as the many good memories there were inevitably difficult days. A major winter flood knocked out all four floors of the east wing; and I spent another long night with 300 children stranded when Bolton ground to a halt in a blizzard one evening. Of course the worst of times came with the deaths of colleagues and boys. I wanted the School to be a caring family community where all felt secure and valued, and the impact of such events drew us even closer in our shared grief. ‘The spiritual and pastoral dimension of the role was important to me. I maintained traditional Christian assemblies and, in an effort to create an open, welcoming atmosphere, I worked whenever possible with my door open, so boys and colleagues could drop in and talk without the rigmarole of appointments. I could also hear what the boys were talking about as they passed along B corridor and gauge the mood of the day! ‘Since retiring and moving to Cumbria, it has been a delight to have Old Boltonians continuing this tradition and dropping in for a chat. And it has been excellent to be still involved in matters educational as a governor (and for a decade as vice chairman) of Yarm School in the north east, a young HMC school which, under dynamic Old Boltonian leadership, has become a leading regional and national institution. This, as well as a busy lay minister position in a group of four local Cumbrian churches, together with family, garden, travel, theatre, and the Lakeland fells, keep body and mind active in a well-rounded manner, in the true tradition of Bolton School.’ Alan Wright, Headmaster 1983-2002, as featured in The Best of Both Worlds, School’s commemorative Centenary publication.

Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2016

INSPIRING THE NEXT 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.

Alumni Inspire at Career Day

Junior Careers Carousel

Fifteen Old Boys and Old Girls returned to School in February to speak to pupils from both Divisions in Years 11 to 13 as part of a special Alumni Careers Day.

Six Old Boys and Old Girls with a diverse range of careers returned to School to talk about their work. The annual Careers Carousel brings together Year 6 pupils from the Junior Girls’ and Junior Boys’ Schools to give the children some ideas about the paths they may take.

Charlie gave advice about applying to university

The keynote speaker for the day was Charlie Ball (Class of 1988), Head of Higher Education Intelligence at the career guidance service Graduate Prospects. Charlie spoke to Year 12 pupils about the pros and cons of choosing to attend university, giving a clear picture of what university has to offer, the costs involved, and what the graduate job market is currently like.

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Bilal Barkatali (1991-1998) gave pupils an insight into a specialism within the medical profession. He also emphasised Bilal championed work the importance of work experience and volunteering experience and volunteering, and how such activities can help to provide a differentiating factor on university applications. Other Old Boys taking part in the Careers Day included Tom Besford (Class of 2005), who is Arts and Heritage Manager at the Rochdale Boroughwide Cultural Trust, Flying Officer Paul Hutton (1997-2006), solicitor Stephen Lintott (1982-1989), Ben Lomas (1988-1994), a Private Client Director at private bank Brown Shipley, architect Tim Hatton (1985-1999) and Paul Skeels (Class of 2001), a pilot with British Airways. The Alumni Careers Day was a great opportunity for pupils to meet Old Boys and Old Girls from a wide variety of careers, some of which they may not have considered before. They received lots of information about different career options and helpful guidance for the future from all of the speakers.

Chris Jones (Class of 2001), the Creative Director at video production company Sitcom Soldiers, and Malcolm Smith, John looks at some of the boys’ ideas the company’s for house designs Logistics Director, gave a great behindthe-scenes look at a highly creative industry. They talked about the many different roles that are involved with producing a video, Old Boys John (second from left) and Chris (third from right) joined a from filming to number of Old Girls to inspire Junior post-production, all pupils about possible careers the jobs that go on in the background and the day-to-day tasks involved. They also gave some insight into what qualities suit the different roles, from the director to the gaffer. Architect John Wood (1998-2003) held an interactive session for the boys and girls. He showed them three different houses and asked them to imagine what the person living there might be like, before revealing that they belonged to members of the royal family and Justin Bieber! He explained that understanding people’s likes, dislikes and needs are some of the most important things about being an architect, and then asked the pupils to sketch a house for a famous person or character of their choice – a great introduction to the skills and qualities needed to become an architect!

Newsletter Autumn 2016

T GENERATION The Development Office and the Careers Department have been delighted to work together to welcome these Alumni back to School for the benefit of pupils throughout the Divisions.

Old Boys’ virtual visit Old Boys Matthew Entwistle (1979-1993), Tim Lightfoot (1986-1993) and Jon Marsden (1986-1993) all now live and work in London. However, with a little help from technology, they were able to connect via Skype with Sixth Form pupils and give Year 13 boys an insight into their career paths. Matthew is Group Managing Director at Two Circles, one of Europe’s leading sports marketing agencies. He spoke about studying Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford, and how the Economics aspect of his degree showed him a different way of thinking which influenced his career choice. He urged students to follow their passions, but to keep their options open. Next to speak was Jon, a self-employed Business Analyst specialising in Asset Management. Although he regrets not deciding to change his course when he realised that his degree was not for him, this has not prevented him from learning some important lessons

World of Work Old Boys Rob Nugent (1989-1999) and Chris Norman (1989-1996) were among the speakers at the Year 9 Careers Afternoon in March.

Rob gave an inspiring talk about turning potential regrets into positive learning experiences

Rob played for Sheffield United for a time, eventually captaining the reserves team, but when his dream of playing professional football ended he had to move on to a different path and he qualified as an accountant. He is now the Chief Financial Officer at IT company Godel Technologies. He encouraged pupils interested in pursuing a sporting career to go for it, but also to keep up with their academic studies so that they have something to fall back

in business, from the difference that a good manager can make, to making contacts and maintaining positive connections with people, to simply having confidence in oneself and ones skills. Tim is a qualified chartered accountant, Group Financial Controller with Welcome Break. He described the positive experience of working with a small company while on an ACA Training Contract: he was able to learn quickly, get lots of experience in many different Tim gives advice from the big screen areas and find out what he was good at and liked doing. He also discussed the importance of knowing when to move on, and advised pupils to take opportunities to work abroad to widen their experiences.

on. Referring to the knockback he had in football, he advised the boys to use any ‘negatives’ they might encounter in life and turn them around into positive inspiration to succeed in what they want to do. Chris talked to pupils about web and app design, a sector in which he now has 18 years of experience. He explained that there is still a lot of new innovation and that technologies change quickly, meaning that a desire to learn and adapt is really important in this field. He Chris gave an insight into a career in also said that problem solving software design and maths skills are important. He further advised boys who are looking to move into this career to start coding and gave some examples of coding languages to try.

Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2016

WATER POLO WONDER Lewis Daly (2001-2015) was introduced to water polo in Year 7 and excelled at the sport, representing not only Bolton School, but his country. After leaving School he has continued to raise his game, taking a gap year to increase his fitness and strength and to develop his skills in the pool. ‘Water polo has played a huge role in my life since I began playing. By the time I reached Year 13 I was juggling A Levels and serving as Vice Captain of the School with playing the sport at international level. As the time to leave School approached, I decided to defer my entry to university and take a gap year to pursue higher level training opportunities abroad. ‘My first stop was Eger, Hungary. I had been here twice before for intense training camps with the international team, and was reunited with my GB coach from 2013, Csaba Rull, who arranged for me to train with one of the top university teams in the country. I arrived at the outdoor pool, where I met the rest of the team. However, when I went to introduce myself to the coach, I realised that he didn’t speak any English – the following few weeks were going to be very interesting! Fortunately, one of the players was assigned to be my translator, and training began. Having not trained too frequently over the summer period, I wasn’t in the best shape of my life, and the team trained every single day so their level of fitness was a lot higher: I knew I had a lot of work to do. The following few weeks were extremely challenging, but I learnt a lot from training, as well as from watching the senior team play in the arena. The one thing I had missed about Eger was the open air pool, as there is nothing better than training in the fresh air as the sun sets. I trained every day for six weeks, getting noticeably fitter and stronger, and thoroughly enjoying the games I played with the team. ‘My next destination was India. Here my goal was different: instead of playing water polo, I would be volunteering in an orphanage in Goa, where I met the most amazing children. They spoke very basic English, but were more than happy just Lewis in action to play football or catch in the playground, which was really no more than a sandy patch of open space. Seeing how the children lived made me realise how incredibly lucky I was even to own the clothes I did: these children owned very little and slept on the cold hard floor, and yet they were the most energetic, enthusiastic and happy children I had ever met. After seven weeks I felt incredibly sad to be leaving them – I hope to be back very soon to catch up with them. ‘I arrived in Australia at the beginning of January – it was luxury to be able to drink the tap water and have a hot shower that lasted longer than 30 seconds! Before I left England I had contacted local water polo clubs to try to

gain a place in a team. I received many offers – but one stood out from the rest: the Balmain Tigers, a very large and competitive team based in Sydney. As I began training twice a week I noticed the quality of the water polo here was a step up from what I was used to – we were being coached by the London 2012 Olympic goalkeeper, James Clarke! After being integrated into the squad I began to play for the M2 and M3 squad. The results of our games were varied – mostly wins and draws, with the occasional loss – and at the end of the season we finished fourth. ‘I was then selected to play in the U20 state championships. We went into the competition with high hopes, but unfortunately underperformed when it really mattered and came away with a disappointing sixth place. However, unbeknown to me, talent scouts for the New South Wales state team had been watching, looking for potential Lewis captained the players to represent the state victorious ESSA (English in an international competition Schools Swimming in a few months. Much to my Association) team at the Exiles International Invitation surprise I was invited to the Tournament in Malta in 2015 trials, where 45 players from all over the state competed for the 22 spots in the two state teams, the Blues and the Waratahs. After an agonizing wait, I received some very good news: I had been selected for the NSW Blue team to represent the state in the Pan Pacs competition in New Zealand in July! This was a huge achievement for me and I very excitedly called my parents as soon as I found out the news. My workload then increased, with training camps with 5am starts and frequent swim sets taking over my weekends. ‘The team had great expectations, facing opposition from New Zealand, Australia, Asia and America. However, after an extremely tough first few rounds, we finished in ninth place – still a huge achievement, however, as we were playing teams from all over the world. I am immensely proud of my team and hope to be back in Sydney very soon! ‘It has been amazing for me to be able to travel and experience different levels of international water polo and I hope I’ve returned to the UK a better player. And I would recommend taking a gap year, whether it be to further a sporting career or just to experience the wider world outside School life!’ Lewis is now studying Anatomy and Human Biology at the University of Liverpool.

Newsletter Autumn 2016

Memorial Bursary opens outdoor opportunities to pupils

TRIO AWARDED WITH QUEEN’S SCOUT HONOUR

Old Boy Roger Dobson (1957-1966) came into School to talk to Sixth Form pupils about the Clifford H Ingham Bursary Fund, which was established 30 years ago to commemorate former Boys’ Division Latin teacher Clifford Ingham.

L-R: Thomas Chia, Nicholas Thompson, Ian Silvester and Paul Greenhalgh

Roger with Sixth Formers keen to learn about the Clifford H Ingham Bursary Fund

Between 1942 and 1982 Mr Ingham took boys on over one hundred ‘Trek Camp’ expeditions throughout the UK and Europe, which are fondly remembered by the Old Boys involved. Roger was one of the pupils who enjoyed these camps. Following Mr Ingham’s death in 1986, Roger and nine other Old Boys who had also acted as ‘Camp Adjutants’ across the generations launched an appeal to hundreds of other former Ingham Trek Campers to contribute to a bursary fund, which would provide financial support to Bolton School pupils to allow them to experience development in the outdoors. Originally, beneficiaries were from the Boys’ Division and were nominated by the Headmaster, but now the Fund has been opened up to members of both Divisions and any pupil can apply for funding for activities such as World Challenge or Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award expeditions.

Three members of the 19th Bolton (Bolton School) Scout Troop – Nicholas Thompson (2003-2016), Paul Greenhalgh (2001-2015) and Thomas Chia (2004-2015) – have been awarded the Queen’s Scout Award, the highest award in Scouting. The trio were presented with their awards by Ian Silvester, the Greater Manchester North Scouts County Commissioner, at a ceremony at the Brookside Scout Headquarters, then in April they travelled to Windsor Castle to be presented in a Royal parade in the Quadrangle alongside other Queen’s Scouts and Gallantry award holders. Congratulations on this impressive achievement!

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. 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: DPoppitt@aol.com T: 07785 728700

Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2016

RICHARD’S 280-MILE CHALLENGE Richard Morris (1979-1986) is the co-owner of the Bury Black Pudding Company Limited, a business which has expanded over the last 13 years, now manufacturing 50 tons of black pudding a week and employing 80 staff, supplying all the larger supermarkets and exporting to Spain, Portugal, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bulgaria, Cyprus and the Canary Islands. Black pudding has recently been hailed as a ‘superfood’ – as testified by Richard’s energetic fundraising ventures! The Autumn 2013 of The Bugle featured him completing the gruelling ‘CCC’ 63-mile Ultra race in Chamonix – three years later, the intrepid Old Boy donned skis as well as trainers for his next challenge … Never say never again … Three years after completing my first race in the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc Series, I decided I wanted to experience the euphoric feeling of personal satisfaction that comes with completing any endurance event at least one more time. Oh, and wasn’t it about time I raised some more money for charity and do my bit for others? What about experiencing that euphoria three times in a year? How about trying something other than running? My other sporting passion is skiing … and so my Three Event Challenge was born. The challenge began in April when, as part of a friend’s 50th birthday celebration, I set out on a five-day, 120mile journey from Chamonix to Zermatt, along the infamous ‘Haute Route’ on touring skis (as opposed to the downhill variety). This involved no lifts, conquering high altitude passes carrying all my own gear, off-piste skiing, some mountaineering sections and sleeping in mountain huts with no running water to wash in. Three of us, including the Slovenian guide, completed the trek with a final day of some 11 hours, capped with an amazing off-piste ski across the main glacier down into Zermatt. I had that euphoric feeling once again, which was heightened with the knowledge that we had already raised £10,000 between us for the British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research On my return to the UK, skis were stored and out came the faithful Salomon trainers. The plan was to do numerous ‘back to back’ runs as part of my training before doing my second challenge in July, the 66-mile Ultimate Trails Raring to go: Richard’s Ultra from Ambleside, around the cousin spurred him on Lake District and back. This would to tackle the Ultimate Trails Ultra in the Lake then accelerate my fitness levels District for the third and final challenge. Along with consuming some of my own black pudding (super food of 2016 according the Daily Mail), I couldn’t go wrong! Ten days before the event I received the devastating news that one of my cousins would be facing a massive

operation to remove her cancer and have plastic surgery to in effect rebuild her throat. After speaking to her I decided to dedicate my run to her (and wear a T shirt with her in mind) in order to try to boost her morale – this became my driver to complete. On the day the weather wasn’t kind and it was very wet under foot; however, I got my race strategy, nutrition, hydration and mind-set bang on and completed the course in just under 20 hours – slower than originally planned, but I had to remind myself this was a training run! I learned that my cousin completed her operation in a massive ten hours: we had both been successful … euphoria! Two down and just one to go. The third part of my original ‘260-mile challenge’, was the TDS 74mile Ultra Run from Courmayeur in Italy around (and over Cooling down after the TDS challenge parts of) Mont Blanc to Chamonix in France, including climbing 7,200m+ of vertical – all to be completed within 33 hours. Time for a new JustGiving page for Cancer Research, I thought. The TDS is part of the UTMB series of races in which 8,000 people take part each year and is a qualifier for the blue ribbon event, the 100-miler UTMB, the pinnacle of Ultra Trail running! I knew I was fit enough and was very confident of completing. However with altitude and the highest level of technicality of all the UTMB races it was not going to be easy. In any sport there are ‘controllables’ and your knowledge helps you deal with these, but the ‘uncontrollables’ are the dangers and that’s where you have to pull on experience. Sadly I had never experienced temperatures of 32 degrees in the shade (40 degrees in the sun) and thus I only completed 34 miles in 11 hours. My body simply overheated and so wasn’t able to use the food or moisture that I managed to force into it. I was, in effect, being starved of fuel, with only one possible outcome … stop! When my wife, Mel, asked me on my phone whether I was enjoying myself as I faced a seven-mile climb from 800m to 2500m and still in temperatures of 35 degrees, the answer was a resounding ‘No’. I reminded myself I do this for fun and pleasure and not to put myself at risk, so it was the right decision to stop and was an easy one to make. This was my first DNF (Did Not Finish). However, on my return to the UK I felt a huge feeling of failure, being robbed of the experience of the whole event and a responsibility that I had let everyone (and I mean everyone) down. Sleepless nights followed where I kept

Newsletter Autumn 2016

going over what I could have controlled … Why hadn’t I sat in a river to cool down (as the winner, who finished in a crazy 15 hours, had done)? Did I go out too fast? That euphoric feeling! Why hadn’t I trained in heat as preparation? I couldn’t answer any of these questions and Mel, who was having her sleep disturbed, blurted out ‘why don’t you go and do a run and sort your head out?’

Wales!). I completed in 15 hours 36 minutes, met some great people, enjoyed brilliant scenery and went two miles out of my way somehow, so completed 60 miles which means I amassed the grand total of 280 miles in four events (clocking up 800+ miles if you include all the training). All that, plus the joy of raising another £2,500 for Cancer research … euphoric feelings once again!

Yeah … let’s get back in the saddle for my own mind’s sake and also to complete the 260-mile challenge distance. So on Saturday 10th September I ran the fourth and final ‘unplanned’ event around the hills of Wales in the Snowdonia Ultra 50 (58 miles, actually … only in

If anyone would like to support Richard’s fundraising efforts, please see www.justgiving.com/RichardMorris7200m-vertical

Will I do the TDS again? Yes, of course, and I’ll complete it this time – as Winston Churchill said: ‘Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.’ Richard completes the Ultra Tour of Snowdonia – and accomplishes his mammoth fundraising challenge!

Coming soon Our Old Boy and Old Girl network has a huge reach, spanning the globe with over 10,000 active members. This year, School is helping you to make the most of those contacts, by launching The Bolton Alumni Network, exclusively for Our Old Boys and Old Girls to use. This exciting venture will transform the way in which former pupils can stay in touch with each other, as well as with School. You will be able to log in to the platform using your LinkedIn or Facebook profile, so the process only should only take a couple of minutes and is completely free of charge. This free service for all Old Boys and Old Girls will mean you can: • reconnect directly online with your old School friends and share memories; • have exclusive access to an online directory of fellow Old Boltonian and Old Girl contacts complete with their current professional information; • seek out and contact directly those Alumni who work in your industry, for advice or mentoring assistance; • offer advice and help to younger Alumni in your field, who are trying to establish their own careers; • use the Network as an employers’ recruitment tool, advertising job vacancies to a pool of talented, well-educated professionals (who all come with an inbuilt Chorley New Road reference!); • get on the inside track to the latest job opportunities for which fellow Alumni are recruiting; • receive the latest news about upcoming Alumni events and School news. The network is entirely online, meaning that geographical distance and time constraints should be much less of a barrier to Alumni becoming involved in School and in the OBA. We will be in touch via email and social media to let you know when the Bolton Alumni Network will launch. Join with other Old Boys and Old Girls and get connected straight away!

OBA AMBASSADORS As outlined in the Headmaster’s introduction, the OBA Committee is also intending to harness the enthusiasm and contacts of some of the younger Alumni in the run up to the Association’s 125th Anniversary, by creating “Ambassadors”. Their remit will be to raise the profile of the OBA within their peer group, and to play an integral role in shaping the OBA as a vibrant business networking community.

The Committee so far has recruited three Ambassadors, namely Richard Washington (1986-1993), Irfan Ravat (1992-1999) and Mike Shaw (1981-1988) and would be delighted to hear from any other Old Boys who would be interested in learning more about this role – please contact the Development Office in the first instance for more details.

Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2016

EVENTS CENTENARY CELEBRATION ROUND-UP Over the last year we have been celebrating the Centenary of Lord Leverhulme’s endowment of the Bolton School Foundation and 500 years of education in Bolton. These auspicious anniversaries have been marked with a variety of special celebratory events, which have brought together all members of the School community. The celebrations commenced in March 2015 with a whole-School Gala Concert at Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall, followed by the Centenary Dinner in April which officially opened the Centenary Year celebratory events. The Foundation Family Festival took place in June and then Alumni dusted off their PE kits at the Sports Reunion and Dinner in July. The Grand Reunion Weekend in September saw over 1,000 Old Boys and Old Girls return to School for the centrepiece of the anniversary celebrations. Alongside the anniversary events, Alumni have voted for their Top 100 Objects which most typify life at School, and the anniversary book The Best of Both Worlds was published in December. Meanwhile the 100 Inspiring Minds Project is ongoing, as we continue to publish the profiles of 100 inspiring members of the School community each week on the anniversary website. The celebrations came to an end at the Centenary Ball in June, where 500 members of the School community came together at the Premier Suite, Macron Stadium for a carnival-themed night of revelry and a fitting finale to a year of festivities.

Centenary Dinner Former School Captains and Head Girls from the 1940s through to 2015 leavers and their guests attended the Centenary Dinner on Friday 17th April. The three-course dinner was held in the Boys’ Division Great Hall.

Sports Reunion and Dinner Held on Saturday 4th July, Old Boys competed against each other, as well as current staff and pupils in a variety of team activities, including football, rugby, cricket and water polo, before celebrating (or commiserating!) at a relaxed dinner in the Boys’ Division Dining Hall in the evening.

100 Objects Project The votes are in! After appealing to Alumni for suggestions, the votes have been counted and the Top 10 objects which most epitomise Bolton School life are: 1. Three Kings from Persian Lands 2. The Grey Book 3. The Carol Services in the two Divisions 4. Tarmac and Fairy Liquid 5. The Christmas Angels 6. The Deportment Girdle 7. The Great Halls 8. GD “Peggy Purses” with the School Crest 9. The Boys’ Division School Song – 40 Years On 10. The Sergeants

The Grand Reunion Weekend Over 1,000 leavers from all years returned to School in September for the highlight of our anniversary celebrations. Alumni enjoyed an assembly in the Great Hall and a traditional School lunch in the Dining Hall, followed by afternoon cream teas. Bolton School

Newsletter Autumn 2016

Centenary Ball

themed cocktails, including the Leverhulme Lifter, were accompanied by a fireworks display which ended the day in style.

The Best of Both Worlds The Best of Both Worlds, the book commissioned to mark the centenary year combines a detailed history of the School with recollections from Old Boys and Old Girls, archive materials and contemporary photographs. This beautiful book will provide a treasure trove of memories for Alumni of all ages. To order your copy, visit www.tmiltd.com/bolton.

The Bolton School Centenary Ball was held on Saturday 25th June 2016 in the Premier Suite at the Macron Stadium. Over 500 guests including parents, former pupils, former parents, staff and friends of the School gathered to celebrate the end of the anniversary year. It was a fantastic evening of celebrations, featuring the School samba band, aerial acrobats, a fire show, 8-piece cover band and a silent auction. £10,000 was raised for The 100 Campaign for Bursaries - thank you to the Centenary Ball Committee, all of whom are volunteers from across the five Parents’ Associations and who worked so hard to bring this auspicious event to fruition!

PLEASE JOIN US AT THE ANNUAL TILLOTSON LECTURE The Headmaster invites any interested Old Boys to join him at the 44th Annual Tillotson Lecture which will take place at 7.00pm on Thursday 24th November 2016 in the Boys’ Division Great Hall. This year’s speaker is Old Boy Chris Eatough (1986-1990). During his time at Bolton School, Chris was one of the School’s foremost athletes. He went on to attend Clemson University in South Carolina where he initially represented the university at soccer. There he discovered a passion for mountain biking, and this grew into a professional career as an endurance mountain bike racer on the Trek Factory Team, eventually becoming lead rider. His 14-year career

saw him compete all over the world, winning five USA national titles and six world championships in 24-hour solo mountain bike racing. Chris is now a sporting motivational speaker and his Tillotson address will be on the topic ‘Long Distance Learning’. There is no charge and tickets will not be issued for the Tillotson Lecture. However, those wishing to attend should send an email to Jayne Higham, School Office Manager, in order that sufficient refreshments may be provided afterwards. Please email bdinfo@boltonschool.org by Thursday 17th November.

Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2016

PHOTO WALL London Dinner House of Lords - Friday 1 th March 2016

Since the Spring 2016 edition of T Edinburgh and Cumbria. Here is a

‘Another wonderful evening of hospitality, excellent company, and all in an extraordinary setting. This will certainly be an evening to remember!’ Paul Greenhalgh (2001-2015)

Old Boys’ and Old Girls’ Scottish Dinner 2016 Pollock Halls, the University of Edinburgh - Friday 6th May

(Class of 2 Jack Fairweather ccardo Ma Ri d an (2004-2011)

‘Superb, as ever.’ Robin Smith (1953-1959)

John Markland (19561966), Stuart Brooks (1956-1966), David Jenner (1953-196 0), Robin Smith (1953Rob Blagg (1949-1961) 1959), and Peter Nightingal e (1953-1961)

‘This is always a special evening for me. It has been as enjoyable as ever.’ David Jenner (1953-1960)

48-1954) bert Higham (19 Diana Higham, Ro ion staff) vis Di ’ ys Bo er (form and David Shaw

tton Philip Bri 45-1957), 9 58) (1 19 s 1n 5 e v 19 Ste ée Deans, Malcolm (n s n e v e Ste and Valeri

in Smith (1953-1959) John Markland (1956-1966), Rob rt and Stua Brooks (1956-1966)

‘Most enjoyable evening and meal!’ Rob Blagg

‘Ditto!’ Peter Nightingale (1949-1961)

David Jenner (1953-196 0),

Robin Smith (1953-195 9) and Rob Blagg (1949 -1961)

Newsletter Autumn 2016

The Bugle we have held Alumni events across the country, including regional dinners in London, a selection of photos from these events.

ing 2011), Tom Cowl 1) anfredi (1997-201 Jack Fairweather (Class of 2011), Co (2005-2012), Em Thomas (2005- ily Varley (2003-2012), Char nnor Rogers 2011), Tom Cowl lie ing (2004-2011) Hothersall(2004-2011) and , Philip David Shaw (form er Boys’ Division Boyle staff)

Oliver K nowles (1999-2 009 and Ch arlie Ho ), Philip Boyle ( thersall -Thoma 2004-2011) s (2005 -2011)

Old Boys’ and Old Girls’ Cumbria Dinner 2016 The Lindeth Howe Hotel, Windermere - Friday 17th June

David Macrae (19 56-1966), Margar et Allen (née Br 1947-1957) and Da ookes, vid Allen (former Boys’ Division sta ff)

d 961-1967) an roughton (1 ) 9 4 19 24 9 Stephen B ton (1 Nigel Ather

gale and Peter Nightin ff) of Development) d sta ea ion (H s vis te Di ’ Ba Julia rmer Boys (1953-1961 and fo

‘A most pleasurable evening, good food and company. The Headmaster on top-notch form!’ Thomas (1958-1965) and Marian Burton, Beryl and David (19531961) Matthews

Antony Fisher (1965-1972)

Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2016

CLASSES OF 1966, 1976, 1986, 1996 AND 2006, APRIL 2016

Back row: Harry Richbell, Peter Syddall, Roger Dobson Front row: David Shaw (former Boys’ Division staff), Chris Williams, Roger Johnson

Class of ’66: Harry Richbell, Roger Johnson, Christine Syddall (née Beasley), Peter Syddall, Chris Willams, John Fallows David Hodgson

’96 Leavers Pete Aunins, Chris Norman and Tom Hardcastle

’86 Leavers Steve Vose, Richard Morris, Richard Smith

’96 Leavers Oliver Croston, Andrew Collier and David Withnall with guest Sarah Cooke-Fox

’96 Leavers Rob Lees and Colin Walsh

1930S, 1940S AND 1950S LEAVERS’ REUNION AFTERNOON TEA, JUNE 2016

Peter Gilbert (1946-1958), Tony Galloway (1945-1957), Elsie Peel (née Addison, 1949-1956), Brian Peel

RECENT LEAVERS’ REUNION – JUNE 2016 2015 leavers returned to share their experience of life after School with current pupils about to apply to university – and to catch up with each other.

Janice Mason, Roger Mason (1949-1957), Peter Gilbert (1946-1958)

Robert Hart (1947-1954), Geoffrey Benson (1945-1955), Michael Short (1943-1952)

Newsletter Autumn 2016

SPORTS OLD BOLTONIANS AFC - APPROACHING 100 BUT STILL BATTLING ON As ever an initial quick look back – a resumé of 2015/16 sees the 1st XI travails ultimately ending in disappointment. League form was fantastic, winning all bar three with a goal difference of +48. However, Failsworth Dynamos put together a flawless run of form taking the title by two points. Further heartbreak was felt when the team lost on penalties in the final of the LAL Cup. The Reserves have made good strides forward – a poor start, a midseason run of form that involved nine wins in ten games, a charge up the table, ultimately finishing in a credible fourth position. Both A and B teams had their fair share of struggles. The ability to get players to turn out consistently on a Saturday remained a challenge. The A team finished mid-table in Division 3, the highest placed A team in the league. The B team never recovered from a disastrous start and was relegated. The Vets team was reinforced by some younger blood and rewards were reaped. At one point they topped the table and undesired promotion threatened with an eventual enjoyable top third finish. The season culminated in winning the Centenary Quadrangular and, joy of joys, we won the Liverpool Ramblers Boot for the first time in playing memory. Off the pitch, the Annual OBAFC Dinner and the Black and White Ball have proved to be well attended enjoyable ‘dos’ and invaluable fundraisers. The Chairman has led the way with more feats of physical endurance – as ever, all such events have seen proceeds going to charity as well as to the club. We raise sponsorship monies for shirts, tracksuits, etc, with spots on the website making the ever more expensive business of running the club possible – grounds and pavilion, new kit and balls, referees and training ground hire all mount up as the proposed budget for the present season of £20,000 confirms. The 300 Club has one or two spare numbers and we are ever grateful for the select band of patrons who continue to give, so often to accompany altruistic memories of playing days gone by. Any former players who might like to contribute down any of these routes will be more than welcome – please contact treasurer Roger Milne (details on the website). The 2016/17 season is just a few weeks old as I write – the toughest start for several years for the 1st XI, who lie fifth and are already ten points behind the leaders; Reserves in the second tier are mid-table; an impressive A team is third in tier four, with just one other A team, mostly reserves, but even a couple of first teams. The B team (one of only five remaining!) is now in the lowest tier, but have two wins from three. The vets have started traditionally slowly! As ever, here’s hoping to see you as player or spectator up at Turton – the hot Bovril is always available! Martin Wadsworth

Bursary Golf Day 2016 The annual Old Boltonians’ Golf Day took place on Thursday 22nd September at Bolton Golf Club. The sun shone as nine teams comprising Old Boys, Old Girls, friends of the School and current staff and pupils competed in the tournament, with Pareto Financial Planning eventually emerging victorious. The event, which was sponsored by Ravat and Ray Dental Care, raised £2,440 for the School’s Bursary Fund.

L-R: Tom Bolton (current pupil), Sue Hincks (Headmistress, Greg McMillan (1975-1982 and current Boys’ Division staff), Ellie Broome (current pupil), Elaine Hayes (former Girls’ Division staff), Chris Taylor (1965-1973), Chris Carley (1963-1973), Louise Threlfall (Business Development Manager at Ravat and Ray)

Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2016

FIRST CLASS TRIO In the Summer of 2016, three talented former Bolton School cricketers made their mark in the first class game at the age of nineteen. Only four years earlier they had all been members of the Bolton School U15 cricket team that memorably won the Public Schools’ National T20 competition. Haseeb Hameed (2010-2015), Matthew Parkinson and his twin brother Callum (both 2005-2013) all live in Bolton and began playing cricket in the Bolton League where Haseeb played for Farnworth Social Circle and Matthew and Callum played for Heaton Cricket Club. All three represented Bolton School and Lancashire Schools with distinction through all the age groups and, Haseeb Hameed in addition to playing significant roles in winning a national trophy for Bolton School, also performed outstandingly in winning national trophies at U14, U15 and U17 levels for Lancashire youth teams. Haseeb made an immediate impact when he successfully opened the batting in four matches in 2015 at the age of eighteen, but in 2016, he has fully displayed his undoubted class and wonderful temperament. He scored a maiden century in June against Warwickshire and another against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in July before becoming the first Lancashire batsman to record a century in each innings of a ‘Roses’ game. He is also the youngest player to score two centuries in a first class match in England and the first teenage opener to post four centuries in a County Championship season. He credits the skilful coaching he received from his father, Ismail, from the age of eight for his success and he is already being strongly tipped to play for England. Matthew and Callum left School in 2013 to concentrate on furthering their careers in cricket. Matthew joined the Lancashire staff in 2016 after playing with some success for England U19s and Lancashire 2nd Xl. He is a talented, attacking leg spin bowler with a competitive Callum and Matthew nature and he was selected for his Parkinson first Championship match against Warwickshire at Old Trafford in June. He had a wonderful start to his career, bowling 23 overs and taking 5 wickets for 49 runs, including England player Jonathan Trott as his first victim. Matthew has a great deal of ability and a positive attitude and will hopefully enjoy more success in the future. Callum is a slow left arm bowler and also a good batsman who has been involved at Derbyshire County Cricket Club for the last couple of years. He made his debut against Leicestershire in August and recorded very impressive performances with both ball and ball, scoring 48 not out and taking 7 wickets for 178 runs in 70 overs. Like his brother, Callum is very talented and competitive and has the ability to do well in the game. Throughout their development, these three naturally gifted cricketers have received wonderful support from their parents and coaches at school and club level as well as the LCB. It has been specially rewarding for all those involved to follow their

progress during 2016 and I certainly consider myself very fortunate to have been present, along with Andy Compton, Master in Charge of Cricket at Bolton School, when Haseeb and Matthew played so well against Warwickshire at Old Trafford and also when Haseeb scored two magnificent centuries against Yorkshire to create a new Lancashire record. It is an extraordinary achievement for three Bolton School contemporaries to be so successful in first class cricket in the same season and at the tender age of nineteen. Many congratulations and best wishes to all of them for a successful future in the game. It is interesting to note that only three other Bolton School pupils have played for Lancashire previously. Don Davies, born in 1892, was the first and played eleven matches as an amateur in the 1924-1925 seasons. He was a batsman who also played for Bradshaw Cricket Club in the Bolton League. He subsequently became a member of the LCC Committee and a Vice President, but was better known in the football world. He played for Bolton Wanderers, won an England amateur cap and later became one of the most literary of soccer writers under the pseudonym ‘Old International’ for the Manchester Guardian. Sadly he died in 1958 in the Munich air crash with a number of Manchester United footballer, officials and journalists. Jack Bond, who left Bolton School in 1949, was the second to play for Lancashire. He played for Kearsley Cricket Club and Radcliffe Cricket Club before joining the county staff where he played from 1955 until 1972, gaining his cap in 1961. He was a middle order batsman who scored fourteen centuries during his career with a season best total of 2,125 runs in 1962. He captained the side from 1968 to 1972 with outstanding success especially in limited overs cricket. During his reign Lancashire were Sunday League Champions twice and won the Gillette Cup at Lords on three occasions. He was a very popular captain with outstanding man management skills. The third player was Duncan Worsley who left Bolton School in 1960 and a few weeks later, at the age of nineteen, played his first match for Lancashire against South Africa at Blackpool Cricket Club where he opened the batting with Alan Wharton. As Duncan and I are long-time friends from Park Road days who first played cricket together at Bolton School and Farnworth Cricket Club, I was delighted to witness his county debut on what was a rather special occasion. As Duncan was a student at Oxford University, he also played for a strong varsity team containing several Test players and he captained the side in 1964 in his final year. He went on to play for Lancashire until 1967 when he decided to further his career in teaching. During his time in first class cricket he scored over 5,000 runs including four centuries. He began playing league cricket at Farnworth Cricket Club, later representing Bradshaw Cricket Club and Heaton Cricket Club. He was one of the best all rounders ever to have played in the Bolton League, scoring over 10,000 runs and taking 1,000 wickets. There is a gap of forty-three years since Jack Bond retired in 1972 and Haseeb Hameed played his first match for Lancashire in 2015, then all of a sudden the number of County cricketers educated at Bolton School has doubled in 2016. It is a remarkable statistic but Bolton School has always had a good reputation for producing strong cricket teams and many boys have represented Lancashire at various age groups from U10 to Lancashire CCC second Eleven standard. Long may it continue. Geoff Ogden (1950-1960)

Newsletter Autumn 2016

A CRICKETER REMEMBERED No one would rejoice more in the selection of Haseeb Hameed (2010-2015) for the English touring team in India and Bangladesh than Ron Booth (Boys’ Division Staff, 1946-1976). Ron was Master in Charge of first eleven cricket during his teaching years with an interest in the game at all levels. That interest reached far beyond the School. He had played minor counties cricket as a medium-fast bowler and for years, living in Preston, he played in the Northern League. His daily journey to Bolton took him past the Westcliff ground, no doubt recalling the immense pleasure which the game and the development of his own competitive skills had given him. It had also given him a range of contacts with cricketers of the highest class who took his views about young players very seriously. This was evident during the annual week at the Lilleshall cricket school when his senior pupils were able to practise under the scrutiny of professionals. Since those days, when Ron fostered an already thriving tradition, about thirty boys have gone on to play minor counties or first-class cricket. His legacy continues through the many who have followed his lead so effectively since. His interest was insatiable. In the library on one occasion he illustrated for me the quality of writing that the game stimulates and the fascination of great matches and great characters from the past. Reading was another avid pursuit and, combined with his insistence on accuracy, made him a fine teacher of English. I found him always a patient, humorous, courteous and supportive colleague and, like many others, I owe him more than I can briefly tell. Charles Winder (Boys’ Division Staff, 1964-1999)

OLD BOLTONIANS’GOLF SOCIETY REPORT Autumn 2016 As Secretary of the Society it falls to me to bring members up to date with the news of Old Boltonians’ Golf during the season 2016. The Old Boltonians’ Team has just returned from competing in the Finals of the Grafton Morrish Tournament where we lost to the eventual runners-up, Uppingham, in round 2. We were also unsuccessful in the Plate Competition and what the team needs is some talented young blood! I will keep with tradition and review the events of the past few months as succinctly as I can. The Matchplay Rosebowl played throughout the summer months and I can report that the 2016 event was won by Ian Moss, who beat Chris Carley in a well-fought final. The 2016 Gwynne Jones Goblets were held at Bolton on Sunday 3rd April. This longstanding foursomes event attracted entries and was won by Nigel Compsty and Phil Riding. The Gwynne Jones Goblets was followed by a brief AGM of the Society and Roger Gould was nominated and approved as Captain of the Society for 2016. In May 2016, the team of Norman Fletcher, Mark Millhouse, David Johnson, Andrew Fletcher, Philip Grundy and Jeff Bennett successfully qualified for the finals of the Grafton Morrish Trophy at Huddersfield Golf Club. The Lancs Old Boys’ Tournament for the Lord John Morley Trophy was played at Fairhaven in June. The team of Norman Fletcher, Andrew Leech, David Johnson, Roger Gould and Frank Hodgkiss did well enough not to win and thus have to organise the 2017 event – but Norman Fletcher secured the Veterans Trophy. This is a first-class event which was played on an outstanding golf course: the Society can enter more than one team, so, if you are interested in playing, please be in touch. The Taylor Trophy was played at Bolton Golf Club on a dry evening in June. Using a stableford format, David Johnson proved to be the victor with a fine score of 37 points, runner-up was Ian Moss also with 37 points. The trophy, which has been played for since 1928, was presented by the 2016 Society Captain. The event attracted 22 entries and it was encouraging to see some younger players at this event. A new event, the Secretaries Salver, a fourball better ball stableford was held at Bolton Golf Club on Sunday 16th October as a closing event for the 2016 season. This gives the society four events for members to participate in on an annual basis.

30 years of success

There was a fantastic turnout of water polo players at the Sports Reunion in July last year

The academic year 1986/87 saw two notable and linked events in the history of Bolton School. First the new pool opened, making way for the Arts Centre we know today, as well as providing a first rate facility for aquatic sports. With that event the young Trevor Pledger came to the School, charged with developing School swimming and water polo. 31 years on, in Summer 2017, Trevor will retire and it is intended to mark the occasion with a celebration of Water Polo at the School. It is true that Trevor has many other achievements, not least in Outdoor Pursuits, as well as more recently shaping the innovative role of Director of Partnerships, but it is in our Water Polo success where the enduring legacy of his vision is most evident. Across the years we have 24 English Schools National titles over three year groups. We are the only school ever to hold all three titles at once, which we have done four times. There have been 29 Junior Boys’ Internationals (also three Girls’) and six full men’s internationals (also one women’s). It has been decided there could be no more fitting a retirement celebration than to have a day celebrating Water Polo. We have booked the Bolton One pool (the Jason Kenny Centre) on Saturday 8th July from 1.30pm for a series of games and we hope to engage as many players as possible. Do please reply so that teams can be assembled. In the evening at 6pm there will be a buffet at School, aimed at catering for the widest cross section of the Bolton School Water Polo Club: players, past and present, parents and families of players, plus coaches past and present. Young families will be welcome. The evening event is free of charge. I do hope to see you next July to celebrate with Trevor and to celebrate Water Polo at the School. Philip Britton, Headmaster Anyone wishing to participate in or spectate at the water polo games and/or to attend the evening reception should contact the Development Office on 01204 434718 or email development@boltonschool.org.

Norman FIetcher (1961-1969) - Golf Secretary

Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2016

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 1940-1949 RD Hart (1944-1949) David and his wife, Eirlys, celebrated their Diamond Wedding anniversary on 31st March 2016, spending David and his wife Eirlys an enjoyable weekend in the Lake District with eight members of their family. Norman Longworth (1947-1953) Norman celebrated his 80th birthday in Southampton, France and Bologna this year. He is still living in Eus in the Pyrennean foothills, still working from time to time with the UNESCO Learning Cities initiative in European cities, still writing excruciating poetry – or rather versifying – mostly on topical themes, and still writing tales of his beautiful French region. Volume 3 of his e-book series The Conflent Tales is almost ready for publication by Amazon. His email is norman.longworth@ gmail.com and he would welcome missives from the sadly diminishing list of Old Boys of his vintage.

Class of 1960-1969 Richard Horrocks (1951-1961) Having been at the University of Bolton for 44 years in the textiles area, Richard has been called upon several times by the BBC for his expertise. Last year he featured in a BBC Watchdog programme about the flammability of children’s fancy dress, and, more recently, he was featured in the Melvyn Bragg series of Radio 4 programmes on The Matter of the North, in which he talked about the legacy of Samuel Crompton in the episode which covered inventions of the Industrial Revolution. Ernie Marsh (1955-1962, Former Boy’s Division Staff 1973-1976) Ernie has finally retired after 50 years in teaching, this momentous event coinciding with his Golden Wedding Anniversary in July. Many of the Old Boys and Old Girls with whom he is still in touch – too numerous to mention! – joined the celebrations. He also met up with a good many former School mates at the Grand Reunion last year and at Colin Harding’s (Former Boy’s Division Staff 1957-1964) 90th birthday. In between hiking, philately, singing, holidaying and entertaining his

four young grandsons, Ernie is trying to establish contact with members of Lower Two (1955) with a view to a reunion – please get in touch at ernie.marsh@tiscali. co.uk if you have any information which may be useful. Ernie and Jean live at Church Stretton in the wilds of deepest Shropshire. If anyone finds themselves on the A49 without a bed, a meal or even a cup of tea, please give them a call on 01694 722119 – you will be made very welcome. Malcolm Rothwell (1955-1962) Malcolm ran the London marathon at the age of 70. This was his first, and last, marathon. He has recently had a book published entitled Running the race, finding God in the London marathon. The book compares the ups and downs of running with the Christian race of life, with all its ups and downs. As well as reflecting on his own experience, Malcolm offers runners tips, exercises and points to ponder over at the end of each chapter, all laced with humour and wry comments. Sean Murray-Smith (Class of 1967) Congratulations to Sean who has been elected a fellow of the Royal Society of South Australia in recognition of his study of the epidemiology of a dengue fever epidemic in North Queensland in 1993 and his work on malaria.

Class of 1970-1979 Bernard Stevenson (1968-1975) In the 40 years since Bernard left Bolton School he hasn’t lived any further north than Bridgnorth (Shropshire) – but Lancashire is still in his heart and he loves the ITV Warburton’s commercials which are produced by his classmate Jonathan. Bernard has now been in full-time Christian ministry for nearly 34 years and has held eight posts in that time. He will always be grateful to Bolton School for introducing him to the God v Science debate and for showing him that there is a Christian route through the debate. He recalls being inspired by an Old Boy who came to lead a whole-School assembly and who spoke about the intricacies of aeroplane-wing design, and how God got there first with the sycamore seed. If any Old Boys find themselves in the North Devon area and would like to attend The Salvation Army’s Sunday Worship they

would be very welcome – just look up The Salvation Army (Barnstaple Corps) on the internet. David Waring (1966-1971) Having left School with GCE O Levels, David attended Wigan and District Mining and Technical College where he gained an OND in Mechanical Engineering. From there he moved to North Staffs Polytechnic and gained an HND in Mechanical Engineering. During his period at Stafford he gained work experience initially with the GEC Turbines Commissioning Team at Hinkley Point in Somerset; for subsequent Industrial Training Periods he worked at a consulting engineering company in Leyland working on systems for the nuclear industry. He then moved to Ferranti in Manchester, working on Weapon Systems Trials, until rising fuel prices in the late seventies forced a move to BAE Systems at Warton where he worked on Avionic Testing before joining the Systems Engineering Team on the Experimental Aircraft Programme defining System Requirements. He subsequently moved on to projects in the Middle East, North Africa and the Far East and gained a Masters in Systems Engineering Management at UCL. Now retired, David appreciates getting to lie in more and fills his time with reading, gardening and more controlled foreign travel.

Class of 1980-1989 Peter Leather (1973-1980) Congratulations to Peter who completed The Lakeland Loop – one of the toughest Road Cycling Sportives in the UK – in April. With the route extended by 17 miles due to the closure of the After a tough but Grasmere to Keswick successful day in the saddle, Peter road, the competitors is ready for a well- faced an epic 86.5earned beer! mile route with an elevation gain in excess of 10,000 feet. Despite miserable weather conditions, the impressive Lake District scenery spurred Peter on to the finish line.

Newsletter Autumn 2016

Class of 1990-1999 Chris Gee (1983-1990) Aside from his ‘day job’ at Network Rail in York, Chris is a photographer specialising in outdoor writing and landscape photography. He has recently had two books published: York The Great City, a photographic book of York, and A Walking Companion to the Yorkshire Coast, a highly illustrated history and guide to the Yorkshire Coast. We hope to review these in a future edition of The Bugle. Raj Apte (1982-1992) Raj is currently a global equity partner and Head of Restructuring for Central and South-eastern Europe at EY (formerly known as Ernst & Young). Previously he was a financier and restructuring advisor at global investment banks Lazard and Morgan Stanley. Raj lives in London with his wife (a medical doctor) and 10 year old son. David Bleakley (1990-1992) David attended the Sixth Form, studying Maths, Physics and Chemistry. Even though he attended for such a short period of time, he says he feels both proud and lucky to have spent time at Bolton School and has fond memories of classmates and teachers, in particular Headmaster Alan Wright and Deputy Head David Shaw (also his physics teacher). David also remembers maths teachers Mr Cairns and Mr Frost, and thanks Dr Rogers and Dr Chambers for maintaining his interest in chemistry. After leaving Bolton School, David studied Chemical Engineering at UMIST, graduating with an MEng in Chemical Engineering with Environmental Technology in 1996. He has since worked in numerous different industries and locations (pharmaceuticals, agrichemicals, consultancy) before joining the oil and gas Industry in 1997 as a lead Process Safety Engineer. He was recently recognised as a Fellow of the Institute of Chemical Engineers David is currently located in a small village in North Yorkshire with his wife and two young daughters and in recent years has enjoyed returning to School for the weddings of family and friends. Chris Redfern (1982-1992) In 1989, Chris was awarded a Royal Air Force Sixth Form Scholarship and from that moment his career path was set. On leaving Bolton School in 1992, he joined the

RAF and, after graduating as an Officer, began three years of intense pilot training. Gaining his wings in 1996, he was posted to his first operational tour, flying the Wessex Helicopter with 72 Squadron in Northern Ireland. This was followed by a further three years on the Wessex, this time in the sunnier climes of Cyprus and changing role to fly Search and Rescue missions with 84 Squadron. Returning to the UK in 2002, he was posted to RAF Odiham and there trained to fly the most versatile of all battlefield helicopters, the Chinook. Joining 18 Squadron, Chris soon found himself deployed to operate in countries as far flung as Norway, Morocco, Northern Ireland, Iraq, Cyprus and the Falklands. His final three years in the RAF were as a Qualified Helicopter Instructor, helping to train future generations of Chinook Pilots. After 16 years of service, Chris made the difficult decision to leave the RAF and move into the civilian sector and in 2008 he joined Bond Air Services as an Air Ambulance Pilot based in Inverness. The following year he was selected for training as one of the Company Flight Examiners, which meant another move, this time to the company HQ in Gloucestershire. After five years in that position, which included a diversity of roles such as teaching and examining on both EC135 and EC145 helicopters, the successful introduction of the UK’s first Night Air Ambulance NVG Operations and hoist winching to Offshore Windfarms, he was promoted to Head of Flight Operations and now combines the role of Line Manager to nearly 100 Air Ambulance pilots (including a certain member of the Royal Family) with continuing to fly operational duties when needed. Chris has been married to Pamela for ten years. They live in Tewkesbury with their three boys aged 11, 9 and 7. Mark Todd (1985-1992) Now retired from football, Mark completed this year’s London Marathon in 3:07:49 – he beat Kelly Holmes and hopes he has made Mr Gottard (his running master) proud! His next goal is the San Sebastian Marathon in November. When not out running, Mark continues to pop up on 5 Live and ITV from time to time speaking on energy matters.

Class of 2000-2009 Richard Cooke (1999-2006) On a sunny day at the beginning of April Richard married Old Girl Joanna Adamson (1992-2006) at Styal Lodge in Cheshire, ten years after they met in the Lower Sixth.

Their bridesmaids were Old Girls Jenny Cotton (née Newton, 1997-2006) and Priya Acharya (2004-2006).

Richard and Jo on their wedding day

Oliver Sudworth (Class of 2008) Oliver recently accepted a post for Core Surgical Training in South Wales, with a Trauma and Orthopaedics theme. After six years at medical school and two years of foundation training, he has at last reached the original goal he has had since studying at Bolton School!

Class of 2010-2016 Ben Collinson (Class of 2010) and Patrick Collinson (Class of 2012) Brothers Patrick and Ben have set up their own fashion business selling silver and gold jewellery and featured in Manchester Fashion Week in May. You can read more on their website www.FIYAH.com. Robert Worsley (Class of 2013) Bob has recently graduated from University of York with a BSc in Film and Television Production. During his time at York he was involved as cinematographer on a film, Flower Power, which was nominated in 2015 for a Student TV award. The film, a short documentary looking at the way flowers are used to enhance occasions, such as weddings, went on to win in the category for which it was nominated. Well done!

News of Former Staff James Rich (Boys’ Division Staff, 1999-2012) Upon leaving Bolton School James became Deputy Headmaster of Leicester Grammar School and during the academic year 2015-16 he took on leadership responsibility for the school whilst his Headmaster was Chairman of HMC. Based on a 75-acre purpose-built rural site in the village of Great Glen, the thriving establishment is the UK’s fastest growing independent day school. In April 2014 James married Sarah Gorner (Boys’ Division staff, 2008-2011; Girls Division staff, 2011-2014), who is now Head of Chemistry at Wellingborough School in Northamptonshire. James and Sarah live on the Northants/Leicestershire border in the picturesque town of Market Harborough with Milo the dog and Arthur Harry Rich, their first child, who arrived on 24th May 2016.

Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2016

MINI REUNIONS

3A1 (1955) – 5A1 (1957) third Weekend Reunion: 5-7th May 2016 In May this year, a group of this class met at Buxton for a three-day reunion. This year’s event attracted ten of the original class with most of us accompanied by wives and partners. Two present at the previous reunion in Llangollen (2015) – Ian Walsh and Duncan Smith – were unfortunately not able to attend; in Duncan’s case, living in Canada was probably a reasonable excuse!

L-R: Geoff Holehouse (1953-1961), Roger Boulter (1953-1961), Dick Horrocks, Mark Jenkinson (1953-1960), Neil Marsden (1953-1961), John Shepherd (1954-1961), John King (Class of 1960), John Little (1951-1961), Dick Smythe (1951-1958) and John Alty (1953-1960)

Again, we opted for an ‘action weekend’, although two members, who shall be nameless, arrived after the first day’s hard activities and joined us later during the weekend.

Day 1 saw a split between the cyclists and walkers, with the former undertaking a 38-mile ride along the Tissington and High Peak Trails and the latter walking via the Monsall Trail at a more leisurely pace with lunch at Ashford-in-the-Water. At dinner that night, anecdotes of 1950s’ life at Bolton School were exchanged and John Little produced a number of grey books which certainly added to the evening’s jollity! John Shepherd recalled that at a 1957 performance of Shakespeare’s King Henry V, with Sir Ian McKellen in the title role and the late Sir Harry Kroto as the Duke of York, both he and Roger Boulter participated, although only Roger appeared in the cast (see http://www.mckellen.com/stage/00555c. htm), which presumably meant that John was a citizen of Harfleur along with many others!

1960s Leavers There was no shortage of conversation when this group of Old Boys met up in Manchester city centre in August! Thank you to David Poppitt for sending in the photograph.

L-R: John Shuttleworth (1956-1963), David Poppitt (1957-1964), Brian Whittle (1957-1963), Dave Turner (1956-1964) and Charles Ogden (1957-1965)

Class of ’63 Reunion Dinner, September 2015 After the rigours of our Grand Reunion Day at School, the Class of ’63 (including three from ’64, and two from other years) repaired to the San Marco Restaurant in Blackrod. Here, some 16 of us, together with seven wives, enjoyed a very convivial evening. The banter was non-stop, the food was excellent, and so was the copious amount of wine we consumed (namely nonstop and excellent). Some of us had not been back to School for 50 years, nor even been reunited with one another since then. As a group we came from all corners of the Kingdom and from overseas: Alan and Aracelis Nimmey from Bordeaux, and Dave Gregory from Cape Town. Attendees were: Tom Bamber; Alan and Rose Brookes; David and Angela Brookes; Tony Castledine; Dave Gregory; Harry and Chris Lane; Robin and Ann Magee; Ernie and Jean Marsh; Alan and Aracelis Nimmey; David Seddon; John Shuttleworth; Peter Smith; Keith Washington; Phil Westhead; Ted Wood and John and Lynda Wright. When the time came to leave the San Marco, we all agreed we really should hold a repeat event – maybe every two years? The spirit is certainly willing – let’s hope the flesh allows ... !

Day 2’s less strenuous programme saw the party visiting Haddon Hall at Bakewell to enjoy the Hall and its grounds, as well as lunch or afternoon tea in the sun (and for a few, both). After dinner, John King volunteered to organise the next event in 2017 in the Stratford area and so we look forward to another interesting weekend, hopefully joined by some of our other former class members. If any members of the 3A1 (1955) – 5A1 (1957) class would like to know of future events, please email: arichardhorrocks@hotmail.com. Richard (Dick) Horrocks (1951-1961)

After a super day at the Grand Reunion, the reminiscing continued around the dinner table

Robin Magee (1953-1964) and John Wright (1953-1963)

Newsletter Autumn 2016

ARCHIVES Ask the Archivist 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

attendance of 200), 1929, 1930, 1931 (held in the Library for the first time, with 111 Old Boys and Masters attending) and in 1935. The oldest Old Boltonians’ Annual Dinner programme in the archive is that from 1938, when Dr HW Taylor was President and the words of the song were printed on the reverse side. During the Second World War years no Old Boys’ Dinners were held and the 1948 Dinner, which drew an attendance of more than 200, was the first in ten years. That, however, is the last reference to the School Song in The Boltonian.

Forty Years On It is not known for certain when Forty Years On became the School song, but it was certainly in existence by 1904 as the Boltonian calendar records how, on 8th April that year, the new piano presented to the School by Mr JR Barlow (Chairman of Governors), ‘received its first christening to the song of Forty Years On’. Later the same year the School held its first Hobbies Exhibition, described as ‘the event of the term’. The whole School had a holiday to mark the event and numerous guests were invited to view the plethora of hobbies displayed by the boys. In the evening there was a concert which included a rendition of Haydn’s Toy Symphony and which was brought to a close by the singing of Forty Years On and the National Anthem. Forty Years On was certainly sung at the conclusion of Prizegiving Day on 11th June 1905 and it may well have been the custom for it to be sung at every Prizegiving Day. The Boltonian at this time, however, was produced by the boys and they may simply have not considered it necessary to mention the song every year when it was a standard part of the programme. Apart from 1905 it is only mentioned in prizegiving reports in 1927, 1931 and 1932. Given the fact that it was still being sung 27 years after the first reference in 1905 does, perhaps, give credence to the possibility that it was indeed an integral part of Prizegiving every year. Interestingly, the 1927 report records how ‘the whole company stood while the School songs The Best School of All and Forty Years On were sung’. This suggests there were actually two School songs, although there is no other reference to The Best School of All in the archive. There is also evidence that it has been of importance to the Old Boys for most of the new Foundation’s history. It is, for example, recorded as being sung at the Old Boltonians’ dinners in 1928 (the first time in the new School Hall, with an

Old Boys in fine voice at the Grand Reunion, September 2015

The Old Boys have continued the tradition of singing Forty Years On at their Annual Dinners, but it has not been sung in School for a very long time. It was highly appropriate, therefore, that it should be sung for the first time in some 50 years by pupils and guests at the Quincentenary Assembly on 9th May 2016. Arranged on the initiative of Mr Britton, Headmaster, the intention is that this old tradition should now be rekindled and retained for future generations.

If you have any memories from your School Days, please contact the Development Office.

Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2016

LOOKING BACK Trek Campers meet Gracie Fields on Capri in 1975 Sean Murray-Smith (1960-1967) sent in this photograph of the School cross country team of which he was a member – he is the runner on the left side of the back row

School Tuck Shop in the 1950s

School trip to Bonn, 1999

Class of 1986 Monitors

Teacher “Pip” Porter mans the entrance to the Boys’ Division Air Raid Shelter in 1942

Don’t forget to take a look at our ‘Scenes from the Past’ webpage on the School website, which we regularly update with new Archive photos: www.boltonschool.org

Newsletter Autumn 2016

LIVES REMEMBERED Raymond Jack Heslop (1941-1948) We regret to report the death of RJ ‘Harry’ Heslop in Kendal on 9 June 2016 and are obliged to his long-standing friends J Barry Taylor and Jim Speak for their anecdotes. Ray entered Bolton School in 1941 when gas masks and school satchels were the order of the day. One of his contemporaries decided that everyone would have an alternative name, so Ray became Harry Heslop. Most of the other names fell away, but Ray’s stuck with him all his School life. Academically bright, in fact good enough to read Geography at Oxford, it was on the sports field where Ray really excelled. Barry Taylor recalls he figured in a century opening stand at cricket, a rare feat in the days of uncovered wickets and little by way of equipment to prepare pitches as they are today. Ray himself scored at least one century and then later captained Bradshaw CC in the Bolton League at the young age of 23 years. But it was soccer where his real love lay. Jim Speak recalls him as a brilliant inside forward, very quick for a man of bulky physique, who had that priceless quality, the ability to score goals. Indeed, the paper reported that the local derby versus Church Institute (Canon Slade) as ‘Church Institute 0, Heslop 3’! On going to Oxford, he played for the University, then Oxford Centaurs, as well as the Cambridge/Oxford old boys, Corinthian Casuals and the Northern Nomads. He was approached by several First Division clubs (now Premiership teams), but declined all offers, preferring to remain an amateur and, indeed, was twice a reserve at Wembley for the England Amateur side (a full honour going to another Old Boy, H D Donny Davies). On leaving Oxford, Ray joined the firm Provincial Insurance, which had a connection to School and where he had worked in vacations, in spite of his Geography degree and an original aim of teaching the subject. Perhaps it’s as well, for as Barry Taylor recalls, he would insist on acting as navigator to Wanderers’ away games and go by the most obscure route. He would also take us to one of our favoured restaurants in the Ribble Valley by a scenic route, maybe via Bacup or other god-forsaken place, as we

arrived just about on time for our booking. So much for a Geography degree … After a spell at Head office in Carlisle, he returned to Bolton with his wife Barbara (née Moss), an Old Girl of the School (1941-1946), and they lived off Belmont Road. Ray was a good golfer, playing at Dunscar and Bolton, and teamed up with friends in the Old Bolts’ Golf Society, winning the Gwynne Jones foursomes at Turton. In recent times his health deteriorated and it was sad to see this once colossus of a man reduced to such frailties. Barbara predeceased him by some twelve months, and he then went into a care home near to Kendal and to one of his daughters. At his request there was no funeral and his body was donated to medical research at Liverpool University. We trust his friends will understand and respect his wishes and will content themselves with their own fond memories of Harry Heslop. We do, of course, extend our sympathy to daughters Susan and Ann and their respective families. J Barry Taylor (1941-1947), Jim Speak (1941-1948) and Frank Millhouse (1955-1961)

Sir Harry Kroto (1950-1958) The following obituary for Sir Harry, who died on 30th April 2016, was published in The Guardian newspaper on Monday 2nd May 2016. “The Nobel prize-winning chemist and past president of the Royal Society of Chemistry Harry Kroto died on Saturday 30 April aged 76. Sir Harry was awarded the 1996 chemistry Nobel Prize, along with Robert Curl and Richard Smalley, for the discovery of fullerenes, and was knighted the same year. Born in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, to parents who left Germany as refugees during the Second World War, Kroto spent most of his childhood in Bolton in northern England, where his parents set up a balloon manufacturing and printing company in

1940. He went to Bolton School, where he developed a fascination with Chemistry, Physics and Maths, and went on to study Chemistry at the University of Sheffield in 1958, where he completed a BSc in Chemistry, and then a PhD in Molecular Spectroscopy. Upon completing his PhD in 1964 he moved to Canada and took up a postdoc position at the National Research Council (NRC) in Ottawa to undertake spectroscopy research. Then, in 1966, he went to Bell Labs to study liquid phase reactions using Raman spectroscopy, but soon moved back to the UK to take up a postdoc position, and later a permanent lectureship at the University of Sussex. For several years at Sussex he continued to carry out spectroscopic studies into new chemical species. Around this time he also worked with astronomers in Canada to characterise long, linear carbon chain molecules (such as HC3N and HC5N) detected in outer space. This work eventually led to the discovery that would win him the Nobel Prize. In the 1980s, Kroto was working with Curl and Smalley at Rice University, US, on experiments that simulated conditions in the atmospheres of stars. It was these experiments that led to them discovering a new allotrope of football-shaped carbon – C60 – that could form from a condensing carbon vapour. It was Kroto’s idea to christen the new allotrope Buckminsterfullerene in homage to the US architect Buckminster Fuller, whose geodesic domes had helped him visualise the structure of C60. In the wake of his Nobel success, Kroto became a prolific speaker and science communicator, devoting much of his time to educational outreach and public engagement activities. In 1995 he set up the Vega Science Trust to create science films that were broadcast on BBC television. He was president of the Royal Society of Chemistry from 2002–2004, after which he became a professor of chemistry at Florida State University in the US. Robert Parker, now chief executive of the Royal Society of Chemistry, worked in the publishing wing of the organisation when Kroto was president. ‘I’ve always been struck by Harry’s genuine passion for chemistry,

Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2016

which he shared so generously with young people and early-career researchers especially. He had an easy-going style which made him so approachable and such a good communicator and ambassador for chemistry,’ he says. ‘While he was clearly a brilliant scientist, it wasn’t his only passion and his abiding interest in art and design filtered through to influence in innovative journal covers and finding new ways to approach big problems. His warm-hearted nature, authentic interest in people and deeply-held personal opinions will be missed.’ Michael Farthing, vice-chancellor of the University of Sussex said: ‘Harry Kroto’s intelligence was stratospheric – and his contribution to chemistry will live on forever… He was responsible for changing the way modern scientists think about chemistry and he mirrored this with an active role in global politics and the arts. His love of so many academic and cultural disciplines meant that he was able to view the world and its possibilities in such a unique and positive way.’ He is survived by wife Margaret, and two sons Stephen and David.” Philip Britton, Headmaster, recalls that “Harry was a wonderful and warm person, a great intellect and had a strong focus on inspiring young people. My memories of him will be of the passion with which he spoke of how his own education at Bolton School has shaped his life and how committed he was that this chance be available for others. He was a genuine case of real social mobility. It is also hard to think we will not see him in the sports hall again, sitting among hundreds of primary school children, passing on his passion for Chemistry. I think it said a lot about him that he used his scientific fame to promote education, particularly using the internet to help educate those countries where formal education is hard to get. That passion for the subject, intellect, sense of social responsibility and enthusiasm sum up a great character and a great life. It may be some time before Bolton boasts another Nobel Prize winner – he has been an exceptional local figure.” Andrew John Mackereth (1941-1949) It is with great sadness that the club has learned of the passing of Rev John Mackereth. John was a life-long supporter of the OBAFC and a Life Member of the club. In his playing days he was a brilliant goalkeeper who played for the LAL Interleague team and for Old Bolts – the high

points being the two successful finals of the Lancashire Amateur Cup at Old Trafford.

serving as a locum at various URCs when required.

John was a born administrator and as well as his careers in teaching and the church, he held several major positions within the Lancashire Amateur League. He was Treasurer for many years, then Vice Chairman and finally Chairman – a life of dedication to amateur sport.

Throughout his life he loved football, playing for the Old Bolts for many years. He was in the team that won the LAL Central Section in 1954/55 John collecting his and captained the award for 50 years of team that won the service with the LAL Central Section 1961/62 and the Lancashire Amateur Cup in 1961 and 1962. At the end of his playing days he became involved in the administration of the LAL and he was honoured in 1984 when a trophy was named after him and he served as President in 1992/93. In 2004 the Football Association awarded him the Gold Medal for 50 years’ service to amateur football. He also served as president of the Old Boltonians’ Association 1981-82.

We were delighted to see him for at the recent LAL 1st XI Cup Final and then at Old Boltonians, LFA Cup Winners our recent 1961 and 1962, captained by John Annual Dinner. Mackereth (front row, centre) We offer our sincere condolences to John’s family. His presence up at Turton on match days will be sadly missed. Jon Twist (1982-1992), on behalf of Old Boltonians AFC John started at Bolton School in September 1941, having won a scholarship from Church Road Primary School. He was a member of the Badger Patrol in the Scouts and attended all the long camps from 1943 to 1948. He was a brilliant goalkeeper, but for some unknown reason he was only selected for the First XI in September 1949 shortly before leaving School in December that year for National Service in the RAF Educational Section. On demob, John went to Nottingham University where he obtained a degree in chemistry, followed by a post-graduation certificate of education at Manchester University. He represented both universities at football and also the Northern Universities. Among his vast memorabilia is a cutting from the Manchester Evening News reporting a match between Manchester University and Manchester United Youth Team in which the reporter heaps praise on John’s goalkeeping, in spite of a 10-1 defeat – the Youth Team became better known as Busby’s Babes a short time later! On leaving university, John taught chemistry at Rivington and Blackrod Grammar School and Chorley Grammar School and became Deputy Head at Heywood School before finally being appointed Headmaster at Worden High School – a large comprehensive school in Leyland. At all four schools he maintained a keen interest in sport and emphasised the value of Christian principles. Following his retirement in 1988 he trained and was ordained as a minister in the United Reformed Church and served as a minister at Westhoughton URC from 1989 to 1995 when he ‘retired’; only to continue

John had a great love of music and had a vast collection of recordings from Glenn Miller in the early days through orchestral John with Old Bolts 1st and choral music XI captain Craig Jolley to brass bands to after the 1st XI won the modern pop and LFA Cup in 2013, hard rock. He was also a gifted watercolourist and he has left some lovely pictures of places he has visited. John was a member of three choirs and the week before his death was rehearsing for a forthcoming concert. John is survived by his wife, Margaret (whom he married in 1954), and their two children, Andrew and Catherine. Despite his many interests throughout his life – football, teaching, Christian work, music, watercolours etc – his happiest times were with his wife, his children and his other close relatives: a loving and much loved man. David L Holt (1943-1949) Raymond Richard Morris (1945-1957, President of the Old Boltonians’ Association 1983-1984) In 1945, a young lad turned up at School with a knapsack on his back for his first day. From that day on, Bolton School played a massive part in my Dad’s life. Dad enjoyed School life. He made plenty of friends and quite a few became lifelong friends, most of whom he saw regularly and who he considered an extension of his family. He threw himself into

Newsletter Autumn 2016

School life and as well as gaining O and A Levels, he was part of the 1st XV Rugby squad, the School Swimming team, Captain of the House Life Saving team, member of the School Lifesaving team and also a School Monitor. However, one of his proudest moments came when he was asked to be President of the Old Boltonians’ for the year 1983/84 and I was lucky enough to be able to attend his Installation Dinner, and one year later, his Presidents Dinner, when he passed the Chain of Office over to Sir Robert Haslam. After leaving School, Dad went on to Loughborough College to undertake a Mechanical Engineering course and on completion of that he joined Esso as a Dealer Sales representative. On one of his calls, to a local businessman who had a chain of garages, he met the lady who would, a few years later, become his wife, Jean. He left Esso in 1964 and, with my Mother, set up his own garage business, culminating in them buying the chain of garages off Jean’s father, and turning it into a 23 petrol station group. Not satisfied with that, they then went into the Car Wash business, Protective Wear business and an Aviation Business which incorporated two Flying Schools and an Air Charter business. In the midst of this, my parents found time to raise both me and my brother, and also to move to Cheshire, where, in true Raymond style, he got involved in Wilmslow Rugby Club, and wound up being Club Chairman and Vice President! In the early nineties, Dad decided he wanted a bit more of a quiet life so he semi-retired and moved with my Mum, brother and mother-in-law to Deddington, in the Cotswolds, where we, as a family, had purchased a 17th Century coaching inn. This became a regular haunt for a lot of friends and that led to quite a few riotous nights and sore heads the following mornings! He then decided it was time to try something else, so at the end of 1994 he sold the hotel and, at the age of 58, undertook to gain his HGV Class 1 licence for articulated vehicles, which he passed on his first attempt and which he carried on doing, despite having two false hips, until 2001 when he finally decided to retire (again!) at the age of 64. However, he then decided to become involved with Deddington British Legion, where he became firstly, Secretary, and then later, Chairman. Very sadly, in April 2016, my Mum passed away from a fall and on the day before she died, Dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He expressed a wish to die at home rather than in a hospice or hospital, and sadly he passed away, peacefully, in his sleep, on Wednesday 14th September at home, with me, my brother and my sister in law in attendance.

Dad believed in a life well-lived and he certainly achieved his aims and I can honestly say I’m proud to be his son. He is survived by me and my brother Hugh, and by his brothers, Peter and Keith, both Old Boys of Bolton School. Giles Morris (1971-1979) William Wallace ‘Bill’ Nightingale (1931-1944) Bill was a true Boltonian. His days at School were marked with many accolades: he was Junior School Captain, Senior Monitor and House Vice Captain. He excelled at swimming and was very involved in Scouting. In his war-disrupted latter years at School he took on important roles as a fire watcher and assistant Scout leader. He left School at 17 to join up, initially into the Black Watch Regiment, but his leadership qualities were noted and he went on to the War Office Selection Board. He carried out Officer training in India where he was subsequently commissioned into the Indian Army and where he clearly adopted the adage if you are good enough you are old enough, as he was promoted to Captain at 20! He served in Dehra Dun, Sialkot, in India, then the Dodecanese Islands of Rhodes and Cos, where he was the only British Officer. In 1945, he was posted briefly to Suez where he led the Armistice Parade. His final overseas posting was to the Simla Rifles at their Hill Station in Simla, until February 1948. He then managed prisoner of war camps in the UK until his demobilisation at the end of the year. Bill served the 19th Bolton School Scout Troop for many years, joining the troop in 1937, and was involved in Scouting leadership roles culminating in that of District Commissioner for Bolton in 1961. He was awarded the Silver Acorn and, following 31 years of exceptional service, the Silver Wolf – Scouting’s highest award. His love of scouting, camping, and exploring the great outdoors was always a part of Bill’s way of life and he shared his passion with his family. In 1958 Bill married Old Girl Gwynneth (née Kirk, 1943-1953) and they had six children, Alison, Barry, Rachel (who died aged six months), Clive, Rebecca and Zandra who all attended Bolton School – at one point they had a child in each of Beech House, Junior Girls, Junior, Boys, Senior Boys and Senior Girls! Bill’s career could have been farming where he trained after the army, but instead he followed in the family tradition and joined The Bleachers Association, becoming works manager at Ainsworth’s of Halliwell

in 1960. Other management roles followed, but bleaching was a dying industry and so Bill’s career took different courses, including setting up a hemming factory in Lever Street. In 1984 a major stroke forced him into early retirement. Bill was very involved in the life of his church. He was also a magistrate and a Rotarian. He kept very busy and threw himself into his role as a grandfather of ten, supporting them all in their interests and activities, in what proved to be a full and wonderful retirement. Bill remained an active Old Boy and was a regular face at School: there can be no more frequent or regular attendees in history at School events than Bill and Gwynneth. With five children and six of his grandchildren attending the School, he clocked up a phenomenal number of plays, recitals, concerts, lunches, dinners, lectures, swimming, life-saving, lacrosse, rugby, netball matches and sports days, all with a genuine interest – he was a true true supporter! Bill was one of life’s ‘embracers’ with a word for everyone, a smile, a witty comment and firm handshake; he was the embodiment of the School fellowship to the end. Bill will be greatly missed by the family he loved so much, and by his many friends from all generations. He was a true role model. Barry Nightingale (1965-1979) and Clive Nightingale (1969-1983) Alan Jeffrey Postlewaite (1968-1975) It is with great sadness that I write of the passing of Alan Jeffrey Postlewaite. Jeff was a “Leyther” hence a denizen of the 50 bus, a curious knot of children that daily advanced upon Bolton from the south. He rose among his peers to the back seat upstairs, the source of much amusement to his fellow travellers. He occasionally alighted from the back door of the bus whilst it was still in motion, a pleasure denied to more recent generations. His choice of a stylish three-piece in a darker shade of red as his Sixth Form uniform set an unmatchable tone of sophistication for the journey. He had the sharpest gear at my wedding. At School and at Kingsleigh Methodist Scouts, Jeff was a composed and cultured left-back on the football field, his lifelong devotion to the beautiful game never dimmed by the variable fortune of his beloved Bolton Wanderers. Jeff had an enviable facility for language and languages that took him to Goldsmith’s College in south-east London, the first of

Old Boltonians’ Association 1895 - 2016

his migrations to the south. Finding the academe an impediment to his ambitions he returned to Leigh as a ‘Cub Reporter’ on the Leigh Reporter where he contributed to a period of vigourous cultural activity in the town. He had found his calling and once again headed to London, swapping the red-brick and canal for the sweep of the Thames, to scribe for the Dimbleby family at the Richmond and Twickenham Times setting in the foundation for his professional life. Honing his craft, as was the newspaper tradition, at the regionals in Hull and Preston he returned once more to the capital, to write for the Evening Standard where he distinguished himself on a gruelling assignment to Iraq. Throughout his life, Jeff’s instinctive empathy for the underdog was manifest in his unwavering loyalty to the North, its culture, politics and literature. He took the Daily Mirror. His work for John Prescott was therefore a realisation of both expertise and passion. In a shoebox, the Colman’s Football Food Guide – a ‘Jeff’ production for Beer Davies Publicity bookmarked with the fine folding business card in BWFC livery from his move into PR. He was renowned by his peers for his organisation, when at the London Transport Press Office, of a formal scheme for buskers, with times, locations and even auditions to ensure an easier listen for the commuter. Jeffrey was unwell for some time so his passing was not unexpected and in some way a relief. Nevertheless, for his friends and his estimable wife Tanya, his early departure has not been without distress. Jeff shared many adventures of fond recollection with a number of Old Boltonians – Kim Davenport (1975), Gary Jones (1975), Peter Casasola (1975) and John Hayes (1975); he was very close to David and Adrian Lythgoe (1975 and 1974 respectively). In London, his path crossed that of Andy Gregory (1975) and Tony Wadsworth (1974). For me he was a constant, in particular during that period of early adulthood when the major decisions of identity must be made. Gareth M Davies (1968-1974) Derek Robinson MD (1939-1946) Derek had an unusual and extensive educational background. After receiving his degree in Medicine and Surgery at Manchester University Medical School in 1952, he served a two-year internship and residency at Manchester Royal Infirmary and the Children’s Hospital and also at Cheltenham Children’s Hospital. He then

spent two years in the RAF after which he took a Doctorate in Public Health at London University, followed by a three-year study of Social Legislation and Constitutional Law at Lincoln’s Inn. He also received a postgraduate doctorate in Medicine from his alma mater at Manchester. Derek travelled extensively and often took his holidays travelling as a ship’s doctor serving with the Blue Funnel Line, the Blue Star Line, the Furness Withy Line, the Australian Oriental Shipping Company, and the China Navigation Company. It was in fact early in his career that he sailed to Australia and on arrival being very fortunate and immensely pleased to secure an apartment next to Sydney Harbour Bridge overlooking the panorama of Sydney Harbour. In the event the move to Australia formed the platform for which his future career took shape, working for some time in an editorial capacity for the Australian Medical Journal. His next move was back to the UK working In the NHS as a Clinical Paediatrician and rising to the position of Senior Medical Officer Maternal Child Health and Nursing Services. This was followed by a further move which took him to the USA where he held the position of District Health Officer in the Virginia State Health Department. Later still he was appointed as a lecturer and research associate at the Harvard School of Public Health from which he became Deputy Commissioner and Director of Community Operations for Massachusetts State Health Department. Finally he returned to the UK and became the Director of Public Health for Shropshire where, in the words of a colleague, ‘Derek was a most unassuming and unpretentious professional in every way and this quality, combined with his sincerity and charm, endeared him to all with whom he had dealings’. Derek had a passion for music and coin collecting, although his additional pursuit of cliff and mountain climbing came to an abrupt end after two serious accidents, later substituting these hazards as an enthusiastic motor cyclist! Whilst in Shrewsbury he derived immense pleasure in converting an old medieval cottage and later, when moving to a more modern house in Ainsdale, creating an oak kitchen from some of the beautiful rescued beams from the cottage. I was most fortunate to be in touch with Derek by regular and lively emails up to the day before his death, since he had been in touch with me and anxious to dispense his medical wisdom following my accident when a stupid fall on a tiled floor fractured my patella. Fortunately Derek’s illness was short, although true to his nature at no time did he disclose to me the pain which he must have

been suffering or its terminal nature. Brian Heap (1940-1946) Hon Alderman Alan Walsh (1944-1950) Alan Walsh was a widely respected local businessman and Councillor whose service to Bolton was recognised by his appointment as an Honorary Alderman shortly before he died. Brought up on Newbrook Road, Alan spent his whole life in the Over Hulton area that he served for 16 years as a Hulton Ward Councillor in his retirement. Alan started at Bolton School in 1944, departing after School Certificate in 1950. Even at School his aptitudes were clear – handwritten notes in the back of his 1949-50 ‘Grey Book’ show he was top of the class for Handicraft and well placed in Maths, but at the opposite end for English. It is no surprise that Alan’s practical talents led him to be a keen member of School’s Aeromodellers’ Club and of the Bolton Model Railway Society. After studying at Salford Technical College and then taking a Diploma in Heating and Ventilating Engineering at college in London, Alan joined the long-established family heating engineering and plumbing business, Robert Walsh Ltd, at its premises on St Helens Road. He went on to spend his entire working life as a Director of the family firm, designing and supervising the installation of heating systems of all sizes, from domestic work to large-scale systems for local institutions such as Bolton General Hospital. Tragically, it was the as yet unknown risks of asbestos, then widely used as an insulation material, that would cause the mesothelioma that claimed first his brother Kenneth’s life and then, more recently, Alan’s. Alan married Mavis in 1963 and they lived for the next 24 years on Plodder Lane, before moving a short distance to Reynolds Close in 1987. Their twins Christabel and James both attended Bolton School. For many years Alan and Mavis were keenly involved in motorsport, competing in and organising hill climbs, rallies and grass track racing, usually with their wide circle of friends from Bolton le Moors Car Club, which Alan served as President. In 2000, Alan put himself forward as a Conservative Party candidate for Bolton Council, standing on home turf in Hulton Ward. After a surprise victory, he went on to serve his local community with great dedication, being re-elected every time at the top of the poll. Never one for partypolitical point scoring, his focus was on

Newsletter Autumn 2016

getting things done for local residents and on applying his building trade expertise as a member of the Planning Committee. He served on a number of local bodies, including as chair of the Cutacre Liaison Group, which represented the local community’s views on the process of opencasting the land between Over Hulton and Little Hulton. He would have been fascinated to see its development today as a major business development and country park. Alan also served as a Governor at Hayward School and as a trustee of the Dame Dorothy Leigh Trust. His record of distinguished public service was recognised by his appointment as an Honorary Alderman of the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton at a Council meeting on 2nd December 2015. It was the last meeting he attended before he was admitted to hospital shortly before Christmas. He passed away in Bolton Hospice, where he received outstanding care, on 20th January. A packed thanksgiving service at St Andrew’s Church, Over Hulton, heard addresses by his son, James, and by fellow Councillor and Old Boltonian John Walsh (no relation). A collection taken at the service raised over £1,300 for Bolton Hospice and St Andrew’s. Alan’s family received many kind messages and tributes in the days after his death. One, read out at the thanksgiving, simply said ‘Alan was a very decent man who cared about everyone, no matter who you were, representing the people of Hulton for many years – public service at its best’. James Walsh (1980-1987) Lindsay Williamson (1939-1947)

Lindsay and I met in the mid-Thirties in the playground of Devonshire Road Council

School, where Miss Pauline Fletcher (‘Polly’ to us all) coached us through the 11-Plus. There is an iconic Scholarship Class picture of the DRCS Class of 1939 – with LMW in his spanking new Bolton School uniform (ever so slightly too big!). Lindsay was a quiet, pragmatic, disciplined schoolboy, with wide interests outside lessons: he was a keen Scout, choirboy, chess player, distance runner and boxer. The latter was very much Lindsay – an effective amalgam of strength, speed, agility and staying power which led to him becoming boxing captain of Chorley House. We were both committed members of the Dramatic Society and had a lot of fun as stage hands (Lindsay’s dawn scene over Elsinore Castle at the opening of Hamlet was a veritable show-stopper!). The ‘last night’ involved practical jokes and Lindsay derived much mirth from attaching Yorick’s skull (‘Alas, poor Yorick!’) to a long piece of string under the stage and preventing Hamlet (Irving Wardle, 1940-1947) or Second Gravedigger (Bunny Whittle, 1939-1947) getting their hands on it! Although generally well-behaved, Lindsay was no ‘goody two shoes’. He was a strong cross-country runner, but now and again he would get bored with it. One drizzly November day he and I chose to hide under a canal bridge by the Bolton-to-Wigan railway to await the return of the runners. To pass the time, we conceived an innocent game of dropping pea-sized pebbles down the trains’ funnels as they went under the bridge. Next day, after prayers, Headmaster Freddie Poskitt summoned the culprits – cover blown by their School’s black and white sports gear – to his study: What in God’s name did we think we were doing? Responsible, intelligent Bolton School boys – future leaders of the community – throwing stones at a moving train!! Freddie administered a quick, harsh sentence: personal letters to the train driver and the boss of British Rail, Northern Region; £5 – all to be earned by odd-jobbing by Lindsay and me – to the Railway Charity and, a unique School punishment, digging weeds out of the Levels. Lindsay and I spent a lot of time together. We cycled everywhere! Clydeside to visit his family; the Irish Republic post-war (in 1945 the ration-free Cadburys was a dream for us), Snowdonia, the Lakes, the Peak District and the Isle of Skye for the mountains. As loyal Wanderers fans, we rode over the Pennines for the semi-final of the FA Cup against Newcastle United (although in LMW’s case there was a pretty Geordie nurse who might have increased the incentive a bit). LMW’s close friends may know that the penchant for pretty nurses ultimately changed his life completely – to

wit, his wife, Migs. As we emerged into adult life, he was the only possible choice as best man at my wedding. Soon after this our lives diverged a lot: me to a career in international business, Lindsay to the world of dams and bridges and huge constructions – what else would a Scottish engineer do? In later years we reconnected; LMW hadn’t changed: a cheerful, positive disposition, little concerned with ‘self’, a bit dour, even stoic, persistent, dependable, with a powerful spiritual drive and ever so slightly vulnerable… Lindsay MacDonald Williamson – a lovely man. Extract from recollections by Ronald Lowe (1939-1947), given at Lindsay Williamson’s service of thanksgiving.

IN MEMORIAM Kenneth A Brooks (1950-1957) Died 13th September 2016 Dr Ian D Couper (1942-1945) Died 13th February 2015 Derek Davies (1945-1952) Died 27th April 2016 JG Elder-Smith (1937-1944) Died 22nd December 2015 Steven Greenhalgh (Class of 1998) Died May 2016 Albert E Gurney (1940-1948) Died 16th April 2016 Herbert (Bert) Hirst (1941-1946) Died 3rd April 2016 Frederick Horner (1929-1936) Died 10th February 2016 James Bruce Millar (1938-1944) Died 30th August 2016 John Herbert Carlisle Openshaw (1941-1949) Died 28th August 2016 William Basil Threlfall (1933-1940) Died 12th May 2016 Geoffrey Wane (1949-1961) Died 4th April 2016

THE

BUGLE Old Boltoniansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Association Autumn Newsletter 2016

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