Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine 2012

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

128th year No. 250 (New Series 117th year No. 241)

Vol 115 September 2012

The Magazine is published under the auspices of The Former Pupils’ Club each year

General Editor Brian K. Crookshanks, TD, MA, LL.B & Editor of 99 Fountainhall Road Notes etc. Aberdeen AB15 4EB

Secretary of the John F. Hendry, LL.B FP Club 36 Albyn Place Aberdeen AB10 1YF

Treasurer of the T.B.A. FP Club

Membership

Douglas McAllister Secretary Gowanwell Cottage, Methlick, Ellon Aberdeenshire AB41 7JL

The General Editor is happy to receive contributions for the next issue of the Magazine at any time before 31 May 2013

Former Pupils are encouraged to provide details about themselves or others for inclusion in the Notes Section of the Magazine Information may be sent by E-mail to editor@agsfp.com

In order to assist in the distribution of the Magazine, members of the Former Pupils’ Club are requested to advise the Membership Secretary promptly of any changes of address

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

OUR ADVERTISERS

As a Club we are most grateful to all our under-noted advertisers who have supported the production of this Magazine by taking advertising space. Club members are encouraged, in turn, please to patronise our advertisers who would value our members’ custom every bit as much as we value theirs.

Aberdeen Asset Management Aberdeen College

Aberdeen Property Leasing

Adam Cochran

Atholl Hotel

Brewin Dolphin

Aberdeen Solicitors’ Property Centre

Anderson, Anderson & Brown

Bain Henry Reid

Bower & Smith

F.G. Burnett Campbell Connon

D.M. Hall Inchmarlo Retirement Homes

H & R Insurance Jamieson & Carry

Kenway Tyres Langstane Press

MTM Construction Marcliffe at Pitfodels

Menstyle

Michies the Chemist

N. Sainsbury & Sons University of Aberdeen

William Wilson & Co Williamson & Dunn

Former Pupils’ Section School Section Rector’s Report

The national Curriculum for Excellence programme continues to be the main focus for development across the School. The pupils in year Secondary 3 in session 2012-13 are the first to fully experience the new curriculum. The School now has two phases: the Junior Phase S1 to S3 and the Senior Phase S4 to S6. In the Junior Phase in Aberdeen Grammar School S1 pupils have a broad experience studying fourteen different subjects building upon their primary school achievements. In S2 and S3 pupils have the opportunity for some personalisation and choice within their curriculum, and study eleven courses. In May/June this year S4 pupils were the last group to sit Standard Grade qualifications, which have existed for around 25 years. New qualifications, known as National 3, National 4 and National 5 will be taught from June 2013, with the first qualifications being awarded in August 2014. As you will appreciate these changes have been the focus for our teachers this session.

Our pupils continue to perform well in the national examinations. The Sunday Times placed the School 14th equal in their table of performance of state secondary schools. In some measures of attainment the School performed at its highest level for eleven years. The percentage of pupils achieving Advanced Higher qualifications was the highest ever achieved. As ever, this level of achievement is due to the hard work and dedication of pupils and staff and the continuing support of parents.

Performing arts are a significant feature of School life. Our Autumn and Spring music concerts drew full houses who appreciated the high standard of our musicians. The concert band continues to be amongst the best school bands in Scotland and achieved a Gold Plus award at the Scottish Concert Band Competition in Perth in March. A large talented cast staged the musical “Our House”, based on the music of the rock band “Madness”, for three nights in November. The enthusiasm and energy of the pupils was greatly appreciated by the audiences.

The Schools F1 Challenge teams have been very successful. In October the team from session 2011-12 travelled to Abu Dhabi to represent the UK in the World Finals of the competition. The 2012-13 team performed very well in the Scottish round of the competition and represented Scotland in the UK final in London in March.

In July 2012 a group of forty pupils and teachers participated in a World Challenge expedition to Tanzania where they contributed to community and environmental projects. A new group have started planning and fundraising for a one-month expedition to Peru in 2014.

Due to the popularity of the School with pupils and parents the school roll has remained high and stable. We opened the session with 1070 pupils. Aberdeen City Council continues to invest in the school building. Improvement projects this session have included the installation of double-glazed windows in the science block, and the redecoration of four laboratories, stairwells and corridors. The oil-fired central heating boilers were replaced by new gas boilers and a school wi-fi system will give pupils and staff wireless access to the internet.

Pupils have been enthusiastic in participating in the extensive programme of inter-house competitions. The House Captains, Vice-Captains and Depute Headteachers in charge of each House have been instrumental in organising events and engaging pupils. For the first time in many years a whole School sports afternoon, know as “The Grammar Games” were held at Rubislaw Field under blue skies and brilliant sunshine. The “Games” will now be a regular feature of the School’s sporting calendar.

Aberdeen Grammar School GRAHAM LEGGE

June, 2013 Rector

Head Girl & Head Boy 2011-12

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

Rachael Matson and Matthew Henderson

Former Pupils’ Section

School Office-Bearers - Session 2011-2012

Head Boy: MATTHEW HENDERSON Head Girl: RACHAEL MATSON

Depute Head Boys: DAVID HEWITT Depute Head Girls: KARL LEOPOLDT HANNAH WHITCOMBE CHARLOTTE LAWTON

Prefects:

Fiona Adams, Lewis Allan, Kate Angus, Clare Armstrong, Ewan Bain, Gillian Bain, Thomas Balfour, Abigail Barclay, Robyn Beagrie, Matthew Bell, Gemma Binnie, Jessica Black, David Blues, Mary Bolinbroke, Seoras Brodie, Rachel Brown, Euan Christie, Stuart Christie, Zoey Clark, Geraldine Cooper, Laura Cowie, Hannah Crawford, Lauren Crawford, Zi Cui, Rosie Dewar, Jan Dijkhuzen, Rebecca Douglas, Seamus Duff, Lucas Duncan, Daniel Duthie, Rachel Elliot, Rebecca Fennell, Chloe Fraser, Moray Fraser, Thomas Fraser, Rachel Gilmour, Kahmun Goh, Alice Goldie, Anna Hadjitofi, Amy Harrison, Lauren Henderson, Cameron Howe, Jack Hughes, Susanna Ingold, Kathryn Inkster, Claire Innes, Helen Innes, Natalie Innes, Mark James, James Johnson, Finlay Johnston, Karra Kennedy, Gavin Kinnear, Bethany Lamont, Nitai Levi, Francesca Lihou, Meg Lough, Ellen Lynch, Phoebe McBride, Max McKay, Campbell McKendrick, David McKinlay, Hannah McManus, Claire Macpherson, Eilidh McRobert, Joshua Martin, Emma Mason, Ellen Masters, Callum Michie, Hannah Mitchell, Ronan Molloy, Katie Morrison, Stephanie Morrison, Tommy Morrison, Finn Muiller, Mugdha Nagrath, Rebeckah Page, Emily Pirie, Jennifer Reid, Jack Reynolds, Tom Riddoch, Rachael Robertson, Charlotte Runcie, Joanna Samuel, Andrew Scrimgeour, Campbell Simpson, Melissa Smart, Andrew Smith, Georgia Smith, Bruce Strachan, Garrin Thomas, Ieuan Thomas, Kirsten Urganci, Craig Walton, Charlie Watson, Gordon West, Amy Wilson, Megan Wisely

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

School Prizes 2011-2012

The Joyce Tease Award for excellence in Post 16 Modern Languages Susanna Ingold

The Former Pupils’ Club Prize in Modern Studies Rebekah Page

The Former Pupils’ Club Prize in Physical Education Helen Innes

The Former Pupils’ Club Prize in Administration Naomi Castanie

The Hamish Adams Greig Prize in Biology Joint Nadia Salloum Award

Alexandra Ross

The Former Pupils’ Club Prize in Spanish Luis Glassar

The Former Pupils’ Prize in Drama Emily Pirie

The Former Pupils’ Prize in Home Economics Cameron Howe

The Samuel Pope Prize & Donald Paton Prizes for Art & Design Phoebe McBride

The Sandy McIlwain Prize in Religious & Moral Studies Alexander Durden

The John Muir Robertson Prize in Accounting & Finance Rebekah Page

The ALBA Trophy for Business Management Alexandra Ross

The Gordon McMinn Prize in Computing Studies Owen Fisher

The Masson Bain Prize in English

Hannah McManus

The William Brebner Prize in French Johanna Bokedal

The German Consulate Prize in German

The Charles Alexander Walker Prize in History

Hannah McManus

Johanna Bokedal

The Campbell Connon Prize for Geography Joint Jack Reynolds

Award

Georgia Smith

The J. Mortimer McBain & George G. Whyte Prizes in Mathematics Maryam Al-Mahtot

The Alexander Thomson Prize in Mathematics Andrew Kenyon-Roberts

The Gavin Falconer Memorial Prize in Music Gregorz Muszynski

The Basil Emslie Memorial Prize in Technical Studies

Campbell Simpson

The CNR International Prize for Physics Nadia Salloum

The CNR International Prize for Graphic Communication Emily Kenyon-Roberts

The Wellmac Ltd Prize in Product Design

Hugh Cruickshank

The CNR International Prize for Chemistry Nadia Salloum

The University of Aberdeen Prize for Human Biology Kevin Woo

The Caritas Cup for Contribution to Charities Group Activities Nadia Salloum

The AGS Dramatic Society Award for Drama Susanna Ingold

The AGS “Face the Music” Award for an outstanding Performance in the School’s Musical Production Andrew MacLeod

The Concert Band Player of the Year Mark James

The Concert Band Award for Outstanding Contribution Joint Kirsten Urganci Award Ewan Bain

The AGS Junior Literary & Debating Shield Eilidh McCreath

The Rector’s Shield for outstanding contribution to The running of the Literary & Debating Society Clare Armstrong

The Edith & David Bishop Prize for Public Speaking Eilidh McCreath

The Andrew Middleton McLaren Prize for Enterprise Daniel Hume

The Montgomery Trophy Craig Walton

The Philip Love Trophy Zoey Clark

The Jamie Blair Fiddes Award Seoras Brodie

The Pied Piper 2000 Award for outstanding talent and Commitment from a Cast or Crew Member Michael Lorsong

Sports Awards

The S5/S6 Former Pupils’ Rugby Football Section Trophy Kalle Leopoldt

The Arthur McCombie Senior Golf Trophy Gavin Kinnear

Former Pupils’ Section

The David Swanson Junior Golf Trophy Michael Brown

The Isobel O Anderson Medal for Swimming Eilidh Thomson

The Fowlie Cup for Swimming (Girls) Joanna Anderson

The Rector’s Medal for Swimming Suleman Butt

The Dr Morland Simpson Cup for Swimming Charles Watson

The Damien Reidy Rugby Trophy James Wittrick

The Ken Peters Memorial Trophy for Cricket David Blues

The Ronald MacKinnon Trophy for Athletics Zoey Clark

Inter-House Competition Awards

Junior Inter-House Debating Trophy Byron

Senior Inter-House Debating Trophy Keith & Dun

The Inter-House Hockey Cup for Girls (Junior) Byron

The Inter-House Hockey Cup for Girls (Senior) Keith & Dun

S1/S3 Inter-House Boys’ Cricket Keith & Dun

The AGS Inter-House Basketball Cup Melvin

The Patrick Scott Senior Inter-House Boys’ Cricket Shield Keith & Dun

The Inter-House Challenge Cup Melvin

All-Round Awards

The Dr Alexander Cormack Prize to the best All-round Pupil in S1 Heather Gault

The David Alexander Irvine-Fortescue Prize – S2 Alix Morrison

The Norman Mackie Memorial Award in S3 Julia Stenhouse

The Former Pupils’ Club All-Round Award in S4 Marc Walton

The Former Pupils’ Club All-Round Award in S5 Maryam Al-Mahtot

The Former Pupils’ Club “1965” Award Cameron Howe

The Runner-up to the Former Pupils’ Club All-Round Trophy & the Agnes Durward McDonald Prize Clare Armstrong

The Former Pupils’ Club All-Round Trophy for Girls Rachel Brown

The Former Pupils’ Club All-Round Trophy & the Joint Matthew Henderson

John Ivo Dawson Prize Award Craig Walton

School Cap for Tennis Bruce Strachan

School Cap for Athletics Zoey Clark

School Cap for Music Mark James

Dux Award

Alexander Duncan

Sport

Athletics

School Cap

Basketball Full Colours

Half Colours

Colours Awards

Zoey Clark

Lucas Duncan, David Hewitt, Kalle Leopoldt, Campbell McKendrick, Tommy Morrison, Ieaun Thomas

Cricket Half Colours David Blues

Junior Colours

Football Full Colours

Half Colours

Junior Colours

Jeston D’Costa

Greg Alexander, Seamus Duff, Lewis MacAulay, Liam McCall

Scott Davie, Lucas Duncan, Moray Fraser, Andrew Park, Tom Riddoch, Andrew Smith

Paul Angus, Stephen Anindo, Andrew Birse, Jordan

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

Cheyne, Daanyaal Chowdury, Gordon Fraser, Anthony Harkin, Kyle Murtagh, Duncan O’Hara, Matthew Perritt, Lois Prideaux, Jake Stephen, Marc Walton

Girls’

Football Junior Colours

Maya Hay

Golf Full Colours Cameron Howe

Hockey Full Colours

Euan Christie, Stuart Christie, Hugh Cruickshank, Michael Gordon, Jack Hughes, Charlotte Lawton, Max McKay, Euan Masters, Callum Michie, Andrew

Scrimgeour, Craig Walton

Half Colours Michael Cameron, Alice Goldie, Hannah McManus, Hannah Mitchell, Caroline Mudie, Prasanth Thangaraj

Junior Colours

Ice

Skating

Morven Duff, Claire Henderson, Alex Morrison

Junior Colours Jaye Lockey

Netball Full Colours

Junior Colours

Natalie Innes

Jane Cruickshank, Fiona McPherson

Rowing Half Colours Jacob Vyse

Rugby Full Colours Matthew Henderson, Cameron Howe, Kalle Leopoldt, Tom Morrison, Finn Muller, Tom Perritt, Lawrence

Half Colours

Junior Colours

Swimming Full Colours

Tennis

Junior Colours

School Cap

Full Colours

Junior Colours

Arts & Culture

Charities Group

Charities Group

/ Young

Amnesty

Half Colours

Half Colours

Sahebi,

Steven Burrell, Michael McLean, Michael Newton, Lewis Reid, Campbell Simpson, Jack Witter

Joseph Davie, Glen Davies, Peter Fraser, Neil Gauld, Louis Girard, Matthew Johnston, Murray McKendrick, Fraser Mackintosh, Finlay McMillan, Peter Morrow, Jordan Murray, Christopher Spence, Charlie Wilson, James Wittrick

Charlie Watson

Suleman Butt, Edward Watson

Bruce Strachan Callum Michie

Morven DFuff

Alexandra Ross, Hannah Whitcombe

Samiha Jahan, Ceena Matthew

Chess Full Colours Hamish Olsen

Half Colours Ian McDonald

Debating Full Colours

Claire Armstrong

F1 Challenge Full Colours Michael Buchan, Michael Cameron, Hugh Cruickshank, Matthew Henderson, Jack Hughes, Craig Walton

Craft Club /

Face the Music Full Colours Rachel Brown, Emma Mason

Face the Music Half Colours Junior Colours

Claire Armstrong, Naomi Castanie, Stuart Christie, Rachel Elliot, Leah Hedger, Helen Innes, Mark James, Karra Kennedy, Eilidh McRobert

Nicole Anderson, Jhovelle Buhat, Alexander

Face the Music/ Pied Piper

Former Pupils’ Section

Griffin, Emma Muldoon

Half Colours Susanna Ingold, Andrew McLeod, Glen Rose, Anna Skatun, Julia Stubbins, Hannah Whitcombe

Fairtrade Half Colours

Jack Reynolds

Music Full Colours Ewan Bain, Rachel Elliot, Amy Harrison, Eilidh McRobert, James Mark, Rachael Matson, Rachael Robertson, Kirsten Urganci, Hannah Whitcombe,

Half Colours Gillian Bain, Abigail Barclay, Hannah Crawford, Owen Fisher, Louis-Pierre Gerard, Kieran Hutcheon, Susanna Ingold, Karra Kennedy, Gavin Kinnear, Emma Mason, Callum Reid, Jack Reynolds, Nadia Salloum, Melissa Smart, Julia Stubbins, Timothy Tagor, Siouxsie Taylor

Junior Colours Kate Boland, Eleanor Butler, Lewis Collie, Morven Duff, Alexander Griffin, Caitlin Hammond, Emily Hughes, Finlay McMillan, Rosie Mason, Julia Morgan, Chelsea Mullen, Tom Neil, Hannah Renton, Emily Stubbins, Cameron West

Worldwise

Geography Full Colours

Matthew Bell

Half Colours

Jack Reynolds

Junior Colours Cameron Angus

Extra-Curricular Activities

School Sports Clubs

Cricket

As a miserable and gloomy cricket season of 2012 drew to a close – partly due to the unpredictable Aberdonian weather disrupting cricketing fixtures – the School cricket team were plunged into further turmoil by the retirement of the much-loved and inspirational school cricket coach, Alan Smith of the Religious Education Department.

The vacant post however, was soon occupied by Keith Milne of the PE Department and the donation received from the Former Pupils Club was very useful and effectively put into use, partly to replace equipment lost in the fire at Rubislaw Playing Fields.

One of the major and beneficial purchases has been the bowling machine. This machine has helped develop the abilities of the pupils in many aspects of the game, such as batting, fielding and wicket-keeping and has, at the same time, provided the coach with the opportunity to focus more on certain areas of bowling, allowing pupils to collectively develop their cricketing abilities. The pupils have greatly benefited from the new equipment and two of the senior cricket players, Jeston D’Costa (S6) and Kingshuk Ghosh (S5), have also been regularly selected to play for the FP Cricket team.

This season, Keith Milne and senior team captain Jeston D’Costa have chosen to focus more collaboratively on promoting the sport within the School and integrating both teachers and pupils in order to increase the enjoyment of the game. This began with the highly spirited Staff versus Seniors Cricket match which again, unfortunately, due to the reccurring miserable Aberdeen weather, was disrupted and is yet to be re-scheduled. However, the little time that was spent playing had highly motivated the Staff and due to

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

the increasing participation and enjoyment from Staff members, there are now weekly training sessions for both Staff and the Senior Team. The junior team have also had regular training sessions and these have been collaborated with fun cricket tournaments in order to enhance participation, enjoyment and develop valuable team-work and social skills.

There will now be more of a focus to allow both senior and junior pupils to display their talents, and opportunities will be provided to do so at traditional fixtures against Robert Gordon’s College, Gordon’s School Huntly, Gordonstoun School and Fettes College, Edinburgh.

Under -14 Football

The Under-14 Football team started the New Year and the new league with added vigour and were going from strength to strength with each match played. Having just managed to scrape into top tier football last year after playing more games than their close rivals Robert Gordon’s College, they have now won four matches back to back and have scored 13 goals with a loss of only 5.

The first part of the season 2012-13 was a mixed affair with wins against Westhill and Albyn in the League and a win against Gordon’s in the Sportsman’s Trophy. Losing to Kincorth, Gordon’s and Cults in the League meant that Grammar would have to rely on other scores to move them into the top division, and these were thankfully granted to them. A loss against Gordon’s and also against Mintlaw at home meant that they were put out of the AFC Cup and the Scottish Cup respectively.

But the start of the new season has breathed new life into the team with four wins from four in three different competitions. A 6 - 2 win against Hazlehead in the League and a 3 – 1 win against Westhill in the Sportsman’s Trophy have ensured a good start to the new league and a place in the final of the Sportsman’s Cup. The match against Kincorth can only to be counted as a friendly as they have now pulled out of all competitions, but the 3 – 1 win was nevertheless impressive as Kincorth had beaten Grammar 9 – 2 at the start of the season in early October 2012.

The fourth win saw the U-14 team go through to the 3rd Round of the Scottish Plate competition, a secondary competition to the Scottish Cup, after a trip south to a sunny St Andrews where they beat Madras College 4 – 3 on penalties. The trip was well worth the day off school, as I am sure the boys will agree, to play in an eventful and good-natured match against a determined and committed Madras side. The match went straight to penalties after a 1 - 1 draw, even although both sides had ample opportunities to seal the win within regulation time. Grammar were first to score but also the first to miss in the impending penalty shoot-out when, as usual, the Grammar heads went down. Fortunately they were buoyed back up again by the capable number 8 winger from Madras College placing his effort high over Rutwick Hegde’s goal. Grammar then scored their remaining penalty leaving the outcome precariously balanced at 4 penalties to 3 with Madras yet to take their final shot. A low shot to Rutwick’s left saw him guess correctly, which he was unable to do with the previous four shots due to the high quality of penalty taking; his guess allowed him to make the perfect save and put Grammar through to the next round.

They are due to play the final of the Sportsmans Trophy on Wednesday the 8th May at Longside Football Club, Peterhead.

Well done to everyone in the team for showing true grit and determination against some tough opposition this season. I look forward to carrying on our success into the new season ahead. The team wish to thank the Former Pupils’ Club very much for their donations each year which greatly assist with the running costs and kit replacement.

Mr Barry Gibson

Under - 15 Football

Former Pupils’ Section

The Under 15’s football team has had another very successful year. In the league, Grammar won every match they played. When it came to the league decider versus Westhill Academy on the final day of the season, we were hoping for a better start. The boys had other ideas and looked completely outclassed by Westhill, trailing 2-0 at half time. Thankfully they got their act together and won comfortably 5-2 to win the league.

The road to the final of the Gerard trophy was an eventful one with Grammar having a difficult draw. We also made life difficult for ourselves throughout the cup run, showing that we were particularly slow starters. Cup success looked unlikely in the Quarter Final when we were 3-0 down to Portlethen Academy at half time. Grammar eventually rallied to win 5-3 and progress to the Semi -final versus Cults Academy. This proved to be quite an eventful game. The School were again 2-0 down at half time. They got it back to 2-1 and eventually, after a final ten minutes of pressing for the equaliser, Aiden Hodgins managed to score with the last kick of the game to take it to penalties which we won 4-3.

The final of the Gerard trophy was played against Westhill Academy at Spain Park. The boys produced a fantastic performance to secure the trophy, winning 1-0. The game wasn’t as close as the score-line suggests and Grammar dominated throughout. We pressed Westhill from the opening minutes and got our reward through a powerful Steven Innes header. Despite our dominance, the team have Goalie George Mitchell to thank for maintaining the lead after he produced an excellent save from a well struck free kick when everyone thought it was destined for the net.

The only blemish from this season was going out in the second round of the Scottish Cup to Turriff Academy after reaching the semi finals the previous year. All credit to the boys for putting that behind them and winning two trophies. Next year they can hopefully do a bit better in the Scottish Cup!

Also congratulations go to Grammar players Neil Cumming and Lachie MacLeod for making it into the Aberdeen Schools U-15 select team.

Senior Football Team

The School’s senior football team had a successful year along with their inspirational coach, Mike McLeod. Despite an early exit in the Scottish Cup, the team reached two local cup finals and went on to win one of them, The JM Low Trophy.

In the President’s Cup, the team scraped through the group stage to set up a tough semi-final against Portlethen Academy. 1-0 down with five minutes to go, a dramatic equaliser took us into extra time, and at 2-1 down, two late goals from Davie and Angus sent the team through to the final! Unfortunately, we lost that to Harlaw Academy by 5 goals to 1.

But revenge was to be had in the JM Low Trophy…

Comfortable victories against Mackie and Cults saw the team through to the semifinal to face Harlaw Academy again. The team battled hard and were rewarded with a 2-0 win which booked our place in the final against Inverurie Academy.

In that match, with goals from Davie and Mbarki, Grammar were up 2-0 at half-time, and a superb performance was rewarded with further goals in the second half from Murtagh (2), Mbarki and Smith. With the score at the final whistle 6-2, Aberdeen Grammar had secured a well-deserved victory and were champions of the JM Low Trophy tournament.

Table Tennis

Neil Innes of S4, who was this year awarded Junior Colours in Table Tennis, was selected as one of three players (plus their coach, Terry McLernon MBE) to represent Scotland in the Hungarian Open Table Tennis Competition which was held in Eger from 6th to 11th

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

March. This was the first international pro tour event in which the squad has played, and because of this, the players were classified into their Paralympic classifications to ensure that when playing internationally they play on a level playing-field in terms of severity of disability. The team competed well against an array of players in their respective classes from all around the globe such as Russia, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Spain, Germany and Finland. This experience, from which all the players have learned a great deal and gained valuable competitive understanding, did not come without triumph. Neil and fellow team mate Conor Gordon were incredibly successful and secured a bronze medal in the class 9 men’s team event In the singles competition. All players competed to a very high standard and were satisfied with the way they played against top worldwide opposition.

Swimming

In January Rory Matheson (S1), Jack Watson (S2) and Suleman Butt (S4) competed at the Scottish Schools’ Swimming Championships in East Kilbride. Each of the boys produced outstanding performances in their events, leading to five medals being won by the Grammar contingent. In the 12-and-under category Rory took Bronze in the 50m Breaststroke, which was a very tight race. Jack Watson produced a great swim in his 200m Freestyle to take the Gold in the 13/14 year-old age group and followed this with a Bronze in the 100m Freestyle. In the 15/16 age group Suleman produced Gold medal performances in both the 400 and 200m Freestyle events.

Suleman was also recently competing at the British International in Leeds where he broke four Scottish Junior Records and one British Age-Group Record. He has also received notice that he has been identified for the Podium Potential Programme for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics and he has been invited to be part of the Scottish relay squad for next year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Boys’ Hockey

Girls’ Hockey

There is much enthusiasm for hockey at Aberdeen Grammar School at the moment. During the 2012-13 season around 100 girls across all the year groups were involved in the game. Fixtures were affected by the terrible weather, which meant that not as many games as planned could be played. The S1 teams enjoyed friendlies and tournaments. S2s played in eight games and two tournaments and showed steady improvement throughout the year, culminating in wins over St Margaret’s and Albyn on successive Saturdays towards the end of the season. The 3rd Year team also had some good results. Two players, Alex Morrison and keeper Kate Riddoch, have been selected for the U-15 North District squad. Others from the 3rd year team were also called up to play for the 1st X1 and for FPs.

The Senior teams are represented in the U-18 District squad by 1st XI captain Alice Goldie and Hannah Mitchell. 1st XI vice-captain Morven Duff, Kirsten Fraser and keeper Julia Stenhouse play in the U-16 District squad. We are delighted that Morven has been capped for Scotland in the home internationals and Julia has also represented Scotland U16s in Dublin. The School 1st XI took a while to get into their rhythm but their terrific team spirit paid dividends towards the end of the season when victories were secured against St Margaret’s and Albyn in League and Tournament events. Robert Gordon’s College remain unconquered!

The 2nd XI team had a pool of 18 players consisting of a mix of S4, S5 and S6 girls. This meant that some players had to move to different playing positions so that all could be accommodated, but they settled in quickly to the new set up. Unfortunately the 2nd XI

Former Pupils’ Section

had no dedicated coach from September to the beginning of January but the team overcame this adversity. Their proudest win was beating Robert Gordon’s College at Countesswells in the semi-final, to then go through to the final.

In January-March very few matches went ahead due to bad weather. It was increasingly difficult to find fixtures for the 3rd XI so any games played tended to have 2nd and 3rd XI girls joining as a team.

Many of the girls have benefited from training with and playing for Grammar FPs and we look forward to continuing that connection. Active Schools have, as ever, been fabulously supportive of Aberdeen Grammar hockey. We will miss the unfailing enthusiasm of Rebecca Lovie, who has moved on to a new career.

Chants of “Red Hot” will soon be resonating again as the new season gets off to a quick start at the end of August. Bring it on!

Boys’ Hockey

The past year has heralded mixed success for the Boys’ hockey club. With the 1st Xl losing so many experienced players at the end of last term, this year was a building year, with only two senior players left. With a relatively low number of fixtures for the 1st X1, the first two matches against Douglas Academy and Strathallan (old rivals of the team in past years) brought defeat for the young Grammar side who, compared to the opposition, were very inexperienced. However, the boys’ hard work and commitment paid off when they beat Gordonstoun 1-0 in the final match of the season.

The U-16 squad, however, had a fantastic season. With many of the lads playing 1st X1 hockey, the team, under the guidance of the S6 coaches, won the U-16 national league and beat Gordon’s College twice in the local league. The U-14 team also enjoyed a successful season, with wins over Gordon’s College and Cults.

Individuals have also done the school proud over the season. Euan Christie captained the North District U-18 team, and Alex Morrison captained an U-16 side which also included Kingshuk Gosh and Chris Levitt. Euan and Alex were both also selected for their respective national squads. At the younger age groups, goalkeeper Cameron Mackintosh was selected for the U-15 side, whilst Sam Knudson and Kieran Christie both played for the district at U-14 level.

Rugby

Golf

For the fifth consecutive year the School’s golf team won through to the semi-finals of the Schools League. In the semi-final, however, they were beaten by Hazlehead Academy who eventually went on to lose the final to Robert Gordon’s College resulting in the Grammar team handing over the trophy they had won the previous year. The Grammar team comprised Gavin Kinnear S6, Anthony Harkin S5, Ross McKendrick S5, Ben Cassie S4, Matthew Fraser S4, Aaron Ritchie S3 and Jonathon Bell S1 who all acquitted themselves well in their own individual matches.

The school championships, both Junior and Senior, were keenly fought for. Matthew Fraser S4 won the Arthur McCombie Senior trophy after a 2-hole play off, whilst Mark Gilmour S3 was junior champion and recipient of the David Swanson trophy. In what is always a very short season, there is only one further competition to be played in late August and is a team event sponsored by the Paul Lawrie Foundation in which Grammar has an outstanding record.

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

Athletics

Cross-Country Running

Gymnastics

The gymnastic squad had a quiet start to the year due to the cancellation of regional heats; however they continued to train hard. The first inter-House gymnastic competition took place in December, with a high turn out across three different ability levels and a pairs competition from all three Houses. Keith & Dun took home the big points. Katy Davie, Iona Annand and Heather Gault represented the School and North-East Scotland at the Scottish Gymnastic Championships on 17th March, making the Grammar School’s début at Advanced Level 3, a fantastic performance, finishing in the top half of competitors. The squad took part in the Scottish Schools Gymfest in May and their display was highly commended.

Table Tennis

Neil Innes of S4, who was this year awarded Junior Colours in Table Tennis, was selected as one of three players (plus their coach, Terry McLernon MBE) to represent Scotland in the Hungarian Open Table Tennis Competition which was held in Eger from 6th to 11th March. This was the first international pro tour event in which the squad has played, and because of this, the players were classified into their Paralympic classifications to ensure that when playing internationally they play on a level playing-field in terms of severity of disability. The team competed well against an array of players in their respective classes from all around the globe such as Russia, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Spain, Germany and Finland. This experience, from which all the players have learned a great deal and gained valuable competitive understanding, did not come without triumph. Neil and fellow team mate Conor Gordon were incredibly successful and secured a bronze medal in the class 9 men’s team event In the singles competition. All players competed to a very high standard and were satisfied with the way they played against top worldwide opposition.

Volleyball

The School is now offering volleyball as an extra-curricular opportunity for all pupils. The popularity of the sport has gone through the roof and the success of the club has led to several promising young pupils attending the Scottish Volleyball Fast-Track sessions.

All teams have now competed in either national schools festivals or local competitions. The Senior Boys finished a respectable 8th place in their festival, while the S2/3 teams took part in a tournament at Huntly. The S2 Boys team won the boys’ tournament and one of them, Luje Byrne, was named player of the match. The senior boys and senior girls teams competing in the Aberdeenshire Senior Schools Competition played very well and each finished 3rd in their competitions.

Three Girls’ teams attended a 4x4 tournament at Banchory Academy. This was extremely successful and gave them a taster of what competitive volleyball is like. The S4 girls did very well against older and more experienced opposition, with one of the teams managing to grind out a victory against the Banchory Girls. The Junior girls managed to win all of their games, showing some very strong attacking skills which Banchory could not cope. They had lots of fun and played some awesome volleyball too.

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Clubs and Societies

Book Club - World Book Day

Thursday 7th March was World Book Day – a day dedicated to celebrating books and reading. To mark the occasion, the whole School took part in an 11am ‘Big Read’, with all classes in all subjects taking fifteen minutes out of their regular work to enjoy some reading.

Tutor classes were also involved in the Aberdeen City Wide ‘Decorate a Door’ competition. The winning door was Lemony Snicket’s ‘Series of Unfortunate Events’, decorated by KD9 and Mr McKenzie-Smith, which has been put forward to the City Wide final.

Additionally the English Department ran a diorama competition – where pupils entered 3D models of their favourite texts. Although all of the dioramas entered were excellent, the winners were for S1 to S3 Tony Marshall and for S4 to S6 Gillian Bain and Hannah McManus.

Chess Club

Thanks to the continued co-operation of certain teachers and the consistent attendance of pupils, the School’s Chess Club has continued to be busy and vibrant.

Following the eagerly-competed inter-house tournament of last term, the club has offered pupils the opportunity to further nourish their competitive appetites by entering the Delancey Schools’ Chess Challenge. The tournament has started on an intra-school basis from which the most successful competitors will progress to a regional stage from which they may further progress to a national or even UK-wide final.

Music & Drama

‘Our House’ – Face the Music

‘It’s not hard to make the right choices, there’s a wrong way and a right way. It’s a pretty simple equation.’

‘Our House’ was definitely the right decision for this year’s musical which pupils and staff decided to tackle. Over 180 pupils auditioned to be a part of the show in June 2012 which demonstrated the amazing amount of talent and enthusiasm in the School. After the gruelling auditions, a very strong cast and chorus of 50 pupils proceeded to undertake a 16- week intensive rehearsal process. The dedication and motivation of all those involved in the show superseded all expectations.

This included making a wee cheeky promotional video, which seems to be becoming a tradition of Face the Music productions. The video starred cast and teachers involved in the show (including a cameo from Miss Innes) bursting into all the different extra curricular activities around the School after ‘School’s Out’.

The main challenge of the musical was that it is essentially two musicals. The story splits early on to follow the two paths which Joe Casey’s life could have followed depending on a fateful decision he makes on the night of his 16th birthday. There is Good Joe, who is presented to the audience in white, and Bad Joe who is always in black. We essentially see where fate and consequence lead them. The story has so many twists and turns it puts a contemporary spin on the old morality tale formula.

Jake Shepherd took on the complex role of Joe Casey with a natural flare. One of his biggest challenges was his extremely quick costume changes, one of which happened on

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stage behind umbrellas which awed audiences. Nitai Levi took on the role of Joe’s dead dad who remains on stage for the majority of the musical, watching over his son’s actions. Nitai had an amazing presence on stage and brought a great maturity to the role. This was juxtaposed with Gillian Bain’s mothering and full-of-love representation of Joe’s Mum, Kath. Emily Pirie demonstrated her amazing singing voice by playing Sarah, the girl Joe wished to impress. To add humour to the play we had Joe’s gormless mates, Emmo and Lewis, brilliantly played by Peter Fraser and Sam Garioch who had perfect comical timing. Alongside them we had Sarah’s sassy friends, Billie and Angie, played confidently by Precious Otor and Abbi Kane. Finally, the baddies of the play were played by Finlay McRobert and Forbes Beedie, both of whom excelled in playing both roles ‘appearing more friendly than they seem’.

This is just a small insight into the principles of the play; we have not yet begun to mention the chorus and band, all of whom acted and played their little hearts out. The result of the pupils’ hard work was three amazing shows performed in mid-December, the last of which sold out! The cast’s amazing energy and talent highlighted all comical and sensitive aspects of this difficult script beautifully. On behalf of all the cast and crew we would like to thank all who came along and supported this production. Keep your eyes open and ears peeled for Face the Music’s next production of ‘Back to the 80’s’ on 19th –21st November 2013.

Concert Band

The Concert Band has done it again, thoroughly impressing judges with their high quality performances in both local and national competitions of the Scottish Concert Band Festival. Their local heats took place in Cults Academy where they were awarded the highest and rarest award of PLATINUM for their efforts. On the Festival website it states that, ‘The performance which drew most comment on the day was Aberdeen Grammar School’s performance of Andrew Boysen’s “I AM”, which was so convincingly performed that many of the listeners were acutely aware of the significant emotional impact this piece can have.’ As well as this, Callum Reid managed to achieve the SCBF Outstanding Young Soloist award for his performance of the Edward Gregson Tuba Concerto. Huge congratulations to him.

As a result of these achievements the Band competed in the Scottish Concert Band Festival Final in Perth on 23rd March. They managed to gain a Gold Plus, the top award presented in their category. This was an amazing achievement as they were competing alongside many strong bands from throughout the country. Well done!!!

The biggest accomplishment was that of Callum Reid who was awarded SCBF 2012 Most Outstanding Young Soloist Award for his Tuba solo. The adjudicators were particularly impressed with him. Well done Callum.

Additionally, we would like to extend our congratulations to the Junior Concert Wind band who achieved a Silver Plus at the same event. This was an amazing achievement as this was the band’s first competition. Not only that, but they won the Best Entertainment award for their rendition of Pirates of the Caribbean where they had some real pirates fighting it out during the playing of their piece. A fabulous start for the young up-andcoming band.

Autumn & Spring Concerts

This year’s concerts demonstrated the number of talented musicians we possess at Aberdeen Grammar School. There was a wide range of musical acts in both concerts, including the award-winning Concert Band who played their 20-minute programme for the Scottish Concert Band Festival.

Former Pupils’ Section

The Spring concert included the choir, who demonstrated that they are going from strength to strength with a sweet number called “Ordinary Miracle”; the Show Choir, who sang their powerful rendition of Queen’s, “Who Wants to Live Forever”; the Percussion Group who blew people away with their quirky yet fun piece which comprised no instruments but clapping rhythms; and the ever so funky Jazz Band with their rendition of Blues Brothers, “Gimme Some Lovin'”. The audience was also treated to some excellent soloists like Hannah Renton, who played alongside Nicola Benedetti on Thursday 28th March in the Music Hall. Finally, no concert is a concert without the fabulous compering of Miss Adams, who kept the audiences entertained with little stories about all the pupils. A huge ‘well done and thank you’ to all the pupils and staff who were involved in both concerts.

Drama at the Grammar

S1 Drama Club Transition Play

S1 Drama Club

S1 Drama Club started in 2008 as part of a Link project with English. The focus of the project was to develop literacy skills through an interdisciplinary link with English. It was essentially to give P7 pupils a ‘feel’ for the work they will do in S1, to address their worries and concerns about the move to secondary school, and to give them an opportunity to experience the English and Drama departments.

This has project has grown arms and legs. Not only did the S1 Drama Club perform to the P7s during transition week, where the P7s get to experience a week at Aberdeen Grammar School before the Summer holidays, but they also took part in a Drama festival created by Mrs Smith, the visiting primary drama specialist, and Mr Peacock, a drama teacher at the School.

The Primary 7 pupils had an opportunity to watch the S1 Drama Club play during a lunch break within their transition week. Mr Peacock and the current S1s compiled a series of sketches about the fears and realities of coming up to the Grammar School, with commercials and public information skits inserted in between about the things P7s may need to know about the Grammar.

After the play the Primary 7 pupils are asked to discuss the content of the play and write a problem page letter (based on any fear relating to their move from primary into secondary). They then discuss a chosen problem in groups and decide on advice they would give to the writer.

The S1 drama club performed the same play to P6s as part of a festival of sharing where all the P6s from every associated primary school had a chance to showcase their drama work. This was a lovely opportunity for the P6 pupils to visit Aberdeen Grammar School and perform on a large stage in front of their soon-to-be peers. It also allowed them to mingle with other P6 pupils from other schools, which will hopefully ease the fear of coming up to the Grammar in just over a year’s time. Well done S1 Drama club, you worked extremely hard.

BBC Choir for Children in Need (ask Charlotte)

Some of our wonderfully talented pupils did their bit for Children in Need this year by singing live on TV. Some pupils from the School were hand-picked, after an intense audition session, to join Scotland’s only Children in Need choir which was linked nationwide with other cities in the UK. The rehearsal schedule was gruelling but led to a pitchperfect performance, including a solo from our very own Nitai Levi of S6. It was a

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fantastic opportunity to work with the BBC, to see how a television production is staged and to perform live on TV.

A Wonderful Night for a ’Wonderful Guy’

On Sunday 21st April 2013 a capacity audience filled His Majesty’s Theatre to share in the tribute to a ‘Wonderful Guy’ – Steve Robertson. It was a truly magnificent evening of entertainment provided by many of Steve’s friends and family and thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated by all present.

Given the long standing connection which Steve had with Aberdeen Grammar School it was very appropriate that the School should be involved in the show, something which they were delighted to do. On the night, the school choir, accompanied by Laura Pike, herself a Former Pupil, opened the show. This was followed by the school Show Choir, with soloists Nitai Levi and Jake Shepherd. Both choirs were conducted by Charlotte Henderson, who teaches in the Music Department, and accompaniment was provided by Callum Reid and the Choir Band.

In the second half of the show, the school Concert Band played three numbers, one of which featured a solo performance on the tuba by Callum Reid. The band was under the direction of their conductor, Alan McDonald, who is a visiting specialist with the Music Department and who has led them with great success to the highest level of award, both locally and nationally, for the last seven years.

Janet Adams, Depute Rector of the School, was the Stage Manager.

In 2006 Steve starred in the stage show in His Majesty’s called “Bon Record” to mark the School’s 750th Anniversary. To be able to recognise and repay him for his huge contribution to the success of that show by being part of this tribute show was something which was not only a pleasure for the School to do, but to be involved in it was also a great honour for them.

Anne Frank Awards

The Anne Frank Awards is a competition open to all schools in the Grampian area, hosted by the Aberdeen-based charity Grampian Regional and Equality Council (GREC) since 1998. This competition offers a chance for young people to express their own views on the problem of prejudice and discrimination and is also a great opportunity to show schools’ active involvement in the promotion of equality and diversity. As every year, GREC awards schools and individual students involved in the promotion of social justice, equality, positive relations and human rights. With pupils representing over 170 different nationalities, the Charities Group decided it was time that we celebrated this diversity in the Aberdeen Grammar School community!

The School participated last year in this event however, since it was first time we had participated, only a few creative pieces were handed in. Since then, the Young Amnesty group has been planning a big scale event. Following a long discussion with the group, it was decided to hold a multi-cultural exhibition where pupils from different countries came together to present various different cultures in the form of artefacts and food from their respective countries.

To promote the event posters were displayed around the School. An advertising video, which was produced a week prior to the event, was presented to tutor classes during registration. The video included pupils from different countries introducing themselves in their respective languages.

On the day of the event, some of the organisers dressed in their native clothes and went round the School to attract students and teachers to come to the event. This, in turn, was filmed by one the organisers. Around the School, interest was sparked by both pupils

Former Pupils’ Section

and teachers who wanted to experience for themselves the traditions of each of the countries.

The stands had samples of traditional food unique to that country, information and fact-files, cultural exhibits and traditional clothes. In addition, some of our pupils were dressed in their traditional costumes and there were some traditional music and presentations at certain stands. For the duration of the occasion, each stall was filmed with pupils giving a small talk about their countries. Snapshots from the day were compiled into a video which the School submitted to the competition.

The event was a great success, especially as it was the first time that the Young Amnesty Group had organised such a large-scale event. The occasion has definitely changed the School for the better as students and teachers embraced the traditions and enjoyed every moment of it. We gained lots of support from pupils and teachers alike, and overall the event was an immense success!

Charities / Young Amnesty Group

We have had a very active and productive year this year in the Charities and Young Amnesty Group, holding events, raising money and promoting awareness for many charities and causes.

Charities Group

Throughout this year we have raised money for a number of charities, local, national and international, by organising a variety of days and events for the causes. We are so pleased to have had such a great success which will hopefully be continued! Some of our members, and even a few teachers, got involved in sponsored activities to raise money for Aberdeen Royal Blind’s Annual Light Relief Week. Activities included a knitting workshop organised by Mrs Durden and Mrs Stallard doing some Reiki. In total we raised over £200!

This year we decided to organise a ‘Wear it Pink’ day on 12th October for Breast Cancer Awareness which was a fantastic success and gained lots of support from school students. With the help of the craft club, we also made pink ribbons which we sold to support the cause.

For Children in Need on Friday 16th November, the Charities Group also organised various fundraising events throughout the school, such as a Disney music quiz, ‘Pie the Teacher’ and ‘Guess How Many Sweets are in the Jar’. Thank you to all who participated in the day’s activities, especially to Mr Gibson, Mr Stanger and Mr Milne for agreeing to take part in the ‘Pie the Teacher’ event!

Red Nose Day was another event in which we became involved. We held a ‘Beat the Goalie’, ‘Guess the Number of Sweets in the Jar’, Tights and Ties Day and sold Red Noses in support of Comic Relief. Everyone had lots of fun wearing their crazy tights and ties with their red noses!

Our final event this year was ‘Purple Day’ for Epilepsy Awareness Scotland, which saw a wonderful turnout with many pupils guessing the Number of Sweets in the Jar and guessing the Easter Bunny’s Age as well as wearing purple. In total, the Charities Group was able to donate over £900 to Epilepsy Awareness Scotland.

Young Amnesty Group

The Young Amnesty group have been active this year too. Our group members participated in 'Write for Rights’, a human rights campaign organised by Amnesty International which asks Amnesty supporters each year to send encouraging messages of hope to victims across the world, whose human rights have been ignored by their governments. The group members got busy writing letters to political prisoners, governments and human rights activists, showing our support, condemning the violation of

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human rights across the globe and demanding justice for many prisoners imprisoned for political reasons. This year, we sent cards and letters around the world, from Egypt and Afghanistan to Syria and China. We hope to continue our involvement in this worthy campaign when it returns in November, as we have done for a number of years now.

This year we also hosted a large multicultural event in the school to promote and celebrate the cultural and racial diversity in our extremely diverse school! With pupils representing over 170 different nationalities, the Group decided it was time we celebrated this diversity in the Aberdeen Grammar School community! We gained a great deal of support from pupils and teachers alike and overall the event was an immense success! Snapshots from the day were compiled into a video which the School submitted to the ‘Anne Frank Award’ which is an annual schools competition organised by GREC and provides a chance for young people to express their own views on the problem of prejudice and discrimination.

We ended our busy year with an AmnesTea, at which we thanked everyone for all their support this year and shared a lunch while raising vital funds for the work of Amnesty International!

Aberdeen Grammar School has proven, yet again, how successful it is as a school in raising funds, a total of £3,440.35 this year, for a great number of charities! The Charities & Young Amnesty Group would like to thank all the pupils and staff alike for their extreme generosity. These are just some of the many activities in which pupils who attend our meetings have helped to organise. No praise is too high for them!

World Challenge – Tanzania Summer 2012

World Challenge

During June and July of 2012, two groups of seventeen pupils, two teachers and an expedition leader embarked on a World Challenge expedition to Southern Tanzania. World Challenge is an organisation which works through schools to send pupils to developing countries, so that they may face new challenges, learn new skills, and gain a new appreciation for different cultures, customs and the natural environment itself. In the past, Aberdeen Grammar School teams have been to Uganda and to Costa Rica and Nicaragua.

Fundraising

The first challenge which the students faced was raising the necessary £3650 to go on the trip. In the eighteen months before departure many different fundraising events were held, including bag-packing in stores, a rock-climbing challenge outside the St Nicholas Centre, a fashion show, and numerous race and quiz nights.

The Expedition

The groups left Aberdeen airport on 23rd June and the real journey began. The expedition focused on three main phases: acclimatisation, trek and project. The first week was spent acclimatising to the heat and humidity through a number of shorter treks, passing through small villages and witnessing spectacular scenery. This set the teams up well for the main trek up the 2,960m high Mt Rungwe. While this was exhausting, especially as they were carrying full rucksacks, the groups persevered and completed the trek in one piece, which was highly rewarding.

Former Pupils’ Section

The challengers then spent a week working in rural primary schools, doing a mixture of school lessons and renovating dilapidated classrooms. While the language barrier made teaching difficult, the teams never gave up and consistently tried to interact with the children, who were friendly and welcoming. This project phase was the favourite phase among the majority of the challengers, as it was the phase which best conveyed what life was really like in Tanzania, and also involved the most interaction with the locals.

At the end of the three demanding phases, the groups were rewarded with a week of rest and relaxation. This included a two-day safari, where the students saw many different animals, such as elephants, giraffes and lions. The groups also participated in a number of other activities, such as snorkelling, visiting a Masai village and going on a spice tour, before spending some time on the sandy Swahili coast and the beautiful island of Zanzibar.

The four-week expedition was enjoyed by all, and many challengers took away valuable life skills from the experience. The regular opportunity for the pupils to lead their respective groups proved challenging yet rewarding, and each student learned something about themselves because of this. The expedition itself was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and the challengers all agree that any World Challenge expedition should be regarded as an invaluable experience.

Future plans

The next World Challenge will be to Southern Peru. Planning for this expedition is now well underway, with teams hard at work fundraising and planning their expedition itineraries prior to departure in July 2014.

The F1 Challenge

F1 in Schools – Aeroflux 2.0

In November 2012, six members of Aberdeen Grammar School, under the team title “Aeroflux 2.0”, travelled to Abu Dhabi to represent Scotland at the “F1 in Schools Challenge” World Finals. Exotic food, sun, planes and all the wonders that Abu Dhabi brings were experienced by these lucky young men. They did Scotland proud – reaching the semi- finals of the knockout stage in a fierce competition. Inspired by Aeroflux’s performance, this year’s team look to emulate that success – and they are well on their way.

“Synergy Alpha” is what this year’s team – Owen Fisher, Gavin Kinnear, David Blues, Jack Reynolds, Alwis Rajendran and Timothy Tagor – from the School have taken to calling themselves. Unsurprisingly, there are heavy expectations for this team to try and replicate the success of last year and they have started in a fashion which shows that they mean business.

February’s Scottish Regional finals, which took place in Dundee, were a resounding success for the team. With their miniature twenty-centimetre balsa wood car, which is fired down a twenty metre track by a CO2 canister, the team won numerous prizes, including the “Fastest Car” in Scotland, but most importantly they earned qualification to the national finals. The team now looks forward to the next challenge – these National Finals in London.

On 15th and 16th March, Synergy Alpha will be competing against the very best that Britain has to offer. They will be competing against teams which have an unimaginable advantage in terms of resources and finance, and trying to earn one of three invitations to the world finals, this year to be held in Austin, Texas.

The team will be judged on a wide variety of criteria – the speed of the car, a verbal presentation, a portfolio and a “pit display”, which is a stall which each team has to put on.

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The team will hope to do Aberdeen Grammar School proudly by emulating the success of Aeroflux.

Toyota Challenge 2013 STEM In The Pipeline

‘We are the Trailblazers from Aberdeen Grammar School, we are pioneers and we are innovative.’ This was our first sentence as we made our oral presentation at the national finals to the judges of the Toyota Stem Challenge.

The Challenge was an initiative to encourage young people to make use of skills from a wide range of subjects in the engineering and technical sector. For the Challenge we were required to design, create and test a model environmentally friendly vehicle. In addition, we had to prepare an oral presentation, a folio and also develop our team identity. After submitting our folio, we were successfully selected to go on to the next round, the Scottish Regional final.

In this we were up against teams such as George Watson’s College but managed to attain first place. We then progressed to the National finals which were held at the Donnington race-track in Derby where we were placed third and met ‘The Stig’ from Top Gear. We were proud to represent the School and our main sponsor Tunnocks at such a prestigious event.

We all learned a great deal from the experience and are hoping to encourage other teams to enter next year. Raysa Darmen also went on to win the Toyota Stem Challenge competition. Her logo will be used on a number of places such as their website, letters and documents. We are hoping for further success next year, as we are competing in the F1 in Schools challenge.

Former Pupils’ Section

The Phil Love Trophy

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

Mr Wilfred J. Norris

An article by Michael Raeside Auld in last year’s issue of the Magazine erroneously stated at page 43 that Wilfred Norris, who was Head of the Music Department at the School in the 1950s, went on to be head of music at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music in Glasgow whereas the post to which he was appointed in 1957 was that of Senior Lecturer in Music at Jordanhill College in Glasgow.

More seriously, Auld further stated that Mr Norris “took a great interest in his students – so much so that he divorced his wife in favour of one of them”. This statement is entirely without foundation, Wilfred Norris having had a long and happy marriage which lasted until his death in 1999.

When faced with the complaint which the Editor received from Mr Norris’ family, Auld claims to have been given the information many years ago by someone whom he believed to be reliable, but he accepts that this part of his article contains gross errors. He has written to Mr Norris’ family apologising unreservedly for the distress which was caused to them when they learned of his article.

The Magazine Editor accepted the article from Auld in good faith, and had no reason to question its accuracy. The Former Pupils’ Club, as publishers of the Magazine, has joined the Editor in apologising to Mr Norris’ son and daughter.

In 1957. when Mr Norris left the School, the Magazine recorded that his dynamic direction had seen the Music Department go from strength to strength. Both Orchestra and Choir had achieved the highest standards and it was he who had composed the overture ‘Bon Record’.

Former Pupils’ Section

The Rescue of Fox

Many people freely admit that they get on better with animals, particularly dogs and cats, than they do with other people. I am well established in that group, three marriages and three divorces saying a lot, but have been very fortunate to have had contact with a wide range of animals and birds. Dogs and cats from early years; a "Good Life" adventure with a Jersey house cow, Gloucester Old Spot pigs, goats, chickens, ducks and geese; then there have been some exotic encounters, working with lion cubs, horses, foals and elephants in Zimbabwe, touching Grey Whales in Baja, California and holding bats in my bare hands in Hungary. Gloves must be worn in the U.K. when handling bats, but for me direct touching is everything and my anti-rabies regime was up-to-date.

However, one of my most enthralling animal experiences was an amazing encounter with a fox in Fife. At the time, I had my best ever dog. Tatum was a collie/lab cross, incredibly intelligent, tuned in to my emotions and very obedient; the perfect companion. Every day we went for a long walk in woods or open country and, because my piercing whistle could bring her to heel in an instant, she could be allowed, mostly, to be "off lead". On the day in question I was following a footpath between a mature beech wood to my left and a pine wood behind deer fencing to my right. Well away from roads, it was very peaceful and very relaxing, the gentle whispering of the trees in a light breeze a grand antidote to the stresses of my job.

Unusually, Tatum was not in front but well behind me, doing her own thing, when I saw strange movement ahead of me – Indeed, astoundingly strange movement. A frenzied brown blur following a high speed figure-of-eight pattern was wind-milling from the ground to about six feet in the air. It was indeed astounding and I was completely baffled until, as I got nearer, I remembered that there was a fox snare where the blur was racketing round. I stopped, summoned Tatum to heel and approached very slowly.

Realizing it could not escape, the snared fox now lay, chin on paws, as distant from us as the snare wire allowed. The heavy log anchor had been pulled several feet from its normal position and having no experience of such a situation, but a considerable respect for the fox's teeth, I told Tatum to sit and I stood far some moments trying to work out what I might do.

I looked intently at the fox and he stared at me. His dark eyes and stillness revealed neither fear nor aggression, more a dignified capacity to wait patiently to see what would happen – no doubt hoping for a chance to escape to freedom! Despite the controlling snare noose around his neck, his eyes and demeanour contained nobility well worthy of respect. His personality having thus been established I knew I was committed, and that I could not leave Fox to his fate as there now existed a significant sense of responsibility that bonded me to him. By simply walking on I would condemn Fox to death and that would be an unbearable outcome.

Fox had to be released! But how? Ordering Tatum to "Sit and stay", some twelve or fifteen yards from Fox, I began talking to him, soft words, slowly and gently spoken.

"Hello Mr. Fox. Are you the fantastic Mr. Fox? But you are in trouble now ".

The words, unhurriedly and so softly spoken, seemed to establish some sort of contact with Fox. I also sang bits of songs as if they were gentle lullabies. I crept closer, slowly, steadily and calmly, knowing it would take much time, much patience and many gentle assurances to establish that I meant him no harm.

"McGinty's Meal and Ale", a bothy ballad from Aberdeenshire, is raucous when I regale my old school chums at class reunions, but on slowing and softening the gentle Doric word tones they become tranquil and soothing with a calming effect on animals –traumatized lion cubs as well as foxes. It certainly can't be the purity of my singing! I was now close to a still immobile Fox, and it was time to take off my waxed jacket.

"Please be calm Mr. Fox, be fantastic, Mr. Fox, I will do you no harm ". Tatum sat where instructed. Then, with Fox seeming as settled as he was ever likely to be and as I

was near enough to do so, I warned him, still softly and ever more gently, " I'm going to throw my jacket over you but don't worry, don't he afraid ", and then I cast my jacket on top of him. Fox immediately lay over on his side. What a relief! Talking and singing gently and slowly to animals does work wonders, provided the body language replicates the sounds. ‘So far, so good’, I thought, as I knelt down beside him, but what, I wondered, would Fox do when I touched him as I certainly had to?

"Be still my friendly Mr. Fox. Now I can really help you. But you must be still ". And he was lying very still indeed so, just being my usual obstinate and determined self, I got on with things. I started another slow song,

"Sing a song of sixpence, a pocket full of rye, I will not hurt you Mr. Fox, I will not even try ".

Constrained by the snare wire, Fox remained completely static, he seemed rigid even, while I dragged the log closer to provide some slack to work with. With concentration at maximum I reached, unseeing, under the jacket for Fox and noose. Was he "playing dead" I wondered as, still singing softly, I felt my way slowly up his legs to his neck, my fingers then delicately parting his soft fur searching for the wire. Finding it, I began to slacken the noose very, very gently. Fox remained as rigid as ever, "Easy now Mr. Fox", then I slackened some more. "Easy now Mr. Fox ", and slackened until the noose was big enough to slip over his head.

Then, just as I was about to move the noose past his nose, I had a very unusual attack of common sense! I realized that my hands would have to move very close indeed to Fox's teeth, teeth I not only respected but feared as well. Tatum still sat where ordered and Fox was still in his rigid state. The only thing I could think of doing was to remove the jacket, make the noose as large as possible, set it firmly, and hope that Fox would remain rigid while I lifted him backwards out of it.

I have often wondered if some "Power" controls situations like these as everything Fox did and Tatum did and I did seemed to be the natural order of things, indeed, almost as if we were programmed. "Almost there Mr. Fox, almost there ", I said as I carefully removed the jacket then enlarged the noose and set it in tufts of grass before slipping my hands under a still rigid Fox. How wondrously soft was his fur and how surprisingly light his weight; there seemed nothing of him at all.

"Please trust me, really trust me Mr. Fox ", I begged as I lifted him and moved him backwards as he maintained his rigidity till his head was through the snare and he was lying again on the ground. Sliding my hands from under him, I knelt back, Fox sat up and, with our heads level, we stared at each other, eyeball to eyeball for some seconds. The connection between us was so solid that I have always thought that Fox should have winked at me, as foxes do in Disney films. But this was no film and Tatum's patience was exhausted. She rushed at Fox who turned in a twinkling and sprinted into the wood with Tatum in hot but hopeless pursuit, my whistle not really being necessary.

Had Tatum felt I was safe while Fox was snared but in danger and requiring her protection when he was free? An interesting notion to consider but, sadly, there is no hope of ever knowing the truth. I like to believe, however, that that was her motivation.

After completing our walk through the wood Tatum and I were wandering past the end of the "snare path" when I saw the farmer or gamekeeper, in the distance, walking towards the snare. What would he make of the situation I wondered but hurried off in our different direction with a happy glow in my heart, a glow I still feel every time I think of Fox and his links to Tatum and me. To be trusted by a wild animal to that massive extent is indeed a glorious experience. Or was Fox merely using me?

Neil M. Munro (1942-56)

Former Pupils’ Section

It is hard to believe that a full year has passed since we took off for our World Challenge trip to Southern Tanzania. With some pupils still in school, others spread around the country in further education, and some freshly home from gap year travels, it is safe to say that each and every one of us learned valuable skills and lessons on the month-long expedition.

For the majority of us in each team it was our first experience of Africa, as well as our longest period away from home and our families. This meant that culture shock and homesickness were inevitably part of the trip. However, being, at some points, out of our comfort zone definitely helped us to mature into more independent individuals, and the many opportunities to chat to locals and work alongside them certainly helped us to settle in as we learned about their lives and experienced their infectious happiness. We became aware of how fortunate we really are, particularly after a week of trekking during which shower facilities, and even running water, were not at our disposal... resulting in a queue of eager teenagers and teachers alike, keenly waiting for the (freezing cold) showers at our final campsite.

On a practical level, we overcame the challenges of travelling as part of a large group in a new culture and climate. From dealing with setting up a campsite after a day of trekking in 30 degree heat, to devising a simple system of numbering everyone to ensure that no one went wandering off into the wilderness, we learned how to live with one another in this new environment. Looking out for each other was an important aspect of the trip and certainly made us more aware of others around us, whilst also teaching us the importance of being a reliable contributor to the team. Furthermore, dealing with money, from fundraising the entire cost of the trip to budgeting a week of food for a team of twenty, was a valuable lesson to learn, particularly for those of us who left for university just weeks later.

Each team member also had the opportunity to become the team leader, a role which was handed over each day, involving organising transport, arranging for our stay in campsites, and delegating responsibilities come dinner time. Most evenings ended with reviews of the day, with games like the ‘rose and thorn’ in which each team member would name a highlight and low point of the day to discuss and learn from. This was obviously important in helping the team bond and grow together to have the best month we could have hoped for.

We clearly gained a lot from the World Challenge Expedition, and are excited for those going on the Peru trip in 2014 (we would happily take their places if we could...). We wish them the best of luck with their fundraising and the expedition itself. Southern Tanzania 2012 was a huge challenge for us all, but an extremely rewarding one which we will never forget.

Eilidh McRobert

Hannah Whitcombe

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

Former Pupils’ Club

Founded 11 September 1893

Club Office-Bearers, 2013-2014

Honorary President:

GRAHAM LEGGE, BEd, MEd (Rector)

Honorary Vice-Presidents:

T. GORDON COUTTS (1938-49), QC, MA, LL.B (President, 1980-81)

BRIAN K. CROOKSHANKS (1934-46), TD, MA, LL.B (President, 1983-84)

ERIC D. WATT (1937-50), BEd. (President, 1984-85)

Prof. PHILIP N. LOVE (1952-58), CBE, DL, MA, LL.B, LL.D (President, 1987-88)

W. MORRISON BROWN (1933-46) (President, 1988-89)

A. KEITH CAMPBELL (1944-53), TEng (CEI), FInst AEA (President, 1992-93)

IAN M. DUGUID (1938-43), OduM, MD, PhD, FRCS, FCOpth, LL.D, DO (President, 1993-94)

JAMES C. LYON (1953-59), RIBA, FRIAS (President, 1996-97)

J. EDWARD FRASER (1936-49), CB, MA, BA, FSA(Scot) (President, 1997-98)

RICHARD H. CRADOCK (1940-51) (President, 1998-99)

RICHARD F. TYSON (1944-49) (President, 2000-01)

DOUGLAS G. FOWLIE (1950-64) MB,ChB, FRCPsych. (President, 2002-03))

IAN H. McLEOD (1951-55) (President, 2004-05)

GORDON G. MILNE (1950-61) MB.ChB (President, 2005-06)

DAVID L. ALLAN (1945-58) QPM, LL.B, MPhil, FCMI (President 2006-07)

GARY J.G. ALLAN (1963-76) QC, LL.B (President 2007-08)

JAMES M. CLARK (1947-59) (President 2008-09)

NEIL BORTHWICK (1952-65) BSc, PhD (President 2009-10)

DONALD A. LAMONT (1952-65) MA (President 2010-11)

TRACEY J.H. MENZIES (1981-87) MBE, DCH, LL.B (President 2011-12)

NIGEL G.M. WATT (1963-69) LL.B, WS (Specially Elected)

ARTHUR L. McCOMBIE, MA, FSA(Scot) (Deputy Rector, 1973-90) (Elected 1991)

ALISTAIR M. NORTH (1937-50) OBE, BSc, DSc, PhD, FRSE, FRIC (Elected 2004)

J. PETER JEFFREY (1944-59) MSc

H. ALAN S. HAMILTON (1943-56) (Elected 2012)

President: J. MARTIN JEFFREY (1942-57) BSc

Vice-President of Club and Chairman of Executive: DOUGLAS McALLISTER (1962-68)

Secretary:

JOHN F. HENDRY (1951-65) LL.B

Treasurer:

LINDSAY A. CALDWELL (1977-83) MA, CA

General & Notes Editor of Magazine: BRIAN K. CROOKSHANKS (1934-46) TD, MA, LL.B

Former Pupils’ Section

Regional Centres

Edinburgh: President – W. MORRISON BROWN(1933-46)

Secretary – JAMES H. RUST (1963-71) james.rust@btconnect.com

Glasgow: President – MALCOLM GAULD (1947-61)

Secretary – MARGERY TAYLOR (1975-81) marg7ery@ntlworld.com

London: President – DONALD A. LAMONT (1952-65)

Secretary – SANDY NICOL (1962-71) anicol@lineone.net

Yorkshire: President – DOUGLAS SKENE (1959-64)

Secretary – DAVID GALLOWAY (1976-82) davegalloway1964@hotmail.com

Canada: President – DAVID THOMSON (1952-58)

Secretary – GILLIAN A. THOMAS (1975-80) gillianthomas@shaw.ca

Secretaries of Sections

Cricket – RICHARD S.T. FERRO theferrofamily@lineone.net

Curling – IAN P. SOUTER (1947-61) ianpsouter@aol.com

Football – KENNETH MACPHERSON kmacpherson@talktalk.net

Golf – PETER M. ROBERTSON (1967-73) pmrobertson@adamcochran.co.uk

Men’s Hockey – DUNCAN HARRIS (1985-91) dharris@technip.com

Women’s Hockey – EMMA WILLIAMS emmamcara@hotmail.co.uk

Pétanque – KAREN VASS kaz.15@hotmail.co.uk

Rugby – GORDON THOMSON g.thomson@talk21.com

Executive Committee

DOUGLAS McALLISTER (1961-74) Chairman

Vice-Chairman

The Secretary, the Treasurer and the General Editor of the Magazine, ex officiis

The Rector of the School, ex officio

RICHARD L.C. DARGIE (1964-73) NORMAN K.B. EDWARDS (1959-64)

GILLIAN M.E. GRAHAM (1991-97) RUSSELL GRAY (1951-65)

GRANT A. HAMILTON (1988-94) H. ALAN S. HAMILTON (1943-56)

NEIL J.G. LAWRIE (1961-74) EMMA A. MAIR (1985-91)

BRIAN R. MORGAN ( GEOFFREY E. MORRISON (1992-98)

HARVEY E. MORRISON (1951-65)

BARRY J. SHEPHERD (1988-94)

ANGUS J. THOMPSON (1969-75)

Section Representatives

Club Centre – DALLAS G. MOIR (1969-75)

Cricket – JEREMY D. MOIR (1969-75)

Curling – COLIN R. SUTHERLAND (1947-60)

Football – RICHARD NICHOLSON (1975-81)

Golf – DALLAS G. MOIR (1969-75)

Hockey –

Pétanque – RONALD R. COMBER (1947-52)

Rugby – JAMES B. RAE (1963-71)

Women’s Hockey – FIONA CAMERON (1991-97)

Staff – JANET C. ADAMS (1980-86)

Auditors

Messrs. BOWER & SMITH, C.A

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

Club Centre Committee

DALLAS G. MOIR* – Chairman

RICHARD DARGIE* – Secretary

LYNN ROSS – Treasurer

MARTIN CALLAN* – House Convener

K. BARNETT, K. DOUGLAS*, M. EWEN, A. HAMILTON, J.F. HENDRY, I.S. HOPKIN*, H.E. MORRISON, K. PRITCHARD, K. VASS, D.YOUNG* (* Denotes member of Management Board)

Club Consuls

Australia – JIM W. HOWISON (1937-50), 98A Hull Road, West Pennant Hills, New South Wales 2125, Australia, E-mail: howison@tech2u.com.au Tel. 00 61-2-9875-1296

Australia – Dr. FORBES J. SMITH (1945-57), 242 Main Creek Road, Main Ridge, Victoria, 3928, Australia E-mail: forbessmith@alphalink.com.au

Tel. 0061-3-5989-6234

Canada – GORDON B. SINGER (1949-50), 2421 Erlton Street SW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2S 2V9 E-mail: singsing@shaw.ca ; Tel. 00 1-403-266-6448

Canada – PETER J. GREEN (1946-57), 157 Dibble Street, PO Box 2407, Prescott, Ontario, Canada, K0E 1TO E-mail: chantagrie@bell.net Tel. 00 1-613-925-9037

Canada – DAVID R. AULD (1947-61), 2187 Lafayette Street, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, V8S 2P2 E-mail: davidauld@shaw.ca ; Tel. 001-250-595-0616

Corsica – IAIN WARES (1941-52), Via G.M. Angioy 34, Cagliari 09124, Sardinia, Italy. Tel. 0039-070-652508

Hong Kong – MARSHALL H. BYRES (1960-69), 2A Hatton House, 15 Kotewall Road, Hong Kong E-mail: marshall.byres@hk.ev.com ; Tel. 00852-2846-9878

Ireland – ANDREW M.M. STEVEN (1936-50), 5 Beechhill Avenue, Saintfield Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland BT8 6NS. Tel. 028-9070-2315.

New Zealand – MICHAEL B. THOMSON (1938-51), 39 Jubilee Road, Khandallah, Wellington 4, New Zealand E-mail: Thomson.wgtn@xtra.co.nz ; Tel. 0064-4-479-5678

Thailand – Prof. ALASTAIR M. NORTH (1937-50), 79/78 Soi 7/1 Mooban Tararom, Ramkhamhaeng Road Soi 150, Saphan Soong, Bangkok 10240, Thailand E-mail: amnorth@ksc.th.com ; Tel. 0066-2-373-2818

United States – Michael G. King (1951-60), 806 Northpointe Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah 84103-3346 USA E-mail: michaelking806@comcast.net Tel. 1-801-363-3097

Annual General Meeting

The One-hundred and tenth Annual General Meeting of the Club was held at the Club Centre in Aberdeen on Monday 25 March 2013, with Mr Douglas McAllister, the VicePresident, in the Chair. The Chairman reported as follows:

As I come to the end of my second year as Chairman of the Executive, I reflect on a very mixed time in office. The year has seen some very positive developments but at the same time the resource problems which the committee is facing have continued right up to the

Former Pupils’ Section

wire. Again this has meant that progress in a number of areas in which the Executive had hoped to move forward has simply not been possible.

Club Centre

The Club Centre position, which will be more fully covered later, continues to be a concern. In practice there continues to be insufficient income/footfall despite considerable effort from the committee. Certain initiatives have helped to arrest the losses, but these seem to be driving the Centre further and further from its primary purpose.

Finance

Alan Marr has valiantly continued to serve as Treasurer through the year and I am relieved to report that a successor has at last been found. I would welcome Lindsay Caldwell whose appointment we will be seeking to ratify later in the meeting. Overall the Club’s finances are in good heart which has allowed us to continue to support the School through the Amenities Fund and in other ways.

Membership

Membership over the year has remained relatively static although a significant number of school leavers (36) have taken up the ‘leaver package’ the numbers do no more than offset the attrition due to the inevitable march of time. I am afraid that, as has so often been reported in the past, the package which membership represents seems to be increasingly missing the mark with school leavers and younger FPs. The low recruitment figures over many years now have resulted in a demographic gap opening up which ranges from school leavers to 40 somethings.

Rubislaw Field

There has been much effort devoted to the revision of the Rubislaw Field Agreement over the past year. Aberdeen City Council are keen to see a new agreement in place to regularise current use and bring the new uses of the Field into the formal arrangements. Whilst a great deal of progress has been made we are now in a form of impasse with the Council whose members seem unable or unwilling to continue with the ‘rights in perpetuity’ enjoyed by the School and the Club as enshrined in the original agreement. We are currently engaged in an exercise to identify the patterns of use of the Field and the FP contribution to sport overall which we wish to have recognised in these discussions and which at the moment is being ignored by the Rubislaw Field Committee.

Communications

As ever our Magazine, under the editorship of Brian Crookshanks, continues to receive very positive comments from FPs around the globe who look forward to receiving the news it brings them each year. This year we arranged for all our communications material to go out in one posting with the Magazine which saved a great deal in postage (notwithstanding the vast increase in charges) and simplified the logistics and eliminated the need for a newsletter. Reminders have now focussed more on e-mails which, although giving incomplete coverage, are increasingly the only economic option we have available to us.

Grant Hamilton has continued to act as webmaster for our website www.agsfp.com. The site has seen a steady flow of news – mainly from the Centre and some of the Sections –keeping the site fresh and current is a considerable task and I am sure Grant will always welcome materials to achieve this.

Annual Dinner

For a second year we held the annual dinner at the Treetops on 22nd March. The event was a great success with Nigel Watt in the chair – supported by a claque of ’69-ers. The

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

principle speaker, George Yule proposed an excellent toast to the School and the Club well laced with his characteristic dry humour. The now well established principle of asking the Head Boy and Head Girl to support the Rector in replying on behalf of the School proved yet again to be very popular. Whilst the picture they painted of the School today was very different to the memories of most people in the room, the concepts of success both academically and on the sports field, and the contribution which the School makes to helping the young people attending it to develop in a truly rounded way would be very familiar to every generation of FP. Numbers attending the Dinner, although slightly better than last year, were still well short of what we would have hoped for.

Bon Record

November saw the launch of the book, Bon Record, written by Arthur McCombie and Brian Lockhart. The launch, organised largely by Jock Hendry, was a great success with the humorous support of Buff Hardie to help it along. The initial surge in sales has slowed, as one would expect, but demand continues and through the coming year we will be refreshing the marketing of the book to tap into other outlets.

In conclusion …

Last year I concluded with thanks to those who have helped make the Club successful through their efforts – this year the message remains exactly the same. I would like to thank the members of the Executive Committee and all those others who have given their time to support the many activities of the Club.

General Business Section Reports

Reports were submitted by representatives of the various Sections and of the Club Centre, and similar Reports appear elsewhere in this Magazine.

Accounts and Treasurer’s Report

The 2012 Accounts (reproduced at the end of this Magazine) showing a surplus of £11,397 were submitted and approved. The Treasurer commented that the healthier surplus arose from the absence of repair costs to 1 Bayview Road and the fact that the figures included the current surplus from the sale of ‘Bon Record’. The Balance Sheet confirmed, as before, that the Club is in a healthy state.

Election of Office-Bearers

Officials of the Club were elected in accordance with the list published elsewhere in this Magazine Auditors

Messrs. Bower & Smith, CA, were unanimously re-appointed Auditors of the Club and Section Accounts for the coming year.

In terms of the Club Constitution, the Annual General Meeting is held on the last Monday in March.

The 2013 A.G.M. will therefore be held on Monday, 24 March at 7.30 p.m. in the Club Centre, 86 Queen’s Road, Aberdeen

President’s Report

It was a great honour for me to be elected as the Parent Club President and I was very proud to follow in the illustrious footsteps of my grandfather, Theodore and my father,

Former Pupils’ Section

Alan to become the first third generation President. The family has accumulated close on one hundred years’ service to the Club.

I had a very gentle debut on home ground at the Edinburgh Centre Dinner in April, held in the splendid clubhouse of the Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society (founded 1761) which affords wonderful panoramic views to the Firth of Forth and beyond. One of my most distinguished predecessors, Professor Philip Love – who is responsible for all I know about the Law of Evidence and Procedure – gave an outstanding toast to The School and the Club with replies from Rector, Graham Legge , Head Girl, Rachael Matson and Head Boy, Matthew Henderson on behalf of the School and myself on behalf of the Club. The proceedings were ably chaired by Centre President, Morr Brown in his own inimitable style and the evening was expertly organised by Centre Secretary, James Rust.

In mid-May I was a guest at the Aberdeen Watsonian Dinner in the Royal Northern and University Club, where the highlight of the evening was an inspirational address by their Parent Club President, John Spence, who is blind. Since moving to Edinburgh in the early 1970s I have befriended many Watsonians and I must say that without exception they have always been good company and a pleasure to know. My Vote of Thanks was an opportunity to convey my gratitude for lasting friendships.

My sister, Alison, had attended St Margaret’s School but I had never set foot in the School until being invited to attend its FP Club Quiz Night with the quizmaster being our very own Dallas Moir! A most convivial evening in the company of a team of fellow Parent Club Presidents, which failed miserably to match the score of the perennial winning “professional” quiz team!

Undoubtedly one of the major highlights of my presidential year was when I represented the Club at the School Prize Giving which was a very splendid affair held in the Music Hall at the end of June with 100% attendance of both pupils and staff. The School Orchestra performed admirably including an outstanding trumpet solo from Mark James, who was awarded a School Cap for Music. I presented the various All Round Trophy prizes.

A lasting memory for me was the astonishing number of different nationalities among the prize winners – over forty. Quite different from my day and wonderful to witness. The organisation was positively military in precision and a great credit to everyone at the School. An exhilarating enjoyable experience.

The Canadian Centre had a very successful Annual Reunion in early September in Ottawa which unfortunately I could not attend due to work commitments. The only other invitation which I had to decline was the Albyn School FP Club Cabaret Evening.

I greatly enjoyed the Yorkshire Centre Dinner held in York with its second-best attendance ever of thirty one and very efficiently chaired and organised by Centre President, Doug Skene. The excellent Principal Speaker was Kate Illingworth,a feisty Barnsley lass, who turned out to be the niece of Harry Worth of shop window fame!

The Glasgow Centre Dinner in late October was held in an hotel on the banks of the Clyde. President Malcolm Gauld , Centre Secretary Margery Coutts and the members of the Centre, including brother, Graham (Head Boy 1969-70), made me most welcome. The principal speaker was Jack Webster, the well known Gordonian journalist and author, who advised us that much to his embarrassment he was asked to leave RGC at the age of fourteen due to non-performance and then over fifty years later was invited to return to give the speech at Founders Day! I have heard Jack speak at several FP Dinners and he is always hugely entertaining and speaks so fondly of his upbringing in the North East.

In late November I presided over Book Launch of ‘BON RECORD – a History of Aberdeen Grammar School by Brian Lockhart and Arthur “Jeb” McCombie, -who taught me all the history I know! – in the Club Centre. This is a ‘must-have’ for all FPs. Douglas Simpson, son of founder of the Club, Morland Simpson, had been asked and agreed to write the history for the 700th Anniversary Celebrations in 1956 but it was never

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

done. Now we have it thanks to these two Gordonians!! Buff Hardie gave a most amusing introduction to the authors, who then advised the large company as to how they had gone about their not inconsiderable task.

The Aberdeen Academy/Hazlehead Academy/Central School FP Club held its Annual Dinner in the Palm Court Hotel and Helen Plumb of Just Gems in Cults gave a most entertaining and informative talk.

In early January I returned to the Royal Northern & University Club for the Aberdeen Stewarts Melville FP Club Dinner. I very much enjoyed the inspirational address of headmaster, David Gray.

The Gordonian Dinner in early March was a very well organised and successful evening with a record attendance of two hundred and fifty under the masterly chairmanship of Parent Club President, Howard Smith. Throughout my presidential year I came across Howard on many occasions and found him most convivial company. He has been involved with both the College and the Gordonian Association almost all of his life and is a wonderful servant to both, not to mention his devotion to his beloved Aberdeenshire Cricket Club which he has served in similar vein. The Guest of Honour was Olympic swimmer David Carry, following in the footsteps of his mentor Ian Black (Sports Personality of the Year 1958!). David’s grandfather, Joe, was President of our Club in 1967-68 and father Peter was in the same year as my brother, Graham. In a highly entertaining speech David confirmed that Ian Thorpe does have big feet, having followed them up the pool! Head of College, Hugh Ouston, also spoke well.

The following week the High School/Harlaw Academy FP Club held a Buffet and Quiz Night in Rubislaw Church Hall and past Presidents Brian Crookshanks, Jim Lyon and Keith Campbell all acted as barmen in a most efficient manner!

Regrettably there is still no sign of a return of the London Centre Dinner. The Centre requires the modern day equivalent of Emslie and McLaren who resuscitated the Glasgow Centre.

The main FP Club dinner was held in the Hilton Treetops Hotel – always will be the Treetops to me – where fifty-five FPs and guests enjoyed an excellent meal. At relatively short notice my classmate George Yule agreed to propose the principal toast of “The School and the Club” and this he did with great aplomb, highlighting how a somewhat indifferent School Report in his early years at the School had acted as a great motivator in his working life in which he has enjoyed outstanding success in everything he has done, primarily in the oil and gas industry. He was recognised as the Grampian Industrialist of the Year in 2009 for his business leadership and entrepreneurial skills. George is President of the Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of Aberdeen Sports Village and Corporate Patron of Befriend a Child, an Aberdeen based charity for local disadvantaged children. He was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the University of Aberdeen in 2011. George is now also full time vice-chairman of Aberdeen Football Club. Not bad for a no hoper in the first year! He also highlighted the lifelong friendships he had made while at the School.

It was particularly pleasing for me to have two full tables of my contemporaries in attendance, due in no small way to the initiative and enthusiasm of my great friend Stuart Cummings, who has also been instrumental in organising two very successful Class Reunions in recent years – all from his base in Brussels, where he has lived for over thirty years.

The Rector, Head Boy, Euan Christie and Head Girl, Georgia Smith replied to the toast updating the company on the life of the School in a most informative and positive fashion. Euan and Georgia spoke most eloquently of their experiences at the School and I very much enjoyed the company of Graham, Euan and Georgia at the various Club Centre Dinners throughout the year. I replied on behalf of the Club.

The Club is in relatively good heart with the various sporting sections all operating successfully and giving great pleasure to all those who participate, as has always been the

Former Pupils’ Section

case. Two areas of concern are the ageing membership profile and the sustainability of the Club Centre. We have 1016 active members, 84% of whom are over 50 and only 3.5% are under 30. This is not a new problem, nor one that is easy to solve. A small working group, including some younger FPs, has been meeting to come up with an action plan to tackle the issue.

With regard to the Club Centre the current situation is stated starkly in the Magazine. A dramatic fall in turnover and ever rising costs has led to substantial losses over the last two years. If matters do not improve hard decisions may have to be made. Quite simply, FPs are not using the facility.

I should like to put on record my sincere appreciation to three very important individuals in the life of our great Club who have all helped me enormously throughout the year. Douglas McAllister, Chairman of the Executive Committee and Parent Club Dinner Organiser, Brian Crookshanks, Editor of the Magazine, and our long-time hard working Secretary, Jock Hendry.

Unfortunately due to working commitments I was unable to attend the Annual General Meeting and hand over the Badge of Office to my successor Martin Jeffrey, who has been an outstanding servant to the Club over many years. I wish Martin an enjoyable year and the Club every success for the future.

NGMW (1963-69)

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

Nigel G.M. Watt (1963 - 1969)

President 2012-2013

Former Pupils’ Section

Presidential Profile

James Martin Jeffrey BSc (1942 – 57)

Traditionally, the task of writing the “Presidential Profile” has been delegated to one or two trusted friends. Although I do have such friends, this is proving to be a difficult time to pin them down so I have decided to tackle the job myself. Let’s hope I make a decent fist of it!

Let me start by saying how delighted and grateful I am to be appointed your President. I feel deeply honoured, especially when I see my name on the new Board in the Club Centre which bears the names of so many distinguished predecessors. I am looking forward immensely to the year ahead and especially to visiting the various outposts of our great Club. These visits will provide a wonderful opportunity to catch up with old friends and meet with many other FPs, young and old, and get their views. My wife, Whilma, who did marvellous work as Membership Secretary for several years, is going to accompany me on all of these trips and I hope that a great many of you will also bring your spouse or partner and former class-mates to the various Reunions.

My family has had a long connection with both the Grammar School and the FP Club. I attended the Grammar (1942–57) as did my brother Peter (1944–59). My father was a pupil (1906-18) as were my four uncles (the Bain brothers). In addition, I have traced various other members of the family who were pupils at the School going back to at least the mid 1800’s.

On the FP Club side, my father served on the Executive for about ten years before becoming Chairman in 1936, but had to stand down when he joined up immediately prior to the outbreak of war (he had already served in the Territorial Army for about twelve years). In the normal course of events my father could reasonably have expected to become President in the early to mid ‘40s, but when he was demobbed in 1946 he had to focus all his efforts on the family firm – James A Jeffrey & Co, Chartered Accountants. My brother Peter was deservedly appointed an Honorary Vice-President last year in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the founding and development of the Canadian Centre over the past twenty years. And now I follow in their footsteps. Incidentally, my mother was an external member of the Education Committee in the ‘50s with a special interest in the Grammar. All in all, a strong and enduring family interest in the School and the FP Club, but it doesn’t come close to the quite remarkable record of the Watt family – three Presidents and decades of outstanding contribution – and also that of a small number of very long serving Executive Members, some of whom are still in harness today!

I started at the Grammar in 1942 when I attended the Nursery School as a somewhat quiet and shy three-year-old. I don’t have any clear memories of those days apart from the formidable, but very supportive, Winifred Robertson. Then it was on to Kindergarten followed by Lower School where my teachers were Mrs Angus, Miss Gracie and Miss Pirie – all excellent, but very firm, teachers. Then in 1949 I was given the chance to go to Drumtochty Castle Preparatory School. I don’t think I really understood what this would involve, but off I went. The first term was pretty challenging as I got used to totally new routines and made a few friends. However, after that it turned out to be a great experience and definitely character forming!

I returned to the Grammar in August 1952 and found myself in Class IIB along with a few familiar faces from Lower School days. Ronnie McLeod (“Tarzan”) was my Class Teacher and was very supportive as I grappled with the differences between Prep. School and Grammar School curriculums and standards – basically I was at least a year behind in almost every subject! However, once I had settled in there followed five very happy years. I enjoyed the academic work, particularly Maths and Science, but a double period of Art with the “Bush” filled me with dread. I had reason to be very grateful to many teachers for

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

their support and encouragement – particularly Peter Cook, “Jesse” Lynch, Ian Park, Eric Morrison, Archie Baxter, Bob McNay and all the PE Staff – J C Hunter, Dally Allardice and “Dicey” Paterson. How fortunate we were to have such outstanding members of staff. Outside of the classroom, my main interests were Scouts (1 st Troop), the Army Section of the CCF (grateful thanks to Ernie Robertson and “Butch” Nisbet who put in so much time and effort) and sport – mainly rugby and athletics (hurdles, pole vault). I just wish that I had been much more talented! My final year at the Grammar was particularly busy with some additional Highers, Advanced Maths papers and the Bursary Competition (a modest success). Then it was off to Aberdeen University to study for a BSc in Pure Science. Although School was good, University was even better! There were so many activities that at times it was difficult to fit lectures and practicals into your schedule. Almost before I was in through the door I found myself elected to the SRC for three years, and then I became involved in the annual Charities Campaign. That first year I remember organising a produce stall with Alastair Mathieson (1943-57) outside the Church in Union Street (opposite Collies). My interest continued for the next two years when I became Chairman – that was challenging and hugely time-consuming, but great fun and very rewarding. I also played some rugby and started to develop an interest in Motor Sport, mainly with Barton Brown in his Dad’s Zephyr – this interest was to continue for the next twenty years, but the cars became a bit more specialised and high performance! Then if that was not enough, I was persuaded by a good friend from School days, Sandy Hunter (1943-57) – later to become Air Vice-Marshal – to apply to the University Air Squadron (Sandy had been the WO of the RAF Section at School and I had been the CSM of the Army Section, so there were a few accusations of desertion flying around). I was accepted and the decision to join was surely one of the best I have made. The Squadron was fantastic – I really enjoyed the flying (Chipmunks) and the camaraderie and social life at the Mess in the huts at Bedford Road was tremendous……and on top of that you got paid for it all.

The Squadron became a powerful interest and together with two other FPs, David Parkinson and Peter Elder, we won the Scone Trophy – an annual flying competition between the four Scottish University Air Squadrons – for the first time for ten years. At this stage I began to give serious thought to a career in the RAF. I was invited to attend an Officer and Aircrew Selection Board at RAF Hornchurch and at the end of the 3-day exercise I was offered a Permanent Commission as a Pilot. I asked about a 5-year option which I knew had existed, but was told that this had been scrapped very recently. A pity, as that would have been absolutely ideal. So now it was a straight decision between a career in the RAF or in business with a strong accountancy element. It was a tough call, but I selected the business option and went off to London in 1961 to join the Ford Motor Company as a Finance Trainee.

I really enjoyed life in London, although with my salary working out at £17 net a fortnight and my digs costing £4 a week, money was always in short supply! I joined London Scottish and in my first game I played alongside the great D.W.C. Smith, former Scottish International and British Lion. Although he was in his late 30s by then, Doug remained a formidable player, still quite fast and powerful. Sadly, in March 1962, my father died suddenly without any warning. Later that year, Ford granted me leave of absence for a few months so that I could return to Aberdeen and tidy up my father’s business affairs. During this time I was studying for the Institute of Cost and Works Accountants exams and also doing some temporary teaching. Then I bumped into someone whom I had met when IBM were doing their recruitment rounds of the Universities. He had joined IBM in London and was enjoying himself hugely. I had had some contact with IT at Ford so I decided to contact IBM in Glasgow and joined them in 1964. There followed twenty very exciting and challenging years in a variety of sales, training and general management positions based in Glasgow, Edinburgh, London and Manchester.

The early ‘80s saw the emergence of the Personal Computer and in 1984 I left IBM with two former colleagues to set up a business in Scotland – Computers for Business

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(Scotland) Ltd – to take advantage of the new opportunities. I was appointed Managing Director two years later and we successfully expanded the business to incorporate branches in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. We were still growing rapidly when we were approached in the mid ‘90s by a FTSE 100 company with a view to a takeover. This went ahead in due course and I stayed on for a further two years before leaving to explore some personal investments in the computer business. I have now exited from these with the exception of one in Australia.

While I was based in Scotland with IBM from 1964 to 1976 my main interests away from work largely revolved round rugby and motor sport. However, in 1973 I married Whilma, whom I met at IBM in Edinburgh, and we started a family who appeared at regular intervals, much to our delight – Grant, Nicola and then Duncan.

I played rugby for FPs from late 1962, during which time I clocked up more than 200 matches for the 1st XV and about 100 tries – not bad for a winger not exactly renowned for his blinding pace! Even more surprising, I was in a team which won two Seven’s tournaments! I also served on the Rugby Club Committee and was Treasurer for three years. My final game of rugby was for Exiles in their annual Boxing Day match against an Aberdeen Select in 1970. Then the body cried enough!

During this time Motor Sport also absorbed a lot of time. I joined Aberdeen & District Motor Club and Rallying was my prime interest. I started by navigating for two FPs – Stan Howard and Alan Hamilton – who were both extremely fast, safe drivers. Later on I navigated/co-drove for Charlie Miller – I have to confess that Charlie is a Gordonian, but he is married to my cousin Midge Miller (née Bain) whose dad was Robin Bain, a stalwart FP and a former Captain of the FP Rugby 1st XV, so that made it all OK! Charlie was a very quick, safe and successful driver on the Special Stage events in which we competed right across Scotland, including the Scottish International Rally which in those days was a 5-day event. After taking a three year break from competing in 1969 in order to focus on organising events, including the National Granite City Rally, I bought my own Rally Car in 1972. I started with a Mini Cooper 1293 S and later acquired an Escort. Driving was great fun and I enjoyed some success, but that all came to an end when the family moved south in 1976 to live in Maidenhead.

When I first returned to Aberdeen, running a rapidly growing business and bringing up the family left little time for other interests. However, in the early ‘90s I began to get involved with MBC Hockey Club – a very successful Youth Hockey Club. I started as a supportive parent (younger son Duncan had started to play for them) giving lifts to all and sundry. Things simply developed from there and for the next ten years I became increasingly involved with various finance, business and membership activities. Then we made a case to the SHU to add a Senior Club. This was accepted and the Club successfully pushed up from the Regional League to National 2 (Outdoor) and National 2 (Indoor). Whilma also became involved with much of the administration and even learned to drive the Minibus! Other interests included watching rugby locally and also at Murrayfield and beyond (the first match I saw at Murrayfield was in 1951 – Scotland 0 South Africa 44 –and a try counted for only three points in those days); walking (including some gentle hills); a threat to take up golf; and possibly flying again……

Then in 1998, Ian McLeod, then Chairman of the FP Executive Committee, persuaded me to come aboard as Vice-Chairman…….I would find it interesting and rewarding, he said, and it wouldn’t be too demanding! He was absolutely right about the first two points, but utterly wrong about the time required! I was Vice-Chairman for two years and then was appointed Chairman in 2000. There followed seven challenging, but exciting years. There was a strong and experienced Committee and together we were able to cover a lot of ground. There were many highlights which included a new Membership Database; the renovation of 1 Bayview Road so that it could bring in a vital rental income stream; the Club’s first Website; the restructuring of the Club’s Finances; the redevelopment of Rubislaw – the Astroturf pitch for hockey, new changing facilities and the renovation of

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the original Pavilion; the various 1256 activities including the 1256 Appeal (£30,000 raised), David Yule’s marvellous book, the amazing School/FP Show at HM Theatre organised by the late great Steve Robertson and Janet Adams…………… and more. I had a wonderful time.

By tradition, the role of President is largely ambassadorial, but my interest in the wellbeing and sustainability of the Club remains as strong as ever and I hope it will be possible to find a way to contribute on a wider front.

800 years in the making, but worth waiting for

Bon Record; A History of Aberdeen Grammar School by Brian R W Lockhart and Arthur L McCombie published by Birlinn £25

It is sometimes said (usually by ourselves) that Grammarians are a modest and selfeffacing lot. That may be the reason why it has taken the best part of eight centuries to produce a full and authoritative history of Aberdeen Grammar School. It may also explain why it has required a Gordonian, Arthur McCombie, and a former headmaster of Robert Gordon’s College, Brian Lockhart, to do the job for us. Despite their lineage, McCombie and Lockhart have proved themselves to be the dream team to undertake a task that has daunted many would-be chroniclers through the years.

Arthur McCombie is a modern legend of the Grammar, having joined the staff as principal teacher of history in 1961 and then serving for many years as depute rector until his retirement in 1990. In that time he acquired unrivalled knowledge of the School’s history, particularly that of the mid-18th century onwards. Brian Lockhart, although a relative newcomer to the north-east, brought immense experience to the task, having previously produced histories of George Heriot’s College, The High School of Glasgow and, most recently, Robert Gordon’s College. Lockhart’s training as an historian has enabled him to produce an account of the Grammar’s earliest years together with a convincing moral claim that the School’s origins indeed lie in the 13th century.

The ambition and scale of Bon Record: A History of Aberdeen Grammar School is impressive. The authors have successfully combined research, published materials and personal knowledge to produce a volume that does justice to nearly eight hundred years of educational history in Aberdeen and beyond. In particular, they have mined the rich seams of information lying in the earlier works of Morland Simpson, Theodore Watt and, more recently, David Yule. It is a pity that Yule’s 1256 and All That has inadvertently been omitted from the bibliography.

In the main, the volume is arranged chronologically interspersed with inserts on specific themes. To make sense of the mass of data at their disposal, the authors have imposed a common structure on the chapters. The events of a particular period are examined and then followed by biographical notes on staff and notable pupils of the period. The result is eminently readable and is enriched by the contemporary accounts of life in the Grammar School down through the centuries. Inevitably there is a strong focus on the Rectors, some successful others less so. The authors ably illustrate how the character of the modern school was defined by the personalities and abilities of Rectors such as Melvin and Simpson. The latter was instrumental in establishing both the Former Pupils’ Club and the Magazine, leading to the possibly unique intermingling of school and club that has done so much to enrich the lives of past and present Grammarians.

The authors have been equally successful in placing the School in its local and national contexts at various points in its history. The reader is frequently left with the impression of an establishment in constant turmoil and often at odds with the town

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council. Financial irregularity was commonplace, with funds intended to endow the school loaned “without adequate security”. Anything sound familiar?

One of the features of the book is the way in which the Grammar School is described as being central not just to education in Aberdeen but also to the political, religious and social life of the city. For example, the description of the Fearon Inquiry of 1866 highlights the social mix of those attending the school at the time, something that continued to lie at the heart of the Grammar and benefited many of us, including the present writer, in later years.

The book also demonstrates that many present day educational issues are but echoes of earlier concerns and complaints. Nineteenth century parents and citizens of Aberdeen regularly complained about “want of order”, truancy, bullying and smoking. Concerns about “declining standards” were regularly expressed. The curriculum was a bone of contention between traditional classicists and modernisers.

It is likely that readers will turn firstly to the index to see if “they are in it” and secondly to the section of the book that deals with their years at the Grammar. The authors have included biographical details of more than eight hundred former pupils but recognise that there may well be some notable omissions. Indeed, it is rumoured that Messrs Lockhart and McCombie did not leave their respective houses for several weeks after publication for fear of coming face to face with irate Grammarians whose eminence they had failed to recognise. Interestingly, the biographies of those who are included are of similar length. This led Buff Hardie (another Gordonian) to note wryly that the space given over to the joint discoverer of insulin and the founder of the Golden Oldies rugby club is roughly the same.

It is perhaps inevitable that, towards the end of the book, narrative prevails and it will be for future writers to reflect on and assess life in the Grammar School in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. There is little doubt that this book lays a firm foundation for future research and publication. As McCombie himself has pointed out, it is strange that the School’s greatest rector, Morland Simpson, and his family have yet to find a biographer.

This was a labour of love for McCombie and Lockhart. They have done both themselves and the School justice, combining scholarship, rigour and readability. It is a volume that will grace the shelves of former pupils and others with an interest in the history of Aberdeen and Scotland

Douglas Marr (1959-65)

Centre Reports

Club Centre

Last year’s report concluded with the warning that for the Club Centre to continue to exist we would need to ‘explore every opportunity for increasing the usage of the Centre, both through footfall through the door by its members, and by maximising our non-bar related income streams’. I suggested that if we could not fulfil these two objectives, hard decisions would have to be made. As is clear from the Accounts for the year, we have not been able to reverse the loss-making position that the Club Centre has experienced over the last several years. We have, in fact, recorded our worst ever loss.

Last year’s bar turnover was the second lowest recorded in the last eight years, which was slightly mitigated by the fact that our non-bar related income increased by some 41% year on year. Our Gross Profit percentage for the year fell by some 6 percentage points compared with 2011, a situation which is partially explained by the fact that we had held back any increase on our bar prices for some year and a half. It should be stressed that

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

even if we had maintained our Gross Profit percentage of last year the resultant effect on the 2012 figures would have been merely to reduce the loss from £14.7k to £5.7k!

Yet again, this year we have suffered from the resignation of a Bar Manager, with the departure of Andy Seaton in September, but we have managed to find a worthy replacement in Mrs June Mackie, who came on board in November and has, by all accounts, been extremely successful in introducing herself to the Club Centre, and creating a positive working relationship with the membership and the staff. A reappraisal of our bar prices was undertaken late in the year, and an independent stock-taker has been hired to help us come to terms with, and understand, our diminishing gross profit percentage. It is pleasing to report that these two actions, along with the hard work of our new Bar Manager, have seen the Gross Profit percentage for the first 2 and a half months of 2013 return to 52%+. Obviously, it is vitally important that while we continue to suffer from a diminishing bar turnover we ensure that the profit we make on it should be at least maintained at this current level. This will mean that we continue to source our stock at the most beneficial cost available to us, and that as and when increases in price are imposed on us we must, in turn, reflect these increases in our bar prices. To this end the committee is currently considering a supply proposal from Tennents, which, though tying us to Tennents for two years, would ensure a more favourable cost outcome.

Whilst one of our main priorities is to increase the overall individual membership of the Club Centre, we must recognise the extent to which the Club Centre is utilised by commercial lets, Club Centre events, and various ad hoc non-FP meetings. An extraordinarily diverse number of organisations have utilised the Club Centre in the last year.

The Club Centre came into existence in 1969, through the good offices of a few visionary FPs, when the purpose of creating such a magnificent facility was rooted in providing the local FP family with a place to meet and enjoy each other’s company. Over the following years the ‘raison d’etre’ for the Club Centre has changed considerably. The main changes have been the ‘opening’ of the Club Centre to allow non-FPs to join, and the need to become a far more commercially open organisation to enable the Centre to generate non-bar related income to ensure its continued existence. We now have to appreciate what purpose the Club Centre fulfils, and consider the need for ‘hard decisions’ which have featured in all these reports over the last four years.

Financially we are staring at the abyss, and realistically have to recognise that we cannot continue to operate as we have in the last decade. At some point one of three things is likely to push us to the brink of not being able to continue: (1) We will run out of cash, at which point the likelihood is that any decision to continue will be taken away from us and be decided by a third party. We are perilously close to exhausting our line of credit (provided through the FP Club). (2) The FP Club, as our parent organisation, will decide that the Club Centre is no longer a viable entity, and decide to wind us up. (3) The few extremely hard-working members of the Club Centre committee will find it impossible to carry on, demit office, and the FP Club is unable to replace them. This, although it sounds an unlikely reason for the Club Centre to go under, is a distinct possibility, since both the Chairman and the Secretary wish to demit office, and in terms of the constitution the Chairman can only be replaced by an FP - with currently, no potential candidates.

This may seem to be an overly dark scenario, but it is considered that it would be remiss not make Club members in general fully aware of our current position, and the implications of not being able to reverse previous year’s loss making trends. The Centre committee will endeavour to continue to do all that it can to rectify the current position, but the ‘call to arms’ delivered in the last four years is again repeated. If the Club Centre is to continue we, as the current members, have to re-double their efforts to utilise the facilities available to us, so that the Centre, so magnificently created some forty-four years ago, remains available for use by future members. We must surely not let this chance of

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saving the Club Centre slip through our fingers, and only discover how great a loss it is once it is too late to do anything about it.

Canada

Canadian Centre FPs reached a notable milestone during the weekend of September 7-9 when their Annual Reunion, following a well-established script, took place in Ottawa and environs – the eighth occasion on which the nation's capital has welcomed our much travelled FPs.

The reunion was notable in that it was the twentieth consecutive such gathering and witnessed the installation of the twentieth individual to serve as President of the Centre. Our Annual Reunions have frequently been honoured by the presence of the President of the Parent Club, but unfortunately on this occasion Nigel Watt, the first third-generation Club President, was unable to join us but had sent his speech to the Secretary.

Thirteen FPs and their partners, 23 persons in all, most from Ontario with a sprinkling from Alberta, Scotland and the United States, enjoyed fine weather on two days, but ran the gauntlet of horrendous rainfall on Saturday, the day of the Annual Dinner in Gatineau, Quebec,

On Friday evening an informal get-together to welcome FPs took place at the Army Officers’ Mess in Ottawa. Those attending strolled along downtown streets to enjoy the informal ambience of the Mess, complete with canapes and the usual assorted beverages. The "Friday welcome" as always, was an occasion to refresh faces with names (although for most of those present the other FPs were "weel kent"), and to catch up on current goings-an and past misdemeanours.

On Saturday evening the Annual Dinner took place at the Royal Ottawa Golf Club, across the Ottawa River. Peter Green, whose enthusiastic endeavours to organize this year's reunion and accompanying humour were appreciated by all, extended a welcome to the company. He referenced the Royal Ottawa as something of an "old home" for FP reunions and assured all that they should not allow the dreich weather to dampen the evening's spirits.

The first order of the evening's business saw the installation of the new President, David J. Thomson, by Immediate Past President Robert Scace. Bob noted that the installation was taking place before no less than a half-dozen Past Presidents, admirable testimony to the magnet that is the Annual Reunion. Also noted was a change to the symbols of office about to be transferred to the new President – the badge of office, the Ian Duguid decanter (filled on this occasion with The Macallan) and the Presentation Box for both, atop which sits an inscription plate with the names of all the Centre's presidents and secretaries. Such has been the durability of the Canadian Centre that the original inscription plate could no longer accommodate the names of future officials. A larger plate was prepared, carrying all information to date, and of sufficient size that space remains for the names of at least the next twenty Presidents. Surely there could be no better expression of optimism about the future wellbeing of the Centre.

David Thomson epitomizes FPs who left the native hearth to go about the globe, adding to the Grammar diaspora. First testing international waters through the Merchant Navy, David pursued an engineering career, first in South Africa (1968-98), then on to Seattle (1998-90), Australia (1990), back to Seattle and eventually to Sudbury, Ontario. Along the way his technical specialism in rock drilling techniques took him to Sweden, Ghana and Honduras. He was President of the World Rock Drilling Association, 1986-88. Some present remembered that David's father, ‘Tiger' Thomson, had been their languages teacher at the Grammar, yet another link in that web of associations that repeatedly infiltrates these reunions.

Bill Buyers said Grace and the company proceeded to enjoy dinner. The President's Address and Toast to the School and the FP Club followed. David Thomson recounted

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with pride his entry to the Junior School followed a family transfer to Aberdeen from Kintore and his father's engagement as a languages teacher at the School. (Thomson Senior would later become Head of Languages at lnverurie Academy). “The one thing that has always stayed with me," he observed, "has been the pride of attending the Grammar School and the experiences and friends made there,"

The President recalled episodes from his years at the Grammar; memories included "a flying blackboard duster" that attached itself to the corkboard in Jim Michie's French class, Phil Barron's acrobatics during rugby, his aunt sharing Crabbies Green Ginger wine with him after practice in the cold, his enthusiastic support of Keith House sports, and fond memories of favourite haunts, not least the Holburn Cafe and Madame Murray's on a Saturday night.

Most poignant perhaps of David's remarks were those related to the role of the School during World War II. Noting that the information provided had come from an older lady friend in Sudbury (Hylda Ritchie, 85 years young) who had "attended" the Grammar during the war, he recounted that in September 1939 the Central Secondary School was taken over by the Military for use as a hospital. It was decided that the Central and Grammar schools would have to share space and time at the Grammar School. Each school went half-days, Monday to Saturday with Grammar in the mornings, Central in the afternoons, alternating each month. The system did not work very well and was changed to Grammar pupils going for full days on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and Central on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Again, the days were switched monthly – and they were long days from 8.30 to 5.00.

Air raid shelters were built under part of the playground where there had been trees, grass and flowers. When air raid sirens sounded teachers and pupils trooped out to the shelters which were basic – concrete walls, hard wooden benches, naked light bulbs, water constantly underfoot and no toilets. Apparently some teachers attempted to continue lessons, surroundings notwithstanding!

David then touched on one of those curious coincidences that happen in our lives. In Sudbury in 1999 two FPs resident in the city were introduced to each other – David and Mike King! Mike encouraged David to attend Canada Centre functions and David remains grateful for this advice.

The reply to the toast was given by Mike King, a stalwart of the Canadian Centre though now resident in Salt Lake City in the United States, and sharing something in common with the President in that he lived and worked for a time in Sudbury. Mike embarked on a most thoughtful presentation that speaks very much to a post-war world abroad that opened to FPs (very much reflected in the body of the Canada Centre) the realities of today that witness both continuing evolution of the School itself, even as the world itself continues to change, and their joint consequences for the status of the FP organisation.

Mike had utilised a lengthy delay at Detroit on his way to Ottawa to read the recently received Magazine and caught up on all the goings-on at the School and the comments of Edward Ross and Michael Auld on their days at the Grammar in the 1950s, a few years ahead of himself. Looking at the School Section he was struck by the number and wide range of prizes awarded – prizes in Graphic Communication, Enterprise, Human Biology and so on – prizes which would have been inconceivable in his day. He was likewise impressed by the range of after-school activities now available to pupils, from the Book Club to the World Challenge group travelling to Tanzania. The educational opportunities afforded to present day pupils are so much greater than in his time.

The comments of Messrs. Ross and Auld reflect the restricted educational circumstances of the 1950s in that we all share the same memories of our teachers because of the uniformity of our academic selections. Also it is clear that Wednesday afternoons at Rubislaw were not especial highlights for those not athletically inclined. Those were times during which most of us were destined to continue our studies or pursue our careers in

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Aberdeen or its surrounds, so continued social interaction with fellow FPs was a natural occurrence, particularly on the playing fields of Rubislaw on a Saturday afternoon.

Gillian Thomas presented the Secretary's Report and delivered President Nigel Watt’s speech.

The Toast to ‘Absent Friends’ was offered by Ruaraidh Mclntyre, who spoke of the meaning of friendship, disappointment when friends cannot foregather, and of loss encountered when friends are no longer with us. In the latter vein he spoke of his personal sense of loss with the passing in 2011 of Stephen Robertson. Widely appreciated for his seminal participation in ‘Scotland the What’, Stephen's ties to School and University were close.

Other Business provided an opportunity for Bob Scace to speak to the Canada Chairs Project. First mooted at the Annual Reunion of 2011 in Calgary in response to communications with the School, endorsed at the reunion and conceptualised in the succeeding year as donations began to arrive, the Ottawa reunion provided a second opportunity to discuss the project at first hand, this time before primarily Central Canadian FPs. Some cautions notwithstanding, the consensus was that the project was worth supporting.

Gillian Thomas announced that the next Reunion is to take place in Vancouver and will be organized by John Hollifield and Sandy Shearer. Perhaps surprisingly this will be the first reunion to be held in Vancouver, and already there are signs that the weekend will have some special touches.

David Thomas concluded the evening by inviting all who wished to enjoy a dram from his Presidential Decanter to do so, but to leave enough in it to see him home to Sudbury.

The weekend concluded in fine style on Sunday with Brunch hosted by Peter Green and his spouse Anne Gregory. Yesterday's rain having departed in favour of a bright, sunny morning, FPs wound their way southwards from Ottawa on a one-hour drive that brought them to the amusingly titled "Canada's South Coast" at Prescott on the bank of the St. Lawrence River. Greeted by Peter, Anne and Nevis, "our black, exceedingly hospitable Labrador", forewarned FPs beat churchgoers to the vital parking spots and were delighted with the charming historic home which our hosts have lovingly renovated and accompanying backyard facilities suitably equipped to handle a flock of FPs (although noone partook of the swimming tank other than to admire its placid surface). The Brunch was truly spectacular, all the more so because of an untimely oven malfunction which was rapidly and heroically overcome. Set out before us was an incredible assortment of rowies, black buns and an array of other traditional dishes that elicited sounds of gastronomic satisfaction and fond memories of "fare frae hame." The Brunch also was an occasion to meet and reminisce with Roy Brown (1932-43) from Kingston, Ontario, who though long a resident of Canada was on this day attending his first gathering of Canadian FPs. This undoubtedly was a fitting and appropriate conclusion to another successful reunion weekend.

The following FPs were present at the Reunion (in the customary order of year of entry to the School): Roy Brown (1932-43), Kingston, Ontario; Bill Guthrie (1939-51), Brighton, Ontario; Bill Buyers (1942-55), Deep River, Ontario; Ruaridh McIntyre (194552), Greely, Ontario; Peter Green (1946-57), Prescott, Ontario; Phil Barron (1948-56), Kanata, Ontario; Mike Hardy (1948-59), Almonte, Ontario; Mike King (1951-60), Salt Lake City, Utah; Alex Home (1952-58), Kitchener, Ontario; David Thomson (1952-58), Val Caron, Ontario; Ian Marr (1954-58), Kanata, Ontario; Bob Scace (1954-60), Calgary, AB; Roy Marr (1959-63), Aberdeen and Gillian Thomas (1975-80), Calgary, AB; Edinburgh

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

The Edinburgh Centre held its Annual Dinner on Friday 19th April 2013 in the Clubhouse of the Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society. President W. Morrison (Morr) Brown took the Chair. Morr welcomed the company of thirty-one members and guests, including Honorary Vice-President of the Parent Club, Arthur McCombie, who was the principal guest, the Rector, Graham Legge, the Head Girl, Georgia Smith, the Head Boy, Euan Christie, the recently installed President of the Parent Club, Martin Jeffrey and Malcolm Gauld, the President of the Glasgow Centre. A particular welcome was extended to Peter Jeffrey, representing the Canada Centre and a table of younger FPs, mustered by Robbie Samuel. Apologies were received from various locally based FPs, all of whom conveyed their best wishes for the evening.

Arthur McCombie took as his theme, “Bon Record – A History of Aberdeen Grammar School”, the recently published book produced by him in collaboration with Brian Lockhart, concluding his remarks by proposing the toast of “The School and the Club”. Replies were given by the Rector, Georgia Smith and Euan Christie on behalf of the School and Martin Jeffrey for the Club, in his first function as President.

The Centre AGM was held during the evening, when Morr Brown was re-elected as President and James Rust was re-elected as Honorary Secretary and Treasurer.

It was reported that the 2012 annual golf match with the Glasgow Centre had to be cancelled due to lack of numbers and there are no plans for 2013.

Next year’s Annual Dinner is scheduled to be held in the Clubhouse of Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society on Friday 4th April 2014

Any FP who has recently come to the Edinburgh area and who has not received a communication from the Edinburgh Centre is invited to contact James Rust, at his home address, 19 Denham Green Terrace, Edinburgh, EH5 3PE (Tel. 0131 552 6603) or by email to james.rust@btconnect.com.

The following FPs attended the Dinner (in order of entry into school): Peter Millar (193344), Morr Brown (1933-46), Stewart Fowlie (1935-42), Eddie Fraser (1936-49), Gordon Coutts (1938-51), Martin Jeffrey (1942-57), David Brittain (1943-49), Peter Jeffrey (194459), Bill Steele (1945-51), Gordon McAndrew (1946-51), Robin Rilley (1947-55), Malcolm Gauld (1947-61), Nigel Watt (1963-69), James Rust (1963-71), Robbie Samuel (01-08), Lisa Souter (01-08), Fion Jones (01-08), Caitlin Taylor (01-08), and Rebecca Graham (01-08).

Glasgow

‘HULLAWRER PEEPUL’ was the traditional warm Glasgow welcome given by President Malcolm Gauld to thirty-five members and guests (including local representatives of Gordonians and High School FPs) at our annual dinner on Friday 26th October 2012 at the Hilton Garden Inn on the banks of the Clyde. After an excellent meal, the A.G.M. of the Centre was held, the accounts approved, and the committee, for their sins, unanimously reelected.

Mr. Jack Webster, M.Univ., journalist and author (of, amongst many others, arguably the best work to be published in the 21st Century, ‘The First 100 Years of The Dons’), enthralled us all with stories of places seen and people met during his long career. Jack then proposed a most appropriate toast to the School and the Club. Thanking Jack, Malcolm asked the question, ‘Why this Peasant (as Jack has described himself) has never been honoured by the Queen is, I am sure, a complete mystery to us all?’ Perhaps someone was listening, as John Barron Webster was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to Journalism in the New Year Honours List.

The Depute Rector, Janet Adams, very ably assisted by Euan Christie (Head Boy) and Gillian Bain (Deputy Head Girl) replied to Jack’s Toast on behalf of the School and updated us on all that was happening within its hallowed grounds. Nigel Watt, President

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of the Parent Club, replied on their behalf with, inter alia, many facts and stories of the FPs who 'revived' the Glasgow Centre in 1981. Margery Taylor (née Coutts) proposed the Vote of Thanks and the assembled company gradually disappeared into the night, well fed and very well entertained.

This year’s dinner will be held on Friday 1st November 2013, again at the Hilton Garden Inn who have previously 'done us proud'. Will our existing membership please come along and support this event and any FPs new to the area or those interested in ascertaining more, please get in touch as indicated below.

This season, our curling team, with two wins, came 4th in the 6-team Wanderers League. Our squad of Stefan Colling, Malcolm Gauld, Alistair Fyall, Jim Leask, Margery Taylor and the occasional guest, continue to improve. Can we do even better next season? New players, even ‘ice virgins’, are always most welcome, so contact Malcolm on 01355 237039 or mwrg@hotmail.com

Unfortunately due to business pressures, the 2012 golf match against Edinburgh did not take place and so far we have been unable to find enough players for a match this year. Where are all our golfers?

We would be delighted, to hear from any FPs interested in becoming involved in any of our activities or even just going onto our mailing list to be informed of future events. Please contact our Secretary, Margery Taylor on 0141-562-9638 or at marg7ery@ntlworld.com

Thanks, as always, to our local committee Gary Allan, Peter Cairns (Treasurer), Stefan Colling, Malcolm Gauld, Jim Leask, David McNay and Margery Taylor.

The following FPs attended the annual dinner (in order of entry into School): Peter Cairns (1945-57), Malcolm Gauld (1947-61), David McNay (1956-69), Graham Watt (1957-70), Jim Leask (1960-66), Nigel Watt (1963-69), Brian Davidson (1968-74), Alan Kinghorn (1974-79), Malcolm Daniel (1975-81), and Margery Taylor (1975-81).

London

After a number of false starts, matters are finally moving forward in the London Centre.

With assistance from the Parent Club, a new database of Former Pupils based in the London area is being created. Those with known email addresses have already been contacted and anyone who has not yet been contacted is asked to please forward us their details to the Secretary, Sandy Nicol at anicol@lineone.net if they wish to be included on our database.

As a first event, our President Donald Lamont hosted a very successful informal lunch at the Lady Ottoline Gastropub in Bloomsbury on Sunday 30 June 2013 for a number of FPs, their wives and partners, with the Parent Club being represented by current President Martin Jeffrey. FPs present were Martin J. Wagrel (1943-49), Donald A. Lamont (195165), Erik A. S. Porter (1951-58), J. Martin Jeffrey (1952-57), Malcolm F. Rennie (195265), Richard B. Rae (1959-67) and Sandy Nicol (1962-71).

With the experience of this event, we are hopeful of devising a modest but interesting programme for the forthcoming year. The ongoing challenge is, of course, the recruitment of younger members to the London Centre and this will thus remain as a priority.

Yorkshire

Thirty-one members and guests met for the Centre's 54th Annual Dinner on Friday 27th September at the ever-enjoyable Grange Hotel, York. Centre President, Doug Skene, opened the evening by welcoming several new guests and presenting an entertaining review of the Centre's history since its formation in 1948. Unfortunately the new Centre

did not quite get its deserved publicity, being somewhat overshadowed by the 1949 London Olympic Games – but, of course, the media frequently get their priorities wrong.

Doug then introduced Principal Guest, Cath Timberlake, a Yorkshire Lass and a nationally respected senior commercial insurance figure. After an amusing, light-hearted address she enthusiastically proposed the toast `The School and the Club'.

In response, Rector Graham Legge, emphasised the achievements of the Schoolrecent surveys ranking it 10th out of 400 schools nationally. He then introduced Head Boy, Euan Christie and Head Girl, Georgia Smith who quoted specific school successes in competitive sports, in academic fields, in music, drama and in exciting new projects – a Tanzanian school-building venture and designing a hi-tech model F1 car to reach the World Final of a challenge competition. The Rector then summarised and acknowledged the continuing support which the School enjoys from the FP Club.

Parent Club President, Nigel Watt, was then welcomed by Doug Skene, who reminded us that both Nigel's father, Alan, and grandfather, Theodore, had held the Club Presidency – a unique family achievement in the Club's history. Before appraising the current position of the Club, Nigel reminded us of three recently deceased past Presidents, Tim Morrison, Donny Innes and Steve Robertson all truly remarkable Grammarians. He also made us aware of the forthcoming launch of Bon Record - a fascinating history of the Grammar. In conclusion, Nigel recognised that, although there may be some areas of concern, essentially the Club continues to be in very good heart.

After a splendid formal programme, the traditional Birse tea was, as always, thoroughly enjoyed.

Former Pupils attending the Dinner (in order of entry into School) were: Wilson McIntosh (1932-45), Alistair Millar (1942-55), Robert Cromar (1944-49), Dick Tyson (1944-49), David P. Smith (1945-47), Brian Bruce (1946-51), Michael Walker (1946-58), Neil Borthwick (1952-65), Ivor Douglas (1952-57), Douglas Skene (1959-64), Ian Fraser (1961-68), Nigel Watt (1963-69), David Galloway (1976-82), Martin Coulter (1983-89) and Stefan Colling (1990-96).

Section Reports

Cricket

1st XI

The 2012 season was largely a disappointing one both due to results and the awful weather throughout the summer. The 1st XI finished second from the bottom in 8th place, well ahead of Crathie but were not relegated as Kintore had already scratched all their fixtures in Grade 1. The record read Played 11, Won 2, Lost 9, with five games lost to weather. The wins came against Crathie by six wickets, as John Eagles collected 6 for 19 and versus Mannofield by three wickets, where a typically belligerent 56 from Tom Booth set FPs on course during the chase. We probably had the worse of the conditions in being well placed on a couple of occasions only for rain to intervene. Tom Booth was particularly unlucky against Inverurie as when on 110 not out with six sixes and seven fours, of the 164 for 4, the heavens opened and the game was deemed a draw with only 30 overs played.

In the Cup we fell at the first hurdle in the three times replayed match against St. Ronald. It was perhaps the strangest game of the season, as FPS recovered from 68 for 9 to post 125 all-out, thanks to last man Sam Knudson with his still fractured hand making 37. This innings proved just how missed he was due to injury throughout the season. We

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then reduced St Ronald to 0 for 2 in 2 balls as Vijay Vijapur produced a magical opening spell. In the end, however, St Ronald sneaked home.

In terms of bowling, Vijay was top performer claiming 17 wickets at 20.6, and with a bit of luck may have claimed a few more as he regularly managed to beat the outside edge. He was a real asset to the 1st XI and showed a great attitude in always wanting to bowl, regardless of the circumstances. Roland Knudson claimed 14 @ 19.2 and John Eagles 12 @ 9.8. Six other bowlers claimed wickets, but overall we were probably lacking in real firepower. Harry Mapplebeck, at 19 years of age, looked as if he could be someone who could take more wickets in the coming years, and if Sam Knudson can stay fit he will certainly have a role to play in 2013.

In terms of batting, Tom Booth started to fulfil his potential, scoring 298 at an average of 27.1 and hopefully in 2013 he can add a little more patience to ensure that he makes the big scores of which his talents are capable. Paul McDonald played some strong innings, scoring 134 @ 13.4, but only Geoff Morrison with 133 @ 14.78, Roland Knudson with 117 @ 13.0 and John Davey with 128 @ 10.7 passed 100 runs. There is no doubt that conditions were not conducive to batting, with the Rubislaw outfield in a shocking state with the grass seldom cut, but overall we failed to get enough runs on the board.

In catching and fielding we had some good days, notably the win at Mannofield, but too often we let ourselves down by failing to take match-changing chances.

We enjoyed a friendly against Orkney, which was predictably halted by rain after we had made over 200 and we reached the finals of the Glasgow 6s, only to be defeated by a strong side in the final.

Importantly though, the players displayed great commitment and sportsmanship throughout the season and were easy to captain for new skipper Geoff Morrison, replacing Roland Knudson after nine years. In all, 29 players appeared for the 1st XI during 2012. John Davey was a great help as vice-captain and having Roland Knudson, Chris Clelland and Gary Stuart regularly in the team, Morrison was never short of helpful advice. Newcomer Matt Barker is also worthy of mention; having had to retire from rugby due to injury the former Grammar rugby player showed a fantastic attitude and his enthusiasm was infectious, always happy to help the team out regardless of the job he was asked to do and his attitude never changed despite often getting limited opportunity. He is certainly someone we should all try to follow.

Into 2013, it is imperative that we work as a club, and not as separate teams, to ensure that the best eleven players are playing in the 1st XI and it is hoped that players such as Arul, Pehlaj and Karthik amongst many others are pushing for 1st team inclusion as they deserve a chance to show what they can really do in Grade 1. In terms of Rubislaw, ideally we would like to get back to having a grass pitch and have been pushing this with the Council, and we will continue to pursue them to at least roll and cut the outfield. With the 3rd XI now launched, it is imperative that we continue to raise funds, and we have already managed to get a few sponsorship deals in place for 2013.

2nd XI

The 2nd XI were promoted to Grade 2 at the end of season 2012, but found the going hard during a rain interrupted season and were eventually relegated back down to Grade 3. However, a good run in the Bon Accord Cup saw them reach the final, which unfortunately Grade 2 winners, St Ronald 2nd XI also reached, and FPs were beaten in a hard fought match.

The first game of the season was washed out, but after the second game FPs were top of Grade 2, having beaten Cults/Artisans at a cold, damp Rubislaw. This was a very encouraging start, with previous season’s top wicket-taker Magesh taking 7 for 30 and Pehlaj scoring 52 not out.

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

The following week saw another home game and another wet week which found the bowlers run up from the Pavilion end adjudged too wet to use. A great suggestion by the Knightriders captain to only use the drier Cromwell Road end to bowl from, meant that a sunny Saturday would not be wasted. The match ended with a fighting draw by FPs, one of several as a lack of batting in depth meant that run chases were difficult.

The inclusion of Tom Booth from the 1st XI, drafted in as wicketkeeper, proved to be one of the batting highlights of the season. From the first over against Academy at Rubislaw he set about the unfortunate bowlers unleashing a dazzling array of attacking shots all around the wicket. He was eventually dismissed for 132 including three sixes and fourteen fours, reaching his century with a classic straight drive for four. (The number of boundaries is the more impressive given the length of the grass in the outfield). The match was duly won, with Magesh taking a further four wickets.

FPs then visited the new artificial wicket at Hazlehead, home of Knightriders, an outfield not built for cricket. The sight of two ducks (feathered variety) on the field of play indicated how boggy it was. The match report caused a bit of a storm in the Grades website when, in an attempt to highlight the poor state of the Council-maintained grounds, the report jokingly stated that the two captains had agreed that in an effort to give shots full value, boundaries would count as ‘8’, not ‘4’. Even this slight alteration to the rules would not have saved FPs, losing by 94 runs. The game ended with FPs upholding ‘The Spirit of the Game’ by sportingly agreeing to reverse an umpiring decision, despite being only four overs away from an unlikely draw.

An unscheduled mid-season break of five Saturdays due to weather was frustrating, much like the batting in several matches. One exception was the game at Kings, home of a rampant St Ronald 2nd XI. The match started in perfect sunny conditions and the St Ronald batsmen made hay, scoring 224 off 36 overs. This left FPs a mammoth 54 overs to score the runs or, as equally unlikely, bat out for a draw.

Despite losing top batsman Pehlaj in the first over, Rizwan sustaining a broken finger, followed by several teasing rain breaks and bad light, FPs batted with great determination and fought out a draw. Karthik batted with great restraint, scoring an epic 64 not out, with Johnston and Norwood providing determined support. This was the only game completed in Aberdeen due to the thunderstorms and was the batting performance of the season.

FPs lost the next game by one wicket and then were unable to finish off Caledonian in the next frustrating match. This, followed by defeat at Banchory, meant that the last game of the season left FPs requiring full points to avoid relegation. A sunny start at the Links against bottom placed Academy raised hopes, but a tropical thunderstorm ended the match after only 21 overs, which meant that FP 2nds were relegated to Grade 3.

Although FPs were unlucky on a couple of occasions, the league table does not lie. The batting was too inconsistent, although injuries and 1st XI call ups did not help. We did not play on a grass wicket until 11th August, but the hope is that a grass square can be reintroduced at Rubislaw in the near future, red tape allowing.

The Bon Accord Cup provided some welcome relief, the cup run beginning with 2nds beating Gordonians at Countesswells, scoring 286 for 4 off forty overs, John Davey and Vijay Vijapur scoring 89 and 67 respectively. In reply, Gordonians were 146 all out, James Lord taking 3 for 33. We beat Stoneywood-Dyce/Queens Cross in a thrilling semi-final by only three runs, scoring 150 all out, of which Karthik scored 51 and Pehlaj 43, with Stoneywood-Dyce/Queens Cross just falling short with 147 for 5 off their forty overs.

The Cup Final was against Grade 2 champions St Ronald 2nd XI at the picturesque Methlick ground. For the first time in this cup run FPs had twelve players to choose from, the XI selected being Johnston, Magesh, Rama, Pehlaj, Karthik, Vijay, Goodenough, Arul, R. Knudson, Morrison and Rahul.

FPs lost the toss and St Ronald decided as usual to bat, hoping to pile on the runs. Things were looking bleak when the score stood at 129 for 3 off twenty-four overs, but a great spell of bowling by Vijay saw St Ronald collapse to 139 for 8. The final total for St

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Ronald was 163 all out off 34.2 overs, with Vijay taking 5 for 22, four of which were LBW. The joys of a neutral umpire! Unfortunately this being a forty over cup match, FPs were unable to claim the balance of the allotted overs.

In reply, FPs’ openers batted carefully, the St Ronald bowlers being fast and accurate, and we were struggling at 19 for 3 off twelve overs. Not even a partnership of 97 between Pehlaj and Karthik was enough to keep us in the hunt, and St Ronald eventually won by 30 runs, FPs ending 130 for 5. Top scorers were Pehlaj with 62 runs and Karthik with 36.

The St Ronald bowling attack will give many Grade 1 teams a hard time next season, and FPs can be happy to have reached a final for the first time in several years and having given St Ronald a good game.

Although playing in Grade 2 against better bowling attacks, there was one centurion, Tom Booth, with 132. There were also more 50s scored in 2012 than the previous season in Grade 3 with nine in total; Pehlaj and Karthik each scored three, Kieran Whyte scored two fast 50’s, with Vijay, Arul, John Davey each scoring one.

Top run scorer for FPs was Pehlaj with 348 runs @ 38.66, with Karthik 292 @ 29.2, Whyte 198 @ 28.2. Other batting milestones were century partnerships between Davey and Vijay, 176 versus Gordonians, Whyte and Magesh added 114 (for seventh wicket) against Queens Cross/Stoneywood Dyce and Booth and Johnston added 103 against Academy.

FP’s Vice-captain Magesh was by far the leading bowler, taking a fantastic 31 wickets @16.58, but unluckily for him the Grade 2 Bowling Trophy is decided on average runs per wicket, not total wickets taken. Other leading wicket takers were newcomer Rahul 13 @ 16.53, Whyte 13 @ 21.23, Karthik 12 @ 35.08.

The fielding was again outstanding by FPs, the catching was excellent with Karthik top man taking seven catches and being instrumental in an amazing five run-outs. Wicketkeeper Pehlaj held three catches and benefited from the slow bowling of Magesh and Rahul by making five stumpings.

The all-rounder trophy, needless to say, went to Karthik, whose 292 runs @ 29.2, twelve wickets @ 35.08, seven catches and five run-outs is quite an achievement!

Grammar schoolboys Liam Alexander, Lickson Manjumu, Kingshuk Ghosh, David Blues and Jesten D’Costa all played for FPs this season and all acquitted themselves well under, at times, difficult situations and conditions. Liam, on his debut, had to act as runner for an injured team mate, Lickson played an excellent, responsible innings at Banchory, helping to add 32 vital runs, Kingshuk made his debut against the promotion winning Methlick team and David Blues took his first wicket in his first match for FPs against old rivals Gordonians. Jesten D’Costa was chosen as Young Player of the Year following some excellent performances, including 2 for 21 against Caledonian and some brilliant fielding.

Although it was disappointing to be relegated after only one season in Grade2, reaching the Bon Accord Cup Final was some consolation. There was not much between fifth position and ninth position in the league and with a couple of games going our way, we would have been safe. There were 34 players used during the season as holidays, exams and 1st XI call ups took their toll.

Next season we are fielding a new 3rd XI in Grade 3 with the promise of new players joining and the intention of playing as many schoolboys as possible in this new development team. Hopefully this will foster a new generation of cricket players coming through the School, which must be encouraged in order to keep the FPs cricket section as strong as possible.

Ken Peters Memorial Trophy

In deciding who had contributed most to the season’s junior cricket in order to qualify for the award of the Trophy this year, the master in charge of cricket, Alan Smith, and FP

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

coaches Richard Ferro and Ian Johnston, took into account performance, potential, determination, enthusiasm and improvement displayed during the coaching sessions and also during School and House matches. They awarded the Trophy to David Blues. David performed outstandingly in all matches and immediately looked at home in the FP team. His all-round performances stood out and David looks a great prospect for FPs in Grades cricket.

This year also saw the retirement of Alan Smith as master in charge of the cricket team. Over many years he has been instrumental in promoting cricket at the School, coaching, encouraging, organising and driving the boys to the away matches all over Scotland. FPs are grateful to him for promoting cricket and there are many players over the years who, but for Alan’s enthusiasm, would have missed out on playing cricket at all levels.

Curling

We are continuing to enjoy our curling with Rubislaw. Despite the long winter, Curling was largely unaffected by the weather and our season completed on time.

As mentioned last year, we had a new trophy this year, the Lorraine Hay KO trophy and , fittingly, the first winners were a team skipped by Geddie Hay.

Numbers for the Section have remained static and we would welcome any new members. It is not necessary to have any experience of Curling as the Ice Rink Club runs beginners' sessions which are highly rated. Anyone interested should contact me.

Ian P Souter Secretary

ianpsouter@aol.com; Tel:01224 867000

Golf

We had our usual outings last year, with two trips to Braemar in May and September, Ballater in June and mid-week outings to Alford and Kemnay.

Following the 2011 washout at Castle Stuart, we actually made it there this year, and over twenty of us enjoyed watching Saturday’s play (third round). The Golf Course has a spectacular location on the edge of the Moray Firth opposite the Black Isle and with impressive mountain scenery to the North and West. We held our AGM in the beer tent adjacent to the 18th Green and this was duly reported to the Professional Golf Association, who were organising the Tournament. Ever thoughtful of promoting the game at all levels, and recognising the presence of such a prestigious golfing society, the P.G.A. have relocated the Scottish Open to Royal Aberdeen in 2014, which will be much more convenient for our AGM and save our members a trip up the A96.

Men’s Hockey Teams’ Performance

The 2012-13 season was an excellent one for the Men’s Section, with the club in a stronger position now in terms of player talent, strength, character and depth than for over twenty years. For the club to qualify for two National Finals in the same season is a first for Grammar FPs in the modern era on Astroturf, and a great achievement.

After promotion from National League 3 last season the 1st XI achieved a solid fourth out of twelve teams in National League 2. They also reached the Scottish Plate Final but, unfortunately, lost 7-2 at Peffermill on Saturday 25th May against Hillhead from NL1. The score line was not a fair reflection of the players’ efforts as, trailing 3-0 at half-time, they

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rallied well early into the second half to pull the score back to 3-2 and had a great opportunity to level the match. All involved deserve congratulations

It was also a good season for the 2nd XI who came fourth out of nine teams in the Regional League North. They also got to the District Plate final at Peffermill against Hillhead 2nd XI on Saturday 4th May but, unfortunately, lost out 3-2 after a closely fought match which they really could have won. Well done to Dr Andrew Webster (coach) and Dave Murray (captain) and all the team.

The highlight of the season for our 3rd XI was the 0-1 defeat and 1-1 draw with the 2nd XI in the Regional League North. It just goes to show that experience can counter energy and enthusiasm!

Unfortunately this season was disappointing for the 4th XI and the 5th XI (Colts) as fixtures were continually disrupted by the appalling winter, with continual re-scheduling which was very frustrating for both captains and players.

Congratulations to the U-16 boys who made it through to the National League Finals too, only for Scottish Hockey to scupper their efforts by arranging the final the day before the Standard Grade English Exam! Sadly, the boys had to forfeit their right to play in the finals as their education comes first. A request has been made to Scottish Hockey to ensure that future finals do not clash with the National Exams timetable.

It is pleasing to see promising youth coming through the ranks, and players who have made a marked improvement are Stuart Adams, Matt Fraser, Kingshuk Ghosh, Harry Leggett, Chris Levitt, Calum Lewis, David McCallan, Alex Morrison, Hamish Robson, Calum Webb and Paul Weston.

Indoor:

The 1st XI reached the play-off final for promotion from National League 4A to National League 3 but unfortunately, after a great season and effort, many players were unavailable for the final and the team lost 4-3 to Edinburgh University. Congratulations to the 2nd XI who won all their games and retained the North District League title. The schoolboys won the U-16 North District and the U-18s qualified for the national finals.

Coaching:

At the end of the season Dr. Ben Johnson stepped down after over twenty years’ commitment to Youth Development. Thanks to Ben for his hard work and dedication over the years which is now paying dividends with Ewan Christie, Alex Morrison and Harry Leggett all progressing to the 1st XI, 2nd XI and District and Scottish Schoolboys level. Our thanks are due to the following members for their hard work throughout the season in organising and coaching the teams:

Seniors: Dr. Andrew Webster & Euan Christie

S3 – S6 boys: Stuart Christie, Greg Anderson & John Dargie

S1 – S2 boys: Fred Lawson & Ben Johnson

Indoor: Greg Anderson, Fred Lawson, Ben Johnson, Peter & Tony Duguid

Primary: Fred Lawson (Mile End) & Ben Johnson (Ashley Road)

Organiser: Ben Johnson

Other helpers: Geoff Weston & Colin Hannick

Umpiring:

Once again we have to thank the club’s National League Umpires, Dick Wallis, David Wallis, Bob Dickson, and Kevin Pope for their dedication. We also thank Dave Beattie, the new “Umpiring Co-ordinator”. who will also assist the club to encourage more players to achieve their umpiring badge.

Sponsors:

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

Our generous sponsors are Ixar, QuEnSH Specialist, Aberdeen Stratlab, Relocation Scotland and Shell UK to all of whom we are very grateful.

Fundraising:

We had a very successful Grammarians Cup and John Drummond weekend on 24/25 November, with over £1,200 raised from ticket sales, donations and the raffle, all towards Youth development. The Senior Grammarians (including Ron Fraser at 80 in goal!) won the Grammarians Cup 3-1 on the Saturday against the younger Colts, and the Grammarians won the John Drummond Trophy 2-0 on the Sunday against the School 1st XI. A race night was held in October which raised £900 towards club funds.

Website:

We thank Andrew Fraser for resurrecting the website this season and also for setting up the new online kit shop which can be accessed at http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/aberdeengrammarfphockeyclub/

New Membership Secretary:

At the Annual General Meeting on 2nd May there was consensus to create a new post of Membership Secretary, and Andrew Fraser has kindly offered to take up this position.

Awards

At the Awards Barbecue on 29th June at the Club the following received awards for Season 2012/13:

 Harry Leggett - Duncan Jeffrey Trophy – (Most improved young player U-21)

 1st XI - Stronachs Cup (Best Club Team)

 Howard Smith - Graham Fraser Trophy (Best Clubman)

 Ally Saville - Williams Trophy (1st XI Player of season)

 Ally Saville - QUENSH Trophy (1st XI Team Players Player of the season)

 Patrick Van Diggelen - North East Corrosion Engineering (1st XI Top Goalscorer)

 2nd XI - Winners of North District Indoor League

 Andrew Fraser - Club Colours

Next Season

Next season the club plan to further strengthen the pool of players and consolidate our position in National League 2 with the longer-term aspiration of gaining promotion to National League 1. This will bring additional administration and expense and require a step change in the way the club operates when playing at the top level in Scotland.

Again, the Grammarians Cup and John Drummond Trophy will be held around the end of November to raise funds for youth development. There will also be a Race Night or Casino Night which will be publicised on the club website when dates are known.

Petanque

The 2013 season started on Saturday 18th May for the Triples Trophy, on what turned out to be a very wet day. However, the weather never put anyone off and the competition went ahead, albeit under umbrellas.

Former Pupils’ Section

The next competition was the Summer Solstice (Peter Tawse Trophy) on Saturday 22nd June, when the weather was kinder to us, and we had a lovely Barbecue provided by Tracey, the club caterer.

There are still three competitions to play for, Singles & Doubles on Sunday August 11th and then, last but not least, the Maurice Chevalier Trophy on Sunday September 22nd.

Last year our annual dinner did not go ahead due to lack of numbers, so instead we had a buffet and wine afternoon in December, with the cost borne by the Section, and it was a well attended day. This year at the pre-season meeting it was decided to do something similar and we have set a date for Sunday 27th October. We hope to have a dinner at the start of next year but no date has yet been confirmed.

The Petanque Section remains popular with the Club and this year so far we have 35 members. At the start of the season four tons of gravel sand/chips were laid onto the piste which has made a huge difference. The ropes separating the pistses have also been renewed and the piste seems to be in good condition. Roger continues to captain on match days, and Thomas Pinet and Richard Van Bueghn are there on match days to help smooth out the piste.

The following are the results of the 2012 competitions:

Singles Championship

Winner: Thomas Pinet

Runner-Up: Thierry

Doubles Championship

Winners: Thomas Pinet & Roger Bartlett

Runners-Up: Sheila Ritchie & David Earp

Triples Championship

Winners: Ian Esslemont, Mark Shewan & Jonny Lissiter

Runners-Up: Gail Tawse, Linda Pritchard & Ken Pritchard

Peter Tawse Memorial Trophy (Summer Solstice)

Winner: Thomas Pinet

Runner-Up: Thierry

Maurice Chevalier Trophy:

Winner: Thierry

Runner-Up: Richard Van Beughen

Office Bearers: Captain: Rodger Bartlett

Secretary/Treasurer: Karen Vass

Rugby

The season 2012-13 produced the highest quality rugby seen in the Premiership, with the point spread across the league the tightest possible. On the last day of the season seven clubs were still in contention for the British and Irish Cup and three for relegation. In the end we finished 5th, losing narrowly at Melrose who staged a strong fight back to deprive us of a British and Irish Cup place in the last ten minutes of the season.

The season had been keenly anticipated but a string of very narrow defeats (three games lost by three points or less) saw us occupy the foot of the table until December. The players rallied with a string of fine performances, with a crushing defeat handed to the newly crowned champions, Ayr, being the best performance of the season. This game, in March at Rubislaw, thrilled the large crowd. The team won the Caledonia Cup against

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

Howe of Fife and also the newly played-for Dally Allardyce Trophy against our normal nemesis, Dundee High School FP RFC, this being our first victory against Dundee in ten years.

The club had one player, Callum Anderson, selected for the club international team against Ireland and France. At Scottish U-20 level we were proud to provide Alex Hagart (10), Stuart Smith(4) and Andy Crammond (5) during the season. At Scotland U-18 level we had Luke Earl Wright (9) and Angus Rennie(14) selected for national honours.

The Second XV competed in National 1 against strong opposition and finished 7th in a league of twelve, having been in the top four for most of the season. The loss of the club captain, Colin McCaul, to work in Australia, some long term injuries plus cancelled fixtures saw them finish 7th. It was a very credible performance in a very tough league.

We entered the Melrose 7’s and won praise from all corners of the globe for our run to the semi-final, which we lost in extra time to the English giants, Saracens. This is the second year in which we have excelled in front of a massive TV audience, and the players and coaches brought massive kudos to the club.

In respect of the Youth Section, our U-15 side won the Caledonia Cup and we put out age-grade teams from Primary 4 to Under 18 all season. This does great credit to the dozens of parents who assist in coaching, managing and supporting the 250 youth players. The Youth Section remains the largest north of the central belt.

The club continues to support Aberdeen Youth Rugby Association and through our Youth Development Officer, Stuart Corsar, we deliver rugby coaching within the Aberdeen Grammar School catchment area and elsewhere throughout the City. Without our input Rugby would cease to exist in state schools across the city.

We offer warm congratulations to our players, coaches and volunteers who worked tirelessly all season to produce very high quality rugby.

Women’s Hockey

Season 2012 -13 has been an enjoyable one for the Ladies hockey Section, with the final places in the leagues not at all reflective of the outstanding standard of hockey played and commitment shown by many members of the club.

The 1st XI had a good season and finished 4th in the league. Emma Adair enthusiastically captained a team of regular players including stalwarts, some new youth members and many helpers from the 2nd XI when required.

Results: Played 16 Won 6 Drawn 3 Lost 7

Goals For 22 Goals Against 24 Points 19

The 2nd XI were joined by some new youth members this season and fittingly captained by two of the sixth year girls, Hannah McManus and Caroline Mudie. Both keenly led encouraging newer members of the club.

Results: Played 14 Won 3 Drawn 1 Lost 10

Goals For 11 Goals Against 35 Points 10

The Indoor League did not produce as much success as in previous seasons but as usual much fun was had by all and new players were introduced to the sport.

1st XI Results: Played 10 Won 2 Drawn 3 Lost 5

Goals For 28 Goals Against 32 Points 9

2nd XI Results: Played 6 Won 1 Drawn 0 Lost 8

Goals For 8 Goals Against 42 Points 3

Season 2012-13 seemed to be blighted with unfortunate injuries, untimely pregnancies and busy calendars leading to unavailability of players which resulted in fielding two

Former Pupils’ Section

teams with the same line up on some weekends The season did still manage to have its fill of well fought matches, excellent skills and many, many laughs.

More and more talented players are coming through the School’s youth squads and are proving to be committed and enthusiastic club members, some even taking up roles on the committee. We will miss the contributions of Alice Goldie, Hannah McManus and Caroline Mudie as they leave Aberdeen to go to University, but wish them well for the future. We do hope that we can tempt Hannah Mitchell to continue playing for us when possible.

The standard of the schoolgirls who have played for FPs this season can be seen from the accolades which they have achieved:

 Scotland Under 16s - Julia Stenhouse

 District Under 16s - Julia Stenhouse and Kirsten Fraser

 District Under 18s - Alice Goldie and Hannah Mitchell

We offer our congratulations to all of them!

We have been very fortunate to have a dedicated coach in the form of head boy Euan Christie. Euan has provided structured, challenging and really enjoyable training for all levels as well as side-line support when he did not have his own playing commitments. We thank him for his endless patience with us and wish him every success at University,

As ever, huge thanks also go to all the umpires who have helped us out this season, in particular Martin Fraser, Bob Dickson and Andrew Wadsworth without whom our matches could not take place.

One highlight of the season was the Carrie Welsh Cup match which saw the School first XI versus a President’s select XI in April. The Schools 1st XI never fail to impress with their skill and fitness, however age and experience won again!

We look forward very much to season 2013-14. As ever, if you are keen to take up hockey again, or even have never played before but would like to give it a try, you are very welcome to join us. Training is on Tuesday evenings at Rubislaw from 6.00pm – 7.30pm and starts on the first Tuesday in August.

For further information contact:

Emma

Williams, Secretary - agsfpwomen@live.co.uk

Annual Dinner

The following FPs attended the Dinner (in order of entering School): B.K. Crookshanks (1934-46), H.B. Paterson (1941-50), R.H. Cradock (1940-51), J.M. Jeffrey (1942-57),H.A.S. Hamilton (1943-56), A.K.Campbell (1944-53), D.B. Galloway (194458), D.R. Harper (1944-58), J.A.C. Michie (1944-58), A.D. Milne (1950-58), R. Gray (1951-65), I.H. McLeod (1951-55), I.W. Douglas (1952-57), J.C. Lyon (1953-59), D. F. McNay (1956-69), F.I. Lloyd (1958-65), N.K.B. Edwards (1959-64), D.N. Yule (196066), D. McAllister (1961-74), M.L. Bowyer (1963-69), A. Clark (1963-69), J.W. Curran (1963-69), I.C.C. Fraser (1963-69), J.K. Robertson (1958-68), R.J. Merson (1963-69), K. Smith (1963-69), N.G.M. Watt (1963-69), G.K. Yule (1963-67), S.W. Cummings (196569), M.G. Baldwin (1967-69), P.M. Robertson (1967-73), D.G. Moir (1969-75), A.J. Thompson (1969-75) and G.K. Crookshanks (1979-85). The Rector, Mr Graeme Legge, was also present.

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

The current policy of the Executive is to review Subscription rates annually, but in normal circumstances we would hope that it will only be necessary to amend them every 5 years. The Life Member “Top up” scheme – which has been hugely successful – involves a payment of £20 to cover a five-year period. Top-ups are now due for the 5-year period 2010 to 2014 inclusive. The Life Fund is stronger than it was, but still requires further “topping up”. The £20 “Top up” works out at just £4 per year for the 5-year period. We also draw down 5% of the Life Fund each year and this works out at roughly £1 per Life Member, so that, when this is added to the £4 from the “Top up”, the Club receives £5 per Life Member in total each year. This doesn’t yet match the £10 or so we receive from Annual Members, but we are moving in the right direction and we are certainly much better off than we were before the “Top up” scheme was introduced in 2000. We had a tremendous response to the introduction of the scheme, which is voluntary, and the vast majority of Life Members responded very positively. The response to the “Top up” appeal for 2005-09 went very well and it is hoped that the current period will be as successful. These payments are a vital part of the Club’s income.

Subscription rates for 20 are as follows:-

Life Membership:

New Life Members: £100 plus a £20 “Top up” every 5 years, the first “Top up” being payable 5 years after Life Membership is taken out.

Existing Life members: £20 “Top up” every 5 years

Annual Membership:

Ordinary Members: £12.50 by cheque or £10 if paid by Standing Order

Under-25 Members: £6 (Members must be aged under 25 on 1 January of Subscription Year)

School Leavers: £5 (covers remainder of year of leaving plus 1 year)

School Leavers –(Extended): £20 (covers remainder of year of leaving plus 5 years)

Note: School Leavers also become Members of the Club Centre when they reach the age of 18, for the same periods as defined above, at no extra cost.

Special Notes for Members over 75:

All members of the FP Club become “Long Service” Members from 1st January in the year following the year in which they reach the age of 75.

Life Members over 75 are no longer expected to make “Top up” Payments.

Ordinary (Annual) Members over 75 no longer have to pay any Annual Subscriptions.

Payment of Subscriptions:

Subscriptions should be sent to:

The Membership Secretary, Douglas McAllister, who will also deal with all queries about Membership, changes of address etc: His address is:

Gowanwell Cottage, Methlick, ELLON, Aberdeenshire AB41 7JL.

Tel: 07767 – 463121

Email: membership@agsfp.com

Donations and Bequests

The Second Century Fund was set up in 2000 to receive all Donations and Bequests. This Fund is used to finance specific School and Club projects, and is not used for normal ongoing Club expenses. As will be seen from the Accounts elsewhere in this Magazine, the total from this source in 2011 was £290 which was placed in the Second Century Fund. Our grateful thanks go to everyone who has contributed. It is hoped that this Fund will receive a significant boost from the current round of Top-up payments now being requested.

Former Pupils’ Section

New Members of the Club – 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012

Annual Members

James E. Anderson (1967-69)

Heather Haylett-Andrews (1983-88)

Adam B. Grant (2000-06) Graham J. Shanks (1956-69)

Congratulations to the following members of the Club who will attain the age of 75 during 2012 and so will become Long Service Members on 1st January 2013.

Life Members

William E. Bakewell 1949-55 Patrick B. Philip 1944-54

A. Bryan Broomfield 1945-55 Neil McC. Scott 1942-50

A. Keith Campbell 1944-53 R. Scott Brown 1946-55

David C. Crombie 1944-55 G.H. Bremner Sim 1942-56

Johathan M. Daube 1951-53 William L. Sleigh 1948-55

A. Gordon McBain 1941-50 Alastair H. Tosh 1946-53

Hector A. Macdonald 1949-55 Mario L. Vicca 1952-56

D. Ian K. MacLeod 1952-54 Gordon H. Walker 1945-54

Norman G. Marr 1949-55 Iain Wares 1942-52

Wilson S. Mitchell 1949-55 W. Stewart Wilson 1942-55

Annual Members

David A. Black 1951-55 J. Mitchell Kelty 1944-55

William J.L. Buyers 1942-55 James B. Meff 1942-55

Graham G. Cruickshank 1944-54 Hugh S. Pirie 1949-55

Norman J. Horne 1950-56 Ian A. Sutherland 1950-55

Long Service Members

For several years now we have published the names of our Nonagenarians. Sadly, five of these have died in the last year, one of whom had been the senior member of the Club since 2010, but they are replaced by five others who have attained the remarkable age of 90 or will do so later this year. We congratulate them all and thank them for their continuing interest and support. The full list, with their dates of birth, is as follows:-

John Jamieson 1930-35

Ernest Jack 1930-38

Douglas Reith 1924-35

James R. Guy 1924-36

Donald D. Pennie 1928-37

George C. Hadden 1925-37

November 1917

December 1918

June 1919

July 1919

October 1919

May 1920

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

Harry S.W. Golding 1926-37 15 January 1921

Joseph Craig 1927-39 29 September 1921

Eric G. Sangster 1923-39 3 May 1922

James A.N. Watt 1927-39 16 May 1922

Ian B. Taylor 1933-40 6 June 1922

Gordon F. Hendry 1928-39 7 June 1922

Robert J. Armstrong 1934-41 25 July 1922

Former Pupils’ Section NOTES about FORMER PUPILS

Honours and Awards

Order of the British Empire

Meldrum Barclay Edwards (1946-60) BSc(Eng), MSc was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in June. The award is in recognition of his services to Athletics and Charity. More than fifty years of his life have been dedicated to coaching and competing in long distance running. The son of the former Lower School Master Freddie Edwards (1908-21), who gave him much support, his introduction began in the Lower School, where he ran on the grassed area on Esslemont Avenue at the front of the School. He found as time went on that he was better at running than at other sports.

As his University course was coming to an end he won the Scottish under-20 cross country title, beating Ian McCafferty and Lachie Stewart. In 1967 he broke the British six-mile record and won the Scottish Junior cross-country title. At this time Mel was training up to 5000 miles a year in an effort to become an Olympian. His debut marathon, at Harlow, Essex was completed in 2 hours 18 minutes which placed him fourth in the British rankings. He missed out on selection for the British team for the 1968 Mexico Olympics by two places. Following an injury problem he turned to hill running in which he enjoyed much success and he continued with his cross country running. As he continued to run he has turned to raising money for charity, notable Friends of Anchor in Aberdeen in whose aid he organised a charity run to mark his seventieth birthday last year. He is also a patron of the Aberdeen cancer charity CLAN.

He is the longest serving member of Aberdeen Amateur Athletics Club and launched the Aberdeen Marathon several years ago, now succeeded by the Baker Hughes 10k annual run. He established the Lynx Pack twice-weekly lunch-time training session in 1988 and the Aberdeen Business Runners’ Club in 1997. One of his biggest rewards has been watching the people whom he has coached flourish. Two have competed for Scotland in the Commonwealth Games marathon and he coached Kenny Herriot, a local wheelchair athlete who broke the British marathon record.

In December he arranged a 70 minute run at Countesswells Forest to mark his 70th birthday and this was, as always with events which he arranges, a huge success.

Honorary Degrees

Jonathan Mahram Daube (1951-53) MA, EdD received a Doctorate honoris causa at the Summer graduation at Aberdeen University in 2012.

After graduating from Aberdeen University in 1957 with honours in English Language and Literature with Mathematics and training as a teacher at the University of London’s Institute of Education he came to the United States in 1963. There he has been an English teacher, a school superintendent (the equivalent of a director of education/chief education officer), a graduate school director, and a community college president in Western Massachusetts. From 1987 to 2008 he was President of Manchester Community College in Central Connecticut. He retired in 2008 with the title of President Emeritus. A new building at Manchester Community College was named for him in 2009. He spent 2010-2011 as Interim President of Middlesex Community College, Connecticut. His doctorate is from Harvard University, and he spent 1968-1970 at the University of Malawi in Central Africa. He has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

American Colleges and Universities, has served as a visiting member of the editorial board of the Hartford Courant and, in the fall of 2002, spent ten weeks on sabbatical at the Institute of Education, University of London, where he had trained to be a teacher. Since 2007 he has been President of the University of Aberdeen Development Trust USA. He has been a visiting lecturer at the School of Education, University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and has served as a consultant for the Connecticut State Department of Education. In May, 2009, he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters (honoris causa) by Eastern Connecticut State University. He is coaching in an on-line doctoral program at the University of Maryland. * * * * * * * * *

Robert James Carmichael Bain (1978-84) MA, CA has been appointed managing partner of the Aberdeen firm of Hall Morrice, chartered accountants. He originally joined the firm as a graduate trainee in 1987 and qualified as a chartered accountant in 1990. Four years later he left to form his own practice but in 1997 merged the new firm with Hall Morrice and rejoined them as a partner.

Gordon G Benton (1946-50) OBE, RIBA, MSIA qualified as an architect from the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture and later as an urban planner before spending over half a century in Kenya, Iran, Pakistan, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, South Korea and Indonesia. He now resides in Newburgh but still travels to South East Asia auditing developments with which he has been involved, including many industrial projects, largely for foreign investors, and the planning development and being mayor of ‘edge towns’ which have had international and national acclaim.

Michael Lewis Bowyer (1963-69) has been appointed chairman of the Aberdeen branch of the Institute of Directors, Scotland. He is a director of the north-east company Nexcor and a member of Oil & Gas UK.

Kyle Coetzer (1996-02) recently captained Scotland against Pakistan in a one-day match. He signed for Durham County in 2005 having earlier learned his craft at the academy run by them. He has been selected for Scotland on several previous occasions. He played cricket at School and the skills demonstrated then led to the award of the Phil Love Trophy in 2002. He moved from Durham to Northants where he has continued to show that he is a prolific top-order batsman. He is Scotland’s leading batsman in one-day internationals, averaging almost 50 in twelve innings. He firstb played for Stoneywood-Dyce where his brother

Myles Edwards (2000-06) is literally following in the running footsteps of his father Mel about whom there is a note above. Myles is currently training for the Commonwealth Games to be held in Glasgow in 2014. Like his father he has been running since an early age and is a member of both the Aberdeen Athletics Club and London’s Thames Valley Harriers. He has recently spent two separate periods of training in Kenya at altitudes as high as 2,400 feet above sea level to help his body reach maximum performance for the 800 and 1500 metre races in time for the Glasgow Games. On his first trip he spent ten weks at the Eldoret training camp in the Rift Valley; on the second trip he was to train with World Championship winner and long-distance runner Linet Masai.

Alan George Gibb (1926-36) MB,ChB, retired ear, nose and throat specialist still, at the age of 94, holds season tickets for The Lecht and Glenshee ski centres and is one of the oldest regulars on the slopes. He is also a three-handicap golfer and celebrated his 90th

Former Pupils’ Section

birthday with 90 holes on Balmoral’s 9-hole course. He considers ski-ing and surfing to be two of the greatest thrills in life, but concedes that he has not surfed for the past four years.

Philip Hannaford (1973-76) MB,ChB has been appointed a Vice-Principal for Research and Knowledge Exchange at Aberdeen University, with particular responsibility for research strategy and preparations for the Research Excellence Framework 2014. He graduated from the University in 1981 and then trained for general practice in Sheffield, followed by research training and experience as a part-time research fellow before making research his full-time career in 1992. After three years as director of the Royal College of General Practitioners’ Manchester Research Unit he returned to Aberdeen to the NHS Grampian Chair of Primary Care. His main research interests are female health issues, primary care epidemiology, pharmacovigilance, population-based studies of symptoms and cardiovascular disease. In 2010 he received the RCGP Foundation council Award for services to the Council.

Roger David Houghton (1959-63) LL.B retired at the end of April after almost thirty years in private practice as a solicitor in Aberdeen. On leaving School Roger entered the service of the Bank of Scotland in Aberdeen before studying for a law degree at Aberdeen University. He went into partnership with John Melvin as Houghton, Melvin & Co in 1984 later joined by Grant Smith to form Houghton Melvin Smith & Co. On the retiral last year of Grant Smith, Roger merged the business with that of Simpson and Marwick with whom he remained as a consultant for six months. He now looks forward to spending more time on his hobbies of travelling and hill-walking.

Michael Alexander Inglis (1961-67) has developed a device to provide gardeners with a defence against their perennial enemy, slugs and snails. He has been engaged in eight years of research and development, with advice from Business Gateway Aberdeen City & Shire. The new Molluskit barrier prevents slugs and snails gaining access to plants and vegetables both on the surface and underground by a series of interlocking panels which not only form an efficient battier but can also act as a raised bed. His object was to ensure that his product was non-toxic and long lasting. After much experimentation a prototype was made at Gray’s School of Art where Michael had studied as a design student.

Two Generations of Kelty Twins

The first generation of this fairly rare FP combination Roger Fyfe Kelty and James Mitchell Kelty (1944-55) were born in Java in 1937, the twin sons of an Aberdeen tea and rubber planter. Together with their mother they fled the Japanese invasion of Java in 1942, first to Australia and then to South Africa, before returning to the UK in 1944 and attending Aberdeen Grammar School. On leaving school Roger graduated from Aberdeen University with an Honours degree in English Language and Literature before going on to teach, first at Kirkton High School, Dundee and then at Queen's College, Nassau in the Bahamas in 1966. Subsequently he went on to lecture at the University of the West Indies and to become headmaster of St Andrews School before finally assuming the role of Director of Educational Scholarship Programmes for the Lyford Cay Foundation in the Bahamas.

Mitchell served an apprenticeship as a Chartered Accountant in Aberdeen before taking up a position as Chief Accountant of the pharmaceutical division of Bydand Distillers and Chemicals. In 1971 he moved to Grampian Health Board as Area Financial Accountant, before becoming Secretary and Treasurer of the Rowett Research Institute at Bucksburn in 1984.

The second generation comprises Mitchell's twin sons Ashley Keith Kelty and Clive Johnston Kelty (1983-1989) who followed in their father's footsteps by completing their

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

secondary education at Aberdeen Grammar School. Ashley then graduated Honours BSc, followed by an MSc in Finance from Strathclyde University in 1994. Returning to Aberdeen, he worked for Anderson Consulting before moving to Enterprise Oil in London. In 2002 he moved to Edinburgh and is currently an Equity Research Analyst specialising in oil and gas with Cenkos.

Clive read medicine at Glasgow University and continued his surgical training at St James Hospital, Leeds and the University of Sheffield, where he was the first person to have had a clinical PhD conferred. Before taking up his current position as a Consultant in Upper Gastrointestinal and General Surgery at Doncaster Royal Infirmary in 2007, he spent a year at Concord Hospital in Sydney, Australia learning new laparoscopic techniques.

Neil John George Lawrie (1961-74), who has had a life-long association with the Scout Movement has recently come to the rescue of the 17th, one of the three ‘School troops’ with a 75-year history behind it, which had been in danger of folding. It had experienced a lack of leaders and has problems with headquarters unfit for purpose. Neil who, with his wife is involved in the leadership of the 9th Troop, recruited new beavers and cubs to boost numbers at the 17th and enlisted the help of several parents to ensure that the group can flourish again.

Neil, who is a retired police officer, has been elected to the Club Executive Committee and will be looking after the arrangements for the next Annual Dinner.

Tracey Jane H Menzies (née Robb) (1981-87) MBE, DCH, LL.B joined the legal firm Brodies as a partner in their Aberdeen office in March this year. She will be specialising in commercial property.

John Charles Alexander Michie (1944-58) CA who is managing director of Michies the Chemists in Aberdeen has now retired as chairman of Aberdeen Business Improvement District, a group focussing on identifying ways in which to revitalise the city centre. John has been a major driving force in the group for several years.

Ramsay Galloway Milne (1958-71) MA who has been a Labour member of Aberdeen City Council for many years, is convener of the Development Management Sub-Committee of the Council. He recently retired after many years’ service with Grampian Health Board.

Geoffrey Elmslie Morrison (1992-98) BA returned to the UK from Cairo in 2008 taking up the post of finance manager for the services business of Vetco Gray. He had a lead role in planning a new facility within the company and also responsibility for the Global Field Services and European Services business. He had oversight of the sub-Saharan Africa and Middle East operations. In 2011 he left Vetco Gray to join Aberdeen International Airport as head of finance, with responsibility for the finance and procurement functions. He oversaw continuous financial growth working with the managing director ton a number of initiatives to reduce costs and grow revenues. He was also involved in a number of high profile capital expenditure projects, not least the new runway extension and the new car hire building.

In April 2013 Geoffrey joined Proserve as finance manager for the Birchmoss site and he has total financial responsibility for the whole site. He is working to integrate three businesses into one. The company has ambitious growth plans and he is working with the general manager of the site to expand the business via cost control and maximising commercial opportunities.

Hugh Murray Munro (1951-64) BA, MA, MLitt, MEng, PhD, CA graduated with a PhD in International Relations from the University of Aberdeen in July 2012. On leaving school

Former Pupils’ Section

he attended the University of Strathclyde from 1964 to 1968 where he gained a BA (Honours) in Accountancy. He spent the next nineteen years with Arthur Andersen & Co., chartered accountants, rising from their first apprentice CA recruited in Scotland to becoming a partner and Head of its Audit Practice in Glasgow. He left in 1987 to become Managing Partner of Arthur Young in Aberdeen, and on the merger of that firm with Ernst & Whinney, Managing Partner of Ernst & Young in Aberdeen, a position which he held until December, 2000. At that stage he transferred briefly to the firm's London office to solve a staffing need for an experienced Oil & Gas audit partner as a result of a partner in that office suffering a severe stroke.

Hugh’s professional life was spent primarily on audit and business advisory work for multinational and owner-managed businesses in the energy, oil service and manufacturing industries. To support his involvement with manufacturing clients he gained, on an inservice basis in 1979, a Master of Engineering degree in Production Management from the University of Glasgow. In a long and varied career he gained international professional experience working in South Africa, Turkey, Italy and Belgium and spent a year on secondment to the Department of Trade and Industry with Andersen Consulting (now Accenture),. He retired from active professional life in December 2001.

In retirement, on a purely recreational basis, he initially spent three years at the University of Dundee on its MA course on American History and Politics, graduating in June2005, having secured First Class Honours. At the conclusion of this course he was encouraged to extend his studies and in 2006 he completed a Master of Letters degree, with Distinction, in Middle East Security at the University of Aberdeen. Again he was encouraged to go further which led to completion of his PhD in International Relations. His doctoral thesis assessed the ‘Impact of National Oil Companies on the Energy Security of OECD Countries’.

An active Rotarian and a Past President of the Rotary Club of Aberdeen, he is a member of the Cadre of Technical Advisors to The Rotary Foundation, Rotary's worldwide charity, is one of three International Coordinators supporting its Peace and Conflict Resolution activities, and acts occasionally as an auditor for significant international projects funded by The Rotary Foundation.

David Thomas Graeme Reid (1975-80) who has for several years been a partner with the estate agents Knight Frank has now made a change of career. He was living in Dollar and managing three of the firm’s Scottish offices. He has now entered the licensed trade and has taken over the Brig o’ Dee bar in Aberdeen’s Holburn Street.

Charles Duncan Rice (1949-60) KB, MA, PhD, FRSE, former Principal of Aberdeen University, has been further honoured by having the new University library named after him. The building which was officially opened by the Queen last September, was a major part of his vision for the ongoing development of the University. The building, which took two years and £57million to complete, has ben named to honour the vision, ambition and leadership of Sir Duncan.

Logan Dow Steele (1970-76) is general manager of Age Scotland Enterprises, specialising in travel insurance for the over-50s. Emphasising the importance of such insurance he says that almost a third of its policies are for customers aged over 80. Logan was formerly with General Accident Insurance, serving in various parts of the country. An enthusiastic birdwatcher and supporter of the RSPB, he now lives in Auchterarder.

Arthur David Stewart (1963-76) BSc PhD, reader and deputy director of Robert Gordon University’s Centre for Obesity Research and Epidemiology, is the project leader of a new study to chart the changing shape of the off-shore workforce. To do this they are making use of technology used to create the animated stars of the film Chronicles of Narnia. The

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

heights, weights and widths of the workers will be recorded in 3D images which will assist designers to ensure that safety equipment, survival clothing and space on helicopters and installations is of the right size for the people who use it. The project is being led by the University’s Institute of Health and Welfare Research in collaboration with Oil & Gas UK, several of whose member companies have contributed to the cost of the project.

Innes Taylor (1974-80) came out of hockey coaching retirement last season to coach the U-18 Boys team which won the U-18 Boys Scottish Hockey Plate in 2013. This is Innes’s fifth national medal in seven seasons.

Thomas Scott Taylor (2002-07) was awarded the best recruit prize for the Highlanders Royal Regiment of Scotland when he completed his combat infantryman course at the British Army training establishment at Catterick, North Yorkshire. After passing out in February he enjoyed some well-earned leave before joining his new unit, the 4th Battalion of the Regiment in Germany. His platoon commander said that he was an exemplary team player. He had been given added responsibilities during the course and worked hard to carry them out. Looking back on the course he remarked “You experience the highs and lows at Catterick. After a few days in the field you feel at rock bottom and then you get showered and have a decent meal and it’s the greatest feeling in the world”. He is likely to go on a 6-month tour of Afghanistan in the autumn as a member of the last Scottish regiment to be in that country. He has also been selected for the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst.

Alexander Allan Templeton (1953-63) CBE, MD, FRCOG, FRCP, FMedSci. has retired after twenty-five years as professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Aberdeen University. He was also an honorary consultant with Grampian University NHS Trust. With an honours degree in Medicine from Aberdeen University he spent ten years in Edinburgh before coming back to Aberdeen to take up his Chair. He put together a multi-disciplinary team to pioneer many techniques successfully through the Aberdeen Fertility Clinic and the Assisted Reproduction Unit. His imaginative approach to the extended role of nursing and midwifery staff in front-line delivery of tertiary-level services has been widely adopted in the UK. A pioneer in the fields of infertility, fertility control and reproductive health he was instrumental in having close-knit teams of clinical and non-clinical researchers translated research findings from the bench to the bedside. He was also involved with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists as a regional college adviser and chairman of many committees. He was honorary secretary of the College for seven years before serving for three years as President.

George Innes Walker (1979-85) joined CAN, an energy service company providing industrial rope access in the North Sea, as an administrator in 1990 soon after leaving University. Within six years he was on the board of the company. He has recently been responsible for a re-branding of the company with the formation of Engteq to take over the asset integrity and engineering service work of the group. Can will continue to provide the service for which it has earned its reputation but will develop its expertise in lifting gear and electrical services to the offshore industry.

George Kynoch Yule (1963-67), who proposed the principal toast at the Annual Dinner of the FP Club in March, is a former oil industry executive. Having himself trained at the former Aberdeen Technical College he is now involved with both Aberdeen University and Robert Gordon University. He is the executive vice-chairman of Aberdeen Football Club, is a corporate patron of the Befriend a Child charity and is chairman of Aberdeen Sports Village.

Former Pupils’ Section

Marriages

Henderson (2000-06) and Roy (2000-06) – At Ardoe House Hotel, Aberdeen on 20 April 2013 Andrew John Henderson, son of George C.C. Henderson (1971-77) and of Dr Isabel M. Henderson, 7 Woodstock Road, Aberdeen to Katy Roy, daughter of Mrs Jan M. Roy, 14 Elm Place, Aberdeen and of the late Mr Neil D. Roy

Obituaries

George Gordon Allan (1939-51) died peacefully at his home in Carshalton, Surrey on 9 November 2012 aged 78. He had suffered from Parkinson’s disease for several years. He was the son of George Joseph Allan (1897-02) one of the founders of Tawse & Allan. On leaving School he completed a course at Webster’s Business College before embarking on a career in journalism with Aberdeen Journals. This was interrupted by National Service with the Royal Army Service Corps, spent mostly in Germany. On his return he joined the Features Department of the Evening Express under Kenneth Peters and by 1956 he was a sub-editor.

He moved to London as a sub-editor with the Daily Telegraph, then to Edinburgh and The Scotsman and next to the North London Press. He was for a time a sub-editor with the Press Association news agency in Fleet Street.

His main contribution to journalism was in the field of sport. He began as a full-time sports writer for The Times in 1967 and six years later went freelance. He reported on rugby from 1965 with occasional articles on other sporting topics. He reported on London Scottish for The Scotsman and on bowls from 1981 (having himself taken up the game in 1972). Articles on world bowls appeared frequently in The Times

In 1994 Gordon’s first book Bowling Enchanted Woods was published. This was followed by A Sporting Wanderer, a collection of his articles from The Times on a variety of sporting topics. An extended introduction touches on his years at the Grammar and on some Grammar School rugby personalities. His next work was Not All Mud and Scrums: RU before Professionalism and reflected on his own lifelong involvement in the game as player, spectator and journalist. Fleet Street Round the Clock told of his career in journalism.

Gordon had a great love of classical music and reported on some Aberdeen concerts in the early days with Aberdeen Journals. Later he was a frequent concert-goer at the Wigmore Hall and at the Royal Festival Hall. He was also a keen film-goer.

Having joined the National Union of Journalists at the start of his career in 1951 Gordon was elected to life membership of the Union in 2001 to mark his fifty year career. He is survived by his wife Joy.

Leslie Gordon Laing (1937- 49) MB,Ch.B passed away in Brampton, Ontario on 3 October 2012 aged 81. He graduated in Medicine from Aberdeen University in 1955 and, after the usual house posts at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, joined the RAF. From RAF Duxford he was posted to Germany and served at Gatow, Goch and Cologne as a medical officer. He enjoyed relating the story about the first sick parade he held: it was full of malingerers. He told them in no uncertain terms to come back the next day and threatened that if he found any of them not to be sick he would charge them. Only a handful turned up! He returned to RAF Duxford in 1959 and was discharged in July of that year.

Leslie then went into general practice in Loughborough until 1969 when he and his family emigrated to Canada. There he worked with Brampton East Medical Group until his retirement in 1999. He made house calls up until he stopped practising and became friendly with many of his patients. He cultivated vegetables on a plot of land belonging to

Aberdeen Grammar School Magazine

one of them and was always happy in a garden. From an early age he loved fly fishing and recalled tickling salmon on the River Dee as a boy. One of his favourite memories was of catching salmon on Lake Ontario with his son Mike and colleagues. He also loved reading books and watching movies.

Leslie is survived by his wife Win to whom he was married for 56 years, their children Karen, Michael and Sheelagh and grandchildren Kali, Heather, Meg, Ross, Robbie, Craig and Shyla.

Edward Alistair Smith (1943-57) CBE, MA, PhD died in hospital in Colombo on 25 July 2012 following a short illness. He was aged 73. From School he went up to Aberdeen University, where he graduated MA with honours in Geography in 1961 and was awarded the Royal Geographical Society Silver Medal. He followed this with a doctorate. He then studied under a Swedish government scholarship at Uppsala University, where he carried out research into iron ore mining in the far North of Sweden.

He returned to Aberdeen as a lecturer in Geography in 1963 and, being an inspiring communicator he proved very popular with his students. When the University’s Development Trust was established in 1982 he was appointed as its first director. The Trust was created with the twin purposes of raising funds for the University and raising its international profile. It is in no small measure due to Alistair’s efforts in building up the Trust that it has been so hugely successful in securing funds, both locally and internationally, and has achieved world-wide recognition.

After leaving the Trust in 1990 Alistair was appointed as director of the University’s international office, and he devoted himself with characteristic energy to recruiting students from overseas to study at Aberdeen. He travelled extensively all over the world and in so doing established a strong link with the people and politicians of Sri Lanka. They had established a Dream Home Visa Programme aimed at senior foreign nationals who wanted an extended residence there. When he retired in 2002 Alistair, to the surprise of his many friends in Aberdeen, moved to Sri Lanka, where he made his home in the town of Bentota.

From the 1960s Alistair was heavily involved in politics, and by the age of 28 was chairman of the then West Aberdeenshire Conservative and Unionist party. Prior to the 1970 general election he had secured Lt Col Colin Mitchell, late of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders – ‘Mad Mitch’ of Aden fame – to fight, and win, what had been strong Liberal territory. In 1981 he began a two-year term as President of the Scottish Conservative & Unionist Association and he was awarded the CBE in the 1982 Birthday Honours for his political services.

He served for eight years as a member of Grampian Health Board and also worked for many years for the Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland. His background of a degree in Geography led in 1979 to his co-authoring Europe - A Geographical Survey of the Continent.

Alistair was unmarried. He is survived by his brother Forbes Johnston Smith (194557).

Wiggins Teape had moved their HQ from Gateway House to Basingstoke and Gordon was their senior rep promoting very popular imitation leather which they made from paper. Gordon travelled the world selling this and with his affable nature and gift if the gab he was very successful in this role and brought back many mementos from his travels which adorns their home. On retirement he retained a consultancy for an Italian firm for a few years, became active in different aspects of local affairs and played golf until an arthritic hip curtailed this. He was also keen on watching hockey especially when Donald was playing and justifiably took great pride in Donald’s outstanding hockey career gaining no fewer than 65 England international caps and 57 caps for the GB team which involved

Former Pupils’ Section

both the Barcelona Olympics and the Sydney world cup both of which Gordon and Christina attended as proud parents.

Until into his 80’s he coached hockey at a local state school. I would have dearly liked to have seen a video of this activity but picture him sitting on the touch line on his shooting stick wearing his favourite tweed fore and aft hat, shouting advice and commands at the young players and making generous use of his whistle but I may be quite wrong.

When these various activities had to be curtailed he was very content in his fancy reclining chair being waited upon hand and foot in front of his state of the art multichannel TV set with the controls never far from his grasp.

We also kept in regular touch by telephone and Gordon had in fact called me just 10 days before the end. Regardless of the occasion I was always regaled by his latest stories and jokes.

Gordon had a long happy fulfilling life and will be sadly missed by all his family and many friends. It has been an honour to have given this tribute to him.

Former Members of Staff

Jean Murray Downie BSc died peacefully in hospital in Aberdeen on 14 May 2013 aged 82. After teaching in various Aberdeen schools she joined the Physics department in 1971, was briefly Principal Teacher and was promoted in 1973 to be Assistant Head-teacher One of her initial responsibilities was to manage the integration of girls into the School in 1973. The smooth transition to co-educational, and fully comprehensive status was in no small measure due to her patience and her positive approach to what was a major change in the history and running of the School. She guided the transition at every turn in the right direction, always with the best interests of her girls at heart. She was also involved in the operation of the pastoral curriculum and guidance system which was introduced into Scottish schools in the 1970s. Jean took a keen interest in several extra-curricular activities, not least in the Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme and school trips. Amongst her hobbies and interests she enjoyed outdoor activities including hill-walking and skiing. She is survived by her husband, George, who was a lecturer in the Geology Department of Aberdeen University, to whom she had been married for 55 years.

Former Pupils’ Section

Abstract of Accounts for Year ended 31 December 2011

Former Pupils’ Section