Bristolienses Spring 2022 Issue 62 by Bristol Grammar School

BRISTOLIENSES THE OLD BRISTOLIANS’ MAGAZINE Spring 2022 Issue 62

In this issue: Share our Cars Dear Mother Giving Day 2022 Charter Day 2022 OBs’ Annual Dinner Remembrance 2021 From the Archivist School days In memoriam

Where are they now?

Thoughts from the Chair

LUNCH CLUB MEETINGS : OB SPORTS CLUB : OB OFFICE NEWS : SECRETARY’S REPORT

Editorial Editorial

Contents Editorial

From the President

Thoughts from the Chair

From the Foundation

Dear Mother 6 From the Archivist

Trip to the Front

40 Years of Co-ed

Remembrance 2021

Share our cars

Lunch Club Meetings

Ode to Michele

Annual Dinner 2022

Charter Day 2022

Reminiscences

Past Presidents Lunch

Giving Day 2022

OB Sports Club

A Few Thoughts & Memoirs

Memories of School Days

Merchandise

Where are they now?

Hero of the Resistance

Weddings

In Memoriam

OBs Around the World

OB Management Committee

Honorary Members

Past Presidents

Thanks to Justin Harford, Head of Sixth Form, for our cover image

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How quickly time passes, I seem only

recently to have proof-read the last issue! Getting copy always requires effort both in sourcing it and creating it but it is worthwhile. Generally, comments on the contents are very favourable and Tony’s layout design is much valued and appreciated.

Geoff Wright

This edition has a good mixture of regular and new articles but please do send me more! Reminiscences from School, School trips and descriptions of old haunts are all of great value, jog memories and produce more articles. I also want more ‘ A Day in the Life of’ copy. What you do or did may seem ordinary to you, but not to others. It makes very interesting reading for them. Two articles , just received, both contain a word of warning, ‘don’t sit next to Geoff Wright at dinner!’ I had the pleasure of sitting with Nick Burroughs and Peter Jones at the recent Annual Dinner but may have blighted the end of their

Issue 55 Summer 2018

evening by pressing them firmly to write me an article for this edition. Well, it worked! Two articles appeared two days later. Nick’s piece on the life of a Town Planner and Peter’s piece on a week in the life of a small town Mayor give me great pleasure to include in this issue. I will end by giving my thanks to all who have contributed to the content and creation of this edition.

Geoff Wright

(1956-1966) Chairman Bristolienses Editor

Issue 56 Winter 2019

Issue 57 Summer 2019

the President From the From President

Dear Friends and OBs,

I write this to you from a train travelling into the Alps which is ironic really as two years ago I travelled home from the Alps to be installed as President at the 2020 dinner.

What a two years it has been. A time to test all of us and a time that will be marked in history that really tested the human spirit. A time of uncertainty and challenge. As I write we are being tested again just as we were beginning to return to normal. I hope by the time you read this article things have settled and that humanity has overcome. Thinking on my two years in post I want to reflect on my learning through the period. For me the importance of connection has never been more paramount. I asked you in a previous copy to go through your address books and make contact with those you had not spoken to in a while. My work in schools and in community sports clubs has emphasised the importance of connection in helping everyone feel part of something again as opposed to the isolations of lockdown where many became introspective in a way that challenged their wellbeing.

Issue 58 Winter 2020

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Our return to sport when it eventually came in 2021 at Failand demonstrated the importance of that connection but also the small acts of kindness that make a huge difference to people’s lives, their well being and helps others feel that connection helping to strengthen their resilience.

Whatever our pastime, sport, theatre, music, reading etc the OBs’ society helps bind us OBs and non OBs together to makes us all a collective. This is witnessed every weekend at Failand, but especially on Remembrance Day when the OBSC comes together to pay respects and give thanks for the sacrifice of Old Bristolians on our behalf. The importance of young people’s connection to the past is embodied in our service and the emphasis on the history of The Memorial Playing Field.

Issue 59 Autumn 2020

Rich Berry For those interested in the history you can find out more in a short film I compiled 18 months ago https://youtu.be/PNZktPbvZDI As I hand over the Presidency to Kate Redshaw in the next few weeks I wish her the very best for her year in post.

Rich Berry

Old Bristolians’ President

Issue 60 Winter 2021

Issue 61 Summer 2021

Thoughts from the Chair From the Chair

just over the border in Poland. Spanish Flu came just after the end of WW 1. Are we going backwards? I was at the dinner on 12 March. It was well attended and most enjoyable – always good to be in the Great Hall – and my thanks go to the organising sub-committee.

Geoff Wright

We have recently held our AGM and with COVID appearing more containable this was done in person in the School,

although we were hard pressed to be quorate and had to bring reinforcements in on line! There were few surprises and pretty well the same team will be running the Committee for the next twelve months. Nick Fitzpatrick will be stepping down as Treasurer. Andrea Madalena was keen to take over this role and had all but begun when personal circumstances held her back. She intends to return and in the meantime, Richard Leonard has offered his help. There, I have mentioned COVID in my first sentence but not with the foreboding of previous recent articles although risk remains and care should be continued. It has not gone away. Sadly though, its dominance in the world news has been replaced by the war in Ukraine, now three weeks old as I write this. I am not going to say much other than that I am appalled, affronted and scared by what I see and hear. This is heightened by having relatives

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Kate Redshaw was installed as President - the third woman but the first former pupil! I am very much looking forward to working with her during her year in Office. We are already planning a recruitment drive to engage more people in the running of the Society.

deaths of two pupils in January. Tributes to both pupils will be published in The Chronicle but the Old Bristolians Society would like to record our sadness at these tragedies and extend our sincere condolences to all those affected. I shall end by expressing my thanks to everyone on the Management Committee and in the OBs’ Office and to the Headmaster, Jaideep, the School and the Governors for their continuing support.

Geoff Wright

(1956-1966) Chairman Bristolienses Editor

On a much sadder note the school community was devastated by the

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU DO YOU HAVE ANY NOTABLE MEMORIES FROM SCHOOL? DO YOU HAVE ANY PHOTOS FROM YOUR TIME AT SCHOOL - WE’D LOVE TO SEE THEM AND SHARE THEM HERE OR ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA RECENTLY MARRIED? HAD A BABY? STARTED A BUSINESS? WRITTEN A BOOK? RAISING MONEY FOR CHARITY? LET US KNOW HOW WE CAN SUPPORT YOU & YOUR ENDEAVOURS EMAIL: obs@bgs.bristol.sch.uk

From the Foundation From the Foundation

What is the 500 Campaign? This is our

new campaign to raise £12million by 2032 - the 500th anniversary of the School’s Charter. This would

provide (at least) a 50% bursary for one in four children in the senior school. Since launching our new brochure, we have been overwhelmed with positive feedback and some incredibly generous donations supporting bright and able children at BGS through means-tested bursaries.

donating online.

“Giving Day Ambassadors” helped spread the word and let everyone they know on their social media contact lists to support the event and every pound donated was match funded. We raised over £182,000 for bursaries. A fabulous achievement! See page 26 for more details

Events and Community Engagement Working in partnership with the Old Bristolians’ Society, we hosted two fantastic new events last year; our 40th Anniversary of co-education reunion, which welcomed over 160 people back to the school and the first “law and finance” event in London which we produced with kind support from Tim Hailes, who was our guest speaker and who also provided a fantastic tour of the Guildhall.

Giving Day! 28-29 April 2022

Our traditional events continue to attract new attendees with the welcome return of traditional home cooked lunches and guest speakers at the Old Bristolians’ War Memorial Ground at Failand and the Annual Dinner in the Great Hall, attracting record numbers this year.

Giving Day was our first ever online fundraising challenge! We wanted to raise awareness of the 500 Campaign and to encourage new donors to support our bursary fundraising. Think “Comic Relief” with results benefitting children at BGS.

Our aim is to offer a service for all Old Bristolians, parents and friends of the school for life, by connecting people professionally and socially and encouraging the same camaraderie, friendship and kindness that remain the hallmarks of the BGS community.

We invited the whole school community to get involved, using social media and direct mail to connect with our OBs, parents and friends to support us by

Full details of all our events, our online Mentoring Programme and our important fundraising work - changing lives through bursaries, can be found on our website:

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Nadine Latte www.bristolgrammarschool.co.uk/ oldbristolians Get involved by contacting me on nlatte@bgs.bristol.sch.uk

Nadine Latte

Director of Development

Dear Mother: Dear Mother: Dear Mother: A Story from a Statistic Stanley Charles Booker October 2021 Several years ago, BGS history teacher Barry Williamson and his year 9 class made a discovery; they bought to life the story of an exBGS boy, who was killed in France in 1916 during the First World War. The story begins on a cold February afternoon, about 20 years ago in Bristol. The class were studying the Great War as part of the History syllabus. That afternoon, Barry took them up to the Great Hall to see the memorial that honours the Old Bristolian Boys who died in the Great War. They all stood there for a few minutes, scanning across the long list of the fallen before Barry told them to ‘pick a name’. Slowly, the kids looked through the then 121 names on the plaque and, at complete random, chose one. It was Stanley Charles Booker.

Barry had figured it would be easy to collect raw material on any of the boys from the school archives. He had some homework in mind; ‘I wanted them to see the war through the experience of one individual and explore what his death meant for his family’. He

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set them the task of summarising whatever material they found about him. They discovered that Booker was born on the 17th of January 1893, at 41 Pembroke Road. In 1903 he enrolled at Bristol Grammar School where he excelled as a student. When war broke out in 1914, Stanley left his studies at St John’s College, Oxford and enrolled in the army. The exercise would have ended there had it not been for the persistence of several pupils who insisted they search for more information. They were hooked. Barry reluctantly agreed, explaining that few families kept such papers after the first generation, and they were unlikely to succeed. He could not have been more wrong, and this story is the result. The class scoured archives across Bristol, pursued contacts until eventually connecting with Booker’s distant cousins in Paignton. They informed Barry of a box they had discovered in their attic. A box of full of material and possessions, Stanley Booker’s possessions. – all collected by his mother after the war – everything from school’s reports, his cap badge, penknife, photographs and most notably, 55 long letters that his mother kept from his time on the front line. This story of unbelievable chance unearthed a life and forged a story from a statistic. I was first told about Booker early on in 2020 whilst sat opposite Barry at the Westbury Tavern; we had planned a catch up over a few drinks, but I was transfixed as he told me about Stanley, and our beers had gone flat long before a first sip. In my head, I envisioned a film. I had no idea of what sort just yet, but I knew that a story and discovery of such chance could not go untold. Would it be a film

about Stanley’s life and tragic death or one about its miraculous discovery? Perhaps both? It was difficult to decide. Nonetheless, I was hooked by the story long after we had left the pub. Later that year, I enrolled at Edinburgh University to study Film & Television, so this project complemented my course well. I placed it on the back burner and began thinking of rough directions the story could go. Barry and I spent hours sending letters back and forth from Bristol to Edinburgh; I wanted every detail of information to take into my planning. I thought at first a film about Booker’s life and death on the front

lines of Richebourg-L’Avoue in 1916 would suffice. However, as I learnt more it became apparent that there was more to this film than what appeared on the surface. It had to

A Story from a Statistic A Story from a Statistic

go further. I wanted it to be a film about a past life with contemporary correlations. I settled on making a film that not only tells Stanley Booker’s life but uses it to explore war remembrance in general. I spoke to a wide range of people and carefully considered challenging questions to explore the topic in a sensitive manner; I wanted to create a film that respects all forms of remembrance whilst getting people thinking about war and current remembrance practises. 2021 rolled on and I now found myself managing a project twice the size. It was a fascinating learning process, (although ‘process’ makes it sound like I knew what I was doing...). As we began to explore interviewing academics, organizations and local historians, costs began to build. In March 2021 I applied to the Old Bristolians Fund and was very lucky to be awarded a grant of £250 for the project. This gave the film a much-needed boost and allowed me to cover costs of equipment and travel. I cannot thank Old Bristolians enough for the trust they have put in me for this project. Their continued support and enthusiasm have contributed greatly to the production of this film.

The summer of 2021 was an ideal opportunity to begin filming. I’d had a disrupted first year at Edinburgh with lockdown restrictions and was keen to sink my teeth into a project of real value. I began shooting in June. It started by going with Barry to collect footage of the Bookers’ local area; his Chesterfield Road home and local church where his name could be found on memorials. BGS kindly allowed us to film around school as well. We

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visited the Bristol city centre and the Schools’ archives where much of his material had been deposited. I then began planning interviews. I had the pleasure of talking with local Bristolian, Pete John whose encyclopaedic knowledge of war-time Bristol stunned me. I also spoke with Joyce Woolridge, an academic who has written extensively on remembrance. Finally, I had the privilege of speaking with the current CFO of the League of Remembrance, Rob Thomas. His interview gave us a first-hand account of ways remembrance is being practised by organizations in the UK. We also had the privilege of working with Thom Walker who so kindly offered to help us with voice recordings of Stanley’s letters for his mother. After two intense months of filming, I was thrilled to begin to see the project coming together. Again and again, I came back to the questions such as: How do we remember the dead in the war for the benefit of the living? How much does the way in which we remember the past now tell us about our present? How does the way in which we practise remembrance differ across generations? All of these have helped keep me on track whilst editing this film. If you visit the Cenotaph in the centre of Bristol you will see the

memorial is in the middle of a skatepark, the steps are used for sunbathing and lunch breaks. Do they know what the memorial means? And how does anyone

make sense of the 8.5m men and women who were killed in World War I. With the project coming together, I now can start to see what I hope will be a film that allows people to understand and empathise with the Great War in a new way, through a personal story. I would hope it makes people ask questions about remembrance and encourages them to remember as best they can to ensure that even over 100 years later, we still remember them.

Will Lindsay-Perez (OB 2018-2020)

From the Archivist From the Archivist

Anne Bradley

Old News of Old Bristolians Maurice Blood 1884-1889

An unrecognised Olympian From an Olympic Games Researcher:

Maurice Blood MA, FCS, FRMS (1870-1940), who was a stockbroker, won an individual bronze medal for '1000 yds free rifle, prone' at the 1908 London Olympic Games. Maurice was born in Westbury-on-Trym, educated at Bristol Grammar School and Merton College, Oxford (1889-1891).

Olympics 1000 yard free rifle event. Married Roberta Harriet Jones on 4th April 1896 in Bath. Died 31st March 21 Tanza Road, 1940 Hampstead, Middlesex.

1989-2000 Has been appointed Sir Arthur Evans Curator of Bronze Age and Classical Greece at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford

Our obituary, July 1940 THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL CHRONICLE MR. M. BLOOD

Paul Stickland

A brief notice of the death of Mr. M. Blood recently appeared in the local press. Maurice Blood, whose home was in Redland Park, was one of Openshaw's pupils in that post-Caldicott period, when, although the School did not maintain its record for numbers, the Classical and Mathematical Sixths under Muschamp and Openshaw lost nothing of their reputation as scholarship winners. Blood went up to Merton with a Mathematical Postmastership in 1889, when the College was efficiently administered by another O.B., Thomas Bowman, afterwards Warden. Mertonians of that remote generation will remember Blood as a good three-quarter and a sprinter who always ran in the University Sports.

Born 15th Feb 1870 in Westburyon-Trym, Bristol, the son of George Edmund Blood, Cashier Corn Trade, and Kate Eleanor (nee Nolan). His father worked for Blood Holman & Co, Grain Brokers, 9 King Street, Bristol.

He went down in 1893, taught for two years at Kingstonon-Thames, and commenced business in the City. In the early years of this century he attained an unusual distinction as one of the best revolver shots in the kingdom, and the name of " Mr. M. Blood " (civilian) regularly appeared in the Revolver Competitions at Bisley. Of late years he lived at Park Avenue, Willesden Green. He always spoke of T. W. Openshaw with affection and admiration. E.B.D.

Won Bronze Medal in 1908

Andrew John Shapland

He married Roberta Harriet Jones on 4th April 1896 in Bath, and died 31st March 1940, at 21 Tanza Road, Hampstead, Middlesex. Lots more interesting and very detailed family history.

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1941-1950 Sent two excellent photographs of his time at BGS:

First picture: John Garrett headmaster talking to Senior Chemistry Master J M Harrison (in hat) at Golden Hill sports day.

Second picture: Sixth formers Erik Sperring, Paul Stickland, Hubert Bolton, Tony Horne (in front) in Headmaster's garden near pavilion of the then cricket ground behind the school. Both taken in Summer 1948.

Norman Wallace George Edgar 1906-1910

The BGS register suggests that Norman left for a clerical career, but the Great War changed that.

the Archivist From theFrom Archivist

He enlisted in the Somerset Light Infantry, but he was wounded, and discharged in 1916. He was then commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Labour Corps.

The Helicopter Museum in Weston continues his story. He became interested in air travel as the new way to connect the West with the rest of the UK and with the nearer continental destinations; he gained his Royal Aero Club pilot’s licence in 1930 and started a twenty minute air service from Bristol to Weston. The fare was 9 shillings each way, a total of 90p for the two way trip. This grew into Norman Edgar (Western Airways) Limited. He then persuaded the Council to set up Weston Aerodrome, which for some years he leased and ran. He sold a controlling interest in his company to Whitney Straight in 1938, and went on to play his part in the Air Transport Auxiliary in WW2, both in the USA and at Whitchurch. Thank you for finding him, Mr Rolling: the 1908 Chronicle records that he won one of the Old Bristolians’ Prizes for Neatness and Legibility, but knows nothing of his contribution to aviation in the West.

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John Trevor Hallett 1963-1970

John writes: One of the things BGS did not do were Form or Year photos; one day I took my camera in and took a group photograph of R1, and some informal photos of Masters and pupils.

Geoffrey Richard Sampson 1952-1961

Geoffrey writes: I enjoyed seeing the pictures of BGS uniform boaters in the Summer Bristolienses. I remember when I was in VIth Modern at the beginning of the 1960s, a few of us (Robert Lacey I think was one of the others, I forget the third) somehow discovered that the rules allowed us to wear these, and visiting the shop which sold school uniform items found, to my amazement, that they still had a stock of them with the bands with the marvellous Victorian-looking BGS monograms; so we bought one each and exercised our right. Alas, mine disappeared when my parents downsized while I was a graduate student in the USA.

From the Archivist From the Archivist Gonville Aubie ffrenchBeytagh 1927-1928

Michael Leo ffrench-Beytagh 1927-1928

The brothers were only briefly at BGS before leaving the country, the one for New Zealand, the other for the US. Gonville (See below) nevertheless kept in touch, and I wonder how many Old Bristolians remember that they include a Dean of Johannesburg who fought apartheid with every means at his disposal and was in consequence arrested, held in solitary confinement and interrogated, tried, found guilty and imprisoned. Very fortunately his five-year sentence was quashed on appeal and he was able to leave for England.

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His brother Squadron Leader Michael ffrench-Beytagh DFC (see right) commanded a fighter squadron in WW2 then joined the Colonial service and died in Zanzibar, where he was District Commissioner of Pemba. ‘Beytagh returned to the UK in November 1941 and was posted to 55 OTU Annan, as CFI. On 2nd October 1942 he took command of 602 Squadron at Skeabrae, stationed there for the defence of Scapa Flow.

In January 1943 602 flew south to Perranporth for a more active role. On 19th August Beytagh damaged a Fw190 over Amiens/Glissy airfield. He was awarded the DFC (gazetted 1st October 1943) the citation stating that he had destroyed five enemy aircraft.’

Mike Beytagh is remembered on the Battle of Britain London Monument.

Anne Bradley Archivist

Trip to the Western Front Trip to the Western Front

OBs’ Trip to the Western Front and the First World War

We will be staying in Ypres for two nights and Arras for two nights in twin rooms on a bed and breakfast rate.

11-15 September 2022

We are expecting the tour will cost between £700 and £850 depending on numbers.

We are hoping to organise a Battlefields Trip for Old Bristolians. A five day trip departing from Bristol on Sunday 11 September and returning on Thursday 15 September. The tour will include visits to Ypres, Arras, the Somme and Vimy Ridge.

If you are interested in joining the trip please let either Peter Jakobek or Anne Bradley know asap.

pjakobek@bgs.bristol.sch.uk abradley@bgs.bristol.sch.uk

Are you at university? About to go on a placement year? Do you need help funding your placement? Every year the Old Bristolians’ Society considers applications from OBs to assist them with their placement year up to a maximum of £250 per person. TO APPLY PLEASE VISIT THE ‘CAREERS AND MENTORING’ SECTION OF OUR WEBSITE WWW.ALUMNI.BRISTOLGRAMMARSCHOOL.CO.UK Bristolienses - Issue 62

40th Anniversary of Co-Education 40th Anniversary

All photographs by John Sanders

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40th Anniversary of Co-Education 40th Anniversary

On Saturday 25 September 2021 we were delighted

to welcome over 160 members of our Old Bristolian community back to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of coeducation at the School.

It was amazing to see so many people on the school site with OBs from the Class of 2020 all the way to the Class of 1962! Thank you so much to everyone who attended, we hope you found it a relaxed and informal event to catch up with old friends and colleagues and to see the school again. It was made all the more of a pleasure for us, as we have all had to postpone opportunities to gather like this over the past couple of years, for obvious reasons!

Nadine Latte

Director of Development

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Remembrance 2021 Remembrance 2021

This year we were again unable to hold our usual Service

of Remembrance in the Great Hall due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but this year we were able to do a smaller event and a film as well.

Tony O’Callaghan in the OBs’ Office, once again, put together another very moving film tribute. We were also able to hold a small scale service in the Great Hall, with a few invited guests coming along to take part. Our thanks to OBs’ President Rich Berry for being our guest speaker this year. Special mention must also again go to Annie, a BGS Year 10 student, for her remarkable rendition of The Last Post and Reveille for the film and Josh, BGS Year 7 for performing The Last Post so brilliantly on the day. The final film was streamed to the School on the morning of Armistice Day. You can still watch our Remembrance 2021 Film on the Old Bristolians’ website in the Media section.

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Remembrance 2021 Remembrance 2021

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Emily Kerr - Share Our Cars Share Our Cars

Most people agree that Climate Change

means they should probably use their car a bit less. But what people systematically underestimate is quite how large the effect of owning and driving a car is. The average guess is that owning a car emits the equivalent carbon per year of about 2-4 flights to Rome. The actual answer is 20. And at least 25% of your car’s lifetime emissions were generated before it left the factory, so if you own a car and don’t use it much it is still terrible for the environment.

recent article in Nature showed that people systematically underestimate the costs of car ownership by more than 50%; in fact the average cost in the UK of owning a car is more than £300 per month, or closer to £450 per month for leased models. So private car ownership is expensive and bad for the environment, but what are the alternatives? Well, that’s where car-sharing comes in. There are many businesses trying to help people move away from private car ownership. Companies such as

Liftshare work with large employers using data mapping to suggest employees who can ride-share together to work. Car-sharing platforms such as UK’s Hiyacar (‘airbnb for cars’) and the US’s Turo allow people to make money from their cars, managing all the bookings and insurance via an easyto-use app. Car clubs like Co-wheels, Zipcar, and Enterprise allow people to easily book and borrow cars from specific locations. And of course Taxi firms are also a really important part of the solution, especially those running modern and well-used fleets.

Back in 2019, the Science Select Committee told MPs that ‘widespread personal vehicle ownership does not appear to be compatible with significant decarbonisation’. And yet few leaders are politically brave enough to openly repeat this obvious fact – we need fewer cars, not just newer cars. Cars are also expensive – a

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Emily Kerr - Share Our Cars Share Our Cars I now live in Oxford – with my husband, an academic who was also at BGS with me. Last summer, I came up with the concept of ‘closed loops’, because I realised there were a lot of cars on the street and thought it should be possible to get neighbours to share their cars with each other. This is a new way of car-sharing: we are using Hiyacar’s platform, but they have ring-fenced our neighbourhood so only people part of the community can see and share each other’s cars. My family has recently sold our own car, and we just borrow the neighbours’ when we need one. We will lease an EV for two months over the summer holidays (with three kids under the age of six it’s handy for holidays) but I don’t see us owning one again in the future. To create a viable alternative to private car ownership, we need a high density of cars available for drivers to borrow – a shared car on every corner. If you need to own a car, you can help right now by making it available for others to borrow when you’re not using it. And as more people start sharing their cars, and as the cost of living and driving go

up, you may start to find you could reduce the number of cars your household owns.

Emily Kerr is the founder of Share Our Cars, a campaign encouraging people to rethink car ownership.

Emily Kerr (1990-1997)

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Lunch Club Meetings Lunch Club Meetings

LUNCH CLUB MEETINGS What are these? When do they take place? Can anyone join in? What do I need? Do I have to say anything?

The meetings are currently one of only two regular events where Old Bristolians can meet. The other forum is the lecture series organised by Pete Jakobek. The lunches usually take place at midday on the first Friday of each month. There is an OB guest speaker who talks on a subject of their choice, quite often from their careers but not exclusively. They talk for 20-25 minutes followed by questions from those present. You do not have to participate actively, you can just watch and listen and enjoy. All you need do is turn up. Please come and have a look. It is not an exclusive club for a chosen few. All are welcome. Details from obs@bgs.bristol.sch.uk

Old Bristolians ‘ Lunch Club We had our first meeting of the season on October 1st at the Old Bristolians’ ground at Failand. Our President, Richard Berry welcomed 25 of us. (It was especially rewarding to see some younger faces whom our speaker had helped in their studies) .Our speaker was David Miller, (who as many of you would have known having taught Classics at the school for many years). Over the last few years he had worked and researched producing the first translation into English of the Novels of Justinian. Justinian I, also known as Justinian the Great, was the Byzantine emperor from 527 to 565. His reign is marked by the ambitious but only partly realized renovatio imperii, or "restoration of the Empire".

Roman Empire. The novels revealed the evolution of Roman Law at the end of antiquity and how Imperial Law was transmitted to both the Byzantine East and the Latin West in the early Middle Ages. It is an important and detailed study and David was widely praised for such a work. After the talk we were able to ask further questions with the books and notes he had brought with him.We had the benefit of a nice sunny day and our thanks must go to Caitlin Spencer, Mike Burmester and Peter Jakobek for organising this. We would like to thank the caterers of course for a splendid lunch.

Bruce Perrott (1949-1958)

This ambition was expressed by the partial recovery of the territories of the defunct Western

Mike Burmester (1953-1964)

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to Michele Ode toOde Michele

Free on Fridays?

An Ode to Michele

My last School Dinner was a few weeks ago at the OB

luncheon club. A beautiful meal created by Michele and Dave. A far cry from my last School Dinner as a pupil. I think this must have been in 1959.

Our monthly Lunch Club Meetings are a chance to meet over a drink beforehand and enjoy an entertaining speaker They run between 12 and 2.30 approximately Why not come along to the next meeting You do not have to be a regular attender

I do appreciate that WW2 was not long past and rationing only ended in 1954 but the food put in front of us was truly appalling. I have haunting memories of grey potatoes hard, undercooked and full of the black ends that potatoes can develop. Cabbage, soggy and cooked to extinction. Hard peas and soft waterlogged carrots. The puddings were little better. Heavy and stodgy, but at least sweet; concrete and custard comes to mind, but the custard was lumpy.

We had to eat this awfulness. There was no escape. Permission from the teachers was required to leave food. “Stew” was one of the worst meals; greasy, grisly, gristly, ghastly. I clearly remember one lunch time when this was the offering. I was sitting next to a classmate. The stew was truly dreadful, lumps of fat in a greasy swill. I put my hand up, ‘please sir can I leave this dinner?’. ‘No Wright, eat it!’, came the reply. I toyed with my food and then my classmate was sick on to his plate, beside mine. I put my hand up again, ‘Please sir can I leave my food now, S…. has just been sick on his plate!’ Sandwiches thereafter. Michele, you are a delightful breath of fresh air and culinary creativity. We are lucky to have you!

Geoff Wright

(1956-1966) Chairman Bristolienses Editor

Next term’s talks and dates will be available via the Old Bristolians’ website Bristolienses - Issue 62

OBs’ Annual Dinner OBs’ Annual Dinner 2022

Finally we got back to celebrate with OBs’ Annual Dinner in the Great Hall.

It was great to see over 150 OBs, old and young, getting together for a wonderful evening of excellent food, speeches and general catching up conversations. An extremely enjoyable evening! Next year the Annual Dinner will be held on Saturday 18 March - do come along! Details will be available soon on the OBs’ website.

Peter Jakobek

(Staff 1982 to date)

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OBs’ Annual Dinner OBs’ Annual Dinner 2022

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Charter Day 2022 Charter Day 2022

80th Annual Charter Day Service March 17 2022 Was it really four years ago that we last assembled in Bristol Cathedral to celebrate the school’s founding? This was Jaideep Barot’s first appearance at the Cathedral for Charter Day. The weather upon arrival was spring like, daffodils abounded on clothing and there was a cheerful buzz all round. With organist Nigel Nash in his customary full-on mode the scene was set. The headmaster, OB Graham Tomlin (Bishop of Kensington) and Deputy Lord Mayor ( Cllr. Andrew Varney) proceeded up the main aisle with Canon Nicola Stanley. Nicola gave us a fulsome welcome, mentioning that this was the first time in over two years that she had seen the Cathedral full. The hymns were “All creatures of our God and King,” “I vow to thee

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were wealthy merchants who had been involved in the slave trade yet created something good that continues to this day. In making judgements he emphasised the importance of looking at the inside and not just the outside appearance. He focused on the

my country” and “Guide me O thou great Redeemer.” Who could fail to be moved by those, all sung with gusto by choir and congregation. Jasleen Singh, Head of School, gave the first reading and Adam RashidThomas, Deputy Head of School, deeper, less measurable, more intangible ”character.” His role model to follow was Jesus Christ to build character. He ended by praying for us and the school.

the second. The Headmaster led the prayers. Bishop Graham – clearly a Bristol City fan - gave the address. He began by asking the question : “Why do you go to school?” In his experience one has different answers depending on what age one is at during schooldays. He quoted a German philosopher who believed health, wealth and an attractive school were all means to an end. Referencing the school motto Ex Spinis Uvas, Graham examined the message of the second reading (Matthew 7) which speaks of grapes from thorns, good fruit and bad fruit. The founders of BGS, Nicholas and Robert Thorne,

The service concluded with the traditional rendition of the school song fortissimo, Quot Quot full throated. The Bishop’s blessing ended the service. Guests joined the headmaster, staff and prefects in the Chapter House for tea, cakes and conversation. How we had missed this experience. Sumus Bristolienses.

Michael Burmester (1953-1964) Past President

Charter Day 2022 Charter Day 2022

All photographs by Ruth Bennett - Staff

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Reminiscences Reminiscences

The Saturday morning music lectures were a delight. My fondest memory concerns an ad hoc string quartet that we formed.

Robert Davies (1st violin), ? Richards (2nd violin), ? Brown (viola) and me on cello. We found an empty downstairs classroom in the Shells and Thirds block to practise after school. We were stumbling our way through a Mozart quartet when Mr Beecroft, whose office was upstairs, appeared at the door. Far from telling us off for disturbing him, he stayed with us and patiently coached us through the piece. Subsequently, every time he passed me in the corridor, he would address me as ‘Casals’. Robert Davies reminded me that we had problems with the last movement, so we substituted a transcription of Mozart’s flute quartet. We performed it at a lunchtime recital in the Lower School Hall and Mr Lang (who had been leader of the National Youth Orchestra) was, as Robert put it, ‘a little sniffy’!

to the Mendips every day in Mr Dunnicliffe’s ancient Land Rover – seven or eight of us crammed in the back. Lunch time was spent in the Rodney Stoke Inn playing shovehalfpenny and illicitly drinking cider. In 1965, the school bought Lodge Hill station in Westburysub-Mendip and we converted it into a field centre. Daily goods steam trains were still running on the ‘Strawberry Line’ from Wells to Yatton, picking up strawberries from the growers along the valley. Bizarrely, in 1972 we bought a house within sight of the old station and lived there for 33 years! I have included a couple of photos I took at Rodney Stoke. In the one outside the pub, I can identify from the left: Mr MacDonald the reserve warden, ? Gammon, Mr Dunnicliffe, ? Athey, me holding the barrel, John Watkins, John Knight, and Roger Buckingham.

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school 1957-1965 - yes, I am Jack’s brother. Both Jack and I

were fee-paying and, as Dad was a manual worker, we both benefited from reduced fees, although our time at school only overlapped by one year. Yes, fees were means tested and I can recall taking the form to the office of ‘The Clerk To The Governors’ in Denmark(?) Street behind the Hippodrome. If I recall correctly it was a splendid Georgian building - probably a merchant’s house, and the street was cobbled! Had it not been for the (significantly, I believe) reduced fees, neither Jack nor I would have attended BGS. Times were very hard for Mum and Dad in 1950 when Jack started, and I was given the same opportunity in 1957. My sister attended Redland High, also direct grant, as a fee paying pupil in 1962(?).

Chris Prowting (1957-1965)

Mr JE Barton My father, Ken Austin, was born in 1908 and grew up in Sandford, near Winscombe, North Somerset, where his father was the village postman and ran an apple orchard. Dad attended Redcliffe Endowed School and was then apprenticed to Wake & Dean, cabinet makers in Yatton.

Another reminiscence concerns post A-Level activities In 1964 and 1965 after A-Level exams we were offered out-of-school activities. In 1964, a small group of us volunteered to work on the Rodney Stoke nature reserve where we cleared brushwood in preparation for fencing. We travelled down

Firstly let me introduce myself: Chris Prowting, at

In the second photo, the four of us are clearly showing off our amazing physique!!

John Ogborne (1957-1965)

When I was awarded a scholarship place at BGS in 1955 my father recalled an experience from his early working life. Wake & Dean were awarded the contract to equip the new library at Bristol Grammar School and, as an apprentice, my

Past Presidents Lunch Past presidentss

father became part of the on-site team. Most Wake & Dean clients dealt only with the foreman, and then as little as possible.

Past Presidents’ Lunch Friday 11th February 2022

However, at BGS the then Headmaster, Mr JE Barton, was in the habit of visiting the library to inspect progress. When he did, he spoke to every member of the on-site team, including the lowly apprentice.

It had been two years since the reunion of past presidents took place because a socially distanced lunch in 2021 would not really have been ideal.

My father remembered being deeply impressed.

We were delighted to welcome the headmaster, Jaideep Barot, as well as Shirley Gyles, Jenny Ratcliffe, Anne Revill and Elizabeth Stirratt together with Peter Jakobek who had been instrumental in organising the event. Sadly neither Don Furze nor Tony Warren were able to join us owing to health problems.

Noel Austin (1955-1962)

of life at school during lockdown and went on to highlight some student achievements. He was particularly proud of the spirit that had prevailed during this period amongst staff and students alike.

We heard details of events coming up in the calendar : Monthly lunch, AGM, annual dinner and Charter Day and encouraged those present to participate as well as to spread the word. Jaideep toasted the Society and we in turn toasted the School. This was the first time in the life of the Society that father and son had been past presidents.

Mike Burmester (1953-1964)

The headmaster gave us a snapshot

Photograph shows back row, L-R : Martin Sisman, Charles Martin, Melanie Guy, John Sisman, Keith Gerrish Front row, L-R : Anne Bradley, David Watts, Tony Stirratt, Jaideep Barot, Mike Burmester, Philip Revill.

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BGS Giving Day BGS Giving Day

I am sure you have all heard quite enough about Giving Day, but I wanted to share our “thank you montage” film with you. Here is the thank you video https://youtu.be/azHRh5QFf-M

Fundraising is more than rattling buckets, believe it or not! Many of our donations come from relationships we develop with high-net-worth individuals. We also gain significant donations through legacies. The middle bit – the missing bit for us, so far – is known as “mid-level giving” and that is what Giving Day is all about. Reaching out to as many people as we can; our parents,

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OBs and friends around the world. Not necessarily the wealthiest; it is about creating a donor community, collaborating and giving in a way that feels comfortable. It has taken over four months of planning to produce Giving Day. We could have raised as much from a single donor, willing to donate the same amount. But then no one else would have been involved. What we have gained, is over 245 donors. 133 of them have never given to BGS and 99 parents joined in. We have also involved our school community. Our support staff, teachers and children. Crucially, more and more OBs, parents and friends now know about the 500 Campaign. During the toughest of times and in one of the busiest school terms, asking everyone to get involved in Giving Day, when many didn’t really know how it would work, was an ambitious ask! That goes

for the planning last term, and the execution, at the start of this very important term. In a bid to not distract too much from the key activities of the school at such a busy time, we cut down the number of things we put on. This was, of course, our “first pancake”. We had no idea how it would pan out (excuse the pun). When we do this again, we will have learned from this first effort, we will have longer to plan, and we will include more of you, if you are willing. What we achieved together is incredible. Everyone who wore the T-shirt, shared our message, watched our videos and got involved has helped. We actually packed quite a lot into the 36 hours

BGS Giving Day BGS Giving Day

of fundraising, including an art auction which has raised over £900. Thank you to all of you. We engaged a lot of new people

and the money raised – which includes two big gifts that provided the matched funding which encouraged 245 people to give – stands at £188,077. We can do more next time and

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here’s to welcoming some amazing new children to BGS thanks to what we’ve achieved together.

Nadine Latte

Director of Development

OB Sports Club OB Sports Club

Old Bristolians’ Sports Club Failand

underpinned by amazing volunteers in all areas, leading to waiting lists to join.

OBs’ rugby returned from the Covid-enforced break with a spring in its step and a new Director of Rugby in the shape of Tom Lindsay (ex-Bristol Bears and England Saxons).

Not only is the rugby key but its ethos teaches the players all round life skills as they gain friends for life. We have coaches involved in the Bristol Bears Academy, including the Manager of the U18s who recently became national champions, and continue to bring OBs through the academy.

All three men’s sides continue to enjoy the open running rugby for which they are known, resulting in strong starts to the season with league wins over local rivals. A slight dip in form linked to front row availability (and the ski season) left most sides in the chasing pack just below league leaders, but results have steadily improved thanks to an excellent coaching team. The club continues to thrive with its ‘faster’ ethos of all players enjoying their rugby with teams to suit abilities from serious to social and a thriving post-match atmosphere. It is testament to this that we continue to run three regular men’s sides, as well as a Vets (35+) and Ladies team, now in their sixth season and continuing to grow, with girls’ sides at U13 and U15. Our Minis & Juniors’ section now has nearly 450 children from U5/6s up to Colts playing together to build confidence and resilience in our players and teams. It is

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The focus is always about giving children the best experience possible. However, this year we are immensely proud of the achievements of Andy Christie, the first OB to win a full international cap. Andy and his brothers played at OBs from small boys and the whole club was overjoyed to see him run out against France for Scotland. As the weather improves to suit OBs’ style, all sections and teams are looking for strong availability and stronger finishes to the season. Midweek training sessions over winter have continued despite the weather thanks to use of the world-class 3G facilities at BGS. New players (especially OBs) of all abilities are always welcome, so if you haven’t played in while, fancy a trying a new club, or are moving back to Bristol and want to get involved, please get in

touch via www.obrfc.co.uk. There is coaching to suit all standards as well as food (and pudding club) posttraining.

A Waldram OBRFC 2022

Many readers will know that, on a day to day basis, the Old Bristolians’ Sports Club manages The Failand War Memorial Playing Field, which is owned by the Old Bristolians’ Society. Sport is again fully operational and it is clear from the playing section profiles later in this edition that the Club is thriving with a strong membership and links with the School. Despite the problems created by the pandemic the Sports Club finances are in good shape but we have some budgeting questions to look at particularly regarding the long term financing of the Stirratt Astro Turf Pitch. We are eventually on the brink of registering the Sports Club as a limited company and although the major redevelopment of the pavilion envisaged is not currently feasible, due to lack of grants from the sporting bodies, we have some funds available and with the help of volunteers we are organising a focussed refurbishment of the interior to give a bright modern welcoming look.

OB Sports Club OB Sports Club

The ground had a relatively fallow period during lockdown. Without Rugby the Cricket outfield was flat and green for the whole 2021 season rather than waiting until late May for full summer recovery. The return to Rugby has required careful planning of what areas and pitches to use in rotation to ensure certain areas are not worn out. The national ban on certain chemicals to kill worms has meant that worm casts have been out of control. The extra sticky nature of the casts makes mowing very difficult, when the machines become clogged, and large mud patches develop which hinder grass growth and drying. A new granular treatment has now been used and the problems are slowly going away. Hopefully this will stop the large amounts of mud being brought into the Club House and changing rooms or we will need to enforce some strict rules on muddy boots and kit to ensure a lasting benefit of the refurbishments. For those interested, I have put together a Powerpoint file showing the profiles of the playing sections.

Richard Leonard

Sports Club Secretary leoharrier@gmail.com

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Hockey Club 2021 was to be a time for looking back and an auspicious event for the club. Instead pandemic restrictions meant a lack of games in the first half and members only coming together in small groups until the summer. The first known record of OBs’ Hockey Club was in 1921 so we should have been celebrating our centenary. It is entirely possible, of course, that games were played before especially as it was one of the School games well before the First World War. In 1971 as a teenager still at school I remember attending my first Hockey Annual Dinner at Juries Hotel in Bristol. How the Club, and the sport in general, has grown since that 50th anniversary! I first played for the Club in 1969 in the days when Mike Booker acted as a liaison between the School and the Club. He would get a call from the OBs on a Friday asking if he could persuade one or two schoolboys, who were at least fifteen years old, to play the following day if there were no school matches. The Club then had just three men’s teams playing on Saturdays and an occasional Sunday side. 25 years

Failand club house acting as a factory for the production of the food boxes sent out at Christmas by the Hockey Club

OB Sports Club OB Sports Club later the Club was running four men’s and a ladies’ team along with mixed and men’s veterans sides which played on Sundays. You will see from the Club profile overleaf that the youth element is a strong part of the Club and the Junior Academy training is very full. This season has seen the reestablishment of the fifth ladies’ team. We have been one of the very few clubs in the West to expand since 2019 against the general trend in hockey. More than 15 teams (out of 500 from around 120 clubs) have dropped out of the West League this season. It seems that some of the older players have found different things to do during the lockdown periods and decided to hang up their boots. It has also corresponded with a change in the way that hockey is governed and managed on a national basis. Eight regional leagues have been formed across England and Wales and the inevitable introduction of an electronic system covering all players and clubs which predictably has suffered teething problems. At the start of March 2022 the Ladies’ first team leads its division and the seconds, thirds and fourths are second in their divisions. The Men’s firsts have the furthest to travel for away games, which hinders availability, but they are holding their own, ten points above the relegation zone whilst the seconds and thirds are third and fourth respectively in their division. For the latest positions of all the teams refer to the website https:// west.englandhockey.co.uk/adultleagues-competitions

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Like most clubs we exist financially by charging members annual subscriptions and fees per match but we would also welcome sponsorship of any amount from interested individuals and companies. We are changing our source of kit (retaining our basic design and OB colours) and with close to 200 playing members and nearly 150 junior members sponsors names would have exposure across the West (our furthest league games are Redruth and Leominster) so now presents good marketing opportunities. Like everyone else (well, almost everyone) we have been unable to come together as a Club except for Club Days at the beginning of this season which were held at the Stirratt pitch. Both the adult and junior days were well attended. With the ending of Covid restrictions we are hoping to begin to run some social events including a dinner at the end of April.

staff at Failand and as a cricket coach in the afternoons while the club would pay for flights and provide accommodation.

Let’s hope 2022 is a little kinder to all of us.

With the support of the Head Grounds Men, particularly Ben Randell and Gary Owen, the visitors were warmly welcomed and all enjoyed a Bristol summer with the OBs community that they will always remember.

Nick Stibbs Chairman

Overseas Cricketer In the early 1990s the Cricket Club wanted to improve the level of cricket played and one of the solutions to achieve this was to invite a young overseas player to join the Club each season. A plan was agreed between Rick Sellers, Head of BGS sport, and Tim Parnell the Club Captain. The School would provide employment in the mornings with the ground

The overseas player was usually late teens from New Zealand, Australia or South Africa and often on a ‘gap year’ before further education or in some cases a professional cricket career.

Unfortunately Covid and the associated travel restrictions, as well as changes to staffing at Failand, have made it impossible to invite anyone for the last few seasons and also this forthcoming season. We have therefore reluctantly come to the conclusion that the Overseas Player arrangement will finish. It has been a very valuable

OB Sports Club OB Sports Club games. Off the field the club ran another superb All Stars programme with more than sixty 5-8 year olds enduring the early season rain to be introduced to cricket core skills and have a great deal of fun at the same time. Thanks again go to Gareth and Clarissa Griffiths who ran the programme and all the work behind the scenes and on the day. There will be a new ECB youth programme next year as well as the All Stars programme.

arrangement that has benefited the School and OBs in many ways not least with the numbers of current BGS students playing cricket, hockey and rugby in the junior sections and in the senior teams. The relationship between the School and the Sports Club is very important and essential in preserving Failand as a Memorial to Old Bristolians . The Sports Club and Cricket Club would like to formally record their thanks to the School and Staff for all the support over the last 30 years.

Old Bristolians Westbury Cricket Club Chairman’s report 2021 season I am pleased to write this report with a full season of competitive league cricket behind us. Although the virus threat still hung over us and played a huge part in the season it is of huge credit to the club that no cases were linked to contacts made during games played at Failand. We must thank Nick Merrick for maintaining the

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risk assessments and keeping our facilities fully covid compliant as well as providing all the hospitality allowed. Congratulations to the men’s 3rd team who have secured promotion to B&D division 9. Elsewhere it was a season of great escapes with both the 1st and 4th teams staging impressive performances towards the end of the season to retain their places in the WEPL Bristol & North Somerset and B&D 13th Divisions respectively. The 2nd team finished a respectable 6th in B&D division 3 above a very close bottom of the table. The ladies’ team enjoyed more games this season with several close finishes, however the weather and some bad luck robbed them of a run in the cup. The captains had to ensure covid compliant games took place with sanitising every six hours. They also had to get used to using the ‘Spond app’ to select and communicate their teams. Even with this new technology, brought in to make captains’ lives easier, there was still plenty of chasing to do and despite having over 80 men’s players signed up we had to cancel three 4th team

The committee has been very active and it is good that everyone is staying in place next season. As we returned to normal there were plans for an end of season dinner but finding a venue was a problem and an awards night is to be held at the club house instead. The club relies on its volunteers and next season this will be particularly important as the committee will need assistance to put on the new ECB Dynamo’s programme and do more to improve the cricket squares. The more volunteers the better so please get in touch if you can spare a few hours on a Friday night for the youth programmes or any other times for support jobs like scoring or wicket rolling. Indoor pre-season training resumed in January in the BGS sports hall and there have been a lot of things going on in the close season to improve facilities, including a new bowling machine and refurbishment of the nets. For more information, news and contact details please visit the Club website, www.obwcc.co.uk, direct or via the Old Bristolians’ websites.

Ross Dallimore Chairman

Few Thoughts & Mayor’s Memoirs AAFew Thoughts & Memoirs

A Few Thoughts from a Town Planner I recently attended the OBs’ Society Dinner which I very much enjoyed. However, instead of nursing a hangover, my poor brain is now trying to cope with composition following a Wright request to write something. As I’m not a regular attendee, I should perhaps first set out some context.

I am from the class of 1966. It seems so long ago it could almost be 1066. After leaving school I became a town planner. This was mainly in the southwest although nothing in the Bristol area. I make this point because nearly everyone has a grumble about town planners and I’d like to come to another dinner! I’ll come back to people’s perceptions about planners later on. In the latter years of my career (I retired in 2011) I was working in the Oxfordshire area where, for example, Didcot and Wantage had been identified for major growth. The essence of planning is the right development in the right place at the right time. Without boring you or appearing to duck responsibility, I have to tell you that, as a planning officer, your objective assessment of where development might and should go gets modified by the local politicians for reasons that, how can I say, reflect local aspirations. That’s the reality so

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it’s no good complaining. I can also tell you, as a retiree, that I’m glad I don’t have to defend town planning any more. So, to what people think of planners. Well, a doctor, an architect and a planner were debating whose was the oldest profession. The doctor pointed out that in the Bible God had taken a rib from Adam to make Eve which was clearly a surgical procedure. Oh no, said the architect, if you look in the Bible it says that order was created out of chaos and that’s what we architects do. Oh no, says the planner, it’s us. Who do you think created the chaos in the first place!

Nick Burroughs (1960-1966)

The Mayor’s Memoirs

On Saturday, March 12th, I drove down from Kenilworth, Warwickshire, to Cheltenham and picked up a lift from my old friend, Nick Burroughs, to attend the OBs’ Dinner. This was highly enjoyable, with a lovely atmosphere and we had a great evening with the Yates twins and other contemporaries of ours on our table. However we had made the mistake of sitting next to Geoff Wright and at the end he insisted that I write a piece on being the Mayor of Kenilworth, where my wife, Jenny, and I have lived since 1977, bringing up two children, who now both live in New Zealand. So, here it is, ‘A few Days in the Life

of a Provincial Mayor’. Our Town Council now has the status of a mere Parish Council so my bid for power has been a failure so far. However, I have to represent everyone in the town, not just my fellow Green Party members and last week was a busy one for Mayoral duties. Monday afternoon saw a visit to the Engine Inn to lend support to a clothing collection for Ukrainian refugees in Poland. Photos were taken and a brief interview for the local paper. Yes, there was a free beer afterwards; there have to be some perks. We had intended to fly the Ukrainian flag outside the Council offices but we found that a minor repair to the flagpole was needed and Gemma, our young administrator, and I managed to effect it. It then took ‘til Thursday to get a quorum of councillors and staff, including the Town Clerk, together for the flagraising while Gemma took photos. On Tuesday morning, I visited the local Fire Station to meet the volunteer firecrew and a senior lady officer who was visiting the Station that day in order to introduce new planning and policies to the crew. I was impressed by the ability of the firecrew to question and discuss the changes constructively and the senior staff’s willingness to listen. The crew also gave us a demonstration of cutting a crash victim out of a car in the car park behind the Station. Later, Jenny and I were guests at the local Soroptimists Poetry and Tea afternoon to mark International

Memories of School days Memories of School days

Women’s Day.

When I first heard of these ladies, they sounded scarey. In fact the 18 or so who attended are charming, though I suspect not to be crossed. Wednesday was a non-Mayoral day until the evening, when I had to chair the AGM of the Kenilworth Twinning Association. That meant another short speech. Thankfully, nobody threw anything at me. Thursday is Market Day in the town and on my regular cycle ride around I found a small but very good jazz band setting up in Talisman Square. They asked me to return for photos later that day so smarter clothes and chain of office got an airing. Thursday saw the start of a trawl of the charity shops to find a dinner jacket etc for the OBs’ Dinner, not part of my wardrobe till now. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! Oh dear, my Green principles have crept in. So, with two months to go, how has it been as Mayor since May, 2021? It has taken a while to get used to it but, on the whole, it has been surprisingly enjoyable. People are nearly always pleased to see me, a new experience; we have met some lovely people who give up their time or income to charities and deserving causes and we have feasted at various events at the public’s expense. Sometimes, I have to sing for my supper with a speech, which I always try to keep short. If everyone should have 15 minutes of fame, perhaps everyone should be Mayor for a week. However, there is only one Mayoral event this week, the Mayor of Stratford’s Civic Dinner, so it’s a chance for me to calm down and reflect.

Peter James Jones (1958-65)

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Haunts in the Sixth Form and Beyond

Where did you go to hang out? Where did you go to be cool? Or, more to the point where could you get in? Thoughts from a leaver of ’66 – may I have yours? I think the Wimpy bar on the corner of Park Street Avenue and Park Street was my first place of independent eating. Occasionally I went there with my friend Adrian Ashley on a Monday evening before returning to the gym for the fencing club. Wimpy bars were pretty new and rather daring, then. Egg and chips was often our meal. We would sit and watch our eggs, poured into steel rings, being cooked on a large hot plate and then eat them with rather limp chips – high living! Later, we went to coffee bars. Mine was the Mianco, halfway down Park Street on the left as you walk to College Green. Along with Bob Wilcox and Tony Horne I discovered dim corners and cold Coca Cola with a cube of ice and a slice of lemon. The menu there was a source of infinite amusement being ‘lost in translation’. The favourite was the open crap sandwich! The more sophisticated went to the Bali on the other side of Park Street – too cool for me! There was another Bali at the top of Union Street in Broadmead my sister used to frequent.

friends already mentioned, along with Nick Britton, David Heap and others.The Somerset (The Set) on Park Row was one of the main BGS drinking places. Small, odd shaped, busy and wonderful. At one time, a stoned barman with a pigeon on his shoulder would serve you a pint of bitter for 1/9d. Just over the road was the White Hart. That is still there, the Set is not.

Then into Clifton. The Albion, The Quadrant, The Portland Vaults, others, and my favourite The Greyhound. The graffiti in the gents at the Greyhound was not vulgar, ‘To be or not to be – Shakespeare, To do is to be - Sartre, Scoobie doobie do – Frank Sinatra.’ ‘Walls have ears, but fences have holes’. And, poignantly, ‘The Russians are keeping themselves in Czech.’ The club scene was rather different then; you had to be a member. After leaving school I was the doorman on a Saturday lunchtime for a Jazz club at The Dugout, Park Row, and occasionally gained entry in the evenings. The Mandrake Club in Frogmore Street – never allowed in. The Granary near Welshback – maybe once. What about eating out later on? Berni Inns and Marco’s were kings in Bristol. My first dinner date was in Marco’s Trattoria in Queens Road. Scaloppine di vitello al parmigiano, probably with chips and Lambrusco. I can taste it now and the kiss afterwards.

Geoff Wright

(1956-1966) Chairman Bristolienses Editor

Later, then the pubs, meeting

Memories of School days Memories of School days

We moved from Birmingham to Bristol in August 1953 because my father had been appointed

‘Tutor’ at Bristol Baptist College - conveniently sited opposite the Woodland Road entrance to the school so that we frequently cycled in together from Henleaze and later Westbury on Trym. I had won a place at Camphill Grammar School that was transferred to BGS. The first morning I duly presented myself at the main entrance to be met by ‘Sarge’ who told me that Shell B was in the new Building - with the badges over the door down Elton Road. Grammar School was, of course, very different from my Junior School. We had different subject teachers/masters and all Oxbridge men except for Second master ‘Frank’ Beecroft (London) Messrs Tapp (Woodwork) Young (gym) and Buffery (art) - and only had our form master Sir Strachan for the six months and one form period each week. We enjoyed having Eric Dehn for French (and USA Schools) and had ‘Rudolph’ Hamilton for Latin, ‘Hatchet’ Davies for English (married & Jag owner), Mr Huggot for Science, Mr Hill for History and Mr Barker - in charge of the new intake - for Geography and Divinity. French and Latin were new subjects. History

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started from scratch at the Stone Age again & Geography studied the British Isles again as in my last year in Birmingham. Maths - initially arithmetic then algebra covered ground I had been taught up to three years previously and I formed the idea that the Bristol schools were way behind Birmingham! Saturday morning school was a bit of a blow, but starting with double woodwork softened it. Indeed I also joined the Friday after school Woodwork Club when I failed to get into the oversubscribed Gym Club. Games were on Tuesday afternoons - usually at Golden Hill but sometimes at the Memorial Ground. They were organised on a House basis - I was in Langford’s. House Captain Laurie Watts in his last term at school initiated us into the joys of ‘rugger’.

I had not shone at soccer but reckoned that with the beginners’ even playing field I could do better

here - and I did! I have few ball skills but I was prepared to tackle and fall on the ball so did ok and was put in the under 13s knockout team at Christmas and had a fantastic time charging up the field shrieking our heads off …. And winning! Next term the House had become Rendall’s and Laurie, looking very upset at the end of term house rugby had left. I found myself in the school team as prop along with a lot of other Rendall’s - in fact about half the team over the years - and I remained there up to 2nd XV apart from a short period of collapsing scrums and becoming a wing forward and being seconded to the Cross country team. The summer term brought the middle school play ‘The Government Inspector’ by Gogol. I got a part but became very worried when I wasn’t being called to rehearsals. Ultimately I discovered why; I didn’t come on until the very end to deliver a four line bombshell revealing that everyone had been hoaxed. The 1st year school exams decided our future streaming - aged 12! Classical or Modern? We were

Memories of School days Memories of School days

told entry into any 6th form was possible if you chose 4th Classical but without Greek 6th Classical was not open to the moderns. The idea that nobody was likely to want to by then or that 6th Science would require a conversion year in Remove Extra was never voiced.

I had some notion of being a History teacher and chose 4th Clas. Our form master was Michael Booker who instilled a great love for Greek and also introduced us to mythlology, myths and legends, which has drawn me back to them in retirement to the extent of building a second home in Greece. With a staff reshuffle we also had him again in the Lower 6th. Other teachers were the newly arrived Tony (Bunny) Warren, ‘Fred’ Perry - the only English teacher to award me decent marks and ‘Bert’ Payne with his 4th Classical Experiment whereby we spent the Spring term working in pairs independently producing two studies of aspects of Tudor history. Two years later as an accelerated stream we were facing our O-levels and also the Headmaster ‘Johnny’ Garrett for one period all Shakespeare - and one prep a week. An early prep was an essay ‘Myself at 30.’ A couple of chaps saw themselves as medics and wrote about doing 1st MB or the Remove Extra pathway. Later that year I decided to do medicine and chose the 1st MB route, all made known by those essays. This choice gave me more time to see and meantime broadened my education. As luck would have it the year ahead of us was particularly able and were offered the chance to take A Level after the one year in Lower 6th Class and so were we the

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year later. I passed all three gaining a City Senior Scholarship. But there was a rub, it wouldn’t pay for 1st MB. (Although state scholarships did). I therefore needed to live at home and applied to Bristol Medical School. One autumn morning I crossed University Road for my interview which was successful and I had an unconditional offer, still only 16! How different it was then!

Next summer we sat A Level again and also the scholarship level papers. Those were a stage towards Oxbridge College entrance exams still four terms away for most but next term for those with autumn birthdays, as cut off was your 19th birthday. BGS always came second in the country with around 18 scholarships and Exhibitions behind Manchester Grammar School with 36, being larger. The accelerated streaming giving a full two years and sometimes three, in the 6th form before completing was designed to this end.

Where are they now?

We always love to hear about what our OBs are up to. Drop us a line on the OBs’ email obs@bgs.bristol.sch.uk

Alan Durbin had decided to do Dentistry so there were two of us classicists on the joint course. Our O-Level General Science measured up surprisingly well in several fields of Physics but not in Chemistry and Biology. Organic Chemistry was hardest but I got on much better with organic, juggling the odd CO2 or H20 to arrive at the reaction formulae and that pulled me through Chemistry. Biology however did need to be re-sat at the end of the summer before joining the ‘professional’ 2nd MB course aged 18 like the other students entering with Science A Levels.

Dr David Moon (1953-1959)

And send us your pictures too! 35

Wear your Old Bristolians’ Merchandise

The OBs’ Office has a good supply of OB ties and enamel crested cufflinks and badges. Enamelled crested cufflinks Maroon/Navy crested (polysilk) ties Polyester striped ties Silk ties Silk pre-tied bow ties Enamelled crested badges Bobble Hat BGS Crest Mug

£23.00 £12.00 £8.00 £21.00 £21.00 £5.00 £15.00 £6.50

All prices quoted include VAT & UK postage only

Please visit the merchandise pages of our OB Community Website at www.alumni.bristolgrammarschool.co.uk or contact the OBs’ Office on 0117 923 7037

ould w e s i chand offer? r e m ther o see on o t a Wh now ike t k l e u c o i y ’Off

e OBs h t t e L

Where are they now? Where are they now?

Charly Kennedy (OB Class of 2011) started baking from a young age before landing a job at The Hummingbird

Bakery in London, famous for its red velvet cupcakes. From there she worked in various roles in the hospitality industry across the capital for a decade, including as a pastry chef for a top restaurant, and has now moved to Bristol to launch her first solo business. Flour House opened in the building formerly home to Murrays café and deli on Park Row on Monday 19 July. It serves a wide range of botanical inspired cakes all made by Charly, alongside other sweet treats such as salted caramel ripple cookies, cookie dough brownie and an ‘unreal’ Wagon Wheel brownie.

Charly and her team.

“It’s a bit of a crazy time to be opening a new business but I also think people will be so keen to visit as many places as possible after restrictions are eased on Monday,” said the 28-year-old. “Opening my own café has been my dream since I was a little kid, ever since I forced sugar cookies, which in hindsight were probably quite disgusting, upon my family. Opening a café has been a lifelong dream of Charly’s “I think I’ll go through a lot of different emotions when we welcome our first customers through the door on

Monday. I’m beyond excited to get going.” Charly has made her café as ‘homely as possible’ with plenty

of prints, plants and bright colours adorning the walls. She has employed a team of eight people to run the business with her. Flour House is located at 10 Park Row, Bristol BS1 5LJ. (Article from Bristolpost.co.uk)

Cakes served at Flour House to start with will include a lemon drizzle sponge with elderflower frosting - with elderflowers picked at Clifton Downs by Charly - and a pistachio and cardamom sponge with rosewater frosting. Savoury dishes will include sausage rolls and frittata, in addition to sandwiches served between Monday and Thursday - including a vegan miso seitan ‘beef’ option with kimchi mayo, Asian guacamole and cucumber ribbons. On Friday and at weekends, a small selection of brunch dishes will dominate the menu, including blueberry pancakes with honeycomb and bacon butter, with everything made fresh on site by

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A Hero of the Resistance A Hero of the French Resistance

Andre Heintz invested as Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur - 9 July 2010

The School was delighted to welcome the daughters of an Old

Bristolian, a Frenchman with a most distinguished career. Andre was a member of

the French Resistance. He was an exchange student at BGS in the 1930s and an exchange French teacher at BGS in the 1950s. CHRONICLE MARCH 1945 Two interesting reminders have lately come to hand of links with France during the occupation. W. Botte writes from Martigues

Headmaster Jaideep barot with Clare & Anne Heintz during their visit in May 2022

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(Bouches du Rhone) telling how he worked for nearly three years for the French underground (Intelligence); he hopes some day to send his son to BGS. A. Heintz, of a younger generation, called on his way from Normandy to Edinburgh; he had lived in Caen during the occupation, and the bombardment and capture of it; he, too, had for some years collected information for the “men of the Maquis.” CHRONICLE DECEMBER 1945 Old Boy visitors are always welcome. None could have been more welcome or of greater interest than Andre Heintz. (When he was here for six months in VA, before the war, he was nicknamed “ 57.”) He started the war as one of over 3,000 working in the underground movement in Normandy. He told me : “ When I was afraid, I remembered my friends in Bristol, and thought I must be as brave as they are being. We had to invent secret ways of celebrating under the Occupation. Mine was to wear my old BGS tie.” I induced him to repeat his astonishing

story of courage and sheer human endurance to the Sixth Form. At the conclusion of a lecture, which was as brilliantly planned as it was movingly exciting, he presented to the School the badge of beautiful design which was given to him as one of the few hundred survivors of the Resistance Movement in Normandy. It was a proud climax to an affecting occasion. CHRONICLE DECEMBER 1955 Mr. Dehn has effected an exchange during the Easter term with Mr. A. E. Heintz, who was a member of this School in 1935, and who has since the war been teaching in the University of Edinburgh and his native city of Caen. There can be few men who had such a distinguished career of courageous service in the Resistance movement. He planned an escape route for shot-down Allied airmen, escaped from a forced labour camp in Germany, prepared information for the invasion of Europe, and was in charge of a sabotage plan in

of the French Resistance A Hero ofA Hero the Resistance

connection with the landing of the Allies on the Normandy beaches. He presented the medal given in recognition of his work to this School. We extend a warm welcome to a distinguished friend of our country and hope that both he and Mr. Dehn will enjoy the term in each other’s school.

Anne Bradley The Archivist

FROM GEOFFREY SAMPSON: I was sad to read in the Jan. 2018 “Bristolienses” that André Heintz had died, though not surprised – the Christmas cards we swapped dried up from his end a few years ago. He was one of the most remarkable men I have known. I was among the third-formers he taught French when he exchanged jobs with Eric Dehn in 1956. We lads knew he had done something great in the War which had ended not long before – I don’t know how we knew, but it certainly meant that André had our undivided attention as he unfolded the mysteries of French pronunciation and grammar, though quite understandably he declined to talk to us callow schoolboys about his wartime activities. About ten years ago, though, the university where I worked organized a conference about the French Resistance and invited André to speak. I met him from the ferry and brought him home to stay with us. While with us André came out very casually with extraordinary tales of that time, when he was cycling daily through the streets of Caen carrying messages received by radio to the local Resistance leadership. As the Germans grew short of

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manpower they began shipping off able-bodied males from the occupied countries to work in the Reich, and André was rounded up.

darkest times in France.

He knew where the train had to slow after leaving the station, so he positioned himself by a door and managed to step off and slip away unnoticed; but that was only part of the job done. The Germans kept excellent records, and if André was on the list of deportees and failed to show up at the other end, there would be major trouble. So he had to persuade a girl working as clerk in the offices of the occupation authorities to find and remove his file-card from the relevant records. André told us that thinking about BGS and its boys and staff, still functioning in a free country, was a way he kept going during the

Geoff Sampson

I am proud to have been able to count him a friend.

(1952–62)

See Bristolienses Issue 54 for Andre’s obituary by Tony Stirratt.

Tony & Elizabeth Stirratt, with Clare & Anne Heintz during their visit in May 2022 On the right of this explosive picture stands Andre Heintz. He never lost contact with the School (an OB visitor stands on the left) and some 20th century Sixth Formers will remember him giving a lecture on his Resistance work. The shell is a 15” naval shell from the bombardment of Caen in June 1944. The bombardment was timely, as it saved Andre from the Gestapo.

Weddings Weddings

Blair Smith married Izzi Smith - photos by @andrewabphotography

Douglas Dunn married Paul

Naomi Bullivant married Mark Johnson - “We had 9 fabulous OBs at the wedding and 2 teachers - the BGS family is very much alive! It was very special having them there and James gave one of the three readings at our marriage ceremony. I wouldn’t have had that day without the years I had at BGS.”

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Weddings Weddings

Chloe Hogg married Luke Smolinski Lots of OBs in attendance spot Abby Lewis-Miller (nee Kidd) at the back, Mike Georgiou, Charlotte Heaton with their husbands/wife and Sophie Archer!!

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In Memoriam

IN MEMORIAM We regret to announce the deaths of the following members of the BGS family and extend our condolences to everyone that knew and cared for them. William Barlow (Bill) Blanchard 1945-1951 Ronald (Ron) James Chorley 1944-1949 Beverley Lewis Chuter 1944-1951 Brian Colston 1932-1939 Richard Charles Millward Cook 1941-1952 John Royston Drinkwater 1952-1959 Christopher John Gillingham Evans 1944-1954 Donald (Don) Furze 1955-1962 Nabeel Israrul Haq 1989-996 James Richard Harris 1942-1945 Michael John (Mike) Hayden 1944-1951 Jonathan Claude Binyon Higgens 1949-1958 Michael John Richard Hodge 1944-1947 Peter John Hurley 1942-1949 Robert Jenner (Staff) Left BGS in 2013 Robert Hamilton Jordan 1950-1958 Robert Alexander Kennedy 1945-1952 David Mogford Lloyd 1935-1944

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Mandy Meredith (Staff) 2010-2021 John Stuart Colin (Colin) Osborn 1941-1945 Roger Grahame Poolman 1947-1952 William John Hurlstone (John) Robson (Staff) 1963-1969 Geoffrey Richard Savory (Staff) 1948-1953 Richard Dodgson Sykes 1946-1950 Petrina Brealy nee Trueman 1983-1989 David John Weeks 1946-1954 Michael John (Mike) Winter 1944-1949 William Barlow (Bill) Blanchard 1935-2018 BGS 1945-1952

the Crown Prosecution service as a senior prosecutor until after a sudden brain haemorrhage and several major brain operations he took early retirement. Ronald James Chorley 1933-2021 BGS 1944-1949 Beverley Lewis Chuter 1933-2021 BGS 1944-1949 After leaving BGS he went on to Pembroke College, Oxford and subsequently became Senior Classics master at Chester School. Brian Colston 1922-2021 BGS 1932-1939

His daughter Diana writes, It was brilliant that my father got the opportunity to attend such a good school and I can see why there is real anger from many that grammar schools were abolished -or as in your case went independent. My father was a very intelligent man and no doubt benefitted from being in an academic environment - he went onto to Dartmouth Naval College after school and became a Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy where he served for 20 years before coming out and training as a solicitor. He eventually joined

His daughter Nicola writes: My father, Brian Colston, who has died aged 99 of abdominal cancer (after a short illness) was born in

In Memoriam Bristol. His father, Edward Colston, was an undertaker and his mother, Margaret Moore (known as Rita) was a teacher before her marriage. Brian went to Bristol Grammar School, where he excelled in sciences and mathematics. At the outbreak of war, he volunteered to join the Royal Signals. When interviewed by the BBC for VJ Day in 2020 he said this was because he had “no interest in killing people.”

His war experiences in India, Burma and Java influenced his decision to study medicine, which was enabled by the post war forces education scheme. He became a student in his 20s and met his future wife, Enid Furnival, at the University of Bristol. They married in 1951. Brian did not find permanent work in his beloved south west, so the couple moved to Birmingham with a young baby, rather than his AJS motorbike on which they had travelled to Spain. He worked in Birmingham all his professional life, extending and improving health services in primary care. His work as a general practitioner included delivering babies. One, notably, was by candlelight on a barge at the central Birmingham Gas Street basin - a problematic forceps delivery of a 14th child.

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He consequently had a key role in setting up a GP led maternity ward to assist safer maternity care. Among other innovations, his practice was also the first in Birmingham to have dedicated asthma and diabetes clinics, a joint academic appointment with the University of Birmingham, and an attached social worker. He led the development of multidisciplinary healthcare in the city and was actively involved with Birmingham Health Authority and the Medical Practitioners Union. He became a fellow of the Royal College of GPs in 1978. Funding was eventually found to provide a purpose built health centre in the deprived ward of Lee Bank, where he worked as senior partner. His achievements led to the award of the OBE in 1989. He was a practical man, turning his hand to most things, such as gardening and DIY. He loved photography and took 16 mm film of the working Bristol Docks in his youth. He played squash, qualified as a yachts master, and often sailed to France. He loved cooking, and enjoyed snooker and the theatre. He was a determined, hardworking,often generous, and kind man, who will be sadly missed. He leaves his wife, Enid; three children (Lucy, Simon, and myself, Nicola); and six grandchildren. His eldest son, Tim, died in 2014. Richard Charles Millward Cook 1933-2020 BGS 1941-1952 Richard Cook attended Bristol Grammar School from 1941-1951. After pre-clinical studies at Merton College, Oxford, where he gained honours in Physiology, Richard went to St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London for his clinical training,

graduating BM, B.Ch in 1958. It was there that he met Bart’s nurse Ann Watford, whom he married in 1960. Two months later, he and Ann flew to Kenya where, as part of the Colonial Medical Service, he worked at various rural hospitals. In 1963, he returned to the UK and worked in hospitals in London, Sheffield and Liverpool. After a short stint at a Children’s hospital in Seattle, USA, Richard took up a consultancy post in Paediatric surgery at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool in 1971 and he held this post until his retirement in 1995. Richard was one of the last of the true “generalists”, a surgeon who could do everything from neurosurgery to urology (including hypospadias surgery) and make it all look effortless. Universally regarded as one of the finest technical surgeons of his generation, he was one of the first surgeons in the United Kingdom to use Pena’s approach for ano-rectal anomalies. A devout Christian, Richard was an active member of the Christian Medical Fellowship and the large house which he and Ann bought in

In Memoriam South Liverpool was deliberately chosen to accommodate Christian Medical Fellowship meetings and other Christian activities involving people from all walks of life and a range of countries. After Ann’s death in 2009, Richard subsequently moved to Cheltenham to be near family. As ever, visitors were welcomed to his home and he was active in his local church. He died peacefully on 8th December 2020. Richard left four children: Nicholas, John, Rachel and Kathy, and eight grandchildren. John Royston Drinkwater 1941-2021 1952-1959

Harriet, Zoe, Olivia, and Gareth. Preceded in death by his wife Patricia, sister Louise Gordon and parents John and Audrey Evans. Chris spent most of his school years at Bristol Grammar School where he excelled in sports and did well in his academic classes. In 1946, he was awarded the Milsom Cup for excellence in athletics, along with several other awards and was elected head boy in his final year. Having gained his MA in metallurgy at Jesus College, Cambridge and served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Corps of Signals for his National Service, he spent his working career as a plant and site manager in the smelting and chemical refining industries which took him all over the world.

John left BGS for Exeter University, and went on to SOAS to study Chinese. He subsequently entered the Civil Service and worked in the Office for National Statistics. He was married to Dr Hazel Waters and they lived in London. John retained a lifelong passion for Chinese literature and art, and he loved the natural world and classical music. Christopher John Gillingham Evans 1935-2022 BGS 1944-1954 Christopher John Gillingham Evans, Age 86 of Hale Barnes, passed away on January 2nd, 2022, from mesothelioma. Survived by his loving partner, Carol, his children Martin (Angela) and Deby (Huw) and his five grandchildren, Sarah,

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Bowdon Croquet Club and became an avid croquet player. Always willing to share his knowledge he was a vibrant athletic coach and this willingness to coach continued into his love of croquet as he recently gained his level 1 coaching certificate. The Funeral Service was held at Altrincham Crematorium, on Thursday, January 22nd, 2022, and was well attended by family and friends with the eulogy delivered by The Reverend Michael Burgess of St. Peter’s Outhrington. Donald (Don) Furze 1944-2022 BGS 1955-1962 We have recently been notified of the death of Don Furze, and hope to include an obituary in the next issue of Bristolienses which will reflect his work for the School, the Society and the Sports Club. Nabeel Isarul Haq 1978-2021 BGS 1989-1996 After contracting leukemia, Nabeel died of Covid while in hospital.

Throughout his life, Chris was an avid sportsman running and playing rugby for Bristol Grammar school, Jesus College, Bristol RFC and Gloucestershire. He competed in the inaugural London Marathon finishing in a time of 3 hrs. 37 mins and 51 secs as well as completing 50 Gwent league races as a veteran runner. As a keen sportsman he enjoyed seeing others thrive and volunteered at the Salford Triathlon and the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games supporting the South African team. In his later years, he joined the

James Richard Harris 1928-2021 BGS 1942-1945 James left BGS to work at BOAC; he remained in touch with and was a supporter of BGS throughout his life. Michael John (Mike) Hayden 1933-2021 BGS 1944-1951 Michael won a scholarship to BGS and was a pupil there from 19441951. He thoroughly enjoyed his seven years at BGS and credited them as the most formative of his

In Memoriam and he played both sports for the school often touring with the cricket team in the school holidays.

life. He made many friends some of them life long, John and David Higson and John Evans to name just a few, and considered himself fortunate to come under the guidance of Michael Booker and other enthusiastic and dedicated teachers of that period. His enduring passion for cricket was born there also his love of rugby,

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He obtained several ‘A’ levels and gained a place at Bristol University to read geography and economics his aim being to become a teacher, but he decided to defer his place while he completed his obligatory National Service. He applied to join the Royal Air Force, following in the footsteps of his older brother, and was persuaded to sign on for three years as this would allow him to be taught to fly. After completing basic training in this country, he was posted to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and gained his wings. He loved the life and after three years signed on again becoming an accomplished pilot serving in the Middle East and the UK flying the Chipmunk, Harvard and Piston

Provost in basic training, graduating to the Meteor (the first jet engine in the RAF) and then on to the Vampire and Hawker Hunter fighter aircraft. He was later trained to fly the Canberra bomber. In the early 1970s, now Squadron Leader, he was fast tracked for instructor training on the Jet Provost and qualified becoming Chief Flying Instructor at the Royal Air Force No. 1 Training School at Linton on Ouse in 1975. In 1976 he was promoted to Wing Commander. Once his age no longer permitted

In Memoriam him to fly he completed two tours at RAF Biggin Hill on the interviewing board at the Office and Air Crew Selection Centre before retiring in 1988. Jonathan Claude Binyon Higgens 1939-2021 BGS 1949-1958 J C B Higgens (see photo on previous page) was clearly a very good swimmer and so there are many references to his participation in swimming and water polo competitions with other schools and within BGS. He was in Osborne’s House and was Captain of Osborne’s in his final year. He was a member of the School’s Cadet Force, Royal Naval Section. He is recorded as being a Cadet Leading Seaman in Aril 1957 and passing his Proficiency Test Part II in July 1957. He was also one of the Senior Librarians in April 1957 and was secretary to the Literary Society for two years leading up to his departure in July 1958. He left BGS to attend Peterhouse, Cambridge Michael John Richard Hodge 1931-2021 BGS 1944-1947 Peter John Hurley 1931-2022 BGS 1942-1949 Robert (Bob) Jenner 1937- 2021 Left BGS 2013 Bob was for many years the peripatetic music teacher for brass instruments, and this extract from

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the 2014 Chronicle is a fitting tribute: This beautiful and atmospheric work was performed with flair by ensemble and soloists alike, and conducted by long-standing BGS brass teacher, Bob Jenner. As Bob was due to retire after Christmas, it was with a special poignancy that he was asked to conduct, having been the trumpet soloist for the original performance of Quiet City, conducted by Aaron Copland himself. Richard Osmond writes: Bob Jenner was a member of the BGS community for a great many years. As the school brass teacher he primarily taught trumpet, but was also very comfortable teaching French horn and trombone. Although a relatively unassuming individual (despite the very bright red Alfa Romeo he used to park outside the Music Department) he was friendly and jovial, and many knew him well in the Common Room. His impact on the school as a whole was perhaps greater than some might realise, as Bob was always responsible for preparing the trumpeters to play the last post and reveille on Remembrance Day: he therefore helped to make one of the most important days in the school calendar that bit more special. It is a testament to how much he cared for the school that prior to his retirement he ensured that he had recorded both of the Remembrance Day fanfares for the school in case we ever found ourselves one year without a suitable trumpeter.

Robert Hamilton Jordan 1939-2021 BGS 1950-1958 His wife writes: I wish to inform you of the death of Robert Hamilton Jordan, born in Dublin 19th February 1939, died 29th December 2021 aged 82. Rustat Exhibitioner at Jesus College, Cambridge 1958. Taught Classics at Sevenoaks School, Methodist College Belfast and Queen’s University Belfast. Awarded PhD in Byzantine Studies in 1997. Married to Margaret Kay Patterson with one son and one daughter. Alongside his teaching career he spent many years translating Byzantine monastery documents for Queen’s University Belfast and Dumbarton Oaks USA. He was very fond of Michael Booker as his house master and as a result decided to enter the teaching profession when qualified. This gave him many years of enjoyment and the opportunity to write and perform in staff pantomimes. He was a contemporary of Keith Robbins who wrote the history of Bristol Grammar School ‘Pride of Place’ and Robert appears in two photos in the 1950s. Robert Alexander Kennedy 1933-2021 BGS 1945-1952 David Mogford Lloyd 1926-2021 BGS 1935-1944 His son writes: One of Bristol Grammar’s (very) old boys, David Mogford Lloyd, has died this year peacefully,

In Memoriam after a short illness, at the ripe old age of 95 years. He leaves behind five children and (very!) many grandchildren and greatgrandchildren.

There is a tradition of Lloyds at Bristol Grammar – David’s sons Nick and Tim both went there, as well as his younger brother Roger. Roger in fact passed away this year as well not long after his brother David, aged 94. Both David and Roger were in the school Rugby team, along with another old boy, Tom Graveney, who went on to play cricket for England! In the photo you can see David seated at the front, with his younger brother Roger next to him, and behind him Tom Graveney, David was Captain of the Rugby Team in 1943, and Roger went on to play for Bristol Bears. David’s son Tim played for the school first XV and BGS Old Boys for many years. A true Bristolian, David was born in 1926, the seventh of eight children, born to Arnold and Evelyn, living in Wellington Park just off Blackboy Hill. His maternal grandfather, Thomas James Wise, was Lord Mayor of Bristol in 1932 and his paternal grandfather, Gabriel Lloyd, was a lay preacher on the Downs. Despite this illustrious heritage, David often recalled how he had to wear his older brother’s rugby

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boots, which were too big, and stuff them with paper as they couldn’t afford to buy him some of his own – or were perhaps just being thrifty with eight children! Anyway, he seems to have managed okay because whilst at Bristol Grammar School he excelled at both rugby and cricket; however, he was not particularly the academic type and, in any case, his education was disrupted by the war. When the war started, he was too young to join up, so he became an air raid warden, putting out fires, rescuing the injured and dealing with unexploded incendiary bombs, saving at least two lives! As soon as he could, David joined the army and became a tank driver. He missed the Normandy Landings by a matter of weeks as he had not by then completed his training. Another measure of his character was that he managed to travel by himself, aged 19 and with little money or resources, all the way from Palestine across a war-torn Europe to get back home when he heard his father was dying, a momentous and no doubt terrifying journey that he often talked about. After the war, David went into the family fishmonger’s business on Whiteladies Road with his brother Graham, and later had a second career as a greengrocer with a shop in Henleaze that had been bought by his grandfather Gabriel in 1903. Never one to throw anything away if he could possibly help it, for decades he cornered the market from the Henleaze shop, selling penny lemons, frying tomatoes and cracked eggs! The shop became a Bristol institution and was taken over when David retired by his son, Robert, and is now run by his grandson Mike.

David enjoyed sailing and often visited Cornwall and Devon, with his wife of 73 years Susan and their five children. David was always extremely proud of being an ‘Old Boy’ and in fact Susan asked for him to be dressed for his funeral with his old school tie on! Once a Bristol Grammar Old Boy always a Bristol Grammar Old Boy, it seems. Mandy Michelle Meredith 1959-2021 BGS 2010-2021

Mandy was a well loved member of the BGS Catering Team, and she and her welcoming smile will be greatly missed in the Great Hall, in the Sixth Form Team and at Failand – and by all of us who would regularly pop down to the Sixth Form Centre for a coffee, a bite and a chat with the JCR Team.

John Stuart Colin (Colin) Osborn 1927-2022 BGS 1941-1945 We have recently been notified of the death of Colin Osborn, and hope to include an obituary in the next issue of Bristolienses which

In Memoriam will reflect his work for the Society and especially as an early Editor of Bristolienses. Roger Grahame Poolman

train for ministry at Bristol Baptist College where he met his first wife, Sylvia Mary Rogers, at the Youth Fellowship at Broadmead Baptist Church. They married at Broadmead in 1960, and shortly afterwards Mark and Rachel were born. For the next 21 years, Roger exercised his Baptist ministry in various locations around the country, ultimately landing in Northamptonshire where he resided for the remainder of his life.

1937-2021 BGS 1947-1952 From his wife, Susan: Roger Graham Poolman, age 84, passed away peacefully at his home in Wellingborough on Wednesday 28th July 2021. His loving wife of 28 years, Sue Poolman, was present at his bedside when he died. Roger’s health had deteriorated in recent years. He is survived by three children, Mark, Rachel, and Christopher, and two grandchildren, Joseph, and Sylvianne. Those people that were fortunate enough to have encountered Roger in their lives would all attest to his kindness, dedication to the community, unwavering selflessness, and devout faith. He was a man who achieved so much while asking for so little in return. Born in Bristol in 1937 to Graham and Irene Poolman, Roger was educated at Bristol Grammar School. After a short career in insurance, Roger was accepted to

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Following the loss of his first wife to cancer, and the arrival of his third child Christopher, Roger changed careers to one supporting social services, and various volunteer organizations around the county. In 1993 he married his second wife, Susan Poolman. The latter years of Roger’s life were characterized by continued voluntary efforts, such as chairing the independent monitoring board for the Wellingborough prison (where previously he’d worked part-time running the Visitor’s Centre), helping to establish the Wellibus (a transport service that predominantly supports elderly and disabled people) and managing the Daylight Centre Fellowship (an organization that helps individuals with personal challenges including homelessness). Outside of his considerable contributions to society, Roger was an avid traveller and an enjoyer of wines of the red persuasion. His funeral took place at All Saints Church Wellingborough.

William John Hurlstone (John) Robson (Staff) 1933-2021 BGS 1963-1969 John Robson came to BGS in 1963 as Head of Classics. He left Oxford with a Double First in Literae Humaniores and taught first at Fettes College Edinburgh and then at Merchant Taylor’s School, Northwood. From the Chronicle: Mr. W. J. H. Robson came to the Headship of the Classical Department from Merchant Taylor’s School in September 1963. His brilliant and formidable learning, lightly borne, have ensured the maintenance of immensely high standards in his Department; a single instance is the fact that despite reductions in numbers in the Classical Sixth which the trend of the time has (shortsightedly in my mind) produced, twenty one classical awards at Oxford and Cambridge have been secured by the School during Mr. Robson’s reign. We are grateful to him too for his help in a number of ways outside the classroom, for his wise counsel and for the astringent wit which unerringly punctures the balloons of nonsense and pretension. He left to take up the Headship of Bury Grammar School, Lancashire and retired in 1990. Geoffrey R (Geoff) Savory (Staff) 1921-2021 BGS 1948-1953 He taught Modern Languages at BGS and went on to Kingswood School and then Radley College.

In Memoriam The Chronicle welcomed him in 1948, ‘Mr Savory went from Marlborough to Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where his career was interrupted by over five years’ service in destroyers and submarines.’ Then Dehn’s House bade him a reluctant farewell in 1953, ‘Regretfully we must say goodbye to Mr Savory, who has given much of his time to the house. He will be teaching not very far away and we hope a part of his allegiance will remain

with us in future years. From his family: Geoffrey Savory’s passions were his wife and family, and his strong Christian faith. His many interests included music, birdwatching, walking and the Royal Navy, and of course his teaching career. He died in Witney, Oxfordshire on 5th October 2021, aged just over 100.

After that he was educated at Marlborough College, which was a much more positive experience. He had already begun playing the piano, and at Marlborough took up the organ, eventually winning an organ scholarship to Trinity Hall, Cambridge in 1940. By then of course the country was again at war; Geoff turned 18 the day before war was declared, and little over a month later his adored mother Doris died after a long illness. The following year he deferred his place at Cambridge to read Modern Languages – as it turned out, for six years – in order to join the Royal Navy. Starting as a young rating, he became an officer a couple of years later and eventually a Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve after the war – he stayed in the RNVR until the late 1960s. At first he served in Huntclass destroyers, which apparently rolled alarmingly in rough seas – in Geoff’s words he was “as sick as a dog” on a number of occasions, whereas in later years the roughest of ferry crossings to the continent or to Scandinavia never bothered him. In 1943 he transferred to the Submarine Service and served in HMS Rorqual, a Grampus class mine-laying submarine. Rorqual’s last operation of the war saw the

crew sail all the way to Fremantle in Australia, taking in Malta, the Suez Canal and Ceylon along the way. Rorqual surfaced numerous times to sink defenceless Japanese sailing vessels and coasters with gunfire, and it’s a measure of Geoff’s humanity that this stayed on his conscience for the rest of his life. On 8th May 1945 Rorqual received the order to ‘splice the mainbrace’ to celebrate the end of the war in Europe. In Geoff’s words “we didn’t splice anything: we had to be as quiet as mice as we were in Japanese waters”. Safely back in Portsmouth in the late summer of 1945, Geoff almost immediately met a young WRNS officer and Plymouth girl called Elizabeth Marsh. The romance proceeded apace; Geoff proposed to Elizabeth on top of Sheepstor on Dartmoor, and in September 1946 they married in Plymouth. They were soon in Cambridge, where Geoff completed his degree in French and German in the space of eight terms – no confidencebuilding year abroad for him. During his time at Trinity Hall he became devoted to the Chaplain Launcelot Fleming, later Bishop of Portsmouth and then of Norwich. Such was Geoff’s Christian faith and interest in the church that

Geoff was born on 2nd September 1921 in the village of Abbots Leigh, just the other side of the Clifton Suspension Bridge from Bristol, where his father Harry worked in his own father’s printing and publishing business on Park Row. He was sent away to prep school at the age of seven, for him a distressing experience which he still talked about in old age. His teachers at Heddon Court School in East Barnet included for a year the young John Betjeman.

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In Memoriam

Elizabeth was convinced for a while that he would take holy orders. Instead, he decided on teaching and in 1948 was offered a position at Bristol Grammar School by the Headmaster John Garrett and moved into a flat on Regent Street in Clifton, a stone’s throw from his father’s childhood home at 4 Rodney Place (now the Rodney Hotel). Geoff and Elizabeth were keen to start a family, but this proved elusive. In 1952 Elizabeth decided to re-join the WRNS; no sooner had she done so than the inevitable happened, and in June 1953 their elder son Richard was born, followed two years later by Tim. Geoff always appreciated the opportunity of teaching at BGS and had an enduring respect for John Garrett. One of the highlights of his entire career, which he talked about into old age, was taking a group of pupils to Paris in 1951, accompanied by Elizabeth. He had compiled a list of addresses of all the boys making the trip and had then got the coach driver to tour Bristol picking them up, very early in the morning. He got them all

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home safely, too. In 1953 Geoff moved to Kingswood School in Bath, where for the second time he struck lucky with a second Headmaster who he highly respected, AB Sackett. Elizabeth had been brought up a Methodist and was as comfortable with the ethos of the school as she had been at BGS, and the growing family had six happy years there. While not wildly ambitious, Geoff sought advancement, so in 1959 he took up what turned out to be his final teaching job as Head of Modern Languages at Radley College. He found Radley to be a ‘sporty’ school, although Geoff’s participation more or less began and ended with coaching lowerschool hockey, as it had done at BGS and Kingswood. Geoff was an enthusiastic proponent of the innovative language lab, and among other initiatives fostered a close relationship and exchange programme with Schondorf, a school in Bavaria. Geoff was more interested in long rambles than team sports, and he took on the Ridgeway and the Pennine Way among other lengthy

walks. Holidays were spent at bird reserves or walking in the Brecon Beacons or on Dartmoor. In 1966 he took his excited family for their first foreign holiday, driving all over the Netherlands. Typically, being a proper linguist, he took the trouble to learn Dutch for several months before they set off. He got lost one day in Rotterdam and stopped the car to ask a policeman for directions. Running out of Dutch steam, he asked the policeman whether he spoke English. “Why should I”, replied the policeman, “when you speak such good Dutch?” In 1981 Geoff and Elizabeth ‘retired’ to Plymstock and shortly afterwards to Brixton, a village in the South Hams where Geoff served as Chairman of Governors at the local primary school and on the parish council. His interest in languages was very much maintained – for ten years or more he examined French at GCSE and A Level for the Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate, which provides educational assessments for over eight million learners in over 170 countries. This took him

In Memoriam all over the UK, several times to the Channel Islands and, memorably, twice to Mauritius. In retirement, Geoff and Elizabeth acquired six grandchildren, and made regular visits to Leeds, Witney, Geneva and Avignon to visit them. By the evening of his life he was delighted by the addition of four greatgrandchildren. During his teaching career Geoff had always continued to play the organ wherever and whenever he could, and retirement gave him the opportunity to do so on a regular basis. For the better part of thirty years he was church organist, firstly at the Church of the Good Shepherd at the Royal Naval Hospital, and when that was closed in the 1990s at St Nicholas Church at HMS Drake, the Devonport naval base. He played at numerous weddings and funerals, including his son Richard’s wedding at Radley Parish Church in 1980. Ultimately, though, he gave up playing seven or eight years ago when, in his words, “I realised that I’d started to make mistakes”. A year or two later, aged 94 in 2016, he gave up his car and driving licence for the same reason….. His final and to him his most important job started after Elizabeth developed vascular dementia around 2010. He became as devoted a carer as one could wish for, and in the last year or two of her life could usually be found on his knees beside her, holding her hand, and answering with infinite patience the same question that she would ask thirty or forty times every day.

and after her death decided to go ahead with the move to a flat that had already been found for them. He moved into an ‘assisted living’ retirement complex that June, and was able to live independently with initially minimal but later much increased care by the excellent on-site Orders of St John Care Team. Signs of his own dementia – Alzheimer’s – were already clear by 2019, and progression was such that he had an official diagnosis in January of this year. Thankfully he developed few of the more distressing symptoms commonly associated with Alzheimer’s, and to the end of his long life continued to charm his family, friends and carers with his winning smile. Geoff was a person who was very rarely heard to complain about anything; he always looked for the best in people. He had strong views about what he saw as being wrong with society – back in the 1960s this often related to long-haired men, mini-skirts and pop groups – but as is sometimes the case his views mellowed as the years rolled by. In some ways he was ahead of his time; his son Richard (as a young teenager) has a very clear and formative memory of him having a heated disagreement with a visitor

who said he would not want to sit next to what he termed ‘a coloured man’ on the bus. Geoff was a great supporter of a dozen or more charities and has left a third of his estate to be divided between five of them. A long life, well-lived. Dr Richard Dodgson Sykes 1932-2021 BGS 1945-1950 After a successful School career including appointments as House and School Prefect, and membership of the 1st XV, 1st Cricket XI and 1st Hockey XI, Richard went on to Cambridge to read Classics. Petrina Brealy nee Trueman 1970-2021

Elizabeth died aged 96 in April 2016, just short of 70 years into their marriage. Geoff had already agreed that it would be a good idea for them to move to Witney to be close to Linda and Richard,

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In Memoriam

BGS 1983-1989 David John Weeks 1935-2021 BGS 1946-1954 After a successful career at BGS, as School Second Prefect, House Captain and 1st XV colours, David went on to Bristol University to read Mathematics. With thanks to Bristol Bears: David John Weeks was educated at Bristol Grammar School, where he represented Gloucestershire Schools. He then went to Bristol University, where he captained First XV. He made his Bristol United debut in the 1956-57 season, but his main Bristol playing career began two seasons later. He scored two tries on his first team debut against Esher in October 1958,

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having been selected on a day when many players were absent on county duty. At the time of the Esher game David was a twenty-two-year-old shop floor apprentice at Bristol AeroEngines Ltd. He was at work one Tuesday about a fortnight after his debut when his manager appeared and asked: “Is your name Weeks? There’s someone on the phone who wants you to play at Ashton Gate tonight. Is that important?”

David’s instant reply was: “It is to me!” Bristol were playing Tony O’Reilly’s XV in a special floodlit game, and David was called up to play when John Radford withdrew with an injury. It was his first match with the bulk of Bristol’s senior players, and he took part in a memorable 26-25 victory. He was awarded his Bristol United

In Memoriam cap at the end of the season. From the start of the 1959-60 season, David Weeks became a first team regular. He became part of a wonderful crop of players who played an innovative and entertaining brand of ‘Bristol Fashion’ rugby under skipper John Blake. He won his first team cap in 1959-60 and his blazer a season later. He was a regular try-scorer, with 16 in 1959-60 being his best haul for a season. In 1961-62 he became Bristol’s vice-captain under Derek Neate, and the 1961-62 team photo shows him sitting in the captain’s position as Neate was ill at the time. Despite being mainly a centre, David also featured for Bristol as a winger and, when John Blake was injured, as an outside half. He was on the wing during a classic Easter Monday victory against Northampton in 1960, a game which was viewed at the time as an unofficial English Championship decider. David scored two tries in Bristol’s 25-13 victory, both after thrilling runs. Another seminal fixture in which he played was an unofficial floodlit match with Cardiff in November 1961, staged at Cardiff City’s Ninian Park ground. Bristol produced some stunning rugby on the night, winning 20-3 despite having two players off the field with injuries during the second half. David was particularly proud of playing in this game. David made a sensational start to the 1962-63 season. Bristol started their campaign at the Torquay Festival, and he scored four tries in a 22-3 win against Roundhay. This was Bristol’s 75th Anniversary season, and one of the events celebrating this milestone was a

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special sevens tournament at the Memorial Ground. Bristol won their own tournament and David was a member of the winning squad. He remained a first choice player for this and the subsequent two seasons, making his last appearance at Liverpool in the final game of the 1964-65 season. By this time he was working in the Midlands and was finding it difficult to travel back regularly for games. In all he played in 213 first team matches, scoring 50 tries.

peacefully at home on 9th October 2021 aged 87 years, surrounded by his family.

David made his debut for Gloucestershire in the 1959-60 season, and in total he made 13 appearances for the county. He played in the Gloucestershire team which lost the 1964 County Championship semi-final to Lancashire at Bristol, and he was still representing the county during his final Bristol season. In addition, he was one of nine Bristol players who appeared for Western Counties against the touring South Africans at Gloucester in 1960. The Springboks were a strong side, losing only to the Barbarians in the final match of their tour, and they defeated Western Counties 42-0. When he retired from first class rugby David turned out for Old Bristolians until injury forced him to stop altogether. However, he made an interesting return to the game at the age of 45, at a time when he was working in Ghana. He and various other ex-pats organised a match with Nigeria, and as a result he could claim to have played international rugby for Ghana! Michael John (Mike) Winter 1933-2021 BGS 1944-1949 Captain Michael John Winter, Merchant Navy. ‘Mike’ Passed away

Old Bristolians around the World If you’re ever in their neck of the woods, the following OBs would love to talk, help arrange a social event, give you some tips or generally reminisce: USA

Canada

Australia

Dr Richard Mason (1951-1957)

Martin Dash (1963-1970)

Phil Ohman (1972-1979)

thepaulmason@hotmail.com

12146 Osprey Drive, Richmond, British Columbia, V7E 3S6, Canada

phil@missionsupport.org.au

Peter Williams (1951-1958)

Tel: 001-604-275-4670 fax:001-604-275-5684.

Tel: 617-803-8425.

112 Birchside Circle, Locus Grove VA 22508-5150

martincharlesdash@hotmail.com

44 John James Loop, Macgregor, ACT 2615 Mobile: +61 422 309 455

South Africa

Chris Taylor (1952-1961)

Tel: 1-540-872-7117 Mobile: 1-540-237-2627

Tel: +27 31 5394960 Mobile: +27 84 657 6188

anglodane@adelphia.net

chrismal375@gmail.com

OB Management Committee 2021-2022 President Kate Redshaw redshaw70@btinternet.com President Elect Peter Jakobek pjakobek@bgs.bristol.sch.uk Immediate Past President Rich Berry rgb505@gmail.com Chair & Editor Geoff Wright c/o OBs Office gwright@bgs.bristol.sch.uk Treasurer and Membership Secretary Nick Fitzpatrick, +44(0)1225 723795 ndfitz@gmail.com Secretary Ian Southcott, +44 (0)7774 095205 iandjsouthcott@aol.com Alumni Relations Manager & AROPS Rep. Peter Jakobek pjakobek@bgs.bristol.sch.uk

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Archivist Anne Bradley abradley@bgs.bristol.sch.uk Careers Co-ordinator Rob Hagen, +44 (0) 7545 717104 robhagen@gmail.com Sports Club Secretary Richard Leonard leoharrier@gmail.com Co-opted Members Michael Burmester c/o OBs Office Marcus Cryer marcuscryer5@gmail.com Trustees Julian Portch Richard Smith Melanie Guy

Honorary Members of the Society J R Avery N A Baldwin R Berry Mrs R A Booker Mrs A V Bradley M N J Burmester J A F Burns R J Chambers N Cousins R A D Cox J J Crichard G Davies Mrs J H Duncan J C Edwards D Furze K T Gerrish R Gillam D K Golledge J E K Goodbody G A Hodges L R Jacobs P Z Jakobek

Staff 1951-1959 Headmaster 1975-1986 1970-1980 OB Sports Club Archivist 19941953-1964 Staff 1972-2005 1957-1964 1964-1972 Staff 1973-2013 1944-1951 OB Society 2003-2018 1941-1950 1955-1962 1946-1957 OB Sports Club 1959-1967 Bursar 1979-1993 1953-1960 1930-1938 Staff 1982 –

P Key R D W Lacey C C Luker R I MacKinnon C E Martin D J Mascord D M Nott J R Parrott Dr A Primrose P J Revill I Rolling M Sisman R W L Smith N Stibbs A F Stirratt P M Tottle E A Warren D L J Watts G J Willmott D Yeandle OBE

OB Sports Club 1951-1962 1962-1969 Headmaster 2008-2018 Headmaster 1986-1999 Headmaster 1999-2008 Staff 1968-2005 1975-1982 Headmistress Junior School 2001-2011 Staff 1969-1998 Staff 1970-2007 1953-1959 1954-1965 1964-1972 1942-1952 1960-1968 Staff 1954-1988 1945-1955 1974-1984 1964-1971

Past Presidents of the Society 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913

Herbert Ashman Bart Charles McArthur C E L Gardner Bourchier F Hawksley The Rev T W Openshaw MA Sir Hubert Llewellyn Smith GCB, MA, BSc Professor H Lloyd Tanner DSc, FRS The Rev V P Wyatt MA Sir Hartman W Just CB, KCMG Philip W Worsley JP W Nicol Reid The Rev A W Oxford MA, MD T B Silcock BSc The Rev Canon F E Brightman MA D Phil, DD, FBA 1914 The Rev A B Beaven MA 1919 Sir Holman Gregory KC 1920 Sir Cyril Norwood MA, D Litt 1921 George Langford 1922 Col T H Openshaw CB, CMG, MS, MB, FRCS, LRCP 1923 The Rev Canon G A Weekes MA 1924 The Rev Canon Peter Barker MA 1925 D S Davies MD, LLD, DPH 1926 Col T M Carter OBE 1927 R C Hobbs 1928 Oscar Berry 1929 Sir Duncan Grey LLD 1930 Cyril Rootham MA, MusD 1931 Wilfrid E F Peake 1932 Sir Cyril Norwood MA, D Litt 1933 J Sumner Dury JP 1934 T Reaveley Glover MA, LLD, DD, Litt D 1935 Rear-Admiral V H T Weekes CB, CMG 1936 Charles W Stear 1937 E W B Gill OBE, MA, BSc 1938 Brigadier A L W Newth CBE, DSO, MC, TD, DL, JP, Legion of Merit (America) 1939–1945 Col G S Castle MC, TD, DL 1946 Brigadier M Angell James VC, DSO, MBE, MC, DL

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1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984

The Right Rev Henry McGowan MA The Right Hon Lord Gridley KBE, MIEE, MP J E Barton MA, Hon RIBA Rev Canon J M D Stancomb MBE, MA Sir W Marston Logan KBE, CMG Professor T F Hewer MD, FRCP, FLS Leslie Morris MA, BSc Sir Oliver Franks PC, GCMG, KCB, CBE, MA R C W Cottle Sir W Ivor Jennings KBE, LittD, LLD, QC H P Lucas BSc The Right Rev Bishop D B Hall BA C R Setter JP, FIOB Sir Douglas Veale CBE, MA Dr John Garrett MA, DLitt C H Clements E H Totterdill FCll FIArb K W Jones ACIS Very Reverend D E W Harrison MA Alderman L K Stevenson H C H Punchard Col J B Cossins MBE J Angell James CBE, MD, FRCP, FRCS Philip E Maggs Edward V Colman Vivian H Ridler CBE, MA, FSIA Sir Paul Osmond CB, MA, CIMgt M E Dunscombe TD FBOA, FSMC Air Vice Marshal W J Maggs CB,OBE, MA R A Dolton D J Mann CBE, MA Dr J Mackay MA, DPhil Professor B H Harvey, CBE, MA, MSc J C Higson M L Booker MA The Very Rev S H Evans CBE, MA J B Ackland OBE, FRIBA G F Jarrett TD, MA

1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

D W Williams OBE, TD, DL E H Dehn BA J R Cottle MA P F Stirratt BSc (Econ) Major General IOJ Sprackling OBE, BSc K J Stidard AE, DMS, MIMgt T L Beagley CB, MA, FCIT, FIRTE(Hon) M B Nichols FCA J R Avery MA, FRSA A F Stirratt MA Professor Keith Robbins MA, DPhil, DLitt, FRSE E A Warren MA K G H Binning CMG, MA K D J Prowting FCA His Honour Judge P N R Clark MA R Lacey MA M Sisman LLB C E Martin MA J A E Evans MA R F Kingscott Dip Arch (RWA), ARIBA R A R Cockitt BSc Professor Sir Nicholas (‘Nick’) Wright MA, MD, PhD, DSc, FRCP, FRCS, FRCPath, FMedSci D L J Watts JP, MA, FRICS D Pople MA P J Revill MA K T Gerrish BA N A Baldwin G E Ratcliffe BDS, DDPHRCS D Furze MBCS, CITP D Yeandle OBE, MA, MCIPD, FRSA M N J Burmester BA, ACIB J D Perkins MA Anne Bradley MA (Oxon) Melanie Guy John Sisman Rich Berry Rich Berry

Old Bristolians’ Office Bristol Grammar School University Road Bristol BS8 1SR +44 (0) 117 923 7037 obs@bgs.bristol.sch.uk

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Bristolienses Spring 2022 Issue 62

Articles inside

In Memoriam

Hero of the Resistance

Where are they now?

Merchandise

Reminiscences

OB Sports Club

A Few Thoughts & Memoirs

Past Presidents Lunch

Giving Day 2022

Charter Day 2022

Lunch Club Meetings

Share our cars

From the Foundation

Trip to the Front

Dear Mother

Remembrance 2021

Editorial

From the President

From the Archivist

Thoughts from the Chair