Floreat 2019

FLOREAT

19 THE CHELTO NIAN SO C IE T Y MAGA ZI NE JANUA RY 201 9 – ISS UE NUMBE R T W ELVE

CHELTONIA

FLOREAT 2019

THE CHELTONIAN SOCIETY MAGAZINE ISSUE TWELVE – JANUARY 2019

The Cheltonian Society continues to reach out to past and present parents and pupils, staff, Council and Friends of College and this is reflected in the articles included in this edition of Floreat. In many ways, the Society is an enabling body: it helps to bring together all those associated with College. As I have said before, this is done through Floreat, quarterly e-newsletters and social media. The Cheltonian Society network continues to grow and if you have not joined or you have any difficulties, do get in touch (society@cheltenhamcollege.org).

CONTENTS CHELTENHAM NEWS

1 - 16

17 - 32

FEATURES

33 - 62

Rackets Championships

33

From Ski Gear to Top Gear

34-35

The World on a Bike

36-37

The Social Pantry

38-39

Bohemian Rhapsody

40-41 42

Auschwitz Reflection

43

A Recipe for Success

44-45

Visit to Belgium and France

46-47

Peripatetic Bean Counters

48

Flying out of Chandos

49 50-51

No 1 College Lawn

52-53

Afternoon Tea in Hazelwell

54

Common Room: 100 Years On

55

By Royal Appointment

56-57

CCJS Memories

58-59

Day Pupils Since 1841

60-61

2008 Rugby Team Reunion

62

63 - 67

EVENTS CALENDAR

68 - 69

MERCHANDISE

70 - 71

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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I hope that you enjoy this edition of Floreat and that you agree that College is thriving and continues to inspire all those associated with it.

Robin Badham-Thornhill (H, 1973; Housemaster BH, 1985-1993) Honorary President

ANNOUNCEMENTS

OC SPORTS

A huge amount of work takes place behind the scenes and I would like to thank the Cheltonian Society Committee, Rebecca Creed, Malcolm Sloan and Sarah Thompson for all that they do for the Society.

EVENTS CALENDAR

Memoirs of an Extra in IF....

The Society has continued to arrange an array of different events as can be seen on pages 17 to 32 but some of the events organised in the past few months really stand out. The dinner at the Imperial War Museum was the first time that Nicola Huggett was able to reach out to all Society members. Many people were able to reflect on a very enjoyable evening, listening to the words of the Head and Rageh Omaar (BH, 1985) as diners gazed at all the exhibits in the shadow of a Spitfire or a V2 rocket in the Exhibition Hall. This preceded an intensely moving 100th Anniversary Remembrance Day Service outside Chapel, followed by the dedication of the 702 Memorial which reflected the additional 27 Old Cheltonians who died in the First World War. They were not remembered in the original memorial plaque in the cloisters at the entrance to the Chapel. These OCs were discovered in the course of the research for the book, College Echoes, written by Paddy Stevens (BH, 1971). If you have not already got a copy, I recommend you get in touch to buy one from the Society Office. It is a remarkable book. The last of the House Anniversary dinners for Boyne House, Cheltondale and Day Houses was a resounding success, and the Lower Sixth waiters provided excellent service. The Society always welcomes ideas for future events.

OC SPORTS

Last Great Wilderness

In 2019, the Society is seeking to support the Old Cheltonian sporting clubs even more.

Some are thriving more than others but all need to provide up-to-date information on the network. In the end, these societies are only as good as the people taking part in them. Some events are only open to OCs, for example the Cricketer Cup, but the OC Golfing Society is pleased to welcome all members of the Cheltonian Society.

FEATURES

EVENTS

EVENTS

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There is a real feeling of togetherness and momentum in everything that is going on at College. In addition to Nicola Huggett starting as Head of College, Tom O’Sullivan started at the same time as Head of Cheltenham Prep and, already, they are forging a very fruitful partnership, working together in symmetry.

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CHELTENHAM NEWS

Valetes Jonathan Whybrow Prep Headmaster 2013-2018 Jon Whybrow took up the reins at The Prep in September 2013, having enjoyed a long and very successful tenure as Head of Beachborough School. An eye for detail quickly became apparent as he managed to name every member of staff at the first inservice training session of the term, before a single pupil had stepped through the door. Children and parents also quickly came to know Jon, as they received a warm welcome in the car park each morning, whatever the weather. It was clear from the outset that Jon had a whole-hearted commitment to the very best traditions of Prep School education and an insistence on the highest standards of decency and inclusivity became the hallmarks of his Headship.

Working closely with colleagues at both Prep and College, Jon was able to implement a programme of substantial refurbishment, with sections of the school organised by academic department. Within this, the construction of the school’s dedicated Science laboratories and the adjoining Design and Technology Centre bears testament to the Prep’s academic renaissance. Of course, Jon understood that this was never about creating any kind of élite but focused on

John Champion Bursar 2008-2018 As many readers will be aware, if you visit the Bursar’s office you won’t find John Champion there these days. Phil Attwell took over as Bursar in April, allowing John (after 10-years in role) to take a step-back to focus on other responsibilities. The last few years have, quite rightly, seen an increased interest in the highest standards of governance in the Charity sector. John, as Secretary to the Council, now has the time available to ensure that College, and the Council in particular, continues to deliver the very high standards expected of us, whilst continually looking for ways

Simon Brian Deputy Head (Academic) 2011-2018 Simon joined College in September 2011 as Head of Modern Foreign Languages (MFL), from Dulwich College, London. With him he brought a surfeit of ideas and energy and lost no time applying these within the Department. His leadership potential was soon recognised and he was promoted to Director of Studies, which enabled him to enthuse a wider range of staff about teaching and learning in the same way as he had the teachers of MFL. 10

providing every child with improved opportunities to achieve their own personal best.

For Jon, Prep School education was certainly not confined to the classroom. He was in his absolute element coaching his Under 9 girls’ hockey team amongst others but equally important was the ability for all children to be able to be part of the team experience.

Irrespective of ability, Jon recognised that who you played for wasn’t the key point, it was the fact that you were able to play regularly for your school and were challenged appropriately that really counted. As a passionate advocate of co-education, it was also no surprise to see girls playing football, rugby and cricket in everincreasing numbers under his watch.

Above all, Jon was a Head with heart and humour. Any excuse to dress up was immediately seized upon; his willingness to slip into his Miss Trunchbull outfit on World Book Day was taken up with worrying fervour. Perhaps his favourite occasion was the last day of the Autumn Term when the complete Father Christmas regalia was on show, complete with Deputy Heads as reindeer. Jon always put children at the centre of his professional thinking and ensured that a sense of fun and warmth permeated all that they did at The Prep.

With such a diverse range of hobbies and interests, Jon is certain to enjoy a rewarding and busy retirement and will be remembered with great affection for his huge contribution to the development of The Prep on so many different fronts. that we can improve our governance still further. This separation of the Bursar and Secretary to Council roles has already brought significant benefits for enhanced governance and overall efficiency, whilst also allowing John a taste of semi-retirement.

In addition, John is closely involved with the delivery of our overseas schools’ strategy. Whilst, as you may already know, our plans to open a school in Kenya have encountered some significant difficulties, John has ensured that we have a number of other ‘irons in the fire’ and we are making interesting progress in several territories. This is a time-consuming and complex project, but with John’s help we are making progress and it’s a privilege to have someone involved who knows College so well, and has considerable experience negotiating contracts on our behalf.

Upon his appointment as Deputy Head (Academic) in April 2016, Simon quickly realised that a major challenge would be to ensure that College planned, proactively, for changes in our approach to teaching and learning in Sixth Form with the advent of linear A Levels. He drove forward a carefully considered emphasis on learning, and effectively communicated the importance of revisiting material previously covered to ensure that our students were as well prepared as possible for linear exams. College’s record results last summer were a vindication of that vision and approach.

Simon's sensitivity to others motivated him to try to find ways of ensuring that colleagues could thrive. This and his dry sense of humour was not always seen by all but was always welcomed by

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but also has the ability to laugh at himself. Having only experienced day schools before coming to College, there is no doubt that the community at College will always be special to Simon; equally, College has a lot to thank Simon for.

Simon has the ability to see both the granular detail and the wide strategic picture. He can demand the best from those around him,

Simon's drive and determination will have huge benefits at Charterhouse and we wish him every success there.

Christina Conner Prep Teacher 2002-2018 We said goodbye to a much valued and loved colleague in July when Christina Conner departed College for pastures new. She started teaching at The Junior, as it was known in September 2002, as Miss Titley – even her name brings a smile to your face!

Her career at College began in Kingfishers as a Year 1 class teacher.

This was just the first of many of the roles that Christina would undertake in her sixteen years spent in the College community. She has endless energy and enthusiasm; many staff and pupils have benefitted from her knowledge and dedication across the years as she strives to ensure everyone in her presence is happy and achieving their potential. Within the Prep she has held the roles of

Stuart Cooper Head of Physics 2013-2018 Stuart joined the Physics Department at College in the January of 2013 joining us from Dean Close School. As a true schoolmaster, it was no surprise that he was quickly appointed to the role of Head of Physics and the examination results went from strength to strength.

The reforms to both A Levels and GCSE did not phase Stuart and he successfully integrated the new curriculum, and style of assessment of both theoretical and practical skills. As well as delivering thought provoking INSET, he was an outstanding mentor to several newly qualified teachers over his five-year tenure; his mentees have gone on to become outstanding teachers, in no small part due to Stuart’s tireless efforts.

An engineer by trade, Stuart played a key role in increasing the number of girls taking Physics for A Level, and he leaves a

Roger Leghorn Materials Technician 1993-2018 Behind any successful Design and Technology department there is a skilled and dedicated technician and Roger has been that man at College for almost 25 years. It is very rare to find someone who is not only a skilled craftsman and knowledgeable in wood, metal

Head of Upper School, Head of Athens, Head of RS and Geography, SENCo, games coach, Deputy Head Pastoral of Kingfishers and was also resident in the prep boarding house for a time. Christina was also involved in the Senior School, meeting and marrying Simon Conner; they were house parents of Hazelwell from 2008 to 2014, and during these years they had their two wonderful children.

Christina is a dynamic and busy person. In addition to all her family and teaching commitments she finds time to involve herself in so much more ensuring she has an extremely rich and varied life. She sings in a choir, runs a netball team, has studied for a Masters, was the charity co-ordinator and Friends of The Prep representative, she is a member of two book clubs and runs marathons. She never has a quiet day, her stamina is second to none!

Christina has made many close friends during her sixteen years teaching at College, we will all miss her enormously and wish her well in her new post at Richard Pate’s School.

Department which is significantly ahead of the national average for female A Level physicists.

Outside the classroom Stuart was an exemplary schoolmaster. His involvement in College sport was tireless and over the years he coached the Colts A XV, the 2nd XV, and went on the Rugby Club’s tour to South Africa in 2014.

As an active rugby player - retiring only recently due to a nasty neck injury - Stuart also led teams to success in Rugby 7s and numerous teams have benefited from his coaching at Rosslyn Park. He is passionate about athletics with a particular forte for the long jump and triple jump, having coached all year groups on the field.

Stuart leaves College after a fantastic five years to cross the Golden Valley to assume the role of Head of Physics at Sir Thomas Rich’s School in Gloucester. As a colleague, and as a friend he will be greatly missed, we hope he will visit College in the future to give one of his legendary Physics evening lectures; those students who remember him will certainly celebrate with a pint of Hokum Stomp. and plastic, but who is also a competent computer technician and engineer, able to service and repair machines. Any job that was asked of him was completed to the highest of standards, whether that was preparing materials for pupils, making the Department look better or even making furniture for College. For example, the tables in the Cadbury Room are a lasting testament to the quality of his work.

He has left some big shoes to fill. We all wish him well and many happy hours of riding his beloved Triumph motorbike.

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those who knew him well. Many colleagues will miss his fierce competitiveness in cycling and running and his ability to make others feel athletically challenged as he notched up yet another feat, seemingly without effort.

CHELTENHAM NEWS

Steve Morton Economics & Business Studies Teacher 2002-2018 Since joining College in 2002, Steve has, at one time or another, taken on the roles of Head of the Economics Department, Head of Critical Thinking, Tutor in Hazelwell and Southwood, and Head of the Rock Band, which he launched as a new activity for pupils across College; in addition to being the ATL and NEU Trade Union Representative and a teacher of Economics. Steve has contributed an incalculable amount to College in all these facets of College life and his departure is a great loss for our academic, pastoral and co-curricular provision. He is a truly inspiring teacher,

Kirk Steel Estates Bursar 2012-2018 Kirk joined us in early 2012 to take on one of the toughest jobs in College. Being an Estates Bursar with a limited budget (in his case a very limited budget) guarantees that you’ll regularly find yourself disappointing many more hopeful colleagues than you’ll ever be able to please. It was a challenge that Kirk took in his stride, and to his great credit he managed to come through it

Di Stovold Prep Teacher 1992-2018 Di and Martin Stovold arrived at College in 1987, and in September 1992 they moved into Newick House as Houseparents. Their children Kyle, Kelly and Robyn grew up at College and went on to become teachers, and have all worked for College themselves.

Di and Martin were a fantastic team as Houseparents. All the resident house tutors, and many generations of boys, became part of the Stovold family and not just of Newick House. Di’s next role was as a parent in Kingfishers.

Jenny O’Bryan Westal Housemistress 2013-2018 Jenny O'Bryan, founding Housemistress of the new Westal House, started teaching in the Biology department of College in 2010. She had a very sound understanding and experience of the ethos of College before the decision to build a new girls' boarding house was taken. Jenny became Housemistress Elect in the year preceding the opening of Westal. Her enthusiasm, energy, professionalism and caring demeanour supported her success in recruiting pupils to Westal. Helping prospective parents and pupils alike to commit to a boarding house based on plan drawings requires a special skill. The founder members of Westal 12

for both his pupils and colleagues. Steve’s subject knowledge stands out as being second-to-none. The enthusiasm for macroeconomics he instilled was often palpable along the Wilson Block corridor, with pupils clamouring to learn more and to getting themselves put up on his wall of honour: for many the pinnacle of their time at College As a Tutor, he was exemplary. Every year Steve had personalised mugs produced for each of his tutees to use when they have tea and coffee together whilst discussing the Floreat topic of the day.

Each of us in the Wilson Block feels very lucky to be able to count Steve as a colleague and friend. Going to a music concert for his leaving do was a fitting way for us to mark his retirement. He will be greatly missed and the Common Room will be diminished as he moves into his retirement, for which we all wish him the very best. as one of our best-known and well-liked senior support team members. Educated at the Duke of York’s Royal Military School (where his Housemaster was recently retired Council member, Bob Acheson) and then at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, the first 20 years of Kirk’s career were spent serving with the British Army. He saw active service in Northern Ireland, the Balkans and in Afghanistan; perfect preparation for just about anything that College was likely to throw at him! Kirk has been a superb Estates Bursar and a brilliant friend and colleague to so many of us. He will be sorely missed by all of us who’ve enjoyed his unfailing good humour, his loyalty and his wonderful companionship.

Kyle and Kelly started at the Prep in 1993, closely followed by Robyn in 1996. She started working as a Teaching Assistant in Kingfishers in 2000 and all who worked with her thought she was brilliant with the children and a delight to have as a colleague. In 2007, Di was appointed to the position of Head of Nursery. Her kindness, patience, understanding and knowledge have quite rightly made her a legend and she has been the reason that many parents have sent their children to nursery over the last 11 years.

Di is looking forward to her retirement. She is planning to spend lots of time in her garden, hiking in the Cotswolds and travelling the world. Our very best wishes for a happy retirement, Di, you will be greatly missed in the common rooms of College and the Prep. arrived in September 2013 not only to a beautiful boarding house, but to a welcoming and dedicated pastoral team. Jenny's priority was to settle girls into the boarding house and help them to feel at home, form friendships and start developing a sense of community - whilst simultaneously continuing her Biology teaching, CCF involvement and identifying snagging items on the completed building project.

Westal girls and the Westal pastoral team have developed into a cohesive community, within a stunning boarding house. Jenny's tenure of Westal saw an entire cohort of girls through, from Third Form to Upper Sixth. Jenny's love of education lured her back into full-time teaching in September 2018. She is a stalwart in College's Biology department. Along with her huge professional contribution in and out of the classroom (she also leads equestrianism), she is a consummate educator.

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Stepping Across the Educational Divide

By Phil Attwell (Bursar) After working in the field of Higher Education for 23 years, I had no idea what the job of Bursar would feel like, before my arrival at College on 9th April. I had been managing a similar portfolio of services at the University of Exeter for a number of years – buildings, grounds, catering, residences, portering, sport, cleaning, events – but every place is different. Of course the most startling difference is that schools have safeguarding responsibilities for pupils in a very different way to the well-being obligations that Universities have for their students and while Universities have a residential environment to manage, it is very different to a school boarding environment.

In a “not-very-Bursar-way” I set about trying to discover the DNA of Cheltenham College. Of course you can read documents, talk to staff, observe, but meeting with pupils felt like a good place to start. So I have been meeting with groups (sometimes called clans or huddles) in boarding houses who, with a bit of initial reticence, have been very forthcoming in telling it like it is. So I know who the best teachers are (according to them), what days are best in the Dining Hall, what they love most about College, and of course the opposites of all of these.

In the Prep School the Head Jon Whybrow was always keen to bring young pupils to meet me, to explain how things could be improved ... usually (but not always) by spending more money.

I have been coaching one of the rugby teams, I plan to play in the Orchestra, and I have met with some of the senior pupil leadership team. This has all helped me understand, in a nutshell, that the job of the Bursar is ensuring that the money comes into the school, managing the resources appropriately, and then in conjunction with the Heads of College and The Prep, determining how the resources should be deployed. Piece of cake.

I have been awestruck by what Cheltenham College has. The town is wonderful, the College estate is astonishing, and the staff and pupil body are unlike anything I have come across before (in a good way). There is of course

never enough money to do all the things that need to be done but it looks to me as though the College is in very good shape.

There is a programme of investment into boarding houses; much has been done to improve the core facilities on both sides of the road; and pupil numbers are in a good place, so that continued investment into the estate can be made.

Completing projects This year has seen the completion of the catering project; the refurbishment of The Prep library; creation of a new IT suite; emergence of the new Sports Hub; the completion of the link to connect the two College Lawn houses; the completion of the Boat House refurbishment; the restoration of the Pavilion balcony; numerous boarding house modifications, refurbishments and improvements; in fact, for a small team under the leadership of Kirk Steel, the achievements on the College estate in a short space of time have been remarkable.

Some of these projects have been aided by funds donated by our Cheltonian community – The Prep library, the Pavilion balcony, the sports hub, the Boat House – and this support will continue to be

essential to the on-going success of College; but many are funded through the income that we derive from our pupil fees.

We all know that schools need buildings from which to operate, none more so than boarding houses. But our College is made by its pupils and staff. I have been amazed by how hard the staff work to make things happen; I have been amazed by how impressive the pupils are, and seeing a Sixth Former stand in Chapel and speak to 700 other pupils is more than staggering. I know that as I progress through my first 12 month cycle, I will be further impressed.

Some friends came to visit, to attend the Cricket Festival in July and I gave them a tour of the school. When you are a member of the Cheltenham College community, it is very easy to stop noticing how amazing the place is... well, next time you visit, try and put yourself in the shoes of a person making their first visit here. It is a remarkable place. ■ 13

CHELTENHAM NEWS

New Appointments Tom O’Sullivan Head, Prep Originally from Cheltenham, Tom studied Law at Durham University. Like fellow Head at College, Nicola Huggett, he spent several years in industry. With the majority of his family also teachers it was not long before Tom realised his own passion for education and completed his PGCE at Cambridge.

Tom’s first teaching post was at Beaudesert Park School before spending six years as Deputy Head

Phil Attwell Bursar

Tom is a keen sportsman and enjoys playing, watching, coaching and refereeing all sports.

Whilst running a Prep school takes up most of his day, he enjoys finding time to escape with his Great Dane, Scooby, for long walks in the hills surrounding Cheltenham.

Phil arrived as the new Bursar of Cheltenham College in April 2018. Raised in Guernsey and a pupil at Elizabeth College, Phil studied for a BA in Music at Sussex University and, after a few years in graduate roles, took an MSc in Sports Management at the University of Sheffield.

As Director of Sport at Exeter, Phil oversaw the investment of over £20m into the creation of a wide range of top class sports facilities, as well as an exponential growth in the services provided to students, staff and the public of Exeter, Devon and beyond. The University of Exeter is one of the most popular destinations for pupils leaving College, and for many the sporting prestige is a significant attraction.

A successful career in sports management ensued at Kingston University and Reading University, before becoming the first Director of Sport at the University of Exeter in 1999. Phil is currently a member of the RFU Council and leads the National Education and Age Grade committee. He has enjoyed many years as a junior rugby coach, and set up the girls’ rugby programme at Crediton RFC, where over 100 girls are now playing on a weekly basis.

In 2014, Phil became Director of Campus Services at Exeter, looking after the management of all non-academic aspects of the University, including the estates and grounds team, retail and catering, student residences, FM services, commercial events and sport. Phil is looking forward to developing a long association with Cheltenham, College, staff, parents, pupils and of course Old Cheltonians.

Richard Cutler Estates Bursar

Department). During his years at College, Richard spent a great deal of time on the games field, representing College in first teams at cricket, hockey and rugby. Having re-joined College three decades later, Richard is really looking forward to maintaining and enhancing College’s facilities so that they continue to provide exceptional educational and learning environments for pupils.

Richard (Ch, 1982) joined College in August 2018 as Estates Bursar. A Chartered Surveyor, Richard studied at Reading University before starting his property consultancy career in London. Prior to moving into school property management roles, he was Head of Property and Procurement for outdoor education specialists, Inspiring Learning, where he managed the property and development of nine sites across the UK. He joined College direct from Royal Masonic School For Girls in Hertfordshire, where he enjoyed a similar Estates Bursar role with responsibility for the school’s 300-acre estate.

An OC, Richard attended College from 1977-1982 and has great memories of Cheltondale (situated diagonally opposite Hazelwell and now part of Cheltenham General Hospital’s A&E 14

at Mowden Hall School. His first Headship was at Old Buckenham Hall, where he turned the school into the most visible and well-known within the region. Tom joined The Prep in 2018 as Head and is pleased to have returned to his roots in Cheltenham.

Richard is still a keen sportsman and continues to play tennis, squash and cricket as regularly as he can. He is a Level 1 cricket coach and for many years enjoyed coaching a junior boys’ team at Charlton Kings Cricket Club. He is also a keen supporter of Gloucester Rugby. Having been born and brought up in Nairobi, Kenya, and working in London for many years, Richard now enjoys living back in Cheltenham with his wife Emma and their two children, Edward (OJ & S, 2016) and Ella (OJ).

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Rebecca Davis Head of Nursery, Prep

practise the skills they need to develop as they grow.

Rebecca (Becky) Davis is dedicated to working with young children. She decided to make a career out of her passion after her Fine Art degree over 14 years ago.

A couple of years ago Becky started running, and has completed a few charity events. She thoroughly adores food and gets a real buzz from cooking (however she says she is not a very successful baker). She also enjoys going on holiday with her family.

Becky has recently moved to Cheltenham from Bristol with her husband and children. Becky’s main aim is to ensure that all the children realise their full potential within a caring and child-centred environment. She believes in offering a range of opportunities and different activities for children to

Jeremy Dodd Head of Physics Jeremy joins as Head of Physics from Radley College where he had been teaching for the last four years. During his time at Radley, he was an Assistant Housemaster in a boarding house and was involved in coaching rugby, hockey and athletics teams as well as co-ordinating the Duke of Edinburgh award. A keen practical scientist, Jeremy is looking forward to exploring the depths of the Physics prep room and instilling a love of the subject in his students.

Matthew Harris Head of Theology, Philosophy & Ethics (TPE) Matthew joined College from Warminster School, where he had been Head of Religious Studies and IB Diploma Programme Coordinator for four years. At College, Matthew is Head of TPE, involved with squash and is resident tutor in Westal, where he lives with his wife Claire and one-year-old son, Arthur.

Originally from Nailsea, near Bristol, Matthew attended Regent’s Park College, Oxford, reading Philosophy and Theology. After Oxford, Matthew completed an MPhil in The History of Christianity from the University of Birmingham, focusing his

David Martin Head of IT & Digital Strategy David joined College as Head of IT and Digital Strategy in August 2018. He will be leading the review and delivery of College’s IT plans whilst ensuring an effective strategy for the years ahead.

David brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge having helped government organisations and private companies develop their IT strategy as well as managing the delivery of a wide variety of IT solutions. David attended the University of Edinburgh and studied Electronics

Becky says she is thoroughly enjoying her role at College and has felt incredibly welcomed by everyone here. She wants to thank all the children, parents and staff for helping her settle in so quickly.

After graduating with a degree in Physics from the University of Oxford, Jeremy went on to work for the educational charity City Year, working with disadvantaged students in a variety of London schools. It was here that he decided to embark on a teaching career and following this began a graduate teacher programme at Saint Olave’s Grammar school in Kent.

Outside the classroom Jeremy enjoys cycling and walking and is looking forward to exploring a new part of the country with his wife, Rachel. research on the thirteenth-century papacy.

Returning to Bristol, Matthew obtained a PGCE in Religious Education and was fortunate enough to have QEH Bristol as his main placement, doubly fortunate insofar as a vacancy arose there for a Religious Studies teacher during his training.

Matthew spent five years as an RS teacher at QEH Bristol, completing a MEd at the University of Bristol in his spare time and beginning a PhD in Philosophy at Staffordshire University, which he finished once he moved to Warminster School.

In his spare time Matthew enjoys spending time with his family, watching films, reading as much as he can and writing philosophy articles and book reviews. and Electrical Engineering. On graduating he moved to his first job as a civil servant in Cheltenham. He and his wife, Anna, have lived in Scotland and overseas, returning to Cheltenham to raise their three children.

David enjoys keeping up to date with technological developments. He has a keen interest in all things related to cyber security, enjoys golf and is a keen swimmer. David, his family and two dogs enjoy discovering new walks and country pubs and he is looking forward to the challenges of his new role in education.

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CHELTENHAM NEWS

Benjamin Marsden Director of Sport From an early age, playing sport has always been a passion for Ben and his natural ability became evident as he developed interest and skills in a range of sports. Aged 16, Ben had representative honours at rugby, cricket, tennis, football, hockey, and golf. He studied Sports Science at Brunel University and played Premier League National Hockey. During this period Ben also made the transition to international hockey for England U21s.

Ben gained experience coaching and playing in Australia and Spain. His overseas performances were recognised by the England and GB coach Jason Lee, and he was asked to join the National training squad. He became a full-time athlete with the England and GB program. Over the next five years, Ben travelled the world representing England and Great Britain 87 times, culminating with playing in the Australian Commonwealth Games in 2006 and the Beijing Olympics, 2008.

Shortly after the Olympics, Ben retired from international hockey to become Director of Hockey at The Wimbledon Club. Over an elevenyear period, under Ben's management and leadership, the club won numerous league titles which culminated with the men’s first team gaining promotions to the English Premier League. Throughout his 10 years as Director of Hockey at Wimbledon, Ben developed the club into the second largest hockey club in the country.

Ben's passion for the sport and his access to elite level coaches and facilities enabled him to create the charity "Quick Start Hockey" introducing free hockey coaching to state school children in the borough of Merton. The charity has engaged with over 3,000 children since its inception and is still going strong.

It is an impressive track record and we look forward to seeing Ben draw on those years of experience to further the success and enjoyment of sport at Cheltenham College.

Amy Lang Housemistress of Westal

the West Country to take a position at Dauntsey’s School.

Amy joined College in September 2017 from Badminton School where she was a Housemistress and a Biology Teacher.

Having grown up in a boarding school, she went on to read Physiology and Neuropsychology at Cardiff University and, as a keen sportswoman, continued to play as much sport as she could.

Amy’s husband, Tim is College’s Assistant Director of Hockey, having previously been Assistant Housemaster and Head of Hockey at Clifton College Preparatory School for many years.

Amy completed her teaching qualification at Canterbury Christ Church University and Teach First, followed by several years of teaching in East London before migrating home to

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They share strong family values and a love for travel and cooking and they are extremely fortunate to spend the long summers in the beautiful South of France. Amy aims to create a relaxed and open family atmosphere in Westal where the girls are supported, feel safe and are, above all, happy.

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WEST SIDE STORY

Friday 16th March

EVENTS

Val Kirby and Hugh Barton (OJ & Th, 1965)

Tony Hadfield (L, 1964) and Biddy Hadfield

Past Staff Member Carolyn Franks and Pat HIcks

Past Parents Lesley Nunn and Sue Beynon

Past Parent Irene Miers and Jacky Walton

Current Parent Graham Thomson and Christiane Dickens (External Relations Director)

Christine and Brian Offen

Current Parents Amanda and Lee Pemberton

Current Parents Julie and Jonathan Finch

Justine and Bill Foster (Th, 1971)

Lucy Benson, Louis Taylor-Baggs (OJ & S, 2015) and Current Parent Miranda Taylor

Current Grandparents Barry and Maureen Callon with Current Parent Heidi Callon-Hine

Photography by Andy Banks

Charlie Harris (H, 1986), Lucia Spencer and Current Parent Leonie Spencer

Current Prep Pupil Emily Faulkner, Current Staff Member Rebecca Faulkner, Past Staff Members Annemarie Wilson, Pauline Lake and Penny Mason with George Koumi

Mike Channing, Current Parent Rupert Channing, Jane Channing, Current Parent Lisa Channing and Phoebe Channing (OJ) 17

EVEnTs

ChELTEnhAm AT ThE RACEs ChAmpiOn’s DAy Tuesday 13th march

Current Parents Lisa Channing and Mark Blanchfield

David (L, 1964) and Linda Fermont

Past Parent Trish Smart, Julie Green and Current Parent Sarah Burt

Past Parents Lizard Philip, Nickie Mathias and Anna Barthorp

Malcolm Sloan (OC Administrator) and Grand National winning jockey Bob Champion

Current Parent Liddi Hill and Cheryl Stone

Fiona Knox, Alison Small and Past Parent Amanda Burgess

Current Parents Marcus Goff, Rupert Greenwood, Gabi Goff (Cha, 2014), Current Parents Samantha Greenwood and Alison Goff

Photography by Andy Banks

Rosemary King and Pauline Hislop

Past Parents Peter and Trish Smart

Tom Hodd, Chris Stone, Current Parent Mark Hill, Richard Williams, Past Parent Peter Smart and Current Parent Arthur Hindmarch 18

Current Parent Liddi Hill, Jane Williams, Cheryl Stone, Jude Hudd, with Current Parents Victoria Hindmarch and Lisa Channing

FLOREAT 2019

DRinks AT ThE hOusE OF COmmOns Thursday 21st June

EVENTS

Current Staff Member Nick Nelson and Sam Straker-Nesbit (Xt, 2004)

Thomas Forbes (S, 1989) and Delia Coggan

Past Parents David and Angela Heath with Cheltenham MP Alex Chalk

Pete Summers (Past Parent and Past Staff Member), Camilla Down Freddie Morris and Chris Dickenson (Xt, 1970) (Cha, 2008), Alexandra Sault (Cha, 2008) and Gilly Summers (Past Parent)

Helen and Chris HartleyHeather Sheratt, John Sherratt (Xt, 1968), Robin Badham-Thornhill Sharpe (Ch, 1980) (Cheltonian Society President & H, 1973) and David Worthington (Xt, 1968)

Annie Barrett, Michael Jones and Luke Barnes (L, 1986)

Toby Call, Tom Stubbs (NH, 2009), Charles Ball (L, 2009) and James Battishill (NH, 2016)

Current Parents Graham and Sally Thomson with Myra and Michael Stephens (L, 1959)

Current Prep Parents Reza and Tracey Navaei with John Ellison (Ch, 1974)

Photography by Andy Banks

Clive Barnes (L, 1957), Luke Barnes (L, 1986), Pamela Stevens and Paddy Stevens (BH, 1971)

Former Hazelwell Housemaster Trevor Davies and Adrian Barrett (Th, 1970)

Tom De Haan (L, 1994), OC Administrator Malcolm Sloan, Mark Christophersen (L, 1994), Henry Dowding (S, 2016), Cheun Leik Low (Xt, 2017) and James Battishill (NH, 2016) Current Staff Member Karl Cook, Guy Holmes (S, 1992) and Ben Holland (BH, 1994)

George Cleaver (NH, 1974) and Isabella Nichol

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EVEnTs

ThROu

hAm

Past Parent Muriel Hills with June Beeston

COuRT

Valerie and Stephen Evans (H, 1956)

Photography by Andy Banks

Emmanuel and Rose Devaux with Michelle Devaux-Davey (Wife of OJ)

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ARDEn Thursday 5th July

Pauline and James Pearson (Th, 1966)

Past Grandparents Jenny Jamieson-Black and Diana Eaton with Past Parent Julia Jamieson-Black

Russell Evans (Xt, 1954) and Heather Evans

Past Parents and Current Grandparents Barry and Hilary Selby

FLOREAT 2019

LEAVERs’ DAy

saturday 30th June

EVENTS

Amber Beachus (We) and Lois Short (Q)

Olly Hill (L) and Jason Soames (BH)

Jack McClure (L), James Davies (H) and Cameron Terry (NH)

Rutendo Mudange (A) and Chantelle Moller (A)

Harrison Campbell (L) and Sarah Campbell

Dan Ward (NH), Tom Stanton (H), Jason Soames (BH), Rose Jones (Q) and Sam Cook (NH)

Westal Girls Grace Wackett and Ciara Ward

Chandos Girls Daisy Wildman, Lili Sell, Chantal Kittony and Zara Qadir

Hazelwell Boys Edward August, Tom Stanton, Ben Sutton, Giuseppe D'Istra, Jordan Pemberton, Theo Hunt and Charlie Boyce

Charles O'Bryan (BH), Benedict Schallamach (BH), Eduardo Capelastegui (BH), Freddie White (BH) and Henry Johnson (H)

Harry Pigott (Xt), Daria Romanyuk (We), Elisa Trachtmann (Cha), Ella Owens (Q), Terezia Mchilakova (Cha) and Chloe Chan (We)

Photography by Andy Banks

Queens Girls Charlotte Burnett, Steph Symcox, Rose Jones, Georgie Baillie-Hamilton, Georgie Fowler and Jess Steel

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EVEnTs

LEAVERs’ BALL saturday 30th June 2

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Photography by Andy Banks

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1 Current Parents Samantha and Huw Williams with Imogen Williams (Cha)

9 Rahcata Peerapairoj (L) with Current Parents Ariyaporn and Kobchai Peerapairoj

2 Harrison Campbell (L), Sarah Campbell (Current Parent) and Adrian Chapman

10 Current Parent Kate Turner and Isobel Turner (A)

3 Jaime Carter (A) and Current Parents Richard and Helen Carter 4 Amina Al Kuthubdeen (Cha), Annette To (Cha) and Kelly Tang (Cha) 5 Current Parents Adam and Catherine Schallamach with Benedict Schallamach (BH) 6 Current Parents Jackie and Dave Haddock with Elizabeth Haddock (Cha) 7 Nikita Chernov (L) and Viktor Reznikov (L) 8 Current Parents Kathryn and Philip Moorsom (H, 1985) and Madelaine (Cha)

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11 Samuel Cook (NH) and Current Staff Members Ruth and Karl Cook 12 Current Parents Echo Mok and Hoi Chau Ng with Jane Ng (A) 13 Oliver Ferris (NH), Tom James (L), Tom Stanton (H), Charlie Boyce (H), Ben Sutton (H), Michael Tomlinson (H), Max Chan (H) and Edward Winstanley (S) 14 Westal Girls - Grace Wackett, Louise Hall, Martha Elliott, Lauren O'Donoghue, Amber Beachus, Libby Barnes, Phoebe Janes, Lola-Lou Torode, Tusmo Ismail, Alice Howes, Laura Morris, and Ciara Ward

15 Queens girls - Lois Short, Lucy Thompson, Iman Mirza, Annabel Merheim-Kealy, Charlotte Burnett, Jessica Steel, Georgie Baillie-Hamilton, Brittany Sutton-Page, Steph Symcox, Georgie Fowler and Rose Jones 16 Samuel Cook (NH), Henry Johnson (H), Jack Mitchell (Xt) James Daly (H), Eduardo Capelastegui (BH), James Drysdale (BH), Dougal Rees (Xt), Jaime Carter (A), Philip Leenart (L) and Joshua Pimlott (L) 17 Annette To (Cha), Jane Ng (A), Kelly Tang (Cha) and Terezia Michalikova (Cha) 18 Verity Manning-Cox, Daniel Ward (NH), Iman Mirza (Q) and Philip Leenart (L) 19 Daisy Wildman (Cha), Talis Harris (NH, 2017), Kieran Thorley (BH), Henry Johnson (H) and Jago Skelding (BH)

FLOREAT 2019

EVENTS

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The Survivors

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EVEnTs

The Cheltenham Cricket Festival sunday 22nd July Gloucestershire v Durham Gloucestershire won by 41 runs

Louise Underwood (We, 2016) and Past Parents Nigel and Sakorn Underwood

Craig Parkinson and John Maxwell (L, 1960)

Jilly Hamilton and Tim Fielding

David Worthington (Xt, 1968) and Charles Kinsey

OC Administrator Malcolm Sloan and Anne Cadbury (Hon OC & Past Parent)

Peter Badham (Th, 1965) with Past Parent John Jamieson-Black

James Mackenzie with Current Grandparent Brian James

Michael Stevens (OJ & DB, 1956), John Maxwell (L, 1960) and Simon Pattinson (NH, 1962)

Alison Garside, Anna Beamish, Sheila Lewer (Past Parent) and Nicole Percival

Lynn Rowland (Xt, 1962 & Past Parent), Rosemary Rowland (Past Parent) and Andrew Harris (Past Staff Member)

Peter Sucksmith, Clive O'Gorman, Bob Allard and Colin Dickinson

Sally Savage, Stephanie McAra, Chris Yates (Xt, 1980) and Michael Savage

Peter Philips (Past Parent), Peter Bushell and Chris Martyn-Smith

Photography by Andy Banks

Kevin Dyer, Paddy Stevens (BH, 1971), Pam Stevens and Marianne Dyer

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FLOREAT 2019

1993 LEAVERs’ REuniOn DinnER

saturday 6th October

EVENTS

Bean Chapman (NH) and Christopher Prain (BH)

Tom Creed (U6th, H) and Simon I'Anson (H)

Omi Roberts, Andrew Roberts (W) and Sebastian Bullock (Current Staff Member)

Former Hazelwell Housemaster Trevor Davies and Jonathan Thompson (S)

Karl Cook (Current Staff Member), Monty Menon (H) and Tom Porter (OJ & Xt)

Hazelwell Boys Alastair Cowie and Ian Cope

Ashley Tidd (BH), Jessica Phillips (Cha) and Zara Fletcher (Cha)

Robin Midgley (Xt), Frederick Fowler (H & Current Parent), Malcolm Sloan (OC Administrator), Julian Chesterfield (Xt) and Harvey Pynn (OJ & Xt)

James Wase-Rogers (H), Alex Woodeson (BH), Alex Mills (NH), Alex Hingston (NH), Tristan Lloyd-Baker (L) and David Chikwe (BH)

Vanessa Craig (Cha), Past Hazelwell Housemaster Trevor Davies, Emily Gasgoyne and Zara Fletcher

Chandos Girls Elizabeth Westcott, Anna Bland, Charlotte Evans, Alex Kent and Sarah Sitwell

Nicola Huggett (Head), Fiona Wild, Barry Wild (Past Staff Member) and Cathy Sloan (Past Parent & Past Staff Member)

Photography by Andy Banks

Toby Harris (L), Charlotte Evans (Cha), Nicola Huggett (Head) and Alex Woodeson (BH)

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EVEnTs

DinnER AT ThE impERiAL WAR musEum Thursday 8th november Sponsored by

College Head, Nicola Huggett

Rageh Omaar (BH, 1985)

Background image: 1909 OTC parade 26

FLOREAT 2019

EVENTS

Jason Gwynne (Current Staff Member) Chris Hartley-Sharpe (Ch, 1980), Helen Hartley-Sharpe and Nick Goldsmith (Hidden Valley Bushcraft)

Jennie and Peter Hammerson (L,1962)

Louise Oliver and Stephen Willis

Laurence Humphreys-Davies (College Council Member), Katherine McInnes (Current Parent), Helen Hartley-Sharpe and Chris Hartley-Sharpe (Ch, 1980)

John Rayer (L, 1969) and David Worthington (Xt, 1968)

Sarah and Peter Wynter-Bee (L, 1980)

Past Parent David Mace with Current Staff member Jonathan Mace

Photography by Andy Banks

Will Martin (NH, 2014), Jessica Steel (Q, 2018), Harry Steel (Xt, 2016), Antonia Stuckey (Q, 2016) and Nelson Bacon (Xt, 2016)

Cheltenham Prep Head Tom O'Sullivan with Past Parent Dennis Mech

Sir John White (L, 1964) and Trevor Davies (Former Hazelwell Housemaster)

Paddy Stevens (BH, 1971), Jenny Robbins, Pam Stevens, Sarah Cole, Jo Doidge-Harrison (Current Staff Member), Rachael Merrison (Current Staff Member), Catherine Long and Kevin Dyer 27

EVEnTs

BOys’ hOusE REuniOns

Guests enjoying the dinner!

Philippa Warren and Jeremy Warren (BH, 1962)

Photography by Andy Banks & Frances Morrow-Brown

Frank Juckes (BH, 1963), Mary Juckes and Paul Arengo-Jones (BH, 1962)

John Shield (Ch, 1963) and Fiona Shield

saturday 17th november

Charles Coleman (W, 1983) and Anthony Cowper (Th, 1967)

Current Staff Member Simon Conner and Current Parent Mark Anton-Smith (S, 1982)

Jonnie Gunn (U6, BH) and Boyne House Housemaster Richard Penny

Lawrence Anderson (Th, 1959) and Peter Badham (Th, 1965)

Jenny Juckes, Josephine Arengo-Jones and Philippa Warren

Past Boyne Housemaster Hugh Wright, Jill Wright and Andrew Brettell (BH, 1983)

Ben Southall (U6, BH), Heather Rowell, Charles Rowell (H, 1964), James Warren (BH, 1956) and Judith Warren

Chris Juckes (BH, 1956), Jenny Juckes, Mary Juckes and Frank Juckes (BH, 1963)

Elliott Barfield-Grainger, Daniel Barfield (BH, 2003), Tom Barfield-Grainger (BH, 2001) and Rupert Webber (BH, 2001)

Ernest Lau (U6th, L), Tim Jurdon (Ch, 1947), Margaret Edy and Aram Abedini-Abkhare (U6th, H)

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FLOREAT 2019

ChELTOnDALE sOuThWOOD BOynE hOusE

EVENTS

Chris Juckes (BH, 1956) and Patrick McCanlis (BH, 1966)

Patrick Stevens (BH, 1971) and Marcus Allen (BH, 1984)

Gerald Vinestock (Past Cheltondale Housemaster) and Elizabeth Vinetstock

Simon Foster (S, 1987) and Steve Lewis (W, 1987)

Past Parent Peter Bullers and Richard Steel (DB, 1954)

Paul Arengo-Jones (BH, 1962) and Josephine Arengo-Jones

Richard Newbury (Ch, 1978) and Paula Newbury

Rob Caesar (U6th, S), Tim Pearce (Past Southwood Housemaster) and Past Parent Phil Robson (S, 1977)

Tim Pearce (Past Southwood Housemaster), Justine Whittaker and Daniel Norman (S, 1987)

Tom Hartley (U6th, H), Charles Stevens (Ch, 1964) and Tom Kitson (U6th, L)

James Perkins (Ch, 1976), Elizabeth Vinestock, Gerald Vinestock (Past Cheltondale Housemaster) and Sir Michael McWilliam (Ch, 1952)

Jane Foster, Simon Foster (S, 1987), Michael Stevens (DB, 1956), Simon Bullers (S, 1987) and Peter Davies (S, 1987)

John Blackburn (Ch, 1975), Jane Blackburn, Simon Whiteman (Ch, 1982) and Jo Whiteman

John Kennett (Ch, 1965), Caro Kennett, Penny Smith and Henley Smith (Ch, 1965) 29

EVEnTs

Kindly sponsored by

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING FAIR

!"#$%&'()*+',-./01/2 10.00am - 4.00pm at Cheltenham College Entrance via Main Reception, Bath Road, Cheltenham, GL53 7LD Ticket Price £5 (Under 16s free) purchase your ticket in advance for a free glass of ‘Fizz’. Call 01242 265694 to book.

Photography by Andy Banks

Kindly supported by

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FLOREAT 2019

ChRisTmAs CAROL sERViCE

Friday 14th December

Photography by Andy Banks

EVENTS 31

EVEnTs

Supporting The Teenage Cancer Trust

Saturday 15th December

Kindly sponsored by:

Alex Mackman and Kate Mackman (Current Prep Staff Member)

The Chip Shop Boys keeping the dance floor moving

Current Parents & Current Prep Parents Bronwyn and Michael Syiek

Past Prep Parents Heather and Adam Dunning (Current Staff Member)

Guests mingling in the beautifully decorated Dining Hall

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Current Parent Justine Barnes and Martyn Bell

Guests enjoying the ball

Current Prep Staff Members Faye Wells, Vicky Jenkins, Sally-Ann Kent and Rachel Hamlyn

Current Parents Sara and Jeff Meecham-Jones

Winter Ball Sponsors Louise Oliver and Stephen Willis

Current Parents Sara Martin-Artago, Victoria Hindmarch, Stacey Joly, Lucy Garbutt, Heidi Callon-Hine and Julia Mawdesley-Thomas

FLOREAT 2019

150 years of the national schools’ Rackets Championships

By Rachael Merrison (Heritage & Records Manager)

Foundation: 1852-1870 College formally supported Rackets back in 1852 with the construction of two courts next to the Dining Hall (or the Chapel as it was then), along with an arrangement of fives courts, but it wasn’t until 1858 that an official singles competition took place. Sadly, the original trophy – a miniature gold racquet – has long since been lost.

Rackets was further improved in 1864 with the building of covered courts, either side of the Gymnasium at a cost of £5,120, and the original courts were redeveloped as The Pierson Museum in 1870.

Changing fortunes: 1870-1988 It was not, however, plain sailing for College: in the late 1870s there was growing concern within letters to the editor of The Cheltonian that numbers had fallen, and the depth of talent was questionable. The 1868 Doubles Tournament was also the first and last time for 120 years that College reached the final at Championship level (and sadly we narrowly lost out to Eton on that occasion).

By the 1890s we see some improvement in coverage within The Cheltonian and the arrival of Albert Wright (an ex-American champion) to coach the pupils, although those boys with other sporting commitments – particularly Rugby Football – struggled with injuries or dedicating enough time

House Rackets Cup, 1860s-1870s Gymnasium, Racket Courts and Workshops, by Ed. Burrow, 1899

to Rackets. In the 1920s we also benefited from the arrival of KS Duleepsinhji (Day Boy, 1923) who went on to become a professional England cricketer. Along with ALS Jackson (also a cricketer and Captain of the XI), he won every 1922 School fixture, and managed to reach the semi-finals at Queen’s the following year with CTB Leigh, losing 4-2 to Radley.

Unfortunately, 1928 saw the development of four squash rackets courts across the road, and College had to compete with a new novel, flexible and less expensive sport which led to its demise as an active sport in 1939.

Very little is recorded after 1939, although we do know that the West Rackets Court was converted into a Museum in 1947, with the gallery removed when the Gymnasium was reconstructed in 1950. Meanwhile, in the East Court, we do see a fragmented continuation of the game after the Second World War for about 15 years until it was repurposed as a storage area for the Grounds Staff and later, in 1974, used as a temporary base by the Works’ Department.

A new lease of life: 1988-2018 Richard Morgan (Head, 1978-1990) was a devoted supporter of the game and, alongside members of College Council with financial aid from the Tennis and Rackets Association, re-opened the East Court with the original floor (over 100

College Ribbons, including those awarded to Racket Club Members, 1870s

years old) left untouched. Karl Cook was appointed as our rackets professional, the Cheltenham Gold Racquet was introduced as a national tournament for evening club players and College has produced players who have had incredible success on the world stage, especially James Stout (H, 2002) (coached by Head of Rackets, Mark Briers) who became the second youngest Rackets World Champion in 2008 aged 24. We look forward to the next 150 years successfully competing on the national competitive circuit! ■ 33

FEATURES

2018 marks 150 years since Cheltenham College took part in the first Public Schools’ Doubles Tournament (originally played at Prince’s, now played at Queen’s), alongside Eton, Harrow and Charterhouse as one of the first four competing schools. The tournament, now known as the National Schools’ Rackets Championships, has since expanded to 15 competing schools in doubles and singles. With an allCheltenham College Girls’ U18 Singles final this year, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to reflect on our long history of the sport!

FEATURES

From Ski Gear to Top Gear

By Oliver Marriage (BH, 1991) Wednesdays were a big day for me at Cheltenham. The library had subscriptions to various ‘general interest’ magazines, and Wednesday was the day that Autocar landed, College’s solitary source material about new cars. The joy of realising you were first to pick it up, that no-one had so much as had a flick – well that’s probably one you’re unfamiliar with.

I hate to point out how fortunate you are to have the internet, but back in the late 1980s a thirst for non-academic knowledge was hard to quench. A weekly gulp of Autocar, topped up by a monthly slurp of Car (personal subscription, the librarian refused to add it to ‘general interest’, along with other requests for, if I remember rightly, Kerrang! and, um, Playboy), was about your lot. Information just wasn’t as accessible. I was the guru, the go to car fact guy. Get me. Not one of the cool kids.

I didn’t really care. I just found cars fascinating, and still do. I enjoyed other things at College but I suspect like most ex-pupils, I look back on my time and realise I could have made so much more of the opportunities open to me. If I could give you one piece of advice it would be to get stuck in and try new things – it’s so much easier to do so at school than after you leave. I wanted to write a car column for the Cheltonian magazine, but never summoned up the courage to put forward my idea, for fear it would be knocked back. Know this; just because you think an idea is obvious doesn’t mean anyone else has already had it. Oh, and editors are always looking for things to put in magazines.

For some reason it never struck me that writing about cars was a possible career until years later. We had careers advice and I remember sitting something called the ISCO-Morrisby test which involved writing S backwards and completing sequences, and then purported to inform us what careers we’d be good at. The fact that half my year was then told we’d make great stockbrokers maybe said more about the test setters than ourselves. This was the late 1980s, don’t forget.

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My career choice was made less formally. I went through university, and then headed to the mountains to ski bum. One night towards the end of a season I was sitting in a bar with some mates and we were deciding what to do – should we go back to the UK, put up marquees for the summer, then come back out to the Alps for another winter, or should we – deep breath – get proper jobs. The italics are intended. It seemed like a big step. But it was only then, three beers down, that it suddenly struck me that people were paid to write words in car magazines, that this mythical job ‘road tester’ was actually real.

I loved cars, and I enjoyed writing. And with no more journalistic qualification than that, I wrote to magazines requesting work experience. It worked. I was granted a week on Autocar, which I spent doing nothing but inputting data into a spreadsheet. It was deathly dull. But for one very important thing. Around me, everyone was talking cars. And I just flat out loved it. I could join in, there was a buzz about the office. People had ideas for stories, they were discussed, refined and that was it, done, now go and make them happen.

Telling stories And I did. I’ve done things that I consider amazing – driven F1 and Le Mans cars, had adventures up mountains and through

Oliver at College and now. deserts, been to Korean shipyards and Mongolian plains, met heroes and villains.

All in the name of telling stories about cars.

Because that’s what journalism is. And not just journalism – media, communication, TV, it’s all the same, you’re using words and pictures to tell stories. Words can be written or spoken, pictures still or moving, but the foundations haven’t changed since primary school. And nor has our behaviour, if you believe half of what you might read about Top Gear. Take it with a pinch of salt.

FLOREAT 2019

I’ve worked at Top Gear – the magazine and website as well as the TV show – for nearly eight years, and when I joined Andy Wilman, the then-head of the TV show, said to me, “all you need to remember is that we make the show for 12 year olds. And people that used to be 12.” It sounds childish, but the other side of journalism and media is to know your audience. A lot of thought goes into how we can present information in an entertaining way. Take a fact, roll it in glitter and set fire to it, basically. At its heart, Top Gear is truer to the BBC’s core value – to inform, educate and entertain – than most give us credit for.

website, because that’s how you best trigger the Google searches, plus social media posts, viral videos, presenting films.

As a consumer of media you’re now bombarded. You can now sift between Top Gear reruns, YouTube vloggers, Grand Tour on Amazon, myriad automotive websites, live race feeds and Instagrammers. Just by picking up your phone. Isn’t it noisy though? Isn’t there a lot going on? Hard to know where to start looking. Harder, perhaps, to know when to turn the flow of information off. 30 years ago, when my flow of information was nothing more than a weekly drip, I’d have killed for that. !

FEATURES

What is my job? Simple, really. I drive cars and write about them. Well, it used to be that simple, but where once I’d just have to write 500 words for a magazine then sit back and put my feet up, now I have to do that, plus at least 1100 words for the

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FEATURES

Circumnavigating The World on a Bike

By Katie Stewart (A, 2006) There is a word that sums up the recognised physical condition that gives some people the compulsive urge to travel. It’s called dromomania and I am greatly affected by it. It was this urge that planted a seed in my head about setting myself the challenge of circumnavigating the globe by bicycle. Combined with the belief that it’s never too late to start again this trip became an all-consuming project.

I really was starting off from scratch. I am no great cyclist and I have had little experience in my past that would suggest I could get anywhere near to organising and completing this adventure alone.

Indeed, I don’t care to remember just how many times I was laughed at when I suggested I was embarking on this trip to friends and family. I think the most positive response came on the day I left and was waved goodbye with the words, “see you back here in a week”. Yet, the credit is not with the man who points out where the doer of deeds could have done them better! What I wanted to achieve on this journey was a chance to test myself, to prove myself and to spend time alone with myself but the journey also became about trying to inspire normal people, just like me, that they could achieve things beyond their limits and confronted the fact that time will wait for no man!

My trusted cube bike So in April 2018 I set off from Madrid with my trusted cube bike, a few spare inners, a tool kit, one change of clothes and a lot of water and food. My plan was to cover 18,000 miles, pass through two antipodal points, only move in one direction and cover on average 130 miles a day. My route took me through Spain hitting the coast near Barcelona and sticking along the coast (where it was harder to get lost) through France down the western side of Italy crossing over at Salerno and hitting the eastern coast at Bari. I then followed the eastern coast all the way up to Slovenia and then along the coast of Croatia, Bosnia and Greece. At Athens I crossed over to Cesme on the ferry and then followed the Turkish coast northwards to Istanbul. Having roughly met my daily mileage target I realised in 36

Istanbul that trying to catch direct flights from each country from which I needed to cross seas was going to be too expensive.

Consequently, I decided at this point that although I still wanted this to be a physical challenge, I would no longer put the added pressure on myself to challenge the women’s record for circumnavigating the globe on a bike but rather use this as a chance to see how far my body and mind could go.

constantly harassed by motorcyclists trying to grab me. The weather hit well over 40 degrees some days and the traffic was completely unpredictable! It felt quite surreal to be swerving out of the way of random cows on motorways. I had quite a bad accident just outside Chennai where I was smashed off my bike by a motorcyclist and left injured and still clipped into my pedals in the middle of a motorway!

From Turkey I flew to India and cycled from Mumbai to Chennai. This was by far the toughest leg. Cycling as a lone woman in India was daunting at times and I was

I have to admit I was glad to have survived India and flew from there to Perth. Perth felt so clean and peaceful in comparison to Chennai. I left Perth and

FLOREAT 2019

Primal rhythm At the time, I felt devastated that my trip had finished prematurely and that I had failed. Yet for what it is worth, with the safe distance of time, I learnt more from this adventure than I did during my three years at university. In fact, I cannot now quite comprehend how I achieved it. My body felt shattered on day one and I must have cycled through all the saddle sores, boredom, rough sleeping, cold, heat, muscle aches and tiredness on pure adrenaline and determination to finish what I had started. On my bike, pedalling and pedalling, every hour, every day, I started to imagine I was timekeeping to some primal rhythm. For six months of my life, my existence became about one thing, mileage. And that simplicity meant I could fill those miles with all the beautiful scenes and infinite skies we are blessed with. After all, “what is this life, if full of care, we have no time to stand and stare”. It’s hard to pinpoint the most special moments. Sleeping under

FEATURES

cycled on the only tarmac road to Katherine, Darwin. Although the road trains never failed to make my heart jump every timed they passed, the Australian roads were incredible. Despite being hit by a constant headwind, I relished my time on the remote roads, passing a roadhouse every couple of days to restock on water and food and camping out in the endless expanses. I was also flabbergasted at the extent of the Australians’ kindness. It almost became annoying how many people stopped to offer food and water when they passed me on the road! From Katherine I cycled to Three Ways (near Alice Springs) before hitching a lift to Brisbane to catch a flight to Seattle.

Unfortunately, after a couple of days cycling in America I ran out of funds and had to accept flying home, returning to the real world and finding myself another job was my only option.

uninterrupted stars in Western Australia, spending nearly every day in Italy washing off the dirt and sweat in the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic seas or realising the extent of the kindness of certain people, who took time out of their busy schedules to help me every single day.

I hope my attempt at this adventure persuades others to go do those things they’ve always thought unachievable.

Because, it serves no one to think small.

I have been raising money for The

George Adamson Wildlife Preservation Trust who work tirelessly in East Africa to keep wildlife safe in the wild. They are currently undertaking a wild dog breeding project to increase the dangerously low numbers left in the wild. They also have ongoing black rhino protection schemes against ruthless poachers. If you are interested in donating, please contact me at katieiscyclingtheworld@gmail.com or check out their work at www.georgeadamson.org. ■ 37

FEATURES

The Social Pantry

By Alex Head (A, 2003) From selling sandwiches aged 15 to employing over 60 staff including exoffenders, working across six London sites and catering for Rhianna.

I started at College back in 2001 as an overseas boarder, as my parents were based in Saudi Arabia. With my granny, aunt and uncle living locally, I was really able to settle into Cheltenham and had two very happy years at College. I loved it and still look back with extremely fond memories. I was so lucky to be surrounded by great friends who were kind, fun and with whom I had plenty of adventures.

I want to thank the extremely patient teachers who managed to get me through my A-Levels, it’s a real testament to their skills that I got any at all… honestly. I hope that my story inspires anyone who is not very academic and shows that anything is possible if you work hard enough.

Starting out From a young age I always loved to cook, and I used to cook with both my grannies and mum. Growing up in a large family always meant there were lots of meals around the kitchen table of which I have wonderful memories of fun, food filled family gatherings. I always loved being in the kitchen and it was during a summer out in Riyadh that I decided to start

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making and selling sandwiches to the British Embassy.

‘Heads & Quails’ was my first business, I was 15, luckily since then I have learnt a thing or two about branding. In short it was me on my bike flogging sandwiches throughout the holidays and by some miracle I managed to make a small profit, without poisoning anyone and I remember vividly being completely over excited when I placed an order for some printed leaflets. I thought…how hard can catering be?!

After College, I completed a three-month cooking course at Ballymaloe before studying Business and Hospitality at Oxford Brookes University. Looking back, it was definitely the experience I gained from working as a full time chef, whilst at university, that was really valuable. Not being at all academic, I am a big believer in hard work and gaining industry experience.

Aged 22, I hit London where I ran and opened restaurants for two entrepreneurs, whilst Heads & Quails bubbled away with small catering jobs and private cooking events. When a pizza restaurant in Oxford Circus failed, which I’d helped open, it was the push I needed to make Heads & Quails catering full time and so Social Pantry was born.

Alex at College and now Social Pantry I was 26, cooking out of my small rented flat in Battersea and waitressing for day-today cash. Most sensible people would write a business plan and raise investment, I bought a second-hand laptop, set up a very basic website and said yes to anything and everything. There was a pub at the bottom of my road who would kindly let me store food in their fridge, I remember turning up with a couple of whole salmon and asking to rent some space. It’s amazing what a pack of beers can get you!

The first exciting step was renting a bench in a commercial kitchen and it wasn’t long before I secured a contract with Brentford Football Club and took on a chef. By year four we were feeding 90 people a day for breakfast, lunch and dinner – seven days a

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week; this was the making of Social Pantry’s first few years.

Fast forward six years and I now have a 3,000 sq ft production unit in Wandsworth and six sites across London. My sites include a lovely café in Battersea, a 100seater restaurant in Ealing called Soane’s Kitchen and I have in-house teams at some brilliant London venues. Social Pantry caters for private and corporate events, weddings, large scale contracts alongside the sites we operate. We average between 30–40 events a week and I have a full-time team of 60+ staff.

For me it is important to be making a difference whilst growing my business, offering opportunities and supporting these employees has and will continue to change lives. In addition to employment I mentor a young man through the Key4Life Charity; he is beyond naughty still but a great friend!

Coffee served in my cafés comes from Redemption Roasters based in Aylesbury

YOI Prison, our delicious chocolate brownies come from Bad Boys Bakery in Brixton Prison and I recruit through Novus and charities such as Switchback and Key4Life who are all doing great work.

Next steps My goal alongside the catering part of my business, is to create one of the best food companies to work for in London. I have just employed a ‘Culture Manager’, (very LA!) and am looking to the likes of Jamie Oliver and Innocent for inspiration on employee wellness. Gone are the days of ‘shouty kitchens’ and 100-hour weeks, as a small company we strive to improve the employee work life balance, education and enjoyment.

If anyone reading this wants a job… hit me up! ! www.socialpantry.co.uk www.soaneskitchen.co.uk www.alexhead.co.uk @Social_Pantry

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The journey has been exciting, testing beyond all imagination and a serious experience. I don’t have any investors, I have made endless mistakes and will make plenty more but most importantly I am loving it. My naive ambition is what got me started and sheer determination which has allowed my business to survive.

London is an inspiring and great place to be for food, but it is extremely competitive.

Employing ex-offenders I was given plenty of second chances so the least I can do now is offer the same.

Three years ago, I employed my first exoffender, now 10% of my workforce are ex-offenders. I go into London prisons and recruit behind bars ahead of, as well as on, release. I am proud to employ ex-offenders as they are ambitious, hardworking, trusted and talented. I love it when we are catering for someone famous and they have no idea that the person serving them was interviewed in their prison cell six months earlier.

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From College to Bohemian Rhapsody

By Charles Stevens (Ch, 1964) The film Bohemian Rhapsody was released in October 2018. As with all great works it received some criticism and ultimately acclaim. For in January this year it was given real recognition at the 2019 Golden Globe Awards in California, where it won two major awards. These awards were firstly the Best Film Drama Award and secondly the Best Drama Actor Award.

The film is biographical, telling the story of the British rock band Queen, and it follows the journey of singer Freddie Mercury’s life and death.

However, there was another journey taking place alongside this venture, and as such, it became very much part of the Bohemian Rhapsody story. This parallel story also needs to be told. The release and genuine recognition of this film makes this a truly appropriate time for this to be highlighted. It is the story of Jim Beach (NH, 1960), without whom Queen might not have been so long lasting in British music and entertainment history, and without whom this film might not have been produced.

Jim Beach was born in Gloucester in March 1942 and was at Cheltenham College (NH, 1960). Both his father, RJH Beach (OJ, 1946), and grandfather, PW Beach (DB, 1919) were also at College.

Along with Anthony Hamilton-Smith, (DB, 1960), (now Lord Colwyn) on drums and sometimes double bass, Jim Blanch (L, 1959) on trumpet, and Nick Wilkinson (NH, 1959) Anthony Hamilton-Smith, on clarinet, Jim on piano and (DB, 1960), now occasionally on Lord Colwyn trombone, he formed a jazz band at College in 1959, and so The Stomper Ham and Long Range Desert Group was born. The Classical Jazz Society is first mentioned in 1958 and was formed with the support and encouragement of Mike Morgan (Head of History) and the energy of John Waters (BH, 1960) on the organisational front.

There were popular evening events in Thirlestaine Long Gallery and at house 40

dances. The band welcomed regular guest appearances to play alongside their regular musicians, with Robin Eddlestone (L, 1959) on guitar and American Gene Lewis (DB, 1958), who could turn his hand to a number of instruments, frequently joining the band.

Following College, Jim and Anthony continued their co-operation (Jim as Director of Music) and along with newly recruited musicians became, for many years, the band of choice for Society Dances, Hunt Balls and Charity events.

Queen’s to Queen In 1960 Jim went to university at Queen’s College, Cambridge, and was to gain both an MA and LLB. From 1972-1978 he was a partner at Harbottle & Lewis, Solicitors, a firm which specialised in advising the entertainment industry. It was while at Harbottle & Lewis that he became involved in advising the rock band Queen.

In 1978 he became the manager of Queen and at the same time widened his

Jim Beach (NH, 1960) recently, and at College horizons in the entertainment industry, especially in film and television and being directly involved in a BBC programme about the Montreux Jazz Festival. He has been involved in producing many movies, TV productions and broadcasts as well as the management of Queen and their recordings and performances. It is the band which gave Jim Beach his nickname ‘Miami’ a play on his name.

Getty Images

Singer Freddie Mercury (1946-1991) of British rock band Queen with his friend Mary Austin at an after-party in London for ‘Dave Clark's Time - The Musical', 9th April 1986. Behind them is Queen's manager Jim Beach (NH, 1960)

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FEATURES Bohemian Rhapsody Best Motion Picture award at the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards on 6th January 2019. Jim Beach (NH, 1960), Roger Taylor and Brian May from Queen, Rami Malek who played Freddie Mercury in the film, film producer Graham King and Mike Myers who played Ray Foster in the film.

Jim has retained a number of voluntary interests including being a trustee of the EMI Foundation, which is dedicated to the improvement of music education giving grants to musicians for instruments and equipment as well as assistance when they are in education for fees and living expenses. He is also a trustee of the Mercury Phoenix Trust, an HIV and Aids charity, founded by Queen musicians Brian May and Roger Taylor in memory of Freddie Mercury.

performance in 1985. Perhaps, in part, it was Jim’s determination to see it through, which enabled it to happen, and for him to co-produce the film with Graham King.

Bohemian Rhapsody was released in the UK on 24th October 2018 and in the US on 4th November 2018. As ever there are conflicting views about some aspects of the film but what is without doubt is Jim Beach’s talent and willingness to take on difficult projects and manage the risks which come as a consequence.

A fitting tribute Since Freddie Mercury’s death in 1991, there have been many attempts to create a film depicting the band Queen and Freddie Mercury’s life and career. It is not surprising that, having been so intimately involved with Queen’s development, success and its musicians over the years, that Jim Beach would be determined to see a film of Queen and Freddie Mercury’s life and career come to fruition. Those attempts all foundered until comparatively recently when the film Bohemian Rhapsody was completed.

For me, Jim and The Stomper Ham and Long Range Desert Group started a slow burn to the love of jazz. Thank you to Jim and all of the members of the band – for you have given me and many others a love of music, especially jazz, and much pleasure along the way.

Bohemian Rhapsody, named after one of Queen’s most successful compositions, is a biographical film about the rock band. It follows the life of its lead singer Freddie Mercury, leading up to Queen’s Live Aid

Acknowledgements I would like to express my gratitude to Lord Colwyn, Dr Malcolm Sloan and Rebecca Creed, for their help and support in putting this small tribute together. ■ Note from the Editor College’s connection to Queen does not end with Jim Beach. Jason Smith (Xt, 1982) was the 1st Assistant Director on music videos and toured with some of the biggest bands in the world at the time from Guns ‘N’ Roses to Queen. He was Freddie Mercury’s Assistant for a while which he states was a lot of fun!

Jason remembers that Freddie had a wicked sense of humour even though he knew he didn’t have much longer to live. Please see Floreat 17, pages 54 & 55 for the full article.

About Charles Stevens (Ch, 1964)

Following an international career in Barclays Bank and then in consulting, Charles lives near Cirencester, where he has found a home for his love of jazz by becoming a director and broadcaster at Corinium Radio (www.coriniumradio.co.uk). He has his own weekly programme called Charlie’s Jazz Picks.

Corinium Radio is a local online community radio station run by volunteers. He is also a trustee of the Cheltonian Endowment Trust.

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Last Great Wilderness Expedition

By Tom Dodd (H, 1988)

Bruce Gardiner (NH, 1989 & Current Parent) , Tom Dodd (H, 1988), Willy Watkins (L, 1989) and Matthew Hope (S, 1989) It’s a remote area of North West Scotland, bounded by Loch Maree to the south and the A832 to the north. David George, who taught at College from 1967-1997, called it the Last Great Wilderness. In the middle of it you are about as far from tarmac road as it’s possible to get in the UK. It is home to some of Britain’s best mountains, including An Teallach; the traverse of An Teallach’s summit ridge in winter is one of Britain’s best mountaineering expeditions.

David wasn’t the first person to call it the Last Great Wilderness, but he loved the sense of adventure that the term evoked.

Being David, it also came with an irreverent nod to the pioneers of mountaineering and arctic exploration from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. If they could write books called Blank on the Map and The Worst Journey in the World, then College Mountaineering Club could have its Last Great Wilderness Expedition.

And so it did, in six days between New Year and the start of term in January 1987. There were two teachers, David, and James Wesson, who had arrived at College in 1985 to teach history and coach cricket. There was Tim, a tough ex-marine who worked as boatman for the rowing club in Tewkesbury, and one undergraduate OC, Angus Dodd (H, 1985). And four boys somewhere between the fourth form and the lower sixth: Willy Watkins, Matthew Hope, Bruce Gardiner and me.

The weather gods smiled on us Tim the boatman drove us north in the boat club’s red Landrover, and then promptly went down with food poisoning the night we arrived in Scotland. He spent the week recovering in an Ullapool B&B. Day one for the rest of us was a walk in to 42

our first base, Shenavall, a bothy or primitive mountain hut located on the south side of An Teallach. We started in the rain, which became sleet, and then snow.

But for the rest of the week, the weather gods smiled on us: still, dry, sometimes sunny, and very, very cold. The cold meant waking to find socks rigid with frost, and breaking the ice on streams before we could wash up the porridge pots. But it also meant great climbing conditions and stunning views.

We carried clothes (a lot of checked woollen shirts and not much gore-tex), climbing equipment, sleeping bags, cookers, and food for a week. In fact we carried so much that on the first day we had to use supermarket carrier bags as well as rucksacks. David also brought along a large, heavy, hand-held movie camera.

Taking a movie camera on a trip like this was still cutting edge at the time, and hand-held most definitely meant held with two hands. It resulted in a short film full of David’s inimitable self-deprecating commentary.

By 1987, College’s long and distinguished mountaineering and exploring tradition, stretching back to Dr Edward Wilson, was in truth past its peak. Hard and ambitious climbing trips to the Alps, Arctic Norway and, closer to home, Scotland and the Lakes, were falling victim to our culture of risk avoidance. But if good teaching involves giving young people responsibility and letting them deal with it, then the Last Great Wilderness expedition was teaching of the very highest order.

Where are they now?

Matthew studied medicine at Edinburgh and then spent nine years in Aberdeen. He

is an orthopaedic surgeon in Brisbane, where he lives with his wife and four children aged 16 to 24. He spends much of his spare time sailing and continues to walk and camp regularly.

Bruce lives in Herefordshire and runs the family medical supplies business. He studied mechanical engineering at Newcastle University. He’s married to Stephanie – their son Charlie is in Lower Sixth at College and their daughter Lucinda (Cha, 2018) left last year. These days he sails more than climbs – he sailed from Chile back to Scotland via Antarctica and South Georgia.

Angus lives in Wimbledon with his wife, son, 13, and daughter, 11. He runs Quintain, the property company which owns the land surrounding Wembley Stadium. He sails a bit and rides his bike.

William Watkins returned to the family farm in 1988 and is Managing Director of Radnor Hills. He recently came back to College to give a talk about running a business to the Mini MBA group.

I live near Brussels with my wife and three daughters. I studied at Edinburgh University, and have worked for the EU since 1995, including four years posted to Nicaragua. When not working, I help run a hockey club. It’s about 20 years since I was on the end of a climbing rope, but I do go to the Alps or Pyrenees most summers.

We have no recent information about Tim the boatman. David died in 2001. James taught at College until 1992, and then at Radley until 2003, before becoming a priest. He died in 2016. This article is dedicated to their memory. ■

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Auschwitz Reflection

By Ernest Lau (L6th, L)

But why preserve and visit such a place?

Spanish philosopher George Santayana seems to have an answer – ‘Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.’ Humanity all too commonly falls into the trap of forgetting the past and thus committing the same mistakes.

However, perhaps I can offer an international perspective on this issue. We usually focus on the war crimes committed by the Japanese Imperial Forces during the War such as the Nanking Massacre and the Bataan Death March, since they are closer and more relevant to us. I am not trying to downplay the brutality of the Imperial Forces, but instead, I believe that we should not neglect the significance of the Nazis’ war crimes. One example of Asian people being arguably ignorant of the Nazi war crimes is when a school in Hsinchu City on the Taiwan Island decided that it would be funny to dress up as Nazi officials and drive

around the school on a paper-made Tiger I tank and doing the Nazi salute at an anniversary event. What would be even more surprising is the school’s teachers attempting to defend their students by trying to lecture the public about respecting the students’ freedom of creativity, which contributed to the thinking that we are ignorant about the European side of the Second World War. Nazi war crimes do not always ring a bell amongst the general public in Asia.

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Last June, four other Cheltonians and I, alongside Miss Doidge-Harrison joined a trip to Auschwitz organised by Kahan Travel. The scene was shocking. I stood in a place where the Nazis systematically murdered 1.1 million Jews as well as other persecuted groups who they saw as ‘lacking value’ to their Aryan society. What struck me the most was the giant rectangular glass box in the exhibition hall filled with the victims’ hair. The box was roughly the size of two trucks. I can still remember standing at the entrance of the room, just staring at it. It is a feeling that words cannot describe. With this in mind, it seems hard to understand that there is a rising trend of people either ignoring the Holocaust or even in denial of it, despite the clear evidence of concentration camps existing, and survivors’ testimonies.

Nevertheless, walking past Block 11 was painful. It was solely for the purpose of torturing the prisoners and even contained special torture chambers where a range of punishments was given. One of the torture chambers is tiny, and the Nazis would fit four people in there, even though it is smaller than a regular shower, meaning they all had to stand up. Outside Block 11 is the death wall, where thousands and thousands of prisoners were lined up to be executed by a firing squad. It was not easy to digest any of this. It simply wasn’t.

Chinese historian Ch’ien Mu once said ‘A nation that forgets history is a nation without hope, and a society that ignores history is a society without a future.’ It is vital for everyone to prevent the evil from occurring, to stand up against evil when happening, and to condemn evil in its aftermath. ■

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A Recipe for Success

By Nidhi Behl (A, 2002) If you knew me back in 2000, at the newly opened Ashmead House, just a road away from the main College buildings, you wouldn’t think I would come back home to India, and become a chef. At the time I was at College, my inferior diet consisted mainly of spicy instant noodles and chips from the local Chippy on Bath Road. My Indian taste buds, used to the piquancy and titillating flavours of my native cuisine, recoiled in horror at eating the simple and nourishing food offered in the Dining Hall. Yet being used to chefs and domestic help at home, my cooking repertoire was meagre to say the least; I simply hadn’t bothered to learn that particular skill.

After studying English Literature in the Gloucestershire countryside, I moved continents to do the same at Boston University, America. It was not till my junior year, when I moved into my own charming apartment that boasted a sizeable kitchen that I decided to cook.

Let me start at the beginning. Peppered throughout my career studying abroad were frequent trips to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. My mother, a curator of precious artefacts, moved part time to the Saudi capital to work with the royal family there.

A new edible world unfurled before my youthful eyes, full of mile long feasts, colourful Ramadan parties, elaborate mezzes (appetisers) and the best of them, the Sunday brunches; with huge Arabian tents of food, each more varied and fascinating than the last.

During our stay in Riyadh, the only detraction was time; Saudi had reversed night and day to better follow their ancient traditions; the main feasting hours as per the Islamic tradition took place after sunset, and as a Hindu, who was not used to staying awake past midnight, I would fall asleep only to awaken bright and early the next day.

Each morning I was greeted by a silent city, where no one would stir until the evening. At that point we were staying at one of the finest hotels in the city, that came complete with a Michelin star Head Chef and team. Propelled by boredom, I would sneak into the considerable 44

kitchens, and would look on with fascination, as the team prepared gargantuan pots full of food, from the traditional mezzes to even an entire camel stuffed with fragrant rice! The vibrancy of the spices, and dexterity of hand, is something I always remember when I am afflicted with the dreaded ‘chef’s block’.

The skills I learnt in these mammoth kitchens I still use 10 years later in my restaurant Byblos. Having worked as a food and restaurant consultant after returning from Boston, in 2006, I created food menus for some of the finest restaurants and hotels in India, among which were the Four Seasons, The Leela Palace and Shalimar. The work I did for them made me proud to be part of such legends, but this wasn’t my circus. And so the quest began for my own space.

Opening the doors In 2014, I rented a 3,000 square foot giant of a space for my one year popup in the most prominent luxury mall in Mumbai.

Drawing on my Saudi-taught cooking skills, the menu at Byblos boasted seasonal Middle Eastern food using fresh local and organic ingredients.

When we opened our doors, we were full every night for three months straight. It was the hardest, most humbling, and most rewarding three months of my life. I wasn’t only the chef but in times of need I was a waitress, a Busser or a maître d’hôtel – whatever was required. My diet, meanwhile, remained nutritionally devoid, and I developed severe PCOS. In the middle of this frenzied blur of food and people, my father got sick. Cancer. I added researching nutrition to my list of things to do. Plant based diets. Doctors.

Champagne. Mise en Place. Guests. Press.

Mezze. Funeral.

After a year, when my father passed, I made the decision to slow down, to heal both mentally and physically. That began

with selling my restaurant brand to a large F and B company, and settling down to taking up my role of freelance consultant again. I knew I needed to start stirring slowly, in every sphere of my life.

I took a deep breath, and I found the time to make great changes to my life. I made the choice to turn vegan, to follow a modern Western vegan path combined with traditional Hindu Ayurveda, keeping health and environmental aspects in mind. I reversed my PCOS with a whole food diet. Today, these ingredients of sustainability, low carbon footprint and vegetable centric, are found in my work; simple, seasonal, plant forward and environmentally friendly. Most of all, it is my pursuit to share my healing experience with my country; happy traditional plant food for healthier people.

A reminder of our wholesome ancestral food habits executed with the Hindu philosophy of kindness towards one and all. My work in progress is a vegan Ayurvedic brand of cookies, butters and candy bars made using ethical and sustainable produce from small independent farms.

I end this by giving a recipe for my favourite Golden Milk Latte (see right), that I drink every night for enhanced sleep, and overall well being, that can be made in the common room kitchen in a pinch. ■

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Microwave Serenity Latte 1 cup plant milk (almond, cashew, coconut or oat) Maple syrup or raw honey, to taste ½ teaspoon ground turmeric ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom ¼ teaspoon ground ginger 1 tablespoon coconut oil small pinch ground nutmeg couple twists of black pepper 1 teaspoon ashwagandha powder, optional (for better sleep)

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To a large microwavable cup, add coconut milk, almond milk, ground turmeric, ground ginger, cinnamon stick, coconut oil, black pepper, and maple syrup or honey.

Stir to combine and in short 20 second bursts microwave on high heat. Heat until hot to the touch but not boiling – about 2-4 minutes – stirring frequently between burst.

Taste to adjust flavour. Add more sweetener to taste or more turmeric or ginger for intense spice and flavour.

Drink immediately. Best when fresh, though leftovers can be stored covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in microwave until hot.

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Third Form Visit to Belgium and France

By Angus Wragg, Ben Rathbone and Willoughby Cooke (Southwood Boys)

100 years after the Armistice, remembering the 702 Old Cheltonians who gave their lives in the Great War

During half term, the Third Form went on an amazing trip to Belgium and France, where we learnt much about the Old Cheltonians who fought in the Great War. We learnt how they put their lives at risk for us to live a happy life. This trip was partly to learn about how the Allies won the war, but it was also about remembering the young men of Cheltenham College. Many of us had relatives who were also in the war, and some even came across them by accident.

While we were there, we visited cemeteries that were dedicated to multiple nations, which shows the huge involvement of the world’s countries during the First World War. Amongst others, we visited the Menin Gate in Ypres, and in France, we started on the Somme at Bernafay Wood, followed by Redan Ridge No 2 Cemetery, the Lochnagar mine crater at La Boisselle, Flat Iron Copse, Poziéres British Cemetery and finally Cabaret Rouge Cemetery. All these cemeteries had one thing in common, that was the huge number of graves and bodies that have not been identified, which touched all the people on the trip. We also visited Canada’s Newfoundland Park at Beaumont-Hamel and the tunnels used in the Battle of Arras deep underground in the Carriere Wellington.

The daily routine Every day was filled with adventures and exciting stories for us to get involved in.

However, there was a main structure to the day, which started with an appetizing buffet breakfast to help fuel us for the journey. Then we would head out to visit the memorials and battlefields and learn their history as they all had their own unique story, and some of them had Old Cheltonians buried there. After an exciting morning, we would have lunch in various cafés.

After lunch, we travelled to more sites which would fill the afternoon. There were many activities for the evenings like bowling and exploring the historic city of Tournai [and its surprisingly wet fountains, adds Miss Doidge-Harrison!]. After these activities, dinner would then be served at the end of the day followed by down time.

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Main picture: Southwood remembers Reverend Tuke, who died in Bernafay Wood on the Somme, carrying water to his wounded men. Inset left: One of our OC plaques has lasted in the open for two years! These show the old and new tally of OC deaths, which Patrick Stevens’ recent research has confirmed at 702 rather than 675.

Inset right: Loos at sunset.

Angus Wragg writes: I really enjoyed the trip, it was a fantastic chance to visit the memorials that commemorate the fallen soldiers, who gave their lives for us. It was a great honour to lay wreaths to commemorate the Old Cheltonians who gave their lives for the country they fought to protect. It was a real surprise to find one of my relatives on the Loos Memorial at Dud Corner Cemetery. This was a very memorable moment, which will remain with me forever. We visited multiple

cemeteries including Tyne Cot Cemetery, Bedford House Cemetery and the Canadian War Memorial at Vimy Ridge.

One of the most striking was Tyne Cot, as there were 34,997 graves of British and New Zealand soldiers who died in the third battle of Ypres, also known as the battle of Passchendaele.

I really enjoyed staying at the hotel (the Hotel Cathedral in Tournai) with its superb view of the city’s historic cathedral. When we got back to the hotel, we were

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entertained by some of the activities created for us by the teachers, such as walking around Tournai to see its historic monuments dating back to Tudor times, and going bowling in the local bowling alley, which was great fun.

Overall, I thought it was a very humbling experience to see all the monuments to the soldiers who gave their lives to protect us and allow us to live in the world today. As it is the centenary of the First World War it is important that we remember the fallen soldiers of this brutal and horrific war.

The food was unexpectedly delicious, we had a range of dishes ranging from pasta to steak. It was amazing. Also, the staff at the hotel were extremely nice to us and gave us energy drinks and chocolate [enormous bars, adds Miss Doidge-Harrison!] during the last supper at the hotel.

The weather was beautiful, and it only rained once, on the fourth day. This meant that for the majority of the trip we were bathed in Belgian and French sunlight, which made trips to the cemeteries more enjoyable. Outside one cemetery we spotted a grenade from World War One in a field. Although the trip was meant to be educational, we still got to go bowling on the last night which was a fabulous end to a very enjoyable trip.

As Mr Coley went on the trip, we interviewed him to get his perspective. He thought that the trip was amazing and loved taking us. Mr Coley is very keen to go back.

What were your highlights of the trip?

Apart from taking Southwood boys on a trip? I thought that the whole trip was amazing.

What, in your opinion, was the most striking moment of the trip?

The sheer volume of graves, you go there knowing that lots of people died in the First World War including Old Cheltonians, and seeing all the graves gives some context on the extent of the loss of life.

Which memorials were particularly memorable to you and why?

Delville Wood Cemetery [on the Somme] and Bedford House Cemetery [just south of Ypres], but particularly the Thiepval Memorial, as there was an installation there of hundreds of shrouds, which represented each day of fighting, and

Willoughby Cooke writes: Coming away from this trip has left me with many stories that have inspired me, like when British troops found German casualties and tried to save them. This has taught me that no matter who someone is, you should help them. I was shocked by the number of deaths in one single area of a battle. The food which was supplied after our adventures was phenomenal. I felt like a I was in a five-star restaurant. The activities in the evenings

each had a peg with the number of deaths on that day, which sometimes reached a figure of several thousand.

What do you think you will take away from the trip?

I am very keen to go back and visit more memorials. I want to find all Southwood boys’ graves for that personal connection, as unfortunately we were not able to see all of them. In fact, about a third of all the Old Cheltonians who died in the First World War were day boys, though that is not just from Southwood, but all the day boys from the other houses.

What did you think of the hotel’s food and the fun bowling activity?

I loved bowling because I won! I really enjoyed the food, I thought it was very good, I also really enjoyed driving through all the Belgium villages and towns.

Did you find any close relatives in any of the memorials?

I think we found a relative of my father-inlaw in one of the cemeteries.

were great fun, especially the bowling. I enjoyed every moment of the trip and for anyone who enjoys history and wants to find out about boys who went to our school, then I highly recommend this trip.

Conclusion We recommend this trip because it is educational, fun and you gain many stories that you will be able to tell everyone. It is an opportunity which you may not get again, so take it. ■

Left: The temporary Vies Perdues installation at Thiepval Memorial to the Missing. Centre and inset: Eager pupils encounter 100 year-old, and quite possibly live, grenades. Right: Ben at Ploegsteert Memorial to the Missing, with his great-uncle, Private Arthur James Rathbone of the Royal Warwickshires, who was killed in April 1918, aged just 20.

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Ben Rathbone writes: In my opinion, the trip was a great opportunity to learn about the incredible history of Cheltenham College’s contribution to the Great War. This trip was particularly special for me as I found my great-uncle on the Ploegsteert Memorial to the Missing. This was unexpected but still a very special moment for me.

An interview with Mr Coley, Housemaster of Southwood

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Peripatetic Bean Counters

By Simon Cooper (OJ & NH, 1954) My roots in Cheltenham are fairly deep, my grandfather set up a jewellery business on the Promenade, my grandmother an exclusive fashion business on Ormond Place whose premises she had built in the style of a shop she admired in Paris.

I was brought up here during and after the war, and do remember the raid of December 1940 when bombs fell perilously close to our home on the Evesham Road.

We quickly moved to my grandparents house high on Leckhampton Hill (coincidentally called Ashmead).

In 1945, I was sent to the Junior (now Prep) as a boarder. An early memory is of Headmaster Johnston caning most of the school – some crime had been committed and no one confessed. He probably suffered tennis elbow and double vision.

At College, I was enrolled in Newick House, presumably because my father had been at Cranleigh School with Housemaster Maurice McCanlis. I was very fortunate to have him not only as Housemaster, but also History teacher and Rugby Coach. My first term was punctuated by the suicide of the RSM in the armoury. At lunch that day the Headmaster announced ‘The RSM shot himself this morning – I wish there to be no unhealthy discussion of this matter’ (or words to that effect). End of Story.

On leaving, I served National Service with the 3rd Dragoon Guards in Osnabrueck. I made some good German friends. My wife is also German. If I had known my future I would have studied German at College under Dr Mueller, a pre-war graduate of

The NH Cricket Team circa 1953 with Housemaster Maurice MCanlis. Simon Cooper is standing second in from the right.

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Frankfurt University. He impressed everyone at the Chapel services by wearing a gown with a fur-lined hood and a medieval hat.

Adventures in Finance Out of the army I took up Articles at Deloittes in London. Prior to exams I submitted myself to the rigours of Caer Rhun Hall Crammer where I shared a room with the late OC, Bill Offer (L, 1958). His recent obituary reminded me, and prompted this memoir. We had little time to reminisce, but he was very good company.

On qualifying, I went to work for Peat, Marwick, Mitchell (now KPMG) in Kuala Lumpur. We had two American clients in Saigon, and I flew there with an OC from our Singapore Office. His name escapes me, but he was a charming and capable man.

This was at the height of the Vietnam war, landing and taking off at Tan Son Nhut was hair-raising. The plane came down in a steep dive, and took off in a very rapid climb – aircraft had been found with Vietcong bullet holes in them. The airfield was surrounded by gun emplacements and USAF jets were landing and taking off from adjoining runways. Downtown at our clients’ offices there were regular earthshaking explosions as the US Forces dropped huge bombs intended to penetrate Vietcong tunnels. The accounts were kept in French by Vietnamese clerks so here my school French was invaluable.

We were well looked after by the American management and Vietnamese staff. I sometimes wonder what became of them on the fall of Saigon.

Around this time I concluded that I needed to broaden my knowledge, and that the United States was the place. The University of Minnesota (a Public/Ivy-ranked institution) offered me a Teaching Associateship with their Finance Faculty while I studied in the Graduate School.

Later they awarded me a Fellowship. This meant that I received two years free education, something for which I am extremely grateful. I was also provided with a professorial advisor who had been a

Simon now, and at College Rhodes Scholar at Oxford. My economics professor was Dr Ed Coen, father of the Coen brothers, movie makers par excellence. He had an oblique sense of humour and spoke with an English accent. I cannot think why I never asked him ‘How Come’? Of course I had no idea that his children would become world famous. I much regret not coming to the dinner at College for OC Tim Bevan (H, 1976) of Working Title Films who I understand produced several Coen brothers’ movies.

After graduating with an MSc, I worked for various companies in the US and actually returned to the accounting profession for a period, albeit the American one, becoming an American Certified Public Accountant with a Chicago-based firm. While in the US from time to time, I was asked about my background. On the subject of College a few were familiar with OC Lindsay Anderson’s Palme D’Or winning movie ‘if....’, filmed at College. More knew of American OC Endicott Peabody (NH, 1876), founder of the famous American school, Groton, I think they were duly impressed.

Wanting to return to Europe I found a job at an American multinational in the music business with subsidiaries in the UK, Ireland, Holland and Germany. Initially located at the most important subsidiary in Frankfurt, I set up a further eight subsidiaries each in a different country.

Subsequently I also set up and moved to European headquarters in Brussels. The work was both demanding and fascinating.

I really needed all my UK and US training and qualifications. I could not have done any of this without the solid grounding I received at Cheltenham College.

I was eventually reassigned to New York, liked it, and stayed several years.

I am now happily ensconced in Pittville, Cheltenham, enjoying life, and visiting College from time to time. !

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Flying out of Chandos

by Christina Chong (Cha, 2002)

After graduating from College in 2002, I followed my passion for the creative and went on to do an Art Foundation course at Kingston University before enrolling into BA(Hons) in Arts, Design and Environment at Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design in London. I took the Artefact pathway where I worked with fellow spacial and architecture students in developing sustainable design solutions for the urban environment. During my degree, I also took a gap year and did an internship at China Central Newsreel and Documentary Film Studio in Beijing, China, where I assisted the Director in the filming and production of the award-winning documentary, Revitalising Northeast China.

The aviation industry Upon my graduation from Central Saint Martins in 2008, I decided to move back to Hong Kong and do a summer internship at the aviation division of my family business, V-Mark Aviation Company Ltd, which specialises in trading aircraft interior products. During this time I was also looking for jobs in the creative industry.

However, I ended up working at my family business full-time then moved to Germany to work for an aircraft seating manufacturing company in product development and production management before returning to my family business in Hong Kong. Since then I have been focusing on the business development area and aftermarket business of commercial aviation and have worked on various projects with different airlines in Asia such as Cathay Pacific Airways, EVA Airways, Vietnam Airlines, etc.

In 2013, I was tasked to set up and manage a joint-venture company with a British partner, Ipeco Holdings Ltd, who are the global leader in aircraft crew seating, to provide aftermarket support in the Greater China region. Realising that I needed to catch up on my business knowledge and hard skills, I enrolled into Tsinghua-MIT Global MBA program in 2014 and moved to Beijing to study full-time for 2 years while managing my business part-time in Hong Kong. During my MBA, I also did a short-term exchange at MIT Sloan School of Management in Massachusetts, USA and worked as a Teaching Assistant for the

Christina at College, and now EMBA in Aviation and Aeronautic Management at Tsinghua University.

Back to Hong Kong I moved back to Hong Kong soon after the completion of my MBA in 2016 and resumed my usual work responsibilities. I also took on the position as a part-time Lecturer at City University Hong Kong for BSc Aviation Management which is jointly offered by Coventry University. Currently I am focused on setting up a repair facility for aircraft crew seat and galley inserts in Beijing.

I am dedicated to expanding my family business globally and establishing myself in the aviation industry. My goal is to help my family to develop a successful and sustainable business which can last for generations. !

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I was one of the 11 girls enrolling into Lower College when it first became fully co-ed in 1998. Fresh off the boat from Hong Kong at the age of 14, away from my family and everything I knew, the only thing I could do was embrace the new environment and get settled in as quickly as possible. With the limited number of girls, we were automatically included in every single sports team even though some of us had never played the sports before. With some focused training, we managed to get some good results playing against other schools and we were proud.

As the only girl in my class, I also had to play rugby, football and various other sports during PE class with the boys. Going into Upper College, more girls joined and the group became bigger although girls were still the minority, we stuck together and supported each other.

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Memoirs of an Extra in if.... 50 Years On

By Bruce Ferguson (H, 1971) This is a personal account, further informed by the memoirs of Headmaster David Ashcroft, 25 years after and published in the Cheltonian Society News of 1994-95. It is extensively quoted herein – my apologies to The Pot! For us pupils, it all kicked off about two thirds of the way through Spring term 1968, when Director Lindsay Anderson (Ch, 1941) and his crew descended upon College to shoot sequences for the film. I think there were some sequences shot at two other schools and at other studio premises, but most of it was filmed very recognisably in and around the environs of Cheltenham College.

Lindsay Anderson was an OC, having boarded in Cheltondale and was sufficiently part of the establishment to have been Head of House. Headmaster David Ashcroft received a phone call from Lindsay in the Autumn of 1967 ‘out of the blue’, asking to discuss doing some filming at College. Lindsay with facilitator, later – producer, Michael Medwin duly met in the Queen’s Hotel with David Ashcroft (known to us all as The Pot) and Head of English Jack Ralphs. As The Pot saw it, ‘they explained the general conspectus of the film, the growing pains of youth, the rebellious instinct in the context of a disciplined, conservative society – Anderson constantly emphasised the lyrical nature of his approach. He was not interested in social or political satire, nor in education as such’.

Michael Medwin, after a struggle to find financial sponsorship, managed to get

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naked in a deserted boys’ dormitory.

Made on a shoestring budget, the whole film was most artistically and beautifully shot. It quickly became a cult movie.

Bruce at College

an offer accepted by College as a considerably watered-down script was handed to the Headmaster. He writes, ‘a disconcertingly skinny script arrived, containing a conspectus of scenes, some snatches of dialogue; the critical point, the final show-down with boy authority was to result in the culprits being sentenced to a ‘run’; the more fantastical scenes leading up to the final shoot-out were very sketch (to be developed visually, said Anderson). There was certainly nothing obviously objectionable, nothing nasty on the surface.

So Lindsay Anderson just got a bit carried away. Artistic license and all that!’ ‘if....’ was of course a biting satire on the privileges of private education and by extension the British establishment, with scenes of austerity and brutality, lampooning with a lot of dark humour. It was the first British film on general release to feature full-frontal nudity, as the Housemaster’s wife, wandered about

Memorable Oh so many memorable shootings in which we were extras. Shootings of scenes and scenes of shootings. Donning all those Edwardian-style school uniforms with the wing collars and the jacket tails was an experience in itself, but Lindsay was keen to make the experience instructive and enjoyable, despite the endless re-doing of scenes, and having himself been through it all before he really clicked with us. Some rugby action was required to be filmed in the hockey term, so rugby training was suddenly on the curriculum for some, as was participating in the most extraordinary field day exercises. I fondly remember sitting in class bored out of my brains when machine gun fire began outside as a soundtrack for the teaching. I thought, oh that’s better!

The College Prefects got some lovely camera shots escorting the Headmaster (played by Peter Jeffrey) around the school, but of course I reckon I got the best shot of all. We all trooped off to some disused church or someplace down the Bath Road to sit with ‘the parents’ on Speech Day to listen to ‘General Densham’ wittering on

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about the glories of ‘College’ whilst the revolutionaries were busy setting the place on fire. We had to run out in the smoke in a mass panic and hang about in the cold outside before going back in to repeat the procedure ad nauseam all day long. So I was tired and headachy and made a nice gesture of boredom as the camera captured me in close-up.

Embarrassed A friend of my father saw the film, and visiting him when I was not around, remarked that she’d noticed someone remarkably like me in a scene. My poor father had breathed not a word about such a film being made at my school.

Embarrassed, he confessed that yes, it was me but of course College was nothing like that!

So when the film came out feathers were ruffled in the school establishment and amongst concerned parents, to put it mildly. The Pot got a hard time of it at the Headmasters’ Conference for letting the side down, feeling that he’d been deemed politically incorrect.

One thing that particularly irked Cheltenham College, was the beating scene (naturally) and the fact that College was one of the first (if not the first) of the major public schools to abolish beating by boys on boys. David Ashcroft pointed out that this happened in 1941, when Lindsay

Anderson was Head of House, ‘a decision he must have been party to: ironic in the light of what happens in the film’. ‘if....’ was right of its time. 1968 and the Sorbonne students in Paris had ignited a wave of rioting in France against the political system and students in the US had started a revolt against the Vietnam War. The eruption of the troubles in Northern Ireland just about to happen when it was made. A lot of social and political change going on, and we teenagers were affected by some of this fervour. The late 1960s going into the 1970s was thus also a time of social change in College. Boys acting as orderlies to seniors was abolished, over 18s allowed to go the pub, etc; College became coeducational: there were all of four girls attending the school when I left in 1971!

David Ashcroft, perhaps over-egging the pudding a little with regard to ‘drugs’, nevertheless gives a good summation of his feelings thus:

were up to? Nor of the real horrors of the Cultural Revolution. We printed our termly College lists – calendar-rule book in red and the boys of course called it Mao’s Little Red Book. By comparison with Sichuan and later Tiananmen Square, Tariq Ali and the rebellions at LSE were … essentially civilised and restrained. And in ‘if....’ the point is made in fantasy (and in sepia!). In ‘If....’ drugs play no part. In 1968 the drug scene was just around the corner. You who have to live with drugs as an ever present danger and know their capacity to destroy moral constraints and undermine the social fabric, know that there is nothing remotely lyrical about drugs. And you may find, as I do now, an innocence in ‘if....’ that I did not at the time appreciate.

To that extent, ‘if....’ is a period piece.”

So there you go. Although the school establishment may have been outraged and parents embarrassed, we the pupils were cock-a-whoop!

Tim Lewis (Th, 1968) remembers:

“In retrospect, with amour proper restored, and having seen it several times, I think it is a very good film indeed. There is a lyricism to it, and maybe the ‘horror’ scenes were needed to sharpen the treatment and avoid blandness. After all they were difficult times. I’ve just finished reading Wild Swans. We have no idea then, did we, what the young Red Guards

The day boys who were still around when filming extended a couple of days into the holiday actually got paid! The scene where a girl is seen combing her hair at a window was filmed at 7 Orrisdale Terrace and may well reflect what Lindsay Anderson had seen looking out from Cheltondale as a pupil! ■ 51

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No 1 College Lawn – Then and Now

By Paddy Stevens (BH, 1971) On the first day of the Lent term in 1910, twenty-one young Cheltonians started their College careers, five of them as day boys. Walking down Sandford Road, passing Christowe Gate on College Field from his well-appointed family home across the road in College Lawn, was Minden Francis Badcock, one of these day boys and the one with surely the shortest of all their respective commutes to College.

His parents, Francis William Badcock, a retired senior ‘mandarin’ in the Indian Civil Service and Adele Margaret Badcock had moved their family to Cheltenham from their previous home at East Court, Detling, in Kent, so that Adele could be close at hand during Minden’s schooling. They had four children; Blanche (17), Joan (16), Minden (13), and Estelle (10). Serving and living with them were five house staff; Susan (54) the cook, Florence (29) the parlour maid, Winifred (18) the housemaid, and under-maids Sybil and Winifred (both 16). As an imposing, well appointed, 19th Century villa, No 1, College Lawn proved an ideal residence for this growing teenage family, comfortable

Minden Badcock 52

and impressive enough for the family’s social status, and big enough to accommodate the family and their house staff; a property so typical of middle-class families during the lateVictorian and Edwardian eras.

Over the next four years, Minden’s multifaceted potential blossomed, and in his final year he undertook a leading role in many areas of College life. A talented sportsman, he played in the 1913 College XV. He was also a College Prefect, and, even more remarkably, a second lieutenant in the College’s Officers Training Corps contingent, proof that he was already demonstrating a strong and early sense of responsibility, duty and service. He was also a strong academic and by the time he left College in July 1914, he was entered for both Brasenose College, Oxford, and Pembroke College, Cambridge, while awaiting his exam results. It must have been a great pleasure for the family to look out from their windows overlooking College Field to watch Minden playing rugby.

Preparation for war Yet within three weeks of his leaving College in July 1914, the country was at war with Germany. Responding to the crisis, Minden quickly applied for a Territorial Force commission in the army and, on the 2nd October 1914, this was duly published in the London Gazette and he joined other Old Cheltonians in the 5th Battalion, the Gloucestershire Regiment as a Second Lieutenant. The Battalion began its preparation for war, training first at Gloucester, then at Northampton, Chelmsford and Salisbury Plain. During this period of training on 5th April 1915 Minden was promoted to the temporary rank of Lieutenant. With training complete, he embarked with the Battalion when it deployed for France on 24th May 1916, landing at Le Havre the following morning.

After tactical acclimatisation instruction near Bailleul, the battalion took over trenches in the front line in the Fauquissart-Laventie sector on 15th June 1916. Five days later, Minden was wounded in the leg by shrapnel during

Freya Haddon (4th Form, CL) researched the history of Minden Badcock and the house, which opened in 2017 for girl boarders and day pupils. Her work is reflected in Paddy’s book College Echoes: An Epitaph to the Great War. an abortive raid on enemy trenches conducted by his Company; his raiding party, being held up by insufficiently cut wire and exposed to heavy machine-gun fire, had to return to its own trenches having suffered many casualties. Minden was repatriated on 24th June to England via Dover to convalesce.

By 24th October 1916, Minden was back with the battalion in France having been promoted to the acting rank of Captain and appointed as the temporary Officer Commanding of "C" Company, a post made substantive on 6th June 1917.

After fighting in the Ypres Salient during the infamous Passchendaele offensive, the battalion was moved to the Arras sector. During the night of 23rd/24th October 1917, "C" Company under Minden’s command was ordered to carry out a raid on the German lines which resulted in one hundred and sixty yards of trenches being cleared, some enemy soldiers and a machine-gun captured.

For his part and leadership in this action, Minden was awarded the Military Cross: “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in command of a successful raiding party. The party captured four prisoners and a machine gun, killed

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fifteen of the enemy, and destroyed several dug-outs. Before the night of the raid, he personally took out a patrol over the ground and gained valuable information.

When returning, he ran into an enemy post, which he dealt with successfully, bombing them and getting the whole of his party back without casualties. During the raid he shot one of the enemy with his revolver when he attempted to bayonet him. He was the last to leave the enemy's trench and, finding a mobile charge which had not been used, returned up the trench and threw it down a dug-out".

At the start of the major German Spring offensive on 21st March 1918, Minden was absent from the battalion on a course of instruction. All course students undergoing instruction at the various schools in the Third/Fifth Army areas were hurriedly returned to their units. But in the haste and from necessity for reinforcement, Minden was attached to the 9th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment, heavily in action at the Somme crossings and near Rosières between 24th–27th March. Minden was

killed in the confused fighting and his body was never identified or recovered from the battlefield. He is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial, but also more fittingly in the College Chapel and in sight of his boyhood home in College Lawn.

A home for Cheltonians One hundred years on, No 1, College Lawn remains an elegant property, being a Grade II listed building and the latest acquisition to the College’s estate purchased in April 2017. In September 2017, it opened as a House for girl boarders and day pupils and once again provides a home for Cheltonians as they progress through College. It was entirely appropriate for one of today’s cohort of 41 young House denizens, Freya Haddon, to remember and research Minden, her former Old Cheltonian fellow-resident.

Freya completed her study in 2018, during the first academic year of the new girls’ house, elegantly recording her feelings in the new book College Echoes: An Epitaph to the Great War:

I found it was such a nice experience to find out about people who came to our school, were educated like us, and then where they lived – and passed away. It was so special. The fact that Minden was from College Lawn made it personal to us; that he lived in the house where we now live made it feel that he was even closer to us than the other Cheltonians were. There was a sense he was in our family in a way.

I have become really interested in my own family history, and we have our own archive at home. My great-grandfather Percy Haddon served in the navy in the First World War and was on HMS Warrior at the Battle of Jutland. I have read his diary. It is so strange to think that only a hundred years ago all these people were risking their lives, for the world we have now.

Minden’s great nephew, Simon Dye (Xt, 1977), recently visited College Lawn to see where his family forbears lived and to witness its transformation into College’s newest House. ■ 53

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Afternoon Tea in Hazelwell

By Gordon Mellor (H, 1947) It was 1945, not long after VE day during the summer term at the end of WW2. It was the custom for Helen and ‘Porky’ Rogers (Hazelwell Housemaster) to have six boys for afternoon tea on Sundays. This was held in the drawing room with tall mullioned windows giving plenty of light to the chintz furniture. I also remember a lovely fireplace.

Having arrived at the appointed hour, one was then served tea by Mrs Rogers from a trolley, while one had the problem of balancing a small plate with fruitcake on one’s knee while at the same time holding the saucer with one hand and sipping the tea politely with the other. I clearly remember someone starting the conversation saying ‘what did you think of the service this morning, sir?’ Having had a few discussions on various subjects, the conversation inevitably turned to the forthcoming general election between the Conservatives, led by Winston Churchill, and Clement Attlee’s Labour. Of course, Churchill, the architect of our victory over Nazi Germany, was expected to win easily.

Labour was holding out the promise of a brave new world, free health service for all and nationalisation of the railways, etc.

When a suitable silence arrived, yours truly piped up: ‘I do hope that weasley little man Attlee does not win’. Where upon Mrs Rogers looked straight at me and said very loudly and pointedly ‘maybe so, Mellor, but he is my Uncle’. If ever I have been asked what was your most embarrassing moment that was it. I am happy to say that this exchange resulted in humorous grins all round, including Mrs Rogers.

Poetic justice It was about this time that the afternoon cricket match was called off because of rain.

Having been told, I did not think it was necessary to look at the notice board and, putting on my rain coat and Trilby hat, like the Invisible Man, I went through the park to the Daffodil Cinema which was showing a black and white film called Laura with Clifton Webb and Loretta Young. It was a good film, a real ‘whodunit’. The trouble was that I had to be back at College in time for tea in the Dining Hall by 6 o’clock. At ten to six, I just had to leave and so I never saw the end of the film.

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Having had tea, I went back to the house and was told to report to Mr Rogers’ study.

Thinking that I had been found out, I was very surprised to find that I was in trouble, not for sneaking off to the cinema, but for missing net practice and even worse, for not reading the notice board. Thereupon I received six of the best, which was, I suppose, poetic justice.

The aftermath of this was of course that I was frequently frustrated for a least 50 years by trying to imagine who must have been the murderer. No Google, in those days of Bletchley Park, Enigma having done its wonderful work. So one day I was talking to my son-in-law, John Ashworth, who had previously been in film-making.

He was telling me about his friendship with James Mason, a famous film star of the day.

I told him about my frustration at never knowing the ending of the film Laura.

Nothing more was said, but a short while after, a small package arrived at my home in the South of France. Imagine my delight in watching the film again after all those years and at last seeing the ending which I must say I never could have

guessed. If you get the chance do watch it, I am sure you would enjoy it, so thank you, John! ■ The Silver Severn As sunset soothes the amber plain of heaven Streams splash and burble from their mountain source And then rush on to meet the mighty Severn Flowing slowly down its winding course The river bathed in glorious golden sunlight Fades silver as the moon and stars emerge And then light up the quickly dimming shadows Thrown back by shining Severn to the verge Sitting here on massive heights of Malvern Like one surveying a kingdom at his ease The Severn wends its slow way And ripples in the breeze Gordon Mellor (age 14) March 1944

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Common Room: One Hundred Years On

By Rachael Merrison (Heritage & Records Manager) On 9th November 1918, a well-attended, informal meeting of Masters agreed to establish a committee to discuss and represent our permanent teaching staff. The first meeting was held following the morning service on November 17th, barely a week following Armistice Day, and termly meetings have continued for 100 years! As we also commemorate the centenary of the First World War this year, we’re taking the opportunity to remember two of our Common Room Presidents (or Chairman, as the role was then known). Both fought during that long, brutal conflict, and went on to become long-serving colleagues at College.

Charles Herbert Pigg (1887-1960)

War service With the declaration of war, he entered active service with the Worcestershire

John Cedric Gurney (1893-1966) Six years Pigg’s junior and his colleague for 20 years, Gurney was educated at Sherborne School and has a similarly impressive school record (School Prefect; Captain of Football; Colour Sergeant in the Officer Training Corp; Shooting VIII; winner of numerous prizes for Mathematics). Subsequently, he entered Peterhouse, Cambridge (1912-1914) where he studied until the outbreak of war put his career on hold.

War service He entered active service with the 7th Northamptonshire Regiment as an Assistant Adjutant, landing in France in August 1915. He rose quickly to Captain

He clearly felt personal responsibility as a trainer and, in a letter dated August 1918 to Hardy (after the latter had asked whether he would return to Cheltenham), the following year, became the Chief Instructor for the 2nd Army Bombing School and was soon on the General Staff.

By 1918 (Belgian Croix de Guerre), Gurney had been mentioned in despatches three times and by the time he retired in September 1919 he had become Captain of Rhine Army XV. Despite the war, Gurney had not neglected his studies: in 1916 he took a War Degree and immediately after his retirement he was appointed to the Mathematical Mastership at College, despite having no previous experience of teaching.

Simultaneously he read Physics for two terms at Cambridge and obtained a 2nd Class in the Physics Special Examination.

Post-war Cheltenham College: – Assistant House Master (1920-1925); – Head of [Rugby] Football (1920-1925); – Hazelwell Housemaster (1927-1943);

Post-war Cheltenham College (1912-1940): – Master, Classical Department; – Cheltondale Housemaster & Senior Housemaster (1922-1934); – President of Common Room (19391940); and – Editor of Cheltenham College Register (4th edition, 1951).

Pigg’s chairmanship of the Common Room coincided with the first year of the Second World War, during which pupils and masters were required to relocate to Shrewsbury School for two terms. The Common Room was fortunately welcomed by their equivalents, and organised a tea for their new colleagues in thanks. Topics of importance included a lengthy discussion of which newspapers should be purchased now that a Council grant was no longer available; would The Times be enough, or should the News Chronicle and the Daily Herald be included? The result is lost to history! On a more serious note, subsequent meetings in 1940 tackled the ‘voluntary cut’ in salary that had been made for the preceding four terms; a difficult topic at the start of the war. ■ – President of Common Room (19491952); – Head of Military Department (19491954); – Head of Sports, Boxing, Gymnasium and Physical Training (no confirmed dates); and – Officer Commanding, Officer Training Corp [CCF] (no confirmed dates).

Nine years on from Pigg’s tenure as President of Common Room, we see the start of discussions regarding a Masters Benevolent Fund; whereby staff would offer regular contributions to a fund which could be offered to masters in times of hardship. However, newspapers remained a popular discussion point; the Common Room reported that the newspaper allowance was overspent by about £2 annually and that old magazines were stored in a cupboard. We’ll have to leave a summary of this debate for another day. ■ 55

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Pigg’s association with College began as a pupil. In 1900 he joined our Classical Department as a scholar, became College Prefect, Head of the Officer Training Corp [CCF], and also played with the 1st XI Cricket and 1st XV Rugby Football teams. He went on to study at Jesus College, Cambridge (1906-1909), before immediately returning to teach within our Prep (Junior) School (1909-1911).

Regiment and won the Military Cross serving with the 2nd Battalion. After being badly gassed in 1915, he was fortunate enough to meet our future Head, Major HH Hardy (The Rifle Brigade, SR; Head of Cheltenham College, 19191932) a few months later. Hardy would go on to recommend him for multiple roles, all of which depended on his ability to communicate and train young men: – Officer Cadet Battalion Instructor (1917); – Syndicate Commander (1918-Unknown) at a newly established Central Training School for Officers at Berkhamsted; and – Preston Training College Principal (19201922)

he wrote: “I am now fit for foreign service if wanted, and I do not want [to] leave the Army until the job is properly finished”.

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By Royal Appointment

By Paul Sedgwick (L, 1991) When Malcolm “Paddy” Sloan picked up the phone asking if I could help with some work experience for a student, little did I know, that this was going to lead to being asked to write an article about my life since College some 27 years ago, having left in 1991.

I left the Junior School in 1986 and I arrived in Wilson House in 1986, when John Wheeler was Housemaster.

Shortly thereafter, my parents who were farmers moved to Devon so I moved to Leconfield in the 4th Form. Charles Wright was Housemaster and Richard Morgan, Headmaster – looking back, these two men had a very positive and influential impact on me.

We had a very eclectic mix of people in our year. I think from memory we were about 15 in the 4th Form but by the end of A Levels only 9 of us were left. A mixture of people moving schools some voluntarily and others perhaps not!

We had a lot of fun at College, always running a fine line between the ‘acceptable’ and a proper ‘rollocking’ from various Masters. Sport as ever in school days was a really big thing for everyone.

Whilst loving Rugby I wasn’t quite that

good making the dizzy heights of Captain of 4th XV under the careful tutelage of the late Martin Stovold – we were unbeaten though!

Rowing was my sport and after a lot of hard work, sweat and endless hours of training, I sat in the 4 seat of the 1st VIII in 1991. This was really thanks to a lot of good coaching from Malcolm Mennie and Bruce Thompson. We had a really strong fast crew and had a lot of fun, picking up a few ‘pots’ at various regattas but sadly really never reaching our full potential. We were finalists at the National Schools’ Regatta and rowed in the Princess Elizabeth Cup at Henley – full colours were to follow.

Life after College Leaving College, I travelled to Antigua with Paul Reynolds (H, 1991) and Iain Clarke (H, 1991) for part of my year off and an excellent road trip around Cornwall with Peter Shaw (H, 1991), James May (NH, 1991), Sophie Peace (Cha, 1991), Jolyon Ellwood-Russell (NH, 1991), Kelly Barnes (Cha, 1990), Jamie Barnes (W, 1991) and Robert Marshall-Lee (L, 1991).

The rest of my year off was spent farming prior to heading to The Royal Agricultural College (1992-1995) at Cirencester along with various vintages of fellow OCs Nick

1991 Leconfield Boys: Nick Richards, Charles Bezzant, Paul Sedgwick, Jean-Phillipe Stapleton, Taiwen Yu, Edward Turner, Solanke Ogunlana, Robert Marshall-Lee and Tom Riley

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Paul Sedgwick at College

Richards (L, 1991), Fergus Prentice (W, 1990) and Adam Stratton (L, 1985).

Cirencester days passed in a haze of rugby matches and endless parties, somehow we all managed to graduate with good degrees. I headed to Salisbury for my first job with Strutt & Parker in their estate management department.

Salisbury was great fun, care free days with no real responsibilities in those early post university days. In 1999, I was very lucky to meet Lisa, a nurse – we married in 2002 and have three lovely children; Archie (14), Emily (11) and Honor (6).

Archie our eldest has very severe Special Needs and suffers from PMLD (Profound & Multiple Learning Difficulties) arising from a very rare chromosome disorder.

Bow: Robert Marshall-Lee (L, 1991), 2: Philip Dalzell-Payne (BH, 1991), 3: Chris Law (NH, 1992), 4: Paul Sedgwick (L, 1991), 5: Paul Reynolds (H, 1991), 6: Ben Smith (NH, 1991), 7: Richard Newberry (Xt, 1991), Stroke: Ben Juckes (NH, 1991) and Cox: Ben Walter (S, 1992)

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significant towns and increasing numbers of new housing developments. The estate is one of the largest in the country with approximately 1,000 properties and attracting 5 million visitors a year. This presents many unique challenges in maintaining the right balance between public access and conservation (two areas which do not comfortably sit together) especially given the environmental importance of the estate and the significant number and importance of the principle stakeholders involved with it.

We have had some tough times with Archie but a great network of OC friends and family have made this much easier.

Peter Shaw (H) and Robert Marshall-Lee (L) have been (and are) great godfathers to Archie.

In 1997, I qualified as a Chartered Surveyor and was promoted to a Partner with Strutt & Parker in 2002. Restless feet and the desire to really run a business on my own led me to take on the role of Land Agent to The Duke of Wellington at Stratfield Saye. The estate was purchased for the 1st Duke of Wellington after the Battle of Waterloo (as a thank you on behalf of a grateful nation). Stratfield Saye gave me my first real taste of “resident” estate management and with my parents having sold their farm, this became the future career choice for me.

family to take on the role of Deputy Ranger (a cursory title dating back to 1649) of the Windsor Estate. The role of Deputy Ranger is in effect the CEO of the estate reporting to both HRH The Duke of Edinburgh (“The Duke”) in his role as The Ranger and the Crown Estate as the organisation with overall managerial control of the Windsor estate. The Duke takes a very keen interest in the management of the estate and is still very actively involved at the age of 97.

Windsor is the oldest landed estate in the country and the home of The Sovereign – it is a very special place. It is a hugely diverse business extending to 16,500 acres of beautiful parkland, forests and farmland but it is surrounded by

Looking back over the last 27 years since I left College I have had lots of good times (and hard times) but the friends you make at College and the memories of those days stay with you forever – for the current intake of students at College – enjoy your time, make good friends and good memories, College days were special days ... you will know what I mean a few years after you have left! ■

Working for His Royal Highness In 2010, seeking a new challenge I moved to the Yattendon Estate near Newbury to run this quintessential English estate for Lord Iliffe and his family. Robert Iliffe is one of life’s true gentlemen and I think I would still be managing Yattendon to this day had the telephone not rung one afternoon in September 2013 enquiring whether I would be interested in applying for the role of Deputy Ranger of the Windsor Estate. In estate management terms Windsor is one of the top jobs and therefore I submitted my application.

A very thorough and lengthy interview process ended with a final interview with HRH The Duke of Edinburgh at Sandringham and thankfully a job offer! In June 2014, I moved to Windsor with my

Lisa and Paul Sedgwick

Paul Sedgwick taking the Queen on a tour around the Windsor estate 57

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Paul Reynolds (H, 1991), Robert Marshall-Lee (L, 1991) and Paul Sedgwick (L, 1991)

Windsor has given me some extraordinary experiences so far with the Royal Family – from the VE Day celebrations, Garter Day, Royal Ascot, The Royal Windsor Horse Show, Her Majesty’s 90th birthday, the wedding of HRH Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and HRH Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank to name but a few. I think perhaps the highlight so far was definitely the wedding of HRH Prince Harry – the sheer scale of the event and the worldwide audience made it very exciting and the atmosphere in Windsor on the day was extraordinary.

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CCJS Memories

By Roger Emmet (OJ & L, 1960) Reading John Lang’s piece in Floreat 18 reminded me of the notes I had made in preparation for writing my own recollections of my time at the Junior.

Having rediscovered these notes, and never having got round to making effective use of them, I offer them now, some still in note form. I like to think that there are still enough of my contemporaries to enjoy remembering these!

The Yard For football a single goal was marked on the monstrous Lake House wall, until it was lowered in about 1955; the best cricket wicket was on the wall under the chestnut tree at the bottom of the yard. There were roller skating races with the youngest boys as ‘pushers’; remember those toe clips which gripped the shoe welt and cruelly let go to send you sprawling? On Sunday afternoons we played grandmother’s footsteps on roller skates, always down the slope of the yard. In winter, if frost was likely we were allowed to tip buckets of water down the yard to give an icy slide in the morning. There was the drinking fountain in the little yard to slake your thirst or squirt water at others.

The yard 58

The Huts The rustic finished woodworking hut, standing alone, was the domain of Mr Traill with his huge hands. The other huts were, in order I think, Nature with the collection of butterflies and moths and some fish tanks, then the Scout hut where the flag was raised each troop meeting with Mr Badcock. Next was one where an abortive attempt was made to build an organ.

Outside again was the Weaving hut under the control of Derek Porter and Mrs CluttonBrock, and there was another where I recall boys’ toy boats could be kept. There were also two huts beyond the bottom of the yard before the new assembly hall was built: one was the Geography hut for Mr Badcock and next to it was one where model aircraft were built. In winter the huts were heated by paraffin stoves – one could toast a school bun on top, if unobserved.

Winter evenings At this time of year all the craft pastimes came to the fore: model making, woodwork, weaving, photography (the first dark room was in Lake House before the building was taken into general use), extra art with Mr Bell whose art room was in Thirlestaine House, next to the music room.

Then there was orchestra practice, debating society (both in the music room). I remember Sunday evenings after tea when a few might use the little audio/visual room off the corridor at the Day Boys’ end, originally known as the Cooper Odeon, subsequently as the Badcock Gaumont. (As a total novice from the country never having been in a city cinema, I wondered what a cooperodeon was!). There we might play with crystal radio sets or show family photo slides. Some duty masters would allow us to play sardines all over that end of the building, upstairs and down and into the cellars below the ground floor classrooms – you didn’t want to be left down there if desks had been moved, those hefty one piece desk and seat jobs.

Incidentally, does anyone remember Clutton-Brock’s desks with a slight reverse slope that were installed in the classroom at the end of the new assembly hall, the idea was to stop being infuriated by books, pens and pencils sliding off?

Roger at College and now Dining Hall In my time Miss Foster was in charge, and I think that it was she who got rid of the quart china milk jugs which were replaced with lipless aluminium cans nicknamed “aluminium cows”. A good idea after Seddon pulled the cracked handle off a china one and stabbed his thumb badly.

Boys with birthday cakes became suddenly popular as they patrolled the room handing out pieces of cake to their chosen few. After tea, going from the dining hall to prayers in the Workroom a prefect would be stood at each buttress in the long corridor to ensure quietness and decorum.

Originally the panelling was dark brown varnish but later was painted in three alternating shades of green with paintings hung on the wall above.

At some point it was deemed appropriate to introduce a ration of cod liver oil capsules on the breakfast table. These were put out in used Elastoplast roll tins, and it became a silly competition to see who would swallow the most, I held a record of 43 at one time.

The Lake It saddens me that the lake should be so disused (misused?). So much fun was available sailing toy boats at any time, and in summer splashing about in the assorted boats paddled under the skippership of a willing prefect or senior. Late summer evenings I practiced my own rowing skills to good effect in the little red boat reputed to be Tim Clutton-Brock’s. If a boy fell in it was usual, after reporting to Matron, Miss Johnson, for dry clothes for her to ban you from the lake for a week. I recall only 2 winters when ice skating was available and there was also sufficient snow for CB to tow those arctic pattern sledges around the playing field behind his car. I don’t recall any injuries to boys on board.

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Scouts It was annoying that having been forced out of Cubs at eleven to have to wait until there was a vacancy before going on to Scouts. Once a member of the troop I recall the building of the rope bridge across the lake to the island. One afternoon, with the help of the Fire Brigade I think, we practised taking volunteers between one of the cubicle windows and the ground in a bosun’s chair. Also, scouts were responsible for building the bonfire for 5th November and for producing a guy to be zip wired onto the blaze in the scout compound.

Music It must have been at my first end of term concert rehearsal that I saw a violin played for the first time and promptly requested lessons in the next term. At first I shared lessons under Eric Coleridge with Phil Keith-Roach (OJ & Ch, 1961) he did not pursue this tuition, but later, of course, became well-known in club rugby. For me having no real ’ear’ it was a silly instrument,

The lake

however I persisted and ultimately (probably by seniority rather than ability) shared the second violins lead with David Hinton (OJ & Xt, 1960).

Workroom Here in free time would be games of chess, draughts, battleships etc. and the use of one of the two half size billiard tables – strange how it was deemed right to use the butt of the cue to space the cue ball away from the cushion before making a shot.

Nearly every boarder had his locker on the wall and very likely equipped it with a small light wired to switch on as the door was opened. Of course there was the inevitable table tennis table and often there would be a ‘ladder’ competition ongoing. ‘Round the table’ table tennis was popular also, if you missed your shot you were eliminated.

On a Sunday evening when the duty master read to the boys it was harsh on the younger ones, the ‘six forty fivers’ and the ‘seven fifteeners’ etc who were called away and missed the next bit of the story. It was the same again for the next group of seniority who had by then moved into CB’s study for their reading, and only when we got to go to Sandford House did we get uninterrupted stories.

I particularly recall CB reading The Cruel Sea. Staff At my time we all started with Miss Homfray, then Miss Platt. I think Peter Lawford came next, always known as PL, he had a motorbike, a Velocette LE I think; but then there were others for particular subjects. Mr Banks, for Latin, was reputed to have shot down a Zeppelin. Who remembers his ‘mothers’ meetings’ as he called them when boys on the cricket or rugger field chatted amongst themselves, and of course, his ‘tea parties’ which were his form of detention for bad behaviour? Mr Gomme and Mr Hayward were the main PE teachers. Mr (MAC) Wheeler seemed to have boundless energy. Mr Moon was a help when he acted as my amanuensis when I wanted to put some selfcomposition on paper. Mr Bowles was known as an ornithologist so when we took him a rook with a broken wing he obviously felt obliged to put it out of its misery but overdid the neck wringing and pulled its head right off! It was GAG Gascoigne with his ‘ten to two’ walk who finally brought me understanding of decimals. Derek Porter helped my moderate scholarship and Mr Moore finished it off. You dare not say to him “I forgot” something. I introduced the alternative “I didn’t remember”. !

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Weekend camps, somewhere near Seven Springs, were enjoyed and intended as preparation for the week long camp in the first week of the summer holidays. I only got to attend one of the latter at Downton Castle near Ludlow. My main memories are of it raining the whole time yet being required to continue with the planned exercises of stalking on my belly through fields of wet nettles clad in shorts and gabardine raincoat.

Concert rehearsal

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Cheltenham College Day Pupils Since 1841

By Rachael Merrison (Heritage & Records Manager) Since 1841 College College has always had a thriving day pupil community; out of 120 pupils in our founding year, 49 were day boys, 21 were half-boarders and 50 were boarders. In the early years, day boys would either go home for lunch or bring it with them, but all received the same level of education, would be expected to commit to games as well as academia, and went on to successful careers post College.

They include polar explorer, Edward Adrian Wilson (attended 1908-1911); the ecclesiastical architect, Stephen Ernest Dykes Bower (attended 1916-1920); the poet, Adam Lindsay Gordon (attended 1841-1850s); and, most poignantly a century on, Captain Vyvyan Trevenen (attended 1908-1911). The latter’s diaries are preserved within our Archive and chart his entry into the First World War in August 1914, until he passed following gas poisoning and pneumonia on 10 June 1918. His achievements, including his receipt of the Military Cross, were honoured by current pupils on Armistice Day. This article’s focus is on the history of day pupils in the Senior School only, but we look forward to delving into the Prep archive soon to chart how the day and boarding landscape has changed!

East & West day boys In the first few decades we see some reported reorganisation of the day boys;

since at least 1866, day boys were divided into two groups, ‘A’ and ‘B’. The division of the boys was in relation to their home locations, either East or West of the College respectively. As well as teams formed by the main College boarding houses, those boys who stayed in Private Boarding Houses (smaller boarding establishments run by Masters) played in a third ‘C’ group.

It wasn’t until 1889 that Principal HA James appointed Cheltenham College’s first day boy Housemaster. The houses were called Pittville (East) and Lansdown (West).

Neither day boy house had a designated building, instead using classrooms created by temporary accommodation built in 1926 alongside the CCF sheds and Rifle Range on the corner of Bath Road. Unfortunately, the names of the first day boy Housemasters have not been discovered and the first on record are as follows: East day boy Housemasters 1907-1925 RM Towers 1925-1933 JS Bond 1933-1939 SH Stevens West day boy Housemasters 1896-1922 HV Page 1923-1938 AB Lloyd-Baker However, in 1939, due to dwindling numbers, it was decided to combine the East and West houses and the following Housemasters took charge of all day boys:

Left: 1932 – Day Boy 1st XI Hockey. Right: 1995 – Wilson House 60

Southwood 1923-39

Thirlestaine Day Boy (including East & West) Housemasters 1939-1957 KH Vignoles 1939(?)-1945 EC Lamplugh (responsible while Vignoles was called up during WWII) 1957-1969 E Calvert 1969-1975 J Ralphs Thirlestaine Under Calvert’s watch, the day boy house had been renamed Thirlestaine in 1959 and for the first time day boys were given proper day-rooms and changing rooms created for them in Thirlestaine House.

But by 1975 numbers had grown to such an extent that it was necessary to divide the house into two once more!

Southwood & Wilson Thirlestaine House was converted to house a new Art School and, in 1977, ‘College House’ on Thirlestaine Road (the Head’s residence) was vacated by our then Head, David Ashcroft, and renamed Southwood. Southwood has had a long history, and was amongst the original boarding houses established at College.

Starting out as a boarding house (then known as and located in No 1 Bath Villas, Bath Road), it only became a day boy house in 1977. For a full history of

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HV Page

SHS Stevens

JS Bond

EA Wilson

EC Lamplugh

AB Lloyd-Baker

Rev H Price

RM Towers

L North

K H Vignoles

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E Calvert

Southwood as a boarding house, you may wish to refer to the dedicated article featured in the 2015 edition of Floreat.

In addition, between 1975-1976, a new building was constructed alongside the Junior (now Prep) School and named in honour of EA Wilson, the aforementioned day boy and polar explorer who sadly died on R Scott’s Antarctic expedition in 1912.

Southwood Housemasters 1977-1984 C Auger 1984-1991 N Lowton 1991-1995 T Pearce Wilson Housemasters 1976-1979 J Ralphs 1979-1982 J Wheeler 1982-1989 L North 1989-1995 J Eminson On Pearce’s retirement in 1995, we see our second major merger of the two houses as it was decided to amalgamate Southwood and Wilson House.

Southwood kept its name and gained the Housemaster of Wilson, J Eminson.

Southwood (including Wilson) Housemasters 1995-1997 J Eminson 1997-2001 P Trythall 2001-2012 B Lambert 2012-present M Coley Queen’s Our day girl history dates back to the 1990s, just after College’s educational provision became fully co-educational for ages 3-18. Linden House had been purchased by College, royal permission was granted for the building to be named Queen’s after our Monarch’s visit to College in 1991, and it became boarding accommodation for girls from 1994. In the early years it was managed under Chandos, but it officially became an independent house with a Housemistress in its own right, specifically for day girls, in 2002.

Queen’s Housemistresses 2002-2011 S Chipman 2011-present W Bates Leconfield and College Lawn Alongside Southwood and Queen’s, which cater exclusively for day girls and

J Eminson

day boys, two further houses also offer day pupil places alongside boarders.

College Lawn is the most recently established girls’ house – joining Chandos (established 1981), Ashmead (established 2000), Queen’s and Westal (established 2005) – and has offered a home to a mixture of boarders, day boarders and day girls since 2017.

At the same time, Leconfield broke with its long tradition of boarding only and began to offer day boy places in the same year. Leconfield was one of the second wave of boarding houses established at College in the late 1860s, alongside Hazelwell, Christowe and (the former house) Cheltondale.

College Lawn Housemistress 2017-present J Wintle Leconfield Housemaster (for day boys only) 2013-present D Evans The history of day boys and girls at College has been long and varied. We look forward to the next 177 years with more changes sure to come! ■ 61

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Top row: Andrew Lomax (Xt, 2009), Luke Peckham (Xt, 2009), Max Delamain (L, 2009), James MacLeod (Xt, 2009), Edward Mason (L, 2010), Tom McEwan (H, 2009). Middle row: Matt Coley (Southwood Housemaster), Richard Morrissey (BH, 2009), Calum Heslam (NH, 2009), Milo Thomas (L, 2009), Toby Francis (NH, 2009), Frederick Unwin (S, 2012), William Ripley (S, 2009), Simon Johnson (Past Staff Member). Bottom row: Max Linscott (Xt, 2009), Angus Philip (L, 2009), Charles Ross (Xt, 2009), Sam Collins (NH, 2009), Alastair McRobert (NH, 2009), Oscar Matthews (Xt, 2009) and Andrew Hay (S, 2009)

Cheltenham College 1st XV, 2008

The Unbeaten Rugby Team Reunion

By Max Delamain (L, 2009) It feels unbelievable to think 10 years have passed since we managed to hold onto a narrow victory over Bromsgrove on a cold dark afternoon in December 2008 which made us the first unbeaten side since 1957. Congratulations to the unbeaten 2017 XV. Most of us don’t see each other too often so it was a great excuse to organise a reunion on 1st December 2018, have a good lunch in the pavilion and reminisce about the good times over a couple of beers. Matt Coley, Head Coach of the 2008 side, managed to dig up the highlights video accompanied by some questionable noughties background music which was great to see although comparing how big we were to the current 2018 XV, I think we may have had our work cut out.

One thing I remember from the Bromsgrove game was members of the unbeaten 1957 squad watching and cheering us on. I hope one day in the distant future we will be doing the same.

Thank you to Malcolm Sloan and Matt Coley for organising a special afternoon. â– 62

Will Unwin (S, 2010), Matt Coley (Southwood Housemaster), Will Ripley (S, 2009), Calum Heslam (NH, 2009), Milo Thomas (L, 2009), Oscar Matthews (Xt, 2009), Sam Collins (NH, 2009), Rich Morrissey (BH, 2009), Angus Philip (L, 2009), Max Delamain (L, 2009), Rich Akenhead (Past Staff Member), Max Linscott (Xt, 2009), Charlie Ross (Xt, 2009), Luke Peckham (Xt, 2009), Tom McEwen (H, 2009), Ali McRobert (NH, 2009) and Toby Francis (NH, 2009)

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The Old Cheltonian Golfing Society

By Simon Collyer-Bristow (BH, 1977) The highlight of the OCGS year was the Halford Hewitt. Cheltenham fielded three debutantes, Harrison Ottley-Woodd (L, 2018), Jack Arundell (NH, 2012) and Mark Giblin (L, 2006), who all contributed as the team enjoyed its best result for several years by reaching the last 16.

A major test We had highly encouraging results this year despite several of our best players not being available. If Cheltenham is able to field its strongest team in the years to come we have the potential to present a major test for even the strongest schools.

Other notable events included the Cheltonian Golf Day which was played in fine weather on the Cherrington course at Minchinhampton. Although the numbers were disappointing, the mix of players was not. OCs were joined by College pupils, staff, parents and spouses which was exactly what was hoped for when the Cheltonian Golf Day was launched.

The course was a stiff test but did not stop Paddy Milton (Xt, 2015) winning the individual competition with a remarkable score of 43 points. Golf was followed by dinner in the clubhouse with Robin Badham-Thornhill (H, 1973), President of the Cheltonian Society, presenting the prizes.

The Autumn Meeting returned to Denham after a break of a few years and we were not disappointed. It has long been known that Denham serves almost the best golf club lunch in the country which was an added treat.

There is a remarkable array of silverware to be won at the Autumn Meeting and some fine golf was played by the prizewinners.

Jack Dymoke (NH, 2012) won the Lysaght Cup individual stableford with 38 points.

James Tucker (NH, 1985) and Mark Giblin (L, 2006) used their local knowledge as members to their advantage – James won the Miller Hip scratch prize with a fine round of 73 and Mark won the Keene Cup for OCs under 45. Duncan Thomas (H, 1972) won the Young Cup for OCs over 45. The 11 holes foursomes for the Founders Cups in the afternoon were won by James Tucker and Frank Russell (L6th, H) who was one of the three College boys we welcomed on the day. The prestigious Jumbo Trophy for the best aggregate morning and afternoon was won by Jack Dymoke (NH, 2012).

The Mellin, Burles and Millard Salvers are popular foursomes matchplay schools’ competitions for senior golfers played annually at West Hill GC. In the Mellin for players 55+ we beat Bedford 2-1 before losing to a strong Felsted team, possibly due in part to most of the OC team being a lot more than 55! In the Peter Burles for aged 65+ played the previous day we beat Bedford in a sudden death playoff after a halved match 1-1. The second round was a loss to Oundle 0-2. In the Bunny Millard for players 75+ we did not qualify in the foursomes stableford round which decides the top four schools who contest the matchplay stage We welcomed back John Watts (Th, 1968), a West Hill member and organiser of the OC teams, who has not been able to play in recent years due to work commitments.

Cheltenham participated in the 86th year of the Midlands Public Schools Meeting at Little Aston GC. Wonderful June weather meant that much quenching of thirst was required on the Little Aston terrace.

Charlie Elliott (H, 1989) and Angus Baillie (L, 1994), winners of the Malvern Salves In the morning team competition played off handicap, thirteen schools entered teams of four foursomes pairs with Cheltenham down the field with 70 points.

In the afternoon, 15 holes individual foursomes for the Malvern Salvers the Charlie Elliott (H, 1989) with Angus Baillie (L, 1994) pair were the outright winners with 30 points. Congratulations to Charlie and Angus! Elsewhere Cheltenham did not qualify for the Grafton Morrish finals and finished 6th in the Edward Harris Cup. Matches against other school golfing societies resulted in wins against the Old Marlburians and Old Sherburnians and losses to the Old Wellingtonians and Old Decanians. The informal match against the OC Cricketers was again won by the cricketers. The season concluded with a win by a young OC team against College.

All golfers welcome As in past years the Society has made a major effort to attract young OCs by subsidising those under 25 to make participation in OCGS teams and events more affordable. All OC golfers are welcome. For more information on events and membership please see the OC Golf section on www.cheltoniansociety.org, or email CheltenhamCollegegolf@gmail.com alternatively you can also contact our Honorary Secretary Angus Baillie, angus.baillie@icloud.com ■ 63

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The first and second rounds were played at Royal St George’s starting with a good win against the much fancied Wellington team.

Having lost the first two matches on the course, the other three pairs finished strongly over the last few holes to clinch a 3-2 win. In the second round against Hurstpierpoint, Cheltenham started as favourite but, in typical fashion, the tie was in the balance until the last few holes when another strong finish achieved a 4-1 win.

The third round was played at Royal Cinque Ports in a strong wind and Cheltenham were beaten 1½-3 ½ by an experienced Charterhouse team.

Jack Arundel (NH, 2012), Guy Mitchell (NH, 2011), Jonathan Law (NH, 2012), Guy Brothwood (L, 2012) and Ben Haywood (H, 2011) at Wimbledon Golf Club

PROOF

OC SPORTS

OC Sailing

By Alastair McRobert (NH, 2009) and Toby Francis (NH, 2009) Over the weekend of 13th & 14th October 2018, the OC Yacht Club gathered for the fourth time to compete in the Arrow Trophy, a meeting of 26 independent schools for a weekend of racing in the Solent. As some of you may recall, last year was a particular highlight for us; winning one of the races outright and finishing 4th overall. A hard act to follow.

We were joined for the first time by recent leaver William Jury-Simpson (BH, 2017) who has experience through the Naval Cadets and Angus Philip (L , 2009) who was finding his sea legs for the first time. Other familiar faces joined the crew, with Andrew Gossage (H, 1981) as tactician and David Miller (L, 2005) as skipper for the racing.

As in previous years, we chartered the boat for the Friday to enjoy an extra day of sailing, not forgetting the chance to squeeze in some practice drills for the racing ahead. Fairly high seas from the tail end of a storm meant practice was limited, but we managed to get under sail all the same. Team dinner in Cowes that evening was enjoyed by all.

High winds persisted into Saturday morning so the race brief mandated no spinnakers, and two reefs in the main sheet (less sail and therefore less power and less danger to the boats and their crews).

The usual jostling for a good position on the start line ensued, and we quickly found ourselves in a decent position for the first windward leg. Sadly, a significant collision with the Charterhouse boat occurred soon afterwards, which resulted in our disqualification from the first race. Even worse, the Charterhouse boat had to motor back to shore straight away. Our crew debated the correct course of action at length, and given our boat was in a fit state to race, we decided to race the remaining races of the day and finished a respectable 9th and 12th.

Jack Forrester (BH, 2015), Eoin Hughes (S, 2015), Henry Garthwaite (BH, 1985), Andrew Kenyon (BH, 1979), Friedrich Scheerer (H, 2001), William Jury-Simpson (BH, 2017), Toby Francis (NH, 2009), Alastair McRobert (NH, 2009), David Miller (L, 2005), Andrew Gossage (H, 1981), Paul Koch (H, 1984) and Angus Philip (L, 2009) These races were in excellent sailing conditions; brisk winds and with a crew that was working well together. The heights of last year were not quite reached but the crew remains in good order for next year.

Saturday’s formal dinner and award ceremony was a chance to chat to the Charterhouse crew, and offer our apologies in the form of a bottle of port. This was well received and handshakes were exchanged in good spirit. On a more celebratory note, David Miller and Andrew Gossage went up to collect the Radley Shaker for our 4th place finish in 2017. The Sunday usually includes more racing, but Sunsail asked us to stand aside, citing the fact that a significant collision had taken place, and there was no way to tell what damage lay underneath the boat’s surface. We motored back to Port Solent, happy enough that we’d managed to take part in two excellent races over the weekend.

We would like to thank all OCs who attended and helped with the coordination of the Cheltenham boat, including the Cheltonian Society. It was a brilliant weekend and one that allows OCs of many different generations to sail and socialise together; something that is a key element of the weekend. ■

Andrew Gossage (H, 1981) – Tactician David Miller (L, 2005) – Skipper Paul Koch (H, 1984) – Pit Boss Alastair McRobert (N, 2009) – Cockpit Jack Forrester (BH, 2015) – Foredeck Eoin Hughes (S, 2015) – Foredeck Andrew Kenyon (BH, 1979) – Main Trim Toby Francis (NH, 2009) – Cockpit William Jury-Simpson (BH, 2017) – Foredeck Henry Garthwaite (BH, 1985) – Cockpit Angus Philip (L, 2009) – Cockpit Friedrich Scheerer (H, 2001) – Cockpit

Andrew Gossage and David Miller collect the Radley Shaker for finishing 4th in the 2017 Arrow Trophy

We continue to look for additional OCs to be involved in future events and encourage OCs of all ages and sailing experience to get in touch.

Alastair: 07769 321125, alastair.mcrobert@vermeerllp.com Toby: 07792 213943, toby.francis@willistowerswatson.com

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The crew in a good mood after finishing a race

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OC Rackets

By Mark Briers (Current Staff Member) and Tom Floyd (Xt, 2005) OC Gold Racket Weekend The 18th Old Cheltonian Rackets weekend began on Friday 9th March with the College 1st pair Theo Taylor (U6th, Xt) and Oscar Butcher (L6th, H) defeating the 2nd pair of Sam Cook (U6th, NH) and Olly Baker (L6th, NH).

James (BH, 2006) who spoke about the Old Cheltonian season. Nick also pointed out that this year’s weekend clashed with the US Open and how refreshing it was to have another great turnout but also to see OCs representing us on the other side of the Atlantic. A fabulous dinner was followed by the usual trip into town and Cheltenham’s nightspots to the wee hours!

Sunday morning saw two groups of three challengers for the ‘Also Ran’ plate. The Plate Trophy was won by Sam Cook (U6th, NH) and George Loup (Eton) who beat Tom Barton (S, 2011) and Will Evans (Clifton). The Gold Racket final was played out in front of a packed balcony between Nick James (BH, 2006) and Tom Shields (Tonbridge) versus George Sandbach (NH, 2011) and Jock Jamieson-Black (H, 2013), James and Shields winning two games to one in a very closely fought match played in great spirit.

Karl Cook presented the OC Gold Racket trophy to the victorious pair and thanked everyone who watched the final.

T & RA Awards dinner: India Blake (Q, 2017), Ashley Deakin (Current Parent), Mark Briers (Current Staff Member), Georgie Gunn (Q, 2013), India Deakin (U6th, We), James Stout (H, 2002), Karl Cook (Current Staff Member), Suzanne Deakin (Current Parent), Tom Floyd (Xt, 2005), Millie Broom (We, 2017) and Rory Musgrave (L, 2009)

Noel Bruce winners Richard Owen (L, 2011) and Alex Duncliffe-Vines (NH, 2013).

Richard is also; 2018 US Open Doubles Champion, British Open Doubles Champion and World Doubles Challenger.

Alex is also; 2018 Amateur Doubles Champion, Manchester Gold Racket Doubles Champion, British Open Singles Finalist, British Open Doubles Finalist, Manchester Gold Racket Singles Finalist and U24 Double Champion with partner Jock Jamieson-Black (H, 2013) The Noel Bruce 2018 We fielded six pairs this year, sadly not as many as previous years as we were hampered by injuries. Cheltenham I were already through to the main draw as the number 1 seed and they were joined by Cheltenham II and Cheltenham III, who both got through qualifying. Cheltenham II faced a very strong Eton I in the last 16 and sadly lost 18/13, 15/2 and 15/7.

Cheltenham III were due to face Harrow I in the last 16 but had to withdraw due to personal circumstances. All College hopes were left riding on the number 1 pair of Richard and Alex. They faced Peter Symonds in the last 16 and won 15/3, 15/3 and 15/3. They played Tonbridge in the quarter finals and won 15/5, 15/0 and 15/6.

The semi-final was not so easy against a strong Winchester pair – however, they came through to win 15/11, 11/15, 15/12, 15/8 and 15/4. So through to the final again, the 4th year in a row for OCs and the 3rd year in a row for Richard and Alex. They faced another strong pair in Harrow I; who were the number 2 seed, however they played out of their skins and walked off court with a 4-0 victory in less than an hour on court (15/4, 15/11, 15/5 and 15/2). An amazing achievement and even better to do it in front of a strong OC support from the gallery. Thanks to all those who played and supported, we look forward to seeing Richard and Alex defend their title in 2019. ■ 65

OC SPORTS

Saturday morning the tournament once again proved what many regard as one of the season’s major weekends outside the main tournaments. Fifteen pairs, consisting of an OC partnering a non-OC and for the first time, a College girls’ first pair of Rose Jones (U6th, Q) partnering India Deakin (L6th, We). A high standard of Rackets was played throughout Saturday from the first match at 9.30am. However, a three-hour delay caused by mild conditions after the recent ‘Beast from the East’ made the court slippery and dangerous resulting in a massive team effort from the players who helped lay out newspapers and towels to dry out the court. Play commenced once again at 3.30pm and we managed to finish at the scheduled time of 7.30pm when the two semi-finals were completed. Saturday night’s black-tie dinner was a chance to slow down from the day’s twelve matches and catch up with OCs and reminisce about College memories. Players, partners and guests were treated to Rhodri Hande’s (S, 2016) magic tricks preceding dinner and another amusing evening followed.

Karl Cook (Master in Charge) and Mark Briers (Professional) reported on the College season so far followed by Nick

James Stout (H, 2002): 2018 World Champion, World Doubles Champion, US Open Champion, Western Open Champion and US Pro Singles Champion

OC SPORTS

OC Hockey Old Cheltonians v Old Radleians 2nd December 2018 Boys On a grey December afternoon, a group of OCs assembled under the floodlights in Battersea Park with borrowed sticks, dusty shin pads and inappropriate footwear. A generation of big names came through the gates, drooling at the prospect of another gladiatorial encounter with the old enemy Radley. The atmosphere was tense until the cerise and black quarters were unfurled from the kit bag, bringing back memories of those games played back in Cheltenham in front of an adoring crowd. The warm up was dynamic, the team talk brief. Gwyn Williams kindly penned some words of support for the team talk: “fellas go out there and express yourselves.”

The game started quickly, Taran Evans (L, 2008) zipping the ball all over the pitch with the same classy nonchalance that made him into a cult hero at school. James Wright (Xt, 2008) on the right and Max Arthur (L, 2010) on the left ably assisting Evans, giving sufficient width and stretching the opposition. Head Boy Alex Kirkby (L, 2008) anchored the team superbly, reminding everyone why he was Cheltenham’s most eligible bachelor in 2008. Cheltenham maintained the upper hand, with Sam Harney (L, 2008), Henry Keeling (Xt, 2005) and James Croft (NH, 2010) working tirelessly up front, leading into space and testing the Radley defence.

It wasn’t long, however, until the previous night’s excesses started to impede Keeling, who started to show his age as the game progressed. After a period of sustained pressure in the Radley ‘D’, Alex Ross (Xt, 2011) decided to pull out a ridiculous first time reverse hit, which cannoned into the goal – no celebration, 66

Jack Smart (NH, 2013), Alex Kirkby (L, 2018), Sam Harney (L, 2008), Hugo Snell (L, 2010), James Wright (Xt, 2008), Harry Smart (NH, 2011), James Croft (NH, 2010), Taran Evans (L, 2008), Charlie Stuckey (NH, 2010), Henry Keeling (Xt, 2006), Alex Ross (Xt, 2011) and Max Arthur (L, 2010) all in a day’s work for Ross. Radley hit back soon after with a scrappy goal then before long it was half time.

Another rousing speech saw the boys hear some more words penned from Gwyn: “Radley are jaded, keep it up fellas.” The OCs started well, with Jack Smart (NH, 2013), who had played in cup game earlier in the day, deciding to go into fifth gear and wreak havoc in the midfield. Relentless OC pressure soon resulted in a well-finished goal from Croft, atoning for an embarrassingly bad miss in the first half. A third goal quickly followed, a delicious team move, with Hugo Snell (L, 2010), beating a player then sending it towards the goal, winning a penalty flick. This was duly finished by Charles Stuckey (NH, 2010), favouring precision over power and just sneaking it past the Radley keeper’s outstretched foot. Some further neat passages of play led to a fourth goal, expertly struck by Jack Smart on the reverse. With under 10 minutes to go and the OCs 4-1 up, you would have thought the game was as good as won. But in

Brittany Sutton-Page (Q, 2018), India Blake (Q, 2017), Millie Broom (We, 2017), Georgie Faulkner (Cha, 2011), Phoebe Cruickshank (Cha, 2011), Sophie Hood (Cha, 2012), Charlotte Alway (A, 2011) and Lucy Caines (We, 2010)

typical Cheltonian fashion, we conceded two quick goals. We somehow navigated a tense final few minutes to hold on to an excellent win, helped by some steely composure at the back by Harry Smart (NH, 2011), who was solid throughout. The final whistle came and after a comprehensive warm down, we retired to the bar.

Girls Entrance to the Dean Close Old Girls 6s has become an annual part of the OC Hockey calendar and this year the team was led by Georgie Faulkner (Cha, 2011) and India Blake (Q, 2017). In a Pool of Bloxham, Rendcomb and St Edward’s, Oxford, Cheltenham managed to finish runners up and went through to a semifinal place against Sedbergh. This was a tight game with the OCs coming out on top winning 2-1. The final was a re-match of a previous pool match against St Edward’s.

Both teams had chances to win the game outright but unfortunately it went down to penalty flicks and St Edward’s sneaked the win. It was great to see a wide range of OC girls returning and we look forward to entering again next year. ■

FLOREAT 2019

OC Cricket Cricketer Cup: 1st round v Sherborne Pilgrims Having won the toss and opting to bat first, spirits were high, especially with a strong batting line up and another good wicket at College. Unfortunately losing Guy Brothwood and Charlie Wooton early on was not in the script and we found ourselves 8-2. Both Sandbach brothers steadied the ship but what was to follow was a procession of soft wickets from some rather modest bowling from Sherborne.

After 20 overs we had recovered to 87 for 3 and then accelerated to 136 for 4 in the next six overs before throwing away a potentially strong position by batsmen holing out to a series of rank long hops. Our final score of 188 was so far under par.

Team: Chris Sandbach (NH, 2004), Charles Wootten (NH, 2009), Guy Brothwood (L, 2012), George Sandbach (NH, 2011), Jono Jamieson-Black (H, 2017), Jamie JamiesonBlack (H, 2015), Alex Mason (H, 2011), Tommy Richardson (Xt, 1998), Guy Mitchell (NH, 2011), Jock Jamieson-Black (H, 2013) Oliver Thornley (NH, 2012).

Report by Chris Sandbach (NH, 2004) OCs v Gloucestershire Gipsies A slight delay due to overnight rain saw the Old Cheltonians take the field at College after Kyle Stovold won the toss and asked the Gloucestershire Gipsies to bat. Opening the bowling, Tom Grant (H, 2008) and Jono Jamieson-Black (H, 2017) created plenty of pressure and were ably supported by Oli Thornley (NH, 2012), Dan Ward (NH, 2018) and Chris Sandbach (NH, 2004). At one stage the GG were 82-6 but fought back with very good contributions from Cooper and Houghton 72 and 59 respectively. This allowed the Gipsies to declare at 204-9 after 57 overs.

The OCs batting didn’t get off to a very good start with Harry Steel (Xt, 2016), Sam Cook (NH, 2018) and Dan Ward (NH, 2018) contributing four runs between them.

However, Oliver Thornley (NH, 2012) 88, Tom Grant (H, 2008) 25 and Jack Aundell

OC SPORTS

With the ball, we restricted Sherborne to 44 for 3 off 10 overs but then their middle order batted smartly and sensibly to bring victory home for the visitors. A disappointing match, where we know we simply were not good enough on the day.

Oliver Thornley (NH, 2012), Kyle Stovold (S, 2001), Oliver Soames (BH, 2014), Alex Sharam (U6th, NH), Jason Soames (BH, 2018), Jack Arundell (NH, 2012), Jacques Sharam (NH, 2014) and Daniel Ward (NH, 2018) (NH, 2012) 22 put together useful partnerships that saw the OCs edge closer until another clump of wickets left the last pair of Jono Jamieson-Black (H, 2017) and Jacques Sharam (NH, 2014). This partnership put on 30 runs for the final wicket and didn’t look in any trouble.

Report by Mark Briers (Current Staff Member) Harrow T20 competition On Sunday 16th August, an OC side spanning 14 years of leavers took part in the inaugural Harrow T20 competition, comprised of Cheltenham College, Harrow, St Edward’s, Oxford and Sherborne.

Cheltenham took on the hosts on the 1st XI pitch in the opening match. Having won the toss and batted, despite some early wickets and struggling at 40-4, Oli Soames (BH, 2014), who scored 104 runs, and Jack Arundell (NH, 2012) put on an

impressive display of ball striking to propel the total to 261 from the 20 overs.

In reply Harrow were always up against it and in the end we’re bowled out for 71. An encouraging start to the day.

This set up a final against Sherborne, who had beaten St Edward’s in a much tighter fixture. Sherborne batted first and following some threatening bowling from Dan Ward and Oliver Thornley, were quickly under pressure at 25-5. This was backed up by some excellent fielding from OCs. However despite an excellent innings by the Sherbourne Captain and a rearguard action by their tail, the OCs got home with three wickets in hand.

A thoroughly entertaining day out that was enjoyed by all. It was fantastic to see a travelling band of supporters, including parents and OCs, it almost felt like a day at College. We look forward to next year.

Report by Kyle Stovold (S, 2001) ■ 67

EVENTS CALENDAR

Cheltonian Society Events Calendar 2019 Dates for your Diary See the Cheltonian Society website for updates and to book: www.cheltoniansociety.org You can also join our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/cheltoniansociety 12th March Champion’s Day at The Races

Enjoy Champion’s Day at the National Hunt Festival, the first day of the Races. Use the Society’s private marquee with cash bar and tote as your base for the day. For ticket prices, further information and to book, please contact Rebecca Creed on 01242 265694.

1st/2nd June (TBC) Cheltonian Society Regatta

Bring a picnic, family and friends to enjoy College rowing at Tewkesbury. There will be a series of races and we would love to include an OC boat on the day. If you are interested in taking part, please contact r.creed@cheltenhamcollege.org. An invitation and further details to follow.

13th June The Terrace Room at The Royal Automobile Club in London - £40pp

Join us for drinks on the terrace at The Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall. The view from the terrace is through Carlton Gardens into St James’s Park, beyond which rise the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and the Tower of Westminster Cathedral. Invitations will be sent, price includes drinks & canapés alongside a cash bar. Invitations to follow, to book please call 01242 265694.

20th June The Coach House Garden - £35pp

Join us for an afternoon at The Coach House Garden, Ampney Crucis, Cirencester for an introductory talk, tour of the garden and afternoon tea. Invitations to follow shortly, to book please call 01242 265694.

29th June U6th Leavers’ Tie & Scarf Presentation

All U6th Leavers’ and their parents are welcome to attend the tie and scarf presentation before the Leavers’ Service in Chapel. An invitation and further details will follow.

29th June U6th Leavers’ Ball

All U6th Leavers’ and their parents are welcome to attend, invitations and further details will follow.

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FLOREAT 2019

21st July (TBC) Cheltenham Cricket Festival - £60pp

Gloucestershire v Worcestershire Tickets include entrance to the festival, lunch and afternoon tea, price is £60pp.

Invitations will be sent out shortly, to book please call 01242 265694.

14th September Cheltonian Society AGM

This meeting will be taking place at College. Please contact Malcolm Sloan at m.sloan@cheltenhamcollege.org for further details.

28th September 1994 Reunion Dinner - £50pp

This year’s reunion is for those who left in 1994. This is a great event and a wonderful chance to take a trip down memory lane and catch up with your yeargroup!

Invitations will follow, please contact Malcolm Sloan at m.sloan@cheltenhamcollege.org for more information.

24th November Cheltonian Society Christmas Fair - £5pp

The 8th annual Christmas Fair will be taking place on 24th November this year. An ideal opportunity to start or continue your Christmas Shopping! Invitations will be sent out in the Autumn.

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7th December Reunion for those who left College between 2000-2015 - £10pp

Get your contemporaries together and join us for the last home match of term, 1st XI Hockey v Bradfield and 1st XV Rugby v Clifton. Enjoy tea in the Dining Hall after the match followed by house tours and then on to the pub! Invitations will follow, please contact Rebecca Creed at r.creed@cheltenhamcollege.org for further details.

13th December Cheltonian Society Carol Service

The service is at 2pm in Chapel followed by mince pies and mulled wine in the Dining Hall. All welcome, invitations will be sent out in the Autumn.

Burns night Dinner anD CeiliDh

2020 – Save the date!

Cheltonian Society Burns Night 25th January Look out for further details!

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EVENTS CALENDAR

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ChELtonian SoCiEty MErChanDiSE

To order by post: Send a cheque payable to ‘Cheltenham College Services’ to Rebecca Creed, Society Manager, Cheltenham College, Bath Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL53 7LD. To order by phone: Call 01242 265694 with card details.

1. Rugby Shirts £15 Ladies M & L Mens S, M & L

2. Unisex College PJs £20 Sizes: XS (30”), S (32”), M (34”), L (36”), XL (38”)

3. House Belts £35 Sizes: 28”, 30”, 32”, 34”, 36”

4. Socks £1 Size 4-7

5. Prep Cufflinks £25

6. Small Umbrella £15

7. Large Umbrella £20

8. Girls’ House Friendship Bracelets £5

9. Boyne House & Southwood House Towels £18

10. OC Silk tie £20*

11. Self Tie Silk Bow Tie £15*

12. Ladies’ OC Silk scarf £10*

13. OC Woollen Scarf £18*

14. House Trackies £25

15. House Cufflinks £25

16. House Bow Ties £22*

17. House Rugby Balls £8

18. House Charms £25

19. House Flags for Boys’ & Girls’ Houses £22

20. Paperweight £6

* OCs Only

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Books, CDs, College Cards and Limited Edition Prints 22

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21. Celebr08! By Tim Pearce £5 22. Portraits of British Schools by Distinguished Artists £5 23. Cheltenham College Chapel by Nicholas Lowton £5 24. Then & Now by Tim Pearce £5 25. College Chapel Choir 1999 CD £2.50 26. College Chapel Choir 2007 CD £2.50 27. Coeperunt Loqui Chamber Choir CD 2009 £5 28. Salve Puerule CD £2.50 29. College Cards £2 Pack of College Cards (choice of 6) £10 Please note there is a one-off charge of £3.50 per order for UK postage and packaging. Overseas postage cost will vary. This excludes College prints which are charged as indicated.

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Ken Messer Watercolour Prints Limited edition (250), choice of: View Over Chapel & Library Cheltenham College – The Main Building Mounted print £25

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Ian Weatherhead Limited edition prints (300), choice of: Birds’ Eye View of Cheltenham, Chapel Interior, Rugby At The Prep, Cricket Festival, Leavers’ Ball, Rugby, Dining Hall Framed £189 (p&p £15 – UK only) Print Only £120 (p&p £6 – UK only) Frame Choice: Silver, Natural Ash, Gold

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a nEw Book in MEMory of thE oLD ChELtonianS of 1914-18 About the book Over 3,540 Old Cheltonians fought in the Great War of 191418, with six being awarded the Victoria Cross for their valour, and many more receiving the recently-instituted Military Cross for gallantry. Sadly, 702 OCs paid the ultimate sacrifice. College Echoes puts into context the progress of the Great War through the prism of this remarkable group of individuals. The book provides a fitting epitaph to the War through the activities and writings of some of the OCs who fought a century ago. In its pages, elegantly introduced by General Sir Michael Rose (Ch, 1958), the book captures the ethos of an astonishing generation who saw service, duty, and altruism as codes of conduct not to be prejudiced or undermined.

College Echoes is a comprehensive, illustrated anthology of events focused on these OCs, not only following the War year by year through their experiences, but also illuminating the fighting and conditions in the many theatres of war across the globe, including the Western Front, Gallipoli, Africa, Salonika, Mesopotamia and Palestine. Furthermore, it considers the tremendous impact of the War on everyday life at College and the subsequent process of memorialisation as the enormous cost in terms of OC lives was realised. The book concludes with the experiences and thoughts of the current cohort of Cheltonians regarding their Great War forbears in a poignant but enduring communion of spirit now over 100 years old.

About the author The son of an Old Cheltonian, Patrick Stevens was educated at Cheltenham College before being commissioned into the Royal Air Force in 1973. He enjoyed a full military career, seeing active service during the Falklands War, the first Gulf War and the Kosovo campaign; he also completed operational tours in Belize and the Former Yugoslavia. His many postings at home and abroad included an exchange officer tour with the United States Air Force at Tyndall AFB, Florida, and staff duties at the Ministry of Defence and the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers in Europe. A graduate of the NATO Defence College in Rome, he retired from active service in 2008.

COLLE GE E CHOE S An Epitaph to the Great War

PATRICK STEVENS

Patrick gained a first-class honours degree in History and an MA in British First World War Studies from the University of Birmingham.

When not writing about or researching history, he remains an active pilot and a Vice President at Sandwich Town Cricket Club. Patrick is married to Pam, a retired teacher and RAF officer, and their family includes son Ben, daughters Sarah and Jenny, and grandchildren, Bethany and Jack.

College Echoes is a hardback book of over 300 pages, and is priced at ÂŁ35.00. The proceeds, after publishing costs, will be for the benefit of the Cheltonian Society Fund.

There is a limited edition of 702 copies (the number of OCs who died as a consequence of the Great War) signed by the author, Patrick Stevens (BH, 1971) – available while stocks last.

To purchase your copy please email society@cheltenhamcollege.org 71

annoUnCEMEntS

announcements Marriages Charlie Sault (Xt, 2011) married Garbiella Medina in West Palm Beach, Florida. Alexandra Sault (Cha, 2008) attended.

Robin Baggott la Velle (H, 2006) married Holly Case on 10th March 2018.

Toby Smith (NH, 2006) was Best Man and Humphrey Hodgson (H, 2006) also attended.

Amanda Bossom (Cha, 2007) married Matthew Prior on 21st April 2018. Suzie Dowty (Cha, 2007) and Ami Cosgrave (Cha, 2007) were Maid of Honour and Bridesmaid. Katie May (Cha, 2007), Georgina Davies (Cha, 2007) and Emma Seccombe (Cha, 2007) attended.

Katie May (Cha, 2007) married David Rees on 1st June, Georgina Davies (Cha, 2007) and Gigi Dey (Cha, 2007) were both Bridesmaids.

Amanda Prior (Cha, 2007, née Bossom), Amy Cosgrave (Cha, 2007, née Griffiths), Ben Nelson (NH, 2007), Ed Kennedy (S, 2007), Emma Seccombe (Cha, 2007), Harry Osborn (NH, 2007), Henry Larthe (NH, 2007), Hugo Lear (NH, 2007), Jack Boone (L, 2007), Jessy Harrison (A, 2007), John Archdale (NH, 2007), Josh Fehnert (H, 2007), Kia Osborn (Cha, 2007, née McLean), Ross Crane (L, 2007), Suzie Dowty (Cha, 2007) and Will Sandbach (NH, 2007) attended.

Annie Bishton (Cha, 2004) married Robert Caulfield on 15th June 2018 in Greece. Harriet Joy (Cha, 2004), Louise Blackshaw (Cha, 2004), Amy Chmielewski (Cha, 2004, née Yarranton), Gemma Fry (Cha, 2004, née Kirby) and Tania Chong (Cha, 2004) attended.

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Alex Gerald (H, 2004) married Emma Danforth on 23rd June 2018. Sam Straker-Nesbit (Xt, 2004), Matt Day (Xt, 2004) and Past Parents Bill & Julie Straker-Nesbit attended.

Christina Chong (Cha, 2002) married Alvin Chong on 23rd June 2018. Tania Chong (Cha, 2004) was Matron of Honour and Nadiya Siddique (Cha, 2002) was a Bridesmaid.

Rosanna Warrington (Cha, 2002), Alex Forsyth (Cha, 2002), James Ottignon (S, 2002), Paul Youttananukorn (Xt, 2002) and Harry Ching (NH, 2002) attended.

Robert SancroftBaker (NH, 2004) married Julie Hutchings on 30th June.

Tim Smyth (BH, 2005) married Laura Spota on 7th July in Tuscany. The service was taken by former Hazelwell Housemaster Revd Nicholas Lowton. Ed Kirby (BH, 2005) was Best Man. Tom Grant (H, 2008) married Gemma Carter on 1st September 2018 at St Mary’s church in Devizes, the service was taken by former Hazelwell Housemaster Revd Nicholas Lowton. James Watkins (H, 2008) was Groomsman and Alex Kirkby (L, 2008) attended.

Alexandra Sault (Cha, 2008) married Steven Liu in Ko Olina, Hawaii.

Camilla Down (Cha, 2008) was Maid of Honour and Charlie Sault (Xt, 2011) was a Groomsman.

Emily Summers (Cha, 2009) married Richard Schlesinger on Saturday 13th October in Cyprus.

Maximilian Baumgarten Harrison (Xt, 2008) married Clemmie Nesbitt on 15th September. Angus Griffin (Xt, 2008) and Angus Barthorpe (Xt, 2008) were Best Men and Amber Dixon (Cha, 2009) and Jessica Boyer (A, 2008) were Maids of Honour.

Rachael Merrison (Current Staff Member) married Ross Johnson at Thornbridge Hall, Ashford in the Water, Derbyshire on 20th October 2018.

Births Thomas Hendriksen (Xt, 2004) and his wife Joanne are pleased to announce the birth of their daughter Liliana born in May 2017.

Michael Humphreys-Davies (H, 2006) and his wife Monika are pleased to announce the birth of their daughter Elizabeth Sophie Anne Marie on 30th July 2018.

Oliver Snell (L, 2004) and his wife Davina are pleased to announce the birth of their daughter Poppy Elizabeth Hattie on 19th August 2018.

Benjamin Snell (L, 2002) and his wife Zoe are pleased to announce the birth of their daughter Willa Charlotte Fleur born on 26th November, a younger sister for Archie.

Congratulations to all!

Please let us know of any announcements for the 2020 issue of Floreat.

The Society Office had an electronic crisis in September 2018 resulting in the loss of the announcement images and information held prior to then. If you provided your details and they are not shown, please do get in touch with r.creed@cheltenhamcollege.org and we promise to feature your announcement in the next issue. Many apologies.

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Page 60 Cheltonian Society Cheltenham College Bath Road Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL53 7LD 01242 265694 r.creed@cheltenhamcollege.org www.cheltoniansociety.org Editor: Rebecca Creed, Society Manager 74

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