FOCuS Issue 13: 2015

FOCus For alumni, friends and the staff of Culford & the EASG

Edition 13: 2015

New Library Build Takes shape

Opera in the Park

Wednesday 10 September 2014 went down as a red letter day for Culford School. After months of planning and hard work by the Culford Foundation, through The Campaign for Culford, and with the generous support of alumni, Governors, parents, friends and staff, the Headmaster, Julian Johnson-Munday, ceremoniously broke ground on the new landmark Library. This marked the first stage of a £2.2m project that is set to transform the lives of all pupils for years to come.

The Library will provide Culford with a suite of exceptional new study facilities, including: flexible study areas across the mezzanine and ground floor levels facilitating both group and individual

study; a lecture theatre for talks from teachers, authors and visiting speakers, as well as for use by groups of pupils; over 10,000 books; and state-of-the-art internet access to allow for online research and discovery.

Our aim is for the new Library to be an inviting space where pupils can study, share ideas, research and investigate; a place where they can fulfil their potential as independent learners.

The Library is scheduled to open in September 2015 and you will find regular updates on the Culford website, on Twitter and via the Hartley eNewsletter.

See pages 18-19 for the latest pictures.

On Saturday 21 June 2014, 400 guests gathered in Culford’s beautiful grounds for the school’s sell-out inaugural Opera in the Park event. Talented Old Culfordians Joe Dodd (2004-2011) and Florence Taylor (1997-2011) performed alongside the London Festival Opera. Please see page 3 for full story.

@CulfordSchool for the latest news.

Money Matters This edition focuses on those Old Culfordians who have made their careers in the financial services industry. Read about Jayne-Anne Gadhia CBE (1975-1979), Andrew Black (1968-1978) and Jane Franses (1968-1977), among others, in our Money Matters feature.

Please see pages 26-29 for the feature.

Headmaster Julian Johnson-Munday with Head and Deputy Head Boys and Girls

FOCus - Foundation Office Culford School

Culford School Bury St Edmunds Suffolk IP28 6TX Tel: 01284 385310 Email: foundation@culford.co.uk

www.culford.co.uk/foundation FOCus 1 Registered Charity Number: 310486 Registered Charity Number: 310486

News

From the Editor

Floral Pioneer Awarded OBE

Welcome to another bumper edition of FOCuS. I cannot believe that another year has gone by and that Julian and I are now in our 11th year at Culford.

Old Culfordian Paula Pryke (1970-1978) has been honoured with an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for her services to the Floral Design Industry. The OBE is given in recognition of distinguished and valuable service.

On receiving her award Paula said: “I am delighted and humbled to be given an OBE for my contribution to the Floral Design Industry. It has been such a joy to work with the beauty of flowers for nearly three decades and have the pleasure to work on so many varied activities.

I was completely swept away when I read the letter and it was certainly something that never crossed my mind when I left teaching history to pursue a career with flowers.”

We have experienced moments of great joy and great sadness during our time here, and the past year has been no exception.

Living and working in a community of 700 children, several hundred colleagues and over 4,000 alumni, it is inevitable that our lives are touched by many events.

One that has saddened us greatly is the passing of Rowland Beaney (obituaries, page 31). Rowland was a terrific friend to Culford and his connection to the School was deep. He was one of the first people I met here and I could scarcely have imagined then that a few years later he would effectively become my boss as the Chair of the Foundation Board. Rowland was the voice of reason when all about seemed unreasonable. He offered perspective and humour, was so knowledgeable about the School and seemed to know everyone who had attended Culford. It was a delight and an honour to know him and we miss him very much.

In happier news, the new Library is taking shape (see centre pages) and we are immensely grateful to the OCs, EAGS alumni and other friends, who have contributed some £800,000 towards the build.

If you have not yet given to the Campaign for Culford and would like to, we should be very glad to receive a donation. I am pleased to report that the project with Bury Hockey Club for a second AstroTurf pitch is progressing well, and our high performance tennis provision continues to attract talented tennis players from across the world. September 2015 sees us launch the Culford Golf Academy too (see back cover) - exciting times, indeed.

Thank you for your friendship and support to Culford. Our friends are important to us; please keep in touch. You can reach me on 01284 385306 or email: jjm@culford.co.uk

Paula’s latest book Paula Pryke Wedding Flowers: Exceptional Floral Design for Exceptional Occasions is published by Jacqui Small.

Find more information on Paula’s website: www.paulapryke.com

New Daily Bus service From September 2015, Culford will run a new shuttle travel service for pupils living in the Norwich, Cambridge, Ely and Newmarket areas.

The Culford Express will run a daily shuttle service to and from Park and Ride stations. This means that children who live in Cambridge and Norwich will be able to enjoy a Culford education with a journey of just 40 mintues on an express shuttle bus. If you would like to know more about the new Culford Express or would like a prospectus, then please get in touch with our Admissions Team on 01284 385308 or email: admissions@culford.co.uk

30 Years at Fieldgate Culford Pre-Prep School enjoyed a day of celebration in the Spring Term to mark their 30th anniversary. Fieldgate first opened its doors in 1985 and has been growing ever since, providing a caring and inspiring education to children aged 2¾ -7 years.

2

FOCus

Opera in the Park

www.culford.co.uk/foundation

Opera in the Park

Bravo for sell-Out Gala Opera

ce

r ylo Ta

,O

Cs

en

The Headmaster, Julian JohnsonMunday, said “We hope that this will be the first of many such events at Culford. We are especially proud of our Old Culfordian performers who returned to sing and we are delighted to have raised some £4,000 for The Campaign for Culford”.

We are pleased to announce that Culford’s Opera in the Park, kindly sponsored by Audi Bury St Edmunds, will happen again in 2015. The event is on Saturday 20 June, featuring pieces from Bizet’s Carmen as well as other opera favourites.

Tickets are on sale now, please visit www.culford.co.uk/opera for more information or telephone the Box Office on 01284 385310.

Flo r

Talented Old Culfordians Joe Dodd (20042011) and Florence Taylor (1997-2011) performed alongside the LFO. School governor and current parent, Neil Gillis, said “This was an outstanding event which showcased the very best of Culford, from the beautiful grounds to the success of two former pupils who performed with such ability”.

Current pupils also enjoyed being part of the event, welcoming and helping people with their picnics and chairs, handing out programmes and presenting the opera singers with bouquets and wine. The school string trio performed before the opera while guests enjoyed their picnics on the lawns.

Joseph Do dd a nd

On Saturday 21 June 2014, 400 guests gathered in Culford’s beautiful grounds for the School’s sell-out inaugural Opera in the Park event. After enjoying picnics and a complimentary aperitif, courtesy of sponsor John Valentine from WineTrust100, the audience turned to the stage as the London Festival Opera performed famous arias from Mozart, Verdi and Puccini through the sunny summer evening.

FOCus

3

News Bites

A News Round-Up from OCs and OEAs John Bolden (1957-1962) started Woolpit Area Classics & Sports Cars last year. Interest in the group has flourished and OC Motor Club Badge two other OCs, Ed Daniels (1951-1958) and Duncan Haydon (1977-1986), joined in 2013. This sociable group’s main activities are monthly scenic trips to fine restaurants. John recently discovered an Old Culfordian Motor Club badge on eBay (see photo) which prompted the Foundation team to scout around in the archives where they turned up a small box of ‘brand new’ badges.

Apparently, the Club was formed in the 1950s and attracted a circle of vehicle-owners of the day. Anyone remember this? If so we would love to know: foundation@culford.co.uk David Bartlett (1961-1969) moved to north-west Wales last September and joined David Bartlett (1961-1969) a beginners’ Welsh language class. During a recent session his tutor asked several questions in Welsh, including ‘Where are you from?’ to which he replied ‘Ipswich’. To his amazement one of his new classmates, Hannah Parry-Williams (1996-1998) also hailed from Ipswich and had also been to Culford! If there are any other OCs living in the Caernarfon area (Welshspeakers or not) please let us know.

Ashley Cooper (1962-1969) now runs HP Cooper Farms near Sudbury and last year was nominated for the prestigious Silver Lapwing Award.

The nomination is in recognition of Ashley’s extensive environmental efforts and is bestowed by the Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group.

Ashley regularly welcomes parties of schoolchildren to his farm so they can see how food is produced and the countryside protected.

4

FOCus

David Muir (1964-1971) kindly shared news of OC Malcom Worby’s (19621971) efforts to bring much needed infrastructure to parts of Africa. Malcolm’s charity, HAPPI (Homeless And Poor People’s Initiative) helps local people make use of traditional and recycled building materials to improve their lives. HAPPI specialises in, ‘community empowerment projects and uplifting individuals through skills training by building schools, clinics and drop-in centres’. Malcolm is also involved in the iShack project which gives the poorest people electricity through solar power. iShack has revolutionised the lives of people across Africa. The Foundation echo David’s sentiments when he says, ‘It is great to see an OC doing some real good in the world.’

A lifelong love of sport is something we aim to engender in all Culfordians, and Michael ‘Tim’ Mobbs (1957Michael ‘Tim‘ Mobbs (1957-1965) 1965) has taken it to heart. At 68, Tim still plays hockey regularly, recently turning out for the Norwich Exiles against Bury at Culford.

Tim puts his healthy lifestyle and exercise programme down to his time at Culford.

On the subject of hockey, Tim has unearthed a team photo of the Culford 1st XI from 1965. Are you pictured in it?

If so please let us know and we’ll put you back in touch with Tim.

Liz Baker (1976-1985) kindly told us about a fundraising event which took place last year marking the 40th Anniversary of the Paris Air Disaster, when a DC-10 Turkish Airlines flight crashed on Sunday 3 March 1974 in Ermenonville Forest, after taking off from Orly Airport. All 346 passengers and crew died, including 18 members of the Bury St Edmunds Rugby Club. This group included many with direct Culford connectionsfathers, brothers, uncles and cousins as well as friends. Last May saw the anniversary marked by a Memorial Cycle Ride, organised

by Bury Rugby Club, in which a group of 94, including five sons who lost fathers in the disaster, rode the 310 miles from the crash site to the club’s ground. Over £100,000 was raised, including over £2,000 by Jonathan Birrell (1976-1985), for St Nicholas Hospice and The Haberden Trust, which promotes rugby football in the area.

Jonathan Rowe (1976-1986) now lives in upstate New York with his French teacher wife. He runs his own high-end watch service centre for a range of independent Swiss watch producers. Although rarely in the UK, aside from the Heathrow departure lounge, he has brought his family back to Culford. He was pleased to show them his old boarding house, Cornwallis, and the school.

Nick Kirby (1983-1986)

Nick Kirby (1983-1986) has just completed an amazing 13 half marathons and 12 full marathons in a calendar year to raise money for Children with Cancer and Cystic Fibrosis.

To make it even more of a challenge, two of the marathons in Dorset and Milton Keynes took place on consecutive days and another, the Brecon Midnight Marathon, took place on Pen y Fan, the highest peak in South Wales. A keen runner and proud father to Matt (15) and Lara (13), Nick wanted to use his hobby to raise money for children’s charities.

News Bites Vanessa Jane Hall (19831986) has recently had an exhibit at the V&A in London.

‘Breathless Beauty, Broken Vanessa Jane Hall’s Installation at the V&A Beauty’ captures the raw splendour of country houses in their prime and in distress. Visitors to the exhibition step inside a temple-like structure to find themselves cocooned in an audio-visual environment, where immersive sound and vision plays out on three of the interior walls. From sparkling halls to faded corridors, the interior film work, lasting 10 minutes, takes the observer on an atmospheric journey which awakens the soul to the beauty and drama of these intriguing buildings.

Steph Roberson (1992-1999) is currently working in Iraq and Kurdistan helping some of the three million displaced souls survive the bitterness of an Iraqi winter. In the picture you can see Steph distributing wintertime kits - blankets, mattresses, plastic sheeting, heaters and kerosene fuel - for families that have been exiled through years of conflict. We wish her the very best with this vital humanitarian work.

Hayden Brinkley (1993-2000) is now working in the creative arts and living with fellow OCs, Lara Holmes (1996-1999) and Matthew Terrington (1990-1998) in London. Lara is a successful photographer who specialises in food and takes photos for Waitrose Magazine and Slimming World amongst many others.

Tom Byrne (1993-2001) used to play hooker for Culford’s 1st XV. Evidently that wasn’t enough of a workout for Tom and he’s now taken up long (very long!) distance running. He is pictured here having come third out of 250 competitors in the Penang 50K (31 miles) marathon. This great effort has made two of Culford’s English teachers, Dr John and Caroline Byrne, very proud parents.

Tom Byrne (Left) (1993-2001)

James Abbott (2000-2008) now Senior Aircraftman James Abbott of the Royal Air Force Regiment, was the first of his rank to ride the toboggan down the infamous Cresta Run for the Royal Air Force, and was awarded his RAF colours in return.

Image Crown Copyright

Stephanie Roberson (1992-1999)

www.culford.co.uk/foundation

James Abbott (2000-2008), pictured first on left

James Perks (2003-2008) was kind enough to let us know that another OC, Gerry Hermer (1955-1959), has recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Anglia Air Ambulance in recognition of his services. Gerry enjoyed a distinguished career in the RAF as a Search & Rescue pilot before starting up two successful aviation businesses based in Norwich. He was the driving force behind the establishment of both the first Norfolk Police Helicopter and the East Anglian Air Ambulance – both of which he flew. James Perks also works for Air Ambulance as a Communications Officer.

Josh Davey (2003-2008) has gone on to play cricket for some of the leading major counties, including Somerset and Middlesex. In February he joined the Scotland team as they headed down-under for the Cricket World Cup. Josh had a very successful World Cup despite Scotland joining England on an early flight home. He was the leading wicket taker from the Associate Nations taking an impressive 14 wickets; only Australia’s Mitchell Starc – the tournament’s highest wicket taker – was ahead of him when his World Cup ended.

Catherine Owles (2003-2008) and Rebecca Owles (2005-2010) have both achieved great things since departing from Culford. Catherine gained a First in Neuroscience and has begun a PhD at Nottingham. At present she’s spending a lot of time stroking the rats in the labs, watching them in surgery or waking them from anaesthetics! Rebecca graduated this autumn with a 2:1 and started a graduate job at Eurofins working on crop spraying tests. Younger sister, Sophie, is now in the Sixth Form at Culford.

Leonie Neirich (2008-2009) returned to Germany on leaving Culford and graduated in 2011 after which followed a gap year during which she spent two months in Togo as a volunteer and three months in Johannesburg on a business internship. On returning she studied at the esteemed Otto Beisheim School of Management in Vallendar reading International Business Administration.

Though she undoubtedly has a fine head for business, Leonie feels her vocation lies in medicine and is currently applying to medical schools in Germany.

Francis Young (1992-1999) has released a new book Inferior Office?

A History of Deacons in the Church of England published by James Clarke and Co. Francis is a historian and teacher who lives and works in Ely. He is the author of several books, including A History of the Bishop’s Palace at Ely: Prelates and Prisoners (Ely Society, 2012) and English Catholics and the Supernatural, 1553– 1829 (Ashgate, 2013).

FOCus

5

News Bites

Benjamin Strudwick (2003-2010)

Benjamin Strudwick (2003-2010) has just graduated from the University of Warwick with a First Class Master’s degree in Physics. Ben is beginning a PhD in Chiroptical Spectroscopy at the Van’t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences at the University of Amsterdam.

Former Head Girl, Katie Ewing (20052010), left Culford to take up a place at Brighton to study Sports Science and graduated with a First. Deciding that teaching was the life for her she took her PGCE at the University of East Anglia and has gained not just an outstanding final report but her first teaching post as well.

Katie started at the William Farr Church of England Comprehensive School outside Lincoln in September.

Alex Carron-Brown (2001-2010) is another OC who has gained a First class honours degree. Alex gained hers in Interior Architecture from the University of Brighton and has successfully found a role at a firm of architects in Bristol.

Peter Welch (2007-2014) left Culford to attend Newcastle University. His love of sport evidently hasn’t waned because, as well as attending 20 hours of lectures per week, Peter spends 23 hours rowing and training!

Peter Welch (2007-2014)

Georgie Day (2012-2014)

Georgie Day (2012-2014) has had plenty to smile about since leaving Culford; she was picked as the new face of Colgate after she entered an Elite Model Look UK competition. Being the new face of Colgate will do wonders for a future modelling career, although Georgie is still considering a biology-related degree in the future. Since winning the competition Georgie has continued her contract with EliteModels UK, modelled in London Fashion Week 2015 at Somerset House, and worked with ASOS and bumble and bumble haircare.

Katie Hargreaves (2006-2014) and Tom Hargreaves (2003–2011)

Katie Hargreaves (2006-2014) was thrilled to be offered a place at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA) to start the BA(Hons) Acting course in September 2015.

The audition process, like many others, was taxing and involved three rounds. The drama school is relatively new, built upon Sir Paul McCartney’s old school.

Her brother, Tom Hargreaves (2003-2011) is now in his fourth year reading medicine at Cambridge and is enjoying the more practical and hands-on approach this year, as he has undertaken placements at both Bedford and Addenbrookes Hospitals.

Since leaving last summer, when she was a very active member of the CCF, Lizzie Newell (2009-2014) has joined the Army Reserves in the Army Air Corp and is training to be aviation ground crew. She hopes to join the Regular Army in a year’s time. Lizzie will be walking the Peddars Way along with her sister Kathryn (20032008) and partner, Jacob, to raise money for the East Anglian Air Ambulance. They aim to walk 93 miles from Thetford to Cromer within 72 hours.

Annabel Muir (2012-2014) has been enjoying her gap year in Sydney, Australia, thanks to Culford’s ties with Pymble Ladies’ College. She has been working in a boarding House for girls aged 11-15 years old, which, after her duties as Head of Fitzgerald House, was an easily made transition.

She has also worked in the junior school, learnt to surf and coached a variety of different sports. In the school holidays she also had the chance to travel around New Zealand, and up the coast of Australia and plans to next head off to Fiji, Thailand and Hong Kong before returning to England to read Anthropology at Durham University in September 2015.

L-R Toby White (2010-2014), Tristan Rawcliffe (2008-2014), Annabel Muir (2012-2014), Natasha McCaffrey (2004-2014), Jack Beaumont (2005-2014)

Organiser Susan Glasswell (19591970) held the 87th Bury and West Suffolk Tennis Tournament at Culford School on 28 July 2014 with just under 200 players enjoying the superb facilities at Culford. Events ranged from under 8 age group through to Open. Players and parents commented on the lovely atmosphere. The 2015 tournament will begin on 27 July and information can be found on the website; www.burywestsuffolktt.co.uk.

Gabriel Hershman has received great acclaim for his recent biography of the late actor and Old Culfordian, Ian Hendry (19451948). Hendry starred in such memorable films as Get Carter and The Hill as well as the original series of The Avengers and was hailed as one of the great talents of his time. Like so many other great acting talents, however, his life was a troubled one and Gabriel tells his story with passion and sensitivity. The book is available to buy on Amazon.

6

FOCus

Gap Years

www.culford.co.uk/foundation

Gap Years are once again proving popular amongst Culford’s Sixth Form leavers. Here we explore some of the adventures undertaken by four of our younger Old Culfordians.

Former Head Girl, Isabel ‘Issy’ Davies (20012014) has had an exciting gap year overseas.

She has been working in St. Michael’s RC Primary School, which is 60km from Outjo in the Kunene region in Northern Namibia.

She is teaching Art, English and P.E. to pupils aged from 5 to 13, the youngest of whom did not know any English, which has proved a challenge.

As well as some language barriers, the climate has also been challenging. When Issy got in touch with us in January 2015 she reported that “it is currently very hot, around 28°C, with intermittent electrical storms which the Namibians are very pleased about as they signal the end of a two year drought.”

The children Issy is helping to teach are from rural areas with poor backgrounds but, she said, “are incredibly sweet and very compassionate”.

She travelled with the support of the educational charity Project Trust, whom she learnt about when they visited Culford to talk to Sixth Formers in their final year. She is planning to attend university next academic year. You can follow Issy’s journey by visiting her blog: www.issysprojecttrust.blogspot.com

Harry Reidy (2011-2013) is celebrated as the winner of the 2014 Saatchi Gallery / Deutsche Bank Art Prize for Schools for his stunning art installation (see p. 16). Talented artist though he is, Harry feels that art is not something which he wishes to pursue for a career. In spring 2015, we met up with him to talk about his year out in South Africa and his plans for the future.

While in his final year at Culford, Harry Googled ‘stooges’ (the South African term for gap year) and one particular school caught his sporting eye. He sent an application and was accepted to have a year working at Kingswood College in Grahamstown on the Eastern Cape.

coaching. He is now doing some work experience back in England and looks forward to pursuing further study in the next academic year.

While there his main duties included looking after the mainly Prep School age boarders.

He worked in a team of ten ‘stooges’, or gap year students, and made good friends with many of them going out into Grahamstown in the evenings.

Harry’s favourite duty at Kingswood was sports coaching; with the major sports of rugby, cricket and boys’ hockey also being played in South Africa, Harry was able to help the younger boys improve their game.

This, Harry says, made up for the admin work, a fact of school life, and some long photocopying sessions. Harry also spent some time helping pupils one-to-one in a maths class, and he really enjoyed the rapport he was able to develop with the children.

Harry with Kingswood College pupils

His positive experience at the school made up Harry’s mind to pursue a career in teaching and he is particularly interested in sports

FOCus

7

Gap Years Former Head Girl Emma Devlin (1999-2013) spent the first five months of her gap year gaining valuable engineering experience, primarily working as a technician at Cobham Antennae. Here she worked on the production line and saw how products were designed and constructed. She also completed an online Maths for Engineers course to help keep her skills up to date.

In February 2014, Emma set off with Raleigh on a three-month long International Citizen Service placement in Nicaragua. Emma and

Jack Beaumont (2005-2014) reports that after finishing at Culford last summer, he was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to take a year out in Australia and play the sport that he grew to love at Culford, cricket. Jack told us about his experience: “During my time in Tamworth I spent my hours working closely with North Tamworth Cricket Club, coaching the local juniors and adults whilst also further improving my own skills amongst some truly great players.

Highlights of the year have been meeting some hugely welcoming and inspiring people who have really made this place a home from home and, of course, getting the chance to follow my passion for cricket.

8

FOCus

her team, which comprised six UK and seven Nicaraguan volunteers, lived with local families within the small, rural community of Cerro El Padre. During their time there, they ran awareness days on the importance of sustainability and the preservation of the watershed. They also worked with community members to build Eco-toilets, Eco-ovens, water filters and to plant tree nurseries.

Living in the home of a local family allowed Emma to fully integrate with the community and to gain the trust of the family and influence the community members. It was a challenge to convince people to change lifetime

If I was to sum this trip up for anyone considering taking a gap year, I would really encourage taking the time out to challenge yourself, whether it is locally or abroad, in whatever you love. The experience really does help you grow whilst giving you memories and friends that will last a lifetime.

Hopefully when I arrive back in the UK, I will be more than prepared for another full season of cricket ahead of me, (albeit a bit of a colder one!) and I look forward to seeing where the sport can take me next.

However this trip has given me substantial life skills that I believe will come in handy throughout my university career beginning in September 2015. I would recommend

habits, especially for things that have no immediately visible benefits.

With Nicaragua being a Spanish-speaking country, it was essential that Emma picked up a bit of the native tongue in order to be able to communicate with her host family. Whilst this was a challenge, Emma says that language difficulties provided an ongoing source of humour for them all!

Emma is now studying Engineering at Cardiff. She found her gap year enriching and was glad to have gained both life experiences and work experience relevant to her course.

the possibility of taking a gap year to anyone; it really is such a great opportunity to stretch yourself and broaden your horizons.�

OC & EAS Events

www.culford.co.uk/foundation

Years of 2003 & 2004 Reunion 20 september 2014

sounds, space and Time(tables)

Old boys and girls remembered their school years at a packed reunion to mark a decade since they left Culford. Former Head Boy from 2004, Nick Higgs, and Head Girls, Beth Sherman, from the Year of 2003, and Melissa McNeil, from 2004, helped gather together more than 50 pupils and staff. One former pupil, Mai Ikawa (1997-2004), travelled all the way from Japan to attend.

Of the variety of sounds that I cherish from my days as a schoolmaster, the one that appealed most was that which came from a class of pupils absorbed in a task. It’s wrong to refer to it as ‘silence’ - partly because that’s not really a sound, it’s more of a sensation. When you think about it, the feature of being personally involved and absorbed in an assignment is a thoroughly satisfying condition of mind.

However, many feel that things can be much too quiet and that unwanted extraneous noises need to be countered by other available sounds. So if you want to baffle hullabaloo you can buy an app from the appropriately-named TM Soft and acquire, for instance, White Noise Lite. A case of an i-Sound for an i-Sound?

Many older teachers had strongly-held views about sound, preferring monastic traditions; about time, wanting a sense of order preserved in time-tables; about space, with an emphasis on the neat and tidy. This could lead to a certain fixation that nothing worthwhile would be achieved in an environment that tended towards the chaotic.

An Impromptu Visit 20 November 2014

Sixty years ago, the boys of the 1954 Fifth ‘Remove’ Form left Culford School. The group held a successful reunion in 2004 and a decade later, in November 2014, about sixty years since they left Culford, eleven of the old Form members were able to attend a lunch at the Farmers Club in Bury St Edmunds. A spontaneous desire to have a new group photograph taken in Culford Hall itself seized the party, and they set off for the old school, not knowing that their visit would collide with that of the Independent Schools Inspectorate, who were spending the week at Culford as part of the regular schools’ inspection programme (every six years!). No matter, as the Headmaster and his wife, Jo, were delighted to bump into them and see the group have their photograph taken in Old Hall for old times’ sake.

I, a self-confessed ‘neat freak’, soon learnt that pupils who worked in cluttered conditions were no more or less intelligent or productive than those who wanted to have a clean slate or clear study. What mattered was what went on in the brain where the links between stimuli are forged and where concepts are created.

The outward and visible signs of being orderly are not necessarily indicators of talent.

The digital revolution of the past 25 years has generated both channels and barriers for people. The air is full of waves that are not necessarily assisting brain-waves. There is evidence that minds are being physically affected by the constant bombardment of electronic forces. However, the opportunities for communicating are extraordinary and are opening new dimensions.

Reunions promoted by schools are impressive and pleasurable.

Culford has developed its own year-round programme which I am glad to say is very well supported. Yet devices at our fingertips now give access to continuous electronic reunions. We can always be in contact through networks, webs, media and emails.

Culford too has its hubs as well as its publications. Our computers have become miniature control-centres of time that allow us to discover and engage, revive the past and formulate the future.

Please be sure to keep in touch!

John Humphries, OC Liaison Officer ocliaison@culford.co.uk

L-R: Peter Thurlow (1945-1952), David Cobbald (1945-1952), Len Battell (1947-1953), John Seward (1948-1952), Roger Taylor (19461953), George Langley (1946-1954), Mike Kirkup (1945-1955), Sam Turner (1946-1953), Kingsley Curtis (1945-1954), Richard Loveday (1950-1954) and Bob Hattersley (1945-1954)

FOCus

9

OC & EAS Events

Tea for Two 9 October 2014 Tea for Two, one of the favourite events in the Culford Foundation calendar, proved a musical treat.

After enjoying some delicious cake and tea in the Red Room, Old Culfordian and East Anglian School alumni guests and their families made their way through to the Billiard Room. This was an intimate setting for the musical entertainment, which was helped

by Culford’s stunning new Steinway Grand piano being available to play.

L – R Music Scholars Hannah Littlechild L6, Scarlet Simmons L6 and Sophie Jamil L6

L- R Charlie and Jack Bungard (1935–1939)

L – R Carole Maskell née Kay (1955– 1962), Raymond Maskell (1950-1957) and Jo Johnson-Munday

Christopher Howells (L6) performing on the Steinway

L-R Bridget Boyd née Snelson (1947–1952), Anne Bloomfield née Culey (1945–1954), Freda Parker née Osborne (1945–1953) and Jenny Benfield (former staff)

Foundation Gallery Exhibition March 2014

Act of Remembrance

Talented artist and Old Culfordian Harriet Johnson (19952005), and her fellow artist Madeline Churchill, exhibited a wonderful selection of paintings, drawings and prints in the newly opened Foundation Gallery. Like many Old Culfordians, Harriet has kept in touch with Culford. She now teaches in the Art Department at Wellington College, where she is also a Housemistress.

Culford held its traditional Act of Remembrance at 11.00am on 11th November on the North Front. To mark the centenary of the start of the First World War the School also opened a Garden of Remembrance in the school grounds with crosses placed in the grass to mark those from the Culford community who lost their lives. Senior and Prep pupils, members of the Culford Combined Cadet Force, staff, Old Culfordians and parents, heard the Headmaster read out the 148 names of those who had died.

Neville Hibberd (1941-1947) laid a wreath on behalf of Old Culfordians.

Centre: Elizabeth Compson (2003-2005) and Harriet Johnson (1995-2005)

10

FOCus

11 November 2014

Groundsman Tom Atkinson, Prep Head Girl Chloe-Jeane Parsley, Head Boy Kieran Dibley, Don Dorling (1941-1948), the Headmaster, Neville Hibberd (1941-1947), Head Girl Emma Beardmore, Prep Head Boy Oliver Thompson and the School Chaplain

OC & EAS Events

www.culford.co.uk/foundation

Annual London Drinks 2014 & 2015 Royal Yacht Club 2014

The Foundation was delighted to welcome 100 alumni, friends and staff to The Royal Thames Yacht Club in Knightsbridge for Culford’s annual London Drinks Reception on Wednesday 30 April 2014. The sunny April evening saw many guests enjoying the Yacht Club’s terrace and chatting in the Brittania Bar. The Headmaster welcomed everyone, including new faces: Anne Dunn née Bolton (1947-1953); Chris Ringrose (1954-1963); and Christine Charie née Black (1976-1978).

Tim Mutton (1954-1964), Stephen Challacombe (1958-1964), George Zeleny (1958-1964), Philip Rolfe (1958-1962)

Carolin Boyle née Hales (1960-1971), Helen Lynskey née Judkins (1970-1973), Tim Bonnett (1966-1973), Barbara Mavridoglou née Gale (1966-1973)

Jack Farrant (2004-2011), Headmaster, Emma Devlin (1999-2013)

RAF Club 2015

On Wednesday 11 March 2015, the annual London Drinks was held at a new venue, the RAF Club in Piccadilly. The new venue attracted a new audience as well as some familiar faces who were all welcomed by the new Chairman of Governors, Air Vice Marshal Steven Abbott CBE, father to OCs James (see page 5) and Jenny Abbott. Given the surroundings it seemed fitting that the champagne draw was won by David Thorne (1963-1973), whose father is the late Air Commodore Peter Thorne (1931-1940).

Brother Michael Thorne (1969-1979) was also there along with a number of other OCs with familial RAF connections.

Guy Parkes (1976-1986), Liz Baker (1976-1986), Pete Langman (1983-1984) signing his book The Helen Hudson (1984-1986), Lee Presland (1984-1986) Country House Cricketer, all profits from which are going to Parkinson’s UK and the Cure Parkinson’s Trust.

Governor and OC parent Patricia Abbott presents champagne draw winner David Thorne (1963-1973) with his prize.

Christopher Bolam (1975-1984), Sarah Westbrooke née Pilkington (1976-1985), Zamir Borg-Mirza (1979-1984), Miles Pooley (1979-1982)

Phil Shreeve (1962-1969), parent Stanley Mo, Holly Jaycock, L5, parent Deborah Mo

Justin Lau (1994-1999), James Taylor (1982-1992), John Scanlan (1986-1991)

Stephen Musgrave (1964-1972), Tony Rutter (1964-1971), Hamish Knox (1965–1973)

Foundation Manager, Samantha Salisbury and Lesley Shaw née Eve (1959-1964)

FOCus

11

OC Events From Our Archives

Pictures from the Past For this issue of FOCuS we have picked some of our favourite photographs from the eras of Culford’s first three Headmasters: Dr Skinner (1924-1951); Dr Storey (1951-1971); and Mr Robson (1971-1992). Some of these photographs have been given to us by Old Culfordians and some are from the Culford Archives. If you have any photographs which you would like to donate to our archives then please contact Samantha Salisbury, Foundation Manager, on 01284 385310 or email foundation@culford.co.uk

The skinner Years (1924-1951)

L-R Standing: Frank Fenning (1944-1951), Christopher Gonin (1941-1951), David Beech (1947-1951), John Hawtin (1945-1952), William Poulter (19451952), Charles Douglas (1946-1952) L-R Seated: James Kirch (1940-1951), Clive Young (1941-1951), Dr Skinner, Headmaster, John Hercock (1946-1951), James Bryant (1944-1951), John Mirams (1948-1951).

The hurdles at Sports Day 1952. L-R: Robert Staton (1942-1950), Donald Hendry (1946-1954) and John Gourlay (1947-1952) and an unknown pupil.

The storey Years (1951-1971)

Younger Culford boys enjoying an interactive Chemistry lesson with Bunsen burners.

Older pupils using the Workman Library for reading and studying.

The Robson Years (1971-1992) Sir David Plastow (1946-1950) at the opening ceremony of Fieldgate Pre-Prep’s new building in 1985. Photograph kindly contributed by Sarah Mitcham (1985-2000).

From the summer of 1973 a photograph of some of the first girls who were at Culford.

L-R: Jane Dickinson (1966-1973), Mary Philp (1967-1974), Jenny Lake (1965-1974), Sarah Wardman (1967-1974).

12

FOCus

OC & EAS Events

www.culford.co.uk/foundation

East Anglian school for Girls Reunion 18 October 2014 In 1972, the Bury St Edmunds-based East Anglian School for Girls (EASG) joined with Culford. In October 2014, 40 members of the original EASG came to Culford to mark some 50 years since they left school. EASG ladies Rosy Black née Ince (1953-1964) and Lesley Shaw née Eve (1959-1964) helped gather everyone together for the reunion; there were hugs and laughter all round as old friends recognised each other and lively conversation as the group quickly caught up on the last 50 years.

Many memory-banks were opened to recall the life and times in an educational establishment where good company and enduring camaraderie were features. Those who attended the EASG can still see legacies of their old school. The residential buildings on Northgate Avenue remain and Ripley House is now a thriving office. At Culford, the Prep School uniform is based on the traditional striped EASG blazer and, above all, there is a warm welcome for those who want to recall their days at the former sister-school.

R

os yB

n lack

ée I n c e

‘We Be 60’ 11 October 2014

Nine EASG girls, who were pupils during the 1960s and 1970s, met in Bury St Edmunds to celebrate the year of their sixtieth birthdays and went to see their old boarding Houses and Miss Tuck’s old house.

L - R Sarah Fulcher (née Lee), Rosemary Ingate (née Foster), Helen Larsen (née Southall), Julia Shawe-Taylor (née Steward), Carolin Boyle (née Hales), Sarah Hammond (née Howarth), Helen Lynskey (née Judkins), Ruth Drummond, and Sue St John (née Humphry).

Headmaster’s Visit to New York May 2014

The Headmaster and his wife, Jo, were delighted to meet up with a number of OCs during their visit to New York. They stayed at the charming Greenwich Hotel in Tribeca, under the superb management of Old Culfordian Philip Truelove (1960-1970). Philip and his family also briefly joined the OC Reunion at the (very noisy!) roof top bar at The Kimberley Hotel. This gathering also included Craig Stuart-Paul (1974-1983); Philip Johnson-Laird (1948-1952) and his wife, Mo; Stephen LeGrice (1964-1971); Craig Dixon (1947-1955); David Creed (1988-1998) and his wife; Joanna Hanlon (1991-1999) and her partner Gabriel. On their last day, Julian and Jo were delighted to meet up with OC and generous benefactor to the school, William Miller (1940-1946) and his wife, Irene, in Central Park.

L – R Joanna Hanlon (1991-1999), David Creed (1988-1998), Anna MacDonald (1997-1998)

L – R Craig Stuart-Paul (1974-1983), Craig Dixon (1947-1955), Philip Laird-Johnson (1948-1952)

L – R Bill Miller (1940-1946), Jo Johnson-Munday, Irene Miller and Julian Johnson-Munday

FOCus

13

News from the School

CCF Inspection Day 20 March 2015 Culford School’s Combined Cadet Force held their annual Inspection Day on Friday 20 March.

The day began with a parade and inspection on the North Front, followed by a variety of activities which gave the cadets an opportunity to show the assembled dignitaries, parents and visitors all that they have achieved during their training.

The visiting Inspecting Officer, Air Commodore Dawn McCafferty, who is Commandant of the Air Cadets, complimented the cadets on their excellent drill and turn out before the drill competition ensued. The morning’s parade concluded with an aerial salute at 11.55am when a Tornado from RAF Marham performed a low level flypast, much to the cadets’ and visitors’ delight. The Inspection Day’s activities included a flight simulator run by the RAF section, a close quarter battle exercise, a first aid stand and a tugof-war. A number of the events were staged on a competitive footing and were hard-fought, reflecting the pride that exists within Culford’s CCF. The afternoon ended with the awarding of prizes by Air Commodore McCafferty and in the evening a formal dinner was held in the superb setting of Old Hall for the senior non-commissioned officers, parents and guests. The guest of honour was Air Vice-Marshal The Hon. David Murray CVO OBE , father of OCs Beth (1996-2003) and Joe Murray (1998-2005), whose after dinner address spoke of service’s benefits to society and to the individual.

Culford’s CCF has more than 60 pupils participating every week on an afternoon which is dedicated to service; in addition to the CCF, as part of the Pathfinders activity, pupils are involved in First Aid, Fair Trade, Navigation and improvised shelter building as well as charitable activities including visiting residential homes for the elderly. If you are would like to attend the 2016 Inspection Day, please do let us know by emailing foundation@culford.co.uk or telephone 01284 385310.

Culford scholar Makes England Team

Culford Sports Scholar, Lucy Holder (L6), who already plays for the England U16 Team, was selected for the England U18 hockey squad this year. Lucy has trained throughout the year both at home and abroad and is looking forward to competing in the Four Nations Tournament in July 2015.

Also, pupils Maria Andrews (L6), Ella Dowling (U5) and Alex Blumfield (L6) have recently gained selection for the England Under 17 Tier 2 High Performance Assessment Camp squads.

14

FOCus

Prep Tennis stars Represent GB

Three of Culford’s youngest tennis stars achieved some fantastic results whilst competing against France in the Great Britain Under 12s Internationals. Lower Thirds Kylie Bilchev, Derrick Chen and Matthew Gedney travelled to France in January after being selected for the Great Britain Team. They each took part in four games with Kylie winning them all, Derrick winning two out of four, and Matthew winning one.

News from the School

www.culford.co.uk/foundation

All the World’s a stage…

The new academic year has seen an exciting period of development for Drama at Culford. Maria Jackson, who has performed on stage and screen, including playing Juliet to Michael Sheen’s Romeo, joined the school as the new Director of Drama. Her predecessor, Maria Kane, after producing a stunning version of Cabaret in March 2014, also delivered a fitting swansong by taking comedy The Press-Ganged Fool, penned by her and fellow Culford teacher Jessica Kaye, to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2014, before jetting off to a new teaching role in Shanghai.

Maria Jackson kicked off the new term with a moving portrayal of convicts in Australia in Our Country’s Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker. No sooner had the stage for that show been struck in November than preparations began for the tongue-in-cheek ‘horror-comedy-musical’ Little Shop of Horrors, which was performed to packed audiences in March 2015. One enthusiastic theatre-goer tweeted: “Wow what a show, Little Shop of Horrors. Outstanding performances. Felt like a night at the West End!” Asked in a school interview to describe herself in three words, Maria said “optimistic, determined and empathetic.” There is no doubt that Culford has already witnessed all three characteristics fully in action!

Little Shop of Horrors

Our Country’s Good

The Press-Ganged Fool

Katie Hargreaves (2006-1014) as Sally Bowles in Caberet

spitfire Flypast at speech Day 2014

Culford’s annual Speech Day on Saturday 24 May was marked by a low level flypast by a Spitfire from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. Large crowds of parents, pupils, staff and guests watched as the fighter swept over the South Front lawns and over Culford Hall in fair weather.

The Guest of Honour was David Beech (1947-1951), who left the school to eventually become a pioneer in computer languages and now lives in California. The Headmaster, Julian Johnson-Munday, said: “It was an honour to have David here as he and his wife, Judy, are great friends and generous supporters to the school. I was especially delighted that we had a ceremonial flypast on the occasion of their visit”.

A number of OCs joined David and Judy on Speech Day, including some of David’s

contemporaries: Douglas Gunary (19451950), Michael Taylor (1944-1950), Michael Keall (1946-1950), and Richard Young (1946-1952).

L – R Julian Johnson-Munday, David Beech (1947– 1951), Roy Swanston, Former Chair of Governors

OC Liaison Officer, John Humphries, Nicholas Coates (1960-1966) and Peter Chappell (1960-1967) joined together to purchase a bench in memory of former school Matron Kathleen Clayton. The bench was blessed by the School Chaplain before it was tried out (see photo).

L – R top row: Nicholas Coates (1960-1966), Chaplain, Michael Taylor (1956-1964), John Humphries, Richard Young (1946-1952), L – R seated: Robert Jacklin (1943-1953) and Michael Keall (1946-1950)

FOCus

15

News from the School

Culford Pupil Wins saatchi schools Prize

The Saatchi Gallery named pupil Harry Reidy (2011-2013) as the winner of its prestigious Saatchi Gallery/Deutsche Bank Art Prize for Schools in March 2014. The win rewards Culford’s art department with £10,000, as well as £2,000 for Harry to spend on art and computer equipment. He was on his gap year when the prize was announced, which you can read about on page 7.

studies at Culford whilst in the Upper Sixth in 2012/13. His work was on display in the new Foundation Gallery and then at the fantastic Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea.

Harry’s was one of 16,000 entries from 33 countries. Inspired by the grounds of Culford School, Harry created the sculpture (pictured) as part of his A-level

scholars’ Programme: ‘science and…’

Culford’s Scholars’ Programme stretches and challenges pupils by giving them the opportunity to engage with academic interests across a broad spectrum of subjects. The 2014/15 programme of guest speakers explored the subject of science.

Speakers included Dr Brian Ball, a lecturer at the New College of Humanities who spoke on ‘Science and Philosophy’, Lizzie Coyle from The Faraday Institute, Cambridge who spoke on ‘Science and Religion’ and Culford’s new Head of Science Darren Rees who discussed ‘Science and History’ with pupils. We were especially pleased to welcome back Old Culfordian, Dr Claire Higgins (1993-2000) to speak on the subject ‘Science and Medicine: From Bench to Bedside’. Claire is now a lecturer in Tissue Engineering in the Department of Bioengineering at Imperial College London.

Dr Claire Higgins (1993-2000)

16

FOCus

Life-Changing Malawi Adventures Since 2009, Culford’s Lower Sixth and staff have made an annual charitable overseas trip to Malawi, a beautiful country where the people are warm and open. It is, however, one of the poorest countries in the world, and the Culford expedition is quite unforgettable for all those concerned.

In July 2014, 20 Sixth Formers spent three weeks on a variety of projects, helping to improve schools, orphanages and day centres in the country. Working with charities such as the CharChar Trust, who promote literacy for life in Africa, and the Good News Orphanage, Culford’s pupils built toilets, taught in primary schools and gave radio interviews on the importance of literacy. The group were delighted to see photographs of Culfordians from previous trips on the wall of fame inside the blood donation clinic, which is designed to encourage people to donate.

The Campaign for Culford

BUILDING ON EXCELLENCE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONs

From the Headmaster I hope you enjoy this latest edition of FOCuS, bringing you all the news from Culford School. It is an exciting time for us, with a number of projects well underway and nearing fruition.

Our new landmark library is the most obvious, with the building rapidly taking shape and preparing to open in September 2015, in time for the new academic year. It will, of course, house all the academic texts our pupils need for their GCSE and A-level studies, as well as a vibrant stock of fiction designed to help them develop a lifelong love of reading; but it will also have e-texts and wireless connectivity throughout, allowing all learners to study and collaborate however they choose. As we prepare our pupils for university life, providing a university-style library will be an important asset.

We are also in the midst of exciting negotiations about the development of a second floodlit Astroturf at Culford, to be built in partnership with Bury St Edmunds Hockey Club. We have developed hockey significantly recently, through the appointment of dedicated staff giving individual, tailored training to our players; development of our facilities is the next step in our overarching plan to offer excellence in this area.

Nor are we leaving the creative and performing arts behind. With one of our pupils, Harry Reidy, winning the Saatchi Schools’ Art Prize (see page 15), redeveloping and improving the main ground floor studio in the art department is a high priority for us and is the focus of the next phase in our Campaign for Culford.

I hope very much that you approve of our ambitions. All education is a flame passed from generation to generation. Our founders at Culford had a vision of a boarding school on this beautiful estate; and their successors developed that vision in numerous ways.

We now seek to deliver improvements that will keep Culford offering educational excellence to the next generation of pupils.

If you have the time and the inclination to visit Culford this year, please do so. It would be a joy to welcome you back and show you just how far along the journey we are.

Julian Johnson-Munday MA MBA Headmaster

FOCus

17

The Campaign for Culford The new Library build has been moving on apace since September 2014. Here, we have chosen photographs of key stages of the building process, with a computer generated imaged of the finished building at the end.

1 The ground is laid in autum 2014

4

2

5

3

“The Library will be a vibrant and engaging space at the academic heart of the school�

Cranes lift the main structural beams into place in winter 2014

18

FOCus

THE LIBRARY BUILD: PROGREss IN PICTUREs

This ÂŁ2.2million building project is on schedule for completion at the end of June 2015. The fitting out will then take place over the summer and the new Library will be officially opened in September 2015.

8

6

7

9

10

A computer generated image of the Library, which is due for completion in time for the new term, September 2015

FOCus

19

The Campaign for Culford

BUILDING ON EXCELLENCE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONs

Acknowledgements and Thanks

The Culford Foundation wishes to thank all those individuals, families, funds and trusts whose support through donations and other gifts enables Culford to thrive. We are, and continue to be, grateful for all the support we receive. We would like to express our special thanks to anonymous donors, to those who have made pledges for the future through legacies and other means, and to all our supporters who give their time and friendship to the School. Names in italics indicate a legacy.

Recent OC and EAGs Donors (september 2013 to April 2015).

1930s Mr Ernest Gamble (1929-1934) Dr Jack Bungard (1935-1939) Mr Derrick Fenning (1935-1939) Mr E Monty Hubbard 1940s Mr Peter Foulsham (1937-1944) Mr Richard Hayward (1939-1945) Mrs Mary Bennett (1942-1945) Mr Peter Nunn (1938-1946) The Miller Family Foundation (1940-1946) Mr David Morley (1938-1947) Mr Dick Starling (1939-1947) Mr Neville Hibberd (1941-1947) Mr Michael Platten (1941-1947) Mr Irwin Warrell (1942-1947) Mr Don Dorling (1941-1948) Mr Richard Freeman (1943-1949) Mr Tony Childs (1944-1949) Mrs Pamela Evans (1946-1949) 1950s Reverend John Searle (1940-1950) Mr Michael Taylor (1944-1950) Dr Douglas Gunary (1945-1950) Mr Peter Scates (1945-1951) Mr John Hercock (1946-1951) Mr Roy Hill (1946-1952) Mrs Bridget Boyd (1947-1952) Mrs Anne Bloomfield (1945-1953) Mr Ian Newton (1945-1953) Mr Graham Young (1945-1954) Mr David Bannister (1951-1954) Dr Barry Garner (1947-1955) Dr Mike Young (1950-1955) Mrs Susanne Kohl (1949-1957) Mrs Daphne Ten Hove (1954-1959)

The OCA We would like to thank all former pupils who continue to donate to the School’s OCA fund which sponsors the School prizes, awarded at Speech Day, and supports other important projects around the school.

20

FOCus

1960s Mr Peter Fairs (1954-1961) Mr Adam Marshall (1953-1963) Sir Robert Crawford (1954-1963) Mr Chris Ringrose (1954-1963) Mr Bill Hudson (1955-1963) Mr Nigel Clark (1954 -1964) Mr Christopher Finch (1958-1964) Mr Graham Hilder (1955-1965) Dr Edward Libbey (1958-1965) Mr Robert Green (1960-1965) Mr Jon Bond (1957-1966) Mr Nicholas Coates (1960-1966) Mr Peter Chappell (1960-1967) Mr John Hubbard (1961-1968) Mr Ian Grenville Cross (1959-1969) 1970s Mr Jeremy Coster (1961-1970) Mr Paul Adams (1964-1971) Mr Stephen Musgrave (1964-1972) Mr Michael Bennett (1969-1976) Mr Christopher Nunn (1964-1974) Mr Jeremy Nunn (1976-1977) Mr Tony Crane (1969-1978) and Mrs Louise Crane (1971-1979) Mr Martin Freeman (1969-1979) 1980s onwards Mr & Mrs Simon Chrispin (1970-1980) Mr Bill Farrant (1974-1981) Mr Richard Poole (1974-1981) Mr Stephen Shen (1976-1981) Mrs Amanda Shaw (1979-1985) Mr Lee Presland (1984-1986) Mrs Jo Anderton (1981-1988) Mr James Forrest (1983-1990) Mr Simon Babes (1985-1993) Miss Harriet Johnson (1995-2005) Anonymous Family Trust All anonymous donors

Staff, Governors, Parents and Friends* *Who are not also alumni

Air Vice Marshal Steven Abbott and Mrs Patricia Abbott Mrs Jane Allum Mr Matthew Almond and Mrs Celia Almond Mr and Mrs John Bridges Mr John Bristow The Cadogan Charity Mrs Thelma Fretter Garfield Weston Foundation Ms Andrea Gibson Mrs Celia Gordon Mr Trevor & Mrs Ali Hotz Mr John Humphries Mr E W Johnson Mr Julian Johnson-Munday Mrs Jo Johnson-Munday Mr & Mrs Smart Kemiki Mr Timothy Matthews Major & Mrs Ian Mosedale Mr & Mrs Thomas Ng Mr S K Asiama and Mrs Okuneye-Asiama Dr and Mrs Rudolf Pachmann Mrs Lesley Robinson Miss Sally Ruffles Mr and Mrs Fred Rynsard Mrs Samantha Salisbury Mr Michael Schofield and Mrs Sarah Schofield Group Captain Jason Sutton and Mrs Nana Sutton Professor Roy and Mrs Doreen Swanston Mr & Mrs James Taylor The Revd Canon Graham Thompson Mrs Clare Whight Edwards & Blake Ltd Thanks also go to everyone who made a donation to the Campaign for Culford when purchasing their Opera in the Park tickets. Thank you to all for those who have made valuable contributions to our archive.

The Campaign for Culford Donation Form My Details Title:

First Name:

Surname:

Address: Postcode:

Email:

Telephone:

Mobile:

My Gift I/We would like my/our gift of (please state amount) ÂŁ

to be used:

For any of the projects within The Campaign for Culford Specifically for:

The New Library

Refurbishments to Hastings & Skinner

The Art Department

The Bursary Fund

The Kitchen & Dining Facilities

Where the School needs it most

If sufficient funds have already been received by Culford School for the project I have chosen to support, I understand that my donation will be used where it is needed most by the School.

My Donation Payment Method:

Regular Direct Debit

(Please complete the Direct Debit mandate overleaf)

Cheque

(Please make your cheque payable to Culford School Foundation)

Credit or Debit Card Card Details:

Visa/Delta Card

Mastercard

Maestro

Name on Card:

(in block capitals please)

Card Number: Security Number* (last three digits above signature strip)

*This is necessary for us to process a Card Not Present transaction. This code will be deleted from our records immediately after the transaction has taken place.

Expiry Date Signature:

/ Date:

Gift Aid Declaration I am a UK taxpayer and I would like the Culford School Foundation (Reg Charity No:310486) to claim Gift Aid on all the donations I have made in this tax year and the previous four tax years, and all the donations I make from the date of this declaration, as Gift Aid donations, until I notify you otherwise. I can confirm that I have paid an amount of UK income or capital gains tax equal to any tax reclaimed.

Signature:

Date:

Please use the Freepost envelope included with this edition of FOCuS (UK only) to return this form, or, alternatively, send to Foundation Office, Culford School, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP28 6TX

Thank You

for your gift, the Foundation Team will be in touch shortly.

Visit www.culford.co.uk/foundation for more information about the Campaign for Culford.

Your personal information is held by Culford School under the Data Protection Act 1998, and all data will be securely held.

If you have any queries, please contact us on +44 (0)1284 385310 or email foundation@culford.co.uk or visit our website www.culford.co.uk/foundation Registered Charity number: 310486

Foundation Gift Form Instruction to your bank or building society to pay by Direct Debit 75 Years in the Park Culford School Foundation Culford School Bury St Edmunds Suffolk IP28 6TX

Service user number

2

8

6

7

9

1

Name(s) of account holder(s)

Reference

Bank/building society account number

Instruction to your bank or building society Please pay Culford School Foundation Direct Debits from the account detailed in this Instruction subject to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand that this Instruction may remain with Culford School Foundation and, if so, details will be passed electronically to my bank/building society.

Branch sort code

Name and full postal address of your bank or building society To: The Manager

Bank/building society

Address

Signature(s)

Postcode

Date

Banks and building societies may not accept Direct Debit Instructions for some types of account

DDI2

This guarantee should be detached and retained by the payer.

The Direct Debit Guarantee • This Guarantee is offered by all banks and building societies that accept instructions to pay Direct Debits.

• If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit Culford School Foundation will notify you within 10 working days in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. If you request Culford School Foundation to collect a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request.

• If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit, by Culford School Foundation or your bank or building society, you are entitled to a full and immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank or building society.

– If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when Culford School Foundation asks you to.

• You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply contacting your bank or building society. Written confirmation may be required. Please also notify us.

News from the Foundation

www.culford.co.uk/foundation

Campaign for Culford: A Refurbished Art Department The Art Department is a special place at the heart of Culford. Pupils produce outstanding works of art and deliver some of the best GCSE and A Level results in the School. In 2013, we refurbished part of the Pringle Art Department to create the new Foundation Gallery. The next stage of development is to redevelop the large art studio. This will be a light and airy teaching space with a new glass panelled roof, French windows looking towards Culford Hall and comprehensive storage space for art materials (see artist’s impression of the exterior).

To help us with this project, we are finalising plans for an Arts fundraising event in 2016, which will very likely be an exhibition in the Foundation Gallery, followed by dinner. If you would be interested in exhibiting and/or attending the event please contact the Foundation team on 01284 385310 or email foundation@ culford.co.uk. Alternatively, there is a donation form included in this magazine on which you can make a donation specifically for the Art department refurbishment.

New Films about Culford school

An artist’s impression of the redeveloped Pringle Art Department

Thank You from the Foundation Team

To capture the essence of life at Culford we have produced Culford’s first ever series of short films. These four professionally produced videos collectively give an insight into life at the School and aim to show how an education at Culford is challenging, enriching and fun.

Our first film, Discover Culford gives a wonderful overview of the School, with sweeping panoramas over the Hall and park giving way to interviews with pupils and staff talking about Culford. Opportunity is very much the theme of the Sixth Form Freshers’ Week video, which shows young people developing their leaderships skills and forming friendships. Our High Performance Sport video encapsulates the passion and commitment of our young sports stars while showing the incredible facilities Culford has to offer. Finally, our latest release is devoted to the PrePrep & Nursery.

View all the films online now at www.culford.co.uk/discover_culford

L-R top row: John Humphries (OC Liaison Officer), Jessica Glover (Communications Officer), Jo Johnson-Munday (Foundation Director) L-R bottom-row: Kirsten Perry (Alumni Database Manager) and Samantha Salisbury (Foundation Manager).

Culford Online

Many Old Culfordians have already registered for Culford Online. There are plenty of good reasons to join, including: • Search to discover old friends and teachers and make contact.

• Easily update your address to receive FOCuS magazine and other mailings.

• Easily update your email address to receive our bi-monthly email newsletter ‘Hartley News’ and other emails about events and year group reunions.

• In the near future, you will be able to book events online if you are registered.

• Also, soon, you will be able to access an obituary section.

Search for Culford School Old Culfordians

Culford School Alumni Group

FOCus

23

OC Stories

Guy Abel (1955-1962): A Memorable Match It’s a truism, but names from long ago can sometimes be recalled more easily than those of recent acquaintances.

In April 2013, I read the obituary of Storm Thorgeson, a successful graphic designer noted for his work on album covers for artists such as Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. ‘There can’t be too many Storm Thorgeson’s’ I thought, ‘Surely I played cricket against him in 1962…’

An internet search confirmed that he was the right age and had gone to a Cambridge school, so I asked Lesley Robinson to send me a scan of the scorecard of our 1962 game against Cambridgeshire High School. Well, sure enough, there was Storm Thorgeson on the scorecard.

could get through his huge downswing his stumps were spreadeagled and he had to trudge back to the pavilion with a ‘golden duck’ to his name. His team eventually gave up the chase at 77 for 5, notching up another draw for us!

I’m pleased to say that the School have plans, when finance is available, to digitise most records so all Old Culfordians will be able to view them when the mood strikes, just as it did the day I read that obituary.

I think I remembered him owing to the events of the day. I had captained the 1st XI in 1962 because the talented players from our year, like John Knight (1951-1961) and Peter Fairs (1954-1961), had left before their A-levels. Being short of experienced batsmen and bowlers, Johnny Boughton (1938-1946) (master-in-charge), helped formulate a sneaky tactic for the season. Whenever possible we would leave the opposition with less time (and overs) than we’d had, so many games would end in forced draws.

On the day in question my father had come to watch, but I was out so early that he missed me being caught in the covers by the enthusiastic Mr Thorgeson. We struggled on to 134 for 9 - thanks largely to an unlikely last wicket partnership of 37 from John Hubery (1957-1964) and David ‘Tim’ Mutton (1953-1964) before making our rather late declaration.

When Mr Thorgeson opened the batting he was not a happy boy, and with his teammates egging him on his first stroke was a wild yahoo that wouldn’t look out of place in a 20/20 match.

Unfortunately for him he was facing our only dangerous bowler, John Lister (1953-1963), who was fast and prone to delivering the odd yorker. His first ball was just such a delivery and before Storm

L-R Back Row: Edward Libbey (Scorer) (1958-1965), Peter Hudson (19551966), John Delf (1957-1962), David Mutton (1954-1964), John Edwards (1957-1963), Martin Debenham (1953-1963), John Hubery (1957-1964).

Front Row: Chris Ringrose (1954-1963), Alf Long (1954-1965), Guy Abel (1955-1962), John Lister (1955-1963), Robert Naylor (1953-1963).

The Morley Twins The death of Erle Morley (1939-1948) (aged 83) in February 2014, after a long illness, and the death in 2006 of his marginally older twin-brother, Donald Morley (1939-1948), finally ends an era.

Here were two Old Culfordians who applied their genius to two aspects of life in East Anglia - farming and car-rallying. They were renowned for innovations in the former and inspiration in the latter.

Their first venture into international rallying was the Monte Carlo in 1955 in a Ford Zephyr, followed by the Tulip Rally a year later with a Riley Pathfinder. The British Motor Corporation backed them and this led, with an iconic new model, to the Morley’s Morris Mini Minor in the 1960 Monte Carlo.

They continued participating, with customary absences during harvest-time, until the RAC Rally in 1965.

In 1952 the Eastern Counties Motor Club’s Felixstowe Rally attracted them, as novices, to the sport. The Rutland Arms Hotel, Newmarket, was the startingpoint; an Austin A90 Atlantic, built for the American market, was their vehicle; and 370 miles later they were declared the winners.

A partnership was founded, with Donald’s driving ability and Erle’s navigational skills complementing each other.

Donald and Erle were generous with their time and encouragement in a sport that remains highly competitive. Their professional approach always had that element of courtesy and their dress-code reflected an age when tweed suits and sports jackets were part of the convention. Maybe their ‘gear’ for rallying had been influenced by the uniforms of Culford School?

24

FOCus

Don and Erle Morley in 1965

Comings and Goings

Comings

Culford is pleased to welcome the following new staff: Claire Bentley has taught in Prep schools in Buckinghamshire, the Isle of Wight, Hertfordshire and Kenya and has joined us as Deputy Head Academic at the Prep School.

Joining to teach Claire Bentley music in the Prep, Pre-Prep and Nursery schools, Suzanne Combes studied music and education at the University of Kent before completing her PGCE at the University of East Anglia.

She was previously Director of Music at Fairstead House School, Newmarket.

Director of Drama, Maria Jackson, joined Culford in September 2014. Prior to her teaching career, Maria was an actress on stage and screen. She says that. “The best part I have ever performed was the lead role Maria Jackson in a Film Four production called Bye Bye Baby set in the 50s. The part was written for me by Jack Rosenthal. Playing Juliet to Michael Sheen’s Romeo comes a close second.”

Annie Hafermann joined the Prep School as Maths and Science Teacher.

She has taught in several US states, the Middle East and the UK. She returns to teaching after raising two children, now both at Culford.

Newly qualified teacher, Charlotte Olley, joined in September 2013.

She teaches physical education and is a resident tutor in Jocelyn House.

Charlotte Olley

www.culford.co.uk/foundation Culford’s new Head of Science, Darren Rees, has taught in a number of schools, including King’s School, Germany. He graduated with a degree in Industrial Chemistry from Cardiff University before going on to take a PGCE.

and a member of the Culford Choral Society and Carols Choir. We wish Di the very best in her retirement. Daughter Jo (1992-1997) married at Culford in December 2014 (see page 34).

Darren Rees

Goings

The following members of staff moved on to new pastures in 2014; we wish them all the best in their retirement or future careers: Joining Culford in 2010 as Director of Drama, Maria Kane inspired many in the Senior School to become involved in the department’s varied and ambitious programme of musicals and plays. She inaugurated Maria Kane the summer term’s Fourth Form production and took groups to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival twice. We wish her the very best as she takes up her new position as Head of Drama at the British International School in Shanghai.

Di Hollins’ association with Culford started when her daughter entered the Senior School in 1992 and Di became an active member of the Parents’ Association. She Di Hollins joined the Prep School in 2000 teaching French and Latin, becoming Head of French. She was staff room representative to the Governing Body

Nick Hopton

Nicholas Hopton arrived in 2003 as a newly qualified teacher in the English department and was soon an active part of School and boarding House life as resident tutor and Assistant Housemaster of Edwards. In 2010, he became Prep School Director of Studies and was heavily involved in Culford’s commitment to Malawi. Nick has moved back to senior school life, as Head of English at Rendcomb College.

Adrian Hubbard joined Culford as Head of Science in 2007, overseeing the transition to IGCSE and teaching all year groups. He leaves Culford to join a dedicated A level centre near Shanghai.

Arriving in 2008 as Head of Classics, Terry Walsh taught in both Prep and Senior schools. He also helped teach French and Spanish and ran an Italian language club. Terry was Common Room chair for many years and a supporter of the Charities Committee. He moved to become Head of Classics at Ratcliffe College, Leicestershire.

Terry Walsh

FOCus

25

Money Matters

Some of our most successful Old Culfordians have careers in the financial services industries. Attracting the logical, great communicators and networkers, and perhaps some of the most pragmatic amongst Culford’s alumni, Money Matters celebrates those who work in this diverse and fast-paced industry.

Jane Franses (1968-1977) on serendipity: If we wanted to make a call home as a boarder at Culford in the mid 1970s, we walked out of the school gates to a public phone box, often queuing in the cold. Fast forward 40 years and today we all have mobile devices that happen to be phones but are the way we manage our lives, our banking and soon the way we pay. My job at Visa in Europe is to communicate the role we play in making that happen.

If you had told anyone that my career would be in financial services when I was at Culford they would have laughed. Often bottom in maths exams, I always wanted some sort of career involving English. But having received poor A-level results (a fear of exams on my part rather than a reflection on my education) I thought I had to re-evaluate.

Luckily Loughborough accepted me to study English and American literature, after an English Speaking Union Scholarship to Connecticut for a year, and, determined never to receive poor results again, I left with a First and an MPhil.

Roy Hill (1946-1952) Roy left Culford and began studying for his Chartered Accountancy qualification which he gained in 1957.

Following this he moved into the Roy Hill City as a Credit Investigator for UDT and Credit for Industry which led to him being promoted to Regional Accountant, based in Leicester, covering 12 branch offices. Between 1962 and 1964, Roy trained as a Cost and Management Accountant and started his own practice which quickly flourished and became a two partner firm. Around this time Roy set up a finance company which, as it was registered as a Deposit Taker at the Bank of England, necessitated bi-annual visits to the ‘Old Lady of Threadneedle Street’ – a highlight indeed! This firm finally became a family investment company.

Although technically retired, Roy still has a desk at his firm and spends his time there playing the stock market, keeping abreast of the latest accountancy trends

26

FOCus

Despite ambitions of a career in advertising or PR, Britain in the early 1980s was a tough place to find a job, so I went to Dubai, where my father worked as a Director of John Laing, and through him found myself teaching English. I met my husband Jack when he went to Dubai to hold an Islamic art auction for Sothebys and returned to London to join him. But what job? What career? I was over qualified and under experienced. There was a property boom, so I went to work in sales for a mortgage company which was a subsidiary of Salomons, dealing with insurance companies and brokers. Some experience in relationship management and sales led me to American Express and then Visa, where I went to manage sales relationships with UK banks.

In the mid-2000s Visa was reorganising globally and given some previous experience in managing projects I moved roles to coordinate the European communication. And so a career in corporate communication began; looking after business to business and managing the family investment company. Away from work he runs halfmarathons, plays golf and is active in his local Masons. He also spends time visiting his children in Sydney, Leamington and Nuthall.

Nigel Clark (1954-1964) Nigel left Culford and within a month was working at what was the London Stock Exchange where he stayed for 11 happy Nigel Clark years. Deciding he wanted a change of financial markets he dealt in coins for six years before returning to the City as an International Bond Trader, working for firms including Hambros, Bear Stearns & Barclays. This work was intense and called on his Culford-learned skills of value trading, decision making, arithmetical competence and camaraderie.

A brief spell trading antiques and Nigel was back in the City as Eurobond Repurchase Agreements broker (don’t ask!) and retirement and a more leisurely return to coin trading has ensued.

Jane Franses

communications to banks and other stakeholders. This includes overseeing our annual report (for which the team won the IR Society Best Practice Award for digital reporting), managing our conferences and events and developing our thought leadership. Finally I had my job in communications and mobile payments had become fashionable!

Whilst my husband died four years ago I still have a passion for the arts and avidly visit not only exhibitions in London but even went to Vienna for a day just to see a Giacometti exhibition. And my travel can all be booked and paid for via my mobile.

That’s quite a long journey from the Culford village public phone box.

Simon Cannell (1960-1965) Simon grew up working for the family seed business in Loddon in Norfolk, but after two years the business was sold so he moved to join a small firm of Chartered Accountants in central London. On passing his exams at the first attempt, Simon joined Peat Marwick in Bristol. The office was relatively small - fifty staff and three partners - but its connection to a major UK firm meant it produced a huge range of work. In 1981 he was invited to join the partnership and in 1987 the firm merged with Thomson McLintock to form KPMG which saw the Bristol office swell to 15 partners and 300 staff.

Simon remained a partner for 22 years, the last five as senior partner of the South West practice in Plymouth, before retiring in 2005. Retirement wasn’t the end of the story, though. A former client established a new manufacturing business in Bristol and offered him a role there. Simon’s loves include travel – he has a daughter and two grandsons in California – golf, rugby and Simon Cannell gardening.

Money Matters

www.culford.co.uk/foundation

Jayne-Anne Gadhia CBE (1975-1979) Chief Executive, Virgin Money In 2011 Jayne-Anne successfully led the acquisition of Northern Rock from the UK Government, nearly four years after it was nationalised. She successfully integrated Northern Rock into the Virgin Money Group and has since extended the business with the acquisition of a credit card book and the creation of a current account. Under her stewardship, the business has grown organically delivering strong financial performance and a strong return to profitability. She floated the business in autumn 2014 and it is now a FTSE250 company.

She originally joined Virgin in 1995 where she created the Virgin One Account. This business was acquired by RBS in 2001 and Jayne-Anne moved to RBS with it. She went on to lead a number of RBS business units and ultimately became responsible for the Group’s Retail Mortgage business. She

rejoined Virgin Money in 2007 and one of her first steps was to create Virgin Money Giving, a not for profit business dedicated to helping charities raise as much money as possible.

Jayne-Anne is an advocate of responsible business, an idea she has pioneered through her “Everyone’s better off” philosophy; this is the core component of the Virgin Money approach to business and culture. JayneAnne is also the Chair of Scottish Business in the Community. In January 2014, in recognition of both her services to banking and voluntary service to the community, Jayne-Anne was awarded a CBE in the New Year Honours List.

She will be running the Virgin Money London Marathon this year. Commenting on her latest challenge she said: “I love running but this is my first marathon and

it will be a huge personal challenge. I am looking forward to it, not least because I am running for Cancer Research UK, a charity very close to my heart.”

Jayne-Anne is married to Ashok and they have one daughter, Amy.

Jayne-Anne Gadhia

Andrew Black (1968-1978) Growing up on a large and busy family farm, Andrew spent a lot of time in the workshop during the summer holidays.

With this background and a strong interest in maths and physics, he left Culford with the goal of pursuing a career in engineering. Before joining Imperial College London, Andrew took a 9 month gap year, six months of which he spent in the army on a Short Service Limited Commission and the rest travelling.

During his university holidays Andrew worked for ICI, at a chemical plant outside Liverpool and Schlumberger in Norway and on graduating he took a job with Shell International in The Hague as a drilling engineer. Having joined a huge multinational company he fully expected to see something of the world and was initially disappointed to be posted to Aberdeen.

However, his experiences as a well site engineer in the North Sea provided a unique and unforgettable introduction to the world of work.

When the oil price collapsed and drilling activity slowed in 1985 Andrew looked for new challenges by studying for an MBA in America. He attended the Tuck Program at Dartmouth College and spent two wonderful years in New Hampshire. At the end of his first year Andrew was offered a summer internship with Citibank in New York and would have been happy to stay in the US after graduation had he not met a Londonbased lady before leaving for America.

Citibank solved his problem by offering him a role in their London office and two years later Map and Andrew got married.

Andrew spent the next 25 years working for Citibank in a variety of banking, investment, senior management and governance roles.

Although based in London he has travelled extensively in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the US. He retired from Citibank in 2013 and is currently exploring part-time work opportunities in Jersey, where he and Map hope to relocate.

Andrew Black

Andrew has great memories of his time at Culford, particularly being in a friendly year-group and playing a lot of hockey and cricket. He no longer has time for cricket and has swapped a hockey stick for some golf clubs. His greatest sporting passion over the past 45+ years has been, and remains, skiing and, he says, “Thankfully, at least for the time being, my knees seem to be holding up!” Andrew is the brother of James (1967 -1977), David (1970-1980) and Peter (19731983). Father, Robert (1941-1951) is also an OC and former Governor. Andrew and Map have two children, Natasha, aged 23, and Robbie, who is 21.

FOCus

27

Money Matters Jon Bond (1957-1966)

Chris Nunn (1964-1974)

Jon went from Culford to Bristol, and a degree in Economics, to London and a large accounting firm. After Jon Bond with his five years Jon wife Helen transferred to the firm’s New York Executive office and then, two years later, to their office in San Francisco where he was partner and headed up their attest practice. In 1988 he left to become the CFO of a software business, a sector he remained in for the next 20 years. For the last six years of his career Jon was the CFO of a non-profit company in San Francisco.

Chris, a second generation OC, left Culford for Loughborough where he read Economics with Accounting.

From there he joined Coopers & Lybrand as a trainee Chris Nunn Chartered Accountant and on qualifying headed to Papua New Guinea for a four month secondment, despite not knowing where Papua New Guinea was! This began a lifetime overseas and he hasn’t lived in England since. In Australia he joined a stockbrokerage in Melbourne and then Mercury Asset Management as Chief Operations Officer. In 2000, Chris became JP Morgan’s Head of Operations for start-up fund manager, MacarthurCook and of late has worked as a CFO for various Australian companies.

Jon is married to Helen whom he met in 1976 in San Francisco and they have two daughters. His eldest daughter spent a year studying at Bristol, which gave Jon a chance to revisit old haunts. His family have all visited Culford and were most impressed by the old oak tree – the much fêted “King of the Park”, now over 500 years old and witnessing the new Library rise from the ground opposite.

Robert Knight (1963-1971) Robert read Biochemistry at university and on his gap-year in Dusseldorf applied for a job with Merrill Robert Knight Lynch which (Centre) he got despite being unable to speak German! In 1987, he returned to the UK and joined Standard Life only to be seconded to Alte Leipziger as a project manager and, in 1994, CEO of the new Standard Life Germany. In 1996 he moved to another start-up, this time in Shanghai as CEO for Asia Pacific. There he built a new joint venture company in Tianjin, Heng-An Standard Life and Standard Life Asia in Hong Kong.

In 2007 Robert moved into corporate governance; accepting non-executive directorships with Aviva Asia and chaired the board at Vietnam Pioneer Partners. Four years of this saw Robert hankering for a fulltime role and he became CEO of the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union and a senior management advisor for Ernst & Young.

On turning 60, Robert joined Heidrick & Struggles, a global Executive Search firm, as APAC Managing Partner for the CEO and Board Practice where he remains.

28

FOCus

Life beyond work includes his wife, Kathy, who runs her own international executive relocation business and their children; Andrew and Angharad. Chris and Kathy have recently decided to mark off items from their ‘bucket list’ and have visited Petra, the Dead Sea and the Great Wall to name but a few.

Chris still plays golf as he did at Culford, only now he says he has a single figure handicap.

Jonathan Curtis (1974-1982) Jonathan left Culford to read Natural Sciences (Physics) at Cambridge. On graduating he continued with the life scientific for the first few years of his career before switching over to management consultancy. This led to him gaining his MBA and after a 7 year term with Hay Management Consultants, Jonathan joined American Express as Director of International Business before taking up his current role as the Director, Every Day Spend.

Darren Jordan (1982-1987) Darren left Culford to read History at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. On graduating, he joined Price Waterhouse (PwC) in London and in 1993 qualified as a Chartered Accountant. Darren

worked for PwC in both London and Sydney with extended periods in Paris and Stockholm.

In 2000, Darren moved on from auditing and went Darren Jordan to private equity in 2000, first with Inflexion Private Equity. The move obviously suited him and since 2009 he has been a partner with Silverfleet Capital. Silverfleet are a Pan-European private equity investor, with offices in London, Paris and Munich and in the 30 years since its inception has backed many companies that have gone on to become household names, including OFFICE and Fired Earth.

Darren is married to Saskia, and they have two children Abi (16) and Billy (12).

He lists his hobbies as theatre and live music (of a genre that he acknowledges he should long since have grown out of!), though most weekends are generally spent driving the children to equestrian and sailing competitions.

Robert Southgate (1981-1991) Rob left Culford to study Classical Civilisation and Ancient History at Warwick having been inspired by Mrs Ginn.

He was as Robert Southgate with his inspired to wife Lindsey become an accountant by his father, a fellow accountant, and Culford’s Mr Hobley who taught him maths. Having trained in Cambridge it became clear to Rob that the life of the auditor (‘ticking and bashing’) was not for him and he became a Tax Accountant. This led him to Grant Thornton in Bury, Ipswich, Norwich, Cambridge and London where he developed his specialism in corporate transactions, working on a range of high profile projects, including the AIM float of May Guerney and the sale of Go Compare.

After nine years, and with a young family to consider, Rob founded Integrity Tax & Accountancy Solutions providing

Money Matters tax advice to businesses and their owners. Rob spends his free time with his wife Lindsey and their two teenage girls, Evie and Olivia, and their recently acquired Andrex puppy. He’s a smallholder and farms 11 acres rearing cows, pigs and sheep and enjoys skiing, golf and fishing, muttering the immortal words ‘one last cast’. D Dickon Fincham-Jacques (1993-1995)

www.culford.co.uk/foundation to come to the realisation that the money was abysmal and he had doubts over his ability to keep a secret.

Global markets had always interested Kris and as he wanted to get a job where he could move overseas this seemed the obvious choice. On graduating he joined JPMorgan and spent time at their Investment Bank in London and Tokyo before eventually settling in New York with a focus on Hedge Fund risk management. In 2008 he moved to Newport Beach, California to PAAMCO where he managed the risk group. In 2011 Kris joined BNY Mellon in Los Angeles as its Chief Risk Officer for an alternatives platform and in 2013 started his own Investment Consulting firm, Armilla Partners. Kris is married to Jeannette, lives in California and they spend much of their spare time travelling.

Dickon Fincham-Jacques

Dickon completed his A-levels at Culford and headed to Kingston University to study Medicinal Chemistry. Two years later, and following a summer tour of Europe, he realised that that science wasn’t for him and he joined Lloyds Private Banking in their Cambridge offices as an Investment Assistant. Dickon went on to spend 14 happy years working in the front office, managing client relationships and completing his qualifications. In 2012 he decided he needed a fresh challenge and moved into Business Change and Transformation, which involves applying regulatory changes to the Private Banking business, as well as more business-level process changes and operational changes. In this role he worked on the sale of the TSB in accordance with the European Union’s directive.

Dickon still lives near Bury St. Edmunds and looks after his elderly parents. He is also a parish organist and a composer of church music, some of which will soon be in the hands of music publishers.

Kristoffer Houlihan (1990-1997) Kris left Culford to study Geographical Sciences at the University of Bristol.

Before graduating he considered a career with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or the intelligence services, only

Kris Houlihan

Peter Struempell (1998-2000) Peter graduated from Reading with a First in Economics before gaining his MSc in Economics from Warwick. His first role was Peter Struempell back at his alma mater when he became an econometrics/financial analyst at the Land Management department of Reading University.

Having found his vocation, Peter moved to Oxford Property Consultants as a property research and fund manager before moving into the real estate team at KPMG Corporate Finance.

He has spent the past six years at EY, also in the Real Estate Corporate Finance team, with a focus on real

estate mergers and acquisitions, and is soon to join Barclays Real Estate Investment Banking team. Peter is married and outside work enjoys skiing, photography and reading.

Neil Khagram (1988-2003) Neil left Culford and took a gap year which he spent touring through Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Australia, Neil Khagram Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. On returning he attended the University of Wales where he read Law and International Politics before doing some post-graduate work in International Business Law. A legal career was not for Neil, however, and he chose to move into investments and property in Central London. He has worked for some of London’s largest property companies, and developed a strong passion for investment, development and corporate finance.

Neil now owns and runs his own International asset solution, wealth management, investment and development company in central London, called NK Property Acquisitions. They specialise in offmarket real estate acquisition - be they commercial or residential – and are working with multi-billion pound funds for various high society members, celebrities and institutional investors.

‘Every day is a school day in this industry!’ says Neil.

FOCus

29

Obituaries

Lives Remembered

It is with great sadness that we bring you the following obituaries: Lady Ralphs (1915-2014), esteemed School Governor, was born in Cornwall as Enid Mary Cowlin, attended Penzance Grammar School and became VicePresident of the National Union of Students. She married the man who was to become Norfolk’s Chief Education Offer, Sir Lincoln Ralphs, who died in 1978. In 1981, she became the first female chairman of the Magistrates’ Association of England and Wales and was also made a Deputy Lieutenant of Norfolk. She was Governor first of the East Anglian School for Girls and then at Culford for over 40 years in all (1961-2002). Her involvement at Culford continued late into her life and was marked by a perceptive, sharp intellect, integrity and wisdom, vigour and kindness.

Former pupils

times. He died in 2014 of respiratory failure in a nursing home in Cambridge after a short illness.

Revd Henry Butler (1925-2014) was among Culford’s first intake of pupils.

He served in the Royal Engineers, became a farmer and potato merchant.

He entered the ministry at 50 years of age, training at Ridley Hall before becoming a curate at St Mary’s, Cambridge, and the vicar in parishes at Stilton, Histon and Impington. He became a regular visitor to Culford from his home in Hauxton.

John Burt

Lady Ralphs

Dame Elaine Kellett-Bowman (19232014) was born Mary Elaine Kay, brought up in Lancashire, educated at The Mount School, York, and St Anne’s College, Oxford. She had a succession of careers social worker, dairy farmer, barrister, MP for Lancaster from 1970 for 27 years, and a Member of the European Parliament… and a mother of four. After the death in a car accident of her first husband, Charles Kellett, she married Edward Bowman.

She was a committed Methodist and through this connection served as a Culford School Governor from 1961 for over 40 years.

Dame Elaine Kellett-Bowman

30

FOCus

John Burt (1922-2015) grew up in Felixstowe and was a boarder, with his younger brother, George, from 1933-1940. He studied Dentistry at Guy’s Hospital, joined the Army Royal Dental Corps, married Mary in 1947 and was posted to work in Ceylon and Singapore. Later he joined his older brother, Spencer, in a Lowestoft practice. He had an active retirement into his 80s, including trekking in the Himalayas and Peru.

Air Commodore Peter Thorne (1923-2014) was born in Eastbourne and was at Culford from 1931 until 1940 when he joined the RAF as a pilot. After active war service he secured a series of commissions in, among many places, Cyprus, Boscombe Down, Northern Germany, Iran and Moscow, where he was Defence and Air Attaché. On leaving the RAF he worked as an air systems consultant and following retirement he maintained links with flying through the Imperial War Museum at Duxford. In 1951 he married Mary Tarrant. They had three children, David, Susan and Michael, who all attended Culford/ EASG between 1963 and 1979. Forever self-effacing, he is one of only five RAF pilots to receive the Air Force Cross three

Barbara Stuart at a Culford Tea for Two event

Barbara Stuart née Skinner (19292014) was the eldest daughter of Dr and Mrs John Skinner and sister to Mary and Wendy. Some of her childhood was spent at the then new Headmaster’s Lodge on the South Front. Barbara trained as a nurse at the Middlesex Hospital, London, but a severe mastoid and tonsil problem interrupted this and she became a Matron at the well-known Atholl Crescent School of Domestic Science in Edinburgh. This led to her becoming qualified in Battersea as a Domestic Science teacher and appointments in Oxford and Cambridge. Barbara’s son, William Hastings, had been born during a short-lived first marriage but she later married again and with Ted spent many happy years, travelling globally and particularly enjoying ballet in London.

When widowed she moved to Anglesey to be nearer William, who was running a successful forestry and agricultural business in Wales, and his family which eventually included five greatgrandchildren.

Obituaries

www.culford.co.uk/foundation

Rowland Beaney (1955-2014) time there and left with the Gold Medal for graduating at the top of his year.

His first appointment was with Bidwells, Cambridge, buying and selling farms all over Britain to a diverse range of purchasers. He was never fazed by either the size of the properties or the social standing of his clients.

Rowland’s marriage to Judy led to the arrival of Kate in ’81 and Thomas in ’84, both of whom went on to join Culford.

His business partnership with his father led to the expansion of R C Knight & Son of Stowmarket, eventually merging with Lacy Scott of Bury St Edmunds, and to his taking over the role of Honorary Secretary of the Suffolk Association of Auctioneers, an office held by the Beaney family for some 50 years.

Thelma Fretter

Thelma Fretter (1924-2014) came from Fakenham, trained as a Methodist Deaconess and joined Culford as a matron in 1948.

She married Arthur Fretter, the Head of English, and moved to Bury St Edmunds.

Here she was active in church and local life, enjoyed the theatre, ballet and opera, and loved entertaining. She became a Worthing resident in 2012, living near her nephew.

Thelma Fretter’s nephew, David Bruce and his wife, Wendy, visited Culford for tea and a tour in spring 2015. After tea in the Workman Library, David presented a legacy bequest of £50,000 to the school from his late aunt’s estate. David and Wendy enjoyed a tour with Prep Headmaster, Mike Schofield, to see the Farr Fretter wing, where a previous legacy had been given to the Prep School by former teachers Arthur Fretter, Thelma’s husband, and Bernard Farr.

The death of Rowland John Baxter Beaney on Christmas Eve marked the end of a fulfilled, active and devoted life which had brought benefit, pleasure, joy and love to many - in his family, school, community and profession. The standing room only attendance at his funeral and the tributes paid to the family, testify to these attributes.

Rowland was the eldest child of Peter and Peggy Beaney, of Stowmarket, and brother to Diane and Sally. He attended Hillcroft Preparatory School and became a boarder at Culford, aged nine. With his gregarious temperament and sporting skills, he thrived on many aspects of school-life, becoming a Full Prefect, House-Captain and sub-editor of The Culfordian.

School holidays were also filled with activities. Time was spent at Woodlands, the home of the Morton family, featuring speed on bikes and then in cars.

Family caravan holidays to Cornwall, Wales, Scotland and France gave him an awareness of varied places beyond Suffolk. While he was in the Sixth Form he met his wife-to-be, Judy Glasswell.

Prep School Headmaster Mike Schofield and David Bruce outside the Farr Fretter wing

In 1974 he began studies in Rural Estate Management at the Royal College of Agriculture, Cirencester, enjoyed his

He was invited to join the Lord Chancellor’s Panel of Arbitrators in 1992 and in 2008 the presidential team of the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers.

Rowland served as President in 2010/11.

A hallmark of his in these organisations was his giving of time and energy to encourage young talent in the profession.

He had chosen a career that he loved and wanted others to share his motivation.

That range of clubs and societies which absorbed him at school was translated into comparable groups and charities in East Anglia. He maintained his keenness for hockey and played in the range of teams - from the 1xt XI to the Veterans - at Bury Hockey Club. He was first introduced to skiing at the age of 40 when mountains and snow became a part of Beaney family holidays. In 2011, his daughter Kate married Philip Deakin and welcomed Rowland’s first grandchild, Henry, in 2013. In 2014, his son Tom married Senel.

Rowland’s commitment to the School was one of exactly half-century - from pupil to the Old Culfordians’ Association, from parent to School Governor. As Tom said in his eulogy for his father, ‘Rowland loved Culford and Culford loved him’.

Whatever he did, he multi-tasked and had that knack of multiplying interest and growth by application and enthusiasm.

The memories and legacies he created will last for a very long time.

Extracted from the address given by Thomas Beaney at his Father’s memorial service at St Mary’s Church, Bury St Edmunds, on 13 January 2015.

FOCus

31

Obituaries Erle Morley (1930-2014) was the twin brother of Donald, who died in 2006. They came from Hitcham, Suffolk, were pupils from 1939 -1948 and became well-known in national and international motor-rallying from the early 1950s. He was, like his brothers, regarded as an exceptional farmer. The observation was made, ‘To know what you want to do with your land, then look at what the Morleys are doing.’

Peter Rawlinson (1936-2014) came to Culford as a boarder from Sible Hedingham, where he excelled at cricket and hockey.

After leaving school, and doing his National Service, Peter joined his father trading grain from the beautiful Alderford Watermill, Sible Hedingham, from which he built a 57-year career. He remained a keen cricketer and was President of Halstead Cricket Club. He leaves behind his wife Sue, daughter Claire, son David and three grandchildren.

to the OC Golf Society, attending spring and summer meetings. A man of wit and charm, after leaving Culford Peter attended The Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester. He became a chartered surveyor and established an estate agency and property development businesses in his home area around Harwich in north Essex.

Ian Melvin (1962-2014) died after a short illness. ‘Yogi’ had that gift of friendship which was evident throughout his schoolyears of 1973-1980 and in his working life, associated for much of its time with Parkyns, the estate agents. He maintained his love of cricket, commemorated in his obituary notice with the words: ‘Sadly bowled out the 8th of December with a classy innings of 52 on the board.’

Former Common Room and Colleagues

Victor Hunt (1927-2014) was Assistant Bursar from 1965-1991 and the Founder of the 6th Bury St Edmunds Scout Troop.

He came to Culford from the Bury offices of the former engineering works of Cornish & Lloyds. He was good-humoured, always approachable and took a meticulous interest in his financial work. He died at Risby Park Nursing Home.

Trevor Goodwin

Trevor Goodwin (1939-2015) came from Loughton, Essex, as a boarder in 1950, became Head Boy and, after National Service in the Army, trained as a teacher at Goldsmiths College, London. He married Janet Miller and took up his first appointment at Alderman Blaxill School, Colchester. In 1974 he joined the Geography Department here and soon became Careers Master. He conveyed, in term-time, academic concepts and advice about future education and employment; and during the school-holidays he took parties of students on field-courses, scouts on camping expeditions, and skiers to the European slopes. He cherished familylife, cultivated the garden at his Great Barton home, was active at Trinity Methodist Church and made annual visits to the Scilly Isles with family and friends.

Peter Kincaid (1947-2014) was at Culford School between 1959 and 1965. A good sporting ‘allrounder’, he will be remembered for his dedicated support

32

FOCus

Peter Kincaid

Ken Gorman (1929-2014) was the Head of Art who inspired many pupils to pursue these interests either personally or professionally.

He had taught in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and then returned north to Barnard Castle School for the last phase of teaching and a fulfilled retirement. His first book, Stranger in a Storm, a murder mystery was published when he was 78 years of age.

Sheila Nunn (1929-2014) died suddenly following a deterioration in her health. She was a frequent visitor to Culford - as wife of the late Bill Nunn, mother of Isabel, a former teacher, and of Tony and Philip, former pupils - and as a peripatetic music teacher, specialising in the cello. Among her pupils was the former Headmaster, Derek Robson.

She was elected Mayor of Downham Market in 1984.

Gerald Wright (1932-2014) had lifelong connections with Culford. His father worked as a gardener for Lord Cadogan and he took up a similar position in 1948. He worked, at various times, on the boilers, pig-keeping, as groundsman and, finally, refuse collector.

His genial and considerate ways impressed.

When it rained, members of staff would often find that he had discreetly covered their bicycle saddles with protective plastic-bags.

Janet Copping (2001-2014 at Culford) died suddenly on 23 October relatively soon after moving from her home in Culford Park to Hampshire. Jan was known and appreciated by many Culfordians for her cheerful and dedicated presence in the School Tuck Shop.

Her connections with the School go back to when her husband of over 46 years, Tim, joined the staff as a groundsman in 1982.

Tim and Jan Copping

Robbie Hamilton (2012-2015 at Culford) came to Culford to teach Mathematics in September 2012. He had had an illustrious career in the RAF where he was acknowledged to be its top navigator and joined the teaching staff at Gordonstoun School in 2008, where he became Housemaster of Bruce House. He quickly established himself at Culford as a fine mathematics teacher before his sudden death in the middle of the spring term 2015.

His son James (2012-2014) was a pupil.

We also remember the following Old Culfordians who passed away in 2014/15. Soon, full obituaries will be available to view through Culford Online. Please visit www.culford. co.uk/culfordonline to register now.

William Bannister (1946-1952) Andrew Beaumont (1963-1968) Douglas Blane (1933-1936) Christopher Cory (1939 -1948) Malcolm Croot (1947-1953) Clive Dalby (1955 -1960) Liz Dobson (1957-1963) Dr Donald Drew (1933-1937) Peter Edwards (1935-1944) Michael Harrison (1945-1949) Alan McQueen (1933-1937) John Miller (1951-1957) Alan Morton (1950-1954) Richard Pettit (1935-1939) Myra Beryl Carpenter née Randall (1935-1939) John Stevens (1942-1951) Dr Daniel Stewart (1935-1941) Martin Taylor (1940-1942) Sarah Jane Wooley née Freestone (1969-1977)

We Celebrate

www.culford.co.uk/foundation

Wedding Belles and Beaus

Will Jolly and Bella Tew

Will Jolly (1992-2007) and Bella Tew (2002-2005) were married on 30 August 2014 at St Mary’s Church, Culford and the reception was held in a marquee on the South Front lawns. Not only are Will and Bella OCs but Will’s four other siblings, Paul (1989-2000), Kate (19902004), Daniel (1989-2003) and Susanna (1992-2000) all came to Culford too.

Not to be outdone, Bella’s father, uncle, grandmother and late grandfather were all also educated at Culford or the East Anglian Schools. Bella’s Grandmother Madeline Stennett (1940-1951) attended the East Anglian School for Girls. Her Grandfather Neville Christopher Tew (1939-1946) was MRCVS and his name is listed on the board in the Senior School Library. Bella’s father is Christopher Tew (1971-1979), and her uncle is Michael Tew (19681977).The best man was Elliott Watkins (2002-2007) while the ushers were: Paul Jolly, Daniel Jolly, Anthony Bonnett (1997-2007), Tom Turner (1997- 2005), Will Tew and the bridesmaids were Kate Jolly and Rebecca Davison.

Your Wedding at Culford If you would like information about holding your wedding ceremony at St Mary’s Church and the reception at Culford, please contact Chris Hunt, Operations Manager, on 01284 385350 or visit www.culford.co.uk/weddings Forthcoming OC Weddings in 2015 Louisa Dixon (1994-2000) to marry Ryan O’Connell (1997-2002); Lewis Kelly (1996-2006) to marry Pam; Natalie Paul (1999-2003) to marry Patrick Rusby.

Congratulations to Annalise Pask (19992004) who is engaged to Greg Smith from Worcestershire and who are planning to Annalise Pask get married in Suffolk (1999-2004) in June 2015. They met through political campaigning in London.

Their four bridesmaids are OCs Lucinda (1998-2003) and Caroline Pask (20012008), Stephanie Crack (1997-2004) and Melissa McNeil (1993-2004).

Carrie Fehr (1994-1999) married Dr Robin Scott on 11 April at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. Robin is a mechanical Carrie Fehr and Dr engineer Robin Scott specialising in remote handling and Carrie is Deputy Development Director at Lady Margaret Hall. OCs in attendance were Helen Kenward (1994-1999) and Victoria Stammars née Beadle (1991-1997).

In November 2014 Stephanie Crack (1997-2004) became engaged to Ben Mills from East Sussex after meeting through a mutual friend. They Stephanie Crack will be married in (1997-2004) Rougham, Suffolk and fiancé in June 2016. Their Ben Mills. bridesmaids will be OCs Michaela Crack (2000-2007) and Annalise Pask (1999-2004).

Sarah McCarter marries Mark Purves

Sarah Purves née McCarter (19881990) and Mark Purves (1980-1990) met while at Culford and thought that they had gone their separate ways.

However, 22 years later they met again...and fell in love! On a beautiful day, 16 August 2014, they married at St Mary’s Church, Culford. Mark’s son, Harry Purves (2011-2013) and Harry Youngson (2011-2013) were ushers.

The outdoor drinks reception and meal were held on the South Front, with the evening celebrations continuing in Old Hall. Other OCs attending were Heather Beaton née Wilson (19851990) and Faye Somerville (19821989), Claire Brown née Richardson (1985-1989) and Jack Godden (20042013). Sarah’s A-level music teacher of years gone by, James Recknell, made the ceremony extra special by playing the organ in Church. Sarah and Mark live locally, with Sarah working as a piano and early years music teacher and Mark working for the police.

As a surprise present for their diamond anniversary, Irwin Warrell (19421947) dedicated a Studio Theatre seat at Culford to his wife. The inscription reads ‘Celebrating 60 Glorious Years with Eileen’.

FOCus

33

We Celebrate

New Arrivals

Caroline Creed (1990-1992) married Martin Kadhim on 6 December 2014 at Chelsea Old Church, London. Following a beautiful ceremony the reception was held at The Bluebird on the Kings Road and they honeymooned in Barbados.

Caroline is a Vice President at Winton Capital in London, a global hedge fund and Martin is part of the management team at Ashwoods Automotive, an automotive engineering business, based in Exeter.

Emily Young née Hounsome (20062014) married Austin Young in Boise, Idaho (USA) on 21 December 2014. Austin works for the US Air Force and they are currently living at RAF Lakenheath Emily Hounsome in Suffolk. Austin plans to leave the Air Force and move to Moscow, Idaho where they both plan to attend the University of Idaho to study Law.

Emily Lee née Lawn (1995-2003) and her husband David have a new arrival to join Elijah. Their new baby is Ezra John Lee, he was born at home as planned, on Monday 8 December 2014, and he weighed 7lb 8oz.

Caroline Creed

Fenella Morton (2002- 2004) got engaged to James Blyth (an Old Framlinghamian) whilst skiing in Hinterglemm, Austria. Fenella is based in Suffolk and works in the family businesses, MorVend Vending Services and MorBeans Coffee Company.

Congratulations go to Edward Hirst (1990-2001) and his wife Christine, on the birth of their third child, Henrik, who was born last October to join William and Adele. With three children under 5 they say “we are exhausted 100% of the time!” Edward moved to Norway with Christine in 2009 and now works as a construction manager on the new American Embassy project in Oslo.

Paul Swanson (1996-2003) and his wife Danielle had their first child, Freddie, born on 4 June 2014. Already active and walking Freddie had his first trip to Canada, visiting Danielle’s family and fortunately Freddie Swanson slept through the whole flight!

Paul runs Swanson Landscapes and is enjoying parenthood.

34

FOCus

Fenella Morton (2002-2004) with fiancé James Blyth

Danielle Lomas née Lenton (19972001) gave birth to twin boys on 7 April 2014. Oliver Luke Lenton Lomas and Henry James Lenton Lomas. They now have a sister due at the end of May 2015.

Lenton Twins

Jo Hollins

Jo Maitland née Hollins (1992-1997) married Chris Maitland on 1 November 2014. Culford Hall was beautifully transformed by an army of family and friends who helped turn Old Hall and the Staff Room into an autumnal wood with full size trees adorned with twinkling lights and colourful flowers. The wedding was attended by Jo’s mother Diana Hollins, (former Head of French at the Prep School) and brothers Tim Hollins (1994- 1999) and David Hollins (19972003). Jo and Chris are both Majors in REME. Billy Shepperson was born on 21 April 2014 weighing 7 pounds 6 oz to Pete Shepperson (2002-2007), and Suzan Shepperson née Darbaz (1995-2007), proud Grandad, Rick Shepperson (1988-2012), and Aunty Catherine (2002-2006). He also had his first holiday abroad at 3 months old to Las Vegas!

It was to visit Suze’s brother Erol Darbaz (1993-2004) and his wife Nicole for their wedding! They were married at the Wynn Encoure hotel in Vegas which is where they first met. They now live in Canada together which is where Nicole is from.

If you are getting married or expecting a baby next year then please do let us know so that we can include your news in the next edition of FOCuS. Please email foundation@culford.co.uk or telephone 01284 385310

OC Sport

www.culford.co.uk/foundation

OC Netball OC girls returned on Sunday 11 January 2015 for an enjoyable match against the school’s 1st team.

The game was even to start with but the school’s shooting talents could not be matched by the OC team enabling the school to soar ahead, winning 38-13.

However, a much demanded rematch in February ended with the Old Culfordians winning 39-18!

OC Boys’ Hockey The annual Old Culfordians v The Headmasters XI boys’ hockey match took place on Saturday 10 January 2015, on a blustery yet sunny day on the school AstroTurf. The OC squad included many former 1st XI captains including Jack Ferrari (2000-2014), Oliver Ferrari (20012009) and Elliot Smith (2007-2012), as well as first team players from recent years: Dom Absolon (2008-2013), Callum Downing (2004-2013), Harry Reidy (2011-2013), Ben Long (2007-2013), Alex McCaffrey (20032011) and Thomas Mitcham (2003-2014).

The match was played in the right spirit and far closer than the 5-1 win to the school suggests.

OC Girls’ Hockey

OC Cricket

Last year the annual OC Cricket Match took place on Saturday 29 June 2014.

Freddie Preston (2007-2012) led the Old Culfordian team which included Nick Ivory (2005-2012), Jonty Rawcliffe (2008-2013), Angus Mackintosh (20072012), Elliot Smith (2004-2013), Alex Lee (2000-2010), Max Mason (20072012) and Alex McCaffrey (2003-2011), Bradley Timmins (2004-2013), Harry Peter-Hoblyn (2001-2012) and Dominic and Beth Absolon (both 2008-2013).

Freddie did a sterling job in pulling together the team but unfortunately the weather did not remain kind. The match had to be called off and a draw was declared.

On Saturday 6 September 2014, the 1st XI Girls’ Hockey team lined up against their older counterparts in this annual fixture. Issy Davies (2001-2014), Emma Devlin (1999-2013), Beth Absolon (2008-2013), Bex Selway (2006-2011) and Louise Barber (2001-2011) were among those playing. The OC girls did well in the first half, scoring a goal, however, the school dominated play in the second half, leaving the final result 6-1 to the school.

Tristan Rawcliffe (2008-2014) and Andy Marsh, PE Teacher

Elliot Smith (2007-2012) and Bradley Timmins (2004-2013)

Focus

35

Calendar of Events 2015 Opera in the Park

The OC Golf society

Culford Hall, Saturday 20 June

OC Tennis

Culford Sports and Tennis Centre, Saturday 20 June

OC Golf summer Meeting Links Golf Club, Newmarket Wednesday 24 June

OC Cricket

Culford School, Saturday 27 June

Culford summer Ball

Culford School, Saturday 27 June

OC Reunion: Year of 2005 Culford Hall, October 2015

The Golf Society and friends at the South Front of Culford Hall on 27 June 2014

g

-1973) and Jerem yL ee (

1

)

ards, Sue Edwa r ds Edw

né

e

rig

96 9 s (1

In 2014, the OC Golf Society met in both the summer and autumn, with a good turnout on both occasions. On Friday 27 June they met at Flempton Golf Course, with 25 OCs playing for the Gould Salver (Scratch) which was won

by David Slater (1954-1961) Gross 81; the Rose Cup (Net) was won by Chris Ringrose (1954-1963) Gross 81 less 12 = Net 69; and the Edward’s Jigger (Stableford) was won by Sally Price née Hoyland (1970-1975) with 38 points.

56 19 894

B

We are fortunate in having many keen golfers who form the Old Culfordians’ Golf Society. This society is open to former pupils, regardless of whether they played golf during their time at school or not. The society play competitively, as well as socially, and accept members from all age groups.

-R

hn Jo

In 2015, the Summer Meeting is on Wednesday 24 June at Links Golf Club, Newmarket and the Autumn Meeting at Flempton Golf Club on Friday 2 October. You do not need to be a member of the Old Culfordians’ Golf Society to play and guests are very welcome to attend.

L

Do you have a single figure golf handicap?

Jeremy Nunn (1967-1977) is very keen to get a team together to play in the Grafton Morrish and the Halford Hewitt competitions in 2016. If you are interested please contact the Foundation on 01284 385310 and we will be very pleased to put you in touch with Jeremy.

36

In October, at the Links Golf Club in Newmarket, the winner was Tim Bonnett (1966-1973), with Peter Hudson (1955-1966) second and Sue Edwards née Briggs (19691973) finishing third. The Green Bowl, awarded to the player with the highest aggregate Stableford points over the two meetings, was won by David Slater (1954-1961).

FOCus

If you are interested in joining or playing, please contact the Foundation Office on 01284 385310 or email: foundation@culford.co.uk.

OC Golf Autumn Meeting

Flempton Golf Club, Friday 2 October

Act of Remembrance

Culford Hall, Wednesday 11 November

OC Reunion: Year of 1954

Culford Hall, Saturday 19 November

For more information please contact us on 01284 385310 or email: foundation@culford.co.uk The Culford Foundation makes reasonable efforts to include current and accurate information in FOCuS but makes no warranties or representations as to the accuracy of the published content. News of former pupils and colleagues is always welcome; please do keep in touch.

Photo credits: Wendy Turner/Red Shed Photography, Warren Page, S. Brownie, Tim Winter, Vanessa Jane Hall.

Breaking news:

Culford have launched a Golf Academy. Led by PGA Professional, Lawrence Dodd,this new Academy will offer young golfers aged 8-18 the chance to combine a first-class education with top flight golf coaching. You can find out more at: http://bit.ly/golfscholar

The Foundation Office, Culford School, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP28 6TX Tel: 01284 385310 Email: foundation@culford.co.uk