REVIEWS & REPORTS

REVIEWS

&REPORTS DRAMA MUSIC ART CCF LIBRARY SPORT

“…a large cast who brought fantastic dancing and singing to bring the musical to life…”

Little Shop of Horrors

Little Shop of Horrors was a hugely successful show for the School to put on, especially in the midst of a pandemic. The show was cast, we were ready to come back after Christmas and get stuck into choreography and learning the musical ready to perform in March. However, a second lockdown set in, and it was back to remote learning. Despite this, the LSOH cast stayed strong, and we started to learn all our lines, choreography and songs through the laptop screen.

This could not have been done without the amazing support of Tristan Carter, Maisie Carter and Mr Bridges!

It is hard to believe that we had all learnt the main dances of the show online. There were some baby steps to be made when we came back to make sure we were all on the same page, especially as some internet connections could be unstable, and knowing our lefts from our rights proved a bit more difficult than one would expect! Nonetheless, after weeks of practice when we were able to return to school we had all gathered an amazing chemistry within the cast to be able to put on a really fun and exciting show.

On Thursdays we danced and acted, interspersed with Games, which meant that we were sweating a lot! On Saturdays, Mr Bridges led our singing practice and, after some time testing the opening number, specifically learning the lyrics, I think it is clear we are not going to forget them for a long time. It then came to show week, the amazingly well designed set by Miss Ibbotson was up, the lights were shining, Audrey II was in and we were ready to perform.

I played the role of Seymour as my final appearance on the stage at Downside and enjoyed the experience very much. Supported by leading lady Lily Garrett who played Audrey. Huge congratulations to her as she had jumped into the role a month or so before performance. Stephanie Jedy-Agba’s voice-over, filled with attitude, combined with Nick Hobbs’ frantic movement, brought the man-eating plant to life and showed off the sinister intentions it was planning. We are all in such debt to Tristan Carter as the director but also as an actor who has amazed us all with his hilarious interpretation of Mushnik. I think it is fair to say that Sophia Burton’s portrayal of Dr Scrivello all gave us a new fear of dentists and she did amazingly.

It was lovely to have such a large cast who brought fantastic dancing and singing to bring the musical to life which was reflected in the audience’s laughter and tunes still sung round the School from day to day.

I encourage more students to get involved in the arts at the School. It is extremely rewarding and great fun at the same time!

Alexander Harwood Upper Sixth Form

LAMDA RESULTS

We congratulate all those who have passed LAMDA exams this year:

Garrett Lily Harwood Alex Acting - Solo 8 Distinction Summer 2021 Acting - Solo 8 Distinction Summer 2021

Yang Yuhan Acting - Solo 6 Distinction Summer 2021

Garrett Beatrice Acting - Solo 5 Distinction Summer 2021 Grecian Lydia Acting - Solo 5 Distinction Summer 2021

Garrett Harry Acting - Duo 4 Distinction Summer 2021 Gathungu Joshua Acting - Duo 4 Distinction Summer 2021 Murphy Amelie Acting - Duo 4 Distinction Summer 2021 Ridge Alexa Acting - Duo 4 Distinction Summer 2021 de Pelet Alec Acting - Solo 4 Merit Summer 2021

Preston Isabella Acting - Solo 3 Distinction Summer 2021

Dolman Fiona Radcliffe Daisy Acting - Duo 2 Distinction Summer 2021 Acting - Duo 2 Distinction Summer 2021

MUSIC

MUSIC REPORT

A lot of music, dance and drama was planned for Downside’s academic year 2020-21, but the continuing pandemic meant that a lot of it didn’t happen. Opportunities to rehearse and perform were greatly constrained by limitations imposed both by the government guidance (much of which was, in any case, opaque, contradictory, and changed at the last minute) and by the School’s best efforts to implement that guidance. Much of our usual activity became unviable, as there were simply not enough spaces of sufficient size, nor enough times in the day when our bubbles and staggered mealtimes could align. All this is said simply for the record, and to explain why this report is so much shorter than normal. Because rather than lament what we missed we can celebrate what was achieved, especially as it all happened under the most trying and frustrating conditions that most performers have ever encountered.

The Pipe Band, Concert Band and newly-formed Corps of Drums were able to start the year in fine style with outdoor, sociallydistanced rehearsals. Between them they performed, also out of doors, at the School’s Remembrance Day Parade, for Christmas Carols in the quad, and in the Virtual Carol Service.

Choral singing was limited to around 20 singers from the Sixth Form bubble, who were able to spread out in the Theatre to rehearse and film a weekly hymn for the Sunday prayer services. They also worked tremendously hard to put together our Virtual Carol Service, which appeared to come from locations in the Abbey Church and elsewhere. It can now be safely revealed, however, that it was all filmed in the Old Chapel in front of a massive green screen. The green-screen images were then superimposed onto footage taken from the various chapels of the

Abbey Church. But there were some genuine shots, too: the Corps of Drums really was on the 1st XV pitch, and Owain Daley really did play his bagpipes on top of the Roberts’ Tower for O Holy Night. These circumstances gave us the opportunity to try things that would be difficult or ineffective in a traditional live carol service in the Abbey Church. We could include Parents’ and OGs’ choirs - many thanks to them all - and we were also able to sing Orlando Gibbons’ This is the Record of John accompanied by an authentic viol consort. Viols are the much quieter ancestors of modern violins and ‘cellos, and they would have been inaudible in much of the Abbey Church. We were very fortunate to work with the distinguished viol-player Jacqui Robertson-Wade, who used five different viols of various sizes to make a multi-track recording of the accompaniment. Stephanie Jedy Agba, Beth Mitton, Eva Perkins, Mr Bridges and Dominic Kwan then added the vocal parts to the pre-recorded accompaniment, “Because rather than lament what we to create the final version. missed we should celebrate what was Singing along to a preachieved, especially as it all happened recorded accompaniment is a under the most trying and frustrating lot harder than it sounds, and I conditions that most performers have salute our singers for the efforts ever encountered.” they have made to master this demanding skill. In turn, it has given rise to another pandemic positive: all our singers now sing with far greater rhythmic discipline than they did in the pre-pandemic days, when they took for granted the effortless flexibility of a skilled and generously sympathetic accompanist. I hope that, when we do return to normal, this new-found rhythmic discipline will prove to be a lasting legacy of the last 18 months. The Inter-House Music Competition had to be entirely re-imagined, in order to contain the yeargroups within their own bubbles. Each year-group was given a colour, and each house within the year-group took that colour as the starting point for devising a short entertainment involving various

elements such as singing, costume and choreography. The performances were given over several evenings and lunchtimes during October, and they showed great imagination, energy and fun. It was our first live entertainment for many months, and warmly welcomed by all.

The January lockdown saw a return of our remote hymn-singing, and also the remarkable birth of online rehearsals for our musical Little Shop of Horrors, with a cast learning the dialogue, blocking, songs and choreography while separated by thousands of miles. The show itself is reviewed elsewhere within these pages, but the process by which it came about independently deserves our recognition and congratulations.

There has been very little public performing this year, but there has been a lot of private practice going on in the background. Many pupils have taken advantage of the lockdowns and reductions in group activities to build their repertoire and improve their skills. Many have prepared for and taken the new-style remote assessments, as the exam results demonstrate. Zoom and Teams may be better than nothing, but they are exceptionally ill-suited to music teaching and performing. It has taken great patience, perseverance and stamina both from our pupils and from their teachers to sustain progress while working remotely, and I thank and congratulate them all for their efforts and achievements.

As the restrictions started to ease in May and June, we were able to take our first tentative steps back to something resembling our normal routine. May Morning Madrigals were sung atop the Roberts Tower, soloists started to sing the psalm at Sunday Mass again, and small groups of up to six were allowed to sing a Communion motet.

The music at the Confirmation was a little more ambitious. Singing was still limited to groups of six but no one said it had to be the same six, so a variety of hymns, motets and other items was sung by different combinations of six singers taken from a pool of around 20 choristers. This was the U6 choristers’ last big event, and the occasion was marked with a convivial supper across the road at the Kings Arms.

We were also able to have a few year-group Performance Showcases. These were all solo or duo performances and mostly of musical items, but they also included some spoken items and dance. These were live-streamed to the parents who couldn’t attend.

It wasn’t until the very last night of the Summer Term that we saw the most ‘normal’ event of the year: Music for a Summer’s Evening. All the familiar elements were in place: barbecue and ice cream, Pipe Band, Concert Band, Function Band and Drum Line, together with more spontaneous solo/open mic items. Music videos created during Three Days in June were screened, and we also enjoyed a couple of dance routines choreographed by Maisie Carter. It was especially pleasing to see – at last – some boys participating in the dances, doing well, and clearly enjoying themselves in the process.

Music for a Summer’s Evening also witnessed the debut of a new rock phenomenon, The Edukators [sic]. This newly-minted group of rock-gods is drawn entirely from members of the teaching staff, and includes both the Head on drums and the Deputy Head on lead vocals. They gave a highly entertaining performance of a set of familiar rock covers and, to their great credit, they were all completely recognisable. It’s wonderful to see such musical talent emerging from the science labs, the games fields and the maths corridor. It was a great way to end the year, and I predict – indeed, hope – they will go far.

Julian McNamara Director of Music

Downside Virtual Carol Service

Advent and Christmas are a time of great celebration and, despite the challenges posed by a worldwide pandemic, this year was no exception; all that was needed was a little creativity and this is available in abundance at Downside.

Our Carol Service this year was all pre-filmed and then edited together by our extremely talented (and patient) editor, Andy Wildey. This meant all the filming had to take place well before the service would be streamed, which meant all the rehearsals had to be moved forwards and whilst considering carols in September isn’t unusual for the music staff, it certainly was for the students. Rehearsals were conducted in wide, open spaces where we could be socially-distanced, not involving more than a certain number of performers and were interspersed with lots of mask-wearing and sanitising of hands, folders and books.

In previous years, the Carol Service would include the Schola Cantorum, Girls’ Chamber Choir, Brass Ensemble, members of the percussion section from our orchestra and

“It was nice to see the OG community come together. Chris Tambling’s ‘Ave Maria’ was a particularly special piece that reminded me of very fond memories of my early years at Downside.” Isaac Tse (R16)

“I have to say that joining the virtual OG choir for the Christmas Carol Service has been very emotional for me, because not only was I able to attend the Carol Service for the first time since leaving Downside in 2011, but I also got to participate in it.” Joanna Hornik (I11)

soloists. We were determined to ensure this year would be no different. Separate audio and video recordings were made and then edited together to produce the final service which featured solos from Natasza Wyganowska in the First Form, Alex Henson in the Third Form and Charlotte Walker and Alexander Harwood in the Upper Sixth Form along with a whole host of students who performed across many different ensembles and choirs, for which special mention must go to Joseph Day (Lower Sixth) who performed in the most ensembles across the service singing bass, playing the bass trombone and leading the Corps or Drums from the bass drum! The Service featured a beautiful performance of Gibbons’ This is the record of John featuring ancient viols provided by Jacqui RobertsonWade, an epic performance of ‘O Holy Night’ arranged by Mr McNamara, featuring choirs, harps, percussion and bagpipes and a rousing rendition of Adeste Fidelis.

The students and staff worked exceptionally hard and spent possibly twice the hours we usually would putting the final product together but, needless to say, we set ourselves high standards at Downside and, even facing great challenges, we continually strive to achieve these goals.

With thanks to the OG Choristers and to our parent contingent who united virtually to ensure our whole community came together across the world, despite limitations.

Jonathan Bridges Head of Academic Music

“It was nostalgic to sing a piece that was familiar to me and one of my favourites from being a chorister. It was inspiring to be together in a time where we are at a distance from each other.” Antonia Wright-Morris (C21)

“Seeing the recording altogether brought the Christmas joy that I was missing and seeing Caitlin Murphy and Hannah Field who were in L6 when I was in 3rd form after almost 9 years made me realise I was part of something special.” Ana del Real (I13)

“Having left Downside in about 1961, participating in this virtual Carol service was a great way to reconnect, the more so during lockdown, when so many other opportunities for connecting with others have been closed! So thank you for that!” Neil Sirkett (B61)

“Chris Tambling’s Ave Maria was always one of my favourites, (and one of the ones that I could actually sing without too much difficulty)! I felt the addition of this section in the Virtual Service was a wonderful way to bring the Downside community of both current pupils and OGs together in a time when were forced to be apart.” Hannah Field (I14)

“I really welcomed the call from Downside for OG singers to perform in a virtual choir, it gave me the opportunity to rehearse and sing again, and also a strong feeling that 40 years on I am still part of the Gregorian family.” Nick Ferrar (U79)

MUSIC EXAM RESULTS

We congratulate all those who have passed music exams this year:

Resiak Marta Saxophone Mitton Beth Singing Harwood Alex Singing Worrall Sophie Singing Jedy Agba Stephanie Singing Hall Seb Saxophone Luetzenkirchen Katharina Singing Perkins Eva Violin Perkins Eva Piano 8 Distinction Spring 2021 8 Distinction Summer 2021 8 Distinction Summer 2021 8 Distinction Summer 2021 8 Distinction Summer 2021 8 Merit Autumn 2020 8 Merit Summer 2021 8 Pass Spring 2021 8 Pass Summer 2021

Healy Celi Singing 7 Merit Summer 2021

Kealey Michael Piano 6 Merit Summer 2021

Day Joseph Bass Trombone 6 Merit Summer 2021

Wyganowska Natasza Singing Preston Isabella Singing

5 Distinction Summer 2021 5 Merit Summer 2021 Sturdy Bella Singing 5 Merit Summer 2021 Hayhurst Anna Music Theory 5 Pass Autumn 2020

Michaels Seth Violin 4 Pass Summer 2021

Preston Isabella Flute Onunkwo Awele Piano de Pelet Alec Trumpet Campbell-Meehan Kara Violin

Chow Ella Oboe Errington Eva Oboe Mitton Leo Piano Sturdy Bella Piano 3 Pass Summer 2021 3 Pass Summer 2021 3 Pass Summer 2021 3 Pass Spring 2020

2 Merit Summer 2021 2 Merit Summer 2021 2 Pass Spring 2021 2 Pass Summer 2021

ART

It has been a quiet year in the department due to Covid-19 as we have not been able to have any visiting artists or take trips out in the last year until the last week of the Summer Term. As part of the Three Days in June we were able to offer an Art Experience activity which included printmaking, drawing and a visit to London galleries. It was such a fantastic experience seeing live work again and being able to engage in conversation in front of a painting with students. We managed to visit Tate Modern, Tate Britain and the Victoria and Albert Museum, quite a lot to take in in one day but enjoyed by staff and students. Despite not being able to have actual life models in the studio the Lower Sixth students have still maintained a programme of life drawing although it had to be from images on the large studio screen. We are planning a weekly programme of life drawing from September with actual models present for Sixth Form but at least they have had the opportunity to practise their drawing ready to make the most of the live sessions.

We launched a new initiative with the History of Art department in the Summer Term inspired by our previous work with the national competition, the Articulation Prize. This competition requires students to give a talk on a painting, sculpture or piece of architecture of their choice. Our new event was Junior Articulation which gave two groups, First and Second Form, and Third and Fourth Form a chance to learn skills of art history analysis and appreciation. We had an excellent standard of presentations from all year groups and we were so impressed with their passion for the artworks they were talking about. The First and Second Form competition was won by Eloise Pickett with a talk on Claude Monet’s painting ‘Madame Monet and her son’ and the Third and Fourth Form by Leonora Van Laar with a talk on a Rachel Ruysch painting ‘Roses, Convolvulus, Poppies, and Other Flowers in an Urn on a Stone Ledge’. We will be running this initiative with Dr Sanders again next year, as well as entering the national competition with the Sixth Form Art History students.

The department are looking forward to the new term and welcoming two new members of the department; Kate Ellis as a part-time teacher of Art and Jessica Doherty as Artist in Residence.

Erica Williams Head of Art

CCF

The officers: Lieutenant Colonel N. Barrett CPO D. Pollard Major J. Storey Major D. McLean Captain O. Simper Lieutenant R. Worsman 2nd Lieutenant G. Tahin AUO E. Spurling Lieutenant S. Barrett (RN) Lieutenant C. Warren (RN) Sub-Lieutenant F. O’Neill (RN)

CFAV C. Murphy (RN) CFAV W. Vaughan CFAV J. Clark CFAV I. Ramsden CFAV M. Pye

This year has yet again been challenging, in the midst of the continuing Covid-19 pandemic, and many of our usual CCF activities have either had to be adapted, or in many cases sadly cancelled.

Monday afternoons, and the need to operate in year group bubbles whilst in a socially distanced manner, meant we paraded in the Quad at the start of September, a practice we intend to adopt permanently. Monday afternoon activities continued normally, largely unaffected by the restrictions, although the need to operate in well-ventilated areas led to a number of 12 x 12 tents and parachute shelters being erected in the School grounds.

At the end of October, the Upper Sixth finally got the opportunity to complete their postponed Duke of Edinburgh Gold Assessed Expedition, although the routes had to be adapted so that we could operate locally. Students walked from Weston-Super-Mare to Frome, over the course of four days, camping out at Charterhouse outward bound centre each night.

Remembrance Day holds a special place within the Downside Community; it is a day when the School and wider community can come together to recognise the Old Gregorians and all other war veterans who lost their lives in World Wars I and II. It was also the first opportunity that the School had to assemble formally since the start of September. The Service, led by Dom Boniface, was slightly different this year due to current restrictions meaning that we couldn’t invite OGs and families to the event in person. Nevertheless, we remembered ‘together but apart’, and the event didn’t lose any of its poignancy. Pupils and staff were in attendance at the School’s war memorial with the CCF Band, our Corps of Drums, and School Choir providing the music. Wreaths were laid by Mr Potter, on behalf of the Old Gregorian Society, the Head Mr Hobbs, the Heads of School Katharina Lützenkirchen and Nicholas Hobbs, and Junior Under Officer, and Head of the CCF Michael Kealey. This year’s Service remembered the 28 Old Gregorian pilots who lost their lives in the Second World War, and in particular, an extraordinary man and Former Head Boy, Wing Commander Michael Lister Robinson DSO, DFC, Croix De Guerre With Palm (B35), who sacrificed his life on behalf of his country. His DSO citation reads as follows: “This officer has commanded the squadron (609) since October 1940. He has acted as leader in recent operations over occupied territory and on numerous occasions has led his Wing with determination, skill and courage. The success obtained reflects the greatest credit on the leadership and devotion to duty of this officer. He has destroyed at least 14 enemy aircraft and damaged others.”

The Lent Term saw the School once more plunged into lockdown, although the CCF continued to operate as normally as possible under the circumstances, albeit remotely via Teams. However, it was not possible to conduct any customary night exercises or Field Day training. Easter Camp sadly fell victim to the pandemic as did the annual Ten Tors for the second year

running. Our Biennial Inspection, at the beginning of May, had to be postponed although we were able to get back to face-to-face training. Sailing at Cheddar Reservoir took place regularly on Saturday afternoons and cadets also got the opportunity to take part in canoeing and kayaking. The main focus of the Summer Term was to get our D of E Gold, Silver, and Bronze Assessed Expeditions completed (the Bronze and Silver based on the Mendips), whilst we were able to use the more demanding landscape (and weather) of Dartmoor for the Gold participants.

The highlight of the Summer Term, however, had to be our formal rebadging ceremony in June. During my time at Downside we have been affiliated to the Royal Green Jackets, and more recently the Rifles. Having researched the history of the CCF some years ago it became clear that we have traditionally held very close connections with the Irish Guards. I was therefore delighted that the Regiment has very kindly agreed to sponsor and support us going forward. This is the speech I read out on Parade before we formally changed our Headdress:

“Today is an historic and noteworthy day in the long history of Downside School CCF. Since the establishing of the Irish Guards in April 1900, Benedictine schools have provided them with a vast number of officers. A quick glance at the photographs in the School’s Science corridor shows that Downside’s Catholic faith

meant that a large proportion of OGs killed in the First World War were serving with Irish regiments and, after Irish independence in 1922, more and more Downside boys joined the Irish Guards in particular. Some members of our community have spent whole lifetimes with the regiment; Dom Rudesind Brookes, known as Fr Dolly, fought with the regiment in the trenches of the First World War alongside an extraordinary 26 OGs who were serving in the 1st and 2nd Battalions. He resigned his commission to become a monk at Downside in 1924. At the outbreak of the Second World War he was serving as House Master of Roberts, but he persuaded the Abbot to allow him to rejoin the Army, this time as a Chaplain, and he spent four years as Chaplain to the 1st Battalion, Irish Guards, winning a Military Cross and OBE along the way. He even buried several of his former pupils who were killed in action during that period, such as Lt Patrick Da Costa (S37) and Lt The Honourable Stephen Preston (R38). Until his death in 1984 Fr Dolly still carried an Irish Guards officer’s blackthorn stick when out for a walk in his monastic habit. Regimental Sergeant Major Thomas Cahill, Distinguished Service Medal, Croix de Guerre, was the senior Non-Commissioned Officer of the 1st Battalion throughout the majority of the First World War, including the Battles of the Somme and Passchendaele, before serving for several years as a Yeoman of the Guard at St James’s Palace. He finally retired to Downside, where he served as senior instructor to our

contingent for many years until his death from throat cancer in 1940. He is buried here, in the churchyard of St Benedict’s, having been given a full military funeral in the Abbey Church by Downside cadets. Our links to the regiment have remained strong now for over a century, with several OGs currently serving in the 1st Battalion, and the sons of other serving or retired officers here in the School. Few schools can claim to have provided so many officers to a single regiment over such a long period of time, and so it is with great pride and affection that the Army section of the Downside CCF assumes the headdress of the Household Division in reflection of our new affiliation. The Corps of Drums will wear the regiment’s cap badge and drum emblazoning too, with the kind permission of the Regimental Council. We hope that this will mark the beginning of a new era of even closer co-operation, and perhaps some of our pupils who were on parade yesterday will one day join the battalion, as so many Downside cadets have done before.”

Following our Parade we then headed up to the School sports pitches, and a visit from Colonel Hayhurst in an Apache helicopter. The cadets enjoyed looking over the aircraft, in small groups, when not at the CCF BBQ.

Sadly we say farewell to a couple of our CCF staff members. Jamie Clark has only been assisting the Year Nine platoon for the past 12 months, but his help has been invaluable. We wish him well as he moves to Hazlegrove Prep school, where he will run their bushcraft skills club. Major Dan McLean has spearheaded the establishment of our Corps

“Having researched the History of the of Drums during the two

CCF some years ago it became clear years he has been with us, that we have traditionally held very close ably supported by Mr Bridges. connections with the Irish Guards. I was As a previous Contingent therefore delighted that The Regiment Commander Dan has been an has very kindly agreed to sponsor and excellent CCF officer, and we support us going forward. ” wish him well. I also felt that you would like to know that Roger Nicholas MBE’s second wife Irene, and Mr Norman Whale, who assisted Roger for many years, have both sadly passed away this year. Finally I would like to thank our Senior NCOs, especially Michael Kealey (JUO) and Tom Green (RSM), the Officers who continue to give so much in such trying circumstances, and of course my excellent SSI David Pollard. Let’s just hope that come September we can resume normal training and the cadets can once more get involved in the diverse and challenging activities we offer at Downside. Lieutenant Colonel Neill Barrett

LIBRARY

In the past year has any word been more overused than unprecedented? I am going to do my best to avoid it in my round-up of library events over the past 12 months.

Two highlights of the 2020 – 2021 academic year stand out. The first saw the beginning of a new tradition at Downside School, the Michaelmas Matilda, when the youngest pupils performed Hilaire Belloc’s cautionary tale for National Poetry Day on 4 October. We hope that this will be repeated every year, though next time without masks.

Another annual event for the library team is World Book Day and in 2021 we set the whole Downside community a challenge to read 2million words for World Book Day. Readers taking part raised close to £800 for Julian House, a Bath-based charity supporting families escaping domestic abuse and refugee families settling in the area. Thank you to all who contributed to this fabulous achievement.

Like everyone else across the land, we’ve been quizzing all year. Back in October we launched the Inter-House Battle of the Books with a series of general knowledge rounds. After adding up scores from a series of quizzes, this year’s trophy goes to Caverel with Barlow as runners-up. We are busy devising fiendish questions for next year’s battles and drawing up a battle list of books for specialist rounds.

On a more practical level, we have been cataloguing the gorgeous collection of books held in the Art Department. Difficult not to get distracted by the images but somehow, we labelled and re-shelved nearly 700 titles.

This year there have been no library prefects and they have been missed; we are looking forward to new appointees for next year and are grateful for the support of the Heads of School in their absence. We have also had to forego author visits for the first time in years. But we are helping to organise the Future of Food event for the First Form in June and have added some lovely new titles to the library stock of non-fiction for our younger readers in anticipation.

Two new services begun during lockdown may be here to stay: click and deliver, where borrowers can reserve and receive a book without even setting foot in the library, and a book at your bedside for all new boarders as they join the School. Necessity is the mother of invention.

Janet Craig Librarian

SPORT

The sporting programmes over the last year were perhaps not the ones we initially planned, but it will have a lasting influence on the gratitude we have to be able to play such an array of sports in such a beautiful environment as we have here at Downside.

When competitive sport did finally resume, the framework surrounding it was stronger than ever. The learning, the growth, the connectedness and community spirit which was on show was uplifting and in turn inspirational. This strength of sporting culture nurtured over the last year will hopefully not harm future performance, it will only improve it.

Whilst much of our lives has been disrupted, the pandemic has provided greater clarity concerning the value of sport. It has highlighted the value pupils get from taking part in physical activity. It has offered us all the opportunity to consider what we want from our time together and why we do the things we do.

We very much hope that in the years ahead we can resume ‘normal’ – be it fixtures, travel or match teas. We can look with confidence to the future, safe in the knowledge that our newfound sense of gratitude will have positively influenced change in sporting participation for all. This is the lasting success of our sports provision this year and the values learned will develop character in our pupils.

I hope that through the individual sports reports you can get a sense of how each sport tackled the challenges of the pandemic and how our pupils continue to amaze us with their resilience, confidence and positivity.

Mr Richard Jones Director of Sport

SPORT AWARDS – CAPS & COLOURS

CAPS – an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the Sport as a player but who has also constantly, without exception, demonstrated themselves to be an excellent role model to their peers by living the core Downside sport values of Discipline, Honesty and Stewardship throughout the season.

COLOURS – not quite done enough to be awarded a CAP, these are individuals who have still made a significant contribution to the sport as a player and/or an individual who has demonstrated significant commitment and dedication to the sport throughout the season.

SUMMER TERM 2021 GIRLS’ TENNIS

U14 Caps Colours F. Dolman O. Rees-Davies L. Carter

U15 L. Akenzua Al-Kareem A. Hayhurst

A. Majendie J. Keyte L. Norris I. Rickards M. Krishan D. Solis Loyola U18 M. Dolman F. Reed A. Hayhurst E. Howlett S. Siemens V. Aiello S. Worrall M. Jones C. Manso-Duffy G. Achammer C. Roth BOYS’ TENNIS

U18 Caps

CRICKET U14

U15

U18 H. Clark J. Last Sutton N. Viljoen Colours S. Novoa Caceres Y. Melotte K. Von Nesselrode R. Begg N. Baehr E. Isola

F. Baker B. Priscott J. Gathungu F. Campbell Meehan H. Clark C. Hayhurst C. Pike T. Jones M. Pownall C. Hayhurst L. Hansom L. Matthews M. Stanislas R. Keeley J. Gould

THE TEAMS

BOYS’ HOCKEY SENIOR TEAM: S. Bellord, B. Boas-Syed, I. Canellas, H. Clark, A. Christie, M. Chong, C. Chow, A. Cutbill, F. Dalgliesh, R. Dawe-Lane, J. Day, A. Dentskevich, Z. Dinning (GK), A. Farthing, J. Gould (GK), T. Green, S. Hamilton, L. Hansom, B. Hart, B. Harwood, A. Healy, N. Hobbs, S. Ida, E. Isola, A. Jackson, R. Keeley, B. Makaza, M. Mathew, J. Milczarek, O. Penny, E. Preston, C. Shie, S. Webb, A. Wickham

U16 TEAM: I. Boas-Syed, S. Boas-Syed, E. Clark, N. Danhawoor, A. Di-Pietrantonio, T. Durante, O. Flynn, J. Green, Z. Healey, M. Lai, J. Last-Sutton, L. Matthews, L. Mui, F. Mulcahey, T. Pike, A. Rose, A. Smellie, M. Stanislas, G. Vigne, F. Whitaker

U15 TEAM: S. Baker, G. Bedouelle, J. Burton, A. Cham, K. W. Cheng, J. Freely, C. Hayhurst, R. Ingram, B. Jackson, T. Jones, C. Joy, C. Jin, D. Makaza (GK), P. Mauritz, L. McGarry, R. Mercadal Ramon, S. Novoa Caceres, J. O’Keeffe, J-C. Petersen, M. Pownall, C. Rapoo, L. Roux, O. Smellie, C. Tari, V. Tickell, T. Ulriksen Rodriguez, N. Viljoen, M. Watts

U14 TEAM: G. Buhagiar, H. Clark, A. De Pelet, D. Flynn, C. Hayhurst, H. Hayhurst, A. Henson, E. Howlett, K. Kema, A. Lam, I. Laranjeira, F. O’Kane, C. Pike, F. Podesta (GK), J. McGarry, J. Rowell, M. Su, A. Wong, J. Wu

U13A&B TEAM: E. Akighbe, F. Baker, F. Campbell Meehan, C. Colbourne, J. Evans, J. Gathungu, H. Garrett, H. Gogh, N. Jenkins, H. Jones, A. Karl, A. Kedzior, S. Michaels, L. Mitton, B. Priscott, I. Quaife, T. H. Tong, B. Tsang, R. Vaughan, K. C. Wong, J. Yakubu Samaila GIRLS’ HOCKEY SENIOR TEAM: M. Ceglarek, H. Crowe, A. Colgan, M. Dolman, M. Evans, L. Garrett, C. Healy, S. Jedy Agba, M. Jones, C. Manso-Duffy, W. Lassak, D. Marsh, B. Mitton, I. O’Neill, M. Pienkowska, M. Resiak (GK), C. Roth, L. Standivan, L. Whitaker, M. White, S. Worrall

U16A TEAM: L. Akenzua Al-Kareem, C. Bayntun-Coward, C. Blackmore, A. Hayhurst (GK), E. Howlett, R. Morling-Ritchie, O. Mossman, F. Reed, S. Siemens, M. Strauss, A. Walker

U15A TEAM: E. Burrows, C. Francis-Jones, B. Garrett, E. Gibbons, L. Grecian, L-R. Hall, E. Jenkins, S. Joliffe, M. Krishan (GK), M. Martin, L. McNally, K. Pughe-Morgan, E. Raper, I. Rickards, D. Solis Loyola, L. Van Laar, J. Von der Schulenburg

U14A TEAM: Z. Bellord, P. Bowman (GK), K. Campbell-Meehan, E. Chow, A. Grecian, M. Kedzior, E. Macmillan, A. Majendie, C. Melotte, L. Norris, I. Preston, N. Soo, E. Stanislas, I. Whately, J. Yakubu Samalia

U13A&B: L. Carter, F. Dolman, E. Errington, I. Hathaway, B. Healy, M. Jenkins, B. Lai, H. Lam, G. Lesault, A. Murphy, L. O’Kane, A. Onunkwo, E. Pickett, Z. Potter, D. Radcliffe, O. Rees-Davies, A. Ridge, E. Stanford, B. Sturdy, N. Wyganowska

GIRLS’ TENNIS U18 1st TEAM: M. Dolman (C), S. Worrall, M. Jones, S. Siemens, F. Reed, C. Roth

U18 2nd TEAM: H. Kedzior, V. Mercadal de Villalonga, B. Mitton, F. Novoa Caceres, C. Manso Duffy, A. Hayhurst

U18 3rd TEAM: C. Healy, G. Achammer, L. Garrett, A. C., M. Evans, V. Aiello

U15 1st TEAM: M. Krishan, I. Rickards, S. Jolliffe, D. Solis Loyola, M. Martin, L. McNally

U15 2nd TEAM: E. Gibbons, E. Raper, A. Majendie, J. Keyte, C. Melotte, L. Norris

U14 1st TEAM: E. Stanislas, I. Whately, Z. Bellord, E. Macmillan, K. Campbell Meehan, F. Dolman

U13 1st TEAM: F. Dolman, O. Rees-Davies, E. Keyte, L. Carter, D. Radcliffe, A. Murphy

U13 2nd TEAM: B. Sturdy, M. Jenkins, E. Errington, M. Munita, H. Lam, E. Stanford

U12 1st TEAM: L. O’Kane, G. Lesault, B;. Healy, B. Lai, E. Pickett, A. Ridge BOYS’ RUGBY FIRST TO THIRD FORM S. Akhigbe, F. Baker, G. Buhagiar, F. Campell Meehan, H. Clark, C. Colbourne. A. de Pelet, J. Evans, D. Flynn, H. Garrett, J. Gathungu, H. Gogh, C. Hayhurst, H. Hayhurst, A. Henson, E. Howlett, N. Jenkins, H. Jones, A. Karl, A. Kedzior, K. Kema, A. Lam, I. Lopes Laranjeira, J. McGarry, S. Michaels, L. Mittons, F. O’Kane, C. Pike, F. Podesta, B. Priscott, I. Quaife, J. Rowell, M. Su, R. Tong, B. Tsang, R. Vaughan, A. Wong, A. Wong, J. Wu

FOURTH FORM S. Baker, J. Burton, A. Cham, K. Cheng, J. Freely, C. Hayhurst, R. Ingram, B. Jackson, S. Jin, C. Joy, L. McGarry, S. Mitton, J. O’Keefe, M. Pownall, L. Roux, O. Smellie, C. Tari Carderera, T. Ulriksen Rodriguez, N. Vilijoen, M. Watts.

FIFTH FORM 1. Boas Syed, S. Boas Syed, S. Clark, A. Di Pietrantonio, T. Durante, O. Flynn, J. Green, Z. Healey, A. Kebbel,M. Lai, J. Last-Sutton, D. Manso Duffy, L. Matthews, A. Mui, T. Pike, P. Puente Hervella, P. Sadkowski, A. Smellie, M. Stanislas, L. Tang, G. Vigne, F. Whitaker

SIXTH FORM A. K. Akenzua Al-Kareem, S. Bellord, I. Cañellas, M. Chong, A. Christie, H. Clark, A. Cutbill, R. Dawe-Lane, J. Day, A. Dentskevich, W. Dewhurst, Z. Dinning, A. Farthing, J. Gould, L. Hansom, B. Hart, B. Harwood, G. Healey, S. Ida, R. Keeley, R. Majendie, B. Makaza, R. Manso Duffy, J. Milczarek, S. Norris, J. Shie, M. Surry, K. Barton-Byfield, J. Burns, F. Dalgliesh, N. Dameto Nieto, F, Duve, T. Green, N. Hobbs, T. Isola, A. Jackson, L. Lesault, J. Rowell, S. Webb, S. Wickham

All sports fixtures and results are published at www.downsidesport.co.uk if you would like to follow our teams.

RUGBY

The return to school sport for the Michaelmas Term was going to be very much about managing a “new normal”. For rugby, there were indeed significant differences to contend with. No fixtures, no scrums, no lineouts, no huddles. In fact, with virtually no physical contact at all, the 2020 rugby season was certain to be unlike any seen before!

With the prospect of Saturday fixtures a distant reality, the rugby term began with a new internal ‘Home Nations’ Tournament. England, Ireland, Scotland & Wales battled it out in a modified version of rugby for each year group ‘bubble’ for the first half of the term. Scotland took the spoils, much to the delight of their de facto Head Coach and proud Scotsman, Mr Worsman. Max Surry (Lower Sixth, Roberts) was named Player of the Tournament after some eye-catching performances, including a number of outstanding solo tries. Fran Duve (Upper Sixth, Roberts) received the Downside Spirit award, given to a pupil whom the rugby staff felt demonstrated our values & ethos best across the four weeks. Fran’s desire to perform, coupled with an incredible sense of care and stewardship for other pupils who needed support to improve, embodied what we would want our rugby players to be.

As we moved into the second half of term, the Home Nations gave way to House Rugby, in an unusual guise of touch rugby sevens. On the day, the weather was not conducive towards running rugby (it was more conducive to going swimming on the 1st XV pitch!). However, this in no way dampened spirits. In what became more a battle of wills than of skills, Barlow emerged victorious. Despite the absence of traditional fixtures, the internal competitions provided an incredible opportunity for pupils to demonstrate their talents and express themselves in ways they perhaps wouldn’t have in the past. An important lesson to remember and take into the 2021 season for all.

Despite the difficulties of the last 12 months,

Downside Rugby continues to go from strength to strength. In the 2020/21 season, Downside had four pupils involved in the U13 - U15 Developing Player Programme (DPP) with Bath Rugby Academy and have another six pupils nominated to trial when this process is permitted to resume. Further up the School, Ned Clark (Fifth Form, Roberts) trained within the Bath U16 Academy programme and Zak Dining (Lower Sixth, Barlow) has been involved in trials with Cardiff Blues. Archie Farthing (Lower Sixth, Smythe), Kofi BartonByfield (Upper Sixth, Barlow) and Max Surry, were all retained in the Bath U18s training group until the end of the season. Abdul Khalik Akenzua Al-Kareem (Lower Sixth, Smythe) was also retained in the Bath U18 academy group and was awarded a coveted place as an England Academy Player, entitling him to train with England U18 group. A significant personal achievement for Abdul Khalik and one that the School can be justifiably proud of. I am immensely proud of the hard work and leadership these players show, both on and off the pitch as they continue along their journeys. Equally important, however, is the environment created at Downside by the training standards and efforts of all pupils in the rugby programme, supporting all involved with the sport to work towards becoming the best version of themselves.

Perhaps the most exciting development in Downside Rugby this year, has been the launch of girls’ rugby in the School. Harry Jones (Rugby Graduate Assistant) took responsibility for Fifth Form and Sixth Form girls’ rugby sessions on Sunday afternoons throughout the Michaelmas Term. The enthusiasm shown by all the girls in their sessions was fantastic to see. With over 25 girls involved the future for girls’ rugby at Downside is exciting. Plans to deliver sessions for the lower year groups were scuppered by lockdown 3.0, but it remains one of many things on the list of reasons to be excited about for the future. There is no denying that this season was immensely different in lots of ways. However, the things that truly matter in rugby hadn’t really changed at all. Pupils turned up to games, week in week out, to simply enjoy being back with their friends, playing the sport and working hard to improve themselves as individuals and teams. It was inspiring to sit back with the rugby coaching staff, in awe of the resilience shown by our pupils during such a challenging time in their lives. I have nothing but thanks for the amazing efforts of staff and pupils throughout the season. And in spite of its challenges, this season no doubt was aligned to my belief in the purpose of Downside Rugby: “To create great memories and friendships that will last a lifetime”.

Mr Alex Burns Head of Rugby Development

GIRLS’ HOCKEY

The last Hockey Report in the Lent Term of 2020 commenced with Mr Edge expressing his disappointment that Hockey at Downside had faced such disruption at the hands of the then emerging global pandemic. A long summer, and two terms later it appears that the sentiment and situation remain remarkably similar. However, despite a loss of competitive fixtures, the determination and motivation displayed by pupils to further their ability in hockey has quite admirably continued – long may this particular fire keep burning.

Such was the desire to return to sport – prior to the Term even beginning – a healthy number of the 1st Team Girls’ Squad had volunteered their time on Wednesday evenings to travel over to the School and train under the new conditions for hockey. This meant that they could work in groups of no more than six players at a time through socially distanced practices and games to prepare for September. Mr Edge was delighted to see that almost threequarters of the squad had pleaded with their parents to be transported over to the School so they could enjoy the evening sun, see their friends in person and once again play some hockey. The determination to prepare for a new school year filled everyone with optimism. For all concerned it was a

rare opportunity to enjoy sport in an almost normal context again. With spirits high everyone was looking forward to the new year. None more so than the Upper Sixth Form girls who would have one last chance to pull on the 1st Team shirt and represent Downside School.

However, as September approached and as schools, colleges and universities returned this brought a rise in Coronavirus cases and the rather inevitable restrictions on sport. The fate of fixtures proved somewhat uncontrollable. Everyone’s work in preparation for a term bursting at the seams with competition was soon to be halted. Consequently, rather than the customary report for each team, for this year – at least – Hockey has had to be amalgamated into one report for the Term.

Despite the loss of fixtures, the lasting impression of the Term will be one of gratitude. Staff and pupils alike were grateful that we could play sport in our ‘bubbles’ three times a week and once again find our own ways to be competitive again. The focus of training for every age group moved away from ‘match readiness’ and afforded the opportunity to concentrate on development alone. Lessons learnt from the first lockdown in Summer 2020 meant that pupils recognised the importance of individual practice and saw the value in developing their ability regardless of whether they would be on a pitch, a garden or indeed inside a house. Pupils appreciated every opportunity to pitch themselves against their peers.

The staff decided to harness this competitiveness through creating their own Home Nations tournament for the year group bubbles inspired by the nationality of the Hockey Coaches themselves; Mr Brooking (English), Mr Blong (Irish) and Mr Edge (Welsh). In some remarkable turn of fate it appeared that the pupils representing Wales seemed to top the tables after three weekends of competition. It remains a mystery whether the umpiring, random assignment of players to national teams or pure luck prompted the end results.

At the heart of school sport remains that every individual contributes to the wider team. It would be remiss if a number of pupils were not highlighted for a variety of reasons. A number of U13 players stood out for their desire in sessions to consistently improve. Pupils such as Natasza Wyganowska whose enthusiasm lit up sessions, to Amelie Murphy who I have no doubt will one day turn into a fine 1st Team player. Molly Jenkins deserves a special mention for ability to help her peers, an essential quality that was appreciated by all those training with her. There have been a number of players in the U15 team who consistently demonstrate a tremendous attitude – rain or shine – increasing the standard of every session. Evie Burrows, Beatrice Garrett and Camilla Francis-Jones being three names from many that deserve comment. In addition, we have no doubt that players such as Katie Pughe-Morgan will go on to become a key individual in the senior sides within the School with her pace and ability. A position that often goes unmentioned is that of a goalkeeper but not at Downside. We recognise how lucky we are to have three talented keepers in Phoebe Bowman, Maya Krishan and Anna Hayhurst who continued to hone their skills this year. For these pupils and many more, we hope their names reappear many times in future Raven articles. However, for some of our girls, this will be the last opportunity to thank them for their continued dedication to the sport. As such, all the staff would like to thank Harriet Crowe, Wiktoria Lassak, Daisy Marsh, Isabelle O’Neill, Marta Resiak, Lydia Whitaker and Molly White for their unwavering commitment to hockey. Some are newer to the School (and indeed hockey) than others. However, the impact these girls have had and the example they continually set for all the girls who succeed them as senior members will be lasting. Just as the training started early this year, it finished earlier than anticipated for Hockey. Two days after the end of the Michaelmas Term as some of the pupils trained with the Avon Junior Development Centre under strict Covid-safe conditions we later learnt this would be the last hockey for any Downside pupils in quite some time. The dedication and desire of these pupils to play epitomised our will to play competitively once more.

Congratulations to the following pupils for their nominations for the England Hockey Player Development Pathway:

Junior Development Centre (Avon): Molly Jenkins (U14) Kara Campbell Meehan (U14) Zara Bellord (U15) Camilla Francis-Jones (U15) Beatrice Garrett (U15) Maya Krishan (U15) Katie Pughe-Morgan (U15) Anna Hayhurst (U16) Eleanor Howlett (U16) Isabelle Rickards (U16) Annabel Walker (U16) Madeleine Jones (U17) Beth Mitton (U17) Florence Reed (U17) Sophie Worrall (U17)

Unfortunately, these trials were discontinued but we hope those pupils listed above will have the opportunity to challenge themselves again in 2021.

A special thanks must go to the hockey coaching staff in the Michaelmas Term that included Mr Blong, Miss Hadfield, Mr Brooking, Miss O’Neill and Mrs Chapman. Despite the circumstances, it was obvious to all that the staff have continued to further the aspirations of many pupils in Hockey. We will look ahead to the remaining academic year for fixtures and relish the opportunity to play once again.

Ben Edge Head of Academic PE and Hockey

BOYS’ HOCKEY

It appears the fate of Boys’ Hockey Season was to mirror that of the Girls’ Hockey for this school year. With only a matter of hours before the return of pupils to the School in January another lockdown for the UK was instigated. While there was some expectation that not all the planned competition would be completed in the Lent Term, there was some hope that some level of normality for school sport would be resumed as we approached Spring. Unfortunately for the boys within the School we were forced to embrace remote learning, discovering new methods and exploring different avenues to keep on improving in our sport. However, this was no longer a daunting or strange task for staff or pupils alike and with the promise of return to physical sport later in the Term everyone embraced the new normal and began their work.

With such short notice the hockey staff quickly compiled the pupils into their year groups via Microsoft Teams and established a series of tasks for pupils to tackle each week in their remote lessons. These included skill challenges, tactical analysis, strength sessions and conditioning sessions that the pupils could pick from in a marvellous ‘pick’n’mix’ style for their game’s sessions. All the pupils were encouraged to come together at the start of each lesson and discuss how they were finding their remote learning and what session they would attempt to tackle that day during the lesson. While this could in no way fully replace the work that pupils normally completed during their games sessions, the staff were reassured to learn just how informative and useful it was.

It was clear that pupils missed the camaraderie of team sport. As such, after a couple of weeks the Hockey staff initiated a House league. In this league, each pupil from each year group posted what they had been able to achieve in their games lesson for that day. Each task -- regardless of intensity or difficulty – counted and would be awarded points that contributed to their House total. While some pupils faced no barriers with access to areas to become physically active, this was not the case for every pupil. However, staff were keen to document the value of every contribution from every individual. Once again, the staff were delighted and impressed in equal measure with the resilience and determination displayed by all our pupils throughout this period. It came to no surprise that there were some phenomenal efforts posted by

several pupils. Notable mentions must go to our very own Head Boy, Nick Hobbs, who on an almost daily basis managed to post and mark his considerable running efforts throughout the Lent Term using the Strava app. Mr Setterfield and Mr Edge were just two of the many staff members who were genuinely impressed by not only his commitment, but the pace and distance demonstrated as part of his conditioning sessions – very well done. However, this being a different year to any that has gone before meant that not all sporting related efforts could – or indeed – should be completely physically in their nature. Equally impressive was the accuracy of tactical analysis from pupils, such as Max Su in the Third Form, when assessing a sport that was still very new to this individual. We have no doubt every individual will have had multiple opportunities to improve elements of their sporting ability during this abnormal time.

The staff would sincerely like to thank all of those who entered the Remote Learning Programme with the enthusiasm and sheer excitement that are normally observed on hockey pitches in January. This really was a collaborative effort between staff and pupils. Both of the aforementioned entered into this process admirably and produced some excellent results, which both parties should be proud of.

The month of March brought with it the opportunity for a vast majority of pupils to return to site and enabled the boys to finally expend some of the pent-up energy from lockdown and channel this into team sports. The energy and desire to be back on the pitch was evident to all the hockey staff. While year group bubbles meant some traditional teams would not be able to train together, training focused on giving pupils the opportunity to competitively perform again. House matches were one opportunity that the School was permitted to provide within the strict UK guidelines for school sport. It was fantastic to see the boys perform against each other, taking pride in their performances while on the pitches again. As a proportion of the pupils were still working remotely, not all year group bubbles could fulfil their House matches in the traditional format. However, the Sixth Form boys were able to complete their annual competition in very close to normal conditions. After two round robin stages, the final scores resulted in Smythe topping the table with three wins and one draw, Barlow coming in second with two wins, one draw and a loss to their name, while Roberts languished in last position with four straight losses this year. Mr Edge has no doubt they will bounce back next year.

As customary, Mr Edge would like to pass on his personal thanks to the coaching staff involved this year with boys’ hockey, which included Mr Blong, Mr Brooking, Mr Setterfield and Mr Jones. Their enthusiasm and dedication through both remote learning and then during the return to school meant pupils in the School received every opportunity to progress their hockey development within exceptionally testing times. We also wish Mr Brooking the very best as he moves on to complete his PGCE next year. The pupils will miss your knowledge and determination in helping them improve throughout the year.

Ben Edge Head of Academic PE and Hockey

CRICKET

This academic year has been an outstanding one for cricket at Downside School, kicking the Michaelmas Term off with three weeks of training and Inter-House fixtures, finishing with a T20 match against local side Midsomer Norton Cricket Club on Prize Day. September saw the return to school for our pupils after lockdown, and being able to ensure sport could continue with sanitised equipment and socially distanced bubbles for cricket was a sheer delight. The outstanding early autumnal weather played its part in remaining conducive for outdoor training, and set the pupils up nicely for their winter training programmes.

Over the latter stages of the Michaelmas

term, 14 pupils took part in 1:1 coaching sessions to develop their batting, bowling, fielding and wicket-keeping skills with our Head of Cricket. The dedication of the pupils attending these sessions was outstanding, with attendance and standards never dipping below 100%. Of those pupils, Florence Reed was eventually selected for Somerset Cricket Board U17 girls – an outstanding achievement.

Alongside this, Nicolas Viljoen was again selected to be part of the Somerset Emerging Player Programme for the second year running, as well as being part of the Somerset U18 squad. Nicolas’ hard work, determination and skill earned him selection to South West U15 Team as part of the prestigious Bunbury Cricket Festival – the only player from Somerset to do so. Nicolas has reached the final stages of selection before the team is selected for the Festival. We wish him the very best of luck for this, and sure he will have a fantastic summer of representative cricket.

At the end of the Easter holidays, the 1st XI team took part in a three-day residential preseason training camp. The boys who attended worked on a mixture of open-wicket scenarios as well as technical net sessions to prepare themselves for the season ahead. Day one saw the group address their aims for the season, as well as congratulating Louis Hansom on his appointment as captain of the team. After a long first day of training, the team were able to relax with teambuilding activities in the evening which included egg catching and a 70s disco fancy dress competition. The second day of the camp began with a morning of yoga and stretching to keep the players match fit, followed by an intense field session. The day finished with an open wicket session, giving all players the chance to bat and bowl in different scenarios, fully preparing them for the different situations they will experience in their matches this season.

Summer Term saw the return to competitive fixtures throughout the course of the year, with

over 80 pupils representing Downside School. Despite the poor weather during May, the School managed six full fixture blocks with local schools, offering fixtures across seven different teams. Our U14 and U16 girls’ sides were unable to take part in the indoor Lady Taverners competition this year, but managed three outdoor fixtures with all pupils representing the School exceptionally well.

Downside School were lucky enough to secure another fixture against MCC – a showcase match and wonderful opportunity for the pupils. After the match, Joe Last-Sutton was presented with an MCC ‘Spirit of Cricket’ cap for his excellent spell of bowling. Despite the result, it was a fantastic experience for the Downside pupils to play against cricketers with such a wealth of talent, and we very much look forward to welcoming them back next year.

Prize Day this year saw Harry Clark (leading wicket taker), Joe Last-Sutton and Nicolas Viljoen (leading run scorer) receive caps for their outstanding contribution to 1st XI cricket on and off the field. They have all shone with bat and ball, as well as leading standards in training sessions, making themselves integral pupils of Downside School by actively demonstrating our Benedictine values through cricket.

The final week of term saw 24 pupils take part in a three-day charity cricket fundraiser for the Air Ambulance Service. The pupils covered the same distance between Downside School and the hospital in Bristol where a pupil was flown to this summer. All those who took part helped

raise £1,000 for the charity by covering the 29 kilometres during the cricket matches.

It has been an excellent year of cricket at Downside, and we very much look forward to seeing what 2021/22 will hold in store!

George Setterfield Head of Cricket Development

NETBALL

Has there ever been a better time to be a Netball fan? Throwback to 2018 and one of the most heart stopping moments in International Netball history – England win the Commonwealth Games Gold Medal, the pinnacle of International Netball, won by a shot from Helen Housby with no time left on the clock. A moment that not only sent shockwaves through the Gold Coast and the Australian Netball team, but a moment that awoke the Netball community in England. Since then, Netball has become increasingly more available and prominent in the sporting calendar. Sky Sports now dedicates a channel to the Vitality Netball Superleague and with Team Bath currently top of the table, it is a great opportunity to watch high performance sport locally. On our own courts, we have a Team Bath representative of our own. Another Fifth Former, Laila Akenzua Al-Kareem has been selected to join the Team Bath Futures Pathway at the Academy Development Centre (ADC) in Bristol. Recently, Laila has travelled to Glastonbury and Gloucester to represent the Bristol ADC. Laila benefits from high performance level coaching and sport science support as a member of the squad. Laila continued her wider training with the support of Mrs Chapman and Mrs Hadfield at School. Also, on our home courts one of our netball loving Third Formers, Zara Bellord is part of the Satellite Netball Academy, based in Yeovil. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the Satellite sessions are yet to resume. However, once they do, we are excited to support Zara and the two trialists from the Third and Fourth Form who will be hoping to advance their Netball development.

With a season that was heavily disrupted by a lockdown and subsequent precautionary measures, it was with great that the girls were able to make the most of their chance to get on court. With the absence of fixtures, it made for a complex training block, however the School community was delighted to welcome England and Team Bath squad player, Jessica Shaw. Jessica was a brilliant addition to the programme, assisting with the First and Second Form session, as well as running clinics with the 1st and 2nd Team squads. Her presence, expertise and high-performance background was welcomed by all.

Although fixtures weren’t permitted this season, the students’ continued effort and dedication through some awful weather in February was inspirational. As a group of coaches, we looked to create as many opportunities as we could throughout the term, so the students could make the most of the term. House Netball was certainly a highlight of the term, with Isabella and Caverel battling it out on court. With every girl representing their House throughout the day of competition, it was a true representation of why we missed playing sport together so much during lockdown. The last match of the day was the Sixth Form battle of the Houses. With lights and walk out music for each House, it was quite the event and the girls’ performance did not disappoint. The match was extremely tight with Caverel running out 18-17 winners. It was a great way for the Upper Sixth to finish their time here on the courts at Downside and hopefully it was a memorable experience to take with them.

It is with great thanks to all those that have helped support the girl’s development in Netball, including Mrs Chapman, Miss Hadfield, Miss O’Neill, Jessica Shaw, Miss Miller-Hunt and Mr O’Rourke. We will look ahead to next year where we are able to begin fixtures once again.

Conor O’Rourke Head of Tennis Development and Lead Coach

GIRLS’ TENNIS

The past year has presented challenges that we, as a community, could never have prepared for. The challenges we experienced were from the unknown, an unknown that we had to find solutions to excel within. Following a successful and popular re-introduction to the Tennis courts for our students during the Summer of 2020, I was delighted that the desire to play Tennis in the Michaelmas Term was significant, with 92 additional individual and group coaching sessions taking place between September and December. The demand for Tennis was hugely encouraging and welcomed. With no better time to develop their Tennis, the students at Downside well and truly took every opportunity to get back on court. All those who requested additional lessons throughout the year should be proud of their desire to develop; they are all crucial to the development of Tennis here at Downside.

Before the commencement of the Summer Term, nine girls from the Fifth and Lower Sixth Forms were invited to attend the first tennis preseason residential camp at Downside. The standard of commitment and dedication to developing both their tactical and physical fundamentals of the game was outstanding. The residential began with a visit from Father James in the School Theatre, who referenced a letter sent from Pope Francis titled ‘Giving the Best of Yourself’. Within the letter, Francis mentioned that “Sport is a formative vehicle”. How fitting for a weekend when the girls consistently demonstrated the values of humility, generosity and cheerfulness.

Reflecting on the residential pre-season, I am reminded of the words that our Tennis Captain, Maria Dolman (Upper Sixth), shared with the team during our introduction: “We want to earn our right to build a legacy for Tennis at Downside.” The girls have a blank canvas this term and we are building the foundations together. Maria played a huge part in creating a high standard for the Tennis programme which was incredibly important in building a foundation of development and performance and, most important, a safe environment on the Tennis courts.

The Tennis season for the girls included fixtures with King’s School Bruton, Monkton Combe School, Wells Cathedral School and Kingswood School. With many schools in the local area electing not to take part in fixtures during the Summer Term, I was delighted that we managed to host and travel to local schools safely.

Our journey began by hosting King’s School Bruton on a sunny afternoon in May. Having 36 girls represent the School at the opening fixture meant we had a great start to the term. The Senior Girls laid down a marker of how they were going to attack the fixture block with a brilliant effort to implement their technical and tactical fundamentals. The Downside Tennis Team went on to host Wells Cathedral School for an U13 Doubles block fixture, where every girl in the year group took to one of our 13 courts to represent the School. The U13 Teams was a group of varying Tennis experience, with some taking to the court competitively for the first time. The fixture block with Monkton Combe School was a very competitive one, with each court battling for every point. It was certainly a delight to welcome spectators back to Downside for the first time in 14 months.

The Tennis pre-season built such a strong foundation for what we achieved this year. Our Tennis Captain, Maria Dolman from the 1st Team, referenced a desire to push the limits of the programme and began the drive to create a sustainable legacy of Tennis at Downside. A marker of that drive was the weekend of 12th June 2021, when 58 students from Downside descended on 28 courts of Clifton College to compete in a Mixed Doubles block. Maria mentioned the desire to increase the range of opportunity for participation within Tennis. The block with Clifton certainly achieved that, and it was a huge success with the students thoroughly enjoying their trip. With all 28 courts full, it was a brilliant sight and I truly believe it has given an added drive to the Tennis programme for future seasons.

The demand for Tennis continues to grow, and as the school community grows wider, I can only be excited and driven to progress the development of the Tennis programme. A huge thank you should go to every student who represented the School this term; they represented themselves and Downside, both home and away, with great commitment and humility. From our Captain through to our first-time players in the First Form, they are an example to the sporting community. The girls are also an embodiment of the Benedictine values every time they step out on to the court. I am proud to witness the role these students have played in driving up standards throughout our community. Those who step on to the court in future years will be indebted to this group of girls who have laid the foundations for a love of Tennis at Downside.

Conor O’Rourke Head of Tennis Development and Lead Coach

THE OLD GREGORIAN

Downside School, Stratton-on-the-Fosse, Radstock, Bath BA3 4RJ www.downside.co.uk

TOG

THE OLD GREGORIAN

Contents From the President Saint Gregory’s Society Downside Fisher Youth Club Sports Reports Announcements Obituaries OG News 2 3 4 5 8 12 22

OGs Far & Wide 28

Memory Lane Monday Our Covid Elephants

30 32 A Story to Retirement 34 The Funeral of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh 36 God of Surprises 38 Ghana 2021 42 From the Archive 44 The Order of Malta Volunteers 48 Careers on Demand 50 Publications 52

From the President

A message from Jonathan Grew (C77)

proper post-lockdown gathering will be the London OG Dinner in November, followed by the London Carol Service in December.

In the meantime, the OG sports teams continue to flourish, with football and netball being the newest clubs to be formed.

I would like to thank Stephen Stokes (C78) for undertaking the co-ordination of Bruised Reeds; if you know or hear of anyone who might benefit from this support please contact him through the Development Office at Downside.

The last year was a great challenge for many, but also a great time to reflect on their life values. During the pandemic, many have learnt new skills, especially new communication methods. Who would have known that Zoom, Teams and Face Time would become an everyday necessity as a result of people not being able to get together face-to-face?

Rupert Orchard (R74) kindly continued as President until last September when we managed to have a socially distanced AGM at my home in Wiltshire, as we had been unable to hold the AGM at Downside on its customary date of Easter Sunday. I look forward to being able to visit more places and meet as many OGs as possible in the coming months and years. The first My virtual reading on Remembrance Day last November served to remind OGs of the part played by an OG in the foundation of the tradition of Remembrance that is observed annually to remember the Fallen.

My thanks go to Jessica Newman for all that she did for the Society during her two years as its Executive Secretary. Following Jane Vines’ retirement, Jessica has been promoted to Development Manager and continues to play a supportive role to the OG community. A belated but nevertheless warm welcome to Paige Owen, who joined the Development Office last October and has taken over from Jessica as our Executive Secretary.

Saint Gregory’s Society 2020 – 2021

President

Jonathan Grew (C77)

Hon. Treasurer Ben Jennings (R05)

Councillors

Stephen Stokes (C78) Ed Westlake (S05) Cosima Benson-Colpi (C12) Jamie Francis-Jones (B84) Michael Liddell (B84) John Ludlow (C82) Fiona Cadwallader (B78) Charlie Harbord (R12) Katy Nannestad (I09) Mel Alcock (S78) Daniel Brennan (S89) Tallulah Horton (C18)

Vice-Presidents

Rupert Orchard (R74) Mary Jane Platt (Ra76) Mark Steed (C71) Geoffrey Jaques (B59) Ian Norrington (B54) John Scanlan (S54) Simon Westlake (S81)

Officer

Dom Leo Maidlow Davis (B72) (Chaplain)

Honorary Vice-Presidents

Mike Flynn (U75) – USA (West) John Churchill (B84) – USA (East) Gaizka Ortuzar (S53) – Spain James Scanlan (S86) – Spain Vincent Barrett (Ra87) – Ireland Mark Lightfoot (R86) – Malta

Contact Us

The office at Downside is run by Jess Newman and Paige Owen.

Telephone 01761 235158 Email oldgregorians@downside.co.uk

2020 AGM

The Downside Fisher Youth Club has used this time to update some of its most used facilities.

Downside Fisher Youth Group

The last year has been difficult for inner city children and, despite a number of attempts to open, we were largely closed from March 2020 to April 2021. Our reserves were built for exactly this sort of crisis and while it is dispiriting to use them, it will leave us in a position to help those who need us. We have also used furlough and local government grants and they have been invaluable. We had just finished a programme of capital expenditure that has seen us replacing flooring throughout the club, putting in LED lighting, building a new fitness gym, a new boiler and some new plant for the swimming pool, so while it was unfortunate that we were unable to build on this momentum as the pandemic struck, we are well set for growth. We are always on the lookout for help from those who feel they can help us as trustees, as volunteers in the club and, of course, financially. Please do get in touch at chairman@downside-fisher.org

Robert Coke (S90) Chairman

Attention has now refocused on the work we do, however, as Government is acutely aware of the number of young people that have been left behind in this pandemic. There are funds to access, and we plan to use the opportunity to steadily increase what we offer. We have decided to add a new senior member of staff to allow us to open more on weekdays and to run a daily summer programme.

“we plan to use the opportunity to steadily increase what we offer...”

OGs continue to be the mainstay of our financial support and have helped us survive many downturns over the years and we remain grateful.

Sports Reports

DOWNSIDE WANDERERS RAVEN REPORT 2021

Played: 6 Won: 2 Lost: 4 Rained off: 4 Still to play: 1

As the country navigated its way out of the Covid-19 pandemic it coincided nicely with the beginning of the cricket season. After a strange summer in 2020, that was littered with restrictions, cancellations and the normal British weather, the 2021 Wanderers cricket season was met with healthy anticipation.

With plenty of Wanderers taking pre-season incredibly seriously, we geared up for our first game with the majority of the Club having felt leather on willow and had turned the relevant arms over in the nets. So much so that the first game stiffness that is often felt after the first cricket outing was safely behind us as we took the field for our first, and newest, fixture vs the Invalids in Battersea Park.

A young side with lots of new Wanderers eager to please their older counterparts got the season off to a flying start, as we notched up our first “W” on the opening day of the season. A toss won by the opposition and the Wanderers found themselves fielding. Wary of what would be a par score to be chasing, Ben Tatham (S09) ripped through the first 5 batsmen’s wickets claiming figures of 5 – 17 off 5 overs. The Wanderers were set what could have been deemed as a concerning target of 183 runs to win, but with James Hobbs (R14) looking determined and Ed Westlake (S05) twirling his bat like it was 2005, the Wanderers supporters were put at ease from the get-go with a solid opening stand. But it was the partnership of Hobbs and

Tom Orchard (S09) that was the match winner with Orchard finishing on 48 no, and Hobbs being retired on 97, agonisingly short of what would have been a maiden Wanderers hundred. Hobbs knew exactly how Graeme Hick felt in 1994 when his Michael Atherton called him in so close to a landmark. Although this was more of a scorebook error as the skip on the day thought he had got to his 100 already…! DWCC won the game convincingly by 8 wickets.

The School weekend double header with the 1st XI and South Wales Hunt was the next two games the Wanderers were targeting, but sadly the British summer got in the way and the games were called off on the Friday due to waterlogged pitches. The second year that the School fixture has had bad weather, and we pray for sunshine next year as it’s always great to be back playing at Downside.

As the sunshine returned to the month of May, the Wanderers travelled to Warnford, Hants, for the Hampshire Hogs fixture. A toss won and with a pitch that looked like a flat drop in pitch at the MCG, it was an easy decision to bat for the DWCC skipper. What followed was a top order batting display that would have been highly envied by the England cricket team, setting a target of 292 for the home side to chase. Will Orr (R99), who bats at Warnford as if it’s his home ground, scored 81 at the top of the order only to be trapped in front by the opening bowler returning for a second spell just 19 short of another hundred. He was supported well by his opening partner Lawrie Graham (R16) who scored 42. But the match winning innings and man of the match on the day came from Marcus Marland (S04) with a sublime 102 no. Marcus rolled back the years and found the rhythm and timing as if he was playing corridor cricket in the Smythe dormitories. A solid bowling display saw the Hogs bowled out for just 75, in what was the most convincing Wanderers win in a long time. Notable bowling displays from Dom Walker (B03) (3 for 3 off 4), Tom Doe (S10) (3 for 26 off 6) and the pick of the bowlers, Harry Ross (B16), spinning his way through the lower order with 4 for 14 off 5.2 overs. A very well-rounded performance.

OGGS

The period coinciding with the academic year 2020/21 was a mixture of joy and frustration for the Society. There was little action in the first half of 2021, but it was preceded by six fixtures between August and October. The 2020 Spring Meeting, postponed to late September, was a delightful day, enhanced by good weather and good scoring. The Russell Bowl was won emphatically by St George’s, Weybridge. And in the four matches we beat the School (with the last putt of the day), halved with Stowe and lost to Worth and Sherborne.

Early 2021 resembled the spring of 2020, with the golf courses being closed for several weeks. This forced the cancellation of the Halford Hewitt; fortunately the various Clubs managed to clear their diaries sufficiently for the tournament to go ahead in September. And two other matches, against Ampleforth and Worth, also fell by the wayside. As if to make up for the lengthy wait, we had a large turnout for the Spring Meeting. There was a clear sense of joy with many seeing their close friends for the first time in many months, only slightly reduced by the dismal weather. A few days later we returned to Denham but failed to qualify for the finals of Grafton Morrish.

In The Mellin we had a rather disappointing three days. The principal team (55-years-old and over) lost to a Felsted side which was rather stronger than we expected. In the plate the players bounced back with a 3-0 win against Hurstpierpoint. The following morning we lost the semi-final to Oundle. The 65s also lost to Felsted, who went on to reach the final. In the plate we received a walk-over from Bedford but the next day a weakened team lost to Forest. And the 75s failed to qualify for the semi-finals of their tournament.

Membership of the Society is open to all Old Gregorians. The members’ ages range from 18 to 80 plus and handicaps from scratch to 24 or more, so anyone wishing to join will fit in.

The results of the main Meetings were:

Spring Meeting, Denham, 29 September 2020 Foursomes

Mathewson Salvers: Simon Stephens (S89, handicap 6) & Andrew Kennedy (S61, h’cap 23) - 39 pts 2nd: Gavin Bruce-Smythe (S83, h’cap 8) & Dominic Hennessy (R90, h’cap 18) - 36 pts

Singles, Division I

Raven Tankard: Gavin Bruce-Smythe - 39 pts 2nd: Christopher Grievson (Ra62, h’cap 12) - 36 pts

Singles, Division II

Raven Tankard: David Lumley (R75, h’cap 18) - 35 pts 2nd: Peter Crawford (C68, h’cap 15) - 32 pts

Spring Meeting, Denham, 13 May 2021 Foursomes

Mathewson Salvers: Richard Kenyon (S90, h’cap 11) & Simon McCall (B73, h’cap 19) - 34 pts 2nd: David Sheridan (C81, h’cap 19) & Damian Keeling (B98, h’cap 20) - 32 pts

Singles, Division I

Raven Tankard: Ben Davis (S80, h’cap 14 ) - 36 pts 2nd: Jeremy Kenyon (S95, h’cap 14) - 36 pts

Singles, Division II

Raven Tankard: Andrew Kennedy (S61) - 32 pts 2nd: Antony Tyndale (S72, h’cap 20) - 31 pts

Michael Liddell (B84) Honorary Secretary mhl@oggs.org.uk OLD GREGORIAN FOOTBALL CLUB

Since its establishment in 2018, the OGFC have played a number of fixtures and friendly matches. They play in the 5th tier of the Arthurian League, as well as other tournaments, meaning there is a spot to be filled by everyone.

As well as tournaments, training sessions are organised with current and potential squad members. Jorge Baltazar (R15) coordinates fixtures and members and is always looking for more OGs to get involved.

OLD GREGORIAN NETBALL SOCIETY

The Netball Society is the newest OG Sporting Society established just before the pandemic began, meaning they have not been able to play a competitive fixture due to Covid-19. The team is currently coordinated by Tash Soodeen (I18) and Jamie Francis Jones (B84), who look forward to welcoming the OG Community to fixtures in the coming months. There has already been a great amount of interest in players from groups of all ages which has been a delight to see.

The team is based in London and is designed to be a flexible, social team with spaces still available.

If you are interested in getting involved with any of our OG Sporting Societies, or would like to start a new one, please email: oldgregorians@downside.co.uk.

Announcements

BIRTHS Alex Archibald (R06), a daughter, Iona Julia Lindsey, on 9th December 2020 Rob Buchan-Heelas (B03), a daughter, Georgina Baie Buchan-Heelas, on 8th September 2020 James Grew (R06), a son, Rupert Grew, on 26th November 2019 James Grew (R06), a son, Arthur Grew, in March 2021 William Hatton (S08), a son, Francis Peter Graham Hatton, on 12th December 2020 Rosanna Magee (C07), a boy, William Narayan Félix Agach-Magee, on 23rd June 2021 Felix Prinz zu Salm-Salm (C00), a daughter, Laya zu Salm-Salm, on 13th May 2021 Blair Elliott Sasada (B08), a daughter, Beatrice Isabella Sasada, on 5th October 2020 Tom Shorland Ball (R05), a son, Bertram Frederick James Shorland Ball, 29th May 2021 Dominic Walker (B03), a daughter, Bluebell Elizabeth Walker, on 6th October 2020 Edward Westlake (S05), a daughter, Matilda Westlake, on 10th March 2021

ENGAGEMENTS Richard Grew (R13) to Amy Shearer William Magee (R08) to Hannah Mason Andrés Armida Moreno Lacalle (St Oliver’s 06) to Adriana Riveria Padilla Caitlin Murphy (C14) to Jasper Elwes Thomas Orchard (S09) to Annabel Staib

MARRIAGES Rory Campbell-Lamerton (B07) to Lucy Colacicchi Alexander Graham-Watson (S07) to Lauren Nevitt Peter Hammond (B11) to Portia Vanderplank-Jones Francesca Levey (C09) to Thomas van Kampen Fred Mahon (B07) to Alexandra Hellyer Oliver Wells (S07) to Harriet Nelham-Clark (C09) Hugo Whyte (R12) to Imogen Graham

Blair Elliott Sasada (B08) William Hatton (S08) Ed Westlake (S05)

Sibella Levey (C13), Peter Levey (S10), George Hunter (B09), Francesca Levey (C09), Harriet Wells née Nelham Clark (C09), Oliver Wells (S07), James Hogan (S09)

Oliver Wells (S07) to Harriet Nelham-Clark (C09) Alexander Graham-Watson (S07) to Lauren Nevitt Fred Mahon (B07) to Alexandra Hellyer

Andrés Armida Moreno Lacalle (St Oliver’s 2006) to Adriana Riveria Padilla Tom Orchard (S09) to Annabel Staib

DEATHS L. R. B. Addington (B41) on 6th August 2021 aged 97 T. Bethell (B52) on 12th February 2021 aged 84 F. C. Blackie (C55) on 24th May 2021 aged 83 D. F. Brown (S49) on 6th April 2021 aged 89 J. K. Buckenham (S48) on 22nd December 2019 aged 90 S. R. Clifford (R75) on 7th February 2021 aged 63 W. S. Compton (U62) in October 2020 aged 77 B. de Salis (R53) on 14th February 2021 aged 84 P. Doyle (B56) on 13th December 2020 aged 82 T. C. G. T. Elwes (R53) in March 2021 aged 85 W. Fielding (C58) in September 2020 aged 81 A. J. J. Gaggero (B47) on 7th January 2021 aged 61 C. S. R. Gibbons (B85) in June 2021 aged 54 A. R. Girault (U88) on 19th April 2019 aged 47 M. G. Gisborne (R51) on 7th May 2021 aged 87 C. R. C. Harding (B60) on 4th November 2020 aged 78 R. C. M. D. Heggs (U83) on 14th January 2021 aged 55 N. Hodge (B79) on 12th December 2020 aged 60 G. P. Hughes (Ra79) on 29th December 2017 aged 59 A. B. S. Jackson (R60) on 20th October 2020 aged 77 R. J. Jackson (S50) on 1st December 2020 aged 88 S. J. Keay (U72) on 7th April 2021 aged 66 P. J. Langan (S70) on 16th June 2021 aged 69 M. Lomax (C60) on March 21st 2020 aged 77 P. Mackenzie-Smith (S64) on 20th August 2020 aged 74 J. C. A. A. Mandeville (S53) on 1st September 2020 aged 84 C. C. Martin (R51) on 31st August 2021 aged 88 A. R. M. McDonnell (R52) on 21st July 2021 aged 86 D. B. McHugh (B55) on 1st June 2021 aged 84 S. P. H. Milmo (B60) in April 2021 aged 77 D. J. Monico (S56) on 4th May 2021 aged 83 D. R. P. Morgan (R60) on 5th May 2021 aged 79 M. T. Murphy (R58) in July 2021 aged 80 T. J. R. Nesbitt (C84) on 9th May 2021 aged 55

J. W. Oakes (B50) on 23rd May 2021 aged 88 M. Ogilvie-Davis (B50) on 6th January 2021 aged 89 R.A. Plummer (R48) on 1st January 2020 aged 90 M. P. Poland (B80) on 30th March 2021 aged 58 P. H. Quincey Carter (B42) in March 2021 aged 97 M. Reeve-Tucker (R67) on 30th September 2020 aged 71 J. A. Richardson (R47) in May 2021 aged 91 R. T. Riordan (S82) on 24th November 2020 aged 56 A. G. Smeed (R45) in October 2020 aged 93 J. F. M. Von Pflugl (C57) on 16th January 2021 aged 80 B. M. Whitlock Blundell (C41) on 19th August 2020 aged 97 A. Whittlesea on 27th March 2021 aged 78

Requiescant in pace

JAMES BERNARD BOURKE (S58) 1938 - 2018

James Bourke and I were contemporaries in Smythe. As he was older than me we were not in the Junior House together but we became close friends in Smythe as time went by. It became obvious that James would accomplish good things: natural ability, wide and varied interests, and a gift for companionship are promising attributes at a young age.

James was a member of Smythe who, for so many reasons, no one could ignore. Today, he might have been diagnosed as being mildly autistic. He could often be encountered humming to himself the opening bars of the Ninth or something less well known, conducting himself as he went by. Not only that! James also had an encyclopaedic knowledge of classical music and could cite from memory every Opus number of any classical piece broadcast on the Third Programme. The BBC had designed this to be “of artistic and cultural importance … for persons of taste, of intelligence, and of education”. In other words, for James. The rest of us listened to pop music on Family Favourites before lunch on Sundays! To my knowledge, James did not then play an instrument but he was a tireless collector of classical recordings, all made of shellac in those days, which he played regularly on a large radiogram at his parents’ home.

At home we were close neighbours, he in Southampton and I near Portsmouth. He kindly invited me to visit him and his parents, in about 1957. The Bourkes lived in the centre of the city, in a handsome Georgian terrace house. His father was a GP and, in retrospect, it’s obvious that James would follow his father, and become such a respected surgeon. That weekend, he had arranged to attend a lecture by Frederick Ashton so, in bright sunshine, we walked along the famous docks to the auditorium, with one of the Queens towering above everything in sight. Frederick (later Sir Frederick) Ashton is credited with being the founder of British ballet and was a celebrated dancer and choreographer. I recall being amazed by the complexity of what I had considered to be, well, dancing. About ballet, I shamefully knew and understood nothing.

James was a good if not outstanding athlete in rugger and cricket. What little he may have lacked in ability, he more than made up with his enthusiasm for any sport or game. He was also almost as knowledgeable about his favourite sports as he was about music. If you wanted to know the test match score, you asked James. Later, he put his knowledge of, and interest in, sport to excellent purpose for the benefit of others.

In 1958 he took his ability and enthusiasms to Christ’s College, Cambridge. There, he read medicine in Part I but in Part II he switched to anthropology and archaeology, which were then, apparently, an enthusiasm and which would certainly become one later, in the public domain. Going down from Christ’s, he went back to medicine and completed his training at the London Hospital where he met his wife, Anne. They were married in 1965 and had three children.

In 1972 Jim, as he became known, went up to Nottingham where he was appointed consultant surgeon and reader in surgery. He spent the next 30 years at the General Hospital and the University. There, he helped establish the Queen’s Medical Centre, where he became Medical Director. During his distinguished professional career, Jim still couldn’t leave sport alone. When his days playing cricket came to an end, he became a major figure of Nottingham Rugby Club, acting as the Club’s doctor and Chairman. The Club became a force in British rugby, and many members played international rugby. His 2006 article in the BMJ drew attention to the dangers posed by scrums, which he believed should be uncontested. In this, they are still some way short, but they pose less risk now of serious injury than they did.

Jim applied his knowledge of anthropology and archaeology to Pete Marsh, a mysterious body found in a peat bog near Wilmslow in 1984. In 1986 Jim co-authored a book entitled Lindow Man: the body in the bog. Pete Marsh is now on display in the British Museum.

As a fellow pupil at Downside James was a man of many

promising parts in the making. With his wide interests, he was always a stimulating companion, and he was as kind and generous to me at school as he would be to so many people throughout his caring and varied career. Naturally, Jim never lost his passion for music, especially for opera. He was a regular visitor to Glyndebourne and to Buxton Opera House, where, I feel sure, he would hum an aria in faint earshot of his fellow patrons.

Guy AB Knapton (S58)

FERGUS BLACKIE (C55) 1937 - 2021

Fergus Craig Blackie was born on 18 July 1937 in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe). The son of Scottish Catholic immigrants who came to Africa not just to create a new life for themselves but, in the case of William, his father, to study and practise Tropical Medicine.

Fergus began his schooling at St George’s College, the distinguished Jesuit school, before moving to Britain to complete high school at the Benedictine Downside Abbey. Evidently the Benedictines impressed him enough to enter their novitiate after school. He discerned, however, that monasticism was not his way of serving God. He left the Order before taking vows and proceeded to read Law at University College, Oxford.

He returned to Salisbury where he completed his articles as an attorney in 1963. Three years later he completed the pupillage necessary to become an advocate. He also married Adrienne Mary Appleby in January 1966. They had five children – Alexandra, Victoria, William, Caroline and Margaret.

He was appointed a Senior Counsel, in 1980, the same year that Zimbabwe became independent. His career in the High Court had taken a different turn in 1978, when he was invited to serve as an acting judge in the Administrative Court, focusing on settling disputes over water. Blackie was appointed a judge of the Zimbabwe High Court in 1986, a post he held until retirement in 2002.

Fergus Blackie moved with his wife Adrienne to South Africa. Settling in Johannesburg, he started a new career in mediation and arbitration, drawing on what he’d learnt with the ‘water court’ in the late 1970s. In this regard he helped to set up DiSAC, the Dispute Settlements Advisory Council, and worked with Conflict Dynamics.

Behind this public persona, Fergus Blackie was a committed family man, warm-hearted and filled with a sense of humour. Committed to his faith, he took a considerable interest in Church affairs. Above all he believed in fairness and had little time for posturing or posing behind technical jargon.

In this, at very least, Fergus Blackie’s life should be an encouragement to South African judges, and all citizens who value the rule of law, to stand for that all too rare thing today, public integrity. He is survived by his wife, two brothers, five children and six grandchildren.

Spotlight Africa

ATHELSTAN GURNEY SMEED (R54) 1927 - 2021

Athelstan Smeed, better known by his friends and family as Lattie, was in Roberts House at Downside. He was a winner at cross country and performed a solo on the BBC Radio Broadcast one Christmas. He was very proud of his school and spoke fondly of his time boarding throughout the war.

He was one of the survivors after the tragic aircraft disaster in 1943, owing his life to a sting from a bee which meant he was rolling around on the ground when the wing of the aircraft passed over his head missing him by inches but wiping out his classmates. This left him devastated. He would pray silently for his lost brothers and

used his faith to continue to live life to the full where theirs had been cut short so quickly.

On leaving Downside his passion was to join the Guards but unfortunately his eyesight meant this was not possible.

He undertook hotel management at Westminster School of Catering which meant training in London at the finest hotels including Grosvenor House and the Dorchester. His culinary skills were taught in Berne, Switzerland. He went on to become the youngest assistant general manager at one the best hotels of his time. It was on the Isle of Guernsey at The Royal where he met Madeleine, his wife to be.

He married Madeleine, his wife of same age, and went on to have five children, 14 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. They became a formidable partnership in the hospitality industry and our parents went on to own their own hotels.

He loved horse racing, the sport of kings, and became a popular member at various courses in the South of England, and had a passion for cars. He put all his children through private school and with his wife loved each and every one of us unconditionally. He was an extremely well liked individual and was liked by everyone no matter where you were from.

Our father passed away peacefully and with great dignity and now rests alongside his father, brother and his dear, cherished wife of 65 years, Madeleine.

Respected and loved by all, he is missed on a daily basis but never forgotten. I pray that one day I might visit Downside, possibly with my children to walk the passages and relive where he called home for so many years.

I wish to thank all those that took the time to write the kind words of sympathy. God bless you all!

Christopher Smeed

SIMON KEAY (U72) 1954 - 2021

Simon was one of the first archaeologists to apply pioneering geophysical surveys on a large scale in the Mediterranean world, first in Spain, and then jointly with me in Italy, at Falerii Novi, Lazio, in 1997. It was this work that led the Italian authorities to invite us to undertake the first large-scale geophysical survey of Portus the following year.

Simon’s Italian work had followed on from 20 years of influential research on Roman Spain. He was among the first nonSpanish archaeologists to work in Spain after the death of Franco (from 1978) and was held in very high regard there. His doctoral work on the late Roman economy established his profile, after which he went on to publish the first modern synthesis of Roman Spain, in 1988.

However, his most pioneering work came in the series of large-scale surveys. Having met as students, and periodically worked together, in 1985 we were invited to conduct a survey of the hinterland of the Roman provincial capital at Tarraco (now Tarragona), where the Catalonian government was leading major new excavations.

Recognising the potential of geophysical surveys for examining large sites, Simon co-directed, from 1991 to 1993, a project that mapped the city of Italica, the birthplace of the emperor Trajan, near Seville, revealing a variety of previously unknown buildings. This was later followed with an innovative study using Geographical Information Systems (a computer-based system for analysing maps) to better understand the networking of the dense concentration of Roman urban centres in southern Spain (2000-08).

Born in London, to Lorelei (née Shiel) and Anthony Keay, a company director, Simon attended Downside, before going to the University of London in 1974 to study archaeology. He stayed there to do his PhD, completed in 1983. In 1985 he was appointed lecturer in archaeology at the University of Southampton, rising to become professor by 1997. He stayed at the university until retirement in 2020, while also serving as director of archaeology at the British School at Rome for a decade from 2006. During this time, alongside the Portus excavations, Simon led a major EU-funded research project gathering comparative evidence from Roman ports across the whole of the Mediterranean. His publications of this research, along with the final report of his excavations, which he was completing at the time of his death, will be central to all future accounts of the Roman world.

Throughout his work, Simon ensured that the everyday objects found were the subject of careful and systematic study, so his project publications remain as key works of reference. He was also a generous promoter of younger colleagues, always involving them as co-authors. This gave energy to his fieldwork projects, which, combined with his sharp – and often irreverent – sense of humour, ensured that field archaeology with him was always enormous fun.

In 1986 he married Nina Inzani, a homeopath. She and their two sons, James and Leo, survive him.

The Guardian

MICHAEL LOMAX (C60) 1943 - 2021

When the Vatican XI, a cricket team comprising largely Sri Lankan and Irish priests, asked for a match against the small French village of Entrecasteaux, its English inhabitant and former advertising executive Mike Lomax leapt at the proposal. Tall, clever and a good cricket player — he was the village umpire and a leading international umpire in France — Mike had always taken a bighearted approach to life. Since 2000 he had followed a pattern whereby he spent five months of the year in the picture-perfect village with its own château and Le Nôtre maze, five months in a fisherman’s cottage by the sea in Deal, Kent, and the remaining two months travelling. Friends joked that in another life he should have been a travel agent such was his passion for exploring the world, including Japan, Vietnam, the US, India, Turkey, Syria, Georgia, South Africa, South America, New Zealand and Australia.

He loved opera, particularly Mozart, and travelled to Italy for performances as well as to Berlin, Nice, Marseilles and, in Britain, Glyndebourne and Holland Park. He spoke German and Italian, and was fluent in French with an accent assumed to be Walloon or Swiss. Mike was born in 1943 in Fulmer, a village in Buckinghamshire, the first son of Peter, a lawyer, and Mary, a successful portrait painter. His Victorian great-grandparents had made money in Chile in the nitrate business and Mike enjoyed a comfortable upbringing in Chelsea. He was sent to Downside, the Catholic boarding school in Somerset. Mike had two younger siblings, Rosamund and Rod, and an elder sister, Geraldine, who was killed in a road accident in her early twenties.

After school, where he excelled as a southpaw boxer, he won a scholarship to Pembroke College, Cambridge, to read English, and was involved in drama alongside Eric Idle and Tim Brooke-Taylor. He toured Europe as a member of the Pembroke Players. The world of advertising beckoned, and he started out at McCann Erickson, following a stellar trajectory through the financial advertising

and public relations world at a time when the industry was in its heyday. He was director and head of media at Streets Financial, joined Charles Barker, one of the oldest of the public relations companies, as joint managing director, and became the chief executive of First Financial. At the latter his main client was Jupiter Asset Management and when he left First Financial he continued to work for Jupiter. When new regulatory boards were introduced in the 1980s he was on the Securities and Investment Board, the forerunner of the Financial Conduct Authority. He was also at the forefront of the marketing for the Cancer Research campaign and, nearer to home, a governor of Newington Community Primary School in Thanet.

In 1967 Mike married Rachel (née Salmon), a senior civil servant who became a deputy governor at the Bank of England, and they had two sons: Tom, who is a doctor in Tokyo, and Dan, a lecturer. The marriage broke down in the late 1980s and in 1992 Mike married Margaret Stone, a financial journalist who had set up The Times’ money section in the late 60s, and whom he had known in financial circles for many years. Between them they had six grandchildren: Alisa, Mia, Sasha, Evie, Ned and Bertie. Mike and Margaret moved from Maida Vale to the Barbican but on realising the number of traffic lights separating them from the other side of the river decided to move out of London and to divide their time between France and Deal, where Mike played golf. At 6ft 5in he was a big hitter, although sometimes on a different course from that on which they were meant to be playing. To many, however, it was his encyclopaedic mind — he could recall the date of an event in history at random — and allembracing interest in the world that made him entertaining company, not least in his fascination with Turkish carpets: he had 13 in Deal and ten in France.

The Times

THOMAS MICHAEL REEVE-TUCKER (R68) 1949 - 2019

Most of my brothers were born in Jamaica (the rest of them in Carlisle (our sisters were born in Herefordshire)); had the Windies selectors been on the qui vive, Mike was the most likely to have had a call-up. His fast bowling for the 1st XI in 1967 and 1968 reached heights of unplayable menace, especially at Lord’s, where he was cruelly deprived of a hat-trick in the morning session by an umpire who turned down the plumbest of plumb LBWs. The sorry umpire explained that, had he raised his finger, he feared the match would have been over by lunch.

His was an idyllic childhood, spent in a village in Herefordshire, on the family farm in Cumberland, and on various army patches around the world – Catterick, Jamaica, Germany, Hong Kong (where not surprisingly he did a stint as a model) – usually in the happy band of the four outlaw brothers.

A talented sportsman, he was a bruising centre in the excellent 1967 XV and a stalwart of the Hockey XI; and, latterly, an accomplished golfer. On leaving Downside he went straight to Sandhurst to start a distinguished 27-year army career.

He was the embodiment of Downside’s Benedictine ethos and values, which were instrumental in his rising to become the last Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion, the Royal Hampshire Regiment, the very same regiment that his father (TSW Reeve-Tucker (R38), Head Boy and Captain of the unbeaten 1st XV) had commanded in the 60s.

Curiously, he was the third Roberts boy in a direct line of succession to command it, after Tim Glass (R63) and Paul Davies (R67). Following its amalgamation with the Queen’s Regiment in 1992, he became the first C.O. of the 1st Battalion, the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment. He took the new battalion to Armagh, an interesting challenge for a Catholic, and regularly attended at Kensington Palace to report on regimental affairs.

The army sent him all over the world, including two long spells in Germany, in Bavaria where he was sent to learn the language and, it is surmised, to teach the German army how to play cricket (wie ist das?!), and also in West Berlin.

On retiring from the army in the rank of LieutenantColonel he had a spell as Clerk to the Worshipful Company of Pewterers, before moving to Zambia in 2012. There he built a house and created a garden which he filled with flowers and fruit trees, on his eldest son’s, Piers’ (R94), land, where all were welcome, and all came. He gradually became grandfather to seven and was adoring of and adored by them. He would organise fun parties and trips on his boat on the Zambezi. In recent years he taught cricket at his grandchildren’s school.

As Council Member for Zambia for the Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League he worked passionately to ensure many families got their life-saving grants. He also headed up the annual Poppy Appeal, something he did with huge pride.

A fine leader, his was an ebullient and adventurous spirit. He was a loving, dedicated and kind father of six – Piers, Poppy, Dominic (B97), Alexander, Olivia and Imogen - son, brother and friend, sustaining many wonderful friendships around the world.

Stephen Reeve-Tucker (R69)

SEAN MILMO (B60) 1943 - 2021

Sean Peter Heywood Milmo was born in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, on May 30, 1943. He was the fourth of six children born to Sir Helenus Milmo, later a High Court judge, and his wife Joan.

Educated at Downside School and Trinity College, Cambridge, Sean worked for more than 50 years as a journalist, starting on local newspapers in Shropshire and Teesside before later joining Reuters in London. He spent much of his career as a freelance writer specialising in business journalism.

Sean was a nature lover, voracious reader, political activist, energetic dancer and avid football fan. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Marion, and his two sons, Cahal and Dan, who have followed him into journalism.

Coatings World

DAVID MONICO (S56) 1938 - 2021

It was quite unreasonable for David to leave us when he did. It was not his turn. Typical, of course, upstaging me to the last. But now that I come to reflect on our life together as brothers it does seem to me that I must have been an awful cross for David to have to bear throughout our formative years. All the things that I did and liked doing he hated. Most of the ideas I had he probably disapproved of. It wasn’t until he was about 15 when Pasmore, the Headmaster of Downside, put him into a special History Set, the aim of which was to capture major scholarships to Oxbridge that it dawned on me that he was probably cleverer than I was.

Of course, he always had an enquiring mind. In 1941, aged three and a half, he is being pushed in his pram by his aunt Margot up Wippersnapper Lane in Westbury. Wippersnapper Lane is a horrible, cobbled, steep shortcut and the pram is heavy, unwieldy and old-fashioned. The pram hits a thoroughly uncompromising pothole. ‘Jesus’ says aunt Margot. ‘Where, Auntie Margot, where?’ says David, popping up in the pram all keen and bright eyed. ‘Oh, everywhere,’ says Margot who hadn’t done time at St Mary’s Ascot for nothing.

David became part of the Stoneyard Set at Downside. Auberon Waugh, David Mlinaric, Rob Stuart and D were permanently ‘excused boots’ as the military might say. ‘Off games’. While the rest of us covered ourselves in mud come rain or shine the Set would repair to the Stoneyard and place themselves

under the protection of saintly Hubert van Zeller who would seek to beautify their minds.

Whilst I was off doing National Service and learning how to defend my little brother should the Tartars and the Cossacks of the great Asian Plain take it into their heads to sweep over Western Europe, David duly won his Exhibition to Corpus Christi, Cambridge. It didn’t cross his mind that it was now his turn to defend me. Up we went to Cambridge, then, together, David an Exhibitioner and me, a humble commoner. We read History together and shared an elegant set of rooms in College throughout our stay. In cases of extreme emergencies we might borrow each other’s essays and I was very conscious of the fact that my essays were always rather better received when presented by David than when I showed up with them myself.

More than anything David wanted to be cast in the 1959 Footlights Revue. All he had ever wanted was to have a life in the theatre. When he played the King in The King and I at Cheltenham two old dears sat in the fourth row of the stalls. ‘They say the King is much better than that Yul Brunner’ says one to the other – and then they both go to sleep.

Mother died in 2002 and David was 64. At last he was able to fulfil his other ambition which was to make a life in Italy. At the Villa Prosperini, David and Neil were able to achieve all their aspirations, a gentle country life, love of friends, letter writing, books, good food (it should have been better wine), glorious summer weather. D complained bitterly about his first winter though. I was able to observe smugly that if he knew anything about the battle of Monte Cassino he would know how awful Italian winters could be.

Wherever you are, brother dear, keep a place for me.

Martin Monico (S54)

JOHN KEVIN NEWMAN 1928 - 2020

Since Kevin died on 26 July 2020, I have received letters of condolence from a number of you. Your kind words mean more to me than you could ever imagine, especially since you are drawing from memories that go back more than fifty years.

Kevin’s memories of Downside also stretched back—specifically to 1955 when Dom Wilfrid offered him a position teaching Group One. To the Headmaster’s pointed question: “Can you make [the boys] work?” Kevin gave, without hesitation, the reply, “Yes, if you support me.”

At that time Kevin was unemployed, as penniless as Chaucer’s Clerk of Oxenford. But he was confident that he could teach. If he had taught himself Greek so well that Rector Barber offered him a place at Exeter College before his interview concluded (“I’m surprised that your Greek is better than your Latin!”) he was convinced that he could assist in preparing the boys in Group One for the future if they were willing to trust him and work hard. The years he spent at Downside were filled with a sense of purpose and of accomplishment. He sometimes said that he learned Greek and Latin by attempting to answer the questions asked by the boys in Group One. Again, like the Clerk of Oxenford, “Gladly would he learn and gladly teach.”

But after 14 years it was time to move on. When he was offered a position at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with one of the finest Classics Libraries in the US, he realised that to continue with his research he had no choice but to accept. The terms were generous: he could borrow as many books as he wished for as long as he wished. The Classics Librarian eventually automatically renewed the volumes when they came due and would sometimes even drop books off at the house. And during his 31 years as a faculty member, he was excused from teaching for five years so that he could get on with his research.

However, Kevin never forgot Downside, he never forgot Group One, he never forgot the excitement of watching the intellectual growth of intelligent boys who were working toward a well-defined goal. Over the years he often heard from old

pupils. But the affirmation that he had spent his life pursuing a worthwhile career came at the splendid celebratory dinner in 2012 at Brooks’ Club, when so many former members of Group One spoke of the lessons they had learned, …was it in Room 6?

Sadly, Kevin’s heart never recovered from the damage inflicted on it in January 2019. During the subsequent eighteen months his health, both physical and mental, gradually deteriorated. Not long before he died, when his dementia was quite advanced, he asked me if I thought he might be able to go back to Downside to teach the boys. What answer could I give? I don’t think his heart had ever really left.

Frances Newman

ROBERT ANTONY PLUMMER (R48) 1929 - 2020

Robert Antony (Tony), Brigadier late Irish Guards, peacefully on January 1st 2020, aged 90. Beloved husband of Anne, adored father of Lucy and John, proud fatherin-law and grandfather. Funeral at 11.00 am, Thursday 23rd January 2020, at St Peter’s Church, Foston, Lincolnshire.

Telegraph

BRIAN WHITLOCKBLUNDELL (C41) 1922 – 2020

Brian Mark Whitlock-Blundell, of Crosby Hall, Little Crosby, Merseyside, died 19 August 2020. He was 97.

He was born in 1922, at Battle, Sussex, as second son of Mark Kingsley Whitlock, of Braziers Farm, Chipperfield, Hertfordshire, and married 26 January, 1950, Hester Mary Blundell, daughter of Francis Nicholas Blundell of Crosby Hall, by his wife the former Theresa Victoria Ward. His wife succeeded as head of the landed gentry family of Blundell, of Crosby Hall, and in consequence of this Mr Whitlock assumed the surname of WhitlockBlundell by deed poll.

Mr Whitlock-Blundell was the father of eight children, Mark, Richard, Joseph, Thomas and Christopher, and daughters, Mary, Emma and Monica.

Telegraph

ANNE WHITTLESEA

I first met Adrian and Anne in 1977 when they arrived in Stratton with three young children, Alex, Alison and Amy, as Adrian took up his post as Art Master in the School. A year later Annalise was born at the Manor House in Stratton where they lived. At the time I was a young monk in the monastery with several others studying philosophy, theology, scripture, church history and canon law. The arrival of a young family, full of life and joy, could hardly pass unnoticed by us young monks living on the top floor of the monastery.

We’re in the liturgical season of Easter when we sing alleluia at the end of the antiphons and the choir of the Abbey Church at Downside has in pride of place the Easter candle. Over the years the candle has been decorated and painted by art masters and pupils from the school; I’m sure Adrian painted and encouraged his pupils to assist with this work. I mention the Abbey Church because when Anne became the House Mother

in Plunkett, she encouraged the boys to take part in the different services. As the master of ceremonies, I used to meet Anne and two or three boys after breakfast on Sunday mornings in the Abbey Church to run through the bringing up of the gifts for the Offertory Procession at the mass. She also encouraged the boys to act as torch bearers at the Sunday evening Benediction.

In the 1980s the Manor House in Stratton was full of activity and life as Anne and Adrian organised many activities: music and dancing lessons, art exhibitions, birthday parties and camping in the garden for the boys. Anne had her family of four children, but the house was filled with an overflow of Plunkett boys who loved being there and having Mrs Whitt, as Anne was affectionately known, as their House Mother.

Being House Mother to young boys was very much a ‘hands on job’ and the success, the joy and spirit of friendship that was so much part of Plunkett House at that time was due to Anne’s care and love. She was the ideal person to be the House Mother, bringing her nursing and motherly skills to her work as she looked after all the needs of the students, being the link-person and bridging the gap that exists between home and school and supplying the softer, feminine touch that’s often missing in an all boys’ school. She was the able assistant to the House Master in administration and counselling, and as the discerning Christian person in the spiritual needs of the boys.

Anne took an active and leading role in the Wessex Walks for Save the Children. When the charity celebrated their silver jubilee Anne was invited to a reception at Buckingham Palace. When she retired from Plunkett House in 2000 the School organised a farewell party. I still remember Martin Fisher, the Deputy Head Master’s words: ‘all the boys who have passed through Plunkett loved Anne and as we can see many of her old boys are here today. One boy told me, we loved Mrs Whitt and we all fell in love with her.’ Damian Ettinger, the House Master of Plunkett at the time of her retirement, remarked in a letter to parents: ‘She has made her quiet influence felt throughout the House, has been involved in all areas of house activity, and displayed the love and compassion of an exceptionally dedicated woman.’

Anne, as a trained nurse, took an active part in the OMV Lourdes Pilgrimage for ten pilgrimages. Here she was a valuable member of the medical team and she also managed to squeeze in time to sing in the choir. I quote from the obituary that appeared on OMV Facebook. ‘Anne was known to scores of OMV helpers as Mrs Whitt....She epitomised selfsacrifice and self-giving and the quiet tenderness of care for her family, her ‘boys’ and for our HPs (Hospital Pilgrims) knew no bounds. Truly, nothing ever appeared too much trouble as she drew from a seemingly endless reserve of energy and kindness.’ I thank Joanna Whitaker for those beautiful words that I think sum up the love and friendship Anne extended to so many. She brought the comfort and peace of God’s love to many.

Let us pray for Anne that she may enjoy the peace and comfort of God’s love. In the words of today’s scripture reading from the Book of Revelation, ‘See, I am making all things new.’ In our sadness and loss, let us comfort one another, with those words, ‘I am making all things new.’

Saints of God, come to her aid! Hasten to meet her, angels of the Lord! Receive her soul and present her to God the Most High.

May Christ, who called you, take you to himself; May angels lead you to the bosom of Abraham. Receive her soul and present her to God the Most High.

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. Receive her soul and present her to God the Most High.

Dom James Hood (B72)

OG News

1950

Bernardo Vega (C) was awarded the International History Award by the Assocation of Caribbean studies. This award is given for having written the best history book on the Caribbean in 20192020. Bernardo has recently ended his term as President of the Dominican Academy of History

1953

Michael Abbott (C) has concluded his 44 years voluntary service to the Church as a Trustee of the Diocese of Nottingham. He was appointed in 2007 following his resignation as the founding Chairman of St. Edward’s School Cheltenham where he had served in varying capacities back to 1977.

Michael Abbott (C) has recently been offered a permanent record with the name of a new ‘Abbott’ building, at St Edwards, where he remained as a Chairman of Trustees until his retirement in 2007. The building was blessed by a visit from the Bishop of Clifton.

1955

Tim Ambler’s (B) anthem The Fifieth Day was premiered at the London Festival of Contemporary Church Music on Pentecost Sunday.

1959

Dom Charles Fitzgerald-Lombard (S) has been Parish Priest of Downside’s oldest Parish, Bungay in Suffolk, founded in Cromwellian times for the last 15 years. Following a mild stroke in October 2020 and reaching his 80th birthday in January this year, it seems prudent to accept the Abbot’s offer of retirement. He proposes returning to the Abbey and subsequently following their exciting new adventure on the principle that ‘where you go, I will go’. Will he be bored? Probably not as he has been offered to resume a historical research project which he laid down some 30 years ago on the publication of English and Whelsh Priests Vol 3 and will commence work on Vol 4 with the aid of a research grant from the Institute of Historical Research which is sponsored by the Scouloudi Foundation in the University of London.

Alan Morgan (S) became a grandfather on 3rd November 2020 to Alicia, daughter of Georgiana Wasilwska Morgan and her husband Luiz Ros.

1961

Johnny Harrison (C) has now retired from his position with HSBC and has taken on the role of Marketing Manager for www.samsriverside.co.uk

1962

Dorian Lovell-Pank (C) has recently retired from Chambers in London after being called to the Bar in 1971, taking Silk in 1993 and half a century as a Criminal Practitioner. He now is a sole practitioner working from his home in Gloucestershire and continues to be a visiting Professor of Law at Loyola University Chicago and a consultant for Charles Gomez and Co Solicitors in Gibraltar.

1965

Tim Coghlan (U) has now been at the helm of Braunston Marina - on the Grand Union Canal near Rugby - for 33 years. He acquired the site, with its historic wharf in a state of semi-dereliction, in 1988. This resulted in a career change after 20 years working in the City of London, latterly as a stockbroker. To Tim’s great pleasure, the revived and restored marina is now one of the most well-known in the country, and has attracted great media attention over the years. Recently in August 2020, an episode of BBC Radio 4’s programme Open County was made there, presented by the legendary song writer and music producer

Pete Waterman. This was followed up in March 2021 when the BBC television programme Countryfile filmed the new hybrid electricdiesel powered narrowboat that had been developed and built by Wharf House Narrowboats, one of several marine businesses now based at the marina. That programme, in which Tim featured, was presented by Tom Heap. Actor and canal enthusiasts Timothy West and Prunella Scales have moored at the marina for some years now, and the marina appeared in three episodes of their television series Great Canal Journeys. Aged 73, Tim has no plans for retirement: ‘It’s just too much fun here.’ Before coming to Downside, Tim was educated at Elston Hall Prep School in Nottinghamshire, which he very much enjoyed, but where he did very little work. The School only ran from 1952 to 1972, but is still held in affection by many of its small pool of alumni. Since 1995, Tim has been the self-appointed Chairman of the Old Elstonians, and has organised reunions from time to time. These are now based at London’s Cavalry and Guards Club, which was the club of the late headmaster Michael Philips. The last reunion in 2019 attracted 28 old boys, including five who went on to Downside. Possibly the most illustrious of these was Rupert Allason - the former MP for Torquay and spy writer under the nom de plume of Nigel West. A reunion lunch will be held on 26th November this year. The guest of honour will be retired Judge John Milmo QC (U61), who after leaving Downside, taught English at Elston for the Summer Term of 1961, before going on to Trinity College, Dublin, and then an illustrious career at the Bar. If you were also at Elston, and would like more information, please email tim@braunstonmarina.co.uk

1967

Philip Fowke (B) celebrated his 70th birthday with international piantist and composer, Stephen Hough, who wrote him Sonatina Nostalgica which Philip premiered online for the Chetham’s International Summer School and Festival for Pianists in 2020. He will be performing the piece live and giving a talk on his Life and Careers at this year’s Festival for Pianists 2021.

Kevin Smyth (U) now practises as a full time Civil/Commercial Mediator following his retirement as a Solicitor in 2019. Since 2000 he has been a member of CEDR’S Panel of Recommended Mediators and in 2003 he was appointed to the Court of Appeal’s Mediation Panel upon which he still serves. More recently he was made a Fellow of the Civil Mediation Council. Away from his workplace environment, following his six years of being Chairman of Worth School’s Board of Governors, he continues to be an Abbey Trustee Board Advisor. Additionally, since March 2008 he has served as Under Sheriff for the Bailiwick of Sussex.

1969

Matthew Burt (U69) has this year designed and made two altars for St Thomas’s nave in Salisbury and for St John’s in Tisbury, in his workshop in Hindon, Wiltshire. Matthew explained that the concept for the St Thomas’s altar was very simple and was designed around a metaphor for a straightforward premise. The altar emanates from an explosive centre, directly beneath the dais that supports it. From this notional centre, expanding upwards and outwards, are 1,152 pieces of English ‘Tiger’ oak. The St John the Baptist altar is currently in the village of Tisbury where Matthew’s ancestors worshipped. Matthew was grateful to be able to add his own mark to the history and narrative of a church that is very special to him.

Michael Hill (Ra) continues as Chairman of BexleyCo and a Non Executive Director of Brodway Livings and its Registered Provider subsidiary, developing

affordable and market sale housing in London. Michael continues to support railway charities by donating his paintings, which are then auctioned or used as a basis for merchandise. This work provides a regular reminder of many delightful days spent in the Art Attic, initally with Maurice Percival and then with John Crockett. Michael was delighted to find recently a photograph of himself and several other pupils in a book on the Somerset and Dorset railway; they were easily spotted as the black jackets, stiff white collars and black ties contrasted strongly with the more usual 1960s railway enthusiast attire of tweed jacket or an anorak.

Simon Jervis (R) has been elected President of the Furniture History Society in succession to Sir Nicholas Goodison.

William Johnston (R) has recently become a consultant with Byrne Wallace LLP in Dublin

1971

Dr William Griffiths (S) has recently taken on the role of Librarian of the Confraternity of St James after having been the Chairman from 2003 to 2010 and a Trustee of the GK Chesterton Library. The Stephen Badger Library of Pilgrimage, London, SE1 8NY can be visited any Thursday by emailing: office@Csj.org.uk or w.griffiths8@gmail.com

1972

Luke Downs (Ra) has retired from his landscaping business on Vancouver Island and moved down island to the pretty, artistic community of Cowichan Bay, where he is opening a gallery for his largely abstract photography. When not in the studio, he will be hiking the many trails in the area in search of birds, and material for new images.

1973

Chris Hennemeyer (B) is fast approaching the closing chapter of his humanitarian career, but remains quite engaged, having recently spent two months running Catholic Relief Services’ relief program in Ethiopia’s Tigray region due to the war that has been waged on Tigray by Ethiopian federal troops.

Bernard Trafford (C) has now retired as a teacher, after a 28 year-long career and Headship of three schools. He is currently living in Oxford and has more recently become a grandfather. Bernard has published two historical novels via Amazon as well as two SATB Christmas Carols, Sir Christemas and At Christmas be Merry.

1974

Dr Gerald Murphy (R) was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for services to forensic medicine in the 2020 Queen’s Birthday Awards. He was unable to receive the presentation because of ongoing COVID lockdowns.

Antony Randle (U) has recently became Chairman of Street Football Club, after having retired from 36 years practising as a Family Lawyer in London and moved to Glastonbury in 2018. In 2021 Antony volunteered for The National Trust and was appointed Site Warden for Glastonbury Tor.

1975

Joseph Bevan (B) has now retired from the financial services industry and is guru to his ten children and seven grandchildren. Three of his children have entered holy orders and the youngest of them is to be ordained Deacon at the seminary in Econe (Switzerland) in June 2021.

Mike Flynn (U) now lives in Pasadena, California, with his wife of three years, Laura Elizabeth

Lees. He has recently retired as a KPMG US audit partner after a 40-year career as a certified public accountant.

1976

Neil Cadwallader (Ra) was appointed a Specialist Civil Circuit Judge in November 2020.

1977

Kaae Rillos (C) has launched a new travel experience sharing website with 3 family members called Go Womple.

1979

Willie Hartley Russell (S) was appointed High Sheriff of the Royal County of Berkshire on 26th March 2021 for the ensuing year. He has also been made Patron of the Berkshire Country Cricket Club.

1982

Charles Hansard (S) has spent the last 20 years living near Wellington in Somerset after a long career in the Army (16/5L & QRL). He and his wife have three children, all of whom attend Wellington School and have a passion for horse riding and cricket. He currently owns a company that is the UK Distributor of Micfil supplying fuel, lubrication & hydraulic ultra fine filtration systems. In his free time, Charles often umpires games for Somerset Premier League cricket and owns a live steam model railway.

1986

Matt Podesta (S) and wife, Claire, have recently set up the business Huckleberry Home where they create timeless fitted and unfitted kitchens and furniture. Www. huckleberryhome.co.uk

1987

Toby McLennan (R) and Justin McLennan (C) have established a specialist executive search firm, Apollo Search Partners. Apollo provides bespoke executive search and advisory services, specialising in the Asian financial markets. Toby will be Head of Business Development out of the New York office and Justin will continue to be based in the Hong Kong office. Apollo complete senior-level executive search assignments and build leadership teams for Asia focused asset management firms, hedge fund and investment banks. They would be happy to hear from any OGs in either location: www.apollosearchpartners.com

1989

Ben Robertson (U) has recently graduated from Nottingham Trent University with a 2:1 in his BA History. He will now begin his Masters in History, also at Nottingham Trent University.

1994

Max Cencic (U) has recently been appointed the Director of the Bayreuth Baroque Opera Festival which takes places annually in the first two weeks in September. He has also been awarded the Life Achievement Prize by the German Association of Discographic Music Critics in the category for Classical Music. This has followed two Grammy Nominations in 2014 for his Opera Productions of Artaserse by Leonardo Vinci and Ottone by George F Handel, as well as in 2015 being created Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministery of Culture.

1995

Ruiari O’Connell (U) was appointed as an OBE in the Birthday Honours this year for services to British Foreign Policy and also appointed as International Engagement Director in the Home Office.

1997

Thomas Norton (S) has recently taken on the role of Housemaster of F Social at Radley College, after holding the position of Head of History.

1998

Charlie Tighe (C) had the pleasure of being elected Associate of the Royal Academy of Music by the Honours Committee, awarded to alumni of the Academy who have distinguised themselves in the music and performing profession and made a significant contribution in their field.

1999

Giles Dawnay (S) has passed his exams to become a fully qualified GP.

2000

Jonathan Mizzi (C), Architect at Mizzi Studio, has recently been awarded the commission for the replacement of a fleet of food kiosks across London’s Royal Parks. The comission had completed delivery in April 2021 with the brass flagship kiosk at St James’s Park sitting at the foot of Buckingham Palace. Other commissions included the Family Fleet and The Serpentine Coffee House.

2004

Matthew Wright (C) has taken the role of Teacher of Classics at St Mary’s Ascot after a five-year stint teaching Classics at Westminster Cathedral Choir School, where he also introduced a Civics course to the curriculum.

2008

Lucia Hudson-Evans (I) is now working as a Speech and Language Therapist specialising in Adult Critical Care. Over the past year, due to a large number of staff being placed in critical care units who are less familiar with the environment, Lucia’s work has been ever more challenging.

2009

Alice Hind (C) has taken on the role of SENCO as well as becoming a member of the Headship Team at St Peter’s Eaton Square Primary School.

2010

Emily Hammond (C) has received her commission from the Royal Air Force as a Medical Care Cadet and will be a Medical Officer from August. Emily was trained to help with the vaccinations of Covid-19 in Manchester at the beginning of this year.

2012

Jack Edward (R) graduated from the University of Roehampton with a distinction in MA Theology, Ecology and Ethics.

2013

William Kerr (B) has recently started a new position as Senior Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Wales at UK Government Wales. Piotr Manasterski (B) has received a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Bath and started working as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Institute of Genetics and Cancer in Edinburgh where he is conducting research into sarcomas using genetic engineering to generate mouse models for preclinical drug testing.

2014

Honor Addington (I) has recently set up a wallpaper company where all designs are hand illustrated by herself and then printed by an English manufacturer in Lancaster. Visit www.honoraddington.com for designs

Isabella Bartle-Jones (I) is currently training as an Occupational Therapist following the completion of her Degree in History.

Caitlin Murphy (C) has taken on the role in an admin team to facilitate remote GP consultations, whilst studying Medicine at Warwick University. She also has been trained to work as a Covid-19

vaccinator in the aim of relieving pressure on GPs in the community.

2015

Benedict Bingham (B) graduated from Southampton University with a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery. now started the regular course in the hope to be commissioned into the regular Army in December 2021. He has also graduated from the Integrated Masters Mechanical Engineering programme at the University of Bristol with First Class Honours.

2016

Marc Badman (R) graduated from the University of Exeter in 2020 with a 2:1 in BA Geography. He has now been offered a role as a Trainee Adviser/Paraplanner at an independent financial adviser firm called Kingfurness & Associates Ltd in Hereford.

William Harwood (B) has passed his MA Law from University of Law in Bloomsbury, with a distinction.

Freddie Hobbs (S) was awarded the MacRoberts Sword at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in December 2020, where he has Issac Tse (R) was working almost exclusively night shifts through the first month of the pandemic in 2020 providing rudimentary nursing care to patients on COVID wards, and has since received a job offer as a Junior Doctor in Poole Hospital.

Eleanor Wells (I) graduated from The University of Nottingham with a Masters in Theology in December 2020. Following this she started a new job with Reed in Partnership where she works as an Employment Advisor, helping people affected by job losses through Covid to up-skill and get back into work

2017

Katie Ball (I) has now qualified as a Teacher of Geography after passing her PGCE from University of Bristol, with a distinction.

Emma Bingham (I) graduated from Cardiff University with a First Class Honours in BA Archaeology and is now currently studing for her Masters in Archaeology at UCL.

2018

Michal Ossowski (R) graduated from Bristol University with a First Class Honours in Economics.

Honor Tremayne-Jefferson (I) will be racing in the Mongol Derby, a 1000km horse race on the Mongolian Steppe using semi-wild Mongolian horses over 10 days in August. She is taking part in the race in aid of the Halo Trust which her father was a founder of.

Matthew Burt (U69) has this year designed and made two altars for St Thomas’s in Salisbury (in the nave) and St John’s in Tisbury.

OGs Far & Wide

Adrian Dunn (OA), Mark Price (U81), Mrs. Keane, Mrs. Price, Anthony Liddiard (OG), Patrick Keane (R88), Simon Hartog (C72), Hugh Walford (S62), Gus Mackay (R61), Mark Hamill-Stewart (U77) at the 2020 Bangkok Dinner.

Simon Sugrue (B56), Michael Fysh (R54), Robin Clapham (R58), David Hynes (R58), Michael Hawkins (R57), Michael Hoy (S58), Michael Cane (S58), Anthony Bueno (C58) Rt Rev Dom Stephen Ortiger (S57) and Rev Francis Athill gather together to celebrate George Harby’s (R58) birthday in September 2020.

Philip Morris (R79) was joined by Jacques Cartier (Ra62), Dominic Hawkins (B83), David Pinsent (S61), and Ernesto Soria (R86) at La Madeleine for Holy Mass, followed by a delicious lunch in Paris. ‘The Bells That Nobody Can Silence: The Genocide of Christians Today’ - John Pontifex (U63) Sixth Form Lecture Series

Memory Lane Monday

MD Football First XI 1989 – Sent in by Michael Davitt (U89) from his time with the Football First XI in 1989 Rugby Mud – David Coram-James (S15), James McKechnie (R15), Callum Fitzpatrick (R13) and George Duggan (R15) Train on Wall – A model of a train that once ran around the School grounds.

Royal Visit from Princess Anne in 1984

The Bell – Admiral of the Fleet Sir Edward Ashmore and the Abbot of Downside, the Rt Revd Dom Charles Fitzgerald-Lombard Downside Cricket – Sent in by Alfred Saussotte (R61) from his 1960 Raven of a Downside Cricket Team. 1965 1975 1985 – Ravens in history, how many of you have these Ravens at home?

Athletics track pictured in the Lent Term of 1953 Barlow Corridor – Taking a trip down memory lane through this Barlow Corridor

1930-39 Rugby Caps – Rugby Caps awarded between 1930 and 1930, were you ever awarded a cap at your time at Downside? Downside 4th XV 1965 – Sent in by Tim Coghlan (U65) from his time with the Downside 4th XV in 1965, who won every match apart from their very last!

Junior Colts B 1983 – Sent in by Guy Lews (B87) from his time with the Junior Colts B in 1983

Schola Cantorum 1996 Caverel Fair – The Caverel Fair of 1987 Theatre Performance

Girls are coming to Downside jumper from 2005

OUR COVID ELEPHANTS

My family and I live in Hua Hin, a town in the Gulf of Thailand about 200km south of Bangkok. First I’d like to give you some background to the story behind our involvement in saving the elephants in our village. I have three children, two of whom are now working and the youngest, Sophia, studies at the British International School here in Hua Hin.

Since as far back as I can remember, Sophia has had a love for animals very different to your average child. When she was only a few months old, she would watch movies about elephants for hours and would be fixated with them. This love for animals has only become more passionate as she’s grown into a very caring 13 year old.

In our village, Hin Lek Fai, just outside of the town of Hua Hin, there is an elephant camp, home to six elephants. They live here permanently, although from time to time there may be others in transit to another part of Thailand. These camps are for tourist entertainment and riding, both of which my daughter and I are against and would like to see all camps closed and the elephants relocated to a managed nature park. However, that is a longdistance dream for now.

About three years ago I reluctantly took Sophia to the elephant camp, and although I was very nervous as elephants can be unpredictable and dangerous, I allowed Sophia, with their mahout’s permission, to approach this one female whose name is Nopakhun. Sophia, at nine years old, weighed about 28kg whereas Nopakhun was 19 years old and weighed about three and half tons. They seemed to have an instant bond and over the following two years I would take Sophia to meet Nopakhun every week and the relationship blossomed. Tourists were pouring into Thailand and the elephants were being well fed from the proceeds of those visitors. However, when Covid-19 hit in February 2020, Thailand shut its borders to the world and they have been shut ever since.

The owner of the elephants depended entirely on the tourist money so was now facing a difficult situation. A full grown elephant needs about 200kg of food per day, so with eight in residence, at that time we needed to find 1600kg of food a day to ensure their wellbeing.

“This love for animals has only become more passionate as she’s grown into a very caring 13 year old.”

Sophia and I decided there and then that we would find a way to feed them throughout this crisis and with the support of some friends in Hong Kong we have kept our promise and the elephants remain in good health.

Our source of food is from local farmers and a typical day will start with my driving to one of those farms to collect pineapple leaf, cucumbers, bananas and corn. Sometimes I will deliver the food directly to the camp or if I’m away there are local farmers who can do the job if they’re paid up front.

I then take Sophia to see the elephants after school, ensure they’re all well fed and have no health issues. One recurring problem is skin rashes which we have found heal well using pure coconut oil so we supply a lot of that too.

Nopakhun has now become so close to Sophia that they are allowed to go for walks together for an hour or two. When she sees or hears Sophia, Nopakhun gets excited, trumpets and makes a very deep purring sound similar to a motorbike engine, and sniffs Sophia’s hair and generally grooms her. It’s a sight to behold even though I’ve seen it so many times. I will never take for granted how privileged we are to have this close connection with this particular gentle giant. Our work supporting the elephants continues and Thailand looks likely to remain closed until 2022 as the virus is now breaking out all over the country. These magnificent creatures are suffering across the country, some much worse than others, and there are a few very honourable and caring foundations here in Thailand that do an incredible job looking after many rescued elephants like the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand. This is a truly wonderful foundation started by a Dutchman, Edwin Weik, and his team and volunteers work tirelessly to give these animals a better life. We are truly blessed to be a part of this journey with them.

Mark Price (U81)

A Story to Retirement

I entered Downside in 1952 from a Benedictine boarding prep school. My parents’ occupation took them overseas, so the Schools were my ‘home base’. Wilfred Passmore was Head Master and Ceolfrid O’Hara was House Master of Smythe. I owe both a deep debt of gratitude ‘in loco parentis’.

The School was my home and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. I participated in all the extracurricular activities that I could – sport, music, seminars, visiting lecturers, etc. Memories of the Great Abbey and Gregorian Plain Chant have remained.

Holidays were spent with friends or relatives. Infrequently I was able to visit my parents in Nigeria. My intention was to go into veterinary medicine on leaving in 1957, but due to a rumoured tacit relationship between Fr. Passmore and the dean at the London Hospital Medical College, I ended up in Medicine (as did many others!). Five years later, in 1962, I had my MB, BS and LRCP, MRCS.

Thereafter there were various house jobs and a year in family practice as a locum. By 1967, it was apparent that practice in the UK was not for me, and after a brief visit that winter, I emigrated to Wynyard, Saskatchewan, Canada, to open my own family practice. There was reciprocity at that time and no other exams were needed. I was not aware of the animosity remaining from 1962 when Medicare was introduced. The doctors went on strike and English physicians were imported. However, I developed a successful rural practice, assisted by my wife (an SRN).

By 1974, with two young children, we moved permanently to Edmonton, Alberta, the capital city. This necessitated exams to allow interprovincial transfer (LMCC).

I began as an associate but eventually moved to start a new practice as a principal. This was a busy time, rearing two young children and attending to a 24/7 practice that included Obstetrics, Palliative Care (both hospice and domiciliary) and sport medicine (more exams!). However, it was very satisfying being with some patients for over 40 years. There were other interests, particularly badminton, in administration and recreational play.

“The School was my home and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there.”

With the many changes in the profession, legislation, and advances in electronic communication, I became dissatisfied. Having entered my ninth decade and after more than 60 years in the profession, I retired as of the 1st January 2021.

It was a shock to reduce from a 24/7 occupation dedicated to the benefit of others, to have lots of time and no compelling focus. Most people do not plan for the end of their working life. Too few understand some of the changes resulting. The loss of the companionship of colleagues and patients is significant. We substitute family, friends, hobbies, books, travel and studies. As the young plan forward, so do I, but one looks back on life, a review which is rewarding but full of “what if’s”.

One plans a limited future with the reduced activity due to age and arthuritis (sic). Travel is a challenge, but one goes anyway. Seeing to all the “when I retire” activities is satisfying and most enjoyable, as is catching up with one’s hobbies.

Essentially good health, sight and hearing are the parameters that guide one’s activities into the ‘happy ever after’. Restricted travel and social activity are tiresome, especially with the bulk of the family at a distance.

Growing old gracefully is an art and requires much thought and some good luck.

Paul Marner (S57)

A view of the funeral procession; the author on the right.

The Funeral of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh

It is no exaggeration to say that the funeral of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh on Saturday 17th April 2021 was decades in the planning. The nature of BRIDGE operations, the operational name given to plans that follow the death of a member of the Royal Family, is quite unique in the spectrum of operational commitments undertaken by the UK Joint Services; a non-discretionary standing task, involving all three Single Services, which will inevitably be carried out at some point but with no guarantee of the timing or particular circumstances, all in the glare of the world’s media.

As was well documented at the time, the particular circumstances of Op FORTH BRIDGE, the funeral of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, as the UK emerged from a second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic were anything but ordinary and much of the decades-worth of planning alluded to above had been adjusted and superseded to comply with the UK Government’s Covid-19 restrictions over the previous year. However, as was also highlighted at the time, the funeral proceedings were nonetheless distinctly shaped and guided by the intentions of the Duke of Edinburgh himself.

The eight days between the death of the Duke of Edinburgh and his funeral were unsurprisingly a whirlwind of activity for all those involved in any capacity. It is easy to assume that those on parade who one sees on the television coverage represent the full military contribution to such an event but, as was ever the case, the ‘behindthe-scenes’ logistical operation was enormous and a great challenge in its own right and without it none of the ceremonial element would have been possible. The servicemen and women from across the Armed Forces who were selected to be involved came from a huge number of units and locations, each representing an association or affiliation that the Duke of Edinburgh had during his long service life. They were geographically centralised at the Army Training Regiment, Pirbright, in Surrey, at which several days of rehearsals were undertaken. This of course presented its own set of challenges in the Covid-19 era and extreme care was taken at every turn to minimise the risk of any outbreak that could have jeopardised the whole event. These rehearsals culminated in a full run-through to time, wearing ceremonial uniforms in Windsor Castle on the Thursday of that week.

In my capacity as the Aide-de-Camp (generally abbreviated to ADC) to the Major General Commanding the Household Division, Major General Christopher Ghika (himself an Old Amplefordian), my remit was to ensure that the Major General was in the right place at the right time wearing the right uniform and correctly briefed; this role is of course helped no end when your Principal has as in-depth a knowledge of every detail of the plan as mine did! Along with the Brigade Major, Lieutenant Colonel Guy Stone, who was responsible for the choreography of the ceremonial elements of the event, we were also a part of the funeral procession, positioned at the rear of the Band of the Grenadier Guards and ahead of the six Service Chiefs (as indicated in the photo).

When reflecting upon my personal involvement in such an event, one is struck by conflicting sentiments; while any funeral is naturally a sombre and sobering occasion, it was nonetheless a fitting tribute to a man who simply lived an extraordinary life of service and was truly the epitome of values that all members of the Armed Forces cherish and seek to live out. It was therefore a tremendous privilege and honour to be in a position to participate in such a tribute and it will be a day that lives long in my memory.

Captain Tom Orchard (S09)

God of Surprises:

an encounter with Christ through Lectio Divina

Introduction: something old yet ever new

Although I have kept in close touch with a number of Benedictine monasteries besides Downside since leaving the School in 1991 and even given the fact that my years of seminary formation in Rome included a Benedictine monastery located opposite my room – The Abbey of St Paul Outside the Walls – and San’ Anselmo was a short distance away, Lectio Divina was not really a big part of my life at all.

It took this Covid pandemic and exploring ways of praying with the Confirmation candidates in the parish where I am presently assigned, to act as a catalyst to really engage with this particular way of reading, praying with and listening to the Scriptures, which is as old as Christianity itself. The early monks were simply doing more intently what their Jewish forebears had done – and continue to do – that is to say, studying the Scriptures. The incident between Philip and the Eunuch in Acts 8:27-39 is a wonderful example of prayer, encounter and mutual accompaniment in the scriptures From an evening session with a group of young people and their families with Dom Leo and Marcus Emmet (OA) introducing Lectio over Zoom, something extraordinary happened and I found myself hooked on this way of encountering God, ever ancient, ever new.

The Manquehue Apostolic Movement

I had heard of the Manquehue Apostolic Movement, both from members of the Community at Downside as well as several members of the Community at St Louis Abbey, one of whom, Dom Sixtus, attributes the final impetus of his discernment of a monastic vocation, to some time spent in Chile with the Manquehue Movement. Memories of these conversations came flooding back as, helped by Dom Leo and the Weave of Manquehue Prayer, I took the plunge, attending weekly Open Lectio sessions online. I was hooked – and more than that felt a renewed energy in my own prayer life. I suspect my homilies improved as well – vital in a parish setting!

It was a chance conversation with a friend who came to see me about something else: “There’s this group called the Weave and a Downside monk called Dom Leo. Do you know him? Well, yes I do and I’m really rather interested in this form of prayer”… God often works in surprising ways to take us where He thinks we should be, especially in mysterious times such as these!

I bought three books – four if you include the New Jerusalem Bible Study Version, itself part of the essential kit, the other two parts of the kit being an open ear and most importantly an open heart! The first was I have seen the Lord by the Weave of Manquehue Prayer, the second was A Cloister in the World

by the late Abbot Patrick Barry of Ampleforth, together with his translation of the Rule. What struck me in all three was the very down to earth, yet at the same time, radical accounts of encounters with Christ. As someone wryly observed, life in the Manquehue Movement is rather like living out the Acts of the Apostles. I found this tremendously appealing on one level, whilst being slightly daunted by it.

Getting to know Christ through others – St Gregory’s Lectio Group

Lectio Divina has another important aspect to it – although you may find yourself doing Lectio alone, you are never alone! Christ is always present and in that way the rest of the Church too. In these months of enforced social distancing and in some cases self-isolation, this is itself deeply reassuring and a great comfort.

Following on from the example of Dom Leo with his parish Lectio group and the Lectio groups in the School, facilitated by members of the St Scholastica Community - the community of Oblates from the Manquehue Movement who are resident at Downside, working in the School and helping the Weave of Manquehue Prayer with their projects – I got together with several OGs – among them Mary Jane Platt (Ra76), Charles Bennett (B84) and George Rawlins (R13) to see how we might put together an OG Lectio Group via Zoom.

A signal advantage of doing Lectio Divina in this way was that geography was no barrier to participation. Three months later (June 2021) and we are a core group of around six who meet weekly.

Listening with the ear of the heart

Listening to others’ reflections on what they have heard in

“...something extraordinary happened and I found myself hooked on this way of encountering God, ever ancient, ever new.”

the Gospel readings – known as “echoes” in the Manquehue tradition – has been illuminating and inspirational. Even with English reserve, these times of prayer together have drawn us closer, not only as Gregorians, Christians and fellow pilgrims, but there has occurred a deeper, spiritual friendship of the kind described by St Aelred of Rievaulx in his treatise on “Spiritual Friendship”, which has a wholesomeness, honesty and integrity, derived from a shared goal of encountering God and seeking the good of others. It delights in growth and always has Christ in its midst. This sounds very different from the modern expression of relationships, which are so often driven by passing whim and the pressures of social media. It has been an unexpected opportunity to develop real friendships across the generations of Gregorians. This has been a real boost I think for all of us and vitally, to deepen our relationship with Christ.

Surprised by Joy

Were you to have asked me a year ago about my experience of Lectio Divina and the Gregorian family, I would have relatively little to say in my own case. I have been surprised and heartened by this encounter, ever ancient ever new, and the chance it gives me to grow in my own Christian and priestly vocation in a way that draws so many strands of my life together. It has shown the wonderful capacity that Downside has of bringing people closer to each other and ultimately to Christ in community – of shared friendship, shared prayer and loving service.

Another OG perspective – Mary Jane Platt (Ra76) writes:

I’d heard about Lectio Divina through Downside, and although there were opportunities to learn more about it and take part at recent Easter Retreats, I had not availed myself of them. However, finding myself unaccountably early for Mass one day, and perusing the Universalis app (developed and managed by Martin Kochanski (U72), I found the Lectio Divina section, and became interested such that I now regularly review this part of the app before mass. But doing it alone, it became clear to me that there would be a much bigger impact with the input of others. During Lent, I briefly attended an 0nline group run by the Weave of Manquehue, and found this to be true, but the timings didn’t work for me. So I was delighted to be invited to join Fr John and his group on a Thursday evening. Just half an hour in a quiet, secure space, focusing on the word of God; a mindfulness exercise in modern parlance, but so much more than that, because it brings not only peace, but enlightenment. I’m still very much a ‘beginner’, but I would encourage others to give it a try.

Fr John Tabor (C91)

GHANA 2021.

Thursday 13th August, I opened my A-Level results portal and my plan for the next year suddenly flipped on its head. I decided to take a year out, a year where I could sit my A-levels, reapply to university, and praying that I’d be blessed with the opportunity to travel.

By the end of January my A-levels were complete and university place confirmed. Then by April I was lucky enough to go away and volunteer in the beautiful country that is Ghana. Trying to describe my time in Ghana is one of the hardest things. I do not think words can adequately express how incredible my two months were, but let me try…

I signed up for the International Development Internship, but I spent not even half an hour in this school with children full of joy and happiness when I decided that that school was exactly where I wanted to spend every day of my two months. I later learnt that following on from the three-week lockdown, this very small, very poor school could not afford to keep any teachers employed. This resulted in the children teaching themselves and then teaching the rest of the class until the volunteers could start to arrive from the beginning of March.

I ended up teaching class four, in which there were six nine-yearolds, whom I quickly grew very fond of. Our lessons ranged from Maths and English to Religious Studies and Ghanaian History. While I loved every second, some lessons, like Maths, I felt more comfortable teaching than others, such as history when we were in the part of the syllabus about European impact and the Slave Trade….

Dancing and singing is how the children entertained themselves at lunch and break times, and very quickly these games became second nature to us. We thought, however, that some play equipment would be quite popular in the School. My uncle sent over some money and I was able to buy and assemble a swing set. The smiles and appreciation from the children was incredible. This was the beginning of the improvements to the Sschool. The concrete block classrooms were able to get plastered with money we raised, and then we painted the base coat ready

for the colour to be added. Since I left, the other volunteers have carried on with this, trying to make it the best environment for the children possible, and building a shelter where lunch can be eaten instead of in their classrooms.

I spent every day getting to know, learning from, and being inspired by these children, and I still feel so grateful for that.

In Ghana, there is no or very little public waste disposal. This, alongside a vast lack of education on the subject, results in a huge issue of waste pollution. Kokrobite (the village where I was staying), is a small fishing village, with a beautiful beach. The amount of rubbish was heart-breaking and seeing the fishermen pulling their nets in only to find at least half of them full with plastic is even worse. For this reason, I was asked if as part of my internship I could organise something for Earth Day. We started with the idea of a beach clean, but the more this was spoken about the more I wanted to do an educational campaign alongside it, trying to get as many locals involved as possible. We felt that this was important as Kokrobite is their community, their home, and the best way we can hope for change will be from the community members themselves. Our aim was to try and help facilitate that.

Earth Day arrived, and I visited two local senior schools to give a talk on the importance of keeping the community clean and the impact it has on everyone’s lives. We then invited the students to come along to the beach clean. That Saturday morning was incredible. We volunteers were joined by 100 members of the community which allowed us to collect one metric tonne of rubbish in two hours.

Following the success of this, we couldn’t let the project start and end there. This gave life to the ‘Keeping Kokrobite Beautiful (KKB) Campaign’ which aims to continue and develop the beach cleaning and educational programme, as well as kickstarting the action team. The action team consists of community members working alongside GVI to find viable solutions to the lack of waste disposal facilities for all those in the community.

The weekends also offered so much. We were able to travel up and down the coast exploring the different parts of this beautiful country.

My experience with GVI was remarkable and made me so grateful that the 13th August 2020 went the way it did….

Georgia Bolton

From the Archive

The Raven. Downside OTC in London

pupils at Bath Green Park Station, marching through Bath, to Bath Spa station on the other side of the city, and then marching through the streets of London. The Downside In the 1920s and early 30s the OTC was given special permission Downside OTC (Officer Training to march through the capital and Corps) was a prominent part of the photos of the pupils marching, school life. In the Summer Term each year during “The Downside OTC was given this period the special permission to march through pupils used to visit Olympia the capital and the photos of the pupils in London marching are astonishing.”for the Royal Tournament. Many schools used to make the same trip but with rifles shouldered, across Downside’s was made interesting Westminster Bridge and past the because the boys marched through Houses of Parliament with the OTC the streets of London in full band in the fore are astonishing. OTC uniform from the train station to Olympia. The Raven of the 1920s gives some details of these annual visits to Within the photographic archives London, stating that after the boys of Downside Abbey are photos of had seen the tournament at Olympia these incredible trips, showing the they either marched or were taken by bus to Wellington Barracks where they were given a dinner before heading back on the train to Downside. Obviously, one year the trip was photographed as a lasting reminder of the special permissions given to Downside to march so easily through London. What is also fascinating about the images is what is in the background. The photos of the OTC in Bath show streets now long changed, shops long closed, and the photos of London highlight how transport has evolved. Omnibuses, horses and bicycles mingle with cars and lorries on the streets as well as the curious stares of members of the public. In this respect the albums serve not just as a reminder of the Downside OTC but also as a snapshot of urban history.

Above: Downside OTC led by the band march through the streets of London on their way to the Royal Tournament at Olympia, 1923.

Right: The Downside OTC march away from Waterloo train station towards central London, 1923.

The Order of Malta Volunteers

The Order of Malta Volunteers (OMV) has helped shape the professional and personal lives of many Old Gregorians for nearly 50 years. How? It is because we as an organisation wholeheartedly believe that everyone, regardless of their health, deserves a truly fulfilling and enriching life. Sadly though, too many people with disabilities face many physical and attitudinal barriers that prevent their full participation in life. However, this is what we, the OMV, have made our mission to overcome.

We are a Catholic charity, and through the dedication of our young volunteers aged 17 to 29, we run various holidays and pilgrimages for our disabled guests to provide opportunities for independence, cultural experience, and connecting with faith. By taking our guests outside of their usual environment, we provide them with an unforgettable experience where they are treated with an abundance of care and compassion. By doing this, we also expose our volunteers, many who are sixthformers, to working with those with disabilities and we teach them the importance of showing humility and understanding. The unique skills that these young volunteers pick up from these experiences help set them up for later life. The OMV’s ethos firmly complements the well-rounded Downside education. Through the OMV we create strong corporate leaders, empathetic healthcare professionals, well-informed teachers, humble lawyers and just generally well-rounded, kind individuals.

A volunteer’s journey with the OMV usually starts with the historic pilgrimage to Lourdes each July where we welcome volunteers from schools such as Downside, Harrow, St Mary’s Ascot, Worth, London Oratory and Eton. Volunteers get stuck into a week filled with caring for guests, kindling their faith and of course enjoying some very sociable evenings where volunteers unwind and get to know each other. Lourdes is where it starts so if your son, daughter, niece, nephew, godchild is coming of age please do keep an eye on our Facebook page or get in touch with Kate Hamilton, our Volunteer Coordinator on lourdes@omv.org.uk.

In addition to the pilgrimage to Lourdes in the summer, the OMV play a key role in a number of other activities held throughout the year. As well as connecting with the wider Order of Malta at the International Holiday Camp, which will be held in Italy in 2022, they also host a large fundraiser, the White Knights Ball at the Grosvenor House Hotel, in Park Lane, of which Downside has been a proud supporter for many years. Other activities include foreign

aid in Lebanon, the Pilgrimage to Walsingham, the Easter Pilgrimage, the Easter Retreat and the Christmas Reunion.

Sadly, this year we have met many restrictions which have resulted in most of our usual activities being cancelled. However the OMV can still boast an active and successful year.

At Christmas the OMV managed to hand-deliver Christmas presents to our disabled guests all over the country, from Brighton to Cumbria! It was a mighty effort, in terms of logistics and geography, but it was a wonderful thing to be a part of.

We have held a number of virtual pilgrimages and masses which has been a great way to regularly reconnect during a time characterised by separation. The OMV Pilgrimage to Lourdes in July 2021 was, of course, cancelled. However, in its place the OMV organised the first largescale non-virtual event for over a year, the OMV Festival at St Mary’s Ascot. Many thanks to St Mary’s for welcoming the OMV. The event involved pendulum painting, live music, BBQ, petting zoo and bouncy castles as well as a beautiful Mass said by Fr James Hood and spirituality group sessions. This event was great fun but I believe its success goes deeper than that. It also symbolised the turning point that we have all been waiting for, the first step back into that much missed normality. Whilst it will be a long time before this is fully accomplished I am absolutely confident that the OMV family will remain strong as we navigate our way through this challenging storm.

Thank you to Downside for its continued support. How can you help? There are two main ways you can help us as we emerge from the restrictions and resume normality: 1. Joining us at the White Knights

Ball in London this January (wkbtickets@omv.org.uk for more information) 2. Encouraging your children, nieces and nephews or godchildren to attend our Lourdes Pilgrimage in July.

Thank you in advance.

Hugo Whyte, Chairman of the OMV (R12)

Originally started by OGs, there is still a heavy presence of current and ex Downside pupils involved in the OMV. Here is a list of OGs in prominent positions within the OMV: Hugo Whyte (R12) Chairman Richard Grew (R13) Head of Activities and Guest Coordinator Dom James Hood (B72) OMV chaplain Alice Hind (C09) OMV Easter Retreat at Downside, and Head DBS Officer. Tom Macginnis (B17) Walsingham Pilgrimage Director, and Committee Elected Member

CAREERS ON

DEMAND

Careers on Demand was launched in October 2020 on the OG LinkedIn Group and includes presentations, video talks and blog posts of various career pathways and industries.

The programme aims to engage OGs new and old, as well as the wider community, in career experiences with the opportunity to share expertise and top tips. From training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and interview techniques to launching your own business, Careers on Demand has already covered a diverse range of sectors, and we hope to cover so much more! Thank you to all who have participated this year.

If you would be interested in sharing your story or career highlights, please contact oldgregorians@downside.co.uk so we can discuss how you can be involved.

Anthony Hamber (R75) Writer to Published Author Dom Luke Ben (HonOG) Writer to Published Author Eleanor Wells (I14) From University to Reed

Ethan Morgan (B20) Rugby at Downside and Beyond George Thackray (S16) Life at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Hannah Field (I14) My Personal Assistant Journey Hugo Morrissey (S11) Downside School to Nuisance Drinks

John Pontifex (U93) Journey to Journalism John Tackaberry (S58) Writer to Published Author Lucy Anderson (C11) Life after Downside

Mark Canning (U72) Life as a Diplomat Mary Jane Platt (Ra76) Epidemiology: How does a disease spread? Michael Legge (R56) From a swinging sixties photographer to a life in Hollywood Michael McNaught Davis (C82) Fund Management

Publications

Eusophia. A New Future for Humanity. A Novel. Author: Philip Allott (C54) Stupendous Sports: Rampaging Rugby Author: Robin Bennett (B86) The Scent of Eucalyptus Author: John Dillon (B56) The Lockdown Papers Author: John Dillon (B56) Philo of Alexandria: On the Life of Abraham Author: John Dillon (B56) Iamblichus, On the General Science of Mathematics Author: John Dillon (B56) Contributing feature in The Performing Pianist’s Guide to Fingering by Joseph Banowetz Author: Philip Fowke (B67) Child of a Bygone Era Author: John Peter Hunt (C58) Swynfen Jervis MP (1767 - 1867) Author: Simon Jervis (R60)

Banking and Security Law in Ireland Author: William Johnston (R69) Fracture Author: David Longridge (S56) Mamean - A Sacred Place, Special Edition Author: Ken O’Sullivan (S89) English Translation of the Memoirs of General Espoz y Mina Author: Michael Perceval (B53) Medicine My Vocation, Fishing My Recreation, Memoirs of a Physician and Flyfisherman Author: Gilbert Thompson (C50) Song for a Spy Author: Bernard Trafford (C73) Ballad of Betrayal Author: Bernard Trafford (C73) Some Items May have Shifted in Flight Author: Richard Weston-Smith (C76)