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OR MEMORIES
It’s good to take a trip down memory lane… The Rogers Brothers Alan Rogers (Bristowe 1948) 1939 was not what you would call a banner year for the Rogers family in East Molesey, Surrey – a family consisting of parents, Millicent and Cecil, and three sons: John, Alan and Peter. In September, World War 2 broke out and later that autumn, Cecil died from a brain tumour. Millicent, of necessity, found a job to support the family and Cecil’s mother was called upon to be the caregiver for the boys during the day. After a short time, she too, passed away and other arrangements had to be made. A chance conversation between Millicent and a casual acquaintance brought up the subject of Reed’s School, known to be a sound boarding school which espoused strong Christian values and which promoted integrity, honesty and fair play. A sponsor was arranged, paperwork completed, and the adventure began! John and I were put on the train to Reed’s which was in Totnes then, having been moved from Watford due to its close proximity to London and the bombings taking place at that time. We were eventually followed by younger brother, Peter. Reed’s became a second home to us and John, in particular, thrived. Later, as many will probably know, John became very involved in the governing body of the School and a leading light of the Old Reedonians Rugby Club, now the very successful Reeds Weybridge. For these reasons, and because we know that John holds Reed’s so close to his heart, Kathy and I were very happy to donate to the Foundation in honour of John’s 90th birthday which was on 4th September.
Jerry Shelton (Blathwayt 1962) Reading about the excellent achievement of Reed’s becoming national hockey champions last year (congratulations to all concerned), reminded me of a chilly October day in 1955. I was one of a large group of juniors gathered on the School football pitch (the one adjacent to where we used to play ‘bowling up’) to listen to our new Headteacher, Robert Quested Drayson, already known to all as RQD. RQD had descended on Reed’s as a human whirlwind. Over the next 10 years he was to lay the foundations for the School to become the brilliant success it is now. However, all that I felt on that day in 1955 was deep resentment. There was to be no more soccer! Instead, we were to start playing hockey, a game I thought was for girls. I lived in Liverpool and had been mad about football almost since I could walk. Gloomily, I listened to RQD describing the rules (and potential hazards) of hockey. My imagination was aroused by his vivid description of how he had witnessed one particularly wild use of a stick which led to it having to be levered out of some poor wretch’s skull. As the smallest boy in the school, I felt kind of vulnerable.... Anyway, there was no choice. We started playing hockey and, much to my surprise, I was soon loving the game, despite being pretty average at it. In my
final year, 1962, I captained the 2nd team but only managed to make the 1st team on one occasion – a far from memorable event, as we were thrashed 6-1 by RQD’s team of guest players. Men against boys! I returned to Liverpool, and after an interval of three boozy and largely idle university years, played for Liverpool Sefton Hockey Club until 1976, when work took me down to live in Monmouth. I then joined Lydney HC, playing for them until 1983, when I moved, again with work, to Cardiff. Once again, my first act was to join Cardiff HC, one of the UK’s top clubs, with superb facilities. They have always had a top-class first team, though I only ever played one game for it. I still live in the city, but retired from regular hockey in 2006, aged 62. Having said that, I also played several times for the Wales Over 60’s between 2004 and 2008. The photo shows the team before its March 2004 inaugural fixture, against England, in Lansdowne Road, Bath. We won 3-2; I’m in the front row, second left, next to our keeper. My son Mark, whom I have taken to games since he was barely toddling, has been a hockey fanatic ever since he could hold a stick and has turned out to be a much better player than I was. His daughter looks like she will be just as good. So, RQD, thanks for everything!
