31 minute read
Class Notes
Enjoy reading about all the varied and exciting news from ORs and former staff
Chloe Abbott (Blathwayt 1992)
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Chloe Abbott (Blathwayt 1992) It has been a very busy and productive year, despite COVID-19. As a family, we have been very impressed with the efforts many Reed’s staff and pupils have gone to supporting the elderly and providing PPE.
My son, Joe Barker (Mullens 2019), completed two-thirds of his first year at Exeter Penryn studying International Relations and has loved every minute. My company, CJA Educational Consultancy, has been growing and our exciting new venture is setting up a new online magazine ‘Education Choices’. This aims to support schools and universities in the UK and to keep parents and children up-to-date on new developments and changes in entrance exams, facilities and improvements, share exciting news or developments and advice on exam procedures.
Chuck Adolphy (Blathwayt 2015)
As a presenter on Forces radio – BFBS – Chuck had the honour of interviewing Captain (now Sir) Tom Moore and, consequently, was interviewed on BBC Breakfast himself! Chuck then went on to raise over £1500 for Mind by running a marathon in his bedroom!
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Frank Anstis
My son Simon (Capel 1975), now living nearby at Penryn, helpfully converted my greenhouse into an outdoor studio complete with fans, heaters, chairs and refreshment facilities where I can resume my painting hobby with less inconvenience to my wife, Evelyn.
I owe much of my interest in painting to former colleague, Howard Pickersgill, who inspired me and numerous former pupils. Those who remember me as “over the hill” in the 1950s will see that I have fallen over the edge now!
Alfie Baker (Blathwayt 2018), Sam Moldon (Mullens 2018) & Harry Springford (Capel 2018)
With the help of friends, Alfie produced a very powerful film entitled ‘Man-Up’ in which the gentlemen interviewed, including ORs Sam and Harry, were incredibly brave in opening up and reflecting about being a man in today’s society. Can be viewed on YouTube.
Alastair Beardsall (Mullens 1972)
The recent few months in lockdown have produced many memorable family moments. Henry, my eldest, finished off his first year at Southampton University by moving back home, and continuing his lectures via Teams, he certainly appreciates home catering/laundry now. Lizzie (Lower 6) and Charlotte (Year 3) continued their education via Zoom, supplemented with parent coaching; but both were frustrated with the curtailment of various sporting interests. Edward (Year 10), who moved to a STEM school last September, seemed to cruise through his tasks set each day by 11am and used the extra time to self-teach himself to weld, a great life skill! Heather and I are both enjoying our time at home with the family, but somewhat frustrated by the cancellation of sailing regattas and summer holidays.
Richard Borley (Capel 1951)
Just before lockdown struck, we moved house from Somerset to Surrey to be closer to our daughter who lives near Box Hill. Our grandson is now 40 and lives in Carshalton and our grand-daughter, 38, lives in West Ewell. Their children, our great grand-children, are now 8 and 8 and 5 and 5 – all nicely matched.
Josh Brown (Bristowe 2009) & Alex Batten (Blathwayt 2009)
There can be fewer greater honours than meeting the now Captain Sir Tom Moore on his 100th birthday... and look who did it! None other than Josh, as his and Alex’s company, Henley Shipping, were entrusted to deliver the Olympic Torch to this living legend in April.
Class Notes
Ian Chate (Bristowe 1962)
What a way to spend a landmark birthday! A trip to the Pacific Islands was off so the next best thing was to don a Hawaiian shirt and celebrate in the garden!
I am one of a core group of 1960s ORs who meet for lunch at The Bear in Oxshott twice a year and during lockdown four of us reached our three-quarter centuries. So much to celebrate and no one to celebrate with! We are all looking forward immensely to putting this right as soon as possible.
Leo Coates (Bristowe 2005)
In this crazy year, we have been kept very busy by our 9-month old Oliver! It’s been a real silver lining being able to spend the last five months with my wife, Nicola, watching him grow during my time on furlough.
After relocating to Cambridgeshire a few years ago and commuting to London for work, the catering and hospitality industry in London pretty much came to a standstill which meant that in June, I was – unfortunately – made redundant. However, I have recently joined Chartwells Independent who specialise in delivering catering to top independent schools (maybe Reed’s one day). I am currently based at Rugby School which is right up my street with its history! I still play rugby, but now more of a social level, golf has fully taken the front seat, much to my wife’s joy! I hope all the Reed’s team and Old Reedonians are well.
Bill Collins (Bristowe 1948)
There was a good turnout for the deferred Christmas lunch in Walton-on-Thames which brought together several ORs aged 80+ and included two ORs – Bill Pickering and Steve Beamish (pictured) who had been at Reed’s at Watford, Totnes and Cobham. To our surprise our young waiter was himself an Old Reedonian too. Quite by coincidence I bumped into OR Keith Miller and his wife, Heather, at a concert in Burgess Hill. OR Geoff Spinks and his wife were also there as members of the orchestra and we were able to meet afterwards to congratulate them on their performance.
As I write I am still looking forward to my annual visit to Totnes. Although circumstances have reduced the number of Totnesian ORs attending what was usually our reunion event, I hope to be there for John Rogers’ 90th birthday celebration.
As a Sussex County supporter I am enjoying watching OR Phil Salt’s cricket career taking off.
Mike Colvin (Cael 1954)
Since being confined to the house during lockdown, we have focussed on getting jobs done that we should have done long, long ago. So from that point of view, whilst it was not our first choice, lockdown has actually facilitated us doing what we should have indeed done before. So ‘clouds with silver linings’ spring to mind – much the same for many others I assume.
Leon Dore (former Teacher of Art)
I had two exhibitions cancelled during lockdown but have one current exhibition of Portland seascapes in Poundbury Engine Room.
Dan Douthwaite (Capel 2015)
Really pleased to learn that Dan was awarded the John Derrick Young Player of the Year award at his club, Glamorgan, in first season.
Luis Echegary (Capel 1999)
I worked at Sports Illustrated for three years as host/writer and head of Latino content but, in the autumn, started full-time as a host and content development strategist at CBS Sports, now presenting their daily podcast. I am also involved in NBA podcasts with a big social media following and I’ve even had the chance to interview David Beckham and Nani!
Amber Emson (Capel 2019)
Amber was invited to perform at an exclusive fundraising evening for The Nicholas Boas Charitable Trust. The Trust supports young musicians at the start of their careers with particular projects such as attending masterclasses, travelling to auditions, making initial recordings, commissioning new works, etc.
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Class Notes
Major Mike Foster Vander Elst (Mullens 2001)
I have been fortunate enough to gain a rifle company command for the second time, in my home battalion of 3 RIFLES in Edinburgh. So I found myself amongst friends for the last, best command appointment in the Army – at company level. This is the point at which one can know every Rifleman personally, and can lead your own team with almost total freedom.
Prior to deployment, we conducted a demanding conventional battlegroup exercise on Salisbury Plain in our new ‘strike’ role, at which everyone excelled. This set us up well for success on operations in Iraq.
B Company Group under my command had the entirety of Iraqi Kurdistan as our area of operations – and total mission command to go with it. The mountains and meadows, and welcoming Kurdish people, were a far cry from the desert and smog of Basra days and of central and southern Iraq.
Having done our bit to help our allies, the Peshmerga in the fight against Daesh, we returned in June 2019 for some well-earned leave prior to rebuilding the company’s core skills.
In a nice twist, Mike Holgate (Mullens 2000) was commanding his engineer squadron in 3 RIFLES Battlegroup in Iraq on the same tour.
Fawaz Fram (Capel 2002)
My first book, The Art of Dylan, published in August 2020 came about after the work I carried out as part of my Creative Writing diploma (at Madingley Hall, Cambridge). In it, I respond to the art of Bob Dylan in the form of poetry and song, interrogating the imagination, lyrics and even cover-art of Dylan resulting in a book that I hope offers the reader an opportunity to engage with the artist in a fresh and interesting way.
Ashanti George-Faure (Mullens 2008)
I’m currently working at Refresh Sport, which is a boutique consultancy mainly focussed on footballers, football managers and sports presenters after previously spending time in athlete management and working for a cycling event company.
I’m lucky that my job has taken me up and down the country, around Europe and even the Caribbean and I’ve even been fortunate enough to meet and work with some of my heroes which can be rather surreal at times!
I absolutely love what I do and, even though initially the first couple of years after leaving university were difficult, I believe that my hard work is beginning to pay off: earlier in the year, I was named on the Sport Industry ‘Next Gen 30 Under 30 list.’ It’s an industry-wide list for people working in the sports industry who are seen as the next generation of leaders, so it is a massive honour to be named on it and hopefully is the first step of many.
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Eugene Mark Gillespie (Bristowe 1985)
Fantastic to see Mark gain his first international cap for Luxembourg, who won 23-0 in the match against Sweden.
Eleanor Graves (Bristowe 2018)
In August, during some of the hottest but also wettest days this summer, I completed a gruelling fundraising walk for Parkinson’s UK. This involved undertaking the equivalent of nearly five marathons in five days along the Two Moors Coast to Coast Way in Devon. This was in memory of my grandfather who had recently succumbed to the condition after a long 10-year struggle.
I started on the beautiful but technically difficult path east of Plymouth up to Ivybridge before crossing the eastern side of Dartmoor and crossing the gorges and ravines of mid-Devon. Lush, rolling hills give way to the exposed heights of Exmoor and then the final descent of 400 metres to the sea at Lynmouth.
The pain and discomfort I suffered for a few days was nothing compared to that endured by my grandfather for so many years, so I was delighted to have raised £2500 for Parkinson’s UK to help their struggle to combat the effects of this disease.
Ben Haran (Mullens 1994)
Ben took advantage of all tennis having been cancelled to do a live Instagram talk with OR brothers, Ben and Jack Draper (Bristowe 2017 & 2020).
Tom Hardy (Capel 1992)
As part of CBeebies Bedtime Stories week, Tom read ‘Hug Me’ by Simona Ciraolo, a particularly poignant tale for all generations during this time of isolation. Not forgetting the rumours that Tom is tipped to be the next James Bond… watch this space.
Chris Hawkins (Blathwayt 1962)
It’s been ‘head down and carry on’ start to the year. Being over 75 I am in the high risk category but, touch wood, both Sylvia and I are in good health and have carried on regardless, creeping out as and when needed. The house and garden have more attention than usual, the good weather helps and all our family are well. Unfortunately a number of our choral involvements have been cancelled and look likely to remain so. The photo is of Sylvia and me celebrating a mutual hair cut as soon as those restrictions were eased!
#communityforlife
Class Notes
Tim Henman (Blathwayt 1991)
It was great to see Tim and his Tim Henman Charitable Foundation launch #THFOnline2020 during lockdown.
The aim is to extend learning beyond the classroom by offering a series of challenges online, some of which Tim presented and demonstrated himself. We know that many primary-aged children, as well as their parents and teachers, had lots of fun!
Greetings and the message of staying safe and being on your guard of your wellbeing is extended to all.
STOP PRESS
We heard the very sad news that Simon Holden passed away at the end of October. A full tribute will be paid in the next edition, but we send our sincerest condolences to all the family.
Simon Holden (Blathwayt 1957)
There can be no-one unaffected by the current world situation, ourselves included in Luanshya, Zambia.
The downturn of the copper industry over the previous few years provided a new contract for our drilling and blasting business early in 2019 which was then rudely interrupted in September by its cancellation. Since then, we have constantly been snatching ‘defeat from the jaws of success’ and remain hopeful that a wind of change is rustling through the bush in Zambia. When you run your own business, there is no other way but to be optimistic. So, retirement did not materialise as planned and our concentration has been to maintain our drill rigs and equipment in a high readiness for any developments in the mining industry.
Our family are all well. Clive, Amanda, girls and boys live in Fetcham near Leatherhead and Marcus, Liesel and Zoe in Shenington, near Banbury.
(Major) Michael Holgate (Mullens 2000)
Having completed a seven-month operational tour in Iraq (with fellow OR Mike Foster Vander Elst) and returning to the UK to hand over command, I have immediately moved to the NATO Rapid Deployable Corps near Milan.
It’s been a challenging year, the last six months having been dominated by living in the European ‘Ground Zero’ for the COVID-19 pandemic whilst continuing to maintain the Alliance’s readiness and supporting the Italian Armed Forces’ national response to the outbreak.
Evan Hoyt (Blathwayt 2013)
It was fascinating to read Evan’s article that appeared in The Times in August showing great resilience and strength of character in pursuing his dreams in the tennis world.
Colonel (Rtd) John Hughes-Wilson (Mullens 1962)
I continue to regard the world with an increasingly jaundiced eye from my eyrie in Turkish North Cyprus. The release of my latest book on nuclear misses and accidents, called the ‘Eve of Destruction’, has been put back to the London Book Fair in Spring 2021. I am currently ghostwriting an autobiography for an eminent politician. Asked recently in an interview what Reed’s did for me, I replied: ‘Reed’s taught me to write and had a CCF that drew me towards Sandhurst and a military career. I owe Reed’s a lot.’
Sir Simon Keenlyside (Capel 1978)
We were delighted to see Simon continuing to support the efforts of Grange Park Opera by making his fourth appearance in June. Although not able to showcase their incredible 2020 programme of live events, the company were able to put on a series called the ‘Found Season’, with new work from 45+ artists being filmed on their stage in Surrey.
Alex Kendall (Mullens 2005)
Over five years after starting the Snowdonia Way with many miles of walking, copious note-taking and hundreds of photographs, I finally completed and published my trilogy!
Nolan Lambroza (Bristowe 2008)
Thrilled to see Nolan feature in interviews with the Los Angeles Times, Broadcast Music, Inc. & Forbes. Sir Nolan – as he is better known in the music industry – is a leading record producer and songwriter who has collaborated with the likes of Justin Bieber, DJ Khaled, Selena Gomez, Nick Jonas & more and has now kindly offered to help advise our up and coming Reed’s School performers.
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Class Notes
Jack Manchester (Mullens 2017)
Aged just 21, Jack was selected to compete in the Le Mans 24 Hour Race with his Thunderhead Carlin Racing team in June, which sadly has now been put back to later in the year. We are hoping he stays safe and does well.
Peter Mettam (Watford & Totnes 1945)
Jean and I are still ‘hunkered-down” in our ground floor space here in Maryland, US, as we began doing in March 2018 when I broke my leg! I am now able to walk our dear dog Daisy, 9½, for about an hour each day, or rather she walks me!
There is little to comment on, except the on-coming disaster that will be our elections in November! Increasingly it looks as though the available polling stations will be far fewer than necessary because poll workers, who are largely elderly and retired, are refusing to be there due to COVID-19 fears. This means that many more will opt for postal voting and the burden on an almost bankrupt Post Office will be overwhelming. In addition, long lines at the remaining polling stations will not be healthy, particularly in those parts of the country that refuse to wear masks, wash hands and social-distance – too many, by far.
Nevertheless, we are still doing quite well on our respective slides into dementia, typified by memory loss at present. We eat well, have food delivered from local supermarkets, as needed, as are our (many!) prescription medications. I did manage to celebrate my 90th birthday in January!
Finally, family! Our eldest, Ian, is a company principal but getting ready to retire, with two daughters, 25 and 20, working in the world of NYC fashion. Our middle son, Terry, is an active musician/teacher with a 30 year-old daughter, a child educator. The youngest, John, works at the University of New Hampshire leading IT.
Ken Mitchell (Capel 1963)
The last superb edition of The Reeder finally got me round to doing what I should have done years ago, and send a bit of news about my life since leaving Reed’s. It was seeing the two School photos from 1956 where I’m on the front row and 1959 where I’m on the second row that did the trick. I was so pleased too to read that Frank Anstis is still thriving in his 90s. I was hopeless at Physics but he was so understanding about it and was such a great teacher. So was Peter Prior, sadly no longer with us, who also appears in those two photographs, and his inspirational teaching is why History is still a major interest and why I went on to teach the subject.
After leaving Reed’s, I ended up teaching in secondary schools, first in Leicester, then Southampton and, after that, Cambridge. I also did part-time coach driving including the World War 1 battlefield tours, which started as a hobby, but then went full-time, after teaching in the state sector got ever more stressful.
I met my wife, Rae, in Southampton and we have now enjoyed many years of happy retirement in lovely North Yorkshire with coast, North York Moors and, arguably, the best fish and chips in the UK at Whitby, all on our doorstep.
We enjoy travelling but avoid air travel, preferring leisurely self-catering holidays in Europe. These days we sometimes also opt for cruises which enables us to travel more widely, such as the US and Canada, one return journey coinciding with a hurricane a few years ago.
I lost touch long ago with friends with whom I was at Reed’s, so it was great to read updates from people who I remember well: Ian Driver, John Hughes-Wilson and Peter Saliba, who I recall from our Close days. It was also very interesting spotting fellow ORs in those two 1950s school photos. It would be good to hear news about others, who like me, have never got round to sending an update before.
Keith Miller (Bristowe 1951)
In October 2019, Heather and I celebrated our 60th wedding anniversary. To mark this very happy occasion, we held a small party in a pub in Frant, East Sussex. Among our guests, we were honoured to have several ORs and Kathryn Bartram and Lucy Sadler representing Reed’s. Sadly, Sharmaine was unable to attend as she had other family commitments.
In November, we flew to South Africa for two weeks holiday in Hout Bay, a suburb of Cape Town. Whilst there, we went across to Robben Island, took the obligatory cable car to the top of Table Mountain, visited Boulder Bay to see the penguins, drove around the coast to Simonstown where the British Navy had a base during the Second World War. We also visited a new and very unusual art gallery on the Waterfrontand drove out along the coast road from Hout Bay to picnic whilst watching sunset over the bay, a very moving experience!
Heather and I have been in self-isolation and, with Ashdown Forest on our doorstep, have been able to keep fit by taking occasional long walks in the Forest, where you hardly meet another soul, so it has been quite safe!
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I wanted to share a picture of a long awaited reunion between two Blathwaytian buddies from 1976-1981. Kevin Richards made a fleeting visit from his home in Washington DC to the UK and we had the opportunity to catch up and reminisce on what, we both agreed, were great times. Kevin was the first person I met on that first Sunday when we joined Reed’s as boarders.
I still remember how nervous and unsure I was, not especially helped by a seemingly strict Prefect who told us to get off the grass of the quadrant within two minutes of setting foot in the house. A little riddle: the Prefect in question had blonde hair, middle parting, wore glasses and went by the surname of a very well-known English, Fez-wearing, stand-up comic. Great memories.
Ryan Nesbitt (Capel 2001)
With my business partner, I have recently launched Swig, a new digital marketing consultancy to the food and drinks sector, providing branding, web design, events and social media services. https://swig.agency
Max O’Hagan (Blathwayt 2016)
For a fourth consecutive year, Max was named the First Team All American at his university, Florida Institute of Technology, with a fab set of golfing results.
Alice O’Hagan (Blathway 2019)
Never to be outdone by her golfing OR brother, Alice was named (Co) Freshman of the Year at Central Michigan University; a great accolade to her hockey skills and contribution to sport at the university.
Class Notes
Molly Ohayon (Blathwayt 2018)
Everyone will recognise this amazing individual in this beautiful sketch, but the wonderful thing is it was drawn by Molly. She drew it in his honour and asked us to share the link to the petition to have him awarded a knighthood. Even in these uncertain times, it is brilliant that our young ORs continue to show so much compassion for others.
Alistair Pole (Bristowe 1991)
I am now Senior Director Project Management & Partnerships at African Wildlife Foundation (AWF). It was very fortunate timing that on 4th December, I managed to travel to London from Zimbabwe for AWF’s fundraising dinner held at Somerset House. It was a shame it was such fleeting visit as I did not get a chance to meet up with any old Reed’s boys.
Jack Revell (Mullens 2008)
During COVID-19, I set-up a coaching business that helps high performers in the wellness sector to achieve incredible results. 2020 has been the year of discomfort for the world but it has put everything into perspective. It’s allowed me to slow down in order to speed up and I am thoroughly enjoying this new venture.
Peter Saliba (Mullens 1962)
A great loss this month in Málaga has been the August Fair which includes a national holiday for the Assumption of the Virgin Mary on the 15th and a local holiday celebrating the cities’ two patrons: San Ciriaco and Santa Paula. In addition, the hospitality sector is struggling to survive with a great dearth of foreign tourists. Each evening, Carmen and I look out of our kitchen window to check on the state of play at the Ilunion Hotel, the adjacent four-star hostelry which belongs to ONCE, Spain´s national charity for the blind and disabled.
Like the UK, next month schools go back but the sector is plagued by doubt and uncertainty. How will the authorities maintain social distancing? Will classes have to go online? Will the wearing of face masks be compulsory? Parents, teachers, pupils and teachers’ unions are all worried.
It’s Saturday night as I finish this letter. Carmen and I have returned from watching the social drama called El Inconveniente. This feature film from 2019 was competing for the Biznaga de Oro in the annual, postponed Málaga Film Festival. Space precludes me from explaining what a biznaga is! We had to hurry to order a couple of glasses of sweet, Málaga moscatel wine before the new midnight deadline. Horribly reminiscent of last orders back in GB in the 1960s and 70s! If any of you wish to hear more, I can be reached at peter@saliba.com
Phil Salt (Mullens 2015)
As well as continuing to do a fantastic job for Sussex CCC, Phil was also selected for the ODI squad against Ireland in June and then again in September to face Australia.
Jem Sharples (Bristowe 1989)
As a member of Tenors UnLimited, Jem has been unable to perform publicly due to COVID-19, so instead he has been able to put his talent to use good in raising the spirits of others by regular street performances for ‘Clap for Carers’.
Thura Soe Paing (Bristowe 1992)
Being married to a diplomat means we move every three to five years. We have been in Berlin since late 2018 and our next posting will most likely be back in Brazil. Doing my best to be a trailing spouse but failing…
I continue to run corporate finance and strategic consulting advisory in Myanmar so going back and forth between wherever we’re living and Yangon. (See page 88 for ‘An Interview with...’).
Chloe Spooner (Mullens 2014)
I have recently graduated from Cardiff School of Medicine and will be undertaking my foundation training in Wales. To help during the COVID-19 pandemic, I worked at Nevill Hall Hospital as an interim foundation doctor.
Ben Stokes (Bristowe 2015)
I’m delighted to say that since the last edition of the Reeder, I completed my part of the Clipper Round the World Race.
We started in Airlie Beach, Australia and finished in Suibic Bay, Philippines (it was meant to be China but due to the Coronavirus outbreak, the destination had to be changed whilst we were sailing). It really did end up being a truly incredible adventure and was the trip of a lifetime (excuse the cliché).
The leg was split into two races, the first lasting 26 days from Australia to the Philippines and the second lasting 10 days which was from the Philippines round some southerly Japanese islands and back again. Some highlights from the race included not showering for almost a month, crossing the equator, being stuck in a wind hole with temperatures in excess of 40 degrees, surfing a 70-foot boat down 4/5 metre waves and seeing some very interesting wildlife (whales, dolphins, etc).
Although we didn’t manage to secure a podium in these races, we did get 4th and remain third overall in the race standings. To anyone that has been thinking about some sort of adventure, I would highly recommend it!
Class Notes
Ollie Stuart (Blathway5 2017)
Together with his brother, Ollie combined his love of music with fundraising to put on a virtual club night which lots of ORs took part in, raising money for the NHS Together charity.
James Taylor Thomas (Blathwayt 2008)
It was lovely to see James on our screens in the new ITV drama, Belgravia – a bit of light relief prior to lockdown.
Ben Taylor (Bristowe 2008)
It was great to hear that Ben had secured his PGA Tour card for the 2019/2020 season.
Richard Turner (Mullens 1956)
I feel I have been fortunate during the pandemic lockdown as I have enjoyed beautiful weather and am five minutes walk from our local park and the historical Norsey Woods.
However, this was not enough to assuage my need to do more with my time, so I started a photobook of my life. When I left Reed’s, I did a year’s course at Southampton University’s School of Navigation at Warsash. This was a very intense course run on strict military lines with the aim to turn boys into men within the year. I followed that with an apprenticeship in the old British India Shipping Company which merged with P&O in the early 1970s. Thereafter, my career varied extensively but all the time connected in some way to P&O. I retired as a Ship’s Captain in 2002.
Since retirement many friends have suggested I should put down my memories on paper but these suggestions fell on deaf, until COVID-19 presented me with an ideal opportunity to actually do something. Completing the project took a lot of time but I found it a source of great interest and satisfaction. I now have the finished book with 78 pages and over 300 full gloss photos and thousands of words. Reed’s was a massive influence in my life and features quite prominently in the book.
David Varley (Blathwayt 1969)
2019 ended with a surprise phone call from OR Mark Buxton (Bristowe 1969) who I’d not had sight nor sound of since he visited me in 1969. A very kind act, done in case I was lonely.
2020 continued conventionally for me with OR Peter Verstage’s luncheons and a little croquet until the first case of locally transmitted COVID-19 happened. My usual March trip to London took a week or two to move from determined to cancelled and so, as a non-driver, I was effectively ‘isolating’ but my tenants and comestible deliveries kept me comfortable.
Zoom has been added to the arsenal of Verstage’s talents and ‘Zoomtails’ replaced Friday lunch until the home (Isle of Man) was declared free enough to allow hospitality venues to re-open. As well as playing croquet, I have been regularly playing GO Online with a friend in lockdown in London. (Lichess and Pandanet both offer opportunities for ORs to ‘club’ one another on-line, perhaps extending to House against House?). I have also enjoyed the on-line school and OR events, well done Reed’s!
The photograph demonstrates the skill which can be developed using the beard trimmer applied to a higher-up coiffure.
Ben Warwick (Bristowe 1992)
Just before lockdown, Reed’s teaching legend, Richard Garrett, was able to see Ben in the Blackeyed Theatre touring production of Jane Eyre. Hope they can get back on the road as soon as possible.
Cameron Williams (Bristowe 2016)
Great to see Cameron and band, Shai Brides, featured in Atwood Magazine, hailing their new single, ‘Honeydew’, as the perfect synth-pop track to elevate the talented five musicians “into a prominent position in the music industry”. A session with ‘BBC Introducing’ backed this too.
Jim Williams (Capel 1959)
They say that ‘comparisons are odious’ (a terrible term as far as I’m concerned), but my meet-up with Sharmaine, husband Peter and recent OR son, Adam Matthews (Capel 2019), at O.R. Tambo International Airport Johannesburg in March was an incredible experience that led to comparisons being made by both parties. Exactly 60 years separated Adam and I in our leaving of Reed’s and the difference was like that between chalk and cheese!
In 1959, when I said my farewells to all and sundry at Cobham (people, buildings, playing fields and general environs), the lump in my throat was like a goitre and my emotions palpable. I had no idea how on earth was I ever going to cope as an adult in the outside world which I felt totally unqualified to enter. Ill-equipped, not only devoid of academic achievements, no other qualifications and lacking hugely in selfconfidence (plenty of bravado – which is not the same thing) but, worst of all, that other members of our fairer sex waiting for me out there, ready to tear me apart and show me up for what I was/wasn’t. Roll on 60 years later, the current crop of ORs represented by Adam: super confident (but not arrogant), academically wellqualified, accomplished conversationalist, well-groomed, already travelled and having lived abroad for a while and no doubt with a string of beautiful young lasses who felt that he was the “bee’s knees” – the differences were evident.
Having eventually come to terms with being an adult, working, earning, courting, travelling, marrying and procreating with a few bob behind me now, I can let out a gasp of air and say: ‘Thank goodness, I made it!’ Adam – on the other hand – seems to me to be more than half way ‘there’ already. How well the Reed’s product has morphed over the years! Mazel tov, Adam and to all the new ORs, walk tall and be incredibly proud of this unbelievable start which you’ve been privileged to experience – its one heck of a journey. FIDE.
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