OA Bulletin - Autumn 2005 Edition

OA BULLETIN

Old Tallinn in Estonia, destination for the OA Lodge Easter outing in 2006

Old Albanian Club

DIARY DATES

October 2005

School Remembrance Day Service – 10.25am, Friday 11th November 2005 London Drinks Party – Thursday 17th November 2005 School Carol Service – 2.30pm, Tuesday 13th December 2005 Annual General Meeting – Tuesday 13th December 2005 Recent Leavers’ Reunion – Thursday 15th December 2005

OA CLUB www.oldalbanianclub.com President

Andrew Barnes 01582 712650 andysbarnes@hotmail.com Secretary David Buxton 01727 840499 d.buxton@virgin.net Treasurer Brian Sullman 01582 460317 Membership Secretary Roger Cook 01727 836877 Rogercook@btinternet.com OA SPORTS

www.oasport.com

RUGBY President

Ali Mills ali.mills@oarugby.com Chairman Richard Milnes richard.milnes@oarugby.com Commercial Director Simon Heath simon.heath@oarugby.com Finance Director Chris Walker chris.walker@oarugby.com Admin Director Peter Lipscomb peter.lipscomb@oarugby.com Fixture Secretary Darren Ead darren.ead@oarugby.com Director of Coaching Bruce Millar bruce.millar@oarugby.com Director of Rugby Steve Bedford steve.bedford@oarugby.com Mini & Junior Rugby Chairman Rory Davis

Nick Chappin – Editor Andy Chappin – Design & Production Roger Cook – Membership Mike Highstead – Gazette Printing - Herts & Beds Printing 01923 234959 2

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01727 843538 FOOTBALL Manager

www.oasoccer.co.uk Simon Bates 01727 852418 / 0772 0383 600

CRICKET President

www.oacc.org.uk John Josling 01296 632227 Chairman Andrew McCree 01727 845513 andrew@oacc.org.uk 1st XI Captain Robert Bee 2nd XI Captain Colin Bashford Treasurer Denis King denis.king@btinternet.co.uk Fixture Secretary Julian baines Jules_baines@msn.com OTHERS Rifle & Pistol Angling Golf

OA LODGE John Williams

Andrew Wilkie 01727 856857 Geoff Cannon 01582 792512 Royce Bryant 01727 863130

01438 715679

SCHOOL WEB SITE www.st-albans.herts.sch.uk

Address for correspondence: Nick Chappin 18 The Pleasance, Harpenden, Herts AL5 3NA Telephone: 01582 461674 (home) 07980 565645 (mobile) e-mail: nick@chappin.co.uk

OA COMMENT

O A C O N TA C T

OA BULLETIN OCTOBER 2005

Editorial

Writer’s block

Bulletin contains reports from all our regular contributors. In response to When Evelyn Waugh said that ‘words several requests, the President endeavours to disentangle the should be an intense pleasure just as Gordian knot that is the club’s leather should be to a shoemaker’ he organisational structure, and was talking cobblers in more ways applauds the growing success of than one. I’m faced with the OAConnect, the Club’s online rival to proverbial blank sheet of paper only Friends Reunited. The School is once twice a year, yet finding something again reporting record-breaking new and interesting to say in these academic results and all-round editorial pieces is an acutely painful sporting, musical and artistic experience. success. No change there. And as a Name-dropping certainly helps. welcome oasis of calm in these days Casually tossing in an obscure quote of natural catastrophes and global from a well-known author at the political upheaval, isn’t it comforting outset does wonders for the ego, in to know that the Membership the naïve belief that the reader will Secretary is still be impressed with the knocking out OA Club astonishing breadth of ties at £12.50 for a silk tie one’s literary knowledge. The President and £15.00 for a bow tie?

The reality, of course, is Having momentarily rather different. As a disentangles the paused to consider why a Liverpudlian friend from university used to say Gordian knot that bow tie should be 20% more expensive than a when you used a word necktie, I am delighted that in his opinion had is the club’s to report that Woollams more syllables than was is further cementing its strictly necessary: organisational position as the area’s ‘What’s wrong with you, premier sporting and pal? Swallowed a f***kin’ structure social facility, and its dictionary, have yer?’ In two main residents – the this case, it was actually Cricket and Rugby clubs – continue the International Thesaurus of to flourish. Having become Quotations, but you get the point.

Another apposite quote (and one that reacquainted with some of my old rugby haunts over the last couple of I do actually recognise from my years as my son and nephew both English A Level course) is from enjoy the hugely successful OA Mini Alexander Pope’s Essay on Criticism: Rugby section, the stark contrast in ‘True ease in writing comes from art, quality compared to the average not chance, / As those move easiest rugby club is only too apparent. This who have learned to dance.’ If that’s is perhaps best summed up by my the case, then I’ve got two left feet. nephew, who asked his mother at the Pressing on, this edition of the

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President’s Notes

OA COMMENT The OARFC Vice Presidents’ Lunch on Saturday 24th September at Woollams…

Making Connections n OA Club President Andrew Barnes explains the structure of the Old Albanian Club and applauds the successful launch of OAConnect

weekend: “Mummy, why do other rugby clubs have sheds and only sell crisps?”

On a slightly less positive note, this edition has not attracted the usual crop of correspondence and the postman’s bag was pitifully light. My thanks, as always, to our more senior members for their continued support, and I issue my usual plea to members of all ages to write in with their experiences and reminiscences.

Finally, one or two important dates for the diary: the Old Albanian Club Annual General Meeting will take place at Woollams on Tuesday 13th December 2005, and the London Drinks Party on Thursday 17th November 2005 at The East India Club in St James’s Square, London.

As for me, I shall be scanning the text-books to find a suitably obscure literary quote for the next edition…

Nick Chappin Editor

WHO TO CONTACT Please address your correspondence to the following people – you’ll find their contact details on page 2.

OA Bulletin Nick Chappin, Editor Comments, letters, photos Subscription/membership enquiries Roger Cook, Membership Secretary Change of address, notification of deaths OA Gazette Mike Highstead, Archivist Member news, obituaries, School archive and museum

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I have been asked to explain the various bodies that now constitute the structure of the Old Albanian Club, including those that must act independently.

Appointed OA Club members serve as trustees of the Old Albanian Sports Association Ltd, a registered charity which owns the Club’s material asset at Woollams.

At the moment, the trustees are all members of the elected Old Albanian Club Committee. The day-to-day running of the Woollams headquarters is delegated from the trustees to an appointed Operations Board under the Club President, chaired by Andrew Mills-Baker. The Woollams clubhouse is run by a professional General Manager, Neil Dekker. Brian Sullman continues in the role of Club Treasurer, with almost daily attendance at Woollams.

Andrew Mills-Baker’s continuing involvement is also vital, as the commercial activities move towards break-even.

The sports clubs, grouped together under the styling ‘OA Sport’, are run by elected committees of Old Albanians as well as some non-OAs. Each of the clubs is an open community sports club. The sports clubs have free use of the clubhouse and contribute to the maintenance of the playing surfaces and grounds. There are no contractual rights of occupation. The Health and Fitness club (see page XX) is a commercial operation for which Neil Dekker has responsibility.

The 948 Sports Foundation is a registered charity, endowed by the Old Albanian Club,

with an independent board of trustees, most of whom are Old Albanians. Its purpose is to support youth sport in the St Albans area. It has given grants to St Albans School including providing a sports bursary, and to youth cricket and rugby at Woollams as well as to many external teams and individuals.

I hope that is a satisfactory explanation.

“Clear as mud,” I hear you say!

OAConnect OAConnect is now functioning well. Great efforts have been made to contact all Old Albanians around the world to tell them that they are life members. Recently, everyone should have received a composite edition of ‘St Albans School Highlights’. This has been circulated to the last known address of all Old Albanians we believed we could contact to encourage members to log on to OAConnect. Inevitably, a large number of these have been returned marked address unknown. The Membership Secretary’s list of waifs and strays is longer than usual as a result of this. Please find a few moments to scan this list, pick out the name of anyone for whom you have contact information. Roger Cook will be delighted to hear from you and will make contact on behalf of the club. I can report that the mailing of the School’s ten-year Highlights has been very well received and that hundreds of Old Albanians have followed the step-by-step instructions and registered with OAConnect. If you haven’t got round to it yet, please register via the Club website.

Once registered you can search the Club records whenever you choose to. If, by other means through your efforts or by accident you re-establish contact with a friend from School, please pass those contact details on to the Membership Secretary.

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The harmonious working relationship between the School and the Old Albanians has never been closer. At Woollams, the OA clubhouse and grounds and the School’s playing fields stand side by side. The School’s ground maintenance staff are contracted for the maintenance of the Club’s sports pitches and courts and the surrounding land. Almost all of the charges for this work are recovered from the sports clubs. The cost of this work is negotiated annually with the Bursar. It is fair to say that Woollams looks a picture and is admired by all who visit. The School’s outstanding academic results, sporting achievements, music, drama and an ever widening range of charitable and community involvement is admirably covered in the Headmaster’s report (see page 8).

On 21st September it was a great pleasure to be present in the Abbey for the annual prize-giving. I am full of admiration for the excellence displayed. St Albans is a modern multi-faceted school of which we can be very proud. For the record, this September the School has never been ‘more fuller of pupils’ and is fortunate to have exceptional staff, both academic and administrative. Ian

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…OAs 36 Tabard 23 Jennings (62) chairs the Board of Governors, there being three other Old Albanians serving on the governing body.

The Presidents’ Garden Party On Sunday 19th June we were blessed with a warm sunny afternoon. A triumvirate, the President of the Old Albanian Cricket Cub, the President of the Rugby Club, and the President of the Old Albanian Club entertained their guests. These guests were invited as a mark of recognition and thanks for the exceptional effort within the Old Albanian Club and the sports clubs under the umbrella of OA Sport. For a second year this has been the single occasion on which representatives of every sector of OA activity from the OA Lodge, OA Golf and fisherfolk to the leading lights in the OA Saints Rugby Club enjoyed a social occasion together. We were delighted to welcome the Headmaster and Mrs Grant, the Bursar and his wife and other members of the School staff as guests of the whole club.

The Old Albanian Dinner This year the School provided the venue at

OA BULLETIN OCTOBER 2005

their Woollams pavilion. On the eve of Founders’ Day, some 85 people thoroughly enjoyed the dinner and speeches. Stephen Eames resumed his accustomed role as master of ceremonies following a period of exile in Chicago. He and our guest speaker, Mark Elliott, Chairman of Herts Rugby Selectors, performed a most entertaining double-act. Warm letters of appreciation were received from a number of guests. The club is most grateful for the efforts of this year’s dinner organiser, Judy Bee. This is the fourth occasion on which I have cobbled the President’s notes together.

In December, two years will have been completed in this role. I believe it is time to thank the OA committee and in particular the officers that take responsibility for all Club’s affairs and activities and the production of this Bulletin. Those hardworking members are listed on page 2.

Succession The Annual General Meeting of the Old Albanian club will be held on Tuesday 13th December at Woollams. Some preparations must be made before that date. This is the year when things must start to change. I would like to ensure that the interests and views of the Club members in their twenties, thirties, forties and fifties are represented in the OA Club structure and Woollams management. If you fall within one of these groups and live within striking distance of St Albans how about talking to me to discuss what might be achieved by your involvement?

We need web masters. Ideally the Club needs to find a representative from each year group. This is an ideal opportunity for Old Albanians living in faraway places, but with internet access, to make an important contribution on behalf of friends and year

group acquaintances. This is not just a way of keeping in touch but to become the hub for sharing news within the whole group.

Please contact me if you will take this role on for a six-month trial period.

Young Albanians Group On 15th December the Club will hold an early evening reunion at Woollams for all those Albanians that left school this summer. This will be the first opportunity for the Club to welcome its newest members, to show off our clubhouse and provide an opportunity for the group to spend some time catching up with friends they haven’t been in contact with for some months.

An Old Albanian Club notice-board is being prepared for installation in the 6th Form Common Room at School… some progress!

The ‘97 leavers group held a reunion, drinks, canapés and discotheque at Woollams on 2nd July. It was great to see a number of long-serving members of the School’s staff in evidence. Around 70 people attended. It was great fun. I was there!

London Drinks Party, East India Club, Thursday 17th November 2005 This jolly gathering has a completely different feel from any other OA Club function. A fascinating cross-section from very recent school leavers up to octogenarian members find their way to St James’s and enjoy the warm friendly ambience, meeting friends and other Old Albanians for the first time. Please make every effort to join us this year.

Nick Barnes is co-ordinating numbers.

Please respond him on the enclosed slip.

Andrew Barnes President

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Headmaster’s Notes

High Rollers

in any of their GCSEs. This, just to keep you alert, was not a record as it happens; the best to date remains 29, set in 2002. n As the School’s roll hits a new high, It was the Fourth form, however, all of Headmaster Andrew Grant reports on some whom take Mathematics a year before their spectacular academic results which set new other GCSEs, who produced something of a benchmarks in achievement sensation with 45% of their results graded A* and 87% graded A* or A. This is a full The new term began on the 10% up on anything previously recorded. back of a succession of These results are all a long way above the records, not least for the average for the independent sector as a School roll, which at 780 is at whole and the rate of improvement is well an historic high. ahead of the upward drift that we continue For the first time ever, all age groups to observe nationally. All, teachers and taking public examinations improved on students alike, deserve warm anything previously achieved at congratulations. The latter St Albans to set some have now blown their cover impressive new benchmarks.

These results are and can have no excuse for The Upper Sixth, having set setting their sights on anything the best-ever GCSE Maths all a long way less than the highest results when they were in the Fourth Form but flattered to above the average achievements.

Those of you who pay an deceive in the intervening three occasional visit to our website years, finally returned to form for the will have noted that it is kept when it mattered with A or B right up to date with news grades in 82% of their A levels, independent from the term and the holiday. nudging the previous best up by around a percentage point. 39 sector as a whole A few things deserve highlighting. Staying with the students, also a record, academic theme, in May, we achieved three A grades or were pleased to learn that The Good Schools more.

Guide had judged us best independent boys’ Not to be outdone, the Lower Sixth, all school for AS General Studies and best taking four subjects, improved by around school of any kind for AS Ancient History 5% on the previous best at AS level, with in the 2004 exams. Given that Ancient 75% of all results at the top two grades and History AS was taught only by Hilary 33 students scoring four A grades each.

Swain, it surely follows that she is the best At GCSE, two thirds of all entries were teacher of AS Ancient History in the entire passed at A* or A grade – a 5% rise on the country. However much weight one wishes previous best, while the proportion of the to attach to these awards, we were visited top A* grades rose by a similar proportion shortly afterwards by a reporter/inspector to 31% (nationally, the proportion is 4%.) from the Guide. She wrote us a very Six pupils achieved A* in every subject, favourable report which is currently on which, needless to say, is also a record, their website (www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk) while 26 scored nothing lower than grade A

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Javelin and Nick Ridler third in the Junior and will appear in print in the 2006 edition.

There is no truth in the rumour that I wrote boys 400m.

In the District Championships for substantial parts of it myself.

Of course, the successes have not all been Intermediates and Juniors, our First and Third Formers won their respective relays academic. The cricket season ended with a and Harley Stairmand, Joe Richards, Tom 60% win rate for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd XIs Corderey and Zak Buttle all won individual and the U15 side won the District Cup. The District titles.

U14s surpassed this, winning 14 of their 15 The summer holiday was as busy as ever, matches, retaining the District Cup and the not least for the Bursar’s department, who County Cup and returning from their have been undertaking some major Dorset Tour undefeated in five matches. It refurbishment. The most visible public side is perhaps not insignificant that two U14s, of this is the resurfacing of the Upper Yard Jack Reynolds and Aron Jayawardena, – and not before time - so if you’ve had a played for the First XI throughout the favourite pothole to which season and also for Middlesex you’ve become emotionally and Hertfordshire, respectively.

Victor Stairmand (U14) and The season closed attached over the past fifty years, I’m sorry, but you won’t Alex Addison and Simon be able to find it.

Gregory (U19) were also with a series of The Lower School had a joint selected for the county. The Languages/Geography season closed with a series of victories against residential trip to Normandy, victories against touring sides, staying in a chateau and including Gordonstoun, whom touring sides, visiting, among other places of this year the First XI saw off interest, the Bayeux Tapestry; convincingly, after last year’s including Mont Saint Michel and the extraordinary tie, and Pegasus Bridge, famous from Australian visitors Knox Gordonstoun the D-Day landings.

Grammar School and Sydney The CCF has been busy at Grammar School, in defeating the usual camps at Longmoor, where the whom we made our own small contribution Army Section was judged best all-round to this summer’s undermining of southern contingent of the three-week camp, and at hemisphere cricketing supremacy.

RAF Cosford, where the activities included Our senior athletes retained the District flying Grob trainers and gliding in Championship for the seventh season in a Vigilants. For the second year running the row, with Mark Stichbury, Matt Grant and James Newman going on later in the season contingent went off to Evje in Norway for an Adventurous Training Exercise, where, to take 1, 2, 3 in the County 1500m and Lois Haruna winning the girls’ County shot putt, as the DVD proves, the emphasis really was on “adventurous”, with white water rafting; while Robert Sparrow took bronze in the abseiling down fjord cliffs, survival Senior 800m. At the same County techniques and the like.

Championship meeting, Jonny Mills took Participants in the Duke of Edinburgh third in the Intermediate boys Steeplechase, Scheme were equally intrepid with a Silver Jonathan Miller third in the Inter boys

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qualifying expedition in the Brecon Beacons and a Gold expedition in the Picos mountains in which students of both sexes encountered and surmounted some demanding terrain.

Meanwhile, for three weeks, the Senior Rugby squad contributed further to the sporting misery inflicted on the southern hemisphere by the northern this summer in a superbly successful tour of New Zealand and Fiji from which they returned with six wins and a draw - some of the wins by very substantial margins – a working knowledge of how to perform the Haka; an appreciation of just how big fully-grown All Blacks must be and an insight into the principles of Southern Hemisphere refereeing In each case, I am delighted to say, the students have conducted themselves in an impeccable manner as ambassadors for the School and it has been a pleasure to receive complimentary messages from their hosts.

Pre-season rugby training was well under way by the end of the holiday and the annual cross-country training camp at Pen Arthur inflicted the usual cruelties of destructive-testing-by-dune-running under the steely eye of coach George Harrison,

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whom it is good to see back in harness after his serious illness.

Recent OAs will be sorry to learn that Ed Beavington has left the staff to take up an appointment in Tanzania, while Wendy Davies has retired from teaching.

Both have given exceptional service to the School and will be missed, though I am pleased that Wendy Davies will continue as our Learning Support Co-ordinator and will, indeed, be able to devote more time to that role.

Daniel Grimwood has been elected Head of School and Patrick Clark and Toni Osibodu are Deputy Heads of School.

All OAs are, as always, very welcome at the Carol Service on Tuesday 13 December at 2.30 pm in the Abbey, as is anyone who would like to attend the Remembrance Day service on Friday 11 November at 10.25 am.

Failing that, I am sure I shall see many of you on the touchline, or at the London Drinks Party.

With best wishes for the autumn term, a.k.a. rugby season!

Andrew Grant Headmaster

OA Lodge for the 2009 ‘Festival’ Appeal in support of the Grand Charity and our Charity Steward Dick Knifton had n Lodge Secretary John Williams great pleasure in presenting the reports on a busy few months for the cheque to the Provincial Grand OA Lodge, and looks back at the Master. origins of organised Freemasonry in The brethren have been saddened the ale houses of 18th century London over recent months by the deaths of two members, John Turner (45) in The Lodge year commenced at the April aged 77, and in June, Dr installation meeting in early May Patrick ‘Paddy’ Coker (57) at the when the new Master, Geoffrey young age of 66. Both were active in Goodman, was installed in the Chair the Lodge and will be greatly missed. by the outgoing Master, Peter WadePaddy was initiated into the Lodge in Wright, in a consummate manner, 1998 and was related to R A Coker followed by the appointment of the (WM 45) who was Secretary for over Lodge Officers for the year. As usual 12 years in the 1950s and 60s. John the meeting was well attended, this year by some 70 members and guests, was initiated in 1953 and in addition to his professional career; he served many in dinner jackets, which is the on St Albans District Council for 20 tradition. years, becoming an Alderman. For The Provincial Grand Master of Hertfordshire, Colin Harris, attending some 20 years he also served as a Governor of the School. A memorial as a member of the Lodge rather service was held in the Lady Chapel than in his official capacity, in May, followed by a reception at presented the Hall-Stone Jewel and the School.

Collarette to the newly installed The Goose and Gridiron Society Master. During his year, this forms was formed in 1995 for part of the regalia worn research into Masonic by the Master. The Halltaverns. The aim is to Stone Jewel, conferred meet in pubs with on the Lodge by the Masonic connections, Grand Master in the enjoy a few beers and 1930s, symbolises the record details of the gift made by English building for posterity. members of the Craft of The society is named the new Freemasons’ after the ale house at Hall in London, built in which Grand Lodge memory of those who first met in 1717, and gave their lives in the the present Chairman is Great War. Geoffrey Goodman, During the meeting Master of the Lodge. On the Brethren voted to The original Goose and 15th June an historic transfer a further £5,000 Gridiron sign

Cakes and Ale

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and Wales and in Commonwealth Masonic event took place in the countries overseas”. shadow of St Paul’s when the Lord The Rt Hon The Lord Mayor, Mayor of London, Michael Savory, Alderman Michael Savory, said at the together with representatives of the unveiling: United Grand Lodge of England, “Now 1717 was quite a year: on 4th unveiled a blue plaque to January the Netherlands, Britain commemorate the site of the world’s and France signed the Triple first Grand Lodge of Freemasons.

Alliance. Over Christmas a Peter Lowndes, Deputy Grand disastrous storm hit the North Sea Master, said: “I am delighted to welcome you all coast between the Netherlands and Denmark with thousands dying or and to thank the Lord Mayor for his losing their homes. Jeffrey Amherst, kindness in agreeing to unveil this conqueror of Quebec, was born in commemorative blue plaque. This January and Horace Walpole in site is of major importance not just September. Voltaire was sentenced to English Freemasonry but to to a year in the Bastille for his Freemasons throughout the world. satirical writings and Montevideo, in On this site until 1898 stood the Uruguay, was founded by the wonderfully named ‘Goose and Portuguese. And on St John’s Day, Gridiron Ale House’ where, on 24 24th June 1717, the first Masonic June, 1717 four London lodges of Grand Lodge was founded very close Freemasons came together, formed to this site. Four London Lodges themselves into a Grand Lodge and which met at various ale-houses – elected Anthony Sayer, gentleman, the Goose & Gridiron in St Paul’s as their first Grand Master. From that date, organised Freemasonry, as Churchyard, the Crown, Parkers Lane, the Apple Tree, Covent Garden we understand it, is said to have and the Rummer & Grapes, Channel started. England, as the first, is Row, grouped together under the recognised throughout the world as first Grand Master, ‘a the ‘Mother’ Grand gentlemen’, one Lodge, and this site is Anthony Sayer, with regarded as a place of jurisdiction over the pilgrimage by regular cities of London and Freemasons throughout Westminster. Many the world. From that thanks are due to the small beginning in 1717, Goose and Gridiron the Grand Lodge of Society for organising England has grown to this important plaque, an association of over and for all your work in 275,000 members in over researching and eight and a half documenting thousand Lodges establishments where throughout England The Hall-Stone Jewel

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Lodges used to meet, mainly ale and coffee houses. It is much appreciated.

I am very pleased to unveil this plaque marking the birth of the Masonic Lodges as we know them.”

The Worshipful Master is organising a Lodge outing to another historic city next Easter, to spend a few days in Tallinn, Estonia via EasyJet. Whilst there on one evening we plan to visit Hermes Lodge No 5.

The cost of the flight will be about £50 return and hotels about £35-50 per night for a double room. Old Tallinn is one of the best preserved European medieval towns and is listed as a World Heritage Site. If anyone is familiar with the Russian film of Hamlet, this is where it was filmed.

Prices in Estonia are about half those here, but rising! Well worth a visit, the Tallinn website address is: http://www.tourism.tallinn.ee/ The Lodge meets only five times a

The beautifully preserved medieval town of Tallinn in Estonia, a World Heritage Site and destination of next Easter’s Lodge outing year on the second Saturdays in January, March, May and September and the first Saturday in November.

All those connected with the School, including fathers of past or present pupils are welcome to apply for membership, for which purpose the first approach should be to any Lodge member, the Secretary as below, or Nigel WoodSmith or Alan Smith at the School. Members of other Lodges, be they OAs, parents of past or present pupils, staff or Governors are encouraged to visit the Lodge whenever they wish, and the Secretary will be delighted to hear from them. The Lodge website address is: http://www.oa-lodge.co.uk/ John Williams Lodge Secretary

4 Rollswood Road Welwyn Herts AL6 9TX Telephone: 01438 715679

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Membership Secretary’s Notes

Go Online n OA Club Membership Secretary Roger Cook rounds up all the latest membership news – including a reminder to register for OAConnect OAConnect Anyone who has not received the OAConnect brochure please ask me for one. It has been sent to everyone on our lists, including many who have moved since we last contacted them. As a result the ‘waifs and strays’ has grown significantly.

Please make a special effort to look at the list for anyone you know. In future, I propose publishing only a selection of the total list.

Nearly 600 OAs have now registered with OAConnect. If you have not registered yet go to the OA web site and do it now! I have 3,500 on my database, so there are still many more whom, with your help, we hope to contact.

I remind those who have registered lChange your personal data online rather than sending me the information lWe occasionally post information: include your postal address (you may ‘hide’ this from other OAs if you wish) lOther people’s information is confidential and must not be passed outside the Club Bulletin This Bulletin is available in printed form and is also available on the OA website. Earlier issues will also remain until the permitted capacity

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of the site is exceeded. The password for this issue is 7315: OAConnect registrants will find the passwords listed on the OAConnect system.

I remind you that the cost of receiving the Bulletin by post is set at £18 for three years’ issues. The year your Bulletin subscription expires is shown before your name on the address label. We request that life members of the Club who require a postal copy make a donation of an equivalent amount towards the costs of postage.

OA website The website receives several hundred visits each week. The site needs your help in providing pictures and news items that might interest other OAs. If you cannot find the time for a letter or full article for the Bulletin send me a snappy item of news and/or a photograph for display.

As usual, I have a stock of OA ties (£12.50 silk tie - £15 bow tie).

Roger Cook Membership Secretary

Waifs and strays We have lost contact with the following OAs – can anyone help?

Year

Name

1931 1932 1932 1933 1934 1936 1938 1939 1941 1942 1942 1943 1944 1947 1948 1952 1954 1955 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1962 1963 1963 1964 1964 1964 1965 1965 1966 1967 1967 1967 1968 1968 1970 1970 1970 1970 1970 1970 1971 1971 1971 1971 1971

Chris HALLIDAY H M PINNOCK J BROOKES E J EVANS J E BES K GREEN K F BREHAUT K M BUCKINGHAM A D WILKINSON J A WRIGHT G H POWELL Peter SMITH C M BRACEWELL P H F HUDSON M F AULT N S J COOK R A WORTLEY N C DILLEY B J COOMBE J V KNIGHT P INGRAM S C BISHOP P J O SULLIVAN K J MILLS D M ROBERTSON J CLARKE Stephen C BASS J R H GOTT R J DUNN J Charles LEE A T J MASLEN Peter A DEW D KIRK R N THOMAS Paul M ANSELL P A COCKBAIN A MARSH R M CRAIGHEAD R R GINGELL Tim J BROOKER Rob CALLOW Chris DUFFIELD Nigel HARTRIDGE I G MARTIN M R TOWERSEY MARK BARKER M J DUXBURY G EARL D J D LAWRENCE D P L WILLIAMS

Last known location Gabon St Albans Harpenden St Albans Sussex Wimborne Cuckfield Harpenden St Albans St Albans Beaminster Leicester Cranbrook Harpenden Horam London High Wycombe Brookmans Park Blackboys Glasgow Shefford Harpenden Stoke-on-Trent Herts Knebworth Danbury St Albans Ayot St Lawrence Harpenden Newcastle Under Lyme Wheathampstead Walthamstow Edgware Luton Redhill Borehamwood Potters Bar Farnham All Saints Wolverhampton

Birmingham Hitchin Sandbach Hitchin Newbury St Albans Harpenden

1972 1972 1972 1973 1974 1974 1975 1975 1975 1975 1976 1976 1976 1976 1976 1976 1976 1977 1977 1977 1977 1977 1977 1977 1977 1977 1978 1978 1978 1978 1978 1978 1979 1979 1979 1979 1979 1979 1979 1979 1979 1979 1979 1979 1979 1979 1980 1980 1980 1980 1980 1980 1980 1980 1980 1980 1980 1980 1980

A R J BAYLEY R J MATTINGLY S C PARKER D K THOM D R KINGHAM J T J MARSHALL A P CAUNT I A FORBES J B FRENCH Stephen C FUNNELL M J BELSHAW J M BULSING D C CROSS C N LAVIN C A ORANGE S E TURNER Kevin WAYGOOD-WEST David K W BATEY T A BAYOUMI P A CLITHEROW Andrew GRANGER A P R JONES A P LEE N J MARSHALL C J STANSBURY David J WELSH Graham BARTLETT R G BUNTING N G EVANS P E PARKER M G SAMUEL Keith WELSH C D ALBURY Stephen ARMITAGE R C COOPER C DIXON K FORD M HALL A J HAYSOM John R LESTER B MENZIE J RIDDLE P ROLLINGS Mark SEDDON P TYNAN C W WEIR J R EDWARDS A W G EVANS A J GEORGE P L HAYES A HAYWARD Phil LAWRENCE Mark QUINLAN JC RABUSZO M E SEABROOK G D STAPLEHURST S SWINSON T WADDINGTON J C G WOODROW

Chesterfield Baldock Harpenden Stevenage East Grinstead St Albans Edinburgh Bristol St Albans Barnet St Albans Welwyn Garden City Southsea Attleborough London Faversham Hatfield Prestbury Welwyn Garden City Harpenden Kentish Town Keithley Abergynolwyn St Albans St Albans St Albans New York Leighton Buzzard Hemel Hempstead Harpenden St Albans Eccles-Aylesford St Albans Leyton Luton Harpenden Tring Croxley Green Harpenden Crewkerne Wheathampstead Wakefield Harpenden Great Stukeley Cockermouth Balham Luton Bristol Flamstead St Albans St Albans Ilkley Billingborough St Albans Chislehurst Brussels Markyate St Albans Wheathampstead

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1 Pondwicks Close St Albans AL1 1DG Telephone: 01727 836877

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De fortunis Albanorum 1981 1981 1981 1981 1981 1982 1982 1982 1983 1983 1983 1983 1984 1984 1984 1985 1985 1985 1985 1985 1985 1985 1985 1985 1985 1986 1986 1986 1986 1986 1986 1986 1986 1987 1987 1987 1987 1988 1989 1989 1989 1989 1989 1990 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992

Peter CLEGG R J W HODGE A JACKSON Andrew E PALMER M G SPURGEON S GUNN Stephen THORNDIKE Nicholas WASTELL R G T NORRIS Tim J PRYCE Adam STEPHENS Dave W H WILSON Neal R JACKSON Robert LAWTON Jon WARBURTON David ANDREWS Laurence FINLAY A M GRESSWELL Bruce J W POTTS Adrian SMART D J SOMERVILLE Andrew TURNER Simon WELSH J M WENT G WILLIAMS Thomas BENDING John BLADEN Adrian COOK M C DAVIS Martin DEWHIRST Richard M HEAP Francis H HUNT

Windlesham Peterborough Harpenden Bracknell St Albans St Albans Farnham Royal Twyford St Albans London Devizes Kirriemuir Lindal-in-Furness Harpenden New York High Wycombe Hadley Wood Digswell Sydney, NSW Brighton Hemel Hempstead Swindon Potters Bar Cadiz St Albans Cambridge Luton London Tewin Water Brookmans Park St Albans St Martin de Valgalves, France P L NEWMAN St Albans Richard BROWN St Albans Christopher BROWNE Luton Mark W MEESON St Albans Nicholas PAYNE St Albans Graham WITHERS St Albans James AUFENFAST Wheathampstead Damian HOLLINGSWORTH Bristol Justin HOSKINS Borehamwood Christopher JONES St Albans Mark LAWRENCE Enfield Huw CATLING Harpenden Nicholas R BURRAGE St Albans Richard EW CARDEN Southampton Alexander T GREEN New Barnet Daniel S HARRIS Radlett Matthew B HAYES London Jonathan JAMES Wheathampstead Jonathan B LAWRENCE Radlett Manchester Neil A LUPIN Stephen R H MITCHELL Radlett Jonathan W MOSS Barnet Radley L MOSS Radlett Michael PHILIPPIDES Totteridge Dominic C SENDER Redbourn Jonathan E SIMMONS Totteridge Common

1992 1992 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1994 1994 1994 1994 1994 1994 1995 1995 1995 1995 1996 1996 1996 1997 1997 1998 1998 1998 1998 1999 1999 2000 2000 2000 2000 2001 2002 2005

Daniel J STEVENS Kieran WALSH Piers J BISSON Andrew J BRIAN Benjamin J M CAMPBELL Elliot C CHALMERS Richard P CLARKE Matieu J CULVERHOUSE Benjamin FREDRIKSEN Daniel B GODFREY Bradley A HART Simon D IVES Caroline M KING Seth A WHEELER Thomas CLAYTON George HAMILTON Thomas LAND Rory LUMSDEN Miles LESTER Matthew SIMMONS Adam BUCK Jamie O CHALMERS Geoffrey COATES Marc TOPPERY Ken C CHAN Matthew BARCLAY Pascal CULVERHOUSE Dean C MORGAN Paul R SUMMERS Thomas E BOWMAN Andrew CHANDRARAJ Alison F FORRESTER Daniel C GIBBONS Mark E BENTLEY Richard B P MYERS Michael J CASTON Simon P CASTON Adrian C FORD Christopher HUDSON Thomas K BUTLER Daniel W EVANS Tom BARNES

Harpenden Harpenden Banbury St Albans Sedburgh Radlett St Albans Redbourn Hatfield Harpenden Potters Bar St Albans Bushey Utica, USA St Albans New Milton Radlett St Albans Hadley Wood Flamstead St Albans Radlett Redbourn Stanmore Welwyn Garden City St Albans Redbourn Garston Harpenden Leverstock Green Harpenden St Albans Park Street Harpenden Barnet Redbourn Redbourn London Brookmans Park St Albans Wheathampstead

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l Claire Seaman (02) was awarded First Class Honours in History at Leeds University. l Richard Foster (02) took the top First in History at Balliol College, Oxford. He is now doing research at the Courtauld Institute. l James Browne (02) was awarded First Class Honours in Economics at Corpus Christi College, Oxford and is now working at the Institute of Fiscal Studies in London. l John Bateman (01) gained a First Class Honours in Geography at Nottingham University. l Tom Butler (01) awarded First Class Honours in Music at Edinburgh University. l Nick Greenwood (01) gained First Class Honours in Maths at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. l Alex Evangelidis (99) is in the second year of his PhD at Imperial College, London. l Anna Evangelidis (94) married in October 2004.

If anyone can help with the present address of any of the above, please contact me.

Roger Cook Membership Secretary

l Justin Pollard (86) had his book ‘The Seven Ages of Britain’ published in 2003 by Hodder and Stoughton. l Simon Turner is Deputy Head of Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, Blackburn. l Ted Flint (78) has been promoted

Brigadier having been firstly with the Royal Corps of Signals and latterly in various staff posts. l Robin Ollington (47) has gained approval from the Dean of St Albans for his proposal that the Woollams’ grave in the Abbey Churchyard should be refurbished. Robert Sharpe (53) is co-ordinating this. The refurbishment marks the great contributions to the School by the Woollams. The plaque will read: “This memorial was restored in 2005 by the past and present pupils of St Albans School in appreciation of the continuing benefaction of Charles and Mary Woollam.”

Robin has also had a small exhibition at the V & A to do with “SAVE Britain’s Heritage” to celebrate thirty years of campaigning. l Arthur Lewis (36) has made a gift to the archives of a book which was published in 1795 by the rector of Shenley, the Rev Peter Newcome, and is entitled ‘A History of the Ancient and Royal Foundation called the Abbey of St Alban in the County of Hertfordshire from the Founding thereof in 1793 to its dissolution in 1539 exhibiting the Life of each Abbot’ and is accompanied by a map prepared in 1794 for Newcome showing the County of Hertfordshire.

The book is of great interest as it is more recent history. Arthur’s is an old St Albans family. He found the book in his late father’s library. He was ‘Jack’ Lewis, a well-known name in St Albans. The name John Lewis

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Obituary from The Daily Telegraph for pigeon fancier Peter Titmuss

appears on the plaque on the old Corn Exchange – he was mayor several times. The book was in a dreadful state and Arthur had it restored in London – it then went to Australia via Zambia and Andorra and is now finally back home.

Our thanks to Arthur, and we include a letter from him on page 20.

His address is: 3/19 Phillipa Court, Viewbank, Victoria, 3084, Australia. l Tony Wadley writes mentioning some of his old acquaintances and friends. Will any of them see this? K F Brehaut, Richard Williams (Williams 3), Andrew Howard, Dill, Tapster, Derek Bucheridge, ‘Bert’ Stovey.

Address: 10 Westfield Close, Keynsham, Bristol BS31 2HQ. l Len Moody is trying to contact his best man (married 1945). We have no recent address at school. Can anyone help to locate Ken Curtis once of

Epsom Downs?

Deaths It is with regret that the following deaths are announced: l Maurice Wiggs died in April 2005 aged 92. He had regularly attended Founders’ Day and Carol Services. l Rev Peter Evan died in April 2005. l John Turner died in April 2005 following a heart operation. He had been transferred from Norwich Hospital to Papworth. l Dr Paddy Croker died in July 2005.

Whilst in hospital after suffering a slight stroke he became worse and had a fatal heart attack. l Ralph Hines died in April 2005 from a very painful infection resulting from a knee operation done

A photographic contribution to the Archives from Ralph Smith (43) who writes: “I enclose a photograph of persons who attended a JTC course at the London District School of Physical and Recreational Training in April 1942. This venue is now the Hendon Police College. I have identified a few of the fellow OAs but there must have been others.

I cannot recall the circumstances surrounding our attendance though I believe

it lasted a week.”

Ralph names the following pupils: Top row, seventh from left, M. Carr; second row down, first on right, R.E. Smith; third row down, second from right, J.G. Widdecombe; fourth row down, sixth from left, G.R. Carr; eleventh from left, R.H. Hickman; sixth row down, seventh from left, B.E. Moody; third row up from bottom, second from left, H. Sherwin

seven months before.

with the Parachute Regiment. He took part in the 50th anniversary celebrations of Arnhem and dropped by parachute on that occasion. He spent all his working life with B.P. and was ultimately Head of the Tanker Fleet. He retired early and continued his interest in scuba diving by diving amongst the wrecks at Bikini Atoll.

Mike Highstead

l A E ‘Charlie’ Allistone died in August 2005. l R Farqhharson (56) died in September 2005. He had been Head Boy before going on to Queen’s College, Cambridge. He did his National Service with the Green Howards and later joined the TA

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Please send all items for inclusion in the Gazette to: Mike Highstead, 33, Cornwall Road, Harpenden, Herts AL5 4TQ

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Getting connected n Mark Freeman (92) responds to the letter from OA Club President Andy Barnes and gives news of some of his fellow pupils Many thanks for your letter addressed to Old Albanians, which I have recently received. It encloses a list of old boys of the school with whom the Club has lost contact.

Regarding my own year (1992), the majority of the names look unfamiliar, and I wonder whether you have the right year for these OAs. Of those who are listed, a number can be found of friendsreunited, viz. Radley Moss, Jonathan E Simmons, Richard E W Carden and Jamie Robert Short.

Under 1991, you have listed Jaros Alexander Caithness. Jaros was in my year at School: he died in 1991, and should be removed from the list.

I have recently registered with OAConnect, and after some teething problems I have managed to access the Bulletin, which I have enjoyed reading. If you would like to add me to the next Bulletin, I am happy to be included using the following words: “Mark Freeman (1992) studied history at Merton College, Oxford, and the University of Glasgow, and was awarded a PhD in Economic and Social History in 1999. He has worked at the Institute of Historical Research (London) and the Universities of York and Glasgow. He lives in Glasgow, and is a research associate in the Department of History at the University of Hull.”

I am happy for you to continue using my St Albans address (93 Sherwood Avenue) to contact me; this is also the address at which you can contact my father, Alec Freeman, who left School in 1956.

Long live reconnection n Arthur Lewis (36) writes of a lifetime abroad and the joys of reconnecting with the OA Club Ah, reconnection! What it is to reconnect. I am reconnecting from the land of the ‘fair go’ and ‘mateship’ and sorrowful losers of the Ashes – down under. We have been here now for 22 years, so are still new Poms, having arrived from the Principality of Andorra, to which we fled from Zambia. “What were you doing in those faraway places?” I hear you ask? Well, it’s a long story, starting as many such stories did, following WW2. After a year at Oxford reading English, and later Architecture at the AA in London, I found myself in the Royal Engineer Territorials, caught up in the Hitler war for five years and two years of Army of Occupation.

Afterwards it was a question of survival as an architect in a bankrupt homeland. Being offered a job in the then Northern Rhodesia, we decided to make a new life there, and eventually stayed there for 27 magical years, involved in interesting architectural projects and a simulating social environment, culminating in an award of the MBE.

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But, all good things can come to an end and eventually we felt it would be wise to move on again, and hence Andorra, a good place to be with blocked funds. Since our three children had all ended up in Australia, my wife and I decided it would be sensible to try to join them, and after two attempts to be accepted there, we eventually arrived and chose to settle in Melbourne, said by experts to be among the ten best places in the world to live, an opinion which I would endorse.

So here I am, reminiscing about my long life, and reconnecting back to my happy schooldays, back to Bob Tanner and Charlie Argent, back to all those excellent masters we had.

How pleasant it is to reconnect. Long live reconnection! Yes, I am pleased and proud to be reconnected to OA.

Monty’s boy n One of the last Montague-Jones boys, Raymond Hughes (31) looks back fondly on his time at School and subsequent career in the Fire Service I am in my 92nd year and I was in Montague-Jones’ last 6th form; before WTM with whom I had a couple of terms. I had been a Cathedral chorister and top Decani boy, but when my voice broke, I continued with my lessons and became an Organ Scholar on the 4 manual Willis Organ which had recently been installed. I played Evensong daily.

I was one of apparently two boys who could play a keyboard (Urrey was the other – he died recently!). I

was thus required to play for the new morning assembly under WTM but I left school in 1931 to go to the City in an insurance office until I qualified as a Fire Surveyor with the appropriate qualifications as well as an ACII which took four years to accomplish.

I was part of the (noisy) salute by the OTC with Lee Enfield rifles in 1928 when the new building was dedicated with Masonic honours.

When the war came I was in a Reserved Occupation and although I tried to join the RAF (I was a Sergeant in Monty’s OTC with a Cert ‘A’) they turned me down until in 1941 when my age group came up and stuck me in the new National Fire Service.

Raids were common and hazardous then and I was lucky to avoid real trouble, except for broken bones. I had promotions and was finally a Divisional Officer as Senior Staff Officer to No. 4 Regional Chief Fire Officer in Cambridge until 1948 when the service reverted to local control. I was appointed to a post with Herts County Council and reached the office of deputy to the Chief Officer for Herts Fire and Ambulance Brigade, until 1974 when I retired. I was honoured to receive an MBE from the Queen in 1966.

I suppose I am one of the last of Monty’s boys!

Let’s hear it for WTM n Mike Walker (39) sends in a photo of the School First XV of 1939 and writes in praise of WTM

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The School 1st XV 1939

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Another splendid Bulletin – nevertheless, a comment.

WTM comes in for a bit of a rough ride I felt in places. I know he could be a hard bastard. He changed the shape of my ego on many occasions but looking back I owe him many a great deal which I didn’t realise at the time. So fair dos; let’s hear it for the old bastard. The School’s crosscountry running was due to WTM’s enthusiasm (which he took great care to hide). He got a blue for the threemile race when he was at Cambridge (Queens) although I think he would have preferred the cross-country which went to some Oxford rotter, I understand. It was surely he who picked Tommy Hampson out as a young master; and Hampson’s gold in the 880 yards in 1932 Olympics didn’t do the School any harm. Even better were his connections (together with TH) with proper hard-nosed training; Achilles Club etc. John Hartley –

extreme right in the middle row of the rugger team on page 9 will confirm that.

Widening horizons n Anthony J Lane (48) provides some more reminiscences of the wartime years at School Life for those of us who were at School during the Second World War was inevitably pretty basic, being limited to not much more than just work, corps and games. Our life experience was increased a little by something that otherwise wouldn’t have come our way – i.e. potato picking some afternoons in the season, and by Farm Camp in the summer holidays. That was about it.

Mind you there were countries of the mind to explore, which no physical limitations could deny us.

Paper shortages meant there were

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limits on book publishing, so Speedy Hewitt encouraged us in Lower Remove to set up a form library by bringing in books we could share, to which I seem to remember contributing ‘Peter the Whaler’ and ‘The Last Mohicans’. The art room was certainly not my natural habitat, but using it sometimes as a thoroughfare familiarised me with a small reproduction – wasn’t it on the right hand wall as you entered from the landing? – of ‘The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb’, by Jan van Eyck, which probably first caught my attention for its religious significance, but certainly left a lasting impression on me. Then Pip Stanhope’s enthusiasm for El Greco and Peter Gray’s for the First World War paintings by Paul Nash, at a later stage helped make me more visually aware. There must have been some seriously good art-work going on, inspired by Bob Tanner, as evidenced by the professional work displayed many years later, out on the landing, by Robin Ollington and Albany Wiseman, and contemporaries of mine will remember the mural painted on the old dining hall wall by Gerald Robinson, now a noted architect and university teacher in Toronto.

Then there were meetings of the Gramophone Club in the big lecture room at lunch times, trying out what was offered on the 78 rpm discs by the Columbia History of Music. I think it was there that I first encountered Cesar Franck, for instance the chief musical influences on me till then had been English

church music as a chorister, and Bach’s organ works, the pages of which I used to turn for an older boy in our parish church choir who was a talented organist. It was Franck’s Symphonic Variations I took to, which were literally something else – probably in the school’s collection due to the rather unlikely balletomane tendencies of W T Marsh. Another altogether new musical experience came our way when one of the school’s war-time drama productions was ‘Outward Bound’, by Sutton Vane, and someone had the inspired idea of playing Ravel’s haunting ‘Pavane on a dead Infanta’ as the atmospheric introductory music.

The war over, headmaster Marsh no longer had to make time to put on his uniform as a commander RNVR and go up to his work at the admiralty, so was left with energy for other ventures, one of which was to launch a series of evening music recitals. As a train boy I wasn’t around in St Albans of an evening, though somehow I managed to hear just the beginning of the programme given on one occasion by the Fleet Street Choir, and so memorably heard Stanford’s ‘Blue Bird’ for the first time. A wider range of records was becoming available, and suggestions for new acquisitions for the gramophone library were invited on a notice put up by the headmaster. I had been overwhelmed

by Bach’s ‘B Minor Mass’, to which I’d been taken at the Albert Hall, so I suggested the thrilling ‘Et Resurrexit’ from that work. In my ignorance I

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spelt the work with an extra ‘s’ which the classical scholar Headmaster spotted and corrected! It was all quite anonymous, no one knowing whose spelling mistake it was; but I can still remember just how mortified I felt at the time.

Another project into which the indefatigable W T Marsh threw his energies was producing a one act comic operetta, entitled ‘The Policeman’s Serenade’, for four soloists. The tenor part fell to me, and the highlight from a musical point of view was a trio. To perfect this Mr Meredith Davies was brought in to rehearse us, aged only 26, he had taken over as organist at the abbey, as well as being in charge of the school choir. It was a privilege to have dealings with so gifted a musician. He soon went on to become organist of Hereford Cathedral, through the Three Choirs Festival getting into orchestral conducting, which he then studied in Italy. He shared with Benjamin Britten the conducting of the first performance of the latter’s ‘War Requiem’, later conducting at the Aldeburgh Festival, and presiding over operas

by Britten and other modern composers at Covent Garden and Saddler’s Wells, as well as conducting at the proms, and making some well-received recordings. He eventually became principal of the Trinity College of Music, dying only last year in fact.

His immediate predecessor as director of music at the school had been the OA Sidney Barlow, he who won the competition for setting to

music the school song. He encouraged me to try for a choral scholarship at King’s College, Cambridge, something which would probably have seemed a bit to frivolous to bother with in the war years. I was only just turned 17 and pitted against men with mature voices, who had not long been released from the services. Having been eliminated in the first round I found myself in the organ loft of Kings College Chapel, turning the pages for the organ scholar as he accompanied other aspirants singing their solo pieces. He turned out to be none other than David Willcocks, who later that same year was to become organist of Salisbury Cathedral, eventually to return for his distinguished incumbency as Director of Music at Kings. For me a ‘moment musical’ if you like.

It must have been after the war ended that the school orchestra was got together, one of its outstanding players being the cellist Alan Dalziel.

He was chosen as principal cellist of the National Youth Orchestra, than as a professional held that position in the BBC Symphony Orchestra. (Does anyone know what became of Alan? I can’t find any more recent trace of him.)

In those rather more relaxed days there were one or two opportunities to develop and polish up the social niceties. The aforementioned Sidney Barlow took a quartet of singers to provide musical entertainment for the guests at a tea party held in the Mayor’s Parlour. I hope we all nibbled our sandwiches with due

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Inspired by Bob Tanner: work by Robin Ollington and Albany Wiseman decorum. I had to accompany Barry Philips, as head of the school, winner of the Powell Davies Service Prize, to take Sunday afternoon tea with the donor of the prize, in Barnet if I remember rightly. Then for a strawberry tea, given in the garden of School House, between Millenary Pageant performances, a number of us were recruited to dance attendance on the girls of Queenswood School who were taking part in the pageant, all of us being still in our period costumes of course.

The Rugby Dances, in my day at least, were quite decorous affairs.

With petrol being more readily available it was possible for coaches to spirit us away from the school premises to places at a distance. One of these was the Elstree Film Studios

where, courtesy of somebody’s father, who was a producer I believe, we saw Sonia Dresdel on set in what looked like being a rather melodramatic film, called ‘Cornish Rhapsody’, or at least that was the title of the theme music in similar vein to that of the ‘Warsaw Concerto’. For another occasion we gave our corps uniforms a little extra spit and polish for a visit to Sandhurst, which no doubt crystallised the career ambitions of one or two lads. We had to dress up again for another outing. That was to Alexandra Palace to appear in costume and make-up, on early television, in a magazine programme that included an item on the Millenary Pageant, and was introduced by Lionel Gamelin, the big cheese interviewer of those days.

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Two boys in the small sixth arts upper had the use of family cars, enabling us to set up an expedition to Stratford, to see the production of Marlowe’s ‘Dr. Faustus’ a set work for higher certificate that year, and something I’ve never had any subsequent opportunity to see. I’m glad to be able to put on record my everlasting gratitude to Sidney Barlow for persuading me to join his party going up to London for a performance of Puccini’s ‘Turandot’, the title role in which was sung by Eva Turner, a stunning performance and something I can guarantee will never have been forgotten by anyone who heard it.

Then we had to go no further than the Abbey for a truly mindbroadening experience, at one morning assembly. This was in 1948 when the world came to our country, so to speak, not only when Wembley provided the arena for the Olympic Games but for the Lambeth Conference of that year. A little Indian, Nirod Biswas, a Doctor who had been made Bishop of Assam after only two years as a priest, had been detailed off to visit St Albans, and was bought in to preach to us. Those of us who had camped out overnight to watch the victory procession must have seen Indians before, but he was certainly a novelty in St Albans. I can’t remember a word he said: but the sight of that tiny figure, nearly lost in Lord Grimthorpe’s vast great nave pulpit (since replaced, I regret to say) was truly unforgettable. We were seeing a man on fire for God. In fact he seemed to have burnt himself

out, firstly by exploiting to the full the chance the Lambeth Conference gave him to take his message to the people of this luke-warm Christian country, and then in his work back at home. Apparently it was not long after this that he died, aged only 43.

In those immediate post-war years by sticking it out over the last mile of the five-mile route march, over the last lap of the middle distance race, or over the last ten minutes of the closely-contested rugger match, we learnt endurance that was going to stand us in good stead for the rest of our lives. But the danger was that we could have finished up as just “flannelled fools at the wicket”, or “muddled oafs of the goal”, (to quote Kipling), or even “strutting cocks of the parade ground” (to coin a rather less felicitous phrase). I like to think, though, that at our school we benefited from some influences that sent us out into the world a little more cultured than we would otherwise have been, with personalities that were much more rounded and complete.

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Cricket

Pushing the boundaries n David Rourke looks back on a highly successful season throughout the club – and applauds a flourishing junior section Old Albanian Cricket Club enjoyed an interesting and successful season in 2005. While the 1st XI struggled throughout the Herts League season, only guaranteeing avoidance of relegation on the final day of the season, they celebrated the club’s 75th anniversary with promotion in the Chess Valley League, and with the first cup final victory in the club’s history. At all other levels, the club continues to grow and make wonderful progress, with membership and revenues continuing to reach new record highs. Besides the silverware, the 75th birthday was celebrated by a dinner in April, and by a celebrity/charity fixture at Woollams in August.

Pride of place in the 2005 season goes, by a short head, to the 3rd XI, who secured their second Herts League promotion in three seasons.

Antony Goodin, in his first campaign as captain, steered the team to runners-up position in Division Twelve, a mere four points behind champions Metropolitan Police Bushey (30 points are awarded for a victory in Herts League games). The most consistent performers included a pair of newer players who were both promoted to the 2nd XI during the season, all-rounder Stewart

Dunklin (128 against Wormley) and bowler Najib Khan, and a pair of returning OAs, batsman Chris Thrale and pace bowler Paul Goodier. With important contributions from David Goodier, Tony Perkins, Matt Newby and Simon Bates, plus some encouraging late-season performances from various colts, the 3rd XI won 9 and lost only once in 15 league fixtures. The side has become very well established since its rebirth in 2003, and will prove to be a valuable stepping-stone into OA cricket for colts and new members.

In the 2nd XI, a final position of 9th (out of 20 teams) in Herts League Division Six did not flatter a generally mature side, which challenged for a promotion place throughout the season. Ill fortune with the weather and collective loss of batting form cost Colin Bashford’s side in the latter stages of the campaign, as they drew three (twice due to weather intervention) and lost three of the final six matches. The leading performers were headed by Steve Cresswell, who beat his own, year-old Herts League aggregate record for the 2nd XI with 556 runs, averaging 40, and he equalled David Rourke’s club record of three 2nd XI centuries with 102 not out against St Margaretsbury. Steve’s 28 wickets were second only to Tony ‘Lofty’ Buchanan’s total of 35, at a cost of just 11 apiece, as the metronomic OARFC legend again proved to be a huge asset, especially in the victory against Hexton where he took 7-37.

John Sherwood assumed Lofty’s position as the regular number 11,

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season, before winning three decisive and took 18 wickets at 20 apiece with matches in different competitions his medium pace swing bowling, within eight September days. including a match-winning 5-24 Despite having the strongest and against Old Finchleians. Tariq most settled side since the final Hassan, with 373 runs at 61 and 14 season at Beech Bottom, the 1st XI wickets at 13 with his leg-spin, was a didn’t win a Herts League game until tremendous addition to the club, and he ended the season as a key member mid-August, against rock-bottom Hertford, as they endured a run of of the 1st XI. Finally, mention has to results where they either came off be made of the side’s two Herts oversecond best in close contests, or drew 50s players, Dave Cresswell (411 runs matches having been the superior at 26) and Brian Crook (19 dismissals side. It is to skipper Robert Bee’s in 18 matches as wicket-keeper), who immense credit that, in selection and proved that if you’re good enough, tactics, he held his nerve and you’re young enough! In all, the 2nd remained true to his squad and his XI enjoyed a good season, preferred strategy of batting first, encouraging the hope that they will despite OA’s descent into the soon narrow the gap between relegation places by midsummer and themselves and the 1st XI in the despite all luck seeming to go with league structure. the opposition. The policy was At the start of the season, a final vindicated by OAs obtaining position of 13th in Herts League sufficient bonus points during the Division Two, runners-up in (and winless run to stay in promotion from) Chess touch with a clutch of League Division Four, other struggling sides, and achieving the club’s and then winning their first-ever cup final final three matches – all triumph in its 75th year away from home – to by winning the Becker retain their Division Plate competition, Two status. After the would have been thrashing of Hertford, deemed satisfactory for brilliant pace bowling the 1st XI. However, and outfielding saw notwithstanding the Bishops Stortford successes, and a season beaten by just 5 runs – filled with batting the hosts, at the time in records and bowling second place in the milestones, the team table, collapsed from endured another season 170-2 to 190 all out – and of trial and tribulation, then, in a final fixture battling against where the losers faced relegation until the final certain relegation, day of the Herts League Alf Rehman in action

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The Becker Plate Final OA 1st XI Back row (left to right): Arun Parkash, Tariq Hassan, Andrew McLean, Alex Addison, Nick Nguyen, Tom Preest Front row (l-r): David Rourke, Robert Bee, Alf Rehman (captain), Andrew McCree, Perry Hall Eversholt were hammered by 146 runs as OAs collectively rose to the big occasion.

Meanwhile, the Sunday 1st XI performed admirably throughout the season. Promotion from Division Four of the Chess Valley League was gained at the first attempt, following relegation in 2004, as OAs finished as runners-up by winning six and losing two matches. Notable victories came against Cockfosters, who collapsed

from 175-6 to 176 all out chasing 179, and in the Woollams wallopings handed out to Southgate Adelaide (110 runs) and Winchmore Hill (152 runs). The two defeats occurred when Chess games clashed with Becker Plate cup ties, and OAs opted to field the strongest possible side in the cup competition. This policy was justified

by OAs making progress to the Plate final, where they achieved the historic 158-run victory over Sandridge at Shenley, 24 hours after the convincing victory at Eversholt which preserved their Herts League Division Two status. Close ties in the Plate, against Northwood and Hatfield Hyde, were followed by a convincing and notable 7-wicket win

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at Harpenden in the semi-final, before the emphatic triumph in the Final.

The 1st XI benefited greatly from the arrival of Andrew McLean as the overseas player, and from Alf Rehman’s first full season with the club. The tall McLean, a club mate of the legendary Matthew Bruce (1999 overseas player) at Northern Districts in Sydney and recommended to OAs

by Brucey, lived up to the advance billing by returning one of the finest all-round seasons in OA history. His pace bowling took 77 wickets at 17, the highest aggregate since Andrew McCree’s 82 wickets in 1996, and McLean’s 48 Herts League wickets equalled the aggregates of Bruce (1999) and McCree (1996); only Mike Thomas (55) has taken more in a season. The highlights included a frighteningly-quick spell of 4-7 on tour against Eastbourne, and the destruction of Bishops Stortford’s lower order in a match-winning spell of 5-4 (including a hat-trick) to secure a critical League win.

Such pace bowling came from a player who is predominantly a batsman, one good enough to surpass Paul Knight’s OA seasonal aggregate record of 1,553 runs, and one whose clean hitting when ‘in’ was a consistently marvellous sight. There were many highlights amongst McLean’s 1,607 runs at 69, including a masterful, undefeated 155 from 100 balls in the Becker Plate Final against Sandridge, and an incredible undefeated 181 from 88 balls (including 18 sixes) on tour at East Preston, during which he combined

with David Hughes to add 127 and break the 29-year old 1st XI sixth wicket partnership record. The most valuable innings were, firstly, an unbeaten 67, on a damp wicket, to secure the priceless first League victory at Hertford, followed by a dogged 70 the following week at Bishops Stortford which was followed up with a match-winning bowling spell. In all, Andrew McLean enjoyed a magnificent season, and was an excellent player and clubman in every respect.

Rehman was also an excellent clubman and batsman. As well as scoring 769 runs at 26, and forming one half of a successful opening partnership, he was an enthusiastic and popular coach for the Under 13s, and an energetic and successful Sunday captain who led his side to promotion and the Plate final triumph. A record of 10 victories in 11 matches as captain, including a perfect 8 out of 8 in competitive matches, is quite an achievement: moreover, Alf consistently managed to blend a good Sunday XI, drawn from colts, potential players for 2006, and senior players from all levels of the club. Alf’s dynamism was a quite refreshing and enjoyable feature for those who care about OACC, it is rare to see someone so young make such an all-round impression, and his will to win suggests that there is plenty more to come.

Rehman’s regular opening batting partner (three century opening stands in the Herts League), and fellow gym / bowling machine addict, was David Rourke, who at the age of

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36 enjoyed his best season, scoring 1,144 runs at 42. Rourke batted consistently well, and contributed some his best and most important innings in 19 years at the club – 79 at Berkhamsted, 80 at Ampthill, a critical 83 in the relegation decider at Eversholt, and a chanceless, undefeated century in bowler-friendly conditions in the Plate semi-final at Harpenden. Seam bowler Perry Hall, of similar vintage to Rourke, won back his 1st XI place after being dropped in mid-season, and his career-best 7-51 against Ampthill not only took him past 300 1st XI wickets, but also formed the best part of his 50 wickets at 17 apiece. Tom Preest and Andrew McCree were as consistent and dedicated as ever: they combined to break the 1st XI

Winning OA 1st XI, with Becker Plate: Back row (left to right): Arun Parkash, Nick Nguyen, Tariq Hassan, Andrew McCree, Perry Hall, Andrew McLean Front row (l-r): Tom Preest, Alex Addison, Alf Rehman (captain), Robert Bee, David Rourke eighth wicket partnership record when adding 101 against Kings Langley. Preest passed 200 1st XI wickets and 3,000 1st XI runs during the season, and McCree passed the phenomenal landmark of 1,000 1st XI wickets during his match-clinching 527 in the relegation decider at Eversholt: only Mike Thomas, George Giffen and Maurice Wiggs had previously reached four figures with the ball for OA s.

As mentioned above, Robert Bee endured a season of captaincy where,

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All-round talent: 1st XI overseas player Andrew McLean

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despite good form with the toss of the coin, a series of frustrations meant that the 1st XI’s Herts League position did not reflect its ability until after the final game. While he neither scored heavily nor batted high enough in the order (selflessly placing himself behind others), Rob’s batting was always positive and included some important knocks, notably a superb 81 at Watford after OA s collapsed to 20-4. Simon Wood’s clean hitting brightened up a number of games, and despite having fewer opportunities due to the good form of the top order, he still scored 340 Herts League runs at 34, including an excellent 55 on the greenest of wickets at Reed. Julian Baines always bowled well, usually with no luck or justice, while brother John’s wicket-keeping was as assured as ever: during the season he became only the second OA, after Alan Philpott, to pass 300 ‘keeping dismissals. Aniket Gocoldas, now an Economics teacher at the School,

made a most welcome return after three seasons at Totteridge, and newcomers Phil Reid, James Kachel, Tariq Hassan and school leaver Alex Addison all made instant good impressions.

As ever, the club will be on the lookout over the winter for new players to strengthen the squad for 2006: progress was definitely made during 2005, and there is every reason to expect all three XI s to challenge for promotion next year.

Meanwhile, the return of the Sunday 2nd XI and the organising of a programme of 4th XI fixtures – to build on the series of ad hoc games played during 2005 – will further strengthen the club and assist in the integration of younger players into senior cricket.

Thanks to the management and organisational efforts of a number of parents and coaches, the Colts section continued to flourish during 2005, as the advent of a Kwik Cricket section for Under 8s and 9s led to Colt membership exceeding three figures for the first time. The youngest players thoroughly enjoyed their season, which culminated in a series of ‘kwik’ games at Shenley in which all OA players participated.

Nigel Woodsmith was a dedicated organiser of the Under 11s, who generously kitted out the entire squad with OA caps. The Under 13 side, which featured a majority of Under 12 players, finished mid table in the North West Herts County League, and achieved the notable feat of bowling St Albans out for just 38.

They are also an outstanding fielding

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side – senior sides (who again suffered from too many dropped catches) take note! At Under 15 level, a mid table position was attained by a side which contributed numerous players to the senior teams during the season, and who as a group appear to thoroughly enjoy their cricket.

Overall, it is fantastic to see so many younger players representing OA s, and for OACC to finally establish a junior section, following in the footsteps of OARFC whose junior section has been so prominent for a number of years. The efforts of Tom Preest and Alf Rehman to integrate the Colts into the senior OA sides have been as notable as the efforts of the dedicated parents who have helped in coaching, organising and transporting the players around – among others, they are Paul Richardson, Terry James, John and Linda Matheson, Alison Finley, Nigel Woodsmith and Ben Wainwright. The club’s Child Welfare Officer, Colin Bashford, ensured by his efforts that OACC’s Colts set-up is highly regarded by the county association.

The highlight of the Colts season was the Under 15 fixture against Redbourn, which preceded the Lord’s Taverners against Lashings game on August 7th at Woollams. Players with 598 Test match appearances between them represented the two sides, and treated the spectators to an exciting game, which the Lord’s Taverners won by 5 wickets off the final ball of the match. Andrew McLean and Robert Bee represented

the Taverners, with McLean having the ‘honour’ of being hit around Woollams by Herschelle Gibbs of South Africa! Richie Richardson and Rob Bailey captained the sides, with greats such as Gordon Greenidge, Saqlain Mushtaq, Alvin Kallicharran and David Capel also playing.

Off the field, chairman Andrew McCree somehow found time to oversee OACC activities, whilst playing 1st XI cricket, honouring football refereeing commitments, and looking after baby son Matthew.

Tom Preest worked tirelessly as club captain, ensuring that the teams were organised week in, week out and setting out various strategy documents. Denis King was, as ever, a scrupulous treasurer and scorer, while John Josling finally enjoyed success when his President’s XI defeated the 1st XI by 3 runs. Nigel Cartwright enjoyed phenomenal and much-appreciated returns, as his tireless work to attract sponsors to OACC yielded notable rewards. Alan Philpott combined umpiring duties with marshalling the Vice Presidents, and Caroline Low’s contribution as scorer was rewarded with selection for the Becker Plate Final.

Finally, thanks as always go to Neil Dekker, Ian Smith, Jenny Vie and their staff for the excellent service and tolerance throughout the season. Amidst the ups and downs, we enjoyed 2005, and are looking forward to 2006.

Tom Preest Club Captain

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Hitting the big time n Jason Leonard, Kenny Logan, Chris Sheasby, Nick Greenstock, Mark Mapletoft and Bobby Skinstadt – just some of the famous names the OAs will be facing over the coming months.

Club President Ali Mills looks forward to another successful season At the time of reporting to you, our fourth season at Woollams is well under way and just for the record, we finished last season in a very creditable fifth position in London League One. We were just behind Richmond and London Scottish but neither of theses illustrious names won promotion to the National Leagues. Instead, it was Cambridge who pipped Worthing to the top spot.

The traditional end of season tour by the senior club took us to Holland, the land of dykes (man-made, not the other type) and clogs. Our host was former OA player and coach, Gary Jeffries, and it was good to see him and to hear he is coaching a top Dutch side. However, most of the party were more interested in his girlfriend. We beat the local Utrecht side quite easily and then out-sung our hosts for the rest of the weekend.

We held the Sunday Lunch in a wonderful restaurant which, thankfully for the general public, we had all to ourselves. The food was delicious and the wine flowed and we finished up with some interesting cake.

At Woollams, having held a most successful County Mini Festival the season before, this time it was the

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Junior County Tens, and it turned out to be another most successful day for the Junior Section. The girls finished their season unbeaten again and it was promotion for them to their National League. Happily, the Colts ended their season on a high note, making up for the bad run early on.

During the summer break, the Rugby Club Summer Ball was held on a delightful warm July evening, and once more, the event was enjoyed by nearly four hundred members and guests. As usual, your President remembers conducting the raffle but not a lot after that.

Refreshed from our summer jollies, your rugby club Board and the coaches and players set about preparing for the new season.

Unfortunately, Steve Pope, last year’s Captain, was lured away to Blackheath and Lee Harron returned

Former internationals Jason Leonard (left) and Kenny Logan (above), plus prolific former Premiership flyhalf Mark Mapletoft are set to face the OA first XV this season to Harlow. We also bade farewell to Chris Eke, who has retired through injury and frankly he will be a hard act to follow. However, what better man to replace Steve Pope as captain than his fellow Barbarian from last year, Greg Botterman. With a number of exciting new backs joining the Club, we took on pre-season friendlies against Chinnor, then down to Southend for a weekend tournament which we won, culminating in a thrilling 15-25 win over London Welsh 2nds.

Unfortunately, we paid a rather heavy price in injuries and unavailabilities for the first league game against London Scottish when we held them well with a weak side

but went down 29-3. The week after, we beat Welwyn in the Intermediate Cup and then came our first win over Tabard for many a year 36-23 in the League, and there followed much celebration in the camp. The League campaign this year promises to be even more competitive than last season and we will be playing against such legends as Jason Leonard (Barnes), Kenny Logan (Scottish), Chris Sheasby and Nick Greenstock (Staines), Bobby Skinstadt, his brother and Mark Mapletoft (Richmond). However, I feel confident that I will be reporting on great performances from the team in the next issue.

Strong opposition is not just meat for the 1st XV as, this season, under new coach Andy Adams, the 2nd XV take on the Canterbury League and already, the twos are finding life hard but I am sure they will turn it round.

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Indeed, all our sides are playing ‘up a notch’ and our fifth team have already had to play another club’s third team.

It seems that we are the club that everyone wants to beat and we should take that as a compliment and respond accordingly. It may be that our results board may not look too impressive this season, but all players, I hope, will want to play hard fixtures and improve their games.

Five senior sides, Colts and strong Women’s and Junior sections are still the order of the day for the OAs and I am pleased to report that recruitment is going well in all sections. As usual, we have a full and varied social programme planned for the season and have already enjoyed an early season Hawaiian theme evening and a Mini/Junior social. We have a Race Night planned for the 22nd October followed by the Grand Fireworks display on the 5th November, would you believe!

Whilst writing, my sincere thanks to Lexus Cars for their most generous sponsorship for the

OA FITNESS OA Fitness boasts a state of the art fitness area, dance studio and therapy rooms. Our studio offers a full timetable of exercise classes to music for all fitness levels, ages and abilities.

Classes include spinning, Pilates, BodyPump and yogalates. Our friendly, qualified staff work to help you achieve your goals and keep you motivated.

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invitation Junior tournament held at the Club just two weeks ago.

Congratulations to our Juniors who had a team in the finals for every age group from U12s to U17s. We are also running the Saracens 2nd Team home games on Monday nights as we did last season and it is a most enjoyable evening, watching top players under our competition flood lights. You can mix with the first team stars who come down to support.

Let me remind you all that you can keep up to date with news and events at the Club by visiting our web site www.oarugby.com and there you will find the contact details for all Officers of the Club. New players are always welcome at whatever level you wish to play. Please note that for younger players away at university, Coach Bruce Millar, will be organising Development games for the vacs.

I look forward during the season to meeting old and new members of OA Rugby at Woollams.

Alastair Mills President OARFC

There is no joining fee and no fixed contract you just pay your monthly subscription by standing order each month. There is a choice of packages and studio classes are included with membership.

Please contact us on 01727 737646 or by email on fitness@oasport.com and arrange for a free trial and see why it’s worth becoming part of our club. Go for it!

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OA Fishing

Wye, Broads, Piddle n OA Fishing Society Secretary Geoff Cannon looks back on an enjoyable and varied year of fishing expeditions around the UK and beyond

14-16 Church End, Redbourn, AL3 7DU Tel: 01727 861622 (daytime) 01582 792512 (evening) Fax: 01727 861623 E-mail: cannonmorgan@ btconnect.com

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Once again it is time to report on the activities of the OA Angling Society over the past year. A Fishwives’ Supper in November at Potten End was thoroughly enjoyed by those present, and another wine and moules outing to Calais was arranged in February.

Coarse fishing outings were held at various locations from the Norfolk Broads to the Herefordshire Wye. David Morgan and Geoff Cannon visited the

Florida Keys and the Everglades.

Several large fish were caught: David had a tarpon of 150lbs and Geoff lost one even larger. In the photograph David is pictured standing beside a 160lb tarpon.

Trout fishing outings took place at regular intervals to the Dorset Piddle, Derbyshire Wye, Ravensthorpe (9lb 10oz rainbow), Ballena and Lough Melvin in Ireland. A long weekend was spent salmon fishing the Nith in Scotland.

Brian Ward and David are going biggame fishing in Costa Rica in October. More later. Any OAs who are keen on angling and would like to join the OA Angling Society should contact Secretary Geoff Cannon.