Bulletinjuly14

OA BULLETIN Old Albanian Club

June 2014

Retiring Headmaster Andrew Grant

Farewell!

OA CLUB www.oldalbanianclub.com President Alan Philpott

01992 584862

alanjphilpott@gmail.com Secretary David Buxton

01727 840499

d.buxton@virgin.net Treasurer Brian Sullman

01582 460317 bhsullman36@btinternet.com Membership Secretary Roger Cook

01727 836877

Rogercook@btinternet.co.uk OA SPORTS RUGBY www.oarugby.com President Richard Milnes

07940 255355 richard.milnes@oarugby.com Chairman Rory Davis

07748 146521

rory.davis@oarugby.com Treasurer Mike Curtis

01727 866848 mikecurtis509@hotmail.com Secretary Peter Lipscomb

01727 760466 peter.lipscomb@oarugby.com Mini Chairman Mike Fisher

mikefisher2001@hotmail.com Junior Chairman Ian Tomlins

07867 971585 juniorchairman.oarugby@yahoo.co.uk OA Saints Chairperson Maddy Gunnell maddy.gunnell@oarugby.com FOOTBALL www.oasoccer.co.uk Club President Simon Bates & Manager 07720 383600 01442 240247 Treasurer David Hughes & Club Secretary 07890 831315 01727 769237

2

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

Sponsorship Secretary

dh@sherrards.com David Burrows 07841 431614

CRICKET www.oacc.org.uk President Tony Dalwood 07958 522261 adalwood@yahoo.com Chairman Richard Morgan

01727 843844 richard.morgan50@btinternet.com Treasurer Denis King

01727 859552 denis.king@btinternet.co.uk Secretary Alison Finley

01727 853985 ajfinley@ntlworld.com TENNIS Membership Enquiries Sue Barnes

07970 301345

susyb52@hotmail.co.uk OTHERS Rifle & Pistol

Angling

Golf

Andrew Wilkie 01727 856857 Andrew.wilkie@ymail.com Geoff Cannon 01727 861622 /01582 792512 cannon.morgan@btconnect.com Peter Dredge 015827 834572 pjdredge42@aol.com

OA COMMENT

O A C O N TA C T

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

Editorial

True colours

difficult to swallow, the cold wind of commercialism affects even “For those of you who are watching such illustrious institutions as the in black and white,” whispered the Old Albanian Club, and this issue legendary snooker commentator represents our first foray into the Ted Lowe some years ago, “the pink glamorous world of sponsorship. is next to the green.” I quote this Our sincere thanks to Paradise famous gaffe merely to illustrate Wildlife Park, whose advertisement that the following remarks are appears on the outside back cover. likely to confuse the majority of our Rather appropriately, they describe readers who view a colour version of themselves as “a family run zoo the Bulletin online. For with a real passion the dwindling number for conservation”, and of subscribers who This issue their generosity has still prefer to receive funded the upgrade to the printed version, represents our colour printing. Once however, this issue the dam is breached, of marks a watershed as first foray into course, the floodgates they will be seeing it in open. You will also glorious technicolour the glamorous find a couple of our for the first time. own advertisements As I’ve mentioned world of promoting Woollams as in previous editorials, a social venue, and that the old black and white sponsorship essential fashion item, printed newsletter had the OA Club blazer. become an endangered We plan to continue species in today’s digital world, and publishing the Bulletin twice a year this is a first small step towards in the current format (sponsors prolonging its life by making the permitting) for the foreseeable publication more attractive to future, but I hope that you will see a readers and advertisers. gradual evolution in the quality and Yes, you read it right: advertisers. quantity of content.

While traditionalists may find this As Alan Philpott notes in his

OA LODGE Assistant Secretary

John Williams 01438 715679 johntwilliams@talktalk.net

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

DIARY DATES

Leavers’ Graduation – Thursday 3rd July 2014 Founders’ Day – Saturday 5th July 2014 OA Dinner – Friday 26th September 2014 Remembrance Service – Tuesday 11th November AGM – Tuesday 9th December 2014 3

OA COMMENT

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

Nick Chappin Editor Andy Chappin Design & Production Printing

President’s Notes President’s Notes, the main problem sporting achievement, and a recordwe face is not a lack of finance, breaking number of Oxbridge offers. but a lack of contributions from A brief biography of Jonathan our readers. This is not to imply Gillespie appears on page 13, and any apathy on the part of the we look forward to reading his membership; rather, the growing inaugural report in the next issue. majority choose to exchange Elsewhere, OA Lodge Assistant information via different means Secretary John Williams pays nowadays. As an editorial team, tribute to former Secretary Geoff we need to ensure that we are Goodman, who sadly passed away tapping into the right sources to earlier this year, and in this issue deliver interesting and we again have a full relevant content to our complement of sports The big news, readership. club reports for you to On that note, I am enjoy. As you will see of course, is delighted to welcome from a couple of the Chris Harbour to the photos, the Woollams the impending post of Alumni & pitches came through Development Officer. the wet winter weather retirement of As you can see from largely unscathed and his brief biography continue to provide topAndrew Grant as on page 20, Chris flight facilities for the brings a wealth of various sports clubs.

Headmaster experience to the post, I hope you enjoy this and I look forward to issue, and I will finish working closely with with my usual thanks him to develop these channels of to all the regular contributors, and communication and take advantage a request to all readers to continue of the enormous amount of effort to send in their stories, anecdotes, put in on your behalf by the School memories and views, either by post Development Office. or e-mail to me or to the School The big news, of course, is the Development Office. impending retirement of Andrew Nick Chappin (75) Grant and his replacement as Editor Headmaster by Jonathan Gillespie, who joins us from Lancing College.

In his last Headmaster’s Notes, Andrew looks back on yet another successful term of musical and

Herts & Beds Printing 01923 234959

4

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

Please send your contributions to: Nick Chappin, Editor Post: 18 The Pleasance, Harpenden, Herts AL5 3NA Email: nick@chappin.co.uk

Back for seconds n Eighteen months into his term of office, President Alan Philpott looks forward to the second round of annual OA Club and School social events

It seems hardly possible that already these are my third notes as President, but please relax, this does not equate to three years in office. It has, however, been a hectic period of 18 months.

I have already attended my second carol service as President and am looking forward to several forthcoming “seconds”, OA President Alan Philpott the President’s Garden Party, the Leavers’ and Founders’ Day events, the OA Dinner committee has arranged to invite Hilary and some others. Many of us enjoyed the and Andrew to a farewell dinner in June London Drinks Party in March at the in order to thank Andrew for his great Innholders’ Hall. This was support of the Club and a first experience for me at to make an appropriate this well organised and wellWe have arranged presentation to him. More attended event. Our thanks details would rather sabotage go to the Development Office any element of surprise, but to invite Hilary and in particular Kate Gray I promise to report fully in and Chris Harbour for their the second edition of the and Andrew to a hard work in arranging it.

OA Bulletin in 2014. We For me, it is great to see look forward to welcoming farewell dinner OAs of a younger generation Andrew’s successor, attending the event and so Jonathan Gillespie, who is in June to thank clearly having an enjoyable joining from Lancing College. time. Chris Harbour, who is His first OA event will be the him for his great our new Liaison Officer at Dinner in September. This the Development Office, has is a well-attended event and support of the written some notes about I do urge you all to come to himself and his role that you greet Jonathan on behalf of Club will find on page 20. the OA Club.

The Headmaster As was mentioned in the last edition, Andrew Grant will retire at the end of the current academic year. Your

The OA Bulletin Many of you know that I have been concerned that the Bulletin has been somewhat lacklustre, notwithstanding

5

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

aspects of the Club’s activities, such as the Old Albanian Sports Association and the various sports clubs.

As I mentioned earlier, I was delighted to meet many younger generation of OAs at the London Drinks Party. If some of those would like to come forward, perhaps to help in organising more social events, targeted at your peer groups, do contact me. There are gaps in our calendar that could be filled by other events at Woollams and/or in London. We have functions in March, September and November. I believe

we could have another in the summer, perhaps in May before the main holidays start. During the London Drinks Party, I spoke to a number of OAs of say ten years’ vintage who have not been either recently or at all to Woollams, so I have in mind that we could arrange a reception or similar function. Any volunteers who would like to help me or my successor organise an event are invited to contact me.

Alan Philpott President, Old Albanian Club

After the deluge: the First XV pitch looking in great shape despite the terrible winter weather the great efforts of Nick Chappin, who does a terrific job as editor. However, Nick nor I can invent subject matter for the Bulletin so your contributions are vital. There has been concern expressed by some that we have plans to issue the Bulletin once a year, however this is not so. I am determined to maintain the twice a year format, but there is a difference this time round. You will notice that we have advertisements – although, to be fair, they are mainly “internal” for Woollams events and for our blazers. I wish to thank the Hon. Secretary David Buxton for organising these. I am also grateful to Paradise Wildlife Park in Broxbourne for agreeing to advertise, and in effect sponsoring an upgrade to this Bulletin. I invite your comments about this development, either to the Editor or to me, and if there are any OA managed or owned businesses out there that would like to help us out in this way for the next issue,

6

please let us know as soon as possible Sports Clubs The sports clubs make their own contributions to the Bulletin far better than can I. However I would like to congratulate the rugby club on a successful season at the very elevated level at which they play. My attendance at the games seems to coincide with defeats – I will try to do much better next season! Also I wish the cricket club well in the higher division in which they will compete this season, following last year’s dramatic promotion.

May I thank the golf club for their kind hospitality at their Annual Dinner in November.

The Committee As ever, I am very grateful to all members of the committee for their work for the Club. In most cases the committee members are also involved with other

Visit to the President’s big cats I have arranged a minibus trip to Kent on Tuesday 23rd September to enable those who wish to view the work of Wildlife Heritage Foundation, a charity that runs the Big Cat Sanctuary at Smarden in Kent. Also included will be a trip on a steam train on the Kent & East Sussex Railway.

Details are as follows: 08:30 Depart from Woollams 11:00 Tour of Wildlife Heritage Foundation 14:00 Lunch at Tenterden Station 15:20 Train to Bodian 19:30 Latest arrive at Woollams The cost is £75 including lunch but not drinks. There are just 14 places available, so please apply early by telephone to 07939 287573 or e-mail to alanjphilpott@gmail.com There are about 60 big cats on site including incredibly rare and endangered species such as the Amur leopard. More details can be found at www.whf.org.uk

7

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

Headmaster’s Notes

It’s goodbye from me…

Albans Young Musician of the Year 2014, held in the Cathedral, where our students n In his last Headmaster’s Notes before won five awards – all but one of the handing over the baton, Andrew Grant looks categories in which they competed – the back on some notable musical and sporting one “defeat” being at the hands, or at any successes, and a record year for Oxbridge rate, the fingers, of a UK Young Musician offers of the Year finalist.

The Jazz Band and Barbershop Group After an exceptionally long won the awards for Best Secondary Band spring term and late Easter, and Vocal Ensemble respectively, and it was a busy holiday for there were three solo awards: Theo Gill many staff and students.

(Second Form) won the Secondary Strings Twelve pupils were in category; Nicholas Springthorpe (Fifth Spain on the exchange to Santander in Form) the Secondary Voice and Thomas company with 22 girls from the High Dilley (Fourth Form) the Secondary Wind/ School and met a warm Brass category. welcome from their hosts, The ski trip departed bright who provided them with The choir sang and early on Sunday 6th April a great experience of total for Jay Peak, Vermont, only a immersion in Spanish and played to mile or so from the Canadian language and culture. This border. Snow conditions were included lessons in school packed and excellent, so everyone made with their partners, a visit great progress and had an to the Guggenheim Museum, appreciative excellent time on the slopes, to the Cabárceno Natural augmented by sightseeing Park and a cable car trip audiences and along the ‘Freedom Trail’ of up into the Picos de Europa Boston. Their commendable mountains. were rewarded behaviour on the trip brought That was not the only an unsolicited e-mail from a Iberian excursion: on the with standing fellow passenger on the flight final day of term, the Choir over, who, seeing a school departed for concerts in ovations party checking in, had feared Burgos Cathedral, the Iglesia the worst, and, being very San Vicente Martir in Vitoria, pleasantly surprised, took the where they preceded the concert by singing trouble to tell me so.

Mass, and the Parroquia de la Purisima Duke of Edinburgh participants have in Salamanca. At each venue they sang been busy, with the CCF’s candidates and played to packed and appreciative heading off to the Peak District where one audiences and were rewarded with group of Gold entrants and seven groups standing ovations. of Silver entrants undertook challenging The tour followed hard on the heels of a practice expeditions in and around the highly successful day at the finals of the St Hope and Edale valleys. The Gold groups

8

Musicians from the School performing at the St Albans Young Musician of the Year 2014, held in the Cathedral

9

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

Iberian excursion: The School Choir performing in Burgos Cathedral...

tackled a four day/three night practice expedition in testing terrain taking them to the very top of the High Peak and Kinder Scout.

Meanwhile there was a non-CCF Silver practice expedition in the South Downs National Park which involved around 50km of walking, fortunately in benign weather, and two Gold level training expeditions in Snowdonia, one for staff, for which the weather was pretty awful, and the second for 15 Lower Sixth, for which the weather was excellent, as were the students.

Training included micro-navigation

10

without the benefit of GPS and a rough terrain walk over the ‘Devil’s Kitchen’ area, in mist.

Such are the demands of the Scheme, that to complete the Gold Award whilst still at school is an achievement carried off by few, but three of our Upper Sixth Formers, Hugh Myers, Michael Pearson and Chris Wharton, have done just that this year and have collected, or will be collecting, their awards at St James’s Palace.

Our shooting teams continued to show well over last term: the A Team was

... and in the Iglesia San Vicente Martir in Vitoria

competing in Division 3 of the senior league and achieved some excellent individual scores, but struggled to find consistency against the handicapping system, ultimately finishing fifth. The B Team, however, competing in Division 8, a division much lower than their ability warranted, maintained top team place throughout the term and also dominated the individual standings, with Ben Chrisp 2nd (91.6) and Hamish Tyler 1st (92.6). No other school managed to place more than two shots in the top 10.

Footballer Tolaji Bola, in the Fourth

Form, has been in Verona, on tour with the Arsenal Academy, and has also been selected for the Nike Tournament on the weekend of the 16th – 19th May. Our hockey players had their best season for a number of years, which gave me my first-ever experience (in 37 years of teaching and across four schools) of supporting a winning First XI against Watford Grammar!

Our Senior Golfers, Dan Gott, Louis Meadows and Will Maynard, won their way through to the ISGA National Finals at Carnoustie on the last weekend of the

11

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

holiday where, in dour Scottish weather, it earlier versions, contains a good deal of quickly became apparent why the course previously unknown material discovered deserves so much respect, with narrow

by Mr Watson in his research and is fully fairways, undulating greens, and abundant illustrated. Students and their parents heather. The team were presented with attending the Leavers’ Graduation on 3rd their Regional Trophy and awarded Bronze July will get the first opportunity to buy medals. a copy followed by the main launch on Meanwhile, the cross-country squad Founders’ Day, Saturday 5th July. completed their unbeaten season with This will be the last such report you will the South Eastern Schools Championship be receiving from me. All in all, taking to add to their two major the successes above, musical national trophies, the King and sporting, together with Henry VIII Relay and the I am pleased a record year for Oxbridge Knole Run. offers, our win in the County As some of you will to tell you that Rugby Cup, with the First XV know, Rose Hardy has heading the London and South been appointed head of St a new History East league and runners-up Margaret’s School, Bushey, in the National All-comers’ for September, the fourth of the School league, the Football District of our Second Masters to be Cup win and runners’ up promoted to Headship in an is about to be spot in the District Netball HMC or GSA school during Tournament, my final year at my time at St Albans, which published, written St Albans is shaping up pretty suggests that other schools well. May it continue through have noticed we’ve been by a professional to excellent GCSE and A level doing something right. Her results. successor as Second Master historian It has been a great privilege, will be Ms Melody Jones, a and (with very few exceptions) graduate in Natural Sciences a great pleasure, to lead a of Durham University and, at present, great school for over two decades and I Deputy Head of Sixth Form at Magdalen wish my successor, Jonathan Gillespie, College School, Oxford. Her previous posts and his family continued success and as include Head of Lower School, also at MCS, much happiness as Hilary and I, and our and Head of Physics at Wellington College. sons, have found here. I expect to see So, while it will be all change at the top, many of you over the remaining weeks of she has been appointed in good time to this academic year, but let me take this ensure a smooth handover. opportunity of wishing you, too, and your Finally, I am pleased to tell you that families, success and happiness in the a new History of the School is about to years ahead. be published, written by a professional Andrew Grant historian, Nigel Watson. It is a Headmaster considerably more substantial volume than

12

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

…and hello from me n A warm welcome to new headmaster Jonathan WJ Gillespie, MA Cantab, FRSA, who joins from Lancing College in West Sussex

Jonathan Gillespie, 47, will shortly be joining us from Lancing College, where he has been Head Master since 2006. He was educated at Bedford Modern School and Selwyn College, Cambridge, where he read Modern and Medieval Languages.

After completing his PGCE at Cambridge he taught French and German at Highgate School before being appointed Head of Modern Languages at Fettes College, Edinburgh. He was then Housemaster of a boys’ house at Fettes before his appointment to Lancing.

In addition to his academic, pastoral and leadership responsibilities he has been heavily involved in coaching sport, especially hockey (he coached the 1st XI at Fettes), and in the Combined Cadet Force (he was Contingent Commander at Highgate).

He is an umpire in the men’s national hockey league, a keen hill-walker and an enthusiastic but mediocre golfer who dreams of getting his handicap down into single figures! He celebrates his family’s Scottish roots by playing the highland bagpipe: he has won major professional competitions in Scotland.

He is married to Caroline who was formerly a civil servant and is now involved in various ways in school life at Lancing, as well as being a mother and taxi driver to their two sons James (16) and Alex (14).

The new Headmaster, Jonathan Gillespie

13

O A U P D AT E

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

OA Lodge

A good man remembered n Assistant Lodge Secretary John Williams looks back at the long and illustrious Masonic career of Geoff Goodman, who passed away earlier this year

The Lodge year will commence at the Installation meeting to be held on Saturday May 10th when the incoming Master of the Lodge, Richard Denney will be installed in the Chair by the outgoing Master, Mark Pedroz. This year will be particularly poignant because it will be the first Installation meeting following the death of Geoff Goodman, an officer of Grand Lodge, and sometime Secretary of the Old

Albanian Lodge, and over the years mentor to so many of its members.

Geoff had attended the Lodge meeting on 2nd November and appeared to be in robust health and later that month went on a Hertfordshire Wanderers’ trip to Lake Como. Sadly Geoff developed an aggressive cancer, the primary never being identified, and after a duration of only eight weeks, died on 12th January at his home in Sheringham, Norfolk.

Geoff was born in Wolverhampton, his father Cyril having moved there with the insurance company he was employed by at that time. Cyril had been born in Northampton and was an Old Wellingburian, and Geoff’s mother Phoebe lived in Shenley with her parents and two sisters, where they ran the village off-license and stores. On moving back to St Albans before the war the family lived in Nightingale Lane between London Colney and St Albans, and Geoff was sent to Aylesford House prep school. In September 1943 he entered the gates of St Albans School. Geoff was not an academic in the true sense of the word, and certainly not a sportsman. From The Millennium Pageant in 1948

14

Geoff Goodman

an early age he had inherited an eye problem from his father, who eventually went blind, and that left him having to wear glasses all the time, which caused him a lot of anguish when trying to play rugby or cricket. He had many discussions with Charles Bloxham in later years over this subject as Charles did not consider such ‘minor’ problems

should prevent you in taking part in sport! Geoff thoroughly enjoyed his time at School, which included the war years and the austerity afterwards and told many stories of the teachers at that time, which included female as well as elderly masters, and the things that the young boys got up to! Geoff was always very proud that he took

15

O A U P D AT E

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

16

the part of the herald leading the pageant in the 1948 celebrating the first 1,000 years of St Albans School.

Geoff left school in the summer of 1950 and followed his father into the insurance business. After a couple of years he was called up for National Service and elected to go into the RAF as he thought that he would become a pilot – but that hope was not to be fulfilled because of his eye problem. Thus he served out his time on wireless and radio which he much enjoyed and recounted many a tale of young men’s activities during his two years’ service. On returning to Civvy Street he continued his career in insurance with Sun Alliance in Watford.

As a young man he played the field a bit and until he finally met up with the Tucker twins from Shenley. The twins were identical, Doreen and Margaret, and they led poor old Geoff a bit of a dance when this very serious young man with a moustache and trilby hat would come knocking at the door. He was never sure which one answered until a little later in the courtship!

By then he had taken each of the girls out – but eventually settled and married Doreen. Married life then followed and two daughters were born, Caroline and Julia, and for many years they lived in Hertford.

After 35 years with Sun Alliance, in 1986 he left and joined insurance broker R H Saunders, and was a director until 1998 when he retired aged 65. In 1994 Doreen and Geoff decided to sell the house in Hertford

and move to Sheringham in North Norfolk but retained a small flat in Ware as a pied-à-terre. Sadly Doreen died in March 2005, but soon after he met Lesley and they married in June 2008 and held the reception in the 948 Room at Woollams.

In 1970 Geoff had started to think about joining Freemasonry as his father and grandfather had done before him. Thus on 26th November 1970 he was initiated in the Halsey Lodge and elected Master in 1980. He subsequently served that Lodge in several other capacities throughout over 43 years of membership. Whilst Master, he joined the Hertfordshire Masters Lodge and was subsequently elected as Master of that Lodge in 2005. Geoff joined the Old Albanian Lodge in 1985 and went on to serve with great distinction as Secretary from 1993 to 2001, and was subsequently elected Master in 2005. He was also a Founder of Guy Marsden Halsey Lodge and the 2nd Master in 1990/91. On taking up residence in Norfolk, Geoff joined Blakeney Lodge in Sheringham.

He also became a Founder of the Veritatem Sequere Lodge of Research and was Master there in 2000. Appointed Provincial Junior Grand Warden of the Province of Hertfordshire in 1987, he was also appointed an Officer of Grand Lodge in 1993 and promoted to Past Junior Grand Deacon in 2002.

Exalted in the Old Albanian Chapter in 1979, Geoff became the 1st Principal in 1986 and was the Founding 1st Principal of

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

Guy Marsden Halsey Chapter in 1994. He was also a member of the Hertfordshire First Principals Chapter and of Baring Chapter in Norfolk and an Officer of the Provincial Grand Chapter of Hertfordshire.

In the Mark Degree he was advanced in Debenham Lodge and Master there in 1984 at which time he joined Hertfordshire Installed Mark Masters Lodge where he carried out several offices there with great dedication. He was also a Joining member of Fratres Scriptabacorum Lodge and a Founder of the John Burr Mark Lodge. Arising from his great interest in and support for the Federation of School Lodges, Geoff

was Founding Secretary of the Scholars in Amity Mark Lodge in 1993, a Mark Lodge meeting in Ashwell House established for those who are members of school craft Lodges, and he went on to carry out the secretarial duties there for 17 years.

But there is still more. Sovereign of the Chapter of St Alban Rose Croix in 1996, he went on to be recorder there for 10 years until 2011 in which year he was elected to the 31°. At various times he was also a member of several other Orders in Masonry!

However, no record of Geoff’s Masonic activities would be complete without mention of the Hertfordshire Wanderers and

Tallinn Old Town walls and the Orthodox Cathedral

17

O A U P D AT E

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

Norfolk Nomads. Together with his good friend, the late Dick Machin, Geoff pursued the idea of arranging visits to Lodges of different or special interest both locally and further afield, and for getting on for 20 years he organised visits for Herts masons and others to Lodges in diverse places in the UK including the Isle of Man and Channel Islands, to Scotland and to Ireland and then expanding to visits abroad to Lodges in many of the recognised European Grand Lodges.

During his year as Master of the OA Lodge, Geoff organised a memorable visit to the historic city of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, which was much enjoyed by all.

Most of the party, including wives and friends, 38 in all, travelled out very early on Easter Monday. That evening Lodge members attended a most interesting meeting of Hermes

Lodge meeting in Nelson, New Zealand

18

Lodge No 5 entirely conducted in Estonian and attended by the Grand Master of Estonia, which met in the complex originally built to cater for yachting when the Soviet Union hosted the Olympic Games. In later years, with Lesley’s help these visits were expanded to include other family members and friends, embracing golf and other interests at the same time and providing wonderful tourist opportunities for all concerned.

The farthest Geoff ‘wandered’ was to Nelson, New Zealand in 2008. He found the meeting a little more casual than he was used to!

Geoff loved organising these visits and his administrative skills and commitment can only be described as exceptional. Amazingly Geoff also found time for community activities, taking part in Sheringham’s 1940s theme weekend last September, when the majority of the population dressed up in wartime clothing.

Geoff took the part of Mr Hodges the ARP warden in Dad’s Army.

Happily, this also coincided with his 80th birthday party.

Geoff was an exceptional Freemason with a great zest for life, and it is perhaps appropriate to end this tribute in his own words, with an excerpt from his oration given at the 75th anniversary of the Lodge at the Installation meeting held in the School pavilion at Woollams in May 2003: “The Old Albanian Lodge is one of happiness and fun. The atmosphere in this Lodge brought

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

Geoff with his daughters in 1940s style

an entirely new dimension to my Masonic life as I am sure it has to others, and taught me that while conducting the formal part of our proceedings with precision and dignity, we can also enjoy ourselves to the full. Above all, I learned that MASONRY IS FUN, and long may this Lodge prosper to develop that principle. And so, in celebrating 75 successful years, we look forward with enthusiasm and anticipation to the next landmark, our Centenary, which is already booked for the first Saturday in September 2028. On that date we shall host the Annual Festival of The Federation of School Lodges! I advise you to book now – accommodation will be limited! It is a fascinating thought that those who are to follow us may well look back on this day, 10th May 2003 and with grateful affection remember the foresight of the members who attended the Seventy Fifth Celebration. As a peppery old 95-year

old, I hope to see you in September 2028, if not in person, then in spirit!”

The Lodge meets only five times a 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. The first approach should be to any Lodge member, the Assistant Secretary (whose contact details are below), or Nigel WoodSmith or Mark Pedroz 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 or Assistant Secretary will be delighted to hear from them.

John Williams Lodge Assistant Secretary johntwilliams@talktalk.net

19

O A U P D AT E

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

Membership Secretary’s Notes

Moving on n Membership Secretary Roger Cook reflects on how alumni relations have developed at the School

I am reminded that Andrew Grant joined the school at about the same time as I became Membership Secretary. At that time, OAs had to pay a membership subscription; now all school leavers are life members as of right. In those days I was

distributing about 1,500 copies of the Bulletin by post; now, most read it online and only some 300 of us older members receive a postal copy.

The only database of OAs was one that I constructed, containing about 3,000 names. Since then, Andrew has created the Development Office and largely due to Kate Le Sueur’s efforts, we have a professional database with about 10,000 names.

Roger Cook Membership Secretary

School Development Office

Harbour alights n Introducing former journalist Chris Harbour, the School’s new Alumni & Development Officer

I have recently started in post as the Alumni & Development Officer at St Albans School. Having hit the ground running, helping to organise the Smith Centre Reception (hosting guest of honour, Stephen Hawking) and the London Drinks Party, I’m really pleased to have met a good number of OAs already. I originally trained as a journalist at Bournemouth University and started my career as a broadcast journalist. After completing a number of pro bono projects for UK Transplant, I moved to a London

20

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

children’s hospice where I worked for five years as the Events & Digital Media Manager. I aim to bring my fundraising and marketing knowledge to a large aspect of this role and build on the success of the Development Office so far.

I’m really looking forward to getting to know many more OAs and helping to raise the profile of the School through various events and promotions. If you would like to learn more about the Development Office, find out about upcoming OA events or reconnect with your alumni, please do not hesitate to get in touch as I would very much like to hear from you.

Chris Harbour Alumni & Development Officer charbour@st-albans.herts.sch.uk

Old Albanian Blazers l As usual, we maintain a stock of the OA blazers in the shop at Woollams and the price is still £120.00. These are quite unique and many members wear them with pride at OA events at Woollams and away fixtures. They are also popular with members around the world and are worn as “smart casual” at many different types of occasion. The shop is open on 1st XV home match days but if you are interested and are unable to visit the shop, we can offer mail order at a UK mainland surcharge of £12.50, overseas mail cost on application.

The sizes in stock will change, of course, and we can only afford to hold a limited number of sizes but if you would like to email your jacket size and fit (short, regular, long) we will let you know if we have stock. Where we do not have your size, we will look at adding it to the next manufacturing run.

For stock, ordering and payment details, please e-mail the Club Secretary, David Buxton, at d.buxton@virgin.net. If you already have a blazer, why not e-mail in a photo of you wearing it at an event other than those held at Woollams that we can publish in the Bulletin – especially those members overseas?

Letter

Sharpe comments n Robert Sharpe (53) e-mails us to add more details to Graham Dow’s piece in the last edition about former School mathematics master Harry Schofield’s sons.

I can add a little to Graham Dow’s note on the sons of Harry Schofield. Malcolm was appointed to

the School’s Governing Body in the 1980s and 1990s as the representative of Cambridge University during which time, incidentally, he served on the selection sub-committee that led to Andrew Grant’s appointment. Also Rodney became a Roman Catholic and has retired fairly recently as the Priest in Sherborne.

21

OA GAZETTE

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

De Fortunis Albanorum

Just another schoolboy…

received offers, fifteen from Oxford University and four from Cambridge.

Congratulations to all the students!

As Stephen Hawking prepared to speak at a School fundraising event in February, a fascinating article by his contemporary Michael Church was published in The Independent website. Here is a short extract: “The one element in his formation that is always overlooked is St Albans School itself, despite his frequent avowal that its charismatic Armenian maths teacher Dick Tahta – with whom he built a giant proto-computer from switchboard scrap – had been the biggest inspiration of his teenage years.

Everyone’s school is retrospectively significant, but for Stephen, St Albans had a particularly poignant significance: those were almost the last golden days when he could run, jump, ballroom-dance, play tennis (erratically) and lead a normally active life.”

The full article can be found on the Independent website at: http://www.independent.co.uk/ news/science/once-upon-a-timestephen-hawking-was-just-anotherschoolboy-9102735.html

OA London Drinks Party

Record Oxbridge Offers St Albans School has enjoyed its greatest success at Oxbridge entry for over 20 years. Nineteen students from the School have

22

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

On Thursday 6th March, Old Albanians were invited to the annual London Drinks Party, held at Innholders Hall. A great time was had by all and the evening proved a perfect opportunity to catch up with old friends and teachers alike.

Thank you to all who attended and look forward to seeing you at the next event!

Deaths It is with regret that the following deaths are announced: l G E Yeadon (35) died on 1st November 2013. l Douglas H C Gill (35) died on 11th January 2014. l James Swinstead (47) was killed in a tragic accident in February when rough seas in the English Channel blew out a porthole frame as he was returning from a cruise to Brazil with his wife Helen.

Membership Secretary Roger Cook writes: “James was in my form at School for many years and also at university (St Catherine’s, Oxford), where he studied chemistry. He became a research chemist in an agricultural chemical firm and,

later, advised the Coal Board and Distillers on marketing. His interests included choral singing and walking and several times in recent years he joined a group of us on our weekly Wednesday walk.” l Geoff Goodman (50) died on 12th January at his home in Sheringham, Norfolk following a short illness.

A former Secretary of the Old Albanian Lodge, a detailed obituary appears in the OA Lodge report on pages 14 to 19. l John A Mathison (53) died on 25th October 2013. l Anthony (Tony) Bolton (60) died on 1st February 2014 at Mount Vernon Hospice after suffering cancer of the oesophagus. An obituary provided by Peter Dredge appears below. l John Dixon (60), died on 19th March 2013, aged 70. He is described in an obituary in the national press as an “adventurous geologist who ranged from rewriting the history of the North Sea to tracking the Stone Age trade in obsidian blades”.

Extracts from the obituary appear below.

Obituary l Anthony Hale Bolton Anthony Hale “Tony” Bolton was a talented all-round sportsman, and after leaving School played soccer for Cheshunt FC where he

was an outstanding goalkeeper. He held a season ticket at Tottenham Hotspur FC and attended as many matches as his business commitments would allow, both home and away (including European fixtures). He excelled at tennis and golf and won a number of trophies including the Club Championship at Old Fold Manor Golf Club. He later became a member at Brookmans Park GC just down the road from his home.

On leaving School in 1960 he was uncertain as to which career path he should follow. A friend gave him some advice: “Get into the insurance game, Tony. All you do is chat to people and have long lunches.” Eventually he joined the Aviation Department of C T Bowring (subsequently taken over by Marsh & McLennan of the USA – the world’s largest insurance broker) where he progressed rapidly as a significant producer of business especially from the USA, Europe, India and the Far East. Tony had become a leading international broker, highly skilled in all aviation business particularly with airlines, aerospace manufacturers and, of course, with insurance and reinsurance underwriters. In the mid ‘70s a chance opportunity arose to explore the feasibility of insurance for the launch of a commercial satellite. Tony took this opportunity and he founded and pioneered this sector of the market. Marsh remains to this day the largest Space broker in the world. Tony

23

OA GAZETTE

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

became Chairman of Marsh’s Global Speciality Business.

Tony was a proud OA and gave advice on business careers to members of the VIth form at School.

He was a keen member of the OA Golfing Society, being Captain in both 2011 and 2012. Tony and his lovely wife Olive celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in May 2012 together with children David and Jenny and grandchildren Mia and Alexander. Tony passed away on 1st February 2014 at Mount Vernon Hospice after suffering cancer of the oesophagus.

Obituary l John Dixon John Dixon was an energetic geologist who made pioneering contributions to the geological history of the North Sea and to the tectonic evolution of the East Mediterranean. His research had particular impact on the application of petrological methods to archaeology. His early work on obsidian, the volcanic glass widely used in the Mediterranean and Near East for blades and scrapers, documented the earliest recognised trade in the Stone and Bronze Ages.

He was an enthusiastic teacher and excellent communicator, not least in the field, and supervised many doctoral students at the Grant Institute of Earth Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, where he taught for 40 years, continuing his research after his formal retirement

24

in 2010. His doctoral research, based in Cambridge, was undertaken in Siros, Greece, where he undertook a study of the metamorphic core of the Aegean that was later to prove to be the basis for explaining structures in the Basin and Range Province of the Western United States.

Dixon undertook some of his most important work in the late 1970s, when he was sent some unusual rock samples by an oil company that had just drilled them in the North Sea. He was set the challenge of identifying and dating them and was able to characterise the rock as being the volcanic and igneous products of a major – previously undocumented – large magnetic province belonging to the Jurassic period.

He also contributed significantly to clarifying the complicated tectonic history of the East Mediterranean. His synthesis of the tectonic structure, stratigraphy, metamorphism and paleo-magnetic evidence in 1984 provided a newfound and long-lasting basis for reconstructing paleogeographies that explained the disposition of the complex collage of tectonic plates in geological time and space.

At the time of his death he was still involved in geoarchaeological research in the Aegean. During his final illness, in which he was confined to bed at home during the fieldwork that continued in Keros in 2012, he was in daily touch by Skype with the members of his geological research team as problems in the

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

geological history of the island were resolved. His commitment to research was an inspiration.

John Edward Dixon was born in 1943 in Edgware, Middlesex. He attended St Albans School and St John’s College, Cambridge, where he took his MA and PhD. He is survived by his wife, Dianne, a daughter and three sons.

Archive

New Archive Room for OAs The Development Office now has a dedicated room for OAs to use and look through the School’s archived material. ‘The Cell’ as it was once known, is situated in the left turret of the Gateway – please feel free to drop in and take a trip down memory lane!

From the Archive

Geoff Cannon has provided this photo of members of OARFC from the mid 1950s enjoying a drink at (we think) The Fighting Cocks. Clockwise round the table from the left are: John Corble, Geoff Cannon, George Giffen, Bob Sharpe, John Giffen, David Morgan, Roger Clutterbuck, Dick Goodspeed, Bill Garrett

25

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

OA Sport Woollams home of: - Old Albanian RFC - Saracens RFC training ground - Old Albanian CC - OA Tennis LTC Regular venue for representative rugby fixtures at both county and international levels

Our nationally recognised state of the art pitches and pavilion facilities are also available for: - Corporate sports and social events - Private weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and other social functions - Fundraising events for local charities www.oasport.com The place to meet, relax and have fun! www.oasport.com

OA SPORT

Rugby

Safety first n Press Officer Brian Quinn reflects on a year of consolidation and development for the OA Rugby Club.

Those who feared a sharp downturn in the club’s fortune with the departure of Shanners to the Championship were more than cheered up with the 1st XV’s performance. They ended a challenging season in 10th place in National League One and were ably steered in the right direction by new Head Coach Andy Holloway, a popular leader and a forthright critic

of the efforts of his charges and himself.

Hindsight is twenty/twenty and every participant and spectator will be able to look back on the past eight months and pick out the moments which went wrong.

They should reflect on the fact that Worthing, newly promoted last September, scored an incredible 27 bonus league points during this last campaign (far more than any other club) and now find themselves back in level four despite this achievement.

If we are to promote the positive let us remember the victories at

For more information please contact one of the events team on 01727 864 476 Or email barbara@oasport.com Woollams Playing Fields 160 Harpenden Road St. Albans Herts AL3 6BB Phone:01727 864 476 Fax: 01727 737 644 E-mail :neil@oasport.com OA Sport is a registered charity

The 1st XV following the home match against Henley

27

OA SPORT

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

28

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

Cricket Woollams over Esher and Coventry and the incredible comeback at Blaydon, our first ever league points in the North East. Very little separates delight from disappointment at this level and winning is a matter of attention to detail. Coaches and players all understand this and we now have two precious years of experience in National One: let next season bring what it may, this is the place we belong!

The rest of the senior club now has a dedicated coaching setup for the first time, led by Dave Griffiths.

It cannot be stressed enough that if sufficient people turn up to training, they will be dealt with professionally regardless of playing level and will be guided up the sides accordingly.

The status of the entire club can only benefit as a result.

We offer rugby to ladies from the age of three to 63! Once more the Saints have done us proud, winning a fantastic fourteen of their games this past year. The junior ladies and the minis are developing alongside their seniors and can look forward to many years of highly competitive sport.

Nick Isiekwe has won his place in the under 16 England side and those at OAs, Nicholas Breakspear School and Saracens Academy couldn’t be happier. This caps a fantastic season for the junior section whose sides won county representation throughout. League success for several of the age groups, including the under 14s who won their

league with a match to spare, gave hundreds of players so much to be happy about.

The mini section is following on in the path of their elders and none more strongly than the under 10s who won the Lexus National Championship at Worcester just a few short weeks ago. This is an incredible feat for players so young. However they are used to success since so many of their peers expect nothing less than silverware whichever tournament they grace.

All the above could not be possible without the driving force which is our coaching network. At every level their expertise is sought and given without reserve or reward and it is these men and women which provides the club with true backbone.

Finally, our sponsors have been far-sighted and magnanimous enough to back the club’s efforts with investment and so often their input is overlooked. We would seek to put this right for the future and offer our sponsors as much as we can give to provide further opportunities for fulfillment and enjoyment.

Have a great close season and make sure you are well rested before next September!

Brian Quinn Press Officer, OARFC

Young guns n Chairman Richard Morgan looks forward to a successful season for the newly-promoted 1st XI, with some talented youngsters pushing for a starting spot

As we reported in the last Bulletin, the final 1st XI league game of 2013 provided the most dramatic and exultant finish to any season for many years, as we overcame Harpenden IIs to win the match by just one wicket in the final over as a thunderstorm struck the ground, to

confirm our promotion from Division 3.

The club is in good shape heading into the 2014 season, with our 1st XI back into SHCL Division 2 for the first time since 2010 – although the great achievement of promotion after three years lurking in Division 3 was somewhat spoilt by a reorganisation of the Herts League which resulted in clubs below us (and below the promotion line) After the deluge 2: the cricket pitch also looking in great shape after the wet winter weather

29

OA SPORT

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

30

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

Golf also being elevated into Division 2. This came about because the top Hertfordshire clubs - Radlett, Harpenden, Welwyn Garden City and so on – have pulled out of the Home Counties Premier League en masse, so that a new Herts Premier League had to be created involving more clubs. The most galling effect is that St Albans CC, who were relegated from Division 1 after last season into the division we will be playing in, were reprieved and live to fight another day still in Division 1!

We have a good squad of players available to make up our Saturday 1st, 2nd and 3rd XI league sides in Divisions 2, 7, and the new regional Division 11 West. On Sundays the OA Cavaliers are reverting to friendlies so that they don’t have to start too early and travel to distant parts of north London, and the OACC Chess Valley League side will play in Division 5 of that league.

All of last year’s captains remain in post for this summer, providing us with good continuity and we wish Zahid Karim, Victor Stairmand, Simon Wakeling, Alf Rehman and Ben Rankin strong teams and performances and at the end of the season maybe some further promotion opportunities.

We have some very good young players coming through the system from our junior section such as Joe Regan and Robbie Goldstone, who we hope will feature in the 1st XI this year, and other juniors who will play in the lower sides,

which is great to see and needs to be encouraged right down to the youngest age groups as a target to aim for in junior cricketers’ future years. The 1st XI also has high hopes of our young players such as Usman Malik, Zahid Ali Khan, Chris Dobson and Alex Goldstone to drive us onwards and upwards over the next five months.

We always welcome new OAs coming into the club to play for us so please get in touch if you are interested. Summer outdoor nets are at Woollams on Thursday evenings at 6.30pm until dusk, at which all prospective players are welcome. We hope to see lots of you there over the summer months supporting all our cricket, right from the under 5s and other mini and junior groups on Sunday mornings, all the many junior games in May, June and July, through to the Saturday and Sunday senior games every weekend until the back end of September.

Richard Morgan Chairman, OACC

Another round of John Smith n Same again: OA Golfing Society Secretary Peter Dredge looks forward to another busy season as John Smith continues as Captain in 2014

There was a good turnout for the final playing event of 2013, the Briggs Goblets, a four ball better ball competition at Mid-Herts GC. The winners with 43 stableford points were Ian McKenzie and Peter Dredge, just ahead of Rick Drakard and Robin Farrar. The 2012 winners Paul and Simon Cooper diplomatically took third place.

The Annual Dinner, held at Woollams and presided over by our Captain, John Smith, was attended by 48 members and their ladies with OA President, Alan Philpott, a very welcome guest. A most enjoyable occasion enabling members to wine and dine their golfing widows.

John Smith, by popular request, has kindly agreed to continue to Captain the OA Golfing Society for 2014. Our first get-together was held at Hadley Wood GC on 27th March and the winners were Colin Spurr and Robin Farrar with 40 points. Joint runners-up were Tony Clarke and Simon Cooper, and Graham Ledger and Ian McKenzie. As previously reported, the “Major” winners in 2013 were Mike Lamprell (OA Cup) and Paul Cooper (Rush Trophy) and they are, at present, practising hard in an effort to retain these coveted titles.

The remaining 2014 programme is as follows: l Friday 20th June: OA Cup and Dockree Tankard at Harpenden GC, Hammonds End l Tuesday 8th July: Captain’s Day and Rush Trophy at Gog Magog GC l Wednesday 16th July: OAGS v Old Berkhamstedians at Berkhamsted GC l Friday 1st August: OAGS v Old Cholmeleians at Highgate GC l Friday 15th August: OAGS v Old Haberdashers at Mid-Herts GC l Sunday/Tuesday 7-9th September: Thorpeness trip l Friday 26th September: London OB Foursomes at Highgate GC l Friday 3rd October: Briggs Goblets at Mid-Herts GC l Friday 21st November: Annual Dinner at OA Sports Pavilion, Woollams All OAs, whatever their playing ability, are most welcome to attend any of these events. These occasions are always great fun and provide OAs with an opportunity to meet up with contemporaries and old friends.

Please contact Peter Dredge on 01582 834572 or e-mail pjdredge42@aol.com Peter Dredge Secretary, OA Golfing Society

31

OA SPORT

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

Ready for action: the new floodlit courts

Tennis

Leading lights n With all four astroturf courts now having floodlights, Secretary Sue Barnes invites everyone to take advantage of the superb yearround tennis facilities available at Woollams

After 11 years of the tennis courts being open, we are proud to announce that OA Tennis can now play “under the stars”. All four astroturf courts now have floodlights, which will enable the tennis members to play all year round, day or night, and now puts us on the map with other tennis

clubs within St Albans. It is hoped, next winter, to organise more friendly floodlit matches against other clubs, before eventually joining a local winter league. We have already hosted a couple of friendly matches under the lights with a couple of other clubs which have proved to be a success.

Our new tennis coach, Laura Collins, has started working for us and is hoping to increase our membership by offering coaching to all ages and standards. She is already taking a one-hour adult cardio fitness session on the courts on a Wednesday evening from 6.30pm, which has proved to be great fun as well as getting us fit for the new tennis season which has just begun.

If you feel you would like to come and sample some tennis on our lovely courts, please call me on 07970 301345.

Sue Barnes Secretary OA Tennis

Angling

Private pike n Honorary Secretary Geoff Cannon reports on a winter restricted by the severe weather – and an eventful pike fishing expedition!

The club continued with its usual monthly outings throughout the

32

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

winter, mostly concentrating on local waters as the extreme weather conditions restricted our activities.

The Fishwives Supper took place in November, and as usual was well attended.

Individual members had fishing trips to the USA, Spain and Ireland, catching several varieties of fish.

Nearer to home, Geoff Cannon visited the Norfolk Broads on a winter pike fishing expedition. His bait was taken and he began to play the fish, but when he was about to land it he found that he had hooked not one pike but two! A large pike had attempted to swallow the smaller fish, and when he attempted to net them both the larger one let

go and vanished. C’est la vie.

The winter season has now closed and we look forward to the trout fishing season. As always, anybody interested in joining our expeditions would be more than welcome. Please contact Geoff Cannon whose details are below.

Geoff Cannon Honorary Secretary

Shooting

Parting shots n Despite its members becoming more geographically dispersed, Captain Andrew Wilkie reports that the OA Rifle & Pistol Club remains in good shape

OA shooting continues but these days we are becoming spread about the country as folks retire to the quieter corners of civilisation. Andy Moore is the latest, having retired to Somerset.

The electronic age has come to our rescue to a large extent but for us oldies the social aspect remains a team shoot at Bisley or the School. Owen Simmons remains our anchorman in Hertfordshire and he continues to coach at the School with David Russell and Ashley Abrahams. It is very encouraging after all these years to see the younger OAs continuing with their shooting during the university years and we are looking forward to

seeing them at Bisley for our annual gatherings.

So far this year our full bore exploits have met with mixed results. As expected, we came second in our match against the Old Lawrentians on 30th March; lack of sleep due to the clocks going forward must have had a negative effect. At least that’s our excuse.

The Q Match on 12th April saw us in 6th place, which was slightly better than our expectations given that other old boy teams feature international shots and those who specialise in full bore. Match reports are included below for those who would like more detail. Our next match on 10th May is the Long Range Match over 900 and 1000 yds.

Let’s hope the weather is kind to us this year and we get our sighters on the target.

For those who might like to join us at Bisley our forthcoming events are planned for 21st June, 20th September, and 13th October. There

33

OA SPORT

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

Owen Simmons, President & Secretary: 01438 840674 Andy Moore, Treasurer: 01643 851 694 Andrew Wilkie, Captain: 01202 424190

will also be a shoot against the School for the Clock Trophy, date to be agreed.

Small bore is our specialist event.

However, as my regular readers will know, this takes place at the Vauxhall range in Luton and is slowly becoming less of an OA R+PC feature. Two returning OAs, Kris Gruber and Nick Tubby, have joined us there and are now shooting regularly in the small bore Herts League teams. Andy Moore is also making his contribution to the team, shooting on his home range and posting his shot cards back to Owen.

Martin Warr, the fourth member of our team, continues to score well; so much so that he has been noted by the Vauxhall selectors and launched into long range small bore shooting at 50 and 100yds. We wish him much

success.

Because we are now spread about the country we took the opportunity to hold our AGM at Bisley on 30th March. I am pleased to report that there were no major issues to resolve. We took the opportunity to award the trophies for the 2012/13 season, the recipients being John Simmons (Briggs Trophy for Full Bore) and Andy Moore (Olswang Trophy for Small Bore).

Congratulations to them both.

If there are any OAs out there who would like to try shooting or return to a sport they once enjoyed at School then please contact one of those listed left, we would love to hear from you.

Andrew Wilkie Captain, OA Shooting

Match Reports – Full Bore Results for OAs v Lawrentians Match: 30th March 2014 Set out below are results for the match, together with the ranking and points towards the Briggs Cup for each shooter: Congratulations to the Lawrentians and our thanks to them

for booking the targets.

The match was held over two ranges (500yds being omitted) in order to accommodate a 17.00 closure of the range, not 17.30 as previous years. Andy Moore suffered from a loose foresight at 600yds, so had to restart. We all suffered from slow marking and disappearing targets at

300yds 600yds OL Simmons 49.3 47.3 AWB Wilkie 45.2 45.1 AQS Moore 46.4 46.1 MC Warr 38.1 47.6 JW Simmons 41.1 44.1 Totals 219.11 229.12 Lawrentians

34

OA BULLETIN JUNE 2014

Total 96.6 90.3 92.5 85.7 85.2 448.23 463.36

Ranking 1 3 2 4 5

Points 5 3 4 2 1

600yds and a fish tailing down-range wind at all distances. However, the weather was otherwise kind being both dry and warm for a change.

Congratulations to Owen for the highest score on the day so nearly a possible at 300!

Results for Q Match: 12th April 2014 Set out below are results for the match, together with the ranking and points towards the Briggs Cup for each shooter: Match Result: 1) Old Bedfordians (just as well,

AWB Wilkie AQS Moore MC Warr RN Cluff Totals

500yds 47.1 47.2 45.2 46.1 185.6

direction made it easier to pick a wind strength and direction and wait for the wind to come to the shooter; this slows the shooting process somewhat but makes sight adjustments simpler. Marking was good for a change and working on a one coach one shooter basis kept the process on track allowing us to take things at a steady pace and still finish in good time at both ranges.

Congratulations to Andy for the highest score on the day, with Roger in close pursuit. There is no doubt that careful wind watching had a

600yds 39.1 45.3 44.2 45.3 173.9

as they forgot to bring the trophy along!)

387.33 2 Old Framlinghamian A 380.30 3) KCS Wimbledon OBRC 368.21 4) Old Cranleighan A 365.20 5) Old Lawrentians 364.18 6) Old Albanians 358.15 7) Old Alleynians 353.12 8) Old Framlinghamian B 350.25 9 Old Cranleighan C 348.14 10) Old Framlinghamian C 278.5 We were well placed among our usual opponents, the Old Alleynians and Old Lawrentians.

The weather was dry, overcast and cool with a brisk and variable wind from the west/north-west.

Variations in the wind speed and

Total 86.2 92.5 89.4 91.4 358.15

Ranking 4 1 3 2

Points 1 4 2 3

significant and positive effect on the scores. Regrettably, your captain managed to let the second sighter at 600yds go too early, missing the target. With an outer at 2 o’clock as the first sighter this caused a lot of brow scratching deciding on the sight adjustments for the first scoring shot. Almost inevitably, the chosen settings were wrong, dropping some more points. Sorry about that. Not one of my better shoots this season but my excuse is the shoulder injury!

Well done everyone, the team only needs to find thirty something points to be in there with a chance.

All contributions and suggestions welcome!

35

PARADISE WILDLIFE PARK is a family run zoo with a real passion for conservation. With over £2.5 million raised so far, we are dedicated to raising funds and awareness for the protection of all species. But with 400 animals, 3 adventure playgrounds, a huge soft-play centre, paddling pool and train, Paradise is a fun day out for the family too!

We’re easy to get to from London. So visit our website at pwpark.com to find out more…

WE ARE PROUD TO BE MEMBERS OF:

(and some little ones too!)

LION

TIGER

SNOW LEOPARD

LEOPARD

Wildlife Park

JAGUAR

Paradise

THE ONLY ZOO IN THE UK TO HAVE ALL FIVE BIG CATS!

GET FACE TO FACE AT PARADISE FOR LESS... LOOK! £10* OFF ENTRY! Use the code OABULL10 to get £10 off tickets when booking online at pwpark.com

Open Every Day from 9.30am T 01992 470 490 www.pwpark.com Paradise Wildlife Park, White Stubbs Lane, Broxbourne, Herts EN10 7QA *Terms & Condiitions: Minimum spend of £25 required. Only valid for online purchases, code not valid at the gate. Valid until 31/12/2014. No cash value. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.