OA Bulletin - Autumn 2007 Edition by St Albans School Development Office

OA BULLETIN

Hall stories: an appeal for memories of the Old Hall which celebrates its centenary in 2008; OA Gazette, Page 22

Old Albanian Club

DIARY DATES

NOVEMBER 2007

AGM – Tuesday 11th December 2007 Annual Dinner – Friday 4th July 2008 Founders’ Day – Saturday 5th July 2008

OA CLUB www.oldalbanianclub.com President Stephen Burgess 01727 867868 hawkeyeb59@btopenworld.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 RUGBY President

www.oasport.com

Adrian Tominey 01727 830226 ajt@rudwickhall.fsnet.co.uk Chairman Robin Farrar 01727 832621 robin.farrar@OARugby.com Treasurer Sandy Bell 01727 833519 sandy.bell@OARugby.com Secretary Peter Lipscomb 01727 760466 peter.lipscomb@OARugby.com Mini & Junior Rugby Chairman Rory Davis 020 8267 0003 rory.davis@OARugby.com OA Saints Chairwoman Tasha Saint-Smith 07971 849290 Tasha.saintsmith@club-concierge.com FOOTBALL www.oasoccer.co.uk Club President & Manager Simon Bates 07720 383600/01442 240247

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

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

Treasurer & Club Secretary David Hughes 07890 831315/01727 769237 dh@sherrards.com Sponsorship Secretary David Burrows 07841 431614 CRICKET www.oacc.org.uk President Alan Philpott Chairman Andrew McCree 01727 845513 andrew@oacc.org.uk 07890 831315/01727 769 237 Treasurer Denis King denis.king@btinternet.co.uk Fixture Secretary Julian Baines Jules_baines@msn.com TENNIS Membership Enquiries Sue Barnes 07970 301345 sbarnes@st-albans.herts.sch.uk Coaching Enquiries Diana Wilkinson 07767 237474 diana@kennett37.freeserve.co.uk OTHERS Rifle & Pistol Andrew Wilkie 01727 856857 Angling Geoff Cannon 01582 792512 Golf Royce Bryant 01727 863130 OA LODGE John Williams

www.oa-lodge.co.uk 01438 715679 jtwilliams@onetel.net

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 NOVEMBER 2007

Editorial

A chip off the Old Hall block

that also felt the early rumblings of the Suffragette Movement, women were allowed to compete in the Games for the first time. One of the If years were women, some would be less well-publicised events was the the Marilyn Monroes of history – departure of English rake and iconic and unforgettable, with an adventurer Harry Bensley from instant and enduring allure. The Trafalgar Square as he embarked on majority, though, are altogether more the first leg of his attempt to matronly, pleasant enough but complete a circumnavigation of the perhaps lacking the same sex appeal. globe on foot. This strange expedition At first glance, 1908 falls into this was the result of an extraordinary latter category, a wholesome girlwager, and among the bizarre next-door sort of year that barely conditions of the bet were that he had warrants a second look. Yet on closer to wear an iron mask and push a scrutiny, it has unexpected charms pram throughout the entire trip, with and attractions. Across the Atlantic, a change of underwear the only for example, Henry Ford baggage allowed. was about to Rather less exotic, but I can still clearly revolutionise the global of no lesser importance transport industry as the to the schoolboys of St recall the ancient Albans among these first Model T automobile rolled off the production stirring tales of desks; by today’s line – one small step for adventure and derringman, one giant carbon do, was the opening of standards they footprint for mankind – the new School Hall while Thomas Selfridge block on 20th March were a health and 1908. This was a major achieved the dubious distinction of being the landmark in the history safety nightmare first person to die in an of the School, and to aeroplane crash (in a celebrate the centenary plane flown by Orville of this auspicious event Wright, incidentally, who was next year Librarian Sue Jex and her seriously injured but survived). assistant Janet Lewis are planning Renowned outlaws Butch Cassidy and an exhibition of photos and memories the Sundance Kid were killed of the Block. They are interested in (allegedly) in Bolivia, while closer to contributions from OAs of all eras, home, the first beauty contest in the and if anyone has any suitable world was held in the unlikely setting anecdotes or pictorial records they of Maidstone in Kent, and Robert would be delighted to hear from you Baden-Powell began the Boy Scout – please see page 22 for further movement. The Olympics came to details. London, and rather aptly for a year By the time I arrived at School in

OA COMMENT

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

President’s Notes were to be expected; some of the the late 60s, of course, the Block was others, which I can only describe as already known as the ‘Old Hall’ worryingly biological in nature, were following the completion of the new Hall and Dining Rooms in the middle not. Whatever went on there, I hope that the hair trigger mechanism of of the decade. During this period the the heavy desk lid did not exact its Old Hall was the home, among other usual terrible revenge. things, to six Middle School form Meanwhile, back in the modern rooms, Colonel Pryke’s ‘Orderly world, this Bulletin features a Room’ and the School Tuck Shop. particularly eclectic mix of stories. With the benefit of hindsight, the Having covered sex in the last issue, School was undergoing an uneasy for instance, the OA transition at the time as Lodge report has moved the new Headmaster Having covered sex onto rock and roll this Frank Kilvington time with the news that endeavoured to move on they have sold their in the last issue from the more Lodge organ to a traditional regime of the member of famous band the OA Lodge legendary W T Marsh. Razorlight. Club Prefect beatings, straw report has moved President Stephen boaters and the wearing Burgess continues the of shorts and caps until onto rock and roll musical theme with the end of the fourth some reflections on the year were some of the influence that OAs have this time first (and unlamented) had on the world – and things to go, and yet a particularly the chart slight end-of-Empire air success of former School band ‘The of decline and decay persisted. The Old Hall captured this perfectly: I can Zombies’. Elsewhere you’ll find all the still clearly recall the ancient desks, regular items, plus a bulging postbag for example, that I suspect were the of letters from OAs of every vintage original Edwardian models. By around the world. today’s standards they were a health My thanks as usual to everyone and safety nightmare, curious sliding who has contributed to this issue, contraptions with glass-like seats and I look forward to hearing some of polished to a high gloss by your reminiscences about the Old generations of besuited buttocks. If Hall. Incidentally, another notable the vicious bear-trap of a tilting seat only wounded you, a splinter the size event of 1908 was that Australia regained the Ashes with a 308 run of a Zulu assegai would undoubtedly win over England. Plus ça change… finish you off. Yet perhaps the most Nick Chappin (75) alarming thing about the interior of Editor my desk in 3B was the inexplicable array of stains. Traces of ancient ink

Renewal and reconnection OA Club President Stephen Burgess reports on a hectic first nine months in office, and looks at some of the challenges facing the School and Old Albanian Club As I write these notes I have been President for a little over nine months, which have been pleasurable and interesting. They have given me a sense of renewal and reconnection with the School both in respect of my presidential duties and as a Governor. Starting with the Carol Service in 2006 just before I became President I have attended six formal School or OA events and have spoken on four occasions. I have been astounded by the quality of singing at both the Carol Service and at Founders’ Day, I have been impressed by the all-round abilities of the pupils at the School and delighted by the sheer niceness of the leavers I met on Graduation Day. I attended the General Inspection and although boots are not shiny as they were in my day the late fifties and early sixties, the American-style marching of the RAF section was exceptionally good both in the orders and the execution. I very much doubt that RAF sections at my time at the School would have done as well. Challenges and Developments I have attended two Governors’ meetings and a Governors away-day at St John’s College Cambridge, hosted by Professor John Barber (62), where we considered the future direction and requirements of the School. Under Andrew Grant the School has made great progress with many improvements, most notably in exam

OA President Stephen Burgess

success which has seen the School moving towards the top 50 schools in the country and in 47th place on one table reflecting last summer’s exams. The development of Woollams has encouraged much success in the sporting area and, as mentioned earlier, music and drama are outstanding. Major charity events and involvement in the community both locally and overseas have not been neglected. Competition at the top of education is as fierce as it is in business and sport, and a lot therefore has to be done to maintain and improve what can be offered to parents and pupils. The Charities Act 2006 will also require changes some of which are not yet clear but it seems the School will have to offer more bursaries and scholarships and may have to engage further in local education and the community. Woollams has provided the School with outstanding outdoor sports facilities but most leading private and many state sector schools now have fine indoor sports halls, many of which allow access to the wider community. As some of you know, the School has outline planning permission for a new sports hall. If this can be built the old gymnasium could be developed for drama purposes, and the provision of more bursaries will require more resources than

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

the School currently has. Membership and Records The plans for development and bursaries will require outside funding and it is around 30 years since there was a major appeal but one is likely and to this end the School are looking to establish a development office. Most other top 100 schools already have one. The School has long been aware that its records of former pupils leaves something to be desired. Thanks to our Membership Secretary Roger Cook, the Old Albanian Club has reasonable records covering around 3,000 Old Albanians but we are aware that many of these may not be entirely accurate and give little information other than name and address and sometimes phone numbers and e-mail details. Unfortunately, as people change email address they do not always advise the Club. In order to improve both School and OA records the School has appointed a researcher to establish more complete records of Old Albanians and to discover those we know nothing of. As a result of this research, our records will be merged with those of the School and will in future be maintained primarily by the School with access for the Club. We are also looking at closer co-operation between the School and the Club on future communications, and we hope to be in more regular contact with members via e-mail in particular. I thoroughly endorse these developments and will keep you posted as things move on. Events Since the last meeting we have held a very enjoyable Garden Party at Woollams, jointly organised by the Club and OA Sport, the operating side of Woollams. Around 130

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

people attended, mostly regular workers in the sports clubs operating at Woollams but also including the Headmaster and other representatives from the School. Having picked virtually the only fine Sunday in June, drinks were enjoyed on the balcony and a truly excellent lunch was provided by the Clubâ€™s catering staff. The dinner at Woollams this year was enjoyable with some good speeches, but I would like to see attendance top the 100 mark. The changes on record keeping should help us give members more notice and make it possible to put them in touch with each other more readily. For the record, the next Dinner will be on July 4th 2008. Sport The clubs based at Woollams continue to provide good sport and good times for all. The cricket, rugby and lately the tennis clubs are doing a great job in introducing their sports to youngsters from the town and surrounding areas and fostering this interest through to senior level. I congratulate them all. As I write the Rugby Club has made a fine start to the season and are confident they will do well in the league this year. They finished mid-table last year after a poor start so things promise well. The rugby played is of a good standard often very enjoyable to watch. Visit Woollams and see for yourselves. Best wishes for the coming festive season and for 2008. Stephen Burgess President, Old Albanian Club

Two postcards showing the Masons on their way to lay the foundation stone for the School Hall in 1907, kindly donated to the School Archive by David Buxton. See OA Gazette, Page 21

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

Headmaster’s Notes

From Antigua to Zanzibar – via Catterick

overnight exercise, where the cadets mounted a 36-hour counter-terrorist operation. In the summer-long competitions between the 60 or so contingents that visited the camp over a three-week period, Over the summer, the School’s staff and our A teams won both the ‘march and students have been active in three continents shoot’ and the assault course, with the drill and two hemispheres, says Headmaster squad coming third, so had there been a Andrew Grant – as well as amassing an impressive list of achievements closer to home classification for overall performance, St Albans would have been clear front runners. Over the summer, our staff A few days later, a group of senior cadets and students have been active flew out for their greatest challenge yet, in three continents and three with an expedition to Tanzania, an hemispheres (if I’m allowed to important subsidiary aim of which was to double-count hemispheres as improve the quality of life for North/South and East/West) orphans in the town of which must be something of a Mwanza. Our link was Ed A group of senior record. Beavington, for the past two To start with things closest to cadets flew out for years Head of History at home, the Duke of Edinburgh Isamilo School, who has Award section were busy with returned to St Albans this year. their greatest 20 pupils completing their £4400 had been raised in qualifying Silver expedition at challenge yet, with advance by the contingent’s Pen Arthur in July in very own efforts, and was put to challenging weather and good use to help two different another, smaller, group doing an expedition to orphanages to provide the most the same in the Chilterns in basic needs for an education, what finally passed for summer Tanzania including, for example, a weather in late August. Both generator, allowing the groups navigated well, showed children of Watoto to have electric light for sensitive camp-craft and passed successfully. A group of OAs also completed the first time in seven months. The CCF’s their Gold expedition in the Brecon Beacons efforts in charitable fundraising help to bring the overall sums raised by pupils for under the aegis of the CCF, who had an charity to a staggering total in excess of exceptionally intrepid summer. £50,000 over the past three years. With half an eye on the, then The group then went on safari in the forthcoming, trip to Tanzania, 60 army Serengeti and were lucky to see large cadets plus staff returned to Wathgill in numbers of animals, after which the major North Yorkshire for this year’s annual challenge of the expedition loomed: the trek summer camp, where I spent a very to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, at enjoyable day in their company high in the 5895m the ‘roof of Africa’. Following that, hills above Catterick. As always, the recovery time on the beaches of Zanzibar highlight for staff and cadets was the

was very welcome. against the President’s XI on Founders’ Day Earlier in the holiday, forty Lower School and a win off the last ball against pupils visited Chatel in the French Alps and Haberdashers’. 60% was in fact the win spent four days exploring France and ratio across all teams and the Under 14s Switzerland with trips on rack railways and won both their District and County Cups. cable cars, and a visit to the Mer de Glace There were other important sporting glacier and ice caves near Mont Blanc and successes over the summer term, most Chamonix. An 800 metre long luge and a notably in tennis, where the highlight of trip to Nestlé’s chocolate factory with free our season was victory in the County samples were other highlights. Schools Championship at both Under 18 and The major sporting event of the summer Under 14 level. Our team of Arun Parkash, was the Caribbean tour by the First and David Tott, Basil Walpole, Ross Hannah, Second cricket XIs, to Antigua, St Kitts and Philip Ruis, Gordon Tveito-Ducan, Harry Nevis. They played a total of fourteen Hamer and Alex Terry (the last pair both matches against schools and clubs on all of First Formers) played some excellent the islands, encountering many matches and all four pairs got talented players among the through to an all-St Albans The major sporting final beating Haberdashers’, opposition to make the cricketing experience a real Aldwickbury, Chancellors and challenge. Nevertheless, results event of the Verulam along the way. were good, the Seconds winning Meanwhile, our ladies played summer was the two of their six completed in the annual schools Girls fixtures and the Firsts, six of National Tennis Tournament, Caribbean tour by which attracts teams from the their seven matches, a number of which were held at test likes of Millfield Tennis the First and match venues: the Sir Vivian Academy, Clifton, Richards Stadium (Antigua), Loughborough High School and Second cricket XIs Sevenoaks as well as local Warner Park (St Kitts) and Grove Park (St Kitts). rivals Berkhamsted, Off the field the group Queenswood, St Albans High enjoyed the opportunity of sightseeing on School and STAGS. We knew the each of the islands, catamaran tours and a competition was going to be tough, but jeep safari, paradoxically involving no jeeps! Rosie Hutchings and Katie Pollitt went on Perhaps that was a reflection of the laidto beat Berkhamsted and St Albans High back approach to life that these beautiful School convincingly before losing in the islands engendered and embraced by the semi-final to a team from Millfield Tennis hosts whose welcome was warm and much Academy, which is no disgrace. appreciated by the tourists. The athletics season, too, was very The tour closed the School cricket season successful. We regained the Senior District with a very respectable 60% win rate for the Visit OAconnect First XI after some exciting matches in their the OA online database domestic season, of which the most follow the link on www.oldalbanianclub.com dramatic must be a win in the last over

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

any standards. The Evening Standard Athletics Championship trophy and placed us 30th in London and the South produced six District Champions, while in East. The Times, meanwhile, continues to the junior/intermediate version, Harley base its rankings on a discredited UCAS Stairmand broke the District triple jump tariff that has not yet been officially record in achieving a national standard introduced and that UCAS itself has already distance. After a good performance throughout the season in the county league, recognised needs reforming because of the our teams both finished in third place in the way it inflates International Baccalaureate scores. Owing to a computer fault, The finals with Jay Johnson-Crooks winning Times also omitted a large number of top both the 200m and the long jump by some schools from its A level and GCSE tables. margin. In the County Track and Field Had they not contrived to miss us out of the Championships, Ewan McKenzie became latter, at GCSE, the 70% A*/A grades our County 3000m champion a year under age, pupils achieved would have placed us 18th David Prince won the Junior High Jump gold and Harley Stairmand the Triple Jump. highest independent boys’ school in the country. Needless to say, The As the holiday drew to a Times has deigned to print close, pre-season rugby training New records were neither apology nor correction, was well under way and the but has got the details right on cross-country squad had been its web site. set: of all our A on their usual gruelling It is true that league tables training camp at Pen Arthur. level grades, 62% can be constructed to prove The St Albans/Saracens Rugby more or less anything, but, tournament on the weekend against a background of were A, which is before the start of term steadily-rising grades attracted a 20-strong field including some powerful rugby impressive by any nationally, what they can usefully reveal are trends in a schools and three rugby school’s performance over time, academies, of which, Ivybridge, standards relative to other similar from Devon, were in dominant schools, and there is no form to win the tournament. question that this has been our best-ever This is being increasingly recognised as an year. Cancel your order for The Times, say important pre-season event for schools I, but if you want a league table that is at across the south of England that take their least to some degree meaningful, though rugby seriously. In public examinations, new records were complex, read the FT’s which came out on September 15th. set at A level and GCSE and are still rising There were some exceptional individual as the re-marks come in. At A level, for the performances: at A level, all gained passes first time, the proportion of A and B grades in at least three A levels. A total of 35 topped 90%, the cut-off point for the old candidates scored grade A in three and a ‘Premier League’ in the Daily Telegraph, half A levels (three full A levels plus one which had us in 48th position, the first time AS) or more. 24 candidates achieved grade A we have made the top 50. Of all our A level in at least four A levels or the equivalent grades, 62% were A, which is impressive by

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

and, of these, 6 achieved grade A in 5 Alevels or more. Of particular note were Sam Kirsop, the departing Head of School, who achieved 5 A grades at A level, with a further AS at A grade and a Distinction at Advanced Extension level and was among the top ten of the 9,970 entries for the Edexcel Geography specification. Matteo Alchini achieved 6 A levels at grade A, with a further two AS levels and a Merit in an Advanced Extension Award; Heather Wong gained 5 A grades at A level with a further AS as well as a Merit in an Advanced Extension Award and Robert Hayes was in the top ten of the 2,753 candidates who sat Design Technology: Product Design. At GCSE, Oliver Bond, Mark EdwardesJones and Chengyuan Zhang all achieved A* grades in every one of their GCSEs, while Alejandro Palekar-Fernandez scored one of the top five marks in AQA Spanish (sat by 35,412 candidates nationally) and Philip Behean and Christopher Larkin were

similarly placed in AQA French (100,997 candidates nationally). David Phillips (taking Maths a year early in the Fourth form, as do all our candidates) was among the top five candidates in AQA Maths (87,934 candidates) and David Mcleod’s marks in Double Award Science put him in the top ten of the 10, 295 candidates who sat the Edexcel specification nationally. This is the second year in succession that a St Albans School pupil has been placed in the top five in AQA Maths and Edexcel Science. Some colleagues well known to OAs of various vintages have moved on or retired: Diana Brown, our Careers and Sixth Form Assistant, who has seen generations of students through their work experience, their university applications, and off to successful careers at university and beyond

Visit OAconnect the OA online database follow the link on www.oldalbanianclub.com

having been a key figure at St Albans for and Debbie Goulding, who has been equally the past thirteen years, moved this term to important at the other end of people’s become Headmaster of Queen Elizabeth’s school careers – the very beginning, as our School, Blackburn. Admissions Officer - having joined the I suspect it will not take long for his School within a term of each other, have successor as Second Master, Richard both retired. Laithwaite, to get himself known among the Aniket Gocoldas, who joined the OA community. Formerly Head of Upper Economics department in 2003, having been School at Merchant Taylors’, Northwood, a student himself here, finally tore himself where he also coached the First XV, away from St Albans to join the staff of Highgate School, while Anna-Rose O’Dwyer, Richard is a graduate of the University of Lancaster and of the Royal Military who joined us in the same year, left us to Academy, Sandhurst. In an earlier become Head of Politics at Reigate existence, he played first class rugby for Grammar School. Liverpool St Helens and also for the Army Grayson Jones, our Choral Director and and for England Students. Assistant Director of Music, Meanwhile, the excellent who has been with us since Sue Frearson retired work done by our new 2001, has gained promotion to Development Research Officer, be Director of Music at Kate Le Sueur, who can be after making a Guildford High School and contacted through a Facebook Stuart Terrell, who joined the group The Official Old tremendous Geography department in 1999, Albanian Club, as well as via subsequently becoming a the School, to trace ‘lost’ OAs, contribution to Housemaster and then Head of continues apace and will, I Third Form, is off to be Head of hope, be reflected in a larger Geography at Caterham School. this School over turnout at the London Drinks Sue Frearson retired after Party at the East India Club on making a tremendous 28 years Thursday 15th November. contribution to this School over This, remember, is now free for 28 years as a fine teacher of OAs still in full-time education and Biology and an outstanding Lower School subsidised for those who left in the past five Tutor. She forged a longstanding link with years and I hope to see a good number of King’s College London, taking forward the you there. innovative ‘Thinking Science’ project and Andrew Grant her skills in countryside management were Headmaster a vital asset during the development of the Woollam Playing Fields. Sue put environmental awareness on the School agenda before the politicians could even spell the word and a thriving Conservation Group is one of her legacies. Finally, of course, as many of you will be aware, the Second Master, Simon Corns,

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

O A U P D AT E

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

OA Lodge

Vital organ A new Master, charitable donations, birthday celebrations and the sale of the Lodge organ to leading international rock band Razorlight – Secretary John Williams reports on a lively few months for the OA Lodge The Lodge year commenced in the traditional manner at the installation meeting in May when the new Master, Dr Maxton Pitcher MA, MD, BM BCh, FRCP was installed in the Chair by the outgoing Master, Rodney Bendon, in a flawless manner, followed by the appointment of the Lodge Officers for the year. As usual the meeting was well attended, this year by some 80 members and

guests, many in dinner jackets, which is the tradition - although entirely optional. The Provincial Grand Master of Hertfordshire, Colin Harris, attending as a member of the Lodge rather than in his official capacity, presented the Hall-stone Jewel and Collarette to the newly installed Master. During his year, this forms part of the regalia worn by the Master. During the meeting the Brethren voted to transfer a further £5,000 for the 2009 ‘Festival’ Appeal in support of the Grand Charity and our The Master of the Old Albanian Lodge enthrals the assembled company at the Summer Garden Party with a virtuoso performance on the violin

O A U P D AT E

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

Charity Steward Dick Knifton had great pleasure in presenting the cheque to the Provincial Grand Master. Our new Master, who left School in 1981 and graduated from Oxford in 1988, is a Consultant Gastroenterologist at Northwick Park & St Mark’s Hospitals, Harrow. Among his other pursuits, Max is a superb violinist and was leader of the Herts County Youth Orchestra and Oxford University Chamber Orchestra. He demonstrated his prowess on the violin at the joint Old Albanian/Old Verulamian Lodges’ Summer Garden Party very generously hosted on a rare sunny Sunday afternoon in July by Charity Steward Dick Knifton and his wife Gill. We welcomed guests from the Old Berkhamstedian and Tudor House Lodges at the Garden Party, and

were further delighted by a surprise visit from one of our most senior members, Cyril Mobbs and his wife, over from Canada. A magnificent £700 was raised which has since been donated to the 2009 Charity Festival Appeal. September meeting At the September Lodge meeting, we welcomed Old Albanian Alex Bain Stewart, who took part in the ceremony and the Master, Secretary and other guests from ‘Farringdon Without’ Lodge No 1745, which meets at Freemasons’ Hall in London. At the dinner following the Lodge Meeting, the brethren toasted the Provincial Grand Master, Colin Harris, and – to his complete surprise – presented him with two candlebedecked cakes to celebrate his 65th birthday! (Two cakes were necessary to ensure that all present might

Guests at the garden party enjoying a convivial lunch

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

partake!). Needless to say, the appropriate song was sung. Lodge organ sold to famous band Gilles Coudert had another pleasant surprise later in September when the old Philips organ he auctioned on Ebay on behalf of the Lodge, was purchased by none other than a member of London-based, AngloSwedish band Razorlight, whose eponymous second album and single ‘America’ topped the charts on an international scale in late 2006 and throughout 2007. Gilles, who is a keyboard player in his spare time, suspected there was a market out there for ‘retro’ instruments. Many pop and rock artists are keen to achieve a unique sound and often snap up unusual instruments such as 1960s organs as

The Dutch-made 1968 Philips Philicorda GM752 organ sold to Razorlight lead guitarist Björn Ågren (below, right). The Ebay entry stated: “A great-sounding, very rare, 1968 vintage electronic organ looking for a new, caring owner! This organ has a typical 60’s organ tone – it sounds just great!”

Visit OAconnect the OA online database follow the link on www.oldalbanianclub.com

O A U P D AT E

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

Membership Secretary’s Notes soon as they are advertised online. So he took the redundant Dutch-made 1968 Philips Philicorda GM752 organ home after the September Lodge meeting, got it working again, cleaned it up and duly advertised it on eBay. Up to thirty eBayers ‘watched’ the one-week auction and Razorlight lead guitarist Björn Ågren outbid nine other potential buyers in the last few seconds. Gilles commented enthusiastically “My wife, children and I are Razorlight fans so you can imagine our surprise!” Gilles’ daughter, Tessa is waiting with bated breath as Björn is to pick up the organ in person from their home! Terry Deakin, the present Lodge organist whose expert fingers have tickled the ivories in both Lodge and Chapter meetings over the last four years, recalled that the Lodge was already in possession of the organ when he was initiated in 1980. Further delving in the Lodge archives eventually revealed that the organ was in fact purchased by the Lodge at the end of 1972 for £170, for the joint use of the Lodge and the School. Whether it was new or second hand is not clear. So when payment is received, the Bursar can look forward a cheque for £77.50! We are now looking forward with anticipation to the Old Albanian Lodge organ being recorded for posterity on Razorlight’s next album! 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, 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 www.oa-lodge.co.uk John Williams Secretary

Check your e-mail address! OAconnect now has 1,080 registered members – but please make sure your e-mail address is correct or fellow members will be unable to contact you, says OA Club Membership Secretary Roger Cook There are now 1,080 OAs who have registered with OAconnect. However, 100 of you who have registered have not updated your email address. As a result, no one can contact you. You can easily update your information online – just click on ‘edit’ and follow the instructions. I remind you that the OAconnect site is password protected and is only accessible to those who have registered.

insert your own news items. OA Bulletin This Bulletin and previous issues are available on the OA web site. As you know, we do make a charge for delivery of hard copy Bulletin by post of £18 to cover delivery for three years. The year when your Bulletin subscription becomes due is shown on the address label. Waifs and strays As reported in the last OA Bulletin I have divided the waifs and strays into two. This issue contains the names of those who left School after 1984. Ties I still have a stock of OA ties (£12.50, silk or £15, bowtie – postage free). Roger Cook Membership Secretary

OA web site (www.oldalbanianclub.com) I have added the OA history into the site; it is over 30 pages, so be patient while it downloads! Comments and additions would be welcomed. Note that the personal news item [via the news page] allows you to

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

WHO TO CONTACT

Visit OAconnect the OA online database follow the link on www.oldalbanianclub.com

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

O A U P D AT E

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

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

Name

Last known location

1985 1985 1985 1985 1985 1985 1985 1985 1985 1985 1985 1985 1985 1985 1985 1986 1986 1986 1986 1986 1986 1986 1986 1986 1986 1986 1987 1987 1987 1987 198 1987 1987 1988 1989 1989 1989 1989 1990 1991 1991 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992

David ANDREWS High Wycombe J BANKS St Albans Laurence FINLAY HADLEY WOOD NICHOLAS J AGORDON St Albans Darryl JENKINS London N LAWSON-SMITH Aston,Witney Bruce J W POTTS Australia H J H SKARSTEN WELWYN Adrian SMART BRIGHTON D J SOMERVILLE HEMEL HEMPSTEAD Andrew TURNER SWINDON Tim WALSH Peverell Simon WELSH Potters Bar J M WENT SPAIN G WILLIAMS St Albans Andrew BALLARD London Thomas BENDING Cambridge John BLADEN Luton Adrian COOK London M C DAVIS Tewin Water Martin DEWHIRST Brookmans Park Richard M HEAP St Albans Francis H HUNT France P L NEWMAN St Albans David PARKES St Albans AdrianPETERS Luton Peter J BARRANCE Elkton Richard BROWN St Albans Christopher BROWNE Luton Owen E FLACK Silsoe David MCQUIGGAN Norwich Mark W MEESON St Albans Nicholas D GPAYNE St Albans Graham WITHERS St Albans James AUFENFAST Wheathampstead Damian HOLLINGSWORTH Bristol Justin HOSKINS Borehamwood Mark LAWRENCE Oakwood Huw CATLING Harpenden David E BOLTON Hemel Hempstead James N HAMILTON New Milton Nicholas R BURRAGE St Albans Niaz MM CHOUDHURYU Islington Andrew G CUTTING Radlett Alexander T GREEN New Barnet Daniel S HARRIS Radlett Matthew B HAYES London Jonathan JAMES Wheathampstead Jonathan B LAWRENCE Radlett

1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1992 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1993 1994 1994 1994 1994 1994 1994 1994 1994 1994 1995 1995 1995 1995 1995 1995 1995 1995 1995 1995

Anthony LIOW Neil A LUPIN Philip R MCLAUGHLIN Stephen R H MITCHELL Jonathan W MOSS Radley L MOSS Simon PEARLMAN Michael PHILIPPIDES J RAJDEV Stuart B SCRIVENS Jonathan E SIMMONS Daniel J STEVENS Jonathan M STEWART Matthew Z TURNER Kieran WALSH Timothy N WILD Michael J WOODS Tom BRALEY Andrew J BRIAN Chris BUTTERWORTH Benjamin JM CAMPBELL Elliot C CHALMERS Richard P CLARKE Matieu J CULVERHOUSE Benjamin FREDRIKSEN Daniel B GODFREY Jonathan D GOLDFARB Bradley A HART Timothy S HISKETT Simon D IVES Caroline M KING Robert KIRBY Mark J MELZACK James D MILLS Suman PAL Daniel S PEARMAN David A SEDDON Hayden M SOUTHON Seth A WHEELER Thomas CLAYTON Robert FISHER George HAMILTON Thomas LAND Miles LESTER Elliott PRITCHARD Matthew SIMMONS Caroline THOMAS Matthew TRUDGILL Adam BUCK Jamie O CHALMERS Geoffrey COATES Richard HOLT James MELZACK Nicholas NEW Banjamin SAVAGE John-Nicholas SMITH Marc TOPPER Alex WOOD

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

Hampstead Levenshulme St Albans Radlett Barnet Radlett Radlett Totteridge St Albans Welwyn Garden City London Harpenden Welwyn Garden City Welwyn Harpenden Hartley Witney Redbourn St Albans St Albans Hatfield Sedburgh Radlett St Albans Redbourn Hatfield Harpenden Welwyn Potters Bar St Albans St Albans Bushey Brookmans Park Elstree Harpenden Hadley Wood Chiswick St Albans London USA St Albans Watford New Milton Radlett Hadley Wood Harpenden Flamstead Potters Bar St Albans St Albans Radlett Redbourn St Albans Elstree New Barnet Welwyn Garden City Borehamwood Stanmore Luton

1996 1996 1996 1996 1996 1996 1996 1996 1996 1996 1996 1996 1997 1997 1997 1997 1997 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1998 1999 1999

Matthew BARCLAY St Albans James BAREHAM St Albans Ken C CHAN Welwyn Garden City Ben COLLINS Winchmore Hill Pascal CULVERHOUSE Redbourn Jonathan HINDLEY-COOKE St Albans Domonic MARTIN St Albans Paul D MICHAELIDES Welwyn Adam PINKERFIELD SHENLEY Michael J RAWLINGS Hatfield Wing-Guy TANG New Southgate Ben WHITE BERKHAMSTEAD Beth AKERS Harpenden Dean C MORGAN Garston Robert SOLOMONS Edgware Paul R SUMMERS Harpenden Catherine TOONE London Thomas E BOWMAN Leverstock Green Benjamin R BYFIELD Luton Andrew CHANDRARAJ Harpenden Jessica CRISP Welwyn Garden City Andrew FINE Bushey Heath Timothy M JAMES Wheathampstead Gemma JONES Nr Loughborough Nicholas KARAYIANNIS London Samuel A MICHAELIDES Welwyn Clinton B MITCHELL Cole Green Thomas G PERRIN Welwyn Garden City Craig E PRESCOTT Barnet Hinesh RAJDEV St Albans Sophie WATERS Harpenden Nicholas S AKERS Harpenden Mark E BENTLEY Harpenden

Notice of Annual General Meeting The 115th AGM of the Old Albanian Club will be held on 11th December 2007 at 20:00 in the ‘948’ room at the Woollams Sports Ground Clubhouse “As always, all members are welcome to attend, and the Club is actively seeking new recruits to the Committee,” says OA Club Secretary David Buxton. “We would like to see more members taking an active part in the running of their club,

1999 1999 1999 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2001 2001 2001 2001 2001 2002 2002 2003 2003 2004 2004 2004 2005

Daniel R GILSON Pepperstock Daniel GRAVES Welwyn Garden City Richard B P MYERS Barnet Michael J CASTON Redbourn Simon P CASTON Redbourn Adrian C FORD Winchmore Hill Christopher HUDSON Brookmans Park Philip J LONG Brookmans Park Thomas K BUTLER St Albans Kevin S COULSON St Albans Abigail E HUGHES Ley Green Marlon H MCCASKILL Palmers Green Oliver OVERTON-MORGAN St Albans Hannah L STOCKHAM Welwyn Garden City Michael P WRIGHT Markyate Robert S JACOBS Mill Hill Felix PICKLES HARVEY St Albans Daniel N KORN Hemel Hempstead Orion MODEBE St ALbans Kabir SHARAN Harpenden Tom BARNES

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

Visit OAconnect the OA online database follow the link on www.oldalbanianclub.com

supporting the work of the existing Committee and brining along fresh ideas for the benefit of members and the School.”

Agenda 1. Apologies 2. Minutes of the previous meeting 3. President’s review of 2007 4. Social events report 5. Membership report 6. Sports Clubs reports 7. Bulletin and Website report 8. Annual Accounts 9. Election of Officers 10. A.O.B. 19

OA GAZETTE

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

De fortunis Albanorum Professor Stephen Hawking has been awarded the Copley Medal for services to universities. Vicky Smith has been awarded a PhD in German at Nottingham University. David Frearson has completed his work at Rothamsted and has been awarded his PhD by Reading University. Matthew Grant (05) has added a Cambridge Blue for Athletics to the one he won for Cross-Country last year, taking second place behind Cambridge’s Italian international Paolo Natali in the Varsity steeplechase. Cambridge won overall by the biggest winning margin for decades. Justin Pollard (86) had a new book published in October. If you have ever wondered how Henry ll of France came to have a two-foot long splinter of wood in his head or how General Franco got the title ‘Miss Canary Islands 1936’, then The Interesting Bits – The History You Might Have Missed is the book for you. First Class Honours degrees have been gained by: Left in 2002: Greg Barden in Law at Nottingham University. He won the Maxwell Prize for the best law student in his year and was nominated for the university-wide

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

award for the most outstanding student overall. Michael Cadd in Mechanical Engineering at Nottingham University. Sally Guscott in Civil Engineering at Bristol University. In recognition of her outstanding performance in subjects related to civil engineering she has been awarded the IstructE Prize for 2007. Left in 2003: Richard Clayman in Politics and Philosophy at Leeds University. Lucy Collison in Biochemistry at Warwick University. Philip Harrisberg in Economics at UCL. Sagar Shah in Government and Politics at LSE. Mark Smith in Maths at Nottingham University. He is going on to a job with Credit Suisse First Boston Bank. Adam Sopher in Economics at Nottingham University. Tony Throp in Chemical Engineering at Birmingham University. Andrew Wigmore in Maths at Warwick University. Left in 2004: Robert Bateman in Sports Science at Nottingham Trent University. He started a Masters in Physiotherapy at King's College, London in September 2007. Thomas Baynes in Maths at Durham University. Alissa Cotton in Environmental Sciences at Nottingham University.

She is going on to do research in London. Louise Roberts in History at Leicester University. She received the Dr Williams Memorial Prize for the best undergraduate work in medieval history. Kate Verghese in English Literature at UCL. Jamie Wheeler in Economics at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Anna Wrottesley in English and Education at Reading University.

Deaths It is with regret that the following deaths are announced: Owen Buck, Member of Staff, died on June 12th 2007. He will be remembered as a softly spoken, friendly and much liked teacher of French who regaled his colleagues and students alike with stories of his wartime experiences as a pilot in the Second World War. In addition to this he, together with Bob Tanner, took many a party to Deauville and the Invasion Beaches. He moved to South Wales with his wife Alma on his retirement. Stanley Gordon Reece (32) died on 14th July 2006 in Middelburg, South Africa at the age of 92. His daughter has sent us extensive notes of his wartime and soccer playing experiences, and edited highlights will be published in the next issue of the OA Bulletin. Frank Drakard (35) died on April 7th 2007 aged 88. Joyce Drakard

recounts how proud he was to have been at the School. Dick Taylor (43) died on 15th February 2007. He had been a dentist in St Albans. Richard Hugh Stephenson (56) died in September 2005 Major J Brehaut died in 2005 Malcolm Garfield (70) was tragically killed in a road accident on 3rd April 2007 whilst on a visit from his home in Italy. David Francis Cavenagh (79), who was a keen chess player at school, was tragically killed in May 2007 whilst crossing a road in London.

The Archive Additions this year have been received from: David Buxton (61) – postcards showing the Masons processing on their way to lay the Foundation Stone of the School Hall in 1907 (see below). Also some team photos of the 1920s masters’ cricket and rugby teams and Harry Harvey’s Commemorative Cricket Ball. Andrew Frith (61) – Corps memorabilia – lanyard, badge and training manuals. A centenary magazine, OA Bulletin, 50s and 60s

Please send all items for inclusion in the Gazette to: Mike Highstead, 33, Cornwall Road,

Visit OAconnect the OA online database follow the link on www.oldalbanianclub.com

Harpenden, Herts AL5 4TQ

OA GAZETTE

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

Albanians and various invitation cards to OA and school events Progress is being made on the museum project, there should be very good news in the next issue of the OA Bulletin. Mike Highstead

Erratum Our thanks to the eagle-eyed readers who spotted an inaccuracy in our report about Roger Cook’s History of the Old Albanian Club which appeared in the last Bulletin. As Don Higson and others have pointed out, Nicholas Breakspear became Pope in 1154, and not 1054 as stated.

An appeal for memories It will be the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Old Hall Block in 2008, and the School’s Librarian Sue Jex and her assistant Janet Lewis would like to put together an exhibition of photographs and memories from OAs of the block during their time at The Old Hall Building: opened on 20th March 1908

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

School. Can you help? On 20th March 1908 the School celebrated the opening of the Old Hall Building, which now houses the Library, Geography and English departments. The School would like to celebrate its centenary with an exhibition charting the building’s history through the eyes of its old boys. We would love to receive memories of your School days spent here; perhaps how the building was laid out and used, the lessons held here, memorable teachers, schoolboy pranks you are now prepared to confess to… Any photographs you can include of the building or pupils would be greatly appreciated. The material we receive will be displayed in the Library entrance for the benefit of the current pupils and visitors alike. We hope to have it in place by our 100th anniversary on 20th March 2008, and the deadline for submitting materials is therefore the

end of February 2008. If you can help, please send your reminiscences by that date via e-mail to jllewis@st-albans.herts.sch.uk or by post to Mrs J. Lewis, Library, St Albans School, Abbey Gateway, St. Albans, Hertfordshire, AL3 4HB.

Tarpon addicts OA Angling Society members Geoff Cannon (45) and David Morgan (46) hit the headlines recently as their Tarpon fishing exploits in the Gulf of

Mexico were reported in the North West Angler, see above.

100% OA A red letter day as the first 100% OA baby is born! Robert and Judy Bee are both Old Albanians (Judy was in the very first year of girls to be admitted into the Sixth Form in 1995) and (as far as we know) are the only married OAs. Their first child, a son called Harry, was born on 11th August and weighed in at 7lb 4 oz.

OA GAZETTE

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

Jubilee Day for Class of ‘57 Andrew Barnes reports on a successful reunion of OAs, 50 years on Those of us who were lucky enough to be presented with the thin volume starting with the Book Plate of St Albans School (W T Marsh – little black book) and with care or luck can still locate it, will known the date they started at St Albans School. For the class of ‘57, the inscribed date was Thursday 19th September 1957. After 50 years it seemed an excellent excuse to make a real effort to put people back in touch with the School and each other. This year, the 19th fell on a Wednesday and the school calendar showed that the evening of the 18th

The School prefects in 1963…

had been booked for School prizegiving in the Abbey. The Headmaster generously offered to include the Class of ‘57 for this ceremony, in allocated seating in the nave, behind the prize recipients. We were also entertained at the reception after prize-giving. Didn’t you used to be…? The first rendezvous was held at St Michael’s Manor for tea. 26 turned up, with a burst of warmth and jocular greeting as those already present saw through the mist and after a variable delay recognised each new face from the past. Those moments were priceless. Among those who had travelled the furthest, we were delighted to greet Roger Davies from the Orkneys, Dave Press from California and Tony Quance from Toronto, and the long-lost Chris

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

Harris from Cornwall. Eventually we processed up Fishpool Street to the Abbey. In my hearing, conversation centred on memories of School characters, events shared, names of people long-forgotten, recalled once more. There seemed to be almost no conversation about successes and achievements during the intervening years. The joyous craick was almost exclusively about remembering shared experiences with those present or not, Marsh, Jason, masters, Killer, Holloway, Mrs Caine – “There is no seconds.“ The evening ended in the pub – where else? Jubilee Day Full assembly, 11am. School Hall for coffee. 34 turned up. Same raucous greeting for the newcomers. Despite the fact that term had started 10 days

before, the Headmaster generously found the time to give us his conducted tour of the School, from the science block, through language workshops to electronics assembly class, gym, art rooms, the Gateway, the library, New Place (performing arts) and finally a group photograph on the Rose Garden lawn (although several of our number failed to make the photocall). At 12.30 we adjourned to the OA Club at Woollams, for lunch, where Kate Le Sueur, Andrew Grant and Ian Jennings were our guests. Kate Le Sueur, from the School Development Office, had done most of the searching for escapees, with some spectacular success. We now have contact information for 60 of our 96 entrants. A year group directory is being prepared for distribution to all we can contact.

…and the same group 50 years on

OA GAZETTE

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

At the end of a most convivial afternoon, we dispersed, unsure if there will be ‘the next time’. Will the Jubilee Reunion become part of the Old Albanian landscape? I know that Mike Hodge (Class of ’58) is working hard to trace all his year group – I believe he is planning something! I have already heard the comment from one ‘55 entrant that they would have liked to celebrate their 50 years on. Alas, too late now but other excuses for a reunion can easily be found. If there are members of any year group who would like to avail themselves of Kate Le Sueur’s expertise in finding their long-lost school friends, do give her a ring at the Development Office on 01727 814391.

A time for renewal and reminiscence Tony Quance (64) provides his personal thoughts on the Class of ’57 Jubilee Day During the week of 17th September I travelled from Canada, and with many others, had the great good fortune and opportunity to revisit the School on the 50th anniversary of our entering on 19th September 1957. Some of us were very familiar to each other; others not so, with greyness and girth having wrought their changes over the passage of time. Typically, an approach with hand held out was prefaced with a quick scan of the lapel name badge

first. The most oft repeated words over the many reunions were “Do you remember…?” followed by much embellished recollections of hilarious and miscreant incidents, usually involving the schadenfreude of some poor, long-suffering master, or boys smart enough not to undergo further physical or mental torture by staying away. I found the tours of the School and Woollams very impressive. In a world gone mad with ever-present terrorist threats, an ego-driven war and a culture of celebrity worship, it is rewarding to find a School environment with a much-expanded curriculum, and celebrating intellect, teamwork, sportsmanship, and respect. During one brief moment, headmaster Andrew Grant and I stood to one side at the bottom of one of the School’s many stone circular stairways, as a group of boys were coming down. In my time at the School as boys faced with a similar situation, we would have shrunk to microbes and flattened ourselves against the walls to make way for the Head’s brisk ascent. The occasional disciplinary action by a master in 1957 would not have been out of place in a Dickens novel. We were ‘soft targets’ for the release of other frustrations the master may have had in life, and convenient targets for a well aimed hard-backed board rubber. To this day, I am still able to decline ‘mensa’ perfectly, having had it literally beaten into my head. Such action today would result in an assault charge, and reversed outside the school with the boy et

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

alia exacting revenge. Alternative discipline was administered at weekly prefects ‘up pres’ social gatherings during which, by invitation only, we were caned for minor offences. Sadly, those days are now past. Despite the aforementioned incident, I have only fond memories of my time at St Albans School. My passions for English, rugby, and athletics are rooted there. All members of the 1963 4 x 110 yards relay squad were present at this reunion but we were smart enough to revive the memory without attempting a repeat performance. I also made strong friendships that exist to this day. Hardly a day passes without another press article about our unfit kids and the growing trend of obesity in our young people. With others, I travelled from Mill Hill by train every school day, and had a 20 minute walk at both ends of the journey, twice a day, in all weathers. Over my years at the School, this computes to over 4,000 miles of walking. Recounting this to young people I meet today, used to cars and bussing right from home to the school door, I am met with stares one would reserve for an alien species. It certainly did me no harm, and I repeated the walks during this visit, to and from the station and The Black Lion in Fishpool Street. Accommodations at The Black Lion were comfortable, but as renovations were in progress, not all ran smoothly. There was a scarcity of hot water in the mornings which

reminded me of the shower facilities at Belmont and King Harry playing fields, where if you weren’t quick enough, your choices were cold and colder running water. To my eyes, after over 40 years away, St Albans is little changed, and that small area with which I was most familiar, thankfully not at all. Unfortunately, like most of urban Britain, the city has become paradoxically immobilised by traffic. Now used to the more open spaces Canada presents, I have changed, and felt confined by the concentration of people, buildings and narrow roads. Happily though, the draught beer is as good as ever and as a non-smoker all my life I welcome the new ban on smoking in public places. The typical whiny refrain by North American visitors to Britain regarding the cost of everything is constant, true, and will not be further expanded upon here. As ‘Mediocria firma’ has given way to ‘Non nobis nati’, we realise as we grow older that ‘Carpe diem’ becomes ever more important as we have fewer remaining diems left to carpe. I was recalling the trip in my mind on the return flight to Toronto, and occasionally had to stifle a chuckle, much to the consternation of my closest fellow travellers who must have thought they were seated with an escaped nutter. So after two days of good fun, good food, and good fellowship, my few

Visit OAconnect the OA online database follow the link on www.oldalbanianclub.com

OA GAZETTE

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

While on holiday in California recently, Stephen Burgess had time to reflect on the influence of St Albans and Old Albanians on the world

and drama at the school. All three of them were there in my time (19551962). St Alban was the first Christian martyr in Roman Britain and many believe he should be the patron saint of England rather than St George, a somewhat mythical figure more associated with central Europe. There are many churches in this country and abroad which celebrate St Alban. There are towns in France, Newfoundland, West Virginia and Vermont named after St Alban or founded by former citizens. There are also two other famous St Albans schools in Buenos Aires and Washington DC, both of which have hosted our own St Albans School in overseas rugby tours. It has recently been announced that St Albans is now to appear on Monopoly Boards in the future, voted in by popular demand to replace Mayfair! However, what really impressed me about the influence of the School and Old Albanians was borne out by conversations in two shops in Laguna Beach in Southern California, when I heard the song

The School has produced many outstanding people. The only English Pope attended the school in monastic times, and in more recent years distinguished academics, historian Lord Renfrew and famous mathematician Stephen Hawking emerged from the School. Celebrated film director Mike Newell of Four Weddings and a Funeral and Harry Potter fame formed his love of film

Original line-up of The Zombies, with OA Rod Argent (centre) and OV Colin Blunstone (second right)

regrets from the trip were of the guys who couldn’t make it and who I would have liked to meet again; if they are reading this, they know who they are. Also, that the timing of the reunion couldn’t have coincided with St Albans Beer Festival the following week, and that while I was away the Canadian dollar soared to parity with the US$, further reducing the exchange value of my few remaining pounds. In closing, I offer my best wishes for the continued success of the School, and for the fortunes of those boys, and also girls, smart enough, with little other experience for comparison, to appreciate the phenomenal opportunities that the School now presents, for which they will be very grateful later in life.

St Albans, Old Albanians and Zombies

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

The Zombies now, with keyboard player Rod Argent (right) and singer Colin Blunstone (left)

She’s Not There by the Zombies and dating from 1964. I believe it reached No 6 in the UK charts but it became No 1 in America in early 1965, only the second British No 1 after the Beatles. The Zombies were a band formed while still at School by three Albanians, Rod Argent, Hugh Grundy and the late Paul Atkinson, and two Verulamians, Chris White and Colin Blunstone. In late 1963 and 1964 they played regularly at Old Albanian and Old Verulamian dances and I was lucky enough to have them booked at Beech Bottom as She’s Not There entered the Top Ten in the UK charts. This song was also the big number in the successful 1980s West End rock musical Journey to the Forbidden Planet. On hearing the distinctive tune of She’s Not There, I remarked to a young assistant in Hobies Surf Shop what a coincidence to hear it as I had attended school with three of the

band members. She said “Wow” and remarked that it got a lot of airtime on US radio. I then moved to another smart outfitters and bought a pair of Tommy Bahamas shorts, had a chat with the manager of the store who was a man of no more than 40 years and recounted my story from Hobies. He also knew the song and agreed with me that it was a great number. He knew a lot of the Zombies’ work and then added that he had seen them playing a few weeks before at San Juan Capistrano or at least it was composer Rod Argent’s band together with original singer Colin Blunstone. Ah! The continuing fame and influence of St Albans and Old Albanians on a generation of Americans not even born in 1964 when the song was first recorded.

Visit OAconnect the OA online database follow the link on www.oldalbanianclub.com

OA GAZETTE

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

Life Under the Flag Familiar OA Rugby Club figure Nick Hallet recounts his experiences over the years as a touch judge The OAs first decided that I should run touch on a tour to Torquay back in the 1970s. For some unaccountable reason I had been overlooked for selection to the first team and remained on the touchline with the seconds (who at that time were referred to as ‘the Old Emotionals’) to watch the first team. I was handed the flag just as a large Devonian black cloud began to darken the skies. Some half an hour into the game I was just getting the hang of it – which is actually good for me these days – and the heavens opened. How swiftly my erstwhile touchline friends shot into the coach for shelter. How the rain, hail and thunder enjoyed themselves at my expense, dressed as I was in my street clothes. My reward, however, was given at the following day Sunday Lunch. Presented by Judge Daryl Druce, it was a finely-wrought condom which even the casual observer would realise was not in mint condition. My next encounter was at the Club’s half-century game where we played an international fifteen. It was quite an honour to stand on the line of touch behind Peter Wheeler as he threw in and marvel how the gods had crammed so much neck in between the top of his head and his shoulders. Encouraged by this brush with

fame – and being bored with refereeing the same old Hertfordshire club sides – I applied in 1991 to join the newly formed National Touchjudge Panel, organised – if that is the word – by the RFU. This meant that two or three times a month I would TJ sides up to and including what is now the Premiership as part of a ‘Team of Three’, headed by an experienced referee. One such – a gentleman from Gloucester – showed me the sublime art of precise verbal communication and empathy with the players. It was at Rugby Lions where a player begged to learn why a decision had been made against his side to be told “It's a penalty, f**k off!” I nearly came unstuck at a cup match between Blackheath and Leicester, when against all predictions the home side were 7-6 up and troubling the Tigers. Blackheath’s incredibly fast but somewhat unbalanced winger sped down the line towards a certain try when he put a foot in touch. I flagged. The home crowd, including the ladies who sit and watch whilst knitting, immediately called for my presence at the guillotine. Anybody remember Rugby Special? Yup, they showed it and, fortunately... Blackheath was also famous for having the comedians Hale and Pace in the crowd for most games. Morley were the opposition and they had a loud-mouthed, exquisitely-permed winger who gloried in the name 'TC'. The home side’s fly half tested TC with a massive up-and-under. TC confidently called “TC’s ball”, made a

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

complete pig’s breakfast of the catch and let in a try as a result. Guess what the fly half did next? Yup, ‘TC’s ball' and as the ball reached the apex of its flight Hale – or was it Pace – shouted from the back of the stand “Don't panic!” My most embarrassing moment was at Maidstone, which is a beautiful ground, also shared with Kent CC. The pitch is a good way from the pavilion from which the Team of Three were walking before the game to meet both teams as they warmed up and check their studs. This Team comprised myself, a second touch judge who looked much like myself only not so sylph-like and the ref who we shall call Lee, although that is not his real name. Lee was so fit and athletic his sixpack doubled as a twelve-pack in case of emergency. He also had a further, distinguishing characteristic in that he was the only black ref on the RFU Panel. So Lee, sighting the players, went in front over to them. On cue, the Maidstone skipper detached from his squad and walked straight towards... me. “Afternoon, ref,” he said, “would you like to check the lads’ studs?” and I am mouthing at him “No, not me, it’s him, the guy on the right…” Of all the clubs I visited, the best was London Irish at Sunbury. At the time this was a Second Division match between the Irish and Saracens. Irish were second in the table and this was the year that Sarries first got promotion to the Premiership and were top that week. I was advised to travel by train.

The Team of Three were met at Kings Cross by the Club Secretary who drove us across London in his car to Sunbury. We played the game. Sarries won. In so doing, Irish slumped from second to fifth in the table. The party that ensued was unbelievable. The event was sponsored by Guinness which might give you a clue. A ceilidh band was playing in the bar. We were driven back to the Euston Road and Mrs Hallett scraped me off the platform of Leighton Buzzard Station as the last train pulled out. Life under the flag? It has its moments.

Visit OAconnect the OA online database follow the link on www.oldalbanianclub.com

OA LETTERS

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

Miles back Donald S Green (37) remembers Ken Bréhaut, the pre-War holder of the School’s mile record I omitted to mention in my last letter that in my day, Ken Bréhaut* was the School’s record miler and I saw him run it at Belmont Hill. As far as I am aware he still holds his record. You can see him in the Bulletin of October 2003 sitting in the front row of some of my contemporaries. At that time he may have been Captain of Athletics and at the time I ran in the 100 and 220 yard flat, and also the 60 and 100 yard hurdles. In the 220 at one time when I was winning someone overtook very close and dug his spike into my leg slowing me. He was a prefect around that time, and I saw him at his home in Ditchling within the last five years. After that he moved to a retirement home in Cuckfield. * Sadly, Ken Bréhaut died in 2005 – Editor

wondered whether some sort of celebration might be planned. I have enclosed a copy photograph of the procession passing through the Abbey Gateway and going down to the lake for the pageant programme. Ian Betteridge was the boy on the front right of the picture, and I believe E J Foxall led the group and M P Davis was on his left. During the early 1970s I joined a company that manufactured adhesives, and I was introduced to a man whose face seemed strangely familiar. However, it was more than six months before Ian Betteridge and I discovered that we had both been at St Albans School although he had been four years ahead of me. In the Summer 1948 journal Ian was photographed in the shooting 8, and also gained a second place in the long jump at the Herts Schools Athletics competition. Sadly he is no longer with us. My only contribution to the

Malcolm Mitchell (42) sends us a memento of the School’s contribution towards the ‘War Effort’ in raising money towards the cost of buying a battleship

Mike Lishman (55) recalls his part in the School’s 1948 Millennium celebrations

millennium celebration was singing in the choir under the superb organist and conductor Meredith Davies. However, it was a marvellous foundation day service and occasion.

Warship Week 1941

Millennium memories

Looking through my loft recently I found a copy of The Albanian journal dated September 1948, and it brought back many memories of my first year at the School. As the 60th anniversary year of the second millennium is fast approaching I

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

The 1948 Millennium Pageant Procession passes through the Abbey Gateway

I was most interested to read Cyril Mobbs’ entry in the Spring OA Bulletin and I look forward to seeing the continuation of his memories into the war years. As a late arrival at the School - I only joined as an evacuee from South London in 1940 – I remember Mobbs and Deamer, Anderson and

Buckingham as being in the form I joined. Only yesterday I came across a painting at the bottom of my portfolio. The country was being encouraged during ‘Warship Week’ in 1941 to save by buying National Saving Certificates (I believe they cost 15/- each) towards the cost of buying a battleship and St Albans School was doing its bit. Each form had a target of £50 (quite a lot in 1941) to add to the ‘War Effort’. ‘Bob’ Tanner had encouraged us to prepare posters for the week and my contribution (shown here) was put on the classroom wall for the week. The only problem was that I had underestimated the enthusiasm for the scheme and ‘Remove B’ wildly overran their target so that the ‘speed indicator’ was inadequate for the speed achieved!

Malcolm Mitchell’s ‘Warship Week’ poster from 1941

OA LETTERS

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

Birds of a feather Mike Harvey (60) sends us a colourful account of a short trip with fellow ‘twitchers’ to Cuba in March 2007 to study the endemic bird life On the 10th March a party of birders, some interested in West Indian endemics and others wanting to increase the length of their ‘life lists’, set out for Havana via Madrid with great anticipation. The hope was to see many of the North American migrant birds on their way back north to the USA from South America as well as most of the Cuban endemics. One or two of these are however so rare as to be almost impossible to ‘tick’, the endemic, extremely localised and almost flightless Zapata rail being amongst these. After a short flight from Heathrow we left Madrid at five in the evening and arrived in Havana at 21.15 local time. Clearing formalities quite quickly with our tourist visas, we headed west straight to San Diego del los Banos where we arrived at 01.15. The almost complete absence of traffic was notable: due to the shortage of transport of all kinds in Cuba, it is compulsory for most vehicles to stop when waved down by members of the public on the side of the road. The only exceptions are some tourist buses and police/government vehicles. But some prospective passengers do not understand this and can get a little irate when passed by. Licence plates are different colours for exempt vehicles. Time for a quick mojito and

bed. Unbeknown to us or the UK guide, Cuba had decided to resume daylight saving and the clocks had just gone forward one hour, making dawn one hour later than it otherwise would have been, a slight bonus. Next day; no need to mention that it dawned dry, bright, warm and sunny; we had a short drive to La Guira National Park where we viewed many of the beautiful special Cuban birds which included the national bird. This is the showy Cuban trogon with a blue cap, green back and red and white chest. After dinner, back at the hotel, there were salsa classes going on in the grounds but in a palm tree right above the band was a big Stygian owl viewing the proceedings disdainfully, very unconcerned! Not wishing to bore non-bird folk, over the next few days we visited Cayo Coco, which would be more familiar to those liking sandy beaches, rum and fun. This is an island tourist complex, with many different hotels, off the north coast with its own airport. It is one of a line of cays stretching out from the mainland with a causeway to the first. The area is fully self contained with entry by permit only (when travelling by road) and bracelets issued for food and drink - pina coladas, punch and mojitos - great. But the cays are a very special habitat for one or two of the more uncommon Cuban endemic birds which is why we were here, (really!), and these we duly recorded. After visiting Cayo Coco we travelled by our small bus to Camaguey in central

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

Cuba, leaving before dawn. On arrival in the afternoon, after quite a long drive, at a beautiful and elegant Spanish colonial style hotel in the centre of the city, we were treated to hot towels and a welcome drink - Cuban hospitality and much appreciated. Rene, one of our tour guides, then showed some of us around the city, which is full of interest. One of the oldest churches in the western hemisphere is here, and it was also apparently the first city in the western hemisphere to have trams. The remains of the tracks can still be seen in the cobbled streets. Old cars, beautifully maintained, are regularly seen. Returning to the hotel there was once more music from a salsa band during the evening buffet. A little later on some of the local wildlife arrived to the delight of most, (these were not feathered birds), however the prospect of an early start the next day increased resistance! Once again leaving the hotel in the dark before dawn, we made our way to the Najasa area and La Belen national parks to look for very scarce endemic Cuban giant kingbirds and Cuban palm crows amongst others. This was the furthest east we went in Cuba and the following day we headed west back towards Havana before diverting south to the famous Zapata national park. Cuba is unusual in the Caribbean in that there are many well cared for national parks. These preserve the flora and fauna much better than for instance Hispaniola where forest clearance has destroyed the habitat,

especially in the mountains of Haiti which I visited some years ago. One of our guides mentioned that on a recent trip to the Dominican Republic the destruction was so great that he would not recommend visiting though the endemic flora and fauna is very special. However, even in Cuba conservation struggles due to the needs of the population, but it is doing well. I digress, however. Arriving in Zapata at 16.00 our hotel, Playa Larga, a chalet type complex with central facilities, was located right on the beautiful beach of the Bay of Pigs. We checked in, dumped our luggage and headed straight out again for a forty-minute drive to Bermejas, the country road through mangrove swamps being completely covered in big red land crabs on their annual migration to the sea. Turkey vultures feasted on those squashed by the few passing cars, traffic being very light generally all over Cuba except for Havana. Our travelling ornithologist from the Cuban Natural History Museum in Havana, Arturo Kirkconnell, coauthor of the Helm field guide Birds of Cuba, led us straight to two beautiful endemic birds. First was Fernandina’s flicker, a type of woodpecker only found in Cuba and then very local, followed by several of the smallest bird in the world, the Cuban bee humming bird which is only 6.4cms long. The male is a tiny jewel, green, with an exquisite iridescent purple gorget. There were several of these hummers feeding from a stretch of flowering trees and bushes. Really more like a bee than a

OA LETTERS

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

bird. Two or three days more in the Zapata park getting up before dawn, having very early breakfasts thanks to the really co-operative hotel staff, and arriving in the birding locations just as dawn broke, meant we rapidly increased our sightings. There were others in the hotel also leaving early but not for birding. These were fisherman after the famous bone fish which live in the shallow inlets amongst the mangroves and are real fighters on the line. Memorable evenings in the hotel grounds looking at more stygian owls and the endemic greater Antillean nightjar brought our trip almost to an end. The Zapata area is very beautiful and unspoiled with fresh water marshes, salt ponds and mangrove marshes giving varied habitats. This is the only location in the world for the Zapata wren, which was called out from the reed beds with a tape and very obligingly sat close by for the photographers. I should mention that the Zapata rail is also found here and has not been seen since 1998 but due to its skulking nature is rarely seen and probably still around. Finishing with a swim in the Bay of Pigs and a last mojito, we headed back west to Havana at lunch time on day 10, only having missed one bird, the blue headed quail dove, out of our targets, an excellent record and a tribute to the accompanying ornithologists and forest guides. We spent the late afternoon and evening in old Havana, a beautiful city with fine restored colonial

buildings, spacious squares and cafes with outside seating, for a last coffee or daquiri. There are really special old hotels here with Hemingway bars and one or two of the party stayed on in Havana for a few extra days to take in the museums and architecture. However the rest of us left on the 01.00 flight to Madrid and Heathrow without incident. Leaving me with a desire to return and visit the mountains in the far east of Cuba to look for the Ivory Billed Woodpecker and Hook Billed Kite! Not to mention downing a few more mojitos and seeing more cigars rolled on virgins’ thighs! Adios amigos.

With and without engines Former RAF pilot Tony Wadley (37) sends us this riveting account of his flying experiences – including a 12 month stint as a glider pilot during the latter stages of the Second World War in Europe I was one of the large number of RAF pilots who were attached to the Glider Pilot Regiment in the autumn of 1944 to replace the many Army pilots lost at Arnhem. Incidentally, few, if any, of us were particularly happy about this arrangement. Having been trained to fly aircraft with propellers on the front we would have preferred to continue doing so. My initial posting was to 'C' Squadron, Tarrant Rushton in January 1945, where we flew

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

Hamilcars towed by Halifaxes. I was the second pilot to Sgt Wilson, another RAF pilot. His first name escapes me now, but I think he came from Doncaster. We were not at Tarrant Rushton for long and after three weeks ‘Tug’ Wilson and I were posted to 'A' Squadron at Rivenhall in Essex, where we flew Horsa Ils towed by Stirlings. We spent our time doing practice mass-lifts and cross-country trips in preparation for the crossing of the Rhine. One exercise I particularly remember involved a mass landing by several squadrons of gliders at Great Sampford airfield. I wonder how we returned to Rivenhall from there. I suppose the tugs landed and towed us back again but I have no recollection of it. A large part of our evening leisure time was spent at The White Hart and The Spread Eagle in the nearby town of Witham. We occasionally made a foray into Chelmsford or Braintree. About five weeks after joining ‘A’ Squadron, the long- awaited Rhine Crossing, Operation Varsity, was upon us. I recall very little of the briefings now, but I remember meeting the pilot of the Stirling who was to tow us. Each glider crew was given a low level aerial photograph of the exact spot at which they were to touch down on this ‘tactical’ operation. I believe that previous operations had all been ‘strategic’, in that the gliders were given an area to land with no particular spot specified for each individual glider. Our own landing was to be in a field at Hamminkeln, a

few miles north of the town of Wesei, on the east side of the Rhine, and very close to a farmhouse which was to be used as Divisional HO. On the morning of Saturday 24th March 1945 we were woken very early with tea brought to our Nissen huts by WAAF cookhouse staff. Take off was to be about 07.30 hours. Our Horsa’s load consisted of five troops from a West Country Regiment (the Somerset Light Infantry, I believe), together with a Jeep and a trailer loaded with radio equipment. Our take-off came to an abrupt halt when the towrope broke before we were airborne and our tug sailed away without us. We were towed clear of the runway very quickly: I suppose spare tugs were waiting for just such an occasion. We were eventually attached to another Stirling and were finally away. My memories of the actual journey are hazy; my logbook records that it lasted 3 hours 30 minutes. I have one vivid recollection of seeing a Horsa off to our right and slightly ahead break its towrope over the North Sea. I wondered how the occupants would fare when the glider hit the water but they were soon behind us and lost to sight. We droned on without further incident until eventually we could see the Rhine in the distance. Away to our right, across the river, we could see smoke rising from the ruins of Wesel; it looked as if it had been flattened. The river passed beneath us and we were soon at the release- point. There was some sort of flak coming up but it all seemed unreal to me.

OA LETTERS

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

The towrope was released and we headed for our field. We touched down reasonably smoothly but, as it turned out, not quite early enough. A road ran across the far end of the field on a low embankment, the top of which was just below the underside of the Horsa's fuselage, as we were shortly to discover. Even with the Horsa's 'barn-door' flaps down and the wheels locked with the brakes, we were going much too fast and hadn’t a hope of stopping in time. All too soon we reached the embankment and, with an almighty crash, the glider's undercarriage was swiped off and we waited helplessly to see what would happen next. After a while, things got a bit quieter and we started to consider unloading the glider. Normally we would have had only to swing open the nose section, put in place two ramps and drive off the load. Now we were confronted by a glider with its nose buried firmly in a ditch and its tail cocked up in the air. We decided to get the nose section off by packing some Nobel 808, a plastic explosive that looked like green Plasticine, round the hinges of the nose section. Our first pilot fitted detonators and retired behind the embankment with the rest of us. We waited for what seemed an age but nothing happened so, with commendable courage, ‘Tug’ Wilson returned to the nose and fitted new detonators. The troops we had brought climbed aboard and headed east. We didn’t see them again. We next had to get the glider out of the way as it was forming an effective road block.

A Bren-carrier and rope pulled our Horsa back into our landing field, in the course of which large pieces came adrift. By the time it was clear, our poor old glider looked as if it had exploded or that it had made a singularly bad landing! The task allotted to our group of glider pilots was the defence of the Divisional HO. Each crew dug themselves a foxhole in a small orchard by the farmhouse to serve as some sort of shelter for the night. As it turned out, we didn't have to do any defending and, apart from a good deal of gunfire in the distance, things were fairly peaceful in our immediate area. The weather was fine and sunny most of the time: I don't remember any rain while we were there. For the first day we fed ourselves using ‘K’ rations and tommy-cookers we had brought with us. By the next day a field kitchen had been set up and we were fed by the Army. A vivid impression that remains with me is the sight and sound of 2nd Tactical Air Force Typhoons peeling off above us and diving down to the East firing rockets. The noise was quite terrifying, even from our position. We spent three nights by the farmhouse before orders came for us to return. The first stage of our journey was a march of five miles or so back to the Rhine. There we boarded a convoy of Army lorries and continued our journey westwards. We crossed the river by a pontoon bridge and spent the night at a tented camp. Next day we went on to Helmond in Holland where we were able to sleep

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

in beds for the night. The next morning, 29th March, we were taken to Eindhoven airfield, where we boarded Dakotas and were flown back to England, landing at Down Ampney in Gloucestershire. From there we were taken by road to Keevil in Wiltshire. The airfield there was our base for a few weeks but we did no flying. We didn’t return to Rivenhall. The rest of my time with the Glider Pilot Regiment was spent at various airfields, Brize Norton and Ramsbury among them, but there was very little flying. After that 12 months’ attachment to the Glider Pilot Regiment, 6th Airborne Division, I was able to bid an un-reluctant farewell to khaki battledress at the end of 1945 and start a long drawn out return to powered aircraft. This, of course, involved a good deal of hanging about, but eventually I arrived at 21 (P)AFU at Seighford in February 1946 to spend five months flying Oxfords, my first experience of twins. At the end of the course I was posted to Ouston near Newcastle-onTyne, where they didn't know what to do with me. I was sent to No 16 Ferry Unit, Transport Command, at St Mawgan where I did little flying before being abruptly sent back to 21 (P) AFU, which was then at Wheaton Aston, in November 1946. After only three weeks the unit moved again, to Moreton-in-Marsh, where I stayed until the end of April 1947. As many of you may recall this was during the appalling winter of

1947. The Station ran out of coke (for chimney-less younger readers that’s the grey cindery burning stuff) and most people were sent home ‘on leave’ for six weeks. Spring finally arrived, and having signed on for a further three years I found myself at No 202 AFS Finningley flying Wellington Xs. The course involved about 55 hours flying before going on to No 230 OCU at Lindholme to convert to Lancasters. The 80 hours flying there were pleasurable and uneventful apart from an incident one night when my instructor pushed the wrong feathering buttons soon after take-off, causing a certain amount of alarm. I joined No 207 Squadron at Stradishall on November 4th 1947 and spent a pleasant 20 months in Lancaster I(FE)s. This included six weeks at Shallufa in the Suez Canal Zone on an Exercise Sunray. After returning to Stradishall in January 1949 the Squadron moved to Mildenhall the following month. I stayed until July when, much against my wishes, I was posted to Central Flying School on the Instructor's Course. I did not enjoy that at all. The final blow came when, having been put up for a commission while on 207 Squadron, I failed a medical for eyesight and was grounded just as I gained an Instructor’s Category. I finally left the Service at the end of April 1950, seven years almost to the day after joining up. I had been on 35 different stations in that time. The most memorable part was my 590 hours on Lancasters – what a marvellous aeroplane!

OA SPORT

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

OA Sport

Home improvements Woollams General Manager Neil Dekker reports on a number of improvements to the Club facilities undertaken over the summer Sportsman’s Bar A new moveable partition has been installed to permit uninterrupted use of the Sportsman’s Bar every weekend. Pavilion Bar The external and internal PA system has been upgraded and sound insulation panels are being installed to improve acoustics. Pitches A comprehensive maintenance programme has been carried out on all pitches. OA Fitness The Club has been redecorated and new equipment installed.

Changing Rooms All changing rooms have been deep cleaned, shower heads de-scaled and broken safes replaced. Terrace Heating Additional heaters have been installed on both terraces. Neil Dekker General Manager, OA Sport

OA Cricket

Damp squib Honorary Secretary David Hughes reports on a rain-interrupted and injury-affected season for the OA Cricket Club that never quite lived up to expectations The cricketing summer had seemed to offer so much. Alas, much like the weather, results were mixed and never quite delivered on the promise

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

of spring. Despite finishing strongly in 2006 the 1st XI had missed out on promotion at the death and had hoped to capitalise with a title push in 2007. Unfortunately, performances rarely justified the hype. Certainly the loss of 1st XI captain, Mike Dale, halfway through the season to family pressures was a big blow. So too were long-term injuries to regular performers such as Simon Wood and Phil Reid. Meanwhile, non-cricketing

commitments accounted for others who had formed an important part of last year’s successes. Ultimately, it was a combination of senior players such as stand-in skipper, Andrew McCree, and Tom Preest and a selection of new recruits led by Matt Corran, Jon Smithers, Alasdair Lewis and Ravi Vijh who made sure that OAs maintained their Division 2 status. It was a particular shame that the conclusion of two outstanding contributions to the modern history of the Cricket Club was not matched by a more fitting 1st XI campaign. Andrew McCree played his last fulltime season as a 1st XI player. Even in a sport so dominated by statistics, mere figures often do not record the full importance of individual performances. Andrew's feats as an Old Albanian cricketer, during a 1st XI career that stretches back more than 20 years, will be measured by those who remember in dimensions greater than are recorded by the many scorecards, over the last quarter of a century, that feature his name. That said, the scorecards document that he stands as the Club's all-time leading run scorer in 1st XI matches and third highest 1st XI wicket taker. The summer also saw the retirement of Tom Preest as Club Captain. The role of Club Captain within OA Cricket has mushroomed over recent years in line with the increase in cricket played by the Club. The Club now enters four sides in the Herts Saturday League and two in the Chess Valley Sunday

League, an increase of 50% since the turn of the decade. Membership of the senior Club has more than doubled, not to mention the continuing expansion of a Colts section that now boasts over 200 young cricketers. Tom has overseen the smooth running of all things of a playing nature to the point where we are unable to remember how things actually ran before him. His retirement will be a massive challenge to those who take up the mantle. The 2nd XI followed last year’s promotion season by more than holding their own in Division 5. Mark Winchester led his team passionately. He ably withstood the pressures of a regular demand for his better players, that a weaker then expected 1st XI placed on his selection plans. The league campaign included a hattrick (a rare cricketing feat, indeed) for Perry Hall against Luton Town and Indians. It was made even more memorable by the fact of his first victim being Monty Panesar's older brother! Tony Perkins’ 3rd XI performed well in Division 11. Tony has consolidated a transient player base during his two-year tenure and has hopefully started building the foundations of a push up the League in the next few years. The 4th XI made their debut in the Herts League structure and celebrated their first season with a promotion, helped in

Visit OAconnect the OA online database follow the link on www.oldalbanianclub.com

OA SPORT

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

no small part by the bowling of Hiren Amin, who claimed nine wickets in one innings, just one short of a fairytale full house. With late autumn upon us, the 2007 cricket season is already fading into the annals of ‘what could have been’. No question it was disrupted from what seemed like April to August by regular rain intervals and soggy pitches. The idyll of long sunny

afternoons spent pursuing the crack of leather on willow was a hollow promise to players sitting wet and muddy at the tea interval watching persistent rain turn three hour’s work in the field into a no result. So on to next year, and the planning for a more successful 2008 has already begun. David Hughes Honorary Secretary, OACC

OA Rugby

So far, so good Newly elected OARFC President Adrian Tominey reports on a good start to the season as the First XV looks to consolidate its position in the upper reaches of the highly competitive London League One What a start to the season for OAs First XV, with four wins out of five matches in London League One! This expunges the memories of last season when we lost the first five games, albeit by very narrow margins. We have turned this around this season, with wins against Bishops Stortford (H), Thanet (A), Portsmouth (H) and Basingstoke (A). Our loss to Worthing was not entirely unexpected, as they have narrowly missed promotion to the National Leagues in two recent seasons and show the credentials to possibly achieve it this year. They face challenges from Richmond and Hertford, who failed to retain their

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

foothold in National Three South and returned to our League this season. As one of the longest standing clubs currently in London League One, we intend to consolidate our position in the upper reaches of this highly competitive League, from which London Scottish and Ealing (whom we beat) were promoted last season. It is still early in the season, but the mini/junior section have already held the prestigious Lexus Tournament under the guidance of Chairman, Rory Davis and his host of volunteers and MC. Ian Jennings' golden voice! The u13 and u15 were successful finalists in what was a very successful renewal of this major event, and a very good day for the Club. The lower sides have already had success, notably with the Second XV overcoming Hertford. We still strive to put out five senior sides with rugby for all abilities, but it’s a struggle on occasion for Fixture Secretary Darren Ead to obtain fixtures for all with last-minute ‘cry-

offs’ a particularly annoying occurrence. Long gone are the days of playing clubs through their sides! The ladies are putting out two sides, building on the success of previous seasons. They are now established in National Leagues and their increasing strength bodes well for ladies rugby at Woollams. They also make a significant contribution to the life of the Club under Tasha Saint-Smith and Jemma Knighton. We continue to host Saracens ‘A’ games on Monday nights, and these are always very well supported with many Premiership players on view. These fixtures appear on the web site (www.oarugby.com), which is full of useful Club information. The Committee shows a mixture of experience and youth. The former represented by that ‘hardy perennial’ as Secretary, Peter Lipscomb and Sandy Bell as Treasurer, and John Parkinson looking after Membership/VP subs. The latter by Ben Farrar (Social Secretary) and Peter Kilborn (Sponsorship) both doing a magnificent job in these crucially important areas. They have, by dint of their hard work, achieved

notable success in raising the muchneeded financial support necessary for the Club to function successfully. Chairman Robin Farrar continues into his second season. David Buxton provides invaluable assistance to the club as roving Club photographer, and examples of his work regularly appear in the local papers. We are most appreciative of the efforts of Andrew Scott, a longstanding and committed supporter of the Club and a generous sponsor through Vantis plc. The ‘Scott Fund’ has had great support from members under his gentle but passionate guidance, which has enabled Coach Bruce Millar to increase the strength in depth of the squad, allowing us to compete at the top level. An important VP Lunch Date for your diary: Saturday 10th February v Basingstoke RFC Please contact Peter Lipscomb on 0208784 5924 for details. I look forward to seeing you at one or more of these very enjoyable occasions, and on the touchline and after the games, in the bar! Adrian Tominey President, OARFC

Action from the First XV win against Bishops Stortford at Woollams in London League One

OA SPORT

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

OA Football

Rabbitt under Burrows Secretary David Hughes looks forward to another long season as the OA Football Club enters two teams into the Review League for the first time Perhaps only the most fanatical football fans are no longer regularly surprised by how quickly after its cessation the new football season seems to start each year. Perhaps the summers are getting busier, or perhaps the modern trend really is in inching towards year-round football. But while we are becoming accustomed to the Premiership kicking off while the smell of suncream and ice cream are still in the air, it is an increasing test for Sunday footballers to meet the demands of a league and cup fixture list that began this season in midAugust and will run until next May without a winter break. Never has the old maxim wheeled out after a promising beginning or an opening

stutter seemed to ring so true: “it’s a long season”. For the first season in its history, OA Football is entering two teams into the Review League, which remains the largest and oldest football league in the region. Chairman Simon Bates has overseen another significant increase in membership, and this strong availability has resulted in a promising start for both OA sides. In particular the 1st XI has made notable early progress in the County Cup. The ever-dependable Carl Swan will captain a maturing 1st XI this year, while the 2nd XI are skippered by Simon Rabbitt under the management of David Burrows. Following last season’s promotion for the 1st XI, this year’s target will be to be in the hunt again come the end of the season – when it eventually arrives! David Hughes Club Secretary, OAFC

OA Tennis

At your service As the OA Tennis Club finishes its fourth season, Membership Secretary Sue Barnes invites players of all ages and standards to join OA Tennis has just finished its fourth season. We have four astro turf tennis courts that are an absolute joy to play on, especially if

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

you have creaking knees! Currently our membership stands at 51 adult members, 17 families as members, 16 summer members, 14 coaching and social Members and 38 junior members, not including the juniors under the family membership. We now run three teams in the Watford District League, one men’s team in Division 5, a ladies team in

Division 6 and a mixed team in Division 6. The League starts in the middle of April and continues until the beginning of August. Apart from being fairly competitive, it is also a great social evening, as we sit and discuss other clubs with the opposition over a glass of wine during the match teas! We play twice against each team, at home and away. During the summer months there is a Club night on a Wednesday evening, and this continues until it is too dark to play – this year, for example, we were playing up to 19th September until about 7.30pm. Every Sunday is Club morning from 10am until 1pm, and then the afternoons are taken up by junior matches and training from 2.30pm to 4.30pm. During this winter we will be having senior team training from 10am until 1pm every second Sunday of the month. Hopefully this will keep us going through the winter and stops us becoming too rusty and unfit before the season starts again in April. At the moment we are a friendly, small club but hoping to grow over the next year. We are currently looking into having floodlights on the courts as we feel this would greatly increase our membership and obviously the hours of play. We have two resident coaches and if anyone would like to have coaching (juniors or seniors) we would be grateful if you could contact Diana Wilkinson, who is also heavily involved with the junior

section of the Club. If you would like to join the Tennis Club for a game of tennis at all standards or would like any advice regarding the tennis section, please don’t hesitate to call me on 07970 301345. Sue Barnes Membership Secretary, OA Tennis Club Junior Tennis at the OAs There is an ever-expanding junior coaching and playing programme for the juniors at the club with Saturday morning classes open to all junior members. Classes range from mini tennis (4-8yrs) up to sessions for both the under-12s and under-16s. During 2007 I successfully set up the OAces Performance Squads which offer more intensive training and coaching sessions for those children interested in serious match and tournament play. Two junior teams were entered into the NCL Club League and also into the Herts Summer Junior League. They had a very successful first season, finsihing second to Berkhamsted. School holiday camps are on offer during all school break periods. These have been very well attended in 2007 as in previous years. If you would like more information on our Junior Coaching Programme, on weekday Ladies Mornings or Private Coaching please do not hesitate to contact me by email: diana@kennett37.freeserve.co.uk Diana Wilkinson Club Professional

OA SPORT

OA BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2007

OA Fishing

High water OA Angling Society Secretary Geoff Cannon reports on a damp summer’s fishing from Dorset to Dumfries As usual the members of the Club made full use of the summer weather, which could be described as “variable”. In addition to monthly outings to rivers in Norfolk and Northamptonshire, small groups visited places as far apart as Tolpuddle in Dorset to the Derbyshire Wye at Bakewell for the mayfly season. As well as fishing in this country, visits were paid to Ballinna, Lough Melwin in Ireland and to the River

Nith in Dumfries, fishing for salmon and trout. We now look forward to the winter and the coarse fishing season. Bill Franklin, who was a founder member of the Club and now lives in Cornwall, has written to say he is unable to participate in the Club's activities due to the distance and problems with his knees. He sends his regards to the members and if any OA anglers are in Cornwall, he would welcome a visit. We wish him well. Again, if any Old Albanians are interested in joining the Angling Club they would be made very welcome. Geoff Cannon Honorary Secretary, OA Angling Club

OA Shooting

Fired up Secretary David Buxton looks forward to another successful season for the OA Rifle & Pistol Club With the approaching Winter Season, as ever we will enter the Herts Winter Rifle league, with a team of O L Simmons (av. 95.6), A W B Wilkie (95.6), A Q S Moore (96.4), M McMillin (91.0) = Team Average 378.6. At the time of writing, after seven rounds of the Summer league we remain in sixth place -we are not far behind on aggregate, but we have just managed to lose each round so far! By the time you read this, we will have been to the shooting 'Mecca' of

Bisley in September. The visits included Saturday 22nd September 2007 for club practice and competition. On Saturday 29 September we have the annual and keenly contested Arnold Cup Match v Old Alleynians. After the match, we always enjoy a pleasant meal booked at LMRA pavilion. In the next edition, we hope to report an improved position at the end of the Summer league and a resounding victory at Bisley to our dear friends in the bar after shooting and bitter enemies on the range – Old Alleynians! Straight barrels! David Buxton Secretary, OA Rifle & Pistol Club