Kingswood Association News

KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS

PRESIDENT’S WELCOME

CONTENTS

Dear Old Kingswoodians When I wrote to you in January, we had just been put back into lockdown and begun another period of remote learning.

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At the time I was optimistic that we would get some pupils back in school on the 8 March. I was surprised by the Government’s decision to send everyone back at the same time. It was a challenging time for schools as all students and staff had to undertake Lateral Flow Tests before they could come back. In order to maximise our students’ time in school we decided to get out testing programme going as soon as Government guidance permitted. The mixed messaging from the Government did not make this straightforward but in the first two weeks of March we conducted over three thousand tests. This operation was led by the Medical Centre and supported by staff volunteers. (see photo opposite) The first day back really had a “start of term feel about it.” It was lovely to hear and see the excitement of the children as they came back into school. One of my Year 8 English students wrote this which I thought really captured the feel of the day:

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MY RETURN TO SCHOOL Introduction and Welcome

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The Executive Committee

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Academic Achievement

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The Archives: 14 A Personal Photographic Reflection News

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Featured Article: The Pegasus Theatre

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Memories of Days Gone By

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Lives Remembered

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Obituaries

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Remembrance Service

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The Kingswood 10 for 1 Bursary Fund

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Graphic Design by Studio 74 Creative Design: www.studio74.design

“The return to school after lockdown was exciting mainly because I finally got to see my friends in person instead of on a screen. When I first saw them in school, it was as though my heart sung with joy and I was floating in the sky. It was an incredible feeling and I never wanted to come back down to earth again.

I could not believe that, after so many months of being online, I was actually with my friends in person in school. Then I had a wobble. Would we be able to talk as normal? Would there be those awkward conversations where everyone goes silent? However, it was nothing like that though! We all had so much to chat about that it felt as though we were going to burst out of our masks! We only had twenty minutes to talk before tutor time began and it was nowhere near long enough. We would need the entire day to catch up and even that would not be enough. Time just flew away from us. There were so many things that made the day special. Things that before had not seemed important. Being together at lunch time or even just sitting next to someone in a lesson. I hope I will never take any of this for granted in the future.”

INTRODUCTION & WELCOME KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

Gordon Opie

This piece really resonated with me, and I think we all now appreciate many aspects of Kingswood life that we did not even recognise as special before.

I even look forward to the return of the legendary “Kingswood Run to Lunch!” We will also need to embrace all the gains from better use of modern technology. It will never replace face to face contact, but it has certainly helped us develop as educators. I could list lots of examples of things we might continue to do in the future including: The use of MS Teams enables us to offer evening pastoral events which can be accessed by parents either live from the comfort of their own home or by listening to a recording later.

whole community undertakes Lateral Flow Tests twice a week.

The cleaning regime remains as thorough as ever, and the list could go on and on. Kindness really is at the heart of this community!

Now we are in the Summer term, it has been lovely to be able to begin to release some of the restrictions under careful risk assessment. We have started to mix certain year groups outside for sport and other activities.

We have started to play fixtures against local schools and what excitement this caused after over a year with no competitive matches. I was delighted to be able to lead the first Whole School Service of this term “live” to a small group of Year 12 students in the Theatre whilst it was streamed live to the rest of the school.

It does feel as though we are getting back to a more normal school, and this is exciting. At the same time, Michele Greene has begun to plan events for the Association, and it will be lovely to be able to see people in person again. I am not sure, at this point, what event will be the first live gathering in over a year, but I will certainly be there! Michele has, as usual, done the most amazing job

We have also enjoyed holding Virtual Parents’ Evenings which has allowed parents and guardians all over the world to meet the teachers. This is something that our overseas parents have particularly appreciated with some meeting their child’s teachers in person for the first time.

However, at the same time as all this excitement at the return to physically being in school, there were some who, quite understandably, found this a difficult and unsettling time. As ever the Kingswood community reached out to try and support everyone. The students and staff accepted the need to always wear masks including in lessons. The 1

in keeping in touch with everyone and I love her phone calls to update me on what is going on.

Her enthusiasm and positivity are infectious and lightened many a day during lockdown. She has worked hard to put this magazine together and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have.

At this point, I would like to thank all members of the Executive for their hard work during this challenging year.

Chester Lewis steps down as Chair as does Sanveer Singh from his role as Treasurer. I was fortunate enough to look after both these fine people when they were boarders in Hall House, and it has been an absolute privilege and pleasure to be on the Executive Committee with them.

Our new Headmaster, Andrew Gordon Brown, now takes over as President and this is an exciting step for the Association.

He has so many innovative ideas and is keen to work even more closely with the alumni. I have loved my time on the Executive and so have told Michele that I want an invite to as many events as possible in the future!

Gordon Opie, Deputy Head (KS 1976-81)

KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 INTRODUCTION & WELCOME

Andrew Gordon-Brown

HEADMASTER’S WELCOME Dear Old Kingswoodians, This opening paragraph of my first contribution to the Kingswood Association News could quite easily be largely cut and paste from the first paragraph written by Simon Morris one year ago, as he penned his final contribution.

Bath remains beautiful but Covid protocols are still with us and Kingswood School has been far too quiet. Taking over as Headmaster during a pandemic when a good deal of school life has been virtual is not what I envisaged when I jumped at the chance to pick up the reins from Simon.

Strange as it may sound, in my first two terms I have not addressed a physical assembly of pupils, staff or parents. All of these important features of normal school life; whole school service, chapel, weekly assembly have happened remotely, with the new Headmaster talking into the camera in the desktop computer in his study. School life has been a much diluted affair and with no sports fixtures, drama productions and music concerts, we have had

to content ourselves with long periods of remote teaching with pupils stuck at home behind a computer screen.

And yet, I can already see that Simon’s description of this very special community is spot on.

The warm welcome that has been extended to me, Harriet and our family has come not just from current staff and Kingswood families, but from alumni all over the world, and it is a real privilege to have been given the honour of leading this fine school, but also becoming a member of the Kingswood family. It is exciting to realise that when someone joins the Kingswood Community, they do so for life, and that we are blessed with a vast group of alumni, former staff, parents and governors who care deeply about Kingswood’s future.

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You will appreciate just how much the school community is longing to return to a new normal, embracing all of the elements that make Kingswood special. While the usual gatherings of alumni haven’t taken place, we have been planning carefully to see how we can make up for lost time, both in the short and medium term. It would be wonderful to begin getting to know our alumni so please do check out the proposed dates and join us for the forthcoming scheduled events. Our thoughts are also coming together around how to make the most of 2023, the year when Kingswood will celebrate our 275th birthday. Given Wesley’s impact and legacy in the world of education it is a source of great pride that the International Association of Methodist-related Schools, Colleges and Universities

INTRODUCTION & WELCOME KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

has chosen Bristol and Bath as venues for the global education conference in that year.

I didn’t know Bath all that well until arriving at Kingswood but can see why it is so popular. The allure of the beautiful world heritage city and surrounding Somerset countryside is understandable, and the GordonBrowns haven’t been the only family moving into the area! It is very pleasing that places at Kingswood remain as sought after as ever and we are currently enjoying record numbers in both the prep and senior schools. As you know, an important element of our mission is to make a Kingswood education as accessible as possible to many talented children, and through the success of our 10 for 1 bursary campaign as well as some very generous donations, I have been able to make several awards to pupils for whom I feel sure a place at Kingswood will be transformational. I am very grateful to those alumni who have been able to support this campaign and hope that there might be other year group cohorts who could come together to support us in this endeavour. I’m delighted that Simon Morris has agreed to chair the 275 Campaign Board.

As you would expect, the governors have tasked me to lead a process of strategic review, reaffirming our vision and values and determining our priorities for the next few years.

As regards the Old Kingswoodian Association I look forward to ensuring our alumni remain a connected family of former pupils, who enjoy each other’s company and who can also support us in whatever way in our mission to offer our pupils life-changing opportunities.

It is a great pleasure to be leading this community and I am both excited and humbled by the opportunity to build constructively on Simon Morris’ legacy and indeed on those of the Headmasters who have gone before us.

Headmaster and Principal of the Kingswood Foundation

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KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 INTRODUCTION & WELCOME

CHAIRMAN’S WELCOME Dear Old Kingswoodians, I have to admit that I struggled to imagine how this edition of Kingswood Association News (KAN) would look given the events, or lack thereof, of the past year.

In my words of welcome to last years’ KAN, I reflected on the poignancy of the images of Old Kingswoodians joyfully meeting in the pages of that edition, as at the time we were experiencing the first national ‘lockdown’. Little did we know that we would have to endure a further year of restrictions and challenging times.

However, 2021 has brought new hope. We hope that we can return to events (in some format) for Association Day in early Summer. We will be in contact as plans take shape.

Like everybody else the Old Kingswoodian Association’s Executive Committee has had to adapt. After a pause in activities we took to virtual meetings in time to welcome the new Headmaster, Andrew GordonBrown. Andrew has brought new ideas and energy to his role on the Executive Committee. The Kingswood community has been at the heart of our conversations.

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We are determined to return stronger and better than before. I am optimistic we can do this.

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I and the rest of the Executive Committee look forward to continue working closely with Andrew over the coming weeks, months and years. A thank you to the Executive Committee for your time, flexibility and support throughout this year, it is very much appreciated.

We are determined to return stronger and better than before.

I am optimistic we can do this.

Social events are a key and important part of what we do, but as ever I am driven by the idea that the Old Kingswoodian Association can support its members and Kingswood School in so many more ways. For example, during a difficult year, we have continued to match people seeking career advise with those with experience and a willingness to help. A huge thank you to those that have volunteered their time and please do continue to reach out, whether you are seeking support or willing to volunteer a small amount of time to help progress the careers on fellow Old Kingswoodians. Michele Greene has again been key to everything we do, putting in the hard work to connect Old Kingswoodians and support those that get in contact whatever she can.

I have enjoyed my time on the Executive Committee and as Chairman immensely.

I encourage you to reach out and get involved as we continue to evolve, drive and

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Chester Lewis (KS 2010-12)

you to all “Old Thank Kingswoodians... for showing the brilliance, resilience and optimism in our unique community.

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enthuse our support to the Old Kingswoodians community.

Thank you to all Old Kingswoodians, and in particular those that have contributed to this edition, for showing the brilliance, resilience and optimism in our unique community. I am very proud to be part of something I consider so special.

My very best wishes, Chester Lewis

INTRODUCTION & WELCOME KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

THE OLD KINGSWOODIAN ASSOCIATION All pupils at Kingswood School remain lifelong members of the Association.

We encourage you to stay in touch, let us know your news and to join us at an event or return to visit us here at School.

THE COMMITTEE JUNE 2020 TO JUNE 2021 IS; We have an Executive Committee who are a team of volunteers who meet regularly to discuss how to continue to develop and foster relationships between yourselves and the School.

President Gordon Opie (KS 1976-81), Deputy Head (Pastoral) and staff since 1990

Chairman Chester Lewis (KS 2010-12)

The members of this committee change every few years and we always have a mix of ages and genders.

Day to day running of the Association is done by Michele Greene, Alumni and Development Officer.

Treasurer Sanveer Singh (KS 2011-13)

Representative from the Governing Body Tim Lindsay (KS 1969-74)

Robin Lewis (Staff 1975-92)

Sandy Burgon (Staff 1991-2016)

Kirsty Allen (KS 1979-87)

Euan Gordon (KS 2003 -10)

Natasha Brand (KS 2003-10)

Rosie Wakefield (KS 2008-15)

Please contact the Association by email: mgreene@kingswood. bath.sch.uk, by telephone 01225 734283, or through Facebook or the website.

KingswoodSchool Alumni www.kingswood.bath. sch.uk/the-old kingswoodian association

Theo Gammie (KS 2011-18)

The Headmaster and Principal of the Foundation also sit on the Committee - for 2020 to 2021 it was Simon Morris, followed by Andrew Gordon-Brown.

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KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 INTRODUCTION & WELCOME

DEAR OLD KINGSWOODIANS The last year has been unusual to say the least! We have stopped, took a breath, and found good in the little moments. Our events were postponed and we kept in touch with each other virtually and by email, telephone and letters.

Below are some events remembered, the feel good moments, we all look back on with gratitude. More events are planned and we will confirm dates when we can.

We always love to hear from you, so please let us know your news.

With best wishes, Michele (Editor)

2011

2012

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Cambridge

Kingswood

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2014

10 Year Reunion

Exeter

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INTRODUCTION & WELCOME KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

2015

2017

Edinburgh

London

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2018

Bath

Community Supper

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2019

Hong Kong

40s and 50s Event

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KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

KINGSWOOD LEAVERS 2020 The Year of the Pandemic ELLA MCLEOD

School House

For any Kingswood student, the last few weeks of your final term are iconic. Whether it is the excitement of muck up day, the emotional parade of leavers at the end of final assembly, photos from the Leavers' Ball, or rumours passed down from older siblings about the year group holiday. As a younger pupil looking on, it passes you by that some of the Upper Sixth walking across that stage are leaving a community they have been a part of since they were three years old. Although these events are about having fun (and trying to get a one-up on the previous year), they are really a celebration of your time at Kingswood.

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...although we have now left Kingswood physically, the community spirit is something we always carry with us.

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Like most things this year, our leavers' celebrations could not be what we had imagined.

However, if memorable is what you are going for, we certainly achieved that. I vividly remember crowding into Study 50 to watch the education secretary announce that exams were cancelled. There were mixed emotions to say the least. On one hand, we didn’t have to sit exams, however on the other, and much more dominant, was the uncertainty of our grades and the feeling of being in limbo with the goal we had focused on

for two years having disappeared.

In the following months, we had the welcome distractions of full-time lessons, an online exam week and then a diverse enrichment program along with plenty of lockdown challenges and a heatwave to enjoy.

In many ways we were lucky. In hindsight, not being able to take our exams was not the worst thing to happen, and the easing of lockdown came just in time for small outdoor tutor group meetings on what would have been our last day as School. We were also the only year group to have an online Leavers' Service and Final Assembly, virtual speeches and House Entertainment. For School House this was a DIY stilton and port toast and the traditional kissing of "Bulf the frog" over a Microsoft Teams meeting. However, I don’t think my brothers were as impressed when they were woken up on their first day of holiday to watch me leave school from the living room sofa, 8

wearing my brother's leavers tie as I had already spilled breakfast down my own.

Now as we approach a year on, I am sure many of us are not where we thought we would be.

Our year is as diverse as any with a real mix of leavers destinations.

One of the aims of Kingswood is to prepare you for the next steps, an impossible job under this past year’s circumstances. However, I like to think that the resilience and good friendships nurtured in our time there, have stood us in a much better stead than otherwise. For me, the countless video calls and a lifetime's worth of quizzes with friends are the highlight of my week. Maybe it’s the lack of human contact but even the seemingly small things, like receiving a check-in text, or running into someone in your weekly food shop, is a reminder that although we have now left Kingswood physically, the community spirit is something we always carry with us.

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

STEPHEN KING My recollection of the end of the year was much like the start. A blur.

Hoping as each day passed that nothing went wrong and no one was waiting for me to walk back into the Dixon with a problem that needed solving. I was on the Upper when the announcement was made, half laughing and half upset that I was no longer going to be doing exams, but more so that House Football the next day was in jeopardy. Walking slowly back down from the Upper shock set in. Passing by people seeing a spectrum of emotions, ranging from joy to anger, but I think as people slowly began to realise that this announcement meant that that Friday was going to be our last, the response was more unified. Over the coming days we began to reflect on our Kingswood story, back to little moments that made it and spending as long as you still could in it with the people that shaped it, because giving it all up was never going to be easy, let alone doing it a term early.

Middle House

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Even though we’ve left prematurely, I always know that Kingswood is somewhere I can call home.

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Hall House

With the year that it was, it would be so easy to get swept up in it all and focus on everything we missed out on. Naturally that’s always going to be something that we all look back on and regret not having with each other, but I think the better thing to do is look at the years we did have.

For some of our cohort, that has been the majority of their lives through nursery until Upper Sixth. I’ve tried to focus more on the 6 years and 2 terms I had, as opposed to the 1 term I missed, and for someone who has never been a massive fan of cross country, missing that end of Easter term could’ve been a blessing in disguise. However, as Ella has eluded to, for us to miss the last term and a bit of our Kingswood journey doesn’t detract from the overall experience, which says something about the school and the power the community has on everyone involved. Even though we’ve left prematurely, I always know that Kingswood is somewhere I can call home.

Hall House

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KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

Alix Keates on Boarding at Kingswood...

“Choosing to board at Kingswood was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Boarding gave me a second family and a home away from home, which made returning after the holidays, no matter how home sick, such a joy and something I genuinely would look forward to. There is no divide between the boarders

and day students at Kingswood, which is so unique and gives the school a very special feeling - One it was hard to find in any other school I looked at. I cannot thank Kingswood and the boarding staff enough for the amount of fun and enjoyment they brought me for the five years I was there, from all the cool trips we went on, to just being amazing people.”

“I am very grateful to Mrs Mainwaring, Miss Moore and Miss Wright for giving us ‘Fonthill Ladies’ our last ever House Entertainment via Teams. It was not the leavers vs tutors tug-of-war we had expected, but it ended up being so much more special.

Emily Vaughan on Leaving Fonthill House...

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After being parted for so many months, it was lovely to have the House reunited to reminisce and discuss our favourite (and most embarrassing!)

Kingswood memories late into the evening.”

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION I know that a number of alumni signed a letter to Simon Morris in the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, making the point that it behoves us all to be more than just non racist, but to strive to be actively anti-racist. I thought therefore that our alumni would appreciate the chance to read a recent letter to parents from our Foundation senior leadership team on the topic of gender equality.

Dear Parents, Guardians and Pupils As highlighted in the last couple of Senior School weekly newsletters, our tutor group programme for the week we returned to on-site learning was designed to help us reflect on the importance of International Women’s Day by discussing ideas on how we can improve gender equality for all Kingswood students. The feedback regarding both the mixed format and the discussion topic has been overwhelmingly positive and we want these discussion opportunities to become the norm; for pupils to hear and explore each other's perspectives, debate and educate, and respect the opinions of all genders within a safe environment. In the coming week we will again develop the theme of gender equality in our Assembly and Whole School Service.

The importance of the issues raised have been amplified following the testimonies posted on the Everyone’s Invited forum.

Aggression, violence, intimidation, and the harassment of women or girls, are abhorrent and have no place in a civilised, modern society. The Prime Minister has recognised the need for a “cultural and social change in attitudes” to tackle abuse and prejudice.

Our responsibility as Kingswood School is to teach and model equality, diversity and inclusion as well as to tackle injustice and discrimination. We seek to do

this in many ways; for example via our PSHCE programme, tutor group discussions, assemblies, guest speakers and chapel services. A key purpose of our PSHCE programme is to educate and encourage pupils to respect others, and themselves, with Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) being an important part of this curriculum. Our School policies and practices are aimed at ensuring Kingswood is a safe environment where all children can learn and develop, and we are committed to an open and constructive partnership with parents and guardians.

As a school with a Methodist foundation, the importance of inclusion, respect, and compassion should be ingrained in all we do. As well as our pupil led Cultural Discussion Group and Pride Group who help to raise awareness across our community, we are in the process of appointing a Diversity and Inclusion Lead as an important pastoral figure within our School community. Next term, we will be asking our pupils to work with us to develop a Student Charter as a grass roots exercise, crafting the words to reflect student voice about the place that Kingswood ought to be. We will continue to work with staff, parents and pupils to actively promote equality of gender and other characteristics, be that race, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief, or other.

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Janine Solomon-Gardner Diversity & Inclusion Lead, Computer Science & RPE Teacher Our strong Pastoral team, led by Mr Opie, are always here to listen to any pupil who has concerns they would like to share. Similarly, we will do everything we can to support former Kingswood pupils who might have had negative/ adverse experiences. We are also keen to engage with those who have experience or insight into ways our community may be able to do better. We value and are fully committed to nurturing the culture of kindness, as well as the diversity and inclusion that already exists in our School community.

Yours sincerely A Gordon-Brown (Principal of Foundation), G Opie (Deputy Head Pastoral KS), J Davies (Deputy Head Academic KS), K Dickinson (HR Director), M Brearey (Head of KPS), H Worrall (Deputy Head Pastoral KPS), K Wilkinson (Deputy Head Academic KPS), S Vickery (Bursar)

KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

THE KINGSWOOD SPIRIT Amongst the many educational challenges the pandemic has thrown at us, the question of how to ensure the spiritual life of Kingswood remains healthy has been at the forefront of our minds.

The world of young people is full of doubt and difficulty – today’s teenagers are already being dubbed ‘generation Covid’ – and the prospect of long-term damage to the spiritual wellbeing of our young people is real. It has therefore been of such importance that the Methodist values of the School should continue to speak clearly into the community.

It has been a great privilege to serve as interim Chaplain during this challenging period. Given my main role as Deputy Head Academic, there has been a limit to what I have been able to achieve.

One of my key priorities, however, was keeping alive our tradition of worship. I remember first arriving at Kingswood and being rendered speechless by the vitality of the School’s worship tradition – I have never known a senior school engage so fully with a schoolbased service. I have regularly found the weekly gathering to be a deeply moving experience.

...the Spirit of “ Kingswood stood firm and braced itself, in faith, against the buffets of the Covid storm, and emerged singing.

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It is, of course, very difficult to recreate the real experience of physically gathering together for an act of corporate worship, but we have tried our best to leverage technology to bring people

together. When we were in school, students gathered as tutor groups and houses to watch whole school service videos together. Each week, members of the community prepared thoughtful talks and prayers to stimulate spiritual reflection, and to try and create a moment of calm in an otherwise stormy situation. In addition, many of our fantastic musicians offered to record themselves playing their instruments – we even managed to keep alive the tradition of hymn-singing as both teachers and students recorded sung worship for all to enjoy. It was wonderful, too, to be able to include Mike Wilkinson and Jonathan Pye on the roster of worship leaders, as well as the Headmaster and Gordon Opie.

Throughout our first term we enjoyed a wide range of inspiring talks, ranging from Dan Darwin 12

(Head of History) exploring the uncomfortable tensions of Bath’s colonial past, through to Gordon Opie’s reflections on the importance of routines and places that are special to us all.

We tried hard, too, to preserve some of the other worship traditions of the school calendar.

Many of you may have seen our recreation of the annual Remembrance Service – a collaborative effort involving students and teachers to mark this very important occasion, to ensure that our young people did not miss the call to remember the past, despite the pressing distraction of the present. Christmas, too, needed to be marked by appropriate worship. I remember reflecting that it was a time like no other where the urgency of the Christmas story would seem

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

even more relevant to our lives, with its social upheaval, difficult journeys and a climate of fear and difficulty. The message of Christmas focuses on the light in the darkness; many of our students have experienced a bewildering darkness for the first time in their lives during this pandemic and so our Christmas messages felt more poignant and apposite than usual. ***

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The rich Wesleyan heritage we still celebrate is testament to our school’s spiritual resilience.

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I write these words at the start of Summer Term 2021. We are slowly beginning to emerge from lockdown. The vaccine programme has just reached 50% of the UK population, and our students have returned from all over the world to reconnect with their community.

Year 11 and Year 13 are facing down internal assessments that will help decide their final grades in the summer. Some anxiety still hangs in the air, but is less heavy than before, and now seems more definable. The sun has started to shine and there is a new optimism growing in our daily interactions.

The school is gathering again physically in assembly spaces – the Summer Term begins with a Whole School Service led by Mr Opie with a selected audience of some of our Year 12 students. It feels good to be together again in corporate worship, reflecting on the truths contained in scripture and meditating on the areas of our lives where we can be thankful, and praying for those less fortunate than ourselves who continue to live under the very real threat of overloaded hospital systems or oxygen shortages. We therefore feel greatly blessed to tentatively begin our plans for the larger end of year events which, we hope, will include the return of the Commemoration Service that traditionally concludes our school calendar.

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For me, this year has presented great challenges, but also great opportunities. It is a true blessing and honour to say that I have served as Chaplain to Kingswood School, even in a temporary and much-reduced capacity. Ours is a special community, rooted deeply in a wonderful tradition of love, justice, compassion, inclusion and service. This school has endured many trials through the years and has stood the test of time, charting the difficult waters set before it. The rich Wesleyan heritage we still celebrate is testament to our school’s spiritual resilience.

This latest period of our history will surely be remembered by all as profoundly unsettling and sad but, I hope, will also be held as a time that the Spirit of Kingswood stood firm and braced itself, in faith, against the buffets of the Covid storm, and emerged singing.

Mr John Davies (Deputy Head Academic)

KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 THE ARCHIVES

'A PERSONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC ARCHIVE’ OF CHANGES AT KS John Lewis (KS 1947-56), Kingswood Association General Secretary 1995-2006, Fonthill Housemaster 1976-94.

1 Prior’s Court (1939-1992) Prior’s Court pupils moved back to KS in Bath in 1992 after a 13 year stay since the war induced evacuation in 1939. Prior’s Court was bought by Dame Stephanie Shirley and opened in 1999 as Prior’s Court Foundation – a school for autistic children.

2. The Moulton Hall The Moulton Hall had provided space for school assemblies/films, plays, orchestra rehearsals and concerts.

This became the J O Heap Library and was opened in 2006 by Jonathan Dimbleby – a Kingswood parent.

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THE ARCHIVES KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

3. Upper Library The Upper Library is now the Posnett and the Archives are kept in the room upstairs to the left. The right hand side was the Association Office in the past.

4. SCORER Ethan Chilcott leaves for the last time after 3 years service in the Score Box.

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KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 NEWS

NEWS Dear Old Kingswoodians I am delighted to have this rather unexpected opportunity to respond to Michele Greene’s request for a few words on life since stepping down from the Kingswood headship after twelve extraordinarily rewarding years leading the School.

Re-reading what I thought would be my final words to members of the Association written in April 2020, I can feel some eleven months later the sense of shock and uncertainty that so much had changed so fundamentally and unpredictably in such a short period of time. What I can however also see is that there was at the time still a genuine sense of hope that all might have returned to normal by the time Andrew Gordon-Brown succeeded me in September, but alas even now we are some way from being fully through the woods. In much the same way as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic meant my final term took an entirely unplanned

course, so the first six months of retirement have not exactly mirrored the immediately post-Kingswood scenario which I might have aspired to when deciding some two years ago that Summer 2020 would be my final term, but I am certainly not alone in saying 2020 did not turn out as planned!

The original plan was to relocate to be nearer family in Derbyshire whilst involving myself more fully in various activities, and especially governance responsibilities at Queenswood and Woodhouse Grove, whilst taking a breather from the type of full-time commitment which headship demanded and

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I certainly hope there will be plentiful opportunities to continue to meet Old Kingswoodians, something I enjoyed hugely...

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considering more actively what options might be for the future.

After a period in Devon, from where I was pleased to be able to record a farewell message to members of the Association, the move to Derbyshire has (just) happened and we are now based just south of the Peak District and looking forward post-Covid to settling fully into a new way and pace of life.

I can but admire from a suitable distance the magnificent work Andrew Gordon-Brown and his colleagues have been undertaking in the most challenging of

Renaming of the Sports Pavilion

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NEWS KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

circumstances to ensure Kingswood students continue to thrive in spite of the significant restrictions which have had to be applied. It is quite extraordinary what has been achieved.

Simon's tree in the grounds of Kingswood

I have inevitably been asked if I am missing the School; I am certainly missing the people in a community which means a great deal to me immensely, but I had expected that. Kingswood is a very special place; the opportunity to lead an institution of such richness and value was always a very real privilege. I knew I would miss the sheer variety of challenge which every day brought, though I acknowledge that it is easy to forget that such complexity did at times give rise on my impatient part to both frustration and exasperation!

I am, however, delighted that I have been invited to remain in touch in a small way through my support of the initiatives of the Headmaster, Governors and Director of Development as they look forward in 2023 to celebrating the 275th anniversary of the founding of the School.

I certainly hope there will be plentiful opportunities to continue to meet Old Kingswoodians, something I enjoyed hugely during my tenure at the School.

Perhaps there will even be an East Midlands reunion!? And I shall always be delighted to hear news of former students’ endeavours.

What is absolutely clear to me is that Kingswood has given me so much more than I could ever have expected and for that I remain extraordinarily grateful.

With all my very best wishes

Simon Morris (Headmaster 2008-2020)

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KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 NEWS

REFLECTING ON MY LIFE AT KINGSWOOD by Jackie Reeman When I reflect on my life and career at Kingswood I see a canvas full of snap shots of special moments; a jumble of pictures that overlap, each one a different memory.

It has been such a privilege to teach at our School and I have found myself appreciating the Kingswood ethos more and more as time has gone by. 31 years sounds like a long time and, as more than half my life, it is! To have my life entwined with my career at Kingswood is something that I do not take for granted and it has made my time at Kingswood all the more meaningful.

During my 16 years as Senior Housemistress of School House the girls shared in the joy of my engagement; especially as they were given 2 magnum ice creams each and various other treats that evening! We had blue and pink parties for the births of Lucas and Ella, carrying a baby around with me whilst on duty in the evenings certainly added a different dimension to the House bedtime routine. Inevitably in life there are sad times too and the girls in the House were unknowingly supportive.

On occasion I walked from my flat into the House leaving behind sadness and embracing news such as “come and see my ball dress that has just arrived” or perhaps “are you going to watch Grey’s Anatomy with us tonight?”.There was never a time that I did not enjoy being on duty. Young people’s lives are so precious and pastoral care is at the heart of Kingswood, playing the part I did helped to provide me with a very fulfilling career.

Of course, there is then the Mathematics teaching… first on chalk boards; there was a board in the Dixon that was particularly good! I have been grateful to all my Heads of Department for allowing me to teach the range of pupils I have requested. It is a joy to teach a class for consecutive years and this has happened on repeated occasions. Something 18

“

It has been such a privilege to teach at our School and I have found myself appreciating the Kingswood ethos more and more as time has gone by.

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that is obviously memorable for me is teaching my son with his class from Year 10 to the Upper Sixth. Fortunately for me I was teaching this class when many of them received the news of their offers from Cambridge, what a special lesson that was. Another

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memorable time was my first lesson when I returned to work after undergoing treatment for Breast Cancer. I was teaching my lovely Year 11 class when Garrod Musto, Head of Department at the time, arrived with a huge chocolate cake to celebrate. The pressures of using all available time to complete syllabuses means there isn’t much relaxation time in lessons; so I have particularly enjoyed teaching the last lessons of the School year. My Upper Sixth classes used to be amused by my parties with homemade muffins and a C4 treasure hunt or an Integration Party. It is lovely to relax with any class that have worked hard with you and for them to see another side of your personality. Which brings me on to extra-curricular activities. Taking netball and tennis teams has enriched my life at Kingswood. I love sport and sharing in the weekly triumphs (and disappointments) with the girls and sports staff has meant so much to me. There was a netball match against one school where the opposition and parents were very unfriendly towards me as the umpire. I certainly experienced the fierce loyalty of my team after that match. Of course, I also need to mention the aerobics sessions that I have been running for social sports on a Thursday afternoon in Senior Games for some years now. This has been so much fun. We had a memorable charity event with aerobics and the 1st XV rugby team and I have also enjoyed taking some staff aerobics. I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to take my sabbatical half term in June 2018. I used the time to undertake my 200 hour Yoga teacher training course in Spain. This has added another dimension to my teaching at Kingswood offering both yoga to pupils and staff.

“

There was never a time that I did not enjoy being on duty. Young people’s lives are so precious and pastoral care is at the heart of Kingswood...

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For the last three years I have been fortunate to take on the role as Chair of the Kingswood Common Room. This has given me the opportunity to work with colleagues on a wide range of issues and I have enjoyed the eclectic mix of challenges it has presented.

Returning to my canvas memories, in no particular order as they tumble out of my head, here are some of the many snap shots that make me smile (I have avoided mentioning specific pupils as everyone has contributed to my life at Kingswood)...

 Cartwheels on the Summerhill lawn with Henry Keys (the chaplain at the time) at Debbie Jenner’s wedding.  My Upper Sixth girls singing Three Little Birds by Bob Marley for the consultant in the Breast Unit at the RUH when we presented a cheque to the unit.  Doing a Blues Brothers impression of Shake your Tailfeather at an Airbands concert for the pupils in what was the Moulten Hall (now the Heap library). continued overleaf 

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KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 NEWS

MATTHEW EVANS (KS 1976 - 82)

 Taking part in the Race for Life with members of the school community and my running partner Mrs Morris.  Sharing champagne out of a bottle with Gary Best at a Christmas party dressed as Tinker Bell.  Climbing across Crib Cough tethered to Mary Telford trembling with fear to complete the 14 Peaks Challenge with John Davies and co.

 Handstands in the Maths Office with Roger White and Matt Smith in the excitement of a half term holiday about to begin.  Receiving news of exam results for various classes and those unexpected triumphs of pupils surpassing expectations.  Staff parties in the early days…the Jungle Book Party, Chess Party, Trainspotter’s Party, Charity Shop Party.

 Singing Voulez Vous by Abba with my Upper Sixth girls when I stepped down as Senior Housemistress in 2012.

 Proud moments as a Mummy for both Ella and Lucas.

 Taking part in a staff team swimming cannon at the House swimming gala in my first year at Kingswood.

So, a question often asked of me recently has been “What are you going to do with your retirement Jackie?”

 Friday evening staff volleyball games in the early days.

 Cycling from London to Paris with Debbie Jenner to raise money for Breast Cancer Care.

 And many, many more…

As I answered to one friend: it will give me the time to pursue all those activities that are put on hold due to lack of time. I am looking forward to more yoga (I am re-doing my 200 hour yoga qualification in Bath) to more adventures on my bike and in the camper-van, playing more tennis, more golf, more reading, more quilting, more photography, more baking, more music, more theatre trips, more cinema trips, more coffees with friends,…. more of everything possibly apart from free time!

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We are pleased to announce that Matthew has been awarded an MBE for political and public service.

He tells Kingswood that “I have said many times that you don’t get involved in local politics for the money or to seek recognition – you do it to try and make a difference, and I hope that I have managed to do that.

But I feel incredibly lucky to be receiving this award.

The biggest problem has been keeping it a secret from my family since I was first told about it back in May. I know my daughters are particularly impressed – now that I have something in common with Ed Sheeran!”

BIO Matthew has been involved in local politics since the late 1990’s. He was Leader of the Council between 2008-12 Mayor 2014/15 and has been Conservative Group Leader / Leader of Opposition on Newport City Council since 2003. He has been a school Governor at two local primary schools since 1999. Married to Tina Hatton-Evans since 1992 they have 2 daughters Bethan and Jessica and a rescue Springer Spaniel called Rosie.

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PROFESSOR A. DAVID SMITH (KS 1948-57) David has recently moved to Sweden and sent the Association this lovely picture of the river Göta Alv, part of the port of Gothenburg, the second largest port in Europe after Rotterdam.

“Below is the view from our ‘summer’ cottage in early December. We heard they have more than 1m of snow now ”

JAMES GERRISH Wedding of James Gerrish (KS 1998-2005) and staff at the Prep School (2005-06) to Emma Charlotte Ross on 12 September 2020.

WONDERFUL GIFTS FOR THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT The Music Department recently took delivery of an Offenbach Boudoir DG1 grand piano and a wonderful cello.

These were kindly bequeathed to the school by the late Mr David

Sawyer, an Old Kingswoodian (1936-45).

Mr Sawyer’s wife, Jane, was incredibly kind in organising this most generous of gifts, which will have huge benefit for

Music students at Kingswood for many years to come. Our students are incredibly fortunate to be able to play on such beautiful instruments, and the pianists in particular will benefit from the inimitable touch and feel of a grand piano, which is so unique and quite different from that of an upright.

The Music Department and its students wishes to extend the warmest thanks and gratitude to Jane and her family, and will ensure that these instruments are treasured in David’s memory for years to come.

Many thanks Mr Andy Barton Director of Music

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KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 NEWS

REFLECTIONS Where to start after 37 years at Kingswood and working under three headmasters?

Trawling the memory banks has been an enjoyable experience where hundreds of lessons, thousands of pupils, as many sports matches, and some outstanding colleagues and friends have made their mark.

As I think of my early days the life and customs then in the school now seem so anachronistic but there was something special about those times.

I was appointed as Head of Girls Games in ’83 by Laurie Campbell along with only two other staff Henry Keys (Chaplain)and his wife Freda (English). I was one of only 5 females on the staff. Geography teacher Debbie Jenner arrived two years later and an enduring friendship was made.

My recollections were that Kingswood was very much a traditional private school, learning how to acclimatise and cope with the foibles of the fairer sex. Boys were addressed by their surnames (not the girls);

the staff room was referred to as The Masters’ Common Room; it was not unusual to see some of the elder staff snoozing by the lit fire in the afternoon; miscreant pupils were asked to report to the Headmaster’s House at 7 am; every report was hand written and being the only female PE teacher I had to write for every girl in the school; staff socials and end of term do’s were legendary; Staff were given nicknames....

Bop, Banger, Bendy, Bonkers, Fluff, Jungle Jim, Precis, Rog,Tin Head, and Sparky to name a few. Even the Headmaster had one – Jock. I adopted the same habit and was well known for giving soubriquets to staff and pupils alike. There was something special about the atmosphere in Kingswood – a mutual respect between staff and pupils and the inclusivity of all in the community encapsulated the ethos of the school perfectly.

Fast forward thirty years and under the leadership of 22

Headmasters Best and Morris I have seen the school grow immeasurably, refurbished, added to and rebranded. Our Prep School joined us on the Bath site; there were no longer Saturday morning lessons; there was no longer the winter timetable with the late evening lessons known as the graveyard slot; the whole school could no longer fit into the chapel, nor could it fit into the dining room; Boarding Houses shifted places and were developed, the redgras replaced by Astroturf, and a second one on the Upper, the old gym with its archetypal ropes and bars turned into the art block, a sports hall built, a theatre, a music block and recording studio, a DT centre, IT introduced and developed,

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were moved outdoors. The whole school gathered and the crosses placed in the ground with the roll call for past Kingswoodians who lost their lives in war and the last post played

I feel so privileged to have “ worked in Kingswood. Like the pupils I have grown and matured there and made incredible friends.

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a new teaching block, science labs modernised. The physical changes to the school have been immense and necessary yet that intangible ethos that is essentially Kingswood has remained. Gary Best’s book title Continuity & Change so very apt.

Sports played a huge part in my own life and I loved coaching the school teams and was proud of the success and standards that Kingswood achieved. And it wasn’t just the 1st teams. There were memorable teams with unbeaten seasons 2nd team netball U14 netball and hockey and U15 hockey; this feat earned a special meal for the teams courtesy of the headmaster.

No review of sport in Kingswood can be complete without mention of the Upper. Every pupil will have learnt resilience coping with the trek up Lansdown to be greeted by the inhospitable

exposed climes of the Upper...all character building. Perhaps one of the strangest recollections was finding a donkey in the middle of the netball courts – I never found out why and no it wasn’t April fools or ‘Muck up’ Day! I have also been incredibly fortunate to go on several sports tours; South Africa/Kenya/Australia/Italy. The tourists will tell you these trips are memorable –they are right but as the saying goes...what happens on tour stays on tour. So no further mentions of that in this article! In equal measure I loved teaching all pupils to achieve and develop confidence and self-belief whether that be learning to shoot, swim or dive; to encourage junior English students in their reading and writing or to see my sixth form psychology students grasping the basics of a new subject to them. Another standout memory for me is the very moving Remembrance Day Services that 23

Boarding and pastoral care at Kingswood is close to my heart and I finished my tenure at Kingswood as Head of Boarding.

I started learning my ‘trade’ as a resident assistant at Fonthill under John and Patsy Lewis.

I had boarded myself as a youngster so understood the need to make a boarding house a home for those away from their families. So many boarders have passed through my care and the memories of so many different girls and personalities are innumerable; late night chats; the inevitable midnight feasts; the apple pie beds; bats in the room; enormous arachnids; pigeons nesting on the beds in holidays; the kitchen being the heart of the home; cake making and cooking; Saturday film nights; sleeping bag surfing down the stairs (before the days of health and safety I add), wide games, celebrating the Royal Wedding, charity walks. I used to say that Fonthill stood for fairness and fun and I have lived my time at Kingswood following that rubrick.

Retirement has been relaxing – I do miss the camaraderie and dare I say, routine, but time now for myself without being ruled by timetables and deadlines is bliss. I feel so privileged to have worked in Kingswood. Like the pupils I have grown and matured there and made incredible friends. As I walk during lockdown I can see Kingswood’s tower on the horizon and look with fondness on the place that was my second home.

Angie Wright (KS Staff 1983-2020)

KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 NEWS

GETTING THE JAB By the time you read this a large majority of the British public will have been vaccinated against Covid-19, the economy will be opening up, holidays will be being planned and life will be returning to something we recognise as normal. But as I sit here in Bath typing in mid-February, I’ve just had mine and it feels very special; and worth writing about.

It’s been eleven long months since this country’s first lockdown.

A horrific, unnecessarily large, number of people have died.

Whole sectors of the economy have shut down. Companies have closed and huge numbers of jobs have been lost. Many of us, but especially those who have had to juggle working from home, home-schooling, caring for distant, isolated relatives (often in impossibly small spaces without access to outside space) have discovered previously unsuspected reserves of courage, commitment and resilience. But of course all of it has taken its toll, on all of us.

I turned sixty-five on 16 February.

And on 17 February I got a letter from the NHS inviting me to go to their website and book my vaccination. I’ve never been personally that nervous about getting Covid. I’m reasonably

fit, not over-weight, with no underlying health conditions.

But plenty of people younger than me, with the same characteristics, have been very ill or worse. So of course our family obeyed the guidelines and took all reasonable precautions. In fact our children were touchingly concerned to keep me and my wife protected.

Yet I still felt an enormous sense of relief. Something that had seemed a remote possibility for a long time was about to actually happen.

short waits and finally, the jab itself. I have to confess I felt quite emotional getting it. We’ve all waited a year, sometimes anxious and a little bit afraid, bombarded by mostly bad news (although thank you Joe and Kamala for bringing respite), and in many cases hearing of friends catching the disease; even losing relatives. And suddenly relief was at hand and a way out of this seemingly intractable mess could be dimly discerned.

So, I booked my slot – 8.40 at Bath Racecourse - where we walk our dogs most days. The process will be very similar to the one that I hope you, the reader, have also had. But I do want to try and capture the atmosphere and pay tribute to the people I met.

And I certainly wasn’t alone in this. After the jab there was, rather wonderfully, a recovery area, with socially distanced chairs and a view out over the racecourse parade ring. And sitting there in quiet contemplation were a number of sixty and seventysomethings feeling, I’m certain, very much as I did. That something quite momentous had happened, in a very understated and British way.

The place was manned, for the most part, by volunteers. The Fire Brigade had supplied some of the manpower, but the rest of the staff were a mixture of medical professionals, NHS employees and plain old Bathonians who, rather heroically, had raised their hands and put themselves forward, for no pay and out of the goodness of their hearts.

The really striking thing was how helpful, courteous and cheerful everyone was. I used to think that the nicest middle-class people could ever be to each other was when taking their children to university for the first time and meeting the other parents. But this certainly came close.

There was a smooth conveyor belt of check-ins, questions, 24

I’m not a fan of this government.

And I firmly believe they have some very hard questions to answer on their handling of the pandemic; the numbers don’t lie. But perhaps we do have to give them credit for their vaccine procurement strategy. And of course, for making the decision to let the professionals organise the administration programme.

Goodness knows how many times it’s been thought and said by every one of us in the past year. But one more time, let’s give thanks for and to the NHS. Tim Lindsay (KS 1969-74)

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A BOATING COMMUNITY In November 2020, together with my husband, we published a photography book about the boating community on the Kennet and Avon Canal, An Uneasy Paradise: Living on the Waterways.

LOUISE TICKNER (NÉE CHAPPELL) (KS 1996-2001) Captured exclusively on film, the photography book, An Uneasy Paradise, is an intimate portrait, through the seasons, of the boating community at the Western end of the Kennet and Avon Canal. This collection of exquisitely beautiful photographs, with accompanying interviews, tells an inspiring story of a beautiful and simple way of life, and serves as a reminder to pay attention to that subtle magic that can be found in every moment, if we take the time and space to look – a much needed antidote in Louise

“

Through their images Sebastien and Louise invite the reader into the private world of a vibrant community...

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a world of fast images and endless content.

Through their images Sebastien and Louise invite the reader into the private world of a vibrant community, and through their words introduce them to a way of life that is under pressure.

The need to cover ever-greater distances to comply with the changing licence requirements imposed by the Canal & River Trust is creating a reality of hardship and isolation that threatens the stability of this long-established community.

After a decade of travel in Asia, a period that enabled them to witness first hand the adverse affects of marketed globalisation, Sebastien and Louise were drawn to the canals by a hope of finding living examples of positive models for the future – ones that offer sustainable, creative and fulfilling ways of being. Humanity cannot exist at this pace, at this level of consumption, and without spaces such as these where the individual mind can grow, rest and flourish, the human spirit will find no peace.

Sebastien and Louise are both from Bath, and after an extensive period of travel in Asia, have returned to their hometown.

Since 2012 they have lived on 25

their narrowboat, and after a journey of exploration around the country, have chosen to settle on the Kennet and Avon Canal. Compiled, edited and written by the artists, An Uneasy Paradise is the culmination of eight years of work.

To view a selection of images from the book please visit: www.sebastienandlouise.com/ press-space

Title: An Uneasy Paradise: Living on the Waterways Softcover: 160 pages ISBN: 978-1-8381415-0-9 Dimensions: 20 x 1.2 x 24.5 cm RRP: £22 Author’s website: www.sebastienandlouise.com/ shop/an-uneasy-paradise-livingon-the-waterways For a list of stockists visit: www.sebastienandlouise.com/ stockists

KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 NEWS

FOODCYCLE VOLUNTEERING This lockdown, 3 former Kingswood pupils, Amy Greene, Emma Gordon & Olivia Dellow, all signed up to be volunteers for the charity, FoodCycle.

They decided to search for local volunteering programs, as being instilled with the strong Kingswood ethos “to always give back to those when you can,” they felt it was the perfect time as they had absolutely no excuses whilst at home all day, every day not to do it!

FoodCycle is a “national charity that builds communities through surplus food, volunteers and spare kitchen spaces.” They strongly believe that food waste and food poverty should not co-exist. A sentiment we should all get supporting.

The charity functions solely from donations of surplus food from local stores and supermarkets which is then transported to spare kitchen spaces (by volunteers on their bikes). It is then made into a delicious 3-course meal by volunteers. After which, volunteers host, and give out, the meals, along with food parcels and other donated items such as sanitary ware.

Amy and Emma took on the cooking role for the Bristol branch.

Amy said, “We both really love cooking and thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of using out of date

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FoodCycle “ strongly believe that food waste and food poverty should not co-exist.

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fruit and veg to create something delicious. You do not have to be a pro, and complete novices are welcome. Everyone was friendly, and the day absolutely flew by.”

Olivia was added to the Bath group where she took part in hosting. This is the section of the evening where the meals are packed and given out to those queuing for a meal. It provides the best chance to see and speak to guests and ask them how they are getting on. She said, “We were all surprised with the amount of people who queued up to receive a hot meal and food parcel, a stark reminder that food poverty is a very real problem which has

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THE WILLIAM CROSS FOUNDATION Many of you will remember Will Cross, a Year 13 student who tragically passed away in May 2016. The William Cross Foundation was set up by his parents in his memory. Visit: www.williamcrossfoundation.org

been increased dramatically over the last year.” The girls added they would like to return once Covid restrictions are lifted as the normal practice is for meals to be eaten at a table to allow for guests and hosts to interact with each other and enjoy one another’s company. For so many these are the only faces, they see each week.

Over the past few months, FoodCycle launched a Check-in and Chat service as they had to change the way they support some of their guests. “What is amazing is the numerous conversations and laughs I’ve been able to share with people from all different walks of life” Olivia said, “with so many people struggling with loneliness and feeling isolated during this time it is lovely to be able to support just by picking up your phone for a ‘weekly natter’ as they say!”

Stage 2 Studios in Bath, run

by Dan Flitcroft, works alongside MAS Records to provide completely free studio rehearsal and recording time to young bands in Bath.

Since 2016, they have helped develop over 100 bands in and around Bath, giving them the facilities to write, perform and release their own original material. Some of the bands have gone on to great international success including airtime on Radio 1, playing at Glastonbury, Download and Arc Tangent festivals, and European tours. The scheme is funded through local educational grants and is available for bands aged between 16 and 18 years old. They also have provision to offer the scheme out to a limited number of older bands too. This year has been understandably extra challenging for young musicians, and so the William Cross Foundation has

The great thing about this project is that there are a variety of roles available across England – and slots to fit around the times you have free be that 3 hours or 30 minutes. If you can, please do get involved here: www.foodcycle. org.uk/get-involved/volunteer “You will not regret it!”

Amy Greene (KS 1998-2012) 27

partnered with Stage 2 Studios to provide free professional microphones to all successfully registered bands on the scheme. The Foundation hopes to work with Stage 2 Studios in the future to find new, expand innovative ways to help support young local musicians.

If you are interested in hearing more about the scheme, please email Dan at stage2studios@ btconnect.com

KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 NEWS

LIFE ON THE WARDS I graduated in 2018 from Swansea Medical School having previously completed my first degree in Medical Science in Birmingham (I decided later on that I wanted to do medicine).Medical school was brilliant in so many ways, but I really started to develop as a doctor once I started working on the wards themselves as a junior doctor.

I was in my second year of junior doctor training in Swansea when the first wave of COVID spread across the UK. Many of the wards in the hospital became “COVID wards”, our rota changed so we were on-call more and I was re-deployed from plastic surgery to COVID wards to offer extra support. I remember being quite anxious during this time as it was so early on and we were only just getting our heads around the fact that we were entering into a pandemic.

I went from seeing death fairly infrequently to very sadly quite often. Some of the saddest moments were having to tell families over the phone that their loved ones were dying, but they wouldn’t be able to visit. These moments made me appreciate my own family and made me realise that anyone could be vulnerable to this disease.

I found strength “ from talking with those I worked with...sharing our feelings and experiences was invaluable.

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When the most recent wave of COVID-19 hit the UK, the situation was no better and the impact (as we all know) was huge on hospitals. Swansea had a large number of COVID-19

inpatients and many staff were suffering from COVID themselves.

During this period, I spent some time working on a busy COVID ward with many unwell patients and it was fair to say my emotions ran high at times.

Working on this ward tested my resilience, but I found strength from talking with those I worked with, whether it was nurses or fellow doctors; sharing our feelings and experiences was invaluable.

Staff across the hospital were physically and mentally exhausted but everyone was so supportive to each other that it made it that bit easier.

One year on since the anniversary of the first lockdown, I now work as a locum doctor in Cornwall and COVID cases have gone down dramatically thankfully. I haven’t had much chance to explore Cornwall but I am really looking forward to the summer when hopefully things will be more normal and we will be able to socialise with family and friends again. My plan for the future is to be a general practitioner. I’ve chosen this speciality because 28

you get to know your patients over time, it has a huge variety of pathology and you truly are a generalist! As demanding as it can sometimes be, I love my job and I am excited to start my GP training in the South West come August.

I look back at my days in Kingswood where we used to hang out at the chapel and I would never have believed I would be here writing this. This goes to show we can all achieve what we want if we put our mind to it. I would also say to anyone who wants to be a doctor or a health care professional, make sure you do some work experience to get a feel for the job first. Other than that, don’t let anything or anyone stop you!

Rachel Murray (KS 2001-06)

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BECOMING JUNIOR DOCTORS The spring of 2020 was not unlike that of 2013 for the two of us with impending final examinations and exciting summer travel plans.

In 2013 it was A Levels at Kingswood and a year-group trip abroad. In 2020 it was medical school finals and electives. As it did for most, the pandemic cast our plans into turmoil.

Final exams and subsequent graduations were brought forward and we ended up being rushed in to the health service as newly qualified doctors. Billed as the highlight of a medical degree and a grand finale, our electives to The Cook Islands, Japan and Tanzania were all sadly cancelled.

The curtailing of our final year of studies did allow for some unexpected but incredibly valuable time with our families before we started our careers as qualified doctors. House moves to Reading and Tottenham followed before the big first day. Usually, newly qualified Foundation Year 1 doctors shadow their predecessors for a few days prior to filling the role themselves. However, we were able to start as supernumerary doctors with ample supervision many months in advance. Or so was the intention. In reality, we joined an incredibly stretched workforce with high proportions of doctors self-isolating with symptomatic disease.

Nevertheless, the morale amongst junior doctors was remarkably

strong at the beginning of the pandemic and made for a much easier transition into working life than could have been the case in the midst of a pandemic.

Come the August start date for Foundation Year 1 doctors, we felt much better prepared for our upcoming rotations than those who had not been able to start work at an earlier date than was conventional. To this end, medical schools are looking into how they can understand the positive aspects of a prolonged period of supernumerary work as a qualified doctor and how to work this into their curricula and it will be interesting to see if significant changes are made to medical school final year syllabuses to incorporate this highly beneficial experience.

Medical school is a long, rigorous process and consists of many steep learning curves en route to becoming a qualified doctor. Some graduates feel they could have started a few months before they did; some would rather gather more experience in medical school. Regardless of their perceived readiness to practise medicine, there is no doubting that starting out is a huge step to take and comes

Angus

Sam

Sam

...we joined an “incredibly stretched workforce with high proportions of doctors self-isolating with symptomatic disease.

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with the steepest learning curve experienced in the medical career to that point. At medical school you have responsibility for your professional behaviour and interact with patients accordingly, however this level of responsibility was incomparable to the ultimate accountability a doctor has to their patients and their care. Though daunting, that privilege which patients afford their doctors remains the most rewarding aspect of medicine.

A mindset that medical school subconsciously nurtures is one of perfection due to the competitive exams and ranking system to secure a preferred job, not to mention the medical student’s desire to avoid an embarrassing lack of knowledge on a busy ward round. However, since working in medicine, it has become evident that perfection is something even the specialists sometimes struggle to achieve on their own. As junior doctors we have to work within our limitations and accept that we are only scratching the surface of knowledge and experience required for a successful career in medicine. Becoming aware of this change in mindset and appreciation of the value of the NHS team to achieve the highest continued overleaf 

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KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 NEWS

BIRTHS

level of patient care has made working life as a doctor much more manageable and enjoyable.

As junior doctors there is neither need nor requirement to be an expert in any specific disease, however the pandemic necessitated a swift learning curve in managing the novel disease. Despite having had no training at medical school in how to treat COVID-19, it was no major challenge getting to grips with the available therapies as so little was available at the beginning and all were familiar therapies to us.

The pandemic really brought together the scientific community and with the urgent need to further understand COVID-19 clinical trials were required.

Working at centres involved in the RECOVERY Trial, it was a huge boost to know that patients we had treated who selflessly enrolled onto the trial were involved in the validation of certain therapies against COVID-19, notably the steroid dexamethasone.

It was very reassuring to see new effective therapies being introduced.

LOCKDOWN BABY HANNAH BELLFIELD (NÉE JAMES) (KS 2001- 08) Pregnancy during lockdown was, if anything, something of a blessing.

There was no pressure to conceal morning sickness from work because I wasn’t in the office, nor did I have to come up with excuses not to drink (which I fear would have raised immediate suspicion...) In the later stages, when tiredness set in and general movement became more uncomfortable, the only commute I needed to navigate was the one to the desk in our spare room and I was able to block out “meetings” in my diary when I needed to nap... I’m not sure that would have gone down well if I’d been in the office. However, lockdown also meant that my husband, Jack, was unable to attend most of my pre-natal appointments and scans, which was disappointing. And while he was able to be there for her birth and stay for a few hours after, he was sent home for the night (which I think he was secretly relieved about as it meant he got a good night’s sleep. Meanwhile, I had my baptism of fire alone on the post-natal ward, exhausted, with a crying newborn!).

The pandemic put most post-graduate training on hold, however the many skills learned during the surges will be invaluable in our medical careers ahead. An important skill that was swiftly developed was to know when someone should be considered for intensive care support, something that junior doctors previously would have little exposure to. Taking a blood sample from an artery, a required competency to graduate from medical school but little practiced, became routine practice and was a skill that was in high demand in patients with COVID-19. Communication with relatives was paramount with no visitors permitted at the hospital except for patients who were receiving palliative or end of life care. Giving regular updates over the telephone to concerned loved ones became the norm. Thankfully not routine for most doctors but still a regular requirement was the need to break devastatingly bad news to patients’ relatives over the telephone. No aspect of medical training can quite prepare you to do this for the first time, and it didn’t get any easier with time.

At home, life with Lola has been wonderful.

While lockdown means that we haven’t been able to do all the things we would have liked to do, we have formed a childcare bubble with my parents so that they have been able to spend plenty of time with their granddaughter.

We’ve also been able to go on lots of walks with friends and introduce her. It might not be ideal, but things could have been a lot worse and we’re grateful that restrictions are now starting to loosen - we are very much looking forward to a summer of fun and freedom!

The past year has been an unusual introduction to working life as doctors. It would be easy to reflect on just the challenging aspects, however to do so would disregard the significant experience we have gained that will no-doubt contribute to our clinical care in the future. Now that our country is seemingly progressing through the pandemic, it is exciting to look forward to our further medical training. We will shortly be moving on to our Foundation Year 2 posts before moving into specialty training in the years to come.

Angus Batterham (KS 2006-13) and Sam Morris (KS 2008-13)

Hannah 30

NEWS KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

RHONA COPELAND (NÉE GREENE) (KS 1999-2006)

husband has been working from home and has spent quality time with her every day.

Emilia was born in May 2020 when we were in full lockdown.

It was hard not being able to see family and friends during the later part of my pregnancy. Also my husband couldn’t attend any appointments and scans during this time. When she was born my family had to wait a while before they could meet her, however we have been fortunate that my

Unfortunately we were only able to attend a few baby classes due to the restrictions that were put in place and haven’t been able to see family and friends recently.

We have so much to look forward to over the next few months, including spending quality time with family and celebrating her 1st birthday in the garden!

WORKING WITH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES DURING THE PANDEMIC At the beginning of 2020 I moved from acute paediatric nursing to public health nursing, and started training to become a Health Visitor.

Because of this I have been working in the community during the pandemic and I have experienced the challenges the last year has presented to local communities, with the pandemic having a huge impact on health inequalities, and subsequently the health and wellbeing of children and families.

During the first lockdown I was redeployed like many Health Visitors across the country, I was asked to move to adult

District Nursing as they prepared to support hospitals by taking care of more adults at home in the community. I was with them for two months, and was then able to re-join my Health Visiting team at the end of the first lockdown.

My colleagues had experienced huge challenges as the service had been restricted and reduced, we were having to work remotely and complete a lot of visits virtually and not seeing children and families as we usually would. It has been a difficult and frustrating time, with worries about not being able to give families the full support they would usually have and what this might mean for children’s health and wellbeing.

We were fortunate that the Health Visiting service in Bath was not disrupted as much as in other parts of the country, and we were grateful to continue seeing some families at home. Over the recent months the service has been slowly reinstating allowing us to return to more of a ‘normal’ service. However, continuing

31

home visits has presented its own challenges with PPE and the risks of going into homes before the prospect of any vaccine and before we were being routinely tested. Despite this we were pleased to be able to continue to support many families, continue to share health promotion messages and support children in the very important first years of life. In particular, it was a privilege to be there for many first time parents who were without the support of their families and local groups.

I am now a qualified Health Visitor and have started a new job in Bristol. I am hopeful the service will continue to be reinstated over the next few months to allow us to fully support families in order to reduce some of the ways children have been adversely affected by the pandemic."

Rosie Wakefield (KS 2008-15)

KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 NEWS

NICHOLAS COURTENAY CARVOSSO SPENCER (KS 1962-67) AND PRIORS COURT BEFORE THAT

Joseph Spencer, probably taken around 1870

Ronald Courtenay Carvosso Spencer - my grandfather 1892-1947, Benjamin Carvosso Spencer - my great grandfather 1853-1938, Frederic Spencer my great grandfather's brother 1861-1942.

Their Father/Grandfather was the Rev Joseph Spencer 1819-71 who was not at Kingswood but was the Methodist Minister in Kingswood Bristol at about the time that Kingswood School located to Bath.

Joseph's other son Jonathan Smith Spencer (step-brother to Ben & Fred) sadly didn't go to

Kingswod School Tennis Team, 1967

Kingswood but somehow ended up as President of the Methodist Conference in South Africa in the 1880s.

Benjamin was a junior master at KS before turning to the ministry (early 1870s?).

Frederic, his brother, went to Cambridge University from KS (end 1870s?) and became a professor of modern languages before becoming School's Inspector and eventually becoming a "Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur" amongst other titles that can be found in Who's Who. His oldest son went

PAUL CHEATER (KS 1962-70) I received my Bachelor of Arts degree from Oxford Brookes University, which was a re-award of the Cert Ed I obtained from Westminster College in 1973, and styled as 'Bachelor of Arts by Incorporation'. As I think I have quipped before, I don't think any of my contemporaries or teachers will be surprised to know that it only took me nearly 50 years to graduate...!

32

to Oxford to study medicine, his second son ended up as a film director in Hollywood! and his third son is known in the history books as an officer organising the Christmas Truce in 1914 France, but was killed 3 months later.

The sons all went to Dulwich College (not KS!). Their sister Elsa ended up as a School's Inspector like her father.

Above is a photo of me found on your website taken in 1967 (Tennis Team), top left of photo standing next to Brian Payne who Phil Cole has been trying to contact.

NEWS KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

ALFIE BROOOKS (KS 2011-18) During my time at Kingswood my dad was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of cancer and sadly passed away less than two years after his diagnosis. In my final year at school, myself and my friend Charlie Webb, raised over £20,000 by running the Bath Half and the Madrid marathon for Cancer Research.

In 2019 I wanted to find a new challenge, so I signed up for the Bolton Ironman. Unfortunately I had to postpone this due to an injury, then the 2020 event was cancelled due to COVID-19. The race this year is currently set to take place on 4 July and I will be taking part with my brother.

We are raising money for Grief Encounter, a charity who focus on people who are struggling with bereavement, as my family really struggled with the loss of Jonathan (dad). So many people have lost loved ones during this pandemic, its a situation that seems more relevant than ever.

The Ironman consists of swimming 2.4 miles, cycling 112 miles, then running 26 miles. I am currently training four times a week doing two bike rides and two runs, and when swimming pools re-open after lockdown I will start training for this aspect too.

If anyone feels that they have been effected by losing someone or would like to donate to this cause it would be hugely appreciated. https://www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/alfie-brooks10

A TREASURED COMMISSION

Sherin Aminossehe (@ArchiDame) is a top drawer infrastructure specialist, an awesome programme manager and runs an investment portfolio of around £6B per annum for UK Defence.

Her day job is nuclear submarines, stealth fighter bases, the Household Cavalry stables and around 10,000 other facilities spread across the Globe. In her part time, she is a more impressive artist, takes commissions and is a great friend. Having seen her depictions of HMS Victory, Greenwich Naval College, harbours and City centres around the UK, I asked her to capture my school, Kingswood, in her inimitable, pen and ink style.

It is magnificent.

I spent my formative years on Lansdown hill. In Cusworth from 1977 to leaving Hall House in 1985, I loved every minute. Parents mostly on different continents, the House masters, staff and Wesleyian environment was my second home. In my 29th house now for 10 years, Henley has only just overtaken Kingswood as the longest place I have lived. My heart lies equally in both places and Catherine and I regularly track back to Bath, Westwood, the Upper and Lower and I fondly and

Charlie Webb & Alfie Brooks

33

boringly recollect my time at school. It was a magnificent time and was my launch pad for my career of choice.

In via recta celeriter seems apt for life in the Royal Air Force. It’s fast paced, full of ambiguity and our adversaries are unforgiving if you ponder, dally or vacillate. Combat favours those who can assimilate situations quickly, hold lots of variables in the mind, have good judgement, are minded to act and, especially, are curious and eager to learn. I have made countless mistakes, had an array of eye-watering ‘scrapes’, but have grown from the experience of each. Just as I did stood to attention in front of Mr Campbell, quivering before Mr Duchars, wincing under the ire of Mr Wilkinson or listening intently to Mr Horton. Kingswood was an amazing education and School remains very close to my heart, which is why I sought Sherin’s commission and am so pleased with her work.

Andrew Turner (KS 1977-85)

KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 FEATURED ARTICLE

THE PEGASUS THEATRE The Pegasus Theatre played a significant part in Kingswood drama for nearly a quarter of a century, before the opening of the theatre at the Senior school in October 1994.

The conversion of the stables was completed ready for an opening performance of Robert Bolt's "Man for All Seasons" on 11 July 1964; a production by the English Master, J. A. Greeves (KS 1946-52, Staff 1959-68), who had himself been the inspiration behind the creation of the Pegasus Theatre.

It was a regular venue for over twenty years and was mostly used for Lower Sixth plays.

A wide variety of productions were performed in intimate surroundings from Shakespeare to Pirandello, from Brecht to Gilbert and Sullivan. The curtain came down for the last time on Monday 4 July, 1988; the last performance was, in fact, a Westwood and Beaconfield production of Carlo Goldoni's "The Liar" produced by Mr Philip Gooden (Staff 1972-2001), himself, a veteran of some ten seasons at Pegasus.

“Kingswood and countless young performers owe Philip much

The Liar

for his willingness to devote himself to school drama.”

(Mr Smith, Head of English, Staff 1964-2002)

THE LIAR, 1988 Michael Bishop (KS 1937-45, Staff 1950-87, School Archivist 1987-2000) in 1992 reminisced: 34

“…The conversion of the Summerhill stables [part of the original Summerhill Park Estate] into the Pegasus Theatre in the early 1960s had a major impact on Kingswood drama. It wasn't a comfortable theatre from the audience's point of view; and its long, narrow stage, with no wings

FEATURED ARTICLE KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

Crisis

The Recruiting Officer

The Servant of Two Masters

The Government Inspector

and single exit, was a nightmare for producers. Yet from the start its intimacy worked a kind of magic; and from the opening production - Bolt's A Man for all Seasons - at the end of the summer term, 1964, it both filled a gap (in that it gave the Lower Sixth a chance to act) and, thanks to a succession of distinguished productions before small but enthusiastic audiences, soon established itself as an important element in the dramatic year.

Sadly, the building is now unfit, its days of glory past...”

(The Kingswood Magazine, May 1992)

CRISIS, 1964 A Nativity Play by Rev. G. D. Needham (KS Chaplain 1961-69), was performed on 13 and 14 December 1964.

THE SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS, BY CARLO GOLDONI, 1978 The review in The Kingswood

Magazine, September 1978 begins: “Although it is a shame that the Pegasus Theatre is not used more often there is still a special feeling that one remembers year after year, almost as if this unique little den saves up its own treat for those prepared to make the walk down to Summerhill. Yet the very charm of Pegasus with its cosy intimacy creates a challenge for the players. There is such a close relationship between actors and audience that much is demanded of the formers ability not only in terms of concentration but also subtlety and variation of facial expression.”

THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR, BY NIKOLAI GOGOL, 1974 Performed in the Pegasus Theatre on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, the 8, 9 and 10 of July 1974. The review highlighted: 35

“The Pegasus Theatre has an excellent atmosphere.”

THE RECRUITING OFFICER,

BY GEORGE FARQUHAR, 1983 The review reads: “The task of bringing eighteenth century entertainment alive In the Pegasus Theatre (where only the ventilation is eighteenth century) was left to the players themselves and they responded to the task very well.”

I would love to hear from any Old Kingswoodians who have memories they would like to share of their time at school; any reminiscences would add to the great stories I have already unearthed in the archive.

Many thanks, Zoë Parsons, Archivist

KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 MEMORIES

MEMORIES I READ WITH GREAT INTEREST THE ARTICLE ON MICHAEL BISHOP IN THE KS NEWS (EDITION 16, JUNE 2020).

Bishop taught me Latin and Greek, and his enthusiastic and intelligent approach to language played a foundational role in my going on to have an academic career a theoretical linguist. (I did a Modern Language degree at Oxford, followed by a PhD in Comparative Philology and General Linguistics at Cornell in the States. I then taught Linguistics at Aberdeen for many years, before moving down to Oxford. I am now retired, but continue my academic research active. My most recent book is on teaching language to the deaf in the seventeenth century, a topic which I am sure Bishop would have appreciated and enjoyed.

Bishop might alternatively have paved the way to a career on the stage for me, following on my appearance as Cleopatra in his production of Bernard Shaw's "Caesar and Cleopatra", togged out in a slinky white dress with a slit up the side, and with rolled up rugger socks in the padded bra, fitted (if I remember right) by Mrs Sackett in person. In the following year, I played a walk-on part as a pike-holder in Pirandello's "Henry IV", which only had a single line, but required my lighting up a cigarette on stage, which won me greater fame from my class-mates than did my previous appearance as Cleopatra. However, the groves of academe beckoned more strongly.

Michael Bishop was a first-rate teacher, he was enormously and un-pompously talented, and above all he was just a very nice and kind man. I owe him a lot.

David Cram (KS 1956-62)

MEMORIES OF MICHAEL BISHOP AMB was my Housemaster and although I didn’t appreciate it at the time he had an enormous influence on my intellectual development. I was truly fortunate in having been taught by Michael Bishop (Latin, at which I did not particularly excel), George Hubbuck (Ancient History) and Alec Dakin (also Ancient History), and was enthused to read Ancient History and Archaeology at university and subsequently pursue a career as an archaeologist.

Michael was a truly humane man; erudite, witty, kindly, and with the patience of a saint which we sometimes tested to the limit. When I told him I was an archaeologist at the Middle House Centenary re-union in 1995 he beamed and said ‘what a splendid thing to be’.

At the back of my mind I can recall an oft-heard exchange with AMB: AMB (in sonorous tone): ‘What is the purpose of language?’

Boy (who had mumbled: or been imprecise) ‘To communicate, sir’ AMB: ‘Then kindly communicate!'

Jonathan Parkhouse (KS 1963-72)

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MEMORIES KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

School House 1943-1944

MEMORIES FROM KEN SMITH (KS 1937-44) I read with interest the obituary for David Sawyer in the last magazine (issue 16) as it reminded me that he was a few months younger than me, and started at Westwood a year before I did, and certainly had a varied career in later years.

We met up at Uppingham a couple of times fairly recently, and exchanged Christmas Cards every year. I played trumpet in the school orchestra under Percy Hancock, but joined the Horn section for any work which required four horns (eg. Peter and the Wolf) and we also played in "unofficial" groups - organised

by Mike Watson (who mentioned me in a Magazine article he wrote shortly before his death a couple of years ago). Most of this brass section attended the first Ernest Read Summer School for young musicians from all over the UK held at the Sherborne Girls School at the start of the summer holidays in 1943, which was an amazing experience. My working life was less varied than David's, and when my father died in 1976 I found he had kept

all my school reports, which gave me a surprise when I read that Sackett had suggested, as a career, in my final report that of Quantity Surveyor - which was my job (after Army service) for the whole of my working life! I met my wife in the Army, and have frequently said to my children and grandchildren that if it hadn't been for Hitler none of them would be here!

The number of "Uppinghamites" must be getting fewer as the years go by, and looking through the obituaries always saddens me when the magazine drops through my letter box.

I have contributed from time to time (including a piece in Michael Bishop's "Uppingham Remembered" publication). My father being in the same District as Michael's father when he was Chairman, living at Oxford, Michael and I spent some of the long summer holidays together and we both moved up through the school in School House, studying Classics under John Gardner. My memories 37

are however different to some of Michael's as we moved in different circles outside the classroom. My two daughters (now both in their 70s) have always been amazed at my memory and have insisted that I write my own Life story, which I have done up to the time I retired from work in 1991. The following years up to the present day, although full of memories, would not be of any interest outside the family. So "watch this space" as they say! I have just become a Great Grandfather for the 8th time by the way.

KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 MEMORIES

MEMORIES FROM DAVID BOTT (KS 1951-58) HAPPY MEMORIES; Remembrance Sunday is important for me as my father, Eugene Douglas Higginbotham, was a Flight Sergeant in the Volunteer RAF who trained Spitfire pilots for combat missions. He lost his life after an accident in 1945.

I was only a few months old at the time and as I was a semi orphan and my mother had to work as Deputy Head at Ledbury Grammar School, I was sent at 2 years old to an Orphanage near Gloucester (I remember it well!) thence on to Infant and Junior schools in Ledbury. As my mother had to look after my sister (4 years older than me and still going strong at 80!), I was then sent to Priors Court and then on to Kingswood, which I enjoyed every minute of!

Living as we did on top of a hill, water sports might not be seen as a recreation pastime. In fact sailing had an enthusiastic following in my final school years. Encouraged by FGR (Bob) Fisher we became members of the Island Cruising Club at Salcombe, Devon and crewed a yacht (Provident) to Guernsey in 1957 and thereafter took holidays on the Norfolk Broads in 1958.

KS had a longstanding sporting reputation in the West Country which was enhanced in 1955 when KS athletes were outstanding in the Somerset AAA Championships winning 14 medals including several County records. As a point of interest one medal winner was a Millfield girl, Mary Bignall, who as Mary Rand went on to win the Olympic Gold at Rome in 1959.

With the splendid facilities on the Upper I am sure that the school continues to turn out “stars.”

I only found out recently, that the then Head at Ledbury Grammar School, Mr Brewin, was an ex KS boy and must have helped my mother with the fees (then about £300/year!) and often visited me at KS and gave me lots of Mars bars from the tuck shop!

Pocket money was 1 shilling and we had to put 6 pence in the Sunday Chapel collection!

John Higginbotham (KS 1954-63)

38

“

...we became members of the Island Cruising Club at Salcombe, Devon...

ˮ

MEMORIES KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

Further to the last edition of Kingswood Association News, the School was contacted by John Talbot (KS 1955-60) to let us know a few facts we had forgotten to mention. He told us that;

The shotput record was initially set during my time at the May sports day of 1956 when David Waterhouse achieved 46 feet 0 inches (14.02 metres). He subsequently represented the school in several inter-public school competitions and possibly others I was not aware of. But I do know, later that summer, he increased the school record to a staggering 51 feet 8 inches (15.75 metres).

SPORTING MEMORIES

(Fig. 1) KS Sports Day, 21 May 1960

(Fig. 2) 1.5kg discus, 145 feet School record by 7 feet

(Fig. 3) 1.5kg discus throw, approx 135 feet. Best throw was 145 feet, the School record

(Fig. 4) School record discus throw.

1.5kg discus, 145 feet

I did achieve many landmarks in the shotput when in 1959 I represented Kingswood at the All England Schools Athletics Championships at the White City stadium in London as well as becoming the Junior shotput champion of Somerset. In my final year of 1960, I improved significantly on those results, but was not quite able to emulate David on either Sports Day 1960 or in subsequent inter-school matches.

With regard to the discus, I refer to figures 1-4 , which show the sequence of events of me throwing the record winning throw on 21 May 1960 at 145 feet (44.20 metres). This took place on the sports day of 1960 on the then new cinder track with the new concrete circles for throwing on the Kingswood Upper.

Figure 5 is a team photograph of the school’s athletics team of which I was the captain seated in the middle of the front row of which it is interesting to note also Mr RA Clark seating second to my right and RG Curtley (team vice-captain) sitting second to my left.

With regard to all the above information, these throwing records were achieved using a 12Ib shot and a 1.5kg discus as being the correct weight for under 19 year old competition at that time.

(Fig. 5) Kingswood School Athletics Team, May 1960

39

KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 MEMORIES

MEAL TIMES 1950. Seventy years and two generations have passed since I entered Westwood, although I recall nothing of the dining arrangements.

The Second World War had ended a mere five years earlier, leaving the Country scarred and deeply in debt. Food would be rationed for a further four years. The Health and Safety Commission wasn’t formed until 1974, and the Food Standards Agency wasn’t created until 2001 with its Food Hygiene Award. This historical context is important for what follows.

The early bell rang at 7.20am and again at 7.30am I think, allowing 10 minutes for us to wash, dress, turn back our bed covers, and get down to breakfast. Mealtimes were something of a ritual. We sat on backless wooden benches at long scrubbed designated House and age tables. At lunchtimes, Housemasters dished up, at other meals prefects presided.

It was at mealtimes that the roll-call was taken; the names of any absentees were passed

to the Master on Duty at the High Table, together with any staff notices to be read out. At the end of each meal, he would stand at the edge of the platform facing the assembled masses.

The hall would fall silent, and the prefects from the Duty House for the week, filed out and assembled under the doorway at the entrance. Following Grace and the notices, the Master on Duty bowed to the prefects, who returned his bow.

This routine could, however, be easily disrupted. By a stroke of good fortune, the school bell hung just outside by dorm window. On April Fool’s day one year, I muffled the clapper, so that no sound was heard at 07.20 or 07.30. Chaos ensued at breakfast.

On another occasion, having perfected the signature of my Housemaster, J.W. Gardiner,

“

Mealtime fare was supplemented by the buns at morning break...

ˮ

I placed a notice, ‘signed’ by him on the High Table, for the Master on Duty to read out. “Any boy intending to visit the Sevena-Side tournament at Rosslyn Park during the Easter Holidays, should see Mr Gardiner immediately after breakfast.”

There was a queue of curious boys stretching from his room on the first floor, down the stairs and along the school’s main corridor. It was some time before a master or prefect enquired into the situation, and dispersed the numbers. Mr Gardiner had left for London with the team, the night before.

I can’t say objectively whether the food was good or bad, children never can, but I do have some recollections which may provide an insight. We were quite resigned to the persistent lumps in the morning porridge, but a cockroach was not acceptable.

One night, feeling more hungry than usual, I left the dorm and crept down to the kitchens in search of something to nibble.

As I turned on the light, the floor literally moved; it was covered in scuttling cockroaches.

Meat was still on ration, but that didn’t apply to game or rabbits; or fish for that matter. Now I would have had no objection to eating rabbit, had it not been served up with whole skinned animals lying pink, naked

Westwood from the South, 1950s

40

MEMORIES KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

and swimming in brown glutinous onion gravy.

The second course was an alternating daily offering of milk or suet pudding.

Rice and semolina, I could stomach, but not tapioca – frog spawn. The stodgy suet pudding came in the form of long cylinders, cut into rings and smothered in custard, plain, chocolate or spotted with currants – babies’ legs.

During the summer term as local produce became available, salad appeared on the menu. However, the lettuce was not the tight Icebergs I love, but the loose-leafed variety, generously served with slugs, extra meat ration.

I always contrived to sit at the end of the table at the centre aisle. As such I was partly responsible for piling up the plates and dishes which were loaded onto the trolley pushed by one of the maids.

I was always curious about the legend burned into the side of the wooden box for the used cutlery: Substandard, dried fruit salad.

KS Food Hygiene Rating 0.

‘Urgent improvement is required.’

Mealtime fare was supplemented by the buns at morning break and at 4.00pm before lessons, by tuck from home, from the tuck shop, and by visits to the upstairs café in Kingsmead Square.

The lasting effect sadly, is that for me, like Margaret Thatcher, “Eating is merely refuelling”.

Howard Brayton (School House 1950-57)

MEMORIES FROM PETER REVINGTON (KS 1966-71) I was sorry to note the demise of Charlie Moss, with whom I shared a ‘Bath night’ while in the fifth form in Middle. The two baths were separated by a wooded partition, but shared a common light bulb… which one night broke when Charlie squirted it with water, leaving us in the dark with bits of glass…I remember that he sported a silk suit in the sixth form, which he had made in Hong Kong, and which was the sartorial envy of many!

‘Pinafore’ in the old Pegasus Theatre L to R: Patterson, ? Martin Gough, Colin Frampton (Capt. Corcoran), Self (Hebe), Ian Royle (Sir Joseph Porter KCB), Ball (Dick Deadeye).

I was also amused to read Marcus Sealy’s reminiscences.

I remember his first days quite well… as one of the prefects in Westwood to whom he alludes…

I am still in touch with two of the others… J Roger Jones, until recently Headmaster at Dean Close in Cheltenham and David Morgan (His Honour...Judge Dredd!) in S.Wales.

I think I was in company with them when apprehended one Christmas by Bob Clarke, in the 'Claremont Arms’, along with most of the sixth form, who had already seen the end of term film... 'The Charge of the Light Brigade’. The empty rows drew attention to our absence! We all got ‘gated’ the following term.

The place seems to have changed beyond all recognition, from an all boys boarding school of approximately 500 to the size and make up that it is now, but then so has the rest of the country.

I am sometimes asked where my son (who is a minor rock star) gets his talent. Since I can neither read music, nor sing a note, I invariably reply that he

41

owes it all to me… since my role as ‘Cousin Hebe’ in the Beaconsfield production of HMS Pinafore in 1967, directed by Mrs Prins-Buttle, which even went on tour to Priors Court…

I ended up in the South West, after a spell in the Army and a decade in London, I started as a consultant at Frenchay Hospital in 1994, but moved to the BRI/ Children's hospital after it closed, where I continue as part of the regional cleft lip & palate team… I shall retire next year, when I shall be 67. I reverted to the reserves after the regular army, and was fortunate to have got to teach on a bunch of courses that we ran for others, which took me to countries like Sweden, South Africa and of course Germany. I did a tour in Afghanistan in 2007, during the conflict having got leave from the NHS; which was one of the most memorable experiences of my career, serving in the Role 3 multinational hospital in Kandahar… which was a bit like MASH, only colder, as I was there in February/March.

KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 MEMORIES

MY KINGSWOOD LIFE

By Stephen Pillow

During 2019 my wife encouraged me to write about my time at KS for my children and grandchildren, which I did, and in the process unlocked many memories.

WESTWOOD In the first week of September 1960 the journey began. The first thing was ‘the trunk’. Everybody transported all their worldly goods to school in a cabin trunk as used for voyages across the sea. My name was meticulously painted on the lid with the initials SJP on one end to make it easily identifiable when the hundreds were all stood on end in the collection point between the senior and junior quads.

Currently it still lives with us. The trunk was picked up by courier a few days before term and, taken by train it would be there on arrival. Immediately you needed a friend to help you lug the thing to the dormitory for unpacking.

Westwood was a separate junior house away from the potentially terrifying ‘big school’ the other side of the road. 3rd formers, as I was, were all new to boarding school but 4th formers were a mixture of last years 3rd form and those coming from Prior’s Court, the boarding prep school in Newbury – and very cocky and assured they were generally.

Life was not a bed of roses initially.

I was terribly homesick. Probably many others were as well but it was a painful loneliness. The only contact with home was one letter a week each way. There was no telephone or other means of communication. I don’t recall a lot of support from the Housemaster (the rather terrifying Phil Arnold) but there probably was and I sort of understand the idea of toughing it out – nowadays I guess I would have had a pastoral support team and counselling!

There was no half term as such but we had two separate days known as ‘Whole Holidays’ when we could do essentially what we liked providing it was approved by the Housemaster. We had half days on Thursday and games on Wednesday and Saturday, lessons in the morning and sport in the afternoon.

We younger 3rd formers were housed in 6 bedded dormitories, four of us, plus an experienced 4th former as ‘dormitory leader’ and a prefect – mine was Dormitory A. Prefects for Westwood were selected, one 42

from each of the five main school ‘houses’, almost certainly on their perceived ability to be caring of younger boys and we idolised them. Unsurprisingly there were a lot of us who shared a passion for football and, pre-TV and the internet. We relied on reports in the newspapers which appeared in the library every day. We were allowed to pencil round and initial any report we wished to cut out for our scrapbooks on a first come first served basis and there would be a mad rush for the library after breakfast. We could then cut them out after prep in the evening. My team in those days were Southampton in the 3rd Division South but there were still reports to cut out even for a team so lowly (and also nobody else supported them so I always got what I wanted!)

Moving on to the 4th form meant of course being joined with the next intake of Priors Court boys who were less intimidating being the same age and many of my longer term friends came from this group. I progressed to Dormitory C – about 20 of us –

MEMORIES KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

where our prefect, Gordon Bridge was popular with a fairly relaxed approach to pillow fights (if you will excuse the pun) and who, weekly, read us a ghost story on a Sunday night after lights out.

What was more scary was the fear of world obliteration just round the corner as the Russians and Americans came within blinking distance of nuclear war over Cuba. It seemed quite likely I would never see my family again.

Then on to the Lower Fifth and Main School – everyone’s a lot bigger – help!

HOUSES AND PREFECTS Hall House dormitories are above the dining hall. I was proudly in Hall House, forever labelling me (even my socks) as S.J.Pillow (H). Each house had two dormitories, Junior for the Lower and Upper Fifth and Senior for the Lower Sixth and Sixth form (when A Levels were taken).

The dormitories were pretty basic of course. Plain wood floors, no curtains, an iron bedstead with a foot bar excellently placed for practising head stands on the bed, sheets, a couple of blankets and a thin white bedspread. Behind and to the left of the head of the bed was the ‘locker’ about 5 foot by 3, with wash basin, hooks and a lift lid storage box for clothes, and within which you got dressed modestly. We wore uniform throughout the

day, except for games. White shirts with separate collars and therefore collar studs – a skill I have not needed since. School tie and blazer with grey trousers (shorts in Westwood). Laundry was in house and on Saturdays and Wednesdays a bundle of clean clothes appeared on the bed – a shirt, 3 collars, 2 pairs of socks, undies and handkerchief - presumably also a mechanism for dirty ones but I don’t remember. Clean sheets and a towel weekly.

At the end of the junior dorm was the ‘PR’ or prefects’ room. Within was a separate bedroom for the senior prefect and a small lounge for the six prefects, complete with toaster, kettle, record player (and later on, in my tenure, my guitar).

One would be duty prefect for the week and patrol the dormitories to keep order after lights out (about 8.30 in the junior and 9 in the senior dorm). Prefects wore a rather nice silver tie with black wyverns on it (the wyvern being a mythical bird and the school emblem) and I was so proud of mine in the fullness of time and kept it as a memento for years afterwards.

Sanctions were in the charge of the prefects, only more serious offences warranting a visit to the Housemaster or, (in my case only once I think), the Headmaster.

Thankfully there was no fagging or any sort of bullying culture. Usually the punishment was ‘sides’, meaning however many sides of ruled foolscap the sin demanded, usually 4 or 6. Commonly just copying out the dictionary, but sadistic prefects could be quite inventive and my most memorable was one side of Greek with individual letters alternately red, green and blue. It must have taken hours and I suspect I never repeated the offence which caused it. The other common sanction was to be woken early to go on an early morning run, usually to the Blathwayte Arms on top of Lansdown Hill and back – about 3 miles. A further mile away was ‘The Monument’ erected to commemorate the Battle of Lansdown in the Civil War. A nasty prefect would send you there to count the number of iron uprights that made the railings and report back – I can’t understand why nobody ever seemed to remember the number or sell the information on!

The dormitories “ were pretty basic... plain wood floors, no curtains, an iron bedstead with a foot bar excellently placed for practising head stands on the bed...

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continued overleaf 

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KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 MEMORIES

Prefects were also in charge of prep and basically stood no nonsense so we were able to concentrate on work for 2 hours – covering three subjects usually.

My most memorable prep was in November 1963 when it was interrupted dramatically by another prefect coming in to announce the assassination of President Kennedy. He had an heroic status having seen off the Russian threat and averted nuclear war and was a young charismatic president who seemed set to change the whole world for the better. We, along with the rest of the world, were stunned.

Prep was in our day rooms – as with dormitories there was a junior and senior one for each house and we each had a desk in which we kept all our books, stationery and personal effects.

Whilst there was a door to access our junior day room it was much more fun, and a short cut, to enter via the upper sash window.

This was at the same height as a sloping path outside and just meant straddling a four foot gap over a six foot drop, grabbing the sides of the frame and pulling yourself over. I can’t recall anyone coming to grief. This was the era of early Beatles and other fantastic groups churning out what have remained classics ever since. Someone had a record player and all our down time was to loud background music and we were brilliant air guitarists.

FOOD

THE WEATHER

The dining hall of Main School is impressive, wood panelled and lined with honours boards of those who went on to Oxford and Cambridge by scholarship.

There were a lot! Needless to say my name is not up there. On a recent visit back, however, I noted that 1966 and 1967, which covered my contemporaries and our era of leaving, had the most of any other year before or since. There is a central aisle and tables off both sides the length of the hall each accommodating about 20 on benches (Harry Potter will give you an excellent visual image).

We sat in houses with a prefect at the end who doled it all out. Hall House had the two tables furthest from the master’s elevated dais for sixth formers and a small upstairs balcony for its Sixth formers with a good view over everything.

Two dramatic incidents relating to the weather occurred during my time at the school. In 1961 the River Avon overflowed after what must have been terrible storms. The flooding took out the centre of Bath with the streets under about eight feet of water and the main bridge washed away. The army were called in and had to build a ‘Bailey’ bridge (a temporary metal one) until it could be rebuilt. The Bath rugby ground is next to the river and at a lower level than the streets – the water came almost to the top of the posts. Fortunately the school is on a hill high above the city but I remember senior boys, and presumably staff, all going down to help with the clearing up.

A quaint and archaic tradition, probably dating back to the school’s foundation, was ‘The Bow’. Each house had a duty week and, at the end of each meal, the prefects of that house solemnly lined up at our end facing the headmaster. He bowed gracefully and the prefects bowed back, but each house had a different bow speed. Ours was long (sometimes mischievously very long!) down and long up, another house was quick down and up and others a mixture of slow down quick up or vice versa etc. I’d like to think this still goes on.

Then in the winter of 1963 came the ‘Big Freeze’. The South West was particularly badly hit. The snow started on Boxing day and by the time term was due to start it was really thick We thought the start of term would be delayed but the trains were still running and we all made it but it was perishingly cold. The dormitory windows were made of small diamond panes held together by strips of lead and some of these were missing. The heating system either stopped working or just couldn’t cope and it was literally freezing. We put on as many layers of clothes as we could and just had to stick it out. The snow continued to fall and got to about four feet deep on the Upper (so no hockey, hooray!). However the strong winds created drifts about fifteen feet high up there which is taller than a double decker bus.

The freeze lasted until the middle of March which was almost the end of term so the snow didn’t melt until then. It all seems quite hard to believe now.

Happy days!

Stephen Pillow (KS 1960-66)

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LIVES REMEMBERED KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

LIVES REMEMBERED Edmund Arnold Courtney Britton Winston Osler Backus John T Adams David Ensor Lawrence Bishop Norman Bellis David Roland Hall Stanley Calvert Roger Straker Anthony Collier John Crosby Peter Clulow Christopher Murray Jackson Charles Roger Hailwood Ian D Macgregor Trevor Bell John Salmon Colin Mably Charles Leslie Cram Ian Binks John Leslie Harrold Michael Gaunt Pakpoom Vallisuta

(KS 1912-1917) (KS 1931-1940) (KS 1934-1940) (KS 1934-1942) (KS 1936-1939) (KS 1940-1948) (KS 1943-1951) (KS 1945-1952) (KS 1946-1953) (KS 1947-1954) (KS 1947-1955) (KS 1947-1956) (KS 1949-1953) (KS 1949-1956) (KS 1950-1955) (KS 1950-1957) (KS 1953-1961) (KS 1954-1960) (KS 1954-1961) (KS 1954-1962) (KS 1957-1966) (KS 1962-1967) (KS 1972-1978) 45

KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 OBITUARIES

OBITUARIES John Winskill Baker (FRCGP) KS 1945-1954 John was born in Winterton, North Lincolnshire in 1935 and remained throughout his life a 'Lincolnshire lad.'

Dr Winston Backus KS 1931-40 Dr. Winston Osler Backus passed away June 15, 2020 at the age of 99. He was born in Eckville, Alberta to Dr. Percy and Verna Backus on October 12, 1920. He received his medical degree from the London Hospital in London, England in 1946.

After 5 years in the British army he and his wife, Valmai and 2 sons returned to Ponoka, Alberta where he joined his brother in medical practice. He moved with his family to Grande Prairie, Alberta in 1956 and served the community in many ways, as a doctor and an MLA. In 2016 he and his wife Myrtle moved to Spruce Grove, Alberta and he subsequently to Copper Sky. He was predeceased by his parents, his brother and his wife, Valmai. He leaves to mourn his passing his wife Myrtle, sons David, Richard and Robert; daughter Elizabeth; stepchildren Ried, Wayne, Don and Myrna plus 20 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren.

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His life and mine coincided to a remarkable degree, at school, at Oxford and in later life when we both settled in Kent. He was sent as a boarder to Prior's Court Prep school and had the luck to witness the VE Day celebrations in Trafalgar Square on his journey to school in 1945. At Kingswood School we were both members of the same House, School House, and played in the same Rugby teams. Curiously, we then became in successive years, 1953 and 1954, the first two Stallybrass Exhibitioners at Brasenose College, Oxford.

John studied medicine at Oxford but for a short time we shared two things, a girlfriend (later to become my wife) and a car (a wonderful old Alvis). We also played for the BNC Rugby team, which John captained in 1956-7.

As a Rugby player John made up for his relative slightness of build by his ferocious determination and a fearlessness that must have played some part in causing the acute back-pain that plagued the last 20 years of his life.

After Oxford John trained at the London, now Royal London, Hospital. In 1961, while he was working as a junior Houseman at the London, John took time off to marry Ruth Gibbon, a fellow Oxford graduate. Early in their married life, John and Ruth went off for two years in Uganda, under the auspices of the Ministry of Overseas Development. They

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thoroughly enjoyed their time there. In the second year John was sole doctor in charge of a 60-bedded hospital, carrying out complex surgical operations every day. For the rest it was "nineteenth century medicine with twentieth century drugs," as John described his work in Uganda. It was good that John Wood, his tutorial partner at BNC, was in Uganda at the same time.

Returning to England, he went into General Practice in Kent, where he and a colleague set up the GP Training Scheme in Tunbridge Wells. It was inevitable that John would choose Family Medicine as his speciality. He had two generations of GPs behind him in his family, he loved people and believed passionately in continuity of care for them. He saw his role as an enabler helping his patients to understand their illness and cope with it. If he could build a special relationship with them he could give them the best possible care.

John was also passionate about keeping sick people at home if possible and, with support from patients, set up an organisation called 'Care Unlimited' in Paddock Wood, which made the national press under the title 'The Village that Cares'. 'Caring Unlimited' was later superseded by the Hospice movement.

Close to the 'village that cares', actually in Matfield, John and Ruth created a wonderful home.

Their two adopted sons, Dominick and Christopher, were brought up here. "Dad," says Dominick, "was a busy man but was always there for you, ready to listen. Even when he was continually in pain, he retained his love of life, his sense of humour, his inquisitive

OBITUARIES KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

mind and his power to generate happiness."

In the 1980s John and Ruth became involved in local politics: John served for 12 years as a Parish Councillor and later, after he retired from General Practice, he joined Ruth as a Borough Councillor for Paddock Wood. In 1996 Ruth was elected Mayor of Tunbridge Wells. At this stage I saw more of John in his role as a very supportive Mayor's Consort, at a splendid series of events, the most notable for me being lunch in the Mayor's tent at the Kent v.

Sussex cricket match.

Increasingly disabled by osteoarthritis, John died following a tragic accident when on holiday on the Scilly Isles. He had been a wonderfully committed, caring and thoughtful General Practitioner for 30 years. Ruth says his distinguishing feature was "an imperishable optimism which made him a well-loved doctor and a generous friend."

John was a Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners (FRCGP).

31 Mar 1939 – 15 Nov 2020 Arriving in Midsomer Norton in October 1988, we had moved to a totally new town knowing no one.

However, it was not long before I met Trevor at the Methodist Church and discovered our shared education at Kingswood.

Although he had left Kingswood a year before I had started that did not diminish the immediate bond, we both shared, the Kingswood “Family” spirit.

Trevor was born in Midsomer Norton. Whilst he was boarding at Kingswood, during holidays and other days he retained his connections with his contemporaries in the “Paulton Road Gang” indeed instigating many of their “adventures”.

Whilst at Kingswood, Trevor became very friendly with Alan Tongue, whose father was his mathematics teacher and also Housemaster at Hall house. Alan introduced Trevor to puppetry and, together with Mary Davies (daughter of Rupert) and Peter Gornall (who later became a surgeon) they gave performances around the Bath area.

Written by Hubert Moore (left Kingswood 1953).

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However, it was as a Local Preacher that I got best to know Trevor and share our faith. For both of us a faith founded on the teaching and life we had lived at Kingswood. Trevor followed the call to preach and was accredited in 1963. He preached throughout the then Midsomer Norton Circuit (Now NE Somerset & Bath), welcomed in all the Churches for his message. As a fellow Preacher it was also a pleasure to have Trevor in the congregation but, you needed to be prepared for the incisive questions he would challenge you with afterwards!

Trevor served the Church in many other ways e.g. as Circuit Steward. Also, for many years a prime organiser for Christian Aid throughout the Town.

Trevor was also an enthusiastic participant in the many sporting activities offered by Kingswood, and, spotting a gap, was allowed to form a soccer team

Trevor John Bell KS 1950-57

Teacher at one of our local Somervale School was vacant and thus Trevor commenced his teaching career in his home town no doubt to the benefit of a new generation. Later he taught at Chandag School, Keynsham.

Following Kingswood, Trevor trained at Culham College as a Teacher with a further year at St Luke’s Exeter for a diploma in Maths. By fortune of timing a post for a Science and Maths

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Trevor had a lifelong interest in sport, both as a player cricket, tennis and soccer and supporter. I believe he was responsible for the “round balls’” first appearance at Kingswood! Whilst teaching he ran the School Football Team and organised the Bath Junior League. He played for our Methodist Cricket Club for many years. He was a member or Somerset Cricket Club and lifelong supporter of Bristol City.

KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 OBITUARIES

He married Elizabeth Dobson, in 1966, one of the “Paulton Road Gang.” They adopted Sarah in 1974 and now have three grandchildren.

Trevor continued to develop his beliefs attending many Lectures, Conferences etc. Always with his scientific analysis prepared to challenge but support his faith.

In his own words: “On a Journey of Faith we make mistakes, we can all misunderstand God’s guidance. However, we have to take a risk and trust God is guiding us and we have the Holy spirit with us. I hope in a small way I may have helped to build up the Kingdom of God.” Final words from “A personal Glimpse” published in our Church Magazine March 2016.

Kingswood may be proud that it inculcated such a faith and that Trevor expounded it over the years to many congregations and his friends of which I have been privileged to be one.

Written by Michael Jakins (KS 1958-64)

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John Byrt came to Kingswood in 1967, as the successor to Roger Pope, having been the organ scholar at St John’s College, Oxford, where he had graduated with first class honours and then worked on his doctorate.

He arrived at the school as ‘Mr’ Byrt, but became ‘Dr’ Byrt before the end of his first term, and an apocryphal story went around that of one of the younger boys, on learning of John’s change of status, asked him if he could provide him with an aspirin for his headache!

From the outset it was evident that John was an exceptional musician, especially as an organist. At the end of the first chapel service for which he played, his exit voluntary was the fiendishly challenging Toccata in B flat minor by Louis Vierne, and such was his rendering thereof that all the boys (and members of staff who were there), instead of making for the Ferens Block for first lesson, remained in their pews throughout the performance, open-mouthed that anyone could coax such remarkable sounds from the rather tired chapel organ! (A quick YouTube search of the piece will soon put this anecdote into context.)

John was a superbly gifted teacher and although class music lessons had always been enjoyable, they became appropriately challenging under his direction, with no room for tomfoolery. He expected high standards from his students and was not afraid to speak his mind forthrightly when they were not. Woe betide the music A Level student who was prone to procrastination!

John Byrt KS 1969-73

On one celebrated Saturday evening the school was to be entertained by a group of professional musicians who had featured regularly on the radio 48

and given concerts around the world. At the last minute, their pianist rang to say that he was unable to get to the school in time, at which news John simply stepped in and played all the pieces at sight, perfectly. It was therefore not surprising to learn that when he took his fellowship exam for the Royal College of Organists he discovered that he had been told to learn the wrong movement. After discussion with the examiners, they said he would have to play the set movement to qualify, so he did – sight-reading it as he went – and still passed.

His time at Kingswood was brief and there is much more to his story, but I am sure I am not alone in knowing that I owe John a huge debt of gratitude for introducing me to a world about which I knew little, but in which I have achieved more than I ever thought possible.

Written by Paul Cheater (KS 1962-70)

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Peter Jackson Clulow KS 1947-56 Peter's friend and colleague Alan Tongue writes: I first came across Peter's musical talents at Kingswood, where we both were heavily involved in musical activities. He also took part in plays, was often a member of the stage crew and

OBITUARIES KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

Bastien and Bastienne. I sang in the chorus and recall Peter being totally in his element.

a projectionist, and was in the ATC. He was previously at Priors' Court, 1947-50.

Peter was born in February 1937 in Hull to a third generation Methodist minister Arnold Harrison Clulow and his wife Dorothy. He was brought up in a house graced with a baby grand piano and started learning from an early age. At Kingswood the music teacher John Sykes was a profound influence and Peter was always proud of the poem that Sykes wrote for him at his request.

I think Peter would approve of its being printed here in part: I am - what?

I am wonderful - beautiful as the lily of the valley. I am - a sot: A thing picked up, bedraggled, in Dead Man's Alley.

I am - a Christian martyr, gored by circus lions.

I am - just absurdly quaint: A thing too comical to merit damnation. Don't ask me who I am, Clulow, - I know not, And to you I dedicate this - do'nut.

In his final year Clulow conducted a fully staged production of the Mozart opera

For his National Service he joined the RAF 1955-7 as Pilot Officer, stationed in Germany.

One story he often told was missing a church steeple by yards while learning to fly. He went up to Keble College in 1958 and obtained an MA in Music in 1961. Most importantly, researching for his Professor, Jack Westrup, he calculated the publication dates of the Byrd masses through the wear on the woodblock initials at the head of each movement: he credited his short spell in the KS Press for leading him on the right track. At Oxford he worked backstage with the Chancel Theatre Company and over many Easter vacations he assisted with the Bath Opera Group in building scenery, erecting their portable stage and stage managing productions of Mozart, and he sang in their production of Vaughan Williams' Sir John in Love.

In 1962 he joined the music staff of the Haberdashers' Aske's School at Elstree where he stayed for 23 years, teaching right up to Oxbridge exam level, something at which he apparently particularly excelled.

English music and early music were his great interests. As well as orchestras and choirs outside the academic timetable he was himself a composer and had a carol There is no rose of such virtue published by the Royal Society of Church Music.

Extramural activities included teaching the boys sailing on the local reservoir one afternoon a week. He conducted the St. Albans Choral Society for 20 years until the mid 90s, inviting prominent BBC newscasters to read at the annual carol service.

After leaving Haberdashers' in 1985 he taught privately Latin, 49

Physics, Maths and English, followed by Humanities for the Open University. He was an early convert to computers and often made his own. Peter was a keen sailor with his own Westerly Pageant Saraband, berthed in Gosport, and he always dipped his flag if a Royal Navy ship passed by.

In March 1997 he gave an illustrated talk on John Sykes at Kingswood School with musical illustrations, which impressed me. This followed on from his helping to catalogue the large collection of Sykes manuscripts at the school. He had started transcribing the music with the help of a few interested Old Boys, and he compiled a website, now managed by KS (www.jasykes.online). He was able to negotiate that any royalties from the music would come to the school. His editions of the works of John Sykes are exemplary.

One project we devised together was adding a soundtrack to the Uppingham silent film (1946) by adding a commentary and some of Sykes' music, Peter doing all the technical work brilliantly, though sound recording was new to him. He was also of great assistance to me when I started transcribing works by Vaughan

KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 OBITUARIES

Williams, and I brought him along to concerts and recording sessions. The corollary of this is that we finally persuaded Albion Records to make a CD of music by John Sykes, on the grounds that he had been a pupil of Vaughan Williams at the Royal College of Music. I am thankful that this was all completed, including brilliant sleeve notes by Peter, before his tragic death from Covid-19 on 30 January 2021. In the final months before his death Peter was helping Albion Records with completing some early Vaughan Williams works and tidying scores up for recording, and doing similar work for the Holst Society. Thanks to him a former pupil of his, Paul Harris, has started publishing some of Sykes's music.

Peter was the all rounder, a winning combination of the academic and the practical musician. One would never know what one might be doing in his company - driving to Essex to search for the house of Randall Swingler (Sykes' great friend), playing word games in Latin, or hearing a topical aspect of Xeno's Paradox. He leaves a sister Jenny, actress, and brother Chris, psychotherapist.

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His two children, Sally and Nigel, were just adult when he met Stephanie, a farmer’s daughter, and soon Frances was born.

The pair of them worked together endlessly and joyfully through all seasons, meeting difficulties with confidence, little time for holidays. Tony’s mother came to live on the farm and for years he took care of her as age caused sickness.

Tony participated in the life and activities of his village. He loved popular music and especially jazz and would himself pick up a tune on his piano. With his wife they attended music festivals.

Anthony Collier KS 1947-54 Tony was the son of a Methodist minister and a mother who was also much involved with social work. He grew up in a manse and spent most of his holidays on his uncle’s farm, where from came his love of animals.

Few Kingswood boys read agricultural newspapers but Tony was an avid reader of “The Farmer’s Weekly” and before leaving the sixth form to join an Agricultural College he already knew a lot about crops, flocks, herds and machinery.

His lifetime ambition was to have his own farm, to work his own farm. But first he’d have to shepherd someone else’s sheep in the Black mountains of Wales, alone with his two dogs for company and warmth.

He made his way as a reporter covering the fairs over Europe freelance. Soon his knowledge of technical advances gave him the idea to advertise, recommend and sell laboursaving farm equipment. As an editor and publisher of three agricultural magazines with a national coverage he was eventually able to buy his own farm and achieve his goal.

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In club cricket he was fast bowler and a useful bat. In a game of rugby on the Upper he scored a try but opened his scull on the stone wall and was carried off to hospital.

He could nail up fencing for sheep, using skilfully hammer in either right or left hand.

His dogs, border collies, were trained to work his sheep and obeyed his whistle immediately.

When horses pulled ploughs, he was sometimes a judge of the straightest furrow and later with his tractor he turned the soil in patterns on his hill. He was an honest gentleman, good in business, fair in dealings with both client and supplier. He was also a fine friend.

Still working the farm at 80 years when cancer set in, but it was in his 82nd year that he died from a coronary attack on 25th November 2020, just five weeks after the birth of his first grandchild, a girl, Elsie.

Written by his good friend Tony Hooper (KS 1947-56, Lower), who has known him since their days at Priors Court in 1947.

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OBITUARIES KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

After his retirement he moved to Harby in Leicestershire, where he helped form a local history group and edited two volumes of village history. He was also an active member of the Thoroton Society for Nottinghamshire history and archaeology, serving as its programme secretary for several years.

Written by his brother, David Cram, Emeritus Fellow, Jesus College, Oxford OX1 3DW.

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Receiving OBE at Buckingham Palace

Charles Leslie Cram KS 1954-61 I am writing with the sad news that my brother Leslie Cram (Full name Charles Leslie Cram) passed away on 7 February 2021, aged 78. He was born on 18 May 1942. Leslie was one of three brothers who all attended Kingswood in the 1950s-1960s, an older one being John (who sadly died on 20 December 2008) and a younger one being myself, David.

Leslie went on to study archaeology and anthropology at Peterhouse, Cambridge, where he specialised in the Old Stone Age with a particular interest in the analysis of animal bones, stone tools and footprints. After a period on employment at the British Museum, Leslie was appointed Principal Curator for the museum service of Reading Borough Council, where he had care of the special collections of Thames Valley hand axes, Mesolithic Thatcham, Roman Silchester and the ruined remains of Reading abbey. While in this post he was involved in archaeology and planning, sites and monuments records, rescue archaeology and excavation units. He also arranged lectures and excursions, working with the Berkshire Archaeological Society, and Reading University Continuing Education Department.

David Ensor KS 1934-42 David Ensor, who died on 10 February at the age of 96, was one of the leading laymen of British Methodism during the last quarter of the 20th century.

He came from a strongly Methodist family which traced its roots in Methodism back to the time of John Wesley, and contained many ministers. Two of his great uncles were Presidents of the Conference (Rev. Charles Ensor Walters in 1936 and Rev. Harold Crawford Walters in 1956) and another relative, Norman Sargant, was a Bishop in the Church of South India. His own father, Rev. William Walters Ensor (1890-1967), was also a Methodist minister.

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Consistently with this heritage, David was sent at the age of ten to be educated at John Wesley’s School, Kingswood School in Bath. Soon after leaving Kingswood he was called up for military service in the Second World War. He served in the Royal Signals and spent most of the war in India, where he attained the rank of Captain and became the ADC of the General Officer Commanding the Bengal District.

On demobilisation he married Trudy, whom he had earlier met at a Christmas party held at Chichester Methodist Church, and settled in Thornton Heath in South London, where he became a local preacher in the Brixton Hill Circuit, and began a career in the printing industry. After training at the London School of Printing, he filled a number of managerial posts in different companies, mostly in the London area, some involved with general printing, others with local newspapers.

Quite quickly his natural gifts of leadership began to show.

He became the Chairman of the London Young Master Printers, later the President of the London Printing Industries Federation and Chairman of its Industrial Relations Committee at a time when industrial relations in Britain were going through a

KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 OBITUARIES

particularly turbulent period.

It was for his services to the newspaper industry that he was made on OBE in the New Year’s Honours list of 1986.

All the while his involvement in the life of the Methodist Church was deepening. Having first held the office of what was then called a ‘society steward’, he served as a circuit steward in three different circuits and, at the connexional level, played a part in the process whereby ministers became owners of their own manse furniture. Later he became a member of numerous connexional committees and took on other major roles in the life of the Methodist Church: he became a Director of the Methodist Newspaper Company (publishers of the Methodist Recorder) and was its Chairman (1975-1994) during the period in which the Recorder’s premises in Fleet Street were sold and new premises bought in Golden Lane; and Chairman of the Board of the Methodist Publishing House (1981-1996) during the period in which the MPH offices were moved from Wimbledon to Peterborough and the hymn book ‘Hymns and Psalms’ was successfully published. In the light of his record of distinguished service it is not surprising that the Methodist Conference elected him as its Vice-President in 1981, and that he was called to be the Chairman of the organising committee of the 250th year Anniversary Celebrations of John Wesley’s conversion in 1988.

However, it was not only within the printing industry and the Methodist Church that his exceptional leadership gifts were recognised and used. He was also a governor of Kingswood School from 1977, and later Chairman of the Governing Board (1990-5); Chairman (1975-9) and later President (1987-8) of the Kingswood Association; Vice Chairman of the Press Council under Sir Zelman Cowan, QC, and Sir Louis Blom-Cooper, QC (1987-1990), Chairman of the Kingston YMCA, at a time when it was moving to new premises in Surbiton, and then Chairman of the Metropolitan Region of the YMCA. In retirement near Salisbury, his leadership gifts continued to shine as Chairman of Churches Together in Salisbury and Chairman of the Salisbury and District U3A. He also played a major role in the redesigning and renovation of Salisbury Methodist Church, led a house group, and continued preaching for as long as he was physically capable of doing so. Even in his 90s, at his care home in Eastbourne, he was organising services, writing articles for its magazine, and filling the role of its ‘ambassador’, charged with the task of representing the home to visitors and potential new residents.

Yet his life cannot be fully appreciated simply by listing his many gifts, roles and achievements. For all his expertise, sharpness of mind, practical wisdom, devotion to duty, and meticulous efficiency, he was essentially a quiet, humble man, with a gift for friendship, gentle humour, and generous hospitality, all the while ably supported by his wife Trudy, who predeceased him by six years. He will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his two sons, four 52

grandchildren, nine greatgrandchildren, and numerous friends, and will surely deserve the words of our Lord: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your master’.

Written by Rev. Dr. Peter Ensor (KS 1961-70)

•

Michael (Mike) Abbott Gaunt KS 1962-67 Mike was born in Darlington in 1948. His father was a bank manager and the family were regularly on the move, living in Birmingham, Ware, Leeds, Sheffield, Derby, York and Chesterfield. Boarding at Kingswood therefore gave some continuity in education. Coming from two Methodist families rooted in Ripon, North Yorkshire, Mike’s father (Douglas), uncle (Donald), two brothers (Philip and Richard) and two cousins (Bryan and Roger) all attended KS. Mike took advantage of all that Kingswood had to offer. On the academic side, he developed his interests in English literature and music. He was a talented singer, giving several recitals at the School. His music also gave

OBITUARIES KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

him a legitimate introduction to Bath High School, which was very rare in those days. However, it was on the cricket field that he excelled, being promoted from the Colts to the 1st XI and was selected, most unusually, to play for Bath Cricket Club. In his final year as captain, he scored centuries in 2 successive school matches, which was a record at the time. He was also captain of the hockey 1st XI and Head of Lower House.

Before going to Fitzwilliam College Cambridge to read Law, Mike spent some months travelling in India and developed a lifelong interest in the country and its people. He had a full Nehru outfit. At Cambridge, he played college cricket and hockey. His singing performances continued, particularly in Gilbert & Sullivan operas. Following Law College at Guildford, he was articled with a firm of solicitors in Leeds.

Being attracted to the life of a country solicitor, Mike moved to Morpeth, Northumberland and joined a local well-established practice. It was not long before he was appointed as a partner and he remained working there until his retirement a couple of years ago. He married Jean in 1975. She was a teacher from Newcastle and he had to acclimatise to different phrases and customs. In time he became an honorary Geordie. Their family quickly expanded with the arrival of three daughters, Clare, Sarah and Mary. Mike and

Jean were heavily involved in their upbringing and education, with Clare following her father to Cambridge. He retained a sedentary interest in cricket, being a member of Durham County CC for a time. He only had divided loyalties when Durham played Yorkshire. Their joint interest in classical music continued, with frequent visits to the Sage in Newcastle. They were both actively involved with Morpeth Methodist Chapel, where Mike played the organ. They enjoyed exotic holidays, often travelling by train. Closer to home, they were frequent visitors to the wild Northumberland coast.

Mike was a well-known and respected solicitor in Morpeth.

He was a trustee for a number of local charities, a volunteer for the Samaritans and a member of the Rotary Club. He disliked pomposity and unbridled authority and sympathised with the disadvantaged. He was scrupulously honest and like his cricket, played everything with a straight bat. He was devoted to his family and doted on their four grandchildren.

Mike died in July 2020 at the age of 71. He had been diagnosed with a rare form of liver cancer only 4 months beforehand. He bore his illness with a remarkable amount of fortitude and resolution. He was seeking a specialist form of treatment in Hanover, but the tumour was too far advanced and he very sadly succumbed to sepsis. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, only close family could attend his funeral in Germany.

A memorial service will be held in Morpeth, when this hopefully becomes possible in 2021. In his life, Mike adapted the KS motto to “In via recta cum humanitas”.

Written by Philip Gaunt KS 1963-68 53

Peter Freeman (KS 1961-66) writes: Michael Gaunt was one of my dearest friends, both at school and university, and throughout our later lives. Our respective families enjoyed many happy occasions together.

At KS, although in different houses, we shared a lot of academic and musical interests, including a love of the music of Mozart. Michael’s fine tenor voice meant he was in great demand as a singer. I recall one joint recital, with girls from the then Bath High School, of American music, in support of the American Museum in Bath, organised jointly by David Barker (KS director of music) and the formidable Miss Dewey of BHS. A combination of instrumental and small and large choruses presented some rarely performed works by 18th century American composers. The local press reported that Michael was part of a “competent vocal trio” but added, displaying perhaps a touch of artistic colonialism, that “the performance was considerably more noteworthy than some of the music.”

Michael was one of the very finest products of the Kingswood of that era and his untimely death is such a sad loss to us all.

•

Roger Hailwood KS 1949-56 Charles Roger Hailwood was born in 1937 in Hankou China, now part of Wuhan. His father was working there as a Methodist Missionary. He was born into the turmoil of the Japanese invasion and at 10 weeks old was refugeed to Hong Kong when he lived for two years with his mother, but they had been separated from his

KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 OBITUARIES

father. Reunited just prior to the evacuation of Hong Kong, they were lucky enough to be put on a ship heading back to the UK. Brought up in Lancashire and Cambridgeshire, Roger attended Kingswood from 1949 to 1956.

This was followed by National Service in the Royal Airforce, where he first encountered rudimentary computers, a technology that he would revisit much later in his career. On completing his service, Roger trained as a teacher at St Alfred’s College Winchester subsequently teaching in Hampshire and Devon, before moving to Staffordshire for a post as a Mathematician, IT specialist and Pastoral Head at The Streetly School, Sutton Coldfield where he would remain until his retirement.

It was while teaching in Devon that Roger first became involved in outdoor education, training groups of school children to complete the annual ‘Ten Tors’ challenge on Dartmoor. This continued after his move to the Midlands where he also ran the school’s Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, was active in the Scout & Guide movement, qualified as a Mountain Leader, held a senior position in the National Association for Outdoor Education and even competed in mountain marathons.

Teaching and service were constant themes for Roger and after retirement he became a Governor of the local school and an advisor to the biennial Alrewas Arts Festival. The National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas was a huge part of his later life.

He volunteered there as part of the initial team during the inception and planning stages and after it opened, worked as a guide and Educational Leader. He worked tirelessly as a promotional speaker for the Arboretum giving regular talks on a wide variety of topics, the length and breadth of the UK. Back in Alrewas, his assembled knowledge was poured into a number of books and he was widely regarded as the local historian.

Married to Doreen for 58 years, they had four children, Sarah, Mark, Adrian, and Emma and one grandchild Gabriella. In later years he suffered with heart irregularities, although he never let it slow down the pace of life or diminish his workload. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2019 and although declared inoperable, seemed to respond very well to treatment. His condition worsened in 2020 as his previous heart problems were diagnosed as heart failure which combined with a rapid progression of his cancer. He passed away at home in April 2020 after a short period in hospital.

Roger will always be remembered as a kind, patient, practical, and humorous man with an enormous zest for life. His great loves were his family, and the outdoors. He never stopped learning and adored telling stories and sharing knowledge.

He is hugely missed by both his family and the local community.

•

John Leslie Harrold KS 1957-66 John was born on 22 August 1947 and died on 18 November 2020 aged 73.

He was the only son of Leslie and Poppy Harrold and lived with them in London and Singapore before attending Priors Court then Kingswood in Bath. He was a prefect and played both Hockey and Cricket for the school.

He then attended Peterhouse, Cambridge to read History and then to qualify as a teacher continuing his hockey playing for the college and also his interest in drama, including the Royal Court Theatre.

He taught history in schools in Biggleswade and Rickmansworth and has been noted for his belief in his students and inspirational teaching style. He then became Deputy Divisional Education

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OBITUARIES KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

Officer for North Hertfordshire.

He continued to work for local educational authorities, finishing his career becoming a pioneer in setting up computing and the internet in schools in the North of England, working with Downing Street to create a new National Policy for IT in Education which continues to have an impact today.

He maintained a love of learning and intellect throughout his life, a lover of cryptic crosswords, quizzing and a member of many choirs. He will be much missed by friends and family, in particular his daughters, Kate and Lindsay and grandchildren, Olivia, Samuel and Beatrix.

John died after a COVID-19 infection, caught in hospital during treatment for a stroke.

•

1957-58 Ian spent a year teaching Geography at Sompting Abbot Prep School, Worthing (so that he could obtain a Sussex grant for University).

 Ian with his much older brothers Ron

& David after an Old Boys match, 1954  Rugby Sevens - Rosslyn Park, 1955

team to the Twickenham Rugby Sevens Tournament. Life long friends from that team were Richard Guy, Bill Arnett and Graham Heywood. Another great friend through Ian’s love of sailing which began on the Norfolk Broads on a school trip was Geoff Roberts. Ian’s mentors were Headmaster A.B. Sackett, Michael Bishop & Keith Duchars.

From Kingswood Ian joined the Royal Navy National Service – NS Upper Yardman 265 1955-57.

He began as an Ordinary Seaman until his commission as Sub Lieutenant. It was there Ian learnt all his seamanship skills.

Ian Thomas Lindsay KS 1947-55

1958-61 Ian went up to Magdalene College Cambridge, where brother David was much earlier a n undergraduate. Ian was Captain of the Magdalene Rugby Team and created a Rugby 8 for the May Bumps. A good supporter was the Chaplain, Rev Simon BarringtonWard who became Dean of Coventry Cathedral. During the 2nd Year Long Vacation Ian and three friends rowed in two canoes for 14 weeks from Cambridge, via the Thames, the Channel, then the French rivers and canals, into the Mediterranean and finally to Malta.

August 1961 Ian married Glenda, a nurse and midwife, who he had met on a Cornish family holiday in 1953 (19 August because almost the end of the Cricket Season and before rugby training started!) While at Kingswood School, and to his friends’ disbelief, Ian was once able to entertain Glenda in the Headmaster, Mr Sackett’s study!

Ian and Glenda settled in Bristol where he joined British Aircraft Corporation as a Graduate/ trainee, with a knowledge of French, working on Concorde in the Commercial Department.

He became a Production Control Manager.

To Ian this was just a job, his life was sport and his family – they have three sons. He joined Clifton Rugby Club – scrumhalf for the Wanderers Team, was Chairman of the Ground Committee – they have the tallest goal posts in the country! Ian was known as ‘The Clifton Gnome’, the butt of many jokes! Ian was a member of West Gloucester Hockey Club and still playing at age 61, was the oldest veteran player.

Ian died in Bristol on 2 April 2020.

Born in 1936 in Wilmslow, Cheshire to Tom and Gwendoline, he was the youngest of three brothers, Ron and David, all educated at Kingswood School.

Ian was a gifted and natural sportsman – sport was his whole life. He was Captain of Hockey and Rugby – a brilliant small scrum half. Twice he took his 55

KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 OBITUARIES

1967 Ian built in the garage his first small yacht, a Mirror Dinghy, with a friend they raced the Severn Estuary. 1978-80 invited by a friend/partner, they built in our Bristol garden a 12 metre Rival yacht – the hours Ian worked gave him a quarter ownership share. Ian learnt his woodwork and building skills from one and a half years in the Kingswood Carpentry Department following a broken leg on the cricket field.

With Glenda (who had hated sailing!) and friends, from August 1981 they sailed three annual summer weeks off Greece and Turkey for six years. Then the partnership ended.

home with eventual support from Homeinstead.

March 2020 Ian collapsed with pneumonia and heart failure.

Glenda accompanied Ian to Southmead Hospital where for two weeks she was unable to visit due to COVID-19. Ian died alone 2 April.

59 years of marriage and a friendship of 67 years, this was a very sad end for a talented man after a full and happy life. Ian will be greatly missed by Glenda, their three married sons and seven grandchildren.

Written by Ian's widow, Glenda.

1987 Ian’s own Colvic Countess 12 metre hull arrived, again in the garden. Devcalion of Trym (equivalent of Noah’s Ark). 1988 Ian retired, age 52 from BAC to spend the next four years in building his yacht – the only help was from an electrician and a heating engineer.

1992 Devcalion of Trym was launched with an R.N.L.I. fundraising event, then driven to Cobbs Quay, Poole where Ian and Glenda sailed the South Coast for 2 years.

1994 Having sold the house and garden, moved into a flat overlooking the River Avon, Ian and Glenda began 18 years of five months annual summer sailing in the Mediterranean. During this time they met and made many good and lasting friends of different nationalities. The most memorable was the then Black Rod, Parliament culminating in 2006 as his guest in the Lord’s Chamber at the State Opening.

The yacht was sold 2010.

Geoff Roberts (KS 1948-55) adds his memories; For several years I was a member of Ian’s crew on the Norfolk Broads, my first experience of sailing. One soon realised Ian, the skipper, put the sailing first.

He was determined that our boat would be the best in both appearance and performance.

For example, all ropes would be wound up ‘pusser’ style, and once under way the fenders would be stowed on deck, not left trailing down the sides.

and carefully lowered the mast, but we always shot the bridge, hoping that no boat was coming in the opposite direction. Ian, silent at the tiller, relied on the remaining two or three to lower the mast and sail in the seconds before entering the narrow gap at full speed. We managed to shoot every bridge without meeting other boats head-on. Ian took great pride in this manoeuvre.

This was, of course, when we were still at KS and well before he was commissioned in the Royal Navy during National Service. After a week we were an accomplished crew.

•

The sailing was highly synchronised, as seen whenever we approached a bridge. Most boats moored close to the bridge

Colin Mably KS 1954-60

2012 Ian began to slowly lose his memory, his decline was gradual, 2016 Ian was diagnosed with Vascular Dementia. Glenda continued to care for him at

The extraordinary Colin William Fisher Mably was born in London on Christmas Day, 1942 to the Reverend Percy and Ethel (“Barry”) Mably. The Mably family, 56

OBITUARIES KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

which included younger sister Elizabeth and brother Michael, travelled around England with Percy’s various postings. One of the young Colin’s favourite places to live was Seaton Delaville in the Newcastle area. There he got his first pair of football boots, learned to speak Geordie, and became a lifelong supporter of Newcastle United FC. Colin came to Kingswood School in 1953 at age 11 and was a boarding student there until age 17. He made many friends at Kingswood and particularly enjoyed playing sports, performing on the guitar, and handling the lighting for theatrical productions. In his later years, Colin became the Kingswood representative in the United States.

After Kingswood, Colin attended Westminster College at Oxford, exiting with a BA and teaching certification. He also attended the Froebel Institute, which helped to mould his farsighted outlook on teaching and learning: Start with what students know and move on from there. Beginning in 1964, he taught in several inner London primary schools. A talented guitarist and bass player, he played in London bands at night, finally ending up as bass player in the popular reggae band Jabba.

In 1968, he met and married the lovely Lynne Benton, a librarian.

They had three wonderful children: Sam, now the head of a digital agency; Hannah, a video producer; and Luke, an actor. Eventually, they moved to Hillcourt Road in South London, where they lived until the marriage ended in 1986.

Colin left teaching primary school to become a Lecturer at Furzedown College of Education.

In 1974, he became Lecturer, and then Principal Lecturer at Northeast London Polytechnic (now University). While there, he

became Short Course Programme Director, and, in that role, was able to facilitate the creation of unusual and innovative programmes that changed students’ lives forever.

Colin and his university colleague Cornel da Costa launched the International Seminar for Teacher Education in 1981 (later to become the International Society for Teacher Education, or ISfTE).

Colin became the organization’s Secretary General and continued as such for 10 years. The unique idea of the seminar was to have teacher educators from across the globe convene annually for a multi-day residential program in a location free from distractions.

The conference continues to this day, in a different location around the world each year. What makes the concept so brilliant and long-lasting is that participants bring papers describing works in progress. They work in paper groups to share ideas that often have a transformative impact on global teacher education.

In recognition of his efforts in international teacher education, in 1989 Colin received the prestigious Medal of Peace from Charles University in what was then Czechoslovakia.

In the mid-1980s, Colin eventually left university life to start a video production company, Evergreen Communications, with two partners. They produced a ground-breaking laserdisc series for the British government, entitled Modular Investigations into Science and Technology (MIST). They also produced a mathematics laserdisc entitled World of Number. What made these two products unique was that they consisted of short video vignettes showing primary school children solving science and maths problems on their own. The investigative question was set up via video at the start

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of each sequence, and then the children proceeded to devise methods of solving it. The videos had two soundtracks: One for students and the second for teachers. The dual soundtracks made the laserdiscs valuable both as a teacher training tool, and for educating children.

MIST did well in the UK, so the Evergreen partners became interested in how well it might fare in the United States. They set up a partnership with a U.S. company and organised a group of U.S. science education experts to review MIST and advise on how to adapt it for the U.S. market.

Colin had made several earlier trips to the States during his time as a Principal Lecturer.

During these visits, he met with professors of teacher education at universities in Maryland, New York, Texas, and other States to exchange ideas. He became enamoured of the wide-open spaces that the States afforded and was eager to return. The U.S. MIST trial gave him that opportunity.

The meeting of science education experts to review MIST took place in late 1989 at a hotel in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

In addition to three professors of teacher education from U.S. universities, the review panel included Dr. Ann Benbow of the American Chemical Society.

She travelled to Minneapolis with Dr. James Greenberg of the University of Maryland, who was on her doctoral dissertation committee and who was a close friend of Colin through ISfTE. A prophetic - their friends would say “historic” - coincidence.

Ann was captivated from the start by Colin’s huge smile, intellect, talent, charm, and fetching red-rimmed glasses as he sat across the conference

KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 OBITUARIES

room table from her. She didn’t know that anyone in the world existed like Colin. He, in turn, made sure that he sat across from her at the group dinner at a Minneapolis restaurant that night. He knew he had made the right decision when all the nonBrits around the table ordered iced tea and soft drinks and Ann asked for a Glenlivit. Their working partnership began in earnest when, the morning after the MIST review meeting, she met Colin and his Evergreen partner Peter Morley in the hotel lobby to present a template for teacher materials to accompany MIST in the U.S. She took on the task of creating the teacher materials and the partnership continued for the rest of their lives together.

In addition to being a brilliant teacher and teacher educator, Colin was a talented artist, illustrator, and writer. Together, he and Ann collaborated to produce many science curricula, videos, textbooks, and science trade books for children. A number of these were funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation. Colin and Ann also directed and team-taught in national U.S. programs for hundreds of science teachers, including Operation Chemistry, Operation Primary Physical Science, Science Across the Generations, and residential teacher academies for primary and secondary teachers.

Colin came to live permanently in the U.S. state of Maryland with Ann and her children Jessie, Sam, and Danny in 1995. They married in 1999 and put their passion for cooking to work by catering their own wedding reception at their house. This started a tradition of big parties that continued for years. As Colin was a Christmas baby, he hated Christmas Day (not enough

presents). Therefore, he and Ann started the Boxing Day party.

Americans don’t celebrate (or even know about) Boxing Day, so this was novel. They would spend all Christmas Day cooking Indian and traditional British fare for Boxing Day (except for a trip to the local lake for a Scotch).

Next day, 50 or so friends would show up for the event.

Colin also was a skilled video producer. His work, which won many awards, included videos on Earth science, energy, the role of women in science, and careers in science. He also created a seminal video celebrating the 50th anniversary of the International Union of Geological Sciences which was narrated by Sir David Attenborough. In recent years, Colin became an evaluator of several large science education projects. His long experience in the field of science education, as well as his wisdom as a teacher educator, made him invaluable as an evaluator of programmes.

For fun, Colin started drawing cats. He had always been a cat lover, since the time he had blackand-white cats Spatz, Mickey, and Humphrey at Hillcourt Road in London. Colin’s artwork got a following where he lived in Charles County, Maryland, and he exhibited a number of his cat drawings. He eventually was invited to join the Board of the Charles County Arts Alliance.

Colin was always adventurous.

As a birthday present one year, Ann bought Colin flying lessons.

He started taking these and, as a result, found a new passion.

With flying instructor Jeff, who became a good friend, Colin eventually soloed. Once, he rang Ann from the air to let her know that he was flying over their house and to come into the front garden. She got a true Spitfirestyle wing-wave that day.

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Colin loved cars all his life and was known for owning a series of “old bangers.” In the States, he bought an old Jaguar and installed a hitch to use the car to pull an equally old boat. Both leaked – one oil; the other water, but he loved them both. He followed Formula 1 racing avidly and was a huge fan of British driver Lewis Hamilton. Colin and Ann travelled to Formula 1 races in the States and in Montreal on numerous occasions.

Colin was legendary for his kindness. He supported numerous charities and always kept at least one $20 note in his pocket in case he met anyone in need during the day. He once gave several of these notes to a man who asked him for help in a Houston parking lot. The man took the money and walked away. When he realised how much Colin had given him, he came back and hugged him.

Colin succumbed to pneumonia on May 31, 2020. His loss is immeasurable to the many people around the world who loved him. He is survived by his wife Ann; sister Elizabeth; children Sam, Hannah, and Luke; grandchildren Jake, Sophie, Olivia, and Alex; and stepchildren Jessie, Sam, and Danny.

•

OBITUARIES KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

Roger Norton Straker KS 1946-53 Roger Straker was born into a devout Methodist family in Beckenham in 1934 and, after several years evacuation in Betwys-y-Coed, arrived at Kingswood shortly after the War. He relished the return of peacetime activities and began a lifelong love of music and sport, attending numerous events as they resumed. A treasured memory was watching Don Bradman’s final Test innings at the Oval in 1948 and he continued to attend Test matches annually, seeing the Australians at the Oval again in September 2019, over 70 years after his first visit.

He was also a frequent visitor to the proms at the Albert Hall, but was forced to give up his trumpet after a collision while cycling from Kingswood to Bristol to watch football removed his front teeth.

Following national service in Malaysia during the communist insurrection, when he was commissioned into the RASC, he went on to Jesus College Cambridge, where he gained a degree in economics, and became very involved in student politics. As Chair of the Liberal Students Club he chaired a debate in 1957 at which a motion to decriminalise homosexuality was passed. It took another ten years before this passed into law.

During his time at Cambridge, he first met his future wife, Ann Lovell, who fortuitously lived nearby in Beckenham. After marrying in 1960 they moved to Glasgow where Roger took up a post in the Personnel Department of Hoover. He also stood unsuccessfully for the Liberals in the 1964 general election in Glasgow Pollok. His 11.5% share of the vote was considered a triumph.

at the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive and then London Underground, where union militancy continued unchecked. He was noted for his consensual negotiating style and was skilled at bridging the often very large gap between union and management positions, partly because of the warm personal relations and trust established with many of the most powerful union leaders of the era.

He spent the rest of his career in personnel departments where he was often in the forefront of the fraught industrial relations of the era. After moving south in 1967 he worked at one of the constituent companies of what became British Leyland in Cowley, Oxford, following Tony Benn’s nationalisation in 1975. His children can personally attest to the failure of this policy as we were ferried around in a succession of the terrible company cars of the era. His experience of negotiating with the powerful unions of the 1970s nevertheless stood him in good stead for the rest of his career,

Roger’s negotiating skills were also useful in retirement where he successfully led the merger of two Methodist circuits in Brighton and Hove, alongside a number of other part-time roles and voluntary work. Roger had three children, nine grandchildren and one great grandchild and was delighted that his connection with the school was maintained through his son, David (KS 197782), younger daughter Elizabeth (KS 1982-84) and granddaughter Olivia (KS 2015-17). He was last able to visit the School in 2018 and Kingswood and Methodism remained a key influence throughout his life.

Photo by Nicola Carr

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•

KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21 IN REMEMBRANCE

REMEMBRANCE SERVICE This is a very important part of our school year.

We normally hold this event outside on the area below the Chapel. It is our chance to remember all those members of the Kingswood community (both teachers and members of staff) who lost their lives in WW1 and WW2 and in other more recent conflicts. It is a very poignant service and, particularly so, with a number of our current students being part of Forces families.

The Roll is read out in two lists, one for WW1 and one for WW2, with some additions at the end.

One of those mentioned is John C Tribbeck (KS 1941-50) and we have a memorial to him situated in the vestibule of the Chapel.

We have printed his obituary as it appeared in the Kingswood Magazine in April 1952.

The last name to be read out on the Headmaster’s list is David Boyce who was killed in action in Afghanistan on the 17 November 2011. David was our Head Boy here in 2004 and was in Middle House. His named cross is always placed in the grounds by the current Head of Middle House.

2020 was an unusual year and we pre-recorded the service and this was watched by the students on the morning of 11 November.

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DEVELOPMENT KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS 2020-21

THE KINGSWOOD 10 FOR 1 BURSARY FUND THE POWER OF COLLECTIVE GIVING MAKES THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE Kingswood School introduced the 10 for 1 Bursary scheme in 2018 and currently has two day pupils fully funded from Year 7 – Year 13.

‘Receiving the 10 to 1 award came at a time when we were considering if we could continue on at Kingswood. This would have been a sad and difficult decision to have to make especially as we have a long history with the school.

Receiving the award has had a huge impact on my child's wellbeing and confidence. It has given them a greater sense of purpose and a determination to succeed knowing that other families are committed to their future through this award. One of Kingswood's greatest strengths is its unique community values which are demonstrated by the school's desire to actively contribute to each family in a meaningful way. This award reinforces those values so wonderfully and it is one of the many reasons we are so proud to be at Kingswood.’

OK parent of second 10 for 1 Bursary pupil

‘I see my contribution to the 10 for 1 Fund as an opportunity to share with others the responsibility for ensuring that current and future generations at Kingswood continue to enjoy that excellent broad educational experience that the school offers.’

Tony Deyes (OK, 1954 - 63)

THE POWER OF COLLECTIVE GIVING DAY PUPIL £18,750pa

One-off gift of £15,000

£125 per month

£3,750 Gift Aid (GA)

£31.25 GA

£6.25 GA

£3.13 GA

10 donors

50 donors

100 donors

£11,250pa cost to 40% tax payer

The 10 for 1 Bursary Fund is focussing on life-changing fully funded bursaries for both day pupils and boarders in the Sixth Form. Gifts of between £12 and £200 per month (depending on a day or boarding place and the number of people gifting) for two years will cover the full cost for their two years in the Sixth Form. A single gift covering the full cost would also be welcomed.

OR

£25 per month

OR

£12.50 per month

One 100% transformational Bursary for a Sixth Former

‘A single gift on its own is amazing but, joined with others, that gift becomes infinitely more powerful. The 10 for 1 Bursary Fund at Kingswood School is truly transformational and provides life-changing opportunities for a young person who otherwise would not have the benefit of a Kingswood education and all that it offers. The 1994 leavers are committed to funding one 10 for 1 Bursary from our leaving year and invite other years to do the same.’

Simon Allison (OK, 1986-94)

If you are interested in finding out more about the 10 for 1 Bursary Fund please contact Graham Papenfus, Development Director, on 07703 189710 or gpapenfus@kingswood.bath.sch.uk 61

Kingswood School Lansdown Road Bath BA1 5RG T. 01225 734283 E. association@kingswood.bath.sch.uk  www.facebook.com/KingswoodSchoolAlumni www.kingswood.bath.sch.uk