CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF CO-EDUCATION Bursaries Appeal 2021/22 Giving Form Full name Address
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SUMMER 2022
Contact the Appeals Manager
Registered Charity No. 312714
Natasha Nolan NEWSLETTER FOR LATYMERIANS E njn@latymerfoundation.org T 0203 004 0434 (ALUMNI OF LATYMER UPPER SCHOOL)
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The Latymerian Council (UK) 1971 John Davidson Steve Faktor 1973 1976 Paul Taylor James Graham 1976 1979 Mike Cooper 1990 Harmeet Ahuja 1991 Rajesh Goyal Laurence Hopkins - Chair 1992 1994 Kunwar Ahuja 2000 Alan Sendorek 2008 Suzanna du Plessis (née Rennie) Deputy Chair 2014 Connie Campbell 2016 Charlotte Collingwood The Asian Latymerian Council 1966 Victor Apps Malcolm Hanney 1971 1990 Mark Syn Raymond Shuai - Chair 1998 2009 Archie Preston The Australasian Latymer Council 1946 Basil Walby 1955 Clive Trotman Jim Tilley 1956 1969 John King 1994 Eddie Gapper 1995 Thomas Correia 2004 Aleco Lazaridis The Canadian Friends of Latymer Board of Directors David Havard 1955 1957 Trevor Jones - Chair David Stiles 1957 1960 C. Hugh Grant Jeffrey Simons 1962 1963 Peter Basey The US Latymerian Council 1964 David Godfrey - Treasurer 1965 Peter Taylor David Kendall 1967 1968 Robert Stevens 1969 Simon Kisch 1976 Maciek Brzeski Jamie Grant 1976 1980 Mark Bullimore - Chair Tony Hynes 1989 1992 Anton Xavier 2004 Abi Ronan 2010 Josh Henderson The Foundation Office Team: Amanda Scott Executive Director, Latymer Foundation ams@latymerfoundation.org Gareth de Graaff Director of Development gld@latymerfoundation.org
ALUMNI NEWS LATYMERIAN AUTHORS Taylor DOWNING (1971) has released his latest book, 1942 – Britain at the Brink, which tells the story of a Prime Minister who faces a public collapse Alan HUNT (1959) has published his fourth novel An Expected Death - a sequel to his earlier books David MAY (1953) has released his book My friend Farringdon, which was published under the penname Ian Hickman Maddie MORTIMER (2014) has written her first novel Maps of Our Spectacular Bodies. It is set to be a huge success! John ROBERTS (1958) has published his research, Shaping the Future of Small Islands Alex WORSNIP (2005) has released Fitting Things Together - Coherence and the Demands of Structural Rationality
Maddie Mortimer
LATYMERIANS COMING TO A SCREEN NEAR YOU!
Siân Davis Alumni Relations Manager sdd@latymerfoundation.org
n I sabel ADOMAKOH-YOUNG (2011) is in Netflix hit, Heartstopper
Rhianna Williams Alumni and Communications Officer rpw@latymerfoundation.org
en CLARKE (2015) is playing n B ‘Yann’ in Murder in Provence – now streaming on BritBox UK and US
Natasha Nolan Bursaries Appeal Manager njn@latymerfoundation.org James Thorpe-Woods Fundraising Assistant jet@latymerfoundation.org Linn Alexander Events Manager lda@latymerfoundation.org
n A li HADJI-HESHMATI (2020) is set to play ‘George’ in Netflix’s latest supernatural thriller, Lockwood & Co
Johanna Ingram Events Manager jci@latymerfoundation.org
n R ufus JONES (1993) is co-starring in the BBC drama, Four Lives
Takumi Sakutsame Development Assistant tls@latymerfoundation.org
Ben Clarke
David Jones Database and Finance Manager dvj@latymerfoundation.org Nicola Rivis EA to the Executive Director ncr@latymerfoundation.org Independent Consultants (Alumni Relations): Sally Markowska sjm@latymer-upper.org Nigel Orton nro@latymerfoundation.org
Ali Hadji-Heshmati
We’re delighted to hear that Ophelia is also starring in new HBO comedy, Minx!
Chris Hammond latymerians@latymerfoundation.org Latymer Foundation Office Latymer Upper School 237 King Street, Hammersmith W6 9LR latymerians@latymerfoundation.org www.latymerfoundation.org 020 3004 0466
n O phelia LOVIBOND (2004) and Simon KUNZ (1981) are billed in the upcoming TV series This Sceptred Isle, which follows the events surrounding Boris Johnson’s government as the first wave of the global pandemic hit. Coming this Autumn, catch Ophelia as Carrie Symonds while Simon plays Andrew Mills
Ophelia Lovibond
n T oby REGBO (2010) plays Jack Blackfriars in Sky original series A Discovery of Witches
Toby Regbo
CONGRATULATIONS! Natalie ABRAHAMI (1998) has co-created a contemporary reimagining of Dvořák’s lyric fairy tale, Rusalka, for the Royal Opera House, as well as directing The Trials at Donmar Warehouse
Phil GRABSKY (1981) has recently finished a 20-year film project following a young boy growing up in Afghanistan – My Childhood My Country. It has been highly commended by the press, film festivals, and BAFTA – where it was awarded ‘Best Single Documentary’. Phil has also won three Best Directing awards Emma Apthorp
Orlando Morley
Filip LJUBICIC (2007) was recently elected as Chair of World Rowing’s Indoor Rowing Commission. A fantastic achievement!
NEWS
Emma APTHORP (2017) became Hammersmith and Fulham’s youngest ever Mayor in May!
Anais MARINHO (2018) has both hosted a spot on BBC 6 Music and performed at this year’s Coachella festival in California, under her stage name ‘Arlo Parks’
Phil Grabsky
Alan MCQUILLAN (1966) has had the honour of one of his Lolo Peak (Montana, USA) forest fire photographs being short-listed for the Royal Academy Summer Show Gustav MOGULL (2009) has been the lead author on his first research paper since arriving at the Max Planck Institute in Berlin, where he is a Junior Scientist in Astrophysical and Cosmological Relativity
Alan McQuillan
Orlando MORLEY (2021) and his Cambridge University crew won this year’s lightweight Boat Race Tom SHORT (2010) has released the debut EP ‘Elsewhere’ with his band, MYLAR
Anais Marinho
Ruby THOMAS (2009) has received rave reviews for her play The Animal Kingdom which was performed at Hampstead Theatre this Spring
Ruby Thomas
RECENT NUPTIALS
Rhodhri MASON (2008) got married at St Mary’s church in Rye where Ellie, his wife, grew up. The reception took place in the old monastery nearby. Ophelia LOVIBOND (2004) married fellow actor, Henry Pettigrew, in the beautiful Wilton’s Music Hall, London.
Oli WILLIAMS (2011) married Dr Hannah Rank in Morpeth last August. They have set up home by the sea in Whitley Bay, Northumberland (where Oli works in corporate finance and Hannah as a doctor). From top row left to right: Bart SMITH, Bruno WILSON-BETANCOR, Jack THOMPSON (best man), Hannah, Oli WILLIAMS, Marcus BURLING, Charlie ARDEN, George SPEDDING Bottom row: Gabriel KENNY-RYDER, Chuck DAVIDSON-HOUSTON, Sebastien DUNNE, Sam JONES. All listed are from the Class of 2011.
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NEWS
Adam CONROY (1987) is working for the NHS in public health; tackling health inequities where he lives in Manchester. During the pandemic this has meant supporting vaccination centres, pop-ups and having conversations door-todoor. He’s now addressing the structural barriers in how local services are delivered to some of the most marginalised communities, taking a Community Development approach to working on the social determinants of health.
Former Latymer teacher of Classics (1976-2011) and Archivist (2011-2018) Malcolm Smith has joined the Guild of Stewards at Lichfield Cathedral. Pictured to the right are his tie and pin, ready for his new role!
Follow his journey on twitter.com/ AdamHealthDev
CAREERS n Pedram AYRAN (2010) has been promoted to Marketing Manager at GSK
Malcolm Smith while in post as Latymer’s Archivist (circa 2018)
n Tara Breeze née COLLIS (1999) has joined Taste PR as a Consultant across their Diageo UK business n Ekta GOHIL (2013) has been elected as Councillor for the Colham and Cowley ward of Hillingdon n Alex MOGULL (2011) is now the Senior Design Lead at Idean n Charlie OLIVER (2006) has been appointed Managing Director of Curlew Capital n Mae PARAYRE (2018) has joined Uniqlo’s Management Candidate Programme n Padmesh (Paddy) RAGHUPATHI (1975) owns a consulting business that recently launched a new off-shoot, ONONDO which focuses on turning waste product into material for handicraft imparting skill and knowledge to people whose livelihoods have been destroyed by the pandemic in the process n Peter WALLICH (2018) will be starting work at the Boston Consulting Group in September n Angus WATSON (2014) is an Associate Consultant at JMAN Group Consultancy n Nadia WILLIAMSON (2008) has joined Marks & Spencer as a Senior Buyer for Wine
Tom (L) is pictured with Karol OSTASZEWSKI (2001) at this year’s run.
On Sunday, 29 May, Professor Jim SMITH (1973) embarked on the longest and toughest challenge in the RideLondon programme - the iconic 100-mile London to Essex cycle route!
EDUCATION
We are so grateful to Jim for using this event to raise over £1,000 for our Inspiring Minds campaign.
n Harry TUKE (2010) has qualified as an Architect, having completed his Part 3/DipArch professional diploma at the University of Bath
Jim also joined us on 28 April, when in his role as Senior Group Leader at The Francis Crick Institute, Jim gave a student talk on Stem Cells in Embryonic Development and Medicine.
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This is the second year running (no pun intended!) that Tom GREEN (2000) has won the 2Bridges Run – our annual fun run in support of the Bursaries Appeal. Tom has just launched geerly.com, the home of price comparison for runners. Make sure to take a look!
Thank you, Jim! Hear more about visits from Latymerians on page five.
n Harrison BREWER (2014) is studying for his MPlan (Master of Planning in Architecture) at University College London n Alcina SALEEM (2015) has achieved a First Class Honours in Classics from King’s College London
n Zoe WILLIAMS (2018) is studying for her Graduate Diploma in Law
What have you been up to?
Let us know your latest news: Latymerians@latymerfoundation.org
ALUMNI VISITS
We’ve been thrilled to see Latymerians here on King Street!
Andrzej took a school tour as we enjoyed hearing about his life after Latymer – a career in sustainable business practice and a growing family! He is pictured here with someone many of you will recognise - former English teacher (1997 – 2016), Sally Markowska.
James COLTMAN (2008)
Mark BULLIMORE (1980) and Raymond SHUAI (1998) We were lucky enough to welcome not one, but two Chairs of our international Latymerian Councils to King Street! Mark (US Council Chair) and Raymond (Asia Council Chair), joined us all the way from Colorado and Hong Kong respectively. It was great to see them both! If you would like to learn more about our Latymerian Councils, please email Alumni Relations Manager Sian Davis: sdd@latymerfoundation.org
Camila ZAPATA-BESSO (2010)
James is now a Graphic Designer, so he couldn’t resist a look through some vintage copies of the Latymerian when he visited us on King Street…nor a catch up with Latymer’s Head of Art, Mr Mumby!
ALUMNI VISITS
Andrzej BIENKOWSKI (2003)
Arif ANWAR (1990) Arif has been living abroad, most recently in Singapore, and so hasn’t visited Latymer in over 30 years! He is now an entrepreneur in the field of biotechnology, where he works on diagnostic testing for autoimmune and cancer immunotherapy medicines! We were thrilled to introduce him to three of our fantastic biology teachers - Ms Newhouse, Ms Hansford, and Mr Davey who thoroughly enjoyed ‘talking shop’. We are so grateful to Arif for donating new equipment to our Biology department, and we’re looking forward to having him return to King St to share his career insights with our aspiring young biologists!
Latymerian and Human Rights Barrister, Camila, joined us on King Street to speak to students about her career. More on this overleaf!
Camila is pictured third from the right, alongside a group of Sixth Form students inspired by her talk.
If you’d like to come for a visit too, please get in touch on Latymerians@latymerfoundation.org
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CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF CO-EDUCATION
25 YEARS OF CO-EDUCATION
Camila ZAPATA-BESSO (2010) As part of our International Women’s Day 2022 celebrations, Camila Zapata-Besso (2010) joined us for a talk on her career, which was open to students from both Latymer and our state partner schools. Camila joined Latymer as a Sixth Form student on a full bursary. Having come from an innercity state school, she recalls the “life-changing” opportunity she was given to excel at Latymer. In fact, it was through a Latymer connection that she secured her first work experience placement within criminal defence and human rights law, which inspired her to pursue the field as a career. Since then, she has gone on to become a barrister specialising in human rights. For her, it is important to help people who have everything at stake, including their lives. After studying English at the University of Bristol, Camila wanted to explore her passion for law. She went to work with an NGO in Columbia – the country with the highest death rate from human rights violations. After this, Camila was able to secure full scholarships for her Law Conversion course, and to study for the Bar.
Camila started practising in 2018, and now regularly appears in complex asylum, human rights and deportation appeals for vulnerable adults and children. She told us how fulfilling it feels to hold countries to account for their breaches of human rights, knowing the difference this will make in stopping injustices. As a student, Camila remembers visiting the Old Bailey to watch barristers in action. She was disheartened by the lack of diversity and female role models in the profession. Fast forward a few years, and Camila has herself become an inspiring role model to our students and those in our state partner schools!
Camila was interviewed by Latymer’s Assistant Head, Lucy Cole
“Latymer gave me the opportunity of selfdiscovery. I came, unsure of my place in the world and the impact I could have. I left confident and determined to make a mark. What I learnt inside the signature red brick walls of Latymer, both in academic and extracurricular terms, have proved indispensable in the world beyond”.
Isabel ADOMAKOH YOUNG (2011) When I left Latymer, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do professionally. I decided to take a year off, travelling around South America with two wonderful Latymer alumnae before I went on to read English at Trinity College, Cambridge. I knew I loved stories, live art, and working with people, but I was by no means one of the determined young actors inviting agents to university shows, with their sights set on Hollywood! A friend recruited me into her all-black all-female play in first year, and my love of performing was rekindled. Even then though, acting didn’t feel like a viable career. I fitted plays in as best I could around academic work, graduated, and went on to an internship at a literary agency in London.
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Hugely enjoying my time there, and learning lots about spotting talent, editing novels, and negotiating publishing deals while doing so, I had a growing sense that acting was slipping away. I began taking acting
Photography by Lily Bertrand-Webb
classes in the evening and joined the National Youth Theatre; my boss very kindly gave me a month off to complete the entry training!
Photography by Jane Hobson
I invited agents to a show I made with Talawa Theatre Company, and ultimately chose to sign with my current agent, Conway van Gelder Grant. Having not attended drama school, I felt I still had more to learn, and so I auditioned for the NYT REP Company - a nine-month programme incorporating training and three productions with professional directors. Once I got in, REP was a huge springboard. We met lots of people from the industry and performed shows to the paying public – I even got to play Lady Macbeth in a West End theatre, which was an unbelievable thrill! Just a week after REP ended, I was catapulted into the Royal Shakespeare Company, making two shows which played over a summer in Shakespeare’s own Stratford-UponAvon. Ensemble and understudy roles (I fulfilled the spear-carrier cliché with pride!) allowed me to learn fast and watch closely how theatre royalty ply their craft. The pandemic lockdowns spurred me to develop my audio career (as the only thing that could be done remotely!), and thankfully, Romeo and Juliet, the production I had been working on, was rescheduled to 2021.
Photography by Lily Bertrand-Webb
We eventually opened under the evening sky at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, with the much-missed exhilaration of a live audience… and I won a BBTA for Best Lead Actress! Last year, Netflix drama Heartstopper was my first TV job, and lately Foundation, an Apple TV adaptation of the sci-fi books by Isaac Asimov, has taken me to Limerick, Tenerife and Prague for filming. All actors know you can never assume what’s ahead, but I’m grateful for the amazing opportunities I’ve had so far. Onward and upward!
Emily BROCKMANN (2009) After leaving Latymer, I knew I wanted to work in film but didn’t know for sure which particular job would be a good fit. While at university, I started assisting different film departments parttime and during the holidays, acting as a runner and doing odd jobs like collecting post and making cups of tea. It was a great way to learn more about the different roles that exist, and I realised that casting was the part of the filmmaking process I was most drawn to. I’ve been lucky enough to work on projects with incredible directors and actors - it is a real privilege. Even the flops (and I’ve worked on a few) bring their own fond memories. You really have no idea how a film will turn out, but that is definitely part of the fun. The first time seeing my
name in the end credits of a film was pretty cool, although by the time my name came up the cinema was nearly empty and everyone I was with had to wait!
25 YEARS OF CO-EDUCATION
Eventually, I knew it was time to take the leap and give a career in acting a real try. I remember my boss coming to see me perform with our drag collective Pecs Drag Kings, and afterwards saying, ‘I give you my blessing’.
Recently, I co-cast on Kenneth Branagh’s film Belfast under the unusual conditions of the pandemic. The Casting Director that I work alongside (Lucy Bevan) and I met the young lead, Jude Hill, early on in the process and he auditioned about five times on Zoom. The project’s success has been wonderful to see; it’s thrilling to be part of a film that audiences have connected with so much.
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25 YEARS OF CO-EDUCATION
► The role of Casting Director is an interesting one, because you operate entirely behind the scenes but have a lot of influence on a film. Actors are usually the most visible part of a project, but the job is often shrouded in secrecy and discretion is key. We see actors at their most vulnerable, and who doesn’t get a part is often as interesting or important as who does. It is a role that is only really now coming into the mainstream, and in 2020 began to be recognised by BAFTA, with an award specifically for Casting. At Latymer I think I was lucky enough to realise that careers like the one I have now are not only viable but also valuable. Whenever possible, I try and make it to the careers evening, in case any current students might be interested in pursuing a similar profession!
Arabella TUREK (2011) contributes towards 183 million items of outgrown and unused children’s wear being hidden in homes across the UK alone. Petit Pli manufactures clothes that grow with children by using patented technology. Designs grow seven sizes; fitting children aged nine months through to four years! Through creating clothes that grow, Petit Pli seeks to innovate within the $252bn children’s wear market.
It’s hard to believe I left Latymer 10 years ago. Since leaving, I have toyed with pursuing a career in everything from conservation, curation, film production, journalism, scientific research and finance. When the opportunity presented itself to start my business, Petit Pli, I saw it as an opportunity in which my interests and knowledge, gained from my twisted kaleidoscope of internships, could neatly collapse, at long last. Becoming an entrepreneur was a happy accident in following my curiosity. I started Petit Pli with the knowledge that children grow seven sizes in their first two years on Earth! This
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I chose to attend Latymer for the Sixth Form because of the strength of its History of Art Department. Those lessons came in very handy when the V&A (Victoria and Albert Museum) reached out to us to co-create a permanent exhibition in the newly renovated Young V&A. I’m very proud to say that the Petit Pli case study will be on show in 2023!
shop.petitpli.com
Originally having started as a student project, Petit Pli has grown into a D2C business with an international community of users spanning 70 countries, with support from Sky Ocean Ventures, Sustainable Ventures, and a crowdfunding campaign on Crowdcube along the way. The technology moved from a UK James Dyson Award winning proof of concept (2017) to a scaled technology in June 2019, and in 2020 we came third in TIME’s Best Invention of 2020 Awards for our PPE design, MSK. Consumer interest in sustainable fashion has never been higher. With its patent granted, and multiple potential IP applications, Petit Pli seeks to capitalise on these potential B2B opportunities alongside scaling its D2C platform reach in the UK and USA. We have the long-term aspiration of becoming the leader of sustainable textile innovations.
The Class of 1998 formed the very first co-ed class of Sixth Formers at Latymer! We caught up with two of our Latymerian women from the Class of 1998 about their memories. Georgie GRUNDY-CAMPBELL (1998) MBE Georgie’s work as a medic in the field of mental health has taken her all round the world to work with communities torn apart by conflict or epidemics. Most recently this work has taken her to Ukraine. What are your memories of Latymer? “I really loved Latymer. My best memory is of the Politics and Philosophy discussion groups that were run by my favourite teacher, Mr Bearman. He was amazing – such a great teacher and so supportive.”
Georgie at Latymer
Do you keep in touch with your Latymerian friends? “I’ve got lifelong friends from Latymer whom I’m still in touch with. They’re so supportive. When I first went out to Sierra Leone (where Georgie worked to support mental health
services in the wake of the Ebola epidemic) I started a small charity – the Ngbotima Charity Trust, which I’m still running. A lot of my Latymer friends have been really important in helping me do that.”
Lotte JONES (1998) Lotte is a powerhouse in the world of PR who was described as the number one creative director in PRWeek UK’s Powerbook 2020 When you reflect on your days at Latymer, what comes to mind? “I think of my time at Latymer so fondly and as one of 27 girls with 1,500 boys, I still recall how sensitively we were handled. In retrospect, Lotte at Latymer of course, the #metoo movement was barely in gestation, let alone existence, but the way we were integrated and treated was careful and respectful. I never felt like we were treated differently, but we felt respected. Mr Diggory and Mr Chivers at the time were incredible in that regard. Particularly Mr Chivers, who I recall was quite the warrior on our behalf... as was Head Boy in the year above us, Ibrihim TAGURI (1997) who had our backs hugely!”
25 YEARS OF CO-EDUCATION
THE CLASS OF 1998
We’re hugely proud of our all our Latymerians - whether you’re one of our pioneering alumni from the Class of 1998, or joined when the school was fully co-ed, you have all played an important part in making Latymer what it is today – one of the UK’s leading co-educational independent schools. We had a fantastic time marking this special anniversary with Latymerians from the past 25 years at our Party in the Piazza on Thursday 23 June. Thank you to all who joined us!
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We address the
At the Tes School Awards 2018, Latymer received the IndependentState School Partnerships Award, in recognition of our range of meaningful, sustained, impactful projects with our local state primary and secondary schools. The judges said:
“…a significant number of pupils and staff are clearly engaged in an astounding array of partnerships, which reflect their sense of civic duty.” Learn more about our partnership work by following us on social media @LatymerPartnerships @LUSPartnerships 10
Academy
STEM
PARTNERSHIPS
Latymer has always strived to be a good neighbour. Our founder Edward Latymer set the tone back in 1624 with his act of philanthropy; a strong social conscience that has been part of our School’s DNA ever since.
Saturday sessions for students in Years 7 and 8 with an aptitude or interest in STEM subjects. The course develops problem solving and lateral thinking skills while engaging in creative activities like coding and programming
Maths Challenge Puzzles and games aim to bring the excitement back to Maths for students in Years 5 & 6
91%
of STEM Academy pupils told us they now feel more likely to pursure science at school and as a career
disadvantage gap
Attain Booster sessions for primary and secondary school students most impacted by the pandemic
Saturday School Lessons with a focus on FUN and creativity to prepare Year 6 students for secondary school
Primary Debating Debating and public speaking workshops to support critical thinking development of Year 6 students
“I liked how nice the sixth formers were and I enjoyed philosophy. Can I come back next year???”
PARTNERSHIPS
Among our outreach work sits six core programmes
Saturday School pupil
Bright Sparks
Fun, interactive classes for academically gifted Year 5 students who are eligible for means-tested bursaries
“My favourite thing was new interactions with other people, and genuinely having fun yet learning how to build skills at the same time” STEM Academy pupil
100%
of students on our Primary Debating course said they LEARNT NEW THINGS
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MEMORY LANE Write to us at Latymerians@latymerfoundation.org
MEMORY LANE
Chris NIEKIRK (1963) Members of my science class in ‘63 may remember the names and/or faces of the motorbike team linking the tentacles of the Underground and enabling an all-273 stations in-a-day journey in August 1963. The group began in Ongar, Essex, at the train station famous for its scorpions, ready and waiting for the 6.15am train, allowing arrival at Upminster just under 15 hours later via 24 links joining the ends. The schedule had to reconcile various timetable restrictions, ticketing 15/- (75p), station opening hours and notably, four short branch lines. Essentially, the itinerary was to zoom outwards swiftly linking across to the next line, thence inwards to the central zone, ducking and diving the trickier little links, often in sprint mode. To allow for contingencies, the timetable had plans B and C; coordinated by landline to ‘HQ’.
Pictured at Ravenscourt Park L-R: Frank SAW, Alan HICKMAN, Chris NIEKIRK, Ian PERRY, Norman WITT and Bobby HICKMAN – all from the Class of 1963
The Guinness Book of Records angle was an afterthought, thereby involving a new third party, the ‘Underground Rovers’, who had evolved esoteric procedures – such as always travelling along an actual platform edge. Happily, Norris McWhirter of Guinness discounted this idea and Latymer was in the
next records book by a margin of eight minutes. We achieved a headline feature in the Shepherd’s Bush Gazette, but minimal coverage in the national press, surely only due to competition from the 1963 Christine Keeler Scandal?
David RIECKEN (1961) The 11+ loomed and the choice of secondary school needed to be made. First Choice - Latymer Upper School. To get accepted, I had to pass an Entrance Exam to receive a State-Assisted Scholarship (the bursary of today). The day arrived and I travelled to Hammersmith for the examination, which, I believe, was held in the furthest left-hand classroom off the hall next to the Headmaster’s Study. Everything came and went too quickly and all I seem to remember was the impressive old buildings and the enormous playground. Sometime later I heard that I had been accepted and going to Latymer was to be my next major adventure. In September 1954, I took the long journey by bus and tube from Heston to Hammersmith. I don’t remember how I felt, a little nervous and a little excited perhaps?
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Form 2H was to be my first base, the H for Mr Hull and the 2 because the preparatory school was
numbered 1. At the end of the year, the exams set one’s path for the next academic year - 3A1, 3A2, 3B1, 3B2 and 3C - five grades for approximately 150 pupils. Luckily, I did quite well and was graded in 3A1. Here the standards were high, almost too high for me and I certainly struggled. I was downgraded to 4A2 at the end of that year where things were much easier, but I had become separated from my friends and so I learnt the lesson of determination. My extra work paid off and the following year I was promoted to LV1 from where I proceeded to UV1, 6SY1 and 6SY2 for the rest of my Latymerian experience. I was lucky that I was always confident, made friends easily and was reasonably popular. Maybe life at Latymer had something to do with consolidating and strengthening these personality traits. Extra-curricular activities were memorable too. We had one afternoon a week for sport at Wood Lane which backed on to Burlington Girls Sports Ground. Was this my introduction to seeing the fairer sex as something quite special? I think it was and for a period of time, my concentration lapsed from my favourite sporting activities. I remember it well!
David SAUNDERS (1966)
Our friend morphed into the village, charging down the street, still buckling on his uniform over the pyjamas he was wearing when in the window. We were marched off to the police station, attempting unsuccessfully to extricate ourselves from the predicament in schoolboy German. Fine paid, receipt given! Confession seemed wiser than awaiting the inevitable spread of rumours… and a summons from Jim. I did not dare to tell my father until many, many years later. My mother had to take Jim aside at the next Parent Teachers evening to request that he remain schtum!
There was something about school trips. My next brush with authority was in fact much more alarming, involving a master on the war path. The Sixth Form Geography field trip to the Forest of Dean was gathered in the Billiard Room of the small hotel in which we were lodged. Mr Elliott (Bubbles) and Mr Terry (George) had retired early. The older boys may have been clutching pints as we watched an important football match on TV, and our attempt to emulate the noise from the terraces gradually increased in volume - until it was matched by thunderous footsteps pounding down the stairs. Mr Elliott, clad in pyjamas and dressing gown, beetlebrowed and steaming, burst into the Billiards Room, which fell silent. An angry diktat concerning his sleep followed, and we all sheepishly headed for our beds. The next year’s field trip to the Peak District was smooth sailing in comparison. The scariest part was getting there. Bubbles was taking his own car, and wanted company for the journey. Graham SANSOM (1966), myself, and one other were favoured with the invitations. Graham sat in the front of the Austin Cambridge. Mr Elliott had a rally driver’s eye for the swiftest line through a bend, and every bend was a challenge. In the back seat, unable to see what might be coming around the bend, holding hands with whoever was sitting next to me was not really an option, so we suffered in frozen, repressed silence apart from the occasional meeting of terrified eyes.
MEMORY LANE
I was only arrested once during my school career, and to be clear, have not been arrested since. The arrest did not result in a criminal record, although it did cause some damage to my wallet, and considerable trepidation at the time: should we confess to Jim McCabe, leading the School trip and my form master in 5A1? Three of us were in trouble. I can’t remember who the other delinquents were. Our offence? Singing. On the main street of an Austrian village we belted out Billy J Kramer & the Dakotas’ Listen (Do You Want to Know a Secret?). We were not drunk and disorderly – it was early afternoon, and we were only 16, but when an assumed friendly native waved at us out of an upstairs window, we waved back and carried on singing. Which was a mistake.
We did actually do some geography on each of these school trips. On a free afternoon in Austria, three of us headed up the stream which flowed through the village, “in search for the source of the Danube”, much to George’s amusement. In Coleford, we were all sent off in pairs to conduct a survey of a local village, and in the Peak District we were dropped off somewhere in the moors, with an Ordinance Survey map and a compass, and told to find our way back to the hotel.
Brian WRAY (1954) I really enjoyed the Physics teachers while at Latymer, and I stored all their ideas away, ready for when I began teaching the subject myself! I completed my National Service, qualifying as radio technician, before getting home and marrying my long-term girlfriend, who was by now a teacher in East London. I had a range of jobs before moving to Cambridge where I started my teaching career (whilst living in a van!), after deciding that my choice of Engineering was not truly what I wanted. I took a two-year course in Maths and Physics and achieved top of the class, a credit to those brilliant school days back at Latymer.
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SCHOOL NEWS SCHOOL NEWS
BEST EVER RESULTS AT UK LINGUISTICS OLYMPIAD Amitai (Year 12) and Xane (Year 13) have both won Gold in the first round of this year’s UK Linguistics competition. Round two will involve a three-and-a-halfhour exam, which allows candidates to be selected for international competition!
SIXTH FORMERS’ ‘COMMON HUMANITY PROJECT’: A PIONEERING PEER MENTORING INITIATIVE The ‘Common Humanity Project’ is a pioneering peer mentoring initiative set up by Year 13 students Priya and Ben, with the aim to help young people address issues such as consent and unacceptable behaviour. Priya and Ben have teamed up with 35 fellow Sixth Formers to run sessions for every student in Year 8. The sessions run during form time, and whilst overseen by form tutors, the content and discussion are wholly directed and led by the Sixth Formers.
BRONZE, SILVER AND GOLD IN PRESTIGIOUS PHYSICS CHALLENGE Congratulations to the 18 Year 12 students who took part in this year’s Senior Physics Challenge. There have been some truly excellent scores with 6 Bronze – Pluto, Jaime, Balthazar, Saskia, Hamza and Hugh – 2 Silver – Sam and Ellie (who were in the top 19% of those who sat the paper) and 4 Golds (in the top 9%) – Ed, Daniel, Sofia and Leo.
SCHOOL RECORD, SURPASSED! Not only did Year 9 student Bella win the Latymer Pi Memory Competition 2022, but she also broke the school record by recalling a remarkable 576 decimal places!
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LATYMERIANS ACHIEVE RECORD NUMBER OF OFFERS FROM WORLD’S LEADING INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITIES Our Upper Sixth students have done phenomenally well with a record number of offers from a range of leading international universities for September 2022 entry. With 80 offers to date from 48 universities - including Brown, Yale, UPenn, MIT, McGill, Columbia, Cornell, Georgetown, Bocconi, Carnegie Mellon, and ETH Zurich - in eight different countries, this cohort has now surpassed last year’s recordbreaking number of 71 offers from international universities. For School Captain, Simdi, who plans to major in Biology at MIT, it is a dream come true – she was one of just 697 students to be admitted through ‘Early Action’ from 14,781 applicants across the world applying to MIT (which has an acceptance rate of 4.7%). In addition to the incredible number of offers, Latymerians have also secured the School’s highest ever number of international scholarships, many of which are amongst the most selective in the world.
FANTASTIC FUNDRAISING
We are so pleased to report that our fundraising page for the Disaster Emergency Committee’s (DEC) Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal has raised £47,000. Every pound raised for the DEC will be matched by the U.K Government which means the true value of our Latymer community’s fundraising efforts stands at over £103,000, including Gift Aid. Band Night also helped bolster our fundraising efforts. Over three hours, Sixth Form bands and soloists together with a teacher band (called Teacher Assessed Grades!) took to the stage to perform a variety of sets. From metal to 1980s pop anthems, the performances were a big hit with a sell-out crowd who sang along and raised £978.50 in the making.
SPORTING PROWESS
n I n the London Youth Fencing Championships Tier Two National Finals, three of our students qualified for the British Youth Championships! Demir came second in the Under 14 boys’ category while Eugénie and Megan came first and second respectively in the Under 18 girls’.
A huge congratulations to Year 11 student Stella who has completed her Cello diploma- the musical equivalent of an undergraduate degree which students usually take at around 22 years old!
STUDENT AWARDED BRITISH EMPIRE MEDAL FOR SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY Sixth Form student Nina has been awarded a BEM in recognition of her work on Community Senior Letters, the non-profit she set up during the height of the pandemic.
SCHOOL NEWS
n O ur U13 Girls football team have achieved a superb win in the English Schools’ Football ESFA National Cup Final. 500 schools entered the competition to begin with!
AN ACHIEVEMENT THAT IS MUSIC TO OUR EARS
This thoughtful project pairs up schools and care homes so that students can write letters to residents; easing feelings of isolation and loneliness.
DIGITAL ARCHIVE COLLECTION LATYMER LENDS A HELPING HAND As we have done for those fleeing conflict in Syria and Afghanistan, we will do all we can to support refugees from the conflict in Ukraine. So far, we have welcomed 20 Ukrainian children to Latymer for the duration of their stay in the UK. To support their transition, we called for TEFL accredited volunteers to help boost their level of written and spoken English. Thank you to everyone who has offered their time - we have been so thrilled with the response!
We hope you enjoy reading the subscription brochure (enclosed with this magazine) for the Latymer Foundation’s 400th anniversary book, due for publication in 2024, and feel inspired to order a copy! An early order means you’ll qualify for a £5 discount, and the chance of having your name printed in the back of the book! We’re also excited to announce that we’ll be launching Latymer’s Digital Archive Collection in 2024, which will complement the anniversary book. This dynamic online space will primarily focus on pupils, staff and the community, both past and present. Whereas the book documents the history of our Foundation, the content of the archive will be predominantly about school life throughout the ages, taking the form of an online collection of alumni and staff memorabilia. It will include photos of drama productions, sports, activities, trips, and school classes along with some video and audio content featuring memories from Latymerians of all ages. Our historic documents, so vital to the writing of the book, will be scanned and available as part of the Collection, as will all issues of the school magazine, Latymerian – dating back to the turn of the last century.
Pictured is new Ukrainian student, Denys ready for his first day at the Prep
Thank you to those alumni who have volunteered to help curate our Digital Collection – this is a Latymerian initiative and with your help the online archive will continue to grow. More detail on how you can contribute your own memorabilia will feature in next Spring’s edition of this magazine.
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FOUNDATION OFFICE EVENTS
EVENTS ROUNDUP
We made the most out of this season, whether it was online or in person, as we enjoyed events onsite again after almost two years. It was so nice to see members from across the Latymer community come together to take part in our events. We are grateful for your continued support and engagement, and look forward to seeing many more of you back at Latymer very soon. To catch up on any of our virtual events, please visit the ‘Virtually Speaking Archive’ under the ‘News and Events’ tab on our website, or use the QR code to the right.
Festive Wreath Making Masterclass 27 November 2021 Latymer parent and talented florist, Becky Hands-Wicks, hosted a wreath making master class ahead of the festive season. The 25 lucky participants that managed to grab a ticket before they sold out, (all gone in less than 24 hours!), enjoyed a creative morning of wreath making whilst listening to festive music and sipping a glass of prosecco. Becky expertly guided everyone through the art of wreath making and a variety of fabulous garlands were created in just a few hours.
A Festive Evening of Carols and Jazz 2 December 2021 It was a magical evening of mulled wine, Christmas carols and jazz as we were joined by the talented Freya PARRY (2016), Latymer parent Sandy Burnett, Latymer Economics Teacher, Mark Wallace, and Upper Sixth students, Oscar and Stanley in the Recital Hall. They played timeless winter classics from bop to swing, sprinkled with some new hits that got us all into the Christmas spirit!
Latymer Staff Pantomime 19-22 January 2022 The pantomime is one of the most anticipated events of the year, and it didn’t disappoint! Over 40 members of staff came together to play the classic story of Aladdin. Performances of note came from Mr Forbes, who played the flirtatious Widow Twanky, and was a clear favourite for many in the audience. He wasn’t the only one who caught the eye of the audience though! “Wait, he can sing?”, was the common reaction of students as they spoke about Mr Goldsmith’s solo performance as Genie. Mr Goodhew even made an appearance as Wally, spotted doing a stylish moonwalk off the stage as the clueless detectives tried to find him throughout the show. Aside from performing four incredible nights of pantomime, we managed to raise over £13,500 for Latymer’s Bursaries Appeal, which is simply fantastic.
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Inspiring Conversations: Does Art Matter? 3 February 2022 It was only right to have a packed-out Recital Hall for our Inspiring Conversations talk, “Does Art Matter?”, by Letizia Treves (National Gallery), Xavier Bray (The Wallace Collection) and Andrew Fletcher (Christie’s). They spoke about the state of art during the pandemic, the role of galleries, museums and auction houses in an increasingly virtual world, and the importance of getting young children engaged in art. This event was also attended by students from our partnership schools all over London. If you would like to catch up on this event please visit our Virtually Speaking Archive.
Inspiring Minds Virtually Speaking: Zoffany Pranks 8 February 2022 Former Latymer teacher, Robert Orme, hosted another History of Art lecture just before the half term break. It was enjoyed by over 40 households spread across the world, from London to New York. In Robert’s signature style, he spoke about the work of Johann Zoffany, an artist from the Chiswick area who loved pranks and had an unconventional lifestyle. If you missed this talk you can still watch it on our Virtually Speaking Archive.
Exclusive Guided Tour of the Imperial War Museum with Taylor Downing (1971) - 5 March 2022 March saw another amazing tour from author, historian and award-winning TV producer, Taylor DOWNING (1971), around the Imperial War Museum - the home of many interesting pieces of history from WW1 to the present day. 25 guests from our Latymer community were lucky to have Taylor guide them through this fascinating museum and enjoy a drink at the Tankard pub afterwards to continue the conversation.
On the Road: New York 8 March 2022 Former Latymer English teacher Sally Markowska hosted a drinks reception for alumni on the other side of the Atlantic. Held on New York’s Lower East Side, we were thrilled to be joined by Latymerians from the Classes of 1968 through to 2019, as well as the Chair of the US Latymerian Council, Mark BULLIMORE (1980), who spoke of the Council’s excellent bursary fundraising work in the US. A truly lovely evening!
On the Road: Dinner at Cambridge University 12 March 2022 After a two-year hiatus, David Goodhew and a sparkling array of Latymer teachers, returned to Cambridge to visit alumni who are either currently studying at the University, or have done so in the past - as well as Latymerians living or working in the area. Thank you to those who joined us for dinner in the stunning surroundings of Christ’s College, Cambridge - it was great to see you!
2Bridges Run 13 March 2022
Leadership List Reception 22 March 2022 Our Leadership List Donors* were treated to a fascinating insight into the world of NFTs by leading artist, Sarah Meyohas, and a chance to experience her immersive artworks at an evening reception at the Nahmad Projects Gallery, Mayfair. The Head, David Goodhew, thanked our hosts and guests for their invaluable support for our Inspiring Minds campaign. *A Leadership List donor is someone who gives £2,024 or more to the Latymer Foundation in one academic year.
A Tutorial in French Literature with Peter Winter: Britannicus by Jean Racine 26 April 2022 Following on from his inspiring Virtually Speaking series of online talks last year on Baudelaire, Flaubert, and Molière, former Latymer Head, Peter Winter, hosted an interactive tutorial online featuring Jean Racine’s Britannicus. Racine’s poetry is cherished for its purity and elegance. A relatively unknown play in England, in France it is acknowledged as “la pièce des connaisseurs”. If you haven’t attended any of Peter’s talks, you can find them all in our Virtually Speaking Archive - you’re in for a treat!
Spring Gala - 5 May 2022 The Sports Centre at Latymer was transformed into a meadow of wildflowers, green grass and blue skies as members from the Latymer community came together for one special evening. They were treated to a three course dinner served on rustic tables filled with lavender, rosemary and peonies, whilst listening to inspiring speeches before participating in a nail-biting auction. The evening finished with the Latymer teacher band getting everyone up from their chairs and onto a packed dance floor. Thanks to the combined efforts of our parents, pupils, alumni, and staff, the evening raised an amazing £1.5 million pounds for our Inspiring Minds campaign. The incredible generosity of our community is helping us to get closer to our target of £40 million by 2024, which will enable us to fund 1 in 4 students on a bursary. We would like to give a heartfelt thanks to our generous guests and volunteers – and of course all those at home who supported the silent auction. We couldn’t have done it without our wonderful Latymer community!
This academic year marks 25 years of Latymer becoming a co-educational school. We’re hugely proud of all our Latymerians - each and every one has played an important part in making Latymer what it is today. We were thrilled to be joined by so many Latymerians for our celebration of this special anniversary!
Henley Afternoon Tea 28 June 2022 Latymerians joined us for a special afternoon in the Stewards’ Enclosure at Henley Royal Regatta! We enjoyed a delicious Afternoon Tea whilst cheering on the Latymer rowers from the front row.
1624 Society Afternoon Tea Reception - 30 June 2022 Members of our 1624 Society were cordially invited to this year’s 1624 Society Reception. This event was hosted by David Goodhew, Head of Latymer Upper School, and James GRAHAM (1976), President of the 1624 Society. 1624 Society members have included a legacy to the Latymer Foundation in their will.
DATES FOR THE DIARY HENLEY BBQ - 2 July 2022
An informal evening barbeque run by our Boat Club. School rowing blazers are encouraged to be worn. Open to all Latymerians. Partners are welcome.
RECENT LEAVERS’ RECEPTION 7 September 2022
Enjoy a drink or two as we welcome back Latymerians from the classes of 2017 and 2021.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
We were joined by over 100 Latymer community members from alumni to students, parents and teachers for the 2BridgesRun - a 6.4km run from Latymer’s Sports Centre, along Thames Walk and across both Barnes and Hammersmith Bridges - all in aid of our Bursaries Appeal. Spirits were high as runners from both the Upper and Prep School crossed the finish line in record-breaking time, and a tremendous amount of money was raised in doing so - a true testament to the spirit of the Latymer community. Well done everyone!
Party in the Piazza! Celebrating 25 years of co-ed learning together 23 June 2022
INSPIRING CONVERSATION: HISTORY OF LATYMER WITH DAVID GOODHEW 15 September, 2022
Join us in-person or online as our popular series of Inspiring Conversations returns with Latymer Head, David Goodhew, as he dives into the fasinating History of the School.
ART MASTERCLASS WITH HEAD OF ART, DAVID MUMBY - 17 September 2022
Latymer’s Head of Art, David Mumby, will be leading a Masterclass in Art. Whether you want to try drawing for the first time or hone your skills, this event is open to people of all artistic abilities.
10 YEAR REUNION - 4 November 2022
Has it really been 10 years? We invite the class of 2012 to join us at the Old Ship in Hammersmith for a drink, or two!
GREAT LATYMER DINNER PARTY 5 November 2022
Fancy hosting a dinner party, cocktail night or coffee morning? Invite your friends and family along to make a voluntary donation in return. All funds raised will support the Inspiring Minds campaign.
109TH LATYMERIANS’ DINNER 25 November 2022
Join fellow Latymerians of all ages for our well-loved annual dinner in the Main Hall – SAVE THE DATE!
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Obituaries OBITUARIES
We mark the following Latymerians who have sadly passed away recently.
n n n n n n n n
Roy ANDERSON (1949) Wilfred AUSTIN (1952) Dr Christopher BELL (1964) Paul Anthony Leonard DAVIS (1960) Michael Thomas DEANS (1965) Reg GREEN (1941) Leigh RICHARDS (1979) Michael WHITING (1960)
n Kenneth UFFEN (1942)
We are grateful to David GODFREY (1964) and Geoff LAVERS (1970) for bringing the following tribute to our attention Kenneth James Uffen was a Diplomat posted to Moscow, Washington and Bogota, where he narrowly escaped being taken hostage by left-wing guerrillas. He passed away at the age of 96 on 4 March. Kenneth was born in 1925 in Chiswick to Percival James Uffen, and Gladys Ethel James. After leaving Latymer, he joined the RAF as a flight lieutenant and was posted to the Soviet Union to interrogate defectors from the Soviet forces. He was, for a brief period, assistant air attaché in Moscow. He went on to attend St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, where he read French and Russian and coxed the college rowing team. He joined the Foreign Office in 1950. After three years in Paris, he was sent to Buenos Aires as Second Secretary, where he met the personal assistant to Sir Patrick Reilly, Britain’s minister in Paris, Nancy, in an embassy canteen. After whisking her around Paris on a moped and enjoying picnics in the French countryside, he proclaimed his love by serenading her in Russian. They were married in 1954. Nancy survives him, with their children Mark, Catherine, and Rosemary. Kenneth’s experience of the brittle Soviet landscape made him an ideal candidate to become commercial secretary at the British embassy in Moscow in 1961. There he set about nursing Soviet-Anglo relations through soft power. He enjoyed diplomatic stints in Mexico City and Washington, and after a year at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, made his more tangible mark in Latin America, serving as ambassador to Colombia from 1977 to 1982. His final post was as ambassador and permanent representative to the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development in Paris. After he narrowly escaped the siege at the Dominican embassy, he used the soft power he had harnessed through a lifetime of diplomatic service to bolster relations with Colombia. On November 17 of that year, a month before ensuring the release of kidnapped mother and son, Teleri and Owen Jones, he worked with the Colombian foreign minister to renew the 1866 Treaty of Friendship with Britain.
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n Geoffrey Cyril GURNEY (1950)
We are grateful to Beryl Gurney and Trevor WOOLLEY (1972) for the following tribute
Geoff was born on 5 April, 1932 and grew up in Chiswick with his younger brother Douglas (1953), who also attended Latymer. They were both evacuated during the war but returned before it ended. Geoff was a gifted sportsman, something which became apparent at Latymer, both on the football pitch and even more so on the cricket field. He was a fearsome fast bowler, who played for the school team and then the Old Latymerians Cricket Club for more than 30 years chairing the club for several of these. He was a well-known competitor among many of the Club’s regular opponents who bore the bruises of his aggressive bowling, such a contrast to the generosity of his personality – one that tolerated a dropped catch off his bowling with (relative) equanimity. An abiding memory is of Geoff walking back to the end of his run, a comb removed from his pocket to brush back his thick hair from his brow. His love of cricket would last a lifetime, going on to umpire for the club and become a member of MCC and a regular visitor to Lord’s with his wife Beryl, his children and friends. His association with Latymer after leaving was not confined to cricket. There were lifelong friendships formed at school and through playing for the club. He was chairman of the Old Latymerian Association from 1990 to 2000. Under his leadership, all alumni (rather than simply those who had paid annual subscriptions) were brought into the Association, and the process by which alumni activities came to be centred on the school, rather than at the sports ground at Whitton, was set in train. After being commissioned in the Royal Artillery in 1955-56 he spent most of his national service in Germany. On his return, he and Beryl were married in 1957 at St Paul’s Church, Hammersmith. It was during a cricket match at Whitton that he had first met Beryl, thanks to an introduction by her father G. L. INGRAM (1919), who was a founding member of the cricket club and was then captain of the first XI. Geoff was a family man, a businessman, a sportsman, a gentleman. Whether family or colleagues, team-mates or one of his many friends, all would have known a man of great warmth, generosity and humility, who could offer both wise words and laughter, and who was always so full of kindness. n Ray MCDUELL (1951)
We are grateful to Philip McDuell for the following tribute
Ray was born in 1932 in Isleworth, and attended primary school in Hounslow until 1943, when he arrived at Latymer Upper School having been awarded a scholarship. In Ray’s own words: “Latymer is and was a wonderful school although I had a varied academic record, having failed matriculation aged 16”. However, he clearly loved and excelled at the sport - he played for the school’s 1st X1 football team, (in fact, in the life history he wrote for his family, Ray thought he was the youngest to play for 1st team) and cricket teams, and following school, he played cricket for the Old Boys for many years. He went on to sign amateur football forms for West Ham FC and Tottenham FC, while playing amateur football for Hounslow FC, winning representative caps for both Athenian and Isthmian league teams. Contrary to his first instincts, his
father was not keen that he turn professional, and instead he joined Standard Bank of South Africa (Standard Chartered), where he enjoyed a 34-year career before retiring at 50 to tend to the cricket pitch at Oxshott Village Cricket Club.
“Your boy certainly put up a sturdy defence and his formmates vindicated his integrity. Indeed, your boy’s reputation for honesty and fair play has increased as a result”. This story was part of the tribute to Ray at his funeral in January, a celebration of 89 happy years of football, cricket, school and family life. n Don GRANGER (1952)
We are grateful to David Granger for the following tribute After Latymer, Don attended Leicester University where he graduated with a BSc in Geology, Botany and Zoology. During a successful career in the RAF Education Branch, rising to the rank of Squadron Leader, he was appointed MBE in 1968. After leaving the service he became Assistant Registrar and then Senior Assistant Registrar (Personnel) at Hull University before moving to Bradford University as Personnel Secretary in 1981. He became an Honorary Fellow of Bradford University in 2002. Don was always proud of his links to Latymer.
n Norman WISE (1952)
We are grateful to Alison Ring for the following tribute Norman was very proud of his time at Latymer and would often refer his children to various ‘old boys’ who had done well in the world. Although Norman lived in Rayners Lane, his mother thought fit for him to travel in to Hammersmith and attend Latymer, as she had attended Godolphin and Latymer herself. Norman was very interested in every aspect of life – travel, food, family, friends, sailing. His time at school taught him how to live life well - right up to the very end.
n James (Jim) TILLEY (1956)
We are grateful to Alan TILLEY (1961) for the following tribute James Edward Tilley passed away aged 83 in July 2021. He was born on June 5 1938 in Southall, where his father was a chimney sweep. After his education at Latymer, where he was a scholarship boy, he studied Geography at Aberystwyth University.
Jim became a committee member of the International Consortium of British Pensioners, which raised funds to sue the British Government for discrimination through the High Court then the European Court of Human Rights. Jim was also a member of the Australasian Latymerian Council and kept in touch with his school contemporaries on his frequent visits to UK pursuing the pension issues that were his passion. Just before his death he was awarded the Order of Australia medal for his work on pensions for expatriates.
OBITUARIES
According to Ray, as a fifth former in the 1st XI cricket team, he was persuaded by a sixth former that it would be acceptable to skip school to watch the Ashes at Lords in 1948. However, the headmaster turned out not to agree (!) and came to his classroom to get an explanation the next day; and followed it up with a letter to Ray’s father. Clearly Ray had given a good defence of his decision – he explained that as a 1st XI player he was not able to watch on Saturday’s and as exams were over (and no Sunday test match play in those days), this had been his only chance. The follow-up letter to Ray’s father is subtle and warm as he delivers a gentle admonishment and says:
Jim was a naval officer who championed British expatriates in their battle for improved pension rights. When he settled in Australia in 1971, he realised that his UK state Jim is pictured with his two brothers pension would be who also attended Latymer. frozen, which led L-R: Jim, Alan (1961), and Bob (1952) to a campaign for what he called “British justice” against longstanding British government policy which he characterised as “entrenched unfairness”, denying, he argued, “cost-of-living increases to UK old age pensioners in the old Commonwealth countries”.
n Chris BELL (1964)
We are grateful to Vivien Bell for the following tribute After leaving Latymer, Chris studied Biology and Entomology at Brunel University. After graduating, he worked at the Central Science Laboratory in Slough. Whilst working here, he met and married Vivien Daly in 1972. The laboratory moved up to Yorkshire in 1996, where Chris continued his work in entomology. Chris’s work focused on pesticides, on which he wrote and edited many articles that were published in speciality journals. After retiring, Chris continued with journal editing, and became increasingly involved in the local church community of Huntington, York, where he spent several years as church warden.
Chris died peacefully in hospital on Sunday, 23 January 2022, two months after celebrating his 76th year. It would have been Chris and Vivien’s Golden Wedding Anniversary in April of this year. n Robert (Bob) Lobley – Former Latymer Teacher
We are grateful to Former Latymer Archivist and Head of Classics, Malcolm Smith, for the following tribute Bob was Latymer’s Head of Art from 1976-1988. A great raconteur who very much enjoyed life and a very talented artist, he created the original painting of the school which was printed and sold at the centenary celebrations in 1995. They remain available to purchase on our online shop latymerfoundation.org/shop Bob and his wife, Priscilla, are the parents of Latymerian Ben LOBLEY (1979). Bob is pictured here in 1980 whilst teaching one of his classes at Latymer.
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Latymer Upper School Bursaries Appeal
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Did2005, you you can raise Since ourknow annual Bursaries Appeal has funds for our funded five new bursaries each year, thankssimply by shopping? Inspiring Minds campaign to the gifts of hundreds of Latymerians. After another year with more bursary There are three websites give a percentage of online purchases to applications thanmajor ever before, wethat need your your chosen charity when you shop via their site. help to meet this unprecedented demand. Your offer the exceptional Givegift Aswill Youhelp Live,usEasyfundraising and AmazonSmile are all easy to join and are totally free of forayou to use.education If you choose to support the Latymer Foundation, a opportunity Latymer to five percentage offor your totalpaying spend will donated to the Inspiring Minds campaign. more students whom our be fees would justto not be possible. Asofa software Latymerian, An easy download piece is available too, which links to your you are the best person to support anda website you’re looking at can earn a internet browser to remind you when inspire a student from our local community donation for your chosen charity. It really is that simple! who could bring so much to our school. So if you can, please make a gift to support these talented young people to ensure that they can begin their transformational Latymer education this September.
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