NEWS FROM HOME
West Midlands Jon Terry (G 93)
R
eporting on the West Midlands OOs this year seems a much easier task than usual as it would appear that (for some reason I can’t fathom!) everyone seems to have spent a lot of time at home not doing much. However it has been interesting reading their replies and a pleasure to report on their behalf. My first responder however should perhaps be re-allocated to a different region in the future, as Johnny Crabbe (G 55) has now moved to an “idyllically peaceful spot” just outside Kington, on the Offa’s Dyke footpath. He is still in good touch with a scattered number of OOs through the Penguins, begun by John Spragg in 1955, and they are all hoping to re-start their annual lunches again in October. He is sad to report that golf has given up on him but he does enjoy gardening and still sees Mark Glossop (D 54). Mark himself reports that he has been unable to operate the Cathedral Ferry in Worcester last year which means that the 60 year-old clinkerbuilt wooden boat has been out of the water since September 2020 and become very dry. He was thankful that he managed to recall a few Oundle workshop skills for minor repairs before moving her to a spot under a leaky roof which should restore some moisture to the wood before re-launching this summer. Having managed to circumvent the St John Ambulance regulations excluding the over-70’s, Richard Matthews (D 66) joined his local Hub in Rugby as a volunteer vaccinator in early February 2021 and to date (early June) has accounted for approximately 4,000 ‘arms’. He has found working as part of a well-motivated, efficient and cheerful group an uplifting and very worthwhile experience, particularly when easing – as gently as possible – some very anxious
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THE OLD OUNDELIAN 2020-2021
vaccinees through their visit. Nick Pritchard (Sc 65) received a letter from the Institute of Chartered Accountants congratulating him on it being 50 years since he qualified. He then decided it would be a perfect time to retire and did so at the end of February just before his 74th birthday. His plans were somewhat interrupted by testing positive for Covid at the end of January. Like others in the news in the last year he had only gone out once during lockdown to get his eyes tested (Specsavers for him though). Fortunately Covid was not a serious version for him, but worrying for the family nevertheless. He had also been diagnosed with a femoral thrombosis in August most likely caused by sitting at a desk for too long. He thinks things are on the mend now, and just needs to sort out why his left leg is not functioning properly. Having not been a burden on the NHS since he had his appendix removed when he was 11, it has been a bit of a reminder that no one should take their health for granted. Meanwhile, little changes for Christopher Best (C 66) as the pandemic put an end to a lifelong career in the hospitality sector. Chris has taken up exam invigilation in local Warwickshire schools, as well as volunteering with South Warwickshire NHS Trust and Stratford-upon-Avon Boat Club running the safety training launches and club and corporate events. Recently he has delighted in spending time in Dorset looking after his two-and-a-half year-old granddaughter. Sadly Peter How (Sn 49) reports not such a good year having lost Jane, his wife of 69 years as well as several OO friends. But at 90, he is now on the campaign board of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, raising funds after their Covid-hit financial year. (Music-
lovers, please help!) He hopes to visit the school soon for the Oundle lecture. Martin Trentham (B 64) continues to shoot with his local rifle club and with the Troubleshooters, albeit at the lower end of the C Team. He is still enjoying his 1928 Bentley 4½ litre, which he has now owned for over 50 years and, by way of a complete contrast, a more recently acquired 1933 Wolseley Hornet Special, occasionally competing in navigation rallies and driving tests. Paul Newsom (StA 55) apologised for having little to add this year but has kept himself busy nonetheless. He has been in touch with Clive Morton (StA 56) on the phone who is well but “seems to be suffering from old age like all of my contemporises.” He is also in regular contact with Howard Allen, Secretary of the OO Lodge and reports that Julian Ghosh (C 67) recently had his autobiography in The Automobile, following a few months after a long article about Paul’s G1917 Aston Martin which he drove at Le Mans 1932. Although the pandemic rather spoilt his 80th birthday plans last September, Richard Phillip MBE (D 59) was able to programme two celebratory concerts by the Fitzwilliam String Quartet. Although cancelling over 40 concerts over the last year, he has managed to put together a Midsummer Music Festival in Warwick and Leamington to celebrate the resumption of live music making. The audiences being as numerous as allowed, the case for retiring is not very convincing. Like so many of us, for Ian Carmichael (Sn 60) Covid lockdowns mean that