OHA Magazine 2009 - 10 by Old Habs

2009-2010

Past Presidents 1888-93 r.w. hinton 1893-96 w.j. jones 1896-97 w.c. witt 1897-98 s. phillips 1898-99 a.s.k. scarf 1899-1900 w.h. barker 1900-01 h.k. selman 1901-02 h.g. downer 1902-03 c.e. newbegin 1903-04 h.m. waynforth 1904-05 j.h. townend 1905-06 h.a. harmer 1906-07 w.a. lythaby 1907-08 g.j. freeman 1908-09 h.f. brooks 1909-10 v.j. moulder 1910-11 e.j.g. smee 1911-12 c.j.l. wagstaff 1912-13 w. paddock 1913-18 w.c. brett 1918-19 w. paddock 1919-20 h.b.p. humphries 1920-21 rev. f.j. kemp 1921-22 rev. w.h. braine 1922-23 k. mcmillan 1923-24 j.n. green 1924-25 h. parker 1925-26 h.h. chaplin 1926-27 s.h. norton 1927-28 g.c lundberg 1928-29 h.e. dulcken 1929-30 l.j. haskins 1930-31 a.c. mann 1931-32 s.e. wavell

1932-33 w.f. serby 1933-34 j. lucas 1934-35 l.p. batson 1935-36 j.e.g. moody 1936-37 p.g. macdonald 1937-38 d.l.i. evans 1938-45 l.j. gooch 1945-46 h. norman 1946-47 w.r. clemens 1947-48 w.h. crossman 1948-49 f.h. yale 1949-50 a.g. jenkins 1950-51 dr t.w. taylor 1951-52 a.n. bonwick 1952-53 s.h. bean 1953-54 s.e. phillips 1954-55 t.n. mcevoy 1955-56 g. batchelor 1956-57 p.c. brooker 1957-58 g.g. lloyd 1958-59 f.a. jackman 1959-60 l.j. miller 1960-61 rev. a.m. mann 1961-62 c.g. gardner 1962-63 k.h. blessley 1963-64 m.j. jackman 1964-65 j.b. blowfeld 1965-66 d.a. blessley 1966-67 d.w. wells 1967-68 e. cinnamon 1968-69 j.s. alexander 1969-70 e.t. purcell 1970-71 n.a.h. james 1971-72 e.h. amstein

1972-73 r.a. benge 1973-74 p. alterman 1974-75 c.j. robinson 1975-76 d.g. kenward 1976-77 l.f. brown 1977-78 j.a.r. beaumont 1978-79 b.h. mcgowan 1979-80 p.j. stevenson 1980-81 a.g. buchanan 1981-82 a.t. white 1982-83 c.r.b. jakeman 1983-84 d.a. james 1984-85 b.a. goodman 1985-86 g.t. wheal 1986-87 j.g. stagg 1987-88 p. alterman 1988-89 n. forsyth 1989-90 a.f. cooper 1990-91 p.j.s. vacher 1991-92 a.j.s. alexander 1992-93 p.j. egan 1993-94 m.j. bovington 1994-95 a.k. dawson 1995-96 r.m. kipps 1996-97 c.r.b. jakeman 1997-98 j.r. whittenbury 1998-99 a.e. morris 1999-2000 a.m. newton 2000-01 h.e. couch 2001-02 a.j. phipps 2002-03 d.j. brown 2003-04 g.j. macfarlane 2004-05 d.j. heasman 2005-08 a.p.s. newman

Foreword by Harry Hyman, OHA President

am very pleased to enclose the latest edition of the OH Notes and to write to you once again and for the final time in my capacity as President of the Old Haberdashers’ Association. I do hope that you’ll find the publication informative and as always Alan Newman would welcome any news from Alumni to be included in next year’s edition. This year’s includes coverage of our Old Haberdasher activities and news from school. The features include profiles on two prominent Old Haberdashers’, John Bamborough, the first Master of Linacre College, Oxford and Mark Rawlinson, one of the City’ leading corporate lawyers. As I explained last year, one of my overriding objectives as President has been to strengthen the links between the Old Haberdashers as a body of individuals and the School. I believe we have made substantial progress in this regard. Our long term aim as an Association remains to realise the inherent latent value from the land at Croxdale Road. The relocation committee has identified a suitable site and is in the final stages of negotiating a conditional agreement to acquire it. This would enable us to begin the process of applying for planning permission for the change of use at Croxdale Road. Separately, we have been engaged in a constructive dialogue with the School who believe that from 2013/14 it might be possible to locate OH sports activities at the School. This has not been feasible before. At the same time, the School wishes to review the existing arrangements for the current school leavers’ scheme and we have agreed a 3 year transitional period for this to take effect. I expect there to be more developments to report in the coming months and we will keep the members of the Association fully informed. Although as I write, global financial implosion has been avoided for the time being it’s none the less true to say that we face an enormous number of challenges as a country and these clearly impact the affordability of a school like Haberdashers’ for many parents. The launch by the school of the Foundation is undoubtedly an opportunity for contributions however large or small to be made in order to ensure that pupils from a less privileged and well-off back ground are able to attend or maintain their attendance at the school. I urge you to consider a donation of whatever size (http://www.habsboys.co.uk)

This year’s OHA Annual Dinner in May was a fascinating and well attended occasion. The Association itself was most grateful as always to the Master, the Beadle, the Headmaster, the School Captain and the Chairman of the Governors for attending and lending us their support. I was also delighted and honoured to welcome as our guest speaker, Lord Brittan of Spennithorne who left the School in 1956. His speech on his 50 years in public life was well judged and kept us entertained. The date of the 2011 Dinner is likely to be in May and if you are interested in participating please send Andrew Tarpey (mail@atarpey.com) an email so we can put you on the distribution list for details on due course. I would also like to thank my Vice-Presidents, Jonathan Metliss and David Mushin for their support and our toastmaster, Andrew Tarpey for his erudite introductions during the evening. In December 2009, I held a special event at The Athenaeum Club where Ian Robertson gave a delightfully witty and informative speech on various aspects of both his own rugby playing career and also his years as the voice of Rugby on the BBC. We welcomed 48 guests and a good time was had by all. The regular programme of social events at the Croxdale Road Club House this year included a Gourmet Dinner and 6 Old Lags lunches. Many thanks once again to Peter Vacher, Graham McFarlane, and Geoffrey Wheal for their hard work in organising these events. The newsletter includes reports from the playing clubs; Cricket, Football, Golf, Riffle and Rugby who have all had enjoyable seasons. One of the benefits that we look to achieve from our closer cooperation in partnership with the School is a greater ability to extend the database of Alumni. In the meantime the address of our own website is www. oldhabs.com, whilst that of the School of www.habsboys.org.uk. Those of you who are interested in social media groups will notice an active Facebook community group and a link to a usergroup for those interested in signing up. Let me sign off my two years as President of the Old Haberdashers’ Association with a vote of thanks to a number of people, including Martin Baker, our Secretary, Alan Newman, the Editor of the OH Notes, Alan Phipps and David Heasman for their work during the year on the ground and club house, Harold Couch for leading the relocation project and to our steward, Mel Howard and his daughters Kelly and Natalie, for their dedication and hard work at the Club House. I also owe a debt of gratitude to the members of the OHA Executive and its many sub- committees and to the members of the Associated Club committees for their support and hard work. I am delighted that Jon Corrall, the former Deputy Head of the School who has taught many of our members over the years will be my successor as President of the Association. I look forward to assisting Jon to make our future vision a reality.

old boys notes

Contents 1. . . . . . Foreword 3. . . . . . Editorial 4. . . . . . OHA Dinner 6. . . . . . Father and Sons Dinner

8. . . . . .

Adam Jacobs

10. . . . .

Mark Rawlinson

12. . . . .

John Bamborough

15. . . . .

News from Elstree

23. . . . .

The Trial

28. . . . .

Two Life Sentences An Interview with Mr Cook

30. . . . . Obituaries 35. . . . . OH Club Reports Rugby, Golf, Football, Cricket

Editorial Alan Newman

elcome to the 2010 edition of the Old Boys’ Notes, the annual review of the Old Haberdashers’ Association. This year, we once again aim to report on and reflect the varied activities organised by the OHA and its clubs as well as the achievements and experiences of individual Old Haberdashers in our feature articles. These features include Dr John Wigley’s biography of John Bamborough (1938) the founding Master of Linacre College, Oxford and this year’s interview by James Francken (1993) which is with Mark Rawlinson (1975) head of the corporate practice at Freshfields and better known in the media as one of the ‘Red Knights’. We are also pleased to display more breathtaking photographs by Adam Jacobs (2004). With the kind help of Jill Gleeson and the Skylark editors we again include articles from Skylark on the school play and Mr Mike Cooke. The News from Elstree section gives a flavour of the remarkably wide range of areas in which current HABS pupils involve themselves. The innovative design and detailed work required to lay out and compile the Notes is all the work of Jonny Burch (2004) without whom they could not have been produced. I am also very grateful to the many contributors of articles, photographs and information for the Notes. I hope you enjoy reading them.

old boys notes

OHA DINNER 2010 by Alan Newman

old boys notes

he 2010 Annual Dinner took place very shortly after the May General Election which led to the unfamiliar result of a hung parliament and a Conservative/Lib Dem coalition government. It was therefore most fitting that it was attended by two Old Haberdashers who have achieved high political office. Our principal guest speaker, Rt Hon Lord Brittan of Spennithorne (OH 1956) was a cabinet minister in Mrs Thatcher’s government and then a European Commissioner. David Lidington MP (OH 1974) has been MP for Aylesbury since 1992 and is now Minister for Europe in the new Government. Our other guests included George Pulman QC, the Master Haberdasher, Deborah Knight, Chairman of the Boys’ School Committee, Peter Hamilton, Headmaster and Aaron Taylor, School Captain. They were joined by some 90 OH’s of many vintages who filled the Haberdashers’ Hall and enjoyed an excellent evening. This began with lively chatter during the pre-dinner champagne reception as diners caught up with their contemporaries. Andrew Tarpey undertook the duties of Toastmaster with his customary panache and ensured that the President took wine with all the diners during the evening in a variety of informal toasts. Jonathan Metliss, the Vice President, proposed the toast to the Company, School and Governors and his recall of School experiences itself demonstrated precisely those qualities of iconoclasm and irreverence which he considered to be the archetypal qualities of a HABS boy. In their responses, the Master Haberdasher and the Headmaster respectively described the recent achievements of all the Company’s schools and of the current generation of Elstree pupils. The School Captain, who has been a leading light of the School debating team entertained the diners with his personal interpretation of what makes today’s Haberdashers tick. In his speech, Leon Brittan recalled the last election (in 1974) which resulted in no clear majority and shared the benefit of his experience in assessing the outcome of the 2010 election and the challenges faced by the new coalition. Harry Hyman, concluded the evening with thanks to the guest speakers and those who had helped to organise the event, notably Alanda Board, his PA.

Attendees Barny Acworth Nigel Alexander Tony Alexander Philip Alterman Simon Alterman David Alterman Kate Atkins Ian Baker Martin Baker Andrew Barnsley Paul Beeson Alanda Board Lord Brittan of Spennithorne Frances Brodsky Dan Burt Antonio Chan Keith Cheyney Robert Clarke Jon Corrall Roy Cottle Harold Couch Peter Cull Kevin Curtis John Davis Alexandru Dorobantu P J Egan Paul Elster Ernest Eng Robert Graham Paul Gregson Nigel Hall Peter Hamilton Gordon Hausmann David Heasman Irfan Hemani Reginald Howe Adam Hyman Clive Hyman Harry Hyman Marc Isaacs Rodney Jakeman Mike Jeans Richard Jenkins Greg Kahn Laurence Kaye Roger Lansdell Jeremy Lansdell Lansdell Lansdell Margaret Lansdell Anthony Lazarus Jeremy Leong Louis Leong Mike Lessani Mark Lloyd Williams Graham MacFarlane Alan Mackenzie Andrew MacKenzie Jonathan Metliss Alan Morris David Mushin James Mushin Alan Mushin Tom Nathan Alan Newman Daniel Ostermeyer Alan Page Peter Parham John Parker Parker Alan Phipps Kelvin Pike George Pulman Qudsi Rasheed Richard Roston Ronald Scarles Jonathan Seal Barry Shaw Ian Smart Peter Spence Graham Spencer Bob Stagg Andrew Tarpey Jim Tarpey Aaron Taylor Michael Taylor Graham Thompson Kevin Tierney David Tremaine David Tricker Peter Vacher Michael Weston John Wigley

old boys notes

Fathers & Sons Dinner by Andrew Tarpey

his year we tried something new: holding the dinner on a Saturday to allow those who wanted to attend, but couldn’t manage Fridays, to come along. Sadly numbers dipped, not least due to a clash with a Six Nations match (really, I do wish the RFU would check with us before planning these things). One thing which was unchanged was, of course, the quality of the evening – both in terms of fraternity filling our hearts and Mel Howard filling our stomachs. We kicked off with a tower of vegetables on a bed of rocket and made way for a splendid fillet of salmon with seasonal vegetables. Further reward came in the form of profiteroles with cream and then we settled back to several rounds of cheese & biscuits accompanied by coffee and lashings of port. Throw in wine throughout the meal and what’s not to like? After offering Mel and his team thanks for another winning dinner, the toast came from sons to fathers. David Mushin, Vice President, then kindly proposed the health of the sons, from the fathers. Mutual back-slapping continued within acceptable limits; the conversation took a trip offpiste when the thorny subject of driving cropped up and Bob Stagg was heard to remonstrate with son Tom: “Rubbish. I was driving three-litre Capris before you were even born” (after all, what would a trained police driver know about the subject?). It was perhaps for the best that they travelled to and from the dinner separately… Less contentious matters continued to be discussed for some time around the bar, where all agreed another good dinner had been enjoyed and that the next couldn’t come soon enough. If you are not on the mailing list for this dinner, and would like to be, please e-mail me at mail@atarpey.com.

old boys notes

Attendees Peter Clarke (Guest) Robert Clarke (’90) David Heasman (’59) Rob Heasman (Guest) Alan Mushin (’55) David Mushin (’74) James Mushin (’94) Gerald Ostermeyer (Guest) Daniel Ostermeyer (’00) Bob Stagg (’72) Tom Stagg (’01) Jim Tarpey (rtd School) Andrew Tarpey (’97)

Features

Adam Jacobs

‘While in South Africa, Adam worked for 1Goal, the official FIFA charity of the World Cup. That opportunity led to him meeting Desmond Tutu, Frederik Willem de Klerk and Bill Clinton… at the home of Nelson Mandela.’

‘Adam recently returned from the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, where he shot 15 games, including all four U.S. matches. A shot he took of Landon Donovan scoring the game-winning goal against Algeria — one of the greatest, if not the greatest, moments in U.S. soccer history — ran on the front page of ESPN. com after the U.S. victory.’

old boys notes

Photographer and Old Boy Adam has had a busy year including a trip to South Africa to photograph the 2010 World Cup. Here are a few of the photos he took on his trip.

old boys notes

Mark Rawlinson “

Roo are Ya?” asked the headline in The Sun when Mark Rawlinson (1975) emerged as one of the Red Knights – the group of five City figures that attempted to win control of Manchester United. Or, as The Sun put it, the “five-a-side team of fans aiming to produce a football giant-killing by taking over Man U, Wayne Rooney and all.” Mark Rawlinson, a Red Knight, is also the senior corporate lawyer at Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer. A partner for more than twenty years, he specialises in competitive or contested situations – such as the recent challenge to the Glazer family’s control of Manchester United – and has advised EMI, P&O, Morgan Stanley and Marsh & McLennan. When journalists write about Mark – as they have on a number of occasions this year: shortly after the Red Knight’s bid, BP hired him to prepare its defence against a potential takeover that might have taken place after the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster – they often joke that he is that rare commodity, a Manchester United fan born in Manchester. And it was only because Mark’s father changed jobs that the Rawlinsons left Manchester and Mark came to Haberdashers’. At the time, he was in the First Year at Manchester Grammar School. He had taken the MGS entrance exam at the age of nine – “it was meant to be a practice exam!” – and managed to win a place. He spent a year at MGS before moving to Habs, where he re-did the First Year. “They were both direct grant schools in those days,” Mark explains, “but they were very different places. Manchester Grammar School was very intense, it was a pressure cooker. If you did sport, you were given the idea that you were putting your academics at risk. Haberdashers’ was more laid back. There was a different approach, they wanted to develop people in the round.” Memories of life at Haberdashers’ are closely tied to memories of teachers. T.E. Carrington, “TEC”, a history teacher who had been in the Air

old boys notes

Force, “a big bear of a man”; “‘if you yawn again boy,’ he would say, ‘I’ll jump down your throat and strangle your liver.’” Peter Squire, a favourite history teacher: “his son, Nick, who went to Bedford Modern, is now one of Freshfield’s partners.” English teachers: Frank Hanbidge (“a lovely man”) and Simon Stuart, “Yogi”: “he would find sexual allusions in everything; he’d find them in Upstairs, Downstairs!” David Grossel – a young teacher at Habs in Mark’s time, who taught Paul, Mark’s younger brother, who also went to Habs and has gone on to be a partner at PwC – is now the Second Master at King’s College School, Wimbledon, where he teaches Mark’s son: “as David puts it, ‘the third Rawlinson I’ve had the misfortune to teach’”. There are two incidents from his time at Habs that Mark recalls most keenly, one happy and one sad. The first is the presentation of rugby colours at an assembly in December 1975. It was a period when the 1st XV was particularly strong – the team went on a run of 65 unbeaten matches from October 1973 to December 1977. Otto Chan, a good friend of Mark’s, had got into the Firsts quite early on in his time at Habs. He had taken the Number 7 shirt from an older boy, Billy Hughes. “Billy had been a real hero to Otto, and Otto wore Billy’s original rugby shirt all the way through his time in the Firsts. At the assembly for colours, Dai Davies, as well as giving Otto his colours, presented him with a new rugby shirt.” The second is the memory of the death of Colin Done. Colin, who had been the school captain, was working as a student teacher at Habs when he had a fatal car accident. “I remember school assembly. All the prefects were crying, and you had no idea why, or what was going on. Then the Headmaster explained what had happened.” Mark went up to Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, to read history, but he became friends with another freshman who was reading law and who encouraged him to change course. Was a legal career an obvious choice? “In a way.

At the time, friends and family would always say to me: ‘You’re an argumentative bugger, you should be a lawyer.’” He asked his Director of Studies which law firms he should apply to, made five applications, and joined Freshfields in 1982: as the profile on his company website puts it, Mark is “still on his first wife and his first job.” But the City is a very different place today than it was when Mark began his career as an articled clerk – on a starting salary of £3,340 per annum “plus luncheon vouchers”. In the early 1980s, Freshfields had thirty partners; today, there are four hundred partners at the firm. And the idea of partnership has changed over time: “it was an entitlement rather than an obligation in those days. It was a huge club; things have changed enormously.” And yet Mark anticipates that the next five years might well see more dramatic changes unfold than he has experienced in his career to date. The supply of legal services will outstrip demand; as a result, more law firms will merge or go bust. Pricing pressures will lead to the segmentation of the legal industry: higher margin, lower gearing players will concentrate on providing higher value advice to clients, and outsource an increasing amount of due diligence work to lower margin, more highly geared commodity players. Increasingly, law will be a business rather than a profession. And what of the Red Knights, the consortium of big businessmen, bankers and lawyers that tried to broker a takeover of Manchester United? “We’re keeping a watching brief,” Mark says. The club’s level of gearing is unsustainable; it’s well-chronicled how much cash has been taken out of the club, cash which could have been spent on rebuilding an ageing team. “The Glazers’ expectation on valuation was too high,” Mark explains. “But at some point they could come under financial pressure, and at some point that valuation could change. The Red Knights may not see the light of day again. But they may…”

LEVERTON SONS LTD LTD LEVERTON & & SONS Independant Funeral Directors Independent Funeral Directors sincesince 1789 1789 and managedby by our our family for generations OwnedOwned and managed family for generations Keith and Clive Leverton (both Old Haberdashers) own and run this old-established

Keith and Clive Leverton (both own and andKeith’s run this professional Company, alongOld withHaberdashers) Clive’s daughter Pippa sonold-established Andrew. professional Company, along with Clive’s daughter Pippa and Keith’s son Andrew. Based in North-West London we are always on call to respond to the needs of our clients anywhere in the UK or abroad.

Based in North-West London we are always on call to respond to the needs of clients anywhereatinour theoffices UK or abroad. We are availableour to make arrangements or your home, if preferred. Goldento Charter Funeral Plans andoffices are always willing to discuss these, We We areoffer available makePre-Paid arrangements at our or your home, if preferred. without obligation.

WeWe offer Golden Charter Pre-Paid Funeral Plans and are always are staunchly independent and are not part of any p.l.c. or group. willing to discuss these, without obligation. We are staunchly independant and are not part of and p.l.c. or group. We can be contacted at our Head Office on; tel: 020 7387 6075 212 eversholt street, london nw1 1bd fax: 020 7383 5473 or any of ouratbranches listed below: Wethrough can be contacted our Head Office on; tel: 020 7387 6075 golders 212 eversholt street,green london nw1 1bd 624 finchley road, nw11 7rr fax:020 0208455 7383 5473 4992 or through any muswell of our branches hill listed below: 1 denmark terrace, fortis green, n2 9hg 020 84445753 GOLDERS GREEN 624 finchley road, nw11 7rr 020 8455 4992 hampstead MUSWELL HILL 181 haverstock hill, nw3 4qs020 84445753 1 denmark terrace, fortis green, n2 9hg 020 7586 4221 HAMPSTEAD 181 haverstock hill, nw3 4qs 020 7586 4221 gospel oak 164 malden road, nw5 4bs GOSPEL OAK 020 7485 164 malden road, nw51969 4bs 020 7485 1969 KENTISH TOWN kentish town 149 kentish town road, nw1 8pb 020 7485 1266 149 kentish town road, nw1 8pb 020 7485 1266

www.levertons.co.uk www.levertons.co.uk email:info@levertons.co.uk info@levertons.co.uk email:

GOLDEN CHARTER pre-arranged Plansareare available as of part our service. GOLDEN CHARTER pre-arrangedFuneral Funeral Plans available as part ourofservice.

JOHN BAMBOROUGH 1921-2009 John Wigley

ohn Bernard Bamborough was not only the first Haberdasher to become the head of an Oxford College, but had the rare distinction of creating one virtually from scratch, and then establishing it as an interdisciplinary graduate community of international renown. Linacre College is his creation and is a tribute to him. Born on 3 January 1921, the son of a political journalist, Bamborough won a Governors’ Scholarship to Haberdashers’ Aske’s Hampstead School (in Westbere Road, near Cricklewood railway station) where he quickly showed his remarkable academic and intellectual ability and acquired a lifelong literary interest in the work of Robert Burton, author of “The Anatomy of Melancholy” (1621). In 1938 Bamborough went up Oxford as a scholar of New College, where he was one of Lord David Cecil’s first pupils, and in 1941 was awarded a First Class in English Language and Literature. After graduation he served in the UK’s Coastal Forces as a Lieutenant in the RNVR, and subsequently in the Royal Navy as an Education Officer with the rank of Instructor Lieutenant. In 1946 he returned to Oxford as a Junior Lecturer at New College, and in 1947 became a member of Wadham College, whose Warden, the legendary Maurice Bowra, a veteran of the First World War, was gathering together a group of gifted young dons. As Fellow of English at Wadham (1947-62) and University Lecturer in English (1951-62) Bamborough built up a thriving and successful undergraduate school of English and made outstanding contributions to scholarship. There was first a study of Elizabethan and Jacobean psychology, “The Little World of Man” (1952), and later books on Ben Jonson (1959, 1970), and editions of Jonson’s “Volpone” (1963) and “The Alchemist” (1967). He edited the “Review of English Studies” from 1964-78. During the 1990’s he wrote most of the introduction and commentary to the six volume Oxford University Press edition of “The Anatomy of Melancholy”. Bamborough drew particular attention to Burton’s recipe for avoiding melancholy, which Dr. Johnson had recommended to Boswell: “Be not solitary; be not idle.” It was an apt commentary on his time at Haberdashers’ and his career in Oxford. Bamborough was registered for a place at Habs. on 4th. March 1931 and entered the school on 29th. September. He passed Ordinary School Certificate in 1935, flourished in the sixth form, took Higher School Cert. (English, History, Latin, French) in 1937, and won the R.C. Sherriff Scholarship to New College in 1938, to which was added a Haberdashers’ School Leaving Exhibition, an award given only to the most talented. When he left Habs. in July 1938 “Skylark” noted dryly: “J.B. Bamborough, (1931-38). – VIa Modern . Calverts. House Vice-Captain, 1937-38, School Prefect, 1937-38, R.L. Stevenson Club Prizeman, 1937. Sherriff Scholarship

old boys notes

in English Literature, New College, Oxford, 1938. 2nd. XV 1937-38. 1st. XXX Colours. Athletics Team 1937-38. Secretary Tennis Club, 1938. Secretary of the Abbott Club, 1937-38. Dramatic Society 1938. Editor of “The Skylark”, 1936-37-38. Leaving Exhibition, 1938.” In the 1937 Upper School Athletics Sports he won the Under 16 and a half-year Hurdles, in the Autumn Term was a congratulated on his “fine performance” in the InterHouse Senior Cross-Country Races, thanked for working hard to improve Calverts’ position in the Lower School, and awarded House Colours. In the 1938 Upper School Sports he was first in the Hurdles and third in the 220 Yards Open, performances that ensured his place in the school’s Athletics Team, in which he specialised in the Medley Relay. In the Summer Term of 1938, seated on the Headmaster’s left in the Prefects’ Photo, dressed in the then Prefects’ uniform, with white shirt, formal tie, black jacket (handkerchief in the top pocket), striped trousers with deep turn-ups, grey socks, and black, leather-soled, lace-up shoes he appeared to epitomise the supposedly conformist attitudes and values of the 1930’s. His “Skylark” accounts of the 1937 and 1938 School Camps, his ballad “The Novice”, his poem “The Long and the Short of It” and his skit “Bungkom” at first do seem to share the laboured whimsy and staid prose style of much else in the school magazine, as does his Oxford Letter, recounting his first months in New College. However, a closer examination of these contributions to “Skylark” reveals a fluent written style, impressive knowledge, and a wry (even subversive) humour. Its review of his performance as the Porter in “Macbeth” in January 1938 remarked “J.B. Bamborough was too sober and agile for such a whoreson drunk knave who has slept so sound. This actor found a part more congenial to him in the Second Murderer” “Skylark” shows his literary interests and a quizzical (even anti-establishment) outlook. He spoke to the Abbott Club (the sixth form discussion society) on “Should Poets be fostered by the State? and “Is Shakespeare a Great Dramatist?” A lampoon entitled “Have with you to Westbere Road!” was subtitled “A Quip for an Upstart Schoolmaster. Being the Blast of the Trumpet against the sundry abuses, scandals and monstrosities of School Life.” His satire “Shakespearian Sports” could be taken as an attack on organised games. His squib “Megalomania” was aimed at Hitler- “Once upon a time there was a man who thought he was a European Nation.” In the 1980’s he sent a letter to the School Archives explaining that his generation was aware of the social divisions and tensions in the United Kingdom, but was overshadowed by the possibility of war. If war broke out they expected London and all the major English cities to be flattened by bombs and the whole country to be carpeted

Above: New College Chapel Right: Linacre College

old boys notes

with poison gas. “We were convinced at one and the same time of the need to ‘Fight Fascism’ and of the wrongness of war and re-armament. This was the familiar dilemma of the Left Wing at that period; I think we vaguely felt that the answer lay in some form of passive resistance.” In December 1938 his juniors in the Abbott Club invited him back from Oxford to hear his remarks on university life, delivered in his “inimitable style” of “bantering persiflage”. His next, and apparently last, visit to Haberdashers’ was in 1953 when he returned to open the new Preparatory School, then in Flower Lane, and Dr. Taylor proudly introduced him as an Old Haberdasher and the Dean of Wadham. Soon after joining Wadham Bamborough showed his skills as an administrator. He was in succession Dean (194754), Domestic Bursar (1954-56), and Senior Tutor (195761). A year as Junior Proctor introduced him to University committees. He was a member of Hebdomadal Council (1961-79) and Vice-Chairman of the General Board of Faculties (1964-67), influential positions at a time when, as he testified to the Franks Commission in 1965, ideas for new initiatives were “darting about all over” and he felt himself “sitting on the lid of a boiling kettle”. He was a formidable figure in the University, a supporter of moderate reform. Oxford’s provision for graduate students and graduate studies was inadequate. Linacre was the first of three new inter-disciplinary colleges designed to cater for the growing numbers of graduates, and under Bamborough’s guidance became a model of an international and an egalitarian community, very different from many of the ancient colleges. As Principal from 1962 to 1988 he ruled Linacre with a firm hand. Civilised and modest, a man of dry wit and convivial humour; he was also a practical, vigorous man, with a clear understanding of what he wanted; a man of energy and decision who did not hesitate to make up his mind. He established a powerful and talented academic and administrative team, dedicated to creating and fostering an entirely new kind of college. Bamborough and his Norwegian wife Anne (whom he married in 1947) made the whole college, Fellows and students alike, feel members of a distinctive community. They were a famously hospitable Oxford partnership, and made lifelong friendships that extended across the world. They created a friendly, informal and liberal atmosphere that is captured in “Bamborough’s Lincacre”, a series of affection tributes to “Bam” (as he was known in the college) by his former colleagues and students.

old boys notes

David Scott met him as Principal elect: “As I was ushered into what seemed his palatial suite of rooms in Wadham, I saw this striking figure. He reminded me of a young Bertrand Russell, and I entered with a strange mixture of excitement and sheer terror. I listened as he explained how I must decide if I wanted to be part of the robust but vacuous social life of the undergraduate colleges, or to be part of the mature, co-educational, international, interdisciplinary environment of Linacre. Here he paused, and then to emphasize the gravity of his comparison he suddenly leaned back in his chair to an acute angle that appeared to defy the laws of gravity. The subsequent, vivid description of his vision for Linacre that followed inspired such confidence that I felt no desire to apply to any other college.” Bam aimed for a judicious mixture of tradition and modernity. He suggested that he was “inventing a tradition a day”, and members wore gowns for dinner, but in contrast to some colleges the Linacre grace was a brief “Benedictus Benedicat”. In the early days money was short. Some of the cutlery for the opening dinner had to be borrowed from Wadham. The 1960’s were challenging. During the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, some Oxonians fled to Scotland, but Bam counselled remaining in Oxford, imperturbably exemplifying the English spirit that had seen the nation through the worst years of World War II. During the Great Freeze of 1963 Bam organized members of Linacre into work groups to go to coal storage yards and haul fuel back to the college, to offset the sub-zero temperatures in private and public rooms. Not surprisingly, Bam inspired deep affection and respect. Peter Holloway described him as “one of the nicest gentlemen one could wish to meet, kind, considerate, understanding.” Earl Gooding recalled his “wit and wisdom, graciousness, easy flow of conversation and picturesque language”. Kenneth Laurence remembered that he “he exhibited the best Oxford had to offer. He was intelligent, scholarly and articulate- we expect that of all Oxford dons- but above that, he was gracious, generous, witty, fair, farsighted, optimistic and compassionate, qualities seemingly in short supply in today’s world.” Would that all colleges had leaders who shared Bam’s qualities. Lawrence Goldman OH recently showed them as acting-Master of St. Peter’s College and we expect that Mark Damazer OH will show them as Master with effect from 1st. October 2010.

News from Habs

News from Elstree

old boys notes

News from Habs

PREP & PRE-PREP HABS Prep rated top again by The Sunday Times. For the fourth successive year, the Prep School has achieved the distinction of being the top performing boys’ school in The Sunday Times Top 250 Independent Preparatory Schools.

Double LAMDA success Two HABS students won their respective age group competitions in a national contest run by the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art(LAMDA). Khush Kotecha (7H) was in the top five in the country for his Communication

Old Boy in University Challenge

HABS Prep in Downing Street In November 2009, Year 4 pupil Ammar, accompanied by Prep Head, Miss Mercer, visited 11 Downing Street to commemorate the Child-to-Child Trust's thirtieth birthday. He met Sarah Brown. Ammar has visited Child-to-Child projects in Pakistan, Kenya and Lebanon.

award Foundation Level (Grade 3) and Anand Patel (9M1) was in the top five in the country at Grade 5. Approximately 22,000 children qualify for the LAMDA exams, so for Khush and Anand to finish in the top five is an outstanding achievement. Both boys went on to win their competitions at the finals, which were held at the MacOwan Theatre at Earls' Court.

Bank of England awards trophy to HABS Economists

n recognition of the contribution, dedication and success of the School’s Economics Department in the Bank of England’s Target Two Point Zero competition and in the teaching of Economics in general, HABS was awarded a special commemorative trophy by the Bank. The competition is now ten years old and HABS has been in it every year, reaching the national finals on three occasions and achieving national runner-up twice. The trophy was presented at a ceremony by Mervyn King the Governor of the Bank of England

wo Old Haberdashers, John Gilmore (1973) and David Lidington MP (1974) share the rare distinction of winning University Challenge twice, first as students in 1978 and again in 2002 in the “Champion of champions” series. In October 2009, Edward Harding (2005) set out to emulate them in the first leg of the competition as captain of the Regent's Park College, Oxford team that beat Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He describes the experience below. “We had trials in college, in the form of a big general knowledge quiz, to decide the team, and the top four scorers got through to our team. Our team came from all over the UK studying Classics, History and Politics, Philosophy and Theology, and English. We're all now in our third year. As team captain, my job was primarily the coordinating of our team to attend trials/interviews with the production team, and then answer questions on behalf of the team on the show itself. Being on TV was pretty nerve-wracking, to the extent that I nearly forgot what subject I study when we introduced ourselves! We were pretty

apprehensive as it was our college's first ever appearance on University Challenge and we wanted to do our friends proud. The 'practice questions' they asked to get us used to the format couldn't have gone worse, as the Cambridge team buzzed in first on every single question, and we had the awful feeling this was going to be a long half-hour...but then when they started filming the show for real, our star player, James Aber, buzzed in within 3 seconds, interrupting the first question and getting us off to a flying start. This rather set the tone for the rest of the show, and although Emmanuel came back strongly around the halfway stage, we pulled away at the end. We were constantly hampered by the fact that nobody on our team had even done an A-level in a science subject, and our woeful knowledge of Pink Floyd has been much commented on. Nevertheless, when the final gong went we were pretty stunned to have won 205 165. Meeting Jeremy Paxman was fairly surreal. It was pretty amusing to find that Paxman's only contact with our college up to this point was in the fact that one of our tutors writes him irate letters criticizing his Newsnight performances.”

Raj Dattani helps ends Royal Institution row As reported in the London Evening Standard, Raj a sixth form student helped to end a bitter row at the Royal Institution among Britain's most distinguished scientists. Members of the 211-year-old organisation gathered to vote on proposals to sack the entire council and reinstate sacked director Susan Greenfield. However, midway through the two-hour debate between 650 of Britain's scientific elite, 17-year-old Raj Dattani stood up and told them they were acting like children. “I have clearly walked into something way beyond what I ought to be dealing with,” he said, to applause and cheers from members in the Institution's Faraday lecture theatre. “Surely if everyone sat round a table

old boys notes

and talked about this there would be a way out. Just cutting people out doesn't work — even in the school playground,” he said. “We do a lot of debating at school, and the problem was that nobody was explaining what the issues actually were, and nobody seemed accountable,” he said after the debate. By the end of the evening, Royal Institution president Adrian de Ferranti had described Raj as “our future”, and director of research Professor Quentin Pankhurst had congratulated him on his performance.

Clubs and Societies

School Marksmen enjoy a day at Bisley

n Saturday, 8th May, a combined School and CCF shooting team was invited by the Old Haberdashers' Rifle Club to Bisley Shooting Range; one of Britain's finest ranges, for a day of shooting with full bore 7.62 mm rifles. Upon arriving at Bisley, they were shown how to clean and prepare the rifles for use by the members of the Haberdashers' Rifle Club. In the morning, they shot over the shorter 300 metres range in order to get used to the different rifles and to the strong recoil. The results from the 300 metre distance were better than expected and some fine scores were attained, with several perfect shots being made. After lunch at the clubhouse, they moved onto the longer distance of 600 metres; a vast increase from the 25 yard (23 metre) range they are used to in school.

Basil Letts selected for England U20 Bridge Team Basil Letts (U6) represented England in the Under 20 Bridge Team in the Channel Trophy in December playing against France, The Netherlands and Belgium. He is the latest in a long line of distinguished Habs bridge players, including mathematics teacher and OH, Mr Haring.

Habs win British Schools' Bridge Cup On Saturday, 20th March, Habs sent two teams to enter the British Schools' Bridge Cup and a third to enter a separate competition. The A team of Basil Letts (U6), Anesh Patel (U6), Hugh Brannan (L6) and Rishi Chotai (Y11) won the main event. They won the qualifier convincingly, scoring +91 points,

Most of the team had never before used such high calibre weapons, especially for competition shooting over such distances. The results were extraordinary. Many had simply hoped to hit the target at 600 metres, but the outcome was rather different. Both teams attained outstanding scores, with the best shot of the day going to Simon Lee, who maintained his reputation as a top marksman with an astronomical score of 43/50. Nikhil Subbiah was right on Simon's tail with a score of 42/50 followed by James Glanville, who shot 40/50. The trip was organised on the School side by Mr Nick Saddington, head of the CCF and Mr Mark Lloyd-Williams and for the OH Rifle Club by Alan Morris, Dick and Peter Winney and Charlie and John Freeman. The boys found it an unforgettable experience and all concerned hope it will become a regular annual event.

with second place on +33. In the semi-final they faced Nottingham High School and won a close match by 9 points. In the final they faced St. Paul's School and won comfortably by 24 points to become national champions. The B team of Bhavik Patel (U6), Josh Parikh (Y9), Jonathan Clark (Y7) and Dylon Dissanayake (Y7) finished just below halfway in the qualifier finishing on -13 points. The C team of James Zhao (Y11), Josh Treon (Y11), Rishi Galayia (L6) and Nikesh Arya (L6) entered a separate competition. They won all their qualifying matches to reach the semi-finals and then won a close semi-final too. In the final they lost by just 5 points to a team which included a current England Schools international.

Gold award for Habs Scientist Branavan Rudran who was awarded the Nuffield Science Bursary in June has been awarded a Gold Award for his report on the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Reviewing and Rebuilding of the Corsellis Collection.â&#x20AC;? The Nuffield Bursary scheme gives students the chance to work in leading scientific institutes during the summer and Branavan spent five weeks with the Department of Neuroscience & Mental Health at Imperial College London working on the neurological records collection. .

old boys notes

News from Habs

Debating success continues

Professor Baron-Cohen visits Science Society

rofessor Simon Baron-Cohen (OH 1977), Professor of Developmental Psychopathology and Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge addressed the HABS Science Society in November 2009. Talking to a packed hall of students and parents on “Sex Differences in Mind”, Professor BaronCohen brought together lines of evidence from neurobiology and psychology to underpin his extreme male brain theory of autism. Professor Baron-Cohen is pictured with Casey Swerner and Neeloy Banerjee of Science Society.

old boys notes

Simon Baron-Cohen attended HABS between 1966 and 1977 along with his two brothers and his famous cousin, Sacha. After leaving HABS he went to Cambridge and has become an expert psychologist specialising in Autism. He was awarded the Spearman Medal from the British Psychological Society and the McAndless award from the American Psychological Association. He is VicePresident of the National Autistic Society (UK). He is presently head of Cambridge University’s Autism Research Centre.

Debating at the School goes from strength to strength with HABS boys selected to represent England at the Worlds Schools Debating Competition for the fourth year in a row. This time, two Upper Sixth boys, Hasan Dindjer and Ed Schwitzer were in the four- strong team which won through to the finals where they lost to Canada, opposing the motion that “Governments should never bail out big companies”. Previous HABS students selected include Nick Sloboda (2002), Jamie Susskind (2006 and ‘07) and James Fox (2008). There were many other inter-school successes during the year including winning the International Schools' Mace Competition, held at Glasgow University on the motion that "The UK should abandon its nuclear weapons programme.” In March, they won the Grand Final of the prestigious Oxford University Debating competition in which 800 teams competed and where HABS had two teams in the final. The winners were Aaron Taylor and Miles Coleman (who also won prize for best speaker). Two HABS teams also reached the Grand Final of the Cambridge competition and all four boys came in the top ten in the individual speaker list.

HABS welcomes its first Writer-inResidence Tuesday, 6th October 2009 was an exciting day in the HABS’ calendar, when the English Department formally welcomed the acclaimed fantasy fiction author, Graham Joyce, to the School as its first Writer-inResidence. He will be working this year with boys in Year 9. In addition to creative writing workshops with each Year 9 English class, he is running a series of lunchtime workshops throughout the year in the School Library where boys will have the opportunity to listen to readings and develop their creative writing skills yet further. Joyce’s work has received many accolades, including multiple British Fantasy Awards for his novels – including most recently, Memoirs of a Master Forger. He has also written a memoir based on his time as a goalie for the England Writers’ Football Team, Simple Goalkeeping Made Spectacular. In addition, Joyce has been involved in developing narrative in computer games - notably, the Doom series.

Clubs and Societies

University Offers Once again, HABS has secured an impressive total of Oxbridge offers. Thirtyeight U6 applicants were successful this year, with sixteen boys heading to Oxford and twenty two to Cambridge. This is the school’s highest number of entrants since 2006.

Three medals at Junior Maths Olympiad HABS teacher makes a drama out of a crisis Mr Tim Norton (Head of Drama and an OH) had a spectacular sell-out hit at the 2009 Edinburgh Fringe Festival with his play, “A Grave Situation” which went on to perform to sell-out audiences at the Pleasance Theatre in Islington. The inventive new comedy, set during the Second World War was co-written and directed by Mr Norton and two former HABS pupils, Jack Hartnell (2004) and Danny Fisher (2004), working as Choreographer and Assistant Musical Director respectively. Other Old Boys involved included: Alex Petrides (2008), Alex Woolf (2009), Ed Sayer (2005), Joe Stolerman (2005), Spencer Hughes (2004), Josh Green (2008) plus two current students: Sam Briggs and Elliott Ross.

Over 240,000 Year 7 & 8 boys and girls nationwide took the Junior Maths Challenge in April. The best of these qualified for the follow-on round, the Junior Maths Olympiad. Of these, three Habs boys Sajan Rajani (8S), Mukunth Raveendran (8C) and Philip Peters (7H) managed to get into the national top 100 and received medals. A commendable performance by all three boys.

Annual School v OH Golf match The annual Golf match between the School and Old Habs took place in perfect weather at Aldwickbury Park. HABS’ no.1 player William Aldred was in good form, firing four birdies to help Ryan McIntosh, the Director of Sport, maintain his domination over recent OH Zain Arora in the top match. Recent leaver Phil Bagshaw and Julian Hails overturned an early 3 hole deficit to put a second point on the board in match 2, while Andy Ward made a fourth birdie on the final hole to secure a half against Esmond Hitchcock and Rob Clarke. David Fernie and Harry Kovenklioglu ensured that the School won 3-1 by halving the final game with OH Captain Peter Mackie and guest David Allen. The players enjoyed a convivial supper in the Clubhouse afterwards, and reconvenes at the School Golf day, also at Aldwickbury on Tuesday 31st August.

Big Band Competition Jazz is thriving at Haberdashers’. The School Big Band took part in the National Final of the NCBF Big Band competition in Birmingham in April. Following on from their success at the South East Regional Final, the boys again achieved the top prize and were presented with the Platinum Award. Sam Freeman was also awarded the Outstanding Solo Award for his leading of the ensemble and improvised solos. The band, who were unable to compete on the Saturday with the other school Big Bands, were placed alongside university ensembles in the Open Big Band section. Adjudicators remarked on the maturity of their playing, the quality of the soloists and the tight ensemble sound. They performed an exciting and varied programme including an arrangement of Night in Tunisia, the slow ballad I’ll Be Around and a composition by the composer Kenny Wheeler called Mouse in the Dairy. The Big Band, along with the school Concert Band and small jazz ensembles, will be touring the Rhineland in the summer. James Rose (U6), an aspiring jazz pianist and one of the Big Band’s stars recently played in an exciting concert performed by “the next generation of young jazz musicians” at the famous Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in Soho, London. It was an unforgettable experience for James, giving him a real taste of professional jazz performance in the atmosphere of London’s most celebrated jazz venue. After leaving School in Summer 2010, James will study jazz piano at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Military History Library Mr Lionel Leventhal and his son, Michael (OH) have donated 2,000 military history books to the School which forms the basis of the new Military History Library opened on 24th September 2009 by Mr Leventhal. The Leventhals have been publishers of military history books for many years, amassing a large collection which they generously offered to Michael’s old school. It includes books on naval history, aviation, Napoleon, Operation Barbarossa and many other topics. The purpose of the donation is to ensure that the books are read and the new library will be used by boys of all ages, from Year 7 to Year 13. Two Sixth Formers, Adam Landa and Jonathan Metzer have catalogued the library.

old boys notes

News from Habs

SPORT HABS Under 15 Pair win Phillips Cup at Eton Several HABS Tennis players competed in the Independent Schools Championships at Eton this year. There were a number of impressive performances from our boys in this tough competition which features nationally ranked players.. Outstanding among them were the Under-15 team of Will Dunnigan and Felix Taljaard who surpassed all expectations and became the first-ever Haberdashers to win the Phillips Cup. They beat St Pauls, previous winners in a long semi-final which went to 1412 in the final set and then defeated Rugby in straight sets in the final. In the under-13 competition, Andrew Gilbert and Justin Mullem won 3 out of their 4 matches in the John Barrett Cup to qualify for the knockout stage. Unfortunately, the draw was a tough one and they lost to Reeds School, the eventual winners and a renowned Tennis school who boast Tim Henman as an old boy. Athletics teams fourth in National final For the very first time, two HABS teams (U14 and U16) won through to the English Schools Athletics Association National Cup Final held at the International Athletics stadium in Gateshead. Over 2000 schools from across the country had entered this premier competition at the beginning of the Summer term and on Saturday 3rd July the final 12 schools competed for the ESAA Track and Field Cup. Both Habs teams put in some great performances, of which the pick of the bunch were: in the U14’s - Miguel Perera and Marcus R in the 75m Hurdles, while the best in the U16’s were Efe Uwaifo for his 100m and Triple Jump, Darius Price for the best

old boys notes

High Jump at the meeting with a jump of 1.86m and finally Hugo Cliff for his discus throw of 34.05m (making him a Habs Elite Athlete!) At the end of the day both teams finished in 4th place. Steve Lowe (Head of Athletics) said ‘It was a fantastic performance by all the boys, they all did extremely well against the very best athletes in the UK, I had hoped for a podium finish for one of the teams - but it just wasn’t to be! Maybe next year!’ Middlesex Under 13 County Golf champion Aidan Kovenklioglu (Year 9 Joblings) has recently won the Middlesex County Under 13 Golf title at Grims Dyke Golf Club. Aidan shot 4

over par 73 in the county final, having been 5 over par for his front 9, and 1 under on the back 9. The margin of victory was 4 clear shots, and Aidan’s handicap has been reduced to 7. Far East Cricket Tour During half-term, the school’s Senior Cricket squad toured Malaysia and Singapore. It was a gruelling schedule for the seventeen boys who played nine matches in extremely hot and humid conditions. The third game against the Malaysian Malay U15s was a real highlight. The game was played under international Pro40 Laws in coloured kit and with a white ball: a real spectacle! Captain Tom Edrich (L6S2) led from the

Sport outstanding polo and went down valiantly in the final 6-4. The school players have also gained representative honours with Tom Dean (11M1) being selected for the Great Britain squad and Jared Baker (10C1) being called for trials in the U15 age group. The club continues to thrive and the future looks promising with a large cohort of outstanding players training hard in Year 7 under the expert tutelage of Nik Javonavic. Under 14 Rugby team reach Middlesex Cup final The rugby club continues to go from strength to strength with some historic results. The Under 14 squad beat Orleans Park 27-17 to reach the final of the Middlesex Cup for the first time.

front with an extremely valuable innings of 48 not out and HABS recorded the first victory on tour. From then on there was no looking back and the rest of the results fell in our favour. The final stats were: played nine, won seven, lost two. HABS Cross Country Team hits top form The season started well with the senior team winning the overall District title; the team went on to take the lead with a strong showing in our showpiece relay event, the Goater Cup, in January. Shortly afterwards, the U13 team were victorious at the IAPS Prep School Area Championships, led home by Jonny Daitz (8R). The school’s own season-long competition for the Ultimate Loop has already seen three school records smashed by Tommy Almond (7M), Elliot Reidy (8C) and David Fernie (11R2) but the pinnacle has to be the new overall school record set by Max Jenkins (L6M2) who took six seconds off the old school record to set the new overall best of 9:22 for the 2800 cross country kilometres. Max continued his great form by taking ninth place in the Hertfordshire County Championships - a performance which sees him shortlisted to represent the county nationally.

Water Polo The Water Polo club has continued to perform at the highest level of National Schools Water Polo this term. The U14s and U16s both qualified for the English Schools finals, with the U16s finishing in second to a strong Manchester Grammar School squad. In the U14 age group the team finished second on goal difference in the Schools Water Polo League and fifth in the national finals, which represents an outstanding achievement for this team, led by Joe Jackson (9M2). In the U16 finals, the team played some

HABS rugby players at Wembley At 4:30 pm on a Tuesday evening in November 2009, two coaches packed with 100 fanatical Saracens fans and one South African, left the School to see Saracens play South Africa and to play a little tag rugby themselves. The journeys to and from the game were full of excitement. At half time, selected members of the rugby club left their seats and went to pitch side to play a game of tag rugby. They all felt it a real honour to stand on the Wembley pitch to represent the School and enjoyed every second seeing the crowd around them. After their game, the boys went on to witness the event which became a media sensation, namely the kick by a spectator which hit the cross bar and won him £250,000, as well as Saracens’ historic 24-23 win over South Africa.

A new Cricket Centre for HABS A new Indoor Cricket centre has been provided at the School thanks to a £20,000 gift to the Haberdashers’ Foundation by a parent of two old boys who asked that it be named after the town of Solai, in Kenya, from which the family originated. It was opened by Angus Fraser, former England cricketer and now Managing Director of Middlesex County Cricket Club, in front of a gathering of sportsmen, pupils and staff. He noted that Middlesex were always looking to recruit the best players and believed that this facility would ensure that some might come from HABS.

old boys notes

News from Habs

2009 2010

1854 Chartered Surveyors

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Over 150 Years in the Property gameâ&#x20AC;?

crown house 265/267 kentish town road london nw5 2tp telephone 020 7428 4488 fax 020 7485 8488

47 south end road hampstead london nw3 2qb telephone 020 7431 1881 fax 020 7431 4321

www.salter-rex.co.uk Partners David Heasman F.R.I.C.S. (O.H.) Edward J. Stanley TechR.I.C.S. Alan Harvey BSc. M.R.I.C.S. Associates Ian A Cormack F.R.I.C.K.S. Fraser Allen M.N.A.E.A. 22 old boys notes

Theatre

The Trial by John Lotherington

ith the chorus swivelling the stairs and gantry in clockwork motion, Josef K. finds himself as if in an Escher drawing or on Penrose stairs, ascending and descending without somehow getting higher or lower, trapped. This was a striking image to represent the heart of Franz Kafka’s compelling and disturbing novel ‘The Trial’, adapted for the stage by Steven Berkoff and produced at Haberdashers in December 2009 by Tim Norton. ‘The Trial’ is a challenging piece for any company to take on, let alone a young one, but Tim Norton brought an imaginative coherence to the piece, and elicited such strong performances from the cast, that this took its place alongside that remarkable series of productions at Haberdashers which are not merely school plays but genuinely exciting theatrical experiences. Josef K. is the aspiring bank functionary, whose breakfast does not appear one morning but some goonish officers of a mysterious court do - played with relish by Josh Kaiser and James Colenutt. K. finds himself trapped in a legal process, where the charge is unknowable and the legal jurisdiction both inaccessible and yet empowered with limitless reach. As he goes on his quest to seek acquittal from what he does not know, K is accompanied by a chorus of monochrome figures who manipulate stairs, doors, phone lines, picture frames, everything which should

represent a way out or understanding for K and which do not. The design and the chorus achieved this brilliantly. The production could have worked even without speech, its carefully modulated and nameless menace rising and falling, and with its well articulated borrowings from silent movies, such as the mechanics of Metropolis or the pathos of Chaplin. In both speech and action the play was powered along by the performance of Elliott Ross as Josef K. It was a considerable task for a young actor and he maintained an imposing stage presence and dynamism from the moment he appeared from his morning bath at the start of the play, when the court officials call to arrest him at his lodgings, until the moment at the end when he has lost both the legal process and his life - maybe always the same - and is plunged back in his bath, presumed drowned. In his speech he combined a tone of assertion with bafflement which deftly captured K.’s predicament. There might have been a touch more variety in expression, but it’s true there’s not much sign of it in the text of the play or the novel. As he moves between different contexts, seeking relief from accusation, K. projects his physical desire into what becomes a series of three female characters- a fellow lodger, Miss Burstner; a laundress employed by the courts; and his lawyer’s maid Leni - lent great credibility and warmth by Olivia Rennie who played all three. In her performance, Leni in particular needy, earthy, quick-witted - brought an extra human dimension to a play which otherwise moves between the abstract and caricature. Not that there’s anything wrong with caricature, as ably demonstrated by Sam Briggs in drag as K’s landlady, Mrs Grubach, and in full armwaving, accented Italian flood - spaghetti mode you might call it - as Titorelli the court painter who, in supplying images of the court, lays another false trail in seeking its inner workings. Likewise commanding the stage were Adam

Pabani as Huld, the monstrous lawyer who also claims, with great gesture but no action, to have access to the workings of the courts, and Tom Herbert as Block, another of Huld’s clients, twisting and snivelling in abject, resentful dependence on the lawyer. I laughed at these performances, and found them chilling. They wouldn’t have disgraced the League of Gentlemen (who, indeed, have been known to refer to Haberdashers as the Elstree College of Comedy). The most difficult figures to make a mark on are the symbols of authority, K.’s father and the priest in the cathedral, played by Ed Moores and Jack Finger respectively. Their brief appearance, endowed with gravity from on high by both actors, gives a starting point to interpretations of the play, about perhaps an individual stumbling and falling short of the expectations of an earthly father and a heavenly one. But there are many other lines which can be taken. A contemporary of Kafka was Freud, and the Trial could be seen as K.’s super-ego unleashed. There seemed in the story to be foresight of the totalitarianism which was to sweep Europe in the decade to come after the novel was published in 1924. Kafka’s daily grind at work for an insurance company may have inspired a sense of that modern managerialism, in full force today, the power of which is indisputable but which can hollow out the human subject, with ‘targets’ the only reality. This production wisely fixed no frame of reference on the play but left the attempt to interpret to be like the misleading ups and downs of the Escher drawing or Penrose staircase. As I left the auditorium, I overheard another member of the audience say, ‘That was amazing. Stunning. Didn’t understand a word of it.’ Maybe that was the point. John Lotherington is the former head of History at Haberdashers’, a respected author and is now Vice-President of the Salzburg Global Seminar, an international cultural and scientific think-tank and forum.

old boys notes

News from Habs

old boys notes

Sport

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;...this took its place alongside that remarkable series of productions at Haberdashers which are not merely school plays but genuinely exciting theatrical experiences.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

old boys notes

News from Habs

Unplugged, Live on the Quad Zachary Spiro

his year, Unplugged took the levels of humour, reverly and sheer musical ability to new heights, during the sunny, summery lunchtime in which it occurred. The event was kicked off with an excellent Gideon Caplin from the Lower Sixth, performing on his guitar, and was hosted and organised by Miles Coleman, recently elected MP for the constituency of Haberdashers’, and Matthew Anisfeld, who kept the mood high, and the crowds in control. Gideon was followed by the Haberdashers’ Ukelele Orchestra, performing ‘Sweet Child of Mine’. The Orchestra is unfortunately in its last year, as both Ben Jacobs and Andrew Shipley will leave for the vast world of university study later

old boys notes

this year, leaving only Hugo Davidson to carry on the U.O.’s vast legacy. This act was succeeded by a guitar duet comprised of Ed Schwitzer and Miles Coleman, performing ‘Scummy’, with Mr Schwitzer singing vocals. Tom Livingstone shortly followed, and after apologising for the lack of humour in his act, performed his own composition with the guitar and his voice, named ‘Running’. Here, the events were interrupted by a small army of morphsuit-clad year elevens, but the sight of some twenty or so teachers watching the performance turned them on their heads. Recovering from the interruption magnifcently, Matthew and Miles announced that Olly Fox and Josh Cowan would be the next to perform a cover of the Coldplay’s ‘Shiver’, with Olly on the guitar and vocals, amd Josh playing

on the drums. Jordan Walsh, announcing that he was only informed that he would be performing this morning, then proceeded to valiantly perform the Libertines’ ‘Can’t Stand me now’, on his own, playing both the guitar and singing. Josh Manasseh and Sam Briggs then gave an improvised rendition of Noah and the Whale’s ‘Slept with a Stranger’. In the final act of the day, Daiyaan Ghani, Joe Attan and Josh Cowan performed Lynyrd Skynyrd’s ‘Free Bird’, which was received with raptorous applause by the audience, now including several members of the Girls’ School. Daiyaan then performed two songs himself, the first being Rick Astley’s ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’, interspersed with imitations of both members of staff and other students in his own year, and the second being a cover of The Lonely Island.

School Events

Habs Summer Workshops

his year Habs Summer Workshop celebrated its 25th Anniversary. Both weeks had over 150 boys and girls who enjoyed a whole range of exciting activities ranging from Dance (which is new this year) to Adventure – which involves Canoeing, Camp craft and Orienteering. Habs Summer Workshop is a non – residential activities camp for boys and girls between the ages of 7 to 13. There are 2 one week courses – the first begins on Monday 9th July 2011 and the second

one begins on Monday 16th July 2011. Children from all schools are welcome to attend either one or both weeks and the cost of the camp is approximately £180 per week. The children can choose from a range of activities including – Football, tennis, hockey, dance, athletics, photography, pottery, adventure, design, electronics, fun with wood, video production, badminton, cricket, drama and T shirt printing. The day is from 9.30am until 4.30pm. A hot lunch is provided. All materials and equipment

are supplied. The Workshop has particular benefit to those children who are about to start their schooling at Haberdashers (7+ and 11+) as it gives them a chance to orientate themselves around the school and to meet other new boys and some of the teaching staff. Should you wish to receive an application form for next year (which will be available at the end of May) please contact Mrs. Tracey Clark on 0208 266 1720.

old boys notes

News from Habs

Two Life Sentences – An Interview with Mr Cook by Aneesh Misra

he forty years Mr. Cook has spent in the vocation of Education could be summarised by the aforementioned statement. Yet to say that the years he spent in teaching and educating individuals in the field of Literature was anything like an imprisonment or a prison sentence would be a grave misunderstanding. It became quite apparent whilst conversing with Mr. Cook, that he had loved every aspect of his teaching career and had gained a wealth of experience and knowledge along the way. Even as he reflected on his time at Haberdashers‘, there seemed to be a part of him that did not want to leave. The relationships he had made with the School; his teaching peers and the pupils themselves, appeared to be something which he could never forget and after the years he spent at this school, one could hardly blame him! Mr Cook has undoubtedly left a telling impression on the school community, and the reason for this is because students, past and present, all have a very unique and important attachment to him. By being the Head of the Middle School for... years, pupils have always respected him as a teacher but also as a mentor. They have seen him as someone who they could trust beyond the classroom. When asked about how he had been able to create and maintain such a good relationship with his pupils, he simply smiled and said, ‘I haven’t really thought about that, but a part of me thinks that it’s because I have been here so long. Three school generations have passed during my time and it has been the case that one generation hands the legacy onto the next. I think that respect is something that you earn but I have never set out to earn it’. I think it has just developed over time and it is much to do with how particular sensitive issues are dealt with’. Many boys would agree that Mr Cook was always someone who believed in second-chances, and his ethos of ‘amicably settling issues with salutary lessons’ is one that has lasted with him and enabled a strong relationship to form with his pupils. Mr Cook spoke of difficult boys, the ones who could not be reasoned with, and he said ‘In those difficult arguments, it was always the case that the boy would need Haberdashers more than Haberdashers would need him’. These words speak volumes about how he conducted himself in very such situations and reflect on how fairly he dealt with them. It was down to such characteristics encompassed within his own values of ‘Integrity, Self-Respect and Maintaining

old boys notes

honest, open relationships’ that he was able to create a bond between himself and the boys in the Middle School. The strength and longevity of this ‘bond’ is only really given substance when one speaks to any Haberdasher who had the privilege to interact with Mr. Cook and is taken aback by the praise they have for someone who they never considered simply as a teacher but rather more as a friend. Moreover, every Haberdasher has his own personal attachment, his own special memory with the Head of Middle School. Hence, the attributes and qualities of Mr. Cook lead him to become a source of inspiration for many. Many pupils look up to him as an individual who is fair and honest, as someone who could be trusted and always showed respect. This naturally led to questioning who his sources of inspiration were and it was evident that he did not just have one. But unlike a stereotypical answer which would include names such as Obama, Mandela or Gandhi, Mr Cook named individuals that were close to him, colleagues such as the late Colin Done. He felt that ‘teachers learn effectively from each other, just as the boys learn from one another.’ He believed that more often than not, colleagues would often provide that ‘spark’, that “shaft of light in the darkness”, that would broaden his thinking. Pupils were also people he took inspiration from. “Lateral Thinking” he said “Was something in abundance with the boys. I think, perhaps, it was also down to my subject (Literature), which allowed boys to really explore their ideas and thoughts. The subject gave opportunity for free-thinking. I would be introduced to new points to pieces which I had studied four, five times and had never thought about, and would marvel at the thinking process involved.” Mr Cook said himself that he ‘taught by instinct’ and many of the boys would agree that his lessons were some of the most useful lessons during their time at Haberdashers’. Mr. Cook arrived at Haberdashers’ in the sprightly year of 1973, a period in which some schools were undergoing comprehensive reform. He arrived with a strong sporting background and took charge of the Senior Rugby teams, whilst also settling into the English department. He reflected on his first years at HABS and spoke of the 70s being the ‘happy times‘, a time where there was ‘freedom to teach‘ beyond the exam board syllabus. He spoke of his involvement with the department in creating their own O-level exams and the independence of teaching. We discussed the progression of education, particularly during the senior years of the school, and he shared his

opinion that the method of educating pupils was restricted by the increased competition in public examination. He felt that education now rigidly follows the syllabus outlined by the examination bodies and prevents the broadening of the subjects pupils had choose to learn. He moved on to talk the late 70s in which the school, which had been direct grant, was forced into independence. A time in which there was ‘great fear‘ for the future of the school. 1981 saw Mr Cook’s departure from Haberdashers‘ as he headed to take up a post in the British School in the Netherlands. He felt that after ‘eight memorable years, it was time to move on. I had this wonderful job too early in my career and it was time to seek a new challenge’. However, his absence was short-lived as he returned in 1984 and joined with what he called “The early 70s generation”. He was re-appointed at Haberdashers‘ by Dr Taylor, with the likes of Mr. Stephen Wilson, Dr. John Wiggley, Mr Bruce McGowan and Mr. Hayler. Whilst hearing about Mr. Cook’s time at HABS, I was overwhelmed with how much he had experienced with the school, and it seemed as if he could never leave his close attachment to it. I wondered at the changes he must have witnessed in the school, the change in student dynamics, the change in teaching dynamics. The vast number of boys who he must have seen come and go. It begged the question: What made him stay so long? What kept him at the school so long? “Stimulating the inner life, lighting up imaginations, freshness of perception, reflective intelligence.” These were his reasons, his thoughts, his ideas. It was his belief in what he taught and how he taught it. If it had not been evident before, it should be rather clear now; he simply enjoyed it. He enjoyed that “rigourous intellectual challenge’ with his pupils, he enjoyed the interaction he had with a huge number of personalities. He enjoyed that commitment, that relationship and it now seemed as the right time for him to say goodbye. It was necessary to ask what he felt was a Haberdasher and he replied “They are talented, strong-willed and not afraid to think differently.” He went on to say that “the reason I found Haberdashers’ so engaging - and I echo the words of Bruce McGowan when I say this - is because the word “NO” for a Haberdasher is the beginning of a discussion.” Mr Cook, a teacher who based his teaching on relationships, an individual who based his relationships on honesty, a personality whose honesty acquired respect. We salute you sir!

Features

old boys notes

Obituaries 30

old boys notes

ndrew Booth was a computer scientist, physicist and engineer whose two key inventions helped to make the first computer possible. He invented the magnetic storage device for computers, which uses the magnetic properties of materials to store data and which is still being used in computers today. He also invented the complex multiplication algorithm (a procedure or formula for solving a problem) now known as the “Booth multiplier”. The Booth multiplier is an arithmetical routine still in use today in Pentium processors. Booth realised in the late 1940s that the storage of data would be the most important and difficult problem to solve if viable computers were to be developed. He experimented with the physical properties of matter to see if they could be used as a mechanical memory. But the most promising candidate was magnetism because of the durability of its effects. In May 1948 he was able to demonstrate the successful operation of a rotating drum, a brass cylinder that was coated with nickel, as part of the so-called automatic relay computer. His drum store, the world’s first, is now on display at the Science Museum, London. The rotating memory drum came to be used in computers all over the world and the principle of magnetic storage is about the only element of original computing technology in use today. This led him to develop a stored-programme computer and a fully electronic version of the Automatic Relay Computer, called the Simple Electronic Computer. In 1951, Booth followed this with his all purpose electronic computer (Apec), one of the first generation of electronic computers. As a result, 60 years later, almost every household in the developed world has at least one computer. All aspects of modern life depend on them; life without them is unimaginable. Andrew Donald Booth was born in 1918 and grew up in Weybridge, Surrey. His father was a chief engineer on a ship. He attended the Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School, which kindled his love of mathematics and physics. Leaving school in 1937 he went to Jesus College, Cambridge, having won a scholarship to read mathematics. But he became increasingly unhappy with the abstract nature of pure mathematics and he left Cambridge without taking a degree. He immediately enrolled for an external degree at the University of London, which he obtained with a first. By then the war had begun and he took several jobs in industry, becoming, for example, a graduate apprentice in an Armstrong Siddley aeroengine factory in Coventry working on the design of searchlights. While at Coventry he set up an X-ray department for the inspection of engine components and developed an interest in X-rays. To pursue this he obtained a scholarship from the British Rubber Producers’ Research Association, which enabled him to study the crystal structure of explosives in the department of chemistry at the University of Birmingham. In 1944 he received his PhD for research in crystallography.

Andrew Booth Scientist who invented the magnetic storage device From The Times 12 January 2010

He then worked as a research physicist at the British Rubber Producers’ Research Association in Welwyn Garden City. In 1946 he was appointed as a lecturer at the Department of Physics at Birkbeck College, London. In those days crystallographic research required huge amounts of laborious analysis and calculation with desk calculators. Bernal sent Booth to the US to learn about developments in computing. He visited many of the computers that were under development in the US, returning to Birkbeck in 1946. In 1947 he returned to the US for a year to take up a Rockefeller Fellowship at the Institute of Advanced Study at Princeton. Booth founded Birkbeck’s Electronic Computation Research Laboratory, which in 1957 became the Department of Numerical Automation, the first of its kind. No other university at that time had a department dedicated to the study and teaching of computing. In 1962 he left the UK to settle in Canada. He was appointed Dean of Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan. He helped to make the School of Engineering a centre of Canadian research. In 1972 he became the president of Lakehead University, Ontario where he developed the university’s research programme. He retired in 1978. He then moved to Sooke, British Columbia, where he established a private consultancy and continued to experiment in fields such as ocean acoustics and automated translation. Booth wrote several books and many scientific papers. He was writing reviews for mathematical journals up to his death. In 2004 he was made a Fellow of Birkbeck College. He was also elected a Fellow of the Institute of Physics, the Institute of Electrical Engineers and the Royal Society of Arts. Booth was an all-rounder. In addition to developments in many scientific fields he was interested in music, particularly classical music and opera. He played the violin and was a keen mountain climber — he climbed the Empress Mountain on Vancouver Island on his 70th birthday. Andrew Booth, computer scientist, was born on February 11, 1918. He died on November 29, 2009, aged 91. He is survived by his wife, a daughter and a son.

Donald Arthur Lundie “Don” by Family & Friends

on came to Haberdashers from Byron Court in 1943 on an Entrance Scholarship. He made many long lasting friendships at the school, in particular with Graham Jones (from the Entrance exam itself) and later Alistair Dickson – an enduring ‘threesome’. He had a huge love of knowledge, alongside which a sharp sense of humour, coupled with his remarkable ability as a mimic, enlivened many a schoolday for his companions. Sport featured very much throughout, culminating in seasons in the 1st XI and the 2nd XV, and he played key roles in ‘Twelfth Night’ and ‘Hamlet’. Two years National Service followed, on his leaving in 1950, and the Royal Family showed surprising interest in his progress – he (and Graham) were inspected by the late King in basic training and the then Princess Elizabeth at Eaton Hall OCS, and Don was later inspected by the Queen Mother after being commissioned in the Manchester Regiment! After training as a licensed then articled Accountant, he became Company Secretary for Smiths’ Crisps and later Financial Controller for General Mills – giving him, amongst other rewards, opportunities for travelling to Europe, and ownership of a beloved ‘Jag’, to the delight of family and friends. A spell in America had also enabled him to study business at Harvard - right up his street. In business, as in all his life, he was a man of principle, intellectual rigour and profound integrity. He had a strong commitment to service, most notably in his active membership of the Wembley Park United Reformed Church – to which he had first come, aged 4, in the Sunday School. Down the years he had led the Youth Club, had become a Deacon, served as Secretary and as Treasurer and taken part in lay leadership of worship. Don’s commitment to Education continued beyond his own – initially through the Church he served as a Governor at Bishop’s Stortford College for 25 years. In ten of these years he was Chair, at a time of huge change and financial

challenge – being known for his skill and incisive analysis. Family life always meant much to him. He and Joan married in 1957, and their five children and fourteen grandchildren provided them with great joy, and interest in no small measure. Their son Jack went to Haberdashers, and the four daughters followed their Mother to NLCS, where Joan taught for many years. Don gave NLCS immense support – including advising staff on pensions, Chairing the Doris Gregory Trust, and even accepting that a biology teacher might require unmentionable specimens for dissection deposited in the family fridge! His passion for sport continued unabated from turning out for the OH 1st XI (including the Devon Tours), and the OH ‘lettered’ XVs, to taking up golf when the years called for change. He and his close friend John Lidington, with whom he had played School and OH Cricket for nearly 30 years, played regular rounds of golf at the Harrow school 9 hole Course, plus golf matches with the OHGS - always excellent company! Family golf, with son and sons-in-law, was a regular fixture too when the clan was gathered together. Don made much use also of his MCC Membership, inviting family and friends to accompany him to Lord’s; no one could ever be in any doubt as to his opinions of England’s fluctuating fortunes! He was a regular, too, at the ‘Old Lags’ Lunches’, and attended Decade occasions, at the Clubhouse. To say that Don will be greatly missed by many would be a gross understatement; their Church was packed for his Thanksgiving Service, and the Family’s tributes so very fitting. Special mention must be made of quotations emphasising his love of the Immortal Bard, and pictures shown of coastal scenery at their Pembrokeshire cottage, where his passion for the beauty in nature found much expression. Don was born on 3rd November 1931 and died on th 18 January 2010.

old boys notes

obert Sandall, who has died of prostate cancer aged 58, was a music journalist whose writing was elegant, wry, insightful and full of enthusiasm. In 1987, he became the rock music critic for the Sunday Times, and a features writer for the music magazine Q. As a radio broadcaster, he was a natural talent in a medium that he loved. From 1990 to 2007, Robert and I presented Radio 3’s Mixing It. Devised by the producer Tony Cheevers, the show was a strange brew of eclectic music (classical, jazz, folk, experimental, rock), interviews, sessions, chat and frequent arguments. Robert had a comfortable style with a knack for a beautifully turned phrase. He wore his intellect lightly and assumed his listeners were as intelligent as he was. He also had a mischievous sense of humour. He delighted in finding outrageously titled closing tracks, to be back-announced in the hallowed tones of the Radio 3 continuity announcer. Robert was born in Pinner. His father, a distant figure, was an industrial chemist; his mother was a piano teacher and his sister a talented pianist. After disastrous piano lessons he decided that classical music was not for him. He took refuge in loud rock music. He attended Haberdashers’ Aske’s School, in Elstree, and read English at Lincoln College, Oxford, graduating in 1974. After one postgraduate term at Cornell University in New York, he returned to his old school and taught English for a year. Back in London, playing rhythm guitar, he formed the post-punk band Blunt Instrument. Next he moved to Edinburgh and joined a brighter proposition, Epsilon. Robert quietly exuded star quality, confidence and intelligence, which was useful when he later interviewed and, in some cases, befriended some of the world’s biggest rock stars such as Mick Jagger, Steven Tyler, Peter Gabriel, Mark Knopfler and Madonna. Robert was an imposing man: 6ft 4in, strikingly handsome, charming, urbane and always stylishly dressed. Though surprisingly self-deprecating and modest, he liked to hold court and had theories on most things. But his erudite opinions and ability to cut straight to the core made him a perceptive cultural commentator. His views could often be heard on Radio 4’s Kaleidoscope, Saturday Review and Front Row, Radio 3’s Music Matters and in countless music documentaries. In the early 1990s he had stints as a TV presenter for VH1 and Anglia. In 1996, he was offered a role as director of communications at Virgin Records. Robert was not by nature a corporate man but he took the job. Virgin was an

old boys notes

Robert Sandall From the Guardian obituary by Mark Russell published on 1 August 2010

exciting place to be. Almost immediately he took part in the rise of the Spice Girls and he later worked with Scritti Politti, the Chemical Brothers and Massive Attack. Shortly before leaving Virgin in 2002 he discovered that he had prostate cancer. He researched the illness and wrote about it, notably as a Sunday Times Magazine cover story. He continued to write, for publications including Mojo, the Word and Rolling Stone, and contributed a wine column to GQ magazine. He was also a founder writer on the Arts Desk, an online cultural review. He enjoyed broadcasting for the London-based arts-station Resonance FM and was an occasional presenter of Radio 3’s Late Junction, which he hosted a few weeks before his death. Robert Sandall was born on 9 June 1952 and died on 20 July 2010. He is survived by his wife, Anita, and their daughter, Grace.

Michael Wojas From the Guardian 11 June 2010

ichael Wojas, was the former barman and owner of the Colony Room, a Soho drinking club famous for being the haunt of Francis Bacon and other denizens of the metropolitan art scene. But Wojas’s duties extended far beyond those of genial host. “I am the proprietor, bar manager, lavatory attendant, psychiatric counsellor, odd job man and accountant,” he said. Wojas’ love affair with the Colony Room started by accident. Born in London, Michael attended Haberdashers’ Aske’s School (1967-1974), and went on to study chemistry at Nottingham University. On completing his degree in 1981, he looked around for temporary employment while he pondered what to do with the rest of his life. Via his girlfriend’s mother, he landed a job as barman of the Colony, a cramped and dingy one-room drinking den on the first floor of a Georgian building in Dean Street. Founded in 1948, it was the longest surviving of those clubs that had flourished in the era before the liberalisation of British licensing laws in the early 1960s. Its founder was Muriel Belcher, an imperious lesbian with a fondness for insulting banter. Under her tenure, the club acquired a raucous, artistic clientele. In settlement of overdue bar bills, hard-up members got into the habit of handing over works of art. Together with an assortment of photographs and other memorabilia, several of these hung on the club’s dark green walls, the colour of which accentuated its claustrophobic ambience. When Belcher died in 1979, her throne was inherited by her barman, Ian Board, who maintained her tradition of unprovoked belligerence. While Belcher dispensed acerbic one-liners, Board specialised in expletive-strewn tirades. Being a gentle, rather shy young man who had enjoyed a sheltered upbringing, Wojas appeared ill-equipped for this sort of environment . Yet he flourished at the Colony, offering an incongruously sensitive and gentle counterpoint to his boss’s excesses. “I was fascinated by the range of crazy extroverts there,” he admitted.

Instead of leaving after a few months and pursuing a conventional career, Wojas remained as Board’s sidekick for 13 years. Board repaid this stamina-sapping loyalty by bequeathing the club to Wojas on his death in 1994. Aware that the club could not survive on its reputation and ageing membership, Wojas set about recruiting fresh blood. Before long, a new generation of young artists was cavorting in his dishevelled, smoke-wreathed kingdom. Perched on a bar-stool near the entrance, his demeanour infinitely more hospitable than either of his predecessors, Wojas cast an indulgent eye over the frivolous antics of the artists Sarah Lucas, Damien Hirst and their circle. As part of the process of reviving the club, Wojas held exhibitions of artwork by its members. He also launched regular music nights and persuaded members and their friends to work as guest bar staff. Each Tuesday night, anyone from Kate Moss to Sam Taylor-Wood could be found serving drinks. In 2007, the lease on the Colony’s premises expired. His health deteriorating, Wojas decided to close the club and sell its better-known pictures, notably a large Michael Andrews painting. The announcement and ensuing auction provoked a bitter legal dispute with many of the regulars. Diagnosed as suffering from cancer soon after the club’s closure, in the final year of his life Wojas was proud to register what was, for any Colony Room stalwart, a rare accomplishment – he gave up smoking and drinking. He is survived by his mother. Michael Wojas was born on 9 August 1956; died 6 June 2010

old boys notes

All good wishes from

Advertising • Media Investment Management • Consumer Insight • Public Relations & Public Affairs • Branding & Identity • Healthcare Communications • Direct, Digital, Promotion & Relationship Marketing • Specialist Communications

www.wpp.com 34

old boys notes

OH Club Reports

Club reports title page

OH Rugby by N.Jones

ot since the 2008/9 season has Croxdale Road seen such excitement in the off-season… back to back promotions and Habs into the London Leagues for the first time in Randal’s memory (although we are yet to find conclusive evidence that El Pres’s memory extends beyond the beginning of this season). This was a justified promotion for Habs. A very solid third place finish in their first season in Herts/Middlesex 1 had seemed a fair result, having beaten every team below them comfortably throughout the season but having failed on 4 occasions to beat the two teams above them.

The League To cut a long story short, Habs beat everyone in the League well apart from Sarries, Wasps and a completely inexplicable second half implosion against Verulamians. First up, Harlequins were sent packing (to borrow a phrase from “A Season’s Tale” by F. Booth), Wasps at home proved a little too much too early, losing out by 4 points. Too much “communication” during a penalty attempt gave Wasps the second chance they needed to clinch it. Habs proceeded to brush aside Grammarians the following week; with Booth relieving one of them of the need to keep his Saturdays free in the future for rugby, and then fell Hendon. Fellow promotees Hendon and Grammarians had finished above Habs the previous season so beating both of these teams was evidence that vast improvements had been made. Habs were starting to pick up some momentum, which was unfortunately lost by defeat away to Sarries in a much closer game than it should have been given that over half of the team were away/injured that weekend, their replacements nearly pulling off the win of the season. Then came a 6 v 0 win against Kilburn “Strength in Unity” Cosmos, which I’m pretty glad I didn’t see. Actonians fell off us, then came the second half implosion against Verulamians, a bitter taste in the mouth and a concern for promotion aspirations (how long ago this seems now!). Into 2010 and Abbotstonians, despite being physically present, didn’t turn up and a 50 pointer was a nice birthday present for Seb Taylor and potentially an explanation for why they pulled out of the return fixture later in the season. A second loss against Wasps followed another close game and a particularly icy spell, with Bobby Forrest getting into the New Year spirit of detox by emptying his stomach onto his opposite man’s feet during a line out. Hendon were smashed 38 v 0 in a win that really highlighted the class difference between Habs and those below them in the League (Hendon finished fourth). With all to play for against Sarries (a must win game if Habs were to make the top two), Habs could smell an upset, but instead were disappointed to lose without really threatening (other than Scotty just threatening them, which is different). Was promotion gone? All Habs could do was play, win and see what happened. And that has to be a lesson – they relaxed and started to concern themselves less with the result and more with the content. The tries that all of the players knew they were capable of started to flow, with Kilburn, Grammarians, Actonians, Verulamians (sweet revenge) and Quins all being dispatched with an average of over 30 points and proving that Habs deserve to being

old boys notes

playing a better standard of rugby than these teams next season. In true Habs style, they celebrated the end of season at the club dinner in heroic fashion, slightly disappointed by not being promoted but realistic enough to recognise that when it had come to the crunch against Wasps and Sarries, they had not pulled off the wins that they needed and also realistic enough to acknowledge that after 5 or 6 hours of port they couldn’t be as picky about the females in Club de Fromage as they would normally be. Ever the pragmatists. But if I had known then what I know now, I would have tailored my speech at the dinner to say that we can be extremely confident moving into the London leagues next season, safe in the knowledge that we have the quality of players to compete well at that level and higher. Why did Habs win more than they lost? Something that has eluded Habs in previous seasons has been consistency and the ability to shut a game down against lesser opposition. This may sound arrogant, but its true. This was still present at the beginning of this season, but massive steps were taken to address this. The experience of new players such as Hayden, Downtown and Scotty undoubtedly improved Habs’ performances during the mandatory “10 minute wobble”. The forwards, led by Seb (Forward of the Season) dominated every other pack Habs played, even against the teams they lost to. Scrums, mauls and push over tries were to Monkey (tight head prop) what girls are to Dan Gaunt – easy and free. So he filled his boots. The result was Monkey romping home with a quite ridiculous 8 tries and the Player of the Season trophy, although we don’t know if it survived the club dinner. So the forwards provided a platform, with Flan continuing to lose bulk and gain presence as the season went on. When the big guns were all there the pack were unstoppable, and I would love to see some stats to say that any other player in the league carried the ball further and harder than Bobby from Number 8. The lineout functioned effortlessly and with these set pieces sorted we had the base to win games. This will undoubtedly be harder next season, but as long as Boothy keeps working on those arrows in priority to SAQs then we should be ok. An area to work on for next season will be committing more defenders around the fringes by using strike runners – forwards or close running backs (preferable forwards for the sake of my face) to allow more overlaps to open up out wide. I will predict now (especially given the intensity of summer training so far) that we will again be one of the fitter teams in the League next season and the ability to move the ball around through multiple phases will be key to our success. Ghandhi continued his fine form at scrum-half, only to disappear off to “bum around” on a surfboard in true dude style just as things were getting interesting. His loss was more than ably covered by Downtown, scoring 20 points on his first outing at 9 and leaving him in pole position to take the golden boot with 97 points in his inaugural season of English rugby. To be honest, a series of injuries, either recovering from or new, hampered the backs ability to reproduce the reliability of the forwards. Players moved around to accommodate. Nevertheless, a solid defence prevailed and when things clicked into place, inevitably Scotty was on hand to run in the try, scoring a potential club record (unconfirmed) 15 tries and wrap up the Back of the

OHRFC v Harlequins Amateurs - April 2010

Season award. Having seen him play outside-half on tour, Habs fans can rest assured that they will be seeing plenty more of Scotty 2 Hotty on the wing next season. What was crushingly clear was that big improvements in communication, temperament (I wonder – I think we probably conceded 10 times less penalties than in previous seasons – and it would have been a lot less than that without 4 yellow cards in one game from the Frenchie…) and finishing, when combined with the solid, immovable forward platform meant that Habs beat comfortably teams that had troubled them in recent playing history. Not enough can be said in praise of outgoing Captain Irish, who, despite a particularly sore finger, played a monumental role in the achievements on and off the pitch in securing promotion. Seb proved a very able and incredibly enthusiastic deputy in Irish’s absence and this enthusiasm and drive will serve Habs well as he takes over the role of captain next season to fulfil his destiny.

Tour And then came Tour, and the mighty men of Habs, young and old, took the first available plane, not fearful of volcanic ash in the sky (after several hours in the pub at Luton airport) to INVERNESS. We were dominant for a couple of days and left, a more detailed report of this can be found via our website www.ohrfc.org but needless to say Randal

and old OHRFC star Bob McClymont exceeded themselves cobbling the whole package together. It was a fitting end to a great season on the social front (and we nearly won the rugby…)

Next season To be frank, Habs may have been dealt a lucky hand in promotion, but whether or not they deserve this and can handle the league above is ultimately going to be determined by the approach they take to training throughout the summer and into the new league next season. Having playing with these guys for some time, I can say that I would be very surprised if playing a team “better” than them on paper did anything other than make them play harder and faster. Each of the players I have spoken to relishes the challenge promotion brings. The return of several key players from injury means that come September Habs should be back up to full strength and raring to go. Can they surprise the teams in their new league expecting to beat the new kids on the block? Only time will tell, but I reckon they can. And if all else fails, one thing gives me comfort…at least we had the edge. For anyone interested in joining the success story that is ORHFC please visit the website to register interest www.ohrfc.org

old boys notes

OH Golf by Alan E Morris

or the 13th March the morning was delightfully sunny in the match at Hunstanton. The teams went round in good spirits. Their captain Mike Kentzer provided a generous lunch. The home team won by four to two, and nine holes were played in the afternoon. John Lidington ran the Spring Meeting at Hammonds End ,Harpenden in April. Robert Clarke was the top OH stableford scorer 35, Peter Annett 35 and Mike French third on 30.Guests :Two masters Andy Ward 42 and Mr. Cox 36, two visitors S.Brett 34 and Mr. Bratt 34.The Hollybush trophy for the six top stableford scorers : a win for OH 186 to Hollybush 166 At Hendon GC. The Summer Meeting was attended by Michael Cohen (previous Hendon Captain) showing he has progressed a year after his treatment. The deserved winner Esmond Hitchcock 35, Michael Wareing 35 and Grahame Davies33.There was a good dinner in the evening. The school match at Aldwickbury Pk. A combined team of masters and boys won against the OH , two wins and two halves. Andy Ward (golf master and Head of Mathematics) who scored four birdies on the day, also provided a convivial supper. At the annual fixture v. Chorley Wood in July there was a win for OH 3:1.Thanks for all the hospitality provided by Robin Matthew OH. The two new events are a match against Old Albanians on Fri 13th August at 2pm, location Mid Herts GC, and the Old Cholmeleians Golf Festival at Highgate GC (teams of six) 12.00 Fri. 10th Sept.(teams of six) Andy Ward took a party of twelve schoolboys ,assisted by two masters ,to La Manga in Spain in the February half term. They played three rounds ,winner Yash Patel. School golf takes part in the Headmasters Conference Schools foursomes annually. This year they reached the regional semi final at Woburn against Bedford, but not the final.

old boys notes

There is also an Independent Schools Golf Association which runs a three man match play singles event. Habs team of William Aldren, Harry and Aiden Kovenglioglu with handicaps of three, five and ten ,reached the regional final losing to Felsted at Brocket Hall. Again this year Andy Ward ran â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Haberdashers at Aldwickbury Parkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; for Masters, Parents, Boys and Old Boys and Supporters, on Tuesday 31st August. Our Autumn Meeting was held on 1st Oct. at Gerrards Cross G. . The OH team in the Grafton Morrish qualifier held at Denham GC in May resulted in us qualifying for the final at Hunstanton and Brancaster on 1st and 2nd Oct . The best forty-eight teams enter the final from over one hundred competing. The team at Denham are pictured here. We wish them well. I end by expressing my thanks to the managers of OH teams through the year ,and thanks to my successor will continue the agreeable position, henceforth ,as secretary.

Left: Marc Kuber and Will Gallimore at Denham Top right: Grahame Davies ; Bottom right: OHGS Grafton Morrish Cup team

OH Football by Andy Evans

eason 2009/2010 proved to be one of consolidation for the Old Haberdashers’ Football club. Having welcomed some fresh blood in Anish Patel and Chris Coles, hopes were high for an overdue promotion to Division 1 of the Arthurian League. However, narrow early season defeats to both Carthusians sides and a disastrous defeat at home to eventual wooden spoonists Old Harrovians, meant that by Christmas we were relying on the cups to deliver silverware. In the prestigious Arthur Dunn Cup a long trip to Derbyshire to face Old Reptonians was always going to be a difficult task and a young side were on the wrong end of a 6-0 defeat. The London Old Boys was more forgiving and after winning the first 3 rounds we were unfortunate to lose by the only goal to a strong Old Meadonians side. Post Christmas a run of wins saw us threaten a late promotion challenge but the expulsion of Old Aldenhamians from the league for fielding ineligible players, and the resulting loss of points, saw us lower-mid table but still threatened with possible relegation. Panic struck on the morning of the long away trip towards Newbury to face Old Bradfieldianssickness meant we were down to 8 regular players and only

‘Keeno’s mate Dan’ showing any willingness to make the trip. The skipper’s teamtalk pleaded for resilience and the usual grit and determination, whilst the cliched ‘2 banks of 4’ formation was taken to extremes with long balls over the opposition full backs, and cynical timewasting the order of the day. Then on 35 minutes Tom Nicholls scored a wonder goal reminiscent of Trevor Brooking in his pomp, with a 40 yarder from the touchline nestling in the stanchion for an unlikely lead. A second Nicholls strike in the second half, and despite a penalty miss from the same player, a 2-1 victory was secured and pandemonium at the final whistle. Survival was secured in subsequent fixtures and the club looks ahead to another promotion challenge in 2010/11. In the annual fixture against The School, the Old Boys emerged 3-2 winners after an enjoyable and hard fought battle. The Old Haberdashers’ Veterans X1 (aged 35 plus) beat rivals Old Aldenhamians 1-0 on the way to a Veterans Cup semi final defeat to Old Carthusians. Players are sought from School and University of 1st X1 or equivalent standard-for details contact Tom Nicholls on 07861222176 or Eoin Broderick on 07764501858

OH Cricket

by Robert Clarke

2009 SEASON Once again, much of the team’s success was due to the weight of runs generated from Akash Christian’s bat with his record 1st XI aggregate of 1,535. Sami Ali, Rick Harris, Matt Shorts and Mark Landau also made significant batting contributions. In the bowling department, there were good performances from Sami Ali, Simon Gelber and Akash Christian. In May, the season began against Old Owens. Despite OH scoring 262 for 5 with only nine players (Christian 110 and Harris 103), Owens squeezed home in the last over. OH then drew against Berkhamsted. Against Luton Town and Indians (who battled to 166 for 8), OH needed 32 off the last three overs after a middle order collapse. Abid Khan saved the day with controlled hitting and a scrambled run off the last ball. We lost to Northwood but beat neighbours Old Elizabethans with a total of 206 anchored by skipper Matt Shorts (88) and Christian and Simon Gelber taking, 5-41 and 4-45 respectively. In June, we took a 9 wicket beating from Gayford & Hertford and also lost to Old Camdenians. OH then drew against Botany Bay, despite an outstanding 6 for 33 from Sami Alilber. At the end of June, the School won back the Nobbly Tanner Trophy after three years with close wins in both the 1st and 2nd XI matches. Defeat followed against Northchurch but the tide turned at Bushey where Akash scored a magnificent 166* out of 266 for 4 although Bushey held on for a draw. A close game

against Met Police (Christian 124) was lost by only 2 runs. August brought wins against Albanians and Sandridge thanks to Akash Christian’s scores of 107 not out and 169 respectively. Christian and Gelber (who took 8 wickets) bowled unchanged for all 47 overs to beat Parkfield. Datchworth were then dispatched easily with Akash making 136 out of 243 and Shorts bowling 6 for 34. Following the Devon Tour, OH were battered by St. Albans who ran up 292 but managed to claim a draw. A comfortable win followed at Hitchin with Akash scoring 109 and taking 4 for 43. Despite Akash’s eighth century in the final fixture, against Knebworth Park (102 out of 221), Knebworth won with 2 overs to spare. 2nd XI in 2009 (Record: Played 18, won 10, lost 5, drew 2, conceded 1 ) The season began with a player shortage and a sequence of bad results. By mid-June, after four losses, one draw and only one victory, the nadir was reached when we were unable to raise a side against West Herts and were forced to concede the fixture. A total turn-around ensued beginning with a comfortable win against Kings Langley followed by a draw against Hatfield Hyde. Potton Town were despatched by seven wickets and table topping Met. Police by easy 64 runs. After two more away wins, top of the table Codicote were beaten by 84 runs at home. Following three more victories in August, promotion became a reality, when we beat Bovingdon by one wicket and recorded our ninth win in

old boys notes

ten matches – a far cry from the the first part of the season. The last match saw an understrength side narrowly lose to Boxmoor but no matter, mission accomplished. This renaissance was due to being able to play a settled side with a couple of new players, notably Asharaf Garafam who in seven innings scored 405 runs and Ali Bandali who played regularly all year and accumulated 350 runs. The stand out bowling performance was captain Brian Walter’s 34 wickets at an average of 10.76 THE OLD BOYS IN DEVON In contrast to 2008, Devon was blessed with fine, warm sunny weather which seemed to encourage winning ways in all the matches. OH beat Chard in the first match, with Khurram Manzoor taking 4 wickets for 59 runs in 8 overs. For the first time in four years the Kilmington fixture did not fall foul of the weather and led to a win with Amarjeet Johal scoring his maiden century. In the equally glorious setting at Chagford, 85 from Matt Shorts and Paul Eversfield’s bowling ( 2 for 5 with 5 maidens) ensured victory. At the County Ground in Exeter, Sami Ali finally scored his maiden century (107) in a total of 265 for 9 and Christian (4 for 32) and Gelber (2 for 35) then helped the OH to a comfortable win by 63 runs. The final game at Stockland saw the O.H. overwhelm the opposition with Khurram carrying his bat for 78* and Ali bowling 2 for 5 and Mark Landau 2 for 43. HIGHCLERE CASTLE On Sunday 14th June 2009, OHCC was invited to play for the Earl of Carnarvon’s XI at Highclere Castle against the Rifles’ Regiment Cricket Club watched by many families and friends. This quintessential English cricket is set in a magnificent 1,000 acre parkland, famous for hosting South Africa’s first cricket post–apartheid match in England and may other celebrity teams. The day began on a sombre note due to news of two Rifles’ fatalities in Afghanistan only hours before the match start. Lord Carnarvon’s XI declared for 190 for 9 and The Rifles reached this total with 2 wickets to spare in a match played in a great spirit.

old boys notes

ANNUAL DINNER 2009 In November, 32 members and guests gathered in the Committee Dining Room at Lord’s Cricket Ground with Ryan McIntosh, Director of School Sport, Dan Kerry the School’s Cricket Coach and the Headmaster, Peter Hamilton and Andy Robinson the umpire among the guests. Stephen Charlwood emphasised the School links in his dual capacity as master-in-charge of cricket and President of the OHCC. Awards for the 2009 season were presented. Akash Christian received the President’s Trophy for the outstanding playing contribution and the batting award. The bowling award was won by Simon Gelber and newcomer Mark Landau was deservedly named Clubman of the Year. 2010 SEASON A brief report on the 2010 season follows, which will be expanded on in the next issue. The 1st XI had a mixed season, finishing 13th in division 5 of the Herts League. The side only managed 3 wins and 7 of the matches were drawn. In 3 of these games the opposition were 9 wickets down and well behind the target set - with a little more depth in the bowling these sides would have been beaten. Akash Christian scored over 1,000 league runs at an average of 81. Joe Williams and Jonathan Shaw both made close to 400 runs each during the season. Sami Ali took 42 wickets at an average of 17.5, well supported by Simon Gelber and Akash Christian who each took 28 wickets. The 2nd XI had a good season following their promotion to division 9. The side finished 11th out of 20 and won 6 matches. There were notable contributions from recent School leavers. Abid Khan averaged 53 with a total aggregate of 376 runs. Schoolboy, Arjun Sofat had a great introduction to O.H. cricket, playing 5 games and scoring a century and averaged 46. Amongst the bowlers, the Captain, Uzair Ali took 34 wickets and Danish Jalali claimed 17 wickets with a best of 6 for 15. In the annual matches against the School, both O.H. teams lost and the School therefore retained the Tanner Trophy. The Devon Tour was again a success and of the 4 matches completed, Old Habs won 2, tied 1 and lost 1.

The Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School Nurturing Excellence

Stay with the team! Please make sure we have your contact details whenever you move (your postal address, email, telephone and mobile). • Call us on 020 8266 1820 • Register with Habsonline (top right menu bar) at www.habsboys.org.uk • Post a letter to: Alumni Office, External Relations, Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School, Butterfly Lane, Elstree, Herts, WD6 3AF