The Old Mancunian
Autumn 2016 EDITION 48
Keeping old boys in touch with MGS throughout the world
• Director of Development • Events • The new Edinburgh Dinner • From the Archive
AN INCREDIBLE TELETHON. 42% OF OMS CONTACTED MADE A DONATION, MANY OF WHOM WERE FIRST TIME DONORS TO THE BURSARY APPEAL.
From the Director of Development Ethics and Etherington In 2015 Sir Stuart Etherington produced a significant and important review of the ethics and regulation of charity fundraising practice. There is no doubt that this review will have a positive impact on the fundraising practices at MGS and other charities in the UK in the coming years. The Development Office aims to implement the best practices in its fundraising activities, and follows the current guidance provided by the Institute of Fundraising. Against this backdrop the School undertook its first ever telephone fundraising campaign in July 2016. Over 700 OMs were contacted by young Old Mancunians and £220k was raised for the Bursary Fund in a two week period. Noticeably 42% of the OMs contacted made a donation, many of whom were first time donors to the Bursary Appeal. The bursary telephone campaign came about as a response to the number of OMs who have become accustomed to this type of approach from their university and who thought that MGS should follow suit. I should like to thank all of you who were involved in our first telethon and in particular to OM Paul Ormerod (61-68) who covered the cost of the campaign and two anonymous OMs who provided a further £50,000 to match gifts made over the phone. All OMs will receive a copy of our inaugural annual report later Simon Jones (88-95) in the year which Director of Development will outline in detail 0161 224 7201 ext 240 or the success of the s.jones@mgs.org Next 500 Appeal to date and our plans for the future.
Chairman’s Report Social media means that Old Mancunians can keep in touch with each other and the School to a far greater extent than ever before. The positive response to mgsglobalconnect has proved that. I would especially encourage those who have recently left the School to take advantage of the opportunities it offers. At a time of political and economic uncertainty the support and encouragement of older OMs may be even more welcome. Warm wishes, David Walton (67-74) and Chairman of the OMA
MGS Global Connect MGS Global Connect has already become the largest school alumni networking platform in Europe following its launch in January 2016. It is simple to join with your email address or through LinkedIn or Facebook. Please visit www.mgsglobalconnect.org to join the platform which is quickly becoming a modern, online version of our Biographical Register.
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Careers
Congratulations!
We are immensely grateful for the support of those Old Mancunians who have contributed to the rich and varied careers programme at MGS this year.
Old Mancunian Esh Alladi (95-02) played Puck in Trevor Nunn’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. The production opened at the New Wolsey theatre in June 2016.
In March, over 400 boys and their parents were present at the Biennial Careers Fair. Throughout the evening, there were talks from leading professionals across a range of industries. Boys were also free to explore the Careers Arena, where around 30 companies and organisations were represented, to ask questions of industry experts and learn about the myriad opportunities available to them in the future. During Activities Week, eight Lower Sixth boys took part in work experience placements with the Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust at various hospitals across Greater Manchester. The boys were grateful for the opportunity to shadow consultants, junior doctors, nurses, secretaries, surgeons, physiotherapists and radiologists, experiencing day-to-day life in a hospital and gaining a valuable insight into the realities of a career in medicine. Special thanks must go to orthopaedic consultant Kunal Hinduja (85-92), who took on the mammoth task of coordinating the placements for the boys, and to dentist Mohsan Ahmad (92-99) and GP Ben Shafar (91-98) who were also kind enough to offer work placements this summer. If you would like to get involved by offering a work placement to a boy, please contact me in the Development Office. Laura Rooney, Development Officer
I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the Pennine Acute Hospitals Trust, and it was truly one of the most interesting and best experiences in my life. It confirmed my desire to pursue a medical vocation and I am extremely grateful for this opportunity to gain an insight into secondary and tertiary healthcare. I learnt a great deal about how a hospital is run and the basics in anatomy and trauma. Mharab Choudhury
s.org isit mgking details v e s a e Pl s. ine boo for onl future event l l a h r a o f Gr am ct Janerg or a t n o c Or m@mgs.o 3. j.graha4 7201 ext 24 2 2 1 6 1 0
Many congratulations to OM Cameron Neild (06-14) on being voted Young Player of the Season 2016 for his club Sale Sharks and contract extension.
Forthcoming events ... Edinburgh Dinner Congratulations go to Sir Michael Atiyah (45-47) who was first to book his place for the Edinburgh Dinner that will take place on Thursday 13 October at The New Club. The High Master is looking forward to his first OM dinner north of the border.
I learnt much about how different medical professionals (doctors, nurses, physios) must all work together and how this occurs. I saw how consultants talk to patients in difficult situations in clinic and also the day-to-day work of junior doctors (lots and lots of paperwork). Kamran Chaudhry I feel that this experience has given me a lot to talk about in my personal statement and in my interview. Arsalan Chaudhry
Pre-1950s Reunion – Save the date The next major reunion is for our most senior Owls. OMs who started at MGS prior to 1950 are invited to return to MGS on Saturday 6 May 2017. If you are interested in helping with the organising please contact Jane Graham.
I learned how the whole team at the ward takes responsibility for the patients’ well-being, and that there was a great sense of teamwork between the nurses and doctors. This week was very helpful, and has further confirmed my choice to study medicine in university. Avesta Emami
Above (L to R): MGS boys with their work experience Mentors; Cameron Neild
Above (L to R): 1970s Reunion Dinner; OM Rugby Sevens
Troop 1 Scout Reunion
OM Football
Maurice Watkins CBE, Chairman of Governors and an enthusiastic member of the Troop when a pupil (52-60), attended along with 56 former scouts and their partners. Ian Thorpe welcomed guests on behalf of the High Master and Alan Jones OM (41-48), Assistant Scout Leader (48-66) and Group Scout Leader (66-93), spoke of how an invitation to a war-time camp by his form master R M Simkins had a profound effect on his life. One former Scout travelled from Hamburg and another from the Aegean coast of Greece to attend. Alan Jones (41-48)
The OM Football tournament saw seven teams compete against our Upper Sixth Leavers’ team. The tournament favourites were knocked out early on and the Year 13s, not much fancied before the tournament began due to a lack of post-MGS toughening up, came out with the trophy. Great performances came from Callum Drasdo and Josh Dooler in particular.
1970s Reunion Dinner Almost 100 OMs attended the Reunion for 1970s starters on Saturday 9 May. Tours of the School were led by sixth formers who looked on benevolently as groups of boring old codgers reminisced about conversations that took place at that desk, in that room, in 1976. The drinks reception in the Quad was moved into the Paton Library as the inevitable rain arrived. Time has been kind to many of the attending OMs, some appearing relatively unscathed by almost 40 years in the brutal post-school world. Richard Palombella and his catering team provided an excellent dinner. The High Master, himself an OM of the era, spoke after the meal about the changes to the School in recent years and the challenges the School faces in the future. Our thanks to all who planned and delivered the event. Stuart Wilson (74-81) – on behalf of the dinner organising committee. Full reports of both dinners and photos can be found at mgslife.org and in Ulula. Right (clockwise from top left): Troop 1 Scout Reunion, The Manchester Golf Day Winning Team; Toby Levy (01-08) and Simon Jones celebrating England’s win v Wales at the Manchester Summer Pub Evening in June; Israel Reunion with Guest Speaker Yosi Taguri
OM Rugby Sevens ‘The victorious Class of 2012 at the Phil Wade Sevens Competition’ The annual Phil Wade Memorial 7s competition was played at great speed by Matt Geiger (07-14) with every game competitive and close scoring. The Lions squad led by Max Bridge (07-17) managed a clean sweep of victories to win the elusive trophy for the first time. The ageing Leopards squad who were victorious in 2015 pushed them all the way but ran out of legs in their final match. A number of Old Boys joined the current senior squad players at the end of season presentation dinner held at the Cresta Court Hotel.
Israel Reunion A most pleasant and distinguished evening was had in June at the OM Israel 2016 Reception at The British Ambassador’s Residence, Tel Aviv. Our guest speaker Yosi Taguri, serial investor and entrepreneur, spoke about the ups and downs of the start-up world.
Manchester Golf Day Old Mancunians, current parents, staff and boys met up in June at Mottram Hall golf course for the first ever Manchester Golf Day. The coveted Navy Jacket (an MGS blazer!) was won by current pupil James Pullen who scored 35 points. James was slightly disappointed as he already has such a jacket and wears it five days a week. The team prize went to OMs Tom Grant, Oliver Williams, Chris Thomas and Simon Jones. Doubts were raised about Oliver’s handicap and Jones’ claim of only playing once a year. The event concluded with an indoor BBQ as the heavens opened but a great day was had by all and plans for the 2017 tournament are already in place. Tom Grant (04-11)
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Section News OM Sections
OM 20/30 Club
USA
London & South East
Director of Admissions, Mike Strother, spoke at the 20/30 Club Luncheon about the School’s admissions procedures and the impact of the Junior School which is now in its 8th year.
The US Section is now up and running! Please register on mgsglobalconnect.org so that we can organise events and build the network on the other side of the Atlantic.
Our monthly lunches at the Freemasons’ Hall, Bridge Street continue, usually on the 3rd Friday of the month.
rg@gs2law.com
A successful lunch for 30 OMs at Antalya Restaurant took place in May. OM Mark Power (87-94) won the Owl Trophy at Woking Golf Club in July. The annual supper will take place on Thursday 3 November at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, Fleet St. The High Master will answer questions from the floor after the meal.
Midlands Quarterly informal lunches were held in June and September at The Old Joint Stock, Birmingham, where guests enjoyed a convivial meeting. The next lunch will be at the same venue on Wednesday 9 November. All OMs and guests are welcome. Contact John Wilson at john@ wilson7743.fsnet.co.uk or 0121 4753700 for further details.
South & West The 50th annual Commemoration Service in pious memory of Hugh Oldham, in Exeter Cathedral, took place on Sunday 26 June, followed by lunch and the Section’s AGM. The date of future events will be published at mgs.org . All OMs, family and friends who live in or are visiting the south and west of England and Wales are always very welcome to join us at our events. Please contact Paul Gelling, the S&W Section Clerk, for more details at p.gelling@btinternet.com
Friday 21 October: Ian Rushton, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West Friday 18 November: AGM Friday 9 December: School Captain and Vice-Captain Friday 27 January: The High Master Friday 17 February and Friday 17 March: Speakers tbc Members and friends receive news of the next meeting by mail or email. Please contact Alex Wells on 01298 812886 or alex_wells@tiscali.co.uk if you would like to meet us.
Manchester Lodge Old Mancunians with Mount Sinai The Lodge offers OMs the fellowship of Freemasonry. For further information please contact Paul Rose paulrose6395@ gmail.com or visit omwms3140.com
Contact Robert Garson Following the success of alumni events in the USA in 2015, the High Master and Development Director will be returning to the States in March 2017 to meet up with OMs. More details about events in the USA will follow in the coming months.
Chess The next Old Mancunians chess contest with the School will take place on Thursday 30 March 2017. This will be a team event starting at the School at 3:00 pm and lasting around 3 hours. Teams are composed of players who started at the School in a particular decade: if you are reading this and can get together another two fellow
chess players from the decade you started at MGS to make a team, please be in touch. It would be great if a team of ‘millennial’ OMs could compete for the first time. It will be 25 years in 2017 since I organised my first Old Mancunians match in 1992. I would like to hand over the role to the next person after the forthcoming contest. The School players value the chance to re-connect with their former team-mates at university, and this is how the current series of contests began in 1984. The 1992 Old Mancunians team had half of the players from the first School team to win the National Schools Championships in 1991, and the School team still had two of the other three. The youngest Old Mancunians today are former members of the School’s strongest ever team, and I hope that someone will come forward from among them to keep this contest going. Contact Peter Webster at peter@thea.ltd.uk
Above (L to R): Class of 1995 – Simon Derrick, Jonny Goldstone, and Guy Morris at the London Pub Evening in May; 20/30 Club lunch; Tom Ames-Greenall, Max Gilmour and Rovert Povey at the London Pub Evening Below: Woking Golf Day
From the High Master The start of a new academic year is upon us and as I write this the next generation of MGS boys is being inducted into the ways of the School. The teaching staff have returned from their long summer break and are getting back to grips with a more frenetic pace of life once more; away go the shorts and sunglasses and out come the red pens and mark-books.
Over the summer much was written in the press about social mobility. With the call for the reintroduction of grammar schools the press turned their focus on this part of the education sector. The fact that the majority of state grammar schools have only a tiny proportion of their pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds - fewer than 3% in most cases – has called into question the role they play in social mobility. By contrast, at MGS 17% of our pupils would be classified as coming from a disadvantaged background (using the government’s own criteria), and we are in receipt of no state funding. The reason these pupils can benefit from such an outstanding education is, of course, the generosity of our benefactors, including, of course, so many Old Mancunians. I am delighted to be able to announce that the Next 500 Appeal has now reached its ten-million-pound target, which allows us to continue to transform lives in this way. Of course, our goal is to do more, and our efforts will not stop until we have become entirely needs-blind. This is an ambitious target and will take time to achieve, but we are clear in our commitment and our vision.
For one half of the school staff, however, the summer is a time where it is all hands on deck: the Works Department, grounds staff and kitchen team work flat out over the summer. Over the past few years we have used this time to carry out a programme of refurbishment, with the aim of restoring some of the glory that would have been evident when the School first opened in the 1930s. The highlight of this work has undoubtedly been the restoration of the Memorial Hall. However, staff will tell you that I get very excited about the re-pointing programme. For those of you who have not been to visit the School for a few years, it is worth a trip to see just what impressive buildings we have. Another area of real development in recent years has been the sports pitches. When the School was built, top soil from the site was sold to cover a shortfall in the monies raised to build the School. This left a heavy clay layer, which, when combined with traditional Manchester weather, has historically led to the cancellation of far more matches than we would like. The solution is a complex and quite expensive drainage system. This summer we completed the fourth pitch of the six on the main school site. Our next work on the fields will be to convert the tennis courts to a modern all-weather surface, suitable for not only tennis but also hockey, which is the fastest growing sport at MGS; last year alone saw two age groups reaching national finals.
Images: Novus Property Solutions
Dr Martin Boulton (84-86) High Master
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The School Today For more stories like these visit mgslife.org
Academic Excellence MGS pupils have, once again, been highly successful in gaining offers from Oxford and Cambridge, placing MGS in a very select group of top academic schools nationally.
Chess Champions For the third consecutive year, MGS boys lifted the English Chess Federation’s Team Challenge trophy.
This year, 27 pupils received offers to study at Oxford and Cambridge. These included offers in Modern Languages, Engineering, Architecture, Economics and Management and the natural sciences, and seven offers to study Medicine.
At Imperial College, London, the boys performed terrifically well, finishing with 19 points out of a possible 20.
Some 100 Old Mancunians are currently studying at Oxford and Cambridge.
Well done to the team of Andrew Horton (Year 13), Michael Fernandez and Jason Lau (Year 12) and Daniel Abbas (Year 11).
Twin brothers Lawrence and Zak Hopkins both received offers from the University of Cambridge and talented linguist Jack Allen won a scholarship to one of the world’s most prestigious universities, Princeton, turning down an offer to study at Oxford.
Top of the Table MGS has been recognised as the leading independent sports school in the North West by a national magazine.
Not In My Honour Young actors from MGS starred in a new play that will help school children across the country understand honour-based abuse. Greater Manchester Police commissioned ‘Not In My Honour’, which was brought to life by pupils from MGS and Levenshulme High School. The play explored the issue of honourbased abuse. MGS pupils aged 13 to 16, and the School’s Drama department, were involved in the creation of the play. MGS boys showed a real interest and determination to raise awareness of
honour-based abuse, and relished the opportunity to work with professional theatre practitioners to develop their stagecraft. The play is now available on the Home Office website to be used as an educational resource to help others recognise the signs of honour-based abuse and how to tackle it.
Above (L to R): Top of the Table; Chess Champions
School Sport magazine has named MGS as the top ranked independent school in the North West region for its varied sporting programme. 2015 was a year of both celebration and great sporting success across a wide range of sports at MGS, culminating in the opening of a new, state-of-the-art sports hall by OM Mike Atherton OBE. Director of Sport at MGS, Mark Walmsley, said: ‘We are extremely proud that many of our boys have gone on to achieve sporting success on both the national and international stages when they leave MGS. Our new sports hall provides us with the facilities to develop all of our pupils, including the next generation of sporting stars.’
Left: Academic Excellence; Below: Harrison Kaye (Year 10) – Not In My Honour
From the Archive Above (from top): Images from the MGS Archives display – 1928 (photograph by Bert Hardy, 1954), Savoy Trek
MGS Archives at Manchester Histories Festival On Saturday 11 June, MGS Archives made its appearance for the first time at the Manchester Histories Festival ‘Celebration Day’ at Manchester Town Hall.
Right (clockwise from top left): the MGS Archives stand; medals – top row (L to R): ‘Death Penny’; School Medal – bottom row (L to R): ‘Pip, Squeak and Wilfred’; The Lawson Medal; Michael Wood (59-66) presenting at the Manchester Histories Festival
Otto Smart School Archivist, ext 361, archives@mgs.org
The Celebration Day is seen as the culmination of the festival, featuring around 100 exhibition stands representing a fascinatingly diverse selection of historically informed institutions or groups, from The Irwell Valley Mining Project; the Working Class Movement Library; the Royal Northern College of Music; to our own humble institution. There were also a series of talks held throughout the day by various speakers, covering different aspects of Mancunian history, perhaps the most notable of these being Old Mancunian Michael Wood, giving a talk entitled ‘The Seven Ages of Manchester’, tracing the city’s development from its early Roman settlement through to today’s familiar postindustrial cosmopolis. In terms of curating the display, presented with no more than a severely limiting 4ft square display board and 6ft by 2½ ft table, it was virtually impossible to give a complete picture of the MGS Archive’s collection. As a result, I could merely attempt to make a judicious selection from as many areas as possible to give a reasonably fair representation of the variety of items contained within the archive, i.e. one item representing sport, another drama, another treks, and so on. As we’re halfway through the centenary commemorations of the First World War, it also seemed appropriate to include a few items relating to MGS’s connection to the War such as a ‘Death Penny’, the ‘Pip, Squeak &
Wilfred’ medals (in other words the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal & Victory Medal), and the fascinating 1914 diary of Norman Birnage, a starkly poignant reflection of how the First World War suddenly changed the whole mood of the country, let alone MGS, which lost over 500 men to the war. On the display board, a variety of photographs reflected life at MGS over the past century or so, from early images of the Long Millgate site dating from the turn of the century; a dramatic Savoy Trek from 1928; a 1981 cricket score card featuring the names of Atherton, Crawley & Yates in the top three positions; some form photos; illustrious OMs Nicholas Hytner and Martin Sixsmith in a drama production of The Fortunes of Falstaff; and several images from the remarkable series of shots of everyday life in the school taken by Bert Hardy in 1954 for the Picture Post. For a school with such a wealth of fascinating history as MGS, I think it’s important that the Archive has a presence in public events such as the Manchester Histories Festival and it is to be hoped that this first year of our involvement in the festival will be the first of many.
CAN YOU HELP? on We are missing Editie th of 04) 20 om 18 (fr tter. Old Mancunian newsle set If you have a fullwe f el sh on your book would be grateful to receive a copy!
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OM Communication ‘ Glimpses of Notes’ – coming soon… Ian Davidson’s book about his WW2 education at MGS, ‘Glimpses of Notes’, will be available in both paperback and ebook format in time for you to put it high on the Christmas wish-list you circulate to friends and family. It includes a preface by the High Master and a Foreword by Jeremy Ward, former Head of Modern Studies. We will have copies available at school later this year, and it will also be available from online sellers and, on request, from any bookshop. All proceeds from book sales will be donated to the MGS Trust. A number of OM authors have seen the manuscript, here are extracts from their responses:
Michael Crick (69-76) Ian Davidson is an excellent writer who has an astonishing memory for detail. He paints a fascinating, vivid portrait both of his days as a schoolboy at MGS in the ‘40s and early ‘50s, but also of life amid the rationing and thick fogs of wartime and immediate post-war Manchester. Although I went to MGS a generation later, his book brought back floods of fond memories.
Martin Sixsmith (66-72) A lively, personal memoir of an important decade for the School. Ian Davidson writes with a glint of amusement in his eye and an admirable memory for the little details that make such accounts come alive.
Tim Samuels (86-93) Rich in detail, this is a gripping piece of social history that captures a school-life straddling the War. From the momentous, to the fascinatingly mundane – the emergence of the nascent biro supplanting the fountain pen, local lasses inexplicably being drawn to the brash GIs who stayed on in England. It is also the thoughtful and candid reminiscence of a man looking back at his formative years – without any rose-tinted lenses.
And one is left with a lingering sense of how soft we are these days. As the author notes, when he went back to visit the School, ‘Today’s generations seem composed and sedate, whereas we were rough and rowdy as we trooped from one classroom to another’. A thought-provoking, highly-engaging and unique piece of work.
Michael Wood (59-66)
of sex, and the hilarious portraits of the more eccentric teachers like the sadistic Billy Hulme; or Simpkins with his great line about learning to make bricks: ‘it’s a boring business, boys, but soon you’ll be able to build something, and that can be fun!’ Fun it was, as I remember, too; as Ian says, ‘we learned without realising it.’ For me the book will take its place alongside Bryan Magee’s ‘Clouds of Glory’ (the tale of a Hoxton childhood) or James Walvin’s recent memoir of his forties upbringing in Manchester, ‘Different Times’. Old Mancs will love it – but so will historians, too. It is about the making of a person, as well as the story of a school, and one hopes it might inaugurate a tradition where members of future generations who may also be gifted with Ian’s incredible recall might leave their memoirs to posterity too?
The book is full of fabulous detail: the texture of life in the post-war city, with the Manchester Guardian, the Hallé, and Lancashire Cricket; the texture of life before the age of Twitter and iPhone. We watch in intimate close-up the growth of a person’s consciousness; the teachers, the books and ideas that changed his life, from Shakespeare to Baudelaire, Rimbaud and Hesse. As Ian says, our teachers thought ‘our heads were bottomless buckets that would take whatever was poured into them.’ There are, Ian Thorpe Development Adviser too, the deftly and & Editor of OM humorously sketched Communications, markers of ext 570 i.thorpe@ growing up: Gitanes mgs.org in Birchfields Park, the first fumblings
Above: MGS after Bomb Damage in the 1940s as featured on the cover of the forthcoming ‘Glimpses of Notes’
Owl drop ins Right (top image): Back row (L to R) Ian Ridyard, John Stinson, Ian Bowie, Jonathan Fielding, David Hewitt, Andrew Penketh Centre row (L to R) Edward Jackson, Ian Hardcastle, Tom Rice, Nick Wildgoose, Mark Weingard, Kelly Moses Front row (L to R) John Rawcliffe, Dr Coyne, Richard Lowe Right (bottom image): MVIiii Form reunion
Over the Summer term we had several visits and a successful 1970s reunion on 7 May (see mgslife.org for photos). Rather than our usual one line comments in this section, we would like to bring you a couple of full letters in response to visits to the school – a full dinner as opposed to an amuse bouche. In a post-reunion event on 20 May John Rawcliffe (78-84) and his MVIii form group restaged their 6th Form photograph, had a tour of the School and played a game of 5-a-side football. In the evening they met up with their form master Stephen Coyne (81-88), this is what John and Stephen had to say: ‘It was great reconnecting and renewing old friendships and everyone is keen on not leaving it another 32 years before we meet up again. Perhaps the whole event was summed up in an email from Doc Coyne who joined us for a curry later that evening. ‘It was a really super evening. Many thanks for treating me as a guest – much appreciated now that I am on a pension! It was great to see Ian, Ian, Tom and Ed who have not changed and Nick and Andrew who are so different. It was very amusing being towered over by Rick and just great catching up with people and hearing stories of times at MGS. It was extraordinary (and quite humbling), as a teacher, to talk to Ian B and Ed and realise the extent to which you affect people’s lives – quite an experience. It was also great to catch up with you, John and Jon. I could not believe that Nick and David had flown in especially for the event – a great tribute to you all. It was just like meeting a collection of old friends rather than a school reunion (and I have been to lots of the latter type of event). You are a great bunch of guys; I was very lucky to be your form tutor. I had a truly memorable evening and I am, once again, extremely pleased and grateful that I was invited. It was the best time I have ever had with a bunch of Man United supporters – what more can I say?!’ John Rawcliffe (78-84)
Dave Stott (60-57) came in for his first visit since leaving MGS in 1967. There was a surprise in store for him on the pavilion Honours Board and a delightful tale of how he met his long term partner through the school. ‘It was most enjoyable and interesting to see how much had changed, but also how much remained the same. I think what had changed |the least were the boys I saw. They still looked alert and interested, which is how I remembered us (at least, most of the time). It was also good to be reminded of some of the staff who were there in my day, including Ian ‘Basher’ Bailey, and (Councillor, it was always Councillor) Sol Clynes. There was a photo of Mr. Poole in the old metal working shop: I still have the chrome plated poker I made in that shop, and it’s never been near a fire. Something I had never seen before was my name in gold lettering on the honours board in the Pavilion. I was captain of lacrosse in my final year, and of course the names didn’t go up until after the end of the school year. One final thing I have to thank the school for. I had a friend, Freddie, who had a younger sister, May, at Manchester High. As these things happen, they had a party, Freddie brought his friends, May brought hers, one of them being a girl called Margalit. And here we still are, about to celebrate our 45th wedding anniversary.’ Dave Stott (60-57)
VISIT US Advanced n would be otice of visits Bespoke reappreciated. classes, unions of can be artreams or clubs anged. Contact Ja on 0161 224ne Graham or j.graha 7201 ext 243 m@mgs.org
If any of you out there have stories such as love on the 41 bus we would really enjoy hearing from you and sharing some of your anecdotes. Over and above the regular schedule of formal events over the past few years we have hosted many smaller and less formal events for OMs. The scout troops and the Chess Section already meet regularly and other form and sports based groups have attended for tours and activities. Indeed, we have the 1975 football squad with us this coming September for a Dads vs Lads match. These can offer the benefit of more flexible timing to suit smaller groups who cannot make the scheduled reunions and dinners and we would welcome any requests for any school based gatherings. John Whitfield (76-83)
History book
Ulula 2015
Pre-ordered copies of the ‘MGS: A History at 500’ are now available for collection from the Development Office at the School. If you would still like to order a copy (Priced £30 excluding p&p), please contact Julie Wright in the Development Office.
Ulula which includes the ’50 Objects’ series and coverage of 2015 events is still available to purchase from Julie Wright in the Development Office.
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In memoriam Since the last TOM we have been advised of the recent deaths of the following OMs. We would welcome offers to supply brief obituaries or memories for Ulula. Antony J Adler 45-51 Arthur H R Barlow 49-53 Philip G Barnes 39-47 Peter J Batty 35-40 Lionel Black 32-37 Charles D Boak 43-50 Roger G Breeze 58-64 Michael Challenor Sale Prep 46-48 & MGS 48-50 Andrea Christian 38-46 Naseeb S Chuhan 06-11 Samuel Elton 32-38 Peter J A Evans 47-50 Johann T Fadle 96-03 Peter J Garner 49-54 E Victor Girardier 46-52 David M Green 51-58 William L Green 40-44 Robert Harrison 71-78 John A Haslam 61-68 Jonathan ‘Joe’ C Highfield 89-96 Geoffrey R Howarth 33-39 Graham Jackson 59-65 John A Jamieson 33-40 Philip E Jones 57-63 Thomas I Jones 47-51 Kenneth S Kiernan 43-50 Robert S King 31-38 Keith Lund 45-51 Bernard H Martin 49-56 Ian Mellor 57-64 Alan R Mills 45-50 Cyril Mintz 40-44 Andrew J Murray 70-77 Alan Newton 38-46 David F Oxley 51-58 Brian W Pearson 48-51 Alan J Rigby 35-42 Nigel K Roberts 70-73 Glyn O Roscoe 43-50 David ‘Sandy’ A Roydes 56-63 Donald C Silverwood 35-42 Keith Slater 46-53 John G Stewart 38-44 Brian Taylor 43-49 Michael J Topham 38-43 Bernard J Tweats 46-51 Malcolm J Williamson 61-68 Staff John A Hicks 50-55
Forthcoming events 2016/2017 Edinburgh Dinner Thursday 13 October at The New Club, Edinburgh, 6:30 pm. MGS Business Class Thursday 13 October at 6:00 pm. Sacha LordMarchionne (83-90) Founder of Warehouse Project and Parklife. Annual London Supper with the High Master Thursday 3 November at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, Fleet Street, 6:30 pm. Midlands Lunch Wednesday 9 November at The Old Joint Stock, Birmingham. 20/30 Club lunches 21 October, 18 November, 9 December, 27 January, 17 February and 17 March. Old Boys’ Dinner Saturday 19 November at MGS at MGS, 6:30 pm. Jon Aisbitt (68-75), the recently retired Chairman of the Man Group is confirmed as Senior Steward. Founders’ Day Service Friday 10 February at Manchester Cathedral, 11:00 am. Ian Leverton Lecture Friday 24 February at MGS. Philip Wade Rugby Match and Rugby Club Dinner Friday 31 March at MGS. For details contact s.swindells@mgs.org Stuart Dale Football Matches Friday 28 April at MGS. For details contact m.strother@ mgs.org
Pre-1950s Reunion Dinner Saturday 6 May at MGS. Details of all the OM events can be found at mgs.org
Music events Junior School Christmas Concert Wednesday 7 December at MGS, 6:00 pm. School Carol Service Thursday 8 December at Holy Trinity Platt Church, Platt Lane, Manchester M14 5NF, 6:30 pm. Handel’s Messiah Saturday 10 December at Leeds Town Hall – MGS Choir with Leeds Philharmonic Chorus, David Hill & the International Baroque Players, time tbc. Christmas Concert Tuesday 13 December at MGS, 6:30 pm. Carols in the City Thursday 15 December at Manchester Cathedral – in aid of The Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, time tbc. Junior School Concert Tuesday 14 March at MGS, 6:00 pm. Easter Concert Thursday 16 March at the Royal Northern College of Music, 7:30 pm.
Drama events Elf – The Musical A Junior School production. 23 and 24 November. ‘A Christmas Carol’ 6, 7 and 9 December. Junior School Production 8 and 9 February.
‘Hansel & Gretel’ by Carl Grose 22, 23 and 24 February. ‘Loot’ by Joe Orton 29 and 30 March. Dates and times of events are subject to change, please see mgs.org
Get in touch ... Correspondence to Julie Wright at MGS, Old Hall Lane, Manchester, M13 0XT or 0161 224 7201.
Noteworthy Old Mancunian Ties Old Mancunian silk ties are available at the cost of £20 in the UK or £22 overseas including p&p.
Please contact Julie Wright.
L to R: Simon Jones, ext 240 or s.jones@mgs.org Julie Wright, ext 241, j.wright@mgs.org Jane Graham, ext 243, j.graham@mgs.org Ian Thorpe, ext 570, i.thorpe@mgs.org Laura Rooney, ext 571, l.l.rooney@mgs.org
Amazon.co.uk Many of us are shoppers on the internet, and by using the Amazon.co.uk website through the icon link on the School’s own website (mgs.org ) up to 10% of the value of any purchase made is automatically given for the direct benefit of the Bursary Fund.
Gift Aid We are grateful to the significant number of Old Boys who donate regularly to the Bursary Fund. We are obliged to remind you that Gift Aid regulations require you to let us know if you no longer pay sufficient tax on income and/or capital gains. Please notify any changes to the Development Office.
L to R: Rachel Kneale and Mary Ann Davison School Archivists, ext 361, archives@mgs.org