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Old Radleian 2017
Cover: Jonathan Waterer (1973) – see pages 138 & 139
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Old Radleian 2017
Contents
3 Letter from the Warden
ARTICLES
4
112
4 My Grandfather’s Robot
20 College Land
26 OR NEW BOOKS & CDs
Sir Andrew Motion (1966) Anthony Rylands (1964) Mark Spurrell (1948) David Fraser-Jenkins (1958) Rolf Richardson (1947) Tony Buxton (1945) Sven Hughes (1987)
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Nick Duffell (1963) James Lovegrove (1979) Christopher Sandford (1970) Julian Cribb (1964) Alan Rosling (1975) Richard Beard (1980) Rod Gilmour (1990) Robert King (1974)
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Sir Nicholas Jackson (1948)
36
Harry Bicket (1974) John Lubbock (1959) Edward Brooke-Hitching (1996)
35 GAZETTE 56 LETTERS 62 OBITUARIES 100 SPORT
138
Cricket, Golf, Football, Rowing, Rugby, Cross Country, Sailing
118 NEWS & NOTES
Article Master
Letter from John Moule, the Warden
Jock Mullard in an advertisement for an early Henley Festival
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Dear ORs, As Jock’s deadline for my annual review for the Old Radleian magazine was looming, I happened to be showing around an Old Radleian who arrived at the College in 1967, fifty years ago almost to the day. We were in his old Social – B – as the new Shells were pausing for a very rare breath in their hectic schedule over the opening days of term. I had yet to meet this particular group, and they were certainly not expecting to see me coming into B Social Hall, still less to do so in the company of the Development Director and an unfamiliar Old Radleian. I walked into the room not quite knowing what to expect. The group politely stood – a good start – and professed genuine wonder at the fact of the fifty-year difference as I introduced the guest. They energetically engaged in answering his questions and we quickly established some key points: the food was much better than it had been in the past and so were the sleeping arrangements. They then cheerily thanked him for coming and turned to the next priority. It lasted three minutes or so – no more – but it struck me that the little cameo was a very good reflection of what we are all about. There is nothing quite like the ebullient enthusiasm of a group of Shells as they arrive. One of the great joys of a job in teaching is that you see the same every year: a new group with all before them. There are characters to develop, experiences to share, opportunities to embrace and lifelong friendships to form. Five years of a Radley education to come... and names that now are little more than entries on a list will become memorable for what they achieve (and occasionally for what they do not!). And in fifty years’ time, one of them might happen to be wandering through his Social with a different Warden to walk down memory lane, and come across the new vintage of 2067. Radley is so much more than the sum of its parts. That Shell group are fourteen individuals but they will become much more than that. It is wonderful to hear the newly assembled school start the year with lusty singing at the opening
chapel services: 689 voices but so much more than that. And every time an Old Radleian visits, every time the generations are bridged, the experience becomes richer, the meaning more profound for all involved. I saw that on Sunday in that brief encounter; I see it all the time. Those present to see – and more importantly hear – the assembled Radley crowd cheer out the VIII on Sunday at Henley this year will understand what I mean. I challenged the boys in the opening Warden’s Assembly of the year to get the balance right between loyalty and collective identity on the one hand and independence of mind and individuality of character on the other. Many would see that as a dichotomy; I trust that at Radley we achieve a healthy balance. I regard the whole purpose of my job as preserving the best of what Radley has been and is, and ensuring that it prospers in the present and future context. Not a dichotomy: a balance. An Old Radleian of fifty years standing caring about the school today and a new set of Shells meeting him as they start on their journey: past, present and future.
Of course, none represents the spirit of the above better than Jock Mullard, and it would be right to draw attention to him, as well as pay tribute, as he retires from his role in the Radleian Society and therefore from his editorship of this magazine. Jock has spanned the ages at Radley in so many guises: he rightly treasures the past, he adapts to the present and he cares about the future. He is the most loyal of colleagues and friends but has a character and individuality we all admire: there is only one Jock. I do not feel able to do him justice (others will come much closer)... I know he would hate us to try. But as one brief interaction made me think of what The Radleian Society should be about, so a reflection on Jock’s contribution does the same. We salute him.
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My Grandfather’s Robot
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my grandfather’s robot
Alpha the Robot on the Mullard Valve Company stand at the London Radio Exhibition at Olympia, 1932
Jock Mullard (Radley 1958-1963 and 1970-2017) 4
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The robot was operated by two people, and Eric’s voice was received live by a radio signal. Although able to sit and stand, Eric could not move his legs to walk. His chest bore the letters ‘RUR’, a reference to the robot manufacturer in Karel Čapek’s 1920 play of the same name. Following his first appearance, Eric was taken on a tour to the United States, introducing himself to an audience in New York in 1929 as Eric the robot, the man without a soul. The New York Press described him as the perfect man. Some time after this, Eric disappeared. Having researched Eric’s story, Ben Russell, curator of the Science Museum, concluded that no-one quite knows what happened to him, whether he was blownup or taken to pieces for spare parts. There was an audience eager to buy tickets to see performances by Eric and Department Stores willing to hire him to entice customers through their doors. It was claimed that up to 3,000 people per day would go to Eric’s demonstrations and this made the tours a financial success.
Left: The replica Eric at the Science Museum. Below: The original Eric opens the Model Engineers Exhibition in 1928. Popular Science Magazine December 1928
In 2016 the Science Museum in London produced a replica of Eric, ‘Britain’s First Robot’. The publicity surrounding Eric reminded me of a story my grandfather had told about a robot on his stand at the London Radio Exhibition in 1932. In 1920 my grandfather founded a company producing radio valves and his success made it possible, many years later, for me to be at Radley. The original Eric was built in 1928 by First World War veteran Captain William Richards, and an aircraft engineer, Alan Reffell. The robot was constructed to open the 1928 Exhibition of the Society of Model Engineers at the Royal Horticultural Hall in London after George VI (then the Duke of York) had cancelled his visit. An exasperated Richards, the exhibition’s secretary, offered to “make a man of tin” to take the Duke’s place. At the event’s opening, Eric rose to his feet, bowed and gave a four-minute opening address. the old radleian 2017
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In Eric’s body was an electric motor and a system of pulleys and cables. Articles from the Illustrated London News (above) and Modern Mechanics (left) helped the Science Museum to build the replica. Right: Alpha, with breastplate removed to show his electrical anatomy. When Captain Richards wished to build a second robot, George, he asked Research Engineers Ltd to construct it for him. The company was formed in 1923 to provide assistance to inventors. Research Engineers built all manner of things; the “Godsell” car, gun telegraphs for British warships, several series of clocks for the Franklin Mint, peripheral cameras, and countless other one-off and special machines. At some point in the sixties RE developed a very slick flame-ionisation gas detector for Shell, and that (with variations) became a major product. In the late seventies RE were invited to submit a design for a 6
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visual glide slope indicator system to the British military, and the PAPI (Precision Approach Path Indicator) was the result. Until the late nineties, RE continued to make gas detectors and PAPI systems, until they were bought out by a larger gas detection company. These people had no knowledge or care for airfield lighting products, but their largest customer and Australian agents, did. So they bought the PAPI business and the Research Engineers name and the company is now based in Australia. Sadly neither the grandson of the founder nor the current company have
any records of what was made over the years. However it seems likely that, when my grandfather needed a robot for his stand at the Radio Exhibition in 1932, Research Engineers would have been the company to approach. Philips took over the Mullard Company and they tell me there are no archives from the early 1930s which will shed any light on where the Mullard robot was made. Some sources credit a Mr. G.F. Green of the Mullard company while others suggest it was made by Harry May, sometimes given the title ‘Professor’ Harry May.
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General Photographic Agency/Getty Images
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What we do know is that a robot, named ‘Astra’ or ‘Alpha’ appeared at the Holborn Empire in July 1932 before appearing at the Radio Exhibition in August 1932. The robot held and fired a pistol for this demonstration, but would hold Mullard radio valves for the Radio Exhibition at Olympia in August. The appearance of ‘Alpha’ at the Radio Exhibition was given wide coverage in the press. Mark Potter wrote in the Leeds Mercury on 24 August 1932: A Robot Who Reads the Newspapers More marvels of the Radio Exhibition in London, including a robot who walks, talks, and reads the newspapers, are described below by Mr Mark Potter, the “Mercury” wireless expert. One of the most spectacular exhibits at the National Radio Exhibition is on the stand of “Radio for the Million”. There is a grotesque mass of shining armour representing the typical robot. Alpha the Mullard Robot, he is called. Imagine a giant suit of armour with a head covering having some resemblance to a diver’s helmet. He is an awe-inspiring figure in glittering nickel plating.
From The Dundee Courier (above) and The Times (below), 14 July 1932
This robot, said to be worked entirely by Mullard valves, is a child of Mr G.F. Green, of Mullard’s. He moves and talks and delivers lectures. He will answer technical questions, and will read from a newspaper placed in his hands whether it is English, French, German or any of most other foreign languages. In fact he will do all sorts of wonderful things. Generally there is such a crowd around Alpha that it is difficult to get near him when he performs. On 27th August: Mr. Green, of Mullards, was good enough to arrange a demonstration of Alpha. the Mullard robot. In a previous article I dealt with with some of the capabilities of this contrivance, resembling a suit of glittering armour. Normally he sits with his arms on his knees. When requested he will stand up, will lift up one or both arms and will move his head to one side or the other. He weighs several tons.
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His “innards” consist of various motors and amplifiers. His ears are two microphones. He answers questions in a mechanical way. It was explained to me that the microphones convey the requests to a series of tuned reeds. When what may be termed the ‘keyword’ reaches the tuned reeds they release a trip. This brings into use a strip of talkie film containing the answers. The talk comes through a loud speaker in the base, but as his ‘mouth’ moves he appears to be speaking. Alpha answered various questions and gave a lecture on valves. When asked what was his age, he ponderously answered, “I am not a mathematician – I am a robot.” Asked what would be the biggest cricket score of the day he remained silent. His keeper remarked, “He never answers such a question when Yorkshire are playing.” Asked who would win the St. Leger, Alpha hesitated. The he said, “The first horse past the post.” Crowds are round Alpha each day. After the Radio Exhibition Harry May took ‘Alpha’ on tour. During one of the Brighton shows there was an accident when Harry May was putting blanks into the pistol. From the Brighton Argus, September 1932: ALPHA THE ROBOT Fires a Revolver at its Maker MYSTERY HITCH DURING BRIGHTON SHOW For a reason that cannot be explained, Alpha, the robot, which is on view at the heating and electrical exhibition in the Dome, Brighton, shot his maker, Mr Harry May, in the hand on Saturday evening. The accident occurred during a performance when there was a large audience present. Among the many extraordinary things which the robot does is to fire a revolver when it is told to do so and Mr May was loading the gun when it was suddenly discharged. Only dummy bullets are used but there is a hole in the barrel
Advertisement in the Mid Sussex Times 20 September 1932
where the blast from the shot comes out, and Mr May had his hand over this when the trigger was pulled. Normally when Mr May is loading the gun the robot says “Mind or I’ll blow your blinking hand off.” On Saturday, the glistening figure just uttered the word “Mind” before it pulled the trigger.
Inexplicable Mr May told an Evening Argus representative that he could not explain why the robot should have fired the gun before it was ordered to do so. “It is mechanically perfect,” he said, “and the only reason for its amazing act I can think of is that the old radleian 2017
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unintentionally somebody in the audience must have said something which reflected upon the super sensitive mechanism inside the robot which caused it to fire. When the gun went off I was blinded by the smoke and my hand was badly burned. Indeed, if I had not been wearing thick gloves I think part of it would have been blown away. Seeing what had happened people in the audience screamed, but I was able to prevent a panic.” Not the First Time He added that it was not the first time the Robot had acted without his command, because twice before it had crashed its heavy metal arms down on his head. “Nevertheless,” he stated, “if I am physically capable I shall continue my shows with it because I am determined to show that I, and not the robot, is the master.” With his right arm in a sling, Mr May gave another performance after the accident on Saturday, and this time the robot fired the gun when it was told. ‘Fake News’ is not a modern phenomenon and the American Press were exceptionally creative with the story. The Ogden Standard Examiner of 23rd October 1932 (right) had Alpha able to walk: Shot by the “Monster” of His Own Creation The Two-Ton Robot Suddenly Developed a ‘’Mind’’ of Its Own and Wounded the Inventor Who Feared It Would ‘’Get Him’’ Some Day It was going to be a very scientific evening. A large group of dignified British society folk had gathered at Brighton, England, to see Harry May demonstrate the marvelous versatility of Alpha, his enormous, wirelesscontrolled mechanical man. Mr May had so perfected his two-ton robot, it was said, that the mechanical man responded immediately to spoken orders to smoke, read newspapers, walk, tell time, and even answer questions. It was whispered, too, that at the climax of the performance Mr May would get Alpha to shoot a gun at a target. Well, the show went on and the macabre monster the inventor had created did his stuff with amazing precision and with almost human intelligence. The audience was thrilled but the least bit frightened. 10
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The thing was, even when scientifically explained, a little to uncanny for comfort.
ladies and gentlemen. I assure you there is no danger,” pleaded the man on the stage.
They were convinced that it was by no trickery or hocus-pocus that May operated the steel-encased robot. At the beginning of the performance the inventor had exposed the anatomy of Alpha by removing the steel partition that enclosed its chest.
Reluctantly the frightened men and women once more took their seats. May walked over and placed a loaded revolver in the robot’s ‘hand’.
The spectators saw a highly intricate arrangement of mechanical and electrical apparatus. They had been further enlightened by May’s explanation that various tones of his voice, carried on air waves to the monster, set the hidden machinery in operation, resulting in Alpha doing almost everything a human being could do. There was an impressive lull. The lights in the hall were extinguished. A ghastly blue spotlight, the only illumination in the hall, shone down on the gigantic figure of Alpha and the smaller one of his creator. “And now, ladies and gentlemen,” said May, “I will demonstrate to you what is perhaps the most astounding accomplishment in this mechanical man’s repertoire. At a spoken word of command he will pick up a revolver and fire a bullet directly at the target on the rear wall.” Through the mind of every person present crept the memory of Mrs Shelley’s tragic and terrible fiction story of “Frankenstein” the man who created a mechanical monster that destroyed him. Despite the suave ease and complete mastery May had so far exhibited in controlling the monster, many could not but feel that in teaching the brute of steel to shoot off a gun the inventor was tempting the fates, going a little too far. “It’s a blank cartridge in the gun, I hope,” exclaimed one nervous onlooker in the crowd. “Oh, no,” explained May, “in order to demonstrate the confidence I have in Alpha I have for this one occasion put a real bullet in the revolver. He will shoot it when I direct him to. Alpha’s mechanism is so delicately sensitive to my voice that he will not only fire the gun but he will aim it perfectly and will score a bull’s eye on the target you see before you.” A murmur went through the crowd. The nervous onlooker and two or three others started for the door. “Please wait a minute,
“Before performing this feat,” said the lecturer, “I will try to explain how Alpha accomplished these marvels, which you have seen and which no other robot has even been able to master. “You have heard him talk, answer my questions, read newspapers. This monster, which resembles a man in armor, can do almost anything I ask him. Photo-electric cells are concealed in the gratings tha cover his eyes and his ears are disguised microphones, When you see him obey my commands as you have tonight, he is acting without any other human aid. And now ladies and gentlemen....” He turned towards “Alpha” but as he did so a startled cry left his lips. Women in the audience screamed and men shouted warnings. Without awaiting May’s orders Alpha had risen from his seat and was pointing the revolver right at his maker! The nightmarish story of Mrs Shelley was coming true in real life – right before the fashionable English society group’s eyes! “Stop, Alpha, stop!” ordered the frightened May. “Drop that gun and sit down.” But almost as he spoke the monster took a step forward – and fired. May instinctively put up his hand, and this probably saved his life, for the fired projectile shattered the inventor’s right hand held close to his throat. In the excitement that followed the monster stood stock-still pointing the revolver. Mr May’s voice could be heard exhorting Alpha, “Back to your chair, Alpha and drop that gun.” To the astonishment of all, the mechanical man obeyed instantly, the revolver clattered to the floor and he backed up step by step and sat down in the chair. “Now stay there,” said May. Five minutes later the hall was empty of everybody but Mr May and Alpha. When the inventor was attended by a doctor for his punctured hand, he was philosophical about the mishap.
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Evening Standard/Getty Images
My Grandfather’s Robot
“ I always had a feeling,” he said, “that Alpha would turn on me some day, but this is the first time he ever disobeyed m commands. I can’t understand why he fired before I gave the proper signal.” Far from discouraged, Mr May will continue his interesting work. But it was not announced whether target practice for Alpha would be included henceforth in his regular routine. Perhaps in future exhibitions May will advertise the monster’s appearance with a sign reading “No gun play by Alpha. By special request of the audience.” For several years now robots and mechanical men have been one of the most interesting developments of electrical science. H.G. Wells, the noted British author, was one of the first to look into the future and see robots playing a part in human affairs. In his famous “War of the Worlds” Wells told a story about mechanical men, not unlike Alpha and the world’s other robots, who would come to the earth from Mars and fight and devastate whole continents with death rays. If this ever happens, which of course is highly improbable, the nations of this globe may have mechanical robots, like Alpha, to combat them. Even today there are robots who do all sorts of household tasks. Of course, just at the present time they are a little too expensive for Mr Average Citizen to purchase and present to his wife for Christmas. The well-known story of “Frankenstein” demonstrated what might happen if one of these mechanical men got out of control, In the story, the creature put together by Dr Frankenstein was too strong to overpower. He tortured his maker and many others. The point was that Frankenstein could duplicate everything in his monster that a human being had except the soul. And that omission led to disaster. However if the unexplained conduct of Alpha is any fair test, the mechanical men do develop minds and wills of their own.
Left: Alpha reads the paper 12
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Writers have long played with the idea of robots. Edgar Allen Poe – that great master of the weird and evil school of fiction – penned a tale about a chess automaton. And Ambrose Bierce, whose fate today remains as mysterious as any short story he ever wrote, was the author of a terrible tale of a robot poker player who killed his master for cheating. A sensation on the American stage a few seasons back was the play ‘RUR’ which portrayed what might happen in the world if mechanical men discovered love and became strong enough to exterminate mankind. And a short time later a Broadway theatre was using a mechanical man for a dance director. And he was never late to work! ••• None of the ‘Shot by a Monster’ story was true – at least not in the way that most people in 1932 would appear to have believed. Harry May had indeed wanted to show off his robot firing a gun. But in reality, the firearm accidentally discharged as he was placing it in the robot’s hand. Mr. May was not shot; he suffered only a minor burn on his hand from the discharge. In another article Harry May was reported as saying he would look into Alpha’s heart, which can be done literally by removing a breastplate, and operate on him... After the Brighton Exhibition Alpha appeared at various venues including the 1933 National Trades Exhibition in Birmingham, the Derby First Exhibition and Butlin’s, Skegness before heading for Canada and America. In July 1934 Alpha was at the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede and in September at the Toronto National Exhibition. In Toronto Alpha, having undergone a change of sex, was under the supervision of a Michael Harley who seems to have had trouble with his Robot Woman.
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It was reported in the Winnipeg Free Press and the wonderfully-named Medicine Hat News that she belted him with a mailed fist and knocked him to the floor. He was standing with his back to her. He uttered no word of command but suddenly the mechanical woman swung on him. At least the minder did not get shot this time.
The tour moved on to the United States and ‘owner-inventor-impresario’ Harry May returned to take Alpha to Macy’s Department Store in New York. Time Magazine of 5th November 1934: Last week Alpha, the robot, made its first public appearance in the US. One of the most ingenious automatons ever contrived by man, a grim and gleaming monster 6 ft. 4 in. tall, the robot was brought to Manhattan by its owner-inventorimpresario, Professor Harry May of London, and installed on the fifth floor of R. H. Macy & Co.’s department store. Encased from head to foot in chromium-plated steel armor, Alpha sat on a specially constructed dais with its cumbrous feet securely bolted to the floor, stared impassively over the knot of newshawks and store officials waiting for the first demonstration. The creature had a great sullen slit of a mouth, vast protuberant eyes, shaggy curls of rolled metal. In one mailed fist Alpha clutched a revolver. Professor May, a dapper, blond, beak-nosed man in his middle thirties, signaled his assistant who drew a curtain behind the stage, revealing the massive control cabinets to which the robot was wired. Said the crisp British voice of Professor May: “Wake up!” The eyes of the automaton glowed red. “Stand up!” The robot clicked and whirred. Pivoting at knees and waist, it slowly stood up. “Raise your right arm.” Alpha gave a tremendous Nazi salute. 14
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Alpha in Macy’s Department Store in New York, October 1934. In this picture Alpha has been given a new breastplate and changed both sex and name. At various times Alpha was named Mary Ann, The Roboter, Astra, and Albi/Algi. When commanded, the robot lowered its arm, raised the other, lowered it, turned its head from side to side, opened and closed its prognathous jaw, sat down. Then Impresario May asked Alpha a question: “How old are you?” From the robot’s interior a cavernous Cockney voice responded: “Fourteen years.”
May: What do you weigh? Alpha: One ton. A dozen other questions and answers followed, some elaborately facetious. When May inquired what the automaton liked to eat, it responded with a minutelong discourse on the virtues of toast made with Macy’s automatic electric toaster. Finally when May requested the creature to raise its arm and fire
Bettmann
the pistol, the arm went up, the metal forefinger pulled the trigger, the firingpin fell with a click. Professor May explained that store officials would not permit him to use blank cartridges. Alpha’s master asked his auditors to give any of his questions and commands, using exactly the same words. Sometimes the robot responded promptly, sometimes not until Professor May repeated the words. For such pictures as ‘King Kong’ Hollywood has devised automatons capable of more complex movements than Alpha, but never one that responded to the human voice. Anxious to avoid any suspicion of ventriloquism or of a hidden assistant pushing control buttons, Professor May removed the robot’s breast plate, disclosing a mechanism like the interior of an ordinary radio. Publicly he explained that Alpha’s repertory of answers consisted of 20 or 30 recordings on wax cylinders, as in oldtime phonographs, which were run off in the control cabinets and reproduced from the loud speaker in the robot’s chest. Alpha cannot really understand language, but he can respond to a variety of set questions the answers to which have been prepared in advance. Privately Professor May explained more. Heart of the robot system is an ordinary cathode-ray oscillograph, an electronic device which, when voice modulations are converted into electrical impulses as in a telephone, makes a jagged up-anddown record of them. Since different voices are differently pitched the device is rigged to ignore absolute pitch but to respond to relative pitch variations which occur in sequence in certain word combinations as pronounced by most speakers. Different combinations of variations close different combinations of relay circuits, and each combination of circuits is hooked up to the appropriate wax cylinder which supplies the answer, or to the proper motor which moves the robot as directed. Thus Alpha may answer “Seven” when asked “How many days in the week?” but remains dumb if the question is phrased “A week has how many days?” Alpha was not quite correct in giving its age as 14. Professor May, a clever
The original caption, January 1935: Let George Jessel, Al Jolson and other famous masters of ceremony beware. For now we have ‘Alpha’ the mechanical man acting as Master of Ceremonies at the Radio City Music Hall. Here Alpha is announcing the next number, as some dancing girls wait, ‘on their toes.’ free-lance experimenter in electronics who is now working on voice-operated safes for banks, conceived Alpha 14 years ago but did not endow the robot with its present versatility until last year. He says it is now foolproof although it has not always been so. Once it fired its pistol without warning, blasting the skin off the professor’s arm from wrist to elbow. Another time it lowered its arm unexpectedly, struck an assistant on the shoulder, bruised him so badly that he was hospitalized. In New York Alpha appeared as the Master of Ceremonies at Radio City Music Hall before moving on, eventually, to the California Pacific International Exposition held in San Diego, California in 1935 and 1936. the old radleian 2017
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San Diego History Center
My Grandfather’s Robot
Harry May with Alpha at the Balboa Park Expo at San Diego in 1935. Alpha has had a change of head. 16
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1935 movie poster for The Bride of Frankenstein The visitors to San Diego were reminded about Alpha’s attempts to shoot Harry May and there was some helpful publicity when Boris Karloff, the actor who played Frankenstein in a series of films, visited the Exposition. What did ‘owner-inventor-impresario’ Harry May do next? At San Diego he seems to have been very busy, not only with Alpha but also a ‘Death Ray’. The official program listed this as a feature presentation. Included are statements such as The Secrets of Army Authorities laid bare before your eyes... and It Destroys Everything before your view. Some articles indicated that Professor May was formerly of London University and that he invented many World War devices for the British Army. The Belfast Newsletter reported: “Death Ray” Gun Reported American Invention to be on View A “death ray” gun which, it is claimed, has disintegrated sheets of metal, burned balloons, and killed small animals, will
1936 press cuttings about the Death Ray
be on view at the California Pacific International Exhibition at San Diego, California. The gun resembles a weird telescope or giant cannon (says Reuter). It is mounted on an armoured gun carriage enclosed by more than 200 square feet of Krupp armoured steel. Its length is 16ft. and its height 14 ft. Four men dressed in specially insulated suits man the electric switchboard, which can send 4,500,000 volts of electrical energy into the gun. Professor Harry May, the inventor, admitted in an interview that the discovery of the “death ray” was an accident. He noticed that certain metals in his laboratory became abnormally hot. On investigating the cause, he discovered it was possible “to use an invisible ray and cause the disintegration of metals and other substances over a range of several miles.” the old radleian 2017
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My Grandfather’s Robot
“The fuses weren’t loaded” he said. “Now I’ve got a batch of fool-proof fuses and I can guarantee it will work every time. I probably could burn the wall right out of the building if I turned it wide open.” A suspicious fire department though so too after reading some lurid accounts of the machine and ordered a hurried investigation into possible peril for spectators. They seemed satisfied that all would be able to escape and permitted it to go on as scheduled. The ray machine, a fearsome affair that any Hollywood set designer would have been mighty proud to father, looks like a cross between a trench mortar and an electric range, and is said to achieve its startling results through a “focus of magnetic power.” The professor makes only modest claims for his present ray, an approximate 60-footer produced by the 12-foot long gun, saying it is just a baby compared to the ones which surely will be used in war time. He seemed slightly insulted at a sceptical question if it might not all be just a good trick, so the line of questioning was dropped.
A British article about the Mechanical Man in 1934 The full power of the gun has not yet been ascertained. In the experimental tests, however, it is claimed that the gun has proved successful in causing the disintegration of metals and has destroyed small animals at distances of several hundred feet. The machine which caused ‘the disintegration of metals’ seemed to find unexpected difficulty with balloons at its first demonstration in San Diego. The Nevada State Journal of 21 July 1936 reported: San Diego Inventor-Showman Says ‘Death Ray’ Is Success After 479th Balloon Bursts Into Fire Professor Harry May, inventor-showman, pronounced his “death ray” a complete 18
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After the San Diego Exposition I can find no trace of Harry May – no reports in the press and no record of him on passenger lists crossing the Atlantic. Where did he go?
success tonight as it blew up his 479th consecutive toy balloon with an impressive burst of smoke and flame.
Maybe he is the inventor in this article in the Scott County Democrat, Benton, Missouri of 24 November 1938:
The professor had a little trouble with his lethal beam a week ago at his world premiere at the California exposition. Spectators tittered, walked out and offered pertinent advice as it refused even to dent a balloon, but now it is working fine and he says they are as easy to hit as the big tin ducks in a shooting gallery.
… Professor Robert W. Wood of John Hopkins, just recently honored by the British Royal Society for his work in experimental physics… He is one of this department’s favorite scientific debunkers. One of his high scores here was banishing the death-ray bogey. In this connection the British Government has good reason to give him a medal. An inventor was demonstrating his death ray to British War Office representatives at dawn. He focused the ray on a cow in a meadow 200 yards away and threw a switch. The cow flopped, dead as a mackerel. The inventor collected and departed. Then they found the cow’s feet wired to an underground circuit, connected with the inventor’s switch.
The blue-eyed, sparsely thatched professor, his blond goatee bobbing expressively over a thimble-size brandy in an exposition cafe, explained following a performance, that minor mechanical difficulties which had caused him some slight embarrassment the first night all had been ironed out successfully.
Diana Jahns
What happened to Alpha after the San Diego Exposition? Did he suffer the same fate as Eric, possibly destroyed or used for spare parts? No. Alpha is to be found in Fanny Ann’s Saloon in Sacramento, California. He appears forlorn and under-appreciated. He has lost his shine and is crammed into a display window along with a host of other items and nearly hidden from view. The reflections in the window make him difficult to photograph from the outside and the bar area crowds right up to the window display space so it is challenging to take photographs inside. But, 85 years later, he is still with us.
Diana Jahns
Alpha now resides in Fanny Ann’s Saloon in Sacramento, California
Alpha peers out at the streets of Sacramento
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Land for Building
college land Proceeds from land sales to be used for Bursaries IMPACT The radley foundation AND DEVELOPMENT report
2017
Extracts from the article by Andrew Ashton, the Bursar, in the Foundation Report: A PREFACE TO OUR DEVELOPMENT PLANS Scarcely can there have been a more important time in the College’s development history. We value and cherish the College’s heritage, but we also recognise the need to respond to future challenges, and to prepare boys for life beyond Radley in a rapidly changing 20
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world. So too, is the College changing. Our Vision expresses this in three ways – People, Place and Purpose. Our Development plans should be seen in the context of Place, or, put another way, the environment in which we educate. Growth of School Readers will be aware of the College’s decision to grow by one Social. In building one new Social [on the site of the ‘old’ Warden’s House] we are making a conscious
decision that, while the school should grow, it should not become too large. We envisage a school of around 750. A school where year groups are not substantially larger than at present, and where the core building block of a Social remains unchanged – housing an average of less than 70 boys, or around 14 boys in a year group. Our decision to expand is thus grounded on valuing certain parameters that must not change materially.
What are the benefits of growth? Educationally we see more flexibility and financially our structures become a little more efficient. We can continue to admit boys to Radley through the Radley List system, as we always have, but we can also accelerate other means of entry in order to widen our intake, for the benefit of all. To be true to our core traditions, hand in hand with planning a new Social is the imperative to expand Chapel and to protect that which we hold dearest – the tradition of whole school Chapel. Thus a new Social, and a sensitively designed expansion to Chapel, are at the heart of our development plans.
Campus design From the outset, Sewell painted a vision of aesthetic qualities and beautiful surroundings, and many great architects from Sir Thomas Jackson onwards have left their footprint on Radley. Good campus design is so much more than about the building, but about the way it sits in relation to other buildings. This does not happen by chance – but through careful planning, engagement and delivery. If successful, then we will have respected our founders’ vision and education will benefit – for the spaces we create outside the classroom, such as areas for reflection and contemplation, for sport, leisure and rest, or for interaction and debate, all aide the learning inside...
Two hallmarks of our projects are the need to deliver quality and collaborative engagement – each project having working party input from many representatives (including Radley boys – who can be those best able to judge whether we are doing things right, and who often bring the most conservative voices to proposals for change!). We are delighted that two recent projects, Clock Tower Court and the Rowing Tank, won prestigious national awards, but the real judges of lasting success will be the Radley boys who in years to come will benefit from our campus as it evolves. continued on page 25
The map below shows the main areas of Radley land in blue together with an overlay (not quite to scale) from the History of Radley College showing the dates of purchase.
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Land for Building
RADLEY COLLEGE LAND One or two small parcels of Radley land are not shown on this map Radley College land is coloured and the red parts being the land that may be sold for housing
Part of the housing plan but not Radley land
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Land for Building
One of the areas proposed for housing (also shown below)
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from page 21 The Land Sale At a time of great change has also come a great opportunity. Our predecessors were wise in buying land around the College to protect it for the future. Indeed much of the land around the campus was purchased in the 1930s following a fundraising appeal. Most of this land forms part of Peach Croft Farm, which is leased to the Homewood family, with whom the College has very good relations. With pressure for new housing, the Vale of White Horse District Council published a Local Plan that allocated a number of strategic sites for development. This phase of the Local Plan has now been adopted, and the College has an interest in two of the sites – one adjacent to Abingdon and one in Radley.
With the publication of the Local Plan it immediately became clear that there was a transformational opportunity for the College – and also a responsibility on it – both to develop sympathetically with respect to the College’s campus setting, and with respect to the community that the College and its staff live within. Funds for Bursaries The planning process, and preparing for responsible development, both take time. However, we envisage the possibility of financial gains in excess of £40m for the College, realisable over the next two to eight years – and this will represent a substantial stride towards the delivery of our endowment target. From the outset, Council was clear that the income from funds generated in this way should first
be applied towards our bursary funding targets. As such the plans for campus development will be funded, not by land sales, but through judicious debt and cash flow management, so every penny of land sale proceeds goes towards our endowment. Thus long term investment in land by our predecessors will be retained as long term endowment to support the College. But what of the majority of land that remains? We remain committed to the preservation of our campus setting. We will continue to work with the Homewoods and our advisors to ensure that land management remains part of our strategic armoury. For full details see the Foundation Report or visit: www.radley.org.uk/The-Radley-Foundation
Chapel
Science Labs
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New Books & CDs from ORs New Books & CDs from ORs
Coming in to Land: Selected Poems 1975-2015
Lion Tamarins: Biology and Conservation
Handbook of the Mammals of the World: Primates v.3
Wood’s Radley College Diary (1855-1861)
Sir Andrew Motion (1966)
Devra G. Kleiman (Editor), Anthony B. Rylands (1964, Editor)
Russell A. Mittermeier, Anthony B. Rylands (1964, Editor), Don Wilson, Stephen Nash
Mark Spurrell (1948, Editor)
Lynx
Oxfordshire Record Society
ISBN-10: 8496553892
ISBN-10: 0902509837
ISBN-13: 978-8496553897
ISBN-13: 978-0902509832
Everybody knows that we are members of the mammalian Order Primates, but ask somebody to name some of our cousins and they would at best come up with five or six of the most widely known. This, the third volume of HMW, counts more than 470 of them: 138 species of prosimians – the lemurs, lorises, pottos and tarsiers in Africa and Asia; 156 species of monkeys in the New World tropics; another 158 monkeys in the Old World tropics; and 25 apes, 19 of them gibbons along with six chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans. Much of this extraordinary diversity has been discovered only in the past two decades. In the 1980s the count was 180 species. Now we know so much more of their diversity, and this volume of HMW presents them in all their remarkable variety of shapes, sizes, colors, habits and specialisations.
The Oxfordshire Record Society has published the Diary of William Wood, who was Sub-Warden when William Sewell, the Founder, was Warden. This is the only substantial record surviving from the period of his wardenship, as he allowed no records to be made for fear of having his hands tied. He was obsessive about power.
Ecco Press
ISBN-10: 0062644076 ISBN-13: 978-0062644077 From England’s former Poet Laureate, a collection of selected poetry spanning his celebrated career, presented for the first time by an American publisher. Andrew Motion has said, I want my writing to be as clear as water. I want readers to see all the way through its surfaces into the swamp. Though the territory of his exploration may be murky and mired, the front lines of war, political entanglements, romantic longing, and human suffering, Motion’s conversational tone and lyrical style make for clear, bold poems that speak to contradictions at the heart of the human condition. Whether underground in an urban metro, in the poet’s home, on the steps leading up to Anne Frank’s annex, or wading in the Norfolk broads, Motion’s richly imagined landscapes contain unspoken mysteries underneath the poet’s candour. These poems skate over sweeping empires and plumb emotional depths, settling in a meditative, understated register.
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Smithsonian Institution ISBN-10: 1588340724 ISBN-13: 978-1588340726 Without the extraordinary efforts of the editors and authors of this book, three of the four lion tamarin species (golden, golden-headed, black-faced, and black) would most likely be extinct. The contributors’ hard work set international standards and became the model for the preservation of other endangered species. There is, of course, still much to be done, and this comprehensive assessment of research findings and conservation efforts leads the way. Kleiman and Rylands close the book by noting the remarkable accomplishments of lion tamarin conservation, and look hopefully toward future directions and challenges. About the Authors Devra G. Kleiman is a research associate at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and is coeditor of Wild Mammals in Captivity: Principles and Techniques (1997). Anthony B. Rylands is Senior Director for Conservation Biology at the Center for Applied Biodiversity Science, Conservation International, in Washington D.C., and is editor of Marmosets and Tamarins: Systematics, Behavior, and Ecology (1993).
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Wood’s Diary covers most of what was the formative period in the history of the College. In his old age, he described the years as A long and anxious yet happy time of struggle at Radley, where, assisted by a party of friends zealous for the school, we tried to check Sewell’s eccentricities and carry out for the best his original and excellent ideas of what a school should be; while he (alas!), first alone, and then under the unhappy direction of his brother, was plunging deeper and deeper into financial difficulties. The story ends with Mr Hubbard rescuing the College, and refounding it as a public school. Copies may be obtained from the Oxfordshire Record Society: oxfordshirerecordsociety@gmail.com
New Books & CDs from ORs
The Art of John Piper
Bear Bugger Cruise
Ecstasy of the Deep
A Charmed Life in Ceylon
David Fraser Jenkins (1958, Author), Hugh Fowler-Wright (Author)
Rolf Richardson (1947)
Tony Buxton (1945)
Tony Buxton (1945)
BooksMango
Independently Published
Unicorn Press
Kindle Edition
ISBN-10: 1910787051
ISBN-10: 1633232956
ISBN-10: 1521220212
ISBN-13: 978-1910787052
ASIN: B06WWFZJ9V
ISBN-13: 978-1633232952
ISBN-13: 978-1521220214
The first published survey of the whole of John Piper’s art throughout his long life; the book includes not just his painting and printmaking, but his stained glass and opera designs. Piper was a major artist of the twentieth century. He was a pioneer of modern abstract art in Britain in the 1930s, the painter of the ruins of the Blitz in Coventry, London and Bath, of the Ruskinian beauty and loneliness of the summits and panoramas of Snowdonia, the designer of nine of the first productions of the operas and a ballet by Benjamin Britten. Piper was also a great landscape painter of rural churches in Britain, a pioneer of lithography and screenprinting and of colour in ceramics. Finally, he was the designer of the stained glass in the great cathedrals and churches of Coventry, Eton College and Plymouth, and of smaller commemorative glass in country churches.
Two days into a world cruise a man is reported overboard, but no one appears to be missing. As she heads for the Caribbean, the good ship Gioconda faces further problems. What about that unsavoury passenger in the owner’s suite? And can the Bear Bugger keep the old ship going?
The astonishing autobiography of an Englishman who spent his whole life chasing his dreams. Most of them were either underwater exploring far off unknown reefs in Asia and the Pacific or living it up with the rich and famous who shared his passion for diving. Tony Buxton’s charmed life takes him from the French Riviera and Rome in its 1950s and 1960s heydays to years operating an underwater tourism business in idyllic Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Later, he finds himself in Singapore, where his diving expertise combines with a nose for business, and he builds up thriving enterprises that re-invent the commercial diving industry. There he befriends Malaysian royals with whom he developed a passion for the sport of polo. Tony Buxton’s tale from the deep is one for adventurers and lovers of travel, a story that takes them to exotic, unspoilt locations that today no longer exist.
The author’s fascinating adventures in the early 50’s portray an adventurous lifestyle that most of us dream about, but would be impossible today. Born in Colombo (Sri Lanka) in 1931. He spent his early childhood in England and returned to Ceylon after the war to work the family business founded by his grandfather. Not the typical colonial type, who was expected to segregate himself from the “natives” and join their exclusive clubs, Tony went against the rules and preferred the company of the Ceylonese. This resulted in him making many friends, including wellknown politicians. He developed a passion for underwater exploring at a time when the sport was in its infancy and before the advent of SCUBA. He gave up his job and a promising career and survived by spear fishing, catching lobsters, aquarium fish and hunting game in the jungles. He set himself up as an underwater guide attracting the wealthy and famous to this new sport. Charging nothing for his services, they repaid him by inviting him to their homes in Europe where he experienced a lavish lifestyle that he hardly knew existed.
David Fraser Jenkins has selected numerous exhibitions of John Piper’s work, including the retrospective for the artist’s eightieth birthday at the Tate Britain in 1983. He was a curator at the National Museum of Wales, where he first met the artist.
About the Author After spending his life in the travel business, first for 25 years as an airline pilot before becoming a travel photographer and a cruise lecturer, Rolf Richardson decided that the time had come to write about some of the hundred plus countries he has visited by using them as real settings for his fictional novels. Bear Bugger Cruise is the third of Rolf ’s exciting stories, which all include adventure with an element of romance. His first two books were titled The Last Weiss and Coffin Corner.
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New Books & CDs from ORs
Verbalisation: The power of words to drive change
Trauma, Abandonment and Privilege
The Cthulhu Casebooks - Sherlock Holmes and the Shadwell Shadows
Sherlock Holmes – The Labyrinth of Death
Sven Hughes (1987)
Nick Duffell (1963)
James Lovegrove (1979)
James Lovegrove (1979)
& Thurstine Basset
Titan Books Ltd
Titan Books Ltd
Verbalisation Limited
Routledge ISBN-10: 1326946536
ISBN-10: 1138788716
ISBN-10: 1785652915
ISBN-10: 1785653377
ISBN-13: 978-1326946531
ISBN-13: 978-1138788718
ISBN-13: 978-1785652912
ISBN-13: 978-1785653377
We have lived through the transition. A tidal wave of new technology. Unknown social media start-ups becoming behemoths. Our children growing into multi-tasking, multi-screening, digital natives.
This book alerts psychotherapists to the hidden emotional trauma of boarding school. Case histories show how deceptive appearances can be. Many boarding children grow up with chronic anxiety, despite leading busy, conscientious, adult lives; they struggle with close relationships having learnt to dissociate and to project disowned feelings onto others. A helpful addition to a growing literature on this peculiar aspect of British life. Sue Gerhardt, author of Why Love Matters and The Selfish Society
It is the autumn of 1880, and Dr John Watson has just returned from Afghanistan. Badly injured and desperate to forget a nightmarish expedition that left him doubting his sanity, Watson is close to destitution when he meets the extraordinary Sherlock Holmes, who is investigating a series of deaths in the Shadwell district of London. Several bodies have been found, the victims appearing to have starved to death over the course of several weeks, and yet they were reported alive and well mere days before. Moreover, there are disturbing reports of creeping shadows that inspire dread in any who stray too close. Holmes deduces a connection between the deaths and a sinister drug lord who is seeking to expand his criminal empire. Yet both he and Watson are soon forced to accept that there are forces at work far more powerful than they could ever have imagined. Forces that can be summoned, if one is brave or mad enough to dare...
It is 1895, and Sherlock Holmes’s new client is a High Court judge, whose free-spirited daughter has disappeared without a trace.
Global conversations now have the power to build and burn brands. Democratic technologies enable us to participate like never before: to empower or unseat, to call for war or for peace. The ability to understand, predict and communicate with these savvy audiences, using new methods and media, is both our biggest challenge, and our biggest opportunity.
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British independent boarding schools are frequently seen as the envy of the world. This provocative book – based on twenty-five years of therapeutic practice – suggests that far from being models of excellence, they are the source of psychological distress which mars the lives even of those who appear to be their most successful products. Brian Thorne, Emeritus Professor of Counselling, University of East Anglia, Co-founder, the Norwich Centre for Personal, Professional and Spiritual Development
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Holmes and Watson discover that the missing woman Hannah Woolfson was herself on the trail of a missing person, her close friend Sophia. Sophia was recruited to a group known as the Elysians, a quasi-religious sect obsessed with Ancient Greek myths and rituals, run by the charismatic Sir Philip Buchanan. Hannah has joined the Elysians under an assumed name, convinced that her friend has been murdered. Holmes agrees that she should continue as his agent within the secretive yet seemingly harmless cult, yet Watson is convinced Hannah is in terrible danger. For Sir Philip has dreams of improving humanity through classical ideals, and at any cost... James Lovegrove is the New York Times best-selling author of The Age of Odin. He was short-listed for the Arthur C. Clarke Award in 1998 for his novel Days and for the John W. Campbell Memorial Award in 2004 for his novel Untied Kingdom.
New Books & CDs from ORs
Union Jack: John F. Kennedy’s Special Relationship with Great Britain
The Man Who Would be Sherlock: The Real Life Adventures of Arthur Conan Doyle
Surviving the 21st Century: Humanity’s Ten Great Challenges and How We Can Overcome Them
Boom Country? The New Wave of Indian Enterprise
Christopher Sandford (1970)
Christopher Sandford (1970)
Julian Cribb (1964)
Alan Rosling (1975)
University Press of New England
The History Press
Springer
Hachette India
ISBN-10: 1611688523
ISBN-10: 0750965924
ISBN-10: 3319412698
ISBN-10: 9351950808
ISBN-13: 978-1611688528
ISBN-13: 978-0750965927
ISBN-13: 978-3319412696
ISBN-13: 978-9351950806
John F. Kennedy carried on a lifelong love affair with England and the English. From his speaking style to his tastes in art, architecture, theatre, music, and clothes, his personality reflected his deep affinity for a certain kind of idealised Englishness. In Union Jack, noted biographer Christopher Sandford tracks Kennedy’s exploits in Great Britain between 1935 and 1963, and looks in-depth at the unique way Britain shaped JFK throughout his adult life and how JFK charmed British society. This mutual affinity took place against a backdrop of some of the twentieth century’s most profound events: The Great Depression, Britain’s appeasement of Hitler, the Second World War, the reconstruction of Western Europe, the development and rapid proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and the ideological schism between East and West.
When Arthur Conan Doyle was a lonely seven-year-old schoolboy at pre-prep Newington Academy in Edinburgh, a French émigré named Eugene Chantrelle was engaged there to teach Modern Languages. Ten years later, Chantrelle would be hanged for the murder of six young girls, and two boys from the Academy – and medical student Doyle would provide forensic evidence at the trial concerning the dismembered bodies.
Julian Cribb brilliantly introduced the general public to the gigantic threat of global toxification in Poisoned Planet. Now he’s done it again, taking on the entire existential threat to civilization. Absolutely everyone with an interest in humanity should read this clear, authoritative, scary book. Paul R. Ehrlich, co-author of The Annihilation of Nature. Bing Professor of Population Studies Emeritus; President, Center for Conservation Biology; Department of Biology, Stanford University.
In Boom Country? Alan Rosling, entrepreneur and strategic advisor in India for over 35 years, explores an unmistakeable and profound change that is underway in the Indian business landscape. A fresh wave of enterprise and start-ups, rapid advancements in technology, government reform, and recently developed pools of risk capital, he holds, are contributing increasingly to a massive expansion in new business – all of it underpinned by a deep social change, a willingness to ‘do things differently’, especially among the young. Drawing upon his own experiences and more than 100 interviews with Indian entrepreneurs – representing traditional leading business houses (Tata, Mahindra and Godrej), established first-generation entrepreneurs and new-generation start-ups – as well as forces of the government, Rosling provides an incisive and in-depth analysis of the opportunities and challenges, both traditional and contemporary, of doing business in India.
This extraordinary link between actual murder and the greatest detective story writer of all time is one of many. Christopher Sandford follows those links and draws out the connections between Conan Doyle’s literary output and factual criminality, a pattern that will enthrall and surprise the legions of Sherlock fans. In a sense, Conan Doyle wanted to be Sherlock – to be a man who could bring order and justice to a terrible world.
Cribb has delivered another cleareyed and expansive look over the problems we face, inspiring in both its scope and scholarship, and again has tempered the sense of doom with well-defined, positive actions for us all, both as a society and as individuals. It is a systemic problem, and he provides the necessary systemic solutions – may they be widely read and acted upon! Dr Mark Stafford Smith (Old Radleian 1970, Chair, Science Committee, Future Earth)
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New Books & CDs from ORs
From The Observer, 16 April 2017:
By remembering my dead brother, I released the grief A sudden death, a stricken family. Then four decades of silence. Now a new memoir is breathing life into loss
The Day That Went Missing Richard Beard (1980) Harvill Secker ISBN-10: 1910701564 ISBN-13: 978-1910701560 Life changes in an instant On a family summer holiday in Cornwall in 1978, Nicholas and his brother Richard are jumping in the waves. Suddenly, Nicholas is out of his depth. He isn’t, and then he is. He drowns. Richard and his other brothers don’t attend the funeral, and incredibly the family return immediately to the same cottage – to complete the holiday, to carry on. They soon stop speaking of the catastrophe. Their epic act of collective denial writes Nicky out of the family memory. Nearly forty years later, Richard Beard is haunted by the missing grief of his childhood but doesn’t know the date of the accident or the name of the beach. So he sets out on a pain-staking investigation to rebuild Nicky’s life, and ultimately to recreate the precise events on the day of the accident. Who was Nicky? Why did the family react as they did? And what actually happened? The Day That Went Missing is a heart-rending story as intensely personal as any tragedy and as universal as loss. It is about how we make sense of what is gone. Most of all, it is an unforgettable act of recovery for a brother.
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Thirty-nine years ago, in 1978, when I was 11 years old, my nine-year-old brother Nicholas drowned in the Atlantic off the north Cornwall coast. In the family, he was rarely mentioned again, but last week I published a book – The Day That Went Missing – that tries to recapture as much as possible of the day we as a family deleted. I finally spoke up. Now I’m faced with the question of what happens next. What is a memoir actually for? There seems to be a lot of memoir about, but I can only speak for myself and wordsearching the typescript I discover the book contains 434 instances of the word Nicholas or variants. I have filled the pages with Nicky, with Nick-Nack, Nickelpin, Pinwin, all my brother’s various rescued nicknames. His solo photograph in beachtinted Kodacolor is bold on a hardback cover in bookshops across the land. Nicky is back, he is definitely back, and that was part of the intention. I’ve set him free from the silence and darkness of our never-ex pressed grief. About time too. The trouble with denial is that it’s not a precision tool. All those years ago, we closed our eyes against Nicky’s death. But in resisting grief we shut out other stuff too, like the joy Nicky brought us and the characteristics
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that made him an individual human being. Before long, he had no birthday, no date of death, no fears, no dreams. It took me nearly four decades to realise, with horror, that our epic denial had almost done its work. Nicky was about to escape us, fading not just from me but from everyone who’d ever known him. That’s a traditional reason for writing anything to bear witness to our lives on Earth, as evidence of existence. Personally, I find writing easier than talking This is my 10th book and in retrospect I can identify passages in my novels that stalk this specific autobiographical story. Writing is what I know and it seemed a natural continuation to recover my nonfiction past in writing. I now learn that readers will assume this kind of memoir is hard to write, as if telling an honest, true story entails some special level ordeal. I’m not sure for me it did, because I was ready. For 20 years. I’d been assembling the skills to approach this material and the words were there for the feelings when out they came in a flood (but the novels, the preparatory work, ah what utter torture!). I hear from readers who trust that memoir has therapeutic value and will offer a measure of peace. But no, I wouldn’t call the outcome peace, not exactly. It isn’t so peaceful to have unearthed the avoidable series of coincidences that led to a small boy’s death. At the time, we defied the sheer rotten luck by refusing to acknowledge our bereavement, but something healthier might have happened if we’d been able to admit that life is sometimes sad and a death in the family is a legitimate reason to feel miserable. Peace would suggest I’d put Nicky’s drowning behind me and moved on, when moving on too efficiently was part of the original problem.
In any case, the potential therapeutic benefit would need to contend with the censure that occasionally itches in my inner ear, as I pick up frequencies of disapproval from distant family, from strangers, from myself. A memoir is self- absorbed, necessarily partial - one specific objection is that I should have waited until my mum was dead. I can only reply that no living person was harmed in the writing of this memoir. Others call the book “brave’’, but mean it as a warning, “brave” as in “not something I would do” and, by extension, “misguided”. Nicky and I were very brave, in this sense, when we ran unsupervised into the sea in 1978. Brave is also tough and it was worth toughing out the doubts to discover that a book could bring my immediate family closer. I speak more often to my brothers and the response of my children reassures me that emotional dumbness needn’t pass glumly from one generation to the next. Mum sends me frequent postcards, dotted with exclamation marks, to say that at last she feels a weight has been lifted, though she also laments the waste of time, our long, ungiving silence. A family that now speaks to each other might be reason enough, but still not quite. The Day That Went Missing describes a checked emotional state that I’d come to accept as desirable. After Nicky’s death, our extreme embrace of denial had a clear objective - we wanted everything to revert to normal, meaning undramatic weeks into which no strong emotion would intrude. In flight from grief, we found shelter inside a muted, emotionally constrained version of normal and, faithful to this template, I reacted to
New Books & CDs from ORs
The Observer 16 April 2017 life’s subsequent complications by closing them off or buttoning them up. The pattern was set and it took a long time to break it. A memoir gave me the opportunity to look back at one version of normal from the perspective of another. Time has to pass and then a memoir will find its point and its point of view. The miracle
of memoir is then that the episode of greatest difference I recall from my life will connect me to something universal in other lives, to readers who recognise my instinctive retreats and later regrets. My emotional experience is by no means unique and this book allows others to consider their exposure to the disappointments and displacements of emotional repression.
Time, as promised, did move on. Since the 1970s, the English language has accommodated a wider vocabulary for sharing and healing. The language of love is more readily available, allowing us to consider who we once were with the openness of what we’ve become. By writing a memoir. I’m speaking for myself, which is most of what a memoirist
can hope to do. In return, other voices speak back to me. Memoir, as part of the more general artistic project, reminds us that we’re not alone. Richard Beard’s book The Day That Went Missing is published by Harvill Secker
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New Books & CDs from ORs
CDs
Jahangir Khan 555: The Untold Story Behind Squash’s Invincible Champion and Sport’s Greatest Unbeaten Run Rod Gilmour (1990) and Alan Thatcher Pitch Publishing ISBN-10: 1785312189 ISBN-13: 978-1785312182 From 1981 to 1986, Pakistani squash great Jahangir Khan went undefeated to herald the longest unbeaten run in world sport until his streak came to an end at the 1986 World Championships. This book dissects his early upbringing, how the then 17-yearold embarked on the five-year run following the tragic death of his brother, the pressure he ultimately faced to succeed from an expectant Pakistani nation and the extent his rivals went to even to win a game off this remarkable squash genius. The book will also reveal the myth behind his magical mark of 555 unbeaten matches, and why the record books will have to be rewritten. He lifted the level of squash by 15 to 20 per cent. Jahangir was fitter than anyone else, he played a brutal kind of high-paced games that most opponents simply couldn’t cope with, and the book is a massive tribute to the guy.” Ross Norman, the man who finally ended Jahangir’s record run An eye-opening new book. Joel Durston, Huffington Post
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A Voice from Heaven – British Choral Masterpieces
The Rose and the Ring
Choir of the King’s Consort
Sir Nicholas Jackson (1948,
Robert King (1974, Conductor)
Composer and Conductor)
Vivat
Nimbus Alliance
ASIN: B01JLW13N
ASIN: B01N9CZ0YY
A beautifully themed collection of fourteen of the finest unaccompanied British choral masterpieces of the last 125 years performed by award-winning Choir of The King’s Consort.
An opera in two acts by Sir Nicholas Jackson based on the history of Prince Giglio and Prince Bulbo by William Makepeace Thackeray with adaptations of harpsichord sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti.
The fascinating mix of familiar and unfamiliar includes five paired settings: William Harris’s classic 1959 Bring us, O Lord God partnered by James MacMillan’s 2010 setting of the same words; Herbert Howells devastatingly poignant Take him, earth, for cherishing (in memory of the slain President Kennedy) juxtaposed with John Tavener’s 2008 response to the same text; Justorum animae (The souls of the righteous) in versions by Lennox Berkeley, Charles Villiers Stanford and Herbert Murrill; heartfelt settings of Drop, drop, slow tears by Kenneth Leighton and Thomas Hewitt Jones; and Stanford’s beautifully crafted I heard a voice from Heaven coupled with Herbert Howell’s exquisite, mystical setting of the same words. The collection is completed with three impressive single works: Parry’s valedictory Lord, let me know mine end, William Harris’s masterwork Faire is the Heaven, and a stunningly powerful recording of John Tavener’s Song for Athene, which sprang to global fame when performed at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales.
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Jackson’s operatic adaptation of this piece of children’s literature stands up to a mature audience. The cast acquitted themselves admirably, proving more than equal to the challenging vocal roles. But it was Prince Giglio, played by tenor William Moran, who stole the show, the passion he displayed after his arrival in scene three had a palpable effect on the rest of the cast. With characters like the fat Prince Bulbo, the ugly Countess Gruffy and the trigger-happy Captain Hedzoff, The Rose and the Ring is more pantomime than restoration comedy, but it’s the best one you’ll hear. Five Stars. Edith Hancock, City A.M. The result is an opera whose action and music are fresh, piquant, splendidly absorbing and charmingly wrong-footing; and, which retains the oxymoronic blend of innocence and sophistication which characterises Thackeray’s original... Mofidian, whose diction was superlative, threw himself enthusiastically into a range of minor parts coachman, gaoler,
officer and porter; and in the latter role demonstrated a tangy cockney accent. I found Sir Nicholas’s score intriguing and engaging throughout; there was always some detail, contrast, juxtaposition or tartness to capture the interest... the playing of the Concertante of London was splendid. Leader Madeleine Easton did sterling work from a centrally placed position, indicating tempo, articulation and dynamics with utmost clarity and, seemingly alert to every detail of the complicated score, offering clear guidance to the whole ensemble of players and singers. Sir Nicholas Jackson has done a terrific job in marrying diverse worlds while retaining the idiosyncratic uniqueness of Thackeray’s novel. Initially, I was surprised that the music of some sonatas was chosen to accompany more than one scene but, then, each Scarlatti sonata seems to possess unlimited variety of passion and expression. Sir Nicholas’s The Rose and the Ring shows us the inventiveness, unpredictability and joviality common to both Thackeray and Scarlatti, as well as their underlying perspicacity. Claire Seymour, Opera Today
New Books & CDs from ORs
Purcell, Locke, Blow & Gibbons
Fauré: Pavane, Songs and Requiem
Mozart: Requiem and Ave Verum Corpus
Handel: Messiah
The English Concert,
Orchestra of St John’s,
Orchestra of St John’s,
Orchestra of St John’s,
Harry Bicket (1974, Conductor)
John Lubbock (1959, Conductor)
John Lubbock (1959, Conductor)
John Lubbock (1959, Conductor)
ASIN: B 0727R49QT
SKU: OSJCD01
SKU: OSJCD02
SKU: OSJCD04
Renowned period ensemble The English Concert and Harry Bicket are joined by two singers at the height of their powers, brightvoiced soprano Rosemary Joshua and the graceful mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly, as they delve into the musical world in which Henry Purcell was immersed. Through the course of this concert, recorded live at Wigmore Hall, we explore the music of 17th-century England; from the irresistible Suite from ‘The Tempest’ by Matthew Locke to John Blow’s spritely Chaconne in G, crowned by beautifully crafted and luminous songs by Purcell himself.
This is a beautiful recording of Fauré’s works performed by OSJ at St John’s Smith Square in London on Wednesday 24 April 2013.
This recording, conducted by John Lubbock, uses the edition published by Bärenreiter, supervised by H.C.Robbins Landon. In addition Lubbock has sought to use the publication by Breitkopf & Härtel, which gives the trombones more music to play. Opening this release is Ave Verum Corpus, a fourteenthcentury Eucharistic hymn which has attracted numerous composers. Mozart’s version is deeply expressive and haunting, a miniature masterpiece.
A wonderful recording of Handel’s Messiah, performed by OSJ at St John’s Smith Square in London on 5th March 2016.
Wigmore Hall Live
The CD features Ilona Domnich (Soprano) and Johnny Herford (Bass) performing the first recording of John Lubbock’s moving orchestration of Fauré’s “Eight Songs”, originally written with piano accompaniment. It also contains John Lubbock’s sensitive interpretation of Fauré’s famous Requiem by OSJ and OSJ Voices.
This double CD features Nardus Williams (soprano), Roderic Morris (countertenor), Christopher Turner (tenor), Bozidar Smiljanic (bass) and OSJ Voices with Jeremy Jackman (chorus master) performing a re-orchestration by John Lubbock for Wind Orchestra, Soloists and Choir. John Lubbock (conductor).
I am particularly taken by John Lubbock’s exquisite orchestrations of a clutch of Faure’s solo songs... the performance is so deliciously restrained...Lubbock’s is a careful and seamless reading [of the Requiem], and he balances the orchestral textures superbly... Gramophone Magazine
These Orchestra of St John’s CDs are available from: www.osj.org.uk/shop
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New Books & CDs from ORs
Books by Edward Brooke-Hitching (1996)
The Phantom Atlas: The Greatest Myths, Lies and Blunders on Maps The Phantom Atlas is an atlas of the world not as it ever existed, but as it was thought to be. These marvellous and mysterious phantoms – nonexistent islands, invented mountain ranges, mythical civilisations and other fictitious geography - were all at various times presented as facts on maps and atlases. This book is a collection of striking antique maps that display the most erroneous cartography, with each illustration accompanied by the story behind it. Exploration, map-making and mythology are all brought together to create a colourful tapestry of monsters, heroes and volcanoes; swindlers, mirages and murderers. Sometimes the stories are almost impossible to believe, and remarkably, some of the errors were still on display in maps published in the 21st century. Throughout much of the 19th century more than 40
different mapmakers included the Mountains of Kong, a huge range of peaks stretching across the entire continent of Africa, in their maps but it was only in 1889 when Louis Gustave Binger revealed the whole thing to be a fake. For centuries, explorers who headed to Patagonia returned with tales of the giants they had met who lived there, some nine feet tall. Then there was Gregor MacGregor, a Scottish explorer who returned to London to sell shares in a land he had discovered in South America. He had been appointed the Cazique of Poyais, and bestowed with many honours by the local king of this unspoiled paradise. Now he was offering others the chance to join him and make their fortune there, too - once they had paid him a bargain fee for their passage... The Phantom Atlas is a beautifully produced volume, packed with stunning maps and drawings of places and people that never existed. The remarkable stories behind them all are brilliantly told by Edward Brooke-Hitching in a book that will appeal to cartophiles everywhere. Publisher: Simon & Schuster ISBN-10: 1471159450 ISBN-13: 978-1471159459 Edward Brooke-Hitching is the author of The Phantom Atlas (2016), and Fox Tossing, Octopus Wrestling and Other Forgotten Sports (2015), and an awardwinning documentary director.
Fox Tossing, Octopus Wrestling and Other Forgotten Sports From Flagpole Sitting to Hot Cockles, Edward Brooke-Hitching has researched through piles of dusty tomes to bring vividly back to life some of the most curious, dangerous and downright bizarre sports and pastimes that mankind has ever devised, before thinking better of it and erasing it from the memory. After all, who would ever want to bring back Fox Tossing, a popular sport for men and women in 17th-century Germany? As the name suggests, it would involve dozens of couples pairing up and standing 20-25 feet apart in an enclosed field, each holding one end of a net, and then they would pull hard at both ends as the fox ran past, sending it flying high into the air. There are many other sports revealed within these pages that are unlikely ever to make an
appearance on our TV screens, such as Firework Boxing, which is just as dangerous as it sounds. Meanwhile, Ski Ballet may not have been so risky, but Suzy ‘Chapstick’ Chaffee’s signature move – the Suzy Split (a complete forward split while balanced on the tips of her skis) – was probably not one to try at home. An intriguing, entertaining and occasionally shocking insight into the vivid imaginations of mankind across the years, Fox Tossing, Octopus Wrestling and Other Forgotten Sports is an unforgettable read. Publisher: Simon & Schuster ISBN-10: 1471148998 ISBN-13: 978-1471148996 Edward Brooke-Hitching has scoured the pages of history to discover over 100 forgotten sports from around the world, from the ancient and lethal sport of buffalo jumping, through the insanity of auto polo, to phone-booth stuffing. This book takes you on a breathless romp through the back alleys of history to form an indispensable collection of the cruellest, most dangerous and downright ridiculous entertainments of all time. The real joy here is the boundless silliness on show. Times Literary Supplement Entertaining ... the most bizarre sporting activities ever devised. Daily Mail
Documentaries by Edward Brooke-Hitching use of sheet music is discouraged for being “too distracting”. But who are these people who freely admit their lack of accomplishment, who frequently demonstrate their incapability to audiences in the hundreds?
The Really Terrible Orchestra Established in 1995, The Really Terrible Orchestra provides refuge for the cream of Edinburgh’s musically disadvantaged, where the
This documentary follows the orchestra’s chairman as he prepares for an upcoming performance, interviewing the players and their cult following to find out why they play, and why oh why do people listen?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHWpi1X77OE
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patrolling the 8 mile stretch of coastline, keeping a tireless watch over the notorious suicide spot. To date, Keith has prevented 25 from taking their own lives. What drives a man to such dedication?
The Watchman Every year, from the cliff-tops of Beachy Head, an average of 38 people throw themselves to their deaths. Now Eastbourne windowcleaner Keith Lane spends his days
Official Selection Edinburgh International Film Festival 2007, Winner Best Film Angel International Film Festival 2007, Best Documentary 2007 Cinem@tic International Film Festival, Nominee European Film Academy Award.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HCbHTYp4BQ
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New Books & CDs from ORs
College Oak in the 1890s (above) and 2017 (right)
From Country Life Guide to Good Schools, Autumn 2017
From the text of the article: Dennis Silk took Radley from, as former Warden (headmaster) William Ferguson described it, a ‘glorious country club for young and older men’ to being, in the words of John Rae, ‘after Eton, the most sought-after school in England. His energy blew away the country club complacency of the past and his dedication to hard work and all round excellence proved infectious to dons [masters] and boys alike’. When Dennis Silk retired in 1991, he set up a fund to help pay the school fees of talented boys. the old radleian 2017
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Alexander Turnbull Library
Alfred Woodward (Radley 1852-1861)
The paddle’s original owner, Ngai Te Rangi chief Hori Ngatai (1832-1912) The ceremony on Hori’s home marae, Whareroa at Mt Maunganui, featured Alfred’s great-great-nephew Mark Goodman relinquishing ownership of the paddle, or hoe. Mr Goodman surprised everyone when he produced the letter from the Duke, the Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Anglian Regiment which succeeded the 12th Regiment of Foot that Alfred Woodward had served with for five years from 1862.
Alfred Woodward at Radley in 1859 From the New Zealand Herald - December 15 2016:
Handing back of ancient paddle gets royal seal of approval The Queen’s cousin, Prince Richard the Duke of Gloucester, has expressed delight at the handing back of a waka paddle that belonged to renowned Maori chief Hori Ngatai of Tauranga. A letter from London’s Kensington Palace was read out during the handing-back ceremony yesterday of the paddle that Hori gave to young English army officer, Alfred Woodward, 150 years ago. 36
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The Prince said he was delighted the descendants of Hori Ngatai and the family of Lieutenant Woodward were re-establishing a connection for the first time since the friendship was forged between the two men while Alfred was stationed in Tauranga from 1866-67. “I was so very interested to hear the story of the hoe,” the Duke said, describing the paddle as a symbol of gratitude and goodwill 150 years ago. “They were both men of principle and courage who were prepared to fight for what they believed in. Yet fundamentally both were clearly men of peace who shared many values,” he said. Prince Richard noted how Hori had lived a long and distinguished life as chief of Ngai Te Rangi, committed to maintaining his tribe’s ancestral rights and to promote understanding between Maori and Pakeha.
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those who had passed on, leading to kaumatua Hauata Palmer acknowledging the visitors. Mr Goodman spoke about the long journey that had finally seen the hoe return to Tauranga, after many years lying in his grandparents’ attic. Unearthing the story only began 18 months ago when he was researching another member of his family killed in World War I.
The ceremony at Mt Maunganui “Sadly Alfred Woodward died on his passage home, just past his 24th birthday, and the stories he might have told of the gift of the hoe were lost. “The return of the hoe to Ngai Te Rangi today is a wonderful opportunity to establish new friendships and exchange stories of a shared history.” Ngai Te Rangi chief and great grandson of Hori, Kihi Ngatai, led the speakers after the challenge by Maori warriors had concluded and the great granddaughter of Hori, Kura Benton, had welcomed members of the extended Woodward family and distinguished guests on to the marae. After Mr Goodman had laid the hoe on a traditional mat, Mr Ngatai thanked him for bringing it back. Kaumatua Waka Taite then acknowledged the hoe and the people who had arrived and
He said Alfred and Hori had been different in terms of their cultures and age, but in many ways were similar through their military experiences and thoughtfulness, seeking the common good. “Both were clearly men of peace. How they established a relationship clearly has lessons for today in terms of reconciliation and seeking out the positive, the similarities rather than the differences. It is wonderful to re-establish contact between the family of Alfred Woodward and the family of Hori Ngatai.” Another speaker, Te Papa’s head of Maori Affairs Dr Arapata Hakiwai, explained how the museum’s experience in moving taonga around the world was used to help Mr Goodman bring the paddle home. “It was more than a great story, it was a great thing to do,” he said. British High Commissioner Jonathan Sinclair (Radley 1984-1989) said people-to-people events like the handing-back were the ties that were the strongest and underpinned the relationship between the UK and New Zealand. The Goodmans were gifted a replica of Hori’s taiaha.
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Some Radley events of the last year
November 2016 – Above: About 40 young ORs studying at Exeter University joined current Dons Richard Greed, Dan Pullen and Simon Dalrymple for pizza and beer. November 2016 – Below: Choir Reunion Rehearsal
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November 2016 – Above: Rehearsal Below: A cup of tea in the Hall of the Mansion before Evensong
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December 2016 – Above: Young OR Drinks in London Below: Inspiring Generations – Art at Radley Past & Present at the D Contemporary Gallery in London
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January 2017 – Above and below: Rugby Dinner in honour of Richard Greed who has retired as Master in charge of Rugby after 23 years
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January 2017 – Above: Drinks in the Mansion before the Rugby Dinner March 2017 – Below: The OR Golf Society AGM & Dinner – Richard Palmer addresses the AGM as he retires as Hon. Secretary after 42 years.
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March 2017 – Above: Film Premier of ‘Another Mother’s Son’ starring Julian Kostov, Jenny Seagrove and Ronan Keating in aid of the Armed Forces Fund. May 2017 – Below: Farewell parties for our departing Database Manager, Kim Charlton. Left: Jock Mullard, Kim, Caroline Monaghan & Cassandra Russell. Right: Lucy Johnsson & Kim.
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April 2017 – Dedication of the War Memorial 44
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April 2017 – The dedication in the cloisters followed by lunch in the Mansion
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May 2017 – The Mariners Challenge at the Boathouse – more pictures on pages 107-110 Below: The Elwes family take to the water
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May 2017 – 20 ORs attended the Bristol University Supper hosted by Richard Greed and Dan Pullen from Radley May 2017 – The Radley Video Unit at the Radley for Life event at Killik & Co in London
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May 2017 – The Radley for Life event at Killik & Co
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Other events in 2017 included the Livery Dinner at the Saddlers’ Hall in February, the Property Dinner at Boodle’s in February, OR Drinks at the China Club in Hong Kong in March and the Malcolm Robinson Memorial Fund Lunch in May.
The Old Radleian Lodge held a very successful meeting at Radley last June and future plans are being made to meet at Radley once every two years in May. Any Old Radleian who might like to join us should get in touch with the Secretary: James Fawcett, 55 Lark Avenue, Staines TW18 4RX or james.fawcett@gmail.com
Election Results – June 2017
From the Archives
The four OR MPs retained their seats:
J.C. Horner’s album of photographs and press cuttings, presented by his brothers D.S. Horner (1947) and S.J. Horner (1958). John Cecil (“Chick”) Horner (Radley 1934-1938) was a School Prefect and Head of his Social. He was a spare man for the Radley crew which won the Ladies’ Plate at Henley in 1938 and rowed in the Radley crew which raced Tabor in the United States later that year. He was commissioned into the Devon Regiment in 1940 but afterwards transferred to the Parachute Regiment. He was killed in action in Sicily on 14th July 1943.
Shropshire North Owen Patterson (1969) (Conservative) 33,642 votes (60.5%) Carmarthen West & South Pembrokeshire Simon Hart (1977) (Conservative) 19,771 votes (46.8%) Meon Valley George Hollingbery (1977) (Conservative) 35,624 votes (65.7%) Mid Norfolk George Freeman (1980) (Conservative) 32,828 votes (59%) Other ORs standing in the election: Bradford West George Grant (1998) (Conservative) 7,542 votes (16.6%) came 2nd to Labour (64.7%) Orkney & Shetland Jamie Halcro-Johnston (1989) (Conservative) 2,024 votes (8.7%) came 4th to the Liberal Democrats (48.6%), the Scottish National Party (29%) and Labour (11.4%)
Modern Art Oxford showed a series of art/social documentary films made by Darcy Lange, a New Zealander, in 1977 about teaching art in four Oxfordshire Schools. One of the featured schools was Radley with Charlie Mussett
One of the press cuttings from the trip to Tabor in 1938 the old radleian 2017
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Common Room Leavers
Angus McChesney (above) approaches the French coast on his Channel swim in 2007. Below: Back on board Annabel pours a suitable toast to success. John Nye (Radley Common Room 1981-2017, Tutor A Social 1991-1995) ran the 2017 London Marathon just before his 60th birthday. He completed the course in 4 hours 16 minutes and 26 seconds and raised over £5000 for Helen & Douglas House. After 36 years as star teacher of mathematics, wizard of the timetable, highly successful rowing coach, superb musician and singer and much more. Radley is also very sad to lose John’s wife, Katie who has been the star of many musical productions and the most brilliantly efficient Head of Exams. People only notice the Head of Exams if something goes disasterously wrong. Katie’s exam team made sure that it all went perfectly. Katie and John are pictured below in a scene from Titanic.
Full Vales for Angus and Annabel McChesney and Charlie InghamClark are in the Radley Mariners section. 50
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Stephen Clarke left Radley at Christmas after 14 years as Precentor at Radley. Under his leadership, and with the support of an outstanding team, music in Chapel, in the Silk Hall and on stage has been of the highest standard and hugely enjoyed by all.
The Revd. Tim Fernyhough – Assistant Chaplain and Head of Religious Studies, Rugby and Rowing coach, from 2002, Tim leaves Radley to take on the exciting prospect of becoming Rector of some delightfully rural Parishes in Northamptonshire.
Terry Scammel Jackson – Head of History for 10 years, brilliant teacher, meticulous Form Master and an active Beagler. She invited fabulous speakers to Radley and took boys on superb History trips abroad.
Robert Lowe – 12 years as Director of Drama. Together with his team he took drama at Radley to new heights of excellence.
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David Cresswell has been Head of German since 2010. He set up the German Society, launched the Radley Business Challenge, was a resident Sub-Tutor in C Social, expert coach of tennis and hockey and impressive basketball and football player.
Josh Sumner has been an outstanding teacher in the Modern Languages Department and Head of Spanish in his last year. He has also been part of the Careers team, a UCAS advisor and a coach of rugby, badminton and tennis. Other leavers from Common Room were: Neil Martin who joined Radley in 2014 as a History Don, resident Sub-Tutor in C, Contingent Commander in the CCF and administrator of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Gemma Maybank a member of the English department for three years, member of the Choral Society and organiser of the Swimming Club. Dr Ian Ashpole after a year in the Geography Department and helper with numerous activities from squash to mountain-biking and running. Lil Pullen from the Learning Support programme and Noemi Sanchez, Louise Peillon and Marc Cladellas, Assistants in the Modern Languages Department. Full vales of all the Common Room leavers can be found in the latest Radleian at: http://www.radley.org.uk/Radley-Publications
Kevin Reid has been a highly respected teacher in the Maths Department for six years and a superb Master in charge of Golf who has inspired a run of success by the Radley Golf team.
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Wardens of Radley
Numbers at Radley
The Rev. R. C. Singleton (Founder)
1847-1851
1940 367
The Rev. W. B. Heathcote
1851-1852
1945 398
The Rev. W. Sewell (Founder)
1853-1861
1950 419
The Very Rev. R. W. Norman
1861-1866
1955 436
The Rev. W. Wood
1866-1870
1960 470
The Rev. C. Martin
1871-1879
1965 484
The Rev. R. J. Wilson
1880-1888
1970 474
The Rev. H. L. Thompson
1889-1896
1975 528
The Rev. T. Field
1897-1913
1980 585
The Very Rev. E. G. Selwyn
1913-1918
1985 587
The Rev. Canon A. Fox
1918-1924
1990 613
The Rev. Canon W. H. Ferguson
1925-1937
1995 616
The Rev. J. C. Vaughan Wilkes
1937-1954
2000 629
W. M. M. Milligan, MBE
1954-1968
2005 629
D. R. W. Silk, CBE
1968-1991
2010 678
R. M. Morgan
1991-2000
2015 689
A. W. McPhail
2000-2014
J. S. Moule
2014-
2017/2018 689
Socials A
Ryder’s (2008), Rathbone’s (2003), Wesson’s (1995), Nye’s (1991), Johnson’s (1984), Pound’s (1973), Way’s (1963), Stewart-Morgan’s (1951), Paton’s (1936), Macpherson’s (1915), Vidal’s (1914), Wharton’s (1879)
B
Scott-Malden’s (2015), Greed’s (2003), Holroyd’s (1993), Spens’s (1984), Dowding’s (1973), Langdale’s (1968), Fisher’s (1953), Eason’s (1938), Nugee’s (1924), Stone’s (1895), Titherington’s (1891), Vincent’s (1879)
C
Giddens’s (2016), Sparks’s (2006), Shaw’s (2004), Jones’s (1996), Derham’s (1990), Featherstone’s (1984), LeRoy’s (1978), Morgan’s (1969), Batten’s (1964), Thompson’s (1950), Cocks’s (1935), Hellard’s (1924), Barmby’s (1909), Evans’s (1879)
D
Crump’s (2011), Holden’s (2000), Bamforth’s (1996), Wylie’s (1985), Hirst’s (1978), Flint’s (1971), Stuart’s (1960), Gardiner’s (1945), Watkins’s (1937), Stevenson’s (1916), Pott’s (1915), Simpkinson’s (1895), Raikes’s (1879)
E
Lawson’s (2012), King’s (2008), Beasley’s (2003), Hopkins’s (1989), Aird’s (1974), Goldsmith’s (1958), Llewellyn Jones’s (1948), Hope’s (1926), Newman’s (1921), Moss-Blundell’s (1918), Birt’s (1914), Kirkby’s (1879)
F
San José’s (2016), McChesney’s (2004), Davenport’s (1994), Hastings’s (1985), Hudson’s (1970), Taylor’s (1965), Crowson’s (1950), Southam’s (1938), Hedgecock’s (1919), Davies’s (1911-1915), Croome’s (1892), Orlebar’s (1889), Hobson’s (1887), Dalton’s (1879)
G
King’s (2016), Jackson’s (2011), Matthews’s (2010), Hammond’s (1998), Gamble’s (1993), Waller’s (1988), Doulton’s (1979), Stoughton-Harris’s (1967), King’s (1953), Morgan’s (1936), Boyd’s (1930), Wilson-Green’s (1919), Bryans’s (1884), Kindersley’s (1882), Horsburgh’s (1881)
H
May’s (2012), Edwards’s (2001), Barker’s (1989), Usherwood’s (1974), Birks’s (1962), Waye’s (1948), Brown’s (1945), Smale’s (1919-1940), Lowe’s (1909)
J
Langton’s (2013), Hindley’s (2008)
K
Lee’s (2015), Murphy’s (2008)
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Jim Rickards and Tony Grant take the hounds across the river during petrol rationing at the time of the Suez Crisis
75 Years History of The Radley College Beagles This book, written by Edwin Atkinson (Master RCB 1960-61), celebrates the history of the Radley College Beagles from their beginnings in the middle of World War II to the present day when it is one of only three school packs. Supported by a wealth of photographs and colourful reminiscences, the reader is taken at hunting pace through the seventy-five seasons with their differing Masters and hunt officials and Kennel huntsmen. The book covers the successful years of good hunting and hound show successes as much as the more worrying times when the pack was nearly given up. All this concludes on a high with the firm establishment of the Beagles as an institution in the College and the promise of a bright future with the building of the new kennels within its campus.
Nor are the hounds forgotten. The very best over all these years are reviewed for the hunting ability and heredity back to the pack’s foundation. This hardbound book of 200 pages can be ordered at £23.00 (including p&p) from: Atty Beor-Roberts Hampnett Lodge Northleach Cheltenham GL54 3NN Please make out cheques to Radley College Beagles and give your name and full address. Below: an article from Country Life, 12 July 2017
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Letters Letters
The Old Radleian From Steve Fairbairn (1961)
Geoff Savory – A Very Embarrassing Moment
Flourishing in Iceland as never before and busier than ever since I retired from advertising. I am enjoying some manual labour and have just finished installing a new gate at our cottage.
The picture of Geoff Savory in the latest edition of the Old Radleian brought on a flashback from fifty-odd years ago. I was sorry to hear of the death of his wife, so please pass on my commiserations along with this story: Geoff Savory was one of my favourite dons; he had a kind manner and a twinkle in his eye. He had red hair going slightly grey at the temples and for this reason his nickname in the long distant past had been “Carrots” and he knew it. I was in his French class in the Sixth Form – there were only a handful of us and we were translating a story about a red-headed French kid. There was a slight pause when we came to the kid’s name and Geoff got all excited, “It’s quite all right. I don’t mind. I know what you call me!” and words to that effect. The problem was that Geoff didn’t realise that his nickname – the one that he knew and that we had only vaguely heard of – had long since passed into disuse. In our day Geoff was known by all and sundry as “Boopa-Doop”. No-one was really sure why, but it probably had something to do with the way he spoke. We were far too polite to translate the French kid’s name as BoopaDoop, so there was obviously something that we (and Geoff) were missing! You could cut the silence with a knife and embarrassed glances were exchanged. In the end Geoff had to prompt us. No problem; the French kid’s name in the story was duly translated as Carrots and everyone was happy. But Geoff was puzzled by our pained awkwardness and I think he never learned the truth. In those days Geoff had two little boys, pretty much identical to the untrained eye and both with bright orange hair. They were of course known as The Dooplicates and I have serious doubts as to whether Geoff knew about that either! PS You will of course yourself recall that Peter Way was for some reason called The Om and that his offspring were thus the Omlets. 56
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From C.J. Burley (1958)
Mugwump When I arrived at Radley in 1958, I found myself in Classical Shell under the eye of T.E.E. Cocks who taught me both Latin and Greek. One of his favourite expressions, brought on doubtless by my poor efforts of translation and scansion was ‘what an old mugwump you are’. Boris Johnson’s recent description of the Labour leader brought back memories of ‘Theo’ and the efforts he made to inculcate civilisation into a fairly empty receptacle.
The Need For A New National Narrative From Huffpost United Kingdom 28 June 2017 Sven Hughes (1987) Group CEO of Verbalisation and Global Influence, and author of, Verbalisation: the power of words to drive change. As I write this, the television news is leading on two stories: Brexit Secretary David Davis outlining the UK’s likely response if offered a “punishment deal” by the EU, and Jeremy Corbyn promising to “share the wealth” with his Glastonbury festival audience. As someone whose profession is to create campaigns that inspire audiences into
positive action, the current state of our nation’s conversation is both alarming and depressing. Since when did the UK become so reactive? Awaiting the EU’s negotiating position, rather than creating and promoting our own positive vision for the future? And is it really in our national character to squabble about the sharing of others’ spoils, rather than to create a context that positively promotes collective ambition and success? It feels as if we are forgetting the belief and behaviour that put the ‘Great’ into Great Britain - however terrifyingly Trump that sounds. And, if we are not very careful, the new ossifying tone of our political discourse will stifle the potential benefits of Brexit before they are even recognised, let alone seized. It just seems remarkable that neither of the main parties have recognised and ‘Verbalised’ the middle ground between the rampant “nasty” Conservatism of yesteryear and the naïve socialism of Corbyn’s current grand vision. It seems so obvious from the outside: our country is now in a unique position within Europe to own and exploit a “work hard, be kind” narrative for the betterment of all our citizens, as well as to provide a competitive advantage within the modern global business landscape. This disarmingly simple ‘positioning’ statement is in fact borrowed from my former headmaster, a wonderful man by the name of Dennis Silk. On the first day of each new academic year Mr Silk would gather the new entrants together in the chapel and explain the school’s guiding philosophy under his tenure, “You will learn two things while you are here: to work hard and to be kind”. Sure enough, thirty years later, Mr Silk’s values are so ingrained in me that they directly influence the way in which I now run my two companies: with an intense work ethic, as well as a heavy dose of corporate responsibility. Such a simple mantra would do wonders for our sense of national identity as we navigate Brexit and beyond. It would position the UK as a meritocratic beacon to challenge the innovation-suppressing bureaucracy that muddles the EU. But also the UK as the new model of responsible capitalism that takes care of those in need, without tolerating freeloading.
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Jarche/Associated Newspapers/REX/Shutterstock
The ‘work hard, be kind’ mantra offers a grown-up politics for the twenty-first century by supporting the betterment of each and every citizen, while also recognising that the provision of superlative education, health and social infrastructure are the means by which to enable the individual to deliver their part within the whole. Letting the achievers fly as high as their potential allows, whilst recognising that they do so on account of the support of the society around them. This positioning feels instinctively of the right, albeit with a foot placed firmly within the middle ground. It is a narrative of aspiration built on individual and collective responsibility that avoids the desire to ‘tear it all down’ as expressed by a few of the more extreme Corbynistas. It acts as a call-to-action to harness the potential of our country by challenging every citizen to be part of the solution, at all levels. Proactive, not reactive. Tangible within the real world. I would have thought that such an ‘ambition in balance’ narrative - that celebrates and promotes aspiration but also recognises the value of all rungs on the ladder - could do away with much of the oppositional name-calling that is currently in evidence between the two main parties? It would also provide a direction for the formulation of policies that can be understood as part of an overarching national strategy. It is certainly my belief that it is only by phrasing such a didactic new national agenda that we can hope to overcome divisions within certain sections of our community, and excite the UK populous as a whole about the opportunities that will come as a result of Brexit. We are so lucky to live at this time in the UK’s history, in which we get to reset our own agenda, on our own terms, with a concurrent reassessment of our individual and collective responsibilities. It would be a travesty not to define the UK’s new trajectory in these positive and proactive terms. Perhaps one of the parties may wish to consider more of a ‘work hard, be kind’ positioning in the coming months and years? And if they did, perhaps we may all discover a renewed sense of personal and national pride that we’d be happy to share with the next generation, just like Mr Silk.
The Tallest and the Shortest have been identified as: Tallest – Tim Taylor (1951) Shortest – Rodney Bomford (1956)
From Rodney Bomford (1956), the shortest boy I was interested in the photograph of the Warden in 1956 as it reminded me of something I had entirely forgotten, the incident in which I was sent for by the Warden, myself then a new boy of about two weeks standing, and was slightly relieved to find that it was only because I was the shortest boy in the school.
From Alastair Campbell (not an OR) I thought the attached (left) might interest you. It’s fascinating to think that my father and John Allsop, my godfather (1943), attended a dinner in 1956 with chaps who started at the College in the 1890s. the old radleian 2017
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A letter to The Daily Telegraph from John Fell-Clark (1959) about the sound of Stradivarius violins
Extracts from an email from Professor Anthony Rylands (1964), Senior Research Scientist with Conservation International in the United States.
Credit to David Hardy I am very glad that you have received the two books [Handbook of the Mammals of the World: Primates v.3 and Lion Tamarins: Biology and Conservation]. And yes, I give full credit to David Hardy and Radley for my entire career working with wildlife and the conservation of primates, and perhaps surprisingly, David Hardy it was who taught me to write. I do a lot of editing now, including a journal on primate conservation, thanks to his constant demands for and careful and detailed critiques of essays and precis. We had no ‘true or false’ or “which of the below” in those days. I have some other publications of pocket field guides and things, which might be of interest for the Biology library. I will send them to you. I have helped with an article in impending primate extinctions which will be published online in Science Advances on the 18th January. So for the last three hours I have been talking to journalists, one from the New Scientist. It may even hit the BBC. Depressing stuff, more than 60% of all the primates (now 695 of them) are now classified as threatened. 58
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From Blair Sessions (1955)
Brothers in 1917 The picture (right) was taken in France in 1917. It shows my great uncle Donald Sessions sitting on the wheel of an RE 8 (colloquially known as a “Harry Tate”) having landed it after a shell had passed through the fuselage and damaged the engine. The navigator (standing) is Charles Donald, later a surgeon at New End Hospital, London. Donald Sessions and his three brothers, Blair (my grandfather), Lionel and Reginald had all been at Radley and like most families at that time were involved, in one way or another, in the First World War. This picture had caused me to wonder what they had been doing 100 years ago. I knew my Grandfather well. He was in the services in both World Wars. Although he had a good number of stories about his activities in WW2, like many others he talked little about the First War. Accordingly much of the information below about the four brothers in 1917 has come from outside sources. My grandfather, Blair, the eldest of the brothers, left Radley in 1909 aged 18. He was commissioned in the 5th Gloucester Territorials in 1911. In 1916 his Company was in the area of the Somme before the main battle and took part in a number of raids and skirmishes. He was awarded the Military Cross at that time. On the 20th
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Donald Sessions (sitting on the wheel) having landed his plane near Ypres in 1917 July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme he was wounded in an allied attack which resulted in his Company suffering many casualties. In 1917 he was in a staff position with the 3/5 Gloucesters. I am grateful to Roger Pritchard, a former colleague, for much of this information. Roger had undertaken extensive research into the Gloucester Regiments. Three subsequent generations of my grandfather went to Radley. Lionel Sessions left Radley in 1911. I believe he may have been a conscientious objector and in the early part of the War he was with the Friends Ambulance Unit – there were Quaker connections in the family. Certainly in 1917 Lionel was in North East Italy as an ambulance driver with the British Ambulance Unit which had absorbed part of the Friends Ambulance Unit. In the area of Gorizia and the river Isonzo there was fierce fighting between the Italians and the Austrians. The task of the Ambulance Unit was to collect the wounded from the Italian front line dressing stations and to deliver them to the hospitals further
back. In September 1917 Lionel, while collecting casualties, was badly wounded which necessitated the amputation of his leg. Lionel was awarded the Italian bronze and silver medals for his bravery. Much of this information has come from a book to which my father-in-law drew my attention: The Grace of Forgetting by Geoffrey Winthrop Young. That book covers the part played by the Friends Ambulance Unit’s role in the final evacuation under fire of the civilian population of Ypres and also gives an extraordinarily vivid account of its exceedingly dangerous activities in Italy. Reginald Sessions left Radley in 1912. Whether he was a Quaker or conscientious objector I am not sure but like Lionel he joined the British Ambulance Unit in Italy. However, although I cannot find out why, he must have changed course because in 1917 he joined the Artists Rifles and in the same year the Royal Flying Corps where I gather he taught flying. In February 1918 Reginald was one of the two Royal Flying Corps pilots seconded to the newly formed Meteor Flight. The purpose of
the Flight was to give meteorological information to the artillery. Reginald left the RAF (which succeeded the RFC) in 1919. He became a schoolmaster finishing his career at Clayesmore School. One school note records Reginald as being a genuine and pleasant man and not much of a disciplinarian. Much of this information comes from Brian Booth who has been researching early RAF meteorological flights. Donald Sessions left Radley in 1914. The picture of him with the damaged RE 8 was taken at an airfield near Ypres in August 1917 when Donald was only 20. He was awarded the Military Cross later that year. The citation for the award shows that between June and November 1917 Donald completed 111 hours flying, involving observation for the artillery and engagements with enemy aircraft. Sadly Donald died in June 1918 while testing a Vulcan DH4 over Kent. The accident report states that the wings collapsed. Donald’s name is recorded in the Radley Memorial Arch. the old radleian 2017
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Extracts from an email from Michael Gray (1956) I remember my rowing days at Radley with fond affection... Indeed I am looking at an old photograph of ‘Radley Colts ‘B’ Eight’, winners of the Maiden (!) Eights at Oxford Regatta way back in 1959, wonderfully coached by Nick Eyres and the incredible Sean Morris. What fun we had! Sadly I have not yet made it back to Radley. After I left in 1961 I became a Chartered Surveyor and promptly went abroad. Almost my entire career has been abroad. I have now retired and live on Whidbey Island, close to Seattle. Attached are a is an oil paintings of mine showing the Aircraft Carrier, the mighty USS Abraham Lincoln, transiting Fort Ebey
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and Port Townsend with the Olympic Mountain range in the background (below). I vividly remember my very first afternoon arriving at King’s. I patted Mr King’s dog, and said “Good Dog Sambo”. Mr King corrected me and said “I’m Sambo…the dog’s name is Jason”!! I visited Sai Baba’s Ashram, near Bangalore in 1990. Sai Baba is an Avatar, in the Hindu tradition. He was born in 1926 on November 23, and died in April 2011. He was the second of three incarnations, the first being Sai Shirdi in the 1800s. Sai Baba has said there will be a third incarnation, Sai Prema, starting in 2020. In all the three incarnations will span 250 years, with the objective of educating and lifting India’s spiritual awareness. You can google Sai Baba. The Wikipedia entry will give a good overview. It is an amazing story. A friend of
mine said that I had the same birth date Nov 23... and this peaked my interest! Sai Baba conducted daily Services starting at 4 am in the lecture Hall, concluding about 6 am. He entered the hall, promptly at 4 am, and in an instant, a complete hush descended on the audience of about 300. By way of background Sai Baba has conducted hundreds of ‘miracles’. He materialises Vihbuti (a white Ash, that often forms on his forehead and pours out from his fingers) which he gives to his devotees. We sang Bajhans together, and then Baba moved down the Aisles, occasionally addressing individuals. He came by me and gave me a short, very direct look, then smiling slightly, moved on. Instantly, I felt transformed by happiness...wow! I could go on and on about him, but I would never finish! I will say he transformed my perceptions of God, and religion.
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For the Archives from Nima Reid and the Reid family, copies of the war diaries from 1914 to 1917 of John Lillingston Reid (at Radley 1899-1904), father of M.H. Reid (at Radley 1938-1943) and grandfather of of Dickon Reid (at Radley 1986-1991) John Lillingston Reid’s obituary in the Radleian: Reid. On 14th November, 1958, at Stonegate, John Lillingston Reid (Bryan’s, G, 1899-1904). At Radley he was a Prefect, in the Cricket XI in 1902-04 and the Football XI in 1902-03 and also in the Fives pair. After leaving he went up to Hertford College, Oxford, where he took his degree. In the 1914-18 War he was a Captain with the London Yeomanry and served in Gallipoli, Palestine and Egypt and was mentioned in Despatches. His son was at Radley and one of his daughters married an Old Radleian.
John Reid’s diaries contain photographs, pictures, maps and detailed written entries describing his service from Gallipoli to Egypt. the old radleian 2017
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Dr Stephen Gold in 2015 at his 100th Birthday celebrations Gold SC (h, 1929-1934) On 29.3.2017 Dr Stephen Charles Gold, aged 101. He was a House Prefect and played in the 2nd Hockey XI and the 3rd Cricket XI in 1933. He was Hon. Secretary of the Cine Circle. Having completed his 1st MB parts 2 and 3 while at Radley, he went up to read medicine at Caius College, Cambridge. He served with the RAMC from 1941 to 1946, leaving the army as a Major. He became a Consultant Skin Physician at St. George’s Hospital (Hammersmith Hospital and Postgraduate Medical School), London and a Physician at St. John’s Hospital for diseases of the skin. He was a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, and President (late Secretary) of the British Association of Dermatologists in 1979. He was Honorary Civilian Consultant to the Army. His brother, Philip, and several cousins and nephews were at Radley. Lycett MHL (g, 1929-1933) On 17.12.2016 Major Michael Hildesley Lycett Lycett, CBE. At Radley he was a School Prefect, Clerk of the Debating Society, Hon. Sec. of the Golf Club and Hon. Sec. of the Radley College Branch of the League of Nations’ Union. He was a member of the Dramatic and Literary 62
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Societies. He was a member of the 2nd XV in 1933 and the 2nd Cricket XI in 1932 and 1933. He won the Adam Fox Essay Prize in 1933. He went up to Merton College, Oxford. He was commissioned into the Royal Scots Greys and was in Palestine, Greece, the Western Desert, Italy and Germany, some of his service being with the Special Operations Executive. He left the Army in 1947 and became an Underwriting Member of Lloyds. He was Managing Director of Rhodesian Insurance Ltd, in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia, from 1949 to 1961. He was Founder Governor and First Executive Chairman from 1959 to 1961 of Bernard Mizeki Schools, an independent, multiracial, international boarding school. From 1961 to 1973 he was with Wright Deen Lycett Ltd of Newcastle upon Tyne then Chairman of Lycett BrowneSwinburne & Douglas’s Ltd from 1973 to 1976 and later was Life President of this company. He was Chairman of the Morpeth Division of the Conservative Association from 1966 to 1972, and the Party candidate for Consett, Co Durham in 1981 and 1983. He was Chairman of the Conservative Northern Area from 1985 to 1987 and President of the Northumbria Euro Constituency. He was awarded a C.B.E. for political services in 1987. He was Master of Fox Hounds of the Tynedale Hunt from 1975 to 1977. His recreations were listed as: field sports, looking things up and writing rhymes. His brother, P.N.L. Lycett, was at Radley. de Pass RCL (g, 1932-1935) On 23.6.2015 Robert Charles Lyall de Pass. He served with the Cameronians from 1940 to 1945, leaving the Army as a Major. He became a farmer from 1949, directing farms belonging to Earl of Southesk (The Kinnaird Estate). Wynn-Werninck BV (g, 1932-1935) On 5.3.2017 Major Bryan (Bill) Vansittart Wynn-Werninck, MNI. After leaving Radley he did a year’s engineering course at the Regent Street Polytechnic College in London. Eulogy delivered by Bryan’s son Stephen Henry Vansittart Wynn-Werninck: 98 years is a long time. So what of a man that led a very full and active life. I would like to share with you a few gems about
my Pa that I think describe a man with many facets. He came from a comfortable background, the first child of two parents he adored. He issued his first ‘squawk’ as he would call it in Mansfield on the 3rd July 1918. He went to prep school in Broadstairs, Kent and then to Radley College, a school near Oxford. He was technically minded and artistic. He was a good cricket player, a pastime Timothy inherited, and he learnt how to shoot. Both his parents were creative and encouraged him in his drawing and painting. These were skills that he honed throughout his life. He was all set to become a Marine Engineer, until WW2 knocked his and millions of other young peoples’ ambitions aside and he volunteered for the Army, having been turned down by the Royal Navy. He was, because of his engineering background put into transport. He saw service with the 8th Army in North Africa and was at Tobruk and El Alamein. He stayed with the 8th Army as the German Army got pushed back up Italy and France and then finally back to Germany. He was at the D-Day landings and was involved in the movement of thousands of ton of supplies and equipment that arrived at the floating harbours constructed along the beaches of Northern France. After the war he was stationed out in the Far East, serving in Singapore and Korea. The sea was really where he wanted to be and as soon as he could, he transferred into the Maritime Branch of the Army and eventually became Captain of his own ship. But what do I remember of Pa? He was a big bloke, standing at over 6ft tall and solidly built. He wasn’t a keep fit fanatic he weighed about 14stone and didn’t carry a lot of spare weight. If you look at John, Timothy and I, we all share some of his features. He was a gentleman and a gentle man. He had blue eyes that sparkled when he smiled and cheeks that coloured. He also had an easy sense of humour and liked to laugh, something again he has passed on to us all. From my earliest memories he always wore a moustache and he was going grey – nothing to do with me! What stood out for me though were his hands. They were broad and strong fingered. We nicknamed him “Banana Fingers” one summer – all taken in good humour! He had a warm, firm, dry handshake and looked you steadily in the
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eye. These were the hands that hoisted me onto his shoulders when I got tired on a walk. I felt like the king of the world. These were the hands that carried me down the gangplank of his ship and then guided me up to the ward room for a glass of orange squash. They were hands that moved, measured and methodically whilst painting and drawing. They could play the recorder though not nearly often enough. He could mend bicycles and “tinker” with cars to get them working right, a skill he passed on to John. He did push things a bit with the “tinkering” as two days before the family departed for the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, he decided the car needed decoking. So he had the engine in pieces and back together again with half a day to spare. Car, caravan and family got there and back no problem. He had a big black handled screwdriver he nicknamed “Uncle Charlie” which always came out for the tinkering projects. “Time for Uncle Charlie” he’d say and then poke and prod as required! His methodical nature could sometimes be very frustrating. He wouldn’t be rushed at many things. It had to be right. When opening a present, he would look at it turn it over and ask who it was from? He would then get his penknife out and with precision shear the Sellotape and slowly unwrap it. Meanwhile I would be going haywire, “Come on, open it, open it, you’ll love it, hurry up, hurry up……. Pleeeeeease!” When he finally got there, his face would break into that broad generous smile and he would thank you but in a way that made you feel really special and for a moment we were the only people in the world. He was a stickler for good table manners but his slow methodical approach failed on us there. He was the slow patient lion among a pack of hungry cubs. Progress across the plate was arduous! My head would be screaming “Hurry, Daddy, hurry, come on, come on, its apple crumble and custard next and its my turn for the skin”! “Comfor’ chee, comfor’ chee saith my people. Speak ye comftably unto Jerusalem and cry unto her”. These are the opening words to Isaiah, Ch. 40 vv. 1 to 8, King James Version, uttered by a stroppy, reluctant eleven year old choirboy from this spot in November 1968. I had been volunteered to read this piece at the Advent Carol Service a month hence. The choirmaster was trying to get me to read it properly and not getting far. Pa gave
Bill Wynne-Werninck’s 3ft x 2ft painting for the Ship’s Captain of the Old Man of Hoy being approached by an Army (RCT) tank landing craft MK VIII. him the nod and the following night he presented me with a type written sheet of the reading and ordered me to read it. With his patience and coaching it got better, it got louder, it got slower. Then I had to stand in the bathroom whilst he dispersed to various parts of the house, shouting “I can’t hear it. Speak up”. This carried on for about a fortnight by which time I nearly knew it by heart anyway. In the rehearsal it was perfect…and in the Carol Service?... What do you think?... “Comfort Ye, Comfort Ye”, shrilled out to the expectant congregation and I was very Comfy with my performance. Pa was a very patient teacher and very knowledgeable on a wide range of subjects. Again, his hands played a big role in the way he did things. He taught me how to sail, how to splice ropes, how to hoist sails, how to navigate. He tried to teach me to scull the dinghy, a method of propulsion using one oar only. I never did get it, maybe in another place! Oh, and tying a knot called a bowline, with one hand... never got that either. He was a good father who encouraged us to range and explore, television on sunny days was actively discouraged. Out on walks he told us to go on ahead and look around. We would wait and take in the view, another thing he encouraged. Jenny, the Scottie dog, was always in two minds, whether to stay with him or go with us and would spend a good deal of time
running between the two groups. Even in his 80’s he walked everywhere he could. Divorce rocked him hard, he was very sad for a long time. He was stoic about it and although he didn’t speak about it to me at length you could tell by his body language that he was labouring under the burden of it. I was living at home at the time and it is with great pride, I saw him pick himself up, dust himself down and return to as normal a life as he could. We were very close during this time and you couldn’t wish for a better father. We had some real adventures together, especially on the boat. There was one more dark cloud on the horizon though and that was redundancy. The Army decided to dispense with his services due to spending cuts but it was his saving grace because he could become a full time marine artist. He had a few clients already and was well connected. His reputation grew and he was never short of work. Then he met Gyda…, he remarried and we got a stepbrother John and a stepsister Clare. To John, he was “Wilhelm”, a nickname he took on board with amusement and to Clare he was always Bill. As I mentioned earlier, he had been painting for many years and with his jokey sense of humour little pictures would appear for birthdays as birthday cards. Letters from home would be illustrated with little pen drawings to brighten things up. the old radleian 2017
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My sister Lois would try to get a tan most summers and one memorable card was a little line drawing of her lying out in the sun and a rhyme that went like this, “Hi lily Lo-Lo, lying on a Li-Lo in the middle of a limpid lily lake”! He was a great Dad and always took an interest in what we did and helped where he could but just let us get on with it. If we wanted help with cars he would be there like a locust and offer his opinion but not decide for us. If a car was a ‘Classic’ he would grunt and raise an eyebrow – and he could raise his left one right up to his forehead! He did not like ‘pop music’ but favoured band music and classical. No great favourites but he liked what he liked. For his 90th birthday we arranged for four pipers from the Hampshire Caledonian Pipe Band to play for him in the back garden at home. He was so delighted about it that he got up at the end of the second piece and said “That was marvellous, do you want a tot!” He had to be restrained from rushing inside to get them a whisky, “Pa it’s your birthday, sit down we’ll get it!” He went on for weeks and weeks about it. Jim Cowan from that band is here today to help us out with the proceedings. Thank you Jim, your playing is just what he would have wanted; I’m sure he wished he had been born a Scotsman. So, I would like to finish off now by asking that next time you’re in the pub, raise a glass of beer to him, but please make sure that the glass, HAS A HANDLE! Extracts from a letter from Bill to Radley: I then did a four year apprenticeship as a marine engineer at Thorneycroft’s in Southampton. It ended in 1939 with the arrival of soldiers and Bren guns being mounted on the roof of the office block. I was particularly employed in helping to build HMS Mohawk and HMS Nubian, Tribal class destroyers. To my great delight I was sent on Class Trials in the Clyde area in Scotland aboard HMS Mohawk which firmly screwed into me my love of the sea and RN ships. I was commissioned into the RASC in 1941 and posted to the Bradford area for several months before sailing for Egypt aboard the Royal Mail ship Highland Monarch. I was posted to the RASC Base Depot at Geneifa on the Bitter Lakes which involved a magnificent convoy run over the Sinai Desert to Aquaba. I was then posted to the Western Desert and joined 64
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19 Company RASC (Motor Transport) at Tobruk as workshop officer. We retreated to El Hammam into Egypt and saw the tremendous artillery barrage which opened the El Alamein Battle with General Montgomery. We then never stopped going west until we arrived in the area of Sousse in Tunisia. Then back to Cairo for a refit and back to Alexandria for shipment on a French troopship to Sicily and on to our permanent location near Brindisi. This was my first contact with RASC soldier sailors who manned requisitioned Italian schooners, sailing them to Split with ammunition for the Yugoslav army and guerillas. The company moved to Naples before I sailed home to Liverpool and leave, catching chicken pox on the way. After three weeks in Normandy, unloading ships in the Mulberry Harbour, and then after some time in Belgium, Bill was sent on a course on the Isle of Man. In the middle of the course, the War Office published a request for any officer or soldier who had experience on 150 ton ships. I immediately applied and, to my delight, I was posted down to Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight. The unit was to sail for Japan and take casualties from the beaches to hospital ships in quieter waters. To my enormous pleasure I stood by one Ambulance Launch during her construction in Bembridge and then later had command of another (my first girl friend!). To my sadness I was posted to Port Said in Egypt as a navigation instructor. After trips to Cyprus and command of ML Sheperton to take the Chief Signals Officer to visit various signals units, Bill returned to Yarmouth where the end of the Japanese War resulted in the disposal of the ambulance launches. I was then posted to Aberdovey, North Wales to take over a MK IV Star (especially strengthened). I loved that ship made of steel (from my Thorneycroft days); a fine engine room; 2 x 500 HP diesels; Speed 10 knots. I had the ship for two years before steaming her to Portsmouth for disposal. I was then lined up for Korea and was eventually posted to Singapore to take over a Water Transport Company with launches and LCTs. After two years I went back to England as Staff Captain to HQ Solent Garrison - a slendid and interesting job dealing with redundant WD land in the city and precincts. The RASC had an LCT squadron in Portsmouth.These were fine ships, 240 feet long and capable of carrying battle tanks. They were being used to
build up the rocket range run by the Royal Artillery. The main ‘target’ was St Kilda 50 miles into the Atlantic from the Outer Hebrides. HQ Solent Garrison was closed so I went straight over to the LCT Squadron and was given command of one LCT, H097. This was big ship stuff and I loved the one I had. I had her for three years, finally retiring as a serving officer. Later I became a marine artist with some success, mainly painting LCTs. Ferrier RAPG (c, 1933-1938) On 3.11.2016 Major Richard Anthony (Tony) Plowden Gournay Ferrier. He won the Lower and Middle School History Prize, was a House Prefect and a member of the Debating and German Societies and on the Committee of the Natural History Society. From the Eastern Daily Press: One of the last of the Royal Norfolks who were captured at Singapore has died aged 96. Major Tony Ferrier, a company commander in the 5th Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment spent almost four years in a Japanese prison of war camp. He retired after 20 years in the Army. Later, he joined the Country Landowners’ Association in November 1964 as secretary responsible for Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely and then five months later took on Norfolk as well. During his 21 years as regional secretary he built up the membership and extended the CLA’s influence across the counties. Richard Anthony Plowden Gournay Ferrier, who was born at Gorleston, spent his childhood at Hemsby Hall. He was proud of his Norfolk heritage and his family can trace its roots to at least 1549 from the reign of Edward VI and one ancestor was also MP for Great Yarmouth in 1720. After leaving Radley in Oxfordshire, he went to Sandhurst for two years and was commissioned in July 1939 just weeks before the outbreak of war. In October 1941, the 21-year-old officer boarded a troopship with two other Royal Norfolk battalions as Task Force 14, later known as “Winston’s Specials”, sailed for Halifax, Nova Scotia. There, they transferred to American ships in November 1941 for the long voyage via Capetown, South Africa to Basra, Iraq.
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Major Tony Ferrier There they learned of the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7. But as the Japanese advanced at speed through Malaya, the Norfolks were diverted to defend Singapore. It became the longest “trooping” voyage in British military history as they crossed the Equator six times and steamed the equivalent of more than once around the world. Maj Ferrier, who was also a parachutist in the airborne forces, served in Egypt, Palestine, Cyprus and Germany before retiring in 1960. He was also a training officer with the Norfolk Army Cadet Force for many years. Returning to his native county, he spent four years with seed merchants, McGill & Smith, before joining the CLA. A keen supporter of the work of the St John Ambulance Brigade and a former president of the Dereham area, he was made a Commander of the Order of St John of Jerusalem in April 1966. Awarded a “blue” at Sandhurst, he took up golf again after a 41-year break playing at Reymerston and later at Dereham for many years. He also shot and was a keen dinghy sailor for many years on the north Norfolk coast. A private family funeral was held at St Mary’s Church, West Somerton, and a service of thanksgiving took place at Norwich Cathedral. His father, Richard, and his sons, Richard and Michael, were at Radley.
Warren KD (d, 1933-1937) On 16.5.2016 (Kenneth) David Warren. He was a House Prefect and a member of the Boxing teams of 1935 and 1936 and Captain of Boxing in 1937. He was in the 1st XVs of 1935 and 1936 and the 2nd Cricket XI of 1937. He was a fine athlete and represented Radley in the Athletics teams of 1936 and 1937 in the Quarter Mile and Hurdles. He played Fives in the 2nd Radley Pair. He went up to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, where he gained a First in Law before joining the Colonial Civil Service. He worked in Nigeria from 1940 to 1960 and served in the Nigeria Regiment from 1940 to 1945, becoming a Captain. From 1962 to 1979 he worked for the BBC African Service. His brothers, Peter and Richard, and his sons, John and Richard, were at Radley. Hayter PJD (e, 1934-1937) On 7.3.2016 Lieutenant Commander Peter John Danvers Hayter. He was a member of the Political and German societies. He was commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1940. After the war he specialised in hydrographic surveying and was in command of H.M. Surveying Ship, Cook, from 1956 to 1958. He was Director of Hydrography for the Pakistan Navy from 1958 to 1960. His brothers, the Revd. Canon Michael Hayter (1932) and Anthony Hayter (1936) were at Radley. Drummond-Hay PDF (d, 1935-1939) On 22.11.2016 Squadron Leader Peter Derek Francis Drummond-Hay. He was born in a nursing home near to Alexandra Palace, London, in late August 1921. He was the eldest son to Claude Francis Drummond-Hay and Gladys Lorna (neé Grant); however, they soon divorced and with assistance from a guardian, Peter was able to attend Brackley Preparatory School and Radley College. He engrossed himself in sports including spare stroke for the Ladies’ Challenge Plate at Henley Royal Rowing Regatta held on 2nd July 1938, which Radley won. He represented Radley in six different sports and it is unlikely any Radleian can match this achievement. In 1937, 1938 and 1939 he was a member of the Fives Team, the Squash team (Captain in 1939) and the Rackets team. He was in the Boxing team from 1936 to 1939. In 1938 he played rugby for the 2nd XV and rowed in the 2nd VIII. He was a House Prefect, a Junior Prefect and a member of the Debating Society. Peter remained a
Squadron Leader Peter Drummond-Hay keen supporter of the school throughout his life and stated frequently that his days at Radley were the best times of his life. On leaving Radley, Peter was initially in a ‘reserved occupation’ as an apprentice with an engineering company in Greenwich and had some lucky escapes from the London Blitz bombing campaign. In 1942, Peter was able to join the Royal Air Force, initially as a pilot, but was more suited to the role of Flight Engineer. After training in the Bahamas, Peter joined Coastal Command hunting German submarines with 86 Squadron, RAF Tain in Scotland. He had over 300 hours of operational flying and at the end of War, he was posted to the newly formed Transport Command involved in the recovery of service personnel from the Far East accumulating over 1,000 flying hours. It was in 1946 at RAF Dishforth, North Yorkshire, that Peter met Peggy, who was at the time a WAAF MT Driver, and he married Peggy on the 5th July 1947; a marriage that lasted for 69 Years. He ceased flying duties in 1947, re-branched to Air Traffic Control. He was noted for his calm radio voice and one duty was to give landing approach ‘talk-downs’ to Prince Philip when he was learning to fly. Peter remained in the RAF and kept up his sports interest including representing the RAF at Squash. Their first son, Ian, was born in 1948, but sadly at the age of three, succumbed to Leukaemia whilst they were on a posting in Egypt. the old radleian 2017
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In 2016 he told us: I am the long-term sole survivor (spare man) of the team that won The Ladies’ Plate at Henley by beating Pembroke College, Cambridge, by 1¼ lengths in 6.56 minutes on the 2nd of July 1938. Radley anticipated being in the final and had organised a champagne supper for the whole College. This was preceeded by burning the boat (an old one!) by College lake in the evening of the victory. Paget Julian (b, 1935-1939) On 25.9.2016 Lieutenant Colonel Sir Julian Tolver Paget, Bt, CVO. At Radley he was a Prefect and played for the lst Cricket XI in 1939. He read medicine at Christ Church, Oxford, before being commissioned into the Coldstream Guards. His son, Henry, was at Radley. From The Times: Lt-Col Sir Julian Paget Bt D-Day veteran and eminent military historian who led visits to the battlefields of Crimea and Gallipoli “Battles and Bottles” was the title that Julian Paget gave to his series of battlefield tours, reflecting his enjoyment of hands-on military history and his love of fine wines. Wellington, and in particular the Battle of Waterloo, were his lifelong interests, and he was writing and lecturing on them until he was well into his eighties. 66
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Having a family was important to him and he is survived by Jennifer, Elizabeth, and Robin, along with grandchildren and great grandchildren. Peter left the RAF in 1970 having achieved the rank of Squadron Leader and they finally set up home in Selsey, West Sussex. He was a keen supporter of Selsey life including raising money for the Lifeboat, co-ordinator for the Neighbourhood Watch and organising collections for the RAF Wings Appeal. Into his 80s he was a member of the Selsey Golf Club and his competitive edge ensured that he was awarded veteran medals along with bottles of whisky. The motto for 86 Squadron was: Ad Libertatem Volamus “We Fly to Freedom”. After a short illness, at the age of 95, Peter flew to his freedom on the 22nd November 2016. Julian Paget with his wife, Diana, on their wedding day in 1954 Wellington’s Peninsular War, published in 1990, was packed with historical background as well as meticulously researched descriptions and analysis of the battles — including a guide to the battlefields. It was quickly followed by Hougoumont: Key to Victory at Waterloo, which described in concise and vivid detail the turning point in the Waterloo campaign. Paget’s tours were as meticulous as his writing, and on the former battlefields, equipped with a voice that carried, he would explain to his audience in great detail every manoeuvre and its significance to the final outcome. When Crimea and Gallipoli were opened up to tourists, he was one of the first to lead visits to the battlefields, enjoying the local refreshments almost as much as the fine historical detail that he had unearthed. Julian Tolver Paget was born in London in 1921, the son of General Sir Bernard Paget – who prepared 21st Army Group for the Normandy invasion before the return of General Sir Bernard Montgomery from Italy to assume its command – and his wife, Winifred. The baronetcy was created in 1871 for Julian’s great-grandfather James Paget, Queen Victoria’s surgeon and the pathologist after whom Paget’s disease, a bone growth disorder, was named. Julian inherited the title from his uncle, Sir James Paget Bt, in 1972.
He was educated at Radley College and read medicine at Christ Church, Oxford, where his grandfather had been Dean before becoming the Bishop of Oxford in 1901. On one occasion his father, concerned that Julian may not be working as hard as he might, wrote to his tutor: “I hear my son has to write only one essay a week. Don’t you know there is a war on? Make him write at least three.” Paget had dreams of following his illustrious ancestor into medicine, but war intervened. Although he was commissioned into the Coldstream Guards in 1940, he had to kick his heels in England until the Allied invasion of France in June 1944. He served with the 5th Battalion in the Guards Armoured Division during the campaign in northwest Europe, including the liberation of Brussels in August 1944 and the desperate attempt to reach the 1st Airborne Division at Arnhem the following month. On VE Day he was in Cuxhaven, northern Germany. Meanwhile, a younger brother, who had been awarded the DSO, was killed in action in northern Europe in March 1945. As the war drew to a close he decided to make the army his career. He served in Palestine during the final years of the British mandate, when groups such as Irgun Zvai Leumi and the Stern Gang were targeting British servicemen.
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After staff college in 1950 he undertook an exchange posting at the Pentagon. While in the US he met Diana Farmer on a blind date and they were engaged four days later. On one occasion when she was visiting family in California he was unable to afford the fare to join her, so mailed himself as a parcel, travelling across country in the unheated – though fortunately pressurised – hold of a US Postal Service aircraft. They were married in 1954. Diana died in 2014 and Paget is survived by their daughter Olivia, who recently retired from the Foreign Office, and their son Henry, a partner of St James’s Place, the wealth management company, to whom the baronetcy now passes. Paget was posted to Kenya in 1960 to command 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards, but with the Mau Mau insurgency over and the country preparing for independence it proved to be something of a holiday posting. Yet he made the most of his time, organising battalion expeditions to climb Mount Kenya and Mount Kilimanjaro. On the latter he assembled 72 guardsmen on Kaiser Wilhelm’s peak — then the largest group to have reached that point together. On his return to Britain in 1962 Paget commanded the Queen’s birthday parade before being posted to Aden as head of the security secretariat. Finding that there was no literature dealing with internal security operations he began his career as an author with Counter-Insurgency Campaigning (1967), which examined the campaigns in Malaya, Kenya and Cyprus. It included a foreword by the director of army training and was published in Britain and the US. Critics, however, claimed that Paget was guilty of rationalising after the event. He retired from the army in 1969 to become the public relations officer for a property company and to do more writing. Last Post: Aden 1964-67 dealt with the tangled political web of Britain’s departure from a port that had originally been purchased simply as a ships’ coaling station. It included detailed maps of the type that would later be deployed in his books on Waterloo. It was followed by a series of books on ceremonial and regimental subjects – The Story of the Guards, The Pageantry of Britain, The Yeoman of the Guard and Discovering London’s Ceremonial and Traditions – before he embarked on his Wellington
odyssey. He also edited The Guards Magazine from 1976 to 1993. Meanwhile, in 1971, he was appointed gentleman usher to the Queen, a post he held for 20 years and which involved him being chief usher at the respective weddings of the Prince of Wales in 1981 and the Duke of York in 1986. Having got Waterloo out of his system, he turned to matters closer to home. No Problem Too Difficult, about the Forces Help Society with which his father had been involved, appeared in 1999, and the following year he edited The Coldstream Guards 1650-2000. His final book, The Crusading General, was published in 2008: it looked at his father’s distinguished career, particularly his role in reorganising and re-equipping the army after Dunkirk. He also helped to arrange for the construction of the memorial at Hougoumont Farm, which was unveiled by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall last year, travelling to the ceremony in Belgium by car. For the past 18 years he was involved with the Paget’s Association, taking an active interest in its research into Paget’s disease and attending many of the association’s conferences. In 2014 James Paget University Hospital in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, marked the bicentenary of his ancestor’s birth with a conference at which Paget, now 92 but unbowed by age, cut a birthday cake. While Paget was undergoing surgery recently his doctor commented that he remained a guardsman to the end: “He even sits to attention while having his operation done.” Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Julian Paget Bt, CVO, military historian, was born on July 11, 1921. He died of septicaemia on September 25, 2016, aged 95.
East Falkland. The publicity for the book states: He was in Stanley on April 2nd 1982, the day Argentina invaded. He saw at first hand the restrained behaviour of the Argentine Commando which did not fire a shot. He saw the truth behind the lies propagated by gung ho journalists and the British government and repeated by Sir Lawrence Freedman in The Official History of the Falklands Campaign, published in 2005. He recognised the actuality for what it was. In a tiny community, a few individuals had their own agenda and in London the Prime Minister, with growing domestic problems, was looking for any source of external glory. With both military and agricultural backgrounds, Captain Carlisle’s incisive, well-informed and directly personal analysis sheds a new and refreshingly realistic light on the conflict, a quarter of a century after it happened. He now urges our government to re-open negotiations with Argentina towards the transfer of sovereignty. Only thus will the vast expense of garrisoning these far away islands be brought to an end, and our traditional good relations with that country re-established, before disaster strikes once more.
Carlisle EP (g, 1936-1940) On 10.11.2016 Captain Edmund Paul Carlisle. He was a member of the Radley Squash and Chess teams, a House Prefect and on the Committee of the Political Society. He served with the Rajputana Rifles from 1941 to 1945, becoming a Major. After leaving the Army he became a farmer and a ship-owner. He wrote his memoirs, The Reluctant Rebel, Memoirs of an English Farmer in Wales, and then The Dishonourable War about the Argentinian invasion of the Falkland Islands. In 1981 Edmund Carlisle had bought a farm in the old radleian 2017
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He continued to be involved in farming into his 90s. His father, Philip, his brother, Mark, his son, Julian, his grandson, Hugo, and several uncles and cousins were at Radley. Brooks JMH (e, 1937-1941) On 19.11.2016 Dr (John) Michael Hall Brooks. At Radley he was Hon. Secretary of the Natural History Society and a member of the Political Society. He was a very good sculler and winner of Senior Sculls but, apart from a Trial Eight, never rowed in a Radley crew. He went up to read medicine at New College, Oxford, and rowed for Oxford in the war-time boat races of 1943 (held at Radley) and 1944 (held at Ely). He served with the Rifle Brigade from 1945 to 1947 becoming a Captain. He completed his medical training at Oxford and St. Bartholomew’s Hospital and became a GP, first in Bloxwich, Staffordshire, from 1954 to 1968 and then in Bushey, Hertfordshire, from 1969 to 1984 when he retired from full-time medical practice. He took on part-time medical work for the next five years. He was a Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society and President of the GB Philatelic Society in 1994. He was assistant curator and researcher at Amersham Museum and published 50 years of the Amersham Society in 2006.
In 2003 he reported: Two ORs had an amusing day in Ely on Saturday 2nd November. I was invited (as the only Oxford member of the winning crew who could be present) to open an Exhibition in the Library as a start to a Celebration of the 1944 University Boat Race. Ben Cochrane was also present and we launched a website, www.diamond44.com, with all the details of the race. Diamond 44 is designed to culminate in a major celebration of the event in 2004 before the 150th Boat Race. It all seemed a bit premature to us, but I expect they wanted to get some of the crews there before we all finally sink below the bow waves. Anyway, we had a very jolly time being escorted round the town by the Town Crier in full voice and being given scrolls tied with ribbons of the appropriate colour – a nice touch. There were four Radleians in the 1944 race, but David Jamison and John Scott could not make it on this occasion. Apart from the above little ‘jolly’ I occupy my time in research and writing on local history for the Amersham Museum and also in the Museum of the Royal Philatelic Society, where I have spent three years sorting out and mounting an archive untouched since the 1930s. I am pleased to say that I can still find time to walk and fish to stop me rusting up entirely. His son, William (who sadly died from cancer while he was at Radley), and his brother, David, were at Radley.
Oxford win the 1943 wartime Boat Race held at Radley by ⅔ length (David Jamison at bow and Michael Brooks at 3) 68
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Clayton Russell JVP (f, 1937-1940) On 9.3.2016 John Victor Peter Clayton Russell. He went up to Jesus College, Cambridge, and then to Sandhurst but was discharged owing to ill health. He was Founder of Arnold Wragg, (Bolts and Nuts), Ltd. Sheffield in 1946 and was Chairman and Chief Exectuive for 25 years. During his career he was on the boards of a number of companies including L.M.I. Plc., Woodmet Ltd., TRICO Ltd., Doran Engineering Ltd., Mabey & Johnson Plc. (Bailey Bridge manufacturers), Platts & George Morgan Forges, Hellmers Wines Ltd., Newnock Ltd. and Mabey Construction Ltd. In 2005 he reported: Peter Clayton Russell (81) has finally retired from consultancy work for the Mabey Bridge Manufacturers of Reading. Presently he is concentrating on reducing his golf handicap and growing first class vegetables, much appreciated by his neighbours. In 2007: No longer very mobile due to arthritic knees but manage to cultivate 1/4 acre garden and produce organic vegetables, with some difficulty, throughout the year but had to give up playing golf. Life is still a lot of fun in spite of this. Agar JFS (d, 1938-1943) On 23.12.2016 Major John Fletcher Shelton Agar. He was a School Prefect and Head of his Social. He was a fine bowler in the Cricket XIs of 1941 and 1942 and winner of the All-Rounder’s Cup. He was in the 1st XV of 1942 and the 1st Hockey teams of 1942 and 1943, Captain in 1943. He was Captain of Boxing in 1942 and 1943 having been in the team from 1940. He was a member of the Athletics Team in 1942. He went up to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, (R.A.F. Short Course) and joined the R.A.F.V.R. and was sent to Canada for Air Crew training. In 1947 he was commissioned into the Royal Warwickshire Regiment becoming a Captain in 1953. He served in Korea and then with the 3rd Battalion Parachute Regiment. After a posting to Port Said from 1954 to 1956 he moved to H.Q. 3rd Commando Brigade, Royal Marines from 1958 to 1960. He left the Army as a Major in 1961. From 1962 to 1964 he worked for the Guinness Brewery, Park Royal, as General Sports and Clubhouse Secretary. In 1964
Obituaries
he joined Reed International Plc. and, in 1965, Spicer Cowan Ltd. Packaging as Field Sales Manager in their Leicester and Nottingham branches. In 1985 he moved to Wiggins Teape Ltd. in Packaging Sales until he retired. In retirement he spent much time abroad in Tenerife and Andorra. His brother, Douglas, was at Radley. Willway ML (c, 1939-1943) On 3.6.2017 Lt. Col. Michael Lindsay Willway. At Radley he was a School Prefect, Assistant Stage Manager, a PT Instructor and a member of the Literary, Dramatic and Political Societies. He served with the Royal Signals during the 1939-45 war. He gained a Regular Commission in 1946 and was promoted to Captain in 1952, Major in 1959 and Lieutenant Colonel in 1968. He served in India, Singapore, North-West Europe, East Africa and the Arabian Gulf; He commanded 36 (Eastern) Signal Regiment (Volunteers) from 1968 to 1971. He retired in 1977 and then was employed as a crown servant in an independent department of the Ministry of Defence dealing with intelligence and security matters. Denton RG (f, 1941-1945) On 9.10.2016 Rodney Gray Denton. He was a House Prefect, a member of the Political, Debating and Antiquarian Societies and took starring roles on the Radley stage. He followed his brother up to Jesus College, Cambridge, and later became a Company Director in Southern Rhodesia from 1951 to 1961. He moved to Guernsey and was on Boards of Investment, and a Trustee of Insurance Companies on the island. His brother, David, was at Radley. Barclay IF (e, 1942-1946) On 2.3.2017 Ian Fergusson Barclay. After a sustained battle against cancer Ian Barclay died at his home in South Africa on 2 March 2017 aged 88. The Barclay family had lived in Pembrokeshire for generations and Ian was born in Manorbier in 1928 where his parents lived before moving to St Florence. He was at Radley in Hope’s (E Social) from 1942-46 after which he served in the Royal Armoured Corps for his National Service. He then went to the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester. It was while at Cirencester in the late 1940s that he spotted a 1924 two-seater bull-nosed Morris Oxford in a hay barn which he bought for £10 and lovingly restored. Aged 23 and accompanied by a the old radleian 2017
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Bruford-Davies ER (a, 1942-1946) On 29.3.2017 Major (Edmund) Robin Bruford-Davies. He was a Prefect and was a member of the lst XV of 1945 and lst VIII of 1946. After Radley he joined his father’s regiment, the Royal Ulster Rifles, as a rifleman for a year and then went to Sandhurst in 1947, being commissioned into the RUR in 1949. 70
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and Shearmen, which is one of the few Livery Companies situated outside the City of London. He retired in 1994. He was a regular skier and enjoyed tennis and golf well into his 80s. Robin recorded his military career, including comments on the CCF at Radley, his captivity in the Korean War and service in Borneo in the 60s, as an Imperial War Museum oral history: iwm.org.uk/collections/item/ object/80021369
Major Robin Bruford-Davies He was part of the 1st Battalion RUR which was sent to Korea as part of the UN force in 1950 and was taken prisoner by the Chinese in January 1951; he had a difficult time held in poor conditions in Chinese POW camps and was not released until 1953. He then served variously in Germany, Borneo (1964–66) and at regimental HQ in Northern Ireland. He was a member of the regimental ski team in 1964. He retired as a Major in 1969 and joined the family business in Exeter. He was twice Master (1977 and 1987) of the Incorporation of Weavers, Fullers
Colman DG (b, 1942-1947) On 22.10.2016 David Gerald Colman. He was a House Prefect and won the Upper Sixth Declamation Prize in 1947. He was a member of the Art, Scientific, Campanological and Antiquarian Societies. He became a Civil Engineer; working with Messrs. Lowe & Rodin, consultant engineers (later Building Design Partnership) from 1955. He retired in 1991. His brothers, John and Geoffrey, were at Radley. Lannoy R (Wallers RJ at Radley) (g, 1942-1945) On 8.12.2016 after a short illness, Richard Lannoy. At Radley he was a prominent member of the Arts and Antiquarian Societies and winner of the Senior Art Prize. He had a career in the Arts, of some ©National Portrait Gallery, London
friend, he set out in 1952 on the 11,000 mile journey to Southern Rhodesia in the bull-nose. After many adventures (including re-lining the clutch in Ethiopia with cork from bottle tops given by a Norwegian missionary), they arrived safely in Salisbury having sometimes only made 25 miles in a week. Ian then secured employment farming tobacco with the Raffingora Estates. This marked the start of his career as a tobacco farmer but he took leave in 1954 to return to marry Rosemary (Rosie) Anderson at St James’ Church, Manorbier. On return to Rhodesia they set-up D8 farm, hacked out of 1,253 acres of virgin bush and started to grow tobacco, maize and cotton with a local labour force drawn from across various tribes. Ian built two houses and the tobacco barns himself. By 1961 he had formed his own company and, as a farming business, D8 was providing on site employment, housing, clothing and food stuffs for over a thousand tribal family members. At it’s height the business was highly successful and Ian was regarded as a father figure on his ranch style farm. Ian and Rosie had four sons, Charlie, David, Johnny and Robbie. Whilst on Rhodesian National Service in 1977 David was killed in action against insurgents. As national security deteriorated in post-independence Zimbabwe, Ian and Rosie decided to move to South Africa in the mid-1980s where they bought another farm ‘Ottos Bluff ’ in Natal. Following retirement, they moved to Hilton and then Howick. Rosie died in 2012. Charlie and his son David remain living in South Africa as does Johnny. Robbie lives and works in Northern Ireland. Throughout their full life together, Ian and Rosie kept in touch with family and friends in the UK and visited Pembrokeshire when they could. They were a devoted couple who weathered life’s challenges with quiet determination, resilience and characteristic good humour. Ian’s funeral was on 11 March in South Africa.
Richard Lannoy photographed by Ida Kar in 1953 or 1954
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Tom Raikes at 6 in the 1949 Oxford crew - they lost to Cambridge by just ¼ length
Publications by Richard Lannoy including The Speaking Tree (above)
international renown, as photographer, artist, author, art historian and educator. He attended Art schools in Guildford and London and went on to found the Independent Group, Institute of Contemporary Arts, in 1952. He became Director, European Programme, of the Friends World College in Norfolk. He was the author of several books on India, including The Speaking Tree: Continuity and change in Indian culture and society, published by Oxford University Press in 1971 and still in print. He was on the founding staff of the ICA, London, where he set up a celebrated forum, the Independent Group. His photography was spotted by three key promoters of innovative young cameramen, Norman Hall of Photography Magazine, Albert Gilou, founder of Réalités, and Ulrich Gasser, member of a Swiss group which ran Du. He assisted in the mounting of Henri Cartier-Bresson’s first two London exhibitions. A photographic assignment for the United Nations took him to the Palestinian refugee camps in Gaza and elsewhere in West Asia. Lannoy worked as a photojournalist for international magazines during the fifties and this led to specialisation on India and several periods of residence with his Indian novelist wife in Benares. Several publishers backed out of contracts for his Benares project, daunted by the considerable production costs on so large a book. It took many years in the wilderness before Lannoy plucked up the courage to return to the city and launch into publication on his
own, doing the design and layout himself. His thinking on Benares has never ceased for close on half a century. He lived in Bath, and equally regarded his work as photographer, writer and painter as ways to advance a holistic view of life. His brother, Anthony Wallers, was at Radley. Raikes TD (b, 1942-1946) On 30.10.2016 Thomas (Tom) Douglas Raikes. At Radley he was a Junior Scholar, winner of the Science Prize and a Prefect. He rowed in the lst VIII in 1946, competing in both the Ladies’ and the Princess Elizabeth (where they were losing finalists). His father, son and many relatives were also at Radley. His son, Graham Raikes, writes: He was the youngest of three brothers born to Admiral Sir Robert Raikes KCB CVO DSO (RHT 1898) and Ida Evans; the others being Martin (RM 1932) and Iwan (both of whom were awarded a DSC in WW2). His parents’ marriage brought two of the houses of Brecon, Treberfydd and Ffrwdgrech, together giving him 46 first cousins, important in his upbringing because both his brothers and father were away at war. Later on he would often hold court with various anecdotes of the antics of many of these relations; his maiden aunts in particular. His early years saw him being pushed around Treberfydd by his brother Iwan in his pram and to great screams and giggles the old radleian 2017
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of mirth being let to freewheel downhill. Prep school at St Andrews, Pangbourne, saw him watching dogfights over the countryside; receiving letters from Noaky, his governess of whom he was always very fond, and from Iwan onboard various ships and submarines. One particular letter very matter of factly saying that he had just been strafed from 10,000 ft and that he would look for stamps for Tom’s collection when they docked. This was the start of something because wherever he went he collected things especially as an expatriate in the Middle East and West Africa – anything and everything from shells, stones, African carvings, hides and brass weights brought round in the evenings by trading men to Neolithic flints picked off the Wadi Araba desert floor. Radley followed with B Social (Eason’s) and then Trinity College, Oxford. He obviously got sidetracked – taking to the river – because towards the end of his time there he went in to ask his tutor whether he was on for a 2nd – the don sat back in his chair, took another puff of his pipe, and said that he was lucky to be getting a third given the amount of work he had done. That rowing record was a good one as he rowed in the Boat Races of 1947 (umpired by his uncle; DT, 1910) and 1949, losing by 10+ lengths in the former but by a quarter of a length in a very close-fought race for the latter (the closest at that time since the dead heat of 1877). The ’49 race was, of course, the one where John Snagge, commentating for the BBC on a launch whose engine had failed, announced ‘I can’t see who’s in the lead but it’s either Oxford or Cambridge’. Tom also excelled at College and University rowing – winning in 1946 both the OUBC Sculls against his cousin Roger (RMT, 1940) in the final and the Pairs with Roger; winning the OUBC Coxless Fours in ’47 and rowed in his College Eight which was Head of the River from 1947 to 1949. National Service beckoned, into the Royal Engineers, with the rank of Captain. He became an expert at the construction and dismantlement of Bailey bridges and saw service mainly in Gibraltar. However, mysteriously, the river beckoned again – this time with him at stroke and winning the Wyfolds at Henley in 1950 rowing for the Royal Engineers. Then he took some time off and went to Spain (never quite sure what he did, other than develop an encyclopaedic 72
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knowledge of Riojas). He had to get a real job so he went to Persia on a construction project and this started the travel bug. On his return he married Diana in 1956 and moving around the UK saw them in Essex in the ’60s, and the cold winter of ’63, where he was rebuilding one of the old Tilbury docks. As a qualified Civil Engineer he was now earning £2,000 a year, but saw an advert that caught his eye to build a road in Jordan, from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea, to carry huge lorries with trailers travelling at 60 mph laden with phosphate out through the port of Aqaba – this was the first of his desert callings and once the desert has you it calls you back. He had now increased his salary to £4,500 per year, however, the Six Day War (staff being shot, harassed and chased by Israeli tanks) and the French contractors going into liquidation saw the road put on hold. Then various jobs to Italy (Frascati) working with his cousin Bobby (RL, 1924), Nigeria, Ghana and Benin followed often with this yearning to go back to Jordan which was where his heart was. He and Diana did get to go back and complete the Safi-Aqaba Highway some 10 years later this time with Chinese contractors and then extend it round the east shore of the Dead Sea. Further projects continued in Jordan. Eventually pioneering and the call of the desert were for younger folk, so Tom and Diana returned to Brecon, to the Mill, and he took a number of roles finally building the Llanidloes By-Pass. In his final retirement he occupied himself in the garden, playing bridge, ever the welcoming host and harassing the local authorities on various planning applications particularly on the traffic management system through Brecon. Summarising Tom’s life, with the closing words of his funeral service, as he leaves his only son, Graham, his wife Diana having pre-deceased him in 2006: So in remembering Tom let us think of those parts that we can take into our own lives – those values and principles of integrity and fair play (not so often seen in the world today nor as much as one would like); the ever generous host; that sense of humour with a twinkle in his eye and best of all his self-summary in his entry in the 2016 Old Radleian: Tom Raikes 1942 – still enjoying life but not suffering fools gladly (there seem to be a lot of them about in Government and elsewhere).
Campbell PF (f, 1943-1947) On 28.10.2016 Peter Francis Campbell, FRICS. After national service where Peter was commissioned into the RAOC, he worked in London for the Blue Star Line before travelling to Australia as a passenger on a cargo boat and working for Vesteys both in Sydney and then for a year as a jackaroo on a Vestey property in Queensland. After returning to London and getting married in 1955, he and Diana then emigrated to Canada. On their return to London a couple of years later Peter joined the Reed Paper Group and then a small firm of Chartered Surveyors in The Albany of Piccadilly. He set about studying via a postal course for his exams as a Chartered Surveyor and on qualification joined Lawland in the early seventies. He retired as Founder and Senior Partner of Martin Campbell & Partners, Chartered Surveyors in 1995. He was appointed as an independent expert by the RICS. He was elected as a chairman of the London (South West) Valuation Tribunal. He had two sons and three grandchildren. Peter remained very close to his two Radleian brothers, Michael (1947) who lives in Edinburgh and Tony (1949) who lives in Sydney. Sanders NW (c, 1943-1948) On 22.3.2016 The Revd. Nigel Wilding Sanders. At Radley he was a Junior Scholar and a Science Scholar. He was awarded a Postmastership (a senior undergraduate scholarship) at Merton College, Oxford, in 1948. With three other ORs, he rowed in the Merton Head of the River VIII in 1951 and he was bow in the Oxford crew in the 1952 Boat Race, winning by a canvas. This was a wonderful achievement for a boy who had never rowed in an eight at Radley. He became a Production Manager at Unilever Ltd. in 1955 and a Management Consultant from 1960 to 1975. He was a JP from 1977. With a colleague, Deryck Sidney, he bought a company providing an ‘outplacement’ service and created a partnership, Sanders & Sidney plc. In the late 1980s the company was floated on the stock market. He became Chairman in 1989 and retired in 1990. He was ordained as an NSM (Non Stipendiary Minister) Deacon in 1992 and a Priest in 1993. He became Honorary Curate of S.S. Andrew & Mary Magdalene, Maidenhead. He was a man of great faith, integrity and wisdom.
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Nigel Sanders, nearest the camera, at bow in the Oxford crew as they go afloat for the 1952 Boat Race. Oxford won by a canvas.
Above: Ray Arkell Below: 25th April 1957 – Ray & Liz Arkell with the Chaplain, Charles Neate
Arkell R (a, 1944-1950) On 15.2.2017 Raymond Arkell. At Radley he was a School Prefect, a member of the lst VIIIs of 1949 and 1950 (Captain of Boats in 1950). He played for the lst XV of 1949. He was Hon. Secretary of the Antiquarian Society and a member of the Scientific, Social Science, Toxophilite, and Photographic Societies and of the Sailing Club. He went up to Merton College, Oxford, and rowed in the Merton lst VIII. He was a member of the Oxford University Air Squadron. He did his National Service with the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards and was a member of the T.A. He held various Advertising and Marketing appointments from 1956 to 1972 and thereafter was proprietor of a private company. In 1957 he married Elizabeth (Liz), daughter of the Revd. Bill Llewellyn Jones, Tutor of E Social from September 1948 to December 1957. They were always wonderful supporters of Radley and the Boat Club. Their sons, Steve and Tom, were at Radley and each rowed in the 1st VIII for two years. Their daughter, Caroline, has 3 sons (Mischa, Joscelyn and Oscar Richards) who were also all at Radley, Oscar rowing for the Radley 1st VIII in 2010 and 2011. the old radleian 2017
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Michael Beardmore Beardmore MD (g, 1945-1949) On 15.6.2017 Michael Douglas Beardmore. He played for the lst XV in 1948 – the Radleian reported that Beardmore always showed himself capable of finding openings. He was a Junior Prefect and a member of the Fencing Teams of 1948 and 1949. He was winner of the Senior Long Jump and 440 yards and Captain of Athletics in 1949. He was a member of the Scientific Society and worked behind the scenes in the Dramatic Society. He was a key member of the Air Section of the CCF. He went up to Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge. After a Colonial Service Short Course he worked as a District Officer in Tanganyika from 1952 to 1962. He was ADC to the Governor of Tanganyika in 1953 and 1954. John Davenport writes: He then became a District Officer serving in remote parts of Tanganyika, including three years in Kigoma, where I spent a year with him having opened a Turkish bank there. In 1959 we had a memorable holiday in Kenya meeting numerous attractive girls who were in short supply in Kigoma. In 1961 Michael became Tanganyika’s youngest District Commissioner but his colonial service career came to an end with Tanganyika’s independence in 1962. After two years as a property manager with Harvey’s of Bristol, Michael started his own property development business in partnership with a friend from Harvey’s, Hugo Jeune. From small beginnings the business prospered until in 1968 they succeeded in buying seven large multioccupied houses in London’s Westbourne 74
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Terrace. These were converted into 33 luxury flats whose high quality attracted much favourable press comment. Subsequently with another partner, Neville Buch, Michael undertook property developments in Aberdeen which were also successful. Michael was a keen supporter of Radley and we sometimes hired a launch for Henley. On one occasion Michael’s father, who had been a naval officer and then a naval chaplain and was Bishop of St Helena, took the helm dressed in his purple regalia, which attracted some comment as we passed the enclosures. About thirty years ago Michael bought a house in a Suffolk village to be near his mother who was in a care home there and, after she died, he continued to live in Yoxford where he was much liked and respected. Despite beginning to have memory problems about ten years ago, Michael remained in his house and was well looked after and content. He died on 15th June 2017 after having had a fall while out walking. Boosey FE (h, 1945-1949) On 29.9.2016 Francis Evelyn Boosey. When he left Radley he had plans to join the family business, Boosey and Hawkes, music publishers, but in the late 1950s he worked in Canada before returning to the UK. In the 1980s, with his wife, he ran a guest house in Cornwall. His brother, Jeremy, was at Radley. Cochrane GHM (a, 1945-1950) On 21.3.2016 Gerald Henry Maynard Cochrane. He went up to read Greats at Trinity College, Oxford, and then practised as a Solicitor from 1963 becoming a partner in Ellis & Fairbairn in London. In 2000 he reported: After retiring from my legal partnership, I have retreated to the shallows of the Surrey countryside, where I can now indulge my interests in architecture, by propping up my house, horticulture, by keeping the garden at bay, and engineering, by trying to maintain my trio of senescent cars. I retain meanwhile an eating partnership in the pub/restaurant, The Griffin at Fletching, Sussex, jointly owned with my sister. Heneage TRW (g, 1945-1950) On 22.2.2015, his 83rd birthday, Timothy Robin Walker Heneage. He was a School Prefect, Head of his Social, a member of the Upper Sixth and played for the 1st XV
of 1949. He was Editor of the Radleian and Hon. Secretary of the Political and Poetry Societies and a member of the Debating, Literary, Antiquarian and Scientific Societies. He went up to University College, Oxford, and later became a teacher. A friend said Timothy was an expert on insect-eating plants and used to have a greenhouse full of them. He was also a marvellous host (with an infectious laugh) and cook, fisherman and sailor. His brother, Simon Walker-Heneage, was at Radley. Bebb NJM (h, 1946-1951) On 22.12.2016 Dr Nicholas James Montfort Bebb. At Radley he was a Junior Prefect, a member of the Upper Sixth and the Debating, Literary, Political, Antiquarian and Art Societies. He appeared on the stage in many Radley productions. He played rugby for the 3rd XV. He went up to the University of London and studied medicine at St. Thomas’s Hospital Medical School. He was House Officer at St. Mary’s Hospital, Portsmouth, before serving with the Royal Army Medical Corps from 1958 to 1975. He was seconded to the Foreign & Commonwealth Office as First Secretary (Medical Adviser) at the British High Commission in New Delhi from 1970 to 1972. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel and became a GP in Hedon, near Hull, before moving to West Bridgford, near Nottingham. Hooper SBD (f, 1946-1951) In February 2017 (Samuel) Brian David Hooper. He was a House Prefect, a stagehand for the Amateur Dramatic Society and Stage Manager for the Marionette Society. He became an Electrical Engineer and worked for the Westinghouse Brake & Signal Company from 1960 to 1969 and then for Radyne Ltd. His brother, M.W. Hooper, was at Radley. Unwin JA (b, 1946-1950) On 23.12.2016 (James) Ashley Unwin. He was born in Ceylon in 1933 and retained a life long fascination for elephants. At Radley he was a member of the Photographic Society, and he enjoyed rowing. Later, in 1950, he was in a winning London Lightweight Eight. He worked for the General Accident plc. from 1956 to 1984. He was also an Insurance Finals College Lecturer from 1964 to 1970, and President of the Insurance Institute of York in 1983.
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He was a Marina Director from 1954, and Managing Director from 1974 until his death. He had a number of hobbies: he enjoyed sailing, and riding a powerful motorbike. He was involved in amateur dramatics, and fond of music. He played several instruments, including the piano, and he had a large collection of antique weaponry. He married Marjorie, and they had two children: Steven and Janet. Marjorie had a long illness, and he nursed her devotedly, but she died in 1974. He joined a group of single parents, and became a Gingerbread Officer. He married Debbie in 1976, and they had a ‘second family’ – Robin and Vicky. His younger brother, David, was at Radley. Wynter HD (e, 1946-1950) On 29.11.2016 Hugh Domville Wynter. After Radley where he was a House Prefect, he worked for the Baltic Exchange (Shipping) from 1954 to 1957 when he moved to New Zealand. He studied at the Canterbury Agricultural College in New Zealand and then gained qualifications in Australia. He became an Agricultural Consultant in Victoria and was later Principal Officer in the South Australian Department of Agriculture. In 1983 he was appointed Lecturer in Rural Studies at the Department of Training and Further Education. He was the developer of Tool Box Agricultural Software and the author of teaching materials for Farm Management training. In 2006 he told us: I graduated from The University of Adelaide in August with a M.App.Sc. by research and was the oldest (by far) at the Graduation Ceremony. The exercise has kept my mind active and I would recommend the experience as excellent retirement therapy. Cresswell-Turner JS (g, 1947-1951) On 8.1.2017 John Sleigh Cresswell-Turner. He was a member of the Madrigal, Political, and Gramophone Societies and an Hon. Member of the Marionette Society. He was the winner of the Remove Declamation Prize in 1950. He was commissioned into the Grenadier Guards in 1952. He served with 2nd Battalion in BAOR from July to November 1952 and then returned to the UK. He left the Regiment in 1953 and then transferred to the Reserve. He subsequently became a successful architect.
The 1952 1st VIII comes off the water having won the Princess Elizabeth at Henley. Philip Chauncy is the Radley oarsman nearest the camera on the far side of the boat. Windsor TC (b, 1947-1951) On 14.10.2016 Timothy Charles Windsor. He was a House Prefect, rowed in the 2nd VIIIs of 1950 and 1951 and the 3rd XV of 1950. He was a member of the Dramatic, Scientific and Marionette Societies. He became an Engineer with F.W. Berk & Company, Chemical Manufacturers, and from 1972 a Director of M. Hamburger Holdings Ltd., Merchants and Manufacturers. Later he was Managing Director of Crack Processing Ltd. In 2001 he reported: I am now retired and restore vintage cars and motorcycles. I support Esher Rugby Club which I joined as a schoolboy 50 years ago. His cousin, Stuart Mileham, was at Radley. Chauncy ALP (h, 1948-1953) On 20.10.2016 Anthony Leslie Philip Chauncy, known as Philip. He was a Junior Prefect and rowed in the 1st VIIIs of 1952, when Radley won the Princess Elizabeth at Henley, and 1953, when Radley reached the Final of the Ladies’ Plate. He was Chairman of the Young Farmers Club and a member of the Toxophilites, the Reel Club, and the Sailing Club. He went to R.M.A. Sandhurst, and after the army worked in Advertising from 1958 to 1974, and later in Financial Services. His love of sport extended to cycling, and he regularly commuted by bicycle the 25 miles into London from Surrey. On retirement, he was a keen volunteer in his local
community and church, and assisted the hard-of-hearing as a Hearing Champion for Guildford Diocese. His relentlessly positive and caring attitude will be very much missed by Susan, his wife of 59 years. And he was much loved by his three sons Christopher, Charlie and Edward, and his daughter Emma. His sons, and his father Major Leslie Chauncy, were also at Radley. Dipple IAK (f, 1948-1953) On 14.9.2017 Ian Alexander Keith Dipple. A full obituary will be in the 2018 Old Radleian. Hodgson JE (h, 1948-1952) On 3.4.2017 John Edward Hodgson. At Radley he won a Shell Form prize and was a member of the Gramophone Society. He joined the Bank of England in 1954 and worked there in various staff roles until he retired in 1994. His father, D.H. Hodgson, was at Radley. Marsh RIL (g, 1948-1952) On 19.11.2016 Roy Ian Lockhart Marsh. He was a member of the Boxing Team from 1948 to 1951, the 2nd XI Hockey in 1952 and the 1st XV in 1951. He went to R.M.A. Sandhurst and was commissioned into the Royal Artillery becoming a Captain in 1960. After the Army he worked for BP for over 20 years. His father, Stephen, and his brother, Richard, were at Radley. the old radleian 2017
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Boosey NM (a, 1949-1955) On 15.8.2017 Nigel Marchant Boosey. Nigel did his National Service in the RAF. He had intended to join the family business of Boosey and Hawkes, the music publishers, but internal company politics prevented this and he worked in the aircraft industry before taking early retirement in 1993. He then became involved with Victim Support as treasurer of the local scheme, having been a JP for many years. He started a hostel for overseas students in Bristol, as part of the Zebra Trust. His brothers Anthony and Simon were at Radley. He was a House Prefect and Secretary of the Musical and Natural History Societies. He was a member of the Madrigal and Marionette Societies. He appeared on the stage and also helped behind the scenes. He played in the 3rd XV of 1955 with occasional appearances for the 2nd XV. He was in the Athletics teams of 1953, 1954 and 1955 and was awarded his 1st Athletics Strings. He won the Oxley Geography prize and the Bandmaster’s Prize. He played in the Orchestra and the Military Band and was a member of the Choir. Huddy ECH (a, 1949-1953) On 16.11.2016 Edward Charles Hotten Huddy, BDS, FDS, RCS. He was in the superb Cricket XIs of 1952 and 1953. The Radleian reported: A useful fastmedium opening bowler who always bowled a length. Often unlucky, but won the Sherbome match. Improved in the field. Was only allowed to bat once, which was just as well. He was also in the Athletics teams of 1952 and 1953 and won the High Jump Cup. He went up to Bristol University (Dental School). He was in practice in Cardiff in the 1960s and later became a Consultant Oral Surgeon with the Mid Cheshire Hospitals Trust. His brother John was at Radley. Hutchins JC (e, 1950-1955) On 13.7.2017 John Charles Hutchins. At Radley he was a House Prefect and winner of Senior Sculls in 1954 and 1955 and winner of School Sculls at the Serpentine in 1954 and Junior Sculls at Marlow Regatta in 1955. He was a pilot in the RAF from 1955 to 1958 and then joined Hicks Brothers Coffee Ltd. becoming a Director. From 1963 to 1970 he was a Cocoa Floor Trader with E.D. & F. Man and then a Cocoa Broker and Director of L.M. Fischel & Co. Ltd. from 1970 to 1983. In 1983 76
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The undefeated 1952 XI Cricket: left to right – back row: John Gleave, Leo Cooper, John Scott, Michael Duff – seated: Robin Davies, Ted Dexter, Christopher Walton, Clive Carr, John Waddilove – front: Edward Huddy, Tim Perkins he returned to E.D. & F. Man as a Cocoa Broker and Director. He was Master of the Clothworkers’ Company in 2000/2001 and then a Governor of the Clothworkers’ Foundation. He was Chairman and a Trustee of the Clothworkers’ Pension Fund. He was Chairman of the City of London Corporation Livery Committee. His son, Charles, was at Radley. Britten AEM (h, 1951-1956) On 25.8.2016 Alan Edward Marsh Britten, CBE. At Radley he won the Storrs French Prize and the Intermediate Piano Prize. He played in the lst Tennis VI in 1954, 1955 and 1956 and was a member of the lst Hockey XI in 1955 and 1956. He joined the Northamptonshire Regiment for his National Service before gaining a commission with the Cheshire Regiment and serving in Malaya. He went up to Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he was captain of his College Tennis and Hockey teams and Editor of Light Blue in 1960 and 1961. He joined Mobil Oil in 1961, working for them in Europe, USA and Kenya and becoming Managing Director of Mobil Oil UK Ltd from 1987 to 1989 and Vice President of Mobil Europe Ltd from 1990 to 1996. He managed to find time for a degree in American Studies from William
College, Massachusetts, in 1977 and further study at Princeton University in 1989. He was Director of the British Tourist Authority from 1997 to 2003, Chairman of the English Tourism Council from 1999 to 2003. He was a Council member of the Council Royal Warrant Holders Association (President from 1997 to 1998). He was trustee of the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust from 1997 to 2002 (Chairman from 1998 to 2002). He served on the Council of the University of East Anglia from 1996 and was a Governor of the Trinity College of Music from 2001. His brother, John Britten, was at Radley. From the Benjamin Britten website: Alan Britten, Benjamin Britten’s nephew, a tireless supporter of the Aldeburgh community and generous friend of both The Red House and of Aldeburgh Music, has passed away. Alan, who was extremely proud of his uncle, although never exploited his connection with the composer, was in every sense a positive presence. He showed enthusiastic, genuine interest in all aspects of the work of the Britten–Pears Foundation and, invariably accompanied by his wife Judi, attended all
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(he was suffering an infection at the time). But there was also a tinge of regret about his not being around at that time to see Alan in his infancy. Britten added that ‘From all accounts [he] is an awfully cute kid – do you realise I’ve only seen him once? … one day I may come home with my pockets bulging with silver dollars, and then [Alan and John will] be proud of their uncle’. The typically keen way Alan would answer a question or relate an anecdote proves that Britten’s hopes came to fruition. From The Daily Telegraph Alan Britten, nephew of Benjamin Britten and promoter of the Aldeburgh festival
Alan Britten significant functions, exhibition openings, recitals and lectures held at The Red House. Aldeburgh was important to Alan. Firstly, it was a place in which he and Judi established a home for them and their two daughters, Tamara and Sophie. But he was also committed to doing as much as he could in order to ensure the town’s future. His professional expertise in promotion and tourism was of undoubted benefit in this area. He was a member of the Aldeburgh Liaison Committee, in which capacity he actively participated in ways in which the local community could be improved and helped. His advice was offered with quick wit: he was both lively and energetic and often demonstrated a spontaneous and infectious sense of humour. Alan was genuinely interested in the future not only of his town but also in the legacy of which he was personally associated. He was Chairman of the Friends of Aldeburgh Music, an organisation that offers vital support to the Aldeburgh Festival and the Snape Maltings Concert Hall, both of which were
very much at the heart of his uncle’s vision of bringing music to the community. In the build-up to Britten’s centenary in 2013 Alan was full of questions as to the progress of the numerous plans involving events in and around Aldeburgh, as well as the re-presentation of The Red House and the building of the new Archive. During the centenary year itself he was a tireless advocate for his uncle’s, and the Foundation’s, work. Like others who were closely associated with the composer, Alan was a knowledgeable source of information, sharing stories and insights that only a family member could know. ‘Bright, quick, intelligent, interested’ was the way Britten described Alan in a letter to Peter Pears in February 1959. The younger son of Britten’s brother Robert, Alan and his brother John were, as was the case with all Britten’s nieces and nephews, welcome visitors to the Old Mill at Snape, to Crag Path and The Red House as he grew up. Britten’s earliest comment about Alan appears in a letter to Robert, written in August 1941, during his three-year stint in the United States. He showed concerns over what he described as Alan’s ‘glands’
Alan Britten, who has died aged 78, was the nephew of Benjamin Britten and worked tirelessly to promote his uncle’s music and the Aldeburgh Festival; he was also the first chairman of the English Tourism Council. Alan Edward Marsh Britten was born at Rhuddlan, North Wales, on February 26 1938, to the composer’s older brother, Robert, a schoolmaster who, with his wife, Marjorie, was running Clive House prep school in Prestatyn, which they had founded in 1931. In 1940 Robert Britten became headmaster of Wellingborough Junior School, where Alan and his older brother John spent their prep school years. “Bright, quick, intelligent, interested” was how his uncle Benjamin Britten described Alan in a letter to Peter Pears. Alan was later educated at Radley College, where he shone at music, tennis and hockey. After National Service with the Royal Suffolk Regiment in Malaya, he read English at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he captained the tennis and hockey teams, and edited Light Blue, the university sports magazine. He spent several of his university holidays with his uncle at Aldeburgh, and remembered him working a normal 9-5 day, going into his study to compose just as others would go to the office. He often recounted how his uncle sat down to lunch one day and said: “I’ve got this piece. It’s all done. Now I just have to find the notes.” On graduating from Cambridge, Britten joined Mobil Oil, for whom he worked, managing a number of Mobil’s offices around the world, until his retirement in 1997 as vice-president of Mobil Europe. the old radleian 2017
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He initiated Mobil’s sponsorship of a series of concerts at Greenwich Chapel, and of Mobil Touring Theatre. He also initiated Mobil’s sponsorship of the Transglobe Expedition, Sir Ranulph Fiennes’s 100,000-mile circumpolar voyage and later became a trustee of the Transglobe Expedition Trust – a charity that offers grants to young explorers embarking on similarly “mad but marvellous” projects. When Mobil was awarded a royal warrant, Britten was nominated as holder, and he went on to became chairman of the Royal Warrant Holders’ Association and later of its charitable arm, the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust. After his retirement from Mobil, he became director of the British Tourist Authority, and shortly afterwards was appointed the first chairman of the English Tourism Council, where he helped the industry recover from the twin blows of foot and mouth and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In 2000 he was invited by Jonathan Reekie, the then chief executive of Aldeburgh Music, to be president of the Friends of Aldeburgh Music. He was immensely proud of his connection to the festival’s founder, but seemed genuinely surprised to be approached to do the job. He devoted his energies to supporting young musicians. He believed passionately in the Britten-Pears Young Artists’ Programme and he and his wife Judi sponsored the two Britten-Pears Alumni concerts every Aldeburgh Festival. Britten was appointed to the board of Trinity College of Music in 2001. When, in 2005, Trinity merged with Laban to become Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, he was one of a small number of governors who facilitated the union and transferred to the board of the new organisation. He later became the chairman of Trinity Laban’s Audit Committee, and a member of the governing council of Trinity College London. Among other appointments, Britten was an independent member of the University of East Anglia’s Council for nine years, and was on the board of UEA’s Overseas Development Group for 10. He was a trustee of Integrated Neurological Services and a trustee and chairman of Leeds Castle Enterprises, where he developed the estate’s hospitality business. In 2003 he was appointed CBE for Services to Tourism. 78
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Alan Britten is survived by his wife Judi, and by their two daughters, Tamara and Sophie. Alan Britten, born February 26 1938, died August 25 2016. Barrett JJW (h, 1954-1958) On 7.2.2016 John James William Barrett. At Radley he played in the 3rd XI cricket team in 1957 and 1958. In 2000 he reported: I have recently retired after 25 years working for the AA, the final seven years as Business Relations Director. I started my own business in April 2000, so do not see myself as “retired”! I was Master of the Worshipful Company of Woolmen in 1981/1982. Sally and I will have been married for 30 years this September and we have a married daughter expecting our first grandchild in December this year; our son Richard (OR) is an Account Director with a large Marketing Agency. I am a master of the Turf Club. John considered himself forever a Radley man, a place of joy and freedom that guided him over time into a loving husband, proud father and mischievous grandfather. He always maintained that should he ever have a son then he too would experience all that Radley had to offer, and in 1973 Richard was put down for Radley on the very day he was born. He and his wife Sally (BOAC air hostess and subsequently a theatre nurse until she retired) were married for 46 years and Sally continues to live in the family home in Wiltshire. They have a daughter Alexia Marsh who with her husband Richard has three children, Sienna, Felix and Clementine, and live in London. Their son Richard (OR) with his wife Lisa have two daughters India and Willow, and live in Sussex. He started Barrett Business Relations in 2000 and by 2006 had become involved in the Takeover & Private Equity world. With the Carlyle Group they managed the takeover/acquisition of the RAC from Aviva in 2011. In his eulogy, his son and daughter said of him, ‘A more loving, generous, warm hearted, outgoing and sartorially perfect gentleman you are unlikely to meet. JB eternally loved, eternally missed.’ His son, Richard, and his nephew, Ali Meier, were at Radley. Hanley SJB (g, 1954-1955) On 24.12.2015 Steven James Bannigan Hanley. Steven was born just before the beginning of WWII in Taplow, England to
Steven Hanley Nancie Naylor and James Harris Hanley. Steve and family (sister Carolyn) moved to Rhode Island and Bermuda, then with brother Paul, to Tumacacori, Arizona and finally to West Los Angeles. He spent a year at Radley where he was a House Prefect, a member of the Upper Sixth and in the Boxing and Gym Teams of 1955. He was a member of the Choral, Poetry, Political, and Shakespeare Societies and on the St. Peter’s London Docks Committee. After Radley Steve attended UCLA where he swam varsity and joined Phi Gamma Delta. Upon graduation as Ensign (U.S. Naval Reserve) he married Jean Van Buren, and began his two-year duty at sea on the USS Thresher. They then moved, with daughter Alison and son James, to The Webb School of Claremont where he taught English and coached the swim and soccer teams. After a summer registering rural voters in Alabama, the family moved to Aptos, where he and Jean joined the Cabrillo College English Dept. Swimming, civil rights and music continued as family pursuits during these years. In the late ‘70s Steve met and married Geraldine Peck and they moved to Soquel where they raised their four children: Benjamin, Bo Else, Guy (Blaz) and Bryn. Swimming, music and travel carried through these years as well, with trips to Florida, Mexico, South Carolina and Costa Rica. Steve also earned a Black Belt in Tai Kwan Do and played with several local bands. After 35 years at Cabrillo, he enriched his retirement years by substitute teaching, playing guitar and congas, creative writing, martial arts and body surfing.
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Pre-deceased by his wife Geri, he leaves sister Carolyn (Dr. John Carollo), brother Paul, Cmdr., USN (Priscilla), former wife Jean, his aforementioned six children, and three grandchildren. His father, James, was at Radley. Ingham Clark R (a, 1953-1957) On 16.10.2016 Captain Roderick Ingham Clark. After Radley he was commissioned into the Scots Guards, serving in the UK, Kenya, the Far East and Australasia. He left the Army in 1965 and studied at the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. He was Founding partner and Chairman of H21 International Ltd from 1968 to 1982 and subsequently a management consultant. He retired in 1997. His cousins John Fell-Clark and Justin Young were at Radley. Moore MR (g, 1954-1959) On 25.7.2016 Michael Richard Moore. He won the Science Remove Prize in 1957, Middle “A” Sculls in 1959 and was a House Prefect. He went up to Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, where he studied Natural Sciences. He joined the National Grid Company where he became Geographic Information System and Map Administrator. He was a churchwarden and a member of the British Computer Society. He leaves a wife, two children and five grandchildren. Taylor MW (h, 1954-1958) On 15.11.2016 Michael (Mike) Wells Taylor. He rowed in the 3rd VIII of 1957 and the 4th VIII of 1958. He was Hon. Secretary of the Astronomical Society. He went up to King’s College, London. His brother Tim was at Radley. His sister, Mary Stack, writes: As a Senior boy Mike Taylor rowed for Radley and continued his interest in this sport through King’s College, London, when an undergraduate. After leaving Radley he joined The General Electric Company in Wembley where he worked for five years before going to King’s College, London, where he achieved a BSc in Physics and Mathematics (Pure and Applied). His late entry was due to a legacy from a late god-father which funded his time at university. Mike then joined Harrow College of Technology and Art which passed through many changes from a College of Higher Education, then merging with the
Polytechnic of Central London in 1990 and finally attaining university status in 1992, becoming the Harrow Campus of The University of Westminster and in 1995 housing the Harrow Business School. At the start of his 35 year career in Harrow, Mike was in charge of the A level courses in the Department of Science and specialised in Physics and Mathematics. Of the A level revision students whom he taught most went on to become medical and dental students after improving their physics results by an average of two grades. He taught on the BSc Foundation course building on students’ A levels and ONDs to equip them for university entrance. Mike had a great interest in astronomy and wrote courses for Middlesex University on the subject as well as developing software demonstrations on the movement of stars. Mike was a thoroughly well-grounded physicist with complete mastery of his entire subject matter, a stalwart supporter of high standards and professionalism and always putting the interest of students first. His door was always open to students and staff alike and he would be found helping students long after classes had finished, demonstrating his passion for the subject matter and dedication to his profession. When Physics was no longer on the syllabus, Mike took time out to gain a degree in Computer Science and became a Senior Lecturer on the MSc Computer Science course. Mike was also a qualified weightlifting coach and in his early days at Harrow College created a weight lifting club in the gymnasium. He instigated all manner of evening extramural activities for the students and was instrumental in getting football pitches built for the college, now transformed into student accommodation blocks. He was involved in setting up the Student Counselling Service and seeing that the high proportion of Muslim students had adequate facilities to practice their faith. There are letters dated 1971 from the Academic Board of the College conveying their appreciation to Mike for his efforts in providing shower facilities. The Controller of Education Services for the London Borough of Harrow also wrote commending Mike’s efforts in promoting sports and athletics in the College. Not only his teaching but his pastoral care for his students was legendary. However, Mike’s passion in life was Opera. In January 1971 he founded, with Oliver Broome, Harrow Opera
Workshops. This began as a class of the then Harrow College of Technology and Art working in a small classroom with eight students. Its prime purpose was, and still is, for the education of members and the public in the art of opera offering an opportunity for members to develop their skills and to perform as both actors and singers. Mike first performed with the group in 1972 and over the years he took many roles including Antonio (The Marriage of Figaro), the Marquis (La Traviata) and an armed man in The Magic Flute. He also was famed for his wonderful set building abilities, most notably the sets for Cavalleria Rusticana and Falstaff which still re-emerge as the back drops for many other shows. In 2000 after the group had morphed into Harrow Opera, Mike took over as Chairman and along with his set building duties worked tirelessly at publicity, programme writing and all the other administrative duties associated with the group. He stepped back slightly in 2011 but never stopped giving his utmost to the group until he moved away to Dorset in 2014. He loved Harrow Opera but it is acknowledged by all members that it would not have survived without his devotion. He is owed a great debt of gratitude. He was glad that he made the move to Bridport to be nearer his sister and family. He achieved one of his greatest desires which was to have a Hartley greenhouse built to house his sizable collection of cacti and orchids. Sadly he suffered from increasing ill health during this time but continued to live independently in his own home and enjoyed seeing his nephews and nieces and his great nephews and nieces when they came to beach holidays on the ‘Jurassic Coast’. He cared for others before himself and will be remembered for his generosity and encouragement to young people. He showed courage in adversity and plenty of charm and was a true gentleman who truly ‘hid his light under a bushel’. Eliot RF (h, 1955-1960) On 10.2.2017 Robin Francis Eliot. He played in the 1st Cricket XIs of 1958, 1959 and 1960. Over those three years he took 189 wickets at a cost of 14 runs per wicket, a magnificent record which has never been bettered. Based on 14 matches per season he took an average of 4.5 wickets per innings. The legendary Bert Robinson described him as the best schoolboy bowler the old radleian 2017
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he ever saw. The Radleian reported in 1960: This year... he went from strength to strength, and finished in a blaze of destruction with 9 for 54 against the Free Foresters. Only the most experienced batsmen faced him with confidence for he not only hardly ever bowled a “bad one” but continued to do something even with the old ball. He was a member of the lst XVs of 1958 and 1959 and the 1st Hockey XIs of 1959 and 1960. He was in the Athletics Teams of 1959 and 1960. He was Hon Secretary of the Cricket Club in 1960 and won the Bowling Cup in 1959 and 1960. He was Hon. Secretary of the Law Society. He played cricket for the Public Schools in 1960. He went up to Lincoln College, Oxford, and played cricket for the university during 1991 and also for the Oxford Authentics (2nd team). He might have won a ‘blue’ but decided he needed to concentrate on his exams. He played hockey for Oxford University Occasionals and rugby for the Greyhounds. He also played cricket for the Rangers and the MCC. He became a Lloyds Aviation Underwriter and Agent in 1964 and was Chairman and Underwriter for G.P. Eliot & Co. Ltd. from 1977 to 1994. He was Deputy Chairman of the Lloyd’s Aviation Underwriters’ Association in 1985/1986 and Chairman in 1989/1990. He was Deputy Chairman of Marchant & Eliot in 1994. He was a Steward at Lingfield Park and various other courses. He was the owner of National Hunt Horses including the well-known Deep Sensation that won the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham in 1993. His father, Geoffrey, his brothers, Christopher and Simon, and his sons, Jonathan and Andrew, and his grandsons, William and Robin, were at Radley. Hogg NJD (d, 1956-1960) On 10.12.2016 Nicholas James Dacres Hogg of pancreatic cancer. He was a member of the Gym Team in 1956 and the Athletics Team in 1959. He worked with Messrs. Sedgwick & Collins, Insurance Brokers, from 1960 to 1962 and then Aspro Nicholas (Marketing) from 1963 to 1964. From 1963 to 1967 he worked for Masius Wynne Williams (Advertising) before moving to Australia and the Far East where he was with S.H.Benson (Advertising), from 1967 to 1971, Lintas (Advertising), Australia, from 1971 to 1972, Guiness Peat Group (Commodity Trading), Indonesia, from 1973 to 1974. He then moved back to London and was with Sime Darby 80
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(Commodity Trading) from1974 to 1980 and GNI Ltd. (Commodity Trading) from 1981 to 1991. From 1991 to 1994 he was unable to work due to a back disorder. His nephew, William Edwards, was at Radley. Jenkins RPV (h, 1956-1961) On 16.4.2017 His Honour Judge Richard Peter Vellacott Jenkins. He was an Entrance Scholar, a member of the Upper Sixth and a House Prefect. He played hockey for the 2nd XI in 1961 and cricket for the 3rd XI in 1960 and 1961. He was Hon. Secretary of the Law and Gramophone Societies. He went up to Trinity Hall, Cambridge, and was Called to the Bar, Inner Temple, in 1966. He practised as member of the Midland Circuit from 1966 to 1971 and the Midland & Oxford Circuit from 1972 to 1989 where he was Assistant Treasurer and Remembrancer from 1985 to 1989. He was a Recorder of the Crown Court from 1988 to 1989 and then became a Circuit Judge. He was a Freeman City of London and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Co of Barbers. His brother, Nick, three nephews and a cousin were at Radley. Tribute to His Honour Richard Jenkins by HHJ Heath at Lincoln Crown Court on Wednesday 18th April 2017: Early on Monday morning of this week I learned of the death of His Honour Richard Jenkins. Richard had been my friend since I began sitting in the Crown and County Courts of Lincolnshire. He died in hospital in West Yorkshire, awaiting an operation on his hip which he damaged in a fall last week. In hospital a blood clot developed followed by a cardiac arrest and he died on Easter Sunday. His death was unexpected and a shock to me and to those whom I informed of it. Richard Jenkins retired from the Circuit Bench on All Fools’ Day 2015, but he was no fool. He was a lovely man of great intelligence and a very fine judge. I appeared before him many times in the County Court. Sometimes he found for me, sometimes he found against me, but whatever his finding he was always right. Advocates liked appearing before him, especially the ladies (or so he told me) because he listened patiently, considered evidence and submissions with the utmost care and was always courteous to those who appeared in front of him. That courtesy was one of his hallmarks.
His Honour Judge Richard Jenkins He once told me with pride how a now nationally known woman described him when he was an undergraduate as ‘the politest man in Cambridge.’ Richard Peter Vellacott Jenkins was born on 10 May 1943. He was educated at Edge Grove School Aldenham, Radley, and Trinity Hall, Cambridge. After graduation he spent a short time teaching at St Anselm’s School in Derbyshire. He was called to the Bar by Inner Temple in 1966. He did pupillage with Desmond Fennell at what was then known as 2 Crown Office Row and then became a tenant at Devereux Chambers in London. He was a member of the Midland Circuit from 1968 until 1972 and then of the Midland and Oxford from 1972 until 1989. He was Remembrancer and Assistant Treasurer of his Circuit from 1984 until 1989. He was a Recorder between 1988 and 1989 and was appointed one of Her Majesty’s Circuit Judges in 1989. Happily for us, he was sent up to the historic county of Lincolnshire on the retirement of Judge George Whitehead, and he sat at Lincoln and Grimsby (until it went off circuit) dealing with criminal, civil, and family cases. In 1998 he became Designated Family Judge for Lincolnshire and he held that position for the next 10 years and gradually sat exclusively in family work. He fulfilled that role with energy, enthusiasm, and great skill. Family cases are especially demanding and Richard worked prodigiously to ensure that justice was done in this highly stressful sphere of judicial activity. He was entrusted with
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section 9 work and from time to time sat in the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand. He made a vast contribution to the law in Lincolnshire. He served on the Humberside Probation Committee, the Lincolnshire Probation Board and was chairman of the Lincolnshire Criminal Justice Area Strategy Committee. For many years he was a member of the Council of Circuit Judges and served as chairman of the family subcommittee for a number of years and in due course was president of the Council. Between 1997 and 2002 he was a director of the Lincolnshire family mediation service and for a number of years he was president of Lincolnshire Relate. Whatever he did, he did with dedication and industry. His contribution was recognised by the University of Lincoln which awarded him an honorary doctorate of laws. He had over a number of years lent his counsel to the university. Outside the law he loved music and the theatre and he was interested in sport, particularly cricket. He was a member of the MCC and Yorkshire. He was also a Liveryman of the Company of Barbers. He was also a lover of good food and he had a phenomenal memory for the details of the many repasts he had consumed. Richard was a family man. In 1975 he married the delightful Anna, an Ulster woman and librarian. She served as a magistrate and a prison visitor in Lincoln. Their house at Boothby Graffoe resembled a public library, so many books did they possess. They were warm and generous hosts. They had two children together, Daniel and Isobel, both of whom Richard was justifiably proud. But then tragedy struck. Anna became unwell and eventually succumbed to ovarian cancer after a determined fight. After some time Richard met and eventually married a judge on the north-eastern circuit, Her Honour Judge Jennifer Kershaw QC. To our loss and their gain Richard transferred from this circuit to the north-eastern and took his expertise and experience to Yorkshire where he was warmly welcomed and highly valued. But alas, lightning struck twice, and poor Richard lost his second wife to cancer after a short but very happy marriage. I said earlier that he was my friend. When I came onto the Bench in 1995 Richard Jenkins was most welcoming to me. He was helpful and supportive. He was a mine of knowledge and information which he willingly shared. He was of great help to my elder son who studied in Vienna where Richard had spent his gap year and
George Livingstone-Learmonth where he had many contacts. He had many friends in many walks of life all over the country and abroad and he was loyal to them. He was a great conversationalist. I had many long conversations with Richard. In fact you never had any other type of conversation with him. I look back with fondness at my last conversation with him three weeks ago. One evening, at 9pm I had settled down to a session of weight training. I had done the warmup when the phone rang at 9:10. It was Richard. I put the phone down at 11:15. What he told me was interesting and absorbing. It always was with him. He was kind, generous with his time and knowledge, gregarious, amusing, cultured and sensitive. He was a man of ability, of industry, and of achievement. Those of us who had the privilege of knowing and/or working with him are richer for having known him and much sadder for his passing. Livingstone-Learmonth LHG (e, 1956-1960) On 9.1.2017 (Lestock Harold) George Livingstone-Learmonth. He was Captain of Boxing in 1959 and 1960 and played for the 2nd Rugby XV in 1960. He went up to Edinburgh University and later to the University of Capetown where he was a Gold Medallist and Old Mutual Scholar on the MBA course. He was at Charter Consolidated plc from 1965 to 1980, becoming a Director, and he was Managing Director of Hampton Gold Mining Areas plc
from 1980 to 1986. He set up Doublell Communication Consultants, training presentation and negotiation skills, from 1988 to 1998. Moving away from the corporate world, he did a postgraduate degree at Exeter University in Exercise & Sport Psychology, during which time he developed his affection for Devon, where he retired. George will be remembered by his friends and family for his spirit of adventure. He held a pilot’s licence in the 1970s, was one of the 100 people to walk (for charity) from France to England through the Channel Tunnel at its opening in 1994, and enjoyed travel and trekking around the world with his beloved wife Katherine and with friends. His sons, Edward and Max, and his cousin, Alex Stenning, were at Radley. Woodhouse BE (e, 1956-1959) On 15.2.2016 Barry Endean Woodhouse. At Radley he was a member of the Sailing team and, just after he left, he won the Junior division of the DevizesWestminster Canoe Race with Charles Evans (1956). A Tribute to Barry E Woodhouse by Alastair Warrington: Barry Woodhouse was part of a group of Radley boys who did not naturally aspire to be great sporting or academic heros. Probably regarded as eccentric, their relaxed and non-conformist attitude was inspired and mentored by dons like Christopher Ellis, Jim Rickards, John Birkhead and not forgetting Derrick Ashcroft who Barry met again a few years ago in New York. Barry’s love of the sea and sailing was nurtured and honed by the flukey river conditions by the Evans boathouse and latterly on the more exposed gravel pits. He was in the sailing team, effectively representing Radley against Hatherop Castle girls school as well as the usual run of rival public schools which were mostly vanquished. He also took part in the Public Schools Dragon Championship but it was cruising and racing on Theodora with Chris Ellis that really fired his enthusiasm for later adventures. Barry followed his father into the Navy, attending RNC Dartmouth and taking a short service commission in the Fleet Air Arm. He flew the Whirlwind helicopter, being involved in the Indonesian conflict where his job was to fly SAS operatives the old radleian 2017
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to and from jungle clearings in Borneo – not an easy task given that the aircraft was difficult to fly, usually overloaded and often fired on. After Naval service, Barry chose flying as his career and joined BOAC who had recently equipped with jets such as the VC 10 which he loved and regarded as one of the finest airliners we have made. Edward Welstead, Barry’s friend, said in his eulogy that “Barry loved the global travel as much as the flying, coming home with trophies from his journeys, carpets from Tehran, pearls from Hong Kong and even managed to appear with a parrot on his shoulder – a macaw from Jamaica.” He was latterly a long haul Captain on the 747. As well as being a first rate navigator, he was an intuitive meteorologist which stood him in good stead when he loaded extra fuel for returns to fog bound London – not always endearing himself to cost conscious management. It is perhaps the sailing adventures that Barry will be best remembered for. As Edward says, he was an intrepid master of the art and could conjure forward progress for his boat out of the faintest zephyr or work to windward against a tempest – sometimes alone. Being a talented navigator at sea as well as in the air, a hazardous passage was a challenge to him, revelling in passing through rocks between a lighthouse and the cliffs, as demonstrated to a fearful Edward at Les Hanois off south west Guernsey. His favorite cruising grounds were the Arctic seas of Iceland, Greenland and Norway’s North Cape and probably his greatest voyage was in his yacht Enigma which took him around the North Cape into the White Sea to Archangel. Thence, in the footsteps of the Vikings, he traversed Russia via river and canal right down to the Black Sea – a unique feat in recent times. For this he was elected to the Royal Cruising Club with responsibility for charts. Barry also served as a council member of the Royal Yachting Association. He gave a lot of his time and encouragement to the Bridport Sea Cadets, near his Dorset home, and was much in demand as a speaker about his sailing exploits. Barry most enjoyed having his family on board. Father and son, Miles, also a Radleian enjoyed many adventures together. On one occasion, Anna woke to observe France out of the port hole, 82
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thinking she was still in Portland. To Barry, crossing the Bay of Biscay and beyond was the equivalent of an English Channel crossing to most of us. Barry died suddenly at Miles’ house while he and Anna were setting off on holiday to Vietnam. It was a dreadful shock to Anna, Miles and daughter Olivia and they as well as his many friends and beloved dogs miss him terribly. Allen JHG (g, 1959-1963) On 20.4.2017 Jonathan Harvey Glynne Allen, MBE. He was commissioned into the Scots Guards in 1965 becoming a Captain and Company Commander. He was awarded the General Service Medal, Northern Ireland, in 1971 and was Mentioned in Despatches in 1972. He was appointed MBE in 1974 and was awarded the Jubilee Medal in 1977. From 1978 to 1982 he was a senior executive with Laign & Cruickshank and an independent oil and mining consultant from 1982 to 1984. From 1984 to 1989 he worked with the Klondike Gold Mining Corporation becoming Chairman. From 1990 to 1997 he was a Senior Consultant with Overton Shirley & Barry, and then Chief Executive of Harvey Glynne International from 1997 to 2005. After a year as a Senior Consultant with TPD Associates he set up his own company, Jonathan Allen & Associates. He was involved with the Conservatives and the Countryside Alliance. He was a member of the City of London Club and the Third Guards Club. In 2012 he reported: I am currently a Consultant to Mount Bele Resources which has mining assets in Liberia and am advising the Liberian Government on agriculture, sustainable forestry, power generation and fisheries protection and port security. I am also working closely with WaterAid, the UK Charity, and with kMatrix and New Zealand Trade & Enterprise. His father, Lt. Colonel Michael Allen, was at Radley. Lewis HS (d, 1960-1964) On 27.2.2017 from cancer of the larynx, Henry Stephen Lewis. During his time at Radley he was a stalwart of Stuart’s Social plays. He became a writer, composer, railway enthusiast and conservationist.
Henry Lewis From The Guardian Maev Kennedy writes: My friend Henry Lewis, who has died aged 70, was a happy soul who woke up humming and often sang his way through the day – often delivering renditions of his own songs, though he could also imitate a whistling kettle or the Radio 4 time pips. Henry wrote sharp, satirical musicals about life, railways, the environment and wind farms, which half a century earlier might have made him much better known. In the late 20th century they usually had short runs in pubs or church halls, and lost money. Each time he would express mild surprise, momentary sadness, then shake himself down and start again. I first met him in 1988 holding a flaming torch at one of the protests against the construction of the Channel tunnel rail link in Kent. He told me he was the author of Scott of the South Circular, and was writing a show about the tunnel. That musical, Joan of Kent, was one of his most successful. The magazine Time Out called it “eccentrically British, thoroughly uplifting, this wonderful musical”, but as so often his political purpose, opposition to the carving up of beautiful countryside, was derailed by his love of a good tune and indeed by his love of railways. The song that the audience came out humming was the heroic anthem of the railway builders. Henry was born to Evan Lewis and his wife, Madge (nee Pilkington), in
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Chichester, West Sussex, where his father had become a farmer upon his retirement from the RAF as a group captain. Henry was educated at Radley College, Oxfordshire, where he recalled picking daisies in the outfield as his mother arrived during a crucial cricket match, and Millfield sixth form in Somerset, before improbably deciding to take business studies at Guildford Technical College. In the 1970s he founded the Bedlam shops, which sold modish pine, water and hanging beds suspended by chains from the ceiling – he kept one of the latter in his flat in Primrose Hill, London, where sleeping in it was like being rocked in a cradle. By the time the shops closed in the recession of the late 70s, he had found his true vocation in writing musicals. He loved the countryside and was an epic walker. In 2009 he bought a cottage at Llanddarog, Carmarthenshire, where typically he promptly wrote a show, Trybl Y Twr, to raise money for the spire appeal at St Twrog’s church. Henry loved devising entertainments of all sorts for his friends: walking past millionaires’ homes in Chelsea or Hampstead, I still play the game he invented of having to choose which household you could most and least bear to join for supper solely on the basis of their curtains and what they kept on their window sills. He is survived by his sisters, Elizabeth and Lynette, and his brother, John [who was at Radley]. Holt DC (d, 1962-1966) On 26.11.2016 David Cecil Holt. He was Hon. Secretary of the Judo Club and Captain of the Judo Team in 1966. His brother, Clive, writes: I will always remember my brother, David, as a magnetic and irresistable character. He was the kind of person that you noticed when he came into the room usually loaded with gifts and filling the doorway with his large frame. He was extraordinarily generous and always gave to all he met. Like my mother, he had absolutely no sense of quantity or cost when it came to buying things and adapted her philosophy that only the best is worth having whether it was a packet of Guernsey butter or the Bentley he drove on the impossibly narrow Guernsey lanes. He had enormous charm and persistence when he wanted something. An example
of this was at Radley when he used this natural charm and persistence on Warden Milligan, badgering him endlessly in the face of stiff resistance and a budget that had already been allocated for the year to fund and found a judo club complete with suits, mats and teacher. After leaving school he went through a series of jobs all in sales. He was a wonderful salesman, never taking no for an answer and because he had very definite ideas about how to get things done he was the despair of his line managers as he carved out his career. His first real break came when he entered the wine trade and his father in law helped him set up his own company as a distributor of Patriarche Wines. His selling ability soon enabled Patriarche to gain good market share in some major accounts and the business went well. When he was about 45 he decided to wind down his wine trade business and move to Guernsey where he set up several new businesses in the financial world. This was very challenging and high risk from a standing start with no assistance and little financial experience, but his persistence and business acumen won through and he became very successful. He was sailing along with full spinnaker but then had a minor heart attack. A year or so later he was doing the gardening and working without gloves and a common soil bacteria found its way into his system. The hospitals could not get rid of it and it further weakened his heart. He was a real trooper and for several years left no stone unturned to try and win the battle with the bug right up to the end. His father, C.R. Holt, and his brother, Clive, were at Radley. Dodwell JC (h, 1964-1967) On 13.2.2017 James (Jamie) Crofton Dodwell. He played in the Colts XV of 1966. His father, Tim Dodwell, was at Radley. Compiled from the addresses by his sisters at his service: Jamie was born on 11th February 1951 in Cairo. His parents had been married there and his older sister, Fiona, was born in Cairo two years before Jamie. The family moved to Damascus in 1953, and his twin sisters Sarah and Caro were born there the next year. From Damascus the family moved to Beirut, then to Cyprus and later to Kinshasa in
the Belgian Congo where they were based for four years. Jamie loved growing up in the tropics, with all its sights and sounds and colours, and this is probably where his love for Africa and her people first began. Jamie lived his life to the full, from the very first he dived straight into it. As a little boy he climbed the highest tree and dived from the highest diving board; he didn’t swim a width of the pool underwater – he swam a length; he ran the fastest; he jumped the highest; he skied fearlessly, even as a beginner. He was naughty and grinned about it: once during a party that our parents gave in the Belgian Congo he persuaded his sisters that making a swimming pool out of the bathroom was a brilliant idea and the fun only came to a halt when the water from the bathroom flowed over the balcony onto the guests below. Then when he was still a little boy, he was sent to boarding school in England. First to Hordle House in Milford, Hampshire, and then to Radley, where his adventurous spirit longed to be free again. Jamie had fun and he loved life. He threw himself into every new experience throughout his life. But he kept his head, he kept his integrity, he kept his twinkle. He worked hard, he forced his heart and nerve and every sinew, and how many times did he make one heap of all his winnings And risk it on one turn of pitchand-toss, And lose, and start again at his beginnings? Countless times. He was courageous, honest, tolerant and kind. He could talk with crowds and keep his virtue, Or walk with Kings – nor lose the common touch. He connected to people: he enjoyed people – it was important to him that he communicated what he thought and he had a particular affection for children and the young: he wanted them to recognise their potential and to aim high. By his early twenties he was working on the oil rigs in Aberdeen, and later met his first wife Jasmine. They moved to East Grinstead and set up a firm specialising in painting and decorating. Shortly after he moved to South Africa, continuing to do renovation work. In 1990 he moved to Zambia, arriving on his birthday which happened to be the same day Nelson Mandela was released in South Africa. Zambia was to become his true home. Jamie was adept in forming successful companies. In Zambia he and two partners established one that traded in medical supplies and diagnostic equipment. He the old radleian 2017
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Jamie Dodwell and family met and married Eunice; sadly she died in 1996. It was only six months later that his son, Russell, was tragically killed in a car accident. It was after this that Jamie needed a pharmacist for his growing company Tradco, and used a recruitment consultancy, where he met Miss Chilunji Lusale! From that chance meeting Chili and her daughter Mumba formed a strong and loving relationship with Jamie. In 1998 Jamie and Chili were married in Lusaka. In 2000 the family moved back to England, living in East Grinstead. Once in England Jamie and Chili set up a successful recruitment company – Job Connections UK – specialising in bringing in nurses from all over the world for the UK private sector, which is still in operation. They went the extra mile in selecting recruits, and once in England, these would be met and taken to their new work places, and Chili and Jamie would keep in contact with them, helping them settle and dealing with their issues. 84
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Jamie had found warmth, love and a home. They were an exceptional threesome and Chili said, I have so much to thank Jamie for. Jamie was passionate about them, as he was about his life. He wrote in one of his many poems: ‘All That I hold Dear’: I may not realise at this moment just how blessed I really am… I may not know, just for now, how much I cherish you... and then later: … For, yes, I do realise how blessed I really am… Mumba, now twenty four and so talented, was part of that blessing. He was so proud of her and enjoyed being taken to the theatre and to art galleries as she introduced him to her own interests. She was able to pull his leg and challenge his opinions, perhaps as no one else, and although I know she will deeply miss him she will also always know that she was loved by her father. Jamie was grateful for his life: he found the world a beautiful place. He wrote of vivid memories, of being forgiven for hurts inflicted. He wrote: And all these
moments have their meanings. Sometimes hidden in the dark shadows of utter despair and sometimes hidden in the brilliant light of euphoric happiness… And he wrote of peace: And sometimes I’m just there, at peace, at one with it all… Jamie found those that shared his vision all over the Globe from the Copper belt to China, from Dubai to Romania and from Lusaka to London. He didn’t just do business in the places he worked but explored them with the gusto he had for everything he did, discovering his great love for deep sea scuba diving whilst living in the Philippines. He accomplished over 100 dives. Chili has received messages and phone calls from all over the world from friends and colleagues hearing with disbelief that Jamie has left us. Jamie has left us in his prime. He was beginning to write poignantly and he had just bought a set of paints and brushes. He talked of a ‘house by the sea’ and a garden where he could grow his own vegetables …Could anyone as energetic as he was have ever settled into old age? Only if he had remained fit and we now know he was not as well as we thought. He would have hated any form of being an invalid, he would have balked at restraints; he would never have limited himself. Jamie lived his life to the full. He was an ‘all or nothing’ kind of person and encouraged us to follow our hearts. We are deeply grateful for the love that he shared with us. Finally and to understand the man he really was, a friend proudly spoke at his memorial service: I had returned from South Africa with my family, penniless, and could find nowhere at all to stay and nobody would take us in, except that is for one man and that man was Jamie Dodwell! Rooth JCA (e, 1981-1986) On 8.5.2017, from a brain tumour, Julian Christopher Alexander Rooth. His brothers, James and Jo, his uncle and a cousin were at Radley. His son Nico is at Radley. Tribute to Julian Rooth by Toby Fitzgerald at St George’s Church, Hanover Square, Friday 8 September 2017: I would like to thank you all on behalf of Julia and the Rooth family, for coming here today and also for the many wonderful messages and letters sent to Julia and her family.
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In October of last year, I went for a pub lunch with Nico and Ollie and one of them asked me a very reasonable question and it was this: “What was Dad like as a teenager?” I mumbled and I stumbled. I think I said something like he was a really nice bloke and then it tailed off rather. Well, I have a chance now when I can describe in a little more detail what Julian was like as a teenager. But before I say anything about it, you may have an idea anyway. Julian ceased being a teenager in October of 1987. You see how full this church is. The people that knew him then are here now. To help me assemble this tribute to Julian, Julia was kind enough to let me read the messages and the letters sent to her about him. They were interesting because they weren’t generic, they applied to specific incidents where people remembered acts that Julian had done and of Julian’s character as a whole. From time to time in this tribute to him I will quote from them anonymously. My claim for Julian Rooth is this – Julian was a very great man. Julian was a very great man. Now, do I make that claim for him in the rose-tinted memory to console or to give an easy complement during a eulogy – No. It is based in fact. I have six areas that I justify this claim to Julian’s greatness. The first is this. Julian was a success. He left Radley College in 1986, and Oxford Polytechnic in 1990. Both Julian and Julia got firsts in Estate Management. He went onto a plum job at Richard Ellis but Julian was never really about to be an employee. He was an entrepreneur. He was somebody who had guts, somebody who was prepared to put his efforts on the line. He moved on to Chelverton and then finally to Centurion. He did many deals. If some of them didn’t work out, he dusted himself off without complaint, learnt from the experience and moved on. And move on he did, to success after success after success. Truly remarkable achievements. Well what do I know? I am not in the property world, was he truly such a great success? Well part of the reason why I don’t really know in truth is because Julian, despite what many people would have done in his situation, never but never boasted about his many achievements at work. Not once. If you asked him about it he would tell you. But not a boast. That boasting and compliments can be left to those who were both his colleagues and his competitors at work because both have
Julian Rooth made their feelings known through their letters and messages to Julia. And I have here some of the comments that were made: “Julian was streaks ahead of most of our property generation. He had an intensity, commitment and intellect that was infectious.” “an ability to drive a hard bargain whilst never making arguments personal but rational” “Julian blazed a trail amongst his friends and peers by always setting the standards for hard work... not accepting the conventional wisdom but looking for new ways in which to excel at both real estate and at life” And somebody summed it up rather nicely: “he was revered by his competitors” I pause to think that that degree of success and those skills would probably be enough to fill this church at St Georges, Hanover Square. But perhaps the greater tribute to him, the greater sign of his real character was that those quotes went on. They didn’t just praise his skills. They went on to say this: “He wanted success but he was also genuine and good company which are a rare combination of traits shown by truly driven people.” And isn’t that correct. Somebody summarised him with three adjectives. “He was utterly honourable, decent and honest.” “He had respect for individuals from all walks of life and had a wonderful sense of humour. He was also immensely loyal to his friends and family.”
Well, what was he like as a teenager? He was not a property developer at school, that was for sure. But I do remember at 17 sitting in his study and he looked over at me and said that he, or his family, had invested and that I should invest too in a company called Helical Bar. I had never heard of it, and I listened and I didn’t do a thing. I didn’t understand a word he was talking about. The fact was he was streaks ahead then, as he remained. He was also someone who had courage. He bought a house in Divinity Road in Oxford where others were happy to rent. It was clear from the beginning that Julian was not going to be one who was side-lined in life. The second aspect of his character that I would like to highlight is this. He was a generous man because he was vastly busy with his personal life, with family and at work. But he always found time to help people. And not just the time, he was very effective at it also. Why was he effective? It is because he wanted people who he helped to do well. He didn’t see there being any tension between him doing well and others doing well. So when he gave advice and when he gave help he really meant it. And what a difference he made to so many people. I have passages that were in messages sent to Julia from both work and home friends. They go as follows: “Julian was incredibly generous with his time and self. He greeted everybody with that fantastically broad smile which covered his whole face and made everybody feel that they were the most important person in the room.” the old radleian 2017
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“He gave people a real sense of worth”, “lifted one’s spirit” “(there was) constant encouragement and support given to me – the strength to persevere”, “he... provided advice but it was merely his listening that gave me a tremendous boost at a time when confidence was at a low ebb.” “His default setting was one of friendliness and positivity” Well it is not hard you may think to see where these characteristics of kindness, positivity and generosity came from. Anyone who knows his mother Gina, who knew his father Christopher, and indeed know his brothers Jo and James know that these characteristics are in the Rooth DNA. There was one rather more mysterious message sent to Julia. It was this: “when a deal we worked on did not go through... he sent me a Genesis CD.” The gift of a Genesis CD? I seem to recall he was rather fond of Genesis. The third aspect of Julian’s character I wish to mention is this. He was a man of principle and a man of compassion. He stuck with his principles. He was not pious, and he certainly was not preachy, but if he thought something was right he would stick to it and he would not budge. He was tolerant of people but one group of person he couldn’t stand. That was bullies. He loathed bullies. I am going to repeat verbatim a story told to Julia in a message from an exact contemporary of Julian’s at Radley College. It reads as follows: “In my very first term a particular boy took it upon himself to be particularly unpleasant. And there was one boy who took it upon himself to be extraordinarily kind – and that was Jules. I remember Jules as a gentle soul, but on a number of occasions he bravely defended me when no other boy would dare.” Now I know the individual details of that particular case and can say it involved bravery on Julian’s part and he had that, fortunately, in spades. Julian was also compassionate. A work story was communicated to me and I will paraphrase it. There was a works employee at a site Julian had an interest in. This man had been at the site for many, many years and completely relied on it for his income. But there was a business case put forward, perhaps even a good business case, for letting him go, and letting him go immediately. Julian stepped in, quite firmly I understand, to make sure that 86
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financial case, whatever it was, was put to one side – that the man kept his job. Fourthly. Julian was highly intelligent and he was wise. Notwithstanding his first he was not an academic. His real intelligence and his real instinct was for living and getting on with life. He could immediately separate the necessary from the unnecessary. Where others became wound up by an apparent complication he would look almost puzzled, because he would strip away those complications and just get on with the task in hand. He also didn’t waste words and his advice covered a number of different areas, including the romantic. There were two people, contemporaries of his, who he advised in this way. “Can you and [name deleted] please just get it together as it is obvious that you both really fancy each other” Those two people have now been happily married for 21 years and are here today. A short intermission because although Julian was a great person, I don’t shy away from that analysis, he also had his flaws. Julian’s golf swing lacked timing. His first serve was sometimes agricultural. It was not, in any event, as consistent as it should have been. He used to like the band Huey Lewis and the News. A lot. And then there was this. He was an indecently good looking man and I classify this as a flaw because as a teenager I lived with that and it was annoying. In the mid-eighties a lot of girls seemed to come up to him and say that he looked like Michael J Fox, this was around the Back to the Future time, and that was annoying too. But in actual fact, despite all this attention, he was incredibly modest about it all. One female wrote to Julia and told her of encountering Julian as “an impossibly handsome man getting out of an impossibly elegant car” and that presents a lovely image. And those who have known him for a long time and know his cars, will be speculating desperately as to what the car was. I’m settling for his C registration Golf Driver that he held towards the end of the 1980s. Now I understand that Julian, and I’m afraid again this falls into the category of being a flaw, was well into his forties and wore, with others, a mankini to a particular dinner party held in Hampshire. If an image is presenting itself to you I ask you to cast it aside. I could forgive him his good looks, and even the mankini, but one thing I could
never forgive him for is this. For many years, many in this congregation would have listened to music with Julian and would have shared a lot of his music tastes; would have gone to pop concerts, would have sung along badly with him to the songs and would have bought a live CD. Then Julian took all that was good and decent about that and turned his back on it. He learnt the guitar. That wouldn’t have been a problem, but he was really, really good at it. He passed exams. He got into a band. It is still too painful really. Fifth. Julian was determined and he seized the day. He took up each and every challenge that life presented to him. He was one of life’s doers. I benefitted from that as his friend for 36 years and I can tell you that in his wake was a pretty amazing place to be. A trivial example of his determination and then a rather more serious one. 2007 June, Rome. Genesis is playing live in a free concert at the Circo Massimo. Julian and I, with the best of intentions, had rather too long a lunch. We arrived at the back of a half million, I don’t exaggerate, a half million crowd of Romans enjoying the free concert. Well I looked up at the monitors that were there and I shrugged my shoulders and said “well Julian we can see it on the monitors”. Julian gave a huge smile and I paraphrase necessarily what he said to me. It amounted to this. “Toby, I understand the position you are taking but I didn’t come to Rome to end the visit to the Circo Massimo watching Genesis on…” and he included now a word of emphasis “a monitor”. Look what happened then and this was Julian’s determination – he set off into the middle of the crowd, me in his wake. He was like a soldier, only wearing a tight Genesis T-shirt. He went through the crowd and in truth we deserved to be lynched. But we weren’t because everyone who knows him knows Julian had this way about him. The only way really to describe it is charisma. He was very polite as he made his way through the crowd and we got to within twenty metres of the stage. We would have got further but there was a group of men from Stafford who weren’t so charmed. But then there came of course a determination of a completely different order, and the resolve of a completely different order, which he showed in the last two very difficult years. Everyone that followed Julian through those two years knows how he dealt the hand that he was
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dealt; and how he dealt with the real difficulties that he and his family faced. After all that Julian did, after all that he worked for, his pinnacle and his pride were Part 6 – his family. His great love for Julia, together for 30 years. How well and how bravely she and the boys all bore the dark times of the last two years. Julian and she were a formidable team. A team of equals of intellect and of capability. They complemented each other so well. They gave such a warm welcome as hosts and they were such brilliant parents to Nico and Ollie. A comment from a friend in Hampshire reads as follows – “He did more as a Dad in the years he had than many in a much longer life” That sums it up and I make no apology for repeating Revd. Leece’s remarks about some of the activities – the sailing, football, golf, skiing, shooting, the diving courses, the power boat courses. Julian got involved himself and made sure that Nico and Ollie had all of those opportunities and he revelled in those achievements, not for himself to boast to other parents, he didn’t, he revelled in it for the experience it brought for them. He was a stalwart of the touchlines at Elstree, Radley and Millfield. He missed few matches. How he enjoyed Nico and Ollie’s great achievements both in and out of school, but moreover he enjoyed how decent and kind they have grown up to be. We are left to only imagine just what he would have said about the extraordinary bike ride Nico undertook and how much money he has raised for The Brain Tumour Charity: close to £60,000 and very much counting. Well, as a teenager Julian adored his parents. He was very proud of them and he was of his brothers too. As a teenager of course, before he was married, he couldn’t have imagined, not with all his vision and his enthusiasm, he could have had no idea as to how it was to be and how much he could come to love and be proud of his sons. There is no need really to claim greatness for Julian because the capacity of this church came here knowing that already. The son, the brother, the husband, the father, the brother in law, the godfather, the uncle and the friend. Julian, looking out at us from the photographs on the service sheet, you were truly a great man. How lucky we were to have known him.
Wood DJ (a, 2001-2004) On 6.2.2017 Daniel James Wood. He left Radley after doing his GCSEs. •••
Honorary Members Diana Birks On 25.4.2017 Diana Birks, widow of D.T.M. Birks (a boy at Radley 1933-1938, Common Room 1950-1979, Tutor of H Social 1962-1974). From Johnny Birks’s address at his mother’s Thanksgiving Service: On behalf of Joanna and I and our families, I am pleased to have this opportunity to pay tribute to the wonderful lady that we knew variously as Diana, Mama, ‘Annie B’ (this name coined by her niece Charlotte at an age when she couldn’t say ‘Granny B’) and Aunty Di. Thank you all for coming. It is lovely to see so many parts of Diana’s life represented here – especially Radley, Oxenhall and Ledbury. It is impossible to talk about Diana without considering our father (who
is buried behind me here in the churchyard), whom she called Duggie, for they were utterly devoted to each other. And what a very good-looking couple they were! It is lovely to know that they will soon be reunited here at Oxenhall. We have received so many thoughtful messages from people recalling their fond memories of Diana, many from ex-pupils and staff at Radley College, where our father taught French for over 30 years and where Jo and I grew up in a very loving home. When our father was a housemaster, Diana played a big part in caring for the 60 boys, providing some of the motherly love that is otherwise rather hard to find in such places. Caring for and considering others was one of our mother’s defining qualities, and one of many great values that she has passed on to us. She so often put other people’s needs first and I sometimes wished she wasn’t quite so selfless. She was a great example to us, and looking after home and family were always her priorities. Diana did gratitude extremely well – she knew how to say ‘Thank You’ better than anyone I know. We recall one snowy winter in Ledbury when the
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milkman had struggled to get through the snowdrifts to deliver her milk. Diana was so grateful that she slithered down into the town, bought a tin of biscuits and a greetings card, and walked to the dairy depot to express her thanks. Another great value that I would like to think she has passed on was her ability to find pleasure in the tiniest gift given or kindness shown to her. It made her a very easy person to please and care for in her last years at Hastings Care Home in Malvern, where she was very content and much-loved by the kind staff there. Despite her Macular disease and Dementia, even at the very end of her life Diana never lost her lovely gracious manner, nor her sense of humour. She always retained that precious gift of being able to laugh at the silliest bit of nonsense, and to laugh at herself. The last great quality I want to highlight is Diana’s extraordinary organisational ability. She was an expert at making lists (she had lists of lists) and cataloguing things – rather useful if you were burdened with a hoarding instinct as powerful as hers. My wife Helen recalls taking a wrong turn in my parents’ Ledbury house to find herself in a room filled with neatly labelled boxes, one of which read “furry people, small” (referring to some of Jo’s and my childhood toys)! So organised and thoughtful was she that this whole day was planned and paid for years ago, leaving almost nothing for Jo and I to do. We are grateful to Sue Tyler and colleagues at Smiths Funeral Directors in Newent for their role in this cunning plan; and thanks to you too Pat for coming out of retirement to conduct this Thanksgiving service and the cremation this morning as our mother wanted. Diana would have been overwhelmed and thrilled to see us all here today. I can hear her saying how grateful she was for any trouble we had gone to to get here, and she’d now be worrying whether there are enough sandwiches and cakes for us all afterwards to send us safely on our way. And that’s how we will remember her: as a considerate, caring, loving friend, mother, aunty, grandmother and great grandmother who has passed on some great values for us to live by. And it is a pleasure to give thanks for her contented life well-lived. 88
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From David Goldsmith’s address at the Memorial Service for Duggie Birks: We have already heard about what a tremendous support Diana was to Duggie in the Social. Indeed, it is true to say that they ran it together, but outside the Social too, what great support Duggie got from Diana. She quickly got to know all his numerous OR friends and was a superb hostess at Radley Rangers matches and functions. Yes, needless to say, Duggie was Secretary of the Rangers. Everyone here knows with what devotion Diana looked after Duggie those last sad years and the courage and patience she has shown in her own handicap. Our love and prayers go out to all the family. Hare JW On 3.3.2017 James (Jim) William Hare. From the Radleian, 1993: Jim Hare (Radley Don and Head of Drama 1981-1993) Jim Hare came to Radley in September 1981. He already had a distinguished career behind him as a director for the National Youth Theatre and as Head of Drama at Blundell’s School. In addition he had a wide range of experience in other theatres (including Bristol Old Vic, The Royal Shakespeare Company and the Cockpit Theatre). It was no surprise then when his first major play at Radley, The Royal Hunt of the Sun, took the College by storm and proved to be the first in a run of stunning productions here throughout the ‘80s and into this decade. It had many of the features of Jim’s productions as we came to be familiar with them: great visual power, a natural sense of space on the stage, seamless acting and a sense of danger. In The Royal Hunt of the Sun the danger lay in the massive wheeled tower that careered across the stage with Atahuallpa atop. No one had seen anything quite like this at Radley before. All his many fans will have their favourites in his ensuing College productions. I remember a fiercelycharged Equus. Here the sense of danger was psychological. Would it be safe for junior members of the school to see the production? The answer was ‘no’ and was probably right. For in Justin Grant Duff ’s boy and Maurice Lynn’s Dysart there was an intensity that was frightening. Every
play was a success. Much of this was due to the fact that his productions were always geared to the talent available rather than his ego: when a fund of keen actors was around his output was prolific - three major plays in one academic year (Equus, Macbeth and The Birthday Party), four in another (The Dumb Waiter, Killed, Kes and The Insect Play). Many of his productions were 20th Century Classics but Shakespeare also had his place with major productions of Macbeth and The Comedy of Errors. In addition there were all those boy productions with the line somewhere in the programme “with many thanks to Jim Hare”. Many will think of Maybe Tomorrow or Amadeus as the peak of his success. On Amadeus, Maurice Lynn – himself a distinguished director of plays at Radley –wrote of the “crew and cast who in concert had honed an outstanding theatrical experience.” It was a magical production with a stylish and versatile set and fine acting from all involved - notably Adam Wylie as a memorable Salieri. Maybe Tomorrow, which originally had a cast of 40 or so was Jim’s own adaptation of Piers Paul Read’s book, Alive. Recently he re-adapted it for performance by Radleians at this year’s Edinburgh Festival, where among the audience were relations of those involved in the crash in the Andes. “An emotional moment” said Jim, but there were many emotional moments for those who watched his plays. How could he follow these, we wondered. And yet in the early ‘90s came the full flowering of his talent: Cabaret, Dead Poet’s Society and One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest. The latter two were his own adaptations of, respectively, the film and the book. Both were harrowing plays that pushed the search for the truth about ourselves to near the limit. Finally in a brilliantly coloured production came Conduct Unbecoming, about loyalty and betrayal. Jim flourished as writer and director. As director he was also a first-class teacher. He had the ability to suggest to an actor ways of doing things (his hand would go up to his mouth for a moment, then he’d leap on to the stage and become the part for ten seconds) but he also let his actors develop. When you were in trouble with a part, he was endlessly patient, and he understood the crises that actors have with their lines. He had very clear ideas about how he wanted things to look, and his confidence
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conveyed itself to his actors and often gave them an acting ability they’d barely dreamed of. Much of his stage-craft was absorbed by boys directing Social Plays or producing Haddon Cup entries. Over those thirteen years there was a high standard of Social Play production and many owed their success to fine-tuning or salvage operations by Jim. In addition he produced a stunning series of leading ladies, drawing on College families, nearby schools and latterly members of Common Room. He would want me to record the pioneering work of Sally Fielding and, more recently, Nicola and Lucy Hudson. No director can work without a team, and at his farewell party Jim paid warm tribute to Geoff Treglown and Paul Kilsby, men who acknowledged and appreciated his professionalism and who would work their hearts out on his productions. Paul made them look good, and Geoff made them work. Before Paul, Charlie Mussett had contributed some beautiful sets. Perhaps also they recognised his vulnerability; for this was another feature of Jim’s personality. He was totally modest about his productions, pleased only for his actors and always slightly uncomfortable about taking credit himself. So his actors came to have great affection for him in return, an affection that spread from the Old Gym to other areas of Radley life. His house down by the Laundry became a refuge for many boys who found the success-orientated Radley of the ‘80s and its aggressive conventionality too much to take – a nice irony considering that Jim’s productions contributed much towards the success of Radley at the time. Perhaps because of the intensity of the plays he put on, many of these actors came to see something of a world beyond Radley with wider values. Certainly he looked after them and others with unselfishness, glasses of wine and a real interest in their problems and progress both at Radley and beyond. For much of the year Jim was around the place, maintaining his role as a popular member of the English Department, masterminding the drama, running the Chinese Food Society, helping with the javelin event on the Athletics track, and taking skiing trips. His skiing trips included the legendary one when he warned the boys all to set their alarm clocks and be on time at Clocktower for the bus that would take them to Gatwick - 6.00 a.m. Last thing at
Jim Hare night he booked his alarm call by phone, checked that he’d packed everything and, to ensure that he had an uninterrupted night’s sleep ... took the phone off the hook with predictable consequences. Jim could be vague. His style of clothing was mildly Bohemian and not necessarily what one would call ‘Headmaster-friendly’. Nor was he always the rust in the English Department to lessons; sometimes the break for a fag between drama lessons outside the Old Gym would go on for just over the five minutes. Laid-back? Perhaps. But when it came to a production or his actors were rehearsing, and the first-night was getting closer, there was nothing laidback about him then. As a director he was sharp and economical with time. He was rarely angry, and if he was, it was usually because someone was wasting time or being thoughtless. He expected the highest standards from his team and he gave them a professional insight into what drama and acting were all about. There were always surprises with Jim. One term he wrote a poem a day (at least) for the whole term. Here they are in front of me: Eighty-eight poems by Jim Hare. All personal comments on the human condition; wry, witty and pithy. He was an excellent photographer, and put on a fine exhibition together with Paul Kilsby. He was a regular Chapelgoer, not a creepy-crawly Christian, but one who was searching amid doubts for his faith, and for whom Chapel and its services were an important part of his life at the Radley he loved.
At his farewell party in June a number of Jim’s actors came back to Radley. It was a happy and moving occasion, and he spoke of what had meant most to him at Radley: it was not the College Plays or his own directing but rather enabling boys to act and to do the directing themselves. All through these years little plays (Zoo Story I remember in particular) would appear in odd corners of the College, directed by boys but with Jim’s inspiration behind them. These culminated in two fine productions in the Old Gym this summer by Harry Wallop and Will Mufti, offered to the audience as tributes to Jim. They were rather special leaving presents. When histories come to be written, Jim Hare’s contribution will be recognised both as a fine drama teacher and also as someone who acted as a safety valve for talented boys in the highly charged years that he was here. Actor, director, writer, poet and photographer- in all his work he set the highest standards and he was prepared to explore all the deepest emotions and situations of life on stage. The message that came over was that how we live matters. Many years hence Radleians whose lives he touched will be grateful and reflect with those of his friends still at Radley “with many thanks to Jim Hare”. Hamish Aird
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Remembering Jim – a tribute at his service: Remembering Jim brings a smile to our faces, because that’s the way we remember him, smiling, as he came towards us, thinking about what he was going to say - usually something funny. And we were never bored in his company, because Jim had a childlike (sometimes even naïve) quality which took you by surprise and made you smile as you saw the world through his eyes. Jim and his brother John grew up together in North Wales. John remembers how they would sit on a bench outside, wondering how their lives would turn out in years to come. He remembers the play-acting games, throwing their teddy-bears out of the window, then, pretending to be ambulance-men, rushing down to the garden to rescue them, and ‘operating’ on them by cutting out the ‘squeaker’, then stitching it back in again. John and Jim went to St Michael’s College in Tenbury where they sang together as boy choristers for 4 years. During his teenage years, his nieces and nephews loved his visits, especially playing Cluedo, and the serious way he said ‘It was Professor Plum, in the Conservatory, with the Lead Piping’. Jim was always fascinated by people, why they behaved in the way they did. This led to a growing passion for drama, first at Bangor University, where he met his lifelong friend Pete Morgan, then at Bristol, Blundells School, The National Youth Theatre, before arriving at Radley College, which was the start of the happiest and most creative period of his life. Hamish Aird, who was a House Master when Jim arrived at Radley, remembered ‘At Radley Jim found a community that gave him the freedom to develop and show his great talent’. His talent was writing and directing plays, with imaginative casting. He also had the gift of inspiring young people and opening up their minds. So many of his students remember him. Here are a few: Matt Hancock (1983) I remember being Jim’s assistant director for Cabaret. Jim was so approachable when dealing with the uncertainties of adolescence and a valuable outlet for frustrations to be aired. He was discreet, fun, inspirational, unconventional. 90
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Jim Hare Tom Shakespeare (1979) I remember taking part in The Insect Play and The Royal Hunt of the Sun. Jim gave me opportunities, as a disabled person, to participate as an equal in the theatre, which gave me confidence for later performances. Jim treated you as an individual, not as a child. Harry Wallop (1988) I remember how Jim created magic from often the slimmest of materials and brought out the very best in pupils who thought they had little to offer. He expected the very highest standards and, importantly, encouraged us all – quite simply – to dream. Adam Wylie (1982) remembers Oh What a Lovely War, Amadeus – ‘for me, the beginning of a lifelong love-affair with the Theatre that was entirely down to Jim’. William Moffett (1989) My happiest days at school, and perhaps childhood generally, were rehearsing and performing in Jim’s plays. This was the happiest and most creative time in Jim’s life. He put on a steady stream of first-class productions. He wrote his own plays, adapted others, wrote many poems and provided pastoral care for his students, with a real interest in their problems and progress Jonnie Yewdall remembers, ‘He always took time out to get to know you and to make sure all was well. He loved to look at things from outside the box, so making you think’. There were difficult times too. Not everyone approved of what Harry describes as ‘Jim’s shambolic appearance
and haphazard classroom manner’, and Jim’s sensitive nature meant there were troubled times of self-doubt, when he, too, needed the support and encouragement he gave his students. This unfailing support he sought and received in particular, from Hamish Aird, and also his sisters and brothers. Jim’s total commitment to his plays and his students, meant that when the term ended, and the students were no longer there, he often experienced deep loneliness, feeling that his life was empty. During the holidays he would spend many happy times with Simon and his family in Devon – Simon’s son Toby was Jim’s godson – with his sister Cath and her husband John and family, with his sister Liz and her family, with Mark’s family in Spain. He would go off on holiday ‘somewhere’ seeking out friends and colleagues. His nephews and nieces remember: Tom I never got bored of his totally unique view of life. My world is a much less colourful without my uncle Jim. Pierre He was one of the funniest people I’ve known. Most of all I remember his modesty. He didn’t like to get in the way or impose. Jane When he came to stay, even the way he brushed his teeth was funny and made me laugh! Annie When Uncle Jim came to visit us in France, I remember how he laughed when I impersonated my teachers! But the periods of loneliness and sadness were still there, and became longer. Jim would prefer to be alone with his thoughts, until he could emerge again with his cheerful smile. He knew people looked at him expectantly, and he didn’t want to disappoint. This became a pattern throughout Jim’s life – inspiring young people to go off to fulfil their dreams, then feeling the emptiness as they went off to build their lives. And he continued to do this later, in Hastings, mentoring young people
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who were at a difficult and vulnerable point in their lives. After leaving Radley, life was difficult, and the periods of seclusion meant he lost contact with many friends. He became difficult to get in touch with, outside certain times. He was never very good at taking care of his health and so this, and his sensitive nature, took its toll over the years. He kept in touch, and was the ‘same old Jim’ with those who accepted the limitations of his lifestyle. In 2015 he was beginning to have serious health problems, and in October that year he had a fall while visiting a friend in Spain and punctured a lung. He never really recovered from that, although he continued to plan things, staying in caravans around Hastings and Rye, and returning to Spain just over a year ago. Jim’s sister Liz remembers: Only months before he went into hospital, Jim phoned saying ‘Guess what I’ve done?’ Jim had bought a car – an obvious bargain being parked just outside his window, bright yellow, and, incredibly cheap. (A few days later he phoned saying ‘You won’t believe how much insurance I have to pay!’) He would put a folding armchair into the back of the car, drive out to a country lane, sit in his armchair, and roll a cigarette. He had even planned a holiday in Malta last October. He went to the Doctor’s to get his medication to go on holiday, but the doctor said, ‘I’m calling an ambulance and you are going straight into hospital.’ While waiting at the hospital, Jim still managed to discharge himself in order to go back to collect his phone charger and feed Millie, his cat. But he did go back of course, and was in hospital for 5 months, a very difficult time for Jim and those who loved him. He wasn’t always a very good patient, but he remained optimistic, telling Tom, his nephew, days before he died ‘I think my landlord is probably doing up my kitchen!’ Throughout his life, Jim made us smile and feel happy. Thank you Jim. We will miss you so much.
A letter from Jim Hare to Hamish Aird in about 1986: Dear Hamish, Just a quick note to thank you for this morning’s SUPERB sermon. You made forgiving sound so appealing; it left me hoping for a blazing row with someone, so that I could immediately go and do it myself (i.e. forgive someone)! Many congratulations and thanks, Yours, Jim PS Also I think I might get a cat. le Manac’h JF On 7.6.2017 Jean François le Manac’h. From the Radleian 2011: Jean le Manac’h on the River Soon after he arrived at Radley the Frenchman came down to the river to see what was going on. We put him on a launch and, in no time, he was hooked by the river drug. The J16 3rd VIII – he deliberately pronounced ‘Third’ with a rather strange accent worthy of Inspector Clouseau – needed a coach so Jean volunteered. One of the crew wrote: ‘In February 1984 16/3 had been picked but was without a coach. Then a gallant Frenchman (who knew nothing of rowing) came to our rescue. As a result of his kindness the maniac outfit, sometimes known as 16/3, visited several regattas and always enjoyed themselves.’ Two years later, in 1986, Jean was coaching the Senior Squad 3rd VIII to Gold in the West Cup at National Schools’. The same year he took a Radley four to row on the Nile in Egypt. After another two years, in 1988, his 2nd VIII, aiming high, won Silver in the Childe Beale at National Schools’, beating ten 1st VIIIs on the way. The end-of-season report in The Radleian included: ‘Without a doubt the potential seen in the crew early on in the season would never have flourished without Jean’s fanatical commitment and knowledge.’ September 1991 saw the arrival of Phil Hubbard as Director of Rowing. He was very fortunate to have Jean helping him with the Senior Squad and doing most of the administrative work behind the scenes.
1992 saw another Silver for 2nd VIII in the Elsenham Cup at National Schools’. The Hubbard era ended and Jean moved to take charge of the J16s in 1997. There were huge numbers of victories at Heads and regattas including Silver at National Schools’ in 1999 and 2003 and Gold at National Schools’ in 1998, 2001 and 2002. I don’t think any other Radley coach can match his overall regatta success or medals at National Schools’. Jean coached the Great Britain Coxless Pairs in the Coupe teams of 1993 and 1994 and the Eight in 1995. Over the years he also found time to coach College crews from St Catherine’s, Brasenose and Magdalen and he was part of the coaching team for the Oxford Lightweight Ladies in 1989. He was a highly efficient Master i/c Rowing from 2001 to 2006. Jean’s love of rowing, his commitment and enthusiasm were astonishing. He inspired his crews and they rowed their hearts out for him. In victory or defeat his crews had a huge amount of enjoyment from rowing. And then, in 2010, perhaps 25 years of extreme dedication had taken their toll. Jean went cold turkey and the river drug lost its grip over him. The message from all Jean’s crews is loud and clear: Thank you Jean – you made it fun, you helped us win – it was a wonderful part of our time at Radley. Jean le Manac’h in College It is impossible to catalogue faithfully the contributions made by a don like JLM since his arrival at Radley in 1983, so, rather than an exhaustive inventory of his every commitment, (D Social subtutor, form master, Chairman of CR, invigilation officer, Don in charge of judo, European supremo under RMM, Spanish don, avid reader, cruciverbalist par excellence) I think a few recollections will allow those readers who do not know him well a personal view of a very personable member of Common Room. Jean was nothing if not a little different in his approach both as a teacher and a colleague. If his socks were a sartorial expression of his otherness, his habit of referring to Lower School boys as ‘smellies’ and mercilessly mocking JFCN for his habit of saying ‘faites la queue’ also marked him out as unconventional. I remember very clearly a Warden’s address at the start of term many moons the old radleian 2017
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ago, when, instead of congratulating yet another impossibly fertile member of CR on the safe arrival of a baby, Warden Morgan congratulated Jean on the delivery of his T2 Bentley. This car [inspired by the legendary Jo Bailey], a fabulous hunk of overpowered shining chrome and soft, receiving leather was used to ferry Jean up and down from D Social, and later the Barns, to the river or occasionally to Waitrose. Jean would come steaming into the car park, after an afternoon on the water, wearing a sleeveless Radley rugby shirt at the wheel of this magnificent machine with Ibiza dance classics blaring out from the stereo. We used to call him ‘Frankie Knuckles’ as he resembled a slightly dodgy East End debt collector, back from his rounds having smashed a few kneecaps. Jean is most definitely a lark rather than an owl and has always made the most of the early part of the morning. His commitment to fitness was obvious from his devotion to the ergo machine and other early birds amongst the Radley community will remember seeing Jean in the gym or sending emails around daybreak. Space must be left for the French don, as this has been, from my perspective, Jean’s major contribution to college life. Many generations of Radleians will remember JLM for his superior abilities in the classroom and his absolute authority with the language. His commitment to preparing lessons thoroughly, his sometimes ferocious defence of established procedures and his almost fanatical recording of the morning news, to use as listening material, brought him legendary status as a teacher. He had a range of mnemonics, catchy rules and dinky techniques for remembering the perversities of la langue de Molière and the results speak for themselves. His recent discovery of and enthusiasm for the Algerian writer Yasmina Khadra, bore fruit with his most recent A Level sets as he taught A quoi revent les loups as a text for unit 4 with sensational results. The last three years have not been easy for the Modern Languages department and I am very grateful to JLM for agreeing to remain on the team, beyond sixty, and allow extra valuable continuity. We all wish him a very long and happy retirement.
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coaches launch, but I remember fondly his accent, humour and vigour, to drive us and perfect our techniques. I squeezed into one of the final bow positions of the 3rd eight in 1986, a crew that I think went on to win National Schools, though by then I had unfortunately left in March (due to having completed exams etc.). I can still picture him, very trim and neat in a wind proof jacket and his thin metal glasses. He really showed that enthusiasm and humour can often count for more than experience in those early days at Radley.
Jean le Manac’h Tributes to Jean These were sent to Jock Mullard and passed on to Jean’s family by Emilie Danis of the Modern Languages Department, who attended Jean’s funeral in France. Chris Tufnell (1982) I was very sorry to hear of Jean’s premature death. I was hugely fond of him and remember what a good Don he was at Radley. Apart from a French don turning up sounding like Inspector Clouseau which we found hysterical we also found that a man with a great sense of humour and fun had turned up and he was very kind to us. I particularly remember him telling me that he had no nationality and should really live in the middle of the Channel as, when he went home to France, they told him that he spoke with an English accent. I guess us Brits always warm to people from overseas who have developed an affection for our country and he had certainly done that. He was starting out in his rowing coaching when I was rowing (83, 84, 85) and I was always impressed that he went on to become an accomplished rowing coach. A truly lovely man who I’m sure will be sorely missed. Richard Johnson (1981) I was very fortunate to be coached by him in my last year at Radley. It was such a break from all the rowing history at Radley to have a non-rowing Frenchman in the
Hamish Binns (1983) I was so sad and shocked to hear about Jean passing away. It seems unbelievable and unfair of him to have left like this... Although I owe a lot to Radley, I can only think of a few people who really made a mark on me, and Jean was certainly at the forefront of those. We arrived at Radley at about the same time.... I think we may even have learned to row at the same time, even if he was the coach. I’m not sure I ever had him as a French teacher, but ironically I do remember when he came in once to replace our English teacher: he showed that a Frenchman could teach English adolescents a bit about their own language. I got to know Jean better when he volunteered to become sponsor of the newly-formed folk club and manager of our group, the Bodysnatchers. In fact, he taught me how to play the spoons (admittedly, I had to perfect the technique elsewhere!) and introduced me to Andean and Breton folk music. He was certainly responsible for three of us hitching to Lorient in the summer of 1986 to spend a week at the folk festival playing in bars in return for food and drink and then busking our way back to the ferry.... He was transporter for the group, patient observer of music practices and always willing to help out with trips to see Irish or Andean groups or with sound advice. Of course, he was also my provider of illicit Guinness in times of need, especially the evenings before regattas... I do vividly remember the pint we had the evening before Henley! My time at Radley would not have been the same if Jean had not been there... and many of the things that now form an integral part of my life are in some way or
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another related to him. I have been to the Andes, I still play the spoons, I am in the folk scene, I drink Guinness and I speak Spanish (...he never dared to speak to me in Spanish). And he is one of reasons why I am now a teacher. I apologise for the rambling but memories keep popping up. I am going to miss him and his dry humour. Although our communication over the past years was erratic, conversation and laughter were never lacking. Tonight I will raise a glass to his memory (I’ll have to go out and get some Guinness). Theo Whitworth (2003) I just saw the news about Jean le Manac’h. What a huge loss. Jean was one of my A Level French teachers, and I’ve found (as is the case with many Dons) that I’ve thought about him a lot since I left school in 2008. I remember our lessons with huge fondness, periods filled with warmth and wonderfully dry humour (I’m sure I’m not the only OR who will recall being wished ‘bon appétit’ upon sneezing). So much of what I learned from Jean has stayed with me: the education I received in his classroom wasn’t restricted to what one might think of as ‘formal’ learning. He introduced me to the works of Camus and Beckett, both of whom are deeply important writers to me, and his stories about growing up in France in the mid-20th century left a strong impression. I would also credit him with giving me my first grounding in French politics. Jean was a truly special man. I feel lucky to have known and learned from him. Mike Warriner (1983) I am very saddened to hear of his passing. My lasting memory of him was the extraordinary care he put into those of us who were actually not very good at his subjects – I’m sure without his inspiration and extra attention both inside and as extra support and confidence outside of the classroom I would have struggled to pass French rather than getting the very unexpected B that I ended up getting. I have always remembered the way he really cared about everyone regardless of their ability and how he went the extra mile to help me be successful. Indeed, I have told this story many times when talking about how a great teacher can have a lasting effect on their pupils.
Alex Torrie (1994) He was one of my favourite masters at Radley and was a great source of inspiration and friendship to me whilst in D Social and an active member of RCBC. Jean was huge source of encouragement, inspiration and kindness to me during my time at Radley, initially as D social sub-tutor and Spanish master and latterly as a rowing coach and friend. As a rowing coach Jean was a man who led by example. I always enjoyed learning of his eccentric trance music assisted early morning (0530/0600) ergo campaigns and being enthused to go and attempt to beat his scores. He was responsible for my lifelong love of the pain and misery that the ergo inflicts and the necessity to master a cast iron stubbornness to acknowledge sky-high lactate levels. He became a consummate professional with regard to this. He coached me in the J16 1st VIII in 1997 and was a brilliant leader who took his pastoral roles within the boat club very seriously. I remember fondly passing many evenings enjoying a beer and/or curry alongside Jean, discussing rowing tactics and training plans, whilst several successive tutors attempted to trace my whereabouts. The confidence that he imparted to me allowed me to go on and make a success of my time in the senior squad at Radley. I also remember Jean for his eclectic dress sense and love for flamboyant and extravagant socks and shirts, neither designs that you could believe existed nor combinations that could have ever been sensibly conceived. This was also reflected in his beloved Bentley, which ran aground during one fateful journey to the National Schools Regatta. When I left Radley in 1999, after being knocked out of Henley on the Friday to Teddies, the eventual regatta victors (in one of the most embarrassing rowing races I have lost), Jean wrote me a compassionate and insightful but candid letter that paralleled our rowing loss to the potential capacity that future life could have to disappoint, and highlighted the axiom of being strong and gracious in defeat. I have recently re-read this letter and the content is prophetic and condenses the sort of characteristics and life-skills that Jean greatly instilled in me, in preparation for the real (outside Radley) world.
Alex Wright (1981) Such sad news about Jean Le Manac’h; far too young. My memories are from his first forays into the rowing world when he bravely took charge of the 3rd VIII in the mid 1980s. We were not talented (I seem to recall I, up in the bow, weighed less than our cox) but JLM took it very seriously which, combined with his kindness, weird accent and enthusiasm, generated very fond memories. I think he thought that each regatta was an international competition where France’s honour was at stake! Rory Pope (1984) I am really sorry to hear this. What sad, sad news. The obvious memory I have is of how well he coached the 1988 2nd VIII and instilled in them an utter determination to try and beat us in the races we had together that summer during the evening outings. The potential humiliation of being beaten by them and the pleasure that would have given Jean and the crew kept us so focussed and can only have led to both crews growing even stronger. And then of course I seem to recall he was very proud of his red Volvo with the pop-up headlights. Freddy Rendall (2008) Terrible news indeed - Jean was one of my favourite teachers. Humphrey Wilson (1997) This is desperately, desperately sad. One of the world’s true characters. Andrew Perkins (1980) I think he must have joined the team of rowing coaches whilst I was in the fifth form and I can remember him making quite an impact when he arrived. He was rather more colourful than the rest of you (sorry) with his French accent and Gallic mannerisms. I remember crews really enjoying being coached by him and the success that came with tight crews and passion. Adam Moore (2000) I think it’s fair to say Jean had a huge impact on my time at Radley. Having rowed in the second 15’s VIII, Jean encouraged me to work hard over the summer and gave me the belief that I could make the top 16’s boat. I honestly don’t know anyone who was more passionate about what he did and I know that I wasn’t the only one he inspired. the old radleian 2017
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Malcom Mace and Jean le Manac’h at Dorney Michael O’Connor (1988) Very, very sad for everyone that was lucky enough to know him. Fortunately for him, he never had to teach me but he was the first Don I ever met as my grandfather [Joe Bailey] was very fond of him. This was partly because he loved pulling his leg about things but also because he said he’d always look out for me at Radley – he always did this for which I have been eternally grateful. Alex Locke (2003) I was a massive fan of his and he was a wonderful inspiration to me during my time at Radley. Not only did he help me hugely with my academics, teaching me both French and Spanish up to GCSE, but also in my time at the boat club. He had an amazing ability to push people to their absolute limit but would always let off before breaking point. He would be there to pick up the pieces after 94
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a big loss and gather you for the next race. Or if you had a difficult decision that you were struggling with, he would help you choose the right path for you (even if it meant quitting rowing!) His own personal drive and focus with his 5am ergo every day was contagious to those around him. Making everyone be the best they possibly could be. As you know, right now I am sitting running my own company and I think I would have struggled in many of the life challenges that have come up since Radley – or chosen the easier path – had it not been for the mindset, support and drive that Jean taught me from a young age, even if I didn’t know it at the time. I’m not very good at writing eloquent notes or messages but if some of these thoughts could find their way to his family I would be very grateful.
Jack Nicholls (2006) It is with deep shock and sadness that I write to you regarding the death of Jean. He taught me from 2009-2012 and was undoubtedly my favourite Radley don. His dry wit, effortless teaching style and fascinating story telling are a few of the many things I will remember him by. He was an absolutely superb human being and I wish him a peaceful rest! Robert Winton (2006) I left Radley in 2011 having studied only sciences at A level. I had developed a naive schoolboy apathy towards languages after GCSE and failed to see their value. Having graduated in 2015 I am now trilingual. Jean was the individual who enticed me to Spanish as I left the college by curating with me my university pathway. Despite having now only just begun life after formal
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education I already define this as a life changing event which pays dividends daily. This brightly lit pathway down which I now walk would not have been found without Jean’s guidance. For that I will remember him always. Thank you Jean. Andrew Laing (1979) Very sad to hear the news of Jean’s death – what a great man he was. My lasting memory of him will always be that whilst being a Don he was much more a friend when we were attending Radley and this was even more pronounced when my son Hamish attended the school. He had a tremendous sense of humour that always was appropriately pitched to ease any tension without ever being superficial. A great man and a wonderful human being. James Crossley (1983) I wanted to share three brief memories of Jean: Every inch the official as he took on the then Amateur Athletic Association Officer’s role administering AAA certificates after carefully evaluating performances with his stop watch and tape measure. Every inch the international diplomat as he tried to persuade the Macon officials that a hirsute Rory Gorlay was the same age as the French J16 oarsmen against whom we were competing. Every inch the politician as he fielded congratulations on his french accent on Radio Macon and agreed that ‘Macon n’est pas Waterloo’. James Lucas (2004) He affected and contributed to my life in a serious way, a good and extremely positive way of course and I would certainly like to pay my respects to him. My thoughts are of course with his family and friends. I kept in touch with Jean reasonably regularly ever since leaving Radley in 2009. I visited him in Sandford and meant recently to call – so this was a shock. Jean believed in me when others thought differently. I owe a lot to him and he lives on in me. I have so many happy memories (and quotes). One from Jean was as follows: “the wins are yours and losses are mine” – that sums up just some of his incredible personality. Rob Latham (1987) I felt moved to want to offer some thoughts on Jean as he was an incredibly special and unique gallic individual who
was guided by sincerity, honesty and caring. I remember growing up and seeing his second VIII on the water. It was always an aspiration of mine to be coached by him. I realised this goal in 1991 when Jim Hawkins and he shared the coaching of the top two boats. It was the same again in 1992 and he was the perfect parry to Phil. He provided the bridge between tradition and progress (as we saw it then). As many people will testify, Jean came alive at HRR. It was always super to see him relaxing in the parking lot with the classic Rolls Royce. He carried an air about him that just welcomed people, disarmed them and forced them to give in to a smile. The final point I would offer is a little more personal. It was always very difficult to take losing. It was even harder when you had to do it with a coach that could ‘float around the issues’ but Jean was one of three coaches I’ve ever had that I could listen to and absolutely trust (the other two were Eric Halliday and Bill Mason). Mark Beaver (1979) I am so sorry to hear the news, he was one of my favourite Dons. I gather for some time after I left he had something called ‘doing a Beaver’, which referred to several incidences when I was pleading being too busy to complete my French Lit essays, and he would find me fishing on college pond. To this day I would still rather go fishing than complete a French essay, but memories of our encounters always bring a warm smile to my face. Phil Robinson (1985) Really sad to hear of the death of Jean le Manac’h. I found him a very inspirational character, a great rowing coach and a very gentle, kind man. I’d be grateful if you could please pass my condolences and this story to his family. It was the spring term of 1989 and the crew for the 1st eight was taking longer than normal to be decided. As any don who remembers me I’m sure will testify, I wasn’t the easiest teenager and rarely applied myself fully to conventional activities. However, I had set myself a target to get into the 1st eight and felt it was an achievable goal. Unable to decide on the best combination for the crew of the 1st eight the coaches decided to do a final ergo test (rowing machine) and the strongest 8 rowers would make up the 1st eight crew. I came sixth but wasn’t chosen.
I was absolutely furious, outraged that I had been overlooked and felt an enormous sense of injustice. Jean was the coach of the 2nd eight and I very clearly remember going to see him that evening. I ranted for serval minutes about how unjust the situation was, saying I shouldn’t have bothered and that I wanted to give up rowing. Jean very calmly sat and listened to me. He didn’t interrupt, didn’t contradict me, didn’t try to explain why I might not have been chosen, just listened. When I had finished he said I had two choices. I could either do what I’d said and give up, or I could work with him to make the 2nd eight faster than the 1st eight and in doing so show the 1st eight coaches that they’d made a mistake. We quickly agreed that the latter option would have a far greater impact so we decided that was our plan. The ensuing season was very memorable and the highlight of my sporting life. The 2nd eight were quite a disparate bunch but Jean united us all brilliantly. Every Friday evening before Saturday regattas or heads he would invite us all to his flat for steak and baked potatoes in preparation for the next day’s racing. We were a good 2nd eight, we rowed well and took great pride and satisfaction in getting better throughout the season. Although we rowed at Henley at the end of the season, the highlight for me was something else. One afternoon during the summer term we had an outing with the 1st eight. We rowed down to the straight below the island where there’s a practice race course. We raced the first eight over this course and we beat them. I remember the 1st eight coach, a little out of sorts, asking Jean over his boat tannoy if we would like to race again. Jean, grinning from ear to ear, pressed the button on his tannoy and said quietly, “No thanks”. In the grand scheme of things in the world it was a tiny event and to anyone watching from the bank, just 16 boys splashing about on the river with two grown men following them in motor boats. However for me it was a long-lasting lesson in responding to disappointment in a positive and constructive way. The whole thing was a massive testament to Jean, as a person, to have read me so well and known exactly how to talk to me. And, as a coach, to have united us as a group and made us the best crew we could have been. the old radleian 2017
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Twenty-seven years on, it’s a story I’ve told my children to help them learn how to react when things don’t quite go their way. I’ll always be grateful to Jean for a great season’s rowing and an invaluable life lesson. Joy Wilson My son David Wilson has forwarded the sad news about the death of Jean le Manac’h and he asked me to forward my little anecdote which I have dined out on many times! At a parents afternoon before GCSEs we were waiting in the queue and when it was our turn he said in his lovely french accent ‘Ah David Wilson – very nice, very good, A*, goodbye’ So we said ‘goodbye’ – after all what more would a parent want to hear. Not sure if he did not like parent meetings or was anxious to be off rowing but we certainly did not waste each other’s time. David is now 34 so this must have been 18/19 years ago. Mark Parkes (1987) I am very sorry to hear the sad news about Jean and, like my father, he has passed away at a relatively young age. I have so many happy memories – he took me from a fail in my CE French to an A at GCSE, he was a great Sub Tutor for me in D social and the memories I have of the 1992 2nd VIII live on as strong as ever. Rupert Haigh (1984) I was sorry to hear of the passing of Jean le Manac’h, who taught me, along with the other elite linguists of Remove 4, in 1984/5. One incident in particular sticks in my mind and illustrates his sharp sense of humour, and wisdom. One afternoon I was sitting in Jean’s class, staring vacantly out of the window and paying no attention at all (there was nothing personal in this – it was what I did in every class at that point in my school career), when Jean had the audacity to interrupt my musings by asking me a question. Naturally, I had no idea what the answer was, and probably hadn’t understood – or even heard – the question. ‘Moi? Quoi? Um, euh, je ne sais pas Monsieur’ was my illuminating response. A lesser teacher would have resorted to threats. Jean, however, merely gave me a cryptic look and took hold of my briefcase, which had on it a large sticker that read ‘DO NOT DISTURB’. Holding the case up, he announced to the class: ‘This is Haigh 96
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Jean on the ergo in Banyoles – Malcolm checks his technique (which he pronounced ‘egg’), you see. You cannot disturb him. Il dort!’ Susan Hall Peter & I were saddened to hear of Jean’s death. He was resident in D Social when Julian was at Radley and gave great support to the eight and to Julian in particular. We will always remember seeing him at regattas, Head of The River and National Schools in Nottingham. We also travelled with him to Norway for the GB under 18’s World Championships. All were enormous fun and Jean was always generous and encouraging to both boys and parents. Our condolences to his family and Radley friends. Charles Bond (1991) I remember JLM well. He taught me Spanish in my Shell year and helped me discover my love of the language. I even ended up being awarded the Spanish prize at the end of the year, my prize being an enormous Collins Spanish dictionary that carried me through to A-Level. I still have it at home in fact! He also taught me French A-Level and helped me greatly to understand our literary topic of the term, En Attendant Godot, what a strange play.
I remember his black spaniel traipsing behind him as he walked through the grounds returning from the river. James Castle (1984) I was very sorry to hear that Jean le Manac’h has died. Although he never taught me, or coached me on the river he always had time for a smile. I probably got to know him best as he was D social sub tutor. Always followed by the two dogs and often dressed in an RCBC windbreak he was a quiet man, often by himself (+dogs). Cocoa nights with Jean were fun as we were indoctrinated into the delights of Kraftwerk and Ralph McTell. French Oral exams were also held in his flat, and even though he never taught me and my French was awful, he put us all at ease. On the river he was not one of the coaches who only spoke to their own crews, but was a true member of the Boat Club as a whole and would be friendly and helpful whenever possible. A memory that can be shared is during a D Social Review, Jean was blindfolded and asked to identify by touch various objects. To show the good grace and humour that Jean had, he smiled even after he was able to identify a dead fish and a bowl of maggots, both his major hates!
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Antony Perring (1981) I was so pleased that you were able to put me in touch with JLM 18 months ago. We managed to meet up a few times and catch up on each others’ news. I wanted to thank him for being patient and kind and a good friend to me at Radley. I was so sad to hear the news last week. All the more shocking given that he was such a health fanatic. I’m pleased to have had a chance to get back in touch to let him know that he made a big difference to me when things weren’t going my way.
Jean with his 1986 West Cup winning crew Will Stemp (1993) If there was any Don that had a long lasting effect on me from my time at Radley, that would be Jean. I have lots of memories of him from all walks of Radley life and they are all fond ones. From down at the boathouse (although I was never coached by him) accompanied by his faithful dog without a lead (I fail to remember the dog’s name), to the classroom and around the college. I think that to boys who may not have had direct contact with him, he may have seemed openly cynical (which I believe he was), but once you did have that direct contact, he was one of the warmest human beings I have ever been lucky enough to know, with a dry wit to leave you with your sides aching. Getting taught A Level French by him was a privilege, above all as all his classes were entirely in French and I owe it to him and him alone that I got an A in my A Levels (and a distinction in Spoken French in my Joint Honours degree from Leeds University). I particularly remember his translation classes and Vol De Nuit by St Exupery and the way he taught the existentialist ideas that made so much sense to me. I know deep down that without Jean’s direction in my A Levels
and the way he got through to me, my future would have been very different. But if there was anything that made Jean stick out and be remembered by everyone, it was his MULTICOLOURED SOCKS! He will be sorely missed. William Axtell (1987) I was saddened to hear of Jean’s death. I had seen him a few months ago as he had popped into our office for some legal advice. I remember Jean with fondness as the coach of our 2nd VIII in 1992. He was integral in helping us achieve a silver medal at National Schools' and also in progressing to Friday at Henley Royal Regatta (an unusual achievement for a school second VIII). There were a few close shaves including being led most of the way down the course at Henley by Shawnigan Lake, Canada, only for the plucky Radley school boys to overhaul them with impeccable timing just as we approached the enclosures. Jean’s Gallic flair and idiosyncratic ways endeared him to his crew and to the wider Radley community. He was a stalwart of RCBC for many years and will be much missed.
Struan Ridgwell (1984) It was with great sadness that I read the email about Jean. I know we had recently discussed him when we met at the OR Soc gathering but he really was one of the more fun tutors during my time at Radley. I remember him interviewing me for my French O level (languages were never my strong point) which was a fairly tortured event made only slightly less terrifying by the discovery that his dogs had managed to get at a bottle of wine he’d left on his desk leaving them both struggling to get 4 legs to work in unison. On the river he was an inspiration to us in the 2nd VIII and turned us into a fast crew that nearly swept all before us. It was a really enjoyable season. One of the pillars of my memories of my time at Radley has passed but one that makes me smile when I think back to the enjoyable days at Radley. Paddy Thomas (1995) It is with great sadness that I heard of Jean’s passing away. He will forever be remembered fondly as a great teacher, and despite the fact that he never taught me at Radley he was regularly talked about, and almost always I would hear comments of admiration, respect or a sharing of good humour. For me he really came into his own on the river. I was bowman in his J16 crew of 1998. This was the first time I’d been selected for a top team in anything, and I sat there quietly hoping he wouldn’t notice the mistake he’d made. But there was no mistake; we came 13th overall at the Schools Head, won National Schools' by half a bowball and qualified to race at Henley. It was an experience that cemented my love for rowing, and I have no doubt that his leadership and enthusiasm had a huge part to play, not only for me but for everyone in that crew. I remember outings on the Radley the old radleian 2017
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Rob Amar (1989) Jean was my first French teacher at Radley, and was also live-in sub tutor in D Social, so we saw a lot of each other. One story I remember well: One year I and a few others had bedsits directly above Jean’s flat in D Social (if my memory serves me right, on E floor). If we were a little noisy after lights out, he would rarely come up to shut us up. Instead, his preferred tactic was to visit early in the morning, set up his ghetto blaster at full volume in the corridor, press play, and we would all be awakened at this ungodly hour to the sound of French military marching music! (I might have deviated slightly from reality, but that’s how I remember it!) George Bailey (1966) I was very sad to read that Jean Le M had died so suddenly – how very sad – my father loved his company – Jean was the only man who nearly persuaded my father to travel to France and to leave the UK for the first time since 1936 – I am afraid he did not succeed but he got very close!
Jean at Henley stretch where we would ask him what we were going to do. “Lock to Lock” was all he would say with his mostly inimitable accent. Then one day someone moaned, and Jean made us do “lock to lock to lock to lock”. That nearly finished us but I have no doubt we learned something valuable. He cared so much about everyone he coached, and it was only at the end of the season I learned that he never actually watched us compete. After the team talk he’d run off and hide somewhere until the race was over, and then pretend to us he’d seen the whole thing. I have no idea what he was feeling but it definitely showed us the humanity behind the legend, and made us realise just how much he wanted us to do well. I regularly saw him at regattas up to his retirement, and he always had a kind or useful thing to say whether I was competing or coaching. He will be sorely missed. Nick Stiles (1999) Very sad to hear about JLM, a fantastic character with a great sense of humour and a tremendous rowing coach to me 98
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and our J16 squad in 2002. Schools Head winners, National Schools champs, Wallingford, Poplar, Marlow wins plus several other head victories. In terms of trophies it was my best season in any sport by far ever! Reflecting on Jean I see him as a French Dave Brailsford, and not just because of the trademark bald head. His professionalism, commitment, desire for discipline and high standards combined with his clear vision of who he wanted in the crew in which seats was certainly the key to our success. His rigorously enforced weekly 5k tests through the Lent term still make me feel nervous now along with the strict enforcement of a sub 7min 2k. The level of commitment and intensity of training is something I’ve tried to take with me in all sporting exploits since...to be fair some of this might have come from being in an almost as successful J15 2nd VIII in 2001. He embodied the Boat Club at that time, a genuinely friendly, welcoming and happy place to be while being incredibly competitive, professional and successful.
Archie Vey (2003) I am sure you have received many similar messages, but having spoken to a few other friends about Jean, it is fair to say that we are all in agreement that he really was one of the great Dons of Radley. Jean was a Master both in and out of the classroom. He was genuinely ´oarsome´ at instilling huge levels of confidence and self belief into all crews that he coached over the years, which is why he produced so many winning eights. Jean gave every person such self belief that he made you feel invincible. I will miss his enthusiasm, his patience, his charisma and his certain ´je ne sais quoi´. It was an absolute pleasure sharing so many happy memories with Jean, may he rest in peace. Mallalieu P On 6.3.2017 Peter Mallalieu. He taught Physics at Radley in the Michaelmas terms of 1994 and 1997, covering for Chris Butterworth and Ian Yorston when they were on sabbaticals. He refereed rugby. By the time he taught at Radley he had retired from teaching at St. Edward’s. He would have been 80 on 25th April.
Max Horsey
Obituaries
Max Horsey
The Countryside Centre and Beagles are moving to a new site above the golf course – below and to the left of the position of the Radley drone used to take the photograph above. Below: looking the other way towards Lodge Hill with the new site on the right
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Rangers
Nick Gubbins, plays defensively for Middlesex against Essex in the County Championships in April
Played 16 – Won 8 – Lost 8 – Cancelled 5
The review This was not a vintage season, albeit barely disturbed by the weather, because it followed the same faintly concerning pattern as the last few: a bright start in terms of raising sides and duffing up the opposition was followed by disappointment in the Cricketer Cup and a record number of fixtures cancelled due to lack of interest. To be fair to our match managers, we struggled to raise a side for only one match and most of the fault lay with the oppo, but it is worrying for the health of the game that half of the fixtures in July and August failed to attract 22 cricketers. There were enough highlights (MCC, Teddies, YGs) to offset the lowlights (Cricketer Cup, Gaudy), and plenty of individual performances, notably Jack Brown’s back to back hundreds followed by two when we put Teddies to the sword 100
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(Jamie Dalrymple and groundsman Arthur Jones). But there is plenty for our committee to think about over the winter as your humble scribe continues his steady disengagement after 27 seasons as Hon. Sec., leaving the young guns increasingly responsible for running the club without his help.
They bowled an impeccable line and length and the maidens accumulated. To be fair, our batsmen never panicked, but the required run rate kept rising and we kept losing wickets. Only Fred Fairhead hung around for a patient 50, but we were well and truly beaten long before we were bowled out for just over 100.
Cricketer Cup
I would like to pre-empt JD’s new year missive to the Cricketer Cup squad by asking that those who would like to be considered for the world’s finest amateur competition should please, please have a look at their diaries as soon as they get them from Santa, and do their best not to be away on the second weekend in June.
The team that set off for Felsted was not, frankly and disappointingly, our first pick. Far too many front line players had failed to arrange their diaries properly. Our keeper crisis summed it up, with Luke Dearden valiantly exiting retirement (temporarily, he swears) in his first game for a couple of years. Captain Jamie Dalrymple wasn’t thrilled by the number of balls we bowled “in the right areas”, and we were possibly lucky in restricting them to 256. However, although our bowling had been close to a match for their batting the reverse could not be said.
Cricketer Cup team: Jamie Dalrymple, Jack Brown, George Coles, Simon Dalrymple, Luke Dearden, Fred Fairhead, Alex Hearne, Christian Hollingworth, Henry Mills, John Stanton, Johnny Wright.
Sport
James Wesson Memorial T20 Tournament The second annual tournament was played between a young school XI, the Rangers and a very Radleian IZ side. The first match saw the school XI bat first against the Rangers and they reached 157 for 3 from their 20 overs. After an early wicket, their top order batted well against some erratic bowling until R Henson checked their momentum, picking up 2 for 23 off his 4 overs. In reply, the Rangers struggled against some very disciplined bowling and it was only in the ninth wicket partnership between C Goldsmith and N Ramsay that we managed to find the boundary with any regularity. We ended on 129 for 9 to lose by 28 runs. The second match saw the Rangers bat first against the IZ. Following his cameo at the end of the first match, N Ramsay opened the batting in a similar vein to score 67. However, the rest of the batting struggled to offer much support and extras were the second highest scorer adding 24 to a total of 156 all out. In reply, W Gubbins and D Wynne-Griffiths put on 70 for the first wicket, with Wynne-Griffiths going on to carry his bat for 68 to ensure that the IZ won by 8 wickets with 8 balls to spare. The final match saw the IZ play the school. The school struggled early, losing three quick wickets, but a good fourth wicket partnership looked to have put them in a strong position. However, a flurry of late wickets restricted them to 148-7 off their 20 overs. Gubbins and Wynne-Griffiths continued their good form to put on 50 for the first wicket. Gubbins then made the rest of the chase look very straight forward to finish on 94 not out as the IZ won by 9 wickets with a couple of overs to spare. Once again, it was a fantastic day with effectively three Radleain sides, past and present, enjoying wonderful early spring weather. Congratulations again go to Olly Langton and his IZ side for maintaining their 100% win record as they retained their trophy. Ollie West
St Edward’s Martyrs Having had two washouts in the past two years it was fantastic news to arrive at Radley safe in the knowledge the weather was set fair and the Rangers had a very strong team on paper. An amicable toss saw an under-strength Martyrs side invite the home side to bat first in a 50 Over contest that would prove to somewhat one-sided. Arthur Jones and Jamie Dalrymple opened the batting and provided considerable fireworks, as both players reached three figures before being caught in the deep, 101 and 115 respectively. The remaining overs left time for Henry Mills, 55*, and George Coles, 64*, time to have some fun of their own and accumulate what must be one of the Rangers’ largest-ever totals, 365-3 from their 50 Overs [I can’t remember anything like it in 38 years as a Ranger – Hon. Sec.]. In reality the bowling display from The Martyrs highlighted the weakness of the opposition had and the game was all but over at the half-way point. Charlie Wallis and Alex Easdale were given the new ball and both had a wicket apiece within the first nine overs, before the spin duo of Hugo Wright and Christian Hollingworth tied the batsmen down and put the run-rate well out of reach, Hollingworth collecting two wickets during his spell. As ever, Rupert Henson glided effortlessly to the crease and proceeded to apply further pressure with an excellent line and length, picking up his customary victims, two on this occasion. Regular wickets left the Rangers in a very strong position and the counter-attacking threat of T Smart was not enough as the run rate required continued to climb. Easdale and Wallis cleaned up the rest of the wickets as Smart departed just twelve short of a century. A convincing victory by the Rangers by 168 runs continued an excellent run of form and bragging rights over the local rivals for another year. George Coles
MCC In years gone by this fixture used to be a real struggle for the Rangers. The MCC were always able to choose a strong side from over 70 applicants, their players viewing the opportunity to play cricket on the bank holiday Sunday of early May on our fantastic grounds as among the most attractive fixtures in their card.
In contrast, the Rangers’ skipper (and invariably the Hon. Sec.), would spend the preceding week scrambling to fill the last places with many a Ranger deciding that the bank holiday offered an extra night out rather than a blissful opportunity to drive home on Sunday evening having enjoyed a full ‘free’ day of cricket and safe in the knowledge that they would not have to hobble into the office the following day. How times have changed! While the raising of the side has not got any easier as evidenced by not one but two non-Radley players in this year’s XI (the last of whom was recruited 10 minutes before the toss having foolishly thought he was coming to Radley as a spectator), the calibre of our team has certainly improved and the performances with it. Whereas once the MCC, batting first obviously, were 1000, now they are 30-4, albeit aided and abetted by the presence of a Ranger in the MCC top order who kindly departed for a duck. Whereas once the MCC would put on 300, now we manage to restrict them to 230 all out. Whereas once our reply would stumble to 50-6, now we chase down 230 with 7 wickets in hand. Much, therefore, has improved and I would like to thank all those who signed up to play and hope that they return next year and encourage others so that we can avoid the all too frequent whip around a few days before. As was said in the changing room after the game, it is so much more fun when you play in a good side and you win! And you have Monday free as well! Jos North
Gaudy The College hosted Radley Rangers for the first time in some years, with all involved glad that the ORs were once again playing the boys on the biggest day of in the school calendar. With many boys still at the Leavers’ service, an arranged toss resulted in the College batting on a naturally flat deck. Things started well for the batting side as H Purton tucked into his older brother’s bowling with glee. He, alongside F Brook, put on 124 for the first wicket as C Purton and bowling partner Wright had no answer. Both openers brought up their half centuries in rapid fashion before T Carr dismissed Brook in the 14th over. J Dalrymple then had Purton caught and bowled and suddenly the old radleian 2017
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Nick Gubbins attacks the Essex bowling – he went on to score a century
the Rangers felt back in the match. W Carr, brother of Tom, had other ideas as he smashed a 29 ball 54. He was supported by skipper Betley (14), before Martyn-Hemphill picked the run rate up once more. His quick-fire 43 not out propelled the school to an imposing 249-5 from their 30 overs. J Dalrymple (2-30) and J Todd (0-23) were the pick of the bowlers in a Rangers side that was simply blown away by the school’s power and skill with bat in hand. A famous run chase beckoned. After speeches from the Warden and Head Prefect (which included some very 102
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well-timed fireworks), the Rangers went about the said chase. Openers Beardall and Wilson started steadily, reaching 24-0 before the latter was well caught off opener Folkestone (1-16). The Rangers then lost a steady stream of wickets as Beardall (19), Hanna (6) and Sayer (0) all fell leaving the Rangers 73-5 in the 14th over. Dalrymple showed his class with some masterful stroke play around the ground on his way to 44. Skipper for the day Wright then joined the procession back to the pavilion, followed soon after by Brown as the ORs collapsed to 126-8. Some strong hitting from J. Todd and T. Carr threatened
to give us a respectable total, before Cunningham (3-30), wrapped up the tail to bowl the Rangers out for 152, a victory margin of 97 runs. Pick of the bowlers for the school was T. Eden who picked up 4-34 from his 6 overs. Overall the schoolboys were a far better side on the day, with the powerful batting setting the tone for a dominant display. That being said, a great time was had by all, thoroughly hoping that the tradition of cricket on Gaudy continues for many years to come. Johnny Wright
Sport
Yorkshire Gentlemen The 21st tour to Yorkshire contained many familiar ingredients: a last minute scramble for players that resulted in the youngest side to date: after the Hon. Sec., the next oldest was his son. The weather made a half-hearted attempt to delay the start then gave up. We dropped countless catches on day one, and conceded a first innings lead. And we had yet another nailbiting finish, with all four results possible until the penultimate over. But there the similarities fade. We made a respectable 210 off 42 overs including a 50 from Ben Mills on debut. The YGs
declared after 20 minutes the following morning with a 20 run lead and we batted – wait for it with bated breath – sensibly! The tone was set by an uneven opening partnership by the Hensons, to which the older barely contributed and in which the younger surprised anybody who has seen him swishing away irresponsibly at Escrick since he was 12 by hitting bad balls on the floor and blocking the rest. Two more fifties followed from Hanna and (amazingly, since his prior career average with the Rangers was 0.75, the result of 4 runs in 5 attempts [Wet bob editor does not understand why the average is not 0.8]) Archie Wilson. Shot roulette failed to
deliver its usual cheap scalps, and we set the YGs 206 to win in 40 overs. The game looked lost when they were 176 for 3 with two batsmen well set on unbeaten 50s. Then finally captain Mungo Fawcett, having wheeled away unsuccessfully (and selfishly, according to his close friends in the slip cordon, with cries of “Bevan would have taken himself off by now” or “Give up, you’ll never take a wicket”), finally broke the drought. In a devastating 3 over burst he took 5 for 5 including, most gratifyingly his brother, and the YGs collapsed to 189 all out. Another tour closed with promises of a return next year. Let’s hope so.
Rangers Results Old Amplefordians
Won by 19 runs
Brown 124, J Wright 3-34
MCC
Won by 7 wickets
Brown 103, Cave 3-60, J Wright 3-24
Wesson Trophy T20 Triangular Tournament (Won by I Zingari with 8 RRs) Radley College
Lost by 28 runs
I Zingari
Lost by 8 wickets
Ramsay 67
Won by 168 runs
J Dalrymple 115, A Jones 101, G Coles 64*, H Mills 55*,
St Edward’s Martyrs
Wallis 3-28, Easdale 3-37
Bradfield Waifs
Lost by 20 runs
Buckley 59
Sherborne Pilgrims
Won by 59 runs
Hollingworth 3-51
Guards CC
Won by 4 wickets
Maxwell 94
Felsted (Cricketer Cup Round 1)
Lost by 155 runs
Old Cranleians
Won by 56 runs
D Wynne-Griffith 61, Innes-Kerr 52 & 3-22
Oxford Downs
Lost by 19 runs
Hollingworth 65
Radley (at Gaudy)
Lost by 97 runs
H Mills 56
HAC
Won by 44 runs
Sayer 124*, Wallis 4-38
Gauchos
Lost by 6 wickets
Moreland 63
Flashmen
Lost by 188 runs
Pari 4-15
Yorkshire Gentlemen
Won by 21 runs
B Mills 67, A Wilson 67, Hanna 54, M Fawcett 5-26
Cancelled: Gloucester Gypsies, Hurlingham, Oundle Rovers, Marlborough Blues, Hampshire Hogs
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Golf – Annual Results Autumn Meeting at Royal St. George’s Golf Club, October 2016 Scratch Cup Winner Fred Campion Runner-Up Will Bailey (on last 9 holes with 37 strokes) Handicap Winner Fred Campion Runner-Up Nick Craigen Veterans Winner Will Bailey (over 55) Runner-Up Tim Rowntree Captain’s Prize Foursomes: James Rogers Memorial Trophy Winners Runners-Up
Fred Campion & William Nicholls Rupert Ashby & Andrew Strong
The Birkmyre Salver 2016
Will Bailey
Winner
72 76 38 points 36 points 33 points (on last 9 holes with 18 points) 33 points (on last 9 holes with 15 ponits)
42 points 37 points
80 & 76 = 156
Spring Meeting at The Berkshire Golf Club, April 2017 Scratch Cup Winner Angus Chilvers 75 Runner-Up Tom Wright 78 (on back 9 with 38 gross to Godden’s 41 gross) Handicap Winner Philip Godden 40 points Runner-Up Angus Chilvers 37 points Veterans (over 55) Winner Robert Finlayson 36 points Runner-Up Robert Seward 30 points Bruce Cup (under 35) Winner Nick Craigen 35 points Runner-Up Ed Bromley-Martin 33 points Past Captains (Paul Cooper Chalice for a PC not a winner of another prize!) Hugh Wolley 29 points Foursomes Winners James Ashwanden & Andrew Strong 35 points Runners-Up Paul Craigen & Nick Craigen 34 points Robin Turner Match Play Trophy at Royal St. George’s Golf Club Final Rupert Ashby Halford Hewitt Radley beat Wellingborough (3-2) but were beaten by Merchison (4-1). Bernard Darwin (over 55) Radley beat Rugby but lost to Uppingham Senior Darwin (over 65) Radley beat Rugby and Harrow but were beaten by Tonbridge Veteran Darwin (over 75) Hugh Mackeown and Michael Kfouri won with 35 Stableford points, winning by one. See the ORGS website: www.orgs.org.uk 104
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Richard Palmer (1956) has retired as Hon. Secretary of the Old Radleian Golfing Society after 42 years of outstanding service. He was honoured at the ORGS AGM together with Hugh Mackeown (1955) who has played over 100 matches for Radley in the Halford Hewitt.
Will Libby (above) and Fred Campion (below)
Hugh Mackeown (above) and Michael Kfouri (below) won the Veteran Darwin (over 75) at Woking in June with a great score of 35 Stableford points, winning by one.
Will Bailey (1968) is the new Hon. Secretary.
Hugh Wolley (our Captain who retired at the AGM in March) presents the Handicap Cup to Fred Campion, our rising star
Tom Wright (left), new to the team with Adrian West (right)
Hugh Mackeown (left) after playing in the Halford Hewitt team for Radley from 1974 to 2016, only missing two years – this was Hugh’s first year as a spectator. Christopher Clarke (centre) has just retired as Secretary of the Bernard Darwin and the Senior Darwin after 12 years of very loyal service. He was Secretary of the whole competition, not for Radley. Charlie Barker (right) – our new Captain. the old radleian 2017
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Football
a comeback instigated by a goal from the evergreen Henry Mills saw the ORs win 6-4. The next six games saw the ORs claim two draws and four losses with an enormous amount of goals conceded. Victories against Malvern and Aldenham were again not enough to avoid relegation as the ORs unfortunately finished bottom of the table. After a year of slightly weakened match day squads, the value of a consistent line-up cannot be emphasised more. As Ed Hodgson and myself step down from our roles running the club after a very disappointing season following two of the clubs most successful seasons, we leave it in the safe hands of Daniel Brownlee and Andrew Barrie. I would like to say a massive thanks to Ed for his commitment to the club and for the fantastic job he has done captaining the side for the last two years.
The OR team at their end of season drinks After a hugely successful season, where the Old Radleians had achieved both their greatest points tally and also their highest ever league finish of third in the Arthurian League Division 1, hopes were high for the 2016-17 season. As ever September arrived almost too soon, and the season began with a very inexperienced line-up taking on recently relegated Cholmeleians. A poor quality game saw Radley twice come from behind to sneak a respectable 2-2 draw thanks to a late Os Miller equaliser. What followed was a run of four straight defeats to Repton, Aldenham, an unfortunate 1-0 loss to eventual league winners Winchester, and Chigwell.
a very strong Radley start and goals from Taylour and Cheetham decided against all odds to let Repton back into the game. In the second half in the space of ten minutes Radley went from 2-1 up to 4-2 down against ten man Repton. Danger was somehow averted however as
Henry Taylour Contacts: Andrew Barrie adbarrie@live.co.uk Daniel Brownlee daniel.brownlee@outlook.com
The slow start to the season unfortunately had a negative effect on the confidence of the side, and despite a spirited performance in a cracking game against Millfield where the ORs came from behind twice to take a 4-3 lead with an excellent goal from Archie Hewlett, only to be pegged back to 4-4 in the dying seconds. This was followed by another cruel result as a first round cup exit to Malvern occurred after a 4-3 defeat. Still awaiting a first win, the ORs finally got their season up and running with a typically satisfying 3-0 victory over Wellington in a feisty encounter. Arguably the game of the season occurred in November against Repton who despite 106
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Henry Taylour with player of season and golden boot awards
Sport
Mariners Rowing
The Mariners Challenge at Radley in May. Below: Dr Michael Brigg (1971) brought his sculling boat.
The Mariners Challenge A sunny afternoon at the river with drinks, a barbecue and sprint racing between Mariner crews and the boys. It was a great day and it is hoped there will be similar events in future.
Henley Royal Regatta Radley Mariners entered a Coxless Four in the Wyfold and a Coxed Four in the Britannia at Henley. The Coxed Four of Henry Way (2010), James Newton (2010), Jamie Gossage (2006), Charlie Merton (2010) with Sean Gearing (2010, cox) did not qualify. Unfortunately Jamie had to pull out because of an injury so Charlie Ingham Clark (coach of the J15s) took his place. The Coxless Four with Ross (2003) and Tom (2005) Gearing as the Radley representatives, got through but,
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The ‘Young’ Mariners go afloat 108
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The ‘Not-quite-so-young’ Mariners crew goes afloat (above) and beats the ‘Young’ Mariners (below).
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Another race – the ‘Young’ Mariners take on the boys - and lose this time (above). Below: The BBQ on the boathouse balcony
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Sport from page 107 before their first round, Ross Gearing became ill and had a short stay in hospital. Alex George (2006) replaced him but the Mariners were beaten by 2 lengths by Maidenhead Rowing Club. Charlie Elwes (2010) rowed for Leander and Griffen Boat Club in the Stewards’ (Open Coxless Fours). They beat the French squad crew by 1¼ lengths but were beaten by the Italian squad crew in the semi-finals by ⅔ length. Simon Charles (1994) coached Agecroft Rowing Club crews. Their Four were beaten by New York Athletic Club in the Wyfold but their Eight reached the semifinals of the Thames Cup. Mark Durden-Smith (1982) was the anchor for the BT Spirts coverage of Henley. The Radley Mariners Charitable Trust has given grants this year to support Radley and Radley Mariners crews taking part in training camps and events.
John Nye being presented with a magnum of champagne by Julian Beck, President of the Mariners, at the Mariners Henley Party. John Nye was involved in coaching Boat Club crews with great success during his 36 years at Radley.
Boat Club Coaches leaving Radley
In the Economics Department as much as on the river, Angus inspired us to reach and work for success, not to wait for it to arrive.
Angus & Annabel McChesney
Angus and Annabel were a fantastic partnership in running F social. They instilled a kind and fun culture within the social, and genuinely cared about all of the boys in ‘F’. They are central to many of my positive memories of Radley, and I will forever feel an immense gratitude towards them for all that they did for me Angus swam the channel – if that doesn’t equal Radley legend I don’t know what does.
Angus and Annabel left Radley at the end of the Summer Term. These are just a few of the many tributes to a much-loved Tutor and his wife, both exceptional teachers and coaches. Radley College legend, from Economics to Geography Departments and the best of Tutors. Fantastic. Angus and Annabel showed up to everything – music, sport, theatre, art, declamations – that kind of support is felt and appreciated more than I can convey. Angus is an amazing teacher – we had incredible times. This duo performed a seamless job of looking after the boys with great love and commitment. Without the encouragement of Angus and Annabel I would not have discovered the fun of rowing at Radley or the honour and joy of racing in the 1st VIII.
Mr McChesney was a wonderful housemaster. He was firm, fair, and fun. He treated us as adults, and, as such, we rose to that standard; he held us to a level of maturity and responsibility that enabled our development to take a lighter course. Mr McChesney helped us get the balance right, and, for that, I am thankful; there was never too much of one thing, nor too little of another. We had fun, we laughed, we took our sports and studies seriously, but also grew up fast. That was the only way AJM would have it. My time in F was great, and I made friends for life there. I guess that is in no small part to the camaraderie AJM brought to life with his cheerful demeanour and steady, even handed approach.
Mrs McChesney made F a welcoming place to be. She was always kind, and engaging; she would stop you at cocoa and take a genuine interest in how everything was going. She was a quiet force in the social – she supported the boys in all endeavours, and her kindness to all of us will not be forgotten. Angus recognised the value of trust, loyalty and friendship. He was an exceptional rowing coach and we had great success along the way but above all we had a tremendous amount of fun! He skippered us on the Tall Ships Race across the Atlantic – an adventure of a lifetime. I can think of no happier times I had at Radley than in the presence of Angus and Annabel. A Facebook post: Given the success that the Boat Club has enjoyed this year, I know I still have one thank you left. Without the coaching, advice and support of Angus and Annabel, there is no way in hell I would be where I am today. Angus took a childish idiot who ‘wouldn’t stop shouting’ in his first outing in Removes to someone who wanted to win, instead of just having a laugh. I know I’m not the only guy out of the old radleian 2017
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the 8 who made it to Sunday who has a lot to thank the McChesneys for: one (who is offline in Honduras) started off in the ‘Gents 8’, taking rowing far from seriously, but with Angus’ encouragement is now not only a Henley finalist, (after just over a year of rowing) but also intends to keep rowing next year. All of us at some point have been coached by Angus or Annabel. Whether this was our first days in Shells learning how to scull, or in the 2nd 8 with Angus last year, not one of us can say that they haven’t been influenced by the knowledge and talent of the McChesneys. ••• From the London School of Economics and Oxford University, Angus came to Radley in September 1993 to teach Economics. There are many stories about his university days but two stand out to illustrate how fortunate Radley was to secure such an imaginative and inspirational recruit: During Eights Week, the bumping races for Oxford College crews, Angus and a friend constructed a ‘Jaws’ shark’s fin which they could, out of sight and below the surface, ‘swim’ through the water. They waited for a suitable gap in the racing and the shark’s fin crossed the river to the acclaim of the crowds. When the propulsion unit of Angus and his friend emerged from the water they were treated to an endless supply of free drinks by the astonished spectators – and invitations to May Balls on condition they wore their shark outfit. Angus had student digs on one side of the river while Annabel lived on the other. On one occasion Angus took the direct route, swam across the river and arrived, dripping, on Annabel’s doorstep. Angus had been in the British Junior Rowing team and an excellent school and club rugby player. He rowed for Imperial College and the University of London. At Oxford his commitments to the PGSE course prevented him from being involved in the Boat Race squad. With such a sporting pedigree it was natural for him to get involved in coaching both rowing and rugby at Radley. Angus was part of the team with Harry Mahon and Donald Legget that put Radley 112
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Annabel and Angus at the top of school rowing in the late 1990s and early 2000s. They did not just coach the Senior Squad but helped the crews of all age groups. Their record of National Schools’ Medals speaks for itself: 1997 – 7 medals (1st VIII gold);
1998 – 6 medals (1st VIII bronze) and 1st VIII won the Princess Elizabeth at Henley; 1999 – 6 medals (1st VIII bronze); 2000 – 4 medals (1st VIII gold); 2001 – 6 medals (1st VIII gold). After Harry Mahon died in 2001 Angus and Donald continued to win medals with
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but also instruction on the different types of hops and flavours created by them. The famed F Social hospitality, powered by Angus’s & Annabel’s superb cooking, resulted in marvellous parties including their celebrated ‘Titanic’ party. When one of his F Social boys was diagnosed with leukaemia Angus decided to swim the Channel in 2007 to raise funds for University College London Hospital where the boy was being treated. The swim, the “challenge of a lifetime”, was completed in 12 hours 45 minutes and raised an astonishing £50,000 for research at the hospital.
The winning team: Harry Mahon, Angus McChesney, Ronan Cantwell and Donald Legget the 1st VIII: bronze in 2002, silver in 2003 and bronze in 2004 so the Radley eight won a medal at National Schools’ every year for eight years – including three golds. He introduced the Boat Club Facebook page so parents were better informed of the regatta programmes and the lastminute changes to race times or crews. The award of Sculling Socks encouraged boys to improve their skills in single sculls
and his Family Regatta introduced the river to a wider community. For twelve years Angus and Annabel made their F Social an exceptionally warm and welcoming home. Among the many innovations were the F Social Twitter account, keeping parents and boys informed of all that was going on in the Social, fresh F Social cookies (every Thursday night), and the F Social brewery, teaching not only the skills of brewing
After his Channel swim it was not long before Angus had introduced open water swimming at Radley with boys being taken to swim the Henley course just before the regatta and sometimes to swim the Pond on the last night (or was it morning) of term. The Tug of War competition, Juggling & Circus Skills (including Fire Breathing), High Board Diving, Skateboarding – Angus was involved in so many exciting projects at Radley, including the Millennium Tall Ships Race when he skippered a crew of Radley boys across the Atlantic from Boston to Amsterdam via Halifax, Nova Scotia, in the 72ft Ketch John Laing (from the Ocean Youth Trust).
The 1998 Radley 1st VIII - winners of the Princess Elizabeth at Henley the old radleian 2017
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Annabel Annabel took up rowing when she went up to Pembroke College, Oxford to read Fine Art. Five years later she was rowing for the British team in the Double Sculls at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, finishing fifth, at that time the highest position a GB Women’s double had ever achieved. In 1996 Annabel coached the Radley J15 2nd Eight with Will Matthews and their crew won their event at National Schools’. After some part-time coaching over several years Annabel returned full time in 2014 to help the J14s win National Schools’ medals for three consecutive years. To help fund her international rowing career, Annabel set up Rock the Boat, a company specialising in innovative and fun rowing kit. Annabel’s artistic talents and in-depth understanding of rowing made the business a huge success. Annabel remains with Rock the Boat as a consultant and now concentrates on her art. She works across a wide range of media encompassing watercolour, printmaking and, most recently, digital laser-cutting. At Radley she has produced 114
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wonderful paintings, portraits of Radley staff and boys together with numerous cards, including her immensely popular ‘Social socks’ cards. From January 2014 to February 2015 the boys were lucky that Annabel, covering some maternity leave, taught in the Art Department.
Thank you Angus and Annabel. For 24 years you have enriched the Radley community and now others will be blessed by your great talents, warmth and generosity. Radley is crazy to let you go.
During her time at Radley Annabel has been closely involved in the Radley village community and projects such as the Save Radley Lakes campaign which successfully prevented the local lakes being filled with ash from Didcot Power Station. Now the lakes are part of an environmental plan to foster wildlife and encourage public access. For many years Annabel arranged Yoga classes for the Radley community and second-hand uniform sales for the Radley parents. Spotting that too many of the apples from the numerous trees on campus were going to waste, Annabel arranged for boys and families to pick the apples which were taken to be pressed and the juice to be bottled. The delicious apple juice was then sold by Annabel to provide funds for an excellent cause each year, such as the Radley Primary School.
Charlie Ingham Clark, a sports science assistant, has run the Boat Club J15 squad for two years and produced wins for crews at all levels. We wish hime well as he leaves Radley to embark on a PGSE course.
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Naomi Baker
World Rowing Championships Tom George (2008) was selected for the GB Pair at the World Championships in Florida at the end of September. Ollie WynneGriffith (2007) is one of the reserves. Charlie Elwes (2010) won a Silver medal in the GB Coxless Four at the World Under 23 Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, just over 3 seconds behind the winning Australian crew.
Charlie Elwes (2010) at 3 in the GB Coxless Four at the World Under 23 Championships in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.The whole crew are at Yale. They won Silver medals, about a length behind the winning Australian crew. Elwes
Above: Max Dunlap (2013), James InnesKer (2013) and Joshua Bowesman-Jones (2012) rowed for GB in the Coupe de la Jeunesse (a competition for Juniors from Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland) which took place in July in Hazewinkel. There are two separate days of competition. Max Dunlap followed a Bronze in the GB Eight on Saturday with a Gold on the Sunday while Joshua Bowesman-Jones and James Innes-Ker won Gold on both days in the GB Coxed Four. Archie McChesney, Max Dunlap and James Innes-Ker will all be at Radley next year.
Naomi Baker
Archie McChesney (2013) rowed in the GB Coxed Four at the World Rowing Junior Championships at Trakia, Lithuania in August. They finished 8th.
Ned Rae Smith & Theo Metcalf (both 2014) rowed in the GB J16 Eight against France in July. and won Gold in the last race of the day to clinch overall victory for the GB team. the old radleian 2017
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After 278 competitive appearances for Gloucester Rugby Club (a club record) and a year helping with Bigside, Nick Wood (1996) (above with son, Oscar) has taken over from Richard Greed as Master i/c Rugby at Radley
Cross Country
An OR Team of Jamie Turner (1987) and Ralf Arneil (1987) (above) with Mark Taylor (1986) and Jim Hill (1982) took part in the Radley Relays in February. The ORs beat the Dons by a tiny margin to retain the trophy.
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Martin Bennett
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Sailing
Jules Facer, Nat Webber and Mike Baldwin in the Belvidere Cup
Belvidere Cup – April 2017 Not Radley’s best but it was enjoyed by all. Report from the Royal Thames Yacht Club: On 1st April 7 ex-public school teams gathered at Queen Mary reservoir for the annual match racing event held by the Royal Thames Yacht Club in the fleet of J/80s. The competitors varied from the highly experienced match racers such as Winchester, Abingdon and Uppingham to those that had not match raced before but were keen to learn new skills. The RTYC race officer team led by Alexis Dogilewski and the umpire team led by the Vice Commodore Bernard Kinchin ran 3 flights with one team able to standout on each flight to enjoy the fine weather and learn from the other teams manoeuvres. Owing to some teams making starting errors the umpires were kept busy with
not only one but often two penalty flags flying in the pre start. In one case a team failed to take their penalty immediately after the start and so were black flagged resulting in them forfeiting the race. Ed Fryer, one of the visiting umpires, thanked them at the dinner for allowing him to use the black flag for the first time! If it is any consolation to them Ian Williams, 6 times world match racing champion, made exactly the same error last week and still went on to win the Congressional Cup! After a full round robin of 21 races Abingdon emerged victorious over Winchester resulting in both teams going through to the final. Uppingham and RTYC Academy qualified for the petit final with the Old Wellingtonians and Charterhouse making up the final qualifying pair. In both the petit final and the 3rd pair the respective pairs were won in a straight 2-0 by both Uppingham and the Old Wellingtonians. However the battle between Winchester and Abingdon went all the way to the third race with Winchester finally emerging victorious
with a 2-1 score complementing their win at last year’s event. Overall results: 1st Winchester 2nd Abingdon 3rd Uppingham 4th RTYC Academy 5th Old Wellingtonians 6th Charterhouse 7th Radley
ORs of any sailing ability are warmly welcomed. Information and points of contact are on the ORSA Facebook page, or contact one of the ORSA Officers: Andrew Collins (Admiral) Alexis Dogilewski (Commodore) alexis@dogilewski.com Julian Facer (Vice Commodore) jands.facer@gmail.com John Wylie (Rear Commodore) Simon Palmer (Treasurer) simonhpalmer@yahoo.co.uk George Pitcher (Secretary) george.pitcher@hotmail.com the old radleian 2017
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News & Notes News & Notes
Peter Waterfield (1938) My only Radley news and event was the wonderful service in Chapel last September in memory of my dear lifelong friend Peter Way. Hamish’s address was brilliant and hinted that there was one OR present who had been Peter’s contemporary. I guess that was me, and I certainly had
a great friendship with him, acting together, fire-watching from the roof of the Mansion in the days of the blitz, spending part of one summer holiday with his family. After the service I met many members of his family and other friends at the lavish reception. A great day!
Peter Sterwin (1943) My only news is that I engage in various voluntary activities and enjoy reading history and following the horses that follow the horses!
Brian Dorey (1943) We are celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary this year, my 88th birthday and my wife’s 80th birthday.
immigrated to Australia, I have attached details in a summary: Life with Brian 1963 to 2016, which might interest some of my College contemporaries.
determination, motivation and compassion.
Being as we live so far away and so many years have passed since my family
Radley taught me responsibility, leadership, team work, diplomacy,
Life with Brian can be found on the Radley website at: www.radley.org.uk/ORNews
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It has helped.
News & Notes
Dmitri Kasterine (1945) See his latest photographs and his documentary Newburgh: Beauty and Tragedy at www.kasterine.com
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Dr David Dunkerley (1947) – now again resident in Guernsey. At Radley my rowing was rubbish. I did enough to get by and even once managed a 3rd eight trial. However, on return to Hong Kong from Korea as an officer in the British Forces, I soon found out that at the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, a 3rd eight trial (failed) was a successful starting point for the sea rowing in heavy clinker boats, and the girls who found their way to our club house at Middle Island made it all very worthwhile. After being awarded my colours in 1956 I eventually became stroke of the winning H.K. eight and went on to be Captain of Boats in ‘62, when we wiped the floor with all the Far Eastern National Crews we challenged at the time. We very sensibly did not challenge any Japanese national crews at all.... But I am yet again lost in the glories that were. In the Autumn of 2015 I was contacted by the RHKYC as the oldest ex rowing 120
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captain to see if I would take part in a celebration row-past to commemorate 40 years since Hong Kong crews first rowed at Henley Royal Regatta. It was probably also some 40 years since I had last been in a boat and having chronic arthritis in my hands, taking 4mgs of wafarin daily together with the knowledge that, had I been about half of my age, my cardiologist would have put me up for a heart transplant, so I immediately said Yes! To cut a long story short, if not too late already, I managed to wring agreement from both my GP and Cardiologist to do this, provided we paddled at no more than 22 strokes per minute. This was subsequently agreed by the other 17 ex Hong Kong ‘elders’ rowing in the two crews - total life experience of well over 1100 years between them - and after a programme of exercising and a few outings in a double scull, courtesy of the Guernsey Rowing Club, I was off to row at Henley. Freddie Bircher I wasn’t, but at least I can now say I rowed at HRR and have the cap plus photos to prove it!!
The picture of me looking up from the boat alongside after the event demonstrates my somewhat pained reaction when having said my bit about it not being too bad for an 82 year old, I was told that on the Saturday row-past one of their oarsmen was 93. C’est la vie I suppose... at least I did it and now I’ll never let anyone forget it. The montage I made up hangs in the entrance hall. Did you see it as you came in? Well, at Radley my rowing...
Tony Heath (1950) My paintings are currently being exhibited at the Paragon Gallery, Montpelier, Cheltenham (See Evite below). Apart from painting naked ladies I am still chairman of a pension fund, adviser to a charity in London and playing tennis three times a week - trying to keep mind and body in synch! Starting 80th decade in June, unbelievably. I held a solo exhibition of my paintings in the OXO Tower in London in October and to my surprise found this was only a few weeks after another OR, Arthur Laidlaw. ORs get around!
News & Notes
Brian Roper (1949) Herewith photograph of OR lunch on 3rd February 2017 in Auckland. Left to right: George Freer (1949), John Sellers (1957), David Spriggs (1970), Jonathan Sinclair (1984) [British High Commissioner to New Zealand and Samoa, and Governor of the Pitcairn Islands] and Brian Roper. A happy occasion, lots to talk about the old school, George especially came out to New Zealand as he had heard about our gathering – no, he was out visiting his daughter so we hope to see him again when he next visits NZ!
their annual leave to work in Transylvania, are encouraging local craftsmen to relearn the long-lost building skills and techniques used for centuries in the construction of the distinctive farmhouses in these ancient villages. Skills in woodworking, plastering, brick-making and so forth, using traditional materials, while at the same time providing technical expertise in the installation of services such as electricity, plumbing, television and so on, enable the villagers to maintain their traditional way of life without sacrificing modern conveniences. We actually lodged in a farmhouse next door to that owned by the Prince of Wales, who has taken a great interest in this restoration work. However HRH was not present at the time! John Hammersley (1951) In May 2016 I spent an interesting ten days in Transylvania with a group from the Ludlow Civic Society, in support of the craftsmen from Shropshire and Herefordshire who are engaged as volunteers in the restoration of the
historic Saxon villages described by Oli Broom in his article The Slow Cyclist in the 2016 Old Radleian. The work being done by these enthusiastic volunteers, in collaboration with the Mihail Emenescu Trust, is a project worthy of wider recognition. The volunteers, who give up
After 17 years in St. Georges-sur-Cher, France, my wife and I continue to welcome B&B guests to our traditional Touraine longère farmhouse (left). Visit our website: www.laroseraiedevrigny.com the old radleian 2017
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Donald Legget (1956) has completed 50 years as a coach of the Cambridge Boat Race Squad. His 50 years and his 75th Birthday were celebrated in June at a large gathering in London. Below: One of the tables at Donald’s Dinner with David Searle (1969) (seated centre in front of the pillar)
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News & Notes Jonathan Brady/PA Wire
Major James Hereford (1952) was awarded an MBE in the 2017 New Year’s Honours for services to the Rifles Regiment and to the community in Herefordshire. Graham Moore (1954) We have moved house from Leicestershire to a new retirement apartment in central Farnham, Surrey. Tim Gardiner (1958) I continue as Chairman of Tourism for All UK, whose purpose is to provide high standards of accessibility for everyone. John Fell-Clark (1959) Suzanne and I will celebrate our 50th anniversary in June together with our two daughters, Dominique and Annabel, (both rowed at Cambridge) and our five grandchildren. I’m a lucky man! Jock MacKenzie (1961) Possibly relevant to your archives on ORs, your readers might be interested in a fairly massive project which I have been dragged into starting/ending in Abingdon! The short story is this: Chased out of Hungary in 2013 by an unusual government who unlawfully sequestered our businesses and assets (the same fate as many others’ organisations), the European Parliament has started an enquiry into the State’s actions. I say chased out, because I complained to the Union of these bankrupting actions and whereupon I received immediately a 7 day recommendation to leave the country (with family), by former colleagues in the police force. Our lovely house in the hills remains forlornly locked and boarded up to this day. Back in the UK with one child not speaking English, we settled into a rented house close to Marlborough, where we live currently, and we started to settle into the business of rebuilding our lives after this shock exodus! Turning down rather mundane and unattractive job offers, I preferred to remain independent. Returning to my early farming roots, I was soon looking after property, driving trucks (I still retain my Class 1 Heavy Goods driving licence which I received 45 years ago) and tractors for farmers on a sub contract basis whilst looking for the big opportunity! This soon happened! Working again in 2013 Swindon (the town I had left in 1986), I noticed that it still had the same unattractive town centre I well remembered. With 21 years of 124
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John Lubbock (1959) I have just issued a DVD and CD of the Messiah in my arrangement for wind instruments. See the Books & CDs section of this magazine. This year John celebrates 50 years with the Orchestra of St. John’s, the orchestra he founded while still a student at the Royal Academy of Music. Picture above: John is awarded an OBE by the Princess Royal in 2015.
master planning experience in Budapest daily magnetised and inspired by the mighty Danube, I wondered why the old canal was not reinstated into Swindon town centre. This had already been done effectively in Birmingham, Reading and many other towns and cities on the basis that water adds value: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg0B_2v-bLk I tackled the Council and found out that they had studied the matter but considered it undeliverable. This statement was received by me as a red rag to the bull and, to cut a long story short, I became appointed to create a master plan for the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust. Supported by financial sponsors, I learned that this delightful little narrow boat canal was formally abandoned by Act of Parliament in 1914. Having served its main purpose of building the Great Western Railway and Swindon Town as we know it today, I discovered over its 70 mile course (with a hub in Swindon) that it connected with the Kennet & Avon Canal in Melksham, the Thames & Severn/Cotswold Canal at Cricklade AND finally the Thames in
Abingdon! It was a ‘no brainer’ for me – from my school’s home town Abingdon to Melksham where I built my first engineering factory and first shopping centre – the job HAD to be done! The master plan is due for completion by end June this year and I am well on target to achieve this. The purpose of this note is to alert Radley that “hopefully” in the next foreseeable years, a Radley man (indeed a Radley Mariner) will have been partly responsible for this massive undertaking. It certainly will not fail from lack of master planning!! I will keep you posted if you would like to be kept informed. If alumni are interested to support this initiative, I provide details of the Charitable Trust for whom I work: www.wbct.org.uk Chip Somers (1961) is working as a psychotherapist in Harley Street, specialising in substance misuse, anxiety and depression. He founded the ABR Trust (Registered Charity 1167161) in 2016 to raise funds to help disadvantaged people have access to Abstinence Based Rehabilitation.
News & Notes Andy Du Port (1962) Still living in Funtington, West Sussex. Still married! Still sailing. Still a JP on West Sussex Bench. Published two books on sailing – Editor of Reeds Astro Navigation Tables Life plods on! Captain Simon Fisher (1962) Simon and Vicky are living a full life in the New Forest, slowly walking the SW Coastal Path. Simon is also still training new pilots for Commercial Aviation, which now qualifies as a degree.
Patrick Steele (1961) I retired at the end of 2014 after 46 years in the insurance and reinsurance industry. After treating myself to a fantastic hiking trip in Bhutan followed by a visit to New Zealand I have settled into retired life fundraising for a local charity, sailing my boat down the Inter Coastal Waterway to Florida and back (3,700 miles), gardening, and singing in our church choir, as well as spending time with our three children and six grandchildren.
John Gammage (1962) We recently finished building and have now moved into a new home on our ranch some 75 miles west of Houston. It has been a two year nightmare with the builders and their contractors. By all accounts this is not an uncommon experience wherever you live and we would caution anyone thinking about going down this road to think again. Thankfully we are happy with the result but it put the worst possible pressure on our 40 year marriage. Now I can go and take a dip in the central courtyard pool... Mark Hayter (1963) I moved from Herefordshire in 2014 to complete my curacy in Salisbury Diocese. Last year I was licensed as an Associate Priest in the Nadder Valley Benefice and now serve as Parish Priest for Hindon with Chicklade and Pertwood. I am attached to a team of 3, with responsibility for 14 parishes, 16 churches in a lovely part of Wiltshire. However, with two of the team having moved on or retired within the last 8 months it has been a more than full-time job for someone who is supposed to be working only 4 days of every week! This is combined with Grandparenting (a 3-year-old and a 6-month-old) on one day every week and so means that retirement is postponed! Christopher Hodgson (1963) After 27 years as a Director, and latterly as Deputy Chairman, Christopher Hodgson has retired from the Board of Cheltenham Racecourse. In that time the Racecourse facilities have been transformed culminating in the opening of The Princess Royal Stand in October 2015. The National Hunt Festival now attracts 260,000 racegoers over 4 days in March each year.
David Allott (1961) invited Anthony Robinson (1962) to watch the Lions with him in New Zealand in June. They are shown above at the Cake Tin, Westpac Stadium, in Wellington to witness the Lions victory. Between matches they had a terrible time winetasting around the vineyards of Marlborough in the North of South Island.
Charles Raikes (1962) and Guy Mulley (1972) are singing in an amateur choir whose members are drawn from the two neighbouring villages where they live, on the outskirts of Cambridge. the old radleian 2017
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News & Notes
Patrick Cassavetti (1964) Filmography: Producer, Executive Producer, Co-producer, Supervising Producer, Associate Producer. 2016 ID2: Shadwell Army 2014 Dirty Singles 2009 The Good Times Are Killing Me (TV Movie) The State Within (TV Series) 2006 Fido 2006 Booky Makes Her Mark (TV Movie) 2005 Terry (TV Movie) 2005 The Murdoch Mysteries – Under the Dragon’s Tail (TV episode) 2004 A Way of Life 2004 Only Human
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2003 In the Dark (TV Movie) 2003 The Galíndez File 2002 Verdict in Blood (TV Movie) 2002 A Killing Spring (TV Movie) 2001 Intimacy 2001 A Colder Kind of Death (TV Movie) 2001 The Wandering Soul Murders (TV Movie) 1999 History Is Made at Night 1998 Talk of Angels 1998 Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas 1996 Emma 1995 The Plant (TV Movie) 1992 The Accompanist 1992 Waterland 1991 A Woman at War (TV Movie) 1991 American Friends
1989 Closed Circuit (Short) 1989 The Loss Adjuster (Short) 1989 Chambre à part 1989 Dykket 1988 Paris by Night 1987 Making Waves (Short) 1986 Mona Lisa 1985 Brazil 1983 R.H.I.N.O.; Really Here in Name Only (TV Movie) 1983 Flying Into the Wind (TV Movie) 1983 Birth of a Nation (TV Movie) 1983 Walter & June (TV Movie) 1982 Walter (TV Movie) 1982 Made in Britain (TV Movie)
News & Notes
Julian Cribb (1964) Just released my ninth science book “Surviving the 21st Century” (Springer 2017 – see the books section of this magazine) exploring the issue of how humanity can survive the 10 great existential threats now bearing down on us. And still practising the troutly arts acquired on Radley Lake ... (in NZ).
Mark Holford (1964) is the Chairman of Klipboard (klipboard.io), a tech start-up based at London Bridge. It is a SaaS business using tablets to help businesses with mobile workforces to be more productive. Mark is also a nonexecutive director of Red Squirrel Wine (redsquirrelwine.com) described by Jancis Robinson as “one of the newer, younger independent merchants that has flowered in Britain”.
Mark and his wife, Sarah, run Les Azuriales Opera which helps young opera singers. In April they organised a Gala Benefit Concert to help one of their alumna, NZ opera star Anna Leese, whose husband has contracted the most aggressive form of Motor Neurone Disease and has been given two years to live. The concert in the Barbican was hosted by renowned baritone Sir Thomas Allen with 30 other star singers and
musicians including Sophie Bevan and Jacques Imbrailo. The concert raised over £45,000. You can see the stars of tomorrow at events in Les Azuriales’ Young Artist programme [some at the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, above] – details on our website: www.azurialopera.com
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Dr Philip Rylands (1964) Press Release December 2016: The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation announced today that Philip Rylands will step down as Director of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice and Foundation Director for Italy, effective June 2017. “For more than 35 years, Philip has brought to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection a genuine affection for its founder, dedication to the Guggenheim’s mission, and a deep commitment to education,” said Richard Armstrong, Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation. “The impact of his work can be seen in the record number of visitors to the museum in 2016, the thousands who have participated in its lauded internship program, and the numerous enhancements he has implemented to support expanded education and temporary exhibition programs. Significant works of Italian, European, and American art brought into the Guggenheim Foundation’s collection 128
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during Philip’s tenure now complement the incomparable collection of Peggy Guggenheim. A recently concluded, highly successful capital campaign greatly enhances both the presentation of art and the visitor experience.” Rylands joined the Guggenheim Foundation as administrator of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, overseeing the operation and development of Peggy Guggenheim’s palazzo and collection of 20th-century masterpieces following her death in 1979. He became deputy director of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in 1986 and director in 2000. In 2009, he assumed the additional role of the Guggenheim Foundation’s Director for Italy. Under Rylands’ leadership, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection has become the most-visited museum of modern art in Italy and the second-most-visited museum in Venice. During his tenure, Rylands oversaw the conversion and restoration of the 18th-century Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, Peggy Guggenheim’s former
home on the Grand Canal in Venice, which houses her collection of seminal works reflecting the major movements of Cubism, European abstraction, Surrealism, Futurism, and Abstract Expressionism, by some of the greatest artists of the 20th century. In 1980, Rylands founded the Peggy Guggenheim Collection Internship Program, which has been a training ground for future museum professionals. Since 1986, he has directed the Peggy Guggenheim Collection’s management and operation of the U.S. Pavilion of the Venice Biennale, acquired by the Guggenheim Foundation that same year. “It has been my great honour to serve as Director of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection,” said Rylands. “Peggy was a woman and a collector like no other. Celebrating, conserving and sharing her palazzo and her collection of 20th-century masterpieces for these many years has been a profound joy.” “There is no question that Philip’s departure marks the end of an era and that his shoes will be difficult to fill,”
News & Notes said William L. Mack, Chairman of the Guggenheim Board of Trustees. “We thank him for his leadership and dedication, and we extend our warmest wishes to him as he embarks on a new chapter.” “We are deeply grateful to Philip for all that he has brought to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and to lovers of modern art,” said Jennifer Blei Stockman, President of the Guggenheim Board of Trustees. “Those who have visited the museum in Venice know that Peggy’s legacy remains palpable in the rooms and gardens of her palazzo, its vividness reminding us anew of the daring, visionary spirit on which the Guggenheim itself was founded and with which Peggy lived her life.” “Philip has been a devoted steward to the memory and generosity of my cousin Peggy Guggenheim,” said Peter LawsonJohnston, Honorary Chairman of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. “His leadership of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection has added exponentially to the understanding and appreciation of the modern art which was the life’s work of its founder.”
Simon North (1964) Now retired at the beginning of May, “at last” according to all (!), but staying in touch with my Winchester branch of Strutt & Parker as a Consultant. My retirement time is taken up with gardening and fishing, and keeping in regular touch with our daughter and our new granddaughter Flora via FaceTime, the wonders of Technology! Our son, having won the Talisker trans-Antantic pairs rowing race is now planning the desert running race; he obviously loves running as I did at Radley, captaining cross-country and athletics!
John Nurick (1964) Nearly two years ago I moved back to Australia with my fiancée (now wife). I’m now retired from management consultancy and we’re established in our house overlooking King George Sound with views 100km inland on a clear day. I do the cooking and have wood and metal workshops and lots of reading to catch up with; Kirsty works part time for the head of the local RC school. ORs passing through this part of the world are welcome to get in touch and maybe try out our guest suite.
Captain Mike Nixon (1966) I’m about to move back home to Cornwall at long last. More time for sailing and golf! Wold Palmer (1967) I have retired from Berry Palmer & Lyle Limited, the specialist credit and political risk insurance broker which I co-founded in 1983, though I remain a shareholder and non-executive director.
Jeremy Picton-Turbervill (1966) (right) was recently elected President of Ross Rowing Club.
John Bridcut (1965) directed George III The Genius of the Mad King, first broadcast in January on BBC2. the old radleian 2017
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News & Notes Professor Sir Mike Richards, CBE (1964) pictured below, retired this summer, after four years as Chief Inspector of Hospitals. The London Evening Standard carried his interview on Radio 4 as its front page lead. John Stillwell/PA Archive/PA Images
BREXIT FEARS OF NHS STAFF CRISIS HOSPITAL WATCHDOG WARNS OF THREAT TO RECRUITMENT OF DOCTORS AND NURSES England’s chief inspector of hospitals today warned of a Brexit Threat.”- to crucial stalling in the NHS and care homes. Professor Sir Mike Richards raised the alarm over the NHS struggling to recruit enough nurses, doctors and other health professionals from the EU and other countries if Britain imposes an immigration clampdown. “There is no doubt that the workforce of the NHS and indeed the care system generally is absolutely critical and we do need to have more staff... that’s true in virtually every sector,” he told BBC radio. “If we are leaving the EU there is a threat to that, which we need to make sure is being dealt with so that we are not losing staff and we can then replace them if necessary to grow our own, if you like.” Sir Mike issued his warning as official figures showed that the number of vacancies in the NHS has risen by about 10 per cent. There were 86,035 fulltime equivalent vacancies in the first quarter of the year in England, up from 78,112 during the same period last year, according to NHS Digital. In March there were 30,613 advertised full-time equivalent vacancies, compared to 26,424 in the same month last year and 26,406 in 2015. More than a third, or 11,485, of the latest vacancies were for nurses and midwives. Staff numbers have been rising but they dipped in April compared with the previous month. The number of professional qualified clinical staff, including doctors, nurses and midwives, in England was down 1,459 full-time equivalent posts. There were 1,274 fewer nurses and midwives. In the South London region, there was a month-on-month fall of 177 such staff, including 99 nurses and health visitors. In North Central and East London there was a drop of 170, including 127 nurses 130
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and health visitors. However North West London saw a rise of 81, largely nurses and health visitors. It was not clear from the figures how many of these vacancies and staff shortages were driven by Brexit. A Department of Health spokesman said: “Overseas workers form a crucial part of our NHS and we value their contribution
immensely. That’s why we have made clear that the future of those EU nationals working in our health and care system should be a priority in Brexit negotiations.” The DoH stressed that there has been an increase of almost 32,400 professionally qualified clinical staff, including almost 11,800 more doctors and over 12,500 more nurses, on wards since May 2010. Sir Mike – who is stepping down from his inspector role at the Care Quality Commission at the end of the week – believes there should be wage rises for NHS workers above the one per cent cap “as and when we can”. He added: “There’s no doubt the NHS needs more money, because of increasing demand on it and the need to transform services. But it’s also true, as we have seen, that things can be done better without more money.” He stressed that hospitals had managed to improve services without huge cash injections by focusing on patient safety and leadership. But he added he had very occasionally seen “very poor care” on wards, citing one particular case where the CQC ordered a 28-bed ward to close eight beds because nursing staff were spread too thinly.
News & Notes Sandy Nairne (1966), former Director of the National Portrait Gallery – from The Guardian, 16 September, 2017
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News & Notes Jonty Colchester (1969) After Magdalen Oxford, I had a varied career, starting two businesses with John Lister (1967): a painting company, Colchester Lister, and then Shipton Mill near Tetbury which he still runs. Opening Colchester Lister in New York in 1982, I moved to LA in 1986 for two years, getting married on my return to Zara Metcalfe. We have had three boys who went to Rugby and are now all in digital London. In 1994 I went into wealth management, working for Credit Suisse and Rothschild among others, and ending up running the Private Client business of GAM in St James, which I left in 2012. We moved to the hills above Hay on Wye in Wales in 2015, where Zara rides her horses. I still advise 5 families, so go to London for a couple of days a week, and quite often abroad. In my spare time I am slowly making a natural garden around our streams.
Philip Portal (1970) 30 years married to Catherine, living in Cascais, Portugal, regularly in London. 3 boys, eldest with Arup in London, two youngest are professional musicians (classical piano and jazz drums). Managing Director and core partner of ISGAM AG, independent private client financial planning and portfolio management. Causes time in Zurich, UAE and Oman. Court member of The Clothworkers Company, the City livery company. Trustee of CALM, a UK charity committed to reducing male suicide. Christopher Sandford (1970) has two books appearing in 2017: Union Jack: John F. Kennedy’s Special Relationship with Great Britain (see the books section of this magazine); and The Man Who Would be Sherlock: The True-life Adventures of Arthur Conan Doyle. His book on the April 1918 Zeebrugge Raid (in which Richard Sandford won the VC) will appear on its 100th anniversary. Malcolm Young (1970) I am now in my fourth year of civilian life following 34 years service in the Royal Engineers (19802014). I was fortunate enough to reach the rank of Lieutenant Colonel serving at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) in my final post in the Army, where I was responsible for supporting the 19 units of the 4,500 strong Officers Training Corps throughout the UK. Purely by chance I am now working just a few miles from RMAS as the Bursar at Eagle House School, an independent Prep School of about 400 pupils from 3 -13 that is part of the Wellington Group. My wife PJ and I have been thoroughly enjoying being part of the Radley community since September 2015 when our son Harry joined the school in K Social. The range of opportunities available at Radley, and the facilities, have grown impressively since I was lucky enough to attend, and we feel very fortunate that Harry is able to make the most of so many of those opportunities. A huge thank you from a mighty grateful OR.
William Greig (1969) William and his wife, Gill, are still Ballroom and Latin dancing. We passed our First Gold Bar Medal Test in the Ballroom dances with Honours last year with the International Dance Teachers’ Association (The IDTA). 132
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Julian Haywood Smith (1971) I joined Richard Bertram (1974) in his Ipswich Chartered Surveying practice of Beane Wass & Box in February 2017, and we value, sell and lease commercial property, and provide advice for clients dealing with disputes in Landlord and Tenant matters across East Anglia. We welcome enquiries
on all property issues, large or small, with free initial consultation for ORs. Guy Mulley (1972) This October I start as a postgraduate research student at Cambridge University, in the Faculty of Law. Stephen Nankivell (1972) New position: National Sales Manager with AGCO Australia Ltd. Charles Hawkins (1973) Since the last edition, we have emigrated to the Snowdonia National Park (in North Wales for the Sassenachs amongst you), and taken what many are describing as early retirement. That said, I do seem to be busier than ever, working with local charities and even putting in a stint at Bangor University’s Natural History museum, sorting and data logging their fossil collection. More to the point, the air is clean, the people friendly and there is no M25. We are very happy and would welcome any ORs who are in need of a coffee as you travel along the Conwy valley (we are 5 miles south of Conwy). Major Nick Holland (1973) Just thought I’d let you know that I continue to row competitively! This year I again helped coordinate the OUBC Veteran’s Crew for the race against Cambridge, which we sadly lost. I continue to train and row at Potomac Boat Club here in Washington DC and would be glad to host any visiting Mariners. I have just returned from a week in New Zealand, rowing in the World Masters Games - a quadrennial festival of Masters Sports. I returned with two Gold Medals and a Bronze Medal. I am heading to Bled, Slovenia to race in the World Rowing Masters Regatta in September after competing in the US Rowing National Championships in August. Matthew Locke (1973) I co-produced the Future Cities Forum, with Heather Fearfield, (https://www.futurecitiesforum. london/forums) set up to debate best practice in urban renewal and city development. Launched at RIBA we ran our fifth research forum in June at Burlington House, London, on the impact of museums, cultural spaces and science hubs on city regeneration. The new director of the V&A Tristram Hunt was present, alongside Duncan Wilson, Chief Executive of Historic England, and city council heads of regeneration.
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Christopher (Topher) Faulkner (1972) set up Rise Africa UK with his daughter Olivia to support disadvantaged children in the Moshono community in Northern Tanzania. The charity was set up as a result of Olivia spending four months volunteering in Moshono after leaving school. Olivia shared her experience with her father and the pair were so moved that they decided to run the Edinburgh Half Marathon in May 2011 with the aim of raising money to make a difference in one village in Tanzania. Rise Africa UK has since made a significant difference to the lives of 80 vulnerable and disadvantaged children
in the Moshono community. The charity helps children to attend private English speaking schools to receive quality education, and provides each child with uniforms, stationary, meals and shoes. Rise Africa UK helps 80 children shape a life for themselves where they can escape the vicious cycle of poverty. Rise Africa UK also helps the community as well as the children. The latest project, the Chicken Project, provides struggling parents and guardians with the means to create an income for themselves by selling eggs and chickens in the local market. Our biggest achievement at Rise Africa UK has been creating a great working
relationship with the school committee, the parents and guardians and one local Tanzanian lady in particular, Penina Mollel, who manages all the sponsorships in Tanzania. Penina’s education was sponsored by a British family and she is now dedicated to providing that same opportunity to other poor children. To find out more about Topher Faulkner’s charity visit: www.rise-africa.co.uk or contact them on: info@rise-africa.co.uk If you would like to help sponsor a child, support our Chicken Project or visit us in Tanzania – we would love to talk to you.
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Factum Arte, founded by Adam Lowe (1972), produced a replica of the Borgherini Chapel for the Michelangelo & Sebastiano Exhibition at the National Gallery. 134
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Clive Stafford Smith (1973) the Founder of Reprieve wearing a ‘Bad Dude’ T Shirt, sold to help fund their fight for human rights and their defence of victims of injustice. Clive’s statement: President Donald Trump promised not only to keep Guantanamo Bay open, but to “load it up” with “Bad Dudes”. At Reprieve, we’re still fighting to close Guantanamo for good. We’ve helped to free over 80 men from Guantanamo, more than any other organisation. We’re leading the fight to abolish the use of the death penalty around the globe and to stop the programme of assassinations employed by the world’s most powerful governments. In the courts, we’re suing President Trump to ensure he does not continue President Obama’s “Kill List” policy. www.reprieve.org.uk
A team from Factum Arte has been taking part in the recording and postprocessing of one of the most breathtaking and intact tombs in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, the tomb of Seti I. The intention is to produce a 1:1 facsimile – precise to a tenth of a millimeter (100 microns), in a project similar to that of the recording and reproduction of the tomb of Tutankhamun.
After the exhibition, the facsimile of the two rooms from the tomb of Seti I will be donated to the Arab Republic of Egypt, where they will be installed next to the Foundatio’s facsimile of the Tomb of Tutankhamun. Both will be housed beneath the 3D Scanning, Archiving and Training Centre at Hassan Fathy’s Stoppelare House on the West Bank in Luxor.
Factum Foundation is now working with the Antikenmuseum Basel, the University of Basel and the Ministry of Antiquities in Egypt to present the exhibition: Scanning Seti: the regeneration of a Pharaonic tomb. The exhibition will include two complete rooms from the tomb of Seti I, a facsimile of the sarcophagus and tomb fragments recorded in various European and American collections.
Factum Foundation has also been working on the reconstruction of a room in the royal palace of Nineveh – the original in Iraq was recently completely destroyed. Another project involves recording all the known panels of the Polittico Griffoni that were removed from the Church of San Petronio in Bologna in the 18th century and sold as separate paintings. In October, Pope Francis will be visiting San
Petronio and the intention is to return the altarpiece to its original site, the restored Griffoni chapel, in time for the Pope’s visit.
Below: Example of the type of scan that can be achieved with the Lucida 3D Scanner
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Hugh Routledge/REX/Shutterstock
News & Notes For those not acquainted with the vagaries of the turf, I need to explain why Simon’s job is mission critical to those making a living from racing from trainers to punters and why he is under so much pressure to forecast the weather and we all know how difficult that can be. The ‘going’ is one of the biggest considerations in racing. Through numerous breeding studies, a horse’s preference for particular going is based on genetic traits passed through various ancestries and blood lines. Breeding, like with distance, has an influence on a horse’s going preference but also a horse’s physical size and shape. For example, it is said that horses with large feet like heavy going. Also, a horse’s action, the way it moves its legs, determines what type of ground suits it best. Horses with a round action, in which they bring their knees high off the ground with each stride, are more suited to softer going than horses that keep their foot low which are more suited to firm going. The ‘going’ is determined by the amount of moisture in the ground and is continuously assessed by Simon and his team well before and on the day of a race meeting. Now this is where life gets tricky because the forecast, accuracy and consistency of the going reports, dictates if a trainer will run a horse and what chance it has of winning.
Simon Claisse (1973) has been Clerk of the Course at Cheltenham since 2000. From Cotswold Style:
monitoring the going in the run up to the race and covering or watering the track as necessary to maintain a raceable surface.
... Custodian of the course and its racing is Simon Claisse. Known to many by his early morning appearances on Channel 4’s Morning Line describing the ‘going’, he is Regional Head of Racing for Cheltenham, Warwick, Wincanton and Exeter. Ultimately he decides whether the course is fit to race and declares the official going on the day of racing,
He is also responsible for preparing and managing fences. Every time I see Simon he brings to mind the name of an old chaser I recall from my youth, The Benign Bishop, not because I think he has aspiration to any ecclesiastical office but well, because, he looks always rather benign, an excellent quality I assume for such a job.
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“The vagaries of the weather is one of the most difficult aspects of my job,” explains Simon, “The patterns of weather definitely seem to be changing and we have to react as quickly as we can to ensure that the course is fit for racing and above all, protects the welfare and safety of horse and rider. The pattern in the last decade or so has very much been for wet and mild winters which suddenly appear to halt just before The Festival in March, which means we can have ‘good to soft’ at the beginning of the week which can turn to the firmer side of good before the end of the week if it dries out.” Come the day of racing, say the Festival Trials meeting in January, the weather can change in a matter of minutes. During the last cold winter in 2013 the racecourse was beset by frost and snow and which had to be cleared from the course twice in the preceding week. “One of my groundsmen had to get under one of the
News & Notes covers protecting the course, the change of temperature was so severe, it shattered his glasses.” On the day of racing itself, there are TV schedules, massive catering arrangements, people coming from all over the country, horses from Scotland and the North, bookmakers, generally people deriving a living and leisure from racing. If racing is touch and go, the onus is on Simon to make a call as soon as he can. “It’s the most nerve wracking aspect of my job; a little more rain or a drop in the temperature can make the difference as to whether we race or not and at some stage I have to make a call as to whether it will be safe to go ahead with the meeting. The longer I have to leave it the more unpopular I become as everybody understandably needs to make appropriate arrangements. In 2008 the second day of The Festival had to be abandoned due to dangerous, gusty winds. Cheltenham town must have experienced one of its busiest days ever as there was nowhere for anybody to go. We had to run the postponed races later in the week.” Simon was born in Hampshire and lived near Fareham where his father was in the Navy. He was raised and educated there until he was thirteen when his father was seconded to the USA. Before Simon went to Radley he was already involved in pony racing with his older sister. Returning from the States, his parents moved to Droxford in the Meon Valley where they had a small farm. “That’s when I got more involved in equestrian activities and got the racing bug at Twesledown point-to-point and ended up in a small racing yard. I rode in point-to-points but the pinnacle of my riding was competing in the Cheltenham Foxhunters in 1990. My first proper race meeting was at Ascot, taken with a school friend and his father Seamus Collins. I completed a three year Farm Business Production degree at Reading, from there managing an estate, finally going into racing administration with the Jockey Club before taking up my current position at Cheltenham in 1999.” Technically Cheltenham’s season ends with the Hunter Chase evening meeting in May, but in reality as soon as that year’s Festival is over, planning begins for the next and continues over the summer months in
the close season. “In reality there is as much work done in the summer months readying the course for the next season but we all have to get our holidays in between May and mid-August when preparation starts for the October Showcase meeting. I also like to use the summer months to visit as many of our local trainers as I can. Racing is inclusive and I need to canvass opinions from all aspects of racing, as only that way can we improve on what we have and aim for excellence, the best experience Cheltenham can offer.” There is a narrative to the racing year and Cheltenham is a major part of that narrative but not at the expense of other courses and races. “It is exceptionally important to recognise that other big races at other courses are an integral part of our sport,” Simon says, “Cheltenham takes a brief break after the December meeting when Ascot and Kempton take centre stage, in time for the Cheltenham Festival countdown which starts with the Cheltenham Trials meeting at the end of January, but the season is populated with important and great races, The Fighting Fifth at Newcastle, The Tingle Creek at Sandown, King George at Kempton to name but a few.”
continue to strive to improve their offering for all categories of the racing game. He is very much part of pitching sponsorship to new partners and I am keen to discuss with him the switch from Channel 4 to ITV in respect of racing’s TV coverage and the bookmakers’ relationship with racing who traditionally pay a levy from their profits to support racing. ... Simon Claisse finished sixth or seventh in The Foxhunters, was a cox in a rowing eight, played rugby and cricket adequately, fishes, cycles to keep fit and finishes Cheltenham with a quiet drink at an ‘honest to goodness’ country pub. Benign and blessed, blink and you’ll miss him. He’s asleep by ten but has just ensured that one of the greatest shows on earth has rolled by for yet another record breaking year.
The Jockey Club has already announced the return of the Jockey Club Chase Triple Crown for the 2016/17 jumps season. Any horse who can land the Betfair Chase at Haydock in November, the 32Red King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March will pick up a £1 million bonus. The last horse to complete the hat-trick was the legendary Kauto Star a decade ago, while the Colin Tizzard trained Cue Card won the Betfair Chase and the King George last season before falling three fences from home in the blue riband at Prestbury Park. “In my opinion,” recalls Claisse, “The Kauto Star / Denman clashes in the Gold Cup marked a truly golden era but Cue Card’s achievements last season were extraordinary. I really hope he can do that again this season but I’m excited about seeing if Thistlecrack turns into a top class staying chaser and of course, we’ve got to look forward to the previous year’s Gold Cup winner, Coneygree, who is returning from a season-off having been injured.” Simon believes racing is in a very healthy state and he and the team at Cheltenham the old radleian 2017
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Jonathan Waterer (1973) uses a team of magnificent Shire horses to work his 100 acre property near Barnstaple, just as it was done for hundreds of years before the arrival of the internal combustion engine. His magnificent heavy horses – which weigh nearly a ton and can be well over 6ft at the shoulder – are much cheaper to run than gas guzzling tractors, as Jonathan grows oats to feed them and the only other food they need is grass. Jonathan says ‘the traditional
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methods may be more time consuming, but I feel it is part of our identity and we can reap the benefits’. Jonathan’s horses have appeared in films and on television in productions including Pride and Prejudice, Vanity Fair, Lark Rise to Candleford, Tess of the D’Urbervilles and Poldark. www.heavy-horses.net
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Mark Robson (1974) was one of the founders of Kangaroo Moon in 1988. Kangaroo Moon weave many strands from world, rock, folk and dance, with acoustic and electronic influences into a funky, psychedelic, heart-lifting wall of sound. Trancy, richly melodic and dancey, listeners experience a sound which unites the body and soul in deep, joyful psychedelia and elemental dance. Kangaroo Moon have played and danced their way through more than a few permutations of global sound. Well travelled, extensive touring in Australia and Europe, the band has played Glastonbury and Womad several times, as well as Phoenix, Guildford, Mistelbach (Austria), Sfinks (Belgium), Oerol (Netherlands), Maleny & the National Folk (Oz). Recordings: 1992 Live, recorded at the Australian National Folk Festival in Canberra. 1992 Bagpipes On The Beach, studio album recorded in Wales with a strong Celtic influence. Produced and mixed by Adrian Wagner.
1993 No Ones Slave / 1000 Richest People, 12” single, a dance floor favourite in clubs like Whirlygig. Produced and mixed by Grant Showbiz of Moodswings. 1994 Who’s Got The Keys, live album recorded in Australia and Ireland and at that year’s Glastonbury Festival. 1995 Belongil, studio album 1996 The Garage, live at the Garage, London. 1996 Keep Them Warm, biggest seller to date recorded in France 1999 In Transit, studio album 2000 Alive and Hopping, recorded live in London & Australia 2001 Between Two Worlds, studio album 2013 Ironworks EP 2015 The Way It Is, studio album
James Eadie (1975) was appointed First Treasury Counsel in January 2009, breaking the tradition of appointing Junior Counsel to this role. In the profession, he is called the ‘Treasury Devil’. As such, he is the QC to whom the Government turn first for their major pieces of advice and litigation. James Eadie represented the government in the Supreme Court in the case which decided that an Act of Parliament was required before notice under Article 50 could be given of the UK’s intention to leave the EU.
With members of Kangaroo Moon and others, Mark has released five other albums: A Celtic Dreaming Magenta moon Take time to dream In search of a simple life Lines In The Sand. www.kangaroomoon.com
Alan Rosling (1975) My first book, Boom Country? The New Wave of Indian Enterprise, was published by Hachette in May 2017. It is an analysis of the upsurge in entrepreneurship in India, based on interviews with more than 100 people active in the start-up ecosystem in India. See Books section of this magazine. 140
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Martin Beck (1974) An informal annual 1973/1974 gathering is occurring after a rendezvous with Chris Martin whose son arrived at Radley with my own. Wade Newmark and Gerry O’Riordan had left before the photo. Left to right: Martin, Rae-Smith, Pyecraft, Lambert, Millar, Beck, Lenahan. What a rabble! Not a lot has changed and three of us now have boys at Radley. Robert Robson (1975), Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity, was awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours for services to Naval Personnel. Philip Jenks (1976) is still running Carbolic Smoke Ball Co., an online curiosity shop for lawyers, and spending the rest of his time on PLEDGIT, a charity fundraising platform on which the fundraisers match-fund donations made by their friends and family. Christopher Zanardi-Landi (1977) I recently moved back to London with my family after 30 years abroad in China, France and Italy, to take up the position of President and CEO of Thomas Pink, part of the LVMH Group for whom I’ve been working for the past sixteen years. My son is at Cothill and hopes to be starting at Radley this September! Paul Craven (1978) After 27 years in the City with Schroders, PIMCO and Goldman Sachs, Paul is more recently having ridiculous amounts of fun in his new career as a public speaker, averaging over 50 talks a year on the topic of Behavioural Economics – how real people make real decisions in the real world. Membership of the Magic Circle and a love of psychology allows him to mix business with pleasure, as it’s always a thrill to show an audience how ‘your mind plays tricks’. It was a particular pleasure to speak in Hall alongside Andrew Strauss (1990) at the Bunbury Cricket Festival in the summer of 2016.
Vernon Taylor (1979) Recently moved to the North Cotswolds where we’ve undertaken (and lived around) a significant building project, knocking two cottages into one. My business (www.tlorisk.com) is celebrating its 20th year. A specialist professional indemnity insurance broker with many eminent ORs (barristers and judges) amongst its clients. Oliver (15) is in his 2nd year at Stowe, hopefully to be followed there by Imogen (11) in 2018, who is currently at Abberley Hall where I have been a Governor and Trustee of the Foundation for the last 14 years. I remain passionate about horseracing. I am a director at Ludlow Racecourse and manage a syndicate of 3 National Hunt horses with trainer Henry Daly. Overweight and out of shape, I do still play the occasional game of cricket, golf and tennis. Although looking ridiculous in a wetsuit, I enjoy surfing with the children when on holiday in North Cornwall! George Every (1981) was First Assistant Director on the film Lady Macbeth.
Euan Tait (1981) has seen several premieres of major works to his texts in recent years, including the choral symphony Unfinished Remembering in Birmingham’s Symphony Hall in 2014, and the 70 minute work The Wound in the Water in Trondheim Cathedral in 2016, broadcast on national radio. Several of his shorter texts are best sellers in the US, especially Flight Song. He runs music retreats across the country, and will be running the 2017 Advent Retreat in Minsteracres, County Durham and the 2018 Easter Retreat in Douai Abbey. He is a college lecturer. He became a Roman Catholic in Advent 2015. Website http:// euantait.com Alex Wright (1981) On 10th March 2017 my fiancée, Holly Kirby, gave birth to our daughter Juno Coralie Wright on the Isle of Wight where we are based. I am banking on Radley accepting girls come 2030...
Piers German (1982) I am still busy running Burns & German Vintners, based in our offices at the historic London Sketch Club in Chelsea. It has been a great way to keep in touch with old friends from the Army and Radley and anyone needing something good to drink or some cellar advice would be very welcome to drop in or get in touch. www.bgvintners.co.uk We offer all fine wine services including portfolio management, bonded storage, cellar purchases/broking as well as supplying all your drinking needs from summer rosés to great clarets and Burgundy. On the home front my wife Simi has now put up with me for over 20 years and our 8 year-old son George is heading towards the end of Year 3 at Dulwich Prep, London, where he seems to be having a lot of fun and hopefully is doing some work as well! the old radleian 2017
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Charlie Mackesy (1976) In 2016 his sculpture of the Prodigal Son was placed beside the Brompton Oratory in London 142
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Guy Arnold (1977) 2 things: 1. My wife, Alison, and I are partners in a new start up whisky distillery on Dartmoor: Dartmoor Whisky. Distillation has started and the visitor centre is being developed in the Old Town Hall in Bovey Tracey (will be open by the Autumn). Whisky will be ready for sale from 2020 onwards after maturation in sherry and bourbon casks in our cellars. 2. I am working on a new project: ‘Slow-Selling’ and the ‘Slow Sellers Association’ which promotes and kitemarks organisations that focus on quality and value to win and keep customers (rather than promotions and noise). This is a not for profit project: I’d welcome approaches from other ORs who’d like to be involved or could offer help (in whatever guise) to give this momentum.
Above: Founders, Greg Millar (left) & Simon Crow (right) with Master Distiller Frank McHardy (centre). Below left: The Old Town Hall in Bovey Tracey guy@salesthroughservice.com
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News & Notes George Hollingbery, MP (1977) – in The Tatler, November 2016
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George Hollingbery entered politics at grass roots level, before being elected to Winchester City Council in 1999, becoming deputy leader in 2006. He stood for the Conservatives in Winchester in the 2005 General Election but was defeated. George was elected as MP for Meon Valley in the 2010 General Election with a majority of 12,125. He subsequently served on the Speaker’s Advisory Committee on Works of Art and the Communities and Local Government Committee. In the June 2017 General Election he retained the Meon Valley seat with over 65% of the vote.
Dr Chris Tufnell (1982) I have spent a fascinating year as President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the statutory regulator of vets in the UK. It’s been a huge honour and I’ve met so many people involved in the delivery of animal health & welfare and One
Adrian Theed (1983) (third from the left) has been rowing for a number of clubs but mainly for London Rowing Club, winning various Masters events but just failing to qualify for Henley.
Health here and abroad. Leading in the areas of Brexit and Innovation has been particularly rewarding. Harry’s made a great start at Radley and is loving it, and Hector hopes to follow him in 2018. Very lucky to be married to the ever patient Nicky!
Hugo Walkinshaw (1983), former President of British Chamber of Commerce Singapore, was awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours for services to British business in Singapore and to UK exports. the old radleian 2017
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Rory Pope (1984) Four Boat Club ORs – from left, Ollie Hughes (1985), Andrew Perkins (1980), myself (note the Mariners baseball cap), James Axtell (1985) competing in the 260 nm Myth of Malham offshore yacht race from Cowes to Eddystone Lighthouse (near Plymouth) and back a few weeks ago on Andrew and Ollie’s fantastic classic yacht, Easyglider. This was a qualification race for the 2017 Fastnet Race when the boat and team (except I will be replaced by Andrew Bentley) will be aiming to complete the race in winning style. They came 10th in their class of around 90 boats. They reported: Something of the Corinthian about our campaign, plus David Hardy and Hamish would have been proud of the wine selection consumed across the Irish Sea!
Matt Chapman (1984) has landed the role of betting reporter and presenter for ITV Racing. Matt is an experienced broadcaster on the At The Races digital channel. 146
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Oliver Morley (1984), Chief Executive, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, was awarded a CBE in the New Year’s Honours for services to Public Sector Digital Services.
Chris Christodoulou
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Oliver Wilson (1984) (seated centre) playing with the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique conducted by John Eliot Gardiner in The Damnation of Faust, Prom 31 at the Royal Albert Hall in August.
being established by Oli in 2010, the Cirencester-based company has achieved over 60 million mobile game downloads and 15 number one games in 160 countries. Neon Play’s hits include Paper Glider, Flick Football and Traffic Panic. Neon Play has won 20 business awards, including the Queen’s Award for Innovation, and Oli Christie was named Entrepreneur of the Year at the UK Chamber of Commerce Awards in 2011. In June 2016 Neon Play was aquired by Hachette, the publishing group. Oli said: “Mark [Neon co-founder] and I have huge ambitions for the growth of Neon Play and I’m delighted that, in Hachette, we’ve found an owner who is as enthusiastic about our business as we are. In fact, we think it’s the perfect meeting of minds.
Oli Christie (1984) has received an Honorary Fellowship from the University of Gloucestershire in recognition of his
contribution to business, enterprise and innovation in the county. Oli is founder and chief executive of Neon Play. Since
“We’re very much looking forward to creating a number of new innovative, mass-market games and, on occasion, working with some of Hachette’s authors on their ideas for interactive content.” the old radleian 2017
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News & Notes Joseph Adams (1984) An eventful year for us, as we followed through with the plan to move to Victoria, British Columbia. I have a job at an IB school, teaching Theory of Knowledge, English and Drama, and History and Geography in no particular order – it’s a smallish boarding school on the shores of the Lake. I am enjoying the teaching, plus the hiking, skiing and the snow, and now look forward to the running, sailing and swimming in the Lake in the coming summer months. The Revd James Shakespeare (1984) Following some years of ministry in Leicestershire, as parish priest and chaplain to two Bishops, I have been appointed vicar of St John’s, Hills Road, Cambridge. I’m looking forward to returning to Cambridge, having been a student there. My new parish includes
James Castle (1984) In August James walked the whole length of Hadrian’s Wall in order to raise the funds needed so that representatives from his Royal British Legion Branch are able to attend Great Pilgrimage 90 in August 2018, a modern recreation of the 1928 Pilgrimage 148
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a university college, six schools and Addenbrooke’s Hospital. James Axtell (1985) is Chairman at Symm. Symm has been trading continuously since 1815, building a number of the stunning 19th and 20th century buildings in Oxford - amongst them Exeter College Chapel and Pitt Rivers Museum - and repairing, restoring and renovating many others. Still known for delivering quality, Symm today specialises in building and refurbishing properties for private clients in central London and the south of England, together with high quality refurbishments and fit-outs to collegiate buildings and commercial premises. Services offered include specialist and general building, project management, joinery, architectural woodwork, building services, interiors, cabinetry, and specialist decoration.
by assembling over 2000 Standards in a ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres. James reported: In all I did 117 miles over 5 days and have worked out that I am not as fit as I was thirty years ago on CCF camps in the Brecon Beacons. The
Symm seeks to build to the highest craft standards whether in restricted urban environments, on sensitive rural sites or in and around historic buildings, sustaining and enhancing intrinsic land value. From traditional country cottages to stylish London penthouses, historic national monuments to commercial public buildings, the core of its success is a commitment to upholding the tradition of passing on skills from generation to generation through apprenticeship schemes. Symm retains a substantial directly employed workforce of craftsmen and women and a full training scheme provides a steady supply of talented craft apprentices. Specialities include: Specialist and General Building, Joinery, Specialist Decorations, Architectural Woodwork, Project management, Building Services, and Cabinetry. www.symm.co.uk
fundraising is going really well and it was especially poignant for me that two of the 90 casualties that I was commemorating were Old Radleians. www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/jamescastle-rblgreatpilgrimage90-hadrians-wall
News & Notes
Mark Muschamp (1985) I am continuing my conservation work as a Senior Volunteer with global marine wildlife charity Sea Shepherd, which has taken me on several direct action campaigns in Japan, Scotland and the Faroe Islands as well as touring the UK conducting talks on the importance of oceanic conservation. To help raise funds for the organisation, I have undertaken a 125 mile non-stop walk to London from Tewkesbury, kayaked the entire length of the River Severn and this year, in July, I will be kayaking the Welsh coastline in 9 days, covering almost 300 miles. In addition to oceanic conservation I have conducted talks at a number of Universities, schools, festivals and rallies on the issue of human and animal rights, and campaigned against the rise of neo-fascist groups here in the UK and Europe. All of this whilst maintaining a full-time job
in the automotive industry as a director of an Irish vehicle accessory supplier! Still very happily married and living in Gloucestershire with two of my three children, the third now at Manchester University.
Above: Mark in Japan while on a campaign to directly intervene in the hunting of dolphins by Japanese fishermen in the town of Taiji. Below: Mark in action in the Welsh coastline challenge.
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/freedompaddle
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Rory Gordon (1985) It is with great excitement that we announce the launch of our new company Good Country Builders, based on the success of Good London Builders which we launched 12 years ago. This has been a natural progression for us as a result of so many of our London clients asking if we could provide the same service in the country. Initially Good Country Builders will support clients’ projects in the Henley, Marlow, Beaconsfield and Gerrard’s Cross areas, although we are able to consider requests of clients in neighbouring localities. We have an excellent team in place who will support our country clients. As everyone knows, it is extremely difficult to find skilled builders who are efficient and deliver on schedule, but we already have eight such teams on our books. Because we have long-term relationships with them all, we have the leverage required to ensure smooth and efficient delivery of our clients’ building projects. We aim to offer the same high level of project management to our clients. We recommend that every job is professionally project managed, although clearly some clients opt to undertake the task themselves. Whatever your building needs and requirements, we would be pleased to discuss them with you and to help you realise your plans and projects. Good Country Builders is complemented by the inclusion of two experienced partners, Dan Sibson and Simon Westwell. Dan will run Good Country Builders on a day to day basis. He has excellent credentials in running teams and in working with clients. Simon has developed residential and commercial property for 30 years and has extensive contacts in all the areas we cover. The team at Good Country Builders is committed to our aim of offering our clients value and quality with great customer service. We hope that we can help you transform your country property very soon. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of assistance. For further information please contact Dan Sibson on dan@goodcountrybuilders.com Tel: 07970 710966 www.goodcountrybuilders.com Anthony Liddell (1985) Now living in Gloucestershire, our daughter Clara was born in October 2016 and Archie started school this academic year. I have now been working for Lycetts Insurance Brokers for just over 2 years and recently completed professional exams to qualify. 150
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In March, Oxford University announced it is to put up more than 20 new portraits of female and ethnic minority alumni, in a bid to improve diversity (and reduce the proportions of dead white males on
display). One of the portraits will be of Hilary Lister (neé Rudd) (1989-1991), the first disabled woman to sail solo around Britain, who went up to Jesus College, Oxford.
Ashton Shuttleworth (1985) Working between SW France and the UK whilst making the most of the Brexit landscape. I am currently in the pre-planning phase for building a Solar PV Farm near Carcassonne and consulting to renewable energy companies.
deployable Divisional Headquarters. Living in Wiltshire with family, dog, cat, fish, rabbit and chickens.
Lt. Col. Guy Stone (1985) is serving with the Welsh Guards, currently with the United Nations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, having just finished regimental command. He is due to return in December 2017 and work in Headquarters Household Division at Horse Guards, taking over from another OR, David Hannah (1980). Married to Kate with two boys Oliver (15) and Caspar (12). Ben Pollard (1986) has a project growing saplings from ancient oak trees, some of which are from the Radley Oak. www.mythakulon.org Toby Till (1986) Selected for promotion to full Colonel, currently in last few months as lead planner in the Army’s
William Axtell (1987) is a Corporate Partner at Penningtons Manches LLP. He was shortlisted for Lawyer of the Year at the Thames Valley Deal Awards 2017. James Hayes (1987) I have been living in Granada, Spain, for ten years now, where I am now working as a translator, mostly for the University of Granada and Spanish Science Agency. I am married and have two British-Spanish daughters, aged six and three. I am working on a new book which I hope to publish next year. Julian Wright (1987) After 13 years at Durham University, Julian is moving to Northumbria University to be Professor of History and Head of Humanities. He remains Music Director of the Durham Singers – but is a little sad he won’t have so many chances to invite Jamie Burton back to the North East to lead choral workshops, after his appointment to Boston.
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Andrew Balding (1986) trained Here Comes When, winner of the Qatar Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, enjoying the soft ground and beating the favourite, Ribchester. Below with jockey Jim Crowley, and owners Dr Jim Hay and Fitri Hay.
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Hamish Mackie (1987) Hamish Mackie Sculptures in a CCLA Terraced Garden won 5 stars! After eight years exhibiting at Chelsea, I am really proud to have earned the highest award for a trade stand.
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Anna Lourdes Herrera
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Jamie Burton conducting at the Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City in 2016
Extracts from the Boston Symphony Orchestra website: James Burton began his training at the Choir of Westminster Abbey, where he became head chorister. He was a choral scholar at St. John’s College, Cambridge, and holds a master’s degree in orchestral conducting from the Peabody Conservatory, where he studied with Frederik Prausnitz and Gustav Meier. Since 2002 he has been music director of the chamber choir Schola Cantorum of Oxford. From 2002-09 he served as choral director at the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester, where he was music director of the Hallé Choir and founding conductor of the Hallé Youth Choir, winning the Gramophone Choral Award in 2009. He returned to Manchester in 2014, preparing the choirs for what would become another Gramophone-nominated recording –
Vaughan Williams’ Sea Symphony – under the direction of Hallé Orchestra Music Director Sir Mark Elder. Mr. Burton’s extensive choral conducting has included guest invitations with
Mr. Burton has conducted orchestra concerts with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the Hallé, the Orchestra of Scottish Opera, Royal Northern Sinfonia, BBC Concert Orchestra, and Manchester Camerata; in early 2016 he made his conducting debut with the Orquestra Sinfónica Nacional of Mexico with concerts in the Palacio de Bellas Artes, and he returns there later this season for performances of orchestral and choral music by Brahms. His opera conducting credits include Don Giovanni and La Bohème at English National Opera, Così fan tutte at English Touring Opera, The Magic Flute at Garsington Opera, and Gianni Schicchi and Suor Angelica at the Prague Summer Nights Festival. He has served on the music staff of the Metropolitan Opera, Opéra de Paris, English National Opera, Opera Rara, and Garsington Opera, where he was honored with the Leonard Ingrams Award in 2008. He has also conducted in London’s West End and led a UK tour of Bernstein’s Wonderful Town in 2012. Michael Blanchard
Jamie Burton (1988) has been appointed Conductor of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus and also taken on a newly established role of Boston Symphony Orchestra Choral Director.
many highly regarded professional choirs including the Gabrieli Consort, Choir of the Enlightenment, the choir of Poland’s acclaimed Wrocław Philharmonic, and the BBC Singers in London, with whom he appears later this season when the BBC Proms are touring to the new opera house in Dubai. In 2017 he will appear as guest director of the National Youth Choir of Japan and the Princeton University Glee Club.
Jamie Burton at the Symphony Hall in Boston the old radleian 2017
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News & Notes Alex Davenport-Jones (1988) and his brother Nick took part in this year’s Marathon des Sables in April, a 156-mile marathon over six days, across the Sahara Desert in temperatures of up to 55 degrees Celsius, in order to raise £40,000 for two cancer charities. The brothers were looking for a way to raise significant funds for local cancer charity the Nicola Corry Support Foundation and the World Cancer Research Fund, after both their parents and Alex’s partner Sally Anne Westmacott (38 years) were afflicted by the disease. Sally, mother to Poppy (4yrs) and Otto (3yrs) is currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer at Cheltenham Royal Infirmary. Since December 2015 Alex and Nick undertaken 120 runs, amassing 1,700 miles, typically running three times a week and covering between 20 and 50 miles. As part of their marathon preparations they competed in the Cotswolds Ultra Marathon in September 2016, which took place over two days and covered 57 miles – the brothers came joint 10th. Nick and Alex have so far raised over £30,000 towards their £40,000 target and are looking for further sponsorship or donations ‘in kind’ that can be put towards a charity auction they are planning for later in the year. For more information, visit their website: www.madns.co.uk
Brothers Nick & Alex complete the Marathon des Sables
Harry Wallop (1988) presented Supermarkets: Brexit & Your Shrinking Shop on Channel 4 in February 154
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Roger (Hodge) Vacher (1989) Quit touring. Continue to seek first round finance for a €100m renewable energy infrastructure project to operate in SE Europe – biomass based. Founded a small tour operator company at the start of the year (www.EUssentialtravel. ph) on a JV basis with one of the largest offline marketing promoters in the Philippines (Masa Inc); seeking further marketing partners elsewhere around the world. Otherwise working in Big Pharma supply chain to keep a foot in
the corporate world, and to pay the bills. Happily married to Daisy, 5 years strong (an American of Academic Hippie Communist stock from the Wild West) and living now 9 years strong in Central Switzerland – a (not so boring) heavenly paradise, poorly frequented by ORs (just 4 of us at the last count), that has no small amount of things to teach Britain: defence rather than offence is in the long run the nobler and best value path to global citizenship; to operate referenda properly; to run trains on time with kindly well
turned out, educated, polite, helpful, multilingual staff; to build decent sized tunnels to get people about comfortably; to keep taxes low and fair without undermining the principles of quality led universal (and equal access) education and healthcare; to negotiate bilateral treaties with outsized trading blocks, and many other things ... beyond the manufacture of dark chocolate, cheese, watches, rösti, alphorns, ... and yodels.
Jamie Campbell (1990) is Creator and Executive Producer of Gap Year, a TV comedy series on E4. His production company, Eleven Film, has recently been filming Nightmares (the working title), a four-part series mixing documentarystyle interviews with drama to tell real-life horror stories.
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News & Notes The Revd Nick Hiscocks (1988) continues to enjoy life on the south coast in Bournemouth. Christ Church Westbourne (www.christchurchwestbourne.com) is a fun and busy church to be serving. Cecilia and 4 children (Lucy 11, Millie 9, Jonty 6 and Titus 6) making full use of the sea with body boards, paddle boards and swimming. Do look us up when you’re passing! Alastair Eykyn (1988) Among his other work Alastair commentated on the Americas Cup for BT Sport and Wimbledon for BBC Radio.
Henry Hereford (1989) Henry’s acting career has been forging forwards working on a romantic comedy For the Love of George (right) – starring alongside Tate Donovan, Rosanna Arquette and Kristen Johnson – to be released late in 2017. He is also currently performing in ABC Television’s sketch show Wham Bam Thank You Ma’am. Rory Watson (1990) Now living in Tuckenhay in the beautiful South Hams, but continuing to run a top end central London based building company doing £1-4M basement, refurbishment and extensions for the wealthy, famous and generally demanding! One of our projects was featured in the February edition of House and Garden magazine. My nephew Rufus has just passed the Radley entrance test. James Amos (1991) Recent move from London and enjoying country life on the Essex/Suffolk border with three children now. Planning a dinner for some of 1996 leavers with the Warden at Boodles later this year. 156
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Max Livingstone-Learmonth (1991) nears the finish line in the London Marathon with his wife Sarah. They completed the course in 3 hours 21 minutes 32 seconds. Together with a friend, Victoria Carter, they achieved Guinness World Records for the fastest monk, nun and bishop.
Charles Bond (1991) I married Anna in September 2016 and Tom Stenhouse (1991) was my Best Man! Tom Chicken (1993) Petra and I welcomed the birth of Rory Alexander Chicken into the world on 16th May. Together with Matilda and Eleanor we continue to reside in South London, and I’m now in my fifteenth year at Penguin Random House.
Will Stemp (1993) I have now been at Berkley Spain for just over a year, managing a network of nearly 200 brokers on the Eastern side of the country. Life post Chubb is fantastic, although lots of travelling is involved on a weekly basis. Juliana and I will be celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary on the 18th May. Charlotte is now 5 and Sasha will be 2 in June. Still based out of Barcelona. Any ORs passing by always welcome.
News & Notes Pete Hawkins (1993) A picture from his latest Studio Exhibition
Alex Thom (1993) continues in management consulting and most recently helped the BBC launch its new in-house advertising agency, BBC Creative. Alex and his wife have an 18 month old boy called Zachary and another baby due in July this year. Marc Edwards (1994) I’m still a TV sports presenter. I continue to present Sport Today on BBC World while occasionally filling in on BBC Breakfast as well when lots of people are ill!
www.pete-hawkins.co.uk
Sam Merullo (1996) Scootfleet, founded by Sam Merullo and Isobel Hume, was named as one of the top new businesses of 2016. ScootFleet has developed unique scooters with an illuminated “backbox” to showcase partner brands.
Alex Torrie (1994) The last 12 months have been great fun with plenty of change. Career wise I have been awarded my doctorate in spinal biomechanics and have been appointed consultant orthopaedic spinal surgeon in Cheltenham and will be starting this post in September 2017, after completing a complex cervical neurosurgical spinal fellowship. On the home front Edward Alexander was born in May 2016 and Zara is soon to be 4, both are healthy and doing well. Elizabeth is completing her anaesthetic training and otherwise conducting the chaos that is family life with great skill and proficiency. We are shortly moving to Cheltenham. I have returned to the Ergo and training to pull a sub 17:30 5k and sub 6:40 2k test this year, although I appreciate that by modern standards that would not be sufficient for a bow seat in 16.2. I hope to join a boat club when I get up to Cheltenham. Otherwise I hope to see Alex Rodrigues and John Lloyd, also old D social boys, before the conclusion of the year. If any old Radleians would like advice with regard to a surgical career, in particular orthopaedic, then I am more than happy to be contacted via the Radleian Society. Justin Webb (1995) Welcomed our firstborn son: Wilfred Henry Britton Webb. Set for Radley 2034! Launched AgriWebb – Software startup in Agriculture Tech – APAC 2016 Startup of the year. Happily settled in Sydney, Australia, awaiting Ashes Series in 2018. www.agriwebb.com
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Nick Weston (1995) My business, Hunter Gather Cook, is now in its 7th year and going from strength to strength. We specialise in deer butchery and fire cookery and run all sorts of courses from deer in
a day, fly fishing courses, mushroom courses, corporate days, chefs days and lots of stag do’s – great to see the occasional OR turn up on some of them! HGC is based in the woods in a large treehouse (above), and we
are also taking on a barn on the South downs this year to host courses, banquets and events as well as doing quite a few festivals such as Meatopia, Wilderness, The Good Life Experience, and The Big Grill in Dublin. Currently just
started work on The Hunter Gatherer’s Cookbook which is due for publication next Autumn. On the home front all is well – the little man, Marley Hunter, is proving to be quite the adventurous 18 month old!
Daniel-Konrad Cooper (1996) is an Independent Producer running Rather Good Films Ltd. His films Burn Burn Burn and
Copenhagen are now on Netflix, and he worked this year as Production Supervisor on Christopher Nolan’s WW2 epic Dunkirk. He also
Produced recent cinema release Another Mother’s Son, which, at the premiere, helped raise money for the Armed Forces Fund.
D-K adds: Incidentally Harry Parker (1996) is my current landlord and I had the honour of being best man for Daniel Goodby (1996) last year.
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News & Notes Dave Wilson (1996) After 2.5 years working in the Philippines, I have now returned to the UK and am living in Ealing. My wife and I recently welcomed our first child to the world, Charlie Felix. Alex Baker (1997) Aston Currency Management, where Alex is a Partner, won the ‘Best Financial Services and Forex Provider’ category at the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Awards in March. Nominees in the category had to demonstrate themselves to be outstanding providers of financial services, currency exchange and related services. Cameron Duncan (1997) has moved from Canaccord and is now Director, Investment Banking, at Liberum.
Polly Milward (1999-2001) qualified as a GP in May 2016, and then, in July, married Dan Lane in Radley church, with reception on the lawn of the Mansion. The photo above includes Charlie and Yvonne, Sam (1994) and his wife Sarah and girls Hannah (4) and Chloe (2).
Jonathan Steel (1997) Living and working with my fiancée in Lucerne, near Zurich in Switzerland. Always happy to hear from Old Radleians, especially any who were there during my time at the school, and who may be passing by or living nearby. My job keeps me busy working on the commercial side of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, working for TEAM Marketing. We are responsible for the sale and management of all of the commercial aspects of European club football on behalf of UEFA, mainly sponsorship and broadcast. I am getting married this year to Charlotte near Shrewsbury in Shropshire on the 29th July. Nick Ashford (1998) and Fred Bellhouse (1998) continue to grow their fledgling private equity business, Fordhouse Equity.
Charlie Hartley (1998) (above, centre) Director of Yorkshire based digital agency Impression for 6 years now, Charlie’s business has recently been selected for a ‘Special Kudos’ award by the prestigious CSS Design Awards. The awards is made up from an international panel of judges that have been carefully picked from leading industry professionals who come together to judge the best websites in the world at the end of each month and year. The ‘Special Kudos’ award recognises outstanding creativity, code and usability in website design.
Benjamin Mounsey-Heysham (1999) I have just this week (April 2017) handed in my notice at Waverton Investment Management where I have been a fund manager for the last 7 years. The reason being that a friend (OE rather than OR sadly) and I have just bought a portable loos company called Just Loos and we will be managing/growing/improving that from now on. It provides luxury loo trailers and washrooms for a wide variety of small and very large events. So if there is any need at Radley then do get in touch.
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Henry Reily-Collins (1997) completed a project at Stringer’s Weir on the River Goyt in Stockport, Greater Manchester, in April. The scheme supplies electricity to Pear Mill, an 18th Century Grade II Listed Cotton Spinning Mill. The mill, now a number of commercial units, was originally powered by a Manhattan steam engine by George Saxon & Co with rope drive transmission and is now powered by a 100kW Archimedes Hydroscrew. Henry’s company, Hallidays Hydropower, worked closely with the Environment Agency, Council and local stakeholders such as the 160
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Angling fraternity. The scheme has a Lariniar Fish Pass alongside it providing safe up and downstream migration for the first time since 1791 when Stringer’s Weir was built. The turbine is 3.5m wide and over 8m in length. It will produce 281Mwh of electricity each year, which would be enough electricity to run 75 standard UK homes. The turbine will save well over 150,000 tonnes of CO2 from entering the atmosphere each year.
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News & Notes
David Dancy (1999) and James MacDonald (1999) both stepped into the world of fatherhood / sleep deprivation. Alexandra Dancy (07.02.17) and Ella MacDonald (20.03.17).
Freddie Sjostrom (Stroma)(2000) has been in 13 Hours (2016), Game of Thrones (TV Series, 2016), UnReal (TV Series, 2015-2016) and Time After Time (TV Series, 2017). In December 2016 he married Johanna Braddy, his co-star (above) from UnReal.
Pinch Tarrant (1999) cycled with his father from London to Paris in July. They covered 520km in four days and raised money for the Alzheimer’s society, a cause that is very close to Pinch’s and his wife’s family, both of them having lost grandparents to dementia/ Alzheimer’s. For good measure he plans to try and cycle the Tour de France stage up Mont Ventoux in Provence when he and his family are on holiday down in the south of France. www.justgiving.com/fundraising/p-tarrant the old radleian 2017
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News & Notes From the Countryside Alliance magazine
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Harry Towers (2001) is a Director of Carna Conservation Initiative www.isleofcarna.co.uk
News & Notes
See the HD Isle of Carna video at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWUlWY_lI9k
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Jamie Laing (2002) continues to star in Made in Chelsea and also has his new show, In Bed with Jamie where he chats to stars such as Pixie Lott (above)
Rory Mounsey-Heysham (2002) I am doing Venture Capital for Bill Gates in the USA, having worked in Venture Capital for 3 years previously in London. Ivan Yim (2002) I finished medical school in 2013 and I am now a Cardio-Thoracic Surgery specialty trainee in the West Midlands, currently working in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. I had previously been working in London and then spent a year in Edinburgh before finally moving to Birmingham for my specialty training.
Douggie McMeekin (2002) appeared in several episodes of the ITV series, Harlots, and the Netflix series, The Crown.
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Henry Barker (2005) I joined PwC in 2013, and qualified as a Chartered Accountant last year. I now work as a Strategy Consultant in the Private Equity market.
News & Notes
Freddie Tapner (2004) is the Founder and Principal Conductor of the London Musical Theatre Orchestra, the world’s first and only professional orchestra dedicated to producing musicals in concert. We have played sold out concerts at Cadogan Hall, the Lyceum Theatre and the London Palladium, with plenty more on the horizon. Come and see us in action soon - www.lmto.org
James Bruce Crampton (2006) has graduated with a 2:1 in Civil Engineering from the University of Bristol and now has a place at Sandhurst.
Stephen Coke/REX/Shutterstock
Hugo Campbell (2005) has set up Feast-it, a website which helps you to book the ‘country’s best caterers for any occasion’. Should you ever be in the situation whereby you or a friend have been tasked with organising a birthday party, wedding, or other event, we have created the go-to platform to discover, compare and book the perfect caterer. www.feast-it.com
Archie Manners (2006) (right) Following the success of his television show, Archie Manners continues to perform magic at a range of parties across the world. He is currently developing new television ideas for broadcast next year. www.archiemanners.com the old radleian 2017
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News & Notes driving motivation. Your support has given me hope that the future is a kind and inclusive one, and has helped me to produce a new, tentatively optimistic group of paintings.” For his joint exhibition with Emily Girkins at Cadogan Contemporary Arthur has been concentrating on another desolate landscape, that of the Himalayas, and its resilient inhabitants. “The recent events of the world have made the fragility of these places and people clear; their future is no more stable than that of Syria eight years ago.
Arthur Laidlaw at his exhibition at the Cadogan Gallery
“Ladakh, Nubra, and Spiti are the focus of the exhibition. Each place is caught in its own way – between the aggressions of India and Pakistan, the desperate plea for peace by the Kashmiri people, and the Chinese denial of Tibetan statehood. Each place, too, exists under the growing shadow of environmental catastrophe. The new works try to make sense of these conflicting forces, acknowledging the near-miraculous ability for each local community to continue as normal, as though nothing threatens their way of life.” In September 2016 Arthur won the Oxford Art Society’s Young Artist competition.
Arthur Laidlaw with his winning entry, Apamea (Colonnade), a work using an unusual combination of Laser Toner, Acrylic, Primer, Masking Tape, Etching ink on Planning Paper
Arthur Laidlaw (2003) held an Exhibition with Emily Girkins at Cadogan Contemporary in April. His 2016 exhibition Razed: Syrian Ruins raised £25,000 for the White Helmets, a group of Syrian rescue workers trying to make life in Syria viable for its remaining population. 166
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“I have since been told by The Syria Campaign that this was the largest amount ever raised by an individual in aid of the White Helmets. None of this would have been possible without you. “In a climate of increasing political doubt and moral uncertainty, your embrace of the work and its themes has been my
The winner receiving his cheque from Will Gompertz, BBC Arts Editor and Peter Farley, the Oxford Art Society Chairman
News & Notes
Kibber II, Laser toner, acrylic primer, etching ink, scouring pad, drypoint and electric sander on paper, stretched over canvas, 122 cm x 91.5 cm the old radleian 2017
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Ludo Roupell (2005) & Jimmy Donger (2005) won the Real Tennis Spring Handicap Doubles at Queen’s in March.
James Tufnell (2007) ran for Cambridge against Oxford in the 2017 Varsity Match. He raced the individual 200m for Cambridge in the Second Team Match.
Jon Tarcy (2007) (above left as Octavius Caesar) has been in the Royal Shakespeare Company productions of Julius Caesar, Antony & Cleopatra and Titus Andronicus.
Director of Photography. Tommy Siman (2007) was one of the actors. It is hoped Life in Black will develop from a pilot into a series.
Jon is co-writer of (and actor in) the website sitcom Life in Black, starring Liam Neeson, Jemma Redgrave, Tilly Blackwood and Ed Hughes, which won the Best TV Pilot at the London Independent Film Awards, 2017. Charlie Rose (2007) was the
He has also been in King John (directed by Trevor Nunn) and Tale of Two Cities (directed by James Dacre) and appeared in a BBC Documentary special at Christmas on West Side Story, singing as one of the Jets with the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
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Matt Bright Photo
Middlesex County Cricket Club
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Nick Gubbins (2007) receives his ceremonial Middlesex County Cricket Club cap from Sachin Tendulkar in June. (Nick received his County Cap earlier in the season.) Anjun Tendulkar is in the centre behind them. Above: Nick doing the 12th Man duties for England at the Lord’s Test against South Africa. Sarah Ansell/Getty Images
Below: Nick played for the England Lions against South Africa ‘A’ in June and scored 63 in the England Lions’ 2nd Innings, helping the Lions to win the match by 257 runs.
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Will Johnston, Charlie Rose and Theo Bromfield (all 2007) with Will Addison cycled from Johannesburg to Nairobi in support of park rangers across Africa. 4 cyclists; 7,134 km from South Africa through Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda to Kenya; 10 national parks; 1 ranger welfare organisation; 1 feature length documentary; 0 support vehicles.
At the finish – left to right: Will Addison, Theo Bromfield, Will Johnston and Charlie Rose Before the ride Will Johnston told us: Why? We’re trying to raise awareness for Wildlife Rangers across Sub Saharan Africa. We’ve partnered with “For Rangers”, a fantastic organisation that channels funds directly into the most critical areas to support rangers. We’ve also self-funded our bikes, flights and living costs so that 100% of donations go towards “For Rangers.” The driving force behind this trip were the hard facts. Two rangers die a week worldwide and it’s very possible that we’ll see the extinction of rhino and elephant within our lifetime. In conjunction with the cycle, we’ve been backed by Stink Films to produce a
feature length documentary. It will create a platform for those on the frontline of Africa’s war with poaching to be heard; giving an honest account of the challenges that rangers face on a daily basis and highlighting the areas where we can support their efforts. 5 months on the road; 3 gear cables snapped; 2 mock charging elephants; filming in 10 national parks; over 50 rangers interviewed; 87 puncture repairs; more than 100 nights slept under canvas; a couple of hundred chocolate bars consumed (by Theo alone); £31,000 raised for “For Rangers”. See the websites at the bottom of the page.
www.cyclingforrangers.com http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/cyclingforrangers6 170
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News & Notes John Warner (2007) Awarded a First in Music at St Peter’s College, Oxford in 2016. He has returned to St Peter’s as a graduate student working towards a Master of Studies.
Bertie Beor-Roberts (2009) I am just preparing for my English finals at Merton College, Oxford. It feels very strange to be about to leave already. The last year has been as good as the first two, with highlights being organising the College
Triennial Ball, and also the Christ Church & Farley Hill Beagles Hunt Ball as Hunt Secretary. I’ll hopefully be spending the next year running my photography business full-time whilst making an application for law school.
Hamish Blythe (2007) has founded Twigd, the Student Mobile Network, giving you more control. Trade your spare mobile data, and reduce the cost of your phone bill, all while running on our super fast 4G network! See: https://twigd.uk
Tom Twiston-Davies (2008) from Little Black Book in the Tatler, December 2016. But is it him?
Piers Hugh Smith (2008) Currently I am the Team Principal/Director of Sailsmith Racing, which is the sole British entry to the Tour de France à la Voile. We have a team facility in Southampton and have been training out of there for the previous 6 months in the highperformance multihull, the Diam24. The Tour is a 9-stage, spectator focused, extreme sailing event that will be televised on Eurosport in July, alongside the Tour de France, as it shares the same management company ASO. This is in combination with the recent oceanic racing events – the RORC Transatlantic and the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race in which I have been competing on a professional basis. www.sailsmithracing.uk
Ed Rees (2009) competed for Oxford in the 2017 Varsity Match. He raced the individual 400m for the Oxford Blues team (pictured above on the left wearing 23), finishing 3rd in a very close race, and anchored the Oxford 4x400m relay team. the old radleian 2017
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News & Notes create a carbonated, canned soft drink that had the same taste as water infused at home without any extra additives or flavourings. ‘We didn’t want to go to a big flavour house and get them to work out the recipe, which is how it’s normally done,’ explains Jack. ‘It was hard because no one had really created a drink using an infusion process like this one before. Luckily we met a guy called Philip Ashurst in Shropshire who helped us work it all out.’
Alex Wright (2008) & Jack Scott have launched Dash Water, British Sparkling Spring Water Infused with Wonky Fruit & Vegetables. From Great British Chefs website: After years spent working in the soft drinks industry, Alex Wright and Jack Scott decided to use their knowledge to create something that was both healthy and tackled the issue of food waste. We caught up with them to find out more. Food waste has always been a huge issue in restaurant kitchens, supermarkets and homes. While it’s always been in the back of people’s minds, recently there’s been a real surge of interest in how chefs, charities and producers are tackling the problem. It’s now become a badge of honour for brands and cooks to take perfectly edible ingredients that are destined for the bin and turn them into something people want.
Dash Water is one of those brands. A new company, they sell cans of carbonated spring water infused with wonky fruit and veg. It comes in two flavours – lemon (with a touch of lemongrass thrown in to keep it interesting) and cucumber, which offers something a little bit different. Founders Alex Wright and Jack Scott work with charities such as Feedback, British farmers and food suppliers to take produce that’s too ugly, wonky or misshapen to go to the shops. Instead of being thrown in the bin, they use it to infuse flavour into their drinks. ‘We both come from farming backgrounds so we’ve seen first-hand how bad food waste can be – around thirty percent of all fruit and veg grown in the UK ends up being wasted,’ says Alex. ‘We got the idea for Dash about two years ago when we were both working at Cawston Press; we’d bring a bottle of water into work infused with fruits or vegetables every day and realised there wasn’t anyone offering the same thing in shops. There aren’t any calories, sugars or sweeteners, and being able to use surplus fruits and vegetables to flavour it was a no-brainer.’ After a Dragon’s Den-style meeting with Virgin StartUp, Alex and Jack were given a small loan and a mentor who taught them all the practical skills needed to set up a brand and business. The next step was actually working out how to
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Once Alex and Jack had sourced their fruit and vegetables, found a good supply of water from Staffordshire and teamed up with a canning company in Herefordshire, they were ready for a soft launch, with the pair going round parks in London to get as much feedback as they could. ‘We realised people really care about using wonky fruit and veg that would usually end up going in the bin,’ says Alex. ‘That was something we were passionate about but we didn’t make it obvious on our packaging – so it was really important feedback to receive.’ Dash Water officially launched in May, after Alex and Jack secured a listing with Selfridges. Today, the cans are sold in around 150 shops across London, including places like Planet Organic and Daylesford Farm Shops. They’re sticking with just the two ingredients for now, but the plan is to start incorporating as much surplus produce from British farmers as possible, creating new, seasonally-led flavours. For healthconscious foodies who are strapped for time, Dash certainly fits the bill. www.dash-water.com
News & Notes
Alex Orr (2008) is now a Biotechnology undergraduate at Edinburgh University. He also runs Jago, a company making ‘Go Anywhere’ jackets, This is the story: When an old, rugged, cotton canvas climbing jacket once belonging to my father went missing, I had lost the best and most characterful piece of clothing I have ever possessed. Originally owned by Andreas Geissberger, a true man of the mountains (skiing slalom for the Swiss Ski Team, and when he wasn’t, leading climbs in the Alps and Himalayas), it was given to my father, his friend, who further wore it on his travels between the great wildernesses and metropolises of the world: following the Colorado river
riding on a Triumph Bonneville, skiing and mountaineering in the Alps and sailing the south coast of Britain. He shaped the natural fibres of the jacket one adventure at a time.
‘Go Anywhere’ jacket. Not only for Andreas and Roddy, but also for others to share in the experience of shaping and personalizing a JAGO jacket through one’s own unique life adventures, whatever they may be.
By the time it was passed on to me this wonderful garment told its epic story at a glance. It was faded by the elements, shaped by its owners and marked by history. The old friend had withstood the test of time despite the beatings it had taken – it was still a jacket I could go anywhere in. Then it was lost.
The JAGO Jacket is a contemporary take on the traditional ‘Alpinist Climbing Veste’ and an uncompromising all-purpose ‘Go Anywhere’ jacket for all life’s adventures; from The City to the Mountains and everywhere in-between. Handmade in England and designed to stand the test of time; to wear, fade and shape to reflect your story and adventures. We are stocked in a leading Men’s boutique fashion store in Edinburgh and also sell globally from our website: www.jagojackets.com
Although the jacket was on the next leg of its journey with its lucky new unknown owner, my overwhelming sense of loss and guilt drove me to revive and upgrade the
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Charlie Elwes (2010) (fourth from left) and Ollie Wynne-Griffith (2007) (third from right) in the Yale crew which won the IRAs (Intercollegiate Rowing Association National Championship) on Lake Natoma in California in June. Yale beat the top-seeded Washington in the Grand Final by less than a tenth of a second (below, middle). This was Yale’s first IRA title. Earlier in the season they won the Eastern Sprints and the Rowe Cup for overall supremacy at Sprints. Less than a week later they beat Harvard in the Yale-Harvard Race.
Yale on the far side with some clear water over Harvard as the crews reach the finish in the Yale-Harvard Race 174
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News & Notes Oliver Smith (2011), reading Ancient and Modern History at Somerville College, Oxford, has been awarded a College Prize for achieving a Distinction in his Preliminary Examination. Dave Dixon (Hon Member) From an email, February 2017: You might have heard I moved to the US in 2015 after Lia and I got married. I’m presently teaching and heading up an Innovation lab – really a snazzy way of describing D&T at Fay School about 40 miles west of Boston. It’s like stepping back twenty years but this is an amazing area for technology with MIT and Harvard on the doorstep. I remember Radley fondly and often wonder where the years have gone. I can hardly believe I spent sixteen years at Tonbridge!
The Pamir Highway, Tajikistan The Silk Road to China - 2017 Harry McGrath, Charlie Betton and Harry Behrens (all 2011), took on a gap year with a difference – 10,000 miles along the silk road from London to Beijing. Departing on 1st April, they navigated their way to China, negotiating borders, deserts and mountain ranges to raise money for the Lotus Children’s Centre in Mongolia. The Centre supports between 90 and 150 abused, abandoned or orphaned children helping them
to rediscover their self-esteem, and to develop skills so that they are able to move on and lead independent lives in adulthood. They have raised over £5,500 for the Lotus Children’s Centre. Donation page http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/ london2beijing Website www.london2beijing.com
Harry McGrath, Charlie Betton and Harry Behrens in Tiananmen Square in Beijing
Tony Jackson (Hon Member) who left Radley in 2016 after five years as Tutor of G Social to become Second Master at Barnard Castle in County Durham, has been appointed Headmaster from September 2017. At 37, Tony Jackson will be the youngest head of an English Independent school in the Headmasters’ Conference. the old radleian 2017
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Monty Martin-Zakheim, Jacob Tregear, Will Todd and Nico Rooth (All current boys, 2013)
awareness about the amazing work this charity is doing to find a cure for this awful disease.
Monty, Nico, Will and Jacob cycled from London to Land’s End in August for The Brain Tumour Charity.
For Nico and Monty, this means a huge deal. In August 2015 Julian Rooth, Nico’s father, was diagnosed with a brain tumour. He received the best possible care but very sadly died on 8th May 2017. Monty’s father, Chris Martin-Zakheim, is being
The purpose of their ride was not only to challenge themselves but to raise
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treated for a malignant brain tumour which was diagnosed in July 2016. Jacob and Will were determined to support their two great friends and the team has exceeded their £50,000 target – a wonderful achievement. www.justgiving.com/fundraising/NicoRooth1
and finally Jock Mullard’s Retirement Party, September 2017
Anthony Robinson (left) tells tall tales and Jock Mullard (right) replies
T H E O L D R A D L E I A N 2017
Designed by Jock Mullard / RBDA Studio
RADLEIAN SOCIETY Radley College, Abingdon, OX14 2HR