Old Radleian 2019

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Old Radleian 2019

Cover image: Family, ORs and friends at the Dennis Silk Memorial Service, Southwark Cathedral, November 2019.

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Old Radleian 2019

Contents

3 Letter from the Warden

4 Radleian Society Gazette

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14 College Update

23 Remembering Dennis

Dennis Silk, Warden (1968-91)

31 Uncovering the Deep

Oliver Steeds (1989)

37 A Green Journey

David Taylor (1971)

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41 Monty’s Turkish Delight

44 News & Notes

70 New Releases

76 The Many Histories of Radley

79 Building the Future

James Pritchett (2001)

82 Sports & Societies Wildebloods, Real Tennis, Rackets,

Squash, Cricket, Football, Golf,

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Rowing, Hockey, Sailing, Racing Syndicate

99 Obituaries DRW Silk

PD Stuart AJT Halliday KW Bones Old Radleians

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Letter from John Moule, the Warden

Precentor, Sam Gladstone, leads the Radley Choir at the Dennis Silk Memorial Service, Southwark Cathedral.

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Dear ORs,

I recall the first time I met Dennis. It was at Anthony Hudson’s memorial service, held at Pangbourne College, in April 2015. The then Chairman of Council, Michael Hodgson, was busily introducing me to a huge number of Old Radleians, most of whom were wearing the F social tie as we remembered the great Radley institution that was ‘Huddy’.

But there was no doubt as to with whom the most important introduction was. He left us together: the legendary warden that had done so much to create the Radley that we know today and a rather green and somewhat intimidated successor, sitting together at the edge of the room.

What I remember about the conversation was what so many have said to me about him over the years as their primary memory of Dennis: an extraordinary warmth of personality and an uncanny ability to encourage. I am fully aware of the fact that others have so much more to say, and this magazine, I hope, begins to scrape the surface of the debt that is owed to him and Diana, not only by the College as a whole but by the individuals that were guided, mentored, advised, touched and loved by them. But in a small way, those five minutes at Pangbourne, along with other such moments between then and his death in June of this year, allowed me to understand so much of what has made Radley the place that it is. And I am profoundly grateful for it.

Of course, in one sense that was not my first experience of Dennis for I had watched the ‘Public School’ series, as part of my preparation for interview and as I planned for the role itself. It certainly bears re-watching, not least because of the remarkable parallel between then and now (in one sense an encouragement as we realise that we have faced such attacks before) with the fears looming large of a left-wing government hostile towards independent schools being close to power. The ‘debate’ about independent education, summarised succinctly at the start of the first episode by the narrator, could be lifted and placed into a 2019 news item.

There is more, however, to reviewing the famous series than the simple recognition of political parallels. As I prepared a sermon for the Leavers’

Service in July, I went back to a section, again in episode one, where Dennis addressed the arriving Shells about the things that he cared about most. He did that, of course, in Chapel. There, in the building at the heart of all the College stands for, he gently, but firmly, reminded them of the things that matter: “the right habits for life”, “the courtesies” and the central importance of “how you treat each other”. I was particularly struck by the reason he gave for seeing them in chapel: “we see this side of what we do here as the most important side of all”. In just a few words, he encapsulated both the centrality of chapel, the values it seeks to instil, and the community spirit that so distinguishes Radley.

I hope it is no surprise, therefore, that when I spoke to Diana about how we could honour Dennis’ memory, we agreed that some form of memorial in the Chapel would be more than appropriate and Council are considering how best to do this. The extension of Chapel is an ideal opportunity and we are delighted, therefore, that the family are joining with us in supporting a campaign to raise funds for this project, one which is driven by the desire to keep the tradition and central importance of Chapel as the heartbeat of our community.

The fundraising campaign will have two strands to it, however. As will be well known, Dennis asked for a fund to be set up on his retirement – in lieu of any gift to him – that would help talented boys come to Radley who otherwise would not be able to access such an education. That was particularly dear to him given his own experience as a boy at Christ’s Hospital. So was born the Silk Fund. It now stands at over £3m of endowed funds, which currently supports seven boys to be at the College; it is a key component of our approach to expanding the number of funded places.

We would love to see the fund grow substantially and I am delighted that the Silk family will be supporting the campaign to do so. The ‘Silk & Chapel Campaign’ will be launched in the New Year and run for 23 months, one month for every year of Dennis’ Wardenship.

175th anniversary of the College in 2022.

Dennis would have been the first to point out that Radley is much more than any one individual or any one section of those 175 years. But the priorities that drove him are the same that drove our founders and, I hope, that drive us today... and they are reflected in these twin priorities of expanding funded places and extending Chapel. Sewell, Silk and the College today: a school that has Chapel at its heart, the values that underpin it shaping our community and a bold vision to do what we can do to make a Radley place accessible.

Those who were there will know what a remarkable, and moving, service it was at Southwark Cathedral last month as over 1000 people came together to give thanks for Dennis’ life. And it reminded me very much of that occasion at Pangbourne. The warmth of the Radley community. Two great servants of the College honoured.

Both remembered with characteristic – and superb – power and poignancy by a Morgan address. And the current Warden – admittedly now not so new – sitting there all too conscious of the size (and privilege) of the task, but determined, with the help and the support of the whole community, to honour both the memories and the legacy.

That will then very appropriately take us to the start of our celebrations of the the old radleian 2019

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Gazette Radleian Society Welcome The death of Dennis Silk in June this year resonated through the whole Radley Community.

After the announcement, the Radleian Society office received a deluge of emails and letters of condolence containing heart-warming stories of how Dennis had touched so many lives. The 1200 strong attendance at his Memorial service in November was again testimony to his impact, not just on the Radley community, but on so many communities including MCC, Christ’s Hospital, Marlborough and too many others to mention.

It is the role of the Radleian Society to bring the Radley Community together, and we feel both privileged and proud to have been able to do this, firstly by helping to gather people together for the celebration of Dennis’ life at his Memorial Service, and secondly through this publication, which contains just some of the memories, anecdotes and stories of Dennis.

This year has been another busy one for the Society as we increase opportunities for all members to connect with each other in a variety of ways. Some updates include: • We now hold yearly Summer Drinks for all year groups, not just Shell and 6.2 parents this is a great chance to connect with parents in other Socials.

• We have also increased our Radley For Life business event programme to four events per year. Two are focussed on networking around industry wide topics, e.g. Environmental Sustainability, and two are for industry specific networking e.g. Law &Technology.

Sam Melluish (1976) Radleian Society President

• Our Old Radleian reunion programme is now well-established and includes the Young OR Drinks every year, the OR Dinner every two years, our 10, 25, & 50 years since leaving Reunions, and also a regular Year Group reunion.

• Radley Connect, Radley’s online networking platform has gone from strength to strength since its launch last December, and now has over 1150 members, with 80% of those signed up saying they are willing to offer career support to others in the Community.

In our highly digitised and global world, human interaction and connection is more important than ever, and the Radleian Society’s mission to ‘Bring the Radley Community together so that we can better support and help each other’ remains as relevant as it was the day the Society was formed in 1888.

Editor’s Note

The Development Office team

Having, rightly, taken the time to look back at Dennis Silk’s influence on Radley throughout this edition of the Old Radleian, there are also articles that look at the present, with News and Notes from ORs, and to the future through this year’s theme Environmentalism in action.

While the school strikes pioneered by Greta Thunberg may not have materialised at Radley, the boys here are approaching this issue in their own way, with the foundation of the Radley Environmental Society. And so too are ORs recognising the challenges and opportunities of climate change, and the articles presented here show examples of the work being done. They range from cutting-edge deep sea conservation and sustainable house building, to showcasing the smaller-scale changes that can make an impact.

Taken altogether, if this edition of the Old Radleian shows anything, it’s how much difference one individual can really make.

Simon Brand Publications and Social Media Editor 4

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Left to right: Selina Woodcock (Database), Simon Brand (Publications), Cassandra Russell (Events), Henry Cosh (Foundation), Lucy Johnsson (Foundation), Caroline Monaghan (Radleian Society).

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Our online communities - for careers and connections Our online communities now have a collective membership of over 6,000, including Old Radleians, Radley Parents, (current & former), grandparents and Radley staff. The weight of your combined experience and connections is invaluable and can be transformational for current boys and Old Radleians, particularly as they enter the ‘World of Work’.

We have two online platforms we would like you to join that complement each other, LinkedIn and Radley Connect. Radley Connect is our bespoke platform for social and professional networking amongst the Radley Community and is a very ‘friendly platform’.

There are two elements to our presence on LinkedIn: - The Radleian Society contact profile (2,392 connections) Designed to connect all members of the Radley Community together for business networking and to enable them to see mutual connections beyond Radley.

- The Radley For Life group (2,099 members) A forum for posting requests for help or advice, and for updates on careers and/or business.

- Nearly 80% of those signed up to the platform have said they are willing to help with some kind of careers support e.g. through introductions to connections or careers advice on the telephone.

- You can post updates on the platform, asking for help and advice, or you can privately email others directly through the platform.

- Radley Connect is for social interactions as well as professional networking.

Example ‘Updates’ from Radley Connect

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OR Dinner 2019

The biennial Old Radleian Dinner took place in the fantastic surroundings of Fishmongers’ Hall on Thursday last, 17th October.

The Radleian Society welcomed over 120 ORs and honoured guests, who enjoyed an evening of fine food and even finer company!

The microphone was then handed over to Martin Pope (1967) who compèred the lively session with Horse Trainers, Kim Bailey (1967), Oliver Sherwood (1969), Jamie Snowden (1992) and Charlie Fellowes (1999) - see opposite for a flavour of some of the discussion.

The evening began with a champagne reception, underneath the stunning Knesworth Chandelier, where old friends reacquainted themselves with each other, before moving into the grandeur of the Banqueting Hall. The three-course meal was followed by a short introduction by Radleian Society President, Sam Melluish (1976), and some words on Fishmongers’ Hall from Richard Ferrand (1970).

The Warden then paid tribute to the passing of both Dennis Silk and Peter Stuart and spoke about how the College, its staff and Radleians past and present all come together to make Radley the place it is today, and prepare it for the challenges of the future. He ended with the toast “Floreat Radley”, before the genial conversation flowed back into the room, as the ORs continued to enjoy the evening.

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Horse Racing - the inside track How did a Radley education prepare you for horse racing?

OS: It was the teaching of David Goldsmith that first got me interested in racing. Each year in his lessons in June we were taught the betting odds from The Derby.

JS: If you weren’t very intelligent at Radley you either became an army officer, or you trained racehorses……. I therefore did both! However, when I realised I wasn’t going to become a General, I soon turned my hand to training.

CF: Radley had no contribution whatsoever to my becoming a trainer as it was something I wanted to be from a young age. Radley did however provide a racing connection that I wasn’t aware of as I learned this evening that Oliver went out with my aunt for 3 months!

Winners (and losers) KB: Oliver had the finest jumper in the country and I thought was odds on to win the Champion Hurdles in 1995 and then I got a call from an owner about a horse. He said to me, that he’d had a dream on a beach in Thailand that he wanted to win the Champion Hurdle and turned up at my house and asked me to train his horse, Alderbrook, to win the Champion Hurdle in three months’ time. On meeting him, he was wearing what can only be described as a shell-suit and had more gold around his neck than in his pocket. I really wasn’t sure to begin with, but on seeing the horse run I thought ‘What the hell’ and took it on. As the Champion Hurdles drew nearer, I called Oliver and told him Alderbrook was going to win. And that’s just what he did.

OS: That horse was virtually lame every day until the race itself and I think I’d have thumped Kim if I saw him straight after the race! But looking back, he did a great job with that horse.

So it was all down to a ‘Win and you’re in’ last-chance qualifier. For a horse that regularly finished second or third it was a big ask, but Prince Of Arran won and we were in! To go from that, to leading the Melbourne Cup with two furlongs to go was amazing, and though he got overtaken in the last legs, to finish third was a great experience.

JS: I went back to Radley last summer for the first time in about 18 years and was nervously sitting down with the Bursar as I pitched to him the ridiculous idea of Radley owning a racehorse. It was a real Dragon’s Den-style moment, but we got the nod and under the auspices of the Radleian Society, we went ahead and bought a horse.

We bought a 3-year-old unnamed gelding with a decent pedigree – even I managed to win on two of the horses in the immediate pedigree, so they must have been good! The Racing Syndicate members decided to name the horse, College Oak, no doubt inspired by a few cheeky cigarettes down by the old Oak in the College. Anyway, College Oak was a very promising 2nd on racecourse debut, and progressed to win his bumper on Sunday!

Who knows more, tipsters or trainers?

OS: Tipsters know even less than the trainers about which horse is going to win, and given that 90 percent of the time the trainers don’t know who’s going to win, I think that answers that question!

Finally, what one horse should we follow this season?

CF: Riviera Belle JS: Thebannerkingrebel (and of course, College Oak) OS: Tarada KB: Vinndication

When I trained Many Clouds, if I’d had my way, he would never have even run the Grand National after his poor run at Cheltenham. But the owner persuaded me to give him a chance, and that faith was repaid as he came home first.

CF: In January 2018, I hatched a plan to try and enter for the Melbourne Cup and getting prepped for this involved some serious travel time. We went to race in Dubai, back to England, out to the US, back to England again and then out to Australia! But with three days to go before the Melbourne Cup, we still weren’t qualified.

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10 Year Reunion On the evening of Wednesday 12th June, Old Radleians who finished their time at the College in 2009 were invited to the Oriental Club in London, W1, to celebrate their 10 Year Reunion.

They were joined by past and current staff, including Angus McPhail, the Warden during their time at Radley, for a highly enjoyable evening.

The 80+ attendees were able to catch up and reconnect with old friends and schoolmates as well as demonstrating that they hadn’t lost some of the skills they’d learnt at Radley (there were numerous incidents of ‘peanuting’ ties...)

The atmosphere was excellent throughout the whole evening and the revelry was still going strong late into the night!

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25 Year Reunion The fact that at 11pm JCR was still packed with ORs, current dons and former staff all reminiscing over their shared time at Radley was testament to the excellence of the evening, held on Saturday 9th February.

The reunion began in Mansion, and the 100 attendees were soon greeting familiar, if somewhat older, faces. C and G Socials were particularly well represented, with tours of the College and, particularly, of the Socials being eagerly anticipated. Many tales of antics gone by were told amidst much fond remembrances.

A trip down memory lane at Radley couldn’t be complete without a service led by the Chaplain, Rev David Wilson, with the ORs responding with enthusiastic singing that filled Chapel. Just rewards for their efforts followed, with a champagne reception in Blue Room and a splendid threecourse dinner in Hall, where the lively conversation continued to flow.

Will Barker, Senior Prefect (and now OR), and the Warden spoke briefly about the place of both tradition and modernisation at today’s Radley, and the special ethos that links Radleians across the generations. This was exemplified in the joy and camaraderie so obviously present in the room. As one OR described the event, “It was a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with some people that I literally hadn’t seen for 25 years.”

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50 year Reunion Saturday 18th May saw over 30 Old Radleians and their guests return to the College for their 50 Year Reunion and have a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.

A reception in Blue Room allowed the ORs to catch up with old friends and renew acquaintances from many years past. There then followed one of the highlights of the day, tours of the College and of Socials.

Following more refreshments, a most convivial lunch in Hall and an intimate service in Chapel rounded out an excellent day.

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70+ Year olds Reunion On Saturday 14th September, the Radleian Society were pleased to welcome back to the College Old Radleians aged 70 and over for their reunion.

Over 120 ORs and guests enjoyed a drinks reception, lunch in Hall and tours of Socials, and took the opportunity to catch up with friends, some after many years hiatus, and to see the College as it is now. Stories and reminiscences were exchanged and many ORs enjoyed speaking with the current boys, although a comparison between the conditions the boys enjoy now compared to their own time was not lost on a number of them! A Service in Chapel rounded the day off and as one OR said, “I closed my eyes and just listened and it was exactly as it had been 60 years ago�. A fitting end to an excellent reunion.

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RFL Business Networking The RFL events programme this year featured two highly salient topics that cut across all industries; the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Workplace and Environmental Sustainability in Business respectively.

Each event was led by panels of experts in their fields, providing illuminating insights into the topics, with the audience eager to join in with their own informed opinions. Over 150 ORs, Radley Parents, and friends of Radley, as well as current boys and staff, attended and everyone who came was able to take something from these events.

The panel discussions were followed by open networking sessions, as those in attendance used this as an opportunity to continue the debate and make professional connections.

Our thanks go to Charles Palmer (1985) and Simon Shaw (1978) for kindly hosting the events at their respective offices, and to our panellists and chairs:

The Artifical Intelligence event panel discussion.

AI event: Chris Tufnell (1982), Mike Dobby (Radley Parent), Charles Towers-Clark (1983), Camille Koppen (PhD, Oxon), Stephen Rathbone (Academic Director, Radley).

Environmental Sustainability event: Vincent Neate (Radley Parent), James Arbib (1985), Oliver Steeds (1989), Tom Green (1979) and Andrew Perkins (1980).

We are always keen to hear suggestions of future themes for our RFL Business Networking events, so please do send any through: radsoc@radley.org.uk

Networking between panellists, ORs and Radley staff.

Breakfast Networking

Environmental Sustainability event speakers.

A new addition to our main RFL events offered in 2019 were two breakfast networking sessions. These more informal events were hosted by Jo Rooth (1985) at his London offices, with each having specific industry focus. The first sessions focussed on Law and on Tech and were well-received by those attending.

Keep an eye out for the details of next year’s sessions.

A pause in the panel discussion session to allow the audience to make new professional connections.

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Breakfast networking in full flow!

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2019 parents’ summer drinks The Radleian Society events programme continued to grow this year, with events held for parents from all five year groups at the Oriental Club in London.

Over the course of the five evenings, more than 500 parents met up to find out more about the Radleian Society; our community network, Radley Connect; and our business network, Radley For Life. It was also a chance to socialise with other Radley Parents from their boy’s year and catch up as another school year drew to a close.

The evenings were a great success and the warmth and friendliness of all those there was evident to see.

6.2 Parent’s Drinks

6.1 Parents’ Drinks

Fifth Parent’s Drinks

Remove Parent’s Drinks

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COLLEGE UPDATE

Bursar, Andrew Ashton, and Academic Director, Stephen Rathbone, reflect on the 2018/19 year and talk about the challenges and opportunities facing the college in the year ahead.

I wrote last year about the importance of solid financial foundations as a bedrock for delivering a Radley education.

Since that time, the political landscape has shifted further in terms of risks for the independent sector. For example, the Labour Party aspires, if in power, to integrate independent schools into the State sector. An extreme interpretation of this could be the expropriation by the State of independent school assets – and it is difficult to see how that may work in practice. Whatever the interpretation (and whatever shape of Government we have going forward), it is likely to mean additional cost for the sector. This could be in the form of erosion of tax benefits, or through taxes, such as VAT on school fees. We will know if these threats are more real once the outcome of the December General Election becomes clear.

In the meantime, the cost of funding Teachers’ Pensions has risen by 43% in the past year, following an actuarial review of the cost of the benefits of this State run scheme. We want to reward our teachers well - they do a great job - but the financial challenges might mean in time that we have to look at whether there are other ways of ensuring high quality benefit packages that expose us to less risk outside of our control. This of course creates uncertainty, which is unsettling.

Our parents pay our fees and we must remain affordable and accessible to our core constituency to thrive. Our response to this is to recognise good education comes at a cost but that we must grow our endowment to be able to offer more bursaries, on a means-tested basis, to subsidise fees for those with demonstrable need. This will take time.

Against this awkward backdrop, where maintaining the status quo is not an option, I am optimistic. At the time of writing the College is about to publish its accounts for 2018/19 and our asset base has grown from £106m to £113m. This has been aided by four things – solid operating performance showing we can run within our means, the generosity of our donors (with almost £2m raised in the year), high quality investment performance by our investment managers (OUem), and an uplift in the value of our investment land. Furthermore, since the year-end we

Work in progress: The steelwork on the roof of L Social sets out the new Shell corridor.

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have completed on the sale of a portion of College land in Radley to Pye Homes, a house builder, owned by Blenheim Estates who share many of the same values as we do. This will enable us to invest a further £9m with OUem at the year-end (with another £10m to come in deferred payments). The income from this will fund more bursaries – and we already have 74 boys at Radley with means-tested fee remission.

But it takes £1.1m to fund in perpetuity a full fee paying place, and so we have more to do.

I am optimistic also for two other reasons. One operational: from September 2020 the school will grow, with the completion of L Social, and this will add further efficiencies to the way we run, as well as allowing us to educate more. By expanding our Chapel at the same time, we also remain committed to our ethos and core values. Having also recently opened our newly expanded and refurbished Science Department, our campus stands proud as a modern centre of learning excellence.

The second reason is about our impact – which is something we should be proud of, but where we often leave others to “tell the story”. Our impact as an employer of over 450 people aiding the local economy. Our impact on the schools we partner with - such as Desborough College and Radley Primary School. Our impact through the outreach and other work we do, including over 1,000 state school pupils receiving free Mandarin tuition though the Radley managed Swire Chinese Language Centre Oxford. And, of course, our impact on the 692 Radleians we educate.

Top: The new Lecture Theatre in the Science building.

Above right: Work continues on the Chapel extension.

Above: Boys from Desborough join Shells on a Creative Writing afternoon, replicating Chaucer in the New Pavilion.

As we face political threats – and any historian of independent education in the UK will know this is not new – we must also have strong finances to absorb financial shock and respected advocates to tell our story and what it means for them. It is for these reasons that I believe Radley stands in good health, equipped to embrace the challenges ahead and with a clear desire to deliver our plans for the future.

Andrew Ashton Bursar the old radleian 2019

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Academic report 2018-19 The National Context As usual, the national press provided some interesting summer headlines relating to education. There were (justifiable) concerns raised over issues ranging from examination security to consistency of marking. It was noted that in 2019 A-level A*-A grades fell to the lowest percentage since 2007 (25.5%).

The Labour Party claimed that it would scrap the UCAS predicted grade system and replace it with an alternative which has been discussed in academic circles for a while – a post-qualification admissions (PQA) system. There is some merit in this idea insofar as, nationally, 5/6 UCAS predictions are wrong! Arguably then, it would be so much easier for everybody if candidates were able to make applications having received their grades.

However, it was soon pointed out by critics that such a system would, paradoxically, work against those from disadvantaged backgrounds as they would struggle to make their case in the narrow time slot between Results’ Day and the start of university terms. Doubtless, the debate will continue.

Radley’s Results It is sometimes asked why Radley does not publish its results in August. It is a fair question. The answer is simply (and I hope transparently!) that the appeal process goes on until late October.

It is not unknown for a department’s results to be completely transformed in this period, if marking by the board has been in some way defective (and it is more commonly the case than it should be, as The Sunday Times reported in August). Therefore it is much fairer to boys and their teachers if the final results are the ones which are publicly recorded and internalised! As ever, this year a number of boys have seen considerable improvement in the overall results, completely transforming their university options.

Radley enjoyed a respectable set of results in 2019. At A-level, boys achieved 20.8% A*, 60% A*–A and 87% A*-B. There is no doubt that the new A-levels have introduced far more rigorous questioning along with, in most cases, expanded content. Naturally, it takes schools and, indeed, examination boards a little while to adjust to the new regime.

This year, the third and final tranche of revised A-level examinations was sat for the first time. At (I)GCSE, the results were very encouraging, with a large number of 9 and 8s. The total tally was 29% at grade 9, 62% at grades 9-8 and 82% at grades 9-7.

For the first time, Radley boys in the top Science sets sat Physics, Chemistry and Biology as three individual GCSEs. Boys in the remaining sets continue to take Dual Award Science, which gives them two GCSE grades across three sciences.

I would note that there are advantages to both pathways and it is very important to stress that those who have sat Dual Award are not disadvantaged in any way in sitting A-level science subjects or, indeed, applying to university for science subjects.

We will continue to review the hybrid system, but indications are that the initiative has gone well so far.

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Reforms Although getting to grips with the new A-level and (I)GCSE programmes has been, at times, arduous for boys and their teachers, the new courses and examinations are certainly more intellectually rewarding. They better prepare boys in skills such as critical thinking and analytical reasoning. As I reported to Council (the governing body): ‘wrestling with often deliberately unfamiliar texts and information in key ‘discriminator’ questions is more important than it has ever been. The days of parroted answers and spoon-feeding are absolutely dead and buried.’

Of course, all this means that boys now have to think for themselves in the examination hall to a far greater degree. It will be essential for a Radleian to be able to pluck exactly the right piece of information from his “filing cabinet of the mind” and apply it very precisely. Generalised answers which might have gained reasonable marks in the past will now simply sink without trace. This is an important lesson which we continue to try and communicate to the boys.

With all this in mind, we introduced two tranches of mock examinations for 6.2s a couple of years ago. We have now decided to do the same for the Fifths, from January 2020. The great advantage of this is that boys have to make good use of the Christmas holiday – committing material to memory and allowing time for it to sink in.

A disappointing performance in the first tranche of exams is not necessarily a disaster, so long as lessons are learnt. A stronger performance in the second tranche, confirms, of course, the good sense of a reformed way of working and helps to build confidence before the last burst of revision over the Easter holiday.

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University destination

Initiatives

As usual, the great majority of boys went to Russell group universities. We had a particularly strong year for Oxford and Cambridge, securing a total of 18 offers and places - with what has been a traditional Radleian bias towards Oxford, resulting in fifteen offers and places for Oxford and three for Cambridge.

A big theme across the last academic year was the impact of general-purpose technology (GPT) and most notably the ways in which machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) are already transforming our lives – from top to bottom. A panel discussion evening was held in London by the Radleian Society and it attracted a large audience of Old Radleians and parents.

This was our strongest Oxbridge performance in a decade. Huge congratulations go to these boys and very good luck to those who are trying to emulate them in Michaelmas 2019.

It is also important to note that we have a growing number of boys open to the possibility of courses abroad. This year three boys went to Yale, one to Dartmouth, one to Chicago, one to University of North Carolina (all to study Liberal Arts), one to McGill (Arts and Languages), one to Toronto (Mathematics and Computer Science), and three to European universities – École Hotelière de Lausanne, Amsterdam and Maastricht.

It is rather brave to go and study in a foreign country, but those who do are engaging very fully with the notion of a ‘globalised’ world. I suspect this trend will grow in coming years.

Below: The Science Centre is opened by Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt, before his talk in the new Science Lecture Theatre on the potential impact of Artifical Intelligence.

Across the year, a number of talks focused on technology, including an outstanding exploration of the impact of Artificial Intelligence by Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt, Principal of Jesus College, Oxford, and one of the world’s leading authorities in this field.

Having done a great deal of research on this matter, I had become rather pessimistic regarding the less benign potential effects which AI seems to threaten. However, Sir Nigel was particularly upbeat about the ways in which our lives will be improved and put into context some of the more lurid claims which have been made by Elon Musk, Stephen Hawking et al.

It will interest readers that we are pioneering the use of Artificial Intelligence in lower school science teaching. A pilot set is using AI programmes designed by CenturyTech – whose products are being adopted across the world, including by state education systems in Europe and the Middle East.

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Gazette

Preparing for life after Radley We are continuing to think about creative ways of preparing boys for the bewildering speed of change in the workplace and in wider society. To that end, we are undertaking a full curriculum review over the next five years. Among other questions, we will be asking whether it is right for all boys to be prepared for a pathway which seems to lead inexorably towards a degree, starting straight after school.

There are many in business and industry who question the wisdom of sending so many people to university when, in so many cases, they seem to be studying degrees which are of little use to them and which incur a large financial cost. Radley will of course aim to prepare the majority of boys for tertiary study, but it will be important that the non-university pathways are seen to be just as valid since, of course, they are.

On a personal note, I am increasingly impressed by those who have gone on to set up successful businesses without bothering with university. They seem to be doing rather well!

Within the broader academic life of the school, it is worth pointing out a few exciting developments. Some parents may have seen the outstanding new school magazine - Serpentes - which emerged last year. This was an initiative which came entirely from the Academic Prefects and then involved a number of other boys. The quality of writing was simply outstanding: it was tremendous to see Radleians researching deeply into, and writing beautifully about, a panoply of fascinating topics.

Last year in this magazine, I wrote about the appointment of the Cook Fellows. The idea, you may remember, was to appoint graduates from the best universities in the United States, to come and refresh the intellectual life of the school. Ali Raza Galani, Sam Wallace-Perdomo and Johanna Rhyins have had a transformational effect. As resident Cook Fellows, they have the time and energy to really invest in school societies and have also set up a number of other discussion groups. Boys find all this particularly convivial and, it has to be said, more amenable, because classroom teachers are often absent!

The Cook Fellows have all done interesting things before they arrived at Radley and are not ‘Gap students’. Boys have responded very well to the different ways of thinking and being which our American guests have exhibited. Oxbridge classes have been enlivened by fresh perspectives and, it goes without saying, Cook Fellows’ advice on American universities has been invaluable.

Mr Cox has also been running the Graduates-in-Residence programme, whereby a number of Oxford postgraduates - from a wide variety of disciplines – talk to the boys and run discussions. I think Common Room would be the first to admit that the presence of these fresh faces has been hugely beneficial to classroom learning. For a number of years we have been trying to stress the importance of ‘inter-disciplinarity’ - where boys and their teachers set out to see the connections within and across subjects and topics.

Such a mindset is vital for coping with modern examinations, but also for life in the manic – but exciting – world beyond.

Stephen Rathbone Academic Director

Cook Fellows, Johanna Rhyins (centre right) and Sam Wallace-Perdomo (centre), ORs and current boys discuss some of the key points that arose at the Radley For Life Business Networking event in November 2019.

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Vales 2018/19 David Edwards I met DCKE back in 1991, when he breezed into Uppingham as the new Head of Drama like a breath of fresh air. Debonair, distinguished, he’d already had successful spells at Durham and Christ’s Hospital.

Within a year he’d directed a hugely-successful Show, West Side Story.

Within two years he was running the new Girls’ House, The Lodge, helped by Helene. Adored by his sixth-form ‘gels’, somehow DCKE still had the energy to organise an unforgettable Theatre Night with Stephen Fry. Two children followed, Philippe (OR), now an actor, and Stephanie, to accompany Natasha.

Ian Ellis Ian Ellis. Head of Art at Radley since 1994; artist in residence before that. And what an impact he has made on the lives of so many who have passed through the doors of the Sewell Centre. The newly refurbished Department is a wonderfully apt and characterful reflection of Ian’s vision as an artist, and his respect for, and encouragement of, the variety and individuality of his young charges.

Many pupils have been lucky enough to benefit from Ian’s guidance and many colleagues have enjoyed his warmth, hospitality, his home brew, frozen lobsters, oddly shaped vegetables and his sense of fun... and his wonderful exhibitions.

I remember a stunning display of his artwork after a sabbatical took him on an artist’s tour of Italy. Common Room announcements are legendary, and we always await the obligatory reference to ‘glass of fizz’ that accompanied all Sewell Centre exhibitions. There are many stories of varying degrees of unsuitability that could be told, and many a late night discussion, wandering back from some social event or other, that might colour this vale.

However some degree of restraint must be imposed and after consultation with TRGR, a couple of notorious events might give some sense of past excitements when with IPE. On one occasion, on a trip to the Hayward Gallery, a group of burgeoning young artists were waiting patiently on the bus with TRGR to make the return journey to Radley. A flustered looking Ian leaps onto the bus and announces that they must leave immediately. Unfortunately he had pursued a boy into the gents loo, slapped a hand onto his shoulder and demanded that he follow him outside immediately. He then discovered that the utterly bewildered young man was not a Radleian, and a speedy and embarrassing retreat was necessary.

On another occasion, a trip to the London Eye prompted emergency measures, as Ian pressed the red ‘Stop’ button of his pod as it reached the top end of the wheel. With pod swinging precariously back and forth, he phoned TRGR to say that he was keeping the boys on board calm, but that there was a suspected bomb under a seat. It turned out that all pods had a first aid box readily available on board: this he had mistaken for said bomb.

Time moves on and DCKE moved to Radley in 1996: again initially as Director of Drama, overseeing the development of the New Theatre.

But you can’t keep DCKE away from housemastering for too long and AWM was quick to offer him H Social. Over the next decade, DCKE moulded H Social in his own image and into one of the most successful, in-demand Socials at Radley. The achievements were many.

Nine times, under his stewardship (2001-12), H won the coveted top academic prize, the Smale Casket (usually complete with Havana cigar). There were no fewer than five H Senior Prefects during DCKE’s reign, plus five Second Prefects. Twice in his tenure, both Senior and Second Prefects were H boys – further testimony to the success of the Social. It was no surprise that AWM entrusted his son to DCKE’s care.

Several members of Council were swift to follow suit.

In addition to producing high-achieving boys (despite H’s reputation for being ‘unsporty’, Nick Gubbins was another of David’s proteges) the Social proved a training-ground for new Tutors. Under DCKE’s guidance, no fewer than three H sub-tutors became Tutors (TRGR, HC, TCL). Again, contrary to impressions, DCKE had to deal with some tricky customers in the early years and was more than capable of adopting a firm hand when necessary. Recent Radleians may not have seen this side of him, but when DCKE loses his temper (once every three years?), boys get the message. He means business.

All this was achieved with grace, style and humour. Hard work yes; but fun times were had by boys and ‘subbies’ alike. H Social was the place to be for dons during Wednesday and Saturday cocoas. DCKE was, in addition, a charismatic presence on the Radley stage, with starring roles in Daisy and The History Boys.

‘Do it for Dave’ read the old green-and-gold banner on the Inter-Social touchlines. And they did. Never a bad word from his boys, never a suggestion that they’d rather be anywhere else than H. DCKE. It’s impossible to imagine Radley without him. We wish David and Helene success in Portugal, Hampshire, Canada. Who knows, an acting career may still beckon?

AC

But jolly anecdotes aside, there is no doubting the impact Ian has made on the artistic life of the College. He is an incredible artist and an extraordinarily creative force. He has built a department that is the envy of all schools, and to see a campus literally showcasing boys’ work at every turn, with architectural design often governed by the need for light and wall space to display artistic achievement, is remarkable.

Radley has been so lucky. So here’s another ‘glass of fizz’ to toast a great colleague and a wonderfully inspirational teacher: IPE! DCKE the old radleian 2019

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Keith Halliday Keith has two nicknames, coined by the boys. The best known one is “Chemical Keith”; not, perhaps the most original or subtle, bearing in mind that he is a chemistry teacher, but actually quite appropriate, for Keith is a real chemist. Unlike those of us who have merely done a degree in the subject, he has been out there, in the field, as it were. But his passion for the subject started well before that, when aged 10 he persuaded his father to convert the garage into a well-equipped lab, complete with enough substances which today would have had him locked up for 20 years on the Terrorism Act!

John Beasley The role of John Beasley requires a skilled actor. A man of known talents, he still surprises. Woe betide the unsuspecting numpty, whose careless actions prompt our protagonist’s blunt curses. Yet the muse could also elicit such honeyed tones that one would go hunting through the Department for this choral scholar. On paper too, he could be the lawyer, the story-teller or the poet, as fitted best. His reports were fun – one Shell ‘would, without doubt, have been among the first to answer the call in 1914, fibbing if needs be about his age to get a crack at the Hun, follow the colours and pick up, perhaps, a wound in a suitably artistic place for Crispin’s Days to come’. Our actor needs endurance, for John gave so very much to Radley, to dons and especially to boys.

For the former, he was the confidante of and advisor to many, the champion of the opposed. For the latter he was everything, their sage, their teacher, their guide, their coach. Few have been so routinely and publicly cited by senior boys as the epitome of the Radley don.

John cared deeply that every boy was given every opportunity to flourish, no matter how late they decided to, or his competing commitments. Regular was the sight of him sitting with one or two boys, patiently rehearsing some dusty corner of history. Our actor would also need a phenomenal memory, such were John’s skills of intellectual hoarding. His social prayers were improved recitals of radio programmes, his lessons embraced the wisest maxims filleted from experts, he could prompt any stumbling declaimer, and give you the bowling figures of 15 years ago, all without notes. An appetite would help too, as John stayed agile by eluding his wife’s spies in pursuit of a real breakfast or the last golden biscuit at break.

John held many roles after arriving in 2000 – five years of care and frustrations as Tutor in E Social, seven as head of cricket, head of Shells, chairman of the Consultative Committee and trusted coach of hockey, rugby and golf – but his informal roles were no less of value. He helped us do things properly, by hosting well, proofreading scholarship papers, ensuring fairness in the McPhail trophy and defining Fast and Furious cricket. He directed two dons’ plays, acted in boys’ productions and inspired with his half-time talks. He nurtured understanding and thinking. One exam board unusually reported that ‘it was evident from the responses that the students had clearly enjoyed their studies’ on an obscure A level option only taught by John.

John retires with Ann, to Norfolk and walks with Tetley. As Hector, he once sighed “There’s nothing of me left. Go away. Class dismissed.” But worry not, there is plenty of John left. Oh f***, we will miss him.

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After his degree at Nottingham and Ph.D. at Christ’s College, Cambridge, Keith tried various jobs before settling into a research position with ESSO, which he did for 15 years before coming to Radley. He is an intelligent, thoughtful and calm person; a man you find yourself pouring out your heart to, because you know he is someone of the utmost integrity and discretion. The boys realise this too, hence his second nickname: “Uncle Keith”, a lovely reflection of his kind and thoughtful nature.

He has been a wonderful teacher and Head of Department, combining deep knowledge of the subject with sensible innovation.

He was great at taking the Department into the outside world with excellent trips to the University of Bristol, the oil refinery at Fawley, and who could forget the memorable visit to a cul-de-sac in Swindon for a seminar on Fuel Cells…! RDW writes: “I was interviewed by KH in his role of Head of Chemistry and Science in 2011 and was impressed by his sophistication and breadth of knowledge. His ability to share his experiences and understanding with his classes and the surety of his grasp of the subject means Keith commands the utmost trust and respect in the boys and colleagues.

It would not be wrong to say he is leaving at the height of his powers.

He is the teacher I would like to teach my children.”

His time at Radley has not all been about chemistry. Although, as my Granny said, he has not wasted too much time chasing balls, he has done his bit on the games fields with football, rugby and tennis teams. He has been a loyal and dependable sub Tutor in C, J and E Socials and a wise Form Master. He will be sorely missed in the Music Department, where his excellent trumpet playing has been a huge benefit to numerous ensembles, including the College musicals, Choral Society and Concerto concerts.

SLN writes: “He has been a wonderful member of the Community Service Concert Parties team, each Monday performing at venues alongside boys. He is absolutely brilliant - with boys, with elderly people, with nurses/carers - such a lovely caring person. An awesome trumpeter too. I am going to miss him buckets.” She is not the only one for sure.

HDH

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Emilie Danis

Emilie Danis was recruited as a French assistant from the University of the Cote d’Opal in June 2004. By 2008, her talents in the classroom had been recognised; she had completed a PGCE and become a full-time teacher in the Department. By 2010 she had established herself as a first-rate classroom practitioner with an impressive record of results behind her. She has made a colossal contribution to the success of the French and Spanish Departments since then.

For many years, she shouldered the burden of all the French A level oral exams for boys in 6.1 and 6.2, a ferocious undertaking that required dedication, organisation and vast reserves of patience. She has a reputation as a feisty and highly effective classroom practitioner.

In the early years, she listened to and borrowed from her mentors, in and out of the department, but principally JLM and JFCN and she introduced her own methods of rigorous classroom instruction. Her acquisition of idiomatic English, in her early years, was prodigious by anyone’s standards.

Those lucky enough to have been taught by her will remember her imaginative jargon and catchphrases: “Gentlemen, it’s not hard, it’s challenging…remember it’s party time tonight because you have a French prep….my pink pen is tingling in anticipation of giving a smiley face”. She is an assertive teacher who is prepared to trim the sails of the more exuberant individuals and encourage them back into appropriate behaviour with a firm “On lève la main” or an “assied-toi correctement jeune homme”.

Emilie leaves many friends behind, as she heads off to run the French Department at Stowe. She also leaves a legacy of rigorous and disciplined teaching that has allowed many generations of Radleians to appreciate the importance and the joys of second language acquisition. Bonne chance Em et merci mille SB fois.

Lucy Nott

Claudia Piller

With the departure of French teaching titans like JLM and CRB in 2011, the Department needed an established and experienced specialist and, in Lucy Nott, we were lucky to find just that. Like a well cut pedagogical diamond, her brilliance comes from her multifaceted character. She teaches to a very high standard across all year groups, she is preternaturally organised and efficient, she cares, she is kind, she bakes, she laughs but what singles Lucy out is her ability to listen.

Got a problem? - go and see LEN.

Soft heart – hard feet; straight-talking, no-nonsense, impeccable standards, meticulous planner with a heart of gold.

Her Teutonic love of order, punctuality and distain for authority inevitably led to BJH finding a natural fit for her in H Social.

We have adapted to her foibles, laughed at her jokes and devoured her cupcakes.

Boys and dons alike will agree that her powers of intercession, conciliation and discretion are extraordinary. This may come from being the daughter of a bishop, but I suspect it stems from her clarity of understanding of what is required of a compassionate and caring member of the College community.

As Head of French, Lucy has been a reformer, an organiser of and believer in systems that do not strip away the autonomy of individual teachers. She introduced regular, formalised, vocabulary and grammar testing in the Sixth Form and her legacy of topic specific Quizlet lists continues to benefit 6.1 and 6.2 boys.

She has been a valued member of the child protection team, a sub-tutor in H Social, an organiser of trips and a mentor to new and established dons.

Many generations of boys have loved being taught by Lucy and it has been a privilege, over the past eight years, to observe her lessons. She plans and prepares her classes carefully, gently correcting the boys in her charge, nurturing their strengths while forgiving them their frailties. She is a class act and we are very sorry to see her move on to Dr. Challoner’s High School where she will no doubt continue to flourish.

Initial reports from the boys were reserved – who was this Boho, peroxide, red-head challenging the Bollinger Bolsheviks of 6.2 and attempting to bring her European cuddly ways with her? Claudia quickly established herself as a dedicated and determined German and French teacher but it was her Form Mastering that brought a new level of excellence and care to the role, as testified by parents and boys.

Never one to kowtow, she always put the needs of ‘her boys’ first, based on unconditional care for those around her; a desire to help shape emotionally robust young men, intense loyalty to her charges and disapproval of most Social Prayers (boys would surreptitiously observe her, rather than pay attention to the hapless speaker explaining exactly how his ideal prep school would be organised).

Her previous life of managing clients from Ballantine’s Whiskey and Arnold Schwarzenegger Fitness Products, was the ideal preparation for the rigours of the modern day school mastering.

Success in her Happy Jackson-bedecked classroom was founded on being highly organised, meticulous control of any situation and covering every possibility.

As young Master Hordern put it: ‘You want to do well for her; she strives for excellence in her pupils but is delighted with whatever they achieve.’

SB

Claudia lives life by the adage ‘put your heart and mind and soul into even the smallest acts’. Though Tom, Jon and Claudia leave a gaping hole for us to fill, we have left our mark on her, as her recent conversion to Labradorism testifies.

GHSM the old radleian 2019

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Nick Pilborough

Dawn Shand

Margie Asher

There are three words that capture some core elements of Nick: family, Teacher and Cycling. Nick is a dedicated father and husband. I know this because after his morning ‘burn’ we had a family tea (scones from Devon, eaten by his Cornish wife Liz – confusing). His children are delightful, and I noted with some schadenfreude that Sebastian has as much energy as Nick does – good luck with that!

Ms Dawn Shand arrived at Radley in 2013 after a concerted effort from John Sparks (JMS) who had the foresight to know that she had the right qualities to be a successful pastoral housemistress (PHM).

The PHM is often referred to as the boys’ mum away from home, and the G Social boys could not have asked for a better mum to take care of them during the past five years.

Her ‘stand-in’ term, Michaelmas 2013, quickly became something far more permanent as she proved JMS correct.

Margie’s caring nature is obvious for all to see, and she has a special place in the hearts of all the boys in G Social.

“Margie” is usually the answer given when prospective parents ask their G Social tour guides what the best thing is about their social, and this is a fitting tribute to her dedication to the boys.

Yet Delilah and Sebastian also have that gentle and fun manner that we see both in Liz and in Nick.

Not only has she dealt with the usual challenges posed by looking after so many teenage boys, but she has also had to look after two Tutors, and indeed introduce a new tutor (SRG) to the subtleties and demands of pastoral care in Social. She did this all with great aplomb.

The boys always came first, and were therefore looked after so well. As a bastion of reliability and a sympathetic ear, the boys knew they were in safe hands and always had someone to call on. Dawn knew them all so very well and they knew this too, creating a pastoral second home that the boys appreciated very much.

It is something of a cliché to note that Nick is an exceptional teacher (although he is) and so I would note the myriad conversations we have had about teaching: how to do it; what works; what works less well; what to change and why…Nick does not know how to rest on his laurels and his desire to be better is palpable. He is a harsh critic of his own performance – though he need not be.

You probably did not know how very talented Nick was as a skater, or that he raced in national cycling competitions (he was ranked 244 in the nation in 2014).

As a non-expert I can better understand the sheer stamina and dedication needed to reach such dizzy cycling heights by telling you about a day our families spent together in Devon over Easter. While we were walking on Dartmoor Nick noted that he had cycled up the hill next to us on that morning for a bit ‘of a burn’. Now, if you can picture Dartmoor, or indeed a stupidly steep hill, then you can appreciate the tenacity and sheer grit one needs to undertake such feats.

I wish I had the space to say more: but if you consider a talented, caring, fun and humble man then you are certainly ballpark.

RKM

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A feature of Margie’s approach to her job has been her willingness to provide the little “extras” which the boys appreciate so much. Cakes are always baked on boys’ birthdays (I will miss her famous red velvets!) and if an unwell boy has to go home or to the medical centre he will always return to a room that has been tidied by her.

Dawn threw her heart and soul into making C Social a special place over the past six years. She has done an excellent job and leaves with the boys of C in great shape.

The decision to call time on her role as PHM was difficult, but well considered and sensible, as she looks forward to spending much more time with her family.

The novelty of weekends will also take some time to wear off!

The PHM also needs to be able to discipline boys, and she has the rare gift of needing no more than the simple statement “you have disappointed me” to get the message across to a boy who has got things wrong.

Margie’s exceptional people skills endeared her to everyone she dealt with: boys, colleagues, parents alike. My family and I will miss her dearly, as will her fellow PHMs and the cleaning, catering and medical centre staff.

She will be sorely missed by all in the C Social community and beyond.

SRG

We are sad to see Margie leave, but she has a wonderful future planned up north, where she can enjoy a slightly less hectic job with her beloved sons and grandchildren nearby.

We wish all the happiness in the world she deserves it.

GRK

Remembering Dennis

Remembering Dennis Anecdotes and reminiscenses of Dennis Silk, Warden of Radley from 1968-91

Diana Silk wishes to pass on the following message: We have received so many wonderful letters that it has proved impossible to thank everyone personally. Kate, Al, Tom and Will join me in expressing our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you who has taken the time to write with your memories of Dennis.

Some recollections we were aware of, others we heard for the very first time but all were gratefully received and helped to shine a light on the lives he touched.

Our 23 years at Radley were happy, fulfilling and rarely dull! Living in such a beautiful place and being a part of the Radley community was a great privilege and something we will never forget.

Diana Silk November 2019 the old radleian 2019

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Bill Gunn (1959) I had the greatest respect for Warden Milligan and had left Radley by the time of Dennis Silk’s arrival, but I cannot help feeling in some degree unlucky not to have coincided with his incumbency. One small illustration may be revealing.

At the time of a major Radley fundraising appeal my daughter was boarding at a school which had embarked on a similar initiative at precisely the same time. I wrote to Radley to explain the division of loyalties, that I felt my daughter’s school should take priority, and to apologise for the derisory contribution I felt able to make to the Radley appeal in consequence.

To my astonishment I received a handwritten letter from Dennis Silk by return of post, thanking me for what might have been considered the male equivalent of the widow’s mite. By all accounts such a courtesy was by no means untypical.

Richard Williams (1968) I recall him having an outdoor stroll around the school one sunny summer’s day lost in thought. He was moving at leisurely pace and didn’t seem to be going anywhere in particular. Just out for a dreamy stroll.

This struck me as unusual given that most dons beetled from one place to another. I didn’t expect him to say hello as I hove into his view. Yet he said “Good afternoon” in that thoughtful way that only he could.

William G Ulmann (1975) He knew every boys’ name on sight, and he sang in Chapel with real gusto, but I blame my current deafness on shooting with the Clay Pigeon Society rather than Dennis! I also recall the WEGS, Wardens English Grammar Spelling, which were so very important in learning in first two years.

Euan Tait (1981) A flare of light (for Dennis Silk, 1931-2019) A flickering pool of winter light on the cricket ground grass in front of the classroom makes the frost dance, but the day is already breaking, dissolving under our feet; a sense of river-hurrying, that hours are urgent, becoming ahead whatever we are learning to imagine love will be in us, this life of living waters.

And here we are, Dennis, thousands of us, gathering, a flare across the earth.

Damian Cleary (1983) I remember being “summonsed” to DRWS’s study early in the Hilary term 1988. With not a little trepidation, I sat at the busy desk across from Dennis, who (to my relief) wanted to discuss his aspirations for the new Boat Club season and, particularly, the 1st VIII. I was the newly appointed Captain of Boats for 1988, and alongside a few of us who had enjoyed Henley success the year before - me, Mark Langdale, Rory Pope and Adrian Theed - the 1st VIII had the potential for another good year. I have not forgotten Dennis’s words: “True success is not making £1 million, but retaining £1 million.

Many people can win, and often do, but it is those who repeat the win that will be remembered.”

So no pressure, then! I do not now remember how much of an inspiration that meeting was, but we retained the Schools Cup at Henley that year as well.

Harry Brown (1984) I remember playing in the front row for the 2nd XV in a midweek fixture on Big Side, the touchline typically deserted.

During one scrummage my opposite number and I were having a scrap, safely hidden from the view of the referee who was on the other side of the scrum. As we broke up I suddenly saw an ominous figure on the touchline, swathed in a dark overcoat and sporting a Russian-style fur hat…the Warden!

Dennis was always willing to get stuck in...

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Remembering Dennis

... and help anyone who needed it.

I cursed my luck, realising that DRWS had seen my indiscretion; as a messianic advocate of sportsmanship I knew he wouldn’t take it kindly. Two days later I had heard nothing on the matter and dared to hope that he had missed our little fracas, but my blood ran cold as I was walking through to the Mansion and found DRWS approaching. My worst fears were confirmed as he came to a halt in front of me.

‘Ah…Harry….a word? I saw what you were up to in the front row the other day…’

My heart sank; he had clearly seen it all, and I prepared myself for a salvo of crushing disapproval. Instead he placed a meaty paw on my shoulder, broke out in a huge grin and simply said…..

‘Bloody good!’

Guy Waller (Common Room) It was late August 1989, just before the start of the Michaelmas Term, the start of my second year as G Social Tutor and two years before Dennis and Diana were due to leave. We held a black-tie dinner-dance in the G Social Tutor’s House to celebrate Hilli’s 30th birthday. Ah those were the days!

We cleared the ground floor and had a jazz band in the drawing room with dancing spilling over into the hall. Dennis and Diana were, of course, the star guests. Our second daughter was recovering from chicken pox at the time and was banished to the

first floor for the dancing. She peered down through the bannister railings at what was going on below, looking somewhat mournful.

Dennis spotted her (no pun intended), marched up the stairs and implored her on bended knee to dance with him. Someone caught the pair of them as he swept her round the floor (see above). She has never forgotten that moment.

Dennis signed a large framed copy of the photo ‘to the love of my life’ … and that the picture has followed her to every house she’s lived in In passing, she had her 11th birthday treat (by request) in Dennis’ box at Lord’s watching an England vs West Indies one-day game, they got on quite well!

David Fielding (Common Room, 1965-95) The following four stories, cover a rich span of Dennis’s full life at Radley and I hope uncover his full personality.

Grovelling for England The sixth form geologists had completed their observations at Lulworth Cove and I was checking their measurements when the provocative comments started; “I’m sure that’s a green flag that’s flying there, sir”.

We were standing outside the fence which marks the boundary of the Army’s tank live firing range, and I had briefed them the old radleian 2019

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that possibly the best site of all, the Fossil Forest would be inaccessible if the red flag was flying. A red flag was clearly visible.

Other enticing comments followed: “Fitzpatrick has just found a large gap in the fence,sir.” and “You always tell us that the best geologist is the one who has seen most in the field, sir”.

There was no answer to this, so muttering a prayer I followed Fitzpatrick through the gap, eagerly followed by the rest of the group. I knew the site was safe from shelling as it sits on a narrow ledge of an undercliff well below the ridge and in the lee of the escarpment which acts as a bank for overshot shells.

Seriously overshot rounds whistled overhead well out to sea where the safety boat was anchored to mark the exclusion zone for shipping.

We were taking in the wonders of this fossil treasure trove when, Clint Eastwood-style, a tall menacing figure appeared on the skyline above us from which came a stentorian roar: “Oos’ in charge ‘ere!” The boys pointed at me and I guiltily raised a hand. “I’ll be ‘aving your name and address sir, and you’ll be ‘earing from your local police. You ‘ave just interrupted a most important firing demonstration for a most important country of the Middle East!”

We crept back to our hole in the fence and I was offered consolation from the boys: “Don’t worry sir we’ll visit you in prison.” and “It was our fault sir, we’ll act as your witnesses.” etc.

After a couple of sleepless nights back at Radley, the Warden approached me in Common Room. “A word, Dave, in my study, now.” With a stony face he handed me a letter. “You had better read this.” It was a blistering letter from the Commandant of the Armoured Training Centre, outlining my transgression and its probable effect on the British economy; but that before taking proceedings he would like to hear what the Warden had to say.

Then came the command, still stony faced and with the chin even more prominent.

“You will write the most grovelling letter you have ever written.

You will grovel as you have never grovelled before. You will grovel for England! I want it this time tomorrow and I will add my own grovelling letter. If worst comes to the worst I will recommend bail.”

Another sleepless night followed. The sixth form, sensing something serious was afoot, applied themselves with more diligence than usual and made no reference to tanks or fossil forests.

A few days later, again the stony face, “Dave, a word.” In his study he handed me a letter. No relaxation in the stony face.

“You had better read this”.

It was a letter from the Commandant of the Armoured Training School and commenced ‘Dear Dennis’. I forget the detail but the gist of it was that pups will be pups and as this straying pup had clearly learned his lesson no proceedings would be taken. The letter ended with a glowing reference to one of Radley’s recent Sandhurst graduates. When I had finished reading, I looked up to see Dennis smiling.

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Keeper and Warden. Dennis discusses tactics with Martin Pope (1967).

The Two-Edged Sword of Justice After the weekend away fixtures at Cheltenham the Warden received a phone call from their Headmaster. It appeared that one of our teams had behaved badly and trashed a Cheltenham changing room.

The Headmaster requested chastisement for the offenders, to which the Warden had no problem in agreeing, but he would go one better and bring the chief culprits across to Cheltenham to apologise to all and sundry and especially the Headmaster. Dennis knew that the best chastisement would be one that hurt their pockets, or more accurately their parents pockets, in paying for the damage done, but I do not know how that was followed up.

Back at Radley the chief culprits were rounded up, and if not exactly handcuffed, crammed uncomfortably into the back of the Warden’s car. At Cheltenham they did penance to the Warden’s and the Headmaster’s satisfaction.

It had been a long day and the Warden had put much school business aside to complete this task. In those days the roads were free of speed cameras, but police cars occasionally lurked on the last stretch of his return journey in Kennington. It was just his bad fortune to be pulled over by one of these and admonished like a naughty schoolboy, picking up a speeding ticket in the process.

The boys on the back seat had the sense to say nothing and to avoid smiling, though quite a bit of nudging went on.

Back at Radley the Warden refrained from telling them that they had learned their lesson. The story was soon all round the school.

Common Room’s response, as we had hugely supported his action, was “Very tough luck, Warden”. Dennis very rarely told this story, but when he did, it elicited the same response.

Remembering Dennis

A lady cricketer at Radley

The Jethro Tull Concert

Following the BBCs filming at Radley an annual cricket match against the Radley Common Room XI had been instituted. Despite their best efforts the BBC team had failed to beat us, but this year they meant business. Word had reached us that they had recruited a Middlesex County lady player and were out for our blood.

It was in the early seventies when word reached the senior boys that Jethro Tull was due to give a concert at Oxford Town Hall.

This was not to be missed, so a group of Tull fans decided to go legally, asking the Warden’s permission first. This precaution was no doubt due to their recent memory, already enshrined in Radley folklore, of one of the Warden’s first actions on arriving: a surprise fire alarm followed by a full school assembly the following morning. So the question was put to the Warden; “Permission to attend the Jethro Tull concert please, Warden.”

The Common Room team were always a scratch side and consisted of a few good cricketers and the rest of us who might be invited, ranging from the not so good to the hopeless but enthusiastic. It was our reward for running the lower teams such as mine, the Midgets 4th XI. Normally Dennis didn’t play, but hearing word of a Middlesex lady player he accepted the invitation to captain our side. His views on lady cricketers at that time were well known: they should applaud their men from the pavilion and make the tea.

We knocked up a reasonable score in three figures and the BBC went in to bat. The Middlesex lady, in a short white pleated skirt, opened the batting. The Warden immediately turned to Guy Waller, master of a vicious medium-fast inswinger: “I want you to bowl your very fastest Guy, on the length and aiming at middle, not off ”.

Guy obeyed orders and her forward defensive shots, beaten by the swing, were followed by loud thumps as the ball rocketed into her upper thigh. She grimaced each time but uttered not a word.

“I can’t go on doing this Warden.”

“You will Guy, it’s an order.”

After a bit she found his measure and began scoring a few while BBC wickets clattered around her. The BBC score was a respectable two figures and the Middlesex lady carried her bat having scored more than half their runs.

The Warden was on the steps of the pavilion to commiserate with the defeated side.

With his warmest smiles he congratulated the Middlesex lady on her fine innings and added with breathtaking seriousness that he would have words with his bowler. In reply she invited him to have a look as she lifted her skirt to display a series of blue circles on her thigh, in which Dennis said later, with perhaps some exaggeration, you could see the imprint of the seam.

I think his views about female cricketers changed after that match.

Now Dennis had yet to be initiated into the world of pop, though he knew his Beatles. I could set any prep I liked as I had seen, (and heard!), Jimi Hendrix in full flow at the Isle of Wight pop festival. So once appraised of the god-like status and superb musicianship of Jethro Tull, the Warden arrived at a Solomon like decision, sensing that refusal meant mutiny. “Permission granted and leisure dress allowed, but I will take you, bring you back, and attend the concert with you.” This was greeted with a mixture of consternation and delight. In the event the Town Hall was packed and the boys managed to locate seats away from their be-suited Warden who found himself flanked by bandana’d hippies of various ages and addressed as “Man...”

Then their god and his band appeared and the place erupted.

This was followed by hundreds of decibels amplifying the breathy flute of the maestro and his howling acoustic guitar. Yet more uproar and applause. The Warden began to wonder if the word ‘concert’ should apply to what was happening around him and on stage: this was his baptism of fire. In one of the quieter moments with the audience actually seated, he noticed a ‘cigarette’ being passed, following a puff or two, along the row in front. A joint was on its rounds. History does not relate whether it ever reached the boys or the Warden, or what they did with it if it did. It was at this stage that Dennis fervently wished for the proceedings to end, but he was firmly stuck and had to endure it to the end.

The boys were gathered up safely afterwards and were rather more ecstatic than their Warden, who vowed he would never attend another pop concert in his life. Late in Dennis’ wardenship, ‘Jethro Tull’ himself, Ian Anderson, became a parent at Radley.

I would give much to know if his Oxford concert was ever mentioned. If it was, I can predict Dennis’ comment, “Quite the best pop concert I have ever attended!”

Dennis taking part in some of the exercises at the Leadership and Communication Workshop, October 1989. the old radleian 2019

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Remembering Dennis

Dennis Silk Thanksgiving Service On Tuesday 19th November, 1,200 people, including those from Christ’s Hospital, Marlborough, MCC, and Radley, amongst many others, gathered at Southwark Cathedral to remember Dennis Silk.

The Radley choir led the singing, incluing Jerusalem, with the Dean of Southwark performing the service. There were readings

by Mike Griffith, President of the MCC 2012-13, Tom Silk (1981), Alexandra Martin Zakheim, Kate Stanton and Jill Freud, with the Sermon and Prayers taken by the Reverend Prebendary Michael Vockins, former Secretary of Worcestershire County Cricket Club. The Service ended and those assembled left the cathedral to the sound of one of Dennis’ favourite songs, Chattanooga Choo Choo, performed by the Christ’s Hospital Jazz Band.

The Service was filmed and is available to watch on the Radley website.

In addition to the above readings, the following tribute was given

by Richard Morgan, Warden of Radley 1991-2000.

In the entrance hall to the Warden’s house at Radley, Dennis hung two Staffordshire plates – one of Gladstone, the man of principle, one of Disraeli, the man of expediency. He admired both men for their qualities and he admired the Victorian era for its endeavour, success and confidence. In his own distinctive way, often harking back to the past, and we must never forget that, in political terms, he claimed to be somewhat right of Genghis Khan, Dennis gave Radley that success and confidence it had never had since its Victorian foundation and transformed the school from being a good school into the fringes of greatness.

When he and Diana arrived at Radley, from Marlborough, in 1968, Dennis was perhaps the best known housemaster in the country.

His record at Christ’s Hospital and Cambridge was astonishing. In one sense, it could only be downhill all the way after such a start in life and some must have thought that decline had begun when he decided to become a schoolmaster. Yet some fifty years later, he had been Warden of Radley, as well known as any Headmaster in England, President of the MCC, and held in deep affection by a mass of friends – as witnessed by you all today.

In a life of such distinction, there are questions that need to be answered: First. Who were the great influences in his life? Who made the man?

His father was a missionary and a distant figure, his mother died when he was five and he was brought up by his grandmother and aunt and his elder siblings, Hugh, Monica and Clare. As the son of a missionary, there was never any money. Christ’s Hospital and its foundation enabled him to shine. Dennis never forgot, for a day, how much he owed to Housey. The example of that great institution influenced him all his life.

If one of the great good fortunes in life is who you meet between the ages of about 15 and 25, Dennis was more than fortunate to meet Jock Burnet at Cambridge, where this wise and benevolent don was Bursar of Magdalene and President of the Fives Club. Jock was also a governor of Radley and was mentor to three successive Wardens.

Jock’s Faith, wisdom and humour influenced and strengthened Dennis for some 40 years.

Family and friends from Radley and the wider world gather to remember Dennis.

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Remembering Dennis

The third great influence was Siegfried Sassoon, whom he met at Fenners at Cambrdge through an introduction from Edmund Blunden. Sassoon’s love of literature and cricket, and his civilised way of life, was a significant influence as Dennis became almost an adopted son. He acquired a great love of literature from Sassoon and later wrote and lectured about him with love and authority.

But the greatest influence on him was undoubtedly the wonderful Diana, whom he courted in a whirlwind romance that brought such happiness to them both and to all their friends. Diana created for Dennis his first real home and their marriage enabled him to build a stellar career.

Secondly, what did he achieve and how did he do it?

Dennis had a great physical presence, he had charisma in spades.

To be greeted by him was like the glory of the morning on the waves. First there was the broadest of smiles and the voice full of warmth and enthusiasm, then those massive shoulders with arms outstretched and always to the fore, the chin.

Dennis galvanised Radley through encouragement and clear direction, by word of mouth and by writing endless letters of appreciation. Most new Heads can win over the majority of a Common Room but Dennis won over everyone from the heavy brigade to the brightest of young stars, such as Simon Langdale and Anthony Hudson. He carried forward a totally unified Common Room as he set out to strive for what George Herbert called “the gladness of the best”.

Alexandra Martin-Zakheim reads from Philippians.

Richard Morgan giving his tribute to Dennis.

Amongst the many, many decisions that Dennis got right, as he changed the school, three stand out. First there was the judicious sale of land, fortuitously at the top of the Heath property boom that transformed the Radley finances with the money so wisely invested

by David Rae Smith and John Pattisson. Gladstone would have approved. Some years later there was the Radley television series that made the school the second best known school in England and Dennis the best known Headmaster. This was a huge risk. Disraeli would have approved. The final key decision was the appointment of Micky Jones as Bursar. Micky was an experienced Bursar who had served the Dragon and Shrewsbury with distinction. Dennis knew the importance of money but he did not understand it. Micky did.

Not only that, he and his wife, Alison, became the greatest of friends in a remarkable partnership with Dennis and Diana. Very rarely do Headmasters and Bursars elect to go on holiday together.

However, these decisions do not explain the extraordinary success of Dennis as Warden. That stemmed from his ability to encourage, look after, energise and lead Common Room and boys and their parents, and cricket committees of all varieties, to heights they never dreamt of. A good school realises the potential of its pupils: a great school inspires those pupils into new worlds. That can only be achieved by outstanding schoolmasters and it is one of Dennis’ greatest achievements that Radley, during his tenure, produced an endless stream of headmasters, some 26 in all. This remarkable record was not entirely due to the legendary generosity of his references. Great Headmasters forge more headmasters. His example was everything, not least from his brilliance as a public speaker.

There was no conscious teaching, we absorbed leadership from him.

Well I remember his coming up to me after I had spoken at an Old Radleian dinner. “How did you do that?” he asked. I said, “Dennis, because you taught me how to do it.” He did not believe me for a second. the old radleian 2019

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His magic with the boys never failed, whether in Chapel, Assemblies or in his study when he invited every boy for a drink on the boy’s birthday. As the years rolled on, Dennis changed from the thrusting, young Warden into the honorary godfather of every Radleian. He was so amused, towards the end of his time when a nervous young boy over his birthday drink asked, “Can I ask you a question, Sir?” “Please do.” said Dennis. “Well Sir, I wondered what you do for a living?”

and appreciation of all. Although he knew he was blessed with rare talent, he knew the meaning of humility and could laugh at himself.

He loved to recount how when coaching a very good Marlborough 1st XV, he heard that Millfield, the next Saturday’s opponents, had an outstanding scrum half. All week, all planning, all practice was devoted to defensive measures that would bottle up any player however good. Come the day, the said scrum half scored only seven individual tries. His name: Gareth Edwards.

Other schools found it difficult to understand the secret of Radley’s success. There were no great educational initiatives, there was no pioneering, there was no dominance of the Headmasters’ Conference.

New educational fads did not appeal and he hated saying no to anyone. To the last he believed that one invention caused most of the cultural ills in the school, in the country, maybe in Western civilisation - the invention of the electric guitar. He achieved so much because he was a lovely, lovable man of very great depth and ability.

This was as true at Lord’s and in the adult cricket world as it was in the school. I think that his magic lay in his wholeness that meant he inspired an extraordinary depth of affection and thus everyone wanted to give their very best to his Radley.

Dennis was fortunate in leading Radley that was founded to be a different school from all other Victorian schools. Emphasis was to be put on gentleness and good manners underwritten by steel.

Dennis was the epitome of those virtues. And we must never forget the steel, the sheer competitiveness of the Warden. Here was the man of principle; here was the man of expediency. And underlying everything else was his family: Diana ever present, a superb hostess, a partner of the soul and Kate, Al, Tom and Will hugely loved and they, with their families, in turn loved him and supported him, not least in the final years when he was not well.

So to the final question that must be asked of everyone. What was the essence of the man? What was the core of his being?

At the end of Old Radleian John Bridcut’s compelling film on Dame Janet Baker, Dame Janet says, “It is not an easy thing to be a singer but it’s a far more difficult thing to be a human being.” Here is the key to Dennis. He was a great human being, a triumph of humanity.

That humanity was based on his Faith, sustained by the Church of England of Archbishops William Temple and Michael Ramsey, the Book of Common Prayer and of the King James Bible. He believed in goodness, that goodness which Bishop Launcelot Fleming always described as formidable, in kindness and generosity, in understanding

Diana and members of her family at the Service.

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Dennis was a Christian, moral force for good. He strengthened all he met and everyone in this congregation knows how enriched we have been to know such a man. In the words of the prayer, “Go forth into the world in peace”, he was of good courage, he held fast to that which is good, he rendered to no one evil for evil, he strengthened the faint hearted, he supported the weak, helped the afflicted and he honoured all men and women.

Dennis Raoul Whitehall Silk.

In the words of Thomas Hardy, “You were a good man and you did good things.”

Richard Morgan

Uncovering the Deep

UNCOVERING THE DEEP If the Telegraph describe you as ‘one part Captain Nemo, one part Steve Zissou’ then you must be blazing a rather individual trail through the seas, but for Oliver Steeds (1989) the goal to protect 30% of the world’s ocean by 2030 is a cause that needs a different approach.

When Oliver was last featured in the Old Radleian back in 2008, he was living with an indigenous tribe in the heart of the West Papua rainforest. You would struggle to find somewhere further from the West of Scotland, but it was here that he took the first steps that would lead to the underwater depths of the Indian Ocean.

Working as an investigative journalist for Channel 4, ABC, NBC and Al Jazeera, Oliver had spent the best part of the last two decades covering topics including terrorism, corruption, human rights and the rise of extremism often in hostile environments and so it was a slight change in pace to be sent to a Marine Protected Area off the Isle of Arran to see the damage done by trawling. But when he saw what was there, it took him aback.

“In the Protected Area it was like a jungle, teeming with life and diversity, but right next to it, outside the Protected Area it had just been decimated. It was like someone had driven a bulldozer through a forest”.

This was the moment that made him realise the damage being done to the world’s ocean and that he needed to find out more. He started to speak to more and more scientists and began to build up a picture of the plight of the ocean.

“Through my conversations, I soon realised that not only is the ocean the most important habitat on the planet, it’s also the least known. It provides over 50% of the oxygen and sequesters 30% of the CO2, as well as trapping 93% of anthropogenic heat from the atmosphere too.

A healthy planets starts with a healthy ocean, but the ocean is in crisis, we are sleeping walking towards catastrophe.”

Oliver at sea, with the converted research vessel, Ocean Zephyr, in the background.

It became clear to Oliver that to be able to protect something you need to know about it, and yet more than 90% of the ocean remains unexplored and unmapped, so he set about a plan to increase both knowledge and awareness of the world’s oceans. In 2015, with Marine Biologist Alex Rogers he founded Nekton, an independent, not-for-profit research foundation, with the plan to accelerate scientific understanding and conservation of the ocean. Nekton’s different approach is founded on four main pillars: running multidisciplinary Applied Science missions; helping formulate ocean policy for improved management and conservation; amplifying ocean awareness through the media and education; and investing in the skills and knowledge in ocean nations to support long-term marine research.

But this is not some ‘colonial’-style affair, as Oliver says, “Our core belief is that our client is the ocean and so we only work with and on behalf of island and coastal nations committed to accelerating ocean conservation. It is vital to put the nations most affected by this ocean crisis at the forefront of change. Without their commitment, the goal of 30x30 (protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030) cannot be achieved. We simply provide the support to allow them to make these important commitments.” the old radleian 2019

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An unprotected area of sea off the Poivre Islands, Seychelles (above left) shows the paucity of life compared to the Aldabra atoll, Seychelles at the same depth (above right), which has been a Marine Protected Area for 40 years.

After a successful pilot mission to Bermuda in 2016, where Nekton’s work led to 20% protection of Bermuda’s ocean territory in the Atlantic, discovered over 100 new species as well as a new distinct ocean zone – the Rariphotic Zone (130m to 300m), and engaged a global audience of 800million. It showed that Nekton’s different, holistic approach could work and have an impact.

The next step for Nekton is First Descent, a 5 year programme in the Indian Ocean, which began last year and will run until 2022.

The Indian Ocean is the least-researched ocean in the world and the least protected and Oliver is clear about the reasons why this has to change.

“If the Atlantic was the ocean of the past and the Pacific is the ocean of the present, then the Indian Ocean is the ocean of the future. By 2050 half of the world’s population will live in a country with an Indian Ocean coastline. It is the ocean that needs understanding the most, but it is the hardest to work in.”

First Descent began in Seychelles where Nekton are helping develop a marine spatial plan with the Seychelles government. As a country that is so bound to the ocean, be it through tourism or fishing, they saw that they needed to do something to conserve this environment that is not only vital to the health of the planet, but to the health of the country. In recent years, the ‘blue economy’ has doubled in size worldwide and the Seychelles economy is reliant on tourism. Backed by the President, Danny Faure, they were able to agree a ‘Debt for nature’ swap, with some of the country’s international debt being written off in lieu of protecting the natural resources. Supported by the actionable data gathered

by Nekton’s research, the Seychelles government are the first country in the Indian Ocean to put in legally binding legislation to protect 30% of their ocean territory. For the Seychelles this covers 1.3 million km, meaning that an area twice the size of the UK has now been designated as a Marine Protected Area. The remaining 70% will be sustainably managed to provide income for the nation and the people living there.

The Omega Seamaster, one of Nekton’s submersibles, prepares to launch on the First Descent Mission, March 2019.

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Uncovering the Deep

The goals of First Descent follow the four pillars that underpin Nekton, with the mission providing a biological and chemical ‘healthcheck’ of the ocean, as well as mapping the sea floor, sometimes for the first time since the 19th century. The current mission is undertaking truly pioneering work as there is hardly any data for the Seychelles below 30 metres.

Above: The Nekton submersibles work at extremely close quarters to the rocky ocean mountainsides.

Below: Blue-line Snappers are just some of the many fish the subs encounter.

The technology required for this mission is state-of-the-art and combines divers and robots (working up to a depth of 30m), submersibles (up to 300m) and Remotely-Operated Vehicles – ROVS (up to 500m), all working in unison. On every deep dive, they are the first to witness and explore these unknown depths.

The current mission has 12 different technology partners and a further 18 providing other support, whether it be funding for the Mission and submersibles, such as Omega and Kensington Tours, or through communication and media coverage, such as the Associated Press and Sky. In an interesting aside that shows the power of networking, Oliver first met the founder and CEO of Kensington Tours in the jungle in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where they temporarily ended up in jail together (but that’s another story!).

To enable Nekton to get across the message of ocean awareness, Oliver wanted the submersibles to provide a live transmission of their work. However, the subs were operating within feet of the cliff faces of undersea mountains, working in currents that could change direction every 60 seconds, so being tethered to a surface vessel by a line in the traditional manner was simply not viable. This is where they turned to Sonardyne, a leading UK subsea technology company. With their help, Nekton were able to develop the optical transmission systems to enable the first ever live submersible broadcasts.

President Faure also became the first person to give a live subsea presidential address. This was later followed up by the first subsea live newscast, live documentary series and live, educational broadcast that involved two-way conversations between schoolchildren and the submersible pilots, another first for Nekton. Along with their other films, these broadcasts have been watched by an audience of 3.5 billion worldwide. the old radleian 2019

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Working with another leading subsea technology company, Teledyne Marine, the two submersibles, Omega Seamaster and Kensington Deep, are packed with cutting edge technology. For example, stereoscopic video cameras allow the sea-life that is observed to be measured in minute detail, documenting both size and shape. This sort of accurate evidencegathering is crucial to understanding the biodiversity of the Indian Ocean. Oliver himself has been trained to pilot the subs, but by his own admission he’s effectively just passed his driving test and leaves the precision work to the team of expert pilots. However, the potential of these machines is greater than just the technical and scientific data they can collect, and Oliver is keen to make use of this too.

“Submersibles have long been able to place people underwater, but the technology of the latest submersibles uses transparent pressure spheres to allow us to actually witness people in the deep. This storytelling element is vital to raising awareness of the world’s ocean, and in the same way that the space shuttle became the icon of space exploration, I think that this new breed of subs can inspire a new odyssey of ocean research and exploration.”

Both submersibles work in unison to bring their cutting-edge technology to bear, collecting data from the sea off Seychelles.

This work is the pioneering exploration of our day, uncovering details of the last great unknown frontier, but also the planet’s most important ecosystem.

The kind of technology needed to run these missions does not come cheap, however, and Nekton is a small charity based in Oxford. Whilst it is backed by a mosaic of different partners, not being funded by governments, billionaire individuals or the oil and gas industry means a key part of Oliver’s role is finding the money needed.

With over £11m already raised, he is close to, but still short of, the £15m needed to complete the First Descent mission, and so this work continues. After all, something needs to pay for the 12 different world-leading subsea technology partners, deploying 21 different cuttingedge research and communications technologies over a 50 day expedition, covering 2,250 nautical miles with a team of 50 from 16 different nations.

Submersible pilot, Randy Holt, is inspected by a curious grouper.

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Uncovering the Deep

And whilst the submersibles and live broadcasts and amazing discoveries catch the eye, once each mission is complete, it’s then that the work really begins. 20TB of data (that’s 20,000,000 MBs!) was collected in just the first Seychelles mission but to ensure it informs and shapes new ocean policy it needs to be analysed in less than a year. As a point of comparison there is still data sitting unanalysed from the oceanographic expeditions of the 19th century!

Therefore, dealing with this level of data is where further cutting edge technology and AI can be brought to bear. Lab sampling is done in the UK at Nekton’s and Oxford University’s labs but also across a network of laboratories and marine research institutes around the world. In keeping with Nekton’s ethos of the ocean being the client, the marine data collected by Nekton is published open access and is given to the host nation. This is all part of working with and on behalf of ocean nations to support their goals to implement their own ocean policy to protect their maritime territories.

Above: President Danny Faure of Seychelles speaks with research staff during his visit to Nekton’s UK laboratories in October 2019.

Below: A Hawksbill turtle, just one of the many species benefitting from the ‘30x30’ protected areas.

First Descent in Seychelles is the first of three missions leading up to the Indian Ocean Summit in 2022. The Nekton crew will move on to the Maldives in 2020 and then a third location in 2021 that is still to be determined. The Summit itself has the goal of creating an accurate and cost-effective marine spatial plan for the entire Indian Ocean region, including 30% protection.

“We work with countries that want to make a difference and will legislate for change in ocean policy and protection. We have a strong relationship with Seychelles and its President, and the government of our next mission location, the Maldives, have already committed at the UN to protect 30% of their marine territory. It’s an excellent start to our goal of helping to protect 30% of the Indian ocean by 2030.“ And whilst the recent media coverage, including programmes such as Blue Planet II, have highlighted the problem plastics in the ocean, Oliver sees this very much as the ‘gateway’ to a wider understanding of ocean health.

“Plastic pollution is ubiquitous and is an issue that needs tackling, but we need to be wary of this single concern sucking the focus the old radleian 2019

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Uncovering the Deep

and energy from other human impacts on the ocean. The current and most immediate and devastating impact facing the health of the ocean is overfishing, and this needs tackling just as much as plastic pollution.”

Oliver started out from scratch knowing very little about the ocean, but soon realised both that we can’t protect what we don’t know about and that to make change happen, we need to increase awareness.

“Nekton is conservation by exploration. Our approach means we are prepared to do things differently to enable us to make a difference.

We need to be aware of the challenges facing the oceans and we need to approach those challenges with optimism. It is bloody hard work, but it is vital work and to achieve our goals we need to be open to seeing new ways of doing things.”

As Jean-Michel Cousteau, President of Ocean Futures Society, Ocean Elder, says "The destruction of the ocean, the key to life on our planet, is happening. Nekton is a call for urgency and action, not despair.”

And the next ‘new way of doing things’ is by looking up. A huge amount of ocean research actually comes from observation data taken from space and Oliver is keen to make more use of this to inform ocean policy and to get the message out even more widely.

With the success of the broadcasts from the submersibles to the surface, he wants to go one step further with live conversations between Astronauts and Aquanauts. Because, as he says “Why not?”. Another example of Oliver and Nekton’s willingness to swim against the current to action change and conserve the world’s ocean.

Above: Oliver addressing the Royal Geographical Society earlier this year about the work Nekton is doing.

Below: The Nekton mission continues...

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Follow: www.nektonmission.org

A Green Journey

A GREEN JOURNEY Fifty years of environmental campaigning began during David Taylor’s (1971) time at Radley. Here he explains how his award-winning business helps to provide an example to others looking to make a difference.

David in front of the ‘Cordwood’ building at EarthSpirit. Just one of the buildings on site with eco-architecture features including cordwood, roundwood and a turf roof.

A passion for ecology and environmentalism lies at the heart of the EarthSpirit retreat centre where we host holistic living, health and wellbeing workshops, and retreats. Three years ago, after a full and comprehensive audit by the Green Tourism Association, the centre was given the top ‘gold’ award in recognition of its environmental achievements. This was followed by other awards including one from the Federation of Small Business for being ‘the most ethical business in the south west of England’.

The Green Tourism award was for the centre’s performance in a wide range of areas including building design, energy generation and use, water conservation, waste and re-cycling, preservation of historic features, craftsmanship, wildlife conservation, sustainable procurement, travel, social and community engagement.

Ours is a small business. There was no single decision, or large piece of technology, that made us green. Rather, it has been hundreds of small decisions, over many years, often with difficult financial pressures to be taken into account, which have got us here. Our green choices are the same kind of choices facing most people with a house and garden.

Radley Mock General Election 1974 My own Green Journey began back in the early seventies when I was at Radley and just sixteen years old. I’m now sixty one.

Despite coming from a Conservative background, my grandfather a minister in Churchill’s wartime cabinet and father James Taylor (1938, A) a twice unsuccessful Tory General Election candidate, I’d decided I needed to ‘do’ something for the ‘environment’ and put myself forward, or rather, pushed myself forward, as the Green candidate for Radley’s mock general election campaign in October 1974.

It should be explained that this was at the very beginning of green politics. There were just four tiny embryonic green parties in the world, and one of them was here in the UK. Richard Morgan, a history don at the time, had been put in charge of the election. I duly formed up to him and asked if I could stand as a candidate for PEOPLE, the name of the organisation that would later call itself the Green Party. To my surprise the request was refused. No good explanation was given. I just gathered that the old radleian 2019

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it wasn’t a party that was known to him and therefore wasn’t a serious party. The Conservative, Labour and Liberal parties were all accepted and so too was the National Front and Communist Party. PEOPLE was the only one to be excluded.

So my initial campaign was just to get on the ballot paper. I began a petition. I stood on a bench in Hall to give an impromptu speech during lunch. I lobbied and found the general response to be positive. It was a question of free speech and democracy, even if the party was new. Collecting some hundred signatures was easy and I returned to Richard Morgan with confidence. Surely now... But, to my dismay, I was again rejected. Thus did I receive my first lesson in realpolitik. By this time, though, it wasn’t just me anymore. There was a boy called Marriott and few others.

Together we decided to ally ourselves with the Liberal candidate, Patterson. He was to be promoted as a joint ‘Liberal & PEOPLE’ candidate and highlight certain environmental issues during hustings. In exchange we would campaign for him.

We had sent off for a PEOPLE manifesto and some leaflets which we duly circulated. Although the party’s official colours at that time were turquoise, coral and white, we thought green would be more appropriate. We therefore collected together every green garment we could find – I was fortunate to have a large green towel – and proceeded to wave them around at every campaign event, while loudly echoing the word ‘People’ whenever it came up, which, as you would expect in political debate, it frequently did. This was somewhat to the consternation of masters who took a dim view of this unorthodox form of heckling.

In the event, as you would expect, the Conservatives won. But Patterson came second. PEOPLE, the forerunner of today’s Green Party, had made its mark and Radley had hosted the first ever school Green election campaign anywhere in the world. Five years later my brother Richard Taylor (1974, F) was allowed to stand and became the Ecology Party candidate in Radley’s 1979 mock election. And so began a family tradition that continues.

Green Activist That early start to a life of green campaigning took off once I’d left school. Quite by chance I got to know Teddy Goldsmith, founder of both the Ecologist magazine and the first green party.

He was something of a mentor.

From there my activist career took in using a scaffold tower to stop a train carrying nuclear waste for dumping in the sea in 1980; getting run over by a police motorcycle outrider for Prince Charles, when he was visiting a nuclear power station; and organising a six month occupation of the Molesworth US Airbase, by some 100 campaigners, in 1984, following the announcement that it had been scheduled as the next location for nuclear Cruise missiles, after USAF Greenham Common.

The occupation, however, provoked a massive reaction. Michael Heseltine, then Defence Secretary, sent 3000 soldiers to evict us.

It took 12 hours but they were successful. The next morning, though, the story was headlining everywhere. The Times described it as ‘the biggest operation of the Royal Engineers since the crossing of the Rhine in 1944’, and ‘Tarzan’ Heseltine was widely ridiculed for over-reacting. The following summer, Reagan and Gorbachev agreed to cancel the deployment of land-based 38

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One of the leaflets for PEOPLE used by David in the October 1974 Radley Mock General Election.

Cruise missiles, citing popular opposition in Europe as a reason.

Together with the women of Greenham we had been successful.

The unexpected epilogue to this story was a drinks party the following Christmas Eve. Unbeknownst to me my father and aunt had arranged a prank, a surprise guest. When my father said, “Heseltine’s coming for drinks” I dismissed it as one of his usual teases, but then, when I entered the drawing room, I saw him, stood by the fireplace.

To say I was confounded is to understate my confusion. After two years of planning and six months enduring a freezing winter in a tipi; there he was, Heseltine, my opponent in chief, my enemy, stood before me. I was totally lost for words. He had no idea who I was or that I’d caused him such embarrassment. This, I felt, was my moment to say something. But I flunked it. Heseltine looked grey and exhausted, and I didn’t have the heart or the words to fill the moment. Molesworth was barely mentioned.

Throughout this time I continued working for the Green Party and in the late nineties was elected Leader, or ‘Principal Speaker’.

After several failed attempts to win election to the European Parliament, as a Green, I decided my energies would be better spent attending to the centre, which had suffered somewhat with all my politicking.

It was time to ‘walk my talk’ and give more time to my business.

A Green Journey

Low-Tech Green Technology It was clear that more could be done to ‘green’ the centre. For many businesses this means investing in new technology. In our case it was, and is, a whole range of actions; new working practices and green procurement as well as the technology which, in our case, includes everything from the simple and low tech solar-powered calculator in the office all the way through to our largest bit of kit, a 94% efficient Hargassner pellet boiler. This heats all EarthSpirit’s water, including the hot tub, and all the buildings, mostly via highly effective underfloor, ‘low grade’ heat systems, and is supported by the government’s Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.

When we buy in electricity, at night and in the winter, we use Bulb, whose electricity is 100% renewable, from solar, wind and hydro. In due course we plan to install batteries which will enable us to make even better use of our daytime generation and reduce electricity imports further.

We were also able to take advantage of government support for new solar panels, before it was withdrawn, to install 12kw of arrays over the property, despite listed building concerns.

And they don’t just generate electricity for us. They have also made us an electricity exporter.

The centre is in an old, Grade 2* listed farm property, so building work is tightly controlled by local authority conservation officers. Despite this, our various conversions have been able to maximise passive solar gain from the sun, allowing natural heat and light to permeate the buildings.

Other green innovations include using an ethical bank, and old car tyres to reinforce earth banks and car park boundaries, re-cycled tumbler glasses, bio-mimicry paint that has been designed to repel water by copying the lotus leaf, different types of compost loo that reduce our use of mains sewage, and water butts that collect rainwater for the garden. We’ve also installed a grey water system that takes waste water from showers and basins, cleans it, adds in the rain, and uses that to flush loos. Given that the average household uses half its expensive, highly treated mains water just for flushing, this is an economical investment as well as a green one.

Above: The high-tech, green-tech pellet boiler.

Below: The Grade 2* listed building in background with the new EarthSpirit centre buildings in the foreground. Note the additional windows that help passive solar gain and the solar panels that help generate the electricity the centre uses.

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A Green Journey

A Green Attitude to Everything Being green is, however, not just about the technology. Almost every decision has an ecological consequence. We make a point of buying second hand, checking the credentials and sustainable certification of our suppliers, and repairing things rather than buying new, even sometimes when the cost is higher. Just to give one example, where possible we buy tools with wooden handles, which can be replaced, rather than ones with throw-away plastic or fibreglass handles.

The aesthetic is vital too. We use natural materials, stone and wood, where possible, and create using organic and curvy shapes. We have thatch and turf roofs on some of our buildings. One example of an eco-aesthetic is our use of cordwood and roundwood as materials in the construction of an accommodation block. They give a new, contemporary, eco-feel to the property. We don’t manicure our lawns and gardens to within an inch of their lives. We allow space for wildlife, and have been richly rewarded with visits from barn owls, greater horseshoe bats, stoats and many other rare creatures.

Naturally we use eco-detergents for all our laundry, which we do in house to avoid the harmful chemicals used in most conventional laundries. We did, however, get caught out by the Green Tourism inspector when he spotted a very small bottle of non-eco Domestos bleach in the laundry room, alongside gallons of eco-detergent.

“You lose a point for that”, he said, giving me a smile. It wasn’t enough to lose us the gold award but it was a nervous moment.

And we don’t use dryers. We have old fashioned washing lines and an indoor drying room.

One difficult area for us is travel. By its very nature a retreat centre encourages people to use their cars. To reduce this we’ve introduced a Green Travel Plan that encourages workshop participants to use public transport or to car share. We also prioritise local suppliers and have many staff live on site. This helps reduce total car journey time. For our road breakdown service we use the Environmental Transport Association, instead of the better known ones, as the ETA promises to use its profits to promote sustainable transport and not to lobby for more roads, fuel duty reductions etc.

Those who are familiar with ecological concerns will know that one of the best things we can all do is plant trees or, more effectively, allow re-wilding to occur naturally. Land at the centre is limited but we have nevertheless been able to plant some 3000 trees. This has, in turn, encouraged more insects and birds.

Two views of the Walnut building (above & below). From the rear you wouldn’t even know there was a building there.

But there’s more to conservation than just planting trees.

Managing land for wildlife and wild flowers means finding the correct time of year for mowing and hedge-cutting. It means habitat creation; log piles, a hedgehog den, swallow nesting sheds, bug hotels, wider hedges and wild corners.

For EarthSpirit, it is not enough to just make sure our own operations are ecologically sustainable. We also need to engage in the wider world, and we do this by supporting village activities - such as work to protect an ancient yew tree - and charities including the Pachamama Alliance, who work with indigenous communities to protect the Amazon rainforest, and Chase Africa, who provide family planning, medical care and tree planting in Kenya.

Hoping to Influence Others All of this addresses the practical aspects of ‘going green’. There is, of course, another side to this and that’s the stories, myths and symbols we create and use to inspire. We need to fire people’s imaginations. And so we’ve adopted the dragon as a symbol, representing, as it does in British myth, the idea of the Earth as a living being, of nature imbued with spirit.

Thousands of people stay with us each year. We hope and trust that we are able to show them, by example, the many ways people can green their lives. Ultimately, it’s the many small decisions we all make that count, just as much as the big ones.

Top: The Park at EarthSpirit provides space for planting trees and creating habitats for wildlife.

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David Taylor

Monty’s Turkish Delight

MONTY’S TURKISH DELIGHT

When College Archivist, Clare Sargent, happened upon a series of letters from Montgomery of Alamein, it seemed like an interesting piece of Radleiana, but the whole story came to light when Timothy Raikes (1947) sent in a most surprising gift.

Viscount Montgomery of Alamein first visited Radley in 1947 as part of the Centenary celebrations. He inspected the Corps, signed the bandmaster’s drum, lectured the school about the North Africa Campaign from the steps of the Mansion, gave signed copies of his books to the library, and departed, going on his way without a backward glance as so many other celebrity visitors and speakers have done before and since. The school duly displayed the signed books in the Wilson Library, stowed away (and eventually lost) the drum, and gave little further thought to the matter.

Monty’s visit was probably arranged by Colonel George Saunders (1914) who was a member of his headquarters staff in 1945.

Colonel Saunders gave two clock faces for Clocktower as part of the Centenary celebrations. So Monty had an introduction to the school.

He had no real reason to take the relationship much further, but he was impressed and wrote to the Warden to say so: I would like to say how very much I enjoyed my visit to Radley to-day. On leaving I found all the boys lining the road, so I got out of my car and walked through them.

I got the impression of happiness and enthusiasm, two great assets in any walk of life; the whole show looked thoroughly good and sound.

I have sent a small present to Wigg and Blofeld, who so kindly guided me.

Yours sincerely, Montgomery of Alamein (Extract from The Radleian 1947)

Montgomery with the 1952 Radley 1st VIII at Henley after their semi-final race on the Friday. (left to right): Montgomery, Robin Thompson (2), John Blair (cox), Tim Holcroft (5), unidentified, Tim Denby (bow), Timothy Raikes (stroke). the old radleian 2019

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Monty’s Turkish Delight

This time last year I was working through a box of papers relating to Radley in the 1950s.

Among them was an envelope containing six letters given in 1987 by Liz Arkell, daughter of Bill Llewellyn-Jones, Tutor of E Social 1948-1957 and one of RCBC’s most revered rowing coaches. The letters are one side of a remarkable correspondence which continued from 1952 until 1958 between Llewellyn-Jones and Field Marshal Montgomery, and they reveal the story of what arose following another brief encounter.

In 1952, Henley Royal Regatta began on 2nd July. Radley had a very strong 1st VIII that year. In 1951 they lost to Bedford in the final of the Princess Elizabeth Cup. In 1952 they were hoping to go one better: the crew even came back to school a week before term began to practice. In the Princess Elizabeth Cup, they set a course record on the second day against Portora Royal School. The Final was rowed against Monkton Combe on 5th July: Again rowing on the Bucks station we managed to get a slight lead in the first 20 strokes, but then Monkton drew away and established a slight lead. There was not much in it for the first three signals, and Monkton reacted strongly to our spurt between the half and the three-quarter signals. At the Mile, again there was practically nothing in it, but here we had an excellent spurt, and got nearly a length by the Mile and an eighth. Monkton challenged strongly along the Enclosures and we gained the verdict by half a length in 7 mins.

(Extract from The Radleian 1952) It was Radley’s first win at Henley since their greatest achievement, The Ladies’ Plate, in 1938. Bill Llewellyn-Jones wrote the report about his crew and praised them warmly: It is invidious to single out any individuals in the crew. One thing at least is certain, they were a magnificent crew to coach and had a wonderful crew spirit. A great deal of credit for this goes to T. A. G. Raikes as Captain and Stroke, who infused the crew with a rare dash and will to win.

(Extract from The Radleian 1952)

Montgomery inspects the Corps on Bigside during his visit in 1947.

Monty was at Henley that year and met the Radley crew before the race: that ‘rare dash and will to win’ made a lasting impression on him, the start of his correspondence with Llewellyn-Jones.

The crew went on to row at a regatta in Oslo later that summer, a trip organised by Mr Hannibal Fegth, father of Ole (1949) a member of the VIII. Ole Fegth rowed for Norway in 1955, and won the Norwegian Sculling Championships in 1957. The Oslo Regatta of 1952 was a prestigious event: Radley’s race against Haldens Roklub ‘Begynner’ VIII was followed by Prince Harald, Crown Prince of Norway, on the launch. Radley won their races on the first two days. They then took on Haldens Roklub Seniors at Sandvika. Radley lost the race, not surprisingly given that this was the Norwegian Olympic team. The regatta was so prestigious that another guest of the King of Norway was Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, Deputy Supreme Commander, Allied Powers Europe. He wrote to LlewellynJones before the regatta in praise of ‘Raikes and his gallant crew’: My orders are that not only are they to deserve success: they are to achieve it.

(Montgomery to Llewellyn-Jones, 31st August 1952) Monty was generous in his praise after the regatta and promised a gift: I get back from Turkey on 1st October and they, and you, shall have Turkish Delight.

(Montgomery to Llewellyn-Jones, 9th September 1952) He wrote again in October: I have just got back from Turkey and in accordance with my promise I send the Turkish Delight for the VIII, and of course for yourself. Timothy Raikes and Thompson, who I think rowed No 2, are now in Oswestry and I have sent them a consignment... The cox is not to have a box unless his hair is cut.

(Montgomery to Llewellyn-Jones, 3rd October 1952) 42

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Montgomery’s letter to Llwelyn-Jones from 9th September 1952, in which he promises to send the gift of Turkish Delight.

Monty’s Turkish Delight

Imagine my surprise then, when, completely unconnected, Timothy Raikes (1947) phoned up from Wales in April 2019 to ask “would Radley like the signed photo and the letters that he received from Montgomery of Alamein in 1952 and 1953?” Without hesitation the answer was, of course, “yes!”

These letters began immediately after the Henley win in 1952, again with the promise of small gifts for the crew, on paper evocatively headed ‘Allied Powers Europe, Deputy Supreme Commander’: I am delighted you won the Princess Elizabeth Cup; having given you the order to win, I never had any doubts about it; The crew looked to me as if they would win or die in the attempt. … What you probably need now is some bodily sustenance. So I am sending you and the crew a parcel containing: chocolate Toffee sugar A cake Turkish Delight (from Ankara).

Has the cox had his haircut?

(Montgomery to Timothy Raikes, 6th July 1952) Looking back to 1947, that sending of small gifts must have been one of Monty’s most enduring habits. His enduring memory may have been less endearing: the cox with the unfortunate haircut was John Blair (1950). These seem to be sensible, practical gifts, particularly for rowers. But in 1952 all the items on his list were still rationed.

Sweet and chocolate rationing began in January 1942, and from then until 1953 was usually restricted to 8oz per person per month (c226 grams or the contemporary equivalent of two packets of biscuits). Sugar was one of the first items to be rationed in 1940, and that, along with flour and eggs also both heavily rationed, is the main ingredient of cakes and sweets.

So Monty’s gift contained luxuries which the boys would have rarely seen throughout their childhood. As for the genuine Turkish Delight, sent from Ankara, that had been unobtainable throughout the War. Turkey had tried to remain neutral throughout WW2, joining the Allies against Germany and Japan in 1944. It was clearly a favourite gift from Montgomery.

Back to the phone call from Tim Raikes: he went on to ask “would you like the box of Turkish Delight?” How lovely, I thought, to keep the box as a memento and what a good addition that would be to the Archives, so again, I said “yes, the box would be great.” Then the bombshell...

“It’s never been opened.”

So we are talking about a box of real, genuine Turkish Delight sent all the way from Ankara and (obviously) far too good to eat. Even during rationing. Still in its box after 67 years.

Tim’s letters, each wonderfully still in its envelope, and photo duly arrived in the post and with them the parcel with the box of Turkish Delight, and, I swear, as I unwrapped the package a frail memory of sweet roses wafted from it.

Clare Sargent College Archivist

A photo of Timothy Raikes, Bill Llewelyn-Jones and Montgomery at the Oslo meet; a ‘Deputy Supreme Commander Allied Force Europe’ headed envelope, written by Monty in his distinctive turqoise ink; and the unopened box of Turkish Delight itself. the old radleian 2019

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News & Notes Monty’s Turkish Delight

1930s & 1940s

Gordon Hewitt (1933) Approaching 100th birthday and still driving car. After leaving Radley worked in Hamburg for a year. Joined local TA, and my RA regiment was part of 51st Highland Division and we were lucky avoiding St Valery. Got to Alamein and then I joined 2nd HLI in a beachgroup invading the south coast of Sicily. Most of the rest of war was spent on the Adriatic. I joined my father at Spade and travelled widely on sales. Formed Staffs Rugby Referees on breakaway from North Midlands, and refereed all over the country until aged 50.

I was a founder member of North Staffs NADFAS (now Art Society), and started the Church Recording group. I am a member of the Knight Templars.

Martin Blake (1942) I so much enjoyed the Reunion of ‘oldies’ on September 14th (pictured below). Radley is like an oasis of sanity in a troubled secular world. As one of the oldest oldies and a Catholic convert, I am looking forward greatly to the canonisation of Bl. John Henry Newman on October 13th. He was a friend and associate of William Sewell in the early years of the Oxford Movement of the 1830s which led to the revival of Catholicism in England. Radley has produced a number of distinguished converts, particularly in the 1930s, and I am delighted that at last the two sides of the movement are converging, with the encouragement of Radley.

I had three sons, two of them married Americans. One son was at Junior School of Royal College of Music for over 25 years. The second is an environment consultant, and the third is a well known Studio potter in North Carolina. My wife died three years ago after a long illness. I only know of two Radleians in area, JA Eld and Dr Peter Thomas.

I have recently been much involved with Donal Foley whose products I recommend. He publishes on line under the name Theotokos Books. Not only did he publish my own study of the French mystic Marthe Robin, but he is currently working on a fascinating series of novels for young people called The Glaston Chronicles, based on the Glastonbury legends, which will be issued in the USA next year. They are a Christian answer to the Harry Potter stories.

Roy Jones (1935) Now aged 97 and living in RBL Residential Home - Dunkirk House, Bishop’s Lydeard, Somerset - since March 2016.

David Dewey (1941) Listed in several reference books including Great Minds of the 21st Century 2006/7 Edition and 2000 Outstanding Intellectuals of 21st Century 2016.

David Ferrand (1941) Celebrated 90th birthday at Hassop Hall Hotel, Derbyshire November 2017 Richard Blencowe (1941) I have had 91 years of a happy but uneventful life, thanks to being set on the right path by my wonderful years at Radley. “Old men forget, but all shall be forgot, yet he’ll remember, with advantages, the feats he did those days” (Shakespeare, Henry V).

David Lyles (1942) I am aged 91 and living alone in my flat after the death of my wife. I have a sea view and can see from Spurnhead to Flamborough Head.

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Peter Blencowe (1943) Have just celebrated my 90th Birthday with numerous family members, including 10 grandchildren. Largely for them I have just published my memoirs, entitled Stages of Life, one story entitled ‘Life at Radley 1943-1948’.

Colin Gray (1943) I was pleased to see the photo of me (and others) in the 2018 Old Radleian [of the 1948 2nd VIII crew, that won the Public School Vase, p.99] which I had forgotten existed. The only faces I remember are Allsopp’s and the don’s, Mr LlwellynJones. The reason I’m writing this story is that the story of the race may have been forgotten.

I can only remember one race and I think it was the only one we took part in; that was against Eton and, personally, I recall before the race not having much of a hope of a win.

However, one of the Eton crew, I think it was no.7, caught a crab after about three strokes from the start which gave us about two lengths lead. Good news you would think, but for the rest of the race we witnessed the Eton boat inexorably gaining ground until at the finish we just managed to win by a foot or so.

I’m sorry I can’t remember any of the other crew but it is some 70 years ago now; I’m the one on the far left with the specs. I was no.2 in the boat. My French grandson thought I looked like Harry Potter - maybe that had something to do with our win.

I often think of the poor Eton guy who caught the crab. I hope the rest of his life wasn’t blighted by the shame.

News & Notes Bob Ely (1944) Late in 2018 I had a recurrence of a mild attack of polio to my left knee in 1951.

As a result I needed a three wheel walker wherever I went and I was due to visit my daughter in Adelaide, Australia for Christmas. She arranged for a ‘Meet and Greet’ Service to accompany me on the Emirates flights there and back. It was fantastic and my hand was held, so to speak, for every step of the way and I had a very good visit. I had never previously heard of this service.

I completed the second volume of my autobiography (pictured below). My first volume was bought by the school Library and I shall present a copy of the second if the Head of Library thinks it is worth it. I have already started on my third volume!

Through an extraordinary piece of Small World Coincidence I met again Jock MacKenzie with whom I shared several presentations to Radley boys on the business world and job opportunities, many years ago. He was the son of the Training Manager in the Company for which I worked and we met by chance on a commuter train. This time it was through a recently appointed colleague to the charity I help!

I have three awards for voluntary work from Didcot Town, OCVA (Oxfordshire Centre for Voluntary Associations) and the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire.

Brian Cooper (1944) 90 next year. Most of my friends are dead!

Christopher Sharland (1944) In 1956, I was involved in the Suez operation driving a Motor Launch which was responsible for navigating the minor landing craft. It was decided that it would be wrong for a Royal Marine to be responsible for the navigation in a major op, so during the preparation I was given an RN navigation officer. Lt Tony Grey (1940) who was the only naval navigator about my age, but a little older, was also a Radleian.

Unfortunately two hours after we left Malta for Suez he developed a terrible stomach pain, we transferred him to another ship where he was operated on, on the wardroom table! So the RN had to put up with an RM navigator after all.

Dmitri Kasterine (1945) I would like to send the link to my film Newburgh: Beauty and Tragedy to anybody who knows where to send it at the BBC for screening consideration.

Details of the film are on my website: www.kasterine.com Meanwhile, here I am also up to the usual gardening, tennis, cooking and blogging.

Andrew Vidal (1945) Living in happy retirement from farming.

Enjoying the frequent visits of our daughter and two sons and their six children. Related to Frank Stone and Lance Vidal.

Jeremy Hutton (1945) My grandson, Alexander M J Hutton, has recently gained a place in the Guildhall, London, to develop his voice for opera singing. He was at Radley from 2011 until 2015.

Peter Burtwell (1946) Sixty years ago I was ordained priest. My vocation was rooted in my years at Radley, when Charles Neate was Chaplain. Warden Vaughan-Wilkes was himself preparing for ordination. By chance, after ordination I became curate in the parish in south Leeds, next to the one of which he was vicar.

Later my ministry included responsibility for Boarding Hostels for Zulu High School students in KwaZulu.

A succession of ORs came out, establishing excellent relationships with the African teenagers during those challenging years of apartheid.

Nicholas Debenham (1946) Retired in 2004. Some health issues but still alive - so is my elder brother Jeremy (OR).

John Clements (1946) I am still enjoying life in Somerset West (Cape), my home for the last 50 years, and indeed, fortunate to have good health apart from weak and feeble legs. I am now a great grandfather to six. My involvement in matters ornithological continues, now mainly in a monthly species count on the historic Vergelegen Farm at the foot of Hottentots Holland Mountains - the count averages a tally of 50 species.

Very sadly I lost my oldest daughter, whilst undergoing a minor procedure on her ankle, in November 2018. My youngest and husband live in Durban and are both “birders”, which means that during my annual visit, many happy hours are spent in the heart of that other majestic range - home to the threatened Lammergeyer The Drakensberg. Our country continues to suffer from the appalling corruption of the Zuma regime - the hope is that the Zondo commission appointed by our new goverment, will result in long jail terms.

I am still painting (water colours) which I find somewhat of a challenge, having always used oils, until we downsized. This pastime was born in Mr Ellis’ Art Room, in the old gym at Radley.

Alastair Dunlop (1947) My wife and I were as usual in Orkney at the end of June, and happened to coincide with the commemoration of scuttling of the German Fleet in Scapa Flow in June 1919. We met the grandsons of the two British Admirals, Jellicoe and Fremantle, and the German Commander, von Reuter.

Seventy ships were destroyed.

In 2018, we were on a tour of Denmark and attended a small party at the Head Office of the Danske Bank in Copenhagen.

It so happened that the news was about to break of a huge leak of laundered money through their small branch in Estonia, the sum being some 200bn Euros.

We attended the 275th anniversary of my gold club, Muirfield, in September.

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News & Notes I believe that I’m the only one now who was there in 1943, and am the fourth in membership seniority. I’m glad to be fit at approaching 86, with my family of sons and daughter and five grandchildren, all living within fifty miles. I’ve kept in touch with Freddie Bircher’s widow and with Andrew Vidal.

Stephen Hickman (1948) Eight grand children, three still of school age, at Bilton Grange Piper School.

Mother’s family title, Bristowes, and sister’s family, Horners, both attended Radley.

John Rogers (1948) In January of this year, Valerie and I celebrated our diamond wedding anniversary. Although our driving is limited, we are very much involved in our local activities. Valerie with Probus, Women’s Institute and Tangent. Myself with masonry, male voice choir and Lions Club. Both of us in our local church, working where we are able.

Sam Pakenham-Walsh (1948) In my time I’ve been a worker for 16 years, a manager - Managed Unit Head (MU-Head) - for 3 years and a management consultant for 25 years.

Convention sees organisations upsidedown and work inside-out.

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Thus convention misleads everyone.

Interested? Email me: samuel5525@att.net Robin Sellwood (1948) Robin has been awarded the Cross of St Piran, an honour of the diocese in the gift of the Anglican Bishop of Truro. The award ceremony took place in March at St Pirans Church in Perranzabuloe.

Brian Roper (1949) In May, two of us set off for our best fishing on the Rangitaiki river and I came back with 5 Rainbows and Browns, my companion did just as well.

I have been the treasurer of the Kenya Regiment Association NZ Brand for 12 years and collecting the subscriptions is a nightmare! Those who have paid have again later and those who haven’t paid think they have.

It really is a worry but we put it down to SHAURI WAZEE as the regiment was disbanded in 1963 and we are all in our eighties.

Peter Van Oss (1949) We went to a lovely thanksgiving and funeral service for Dennis Silk on 12th July at his parish church. The singing was well up to the Radley standard!

George Freer (1949) Twelfth grandchild arrived in July (from Tom Freer, OR). I have written a 130page booklet entitled My Memoirs by George (not published) covering age 3 to 83. Written various articles for yacht club magazine over last 20 years.

Younger daughter runs in various marathons (including London) in under four hours.

Jeremy Ward (1949) I enclose a copy of an old photograph (pictured below) that could cause some amusement to my contemporaries! It was taken (by me) at about 2am on the last day of term July 1954, everyone in the photo left College that day!

It depicts Succentor Lester’s quite old car being transported into Hall.

Among the perpetrators were: J Westlake-Guy, J Roberts, M Hurley, N Salaman, GD Simonds, BC Holland, J Layland, J Gaunt, AD Millis and some in the front, unidentified.

My poor aim!

News & Notes

1950s Neil Johnstone (1951) Now have ten grandchildren - six boys and four girls. Latest born this year Petrofa (girl) and Miro (boy).

Stephen Dixon (1951) After 20 years as Senior Treasurer of the Oxford Union Society, I was made a “Distinguished Friend of Oxford University”.

proteges. He was keen enough to come over to Iffley Road throughout my time at Oxford (1958-1962) and became the official OUAC coach. Today’s athletes have support teams of technical experts, sports psychologists and fitness gurus: Ken was a one-man dynamo with all of these attributes. How lucky we were to have him! It’s time for more OR athletes to win Athletics Blues.

Tim Elworthy (1951) Rural life in South Oxfordshire combined with time in London and travel overseas spending two winter months in New Zealand annually.

Timothy O’Connor-Fenton (1952) Grandson entered Radley in 2018 with an exhibition scholarship (Max Holmes).

Timothy has dementia and is in a care home.

Malcolm Neal (1951) My wife and I have two grown up daughters and six grandchildren.

Euan Wallace (1952) Sadly my wife (Jill) died of pancreatic cancer in 2004 and my son died of pancreatic cancer in 2016. Jill’s father died of it in 1966. My three daughters are having annual investigations.

Rod de Courcy-Ireland (1951) Black Prince Winery continues to flourish in Prince Edward County, and has added fruit flavoured vintage wine vinegars to its list of products. A display of “toasting” an oak barrel draws the spectators! Apart from that, my daughter’s wedding on July 20th, my son’s wedding on August 24th, and a second great-grandchild due in October is keeping the family on its toes!

Very sadly, my young 15-year-old cousin Iona Sclater, who was a brilliant equestrian, was killed on Sunday August 11th in a riding accident at her home paddock. Her grandmother is a de Courcy-Ireland, with two sisters so no boys to go to Radley!

Roger Lane (1952) Retired and living in West Stafford, Dorset. Had role in Julian Fellowes’ film From Time to Time but no nominations for Best Supporting Extra - yet!

In recognition of the Centenary of the Achilles Club, 2019, I presented a trophy for the Men’s Javelin to be competed for annually at the Oxford v Cambridge Athletics Sports. Surprisingly, the record I set in 1960 (68.51m) still stands. I owed my success to the inspirational coaching of Ken Brookman.

Having singled me out one cold March afternoon during Standards (c. 1954), he coached me to a Radley record; this was soon broken by another of his

Seven grandchildren keep me busy!

Paul Butters (1952) My wife Penelope Mary Butters died in March 2018.

Christopher Field (1952) Honorary fellow, Reid School of Music, University of Edinburgh.

George Cornelius (1953) Based on my book, Z to A: The Civilising of Western Europe, published in 2012, I am now giving periodic talks - on sections of the book - so as to raise funds for the British School of Athens.

Richard Saker (1953) I have taken up singing again after 50 years! I sing Bass 1 with the Leconfield Singers in Petworth. This year with two other choirs 260 choristers formed the English Philharmonia Chorus and performed Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius in the Royal Festival Hall in May. In July we went on a short concert tour to Dinan, Brittany, and 60 of us sang Mozart’s Missa Brevis in D, as well as a number of other choral works in churches at St Malo, Cancale and the Basillica at Pont Main, Normandy.

Tony Goddard (1953) Re-issue of book My African Stories available from The Memoir Club, 34

Lynwood Way, South Shields, NE34 8DB Nick Green (1953) Seeing a photograph of the cast of Medea, in which I took the part of Jason in 1957, in the March issue of Lusimus has inspired me to provide a few insights into my life since Radley.

Instead of going to university I worked in sales and distribution management for Unilever for seven-and-a-half years in England and South Africa, before spending a year in New York where I switched to market research. I returned to South Africa in 1966, where I married Sandie and we brought up three children. Initially I worked for a local market research company before starting Markinor, which grew into one of the major research companies in South Africa and which was part of the Gallup International network. After selling the company, I spent three years as development director of Michaelhouse (where our sons were at school and where a previous Rector had come from Radley) and as the director of a charity involved in improving rural education in KwaZuluNatal.

Since we moved to Cape Town in 1997 I’ve been working on a pro bono basis for IMAD, a charity which teaches music to over 200 young people from Khayelitsha and Lansdowne, two of the poorest areas of the city. As I’m a very amateur baritone sax player (and ex-Radley bassoonist), I handle the administration, finances and fundraising. The teaching is in the very much more capable hands of 20 professional jazz musicians. We have classes for trumpet, trombone, sax, piano, guitar and drums. There are choirs in the two primary schools and bands in all four of our schools (pictured overleaf).

Helping to provide these young people with an opportunity to develop a talent which will stand them in good stead for their whole lives is really worthwhile and rewarding.

If any ORs are in Cape Town and would like to see our talented young musicians in action, or if you would like to sponsor one of our young musicians, please contact me: nick@jazz.co.za the old radleian 2019

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News & Notes

James McGill (1954) Five children, seven grandchildren and an overdraft!!

Robin Grist (1954) My book A Gallant County - The Regiments of Gloucestershire in The Great War was published in 2018 by Pen and Sword. I have grandsons entered for Radley.

George Ritchie (1955) Moving to Scotland to be near children and grandchildren Humphrey Miller (1955) Have moved back to Dorset after 45 years in Hampshire and working my spaniels locally.

Oliver Barratt (1955) I would be delighted to take ORs round our hydro-electric stations on Cumbria and Yorkshire.

Mike Snelling (1955) I was elected a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society in February.

Wynne Tufnell (1956) I have had 3 sons at Radley and at present have 4 grandsons there and another hopefully to come.

Brough Scott (1956) Helped launch the Alfred Munnings exhibition at the National Army Museum in November 2018 (pictured below).

Andrew Davison (1956) It was almost 50 years since I shared a flat with Michael Gray (1956) in London and sadly never really made contact with him because I went to Canada, and before I returned he had started his journey which has mainly been in USA. I at last made a brief contact with Mike and find he is living on an island off Washington State, USA, which sounds a perfect place for an artist, especially at our age.

Richard Gurney (1956) Sons: Henry Gurney married to Anna – two sons, Charles and Alexander.

Olivier married to Charlotte (Lotte) – two daughters.

Hugh Dumas (1956) Now retired. I have taken up painting (again) and I paint in watercolours, oils, acrylics and pastels. I have sold a few. I play golf and tennis otherwise. I have four grandchildren.

© James McCauley/​Shutterstock

Richard Exham (1956) I retired 8 years ago and now spend a lot of my time on the golf course and painting Australian landscapes. See my website www.exhamart.com.au to view my art.

Robert Neden (1957) Making a film about Sheila Nelson Violin Teacher, to feature teacher training material.

Sheila has been suffering from alzheimer’s for some years.

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News & Notes George Almond (1957) Having featured my work on the story of the first flight over Everest in 1933 in the Old Radleian back in 2000, I am now hard at work urging this project happen and have advanced considerably since then.

I have recently self-published Even Higher than Everest, available on Amazon, and continue to document the progress of the project at www.wingsovereverest.com.

I can reveal that HRH Prince Andrew has taken a shine to the project and hopefully will be making some social media links when the Brexit storms abate!

The main sticking problem is that a seven-figure sum has to be raised to finish building the new biplane before it can proceed effectively towards the Himalaya.

If there are any imaginative OR souls in the City, I can send over details. The business plan might work for some?

Later this year, I will be publishing an account of my career (some might not call it that) since leaving Radley, where I could mainly be found down near the lake at dawn, seeking trout… I wonder if the species still exists down there?

Christopher Blackwall (1958) The Philadelphia Gold Challenge Cup Foundation announced that the inaugural Blackwall Duling Challenge was contested as part of its US and World Sculling Competition, and it took place on Saturday, 26 October at Cooper River Park, New Jersey, USA.

John Armstrong (1958) I am in my mid-seventies, work one day a week for Tidalstream, play tennis 2-3 times a weekend and have six grandchildren.

Used to work as a business coach, I am now chairman of a local charity, ex-President of Rotary and support a remote school hostel in Nepal. I would be interested in coaching or mentoring a young ex-Radleian.

Jonathan Turner (1958) I am still involved in my business as Chairman with a wonderful team and living in the same home in Philadelphia.

My oldest has just been promoted to Brigadier in the British Army. My oldest daughter has just become a grandmother in London, and my youngest son James at 17 is doing very well at St Andrew’s in Delawere (all boarding) and looking at universities.

Tim Gardiner (1958) Appointed President of Tourism for all of UK in 2019.

William Courage (1958) In May, I won the Sunday Times weekly ‘Big Shot’ photo competition and was one of the runners up a few weeks earlier. Both photos were taken while on holiday in the Moroccan Sahara (pictured below).

It puts me in the finals for a major prize at the end of the competition next year.

David Jennings (1958) I retired as Bishop of Warrington in 2009 and have just finished 9 years as a Governor of Summer Fields, Oxford (my own prep school). I am now, for the second time, the Interim Minister of the Northleach Benefice of eight churches in Gloucestershire. Sally and I are celebrating our golden wedding anniversary this year and rejoice in our three sons and seven grandchildren.

Simon Few (1959) I am the co-inventor of the Gas Expansion Motor, an organic rankine cycle turbine, 3.5 times more efficient than the standard ORC turbines. Sealed system, no Exhaust.

‘Green’ energy.

David Howard (1959) Former City of London Alderman, Sheriff and Lord Mayor. Former Chairman of City University (“Pro-Chancellor”), Former Chairman and/or member of Stock Exchange, LIFDFE, trade association committees. Alternate member of the Takeover Panel. Honorary citizen of Texas.

Father, uncle and two sons also at Radley.

John Lubbock (1959) The charity Clear Sky, has nominated John for this year’s Individual Award in the Oxfordshire Local Business Charity Awards. Clear Sky’s aim is to support children going through difficult periods of life and teaching parents and professionals how to support children’s and families’ wellbeing.

The Blackwall Duling Challenge is intended to highlight and promote Adaptive Sculling in the United States.

Christopher Blackwall established the first rowing club in the US solely for persons with disabilities. Fred Duling is a threetime US National Team member and competitive masters rower.

Finally, Christopher has been awarded the the USRowing Medal of Honor.

This is given to a member of the rowing community in the US who has rendered conspicuous service to, or accomplished extraordinary feats in, rowing and is the highest honor USRowing can bestow.

Christopher Eliot (1958) Retired from all!

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News & Notes

1960s

Andrew Robinson (1960) I was instrumental in the foundation of what is now Lawcare.

Robin Hamilton (1960) Son, Edward, ex Radleian (47) is a film editor and has just finished Top Gun Maverick with Tom Cruise, he has two daughters (11 & 13). Daughter Mary (44) is a GP in St Richard’s Hospital Chichester.

She has two daughters (18 & 14), and a son (16). Daughter Helen (27) is an actress and mother, she has a son (5) and daughter (2). So three children and seven grandchildren.

I made office furniture for 35 years, retired at 58 in 2004 and now collect classic cars.

I was Commodore of Chichester Yacht Club in 2016/17 and still do some business mentoring for SMEs. Christopher Brougham (1960) Mary and I have been married for 45 years and have four children and four grandchildren, with another imminent.

I am still at the Bar after almost fifty years and have been a QC since 1988.

I am just completing what will be my 260th crossword puzzle to appear in The Spectator. Occasionally a poem by my friend Duncan Forbes (1960) appears in the same issue as one of my puzzles, which always makes me smile.

Simon Nickson (1960) Just a brief note to say I have sold my business. I will be retiring at long last to enjoy playing golf and real tennis, more especially to enjoy our six grandchildren.

John Bevan (1961) HH John Bevan QC retired in September 2017 after all but 50 years in the law.

I was called to the Bar by Middle Temple in July 1970 having left Magdalene College, Cambridge, and secured a tenancy in 2 Harcourt Buildings. In 1983 I was appointed Junior Treasury Counsel at the Central Criminal Court (CCC), and Senior TC in 1990. I took Silk in 1997, and became joint Head of Chambers the same year and a Bencher of Middle Temple in 2000.

I was appointed a Circuit Judge in July 2004, Resident Judge at Luton Crown 50

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Court in 2005 and a Senior Circuit Judge on my appointment to the CCC in 2011.

I also sat as an occasional Judge in the Court of Appeal Criminal Division.

Johannes Linn (1961) Greetings from the frontline of the battle against climate change. As the “Global Facilitator” for the first replenishment of the Green Climate Fund I am chairing the intergovernmental meetings for raising USD 10 billion for this fund. It supports climate mitigation and adaptation measures in developing countries as a key part of the Paris Climate Agreement.

I am happy to report that the UK, France, Germany and Norway have already committed to double their contributions from the initial phase of the Fund. If other countries follow their lead, it should be possible to reach the target of USD10 billion even without pledges from the US and Australia, both of which - very unwisely - have withdrawn their support.

David Pountney (1961) David was knighted in the 2019 Birthday Honours for services to opera (pictured below at the Peter Stuart Lunch). He is directing a new ring cycle for Chicago Lyric Opera in 2020 plus the opening production for Dubai Expo 2020.

Andy Du Port (1962) Recently retired as a magistrate (age 70). Having committed the crime of turning 70, I have been chucked out as a

magistrate on the West Sussex Bench after 15 fascinating years. I am now looking for voluntary work connected with the justice system. In the meantime, Kate and I have been taking the opportunity to get out sailing as much as possible. This year we spent two and a half months happily cruising around the English Channel.

I am now self-employed as a part-time book editor, with two books published: Your First Channel Crossing and Yacht Owners Manual, both published by Adlard Coles Nautical.

Peter Curtiss (1962) Recently retired after nearly 50 years working. Although also widowed, looking forward to some travelling and cricket watching.

Simon Stanford-Tuck (1962) Home near Mere, Wiltshire. Four children (teacher, army officer, software specialist and sales/legal advisor at Neals Yard).

Self and wife both still working! Seven grandchildren!

John Wright (1962) With partner Kirsten Finucane.

Performed cardial surgery in Fiji for the charity heart4kids. Undertake yearly missions, raising money and equipment.

We use the Fijian hospital’s basic facilities but more equipment (ventilators, bypass machines) are donated and transported to Fiji six weeks before the mission. 30 Staff from New Zealand donate their time.

News & Notes Andrew Fane (1962) Now aged 70 I continue to work full time chairing a range of charities and my own businesses. My wife is the Chair of General Medical Council.

Adrian Gaunt (1963) My son, James Gaunt, is Director of Sport at Radley.

Simon North (1964) I am enjoying retirement but still introducing business on a regular basis to local Estate Agents (supplements the old pension!), and the odd auction for charity, both of which I enjoy and an ego boost that I am still not too old to give advice!

My wife, Angie, and I now have a second grandchild, Freddie, who with his elder sister Flora are just very special and live not too far away in London!

Chantal Stewart (1962) Still a practising rock musician on electric guitar - see Facebook “Chantal Experience” for more details.

Kevin O’Riordan (1963) Recently retired from practice as Manx Advocate, Solicitor, Mediator and parttime judge. Former President of Isle of Man Law Society. Three daughters and one stepson, all adult. Three granddaughters, one grandson and one step-granddaughter.

Roderick Archer (1963) My third book, The Power of Local Friends (Pegasus Publishers) was published in late 2018. I am a former governor of an NHS Foundation Trust.

William Crosbie Dawson (1963) Juliette and I have two daughters Annabelle (37) and Gemma (35).

Annabelle is married and has two sons, aged 3 and 1.

Rick Biddulph (1963) Excellent and poignant to see the orchestra photo from 1955 in Lusimus. Back row, 3rd from the left, the middle of the three trombonists (pictured below), is my brother Michael (C Social). Three years later, he was dead, killed on his motorbike on his way to parade with the Irish Guards band during his National Service.

At least he got in a world tour with them first, but was denied following further in our father’s footsteps as a lifelong working trombonist.

John Dart (1963) I am a clinical academic working at both Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, where I have been a Consultant since 1987, and at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology where I have been an Hon. Professor since 2011. My subspecialty is Corneal and External Eye Disease. My research is into anterior segment infection and severe inflammatory disease. I have published over 220 peer reviewed papers, 21 chapters and a book and I continue to be active in research.

In spite of my progressive paralysis in my legs, as a result of a tumour in my spinal chord, I am still able to maintain my beat fishing on the River Test, and I am also still able to garden which keeps me fit. I am also keeping in touch with Kewpie, Peter Stuart’s widow, just so sad that Peter did not achieve his hundredth birthday, but when he was alive I enjoyed listening to them both reminiscing about their time at Radley and especially of my period in their social, what wonderful memories they both have.

I was awarded the Bowman Medal and Lecture of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists in 2016 - the highest award made by the College amongst other national and international awards. This year I have been given the Castroviejo Award by the Cornea Society (pictured above) and will be giving the Castroviejo Lecture at the American Academy of Ophthalmology Meeting in San Francisco.

Anthony Rylands (1964) Primatologist, Rylands began his career in 1976, at the National Institute for Amazon Research (INPA) in Manaus, Brazil, earning his doctorate in 1982 at the University of Cambridge, UK, on the behaviour and ecology of marmosets and lion tamarins.

I am very grateful to Radley, and to David Hardy, Ronnie Howard and Peter Stuart in particular, for starting me on this enjoyable and fulfilling road.

From 1986 to 2005 he was Professor of Vertebrate Zoology at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Rylands is a member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences and Deputy Chair of the IUCN/ SSC Primate Specialist Group. He began working with Conservation International in 1992, first in the Brazil Program, but from 2000 to 2017 at the NGO’s central office in Washington, DC. He was a founding editor of the newsletter and journal Neotropical Primates, is currently editor of the journal Primate Conservation, and has edited nine books and authored more than 290 articles and book chapters on protected areas, and primate behaviour, ecology, conservation, biogeography, and taxonomy.

Michael Richards (1964) I retired as Chief Inspector of Hospitals in 2017. I am now a non-executive director the old radleian 2019

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News & Notes at the Departments of Health and Social Care and a trustee at Cancer Research UK. I am also undertaking national reviews of cancer screening and diagnostic services.

Simon Moffet (1964) I retired early from a career in the oil industry and now enjoy life in Pembrokeshire where I have lived with Mererid, my wife for 40 years. We walk together and enjoy our garden. I do a lot of voluntary work for Prostate Cymru, getting out to male groups and talking to them about looking after their health. Before I left Radley I acquired a Morris 8 which I am still driving, collecting stories as I go. In the last few years our life has been most pleasantly disrupted by the arrival of grandchildren.

I have also recently published my first novel! I am as surprised as anyone else as during my career I never did any creative writing. It is called Max by Sonny from Cambria Publishing.

John Bridcut (1965) In November 2018, my film Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70 was broadcast on BBC One, and in April 2019, my film Janet Baker: In Her Own Words was shown on BBC Four (pictured right).

Christopher Langton (1965) ICRA is in its tenth year and has completed 17 conflict resolution training courses in different parts of the world including Myanmar, Eastern Europe, Sudan and the Balkans. The latest programme is being run for sixth formers from a UK academy.

Donald Graham (1965) Two children, six grandchildren. Retired in 2008 after a career as an insurance lawyer. Live in Helperby, a small village north of York. Have created a nature/ wild flower reserve of nine acres. Like motorcycling too.

William Colbatch-Clark (1965) After 45 years practise as a Land Agent, I resigned from my business partnership in April 2019. I am continuing to operate as a part-time consultant for the time being.

Managing my farm in Herefordshire keeps me busy, particularly as Brexit appoaches.

However I do now have more time for various outdoor recreational activities.

Jeremy North (1965) My wife Helen died in July this year after a long illness with cancer.

Richard Slocock (1965) Married for 46 years. Same address in Dorset for 43 years - farming, fishing and B&B business here for all that time!

Richard Henderson (1965) Now retired after nearly 40 years in the Probation Service, during which I worked in London’s East End, Wandsworth Prison, Southwark Crown Court, Bristol and rural Somerset. A great career if you’re interested in law, penal policy, psychology, social issues and making a difference to people’s lives.

Nicolas Jenni (1966) Current focus is on contactless payments and giving.

Guy Trehane (1966) Recently elected to the Council of the National Trust.

David Collard (1966) Currently serving as Chairman of the Marine Insurance Education Council.

© Andrew Ruff

Richard Gibson (1967) Richard was one of the guests of honour as former cast members gathered at Lynford Hall, Thetford, for the unveiling of a blue plaque to celebrate 35 years of the comedy series, ‘Allo ‘Allo, in which he played the character of Herr Flick (pictured far left).

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News & Notes Mason Scott (1967) Busy at the beach and on the lake!

1970s

Terry Blake (1967) I have just started a new business called Blakevoice, offering a range of voiceover and event announcing services.

Tim McConnel (1970) I am a qualified accountant, retired and treasurer for two local charities.

John Collett (1967) Bernard Jaeger (my great uncle) who was killed during WW2, and whose name is on Memorial Arch, wrote two books with his sister Muriel Jaeger.

David Bushe (1970) Three daughters (two married, one engaged). Four grandchildren! Working mainly from home, with London rep office. One business partner and many OR friends!

Her first novel The Question Mark from 1925 has just been republished by the British Library.

Malcolm Young (1970) Our son Harry (entry 2015) will complete A levels in Summer 2020.

Thomas Lloyd (1968) Wales Herald of Arms Extraordinary.

Edward Priday (1970) Appointed a member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours June 2019.

Simon Blackett (1968) Started up market tour company to cater for high spend local visitors. Heading up major fund raiser for Braemar Castle (£1.5m).

Julian Henderson (1968) I have been in the North West for six years as Bishop of Blackburn. Our vision is to make churches healthy, so they have a tranforming impact on the wider community. We have two grandaughters with our daughter and son in law. Our son Jamie, an OR, got married this year to Gabrielle, both of whom are chartered surveyors.

Duncan Robertson (1969) After 32 years of teaching, I have retired.

So far I have committed to Taunton Area Cycling Campaign and Secretary to Whitmore Allotments.

Gavin Spickett (1969) 4th Edition of Oxford Handbook of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (OUP) now in press - publication date October 2019. Qualified as a Fitness Instructor!

Johnny Birks (1969) I have recently had two books published

by Whittet in their ‘British Natural History’ collection: ‘Polecats’ (2015) and ‘Pine Martens’ (2017). Helen and I now have three granddaughters: Melissa, Kaitlyn and Penelope.

Simon Tross Youle (1969) I have been working in Japan since 2011.

William Greig (1969) William is still Ballroom dancing and writing poetry but not at the same time!

Christopher Sandford (1970) My biography of the late Middlesex and England cricketer John Murray - featuring a cameo appearence by DRWS - was published in October 2019.

Richard Barnes-Gorell (1970) Chair of the Board of Trustees for Wessex DriveAbility, the Southampton based regional centre of Driving Mobility.

Rupert Lowe (1971) An MEP representing the West Midlands.

Involved in several other businesses, data, electrical and mechanical.

David Taylor (1971) I have created the website www.greenhistory.uk Nigel Odling (1971) After 35 years living in Teddington, we have moved to an old house in Cumbria.

Nigel Hall (1971) I am a one third owner of Odin Investment Management Limited in Jersey and 100% owner of FCM Trust Company, also based in Jersey. I have four children, one step daughter and one grandchild with a second due imminently.

I am always happy to network with OR’s in similar businesses.

Sandy Crole (1971) Now resuming a life making art and taking photographs, rudely interrupted by the necessity to earn a living as an English teacher.

Nicholas Francis (1971) October 2016 - Appointed High Court Judge (Family Division) August 2017 - Appointed Family Division Liaison Judge for Wales Christopher Tibbs (1971) After 11 years as Medical Director and Deputy Chief Executive of the Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford I have retired from clinical practice and have been appointed Medical Director for Commissioning for NHS England for the South East Region.

Jeremy Atkins (1972) While most of his university friends have retired, Jeremy Atkins still works hard running nautical publisher Fernhurst Books - publishing 14 new books in 2019.

This year Fernhurst has also launched a self-publishing arm to help would-be authors publish their own books.

Any OR wishing to see their words in print (or on a Kindle!), please contact Jeremy at fernhurst@fernhurstbooks.com Andrew Popplewell (1972) Has been appointed as a judge to the Court of Appeal.

Giles Hilton (1972) Still Chairman of Canterbury Rugby Club, now playing in the National 1 division.

Chairman of St Lawrence and Highland Court Cricket Club and an active member of Wooden Spoon and Lords Taverners.

Andrew Tomkins (1972) Running a family farm and butchery business in North Cumbria. Two children at university and the third just about to go away. It’s going to get quiet here in the autumn.

Peter Dixon (1973) Currently president of the Royal College of Chiropractors and a Fellow of NICE. Busy!

Jonathan Waterer (1973) I cycled from John O’ Groats to Land’s End in May 2018 and raised £4,000 for the Devon Air Ambulance and the North Devon Hospice. I covered 966 miles in 8.5 days.

Still busy training all types of horses for other people.

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News & Notes Stephen Kirk (1973) Recently attained Fellowship of the Higher Education Authority (FHEA) at the University of the Creative Arts.

Charles Hawkins (1973) In the past year, I have been elected Chair of the Rowen Community Group, and this Autumn will take the Chair of the Snowdonia Society, a charity dedicated to the promotion, enhancement and protection of the National Park’s special qualities.

In between both these commitments, I continue my studies in watercolour painting and also obtained my Day Skipper Certificate. Next spring, I will crew for a leg of the World ARC 2020. So, a quiet life all round, really!

Bryan Burrough (1973) I retired in November 2017 having been an Investment Manager for charities at Cazenove, BlackRock and Investec.

I have subsequently had a busy year as High Sheriff of Essex for 2018/19 (pictured below), as Master of the Worshipful Company of Distillers and I am a nonexecutive director of Newbury Racecourse.

Clive Stafford Smith (1973) Has been given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Lexis Nexis legal awards in March. Clive continues to travel to Guantanamo Bay, visiting six men, some cleared years ago but still not released.

Tom Stuart-Smith (1973) Tom Stuart-Smith’s latest project is on the work on the creation of the new RHS Garden at Bridgewater (pictured above).

RHS Garden Bridgewater is a very remarkable site for an RHS garden. At one end, one of the most impressive terraced gardens in England, stepping down 20m from the site of the historic Worsley New Hall to the lake. At the other, a magnificent eleven acre walled garden. In between 35 acres of woodland lying over deep, peaty, fertile soils. To the south, a long open area of parkland bounded on the south side by the Bridgewater canal.

All within 20 minutes of the centre of Manchester.

The walled garden is the pièce de résistance of the first phase of RHS Bridgewater and is comprised of walled spaces from an outer walled garden enclosed by a low wall, through an intermediate garden which has a high wall on three sides to an inner space which has high walls all around.

The intention is that the garden experience parallels the spatial one, becoming gradually more intense and also more colourful.

Ant Jackson (1974) Living the dream.

Philip Rogers-Coltman (1975) Have been running the family dairy farm since death of my father (also an

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OR) in 2015. Have a herd of Jersey cows producing top quality milk!

James Henderson (1975) I am a writer covering travel and sport and adventure in the major UK newspapers, including The Telegraph and the Financial Times. I run a website devoted to adventure caled www.alifeofadventure.net Rupert Hume-Kendall (1975) After 28 years in investment banking at UBS and Bank of America, I have started my own family holding company in Cornwall.

Rupert Gather (1975) In June 2019, I gave a TEDx Talk “How To Be A Patriot in An Age of Globalisation”.

Mark Johnston (1975) Trustee of Our Special Friends from 2015 and Vice-President of the World Small Animal Veterinary Associations Foundation from 2017.

Andrew Nugee (1975) Imagineear is proud to provide prerecorded multilinguial media services to visitor attractions from the Rijks Museum and the Kennedy Space Centre and the Houses of Parliment, as well as all the major premier league football stadiums in the UK. Next stop: USA! James Eadie (1975) Sir James Eadie represented the government at the Supreme Court prorogation hearings in September.

News & Notes Toby Holland (1975) The four Holland brothers, with father, Brian (1949), had an enjoyable weekend’s racing with Sunsail at Cowes Week 2019 (pictured right). Dad received a prize for ‘oldest competitor’ too!

Ian Bond (1975) After 30 years of corporate life with Genus plc I’m finally doing what I always wanted to do and am now building bespoke Treehouses in the South of England through my new venture The Wooden Treehouse Company. Now putting to use all those skills acquired under the direction of Dons Wilkinson and Haslam in the “new” Sewell Centre at Radley.

Find me on www.woodentreehouse.co.uk Julian Capadose (1975) As with many towns in the USA, Brookfield in Connecticut is 100% served by volunteer firefighters - the Brookfield Volunteer Fire Company handles all fire and ambulance emergencies in the town and is often called to neighbouring towns.

I joined the company in 2014, and after a year of training became certified to enter a burning building, cut people out of wrecked vehicles and deliver CPR (mouthto-mouth resuscitation). In 2018, I was awarded Firefighter of the Year, and in 2019 I was elected President.

The role of President is like being the Managing Director of an SME with a turnover of about $1.5m and net worth of about $4m. Duties include managing the finances, handling legal issues,

maintaining company properties, ensuring compliance and schmoozing with local politicians and authorities. All for free!!

Norman Rogers (1976) One daughter called Phoebe who has just turned 10.

Stephen Windsor-Lewis (1976) Stephen wishes to thank Guy Waller and Mike Featherstone, Radley’s hockey coaches back in 1980. A mere 38 years later, their patient tuition resulted in Stephen’s first international caps, playing for Wales in the European Masters Hockey Championships in Italy and Germany.

Mark Foster–Brown (1977) I was appointed by HM the Queen a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) in the 2019 New Year Honours.

This was for my work as Chairman of the Wessex Youth Trust from 1999 to 2019.

Robert Bicket (1976) In October 2018 I was appointed rear commander yachting of the Royal Yacht Squadron and Chairman of the Royal Yacht Squadron Racing Limited Challenger for the 36th American Cup through INEOS team UK.

This is the Charitable Trust of the Earl and Countess of Wessex which supports organisations and individuals dedicated to helping children and young people Prior to that I was a member of the Special Project group of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme for 10 years.

The Investiture took place on 4th April and was performed by HRH The Prince of Wales.

Pictured left: Mark and Katharine FosterBrown, with Alec (Fifth, A Social) and Thomas (2013).

James Dingemans (1977) Has been appointed as a judge to the Court of Appeal and was selected as a judicial and appeal officer by World Rugby for the Rugby World Cup in Japan.

George Hollingbery (1977) George was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in Theresa May’s resignation honours on 10th September 2019, having served as Minister of State for Trade Policy.

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News & Notes Richard Stanley (1977) Joshua and Thomas Stanley (sons) are both at Radley.

in March 2019, as Director of Operations for their French IT infrastructure services division.

My 3 children have now all left school, the youngest still at Exeter, the elder two both working in London.

Simon Hart (1977) Simon was made Minister for Implementation in July 2019.

David Clasen (1978) David joined the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising in 2018 as Finance Director.

Ed Charles (1977) In the process of building an insurance group. Life and general, interested in talking to ORs in the industry or looking at entering it, whether in an actuarial capacity or general sense. Two daughters now 20 and 22. Happy to reconnect with all tremendous ORs out there!

Marc Eschauzier (1979) I continue to own and manage my own business as a brand designer.

Lorne Armstrong (1979) One of the businesses I am currently running is The Event Academy, which provides Degree and Postgraduate level training in event management, accredited by the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

We have had some ORs on the courses.

Guy Arnold (1977) I have just had my fourth book published: it’s called Slow Selling and is part of the worldwide ‘Slow’ movement. It’s about designing businesses (slowly), ground up, from the customer’s point of view, so that customer loyalty and reputation is built into everything you do. www.slow-selling.org

Robin Maxwell (1979) After 30 years in Small/Mid cap Equity Broking/Research with a focus on the DACH region in Europe, in 2019 I have set up my own business.

It seeks to concentrate on introducing investors to companies (and vice versa) in the Private Capital space both in the UK and DACH region.

As far as I can tell a significant percentage of my year at Radley are now in the events industry, but none of us ever had any official training, let alone any careers advice that this was even a possible career path! www.eventacademy.com

I​ am also one of the founders of Dartmoor Whisky. We’ve been at it for almost three years now, and have a bonded warehouse getting fuller every day of beautiful golden spirit. Waiting for it to age enough to be sold! We’ve also started gin production but who hasn’t?!

As a member of the Magic Circle, It’s fun teaching people how their minds play tricks.

Sean Henry (1978) Such was the popularity of Sean’s sculpture, ‘Seated Figure’, it has had to be moved from its place on the North York Moors to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, near Wakefield (pictured right). The threemetre tall painted bronze was visited by so many walkers that there were concerns the surrounding moorland was being eroded.

David Green (1978) After 7 years working as an independent consultant, I have returned to ‘conventional’ employment, joining CGI 56

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Courtesy of YSP & Sean Henry/© Jonty Wilde

Paul Craven (1978) I managed to extricate myself from commuting and the city by forming my own specialist company with a focus on consultancy and public speaking in the area of behavioural science. This takes me all over the world, not least to provide keynote talks at financial conferences.

News & Notes

1980s

George Freeman (1980) In December 2018, I was awarded the Patchwork Foundation 2018 Conservative MP of the Year Certificate for my work in representing minority communities.

I have set up the non-party political Big Tent Ideas Festival at Mudchute City Farm on the Isle of Dogs, which had 3,000 attendees: www.bigtent.org.uk, and I’ve recently edited co-written and published a book, Britain Beyond Brexit.

I am engaged to Fiona Laird, theatre Director at the RSC. Rob Russell (1980) Still doing Medicine in the Army.

Delighted and honoured to report that I have been appointed as a Queen’s Honorary Physician.

Typing this about 4 hours before I head off for a six month tour in the Middle East as Command Surgeon, Special Operations Joint Task Force (translation: Senior Medical Advisor) on the continuing campaign against ISIS. Tim Stubbs (1980) Eldest son Jonty (2014) left Radley this year, successfully completing four generations of Stubbs’ at Radley!

Adam Fox (1980) It has been a long hard slog but very pleased to have co-founded Envelop Risk which has now been launched to underwrite Cyber Insurance.

In the meantime Grenville Fox Ltd continues to work with Capital Markets to provide insurance and reinsurance solutions for a wide range of projects.

Rupert Harrow (1980) After 19 years in Hong Kong, Lise and our girls Emily, India and Mia returned to the UK. Now happily based in Oxforshire.

James Hamilton (1980) After 8 and a half years working in the Middle East, we have now returned to the UK to join the British company Cobham, though continuing to be closely involved with its Middle East business.

Dominic Peskin (1980) Son, Zachary left Radley in July 2019 now awaiting A Level results!

Jonathan Brooking (1981) I now command the Armour Centre in Bovington, Dorset.

Simon Wolfson (1981) Simon returned to the College to give a talk to the Adam Smith Society in November 2018 (pictured above).

Joseph Bennett (1982) I have been living in Perth, Western Australia, for nearly seven years now. I work at Hale, the oldest school in WA (founded in 1858), modelled closely on the traditions of the British public school, although its current campus dates only from 1963. I coach Year 9 rowing (quad sculls), and enjoyed an unbeaten 2018-19 season.

Away from work, my wife (who is Tasmanian) and I enjoy the typically Australian lifestyle, including getting out on the river - kayaking, sailing - when we can. I am currently in the middle of what is turning out to be an unexpectedly long project, building a classic-style runabout for less strenuous water activity.

We both miss having the culture - and skiing - of the Continent on our doorstep, but are happy not to be experiencing the political chaos of Brexit.

Rupert Price (1983) Almost respectable these days. Living in Devon with wife Felicity and 2 boys Jago (age 8), Felix (age 6) and Rufus (black Labrador) age 2 months.

Charles Towers-Clark (1983) I am excited to announce that this year I published my book, The Weird CEO in which I explain why Artificial Intelligence will destroy jobs and how we need to change the way we work to deal with this.

The WEIRD CEO speculates on the technological and societal changes that will take place over the next fifteen years, and explains why companies need to introduce radical changes to the working environment. I set out my own approach – the WEIRD methodology, in which CEOs need to encourage and facilitate uniquely human attributes.

The book also provides a brutally honest record of the change process that we went through in the company of which I am CEO - Pod Group, and highlights the major transformations that will be necessary in a working world increasingly dominated by Artificial Intelligence.

Visit our website: www.weirdceo.com to learn more.

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News & Notes Rory Pope (1984) Mark Cox (1977) and I completed the 4 Deserts 255km, 6-stage, self-supported ultramarathon in the Skeleton Coast National Park which lies within the Namib Desert in Namibia (pictured right).

Mark persuaded me to join him at the Downe House sports day last summer and we seemed to have both got our training and preparation right with Mark finishing in 20th position and myself in 24th out of a field of 115 competitors which included 15 past champions, and despite us both being amongst the oldest in the field.

This picture (Mark on the left) was taken last Wednesday in the desert at sunset when we were about 60 km into the double marathon, 84 km day.

Alex McMillan (1984) Alex has added a second string to his bow.

After 25 years as a Foreign Correspondent, he is also now a personal trainer in Hong Kong and online with mid-age man: www.midageman.com.hk Simon Peck (1985) Dominic Cotton (1983) and I won the RMS Antlers amateur foursomes competition in July this year after a 4 hole playoff (pictured middle left).

The Antlers is a tournament that has been used previously to aid the selection process for the Walker Cup. James Hamilton-Smith (1985) On July 13th 2019, I married Ruth Elizabeth Mari Quinn at St Mary’s Church, Streatley with reception at Moulsford Prep School (pictured below right).

Best Men were Rory Gordon (1985, C) along with my 11-year-old son, Woody Hamilton Hurst (pictured middle right).

Jonathan James (1986) Now with a PhD in Music Education. I’m developing creative music workshops for conservatoire students.

Always happy to offer advice to ORs on the classical music industry and education sector.

Alexander Bowden (1986) Living in Oxfordshire, happily married with a son and two daughters.

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News & Notes Seb Royce (1986) I am co-founder of Kindeo, a private storytelling platform for parents and grandparents to save and share their life stories and memories.

We have raised nearly £1.5million in capital and are working towards our Series A investment raise. www.kindeo.com Hamish Mackie (1987) This year was my tenth year exhibiting at RHS Chelsea Flower Show (pictured right).

For the second year running my stand was generously sponsored by Knight Frank and built by the fantastic team at Bowles & Wyer. Many new sculptures were exhibited for the first time.

James Burton (1988) I’m absolutely thrilled that movements from my new piece The Lost Words were performed at the BBC Proms on 25th August by Southbank Sinfonia and the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain, conducted by Jessica Cottis.

This followed perfomances at the Tanglewood MusicFest, Massachusetts, with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in July. The best libretto ever!

Ol Wilson (1988) Ol performed as part of the Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique conducted

by Sir John Eliot Gardiner playing Benvenuto Cellini by Berlioz at the Proms in September.

Monty Wates (1988) Just finished my first feature length documentary that was in the UK cinemas countrywide from November 2018 to February 2019.

It was about the first UK medical trial to use psychedelics (magic mushrooms) to treat people suffering from depression.

Alex Davenport-Jones (1988) We are getting married in Croatia in April 2020 and have two children. Poppy, aged 7, and Otto, aged 6.

Harry Lewis (1989) The Mark of Man by Owen H Lewis, a follow up coming soon.

New construction business and new development business both launching soon.

James Gayner (1989) Currently Commanding Officer 7th Battalion The Rifles, an army reserve based in London, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire!

Enjoying supporting the CCF and having the Chaplain at our parade!

Nicholas Latimer (1989) Completed our moves west, with Victoria and I and our two sons, Freddie and George, settling in Cheltenham where I now work - fantastic place to be based.

Victoria starting work at the Ladies College.

Johnny Hunt (1989) Johnny’s latest work, Buddy Goes to Nollywood follows Buddy Munro, his entertainer, explorer, comedian and actor, as he goes to Africa for the first time to turn his life around. The film won awards at film festivals in Atlanta, Manchester, Melbourne and at the Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival (pictured below).

Henry Hereford (1989) Got engaged to Katerina Tornari in Central Park, NYC in July 2019. Currently producing two films To Leslie, starring Andrea Riseborough and in development for comedy drama, Well Behaved Women.

George Belcher (1989) George lives in Richmond with his wife, Olly, and three young children Bertie, Beatrice and Barney.

Still in touch with a range of ORs, including of course brothers William and Sam (in London and Singapore respectively). Working for a US law firm in Canary Wharf, and fitting in some sailing and other gentlemanly pursuits wherever possible around the edges.

Hair loss – holding at medium for now.

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News & Notes

1990s Andrew Strauss (1990) Andrew Strauss received a knighthood for services to cricket.

In September, the second day of the Lord’s Ashes test was the Ruth Strauss Foundation Day. Fans wore red to show their support and created a sea of colour at the ground, whilst players from both sides wore special commemorative shirts (including the Ruth Strauss Foundation logo), red caps and red numbers on the back of their playing shirts.

Andrew Fosker/​BPI/​Shutterstock

The famous five-minute bell was rung by Sam and Luca Strauss (pictured right). The bell is rung to signify the imminent start of play, and it has become a great honour to be invited to ring it on the morning of a Test match.

The day raised over £380,000 for the charity, that will raise awareness and provide vital funds to produce better research into rare forms of lung cancer. www.ruthstraussfoundation.com Alex Holroyd-Smith (1990) I currently live in Vietnam where I work in Healthcare Investment and have just got married to a Canadian lady, Anna.

Will Wates (1990) Le Loop was set up in 2006 to celebrate the life of Will Wates (1977-1996) and raise money for the William Wates Memorial Trust. Le Loop is a fully supported annual event that enables amateur cyclists to cycle all, or part of, the route of the Tour de France (pictured left).

In 2019 our cyclists raised £371,000 taking our total over ten years to £3.9m. Riding stages of the Tour de France is a wonderful adventure and many Old Radleains have joined us in the past.

Find out more at www.rideleloop.org Jerry Fowler (1990) After nine years living in Northern Iraq this year is a landmark. After many years of teamwork a New Testament in the Behdini dialect of Kurdish is being printed and launched.

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News & Notes Tom Stenhouse (1991) I started my career as a real estate finance lawyer before moving to a German bank and subsequently becoming COO of the Tamar Capital platform as part of the staff buyout which was sold to PATRIZIA in 2012. At PATRIZIA, I was involved with c. £3bn of transactions across UK and Ireland, more recently taking on a European fund management role running a single mandate portfolio with c.€2.2bn of AUM across Europe.

I have ridden all my life, competing at Burghley International 4* in 2000.

After taking a break from riding to concentrate on my career and young family, I enjoyed returning to the saddle and learnt how to be a flat race jockey after signing up to ride in the amateurs’ race at the Ascot Property Race Day on the 12th July (pictured below). It is a one mile straight race for 12 amateur jockeys.

I haven’t really ridden much for the last 15-20 years and getting on a race horse for the first time was very daunting. There didn’t seem to be much to sit on! Tacking up horses at the crack of dawn on a winter’s morning in December before 7 o’clock and actually galloping in the dark was a fairly new experience too!

Since November I put a massive amount of time and work into getting myself into shape for the race. I rode with four trainers (Zoe Davidson, Gary Moore, Jamie Snowden and Seamus Mullins) and rode up to 4 horses each Saturday morning with two different trainers before getting home for lunch! I lost 8lbs in weight and got into the kind of shape I was probably only last in when I was about 20, but with less alcohol! I’ve driven hundreds of miles to ride out, crashed the car at 5am on Good Friday en route, given up all my favourite “bad” grazing habits and cut back on alcohol intake!

One of the final pieces was to raise money for my chosen charity WellChild: www.wellchild.org.uk. They do a fantastic amount of work for seriously ill children and the money raised will fund the equipment of three ‘Better at Home’ training suites to help 120 children move from long term hospital care back into their homes. In the end I raised just under £15,000.

It was an amazing experience, with eleven runners in total. I managed to come fifth but should have made my run for the line a bit earlier. Two jockeys fell off after the finishing line from exhaustion! It was 8 months hard work and training and in the end I lost 11lbs in weight in the run in.

As an aside, the horse that won the race, Haverland, was lent by the OR trainer Charlie Fellowes (1999). He subsequently lent it to Khadijah Mellah, a student from Peckham, who then won the Magnolia Cup on it!

Edward Whittington (1991) Elected managing partner of Moore Blatch, a law firm with offices in London and the regions. Married to Elizabeth, a consultant radiologist, with two sons, Henry (9) and William (6). Living in Hampshire and still playing polo.

Edward Tuke (1991) We continue to live in Bath where I have recently set up a small production company, Six Films, and am finishing my first novel titled The Deserter’s Hotel.

Our two daughters, Ottilie (6) and Clemency (4) are now both in school and growing up fast!

Alexander Webster (1992) I have recently launched Genie Drinks Ltd, delivering the UK’s first live (probiotic) sodas and award winning kombuchas.

I have also recently got engaged to be married in late October 2019.

Chris O’Brien (1992) Welcomed our second boy to the world in May, Isaac George O’Brien.

Henry Powles (1992) Qualified in Masters of Oenology at Adelaide University. Travelled the world making wine. Currently work for a bulk wine bottler bottling wine for some major brand owners. Happy to assist in any events or careers talks at Radley. the old radleian 2019

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News & Notes Jamie Snowden (1992) Jamie continues to chose out the winners from Folly House. Each season the team betters the previous totals and he is very much looking forward to seeing the Radleian Society Syndicate horse, College Oak, on the track again in the Autumn.

Rory Scott Russell (1992) Married to Harriet, two beautiful daughters, Tabitha and Alexandra, living in Marlow and London. In 2017, I became CEO of Oil and Gas Explorations Business CaribX. We are active across the Caribbean and central America, with a large acreage position offshore Honduras, where I am a frequent visitor.

Vinay Pagay (1992) Educator to the Australian wine industry.

Will Stemp (1993) Now into my fourth year at Berkley España. Thouroughly enjoying myself, still living in Barcelona. Celebrating 12 years of marriage to Julianna in May. Charlotte turned 8 in February, Sasha just turned 4.

Any ORs welcome if ever in this neck of the woods!

William Donaldson (1993) I have recently relocated my family to Edinburgh after 17+ years in London. We are loving the space and (slightly) slower pace of life.

Luke Theophilus (1993) I am currently finishing an Adult Nursing degree at Kings College London. I am married with two children.

Charlie Aird (1993) I have recently moved from the RitzCarlton, Moscow, to Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, to re-launch this ‘grande dame’ which will be re-opening after extensive renovation this October.

Tristan Pengelley (1993) In the last 12 months I have left the Royal Marines after 16 years and set myself up as a limited company specialising as a digital transformation consultant. I live near Taunton and am married to Jo who has recently taken a sabbatical from being an employment solicitor while she finds something else to pursue. I have two children, Ru (9) & Flora (6).

If any Radleian has an interest in joining the military or law then Jo & I would be more than willing to chat or meet up to talk through options.

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Reza Mohd Zin (1993) After a long absence, I visited the UK in August, returning to Radley to relive the experiences of my youth and share some of my best memories of the UK with my wife and two daughters (pictured right).

Alex Goldstein (1994) Baby Sophia arrived in March and joins her two older brothers. My property consultancy business (www.alexgoldstein. co.uk) continues to go from strength to strength, operating across London and Yorkshire. Always happy to catch up with any ORs for a coffee or beer...

Guy Milne (1994) Recently started at Hanover Green as a partner.

George Craig (1995) Moved to Norfolk in 2014 and now have 3 children so life is quite busy.

Charles O’Connor (1995) Elected as Councillor in Kensington and Chelsea in 2018. Vice-chairman of Planning Commitee.

Charlie Robbins (1995) I have recently been nominated as a CAA Post Holder, Ground Operations for our Worldwide AOC. Alice and I got married in June 2016, we have 20-month old twin boys and we are expecting number 3 in Jan 2020.

Robbie Donaldson (1996) We moved to Calgary, Canada, in 2017, keen to spend time in different parts of the world while our children (Finley, 5 and Clara, 3) are young. I’ve worked in renewables since leaving the Army in 2012, and opened an office here for the company I worked for in the UK. Since arriving we’ve developed a couple of solar projects in Alberta, and now looking to invest in bioenergy projects in various parts of North America. I’d be delighted to connect with any OR either based here or coming through this part of the world.

Johnny Earl (1996) Living happily in Vancouver, for 7 years now, with Ellie and two young children, Grace and Matthew.

Guy Demetriadi (1996) Living in Switzerland with my wife Cait and daughter Sophia who is 3. Working at Tricon Energy as a Commodities Trader.

Nick Favill (1996) About to embark on 4th year as a housemaster at Oakham School. Very ably supported by my wife Charlotte and children Douglas (5) and Daisy (1).

Hope there is a 20 year reunion!

Harry Parker (1996) Harry is currently working on a “personal and eye-opening look at how science and tech are hacking our bodies”, to be published by Profile Books under its Wellcome Collection imprint in 2020.

In the new book, Harry “takes us on a journey through an exhilarating landscape of very human hacking from 3D printing to cutting-edge regenerative medicine, the latest in prosthetic technology, to bionic eye implants, brain sensors and vocal software,” Profile said. “He guides us to where this ingenious new field meets everyday life and introduces the true pioneers who are located far from the lab or Google office.”

“This story of human ingenuity is a long and intensely personal one: from the first pair of spectacles to the wooden prosthetics of Ancient Egypt. The limits of our bodies to integrate the machine have always been with us too, as Parker knows only too well, in the messy space where human being meets hard steel.”

News & Notes Daniel-Konrad Cooper (1996) Daniel-Konrad Cooper works as an Independent Film Producer through his company Rather Good Films Ltd and this year released his enigmatically-titled hitman-comedy, Dead In A Week (or your money back). The film stars Tom Wilkinson & Christopher Eccleston and was released internationally from Hollywood to Taiwan. In the UK the film was in Odeon cinemas and will soon come to Netflix to join his other titles, Burn Burn Burn and Another Mother’s Son. He has also completed filming on a new musically-rooted comedy The Man In The Hat, which sees Ciarán Hinds on a caper across France in a small car with supporting cast including Stephen Dillane and Maïwenn.

He also worked as Production Supervisor on Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk and has given talks to aspiring filmmakers, including one at Merton College earlier this year to the Oxford University Film Foundation.

“It was Radley that got me into filmmaking - Simon Barlass showed us La Haine during our 6th form French classes, Max Horsey taught me the practical side and the mighty Gary Wiseman’s triple-maths A-level gave me the skills to budget and schedule that I still use today - thanks Radley!”

Charlie Beare (1997) Major in the Welsh Guards. Happy to help any prospective Army Officers.

Edward Quicke (1997) Took command of the B SQN The Light Dragoons last year during which we exercised in Norway.

Nick Heath (1997) Finished my posting as Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy in The Netherlands. Now following my wife, Tamsin, as she takes up the same position at the Consulate General in Hong Kong.

Looking forward to meet ORs out here, Emily (4) is looking forward to the arrival of her baby brother in October 2019.

Jamie Ritchie (1998) With fellow OR, Nick Sydney-Smith (1998), we have set up an online store named www.stiffies.co.uk.

We sell magnetic collar stiffeners for those that no longer wear ties to work. We have been featured in Tatler, Esquire, GQ and the Evening Standard.

Michael Quicke (1998) Nearing the end of my GP training when I will then take up the post of regimental medical officer. Balancing a busy life with three children and my wife also in training to become a GP.

Edo Mapelli Mozzi (1997) Edo became engaged to Princess Beatrice, daughter of Prince Andrew.

Jethro Marriage (1997) Recently had our third child - Max.

Nicholas Ashford (1998) Alongside Freddie Bellhouse (1998) we continue to acquire and develop UK businesses. Tiggy (Antigone) joined the Ashford family in March.

Richard Sykes (1999) I have just started working as a private GP at the Basil Street Practice in Knightsbridge as well as doing NHS work, and escaping back home to south-west London where possible!

Hugo Watts (1999) Keen on golf, shooting. Got married in August 2018.

Henry Roberts (1999) Recently published fifth book of fiction.

Hannah Fraser-Mackenzie (1999) On 3rd July Rory and I were blessed with a second son, Jude, a brother for Adam.

I’m currently enjoying the best of both worlds: stay at home mum and soprano soloist!

Hugh Brunt (1999) Hugh conducted a late night Prom in September, curated by Jonny Greenwood (Radiohead), which featured Jonny’s new work for solo violin and strings (pictured above).

Bertie Russell (1999) Alan Russell, the founder of Russell Simpson, works there alongside all six of his children, four of whom went to Radley - Bertie (1999), Jacob (2000), Leo (2003) and March (2008).

Russell Simpson is a London based property company with an office in Sloane Square that has been established for 40 years. Most recently they have opened a new office which covers Kensington and Notting Hill.

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News & Notes

2000s

Alexander Budge (2000) Living in North Yorkshire with two boys, Bertie and Henry.

Toby Mitchell-Innes (2000) Finished training in East Surrey Hospital and Oral Surgery and Maxillo facial surgery at St George’s Hospital Tooting - 1 year at each.

Toby Flaux (2000) Our son Henry Michael Hansard Flaux was born 9th June 2019. Brother Laurence (2004) married Kate Bradshaw on 20th July 2019.

Edward Holloway (2000) Married Annabel in 2015. Welcomed a daughter, Charlotte, into the world in January 2019. Promoted to Associate at Knight Frank in July 2019.

Angus Bauer (2001) Recently got promoted to Partner at Redburn. My wife and I are expecting our first child, a baby girl in Jan 2020.

Charles Twallin (2001) We welcomed Fredrika Caroline Backstrom-Twallin to the world on 13th May 2019.

Adam Wolley (2001) Staying within the growing road cycle travel sector, I joined Sportive Breaks based in Twickenham, an ambitious young company aiming for a large market share.

In other news, I got engaged to the lovely Ruby.

Sam Petty (2002) Loving my business, combining my passion of art and fashion! I work with artists using their artwork on silk scarves and cushions etc! New collaberations with the National Motor Museum and William Morris Gallery. New press including Telegraph, Mail, Country Life and new shops stocking, including Glyndebourne!

Life is good! Thanks Radley!! www.davidwatson.uk Jamie Laing (2002) Injury caused Jamie to have to withdraw from appearing in this year’s series of Strictly Come Dancing on the BBC, but that did not stop a new waxwork of Jamie being added at Madame Tussauds in London.

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Mike Shephard (2002) On 29th June this year I competed in the Alaskaman Extreme Triathlon finishing 7th (pictured above). The event comprised of a (cold) two mile swim in Resurrection Bay, a 112 mile bike from Seward to Girdwood, and then a marathon including 2 ascents of Mt Alyeska. My wife Jennifer had previously lived and worked there and completed the final 10 miles of the run with me. I’ve been competing for a few years but this was a really amazing event!After the event my wife and I drove the ‘top of the world highway’ and joined the ‘Sourtoe Cocktail Club’, which is a kind of neat bit of trivia.

This year I also completed Ride London and at the same time completed the London Classics.

Arthur Laidlaw (2003) This year I took part in group shows in two different cities. The first, Prologue, was an exhibition curated by Nick Scammell at the recently launched Offshoot Gallery in North London. This was the space’s inaugural show, and I’m proud to be involved in its beginning.

The second exhibition, What’s Left, took place in Berlin, at my studio, the Werkstatttram e.V, where all of the artists made way for a weekend of exhibiting and performances. The courtyard space outside hosted a flea market, with stalls curated by the likes of Slow Exposure, and music by Vivian Le Vavasseur and others.

Finally, I am happy to announce the hanging of three commissioned portraits in the library of St Catherine’s College, Oxford, alongside drawings by Tara Benjamin-Morgan. The project, which aims to rebalance the extremely gendered representation of members of staff at the university, begins to address a deeply rooted institutional failing, and I’m looking forward to seeing more portraits commissioned.

David Lyons (2003) Moved to Sydney on secondment with PwC for a change of scene and a challange.

Currently living in Manly by the beach, commuting to the office by ferry. Coming back to London may be a struggle!

Ed Chichester (2004) Working as a surveyor in Yangon, Burma.

Hugo Campbell (2005) Rory Robinson (2005) and I have finally taken the plunge into the world of entrepreneurship to start our business.

It’s going to be called ‘Hugo & Rozza’s Tours’ and it focuses on making travel arrangements for Stag and Hen parties looking to go to Europe for their big trip!

We’re really excited to say that we’ve set up links in Prague, Amsterdam and Moreni already and we can’t wait to launch the business in March 2020. If you’d like any more information please get in touch.

News & Notes Oliver Williams (2005) Oliver Williams has completed his first independent feature film as writer/ director/producer, called Adira’s Dream and has been nominated for best story, sound design and best actress (Angelique Jones) at Madrid Film Festival.

Toby Thorp (2006) Toby along with his brother, Caspar, and two friends George Blandford and Justin Evelegh rowed across the Atlantic, coming second in the Talisker Atlantic Challenge (pictured right). A truly phenomenal achievement and seriously demanding task that required huge sacrifice.

In recognition of their feat and for smashing their fundraising target for the Starlight Children’s Foundation they were awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award at the Blenheim by Starlight ball.

The money raised will go towards granting more wishes for seriously ill children. costs Mary’s Meals as little as £13.90 to feed a child in school for a year in countries like South Sudan and Malawi.

With the money I raised it will be enough to feed over 100 children for a year.

The climb was absolutely gorgeous. We were blessed with glorious sunshine on a windless warm day. I would like to thank all my friends and family in the Radley community for their support.

I also raced for Christ Church College at May Bumps, making a rare appearance in the stroke seat, a long way from my residence in the 3 seat, which I never left in the seven years that I rowed at Radley and Durham.

James Tufnell (2007) In August 2019, I took a break from my job as a Management Consultant at Accenture, part-time job as a soldier in the Honourable Artillery Company (formerly Intelligence Corps) in the Army Reserve and studies as a part time student at Oxford University, to successfully climb Mont Blanc raising £1,670 for Mary’s Meals (pictured above).

I was introduced to the charity by my mother, Head of Charities at Radley, and it is a global movement that sets up school feeding programmes in communities where poverty and hunger prevent children from gaining an education. It

James Bosson (2008) Graduated from KCL with a First Class Hons in War Studies and History achieving a scholarship into the Royal Marines Officer training in July 2016.

Completed training from September 2016 - December 2017. Completed first year at 40 Commando deploying to Albania, Oman and Qatar for joint international exercises. From Jan 2019, moved to 42 Commando, specialising as a boarding operator. Deploying with a 9 man team on HMS Montrose to the Arabian Gulf in September 2019.

Edward Reynolds (2008) C Social 2008 still regularly see one another in London.

Angus Haig (2008) Graduated from Bristol with a 2:1 in Spanish and Portuguese. Worked in London for TARKA, a youth development project, and team Rubicon, a disaster relief charity. Deployed to Mozambique as a Strike Team Leader for Team Rubicon in support of relief efforts following Cyclone Idai. I was in country for a month during March/April 2019. I recently joined the Royal Marines as a Young Officer and am in training at the Commando Training Centre, Lympstone, until December 2020.

Bertie Beor-Roberts (2009) I completed my law conversion course at City university this summer, graduating with distinction. I am working for the meanwhile at 1GC Family Law, applying for pupillage in the spring. I continue to run my photography and video business, often having the pleasure of working for various ORs at their weddings!

Will Stuart (2009) Started with Bath Rugby Club signing a 2-year contract from 1st July 2019 after five years with Wasps. I was awarded Wasps 2019 “Young Player of the Season” after 20 Premiership appearances in 2018/19 season, which was unfortunately curtailed by an ankle injury requiring surgery.

I am now back in full contact training and looking forward to having a chance to play for Bath. the old radleian 2019

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News & Notes

2010s Charlie Bevan (2010) I have just recently returned from a stint teaching in public schools in Northern Vietnam.

Hugo Besley (2010) About to start a tech company - watch this space!

Harry Ryan (2010) Graduated from Edinburgh University (Master of Arts, Economics 2:1) and was accepted onto the Cisco ASR graduate programme, one of eight accepted this year. I started in July 2019 and have been also invited to train/play with London Scottish Rugby.

Hugh Bowen (2010) I am going into my final year studying maths at St Andrews. I am planning on doing a Masters in finance or behavioural sciences afterwards.

Alexander Grant (2010) I recently graduated from the University of St Andrews with an MA in Medieval History with Middle East Studies. I will shortly be beginning a 2 year MSc in International Relations of the Middle East with Arabic at the University of Edinburgh.

Charlie Elwes (2010) Charlie’s remarkable year in rowing has continued (pictured right) and after the Yale Harvard race in June he joined the GB U23 squad and started to stroke the men’s Coxless Four. This boat then went on to win the Visitors Cup at Henley, before going to the U23 World Rowing championships in Sarasota, Florida, where it won gold in the Men’s Coxless Four. It was part of a best ever performance by the GB U23 team, which won six golds and four silvers topping the medal table. It is the first time that GB has won the men’s Coxless Four and Eight since FISA took over the U23 competition in 2005.

Charlie was one of 11 Yale Bulldogs competing in Sarasota, and was very happy to finally get a gold medal after two silver medals at Junior World level and two silver medals at the U23 level.

He then joined the GB Senior rowing team, along with fellow ORs, Ollie Wynne-Griffith and Tom George, at Caversham.

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Hugh Scrope (2010) Hugh is currently an officer cadet at Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst (pictured above, far right).

William Dodd (2010) Still looking for my ideal future!

Charles Stevens (2010) We are thrilled to say that the New Silk Road project was a great success and following on I will be travelling to the US this January to continue interviewing academics on the trade and foreign policy aspects of BRI. Charlie Saunders (2010) Charlie played in the 2018 Varsity match as a replacement at scrum half for Cambridge.

Hector Chamberlain (2011) I have been studying at Trinity College Dublin and am loving it. Myself and a friend tried to break a World Record in Ireland. We have trained and are ready to ride unicycles from the southernmost point of Ireland to the northernmost in aid of the Irish Injured Jockeys Fund!

George Bolitho (2011) Entering my third and final year at Bristol.

Enjoyed my first game for the Radley Rangers v The Guards this summer, we won!

Hamish Wishart (2012) Moving to Argentina for year abroad to start an internship.

Toby Ryan (2012) Just completed an ‘Early in University’ placement at Cisco, North Carolina.

Accepted into the Questrom School of Business at Boston Uni, no mean feat!

Organising a philanthropy event in Boston to raise $30,000 for homeless people this Autumn. Finalist in the 2019 Tennis on Campus Spring Invitational.

James Cunningham (2012) Organising contact for the Serpents – OR Rugby. See the Radleian Society pages on the Radley website for details.

Matthew Raikes (2013) I recently climbed Kilimanjaro with my dad, Anthony Raikes (1977), making it to the top (Uhuru Peak) at 06:55 on 15th August 2019. We have also raised £1,773.54 so far which will go to Cancer Research UK.

News & Notes

Unicycling Ireland: Hector Chamberlain (2011) Hector Chamberlain (2011) and friend Will Forsyth-Forrest broke a World Record for the fastest time to ride a unicycle from the southernmost point of Ireland (Mizen Head) to the northernmost (Malin Head).

Accompanied by friends in support vehicles and wearing racing silks, they rode their unicycles 400 miles in 10 days and 2 hours, beating the previous record by 2 days and 6 hours.

Raising €18,000, they generated great enthusiasm and publicity for the cause along the way, with thanks to high profile figures of the racing world, including Kim Bailey (1967).

Both current students at Trinity College Dublin, they were accustomed to some brilliant humor over there and enjoyed meeting characters up and down the country, both inside the racing world and out of it!

Despite tourists’ views of the Donegal coastline being ruined by two sweaty unicyclists, by then resembling Quasimodo boxing southpaw, Hector

At the start line, Mizen Head, Co. Cork.

Hector and Will with Kim Bailey’s stable jockey, David Bass and Will enjoyed a fantastic reception at the finishing line, topped off by a steak and Guinness. A huge thanks to all who supported them.

Should you like to sponsor, they and the jockeys would be extremely grateful.

Find their page at everydayhero.ie, by typing in ‘racing unicycles’

Jockeys at Limerick racecourse with Will in McManus colours (second from left) and Hector in Gigginstown colours (second from right). the old radleian 2019

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News & Notes

Run to Pegasus: Benedict Pollard (1986) Those of you who know me well, know running plays a big part in my life and I regularly race and take part in local races and usually one marathon per year. Every 10 years or so, however, I decide to do something very special that is running related, and to humbly ask you for some support to help those in very urgent need of immediate assistance.

In 2009, responding to an advert in The Times calling out for runners, I took part in Project 65 - a 65-mile run to Pegasus Bridge in Normandy in honour of the 65th anniversary of the daring mission to secure two vital bridges, just past midnight ahead of the D-Day landings on 6th June 1944.

So I was especially delighted to recently discover that Project 65 had since morphed into The Veterans Charity, a 'Rapid Reaction Force' of support for Veterans in need. I was also 'delighted' that they were organising a similar epic called 'Run to Pegasus' – 75 miles on the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Whilst delighted, I was also very apprehensive indeed, on account of a triple whammy of injuries suffered in my left knee in February/early March: a suspected small ligament tear, expansive bursitis and/or runner's knee and to compound it all, finally, a severe infection following on from a deep cut suffered slipping on a challenging cross-country running course (that I didn't clean up properly before it was stitched, whilst rushing to catch a flight to India!).

So, fast forward to 3rd/4th June, as I sat at home pondering the wisdom of even attempting 75 miles, when I had been able to run only 21 miles in total in the previous 14 weeks. I found myself very close to abandoning the whole plan, in that difficult emotional void somewhere between the runner's perceived 'shame' of the dreaded DNF (not finishing) and the very real and understandable fear of causing further damage to the knee. What resulted was an awful twilight zone of complete indecision and continued prevarication. And the cutoff time for me to leave and get to the startline on time was rapidly approaching ... it just seemed to make perfect sense to pass on Pegasus, protect the knee, and carry on with life as normal. And yet, something much more powerful was calling me, bringing to my attention a deeper, tangible, urgent need to summon up one's courage to stand up for myself and for others. I do feel that the noble and courageous qualities of character of so many of those who served in WW2 and beyond (on both sides, it should be said) ought to be honoured, in whatever small way one can.

So I decided that I could always drop out during the run if it came to that, and that the most important thing was to be present in Normandy, on Pegasus Bridge, and pay respects to the fallen, and their families. And to the veterans. So, off I drove down the A34 in the pouring rain, heading towards Tarrant Rushton in Dorset. That evening, on 4th June, a few minutes before 1800hrs, our assembled group of around 100 runners were ready to set off from the former Tarrant Rushton Airfield in Dorset. We were treated to a short rousing speech from General Sir Bob Pascoe, President of The Veterans Charity.

Then came a very moving moment - I literally had a lump in my throat - when we were officially started off by Reg Charles, 96, who gave a short speech. He is the last surviving WW2 veteran of the Ox and Bucks 2nd Light Infantry. A photo of Reg was on the front covers of several newspapers the next morning, including the Telegraph and the Mirror. I represented Private Leonard, who flew on Glider Number 2.

Benedict with Reg Charles, veteran of the OBLI at the start event.

All that was left to do now was the run and all went reasonably well to begin with, until close to midnight. Near the halfway point of the UK section (mile 31 of 62) my other knee seized up, with severe shooting pains, and I got a vehicle uplift to the half-way aid station 2 miles away. I really thought I'd give up at that stage, felt really disappointed with myself but could see no other realistic choice. It was extremely challenging, given the lack of possibility of proper preparation. And yet, at that half-way point, we had an enforced minimum of one hour's rest, some good nosh, and I managed to put on two new heavyduty knee supports. I opted to continue, come what may.

Despite the many opportunities to drop out (we had an amazing support crew, and there were several minibuses nearby should we wish to get an 'uplift'), I resolved to finish. It was utterly excruciating in parts, and the hardest run I've ever done, but I finally arrived

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News & Notes in Portsmouth at 10:05am on the Wednesday after completing the c. 60 mile UK run, and burst into tears of joy, pain, gratitude and surprise, both for myself and for the cause.

It was not a race, but I think I came in around 6th or 7th, overtaking nine people in the final 10 miles. I was not in good shape and laid out exhausted and somewhat delirious for a few hours in our post-race HQ. Fortunately the medical team got me sorted, and after a hot shower, a hot meal and a hot drink, I started to feel vaguely human again. Later we boarded a night ferry to Normandy.

Next day, Thursday 6th June, around 11:15am, we made our way along the Caen Canal towpath to Pegasus Bridge, arriving at the iconic spot 75 years since those men of the 2nd Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, and were treated to crossing the bridge to full applause from the large gathered crowds. Later that afternoon, we made our way by minibus to the site of another bridge 10 miles away, where The Veterans Charity unveiled a plaque dedicated to the men of 22 Platoon who landed in glider No. 4, and who lost several men making their way back west to meet up with their Company. I then hobbled, in extreme pain, the final approx 10-ish miles for a poignant ceremony at the original Pegasus Bridge, at the Pegasus Museum, somehow thereby completing the whole event (c. 72.2 miles), barring about 0.8 miles (I also did an extra 1.2 miles when walking back to a missed water station).

Benedict before the run.

Whilst many others then enjoyed a few beers and a laugh in the Cafe GondrĂŠe nearby (the first building liberated in France), I collapsed into my tent, and at last got a full night's sleep through the heavy rainstorms, after only two hours sleep since Monday!

A big thank you to everyone involved, the people I ran with, the support crews, the families and members of the public who cheered us on, messages from my running club, and to new friendships made. Despite the pain, it was also tremendous fun.

My participation in this run was simply my gesture of appreciation for all living veterans, for those who don't make it back, for those who are struggling, and for all their families.

The kind and generous sponsorship of friends and family saw me raise ÂŁ1,265.00 for the Veterans Charity.

This is for the Veterans, for the Fallen and for all their Families.

The final stages in France.

On a personal note, I am a civilian, but my grandfather landed in Normandy on D-Day + 4 and I really wanted to honour him too, and to try to understand something of what he may have gone through. Seeing the thousands of graves at Ranville of young soldiers who died in the days, weeks and months after D-Day, when he would have also been in the general area, showed me just how lucky he was to survive. And how very fortunate my family and I were, to have been able to get to know him. I carried a photo of him with me throughout 'Run to Pegasus'.

Benedict Pollard (1986)

Benedict after the run. the old radleian 2019

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New Releases from ORs New Releases from ORs

Even Higher Than Everest

Build The Chain

The Final Innings: The Cricketers of Summer 1939

More than Munich: The Forgotten Legacy of Neville Chamberlain

George Almond (1957)

Ollie Campbell (1998) Lotus Publishing

Christopher Sandford (1970) The History Press

Andrew Reekes (Hon Member) History West Midlands

The book is a goal setting book, one that breaks down large goals into daily actions, like building a chain, one day or link at a time when done consistently will lead to the desired outcome. I had set a goal of writing a book many years ago but had failed many times over in trying to sit down and write it. I came to the conclusion that in order to write it I wasn’t going to a) be able to write it in one go (due to Dad, business and husband commitments) and be able to sit down and write it.

So each morning I went out for a 30 min walk and wrote on a subject that interested me or that I thought had value to the average person that could move them from average, to a better version of themselves. I listened to some of the most successful humans from the entrepreneurial world and from the fitness industry and took their complex systems and processes and made them accessible.

The declaration of war against Germany on 3 September 1939 brought an end to the second (and as yet, final) Golden Age of English cricket. Over 200 first-class English players signed up to fight in that first year; 52 never came back. In many ways, the summer of 1939 was the end of innocence.

More than Munich: The forgotten legacy of Neville Chamberlain reveals that he was the most successful social reformer of interwar Britain. For 36 years, first as Lord Mayor of Birmingham and then as an energetic and determined Minister of Health, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Prime Minister, Chamberlain delivered legislation which cleared some of the poorest slums; built thousands of council houses; extended unemployment benefits; improved pensions; made paid holidays mandatory; and limited working hours.

Mereo Books Aiming to inform and entertain a broad readership this dramatised story of the first flight over the world’s highest peak follows the tale of Garland, a young American journalist, as she acts as PA to a notorious heiress Lucy Houston.

On the steam yacht Liberty, Garland’s romances intrigue her employer who agrees to sponsor a team of prestigious aviators and five aircraft. They will fly to India and stay with a Maharaja during their three visits to the world’s highest mountains.

Chock-full of colorful aristocrats, pilots, engineers and supernumeraries from the British and Indian elite, the expedition is set up in Mayfair. After tests in the West Country the crews fly to Purnea. Despite many bizarre setbacks, the pilots take their opencockpit biplanes into dangerous freezing gales over the Himalayas.

Everest is conquered by air and an Oscar is awarded to the film for its sheer audacity.

Lucy Houston DBE was the extraordinary woman, a talented dancer and charmer of men, who had the vision and the means to dispatch her own expedition to fly even higher than Everest.

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It’s my belief that ANY goal can be broken down into a system of daily actions needed to place yourself in the best possible position from which to achieve them. The difference between those that succeed and those that don’t is the length of their unbroken chain.

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Using unpublished letters, diaries and memoirs, Christopher Sandford recreates that last summer, looking at men like George Macaulay, who took a wicket with his first ball in Test cricket but was struck down while serving with the RAF in 1940; Maurice Turnbull, the England all-rounder who fell during the Normandy landings; and Hedley Verity, who still holds cricketing records, but who died in the invasion of Sicily.

Few English cricket teams began their first post-war season without holding memorial ceremonies for the men they had lost: The Final Innings pays homage not only to these men, but to the lost innocence, heroism and human endurance of the age.

Contrary to the image often portrayed in books and films, Chamberlain did not leave Britain naked and defenseless. From the mid-1930s he recognized the Nazi threat, forcefully argued for re-armament and particularly urged the strengthening of the Royal Air Force. Now historian and author Andrew Reekes challenges us to look beyond the stereotype of Neville Chamberlain “the appeaser” to the real man and his achievements.

New Releases from ORs

The Birmingham Political Machine: Winning elections for Joseph Chamberlain Andrew Reekes (Hon Member) History West Midlands In Birmingham, Joseph Chamberlain and his allies were faced with an electorate which had tripled in size overnight with the passing of the Second Reform Act in 1867, many of whom had never previously voted or participated in politics. In response, Joseph Chamberlain and his close-knit Birmingham team developed national campaigns on issues such as universal education, democracy and tariff reform which required new methods for propagating and winning arguments that resonated across all classes and interests.

At the same time they colonised Birmingham’s town council, school board and other municipal bodies where they gained the practical political experience which they could transfer to the national stage.

For the first time The Birmingham Political Machine lays bare how Joseph Chamberlain with his colleagues and friends was so successful that never before or since has one politician monopolised regional power as Joseph Chamberlain did for more than thirty years in the West Midlands.

He made it his invincible fortress.

Islands : Islas

as contributor Anthony B. Rylands (1964) CEMEX Nature Series Islands celebrates our planet’s more than 460,000 islands which have long inspired human imagination.

They evoke images of far-flung landscapes and vast isolation. On a geologic time-scale, islands are dynamic and ever-changing.

They can be mere specks of land and rock stacks that are home to only a few plants and animals, or large complex landscapes with diverse habitats and climates, such as Madagascar or New Guinea.

Islands can be found at all latitudes, from polar to tropical, and are the engines for the evolution of much of our planet’s flora and fauna.

To Grasp an Opportunity

Chasing Balloons

William Kennedy (1955) ShieldCrest

Mark Floyer (Hon Member) Charlcombe Books

The Highland Clearances have become one of the best known events of Scottish history but the movement of people from the south was equally disruptive, if not quite so dramatic in its execution.

This book chronicles the lives of members of four families from Galloway in South West Scotland, who left to better themselves.

What happens when a man is struck down by a terminal case of Cricket Fever? How does he square this condition with the demands of normal life? The answer might be to become a schoolmaster: gentle mornings of chalk and talk, followed by endless afternoons on the cricket pitch ...

A brief introduction to the history of the Glenkens area of Galloway and an outline of the development of Manchester and the Lancashire cotton trade leads the reader through their early years in business towards their eventual domination of the fine cotton spinning industry centred in that city.

Chasing Balloons recounts Mark Floyer’s journey from boy to geriatric, through the classrooms and cricket grounds of Middle England, in pursuit of the perfect cover drive.

It will appeal to those interested in the history of Galloway and the City of Manchester, as all the families, broadened by marriage and wealth, played a leading part in both places. Their lives spanned the 1745 rebellion, John Paul Jones’ raid on Scotland at Kirkcudbright, The Peninsular War culminating in the Battles of Trafalgar and Waterloo, the American trade embargoes and Civil War.

From now on British politics would never be the same and the techniques developed here can still be seen today. the old radleian 2019

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New Releases from ORs

Max by Sonny: A Cartoonist and the lives he draws

Romanifesto

A Gallant County - The Regiments of Gloucestershire in The Great War

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse

Simon Moffett (1964) Cambria Publishing

Asa Bennett (2003) Biteback Publishing

Robin Grist (1954) Pen & Sword

Charlie Mackesy (1976) Ebury Press

A novel about how the imaginary characters drawn by a cartoonist take on a life of their own, shaping and influencing the lives and relationships of all around them.

Sonny draws a graphic novel, much darker than he expects. Why is Max, his cartoon bread and butter, so keen for Sonny to finish it?

It brings new characters into Sonny’s life:

Despite the last days of Rome being around 1,500 years ago, the shadow of its empire – and what those who lived in it had to say – still looms large over modern politics. The Roman political scene was fuelled by ambition, ego and self-interest.

People sought to get ahead by striking backroom deals or shaky alliances that would soon fall apart.

Politicians were happy to stab each other in the back – and the front for that matter – if necessary. Politics may be less bloody these days, but in many ways things are still the same. In our rush to keep on top of events, it is worth looking back to the Romans to understand what is going on.

This book describes the campaigns fought by the Gloucestershire Regiment’s sixteen infantry battalions and the 1/1st RGH which saw action on all the Allied fronts. During The Great War the Gloucesters who already had more battle honours than any other regiment won another eighty-two. Over 46,000 men served in the Gloucesters and the RGH during the First World War without any member of either regiment being charged with either desertion or cowardice. Twenty-five Military Medals were won by 1st Gloucesters at Festubert on one day in April 1918, a record for a single battalion.

Enter the world of Charlie’s four unlikely friends, discover their story and their most poignant life lessons.

Tony, newly widowed, facing retirement and with his plans in ruins; Lisa, young, capable and attractive, facing hard truths about her career choices; Elin, an art teacher struggling with negative equity and trying to do the best for her teenage daughter, Megan; And Cheryl, a young PC, haunted by a murder that hangs over all of them.

But what connects them?

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This book delves into these similarities to examine what today’s politicos can learn from their Roman predecessors. How did they climb the greasy pole? How did they handle the rough and tumble? What can Boudicca teach us about Brexit?

What could Emperor Hadrian teach President Trump about walls?

No longer should the answers to questions like these be the monopoly of those who happened to study Classics at university, such as Boris Johnson. It’s time this ancient wisdom was democratised.

So read on to find out how to do politics as the Romans did.

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A Gallant County captures the contrast between the fighting in the mud of the Western Front, the heat and dust of the Middle East and the horrors of Gallipoli. The author skilfully paints the picture of infantry and cavalry actions in the different theatres. 1/1st RGH were one of only two yeomanry regiments to fight from Egypt to Aleppo. The use of personal accounts and descriptions of acts of individual and collective gallantry make this a superb record of a County’s outstanding contribution to victory.

Charlie’s first book includes his most-loved illustrations and new ones too.

New Releases from ORs

Keeper of Style: John Murray, the King of Lord’s

Slow Selling

Britain Beyond Brexit: A New Conservative Vision

The WEIRD CEO: How to lead in a world dominated by Artificial Intelligence

Christopher Sandford (1970) Pitch Publishing

Guy Arnold (1977) New Generation Publishing

George Freeman (1980) The Centre for Policy Studies

Charles Towers-Clark (1983) WEIRD Group Publishing

The life and times of Middlesex and England wicketkeeper-batsman John ‘JT’ Murray, one of the acknowledged greats of English post-war cricket. Irresistibly cool, glamorous and apparently unapproachable, Murray was Christopher Sandford’s consuming hero at the time the author was confined in an English seaside boarding school in the 60s. Twenty or more years later, the two became friends. In 2017 Murray eventually succumbed to a decade-long campaign and agreed to share in full his lifetime’s reminiscences, recounting his experiences of a quarter of a century as a professional English sportsman.

In today’s revolutionary market the classic sales model is both out of date and dangerous.

British politics has been turned inside out by Brexit. But the issues facing Britain go far beyond our relationship with the European Union. After nine years in office, the Conservatives face an unprecedented challenge of renewing themselves in the face of rising populism and deep mistrust in politics.

What will be the effects of increased automation and Artificial Intelligence?

Murray proved unfailingly generous and humorous (if by no means uncritical) in his accounts of the great Tests, the tours and the parade of celebrities, sporting and otherwise, he encountered. This treasure trove of stories - described not just in the dry accountancy of scores and averages, but in droll anecdotal detail - lies at the heart of a unique cricket book illustrated by photographs, letters and notes from Murray’s own collection.

Often it seems like you don’t just have to run to keep up, you have to continually sprint, market and discount.

That’s exhausting, but - there is another way.

The best and most successful Organisations don’t follow this chaotic strategy: they slow down and design world class solutions that optimize sales for the long term.

This is the approach we call ‘Slow Selling’. www.slow-selling.org

In this landmark collection of essays, a new generation of Tory MPs from all sides of the party – Leave and Remain, North and South, left and right, urban and rural – set out a bold vision for the future.

How can companies engage employees in the face of mass job destruction?

Charles Towers-Clark, CEO of Pod Group, took a profitable, fast growing, hierarchical company... and tore it apart. His aim? To re-build it as a company positioned to face the challenges of the next industrial revolution.

The WEIRD CEO speculates on the technological and societal changes that will take place over the next fifteen years, and explains why companies need to introduce radical changes to the working environment. The author outlines his own approach – the WEIRD methodology, in which CEOs encourage and facilitate the uniquely human attributes of: Wisdom Emotional Intelligence Initiative Responsibility Development.

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New Releases from ORs

Sherlock Holmes and the Christmas Demon

The Sky Atlas: The Greatest Maps, Myths and Discoveries of the Universe

The Story Tree

Pine Martens

James Lovegrove (1979) Titan Books (UK)

Edward Brooke-Hitching (1996) Simon & Schuster

Hugh Lupton (1966) Barefoot Books

Johnny Birks (1969) Whittet Books

It is 1890, and in the days before Christmas, Sherlock Holmes and Dr John Watson are visited at Baker Street by a new client. Eve Allerthorpe - eldest daughter of a grand but somewhat eccentric Yorkshire-based dynasty - is greatly distressed, as she believes she is being haunted by a demonic Christmas spirit.

After the enormous international success of The Phantom Atlas and The Golden Atlas, Edward BrookeHitching’s stunning new book unveils some of the most beautiful maps and charts ever created during mankind’s quest to map the skies above us.

Delight in reading these quirky tales aloud to the under-five crowd.

Each of the seven stories imparts an important lesson while using humor and lovable characters to keep listeners engaged.

After a close brush with extinction, the pine marten is making the headlines as it recovers its numbers in Britain and Ireland. It is time for renowned pine marten expert and enthusiast Johnny Birks to reacquaint us with this enchanting mammal. Time, too, to appreciate the pine marten’s impish charms and find ways to cope with its mischief in intelligent ways that sustain its populations, instead of following our ancestors’ destructive path.

Her late mother told her terrifying tales of the sinister Black Thurrick, and Eve is sure that she has seen the creature from her bedroom window.

What is more, she has begun to receive mysterious parcels of birch twigs, the Black Thurrick’s calling card...

Eve stands to inherit a fortune if she is sound in mind, but it seems that something - or someone - is threatening her sanity. Holmes and Watson travel to the Allerthorpe family seat at Fellscar Keep to investigate, but soon discover that there is more to the case than at first appeared. There is another spirit haunting the family, and when a member of the household is found dead, the companions realise that no one is beyond suspicion.

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This richly illustrated treasury showcases the finest examples of celestial cartography - a glorious genre of map-making often overlooked by modern map books - as well as medieval manuscripts, masterpiece paintings, ancient star catalogues, antique instruments and other appealing curiosities.

As the intricacies of our universe are today being revealed with unprecedented clarity, there has never been a better time for a highly readable book as beautiful as the night sky to contextualise the scale of these achievements for the general reader.

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In his entertainingly light-hearted style Johnny describes in detail what is now known about pine marten ecology and behaviour in Britain and Ireland, and offers some continental insights from further east in the pine marten’s range. He explores the different forces driving the pine marten’s decline and recent recovery; and considers the conflicts that now test the tolerance of those who live with pine martens once more. This reveals a gulf between those willing to seek sustainable and legal solutions to the inevitable challenges, and those who persist in tackling threats to poultry and game in old-fashioned ways. Nevertheless, there are heart-warming tales of people’s recent encounters with pine martens as they re-populate their former haunts.

New Releases from ORs

CDs

Polecats

Churchill’s Colonel: The war diaries of Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Barne

Johnny Birks (1969) Whittet Books

Charles Barne (1991) Pen & Sword Military

The polecat’s recovery in Britain is one of the least celebrated wildlife success stories of recent times, probably because it has done it discreetly and all by itself with no active human involvement. Whilst our spirits have been lifted by the carefully managed reintroductions of red kites and sea eagles, the unfamiliar, nocturnal polecat has slipped back under the radar.

Polecats aims to help us reconnect with the polecat as it repopulates the modern landscapes of Britain.

Anthony Barne started his diary in August 1939 as a young, recentlymarried captain in the Royal Dragoons stationed in Palestine.

He wrote an entry for every day of the war, often with great difficulty, sometimes when dog-tired or under fire, and sometimes when things looked black and desperate, but more often in sunshine and optimism, surrounded by ‘good fellows who kept one cheerful and helped one through the sad and difficult times’.

After explaining how we so nearly lost the polecat, Dr. Birks tells the story of its recovery and describes efforts to understand polecat behaviour, including his own radio-tracking study in the muddy, rat-infested farmyards favoured by ‘his’ polecats. He unpicks the confusing relationship between polecats and ferrets, explores the challenges of studying a secretive, nocturnal mammal that leaves few distinctive signs, examines the role of wild rabbits as the perfect polecat prey and providers of polecat resting sites, and celebrates the contributions of amateur naturalists in collecting road casualties to monitor the polecat’s changing distribution.

His diary ends in July 1945, by which time he was commanding officer of the 4th Hussars, having recently visited Downing Street for lunch alone with the Churchills.

Benjamin Sheen (2004) Benjamin was producer for the King’s College, Cambridge releases, Messiaen: La Nativité du Seigneur and 100 Years of Nine Lessons and Carol

He often graphically details the physical realities of war: the appalling conditions in the desert, the bombardments of the regiment from the air, the deaths and serious injuries of fellow soldiers.

The tone of the diaries varies wildly: often witty, sometimes outrageous but also poignant and philosophical.

The voice and attitudes are entertainingly dated, but are delivered with warmth, a charming turn of phrase and a keen eye for the absurd.

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The Many Histories of Radley

THE MANY HISTORIES OF RADLEY Radley College has featured in a number of published histories over the years and two publications, one new and one planned, will add to this growing corpus.

The Archives has a long history of research and publications arising from its collections. Currently two members of staff are looking into material to form the foundation for Masters degrees, while we have been working for the last year or so in collaboration with a research group at Keele University on the role of school and college societies in creating masculine identities in the Edwardian era. Two major projects based on our collections will come to fruition as books in the next three years: the first is Radley manor and village: a thousand year story, due out in November 2019; the second will celebrate the 175th anniversary of the founding of the school in 1847 and is due to be published in March 2022.

The three current published histories of Radley.

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Local knowledge

Radley manor and village: a thousand year story has been a joint project with the Radley History Club, based in Radley village, over the last two to three years. The Club has produced several books in the past, most recently a study of the parish church of St James, ed.

by Joyce Huddleston, Early modern Radley by Richard Dudding and Radley farms and families, 1600-2011 by Christine Wootton. There have also been books on the influence of the railway and the primary school, among others. To support their research and that of Club members they maintain an extensive archive, much of it original documents and photographs, put together over many years.

The Many Histories of Radley

The time had come for a more extensive book which could pull together much of this research into a study of the relationship between the lords of the manor and the villagers across a span of time which has seen radical change in the legal and economic status of both. As such, the book is not just a piece of local history (although that is its primary focus) but seeks to put those changes into the national context. The thousand-year span of this history takes us from pre-Conquest ownership of the estate by Abingdon Abbey, with its bonded labour, through the social upheavals of the rising middle and merchant classes of the early modern period, the impact of the dissolution of the monasteries, the English Civil War, the enclosures of land in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries with the accompanying developments in agriculture, industrialisation and entrepreneurship into the nineteenth century, all to come crashing down in the tragedy of the First World War. Through all this time land-use and ownership can be traced, field boundaries and roads remain identifiable and families living in the area can be tracked through the baptism, marriage and death records in St James’s church.

Radley History Club approached the school to work on this as a collaborative project. Radley College is the latest in the line of major landowners and employers in the parish, and although not actually the lords of the manor, occupied a similar social and economic standing for much of the school’s history. College Archivist, Clare Sargent, was invited to jointly write the book, the Bursar has very generously supported it with a grant for publication, and Hazel Gearing, from the Reprographics Department, even more generously gave her time and expertise to designs and layouts. A small working party was set up to consider the structure and to be commissioned to write individual chapters, with Richard Dudding, Chair of the Club, acting as overall editor.

The first task was to decide how to approach such a long period to produce a relatively short book which would appeal to local people interested in local history yet retain the rigour necessary for what is essentially an academic work. Rigour has been a key word throughout. The project team have constantly challenged each other over careless use of technical terms, over gaps in knowledge, over the need to examine and re-examine the evidence rather than repeat accepted dogma and along the way have re-interpreted much of the history of Radley. Both the school and the Club’s archives have been thoroughly investigated, backed up with lengthy sessions at Berkshire Record Office which houses the manorial records of the Stonhouse and Bowyer families, owners of the Radley Hall estate from 1568 until the 1880s. A considerable amount of new, primary research material has been discovered or brought together, particularly work by Christine Wootton on domestic labour and servants in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, by Richard Dudding on the deer park maintained by Abingdon Abbey before 1538, and by Clare Sargent on Capability Brown’s landscaping in the 1770s. Not all of this has made it into the final book, but all has been preserved in the archives for future researchers.

An early decision was the extensive use of maps and illustrations, both to make the book itself attractive, but primarily to support the text. This led to in-depth discussion about mapping techniques of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the role of the tithe map of 1849 (re-dated from the College’s previous publications of it), the discovery of the earliest known map of Radley College in Berkshire Record Office, and quite how much evidence can be drawn from such documents. Similarly, contemporary diaries, their biases and omissions, have all been challenged. As have the gaps and blank spots in estate accounts, those small things forgotten or included which suddenly open up a window into the national context, such as the day when Sir William Stonhouse spent £5 on ‘innoculations’ in the 1760s, and there, without any other evidence, was a man concerned about the new medical discovery of vaccinations. Not all the material used as evidence is ancient: one of the first maps to be investigated in depth was Historic England’s online database of LIDAR images. This satellite-based mapping technique allowed otherwise invisible historic land-use patterns to be seen and a date for College Pond to be postulated.

Top right: The LIDAR image of Radley, with College Pond on the left.

Above: The cover of the new book on the manor and village of Radley.

The book was launched on 30th November 2019, with an accompanying exhibition, in the Mansion. It can be purchased via the shop in Radley village or the school shop for £15. the old radleian 2019

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Past, present and future Radley 175 does not yet have a formal title and is in the early planning stages. The book will be published for us by Profile Books, a company which specialises in producing beautifully illustrated institutional histories by subscription. Subscription publishing is a historic method of financing book publication dating back to at least the early eighteenth century. Indeed, one of the discoveries made when working on Radley manor and village was the link between the architect of the Mansion, William Townesend, and a book on architecture to which he was a subscriber. We will start sending out pre-publication brochures towards the end of 2020. The name of each subscriber will be printed in the book – which will give us a wonderful snapshot of Radley and living Radleians of all generations as a feature of the book itself. The publication date will be March 2022, a day chosen to commemorate that first meeting in Turl Street in Oxford in 1847 at which William Sewell, Robert Singleton, Edwin Monk and Nugent Wade outlined their scheme for a revolutionary new type of school in England.

By 2022, 175 years will have passed since that tea party yet the fundamental principles which the four men outlined have remained central to the ethos of Radley College. Consequently, the book will be structured around those four principles: Christianity, Chapel and kindness; the aesthetics of beautiful objects and surroundings, which includes not just the landscape setting but also its use for sport; the collegiate structure based on the Socials and how Common Room operates; and privacy and respect for the boys in their dormitory.

This will be the fourth history of Radley College. The first, Sicut Columbae by TD Raikes was published in 1897 to coincide with the College’s fiftieth anniversary. Raikes was himself one of the earliest boys at the school, a close family friend of William Sewell, and became a Don. His book was written so early in the school’s history that he was able to tap into accounts and anecdotes from the first pupils and teachers. AK Boyd’s magisterial tome A history of Radley College, 1847-1947 written to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the school’s founding, is much better known to many ORs. Boyd, himself a history teacher and an OR, focussed upon the individual Wardens and their impact upon the school’s direction. He made excellent use of The Radleian magazine to explore small changes and his book is still used extensively for research into the buildings in particular. One great debt which we owe to Boyd was his pursuit of known primary sources and the development of the school archives from the collection of transcripts which he commissioned.

The third history was written to celebrate the 150th anniversary in 1997. No Ordinary Place: Radley College and the public school system, 1847-1997 by OR Christopher Hibbert, is a much more academic book, seeking to explore the relationship between Radley College and its sister institutions. Consequently, it is more wide-ranging than the earlier histories, and does not explore the minutiae of school life in the same depth.

Radley 175 Radley 175, celebrating a far-less significant anniversary than the earlier books, aims to be much more a dip-into-pull-out-a-plum type of book, telling the everyday stories of life at the school, the unregarded moments. It arises out of Clare Sargent’s 100 Radley objects blog, https://100radleyobjects.blog, featuring such objects as a chicken roll from Shop or the fire in the Mansion. It will be divided into four sections, each focussing on one of Sewell’s four principles, and then exploring how our everyday activities relate to that ethos. And not just in the past 175 years, but considering the role of all these for the next 175 years, so it will also look, for example, at diversity and sustainability and on the future of AI in teaching and learning. Within each section will also be a piece on individual ORs. It is in the planning stages as yet, but there will be opportunities for ORs to contribute their memories. For example, were you a member of Christian Forum? What has that meant for your life? Or, do you remember when the Design Department workshops made the communion rail for chapel? Or the impact of the 3-day week and power-cuts on school life in the 1970s? Keep an eye on our newsletters and Radley Connect for more information on this.

Title page of the continuation of TD Raikes’ History of St Peter’s College, Radley.

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We hope to celebrate some of our unsung heroes as well, for example, Bert Robinson, cricket coach extraordinaire, or Mile, the gardener, a refugee from Serbia at the end of World War 2 who made his home here for the rest of his life. This is probably also the time to dust off and tell about some of those more dubious exploits, such as the muezzin from Clocktower on Gaudy morning, or the close-call when the Bunsen burners in the Chemistry lab were connected to the water taps instead of the gas and left overnight…

Look out for the subscription brochures next year.

Building the Future

building the future

You might not expect to find the UK’s most sustainable housing development in the Oxfordshire countryside, but James Pritchett (2001) has joined forces with his father, Ian, to deliver exactly that.

To the untrained eye, Ssassy Property’s latest development, Springfield Meadows in Southmoor, could be taken for one of the many that are currently underway across the country. But this is no ordinary development. The 25 homes there are being built to a standard of sustainability that prove the housing industry can meet the Government’s 2050 zero-carbon targets, today.

The development takes its social responsibilities seriously, as well as its environmental ones, with nine affordable homes, designed and constructed to the same high standard as the custom plots.

For James, it is extremely important to have the opportunity to build in a way that both meets the needs of house-buyers and the planet.

“We are in a global climate crisis and we need to reduce our carbon footprint and eco-housing is how we at Ssassy Property are doing that. We are trying to show the world it can be done well without having to compromise, with our focus on both quality design and working to the highest standards of sustainability.”

An artist’s streetscape of how the development at Springfields will look on completion. the old radleian 2019

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Building the Future

Developed by Ssassy Property and their selected construction partner, Greencore, the homes at Springfield Meadows are built to the highest environmental standard using Greencore’s Biond Building System, which consists of a closed panel timber frame insulated with lime-hemp, which has a natural “phase-change” property to control temperature changes, and natural fibre insulation made from waste timber, all made in a local factory in Oxfordshire.

The use of these bio-based materials locks up CO2 to such an extent that the sequestered carbon balances out the CO2 emissions from the high-energy materials to give a zerocarbon footprint. The houses are built using the principles of the Passivhaus standard. Passivhaus is a voluntary standard for energy efficient buildings, based on power consumption and air leakage. It was developed in the late 1980s and early 1990s by German and Swedish scientists Wolfgang Feist and Bo Adamson.

Above & Below: Creating the Biond Building panels using the line hemp and natural fibre insulation.

Techniques used to meet the standard include orienting compact layouts, reducing surface area through which heat could be lost, and using super-insulation and low energy electrical appliances and lighting. In addition to the above, each house has sufficient photo-voltaic (PV) panels on the roof to generate as much energy as the house will use each year.

“We think this is the first development of zero-carbon construction, net-zero energy living houses in the country. Our houses are all electric and generate electricity from PV panels which can be stored in a battery or used as it is generated. We combine this with mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) and mini heat pumps to generate the heating and hot water.”

Ssassy aims to bring something new to the housing market, working with local partners and landowners who want to leave a legacy of sustainable houses rather than seeing the same old houses built on land controlled by the plc house-builders.

“We believe very strongly that we can achieve more by working with partners. We work with Bioregional to help us with the softer elements such as health, happiness, wellbeing and community as well as waste, water and transport. This has led to Springfield Meadows being recognised with One Planet Living Global Leadership status.

We are also working with Bucks, Berks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) to help make our project nature friendly, looking to develop a unique five year agreement to protect and increase the biodiversity of the site. This goes far beyond the normal process of ticking boxes to get points from the planners. We want to make our developments great places to live, where the residents co-exist with the nature around them to enhance their lives.”

Whilst Springfield Meadows will bring truly sustainable housing to Oxfordshire, the wider house-building industry still has some way to go, and James’ father, Ian, Director of Ssassy Property and Greencore Construction, believes that zero-carbon housing will only be delivered if it is demanded by discerning buyers, or legislated by Government.

Left: The large, communal Central Gardens will be enhanced with the input of the Wildlife Trust into a haven for nature.

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Building the Future

“Unfortunately the Government relaxed the proposed 2016 zero-carbon targets after being lobbied by house-builders. At present, the main house-building corporations control the land and only build at the rate they are sure will sell, maintaining the UK’s housing shortage so that the normal rules of “supply and demand” don’t apply. When there is a shortage of housing, buyers have to purchase what is available rather than what they might want.”

Current planning legislation and building regulations do not demand, or even favour, zero-carbon houses. In fact, the planning process can hinder the creation of eco-houses by imposing extra restrictions, or demanding additional planning applications to install PV panels. According to climate scientists, we have now missed the chance to restrict the global temperature increase to 1.5oC and we are now fighting to keep it to 2oC. In order to achieve this, the advanced economies of the world need to be zero-carbon by 2035 and the rest of the world to follow by 2050. The construction and use of buildings in the UK is responsible for around 50% of the country’s CO2 emissions. But the lack of support isn’t stopping James and Ian from taking the bull by the horns and showing what can be achieved right now.

“In any sensible society, we would expect the planning system to actively encourage zerocarbon houses and be tough on anyone failing to deliver the necessary standard. Instead, we have a planning system that focuses on other issues such as numbers of bedrooms, garden sizes, and parking places. These are important issues, but they pale into insignificance compared to the catastrophic implications of climate change. The planning process could be the answer to the problem if only someone had the sense to make real sustainability part of the process. Ssassy and Greencore are building houses today that achieve what we need to be doing by 2035 or 2050. If we can do it, anyone can!

Our plan is to build 500 houses in the next 5 years and we’re currently looking for sites. We are looking to connect with like-minded people and are keen to hear from anyone who can help us change the way we build houses in the UK. Our developments show how Ssassy and Greencore work together to build homes that are good for people and the planet.” www.ssassyproperty.com

Above: James visiting the site.

Below: The construction of a custom build plot in progress, with one of the finished affordable houses in the background, complete with its array of photo-voltaic roof panels that will supply the site with it’s elecricity needs.

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Obituaries

Sports & Societies

Wildebloods The Radley Wildebloods is Radley’s Alumni LGBTQ+ Society, named after the OR Peter Wildeblood who was tried and convicted of homosexuality in 1954 and whose courage in speaking out about his treatment paved the way for partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1967 (although the age of consent was not equalised until 2000, and full decriminalisation did not occur until 2003, with Section 28 preventing councils from promoting homosexuality being repealed the same year).

Founded in 2017 by Adam Lambert, the Radley Wildebloods followed on from sister societies the Eton Dragonflies, Harrow Byronics, and Winchester Cornflowers.

This year the Wildebloods have had several events, including their annual joint summer drinks party in June with the aforementioned societies from other boys’ public schools; over 100 guests enjoyed drinks and canapés in the gardens of St Paul's Church, Covent Garden before moving on to The Court private members club. This year two new committee members were elected, Nick Pelly-Fry taking the position of secretary and Charles O’Connor as treasurer.

This winter the Wildebloods are hosting smaller and more casual events, with a dinner party on 22nd November, a theatre trip planned on 29th November, and a delegation heading to the Young OR Drinks on 3rd December.

The society is welcoming new members, who can sign up to the mailing list on the website at www.radley-wildebloods.com and also join the private Facebook group or public Facebook page.

The membership has become very close knit, with many new friendships being formed – the variety of ages and backgrounds make for an interesting mix, one which fosters the sharing of stories and experiences from school days and beyond.

The Wildebloods hope that the society can continue to bring together ORs who may not feel much connection to the school having left, and also those who may have had difficult experiences, but overwhelmingly the atmosphere is of conviviality and camaraderie, so it is hoped that all can join in and experience it for themselves.

The Radley Wildebloods join with the Eton Dragonflies, Harrow Byronics and Winchester Cornflowers at their annual Joint Summer Drinks party in the gardens of St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden, June 2019.

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Sport

Rackets, Squash and Real Tennis: 2019 Review OR Tennis & Rackets organised a wellattended day in November, with almost 20 eager attendees, though a couple appeared to injure themselves in the preceding week (no names, no recriminations).

However, a semi-formal Tennis event was concluded with victory for the (slightly) older generation of Charlie Human & Ian Willams. Bobbing in their wake were Rupert Henson & Nick King, George & Henry Brind and Jimmy Donger & Ludo Roupell - though some very competitive doubles was displayed by all. That all 6 sets took over three hours testified to this, and it was not all talk, since no-one failed to win at least one set (I think).

Some (slightly) less formal rackets was also played in the morning by Jules Mignonac, Mike O’Connor, Ben Dean and Benedict Yorston with the support of James Rock.

After a hearty lunch at the palatial tennis court dining facility, more tennis and rackets was played, though with rather

Fast-paced action on the Real Tennis court. less structure and fuller stomachs, along with a few of the better boys (Max Wetton, Ed Crowston, Magnus Garson, George Acheson-Gray, Dom Stone & Jonty Duncan).

This allowed the current crop to see that athletic achievement extends (well) beyond schooldays, and that both games

Radley College Review Real Tennis The Lent Term began with the news that the captain, Ned Batstone (H), had finished as runner-up in the World U21 Singles Championships and, the same weekend, had also lost in the semifinal of the World U24 Doubles. A few weeks later at the National Schools Doubles Championships, Radley played Wellington 1 in the final. It was closely run for a while, but the Radley pair managed to retain the trophy that Ned won last year partnered by Benedict Yorston.

Rackets Over the past few seasons, increasingly so, there has been encouraging news to report with regards to the resurgence of the club.

Arguably the overall success of the season, rightly or wrongly, is often determined by performances at the Queen’s Club on the national stage. Without doubt, the recent Singles competitions were the most successful that Radley has enjoyed for a number of years. More boys across the club are progressing through a number of rounds and starting to cause upsets.

Ned Batstone, with his outstanding performances during the last two seasons, having already collected a number of national and world titles and, with his handicap now approaching the low teens, should have many more distinctions ahead. The lesson for any younger Radleian players who would seek to emulate him is that natural talent bears the greatest fruit through a dedicated practice regime and plenty of match-play.

Queen’s was particularly successful this year with Harry Purton reaching the Quarter-Finals in the flagship Foster Cup. The stand-out performer though, was Magnus Garson (C) who reached the finals of the Jim Dear Trophy. Sadly he was unable to return with the silverware, but performed admirably in a tight final. In the words of another Professional at a leading school during Queen’s: “The Radley beast has awoken”.

KM Willis-Stovold

APW Bishop

can provide endless enjoyment for decades.

Many thanks to all those who made such efforts to attend (from some distance in some cases) - it was a great personal pleasure to see so many old friends. Next year might (might!) be more structured, but it will not any more fun.

Mick Dean

Squash One of the highlights of the season has to be winning the triangular tournament between Radley, Wellington and Marlborough for the third time in a row.

And what a great feeling for the club to be rewarded with some silverware for all the hard work put into this fixture. On the other hand, we struggled considerably this year at our major tournaments: the Surrey Sports Park and Roehampton Schools Invitationals. At SSP we were particularly unfortunate to lose some of our regular Bigside players to illness and other commitments.

A bad day at Roehampton then led to us being relegated to Division 2. The challenge next year will be to place in the top two of the Division 2 tournament, securing the club’s place back in Division 1. It has been great to see over 40 different boys taking part in at least one competitive fixture this year.

Bigside: P18 W13 L5

TRG Sweetnam

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Sport

Radley Rangers: 2019 Season Review Played 14, Won 7, Lost 6, Drawn 1, Cancelled 2 (Rain 1, Oppo 1) Most games this season were either won or lost convincingly. The only two close games were a narrow win over Rugby in the first round of the Cricketer Cup (best to forget the 2nd round defeat at Oundle, which puts them 7-0 up against us in the history of the competition), and a thrilling loss to the Gloucester Gipsies, who chased down our 260 with aplomb.

This selection of match reports, to give a flavour of the season, is unashamedly skewed towards our wins because this is a family magazine and nobody needs to read the grisly details of most of our defeats.

MCC – Won by 120 runs After winning the toss and batting, we eased to 110-0 as Christian Hollingworth and Rory Bentley (on debut) both made 50s. A typical Rangers collapse before lunch meant we required a steady hand to get us up to a good score. Jamie Dalrymple and Hector Freyne put on 60 for the 6th wicket, while others chipped in with handy 20s here and there. Jamie was out stumped just short of 50 and then promptly declared on 240.

The Radley Rangers.

Jonty Robinson picked up an early wicket but the Rangers toiled for a while as the oppo’s 2 and 3 both looked in good form.

Thankfully, Christian Hollingworth saw the no. 3 was susceptible to a long hop which the batsman duly patted to Jamie at midwicket. Oscar Powell’s return to cricket after three years out went well, bowling steadily to pick up two wickets, one a dramatic “hit wicket” off the new batsman’s first ball. A disciplined Rangers bowling effort squeezed the MCC into making mistakes, and with little resistance from the tail we ran out winners by 120 runs.

Bradfield: won by 7 wickets Having lost the toss on a flat Radley deck, Alex Lowe tore in from the School End, removing most of the top order in impressive style. Once skipper had wrestled the ball out of his hand, Christian Hollingsworth bowled nicely to grab a couple and we had Bradfield on the rack with 100-5 at lunch. With George Grace putting the arm ball to good effect and Johnny Wright cleaning up the tail, we reduced Bradfield to a well below par 167 all out.

Father and son Rangers. Rupert (left) and Jasper Henson.

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The customary Rangers collapse surely beckoned. Thankfully, not this time. A fresh faced and run hungry Alex Hearne clinically picked gaps in the field for his

classy 85, only to fall to an ill judged smear close to what would have been a great ton.

Shame, but proves that unsuccessful dates the night before a game might not be the worst prep after all. Ollie Hext looked serene and zen-like for his 60 at the top of the order. Again, shame to fall with a tame pat to cover with the end in sight, but a great knock nonetheless. Jake Woolfenden and Charlie Goodwin saw us home with strong cameos to win by 7 wickets.

Old Amplefordians – Won by 45 runs Despite a blistering start by Charlie Williams, who went on to hole out for 56 in the over before lunch, we were creaking at 55-4. But a captain’s innings

by James Cunningham, supported by Jasper Henson’s unorthodox but rapid 27 and 46 extras, saw him reach his maiden RR hundred with a six and declare immediately at 257-8. He also cannily reduced the oppo to 10 men by straight driving onto the same bowler’s foot twice, who hobbled off, never to return.

We opened with Henson Snr and Jonty Robinson, the classic Rangers old/young bowling attack that suckered the OAs into spooning 3 catches off the former and meant that they never had enough wickets in hand. But the OAs have never been shy of chasing a total and there were moments, when they were cantering along

Sport

at 8 an over, that they looked like they had a chance. But wickets fell steadily to our 7 bowlers and we bowled them out 45 short.

Yorkshire Gentlemen: Won by an innings and 6 runs Out of a side packed with ringers the 3 RRs called upon to bowl took 7 of the 9 wickets needed to bowl them out in 21 overs for only 56. Oliver and Henson each took 3 wickets for 11 and 12 runs respectively, and the only blot on our scoresheet was that we allowed Extras to top score with 38. Day One ended in the unimaginably strong position of the Rangers declaring at 215-6, founded on Kit Morland’s 65.

Our hosts were keen to commemorate the 25th year since the RRs first headed north, and it felt almost rude to go on to beat them by an innings shortly after lunch on Day 2.

RR teams of yesteryear, presented with such a dominant position overnight, would have made an absolute hash of it, letting the YGs off the hook while hangovers wore off. But not this lot under captain Mungo Fawcett, whom somebody once had given Brearly’s “Art of Captaincy”. Hopefully he will have read it by next year, when his brother, Bevan, will be captaining the YGs.

Hampshire Hogs: Drawn The Rangers’ season finally came to an end against the Hampshire Hogs with a whimper of a draw, the only one of the season. A solid performance from the batting unit was led by off-field captain Christian Hollingworth’s 54 and George Buckley’s 44. 249 to win off exactly the same number of overs as we had received looked like a perfect declaration, but they never really went for it. The two bowlers responsible for cooping them up were Oscar Powell, whose 2 wickets were insufficient reward for hostile bowling that belied his 6 year sabbatical, and Mike “Twelfthers” O’Connor, whose 4 wickets were appropriate for the effort he put in and the pain he will have felt for a week.

Rupert Henson

Action from the 2019 Wesson Cup.

Radley College Cricket: 2019 Review The 2019 cricket season saw 232 boys play in competitive fixtures. 138 matches were completed and 88 won. That so much cricket was played in a slightly miserable second half of term from a climatic point of view is testament to Adam King and his team. Their professionalism is incredible.

The facilities that boys play and train on are genuinely first class. Words here do not convey the debt of gratitude we all owe to Adam and his team for looking after the boys so well.

The club enjoyed a very successful year on the pitch winning 63% of completed games, however, bare statistics do not tell the important individual stories of boys working during the winter to prepare for the season, taking hat-tricks to change the course of matches or having to endure barren trots with the bat and maintain a sense of positivity and perspective. Special mention should be made of Midgets 1 who won the Hundred competition at Cheltenham and had a memorable win against Eton. They are an exciting year

group to follow with some very talented spin bowlers and some very stylish batsmen. JC1 won the inaugural U15 version of the John Harvey Cup and made light of the disruptions foisted on them from the 1st XI. Colts 1 were team of the year carrying all before them and winning every game they played.

As one season ends, thoughts move to next year and the challenge of ensuring that we can provide as much meaningful competitive cricket as possible.

SH Dalrymple the old radleian 2019

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Sport

Old Radleians FC: 2018/19 Season Review The news that Old Radleians FC had been relegated from Arthurian League Division 1 in 2017 sent shockwaves through the world of Old Boys’ football reminiscent of those predicted in the Book of Amos in 750 BC. However, the ORs were promoted from Division 2 at the first time of asking thanks to the gallant leadership of Super Danny Brownlee and headed into the 2018-19 season with a sense of renewed optimism having retaken their rightful place in Division 1.

By anyone’s standards, let alone those of this merry band of newly-promoted upstarts, the Keys got off to an absolute flyer. With 3 wins in their opening 4 fixtures, characteristically premature whispers of promotion spread like wildfire through the Radleian ranks, and with good cause. The spirit of the squad was epitomised by a hard-fought 2-1 comeback win away against Highgate on a pitch that would have looked more at home in the Sahara Desert than in leafy north London. It probably shouldn’t be revealed that the 2nd goal resulted in the scorer, cashflow expert Jack Trowbridge, removing his shirt to the mild revulsion of all in the vicinity.

Cameron Barrie in action.

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ORFC pictured after their 5-4 win away against Old Amplefordians in their 2019-20 Alfred Dunn cup tie.

Top row: Will Haynes, Jacob Peel, Henry Tregear, Thomas Nokes, Andrew Sweerts, Andrew Barrie, Alex Kelly, Archie Hewlett.

Front row: Cameron Barrie (C), Thor Winkler, Oskar Winkler.

A disappointing 3-2 loss to the Old Marlburians saw an early contender for, and eventual winner of, the goal of the season award as the Captain pinged in a free-kick of which Goldenballs/Becks himself would have been proud. Starting fully 25 yards out and in line with the right-hand post, Brownlee stepped up and launched it more sweetly than candy floss, and the ball started well outside the post and curled in, catching the underside of the crossbar, and ending up in the roof of the net after hitting the ground behind the goal line. It was a free kick with the kind of sublime beauty that’s usually reserved for private showings at the National Portrait Gallery, but those present were fortunate enough to witness it at Fortress Whitton.

As the matches came thick and fast, ORFC regulars Alex Kelly, Harry Hall and Archie Hewlett chipped in with goals here and there and Holland’s answer to Peter Schmeichel, Andrew Sweerts, held the fort between the sticks. After they dispatched Old Berkhamstedians, Lancing Old Boys and Old Cholmeleians with ease, while remaining as loyal as aging labradors to

the ‘Continental Brand’ of football for which the Club has been revered since its inception, renowned Arthurian League pundits wondered aloud with increasing frequency whether this would be the year that the Old Radleians finally earned their place among the titans of Old Boys’ football in Eton and Charterhouse in the Arthurian League Premier Division. Oh, how wrong they were.

It is a fact older than Radley College itself that it becomes increasingly difficult to get a full team out on a Saturday to represent ORFC once the shooting season has begun. And so, with the arrival of Autumn, the Old Radleians found themselves on the receiving end of some fairly brutal defeats at the hands of Lancing Old Boys, Old Malvernians and Old Alleynians. Finding ourselves 1-0 down at half time at home to Harrow on a cold, rainy Saturday in the middle of January, the sons of St Peter had to take a collective introspective look and decide what kind of team they wanted to be. Derby County in 2008, or Arsenal in 2004? Whatever words of wisdom the captain mused at half time worked,

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because the men that emerged for the 2nd half showed that their spirit was unbroken and their hearts were still on fire, and a perfectly-executed brace from the king of affordable loafers, Archie Hewlett, earned the men in red and white a thoroughlydeserved 3 points. The same keen observer who overheard The Chorus of The Hebrew Slaves emanating from the ORs’ changing room after the game remarked that this year it had evolved into a hearty rendition of Non Nobis Domine in 3-part harmony.

You love to see it.

The rest of the season saw as many wins as losses, and the season’s goal had been achieved: the Old Radleians had retained their place in Arthurian League Division 1. It had not been without its controversies (a 4-2 win over Old Aldenhamians resembled more the newscast team fight scene from Anchorman than a football

match), but the Keys had earned their right to mix it with (almost) the best and had another season of Division 1 football to look forward to.

The end of season dinner saw Tom Nokes awarded with the Players’ Player of the Year gong thanks to, but not exclusively to, two very impressive hat tricks and one opposition captain complimenting his energy levels labelling him a ‘Duracell Bunny’, Archie Hewlett awarded with the Golden Boot and Rory McInnes named the Clubman of the year for the second season running. I’m sure it had nothing at all to do with the fact he managed to run out for one match, ready for kick off, without his shorts on.

The end of the 2018-19 season also saw a passing on of the club captaincy from Daniel Brownlee to former Radley

Captain of Football, Cameron Barrie.

Daniel has steered the club through choppy waters admirably, achieving immediate promotion from Division 2 and consolidating our place in Division 1. He continues to lead by example on the field, scoring goal from distance and almost never failing to pick up a yellow card. The Chairman thanks him for his service.

At the time of writing, the Old Radleians are 5 games into the 2019-2020 season; in the league they have mustered 2 draws and 2 very narrow losses, and a win in the first round of the Arthur Dunn Cup despite being 3-0 down at half time against Old Amplefordians.

The club is always open to new members; home games are in Whitton and (almost) all matches are in the Greater London area on Saturday afternoons. If you are interested in getting involved, please do send an email to: cjbarrie95@gmail.com

ORFC in action against Old Amplefordians.

Radley College AFC: 2018 Review 1st XI: P14 W3 D2 L9 The 1st XI were more than capable of competing against the top teams in what is an extremely competitive league. In fact, the side’s most impressive performances perhaps came against the top three placed teams (Harrow, St Paul’s and Berkhamsted), drawing two of them 1-1, however, too often the general theme for most matchpost-mortems became: ‘What if?’

An LB Cup run was just what was needed after tasting defeat. Radley’s record in the competition is impressive, with 5 finals, 3 of them wins, in the previous 8 seasons.

A topsy turvy match vs St Albans ended with Radley leaving it late to win 4-2, coming from 2-1 down. The LB cup run sadly ended at the quarter-final stage against St. Edmund’s College, Ware.

It was hard for the boys (and their coaches!) to taste defeat as much as

they did during the season. The level of football on display, particularly towards the latter half of the season, was very pleasing and some of the results were genuinely unlucky. It was encouraging, however, to see the boys continue to approach their football with enthusiasm and we are adamant that they have all developed into better players as a result of their experiences over the season.

CA San Jose the old radleian 2019

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Old Radleian Golf Club: 2018/19 Season Review

Christopher Ball and Michael Kfouri - final pair in the Bernard Darwin.

We have had a mixed year. We had two very good wins in the Halford Hewitt until we were tripped up by an extraordinary shot from Charterhouse when Ryan Mckinnia (Charterhouse) holed out from 200 yards in the second play-off hole in the third round. Disappointingly, we did not qualify for the Grafton Morrish Finals in October. We lost in the first round of both the Senior Darwin and Bernard Darwin. Hugh Mackeown and Michael Kfouri came second in the Veterans Darwin, by 1 point. Our results in society matches are improving with three good wins, a half and one defeat. We lost to the Radley Team, which pleases us as we look for talent coming out of Radley.

We now have 240 members registered. The society is strong and in good health. If you enjoy playing some casual competitive golf – please come and join us. Log on to www. orgs.org.uk and register. The fixture list is on the website just click “apply”. Subsidies are available to support to players who need them.

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Spring Meeting – Berkshire Golf Club Autumn Meeting – Royal St Georges Both Society meetings were well attended and enjoyed by all players. We would like to play one of our meetings on a Saturday, but members of the best clubs do not welcome societies at weekends.

Halford Hewitt 2019 Seven of our ten players were aged under 25 in our 2019 team. These young members will very quickly gain the experience required to compete at this most competitive level. In days past we would look enviously at the top Hewitt sides who boasted 10 players with combined handicaps in single figures.

Radley can now boast the same. With each year the prospects are more exciting as young players leave Radley. Well played Sir Archie Birkmyre who was so instrumental in the building of the Radley Course.

In 2019 Arthur Tapner enjoyed the first of, hopefully, many Hewitt’s. He recently beat Paul McGinley (2014 Europe Ryder

Cup team Captain) to win his Club Championship 2019. All I must do is watch what time of year their offspring are born to not coincide with the Halford Hewitt, April 2nd to 5th 2020!

Here are some notes from The Presidents full report of the Hewitt which is available on our website: www.orgs.org.uk We were drawn at Deal versus Glenalmond. Last year Glenalmond had beaten fellow Scots, Edinburgh Academy, past winners, and Watson’s, multiple winners, and a team that we have never beaten.

Fred Campion and Tom Wright completed the first nine against the wind with excellent golf for those 6 holes of 1 under the card, out in 38 and 3 up. Their opponents were seen off by 4/3 with Radley just 4 over par.

In the 2nd round we met Whitgift who had comfortably beaten Shrewsbury who themselves have frequently made the final and have had 3 victories over the years.

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The third round was to match us against the might of Charterhouse, easily the most successful side in the Hewitt with an astonishing 17 wins and a further 8 losing finals.

At the 20th Hill, for Charterhouse, hit a rather indifferent drive pulled short of the bunkers into the left hand semi rough.

Mckinnia (who had hardly played a decent shot all week!) played from around 220 yards, hit the stick and into the hole for an amazing eagle 2 to win the tie. A cruel end. We will get our revenge.

Senior Darwin and Veteran Darwin 2019 Our thanks go to Duncan Ritchie for captaining the Senior and Veteran Darwin.

Both the Darwin (over 55) and the Senior Darwin (over 65) consist of teams of 6 players (3 pairs) and 16 school sides scratch match play. The Veteran Darwin (over 75) is one pair over 18 holes scratch stableford.

Repton proved to be too strong for our team despite a notable performance by Christopher Clarke. Are you over 55 and a single figure golfer?

Please get in touch with me.

Bernard Darwin As with the Senior Darwin, we met one of the favourites, Harrow, in the first round. Christopher Ball and Michael Kfouri earnt a very good half playing in our 3rd pair but sadly to no avail as we had lost the first 2 matches. In our 2nd pair, Will Bailey and Robert Seward pulled Jamie Warman and Nick Tindall back to level with 3 to play. This strong Harrow pair then went birdie, birdie to wrap up the match. We welcomed a new young 55-year-old in Andrew Marshall who had a good game. More ORGS members are about to come of age. The future is bright…. Team: Michael Kfouri, Robert Seward, Christopher Ball, Nick Jones, Duncan Ritchie and Will Bailey.

Clive Seigal, Jonathan Eliot, Tobin Ashby, Duncan Ritchie and Angus Chilvers.

If you have not already registered, please come and join us – it is the taking part that matters. Log on to www.orgs.org.uk to register.

William Bailey, Hon Sec.

2020 has a good ring about it.

Matches The Society have enjoyed some good matches, winning three of their six fixtures (see overleaf for a list of all results) I would like to thank all those who have represented the ORGS this year and a special mention for the match managers for organising their teams: Philip Godden,

Ollie Meade-King playing his way to victory at the Autumn Meeting.

Lunch at Royal St Georges during the Autumn Meeting. the old radleian 2019

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Results 2018/19

Spring Meeting - The Berkshire Golf Club David Turner Scratch Cup Adam Leetham 72 shots Charles Jeffreys Silver Bowl (Stableford)

Hugh Wolley 39 points

J H Mobbs Salver (Veterans)

Hugh Wolley 39 points

The Bruce Cup (Under 35)

Al Haszlakiewicz 38 points

Paul Cooper Cup (Past Captains)

Angus Chilvers 36 points

Afternoon Foursomes

Duncan Ritchie and Arthur Tapner 32 points

Autumn Meeting - Royal St Georges Scratch

Adam Leetham 76 shots

Stableford

Ken Bristow Memorial Trophy (Veterans)

Ollie Meade-King 49 points Simon McCowen 44 points

James Rogers Memorial Trophy

Michael Kfouri and Adam Leetham 35 points

The Birkmyre Salver

Adam Leetham 148 shots (Spring & Autumn)

Matches: Radley Team Haileybury

Royal Ashdown Lancing Charterhouse

Sherborne

lost 3 & 2 lost easily half 3 all win 5 & 3 win 5 & 3 win 5 & 2

Radley College Golf: 2018/19 Review Both Senior and Junior teams enjoyed a hugely successful term’s golfing.

The Juniors had friendlies against St. Edward’s and Stowe and a triangular with Bradfield and Wellington, winning all three fixtures. We have had some new names on the team sheets, with Oscar Phelps, Archie Chilvers and Logan McEachran making their debuts, and hopefully they’ll become more regular team players as time goes on.

The Seniors have had a fantastic run over the past few years, and this has continued with some impressive wins against some very talented opposition to make the finals of the ISGA Senior Matchplay Championship for the second year running, as well as the Regional Finals of the HMC Foursomes competition. The former competition benefitted from some phenomenal play over the past two terms 90

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by Freddie Horler, who is unbeaten in matchplay in both competitions. He has partnered with James Duffy in Foursomes and they remain unbeaten as a pair this year. They had to beat a very strong Eton team to make the regional finals, where we played Wellington, one of the country’s strongest golfing schools.

Other boys involved in these senior competitions include Zac Carter, Andrew Liu, George O’Connor and the pairing of Bertie Southgate and Marcus Stalder, who are now becoming specialists in the art of digging themselves out of fairly desperate losing positions to win at the last hole.

Both Juniors and Seniors have benefitted from coaching throughout this year by our Pro, Greg Roostan, with whom the boys have sessions most weeks now. This consistency is already paying off.

P Miron

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Radley Mariners Rowing: 2019 Review GB representation Tom George and Ollie Wynne-Griffith were again part of the Great Britain Mens 8 that competed in the World Cup series and at the World Championships, picking up where they left off last year with a competitive rivalry with the strong Germans. They came away with a silver medal from the European Championships, were the overall winners of the World Cup series and won a bronze medal at the World Championships in Linz-Ottensheim in September. In doing so they qualified the boat to race at the Olympics next summer.

While they were disappointed not to build upon their World Cup series win, their success represents a strong step on the road to Tokyo. Currently, both are now back into training and looking to nail down their seats in Team GB for next summer.

Ollie (front row, centre) and Tom (front row, right) on the Medal podium at World Cup 3 in Rotterdam having just beaten the Germans to win the World Cup Series title.

Ollie said, “Overall I’m really pleased with the way the season went. Of course we were disappointed not to improve on our Bronze medal result from 2018 but the team is in great shape going into the games.

Competition for places is high and I’ll need to be at my best to earn my seat for next summer. What was good enough yesterday will not be good enough tomorrow.”

Tom added, “It’s never nice to be on the wrong end of a rivalry and sadly at the World Champs we were with regards to Germany. After World Cup 3, where we beat the Germans, we really felt like we had the talent and momentum to kick on and get the job done at the Worlds. Sadly it wasn’t to be, but we are in a great position nonetheless to attack Tokyo.”

Yale and Henley Charlie Elwes had a fantastic season rowing for Yale University, going unbeaten all year and winning a program record 3rd consecutive US collegiate National Championship. To this he added a record breaking win at Henley Royal Regatta as well as an U23 World Championship win to his phenomenal season.

Charlie Elwes (furthest left in the boat) stroking the Under 23 GB mens 4 to Gold at the Under 23 World Rowing Championships the old radleian 2019

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He stroked the Great Britain 4 to a half second win over the New Zealand 4 to win his first ever world title. Charlie is another OR currently fighting for Olympic selection. Having graduated from Yale this year, he is pushing hard for a seat in the team along with Ollie and Tom. It’s great to see three of our recent alumni pushing to reach the pinnacle of their sport. At Yale he leaves behind him fellow ORs in Freddie Elwes, Archie McChesney and Luke Miles.

Josh Bowesman-Jones competed for Oxford in the reserve Isis vs Goldie boat race. He sat in the bow seat of the Oxford crew who were unfortunately bested by a strong Goldie crew by a length in a time of 17 mins 17 secs. The race was nip and tuck the whole way down the course but Goldie managed to hold firm for the win. Josh has clear aspirations of making the blue boat this year.

Felix Rawlinson gained his first Great Britain vest this summer when he stroked the men’s 4 at the Under 19 World Rowing Championships this summer. The crew won a fantastic silver medal on the Sea Forest Waterway in Tokyo, just missing out on the Gold medal by 1.5s. The regatta also constituted the official test event for the Tokyo Olympics so we hope to see some more ORs competing on that water next summer.

Felix Rawlinson (right) on the podium at the Under 19 World Rowing Championships with his Silver medal.

Mariners’ Events The traditional Mariners’ Challenge took place in June, as the OR wet bobs and parents descended on the Radley Boathouse Mariners once again, with several visitors taking to water again.

A good turnout saw the Radley crew take on an OR boat containing representatives of GB, Leander and Cambridge. It was a much closer race than might have been anticipated, but the Mariners’ just managed to hang on to take the win! Participants and spectators alike retreated to the Boat House to discuss the race and all things rowing and partake in the BBQ. At Henley, the Mariners, once again, hosted Drinks on the Thursday and Saturday of the Regatta. The welcome shade and drinks were well-received by the Radley-supporting crowd.

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Above: ORs take to the water at the Mariners’ Challenge.

Below: Competitors (and others) at this year’s Mariners’ Challenge.

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Radley College Boat Club: 2019 Review This has been a very successful year for the 1st VIII. After finishing the Schools’ Head in 4th place some 20 seconds behind the winners in the Lent Term, the squad knew that they would need to step on considerably in order to be competitive. By the end of the Easter training camp in Slovenia, the new line-up had shown some impressive speed and knew they had some exciting potential.

Munich International Regatta After a number of grueling trials, four Radley boys were selected to represent Great Britain at the Munich International Regatta.

Felix Rawlinson had an excellent race in the top GB coxless four and claimed the bronze medal. Alex Senior had a good race in the eight and won the gold medal. Rawlinson, Ned Rae Smith and Freddie Nielsen then had an excellent race in the top eight event and won a silver medal. The event gave the four boys some excellent race preparation at a very high level.

Henley Royal Regatta The crew went into Henley well prepared and had shown an improvement in their rowing in the days leading up to the event.

In the first round they came up against Norwich School and the crew made a good start and were able to take the pressure down after the first two minutes to secure a comfortable victory. On the second day they came up against a selected crew from the USA, Lawrenceville School. This was an even easier race for the crew which was in some ways disappointing as they knew they would need to step up the following day against Eton.

In the quarter-final against Eton, the crews were level for the first 500m, but Eton managed to open up a lead of about a length at the halfway mark. Although Radley were able to close this lead to about half a length, they were unable to push through Eton.

Eton then went on to beat Shiplake by a length in the semi-final and Scotch College, by over a length in the final.

Wallingford Regatta at Dorney Lake With four of the 1st VIII away representing GB at Munich, it was up to the five remaining boys to fly the flag for Radley in the J18 coxed four event, which they did admirably securing them a welldeserved overall victory.

The Radley crew acknowledged that although they tried their hardest during the race, they did not produce their best rowing of the season. The pressures of Henley are certainly unique and the crew found it challenging to cope with being one of the strong favourites for the event this year.

National Schools’ Regatta The 1st VIII had a good build up to this regatta and were looking forward to some good racing. The time trial went well and the crew achieved the fastest time of all the crews in this event. In the semi-final the crew raced well, setting a new course record. In the final, the crew unfortunately did not race as well as they had done in the semi-final and had to settle for the bronze medal.

GB Representation A total of five boys were invited to trial for the GB junior team at the beginning of the holidays. After five days of intensive racing (most boys completed approximately 26 1500m races!), all five boys were chosen to represent GB.

Senior Squad After their slightly disappointing performance in the Championship Eights’ final the day before, the boys had to pick themselves up for the Sunday races. This they did in fine style and finished the day as the most successful school overall in the three categories they contended.

Championship Pairs Rawlinson and Rae Smith had been performing very well in the GB Trials this season and it was decided to give them an opportunity to showcase their talent in this category against the best pairs in the country. They performed convincingly in both the time trial and their semi-final posting the fastest times overall.

In the final, they stepped up their efforts even further and won the gold medal and broke the course record in the process!

Felix Rawlinson was selected for the Junior World Championships team (competing in Tokyo) and Ned Rae Smith, Alex Senior, Freddie Nielsen and Peter Denton were all selected to represent GB at the Coupe de la Jeunesse in Italy.

Whilst the GB trials were taking place, Matthew Gissen and Rory Gearing took part in the England rowing trials and were selected to represent England at the Home International Regatta in Strathclyde, Scotland. This is the largest number of international representatives the club has had.

JE Gearing

Metropolitan Regatta After a rather tough week of training and trials, the 1st VIII were determined to show their real potential at the Metropolitan Regatta. The crew raced very well in their semi-final and secured themselves a place in the final against a number of senior clubs and the St Paul’s and Eton first eights.

The crew had a solid start in the final and had their nose ahead at the 250m mark. They rowed with discipline and commitment to increase this lead at every marker to clinch the victory.

The Mariners’ Drinks Party at Henley the old radleian 2019

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Radley Galleons: 2018/19 Season Review 2018-2019 saw the start of the Galleons Hockey team as a more regular outfit, playing eight games through the season.

Fixtures included St Edward’s, Cheltenham College and Sherborne School, as well as matches against the Radley 1st XI and 2nd XI, finishing with the Galleons’ Day back at Radley in glorious March sunshine.

Latching onto the popularity of the long-standing annual Galleons’ Day, the inaugural season for the Galleons brought a mixed bag of results, with the Galleons’ goal scoring ability being the main feature in some highly entertaining, high-scoring games.

The first game of the season saw the Galleons narrowly lose to Cheltenham, 4-3. Radley started brightly, but an early injury meant the ORs were reduced to ten men for much of the game. The Galleons fought back from 4-1 down to set up a tense final five minutes, with the score at 4-3. However, time raced away from Radley with the Galleons pressing hard for the equaliser, and the game finished 4-3. Next up was a preseason trip back to Radley to face the 1st team squad.

Despite the Galleons starting the stronger (and taking advantage of some tired legs from the final rugby weekend for the school), the Radley 1st squad were incredibly fit and played some lovely hockey in the second half to come back from 2-0 down to win 3-2.

The Galleons then returned to London and their adopted home ground of Battersea Park Astro. Despite looking the better team for large parts of the games played, the Galleons were unable to secure the elusive first victory of the season. Against Sherborne, despite leading 4-2 with 10 minutes to go, the Galleons’ fitness failed them (a common theme) and the game ended in another high-scoring draw, 4-4. In the return fixture against Cheltenham, with the Galleons looking to get some revenge they started strongly and looked good at 3-1 with 15 minutes to play. Unfortunately Cheltenham fought back to clinch the draw in the very final minutes. The final game of the season was against the old enemy, St Edward’s, and once again it was one for the neutral, with Radley fighting back having been down at half time, to draw 3-3.

If you’d like to be involved in the Galleons, please email: Will Eden (will.eden@ hotmail.co.uk) or Charlie Goodwin (charlesjmgoodwin@gmail.com).

Results: P8 W2 D4 L2 v Cheltenham: 3-4 v Radley 1s: 2-3 v Sherborne: 4-4 v Cheltenham: 3-3 v St Edward’s: 3-3 v Radley 1s: 3-3 v Radley 2s: 7-1 v Radley Dons: 4-2

The Radley Galleons and Cheltenhem teams after their December 2018 match.

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Galleons’ Day

For the first time in many years, the Galleons headed back to Radley for Galleons’ Day with two teams to take on the 1st XI and 2nd XI, before coming together to take on the Dons. 26 ORs, spanning the generations, turned out in the glorious sunshine and played some thrilling hockey which ended in two victories and a draw for the Galleons.

In the game against the 1st XI, the Galleons got off to a fast start and took a two-goal lead into half-time. In true Radley spirit, the 1st XI fought back and both teams traded goals to make it 3-3. In the game against the 2nd XI, the Galleons showed their true lethal ability in front of goal, putting six past the 2nd XI with the game finishing 6-1.

The Galleons and Radley 2nd XIs after their match on Galleons’ Day.

Post lunch, and a couple of glasses of wine, the ORs took on the Dons and were slow out of the blocks, conceding two early goals, much to the delight of the dons.

Fearing the worst, the Galleons rallied and put in four unanswered goals to seal the victory (and save the blushes), with the game ending 4-2.

A great day for Radley Hockey and an excellent end to the season for the Galleons. A special thanks to Peter Bennet for organising Galleons’ Day and the Radleian Society for their support on the day, and throughout the Galleons’ season.

The Dons working hard in defence against the Galleons.

Radley College Hockey: 2018/19 Review P10 W5 D1 L4 The 1st XI hockey team of 2019 will be remembered for their guts, determination and their incredible level of competitiveness. With the exception of the Abingdon fixture, where we were below par against superior opposition, every match was close, and our competitive spirit was often the difference between our opponents and us. We were sometimes not as skilful as some of our opponents, but we were incredibly hard to beat, and for this the players deserve a lot of credit.

The term started with our annual tour to Barcelona in January and, given the fact that just four players in the squad had 1st XI experience, this pre-season trip was vital. It was a success, and the hard work the boys put in went some way to securing good results in the opening matches.

After eight matches, we had only conceded seven goals. This is a remarkable statistic in a sport that is renowned for the high number of goals scored. Sam Richardson can take a lot of credit for his goalkeeping, but collectively, the team had an incredible appetite for hard work and every player bought into his defensive responsibilities.

It was a season of many highs and a few lows, but there is no doubt that the 1st XI of 2019 can be proud of their efforts. Their never-say-die attitude and their incredibly competitive spirit earned the respect of all who played against us. We say farewell to some fine servants of Radley hockey but, with some excellent youngsters in the team, the future looks bright. My thanks go to the boys for the pride with which they wore the 1st XI shirt.

GR King the old radleian 2019

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OR Sailing Association: 2019 Review The aims of ORSA are to provide social and competitive sailing for Old Radleians (ORs), to develop and maintain a community for ORs who sail, and to maintain Radley’s presence, through ORs, in the wider sailing community. ORSA welcomes all ORs, Honorary Members of the Radleian Society, current and past Radley parents and current members of Common Room. All are welcome irrespective of sailing experience or ability!

Contact details are available through the Radleian Society website or on Facebook.

Belvidere Cup – 6th April 2019 2019 has been another busy year for the Old Radleian Sailing Association (ORSA).

The first event, on a cold sunless Saturday in April, in a northeast breeze which fluctuated between 8 and 14, gusting 40 knots, was the Belvidere Cup. This is a match racing event for alumni of independent schools in the Royal Thames’ J80s at Queen Mary’s reservoir. Six teams entered and the Race Committee ran 2 round robins which meant every team had 10 races. This regatta saw many umpire calls especially in the pre-starts, but no black flags or damage.

After the racing the teams repaired to the Royal Thames’ Knightsbridge club house for the regatta dinner and prize giving.

The ORSA entry was skippered by George Chilvers and crewed by George Pitcher and a couple of ringers. They achieved 5th place - up on previous years!

Above: George Chilvers and George Pitcher in action in the Belvidere Cup. Below: The ORSA and Radley teams that took part in the Radley vs Winchester race at the Seaview Yacht Club.

Round The Island Race – 29th June 2019 Next up was the 60 nautical mile Round the Island Race (Isle of Wight) in June. Ed and Samantha Butterworth bravely offered up their yacht Bingo, a Feeling 1040, for the ORSA entry. The rest of the crew (Will Dewar, Jules Facer, Alex Haig and John Rosling) all assembled for an 8:50am start under a blue sky.

The run down to the Needles went well, with Bingo holding near the front of the class despite light winds. The cruising chute was flown and filled most of the time. The conditions were even gentle enough to be able to winch Will Dewar up the mast to free a trapped halyard.

Unfortunately, after a couple of hours round the south side of the Island, the wind dropped completely, and after the light winds and becalming, the team decided to retire, along with about half this year’s fleet.

However, it was a thoroughly enjoyable day and an amazing opportunity to be out on the water racing in close proximity to 1253 other yachts.

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Seaview – Radley vs Winchester – 15th September 2019 September saw the annual Radley vs Winchester event at Seaview Yacht Club racing their 26-foot Mermaid keelboats. Before the racing the teams met up at the Club on the Isle of Wight on the Saturday evening for a regatta dinner overlooking the Solent. The meal provided the teams with an opportunity to size up the competition and for ORSA to catch up with the latest developments from the Radley Sailing team.

The Sunday morning brought sunshine and little breeze, however after bacon sarnies the ORSA team (Ross Culbertson, Chris James, Tobin Chew, Simon Palmer, Jules Facer, Sam Petty and a couple of ringers) were ready to take on the Radley team. After some tight racing the ORSA team eventually won, beating the boys in 2 races in a best of 3. The next set of racing saw ORSA vs the Old Wykehamists and Radley boys vs Winchester boys.

With a falling wind and a building tide, the racing was abandoned after just 1 race for each competition with Winchester winning in both cases.

Arrow Trophy – 12th/13th October 2019 The final event of the year was the Arrow Trophy. This is a regatta for former pupils of independent schools run in the Solent out of Cowes over a weekend in October each year.

This year the crew of 10 (Toby Brook, Ross Culbertson, Jules Facer, Alex Haig, Raphe Palmer, Simon Palmer, George Pitcher, John Rosling, Alasdair Webber and Gaz Plunkett - ringer) embarked on the Sunsail F40 on a dark and stormy Friday night in Port Solent to take the yacht over to Cowes ready for the next day’s racing. Saturday dawned wet but with just enough wind to set to sea. Three races were managed as the wind built steadily throughout the day and once the ORSA team got their eye in, there were more boats behind at the finish than in front! From 3 races against a fleet of 26, ORSA scored 11th, 6th and 8th.

There was plenty of wind and rain for the crew to deal with during the 2019 Arrow Trophy.

Damp but jubilant, the crew returned to the Cowes Yacht Haven to brush up for the evening’s Regatta Dinner – an opportunity to replay the many events of the day and to banter with the 300 or so sailors from the 25 other schools. Sunday was not so successful however. The fleet headed out into the Solent in strong winds and driving rain and held by the committee boat waiting for the wind to ease. Having been bounced and battered for two hours, it was apparent that the wind was not going to reduce to allow racing to be held safely, so Day 2 was abandoned.

Once back in the lee of the Isle of Wight, the ORSA team did manage to sail back to Portsmouth with two reefs in the sails and a lasagne warming in the oven. As no racing had taken place on the Sunday, the Saturday’s results all scored, placing Radley 9th overall – an excellent result!

Radley College Sailing: 2019 Review

RCSC had a healthy and energetic year with many keen new sailors joining the club and some decent performances at regattas. A new regime of Strength & Conditioning sessions has no doubt contributed to the club’s success, so a big ‘Thank You!’ is due to James Marshall for putting the sailors through their weekly paces.

As usual, for the season’s opening, the boys raced classic Seaview Mermaids in our annual September match against the Old Radleians and current Wykhamists. For the first time ever, the Radley crews managed to beat both teams to take home two trophies. RCSC took part in the inaugural BSDRA Keelboat Fleet Racing Regatta at Queen Mary Reservoir in November. This was a tough regatta sailed in J80 keelboats with symmetric spinnakers, with which the Radley sailors had only recently become acquainted. The boys sailed fantastically well, taking the win with a seven point lead over 2nd placed Clifton College with RGS (Guildford) coming in 3rd.

Once again, brave souls from RCSC journeyed South to Warsash over six weekends in March and April to measure their strength and courage against the great and good of the Sportsboat fraternity. Once again, they returned (reasonably) triumphant, with 3rd Places in both the Series and the Championship. Many thanks, as ever, to all the boys involved, and particularly to George “Yoda” Barker for his tireless efforts on and off the water.

AK Mühlberg the old radleian 2019

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Radleian Society Racing Syndicate - 2019 update I was delighted to see College Oak, the Radleian Society Racing Syndicate racehorse, win his bumper at Sedgefield so impressively earlier this autumn, on just his second start on the racecourse, and in turn adding his name to our tally of winners this season which amounts to 32 so far (at a strike rate of 30%).

He was the third leg of a treble on the day for the yard after Pacify won a Listed Novice Hurdle for HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, and Adrrastos won a valuable class 3 on the same card.

College Oak is a 4-year-old gelding by the cracking sire Norse Dancer (sire of the multiple Grade 1 winner, Yanworth). He is out of a winning sister to the three-time Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Best Mate, and the Grade 1 winning hurdler Cornish Rebel, as well as the multiple winner Inca Trail, who I even won on!

College Oak was a fine 2nd in a National Hunt race (bumper) at Fontwell on his racecourse debut in the spring under stable jockey, Gavin Sheehan, where he showed a lot of promise. He has grown into a lovely strong horse over the summer and his work had improved as a result too. He therefore justified favouritism on his seasonal debut and ran out an easy winner under our conditional jockey, Page Fuller.

We are planning to send him novice hurdling now and his schooling at home has been very good, so we’ll look to find the right opening for him this side of Christmas. I’d like to think that he can win his novice hurdle before progressing throughout the season.

Jamie Snowden

College Oak, jockey Gavin Sheehan and members of the Syndicate after finishing second at Fontwell.

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Obituaries

Obituaries Silk, DRW (Warden, 1968-91) Obituaries for Dennis Silk have been produced for both the Times and the Telegraph, amongst many others. These provide a good outline of Dennis’ life and achievements, and are recommended to all. However, it felt that something more than this was required for the Old Radleian, thus here is presented a personal view of Dennis by his friend and colleague, Hamish Aird: 1968 was a year of revolution. Riots and student demonstrations in Germany and France. A degree of unrest in British Universities. Here too at Radley a revolution was about to begin. A young, new Warden had just been appointed, and a photograph of him and his wife, Diana, and his young family had been published in The Radleian amid anticipation, hope and, for those who knew him already, something not far from joyous exhilaration.

In September 1968 Dennis Silk came to Radley from Marlborough, where he had been a Housemaster, with a name as a National cricketer (who had led MCC teams to Canada, North America and New Zealand), a rugby and fives blue for Cambridge, an interest in English Literature and agreement among the cognoscenti that he would one day be a great Headmaster.

For some years at Marlborough he had been a bachelor housemaster. In 1963 he married Diana Milton, and over the next five years a young family, Kate, Tom, Alexandra and Will arrived. They said at Marlborough that in some ways for him the revolution had come with the marriage. And one Old Marlburian told me just recently that from being primarily a strong, confident, no-nonsense ambitious extrovert, after his marriage there were added or perhaps just revealed, humanity, friendliness, understanding, kindness and selflessness.

At Radley we waited, some apprehensively, some (those who knew him) with great optimism. The initial meeting with all Common Room took place in the old Bryans Room, now The Common Room admin area which in those days was full of fine antique furniture bought by William Sewell when he founded the school. Many of us had not met the new Warden but as he spoke to each one of us it was clear that he had done prodigious homework on our subjects, our interests and our characters. It was as if he knew us already.

With the boys he was straight-forward and direct at the first Assembly, and made it clear what standards he expected of them.

This was reinforced by a late evening fire practice roll call on his first Saturday evening when a number were found to be absent in Oxford and were duly dealt with.

Within days it was clear that Dennis was going to have no problems with discipline.

And he knew how to use drama effectively.

Early this same term he held an extra assembly in Hall, called out by name some more serious miscreants and ordered them to walk through the gathered throng out of Hall and to wait for him in his study. Hall went very silent as they slumped out.

Very soon, dons, boys and staff knew that Dennis had a vision both for the school and for the individual boy. Work mattered. The academic standard at A-level was poor: or as a Classics colleague of mine put it on a sheet he handed me with the A-level grades for 1968: ‘abysmal’. There were exceptions: amid the O and F grades, one boy, later to become a distinguished colleague, had scored BCD! It wasn’t just the boys who had to work. We dons must SYP (set your preps) and MYP (maintain your presence), that is be around at all times for the boys. Teaching at Radley was to be a full-time job.

Sometimes Dennis is not given full credit for this rise in academic standards, or perhaps it is just taken for granted. But the change both in the attitude to work among dons and boys from 1968 to the early eighties was truly remarkable. Warden Milligan had made some good appointments, but it was the encouragement that dons especially received from Dennis, and further good applicants as the word got round that Radley was on the up, which led to the golden years. And while there was strong encouragement for dons to take full active parts in all areas of school life, there was room for the quirky inspirational teacher with no interest in games to be appointed.

On this foundation of real respect for work came also a new emphasis on the fundamental decencies of life: behaviour, manners, unselfishness, awareness of other people. Some of this came from his family background, some from his experience at Christ’s Hospital (virtually all Old Blues love their school and feel great gratitude towards it – Dennis was at the top of this list), some from his experience at Marlborough and foremost of all from his marriage with Diana.

Dennis also fully believed that life at school should be fun. Striving to be hardworking and good did not preclude fun. He also believed in shared activity. Within a year or two he was working with senior boys to create a club room for sixth formers in the cellars of the Mansion, at that time derelict.

Old plasterwork was scraped away revealing attractive arches and for many years it was the natural place for VIth formers to go on Saturday evenings. Later he led the scrapers in School in order to lighten the wall panels that once adorned the Houses of Parliament. Another two projects, in line with his great love of gardening, were getting boys to grow potatoes on free land by the main road, and, more attractive to the growers, creating a field for ‘grow your own’ strawberries. Boys who wanted to take part were allotted a strip with strawberry plants and tended them in their free time.

It was so successful that one young member of E Social bought up a large number of his colleagues’ strips. Alas, early the following year the Council announced that the field was to be ploughed up for Staff housing.

For the young entrepreneur tears, but also perhaps a good grounding lesson to be learnt for the Brexit era.

Back in the eighties for the first Comic Relief Day, Dennis and Diana came into Hall for lunch dressed as bikers, Dennis with bovver boots and braces, Diana in sleek black leathers. At any Radley Charity event Dennis was to the fore, whether pillow-fighting with his Senior Prefect on a raised plank or striding out to complete 30 miles in the Shelter and Starehe walks along The Ridgeway. the old radleian 2019

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This was becoming a new sort of school, and in the development Dennis worked closely with the Council and his two bursars. In difficult financial times David Rae Smith was the steadiest of hands on the tiller as Chairman of Council, totally dependable, totally sound. The two Bursars in this era (Sir Kerr Bovell and Micky Jones) were entirely in tune with the Warden’s aims and became his closest of friends.

Sadly Sir Kerr died after five years but Micky then took over till both Dennis and he retired in 1991.

It was clear that much work was needed on the site. Physically Radley was still a Victorian campus badly in need of renovation and new buildings. With Micky Jones, Dennis started a series of projects that hauled Radley into the late 20th century. Top priority was the renovation of the boys’ accommodation and the need to increase the size of each social to hold the greater numbers now in the school. As the numbers moved steadily up boys had to be housed in the top of the Mansion, then in a building attached to Orchard House (now part of J Social), in dons’ houses, in the Shop Manager’s house (the Manager had a teenage daughter which didn’t make the situation easier), the Infirmary and even in the Warden’s house. Only a few boys had bedsitters in Socials and most lived in studies and cubicles in dormitories.

Apart from this ongoing development of accommodation there were two major projects for which successful appeals were made: a new Arts Centre attached to the Old Gym (the Theatre) and named The Sewell Centre and a Concert Hall

(eventually to be called The Silk Hall).

Expeditions were made by the Warden and Diana and their loyal lieutenants all over the country to address groups of Radleians (in ORs’ houses) and feed them with Coronation Chicken. Dennis had realized that there must be fun in fundraising. Both Appeals were successful and the school had two vital new buildings while at the same time the accommodation came closer and closer to the expectations of mothers, a strong new force in the choice of a son’s school. In addition the go-ahead was given for the building of a 9-hole golf course.

The Warden had great faith in what he was doing at Radley. So after consulting Common Room and Council he was ready to welcome the BBC and their cameras in 1979. It is hard to make a film about school life as so much of it is routine, but much was happening at Radley and the public liked what they saw. The film did much for other independent schools as a result of this, though it had less effect at Radley where the books were already full for years ahead.

The Sewell Centre was close to Dennis’s heart. It encompassed a totally new art, carpentry, and engineering set-up and with it Radley became a pioneer in promoting Art and Design as academic subjects. Who should take part in these subjects? The whole school! And no boy from that era will forget the Creative Hobbies Competition where every boy in the school had to make his own entry for the competition. It was a wonderfully zany yet also practical idea and it was a typically imaginative Silkian project. There was a fine Cup for the winning social. In 600 homes all over the country each year you might find an aesthetic delight varying from a new pottery owl wearing a social tie to a huge showstopping pink wooden pig.

While the zanier projects caught the eye, the traditional extramural areas of public school life flourished. The Warden had a strong natural interest and ability in many sports, and his support for teams and individuals went right across the board, from the 1st cricket X1 down to the Under 14 rugby 5th XV. He would write in a new boy’s end of term report: “I saw him take the finest catch at cover point that I have ever seen.”

Needless to say games flourished over his 23 years as Warden. He sang with the Choral Society and attended almost every play and concert.

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Boys like a bit of charisma in their Heads, they like them to be respected in other schools, they want to know where they are with them and they relish with pride being recognized by them and given praise for however a minor success. Dennis did all this. Much of it he did because he knew it mattered. And so he worked at knowing them all from Social photos and lists and reports. He must have written thousands of letters to boys and dons and members of the College staff composed at 5.00am in his study at home. I have 35 of them in that distinctive curvy schoolboy handwriting in front of me and these are only from 1976 to 1991. The one that I treasure most, written the morning after a dinner party, praises my roast potatoes as “the finest roast potatoes I have ever eaten”.

There was much hospitality in the Warden’s House. Dinner parties, Confirmation lunches, informal suppers, drinks parties, farewell parties (many of these for Tutors or Heads of Department moving on to be Headmasters in their own right). One of these occasions combined a General Election party with a Farewell Buffet for Charlie Mussett, the doyen of the Art School. The celebrations all worked out wonderfully well and naturally went on into the not particularly early hours of the morning, as, I seem to remember, good results came in from the constituencies.

Dennis knew personally the importance of friendship. Much of his love of literature and especially the First World War poems came from his strong friendship with Siegfried Sassoon. He knew that from deep friendship came ideas, understanding of life, loyalty, comradeship and inner strength. He added to these qualities a natural warmth and a generous respect for his friends. And what a legion of them there were!

Dennis saw life whole. And he saw the community that he led and presided over as a whole. His concern was not just the school but everyone that worked or lived at Radley.

To this he brought a strong Christian faith which came from his family and developed further at Christ’s Hospital. This faith coloured all he did and it was combined with the humility that comes with strong faith. It was a sure foundation for Radley’s greatest Warden.

Hamish Aird Dennis Raoul Whitehall Silk died on 19th June 2019.

Obituaries

Stuart PD (1933; Radley Don; D Social Tutor 1960-1971) The following comes from the eulogy for Peter given by Roger Hare.

Teachers have long holidays and these gave PeternKewpie time to sail in their much loved boat, Louise, and had many adventures to foreign lands and with a few hairy moments. Peter had a fiery nature, as perhaps some of you may have experienced, but this was coupled with his total integrity, sense of humour, straight talking and was well respected.

Peter was born 99 years ago, in Liverpool, to a family with shipping in their blood.

His father was a manager in the African Line, and there was also another Peter Stuart who served on board the Minotaur as part of Nelson’s fleet at Trafalgar in 1805. Peter recalled playing on a dingy and canoe when young and he clearly loved the sea, for on return from boarding school he would walk down to the docks to see the many ships in the harbour, Liverpool being a big and important port bustling with activity. All this instilled a lasting love of the sea. His love of music also started at Prep School where he accompanied hymns on the piano and was known, affectionately, as “The Professor” due to his glasses.

He went to Radley College where he learnt the Flute and amongst other things, rowing. In 1937 he took a gap year abroad, the plan being to have 6 months in Germany and 6 in France, but due to the situation in Germany, it ended up as a year in St Jean de Luz, where he played in the local band and was accepted as a deck boy on the Mayor’s fishing boat. He recalled it being “a wonderful, carefree year”. He then went up to Christ Church, Oxford, to read modern languages, but his studies were cut short by Adolf Hitler.

He tried for the Royal Navy, but was turned down due to his eyesight, a great disappointment. He then qualified as a Radio Officer (commonly nicknamed “Sparkes”) and spent 6 years in the Merchant Navy sailing with the famous Brocklebank Line which in 1939 had 24 ships. Most trips were to Calcutta.

On his first ship, Maidan, they sailed to Southampton and he particularly remembered seeing the smoke from Dunkirk but the ship was forbidden to assist as it had a mixed cargo destined for the 8th Army.

He was then called to another ship, his place taken by another young “Sparkes”.

The next year, on return from USA, Maidan was shelled by the German Battleship Albert Speer and blew up, lost with all hands. Peter was on several ships that were sunk. On one occasion after he and his mates had floundered in

When I was 5, I dropped a bag of tools on Louise and I experienced an explosion, I thought Orfordness had blown up, but it was Peter, red faced, but a little while later the sun came out and all was well, just a squall, quickly blown away.

the sea, comments were made by others: “Bloody Sparkes… grinning as he got into the boat!”. He had then taken charge of the lifeboat and told the Indian crew to pray for strength in their arms to row the boat. He always did the Middle Watch, 2359 to 0400, which almost had him weeping with fatigue. Not only did he do the Middle Watch but he also had 8 hours of listening to Morse Code, which is how information about Safe Routes and enemy activity was passed. Listening though the hiss of High Frequency static is tiring at the best of times, but their lives depended on these essential messages. Peter had to do this every day, in all conditions, for 6 years. No wonder he was fatigued. Of the 24 Brocklebank Ships, only seven survived the war. Peter was lucky.

Peter retired from Radley in 1979, moved to Suffolk and taught for 6 years at Woodbridge School, commuting in all weathers from their home in Leiston and then from Chapel House in Alderton on a Honda 50 Moped. They ushered at the Snape Maltings, played in the Ipswich Amateur Orchestra and other Chamber music ensembles. He continued to play at Wells Cathedral, but when the Boat Race was broadcast during a rehearsal, he found that the only way to listen to the radio was by lying on the floor whilst the Chorus was singing.

In February 2018, his health deteriorated which he found, and I quote: ”BLOODY ANNOYING… BODY NOT WORKING… LIKE AN OLD ENGINE FALLING APART…….quite natural but…… AGGHH.” A typical response from this straighttalking, proud Liverpudlian.

After the war he returned to Oxford to complete his degree and then went back to teach French and German at Radley.

This is where he met the love of his life, Kewpie. They married in 1951 and a new name was created, PeternKewpie.

After a while in hospital and a care home, Kewpie got him home to Chapel House.

Here he became much happier supported by a lovely team of carers. However, he got tired and died peacefully at home in his sleep with Kewpie by his side.

At Radley, his main focus was to help develop well rounded, good human beings and he tried to instil a sense of respect for one another. He did this both as a teacher and House Master. PeternKewpie kept an open house and their approachable attitude allowed both pupils and parents to drop in for chats. The school house was more of a home and made special with the assistance of two lovely dogs, Cleo and Polly.

A few days ago, Kewpie said ‘It has been a FANTASTIC journey’.

Peter Dudley Stuart died on 24th January 2019.

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Peter & Kewpie Stuart Lunch Radley College, ORs and colleagues from their time here took the opportunity to remember the huge influence had on them

by Peter and Kewpie Stuart at a lunch held in ClockTower Court coffee shop on Monday 21st October. During the event, Hamish Aird gave a speech to the assembled guests, who included Kewpie herself, and extracts from this are presented here: This is a sad and happy occasion: sad that Peter is not with us celebrating his 100th birthday, happy that Kewpie is here, and that we can celebrate their wonderful contribution to Radley and to D social, The Radleian Society and the War Memorial Committee in particular. But what we are also celebrating is their friendship, their kindness to generations of boys, their complete integrity and their hospitality which continued right up to the most recent years.

On occasion Peter might seem to a newboy or even a new don a bit fierce in looks and stern of voice, But we soon realised he was only seriously fierce in reaction to unkindness, rudeness, selfishness and bad manners. How he and Kewpie looked after the boys in D Social and on a wider range of Radleians in music and drama and sailing, was an object lesson for everyone.

Peter and Kewpie gave something special to Radleians. Rather conventionally it might be called a ‘civilising influence’ but it was deeper than that and in reality it was love.

This shines out of the book of Memories that has been prepared for Kewpie mainly from boys in the social but also from others who came across Peter in the classroom, on the river, playing in the orchestra and teaching the flute, and sailing. And Kewpie too took a wide role in various areas of school life: drama (make-up, costumes, flower provision), and also in the orchestra with her violin, and in the Paperback Bookshop.

No tribute would be complete without the service they both gave to music. Peter was close to being a concert-standard solo flautist: he taught the flute at Radley, though as often as with the flute he was there at the back of the orchestra playing the Double Bass. No one will forget the concert in the Big Room in the Music School in the Milligans’ last year when 5 double basses played together in a comic double bass concerto: Kewpie was a permanent member of the orchestra with her violin.

The evidence of Peter’s outstanding and meticulous work for the Radleian Society and the War Memorial Society (for the latter he started as Secretary when he arrived in 1948), is in the files up at the top of the Mansion. He made many notes on letters received (often close to illegible). This work may not sound glamorous but it was essential and many boys and their parents benefited from War Memorial grants.

There was a sentence in one of the contributions in the book of memories and I will end with it: “How I wish now I could have met him in later times and been able to talk more. For he was a deep and good man.”

I can only add our love is with them both.

Hamish Aird 102

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Obituaries

Halliday, AJT (A Social SubTutor, and MiC Cricket 2003-07) The following extract comes from Alex’s vale in the 2007 Radleian: Alex arrived from the Dragon in September 2003 to teach History and as Master-in-Charge of Cricket. He had been keen to make the transition to try his hand at senior school. And as luck would have it, a vacancy came up. Alex also moved in to A Social as an effective resident sub-tutor for Steve Rathbone.

As an historian Alex taught across the full range of sets, and proved a fine teacher in the classroom. In the lower school Alex enjoyed a great relationship with successive Shell 2 sets, and always promoted the best historians in that class - setting them high standards and encouraging them to compete with the historians in Shell 1. At GCSE Alex taught with firm effectiveness, ensuring that his charges performed to the best of their ability, and always getting good results out of the boys. In the department he was always great value. Often regaling us with stories of boys’ antics and foibles at the Dragon, or enjoying the traditional Monday morning sports aftermath banter with Richard Greed.

Elsewhere in the school Alex’s involvement was enormous. He came to Radley as an immensely talented sportsman, especially in cricket, hockey and rugby. He ran very talented rugby teams from the Colts with John Sparks and lain Campbell to the Junior Colts with John Beasley, Andy Wagner and Simon Dalrymple. I remember Alex recounting an incident whereby he had wanted to test the defensive mettle of a certain JC1 fullback under the high ball- he put up a snowcapped garryowen and asked a mean backrow forward to attack the fullback as he caught the ball. The result was that the fullback’s bravery was no longer in question. But that he was then off games for a couple of matches.

on the Barcelona trip and then kept the momentum going for what was a difficult, but very successful season - with many of the boys going on to play in Graham King’s unbeaten season the following year.

However, Alex’s chief love is cricket, and as Master-in-Charge he was determined to keep going the standards of play and behaviour that James Wesson had instilled. Boys were instructed upon the behaviour expected of Radley cricketers, and warned that sledging and improper conduct would not be tolerated. A strict dress code was also enforced - Alex was very keen that boys at all levels should behave like gentlemen, and also monitored the progress of all the teams right the way down to Midgets 5 and 6. He presided over the Eleven for three seasons (aided and abetted by the evergreen Andy Wagner and Bert Robinson, of course) and in a competitive era his teams acquitted themselves well.

He and Andy were as keen as ever to bring on younger players, even if others were sometimes critical. Several players Charlie Duffell, Theo Freyne and David Wynne Griffith, for example, were all given extended runs in the Eleven as a result of this continuing ‘youth’ policy.

Alex also wanted to continue James Wesson’s idea that the Rangers should become a more cohesive and professional outfit. He collaborated with Rupert

Henson and Andy Wagner to try and ensure a better standard in Rangers matches, culminating in a decent Cricketer Cup run each year. Overall Alex managed to maintain the excellent traditions of Radley cricket in his alltoo-brief tenure. I will remember Alex as being very good company - be it at Hampton Court in the June sunshine, organising a real tennis exhibition match for the boys through a contact, or in December in the cellar bars of Prague on the eastern Europe trip with Stephen Graham. Alex was fully involved here, and we all wish him well as he goes back to the prep school arena and becomes Head of History at The Pilgrims’ School.

Winchester. I am quite sure future generations of boys at Pilgrims’ will be enthused as historians and games players by his inimitable efforts.

Niall Murphy Further to this, Alex was Head of History and then Senior Schools Liaison at Pilgrims’, and joined the SMT. He found real happiness in marrying Emily, and their daughter Georgina was born soon after. Many ORs, Rangers and members of Common Room, past and present, attended his memorial service in a packed Winchester Cathedral.

Alex Halliday died on 5th November 2018.

That said, last year’s Junior Colts I XV was one of the most impressive in recent years, due to the combination of attacking flair and forward graft imparted by Alex and Simon they were a wonderful side to watch in full flow. Alex also ran the 2nd XI hockey team for several years, and stepped into the breach to run the 1st XI after Rod Journeaux’s departure.

He took up the reins with Charlie Barker the old radleian 2019

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Obituaries

Bones, KL (Gymnastics Coach) Keith Bones taught PE and Gymnastics at Radley for 19 years and then managed the Sports Centre for a further 12 years until his retirement in 1997. Keith was respected and will be fondly remembered by the Radley boys who most benefitted from his gymnastics coaching by winning and retaining the Public Schools Gymnastics Championships for many years and the Berkshire Gymnastics Championships.

During his time working at Radley Keith also took boys to the Gliding Centre at Bicester for the Air Cadet Corps and instructed Diving for the Sub Aqua Club with David Hardy. Many Radleians will not realise that the Sub Aqua club actually took part in the archaeological underwater retrieval of the Mary Rose Warship that sank in Portsmouth Harbour. Outside of College, Keith founded the Abingdon Gymnastics Club, taught at Cothill House prep school and coached the Oxford University Gymnastics team. Keith’s son Adrian studied for 2 years at Radley.

His Grandsons George Hervey attended Radley and Felix Hervey is currently studying at Radley.

The following tribute was written by an anonymous member of the Radley gymnastic team in the 1960s: In the early 1960s Radley College’s gymnastics team was already a force to be reckoned with. However, with the arrival of Keith Bones, the difficulty of the routines and moves that our gymnasts began performing quickly reached a much higher level – in fact, soon after Keith came on the scene, Radley’s gymnasts achieved a standard of excellence that put them on a par with the teams of other schools all over the country. Over the years many Radley gymnasts were selected for the British Public Schools Gymnastic Team which toured the Scandinavian countries annually.

I first met Keith during a routine gym class which boys in all forms were required to take once a week – Keith and Bert Williams (a/k/a “Peanuts”), taught the class together. Even though I was not a gymnast at the time, the weekly gym class was a fixture I looked forward to. At the time, taking up the sport was something I had not considered.

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This would change. Keith’s presence and personality had a palpable positive influence in the gym – he very obviously knew his business. From my perspective, he came across as very much a “glass half-full” man which, in all candour, I found very refreshing – especially in light of the contents of most of my school reports! Keith exuded confidence, selfdiscipline and an optimistic outlook that rubbed off on the boys he taught. Those are important qualities for a coach to have in all sports, but perhaps more so in the gym. After all, it is well to remember that gymnastics can be a dangerous sport – when you’re dismounting from the horizontal bar 8 feet from the ground it helps to muster the ability to suppress your fear and be sure of yourself.

Keith’s coaching methods rapidly produced results from the boys he trained.

He installed a foam pit underneath the horizontal bar so that experimental dismounts could be attempted without fear of catastrophe. The pit could also be used for vaulting practice. I recall many enjoyable sessions in the gym flying over the horse, or releasing the horizontal bar, flying through the air and landing in that foam pit on my back, backside or even my head – all with impunity!

Keith led from the front. He was very fit and was more than capable of pulling off many of the moves he was training us to do. I recall one day that on a bet with Nik Stuart (GB national coach), Burt Williams and Bob Stoughton-Harris, Keith mounted the pommel horse and performed 27 double leg circles flawlessly!

Keith had a dry sense of humour which was a perfect fit in the environment of the gym where, as with any sport, mishaps often occur. I recall one day, while practicing a new style of dismount from the horizontal bar that on the way down to the foam pit, my toes did not quite clear, getting smacked hard in the process.

As I grimaced in pain, I looked up and saw Keith grinning at me like a Cheshire cat – his comment, which I’ll never forget, was “Cheer up lad, pain is only a sensation, get up there and do it again!” – which I did, luckily with more success the second time.

Aside from his well-known skill as a gymnastic instructor, Keith’s life experience enabled him to impart sage

counsel to young Radleians that, in my case, I took to heart and have carried with me ever since. The advice given was during one afternoon in the gym when Keith suggested I attempt a move I’d never tried before – a pirouette at the top of a grand circle so that I could gain points on my horizontal bar routine.

When I hesitated, obviously experiencing a certain degree of trepidation about this move, I said “well, I’ve not done that before.” Keith’s rejoinder was this: “Listen to me lad – because what I’m about to tell you applies in all walks of life, not just here in the gym. If you back away from something just because you’ve not done it before, you’ll miss out on some tremendous opportunities as well as some of the finest things in life!” Since that guidance, I have lost count of the number of times in my career that colleagues in my profession cautioned me when I was about to do something unorthodox by saying “we’ve never done it that way,” or “that’s not the way we do that.” Every time I heard comments like that, I would recall what Keith had told me many years before in the gym at Radley – more often than not, I listened to my gut, followed Keith’s advice and ploughed full steam ahead. I’ve never regretted it.

Clearly, when the Almighty created Keith Bones, he broke the mould.

Radley has lost a great man, a brilliant coach, a superb teacher and a truly wonderful human being who was an inspiration to many, especially those who encountered him in the gym.

I’ll never forget him.

Keith Lionel Bones died on 12th July 2019.

Obituaries

Malins RE (1934, F) Robert Malins was born in Ealing, the 4th child and 3rd son of Sidney Malins and Ellen Wickham Jones. She’s in the picture on the back of the service sheet, along with my father who was the middle son.

On his mother’s side he was one of the 12 grandchildren of TWJ, a wharfinger in the City, and was the last to leave us. There were no cousins on his father’s side, an uncle and aunt being unmarried.

The family moved from West London to Godalming in the mid 1920s. A house called Minster Barn near Charterhouse School, his father commuting from Farncombe station to London until he retired at 70 in 1935. Robert was sent to a prep school, Hillside House, nearby. Radley in Berkshire was then recommended, and he went there in 1934. A contemporary was Christopher Rivington, who became a lifelong friend, dying only a few months earlier.

The family moved to the Old Vicarage (High Elms) Compton in 1936, nearer Radley, which he left in 1938. He went up to St John’s College, Cambridge, to read natural sciences. There he wanted to join the University Air Squadron, but his father disapproved. He joined the OTC instead, where the choice was infantry or survey.

He opted for the latter, of friends in the Air Squadron none survived the War. He was called up on his 20th Birthday, enlisting in May 1940 as a Gunner in the RA, commissioned in November 1940. He was posted to the Independent Sound Ranging Battery near Dover, and then later served in NE England and Scotland, joining the 9th Survey Regiment RA. In 1943 they were sent to Cobham for Landing Craft training. His c/o was a Colonel Eastwood, a regular soldier.

Now it’s 75 years since the momentous events of the invasion of Europe. They worked up in the Thames Estuary (Purfleet, Gravesend etc). On D-Day + 1 on to the Normandy beaches, Juno with the Canadians. Delay meant they actually landed on D-Day + 2, moving to behind Sword (St Aubin, revealed when I told him of cycling there), saw the bombing of Caen, then on to Le Havre, Dieppe, Belgium and Holland, reaching Tilburg in October. He was posted home in March 1945, meeting his God-daughter Anne before her own father. The RAF had lost too many pilots so the RA wanted

volunteers for air observation work. He thus achieved his ambition to fly and was sent to Larkhill for training. He was there on VE Day. Pilots were still needed, either for the Asian war, or for tidying-up operations in Europe so training was completed.

He was posted to Ronchi in Italy (today Trieste Airport) with 645 Squadron, where he flew over the Adriatic, in Auster light aircraft. He went regularly to Pula where there were ongoing troubles with Tito and Yugoslavia. This he revealed when my son Arthur was there for scout camp.

He was de-mobbed as Captain RA (pilots held that rank) in August 1946, but I have a memory of him in uniform so I believe he remained a reservist. A short spell in the City did not suit him, nor did a return to natural sciences. A friend had recommended estate management.

St John’s took him back for a shortened degree, but he had to study later for ARICS. There he met Dick Smith, whose sister Jean he was to marry in 1954, the year his father died and the family left Berkshire.

As a Surveyor he worked in various places (North Wales was once mentioned with its language challenge) and after marriage they had early homes in Suffolk and Dorset, but settled in Kent for over 60 years. Cranbrook started with Winch, Geering and Colyer took them over but he then went independent. He was also a Lloyds Name but sustained losses. He became an established figure in Cranbrook, a churchwarden in this church, they were able to travel, and played quite a lot of golf.

Jean’s life was celebrated here 4 years ago, after their 60 years of marriage. They had no children of their own, but the 12 nephews and nieces more than made up for that. All of us felt special and they always took a close interest in us.

Birthdays were unfailingly remembered, and there was very considerable generosity and kindness. He had a loyalty too to Radley, St John’s and his Army colleagues.

He took in Christopher Rivington as a lodger when his work moved to Kent. The house had a collection (in the loo?) of all the postcards we had sent them.

Right to the end he retained detailed knowledge of friends and family, a father figure we consulted for news. We shall all

miss him, but as he would have said “so…

OK”, truly the Last of a Generation.

I would like to close with a testimonial written by Lt Colonel Eastwood of the 9th Survey Regiment RA in December 1945: “He has been a most valuable officer, showing great devotion to duty, gallantry, cheerfulness and resource under all the difficulties. He is an excellent instructor and is most popular. I was extremely sorry when he left us, I lost a first-class officer.”

75 years later we have lost a first class Uncle, Godfather and friend.

From the memorial given by Richard Malins.

Robert Edward Malins died on 21st February 2019.

Rivington CT (1934, F) Christopher Rivington’s career at Radley was marked by academic achievement, being a Junior Scholar in 1934 and the Heathcote Scholar in 1937. This was followed up with a scholarship to Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1937 which led to a 1st Class Maths Tripos in 1940.

Called up in 1941, he entered the RNVR in 1941 as a Lieutenant, serving aboard a variety of ships, including HMS Sheffield. After demobilisation in 1946, he completed a 1st Class Mechanical Sciences Tripos the following year, before moving into a career in the publishing industry. In 1983, Christopher was Master of the Stationers’ & Newspaper Makers’ Company, having been a liveryman since 1942.

In 1950, he married Irene Anne Halcro, daughter of Mr and Mrs CW Hough, and together they had three children.

Christopher Thurston Rivington died on 6th September 2018.

Chetwynd-Stapylton HP (1934, G) Henry Chetwynd-Stapleton followed his father, Philip (1903) to Radley, as the middle of three generations of ChetwynStapylton’s to attend the College, having also sent his son, Henry (1979), here. The following extract comes from Henry’s eulogy: Dad was born on the 10th of January 1921 in Eyam, Derbyshire and grew up nearby in Baslow, the eldest of three. For the old radleian 2019

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the last 11 and a half years he was the sole survivor after his sister Betty, my aunt, sadly passed away in May 2007.

Their brother Edward, after whom I was named and who was a Lancaster Bomber navigator was killed towards the end of the Second World War After prep school in Sheffield, whilst his father, my grandfather, was a manager at Vickers, Dad went to Radley College in Oxfordshire and his parents moved to a watermill near Farnham. At Radley he developed a strong desire to become an architect and after extensive research, a trait exhibited any times in his life, he decided that Liverpool University was the place to go. He was offered a place in 1938 as the storm clouds of war were already gathering.

And so, after only one year as an undergraduate Dad’s studies were interrupted by the need to fight for King and Country. Having returned home to Farnham in Surrey Dad initially joined the Royal Scots, but then soon responded to the call for officers in the Indian Army and subsequently transferred his commission. His war then took him to India and what is now Pakistan for training and then west through Persia, the orange groves of Lebanon and finally as part of the long and turgid Allied clean-up campaign in Italy during the harsh winter of 1944. His only war wound was a stray bullet through his right thigh achieved in his cabin on a troopship thanks to the revolver-cleaning efforts of a fellow subaltern. However, he did contract TB whilst in Italy. This necessitated several years’ post-war treatment and recovery in St Thomas’s hospital.

Due to his TB Dad didn’t complete his course at Liverpool and qualify as an architect until 1953. Despite a successful placement year working for Sir Freddie Gibberd on the Harlow New Town project, he was advised against working in the private sector. However, this timing and advice was perfect as it put him in a prime position for a distinguished career in post-war Local Government. He spent nearly 20 years at Hertfordshire County Council where he helped design many of the county’s ground-breaking secondary schools, and a number of bridges over the M1! This was followed by a move to Surrey County Council in 1973 initially as deputy county architect and then latterly as County Architect a post he held until his retirement in 1986. In his retirement 106

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he pursued his architectural interests as an external examiner for Kingston University and as vice chair of the Surrey Historic Buildings Trust. In writing this section, I’ve been struck by just how symmetrical and architectural dad’s life has been: the fact that he passed away on his 98th birthday was, I thought very neat and tidy and typical, but I’ve also realised that his life has divided neatly into thirds with his education, war and convalescence; career and retirement each being 32 or 33 years.

Of course, whilst this summarises his professional career, it doesn’t cover the personal. Dad met my late mother, Elizabeth, and after a tempestuous courtship – literally! They met sheltering from a storm in Yugoslavia – they married in 1962. I was born in 1966 and my sister, Diana followed in 1970. Diana isn’t here today although she does understand that Daddy has died. She doesn’t feel comfortable in strange places with lots of people, but I’m really pleased that some of the excellent team who look after Diana at HFT Sussex are here today. I know that Henry was, and I am very grateful for the supportive environment in which she lives.

I must mention my mother. Whilst she sadly passed away in August 1992, some 26 years ago, she was a strong character but extremely supportive of Dad in his career and would regularly attend the many functions that Dad would have to attend in his capacity as County Architect and latterly a director at Aldingbourne.

They also shared a love of the theatre and opera, regularly attending Glyndebourne every year. Mum was also a good mother to Diana and me and it was tragic that she was taken so young (65) at the time when I was just starting my humble career as a town planner.

Back to Dad. In 1983, prior to Dad’s retirement from Surrey County Council, he and Mum bought 8 Jubilee Terrace and moved to Chichester so they could spend more time sailing. Although Mum was the main driving force behind the sailing, Dad enjoyed it thoroughly, learnt how to navigate in the days before GPS and spent many happy days sailing on their various boats in the Solent and across the Channel to France and the Channel Islands. By the time Dad decided to hang up his sea boots in 1993, I was ready to step into them. However, I then had to learn how to navigate and this resulted in meeting Nicola, now my wife and the mother of

Henry’s grandson, William, who is a very keen dinghy sailor.

However, sailing was not the only retirement activity for Dad. Many of you here today know Henry through his involvement with the Surrey Historic Buildings Trust, the Aldingbourne Trust and Boxgrove Priory. These commitments and the friendships made provided much needed support for Dad following Mum’s premature death in 1992. Living in Chichester meant that he was able to take full advantage of the cultural life of the city, including the theatre and music recitals. During his long retirement, Dad was also able to indulge his passion for foreign travel, courtesy of Swan Hellenic, Cricketers Holidays, Spirit of Adventure and SAGA. It was on one of these trips that the final piece of Dad’s long and colourful life fell into place. I am of course referring to Yvonne, who over the past twelve years reaffirmed Dad’s passion for life and re-ignited his dry sense of humour and witty repartee. Yvonne also ensured that my father remained the eternal optimist; this year’s cruise to Iceland in July had already been booked! That Dad reached exactly 98 years after such a full life is testament to his strength of body and mind. He was a great role model for me, and William and we will miss him enormously. Whilst we do mourn his passing, we also celebrate his life and achievements and are all the better for having known him. Thank you, Henry, Dad. Henry Philip Chetwynd-Stapylton died on 10th January 2019.

Henry Chetwynd-Stapylton

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Morriss KC (1934, B) Ken Morriss was born in Hampstead on 24 November 1920 and sadly died on 18 May 2019, in his 99th year. His family came from Kirdcudbrightshire, Scotland, but his father, grandfather and brother all lived for much of their lives in Asia (Shanghai, Hong Kong, Madras and Calcutta). Ken came to Radley in 1934 and excelled at sports; he was in the 1st eleven cricket team and also represented Radley in rugby, fives, squash and athletics.

Ken was commissioned into the Royal Marines in 1939 – great timing for a looming world war! During the course of the war, he served on HMS Shropshire and HMS Delhi operating in the Mediterranean, the South and North Atlantic (including two trips over the Arctic Circle for which he received his Arctic Star only a few years ago) and the Indian Ocean.

In May 1945, Ken married Diana Gunning, at the time serving as a Wren. In December 1945, he was awarded the MBE for his war service. Soon after the end of the war, Ken served on HMS Vanguard before being deployed to 42 and 45 Commando with tours in Malta (twice), Cyprus and Aden.

Post war, on several occasions, Ken represented the Royal Navy in cricket, rugger, athletics and fencing and also played rugby for the Barbarians. He retired from the Royal Marines in 1975.

In retirement, Ken kept himself busy with his large garden, working on his golf handicap and revelling in his growing family of grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. Diana predeceased him in 2014, just short of what would have been their 70th wedding anniversary.

A devoted family man, Ken was also a true gentleman and friend to many. He is survived by his daughter (Sue), son (Nick), five grandchildren and 11 greatgrandchildren. His son was also at Radley.

Kenneth Cherry Morriss died on 18th May 2019. von Bergen JE (1938, F) Dr Julian von Bergen joined his brother of Mark at Radley College before going up to Trinity College, Oxford, to read Medicine. Whilst here he rowed for the Oxford University war-time VIII in 1945,

The Elizabethan chalice, dated 1571, gifted to the College by the von Bergen family in memory of Mark von Bergen (1934), brother of Julian. continuing his interest in rowing that was nurtured at Radley BC, and which he would support throughout his life. Sadly, his brother was lost in the sinking of HM Submarine Parthian in 1943 and the family presented the Radley Elizabethan Chalice to the College in his memory in 1946.

Blest JFM (1938, F) After leaving Radley, John read Agriculture at Reading University where he met his wife Elisabeth. For many years he farmed in Kent, at one time having four farms. He mainly grew hops, but also apples, pears and berries and became the Chairman of the Hops Marketing Board.

He studied at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital from 1947 before completing his medical studies in 1949. Moving to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in 1950 where he was House Surgeon, before entering the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1952 for his National Service.

He led a full and active life, racing yachts, skiing, shooting, playing tennis and enjoyed salmon fishing into his eighties. He was a very loving and supportive father, grandfather and great grandfather and is much missed by all his family. Both his sons, Peter and Anthony, and one grandson, Thomas, were at Radley.

Taking a position as a House Officer, Obstetrics and Gynaecology at St. Luke’s Hospital, Guildford 1953, he became a Medical Practitioner from 1954.

He married the Hon. Sheila Thomas, daughter of Lord Thomas of Remenham in 1948 and together they had two sons and two daughters.

Julian Edward von Bergen died in July 2018.

John Frederick Melville Blest died on 19th September 2018. des Clayes Q (1939, B) Quintin des Clayes was both an accomplished academic and wet bob at Radley, becoming both a Prefect and an Exhibitioner as well as rowing for the 1st VIII in 1944. His academic abilities saw him awarded a Maths scholarship the old radleian 2019

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to Clare College, Cambridge and it was whilst here he earned his blue, rowing in the successful Cambridge University VIII of 1945, and was elected Hon Sec of the Cambridge University Boat Club.

On leaving university, Quintin joined the Royal Navy in 1947 as an Instructor Officer. He would stay in the Senior Service for 20 years, reaching the rank of Commander. He then moved on to work as a Chief Examiner in A-level mathematics at the London University (1976-81), as well as being a tutor in Mathematics for the Open University.

From 1981, he concentrated on his work as a flautist and flute teacher. He was a flautist in the St Petrock trio and a flute & guitar duo, a recorder player in the Dowland Wind Consort and a conductor of the St Petrock singers.

His instrumental tutoring saw him work at two primary schools and have about 40 private pupils. He continued to teach Music (flute and Music Theory) and work for the Open University well into his 90th year, before retiring.

Quintin married Monica Westmacott in 1951 and together they had three sons, who would all in their turn attend Radley; Christopher (1966), Peter (1970) and Stephen (1970).

Quintin des Clayes died in 2018.

Connell WIH (1940, G) Ian Connell came to Radley in the footsteps of five uncles, who were sent to Radley after the eldest son, Ian’s father, did not enjoy his time at Charterhouse.

He also followed his uncles’ example by becoming a House Prefect at College.

Upon leaving in 1944, he went into the Army, serving with the Grenadier Guards and South Wales Borderers as a Lieutenant, the latter of which saw him spend time in the Near East. Upon leaving the services in 1948, Ian returned to the family’s traditions and took up farming, first with his father and then in Herefordshire. He continued to run his own farm until retiring in 1990.

Marrying Hazel Hope in 1951, they had two children together, William and Sally.

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Quintin des Clayes (front row, far right) as part of the 1944 1st VIII. Gardiner PDR (1941, F) Peter Gardiner, followed his elder brother, Richard, to Radley College, where he soon excelled.

As his contemporary and lifelong friend Francis Wells (1942, H) writes: “Peter had the most brilliant mind of anyone I have known in a long life”. Entrance scholar and Senior Prefect at Radley, he went on to win a scholarship to Trinity, Cambridge that was the prelude to twin major Tripos Firsts (in Classics and English).

This was later followed, after an interval for national service by a further year at Cambridge researching into the parallels between classical Greek drama and plays by 17th-century French authors such as Corneille and Racine.

His first post was at Charterhouse, then under Brian Young, who was building up a team of dynamic young new staff members, among whom was Peter, who became a housemaster at the early age of 37. He was subsequently appointed Headmaster of St Peter’s York, staying there for 10 years, where his influence is best summed up by this quote from his vale there “It has sometimes been said that it is impossible to be both a gentleman and a good headmaster, but at St. Peter’s the dilemma has not existed: we remember him as both.”

Peter then took the unconventional step of moving to the state system, becoming First Deputy Head of Stanborough School in Hertfordshire, where he stayed until his retirement some 13 years later. His reasons for the move were mainly that the balance then imposed at St Peter’s between the academic and athletic sides was biased in a manner not to his liking. He found teaching in Welwyn much more congenial.

This sentiment was not due to any antipathy to games per se. He was himself a highly competent dry-bob all-rounder, being awarded his Radley 1st XI colours at both cricket and hockey.

There were two special interests in his life apart from teaching. The first was theatre.

At Radley he played leading roles in various Shakespearean and contemporary plays, as well as in the performance (in Greek) of Euripides’ The Bacchae, at the climax of which he appeared floodlit on the roof of The House as a splendid deus ex machina. He was instrumental in promoting drama studies at Stanborough and after retirement continued enthusiastically to produce, and act in, numerous amateur productions.

The other was trains. His father, Brigadier R. Gardiner, CB, CBE, was a professional soldier who occupied numerous senior

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Selected for the 1960 Camberley Staff College Course, he exercised his theatrical skills by running the annual Pantomime.

Then, with Fiona and daughter Caroline, he was posted to Benghazi to organise the desert training of British troops. This also included polo, where he formed a team with 2 Royal Tank Regiment. After a short time back with the Regiment, following an attachment at Cowdray Park, he was stationed in Hohne, where he again helped organise polo, before qualifying for the Joint Services Staff College, Latimer.

During his posting to Libya, his son, Andrew, was born.

Peter Gardiner (front row, third left) sits next to the Warden in the Prefects photograph from 1946. posts in army rail transport, while his own son later became a railway construction engineer. He himself spent most of his national service as RTO in Trieste, at the time a key hub in the transport of troops between the UK and the Korean front.

He had been suffering for some time from Parkinson’s disease. However, this did not prevent him from sending manfully handwritten letters to friends until within a few months of his death, which occurred peacefully after a brief stay in hospital in February of this year.

Peter Dod Robin Gardiner died on 5th February 2019.

Robertson CH (1941, E) Brigadier Clive Robertson, CVO, DL was born on 21st August, 1927. At Radley he was a School Prefect, a member of the 1945 winning eight of the Hedsor Cup (forerunner of the Princess Elizabeth Cup) at Henley and Secretary of the school Dramatic Society. His brother, Rear Admiral IWG Robertson, CB, DSC, was also at Radley.

After leaving the College, he entered the army in 1945. Bob (as he was known before his marriage) was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 11th Hussars (Prince Albert’s Own) in 1946, stationed

on the north German plain at Jever. As a young officer, he followed the usual pursuits of shooting, skiing and riding, later winning several amateur races at Hannover. At Osnabruck his dramatic talents were recognised when, for two years, he wrote and directed for the regimental spoof review Cherry Pie. After moving to Wesendorf, on the East German frontier, he was selected to become ADC to two divisional commanders, Harry Arkwright and Charles Jones, which stood him in good stead for his later appointment in the Royal Household.

Clive was appointed to command the 11th Hussars in 1968 when it was announced that the Regiment would be amalgamated with the 10th Hussars the following year.

He approached this news with his usual calm and sensitivity, though the two Regiments were different in a number of ways. Many felt that he was not given sufficient credit for the very successful outcome of this marriage and he was the first Commanding Officer of the new Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales’ Own), adopting the Prince’s badge and retaining the famous cherry trousers. The 1969 Parade was taken at Tidworth by HRH Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, the new Colonel-in-Chief.

Two years later Clive handed over command and continued his career

Returning to the Regiment, Clive embarked for Malaya at the time of the Emergency, on the troopship Empire Fowey. While in Malaya, he commanded the “B” Squadron detachment on the east coast, under Frank Henn, and later became adjutant in Regimental HQ at Seramban. During his tour of duty he was Mentioned in Despatches.

On return to the UK, Clive was posted to the Lulworth Gunnery School, which began his enduring love of Dorset. He became a specialist in the Malkara antitank guided weapon and conducted trials in Australia and on ranges in Kirkcudbright. In 1959, he married Fiona Scott-Dempster.

Brigadier Clive Robertson, CVO, DL. the old radleian 2019

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outside the Regiment with various staff appointments. After a period as a Military Assistant at the Ministry of Defence, he was happy to return to Dorset, commanding the Lulworth Gunnery School as a full Colonel and ultimately as Commandant of the Royal Armoured Corps Centre, on promotion to Brigadier.

Whilst at Bovington, he was instrumental in opening part of the beautiful coastline to limited public access, a contributing factor of his appointment as Deputy Lieutenant of Dorset.

Livermore CBC (1942, B) Charles Livermore spent 3 years at Radley during the Second World War, before leaving to go to the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester. Performing his National Service in the Army, his regiment was sent to Palestine in 1947.

Living in Lincolnshire, Oxfordshire and Kent, Charles married and went on to have 3 daughters and 9 grandchildren.

In 1980, Clive left the Army and shortly afterwards his daughter, Caroline, had a serious accident in Greece, breaking her back and spending six months in Stoke Mandeville Hospital – an event which affected the whole family dramatically.

Clive took a resettlement course and a job organising company seminars. He was then selected to be Assistant Private Secretary to HRH Prince Philip. Though he was with the Duke for seven years, he was very reticent about his time with HRH.

Raynes AJR (1942, B) Anthony Raynes was the first of two sons of Commander JS Raynes, RN, to come to Radley. Representing the College on Bigside at rugby in 1945 and 1946, and cricket in 1946, he was also a Second Prefect in his final year.

On retirement as Prince Philip’s Assistant Private Secretary, Clive was appointed Commander of the Victorian Order and became an extra Equerry.

Back in Dorset he became a Governor of Hardy’s School in Dorchester and was a popular Churchwarden in his local village of Lillington. For 13 years he ran the Dorset branch of the Army Benevolent Fund. As always, he gave maximum support and encouragement to Caroline, enabling her to lead a normal life, despite being wheelchair-bound. He kept himself fit with regular swimming and skiing and organised several ambitious family holidays abroad, including a safari trip to Africa.

Charles Benjamin Christopher Livermore died on 20th August 2018.

After College he went up to Cambridge, where he read Economics & Law, graduating in 1950. He went on to study Chartered Accountancy and became a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in 1953.

In 1961, Anthony married Jennifer, daughter of Sir Charles Trustam, with whom he had a son and a daughter.

Anthony John Robert Raynes died on 31st March 2019.

Cochrane NB (1942, D) One of three brothers to attend the College, Nicholas Cochrane was an enthusiastic and committed member of the Training Corps, rising to Colour Sergeant in his final year. It was no surprise, therefore, that Nicholas went into the Army shortly after leaving Radley, first with the Royal Berkshire Regiment from 1948-59 and then in the King’s African Rifles until 1961. He was invalided out of the army that year and subsequently worked as an executive in an advertising firm.

In 1958 he married Diana Craig and they had two daughters together.

Nicholas Baillie Cochrane died on 19th February 2019.

Martin PG (1943, B) Patrick Martin had hoped to go to Dartmouth and join the Royal Navy but much to his disappointment this was ruled out because he was partially colour blind. Many years later, after qualifying as a Marine Engineer, he was commissioned into the RNVR and served on a Minesweeper.

At Radley, he enjoyed sculling and long days on the river. He left a year early before taking Higher Certificate, having noted a circular on the careers board for

He had a marvellously varied life, thanks to his quiet efficiency, modest character and the support of Fiona, Caroline and Andrew, who survive him. He can be remembered as the epitome of Prince Albert’s motto: “Treu and Fest” – true and faithful.

Compiled from the eulogy by Colonel Tom Hall, CVO, OBE DL, at Clive’s service.

Clive Henderson Robertson died on 25th June 2018.

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Anthony Raynes (middle row, centre) captaining the 1st XV in 1946.

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apprenticeships in shipbuilding. He spent the next five years at the Burntisland Shipyard in the Firth of Forth, on minimal pay and in the rough and tough company of Scottish shipyard workers. All this starting at the age of 17. He then went to sea for three years on British merchant ships on voyages to the Far East to become a qualified marine engineer. The progress from 7th to 3rd Engineer, in the strictly hierarchical and disciplined British merchant navy, was a long hard slog on shifts in the engine room, where serious injuries were quite frequent. In the course of some hazardous voyages he and his ship’s crew once endured a brutal beating up by Chinese soldiers in Shanghai in the time of Mao Tse Tung. The soldiers (indoctrinated) claimed that the crew unloading their cargo were western spies.

Patrick then joined Alfred Holt, the leading shipping company on Merseyside, and was seconded to work on ships being built for them at the Caledon Shipbuilding company in Dundee. He also continued his academic training in Naval Architecture at Birkenhead College of Technology. He then received an offer from a Dutch company, Verolme, who were planning to build a new shipyard in Cork to be funded partly by the Irish Government. He remained with the Verolme Cork Dockyard Company for twenty five years and became their Chief Naval Architect. The company built a variety of merchant ships from bulk carriers to ferries. Ship building for merchant ships at that time was responding rapidly to containerisation, and the company benefitted from a boom in that type of ship building. Another noticeable trend was the change in engines for merchant ships from steam turbines to heavy diesel in which Patrick had hands on experience as a marine engineer.

The Dockyard in Cork closed in 1984 as a result of competition from new shipbuilding in Asia. Patrick then set up his own Consultancy in naval architecture advising shipping companies and navies in several countries on their orders for new ships. His long experience in shipbuilding and marine engineering gained him a high professional reputation.

Patrick wrote his autobiography Fifty Years a Shipbuilder in which he modestly claimed that he never became a specialised marine architect in structure or

hydrodynamics but remained a “GP Naval Architect”. Apart from describing his career the book gives a fascinating account for the lay reader of two major industries – shipbuilding and merchant shipping.

Patrick and Margaret married in 1964.

Her business knowledge helped him greatly in the running of his consultancy.

She survives him together with their four children all of whom have successful careers in Ireland or London.

Patrick Graeme Martin died on 13th August 2019.

Fraser IR (1943, E) The first of two brothers to come to Radley, Ian Fraser represented the 1st VIII and was appointed Prefect in 1948.

On leaving the College, he took a Short Service commission in the Army, joining the Royal Scots Grays where he made the rank of Captain and remained on the Regimental Reserve until 1961.

After the end of his regular commission in 1951, Ian went up to Selwyn College, Cambridge, and read History before a three-year stint with Lloyds Insurance in London. Working for the Bristol Aeroplane Company from 1957 and the Birmingham Industrial Trust from 1963 gave him a wide knowledge of business and from 1968 he worked as an Executive Director for various property companies.

In 2002, Ian co-founded the Museum of the British Empire in Bristol, where he was Director until it was taken over by Bristol City Council in 2012.

Ian Rettie Fraser died on 9th May 2019.

Kerwood TA (1943, F) During his time at Radley, Adrian Kerwood was a Junior Prefect and a corporal in the ATC, as well as captaining the 4th XV with a 100% win record (played 1, won 1).

He left the college and when up to Queens’ College, Cambridge as an Exhibitioner, where he read Mechanical Sciences and Law. After a number of years working for UK-based engineering companies, in 1964, Adrian began work with the Commonwealth Development Corporation. His role with them as a Director of Operations saw him travel and

work in Malaysia and Indonesia over a 24 year career there. Upon retirement in Buckinghamshire, he took on the role of Director of Chesham Town Museum.

He married Eileen Crowe in 1952 and together they had a son and a daughter.

The Radleian Society office was notified of the death of Thomas Adrian Kerwood, however no date of death was received.

Ouvry RD (1943, G) Born in Melbourne, Australia, Robin Ouvry’s life was one spent all across the globe. As a member of the Natural History Society whilst at Radley, it is unsurprising that his career would be as a Tropical tree crop specialist. In 1950, his first post as a Tea planter came in Ceylon before moving to Malaya in 1957 to work as a Rubber and Tea planter for 12 years.

A five year role with a Telecoms company in Coventry brought Robin back to the UK, before once gain he travelled to Liberia, Sierra Leone, Fiji and Cameroon to work on rubber, coffee, cocoa and tea production. On retirement Robin and his wife, Lai Fon, returned to the UK. Romilly Delahaize Ouvry died on 30th August 2016.

Bowen-Jones JA (1944, A) John Bowen-Jones was the first of three brothers to come to Radley, where in his own words he was “academically average” and where his maths was described by a don as “very neat rubbish”. He noted that he stroked the winning Social 3rd IV for ‘A’ and was a proud “uncapsized wet bob”.

After a 3 year short service commission in the Royal Marines, John went to Hartpury College and studied for a National Certificate of Agriculture which set him in good stead to work as a dairy farmer. He married Elizabeth Stevens in 1953, with whom he had two sons and two daughters.

He remarried in 1978, to Gracia, Countess Pisani.

Slowly his farming gave way to conservation work and he also became responsible for recruitment and developing enterprises in the northern Highlands of Scotland, where he also assisted in running his wife’s hotel. The hotel business would see him move from Scotland right down to Cornwall and plenty of places in between until, upon the old radleian 2019

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retirement in 2003, he brought his travels to an end and finally settled in Almeria, Spain.

Here he threw himself wholeheartedly into the local way of life, learning Spanish (easier to do without the fear of a “minus on a Tutor’s report”) and enjoying the climate and culture immensely.

John Alistair Bowen-Jones died on 16th June 2019.

Saunders CEW (1944, B) Charles Saunders was appointed a House Prefect and represented the College in the Tennis team in his time at Radley, before going up to Corpus Christi, Cambridge, to study Agriculture and was later appointed Deputy Lieutenant for Cambridgeshire.

Charles Edwin Walter Saunders died on 7th March 2018.

Seagrim CB (1944, G) Born in Dum Dum, India, Christopher Seagrim went up to Hertford College, Oxford, on leaving Radley. He married Jean Sinclair, daughter of Major-General Sir John Sinclair, KCMG, CB, OBE. Christopher Bruce Seagrim died on 7th September 2017.

Davies CJ (1944, B) Justin Davies took a full part in College life during his time here, having come to Radley as an Entrance Scholar and ending as School Prefect in 1949. Amongst his awards were the Worsley Prize in 1949, both the Greek Prose Prize and the Latin Prose Prize in 1949, along with several Declamation Prizes. He represented the College Squash Team in 1949, was President of the Musical Society and was Hon Sec of the Playreading Society.

The Radleian records his performance in Philoctetes as follows: “special praise must be reserved for Philoctetes himself (CJ Davies) who gave a remarkable performance for a schoolboy - a performance of outstanding beauty” On leaving Radley, Justin went up to King’s College, Cambridge, before starting his career in education as a Schoolmaster at Kingston Grammar School in 1954. He continued to teach at a number of prep schools throughout the 1950s and 1960s, before taking on the post of Headmaster 112

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Above: Rod Stern at Orley Farm School, Harrow, in 1968.

Justin was to lead this school for the next 22 years until his retirement in 1990.

In his retirement, he was the volunteer Treasure and Box Office organiser for the Norbury Theatre, Droitwich.

Justin married Priscilla Leakey in 1954 and together they had a daughter and a son.

Charles Justin Davies died on 1st December 2018.

Lowndes EM (1944, C) Michael Lowndes joined C Social (Cocks’) in 1944 and represented the school at Boxing in 1946. Upon leaving the College he went on to Aston Technical College from where he qualified as a Mechanical Engineer and was accepted as Nuffield Apprentice at Morris Commercial.

Taking on the family business, Lowndes Garages in his hometown of Carmarthen in 1958, he also worked as an Agricultural Engineer, and became Managing Director of Dyfed Engineering in 1977.

Michael married Margaret van Aalten in 1955 and together they had three children.

Edward Michael Lowndes died on 8th May 2019.

Stern RC (1944, C) Rod Stern was born into a comfortably-off family in 1928 and educated at Rokeby and Ashdown House, Kings College School, Wimbledon (KCS), Radley College and Oxford. His mother encouraged her son to take an interest in natural history on walks from home across Wimbledon Common.

A holiday in 1938 brought the enchantment of Braunton Burrows, and a war-time break from the bombing in Killin, Perth in 1943 presented the young Rod with two iconic plants, Saxifraga aizoides and Parnassia palustris. The KCS Biology master ‘Bolly’ Barker provided additional encouragement to study biology. At Radley exeats spent exploring the flora of the surrounding countryside by bicycle in the company of like-minded friends were fondly recalled by Rod. Then at Worcester College he read Forestry

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(1946-50) and his career path was settled.

There were two years of National Service to be undertaken and in his posting to the eastern end of the Mediterranean Rod took the opportunity to add exotic specimens to his herbarium and birds to the lifetime list he had begun aged 14. At the end of his Service Rod settled into work with the Forestry Commission in Wales, moving to the London HQ in 1968.

It is fair to comment that although Rod was successful in his administrative responsibilities there he was much more in his element in the woods and towards the end of his career he was able to combine his professional interest in the growing of timber trees with his private love of the natural world as Conservation Advisor for East England. Key papers on the Sycamore – a species generally unsung in the literature of Forestry – seem to have been responsible, at least in part, for his election to Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Foresters in 1982. From 1978 onwards Rod began to form the important bryophyte herbarium which is now in the care of the British Museum (Natural History).

Among a number of publications in that field were ‘A bryophyte flora of South Wiltshire’ in Journal of Bryology (2001), Atlas of Sussex Mosses, Liverworts and Lichens (1991) and An Atlas of South Hampshire Bryophytes (2010). The Sussex work was produced by Rod in conjunction with Francis Rose and others. Rod was member of the British Bryological Society until his death and had served as Conservation Officer for 12 years and Member of Council for 14.

Rod was in fact very much an oldfashioned all-round naturalist and had a superb ear for birdsong. His eminence in bryology should certainly not lead one to overlook his excellent knowledge of the vascular flora of the British Isles, and in a lifetime of botany he had seen a very large percentage of it.

Having been a member of the Conservation Association of Botanical Societies – as Chairman in 1989-90 – he was an enthusiastic Founder Member of Plantlife and was elected to the Board from 1992 until 1995. In 1999 he was presented with a Plantlife Award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Plant Conservation’ by the President, David Bellamy. Rod’s contribution to botany

and conservation has been considerable.

He was very active in the sporting field: he enjoyed rugby and cricket at school, gained many cups for athletics in his early years, sailed, was a more than competent golfer, played squash and competed fiercely on the tennis court long into his retirement. But perhaps it was in swimming more than any other physical activity that Rod took pleasure, and whenever a field meeting was within striking distance of the sea or fresh water his regular companions became accustomed to noticing over the lunch break Rod quietly rejoining the group with damp, tousled hair and a beatific smile on his face.

Roderick Carter Stern died on 4th January 2019.

Chamberlain EJR (1944, C) John Chamberlain was sent (by his golfloving parents) to Radley, simply because the school owned a golf course. His father had been at Malvern but his late school had been taken over by Naval Intelligence and their boys sent to Harrow. However, when John arrived at Radley the golf course had been ploughed up as part of the “Dig for Victory” campaign! This was probably a blessing in disguise because John spent his schooldays messing about on the river, as a wet bob. His sporting apogee was to play rugger for the 3rd XV and row in the Leavers ‘B’ eight.

On leaving school, John spent a year in his family firm, E.A. Chamberlain, a fibre-board mill which had been founded

by John’s grandfather in 1879, rotating around the departments before being called up for National Service where he was commissioned into the Royal Tank Regiment. John then joined the Territorial Army where he served with the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars. In 1954, he married Mary Lister and they settled in Box where they became part of the backbone of the village.

Being the third generation of a family business is a mixed blessing. On paper, it looked good to be a very young director of a medium sized established local business.

But the truth was that when he took over from his father, the oil price was going up faster than anyone could have predicted, the Second World War had got in the way of investment in new machinery, the introduction of plastics and the increasing unreliability of customers to take our

product were multiple problems.

When the infamous union leader ‘Red Robbo’ called “All out” at Cowley (because there wasn’t enough sugar in the tea and something equally trivial) and car production stopped for an afternoon, Nailsworth would lose a week’s worth of business. John decided that the only way forward was investment and he persuaded his board to invest in the biggest fibre board machine in Europe. This brave move resulted in a fabulous Swiss machine that spat board out at a fantastic rate but who would have known that the late Sixties was a bad time to borrow in Swiss Francs! Twenty/twenty hindsight is a fabulous thing!

The manufacturing business slowly declined but John fought it every step of the way, shouldering the responsibility of employing the grandchildren of the men that had worked for his grandfather.

Every person he had to make redundant was painful obviously for them, but he absolutely hated doing it. He tried valiantly, every year, selling property to fund the core business, but in the end unsuccessfully to keep the mill going.

However, he finally had a Damascus moment and started renting out buildings that were no longer used by the business to other businesses. Acting against the advice of all of his professionals, who were encouraging him to cut and run, he re-mortgaged the family home, and loaned the money to the business. A text book error in any business manual!

This extremely risky strategy was a turning point. He appointed his wife, Mary and his son James as directors, they rebuilt the middle of Nailsworth with a team of loyal staff, many still working for the company today. And so, Nailsworth evolved, the directors’ dining room became home to the Ministry of Agriculture for twenty or more years and the laboratory became a showroom, then an Antiques centre now an Opticians.

The company garage stopped repairing fork lift trucks and John’s father’s Bentley (although not necessarily in that order!) and became Nailsworth Tyres and so on, now thirty-five different tenants in over fifty buildings.

The supermarket followed, with most buildings on site being refurbished, rebuilt and let to thriving local businesses. The the old radleian 2019

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mill stopped making dreadful smells, the hooter didn’t go three times a day and night and slowly but surely the town has progressed into a pretty Cotswold Market town, a decent place to work, rest and play. It was a very proud moment for John when he worked out that there were more people employed on site than when the family business’ own manufacturing company occupied the whole site.

The saying goes that if you want a job done, appoint a busy man, and so he was recruited by his friend, Chris Booth, to become the Appeal Chairman that raised £1.5million to build Horsfall House (now known as the Minchinhampton Centre for the Elderly) where he served as a Director for five years. He had also served on the Box Church Committee and represented the Church raising money to build the Village Hall in 1970. Although he did plenty for the church, if he was here he would want to sit at the back and preferably behind a pillar.

His brother GMD Chamberlain, son JE Chamberlain and grandsons JE CarterLewis and HJD Chamberlain were also at Radley.

The above tribute to John Chamberlain was written by his son, James.

Edward John Rodney Chamberlain died on 11th September 2017.

Bircher, EAP (1944, D) Much loved husband of Catharina, devoted father of Alexandra, Alice, Kirsti and Carolyn and grandfather of seven, Paul Bircher was the eldest son of a Swiss lawyer and Canadian mother. He made the intrepid wartime journey back from Canada with his younger brother, Freddie Bircher (1946), to continue his schooling at Radley.

Radley gave him lifelong friends and taught him leadership skills, making him School Prefect and Head of D Social.

Above all though, it introduced Paul to rowing and he represented Radley in the 1st VIII at Henley.

He went up to Christ’s College, Cambridge, to study engineering but continued his enthusiasm for rowing, winning the Boat Race in 1948, 1949 and 1950, despite the well documented catching a crab in 1948, and setting a course record of 17:50 which was not 114

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Paul Bircher during his time at Cambridge as President of the Cambridge University Boat Club. bettered for another 26 years.

At the age of 19, he earned his place in the Great Britain Olympic eight and won a Silver medal in the 1948 (austerity) London Olympics. At a time of rationing, the oarsmen were given a cow to provide milk to supplement their calorie intake.

In 1949 Paul was elected President of the Cambridge University Boat Club and went on to win the Grand Challenge Cup at Henley for Leander in 1953.

After Cambridge Paul served his national service with the Royal Engineers, with a further ten years in the Territorial Army in its Airborne Division whilst working in

the engineering industry and finally the charity sector.

Aged 66, he joined his old crew at Henley in a friendly race against their Russian rivals from the 1954 Grand Challenge Cup. At 83, Paul was incredibly honoured to play his part in the 2012 Olympic celebrations: walking the Olympic Torch in its relay and then rowing the Gloriana down the Thames to carry the Olympic Flame on its journey to the Opening Ceremony.

Ernest Augustus Paul Bircher died on 6th October 2019.

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Scott MC (1944, F) During Mason Scott’s time at Radley, he was both a House Prefect and played for the 1st XV on Bigside in 1948. However, most tellingly he was also the Captain of Shooting in 1947 and 1948, a skill that would surely come in handy when he finished at the College and joined the Army after going to RMA Sandhurst.

Serving in the Scots Guards from 1949 to 1956 he reached the rank of Captain and was twice Mentioned in Despatches during the Suez conflict. His career after leaving the Army was centred around farming, with a short spell as a Contracts Manager for the engineering firm, Dorman Long. He also went on to be the proprietor of an antiques business.

He married Judith Dalgliesh in 1953 and they had three children together, with their eldest son, Mason Stapleton Scott (1967) following his father and uncle, Brough Scott (1956) to Radley.

Mason Charles Scott died on 26th October 2018.

Hibbert JF (1944, G) The first of his family to attend Radley his ancestors and cousins having attended Eton, he arrived on D-Day in 1944 and was in G Social. He would recount many stories to his son, and fellow OR, Richard (1977) about how Eastbourne College occupied H Social, arriving around the same time as him.

From Radley, he enlisted with the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry and went to Sandhurst. He saw active service in Korea, Kenya, Bahrain, Borneo and Cyprus as well as serving two tours in Northern Ireland. In 1982, he was Camp Commandant at Sennybridge which was the main training ground for troops forming the Falklands task force. He retired from the army in 1985 and led a full and active life, involving himself in various charitable and community activities. He had a major stroke in 2001, from which he made a good recovery, but had also been fighting Parkinson’s disease for the last few years. He is survived

by Jennifer, his wife of 60 years, three children and five granddaughters.

John Fiennes Hibbert died on 30th September 2019.

Mason Scott (back row, second from right) in the 1948 1st XV. Jeffreys GWE (1944, G) Following two uncles to Radley, George Jeffreys made a name for himself on the Fives courts, where he represented the College in 1948 and 1949. On leaving, he went to the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester to study Agriculture and then began his farming in Kenya 1954.

His entry in the Radley Register also, rather enigmatically, refers to him having been a Bus driver, London to Bombay from 1958 to 1960.

He married June Bennett in 1960 and together they had three daughters. In a letter to the College in 2009, he signs off by saying “I was very happy at Radley.”

George William Eyre Jeffreys died on 18th July 2019.

Richard Arthur Kirby (1945, A) Born in Nyasaland (present day Malawi) where his father had been Acting Provisional Commissioner, Richard Kirby was sent to Britain to receive his education at Radley, as his uncle - P K O’Riordan (1929) – had done.

At the College he was a House prefect of A Social, and a Junior Prefect, as well as

a member of the gym team from 1945-49 and Captain of Gym in 1949. He was a committed member of the CCF, where he reached the rank of L/Sgt and was winner of the Barton Cup in 1948. He also earned a place as a member of the Royal Guard of Honour for HM The King who visited the CCF Camp on 3rd August 1948.

He continued to serve in the forces after leaving Radley, firstly in the XII Royal Lancers and then the Derbyshire Yeomanry before heading up to Balliol College, Oxford, to read Jurisprudence as an Entrance Scholar.

After a short stint at Barclays Bank, Richard took a post with Shell in New Zealand, emigrating there in 1956. It was here he and his wife, Brigitte, had two children together, and Richard also picked up his military career, serving as a Captain in the New Scottish Regiment.

After a 30 year career with Shell NZ, he retrained as an educator, taking on the role of Management and Law Tutor at Northland Polytechnic, Whangarei for 10 years, before finally retiring.

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The photo from 1949 of D Social (Gardiner’s) with David Bateman (second row, second from left), sat next to Mrs Gardiner.

Bateman DCF (1945, D) David Bateman’s involvement with Radley stretched beyond his five years at the College, where he was a Prefect, played in the Hockey 1st XI and was Captain of Tennis, Fives and Squash, as he took on the role of Secretary of the OR Squash Club in 1960. He was to hold this post throughout the following decade, helping keep OR Squash going.

Having gone up to Oriel College, Oxford to read Law, he subsequently worked as a Stockbroker in London for 25 years, before becoming a Management consultant ‘troubleshooter’ in 1979 for a number of other stockbroking firms until 1991.

Married three times, David had two daughters and a son, John (1973) who followed him to Radley.

David Charles Frederic Bateman died on 24th June 2019.

Jacks PR (1945, H) Born in Ceylon, Peter Jacks returned there after his time at Radley to work as a Tea Planter. He then moved on to New Zealand where he continued to farm, this time avocadoes, until his retirement.

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He married Susan Layton (daughter of an OR) in 1960, with whom he had a son and a daughter.

Peter Raymond Jacks died on 28th July 2019.

Dobson BGP (1945, H) Bobbie Dobson, so called to distinguish him from his grandfather and his Old Radleian father also called Benjamin, recovered well from polio during his time at Radley and it had no effect on him becoming Hon. Sec. of the Scientific Society, a Colour Sergeant in the CCF, Head of Social and a School Prefect.

He also represented the College in the Shooting VIII in 1949 and 1950.

After Radley, he went up to Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, where he captained the Cambridge University Rifle Association and earned a half-blue. His shooting skills were recognised when he was a part of the Great Britain Rifle Shooting team that went to Canada in 1956 and again in 1962, and he represented the England Rifle Shooting team in 1960.

His career saw him begin as a Textile

Engineer in 1954 and he worked as an engineer selling textile machinery for man-made fibres, becoming Group Sales Director for Edgar Pickering. He finally joined a privately-owned engineering company in Kendal in 1980 before retiring to the Lake District in 1989. Whilst living there he was Chairman of Administration and Finance for the Lake District National Park.

He married Bridget Woodburne in 1955 and one of his sons, Richard (1972), also came to Radley, following the family tradition.

Benjamin George Palin Dobson died on 27th August 2018.

Toye AB (1946, A) During his time at Radley, Andrew Toye, was a House Prefect in A Social, a L/Sgt in CCF and was awarded the St John Roscoe French Essay Prize in 1951.

Upon leaving the College and after completing his National Service, Andrew went on to Durham University. Here he read Modern Arabic Studies and was awarded the Leverhulme Travel Scholarship.

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Andrew Brooks Toye died in 2018.

Harris FBO (1947, C) Brian Harris followed his elder brother Barry (1944) to Radley and was a Prefect in 1951, winning a Declamations prize and was in the Hockey 1st XI. He also played for the 1st XV in 1950 and 1951 and was selected for the English Public Schools XV.

Dodgson, AB (1946, E) During his time at Radley, Ben Dodgson was a House Prefect of E Social, as well as a Lance Sergeant in the CCF and a member of the Philatelic and Toxophilite Societies.

After leaving Radley, he went to work at his father’s business, Harris & Co of Bristol, where he remained for 40 years as a Partner. During this time he was also Chairman and Director of several other companies.

After leaving the College, he returned to his family home at Steyning Manor, Somerset in 1957 to run the farm, a calling that would occupy him for the rest of his working life. Also in 1957, he married Gwynned Holt, with whom he had two daughters.

He married Patricia Armstrong in 1958 and they had two daughters and two sons together.

He worked in Middle East Market management, before taking on the role of Commercial Liaison Officer at Fiat in 1971, a job he would do for 21 years. On retirement, he ran a B&B in Sussex with his wife, Mary.

Anthony Ben Dodgson died on 9th December 2017.

Frederick Brian Oatway Harris died on 14th February 2019.

Right: Brian Harris captaining the 1951 1st XV. Maurice JP (1947, F) John Maurice came to Radley as an Entrance Exhibitioner and during his time at the College was a House Prefect, and Secretary of the Dramatic Society.

As befitted the son of a Royal Naval Commander, he was a Senior Rating in the Naval Section as well as rowing in the College 2nd VIII. He once again won an Exhibition, this time in History to attend Downing College, Cambridge where he completed his studies.

He went on to teach at St Andrews, Pangbourne, the City of London School and in the Middle East. He also worked as a translator in Italy and as a copy writer.

His original writing was published in two books in 2000, the novel, Jabberwocky Day, and a collection of short stories, Some Marlborough Inventions & Stories From a Foreign Country.

John Patrick Maurice died on 10th October 2017.

John Maurice (front row, second left) and the rest of the 2nd VIII crew of 1951, showing off the Public Schools Vase that they had won at Marlow Regatta that year.

Gordon TJR (1948, D) John Gordon followed his elder brother, RP Gordon (1939), to Radley and whilst here was a House Prefect in D Social. He would go on to win a State Scholarship to attend Selwyn College, Cambridge, where he read Law and was Secretary of the college Boat Club.

Moving to work in the Assurance industry, the old radleian 2019

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he would join the board of Abbey Life in 1971 and the FIA in 1991.

With his wife, Deidre, who married in 1959, he had one daughter.

Thomas John Robert Gordon died in April 2018.

John Gordon (middle row, centre) in the D Social photograph from 1951.

Keyte JV (1948, E) Jeremy was born on 3 December 1934, educated at Beaudesert Park School and Radley (1948-53). He adored his time at Radley in E Social where he made some great friends for life. He was a school prefect and his talent for Athletics came to the fore culminating in racing in the final of the 800m at The National School Championships at White City. He loved fly fishing and spent many hours flogging the water on College Pond!

He commissioned into the Kings Royal Rifle Corps (KRRC) in 1955. He joined KRRC in Derna, Libya, where, fishing, golf, athletics, shooting, scuba diving, polo and partying dominated the agenda with the occasional bit of soldiering thrown in for good measure! In 1956 he served with the Junior Leaders Regiment in Plymouth before returning to the Battalion just as it was leaving Ballykinler in Northern Ireland for Berlin. During the Berlin tour he was ADC to the Commandant in Berlin and then re-joined 2 Green Jackets (KRRC) for its move to British Guiana.

Whilst on this tour, Jeremy bought a pet Macaw in striking Regimental colours that was taught to swear by the Officers’ Mess cook at any high-ranking dignitary 118

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that happened to visit the battalion. In 1965 he served for a year on a tour to the far East and Australasia as a Liaison Officer onboard the aircraft carrier HMS Victorious. He met his wife, Juliet on one of his many ‘runs a shore’ whilst in Singapore.

In Australia he spent 8 days driving 3000 miles from Sydney to Fremantle across the Nullabor plain in a clapped out landrover.

He served in Malawi from 1969-1971 training President Banda’s Army, then as a Training Officer at HQ British Army of The Rhine (BAOR) before returning as a Company Commander with 1 RGJ in 1973/4 where he deployed to Belfast on an emergency operational tour. Various postings followed in Gutersloh, Germany, working as a liaison Officer with the RAF (where he was awarded an MBE), then as a Company Commander at the Royal Green Jacket Regimental Depot in Winchester and then onto various recruiting roles in Bristol and HQ Wales as a regional schools recruiter before leaving the Army in December 1989.

After leaving the Army he worked passionately for many years as a West Country regional recruiter for the British Field Sports Society (BFSS) which subsequently became The Countryside Alliance. Jeremy loved racing all his life and was watching and still having the odd successful flutter on the horse’s days before he died.

Jeremy Vincent Keyte died on 12th May 2019.

Finney DL (1949, A) Derek Finney’s time at Radley saw him represent the Hockey 3rd XI and the Cricket 4th XI, as well as being a member of the Gramophone Society and Model Railway Society, and a Lance Corporal in CCF. He went on to become a Company Director before working in the Grounds department for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, before ill-health forced his retirement in 1997. Derek was still able to work as a volunteer for National Trust, Castle Ward in Country Down.

He married Margaret McDowell in 1958 and had two sons and two daughters together.

Derek Lindsay Finney died on 10th February 2019.

Jeremy Keyte Sharland MJ (1949, B) Jeremy Sharland joined Radley in 1949, his elder brother having left the year before. Whilst at College he was a House Prefect in B Social and also represented the College in the 2nd XV, Shooting VIII, earned a Trial VIII Cap and was a Sergeant in the CCF. He left Radley in 1954 to join the Royal Marines as a probationary Second Lieutenant.

During training he was posted to 40 Commando who were stationed in Cyprus, helping to deal with the Greek Cypriot troubles and where he found himself among other old Radleians. His Troop Commander was Major Robin Collis and Tim Dick was in the same troop. James Saunders another OR had also been in 40 Commando.

Jeremy served in the Royal Marines from 1959 to 1989. He returned to 40 Commando now stationed in Malta as the Mortar Troop Command and where his brother was the Signal Officer, this was the only time that they served together.

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While serving in HMS Messina as the OCRM and Landing craft officer, he spent time in Gibraltar where he met Mary who was teaching there. They were married in 1966 and had 2 children, Joanna and Jeremy. For most of his service life the family lived on the edge of Dartmoor.

To add to his skills, he was sent to HMS Daedalus at Lee-on-Solent where he qualified as a hovercraft pilot, operating along the south coast. He was later involved in the planning of the Falklands Islands campaign, for which he was awarded an MBE. He retired as a Major and remained working for the Royal Marines as a retired officer but his health was not good.

Michael Jeremy Sharland died on 11 November 2018, aged 83.

Jørgensen PJ (1949, D) Ridder af Dannebrog (Danish Order of Knights) and holder of the French Legion of Honour amongst others, Peter Jørgensen was literally born into the wine branch as the fourth generation of the wine company Knud Jørgensen, located on Strandvejen in Copenhagen.

He was educated as a cellar master, and later followed further education in more European wine districts. After he served his military service he was employed in the family firm.

his brother the books Chateau de Haux 400 years wine history and From country Inn to Chateau.

In 1991 the family firm was sold and the brothers concentrated solely on Chateau De Haux in Bordeaux. In 1985 they took the initiative to create the “Sharehold Franske Vingård”, Denmarks perhaps first large “crowd-funding” project, with the intent to fund the modernizing of the Chateau. Today the sharehold has 19,000 members. The Chateau was originally only 20 hetares, but later was extended with the purchase of 2 vineyards and now owns 60 hectares of vines with an annual production of 350,000 bottles.

As the family over many generations has had the motto “If you wish to be a leader in peace, you must also be prepared to be a leader in times of unrest”, it was natural that Peter undertook an Officers education which through the ranks led to being named Lieutenant Colonel in the

Royal Danish Guard. Through the years he served in both his regiment and also as NATO staff. This led to him becoming president for the Interallied Confederation of NATO-reserve officers (CIOR) in 198082 with 800,000 members.

Peter Jørgensen lived the last 30 years in Bordeaux town with his French wife and travelled daily to Chateau de Haux to oversee its running. Over the later years he passed on this responsibility to the next generation, but was at the Chateau several days a week to receive guests.

He leaves a large family in Denmark and his wife’s French family of a similar size in France. Peter J. Jørgensen will be missed by the family and the many shareholders that through the years have visited Chateau de Haux and heard him entertain with his great knowledge of Bordeaux vine and the history of the Chateau.

Peter Jarl Jørgensen died on 18th July 2019

In 1977 he and his brother, Flemming, became owners of the family firm and changed the style of the old firm on many fronts. The brothers arranged, amongst other things, large tastings for customers in the cellars on Strandvejen and at known manor houses in the provinces. They travelled with customers on wine journeys and began a very successful education facility which they called Academie du Vin (the Wine Academy).

In the period 1972-90 Peter Jørgensen was president for ‘Det Franske Vinråd’ an organisation to advise and inform Danish customers about French wine on the local market, how to purchase it, inform on the various French wine districts, how to read a label together with how to choose wines to suit food.

Peter Jørgensen was a busy wine correspondent and amongst others in 1984 wrote the book, Bourgogne – small vineyards with big wines and together with

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Hurley MR (1949, D) Robin Hurley came to Radley as an Entrance Exhibitioner and when, in 1953 he built the apron stage for the Junior Amateur Dramatic Society’s production of Romeo and Juliet, and won the Carpentry Prize, it was an early indication as to his later career in Architecture.

At Radley he would also be involved with the Dramatic, Musical, Marionette and Madrigal Societies as a stage hand, as well as being a House Prefect and Corporal in CCF. Upon leaving the College he went up to Keble College, Oxford, to read Law and would soon go into private practice as an architect. He became an Associate of RIBA in 1975 and joined Solihull MBC as a Conservation Consultant in 1986. He joined the Institute of Historic Building Conservation in 1997 and would continue his consultancy work until his retirement.

He was also an Architect Member of the Birmingham Diocesan Advisory Committee for Care of Churches.

Michael Robin Hurley died on 13th June 2019.

Carr DRL (1949, D) David Carr was a gifted scholar, entering Radley as an Entrance Exhibitioner, was an Honorary Scholar in 1952 and earned the Heathcote Mathematical Scholarship and an Open Scholarship in Maths to Clare College, Cambridge. Whilst at Radley he represented the 1st XV on Bigside and was a Junior Prefect.

McDouall DC (1949, E) Christopher McDouall was the winner of the 6th Form Prize 1952 and Hon. Sec. of the Wireless Society during his time at Radley. On leaving the College he went up to Jesus College, Cambridge, to read Engineering. Here he rowed for the College VIII in the 1959 Head of the River and won the Gray Reading Prize.

After graduating he completed his National Service as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 3rd Carabiniers before moving into business, where he worked for many years as a Management Consultant and later as a Managing Director. He continued to study, earning a Diploma in Operational Research from the London School of Economics in 1961 and European Studies at the University of Louvain, Belgium in 1974.

On retiring, David moved to Langtonby-Spilsby in Lincolnshire, where he continued to use his mathematical ability as treasurer of the PCC, and was a collector of Sheet Music 1800-1840.

He performed his National Service as a Pilot in the RAF and RCAF, spending time in Canada in the process, before becoming an Aero Engineer. From 1966 he began work in Computer Automation, before becoming Managing Director of Quest Automation, where he won the Queen’s Award, the British Airways Award and the London Chamber of Commerce Award. He followed this with work at several companies as Chairman and Directorships. Christopher was a Fellow of the British Institute of Management and Trustee of the Jesus College Cambridge Boat Club Trust. He was married to Veronica Heighway and they had two daughters and a son together.

David Rae Lambton Carr died on 25th January 2019.

David Christopher McDouall died on 23rd November 2017.

The 1950 D Social (Gardiner’s) photograph, with Robin Hurley (back row, third from left) and David Carr (front row, third from left).

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Squire EM (1949, F) Martin Squire was the son of the parson and was born in The Rectory at Eastleach in July 1935. He was the last born of four and lived an idyllic country boyhood. As his son Tom said in the eulogy “Animal life in its many forms was a big part of Dad’s childhood: dogs, cats, goats, pigs and with white mice in his pocket it was a veritable menagerie. His happiest times in those early years were to be had climbing trees for birds’ eggs, rabbiting with the dogs and, with his beloved mother, watching Tom Graveney and Jackie Crapp play cricket for Gloucestershire. Together they would cycle to Fairford, catch a train to Cirencester and then on to Cheltenham.

“So, his life started in Eastleach and it ended peacefully but a couple of miles upstream in the place were Dad truly made his mark in life and gave so much pleasure to others, on Macaroni Downs Farm.”

He did stray from Eastleach: school at Radley College; Wadham College, Oxford, where he read agriculture, and then a year as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of California, Berkeley, which he loved and the Americans loved him, this witty, exuberant English man.

There was a year teaching chemistry in Somerset followed by undistinguished National Service in the RAF. Agriculture beckoned and he took a farm tenancy in Warwickshire, but the draw of the Cotswolds overwhelmed and he was granted a tenancy at Macaroni Downs Farm by Sir Thomas Bazley. It was to be his home for nearly 60 years.

He brought more to Eastleach than his battered, doorless Land-rover and love of binder twine as the fix-all for all farm repairs. He was a bell-ringer, church warden, Chairman of the Parish Council and an exuberant member of the Leach Valley Players. He mesmerised his audience with his formidable stage presence. For ‘A Servant of Two Masters’ the Adjudicator wrote “The Young Waiter was so often up staged by Martin Squire, The Old Waiter, who only had to appear to be greeted by howls of laughter. Here obviously was a much loved local actor with a great sense of comedy.”

Trevor Milne Day, a close friend, delivered a Tribute and described the boundless hospitality to be found at Macaroni Downs

Martin Squire Farm and the annual highlight of the New Year’s Day Hockey Match: Eastleach v The Rest of the World. “The house is a bustle of people and drink, Martin is darting here and there encouraging misrule – a veritable Puck. At 3pm he would turn an airraid siren to signal the start of the match.

“The players would divide into two eccentric sides wielding broomsticks, umbrellas and the occasional hockey stick.

At some point the game would conclude and the combatants would return to the house for traditional folk songs around the piano and more of Martin’s hospitality.”

The farmhouse door was always open and dozens of life’s travellers found solace and kindness without question or judgement.

No matter how short the meeting, one left Martin’s company more joyful and optimistic about life and its challenges.

His farming philosophy was more about the land and the livestock than the balance sheet.

“There are memories of Dad from every field, for every season of the year; thawing

water troughs in winter; lambing in the summer; stone-walling in the autumn. He understood the rhythms of the season, the power of the land and had a deep atavistic connection with his livestock.” said son Tom. “And perhaps it is these deep understandings of life and death that gave his stoicism and courage, qualities that served him so well in the face of his cancer diagnosis and the shock of Lawney, my brother’s, suicide last year. He may have seemed happy-go-lucky but he knew suffering too. Thirty years ago, his admired big brother, Hugh; his partner-in-crime and comedy and closest friend Tony Reid, and Celia, my mother, all died tragically young.

Lesser men might not have recovered from such losses. Dad did grieve and I know he raged at the injustice of it all, but boy did he bounce back. And with Alison at his side there were more adventures and fun to be had.”

The above obituary appeared in Cotswold Life, 1st October 2019.

Edward Martin Squire died on 8th July 2019. the old radleian 2019

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Goodwin AR (1950, E) Richard Goodwin followed in the footsteps of his Old Radleian father, RH Goodwin (1917) and would also go on to send his own two sons, Thomas (1985) and Richard (1986) to Radley.

His time at Radley saw him heavily involved in the dramatic arts. The Radleians that span Richard’s years at the College are peppered with instances of his performing in all manner of wide-ranging plays, from Ancient Greek to modern British. In his later years, he supported the building of the new Theatre, continuing his association with drama at Radley.

Prynn NJB (1951, D) Nephew of Classics don, TEE Cocks, Norman Prynn is referred to in a note by the then Warden as a ‘good actor and producer of plays’ and that he got on ‘well with other people… a good mixer in any company’. Whilst at Radley, he was a House Prefect, before going up to Exeter University to read Law. Whilst at Exeter he coxed the University 1st VIII in 1957.

Upon completing his studies, he was admitted as a Barrister, Middle Temple, before joining ICI, where he worked for over 25 years. After leaving ICI he became Bursar and a Governor at Durham School.

On leaving Radley, Richard went up to University College, Oxford, where he punted against Cambridge in 1957 and was in the College VIII for three years running, 1956, 1957 and 1958.

Norman married Yvonne Wheaton, with whom he had two sons.

After university, he worked as a Systems Analyst with IBM for five years before taking a job at Shell, for whom he would work for 22 years. For 10 of those 22 years he was given various European postings.

Irvine of Drum DC (1952, B) David Irvine of Drum was the chief who fitted his clan for the 21st century, and whose interest in history led to his famously concluding a 600-year clan feud. He also played a colourful role at the sexcentennial of a notable battle, exchanging swords with the descendant of his own ancestor’s adversary.

Richard was also appointed Justice of the Peace for Hampshire in 1976, a post he had to relinquish while abroad, but one that he took up again in 1990, until his retirement.

Allan Richard Goodwin died on 6th December 2018.

Brown MDM (1950, H) During his time at Radley, Michael Brown was School Prefect, Head of Social and Sacristan, as well as coxing the 3rd VIll. He was also a member of the St. Peter’s London Docks Committee and the Military Band.

After Radley, he went up to Christ Church, Oxford, where he graduated in Law. He would continue to work in the Law for the rest of his working life, as a partner at Cole and Cole Solicitors for over twenty years and then as a Consultant.

Michael married Diana Montague in 1973 and they had one son together.

Michael David Meredith Brown died on 9th March 2019.

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Norman John Bawden Prynn died on 1st January 2017.

In private life, David of Drum was quite the most personable of clan chiefs. He and his wife Carolyn headed across the world to participate in Clan Irvine activities. At home he served as treasurer of various

bodies including the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs; Wallace 700 (the charity remembering Sir William Wallace); and the Scout movement. He was a patron of Aboyne Highland Games and a regular face at the great Aberdeenshire gatherings of Braemar, Ballater and Lonach.

His friendliness and charm were at odds with an unashamedly bloody history involving a centuries-old feud with neighbouring Clan Keith. That began in 1402 when Irvines slaughtered an invading war party of Keiths at the Battle of Drumoak. It concluded only on 4 August 2002 when David and his Keith opposite number, Michael, 13th Earl of Kintore finally met to shake hands and sign a peace treaty. This they did on the only piece of neutral ground between their original holdings: the middle of Park Bridge over the river Dee. Overseeing the accord as impartial witness was the Marquess of Huntly, chief of Gordon.

The fighting talent of the Irvines was notably displayed when Sir Alexander Irvine of Drum, in his role as chief, led his clan in the battle of Harlaw in 1411, an Aberdeenshire event remembered in the ballad “Gude Sir Alexander Irvine the much renounit Laird of Drum”. Sir Alexander engaged in a duel with Red Hector of the Battles, chief of Maclean of Duart, both warriors dying from wounds inflicted on each other. It became a tradition that on the date of the battle every century, the laird of Drum and the

Obituaries

to the end of his days, he remained a proud Old Radleian. Determined on a financial career, in 1958 he joined Cunard as a purser, sailing all seven seas, and completing a world cruise on the Caronia.

Transfer to the Queen Mary brought an introduction to a Carolyn Colbeck, fellow crew member serving as a physiotherapist, and granddaughter of Captain William Colbeck, the Antarctic explorer. They married in 1964, after which David entered the Midland Bank, ultimately becoming a senior manager in Manchester and settling his family in Cheshire.

David’s heart was never far from family matters, and in 1996 he and Carolyn moved to Banchory on Deeside, within sight of the ancient lands of Drum, to be closer to family and his seven grandchildren. Chief or no chief, David proved the ultimate democrat. He knew everyone, and everyone knew David. He once partnered fellow chief Jamie Burnett of Leys in a Commoners v Peers golf match against the Marquess of Huntly, chief of Gordon, and Lord Forbes, chief of that name. As David later related: “In tune with these democratic times, we commoners won”.

Originally the complete non-dancer, David became an overnight convert to Scottish country dancing after his move to Deeside, with rarely a Wednesday passing without the chief of Irvine being on the dance floor in the village hall at Kirkton of Durris.

David Irvine of Drum chief of Duart would exchange swords as a sign of peace. At the 600th anniversary of Harlaw in July 2011, David and Sir Lachlan Maclean of Duart maintained the custom.

David spent a happy childhood at Drum Castle, home of his line since 1323, soaking up knowledge of his family history. He would point to his surname as being the only one he knew whose variations started with each of the five vowels, plus the consonant Y, and could nimbly identify the 19 ancestors each named Alexander, out of 26 heads of the family.

He was schooled at Blairmore, Aberdeenshire and Radley College – and

A lover of the Scots language, he described himself as “a lifetime learner of Doric”, and rejoiced in conversing, dram in hand, in the native speech of Aberdeenshire.

He appeared in Who’s Who In Scotland, cheerfully christening the latter, Fa’s Fa. His motto Sub Sole Sub Umbra Virens (Flourishing alike under sun and shade) reflects the ability of the holly adorning his coat-of-arms to thrive in times both good and bad – as has the family down the centuries.

Clan chief, golfer, genealogist, heraldist, banker, gardener and a much-loved father and grandfather who doted on his family throughout more than half-a-century of marriage, he was, with Carolyn, a long-time member of St Ternan’s Church in Banchory. David’s connection to St Ternan’s was close: his great-grandfather funded much of the interior, including

the splendid woodwork of the pulpit, and generously made funds available for the fabric of the building.

From the obituary written by Gordon Casely.

David Charles Irvine of Drum died on 9th February 2019.

King-Holford CG (1952, E) Following his brother Ian (1950) to Radley, Christopher King-Holford was a House Prefect and L/Bdr in the CCF. He also rowed in the Novice Head of River in 1952. Upon leaving the College he went to St Thomas’ Hospital where he qualified as a doctor in 1963. Whilst at St Thomas’ he rowed in the VIII and was captain of the Ski Club. He went on to work as a General Practitioner for over thirty years before retiring.

Christopher was followed to Radley by his son, Charles (1980).

Christopher Geoffrey King-Holford died on 20th June 2019.

Pozerycki JD (1954, F) Dave Pozerycki came to Radley for one year as an exchange scholar from Tabor Academy, Massachusetts. He then returned to the USA to study at Tufts University and Lowell Technology Institute where he studied Mechanical Engineering. He went on to become President of Milliken Intertechnologies Corp.

Dave married Sandra and together they had two sons and a daughter.

John David Pozerycki died on 19th January 2019.

Stutfield DJ (1955, C) David Stutfield was a prefect in C Social and represented the College at Athletics and Cross Country. His athletic ability transferred to his love of cricket where he was a fast bowler, and it was his passion for cricket that continued after Radley.

He qualified as a Chartered Accountant, travelled on various assignments and then achieved the position of Director of a private bank. Eventually, disillusioned by city life David changed direction and retrained as a horticulturist. He ran his own nurseries in Somerset and grew the old radleian 2019

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plants successfully for many years. He recently bred a new variety of pelargonium which he called ‘Stuts Dream‘, currently about to be marketed in the UK and Europe. David’s main passions were his family, plants, music, singing, cricket, horse racing and his friends.

He leaves his wife Diana, daughter Anna, and son Sam, as well as four grandchildren. David’s brothers Peter and John were both at Radley.

David John Stutfield died in 2018.

Bedford JV (1955, F) A House Prefect whilst at Radley, John Bedford moved into business on leaving the College, studying for an HND in Business Studies. His business career would eventually be eclipsed by his work in the antiques industry and the following piece appeared in the Antiques Trade Gazette: John Bedford of William Bedford was one of the major dealers in antique furniture in London in the 1970s and for the next 35 years dominated his corner of the trade.

The business was started in the 1960s simply to help his brother William (1952) recover from an illness, with a small stall in the Kensington Antiques Hypermarket selling antique glass, while John continued in his role as company secretary at Smith’s Industries.

David Stutfield (front row, far right) as part of the 1958 Cross-country team.

Buying was fitted in at the weekends and evenings by John around other commitments.

After a relatively short time it was found that the furniture used on the stand for display purposes sold more profitably than the glass and a decision was made to take a much larger premises in Upper Street, Islington, and concentrate on period furniture. John now took up the full-time role of running an antiques business with the skills and approach of a ‘true businessman’, driving the operation forward into what would become one of the first publicly quoted antiques businesses on the stock exchange. It operated out of 15,000sq ft of The Merchants Hall in Islington.

Dealers from across the world would find this often became a one-stop shop for their purchases, allowing them to shorten buying trips to the UK often by weeks.

John was always a kind, cultured and generous man with wide-ranging interests from motor racing to building one of the finest private libraries in the world covering cabinet-makers and furniture designers to the brass-makers of Birmingham.

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He will be missed for his sound advice and patience over the years.

John Victor Bedford died on 12th February 2019.

Bliss WA (1957, H) Bill Bliss trained as a doctor at St Thomas’ Hospital London and went on to become a GP in Wootton Bassett for many years, before retiring to Oxford.

William Astley Bliss died on 28th July 2018.

Elstone JA (1959, E) The youngest of three brothers to all attend Radley, John Elstone went on to study for his Surveyors exams, which he passed in 1969. Working for a number of property companies, by 1981 he owned and managed his own Mayfair property office and was a Fellow of RICS. He would continue to work throughout his life as a self-employed surveyor.

Outside of work, he was involved in his local church and tennis club as well as Richmond Hockey Club.

He married Lydia in 1973 and together they had two daughters and a son.

John Anthony Elstone died on 28th August 2019.

Obituaries

Reuchlin PA (1960, H) Born in Holland, Pierre Reuchlin was at Radley for two years in the Sixth Form.

He went on to study at the University of Utrecht. He was subsequently Managing Director of the Pays Bas Property Fund.

He married Georgette van Weel in 1973 with whom he had two children.

Pierre Adriaan Reuchlin died in 2018.

Owen JRÂ (1961, B) At Radley, Roger Owen was appointed House Prefect and was awarded the Vth Form Prize in 1962. He was Hon Sec of Concert Society a L/Cpl. in CCF and was one of 10 Radleians to go to the Calf of Man on a 1965 Biology trip. After Radley, Roger trained in medicine at The London Hospital Medical College, University of London. He went on to train in Radiology and in 1980 became a Consultant Oncologist in Cheltenham.

He married Marie in 1975 and together they had two daughters and a son.

John Roger Owen died on 10th December 2018.

Spud Young (middle row, far right) as part of the 1970 Athletics team.

Pepper SR (1961, E) Simon Pepper was the son of Old Radleian FR Pepper (1922) and at Radley was a House Prefect and Corporal in the Army Section, CCF. As a Remove he won a Declamations Prize and was Hon. Sec. of the Natural History Society, as well as a member of the Radley College Cross Country Running and Athletics teams.

Thompson PW(1964, D) Peter Thompson was the first of two brothers to come to Radley, where he was a House Prefect in D Social and President of the RCMS.

On leaving the College he went to study Microbiology at Dundee University.

Simon Richard Pepper died in September 2018.

Going up to St Andrews University, he read for an MA in French Language and Literature before working in international sales at GKN plc. In 1986, Peter gained an MBA from INSEAD in Fontainebleau, staying in France to take on the role of Commercial Director for Petitjean S.A. Peter William Thompson died on 30th August 2019.

Young RF (1966, D) Francis (Spud) Young followed in the footsteps of both his father and his uncle in coming to Radley. His time at the College was a busy one as he was a House Prefect, Sacristan, Head of Fire Brigade and Editor of the Petreian, as well as being on the Athletics team.

Simon Pepper in the 1964 Cross country team photo.

Upon leaving Radley he went to Blackpool College to study a Higher National Diploma in Catering and Hotel Administration. After the Grosvenor

Hotel, Chester he a became manager of H.M. King Hussein’s Summer Palace in Aqaba, Jordan. From there he had a period at the Sandy Lane Hotel, Barbados, before he joined the Marriott Corporation working in Baltimore. He opened the Boston Marriott and London Marriott as Food and Beverage Director.

After being General Manager of Oakley Court, Windsor, and Group Operations Director of Select Country Hotels, he bought a semi-derelict vicarage in Purton, Wiltshire. It opened as The Pear Tree at Purton as a 17 Bedroom Country House hotel in 1987 and regularly received awards. Francis himself was made a Fellow of the Institute of Hospitality and a Master Innholder.

Five years after the first planting, in 2011 Francis produced his first commercial wine at The Pear Tree, a Seyval Blanc/ Huxelrube Blend - Cuvee Alix named after his daughter, to whom he handed the hotel over to in 2014. He then went on to write two crime fiction novels.

Russell Francis Young died on 28th December 2018.

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Alastair Kerr (front row, centre) as captain of the 1971 Golf team.

Kerr AR (1967, C) Alastair Kerr joined his elder brother JE Kerr (1964) at Radley, where he played on the Golf Team, captaining it in 1970-71.

He would go on to become an Investment Banker for his working life.

He married Karen Grogan and they had two daughters and two sons together, both sons, James (1999) and Edward (2002) also coming to Radley.

Alastair Rawes Kerr died on 26th December 2018.

Cole MG (1968, B) At Radley, Michael Cole was Secretary of the Car Club and was then awarded the John Nugee Travelling Scholarship in 1973. This supported his overland expedition to South Africa with four friends, in a long-wheel base Land Rover.

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Republic, Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Zambia, Rhodesia to South Africa.

He married Deborah Wilson and together they had two children.

On his return to his farm in Tiverton, Michael spent many years working on and producing ‘leafu’, a curd made by coagulating leaf juice to produce a highly nutritious food, particularly high in quality protein.

Duncan Martin Dunbar-Nasmith died on 17th November 2018.

Michael George Cole died on 3rd October 2018.

Dunbar-Nasmith DM (1971, A) The first of two brothers to come to the College, Duncan Nasmith was a Prefect, a member of the 1st VIII and played in the 1st XV, before going up to Edinburgh University. As well as gaining a First in Agriculture, he rowed in the University VIII. After university he was awarded the Philip Henman Scholarship in 1980 and then worked as a Farmer and as a Farm Management consultant.

Talbot DJ (1973, C) Born in Odstock, Wiltshire, David was the oldest son of the late Lt Col. John Talbot (1939, C) and Jan Talbot. His brothers are Anthony (1975, H) and Peter (1978, C).

David had a go at pretty much everything at Radley; Sailing, Squash, Hockey, Climbing etc. He won the Sword of Honour in the CCF and achieved his Gold Duke of Edinburgh award which earned him a visit to Buckingham Palace.

He was the County U-14’s fencing champion and was captain of Fencing at Radley in 1978, as well as a regular participant on camp trips to the Lake District and Snowdonia as well as Iceland.

Rumour has it that when the school woke

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to find Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck on the faces of Clock Tower he may have been one of those responsible. After A level Physics, Maths and Chemistry he went on to Edinburgh University to study Electronic Engineering.

His first job was in a micro-engineering startup in Edinburgh. He then moved with his first wife, Margret, with whom he had three sons (Charles, James and Sholto), to live and work in Geneva. There he took a more challenging role with Motorola with whom he moved to Munich. David returned to the UK in 1994 and his last position was as a Senior Design Engineer, for OnSemiconductor working on camera and memory chips. David would return to Radley regularly to encourage Radley boys to consider a career in the sciences.

David and Kathy married in December 2016 and then, so soon after the wedding, in August 2017, the devastating diagnosis that David had Motor Neurone Disease. After taking advice from health professionals to ‘do it now’ he stopped working at Christmas that year.

David and Kathy bought a Motorhome and travelled around the UK for most of last year, seeing as many places, relatives and friends as they could. They took every opportunity to pursue his passion for genealogy, visiting spots connected to his family history.

David was a very active man. He was a member of Camberley and Farnborough Hockey Club and continued to play until May 2018. He was a very accomplished sailor, with his sons as crew (but mainly single-handed) and was chairman of the combined Comet Class Association for 18 years and a long-standing member of Hawley Lake Sailing Club.

He was a strong climber, summiting Mont Blanc, the Old Man of Hoy and the Matterhorn, to name but a few. David was also a daring skier, skiing more strongly and determinedly than the rest of his extended family only last year.

David was a fun, kind, and emboldening father and an encouraging step dad to Kathy’s sons, Sam and Connor, who found his zest for life contagious. In his unassuming way, he made everyone feel special, important and cared about.

David John Talbot died on 21st December 2018.

Redfern NMR (1974, F) Nicholas Redfern came to Radley where he showed an interest in journalism. He went on to be a company director in the television programme production industry.

Having lost contact with Radley, news of his death was reported to the College.

Cox SC (1980, E) Simon Cox died suddenly in Australia, 10th November 2018. Simon was a Thompson Exhibitioner at Radley, Pup for E Social and played for 1st XV. After Radley he went up to St Edmund Hall, Oxford, to read Metallurgy, Economics and Management. Simon started his career at Jardine Matheson in HK and Tokyo, before moving to Australia. Once in Sydney, he moved into finance. Simon spent the majority of his career at UBS, where he ran the equity capital markets division. Simon leaves his wife, Jen and his children Seb, Lily, Abi and Charlie.

The following obituary comes from the Australian Financial Review: Renowned equity capital markets banker Simon Cox will be remembered as the “quintessential Englishman”, a raconteur and a loving family man.

The long-time UBS banker and father of four joined Credit Suisse, alongside good friend and colleague Michael Stock, in early 2016 and was set to start at Bank of America Merrill Lynch early in 2019, but died suddenly on Saturday of a suspected heart attack.

“He was just a real gentleman. He was wickedly intelligent, very charming and very charismatic in an industry where you can lose that. He also never lost the art of negotiation.” Macquarie ECM Syndication associate director and friend and former colleague of Mr. Cox, Tiffany Ward, said.

One of the most experienced equity capital markets bankers in the country, Mr. Cox spent 20 years at UBS before moving to Credit Suisse and has worked on countless high profile deals, including Heathscope’s $3.6 billion initial public offering, Link Group’s $946.3 million float and Costa Group’s $553 million float.

Duncan Dunbar-Nasmith (back row, far left) in the 2nd VIII in 1974.

Former colleagues and competitors, many of whom had worked directly or indirectly with him for up to two decades, paid tribute to Mr. Cox and extended their thoughts to his family on Sunday.

Reflecting on a man described as a seasoned professional, with a clear moral compass and a vocabulary that would make the most learned man reach for the dictionary, his unexpected death came as a shock to the investment banking community. It was these qualities that the old radleian 2019

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made Mr. Cox a hit with clients, with Mr. Stock, who joined American investment bank, Jefferies Group this year, recounting how he would find a way to make even the most gruelling roadshows an enjoyable experience for clients.

“Simon was a wonderful people person.

He had the ability to build tight, respected relationships with CEOs and CFOs, particularly on fatiguing IPO roadshows requiring the team to be travelling around the globe for weeks on end, and repeating the same meeting eight times a day,” he says. “It’s one thing to co-ordinate an investor schedule, but Simon would create a unique experience, both professionally and socially, for these executives, which established everlasting relationships. Simon, his great personal qualities as a friend and colleague, and his craft, will be sadly missed.”

His fierce work ethic did not go unnoticed by colleagues, with UBS head of investment banking, Anthony Sweetman, saying there was a stage when Mr. Cox, known as ‘Coxy’ to his friends, was working on a new deal every week.

“Just before he went travelling to South America and the UK for a few months in 2016, he did 33 IPOs in 30 months, so he deserved a long break. He has probably worked on more deals than many in the

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markets and he could tell you about each and every one of them.”

Seemingly fit and healthy, Credit Suisse head of equity capital markets Adam Lennen recounted how Mr. Cox would frequently walk the 7.5 kilometres or so from Sydney’s Rose Bay to the office at 1 Macquarie Place.

“Simon was universally popular and respected by colleagues, peers and clients.

We will all miss his intellect, humour and kindness,” Credit Suisse Australia chief executive, John Knox, says.

Other major deals Mr. Cox worked on included the float of QR National, now called Aurizon, and the float of Ingham’s.

He was also closely involved with APN Outdoor and iSentia.

Friends said his persona inside the office and outside was the same, with Mr Cox being “as good off the field as he was on the field”, according to industry doyenne Brett Paton, who retired from the role of Citi vice-chairman in 2015. “He never got too intense about anything, which is great, and didn’t have sharp elbows.”

A mentor to many junior bankers, UBS’s George Kanaan said he had never heard him raising his voice and he always remained calm and in control, even during

the global financial crisis when UBS was responsible for recapitalising a large chunk of corporate Australia and were having to raise billions of dollars for clients. Mr. Cox’s knowledge of markets was extensive, but his former colleagues say he also had a lighter side.

“He had a marvelous turn of phrase and could hold the attention of any room, in any situation,” UBS’s Guy Fowler reflected.

“Dinners with Simon were quite an event, he could tell a funny story like few others.

All of his friends at UBS will miss him terribly.”

Simon Cox died on 10th November 2018.

Matthew Henry Ziegler (1989, B) Matt Ziegler was a House Prefect at Radley, after which he went on to study law at the London School of Economics.

Working first as a solicitor for Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, he went on to work as a corporate lawyer at Barclays.

Matt was tragically killed in an avalanche whilst skiing in Northern Italy.

He was married to Victoria, with whom he had two children.

Matthew Henry Ziegler died on 2nd February 2019.

Old Radleian Events Overview 2020 Radley Reunions

Designed to reunite Old Radleians and bring them up to date with changes in the school. * 10 Year Reunion – TBC, London * * 25 Year Reunion – 8th February, Radley College * * 50 year Reunion – TBC, Radley College * * Year Groups Reunion (ORs aged 30-36) – 10th October, Radley College *

Radley For Life business networking events

Business networking events to bring parents and ORs together around a current business theme or topic. * Themed Networking Evening - Feb/March 2020, London * * Breakfast Networking - Feb/March 2020, London * * Themed Networking Evening - November 2020, London * * Breakfast Networking - November 2020, London * We are always looking for ideas for themes for our networking events.

Please get in touch with any brainwaves!

Old Radleian University Suppers

Dons from College travel to various universities to bring recent Old Radleians together, buy them supper and reminisce.

If you would like us to arrange one at your university, then please email us.

Young OR Christmas Drinks

A yearly event held in London to bring those under 30 together, to catch up over a few free festive beers! * The next event will be in December 2020, London *

The Great Venue Search

Please get in touch if you own, or have recently been to a great venue.

We are always looking for fresh ideas for our events.

For full details of these events (which may be subject to change) please visit: www.radley.org.uk/radleian-society/events radsoc@radley.org.uk

RADLEIAN SOCIETY Radley College, Abingdon, OX14 2HR