ReptonIAN (1990-1995): prize winner(s) revealed

‘Sanders comes up trumps! Long-lost treasure unearthed in OR’s loft’: we are delighted to reveal that the appeal made in The Arch from Ian Hall (N’90) has led to a successful result.

Our previous article detailed how Ian and contemporary David Hart (N’90) have been digitising the 62-edition back catalogue of the ReptonIAN, a slightly subversive underground publication circulated from 1990-1995. But, inexplicably, edition 59 was missing from their archives. Did anyone have a copy?

First to respond was Tom Sanders (N’89) who located the missing edition in his attic. As promised, Tom received a Chewit as his prize (actually, two packets plus one individual Chewit taped to an A4 sheet as attempts to source a single 1990s-era Chewit failed). This composite photo, created exclusively for The Arch in the ReptonIAN’s style, shows the (Covid-compliant) prize handover.

Des Cheung (P’90) also stepped forward with a copy of the missing edition and, as this came after Covid compliance rules apparently allowed the opportunity to hold a ‘work meeting’ in a pub, the ReptonIAN team jumped at the chance to offer a further prize.

Our exclusive photo shows Ian Hall (holding the additional prize), ReptonIAN lifestyle contributor and columnist Ben Walker (C’90), David Hart and Des.

Ralph Cowdy (H’54) was a very old friend of mine. He told me this amusing story which Justin Glass (H’63), another OR friend, thought was worth sending to the editor of the Old Reptonian magazine:

When Ralph was in the Lower Sixth form there was a trainee teacher of geography giving a lesson. Towards the end of the period the young man walked around the class. He came to Ralph’s desk and admonished him with the words: “You haven’t written anything down!”

Ralph replied: “You haven’t said anything worth writing down yet!”

Later that day a junior from his House came to Ralph and told him that the Housemaster wanted to see him. Ralph went to his room and knocked on the door. The Housemaster said to him that was hardly “a kind thing to say to a trainee teacher”. You have to be more encouraging. I am surprised at you Ralph!” Ralph was told to bend over and he was given three of the best.

After school, a junior came to say the same thing to Ralph. In slight trepidation, Ralph again went to the door. Hardly before he entered the room a sherry was thrust into his hand. That was not the only surprise. The Housemaster went on:

“I would like to make you a House Prefect!”

It was obvious that the story had amused the Staff Room and punishment had to be given, but that turned out to be token punishment seeing as he was made a House Prefect a few hours later!

Carolyn Chamberlain (Friend of Repton)

Dear Editors,

Ronald Sichel’s (L’54) article in last year’s issue about our Rifle Shooting Team arriving the Ashburton Shield in 1958, brought memories of more achievements at Bisley in 1960*.

The Cadet Eight of which I was a member won the Marling, a physically demanding competition simulating an infantry charge. Starting at 600 yards and firing at targets at intermediate ranges down to 200 yards, the sight and sound of almost an entire battalion moving forward at the double was awesome. We also earned a trophy for third

Dear Editors,

I enjoyed Robin Brodhurst’s piece on Harry Altham in the Winter 2021 edition of The Arch (‘The Altham-Bradman Letters’).

I knew Harry well. My father Roger and his brother John met him when they were at Repton in the 1920s. They were in Brook House, and distinguished cricketers and all-round games players. Perhaps in view of this Harry was kind enough to take an interest in me. He used to have a member of the School as his ‘correspondent’ to keep him in touch with life at Repton, in which he was deeply interested. I was lucky to be appointed to this job for 2-3 years before I left Repton in 1956.

We exchanged letters once or twice a term,

Further to my letter which you kindly included in the recent issue of The Arch, I am again moved to say what a great read it is and how interesting to hear all the news of such successful students coming from the Repton experience.

It made me wonder how many ORs are like myself, who went through both Foremarke Hall and Repton without achieving anything of note but still managed to make a success of their lives in one way or another. I won’t bore you with my life history but thought you might be amused by my Latin report from Dickie Sale which read, and I quote “Turner progresses steadily - backwards!” - a wording which today I suspect would not be allowed but at the time probably was correct!

Briefly after leaving Repton, where I struggled to get the necessary six O levels to place in the Ashburton itself, and another for a top placing in snap-shooting.

My personal best was in practice at the old army range at Burton, mentioned by Sichel. I put all nine rounds, including sighters (not ten, because you didn’t keep ‘one up the spout’) into the Bull at 500 yards. That’s a circle only six inches across. And no telescopic sights, just the aperture rear sight in which lined the foresight up to the target. I still have the scorecard, ‘Well done!’ wrote the famous A.K. Bolland.

John Tupholme (C’58)

* It is possible that this was in 1961, the individual medal that was given to each team member is stamped ‘Marling 1960’ on the back. However, this may have been a centenary issue, since there is a figure of a musketeer of the face of the medal with ‘1860’ below him.

andI would keep him up to date with what was going on at Repton, particularly as to how the School’s cricket was going. His letters were splendid (although I agree that his handwriting was not easily read), but unaccountably I do not now have them. How I let them disappear I do not understand. In the early part of my ‘term of office’ I learned a never-to-be-forgotten lesson. He often kindly enclosed with his letter a ten-bob note, and I was probably rather slow in writing to thank for it. I subsequently received a reprimand, with just the right amount of severity, and I hastened to respond, “Oh dear”.

Harry was extremely kind to me, and several times I went to stay with him and his wife in Winchester. I enjoyed countless hours in his amazing cricket library. He took me to cricketing events in London and Hampshire, most notably to a dinner in Southampton, at which he was in the chair, to the South African Touring Team in 1955, where I met some heroes of mine, e.g., Roy McLean. I was also very lucky to be proposed by Harry to the Free Foresters, and I still have some cricket prints which he gave me when I got married.

I have always felt very privileged to have known Harry Altham. He was a remarkable man- interested and knowledgeable about so many things, and an inspiration to the young. And he absolutely loved Repton.

Robin Human (H’51)

enable me to get articles to start my Accountancy career, I then struggled to pass both the intermediate and final accountancy exams to qualify. In order to do so, I attended Ronnie Anderson’s cramming courses in Wales before each exam and met up with OR David West (B’51), who lived in Great Longstone, North Derbyshire, and we struck up a friendship which saw us meet up again, sharing a flat in Kensington, but working for different firms. I moved up to Worcester after two years in London and David was my best man in 1964.

Because I was allowed to enjoy my sport so much at both schools, I became reasonably able at squash to county level, soccer to local league level, and cricket to a good league level, especially with my local Colwall village team which reached the national village competition semi-finals twice while

I was playing and finally won it in 2020. So not only do I enjoy the reflected glory of the success of the present generation of Repton students but also in the great success of my village cricket team.

In professional terms I joined up with another accountant and started our own accountancy practice in Worcester which went from strength to strength over the coming years and eventually joined up with one of the national firms in which I was a partner, retiring in 1996.

All of this I am sure was very much put down to the excellent all-round experience and character building at Repton although at the time not necessarily aware of the benefits to come!

Yours sincerely,

Derek Turner (N’51)