ONA 94

Exchange Deutschland James Rattray (57-64) reminisces on a 60s Anglo-German exchange visit Also in this issue: The Dreame Team | ’63 to 63 | Teaching is Great…Honestly! | RGS Day

Issue 94 | Summer 2015

ONA Magazine Issue 94 Summer 2015

Contents

ONA Magazine is the magazine for the Old Novocastrians’ Association Editor: Jane Medcalf All correspondence should be addressed to: The Development Office, Royal Grammar School, Eskdale Terrace, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4DX Telephone Development Office: 0191 212 8909 email: ona@rgs.newcastle.sch.uk The Editor reserves the right to edit, alter or omit all submissions to the magazine.

Copy may be carried over to the next edition. The Editor’s decision is final.

Contribute!

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We are always looking for articles and news from Old Novos to include in the magazine, so send your contributions, via email (if possible) to: ona@rgs.newcastle.sch.uk or to the Development Office at the school.

Please include relevant pictures if possible. They will be returned as soon as the magazine has been printed.

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The deadline for acceptance of copy for the Autumn 2015 issue is 10 August 2015.

Copy may be carried over to a future issue.

Special thanks to David Goldwater (5162) for his research and contributions to the ONA Magazine, particularly on his search for A History of the RGS in Its People.

The ONA Magazine is available online Please note that the magazine is circulated both in hard copy and by email to many members of the Association. Each edition is added to the ONA website shortly after circulation. By submitting an article or news for inclusion the contributor is accepting that it will be available through both formats and will also be accessible beyond the Association membership through internet search engines or any member of the public viewing the ONA website. www.ona.rgs.newcastle.sch.uk

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Cover image: Courtesy of James Rattray (57-64)

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Please note that the ONA Magazine content does not neccessarily reflect the views of the school or the ONA and is based on personal experiences, recollections and memories of its contributors.

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Design www.infinitedesign.com

President’s Welcome News and Congratulations ONA Now and Then A History of the RGS in Its People Teaching is Great…Honestly!

The Dreame Team ’63 to 63 The Ballet Caper Exchange Deutschland Obituaries

Welcome

I would like to welcome our new committee members Joel Dickinson (91-01), Kate Appleby (06-08), Kenneth Hodcroft (05-12) and Alan Ng (03-12) who all bring their own ideas and enthusiasm. We have had a busy start to the year with the increasingly popular London dinner held this time at The East India Club. A record 80 guests (see page 3) enjoyed great hospitality and company among old friends in our new surroundings in March.

We were also treated to a Commemorative Concert on Friday 1 May, which was hugely successful and raised the profile of the Bursary Campaign and indeed some gratefully received donations. We enclose the Commemorative Concert brochure compiled by David Goldwater (51-62). My thanks go to David for all his hard work in producing this wonderful RGS keep-sake, which raised a full bursary through adverts and donations.

After being appointed President I felt very privileged to become a Trustee of the Royal Grammar School Educational Trust: disappointingly, what I learnt from this was that only 6% of Old Novos actually donate anything to the RGS Bursaries Campaign.

I raised this point at the London dinner and everyone seemed as surprised as I was. With this in mind I would appeal to the other 94% of us to consider making a contribution. Many ONs have, or have had a successful career since leaving school and one may enquire just how many would have been so successful had they not received an RGS education. If everyone who reads this magazine donated, for example, just £1 per month, this would represent almost £70,000 annually, which would provide almost 70 bursaries next year! Every little bit makes the difference to assist many more young people to the privileges and benefits we all received. To make a donation please visit the school’s website or contact Jane Medcalf at campaign@rgs.newcastle.sch.uk We were saddened to hear about the death of John Elders (57-82 and 92-96), a well-respected figure in school, club and international rugby (my first rugby coach at RGS). We are working towards an ONA vs Novos RFC rugby game later this year which we hope to make a tribute to John and would appreciate your support either by playing or attending.

I hope to see you at one of our events soon.

Chris Rutter (92-02) ONA President

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ONA – Old Novocastrians Association Magazine Summer 2015

News and Congratulations We are delighted to have recently heard from…

Our congratulations go to…

Laurence Bonner (96-04) who returned

Roisin Inglesby (03-05) on her

to school in May and gave a brilliant talk to a lecture theatre full of geographers and artists. He was enthusing about the role of Sustrans in creating changes in cities enabling people to use public places safely.

He is working closely with many planning agencies and neighbourhoods to improve cities for people and for children and families. As well as talking about cycle routes, he talked to us about making changes to local communities by introducing trees and road colours rather than the usual clutter of signs. The talk was local, national and international and he enthusiastically presented projects he has been involved with. Sustrans are opening a new coffee shop beside the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle in order to promote their ideas about sustainable neighbourhoods.

Laurence invited our students to drop into the shop to learn more and he is helping Ramit Saksena (Year 12) with his Extended Projects Qualifications (EPQ) research.

nice to catch up with anyone who remembers me – I’ve changed just a wee bit since then!

Iain Watson (80-90) who returned for

Richard Phillips-Kerr (02-09) who on completing his First Class Honours Degree in Sculpture from Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh was selected to exhibit at the Royal Scottish Academy in the RSA New Laurence Pallister (53-63) (son of the Contemporaries, 2015 exhibition based late George Pallister (26-66), Biology on his degree show. This is a curated annual teacher) and Mr and Mrs Margaret Harries exhibition which focuses on the finest who returned to school for a memorable emerging artists and architects in Scotland tour during the Easter holidays. They were giving them a platform to showcase new pleased to bump into Mike Barlow (53and recent work. Richard’s exhibited piece 64) in the Main Hall and to visit R.8, where was a moving, talking image projection, Margaret’s father, the late Laurence ‘Larry’ mapped onto a life size plaster cast.

Watson (30-71) taught English.

a visit from South Korea to show his family where he went to school. Iain was pleased to bump into his English teacher, Dr Barker!

Carl Watson (89-94) It is great to receive

the excellent ONA Magazine by email here in sunny Hong Kong! Quick update on myself. My family and I moved to Hong Kong back in November 2010 (I provided a ‘postcard from Hong Kong’ for an edition Alan J Robinson (54-61) You may be around that time – see issue 82). Family interested to know that, after reading the have settled into life over here and are obituary three years ago of my good friend, loving the culture and kids learning Michael Hargreaves (54-61), the kind Mandarin which is amazing! I have just assistance of Tove Elander (00-12) has moved from the international law firm, enabled me to renew contact with Bill Pinsent Masons, and have taken the Young (54-62), Ed Sparke (54-62), Ron position of general counsel for ARCADIS Pearson (54-62), Dave Guy (58-62), Eric Asia (www.arcadis.com) based out of Hong Beston (54-62), Martin Bell (50-61), Ian Kong and running all legal and compliance Thompson (52-62) and Tom Scott (51-61) function for the business’ operations across and I now enjoy a reunion with them all Asia and Australasia. ARCADIS is a global several times a year. Many thanks to the ONA! built asset and environmental consultancy with around 22,000 people operating Mark Robinson (75-83) known more across 70 countries in 300 offices. commonly by my nickname of “Dog”. I am now married with two children, and working Jonathan Patterson (95-02) News from my household: most importantly, my wife for Bank of Scotland as a senior financial and I now have a baby son (Samuel), born consultant. I was fortunate to have some last May and now eight months old. I am great teachers during my years at school, particularly Simon Squires (72-07 and 07- currently a research fellow at St Hugh’s present) (Classics) and David ‘Doc’ College, Oxford, where I have just Worrall (76-84) (English) who occasionally published my first book: Representing turned a blind eye, but always tried to keep Avarice in Late Renaissance France me on the straight and narrow! It would be (Oxford University Press, 2015).

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appointment as curator of architectural drawings at Historical Royal Palaces.

Richard Phillips-Kerr’s life size plaster cast

Valete This summer the school says farewell to long-serving teachers, Bill Gibson (63-69), Mathematics teacher (see page 12) and Ian Goldsborough, head of Design and Technology. The ONA would like to wish them both long and happy retirements and hope that they will keep their association with the school and the ONA.

London ONA Dinner 2015 Guest List ONA Committee

Dr Chris Rutter (President), Mr Chris Wilson (Vice President), Miss Kate Jarvis (Vice President), Mr David Goldwater (Guest Speaker), Mr Kenneth Hodcroft, Mr Alan Ng, Mr David Westwood ONs

Sarah McDonald

Fraser Balmain

Sarah McDonald (06-11) who won Gold

Fraser Balmain (05-10), prop forward

in the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Nationals in the Women’s 1,500m in Sheffield.

who has agreed a new deal with Leicester Tigers and also played for England last year against the Barbarians (see photo).

Harry Cochrane (03-12), Cambridge undergraduate who was awarded The Keats-Shelley Prize and was judged the winning essayist for his submission on The Romantic Dante.

Bibek Banerjee (78-85) writes: ‘After his third tour of Afghanistan as the deployed medical director in 2013, Bibek Banerjee has been recognised with a double honour for his 25 years service with the Army Reserve. In November he was appointed Deputy Lieutenant to the Lord Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear by former governor of the RGS, Sir Nigel Sherlock KCVO OBE KStJ JP. This was followed by him being awarded the Queen’s Volunteer Reserves Medal in the most recent Queen’s New Year’s Honours List.

He recognises the importance that his time as the CSM of RGS CCF played in achieving this recognition.’

Will Nicholls (06-13) who was spotted

in the local and national press alongside HRH Prince Harry when the Prince visited Northumberland to talk to conservationists from the Red Squirrels Northern England project. Will has achieved award-winning success, particularly with his photograph, Red Squirrel winning him the title Young British Wildlife Photographer, under 18 category winner in 2009 (see issue 92).

Bibek Banerjee

Nick Miller (80-87) who was recently

spotted in Professional Engineering by Mike Barlow (53-64) in an article about

the Jaguar XE, Jaguar Leaps Forward.

Nick is XE vehicle programme director. He is returniung to school this month to deliver a talk to Sixth Formers considering careers in engineering and design.

Kate Appleby (06-08), new committee member on her engagement to Tom Harman.

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Miss Nyree Abajian, Mr Tom Akehurst, Mr Peter Atchison, Miss Rachel Baxter, Dr Brian Beeley, Mr Dan Bell, Mr Kulwant Bhatia, Mr David Boll, Mr Tim Bowman, Mr Tim Brown, Mr Alan Castree, Mr Charles Christie, Mr Stephen Cooke, Mr John Coxon, Mr Mark Davey, Mr John Douglas, Mr James Ellis, Mr Bruce Embleton, Mr Chris Emmerson, Mr Chris Eyre, Mr James Finch, Mr Rory Gibson, Mr Ian Glass, Mr Alex Griffiths, Mr Leon Heward-Mills, Mr Niall Hodson, Mr Will Jackson, Dr Dan Jewell, Mr Kooyeon Kim, Mr Ivan Krolick, Mr Aaron Lally, Mr Jonathan Lees, Mr James Lightly-Hunt, Mr David Mansi, Mr John Mark, Mr Mike McChesney, Mr Phil McKenzie, Mr Mervyn Metcalf, Mr Jim Michael, Dr Steve Murray, Miss Cindy Ng, Mr Will Peberdy, Mr Richard Petty, Mr Gavin Pottinger, Mr Martin Purvis, Mr Sam Rawcliffe, Mr Mark Reach, Mr John Rennison, Mr Alex Robson, Mr Jim Ryan, Mr James Schofield, Mr Simon Sefton, Mr Ed Sides, Mr Malcolm Staig, Mr Ed Steele, Miss Emily-Jane Swanson, Mr Andrew Taylor, Mr Max Thomas, Dr Bernard Trafford, Miss Annelise Tvergaard, Mr Amit Vedhara, Mr Nigel Ward, Mr Nick Ward, Mr Andy Watson, Mr James Wilkins Guests

Mrs Vicci Boll, Mr Howard Brown, Mrs Shirley Embleton, Mr Ony Iroha, Miss Rachel Smith (Head Girl), Mr Charlie Smith (Head Boy), Mrs Melanie Taylor, Mrs Katherine Trafford

ONA Now and Then Jim Pollock (67-77), Scottish international next few decades. That is how confident

and head of PE and Games in our Junior School and 1st XV rugby coach, readily acknowledges that John Elders was the man who “sorted him out”.

How good that, as we honour teachers of the past, this edition includes a piece by a young and recent entrant to the profession: I’m desperately proud of ONs like Ankita Karn (07-09) who understand (perhaps a few years on) what they received from their teachers and want to follow the same vocation.

we are in our future, sufficiently so to seek commercial funding to keep the RGS physically as well as academically at the forefront of education in the North East.

We don’t appeal for funds for building: we do beg for help to support bright boys and girls who will seize all the opportunities available at the RGS and make the most of them – or would do, except that their homes cannot afford the school fees.

Thus we hope in 2015 to raise awareness of our Bursary Campaign once more.

So many of the ONs who write for the Now and then? I’m not sure I’ve ever felt quite so finely balanced between past and Much of the history referred to above was magazine, visit the school for a reunion, present as in writing this foreword. Still, it’s firmly in the days when the school was part or dine uproariously in London with fellow of the Direct Grant scheme. So many of ONs, remember their good fortune in a renowned quality of headteachers that the ONs whom I meet, who have gone on being supported financially through the they are skilled at sitting on the fence: so, to have long and satisfying careers (often school. We hope they will appreciate that, Janus-like, I’ll try to look in both directions very successful ones, too) remind me that great as is the success the school is at once. they could not have attended a school of currently enjoying, its ability truly to reach the quality of the RGS without the Direct out to those from poorer homes is This is, after all, the magazine devoted to Grant. As ONs know, the scheme was curtailed by our ability, even as the country Old Novocastrians, so it’s inevitably full emerges from recession, to raise sufficient of happy memories of the past. Laurence ended by government decree in 1978. funds for bursaries.

Pallister’s (53-63) memories of his school The Thatcher government replaced the trip to Westminster in 1962, for example: Direct Grant with Assisted Places in So I hope all ONs who read this will think and the latest in the series, A History of 1982: Tony Blair’s new government put about it. You are part of a great tradition, the RGS in Its People, concentrating in a stop to that in 1998. Some 15 years ago something of which we are reminded this edition on the late George ‘Dixie’ Dean (24-67), second master from 1958 the school launched its Bursary Campaign, every time we have Assembly in the Main in an attempt to replace to some extent the Hall, with that fine War Memorial perhaps to 1967. vast resource offered by both preceding more noticed than usual as we mark one centenary after another of events in the There are two farewells. First my colleague schemes. In many ways it’s been hugely successful: thanks to some £6m raised Great War. Bill Gibson (63-69) who has been at the overall, at any time we have between 6% RGS man and boy since 1963 and is and 7% (some 80 boys and girls) in the Even there the past and future come finally hanging up his calculator and school supported by bursary funding together. The organ, now fully restored, leaving the Maths Office (though none which is entirely dependent on voluntary was in use for a commemorative concert of us believe he will entirely stop teaching giving. It’s something of which we are justly on 1 May. Young performers and the RGS Maths around the world): we wish him proud: yet the scale of help afforded is puny Community Choir give their all in musical a long and happy retirement. in comparison to those earlier schemes. performance: and they are immovably rooted in the past that is the tradition and Only the other day many of us said a We are currently very much in a phase the buildings of the school. sorrowful final farewell to the legendary of looking forward at the RGS. As this John Elders (57-82 and 92-96) who taught at the RGS from 1957 to 1982 (he magazine is published, our quite fantastic Then and now: past and future; in a place new sports facility (a replacement for the so full of great tradition as the RGS, the taught Bill then) and again, after a spell in Sutherland Pool, new sports hall and two are inseparable. And that’s how it Australia, from 1992 to 1996. He was an should be. outstanding schoolmaster, an inspirational aerobic fitness and dance studios) will come fully into use, a landmark building sports coach, captain of Leicester Tigers Bernard Trafford highly visible from the urban motorway! and variously coach of the England and That is part of an on-going project to meet Headmaster England Schoolboys rugby teams, with significant success in all. Indeed, our own the physical needs of the school for the

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ONA Now and Then

Visits to Westminster

By G Laurence Pallister (53-63) I recently visited Westminster and was taken round the House of Lords by my old friend and RGS contemporary Jeremy Beecham (53-62) who is now a Life Peer (Baron Beecham of Benwell and Newcastle upon Tyne). This reminded me of my first visit to Westminster while on an RGS History Camp in April 1962.

The party was shown round both Houses of Parliament by Mr Bill Elliott, then the Conservative MP for Newcastle North.

At the conclusion of the visit the accompanying photograph was taken on the terrace by the Thames. As indicated,

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ONA – Old Novocastrians Association Magazine Summer 2015

I have managed to identify all but four of the members of the party. We had a very active week which included visits to Westminster Abbey, the National Gallery, Sir John Soane’s House, the Planetarium, St Paul’s Cathedral, the Stock Exchange and Lloyds of London as well as a visit to Hampton Court Palace and a trip downriver, past the then numerous docks, to Greenwich where we visited the National Maritime Museum, the Observatory and the Royal Naval Hospital. In the evenings we were free to go to the theatre on our own and I saw, among other shows, Swan Lake at Covent

Garden, My Fair Lady at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and Tyrone Guthrie’s production of The Pirates of Penzance at Her Majesty’s Theatre.

RGS History Camp party outside the Houses of Parliament, 11 April 1962. (L-R): Unknown, Roger Buck (53-63), Unknown, Robin Crighton (53-56), Peter Wolstenholme (52-63), John Faid (53-63), John Gibson (53-63), Laurence Watson (staff) (30-71), Unknown, Unknown, Bill Elliott MP, Tony Hills (56-63), G Laurence Pallister (53-63), Clive Dewey (56-63), Andrew Kennedy (53-63), Lawrence Bryson (56-63)

Teaching is Great…

Honestly!

By Ankita Karn (07-09) Throughout my own education, the thought of going into teaching as a profession never even crossed my mind.

After completing a Biomedical Science degree at St George’s, University of London, all that was clear to me was that I was passionate about science and wanted to work within a profession that involved human interaction, not just machines and lab equipment. Unsure of what my future held, I headed back up North to seek counsel from my trusted teachers at RGS to ask for direction.

Left: Teaching children about the different parts of the body, Chiang Mai, northern Thailand Right: School children in Chiang Mai

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aving previously enjoyed teaching youngsters in the slums in India, I decided to travel to Thailand and volunteer in a school there. Whilst I was there, everything fell into place for me as the joy I got from interacting with the students and the buzz experienced from watching them progress was like no other. I came back to the UK with a new love for teaching and, with inspiration drawn from my own school experiences at RGS and the great teaching that had taken place in order to mould my future, I decided to embark on a journey to help others do the same.

We all know that there are certain stigmas associated with teaching and with the number of newly qualified teachers dropping out every year, it certainly isn’t the most attractive job out there. However, someone once said that teaching is one of the few careers where your goals aren’t to take advantage or make a profit but merely to enrich the lives of young people within your classroom. With this attitude in mind, I accepted my offer to do my Postgraduate Certificate in Secondary Education (Science Specialism) at Newcastle University.

During my training year, I was placed at two different schools in the North East; both eyeopening experiences. Throughout my education, I have always been backed by an extremely supportive family and have always learnt with motivated peers; all pushed forward by aspirations for the future. Even though these carbon copies of us were still present within my classroom, I suddenly found myself surrounded by young people who, in their 13 years of existence, had encountered a much tougher and difficult life than I could even imagine.

Some students I taught were living on the tiniest amount; others came from family backgrounds that were unheard of to me. For a lot of the students I taught, school was the safest place they could be and where they felt the most protected. At first, I was overwhelmed and not sure how to manage. Surely being a teacher involved explaining scientific concepts and making sure students could apply them to exams? However, the pastoral aspect of teaching is now well and truly one of the things I love the most about the profession.

For some of my students, their teachers are the only ones that discipline them and show high expectations of them. Their teachers are the only ones that believe in them and can really push them to develop to their full potential, both educationally and socially. Suddenly the links make sense; the aggressive student who shouts out and disrupts the lesson all the time only does this as she feels that it’s the only way she can be heard. The boy with his head down the entire lesson with no response is so terrified at the consequences of getting an answer wrong that avoidance is the best way for him to deal with this fear. As a teacher, your task is not only to teach students to do well in your subject but to act as a pastoral support as well, encouraging students to develop their self-esteem, confidence and relationships. I know as a student myself that it is these lifelong relationships of respect that you build with your teachers that can carry on throughout your professional life too – teachers like Andy Pulham, Duncan Wilson and Mike Downie who can account for the amount of times I have and will continue to come back to them when encountering difficult moments in my life!

It is a massive cliché but, throughout this year, the moments where I have seen the students I’ve taught gain new insights into their own learning have become some of my fondest memories. Whether it’s a lightbulb moment when a student suddenly manages to rearrange an equation they haven’t been able to remember since the beginning of the year, or when one of

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ONA – Old Novocastrians Association Magazine Summer 2015

One-to-one teaching in Chiang Mai

your Sixth Form students gets an A in a past paper, I have found the joys of working in this profession endless. From developing their creativity to making sure students have life skills to cope outside of school, teaching is not a profession to be taken lightly.

Although I have found it gratifying, I can certainly put my hands up and say that this training year has been a kaleidoscope of both happy and horrendous moments. When I was at school, I thought teachers came in, taught and left. If I had known back in my RGS days just how much work teachers put into my lessons and my future, I would definitely have been more appreciative!

Whether it’s the constant cycle of lesson planning, resource making, evaluations and marking, teaching can be extremely stressful – this is without even mentioning the external pressures of administration work, grade targets and further responsibilities. My working day lasts at least 12 hours, if not longer and weekends are taken up by marking and, yes, you guessed it, more planning. No wonder so many people drop out with the amount of stress and the very little award perceived. However, I genuinely believe that even though it does not come with the biggest pay check or social status, it is one of the most satisfying and energising careers out there.

Every single day is completely different and you know that everything you do is working towards making someone’s future more secure and successful. I really hope that, through my own practice, my students remember me in the positive and inspiring way that I treasure the memories my teachers have given me.

A HISTORY OF THE RGS IN ITS PEOPLE

When Christopher Dean (45-53), a very loyal Old Novo living in the South East contacted me about his father’s diaries, which the family had sent to Headmaster Alister Cox (72-94) on a permanent loan basis, I was intrigued to find out more about the gentle, rather enigmatic, Second Master, George ‘Dixie’ Dean, who succeeded Sammy Middlebrook (18-58) into that post in 1958. By contrast with his predecessor, he was, to quote his Valete written by Headmaster OW Mitchell (48-60) in The Novocastrian (September 1967), ‘a scientist and a games-man’.

‘He was not given to scorn, but he came near to scorn of the microphone as a means of public address. His voice carried easily in Morning Prayers: he knew just how to pitch it. His administrative schemes were a by-word in the Common Room. He represented the school with dignity and courtesy. He and Mrs Dean were notable supporters of school occasions whether it was a game or a concert, a dance or a toast.’

George Smith Dean (24-67) was born in Burnley, Lancashire in 1902.

His education commenced at Driffield and he was awarded a scholarship to Bridlington Grammar School, by East Riding County Council. From there he went to Leeds University, also on a scholarship, where he achieved a First Class Honours Degree in Chemistry followed by an MSc. He began his career at the RGS in the mid-20s, teaching Chemistry and Physics.

After a short search in the school Archives, the diaries were found. Written in tiny script in one green and two blue school exercise books, the diaries provide an intimate glimpse into life at the RGS during the last few years of Oliver Mitchell’s headmastership. ‘Dixie’ Dean was a quiet, dignified teacher, who as OWM’s deputy, exercised a tolerance and latitude not dissimilar to that of Mr Mitchell. However, there were always a few adventurers prepared to run the gauntlet in such a permissive atmosphere and it appears to have been Mr Dean who bore the main responsibility for imposing discipline and restoring order. Much of the diaries’ contents must remain within their protective box for some time to come.

However, a few gems are worthy (and appropriate) to recall.

By David Goldwater (51-62)

Left: George ‘Dixie’ Dean, 1964 Right: Mr and Mrs George and Emma Dean in later years

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An enormous amount of effort went into S Middlebrook’s retirement and a portrait by the late Richard Napper (49-56), a pupil and talented artist was commissioned and the resulting portrait was, of course, expertly framed

by W ‘Bill’ G Elliott (52-88). GSD records several rehearsals (some probably hilarious) of the unveiling of a complicated curtain apparatus.

The celebratory dinner included a salmon main course, accompanied by Châteauneuf-Du-Pape, Beaujolais and Graves. A crisis erupted in late 1958 when a boy named Bell brought several mice into the school, only one of which could be located perching on one of the bulbs of a chandelier in the Hall. The Head Boy David Law (51-59) administered the necessary (corporal) punishment for his misdemeanor. In the same month, Mr Dean was involved in bringing the famous Sir Fred Hoyle, astronomer and physicist

and exponent of the Steady State theory of the Universe’s birth (an alternative to the Big Bang theory) to the school for a memorable lecture in Room C, the then new Lecture Theatre.

give extra coaching to make sure that his pupils understood everything in preparation for examinations.

W ‘Bill’ G Elliott (52-88), who needs no

In mid 1959, the post of a new Headmaster was advertised. There were initially 39 applicants attracted by the salary of £2,500 plus expenses.

By June 1959, Mr WD Haden (60-72) had been selected and heroic stories of his war exploits in Burma are recounted, including one of WDH, then a Battery Commander, rescuing two badly wounded comrades from the heat of battle.

Before Mr Mitchell’s retirement dinner, there seem to have been interminable discussions, all faithfully noted by GSD, on whether or not dinner jackets should be worn.

One hilarious incident noted in these small notebooks was a complete morning of chaos, which grew to a crescendo by midday, when the staff at the other end of the hall realised that Jimmy Herdman’s (22-66) classroom, Room 21, had become a scene of uncontrolled mayhem, with boys standing on desks, projecting inky blotter everywhere and no representative of authority anywhere to be found. Apparently Mr Herdman’s landlady had died; he had phoned in to report this, but somehow, the message was never passed on. (I was in Room 21 that morning and remember the wild abandon!)

David H Jack (55-63), a former Head Boy

writing in the same issue of The Novocastrian, remembered Mr Dean treating Sixth Formers as adults, rather than children and as Head Prefect, admired his calm and dignified ways of administering justice in ‘matters of personal indiscipline’. He was presumably referring to boys rather than teachers! Maybe not.

Margot Gale, now living in Lesbury, Northumberland, widow of Howard Gale (35-43) contacted me after reading a recent ONA Magazine and remembered with pleasure many years of living next door to the Deans when Christopher was a small boy.

Ian Duncalf (57-58 and 61-67 – unusual!)

recalls Dean’s, “Good Morning” greeting at lunchtime, well after midday, as he never regarded the afternoon to have arrived until lunch was completed, adding, ‘not many teachers were able to make time stand still’.

John D Jefferey (44-49) (able to remember the names of 29 of his form mates) noted GSD as a fine teacher of Physics and Chemistry, who was not only sympathetic, but also prepared to

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introduction, vividly pictured his elder colleague, cigarette in hand, always standing with flowing gown in the centre of the Common Room, rather than take up a particular chair or corner of that ever-smoky “Masters’ Retreat”. Many readers will remember the pungent pipe and cigarette fumes which surged into the Main Hall each time either door opened. He and Mrs Elliott recalled with nostalgia ‘Dixie’s’ wife Emma, whom he had married in 1933, popularly known as “Popsie”, more flamboyant than George and a great lover of hats, but like him, a very keen supporter of RGS social events.

Ian Ramage (38-48) has clear and fond memories of ‘Dixie’. ‘He made lessons fun and did not belittle pupils. He had an excellent sense of humour and never got upset if any of his demonstrations failed to work. At a time when teachers are now bound by targets and results, it’s a pleasure to recall the really great teachers who were quirky and made their subjects exciting.’

George and Emma left the family home in Grosvenor Road in 1983, where they had been since they married, and moved into the nearby Sanderson Road Abbeyfield Home, where he lived until he died in 1987. Emma remained there until she died in 1992.

Many thanks to Christopher Dean for his memories and photographs of his late mother and father.

George ‘Dixie’ Dean’s diaries

The Dreame Team Old Boys’ Coast to Coast Challenge raises over £3,000 for Critical Care Dreame Fund.

By Julie Gill and Richard Milbank (73-83)

An idea to celebrate a 50th birthday with an old boys reunion turned into a major fundraising event for Richard Milbank and his friends who presented a cheque for £3,291.79 to the Dreame Fund at the Freeman Hospital’s Integrated Critical Care Unit (ICCU).

Cheque presentation (pictured L to R): Colin Chater (75-83), Jonathan Coorsh (73-83), Richy Peebles (kneeling), Christopher Hornsby (82-83), Dr Joe Cosgrove, consultant anaesthetist in peri-operative and critical care, ICCU, Freeman Hospital, Neil Lewin (76-83), Lewis Chater (kneeling) (Year 13), Dr Andrew Kilner (76- 83 former Head Boy), Richard Milbank (73-83)

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ichard and his team of ONs cycled the 120-mile route, following Hadrian’s Cycleway from Silloth on the Solway Firth to Tynemouth in North Shields last August to raise money for the Freeman Hospital’s Integrated Critical Care Unit (ICCU).

The cycle challenge was timed to coincide with the class of 1983 all turning 50, including Head Boy Andy Kilner (76-83), a critical care consultant who led the ICCU for 12 years before himself undergoing treatment for a brain tumour.

“I want to express my thanks to everyone, the cyclists, support drivers, sponsors, helpers and motivators. It was a fantastic weekend and completely exceeded all of our expectations in all sorts of ways.”

Richard Milbank (73-83)

The school friends, who now live in various parts of the country and the world, aim to come together on a number of occasions to celebrate their landmark birthdays, but for the ‘big five-O’ Richard felt they should take on a challenge whilst raising money for a local charity.

The work of the ICCU is to provide care for adult patients with conditions and severity of illness that prevents care in an ordinary ward. Most patients cared for on ICCU undergo major surgery (planned and emergency) for life-threatening conditions, which places great stress not only on patients, but also on their friends and family.

The Dreame Fund is the charitable fund dedicated to the ICCU and helps patients and their relatives to cope both physically and psychologically with such events.

It provides suitable equipment to enhance patient rehabilitation and allows for the more holistic aspects of intensive care such as creating comfortable environments for relatives to help lower stress levels in situations where great uncertainties exist.

Presenting the cheque to Joe Cosgrove, consultant anaesthetist in peri-operative and critical care, Richard thanked all those who had taken part in the cycle challenge: “I want to express my thanks to everyone, the cyclists, support drivers, sponsors, helpers and motivators. It was a fantastic weekend and completely exceeded all of our expectations in all sorts of ways. In places, the Coast to Coast route was breathtaking – its scenery, history and wilderness. The whole team of cyclists, of varying ability and fitness, gave their all in completing the route and I’m so proud that we were able to raise such a great sum of money for the Dreame Fund. I can’t think of a better way for us to celebrate our half century.”

For further information: Julie Gill, communications officer, Newcastle Hospitals Charitable Funds on 0191 213 8838 or Colin Chater (75-83) on 07736 773561.

Above L to R: Neil Lewin (76-83), Nick Brownlee (76-86), Colin Chater (75-83), Richard Milbank (73-83), Johnathan Coorsh (73-83), Christoper Hornsby (82-83)

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ONA – Old Novocastrians Association Magazine Summer 2015

’63 to 63 By retiring Mathematics teacher, Bill Gibson (63-69) The RGS has been a major component of my life since September 1963, when I joined the school aged 11. It has changed quite a lot in the last 52 years!

Below: Bill Gibson amongst the Flyers, 1969 (second from left), Bill in front of the 1963-1970 Honours board where his name is listed (Gibson, W. Sidney Sussex Cantab (second down from top right hand corner))

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M

athematics was already my favourite subject when I came to the RGS. A real love of the subject was developed by teachers such as JE (whose funeral I attended recently), JL, JRR (now “Sir John”), FJB, JCD (also my tutor, whom I was delighted to meet recently) and DP. When I was wondering which subjects to take at A Level, the late Bill Haden (60-72) just said, “Bill, you are going to be a mathematician; you need to take double Maths and Physics.”

So I did, and thoroughly enjoyed them! Thus, Mathematics became the second major component in my life.

While I was at the RGS as a pupil, the Christian Union was very large, with about 25% of the school attending various weekly meetings. I had already attended church regularly, so it was a shock when I found out on a CU holiday that being a Christian is about knowing and serving the living God, not just believing there is a god and going to church.

So, in the summer of 1967, I put my life in God’s hands.

Thus, Christianity became the third major component.

While in the Sixth Form I was told that I should apply to read Mathematics at Cambridge. In those days the entrance examination was taken in the term after A Levels. I stayed on, learnt some amazing Maths, and obtained a place at Sidney Sussex College. I found the first year relatively easy because I had already covered much of the work, I found the second year hard and not very inspiring, and then I enjoyed the third year when I could choose my options.

In the summer following my second year at Cambridge, I visited Czechoslovakia, to meet Christians behind the Iron Curtain. Several Slovaks became my best friends, and I still visit them regularly. Thus Slovakia became the fourth major component. After the Velvet Revolution and the fall of Communism in Europe many things changed, but not our friendships.

At the end of my degree I didn’t want to do research, so I did a PGCE at Newcastle. Just as I was completing that, John Rowling (63-74) decided to move to Ashington and I was offered his job … so I returned to the RGS in September 1974.

It was good, but intimidating, to teach beside the people who had taught me; that included coaching rowing with Joe Liddell (50-78). When DJM returned to the RGS, he took over the rowing from me. Later, Dave was doing the lunch time Remedial Swimming and he got me to help him.

We did our Royal Life Saving Society RLSS) awards with PJP, and I went on to teach swimming as a class lesson, as well as the Wednesday afternoon senior games and Life Saving. Also, I have really appreciated the staff swimming sessions and the colleagues with whom I have swum.

When interviewed for my job, I had been asked to teach Statistics in the Sixth Form. However, the Statistics which I had studied at Cambridge was not what was required for A Level. Fortunately, one of my friends was teaching the Statistics component of the part-time degree at Newcastle Polytechnic, and I was able to cover that in one year. A few years later I also had a sabbatical term at Newcastle University focusing on Statistics. I have enjoyed getting to grips with the subject and developing it in the RGS. Given my interest in Slovakia, I was delighted to go with DJM on the first two RGS trips to the Soviet Union in 1983 and 1984.

“I made my first visit to China in December 2009; my aim was to find out why the Chinese had won so many recent International Mathematical Olympiads. Two years later the RGS was partnered with a school in Tangshan and there have since been several exchange visits between the two schools.”

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ONA – Old Novocastrians Association Magazine Summer 2015

Bill Gibson visiting China, 2011 (see issue 84)

Following the Velvet Revolution I was asked by a Slovak friend to teach students from the former Eastern Europe the Statistics component of a post-Masters course on environmental issues. James Miller (94-08) allowed me to be away the week before the October half term so that I could teach intensively for two weeks: we went as far as basic multivariate methods! It was very enjoyable and I did it four times.

John Rowling’s successor with the Christian Union was Alan Wright (73-83). With him, I went on several memorable summer camps around all parts of the UK, often with over 100 pupils from various local schools.

I made my first visit to China in December 2009; my aim was to find out why the Chinese had won so many recent International Mathematical Olympiads. Two years later the RGS was partnered with a school in Tangshan and there have since been several exchange visits between the two schools. Nowadays I also meet with Chinese students through a church in Newcastle, and I have visited several of them when they returned home. China is now the fifth component in my life.

I retire from the RGS this summer. I am sad about that, mainly because many of the people with whom I have worked and whom I have taught have been so special. It seems likely that I shall go to China for a year to teach Maths.

I’ll come home a few times during the year, so I’m hoping that I shall be able to pop into the RGS to do some work with the top pupils… and have a swim with my colleagues!

Footnote: JE – the late John Elders (57-82 and 92-96), JL – Joe Liddell (50-78), JRR – Sir John Rowling (63-74), FJB – Frank Budden (62-80 and 80-82), JCD – John Douglas (56-94), DP – Don Peden (53-88), DJM – Dave Merritt (63-73, retired teacher 2014, school counsellor), PJP – Paul Ponton (71-09).

Every time the ONA Magazine arrives at my home in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, USA, I put it aside until cocktail time, then I sit down to enjoy its contents and the wonderful memories they bring back of a great school I had the privilege to attend. It’s a sort of nostalgic link to the past that brightens my day and I cannot thank the publishing and editing staff enough for their dedicated work.

The Ballet Caper

By Colin Wilkinson (34-42)

Hong Kong, where Colin was stationed during the Japanese surrender, 1945

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E

ach magazine usually includes some reference to the need for news and articles from all of us old boys and I immediately feel urged to comply with this reasonable request. Fortunately, by the time I have finished my cocktail the feeling passes off and so I postpone my obligation once more.

Perhaps it is because I recognise more names in the Obituaries than I used to, or perhaps because I am in my 90th year, but whatever, I am finally constrained to write something. The question is what to write about.

Chronological statements listing career moves is boring at best. So, I thought a story from the past might be more interesting.

After school in Penrith, I joined the Royal Marines in 1943.

When the Americans dropped the atomic bomb and Japan surrendered, my unit, the 42nd RM Commando was part of the 3rd Commando Brigade that took the Japanese surrender in Hong Kong. Our Colonel, Peter Hellings DSC, ordered me to get a boat from the Royal Navy so we could transport patrols to outlying islands and round up any Japanese in hiding. The Navy loaned us an old MFV. It was slow but reliable. It had a single screw and a Grey Marine diesel engine that pushed it to a maximum speed of 12 knots. It was built to catch fish in the North Sea rather than move patrols around Hong Kong but it did the job. It also got me into trouble.

When things settled down and civilians took control, the word came out that a troop show would arrive in a couple of weeks. Rumors spread rapidly that it would be a Bob Hope style of entertainment with lots of showgirls. For a bunch of Marines that hadn’t seen an English girl in a long time the excitement ran very high. To our amazement and bitter disappointment, the show turned out to be the AngloPolish Ballet. However, on reflection we all realised that there would still be girls in frilly dancing tights and that was certainly better than no girls at all.

Never again would there be as many randy Marines lined up to go and see Swan Lake or whatever it was. No one cared.

It was girls we came to see. During intermission, I hightailed it around to the stage door and found myself standing behind our Brigade Major. He extended an invitation to the cast to come to the Officers’ Mess at brigade headquarters for a drink after the show. I quickly decided I was going to crash this party and I did. It was a lot of fun and as the evening drew to a close the Brigade Major sidled up to me and suggested we take some girls for a cruise on my boat the next day, Sunday. Their next show was scheduled for Sunday evening at 7pm and the girls needed to be back by 6pm. No problem or so I thought.

I arranged for a skeleton crew, composed of an engineer, a coxswain and a couple of deck hands. My guests included three lovely English ballet dancers and two local Chinese girls invited by the crew and, of course, the Brigade Major.

Off we cruised to Lamar Island and a beautiful secluded, sandy beach in Picnic Bay. We dropped the hook and went swimming. It was an idyllic setting for a leisurely, relaxing Sunday afternoon in the company of gorgeous young ladies, clad in skimpy swimsuits, on an uninhabited beach a long way from home. What could be better?

As l lay on the beach and gazed contentedly over the clear blue water at my boat anchored on the other side of the bay, l was jolted into action with the horrible realisation that the boat had a list to starboard. I learned the hard way that tides around Hong Kong Island have unique characteristics.

Frequently a low tide is followed by a short surge, which retreats again before the regular high tide starts to flow.

In other words, you can be caught thinking the tide is at its lowest ebb and it isn't. We were hard aground.

The situation from the boat’s viewpoint was not at all serious. All we had to do was wait for high tide. However, the girls had a show to put on and high tide would not arrive until around midnight. We might float off earlier, but getting back before 7pm was impossible. My signalman tried to raise HQ but we got no answer. To be perfectly honest we all thought it was a lark. Sort of like running out of petrol in your car. We had food and drink on board so settled in for a party in a rather romantic location.

As dawn broke, we up-anchored and set off for Kowloon our homeport. The first inkling of trouble came when a seaplane swooped overhead, as if they were looking for something,

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ONA – Old Novocastrians Association Magazine Summer 2015

CCF and family connections: Colin Wilkinson (34-42) with brother-in-law Mike Barlow (53-64) and his son Philip Barlow (81-91) meeting in Detroit, summer 2014

and then headed back towards Kai Tak Airport. l had a bad feeling they were looking for us. Then as we rounded Victoria Island and set course for home a tugboat headed directly toward us and signaled, “Did we need assistance”.

We responded “No thanks” and continued on to our berth in the Navy dock in Kowloon.

A jeep bearing the furled Brigadier’s pennant was parked at dockside. A Sergeant driver saluted and said: “Sir, the Brigadier wants to see you right away”. Incredibly, the Sergeant was none other than Wally Turnbull (41-45), an Old Novo. (At least I remember his first name was Wally but my memory is hazy on his surname.)

I knew I must report to my CO, Colonel Peter, and let him know I was in trouble with the Brigadier. l got through to the duty officer at commando HQ who happened to be Geoff Young (34-41), another Old Novo and a longtime friend from Jarrow. (He died recently in Canada.) He gave my message to Colonel Peter whose response was something to the effect, “That’s what you get for chasing girls” (actually, his word for girls was a bit more colloquial ). I dutifully marched into the Brigadier’s office and saluted smartly.

He fixed me with a steely glare and barked: “Are the girls alright?”

“Yes, sir”, I replied, still standing stiffly at attention.

“Will they make any complaints?” he continued.

“I am sure they won’t sir”, I replied.

“Then get the hell out of my office, and don’t say a bloody word to anyone.”

Until now, I have not.

Exchange Deutschland

By James Rattray (57-64) During recent clearance activity at home I rediscovered the documentation, obviously not as valuable as the Catalogus Librorum, but hopefully of some interest to your readership.

Above (L-R): James Rattray in the back garden. Penpal Günther

I

n 1960 the RGS conducted a holiday exchange of pupils with the Parzival-Gymnasium in Bremen, Germany. Parzival-Gymnasium translates as Perceval Grammar School. I believe this was the first time that the RGS participated in such an exchange. According to Cliff Watkins’ (54-69) Valete for Geoff Morris (57-63) there had been a pupils’ exchange as early as 1959 (The Novocastrian, September 1963, page 9).

The basic idea was worked out by Cliff Watkins and his sometime fellow student from Germany, Herr Ernst August von Oehsen, who taught at the Parzival-Gymnasium. The two had met whilst Watkins was studying at a German university. The idea was initially to establish penpals for those studying German at the RGS, believing that writing letters in German would assist their study work!

The German pupils visited Newcastle and environs first in June 1960 and the RGS pupils travelled to Bremen between 18 August and 6 September 1960. The Collective Passport for Young People gives the names of the 15 pupils who made the joumey; 10 from the Removes and five from the IVth form, to use the termini tecnici of the period for class years.

Roeder and his mother. ‘We Brits used to wear ties on holiday!’

Centre: The market in front of the Town Hall in Lüneberg Right: Bremen viewed from the spire of the cathedral

Sadly, some of the names on the list will be missing at today’s roll-call.

So why do I have this document?

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Left: In the Lüneberg Heath. Front Row: Language teachers Geoff Morris (57-63) and Cliff Watkins (54-69). Back Row: Herr Ernst August von Oehsen and three German pupils.

Right: Second trip, July/August 1962, taken at the inner German border in the Harz Mountains. The text says: ‘Germany is still divided here.

Germany is also “over there”! West Germans used to refer to the East part, colloquially, as “drüben” = over there! Pictured are Cliff Watkins and Geoff Morris with their backs to us.

To the right of Geoff Morris is Peter Stobart (54-64), and walking towards camera, wearing a tie (I told you about Brits on holiday) is David Reed (54-64) Below: Collective Passport for Young People showing (inset) the treasured Foreign Service stamp

At Speech Day in the following Autumn Term an exhibition of the holiday in Germany was shown, at which the document was laid out for all to see (no idea of data protection in those benign days). As a stamp collector I had my eye on the Foreign Service stamp on page 3. After the exhibition I managed to wangle the document from Cliff Watkins and after keeping it for 53 years, I now pass it back to the ONA for safe keeping as an historic artefact. That is the main reason for this ramble.

It is also interesting to note on the back page the amount of money Watkins took with him for himself and including all the monies that the travellers had entrusted to him as ‘bank’ for the holiday: £160. The pound may well have been worth about 14-15 Marks at the time and the purchasing power of the currency very high compared to 2013. This amount is the equivalent of 1,200 Euros, giving each traveller about 75 Euros spending money for two-and-a-half weeks!

During their first visit in 1960 some German pupils were taken to Race Week camps; I found myself at the Border Camp with two of them under the watchful eyes of Jeff Knowles (56-80 and 80-84), Joy Knowles (52-84) and John ‘Spuggy’ Douglas (56-94). Ken Wood (57-65) and Frank Lee (57-62) (also in the Removes that year) were at the camp. On the Saturday evening after returning to Newcastle parents and pupils showed some of the guests around the Hoppings.

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ONA – Old Novocastrians Association Magazine Summer 2015

In February 1963 the Linguists performed yet again the old favourite Der Tod auf Schreckenfels by Walter Kramer which was given a special performance when the next group of pupils from the Parzival-Gymnasium visited RGS. Unfortunately the guests were not as amused by this play as the British audiences had been.

Obituaries

John Elders (57-82 and 92-96) Born 18 December 1930, died 3 May 2015, aged 84

pitch and he said to me, “You’re a lot better than you think you are”. All of these comments quiet and directed, individual and designed to develop and motivate. He treated me in exactly the same way, guiding, protecting, motivating and challenging me to give my best. If I was wrong, as I often was, he told me off in no uncertain terms but I, as I am sure many others will say, hugely respected him: he was, after all ‘the sheriff!’

As the RGS flag flew at half-mast over the school, at Newcastle West End Crematorium the passing of John Elders was being honoured.

also happened to be the captain of the 1st XV in John’s second year at the school, so that his eulogy carried all the more gravitas and affection.

The congregation was large, the family being joined by RGS staff, past and present, including Paul Ponton (7109), former director of sport, and led by the current Headmaster, Bernard Trafford, whose presence was important and appreciated. As I glanced around, members of Novocastrians and of Northern Rugby clubs, which John had particular allegiances to, were present in abundance, as were representatives of Northumberland Rugby Union, of the RFU and past internationals, under his influence as a coach, were all paying their respects to his life and his memory.

Past pupils were also in evidence, including a remarkable eight of his 1st XV who represented the school in his first year at the RGS in 1957.

The congregation moved en masse to Northern Rugby Club for the wake and it is here I took my leave, with a promise to return after school had concluded.

The Reverend Tim Duff (51-59) conducted the service with eloquence and excellence, managing to blend the obvious sadness of the occasion with humour and memories of the great man’s life. It can only be at a school like ours that the presiding vicar

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It was 3.30pm, sitting in the sun outside a local hostelry: it was there telling stories and raising a glass to the memory of John Elders that we reflected on what the man really meant to so many. Is it sufficient to say that I was in company with Neil Inglis (71-78), who travelled from Perth, Australia, David Armstrong (71-78), travelled from Hamburg, Michael Wardropper (6878) travelled from Amsterdam, all to pay their respects. Simon Tilbrook and I represented the school whilst Andrew Wilson (69-79) was also present. It was incredible that after such a period of time personal and unique memories were disclosed: “He persuaded me from the 3rd XV to the 1st XV and I never looked back”; “You’re playing because you are good enough and I have faith in you, not because of an injury to another player”; ‘I left the changing room to run onto the

An inspirational character and a great man. A fabulous player in his own right, playing for the Barbarians and having numerous full England trials before retiring into coaching, his pinnacle being as the England coach with victories in New Zealand and South Africa.

A kind man, whose calm demeanour and ready smile exuded an air of confidence and a general feeling that everything would be ok!

He had been suffering with his illness for almost a quarter of a century and, once again, that showed the remarkable abilities of the man, to fight on for so long. He leaves an incredibly lovely and supportive wife and a large and appreciative family.

The final words come from the last member who was with us at the hostelry.

Neil Elders (68-78), his son: “I loved him you know, and he was my best friend”.

At school, I thought exactly the same.

He will be missed.

Personal thoughts by Jim Pollock (67-77) head of PE and games, Junior School, 1st XV rugby coach

Michael Anthony ‘Tony’ Griffiths MBE (69-02 and 05-06)

James ‘Jimmy’ A Newlands (33-39)

Born 21 May 1937, died 29 January 2015, aged 77

Born 27 June 1924, died 30 January 2015, aged 90

Tony came to the RGS in 1969.

The Ven. Morris Rodham (67-77) has described him as “a man of integrity, genuinely committed to the betterment of others, of selfless service, patient, courteous, thorough, efficient, and quietly inspiring”.

He was born in 1937 in Peking where his father was chaplain to the British Legation. His mother was able to escape with Tony and his elder brother to Canada when war broke out; his father spent the war years in a Japanese camp in the Philippines. The family was reunited in the UK in 1945.

Jimmy Newlands, whose Arctic Star medal ceremony on his 90th birthday we reported (see issue 92), died peacefully in his sleep at his nursing home on 30 January 2015.

After education at St John’s School, Leatherhead, Tony went to University College, Oxford, where he read Classics, played rugby and cricket and became the university’s captain of fives. His first wife left for Canada with their two daughters.

Tony married his second wife Kay in 1980 and they have visited Tony’s granddaughters in Canada several times.

He had a very distinguished career at the RGS. Appointed head of Classics after some years, he fought tenaciously for the teaching of Latin and Greek, and introduced courses in Classical Civilisation.

His innovations gave greater accessibility and a wider appeal at a time when the teaching of classics was under threat nationally. It was his love of everything Greek which particularly marked him. One of his initiatives was the regular production of Greek plays jointly with the Central High School and he encouraged Tim Clark to arrange school trips to Greece. He and Kay learnt Modern Greek together, and for 20 years they spent holidays at the same spot in Crete.

But his influence was felt not only in the classroom. For many years

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he helped with rugby coaching; he was in charge of boxing until the school abandoned that sport; and he was a leading member of the staff cricket team. For several years he was chairman of the Common Room, a post in which he was respected and trusted by colleagues and management alike. Tony stepped down from the post of head of Classics to become the school’s first professional development coordinator, enabling colleagues to develop their teaching skills or to learn new skills and working closely with student teachers and new members of staff.

Tony became an officer in the school’s Combined Cadet Force, in due course becoming Officer Commanding and rising to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. In 2002 he was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List for his work with cadets. His tenure was marked by an enthusiasm for activities which promoted selfreliance. He championed the introduction of pupils from Central High from 1991, long before the RGS was open to girls.

An enthusiastic mountaineer, rock and ice climber, Tony was in his element in the mountains. He joined the Northumbrian Mountaineering Club of which he was President for six years. After his retirement, Tony decided to complete the Munros – the 284 Scottish summits of over 3,000 feet, but trouble with his knees dating back to his time as a fives player, and advancing Alzheimer’s made him, with only 30 summits to go, unable to complete the project.

By Mike Oswald (66-03), former head of Modern Languages and professional development coordinator

ONA – Old Novocastrians Association Magazine Summer 2015

His son John (58-69) recalls: my father loved reminiscing about his years at RGS, sometimes talking affectionately about teachers such as RB ‘Bertie’ Bertram MBE (30-69) and brothers Donald ‘Spitty’ (24-65) and Laurie ‘Stoker’ Meakin (31-74), each of sufficient longevity at RGS that they also taught me. I also once found my father’s initials, ‘JAN’, carved in his distinctive handwriting into one of the aged wooden desks.

Extraordinarily, too, in addition to the Arctic Star medal that Jimmy received in June 2014, just a few months later it was announced that he was also entitled to apply for the Légion d’Honneur.

It turned out that the French Government has decided to make the award to all surviving participants in the D-Day Landings. Had he survived, therefore, Jimmy would have been the recipient of what would have been a rare, if not unique, medal ‘double’.

There was one, final, happy twist. After Jimmy’s keenly celebrated wake in a leading Jesmond hotel, a number of his family and friends repaired to the nearby Collingwood pub, a hostelry wellknown to many 18 or almost-18 year old RGS pupils over the years. It had also become an impromptu first aid post in the late 40s when Jimmy Newlands, playing for Novos, suffered mild concussion following a collision on the rugby pitch. With no stretcher immediately to hand, improvisation was required and he ended up being carried into the pub in full kit but lying on a workman’s ladder, fortunately making a rapid recovery.

Fast forwarding to February 2015, after the already well refreshed members of Jimmy’s wake had been in the Collingwood for a further 90 minutes, it was announced from behind the bar that nobody should leave – “Quiz Night is about to start”. This entailed staying for a further two hours or more but, suffice it to say, very few points in the quiz. It was, however, a fitting send off for someone who loved RGS, played his part for his country, loved rugby and enjoyed a good party.

By John Newlands (58-69)

Obituaries

Frank Derek Patterson CBE (32-39) Born 12 October 1923, died 19 December 2014, aged 91

In 1942, he joined the Fleet Air Arm and trained in the USA but contracted scarlet fever so returned to the UK as unfit to fly. He then went to sea as an Ordinary Seaman in the RNVR, and was commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant in 1944, seeing action in strikes off the Norwegian coast and also on the Russian convoys. He was demobilised in 1946 and eventually passed his chartered accountancy exams at the fourth attempt in 1950.

Derek lived in Whitley Bay and arrived at the RGS from a local primary school aged nine. He really enjoyed every aspect of school life, achieving very good results in a wide range of subjects and he particularly excelled on the sports field. He played a good standard of rugby, was a Newt, and won two medals for athletics during his time at RGS. His best friend at school was the late Arthur Taylor (33-41) and they enjoyed a lifelong friendship which meant an enormous amount to my Dad. They enjoyed a healthy rivalry at school and Dad had said that Arthur did tend to outdo him just in most areas, but that did in no way detract from their friendship.

Dad played rugby for Gateshead Fell Rugby Club and turned out for Durham on one occasion. He was due to start playing for Old Novos but broke his leg before he had that opportunity.

My father joined Gillespie and Co., a firm of chartered accountants based in Newcastle on leaving school in 1939.

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He was appointed company secretary of James Deuchar Ltd in 1951, and then fulfilled the same role for Newcastle Breweries in 1956 and Scottish and Newcastle Breweries in 1964. He retired in 1982 and moved to Eastbourne where he lived until his death.

Derek was a very enthusiastic leader, and achieved the rank of Commodore of the Royal Naval Reserve in 1969, for which he received the CBE in 1975.

He was also Vice Convenor of George Watson’s College in Edinburgh, and Scottish Chairman of the King George’s Fund for Sailors.

Derek also very much enjoyed golf and became Captain of the Royal Eastbourne Golf Club in 1990.

My father led a very full life and was devoted to his family, visiting my late mother Gillian twice every day for the five years she spent in a nursing home before she died. He died peacefully in that same nursing home three days after admission from hospital after a short illness.

By Martin Patterson (61-64)

Richard ‘Dick’ Hall MA PhD (50-58) Born 6 March 1939, died 22 March 2015, aged 76

Dick, as he was affectionately known by his friends, passed away on 22 March 2015, aged 76, after a long period of illness. He leaves a wife Lily, two sons and a daughter (Christopher, Thomas and Alison) and four grandchildren.

Dick had a successful period at the RGS, becoming a Prefect and being active in the school boxing team (his speciality was counterpunching).

He won a place at Trinity College, Cambridge to read Natural Sciences (Physics), 1958-61.

He had a varied and successful business career including management consultancy and becoming managing director of Thomas Salter.

He later moved into academia, lecturing at Newcastle University and later moving to Durham University where he became a Professor researching into intangible resources; Dick carried on consulting after his retirement and later moved to Fossoway in Kinross, Scotland.

He was a great individual and will be sorely missed by his family and many friends.

By David R Megson MA (50-57)

Mark Allen (74-79) Born 8 November 1960, died 8 January 2014, aged 53

Mark was the son of the academic and broadcaster Louis Allen.

He grew up in the very heart of Durham and, like the cathedral across the way, Mark had a quality of craggy spiritual indomitability.

He entered the RGS in 1974, bringing a distinctive irreverence and and a startling list of teenage enthusiasms – a litany of comics! Silver Age Marvel, especially Conan and Silver Surfer, Neal Adams’ Batman, P Craig Russell, Jim Starlin, undergrounds, Moebius… and he was still only 16! Universal horror films of the 30s, monster make-up, Will Hay, Bruce Lee, The Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires. Music, both classic rock and soul, as Mark crossed tribal boundaries: David Bowie, Rush, especially Neil Peart who as anyone knows is the greatest drummer ever, Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland, Saxon, Hendrix: Mark knew what he liked and wanted to make a convert of you.

A grinning, back-of-the-class free-thinker with extraordinary intellectual gifts, Mark was always going to be more popular with his peers than his teachers – particularly those doomed to teach him Science – but he easily won a place to read English at Mansfield College, Oxford in 1979.

He spent most of his year off trying to pass Maths O Level, a wearying labour which, sadly, proved beyond him and which he was forced to repeat in his first year at college.

After a brief attempt to switch his degree to Theology, Mark’s real passion was scuppered

by his difficulties learning New Testament Greek for translation in an examination.

He got his BA in English and began postgraduate studies in English Literature of the Romantic period.

His first great literary love was William Blake, but fearing Blake studies was an overly crowded field, Mark decided for his thesis to specialise in Samuel Taylor Coleridge, whom Mark resembled in the prodigality of his learning, balancing his loves of story and wisdom, and how entertaining his table talk could be.

He began working in London giving lectures in English Literature to American students studying for a year in England – chiefly for Boston University – and this gradually became Mark’s career. Although he taught in London, Oxford was to be his home for the rest of his life.

Driven by his vast intellect, Mark’s enthusiasms continued, like his library, to expand. His house had to be specially strengthened with RSJs to cope with the weight of all his books. To all who knew him he was an inspiration – an intellectual, a comedian and an iconoclast who specialised in the unexpected.

In latter years he suffered from ill health but the end came with shocking speed, two months after the doctors realising, far too late to cure him, that he had cancer.

Comforted by his family, friends and an enduring spiritual belief, he passed away in January 2014 at Sobell House Hospice in Oxford; his oldest friend Ralph Kessler (7479) made the oration at the funeral service.

By Simon Burke (72-79)

Thomas ‘Tom’ Clements

(45-50), born 1932, died 8 March 2015, aged 82.

William ‘Bill’ Dempster

(56-67) born 1947, died 5 December 2014, aged 67.

John Martin Hugill (47-57)

born 1938, died 2 March 2015, aged 76.

David Southam James (53-

61) born 1942, died 9 March 2015, aged 72.

W Allan Jeffery (39-49) born

1930, died 17 March 2015, aged 84.

Ian James Oswald (39-48) born 1931, died 13 January 2015, aged 83.

Graham Parker (75-83)

born 1964, died 7 April 2015, aged 50.

Peter William John Sim (64-

71) born 1953, died 3 April 2015, aged 61.

Alan Soulsby (50-57) born

1939, died 4 April 2014, aged 75.

Stuart L Walton (40-46) born

1928, died 15 January 2015, aged 86.

Correction (Issue 93) We incorrectly reported that David Anderson (31-38) died on 30

December 2014. He actually died on 29 December 2014.

Penrith Reunion In the last issue I mentioned that W Allan Jeffery (39-49) had made a hotel booking for the second week of September 2015. Very sadly, Allan died in March, and his friends feel it will be better not to go this year. That is not to rule out the possibility of future meetings.

21

ONA – Old Novocastrians Association Magazine Summer 2015

Meanwhile, the sympathy of all who were present last year will go out to Mavis, who always backed Allan loyally on these occasions. We will always cherish pleasant recollections of them both. By Bryan Stevens (44-49)

ONA Diary dates

RGS Day Saturday 27 June RGS, Newcastle upon Tyne

RGS Day will be held this year on Saturday 27 June. As always, it is a day designed specifically to celebrate everything that is good about the school, focussed around four prize-giving ceremonies in the Main Hall.

ONs are very welcome guests on that day.

We don’t, in truth, lay on any special programme for you, but if you check the school website closer to the date, you can see the programme of events. Good times to mingle and meet teachers, parents and students will be during the gaps for refreshments (in the marquee on the sacred turf of the 1st XV pitch!) after each of the morning prize-giving ceremonies. If you want to hear me give my ‘State of the Nation/RGS’ address(!), that takes place in the Main Hall at 11am.

I am assured that the ONA will be present in the marquee, and there will be an opportunity to buy ties, cufflinks etc. So please keep an eye on the programme on the website, and consider yourself warmly invited to join us on what is a very special and happy day in the school year.

Bernard Trafford Headmaster

RGS Community Choir Recommencing Thursday 10 September at 6.30pm

The 90th ONA Annual Dinner Friday 16 October 2015 RGS, Newcastle upon Tyne

RGS, Newcastle upon Tyne

Last September, the department initiated a new musical venture and formed the RGS Community Choir, comprising a wonderful array of Old Novos, staff, parents, family members and friends of the RGS. In January the choir performed two well-known war songs in the school’s War and Peace Concert. On 1 May it performed Handel’s Zadok the Priest and Jenkins’ The Armed Man in a joint performance in the Main Hall with the Senior RGS Choir, Senior Orchestra, and also giving an airing to the pipes of the newly restored organ.

Northern Counties Club Luncheon & The Bridge Hotel

The RGS Community Choir is open to singers of all abilities. All we ask is for lots of enthusiasm and good pitch! The choir is still desperate to attract more male singers this year. Please contact David Key (assistant director of Music) at d.key@rgs.newcastle.sch.uk by 7 September to register your interest and to find out more.

ONs regularly meet once a month at the Northern Counties Club, Hood Street on the last Friday of every month. If you are interested in going, please email ona@rgs. newcastle.sch.uk to express an interest. At 5pm on the same Friday, ONs may also wish to meet at The Bridge Hotel, Castle Square, Newcastle upon Tyne for drinks and a chat.

Hope to see you soon!

Zlatan Fazlić Director of Music

Chris Rutter (92-02) President