18258 RGS ONA Issue 99.qxp_v 06/02/2017 09:40 Page 4
ONA Now and Then As this remarkable school continues to go from strength to strength (as, arguably, it always has!), it’s good to see evidence of so much lively interest and enthusiasm in the ONA. On the opposite page you can read how the John Elders Memorial Match between Novos and ONA is clearly now an established event, played keenly but with great good humour, in the best of spirits and appropriately honouring a great man. It doesn’t get much better than that: and how wonderful that John’s son, Neil Elders (68-78), was there to support the match and present the trophy created in memory of his father. I’m just sorry I couldn’t be there, but a family wedding had taken me to Australia!
Welcome to what will be, I guess, my penultimate ONA Magazine! People keep asking me if I’m counting the days to retirement: but RGS life is far too busy and fulfilling for that!
We had a splendid ONA Dinner here at school in October, at which we celebrated a number of notable anniversaries. An important one was the 15th anniversary of girls joining the RGS for the first time: how good it is to see, in these pages, ON women making their mark. There’s an excellent two-page article by Alexandra Wynne (06-08), and there are mentions elsewhere of other female ONs.
It’s a hallmark of ONs that they tend not to forget their old school. It will be a delight to welcome internationally-renowned saxophonist John Harle (65-74) back to his old school, 15 years after he last performed here: how typically generous that he wants to include his old school as part of his prestigious 60th birthday tour. Typical of John, typical of the RGS. So much to enjoy and, as ever, a great deal to be proud of.
Speaking of dinners, my last ONA Dinner Bernard Trafford will be the forthcoming London event on Headmaster 10 March: what fun it will be to share the podium with Jim Pollock (67-77), ON, exinternational and colleague, a man with a wealth of stories, humour and experience to share. I’m told there will be a record number of female ONs at that event too. This is looking good… We don’t make this magazine too long – yet its pages are stuffed with evidence of high achievement, loyalty and that great virtue – instilled (I am certain) in school, as well as at home – of applying one’s gifts in order to make a difference. There is evidence enough in the obituaries and tributes marking those ONs no longer with us, written inevitably with sorrow but rightly marking the passing of characters of distinction.
4
And then there are people like Zaamin Hussain (01-11) and Matthew Walton (01-11) doing incredible work with prosthetic limbs in Bangladesh (you might want to support them!): and, if you have children of the right age, buy ON Paul Bajoria’s (73-83) beguiling Printer’s Devil trilogy. I first came across that series of children’s novels before I came to the RGS, read them avidly and passed them on to my godchildren: I arrived in Newcastle and discovered Paul as both ON and current parent. I’m glad he says he’s writing another one: I’ve been telling him he should!
