ONA Now and Then

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!

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!

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.

Speaking of dinners, my last ONA Dinner will be the forthcoming London event on 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. 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!

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.

Bernard Trafford

Headmaster

ONA Now and Then

John Elders Memorial Match

Joint team photo: yuletide spirit ahead of the game! Neil Elders, John’s son, presenting the John Elders Memorial Trophy to the ONA winning side

This was the second game to take place in memory of John Elders (57-82 and 92-96) since his passing in May 2015; there is now no doubt that it will place itself in the rugby and social calendar for many years to come.

A large crowd assembled at Sutherland Park on a mild December afternoon to watch Old Novos (clad in school colours) take on Novos RFC; both institutions close to John’s heart. The ONA presented a strong side, with four ex-school captains and a whole host of school rugby Colours – evident for the sea of maroon in the clubhouse after the game! Old Novos played with youthful exuberance, akin to their school days no doubt; however some hairlines, midriffs and aged Colours blazers gave an indication as to how long ago that may have been! Old Novos raced into a quick lead scoring three tries in the early exchanges; Matthew Lowes (02-12) and David Watchorn (09-11) setting the tone for the ONA. Novos weren’t too disheartened and managed to work the ball up the pitch and kept their opponents in check with some hard running. Throughout the game, yuletide spirit was displayed with the sharing of port between both teams and the match officials (Adam Morrison (98-05) taking part as touch judge). The game itself ended 7-39 to ONA, and Nick Richardson (03-13) was presented with the inaugurated trophy, by John’s son, Neil Elders (68-78). Neil then went on to present the rugby club with his dad’s Barbarians tie, his Northumberland County Cap, his RFU blazer badge from the victorious 1972 South Africa tour and an England tour shirt from the New Zealand tour of 1973. There seems to be an appetite for rugby between Christmas and New Year and this game certainly didn’t disappoint, especially when The School Song was bellowed out in the clubhouse in the evening! Novos RFC are now enjoying a resurgence with the school on and off the pitch, as more and more old boys have joined a club established by them, for them. And, as John Elders commented on in his centenary booklet for the school in 1977, ‘Novos is still your club (all RGS boys are Associate Members) and the opportunity is there from the age of nine to play firstly mini rugby and in later years in the school XV’s and eventually the senior XV’s. Give it a try!’

Thank you to all those who played and attended; we’ll see you again in 2017!

‘Fortiter Defendit Triumphans!’