News and Congratulations

Reunions

Class of 76 –do you recognise any of the faces?

Did you leave the school after completing your A Levels in 1976?

At this year’s ONA Dinner, Friday 14 October at the school, there will be a reunion for those who left in July that year. There will be a tour of the school, the dinner itself, and the opportunity to meet some old friends together with some, perhaps, long-forgotten. If you would like to attend please email Peter Milburn at psm@evanmilburn.co.uk for further details.

By Peter Milburn (69-76)

Following on from my article in Issue 95, Boxing at RGS, the editor, Jane Medcalf has suggested that it may be an enjoyable adjunct to this year’s ONA Dinner if former members of the RGS Boxing Teams meet again. This is an excellent idea. I also assume that many of us are a lot heavier than we were at our respective weights when under the tutelage of Messrs Meakin (24-65), McLeod (61-69) and Griffiths (69-02 and 05-06). Of course, boxing is not a team sport in the sense of soccer or rugby and many of us will recollect that the toughest aspect of the sport was getting into the ring without knowing much, if anything, about the opponent that one was about to face, but we should have many shared recollections. Boxing ended in 1975, so someone out there must have fought the last bout for RGS: please let Jane Medcalf know if it was you. If interested, please contact Jane at ona@rgs.newcastle.sch.uk, so that any arrangements can be made for a separate table at the dinner on Friday 14 October.

By Peter ‘Taff’ Davies (60-70)

We are delighted to have recently heard from…

Paul McHenry (64-74) who informed us that Tony Sampson (63-73) and himself still race against each other in their National Solo Class sailing dinghies. Both are now retired. Tony lives near Manchester and is a member of the South Caenarvonshire Yacht Club. Paul lives in Nottingham and is a member of the less grand-sounding, Notts County Sailing Club.

Paul McHenry and Tony Sampson

Join us on Facebook and LinkedIn There are plenty of Old Novos social media groups around, but we have our own groups. Join us by becoming a fan of the Old Novocastrians Association pages on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Our congratulations go to…

ONA Membership – Standing Orders If you still have a standing order set up to pay the ONA subscription fee, please cancel it as soon as possible. ONA membership is FREE to all Old Novos and former members of staff.

Tom Langley (03-13), History student on winning University Challenge 2016. Tom was part of the Peterhouse College, Cambridge team, beating St John’s College, Oxford to the prize.

Rev W Roy Large (48-58) who has been awarded an M Litt with Distinction by Newcastle University. Roy’s thesis was The History and Development of the Bach Choirs of the United Kingdom. At the same time Roy has contributed a chapter to a book entitled, The Newcastle upon Tyne Bach Choir: Celebrating a Century of Singing 1915-2015, which is to be published shortly. He is now engaged on research for a PhD on the choir culture of Newcastle from 1850-2000.

Chris Purdon (69-80) who ran for Great Britain at the World Masters Athletics Championships last August in Lyon, France. Competing in the men’s 50-54 age group half marathon, Chris finished 48th in a time of 1 hour 28 minutes. He was fourth to finish for the Great Britain team, which finished fifth in the race and narrowly missed a bronze medal by only two minutes. Chris also still runs the Great North Run, and last year was his 35th. He is one of a small group of just over 100 runners to have completed every one.

Scarlett Milligan (09-11), former bursary holder who was called to the Bar of England and Wales in November.

Scarlett Milligan

Barrie Bulch

She starts her pupillage in October and will be practising a combination of public, human rights, national security and tort law.

Steph Burn (04-06) who has passed all of her exams to become an airline pilot after 10 years of utter determination and dedication. received four tickets to an England v Wales game at Twickenham, two certificates, one for the school and one for himself, a Real Rugby Hero pin badge and a presentation photo. He also received VIP hospitality and a pitch-side presentation of his award at Schools’ Day on 16 March at Twickenham.

Leo Hunt (02-07), teenage fiction author, who was recently short-listed for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2016 and the 2016 Branford Boase Book Award for his debut teenage supernatural thriller, Thirteen Days of Midnight. We were delighted when Leo returned to school on 28 April to give a talk to Year 8 students. He read aloud from both his novels including his sequel, Eight Rivers of Shadow, out on 14 July.

Barrie Bulch: catering manager and for many years U16 rugby coach who was honoured by the English Schools Rugby Union for services to school rugby. Barrie

Valete

Stephen Davies

This summer sees the departure of History teacher Stephen Davies, as he leaves to take up the post of vice principal and head of Sixth Form at Bede Academy. An Old Allanian, Stephen joined the school in 2006 and served on the ONA committee for two years, 10-12. The ONA thank him for his work on the committee and wish him all the very best in his new post and for the future.

Chris Purdon Leo Hunt

Richard Metcalfe

We also have to say a fond farewell to long-serving Bursar, Richard Metcalfe. Richard started in 1999, serving on the ONA committee throughout his 17 years. Richard will be a great loss to the school as a whole, as well as the ONA and the Bursary Campaign committees for whom he has served. The ONA wish Richard a long, happy and healthy retirement.