Old Viking Society Magazine 2018

OVS

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A R C H I V E S

2018

Dates for your Diary Saturday 17 March 2018

Friday 22 June 2018

OVS Regatta and Dinner

OVS Cricket vs Staff

Details on opposite page

5.30pm, Front Field, Shiplake College

Friday 22 June 2018

Saturday 23 June 2018

One Year On Reunion

OVS Cricket vs 1st XI

7pm, OVR and Terrace

Saturday 7 July 2018

Saturday 8 September 2018

Henley Royal Regatta

Touch Rugby Tournament, Dog Show and Beer Festival

4pm onwards Henley Cricket Club

Date TBC, possibly Saturday 15 Sept 2018 Revival Regatta

Friday 12 October 2018 West Country Reunion

Eton Dorney Lake

7pm Exeter venue TBC

Friday 16 November 2018

Thursday 29 November 2018

Friday Night Lights

London Drinks Reunion

7.15 pm Henley Rugby Club

Venue TBC

You are welcome to join us at any of these events as they are open to all Old Vikings –

please check the website or Facebook page for up to date information and events not listed here.

‘It’s More Than a Boathouse’ Dinner All Old Vikings, current and former parents, staff and friends of the College are warmly invited to join Rowing Olympic Gold Medallists and Old Vikings Will Satch MBE and Ben Hunt-Davis MBE for the ‘It’s More Than a Boathouse’ Dinner on Saturday 17 March 2018. Senior rowers (in Years 11-13) are also welcome if accompanied by an adult.

tickets for this black-tie event, which are £65 per person (£50 for Old Vikings who have left since 2012 and senior rowers in Years 11-13), and includes a welcome drink and three-course meal with wine on the table to start. There will be a cash bar on the evening, and also a raffle and auction (any donations of prizes and/or auction lots welcomed!).

In 2012 there was a hugely successful dinner to celebrate the Boat Club’s 50th anniversary, with over 200 Old Vikings in attendance and we hope we can emulate and indeed build on this wonderful evening.

There were tables of Old Vikings from 1964 to 2012 crews, and many in between – if there was ever a need for an excuse to reform (either again or the first time since leaving the College) then this is it!

Shiplake College Boat Club has a premier training and coaching programme but... imagine how good we could be if we had the rowing facilities to match! Join us at the ‘It’s More Than A Boathouse’ Dinner in March to celebrate the club’s achievements so far and help raise funds to go towards a modern, purposebuilt boathouse development.

Plans for the new Boathouse and MultiActivity Centre will be unveiled on the night, and all proceeds from the dinner will go towards this exciting new development.

If you have any queries please contact: Mrs Katherine Green, Director of Marketing and External Relations, at development@shiplake.org.uk

Please go to www.shiplake.org.uk/ boathousedinner to purchase your

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WELCOME

From the

President

What’s in a name? – Presidential thoughts on events long ago and just ahead.

Our Co-educational Sixth Form at Shiplake College will lead to more and more women life members of the Old Viking Society. We should remember that the Vikings – Scandinavian peoples – were not just raiders, but travellers, traders and settlers…

Vikings were influential from North America to the Black Sea. The Icelandic Sagas show how important women were in building a new society in a previously uninhabited Iceland.

A thousand years ago a small settlement in Newfoundland struggled to survive – amongst them was Gudred, mother of the first European born in the Americas, later in life she made a pilgrimage from Iceland to Rome and back to Iceland – even today that is not an easy trip by sea and land.

I have visited the site of this Viking village on Newfoundland and was interested to discover that archaeologists identified the site in 1959 – the summer in which Shiplake College was founded!

As we get ready to mark our 60th Anniversary in 2019 we should remember we are named after adventurous and technically advanced navigators who did not fear the unknown – they were very much more than pirates in long ships.

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From the past to the near future – a summer term gathering in 2019, OVs should not be too worried by ‘will I know anyone if I come back?’ – over lunch, with a glass of wine in hand, one is bound to meet people who remember things as they used to be, are delighted to visit new buildings, have tales of former staff and memories of things that those in authority never knew of…

This was very much my experience when attending the opening of the new John Turner Building. Those who came to Shiplake in the first three decades are folk I know, pupils at the College since 1994 are people I try to meet at reunions and other events – listening to and talking to people with similar interests as I did on a quiet September day in 2007 at that Viking settlement, briefly the home of Gudred.

Old Vikings – both ladies and gentlemen, please do get in touch with the OVS office with any ideas about what would make a 2019 reunion a special and fun day for you and your families – your views are important!

HANS WELLS-FURBY

From the Chairman Welcome to the 2018 edition of the OVS Magazine.

Next year sees the 60th anniversary of the College offering a membership today of over 4,000 Old Vikings. It is even becoming common for two generations of OVs, father along with son or daughter, to attend events.

In an effort to keep with both the modern and our 60 year history, the OVS committee has this year digitally scanned all the photos and memories stored in the damp Tithe Barn area. These are now being uploaded to form a new digital archive accessible to all. We have done this both for your entertainment and in order to keep a historical record of the College, houses, teams and expeditions. To mix the old with modern please feel free to browse the history archive and perhaps post it on Facebook or LinkedIn to other Old Vikings.

The OVS magazine remains an important method for keeping all generations of members up to date with College and OV news, as well as inviting you to join us at many of our varied events (including this year’s planned rowing regatta). This year again sees us provide both a printed magazine and an electronic version to meet your requirements.

We’d really appreciate it if you could ‘go electronic’ to save both on print and postage costs – please get in touch with your email address.

Remember, this is your society and we act on your behalf, so get in touch if you have any ideas for events or if you would like to join the committee, new members are always welcome.

I hope you enjoy the new style of magazine.

With best wishes for the coming year.

BEN FITZWILLIAMS

From the Alumni Office A highlight of the year was the Touch Rugby and Beer Festival event in September.

This was my first major event as Alumni and Events Officer and whilst it was a daunting prospect, with the help of a supportive team at the College it was a great day with some fiercely fought rugby and with many pints of local beer sampled.

The London Reunion at the end of November was very well attended and a lively event – I hope that many more of you will be able to join us at this informal reunion in 2018.

I’ve heard about many other ‘unofficial’ OV reunions or get-togethers, if you are planning something similar do please send me a paragraph (with photos) as I’d love to include some of them in the next magazine. Additionally, if you have any other stories, news or announcements you would like to share, do get in touch.

Keeping in Touch The alumni Facebook page, Old Vikings, and Twitter account, @ShiplakeOVS, are great way to keep in touch and catch up with news from the College.

There is also a closed Facebook Group – JCR at Shiplake College; a place for OVs to find friends and swap information. OVs Chris Baverstock (81B), Henry Summers (75S) and James Bernstein (81S) administer this group.

It is clear from the amount of undeliverable mail that we have returned to us, that many addresses, both postal and email, are out of date. Please get in touch,via the OV section of the College website, if you need to update your details – find the form at www.shiplake.org.uk/ovsupdate Want to ‘find a friend’? Drop me an email with as many details as you can and I’ll do my best to locate them on your behalf.

DAWN WEDGE Alumni & Events Officer OVS MAGAZINE 2018 | 4

OVS BURSARY FUND

The OVS Gap Year & Alumni Bursary Fund The Old Viking Society Gap Year and Alumni Bursary Fund is open to current Year 13 pupils and Old Vikings.

There is up to £500 available for volunteering projects, further education or cultural enrichment trips.

The funds are awarded annually and the closing date for applications is Tuesday 8 May 2018.

If you would like to be considered for an award, please email oldvikings@shiplake.org.uk and we will provide you a link to the application form.

Alternatively, the link, together with Conditions of Award can be

found at www.shiplake.org.uk/ OVSbursaryfund All applications will be considered by members of the Old Viking Society Committee who will then draw up a shortlist. Shortlisted applicants will then be invited to give a two/ three-minute presentation outlining their proposal, which will include their plans and how the fund will assist them.

Junior Rowing World Championships: After a whole year of GB Trials, I was finally selected to race at the Junior World Rowing Championships in Trakai, Lithuania.

We trained for 4 weeks before the Championships. This training consisted of ergos, weights sessions and water sessions in the 8+. The first week of training was on the Pangbourne stretch of the Thames. After that we moved

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to the Redgrave and Pinsent lake at Caversham.

In our heat at Trakai we were with Italy, Romania, the Netherlands and Spain.

We knew it was going to be a tough race as all boats are of such high standards but we won and this put us into the ‘A’ final. Romania came second meaning they also went straight through to the ‘A’ final.

sitting in fifth position but our mid-race rhythm helped us slowly move through the field and we ended up having a race to the line with Germany and USA and coming in third – all three boats finished within one second of each other!

In the ‘A’ final we were up against Germany, USA, the Netherlands, Russia, Italy and Romania. In the first 500m of the race we were

I was only able to go these Championships thanks to the generosity of the Old Vikings’ Alumni Bursary Fund and I would like to thank everyone who made it possible for me. It was an awesome experience rowing at a world class level and I met many new friends, many of which are at Oxford Brookes with me.

HENRY BLOIS-BROOKE (17S)

From Shiplake to Suzhou my experience here so far: learning to live independently and make my own decisions in where I want to go and what I want to see (as well as the painful decision of deciding what my new lesson plan will be) has drastically shaped my character. Suddenly, going from being a boarder and having my life organised for me, what I am learning and where I need to be at certain times, to then flying 15 hours across the world to teach ninety minute classes (each with 30 students), and being the only Briton in the whole school, could never have been fully explained to me in terms of the enormity of my decision to take a gap year.

My time in China so far has been full of mixed emotions. Initially, the massive culture shock really got to me, and I was severely homesick for quite a long time. However, this slowly faded as I got to know my students and began to grasp the job at hand. I teach Spoken English in a school in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province.

I can honestly say that I have never been challenged like this before, however I could never be more grateful to have this experience. The amount of knowledge I already have gained, through helping my students communicate in a new language, that couldn’t be more polar opposite to their native language, is insane. I have learnt a lot about myself, and a lot about where I want my life to go after my gap year, and my years at university.

My teaching role is a major part of my gap year, however it isn’t simply this that has made

It was a massive decision as I am living away from my family for 10 months; however, I have found that even in times where I feel as though I can’t do it, I just think about where I am, and how it is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

I would like to thank the OVS for helping me be able to experience this exciting country, and this incredible placement. I can’t wait to continue with my teaching, developing new skills, and having new experiences in the future.

JESSIE HIDE (17E)

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OVS BURSARY FUND

Canadian Adventure In January 2018, I will be going to Saskatchewan in Canada for five months on a gap year program called Soul Edge. To start with, I will be in Herbert, a small town on the Trans-Canada Highway, living in a house with about 15 other people including leaders. Here I will spend six days a week doing Christian leadership and theology training as well as a variety of outdoor activities such as skiing, snowboarding, ice climbing and horse riding. In addition to this I will be working with the local community and church, running things like youth and children’s clubs.

For the final two months, I will be moving further north to live in a First Nations settlement called Pelican Narrows. This is an area with very few jobs being created, as well as statistically few young people completing high school. Unemployment is extremely high at 74.6% and it has significantly higher crime rates than average in western Canada; in recent years, it has also begun to have problems with gang violence. Despite Pelican Narrows being a seemingly challenging environment, I am especially excited about this part of the trip. I am lucky to have the opportunity to experience what life is like in such a different and remote culture.

While we are there we will be doing a number of volunteering projects – for example, in the past, teams have built a youth centre and installed fire alarms in many of the houses, as house fires are a huge problem in the area and have caused many deaths in the past. We will also be running youth and sporting clubs such as outdoor rock climbing, in the hope that we will give children

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and young people opportunities and fun they wouldn’t otherwise have had.

Shiplake believes that ‘Challenge Creates Character’ and this is a large part of why I applied to do this program. I think that the challenge of living in such a poor community and different culture for five months, as well as some of the gruelling adventure activities such as a week-long hike in the snow and camping out in -25 degree temperatures, will help me to grow as a person.

I will also have the opportunity to meet people who come from a vastly different background to my own and to experience what life is like in a much poorer, more isolated community.

In order to raise money for this trip, I have been working full time and part time in a café and at a climbing centre. I also plan to do other small fundraising events such as cake sales in my church. I am grateful to the Old Viking Society for the bursary they have given me towards this amazing opportunity.

CARA HUNT (17S)

Ultra Impressive, Ultra Marathon Success

OVS NEWS

HENRY BLOIS-BROOKE (17S)

Not content to sit back and take it easy after weeks of training and competing at the Junior World Rowing Championships in Lithuania in August. 2017 leaver and former Deputy Head of College, Henry swapped his rowing shoes for running shoes and decided to run a gruelling 52-mile, ultra-marathon along the Thames Path at the beginning of September!

Here is what he had to say about his experience: I was so pleased to have completed the 52-mile Thames Path Ultra-Marathon from Oxford to Henley-on-Thames in 8 hours 13 minutes running time. So far, I have raised just under £1,300 in aid of Prostate Cancer and Help for Heroes – I was keen to support Help for Heroes as I hope to join the Royal Marines in the future.

I was really looking forward to this challenge – I am a fit rower having just come back from the World Championships and thought the run was going to be straightforward and so didn’t train for it especially. However, it was undoubtedly the toughest 8 hours of my life, both physically but most of all mentally! I had to dig deep to find the reserves to carry on.

My technique was to break the run into smaller ‘chunks’ as this was easier to visualize and cope with.

At Abingdon, I was pleased to be joined by my friend Seb Newman (17O) who kept me company for 10kms. When I passed Shiplake College, it was really motivating to see my old rowing coach Hugh Mackworth-Praed and some of my friends cheering me on for the final stretch to Henley.

I finished the run at Mill Meadows in Henley and collapsed over the line - I could not stand and all of my muscles just cramped up as I curled up on the floor in a ball. I am incredibly pleased to have finished but had no idea how painful and mentally tough it was going to be. For 24 hours afterwards, I could barely walk, but I was already thinking about my next challenge…

I am delighted to have raised so much money for two great charities, if you would like to support my efforts and make a donation, please visit my fundraising page: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/ShiplakeBoys90K

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JACK HARVARD TAYLOR (08S)

Equally as sporting, Freddy Fontannaz (08O) and I regularly train together and compete in Ironman competitions and recently persuaded Joe Holmes (08O) (now residing in the USA) to take part. In August this year, we visited him on the East Coast and thoroughly enjoyed watching him sweat. He told me afterwards, it was somewhat tougher than walking the Rev’s dog up and down the towpath during ‘games’!

Congratulations to Michael who represented GB as part of the men’s eight (BM8+) in the World Rowing U23 Championships held in Plovdiv, Bulgaria in July 2017, bringing home a Bronze medal.

Earlier in July, Michael was also part of the Oxford Brookes and Taurus BC team that won the Ladies’ Challenge Plate at Henley Royal Regatta.

PHOTO CREDIT: NAOMI BAKER

Ten years ago I left Shiplake along with so many good friends who I still see regularly today – James Hanson, Charlie Ingham Clark, Jack Thompson and I had dinner recently and started plotting our HRR come back in the quad. We will be enlisting legendary coach, Sally Satch, but with two of the four still rowing to a high standard I look forward to being pulled down the Henley course in the bows!

MICHAEL GLOVER (13E)

Michael is in the back row, third from left

PHOTO CREDIT: BEN RODFORD

News from Old Vikings

OVS NEWS

James Hanson, Charlie Ingham Clark and Jack Harvard Taylor – HRR 2017

BOB MCAUSLAND (66S) After having spent 35 years in Darwin in The Northern Territory of Australia, I have now retired to the more friendly climate of The Sunshine Coast Hinterland.

Joe Holmes, Freddy Fontannaz, Jack Harvard Taylor Maine Ironman USA, August 2017

It would be good to hear from people I was at school with and to see how we have all fared through the years. It has been a long time!

When are you going to send a decent cricket team over here?

JOHN SMITH (69B) In 1966 following England’s lifting of the Jules Rimet Trophy the school allowed pupils to start playing Association Football for the first time. (heady days, as it was most frowned upon at the time, as participation in this activity was certainly not considered as the norm). Quite a large number of pupils and staff wished to participate. At the first meeting it was decided to call the Club – Shiplake Tuesday – because that was the day they played and with a nod to Sheffield Wednesday. The team played matches against local teams such as Shiplake and Henley. The first season was moderately ok. The second season staff stopped playing, although the matches continued, with good success on the field of play. By the third season, staff had lost all interest and no longer wished to assist with training. Numbers of players dwindled as we took training ourselves, with players mainly from Burr House. After this I cannot continue as this was my last year at the school. So it is nice to see the sport revived at Shiplake College.

John Smith, Former School Football Captain and now some fifty years later – Still a Sheffield Wednesday fan and a Council Member of the oldest County FA in the Country, Sheffield & Hallamshire County FA.

ANDREW BARKMAN (76S) As Executive Director, Andrew was one of the founders of the establishment of Australian company, Incorp in 1988. Although Australia was at that time in the middle of a recession, within 2 years Andrew helped grow the company from a staff of 2 to over 50, with offices in Sydney and Melbourne. To date, Incorp has set up offices in 12 locations across Australia, the Far East and Asia and now has a staff of over 70, partnering with Blue Chip, Global and International clients achieving sales in excess of $200 million.

Married to Jacquelina and with two grown up children, Andrew has homes in Cyprus and Dubai and is a frequent visitor to the UK. He would love hear from fellow Old Vikings and can be contacted via LinkedIn or Facebook. He is in regular contact with Andrew Horne (76S).

ALISTAIR NEWMAN (77E) I am in my sixth year at the English School of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar. Our Director Graham Hill, is the father of Leo Hill (93O). I am now happily teaching history to Years 6, 7 and 8 after a four-year stint as a Year 2 teacher. The children are great and the Mongolian families have a very healthy respect for teachers in their society. Having arrived in 2012, I happily married Nyamaa Chimed as soon as the red tape allowed, so I am now officially part of the Mongolian horde!

Teaching Mongolian history to Mongolians is interesting, it is often passed down verbally by many families. In addition, the ESM Chess club was praised by Sainbayar, a Vice-President of FIDE (World Chess Federation) as being the best chess school in Mongolia. Our senior team has been unbeaten for over 5 years now.

As I write, in October, winter looms after a very rainy summer, there will soon be many layers of thin and treacherous ice plus temperatures of -10, -20 and lower, particularly at night time.

We had a quorum for a get-together in 2013, with Alex Baker (10B) a former Head of College joining Leo Hill and myself.

The school is always looking out for young men to come and coach some rugby, plus teach. ESM were joint schools’ rugby champions in 2014.

Please do email alistair@esm.edu.mn if any GAP student wishes to come for a year. There is much to see and Mongolia is really beautiful, if very cold in the winter!

ANDREW PRIEST (78S) Having worked in the antiques business since leaving Shiplake, I sold the shop in Stow on the Wold and gave up dealing to start a new career in property development in 2003. I married Rachel in 1999 and we have a daughter Jemima who is sixteen. We live in Norfolk. I am regularly in touch with Tom Fromant (79S). Would be good to hear from anyone who remembers me!

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OVS NEWS

CHRIS RAYBURN (78W) After a long career in the oil industry I have recently started working as a Financial Planning Consultant for the national firm Charles Derby.

I can provide advice on Investments, Pensions, Protection and Inheritance Tax Planning. I find this type of work very satisfying after spending a couple of years taking exams to get the required qualifications to become authorised.

I would be very happy to provide advice to any Old Vikings.

My web site can be found at www.charlesderby-chrisrayburn.com

RALPH DIXON (82W) I am still living in Malaysia and Singapore and I am a single father of twins, a boy and girl 21 months old as of November 2017. Would love to see OVs if they pass through KL or Singapore.

PHOTO CREDIT: BEN RODFORD

E: ralphjdixon@hotmail.com

AUGUSTUS (GUS) DALE (90W) The Road to ‘The Philanthropist’ and ‘The Headmaster’…

Gus is second from left in the top row

I was at Shiplake College back in the late 80’s (88-90), although only at the school for two years, it remains one of the defining moments of my life. Previously I had been through the comprehensive school system in Leicester and had managed to fail all of my O’ Levels, except for drama! Having worked a menial job on the high street for 6 months, I was given the opportunity to return to my studies at Shiplake under the watchful eye of Bob Esau (Welsh House Master). While there, I was transformed, passing all of my GCSEs, an A Level and an AS, all in the space of two years. Aside from the qualifications I managed to salvage, the experience really changed the way I perceived things. I ended up being made a school prefect and was made Deputy Head of Welsh House under Ben Hunt-Davis – these were some of the best years of my younger life!

After a stint working in London, I moved to Burgundy, France, for 14 years. While there, I had the opportunity to study Viticulture (grape vine agriculture) and Oenology (wine making)

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and a true passion was ignited. I ran a small Domaine with Grand Cru and 1er Cru vineyards, converting the property to an organic culture in 2004/5.

In 2006, I moved to South Africa where I have become a solid fixture in the winelands around Stellenbosch.

children of the farm workers to attend a crèche on the farm and, additionally, helps pay for their tertiary education once old enough.

The crèche provides a safe learning environment for all the children of the farm workers, and also provides them with the skills and knowledge necessary to achieve their maximum potential through further education and their professional working lives.

‘Cheers!’ – Gus with members of the Paul Roos Winery Team

Though I have recently started my own business, Hemisphere Wines, www.hemispherewineclub.com, I am also heavily involved in a wine project that I run as part of the Paul Roos Farming scheme.

Paul Roos was the first Captain of the South African rugby team to tour the UK in 1906 and it was during that trip he named his team ‘The Springboks’. He was born on the farm, and the fifth generation Roos family are still running the farm today. A BEE* company, Paul Roos Farming, has been created and is 70% owned by the workers on the farm. Obviously, Paul Roos is a well-known name in South Africa and we are all proud of what we have achieved so far, however, we are also delighted to have landed our first export client – Oddbins UK.

The wine project is really the cherry on the cake as far as self-empowerment is concerned.

Not only will it provide funding for the education of the workers’ children, but the project is the perfect vessel for showing the adults how to run a business and provide for themselves by teaching them not to expect immediate, short-term gains, but rather to invest today in order to reap benefits in the years to come.

Want to know more?

Visit www.paulrooswine.com or www.oddbins.co.uk – the red wine is Paul Roos Die Filantroop (The Philanthropist) 2015 and the white, Paul Roos Die Skoolhoof (The Headmaster) 2015. *BEE – Black Economic Empowerment, a pragmatic growth strategy to realise South Africa’s full potential by bringing the black majority into the economic mainstream by empowering more black people to own and manage enterprises. Enterprises are regarded as black-owned if black people own at least 51% of the enterprise, and have substantial management control of the business.

JAMES WILLIAMS (92E)

It is an interesting project with an amazing social story – I make two wines in very limited quantities, the profits from which pay for the

My family and I have just returned from working overseas in Dallas Texas for the last several years – went out with a wife and 3 kids and came back with them all plus a dog called Rocky, care of Arkansas.

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OVS NEWS

ROBIN QUARRELLE (99B) Having spent many years working in the luxury chalet business, including some time spent running my own company called Summit Retreats, I now live and work in the ski resort of Verbier. I am here year round managing the house and private affairs of an UHNWI (Ultra High Net Worth Individual).

The life here allows me to indulge in my great passion that is skiing and explore everything the Alps has to offer.

OLI SMITH (12O)

commitment, in terms of training and Saturday games, some away games as far away as Cornwall, but one which I am thoroughly enjoying.

There are many Old Vikings at Henley Rugby Club playing at every level, and of course Friday Night Lights is a highlight of the College rugby year. I am also hopeful to make it into the Under 20’s Oxfordshire County Team when trials start in the New Year.

Alongside rugby, I work at a Chartered Surveyor’s, Duncan Bailey Kennedy based in High Wycombe, where I am training and eager to gain my qualification to become a Chartered Surveyor.

It is a great honour to be player sponsored by the Old Viking Society given the close ties between Shiplake College and Henley Rugby Club.

The two photos following show me playing for the Henley Hawks 1st team against Barnstable and the second is of a 2nd team match last season with other Old Vikings (from left to right) Jimmy Wright (12W), Teddy Hewins (12E), Toby Howe (15O), Matt Thomas (95S), Sam Quelch (11W), myself and Charlie Sichel (16O).

Oli was awarded with his Masters in Wildlife Documentary Production from the University of Salford in December 2017 after completing a BSc in Wildlife and Practical Conservation. He is now living in Bristol and looking for opportunities in wildlife film making or conservation and would love to hear from any OVs who may be working in those areas.

WILL JANES (15O) I attended Shiplake College between 2009 and 2015, and thoroughly enjoyed my school years there. Whilst at Shiplake I also played at Henley Rugby Club, at Colts level and then alongside Mr Beckett in the 2nd XV. I have recently been selected for Henley Hawks 1st Team at Outside Centre playing in the National League 2 South division. Playing 1st team rugby is certainly a step up in standard and a big

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High Fliers Fly High November 2017 saw two prize-winning pupils given the ride of their lives when Old Viking George Graham (14B) honoured their success with a helicopter flight from the front field at College.

The flight lasted roughly 20 minutes, with the helicopter reaching altitudes of 1200ft and speeds of 120 mph! George flew his passengers high over Shiplake College and the surrounding villages then over to Henley and beyond where he pointed out Danesfield House, an elegant Tudor-style mansion built in 1901, before flying back to College.

Harvey Groves-Raines and Carter Jennings of Year 10 were this year’s recipients of the Eaton Prize, an award given to the pupils who show the most academic improvement. The helicopter flight has been offered to pupils, as part of this award, for several decades since Lord McAlpine inaugurated the prize, before the tradition was passed down to his son Sir William McAlpine. More recently, Old Vikings Bill Eaton and George Graham have accommodated the prize.

21-year-old George has been flying from a young age, and, when he arrived, was applauded by pupils, matrons and teachers alike. George left Shiplake College in 2014 and has since become a commercial helicopter pilot. Many remember him; the Rev included, for his family farm, something that he is still involved in today.

Our grateful thanks go to George for taking the time to come back to Shiplake and giving Carter and Harvey an excuse to miss their English lesson!

The helicopter, a Bell 407 GXP, was built in 2015 and with only three in the country, this truly was a special occasion for Harvey and Carter, along with Welsh House Matron Lynne Fairbairn, Reverend Stephen Cousins and Marketing and Communications Officer Tom Strudwick, who all accompanied the prize-winners and made use of the vacant seats.

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OVS NEWS

Welsh House Re-visited A small band of former Welsh House boarders were delighted to be welcomed back to Shiplake College during September 2017.

We were accommodated on a day that was not only the beginning of a new school term but also the day before the Touch Rugby and Beer Festival event... pity we couldn’t stay over!

It was an amazing journey to travel back to College and witness the changes that had taken place over the years. Passing Welsh House with its new red brick addition on the right and the development of the classrooms on the left with the creation of the Bevan building. Beyond that, the Sixth Form girls’ House. Unfortunately, girls weren’t part of the College when we were there!

We were warmly greeted at Reception in Everett House rather than the main building as in the old days. I remember that in the 1970’s one had to enter Skipwith via the basement to the right of the building unless you were a sixth former. A one-way system was in place although everyone could exit via the main entrance.

I live with my wife Henny in Sevenoaks and was accompanied by Miles Brazier (78W) who currently lives in Hastings.

Justin Mann (75W), and his wife Piri, came over from Australia making the Sevenoaks stop a part of their return tour of friends and relatives in the UK. We were also joined by Rory McGuigan (78W) from Swindon and Russell Brazier (75W), Miles’ brother, from Great Missenden in Buckinghamshire.

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Our tour brought back many fond memories of a well-disciplined school; Russell commented that pupils were so well behaved between lessons that we heard no more than murmurings – no great surprise as this was very much the way it had been in our youth.

It was lovely to see the Great Hall again, largely unchanged and we all recalled playing in the ‘Battle of the Bands’ music competitions on the Great Hall stage representing Welsh House.

We were told that there had already been several weddings this year in the Hall and grounds and this didn’t surprise me as it is a location that would be hard to beat! Being able to set foot inside the Staff Room with its wood panelling and beautiful fireplace was a real treat and Russell was delighted to find his name on the Rowing Honours Board in the Old Viking Room.

I remember walking down the drive towards the Tithe Barn for the first lesson of the day, if it happened to be English, I would often break into a trot (Miles would say to the others ‘it’s ok he’s got Mr G.’) knowing that to be late meant `two sides!’ which turned into `four sides!’ if you questioned the punishment.

Mr Gilliat considered his watch to be more accurate than GMT.

As we are all ex-Welsh House we especially enjoyed our tour of it; we saw our old study rooms and all sorts of memories flooded back – I used to be taught English by Mr Gilliat who struck fear into anyone who crossed his path.

It was so good to be able to have a chat with Jonnie Howorth, the current Housemaster.

A very nice chap – not at all dictatorial – and very young!! We attended the school at a time when Mr Eggar was Headmaster and Mr Welsh was the Housemaster. Well, I guess that was 42 years ago but who’s counting? – as they say, it seems like yesterday and we were all transported back to earlier times.

We had such a lovely time revisiting the College, a rainy Friday but thanks to our Shiplake umbrellas we were kept dry and our visit gave us much to talk about for the rest of the day…

REGARDS & BEST WISHES PETER RUFFELL (78W)

OVS MAGAZINE 2018 | 16

OVS EVENTS

Old Vikings Victorious at Cricket!

Friday 23 June 2017 saw the Old Viking Society return to Shiplake College for the annual cricket match against The Wanderers (Staff team).

With some great players on show from both teams, it was building up to be quite the thriller, and it did not disappoint.

Thank you to Head of Cricket Mr Jonnie Howorth for the following report: The Wanderers fielded first and got off to a bad start with the Old Viking Society taking 51 off the first 24 balls of their innings for the loss of no wickets.

DATE FOR YOUR DIARY Friday 22 June 2018 at 5.30pm and Saturday 23 June 2018

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2007 Captain Graham Braithwaite (07E) and 2016 captain Harry Ibbitson (16B) both made a quick fire 25 not out (retired).

After their departure the Wanderers started to pick up wickets with Mr Duncan, Skipwith Housemaster, and Year 12 Tom Ibbitson taking two each. Ian Brown (12S), former Head of Skipwith, and son of current Deputy Head Nick Brown, took the attack to the staff bludgeoning 25 not out.

With the OVS score standing at 125 for 8, Braithwaite and Ibbitson returned and some lusty blows, including two onto the neighbouring marquee, from Braithwaite

ensured that the OVS finished their 20 overs on 161 for 9.

The staff’s response started steadily with Mr Nick Brown and his younger son, current 1st XI wicket keeper Oliver, keeping the scoreboard ticking over.

When Oliver departed for 16, and Nick 15, the wickets tumbled and the staff fell well behind the run rate. Despite some late hitting from Mr Reynolds and Mr Johnston, the staff finished 29 runs short of the total and with their tails between their legs.

It was wonderful to see so many Old Vikings returning to the College!

One Year On Reunion – 2016 Leavers The 23 June 2017 saw a merry band of 2016 Leavers return to College for a really enjoyable evening of food, drink and spirited conversation.

It was an ideal way to catch up with what had happened over the previous year – starting university, gap year travels and more…

2017 leavers are invited to return to College on Friday 22 June 2018 from 7.00pm, for a drink and a barbecue. The Old Vikings Cricket team will be taking on the Staff Wanderers beforehand, so do feel free to come along a bit earlier to give your support!

OVS MAGAZINE 2018 | 18

OVS EVENTS

Henley

Royal Regatta

The 2017 Henley Royal Regatta was an event that everyone associated with Shiplake College will not forget in a hurry.

T

Old Vikings are invited to the Shiplake College pitch at the Henley Cricket Club on Saturday 7 July 2018

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he 1st VIII: Fred Peck, Christian HjortlandMarks, Austin Burnand, Oliver Newton, Sebastian Newman, Henry BloisBrooke, Tom Scott, William Dolin and cox Jamie Pond, were delighted to be one of the 12 ‘selected’ crews (out of 32 that qualified) in the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup. Any hopes for a comfortable start to the cup soon disappeared as the boys were drawn against Westminster School.

The race proved to be everything it was built up to be and for a neutral spectator would have been great to watch. Shiplake came out on top

beating Westminster by 2/3 of a length!

The boys had little time to enjoy the victory as preparations began for round 2, where they would compete against local rival and rowing powerhouse Abingdon School. Thursday brought a more comfortable victory for the boys, beating Abingdon by 21/4 lengths.

The dream of reaching the weekend was getting closer and next up for the boys was Gonzaga College from the USA on Friday evening. Shiplake produced another great performance beating Gonzaga by 1 length meaning they would be racing again on Saturday and had reached the semi-finals.

The weekend arrived and next up for the boys was Radley College. As is now tradition, it was great to see so many Old Vikings descend on the Cricket Club for a pre-race drink (or two) at the College marquee before heading to the river to support the boys. There was a buzzing atmosphere with young and old proudly wearing Shiplake blazers, and everybody hoping that the boys could build on their achievements and reach the final. It proved to be another brilliant race, and whilst they were leading at the half-way mark unfortunately Shiplake couldn’t quite do enough, losing to Radley College by just one length.

Director of Rowing, Mr Dave Currie, commented; ‘We are so proud of the boys and what they have achieved following the plan all year to do well at Henley. They have had a fantastically successful season and although it would have been great to win at Henley they have to realise what they have achieved all season and to be the first crew to reach the semi-final since 1990 is just outstanding’.

The Regatta proved as popular as ever, with many Old Vikings travelling from across the country to attend.

OVS MAGAZINE 2018 | 20

OVS EVENTS

Revival Regatta

OVS Rowers come a close second

On 16 September 2017, the Old Vikings took on Eton College and St Edwards in the Revival Regatta at Eton Dorney Lake.

The Old Vikings had a tough first race over 750m and came third – partly due to one of our rowers being taken ill. Our cox, Pippa, stepped up to the mark and filled the empty seat, and Eton kindly offered a very capable substitute to guide the Old Vikings through the next two races.

The 500m race saw the OVs fight for, and proudly earn, second place. Now with only the 250m sprint to go, everything was to race for – with the spectators shouting and a real effort from all of the teams, Shiplake were able to pull ahead and take first place by less than a canvas. Hooray and hugs all round!

Then came the judging – as a result of a mysterious form of handicapping,

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Eton were able to take first place by a solitary point but the Old Vikings came a creditable second.

Team captain Rob Robertson (77B) said: “The weather was perfect and we all had a fun afternoon, with the other teams commenting on how good our team looked in our striking T-shirts.

After the results were announced, there were handshakes all round followed by an excellent afternoon tea provided by Eton College.

We are really looking forward to next year’s event – get in touch oldvikings@shiplake.org.uk, if you would like to be involved – partners, children and dogs are all welcome!”

Old Viking Society London Reunion The annual OVS London Reunion took place on Thursday 30 November at The Lamb Inn, Leadenhall Market. The room was packed and it was a lively evening, with many OVs coming along after more informal lunch-time reunions of their own!

There was a brief interlude in the revelries for the Old Viking Chairman, Ben Fitzwilliams, to welcome everyone to the event and also to run through the OVS AGM Agenda. Committee members were re-elected, the accounts for the year were approved and this was followed by Mr Davies’ Headmaster’s Report; after summarising the many achievements of the College

over the past year, the news that ‘…Shiplake College is already a great school but heading for greater things…’ was met with a resounding cheer.

It was great to see so many Old Vikings catching up with old friends and reminiscing about their school days – some of the tales from a 1963 leaver were amazing!

OVS MAGAZINE 2018 | 22

OVS EVENTS

Touch Tries and Dog Tails With summer drawing to a close and a new academic year underway, rugby returned to our pitches. The first Saturday of term saw not just ten teams ranging from U14 to the 1st XV playing their first fixtures of the season, but also various training sessions for those not playing in the matches, taking place in pockets of remaining playing field space.

As part of the start of year celebrations, the third annual dog show, touch rugby tournament and beer festival took place after the morning’s sessions, which drew in numerous parents, pupils, Old Vikings and staff members. With an 80ft inflatable assault course, cake sale, barbecue and bar available throughout the day, there truly was something for everyone.

The dog show celebrated all that we love about our furry friends, with 40 entrants to the various categories.

Categories included Waggiest Tail, won by three-year-old Pug-Cavalier cross Cilla, owned by Mr Milburn. Best Trick was won once again by Dr Hughes’s working cocker spaniel

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Willow. Most Handsome Dog was awarded to four-month-old Odin, Debby Perry’s charming Jack Russell-Spaniel cross, whilst Meg, owned by Monty Wallace, took the crown for Prettiest Bitch. Karen Lowe, donning a black bobble hat with black and white clothing to match her Bernese dog Ella, won the Dog Most Like Its Owner!

Many thanks go to Helen Tuthill, founder of dog specialist company Holybrooks, who judged the competition with her keen eye for all things canine.

In addition, a £40 gift voucher was awarded to the ‘Best in Show’, won by Meg, which was kindly donated by Tell Tails Photography.

The touch rugby tournament saw ten teams compete, playing a total of 23 games during the afternoon.

Old Vikings, with teams of leavers ranging from 1979 to 2016, along with four staff teams and an invitational team of netballers, including former staff member Miss Chelsi Challis, came together to demonstrate true sportsmanship and Shiplake spirit.

Johnny Reed and his team of 2016 leavers were crowned winners for the second year, after coming top in their pool, knocking out the ‘Ringas and Rangas’ team led by OV Ian Brown in the semi-final and winning a highly contested final against ‘Hugh’s Nomads’.

Thanks to the referees from Reading’s In2Touch club for their impartial management of the games, and for also stepping in as ‘super subs’ on the odd occasion!

Also making an appearance on the pitch was Headmaster Gregg Davies who said ‘despite the unpredictable weather, a great day was had by all.

It was fantastic to see so many Old Vikings back to visit and I’m pleased to confirm that all staff members are now talking to each other again.

Congratulations to Assistant Head Academic, Mr Paul Jones, who was awarded the Man of the Tournament award.’

Local ales supplied by Marlow based Rebellion Brewery offered welcome refreshment to both players and supporters, while fresh pulled-pork baps were given to members of all teams who played in the touch rugby tournament.

Thank you to everyone that made the day a great success and it’s never too early to start assembling your team for next year!

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FROM THE ARCHIVES

Then & Now

Founded in 1959, Shiplake College is relatively young in comparison with many traditional independent schools in the UK. Despite this, there is no doubt that the College boasts a rich history and tradition of its own. The College itself has provided both a home and a school for over 4,000 pupils, spanning nearly six decades.

Thanks to the generosity of the Old Viking Society, a range of publications and photographs from the College archive have been digitised and made available for you to browse online; www.shiplake.org.uk/archives The digital archive has a full search facility to enable you to explore by year, keyword, name or category (sports, music etc).

Today we have 480 pupils at the College and much has changed over the years, but our core values remain constant.

It is a delight to see that we now have several sons and daughters of OVs joining us and, perhaps, beginning family traditions of their own – very much ‘Then and Now’!

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Clearly, any archive is a collection of historical documents or records, but it is so much more, it tells stories about people and buildings, and links the past and present day.

We hope that you will find a wealth of information in this online archive and enjoy looking back through the history of the College, it is very much an ongoing project and we will be adding to this resource over the coming years.

Jonathan and Olivia Bartlett Jonathan Bartlett joined Shiplake College (Skipwith) in 1982 and became Head of College in 1987. His daughter, Olivia (Welsh) joined the Sixth Form in 2016 and became Deputy Head of

College in 2017 – 30 years after her Father!

See her profile on page 33. Jon is circled in the photo on the left.

operates on a much more professional level and the staff are incredibly engaged in the children’s day-to-day activities.

Jon writes: “I left Shiplake in 1987 and I think there were just over 340 boys at that time.

It was mainly a full boarding school and we went home every couple of weeks or so. There were only a few day boys in each year and they were all based in Orchard House. I was in Skipwith but had friends from all the different houses.

I would say that our biggest rivals, particularly at Rugby, were the boys from Pangbourne College. Not much has changed!

Changes are inevitable but I am so pleased to observe that the caring ethos that underpinned my time at Shiplake remains; Shiplake still has that lovely, down-to-earth friendly feel where everyone matters, regardless of how old or junior you are. I have been most impressed by the individual care and attention my children have received from the staff and, although the school is bigger now, the pupils still seem to know everyone, which I believe to be an important Shiplake quality.

The biggest differences that I see now is that the school has some amazing new facilities and more pupils, including girls, in the Sixth Form.

In 1987, I think we had just 36 boys in our Upper Sixth; now it is over double that. Back in the Eighties, we seemed to have much more freedom and less pressure. Such as having the ‘JCR’, the onsite Sixth Form bar, our great incentive to get our prep finished on time!

On Sundays we could go off for the day on foot into Henley or we often used the school canoes to go up to Sonning, all unsupervised.

Lastly, and rather embarrassingly, as a parent of two currently at Shiplake, I really do not think I would have gained entry to the school if it applied 2017 selection standards back in 1982!”

JONATHAN BARTLETT

Happy memories but looking back it was incredible we survived at all! Today, the school

Can you add to the archive?

We are always keen to add relevant materials to the archive. Photographs, publications and memorabilia directly related to Shiplake College all increase the richness of the collection.

Should you have any items relating to your, or a relative’s, time at the school that you would like to donate or lend, please get in touch – E: archives@shiplake.org.uk

OVS MAGAZINE 2018 | 26

COLLEGE NEWS

From the Headmaster

The past twelve months have presented many opportunities for celebration; the College now has 480 pupils, including 55 girls and 140 boarders; the school continues to go from strength to strength and I expect the roll to rise to 500 next academic year.

I was delighted with our record GCSE results, with 60% achieving A*-B grades, and 91% achieving A*-Cs. Our Sixth Form students also maintained the 100% pass rate first seen last year and left College well-armed for the next stages in their lives.

This past year, Shiplake has enjoyed some fantastic accomplishments. Highlights for me included our former Head of College, Emily Wilkinson (17S), who was presented with Sue Ryder’s Young Woman of Achievement Award. In the sporting arena, the 1st XV rugby team, and members of last year’s teams travelled to South Africa in the summer for intensive training and competition on the international stage whilst the Drama department, under the guise of ‘Scruffy Penguin’, took their comedy production of Teen Master Brain to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival enjoying sold out performances.

Finally, I am delighted that Shiplake College has been nominated for two TES Independent School Awards, for Marketing Strategy and Best Boarding School. We eagerly anticipate the results in early February 2018.

Old Vikings are an important part of College your support, interaction and attendance of events is welcomed and greatly appreciated.

The door is always open to our OVs – we look forward to seeing you soon.

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GREGG DAVIES

Dr Bob Snellgrove Retires

After a remarkable 29 years of service it was time for Shiplake College to say goodbye to Dr Bob Snellgrove. Dr Snellgrove retired from his position of Head of Science and Careers Adviser, leaving a College that is now ‘unrecognisable’ from when he began his teaching career in 1988.

Dr Snellgrove was asked what made him want to become a teacher, to which he responded: ‘I didn’t’. Dr Snellgrove began his career in government research where he worked for 11 years whilst completing his PhD. With funding being cut and morale in the field low, Dr Snellgrove began to look for a career that combined his two passions of biology and sports. He found Shiplake and ‘never looked back’.

Dr Snellgrove commented on a number of changes at the College since he started, including the increase in the number of pupils attending the College and the number of new buildings. Despite the increase in numbers, Dr Snellgove was proud that the ethos of the school ‘hasn’t changed’ and that staff managed to maintain the ‘friendly atmosphere that made the College a great place to work’. Another change that stood out for Dr Snellgrove was the introduction of girls to Shiplake, and how the numbers have accelerated from the first year of just 6 girls at the College. This ‘introduced an increased element of maturity and work ethic to the College’.

When asked to pick out any particular highlights from his time at the College, Dr Snellgrove found it difficult to provide just one. He has had many highlights over his 29 years at the College, but one of Dr Snellgrove’s greatest achievements was when he and a group of support staff and students completed the Three Peaks Challenge, climbing the three highest peaks in England, Wales and Scotland within 24 hours. Dr Snellgrove then added that he was ‘always pleasantly surprised’ with the Science exam results and always ‘delighted’ at the number of pupils that got a place at their first choice university.

There are many memories over the years that make Dr Snellgrove laugh, however there was one that stood out for him in particular. Dr Snellgrove was leading a field

trip for A-Level students to the Isle of Wight.

The journey began and he noticed the minibus didn’t have a full tank of diesel and they would need to fill up after they crossed on the ferry. Running on fumes, they made it onto the island and managed to get to the nearest petrol station to fill the tank up with diesel. They pulled out of the station, heading towards the field centre, when the minibus broke down. They soon realised the minibus actually had a petrol engine. Although this wasn’t good news, it wasn’t the end of the world. There was a second minibus waiting for the group at the field centre, so a taxi was ordered and the member of staff accompanying Dr Snellgrove went to pick up the second minibus. When approaching the minibus, he realised that he no longer had the keys. He went back to Dr Snellgrove, hoping he had the keys, but he didn’t. They were now left with one broken down minibus and one keyless minibus. Thankfully, the set of keys for the second minibus were found hours later in the car park of the field centre, and the pupils – along with Dr Snellgrove – were collected. When asked how he felt once the incident was over, Dr Snellgrove responded ‘all’s well that ends well!’.

Dr Snellgrove is looking forward to a relaxing retirement full of holidays, Tennis, Table Tennis, volunteering and continuing to tutor at Buckinghamshire New University. He advised any new members of staff to ‘be themselves and don’t try and pretend to be one of the pupils!’. Dr Snellgrove also stressed the importance of staff separating their lives as teachers and their lives at home. Dr Snellgrove said that the best piece of advice he had ever been given was: ‘the greatest gift you could give anyone is your time’. We would like to thank Dr Snellgrove for all the time he has given to Shiplake College over the past 29 years and we wish him the very best in his welldeserved retirement.

OVS MAGAZINE 2018 | 28

Farewell to Staff Leavers

COLLEGE NEWS

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Shiplake College sends a fond farewell to the following members of staff, who left Shiplake for pastures new – we wish them all the best in their future ventures and also welcome them as new members of the Old Viking Society.

Doreen Gow Resident Nurse, left in September 2017 after a sterling 15 years in the role, she will be greatly missed by staff and pupils alike and we wish her a fulfilling retirement.

Neil Walne Bursar, left after nearly 12 years’ service to take up the role of Bursar at Pangbourne College.

Mr Walne began working at Shiplake, shortly after Headmaster Mr Gregg Davies joined the school, following a successful career in the army. The two created a balanced and harmonious working friendship, which helped to see the College go from strength to strength.

Kim Burrell Accountant, left her role after 11 years’ service and moved to Bournemouth.

Luke Cottrell Head of Physics, left after five years to take up a management role at Aldi.

Rachel Moore Peripatetic Music Teacher, left after eight years of sharing her love of music with the College.

Claire Knight Digital Librarian and Orchard House Tutor, left after three years at College to take up the position of Librarian at Reading Blue Coat School.

From L-R Hema Gillings, Suzy Andrew, Chelsi Challis, Bob Snellgrove, Claire Forgie and Doreen Gow

At the end of the 2017 Summer Term we also bade farewell to;

In the Autumn Term 2017, we said goodbye to;

Suzy Andrew Art Teacher and Gilson Housemistress, after 10 years and moves back to Scotland.

Vanessa Green PA to the Headmaster, who moved back to the bright lights of London after three years at Shiplake, we wish her luck with her next adventure!

Chelsi Challis Marketing and Communications Officer, who moved on after two years to take up a PR role for actress and swimwear designer Liz Hurley.

Claire Forgie Head of Vocational Studies, who left to pursue further studies.

Hema Gillings Head of Art, who left after 11 years at the College to have a baby and return to her northern roots.

Kirsty Jelowitz Alumni and Events Officer, who moved to Dubai with her family.

Tony Moore Caretaker, who is retiring after a fantastic 21 years of service to the College for which we are truly appreciative.

Anne Moore Truly a one-woman miracle who has run the laundry single-handed for 21 years!

We wish her the best in her retirement.

Gill Findley Art Technician, who is moving on after 12 years at the College.

Stefan Mitran ICT Manager, left us in November to pursue a new career with an IT firm in Reading.

OVS MAGAZINE 2018 | 30

COLLEGE NEWS

Interview with

Head of College

Will Bailey

1. What are your College highlights/ best memories?

Winning a medal for rowing at National Schools, my GCSE results day and my first Skipwith house party.

2. How will you be remembered at College?

Hopefully not just by being on the Honours Board.

3. What are your plans post-Shiplake?

Having a Gap Year to decide who I want to be, and following the path from there.

4. Describe Shiplake College in three words.

“Thought is free” – William Shakespeare.

5. If you had a super-power what would it be and why?

Flight, because then I don’t have to worry about travel costs.

6. If you could invite three people to dinner (living or dead) who would they be and why?

A very distant relative, so I can learn about my past, Hugh Jackman because we share a birthday, and Johnny Depp because of the inspiration I have taken from his characters in acting.

7. What single piece of advice would you offer to new pupils?

Take every opportunity and push outside of your comfort zone, don’t be afraid to make mistakes – You’re human!

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Interview with

Deputy Head of College

Olivia Bartlett 1. What are your College highlights/best memories?

I have fond memories, mostly spending time in the evenings with the boarders, as there is a real sense of family and community.

Boris and Olive, the house dogs bring a real sense of home to the boarding house as they are very loving and are always happy to have a cuddle.

2. How will you be remembered at College?

For wearing a red coat.

3. What are your plans post-Shiplake?

At the moment I am applying to universities to study Fine Art, however I am also looking at options to go abroad to work and travel.

After I graduate, I would like to have a career in Art therapy.

4. Describe Shiplake College in three words Inclusive, pioneering and supportive.

5. If you had a super-power what would it be and why?

I would be a time traveller, reason being – to have an extra hour in bed!

6. If you could invite three people to dinner (living or dead) who would they be and why?

Willem De Kooning, Artist – my favourite artist of all time, so we can chat about Art.

Arsene Wenger, Arsenal Manager – as I would like to get his autograph for my Dad and Gran

Sebastian Vettel – F1 car driver – He can be the taxi driver!

7. What single piece of advice would you offer to new pupils Although it sounds like a cliché – make the most of every opportunity at College and realise how important it is to get involved with as much as you can, as time is going to go so quickly.

OVS MAGAZINE 2018 | 32

COLLEGE NEWS

Rugby Tour of South Africa 2017 On 7 August, Shiplake’s 1st and 2nd XVs departed for their Rugby Tour of South Africa. On arrival, the boys headed to the Stellenbosch Rugby Academy for a training session and lunch.

The boys then toured the Fleur Du Cap Wine Estate with some being lucky enough to sample the produce, whilst others had to settle for some fizzy grape tizer. After the wine tour, the boys returned for some downtime and a gym session before settling into their chalets for a well-deserved rest.

It was day two, and time for the training to be taken up a notch as the group headed out for a session with a coach at the Stellenbosch Rugby Academy.

After lunch it was back into the gym for the boys, with some opting for yoga, while others went for the bench presses.

Rumour had it that ice baths were next on the agenda, a few of the squad

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slipped away whilst the others braved the cold. Afterwards, the boys headed into Stellenbosch for a walking tour of the city. After visiting the tallest tree in Stellenbosch, old slave houses, burial chambers, and the oldest town house in South Africa, the boys were given some free time to stock up on water, sweets and BILTONG!

Day three started with the boys observing the South Africa U19 side who were training against Stellenbosch. In the afternoon, the boys boarded the coach and headed out to play the first two matches of the tour. The 2nd XV came out on top, defeating Rusthof U17 24–8. The 1st XV were involved in a far tighter fixture against Rusthof U19 with a result of a 24–24 draw. The day then ended with the boys having a team meal and an early night ready for more training in the morning.

winning 79–0. Day eight started with the boys heading to the Newlands Stadium for a tour of the facilities. Following the tour, the group headed to the Langa Township where they were met by their tour guide and ex-Springbox 7s player Tshotsho Mbovane. Tshotsho gave the boys a motivational talk about his journey to becoming a professional rugby player. The boys then headed to a Siyakhanyise pre-school and had the opportunity to donate pens, pencils, toys and clothes.

On day five the boys said goodbye to the Stellenbosch Rugby academy and headed to Gordon High School. The 2nd XV had a thrilling 19–19 draw, whilst the 1st XV were dominant for huge sections of the game, eventually coming out on top with a 26-12 win. After the matches, the group headed to the Newlands Stadium to watch the Western Province v Blue Bulls rugby match. It was then time to rest and recover for the hike up Table Mountain.

Day nine gave the boys the chance to rest in the morning before their final set of fixtures later in the day. Mr Beckett ran a training session prior to the game focussing on the breakdown and on adaptability in defence.

The 2nd XV were narrowly defeated, losing 26–33 with the 1st XV finishing the tour with an impressive 33–24 victory.

After the amazing experience of hiking up Table Mountain on day six, there was an early start to day seven. The boys caught the ferry to Robben Island where the group experienced a guided tour by one of the island’s exprisoners. After lunch, the boys travelled back to Wynberg High School to play their penultimate fixtures. Both squads performed outstandingly, with the 2nd XV winning 60–12 and the 1st XV OVS MAGAZINE 2018 | 34

OVS ANNOUNCEMENTS

Our thoughts are with the families and friends of Old Vikings who have recently passed away.

PETER GEORGE HOSE – Former Staff Member | 1946 – 2017 Waiting For Godot and Godspell. Time spent with the Lucilla Theatre Company of Merseyside in his youth had given him a good grounding in theatre skills, and he was a keen theatre-goer.

Peter was a very successful coach for the 2nd XV rugby team until curriculum clashes curtailed his availability. He had started rowing on the Liverpool canals and helped set up Sefton Rowing Club, so he took to Henley like a duck to water, coaching and rowing himself.

Obituaries

Family was extremely important to Peter throughout his life, as were his Liverpool roots and Welsh heritage. He began work, aged 17, as a Court Clerk in Liverpool, but, picked out by the Home Office for his ability at age 25, university beckoned and he studied at Exeter before changing career and becoming a teacher.

Peter arrived in Henley in 1974 to take up his first teaching job (Economics, Politics and Business Studies) as residential House Tutor for Skipwith House, Shiplake College. He quickly became not only an active member of the school community but was involved in the wider community of Henley itself; making many friends from all walks of life in the following years.

He was appointed Housemaster of Burr, and then Orchard House, which at that time was the largest house with more than 70 pupils including 10 boys boarding with the Housemaster... enough to keep you busy, one would think but not Peter!

Teaching gave him ample scope to indulge his interests in music, drama and sport. As Head of Drama, he directed over 25 main productions – favourites that he revisited were Journey’s End, The Long, The Short And The Tall along with

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When he finished as Housemaster of Orchard, he was able to renew his involvement with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme. At the same time, he joined the Army section of the CCF and was a lively and active member beyond his retirement.

Rather later in life than most, he took up skiing, participating in many ski trips with College, friends, and organised village trips. He even managed to ski down Mont Blanc, albeit, as he modestly claimed, quite slowly!

In retirement, he became a manager at the Christ Church Centre in Henley, here he was able to continue to contribute to the arts and his community, working with and welcoming the public. A quiet but committed Christian, he latterly became an Elder of Christ Church, Henley and was a much-loved member of the church, his quiet thoughtfulness making him many friends.

He was close to his only brother Stephen, who became a regular visitor to Henley.

In the early years, Stephen also taught piano at Shiplake which meant he was able to share more time with his brother.

Peter’s life was lived to the full and with great generosity and sociability with many interests, such as his riverboat,

which he used regularly to treat friends and family with trips along the Thames.

He was first diagnosed with cancer in 2003 and early treatment was very effective. However, it returned and in early 2017 his health declined rapidly; he died peacefully, brilliantly supported by the Sue Ryder Home in Nettlebed.

We are grateful to Stephen Hose for this tribute to his brother.

JEREMY (JERRY) HICKS (79S) 1962 – 2017 Jerry was very happy at Shiplake and will be remembered for many sporting achievements by his peers.

With thanks to Mrs Sarah Hicks for informing us of this sad news.

He passed away suddenly on May 16 2017 aged 54.

NICHOLAS (NICK) BROWN (75W) 1957 – 2017 On leaving school, Nicholas returned to Gibraltar where he became a deep-sea diver working on large tankers. Again, rugby was very important and he played in Spain and Morocco.

Nicholas decided to return to England where he undertook a variety of work, forestry, security and working for the Thames Conservancy before finally deciding to work for himself.

Nicholas was born on 27 September 1957 in North West London, the eldest son of Stuart and Conty and lived in Harrow. When he was eighteen months old, the family moved to Gibraltar where he was later joined by brother Stuart and sister Noelle.

From a very early age, Nicholas pursued a very active outdoor life, mainly swimming and rowing.

Nicholas began his education at All Hallows School in Shepton Mallet and, after the family moved back to England, Nicholas attended Shiplake College and later to King James in Henley. He played rugby for both schools with great enthusiasm.

His love of rugby continued and he played for Henley, Shire Hall and Wallingford. Later he became a coach for the Wallingford Club, which he thoroughly enjoyed.

Nicholas was very proud of his four sons, Nicholai, Alex, Robert and James who each have inherited their father’s enthusiasm for sport.

A Requiem Mass, officiated by Mgr Antony Conlon PhD. was held at the Church of Our Lady and St. John, Goring, which was filled to overflowing.

Nicholas will be greatly missed by his family and the great many friends he made during his busy life.

Our thanks to Stuart Brown for providing this obituary for his son.

OVS MAGAZINE 2018 | 36

Keeping in touch 37 |

Once a Viking, Always a Viking!

There are many ways to keep in touch with the Old Viking Society: T: 0118 9402455 E: oldvikings@shiplake.org.uk W: shiplake.org.uk/OVS Twitter: @ShiplakeOVS Facebook: Old Vikings Facebook Group: JCR at Shiplake College

Did you know that Old Vikings receive 10% off their children’s fees at Shiplake College?

We accept registrations throughout the year.

If you would like further information or would like to register your child for a specific year group, please contact the Registrar, Mrs Esther Pasmore on 0118 940 2455 or registrar@shiplake.org.uk

Celebrate at Shiplake

Shiplake College is a unique wedding or celebration venue, located in a beautiful 45 acre setting on the banks of the Thames, with guests enjoying wonderful views of the river and surrounding countryside.

We were delighted that Sean Mongan (09E) chose the College as the venue for his marriage to, now wife, Kelly in July 2017 - attended by many OVs, it was also conducted by former school chaplain Rev’d Robert Prance. As you can see from the photo above, it was a wonderful day!

The Church of St Peter and St Paul is just 100 yards from the Great Hall or alternatively, the College is licensed for civil ceremonies. The Great Hall can accommodate up to 200 guests for the ceremony whilst the Old Library hosts up to 60.

The Great Hall can seat up to 110 guests for formal receptions. Leading from the Great Hall is the Old Library, which can be used for drinks on

arrival, after the ceremony, or for dancing later in the evening. The Old Library gives a fantastic option for more intimate, seated receptions of up to 50 guests.

The Catering & Events Manager at Thomas Franks will ensure that your wedding reception is perfect; they will take care of every detail during the preparation process and on the special day itself.

Old Vikings are eligible for a 10% discount on venue hire For more information please go to: www.shiplake.org.uk/weddings or email: weddings@shiplake.org.uk

Published by: Old Viking Society, Shiplake College Henley-on-Thames, RG9 4BW Editor: Dawn Wedge Design and Layout: Emma Fairclough Design

Cover Image: 1968 Rugby Team The OVS Magazine is published by The Old Viking Society. The views expressed are not necessarily those of Shiplake College and the OVS. With grateful thanks to all contributors.