The Old Johnian 2021 by StJohnsLeatherhead

THE OLD JOHNIAN

The Old Johnian 2021

If you had told me 30 years ago that I would be regularly enjoying lunch with two of the greats of the Masters’ Common Room, Richard Hughes and Bill Chubb, my eyes would have widened. They were Masters, figures of respect, awe and sometimes, fear. But here I am doing just that… having a bowl of pasta, a few (ahem) glasses of wine and good conversation with two of St John’s finest – and enjoying the experience. I’m proud to call Richard and Bill friends and felt very honoured to share bread with them to mark the silver anniversary of Bill’s retirement! (Where did those years go).

Sadly, getting together hasn’t been that easy. But as the pandemic begins to show slight signs of easing and we get to see our friends IRL (in real life), we realise just how important these relationships are to us.

And that’s one of the wonderful things about St John’s. It’s responsible for so many of our friendships that we hold dear today.

Indeed, the topic of friendship played a big part in a recent Zoom talk by OJ Andrew Tatham author of I Shall Not Be Away Long… The title is a poignant one and Andrew spent years researching Lt Col Bartlett’s war correspondence for his book which shares facsimiles and imagery from the time depicting heartfelt exchanges to and from loved ones. If you missed Andrew’s talk, you can buy a copy of his book from: https://www.groupphoto.co.uk/2nd-book/

Of course, inevitably, friends come and go in our lives and whilst we were delighted to hear that Naia Edwards, friend and OJ Development Officer, had landed a new and exciting role at Tiffin School, we were very sad to bid her farewell in January of this year. Naia was a huge support in bringing our OJ community together over the last few years. We will miss her enormously and wish her every success at Tiffin.

It goes without saying how much we will also miss all those friends and fellow OJs who have sadly passed away over the last year and since the pandemic began. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and loved ones. I was particularly upset to hear of the passing of John Jones (JDJ), my very first form teacher at St John’s, a stalwart of the Biology department, housemaster and fine and much revered actor. He will be missed by all who knew him.

I truly hope that next year we will be able to welcome our OJ friends back to the School. Although we’ve been in and out of lockdown, our Committee is still meeting over Zoom and isn’t short of ideas! We have an exciting events calendar planned including a celebration to mark the 150th anniversary of our move to Leatherhead.

During one of our meetings, the question was asked ‘when will we be allowed back to visit?’ and it immediately struck me that St John’s provides a very important link to one another. I’m certainly missing my OJ friends and I am sure you are too. When we do eventually come back together again, IRL, you can be certain of one thing – nobody will be on mute!

Mark Cooper (Ch’95), Chairman

P.S. We were able to hold an OJ Cricket match ‘IRL’ at the school on 24 June, with the OJ team proving resoundingly victorious! A big thank you to Adrian Gale for all his hard work putting it together so successfully.

Naia Edwards has now left St John’s Development Office, and moved on to an exciting new role.

The Old Johnian Committee were delighted to present Naia with a commissioned vase, etched with: “In token of our gratitude from all the Old Johnian Committee - January 2021”. Mark Cooper was proud to present it to Naia (in a socially distanced manner) in her garden, in February.

Naia thanked the OJ Committee for her leaving gifts and said ‘It was such a pleasure working with you all; I feel very fortunate indeed.’

The Old Johnian 2021

From The Head’s Desk

We have reached the end of another school year during which the global pandemic has remained more pervasive in our lives than we might have wished when we headed off into summer 2020, excited at the prospect of relaxing restrictions and full of hope for a more normal academic year to follow.

If we have learnt anything this year, it has been to be adept at adapting. Talking to family, friends and colleagues about the last few months, we share a sense of blurred timelines about what happened and when. We have all become so good at simply getting on with it that we have absorbed each new regulation or restriction, accommodated it into our lives and carried on.

I am always conscious when writing for The Johnian and The Old Johnian magazines that all of us connected to St John’s are part of something bigger. St John’s has been publishing The Johnian since 1886, capturing the triumphs and challenges of generations of pupils. And OJs are frequently a source of precious memories and stories of St John’s in years gone by. During times such as this – when people around the world are going through a rare shared experience – chronicling how our community has thrived against the backdrop of such a significant global event takes on a different perspective.

Looking through our school’s history – into our archives and past editions of The Johnian - the permanence of the indelible St John’s spirit shines through. Having lived through a time that future St John’s pupils will undoubtedly find hard to imagine, our stories add a new layer to that rich history. An editorial from The Johnian in 1938, when the prospect of World War II was looming, describes “a period of worldwide apprehension so intense that it penetrated very deeply even into a community so self-contained as St John’s.” What I particularly loved when reading this is that the author immediately goes on to say: “It is proof of the vitality of the School that no sense of hopelessness was allowed to interfere with ordinary routine.”

The academic year 2020-21 began on a high with the sheer joy of having pupils back in school. It looked a little different but after months during which the classrooms had been empty, masks and socially distanced desks felt a small price to pay. Getting school ready had been a mammoth undertaking by our staff and it was impossible to know, until pupils arrived in September, how everyone would adjust. When the year began, plans slotted quickly into place and it was wonderful to see our new pupils, whose inductions had all taken place virtually, embrace their first experiences at St John’s with a confidence and enthusiasm that would stand them in good stead to make the most of their time here.

As Autumn Term ended, the amount that had been packed into the weeks between September’s bustling return to school and the festive run up to Christmas, felt like a massive collective achievement. Inevitably, all manner of events shifted to virtual formats but school life was as busy, purposeful and interesting as ever. Within ‘bubbles’ we hoped pupils would find as much normality as possible, spending time with friends and benefitting from the pastoral care that time with tutors provides. Many of the occasions that usually welcome family and visitors into school moved online but, from Meet the Tutor sessions and parents’ evenings to open days and informal SLT chats, we maintained meaningful connections even while physical visits were impossible.

Sport got back into the swing with a full games programme across all year groups. Saturday morning skills masterclasses, inter-house competitions, and an opportunity for every pupil – from the U12Es to the 1st teams – to represent the School, helped fill the gap left by the temporary suspension of fixtures. Music, dance and performance burst back onto the scene thanks to the determination of the Performing Arts Department to pursue their ambitious programme. From concerts to competitions, rock bands to choirs, the talent and passion was plentiful. Along with many other co-curricular opportunities, these vibrant aspects of daily life add so much to our pupils’ school years – the memories, shared experiences, sense of achievement and lifelong interests they can inspire are invaluable.

Our Christmas 2020 celebrations were different but no less special. The SJPA’s much-loved Christmas Market moved online and for the first (and hopefully only!) time we quarantined our Secret Santa gifts before handing them out. We needed festive cheer more than ever and the desire to spread Christmas spirit led to some special moments: Lower School pupils wrote thoughtful Christmas cards for local elderly residents; the Brass Group’s flash mob of carols surprised pupils on their way to lunch across the Quad; the Fourth Form drama club shared a filmed reading of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas; and Christmas jumpers brightened the last day of term.

As we went our separate ways for the holiday, we knew that tier restrictions would mean smaller, quieter festive periods but anticipation of five days of relaxed restrictions over Christmas and the successful delivery of the first Covid vaccinations had brought a sense of optimism: things were looking up. Just days later, the five days of relaxed restrictions were cancelled and the government announced that schools would be lateral flow testing pupils from January. We had a new challenge – work out how to set up and staff a lateral flow test centre!

“All of us connected to St John’s are part of something bigger. St John’s has been publishing The Johnian since 1886, capturing the triumphs and challenges of generations of pupils.”

I can honestly say that the effort and work that went into planning, creating and staffing our lateral flow test centre was one of the best examples of teamwork that I can recall. In a lesson we would all do well to remember, it demonstrated what is achievable when people are pushed out of their comfort zones and work to one another’s strengths to realise a shared goal. On Monday 4 January, we were feeling quite pleased with ourselves, ready and waiting to welcome the Upper Fifth and Upper Sixth, along with staff who would be working on site, the following morning. And then came another government announcement… schools would not reopen, we would be relaunching ‘virtual’ St John’s. Although with hindsight it was simply another twist in the rollercoaster ride of the pandemic, many of us were shocked at the time. It was undoubtedly a tricky moment for many of our pupils – beginning a new year in lockdown felt like a blow – but the speed with which they rallied was magnificent.

As March rolled around, we marked a full year since the first lockdown. Although much of what had happened over those preceding twelve months had been difficult, I felt incredibly proud about how our community had adapted. With so many aspects of normal life in flux, it was particularly rewarding to see how pupils and staff kept the enriching aspects of St John’s co-curricular life flourishing within the peculiar blend of virtual and socially distanced reality. Beyond the much-loved strands of sport and performing arts, a multitude of initiatives and groups were contributing enormously to our pupils’ breadth of experience. From political insights in ‘The Eagle’ and brilliant photos in our World Book Day ‘get caught reading’ competition, to our Equality and Diversity Group’s research into perceptions and experiences relating to feminism and, of course, the (virtual) Pancake Race – which saw Surrey become the first house in seven years to retain the most coveted of trophies – our pupils were simply unstoppable.

By that time we had had pupils back in school for three weeks and despite all the testing (the lateral flow test centre had finally come into its own!), social distancing, open windows and masks, being back on site brought a refreshing glimpse of normality. In other years, we have taken for granted the tangible sense of community and togetherness that comes from sharing our campus day in and day out. But this year we have learnt just how precious seemingly mundane aspects of our lives are and that is something I hope we all hold onto as life returns to normal. Seeing pupils back in classrooms, on the sports fields, and laughing with their friends was a positive note on which to end another unusual term.

And so we made it to the Summer Term and a term which, I am thrilled to say, saw almost all of us in school almost all the time. When the sun made an appearance after a very chilly and wet spring, the entire school community seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and the mood became one of celebration. BBQ lunches, the Upper Fifth on an outdoor inflatable assault course, the Upper Sixth playing croquet on the Quad, glorious afternoons of cricket, and netball matches on warm summer evenings; creating those memories is such an essential part of what the Summer Term is about. I loved hearing the laughter, seeing our pupils having fun and relishing their time together.

Speech Day could not happen in its normal form this year but we held smaller events to present prizes and mark our pupils’ individual and collective achievements. Our Upper Sixth, admirably led by School Captains Nick Boulton and Jess Craig along with their senior prefect team, have been exceptional. They have inspired younger pupils with their impressive attitude and played an important role in keeping morale high, while managing their own workloads and navigating the strangeness of their final years at school. We marked the end of their time at St John’s

with a wonderfully celebratory Leavers’ Awards Dinner (despite the event unexpectedly having to compete with the England v Ukraine Euros quarter-final). I thank them all and wish them happiness and success in their futures. The year closed on a fantastically positive and upbeat note. A wonderful programme of musical and dramatic performances culminated in the astonishing production of Miss Saigon, which demonstrated the indomitable spirit of St John’s. And then we held our inaugural whole school Sports Day, which was an absolute joy and captured the special blend of optimism and friendship that says so much about our school.

This summer we bid farewell to our leavers, and we look forward to welcoming another influx of new pupils in September. We are part of a pattern – that all of you as OJs have played your own part in – that has been repeating for over 170 years: that constancy can be incredibly reassuring in uncertain times. An OJ writing in The Johnian in 1945, with World War II finally over, reflected on his memories of working with local farmers to bring in the harvest, something many pupils did during the war years, and described a “comradeship amongst all concerned, seldom achieved in more normal circumstances.” I echo the sentiment and am so proud of how our pupils, staff and the whole St John’s community has made this year memorable for all the right reasons.

Rowena Cole, The Head

“Looking through our school’s history – into our archives and past editions of The Johnian –the permanence of the indelible St John’s spirit shines through. Having lived through a time that future St John’s pupils will undoubtedly find hard to imagine, our stories add a new layer to that rich history.”

Read more from our archives about St John’s spirit in challenging times on page 28.

FAREWELL FROM THE SCHOOL CAPTAINS

These past five years have simply disappeared, and it is unbelievable that our time at St John’s has come to an end. Parents always say how quickly school flies by, and it is only now that we have come to truly appreciate those words.

Having arrived at St John’s as nervous Fourth Formers five years ago, we have learnt and changed both from success and failure, and now leave a school that on the outside is different to the one we joined. However, regardless of change to the buildings and staff, St John’s remains a school of opportunity and community, sending us off with the same enthusiasm as it welcomed us in. Considering how it has excelled through a global pandemic, what more evidence is needed to prove the strength of the St John’s community.

Thankfully, most of our schooling experience was normal. Our Sixth Form experience is difficult to give a perspective on considering that half of it was behind a screen… but, irrespective of this, our time has been a blast and, if anything, it has made us appreciate how great our time at school was. The Upper Sixth, along with every year group,

have thrown themselves (repeatedly!) into online learning and competitions such as the Prefects’ weekly challenges, house quizzes and school Strava. Nonetheless, it is not just the pupils who have had to adapt. Our teachers’ response to online learning and returning to school has been fantastic. In fact, even after 12 months of year group segregation, including the Quad being quartered into literal pens, this sense of community is still firmly embedded, which stands as a testament to the School. The supportive and accepting atmosphere on which the School’s foundations are built remain solidly intact. We believe the pandemic, though limiting our external contact with other year groups, strengthened our internal interactions within our own year groups and that is why this atmosphere has continued to thrive the way it has. So, in that regard, we guess the pandemic did something good at least!

We have been asked on occasion about our favourite memories created here at St John’s, and most are surprised with our reply: it is too difficult to create a list. It is impossible to summarise our time here through just a few memories. Instead, we believe a greater measure of how St John’s impacted us centres on the people we have grown to become. We are all so different from when we first joined the School and have learnt so much over our time here.

However, if we were to pick a memory, it would have to be…

One of my most powerful memories would have to be winning House Rugby for Monty in my first year. This was a very important moment, not just because of my competitiveness, but what it meant to me and my peers. Sadly, the father of a close friend of mine had unfortunately passed that year. Although he was hurting, he made sure he could make it just to come play in the final and we wouldn’t have won without him. We helped him through his adversity and he came and helped us in ours. If that doesn’t embody the spirit our school tries to represent then I don’t know what does. Nick

My favourite memory has to be from a Gloucester challenge (a house 24 hour challenge to raise money for charity). As a naïve Lower Fifth, I decided to take the 1.00am lacrosse slot and you can imagine my surprise when an unnamed teacher pitched up in a pink onesie! Jess

On behalf of the pupils we would personally like to thank all the St John’s staff for making our experience so memorable. It is hard to comprehend the true dedication of the teaching staff in moving to and from remote learning so successfully, but we need to recognise that this same dedication extends outside the subject classrooms. This commitment to both their respective subjects, but also wider school life is something that all pupils are grateful for.

We equally thank our Senior Leadership Team in all their endeavours of managing the School. Our time working with them has arguably created some of our most enjoyable, and certainly most influential moments, we have had at St John’s. Additionally, we cannot overlook the essential work of the groundsmen, catering, cleaning, transport, estate and administration staff. Without their dedicated work each day the School would simply not function properly.

Being School Captains has been a privilege and is an experience that we will both look back on fondly. However, it would not have been possible without the remarkable prefect team there to support us. For everything that you did for us and the School, we thank you for your efforts and wish next year’s team the best of luck.

We have also learnt a lot through undertaking the role:

It is a responsibility I feel no one quite understands unless they undertake it themselves. Whilst everyone sees the speeches and duties the School Captains perform, one misses the underlying parts of the role such as daily meetings and dealing with issues as they arise. I have learnt that far more goes on behind the scenes than one would imagine in running a successful school. Jess

The most important lesson that I learnt in the role of School Captain is perspective: perspective of both pupil and staff and knowing that everyone is going through something different and that every challenge and situation impacts people differently. This was very apparent in our role, even more so due to the pandemic, and so when action and decisions were made they were made in the best interest and betterment of the pupils and staff. Nick

To the younger and new pupils, the best advice we can give you is simply to get involved. Throughout our time at St John’s, we have been amazed by the abundance of possibilities. We hope the extra co-curricular activities available, rather than being seen as overwhelming, are activities that you embrace. The list is so extensive – from debating and CCF to sports and drama productions – that there truly is something for everyone. St John’s ultimately offers opportunities for anyone to find and pursue their passion. We hope you find yours the same way we did.

It has been an honour to be School Captains, and we wish those both leaving and staying the best of luck for the future.

Jess Craig and Nick Boulton

SCHOOL NEWS

SEPTEMBER 2020

BACK TO SCHOOL

The start of a new school year is always an exciting time but this year it was even more highly anticipated after months where most pupils and staff had been working remotely.

A busy summer of preparations meant that St John’s was ready to welcome pupils and staff back to site – safely – to begin a school year that may have looked slightly different from normal but still encompassed the richness of St John’s school life.

Extensive planning and preparations were undertaken during the summer to ensure that the site was adapted to accommodate our pupils and staff safely, while allowing as many normal elements of school life to take place as possible.

At a practical level, classrooms were adapted for social distancing and we created designated areas to enable pupils to remain within their year group ‘bubbles’ for lessons, break times and lunches. Additional hand washing facilities and toilets were introduced around the site, cleaning increased in frequency and focus, and lunches were served across multiple areas.

Although our pupils couldn’t mix across year groups within their houses for the time being, we remained committed to maintaining the pastoral care that is fundamental to life at St John’s. Pupils saw their tutors within year groups and the support structure of tutors and Housemasters and Housemistresses was as robust as ever.

Virtual Art EXHIBITIONS

We were proud and delighted to present the work of our GCSE and A level artists from 2020 in our virtual exhibitions.

Due to the Covid-19 restrictions, we were unable to display and welcome visitors to our annual exhibition in its usual format. The artwork depicted in these virtual exhibitions is just a small fraction of the work that our talented pupils created, and we are very proud of how determined they were during such a difficult time.

GCSE Art 2020

A level Art 2020

To view the galleries, scan the QR codes above. Alternatively, please visit: www.stjohnsleatherhead.co.uk/thearts

POLITICS

POLITICS MAGAZINE AND PODCAST

he St John’s Politics Department are proud to share the dedicated and ambitious work of pupils across the recent academic year. With the longstanding contributions to the St John’s Politics Magazine and most recently, the exciting new addition of ‘Politicised’ The St John’s Politics Podcast!

The St John’s Politics Magazine, The Eagle has been published each term for the last eight years; the magazine has grown impressively over this time. The magazine is researched, written, and edited by pupils, and pupils from across every year group are welcome to write for the magazine. Most recently the interest has risen, with pupil features from Lower School through to Sixth Form!

The pupil editors host meetings and manage the pupil additions, as well as writing pieces themselves. Features can be written on any topic – sport, culture, music, history, current affairs – if it has a political angle.

We are thrilled to see so many pupils taking a keen interest in politics, and key topics. Every edition of The Eagle features a diverse and impressive array of contributions, with pupils showcasing their engagement in political topics and discussions. Moreover, the research, debating and writing skills required to create their feature broadens their future horizons, not just in politics but also across their school subjects.

The latest edition of The Eagle looks fabulous and reads equally as well, and it includes our first feature by a Lower School pupil. This outstanding effort has a stunning range of articles including:

• Safoah Ntiamoah challenges racism with “It was ok at the time”.

• Ollie Smith reflects on the growth of nationalism in 21st century politics.

• Radha Peratides takes a creative look at protests.

• Shria Crossan looks at the response to Sarah Everard’s murder.

• Iz zy Khule and Ollie Latham look at both sides of the death penalty debate.

• Luca Hat well asks if it is time to abolish the monarchy.

• Neve Hudson, Tali Gibbons and Eleanor Wilson make the case for their favourite US president

Plus many more fantastic articles! You can read this and previous editions on the magazine blog, here: https://theeaglestjohnspolitics.blogspot.com/

Head of Politics, Julian Thomas commented: The Eagle and the Politicised Podcast are fabulous examples of the independent learning skills that pupils develop at St John's, not just in politics, but across the School. The magazine is a highquality publication, edited and written by pupils on a termly basis; an incredible achievement by itself. But it is the quality of the articles that is remarkable. Often pupils are producing original pieces of work to an undergraduate level. Pupils have set incredibly high standards in previous years that today’s pupils have matched and improved upon. Even the pandemic has not stopped their passion and academic flair!

Over the last few years podcasts have seen a marked rise in popularity, as they have become a fantastic way to engage with news, topics and content whilst allowing listeners to keep busy. We are delighted to introduce a great new podcast to our community created by three Lower Sixth pupils.

Politicised, the St John’s Politics Podcast was introduced in 2021 and was suggested and conceptualised by Eleanor, Oliver and Dan in Lower Sixth. Whilst staff assist with facilitating the podcast creation, the podcast project is managed, researched, and developed solely by the pupil team.

The podcasts see pupils debating topics and recent political news, and the quality of their arguments is outstanding. Through the Summer Term, pupils have produced a few podcasts this year, and in the new academic year they are aiming to produce one every half term. Going forward, the plan is to broaden the political input and invite guests to take part in the recordings, whilst leading the way for future year groups to take part in the leadership of the podcast.

Whilst setting up the podcast has been a courageous and forward thinking move from Eleanor, Oliver and Dan, it is a great new challenge having to explore new skills such as podcast technology! Pupils have taken on the project independently and we are delighted that is has been well received across our community.

Episode 1

‘This episode, we discuss the inevitability of poverty; whether in the current system of capitalism the world is resigned to having a wealth gap and whether a different ideology would prevent this. Exploring the ramifications, reasons for, and the different aspects of poverty, this episode seeks to deconstruct this longstanding issue.'

Episode 2

‘In the second episode, we address the growing concern of the overgrowth of the state; especially when it comes to protecting our own rights and freedoms. With the recent Police and Crime bill in the UK, the response to Coronavirus restrictions in the United States, and the issue of the preservation of certain rights, but not others, the question is being asked more than ever. Are there alternatives? Does radical anarchism provide the answer? Or does the state actually have a duty to protect its citizens through law? Many thinkers, Thomas Hobbes to name one, have attempted to defend the right of the state to dictate its citizens' rights. However, with growing awareness of our own freedoms, are we more vulnerable than ever to tyranny? Politicised will delve deep into the differing viewpoints and face these questions in hope of understanding this complex issue.’

To listen to Politicised, please scan this QR code to visit the podcast homepage on Spotify. Alternatively, please search for Politicised on Spotify.

RETURN TO SCHOOL AGAIN!

On Monday 4 January as a nation we learnt that we would once again begin virtual learning as we entered Lockdown 3.0. At the time – despite our new-found experience of virtual learning – the weeks ahead felt somewhat daunting to us all, but as always, the fantastic effort and passion from our community saw us come together enthusiastically online to carry on regardless of the challenges the new lockdown provided.

As we look back, we are proud and amazed by just how much has been accomplished, especially during a time that combined the restrictions of lockdown, darker days and gloomy weather, which all contributed to the feeling that this was perhaps the most challenging lockdown of the pandemic. Our community stayed #StrongerTogether and enjoyed a brilliant variety of activities and challenges that demonstrated the sense of camaraderie and fun that pervades St John’s.

We were delighted to see our Prefects come together to set weekly Prefects’ Challenges. With two challenges a week, pupils enjoyed a wide range of activities from golf trick shots to photography, all with the aim of encouraging pupils and staff to keep active and excite their imaginations.

Pupils may not have been able to physically come together with their peers in their house, but the competitive nature between houses certainly didn't dwindle! Whilst activities had to become virtual, pupils were enthusiastically taking part in the House Film Competition and the evercompetitive House Pancake Race. Houses also enjoyed some evening activities including live cook-alongs, which looked like great fun.

The Lower School Challenge saw our younger pupils making time capsules, creating photo wildlife diaries, and rewriting the endings of favourite books amongst many

other things. The Great Lower Third Bake Off proved a particularly popular challenge – and we were all left feeling rather hungry!

In February, pupils from Fourth Form to Upper Fifth took part in the UKMT Intermediate Mathematical Challenge online from home. The multiple-choice challenge promotes a love of problem solving and precision of thought.

The limitations of lockdown did not deter our vibrant Performing Arts Department, as they continued to provide an array of virtual performances and competitions. They continued with our weekly Congers by virtual means, provided beautiful lunchtime recitals, live cabaret and much more!

Pupils also found time in their busy days to continue with their own endeavours, such as charity fundraising and sporting achievements.

When the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, announced the plans to reopen schools from 8 March we were delighted. Whilst parents breathed a sigh of relief at the thought of pupils being back at school, staff set into action with plans to safely welcome our community back on site. We were astounded with the support, organisation, and incredible hard work of many members of St John's staff as we relaunched our lateral flow coronavirus test centre.

As we settled safely back into school, we reflected on the resilience of our community and how we truly are stronger together and able to face any challenge with the support of one another. We were delighted to return to school, and resume daily life without facing the added challenges that came with virtual learning, and we all looked forward to the brighter days ahead of us.

During the 2021 lockdown, when schools were closed from January until early March, St John’s School loaned Leatherhead Trinity Primary School 15 laptops. These were used by some pupils working at home, facilitating their online learning, and by some pupils of key workers learning at the school.

During May and June, 58 Year 4 pupils from Epsom Primary School attended three successive cricket sessions at St John’s. They benefitted from the coaching of the sports

St John’s Community Holiday COMMUNITY

staff and were able to use the School’s facilities and transport, including the sports hall and the main field.

They enjoyed their involvement and the headteacher provided the following feedback:

“The children have benefitted hugely from your generosity, enthusiasm and expertise. It has genuinely made such a difference to providing our children with rich experiences.”

From Saturday 14 August, staff and volunteers warmly welcomed 21 children and young people with special needs, aged 12-19, to participate in the St John’s School Community Holiday, a seven-day residential holiday hosted by the School. They were cared for by 42 present and former pupils, assisted by a small external team, all of whom are volunteers.

The children and young people enjoyed a fantastic range of activities, including games, arts and crafts, swimming, a fashion show, a magician, and a disco on the School site. Offsite visits included cycling in Bushy Park, visiting Hobbledown Farm in Epsom, a trip to the seaside at Littlehampton, and a day at Chessington World of Adventures. Many of the participants have enjoyed previous holidays at St John’s, and we were delighted to welcome five new guests this year.

Taking place at St John’s School and making use of the School’s boarding houses, the holiday allows parents and carers a week of much-needed respite safe in the knowledge that their children are being fully cared for, supported and having a fantastic time.

Feedback from the parents of the children and young people has been wonderful.

One parent commented that, ‘Words can’t quite express our gratitude as parents, for giving children like ours the opportunity to feel so included, accepted and special, while allowing them to try new experiences in such a safe and cared for environment.’

PERFORMING Arts

The past academic year has been one of ‘thinking outside the box’ for the Performing Arts Department, and largely to work out how we could present our programme from within another ‘box’ – a laptop screen!

Never a department to be deterred, and with true determination to keep ‘live music live during lockdown’ the Performing Arts at St John’s embarked on a rollercoaster year of technical glitches and successes, but continuous enthusiasm. Our mission was to stream, stream and stream again, but this required equipment and many, many metres of cabling! In the last week of the Summer Term we were finally able to stage four live performances in stereo HD of Miss Saigon streamed from the St John’s Performing Arts Centre into family homes, with four different cameras in use. It took many hours of practise, tweaking and learning the hard way to have achieve it. Whilst there have been bumps along the way, and some of our prototype streams have not always worked, we are proud that we have presented almost our complete programme this year and much of it has been performed live.

The Autumn Term saw us first experiment with streaming for Remembrance Day. A Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth Schola (courtesy of a special risk assessment) joined

the Chaplain, CCF and the Upper Sixth on The Quad, whilst the service was streamed to the rest of the School community in bubble zones.

The annual House Singing Competition continued with videos edited together from the individual year groups of each house, and adjudication was carried out live by Mr Andrew Kennedy, the Director of Music at Uppingham. The whole school watched this from their respective bubble zones, and it was the first time the entire community was galvanised together since the end of March.

November saw us present a Reflections in Water Concert with a stitched together video of Sinfonia playing Handel’s Water and several live performances beamed from different locations across the School site (to enable us to keep bubbles apart). This was followed by a live stream of our annual Concerto Competition, which featured a sizzling rendition of the Walton Violin Concerto which seized victory from the jaws of an extremely accomplished Strauss Horn Concerto.

Dance continues to grow at the School and we have now got our very own employed dance coach, Becky who is fresh from many years as a leading West End Lady. Next year we hope to further develop our offering with some evening syllabus classes. We are looking to expand across the department next year; we will stage more co-curricular drama than in recent years with five productions, double the number of cabarets and we hope to return to Cadogan Hall in London with our musicians.

While it has been the most frustrating year, we are enormously proud of the fact that we have kept as many performance opportunities alive as possible for our pupils, and the spirit and buzz of the pupils has remained as effervescent as ever.

MISS SAIGON

With almighty effort and determination, the Performing Arts Department staged four live, sell out performances of the long-awaited musical, Miss Saigon.

The Musical was streamed into family homes across the last week of the Summer Term, by four cameras in stereo HD.

Alongside the truckloads of equipment which was brought into the PAC, professional TV producers and cameramen, a professional orchestra (joined by our very own Jimena on violin), lighting and sound technical support were all helped make the experience as fabulous as possible for the pupils after 18 months of ‘tempered’ and unusual performances.

The leading players of Hannah, Will, Tommy, Josh, Harry and the double cast Daisy and Zoe gave astonishing, polished, nuanced and emotionally mature performances; indeed every member of the cast gave their all and committed as if there were an audience in the room with them.

Wow – this was a fabulous show with some very talented young performers and musicians! Huge congratulations to all involved.

Audience Member

It was incredible! I totally forgot I was watching a school production; it was West End standard acting and singing! – Audience Member

Huge congratulations to everybody concerned with this vibrant, captivating, and poignant production of Miss Saigon. Amazingly achieved despite all the challenges of the last eighteen months, it is inspirational to those of us who are still waiting to be able to perform again. – Audience Member

Director of Performing Arts, Ollie White was brimming with pride, and commented: ‘It is rare to find a performance from a school that has such balanced performances; there was not one weak link among the cast and it was possible to become absorbed in the performance and forget that you were watching school pupils. The experience was dramatically compelling and highly emotional for the audience, pupils and staff alike. The talent of our pupils and the committed staff in the department are truly making the performing arts fly at St John’s’.

We are very much looking forward to seeing what the next academic year has in store for the Performing Arts Department.

OUTDOOR PURSUITS AND CCF

DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD

From 5 to 11 July, 19 pupils from Lower and Upper Sixth headed to the Lake District to complete their back-to-back Gold Duke of Edinburgh practice and qualifying expeditions.

Training began in Coniston, Cumbria, where the groups completed walks around The Old Man of Coniston Massif and Grizedale Forest, before starting their qualifying expedition with a long hike into the Langdale Valley. Subsequent days walking over the Pikes of Blisco and Rossett proved to be challenging, with a wild camp at Cosedale Tarn above Grasmere finishing off the camping experience before a final walk back to Ambleside over Loughrigg Fell.

At the end of June, 75 Upper Fifth pupils and six staff members headed to the Peak District for back-to-back training, practice and qualifying expeditions for their Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award.

After a training and practice phase based in Hope Valley, the 11 groups made their way over to Edale for their qualifying expedition. With ascents of the Great Ridge of Mam Tor and Lose Hill, the groups headed up to Kinder Scout, scene of the famous 1932 mass trespass that led to an Act of Parliament and the creation of the Peak District National Park.

The Contingent marked Remembrance Day in a different way this year due to the restrictions in place. A wreath laying party consisting of the Contingent Commander, School Staff Instructor, Cadet Heads of section and senior army cadets provided a Guard of Honour on The Quad in front of Sixth Form and staff. The entire school community watched through live video link and our whole-hearted respects were paid despite the challenges we faced; these do not par with the sacrifices made by the many who we came together to remember.

The Easter holiday arrived after a shortened Spring Term, which included missed field days. We were delighted that the Navy Section were able to hold a fantastic two-day leadership course with help the CCF RN Staff team. Lower Sixth cadets developed their leadership and team development skills and undertook Field Gun training in anticipation of upcoming competitions next year.

In the absence of an Annual Inspection, CCF Dinner or Summer Camp this year, the big event turned out to be the Contingent Field Day at the end of the Summer Term. An ambitious plan involving all Lower Fifth pupils across the three sections was carried out, deploying over 140 cadets to Mereworth Woods in Kent.

CCF

Sport AT ST JOHN’S

Throughout the School closure and move to virtual learning in January and February 2021, alongside launching an online sports platform, providing every pupil with a fitness programme and Sport at Home booklet we launched our first virtual challenge, the Everest Challenge. Our community of pupils, parents and staff were encouraged to take part each Saturday, and collectively log the kilometres they walked, swam or ran as we attempted to complete the 7,542km distance from St John’s School to Everest Base Camp. The response to the challenge was incredible, with so many participants from across our community logging their distances covered every week. As a school we completed the distance on the final weekend before the February half term break, just in time for the return to school!

Summer Term

CRICKET

For the first time we were able to put out girls’ U12A/B, U13A/B, U14A, U15A and an U16A XI with the hope of our first senior girls XI next summer. The girls’ teams saw much success across the summer with the standout team being the U13A who reached their county cup final.

Highlights for the boys’ seasons included the U13’s reaching the county cup quarter final following wins for Hampton and Rokeby School.

The U15’s reached their county cup final following wins over Reeds, Tiffin and RGS Guildford.

TENNIS

The senior boys teams achieved some excellent wins including victories over Hurst and Caterham School. There are exciting times ahead for the programme moving forward with a newly appointed Head of Tennis along with the support of James Starr and the Oxshott Tennis Pro coaching team.

We also hope to join the AEGON schools cup in 2022 which I have no doubt will bring more success and some great competitive tennis.

Throughout the course of the Summer Term we learnt of some outstanding individual achievements for some of our current pupils as well as recent OJ’s. These included:

Michael Anderson – Team GB Student Athlete (Long Jump) Loughborough Meet

Ryan Trevitt – Football Professional Contract Brentford FC

Josh Clarke – Football Academy Contract AFC Bournemouth

Hugo Few – Football Academy Contract Wimbledon AFC

Filip Lissah – Football Academy Contract Swansea FC

Ben Geddes – Cricket Professional Contract (T20 & First Class Debut) Surrey CCC

CHAPEL

Like every other part of school and wider society, Chapel has remained significantly changed this academic year. With only one year group allowed in the building at a time, social distancing maintained and hymns prohibited, it has created a rather different feel.

However, for much of the time it has created a perhaps less formal environment and, with a little more time to deliver the morning talk, the message has taken on a slightly different format. Between Christmas and Easter, as school was again remote, Chapel consisted of a weekly email and on occasion a recorded message by the Chaplain. The Music Department also supported us, as ever, with plenty of recordings, both of hymns and anthems.

Thankfully, through the majority of the School year we were able to hold Chapel twice a week, although that meant fewer services than usual. In the first half of Michaelmas Term our focus was on Art: this kicked off with one of my niche interests in cave art and we went on to explore some of the influence of art on religion and religion on art.

Art is an expression of our self. Spirituality is also an expression of our self, the American Spiritual writer Rob Bell repeatedly writes that everything is spiritual. In context, I think this is better stated as everything can be spiritual and this is certainly the case with art. We meet in Chapel to reflect on our connection to the world and art is a visual stimulation to this reflection. Of course, we can appreciate art for merely the ability of the craft on display, but it is usually much deeper than this. The insight that is afforded into the way of the world from someone else’s perspective.

Some of the most influential artists have seen the world in dramatically different ways. A photo of a picture can never do justice to the real artwork and for me this is in part about the connection of the spiritual – seeing just what the artist expresses of them self.

I have often mentioned in Chapel the ancient Christian practice in prayer of focusing on the breath, which dates back to at least the Sixth Century, and is often associated with the Eastern Church, particularly Greek and Russian Orthodox. The prayer reminds us of the need to focus threefoldInward, Outward and Upward (or beyond).

This is very much what is happening when we look at art that moves us; the inward movement of the artist is given a material presence which causes us to reflect inwardly.

To illustrate this further, one of the pieces of art we looked at was Caravaggio’s Supper at Emmaus, which hangs in the National Gallery. The artist through his use of light, dark and shadow focuses on the act of Christ breaking the bread, but the painting is as much about the other characters in the picture as it is about the focus. Cleopas and the unnamed disciple respond to what they see whilst the serving boy continues unaware of the impact. Whether we are religious or not this is at the heart of our focus in Chapel, whether we are present and attentive in our daily lives.

The second part of this series moved from the connection with others which art give us, to a focus on the insight art creates as we see the way others want to express the world they themselves see and how this in turn can cause us to consider the way we see the world.

Art is an expression of our world, what we cherish and what we want to see change, this second motif is central in so many forms of art. Seeing how change was dealt with in the past can also help us deal with the change we face.

The final painting I would like to turn our attention to is Casper David Friedrich’s Wanderer above the Sea of Fog. Here we see a man staring into the future and considering the unknown, there is the contrast of mastery over a landscape and insignificance of the individual within it. Friedrich himself said: “The artist should paint not only what he has in front of him but also what he sees inside himself.”

This picture reassures me. Of course, there is the unknown but when faced with great changes humanity has found a way to build and adapt, to strengthen communities and celebrate.

Every Christmas we hear the following words, from St John’s Gospel read at the end of our Chapel service:

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

A more modern translation:

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

However dark it may seem the light cannot be overcome; it cannot be put out. Even though Christmas remains shrouded with uncertainty these words give me hope, we will not be overcome.

As it transpired, Christmas was an unusual one. We were able to hold a short service for the Upper Sixth only – not singing carols was perhaps one of the things many of us missed the most at school this year. However, through Chapel to mark the usual festivals and seasons and the second lockdown gave me, as Chaplain the freedom to write a series of talks on another personal passion, poetry. It seems right to conclude here with the words of one of these poets. Although Maya Angelou’s poem was written about the inequalities of race, this poem not only took on a fresh resonance in a year where equality was again pushed to the fore, but her poem about freedom took on a special resonance for us all.

Reverend Charlie Moloney, Chaplain

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom.

Maya Angelou, “Caged Bird” from Shaker, Why Don't You Sing?

THE REVEREND ANTHONY FRANCIS THOMPSON

First headmaster of St John’s Foundation School, 1851–1857

By Barry Williams, Housemaster & Head

of Languages, 1969-2000

Anthony Francis Thomson was born on 27 November 1820 in London and baptized on 31 January 1821 at St Luke’s Chelsea. His father was Dr (later Professor) Anthony Todd Thomson, an eminent London physician, himself born in Edinburgh in January 1778, and his mother was Dr Thomson’s second wife, Katherine Byerley Thomson, whom he married in February 1819, less than a year after the death of his first wife Christina (née Maxwell).

Dr Thomson and Christina had four children, and with his second wife Katherine, Anthony Todd Thomson had seven more children, of whom Anthony Francis was the eldest, and the youngest, John Cockburn Thomson, was already a noted Sanskrit scholar when he was accidentally drowned at Tenby at the age of only 26.

Anthony Francis’ mother Katherine was connected to the Wedgwood pottery family, and was a successful writer – of history, biographies and historical novels. She and her husband enjoyed friendships with many of the major literary figures of the period, including Thackeray, Browning, and Mrs Gaskell to whom she was related by marriage. Some of her writing was under the pseudonym of Grace Wharton, and she collaborated on three books about contemporary society with her son, John Cockburn Thomson, who used the pseudonym Philip Wharton.

It is thus clear that Anthony Francis Thomson was brought up in an intellectual and cultivated environment, and probably knew several major figures of his day. His father’s friendship with Henry, later Lord, Cockburn, a leading Scottish judge, would indeed later prove problematic for Anthony.

At the relatively late age of 23, Anthony went up to Lincoln College, Oxford, where he matriculated in November 1844. He did not take his BA degree until ten years later however, in 1854 – when he was already ordained and a working schoolmaster. He left Oxford in 1848 with an obscure qualification noted in Crockford’s as SCL – which seems to signify that he followed courses in Civil Law but did not fulfil the requirements for a degree (formal examinations

The Reverend Anthony Francis Thomson, headmaster 1851-1857

in Civil Law did not begin until 1850 at Oxford). He was ordained deacon in that same year, and priest in 1849, both by the Bishop of Lichfield. Thomson’s first curacy was at Markeston in Derbyshire, and soon he moved further north, to curacies in Lytham St Annes and Blackpool. His entry in the 1851 census, when he was curate of Lytham, shows that he had already begun taking on pupils – two boys, aged 14 and 17, are listed as living with him and his wife. At the beginning of 1852 he moved back to London, to be curate of the new church of St Mark’s, Hamilton Terrace and at the same time headmaster of the newly-created St John’s Foundation School.

St John’s was in 1852 but a small affair. The Incumbent of St Mark’s (and principal mover in the building of the church) was the Reverend Ashby Blair Haslewood, and it was his idea to set up a charity school for sons of poor clergy, who would at the same time provide a choir for his new church. A Committee was set up in 1851 to collect and administer the necessary funds and the school opened in January 1852 at 2, Upper Hamilton Terrace, with eight pupils. The connection with St Mark’s was not to last long, however, for Haslewood had numerous financial problems and the Committee rapidly began to seek ways of separating the school from Haslewood’s church.

In 1854 the School moved to rented premises at Greville Mount House, Kilburn, only a few minutes’ walk away but far enough to establish its independence from St Mark’s, and numbers began to increase as funds permitted. Thomson became full-time headmaster (his Crockford’s entries indicate that he was Curate of St Mark’s for just the year 1852) and indeed probably the only full-time teacher. As Richard Hughes points out in his history of the School (Those Things Which Are Above, Gresham Books, 2001) the increasing numbers also caused increasing financial problems for Anthony Thomson. At the outset, Haslewood had agreed to pay him £50 per boy per annum, to cover all aspects of the pupil’s education and upkeep. When the School moved to Kilburn this sum was reduced to £40, and Thomson’s difficulties began. In the same year he asked for an advance, and three years later, in October 1857, things had become so serious that he was forced to ask the Committee for leave of absence to sort out his financial affairs. This was refused,

and Thomson simply left, being subsequently dismissed by the Committee. The thirty pupils thus abandoned were put into the care of another clerical headmaster, the Reverend L P Mercier, who had recently moved from Edgbaston to establish a school in Walthamstow. The School remained at Walthamstow for just 2 years before moving to Clapton House in 1859. Mercier remained in charge until 1861 when the committee assumed complete control of the School and links with Mercier were severed. The committee advertised for a new headmaster and in 1861 appointed Edwards Comerford Hawkins. The School moved to Leatherhead in 1872 where Hawkins continued as headmaster until 1883.

Thomson’s financial difficulties were far from finished, however, and in the London Gazette of 22 January 1858 we find a notice for him to appear (with several other financially embarrassed persons) before Mr Commissioner Murphy on Friday 5 February at the Court for the Relief of Insolvent Debtors, Portugal Street, having previously it seems been incarcerated briefly in Surrey Gaol. Individuals could not be declared bankrupt at this time – the Bankruptcy Act came into force a few years later. It is not known exactly what arrangements were made to satisfy his creditors – at all events Thomson did not give up on schoolmastering and remaining in the same premises he opened a new establishment, which he modestly named “St John’s Hall and the United Army, Navy and Civil Service College”, styling himself ‘The Warden’. He even recruited another clergyman, the Reverend James Whiteside, to be ‘Vice-Principal and Professor of Mathematics’ at his college, but Whiteside never took up the post, instead becoming Head at the school in Devon of which he was already Second Master. No records of this new college seem to have survived, but numbers cannot have been high, and Thomson must have already seen the writing on the wall for in June 1860 he applied for a passport, and around the same time he started looking for appointments abroad as a Chaplain. He applied for a post in Trieste, Italy, and was turned down, but he was appointed Chaplain at St Michael’s, Avranches in Normandy, across the bay from Mont St Michel, in 1862.

ST JOHN’S spirit THROUGH THE YEARS

Every organisation that has existed for as long as St John’s has experienced highs and lows. Sally Todd, School Archivist, has looked through our archives and found fascinating examples of how the St John’s community responded to and thrived during challenging moments in its history. A sense of working together, a spirited vitality, and the determination to remain positive and optimistic shine through. No matter what changes over the years, this resilient and reassuring foundation remains constant.

THE SCHOOL FIRE IN 1913

On 9 June 1913, a serious fire destroyed St John’s main building. It spread rapidly and dormitories, classrooms, assistant masters’ rooms, the headmaster’s house, the matron’s room, the big school room and the library were completely destroyed. Thanks to a regime of regular fire drills, no lives were lost, but the damage was extensive. A rebuilding programme was put in place and the Committee seized the opportunity to enlarge and improve the facilities.

Johnian 2021

Just over a year after the fire, Speech Day 1914 took place on 1 July, attended by The Duchess of Albany who opened the restored main building and presented that year’s prizes.

In his speech, the headmaster Edmund Downes asked his audience to think back to the previous year and recall the circumstances of their last Speech Day. At that time, they had the charred ruins of the old school around them and the smell of burning and ashes before them and about them. He thought they would acknowledge that things were now somewhat better. Thanks to the liberality of their old benefactors and of new benefactors, they had risen from their ashes far more glorious than they were ever before. A large number of improvements had been made, and he hoped the visitors would go around the new buildings and would see them. He commented that they:

“Had had a very unpleasant year, because they had been in discomfort, and it was never pleasant to live and work in discomfort”. He had already thanked the masters privately, and he would like to thank them again for the way in which they “had borne the necessary discomforts of living out and of living in places where the water came up to the front door, and a few other troubles of that kind. They had borne it smilingly, and had gone on with their work just the same.” He did not think the work or the games had suffered in the slightest degree from the past year of discomfort. In the same way, he wished to thank the School, and wished the captain of the School (Gray) were there so that he could thank him for having led the School in the way he had done. He described that the captain of the school had “made everyone follow his lead and be contented and happy and do his best, although things were not as they were accustomed to have them”.

Owing to this general cheerfulness, the headmaster considered that they had gone through their difficulties in what he might claim to be a thoroughly praiseworthy manner. Now they were going to enjoy the blessings, and he was looking forward to next term, when “everything would be pleasant around them”. They would have “a great and a glorious time, and the School would go forward in a way it had never gone before, because they had learnt from their experiences in the past year to hang together and to work together”. He concluded by saying that day would set the seal on the life of the School, and thanked the Duchess of Albany for making it a 'Royal' day in the history of St John’s.

THE HOUSE SYSTEM DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR

At the start of the Autumn Term 1914, a new tutorial system was set up with a house tutor in charge of each of the four houses. From 1914 onwards, every boy was a member of a house, rather than just those who played sport for a house team.

In 1915, as the First World War meant that matches against other schools and teams became difficult to arrange or had to be abandoned, the new house system proved its worth. Suddenly, having a vibrant inter-house competitive life became valuable to the pupils and there was more interest than usual in the house ties.

An OJ writing about his time at St John’s during the Great War said:

“What kept the younger ones going was their passionate interest in games – not especially the games they played themselves, but those of the older boys, the Senior and Junior House matches and school matches, all of which they watched with keen interest.”

ST JOHN’S DURING WORLD WAR II

EDITORIAL FROM THE JOHNIAN, DECEMBER 1938

At the time of writing, a fortnight has passed since the agreement of Munich ended a period of worldwide apprehension so intense that it penetrated very deeply even into a community so self-contained as St John's. During that period, the work of the new school year and the future of the 1st XV seemed of little importance compared with the sequence of historic events by which all of us were profoundly affected.

It is a proof of the vitality of the School that no sense of hopelessness was allowed to interfere with ordinary routine. We emerged from the crisis with a satisfactory feeling that, in the event of a future emergency, we would be fully prepared. The basements were rendered gas-proof, their windows were covered with cellophane paper or wire netting to guard against splintering; vulnerable windows were

Extract from The Johnian, December 1945 THE HARVEST CAMP

protected by ramparts of earth or sand-bags; gas-masks were fitted and issued to the School and Staff, and "air-raid practices" were carried out to test our emergency routine. In order that all this should be completed quickly, the School carpenter and the porters put in much strenuous work overtime, while both boys and masters sacrificed much of their spare time to pasting up panels, shovelling earth and moving sandbags.

We may also claim that we did our bit to help the A.R.P. of the district. The Swimming Bath was emptied and made over to the Leatherhead U.D.C. as a decontamination centre; the Infirmary was appointed one of the district first-aid posts; and some of us spent an evening assembling gas-masks at the Council Offices.

Despite a hesitancy amongst the uninitiated to volunteer, the peace of Headley Mill Farm was once again tumultuously disturbed for a fortnight last August by the influx of over twenty harvesters from St John's. Once again, the weather had been inconveniently arranged but this was counterbalanced by an entire absence of last year's plagues. As usual the whole success of the camp depended upon the incredible capacity for hard work, and unfailing good humour of Mr Grigg and Mr Murray.

Fortified by the excellent food provided by the young lady helpers, and decorated with clothes which no one would dream of wearing anywhere else, the campers substantially aided the harvesting over a wide area, and the testimonies of the farmers themselves are sufficient to prove the camp worthwhile…

…For most of us the camp will remain a happy memory of a fortnight's worthwhile hard work, and of a comradeship amongst all concerned, seldom achieved in more normal circumstances.

1938

EXTRACTS FROM THE JOHNIAN EDITORIALS FOLLOWING VE DAY 1945 AND THE ARMISTICE, NOVEMBER 1945

EDITORIAL, JULY 1945

There is a strange tendency among all of us to look back on what we have avoided or endured, instead of what we are to meet with in the future. It is an expression of relief that at least one part of our journey is over. We take it for granted that there is more to come and are quite willing to face it: but we refuse to be glum at the prospect. That the second part will entail as much difficulty as the first is undeniable: yet we control our agitation, since we accept this as necessary and worthwhile. So we have felt about the past. Many have gone from us; we are proud that they have helped to bring us so far. Many more will go in the future, and we will think the same about them. These are our feelings now that there is peace in Europe. Everyone of us realises that it will be as hard to make a success of the peace as it is of the war. Nevertheless we are glad that at least some of the obstacles in our path have been surmounted;

we are not, as it were, withholding our applause until the final whistle blows. Our thoughts about the events in this school are similar. We have overcome much, and we have achieved something. We have met with a certain number of inconveniences, which we accept, although, true to our nature, we grumble at them; we are pleased that perhaps more are behind us than are to come. If one advantage disappears, we quickly seize upon another to replace it. It is essential that in some direction, whatever that direction be, we should excel, instead of having to our credit a modicum of everything which no one will respect. So long as we have retained some such quality on which to expend all the excessive chauvinism pent up within us, we can claim to have emerged with success from the shadow which war has cast over us.

EXTRACT FROM THE JOHNIAN, MARCH 1946

The world and St John's School have at last begun the laborious return to peace conditions. We do not complain that there is no more food and less domestic help than there was twelve months ago. But we sincerely hope that soon we shall be able to consume unlimited supplies of petrol, paper and bananas. There are many who wish the shortage of gym-shoes to continue…

…To most boys of the School the fortunes of the 1st XV have become considerably more important than the fortunes or misfortunes of international politics. We are proud of another almost unbeaten rugger XV…

… Both on the rugger field and facing unpeeled potatoes, a spirit of comradeship is essential. It is futile to quarrel with one’s partner on ‘flying squad’; quarrelling takes time, and so does washing up.

1945

THE FLYING SQUAD

John Meakin later described the ‘flying squad’ in his memories of St John’s during WW2:

“One longstanding institution of the wartime and immediate post war years was the Flying Squad. Each house in turn missed the first period of the day to do the housework for a week. Some swept dormitories and corridors, and A & B blocks, and some cleaned tables, washed up and laid the next meal as well as preparing vegetables. Thus we all developed very useful domestic skills as a bonus on our education!”

OJ Tony Fryer (West 1940-1944), head of the ‘Flying Squad’ at St John’s during WW2, also shared his memories:

"At School, I was the head of the flying squad, organising cleaning duties in the dormitories and corridors, going into the town to collect fish, meat and vegetables, and so on, and doing preparation work in the kitchens. Constant air raids required us to sleep in the basement, changing and bath rooms.

Occasionally a Dornier ‘flying pencil’ would drop through low cloud and let fly with its machine guns. The old gym suffered – it was blown down by a parachute mine that dropped a little distance away. We had two or three incendiary raids when the School’s own fire squad went into action. We had front line seats for several days of the Battle of Britain and for the dreadful bombing and fire raids on London. Even at the time of Dunkirk we could hear the roar of guns and bombers across the Channel.

We saw the early recruits to the Home Guard (Dad’s Army) drilling on the playing fields complete with broomsticks, though later the sergeant major of the OTC loaned them one or two Lee Enfield.303 rifles.

Those of us deemed old enough were trained to drive tractors on the playing fields, so we could help farmers get in their hay. We also dug slit trenches in the chalk up on the Leatherhead to Dorking road close to the Beaverbrook estate, where we helped to plant many young trees. All in all it was a strange life. Memories were certainly made of these!”

Sally Todd, June 2021

FROM THE ARCHIVES

NOAH MATTHEW AMOS, 1875-1961

Groundsman – St John’s School 1901-1942

Amos, and his horse, were the connecting links between the age of ‘mowing by sheep’ and ‘mowing by motor’.

EMP Williams The Quest Goes On. 1951, p40.

Noah Matthew Amos, fifth son of George Amos, a carter and coal merchant, and his wife Jane (née Darrell), was born in Wye, Kent in 1875, where he lived until his marriage on 11 November 1900 to Frances Rhoda Butcher, just a few months after the death of his father. Amos and his wife moved to Leatherhead where Amos, aged 26, joined the staff at St John’s in 1901 as a groundsman. He continued to serve the School for a further 41 years.

Noah and Francis Amos lived at 2 Queen Anne’s Terrace, Fairfield, Leatherhead, Surrey, and they had three children. Eveline May, born 1902, Ivy Margaret, born 1906 and Arthur, born in 1916. During his first 25 years as groundsman, the playing fields and quadrangle were maintained by a horse drawn mower and roller but in 1925 the Johnian magazine tells us that:

‘A motor-pusher, attachable to either mower or roller, has been provided for work in the field and the quadrangle. Amos will now be able to save a considerable amount of time in mowing, and Moggy’s duties will presumably be confined to the carting of coal.’

Amos retired in 1942 and he wrote the following heartfelt letter to the editor of the Johnian:

Dear Editor,

I have been a Porter, Carter, Stoker and Groundsman at St John’s School for 41 years but never have I had such a hard duty as writing these few lines. During this long period, I have watched many changes and made many friends, but I still have one ambition left and that is to see once again the Old Johnian Cricket Week after the war. With best wishes to Johnians throughout the world

Yours etc., N. M. Amos.

Old Johnian cricket team 1922. Amos standing on far left of back row.

Old Johnian, EMP Williams, wrote a tribute to Amos in his centenary history of St John’s, The Quest Goes on (1951) saying:

‘For fifty years his seat has been the stables at the south-west corner of the Senior Field. Here he used to offer the courtesy of the horse-box to those in need of a cigarette, the while he kept suitable ‘cave’. Here he can still be seen on any Match Day, communing with the past, and thinking of the days when his coat was white, and his word was law. Amos was ever a stern umpire as well as an original one; his LBW decisions were, in my opinion, well in advance of the existing rules but, whatever the out-going batsman might think, it was LBW in the score-book!

His pride and interest in St John’s is nothing if not wholehearted.’

LAWN MOWERS OLD AND NEW

We don’t have any photographs of Amos with his horse or mower, but an archive photograph dating from the early 1900s shows two gardeners at St John’s standing proudly beside their lawnmower. This is a Green’s Patent ‘Silens Messor’ lawn mowing machine, one of the earliest patented push mowers, manufactured by Thomas Green and Son Ltd, who were British market leaders for lawnmowers from the 1850s. The business started in Leeds and later had a large engineering works in London. In 1902 they opened purpose-built premises in Southwark Street, known as the ‘New Surrey Works’.

120 years on, the modern mowers and machinery used to maintain our lovely grounds and gardens in the 2020s would be marvelled at by Amos and the grounds staff of those early days.

Ten years later OJs mourned his death at the age of 86 and the following obituary appeared in the Johnian for 1961:

AMOS

During this term, Amos quietly gave up the struggle with age and ill-health, and so deprived the School of yet another of its links with the past. He will be missed by a large number of older OJs. Noah Matthew Amos came to St John’s as groundsman in 1901. For over 50 years he laboured lovingly, with horses, mowers, and whitewash pot to keep grass and wickets trim. Of recent years, a tired shadow of himself, he used to like still to come and watch the cricket. He was a true servant to the School, and he will be remembered.

Gardeners with lawnmower outside the Old Chapel in the 1900s

1950s and 1960s

MEMORIES OF THE NEUTRON SOURCE AT ST JOHN’S

Nick Clube, son of Alan Clube, Surrey 1949-1955, (see obituary in the OJ magazine 2018 p50) has sent us a short extract from his father’s memoirs describing life at St John’s in the 1950s.

“In 1948 we moved to Leatherhead where my teenage years began and were indeed very happy ones. My brother, having been awarded a scholarship, went straight to St John’s just up the road from our home, Blossomfield in Kingston Avenue, while I spent 2 years at Downsend. There my maths teacher was one Mr. Straker who was a remarkable teacher of the subject. He ignited for me considerable enthusiasm for mathematics so much so that I too somehow was able to win a scholarship to St. John’s. This was a minor contribution to my life compared with another which Mr. Straker was inadvertently to make possible.

While at St John’s my interests in the sciences and mathematics developed. Our Chemistry master, Tom Peacocke, was a particular influence encouraging us to undertake all sorts of investigations which included going to Harwell to collect an active radioactive source for research purposes. We scoured Leatherhead to trace sources of lead to make the necessary container, but I am sure ‘Health and Safety’ would lock us up today! Our Physics teacher, W.O. Clarke, was another enthusiast and between them they set examples to which I could only get fractionally close in my own teaching career. Other joys while a pupil there were Rugby, Water Polo, House plays to name but a few. Simon Richardson, who was also a swimming enthusiast and became a lifelong friend, introduced me to ‘square dancing’ in Bookham and we used to fish the River Mole together amongst other things. We were enthusiastic attenders of many social functions. He was to proceed to medical school on leaving while I went to Christ Church, Oxford, to read mathematics and Simon was to become our son Nicholas’s Godfather in due course.”

Science Exhibition 1961: Mr. Peacocke explains the old and the new pictures of molecular structure

In 1959, a building to contain the neutron source from Harwell was constructed by boys in the Field Club as the Ministry of Education required that a brick and concrete building should be constructed around the tank in which it was held.

The pioneering research work carried out by chemistry teacher Tom Peacocke and the boys at St John’s featured in article in The Times newspaper in 1961. Reporting on the Science Exhibition and the new science wing at the school (opened in 1957 by Field Marshal Montgomery), the headlines ran:

AN ATOMIC PILE IN THE QUAD

Schoolboys are using radioactive material.

Head of Science, Mr Peacocke said:

‘I think this is one of the most modern science labs in the district now, it caters for more than 250 serious science students. We study several unusual subjects here apart from radioactivity.’

‘The atomic pile is in the form of a neutron tank sunk three feet deep in the quadrangle. With a neutron source obtained from Harwell, we can produce radioactive material and isotopes. The three foot depth of water gives the equivalent protection of three inches of lead.’

A journal article that same year headed ‘Radioactivities in a School’, described the 1961 science exhibition as a ‘remarkably ambitious affair’ and commented on the research problems being carried out for the Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE):

‘Mr Peacocke, with the help of the most senior boys and, at a rather different level, with help and advice from AERE - is investigating the Szilard-Chalmers effect in phenyl iodide, attempting to discover the mechanism of retention of active iodine, and making distribution studies of certain activated rare earths between nitric acid solution and a special solvent developed by Harwell. A young scientist here can therefore hope to assist at genuine research before he leaves school.’

Tom Peacocke retired in 1970 after 32 years at St John’s. Some years later, rumours of a secret radioactive room at St John’s prompted an article in the 1980 Johnian to dispel these fears. The authors explained that the neutron sources themselves were allocated to Mr Peacocke, and not to the school. When Mr Peacocke left, the sources had to go with him.

‘The hot lab was decontaminated by the army, and then dismantled, to make room for a classroom. There need be no fear of any residual radioactivity as any contaminated articles were removed by the army.’

Neutron Source Building 1959

Science Exhibition 1961: Separating thorium 234 from uranium by ion exchange

70YEARS AGO...

ST JOHN’S CELEBRATED THE CENTENARY OF ITS FOUNDATION IN 1851

St John’s celebrated the Centenary of its Foundation in 1851. A hugely successful Centenary Appeal raised £35,000, largely due to Field Marshal Montgomery’s untiring efforts. As Chairman of the Governing Council, he organised a series of memorable events.

A Mansion House dinner attended by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, was held in March 1951 to raise funds for the School. Lord Rank gave all the proceeds of a film premiere, The Lavender Hill Mob, to St John’s. The screening, attended by Queen Mary, was held at the Odeon Cinema, Marble Arch in June 1951. Field Marshal Montgomery presented the School Captain, Pat Bird, to Queen Mary while other pupils formed a guard of honour.

Speech Day was attended by Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the following day a congregation of nearly 1000, including local residents who took an interest in the School, were present at a thanksgiving service in the Quad. Articles appeared in the national press and a three-page spread was published in the Illustrated London News, all of which helped to publicise the School and its centenary. The Centenary Year was deemed a splendid success which, to quote the Field Marshal ‘put the School on the map.’

Mansion House Dinner menu

Lavender Hill Mob programme

Centenary Thanksgiving Service 1951

Field Marshal Montgomery presents the School Captain, Pat Bird, to Queen Mary

YEARS AGO... 30

OPENING OF THE SPORTS HALL IN 1991

Her Royal Highness, the Duchess of Gloucester was welcomed by the School on 17 October 1991 to open the new Sports Hall.

2022 - 150 YEARS IN LEATHERHEAD

Next year, 2022, will be the 150th anniversary of the School’s move to Leatherhead from Clapton House in east London in 1872.

If you have memories of your time at St John’s, our archivist Sally Todd would love to hear from you. Stories, photographs, and other memorabilia would all be welcome additions to our archive collection.

Do get in touch by post or email to stodd@stjohns.surrey.sch.uk

Sports Hall 1996

Sports Hall February 2017

Sports Hall construction 1989

Valete

Beate Davies Learning Development Teacher

Beate Davies joined St John’s in 2003 as a physics teacher, with ‘a little chemistry’ and later some biology. Already a parent with a daughter in the Sixth Form and son in Fourth Form, Bea was a little familiar with the School; girls had just been welcomed into the Sixth Form. The School has undergone considerable changes since then. Bea has worked through four heads and watched the footprint of the School increase with the opening of the PAC, South House and the new stained glass windows in Chapel. She helped welcome girls into Fourth Form in 2010, and saw the opening of the rest of the girls’ houses - Haslewood, Gloucester and later Hawkins. She was here when the Henry Dawes Centre was finally completed, and when Churchill House opened. More recently she watched the transformation of the Old Chapel, the addition of the long-awaited new science labs, Lower School and finally the opening of the new swimming pool and gym facilities. Having witnessed such change it is hard to envisage the School that Bea joined and the School we have now, but I know she has many colourful memories of the many people she has known along the way.

Tom joined St John’s in 2013 straight from the world of industrial chemistry and his evangelism and passion for the subject have been a consistent theme throughout his eight years at the School. Upon meeting Tom for the first time, his pride in the love of chemistry he had generated in pupils stands out. He cares deeply that every pupil not only gets good results, but inherits a part of his love for the subject; the fact that all but one of his current Lower Sixth class are applying to study chemistry based degrees is a testament to his passion.

Those who worked with her in the Science Department in her early days have described Bea as a ‘popular and capable teacher’ and as a teacher of ‘calibre, bringing a conscientious and professional approach to all her work’. Well respected by her pupils, Bea’s care of her pupils behind the scenes was well known and appreciated. She was ‘a source of real inspiration… encouraging new ideas and methods’. However, Bea was lured from science by Linda Culm. She qualified as a specialist teacher and assessor of pupils with specific educational conditions, such as dyslexia, and made the move to her existing role in the Learning Development Department.

Over the years, Bea has watched this department grow from just two to a team of five, and she has helped to welcome and mentor many along the way including Ali Collier, Belen Carter and me. She is an excellent team player, careful to encourage and develop skills in others, but more than capable of sharing her expertise and advice. Her patience and humour are always appreciated by us all. Bea shows outstanding care of her pupils, but as much of her work is carried out quietly and patiently behind the scenes I would like to take this opportunity to express my deep felt gratitude for all the times she has gone ‘the extra mile’.

After three years at St John’s, Tom applied the same energy to taking over the leadership of Churchill. His massively high expectations of the boys in his care has created a strong sense of drive and cohesion in the House, with his passion leading to enthusiastic (though not often winning) performances in the full range of house events. His management of the loss of half of his house to the formation of Hawkins was a testament to his professionalism and leadership, demonstrating the willingness of the boys to follow his lead in welcoming Hawkins to the building as well as his staunch opposition to any compromises on their behalf. He will be truly missed by all boys in the House.

Behind this quiet exterior lies an adventurer, keen to travel, investigate and taste other places and experiences. Bea was robbed of her last foray when she narrowly missed her planned opportunity to make a comprehensive tour of East Asia last Easter as Covid-19 struck international travel. A keen and imaginative cook Bea has shared her expertise with both the Learning Development team - peaking with a tasting session of her homemade wedding cake samples - and her contributions to the staff wellbeing initiative. Her interests don’t stop there and those who work with her can feel humbled (or even exhausted) by the sheer breadth of her activities. They range from attending exhibitions, concerts and plays, book clubs, gardening, fitness and taster opportunities to grappling with almost anything from philosophy to astro-physics and current affairs. All this, but always at the centre, her family and now her new grandchildren.

Bea is a rare gem within her chosen profession with a unique skill set and the pupils and teachers at St John’s have been fortunate to have had her on hand to support, advise and guide. She will be impossible to replace and sadly missed. As we watch her move on, we wish her every success and happiness.

Jacqui Chaddock

Beyond his main roles, Tom’s full commitment to every aspect of school life is evident. From a string of highly successful rugby teams, to the lucky Sixth Formers who got to appreciate his taste in classic music albums, he wholeheartedly invests in every aspect of school life he is involved with and will flourish in a full boarding environment. He leaves St John’s for Christ’s Hospital to take up the position of Head of Chemistry. I have no doubt he will bring the energy and passion that has typified his time at St John’s to a new department. We wish him, Sarah, Imogen and Rosie all the best for the move.

James Coote

Tom Leonard

Teacher of Chemistry / Housemaster of Churchill

James Brookes Senior IT Technician

Jim Carter Minibus Driver

Lauren Bruce Catering Assistant

Rebecca Cooper Smith Day House Matron – Montgomery

Ashley Currie Assistant Head (Pastoral) / Housemaster of West Akos Deberling Head Food Services Assistant

Sophia Dee Teacher of Music

Alison Di Talamo Assistant Catering Manager – Hospitality

Naia Edwards Development Officer

Sally Foster Baptiste Physics Technician

Anita Freeman Lower School Matron

Joanna Gray Acting Head of Academic Music (Maternity)

Robert Herd Teacher of Computer Science

Gayle Hillman Day House Matron – Surrey

Emily Humfress Sports Assistant

Harry Johnson Teaching Fellow Classics

Mylie Jones Senior Sports Assistant Viola Laczi Catering Assistant

Holly Lafferty Teaching Fellow Biology

Silvina Lecointre Spanish Language Assistant

Yvonne Littlewood Assistant Admissions Registrar

Lisa Monroe Boarding House Matron – Gloucester

Toby Morrison Teacher of Economics

Laura Mott Personal Assistant

Sarah Naughton PA to the Deputy Head (Academic)

Craig Newby Director of Rugby

Peter Probert Assistant Sites Supervisor

Jane Sainsbury Day House Matron – Churchill

Giulia Mauri Design and Engineering Technician

Jon Sawers IT Development Manager

Teresa Smallbone Day House Matron – Haslewood

Sally Stuart Admissions Registrar

Ed Tait Chef de Partie

Peter Titmas Deputy Head of Mathematics

Luke Trimming Sports Assistant

OLD JOHNIAN NEWS

1950s

MR ANDREW KEITH NORTH ‘56

We received a wonderful letter from Mr Andrew Keith (OJ 1954), detailing his memories, travels, and life since his time at St John’s.

‘I recently chanced to pick up ‘The Old Johnian 2018’ and read with interest many articles within it; how the School has changed – hardly surprising as more than six decades have gone by since I was a pupil. When I left prematurely after O Levels in 1954 as my Father could no longer afford the fees nobody, least of all me, could have envisaged how my future might work out…. Looking back now I have had a wonderfully varied life with some splendid strokes of luck.’

It is most enjoyable to hear of the exciting life Andrew went on to lead after he left St John’s –including spending ‘ six years afloat covering the globe and trading with some forty countries’, before going on to The Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge to study Geography in 1962, aged 25. Andrew took up a role at Felsted in Essex, where he met the Headmasters daughter Susan, who he later married!

After leaving Felsted, Andrew went on to study his postgraduate Certificate of Education, in Kampala, Uganda. After returning to London and marrying Susan in 1968, they returned to East Africa and Andrew took up a post at Kenyatta College, Nairobi, as Head of Geography from 1970. Returning in 1973, Andrew went on to several exciting roles in education, from being Headmaster in Blairmore, Scotland to Director of Studies at Cumnor House in Sussex!

THE ‘OJ BIKERS’

The self-proclaimed ‘OJ Bikers’. L-R John Loveday, Dave Robinson, Simon Kemp and Andrew Farrant, recently met up at Frensham Ponds, in the September sunshine!

ABI BRUCE

Old Johnian Abi Bruce took part in the 2021 Alpine Junior World Championships in Bansko, Bulgaria. Abi competed in the Giant Slalom and Slalom events, taking place in March 2021.

Andrew and Susan had three children. When Susan sadly died in November 2008, Andrew moved to a smaller house in Sussex, near a Golf Club! ‘I consider that I have had a full and varied life with much good fortune’. SEND US YOUR UPDATES…

We are always keen to hear from OJs – tell us your news, update us on what you’ve been doing since you left school or share your memories about St John’s with us for our archives. We produce our magazine, The Old Johnian, once a year, which gives you some insights into current school news and features news from OJs; we would be delighted to receive submissions for inclusion at any time throughout the year.

Please email development@stjohns.surrey.sch.uk.

We were delighted to host a virtual talk with Andrew Tatham on Wednesday 17 March.

A few years ago, Andrew produced a very well received book A Group Photograph following the lives of those in the photo, which we covered in the 2017 Old Johnian magazine.

He has recently followed that up with a new book I Shall Not Be Away Long based on correspondence of Lt Col Charles Bartlett who served on the Western Front from August 1915 to March 1917. Not only are his letters almost completely uncensored and full of incident described with directness and bluff humour, but the people he mentions along the way give a full spectrum of supporting characters, from his actress wife and their friends on the West End stage, to soldiers noted for their heroism or eccentricity or insubordination or complicated love lives (or combinations of all of these), to men avoiding conscription, to spies, royalty and a newspaper magnate.

FUTURE OJ EVENTS

For the time being, due to Covid 19 we are unable to host any physical events at the School, but we very much look forward to welcoming you back as soon as this is possible. In the meantime, please make sure we have your contact details so that we can stay in touch and keep you informed about OJ events. Please send your updated details to: development@stjohns.surrey.sch.uk.

We will send out details of any forthcoming OJ events, and list them here: www.stjohnsleatherhead.co.uk/ojevents. We also often host other events at St John’s to which OJs would be very welcome so keep an eye on the school website for future events.

ANDREW TATHAM TALK OJ EVENTS OJ EVENTS

OLD JOHNIAN CLUBS AND SOCIETIES

RUGBY

OJ Renegades at LDN 7s

The day started out bleak, a 7.30am arrival time for the team managers meeting. The weather was not looking great, with storms forecast all day. The team started to arrive; the young OJ side all under 25 were looking forward to a day of rugby, after what had been too long away from the glorious game; the St John’s boys were itching to play.

We started our tournament with Scotty’s Little Soldiers, an army children’s charity sevens team – do check them out as they do great work for kids who have a lost a parent in service. Our first pool game started, and the OJ speed and agility showed. Scoring three tries in quick succession with Jack Potter and Johnny Lack linking up to score a great try, more pace and flair came and by half time it was 22-0. A few tries on both sides in the second half and the games finished 36-10! Game two, and we took another win 26-10. The weather began to change, the sun was shining and the OJs were winning - it doesn’t get much better.

Pool game three, The Akuma Beavers, a well-known side on the sevens circuit and definitely well drilled. Giles Baker turned on the gas and a fantastic offload by the Captain gave us the lead. We took the lead 12-5 in the first half! The second half came, and the Beavers looked awfully fresh; they come back strong scoring three well-earned tries against a strong OJ defence. We lost 20-12, which took us into the Plate Semi Final against the Philippines and Marcus Smith’s younger brother.

The Plate Semi Final kicked off, and straight away the Renegades attacked, forcing errors by the Philippines, some dominant tackles and the score builds, 7-0, 14-0, 21-0. With the Eagle spirit behind us, we fired into the second half where some excellent play by the Philippines saw them score

two quick tries to take the score to 21-10. The 19 stone Philippines prop felt the excitement and broke 1, 2, 3 tackles to carry over the line, and heads to score under the posts, BOOM, Johnny Lack lifts the big man off the ground and piles him over the dead ball line, NO Try! The game finished 28-15 with a lot of respect on both sides, we proceeded into the final against the Royal Marines

The final was a tough one, the lads in the Marines squad were well drilled and solid. We fought hard and despite our best efforts, it wasn’t enough – a 31-10 defeat. All in all, it was a great day for the Renegades in their first outing to make it to a Plate Final is great achievement!

The sevens squad also participated in the Bournemouth Festival; the result was not quite so distinguished, winning one and losing two. Regardless, the team certainly enjoyed the weekend.

The squad train weekly at 7.30pm every Wednesday at Wimbledon RFC. All ages and standards are welcome; we currently have a 1st XV, U21’s XV and a sevens squad for the off season. Our aim this year is to field a 2nd XV for a handful of fixtures.

If you are interested in playing for Old Johnian RFC please get in touch by contacting James Duncan via email to: jamesduncan8@hotmail.com

OJ FOOTBALL CLUB

After two disrupted seasons due to the pandemic, Old Johnians FC cannot wait to get the 2021/22 season underway. With the transfer window just opened, the OJ’s are hopeful of bringing in one or two stars to help spearhead the Division 2 title challenge (we were in a strong position for a fourth promotion in five seasons before the league got abandoned). The club has gone from strength to strength over the last five years, and whilst everyone is extremely proud of what we have achieved, we know there is more to come from this squad! We can’t wait to get back to the hallowed turf at St John’s and enjoy the support of pupils and teachers.

THE OLD JOHNIAN LODGE NO 5282

Like so many organisations around the world, it has been an odd year for Freemasonry, and one not without its challenges. At the beginning of the first lockdown, the Most Worshipful Grand Master, HRH The Duke of Kent, suspended all Masonic activity meaning that no Lodges were able to meet in person at all. However, this gave us all a nudge to embrace the modern and we readily adapted to using Zoom and WhatsApp to stay regularly in touch. A nationwide initiative called the 9 o’clock toast was launched where we all gathered on Zoom at 9pm each Thursday to raise a glass to ‘absent Brethren’ and those in difficulties.

At the beginning of the suspension, one member said that there is no time more important to be a Mason than now. London and Surrey Masons duly worked hard throughout the crisis through Metropolitan Grand Lodge and the Masonic Charitable Foundation to give PPE to over 300 care homes and hospices, provide over 25,000 meals in our centres and support food charities, homelessness, unpaid carers and, more recently, children’s mental health. London Masons have also tirelessly worked with women’s refuges across the area to provide hundreds of care packages for women and the children in their care. The physical and mental health benefits to the recipients of this donation are humbling. One of the charities held back a considerable number so that they would have something to share on Christmas Day. For the children, this was particularly special.

Closer to home and after the suspension was lifted, the faithful band that is Old Johnian Lodge reconvened on 7th July for the first time in 18 months. It was also with excitement and much anticipation that we Initiated a new member, OJ Tom Spencer (N’96) on the same evening before repairing to the Doubletree Hilton on Southampton Row for a meal after the meeting. A great evening was had by all and we were privileged to be able to host a good few Old Epsomians who joined us for the occasion.

We’re looking forward to a bumper year ahead of events and more charitable work. If you’d like to know more about us, or even fancy joining us, please get in touch through the development team: development@stjohns.surrey.sch.uk

Mark Cooper (Ch’95) Secretary

OJ RUNNERS

We did our best not to be defeated by 2020. Whilst organised events were obviously banned, individual OJs could compete in a variety of ‘virtual races’. The annual alumni race therefore became a weekly 5K event that we had great success with. A relaxation of the entry requirements meant that we were helped by current pupils and their families. Of particular note were the multiple weekly entries we got from the Lower School, many of whom put in impressive times, we look forward to welcoming them as OJs!

By the time of the scheduled alumni race in December we were still banned from organised events but allowed to gather in groups. We therefore combined 12 of us running an adapted course on Wimbledon Common with OJs joining us virtually, running across the country. Once again, we improved on previous years with good results in nearly all categories and trophies. However, our greatest achievement came in the Women’s Team event. Having presented the trophy for Best Women’s Team in 2019 it was rewarding that our squad were able to reclaim it with some outstanding performances. Suzie Monk (2014 So) added to the success by winning the Fastest Lady Cup. We could also lay claim to having the largest female squad of all schools, which has always been one of our main goals. Unfortunately, we were just beaten to the largest overall squad by the Old Wellingtonians, but we are hoping that our ever-increasing ranks mean that we will not have to suffer this ignominy again.

This year’s race is at 2.30pm on 11 December 2021 at Wimbledon Common. Absolutely ALL abilities welcome. If you are interested, please email: OJrunners@outlook.com

As the lockdown eased and running events restarted, we welcomed a host of new members at the Dorking 10. Our usual stalwarts Robbie Ventham (2013 C) and James McCarthy (2013 M) were joined by Josh March (2011 M), Alex Jordan (2000 M), Dave Pay (2000 C) and Paul Pride (2000 W). It’s a run we hope to make a permanent summer fixture, as it is not only a good local race

(across either 10 miles or 10K of local roads), but also organised by a club whose president has a strong connection with the School. Peter Bruinvels left St John’s in the late sixties, and his parents set up the Bruinvels trophy at that time. The trophy went on to become a legendary cross-country race against schools in the Surrey area for decades to come.

Meanwhile the annual winter based ‘Dash for the Splash’ was rescheduled for midAugust this year, which proved a welcome relief for those who struggle with the mud on Wimbledon Common - but it made little difference to the temperature of the final water crossing! Having taken bronze last year OJ James Harvey (2015 W) came a very impressive second place. New arrival Richard ‘Dicky’ Hadley (2007 E) threw himself into the spirit of these cross-country runs and was joined by three members of the Lenon family, former West house residents Andrew (1974) his brother Hugh (1981) and his son George (2009).

We will continue to encourage OJs to get together at various races around the country, but we will also make a particular effort to visit the free, Saturday morning, parkruns en masse. So, if you see a group of runners with large eagles on their backs, please wander over and say hello.

The Alumni Race will be held on 11 December 2021. We are hoping for record numbers this year and, as always, we need OJs of all abilities and from all generations.

Jasper Lloyd (1988 C) ojrunners@outlook.com ojrunners.com

Old Johnian Clubs and Societies

OJ CRICKET

It gives me great pleasure to sit here at my laptop and be able to write about some OJCC activity. For obvious reasons the 2020 season was a write off but on Thursday 24 June in 2021 we were able to welcome back eleven OJ cricketers to the school to play against the school’s 1st XI.

In front of a not insubstantial crowd OJCC, excellently marshalled by captain Dimil Patel, batted first in a 40 overs game and recorded 211 thanks, in the main, to a hard hitting 92 from opener Tom Fleming. The 1st XI replied very creditably against a strong and varied OJCC attack but ultimately fell 40 runs short with a total of 171. A thoroughly enjoyable afternoon was enjoyed by all both on, and off, the field. OJCC thanks David Hammond, Gareth James, and the school, for its support and hospitality both on the day and beyond.

With the help of Old Epsomians CC (OECC) an OJCC v OECC was proposed for mid-July but what seemed a good idea at the time failed to materialise as when it came to it eleven OJ cricketers couldn’t be found to make a team and so the fixture was, disappointingly, unable to take place.

Beyond St John’s OJ cricketers continue to make their mark. Recent leaver Ben Geddes has been making his way in the professional ranks with Surrey CCC this (2021) year and whilst not perhaps an OJ in the true sense OJCC will probably claim him nevertheless recent OJ cricketers may remember Sol Budinger who had two summer terms at St John’s as what I think was described at the time as an exchange student. If anyone hasn’t noticed Sol is on the staff at Nottinghamshire CCC now making his way too in the professional game.

Quiz question for any OJ cricketers or OJs in general interested. Who was the last OJ professional cricketer prior to Ben Geddes? Answers to ABG via agale@stjohns.surrey.sch.uk if you want to.

OJ cricketers of a less recent vintage will undoubtedly have been saddened by the news earlier in the year of the passing of a great friend of St John’s cricket, ‘Maestro’ Gordon Hewitt. Gordon was a regular at St John’s for many years whether with the MCC side to play against the school or in Cricket Week enjoying life to the full both on and off the field with the Old Georgians CC. OJ cricketers both young and old would do well to enjoy the Cricket Week writings of OJ Colin Gray in the OJ magazines of his era via the excellent digital archive section on the school’s website.

Looking ahead then to finish with. I’m hoping of course that OJCC’s game against the school will continue next year in 2022. I imagine it will be towards the end of June if it does as it has been on the two previous occasions. I am happy to explore another fixture with OECC and other fixtures as well and also, perhaps, to look at a pre/early season get-together in The Chris Tongue Pavilion. Unless OJ cricketers can commit and honour a commitment to play in any games and support any social events organised though I’m afraid they will likely not be on offer in the future. I think this would be a great pity but the bottom line is do people want these fixtures and social events enough for OJCC to become as established as it can be again? It’s your club.

Anyway, please keep in touch with your thoughts, etc via agale@stjohns.surrey.sch.uk. I will be doing an e mail out to members of OJCC sometime before Christmas and then another sometime in the new year in advance of the start of the new season in April/May. Until then, all the best.

Adrian Gale Volunteer Chairman OJCC

OJ RIFLE CLUB

As has been the case with so many other reduced aspects of life since Covid 19, availability to shoot has been no exception, and opportunity to get some range time has been challenging to say the least. With drastically reduced, and in some cases, no opportunities, very little shooting has happened within the OJ space.

Whilst the St John’s shooting range has been off-limits, for well over a year now, there has been some shooting opportunity to be had at Bisley - the home of fullbore long range shooting.

Notably Philip Hakim and Adam Fowler have attempted to keep too much rust from settling in and have been making trips to Bisley to participate in their scheduled GB team training days.

Philip Hakim has been selected for the GB Palma squad, with the hope of making selection for the main team that will compete in the world long range championships in South Africa in 2024, whilst Adam Fowler has also been selected for a GB team to Canada. Congratulations to both, and more news to look forward to.

The prestigious summer competition, The Imperial meeting, was thankfully allowed to proceed. Whilst no overseas teams and visitors have been able to make the journey to Bisley this year, as was also the case last year, home grown talent has managed to pit their wits against each other, competing for the most prestigious of shooting prizes - “The Queens Prize”. Adam and Philip both took part, each making their way to the coveted Queens Prize Final. Whilst Philip has come an incredible 2nd place in the past, neither were able to match or better this feat this year. Philip did, however, earn his full England Colours along the way, many congratulations to Phil. Jon Tapster achieved a 50.9 in the Veterans match, winning the club’s Colonel Watts Bowl for the highest score of our two teams.

With the Imperial behind us, and with the promise of easing restrictions, and the ability for old friends to reunite and the range once more, we look forward to putting into practise all that is viewed and discussed on our active, and highly educational, WhatsApp chat group, which even includes an element of motorcycling interest! Special thanks are given to Stuart Fingland, our WhatsApp group curator and admin, for rallying the troops and providing such informative and illuminating material on advanced shooting techniques most can only hope to master.

We look forward to a more normal season later this year and more so in 2022, and to acquiring some better equipment with the generous help of the OJ Society, which will be of great benefit to upcoming new members and others who need to make use of club equipment.

Special thanks also extend to Jon Tapster, whose knowledge, skills and time are so generously given to all members of the OJ club, without whom the club and members wouldn’t be nearly as successful as we are.

OJ GOLF

Our focus for 2021 was, simply, to play some golf and to fulfil as many fixtures that was possible. So far, thankfully, we have been able to play four of our six planned matches/qualifiers.

COMMITTEE NEWS

Treasurer duties have been passed onto Andrew Worboys (1982) from Barry Smart. The Society would like to offer thanks to Barry for his efforts in keeping us afloat over the many years. Other Committee members: David Scrivens (Chairman), David Glassock, Stuart Hibbert, Andrew Wildey all continued in their roles in 2021.

CONTACTS

Our OJ Golfer contact list remains strong with over 100 people on it. A positive sign, however getting commitment to play in fixtures/society day is our bigger challenge. Match Managers rely heavily on a smaller pool of players and we continue to look into ways or getting more involvement. Please do contact us if you are interested in joining.

SUBSCRIPTION

To play in our matches we continue to ask the Old Johnians to pay an annual subscription of £20 a year, or for students just £5 a year.

Our efforts to attract younger golfers continues and the Committee, in 2020, agreed that the contribution to match costs for members aged 30 or under should be capped at £40 leaving the School subsidy to cover the balance outstanding. For those members over the age of 30 the match subsidy will continue to be paid at the set rate. Angus Longdale, a 2018 Leaver, joined and played for us this year having played for the team against the Society a couple of years before.

Tuesday 20 April v The School at Effingham GC

The annual OJGS vs the School fixture was once again held at Effingham Golf club on Tuesday 20 April. With a full squad of OJ golfers, 4 matches were played against the school in the usual match play format.

Given the somewhat unusual circumstances we found ourselves in with lockdown and a pandemic, we were all a little out of practice, but it was a lovely afternoon nonetheless. Dom Higgitt and Graham Warren kicked off proceedings in game one but were narrowly beaten 2&1 in a closely fought contest. James Courtney and Guy Davis followed behind and managed a convincing 5&4 victory in their match whilst Sean Kiff and Ben De Forest Brown were the third pairing and unfortunately lost on the final hole.

Angus Lonsdale and Rich Warren were the final pairing but due to a lack of players for the school their match did not count towards the final result despite managing a victory in their game.

So it was the School who took the 2-1 win this year in what will hopefully continue to be a well enjoyed event for years to come.

Report by Match Manager Dom Higgitt

Saturday 15 May v Bar GS at New Zealand GC

After two false starts in 2020 to play the Bar, the match was finally held on 15 May 2021 at the New Zealand Golf Club. An OJ team of 7 - Richard Vosser, Nick Keeley, Graham Warren, Steven Vickery, Dom Higgit, Tim McIlroy and Mac Blair took on the Bar with 9. In true Bar spirit they offered us their extra player, so we could play eight-a-side. In the end, the Bar skipper Patrick Mcmorrow sacrificed himself to play with the OJs.

As is often the case with the OJs, the team was out of the gate quickly in the morning with Keeley & Vickery setting the tone with a strong 4&2 victory. This was followed by victories for Warren & Blair, Higgitt & McIIroy and Vosser & Mcmorrow where even a double whiskey at the halfway house for Mcmorrow could scupper the 4th point of the morning for the OJs.

With lunch taken on the Terrace to comply with Covid-19 regulations, less club claret than usual was on offer. However, the little that passed the lips of the OJs still completely changed the fortunes of the team. Two of the afternoon pairings could muster halves McIIroy & Blair and Vosser & Keeley with Warren & Vickery and Higgit & ABM going down.

All in all a satisfying 5-3 victory for the OJs, with a little help from the Bar.

Report by Match Manager Richard Vosser

Sunday 20 June - Society Day

Twelve golfers attended the Society Day at Tyrrells Wood Golf Club. Ten OJ’s and two non-OJ’s (with close links to St John’s) joined us on a bright and sunny afternoon. We had OJ’s with school-leaving years ranging from 1963-2018; a pleasing sign to see the range of OJ’s supporting the society! With many fixtures in 2020 being cancelled it was nice to see some familiar and friendly faces once again. A sandwich lunch (individually plated!) and drinks were consumed before the pairings went out to play 4 Ball Better Ball.

The pairings were: Stephen Vickery/Sam Vickery, Andrew Worboys/Mike Vickery, Dom Higgitt/Will Dabell, Richard Vosser/Angus Longsdale, Andrew Wildey/Peter Edgar, Stuart Hibbert/James Vickery

Stephen Vickery with his son (James) played some not so normal golf and won the event at a canter! If only someone could have remembered what their colossal score was! The course played very nicely and the club was very flexible to our needs. Huge thank you to Andrew Worboys (a Tyrrells Wood member and OJGS Treasurer), who made the event work with the help from the team at Tyrrells. It would have been easy to postpone the event, but we were glad to make the effort on what was a successful day catching up, with some good golf occasionally on display. Here’s hoping that the Society Day in 2022 will see increased take up.

Report by Match Manager Andrew Wildey

Our scratch players were Stuart Hibbert (Captain), Richard Warren, Graham Warren, Peter Richardson, James Wallace, and James Smart. There is no doubt that the London Area group is one of the toughest in the county to qualify. The OJ team fought hard for every point but came up short this year. We are always looking for low/scratch players to join our pool of players to strengthen the team.

Saturday 17 July v O Epsomians at Effingham GC

This fixture was postponed as the Old Epsomian Match Manager, unexpectedly. We are hoping to get this fixture in before the year is out.

Saturday 28 August v O Alleynians at New Zealand GC

This fixture was cancelled as the OA team were unable to field a team. A bit of a theme which is starting to impact some of our older established fixtures.

David Glassock

Sunday 13 June - Grafton Morrish Qualifier at Royal Wimbledon GC

OBITUARIES

Mike Edward Cowpland Comer (1928-2021)

South, 1941-1947

Mike Comer died peacefully on 3 September 2021, aged 93. Much loved husband of Pat, stepfather of Bill and Susie and stepgrandfather of Pete, Sam, Jack, Toby and Ben.

Mike was a pupil at St John’s from 1941-1947 and then returned to the School in 1964, first as an assistant master, then as Housemaster of Monty and in many other roles until his retirement in 1990.

Mike was a prominent figure, and supporter of the Old Johnian Society and the School, for which we are all incredibly grateful. He had a love for cricket and was the founder of AROPS.

A tribute was written in the Old Johnian Magazine valete, at the time of Mike’s retirement in 1990: ‘Some people are described as ‘Men of few words’. I don’t think anyone would say that of Mike! One of the first things you have to learn about him is that it is not what he says but what he feels and does that is the key to his character. And he does feel very deeply about the welfare of St. John’s and Johnians.’

‘Since 1930, when his elder brother joined the school, M.E.C. Comer has been a prominent part of the life of St John’s, not only as a master, but also as a pupil. At the end of the Summer Term 1990 he finally retired from St. John’s. But despite this he continues to put great amounts of effort into the school through his highly efficient running of the Old Johnian Society.’

When asked upon leaving whether he would have a sense of loss after retiring from St John’s, Mike said: ‘Well, I don’t feel that I’ve really left; or at least I hope that I haven’t left St. John’s. I’ve known it for the last sixty years, and I have been back to the school at least one day per year since 1941. So I just can’t simply cut myself off; I’m still a Johnian - an Old Johnian, but still a Johnian. I wouldn’t therefore like to feel that I’m not still part of St. John’s. What I have missed, and miss most now, is the strong Christian emphasis of the school, and the attitude of helping others that used to be so much a part of St. John’s.’

In November 2018, Naia Edwards and School Archivist Sally Todd had the great pleasure of visiting Mike and Pat Comer at their home, which was part of a project to discover more about life at the School during the Second World War. This article was a wonderfully fascinating account of Mike’s time at St John’s, and can be found in the 2019 edition of the Old Johnian Magazine.

A private family cremation will be held, followed by a memorial service at St John’s in October 2021.

Our thoughts and wishes are with Pat and family.

John Jones

Head of Biology and Housemaster of South House 1974-1989

Old Johnians will be sad to hear that John Jones, Head of Biology and Housemaster of South House between 1974 and 1989, has died at the age of 83. He passed away in January following a long and valiant struggle with cancer.

John grew up in Burton-on-Trent, which remained his base for much of his life. Throughout his career, however, he remained fully involved in the boarding communities of the schools where he taught and these communities were always a second home. John arrived in Leatherhead in 1969 having spent the previous decade on the coast of West Cumberland teaching at St. Bees. This had been his first teaching post having studied at Imperial College, London and then Trinity Hall, Cambridge from where he took his postgraduate teaching certificate. One of John’s earliest, and it must be admitted, less successful ventures was his attempt to implant some basic knowledge of Biology into my reluctant brain for I was an early pupil of his at this remote boarding school. He also had some pastoral responsibility for me as he served as resident House Tutor in my boarding house. I was thus from an early age aware of his awesome reputation for being a diligent presence at all times of night and day. Very little occurred in the boarding community of which he was not aware. It was clearly something of a shock for both of us when our paths crossed once more on my arrival at St John’s in 1974. It was typical of John’s huge good nature that he remained most diplomatic about my lowly academic status as a schoolboy. Indeed our shared past became an issue of some amusement as in due course we became firm colleagues in the Common Room as well as rival Housemasters.

John made a huge contribution to all aspects of life at St John’s. On his arrival he took charge of the Biology Department as it faced the exciting challenge of moving into a splendid new laboratory. For many years he presided over the department with a quiet authority. But he did so much more. For seventeen years he shaped the School timetable with an unobtrusive efficiency; he was an officer in the RAF section of the Cadet Force; he also took charge of the 3rd XV rugby team for a number of years. In 1974, having been resident tutor in North House, he became Housemaster of South House and continued in that role until 1989. John was famous – indeed notorious in the eyes of mischief-seekers – for the long hours he kept and his precise awareness of everything that was taking place in the confines of his House. Very little missed his attention... He presided over South House with a benign and caring authority, which was much appreciated.

Perhaps the extra-curricular activity with which John is most remembered, and certainly the one he most relished, was school drama. One of the reasons his career brought him to Leatherhead in 1969 was the proximity to theatre land, which in those days included Leatherhead itself. John directed several productions and offered his skilled make-up services for many more; but above all he was a wonderful actor. This might seem strange for someone who outwardly appeared so quiet and unassuming; but stage lights brought on the adrenalin. In fact John was almost too good an actor. For a student audience who sought the simple amusement of watching a teacher pretending to be a stage character John’s absorption into a part took away some of the fun; he became so fully involved in his stage persona that often he went unrecognised as a Common Room member playing out a role. His skills were most appreciated in some of the more heavyweight plays that the staff once had the time to perform. He was a definitive Canon Chasuble, for example, in Bill Chubb’s production of The Importance of Being Earnest.

John retired in 1994. He returned to Burton-on-Trent but was frequently on his travels. He loved driving through vast tracts of Europe in his beloved campervan. He also travelled further afield to Australia, New Zealand and Canada. He journeyed too around England often seeking out a play or performer that had attracted his attention. He enjoyed returning to reunions of both the schools where he had taught and was always full of good-humoured gossip and nostalgia. Several years ago he was diagnosed with cancer, but this did not curtail his activities until the past twelve months or so. John will be deeply missed by the many people who valued his company both inside and outside the classroom.

Richard Hughes

Paul Harker

West, 1957-1962 (1944-2021)

My father, Paul Harker, who has died aged 77 of pancreatic cancer, devoted his career to working for the National Health Service – championing community-based services to reduce health inequalities, first as a paediatrician, then as a director of public health.

Paul was born in London, son of Kenneth Harker, a solicitor, and his wife, Dorothy (nee Beacall). He attended Dulwich Prep School and St John’s School, Leatherhead, and went on to study medicine at St Bartholomew’s Hospital. Paul completed his training in Exeter, Farnborough (Kent) and Queen Mary’s Hospital for Children, Carshalton.

Paul was a keen sportsman. He played for the “Colts” (under 15) rugby team and went on to captain the team.

His successes in sport and in the classroom led to him being made Head of House.

Paul shared a study with Tony Addison and, through him, met his sister Jackie who became his childhood sweetheart; they married in 1967. Another friend was Stelio Firippis, who was Best Man at Paul and Jackie’s wedding.

On qualifying, in 1967, he took up a post in community paediatrics in Oxford, and was quickly promoted to registrar becoming a consultant at the young age of 30. Paul found the privileged atmosphere in Oxford both stimulating and stifling and by the late-1970s sought out a role in a less affluent part of the country. He took a paediatrics post at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool and as a lecturer at Liverpool University. It was a period of great turmoil in the city, with rioting breaking out in Toxteth in 1981 following long-standing tensions between the police and the black community, fuelled by high levels of deprivation. Seeing the impact of poverty on the health of young people made a lasting impression on Paul; he later wrote a book on the subject.

In 1982, Paul switched to working in public health. He was appointed District Medical Officer for West Dorset and became Dorset’s Director of Public Health a decade later. In this role, he pioneered programmes to reduce smoking, tackle obesity and prevent suicides among young men.

Much of his work during his 24 years in Dorset focused on improving the health of those living in the most deprived areas of the county. He never lost his determination to make a difference and was seconded to several roles, including director of HealthWorks, Dorset’s health promotions agency (1998–2002); and Director of Health Promotion Research at Bristol University (1994–1997).

Paul retired in 2006, but continued as a trustee of the Child Accident Prevention Trust (2003–2010), and in later years worked as a volunteer for the NSPCC and for the Alzheimer’s Society.

Paul was a patient and modest man. He was often the best listener in the room and always knew the right question to ask. He had a deep appreciation of the sea, of nature, and of music and literature, and cherished spending time with his family.

He is survived by Jackie, their three daughters (Nicola, Katie and me), and six grandchildren.

Lisa Harker

Paul Harker is front row, centre

John Christopher Meakin Foundationer, West 1944-1949 (1931-2020)

How does one sum up the life of one’s father, when of course I knew him only for the final two-thirds of his life. But that life, rich and full, was shaped by earlier events including his time as a boarding pupil at St John’s School. John attended the School between 1943 and 1949 and these must have been formative years for him because of the affection he always had for the institution.

After leaving school he did his National Service in the Royal Artillery before reading civil engineering at Loughborough College (as it then was). His speciality was highway engineering, which he made his life-long interest, being a Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers for over 50 years.

Never one to hide from a challenge, John with his wife Ellen and three sons aged between 1 and 4 set off in 1961 for a two year posting to Nigeria, to support road building projects. Forced home by the Biafran War, John moved his family to County Durham, where he spent the rest of his career with the County Council Highways Department.

In retirement, engineering still coursed through his veins and in the 1990s John and Ellen rebuilt a derelict farmhouse high in the Pennines, another testament to his willingness to pursue dreams with determination and considerable ability. As age crept up on him, a move to Norfolk was made, and with it new ventures including learning Greek and becoming a lay preacher - thus following in his father’s footsteps (Alfred Meakin, another St, John’s pupil).

Sadly, despite a phenomenally active mind and such a breadth of practical interests, John fell ill with Alzheimer’s disease several years ago and died in March 2020. He is survived by his wife of 65 years Ellen and his three sons. There is no doubt that his education at St John’s set him up for a fulfilling life, in which his faith held firm to the last.

Paul Meakin, May 2021

David Girling South 1950-1955 (1937-2021)

David died at his home in Cambridge on 2 February 2021. His health had been failing in recent months but this happened suddenly from a heart attack that he suffered when he was on his own.

As a pupil at St John’s, he was inspired by the teaching of the Science Department especially by Michael Clarke (biology) and Tom Peacock (chemistry) and he won a scholarship to Trinity College Oxford to read medicine. In addition to his studies, there he sung in the Chapel and University choirs and played a part in college dramas. After graduation he did his National Service in the Wiltshire Regiment as a lieutenant and was involved in action in Cyprus during the troubles. He then completed his clinical studies at the London Hospital. This was followed by a career in medical research. First at the Brompton Hospital studying T.B. and HIV. Then, after five years, he continued research on cancer with the Medical Research Council in Cambridge. With his team he published many academic articles and a book on the conduct of medical trials.

All his life David was an active member of the Church. First at St. Kathrine’s in Acton and then at Great St. Mary’s, the University Church, in Cambridge. With his twin brother Peter they bought a house where they lived very happily together. David ministered as a Lay Reader and preacher and often wrote for the Parish magazine. He specially enjoyed leading study groups. He was also involved with the ‘Christians in Science’ fellowship contributing articles to their publications. He was a founder member of the UK Japan choir, which was based in the city.

One of his other enthusiasms was conjuring. He was a founder member the Cambridge Magic Circle and delighted many children and mystified many adults with his tricks.

He had some really good friends and neighbours in Cambridge who supported him especially after his brother Peter had died in 2003, and when his health began to fail. We are very grateful to them.

He leaves a sister and two brothers who, with their families, will miss him greatly.

Andrew Girling (brother) South 1954-1959

John and Ellen Meakin on a Norfolk beach in 2017

OBITUARIES

M.D.F. Cole

Foundationer, South 1942-1945 (1928-2021)

The family of David wrote to inform us that David died on 19 February 2021, aged 92.

At ‘J School’ he joined as a Foundationer, his late father having had several parishes in Kent. David was handicapped at St John’s with a spinal condition but he did manage to get into the First Eight in swimming. Being wartime, all the school swimming was down town at the West Wing Baths.

On leaving St John’s he went to work in the City for a few years. Shortly after leaving school he teamed up with his friend Henry Stern (S. 1943-46) and they revisited the

Anthony Eric John Drayton

Churchill, 1950-1955 (1936-2021)

Gill Drayton wrote to notify us that her husband, Anthony Eric John Drayton passed away on 24 May 2021.

Richard Luckett

South, 1958-1963 (South House Captain) (1945-2020)

Richard Luckett, one of the outstanding Cambridge academics of his generation, died on 19 November 2020.

Richard Luckett, described by The Times in its obituary of him as ‘a whimsical and unworldly Cambridge don, polymath and Pepys Librarian’, died just before Christmas, aged 75. I was lucky enough to arrive as a new boy in the old South House in Luckett’s last term when he was perhaps the most unlikely Head of House one could imagine. He left with an exhibition to St Catharine’s College, Cambridge and our paths crossed again in 1974 after which we kept in touch. He was one of the outstanding scholars of his age.

Adrian Barlow (S.63-67)

Mrs Laurie Randerson School Matron

Terry Randerson, Assistant Bursar 1980 – 2006 & Honorary OJ, wrote to us in March 2021 informing us that of the sad news that his wife, Mrs Laurie Randerson, aged 79 had passed away on 25 February 2021 at Dorset County Hospital. OJs will remember Laurie as matron of both East and North from 1983 to 2006 and she left the School when Terry retired. Laurie was one of the first matrons when the system started in 1983.

Brian G. Robins

West 1953-1955 (1940-2021)

23 March 2021 in Queensland, Australia, aged 81 after a long illness, leaving Elaine, his widow (whom he married in Bougainville in July 1965), two children and three grandchildren. Brian left St. John’s reluctantly aged 15, when his family emigrated to Australia. He completed his schooling at Sydney Grammar School before leaving for a career as a District Officer in Papua New Guinea, remaining there for a period after Independence. He retired to Queensland where he was recognised as an a very accomplished painter of watercolours.

School on their respective motor bikes and the area around the Fives courts reverberated with the considerable sound of the two exhausts.

After a good business grounding, David forsook the City and worked for an oil company in the North West. He met his wife, a well-known classical professional singer, in Macclesfield and after a spell in Cumbria he moved to Surrey and joined a chemical manufacturing company near Redhill, eventually becoming their Managing Director.

He retired in 1985 and later went to live in Much Wenlock, Shropshire. His wife Margaret had become an eminent voice teacher and died in 2010 after a marriage of fifty-seven years.

David wrote several articles on his vintage cars and researched and wrote booklets on Much Wenlock Racecourse and on his and Margaret’s time when they lived in the Lake District.

He leaves two children and three grandchildren.

Jonathan Rodd

North, 1984-1989 (1971-2021)

We were notified of the death of Jonathan Rodd, by his brother.

Godwin Swift

Foundationer, East 1943-1947 (1929-2020)

Caroline Hooper notified us with much sadness of the death of her father Godwin Swift.

My father was at St John’s during the war and spoke fondly of his time there and especially of being evacuated (to the Malvern Hills?) He and our mother both passed away last year, my father in January at the age of 90 and our mother only six months later.

Caroline Hooper

Brian Trafford

South, 1944-1948 (1931-2021)

We were notified of the death of Brian Trafford. Brian died on the 21st February aged 89.

He had a successful business career with Taylor Woodrow, and was also appointed Deputy Lord Lieutenant and High Sheriff for West Sussex. Sadly, Brian’s brother, Jeremy Trafford, died in 2020 of Covid related health problems. His obituary was featured in our 2020 magazine.

David Welch

South, 1951-1955 (1936-2021)

Following his time at St Johns and subsequent qualification as a doctor at St Bartholomew’s in London he spent a long and happy career as a GP in Norwich. In his retirement he devoted much time to the many, many clubs and societies he was involved in – from Orchids to History, Philately to Benevolent societies – his family lost count of the number of organisations he was involved with! He died after a very short illness and leaves two children and two grandchildren.

Alastair Welch

OJ COMMITTEE 2021

The OJ Committee represents the interests of OJs within the School, providing advice on events and feedback to help St John’s improve links with the OJ community. The committee meets twice a year, usually in October and March. If you are interested in joining, or would like to find out more, please contact Mark Cooper: mark@cooperandlansbury.com.