32 minute read
In Memoriam
Death notices
It is with the deepest regret that we announce the following deaths:
Professor James Albert Algie
(Cribb’s 1957)
Martin Andrew
(Brading’s 1973)
David Banks
(Tulley’s 1947)
Richard Coldham
(Cribb’s 1973)
Eric Hirst
(Cribb’s 1950)
Raymond Jewkes
(Brown’s 1953)
Derek Mathews
(Tulley’s 1951)
John Neeld
(Spurgeon’s 1947)
Tony Recaldin
(Spurgeon’s 1946)
Kenneth John Seabrook
(Brown’s 1947)
Obituaries
Paul Block
(Surgeon’s 1977)
I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of one of my best friends at School, and with whom I had fortunately been able to keep in contact with at least sporadically during the 44 years since we departed Alleyn’s. Age 62 is far too early, but a long illness eventually overcame him, and he died on 18 March 2021. Paul was an outstanding sportsman at School, a regular feature of the first XI football team, and a top athlete during summer, cracking the 2-minute mark for the 800 metres among many other then impressive achievements. Outside of school time, I also have fond memories of Paul and I queuing for hours outside Parliament to access the public gallery and listen to MP debates in The Commons. We were both heavily into politics at the time and receiving tickets from a local MP for Prime Minister’s question time was a real highlight. Southampton University also benefited from Paul’s sporting prowess before he graduated with a BA Hons degree in History in 1980. He then moved on to King Alfred’s College, Winchester to gain his teaching qualification (PGCE) for a year where he met Ruth, his eventual wife of 33 years. Next, came a move to West Sussex where he took up teaching English and History at Great Ballard Preparatory School. There he progressed to Deputy Head teacher, put on school plays, and coached football and cricket. His varied CV then took a different turn as he left teaching to work as an independent financial advisor and, subsequently, a mortgage advisor at an estate agency in Winchester. He eventually became manager of the entire agency. He was clearly pretty good, as I recall he actually arranged a mortgage and sold me an insurance policy at one point! Then it was back to teaching for 8 years as the owner and head teacher of Kirtlands, a small preparatory school in Broadway, Worcestershire. He followed that up with 6 years as owner and head teacher of Harecroft Hall, a day and boarding school in West Cumbria. Not being a person to decline a move away, Paul then migrated to Guernsey for a year to teach English at The Ladies College in St Peters Port. More recently though, he became involved in the Cumbria Youth Alliance, a charity dedicated to helping disadvantaged young people. He also became Chair of Trustees for another charity, Promoting Autonomy and Change (PAC), based in Carlisle. PAC provides therapies (talking, drama, art, play, equine) for children and young people. Passionate about this cause, Paul became CEO of PAC, and thoroughly enjoyed this role, actually chairing a meeting two days before he died. The last time I met Paul in person was at a ceremony of dedication of my marriage, in Petts Wood in June 2017. It was so good to see him again, but so sad that this was to be the last time we met, barring conversations on the phone when we frequently reminisced on memories of our times at Alleyn’s. Sports and Paul Sherlock, maths and Mr McCartney (we weren’t the best at maths!) not to mention field trips organised by Geography teacher Jim Buckman.
Paul was married 33 years and had four children, He owned a variety of cars including a Datsun Cherry, Ford Capri, Daimler, BMW convertible, Land Rover Defender, and Shogun. He loved Chelsea Football Club, had a profound interest in politics, but enjoyed good food, and relaxing with whichever family members were at home, not to mention walking with the dogs on the Sussex Downs, Cotswolds, Lake District fells and local meanders. Paul will be much missed by everyone who knew him.
John Powell (Browns 1977)
Alan Carlisle
(Tulley’s 1966)
My husband, Alan Carlisle, passed away on 8 December 2020, after a short illness. After a month in hospital during which time he was diagnosed with end-stage liver disease, he returned home and died in my arms a week later. He was 72. Alan was born on 30 August 1948 and entered Alleyn’s in 1959. During his time at Alleyn’s he was encouraged to learn the French horn. He always told me he didn’t so much choose that particular instrument, it was more a case of “Carlisle, you will learn the French horn.”! Fortunately, he discovered an aptitude for it. He played in the School orchestra
and also represented the School in the London Schools’ Symphony Orchestra for several years. It was also at Alleyn’s that he first sang in Gilbert & Sullivan operettas and began a life-long love of the genre. Although his father had hoped that Alan would follow him into the scientific world, that was not Alan’s wish. On leaving Alleyn’s he studied French horn, voice and organ at the Royal Manchester College of Music. After college, Alan joined ICL and worked there until 1982. During this time music was still very much an important part of his life - singing, playing and conducting. He first came to Luxembourg in 1981, following an invitation to sing the part of Nanki-Poo in the Gilbert & Sullivan operetta The Mikado. He returned that year to sing the part of the defendant in Trial by Jury (also G&S), and in January 1982 was asked, on 10 days notice(!) to be one of the Ugly Sisters in Cinderella as one of the original Ugly Sisters worked at the European Parliament and had to go on mission to Harare! All these shows were produced by Pirate Productions, an English-language musical society in Luxembourg. It seemed inevitable that, after leaving ICL, Alan moved to Luxembourg! In 1984 he passed a competition for employment at the European Parliament where he worked in IT until taking early retirement in 2006.
Throughout his time in Luxembourg, music and theatre were an integral part of his life. He played in the Luxembourg Philharmonia, sang in various ensembles, was Director of Music for the Anglican Church of Luxembourg for many years as well as being involved, both on and off stage and in the orchestra pit, for many Pirate Productions shows. During Luxembourg’s “European Year of Culture” in 1995 he fulfilled a personal dream by musically directing Fiddler on the Roof. For many years he was responsible for Luxembourg’s annual Burns Night entertainment.
Alan was a prolific composer: his compositions ranged from cabaret (including one taken one year to the Edinburgh Fringe) to a Mass commissioned for the Anglican Church’s 50th anniversary. A major singing role as the Abbot in (to quote the composer) ane kirk opera The Passioun o Sanct Andraa again took him to perform at the Edinburgh Festival, including at Dunfermline Abbey. Whilst much of his music-making was within the British and wider expat community, he also became involved in the Luxembourgish musical scene, singing in local Chorales and playing in local bands. Alan and I married in 1995. It was a second marriage for both of us. Whilst Alan had no children of his own, he was a wonderful stepfather, and later grandfather and greatgrandfather, to my daughters and their growing families. He was so fond of our great-grandchildren and I know was saddened to realise he would not be around as they grew up. His passing has left an enormous hole in our lives.
Pamela Carlisle
Alan John Dowie
(Roper’s 1970-75)
5 October 1956 – 8 July 2021 All his many friends and colleagues will acknowledge that Alan was a larger than life character that always had a positive impact on you. Having known him for 53 years, I just believed he would always be there. We first met in September 1968 when I was entering the 3rd Year at Alleyn’s and for the next half Century, our paths crossed regularly, much more often than not, with great joy and laughter. Indeed, our great friend Ian ‘Stoker’ Stewart (Tulley’s 1971), added how much fun we had whenever we saw him and what a good heart he had. I have to agree. We would ridicule each other, sometimes mercilessly, all the time but it was always given and taken entirely in a spirit of good fun. Our main areas of coincidence were Alleyn’s and the school team football, Bruce Porter’s Idmiston Road Youth Club, Norwood Strikers FC, The Park Tavern, the Bon Bonne, AOBFC Strollers, South Bank Polytechnic, where we were both trainee surveyors, the RICS and, more latterly (for me), the Puerto Banus Posse, of which Alan was a founder member. There were also numerous house parties around West Norwood. Football clearly had a big role in both of our lives and Alan was a keen Crystal Palace supporter, while I am an Arsenal fan, which was much to Alan’s disgust. Alan was a more than competent centre half, a very keen and fair competitor and you always knew that you could rely on him to make that last ditch, match winning tackle. He had played for the AOBFC Strollers at one point and in 1990, when managing the team, I persuaded him to return. He rejoined for several very successful and enjoyable seasons, bringing with him his own particular brand of good humour. Once committed, he was truly committed. At one of the Stroller’s re-introduced Easter tours, he really showed his true colours and his wonderful and admirable nature. In preparation for the tour’s gala dinner, I selected the various tour awards. From the moment he arrived, Alan was in a particularly boisterous mood, persisting the whole weekend. My task was providing him with an appropriate and fitting award and the moment I presented it will live with me forever. His was for the ‘most obnoxious player on tour’ and, as I gave it to him, far from being angry or even a little miffed, he accepted it with pride and great jollity. Indeed, he wore it as a badge of honour and I believe he continued to treasure it; it was still making him (and me) laugh only last year. The other thing about Alan was he wasn’t judgmental – there were no hidden agendas with him – he was just a good friend. Like me, all the Strollers and their partners have been deeply affected by his death. John Smith (Brown’s 1966) observed that Alan was ‘such a party animal’ and the life and soul of the party. Dave Hebden (Cribb’s 1966) remembered Alan ‘as a towering figure in our Vets team. He was always ready to give 100% in every situation and was someone who played a huge part in building the great team spirit that we enjoyed over so many years. I can’t remember ever looking at him and not seeing a big broad smile on his face.’ Dave’s words are echoed by all of us. Alan was very popular with all of the Strollers group, as he was with almost everybody that he came into contact with. He was truly loyal, honourable, caring, trustworthy and genuinely good fun to be with and I, for one, am missing him and will continue to miss him very much. My heart goes out to Jackie, Lianne, Rachel and Little Alan.
For a full version of this obituary please see the In Memoriam section of our website
Graham Hopkins
(Cribb’s 1968–74)
Graham was a lifelong friend to myself and many others until his sudden death of a stroke on 30th November 2020. He leaves behind wife Pam and daughters Ella, Laura and Nikki. But most of all he leaves us all with a host of glowing memories. I first encountered Graham when we were in different classes at Dulwich Hamlet and different sixes at cubs but our friendship really started when we were thrust along with eighteen other unsuspecting individuals into the accelerated 2E class on arrival at Alleyn’s in September 1968. We remained in that E stream until going on our separate paths in Sixth Form. While I went for straight Classics, Graham kept a foot in two camps by doing double Maths and English at A level. He then went on to study English at Exeter University. Following a period travelling in the USA with his good friend Paul and a few stints of bar work, Graham spent some time working as an estate officer for Southwark Council. In the early 1980s he met Pam and also set upon a career path in the burgeoning world of IT, having done a TOPS course. His mathematical ability came to the fore and he occupied several posts in the City, the longest job being with City Max Finance, where he progressed into management positions in IT strategy and business analysis. His affable personality and fondness for socialising ensured that he conducted many successful deals over long lunches in the hostelries of EC1.
He devoted most of his last twenty years spending time with family and friends. Anybody who knew Graham will agree that his greatest gift was making other people feel at ease. He could walk into any situation and initiate conversation with strangers just as easily as with old friends. He was also fond of engaging in deeper discussions on a wide range of topics and his natural intelligence meant he always had something worthwhile to say, especially when expressing his strong socialist principles. He himself, however, might have argued that his greatest talent was with a pool cue! My own fond memories of Graham range from our first pints at the Dog and combing Dulwich for parties afterwards, through decades of memorable gigs (The Who at Charlton in 1974 was one classic) and pilgrimages to White Hart Lane to watch our beloved Spurs (such as the unforgettable 1972 UEFA Cup Final victory), to his three visits to India while I was researching the Rough Guide and the last time we travelled together in Corfu in 2017. It has also always been a joy to spend time with his wonderful family. Thanks to the 2014 school reunion, ten of that class of twenty boys who first met in 1968 rekindled our friendship and have met up on a number of occasions. This brief memorial to Graham is also on behalf of the other eight. He may no longer be with us in person but his warm smile always will be.
Nick Edwards (Tyson’s 1968–1974)
Vernon Law
(Brown’s 1957) and Steve Hunt
(Brading’s 1957)
Vernon Law (pictured above) and Steve Hunt entered the Lower School in 1950. Both died in January 2021. Steve didn’t enjoy his schooling but, as he described it in 2017, led a “heedless path in my varied and crazy activities....My mid-teens were so filled with caving, cycling, competitive swimming, scouting, mountain climbing, motorcycling, gliding, shooting, flying, driving, studying, fixing cars and motorcycles as well as earning cash as a jobbing gardener, a laundry hand, a petrol pump attendant and whatever else I could find to drive my parents crazy.” While at school Steve introduced Vernon and I to the Mendip Caving Group, a club of Londoners who held an annual Easter camp, potholing in the Cheddar gorge area. I descended my first cave one morning. That night I was asleep in a tent when a cry went up in the camp. A second group had gone down the same cave that evening and a newcomer had fallen backwards while doing a high traverse of a chamber. I was told I, having rested through the afternoon, was part of the rescue party. Fortunately, shortly after we reached the injured youth the Mendip Cave Rescue group arrived, so we rank amateurs could be replaced. The youth survived, thanks to his helmet, which was split open. He never came potholing again. That summer, Vernon and I spent a fortnight camped on the Mendips, exploring many potholes, taking the odd risk, but coming out unscathed. I recall the sheer beauty, after a difficult descent, of edging along a narrow V-shaped passage, a narrow stream rushing below, bottoms on one rock face and boots on the other as we edged along. The flame from our acetylene lamp head-torches illuminated the most wonderful array of stalactites above. I burst into the lines of a ‘pop’ song of the time, “For this is the kingdom of Heaven....” We also spent a couple of days crouched down a fissure in a surface rock, wielding a hammer and chisel in order to create a slot in which an explosive might be placed. Just as Cheddar gorge is the result of the collapse of a massive cave system, so the group thought that there could be a further large cave system which the fissure might lead to. Hence it needed to be enlarged so that a human could squeeze through. As Steve wrote, at a later time “I nearly killed myself whilst blasting, when hoping to breakthrough into a cave system.” A friend of his had supplied him with Amatol – a mixture of TNT and ammonium nitrate. The friend was relieved that it was not something more potent. Years later I returned to the scene. Alas, there had been no breakthrough. In January 1956 Steve, Derrick Fordham and I, aged 16, went for three weeks to the Outward Bound School at Eskdale in the Lake District, courtesy of the then London County Council. When at HQ, a former country house, we started the day with exercises in the gathering dawn. There followed a concession. It being mid-winter, we didn’t have to dive into the lake but had to take a shower – cold tap only. We spent twelve days, in total, camping on the hills, having been provided with a sleeping bag, a very large groundsheet and
an ice axe. We had to create a bivouac which four people could make using their ice axes as corner posts. I recall the exquisite feeling of exiting the bivouac onto the snow in the grey light of dawn. On went the totally sodden clothes of the day before, a shiver, pack, then off on the next day’s march. The next night a massive storm came through. It was sufficiently wild to have our instructors back at HQ worried. As Steve wrote, “an introduction to bivouacing in appalling conditions.” After leaving School, Steve was called up for National Service and was commissioned into the Royal Air Force. He elongated his statutory two-year service and qualified as a pilot of fixed-wing aircraft but was never able to shake off airsickness. Eventually he ceased flying and ended his service in a ground appointment. He subsequently settled near Ashford in Kent, where he married, produced two sons and two daughters and founded and ran a transport and haulage company. Sadly, he had health problems in later years. In 2017 he wrote that he had had three strokes and a broken back. Nevertheless, he struggled on to join the Tin Tab group, a cluster of Old Boys, at their thrice yearly meetings in London.
Vernon and I grew up 100 yards apart. We attended the same primary school, then to Alleyn’s. Our primary schooling ended with a trip, with thirty-odd of our peers, to the Isle of Wight. There was a bus tour round the island. One of us challenged the other to be last off the bus. There followed an unseemly scuffle as Vernon and I tried to push the other out. The teacher in charge was not amused. We were given the option of taking a beating or being sent home. We opted for the former. Mr Abel had very gnarled hands. We were ordered to drop our trousers and underpants and bend over a bed. In addition to bruises, I ended with a few cuts on my bottom. Good preparation for the threat of ‘Gaffer’ Snowden’s ‘Bendy Willy’ in later years. In our second year in the Lower School many of us were housed in the Tin Tab, a large green, corrugated hut, put up as a ‘temporary’ measure during the First World War. It contained two class rooms and occupied the lower end of the quad. I recall what I term ‘the Shedden roar’, named after its originator, Bob Shedden, from our time in the Tin-Tab – Heah. Heah, Heah, Heah – expressed in a rising crescendo, when Colonel Snowden or Mr McDonald had their backs turned. Vernon was a co-conspirator. On one occasion, the colonel, a genial man but with occasional problems of crowd control, held back both 2B and 2C after School. It was all too much. When he was in 2B the roar went up in 2C. He would rush to 2C only to have 2B reciprocate. (Ken Grace, teaching older boys, stood in polar contrast. As Fred Goldner wrote in The Edward Alleyn Magazine, Grace “perfected a method of remote control that was the envy of many of his colleagues.” There was no mystery there. The slightest murmur and it would be “Talking Smith. Two hundred lines of Copperplate, to me by Monday, subject, Voice Control.”) At Alleyn’s, Vernon learnt the soprano saxophone while I took to the trombone. We both played in the military band. Out of school we formed a jazz band. One of the members was a contemporary of ours at primary school, Ginger Baker. He didn’t stay with us for too long, moving on to partner more accomplished players. He later joined up with Eric Clapton to form Cream and was voted drummer of the year by Playboy magazine. In the late ‘sixties I was in a pub in Sydney talking to some girls and I mentioned that I had once played with Ginger Baker. They gathered round as if I was a rock star. Their attention waned as I revealed how tenuous my connection was.
In middle school, Vernon and I spent too many Saturday afternoons working off detentions. The worst part for me was having to front my Housemaster, Fred Goldner, to get signed off for each offence. I don’t recall how forgiving L.A.R. Shackleton was to Vernon. On one occasion Vernon and I, along with a friend, went to a dance in Dulwich. We left early and walked to Alleyn’s to show the school to our chum. The Great Hall was packed with people watching the School’s production of Anthony and Cleopatra. We must have been noisy as, shortly after, while crossing the quad, we were accosted by two senior boys. Once the play had ended we were taken to the Headmaster’s study to be hauled over the coals. Vernon and I were to report again after school the next day, the last day of term. There were individual interrogations, before being dismissed. The Headmaster would make a decision on our fates over the holidays. Not the best way to start a vacation! We came back the next term and nothing was said. Vernon, like Steve, took part in other Michael Croft productions, playing men of arms. Following Vernon’s death, a press clipping was found in his wallet – a review of one of Croft’s school productions by The Daily Telegraph’s W.A. Darlington, the pre-eminent theatre critic of the time. What does that say about the charisma of Michael Croft and the bonding of his ‘lads of life?’ Vernon left school after 5th form. Following National Service, he worked as a trainee trade mark agent in Rothman’s patent office in London, which led to widespread travel. When the office re-located to South Africa in 1975, Vernon and a colleague set up the splendidly named MarshallLaw patent firm in Sevenoaks, where he worked for 40 years, prior to retirement. He was most proud of representing the World Wildlife Fund for Nature, as part of a team which won a long and hard-fought battle against the World Wrestling Federation over the right to use the initials WWF.
He married Linda and they set up home just south of Knole House, on the ridge looking over the valley towards Tonbridge. They had son Dominic and daughter Meridith and ran a few sheep to keep the grass down. Vale Steve. Vale Vernon. Good men, both.
Hugh Pritchard (Brading’s 1958)
Christopher Lawrence
(Spurgeon’s 1966)
Chris Lawrence died in January 2021 from Covid. His death came as a
great shock as he had been fit and healthy- still working and playing tennis regularly. While in the Science 6th Form Chris became a Prefect in Spurgeon’s House. After leaving Alleyn’s with A levels, Chris chose not to go to University but while training as a Chartered Surveyor he worked with several property companies. After qualifying, Chris moved to Wiltshire before becoming a Partner in a firm of Chartered Surveyors in Marlborough. However, Chris wanted to set up his own practice which he did. Over a number of years, he developed that practice and was well respected in the local community. His website was comprehensive and well visited by those looking for a Surveyor. He is survived by his second wife Sue, whom he married in 1984 and by their daughters Alexandra and Isabella.
Roger Celia (Brown’s 1966), Edward Lord (Cribb’s 1966)
David Johnson
(former Head of Lower School 1959-1994)
We were greatly saddened to learn of the death of David Johnson in August this year. An incredibly long-serving master at Alleyn’s, his love for the School was very evident and he returned to School reunions for as long as his health allowed. Reproduced below are extracts from his Valete from Scriblerus 1994 written by Paul Kingman. ‘David’s retirement in July 1994 ends a career which has spanned 35 years and has been entirely devoted to Alleyn’s. He came to us in 1959 with a degree in History from University College, London and a Diploma in Education from Leeds, to teach History and Latin. We think of him, primarily, as the Headmaster of the Lower School, a post he has held since 1969. It is an easy and natural association to make because he has filled that role so effectively and with such distinction. Thousands of pupils and their parents have owed their first, crucial impression of Alleyn’s primarily to him. Invariably that impression has been positive, in large part because of the immediate effect of meeting him. David is authoritative, yet reassuringly avuncular: firm, yet kindly; modest and enduringly goodhumoured, with a good-natured wit which is often targeted at himself. His experience, inborn good sense and robust confidence give sanity and balance to his judgements. He has never lost sight of the need for both discipline and encouragement and of the need for tolerance and patience in dealing with pupils. His understanding of his pupils and of the complex factors affecting their attitudes and performance is subtle, but his decisions are firm, fair and direct. The interests and qualities which first drew him into teaching are still there, mainly, I believe, because he has always seen his pupils as individuals and derived his enjoyment from teaching them as individuals, each with his or her own attributes and, in some cases at least, idiosyncrasies! When he speaks of them, it is with affection, interest and good humour, without the least trace of weariness or cynicism. His ability to remember all their names and, often enough, lots of other things about them - not just of those in the Lower School now, but of those he has taught in previous years, is symptomatic of his whole approach to his calling. The same positive qualities are apparent in his dealings with staff. His efficiency, sense of order, practical common sense, sympathetic understanding and tolerant courtesy serve as a model for any teacher with responsibilities towards subordinates. His mood and manner are, in the best of ways, totally predictable and the equability of his approach is a consequence of his inner strength. He has, of course, contributed to Alleyn’s in many ways apart from his invaluable work as Head of the Lower School. Tom Hodgkiss, who was for many years a member of the Classics Department, kindly made a note of his own recollections of David:
‘When I first came to Alleyn’s as a raw recruit to teaching, I soon encountered a young colleague who also taught Latin in the Lower School…In later years we pioneered school trips to Greece and throughout all these expeditions his never-failing good humour was a great asset in dealing with the inevitable crises and mishaps, and his wise advice invaluable. Happily, his skills as a photographer produced many delightful shots to reminisce over on a winter’s evening.’ We say au revoir with great regret to a friend who leaves us with his talents undiminished, one whose cheerfulness, loyalty, sense of proportion and professionalism we shall greatly miss. We wish him every happiness in his retirement.
Paul Kingman (from Scriblerus 1994)
Colin Page
(former teacher of history and geography 1969-1985)
Born in 1926, Colin was brought up in Bexhill, Sussex where, as a result of being good friends with Billy Morris, his father owned an early Morris Car dealership, a fun and glamorous family livelihood in that British era. Certainly, an early exciting and notable memory for Colin was from 1931 when he and his cousin met Amy Johnson, the early transatlantic aviator and remarkable celebrity of the day, who opened the dealership as part of the launch ceremony. Having been educated first at Malvern College, Colin went on to attend Clare College, Cambridge. He then served in The Royal Artillery as a Commissioned Officer from 19441948 and afterwards went on to teach at Forest School where my father and he met as enthusiastic young teachers, Colin specialising in history and geography. Colin then continued his career overseas. With a passion for cricket, he said he was happy to work anywhere where the game was played. This included Christchurch, New Zealand where he once remarked how dour it was in the 1960s; the locals would play their game and immediately afterwards, instead of convening in the pub for an after-match drink, would take a jug of beer home to drink with their wives. (Just not cricket!). His work also took him to Kampala in Uganda where he taught at the Aga Khan’s School. After these foreign adventures, Colin moved to work at the splendid
Alleyn’s School in Dulwich which he adored. Having joined in 1969, he worked there for sixteen years teaching his subjects across all levels of the School, contributing his military expertise to the CCF, maintaining the standard of cricket at the School and as an outstandingly successful Cribb’s Housemaster. On learning of his death, fellow teacher Mrs Ilse Termanis remarked, “Colin was a true gentleman. He was a wise and kind colleague and an excellent teacher”. On well-earned retirement from Alleyn’s in 1985, Colin moved to Norfolk as two Alleyn’s colleagues had moved to the County and ‘he liked the look of it’. Colin settled in King’s Lynn and enjoyed his retirement, not least because he met the love of his life there, Elizabeth, otherwise known as Betty. Betty and he married and decided life would be more agreeable in London closer to family as they were both retired. They found a lovely flat at Laybrook Lodge overlooking Eagle Pond and just down the road from Forest School where Colin had worked forty years before. They both enjoyed Laybrook, Snaresbrook, Wanstead and Woodford very much. It was the foundation of their very happy lives together with many expeditions, holidays and laughs. My link to Colin came via my father’s close friendship with him and he was a wonderful Godfather; always incredibly supportive and encouraging. He was a constant throughout my life, visiting me as I grew up in South Woodford (and giving me a most treasured toy car as a child!). He always took me for holiday days out in the West End and provided continual encouragement rather than judgment as I travelled through my life with its highs and lows. I learnt a great deal from him, greatly appreciating both his wisdom and counsel as well as his fascinating and intricate knowledge of history which brought new insights into some of the great characters of the 20th Century, including Clement Attlee. God Bless you Colin and thank you for being part of my life.
Adam Cooke
David Raeburn
(Former Head of Classics 1958-63)
My friend David Raeburn, who has died aged 93, led a distinguished career as a headteacher, university classics tutor, translator and director of Greek drama.
Boundlessly enthusiastic and cheerful, David delighted in sharing the fruits of his erudition and kept working as long as he could, translating and directing Greek plays into his 90s.
Born in Hampstead, north London, David was the eldest of seven children of Walter Raeburn, a barrister and judge, and Dora (nee Williams), an artist. He attended Charterhouse school, in Godalming, Surrey, and then studied classics at Christ Church, Oxford, graduating in 1949. It was here that he directed his first Greek play, Aeschylus’ Agamemnon in Louis MacNeice’s translation.
Following national service in the Royal Army Educational Corps, he began teaching at Bristol grammar school. After spells at Bradfield college, Berkshire, and Alleyn’s, in south London, he became the headteacher of Beckenham and Penge grammar school in 1963, and in 1968 cofounded the Greek summer school, intended to offer classes to pupils who could not take up Greek at school. It still takes place every year at Bryanston school, Dorset. In 1970 he was appointed as the headteacher of Whitgift, an independent boys’ school in Croydon, south London. A natural liberal, he oversaw the end of corporal punishment, while his most tangible legacy was an ambitious building programme including a science and technology block. Benevolent and humane, he was revered by former pupils and staff. After his retirement in 1991, he embarked on a new career at Oxford University. For five years he was the classics faculty’s Grocyn lecturer, responsible for undergraduate language teaching, and later taught at New College. But his most striking achievements lay in drama and translation. He had put on many productions during his school teaching years, including some performances in the original Greek. From the age of 80 onwards, he enjoyed a remarkable late run at New College, directing 10 Greek plays with student casts, often using his own translations. His last production came in 2019, with Agamemnon – the same play (and in the same translation) with which he had started his directorial career 72 years earlier. He also co-authored (with Oliver Thomas) a scholarly commentary on Aeschylus’ timeless masterpiece. David distilled a lifetime’s thinking about Greek theatre into his book Greek Tragedies As Plays for Performance (2016), in which he employed his scholarship and practical experience to discuss 10 of the 33 tragedies to have survived from ancient Athens.
His efforts as a translator were crucial to his project of revealing the meaning of ancient texts. Four of his translations of Sophocles’ plays were published in 2008 by Penguin Classics as Electra and Other Plays. He also made a verse translation of Ovid’s Metamorphoses (2004) for Penguin. In 1961 David married Mary Faith Hubbard. She died in 2013. He is survived by their sons, Mark and Martin, a daughter, Fiona, eight grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
Chris Tryhorn, The Guardian 18 March 2021
Michael Charles Stokely
(Dutton’s 1960)
20 May-23 June 2020 During his time at Alleyn’s, in addition to his academic studies he became a good athlete, eventually competing at The White City in Hurdling events. He studied at Nottingham University and became a Civil Engineer, working in Africa. After returning to the UK, he married Chantal King, a friend from University. They lived in the Salisbury area for 50 years and had two daughters.
Peter Stokely (Dutton’s 1955)
The Cornflower Club
Leaving a gift to Alleyn’s in your will
When you leave a gift to Alleyn’s in your will, you are helping
us to ensure that we can continue to provide co-educational excellence for all, in a caring, friendly, and welcoming community.
Legacy donations allow us to fund bursary places, offer outreach activities with our partner schools, provide stateof-the-art facilities to our pupils and local community, and do more than we would otherwise be able.
You can direct your gift to be used at the Head’s discretion, where the need is greatest, or you can support a specific area, such as bursaries or an academic department. Your gift can be used immediately, or invested in our Founder’s Bursary Fund to provide enduring bursary places. Past bequests have ranged from £500 to £100,000. If you make a gift to Alleyn’s in your will, you will be invited to become a member of our Cornflower Club, which allows us to recognise and thank those who have chosen to make a bequest to the School.
Martyn Barr (Cribb’s 1978)
If you would like to receive more information on how to remember Alleyn’s in your will please email development@alleyns.org.uk or find more information on the Support Us pages on the website.
‘My father died in September 1941. I was born in October. My mother worked full-time to bring me up but by the age of 10, I was a street-wise hooligan. Unexpectedly, I passed the 11 plus and was offered a place at Alleyn’s. The next six years completely changed my life. I can think of no better thing than to assist other young people to take advantage of the benefits that I was offered of good guidance, good understanding and a good education, by teachers who knew instinctively how to deal with someone like me. I will be forever grateful for this opportunity to help.’
Derek Rogers (Brown’s 1959)
