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OPUS • Issue 7 • Autumn 2012
And Finally..
In memoriam Luke WILSON (1976 – 03/10/12)
We are very sorry to report the death in Cologne, Germany on 3 October of Luke Wilson, following a short illness. As well as having a successful school career, Luke started the PGS Juggling club, and after studying at Circus Space in London, went on to have a successful international career as a cabaret and circus artist, producer, director, teacher and writer. He
was featured on the cover of the International Jugglers’ Association magazine in 2009 when he was referred to as “one of the most versatile, intelligent and skilful jugglers working today”. Luke was loved and respected by everyone he worked with and was a passionate believer in imparting his circus skills to up-andcoming performers. He worked as Head of Department, Juggling and Equilibristics, at Circus Space, the UK’s premier circus school, and co-created and delivered the Juggling and Circus Skills Masters module at the University College of Dance and Circus in Sweden. He is a one-time prize winner at the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain and his sleight of hand saw him banned from British casinos!
Kerry STONE A correction and an apology In Opus 6 the photograph accompanying Kerry Stone’s obituary was blown up from a team portrait of the 3rd XV taken in 1956 which had been donated with the names of known pupils listed on the back. Unfortunately, the team members were listed right to left, rather than the conventional left to right, leading to the wrong pupil being identified as Kerry Stone. Sincere apologies to all concerned for this error, especially to Paul Davis whose picture was used, but who is very much alive and well. John Sadden, School Archivist.
‘We’ll always have Pompey’ It is with sadness but enormous fondness that I bid you all farewell. In January I take up a new challenge across the Channel at the British School of Paris and will be moving my wife and baby daughter to the Western suburbs of the French capital. The City of Light may have inspired poets and artists for centuries and is synonymous with romance, but it was at PGS that I experienced my very own coup de foudre! Not only did I meet my wife here, I have also had a four and a half year love affair with the school and have been hugely inspired and charmed by all the Old Portmuthians I have had the pleasure of meeting. It has been a wonderful privilege to get to know you, serve you and share your memories of your time at this remarkable place. The Development Director role is one quite unlike any other in the school. Sometimes the requirement has been to be amateur sleuth, tracking down ‘lost’ boys and girls, while at others it has been akin to being a BBC World Service broadcaster, providing expatriate Old Portmuthians with news of the mother country. I have enjoyed every single second, supported by a wonderful Development Office team and I have forged many friendships with you which I hope will endure long after I have passed under the arch for the final time. Unlike you, I am technically not an OP, but I am nonetheless very proud to have been associated with Portsmouth Grammar School and very much it is a case of ‘Au Revoir’ rather than ‘Goodbye’; I will continue to support school events when I can and hope that some of you will look me up in Paris! Very best wishes to you all
Under Starter’s Orders! PGS Director of Sport, Chris Dossett, is trying to encourage as many members of the school community to enter the Bupa Great South Run 2013 running as a PGS team to raise money for the school’s Cambodia Appeal; this includes pupils, staff, parents and OP’s. There are three events for people to enter:
• Mini/Junior Great South Run Saturday 26 October (Pupils Years 3-10) • 5km Great South Run Saturday 26 October (Aged 14 and over) • 10 mile Great South Run Sunday 27 October Spaces for the races fill up fast so please enter early to avoid disappointment. When you have entered please can you inform Chris by email so that a list of team members can be kept (c.dossett@pgs.org.uk).
David Stenson OP (1947-1952), the person responsible for firing the starting gun for the Great South Run from 1991 until last year.
Alasdair Akass Alasdair and daughter India pitch-side at Hilsea Playing Fields, September 2012 (Photo courtesy of Richard Simonsen OP)