Elizabethan Newsletter 2013/14

WESTMINSTER SCHOOL

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER 2013/2014

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER 2013/2014

The Elizabethan Newsletter is produced annually by the Development Office of Westminster School and is available to all OWW. Letters are positively encouraged and should be sent to: The Development Office Westminster School 17a Dean’s Yard, London SW1P 3PB T: +44 (0)20 7963 1115 F: +44 (0)20 7963 1064 E: developmentoffice@westminster.org.uk

WMIN_EN2014_cover_pr6.indd 1

25/06/2014 21:39

SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2014

OW Calendar 2014/15 We are pleased to provide advance notice of some events coming up in 2014/15 so do use this list to save the dates of those events you wish to attend. All dates are correct at the time of going to press and any changes will be published on www. oldwestminster. org.uk along with full details of the events and booking information. We aim to send out postal invitations to as many events as possible but if you do not have access to email and you wish to attend one of the events listed please call 020 7963 1115 to register your interest and we will ensure you receive all of the booking information at the appropriate time.

Certain events, like the Ben Jonson Drinks and Medics’ Drinks are for OWW who work in specific professional fields. To make sure that you receive an invitation to the events you wish to attend please send us your upto-date business details by updating your profile on our website or emailing alumni@westminster.org.uk.

WMIN_EN2014_cover_pr6.indd 2

4th September Young Gaudy 11th September History Tour of School for A. A. Milne Society members and Reel History Archives Film Event 18th September Elizabethan Club AGM 25th September Old Grantite Club AGM 16th October Sir Adrian Boult Memorial Concert NOVEMBER – DECEMBER 2014 6th November Elizabethan Club Dinner 13th November Abbey Tour 21st November Commemoration of Benefactors (Big Commem) and Commem Worldwide 2nd December Edinburgh Drinks 8th December Carol Service 2015 DATES 17th February 12th March 4th July

OW Lawyers’ Dinner 1950s Decade Gaudy Henley Drinks

Above: OWW enjoy drinks in College Garden at Old Westminsters at Home (July 2013).

Above left (top): Kenneth Okumura (DD, 1993–98), Estelle Okumura (guest), Kate Wood (guest) and Adam Wood (AHH, 1993–98) at the 1990s Decade Gaudy (March 2013).

Above left (bottom): David Hargreaves, Housemaster of Grant’s and Master of History, Johannes Gunnell (AHH, 1993–98) and Joel Parkes (RR, 1992–97) at the 1990s Decade Gaudy (March 2013)

25/06/2014 21:39

CONTENTS From the School

03

Head Master • The Dean • Bursar Westminster Development • Grand Opening Fund for Westminster Project Reports Legacy News • House Reports

OW Social To advertise in next year’s Elizabethan Newsletter, please contact: The Development Office, Westminster School 17a Dean’s Yard, London SW1P 3PB T: +44 (0)20 7963 1115 F: +44 (0)20 7963 1064 E: developmentoffice@westminster.org.uk Head of Alumni Relations/Editor: Katharine Robinson Design: Tam Ying Wah Photographs: Andrew Dunsmore and Ian Stratton / Picture Partnership, Colin Wagg, Sandy Crole, Angie Garvich, Katharine Robinson, Tom Stevenson and the Dean and Chapter of Westminster Printed by: The Lavenham Press

27

The Elizabethan Club • Lawyers’ Dinner School Society • OWW at Home Decade Gaudies • Careers Events University Drinks • OW Women’s Network House Societies

International OWW

47

New York Reunions • Commem Worldwide

OW Sports

55

Athletics • Angling • Cricket • Fives • Football Golf • Tennis • Real Tennis • Table Tennis • Water

OW Articles

First published by Westminster School, 2014 © Westminster School All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any shape or form by any means electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of Westminster School.

The views and opinions expressed by writers within The Elizabethan Newsletter do not necessarily reflect those of Westminster School. No responsibility is assumed by the publisher for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions or ideas contained in the material herein.

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 1

67

Neville Walton Travel Award • Metz Award From the Archives • Endings and New Beginnings History of Fencing • History of the OW Golf Society

OW News

88

Head of Alumni Relations • 2013 Leavers’ Notes 2013 Young Gaudy Notes • OW Updates and Publications • Letters to the Editor Oli Bennett Charitable Trust Obituaries and Deaths

26/06/2014 23:00

‘

Our Visitor, Her Majesty The Queen, has bestowed particular favour on the School in recent years.

Dr Stephen Spurr, Head Master

’

Read more about the Official

opening of the Sports Centre on page 7 and pages 13–17

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 2

26/06/2014 23:00

FROM THE SCHOOL Who to contact • Dr Stephen Spurr (Head Master) headmaster@westminster.org.uk • The Very Reverend Dr John Hall (Dean of Westminster) info@westminster-abbey.org • Chris Silcock (Bursar) chris.silcock@westminster.org.uk • Angie Garvich (Director of Development) angie.garvich@westminster.org.uk

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 3

26/06/2014 23:00

Head Master’s Report Above (left to right): The Head Master, the Dean of Westminster, Her Majesty The Queen and The Master of the Under School at the official opening of the Sports Centre.

‘

[Busby’s] effigy is gazing heavenwards, presumably looking for inspiration rather than in frustration, his reclining siesta-like pose doubtless leading all pupils to wonder just what the Head Master does all day!

’

Dr Stephen Spurr Head Master The job description of the Head Master is a one-liner: ‘responsibility for overall management of the School’. Liberating and open-ended on the one hand, quite intimidating on the other. In 2005, on assuming the mantle of the 38th Head Master since the dissolution of the monasteries and planning ahead, one thought immediately came to mind – to be neither the shortest-serving Head Master nor the longest.

So, after the first Play Term had passed, I could breathe a sigh of relief having surpassed the first hurdle! That had been set by John Hinchcliffe, who resigned in 1764 after only three months in post. The other I could feel relaxed about, Busby having been Head Master for some 57 years and dying in office aged 89. John Carleton, in his book on Westminster, tells how Busby had wished only for one word on his tomb: oblivio. One can understand that after 57 years!

Instead his tomb in the Abbey displays a very long inscription, an epitaph that would doubtless

4 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 4

26/06/2014 23:00

have made Busby raise his eyebrows, if not his infamous cane. His effigy is gazing heavenwards, presumably looking for inspiration rather than in frustration, his reclining siesta-like pose and the blank page on his lap, where he is meant to be writing the School’s Development Plan, doubtless leading all pupils who sit in the Abbey’s South Transept to wonder just what the Head Master does all day!

What has been achieved, then, over the last nine years and how well is the School positioned to face the future? The answer to the second part of that question should, I believe, be reassuring.

Westminster has firmly established itself as the most academically successful school in the country; and that unrivalled reputation is recognised abroad. Pole position in the FT League Tables, which measure results at both GCSE and A-level and admission to the top universities world-wide has definitely helped to give our achievements national and international status. In a global knowledge economy, Westminster’s unchallenged supremacy – this year, by way of example, a record of 97 pupils hold offers from Oxford and Cambridge – is as notable as it is hard-won. In the context of increasingly competitive international recruitment for the most renowned universities, that remarkable achievement, replicated at Imperial, UCL, LSE and among the Ivy League in America, demonstrates that today’s Westminster pupils are as well, if not better, prepared academically as any pupils the world over.

‘

the productive and participatory global citizens of tomorrow, we have looked in the rear-view mirror before pulling out from the kerb.

Traditional Westminster cultural pursuits since the Renaissance, namely theatre and music, have reached levels of school-wide excellence, aided by further investment and the strategy of involving as many pupils as possible. In music, for example, there are now 200 pupils in over 30 ensembles.

100 sing in at least one of the School’s choirs, six pupils play in the National Youth Orchestra, National Children’s Orchestra or London Schools’ Symphony Orchestra; and three sing in the National Youth Choir.

And, while success at sport was for many years Westminster’s most closely guarded secret, we are >>

This year a record of 97 pupils hold offers from Oxford and Cambridge.

’

That success is based on a deep and long-standing Westminster tradition. We have been careful not to teach to the test but to nurture the delicate plant of intellectual enquiry for its own intrinsic sake, through our teaching well beyond any examined syllabus and by means of the myriad pupilled academic and cultural societies beyond the classroom. This intellectual tradition goes back at least as far as Busby, if not before, namely that the only worthy criterion for esteem is academic endeavour: not privilege, not birth or wealth, but brains, endeavour and potential.

In other key ways also, when deciding what qualities the pupils of today will require in order to be

Above: Her Majesty The Queen.

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 5

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 5

26/06/2014 23:00

‘

We have reached out to many more bright and ambitious pupils from very modest backgrounds by doubling the level of financial assistance, by the establishment six years ago of the Westminster Summer School and, more recently still, by setting up a Sixth Form Academy with the Harris Federation for 500 able pupils from all over London.

’

>> now competing successfully with the best, as you

will read elsewhere in these pages.

We read in the 1560 Charter of Elizabeth I that ‘the youth which is growing to manhood, as tender shoots in the wood of our state, shall be liberally instructed in good books to the greater honour of the state’. The point to emphasise here is that a Westminster education should also be seen, by all those privileged to enjoy it, as a public good. It is thus excellent to hear from the current Remove, the boys among whom joined the School in the year the programme of ‘civic engagement’ was introduced, have almost all given of their time on a regular basis to help others, whether raising standards of numeracy and literacy in local primary schools, talking with and listening to the all too often isolated elderly, helping in central London hospitals, maintaining and sustaining PHAB, now in its 37th year, and so forth.

At the institutional level, the founding principle of giving poor scholars the opportunity to improve their life chances with a Westminster education, thus contributing to and renewing social, cultural and economic capital, has also been very significantly enhanced. We have reached out to many more bright and ambitious pupils from very modest backgrounds by doubling the level of financial assistance, by the establishment six years ago of the Westminster Summer School and, more recently still, by setting up a Sixth Form Academy with the Harris Federation for 500 able pupils from all over London.

Then there has been the expansion of facilities, the largest in a concentrated period in the School’s history, and precisely at the time of deepest economic recession! Needless to say, therefore, we have turned to Old Westminsters to assist. You have been generous with your contributions to the Annual Fund, which is principally directed

Above (left to right): The Master of the Under School, Her Majesty The Queen, the Dean of Westminster and the Head Master at the official opening of the Sports Centre.

towards bursaries; and many have also given to the Building on Excellence Capital Appeal, to fund the ‘property spike’: the magnificent indoor Sports Centre at Vincent Square, the new Purcell’s, now a mixed House – for boarding girls and day boys –, a refectory for House lunches, a School Chapel for one Lower School year group for Latin Prayers on Wednesdays and for quiet prayers for all, new staff accommodation to create a closer-knit community and a new dining room and other facilities at the Under School. We set out to raise £25 million two years ago and have reached almost £17 million.

How to help further (we are looking for 100% OW participation!), embellish Yard and inscribe yourselves literally into Westminster’s history, please read the article written by Angie Garvich, the Director of Development.

6 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 6

26/06/2014 23:00

Our Visitor, Her Majesty The Queen, has bestowed particular favour on the School in recent years. Who will forget the 450th celebrations in 2010, the great service in the Abbey and the magnificent Summer Ball which so many of you attended? Then came the sixtieth anniversary of the Coronation in June last year, when the Queen’s Scholars sang the Vivat in the Parry anthem. And again this Election Term, when The Queen officially opened the Sports Centre on 12th June. On this last occasion, Her Majesty was presented with a leather-bound album, crafted by pupils adept at the ancient art of bookbinding, containing photographs of royal visits going back to the time of George V. Even the most famous and successful schools need, at key moments in their history, to take

stock and re-define their aims. The first decade or so of the 21st century has been one such time for Westminster. By taking a radical view, in the sense of going back to our roots, we have been able to identify our traditional strengths, mission and ethos and to reshape them for the new century. In striving to continue to keep our standards and facilities fit for present purpose, and well-positioned to face the challenges of the future, I have always been determined to ensure that Old Westminsters remain very proud of their School. In doing so, I could not have been more fortunate in my relations with three successive chairmen of the Elizabethan Club, its current President and the Committee. Both Susanna and I will remember both them and all the very many former pupils whom we have had the pleasure to meet over the past nine years with great fondness.

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 7

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 7

26/06/2014 23:00

The Dean’s Report The Very Reverend Dr John Hall Dean of Westminster

Above: OW Former Monitors lead Latin Prayers with the Head Master in the Nave at OWW at Home on 11th July 2013.

‘

It was a pleasure for the Dean and Chapter to receive more than 500 Old Westminsters for an untrammelled roam through the Abbey and on into College Garden for drinks.

’

On 11th July 2013, it was a pleasure for the Dean and Chapter to receive more than 500 Old Westminsters, their families and friends for an untrammelled roam through the Abbey and on into College Garden for drinks. Happily it was a balmy evening and the time seemed to be well appreciated. The model for the evening was one that the Abbey has arranged for many years every July for members of the Order of the Bath, of which the Dean of Westminster is the Dean (principal officer) and which is based in the Lady Chapel, also known as the Henry VII. The motive for the 2013 evening was the very successful Ball, held in the Summer of 2010, marking the 450th anniversary of St Peter’s College (the Abbey as a Collegiate Church and the School together under the charter of Queen Elizabeth I), an evening that began with a free wander through the Abbey Church and culminated in a rather crowded Compline in the Lady Chapel. Many OWW had expressed their appreciation of the evening and asked that it be repeated. The invitation last year was a first attempt at a comparable though smaller exercise.

The evening on this occasion finished with a rather more ordered Latin Prayers in the Nave.

As Dean I chair the governing body, which continues to play a quiet role behind the scenes, actively engaged in support of the School and seeking to extend both the attractiveness of the School and the circumstances that will allow it to flourish – as it does. For governors it will be, as I write, a

8 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 8

26/06/2014 23:00

particular pleasure to see the new Sports Centre in the Royal Horticultural Society’s splendid second building near Vincent Square, after almost a year of successful operation, officially opened by Her Majesty The Queen. The need for such provision has been long felt and it is wonderful to see it so effectively in use. Two other important developments planned for well over a year await fulfilment.

In September 2014 Harris Westminster Sixth Form, a Government-funded Free School will open in Westminster, the result of collaboration between Westminster School and the Harris Federation, one of the largest and most experienced providers of Academies in London. The plan is to grow within a very few years to a school of 500 pupils, admitted on the basis of academic selection, with a preference for the least advantaged in life. The broad curriculum will match that of Westminster, and, although the two establishments will have their own distinct life and character, there will be a degree of collaboration.

Dr Stephen Spurr has played a major role in enabling these developments but will in the end not be involved in their implementation. I write below about Stephen Spurr’s outstanding nine years as Head Master of Westminster. So in this report I limit myself to welcoming his successor as Head Master, Patrick Derham, who has led Rugby School with great distinction and will bring substantial experience and flair to Westminster.

Dr Stephen Spurr, Head Master 2005–2014 My predecessor as Dean, Dr Wesley Carr, was chairing the governing body when Tristram JonesParry announced his retirement as Head Master, so in December 2006, when I became Dean, Stephen Spurr was already in his second of nine years at Westminster. I quickly discovered what an excellent appointment Dr Carr and his fellow governors had made.

Stephen brought with him to Westminster his own personal commitment to providing an education of a quality that would challenge and enable young people to achieve at the highest level of which they were capable and also to become in the broadest sense useful citizens. His wide experience, as a classicist teaching at university level in Australia, teaching and leading his department at Eton and as Head Master of Clifton, was excellent practical preparation for enabling him to put his commitment into effect. He has been outstandingly successful.

Various objective criteria could establish the quality of Stephen Spurr’s achievement as Head Master. The first is undoubtedly continuing to offer

Westminsters a broad and challenging academic experience coupled with enabling their growing achievement in examination success and in entrance to the best universities. For year after year, Westminster has been listed by the Financial Times as the pre-eminent School in their league tables.

This is a remarkable achievement. Not every newspaper’s league table has matched the commitment to Westminster of the FT, but that is explained by the way in which the FT has taken into account the most significant academic courses and not been troubled as to whether these were leading to GCSEs and A Levels, or IGCSEs and Pre-Us. The successful introduction into the curriculum of these latter more testing examination courses – and not being diverted into backwaters such as the IB – has been part of Stephen Spurr’s achievement. This year, the number of offers to Westminster Leavers

by Oxford and Cambridge has increased yet again, in addition to offers from the best universities overseas and the Russell Group universities at home. All this success has led, despite the recession, to ever increasing numbers of candidates applying to join Westminster and to ever larger accommodation for those sitting the entrance exams.

The second objective criterion would be Dr Spurr’s achievement in developing his senior staff. After his first year, he was joined by Under Master Dr Gary Savage, formerly Eton’s Master in College. After a very successful few years, with the active encouragement of his Head Master, Dr Savage sought and achieved appointment as Head Master of Alleyn’s in Dulwich. Dr Spurr appointed Dr Martin Boulton, an experienced member of the Common Room, as Under Master.

After equally few years, again with the active encouragement of his Head Master, Dr Boulton was appointed High Master of his alma mater Manchester Grammar School. They are not the only recent members of the Westminster Common Room to have become Heads. In 2009, the Master of the Queen’s Scholars, Dr Frances Ramsey, was appointed Principal of Queen’s College in Harley Street. It is a sign of successful leadership to develop staff and enable them to move on to higher things. The introduction of a professional development review has been part of that process. Other members of the Common Room have been brought into leadership. Charles Low as Director of Studies was succeeded by Rodney Harris, who has now been joined, such are the important demands of the role as now conceived, by two assistants. More recently Kate Clanchy has replaced Rod Beavon after his very successful final few years as Senior Master after many years as Head of Science. Jeremy Kemball was brought into the senior management committee as Senior Tutor. With the excellent Chris Silcock as Bursar, >> THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 9

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 9

26/06/2014 23:00

Below: Bear Grylls’ visit: just one of the high-profile visitors during Dr Spurr’s time as Head Master.

>> this senior team has collaboratively and effectively

supported Stephen Spurr’s leadership.

‘

Stephen Spurr has been a determined champion of sport, Station, as a vital part of the broader curriculum.

’

Jeremy Kemball’s membership of the senior team has related in particular to another marked achievement of Dr Spurr’s headship: the introduction of civic engagement as an experience for every Westminster pupil in their school career. They have responded brilliantly to the opportunity of helping primary school children to read, working with other young people out of school, supporting the elderly in communal homes and a seemingly infinite number of other activities besides. This has all contributed to a growing sense within Westminster of the value of reaching out to those less advantaged. Great sums of money have been raised to increase bursary support for able pupils to have their education at Westminster subsidised.

PHAB has continued to flourish, courses of science lectures have involved pupils from local maintained schools, the Summer School has enabled potential high achievers to reach their goals at university entrance and members of the Common Room have supported curriculum and staff development in a number of less advantaged schools. Stephen Spurr has given active and invaluable support to the development of plans to open Harris Westminster Sixth Form, which fits well into this established pattern. All this activity has been undertaken with the full support of the Common Room and evidently without putting at risk the core academic achievement of Westminster’s pupils, indeed much to their advantage. It should be clear that concern for the spiritual and moral development of pupils

10 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 10

26/06/2014 23:00

Bursar’s Report Chris Silcock My annual report generally focuses on buildings and bursaries and this year will be little different.

Above: Susanna Spurr with David Brigstocke (AHH, 1966–70) and Lavinia Spurr at the 2013 New York Reunion.

and of society helps create a context in which learning and achievement will flourish.

The last objective criterion I have space to mention is the development of the School’s premises, in which the Head Master has inevitably been heavily involved. The Manoukian Music Centre had been opened in 2005, the culmination of much significant development in the years before Stephen Spurr joined the School. But the acquisition of St Edward’s House in Tufton Street for the School, to house Purcell’s, has been a major development under his headship, and the crowning glory of recent years’ extension of facilities has been the Sports Centre. Stephen Spurr has been a determined champion of sport, Station, as a vital part of the broader curriculum.

All this has been achieved with effective consultation, with considerable grace and humour, and most of the time with a gentle touch. But no one has been in doubt that under a very smooth and charming exterior lie real strength and quiet passion.

It seems far too soon for him to be heading off into retirement. But we wish him and Susanna every joy and peace in their home in Tuscany and feel sure that in various ways Stephen will continue to be a force for good here in support of the highest standards in education.

Occasionally there is an article in the press which questions spending by independent schools on their estate, suggesting that we are simply gold-plating what we offer and that we are in an educational “arms race” with each other to attract parents. We are also lectured on our charitable duties and what we should do to widen access instead of enlarging our facilities.

The premise of the question is fair. When Governors consider how the School’s resources should be allocated they are mindful of our charitable foundation and what we have done throughout our long history.

The recent Governing Body’s biennial strategic review of bursaries reaffirmed its policy of ‘needsblind admission’. This means that any pupil who is able to win a place on academic merit against the competition will be enabled to take up that place with a bursary if the parents are unable to afford some or all of the fees.

Of course, assessing need is a key part of the process. This year the School received almost 200 bursary applications from candidates seeking 2014 entry at 11+, 13+ and 16+. Whilst assessment showed that over 160 would, if they won a place, merit some fee remission, the number who did eventually win a place was considerably lower.

Nevertheless the School currently has well over 60 pupils on a bursary of some level, 42 of whom receive a 100% fee remission.

I am often asked what the criteria for a bursary are. The Governors’ direction is that parents >> THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 11

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 11

26/06/2014 23:00

>> should not have to face hardship to send their

children to Westminster. If a parent is wealthy or of very modest means, the calculation is simple, but parents in the mid-range do occasionally have to examine their priorities and lifestyle. I have generally found that the School’s assessment is considered fair and reasonable.

The School is a business and the business must be sound with the books balancing if we are to continue offering the exceptional education that we do. We aim to keep the fees as low as possible so that they remain within reach of our parents.

We aim to fund bursaries out of our endowments, which you will know were considerably enhanced by the Milne legacy. In addition, the generosity of donors through our Annual Fund and other fundraising has enabled the Development Office to keep the endowment pot topped up.

However, as I explained last year, buildings occasionally come up for sale which requires us to dip into our funds if we are not to lose out.

Unlike many schools, we don’t always have the

‘

he School’s Building on T Excellence Campaign is important to get us back to where we were financially before the purchase of the Sports Centre, the new Purcell’s and the Under School’s new Douglas Street building.

’

luxury of being able to raise funds in advance of a major project which is why the School’s Building on Excellence Campaign led by the Development Office is so important to get us back to where we were financially before the purchase of the Sports Centre, the new Purcell’s and the Under School’s new Douglas Street building.

Our Director of Development would shoot me if I did not mention the Yard repaving project.

We have achieved consent to repave Yard, which is in a bit of a state to get it in good order for the next two to three hundred years. In advance of

that we have already completed work on repaving Ashburnham Garden funded with the help of a generous Westminster family and also through the purchase by some of our OWW of engraved stones. We have a complete engraved stone which may be viewed should you wish to see what is being offered. Two engraved stones have been laid in the Garden and may be viewed and there was a small ribbon cutting ceremony in the Election Term to officially re-open the space, and we hope too that you will be enthused to buy a stone of your own, marking your time at Westminster or even that of several members of your family. It really is more economical to share the cost with your OW parent, sibling and, dare one say, child!

So what else is happening? I have been reporting for a number of years that the old Adrian Boult Music Centre will be redeveloped and that Ashburnham House will be refurbished. I regret that no progress has been made, although not for want of trying. The Head Master and his Senior Management Committee are trying to decide what use can best be made of the Boult site and the fact that we have yet to nail it would suggest that we have yet to find the best answer. As to Ashburnham House, some early work is being done on options but it will be some time before we do anything major.

In the next year or so the Great School should have a new surgery in the basement of the Master of Queen’s Scholar’s House which was once occupied by the Chaplain before his move to St Edward’s Chapel. The Robert Hooke Science Centre needs a major overhaul of its services and roof and that will start this Summer. And work to redevelop the Under School’s main hall and former kitchen/dining room as a better space for assemblies, concerts and drama began this past Easter. This work will conclude the major redevelopment which began with the new building across the road.

I end as usual by saying that finances are sound and that applications to the Great School and the Under School increase year on year – once again, Dat Deus Incrementum. We are very fortunate indeed and grateful for it. Floreat!

12 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 12

26/06/2014 23:00

Westminster Development Angie Garvich Director of Development

Above: The Head Master, Her Majesty The Queen and the Master of the Under School at the official opening of the Sports Centre.

There are any number of firsts that I have had in my almost five years at Westminster – my first experience of a physical competition focused around the flinging of a breakfast food, the first time I heard Westminster Abbey referred to as a “School chapel” and I’ll never forget the day I realised that a House singing competition can be more viciously competitive than any school sport. But still, I have to admit that having your new school sports centre opened by a reigning monarch probably tops them all (I still say “new”, but pupils and OWW have in the almost 2 years since it opened its doors worked their special magic to give it that very “worn in” Westminster feeling!). It was a great day and as Her Majesty commented that the last time she opened a sports centre was just before Charles left Gordonstoun, we think it made for a pleasant change of pace for her as well.

the initial mortification of imaging their names inscribed for eternity in masonry wears off a bit, the idea of being immortalised in Portland Stone becomes very appealing! Sales are going very well and many more engraved stones will soon be following these initial two. In fact, my new favourite thing is working with OWW to help them to decide on their location. From the Old Wrenite who specifically requested that his be beneath the cricket noticeboard to another former pupil who was keen to be “in goal” for Yard football, each choice is personal and these unique touches are going to add some real Westminster character to our beautifully repaved Little Dean’s Yard. >>

This year has also seen one other important first – that of the very first names to be “legally” carved into the fabric of the School! Our first two OW Yard stones were laid in Ashburnham Garden this April and I can honestly say that they look as if they have always been there. It turns out that once pupils leave the School, and

‘

his year has also seen T an important first- that of the very first names to be “legally” carved into the fabric of the School!

’

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 13

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 13

26/06/2014 23:00

‘

Today, parents and OWW make up around 1/3 each of the total number of donors to Building on Excellence.

’

Excellence. One very important group, our former parents, was entirely absent from the past campaign, and we are delighted that today they play such a prominent role in all areas of School life.

As to our overall progress, I am delighted to report that with your assistance our Building on Excellence total has now reached £16.8m of its £25m target. Still, the real key to success today, just as it was in 1961, is participation. The important gifts aren’t just the ones given by those with millions of pounds to contribute, but by everyone who participates in whatever way that they can. Any gift, no matter the size, is vitally important to our success.

Above: The Dean of Westminster, Her Majesty The Queen and The Master of the Under School at the official opening of the Sports Centre.

>>

Sponsoring Yard stones is just one way that our donors are choosing to lend their support, and there’s no denying that Westminster’s Building on Excellence Campaign is the largest and most comprehensive philanthropic appeal in the School’s long history. The differences between this appeal and the School’s very first capital campaign seem vast. For starters, today we’re seeking to secure £25m and have made some of the largest property acquisitions in the School’s history, while in the first appeal, launched in 1961, we were seeking a more modest £250,000 with the simple goal of setting our finances on a more stable footing.

In fundraising terms, change can often be a very good thing. In the 1961 appeal, parents contributed just 6% of the funds raised. Today, parents and OWW make up around 1/3 each of the total number of donors to Building on

Over the past two years we have called upon our friends to come together as a new generation of Westminster visionaries, and by investing in our future to reaffirm their belief in the principles that form the foundation of this great school – that knowledge is something to be aspired to, that through learning we can affect change and, most importantly, that a superior education should be available to all with the intelligence, drive and courage to benefit from it.

We have worked hard to demonstrate that our focus will always be on initiatives that will have a truly transformational impact on life at your School, and it is our hope that every member of this extended Westminster Community will support us in our mission to create the global citizens of tomorrow. Any gift, no matter the size, can make a genuine difference – whether by providing immediate financial assistance or in helping us to leverage future support from others. We encourage you to take part, in support of whichever area and at whatever level is appropriate for you, and together I know we will accomplish great things.

14 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 14

26/06/2014 23:00

Westminster School Sports Centre

Grand Opening

Thursday, 12th June 2014 Westminster School Sports Centre

Above (top): The Dean of Westminster and the Head Master watch Her Majesty The Queen unveil the plaque marking the official opening of the Sports Centre.

Above (bottom): A Westminster pupil, overseen by the Dean of Westminster, presents Her Majesty the Queen with a bouquet of flowers.

On Thursday, 12th June Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II opened the Westminster School Sports Centre, marking the culmination of many years’ ambition and achievement. As the Head Master has noted, the search for sporting facilities to house the major stations has arguably been ongoing since the School’s foundation 450 years ago and it was, therefore, wonderful to witness its conclusion.

The Sports Centre offers 6,000m² of cuttingedge facilities for climbing, fencing, Judo, dance, cricket, football and many other stations. Pupils no longer have to travel across London to participate in their chosen sport and boarders now have access to leisure facilities in the evening. For the whole School community the buzz created by hundreds of pupils improving their skills and physical fitness in one place on Tuesdays and Thursdays has been a real benefit. >> THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 15

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 15

26/06/2014 23:00

The end of a 450-year search required the swift purchase of the 1930s Royal Horticultural Society Lawrence Hall when it became available which was subsequently converted into our Sports Centre. Westminster’s location means that the purchase of existing buildings (rather than building on available land) is often the only way to secure new facilities for pupils. The School’s most recent acquisitions, including the Sports Centre, have required a capital investment of roughly £36m, currently funded from a combination of endowments and a bank loan of £12m, which remains outstanding. To ensure that we continue on the strongest possible financial footing and to avoid compromising the growth of our Bursary Programme, the £25m Building on Excellence appeal was launched.

Recouping this amount will allow the School to repay all outstanding loans and will help us to maintain a responsible level of reserves.

>>

‘

For the whole School community the buzz created by hundreds of pupils improving their skills and physical fitness in one place on Tuesdays and Thursdays has been a real benefit.

’

Many OWW have already chosen to support the Building on Excellence appeal and it would be wonderful to see every member of the Westminster Community play a part in this huge undertaking. To make a gift please visit www. oldwestminster.org.uk/donate or donate by post by sending a cheque payable to ‘Westminster School’ to The Development Office, Westminster School, 17a Dean’s Yard, London SW1P 3PB.

Above: Westminster pupils put on a fencing display for Her Majesty The Queen.

16 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 16

26/06/2014 23:01

‘

The end of a 450year search required the swift purchase of the 1930s Royal Horticultural Society Lawrence Hall when it became available

’

Left: Westminster cricketers meet Her Majesty The Queen.

Below: Her Majesty The Queen meets some Westminster badminton players.

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 17

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 17

26/06/2014 23:01

Fund for Westminster Thank You Event

Project Reports 18th March 2014 School Above: An Under School pupil performs on the new Cor Anglais.

Showing donors the projects made possible by their donations to the Fund for Westminster is always one of the highlights of the year. This year OWW, Friends (former parents and staff) and Parents enjoyed drinks and canapés up School while viewing the various Fund for Westminster 2013 purchases which are detailed in the report that follows. Pupils were on hand to explain the impact of the projects on School life and hearing first-hand what a difference the Campaign made was extremely inspiring for all present. Our sincere thanks to everyone who supported the Campaign in 2013.

Opposite page (top): Guests at the event enjoy a demonstration of the Magic Planet Digital Globe in action.

Opposite page (below): The Archivist, Elizabeth Wells, shows off some of the School trophies.

Magic Planet Digital Globe

One of the most popular projects in the room was the Magic Planet Digital Globe. Pupils were able to show donors incredible images like the surface of Mars or the movement of the Earth’s weather systems during major events such as the 2005 Tsunami. This teaching tool will allow pupils of all ages to view and interactively explore subjects as varied as physics, earth science and world history. The globe will be used by pupils at both Schools as well as in Westminster’s outreach work with our partner state schools.

Trophy Cabinet

‘

Pupils were able to show donors incredible images like the surface of Mars or the movement of the Earth’s weather systems during major events such as the 2005 Tsunami

’

The Archivist, Elizabeth Wells, dusted off some of the School’s most prized silverware for the event, some of which will eventually be displayed in the new Trophy Cabinet for the Sports Centre. It was a real treat for pupils and donors to see items which are usually kept under-wraps and we look forward to some stunning displays when the cabinet arrives.

18 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 18

26/06/2014 23:01

Wet Day Games Boxes

Having Hungry Hungry Hippos and Kerplunk out at the event provided a nostalgic treat for the adults in the room! The games boxes will provide a selection of board games for Under School boys to play at break whenever inclement weather prevents them from going outside.

Cor Anglais and Soprano Saxophone

Two of our Under School boys gave some wonderful performances throughout the evening on the new Cor Anglais and Soprano Saxophone.

It was great to hear these wonderful and slightly unusual instruments played with such skill and enthusiasm.

Portable PA System

It wasn’t the prettiest item in the room (!) but the new PA system will transform the way we are able to manage special events on Vincent Square and has already proved an extremely useful addition to School life.

Steinway for School

Our newly purchased Steinway Model D concert grand piano was the star of the show and the performances by two of our Great School pupils were truly incredible. Having heard so

much about the instrument’s illustrious past (it has been the piano of choice for the world’s greatest pianists such as Garrick Ohlsson, Malcolm Martineau, Howard Shelley, James Rhodes, Martin Roscoe, Sunwook Kim, Lisa de la Salle, Roger Vignoles, Marc-André Hamlin and Valentina Lisitsa) it was amazing to listen to it being played in its new home. We look forward to many more performances over the years to come.

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 19

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 19

26/06/2014 23:01

Legacy News

Above (top): Pupils walking to lessons.

Opposite page (top): Bikes outside Busby’s House.

Opposite page (bottom): The Head Master presents a member of the A.A. Milne Society with her commemorative badge.

A.A. Milne Society

Making a commitment to Westminster in your will is a truly inspiring act and the School is extremely grateful to all OWW who have chosen to do so. All legacy donors who notify Westminster of their gift are recognised as members of the A.A. Milne Society (of which further details follow) and we are pleased to include news for Society members along with a general update for all OWW here:

New brochure

Our new legacy brochure features a codicil document to enable prospective donors to amend their existing will as well as clearer information on the process of leaving this type of gift to the School. To request a copy please email alumni@westminster.org.uk Next A.A. Milne Society event

We are looking to organise a small event for A.A. Milne Society members on the same night as the next Reel History Archives Film showing so members can attend both events if they wish. The date will be Thursday, 11th September and invitations will be sent to members of the Society in the Autumn so if you have not notified us of your gift please ensure you do so we can send you an invitation!

20 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 20

26/06/2014 23:01

‘

Our new legacy brochure features a codicil document to enable prospective donors to amend their existing will.

’

US taxpayers

The Westminster School Foundation US is incorporated in the state of Delaware and carries 501c3 status from the US Internal Revenue Services, which means that all qualifying donations made by US taxpayers will be treated as tax-deductible. For US taxpayers, a bequest made to “The Westminster School Foundation US, registered charity number 99-0369928” is deductible for federal estate tax purposes, and there is no limit on the amount of the estate tax charitable deduction. In addition, bequests are not generally subject to state inheritance or estate taxes. Please do not hesitate to contact alumni@westminster.org.uk if you have any further questions about how to make this type of gift.

‘

We are looking to organise a small party for A.A. Milne Society members on the same night as the next Reel History Archives Film event.

’

About the A.A. Milne Society The A.A. Milne Society, named for one of the School’s most generous benefactors, has been created to recognise those who have generously chosen to support Westminster through a legacy gift. Members of the Society receive specific recognition for their commitment to the School, including invitations to special events and updates on matters of particular interest to Society members. eneral notes on leaving a legacy G to the School For the purpose of a legacy, the School’s full legal name for inclusion in your will or codicil is “St Peter’s College (otherwise known as Westminster School), registered charity number 312728”.

Legacy gifts for unrestricted purposes are always particularly helpful. If you are happy for your bequest to be used in this way, please note “general purposes”. Otherwise, please specify a fund or programme.

Westminster School is recognised as a charity by HM Revenue & Customs and therefore pays no tax on gifts of money or property made either during your lifetime or upon your death. Bequests made to such tax-exempt beneficiaries are entirely free of Inheritance Tax, meaning Westminster will receive 100% of the value of your gift.

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 21

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 21

26/06/2014 23:01

Extracts from House Reports produced for The Elizabethan (June 2014)

House Reports Ashburnham

Above: Images of life at Westminster over the 2013/14 academic year.

Ashburnham has risen like a comet from the depths of mid-table obscurity, and this year’s results show that it is a sporting force to be reckoned with in the future. 1st in Girls’ Tennis, a close 2nd in both House Climbing and Shooting, 4th in Netball, a 2nd place Towpath finish from Atalanta Arden-Miller (Remove) and victory in the 100m front crawl from Jed Thompson (Remove) represent a remarkable last hurrah from the departing Remove, providing a strong example for the future ’burnham legends. While these sporting events have brought glory upon Sharon Ragaz’s Blue Army, it was the unity within the House that was most touching. At Pizza Express over a shared

22 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 22

26/06/2014 23:01

portion of garlic bread the peer supporters and I bonded with the Fifth Form, and a House Secret Santa saw festive cheer shared by Lower and Upper School. Whether singing (mostly in tune) Rick Astley’s timeless hit – Never Gonna Give You Up, applying blue Smurf body paint for our House photo, or organising the ever-successful bouncy castle for September Saturday, under Dr Ragaz’s guidance, Ashburnham has indeed shown flashes of the elusive ‘House spirit’.

Busby’s

Led by our fabulous Housemaster Mr Botton we have claimed the House Shooting cup, the junior House Football trophy, and only a technicality (and Mr Wurr’s questionable score allocation) prevented victory in the senior and junior boys’ Bringsty race allowing us to seize overall triumph.

Despite narrow losses in the senior boys’ and girls’ House football it is fair to say we remain a dominant force in House sport. Off the pitch, you will find Busbites excelling in everything they put their minds to. Our House concert, led by our music gurus, was critically acclaimed as “the best House concert of the year”. The Arctic Monkeys, Frank Sinatra and Chopin, to name but a few, provided an eclectic mix of classical, comic and popular music which was brought to an end by Ziding Zhang’s (Remove) emotional farewell to a House that many have called home.

This House is special for its tight-knit familial atmosphere, as demonstrated by the pizza evening currently going on around me as I write, and I know that during my two years as a Busbite I have been lucky enough to know some of the most amazing, kind and generous individuals I ever will.

College

College is not usually a House renowned for owning hoards of sport trophies, but this year has proved to be an exception! We have managed to retain the Chess Cup, the largest and, of course, the most important of all the sports trophies, for the 4th year running. Moreover, we have added the House Netball Cup to our collection, winning every game in the competition thanks to some fantastic leadership from the captain, Elizabeth

Dunne (Remove), and clinical finishes from our best shooter, Jessie Shea (Sixth Form). With many of the younger years also showing great talent and determination, the future for College looks bright on the sporting front. Musical achievements have been phenomenal this year: two of our gifted musicians, Matthew Bannatyne (Sixth Form) and Yuma Kitahara (Lower Shell), fought off some tough competition to reach the Westminster Musician of the Year (WMOTY) Finals. Congratulations to Yuma, who won second place.

No College year is complete without a Commemoration, Big or Little. It reminds us how fortunate we are to be in such a great academic atmosphere which promotes learning and achievement, and remember those benefactors of the School who have made all this posible.

Dryden’s

The Day Room has remained the focal point for group crosswords and Sudoku puzzles and of late the hub for Irish songs. “I cannot think of anything better than singing Irish songs at 8.30 in the morning” said at least one pupil and a certain old Drydenite tutor. Elsewhere, Drydenites have continued to excel in School competitions with awards won for debating and Model United Nations, Drydenites appearing in Fiddler on the Roof and performing in WMOTY. We were even treated to a Drydenite carol in Abbey followed by the School Carol Service procession which was oddly dominated by Drydenites.

House Scarletts remains the most exclusive tie in the School, Mr Hemsley-Brown’s trophy cabinet has been given a well-deserved year to breathe and it is clear that Dryden’s has continued in its upward trajectory and remains Westminster’s premium corridor property.

Grant’s

This has been a triumphant year. We performed five short House plays (four more than any other House, I am told) from the collection Lovers and Other Strangers, with Messrs Hanway (Sixth Form) and Mann (Lower Shell) dazzling in drag. The House concert was a roaring success, culminating >> THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 23

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 23

26/06/2014 23:01

>>

in a feisty rendition of karaoke classic The Final Countdown. We won (!) House Swimming and House Rock Climbing, reached the semi-finals in Girls’ Football, ran with valour in the Towpath, and played tiki-taka the 2 Little Dean’s Yard way in reaching the final of Junior House Football. This has also been a year of high emotion. In September, the boarders were presented with FIFA 14 Ultimate Edition in a moving ceremony up TV Room.

David Hargreaves’s departure casts in sharper relief just how sensationally lucky we’ve been to have him as our Housemaster, leader, surrogate parent and friend for the past few years. PDH has anchored the adolescent fluctuations of countless Grantites with an unwavering commitment to their wellbeing. Those of us leaving know we’ve been fortunate to grow up here – and that next year’s intake will be saying exactly the same in five years’ time.

Hakluyt’s

In addition to the sterling extra-curricular commitment of our Lower School members, we have a WMOTY winner in Tommy Leo (Fifth Form), whose piano-playing skills have made ripples around the School in recent months. Eliza Millett (who was Tommy’s predecessor as WMOTY), has, in addition to her choral commitments, played the Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto to a full house at St John’s Smith Square. Sport has found something approaching a home in Hakluyt’s, as evidenced by some remarkable achievements this year. The Sixth Form and Remove girls, who came an historic second in the Girls’ House football competition, put their male counterparts to shame – only debris was salvaged from the group stages, despite some valiant route-one football and a glorious goal from the halfway line by Sam ‘Wilshere’ Winters (Remove). As the Election Term draws to an end, it is with great pride that we can look back on a fantastic year in the House of Hopkins, and, apart from those of us parting ways with the blue and yellow, look forward to yet another.

Liddell’s

Oft-better known for its indoor exploits, the sporting tides are certainly changing for Liddell’s: on the back of last year’s Junior House Football victory we managed to place 3rd overall in this year’s Sports

Day. Kept only from 2nd place by a bout of truancy amongst the girls’ team, the Yellow Army managed to come closely behind the sporting-mad Wren’s and Busby’s.

This year’s House concert was another aural extravaganza with impressive performances throughout, and a particularly innovative rendition of the Beatles’ classic Let it Be by Azmain Chowdury’s (Remove) ‘Faceless Bureaucrats’.

Milne’s

We need not embellish our triumphs. Truth is axiomatic. It would be almost truculent to dwell on our manifold achievements in the running arena; one comes to accept the unrelenting string of victories as an inexorable part of Milne’s life.

However, victory in the Senior Towpath with the glorious taking of first and second place by Andreas Ioannou (Remove) and Nicholas Clanchy (Sixth Form), who went on to bring home the fastest time in the School at the Bringsty relays, must be stated.

We had to settle for second place, an outré feeling, in House chess after conceding defeat against the English national team disguised as College. Despite being led by School’s sharpest shooter, Pip Frizzelle (Remove), the netball team was valiantly defeated in the final of the House competition leaving us runners-up for the second year in a row.

Perhaps it is the fact that our chimney is taller than Ashburnham’s proving, once again, we are the greatest House in Dean’s Yard, for as you know, size matters. And though our wall paint and denizens may be protean our coruscating spirit remains

24 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 24

26/06/2014 23:01

score of performances ranging from poetry recitals to DJ-ing.

Rigaud’s

J. Paul Getty had a formula for success: “rise early, work hard, strike oil.” To say that biodiesel was harvested in Rigaud’s this year would be an understatement. We won more House trophies (Football, Senior Sixes, Girls’ Football, Tennis and Cricket) than any other House.

Above: Images of life at Westminster over the 2013/14 academic year.

endemic. And it is with such assiduous and modest spirit that we follow our glorious Scottish leader William Wallace Dr Hartley assisting our striving towards quintessence. Yes Wren’s, you may take our lives, you may temporarily take our Towpath trophy, but you’ll never take...our freedom!

Purcell’s

Purcellites have better life skills than denizens from all the other (clearly inferior) Houses, being the only House in which the girls all do their own laundry. It continues to be a rampant breeding ground for feminists, contributing more speakers to Feminist Society than any other House. But we don’t hate men – the Upper School gave up half of their common room for the Lower Shell boys, and the whole House came together in St Edward’s Refectory for a lively trivia quiz. At the same time the House retains its unique atmosphere as a girls’ boarding house in the evenings, hosting a number of movie and pizza nights in the Lady Chapel.

Purcell’s is also a very musical house: the Purcell’s House concert was bursting with variety, boasting a

It was a year marked by an unusual willingness to take off various articles of clothing for fun, charity and posterity (in that order). Firstly we had the House concert in January 2014 – a dramatic event that saw some beautiful individual playing/ singing, a wonky but good-natured rendition of Ben E. King’s Stand By Me by two ninths of the Remove, and a quite literally tear-jerking interpretation of Debussy’s La fille aux cheveux de lin by Alex Pulsford (Remove). The camp plastic cherry on the top of this quadruple-chocolate-Matron’s-cake of an evening was, however, the Remove song. We had chosen It’s Raining Men by The Weather Girls weeks in advance, printed off enough lyrics to cover the House Poetry Board three times over, and organised enough rehearsals to get bored with the whole damn thing. But it all paid off: it was a complete and utter triumph, full of lusty singing and disco moves.

Wren’s

What a superb year to be a Wrenite! Our performance on the track was dominant, both at Wimbledon Common and along the Towpath, with our supremely athletic girls team deservedly taking most of the credit – the records truly tumbled with a new girls’ record for the Bringsty and our September 2012 super-signing, Mary-Alice (Remove), setting a new personal record along the Towpath. The sporting and intellectual talent within the House was also displayed in fine style on the prestigious platforms of the Dolphin Square swimming pool and the Maths Department Chess Arena, as well as on the debating front with Eleanor Shearer (Remove) and Alex Mafi (Remove) performing superbly. The annual induction to the House, through Christopher Wren’s Birthday Party, was spectacular, with our new Fifth and Sixth Formers showing off their musical and artistic class, instilling great hope for the future of Wren’s.

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 25

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 25

26/06/2014 23:01

The OW Women’s Network 2013 Private Shopping Evening – Charlotte Davis (LL, 2009–11), Louise Yang (AHH, 2009–11) and Becca Shaw (WW, 2009–11).

‘

What a wonderful evening last night.

A great opportunity to catch up with old friends in a beautiful setting.

Alexandra Jackson (PP, 2001–03)

’

Read more about

OWW at Home 2013 on page 32

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 26

26/06/2014 23:01

Below: Old Westminsters at Home 2013.

OWW enjoy drinks in College Garden.

OW SOCIAL Elizabethan Club Committee Members • David Neuberger (WW, 1961–65) President

• Tarun Mathur (AHH, 1988–93) tarun.mathur@barcap.com

• Tim Brocklebank-Fowler (RR, 1976–80) Chairman tim@brocklebank.biz

• Matthew Webb (BB, 1999–2004) mwebb@gmail.com

• Nicholas Brown (RR, 1968–73) Hon. Secretary NicholasBrown@bdb-law.co.uk • Artin Basirov (GG, 1989–94) Treasurer abasirov@sdcglobal.net • Jessica Chichester (GG, 2000–02) OW Sports Representative jessie_cc@hotmail.com • Gavin Griffiths (WW, 1967–72) gavin.griffiths@westminster.org.uk

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 27

• Charlotte Seymour (BB, 2006–08) Young OW Representative, charlotte.e.seymour@gmail.com • James Kershen (WW, 1981–86 and Master i/c Station) Common Room james.kershen@westminster.org • Jonathan Carey (GG, 1964–69) jonathan_carey@hotmail.co.uk • David Roy (AHH, 1955–61) daroy@btinternet.com

26/06/2014 23:01

‘

Thank you for organising a wonderful evening, rich in interest and excitement and full of memories

’

James Freeman (WW, 1970–74) in an email following the 2013 Elizabethan Club Dinner

2012–2013

Elizabethan Club Annual Report Tim Brocklebank-Fowler (RR, 1976–80) As presented to the AGM on Thursday, 19th September 2013 by the Chairman, Tim Brocklebank-Fowler.

The Club has had another busy year of social and sporting events attracting a diverse range of OWW from all age groups, with men and women participating in similar proportions to our overall constituency.

Social Events

Above (right): Henrietta Southby (BB, 2005–07) and Zara Carey (HH, 2005–07).

Above (top): Ben Jesty (DD, 1993–98) and Davina Bristow (LL, 1996–98).

Above (bottom): Nadya Wells (HH, 1987–89) and Amanda Burton (DD, 1987–89).

At the 2012 Annual Dinner we were delighted to welcome Henry Winter (WW, 1976–80) as our Guest of Honour and Speaker and were entertained to some very amusing anecdotes from his experience as Chief Football Correspondent for The Telegraph. As in 2011 the dinner attracted a high rate of attendance and an encouraging proportion of younger OWW. Other dinners this year have included the Lawyers’ Dinner at Brooks’s, the Rigaud’s Society Dinner, College Society Dinner and the Westminster–Charterhouse Dinner to commemorate 150 years since the first inter-school association football match.

28 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 28

26/06/2014 23:01

The Club and the School have also hosted numerous drinks parties for OWW including Oxford Drinks, a reunion in New York attended by the Head Master, the Young Gaudy, a 1990s Decade Gaudy, Medics’ Drinks, and Ben Jonson Drinks at Soho House. Additionally, an OW Women’s Network private shopping evening and an OW Abbey Tour were much enjoyed by all who attended.

A House Society drinks party was organised by Busby’s at the School, whilst Grant’s arranged a very successful evening at the House of Commons. The second OW Women’s Network Mentoring Evening took place in June and the annual Henley Drinks Party was also well attended by many OWW and others connected to the Boat Club.

There was also a substantial new event in the calendar this year which was ‘Old Westminsters At Home’. We are particularly grateful to the Dean and Head Master for a wonderful evening including privileged access to the Abbey and drinks in College Garden, followed

by Latin Prayers. Nearly 600 OWW and their partners attended on a beautiful Summer evening in July.

At the 2013 Annual Dinner we will welcome Matt Frei (RR, 1978–81), Washington Correspondent at Channel 4 News, as our Guest of Honour and Speaker.

Sports

Access to the new School sports centre has enabled OWW to train indoors on Wednesday evenings which has been an exciting development for OW sportsmen and women. The facilities have so far been used mainly by teams associated with Football and Water but we look forward to seeing new teams start to take full advantage of the facilities on offer which include a climbing wall and dance studio. The Club continues to finance or subsidise all the major stations, enabling OWW to keep in touch and play their chosen sport.

Finance

The finances of the Club are in good health and we remain focused on growing the assets of the Club in order to be able to better serve OWW and the School. The Club made a substantial gift to the School to contribute towards the cost of the new sports centre and to recognise the value of these facilities to OWW. Our long time Honorary Auditor, Michael Latham (LL, 1958–62) has retired from his duties and we owe him a huge vote of thanks for many years of service. In order to replace this expertise and in recognition of the increasing complexity of the Club’s accounts and increase in turnover, the Treasurer and I are recommending that we appoint a professional firm to audit the accounts and set up an online accounting system.

Travel / Cultural Award

I am pleased to announce that Rhys Morgan (AHH, 2005–10) was chosen as this year’s winner of the Neville Walton Travel Award. He has travelled to India and we look forward to hearing about his trip.

The Development Office

The Development Office continues to provide fantastic assistance to the Club, without which it would not be possible to run so many events.

Katharine Robinson has again done a wonderful job as Head of Alumni Relations and we say goodbye to Cleo Jordan and Danielle Shaw who depart with our thanks and best wishes for the future. We have welcomed Tom Stevenson and Reene Pal and look forward to working with them in the future.

The Committee

I would like to express my thanks to the members of the committee for all their support and for giving their time to the Club. Finally, and on behalf of the committee, I would like to thank all the other Old Westminsters who give their time to organise OW sport and House Society events for others. Floreat!

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 29

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 29

26/06/2014 23:01

4th March 2014

Remove Pupils at the OW Lawyers’ Dinner Each year the Elizabethan Club sponsors four places at the OW Lawyers’ Dinner for three pupils and an accompanying teacher.

This year, for the first time, we are delighted to include pupils’ letters of thanks for this opportunity.

Forbes Anderson (GG, Remove)

Above (top): Guests enjoying a drink before the 2014 OW Lawyers’ Dinner.

Above (bottom): Matthew Rhodes (RR, 1987–91) and Ken Okumura (DD, 1993–98).

‘

I had the opportunity to meet both speakers after the dinner, and will certainly consider their advice when I embark upon studying law next year.

’

I had an unforgettable experience at the Old Westminster Lawyers’ Dinner at the Carlton Club, an event superbly organised by Simon Randall (RR, 1957–62). Conversation with the OW lawyers was stimulating, and the speeches were not only amusing but also deeply inspiring. I was impressed by the professional successes of the group and proud of Westminster School’s contribution.

My thanks to all the Old Westminsters with whom I spoke, and the Elizabethan Club; it was undoubtedly a special night for me.

Martha Glaser (CC, Remove)

I had a wonderful evening at the Carlton Club, and am grateful for the opportunity to have heard from distinguished lawyers in such an historic setting. The chance to meet with barristers and solicitors was invaluable, and it shed more light on the nature of the profession.

30 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 30

26/06/2014 23:01

Right: The Dean of Westminster allows OWW a rare opportunity to walk on the Cosmati Pavement at OWW at Home on 11th July 2013.

‘

Hugely charming in particular was the general atmosphere of support. To feel so welcomed, as a newcomer to this historic world, was touching.

’

>>

Their insights have only enhanced my burgeoning interest in law.

I particularly appreciated the addresses from Lord Neuberger and Nicholas Merriman QC (both WW, 1961–65). It was marvellous to hear anecdotes from their time at Westminster, alongside the various legal questions proposed.

I had the opportunity to meet both speakers after the dinner, and will certainly consider their advice when I embark upon studying law next year. I also appreciate the work of Reverend Williams (School Chaplain) and Katharine Robinson (Head of Alumni Relations) who arranged for us to be there. Overall, it was a highly informative and memorable Shrove Tuesday Dinner, one which I hope is not the last!

Charles Strachan (GG, Remove)

I owe great thanks to the Elizabethan Club for including me in the annual OW Lawyers’ Dinner.

Having decided that the study of law in particular attracted me some time ago, it was fascinating to be amongst those who had taken a similar route. The opportunity to talk to solicitors and barristers from London as well as other parts of England showed the huge possibilities that are open to an undergraduate with a desire to become a lawyer. What was hugely charming in particular was the general atmosphere of support. To feel so welcomed, as a newcomer to this historic world, was touching. The speeches were not only humorous but also informative and interesting in equal measure. The Dinner was one of my first adventures into the legal world and I truly enjoyed it.

School Society Report Michael Rugman (GG, 1955–60) The School Society continues to provide support for bursaries and music scholarships and activities such as School concerts. The 2013 Tizard Lecture, which again received our sponsorship, was given by Professor Martyn Poliakoff, CBE, FRS Research Professor of Chemistry at The University of Nottingham, on the subject “From Test Tube to YouTube”. This lecture was the 51st in the series.

We also made grants for travel by pupils. Our work with the School to identify further opportunities for co-operation on new initiatives continues and we look forward to working on these projects over the rest of the 2014/15 academic year.

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 31

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 31

26/06/2014 23:01

11th July 2013

OWW at Home Westminster Abbey and College Garden

“I was going to write to you to say how much my guest and I enjoyed yesterday evening. Please accept our thanks and pass them on to others who contributed. The Abbey is of course a most magnificent setting and College Garden a very beautiful one; they make an unbeatable combination! And how lucky we were with the weather!

Warmest thanks again from us both. It was a privilege and pleasure to be present.”

Andrew Medlicott (WW, 1956–61) “What a wonderful evening last night – we both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It couldn’t have been better organised. A great opportunity to catch up with old friends in a beautiful setting and my Bermudian husband was thrilled to have a quiet look around the Abbey – a real treat.”

Alexandra Jackson (PP, 2001–03) “We had a very enjoyable evening in all respects; Evensong, College Garden and the Abbey tour were all excellent. Many thanks to all involved in the organisation.”

Robin de Vere Green (WW, 1950–55)

Above (top): Michael Baughan (RR, 1955–59), David Roy (AHH, 1955–61), Joan Roy (guest) and Colin Brough (AHH, 1959–63).

Above: Nadya Wells (HH, 1987–89) and her son in the cloisters.

“It was a memorable evening. Thanks to everyone for all their hard work.”

Marcus Carr (RR, 1957–61)

32 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 32

26/06/2014 23:01

Above (top): OWW enjoy drinks in College Garden.

Above (bottom): OWW enter the Abbey in the early evening sunshine.

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 33

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 33

26/06/2014 23:01

90s Gaudy: Jo Barlas (PP, 1996–98), Izzy Cooper (MM, 1996–98) and Lucy Davis (WW, 1997–99).

Decade Gaudies OW Decade Gaudies just keep getting bigger as more OWW come back and track down their old friends in the process. All three recent events have seen lots of OWW back at the School for the first time since leaving and all have had a very unique feel to them – thanks to everyone who has come along and made them so successful.

1990s Gaudy 14th March 2013 Up School 1970s Gaudy 13th March 2014 Up School

‘

I would like to thank very much whoever was responsible for organising the [1970s] Gaudy. It was a real pleasure, not only to return to the School itself, but also to catch up with former fellow pupils, some of whom I had not seen since leaving in 1980. I very much hope that some friendships have been reignited.

Oliver Heggs (AHH, 1976–80)

1930s/40s Gaudy Lunch 21st May 2014 Camden Room

’

34 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 34

26/06/2014 23:01

Above (top left): 90s Gaudy: Serena McKelvie (WW, 1996–98), Adam Pleeth (guest) and Avye Leventis (DD, 1996–98).

Above: 90s Gaudy: Erik Hohenstein (RR, 1986–91) and Debra Keay (DD, 1989–91).

Left: 30s/40s Gaudy: Guests pose for a group photo by the Fives Courts.

Above: 30s/40s Gaudy: Guests mingle in Little Dean’s Yard before lunch.

Above (right): 70s Gaudy: David Ray (GG, 1971–75), Christopher Quayle (GG, 1970–75), Simon Morgan (GG, 1971–75) and Patrick Holford (GG, 1971–75).

Opposite page (left): 70s Gaudy: Ronald Kent (AHH, 1970–73), Christian Wells (BB, 1968–73), William Edgerley (LL, 1970–73) and James Kellock (LL, 1970–74).

‘

It was very special (if somewhat weird!) meeting people one had shared such a formative period of one’s life with but had not seen for so many years.

Paul Clarke (BB, 1973–76)

’

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 35

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 35

26/06/2014 23:01

Careers Events Medics’ Drinks 6th June 2013 | The Blue Boar Bar, Tothill Street Thank you for organising yet another brilliant Medics’ evening. Great to catch up with old friends like Averil and Jack Bradley and meet some new colleagues working in the same field.

Erik Havranek (GG, 1988–90)

Above (top): Lucy O’Connor (RR, 2004–06) and Sarah Ford (AHH, 2005–07).

Above: Senthy Sellaturay (HH, 1989–94), Erik Havranek (GG, 1988–90) and Clive Coen (AHH, 1964–67).

36 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 36

26/06/2014 23:01

Ben Jonson Drinks 20th June 2013 | Soho House

“Many thanks for organising such splendid Ben Jonson Drinks! It really was a most enjoyable occasion and it was good to catch up with some old friends, also a few new ones! I was interested to meet Abigail Farr (Head of English) – it was good of her to come at what must be a particularly busy time of term.”

Michael Brown (GG, 1955–61) Grant’s House Tutor, 1970–77 and former Master of Classics and English

Business Drinks 5th June 2014 | Institute of Directors

A great number of OWW working in finance, consultancy, property and other areas of business met up at the Institute of Directors on Pall Mall on Thursday, 5th June. Drinks and canapés circulated throughout the night and all attendees appeared to be making new contacts as well as catching up with old friends. Our thanks to Sir John Boyd (BB, 1949–54), Chairman of Asia House, for giving such an entertaining and informative speech.

Above (top): Pippa McCarthy (HH, 2002–04) and Lucy McCarthy (CC, 2000–02).

Opposite page (left): Camilla Clark (MM, 1999–2001) and Roz Lockwood (guest).

Opposite page (below left): 2014 Business Drinks Alexander Bradford (HH 1997–2002), Faye Dayan (HH, 2000–02) and Jessica Chichester (GG, 2000–02).

Above (left): 2014 Business Drinks Amanda Barnes (CC, 1976–78) and Simon Brocklebank-Fowler (WW, 1975–78).

Above (right): 2014 Business Drinks Laura Watkins (LL, 1990–92) and Piers Mizen (RR, 1972–76).

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 37

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 37

26/06/2014 23:01

University Drinks Oxford Drinks 6th March 2013 Exeter College, Oxford Cambridge Drinks 14th May 2014 Trinity College, Cambridge

It’s always a pleasure to see OWW students turn out in force for the Elizabethan Club’s annual university event. Last year was Oxford so Cambridge followed this year with the Colleges of Exeter, Oxford and Trinity, Cambridge providing wonderful locations respectively. We also much look forward to returning to Edinburgh in December 2014.

Above (top): Guests at the OW Cambridge Drinks enjoy the evening sunshine in the garden of the Trinity College Master’s Lodge.

Above (bottom): Charles Malton (BB, 2007–12), Harry Horner (guest) and Betty Makharinsky (BB, 2010–12) at the 2013 Oxford Drinks.

38 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 38

26/06/2014 23:01

OW Women’s Network Private Shopping Evening 28th February 2013 LK Bennett, Covent Garden Mentoring Evening 11th June 2013 Lecture Room Two very different events brought Westminster women together in the Lent and Play Terms of 2013. A private opening of LK Bennett offered an opportunity for those working late in town to get some shopping done in a relaxed environment and network with other OWW. Later on in the year, a group of highly experienced women from many different sectors gave up an evening to speak to recent Leavers about careers in their industry which proved extremely valuable and enjoyable for all.

Above (top): Mentors offer advice to recent Leavers.

Above (middle): Zoe Scheuringer (DD, 2006–08) and Emilia Scibor-Kaminska (HH, 2003–05).

Above (bottom): Emma Bowdery (MM, 2000–02) and Cordelia Bowdery (MM, 2001–03).

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 39

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 39

26/06/2014 23:01

Ashburnham Society

Busby Society

By Angus Roy (AHH, 1993–98)

By Matthew Webb (BB, 1999–2004)

Back in November 2012, the Society held a magnificent black tie dinner in College Hall to celebrate Ashburnham’s 130th Birthday. Past pupils, former Housemasters and House Tutors as well as the current Housemaster, House Tutors and Remove pupils gathered to enjoy a wonderful evening.

The Society has enjoyed another successful year and continues to foster engagement between former members of the House as well as supporting current pupils.

After such a big event, the Society had a rather quiet year in 2013. However, the Society has continued to sponsor the House’s annual photographic competition.

The Society is also still pleased to be able to offer an annual bursary of up to £500 to Ashburnhamites in their final two years at School and in the first few years after they have left. We hope that this bursary will be used by the selected pupil towards a project (whether travel, music, arts or otherwise) which they would, without the bursary, not have been able to do.

The Society would like to build on the success of its big event in 2012 to expand its activities. We have had some ideas already but please do get in touch with the Development Office if there is something in particular you would like to attend. In this regard, the Society is trying to expand its committee, and if anyone is interested in joining or simply helping as a link to their contemporaries, then please let Angus Roy or Katharine Robinson know.

We look forward to a successful year in 2014.

Angus Roy adroy@btinternet.com 01923 842538

On 7th March 2013, the Society held an enjoyable drinks evening in the Camden Room. The event showcased some of the recent work of Old Busbite, and now director and cinematographer, Oli Kember (BB, 2002–07) and those present were grateful that Oli was on hand to discuss his work and recent achievements. The Society hopes to host further events of this nature in the future and the Secretary would be grateful to hear from any Old Busbites interested in showcasing their work.

The Society continues to work closely with Paul Botton, the Housemaster, towards the ongoing success and prosperity of the House. This year’s Pite Scholarship was awarded to Theo Shack, a Remove pupil, for the development of his architectural portfolio in Barcelona and The College Street Clarion continues to be published annually.

If any Old Busbites would like to receive a copy please contact the Housemaster or the Secretary via the Development Office.

We much enjoyed a dinner on the evening of 7th March 2014 at the Army & Navy Club. A report on what was a wonderful gathering has been published on the OW website so do keep a look out!

Julian Lyne-Pirkis (BB, 1969–73) julianlynepirkis@hotmail.com Matthew Webb mrhwebb@gmail.com 07771 825746

40 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 40

26/06/2014 23:01

service to the Society, and also to fulfil one of the remits of the Society by offering financial support to a current member of College. James Gunn (QS, 2008–13), has planned a trip to the Maldives to assist a charity whose work includes teaching local people how to row. We look forward to hearing about his work on his return.

We plan to hold the next College Society lecture in 2014; details to follow.

The Society webpage, www.oldwestminster.org. uk/college_society_home, which is also accessible via the OW website, has been updated to include photos and documents from the School archives, including the Royal Pardon. We invite you all to have a look at the new page and send any suggestions that you may have to improve it – or better still, any photos or documents that you may have which you think other alumni will enjoy.

College Society

By Arda Eghiayan (CC, 2000–02)

College Society had a very well-attended dinner in College Hall in September 2013, sandwiched between an AGM as well as two typical Westminster events; recitals from current College pupils and Compline in the Abbey. As a female member of College who was never even aware of this weekly event, it was real treat to see so many old boys chant in Latin from memory in a section of the Abbey which I never knew existed.

We would like to thank the Master, Mark Feltham, for his continuing support of and enthusiasm for the Society which is much appreciated. If you would like to join the Society please contact the College Society Secretary, Charles Low (QS, 1967–72 and Master of Classics).

If you have any ideas as to how the Society might extend its activities please do not hesitate to contact any member of the Committee.

Duncan Matthews (QS, 1974–79) dmatthews@20essexst.com For membership details Charles Low (QS, 1967–72) charles.low@westminster.org.uk

We were able to use the AGM and dinner to thank Jonathan Rawes (QS, 1963–68) for his

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 41

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 41

26/06/2014 23:01

Liddell’s Society

Milne’s Society

By David Eaton Turner (LL, 1974–79)

By Alasdair Donaldson (MM, 1994–99)

In recent years the Liddell’s Society has held a series of events for Old Liddellites, including Summer receptions in the Camden Room, and an evening tour of the Abbey, with Eddie Smith and John Curtis as speakers. Most recently the architect Ptolemy Dean – who is also well-known as an author, and as a presenter of the BBC television series Restoration – gave an illustrated talk to members of the Society and their guests relating to the restoration and modification of the House and other buildings around Little Dean’s Yard.

The ‘Old Poohs’ have spent a quiet year hibernating whilst recovering from the Milne’s 15th Birthday Bash. Now that the dust has settled, however, we are looking forward to having another convivial event in 2014–15. Watch this space: we’ve already started laying in the pots of honey...

The Society aims to hold an evening event for all Old Liddellites in 2014, and would be happy to receive suggestions as to speakers, or subjects, from members.

Thomas Munby (MM, 1994–99) TMunby@maitlandchambers.com

Alasdair Donaldson alasdair.donaldson@new-oxford.com Neil Fisher (MM, 1994–99) newfisher@gmail.com

David Eaton Turner (LL, 1974–79) det@newsquarechambers.co.uk Tom Weisselberg (LL, 1984–89) tomweisselberg@blackstonechambers.com

Dryden’s Society

By Aqib Aslam (DD, 1994–99)

Hakluyt’s Society The Society is seeking HH OWW to join a committee to help guide its activities – please contact alumni@westminster.org.uk if you are interested in being involved.

2013 was a quiet year for the Dryden’s Society. An attempt at a small drinks reception fell short but has left House members undeterred to try again this year. We look forward to more reunions and merriment, and wish all Drydenites, old and new, their families and friends the very best for 2014.

Aqib Aslam aqib.aslam@gmail.com Leo Xenakis (DD, 1994–99) leo.xenakis@gmail.com

42 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 42

26/06/2014 23:01

Rigaud’s Society

Above: The 2013 Rigaud’s Society Dinner.

By Matthew Rhodes (RR, 1987–91)

June 2013 saw the Society’s biennial dinner.

Around 60 ORR and their guests met in black tie in College Hall for superb food and wine and some outstanding opera performed in Italian and Russian by a few of the current pupils.

Keep an eye out for the next one in 2015.

The Society held a Gaudy on 4th June 2014. It was a chance for ORR to catch up over Champagne in the Camden Room and enjoy an Abbey Tour led by Tom Edlin (DD, 1993–98 and Master of History).

The Society continues to work closely with the House in supporting a variety of projects, and has just assisted with the purchase of a piano for the pupils’ common room. It provides an annual travel award, and last year’s was won jointly by George Bustin and Louis Fellows (both Remove) who travelled together to Fjaerlandsfjord, an extremely remote valley in Norway. Their informative and amusing report to the committee concluded: “We went

to Norway discover the Norwegian sense of humour, their axe-throwing capabilities and their obscure ties to senior American politicians from the 1980s. We went to Norway to debate the social market economy and the benefits of loose ties to the EU. This was all made possible by the Rigaud’s Society, and for that we are profoundly grateful.”

Many thanks to Huw Williams, the Housemaster, for all his help and support, to the committee (particularly Dr Louise Teare RR, 1969–71) and to Katharine Robinson in the Development Office.

Finally, the committee welcomes input from ORR. Please email matthew@rollonfriday.com with any suggestions or enquiries.

Ipsu Rasu!

Matthew Rhodes matthew@rollonfriday.com

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 43

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 43

26/06/2014 23:01

Above: Henry Dummett, Turi Munthe, David Mahoney, Ben Hooper and Alex Massey (all GG, 1989–94).

Old Grantite Club Report

Right: Kate Rogerson (guest) and Alexander Robertson (GG, 2005–10).

Right (bottom): Giuseppe Lipari (GG, 1986–89) and Laura Joo (guest).

By Peter Cole (GG, 1993–98)

Members of the Old Grantite Club could not have asked for a more perfect evening for drinks on the House of Commons Terrace Pavilion on Tuesday, 9th July 2013. All guests seemed to enjoy the stunning surroundings – especially those who had travelled from as far as Australia and Italy to be there and the delicious drinks and canapés complemented the evening perfectly.

The Rt. Hon. Dominic Grieve MP (GG, 1969–74), who kindly sponsored the evening, said a few words, as did the President of the Old Grantite Club, Jonathan Carey (GG,

1964–69) and current Housemaster, David Hargreaves. All gave a wonderful sense of their personal connection with the House and David also gave an insight into the lives of current pupils. The only controversy seemed to surround ‘walking the mantelpiece’ which sparked memories amongst many Old Grantites present!

Our thanks to everyone who helped to make it such a special evening.

Peter Cole (GG, 1993–98) pdcole7@hotmail.com

44 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 44

26/06/2014 23:01

Purcell’s Society

Praise for the House of Commons Drinks:

‘

[Thank you] for all you did to make the evening such a success. Priscilla and I had a great time and it was a joy to meet so many Grantites I had not seen for over 20 years.

John Baxter Former Grant’s Housemaster and Master of History

’

Would you be interested in attending a drinks party on the new Purcell’s roof terrace? We can promise fabulous views across London and some good food and drink but we’ll need to be assured of a good crowd before we go ahead. Please email alumni@ westminster.org.uk if you are available and interested!

Krystyna Kosciuszko (PP, 2005–07) kmhkosciuszko@gmail.com

Wren’s Society Dean Chatterjee (WW, 1997–2002) continues to run the Wren’s Society but new committee members are actively being sought so please contact him if you would like to be involved. All former Wrenites are automatically considered to be members of the Society and are not required to pay an annual subscription fee.

A dinner or drinks event will be planned soon (further details TBC). Please contact alumni@westminster.org.uk to register your interest.

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 45

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 45

26/06/2014 23:01

Below: 2013 New York Reunion at The Met. Jo Lawson (guest), Olga Polunina (CC, 2004–06), Caspar Lawson (RR, 1977–80) and Benjamin Newark (HH, 2001–06).

Right: Cecilia Mortimore (BB, 1995–97), Felix Mitchell (MM, 2002–07), Jamie Thetford (BB, 2002–07), Elsie Smith (guest) and Will Leavitt (MM, 2000–01).

‘

The dinner was memorable! The venue, The Russian Tea Room, was excellent for the occasion and the Hearth Room accommodated us perfectly. I chose the meat dinner from the menu and I must tell you it was the tenderest, most delicious filet mignon I have ever enjoyed. All beautifully presented and served! A truly great venue!

Bob Jekyll (WW, 1948–51)

’

Read more about the

2014 New York Reunion Dinner on page 48

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 46

26/06/2014 23:01

INTERNATIONAL OWW International OW Representatives Sydney, Australia • Max Burt (LL, 1978–82)

Dubai, UAE • Jon Breach (QS, 1982–86)

Toronto, Canada • Robert Jekyll (WW, 1948–51)

Washington DC, USA • Dan Owen (BB, 1979–83)

Athens, Greece • George Mangos (WW, 1993–98)

New York, USA • Olga Polunina (CC, 2004–06) and Will Leavitt (MM, 2000–01)

Hong Kong • Nicola Ho (PP, 2009–11) Tokyo, Japan • Annabel James (PP, 2007–09) Monaco • James Arnold (WW, 1988–93)

To contact any of the representatives listed above or to find out more about acting as a representative in your country or region please email alumni@westminster.org.uk

Singapore • Carolyn Lek (PP, 1997–99) Amsterdam, The Netherlands • Zac Woolfitt (DD, 1980–84)

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 47

26/06/2014 23:01

New York 2014 Reunion At The Russian Tea Room The spectacular Hearth Room at one of New York’s most famous eateries, The Russian Tea Room, provided the venue for our annual New York Reunion in 2014. The dinner promised to be particularly special as it was the Head Master’s last visit to New York before his retirement and it did not disappoint!

Edward Spurr (guest) and Richard Fassam-Wright (WW, 1964–70).

Commem Worldwide 2013 At the International Center of Photography

By Olga Polunina (CC, 2004–06) “For Commem Worldwide 2013 the Westminster community of New York and its environs (broadly defined; we had attendees with permanent addresses in Philadelphia and Houston, among others) gathered for a tour of the International Center of Photography, followed by drinks at a nearby bar. The tour was very informative, and as always with OWW, sparked lively discussions – from the emotions of Zoe Strauss’ photography to whether 1930s photographic technology allowed for any of Lewis Hine’s photos to be truly candid.

Most notably, everyone enjoyed making new connections, rekindling old ones and reminiscing about school days; with attendees ranging from recent leavers to a member of the class of 1947, we certainly had a range of experiences represented!

And we are hopeful the connections made

48 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 48

26/06/2014 23:01

2013 Reunion At The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Above (top): The Met Museum Patrons’ Lounge where the 2013 New York Drinks were held.

Above (right): Cynthia Canary, Adam Brooks (BB, 1973–76) and James Sinclair (WW, 1970–75).

Above (bottom): Daniel Koehler (MM, 1998–03) and Peter Henninger (guest).

It was wonderful to see so many USbased OWW at our 2013 New York Reunion at The Met on Saturday, 9th March 2013. Attendees took a tour of the Egyptian Collection which was followed by drinks and plenty of canapés in the Patrons’ Lounge. Our thanks to Tina Winchester for her wonderful tour and to Nicholas Reeves PhD FSA, the Lila Acheson Wallace Associate Curator in the Department of Egyptian Art, who answered many thought-provoking questions. Thanks also to all those who attended.

will continue – between guests discovering family members living on the same street in London and old school friends seeing each other for the first time in 25 years, we’re sure at least some of us will see each other again even before the next NY event.”

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 49

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 49

26/06/2014 23:01

15th November 2013 11 locations worldwide

Commem Worldwide For the second year running, OWW based overseas organised gatherings to coincide with the Commemoration of Benefactors (which in 2013 took the form of ‘Little Commem’). New gatherings took place in Tokyo, Washington DC, Athens and Amsterdam while others took the opportunity to get together again having held an event in 2012. Our thanks to everyone who took the time to organise an event – we look forward to seeing even more OWW involved in 2014!

‘

Commem Worldwide 2013 went off very well in Toronto.

It was an enjoyable occasion with a number of generations represented. Conversations about what happened fifty or more years ago were really interesting even though they must have seemed a little strange to the younger OWW!

’

Above: Commem Worldwide (Toronto). The ‘suspects’ are: seated left Robert Jekyll (WW, 1948–51); seated right Julian Patrick (LL, 1958–59); standing from left to right Stephen Patrick (LL, 1961–63), Lin Min-Kai (GG, 2002–04), David Morland (RR, 1973–77), Louise Yang (AHH 2009–11), and John McCleary (QS, 1953–58).

Photography by co-host Wayne Legere.

Toronto

OW Rep: Robert Jekyll (WW, 1948–51) Location: Downtown Toronto “Commem Worldwide 2013 went off very well here in Toronto. All those who responded to the School’s invitation showed up and so we had a “full house” as it were. Eight was a comfortable number for our new flat and the logistics of wine, cheese, crackers and charcuterie proved most adequate. It was an enjoyable occasion with a number of generations represented.

Conversations about what happened fifty or more years ago were really interesting even though they must have seemed a little strange to the younger OWW! A bonus was a visit to the roof of our 25 storey building to view Toronto by night.”

50 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 50

26/06/2014 23:01

Left: Commem Worldwide (Washington, DC) Attendees (pictured left to right): Lisa Owen (guest), Dan Owen (BB, 1979–83), Keith Lipert (GG, 1971–75), Alisa Hood (guest), Ralph Wood (GG, 1976–80), Sas Gharai (LL, 1978–82) and Ludovic Hood (BB, 1986–91).

Tokyo

Washington, DC

OW Rep: Annabel James (PP, 2007–09) Location: Cafe Orangé “A recent gathering of Tokyo-based OWW proved that the nostalgia doesn’t diminish even when one is a twelve hour flight from London!

Five alumni and their partners met for wine and cocktails in Cafe Orangé in the city’s vibrant Minato district. Our fields included law and international recruitment, and two of us were still in higher education. Some of us had been in Japan for several years; others, only a few weeks, and it was a thoroughly enjoyable chance to renew Westminster ties in the heart of a very different metropolis.”

OW Rep: Dan Owen (BB, 1979–83) Location: Glen Echo Irish Pub “We had a thoroughly enjoyable evening in the somewhat off-centre DC rendezvous of Glen Echo and its fine Irish watering hole – great to connect with new friends and delve into our shared past, a past with a commonly understood syntax and grammar that needed no explanation. Interesting reflections on how we all landed up in this part of the world, to ponder on how we experienced Westminster in similar and different ways and to reminisce kindly and unkindly about shared teachers that seemed to be almost ageless, spanning our collective time there. All look forward to keeping in contact and continuing this as an annual event…”

‘

A recent gathering of Tokyobased OWW proved that the nostalgia doesn’t diminish even when one is a twelve hour flight from London!

Above: Commem Worldwide (Tokyo) Attendees (pictured left to right): Mark Smith (DD, 1996–01), Sebastian Smith (DD, 1990–95), Annabel James (PP, 2007–09), Toby Kanetsuka (GG, 1995–2000) and his partner Karin Yamamoto, and Harriet Allan (BB, 2008–10).

’

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 51

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 51

26/06/2014 23:01

Above: Commem Worldwide (Monaco) Attendees pictured left to right: James Gallon (BB, 1997–2002), James Arnold (WW, 1988–93), Jesse Marre (BB, 1998–2003).

Above: Commem Worldwide (Athens) Attendees (pictured left to right): Simon Morgan (GG, 1971–75), George Galatis (AHH, 1976–80), Dimitri Fafalios (LL, 1973–77), George Mangos (WW, 1993–98), Calliope Caroussis (LL, 1974), Nikolas Katsikis (AHH, 1982–86), Vangelis Pateras (WW, 1980–84) and George Pateras (BB, 1971–76).

Monaco

Athens

OW Rep: James Arnold (WW, 1988–93) Location: Cipriani Restaurant “A close gathering this year as many were traveling on 15th November, led to interesting threeway reminisces of Westminster’s recent past over an a la carte menu, with the backdrop of Friday night at Cipriani.”

Hong Kong

OW Rep: Nicola Ho (PP, 2009–11) Location: Tai Lung Fung Bar/Lounge “We met on the 14th November in Tai Lung Fung, a secluded lounge in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. Although we were a small party, conversation was plenty and before long, we were chatting like old friends. Despite the attendance, the event was extremely successful and there are already talks of another one happening soon!”

OW Rep: George Mangos (WW, 1993–98) Location: Salumaio Restaurant “The first annual Greek OW dinner was generally considered a success – especially as there were not enough people to say different. Indeed there was a fair amount of brow-slapping as we all remembered an OW or two, lurking at the back of our memory-banks, whom we will compel to join us at next year’s event. As the youngest member of the group it was fascinating to hear of the antics of the older generations, particularly of course when relating to members of staff who survived to teach my year. It was clear that Westminster fostered an exceptional spirit of camaraderie among its OWW and we universally acclaimed the School for taking the initiative to propose such events. To bigger and better!”

Left: Commem Worldwide (Hong Kong). Attendees (pictured left to right): Dorothy Hung (PP, 2008–09), Bonnie Tse (PP, 2007–09), Nicola Ho (PP, 2009–11), Kevin Dowd (RR, 1982–86) and Kevin’s wife Peggy.

52 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 52

26/06/2014 23:01

Left: Commem Worldwide (Dubai). Attendees (pictured left to right): Jon Breach (QS, 1982–86), Sam Wilkin (QS, 2001–06), Andrew Torchia (QS, 1977–81), Nurhuda Amat (Andrew’s wife), Tania Farhar, Dany Farha (GG, 1984–89).

Above: Commem Worldwide (Amsterdam) Attendees (pictured left to right): Cassandra (guest), Amanda Rudin (HH, 1988–90), Patrick (guest), Zac Woolfitt (DD, 1980–84) and Dudley Keiller (BB, 1985–90)

along with another Old Westminster, Dudley Keiller (BB, 1985–90), who is in The Netherlands. His fiancée Cassandra came for dinner too. So in total, five of us. We talked about old times in London, including commuting from Highgate to Westminster on the Northern Line (Amanda and I had the same commute). We also laughed about our different cultural experiences in The Netherlands. We agreed to meet again as a group, and hope that the other Old Westminsters in The Netherlands would join us next time.”

Dubai

Sydney

OW Rep: Jon Breach (QS, 1982–86) Location: Rivington Bar & Grill “Dubai OWW met for the second year at the Rivington Bar & Grill restaurant for drinks and dinner overlooking the Burj Al Arab. Great fun, with fantastic food and wine, animated debate and plenty of amusing memories from our school days. To crown it all an impromptu firework display erupted from behind the Burj just after this photo was taken – so there must have been more Commem celebrants of whom we had not been aware – all are definitely invited for next year’s event!”

OW Rep: Max Burt (LL, 1978–82) Location: The Langham Hotel Max Burt (LL, 1978–82) met up with Simon Target (QS, 1975–79) and David Giles (WW, 1974–78) at the Langham Hotel in Sydney to represent OWW in Australia on 15th November. A good time was had by all – the only low-point was that a technical hitch meant the photo didn’t come out! They hope to meet up again soon to take another one…

Amsterdam

OW Rep: Zac Woolfitt (DD, 1980–84) Location: Greetje Restaurant “We had a very enjoyable evening on Friday at restaurant Greetje in Amsterdam with a surprising menu including ‘pigeon’s hangover’ and liquorice ice cream. We were joined by Amanda Rudin (HH, 1988–90) and her partner Patrick,

Singapore

OW Rep: Carolyn Lek (PP, 1997–99) Location: P.S. Cafe at A.S.H. Park Carolyn Lek (PP, 1997–99), Sebastian Smith (DD, 1990–95) and Elita Lai (PP, 2006–08) had a cozy but nonetheless lively gathering in Singapore. A memorable evening to say the least!

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 53

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 53

26/06/2014 23:01

‘

Recently the OW 2nd XI has tended to act like a boxer who thinks he is too good for his opponent...

Daniel Cavanagh (RR, 1993–98)

’

Read more about

OW Football on page 58

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 54

26/06/2014 23:01

OW SPORTS ANGLING • Chris Manderson (GG, 1957–62) chris.manderson@comituk.com

FOOTBALL: 2ND XI • Tom Surr (DD, 2004–09) tom.surr@hotmail.co.uk

ATHLETICS • John Goodbody (LL, 1956–61) john@jbgoodbody.co.uk 48 Rowan Road, Brook Green London W6 7DU • Jim Forrest (AHH, 1957–62) forr.jim@gmail.com 7 Foley Rd, Claygate, Esher, Surrey, KT10 0LU T: 01372 470392

GOLF SOCIETY • David Roy (AHH, 1955–61) daroy@btinternet.com 7 Sandy Lodge Lane, Moor Park Northwood HA6 2JA

CRICKET • Jake Robson (AHH, 2001–06) jnarobson@googlemail.com T: 07764 181366 • Alexander Asher (LL, 2001–06) alexanderasher@gmail.com T: 07795 364694 FIVES • Chris Watts (DD, 1985–89) cdjwatts@hotmail.com FOOTBALL: 1ST XI • George Burnett (RR, 2002–07) george.burnett@hotmail.co.uk

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 55

REAL TENNIS •S imon Marshall (DD, 1990–95) simarsha@hotmail.com T: 0033676090126 T: 07985 604042 • Edwin Richards (AHH, 1977–81) edwin@alienor.biz TENNIS •T ristan Vanhegan (HH, 1994–99) tristanvanhegan@hotmail.com T: 07977 993193 WATER •S am Scheuringer (DD, 1997–2002) sam@scheuringer.co.uk T: 07958 765205 • Jack Holborn (LL, 1997–2002) jack.holborn@hotmail.co.uk T: 07909 962576

26/06/2014 23:01

Athletics

Towpath Cup: Jim Forrest (AHH, 1957–62), Toby Vanhegan (WW, 1986–91), John Goodbody (LL, 1956–61), Roger Givan (RR, 1953–58), Nick Harling (GG, 1960–65), Anthony Stranger-Jones (GG, 1958–62) and Miles Copeland (BB, 1993–98).

by John Goodbody (LL, 1956–61)

The Old Westminsters’ Athletics Club celebrated its 50th year of existence in 2013, a period in which Jim Forrest (AHH, 1957–62) and I have always shared the administration but in future hope to share with younger OWW. The Towpath Cup in September 2013 saw 31 runners take part in the traditional 3.3 mile course from Barnes to the Boat House at Putney. Richard Kowenicki (Head of Chemistry) set a record for the course with 16 minutes 30 seconds but the School, led by Nick Clanchy (MM, VI), just snatched first place in the team event. Will Sweet (RR, 1997–2002) was the first OW home in 18 minutes 34 seconds with the OWW finishing fourth in the team competition. The prizes were presented by Roger Givan (RR, 1953–58), who in the 1950s, when at the School, set a world 880 yards (800 metres) record for an under 17 year-old with 1 minute 54.8 seconds.

In the five-mile Inter Old Boys’ cross-country race in December, there were a record 161 finishers, with the OWW finishing 7th out

of 22 teams in the Open event, with Martin Wainwright (WW, 2003–08) the first OW home in 14th position. In the Over 60s section, where a series of injuries prevented us from fielding our strongest team, the OWW, led by the redoubtable Graham Ball (RR, 1962–66), were fourth, just two points behind third-placed Stonyhurst.

Angling

by Chris Manderson (GG, 1957–62)

Society members met in May, September and October 2013 on different beats on the River Test. We fished at Leckford in May, at Timsbury in September and at Barton Stacey for the Grayling Day. Contact the Hon Sec. (details on title page) if you are interested in joining similar days in 2014.

56 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 56

26/06/2014 23:01

Cricket

by Alexander Asher (LL, 2001–06)

The 2013 season began with the now traditional show of deference to the School and staff, with the School displaying strength in both departments. However, Cricket Week would show this start to be an aberration, as OWWCC flourished in the sunshine.

Eton Ramblers were first dispatched by teatime, as Nik Williams (LL, 1978–82) (3–21) and Matt Cornes (DD, 1988–93) (2–8) tore through their line up. Byron Orme (RR, 2002–07) (40) and Rob Taylor (BB, 2002–07) (25) took the attack to Eton, scoring freely and demonstrating what a good bowling performance it had been by OWWCC. The following day we lost a close fought game against Old Georgians in the Cricketer Trophy; they would go on to finish runners up. Alfie Enoch (BB, 2002–07) (5–21) was the star with the ball, backed up by Kit Winder (LL, 2008– 13) (2–16) and Leo Nelson-Jones (RR, 2008–13) (2–16), restricting OGs to 137 all out. However, OGs took the pace off the ball early, and to great effect, resulting in us falling 10 runs short.

The Butterflies were the next on deck, and batted for most of the day, unable to get on top of the skillful bowling of Fred Johnson (AHH, 2003–08) (2–38), Jeremy Holt (QS, 2004–09) (1–33) and Dominic Martin (DD, 1980–82) (3–40). With 13 overs less to chase the runs, OWWCC sought to make a quick start through Alex Fisken (AHH, 2004–09) (33) and Alex Scott (LL, 2003–08) (25), but, after losing quick middle order wickets, displayed skill and fortitude to see out a draw with the light and the field closing in. The Free Foresters brought a strong side, loaded with quality slow bowling, which was well suited to the conditions. Alexander Asher (35) and James Kershen (WW, 1981– 86 and Master i/c Station) (51) grafted well to help us to a competitive total, before outstanding opening spells from Johnson (4–34) and Kit Winder (3–24) helped OWWCC to an impressive victory by 39 runs. Chelsea Arts Club were also put to the sword by aggressive innings from Scott (88) and Martin (48*), before Joe Ireland (Master of Classics) (5–20) ripped out the heart of their order to enable us to win handsomely for the second day in a row.

Old Amplefordians provided a sterner test, in an entertaining and high-scoring game. Alex Campbell (WW, 1989–94) led the way for OWWCC with 95, supported by Steve Dolben (Sports Centre Duty Manager) (59) and Olly Wood (AHH, 1997–2002) (59) as OWWCC declared on 260/6. In response Johnson (2–31) and Scott (4–68) kept us in the game, with Johnson bowling a nerveless maiden in the penultimate over of the match to help strand OAs two runs short, despite their opener’s chanceless 133*. The following day Kensington CC made OWWCC toil again, with another unbeaten century from their opener. Robin Low (LL, 1999–2004) (2–68) and Daniel Cavanagh (RR, 1993–98) (2–50) worked hard, but the wicket was still as good to bat on as the previous day. Scoreboard pressure told on the OWWCC chase, despite an entertaining flurry from Low (63).

Cricket Week was to end with a flourish, as Scott (6–40) and Imran Coomaraswamy (QS, 1996–2001) (3–21) bowled out the Marlborough Blues for a low total that Hugo Hadcock (GG, 2003–08) (43), Wood (43*) and Scott (28*) had no trouble in chasing. Our final game of the season was a sunny day at the HAC, where Asher (95), supported by Brodie (32) and Hadcock (25*), led us to an early declaration.

However, the pitch remained a good one, and, despite the best efforts of Low (4–21) and Charlie Cooke (LL, 2000–05) (2–50), OWWCC could not prise out the last two HAC wickets.

OWWCC is as ever very grateful to Head Groundsman, Franklin Barrett, and to Gloria for her cooking at Vincent Square, which is always spot on. Finally, OWWCC would like to thank the School and the Elizabethan Club, without whose kind help OWW cricket could not function.

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 57

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 57

26/06/2014 23:01

Fives

Football 1st XI

by Chris Watts (DD, 1985–89)

by George Burnett (RR, 2002–07)

OW Fives is proud to confirm that its recent campaign was more successful than that of the England Ashes squad.

OWW I finished the 2012/13 season fourth in Division One while OWW II were joint ninth in Division Two.

A strong pre-season helped OWFC 1st XI hit the ground running in September 2013. It wasn’t until the middle of October that the pink and blacks suffered their first defeat; an unfortunate 1–3 reverse at home to league leaders King’s College, Wimbledon. The strong form persisted throughout the following weeks with OWW recording an impressive 4–2 win over a resilient Haileybury side and a merciless 6–1 thumping of Old Bradfieldians. Unfortunately, the wheels came off during the run up to Christmas and whereas victories would have left us sitting comfortably in the league’s second promotion spot, two back-to-back defeats ensured that we finished 2013 in mid-table, jostling with six or seven other teams for a shot at the big time.

OWW I, valiantly led by Laurie Brock (BB, 2003–08), has seen the emergence and development of a group of young players who have shone and shown that the team has a bright future. Nowhere was this more evident than in the OW run in the Barber Cup where an incredibly young team (5 of the 6 players under 22) reached the quarter-finals.

The OWW II season ended better than it started. After staring relegation in the face mid-season, match-manager Freddie Krespi (DD, 2000–05) pulled out all the stops to deliver a 3–0 whitewash of the Old Carthusians thus dragging the team off the foot of the table to avoid the drop.

The biggest news of the season however is that after nearly 35 years at the helm, Andrew Aitken (WW, 1967–71) has stepped down as Honorary Secretary.

The club owes a huge debt of gratitude to Andrew who has passed on a large squad with active players of all ages and a steady throughput of recent Leavers: an admirable legacy indeed.

Football 2nd XI

by Tom Surr (DD, 2004–09)

Firstly, the player-manager takes no responsibility for the accuracy of the facts in this report. Due to regular headaches caused by incessant yelling from the middle of the park and the logistical challenge of planning tactical substitutions whilst getting turned inside-out by the opposition centre-mid, most of the goals, tackles and mazy runs reported here probably involved some other player against some other team.

The 2013/14 season has been one of evolution for the OWFC 2nd XI. A new captain, a new home ground at Boston Manor and a new training facility at the excellent Westminster School Sports Centre, which we are very grateful to the School for allowing us to benefit from. A promising pre-season >>

58 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 58

26/06/2014 23:01

There is no doubt that OWW have saved their most daring and watchable football for the cups, powering through to the fourth round of the AFA Intermediate Cup and the quarter final of the Arthur Dunn.

A penalty shoot out defeat at the hands of New College Old Boys in the fourth round of the AFA was a bitter pill to swallow although we cannot say it was not deserved.

OW finishing from twelve yards made Manchester United’s League Cup showing look positively clinical. At the time of writing OWW are still in the Arthur Dunn. We are looking forward to hosting defending champions Old Carthusians in what must be the biggest game for the club (ours, not theirs) in recent memory.

As ever, our warmest thanks must go to the Elizabethan Club for its generous support.

Thanks also to Katharine Robinson, Matthew Bull and the staff at the School Sports Centre for allowing us to use the fantastic

new facilities for our Wednesday night training sessions. David Weinstein-Linder (HH, 1998–2003) continues to be the heart and soul of OWFC – thanks to him for his magnificent organisational work. Thanks to Tom Surr (DD, 2004–09) and Daniel Cavanagh (RR, 1993–98) for doing what they do with the 2nd XI. Finally, I would like to thank Tom Lloyd (HH, 2003–08) and Sam Sasaki-Nasseri (LL, 2003–08), not only for their consistently excellent performances but also for their commitment and dedication.

Between them they have missed only three games all season.

The OWFC is always on the look-out for new recruits. If you are keen for regular (or even semi-regular) 11-a-side football then please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We are particularly keen to hear from recent Leavers.

OW 2nd XI Arthurian League DW Cup Winning Team.

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 59

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 59

26/06/2014 23:01

>>

saw a largely brand new squad of recent Leavers mix in with the seasoned campaigners of Dan Cavanagh (RR, 1993–98), Archie McKay (HH, 1991–96), Will Wolton (WW, 1997–2002), Robin McPherson (RR, 2002–07) and others.

An unfortunate 4–2 loss to Old Millhillians and a solid 2–0 win against Queen’s College, Oxford saw the squad beginning to gel as players staked their claim for positions around the pitch. With the start of the regular season, the OW 2nd XI found points tricky to come by. Wins at home against Old Bancroftians and Old Chigwellians were interspersed with frustrating draws and narrow losses, leaving us sat just above the relegation zone at Christmas time.

As the season rumbled on, the team began to establish a solid defensive spine built around the heroic goalkeeping of Will Wolton whose efforts earned him multiple ‘Man of the Match’ awards. Shining in centre back roles were the indomitable Alex Hall (HH, 2001–06) and Archie McKay, both of whom volunteered for halves in goal when Will was unavailable, Tom Harrison (MM, 2003–08) and Sam Fishwick (DD, 2004–09) who soldiered on despite mild concussion against Old Millhillians. Dan Cavanagh, Hugh Ellis Logan (MM, 2002–07) and Khush Ved (QS, 2004–09) harried, tackled, puffed and panted away against opposition midfielders.

Our heretic 4–2–3–1 formation, changing centuries of 4–4–2 employed by OWFC 2nd XI teams, allowed wingers and full backs to get forward much more rapidly and more often. Kwesi Peterson (QS, 2008–13), Edar Mullan (RR, 1996–2001), Tyrone Cummins (AHH, 2003–08), Eddie Knox (LL, 2002–07), Thomaz Steuerman (DD, 2001–06), Will Miles (RR, 2005–10), Franky Athill (MM, 2003–08) and Josh Benson (DD, 2003–08) all deserve particular mention here for tireless performances, defending and attacking with equal vivacity. This allowed the attacking midfielders and strikers in Louis Fellows (RR, 2008–13), Robin McPherson (RR, 2002–07) (his customary performance involving a goal and a caution from the ref ), Alex Stephens (WW, 2004–09) and Hakan Feridun (BB, 2001–06) (whose sea-

son was unfortunately interrupted by a broken toe) and yours truly to create attacking chances, with at least one goal coming from a player in every outfield position on the pitch.

With the fight to stay above the relegation zone and embark on another winning run in the Junior League Cup, won by the OWFC 2nd XI last year, the season promises plenty more twists and turns before it is up.

My sincere thanks go to Dan Cavanagh for being an able and ever-willing VC. The calm, knowledgeable and canny Jose Mourinho to my devilishly handsome but largely inexperienced André Villas-Boas.

A report on the 2012/13 season

By Daniel Cavanagh (RR, 1993–98) In recent seasons the OW 2nd XI has tended to act like a boxer who thinks he is too good for his opponent. Some show boating is followed by the shock of almost being knocked out, which in turn is followed by a brave late recovery.

The 2012/13 season was going to script with a dominating 5–2 victory over the eventual league champions followed up by a run of losses which saw the side in danger of relegation. Post-Christmas the team pulled themselves together and managed a run of victories which culminated in a respectable mid-table finish in the league and winning the Arthurian League DW Cup with a hard fought victory over rivals City of London in the final. Season plaudits go to the OW “legends”: Braddick (QS, 1989–94), MacKay (HH, 1991–96), Gunnell (AHH, 1993–98), Korgoankar (LL, 1991–96) and Doeh (DD, 2000–05), who showed that when the going gets tough, go old.

60 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 60

26/06/2014 23:01

Golf

by David Roy (AHH, 1955–61)

Competitively speaking, 2013 will go down as OWGS’s most prosperous year in decades.

In the Grafton Morrish, we eased through the London qualifier in 3rd place but lost 1–2 in the first round proper to Wellington at Hunstanton, who went all the way to the final.

The deciding pair, Tom Smith (DD, 1998– 2003) and David Weinstein-Linder (HH, 1998–2003), was involved in a deadly tussle, finally succumbing at the 22nd, by which time most fingernails had taken quite a battering.

In the Royal Wimbledon Putting, our recent run of impressive performances continued.

We reached the final, came third and lost out on victory by the small margin of 3 points.

Unfortunately, our senior teams failed to break their recent hoodoos and proceed past the first rounds of the Bernard Darwin and Senior Darwins but it was in the Halford Hewitt that things really looked up. For the first time since 1980, we reached the third round, defeating Winchester and Aldenham along the way. In the subsequent 1–4 defeat to Epsom, none of the matches lost by a wide margin. For the first time in living memory, reflecting the new talent

Halford Hewitt Team, Royal St George’s GC, Friday, 12th April 2013 Standing: Ilya Kondrashov (AHH, 2002–04), Edward Cartwright (DD, 1979–83), Tom Tredinnick (GG, 2002–07), Carl Rietschel (GG, 2009–11), Jerome Kamm (LL, 2006–11), Jonathan Woolf (LL, 1977–81).

Seated: Ollie Flynn (RR, 2003–08), Henry Kingsbury (HH, 1991–96), David Weinstein-Linder (HH, 1998–2003), Tom Smith (DD, 1998–2003).

that has emerged from the School in recent years, all Hewitt team members were aged under 50. Of the youngsters, Tom Tredinnick (GG, 2002–07) partnered our captain, Henry Kingsbury (HH, 1991–96), to the point won against Epsom, our all-Cambridge pairing of Ollie Flynn (RR, 2003–08) and Carl Rietschel (GG, 2009–11) had a winning record and Jerome Kamm (LL, 2006–11) and Ilya Kondrashov (AHH, 2002–04) showed great promise.

All meetings were well attended and, on 16th January 2014, the Society hosted a dinner in College Hall to celebrate its 90th anniversary.

To mark the event, a history of the OWGS has been published and is available upon request.

Congratulations to Carl Rietschel on becoming Hon. Secretary of the Cambridge University Golf Club. We wish him, Francesca Bastianello (BB, 2010–12) and Jerome Kamm the best of luck in their quest for blues this year.

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 61

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 61

26/06/2014 23:01

OW Real Tennis

Tennis

by Simon Marshall (DD, 1990–95)

by Tristan Vanhegan (HH, 1994–99)

The OW Real Tennis team defeated Oxford in our only fixture of a somewhat truncated year. We returned to Oxford on 10th May 2014. The Old Boys’ tournament (Henry Leaf Cup) takes place on the last weekend of March, and anyone interested in playing there – or indeed anywhere – should contact me (details on title page).

This year’s highlights include our greatest number of friendly matches ever, and excellent events at the All England, the Hurlingham, and the Cinnamon Club.

OW Table Tennis In the 2013 Play Term Harry Rose (LL, 2003–08) led a group of Old Westminsters in the first OW table tennis session in recent years. The gathering took place in the School’s beautiful new Sports Centre on the lovely raised dias of the main hall where tables are usually used by pupils. All enjoyed the chance to play but are looking for other OWW who share their enthusiasm for the game! Practice sessions will take place Wednesday nights in term time 6 – 8.45 pm (free, equipment provided). Please contact alumni@westminster.org.uk if you are interested in getting involved.

The season got off to a shaky start with a depleted D’Abernon Cup side losing convincingly to UCS Old Boys in the Quarter Finals. Thank you to Chris Anguelov (GG 2003–08), James Amott (WW, 1985–89) and Jimmy Notaras (LL, 1995–97) for joining me in an enjoyable match nonetheless.

We look forward to Marc Baghdadi (HH, 2001–06) and Chris storming through the round robin qualifier next year, and being joined by James and Ed Roussel (LL, 1979–83) to better last year’s fantastic semifinal performance.

We had a plethora of friendlies this year with eight being the most matches we’ve ever played in a season. We were delighted to add The Bar to our fixture list, our first non-Old Boys opposition, as well as our first UCS friendly and a second Old Etonians team. However, it was more about quantity than quality when it came to the results. We won one (against the Old Etonians), drew five, and lost two. It was great

‘

Saturday morning sessions at Vincent Square continue as long as the weather permits. Please come along and we hope to see you on court soon!

’

62 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 62

26/06/2014 23:01

for so many members to get involved in the matches this season and we look forward to building on that next year. Thank you to all players who joined me in the friendlies, including Nick Perry (RR, 1964–67), Jimmy Notaras (LL, 1995–97), CJ Morrell (GG, 1979–84), Simon Clement-Davies (RR, 1975–78), Giles Atkinson (guest), Simon Brocklebank-Fowler (WW, 1975–78), Matt Webb (BB, 1999–2004), Heneage Stevenson (RR, 1991–96), Charlie Stevenson (GG, 1993–98), Alex Mackenzie (QS, 1996–2001), and new member Sam Brodsky (AHH, 2006–11), who put in a strong performance in several matches.

On the social side, we kicked-off with our regular pre-season pizza and drinks in Covent Garden in April. Special thanks then go to Nick and Alex Perry (RR, 1996–2001) for hosting another fantastic day at the Wimbledon Championships and an excellent dinner. Thank you also to Honor-

Tennis: L-R: Giles Atkinson (guest), Matt Webb (BB, 1999–2004), Tom Sooke (LL, 1958–63), Jimmy Notaras (LL, 1995–97), Simon Clement-Davies (WW, 1975–78), Tristan Vanhegan (HH, 1994–99), Duncan Matthews (QS, 1974–79), Nick Perry (RR, 1964–67), Tim Brocklebank-Fowler (RR, 1976–80), Alex Perry (RR, 1996–2001).

ary President Duncan Matthews (QS, 1974–79) and Tim Brocklebank-Fowler (RR, 1976–80) for helping to organise a thoroughly enjoyable evening of tennis and drinks at the Hurlingham in July; and to Simon Clement-Davies (RR, 1975–78), as always, for organising this year’s end of season event at the Cinnamon Club.

As ever, Saturday morning sessions at Vincent Square continue as long as the weather permits. Please come along and we hope to see you on court soon!

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 63

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 63

26/06/2014 23:01

Water

by Oliver Cox (HH, 1997–2002)

More silverware than any previous year, two international races, many new faces around the club and a lot of fun – it has been another successful year for Elizabethan BC. The season’s racing began in style in February with our first international race; an EBC quad joined WSBC at the Prince Albert II Challenge in Monaco for two fantastic days of Mediterranean coastal rowing; our first coastal rowing experience nevertheless saw us beat crews from France, Italy and Spain to take silver medals.

Returning to the British Winter, March saw a strong eight prepared for the Head of the River Race – only to see it cancelled amidst driving snow. We consoled ourselves with an IM2 VIII’s pot from Hammersmith Regatta in April, while May brought another pot at Putney Town Regatta. The Henley season proved harder for the VIII, availability issues leading to a disappointing Marlow result and (despite able last-minute assistance from Rufus Dobson (HH, Remove) and David Bradbury (LL, Remove), two current WSBC rowers who kindly stepped in) an agonising exit from the Thames Cup at Henley as one of the fastest non-qualifiers. However, an Elizabethan four put together

by George Bradbury (BB, 2007–12) found

success at Marlow and reached the Henley semi-finals. The highlight of the Autumn was the Alleynian Regatta; victory over Dulwich and Hampton alumni crews meant that EBC raised this cup for the third time in five years.

2013 was rounded off with a race on the Rhine in Basel; despite a shortage of categories forcing us to race in the Elite category, with predictable result, it was a great way to round off the year.

64 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 64

26/06/2014 23:01

Left and below: Elizabethan BC at the Alleynian Cup (Charlie Howell (cox) (BB, 2003–08), Tom Fielder (DD, 2005–10), Josh Butler, George Bradbury (BB, 2007–12), Dan Rix-Standing (BB, 2004–09), Guy Arnold (MM, 2003–08), Alex Critchley (BB, 2002–07), Oliver Cox (HH, 1997–2002) and Tom Boles (LL, 2002–07).

Right: Guy Arnold (MM, 2003–08) with the Alleynian Cup.

Our long-standing members were joined in 2013 by many new faces; Tom Boles (LL, 2002–07), Alex Critchley (BB, 2002–07), Guy Arnold (MM, 2003–08), Tom Fielder (DD, 2005–10), Charlie Howell (BB, 2003–08), Bijan Hedayati (BB, 1985–90), Felix Mitchell (MM, 2002–07), Dan Rix-Standing (BB, 2004–09), George Bradbury (BB, 2007–12) and Ivor Vanhegan (WW, 2004–09) have all competed. Sadly, however, this year has also

seen losses. Pete Proudley, who passed away this January, coached many generations of Westminster rowers; he was a mentor and an inspiration to me and many others at the club.

Mike Thorne, WSBC’s boatman from 1959 to 1993, died in March 2013: fittingly, his wake was held at WSBC. Nick Bevan, Master i/c Water from 1971–1972 and later Head Master of Shiplake College, also passed away in January 2014. They will all be missed.

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 65

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 65

26/06/2014 23:01

‘

Inside the country people are demanding more; political engagement and activism are high and there is a sense that things can’t and won’t stay the same.

Rhys Morgan (AHH, 2005–10)

’

Read more about the

2013 Neville Walton Award Winner’s trip to India on page 68

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 66

26/06/2014 23:01

OW ARTICLES Get in touch If you would like to submit an article for inclusion in the next issue of the Elizabethan Newsletter, please send details to the Editor: The Elizabethan Newsletter The Development Office 17a Dean’s Yard, London SW1P 3PB E: alumni@westminster.org.uk T: 020 7963 1115

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 67

26/06/2014 23:01

Neville Walton Travel Award

A foreign guest in a chaotic household

by Rhys Morgan (AHH, 2005–10)

I went to northern India with a particular interest in two subjects – foreign direct investment and the operation of the political system in the face of an upcoming election. I wanted to learn about these things from those concerned, the Indian people. As such, interviews formed the basis of my research.

When Ruchir Dalmia (AHH, 2005–10) and I first dreamed up this trip one detail was sure right from the start – we’d travel as much as possible by train. The train network is in many ways one of the greatest foreign investments in India, it is historic, it is economically integral, it is vast and to a greater or lesser degree it caters to every demographic. The trains range from crammed but friendly to slightly threatening, from luxurious and air-conditioned to outright dangerous – on one of our routes towards Bihar we discovered that one in six trains ‘spontaneously’ went up in flames.

The experience is disorganised, impressive and unbelievably varied to say the least. This pretty accurately sets the tone for the country which we are about to discuss, from trains to geopolitics.

Foreign direct investment in India took off in earnest in 1991 following a raft of trade liberalisation reforms by the Indian government. The government had not been able to service the interest on its debt and an economic revolution was needed. Since then, India may feel vindicated by its GDP growth, with highs of up to 10% year on year in 2005/07. However in the last few years growth has fallen steadily to stand at just under 5% at time of going to press. The trend in GDP growth isn’t the only worrying indicator; inflation has been rising quickly since the start of the year and foreign direct investment continues to be unpredictable, topping this off the rupee has fallen drastically since May and whilst the rate bounced back from the extreme lows of September prices still don’t look healthy.

Foreign direct investment is attractive because it brings both capital and knowledge, and, unlike debt, it has no repayment strings attached.

Common ways of courting foreign direct investment include improving infrastructure and the workforce, reducing red tape, ensuring a good business environment, and offering gov-

68 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 68

26/06/2014 23:01

ernment incentives. In its rhetoric, the government has placed importance on foreign direct investment as a way to cure India’s economic ills but has been ineffective in courting it. In addition there have been several high profile cases in recent years which have marred India’s image as a foreign direct investment hub, three particularly well known examples are the misallocation of mobile spectrum3, the shelving of the Retail Reform Act1, and the Land Reform Act2. The instability projected by these cases has done significant damage to India’s attempts to garner foreign direct investment, although even in the face of this adversity multinationals are clamouring to enter the market.

The incumbent government is a coalition of left wing parties, named the United Progressive Alliance and led by the Congress Party. Coalition governments are to be expected – in a country the size of India divergent interests are inevitable and, whilst coalitions tend to be unified by ideology, fair-weather friends abound. Currently there is disquiet in Indian politics, with two main factors fuelling the tension, namely corruption and the economy.

As in many fast developing countries economic growth can be used as a proxy for government approval ratings, and as one would expect, the stalling Indian economy has led to significant turmoil. Questions have been asked about the efficacy of the Indian democratic system >>

1

A look at the Retail Reform Act

In November 2011 Manmohan Singh, now the Prime Minister, announced for the first time that foreign groups would be able to own up to a 51% stake in supermarkets (previously 0%) and that foreign single brand retailers such as Ikea could own 100% (previously 51%). These highly anticipated changes promised to bring much needed improvements to the Indian supply chain. Shortly after this announcement, however, the project was shelved, largely due to public opposition.

Today, supermarket reform has still not arrived, and whilst single brand retailer reform eventually did go through, heavy red tape held back the expected surge in investment. Many attribute the failure of this scheme with the fact that it was poorly ‘sold’ to the public. Popular arguments against reform have been on the grounds of a reduction in jobs caused by increased efficiency (an objection to wealth redistribution). However, proponents of reform argue that if efficiency can be increased then a pareto optimum can be reached by allowing foreign supermarkets, taxing them highly and redistributing the wealth to those who lose out via grants (e.g. farm subsidies).

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 69

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 69

26/06/2014 23:01

>>

in managing an economy as opposed to the authoritarian systems in place in China and Singapore. The West preaches the virtues of democracy but it can be difficult to compare a country of India’s size and composition to other successful democracies. In many ways China, recently risen and with comparable size, is the best comparison and, importantly, their system of central authority has been successful in driving growth. In light of the success of countries such as China and Singapore there is an emerging contingent, especially in the youth and among business, that would be willing to live with a more authoritarian regime if it led to jobs and growth. This sentiment has been reflected by the rise of Narendra Modi, Chief Minister of Gujarat since 2001 and currently a candidate for Prime Minister. Modi is a man lauded for his ability to make the trains run on time. He has cut through red tape in his rule of Gujarat and the state has largely flourished under his economic leadership. For the predictability and stability he has brought to his state the international business community has pinned its hopes on him to lead the country, with Indian stock prices increasing when polls swing in his favour.

The second biggest factor in Indian politics is the on-going fight against corruption. For several years the anti-corruption movement has been gaining steam and it has taken on new strength with the establishment of the Aam Aadmi Party (born of the India Against Corruption movement). Arvind Kejriwal is the leader of the Aam Aadmi (‘Common Man’) Party, and has, since my visit, become Chief Minister of Delhi. In some ways he is the face of increased popular political activism in India and without doubt he is a significant driver. His AAP, launched in November 2012, has been very successful, operating through grassroots campaigns and adapting to issues in current affairs. Examples of this are the party’s history with the Lokpal Bill, the involvement

with protests against utilities price rises, against the Retail Reform Act1 (which they have repealed in Delhi since taking over), and in favour of stronger anti-rape laws.

It was against this backdrop that Ruchir and I had the chance to talk people in India about how they viewed foreign investment and the Indian government. Three people made a particular impression on me: Vivek Chadha, an established Delhi-based lawyer, Shailendra Gupta, a recently graduated economist in Mumbai, and Ravi Agarwal, a shopkeeper in Lucknow, capital of Uttar Pradesh.

Talking to Vivek I was struck both by his resigned frustration towards corruption and by his hope for international investment. With regards to corruption he gave two examples to illustrate his despair, that of election expenses and that of G. Janardhana Reddy, a ‘kingmaker’ (with the ability to affect the balance of power in a particular region) in the South. He asked two questions to illustrate his point: How do you break a cycle corrupt at every point?

When voters demand 1,000 rupees (known as a ‘red bill’) in exchange for their vote then those who succeed will be those with funds, and those with funds will have made promises under the table to secure them.

70 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 70

26/06/2014 23:01

How do you convince people to oppose corruption if it improves their immediate situation?

When G. Janardhana Reddy paid off government officials in order to make vast profits illegally mining he also created jobs for a whole town. With his arrest those people are back to having nothing.

When it came to attracting foreign direct investment he was equally frustrated. A big believer in the ability of foreign direct investment, he highlighted Japanese investment in the Golden Quadrilateral road system and talked about India’s place on the global stage.

His biggest annoyance was electorally driven policy decisions. He saw both the Vodafone decision3 and the retail reforms1 as internationally uncompetitive decisions taken due to fear of backlash from an uninformed population. >>

2

The Land Reform Act

In August 2013 India’s Lower House of Parliament approved a new Land Acquisition Bill which proposed that landowners are required to be paid up to four times market value for land in rural areas and two times the market value in urban areas. This is expected to increase the cost of land purchase costs up by up to 3.5 times, hurting industrial projects.

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 71

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 71

26/06/2014 23:01

>>

Shailendra was both very intelligent and very confident. He was most interested in talking about India’s international presence and what he wanted for the country. He worked in an economic analysis firm used worldwide by financial institutions to outsource research.

India is beginning, through the private sector, to compete in the most sought after industries, and it is often succeeding. His own job in an internationally competitive services firm was proof for me, but he cited giants such as Tata and Reliance Industries to hammer the point home. He did look, however, to reflect on the issues that had sprouted up alongside growth and wealth and success. With such huge industry has come an individualistic streak, at odds with the historically familial culture, which has led to high levels of both commercial and political in-fighting. His examples included the fallout inside the powerful Ambani family and the nepotism of the Gandhi political dynasty.

Doubtless nationalistic he also talked of frustration with bureaucracy in the government and in regulation of the private sector, giving the example of the Land Reform Act2, a bill which could triple the average cost of land acquisition for companies. He also talked about how many private companies felt pushed to corruption as the only way to get things done in reasonable time periods. As such if one could clean up regulation then corruption would be eased. Logically then he saw Modi, a man who has historically burst through regulation, as a potentially great leader – if he could maintain his authoritarian edge. He made the point that in Gujarat he was able to get things done when he wanted partly because he had a majority in the state and could push through his desired reforms which won’t be as easy if he becomes mired in coalition politics as Prime Minister.

Ravi was optimistic at home and pessimistic internationally. As a shopkeeper the potential retail reforms1 were especially close to his heart. His biggest fear was that companies like Walmart would arrive, put local shops out of business, and then whisk the profit back to their own countries. He was not to be swayed by the potential increases in supply chain efficiency. When we talked about Reddy, he erred on the side of no corruption. As he put it, were

3

The spectrum allocation scandal

In January 2008, the Indian Department of Telecommunications elected to issue Frequency Allocation Licences on a first-come, first-served basis. It pushed forward the opening of the bidding by a week without fair publication of the update. This happened under the discretion of A. Raja, a politician who manipulated the rules so that those tipped off would be able to gain an unfair advantage in the allocation process. In 2010 the deception was unmasked to huge backlash both domestically and internationally.

The licences had been vastly undervalued and certain companies had clearly been favoured by the process. The Supreme Court acted to cancel the licences and even looked to enforce a retroactive tax; Vodafone are still in court as regards this charge. When reselling the spectrum the Indian government was accused of vastly over-inflating the prices. This saga caused significant international backlash and has been touted as a hugely anti-business move. By not only removing the licences but looking to prosecute the buyers the government looked to improve its own domestic reputation, but at the same time it showed itself to be an unreliable international business partner.

there regulation no-one would have lost their jobs in the end, corruption was not justifiable as the idea that it could improve people’s lives was a myth, just short-termism. To Ravi the Indian people are capable of anything including reforming the political system. He views democracy as the weapon of the people and corruption as the target at hand. He has been involved in the aforementioned India Against Corruption movement which has been arranging large scale protests and agitations since 2011. In 2011 the movement was successful in getting the Lokpal Bill into Parliament, the bill has since stalled.

72 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 72

26/06/2014 23:01

Two strongly recurrent themes in these interviews were corruption and electoral concerns.

Corruption is a huge problem in India, in 2012 India ranked 94th out of 176 countries in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index and a 2012 KPMG study suggested that India’s corruption problem was worth $50 billion to the country. The problem isn’t just limited to politicians and businesses either, voters accepting bribes such as TVs are hardly less complicit than the politicians bribing them. As for electoral concerns one might wonder why pandering to the voters is a bad thing; after all, is it not the role of a democracy to follow the will of the people? However, in situations where you have an uninformed voting body siding with voters is likely to lead to suboptimal policy decisions. We may look to the education of voters as the solution, and certainly that is something that has been highlighted in the case of retail reforms1, however this only works if education is accurate and free. Cost concerns aside, in a government with such extensive corruption, there is no way to guarantee any accuracy of education. These two issues are related; how do you get rid of a corrupt government if they can buy votes by distributing laptops, and how can you eliminate the problems of voter education if you cannot trust your government to act in the country’s interest?

We finished having just scratched the surface of our questions, but as Ruchir and I concluded our Indian exploration over naan, raita and a Limca both he, an increasingly nationalistic Indian expat, and I, the muddling tourist, had discovered more about this unavoidable country. Considering our two original topics our thoughts were as follows: India’s potential is immense. It’s huge population, entrepreneurial spirit, diversity and immaturity are all reasons why it is set to grow rapidly in coming years but are also reasons for its corruption and instability. For both foreign investors and domestic voters then the good will come with the bad. In business, where there are no voting rights, there are signs this is understood and accepted; Vodafone3 India have just announced a 7 billion pound investment in mobile spectrum despite still being in court over their previous spectrum investments.

More encouragingly, inside the country people are demanding more; political engagement and activism are high even for an election period and there is a sense that things can’t and won’t stay the same. Another economic revolution is needed, but while many abroad call for further liberalisation in keeping with the changes of 1991, within India, corruption is, and will continue to be, the biggest topic at hand. This is a country to which I shall return.

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 73

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 73

26/06/2014 23:01

Metz Award Winner’s Report

A three-week tour of Berlin, Prague and Budapest

by Hayley Chapman (DD, 2008–10)

Studying Theology and History respectively, my travelling companion and I share a fascination with the relationship between Church and state in the former Soviet satellite states of Eastern Europe. It was originally Wendy Tyndale’s book Protestants in Communist East Germany that sparked our interest. She discusses how the Christian Church in the German Democratic Republic (DDR to Germans), while subject to tight state control and surveillance, simultaneously built up an ‘alternative culture’; it embraced people whom the state rejected and played a part in the eventual fall of Communism in Germany. Tyndale goes on to highlight that churches in Germany are still dealing with questions about how far to engage in politics and their position in relation to the state. Thanks to the kind support of Richard Metz we were able to travel to three cities – Berlin, Prague and Budapest – and trace developments in this relationship through visiting dozens of incredibly beautiful churches, hearing the reflections of an eclectic mix of local people, and exploring museums devoted to the Communist era.

Many of our experiences highlighted the persecution experienced by the Church in the

Above: The beautiful ceiling of Berlin Cathedral.

Communist era and how this has impacted the religious makeup of the countries today. In all three cities, churchgoers shared their memories of being deemed ‘backward’ during the Cold War and being refused good jobs because of it; the custodian of Berlin Cathedral recounted how she was disallowed from taking her exams at school because she refused to read Nietzsche’s God is Dead. We saw how Berlin’s Church of the Atonement set up a ‘Peace Library’ that collected information banned under censorship laws, and in Budapest saw pictures of the entrance to the ancient Hill Cave, used as a monastery, but which was blocked with concrete by the Soviets and its monks sentenced to death.

Despite huge changes since the end of communism in 1992, this persecution has left a legacy in specific places. We heard how the local government of Berlin contained several people brought up and trained in the DDR rather than West Germany, meaning the Church in Berlin still has fewer religious holidays (such as Reformation Day on 31st October) and fewer allowances granted than the rest of Germany – people we spoke to claimed this was due to those in government remembering these holi-

74 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 74

26/06/2014 23:01

days being used for political rallying during the Cold War. A source of regret for several people was the atheistic culture brought about by the suppression of religion for an entire generation.

The church warden at Marienkirche, a church situated in the shadow of the huge Communist built TV tower on Alexanderplatz in Berlin, spoke about how a ‘whole generation’ of people were lost to the Church. Similarly a lady we met at St Vitus cathedral in Prague told us passionately about the ‘broken link’ in Czech families – as current parents were not brought up with religious activities, they have not passed them onto their children.

Interestingly, what soon became apparent was that the relationship between the Church and state during the communist era was more complex than one of clear-cut persecution and resistance. It seems that at times the Communist government ‘supported’ the Church on the basis of its presence as a visible and influential institution. A visit to the Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral) led us to find out that the Communist Government rebuilt it from the destruction of WWII with money from the West, along with 100 others in the 1970s in an attempt to “keep up the appearances.” The Stasi Museum in Berlin further informed us of the state’s influence in the appointment of pastors, ‘supporting’ the Church in order to plant informers in its midst.

This mixture of persecution and ‘support’ of the Church has left a curious legacy in these countries. We encountered a sense that the

well-being of the Church is still very much interlinked with the state in a negative way. At the Chapel of Reconciliation, a rebuilt church that once stood between the borders of East and West Berlin, we were told about people’s frustrations with a government tax levied on registered churchgoers to help fund upkeep of churches. This dissuades people from becoming registered churchgoers and from attracting new people into the church. At St Vitus cathedral in Prague we were told how their property has been at the epicentre of an ongoing debate about the government’s plans to return one billion Euros of church property seized during the Communist Regime, opposed by a clear majority of Czech people and seen as irresponsible during this time of financial austerity. Whilst the Church in these countries may no longer have the political agenda it used to have, the lasting legacy is one where the Church still has an ambiguous and at times tense relationship with the state.

Overall, our trip was a fascinating experience and enabled us to visit some incredible and memorable places. We were pleasantly surprised how open people were to talk with us and share their memories and views on the outlook of the Church in their country going forward.

We were struck by the lasting legacy of the Communist regime a generation after its fall, whether by changing the religious traditions of its populace and so “breaking a link” between generations of families, or by the ongoing interference into the administration of the Church by the current government. The trip allowed us a chance to understand a little more about the recent histories of these countries and, though the subject in hand was serious, to have an enormous amount of fun! We would like to extend a grateful thanks to Richard Metz, whose generosity made the trip possible.

Left: St Vitus Cathedral, Prague, at sunset.

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 75

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 75

26/06/2014 23:01

‘ From the Archives

One of the problems we have still not resolved is the apparent relationship between the inscriptions on Burlington’s Arch and Water.

’

by Elizabeth Wells Westminster School Archivist Reel History

The School’s next Reel History Film Screening will take place on Thursday, 11th September 2014. We will screen a mixture of old favourites, newly digitised films and recent donations to the Archive. Our programme is not yet fixed so if you have any old film footage of the School you think should be added to the Archive please do get in touch. Tickets will be made available in the Summer – keep an eye on OWW Online for updates.

The School Gateway

The School Gateway, often known as Burlington’s Arch, is an iconic feature to Westminsters old and new. Some of you may remember William Kitchen’s (AHH, US) light-hearted article about the inscriptions which mark its stone (featured in last year’s Elizabethan Newsletter). We have now produced a website to present Will’s findings relating to the 169 identifiable names carved into the arch and the surrounding walls.

The site includes a complete inventory of the OWW who have achieved immortality through leaving their mark on this Westminster land-

mark alongside the history of the structure and further information about some of the lives, and faces, behind the names. The walk up School will never be the same again!

One of the problems we have still not resolved is the apparent relationship between the inscriptions and Water. It may be purely coincidental but almost half of those who carved their names also rowed for the School. The crews of several boats from the 1830s–60s are well represented. Our earliest surviving photograph of an eight, which dates from 1873, uses the Gateway as its backdrop. If anyone is aware of a contemporary reference to the tradition, I would be most interested to hear from them.

School Magazines

We have now completed two important projects in relation to the School’s extensive collection of official and unofficial pupil publications. The Elizabethan has now been digitised in its entirety in a fully searchable format which can be accessed online anywhere in the world.

As you can imagine this has made answering

76 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 76

26/06/2014 23:01

Above: The School Gateway.

enquiries and uncovering the School’s history a great deal quicker. Not only has this been of great benefit for me as Archivist, but it has meant that pupils can more easily access this resource. Each member of the Fifth Form currently undertakes research into an OW who lost his life in the First World War as part of

their study of history. This important work will support our commemoration of the centenary of the conflict later this year. As I write work is taking place to make the scanned copies of the magazine available to any serious researcher. If you are interested in using the website please get in touch for more information. >> THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 77

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 77

26/06/2014 23:01

>>

Our second project has been to catalogue the many other publications in our collection ranging from House papers (such as The College Street Clarion and The Grantite Review) to academic magazines (Hooke and The Camden) to ‘unofficial’ publications. The earliest Westminster School publications fall into the latter category. The Trifler first appeared in 1788 and soon spawned The Flagellant when its editors rejected verse submitted by later Poet Laureate, Robert Southey (OW, 1788–92). This new magazine, which Southey edited with three contemporaries, caused considerable controversy – Southey was expelled by Head Master William Vincent for a particularly vicious article condemning corporal punishment which he wrote and published in the fifth issue. Many will remember that The Trifler was reborn in the 1950s as a serious literary magazine and in addition to featuring content by pupils and staff also managed to attract submissions from the likes of Willy Russell, Yehudi Menuhin and Stephen Spender to say nothing of cover art by Feliks Topolski and Ronald Searle.

Cataloguing these publications has helped us to identify gaps in our collections and we are very keen to hear from Old Westminsters who have issues that they would be prepared to donate to the School. These magazines remain one of our most popular collections with researchers and pupils alike. In due course we hope to digitise other series of magazines and make them available in the same manner as The Elizabethan.

Thanks

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all OWW who have donated time, reminiscences and archival material to the School over the past year. It is always a pleasure to receive something new to add to the collections, which are being used by increasing numbers of researchers both within and outside of the School. Please keep the donations coming!

Elizabeth Wells, Archivist archives@westminster.org.uk 020 7963 1110

Some missing magazines...

Having completed the catalogue, it is possible to identify some missing issues which we would love to add to our collection. Perhaps you have a copy of: Hooke, Issue 10 – 1997 The Trifler, Volume 1, Issue 12 – 1914 Polygon, Issues 1–5 (c. 1960) and Volume 2, Number 1 (April 1962) The Intruder, No. 1 (c. 1940) The Flagellant (from both its 1913– 1914 and 1960s iterations) Limited runs...

The ‘unofficial’ nature of many of these School publications has made it difficult to date and order the editions in the archive. Perhaps you have some further issues of the following which are in the archive: The Link – First issue (1940) Jester – First two issues (1960s) Alph – First issue (1970s) Meringue – First two issues (1980s) Doin’ Time – One issue (1980s) The Anti-Matter – Two issues (1990s) Pink – Twenty-seven issues (2000s – present) Rarities...

The following are ‘rarities’ – magazines which we have a single copy of and would appreciate duplicates: The Trifler 1953, 1956 The Elizabethan 2001

78 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 78

26/06/2014 23:01

Friday, 24th May 2013

Endings and New Beginnings Above: Abbey from Green.

A talk given by Rod Beavon, former Senior Master and Master of Chemistry, to pupils at Abbey

Endings and new beginnings – that is what I wish to talk about this morning.

For 199 of us it is the end of our time at Westminster and the beginning of the next phase of our lives. 189 of those leaving are Remove pupils, ten are staff. Six of these are moving to other academic or teaching posts, and four are retiring including me and my wife Julia, whom many of you will know. I shall come back to this idea of retiring later.

First let me give some statistics. I came to Westminster in September 1992 as Head of Science and to a school somewhat smaller than it now is. And, I have to say, one which in many ways was much less kind, more abrasive. Some think it was quirkier. I think it was just more abrasive and I do not regret its passing. Anyway in those 21 years, 17 as Head of Science and 3 ½ as Senior Master I have, roughly speaking: • Walked 6000 miles between Dean’s Yard and Hooke; • Walked 3500 miles getting from Vincent Square to School;

• • • •

Set around 3500 preps and therefore marked about 54000 individual scripts; Taught some 14000 periods; In my role as an Examiner for Edexcel marked some 11000 A level scripts; Had a hand in the training and encouragement of about 400 doctors, all of whom I now have to try and avoid!

Why would one do that – what is it about the job that makes it attractive, because I promise you that I have always comprehensively enjoyed it, marking included. Endings and new beginnings – that is what teaching is about – it is what we do every day.

The subject I think chemistry is a lot of fun. Part of teaching is suggesting to pupils that some of them might agree.

• Part of the attraction for teaching is that learning is in both directions – I have learnt an enormous amount of Chemistry (and many other things) from the questions asked over the years. >> THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 79

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 79

26/06/2014 23:01

>>

•

The end of ignorance – the new beginning of understanding – and this every period, every day, every week and on and on throughout your life defending and developing the great Enlightenment which we all enjoy.

The pupils • Teaching requires pupils – so it helps if you like them, their wit, their optimism, their joy of life, and take pleasure in sharing it! Pupils at school are not adults, whatever they themselves might think.

I do not expect Fifth Formers to behave like adults – I do expect them to behave as polite Fifth Formers in transition to the Lower Shell, so that by the time they reach the Remove they are young adults rather than old prep school children.

Abbey from Little Dean’s Yard.

•

Your time here should represent the end of elderly infancy and the new beginning of young adulthood.

Colleagues • Chemists often have other interests, believe it or not. So what better place to be than in a common room which contains people who know something about almost everything? New beginnings for my knowledge every day.

Changing responsibilities: • The Senior Master’s role 3½ years ago was a new beginning and I have learnt much about the School that I never knew even after 17 years here. It has also meant that I know many more of you – and that has been a real pleasure.

Retiring – what does that mean? It is an ending, of course – but it is an exciting new beginning. People ask ‘what will you do?’ in a voice that suggests I will be lost in a strange landscape pining for another Almanack to write. Well, there are plenty of things that Julia and I will be doing that are different and new and which are unconstrained by the need to take holidays only during school holidays, or to be in a particular place at a particular time each week. Having lived in London for 20+ years it’s time for something different – and that difference is to be celebrated and enjoyed to the maximum whilst feeling also that the years spent here have been enjoyed to the full.

It isn’t that looking forward to the new life is a denigration of the old – those of you in the Remove are, I hope, looking forward to the next stage of your development with eager anticipation whilst also looking back with satisfaction and pleasure at happy times with good friends at school. It is simply that each moment is an ending and a new beginning, some of course much larger and more significant than others.

It is after all what life is about.

Floreat!

80 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 80

26/06/2014 23:01

Ged Garvin with his coach Sgt. Melican with gymnasts and boxer, 1912.

The early history of fencing at Westminster

by Edmund Gray (WW, 1952–56)

Fencing at Westminster goes back at least to 1766, when an advertisement declared that “with the consent and approbation of the Rev Dr Smith, Master of Westminster School, Mr Angelo has the honour of acquainting the public that he has taken a room of Mr Frith in Dean’s Yard, to teach fencing twice a week, principally intended for the instruction of young noblemen and gentlemen educated at the said school”. This was Domenico Angelo, the first of a famous family of fencing masters.

Born in Livorno and trained in Paris, he came to London in 1754 and soon became riding and fencing master to the royal family. His fencing manual L’Ecole des Armes was long the standard work. He perhaps initiated fencing in schools, since his obituary in 1802 claimed that: “In the arts of fencing and riding he was long at the head his profession and, by his skill in both, brought them into general adoption as necessary branches of fashionable education.” – though all sports were then extra-curricular. For

a time he was assisted by the popular “conspicuous fop”, the Afro-Caribbean Soubise.

Domenico was succeeded by his son Harry, who in 1781 advertised that he had “taken a large and convenient room, in the Tilt-yard Coffee-house, Horse-guards.” There he trusted to obtain the support “of those noblemen and gentlemen he has already had the honour of instructing at Westminster School” – adding that he “attends the gentlemen of Westminster School at Mr Pierce’s, Dean’s Yard on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 12 till two”. He asserted that fencing “justly forms part of the education of persons of rank, giving them additional strength of body, proper confidence, grace, activity and address; enabling them, likewise, to pursue other exercise with greater facility”. He was followed by his son Henry Charles, “a rotund, pompous, affable, dressy little man”, who weathered the lean years when numbers at the School fell to a mere 67 in 1841. >> THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 81

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 81

26/06/2014 23:01

Below (left): Charles Newton-Robinson, 1872.

Below: (right): Harry Angelo’s Academy by Thomas Rowlandson, 1791.

Bottom: Domenico Angelo.

>>

By the 1850s sports were no longer extracurricular (and football was compulsory), but fencing was still an extra when, in 1862, a Prize Badge was donated by the Rev Thomas Weare, who as Under Master had played a key role in the recovery of the School. His wish was “that this stimulus may serve to promote the noble art of self-defence at Westminster and increase the hitherto meagre number of Mr Angelo’s class”. Among his stipulations was the wearing of masks, not previously obligatory. The Badge, initially on a knock-out system, but by pools from 1911, continued to be contested until 1931.

Though not a Badge winner, Charles NewtonRobinson (GG, 1866–72) became a key figure in national fencing, pioneering epee and winning a team Silver in the 1906 Olympics.

H. C. Angelo’s assistant, William McTurk, took over as principal coach for a decade from c1867, but fencing then faded and when it revived in 1887 it was with a military instructor. This reflected the national promotion of fencing as one means to military fitness – foil being added in 1890 to boxing and gymnastics in the Public Schools Championships organised by the Army (with sabre too from 1897).

Westminster first entered this event in 1905 and by 1908 had three runners-up, including the future Lord Adrian (GG, 1903–08), Nobel Prize physiologist and Cambridge Chancellor. Sabre was fenced by 1907 and matches by 1908. In 1913 Ged Garvin (HB, 1908–14), son of the famous editor of The Observer, was the first winner in the Public Schools (at foil).

Though tragically killed in the First World War, he was the precursor of many later Westminster winners and four more Olympians – coached by various outstanding masters.

‘

It was asserted that fencing ‘justly forms the part of education of persons of rank…’

’

The book Fencing at Westminster School 1766– 2013 by Edmund Gray and Edmund Wareham (WW, 2002–07) offers a full narrative up to the present (with colour-illustrated card cover, iv+74 pp, 38 ills. and details of 250+ fencers).

It is available for £11 (incl p+p) from 118 Church Way, Iffley, Oxford, OX4 4EG. 82 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 82

26/06/2014 23:01

OWGS in the 1930s.

A Brief History of the

Old Westminsters’ Golfing Society

by Edward Cartwright (DD, 1979–83), Tony Willoughby (LL, 1959–62) and David Roy (AHH, 1955–61).

With many thanks to OWW who gave us information especially Ian Petherick (HB, 1941–46).

On Monday, 2nd June 1924, a group of OW golfers got together to form a new society, the Old Westminsters’ Golfing Society. The meeting was no doubt prompted by the launch earlier that year of the Halford Hewitt Cup, a foursomes team knock-out competition for old boys of a number of public schools, most of them being those competing in the footballing equivalent, the Arthur Dunn Cup. At that time, even though golf was not a recognised sport at the School, the OWW had among their number a strong cadre of quality golfers including the Hartley brothers, Rex (GG, 1919–23) and Lister (GG, 1918–22), both England internationals and shortly to become Walker Cup players, Geoffrey Pakenham-Walsh (KS, 1913–17), an Oxford Blue, and Roger Chapman (AHH, 1919–24), a Cambridge Blue and Wales international. In 1928, the Society reached the semi-finals of the Halford Hewitt, something that has been achieved only twice since.

The final pair in that first semi-final match were Max Page (RR, 1896–1901) and Harold Gardiner-Hill (HB, 1904–09), both distinguished medics at St Thomas’ Hospital. The former was

later knighted for his services to medicine and the latter was to become Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A).

With that quality of players, one might have expected unqualified enthusiasm from the Elizabethan Club Games Committee. Not so.

The Minutes for its meeting on Tuesday, 3rd April 1928, which was largely devoted to the affairs of the OWGS, ended: “Mr Cahn (KS, 1914–19) then concluded the discussion by suggesting that it was a crime for any young man to play golf at all.” Things have since changed and the OW Golf Society, along with a number of other sports, receives financial support from the Elizabethan Club which assists with the activities of the team and helps younger players.

Golf is challenging and competitive, yet sociable and provides a wide variety of networking opportunities throughout one’s active life. Unlike cricket and football it accommodates players of all abilities from school age right through to those in their eighties. Interestingly, however, scrutiny of The Elizabethan has shown that from 1946 until the early 1960s the School had a golf society with a pupil as secretary and >> THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 83

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 83

26/06/2014 23:01

>>

held two or three meetings a year, with a medal played in the morning and a match against the OWGS in the afternoon.

The playing membership of the OWGS, which currently numbers around 80, includes at least three active octogenarians, one of whom, Tudor Davies (GG, 1948–52), a former Wales international and Welsh Amateur Champion, is still a regular participant at the Society’s Summer Meeting.

One of our longest serving members is Ian Petherick (HB, 1941–46) who with Tony Slark (RR, 1936–38), an England International, Surrey champion and British Amateur semi-finalist, formed the Society’s longest and most successful pairing in the Halford Hewitt. Ian has vivid memories of his first Spring Meeting in 1949, when the Hon. Sec. arranged a lift for him. He found himself sitting next to Ewen Montagu (RR, 1914–19) then Judge Advocate of the Fleet but prior to that the Lieutenant Commander in Naval Intelligence largely responsible for Mincemeat, the spectacularly successful operation in 1943, which led Hitler to believe that the next invasion of Europe would be in Greece, thereby leaving the way open for the invasion of Sicily. Ian, of course, was blissfully unaware of

‘

The 1950s ought to have been a very successful period for the Society with an impressive array of talented golfers but somehow the results never quite matched up. Perhaps the most distinguished golfer in the history of the Society was Rajkumar Pitamber Shumshere Jang Bahadur Rana (“Pit”) (AHH, 1947–50) who was of Nepalese aristocratic descent but born in London. He captained Oxford in 1952 and 1953 but, sadly, his time with the Society was cut short when he left for India in 1958. In due course, he was to become All-India Amateur Golf Champion (1966 and 1973), Captain of the Indian representative side from 1964 to 1975 and President of the Indian Golf Union (1974–1976). In 1967, he was awarded the prestigious Arjuna Award for his services to golf.

Pit’s Oxford team included Roger Robinson (KS, 1945–50), who was another stalwart of the Halford Hewitt team. Roger went on to become Captain of Royal Liverpool and a member of the R&A Championship Committee.

The Society’s programme is built around four major team competitions (the Halford Hewitt, the Grafton Morrish, the Bernard Darwin for over 55s and the Royal Wimbledon Putting Competition), three annual meetings (Spring,

Our quarter final win [in 1968] was so unexpected the Hon. Sec. had already checked the team out of the hotel…

’

his driver’s involvement until the veil of secrecy was lifted in 1953.

As for Slark, in addition to his semi-final in the 1954 Amateur, he lost narrowly by one hole in the 1959 Amateur at Royal St George’s to a young American by the name of Jack Nicklaus, who would go on to win the US Amateur later that year. Tony has retired to South Africa but it was a great pleasure to see Ian at Hunstanton supporting the Grafton Morrish team as recently as 2012.

Above: J G Barrington-Ward (KS, 1907–12).

84 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 84

26/06/2014 23:01

Summer and Autumn) and a fixture list comprising around 10 matches.

Competitions and matches other than the one against the School are all against other public school golfing societies. Whilst we have won the Bernard Darwin (1964) and been runners-up in 1984 and runners up in the Putting Competition (1974), our performance in the competitions has been so disappointing as to excite press comment from time to time.

In 1968, when we reached the semi-finals of the Halford Hewitt, our quarter-final win was so unexpected that the Hon. Sec. had already checked the team out of the hotel, prompting the Daily Express headline “Golf win starts a hunt for beds”. Then, in 1981, a report in The Times on the first day of the Open Championship

‘

In 2001 we selected a lady golfer for our team, the first school to have done so in the history of the Halford Hewitt.

’

at Royal St George’s, one of the venues for the Halford Hewitt, quoted a spectator commenting on the performance of Seve Ballesteros and others: “They are making almost as heavy weather of it as the Old Westminsters”. However, in 2001, we made our mark on the Halford Hewitt in a much more positive and (at the time) sensational style. We selected a lady golfer for our team, the first school to have done so in the history of the competition. Catherine Robinson (BB, 1998–2000) who played for Cambridge Ladies 2001–03 and captained the side in 2002, bravely joined the ranks at Royal Cinque Ports and remained a member of the team for several years.

She is now Master i/c of Golf at Charterhouse.

The Society is now on an ‘up’ and hopes are high for the new generation of Westminster golfers, which includes Oliver Flynn (RR, 2003–08 and Cambridge Varsity Team 2012 and 13), Francesca Bastianello (BB, 2010–12 and Cambridge Ladies Varsity Team 2013) and Carl Rietschel (GG, 2009–11 and Cambridge Dinner Matches 2012 and 13 and Hon. Sec CUGC 2013–14).

This year for the first time since 1980, the OWGS team reached the third round of the Halford Hewitt. Pleasingly, it was the first time in everyone’s memory that all ten players were under 50 years old.

The success of any old school sports society is always heavily dependent upon (a) maintaining a close connection with the school and (b) the energy and commitment of the Hon. Sec. of the day. David Roy (AHH, 1955–61), our current long-suffering supremo, with the help of Edward Cartwright (DD, 1979–83) has worked hard to cement the relationship with the School, which lapsed for some years. It is pleasing to report that, at present, golf is an active station at the School presided over by Simon Hawken with Charlie Ullathorne overseeing the annual golf expedition and the match against the Society.

Fuelled by the fact that the Under School’s Director of Sport, Iain Hepburn, is a keen golfer (Royal St George’s), the Society is now planning to build a relationship there too.

About 20 years ago, Barrie Peroni (RR, 1947–52), then Hon. Sec., and Richard Davies (GG, 1945–49), then Hon. Treasurer, launched our Development Fund. Funded entirely by OWGS members, it was created to ensure that all young OWW could attend competitions by assisting them with their expenses. Over the subsequent years, the fund has continued to perform that role but also now pays for tuition for talented young OWW and even some pupils at the School. It also underwrites the cost of the annual match between the School and OWGS, thereby demonstrating the Society’s collective commitment to do whatever it takes to promote the sport within the School and foster a closer relationship with the School.

The OWGS is always looking for new young players so if anybody plays golf but not in the station at School please let Simon Hawken or Charlie Ullathorne know and they will be able to pass on details to the Hon. Sec. of OWGS, David Roy.

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 85

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 85

26/06/2014 23:01

‘

Best memory? ‘Having to explain to my class why I was half an hour late, having been locked in a loo [with a faulty lock].

Either that or spending a ‘private study period’ in the Abbey with the Dalai Lama at five minutes’ notice.’

Constance Reid (LL, 2011–13)

’

Read more about the

2013 Leavers’ Memories on page 90

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 86

26/06/2014 23:01

2013 Young Gaudy: Chris Norris (QS, 2007–12), Sacha Mehta (QS, 2007–12) and Daniel Marx (GG, 2007–12).

OW NEWS Get in touch If you have any news you would like to share with your contemporaries, please send details to the Editor: The Elizabethan Newsletter The Development Office 17a Dean’s Yard, London SW1P 3PB E: alumni@westminster.org.uk T: 020 7963 1115

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 87

26/06/2014 23:01

Report from the Head of Alumni Relations Report by Katharine Robinson Head of Alumni Relations

As many OW names and faces as possible have been squeezed into this issue of the Elizabethan Newsletter so hopefully most OWW will see someone they recognise from their time at the School. If your decade isn’t well represented please send something in yourself and encourage your friends to do so as well. Career news, sporting achievements, engagements, weddings and other family news is exactly the kind of thing we’re after so please do send this to alumni@westminster.org.uk. It was brilliant to get so many updates through the 2013 Young Gaudy (see page 91) and the 2013 Leavers also came up with some evocative School memories when prompted (see page 90)!

OWW at Home in July 2013 was a rare opportunity to invite a large number of OWW to one event and seeing the crowds in College Garden and in the Abbey was a highlight of the year (see pages 32 and 33 for photos). We are grateful to the Dean and Chapter for being so welcoming and it would be wonderful if they were kind enough to give us the opportunity to do something similar again.

‘

OWW at Home was a rare opportunity to invite a large number of OWW to one event and seeing the crowds in College Garden and in the Abbey was a highlight of the year.

’

2014 has seen the revival of our ‘Lectures’ and ‘Plays and Concerts’ email lists. We knew that a lot of OWW had opted-in to hear about these School events and so our aim was to make sure we got the news out in a timely manner and made it easy to book. We’ve also been aiming to secure OW tickets to particularly popular School events wherever possible. As with Commem and the Carol Service pupils and parents 88 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 88

26/06/2014 23:01

Above and right: OWW enjoying the sunshine at OWW at Home in July 2013.

Opposite page (below): OWW in the garden of the Master’s Lodge, Trinity College at the 2014 Cambridge Drinks.

must take priority (as they would have done when you were at the School) but where we can get tickets for events like the John House Simon Schama Lecture in February or the Adrian Boult Nicola Benedetti concert in March we will. We have been allocating these tickets by ‘lottery’ which seems the fairest way but if you have any feedback on this system please do contact us. We hope those of you who have been lucky enough to attend these events enjoyed them and that anyone who has missed out will have better luck in the future.

It was such a pleasure to see developments in our international OW activities last year. The second set of ‘Commem Worldwide’ gatherings in 2013 saw new groups hold events in Tokyo, Paris, Amsterdam, Washington DC and Athens and involved lots of OWW who hadn’t at-

tended in 2012 (see our new International OW section starting on page 47). We look forward to seeing celebrations expand again on Friday, 21st November 2014.

Our Careers and Mentoring scheme also continues to attract new OWW with 142 mentors matched with mentees at time of going to press. If you are a recent Leaver or if you would like to volunteer to mentor others please do get in touch as we’d love to hear from you. The scheme is also open to any OWW embarking on a career change.

With a packed calendar of events to look forward to over the forthcoming year I much look forward to seeing many of you back at the School and celebrating in various international locations over 2014/15!

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 89

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 89

26/06/2014 23:01

2013 Leavers’ Best School Memories We would like to welcome our newest group of OWW, the 2013 Leavers, who said their goodbyes in the marquee on Green amongst their friends, family and teachers in what has become a wonderful tradition. A few of them wrote down their best School memories which we’re pleased to share here: Constance Reid (LL, 2011–13)

Best memory? “Having to explain to my class why I was half an hour late, having been locked in a loo [with a faulty lock]. Either that or spending a “private study period” in the Abbey with the Dalai Lama at five minutes’ notice.”

Best teacher? “Honestly there are just too many outstanding teachers to choose from.”

James Sherwood (DD, 2008–13)

Best memory? “Roof tour of the Abbey with the College Remove and the Dean, as well as being part of the Big Commem Service.”

Best teacher? “Dr Beavon for the life lessons that he taught us through chemistry!!”

Dabin Kwon (PP, 2011–13)

Best memory? “Once in Royal David city treble (?) solo in Westminster Abbey at the 2012 Carol Service.”

Best teacher? “Dr Kalivas: Too smart and too nice – absolutely inspiring.”

Mark Jerjian (HH, 2008–13)

at Westminster.”

Best teacher? “Mr Simpson. Nothing beats a mid-lesson CBQ.” Isa Ouwehand (LL, 2011–13)

Best memory? “PHAB” Best teacher? “Mr Mann because of his never ending knowledge concerning everything from Justinian to medieval tree gods. Mr Coward because of his ability to encourage enthusiasm in his students.”

Vikram Jayaswal (QS, 2008–13)

Best memory? “Midnight Raids in College...”

Best teacher? “Chris K for those evening ping pong games.”

Robert Oldham (BB, 2008–13)

Best memory? “Long lunch breaks in College Garden during election term.”

Best teacher? “Ulf Henning – the kindest and most brilliant teacher I have ever had.”

Best memory? “The Remove Ball without a doubt. It was such a fantastic evening and a great way to bring an end to our time as pupils 90 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 90

26/06/2014 23:01

Alice Pullen (MM, 2010–12)

Future Bio-Natsci Student Do not, under any circumstances, upset the Classics Department. (Destroying the Biology Department is permissible.)

Ben Ireland (RR, 2007–12)

Student, UCL The value of thinking.

Demetris Ioannides (AHH, 2006–11)

Student, Oxford University The Krebs cycle.

Notes from the 2013 Young Gaudy The 2002–12 Leavers were out in force for the 2013 Young Gaudy and some were happy to share their answer to the question: “What was the most important thing you learnt at School?”

A selection of the responses is included below: Anousha Nightingale (AHH, 2010–12)

Student, Oxford University Essay writing

Kit Clifford-Page (BB, 2007–12)

History Undergraduate, University of Bristol How to question and think...

Daniel Marx (GG, 2007–12)

Understanding is just round the corner.

Su-Min Lee (MM, 2007–12)

Student, Cambridge University Five years isn’t a long time!

Rigo Young (BB, 2006–11)

Student, Oxford University To think for myself and take nothing for granted.

Livia Wang (PP, 2009–11)

Student, Queens’, Cambridge To be open minded!

Bill Gewanter (WW, 2006–11)

Student, Worcester College, Oxford There are known knowns; there are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns; that is to say, there are things that we now know we don’t know. But there are also unknown unknowns – there are things we do not know we don’t know.

Thomas Sutton (MM, 2005–10)

Student, Cambridge University There is always room for a second breakfast.

Emma-Victoria Farr (AHH, 2007–09)

Student, Oxford University Independence.

Tom Surr (DD, 2004–09)

Junior Analyst, Accenture The value of knowledge and of having a critical mind.

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 91

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 91

26/06/2014 23:02

Above: Felix Turner (WW, 2004–09), John Owen (RR, 2004–09), David Hargreaves Grant’s Housemaster and Master of History, Joe Lines (RR, 2004–09), Arjun Jayaswal (QS, 2005–10) and Marco Spiro (RR, 2005–10).

Joseph Lines (RR, 2004–09)

Byron Orme (RR, 2002–07)

Sophie O’Mahony (BB, 2006–08)

William Porter (WW, 2002–07)

Student, LSE Ad te leviti.

Law Student, BPP My skirt should never be above my knees.

Maisie Lawrence (CC, 2006–08)

Assistant Director, Forward Arts Foundation There’s always toast in College.

Dushyant Gupta (DD, 2006–08)

Consultant, Ernst & Young The importance of a Saturday morning lie in.

George Johnston (RR, 2003–08)

Student, Drama Centre To have fun.

Thomas Brutton (AHH, 2002–07)

Trainee Auditor, Deloitte Ability to self-learn.

Researcher, House of Lords Simultaneous equations.

How to be a good person.

Sam Young (AHH, 2001–06)

Portfolio Manager, BlackRock Time management.

Angela Rogan (CC, 2004–06)

Consultant, Deloitte MCS Thinking on the spot.

Oliver Stevenson (DD, 2001–06)

Citizenship Manager, Barclays Caecilius est in horto.

David Alty (GG, 2001–06)

Investment Analyst, Pramerica Don’t follow the curriculum.

Nikolai Cedraeus (GG, 2001–06)

Victoria Homsy (AHH, 2005–07)

Student, Oxford University Not to be late!

Trainee Solicitor, Harbottle & Lewis LLP The art of (almost) balancing extra-curricular interests with academic requirements.

Harry Tayler (HH, 2002–07)

Tom Hoare (RR, 2001–06)

‘Up’ is not just a northern thing.

Alessia de Quincey (MM, 2005–07)

Trainee Solicitor, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP Challenge everything.

Eleanor Turner-Moss (PP, 2005–07)

Final Year Medical Student, Barts and The London SMD Confidence!

Digital Channel Manager, [PIAS] Recordings Big Ben is really loud and chimes like all the time.

Leyla Osman (RR, 2004–06)

Final Year Medical Student, University of Exeter Medical School, King’s College London, UCL To challenge and to pursue my ambitions, and to have terrific fun in Latin Prayers.

92 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 92

26/06/2014 23:02

Ally Rowell (RR, 2004–06)

Laurence Tickell (MM, 1997–2002)

Edward Eccles (QS, 2000–05)

Rosamund Urwin (WW, 2000–02)

Assistant Bookseller, Maggs Bros Libraries are awesome places.

Associate, SJ Berwin LLP That I cannot beatbox. At all.

Events Administrator, MS Society Pool.

Columnist, Evening Standard Pancakes are not worth fighting over.

Frederick Krespi (DD, 2000–05)

Associate, Bank of America Merrill Lynch Fives.

Rob Runge (DD, 2000–05)

Digital Marketing Manager, Covetique (part of ASOS group) Tucking in a shirt.

Harriet Mason (2003–05)

Strategy Consultant, Javelin Group How to learn.

Kristina Clark (MM, 2002–04)

Latin Prayers

Alexandra Jenkins (WW, 2002–04)

Policy Adviser, Department for Transport Curiosity is as important as intelligence.

David Brescia (HH, 1998–2003)

CoS – Chairman’s Office, Hartley Investment Trust Latin. No, wait...

David Taylor (WW, 1998–2003)

Perseverance.

James Furlong (AHH, 1997–2003)

Actor Don’t tell anybody anything unless you want everybody else to find out.

Jamie Pantling (BB, 1997–2002)

Private Secretary, Ministry of Justice To be yourself.

Anthony Meyer (DD, 1997–2002)

Student, Manchester University Education counts.

James Sakal (GG, 1997–2002)

Musician, SakalPiano The Lord’s Prayer in Latin has got me through some pretty tough times.

OW Updates and Publications January 2014 Philip Crandall (DD, 2002–07)

Philip has been living and working in Perth, Australia, for the last year, having relocated there after finishing his BA at Columbia University in New York. He and Miss Paige Lampkin of New York are happy to announce their engagement. A May wedding is planned.

Zara Carey (HH, 2005–07)

“Enjoying a new job at Attack Magazine which I started towards the end of last year.”

Will Leavitt (MM, 2000–01)

“After three years working as a corporate lawyer in New York, now pursing an MBA at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Enjoying the campus environment and looking ahead to travelling this year!”

Vanessa Able (BB, 1993–95)

Vanessa has just published Never Mind the Bullocks: One girl’s 10,000km adventure around India in the world’s cheapest car Already a bestseller in India, Never Mind the Bullocks is a madcap adventure unlike any other.

Vanessa aspired to a truly independent Indian holiday: which meant doing it her own way. But nothing could prepare her for

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 93

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 93

26/06/2014 23:02

the noise, chaos and sheer terror of driving 10,000km around India.

Arjun Chatterji (RR, 1990–95)

“I’m just working on a new online educational, training and project development venture across the global creative industries – any OWW who are interested in receiving further details feel free to get in touch!”

Richard Hall (WW, 1958–63)

“I have recently published my first novel, entitled Theatres of War, which has been shortlisted for The People’s Book Prize.

Set in southern Italy in 1943/44 this is a love story about sacrifice and duty and a war story about self-discovery and love.

Frank and Edmund are two British officers from very different backgrounds but when Frank discovers an abandoned theatre and stages a review Edmund’s girlfriend, Vermillion, can’t stay away and her life becomes enmeshed with both men. Frank is ordered to stay in Naples. So while Edmund fights in the bitter winter battles near Monte Cassino, Frank dreams of staging an opera.

Seen through the eyes of combatants and civilians, Theatres of War evokes the convulsions of the ‘forgotten’ Italian campaign.” http://www.rjjhall.com ISBN 9781783060849 (Matador – Paperback £9.99) eISBN 9781783068623 (Matador – Ebook £4.99) November 2013 Daniel Topolski (WW, 1959–63)

“Elected Honorary Fellow of New College, Oxford. Opened a new café/bar ‘Bar Topolski’ on London’s South Bank with father Feliks’s iconic paintings.”

September 2013 Alexander Darby (LL, 2005–10)

Alexander Darby is an aspiring writer and director, currently on his year abroad whilst reading Philosophy and Russian at Oxford.

He is about to embark on studying theatre directing in St Petersburg for 6 months, and is terrified at the prospect of this involving treading the boards.

While at Westminster he founded a film society with the generous help of the School Art Department. He then wrote and directed his first short film, The Garden, which was runner up in a competition for a BAFTA/Skillset Young People’s Award. Off the back of this experience he took part in the Royal Court Young Writers Course in 2011, and has written the plays The Blind Spot, Vagrant, and an adaptation of Arabian Nights, all of which have been performed in Oxford, and the play Fourth Movement which received a reading at RADA before being performed at the York Drama Barn.

He has directed the short film Round and Round the Garden with ABG Productions, which is currently submitting to film festivals world wide, and is currently finishing postproduction on The Wishing Horse at Molinare, the post-house where OW Tom Hooper’s The King’s Speech was completed.

He strongly believes that his time spent playing poker at Westminster, which earned him a number of SAPs and a gating, has helped him enormously to sharpen his observational and people management skills when directing, as well as providing life material for the writing of his first play The Blind Spot.

Polly Arnold (BB, 1988–90)

“I have just completed a book and film that I think might interest fellow alumni, especially scientists.

Commissioned by the Royal Society Rosalind Franklin Award, A Chemical Imbalance is a short film and book with a strong and thoughtful message highlighting some of the obstacles still faced by women in STEM and academia. It is a film, a book, and ultimately a call for action. With enough exposure we hope A Chemical Imbalance can make a positive contribution to the way people consider gender, feminism and the challenges we all share in achieving equality.

To watch and share the trailer, or for more info, please go to www.chemicalimbalance.co.uk.”

Paul Hollingworth (WW, 1980–84)

“I have just published an anthology of my own Poetry. In my days at Westminster, among many great memories, I used to run a Poetry Society

94 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 94

26/06/2014 23:02

where we would invite poets to the School to read their verse and answer questions. All in the old dungeon! Anyway, Herbert’s Pebble can be found at https://paulhollingworth.selz.com” John Fenton (RR, 1970–75)

“Negotiations are in hand with the Guinness Book of Records to arrange a world record attempt in aid of the National Autistic Society.

Some have the perfect face for radio; I have the perfect running build for tiddlywinks. I therefore decided to do something different, the 5000m shot put (throw it, run to it, pick it up and throw it again. Mo Farah would not enjoy it.). I have a son with Autism and as government funding is struggling at the moment I would like to raise some money. What makes the difference is the quality of support families are given, not just financially, but with opportunities to share experiences, obtain advice, and be given access to respite care. To get in contact or for more information please drop me an email on jfenton@clarityuk.co.”

Maqbool H.H. Rahimtoola (BB, 1958–63)

“I was the Federal Minister for both Commerce and Textiles in the recent Pakistan Caretaker Cabinet. I will greatly miss Ron French, who not only taught me and was head of CCF, but also visited me in Pakistan, and stayed with me in Karachi along with a group of Westminister boys for a couple of nights!”

Jonathan Magonet (WW, 1955–60)

“Since retiring as Principal of Leo Baeck College in 2005, where I am currently Emeritus Professor of Bible, I have spent four semesters (2010–2013) as a visiting Research Professor at Seinan Gakuin University, Fukuoka, Japan.

This has led to my first Japanese publication Rabbino Seishokaishak: Yudaiyakuo to Kiristokuo no Taiwa (Japanese, Shinkhyo Shupansha, Fukuoka 2012). I have also branched into fiction with my new book Netsuke Nation: Tales from Another Japan (Troubador Publishing Ltd, Leicester 2013). This year has also seen the third in a series of popular Bible studies published by SCM Press, A Rabbi Reads the Torah.

It joins A Rabbi Reads the Bible and A Rabbi Reads the Psalms, both published in a second edition in 2004.

I can claim some credit for the above, but not, apart from longevity, for the publication of a festschrift to honour my 70th birthday. Called Welcome to the Cavalcade (a reference to one of my songs) it is edited by Howard Cooper, Colin Eimer and Elli Tikvah Sarah and will be officially launched in October this year (there

are details on my website). I hope some of this is of interest to other alumni.”

Edmund Gray (WW, 1952–56)

Fencing at Westminster School, 1766–2013 has recently been issued, in a limited edition. It charts the development of fencing from an attainment of gentlemen to a modern sport and is profuse with details of fencers and their achievements. (A5; colour-illustrated card cover; vi+74pp; 38 ills.) Available from Edmund Gray, 118 Church Way, Iffley, Oxford, OX4 4EG or edmund.gray@btinternet.com for £11 (incl. p+p).

Gordon Sharrard (KS, 1941–46)

“My wife and I celebrated our diamond wedding anniversary this year.”

Michael Jones (BB, 1949–53)

My latest publication – The Battle for Troy: A Guide to the lliad is available now for £8.50 (which includes postage). Please send payments by cheque to Michael Jones, Bat. A Residences Du Port, 1 Rue Du Puits De Charonto, Bandol, 83150 France.

April 2013 Alasdair Donaldson (MM, 1994–99)

Recently published a new novel Prospero’s Mirror. It has been described as “two stories separated by 300 years but connected by John Dee’s mirror (see British Museum)”. If you are interested in historical fiction, M R James, 17th century Oxford or just very stylish and polished writing it may be of interest! See www.andonaldson.co.uk for further details.

Simon Martin (BB, 1985–90)

“I completed the Marathon des Sables (“MdS”) which is billed as “the toughest footrace on THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 95

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 95

26/06/2014 23:02

earth”. Physically it is an exceptionally tough challenge; mentally it is even harder. You can follow my training, see photos of my heat chamber acclimatisation and much more besides on his blog at http://2013mds.blogspot.com” Neil Cumming (GG, 1976–80)

“I am working as a UK equity fund manager.

In my spare time I follow Arsenal, which is always interesting!”

Nicholas Vazsonyi (AHH, 1976–78)

Editor, The Cambridge Wagner Encyclopedia (Cambridge University Press, 2013) David Walker (AHH, 1966–71)

lands of International Importance. Numerous articles on various aspects of viral hepatitis have been published in different journals. Otherwise I’m trying to balance life between Geneva (actually just across the border in France) and London.”

Peter Brown (QS, 1958–62)

“Retired October 2011 after 43 years as Fellow and Tutor in Classics at Trinity College, Oxford.”

David Berkoff (WW, 1956–60)

I recently donated to the library copies of two books I have helped write and edit:

“I just wanted to tell the story of our recent success as two OWW in launching the national HeadSmart Be Brain Tumour Aware campaign seeking to raise awareness of the symptoms of brain tumours in children and young people in order to speed up diagnosis and reduce the risk of irreversible brain injury. I worked with Sophie Wilne (BB, 1987–89) to launch this national campaign which was recently given an NHS Innovation Award. We work together at the Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre at the University of Nottingham.”

E. Molle and J Berkoff (Eds): Irrigation Water Pricing: The Gap Between Theory and Practice (CABI International, 2007)

Nigel Planer (WW, 1966–70)

Adam Roberts (WW, 1953–58)

Charles Kemp (GG, 1966–69)

Andrew Cairncross (AHH, 1951–52)

“Currently playing Grandpa Joe in the original cast of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Drury Lane.”

“I have set up a funeral business working with families to create funerals which reflect their values and aspirations whether conventional or not.”

Christopher Floyd (BB, 1964–69)

Christopher was elevated to the Court of Appeal over the 2013 Easter break.

Martin Josten (WW, 1962–67)

“I cycled from Land’s End to John O’Groats last July to fundraise for Family Life UK.” David FitzSimons (LL, 1960–65)

“Retirement is strangely busy. Officially retired from WHO four years ago, I still enjoy working there again under contract for preparing documentation for the office of governing bodies but also freelance as a rapporteur for the Viral Hepatitis Prevention Board, most recently for meetings in Milan, Barcelona and Israel, and also for the Ramsar Convention on Wet-

Alan Robertson (edited and completed by Jeremy Berkoff): Epic Engineering: Great Canals and Barrages of Victorian India (Beechwood Melrose Publishing, 2013) Stephen Baxter (WW, 1956–58)

“On 8th January I married Miss Carol Jean Fisher.”

“I am stepping down on 18th July 2013 after completing a 4 year term as President of the British Academy. I hope to do more cycling.”

“Researching Euclidean papyri at Biblioteca Nazionale di Napoli pro term in the carbonised scrolls of Herculaneum.”

Bob Charles (QS, 1950–55)

“I have written an historical novel, The Skeleton in the Sope House, much of which is set in Westminster School in the early 16th Century.”

David Miller (KS, 1949–54)

“Collaborator/translator for edition of Commentary on Ecclesiastes (Jerome) and Gospel Problems and Solutions (Eusebius) published in 2011 (never before translated into English).”

96 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 96

26/06/2014 23:02

Stephen Craske (RR, 1947–52)

“Governor, Royal Surrey Hospital 2009–.”

Michael Baron (GG, 1942–46)

An anthology, The Cockermouth Poets 1700– 2012, has just been published. I’m the only OW in it! I would have included Robert Southey (OW) but though I could guess that whilst he was living at Greta Hall, Keswick, he might have taken the post-coach for Cockermouth for a bit of shopping, I could not find any evidence that he did. So Southey is only in the book by way of a critical poem on him as Laureate from a Cockermouth poet (who, incidentally, was at the grammar school with the Bounty mutineer Fletcher Christian).

James MacManus (RR, 1956–61)

If any OWW have any Rigaud’s House photos of the 1956–61 era please email alumni@westminster.org.uk. James is keen to obtain copies and they are also missing from the School Archives.

Andrew Fusek Peters (BB, 1979–84)

My new book Dip, Wild Swims from the Borderlands, came out with Rider Books, Random House on the 27th April, launched at the Wenlock Poetry Festival. It is a lyrical exploration of water and landscape told through a year of wild swimming, that also meanders into areas of memoir, including recovery from depression, wildlife, photography (my wildlife and landscape photos feature heavily in the book). It is a beautiful hardback production (also Kindle) that is already garnering publicity.

“Dip tells of a total immersion in Nature, a courageous trust in its restorative powers and an authentic experience of the wild”.

Paul Evans, Guardian Countryside Diarist “Beautiful, lyrical, beguiling and enchanting – a powerful testament to the healing powers of Nature” Daniel Start, author of Wild Swimming.

John Bradley (GG, 1942–45)

“Spend my time with my wife, a busy retired Professor of Vascular Surgery, living between London, in an old mews house and an old farmhouse in the north Lake District. I have three children and six grandchildren.”

Will Harris (DD, 2002–07)

“In 2011, I published a poetry journal called 13 Pages. Now, after numerous delays, I’m preparing to launch a new project, an anthology of imitations called The Mimic Octopus. The idea behind it was to commission some of the most exciting established and emerging poets in the world to ‘imitate’ the writers that influenced them the most, hopefully shedding a new light on their creative process. We’ve received an amazing array of contributions by as yet unpublished writers and Pulitzer prize-winners alike, which draw on influences as diverse as Restoration drama and made-up Portuguese shippers. More information can be found on www.13pp.co.uk”

The writing is inspired by my heroes of old: Edward Thomas, Richard Jefferies, Gerard Manley Hopkins and newer voices such as Alice Oswald and the late (and great) Roger Deakin.

For my book, I swum in Welsh waterfalls in January, deep in a semi-submerged mine shaft underneath Shropshire and high in a WW2 filled in bomb crater above Kerry Ridgeway as the dusk turned this little lake into the last blink of day.

My current other work included a Radio 4 play about a family surviving depression called The Man Who Turned Into A Sofa, written with my wife Polly and daughter Rosalind, which airs on Radio 4 on 22nd July in the ‘Afternoon Play’ slot. My picture book The Colour Thief, is published by Hodder this Autumn.

My first wildlife photography book Wild will be published in hardback by Fairacre Art Press next year.

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 97

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 97

26/06/2014 23:02

Letters to the Editor 2014 update from the

Oli Bennett Charitable Trust

By Kieron Connolly (GG, 1985–90)

It’s not that the Oli Bennett (RR, 1985–90) Charitable Trust set out to be the Yellow Pages of charities, but 12 years on we can boast – not that we’re boasters – that we’ve helped bakers and beauticians, yoga and sports instructors, pet groomers and hairdressers, fashion designers and shoe-makers.

If that’s not diverse enough for you, we’ve also set ceramicists up with kilns and provided tools for plumbers, carpenters and wood recyclers, not to mention the award-winning chair you can both sit on and sleep in.

In all, since the charity was established after Oli’s death in the September 11th attacks, it has awarded more than £100,000 in equipment and funding to help launch more than 77 new businesses from people aged between 18 and 30.

A couple of other things you might not know about the charity. Hollywood may have the Oscars, but Westminster has the Oli. You probably didn’t see Oli in a play at Westminster, but then you weren’t supposed to – he was backstage, managing the show. Established by the charity, the Oli is a marvellous bronze sculpture based on one of Oli’s paintings of a pale blue denim shirt – if you knew Oli you’d remember his look – and is awarded to the School’s best stage manager. There’s also the Oli Bennett Charitable Trust Art Award, which is given to the School’s outstanding, aspiring artist.

But what’s in it for you, you wonder. Well, our annual fundraisers have included musical evenings and art fairs, as well as tickets to the Royal Opera, English National Ballet and West End shows. Where else can you meet a wood recycler and a community radio producer, win tickets to see Mamma Mia! and go home owning art by Peter Blake? But then that’s the Oli Bennett Charitable Trust. It’s a bit like the Yellow Pages of charities.

For more information on the charity’s work and future events, see www.olibennett.org.uk

Please send letters to: The Development Office, Westminster School, 17a Dean’s Yard, London SW1P 3PB or email alumni@westminster.org.uk “Just a quick word to say how much I liked the 2012/2013 Elizabethan Newsletter. I’ve gotten to the age where I read the obits with more than passing interest (Messrs Byrt and French among the deceased teachers).

I see that Eddie Smith may be the last surviving teacher of the 1975–79 cohort – imagine that!

I was delighted to hear that dining options at the Under School have improved since our day: stirfried noodles and moussaka, that gave me a huge laugh!

I am still living in Washington DC; I haven’t been to London for four years but try to keep up with events as best I can. My best regards to any people from WUS 70–75 (I would love to hear from Timothy Odgers, whose dad was my mum’s GP for many years).”

Neil Inglis (WW, 1975–79) “I have now nearly finished reading the magazine. It is first rate, and the photographs this time are of the highest quality. I feel quite frustrated that we live in Australia – there is so much going on!”

John Williamson (RR, 1964–69) “I enjoyed the recent newsletter – it gave a rather more human face to the School than some publications! I’ve also noticed how few of my vintage (late 60s) seem to be active in Elizabethan Club events. With that in mind, I would like to contact an old friend who featured in one photo – David Drew (BB, 1965–70).”

George Niven (GG, 1965–70)

98 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 98

26/06/2014 23:02

Obituaries Russell Milligan (GG, 1946–49) Died 6th October 2012 Obituary by Mary Milligan After Westminster Russell attended Magdalen College, Oxford where he read Latin and Greek (Greats?) and obtained a double first. He qualified as a solicitor and joined the firm of KnappFishers in Westminster in the early 1960s. He became a partner in that firm which underwent various amalgamations over the years and is now known as Winckworth Sherwood. When Russell retired in 1992 he was the Managing Partner.

Rev. Canon Philip Ernest Duval MBE (HB, 1932–37) Died 1st January 2013 Obituary submitted by David Clements Born on 12th December 1918 into a clerical family in London where his father was Vicar of Kentish Town, after Westminster he went to Merton College, Oxford from where he graduated with a wartime MA in Theology in 1939.

He immediately entered the Lincolns in the ranks, was commissioned in 1941 and spent the whole of the war in India and Burma. After leaving the army in August 1945, he studied for the ministry at Westcott House, Cambridge, where he met his future bride, Joan Swales, whom he married in January 1949. He was ordained on St Thomas’ Day, 21st December 1947, completing 65 years as an ordained Minister on 21st December 2012. It is a source of some wry amusement to me that St Thomas’ Day is traditionally described as the “night of unbelief and doubt”; there was certainly no doubt or unbelief in Philip’s mind – his faith was his rock.

The full eulogy is available by request from the Editor.

Marius Gray (always known by his second name) was, aptly, very much an eminence grise – potent far beyond his outward mien as an accountant. Nobody knew more than a fraction of what he was involved in at any time; such was his reticence and clamlike discretion. Only rarely was the veil lifted, as when, at the end of his career, in 2011, he received the CVO for his financial advice to the Queen, or much earlier, when he was co-author with the future Lord Bingham of the 1978 report on Rhodesian sanctions-busting.

He was born in 1934, the oldest of the five children of Basil Gray, Keeper of Oriental Antiquities at the British Museum (BM), and Nicolete, a pioneer authority on the history and art of lettering (and daughter of the poet Laurence Binyon, another BM curator). After the Under School he was a day-boy up Busby’s. With his fellow Busbite, Charles Smith, he was a keen cyclist, culminating in tours of French and English cathedrals, while the Scouts, with their annual camp, gave scope for the long walks that were a lifelong pleasure. As an historian of promise, he chose the Classics side, though a poor linguist.

There he benefitted from the stimulating teaching of Theodore Zinn. However, already an assiduous reader of The Economist, he gained entry to New College, Oxford, unusually, on an exam in Economics and Political Theory.

In his National Service he was commissioned in the Signals and served in Kenya at the time of the Mau Mau. At New College he read Greats after an abbreviated Mods (and under his aegis the JCR made a number of discriminating art purchases). But for his linguistic shortcomings his prowess in Philosophy and Ancient History would have earned him a First.

Stephen Marius Gray CVO (BB, 1947–52)

He was the first graduate to become articled at the City accountants that are now Dixon Wilson, in 1958. He became a partner in 1967 and senior partner from 1981 to 1998.

Died 29th January 2013 Obituary by Edmund Gray (WW, 1952–56) (Collated from The Times and other obituaries)

He was an adviser for over thirty years to the late Lord Rothermere and his successor, and was a director of Associated Newspapers for over >> THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 99

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 99

26/06/2014 23:02

>>

twenty years. Other companies of which he was a director included Davies Turner, British Biotech, Sablenight and Abingworth. He was also involved with business start-ups. He acted as Receiver for The Beatles, unlocked Prokofiev’s royalties and worked masterfully alongside lawyers. As one eminent lawyer put it, ‘Marius was a legendary figure in the accountancy world.’

His marriage of 1961 to Clare, daughter of Sir Anthony Milward, Chairman of BEA, proved long and happy. Their religious allegiances – Catholic on his side, Anglican on hers – were important to them both. Their Georgian house in Greenwich was full of works of art, inherited and purchased, and replete with art books.

Latterly their shared love of birdwatching took them all over the world. They were generous hosts to their many friends, both at their second home in Herefordshire and in Greenwich, where Marius, typically in a handsome velvet jacket, and serving a rather good wine, would be in his most relaxed and genial mood.

He is survived by his wife, three daughters, a son and eight grandchildren.

Richard Lambert Lowcock Master of Modern Languages and Master i/c Football and Cricket (1947–61) Died 6th February 2013 Obituary by David Lowcock (AHH, 1962–63) Richard Lambert Lowcock taught at Westminster from 1947 to 1961. He taught modern languages and was in charge of Football and Cricket for much of this period.

Initially we lived in a flat above the archway leading into Little Dean’s Yard, where I was born and then we moved in around 1955 to Old Lodge in Vincent Square where he was able to supervise and run the football and cricket until he retired.

dangerous trouble spots in a career spanning nearly 30 years. After Westminster he toyed with a career in the Army but took a journalism course instead completing his training on The Leicester Mercury.

His first posting as a freelance foreign correspondent was to Beirut, where he reported on the Lebanese civil war of the 1980s, and he returned to the Middle East nearly a decade later to become the correspondent in Jerusalem for The Times. More recently, he was in the region again, reporting on the uprising in Syria against the Assad regime.

Beeston was one of the first to volunteer to go to Baghdad to cover the first Gulf War, and had hoped to stay on but was pulled out by The Times for his own safety just before the American bombing began. He was denounced by Saddam for “negative information and falsehoods” and later found the secret files on himself in the burnt-out ruins of the Iraqi Ministry of Information. Although blacklisted by Saddam, whose officials called him a “two-faced deceiver”, Beeston returned to Baghdad after the second Gulf War and continued to file vivid eyewitness reports as the situation deteriorated. Suicide bombings and random acts of terror often exposed him to considerable risk, but he was at pains to shield his staff from unnecessary danger.

Beeston relished the life of the foreign correspondent, and although as Foreign Editor he recognised the constraints of modern risk management, he insisted on his reporters filing eyewitness accounts rather than relying on agency copy or, more recently, social networking.

Died 19th May 2013 Obituary extracted from The Telegraph

“People say: ‘No story’s worth a life’,” he observed, “and you think, well, if I would have been a reporter, say, in the Second World War and somebody said: ‘Here’s a pool ticket for D-Day’, it would be extremely dangerous, but you’d take it. It’s a moment of history and I think any journalist worth his salt would say: ‘Yeah, I’d love to be on that first wave into Utah Beach where I know it’s going to be bloody dangerous, but it’s going to be one of the great stories of the 20th century’.”

Richard Beeston, who has died aged 50, was a highly-acclaimed foreign correspondent for The Times, reporting from many of the world’s most

Richard Beeston married, in 1989, Natasha Fairweather, a literary agent, who survives him with their son and daughter.

Richard Beeston (RR, 1976–80)

100 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 100

26/06/2014 23:02

Oliver Bernard (HB, 1939–40) Died 1st June 2013 Obituary extracted from The Guardian Oliver Bernard led a life of dazzling variety.

While he is best known as a poet and translator of Rimbaud and Apollinaire, he earned his living in jobs unfamiliar to most writers. At the Number 4 Retort House of the South-Eastern Gas Board in Greenwich “a proper Satanic mill”, he was a fireman: this was his favourite manual job, if dangerous, although he took great pleasure in a job repairing tramlines too.

He also worked as a swineherd in Suffolk.

To these occupations and a host of others he brought the same meticulous attention and confidence that he applied to his writing. “It is intensity and not duration that I know about,” he said. Oliver’s memoir Getting Over It (1962) is an unmatched evocation of what is now known as the ‘old Soho’.

In 1959 he married Jackie Guise, an actor and model. “This was the person,” he said.

Oliver’s first book of poems, Country Matters, was published in 1961. He went on to publish several more books of poetry and translations of Rimbaud, Apollinaire and other French writers. His edition of Rimbaud’s Collected Poems, published in 1962, became a classic.

His children by Jackie; Joe, Emma and Katie, survive him, as does George, his son by Joyce Westwood.

Major John Craig Barrington-Ward (GG, 1942–46)

The qualification in 1948 was for strong distance runners of which John was undoubtedly one. He wore simple running kit when carrying the flame and, after his leg was finished, extinguished the torch in a bucket of water. He then caught public transport back to Sandhurst.

In 1952, John sailed in the Helsinki Olympics. He was part of the three-man crew of one of the British Dragon Class boats and had particular responsibility for the spinnaker. John had never sailed before, but the skipper of the boat was looking for someone who was fit and nimble on his feet. After four months’ training, the crew came 13th out of 60 competitors.

At the age of 24, John was thought to be the youngest competitor in the Dragon Class. He was also the senior sailing Olympian living on the Isle of Wight.

I first knew John in the early 1970s when we were both serving as staff officers at Headquarters 1st British Corps in Bielefeld, Germany.

He was a specialist in artillery intelligence; indeed, he was one of the small cadre of officers who were instructors in gunnery, specialising in artillery intelligence. Over a military career of 34 years or so John served in many places abroad and in the United Kingdom, attaining the rank of Major.

John’s father, John Grosvenor Barrington-Ward was a Governor at Westminster during the time that he was a pupil. As a Home Boarder, John only spent a year in London with the rest of his time spent in Hereford.

John Morton (HB, 1936–40)

Died 4th July 2013 Obituary by Anna Barrington-Ward

Died 7th July 2013 Obituary by Alan Morton (HB, 1943–47)

John carried the Olympic torch in 1948 in what was then known as the austerity Olympics. At the time he was an officer cadet at Sandhurst and had already won many crosscountry running trophies. The Royal Military Academy was given two places to carry the Olympic Flame for two miles towards Torquay, where the sailing was to take place. Compare the two miles that the 1948 torchbearer had to run with the 100 metres or so that those in 2012 were required to do.

John Morton was a decorated bomber pilot and insurance broker, and one-time farmer. He left Westminster, as Head of Home Boarders, in 1940 following the School’s evacuation to Lancing. After Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve flight training, he was commissioned and posted to Nigel, near Johannesburg, as an instructor from 1942 to 1944, training South African bomber crew members.

Returning to England, he flew 55 bombing missions over Germany in World War II – many >> THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 101

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 101

26/06/2014 23:02

>>

of them over Berlin – with the 608 Mosquito Bomber Squadron based at Downham Market in Norfolk, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. The missions included follow-up to Pathfinder operations, which were also carried out using de Havilland Mosquitos. (Shortly before John died, he received the new Bomber Command clasp to the DFC). Near the end of the War, as a Flight Lieutenant, he commanded the University of Aberystwyth Air Squadron, with its one Tiger Moth.

Postwar, after briefly working with Hambros Bank, he operated a dairy farm near Bodmin in Cornwall until 1955, when he joined the insurance brokerage of Chandler Hargreaves Whittall and Co., serving there and with its successor companies until his retirement as Director in 1984. He received the Order of the British Empire for services to agricultural insurance, including creation of a pioneering insurance policy against brucellosis in cattle.

Among his memberships was that in Old Westminsters’ Lodge No. 2233, which he joined in 1945, becoming Master 1960–61.

For most of his retirement he lived at a number of locations in Cornwall and finally at Stow on the Wold in Gloucestershire, where he died of cancer at home. His wife, Jane, and brother, Alan (HB, 1943–47), survive him as do Anthony and Jane, children by his first wife, Lorna, who predeceased him, as well as four grandchildren.

Dominick Harrod (BB, 1953–58) Died 4th August 2013 Obituary extracted from The Telegraph After Westminster, Dominick won a scholarship to Christ Church, Oxford, where he read PPE. He is probably best known as the BBC Television’s Economics Correspondent in the 1970s and Economics Editor on BBC Radio in the 1980s, when he became a key figure on the Today programme. A highly professional broadcaster, able to discuss any economic topic at the drop of a hat, Harrod had a natural aptitude for fitting economic theory within the framework of politics and personalities, spicing up his reports with political gossip.

He wrote two books on economics for the general reader, The Politics of Economics (1978) and Making Sense of the Economy (1983), and was said to have invented a “Harrod’s Law of Economics: The more you see of me, the more trouble we’re in.” In fact, though, his most notable characteristic – in a profession dominated by Cassandras predicting doom – was his sunny optimism.

A pillar of the Garrick Club and a keen sailor, Harrod served at various times on the council of the Save the Children Fund and on the Church of England Board for Social Responsibility. As well as being a founder member of the Norfolk Churches Trust (the organisation set up by his mother), he was Chairman of the Friends of Morston Church in Norfolk from 2003. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 1992.

Dominick Harrod married, in 1974, Christina Hobhouse. She died in 1996, and he is survived by their son.

Charles Lamb (Westminster School Rifle Coach 1960s–70s) Died 20th August 2013 Obituary by Charles Pascall (BB, 1968–73) I first met Charles in my second term at Westminster when I went for a trial for the shooting team. This was historically not much of a challenge as Westminster shooting had been at a very basic level but Charles Lamb had been brought in to change this. Charles had a relaxed and friendly attitude to coaxing the best from his candidates, which encouraged all of us to perform.

Charles’ ways of encouragement and support were extremely successful. Westminster would challenge other schools to matches and be turned down because it was “too good!”.

Thankfully, Charles had a lot of contacts thanks to his position as Secretary of London County and, feeling that the team needed a challenge, arranged matches against senior clubs.

Charles also arranged for us to shoot at Bisley at weekends and in open competitions. The senior clubs started to see what Charles’ team of lads could do and soon learnt to put up their top shooters against us. As time moved on we beat a number of the top clubs in London and from the first 8, all of us shot for our respective

102 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 102

26/06/2014 23:02

counties being awarded full Pinks. His coaching resulted in a number of Westminster boys achieving national honours including John Lander (BB, 1970–75), British Junior Champion and myself, senior Great Britain Rifle Team.

Charles was a Senior Range Officer at National and International Championships. He was the Chief Range Officer at Bisley on a number of occasions and in 1975 was Chief Range Officer at the European Air Weapons Championships in London. Later on, Charles looked to the next generation of shooters, advising and supporting their efforts and success as he had with us. I am sure he was the one who put the words: “It’s not the taking part – it’s the winning that counts!” in my daughter’s young mouth when she won her first international medal!

Charles taught at the Central School of Art and Design and was a great charity fundraiser as well as a senior Mason. He was an advocate of the “big society” before the politicians who now use the term were born. Charles was a man who was always there in the background organising everything with great skill and diplomacy.

Darrell Marsh Evans (AHH, 1932–35) Died on 28th September 2013 Obituary by Rosie Carne Darrell Evans was a Specialist in Occupational Medicine working at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment at Aldermaston for nearly 29 years.

Following Westminster he completed his medical training at Trinity College, Cambridge and clinical studies at Westminster Hospital where he qualified in 1943. He became House Surgeon at Westminster Hospital before joining the RAMC. After work in several field units he joined the Army Blood Transfusion Service in the Far East. After demobilisation he held several hospital posts at Southend General, Westminster, West Middlesex and Queen Mary’s Carshalton. He then transferred to Occupational Medicine and worked for London Transport from 1950–55 when he went to Aldermaston. He wrote several papers, most notably on industrial poisoning by mercury and cadmium. He also worked at the Meteorological Office and for many years took part in

first aid training for both St John’s Ambulance and the British Red Cross.

He met his wife Betty at Westminster Hospital where she was a nurse. He retired from work on their 39th wedding anniversary. In retirement Darrell worked for the League of Friends of Reading Hospitals, Reading Family Aid, a safety project educating children about potential dangers in the home and outdoors, and as a volunteer street collector for Poppy Day and the Reading Mayor’s Market.

He leaves his wife, two daughters, four grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Professor Michael Neuberger (WW, 1967–70) Died 26th October 2013 Obituary extracted from The Telegraph Professor Michael Neuberger, who has died aged 59, was a brilliant biochemist and immunologist whose work helped to launch a revolution in biomedical research.

Neuberger was a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was a Director of Studies in Natural Sciences, and Deputy Director of Cambridge’s Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB). His main scientific contributions lay in the field of antibodies – chemicals produced by blood cells called lymphocytes – which act as a natural defence against invaders such as bacteria and viruses. Lymphocytes turn out antibodies on demand that are tailor-made to attach themselves to, and destroy, particular invaders.

Michael was born in London on 2nd November 1953. After Westminster he won a scholarship to Trinity College, Cambridge, to read Natural Sciences where he graduated with a First and subsequently began a PhD in Biochemistry with Brian Hartley at Imperial College in 1974.

Michael loved art, travel, skiing and good food and wine and was astonishingly well informed, not just about science, but also about culture, politics, international affairs, literature and business. He had a wide circle of friends and, while his gently ironic quick-fire conversation >> THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 103

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 103

26/06/2014 23:02

>>

indicated a powerful and subtle intellect, his understated personality and natural empathy meant that others always felt intelligent and at ease in his company. He cared deeply about individuals, agonising over difficult decisions concerning the future of young scientists in his charge.

A devoted family man who observed a progressive, tolerant Judaism, he was sustained by a strikingly happy marriage to Gill, an Australian-born doctor whom he married in 1991, and who survives him with their two sons and two daughters.

Alexander Hunter Jones-Dellaportas (RR, 1982–86) Died 13th November 2013 Obituary by Catherine Gardner After many years of practical mechanical engineering, Alexander attended Kingston University as a mature student from 2006 until 2009: he was awarded a First Class undergraduate Honours degree in Mechanical Engineering and also a prestigious academic award for his outstanding contribution to engineering design. By the time of his death, he was a Senior Mechanical Design Engineer at a pioneering London company and had been at the forefront of designing, building and riding electric motorcycles for a number of years.

He always remembered his time at Westminster School with a great deal of love and affection.

In particular, he enjoyed his sporting activities, where he excelled at rowing, obtaining full Pinks for his endeavours. He also received a commendation from the police in 1985 for bravery after he saved a woman from drowning whilst out practising on the River Thames with others from the Westminster School Rowing Club. He occasionally visited the School with his children, when time permitted and always enjoyed showing them around the buildings.

Julian John Potter (AHH, 1944–49) Died 22nd December 2013 Obituary by Chris Potter (QS, 1978–83) My father much enjoyed his time at Westminster and often attended reunions. Probably the

highlight of his Westminster career was when he won the Greaze on 10th February 1948 (pictured right). He was buried on Tuesday, 7th January 2014 at St Bartholomew’s Church in Orford, Suffolk where he had lived for the last 27 years.

John Goldman (AHH, 1951–56) Died 24th December 2013 Obituary extracted from The Guardian When John Goldman began his career in the 1960s, the diagnosis of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) carried a grim prognosis and a life expectancy of only three to five years.

Today, thousands of patients have been cured or enjoy relatively normal lives because of his seminal contributions. John, who has died aged 75, pioneered bone-marrow transplantation for CML and later championed the drug imatinib that transformed the treatment of the disease.

For 23 years from 1988 he was Medical Director of the Anthony Nolan Trust, responsible for identifying volunteer donors for bone-marrow transplantation. As editor of the journal Bone Marrow Transplantation since its inception in 1985, Founding President of the British Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, and past President of the International Society for Experimental Hematology, the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation and the European Hematology Association, John was instrumental in shaping the intellectual foundations of curative transplantation therapy for many otherwise fatal cancers and genetic disorders of the blood.

John was born in London and, after Westminster, read psychology and physiology at Magdalen College, Oxford. He later completed his medical studies at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London. After extensive clinical training in haematology and oncology, which included stints in the US at the University of Miami and the Massachusetts General Hospital, he returned to Hammersmith Hospital, London, and served continuously for four decades as

104 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 104

26/06/2014 23:02

a member of the Medical Research Council Leukaemia Unit, Chair of the Department of Haematology (1994–2004), and thereafter as Emeritus Professor of Leukaemia Biology.

John is survived by his daughter, Lucy, from his marriage to Jeannine Fuller; and by his daughter, Cassie, and son, Jasper, with his former partner, Constance Byam Shaw.

Nick Bevan (Former Master i/c Water) Died 12th January 2014 Obituary by John Wiggins After retirement as Head Master at Shiplake College in 2004, Nick lent his huge experience to coaching at St Edward’s School and his former Oxford College, Balliol, producing winning crews at both by employing good, old-fashioned boat-moving skills. He also played a significant part in British school rowing through the National Schools Regatta (NSR) committee and as Chairman of the Kitchin Society.

In his younger days after teaching and coaching at Westminster School, he was a Housemaster and ran the rowing at Shrewsbury School with crews winning at Henley and NSR. Peter Morley-Jacob (BB, 1948–52)

After his law degree he became articled to Slaughter and May, where he spent the rest of his career.

He qualified as a solicitor in 1960 and became a partner in 1969. He was closely involved in negotiations surrounding the development of North Sea Oil and Gas. He eventually became their first ever Executive Partner, moving from law at the front line to managing the entirety of the administration. He was very much a people-person and was in the ideal position both for him and the firm. The Senior Partner wrote of him “... an essential part of the glue of the firm …thoughtful, wise and approachable.

He had an effortless charm which put everyone around him at immediate ease.”

The partnership increased from 23 in 1970 to 89 by the time he retired in 1989. By then the total headcount was over 1000.

Peter was a tremendous supporter of the School and particularly of OWW Football where he excelled himself as non-playing captain of the Arthur Dunn team in the early 1960s and of OWW Golf, where he was so delighted to have been voted President Elect. He was a great supporter of the Arthur Dunn and Halford Hewitt teams in recent years.

Peter died unexpectedly but very peacefully in March 2014, just before his 80th birthday.

He was Life President of the London Solicitors Golfing Society. As past Secretary and Captain of the Society he had been very much involved in the prestigious matches against the Writers to the Signet, played alternatively at Muirfield and Royal St George’s.

He was among the initial intake to the Under School when it was opened in 1943. In 2008 he visited the School to tell the boys what it was like 65 years before.

Among his many other activities he was a Governor of the College of Law and a Governor of St Felix School. He had also been a Councillor of the Bassishaw Ward in the City of London.

From the Under School he joined Busby’s in 1948 and played football for the School 1st VI in 1951 and 1952.

He had an ideal marriage with Jo for nearly 52 years, two children (one of whom is now on the administrative side of Slaughter and May) and five grandchildren.

Died 13th March 2014 Obituary by Clem Danin (AHH, 1950–55)

After National Service with the Royal West Kent Regiment in Malaya during the troubles, he went to Magdelene College, Cambridge where he proudly claimed that he was the last undergraduate to be admitted to the University with no A’ Level or its equivalent.

He was a gentleman of great humour, compassion, generosity and loyalty. >>

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 105

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 105

26/06/2014 23:02

Tony Benn (circled) – 1942 Busby’s House.

Tony Benn (BB, 1938–42) 3rd April 1925 – 14th March 2014 Obituary taken from BBC News with a forward by the School’s Archivist, Elizabeth Wells.

Anthony Neil Wedgewood Benn, as he was known at school, attended Westminster between 1938 and 1942. They were difficult days in the School’s history as Westminster left London upon the outbreak of the Second World War, first settling at Lancing College, then Exeter and finally resting in Herefordshire for the remainder of the war.

Benn was in Busby’s and took an active part in House and School activities. He was a keen debater and quickly became a leading light in the School’s Junior Debating Society. He even returned to the School to oppose the motion ‘that loyalty to truth must conflict with the modern State’ in 1948. Benn was popular with his contemporaries, who respected his already pronounced left wing views and personal integrity.

Obituary from BBC News, 14th March 2014 Tony Benn was one of the few British politicians who became more left-wing after having actually served in government. He became the authentic voice of the radical left with the press coining the term Bennite to describe the policies espoused by those resisting attempts to move the Labour Party to the middle ground.

As such, he became a bogeyman for the right

in British politics, with delegates to Conservative conferences displaying Ban the Benn badges in the style of CND’s Ban the Bomb logo. Later in life, the former firebrand politician became something of a folk hero as well as a campaigner for a number of causes, particularly opposition to UK military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Anthony Neil Wedgwood Benn was born in London on 3rd April 1925 into a family steeped in radical politics. Both his grandfather and father had served as Liberal MPs, although his father crossed the floor of the House to join the Labour Party in 1927. He was created Viscount Stansgate in 1942 and sat in the Lords as a hereditary peer.

Benn attended Westminster School, something he tried to hide in future biographies, and then had a spell as a fighter pilot in the RAF. He went on to read PPE at Oxford where he became president of the Oxford Union.

Benn entered Parliament on 4th December 1950 as the youngest MP in the chamber. But his future in politics was in doubt. The death of his elder brother Michael during the war meant he would eventually succeed to his father’s title. Hereditary peers were barred from sitting as members of the House of Commons. The death of his father in

106 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 106

26/06/2014 23:02

1960 precipitated a crisis. Still insisting on his right to abandon his unwelcome peerage, Tony Benn fought to retain his seat in the by-election caused by his succession. Although disqualified from taking his seat, the people of Bristol South East still re-elected him as their MP. But a subsequent election court gave the seat to the Conservative runner-up, Malcolm St Clair.

Outside Parliament, Benn continued his campaign, and eventually the Conservative government accepted the need for a change in the law.

The Peerage Act 1963, allowing renunciation of peerages, became law on 31st July 1963 and just 22 minutes later he became the first peer to renounce his title. His Conservative opponent in Bristol immediately resigned the seat and Benn swept back into the Commons following a by-election in 1963.

He stood for leadership of the Labour Party when Wilson resigned in 1976 but lost on the first ballot. In 1983, boundary changes saw his Bristol South East seat disappear and, in what was seen as a shock result, he lost the new seat of Bristol East to the Conservatives. However, he was not out of Parliament for long and won

Chesterfield in a by-election in 1984. After Labour’s third successive election defeat in 1987, he stood for the leadership against Neil Kinnock but was heavily defeated.

His party was now moving away from his views in an attempt to reclaim the middle ground of British politics. He finally stood down from Parliament before the 2001 election in order, as he put it, “to spend more time on politics”, and threw himself into campaigning against the Iraq war, becoming president of the Stop the War Coalition.

He was also a compulsive keeper of diaries, both in written form and on audiotape. In 2006, he topped a poll commissioned by the BBC’s Daily Politics programme to find who people considered to be their political hero, beating Margaret Thatcher into second place.

Subject as he often was to personal attacks from his opponents, Tony Benn held to his view that politics should be about policies and not personalities. “This idea that politics is all about charisma and spin is rubbish,” he said.

“It is trust that matters.”

Deaths Kenneth Andrews Busby’s, 1933–1937

Colin Borg Queen’s Scholar, 1949–1954

8th Apr 1920 – 15th Jul 2013

11th Mar 1936 – 19th Mar 2014 14th Oct 1918 – 29th Sep 2013

John Armstrong Wren’s, 1949–1954

Jack Bradley Grant’s, 1942–1945

Hugh Excell Rigaud’s, 1957–1962

8th Jun 1936 – 10th Feb 2013

20th Oct 1927 – 30th Sep 2013

12th Jan 1944 – 10th Oct 2013

John Barrington-Ward Grant’s, 1942–1946

Rodney Brooke Wren’s, 1951–1956

Regent Exeter Wren’s, 1973–1975

28th Aug 1928 – 14th Jul 2013

3rd Jun 1938 – 29th Nov 2012

9th Oct 1959 – May 2014

Peter Barr-Taylor Grant’s, 1936–1941

Roger Cantrell Rigaud’s, 1946–1949

John Goldman Ashburnham, 1951–1956

14th Jan 1923 – 11th Nov 2013

25th May 1932 – 21st Jan 2013

30th Nov 1938 – 24th Dec 2013

Richard Beeston Rigaud’s, 1976–1980

David Dickson Queen’s Scholar, 1960–1965

Peter Goodwyn Busby’s, 1943–1946

Darrell Evans Ashburnham, 1932–1935

18th Feb 1963 – 19th May 2013 30th Aug 1947 – 31st Jul 2013

4th Sep 1929 – 11th May 2013

Oliver Bernard Home Boarders, 1939–1940

Philip Duval Home Boarders, 1932–1937

Michael Gray Rigaud’s, 1945–1950

6th Dec 1925 – 1st Jun 2013

12th Dec 1918 – 1st Jan 2013

20th Dec 1931 – 2013

>>

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014 | 107

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 107

26/06/2014 23:02

Deaths Marius Gray Busby’s, 1947–1952

John Neville Ashburnham, 1933–1936

Theodore Tasker Rigaud’s, 1933–1938

3rd Aug 1934 – 29th Jan 2013

2nd Jan 1921 – 26th Nov 2013

27th Apr 1920 – 10th May 2013

Anthony Hall-Patch Rigaud’s, 1939–1943

Richard Partridge Ashburnham, 1932–1935

Nicholas Turquet Ashburnham, 1957–1962

21st Nov 1925 – 2013

8th Jun 1919 – 10th Oct 2013

1st Aug 1944 – 25th Nov 2012

Douglas Harley Busby’s, 1937–1940

Michael Patterson Grant’s, 1933–1938

Eric Witherby Busby’s, 1936–1936

4th Jan 1947 – 2013

21st Nov 1919 – 6th Dec 2013

17th Dec 1917 – 12th Mar 2013

Dominick Harrod Busby’s, 1953–1958

Norman John Peppin Brown King’s Scholar, 1935–1941

John Woolich Busby’s, 1947–1952

21st Aug 1940 – 4th Aug 2013

26th Aug 1922 – 19th Apr 2014

19th Jan 1934 – 2nd Feb 2013

Jonathan Hewitt Grant’s, 1953–1958

Charles Phelps-Penry Liddell’s, 1973–1977

2nd Apr 1940 – 12th May 2014

11th Jan 1960 – 17th May 2013

George Hurd Busby’s, 1937–1937

Julian Potter Ashburnham, 1944–1949

11th Nov 1919 – 2nd Sep 2013

17th Mar 1931 – 22nd Dec 2013

Bryan Jackson Liddell’s, 1956–1961

Robert Proctor Busby’s, 1954–1958

29th Oct 1943 – 1st Mar 2013

1st Aug 1940 – 2nd Feb 2014

Michael Jacobs Wren’s, 1966–1970

Alan Punchard Busby’s, 1938–1941

15th Oct 1952 – 11th Jan 2014

2nd Apr 1924 – 5th Mar 2013

Peter Jeeves Busbys, 1948–1953

Aubrey Ridley-Thompson Home Boarders, 1935–1939

25th Oct 1934 – 8th Nov 2013

18th Oct 1921 – 9th Oct 2013

Alexander Jones-Dellaportas Rigaud’s, 1982–1986

John Rivaz Grant’s, 1932–1936

Richard Lowcock Master of Modern Languages and Master i/c Football and Cricket 1947–1961

14th Nov 1968 – 13th Nov 2013

30th Apr 1919 – 2nd Jan 2013

d. 6th Feb 2013

Jeffrey Lever Ashburnham, 1936–1941

George Schneiders Busby’s, 1940–1944

29th Mar 1923 – 22nd Nov 2013

6th Dec 1926 – 20th Nov 2012

Howard Marks Ashburnham, 1947–1952

David Secker Walker King’s Scholar, 1945–1950

Anthony Ryder Chief Accountant & Secretary, Westminster School Society 1977–2000

28th April 1934 – 6th July 2013

10th Jun 1932 – 24th Mar 2014

John Morton Home Boarders, 1935–1940

Patrick Semple Grant’s, 1958–1963

7th Apr 1922 – 7th Jul 2013

8th Feb 1945 – 4th May 2013

Andrew Murray Rigaud’s, 1939–1944

Anthony Sheldon Grant’s, 1933–1936

7th Jan 1926 – 8th Nov 2012

15th Aug 1919 – 20th Dec 2012

Michael Neuberger Wren’s, 1967–1970

Peter Sleightholm King’s Scholar, 1936–1941

2nd Nov 1953 – 26th Oct 2013

23rd Mar 1923 – 10 Mar 2014

Former members of staff Nick Bevan Former Master i/c Water

d. 12th Jan 2014 Harry Ferrar Head of Modern Languages 1969–1980

d. 19th Feb 2013 Michael Hughill Master of Mathematics 1972–1986

d. 6th Sep 2013

d. 14th Sep 2013 Mike Thorne Westminster School Boat Club Boatman 1959–1993

d. 29th Mar 2013

108 | THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER | 2013/2014

WMIN_EN2014_inner_pr6.indd 108

26/06/2014 23:02

SEPTEMBER – OCTOBER 2014

OW Calendar 2014/15 We are pleased to provide advance notice of some events coming up in 2014/15 so do use this list to save the dates of those events you wish to attend. All dates are correct at the time of going to press and any changes will be published on www. oldwestminster. org.uk along with full details of the events and booking information. We aim to send out postal invitations to as many events as possible but if you do not have access to email and you wish to attend one of the events listed please call 020 7963 1115 to register your interest and we will ensure you receive all of the booking information at the appropriate time.

Certain events, like the Ben Jonson Drinks and Medics’ Drinks are for OWW who work in specific professional fields. To make sure that you receive an invitation to the events you wish to attend please send us your upto-date business details by updating your profile on our website or emailing alumni@westminster.org.uk.

WMIN_EN2014_cover_pr6.indd 2

4th September Young Gaudy 11th September History Tour of School for A. A. Milne Society members and Reel History Archives Film Event 18th September Elizabethan Club AGM 25th September Old Grantite Club AGM 16th October Sir Adrian Boult Memorial Concert NOVEMBER – DECEMBER 2014 6th November Elizabethan Club Dinner 13th November Abbey Tour 21st November Commemoration of Benefactors (Big Commem) and Commem Worldwide 2nd December Edinburgh Drinks 8th December Carol Service 2015 DATES 17th February 12th March 4th July

OW Lawyers’ Dinner 1950s Decade Gaudy Henley Drinks

Above: OWW enjoy drinks in College Garden at Old Westminsters at Home (July 2013).

Above left (top): Kenneth Okumura (DD, 1993–98), Estelle Okumura (guest), Kate Wood (guest) and Adam Wood (AHH, 1993–98) at the 1990s Decade Gaudy (March 2013).

Above left (bottom): David Hargreaves, Housemaster of Grant’s and Master of History, Johannes Gunnell (AHH, 1993–98) and Joel Parkes (RR, 1992–97) at the 1990s Decade Gaudy (March 2013)

25/06/2014 21:39

WESTMINSTER SCHOOL

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER 2013/2014

THE ELIZABETHAN NEWSLETTER 2013/2014

The Elizabethan Newsletter is produced annually by the Development Office of Westminster School and is available to all OWW. Letters are positively encouraged and should be sent to: The Development Office Westminster School 17a Dean’s Yard, London SW1P 3PB T: +44 (0)20 7963 1115 F: +44 (0)20 7963 1064 E: developmentoffice@westminster.org.uk

WMIN_EN2014_cover_pr6.indd 1

25/06/2014 21:39