The Blue Paper 2019

The 2019 Magazine

blue paper

Worth Society Events, Life and Times of Worthians and Celebrating 60 Years of Worth Senior School

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The

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Contents

Education with Heart & Soul

Worth Society Life

Life and Times of Worthians

04 Chairman’s 2019 Report Jeremy Fletcher G’72

45 Meet William Lobb C’85, Royal Shoemaker – Mary Lou Burge

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A Message from Mary Lou Burge Worth Society Committee

48 Plastic. Not so fantastic – Alice Le Marchant StM’18

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Celebrating 60 Years of Worth Senior School A Senior School is Born – Dom Stephen Ortiger

51 Pioneering a 3D-printed prosthetic arm – William Harries R’15

The Senior School’s First Pupil – Jeremy Best C’64

The 1959 Cohort Return

52 Operation Market Garden – 75 Years On – Mickey Morrissey R’77

Worth 60 – A Celebration at The Savoy

Anniversary London Mass & Supper – Bernard Elkington R’63 14

Worth Society Events 2018 London Carol Service – Jim Piddock B’74

2018/19 Hong Kong Gatherings – Tony Tyler C’73 & Andrew Taylor

2019 Worth School Careers Fair – Dr Duncan Pring, Head of Careers

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Worthians Caught on Camera

64

Announcements

Class of 2009 10 Year Reunion – Charlie Forbes StB’09

66

News in Brief

Class of 1999 20 Year Reunion – Mike Matthews B’99

Class of 1989 30 Year Reunion – Eddie Robinson B’89

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Obituaries Michael Falloon C’67 – The Domeyko Rowland Family

Class of 1969 50 Year Reunion – Claude Keith G’69

Fr Jerome Betram C’68 – Fr Richard Duffield, Cong. Orat.

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Global Action Awards 2019 Overview: Mary Lou Burge

Ian Grocholski C’71 – Michael Grocholski C’67

Leonardo Boodramsingh C’15 – Marco Boodramsingh C’11

2019 Munich Dinner – Pauline Rittstieg StM’15

2019 Careers Networking Evening – Bryony Maxwell StM’15

The Old Place 74 A Message from the Head Master

Stuart McPherson

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Worthians Sport Rugby – Desmond Calnan R’69

Football – Andrew Taylor

76 Development Office Update Anna MacMahon

Netball – Emily Hollings StM’15

78 University Destinations 2019

Hockey – Charlotte Baker StA’17

Golf – Ken Ross G’65

Real Tennis – Tom Carew-Hunt StB’02

Squash – Matt Doggett F’07

Cricket – Matt Donegan StB’11

Worth Society Directors: Nicholas Barnett, Fr Mark Barrett, Mark Collini, Jeremy Fletcher, Michael Gabriel Worth Society is a not-for-profit limited company (number 06506005)

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56 A Worthian Wedding – Tim Long B’11 & Claire Hodkinson StM’12 Book Review Silver Shoals: Five Fish that made Britain

by Charles Rangeley-Wilson R’83 Reviewed by Gareth Maguire B’97

2019 Sydney Gathering – Mark Jones B’84

GAA: Operation Raleigh in Costa Rica Frances Oesterlin StM’15

www.worthschool.org.uk

55 Life in Junior House – Peter Barnes JH’66-72

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GAA: Teaching English in Cambodia Sophia Enoizi StA’18

Open days and private visits available call 01342 710255/206 or email admissions@worth.org.uk

54 Reaching for the Top Drawer – Peter Freeland, Biology Teacher 1961-1999

The Worthians Charitable Trust Patron: Fr Luke Jolly, The Abbot of Worth Trustees: Nicholas Barnett, Fr Mark Barrett, Jeremy Fletcher The Worthians Charitable Trust (registered charity number 1084948)

Advertisers We would like to extend our grateful thanks to this year’s advertisers: Worth School, Alexander House Hotel, Irwin Mitchell, Farleigh School, Gravetye Manor Front cover photograph courtesy of Simon Fisher

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Chairman’s 2019 Report

Message from Mary Lou Burge

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his year marks the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the Senior School which, in September 1959, under the leadership of two junior monks, Fr Dominic and Fr Kevin, aged 30 and 28 respectively, opened its doors to the founding cohort of 28 pupils. Given how much the School has grown and developed since those humble beginnings, this is a remarkable story. So, I am delighted to be able to say that the Society was able to begin this celebratory year with the largest single gathering of Worthians in its history. In June, alongside the School, the Society hosted a drinks reception at The Savoy attended by nearly 400 alumni of all age ranges, along with several representatives of the monastic community, school governors and teachers past and present. It was a truly remarkable evening.

More Worth 60 events have followed, including a Mass at Farm St in Mayfair, celebrated by Abbot Luke and Fr Kevin, followed by a wine tasting and supper, and then, for the first cohort, a Mass and lunch back at Worth.

Internationally, there have already been dinners in Hamburg, Munich and Hong Kong with additional events to come for New York and Madrid. Closer to home, work is underway for a big Diamond Ball at Worth in May 2020, at which we are hoping to see large numbers of alumni and their partners, and there will also be a summer drinks reception in London for younger Worthians.

It is extremely heartening to be able to report that interest in each and every event that the Society organises is extremely high. Even a cursory glance through this year’s magazine shows the sheer range of Worthian get-togethers, from sporting fixtures through to decade reunions. Worthians derive real value from staying in touch both with each other and with Worth itself. The Society is not only alive and kicking but going from strength to strength. There is always more to be done and your Society Committee is constantly looking for new ways in which the Society can better serve the alumni.

In this context, I have been very pleased to see how closely Mary Lou is now working with Anna MacMahon and the Development Office. The first tangible result of this closer co-operation between the School and the Society has been the recently launched networking platform, Worth Connecting. This involved a significant joint investment. It is not only a simple way for Worthians to connect with each other but also a highly beneficial tool for our young alumni seeking careers support. I very much encourage each and every one of you to register.

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ith this year marking the 60th anniversary of the opening of the Senior School on 22nd September 1959, the celebrations have begun in earnest, including the first cohort returning to Worth on the anniversary day itself. You can read about those special events and memories of some of those founder pupils in the next few pages.

Jerry Fletcher and Mary Lou Burge

Inevitably, Worth 60 is an opportunity for all of us, particularly the older generations, to reflect on the history of the Senior School and its remarkable journey from its modest beginnings to where it is today. Superficially, of course, this is a story of huge change. Since the mid to late 1960s, pupil numbers have more than doubled to the record number of over 610 that the School enjoys today. An all boy boarding school has been transformed into a fully co-ed school with almost equal numbers of day pupils and boarders. But the really remarkable story of Worth is actually one of continuity. The Benedictine values, overall culture and ethos of the place remain intact and are indeed tirelessly promoted by current staff and noted by current and prospective parents. Therefore I encourage all alumni to revisit 'The Old Place'. You can be assured of a very warm welcome in the best traditions of Benedictine hospitality. And it's a refreshing and rejuvenating experience.

The fantastic drinks reception at The Savoy in June kicked off the celebrations with the biggest gathering of Worthians ever held and our huge thanks go to Phillip Barnes StB’72, The Savoy’s Managing Director, for making it happen. We have further exciting anniversary events planned around the world over the next few months so that Worthians can be included in the celebrations wherever they are in the globe. We are also planning a summer drinks event for young Worthians next June in London – so look out for further details!

Join us at www.worthconnecting.org.uk

Our established annual events are getting bigger and better, resulting in more and more of you reconnecting with each other and the Worth Community – which is, after all, the sign of a successful alumni association. To make it even easier for you to network we have now launched an exciting new online networking platform www.worthconnecting.org.uk where you will be able to connect with friends, find and share latest

Finally, I must conclude with a number of thank yous.

Top of the list is an alumnus from my year group, Michael Spencer, whose gift of £6.25m to fund a new Sixth Form Centre is an act of quite extraordinary generosity which will be transformational for the campus and future of the School. I cannot thank Michael enough for being so utterly straightforward and decent about this. My heartfelt thanks also go to Philip Barnes, again from my year group, who runs the Savoy Hotel. It was Phil, who through his kindness and generosity, made the reception at The Savoy possible. I must also mention the Worth Society Committee as well as those of you who have helped our youngest alumni with careers advice and more. Each of you have busy lives to lead but are extraordinarily generous in sparing us your time and attention. Last but, of course, not least, I must mention Mary Lou, our Society Manager, who continues to work tirelessly to support alumni in a myriad of ways, and without whom, our programme of events would simply not be possible.

My thanks to all of you.

Life and Times of Worthians

As ever I want to thank all those who have helped the Society this year whether through careers support, organising reunions or sporting fixtures, attending our events, and contributing to The Blue Paper. This year’s magazine is a truly bumper issue with lots of event reviews and some great articles – enjoy the read!

Mary Lou Burge, Worth Society Manager

Worth Society Committee Nick Barnett G’73 – Director, Trustee Office: 020 7404 4022 Email: nick.barnett@hotmail.co.uk Fr Mark Barrett – Director, Trustee Office: 01342 710340 Email: jmbarrett@worth.org.uk Mary Lou Burge – Worth Society Manager Office: 01342 710241 Email: worthsociety@worth.org.uk Mark Collini StB’89 – Director Office: 020 7783 4941 Email: markcollini@yahoo.co.uk Matthew Doggett F’07 – Squash Email: mdoggett@worth.org.uk

Jeremy Fletcher G’72

Worth Society Life

news, book in for events and join Worthian Clubs. Importantly, as the site grows, we want to develop a Mentoring programme so that young Worthians have a dedicated platform to connect with Worthian professionals who can provide advice and possible work experience or internship opportunities. Do take a look at the site and register now!

The Old Place

Jeremy Fletcher G’72 – Chairman, Director & Trustee Office: 020 7070 6611 Email: jeremy.fletcher@kewcapital.com Michael Gabriel C’85 – Director Office: 01892 619888 Email: michael@greenlizardhomes.co.uk Maddy Ilsley StM’10 Mobile: 07952 481636 Email: maddyilsley@hotmail.co.uk Stuart McPherson – Head Master Office: 01342 710222 Email: smcpherson@worth.org.uk

Ben Oakley F’08 - Music Mobile: 07973 899330 Email: bartoakley@outlook.com Daniel Pring R’03 Mobile: 07865 064439 Email: danielpring@ymail.com Duncan Pring – Careers Office: 01342 710239 Email: dpring@worth.org.uk Fr Kevin Taggart Office: 01342 710338 Email: ktaggart@worth.org.uk Andrew Taylor – Football Email: agtaylor44@gmail.com

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The first Senior School rules

A Senior School is Born bold, far-sighted and a leap into the unknown; the young Fr Kevin, watching the new boys arrive that September day, whispered to the marginally older Fr Dominic, “Dominic, what have we done?”. History shows that Victor, Dominic, Kevin and their monastic brethren did well, very well, because although the School woefully lacked material resources it was rich in human resources: there was a goodly quantity of able and willing monks who, with a goodly quantity of able and willing lay staff, worked very hard and, together, created a flourishing school.

Of the first 28 pupils, three went to Oxbridge: (Sir) David Bell, Rodney Bligh and Gareth Dancer. Oxbridge results are not everything but these successes so early in the School’s history are an indicator of how hard our founding fathers, lay and monastic, worked; thanks to them, the new School was going places.

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orth Senior School, which celebrated its 60th birthday on 22nd September 2019, was the brainchild of Dom Victor Farwell; he was appointed Superior of Worth in September 1957 when Downside granted Worth its independence, he remained at the helm for the next 31 years and almost everything you and I associate with Worth came into being thanks to his initiative: the School, the Abbey Church, the Monastery, the Peru mission, our involvement with parishes, and the Dulwich venture.

The speed with which the School came into being is remarkable: five months after taking office Victor brought his idea to the Monastic Council and two months later to the whole Community; he was given a green light by both.

Plan A was to open the School in 1960 but the Headmaster of Downside, Dom Wilfrid Passmore, suggested bringing the start-date forward by twelve months: ‘the general feeling (of the Council) was that it would not be imprudent to start at this earlier date’ and Plan A became

Plan B; Victor made the announcement to parents on Speech Day, 6th July 1958, and the Senior School opened in September the following year. Thus only seventeen months separated the Council meeting of 28th February 1958 when Victor first mooted the plan and the actual opening with 28 boys in September 1959. Remarkable indeed.

The team photo from sixty years ago shows the original 28 boys with the new ‘Prefect of Discipline’, Dom Kevin Taggart; the boys were 13 years old, Fr Kevin was 28 and Fr Dominic, their Head Master, not quite 31. Fr Dominic had taught for a year but had no experience of Headmastering; indeed, he and Fr Kevin were innocent even of Housemastering. The new School had no financial resources, no purpose-built premises and no amenities; in the beginning, and for several years, improvisation came as standard.

The creation of the Senior School bore the marks that would characterise all of Abbot Victor’s initiatives: it was

But the creation was not without its critics; writing many years later, Fr Dominic commented, “I well remember how many parents of boys then at the Prep School, as well as future and past parents, wrote to Abbot Victor or came to see him, complaining of the decision. It would, they alleged, prejudice their own children’s preparatory education; it was financially unwise; it was disloyal to the original Worth-Downside traditions” - and so on. He kept serene in his conviction that Worth must grow and meet apostolic challenges of the times… I think few would dispute with him now that had Worth continued just as a Prep School, meeting the then immediate needs, it would not have flourished in the long term.

The School now numbers 600+, the acorn has become a mighty oak, we have ‘boldly gone’ and we now travel in a different galaxy. On this 60th birthday of the Senior School we look delightedly unto the rock from which we were hewn and give heartfelt thanks.

Dom Stephen Ortiger The 28 Foundation Member Pupils of the Senior School in September 1959 were: David Bell, Jeremy Best, Rodney Bligh, Charles Bowlin, Nicholas Byrne RIP, Peter Campbell, Tim Carr RIP, Michael Clarke RIP, Paul Clegg, Gareth Dancer, Terence Delaney, Anthony Doherty, Bernard Elkington, Vincent Ellis-Brown, Peter Esmonde, Alexander Fellowes, Sean GoodsirCullen, Paul Haslam RIP, Julian Lee RIP, Michael Lewen, John Muscat, Patrick Nivelles, James Pontifex RIP, Christopher Setter, Michael Shelmerdine RIP, Simon Slaughter, Stephen Urquhart and Nicholas Wynne.

Abbot Victor Farwell

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Worth Society Life

Life and Times of Worthians

The Old Place

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Mike Gilpin (first Head Boy), Fr Kevin, and Jeremy Best (first pupil across the threshold) cutting the anniversary cake

The first Senior Pupil across the threshold

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n 1959 my parents were based in Gibraltar, where my father was an Army Officer on a three-year posting.

I had been entered for Downside, but when Worth announced that they were to open a Senior School, I was entered there instead. As my parents were abroad I stayed with my aunt until we were due to report on 22nd September. My aunt, not wishing to get into trouble, as she had on previous times whilst I was at the Prep School and had got me back from an exeat a few minutes late and had to face up to the Head Master Fr Maurice Bell, delivered me early, and I was met by Fr Kevin Taggart, as the first boy to cross the threshold of the new Senior School.

About half the boys had been in the Prep School, and half brand new to Worth. My best friend at the Prep School had been David Bell, and he was amongst those who moved up to the Senior School, together with James Pontifex, and Rodney Bligh. I soon made friends with Peter Campbell, who was a new boy to Worth, and we shared an interest in music – he played the flute, and I the trombone. I remember Peter getting very exasperated with his flute practice one day and bending the instrument around the metal bar at the bottom of his bed.

We were treated extremely well by Fr Kevin and Fr Dominic Gaisford, the new young Head Master. Both were young men, and it must have been extremely daunting for them to suddenly have responsibility for nearly 30 teenagers.

I remember once when Fr Dominic addressed us all and reminded us that Worth was not a ‘Country Club’ and that we should stop acting like a load of dilettantes!

When the Senior School first started Harrods were the official School Outfitters, and once a year a tailor would come down to Worth to measure us up. All matters of clothing were handled by Angela Hollins, the Matron, whose catch phase if you needed something was, “Go to Harrods”.

All matters medical were handled by Sister Joan Edey, very much a friend to me if I needed an excuse to get off Games. Believe it or not, I hated cross country running whilst I was at school and would do my utmost to avoid it.

In later life running over six miles a day became part of my routine until my hips gave out!

The 1959 Cohort Return

bridge, but we also learnt how to appreciate stilton cheese. The Colonel was a great Maths Master and got me through my O Level Maths a year early. He had a habit of standing behind you in class, and if you got something wrong, he would get you to repeat that “you were a lazy little man, Sir”!

I seem to have been a particularly naughty boy, and was often selected for punishment for talking after lights out etc. Because of my behaviour, and perhaps lack of initial maturity, I was not selected as a prefect. Interesting to read my Housemaster’s (Fr Fabian Glencross – Chapman House) penultimate report in April 1964 expressing his view that I was now showing myself in my true lights and that perhaps I would have made a good prefect after all!

However, I don’t think that this adversely affected my life after Worth. I had set my mind on a career in the Royal Navy, passed the Officer entrance selection, but failed on eyesight. I therefore pursued a career with Barclays Bank, initially working around Berkshire, but for the last 14 years of my career serving as Resident Inspector in the Bahamas, Senior Inspector in Ghana, and Head of Audit for Africa in Kenya. When I retired from Barclays in 2003, and returned to live in the UK, I applied to become a Justice of the Peace, and served 10 years on the Berkshire Bench.

I am married to Bronwen, my wife of 44 years.

Unfortunately, we do not have children, so have not been able to take advantage of another Benedictine education.

Worth taught me a lot. The Catholic education has stood me in good stead throughout my life, and I remain an active parishioner at Corpus Christi, Wokingham, in Berkshire, as well as being very involved in assisting in raising funds for a primary school in one of Nairobi’s largest slums – so far we have raised over £300,000 over the past 12 years.

I have kept in touch with Worth, and most recently attended the special Anniversary Mass and Lunch for the first cohort on 22nd September 2019.

Here are some memories from those Founder Pupils of their early years at Worth: - The long drive up to the main quadrangle – suitably imposing, not to mention terrifying as a first-timer at Worth!

- Meeting Fr Kevin – I took to him immediately and soon viewed him as my surrogate father as well as my Housemaster (Floreat Gervase!). We soon became firm friends and still are!

- Fr Dominic was a rather austere disciplinarian, no doubt befitting his role as Worth’s first Head Master - I quickly learned he was invariably very fair, even when meting out punishment...

- Reciting the names of the most obscure saints possible, e.g. Bean, Elphege, Chad, Cadoc, et al, while trying not to snigger.

- Masters who made very early and indelible impressions: Colonel Von Vredenburgh (Maths/”Nasty little man!”); Peter Lazarus (Geography/the flashy Karmann Ghia sportscar); Dom Edward Cruise (History/the absolute master of trend analysis re likely exam questions/a brilliant teacher); Peter Whigham (English/unorthodox but inspirational/huge fan of Ezra Pound and Dennis Potter) and Dom Peter (Games/ Gymnastics/”Run like a STAG, Elkington!”).

- Legendary staffers Angela Hollins (“Oh Daaancer – this towel/shirt/underwear hasn’t come from Haaarrods!”) and Sister Edey (ran the Sanatorium/really simpatica/a lovely lady).

Jeremy Best C’64

- The food – oh dear – I’ll never forget “Anne Boleyn’s Leg” as long as I live...

Gareth Dancer R’64

Some of us were lucky enough to be invited to North Lodge to play bridge with ‘The Colonel’ – Hugh Vredenburg. Not only did we learn the etiquette of

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Sixty years to the day, on Sunday 22nd September 2019, ten of the original 28 founder pupils returned to Worth with their partners for a very special anniversary event. Abbot Luke and Fr Kevin concelebrated at a lovely private mass in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel in the Abbey Church to give thanks for the years that have past and to remember those founder members who are no longer with us. Drinks and canapés were then served in the new Barlow Room where the Head Master, Stuart McPherson, spoke about the importance of this pioneering ‘band of brothers’. A roast beef lunch followed and the celebrations were rounded off with a beautiful anniversary cake made by our very own Worth Catering Department. Before departing many wanted to visit the Monks’ Cemetery to pay their respects to those they remember so fondly.

Worth Society Life

Life and Times of Worthians

The Old Place

How did we manage to put together a decent rugby team with only 28 in the School? We were often driven to matches in Andrew Bertie's amazing vintage rolls (rumour has it that it was sold when the ash trays were full...)

Terence Delaney G’64 When we rocked up on that day in 1959 it felt a little strange for those of us who had been in the Prep School only the previous term. Now we were trussed up in our Harrods lounge suits and stiff collars, and although housed in the same building as most of the Prep School boys we weren’t allowed to talk to them. From day one the food in the Senior School was excellent, several cuts above what we were used to. Discipline was much the same, you were punished for trivial offences such as being seen with your hands in your pockets. One evening in the first term we were caught by Fr Kevin, then titled Prefect of Discipline, and sent to the Head Master for talking in prep while dissecting a polo mint into 16 equal pieces.

Rodney Bligh C’64 If anything exemplified Worth it was that things could be achieved by just one person who enthused others. Paul Haslam started three clubs. Lots of us had visiting cards printed by Paul on the press that was kept in the Art Room.

The Astronomical Society was more adventurous and Paul managed to get the national treasure, Patrick Moore, to be our President and he came to give talks. Paul also established the Shooting Club which was lodged in the top floor of the science block under the supervision of Frank Fellowes, our science master. Rodney Bligh’s impact on Worth was hugely understated, and survives. He got lots of us to clean out the Rock Garden Pool (which was gruesome) and he refilled it and stocked it with brown trout. That was the start of the Angling Society.

Sean Goodsir-Cullen C’64

The following attended the First Cohort 60th Anniversary Day: Patrick Baynham Charmian Baynham Jeremy Best Bronwen Best Rodney Bligh Gareth Dancer Pippa Dancer Terence Delaney Kathy Delaney Chris Frederick Lynne Frederick Mike Gilpin Jackie Gilpin Patrick Nivelles Chris Setter Simon Slaughter Sarah Slaughter Mary Lou Burge Fr Bede Hill Abbot Luke Jolly Anna MacMahon Stuart McPherson Keith Owers Gilly Owers Fr Kevin Taggart Fr Stephen Ortiger Fr Richard Wilson

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Worth 60 – A Celebration at The Savoy

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Stuart & Johneen McPherson

Jerry Fletcher G’72

Lorenzo B’04, Livio, B’04 & Luca Belpassi G’01

Almost 400 Worthians gathered at The Savoy Hotel on 17th June 2019 for a reception to launch the 60th anniversary celebrations of the opening of Worth Senior School. The evening was hosted by Philip Barnes StB’72 who is the current Managing Director of The Savoy. Guests enjoyed drinks and delicious canapés, while catching up with old friends and sharing stories of their time at Worth. There were speeches by Jerry Fletcher, Worth Society Chairman, and the current Head Master, Stuart McPherson, who reflected on the achievements of Worth in the last 60 years, as well as looking forward to the continued success of the School and its exciting forthcoming developments. The evening was topped by the announcement that Michael Spencer B’73 had gifted an incredible £6.25m to the School to fund a new Sixth Form Centre

Jim Piddock B’74 & Annie Cusack

Lovely to see so many familiar faces after such a long period.

Corrado di Mascio R’96

It was good to see such a mix of former students, I wonder how many of us will make the 75th!!

Jeremy Best C’64

Will Kenney B’95, Dan Harlow B’95 & Simeon Stevens StB’95

As one of the very early group of boys that went on to the then, Upper School, it was quite a sight to see how many had followed on from that modest beginning. It was amusing to hear that many of the monks and staff had apparently been ‘winging it’ in those early days but what a school Worth has now become. It was pretty rare back then for anyone to have ever heard of Worth but that is by no means the case now!

Andrew Boys R’65

Jeremy C’64 & Bronwen Best & Sir David Bell C’64

A very happy and wonderfully well supported party. A great tribute to everyone at Worth and also The Savoy!

Geoffrey & Marcia Jaques Good to see so many friends!

Chris Dobson StB’66 Brilliant to see so many old friends and Fr Stephen and Fr Kevin in particular. A joyous occasion.

Julian Kirk StB’75 I greatly enjoyed meeting so many devoted friends of Worth and listening to the exciting plans for the future. It is a privilege to be a part of such an amazing community.

Alda Andreotti

There was a real sense of joy and ‘connectivity’.

Mary Renouf StB’75

Tim Pethybridge StB’70, Andrew Taylor, Michael Spencer B’73 & Alda Andreotti

I managed to re-establish contact with several people I was delighted to see.

Richard Mitchell StB’70 I so much enjoyed meeting many of my ex-pupils and finding how well adjusted and motivated they are. Worth attitudes and values have proved enduring.

Martin Powys-Lybbe, Former Staff

Anna MacMahon, Philip Barnes StB’72 & Mary Lou Burge

Sean Buckley G’83, Chris McCourt B’83, Dick Brasher R’79 & Anthony Sugrue G’83

Tobias Kulitz R’06, Michael Burr F’06, Mark Watson F’05, Robert Butterworth StB’06 & Angus Lam R’06

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It was so very good to see and catch up with old school friends. There was a real buzz in the room. Monks & staff in great form.

John Butterworth G’70

A super event, even if it left me a little wistful!

John Smythe R’70

What a fun evening seeing so many old faces.

Philip Lundberg C’80

Jonathan McNamara G’97, Danny O’Toole B’97 & Alex Kenney B’97

Martin Milmo G’68, David Greenland G’65 & Tim Hely R’65

James Wallace StB’02, Patrick Slevin B’08, James D’Arcy StB’02 & Fr Martin McGee

Charles Slevin B’02, Alan Mitchell & Patrick Slevin B’08

Worth Society Life

Life and Times of Worthians

The Old Place

Alistair Stirling B’09, Hugo Sanders R,00 & James Baybutt StB’99

Alex Podbury C’04, Alex Gozzi R’04 & William Burrett StB’04

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60th Anniversary London Mass & Supper

⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑

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t was a true coming together of the Worth Community on 18th September 2019 when Worthians, their families and friends and current Worth parents all joined together at the beautiful church of the Immaculate Conception in Farm Street, Mayfair, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the opening of the Senior School.

A Worthian Choir, led by former Worth Director of Music, Michael Oakley, sang magical pieces such as Panis Angelicus by Franck, accompanied by Worth Abbey Organist, D'Arcy Trinkwon. As one of the very first cohort, I read the lesson and Fr Kevin read the names of our deceased Founder Members who were very much in our thoughts, and the Head Master read the bidding prayers.

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Bernard Elkington R’63

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Worth Society Life

Life and Times of Worthians

The Old Place

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2018 London Christmas Carol Service ’ve lived in the USA since 1981 and have spent only a tiny handful of Christmases in England since then.

So I was excited to be back, for my first in almost two decades. It was also the first Noel that my infinitely better half, Annie, had ever spent outside the U.S.

Jim Piddock B’74, Fr Stephen, Annie Cusack & James Forte C’72

The Lurcotts & The Prings

progressive or a traditionalist? Which is why I was sad that out of the 12 songs that were sung in the evening, I only knew — or had even heard of — 3 of them; Ave Maria, O Come All Ye Faithful, and Hark, The Herald Angels Sing. And while some of the others were interesting enough, a few were not only not very Christmasy, but somewhat gloomy.

Attending a carol concert was definitely on our ‘to do’ list, along with seeing the lights of Regent Street... going to a traditional panto... ice skating at Somerset House... etc, etc. So when I received an email notification about the Worth Society Carol Service at St Patrick’s Church in Soho Square, it went into the schedule book. It seemed like the perfect way to kick off our impending Yuletide wallowing and, who knows, even though I left Worth 45 years ago, I might even run into a few familiar faces at the ‘Mulled Wine and Mince Pie Reception’ afterwards.

Luckily the quality of the choir’s excellent singing eventually got my aged, wandering mind back to the birth of Christ, and we finally arrived at the couple of carols everyone knew and could join in with. And, so too, it was at last ‘beginning to look a lot like Christmas’.

At the reception afterwards I was thrilled to see Frs Kevin and Stephen - the two most influential of the monks from my time at Worth - both in such rude health and good form. Stephen, in particular, has remained a friend and I’d seen him on both sides of the Atlantic over the years.

Furthermore, an unexpected bonus was seeing my old Housemaster Keith Owers with his wife Gilly - neither of whom I’d seen for several decades. They too were in excellent form and we reminisced about the founding of Butler House and many other things besides. I also got the chance to chat with two old boys from a year or two ahead of me, Jeremy Fletcher and James Forte. And, I should mention, the mulled wine and mince pies were outstanding.

As we arrived, we were enthusiastically greeted by Mary Lou Burge - who I’d never met, but had exchanged emails with occasionally over the years - and I responded by proclaiming the comically-intended canard that we’d flown over from Los Angeles especially for the evening, which was met with the dubious reaction it deserved.

We took our seats in the Church and, as the ‘selection of seasonal music’ was played by D’Arcy Trinkwon on the organ, we were soon greeted by Abbot Luke, who was a couple of years ahead of me at Worth and who is also the older brother of my dear friend Hugh Jolly C’74 who also happens to be my daughter’s godfather.

So, when all was said and done, Annie and I left St Patrick's in extremely good (and Christmasy) spirits and we were ready to experience the festive lights of Regent Street and all the many other Christmas delights, faux Dickensian or otherwise, that London has to offer.

The impressively attired choir then appeared and it all kicked off big time. My first impression was one of delight, seeing the mix of male and female choir members, not to mention how diverse they were in ethnicity. A very welcome progression and reflection of the times. As an unashamed and increasingly progressive liberal in my old age and, having seen from afar how the UK has changed in the last four decades, I do actually believe it’s a far, far better place now (despite a certain new set of problems and difficulties), than it was when I left in my 20’s.

Jim Piddock B’74

Anyway, back to the concert. And here I’m afraid I get to my only criticism of the evening. If one goes to a Rolling Stones or an Ed Sheeran concert, the audience pretty much wants to hear all their well-known songs, with maybe a couple of new ones thrown in for good measure.

Surely the same is true of carol services, whether you’re a

Matthew Maguire B’02 & Nick Robinson StB’75 were amongst several Worthians who joined the School Choir

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Philip Lundberg C’80, Anna MacMahon, Martin C’77 & Fiona Green

The following Worthians attended the 2019 Hong Kong Rugby Sevens Gathering:

2018 Hong Kong Dinner

Andrew Taylor Nick Bodnar-Horvath C’72 Tony Tyler C’73 Chris Hunt B’85 Sean Taylor C’85 Justin Jaques G’90 Hector Au B’98 Andrew Bayles B’98 Marc McAlister G’98 Chan Ahn R’99 Jack Harrison G’00 Brandon Chau StB’03

2019 Hong Kong Rugby Sevens Gathering

any thanks to Jack Harrison G’00 who organised and hosted a very convivial gettogether of the Worthian community in Hong Kong on 18th October 2018 at Jamie’s Italian. The occasion marked a visit by Gordon Pearce, Worth’s Deputy Head.

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Osvaldo Kwan StB’03 Alvin Chan R’03 Adam Raby R’04 Josh Taylor B’05 Jackie Cheung R’06 Keith Huang B’06 Derek Huang B’06 Leo Lui StB’06 Peter Osbourne R’08 Olly Scanlon G’08 Jaron Leung StB’09

Various decades of Worthians were represented, going back to the 1950s with Jack’s father and mother, Johnny WPS’57 and Amanda. We missed out on the 1960s, but there was a good showing from the 1970s with Robert Carroll R’71, Nick C’72 and Helen Bodnar-Horvath, Tony C’73 and Charlotte Tyler and John Bowden R’74 – all of them long-time Hong Kong residents. Cathay Pacific’s Simon Wall StB’82 was on the ground long enough to be there to represent the 1980s, and Marc McAllister G’98 and Chan Ahn R’99 with Rachel Yu flew the flag for the 1990s. Tristan StB’01 and Jean Yan Stutchbury, along with Jack, represented the 21st Century.

Jack Harrison, Marc McAlister & Andrew Bayles

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eter R’05 and Nathaniel Rankin R’09 and their parents Rob & Ticker had always invited Tricia and me to visit them and watch the Hong Kong Sevens, but it was always in term time. This year, with my retirement, I was able to take them up on their generous offer. My niece lives in Hong Kong, so accommodation wasn't a problem. Rob provided the tickets and the box and Worth Society gave me some money to buy drinks for Worthians. My son Joshua Taylor B’05 flew in from Australia and we focused in on some serious rugby and the occasional pint.

The wine and beer flowed too freely for this reviewer to remember much apart from plenty of excellent food, some great banter and tall stories about the Old Place, and some well-chosen words from Gordon Pearce about what a great school has grown from the wonderful, if a bit ramshackle, institution that shaped so many happy lives.

Tony Tyler C’73

A bit like Worth, rugby is one big family. If you have played you have joined the family. I remember travelling to an away fixture with Glenn Robertson and asking the ‘who have you played for question!’, only to find out that he and my uncle Phil had played in the same Northampton team in the ‘60s! Like I said, one big family. The family feel is very apparent at the Hong Kong 10s, a tournament played by local teams at The Jockey Club ending with a star laden touch and pass match, in order to raise money for charity.

The 10s were played the same evening as our planned Worthian Gathering took place, 4th April 2019, at The Globe. My niece's husband had recommended this pub in Kowloon and arranged for a reserved space, which was rather fortunate because we had over 20 Old Boys show up. As many younger Worthians know, for most of my teaching career I was the Year 13 or Gervase Housemaster, responsible for all the boys in Upper Sixth, day and boarding. Which meant I had been Housemaster to 15 of the boys who turned up on the night!

My thanks to Quinton Choi G’03 (Head Boy) who messaged a 3 line whip to his Whatsapp group of Hong Kong Worthians to be at Mr T’s drinks, even though he couldn't be there himself. Also to Jack Harrison G’00 (Head Boy) who introduced me to many of the ‘older’ old boys The next day, Friday, saw the start of The Sevens.

Unfortunately Tom Mitchell F’07 (Head Boy) was injured and unable to play, even so England did well beating the much fancied United States team and looking likely to progress to the Finals. The South stand was rocking but I enjoyed watching the rugby from the safety of my box and more importantly meeting Worthians who hadn’t been able to come to the drinks. On Saturday I met Peter Rankin and his daughter Isla, and Ai Yoshino StB’02 (see Caught on Camera). Ai and I go back a long time as he was at Douai School with me before it closed and we both moved to Worth in 1999 - so I was his Housemaster and teacher for most of his school life! He was 18 the last time I saw him and it was great fun catching up.

The last day of the tournament is on the Sunday, but unfortunately England had suffered a number of injuries and were unable to progress to the Finals. However, every cloud has a silver lining and I continued to meet more Worthians; Jonathan Rollo-Walker R’08 popped in to say hello and catch up and finally, in the last England game, Tom Mitchell had recovered sufficiently to play. After the match we got to have a chat with Tom which perfectly capped off what had been a truly remarkable week.

My thanks to The Rankin family for their marvellous hospitality, the Society for arranging the drinks and to all the Worthians who made it so special.

Andrew Taylor

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The following Worthians attended the 2019 Munich Dinner:

The following Worthians attended the 2019 Sydney Gathering: Robert Burroughs R’82 Mark Jones B’84 Trent Belasco G’90 Bart Labey G’05 Josh Taylor B’05

2019 Sydney Gathering

Former Gervase Housemaster, Andrew Taylor, was our exemplary host and had squared away a suitable space for us all at the Roof Top Bar that also afforded us views across the harbour and the equally iconic Opera House.

2019 Munich Dinner

Those of us who made it along, many with our partners, had a great time. How could you not! It was fantastic to meet new Worthians and catch up with old friends. What never ceases to amaze is the genuinely fond memories we all have of our respective times spent at Worth and is testament to what a great school it was and clearly continues to be.

I greatly look forward to meeting many more Worthians who either decide to settle in this truly remarkable country, are seconded to work here for a period of time, or are simply on their travels around the world.

Mark Jones B’84

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n 20th September 2019, Worthians came together in the English Garden in Munich to reconnect and celebrate Worth’s 60th anniversary. Stuart McPherson, Gordon Pearce and Andrew Taylor, who made the trip to Munich to represent Worth that night, would have encountered quite a few ‘oddly dressed’ people on the plane, as it was the day before the annual spectacle Octoberfest would begin.

For us old boys and girls, this was great timing and just another reason to come to Munich and attend the event.

We got to exchange stories from our times at Worth and hear about the new developments at the School. Bringing

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Florentin Braunewell B’08 Florian Heiss StB’08 Constantin Scarisbrick R’08 Pauline Rittstieg StM’15 Stuart McPherson Gordon Pearce Andrew Taylor

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t was rather apt that the Worthian Gathering in Sydney on 11th January 2018 was held in an area called ‘The Rocks’ which was turned into an encampment of settlers after the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788. Clearly a lot has changed since then, but The Glenmore Hotel, built in 1921, with its colonial English charm and character has been lovingly preserved and is an iconic multi-level watering hole!

Ed Armstrong R’07 Warwick Symcox R’07 Andrew Taylor Martin & Jane Pimentel

Markus StangenbergHaverkamp G’93 Clemens StangenbergHaverkamp G’03 Lukas Neuhann StB’05 Konstantin Pagouras StB’06 Maximilian Schaefer R’07

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back the good memories and talking to some of the parents, who also attended the event and whose children just recently joined Worth, we could whole-heartedly reassure them that they sent their kids to the right school.

When Andrew Taylor produced a pen and glasses from his pocket and started reading out the names of attendees, it almost felt like being back in the common room for registration. For the hub that Munich is for former and current Worth students, lets encourage more Worthians to join these kinds of events, so that the list of names may be much longer next time.

Pauline Rittstieg StM’15

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2019 Careers Networking Evening

Tim Davies C’10 Joseph Jefferys C’13 Oliver Wright B’14 Laura Chow StA’15 Benedict Konst StB’15 Bryony Maxwell StM’15 Freddie Roux C’15 Fergus Ryan B’15 Mia Wilcox StA’15 Polina Zotova StM’15 Will de la Haye G’16 Roy Green StB’16 Fabio Macari StM’16 Tighe Martin-Hindson G’16 Maahan Mirnezami R’16 Cam Pring R’16 Ciara Brady StA’17 Emily Green StM’17 Patrick Kulik G’17 Lucia Macari StM’17 Anastasia Martin-Hindson StC’17 Harriet Shoosmith StA’17 Holly Booth StM’18 Ellen Brownings StA’18 Jazmine Clemens StM’18 Alfie Coke StB’18

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or so Worthians congregated at The Happenstance Wine Bar in Paternoster Square on the evening of 9th April 2019 for our annual Careers Networking event. There was a fantastic buzz in the air as young Worthians received words of wisdom on a range of careers paths from a fantastic range of Worthian Professionals who had very kindly given up their time to be advisors on the night.

wide range of careers, who were all incredibly kind and helpful, but also an opportunity to catch up with some familiar faces in a relaxed environment.

I would really recommend anyone who is in my position to go along as it has definitely helped put my mind more at ease! Huge thanks to Worth Society for organising it all for us.

Bryony Maxwell StM’15

As someone who has struggled for a long time to work out what I want to do when I graduate, this event was more helpful than I can say. Not only did it offer the chance to talk to Worthians from a

Nick Hiley B’79 – Panmure Gordon Securities

Gobi Lam R’08 – Vantage Properties & Management

Philip Lundberg C’80 – Speciality Risks @ Stackhouse Poland

Maddy Ilsley StM’10 – Marketing at Keating Chambers

Mark Johnson C’83 – Legal & General Investment Management Paddy Morrissey R’84 – Sheffield Howarth Executive Search

Wilf Lytton C’10 – Senior Researcher (Climate, Energy & Environment) @ Bright Blue

Edward Horgan C’85 – Royal Bank of Canada

Antonia Foldes StM’11 – Risk Analyst @ Kroll

Simon McMenemy R’89 – Ogletree Deakins

Emily Jacobs StA’11 – Marketing & Communications Executive @ Fabergé

Cormac Stanford StB’98 – Strategic Marketing Professional James Baybutt StB’99 – Headhunter Alistair Myles G’99 – Levison Meltzer Pigottt – Family Law Partner Adrian Pring R’01 – Saffron Brand Consultancy Tom Middlehurst R’03 – Litigation & Dispute Resolution Partner @ Moore Blatch Daniel Pring R’03 – Assistant Underwriter @ MS Amlin

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Well over 100 students were able to participate in the event which was designed to encourage them to think about possible options beyond Worth and indeed beyond university. The format we employed was similar to previous years, with a number of outside speakers talking about their own career to small groups of students. This year we again had a plenary forum at the end, where students were invited to ask any general careers related questions to the speakers who formed a panel on the stage. Following on from last year’s success this proved to be very beneficial to students’ understanding of wider careers issues.

I mentioned the Worthian contribution – and this was a record year for their involvement. Of the 12 speakers, 7 were alumni, and I have to say a particular thank you to Emily Jacobs StA’11 who spoke about her career in Marketing but should be involved in the Recruitment industry, based on the number of her friends and contemporaries whom she persuaded to join us on the day!

We welcomed the following Worthian Professionals to our Careers Networking Evening:

Richard Morgan StB’97 – Operations Director @ Nimbus Ninety & Army Reservist

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or the thirteenth year in a row, on 23rd March 2019, Worth School organised a Careers Fair for its Lower Sixth Form students. Some say that 13 is unlucky, but this was a bumper year for our Careers Fair and especially for the Worthian contingent.

Kitty Gibson StA’12 – Events Project Co-ordinator @ Touch Associates Thomas Poynder F’13 – Underwriting Assistant @ Lloyds of London

Engineering is always a special topic and Ben Smith C’11 gave us the benefit of his experience in the Aviation Industry to enliven and inform about a very important career. Luke Kenny B’98 spoke with authority about the rapidly changing world of Advertising, a message re-enforced by Emily Jacobs who has been involved in several upmarket companies, learning how to promote their products to her target audience. Charlotte Butter’s StM’12 talk on Journalism was so well received last year that we were delighted to persuade her back to talk about it again. Having worked in both radio and the press, she was extremely well prepared to give advice, and her current knowledge went down very well again.

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We welcomed the following young Worthians to our 2019 Careers Networking Evening:

2019 Worth School Careers Fair

There are many Worthians working in the Lloyds Building which is the largest insurance market in the world.

Tom Poynder F’13 has been steadily progressing in this industry and his youthful enthusiasm was greatly appreciated. I am also indebted to Edward Horgan C’85 who spoke about the other great bastion of the City of London – Financial Services. I am particularly grateful to him, as he volunteered at very short notice since the original speaker had to pull out at the last moment. This was a great example of Worth networking, as he filled in the slot vacated by one of his Worthian friends!

Last but not least I would like to say a big thank you to Sophie Nash StM’11 who spoke about careers in the Science Industry. There is a lot of interest in careers with a science degree, but it can be very hard to distil such a wide range into a digestible format. Feedback from students indicated that she did that very well, so I am most grateful.

After a hard morning’s talk, a majority of the speakers were able to enjoy a lunch that was I am sure even better than those which they used to enjoy in the refectory a few years ago! The feedback I received has been very positive and, as always, I am most grateful to the former students who come back to pass on their experience to the present cohort of pupils.

Duncan Pring, Head of Careers, Worth School

Mary Lou Burge – Worth Society Manager Anna MacMahon – Head of Development, Worth School Amanda Brookfield – Director of Careers & Higher Education, Worth School

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Class of 2009 10 Year Reunion Events

We were joined by Andrew Taylor and Duncan Pring, and it gave everyone a fantastic chance to catch up with news from the last 10 years. Unfortunately not everyone could attend but it has opened up a great communication platform for the year group to continue to stay in touch more frequently. There is a real appetite to pencil in another reunion at the 15 year mark, no doubt there will be a lot to talk about even then! Thank you to all those that attended and made the evening such a great success.

Charlie Forbes StB’09

The following Worthians and guests attended the Class of 2009 10 Year Reunion: Felix Barber Tom Bisgood Oliver Bisset Samuel Bradley Charlie Braxton Jeroen Bromilow Sam Buckley George Calvert Eduardo Collar Sam Crowhurst Martin Danagher-Smith Will Desmond Jack Dickerson Jack Featherby Alexander Fey Charlie Forbes Alex Garai Alex Gill Harry Glaisher Ed Iaboni Simon Jukes

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he 2009 Leavers Reunion was held on the rooftop of The Ned in the City on 12th July 2019. There were over 40 attendees with guys flying in from Canada, Thailand, Spain and Germany for the event. It was a wonderful occasion and one that many had been looking forward to with great anticipation – and it did not disappoint.

Class of 1999 20 Year Reunion Robbie Maffei Jonny Mann Daniele Manzi Matthew Morley Sam Nurse Win Pongpiriyakan Matt Quinn Christopher Rayment Anthony Riley John Roberts Rory Ryan Fabian Schiedat James Shepherd James Smith Tom Storey Hugo Sunnucks Ben Wintour Gareth Jefferey Duncan Pring Andrew Taylor

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We had our 20 year reunion on 6th July 2019 at The Plough Bar and Kitchen in Battersea. We were joined by a few staff and monks for a memorable evening of catching up. Special thanks to some who flew in especially to make the occasion. Many memories were shared and the general consensus was that it shouldn’t be 10 years until we do it again!

Mike Matthews B’99

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The following Worthians and guests attended the Class of 1999 20 Year Reunion: Jonathan Barker James Baybutt Claudio di Petrillo Mike Flisher Daniel Garrigan Thomas Hall Edmund Howard Rob Lee Mike Matthews

Alistair Myles Alex Perales Alex Perry Marcus Ripley Rob Stewart James Tyas Matt Wharton Fr Aidan Murray Nick Robinson

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The following Worthians and guests attended the Class of 1989 30 Year Reunion:

Class of 1989 30 Year Reunion

Tom Sullivan James Vernor-Miles Mike Watts Dan Wilkinson Nic Yeates Liam Bauress James Cockburn Jeremy Dowling Abbot Luke Jolly Michelle Manneveille Fr Stephen Ortiger

Mark Collini Neil Davy Nick Gilodi-Johnson Peter Goodyear Dominic Hirons Jonathan Hook Paddy Hopkirk Andrew Jamison Chris Kenny Simon McMenemy Ted Melaniphy Eddie Robinson

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ur 30 year reunion was held in the downstairs Mayfair wine bar of Fino's on 26th September 2019, organised by myself and Paddy Hopkirk G’89. The venue was perfect in its central location allowing as many Worthians to come along as possible.

It was great to see so many faces who now fall into the following categories - those that have put on a bit of ‘timber’, those who are now ‘follically challenged’ and those that have gone a bit ‘more grey’ - some had fallen into all three categories! One of the party had gone ‘so grey’ that it looked as though he dyed his eyebrows perhaps you will be able to find him in the photo!

It was a great evening and from my perspective so nice to catch up with old mates and reminisce on the escapades

we enjoyed 30-35 years ago. The stories are only truly funny to those that shared the experiences and to ‘lift the lid’ on these after so many years was tear-inducing!

Seeing the ‘old’ teachers/monks who had changed very little and to share a glass with them was a real hoot! Their presence made the evening that bit more special.

The evening ended with the normal suggestions of "we must do this more, etc." and we ought to but sometimes the gap between meeting up adds to the anticipation...!

Thanks to all those who turned up and we think we remembered those that could not - you were sorely missed.

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For further information please contact Lucy Samy on 01293 742 700 or lucy.samy@irwinmitchell.com

Eddie ‘Dobbo’ Robinson B’89

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The following Worthians and guests attended the Class of 1969 50 Year Reunion: Nick Best Briony Best Robin Barnett Tom Burgess Desmond Calnan Julie Calnan Patrick Dodd

Class of 1969 50 Year Reunion

Michael Dunnett Louis Farrugia Anthony Green Penny Green Janusz Heath Laura Heath Claude Keith

David Maclure Lindsay Maclure Paul Ormerod Christopher Peck James Wheeler Mark Williams Sarah Williams

Sixth Form study and recreational centre whilst the Gym contained therein remarkably is still there with its honours board a lasting memory of the great fencers of our era – George Tate G’67, David Hughes G’68, Nick Bell R’68 and Tim Belson R’69 – Olympians amongst them!

n Thursday 27th June 2019, Worth hosted the 50 year leavers. Looking at us as a group of 65 plus, most with thinning and largely grey hair, it was hard to remember that we had been part of the ‘cultural revolution’ back in 1969. This was the year of rebellion against the establishment – protests against wearing school uniform, fighting over the right to have long hair (many of us now wishing we had some hair at all!) and opposition to compulsory Games.

The tour appropriately ended at the Abbey Church which when its construction had started, circa 1967, closely represented a circular alien spaceship hovering over the mock Elizabethan buildings. Now with its walls and totally completed it has proven to have survived the test of time and remains light, spacious and ageless. The lunchtime prayers were truly a time for union, reflection and reminiscences.

50 years on, this benign group of 16 had returned to be welcomed back, hosted by the Head Master, Stuart McPherson and the Abbot, Luke Jolly, in a tranquil, placid and unified mood and setting. This seemed a long way removed from the rebel rabble rousing days of 1969 – Woodstock, hippies with kaftans and beads, and songs that captured the age of peace movements and ‘free love’ be that with the Yoko Ono Band (plus John Lennon!) Give Peace a Chance; or the breathless Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg Je t’aime and Bob Dylan’s Lay lady Lay.

This spirit was happily retained over a splendid lunch in the former monks’ refectory where welcoming speeches from the Abbot and Head Master were responded to by James Wheeler, urged on by Desmond Calnan, thanking the School for their most generous hospitality and kindness. There was much good banter and joshing over lunch with Keith Owers being reminded of his then lack of PCness (thank goodness!) where on one occasion a pupil caught talking in his Geography class was informed “Now listen here laddie, another peep out of you and I’ll give you a kick up the arse – Size 8 nahh… 11and a half!’

The slide show and then introduction of old copies of The Worth Record caused much ribaldry, rudeness and good humour, as they served to remind us of our antics, writings and in some cases sporting achievements. It was particularly amusing and galling when a number of us couldn’t even recognise ourselves in the photographs!

Thankfully, today where once there had been discord, there was harmony, a large degree of friendship, sobriety, politeness, respect and the expression of genuine affection for the ‘old place’ that had sent us out into the world on varying career paths.

Some of the attendees had not been back at all over the ensuing years, others not for many moons (Bad Moon Rising having been a major hit for Credence Clearwater Revival back in 1969!) while some have had regular contact with the School in a myriad of different ways – some even via the fruits of their loins. Many had not seen each other over this time and old acquaintances were truly rekindled.

The day itself was splendidly programmed, organised and administered by the delightful and affable, Mary Lou Burge (Worth Society Manager) and the equally friendly and welcoming, Anna MacMahon (Head of Development).

The ‘welcoming committee’ also included the monks; ‘The Rev Kev’ (Fr Kevin Taggart), Fr Stephen Ortiger, Fr Bede Hill, Fr Richard Wilson and Fr Philip Gaisford; as well as those old sporting (in every sense!) stalwarts, Fred Belcher and Keith Owers.

On a splendidly beautiful sunny but breezy late June day, that showed the old Lord Cowdray’s Paddockhurst Estate in its true glory, the group assembled on the lawns outside what was the monks quarters for coffee and tea at 11am. Joining us for this occasion, the group photograph,

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Stuart McPherson Fr Stephen Ortiger Keith Owers Gilly Owers Fr Kevin Taggart Fr Richard Wilson

and then for a tour of the School were Head Boy, Toby and Head Girl, Sophie. The Head Master seeking to discover how this early intake had originally come upon Worth was somewhat surprised to discover from one former ‘in-mate’, who having been given the choice between Downside and Worth, had elected for Worth on the basis of its close proximity not only to London but to two racecourses – Brighton and Lingfield Park!

sex. New buildings had sprouted up everywhere and long gone were the ‘social’ grass courts behind the azalea driveway, where tennis with the girls from The Sacred Heart, Woldingham was an eagerly awaited annual fixture.

And yet for all these changes there was still a reassuring, recognisable, familiarity. The duck pond where the first torpedo had been tested was still there, part of a magnificent unspoilt vista across lush green fields; the golf course with its ha-ha ditch remains; the splendid sweeping driveway with its wrought iron gates still impressively greets all-comers; even the potting sheds have been retained – though now offices not airless classrooms!; while the structure of the Art and Carpentry Block has been kept, it now performs a Science and Religious Instruction duty; and the Junior House Clock Tower and Stables are still recognisable, though now a

As we were taken around the School it became selfevident that much had changed. When we had arrived in September 1964 we were part of a school where some founder members were still present amongst a total of 180. By the time we left there was a 4th House, St Bede’s, to join Gervase, Chapman and Rutherford with 220 pupils.

Today we were shown a school numbering in excess of 600 with nearly half of this total coming from the fairer

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At the end of this excellent meal and after we had made contact via Mary Lou’s mobile with Tony Fletcher in North America, the Abbot suggested that some of us might like to visit the Monks’ Cemetery, to which Fr Kevin quickly and laconically quipped “But please make sure you come back!”.

When we did get back we were very kindly all given a ‘goodie bag’ with pens, T-shirts, wrist bands and key rings. And so ended a memorable day that we can all look back on with fondness and appreciation and where old friendships had been renewed and once again we had been made to feel a part of the School and part of the community that is Worth.

Claude Keith G’69

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Fred Belcher Anne Belcher Mary Lou Burge Fr Philip Gaisford Fr Bede Hill Abbot Luke Jolly Anna MacMahon

The Global Action Awards

Building a Classroom in Costa Rica

The Global Action Awards

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ince its formation in 2000, The Worthians Charitable Trust (WCT) Global Action Awards (GAA) programme has awarded a total of £28,780 to Worthians.

Frances Oesterlin StM’15 applied for her GAA in 2015 as she had planned to volunteer as a teacher in Cambodia during her gap year. Sadly her plans changed and she was not able to go and so returned her funding. She was, however, lucky to find the opportunity to finally get to Cambodia this year following a year in Hong Kong with her university course. She reapplied and was awarded £500 to work with The Hope Agency through Original Volunteers, and enjoyed the experience so much that she is now keen to pursue a career in teaching.

Sophie Enoizi StA’18 was awarded £1,000 to spend two months during her gap year with Operation Raleigh in Costa Rica where she helped to build a classroom in a local primary school which helped increase the number of children attending by 700%.

You can enjoy reading all about both the girls’ experiences in the next few pages which may encourage some of you to think about taking some time out to volunteer either here in the UK or abroad. A reminder that the scheme is open to all Worthians at any age or stage of their lives.

If you are considering applying for a GAA, would like to donate to the GAA fund via the Worthians Charitable Trust, or just want to find out more; then do please contact me at worthsociety@worth.org.uk Mary Lou Burge, Worth Society Manager

GAAs Awarded since 2011 2018-19 Sophie Enoizi StA’18 – volunteering with Operation Raleigh in Costa Rica £1,000

Frances Oesterlin StM’15 – volunteering with The Hope Agency in Cambodia £500

2016-17 Edward Bridge (StB’11) – Medical Elective at The Western Regional Hospital, Belize and volunteering with ‘La Choza Chula’, Guatemala £1,000

Andrew Morris (R’06) – Medical Elective at Ananthapuri Hospital, Kerala, India £1,500

2015-16

Antonia Foldes (StM’11) – volunteering with TECHO in Colombia £2,100

2014-15

Peter Webb (C’14) – volunteering with the Manquehue Movement in Chile £1,000

Benjamin Booker (B’13) – volunteering with the Puericultorio JAVA Orphanage in Peru £500

Beatrice Lewers (StA’13) – volunteering with the Puericultorio JAVA Orphanage in Peru £500

Stephen Free (C’15) – working with VSO & ICS in Tanzania £500

2013-14

Merrick Winter (F’13) – teaching English with Global Vision International in India and Nepal £500

Charlie Bridge (StB’09) – teaching English with TASK Brasil in Rio de Janeiro £500

Thomas Harrison (StB’92) – founding Fusion Enterprise Music & Drama Group for adults with learning disabilities £150 2012-13

Charlotte Bonhoure (StM’13) – working with the Manquehue Movement in Chile £750

Naomi Dring (StA’13) – volunteering for Worth Abbey’s ‘Outreach Peru’ programme in Peru £1,000

James Folger (B’10) – teaching English at schools in San Jose in Costa Rica £400

Ciaran Stordy (StB’12) – working with the Manquehue Movement in Chile £500

2011-12

Niamh Fogarty (StM’11) – volunteering with Tanzanian NGO, TanzEd £500

Xavier Geissmann (B’11) – working with the Manquehue Movement in Chile £700

Francis Dring (C’12) – volunteering with The Peru Mission in the Amazon £1,000

Sophia with a little boy called ‘Jordy’

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The Global Action Awards

Building a Classroom in Costa Rica continued

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n February 2019, as part of my gap year, I set off on an adventure to Central America. I left behind the comforts of West Sussex and traded them for the Costa Rican rainforest. With a contribution gratefully received from The Global Action Award Scheme, I was able to raise enough funds to join Raleigh International for two months, in the hope that my time out there would have a tangible effect on people’s lives.

Raleigh International is a Sustainable Development Charity founded in 1984, which works primarily in remote and rural areas of the world. Undertaking charitable initiatives such as improving access to safe water and sanitation, working with individual communities to ensure the protection of vulnerable environments and providing basic facilities for education.

The first phase of the trip was an 18 day trek through rural countryside and rainforests. I completed the 170km expedition with a group of 12 other volunteers who

quickly became close friends. This phase was not only physically and mentally challenging but also required high levels of tolerance for others and a gung-ho attitude; the perfect team-building and mental fortitude building exercise to prepare us for the work we would soon have to undertake.

On our trek we had the privilege of passing through and staying with numerous communities nestled in the Costa Rican mountains. Although each stop was brief, it provided an insight into the lives and routines of many of the locals, opening my eyes to rural life in Costa Rica. At the same time, it strengthened some of my own personal attributes such as an ability to work as part of a team and leadership skills. Each day presented us with a new challenge, be it the heat, the unseasonal tempestuous rain which drenched us day after day, tough terrain or physical strain. Camaraderie and team work were essential elements in making it through this tough challenge.

Building the School in Dorbata

After a brief rest at base camp at the end of the first phase (and after having put all our clothes on a hot wash!!!) it was time for phase two. Regrouped and refreshed we were presented with our next challenge. For the following three weeks our team were sent to live with a remote indigenous community located in the heart of the Costa Rican rainforest. This community had had no previous dealings with westerners, making it all the more of a privilege to be welcomed by them. With the help of local handy-man, Don Elkine, our main objective was to build a school classroom. Other components of this phase were to accurately plot out a map of the land, and conduct basic English lessons twice a week as well as community engagement days to reiterate the importance of a good education. We slept on the floor of the classroom which we were building, showered under a hose pipe and ate by torch light as the community had no running water, electricity or vehicular access. The locals spoke their own dialect rather than the mother tongue, Spanish, adding to the challenge.

that our work would make a real difference to the lives of those we had come to help giving us a huge sense of satisfaction.

Personally, one of the most important lessons I learned whilst away was the universality of a smile, and how its meaning has no barriers. During my time in Costa Rica, I forged unique friendships with many of the other volunteers which I am sure will last for life. We share a common experience and sense of achievement and I believe the impact I made during my time was one that will stand the test of time. The projects Raleigh International conduct are those of real value which have an enduring impact on the communities they seek to help. It was an incredible privilege for me to be part of one of their projects, and it is refreshing to know that a relatively small group of young individuals can make a real difference to people’s lives.

Sophia Enoizi StA’18

Despite the very obvious language barrier, this small community was able to teach me far more than I could have anticipated. I learnt to live without the materialistic things in my life, and was able to detach myself from social media allowing me to fully immerse myself in the project.

By the end of our time in Dorbata, the community had a primary school for the children to attend. As a result, we increased the number of pupils attending school regularly by more than 700%. Through our engagement days and the surveys we carried out we were able to establish

My group of volunteers for the Trek Phase

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A beautiful Costa Rican vista

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Life and Times of Worthians

The Old Place

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The Global Action Awards

Finding a Love for Teaching in Cambodia

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aving finished my A levels I was keen to get on with the next stage of my life. I was, however, dreading the results and unfortunately ended up having to retake some and reapply to university. The question remained as to whether I was going to continue with my plans to go travelling in Asia as a gap year, or to buckle down and study. Me being me I thought I could do both, I had already been awarded a Global Action Award to teach English in Cambodia and so excitedly booked my trip. But when it came down to it, I realised that this would not be possible, and in a momentary lapse of good decision-making I indefinitely postponed my trip. So when the opportunity arose to go to Cambodia for three weeks after finishing my university year abroad in Hong Kong, I took it.

I volunteered with a company called Original Volunteers and, although I didn’t have a bad experience with them, if I did it again I would go directly through the organisation they sent us to called Hope Agency. This way none of the money you pay goes to a profit-making middle man and instead goes straight to the children and adults that Hope Agency supports. Hope Agency is a school in Bakod Village in the Takeo province of Cambodia where local children are taught English in order for them to pursue dreams and careers which would not otherwise be possible. In one lesson I was teaching the children about jobs and many of them wrote that they wanted to grow up to be teachers or doctors.

The School was founded by Jason Han in 2010 and is approved by the Royal Government of Cambodia. Hope Agency also provides food and other necessities such as medicine to some of the poorest families in Bakod village.

This program even provided a concrete floor for one family’s home when previously they were sleeping on dirt, and a toilet for another. This was funded by donations and the weekly Thursday evening quiz night organised by the volunteers who were leaving - super fun with a new theme

Many kids didn’t brush their teeth at home so it was done at school each day

each week, such as ‘under the sea’ and ‘famous duos’. All of the children are there by choice and it is crazy how long their days are – Khmer School starts at around 6am and runs until lunchtime at which point they come to Hope Agency for their lessons after which many of them went back home to help their families working in the fields.

misbehaving (although sometimes they could be quite funny) or not understanding something because they were not paying attention.

Mornings began with a variety of chores and I was fortunate enough to not be on bathrooms for my entire stay! All volunteers took part, even the people in charge, and chores included litter picking, cleaning the dorms, laying out and cleaning up breakfast and dinner (the only evening chore which meant you got a much-coveted lie in) and maintenance for the School. All of this really fed into the volunteer experience because we felt more a part of everything. We had free time until lunch during which time we could help take the food bank items to families in need, plan lessons, go to the nearby village to the coffee shop and market or just relax. I then had three classes after lunch with children of varying ages. My favourites were definitely the younger children as I think I am more used to them and they were also all so cute! My mum says that this was probably the case because I am still a child myself!

Arriving at the airport I breezed through the visa application (which was a bit scary to be honest) and headed out to where my lift was waiting - I was three hours late due to a delay in Hong Kong - and after a two-hour journey where I definitely thought I was being kidnapped (it turns out all of the roads in Cambodia are a bit dodgy to say the least) I arrived at Hope Agency. The dorm I was in was set up for around 16 girls. For most of the time I was there I found sleeping quite difficult because I am a lover of my bed and the sleeping set up was less than ideal – a metal bed frame with two duvets and no mattress – but I soon got used to it. What I didn’t get used to was the lack of air conditioning, especially after spending the best part of 9 months in Hong Kong where air conditioning is literally everywhere. I did have a fan, so I made do as one does in Cambodia. I also reminded myself that I was lucky to even have this.

I set out feeling quite apprehensive because although I have experience working in a nursery and volunteering for a week at my younger brother’s primary school I don’t really know much about teaching. However, volunteers are paired up with more experienced people whilst they get an understanding of teaching and so this was a comfort to me and really made settling in much easier.

I actually found the teaching relatively easy as all of the children were very enthusiastic, and I knew what I had to do and it was fun. I also felt a sense of pride knowing I was in part responsible for their future and helping them achieve a better life. I have no idea how my teachers put up with me at Worth because what I found most difficult was keeping my patience when children were either

Frances nit combing the kid’s hair!

I especially liked the Little Devils who I taught with another experienced volunteer who led the class. They were a lot more advanced than my second class who were still struggling with the alphabet and we worked on phonetics.

One of my favorite days was when we took the kids on a swimming trip to celebrate their hard work. Unfortunately I could not swim as I had 15 infected mosquito bites, but it was so lovely to see them all having fun - how we fitted 17 onto one tuk-tuk I will never know. I actually ended up having to get medication back in Hong Kong for my bites and I think if I’d planned to stay any longer I may have had to cut my trip short to get further medical attention because they were that bad! I taught another class with another volunteer who had been there for some time.

This class were progressing a lot slower and were a bit difficult in terms of behaviour, but we tried our best and I do feel like they got a bit better.

I really loved my experience with the children of Cambodia and could not have done it without the help of the Global Action Award. As clichéd as it sounds it really was life changing and made me consider teaching as a career, something I hadn’t previously thought of. Volunteering and getting involved in the local way of life really helped me to see and understand the country at a deeper level than I would have if I was just travelling. I would 100% urge any Worthian to apply for a GAA for any volunteering they want to do as it is a great encouragement to go out and help people who are truly in need.

Frances Oesterlin StM’15

17 kids piling on to a tuk-tuk to go swimming

Bikes being given to the poorer kids to get to school

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test, we knew that only our best performance would get us a result against Guildfordians. A narrow 15-10 win saw the WOBS continue to rise up the table, now in 3rd place, with the promotion campaign looking more positive than it had done six weeks previously. However, the weather was starting to get colder and more miserable as we approached the Christmas break, but we knew that two wins from these two games we could be top at Xmas. After beating Woking 26-41 with a bonus point, one last push was needed for a very encouraging first half of the season. Our key game: Old Caterhamians at home at Whiteley.

Remember this is your Club for all Worthians, and we always need new players. Everyone is welcome – even if you can’t commit to a full season. If you’re interested in playing, please contact one of the following:

Worthians Rugby 2018-2019 Season Report

James Kemp (Captain): 07577 199607 Nick Elvidge (Fixtures): 07784 255775 Desmond Calnan (Chairman): 07535 939582 or 01372 386511

Players (38 played)

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Tom Cruz B’08

12

Christian Killoughery R’10

11

Angus Bonner R’14

10

Chris Cheeseman C’07

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Michael Ryan F’14, Giles Sacarello StB’08

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James Henwood C’07, Tim Riley G‘18

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Marco Boodramsingh C’11, James Kemp F’14, Andrew Riley G’18, Dom Robinson B’11, George Suckling B’15, Alex Williams R’06

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Ben Ritchie F’18

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Jack Clancy F’11, Dom Suckling B’14

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Matt Ball, Barney Elwes R’17, Alex Leadbeater

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Fred Greenslade G’18, Ed Kemp F’10

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Dom Bosher R’08, Tom Calnan R’95, Ben Parry B’11, Connor Thornton-Clark StB’14

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Cameron Davies R’18, Nick Elvidge C’11, Tommy Ferguson F’08, Sandy Hills R’13, Toby Jozwiak StB’15, Alick Macleod, Craig Monteiro StB’05, Hugh Murphy B’14, Fergus Murphy-Hunt F’14, Ciaran Nye C’19, Tom Roberts F’18, Fergus Ryan B’15

Champions after winning final game vs London Media

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fter narrowly missing out on promotion last season the mood and atmosphere going into the Surrey 3 2018-19 season was high. This spirit, combined with a fantastic influx of new Worthians and a couple of overseas imports who had been ‘scouted’ by WOBS former players now living in Canada, meant that we believed we could be in with a shout at promotion (and maybe even the title) this season under our new Captain, Giles Sacarello.

The season started with a game on our own patch, Whiteley Village in Walton on Thames, against London Media, a side who hadn’t had their best season previously. Talismanic skipper Giles had decided to book a holiday over the opening weekend, so the WOBS turned to Tom Cruz to lead the boys out for the curtain raiser. The game was not as easy as expected. The WOBS fought to a much hard earned 14-12 win over a much-improved London Media side. The game allowed the new players in the squad to integrate and for the cobwebs to be blown out after a long off-season which had treated some less kindly than others. It also gave Tom Cruz the opportunity to retire from skippering the team with a 100% record as Captain (played 1, won 1).

The following week the WOBS went to Wimbledon to play Old Johnians in what is usually a close and hard-fought encounter. However, with minimal numbers and a makeshift front row, the WOBS were taught a lesson going down 30-3. We knew that if we wanted promotion we needed to

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The games against Old Cats are always fiercely competitive, highly emotional affairs that both sides take very seriously.

The WOBS had probably their best-looking team sheet (if not team!) of the season having 25 players putting their hands up to play. The game started slowly for the WOBS conceding an early try, but the boys pulled together to run out eventual bonus point winners 27-7, and the WOBS were top at Xmas thanks to tries from Jack Clancy, James Kemp & Dom Suckling. The celebrations ran into the night as the lads convoyed to London for the annual Xmas meal with thirty WOBS past and present in attendance to celebrate.

pick ourselves up, dust ourselves down and improve for the next game. We did this in part the following week away to a Merton side, who arguably have one of the best players in the league with a monstrous number 8, but it still wasn’t good enough and we were beaten 21-17. It was looking again to be one of those seasons that wasn’t going to shape up the way we’d hoped.

After a Captain call the following day, the WOBS rallied and, with players back from injury and others back from gallivanting abroad, we had a strong squad going into our second home game against Old Paulines. We ran out comfortable 52-14 winners against a side who were rock bottom after three games. There were two tries apiece for Angus Bonner and Chris Cheeseman, whose return to rugby after over 10 years away from the game was timed to perfection. We knew that this improved form couldn’t be taken for granted and that there was tougher opposition ahead, but the team was back on track.

2019 began with a chance for redemption against an Old Johnians who had beaten us convincingly at the start of the season and who were hot on the WOBS’ tail in the League.

This opportunity was grabbed with both hands with the WOBS starting 2019 where 2018 ended, with a bonus point 31-19 win.

Game two of 2019 gave us another shot at revenge, this time against Merton, the only other side to have beaten us this season. The WOBS took another scalp, 52-12. In the muddiest of conditions, a silky intercept try from Marco Boodramsingh and two from scrum half Angus Bonner helped hand us the perfect start to the year.

Next up was Old Glynonians away, a side that finished mid table last season, and another game that we really needed to win. The opening try was scored by Captain Sacarello to set the lads up on their way to getting all 5 points in a 5-20 victory. This convincing win saw the WOBS slowly but surely starting to climb into the top 4 in the League Table.

Life and Times of Worthians

Woking at home saw a huge crowd of nearly a hundred spectators, due the presence of Vice Presidents and Sponsors at their annual lunch before the game. And boy did the WOBS put on a show, running out just short of a WOBS RFC record, with an astounding 119-12 victory.

Tommy Ferguson scored just the five tries followed closely

by James Kemp who bagged himself four. The reality was they both could have had ten but unselfishly passed to those squad members in more need of a try for those allimportant stats.

Just two more wins and promotion would be guaranteed.

But this wasn’t going to be easy, away at Old Cats. They would want revenge after the WOBS pumped them early in the season, and unfortunately they got it, beating us convincingly 48-24. Luckily for us, due to the results of other contenders that day, we were surprised to notice that promotion was still ours if we could secure a win in the final game, but we would need other matches to go our way in order to win the title.

The season finale in Battersea Park was the best and most exciting game of the season. Both sides were pumped up with the WOBS knowing nothing less than a victory would do. Our opponents had two monster props of at least 18 stone each and a giant (of six foot nine) jumping in the line-out. The game swung back and forth, but we managed never to let go of the lead. Ferocious tackling in defence and three tries from James Kemp and two from Bonner had given us a commanding lead of 40-22 with fifteen minutes to go, and promotion looked a certainty. Then nerves struck, conceding two quick tries, and all of a sudden the score was 36-40. Were we really going to throw a tough season work away in the final 5 minutes of the season? No of course not, it was all in the name of drama as we held on by the skin of our teeth. Promotion was a certainty. It was only later in the pub that we found out that Old Johnians had lost to Old Cats so we had finished the season as Champions of Surrey 3.

As has been the case for the past 25 years, a huge thank you must go to Desmond Calnan, without whom this fantastic Club would not be around today. Hard work all year round goes into running a club and Desmond continues to do that brilliantly.

James Henwood C’07

However, the WOBS’ seven game winning streak came to an end against a much improved Old Paulines team in a match that ended in an unusual draw 17-17, with the WOBS

With a slightly depleted squad with some of the WOBS attending Twickenham for the England v Japan autumn

Worth Society Life

We then fought out two tight victories 14-12 against Old Glyns and 12-17 against Guildfordians. Three games to go and three teams were fighting for the two promotion spots.

We knew it was going to be a dramatic end to a season and we needed to remain focused.

The Old Place

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Appearances

dropping down to 2nd place. This actually was a good result for us as we scrambled a try in the dying embers of the match. This was our first game in our snazzy new kit sponsored by Jeremy Marozzi & Co and Thakeham Homes: our first kit update for five years. Our thanks go to our two Sponsors for making that possible.

The Adam Braverman Worthians Rugby Family Fun Day

Old Worthians vs Young Worthians 2019 Match

Dear Friends,

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We would like to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who supported the Adam Braverman Family Day on Saturday 1st June 2019 and made it so wonderful.

Once again, Fr Kevin travelled from Worth to open the ceremony with a warm welcome and a blessing for the day, mastering the use of the megaphone with consummate ease. The day started with a special moment when guests were invited by WOBS Skipper Giles Sacarello to remember Adam with a sustained minute of applause.

The central event of the day may have been the touch rugby competition, which was won deservedly by James Kemp’s team of regular WOBS players, with the Fat Boys’ team unable to stretch their obvious talent into a winning performance. But the children had the lion’s share of the entertainment – with the usual arrangement of games and races, including the traditional tug-of war aided by their parents. This year there was also a very popular bouncy castle for the active, and face painting for the less active.

Your generous donations raised a mind-blowing £17,623 for the Wooden Spoon and the Royal Lifesaving Society charities, and also covered the out-of-pocket expenses of the Club. These two donations will make a real difference to our efforts to help disadvantaged young people in Ad's memory, as well as enabling us to support the Royal Lifesaving Society to raise awareness of Shallow Water Blackout.

To everyone who bought raffle tickets in advance and those who joined and supported us on the day - thank you.

You all make the occasion so special. We feel very lucky to celebrate Ad's memory with such amazing people.

Congrats to the raffle winners and successful auction bidders! These details will be shared on Facebook along with photos from the day. Please share your memories too - we'd love to see them. We will also update you on the work of the charities in the months ahead.

We hope you enjoyed yourselves as much as we did – nothing can replace Adam, but it is a real comfort to see how his memory is inspiring such love and kindness and making such a big impact.

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th September 2019 saw our most highly attended ‘Old versus Young’ match in recent history as two strong teams battled it out in memory of Glenn Robertson, the former rugby master at Worth responsible for 30 years of Worth 1st XV teams.

We would also like to say a big thank you to Sarah Sacarello, Penny Brown, Tracey McNally, Sam Brown and Ve Brown who worked tirelessly in the kitchen serving food, and cleaning up. Our thanks also go to the chefs on the BBQ and everyone on bar duty and raffle ticket sales. You were amazing! Also to the teams who played in boiling weather!

The game was highly competitive and saw some brilliant rugby from both sides. The first half was evenly contested with both teams fronting up and some exciting quick rugby on display. The ‘Olds’ were just more clinical which was unsurprising as the team consisted of a good number of regular WOBS RFC players in the starting 15. Tommy Ferguson C’15 ran with power and pace from full-back to score twice before the break whilst Matt Ball, relishing his role in the front row, made the most of playing against his former students to burst through the defensive line and step the full back to score under the posts. The Older Worthians went into the break with a hard fought 24-0 lead.

Of course the cherry on the cake was Adam’s team, Liverpool FC, winning the UEFA Championship Cup that evening.

We wish you all a wonderful end of the year, and look forward to next year when we will have a kids only raffle to stop all the prizes being won by adults!

Much love and thanks for spending this important day with us.

Fenella Bishop and Tamara Braverman

The second half was a more one-sided affair especially after the Young Worthians were unfortunately reduced to 14 men. However, after many attacking attempts, they

Tamara Braverman, Fenella Bishop & Melly Braverman

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The Old Place

showed tremendous spirit to score a well worked try of their own in the closing stages. The final score was 62-5 and the day was a brilliant advocate for Worthian Rugby. Tommy Ferguson must gain further mention for collecting five tries on the day. After the match the School kindly provided hospitality for the 45 players and a large band of spectators, and the Head Master presented the Glenn Robertson Worthians RFC Challenge Trophy to the winning Captain James Kemp F’14.

This event is an important part of the Worthians Rugby calendar as it allows the School, parents and recent leavers to see the team in action and, hopefully, to let prospective players know that joining the WOBS RFC is about fun rugby played competitively in the right spirit. A huge effort came from recent leavers, led by Matt Brown F’19 and Andrew Riley G’18, to assemble the ‘Young’ team. We hope to see many of those who played for the Young Worthians regularly in the seasons to come.

James Kemp, Captain, Worthians RFC

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Worthians Football 2019 Tournament

Over 23s Captain, Jack Rackham R’05, receiving the ‘H’ Trophy from Head Master, Stuart McPherson, and Worth 1st XI Captain, Tom Lovill, receiving the Henry Surtees Cup

This year was the best attended ever, with more than 50 players, well over 30 old boys played and that meant lots of supporters. The O/23s, captained by Jack Rackham, won the ‘H’ trophy in the Tournament held between Staff and Old Boys. The Henry Surtees Memorial Trophy was won by the 1st XI, captained by Oliver Maude who defeated the U/23 Old Boys.

Football at Worth continues to be as strong as ever, all the boys play in The Sussex and Kent Independent School League (SKIL) and fixtures include Brighton College, Epsom, Sevenoaks, Kings Canterbury and Christ’s Hospital. Last season the 1st XI were runners-up in their division.

10 years on, my thanks to the School and all the footballers who support this day but especially the Captains; Breen, Forbes, Davis-White, Mathews, Rivers (what a team!) who get everyone to turn up, on the best of days.

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year, he will be greatly missed by all. His daughter, Leonora, has agreed to present the trophy on behalf of the Surtees family at future Tournaments.

The following Worthians played in the 2019 Football Tournament: Under 23s Team Captain: Max Rivers G’16 Alex Blake B’14 Alex Davis-White B’14 Marcus Fletcher C’14 James Kemp F’14 Tommy Ferguson C’15 Paddy Leadsom B’15 Fergus Ryan B’15 James Tomlin F’15 Bertie Bravery C’16 Ed Davis-White G’16 Will de la Haye G’16 Cameron Pring R’16 Benjamin Lovill G’17 Ollie Maude R’17 William Mersh C’18 Giuseppe Moscarello G’18 Charlie Ridge F’18

Over 23s Team Captain: Jack Rackham R’05 Ben Hamilton B’91 Dan Hyde StB’05 Chris Cheeseman C’07 James Matthews B’08 Fraser Moyle R’08 Jonathan Whitehead StB’08 Edward Kemp F’10 Christian Killoughery R’10 Joseph Rivers F’10 Matthew Stagnetto B’10 William Chitty R’11 Nick O’Dwyer StB’11 William Neville-Smith StB’11 Tom Wade F’11 Charlie Wawn StB’11 Miles Bateson B‘13 Luke Donegan StB‘13 Harrison Marks C‘13 Jamie Pickard StB‘13

Andrew Taylor Join the Worthians Football Club on www.worthconnecting.org.uk

The Under 23s Team

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his is our 10th anniversary playing the Worthians Football Tournament. Not sure, but if memory serves me rightly, the idea came to Charlie Forbes StB’09 and myself as we were on a coach trip coming back from beating Reading Oratory 2-1. One of my favourite wins as Coach of the 1st XI. It struck me as odd that Rugby, Cricket, even Golf had an Old Boys day, but there was nothing for the Football.

We went back to the bar in the Patrick Lamb Centre and discussed the idea of a Tournament, to be held annually between an Old Boys XI and the School 1st XI. We were given permission to play the School XI but only as long as the Old Boys were under the age of 23. This Health and Safety directive rather scuppered the plan of picking a ‘best’ Old Boys Eleven. However, it did create the idea of two Old Boys Elevens!

We decided to have a Tournament between Staff and Old Boys followed by the main game. The School 1st XI vs The Old Boys U/23 XI. The original plan was to have the Tournament at the beginning of the Easter Term, this would

give the School 1st XI a pre-season friendly. (This was in the days before pre-seasons in Valencia!) Poor weather resulted in the matches being played in the Gym and future tournaments being held in the last week of term; It also gave momentum to the idea of a warm weather pre-season.

Tragically, 10 years ago this summer, Henry Surtees was involved in a fatal accident in a Formula 2 race at Brands Hatch, he was 18. He was never really involved with Football, he possibly played goalkeeper in House matches, but as his Housemaster in his final year, I had got to know him and his family and wanted to record his name in the school vernacular in some way. I approached Henry’s father, John Surtees, and asked him if we could name our football trophy in his memory. John thought the idea of naming a sporting trophy after Henry was very appropriate and so the School and Old Boys play for the Henry Surtees Memorial Trophy. John Surtees would come each year (usually in a Ferrari - they never forget their world champions!) and watch the games and then present the trophy to the winning team in The Pit Stop Cafe, which was also named after Henry. Sadly, John passed away last

The winning Over 23s Team

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A massive thank you to all the girls who were involved with the season:

Worthians Netball 2018-2019 Season

Abigail Glover StM’15 Anna Giesler StM’15 Frankie Oesterlin StM’15 Issy Giesler StM’16 Harriet Brown StA’16 Catherine Glover StM’17 Sophie Steinbach StM’17 Hannah Wilcox StA’19

Tilly Butcher StM’12 Tess Ryan StM’11 Kate Hamilton StM’13 Bea Lewers StA’13 Lizzie Narbeth StM’13 Mia Ryan StM’13 Mia Wilcox StA’15 Nina Rousell StA’15 Emily Hollings StM’15

Worthians Hockey 2019 Match Report

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he Worthians netball team have had another exciting season this summer. Whilst probably best characterised by an unprecedented number of rained-off matches, we all thoroughly enjoyed the games we played and definitely shared a few laughs both on and off the court! The league is hosted every Wednesday evening in Victoria, and the fast-paced matches always provide the perfect balance between some healthy competition and exercise! It’s always great to see new faces each week, so please don’t hesitate to contact one of us below about joining for the new season, which will next begin just before the spring. (Giving us time to defrost after a winter hiatus…)

On the 7th September 2019 the Worthians were invited to play a friendly game against the current Worth girls.

Returning back to the courts, it was hard not to be reminded of games sessions spent with all the same girls, as though nothing had changed. The match itself was certainly energetic, with the score remaining relatively close for the duration of play. Ultimately, and despite some amazing effort in defence and attack, the Worth girls pipped us to the post with a well-deserved victory.

It was great to catch-up with everyone, from past and present, and to see Worth again on such a beautiful day!

Well done to everyone who played, and thank you to all the supporters for coming along!

emilyhollings9@gmail.com wilcoxmia@gmail.com ninarousell@icloud.com

Emily Hollings StM’15

thoroughly enjoyed themselves. I am delighted to say that the tradition is now set in stone for an annual Worthian girls hockey match. This year, we are putting together a squad, with more details to be followed on the new and exciting Worth Connecting online networking platform.

If you would like to register your interest please do get in touch with myself at charlotte@theoaktree.net or Mary Lou Burge at worthsociety@worth.org.uk Charlotte Baker StA’17 Join the Worthians Hockey Club on www.worthconnecting.org.uk

Join the Worthians Netball Club on www.worthconnecting.org.uk

Catherine Glover StC’17, Becky Williams StC’17, Harriet Brown StA’16, Maddy Man StA’15, Charlotte Baker StA’17, Chloe Pullan StC’17, Natalie Riley StM’17, Katie Piper StA’18, Sophie Steinebach StA’17, & Rosie Piper StA’17 at the September 2019 fixture vs the School

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his year saw the first Worthian vs current Worth girls hockey match. It was a lovely day seeing familiar faces, staff and old friends. The Worthian girls were slightly outnumbered, with only 11 players, facing a full and fit current school squad with plenty of subs. We put our game faces on and were not going down without a fight. I think it is safe to safe that whilst being university students, our fitness levels were not as good as they used to be… something to improve upon for next year perhaps? The final score was 3-0 to the current Worth girls, which was very well deserved. All the girls

Maguire R’77, Dominic Pasqua, Simon Pickard StB’79, Joseph Rivers F’10 and myself represented the Society.

Worthians Golf 2018-2019 Season

During the year we were approached by the Captain of the Beaumont Golf Society. Despite the School having closed many years ago they still have an active, albeit

Worthians Real Tennis 2018-2019 Season

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harles Bellm R’04 and I got to the semi-finals of the Cattermull Cup in January 2019 and then lost to Marlborough who in turn lost to Radley, the eventual winners in the final.

In total, 21 schools entered (this Schools’ Alumni Handicap Real Tennis tournament), so that there was a fair amount of competition. Although the year before we got to the final, we have been consistently

In early May we returned to Moor Park for the annual Spring Meeting. The course was in wonderful condition and the hospitality, as ever, superb – the players enjoying a sumptuous lunch in palatial surroundings. Matthew Wood came out of the starting blocks with gusto and scored an undefeated 36 points deservedly winning the Worth Rose Bowl for the first time. Simon Pickard with 33 points narrowly beat John Shepherd B’82 into third place. Nearest the pin prizes were won by Hugh Maguire, John Shepherd, Matthew Watts R’93 and Matthew Wood with Simon Pickard hitting the longest drive.

performing at a level that represents the School’s participation favourably.

The exciting part about this participation is an endeavour to get more Worthians playing Real Tennis and, with that in mind, I am sure that I speak for Tom CarewHunt StB’02 as well as myself when I say that any past or current member of the School is very welcome to contact us in order to be guided as to how they might

gain some experience playing a really enjoyable, inclusive sport. It is inevitably special with just 40 odd courts in the world of which about 25 are in the UK. However, anyone who would like to give it a try is welcome to contact me.

Paul Cattermull StB’73 paul.cattermull@brewin.co.uk Join the Worthians Real Tennis Club on www.worthconnecting.org.uk

Worthians Squash 2018-2019 Season

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n 10th November 2018, a strong Worthians side played the School team at Worth. The Worthians got off to a flying start, with Guy Salimbeni F’07 defeating the number one player in straight sets and Matthew Doggett F’07 coming back from one game down to win 3-1. There were a number of tight games, including honorary Worthian Jeremy Dowling winning having been two behind

and there were also wins for Ashley Thomas StB’14 and Ben Oakley F’08.

Piers Spencer B’14 lost despite a valiant effort. The overall score was 7-1 to the Worthians. As usual, the games finished with some doubles, followed by a buffet lunch with the students.

do get in touch with Mary Lou Burge at worthsociety@worth.org.uk to register your interest.

Matt Doggett F’07 Join the Worthians Squash Club on www.worthconnecting.org.uk

We are always keen to hear from Worthians keen to play squash in future matches so

Lunch at the Dale Hill 2018 Autumn Meeting

diminishing, cohort of players. A match was planned but was called off by them for this year but with luck might take place next year.

In the meantime the usual annual events took place.

James Blake B’77 won the Worth Salver in fine style at the 2018 autumn meeting held at Dale Hill Golf Club, Kent. His 38 points decisively beating Dermot Flood C’77 with 32 points into second place and Dominic Pasqua B’76 into third place with 30 points. Nearest the pin prizes went to Mathew Wood B’77, James Blake, Dominic Pasqua and Dermot Flood with Dominic also winning a prize for the longest drive.

The 2019 season commenced with a fine win over the Old Gregorians in the annual contest at Royal Ashdown Forest.

Stephen Bamford StB’68, Rodney Bligh C’64, Hugh

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As of writing we are looking forward to the Autumn Meeting weekend at Hanbury Manor in Hertfordshire.

Following agreement with members of the Society the annual subscription has been raised to £15 per annum. I have been contacting everyone who is on the mailing list to sign up. It is important that the Society has a sounder financial base to cope with various administrative matters such as paying deposits in advance. My hope is that with an increasing number of signed up members the Society will be able to subsidise younger members in some of the events.

Ken Ross G’65 Join the Worthians Golfing Society on www.worthconnecting.org.uk

Worth Society Life

Life and Times of Worthians

The Old Place

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Sport

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he 2018-2019 season has been supported by a select but enthusiastic group of members. As ever we would like to welcome new players of all standards. In the last year I am glad to report that several new, younger, Worthians have participated in events and to this end we had an inaugural match at Royal Ashdown Forest in August 2019 in which ‘Old’ Worthians took on ‘Younger’ Worthians. After an excellent lunch the more elderly defeated the challengers. A similar match is planned for next year with hopefully more signing up.

The Grafton Morrish and Russell Bowl Scratch Stableford competitions took place in May and June at Knole Park and Woking respectively. The Society failed to qualify for the final competition in the former event but fared slightly better in the latter. Peter Gottelier R’70, Will Kelly StB’10, Dominic Pasqua, Joseph Rivers, Simeon Stevens StB’95 and I played at Knole Park with Hugh Bett B’73, Peter Gottelier, Paul Moran G’94, Dominic Pasqua, Simon Ross G’98 and myself taking to the course at Woking, always an excellent day with a great lunch in the traditional clubhouse.

Meet William Lobb C’85 - Royal Shoe Maker

Worthians Cricket 2019 Season Sport

do register yourself in the Worthians Cricket Club on our new online networking platform www.worthconnecting.org.uk

Sport

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he 2019 Season began with Worth School 1st XI beating the Worthians on Speech Day in May. The Worthians made 120 in their 20 overs and the team got the runs for the loss of 2 wickets with a few overs to spare. Sadly the remaining planned season fixtures were cancelled due to a combination of bad weather and lack of players!

Matt Donegan StB’10 Email: Donegan.matthew@googlemail.com

We are always keen to hear from Worthians keen to play cricket in future matches and to see past players returning. So that you hear all the latest club news

• Arrived at Worth in 1975 to Junior House then Chapman • The eldest of 3 Worthian brothers • Studied Pure Maths at Cardiff • Fifth generation of hand-made boot and shoemakers in St James’s • Lobbs named “The most beautiful shop in the world…” by Esquire Magazine • Holds Royal Warrants to The Duke of Edinburgh and The Prince of Wales

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Worth Society Life

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he Lobb name may be familiar to Worthians from the 1980s decade, but what they may not know is that all three Lobb Brothers, William C’85, Jonathan C’87 and Nicholas C’90 all work in the family business – John Lobb Shoes of St James’s.

The original John Lobb (1829 -1895) was a Cornish farm boy whose mastery in shoemaking brought him many accolades in the Great International Exhibitions of Victorian times. He became the proud holder of a Royal Warrant as bootmaker to Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII. John Lobb opened his first shop in Regent Street in 1866, and in 1880 opened a second shop at 29 St James’s Street which has worked its way down the street (having been bombed six times during the Second World War) to its current home at No.9, where they have been for 47 years.

With the demise of nearly all hand-made shoemakers in the West End, Lobb continues to survive and keep alive the traditional skills passed down the generations. Their shoes are a work of art, created by the close teamwork of specialised craftsmen, all of whom have served long apprenticeships.

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or metatarsal pads that the customer may require. Finally, following a polish and a close inspection by either William or Jonathan, the shoes are ready for collection.

On entering the shop you find yourself in a virtual Dickensian world where all the various stages of the shoemaking process are in action, without a machine or computer in sight. This is where I was greeted by William to start our tour and to learn about the long and precise process of creating a shoe from scratch.

The process takes 6 to 8 months to make the first pair for a new customer, and 4 months for any subsequent pairs.

This goes some way to explaining the eye-watering cost of over £5,000 for a pair of gentleman’s shoes, rising to nearly £9,000 for a pair of polo boots. But when you discover that many of Lobbs’ clients have several pairs of the same shoe to keep in their various properties across the globe they are obviously dealing with a very select customer indeed. 65% of their business is overseas, mainly in the US, Europe and Japan where they make personal visits twice a year.

It all starts with the Fitter who measures the customer’s joint, instep and heel and examines their feet, drawing an outline and recording every individual feature. With many royal and celebrated clients, I wondered if William had come across any particularly interesting feet, but with discretion always top of mind he diplomatically replied that “all feet are interesting”.

I was very honoured to be shown the ‘VIP cupboard’ which stores the lasts of deceased celebrity customers. I wasn’t at all surprised to see the likes of Lord Olivier or David Niven who I imagine would be the quintessential Lobb wearer, however I was surprised to see that Princess Diana’s lasts were rather small in comparison to her 5 ft 10” height. The Aga Khan, Jackie Kennedy, Paul Getty (Junior & Senior) and Frank Sinatra were other names that leapt out.

The measurements, tracings and notes then go to the Last Maker who carves a solid block of well-grained maple, beech or hornbeam into a precisely contoured model of the customer’s foot. The lasts are then passed to the Pattern Cutter who in turn hands them to the Clicker whose role is to choose and cut the eight pieces of top quality calfskin leather (mainly sourced from France and Italy) used in the upper part of each shoe, which will then be shaped and sewn by the Closer. The aptly-named Rough Stuff Cutter selects and trims all the material which makes up the bottom of the shoes such as the heels, where they use the best quality oak bark tanned sole leather from a tannery in Devon. The Socker then fits the innersole with the shop’s name and royal warrants printed in gold and any padding

Worth Society Life

Life and Times of Worthians

William has been with the company now for 30 years, but as the eldest son he never felt any pressure to join the family firm and certainly had no intention of joining postuniversity. After Worth he went to Cardiff to study Pure Maths. He thought about a career in accountancy but that didn’t work out so he spent some time travelling in India,

The Old Place

only to come back to the shop and then to spend time in Shrewsbury and Paris training to be a shoemaker. Despite enjoying the hands-on side of the process, William’s focus now is on meeting customers, admin and inspecting the finished product.

Following our tour of the workshop we finally got down to discussing William’s time at Worth which was “long and intense” being in both Junior House and the Senior School.

He does have particularly fond memories of Fr Charles reading him the Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe and was sad to hear that we had lost him last summer. He laughed that Blue Papers were hard to avoid in his day, being doled out by prefects, although he did manage to avoid parades which he felt were probably good training for the SAS – possibly why we have so many Worthians as high-ranking army officers.

If you happen to be passing St James’s I would encourage you to visit the shop – it is truly a national treasure of which all the Lobb brothers can be incredibly proud.

Mary Lou Burge, Worth Society Manager

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Plastic.

Not so fantastic.

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s I rounded the corner of the uninhabited Isla Santa Catalina, I found myself a foot deep in waste. On the Pacific Ocean, where people dream of golden beaches, I was standing in the middle of what is now known to be one of the biggest crises our world faces today. Plastic.

Travelling in Panama was an experience which shifted my view on every social, economic, and environmental norm I had grown to love. It was overwhelming, but in today’s society where nothing seems too extreme, seeing things with my own eyes changed something within me. I saw first-hand that on isolated beaches and under the big blue surface of the ocean, thrives an abundant community of plastic. How ironic, that what we can’t see we need to care

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most about. Panama showed me the incredible variety and beauty of creation, as I went scuba diving just off Isla de Coiba. A whale shark, sea turtles, and leaping devil rays... creatures beyond my imagination. I decided it was time to find a way to help, and give back some freedom to the marine community. Freedom to exist, which we are stripping away day by day.

In 2017 I watched the documentary A Plastic Ocean.

There weren’t many people who watched the screening with me, but there was a certain caring passion within those who did. I wanted this passion. As someone with a Christian upbringing I knew that God created us to be stewards over our precious blue planet. So I will hit you with a few facts I learnt:

Worth Society Life

Life and Times of Worthians

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• Over 8 million tonnes (that's 8,000,000,000 kilos) is dumped in the ocean every year.

• 100,000 marine mammals and turtles and 1 million sea birds are killed by marine plastic pollution annually.

• There may now be around 5.25 trillion macro and microplastic pieces floating in the open ocean. Weighing up to 269,000 tonnes.

• Recent studies have revealed marine plastic pollution in 100% of marine turtles, 59% of whales, 36% of seals and 40% of seabird species examined.

A range of experiences has led me to where I am now; a person who has walked over 600km of Scottish hills, raising over £3,500. Every penny has gone towards a

charity called Surfers Against Sewage. They are based in Cornwall and are doing some really amazing things in the UK. I hope they will inspire people in other countries to do the same. Their biggest beach clean took place this Spring, where they cleared UK beaches of 75 tonnes of plastic.

They are introducing plastic-free communities within cities and around the country, in which people help others remove plastic from their daily lives. Personally, I love how education is a key element in their fight against plastic pollution and climate change.

My walk started the day after I attended my Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award ceremony, where I was asked if I would do DofE again... well I was about to. After days of planning, mapping, and collecting things I needed, I finally

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Sandwood Bay

Pioneering a 3D-printed prosthetic arm

Rhiconich

Plastic. Not so fantastic. continued had my backpack on my back. Within three days I had five blisters and a purple toe. At the time of writing, two of my toe nails have fallen off and another two are on their way.

Three days in and I was rather tired, having only covered 65 out of the 600km. Although, there was something addictive about putting one foot in front of the other, and I wanted to prove that The Proclaimers walking 1,000 miles is easier sung than done.

The farthest I walked in a day was 43km. It rained for six hours, and showered the other three. I was testing my limits, pushing the expectations of how far I and others thought I could go. The toughest day I experienced was when I had to call 999, who sent up mountain rescue to extract me from cowering under a rock in the cloudridden hills of Torridon. The most joyous of days was the one where I was scrambling down a steep mountain to be greeted by a view of the Atlantic Ocean paired with the UK's highest waterfall.

About a week and a half into my expedition, everything clicked. I had spent the last two days wild camping, sleeping under the freezing stars in all the clothes I owned, eating my meals in the company of oystercatchers, and enjoying the simple pleasure of brushing my hair and doing my teeth. I was at one with myself and nature. I didn't care about what I looked like, I just cared about getting to where I needed to go, and making sure I was well fed. One evening as the sun was just about to dip behind the plateau of hills, I clambered up to the top of a ridge, following a waterfall upwards. At

the top I couldn't see any sign of human interference. No cars, no other people, no telephone wires, no buildings, no roads, no lights... just the land that led to the horizon.

The endless horizon. It held such bleak beauty, and yet (and I'm going to be so classic gap year right now) I found myself on top of that hill in the Cairngorms.

The idea was to help the upper extremity amputee population via the introduction of an affordable and functional 3D-printed prosthetic arm. The average price of such a prosthesis is £8,000 in the UK – a price not accessible to all. Hence in the last year we have endeavoured to build a team to fill the gap in the market - to produce a prosthetic that will cost significantly less than £8,000 and will return functionality to the user.

Comprising myriad academic backgrounds including engineers, scientists and sociologists we are unified through our common goal of making a positive social impact. Our varied backgrounds have facilitated the delegation of job roles to align with our strengths and have been advantageous in our efficiency as a team. We have one overriding aim: to democratise the access to lifechanging medical devices.

The 8th of June came all too soon, and before I knew it the Cape Wrath lighthouse stood proud as I rounded the last corner of my journey. It was over. I lay in the grass, basking in the sun, on top of the cliff, with nothing to separate me and the North Pole but the sea. An hour passed. I wanted to soak in every minute - to celebrate, to hold on to this moment as long as I live.

I can't go without saying how grateful I am to all of you who supported me; financially, emotionally, and physically. My parents especially, who were there at the end of every tear-wrenching, frustrating, yet triumphant and colourful day. I can't thank you enough. You believed in me and taught me how to believe in myself, something I will carry for the rest of my life (unlike the multiple Compeed plasters I carried).

F

ollowing in my father David’s G’80 footsteps, I joined Worth in 2009. This decision ran somewhat against the grain of the rest of my prep school peers and as I bid farewell to my friends, I remember the sense of anxiety at starting somewhere I would know no-one. But this turned out to be one of the best decisions I have made, and it is a testament to the welcoming ethos of the School. Having said that, my time there did not come without challenges and I am grateful to Worth for teaching me to relish these. It is to this attitude that I attribute my curiosity to explore new initiatives; and the company I was able to co-found, Augment Bionics.

I learnt a lot about myself, mentally and physically, about the generosity and love of others, and about this world which has boundless horizons. Time was something I had in abundance, and this time allowed me to think and come to more realisations. Love is something which we all pursue. It is necessary to accept love (from ourselves and others) to be able to love what is around us, to be able to love the 8.7 million other species that exist with us. My hope for you is to see that this world is worth protecting.

It needs you as much as we need it.

In September 2015, I enrolled at The University of Edinburgh. Having engaged in community work at Worth I began to recognise the homeless problem on the streets of the Scottish capital, and decided to sponsor the homeless charity, Shelter. Since then I have actively looked for opportunities to combat hardship in people’s lives, and in my third year I joined Prosper Social Finance, the UK’s first student-led social investment fund, with a mission to finance social change in Edinburgh. It was whilst working for Prosper that one of the management team invited me to work on something that at the time was just an idea. I knew working at Augment and Prosper alongside my studies would be challenging, and although exciting, I found it daunting. Since my parents have always encouraged extracurricular activities, I decided to give them a call and proceeded to complain about the workload, to which they (true to form) told me to stop complaining and get on with it!

If you would like to learn about what you can do please look up Plastic Ocean International (who released the documentary A Plastic Ocean) and Surfers Against Sewage (sas.org.uk).

Remember that the smallest of actions can make a difference, from buying toothpaste in a glass jar, to starting the longest journey of your life. You can make a difference.

Alice Le Marchant StM’18

In December 2018, the technical team completed our first prototype, consisting of myoelectric sensors which provide the input signal for hand actuation and a custom fitted socket. The completion of this prototype opened the possibility for our application to various grant competitions around the country and we have managed to secure short term funding. These generous donations, together with our professional advisors, have allowed us to further our social mission of empowering amputees.

My role within the company has been to spearhead the business plan, with a specific focus on market analysis and growth potential. Over the next couple of months, having just finished university, I intend to follow the social path that Worth created. By leveraging the knowledge and business acumen I have learnt and will take forward with Augment, I also intend to join an international charity scheme to make a physical difference with small businesses in developing countries.

William Harries R’15

The end of my journey at Cape Wrath

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Worth Society Life

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element, Operation Garden. This would be led by XXX Corps, who would advance up a single road linking the bridges secured by the airborne, spearheaded by the Guards Armoured Division who in turn were led by the Irish Guards, one of the Commanding Officers of which, Brigadier J.O.E. Vandeleur, was famously portrayed by Michael Caine in the film. The objective was for the Guards to reach Arnhem in two to three days whilst the airborne troops held on, but in reality, they were still fighting just a few miles from Arnhem ten days later.

Operation Market Garden – 75 Years On

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n the morning of 15th September 2019 I set off from Wellington Barracks together with several other former officers and non-commissioned officers and family of the Irish Guards, also affectionately known as the ‘Micks’, for Eindhoven, Holland. This was to be our base for the following week. Our first stop was Hounslow Barracks where the First Battalion Irish Guards are currently stationed and where we picked up three officers armed with, in true Guard’s style, an ironing board which would ensure that they would look immaculate during the week ahead!

I myself served with the Micks from 1977-1990 (as have many Old Worth boys) and I last went on such a trip in 1994 when I accompanied my father who had served with them during the Second World War and joined the Third

Since the Micks liberated the town of Valkenswaard on the Belgium/Dutch border the local population have had a close relationship with my regiment and those of others who took part in the campaign. They look after and care for the graves of those that were left behind. On 16th September we were invited as guests and VIPs to ‘Join Evening Celebrations’ with the locals when many tributes were made. The following morning we all attended a service of commemoration at the Valkenswaard Cemetery and were joined by several hundred people from the town.

Battalion between Nijmegen and Arnhem. Since that date both he and many of the others who joined us at that time have passed away. This time, for the 75th anniversary celebrations we had just one veteran, Guardsman Eric Parker, together with his son, who left with us for Holland aged 93 and returned some days later aged 94!

Many people will have seen the epic film A Bridge Too Far based on Operation Market Garden which took place in September 1944. The operation consisted of two components: Market, which was the airborne element consisting of two US and one British divisions, a Polish parachute brigade and an infantry brigade capable of air landing in gliders who would undertake the deepest airborne penetration of the war to secure their objectives and hold them until relieved by the ground

The tour took us up the single-track road that the Guards Armoured Division, led by both the Second and Third Battalions, had taken 75 years before. We visited Nijmegan the following day where we bumped into the Commanding Officer and several of his officers of the 504th Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division who had so

Joe’s Bridge on the Belgian/Dutch border

heroically crossed the River Waal in boats in broad daylight whilst under heavy fire, with supporting high explosive and smoke being put down by the Second Battalion Irish Guards. The officer in command in the film was played by none other than Robert Redford.

Our final day saw us visit Arnhem which was a sea of purple. Every other house in this large and prosperous Dutch town was flying a Parachute Regiment flag in recognition of the part they played during Operation Market Garden. On the outskirts of Arnhem you will find Oosterbeck Cemetery which contains 1,764 graves of those that died at that time. When we visited it was already busy with several hundred people and I suspect the numbers were going to climb towards the weekend culminating in a Service of Remembrance which was being attended by both the Prince of Wales and the current Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, who also served in the Irish Guards.

Our final item on the agenda was to visit Milsbeck Cemetery a few miles south west of Arnhem. Here some 34 officers and other ranks from the 3rd Battalion Irish Guards, including my father’s Company Commander, Major Edward Fisher-Rowe, lie following a battle that took place on the 21st February 1945 when no less that 175 Micks were killed or wounded in a single afternoon.

Returning to Wellington Barracks the following day there was plenty of time to contemplate what had taken place between early September 1944 and VE day, 8th May 1945.

My father’s Battalion lost 7 officers and 143 other ranks in that short time, the youngest of which was just 17. A further 28 officers and 413 other ranks were wounded.

We continue to remember them but perhaps more importantly so do our friends in Holland who consider that the lives that were lost were a price that had to be paid for the freedom of their country.

Quis Seperabit Mickey Morrissey R’77

Valkenswaard Cemetery

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Life in Junior House 1968-72

Reaching for the Top Drawer

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t is now 20 years since I taught my last class at Worth.

For the previous 38 years I worked with others to put the Senior School on the map and must say how delighted I am to see it go from strength to strength.

During teacher training I learned that most good teachers are also good entertainers. While my priorities were imparting knowledge, evaluating evidence, encouraging critical thinking, and teaching boys how to write a scientific paper, my greatest pleasure came from making them laugh. For that reason I am pleased to put on record some of my more lasting memories.

I was born in Nutley, Sussex in 1937. My early education was at the Church of England Nutley Village School, and in 1949 it was my great good fortune to win a place at the Grammar School in East Grinstead, a school that had a particularly good reputation for producing scientists.

Above: Peter in 1961 Top right: Peter now aged 81 Below: Fra Andrew Bertie, Prince and Grand Master of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta

Years later, in 1961, armed with a London BSC degree and an Oxford Diploma in Education, I tested the jobs market for biology teachers. No luck at all in three state schools.

Then a ray of hope. Recently established Worth Senior School wanted a biologist. I asked my father if he knew anything about Worth. “I think it’s that RC place, not far from Crawley. You need to think twice before taking a job with them!” Much to my father’s annoyance, I submitted an application. I was out when my mother took a phone call. “The Head Master rang and wants you to ring him back to make an appointment. He seemed ever such a nice man” she said. “‘He had a lovely deep voice that I could have listened to all day. You must ring him as soon as possible”.

I arrived for my interview soon after lunch and was welcomed by Fr Dominic Gaisford. “May I offer you a cigarette? “I’m sorry” I said, but I’m afraid I don’t smoke.

“Well, never mind, let me get you a glass of red wine”.

We chatted for roughly 10 minutes. “I see your glass is nearly empty. Let me pour you another”. By this time I was beginning to see double, but nevertheless getting the impression that he wanted me to stay. That impression was confirmed when he invited me to join the staff on 19th September 1961, for the princely sum of £1,072 per annum.

After unpacking on the day before term started, I headed for the Common Room. A few staff were seated on chairs, one of whom was Andrew Bertie. After brief introductions, “The name is Baa-ty, not Bertie” – I sat on the sofa. There was a book on the table: Burke’s Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage which I picked up and pretended to read.

As tension was building, I tried to relieve it by asking a question. “Why do you keep a copy of Burke’s Peerage in the Common Room?” Bertie, who was reading The Times,

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peered over the top of his newspaper and said “We have just been looking up one or two of the new boys to see if any are well connected. After folding his newspaper neatly, he marched towards the door then looked back and said, “If you turn to the right page you will find the Berties”.

For my first class I wore a grey suit, very similar to the ones boys were wearing. At break, while walking down Tower Hill, I heard a voice behind me shouting, “Take your hands out of your pockets”. I immediately complied. On turning around, I saw one of Worth’s first prefects, a large rugbyplaying type. “Excuse me” I said, I‘m the new science master”. “Oh my God! I am so very sorry sir. Welcome to Worth”.

After all those years at Worth, I feel well on the way to becoming better educated. I now know, thanks to Andrew Bertie, the proper way to ‘drink soup’ and the position in which my spoon should be left after the bowl is empty.

Bertie was a good teacher, well-liked by the boys, and an outstanding linguist - so one was inclined to turn a deaf ear to frequent reminders about his pedigree. One wondered if the Queen knew that he was her fourth cousin, twice removed. With his current beatification in process, he must be the only Blessed one in History to have driven a Rolls Royce, eaten oysters for lunch every Friday and sworn at any boy who dared speak to him at breakfast.

Many former pupils will remember how much Worth in its early days resembled a holiday camp: bacon and egg for breakfast, toast, games in the afternoon, a swimming pool and woodbines in the woods. Looking back, those years were mostly enjoyable and rewarding. It was a privilege and pleasure to teach a long line of splendid boys (many were, and some still are, among my best friends) aiming high and determined to make the world a better place.

In one way or another Worth School seemed to add an X-factor, which enabled boys to reach the top of whatever profession they chose. In addition to being delighted by individual achievement, I also give full credit to all the other science teachers who helped produce more than 100 medics, enough to staff a hospital, and a very good one at that!

Peter Freeland, Biology Teacher 1961-1999

Worth Society Life

Life and Times of Worthians

The Old Place

started at Worth in September 1968, aged 10. With my father Brian (who had been a pupil at Worth 1936-39) stationed in Oman it was left to my mother to drive me and we arrived early, despite the fact there had been heavy flooding in the home counties in the preceding days. On arrival we were all given a three digit number, mine was 379.

Colonel Hugh Vredenburgh was my Housemaster and he came from a large family in South Africa (fifteen brothers and sisters) and was simply known as ‘The Colonel’. He started at Worth in 1952 after being in military security during WW2 and I suspect his apparent brusqueness and intolerance came from his army days. He was however kind and charming with a warm, if slightly warped, sense of humour, firm but fair. I would love to recall more of his stories as he was a keen teller of anecdotes.

In September 1970, I found out I had been kept down a form. To compensate the Colonel asked me to help out at the school tuck shop. It was very time consuming as I had to open at break times, so never got a break myself. A packet of crisps cost 6d, while a Mars bar 9d.

On one occasion the Colonel took me to the wholesaler in Crawley, so I was literally a child in a sweet shop! He would give pupils pocket money two or three times a week. On Sundays we were expected to put 6d into the collection during Mass, but whether everyone did was somewhat debatable! We looked forward to Wednesdays and Saturdays, when cakes were provided, and we were in charge of them!

It was quite an auspicious year to be in the tuck shop, for ‘D day’ (decimalization) was 15th February 1971.

However, we converted to the new coinage at the start

of Lent term, more than a month earlier. We had a crash course, but no doubt a few mistakes were made. The work was enjoyable, despite the fact we were only paid 6d per week. The Colonel asked me towards the end of the summer term whether I wanted to continue, but I declined. I had thought of asking for a pay increase...

In September 1971, I found myself a prefect in Powell, one of the larger dormitories with another prefect. After a few weeks he was caught playing football in the nearby courtyard in the early hours. The Colonel took a dim view, and stripped him of his prefect duties, leaving me to manage Powell. Later I was moved to a smaller dormitory, now my fifth! One incident I do clearly remember is during the miners' strike, with the other prefect away for the weekend the boys had decided to have a midnight feast. However, I was wise to their plans, and ‘sent’ them to the Colonel. The prefects were not allowed to punish but I did keep a book of people I had ‘sent’. There were a number of petty rules, like we had to walk up the hill after mealtimes, and if we caught anyone running we could send them. One of the few privileges prefects had was to have a bath once or twice a week, and I inflicted my atrocious singing of Don McLean's American Pie on fellow pupils waiting to be inspected by matron in the nearby corridor!

I was not immune to being disciplined myself. In my last year, I often went down to the Sixth Form, and listened to Alan Freeman's Pick of the Pops on Sundays knowing this was not allowed. One Sunday, matron asked me where I had been and replied that I had been to the nurse. Unfortunately matron checked out my story and confronted me before sending me to the Colonel for appropriate punishment.

Games were not enjoyable – my abiding memory was ‘playing’ rugby in freezing conditions and getting chill blains. The only sport I did enjoy was wrestling, but it was not part of the school curriculum. A fellow pupil and I would wrestle in one of the empty classrooms at weekends. I think this came about from watching wrestling on ITV's World of Sport.

On holy days we had ‘whole school holidays’ and trips to see such things as HMS Victory in Portsmouth, but my favourite excursion was the Tutankamun exhibition in London in June 1972. There were long queues, so I slipped away to buy Slade's Take me bak 'ome. Someone lent me their radio, enabling me to hear the top 30 rundown, and Slade had made it to No 1. There was an old gramophone player in the school library, which Fr Jerome would use when he hosted his weekly classical music evenings. When the coast was clear, I would put on Slade's latest hit.

At the end of Lent term 1972, my parents moved to Devon, as my dad had decided to retire early from the army in order to set up a 'pick your own' fruit farm. The experiences of the farm were the basis of a book I had published in 2017.* Having boarded for six years, I jumped at the chance of becoming a day boy at my next school, West Buckland, and so I sadly never entered Worth Senior School.

Peter Barnes peterbarnes1958@hotmail.com *The story of Welcombe, one of the first fruit farms in N Devon” (price £4). If anyone is interested please contact me (the book is not available on Amazon).

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A Worthian Wedding Timothy Long B'11 & Claire Hodkinson StM’12 were married at Worth on 20th October 2018.

They are the first Worthian couple to be married in the Abbey.

A

lthough their paths first crossed at Worth, Tim and Claire’s relationship didn’t begin until a few years later. They only shared one year at Worth and their time together was predominately spent in the Music Department, performing in Jazz Band and working side by side on music coursework for their respective studies. It wasn’t until the summer of 2014, during a holiday in Italy, that their romance began.

of the ceremony with contributions from Claire’s brother John C‘14 and Tim’s brother Matthew. Ashley Beauchamp F‘12 accompanied on organ which was especially poignant as Ashley was taught by Peter Long, Tim’s late father and former organ and singing teacher at Worth. Readings and prayers were chosen by Tim and Claire and read by the couple’s friends, including Christian Killoughery R‘10, Dominic Robinson B‘11 and Oliver Jacobs F‘10.

Tim and Claire were delighted to share the news of their engagement at the Worthian Carol Service in December 2017. Arrangements quickly fell into place thanks to the support and enthusiasm of Fr Stephen. Before they knew it, a date had been set for the autumn and wedding planning commenced. The following months were spent arranging every aspect of their day, enlisting the help of supportive friends, family and bridesmaids, including Maddy Ilsley StM‘10 and Charlotte Cotterell StA‘12.

The celebrations that followed the ceremony were bathed in glorious sunshine, completely unexpected for late October (which they believe to have been arranged

by Fr Stephen!). Their family and friends joined the newly-married couple for a champagne reception on the Rutherford terrace and enjoyed far-reaching views of the surrounding countryside.

The day soon arrived and months of preparation came to fruition. Their marriage was celebrated by Fr Stephen and witnessed by family and friends. Music formed a major part

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Worth Society Life

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The wedding breakfast was served in The Whitehead Room which had been completely transformed from the detention hall they had (occasionally) frequented. After a fabulous meal provided by Worth’s caterers, the guests were entertained by speeches from the Best Man Benedict Smith C‘11, Claire’s father, Tim’s mother and the Groom himself.

Following the speeches, guests enjoyed tea and coffee in the former Butler Common Room, now the Barlow Room, whilst the Whitehead Room was transformed for an evening of music, dancing and drinking. Spectacular live music was performed by Joe Nurse R 11 with his band and guests partied into the night.

Reflecting on the day, Tim and Claire said, “Our wedding day was so incredibly special. We feel unbelievably lucky to have memories of such a magical day enjoyed in such familiar, yet spectacular, surroundings. We would like to thank everyone who contributed to the day, especially Fr Stephen for his support and guidance, and Emma Hickmott and all the people in her team for their invaluable contribution to the planning and running of the day.

Entering into our marriage, we feel grateful to be blessed with so many wonderful friends and family members who support us. We feel strongly connected to Worth and feel so lucky to have met one another and made so many lifelong friendships from our time at the School.”

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Caught on Camera

Silver Shoals.

The Five Fish that Made Britain

by Charles Rangeley-Wilson R’83 Chatto & Windus 2018

Book Review

H

ow pleasantly surprised I was when Mary Lou told me that Charles Rangeley-Wilson (www. charlesrangeleywilson.com) was a Worthian.

As a bit of a fishing nut, I had enjoyed a couple of his previous works before (Somewhere Else 2004, and The Accidental Angler 2006), his articles on fishing for The Field, and known of his important work leading the Wild Trout Trust to conserve precious southern rivers (even bringing wild trout back to once lost-for-good rivers in London like the Wandle). So when his latest book popped up in my Amazon suggestions I was very happy to pick it up and share my reflections.

The good news for you 99% nonfishing nuts, is that this is not really a fishing book. Yes, there’s commercial fishing and pleasure angling woven throughout the work – but it is essentially five fascinating essays on how the pursuit of five fish species; the herring, the cod, the eel, the carp and the salmon, have shaped British history, economics, religion, politics and geography throughout the ages, and their rise & fall (and sometimes rise again).

Charles’ style is both entertaining and informative, weaving his meticulously researched historical context and backdrop into his real life experience, alongside today’s protagonists in pursuit of their fish. He’s able to transport us to vividly described far off and unseen corners of Britain, like the cigarette smoke filled trawler bed cot pitching and rolling in a North Sea swell, to rowing through a cold and misty Lincolnshire marsh at first light to trap eels, or with the pleasure angler (the equally famous in fishy circles Chris Yates) watching a float in anticipation of a bite on a hidden Surrey estate lake.

Most fascinating for me was his insight into the life of professional fishermen, carving out a precarious livelihood, both physically and economically, to put fish on the fishmonger’s slab. One wonders when reading his chapter on the North Sea trawlermen, will we still have a fleet in 15 years? Either the fish to catch, or the economics worth risking ones’ life pursuing them? It’s a glimpse into what could soon be a career and life of the

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past. How timely also, in this time of Brexit, to immerse ourselves in the profound interdependency we have with our European neighbours as markets for our fish, and with whom we have shared the seas around the British Isles (sometimes in a not very neighbourly way) through the ages – from skirmishes with Danish Kings in the middle ages, to the Cod Wars with Iceland in the sixties and seventies. This shines a spotlight on the opportunity of deregulation from the seemingly choking bureaucracy of quotas and bylaws of the EU Common Fisheries Policy, and the threat of leaving this trading block and its well-intentioned, but flagrantly abused, conservation measures.

Far from being bleak about the prospects for our fish and the fate of the men who pursue them for pleasure or for our tables, this book actually paints a more optimistic and positive picture. Through scientific observation of fish stock recovery (either through focused conservation efforts, or as the by-product of indirect conservation – such as Atlantic cod stocks rebounding during WW1 and WW2), or his own pleasure of catching a salmon on the once fishless River Wye, we’re left feeling that it’s never all lost. With changes in how we tackle pollution, sensible regulation of over-fishing at sea, and changes in culinary tastes (when was the last time you ate a herring?), we will hopefully see four of these five wonderful fish in precarious states (salmon, cod, herring and eels) rebound.

The carp, introduced into Britain in the 15th century as a stock pond table fish, is now the coveted mainstay of pleasure angling in the UK. So while harassed by throngs of fishermen each weekend, it’s usually safe to swim off another day.

The redecorated Barlow Room ready for Christmas…some may remember it as Butler House Common Room.

Mark Collini StB’89 and family on holiday in Provence in August 2019.

Suzy & Patrick Nivelles R’64 enjoying their holiday in Morocco this year.

John Bennett R’81, Rohan Cavaliero B’81 & Mark Jenner C’81 meet back at Worth

I heartily recommend this book to you. I enjoyed my couple of days of immersing myself in our rivers and seas. The communities that work on them and strive to conserve them, and hopefully have now a heightened appreciation of these resources around us. Thank you Charles, and looking forward to seeing your next book pop up on my ‘suggested’ page on amazon.com!

Gareth Maguire B’97

Worth Society Life

Mark Birrell G’77 & Harry Fisher B’81 out in the field.

Life and Times of Worthians

The Old Place

John and Sam Higgs C’16 after completing the Turners Hill 2018 Boxing Day Run.

Nick Magrath StB’77 with his wife Rosane.

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Caught on Camera continued

John Bennett R’81 and Mark Birrell G’77 on the boogey boards in Cornwall.

Bob Webber R’66 and his wife Sue meeting up with Crispin Etherington R’67 in New England, USA after discovering they were neighbours in January 2019.

Giles Hamilton B’82 celebrating his 55th birthday with Dominic Strickland C’81.

George Ponsford C’01 cycling the Camino from Bayonne to Santiago de Compostela in September 2019.

Freddie Ingles F’18 & Joshua Higgs A’18 taking an interest in local Kyoto customs.

Michael Spencer B’73 entertaining Tony Tyler C’73 and Andrew Robinson B’73 at his house in Provence.

Arthur Russell C’12, Ashley Thomas StB’14, Imogen Brown StA’17, Cameron Pring R’16 & Alice Le Marchant StM’18 collected their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards at Buckingham Palace in May 2019.

A number of Worthians and former staff were there to support Br Benedict (Eamon) Manning’s ordination to the Diaconate at the Oxford Oratory in September 2019.

Worth’s Head Master, Stuart McPherson, with Fr Oliver Holt from Douai Abbey and Andrew Hobbs G’83, Head Master of Downside School at the launch of the Douai Foundation in September 2019.

Adrian Shawcross StB’92 with his wife Ying graduating from the University of Portsmouth with a Postgraduate Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety with Distinction.

Tim Marlow StB’70, Michael Swift R’70, John Butterworth G’70 and David de Stacpoole G’70 posing with some discovered bronze hands during a tour of the monasteries in the Loire valley in 1964.

Gareth Maguire B’97 and family enjoying their new life in Chicago.

Andrew Taylor & Mary Lou Burge celebrating their significant birthdays

John Bennett R’81, Rohan Cavaliero B’81, Rosie & Mark Jenner C’81 playing golf at Rohan’s course in Langkawi, Malaysia.

Joshua Taylor B’05 and Andrew Taylor bumped into Jason Leonard, most capped England player, during the Hong Kong Sevens Rugby in April 2019.

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Caught on Camera continued

The annual Benedictine Schools Dinner at the British Club Bangkok in November 2018 included two Worthians, Chris Mathews StB’90 and Robert Tyler G’02, and two Worth Prep School boys, Hugh Walford and Gus Mackay.

Former Head Boy, Julian Hughes R’78, visited the School in May 2019 whilst on an Abbey Retreat.

There was quite a crowd at Edward Sacarello’s wedding in Spain in July 2019; Thomas Bilbe StB’06 Andrew Morris R’06, George Russo (Stonyhurst), Javier Triay B’06, Teddy Sacarello B’06, Nick Bell Young StB’05 & Michael Bilbé StB’06.

Jonathan Wilkins C’70 with his granddaughter, Valentina, in Brazil, Christmas 2018.

There was an impressive turnout of Worthians at Leo Lui's wedding to Vivian Chan in May 2019. Left to right: Henry Herbert StB'06, Chris Roberts F'06, Patrick Johnston B'06, Jackie Cheung R'06, Adam Murlewski StB'06, Vivian Chu, Rupert Robinson StB'06, Lok Ting Lui StB'06, Michael Burr F'06, Kelvin Ho StB'05 & Keith Wong StB'07.

Edward Mannix StB’79 in a family shot during a rare visit from his son, Matthew.

An amazing number of Worthians joined the 2019 OMV pilgrimage to Lourdes in July 2019: Back Row (l-r): Fergus Ryan B’15, Mark Haden G’03, Fergus Atkinson F’19, James Whitlock StB’18, Bea Lewers StA’13, Barney Elwes R’17, Jasper Elwes R’14, Sam Elwes R’15, Charlie Dowden C’13, Will Chadd B’15.

Front row (l-r): Lizzie Narbeth StM’13, Ollie Campbell StB’15, Lexie Chadd StA’19, Abigail Glover StM’15, Lucia Macari StM’17, Felicity Smith StM’13, Alessia Macari StM’18.

Sam Higgs C’16 graduating from the University of Exeter with a 2:1 in Philosophy & Politics.

Joe Hurley C’82 & Giles Hamilton B’82 in Majorca summer 2019

Nick Robinson StB’75 with the Duchess of Kent at a reception at Buckingham Palace for the charity Future Talent Tony Fletcher G’69 went along to support the Worth School Rugby Team in Ontario during their Canada Tour summer 2019.

Three houses come together under one roof as Miles Bateson B’13, Finn Lurcott R’13 and Luke Donegan StB’13 move into their new flat together in Canada Water.

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Josh B’05 & Andrew Taylor also met up with Ai Yoshino StB’03 whilst enjoying the 2019 Rugby Sevens in Hong Kong.

Tom Mitchell F’07, England Captain at the 2019 Hong Kong Rugby Sevens... where the Taylor boys eventually tracked him down!

Worth Society Life

Life and Times of Worthians

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Announcements

Joshua & Danielle Hardwick

Teddy & Magdalena Sacarello

Thomas & Alex Bilbe

Births

Engagements

Marriages

Mike Matthews B’99 and Sarah, a son, Jack Joshua, on 2nd June 2019, a brother for Henry and Lucy

Martin Ho Yin Yeung B’09 to Angela Zaneta Chan on 2nd February 2019

Gareth Dancer R’64 to Pippa Glassock on 5th March 2019 at Bromley Registry Office

Owen Lean C’01 and Antonia, a daughter, Ella, on 25th July 2019, a sister for Ruairi

David Armstrong F’09 to Mary Peart on 10th November 2018 in Vienna

Stefan Reynolds G’89 to Tamara Mari on 28th September 2019, in Split, Croatia

Chris Coxall R’02 and Lindsey, a son, Charles Alexander, on 14th June 2019

Kaeshini Sivanthan StM’14 to Justin Evetier on 12th September 2019

Simon Douglas B’90 to Nicola Fleming on 4th May 2019 in Milton Lilbourne, Wiltshire

Giles Turton F'02 and Emma, a son, Hugo Edward Charles, on 16th September 2019

Justin Bramley C’93 to Hannah Fukae on 6th July 2019 in Singapore

Paddy Johnston B’06 and Claire, a son, Eric Daniel, on 30th April 2019

Francis Bartleet StB’04 to Orla MacRae on 30th March 2019 at St Etheldreda's Church, Ely Place, London

Will Desmond C’09 and Rebecca, a girl, Lily-Grace Luana, on 11th October 2018, a sister for Lucy Jane

Thomas Bilbé StB’06 to Alice Hobden on 18th May 2019 at St Kew in Cornwall

Krystian Rybarczyk StB’12 and Kinga, a son, Felix, on 6th July 2019, a brother for Jozef

Lok-Ting (Leo) Lui StB’06 to Vivian Chu on 31st May 2019 at Mayfield Chapel, East Sussex

Simon & Nicola Douglas

Edward Sacarello B’06 to Magdalena Marin on 13th July 2019 in Jimena, Spain Alexandra & Jaime Urquijo

Justin & Hannah Bramley

Jaime Urquijo StB’06 to Alexandra Suarez on 5th October 2019 in Los Molinillos, Spain Tom Mitchell F’07 to Flora Birmingham on 4th January 2019 at Asylum Chapel Peckham, London Dominic Bosher R'08 to Lizzie Normandale on 8th September 2018 in Mallorca

Stefan & Tamara Reynolds

Joshua Hardwick C’08 to Danielle Stubbs on 11th July 2019 at Dodford Manor, Northampton

Distinctions

Dominic & Lizzie Bosher

Julian Clyde-Smith G’68 was awarded an OBE for his services to mental health charity MIND Jersey and for being a founder of the Beresford Street Kitchen.

Patrick Sanders R’84 was promoted to General and appointed Commander Joint Forces Command, responsible for overall control of Britain’s Special Forces and other critical intelligence functions.

The Rybarczyk Family

Deaths Michael Rowland (formerly Falloon) C’67 on 16th January 2019, aged 70 years Fr Jerome Bertram C’68 on 19th October 2019, aged 69 years Ian Grocholski C’71 on 2nd January 2019, aged 65 years Peter Tawse R’76 on 6th October 2019, aged 61 Alexander Wells R’99 in April 2019, aged 38 years Josef Huwiler StB’07 on 4th January 2018, aged 29 years Leonardo Boodramsingh C’15 on 13th May 2019, aged 22 years The Coxall Family

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Flora & Tom Mitchell and attendants

Leo & Vivian Lui with Fr Martin McGee

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Life and Times of Worthians

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News in Brief Peter Barnes JH’72 Finally met up with Gerry Ambrose G’77 in Bristol when he & his family came over from Malaysia for their daughter's graduation. Had not seen Gerry since 1972 when I left JH. Needless to say we had a lot to catch up on! Gerry is the first Worth old boy I have seen since then!

Tom Burgess C’69 Though I have retired from a long career in marketing, media and public relations, most of it with businesses I founded, my last role was CEO of an international PR firm operating in 100 countries, I am now full time in the political field, doing two weekly podcast shows, I am Executive Director of Progressive Policy Unit, a director of Taxpayers against Poverty, adviser to Tax Justice UK, and fellow of Radix think tank, amongst other things!

Worth School 1960s William (Bob) Webber R’66 met up with Crispin Etherington R’67 in Washington DC where we are neighbours. Great fun to hear English spoken properly and those turns of phrase from all those years ago. Also fascinating to hear about Crispin's new business venture, internship housing. Managed to find my old Worth service tie for the occasion - its held up pretty well for 50+ years!

Bishop John MacWilliam StB’67 continues to care for his tiny Christian flock in the enormous diocese of the Algerian Sahara. As the delegate of the North African bishops to SECAM (Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar) the past year has seen him visiting several countries around the continent. Trips to the UK and Worth are unfortunately less frequent.

Michael May StB’67 Best strategy now that I am 70 is to keep working, so still painting scenery for TV (Mock the Week, The Play that Goes Wrong, Animal Rescue, Martin's Close…) Also continuing to provide art work for Corbin and King Restaurants, murals/paintings for Zedel as well as their new restaurant, Soutine, in St John's Wood. A new granddaughter, Amelia Rose, a happy addition to our daughter Katherine's family on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Also caring for my father still living in his own home aged 97! So all in all life pretty busy!

Sinclair Webster R’67 Guildford Art Society selected me as their featured Artist of the Month in December 2018.

A bit like being Playmate of the Month I suppose, but you get to keep your clothes on.

Jerome Bertram C’68 While slowing down, I have been writing far too much: one or two books due out soon, others already published by Gracewing, but much too much self-published on www.lulu.com where Worthians might be amused by my rambling travelogue Isis to Arun, the walk I did in 2017 from Oxford to Arundel along the waterways. Worth does get a mention. And I am not supposed to know that Shaun Tyas is about to publish a book about me called The Monument Man. (Since writing this Jerome has sadly passed away - see Announcements and Obituaries.)

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1970s

Mark Breen StB’76 I am married to Gail and we have a daughter Maddie, 26 and a son Gus, 24. I am still working in property along with my brother Richard StB’75, Nick Walters R’76 and Chris Bishop R’77 and even my nephew Mark Breen B’05 who is my eldest brother Michael's son.

Julian Hughes R’78 Retired in May 2019 from practice as a consultant in old age psychiatry and resigned from my post as Professor of Old Age Psychiatry at the University of Bristol. I am now devoting my time to writing. In February 2019, my co-authored book The Dementia Manifesto was published by Cambridge University Press. I enjoyed a few days on retreat at Worth immediately after I had left my post: I'd recommend it! With my wife, Anne, we continue to derive vicarious enjoyment from the lives of our three children and look forward to the occasional visit of our grandson from Rwanda, where he lives with our oldest son (Oliver) and his wife. Our daughter (Emma) is training in paediatrics in Brighton at present; and our youngest son (Luke) is married to a doctor and living in London where he works in the Home Office.

Nick Magrath StB’77 I've been living in Brazil (Rio) since the late ’70s. I began working as a language instructor, went on and opened a language school which had 3 branches and then began working with subtitling and dubbing for TV and cinema. In the late ‘90s I studied to become a conference interpreter and now work full time in this field, which keeps me busy and active. I have been married to Rosane since 1984 and have 3 children, all grown up - Leonardo, who is a cinema editor, Carolina, who is a vet, and Elliot, who is a photographer. In terms of hobbies, I raced motorbikes till the mid-’80s, then moved to karting and had a brief foray with car racing. Nowadays, I am an avid cyclist, road and mountain bikes, which keeps me fit and entertains me.

Lawrence Spiller B’77 Has recently qualified as a Gyrocopter pilot and is making movies for YouTube.

Currently researching the possibility of building a new aircraft design for Europe: www.youtube.com/channel/ UC6LGxJFZd_9JgoVgKg-zOjg

Antony Tyler C’73 Not much news from me apart from that I joined the board of Qantas Airways last year as an independent non-executive director.

Life and Times of Worthians

Justin Brown C’78 Broadly experienced business executive with Asian Emerging Markets focus. Myanmar based (since 2000) import, marketing & distribution channels with network to establish and represent jahbrown@gmail.com

Michael Bernard C’77 Since the last update I have taken early retirement from IBM, where I was a European Marketing Director for IBM Hardware. I now have a variety of roles, including Non-Executive Director at Southern Health Foundation NHS Trust, Trustee at the Royal Humane Society, Trustee at AbilityNet, Advisory Board Member for Exeter University Business School, and Governor at Downside. Catherine and I have three sons, the oldest working in Bristol, the middle one recently married to a wonderful Californian, both of them working in London, and the youngest studying Classics at Edinburgh University. I still play in a wedding and party band, and am hoping to play more golf and get to grips with fly fishing.

John Smythe R’70 Taylor and Francis will publish The Secrets of Successful Women Entrepreneurs in 2020 written by me and co-writer Ruth Saunders. We’ve interviewed 52 women entrepreneurs (including a Worthian) so far and written the maximum permitted 80,000 words. Now it’s all down to the publisher. The book is aimed at women who have never thought about starting their own business and women who have but feel constrained by external or internal barriers such as lack of resources, multiple roles and lack of confidence. We also want to highlight the challenges to women entrepreneurs trying to break into a commercial world designed by men for men where gender discrimination by male investors is measurable, palpable and ignominious. Happily female angels are increasing in numbers as they sell their businesses and turn to investing in other women starting out. The women we’ve interviewed are remarkable for their perseverance, determination, and creativity. They are also characterised by their modesty, grace and lack of sharp elbows despite some having made a great deal of money. It’s worth noting that many studies show that female start-ups are more profitable than their male counterparts which is put down to their greater due diligence and care with capital which is so hard won by them. Their businesses span the range from global to very local, from Martha Lane Fox to Jane Mosley who had an equine career for 30 plus years before turning her hobby of baking into a business feeding visitors to rural shows and events in Hampshire and beyond. And fifty women in between in hospitality, manufacturing, consulting, pharma, fashion, publishing, comedy clubs and many more. We are of the view that we stand at a point where women become the rule rather than the exception.

Worth Society Life

Martin Hodgson StB’75 To my astonishment, I was a finalist in this year's Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year Awards in the category of 2019 Barrister of the Year (I was the runner up). I imagine this will astonish many of my old friends as much as it did me…

Ewan Ward-Thomas B’77 I have started teaching GCSE and A level History at the Nautical School near Waterloo.

The School was created after the Titanic disaster. We train for careers in the Royal Navy, Marines, Merchant Navy and others. A very unique school in inner London!

The Old Place

Andrew Rome G’78 After 30 years, I retired early from Knight Frank and am now helping a wonderful mental health and wellbeing charity, The Charlie Waller Memorial Trust, which brings training to schools, colleges and the workplace for line managers, directors and employees.

Am helping to access small to medium size businesses, so contact me if we can help. www.cwmt.org.uk Sandy Mallet R’79 trundles along in the art world, writing and curating exhibitions, and looking after Modern British galleries. Recently took time off to recover from some eye operations, and is working with young artists, mentoring and commissioning new works. Perched still in Ladbroke Grove with the lovely Keiko.

Edward Mannix StB’79 We’re still living in Zermatt and still loving it. I’m currently recovering from a recent hip replacement op. See what happens after over 50 years of skiing!

1980s John Bennett R’81 I am still farming up in Suffolk, running a small family shoot and sitting as a JP in Ipswich.

Also work as a non-exec for a global insurance and reinsurance broker. Married to the ever-patient Debs and our three daughters are mercifully through school and attending or about to attend universities up and down the land. In touch with lots of Worthians and enjoying life to the full.

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News in Brief

News in Brief

Junior House

News in Brief continued

Stephen Scarr R’81 lives with wife and 2 children in Chicago, USA. CEO of a software company I co-founded in 2008.

Jonathan Stordy StB’81 My son Ciaran StB’12 is happy working in TV as assistant script editor and daughter Anna StM’16 working in Paris for a digital start-up as part of her Bath Business and French degree. I am enjoying working at Spain’s oldest brewer and have discovered the ‘TrackMan’ machine in golf. Would have come in handy 35 years ago :) Giles Hamilton B’82 I’m now semi-retired from 37 years of working with varying degrees of failure for (I think) nine different brokers and investment banks. With a group of fellow music nerds I have just published the second volume of our epic GALACTIC RAMBLE, a critical review of rock’s golden age 1966 to 1976. Over a million words and a thousand pages long. I also have a regular column in ROCK CANDY and am an occasional contributor to FLASHBACK magazines. My son Hugo is beginning his final year at Eton and my daughter Lexi is beginning year nine at St Mary’s Ascot.

Paddy Morrissey R’84 Jo-Jo and I still living in Monks Eleigh Suffolk and enjoying life! William is at Oxford Brookes and Freddie in his last year at Ampleforth. I am Deputy Chairman of Sheffield Haworth an international Search firm focused on Financial Services, Professional Services, Digital and Tech. Always happy to hear from Worthians who may need career advice.

Mark Collini StB’89 Now officially a SOD (St Osmund’s Dad). Or rather, Beatrice (4.5) started school this September and we’re into the school run. Sophia (3) catching up as fast as she can!

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Stefan Reynolds G’89 I got married on 28th September 2019 in Split, Croatia, to Tamara, my Croatian girlfriend.

I live in Glencairn village, Co. Waterford. Tamara is keeping her flat and summer job in Split but I/we hope to settle in Ireland where I have been restoring an old cottage for AirBnB: www.abnb.me/ePfKG5Jz8Z

Mike Matthews B’99 Our 3rd (and final!!) child, Jack Joshua Matthews, was born on 2nd June 2019. Now we can no longer man mark, we are slowly getting to grips with the zonal system!!

1990s

Owen Lean C’01 Still happily married and now father of two, Ruairi born 2017 and Ella born 2019.

2000s

Philip Barrett C’90 continues in his role as a senior scientist managing a department specialising in materials development in the industrial gas industry. He recently completed his 6 year term as a director of The International Adsorption Society. This coincided with the Society’s conference in Cairns, Australia where Philip gave a well-received lecture. Philip and his wife Sande then enjoyed a holiday in Sydney.

Chris Coxall R’02 Still out in Los Angeles and working at Disney but big update is the birth of our first son Charlie (Charles Alexander) on 14th June 2019. Unfortunately paternity time here in the US is fairly limited but I had a lovely time off with him and looking forward to bringing him over to the UK for Christmas!

Francis Bartleet StB’04 to Orla MacRae and I were married on 30th March 2019 at St Etheldreda's Church, Ely Place, London - with Fr Stephen Ortiger presiding over the service and Jon as best man (various other WOBS ushering too). A wonderful day!

Adrian Shawcross StB’92 Graduated recently from the University of Portsmouth with a Postgraduate Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety with Distinction.

Christian Jamison StB’93 Myself and Guy Nivelles G’93 were there to help Justin Bramley C’93 celebrate when he married Hannah Fukae in Singapore on Saturday 6th July 2019.

Thomas Bilbé StB’06 Married Alice Hobden on 18th May at St Kew in Cornwall. His twin brother Michael StB’06 was best man. Many Worth boys attended the wedding including Alex Williams R’06, Teddy Sacarello B’06 and Andy Morris R’06 who were ushers.

Tom Calnan R’95 I continue to work in London, and am a partner at McDermott Will & Emery law firm. My wife Bonnie and I live in East Sheen, and have two little boys - Archie (four years old) and Milo (just turned one). I'm pleased to say that I still see a good dozen or so of my 1995 leavers year group on a fairly regular basis, and I of course remain a staunch supporter of Worth Old Boys RFC.

Paddy Johnston B’06 I'm delighted to share the news that my son, Eric Daniel Johnston, was born on the 30th April 2019. We're both very tired, but he's doing great!

Ciaran Stordy StB’12 Am working as an assistant script editor in TV drama for Tiger Aspect, not having changed much since editing and hawking creative writing at Worth in the magazine Kaleidoscope, which I hope is still going...

Tom Hicks B’13 Still doing my Masters and fundraising for my trek to the North Pole next year. Would be keen to hear from any Worthians who may be interested in polar exploration sponsorship!

Sam Higgs C’16 graduated from the University of Exeter with a 2:1 in Philosophy & Politics.

Joshua Hardwick C’08 has the pleasure of announcing my marriage to Danielle Stubbs on the 11th July 2019 at Dodford Manor, Northampton.

James Padolsey R'08 After ten interesting years as a software engineer, after considerable reflection, I've changed tack to follow a passion of mine: to become a paramedic. I've just begun a BSc in Paramedic Science with St George's in London, training within the London Ambulance Service.

Angus Gairdner StB’96 I started a new Sky Group role at the start of the year leading Content Supply Chain Strategy across our UK, German and Italian businesses – it has been very interesting as we start working closely with Comcast and NBCU following the recent merger. Still living in Putney with wife Jules; our daughter Myla has just started school locally and Jago continues to thrive at nursery. We all head to South Africa for New Year for a wedding (and a little cricket at Newlands!!!) and the whole wider Gairdner family (35 of us!!!) managed a rare gettogether in Devon over the May Bank Holiday.

Life and Times of Worthians

Andrew Pring R’10 Army life - Lt in Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) - continues and I have spent much of the last year training for, or on tour in, the sleepy but scenic lake district of north east Poland.

Europe’s eastern front is a political and diplomatic crucible but at the time of writing we are fortunate to need only deal with the near-Amazonian heat and humidity! I am looking forward to autumn where I will be returning to the cooler climes of Leuchars which nestles comfortably between vibrant Dundee and beautiful St Andrews, and where I have made my home. Any Worthians passing through Edinburgh or the Highlands need but drop me a message and I’ll be sure to offer a hint or two and, if available, hospitality! Any 2010 leavers do please get in touch if you have any ideas for the 10 year reunion next year! Yours aye.

Jaime Urquijo StB’06 married Alexandra Suarez on 5th October 2019 in Los Molinillos, Spain.

Larry Elwes G’96 Just to let you know that there’s now a memorial bench for Nic Infante B’96 RIP in the beautiful Abney Park (www.abneypark.org), so if you’re ever in that part of town please have a sit down and remember our friend.

Worth Society Life

2010s

David Armstrong F’09 Delighted to announce that I got engaged to Mary Peart on 10th November 2018 in Vienna and we are planning to get married next autumn.

The Old Place

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News in Brief

News in Brief

Stephen Dunbar-Johnson R’81 Not sure when I last updated but I am still in the media business. I work for The New York Times as President, International. In this capacity I oversee the NYT’s international print edition and the development of our digital subscription business outside of the US. I am a Non-Executive Director of the Nairobibased Nations Media Group and I am a member of the Strategy Committee of PSIA, the Paris based, SciencePo’s International Masters program. Married to Miranda (29 years). Twin boys (19) who have just completed their second years at Edinburgh and Oxford Universities respectively. Miranda and I are now living in London having spent the last 10 years in Paris. I have a niece at Worth (Martha ‘Minnie’ Dunbar-Johnson) and another, Eugenie ‘Gigi’ starting September 2019.

Michael Dudley Rowland Falloon C’67

Jerome Bertram C’68

later Michael Domeyko Rowland 15th January 1949 – 16th January 2019

10th May 1950 – 19th October 2019

Obituary

o his family and early friends he was always known as Jeremy. His early family home at Bignor in West Sussex was never short of inspiring and eccentric company. He was dandled on Hilaire Belloc’s knees and his godmother was the novelist Antonia White. He was destined to be the gifted writer he became. It is clear from her memoirs that many of the interests his friends came to know so well - especially for antiquities - were present from a young age.

Michael joined Worth School from St Philip’s Prep School in 1962, and was in Chapman House until 1965. He enjoyed his schooling and sports such as long-distance running. He had considered a career in Law but he left Worth early to travel to Australia with his father, Vivian, whom he followed into the emerging film industry there after a short period as a production trainee at MGM - a unit runner - then at Pinewood Studios on features such as The Long Duel, starring Trevor Howard and Yul Brynner.

His London experience, his outgoing personality and humour, along with his aptitude for different aspects of film-making, led to work on Age of Consent, starring James Mason and Helen Mirren - Michael can be seen briefly diving into the sea from a wharf, doubling for James Mason. He subsequently worked on popular drama series for television, including on Skippy the Bush Kangaroo and, then as a director, on Return to Eden.

There was a short period of schooling in the United States after which came education at Worth where Jerome’s love for the Catholic faith deepened, especially for its liturgy and tradition. Monastic education brought intellectual rigour to his faith but more importantly allowed him to witness first-hand the kind of life that is the fullest possible response and witness to Christ. In time Jerome came to appreciate more ancient expressions of Faith than those that were then in vogue not only at Worth but throughout the Church - whether in architecture, liturgy or theological method. But he never lost his love for Worth (or for Sussex), delighted in taking friends and brethren on visits, and remained ever grateful.

Jerome went up to St John’s College, Oxford with a scholarship in the turbulent years of the late 1960s to read Classics, changing after a year to Theology. Friendships were formed that remained strong until the end of his life. Serious digging began on a number of important archaeological sites. (There are few who know more than he knew about what lies under the ground in Oxford’s streets.) There were heroic walks and punting expeditions including a Herculean circumnavigation of Oxford by river and canal. He published a book before taking his degree, the first of many writings on monumental incised slabs and brasses. He was recognised internationally as an expert in the field and on the strength of it was later elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.

Like so many of his generation he developed an interest in ‘New Age’ spirituality and studied Transcendental Meditation in India with Muktananda. Part of his journey of self-knowledge was to honour his father’s Anglo-Indian heritage. He returned to manage the Siddha Yoga Ashram in Sydney from 1979-1982. While continuing to work on films, he taught meditation and life skills, including to actors.

His background as a director had already demonstrated his confidence and authoritative personality and he soon took his self-development programme to wider audiences, holding seminars, often in large arenas, throughout Australia, also in the USA and London.

Michael married Paulina Domeyko on 11 January 1990.

They worked together, holding seminars and smaller workshops on various aspects of self-development. His reputation as Australia’s leading life skills presenter was further established with his self-help cassettes, his 1993 book, Absolute Happiness, internet broadcasts, a 2009 cinema film, Being in Heaven and his considerable online presence. His celebrity followers have included Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, who having read his book, consulted him on a visit to her sister in Australia and then in her Berkshire home. Paulina plans to continue their work. Their daughter and son are both at university.

While at Oxford Jerome maintained his contact with the Benedictines through St Benet’s Hall and after university tried his vocation with the community at Worth. But the time was not yet right for community life and he transferred to the diocese of Arundel and Brighton.

Fr Jerome studied for the priesthood at the Venerable English College in Rome and at the Pontifical Gregorian University from 1974-1978 and was ordained by Bishop Cormac Murphy O’Connor on 14 July 1979. For a man always interested in the effects of cultural revolution Bastille Day was apt. His ordination took place in Arundel Cathedral where Jerome had been baptised. And so both

The Domeyko Rowland Family

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his Christian life and his priesthood began beneath the watchful stained glass eye of St Philip Neri to whom the church had been dedicated before the canonisation of St Philip Howard.

His ministry began with a curacy in the busy south coast parish of Eastbourne. After that came suburban Worthing and the better-suited historic parish of Sutton Park. But it was in university chaplaincy that Fr Jerome really found his vocation, first in the London University Chaplaincy in Gower Street and later at Royal Holloway. Fr Jerome had an exceptional rapport with the young. So many students in both institutions - and later many more in Oxford - owe the grace of discovering, remaining in or returning to the Catholic faith to him.

Fr Jerome Bertram joined the Oxford Oratory of St Philip Neri in 1991 early in the community’s history but relatively late in his own life at 41. Here he served as Treasurer, Novice Master, Librarian and Prefect of Buildings. He was instrumental in overseeing the construction of two major new buildings; the Porter’s Lodge and the new accommodation and library. The excellence of the library’s holdings is also largely his work. He was the Procurator’s Delegate for the Oratories in Formation in Manchester and Port Elizabeth South Africa where he spent some months.

His concern for Oxford’s homeless found practical expression when he became a founder member of the Oxford Poverty Action Trust.

Meanwhile his writings seemed endless and the travelling continued almost to the end. There are few European countries which Fr Jerome did not visit and write about.

He delighted in being off piste and off the radar. In spite of all that, when he came to Oxford he was at last at home and settled and loved the family life of the Oratory.

His many friends knew where to find him and they did.

Jerome could never quite believe how much he was loved and appreciated. He was always inclined to depression and pessimism about himself which he was mostly successful in hiding. Only in the last months of his life did this change. He seemed at last to relax in the evident love and attention he received from the friends who knew they were soon to lose him. Even in his final days in the hospice, where he received wonderful care, he inspired love and affection from the staff. He continued to pray, to hear confessions and to give blessings. He never made a fuss. As one of the brethren put it, he taught us how to die. He was a priest and a son of St Philip to the last.

Fr Richard Duffield, Cong. Orat.

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Obituary

T

M

ichael died suddenly at his home in New South Wales, Australia, one day after his 70th birthday. As well as his widow, Paulina, he leaves a daughter, Isabella Paloma (23) and a son, Michael Luke (20) and his older brother and sister: John, who also lives in Australia, and Val, who lives in Sussex.

Photo: © Martin Stuchfield

Ian Grocholski C’71

Leonardo Boodramsingh C’15

10th February 1953 – 2nd January 2019

1st October 1996 – 13th May 2019

L

Obituary

eo was born in Conegliano in Northern Italy. Even though we grew up in Horsham, West Sussex, he always had a special place in his heart for that wild spot of our familial home of Moriago Della Battaglia, a small village near the Piave River with the surrounding corn fields nestled between small hills and mountains.

As kids we spent every summer visiting various distant relatives, playing football with cousins and local kids in the church courtyard and eating ice cream in the local cafe whilst watching our grandad playing (and winning) Scopa, a traditional card game, resulting in us helping him to bring home whichever spoils had been on offer (usually a salami and/or bottle of prosecco).

His childhood years were happily spent in Morocco, Switzerland and France. At Worth he took to sports and to the violin under the auspices of Mr Buckley. The latter experiment was ear-shattering but short-lived. The love of music, nevertheless, remained. As have remained his friendships, so generously and movingly manifested to us, his family, after his death.

It seems only right to talk about Italy when talking about Leo; he was after all fluent in the language and was studying it as part of his degree.

After Worth he considered the army but finally went to study International Relations at Keele where he also made lifelong friends and developed an enthusiasm for clappedout vintage Triumph roadsters. Splendid, but for the incessant breakdowns and calls for assistance.

Leo went to a local primary school in Horsham; it was here that our mum Francesca had the brilliant idea of encouraging him to take up string instruments, starting first with the cello and swiftly progressing onto the double bass. This was a sight to behold with Leo, who at 10 years old was a bit shorter than average, carrying a full sized 6 foot wooden instrument. Anyone who was at Worth when Leo was in his earlier years will remember who did the majority of carrying his double bass down to the Abbey for music concerts!

Ian subsequently embarked on a career in consultancy which took him to the four corners of the earth. But first things first, in 1979 he married Marie de Boisboissel.

Happy years ensued highlighted by the births of Clémence and Paul. In 2002, however, Paul died accidentally and the couple suffered what is, no doubt, the greatest of ordeals, the loss of a child. Together with their daughter, Clémence they reacted with remarkable courage but the suffering was and is indelible.

With this newly developed musical acumen, Leo won a music scholarship to Worth in 2008. At school Leo was mischievous and enjoyed challenging his teachers with a culturally Italian approach to academic work (that is to say little and rarely on time); yet he seemed to excel in the humanities, English and History becoming his stronger subjects. In the sporting arena, he was a good sprinter and loved football, a passion that stemmed from our Italian region (and Nonno’s) love of AC Milan.

Ian was generous and sociable, rebellious and indomitable, thirsting for liberty and justice but also critical and provoking. Above all, however, from the youngest age he had a talent for friendship. He was a generous and faithful friend. His friendships spanned the continents. Many were poignantly manifested at his funeral.

As Leo got older, he started to think more deeply about what he wanted to do in life. When he was little, he said he wanted to be a vet because of his love of wildlife documentaries. As he grew up and realised he was better at essay subjects, he decided that Law might be for him.

But not before he had spent a week crashing at my uni flat in South London, travelling Monday to Friday on a crushed peak Northern line to get to Canary Wharf for a work experience stint at a Law firm in the middle of the summer. ‘Sounds like hell’ I hear you say (or your normal commute?), but Leo absolutely loved it – the job, the lifestyle, the cufflinks he spontaneously decided to buy even though his shirt had buttons.

May he rest in peace.

Michael Grocholski C’67

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I remember Leo as always being fashionable. At Worth he cultivated the popular ‘English Gent’ look (we have a cupboard of his old Barbour coats). When he went off to Swansea however, I think the idea was not to stick out as much; a very cool, surfer dude uni student returned home.

Leo hit his stride academically when he started at Swansea University in 2015. Following a mixed picture resultswise at A Levels, Mum and I were astounded that he was achieving high marks which eventually led to his Law with Italian LLB degree being awarded posthumously. By all accounts, he worked hard and truly deserved it. This also meant as much during his Erasmus year in Bologna which gave him the inspiration to consider moving to Italy to continue his legal training. Bologna is famously “la dotta, la grassa, la rossa”, and as he got older Leo’s ‘redness’ came out – both in his fanatical support of the Rossoneris, as well as politically, which was an important part of his identity and I suspect what motivated him to want to be a lawyer in the first place, in order to improve the world for others.

Leo had a rare quality of being politely compassionate to others, both towards his friends as well as people he had barely or not even met. As his brother, I will always be grateful for his ability to keep me in check and to call me out if I ever showed a lack of empathy towards others – he was truly social minded. Although he could often be hot-headed with those of us close to him and quick to challenge your views, Leo was also able to make you laugh by cleverly pointing out something funny, or simply by acting the clown when he wanted.

Since Leo left us, I’ve come to hear many hilarious and often touching stories of him. Antics at Worth, shenanigans in Swansea, ridiculous situations with cars in Italy. Leo really lived his life to the fullest whilst he was with us, but no young person’s life should end so early. Even though Leo is painfully missed by all of us left behind, I will try to hold some of his values dear; to enjoy life, not to take things too seriously, and most importantly to love those close to us.

Marco Boodramsingh C’11

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Obituary

I

an liked to surprise. His sudden and unexpected death of a heart attack, if painful for family and friends, was not entirely out of character. His sense of humour was ever present but could, indeed, verge on the caustic. He was curious and eclectic. An avid reader and amateur of music he even tried himself at writing and not without success. He was also an accomplished skier.

A group of Year 12 students went on a service expedition to Borneo at the end of the school year, carrying out voluntary work in the Don Bosco Children’s Home.

A Message from the Head Master

I

t is my pleasure to write this greeting to Worthians at the beginning of Worth Senior School’s sixtiethanniversary year. Sixty is an interesting age for a school: it’s old enough to claim maturity and a clear sense of identity, but not so old that it can’t move with the times.

Sixty years have of course established traditions, but they’re not of the dyed-in-the-wool kind, and we’re still young enough to put new ones into place. All of this helps Worth to keep a spring in its step; it’s a fresh and vibrant place to be at school or to work. For all that, and for all the change that has taken place since the Senior School was established in 1959, those first-generation old boys we have been delighted to welcome back to Worth over the course of the last few months saw much they recognised, not only in the buildings, but in the feel of the place - and in the pupils they met, who displayed that characteristic welcome and friendliness that are born out in the School’s purposeful and living Benedictine character.

Worth School donated a number of old laptops to the St Mark Orphanage Academy School in Kenya. One Year 12 student designed a computer network for the school and his father travelled to Africa to oversee its installation, with the help of his son on the end of a phone in England.

We marked the start of the birthday year with a very pleasant drinks reception at The Savoy, thanks to the

Among a number of sporting achievements, the girls’ football team won its first trophy in March when the squad emerged triumphant at the St Bede’s Tournament.

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In November Worth was named by The Cricketer, the world’s oldest and best-selling cricket magazine, as one of the top 100 cricketing schools in Britain.

hotel’s managing director, Philip Barnes StB’72, who helped us to arrange the occasion, and we are hosting numerous other receptions in London and around the world over the course of the year to bring parents and old boys and girls together in celebration.

It is particularly fitting that we have begun the celebratory year with a new phase of development. Michael Spencer’s B’73 extraordinarily generous gift to the School of £6.25m has allowed design work on a new Sixth Form Centre to begin in earnest, and a master planning exercise for the next two buildings is also under way. These are exciting times for the School and its pupils, present and future, and we look forward to sharing plans with all former pupils and parents as they take shape.

I am sure you will enjoy this edition of The Blue Paper – you will find in it evidence enough that the thriving and happy school you knew when you were a pupil continues to thrive in the maturity of its sixties.

Stuart McPherson, Head Master, Worth School

The annual Sports Dinner in May was an opportunity to celebrate sport at Worth and also saw the presentation of two new trophies in the name of sports teacher Alan Mitchell, who retired after 30 years of dedicated service to the School.

Drama scholars from Years 7 to 13 put on a fantastic performance of Mary Poppins in March.

During the year, there were also productions of Witness For The Prosecution and Blood Brothers.

The inaugural Worth Musician of the Year competition showcased the wonderful musical talent within the School. The winner, Freya Barker, performed a solo piece at the Summer Concert.

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Did you leave Worth between 2013 and 2019?

Development News

I

Were you doing your DofE Gold Award and never quite got round to finishing?

t has been a pleasure getting to know so many Worthians at many events throughout the year. I have heard so many wonderful anecdotes about past pupils’ times at Worth and coupled with this, so much positive feedback about the character of Worthians; that this holistic education turns out men and women of good character, ready to serve and lead. The Worthians I have met over the past year and in these 18 months of being at Worth, are proud of their school and to be part of this thriving community.

The Worth School Bursary Fund Launch Each year we aim to raise funds in order to enable access to an outstanding independent education for children who would not otherwise be able to attend Worth. We are proud of our bursary provision at the School and feel the importance of increasing this provision is crucial to our culture and ethos and for the potential children who, with support, could join us and benefit from all that Worth has to offer.

The total figure raised for bursaries this year is an outstanding £152,863. This was very generously donated by 9 current parents, 1 past parent and 4 Worthian donors. While this is an incredible result for our bursary provision, there is still much to do. We are moving in the right direction and hope to match or exceed this amount in the coming year, in order to support more children and change more lives.

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It may not be too late...

Glenn Robertson Spirit of Rugby Trophy

If you want to find out if you could still receive your Award (and go to St James’s Palace to have it presented) please contact the School DofE Manager, Julian Williams, at jtwilliams@worth.org.uk

was awarded to Matthew Brown F’19 and the

Glenn Robertson Sporting Promise Trophy

Making History It has been a very interesting year for Development at Worth. A multi-million pound donation from a Worthian will see the building of a brand new, state-of-the-art Sixth Form Centre. This incredible generosity was announced at the 60th Anniversary Celebration at the Savoy Hotel in June and the surprise and delight in the room were tangible. This is a record breaking donation for Worth (and would be for any school) and we are very thankful to Michael Spencer StB’72.

The Sixth Form Centre is the first of several facilities to be built over the next ten years to place Worth firmly in the company of ambitious, well-resourced, forward-looking schools. Once the early stages of planning for the Sixth Form Centre are complete the School will be turning its attention to new sports facilities and other academic facilities projects.

We are delighted to announce that this year’s

was awarded to current student Kitan Ojo Many congratulations to you both!

Ties, socks and much more!

? page

We are very thankful to our donors for their donations, which together will have a powerful and life-transforming impact on the life and future of children.

The St Benedict’s Society has been established as a way to bring together those who have pledged a legacy to Worth in their will. We are pleased to welcome three new members to the Society this year.

For those who wish to join us, and to be recognised publicly, we invite you to join the St Benedict’s Society.

We plan to hold an annual lunch, with one in the spring of 2020, for all our members and those interested in becoming members. This will be a time to thank you, update you on Worth as it is now and share memories of our Worth experiences together. Of course, if you wish to remain anonymous, we will happily respect your wishes.

I look forward to meeting more Worthians and reconnecting with those I have had the pleasure to meet over the next year, at the many and varied events planned to celebrate the School’s 60th anniversary.

Visit the Merchandise section www.worthconnecting.org.uk

Anna MacMahon, Head of Development

Worth Society Life

Life and Times of Worthians

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77

Worthians - Year 13 University Destinations 2019 University

Course

Pupil

Felix Albert

City University, London

Business Management, Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Rosanna Keeling

Nottingham

Midwifery

Sara Knurowska*

Manchester

Geography

Tiago Appelboom

Queen Mary University of London

Environmental Science with Business Management

University

Course

Alice Le Marchant*

Glasgow

Veterinary Science

Jorge Llavona

San Pablo C.E.U. University, Madrid

Economics and International Relations

Thomas Lovill

UWE Bristol

Alicia Ballester Vives

Francisco de Vitoria University, Medicine Madrid

Charles Barakat

Bristol

Philosophy

Massimiliano Bennett

Michigan State University

Neurology

Leonard Berenbrok

University of Lubeck, Germany Information Technology with a focus on Cyber Security

Niamh Mason

Swansea

French and History

Sebastian McAlister

Sussex

Jacopo Bianchi

Queen Mary University of London

Business and Management Studies

Rocco Neri*

Università degli studi di Trieste Pharmacy (Italy)

James North

Oxford Brookes

Foundation in Built Environment

Ciaran Nye*

Exeter

Economics and Finance

Economics, Finance and Management

Cosmo Brachetti Peretti* Georgetown University, Walsh Politics, Philosophy and School of Foreign Service Economics Matthew Brown

Mace Group (international Degree Apprenticeship consultancy and construction company)

Javier Cerdo Monjo

IE University (Instituto Empresa), Madrid

Law and Business Administration

Business and Management

Amintha Malmalabaduge Coventry

William O'Hea*

Southampton

Geography

Nicolas Olazabal Hartley

Exeter

Business and Management

James Chidgey

Bath

Politics with Economics

Thomas Orssten

Oxford Brookes

Geography

Eleanor Chidgey

Falmouth

Natural History and Marine Photography

Benjamin Palacios Sheppard-Capurro

Oxford Brookes

Business and Finance

Evelyn Curtis

Bristol

History

Ho Lim Pang

Surrey

Business Management

Edward Philpots

Cardiff

Human Geography

Luke Davenport*

University of East Anglia

Environmental Science

Diego Diaz Joy-way

Exeter

Politics and International Relations

George Eaves

UWE Bristol

Geography

Zara Eijkman

Maastricht University

International Business

Paul Renaldo

St Thomas Aquinas, New York Business Management

Andrew Riley*

Exeter

Economics and Business Finance

Timothy Riley*

Bristol

Economics and Business Finance

James Benedict Ritchie

Durham

History

Rachel Emmerson

Reading

Education Studies

Skye Ennis

York

Archaeology

Giorgio Rizzitelli

Westminster

Business Management

Sophia Enoizi*

Exeter

Politics and International Relations

Harriet Rothman*

Oxford Brookes

Graphic Design

Roxane Etemad

King's College London

Liberal Arts

Georgina Sandeman

Brighton

Business Management

Emil Farr

UWE Bristol

Business Management

Gabriele Sarsini Novak

Link University, Rome

Sports Economics

Computer Science, Cybersecurity

Timeo Schmidt

Imperial College

Electronic and Information Engineering

Edmund Scott

St Andrew's

Philosophy

Alejandro Fernandez

Northeastern University, Boston, USA

Jonas Fossgard

Voss Folk High School, Norway The World We Create (one-year course)

Molly Gareze

Leeds

Geography

Maria Livia Giusti Peterich SOAS

Business Management, Economics and Law Foundation Year

Josephine GushurstMoore

Courtauld Institute of Art

History of Art

Manuel Guzman Montanes

Bath Spa

International Management

Carl Hollenders*

Frankfurt School

Finance and Management

Maria De Lourdes Carmen University of the Arts, London Fine Art Hornung

Jennifer Seddon

Liverpool

English and History

Prisha Solanki

York

Business and Management

Montgomery Sparkes

Oxford Brookes

Business and Management

Primrose Sparkes

Durham

International Relations

Sebastian Steinebach*

Exeter

Geography

Daniel Taylor

Lincoln

Law Management

Tom van Asselt*

Bath Spa

Valentina Venelli

School of Oriental and African Economics and Chinese Studies (SOAS)

Louise Veranneman Watervliet

King's College London

Psychology

Elly Voogt

Durham

Theology and Religion

Theodore Huckstep

Cardiff

Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Ka Ki Hui

King's College London

Sports and Exercise Medical Sciences

Hannah Wilcox

Warwick

History

Edinburgh

Philosophy and Theology

Fei Yeung Hung

Royal Holloway

Finance and Mathematics

Eliza Wilson*

Anna Huntley

Bristol

History of Art

Sandrine Wirtz

Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium

Medicine

Jasmin Ichsan

King's College London

English

Laura Witucka

Royal Holloway

Liberal Arts

Frederick Ingles*

Birmingham

English Language and Linguistics

Man Chi Irene Wu

Warwick

Economics and Industrial Organisation

Shumo Zhao

Essex

Benjamin Jennings

Reading

Zoology

Javier Juste

Lancaster

Fine Art and Film

*Denotes 2018 Leaver

Contemporary Catholic Co-educational 3-13

Mechanical Engineering

Electronic Engineering Please note: these details were correct at time of going to press

Day & Boarding

“Here I was given the best possible start in life.”

Come and see Farleigh in a Morning on one of our small group visits: Friday 28th February 2020 Saturday 14th March 2020 10.00am-12.00pm

www.farleighschool.com 78

Worth Society Life

Life and Times of Worthians

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Red Rice, Andover, Hampshire, SP11 7PW

@FarleighSchool 79

REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 1157842

Pupil

Gravetye Manor with 17 luxurious bedrooms and suites, boasts a beautiful glass fronted dining room that allows guests to connect with the hotel’s gardens, the source and inspiration for its Michelin-starred cooking.

Head Chef George Blogg and Head Gardener Tom Coward work in close partnership to create the restaurant’s signature style of cooking - fresh seasonal produce, cooked to perfection.

Gravetye Manor Hotel & Restaurant, Vowels Lane, West Hoathly, Sussex, RH19 4LJ Tel: 01342 810 567 info@gravetyemanor.co.uk

www.gravetyemanor.co.uk