Out of School Twenty years on… - The Perse School · sports hall, ICT suites and soon ... Ed...

transcript

TechnologyChanging the world with tech

Out of SchoolA look at Caldwell Cook’s trips

Outdoor PursuitsFrom 5th Cambridge Scouts to PES

Twenty years on…How girls’ sport has changed

05Technology

Changing the world with tech

Out of SchoolA look at Caldwell Cook’s trips

Outdoor PursuitsFrom 5th Cambridge Scouts to PES

Twenty years on…How girls’ sport has changed

The familiar can sometimes be unfamiliar. I see this on the

faces of Old Perseans who make their way through the familiar

memorial gates, up the same school drive, and enter their old

School Hall. But thereafter returning alumni discover how much

The Perse has changed. An Upper school roll of nearly 1150

pupils and over 120 teachers means a much larger campus.

The Spartan classrooms of old have been transformed into

twenty first century learning environments complete with

multi media technologies and carpets! And today's pupils

benefit from facilities that were not part of the original Stubbs

master plan – a floodlit astro, dance studio, music centre,

sports hall, ICT suites and soon a Performing Arts Centre.

Yet in the unfamiliar there is also the familiar. Without

realising it I am literally following the steps of Caldwell Cook

(page 9) in my ‘new’ Local Studies course which takes students

out to visit local sites of historical and geographical interest.

Scouts may have been rebranded as the Perse

Exploration Society (PES) but all the old scouting values

and outdoor learning opportunities promoted by Malcom

McFarlane, Tony Billinghurst and Richard Crabtree remain. And

Malcom McFarlane is as right today as he was in the 1960s –

people matter most. Schools are about getting the best out of

pupils, and to do this you have to get the best out of teachers.

Instructing, nurturing, encouraging, advising, challenging and

supporting people so they can live happy and successful lives

remains as Tony Billinghurst would say our ‘raison d’être.’

Ed Elliott43rd Headmaster

rter / P

Old Perseans / Spring / Summer 2017

School News

National French Debating Competition

Upper Sixth Students Charles Richardson and Jonathan Ferguson

won the National French Debating Competition 2017.

The pair argued against the French government dismantling

‘the jungle’ in Calais and debated for an increase in police presence

and power to address the repeated riots in French suburbs.

For the final debate, against Hampton School, the pair

had only 20 minutes to prepare for a debate, arguing for the

motion that ‘The independence of the media is an illusion’.

Judges unanimously declared The Perse team as overall

winners, commenting on the impressive quality of their

language, their skilful use of rhetorical questions, the range

of their ideas and confidence, as well as their humour.

Perse pupils win trophy in Rotary Technology challenge

A team of Perse students

took part in the annual Rotary

Technology Challenge by

designing and building their

own remote controlled vehicle.

Students were given

three hours to put together a

vehicle that would crawl inside

a pipeline and under a bridge

and clear the debris inside.

They were required to

produce a portfolio of their work,

as well as design, build and test

it all with limited materials.

Perse Team 3 – Isabel

Painter, Isabelle Goodman,

Ian Pebody and Theo Hatcher

won the teamwork trophy.

Dr Serrita McAuley,

Engineering Technology

Technician at The Perse said:

‘This challenge gave our students

a taste of what engineering is

like in the real world, where

there are tight deadlines and

where budgets are limited. All

of the students did a fantastic

job with their designs and

implementation. They all had

to think outside the box and

overcome several obstacles.’

A BRIDGE TO TWICKENHAM

OVER TRENT WAS JUST OUT

OF REACH

The Perse School 1st XV Under

18 boys took part in the biggest

rugby match of their lives in

March as they took on Trent

College, Nottingham, in the

semi-final of the NatWest Vase.

The match, which took

place at the Saracens home

ground of Allianz Park, London,

was the culmination of several

years’ hard work and training

for many of the squad.

However, dreams of

Twickenham were brought to

an end as they were defeated

29–15 in a thrilling and fast

paced match. While the Perse

team were resolute in defence,

with the forwards winning a

number of good turnovers

at the breakdown, it was not

quite enough to see them

through to the final round.

PERSE 1ST XI GIRLS HOCKEY REACH NATIONAL FINAL AT THE OLYMPIC PARK

The 1st XI girls rounded off a hugely successful season by

competing at the Investec National Schools Championship Finals,

which saw all 5 regional champions and 3 qualifiers compete.

The Perse girls started brightly in their first game, with a

1-1 draw against Millfield, the eventual runners-up. Unfortunately,

despite the best efforts of the girls, they were unable to progress

beyond the group stages, losing to both Trent College and Ardingly.

To compete with sides boasting multiple junior internationals

was a testament to just how much our 1st XI have achieved. To

be East U18 Champions demonstrates just how far girls’ sport

has progressed at The Perse in a short period of time. This squad

have been an inspiration to the years that will follow them through

the School and they can be proud of all they have achieved.

PREP WINS NATIONAL COMPETITION

The Prep U11 Boys’ Hockey Team reached the IAPS National Finals at

Repton School. After playing schools from across the country, the A

Team walked away with 3rd place, giving the Prep School their first

medal at a national competition.

PERSE MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR

The 2017 Perse Musician of the Year competition was won by Year

7 pupil, Adelaide Harliono-Evans. Adelaide performed a sensitive

rendition of Rachmaninov’s Vocalise before Popper’s exciting

showpiece Hungarian Rhapsody, and both pieces were greatly enjoyed

by the audience. Adelaide is the competition’s youngest winner, and was

presented with the Richard King Cup, sponsored by Richard King (1947)

by the judge, John Myerscough of the Doric String Quartet.

SYMPHONIC SHOWCASE

ENTERTAINS AUDIENCES

Perse musicians entertained

a packed audience at the

West Road Concert Hall in

Cambridge in March. The

Symphony Orchestra were

on good form under the assured

baton of Oliver Cope (Upper

Sixth) in Verdi’s dramatic La Forza

del Destino overture, before

both soloists and orchestra

were put through their paces in

movements from Mendelssohn’s

G minor Piano Concerto and

Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto,

played with stunning virtuosity by

Natalie Martin and Patrick Bevan

(both Upper Sixth) respectively.

The second half featured

an impressive performance

of a difficult and sustained

piece by Richard Strauss by

the Trumpet Ensemble, while

Tchaikovsky made a welcome

return in his String Serenade,

played with caprice by the

Perse Soloists. Wind Band 1

took the audience on a tour of

the world, starting and ending

in London, in Nigel Hess’

bombastic Global Variations.

ALEX THINKS HIS WAY TO SUCCESSAlex Walker, Year 9, celebrated

coming second in a national

Thinking Challenge competition.

The prestigious UK

BEBRAS Computational

Thinking Challenge attracted

over 50,000 entries from

students across the UK.

The competition was

designed to test a student’s

ability to think logically and solve

difficult mathematical tasks.

Nationally, Alex was one

of only 38 top-achieving students

from Years 8 & 9 to take part in

the Intermediate Level Final, held

at the Department of Computer

Science at Oxford University.

SCHOOLS’ CHALLENGE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS ONCE AGAIN

A team of Perse pupils won the national title of the Senior Schools’

Challenge 2017, our sixth Schools’ Challenge title since 2011. The

competition, which took place at Westminster School in April, is

regarded as the secondary education equivalent of University Challenge.

The team, comprised of Captain Pratap Singh, Franklin Nelson (Upper

Sixth), Jonathan Chan (Lower Sixth), Oliver Phillips, Vikram Singh and

Matthew Chan (Year 10) team was coached by French teacher, Lilly

Freeman, following the retirement of Adrian Roberts in 2016.

The team advanced quickly through the first round play-offs,

beating Magdalen College (940-430) and Hereford Grammar Schools

(1090-620). In the afternoon, the boys then triumphed over Lancaster

Grammar School in a nail-biting final battle to clinch the national title

740-720.

Following their Westminster win, the team returned to The Perse

to take on their teachers in a lunchtime head-to-head adjudicated by

Adrian Roberts. Despite being national champions, the students were still

no match for the Perse teachers, who won the match comfortably.

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def __enter__(TimCarter):I joined the Prep in the 5th Form - a second attempt, after an extra place materialised. I remember outdoor table tennis, mid-week roasts (with lashings of cabbage and gravy) and football.file

def __enter__(MichaelKent):My parents won’t budge from the area, my mate from the Prep remains my best friend today, and the old Perse principles of endeavour and helping to improve the lives of others are now part of the wallpaper at Azimo.file

def __enter__(MattGoodridge):I left The Perse in 1997, got a degree from Oxford in Engineering and Computer Science and embarked on my journey into mobile tech.file

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Feature

Tim Carter (1994)

Director and Co-Founder, Peek Vision

In the rear view mirror life is a straight path leading to now. Ahead are simply tangled intentions, risks and unknowns.

My ‘arts’ A levels, history degree and solicitor’s career don’t suggest much capacity for technology. And yet.

I joined the Prep in the 5th Form – a second attempt, after an extra place materialised. I remember outdoor table tennis, mid-week roasts (with lashings of cabbage and gravy) and football.

I also remember the profound impact my parents had at that time, founding a software business based on nothing more than a deep knowledge of the problem to be solved. I saw them commit everything – and redouble their effort to survive when the business was suddenly taken from them.

Their stoic reaction was instructive: unwavering, without stint and forward looking.

I wanted to create a business too, but had no idea where to start. I chose to acquire some protective knowledge first. So, at the age of 10, I decided to become a lawyer, before ‘getting into business’.

I enjoyed the School’s presumption that everyone could – perhaps should – excel. My own idea of ‘excellence’ evolves with the distilling effect of experience. Knowledge, it seems, breeds learning.

I found academic success possible if I worked consistently. Sporting success less so, except I enjoyed cycling and climbing – and I learned to play the drums (I’d first asked for a drum kit aged three).

I was satisfied to pass the Oxford history entrance exam; Keble College was equally satisfied to reject me at interview. This gifted me three years at Leeds University with three Old Persean colleagues, where I grew up to confirm a core immaturity, indulged my love for the Florentine Renaissance and fell in love with my (now) wife. Wonderful.

Law School I found less wonderful. I revolted against its rote curriculum and scraped my exams, re-sitting where necessary. This furrowed brows at my employer, City law firm Allen & Overy, who had paid my fees and reasonably regarded passing exams as the quid pro quo. I did so, completed my training and gladly qualified into their communications, media and technology team to focus on the great intangible, intellectual property law.

Within three years I had joined Symbian, the leading (and British) smartphone software company. I worked with brilliant people and learned about industry, technical development and ‘market fit’ – in 2007 iPhone launched a revolution in smartphones. That year I moved from phones to internet, joining Google in London as a tech lawyer.

I made the switch to business (and back to phones) the next year, joining Google’s small

100-person Android team to create global business partnerships. We launched our first device in October 2008. By the time I left in 2015 Android had acquired nearly a billion users globally.

Android was a unique privilege. Now with Peek I’ve multiplied that privilege tenfold. We are a new organisation, radically increasing access to eye care through technology and helping eliminate avoidable sight loss worldwide. Our products make even the most Spartan health service effective.

Technology helps you prospect. In retrospect, it was always my goal.

Now with Peek I’ve multiplied that privilege tenfold. We are a new organisation, radically increasing access to eye care through technology and helping eliminate avoidable sight loss worldwide. Our products make even the most Spartan health service effective.

Technology

Website peekvision.org

Feature Old Perseans / Spring / Summer 2017

Michael Kent (1991)

Director, Azimo

I spent my earliest years a million miles from East Anglia, on the US East Coast. But while those Delaware days are a haze, my Cambridge years – first at The Perse School and, later, as an undergrad at Corpus Christi College – still have a big influence several decades later.

My parents won’t budge from the area, my mate from the Prep remains my best friend today, and the old Perse principles of endeavour and helping to improve the lives of others are now part of the wallpaper at Azimo, the technology start-up I launched in 2012 – whether that be bringing down the cost of sending money or donating to our charity partners.

I admit that more than anything that we were taught, I most remember growing my hair too long, boisterous lessons from characterful teachers like ‘Az’, ‘Ted’ and ‘Roly’ and even the odd Saturday afternoon detention. Just as formative were the weekly computers lessons: programming in BASIC and later machine code on BBC microcomputers. I credit that early experience as the foundation of a life-long interest in technology.

After I finished my degree, I had a stint in management consultancy and politics: at Accenture, where I got my first proper taste of the financial services industry and then working as an economic policy advisor in Parliament. Both were a good grounding in their own way, but I already knew I wanted to set up my own business and I applied to do an MBA at INSEAD, just outside Paris.

It was here, at a dinner on the first night, where I met two of the central figures in my life – my wife, Sophie, and my future business partner, Ricky Knox. Back in the UK, I briefly worked doing mergers and acquisitions for a couple of media firms before taking the plunge and founding an investment company and launching Small World Financial Services.

I’m hugely proud of what we achieved at Small World. We grew the business from inception to become Europe’s largest independent money transfer company with an annual transaction volume of more than $4.5 billion. It will hopefully IPO later this year. But more than that, we took on an antiquated industry

that was ripe for reinvention and shook it up. And that’s what we’re doing again with

Azimo, which launched in 2012 to take the high fees and high-street hassle out of sending money home. Having started in a cramped storeroom in 2012, we’re now 100 strong with over a million people connected to our service. In that time, we’ve saved them tens of millions of pounds sending money to more than 190 countries from a smartphone or computer. People use us to save money when buying foreign homes, paying overseas bills or sending money to family and loved ones based abroad.

It hasn’t been an easy ride and changing people’s long-held perceptions is no simple task – especially when it comes to finance. But I was brought up by a Scottish father, and I have

him to thank for instilling in me the value of work, money, driving a hard bargain and sheer bloody determination – all essentials when you’re setting out to disrupt a legacy industry.

We recently ran a survey and found that 90 per cent of respondents across the UK, Germany, Spain and France now favour technology when it comes to managing their cash – and Azimo is right at the forefront of that ever-accelerating shift. But this start-up would never have started up without the support of others and my time at The Perse – and, to paraphrase another Perse principle, I’ll always be mindful of that.

Matt Goodridge (1997)

Product Manager, Google

Remember those days before the smartphone? How did you do then what you do now? What are the challenges that are still open? And how will we solve those in the future?

These are the kinds of questions I've spent my career trying to answer. Allowing anybody to experience more of the world that we live in, to learn about anything, communicate with anybody from anywhere, safely, securely and privately.

I left The Perse in 1997, got a degree from Oxford in Engineering and Computer Science and embarked on my journey into mobile tech.

Joining the Vodafone graduate scheme and continuing for over four years, I worked on introducing location services before phones had GPS and Google Maps; mobile broadband over 3G; picture messaging before WhatsApp and Snapchat; video calling before Skype.

In 2006, I made the leap to McKinsey & Co. as a product development specialist. Consulting on R&D topics in an exciting range of industries, it was fascinating to see how different industries develop their products – a learning experience that I would recommend to anybody.

After being thoroughly travelled-out, I was seduced by a growing voice recognition company based in Buckinghamshire. SpinVox converted voicemails into text messages, which were much easier to receive than having to call your voicemail and listen. SpinVox turned out to be a rollercoaster ride. A startup trying its best to turn a profit, it, like many, unfortunately ran out of cash and was acquired. I left shortly after and joined another small tech company back in Cambridge. I ran product management at AlertMe, focusing on home energy-saving products that could all be controlled and monitored from a mobile phone, including the first version of British Gas’ Hive intelligent heating control system. Sadly I’d left AlertMe by the time I saw the full page ad in the Evening Standard, but it was still a very proud moment.

After a brief meander into freelance consulting for a bathroom manufacturer (yes, you read that right), I returned to tech and Google, where I am still. Ever since my first role in product

development I've wanted to work in a Silicon Valley company where the discipline of product management was born. Product managers are generalists: jacks of all trades, masters of none. It is like being a mini-CEO, but just of your product. That means we're responsible for all aspects of the product, from strategy through to implementation, go-to-market through to all of the cross functional aspects like policy, legal, finance and resourcing.

At Google I've had the pleasure to work on AdSense and now Android. AdSense allows small web publishers to earn money from ads. Much of my effort was focused on helping publishers transition from traditional desktop websites to mobile sites, where their readership is growing. Android is the mobile operating system that powers

over 80 per cent of the world’s smartphones. My focus is helping businesses use Android to help their employees be more productive, allowing them to take their work with them, rather than be restricted to a PC or laptop. The biggest challenge here is data security. How do you keep data safe on a device which people carry with them everywhere … and lose in the most unlikely of places?

The thing I love about digital technology is that the pace of change is so fast. Mobile technology still feels young, but the next revolution in computing is on our doorstep. Machine learning promises to revolutionise how we use our digital devices. No doubt my career will take a few more twists and turns yet.

I’m hugely proud of what we achieved at Small World. We grew the business from inception to become Europe’s largest independent money transfer company with an annual transaction volume of more than $4.5 billion.

How do you keep data safe on a device which people carry with them everywhere … and lose in the most unlikely of places?

Website azimo.com

Exotic school trips are commonplace today, but that was not so a hundred years ago. Even away sports fixtures were geographically limited until the advent of the charabanc after the First World War. For many pupils, travel any distance away from home was rare, hence the great appeal of the Scouts (1910) and the OTC (1908) with their summer camps. But the pupils in Henry Caldwell Cook’s forms were particularly lucky. Cook taught at The Perse from 1911 to 1932, apart from war service from 1915 to 1919. He pioneered the Mummery and the Play Way, was an important figure in the revival of Morris Dancing, an enthusiastic supporter of the Scouts, and was all for outdoor life, even holding lessons outdoors. On Sunday mornings he would take small groups of pupils from his form out into the countryside. Terence Miller (who joined The Perse in 1926) recalled in 2010 how Cook used to fill his car with sweets, fizzy drinks and pupils, and drive out to local places of interest.

Some of these locations would not seem distant to a cyclist but they would have been beyond the range of a morning’s walk: amongst others the

Romano-British Bartlow Hills, the Anglo-Saxon Fleam Dyke, the ford at Hinxton, or the eighteenth-century Wale Monument on the hill between Little Shelford and Newton. Others – such as St Ives, St Albans, Thetford – made a car essential, and possession of a car was still a rarity at that time.

These were not serious occasions of didactic instruction; they were simply for larking about and fun, and Cook joined in. He was not a man to stand on his dignity; he threw snowballs, jumped streams and slid down hayricks with as much enjoyment as the boys. One boy wrote: ‘We had a fight, army versus navy, then we pulled poor Mr Cook down and sat on him, and had a jolly fine time’.

These trips are recorded in some of Cook’s photo albums, of which 27 of the original 38 survive in the archives. They span his years at The Perse from 1911 to 1931. These informal snapshots, often imaginatively composed, are among the most interesting and valuable records that we have, conveying something of the spirit of those times in a way that official photos never can. We are very lucky to have them.

From the Archives

Out of School OP News

After the 2015 Gorkha earthquake destroyed the Perse Hostel at Him Ganga School in Nepal, Emile Simpson (2001) is helping with fundraising efforts to rebuild the hostel. The School donated the money to build the hostel in 1996, and rebuilding it will cost between £25,000 and £35,000. If you are interested in supporting this project please contact the Alumni and Development Office at PerseADO@perse.co.uk or (+44) 1223 403808.

RCHIVES

OP News

Nick Pole (1970) has published a book on the ‘clean language’ technique in mind-body therapy. More information about his work and book, Words that Touch – How to Ask Questions Your Body Can Answer, is available at nickpole.com.

In September Daniel Jackson (2015) will be climbing 6,000m up Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest free standing mountain in the world, in aid of children's rights and education charity Childreach International. He will also visit some of the schools that Childreach has set up to see first-hand how they are helping children. Speaking about the motivation for his challenge, Daniel said: "I've had the benefit of a fantastic education at The Perse, but millions of children don't have access to even the most rudimentary schooling, so I'm hoping to give some of these kids a chance of a better future through my fundraising." Daniel is aiming to raise almost £3,000. If you want to help Daniel on this challenge, please visit mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/danieljackson.

Adam Crockett (2015) created an installation as part of the Royal Academy ‘Lates’ event for the Russian Revolution Exhibition in February. His interactive selfie mirrors, based on propaganda posters, were a great hit, drawing crowds for the whole evening!

Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest

free standing mountain in the world

Could be spotted at Prime Minister

Hugh Grant’s press conference

Tom Miller (1997) was awarded a BAFTA in the 2016 British Academy Children’s Awards as the producer of the children’s comedy Horrible Histories Special: Sensational Shakespeare. The Horrible Histories series, based on the books by Terry Deary, is famous for its irreverent take on well-known historical events and personalities.

Hakim Yadi (2002), Chief Executive of the Northern Health Science Alliance, was recognised for his services to healthcare technology and the economy with an OBE in the 2017 New Year's Honours List.

After recent on-screen appearances in Grantchester, Rosie Hague (2011) could be spotted at Prime Minister Hugh Grant’s press conference in Red Nose Day Actually. The short film was commissioned as part of Comic Relief ’s Red Nose Day 2017 campaign.

Simon Chillingworth (1968) placed second in The Times Crossword Competition 2016, scoring 90 points.

Millie Rose (2014) took to the pitch at Twickenham in December as part of the Oxford team in the 2016 Varsity Match. Despite a few tense moments, Millie’s Dark Blue team were victorious, beating Cambridge 3–0.

Call for Colours

The Sports Department are

putting together a colours

board to celebrate Old Perseans

who have received university

colours since 2000. If you have

been awarded full colours in

any of the following sports:

rugby, hockey, cricket, netball,

tennis, athletics, cross-country,

rowing, shooting, football

and basketball, please email

PerseADO@perse.co.uk

GAP Scholarships

The Greg Harper –

GlaxoSmithKline Gap Year Travel

Scholarship is an annual award,

given in memory of Dr Greg

Harper. The award is available to

GAP scholarship applicants who

demonstrate that their plans

include significant charitable

activity, personal learning

or unpaid work experience.

Applications for the 2017–18

awards are now open and

close on 4 September 2017. For

more information please email

PerseADO@perse.co.uk.

Send us your news

If you have some Old Persean

news we would love to hear

from you! Whether you’ve won

an award, had a baby, changed

jobs or recently got married,

we’d be delighted to hear your

news. Please let us know what

you’ve been up to by contacting

the Alumni & Development

Office at:

E: PerseADO@perse.co.uk

T: +44 (0) 1223 403 808

P: The Perse School, Hills Road,

Cambridge, CB2 8QF

OP News

Perseansin Print

An earlier article in OP News

talked about the School’s

plans to increase and display

its collection of Persean books

– that is, books either by or

about Perseans. The article

referred to the then recent

donation by the late Alban

Reade (1965) of a 1647 first

edition of A Discourse of the

Liberty of Prophesying by OP

Jeremy Taylor (1613?–1667). A

few months later Professor Ian

Gordon (1958) kindly gave to

the School his first edition of

Jeremy Taylor's Collection of

Polemical and Moral Discourses.

This latter book has been

prominently displayed in a

cabinet in reception for the

past 18 months and will soon

be moved to the Barry Room

alongside other donated

Persean works that form part of

the School’s growing collection.

There is a particular

charm in the connections

that are revealed by certain

Persean books. The cartoonist

Mel Calman (1949), whose

work was published in some

20 collections of his own as

well as in The Times, Sunday

Times, Sunday Telelgraph,

The Observer, the Evening

Standard and the Daily Express

also illustrated the work of

others including that of the

jazz musician, composer, music

journalist and author Spike

Hughes (1926). Spike Hughes

himself sent a copy of his book

Opening Bars: Beginning an

Autobiography to his former

Perse Headmaster, WHD

Rouse, who in response sent

Hughes a copy of his The Story

of Odysseus. We know of this

exchange from Dr Rouse’s letter

enclosing his gift to Hughes.

Both the letter and the copy

of Odysseus are now part of

the School’s collection.

Some juxtapositions in

display are at the same time

both natural and strange.

Books of two renowned literary

scholars, EMW Tillyard (1907)

and FR Leavis (1913), both,

in their different ways, major

promoters of the School of

English at Cambridge in its early

days, appear next to each other

on the Perse shelves. A logical

placing one would think, but

Tillyard seemed to mistrust the

effect of Leavis’ teaching and

Leavis, according to accounts,

seemed to blame Tillyard for

his early lack of preferment.

So, Leavis’ Education and the

University and Tillyard’s The

Muse Unchained, an Intimate

Account of the Revolution in

English Studies at Cambridge

are less comfortable bedfellows

than may at first appear.

A happier conjunction

can be found in books about

Brian Lister (1943) (Lister –

Jaguar, Brian Lister and the Cars

from Cambridge and Archie

and the Listers) and Sir Arthur

Marshall (1918) (The Marshall

Story, A Century of Wheels

and Wings) sitting alongside

Rodney Dale’s (1952) Halcyon

Days, Recollections of Post-war

Vintage Motoring.

We would be delighted

to receive additions to the

collection as we continue to

build our Persean library and

celebrate Perseans in print.

Outdoor photographer Hamish Frost (2006) had one of his photographs chosen for the front cover of the Winter 2016 edition of the British Mountaineering Council’s Summit magazine. More of Hamish’s work can be seen at hamishfrost.com.

Helen Petrovna (2006, neé Duckhouse) and Chris Hall (2009) are both skating into action for Andrew Lloyd-Webber as they perform in Starlight Express. The production in Bochum, Germany, has been performed continually since 1988 and has been seen by over 15 million people. Helen will be performing with the show until the end of May, when Chris will take over as a member of the show’s 29th cast!

Bob Eden (1959)

Retired Engineer, Health Department

of Victoria, Australia

I joined The Perse (5th Cambridge) Senior Scouts during 1956; Malcolm McFarlane welcomed me into the fold even though I was a bit younger than most of my peer group. In retrospect, getting into the Senior Scouts when I did was one of the best decisions I made whilst at The Perse! Malcolm (we always knew him as Max or MaxiFarlane) was a terrific scout leader since he encouraged everyone to strive to the best of their ability.

The 1957 Lake District camp had a base camp in Borrowdale near the bottom of Honister Pass. Preparation for mountain-walking included purchasing ex-army boots and bashing star-mugger and triconi 6 nails into the soles. Then lots of painful walking well beforehand to break-in these boots in a futile attempt to avoid massive blisters.

In 1958 the annual camp was held in the summer vacation on the Isle of Rhum. We were some of the first ‘public’ to go to Rhum after its sale to the Scottish National Trust. Max got us to make most of the arrangements and plan food for the whole expedition. (Rhum only had 20 inhabitants – the majority being children (!) – and no shops.) My task was to plan and book the train travel, and to hire a boat to take us, and all of our baggage, to Rhum. Early responsibility, but Max firmly believed that we were all capable of our allotted tasks. We didn’t let him down!

Memories of Rhum. Jagged peaks for challenging hikes, helping the Nature Conservancy to ring hundreds of Manx Shearwaters nesting on the cliffs of Askival and Hallival, setting up rain gauges across the island, assisting with some research deer-stalking activities, an incredible display of the Northern Lights, our mountain bell tents that proved incapable of excluding either the rain or the biting swarms of Scottish midges, and the experimental dehydrated foods that we had volunteered to test. Of the latter the lamb chops were the most

memorable. Even after soaking for 24 hours they still looked like the soles of army boots (and were about as tasty!).

During my final year Max invited me to become a patrol leader for a newly formed Air Patrol. Summer camp was to hike in the Pyrenees, a first 5th Cambridge venture abroad. However, with very conservative parents who believed that Britain had everything, and foreigners began at Dover, together with the cost of £18 which was more than I could raise, I nevertheless planned the group travel even though I was not going!

After leaving The Perse, I joined up with another OP, David Loades, who had just formed an experimental (and somewhat unofficial) Cambridge District Senior Scout group. David was Senior Scout Leader and I was assistant. Over the next five years we formed a District Rover Crew and I was awarded a somewhat rare Baden Powell Award. However, changes were afoot and in 1965 the traditional scout uniform disappeared and governance changed. I was selected as one of the 10 UK scout leaders to work for a summer on an American Scout camp as a camp councillor.

I attribute much of these activities and opportunities to Malcolm McFarlane. I still remember his words of advice. ‘It doesn’t matter how many sheep there are in New Zealand, head of cattle in Argentina or even lengths of rivers. Just remember three words and you will never go wrong in life. The three words are PEOPLE MATTER MOST.’ In all my global travels throughout my life this has been so prophetically true. You never know a country until you know the people in it. Thank you, Malcolm!

I was selected as one of the 10 UK scout leaders

to work for a summer on an

American Scout camp as a camp

councillor.

Outdoor

Pursuits

Feature

From the 5th Cambridge Scouts to the modern-day Perse Exploration Society.

Rob Minto (1990)

Digital Editor – Audience Engagement,

The Financial Times

It was the first postcard I had ever sent home. I was on my first major scout camp, away for 10 days in Scotland. ‘Dear Mum and Dad, I am very occasionally homesick’, it began. My mother still has the card, and claims it brings a tear to her eye 30 years on.

Looking back, it was a tough camp. It was wet, remote, and felt unending. Some of the older boys weren't being nice enough. I missed a trip because I was collecting wood. My best friend was in a patrol at the other end of the campsite. So why didn't I leave, the camp or Scouts altogether?

The reason was Richard Crabtree. As the Scout Master, he was inspirational. He was relentlessly positive, always pushing us to achieve more, try new things, to keep spirits up. I would have had to tell him that I was leaving. And that just

wasn't what you said to Richard. Not out of fear, but out of not wanting to let him down.

So instead I stayed. Eventually I became a patrol leader – my gang was Wolves – and it was the best decision I made in those years.

I looked forward to Scouts each week, learning new skills, making closer friends. We were given responsibility: painting our patrol corner, in charge of our equipment. The bond within the patrol across years was as important as the friendships in your own peer group.

And then there were the camps. The camps were what Scouts was really about. We weren't just handed things on a plate: we were challenged. We had to build a bivouac in the forest and sleep in it overnight. It had to be pretty water tight, as during the night one of the camp leaders came round and tipped a pail of water over it. We had to make fires, cook and clean our kitchen stuff, keep our area tidy and functioning. I remember wanting to make sure the first year boys were all right, knowing how tough it could be.

We were given long overnight hikes to negotiate in groups of three. We had a primus stove to cook our food on, a fumbling system that was lit with paraffin. We had to use our charm and courage to find a place to pitch a tent – I recall one old lady who let us use the back garden of her cottage, and even let us watch TV with her and use the loo.

Back at the main camp there were games, badges to earn, songs to sing. Coming back to base after an expedition felt like coming home. Going to real home was harder: hot water and a bed was a relief, TV was nice; but there were lots of adjustments – ceilings and homework, parents with questions. Camp was another world and I missed the freedom.

Through it all, Richard Crabtree was the rock. Being in Scouts wasn't for everyone: you had to get on board and show commitment. There was trust, and if you proved worthy of it, great rewards: friendship, outdoor experiences, belonging. Proper life lessons.

He was relentlessly positive, always pushing us to achieve more, try new things, to keep spirits up.

I learnt during my time in PES and the friendships I made. Some of my closest friends from The Perse I made during PES. I always loved spending time together in the evenings making dinner or playing endless rounds of card games and speed scrabble (a staple of any PES trip).

When I joined The Perse, I never would have thought I’d have achieved some of the things I had done by the time I left, whilst helping to raise thousands of pounds for various charity projects around the world. Each year as you move up the school, PES expects its members to do bigger and better things. Each year I started off thinking ‘there’s absolutely no way I could ever do that’, and each year I proved myself wrong. This has proved invaluable for me and my peers, particularly my female friends, and has taught us not to be held back by our possible lack of confidence. PES taught me that I was able to push myself further than my Year-9-self ever thought possible and to have the highest expectations of what I can achieve.

I always loved spending time together in the evenings making dinner or playing endless rounds

of card games and speed scrabble

Roisin Jackson (2015)

Student at Worcester College, Oxford

My time spent with PES makes up some of my fondest memories of The Perse. I was part of it from when I arrived at the school in Year 9 until Upper Sixth; during which time I walked the 152km Brecon Beacons Way, canoed in Sweden, climbed Mount Toubkal in Morocco and Stok Kangri in India. All of these trips have fostered in me a love of the outdoors which I’m sure will continue well into my adult life.

Over those 5 years, I learnt many practical skills such as how to light a fire, read a map, and most importantly put up/take down and fold a tent in the exact ‘PES-way’. These practical skills were invaluable on the trips I went on with PES and also when I’ve gone on to do my own trips. However, more important than these skills are the personal lessons

When I joined The Perse, I never

would have thought I’d have achieved some of the things I

had done by the time I left

2017 marks 20 years since the

first girls left The Perse, after

joining the Sixth Form in 1995.

Back then, the small number of

female pupils meant that girls’

sport was slow to get off the

ground. Girls’ hockey was taught

by chemistry teacher Gail Hague,

now Assistant Head (Welfare

and Admissions), with the help

of a couple of Sixth Form boys.

Despite having timetabled

games lessons, the boys were

given priority on the Astro

pitch, meaning that girls’ games

sessions had to take place at

lunchtime. Despite this setback,

girls were permitted to join the

mixed 4th XI hockey team in

1996. The team was undefeated

that season.

The girls took part in

their first ‘proper’ match against

The Leys in 1998. They wore the

old boys’ 3rd XI strip and played

on Parker’s Piece. With too few

girls to make up a full team,

they were joined by George

‘Georgina’ Heritage (2003) in

goal. Despite their best efforts,

the girls were ‘roundly thrashed’

by the Leys side.

Since then, girls’ sport

has come a long way at The

Perse. By the time Olympian

Glenn Kirkham arrived at the

School in 2006, The Perse was

enjoying modest success in

local tournaments. The netball

1st VII were county champions,

and the specialist coaching

provided by Glenn ensured that

the hockey teams were able to

win against strong competition

from local schools.

The girls embarked

on their first overseas tour to

South America in 2007, with

the girls’ hockey team joining 3

boys’ rugby teams for the tour.

Despite losing each of their 6

matches, the girls were treated

to champagne after Nicky

Bareham (2008) scored the

one and only Perse goal of the

tour! Ellie Thorne (2008, née

Herbert) remembers staying

at anestancia with ponies that

the girls could ride at any time

– without helmets! "It definitely

wouldn’t be allowed these days

but it was absolutely awesome

at the time", she said.

The next milestone

for girls’ sport was in 2009,

when the number of girls at

the School increased with

the arrival of girls at both

11+ and 13+, as well as in the

Sixth Form. The first Head of

Girls’ Games, Laura Broderick,

was also appointed, showing

the School’s commitment to

professionalism in coaching

the girls and equality of

opportunity. Little was known

about the sporting calibre of

the new girls, so most of the

early matches were against

the ‘C’ and ‘D’ teams of local

competitors. The Perse girls far

exceeded all expectations, with

the Year 9 netball team winning

the county tournament in their

first term.

Another landmark was

reached in 2014, with the girls’

cricket team playing a key match

on the 1st XI wicket. To ensure

that there were enough fixtures

to match the demand from the

girls, The Perse established a

girls’ cricket league in the same

year, providing more chances

to compete.

In recent years, girls’

sport has gone from strength

to strength. This year, the 1st XI

outdoor hockey team reached

the finals of the Investec

Schools Championship for Girls,

which took place at London’s

Olympic Park in March. Despite

losing out on the title, the girls

played some incredible hockey

at what U18 Indoor Hockey

Captain and Upper Sixth

student Tess Howard described

as the team’s biggest game.

Looking to the future,

the School is pleased to

be welcoming back Glenn

Kirkham as Head of Sport

from September 2017. With

such expert leadership and the

pupils’ talent and dedication it

will be exciting to see how far

girls’ sport at The Perse can go

in the next 20 years!

Girls’ Sport — Twenty Years On

Adrian Roberts writes:The tragic death of Jamie Gardiner in a climbing accident in Norway in January 2017 came as a devastating shock to all who knew him during his time at The Perse.

Loving the outdoor life from an early age, Jamie’s adventurous spirit found expression in his dedication to the Perse Exploration Society. He revelled in the challenges provided by PES British and overseas expeditions, and readily volunteered for leadership and organisational roles in them. One example of his initiative is that in the Ascent Group in Year 10 he was the first pupil to bring spreadsheets and full costings to the food-ordering process and used calorie calculations to justify a rise in food budget for camp. Many younger members were grateful for his willingness to share his know-how and give encouragement under tough conditions and it was typical of Jamie that he was prepared to give his time to PES activities even after he left school.

In the classroom Jamie was one of the intellectual leaders of his year. Possessed of a sharp intelligence and an articulate voice he excelled in all

academic pursuits, achieving outstanding examination results. He organised the Senior Debating Society and represented the school in ‘Youth Speaks’ and English Speaking Union competitions. Following meticulous preparation Jamie deservedly won a place to read History at St Hugh’s, Oxford. In 2016, whilst playing a leading role in college life, he gained a First.

Jamie’s strong work ethos, attention to detail and concern for others made him an ideal candidate for Head of School, where he proved to be a superb ambassador for The Perse, a respected role model and a sympathetic advocate of the interests of younger pupils. At Speech Day 2012 he gave a wickedly amusing presentation which included some well-judged humour poking fun at the Headmaster’s speed of delivery. Few would have opted for such a high-risk joke on a very public occasion and fewer still would have pulled it off.

The thoughts of the whole Perse community are with his family and friends. His sterling character and his enduring contribution to the School will not be forgotten. All those who knew him have been enriched by the experience.

JAMIE GARDINER 2013

The Class of 2013 remember Jamie:

Phil SansomI met Jamie as soon as I arrived in Year 9, and he rapidly became my best friend. I was a quiet kid, with few hobbies, but thanks to his constant enthusiasm, his interests quickly became mine. His unfettered enjoyment of Scouts was especially infectious. But Jamie never let himself be limited by the options available. When the number of school-organised trips wasn’t enough for him, he organised his own. I was amazed when in Year 11 he began to take me and other eager volunteers on his own expeditions: camping in nearby forests; hiking in the Peak District; and, after leaving The Perse, a demented voyage down the River Tweed in inflatable canoes. I feel privileged to have known him. He made so much of the person I am now, and I miss him every day.

Aoife CantrillJamie and I first became friends through our shared love of history. We both ended up at Oxford studying the subject, where our regular debriefs and gossip sessions were very much reminiscent of our A level years. I hold dear the time we spent laughing and bickering with each other and our friends. I will sorely miss the companionship and advice of such a wonderful friend.

Will FenbyJamie truly came into his own when cooking. Given his well-documented love of the outdoors, there can be no better setting for a cooking anecdote than the Scout Camp Cordon Bleu of 2009. Jamie’s main course was a masterful blend of literary extravagance and culinary ambition: pan-fried chicken breast in a white wine reduction served with crispy potato rosti. Needless to say he romped home to victory, in part no doubt due to his impressive diplomacy in sourcing so much wine aged 14. I believe this triumph sums up what was best about Jamie: ambitious, precocious, eloquent, eccentric and, ultimately, a fabulous source of anecdotes. He is and forever will be sorely missed.

Eloise WilsonMy favourite memory of Jamie was during rehearsals for the senior prefects’ dance. It was deemed that the boys would have their very own solo to Justin Bieber’s ‘Boyfriend’. Jamie was, as ever, keen to get stuck in and despite a slight lack of rhythm he proved he was a real mover and shaker, much to the delight of the crowd! He was a man well beyond his years and as I cycle past the Red Bull on visits home I’m often reminded of him. Please raise a glass to a wonderful young man who is gone but never forgotten.

Will AitchisonJamie's brilliant sense of mischief was a constant delight throughout school and university. Before starting our second year at Oxford we agreed to escape the looming libraries and head to Edale for a few days walking and camping. Food always first on the agenda, Jamie decided that we couldn't do without the PES fire pit to cook on. Michaelmas term at The Perse had not yet begun so, after a daredevil operation, the enormous pit was lashed to the roof rack and rearing to go. Will Fenby supplied a rabbit and a pheasant, and 8 hours later, camp struck and fire lit, a dinner was prepared worthy of the PES trips of old. Needless to say the fire pit was returned, looking all the better for its holiday up North. Alongside Jamie's remarkable achievements, I will remember him as the boyish and mischievous friend he was and will always be.

Maya KingIt is so hard to sum Jamie up in a few words or stories. One of my favourite memories was on a recent trip to Norfolk where Jamie - intrepid as ever - led the way through a river to explore the thick mud on the other side. We spent hours having child-like mud fights and 'how deep can you get your foot' competitions. Jamie was so full of life, passionate for adventure and partial to a good deep chat along the way. Not to mention his excellent (and occasionally brutal) sense of humour. But it is his profound kindness and thoughtful nature I will remember him by and miss him for most.

Obituaries Old Perseans / Spring / Summer 2017

RICHARD TRILLWOOD1953

Brian Hunt (1955) writes:Richard Trillwood and I first met in 1943 when we entered the first year of the Perse Preparatory School. I particularly remember him in our Perse days for his large repertoire of novelty songs and imitations of people, accents and noises. He was a member of the CCF in which he took up target shooting and represented The Perse in the National Championships at Bisley. He left The Perse in 1953 to start an engineering apprenticeship during which he studied at the Cambridge College of Arts and Technology and received a B.S. in electrical engineering.

Richard was a keen motorcyclist which put him in Addenbrooke’s Hospital for a few days following an accident – a lucky accident as it turned out because it was there that he met his future wife, Pat, who was a registered nurse. They were married in 1958.

In 1968, Richard made a bold and pivotal step in his career: he started a business (Wentgate Engineers Ltd.) manufacturing electron beam (EB) welders. The initial machine was designed in Richard’s back bedroom and was the world’s first small-chamber EB welder. Wentgate’s business in the USA led to Richard, Pat, and three of their four children moving to Southern California in the early 1980s where he soon started an EB welding business. Today, Electron Beam Engineering, Inc. employs 15 people in Anaheim, California and is run by his family.

It was Pat and Richard’s move to California, where I was working in aerospace, which reunited us, thanks to the Old Persean database: we have been close friends ever since. Richard was proud to be an engineer and was a widely acknowledged expert in electron beam welding. He told me that he had visited The Perse in recent years and was delighted to talk with some of the students about his entrepreneurial experiences. In addition, he was a philanthropist with a close interest in the support of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, stimulated by his special needs daughter, Frances. He was also an active leader in the local Episcopal Church. Above all, Richard was devoted to his family. He is survived by his wife Pat, children Mark, Grant, Hilary and Frances, and by seven grandchildren. He died of cancer on 6 December 2016.

TONY BILLINGHURST

David Jones writes: Tony Billinghurst, who has died aged 91, was the last of his generation of long-serving Perse masters. He taught French and contributed enormously to games, the Scouts, the CCF and the Old Persean Society.

Tony was born on 15 January 1925 and educated at Rutlish School and, after National Service in the RAF, King’s College, London. He joined The Perse in 1952 and remained until retirement in 1990. He was instrumental in establishing French exchange trips and initiated the idea of 13+ entry in 1982.

His contribution outside the classroom was huge. He was housemaster of Northwold House (1975–89) and CCF Contingent Commander (1965–90) with the rank of Wing Commander; he was awarded the OBE in 1991 for his services. The Scouting Association’s Medal of Merit recognised his work for the Scouts. As master i/c cricket he established the annual Perse v MCC fixture; he continued to play for the Old Perseans when in his seventies. In the 1950s he revitalised the Old Persean Rugby Club under the name Perse Wanderers. By the mid-1960s they were an almost unbeatable side with an impressive fixture list.

Tony led Perse expeditions to Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Spitsbergen, preceded by CCF Arduous Training expeditions to North Wales and the Cairngorms. His interest in polar exploration was evident in his extensive library. In retirement he translated JB Charcot’s Towards the South Pole, the explorer’s account of the first French Antarctic expedition 1903–05 (published by the Scott Polar Institute in 2004).

Tony was a remarkable all-rounder with boundless energy and enthusiasm. Countless pupils and staff owe their interests to the spark first ignited by him. He and his wife Jeannine made Northwold House a centre of hospitality. His fish soup and lavish gin-and-tonics were famous. At the wheel of his Daimler, in evening dress, he looked impeccably distinguished, yet this was the same man who in his fifties could engage in a soda-siphon duel with his house tutor or join in the infamous Cushion Dance with great gusto. He had a ready turn of humour and non-malicious wit: there was nothing pompous or self-important about him, but few people have given so much to the School or have been central to it for so long.

Old Perseans remember Tony:

Simon Winfield (1978)Many a scary ride in the Ford Transit, pointing out terminal moraines with one hand while trying to stay on winding narrow Scottish roads with the other. Wonderful energetic passionate man.

Graham Cooper (1957)My most amusing recollection was Tony teaching us the French drinking song ‘Chevaliers de la Table Ronde’. At some point in our croaking – I like to think it was the couplet ‘J’en boirai cinq ou six bouteilles, une femme sur les genoux’ – Stanley Stubbs appeared and forbade further such disreputable singing. Tony’s friendly, un-teacherly, time-for-all attitude instilled confidence in us – and lingers today.

Mark Saggers (1977)He was always late for French which suited me fine – always there for cricket which was even better! He cared, loved left arm spinners and the Scouts. Thank you, Tony.

Christopher Chao (1988)Mr Billinghurst was the Master of Northwold House, where I lived for three years between '82 and '85, as well as my French teacher. He will be fondly remembered. He was truly a great teacher but more importantly, a good man.

Charles Clayton (1975)I think that the influence Tony Billinghurst had on me and my contemporaries at school was very profound. He gave us an introduction to a world quite different from that of our everyday experience. For many of us, this involvement with the outdoors has been a major theme of our lives.

ROLAND WASS

Alastair Wass (1983) writes:Roland was born in Balby, Doncaster in 1928 to loving parents Doris (known as Edith) and Ernest. He was an only child, and spent a happy childhood in South Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire.

Educated at Doncaster Grammar School during the war, Roland gained a Manchester University scholarship to read chemical engineering in 1946. He always spoke with enthusiasm and great affection of his school years. He derived continued pleasure from the Old Danensians Club where he forged many lifelong friendships.

After 3 years at university, he undertook National Service in the Royal Navy. Thereafter, he embarked on a successful career as a chemical engineer. Whilst working in Derby he met Mary, an occupational therapist. They married in 1959 in Long Whatton, before moving to Teeside.

In 1970, Roland was appointed chief engineer at W R Grace Ltd, St Neots. Shortly afterwards he began his association with The Perse when his two sons started at the Prep. He transferred his affection, loyalty and enthusiasm for his old school to The Perse. Ever-present on the touchline or walking around the boundary rope, he supported the Parents’ Association and became a School governor.

Roland enjoyed six summers during the 1980s watching First XI and Pelicans cricket. He shared the frustrations of Doug Collard, Tony Billinghurst and the boys when inclement weather interrupted play. He made a pair of wheeled covers for the school cricket square in his work-shop before assembling them on the lawn at home in Barton. Inspired by his initial success, when the old wooden sight-screens were destroyed, he designed and constructed replacements. They remain in use to this day.

Roland retired in 1990 to care for Mary. They celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary shortly before her death in 2009.

An enthusiastic, capable gardener and keen sea angler, his lifelong passions were for Manchester United FC and England Cricket. Described by those who knew him as a kind, cheerful character whose cup of life was never half empty, he remained independent, proud and generous to the end. He faced a short battle with pancreatic cancer with dignity and bravery. He leaves Alastair and Chris, his two sons, and Matthew, his only grandson.

A Memorial Service for Tony will be held on

16 September 2017. More details to follow.

More obituaries online

This list was up-to-date when we went to

print. Obituaries may be read in full on the

website perse.co.uk/alumni

Ablett, John George (1952) died 18 March 2017, aged 83 years

Freedman, Dennis Jack (1940) died summer 2016, aged 93 years

Gray, Russell William (1947) died December 2016, aged 87 years

Holmes, Michael John (1951) died 16 January 2017, aged 84 years

Miller, Michael Myer (1954) died February 2017, aged 81 years

Reis, Hubert Gordon Ralph (1955) died 20 March 2016, aged 78 years

Sutton, Simon Travers (1992) died September 2016, aged 43 years

Twiselton, John Anthony (1949) died 26 September 2016, aged 85 years

WILLIAM ‘JOHN’ KESTEVEN1960

Pamela Kesteven writes:John began life at The Perse in the prep school with a rather inauspicious start, as he absconded back home his first day and was promptly returned by his father!

John grew to love The Perse, staying until the end of Sixth Form. He excelled at sport; he captained the school hockey team for 2 years, played rugby for Cambridgeshire Schools and hockey and cricket for Suffolk Schools. He had an England schoolboys’ hockey trial and played for the Cambridgeshire adult side whilst still at school. Later he played for Surrey, Warwickshire (where he captained the side) and Berkshire. He was told that had he stayed in Surrey, he would almost certainly have gone to the Tokyo Olympics as part of the GB Hockey Team. Dutch newspapers described John as "the best hockey player never to have played for his country". Sadly, John's sporting days came to a sudden halt, when he underwent a major back operation.

John went to London to do a combined degree in Maths and Science with a view to a career in teaching. He started his teaching days at Solihull School, then a trial school for Nuffield Science. He thoroughly enjoyed teaching there and the experience proved invaluable. He then gained a post at Garth Hill School, Bracknell, Berkshire, a school wanting to introduce Nuffield Science.

John rose to be Deputy Head of one of the largest comprehensives in the country. To fit in better with his Deputy Head duties, John switched to the teaching of Maths, and relished this. When he died, Pam, his wife, received so many cards from pupils past and present (as John continued to teach at home up until the week he passed away) saying what a brilliant teacher he was and how much he had helped students – ‘the best ever’.

John and Pam first met aged 14 on an exchange twinning between Newmarket and Maisons-Laffitte (France). They married in 1966 and had two children, David and Fiona; they now have two grandchildren.

John stayed close friends with two Perseans in particular: Ian Islip and David Greenwood. Ian sadly died of a brain tumour nearly thirty years ago, and David passed away last year. John died very suddenly of heart failure in October 2016, leaving a gap in the lives of many people, especially his family.

LORD ALDERDICE LECTURE

On Wednesday 1 March, Lord John Alderdice

came to the School to give a topical and

thought-provoking lecture on ‘Fundamentalism,

Radicalisation and Terrorism – Making War,

Making Peace, and Making Sense’. Drawing on his

background in psychiatry and his varied political

career, Lord Alderdice considered how human

psychological development could impact on how

large groups of people behave. A write-up of this

lecture can be found at perse.co.uk/recent-lectures.

HONG KONG/SINGAPORE

It was a great pleasure to visit alumni and

friends in Asia in February. We were yet again

very warmly welcomed so far away from

home. OPs enjoyed meeting old friends and

making new ones over delicious dinners hosted

generously by Sir David Tang (1973) in Hong

Kong and Somerton Sio (2006) in Singapore.

These were great opportunities not only to

reminisce about The Perse past but also to

engage in interesting discussions about what

the future holds in store for our School.

EDINBURGH

We held our third reunion for OPs in Scotland on

Saturday 18 March, which was an intimate gathering

of alumni at Bon Vivant in Edinburgh. We enjoyed

delicious cuisine and interesting conversation, which

included many memories of life at The Perse, as well

as thought-provoking discussion of topics relating

to OPs’ far-reaching expertise and careers, from

economics to engineering.

OP SPORTS FESTIVAL

On 1 April we welcomed back almost 200 OPs and

spectators for our largest alumni sports event to

date. The morning action saw the OP team win at

basketball, alongside 2 wins each for the School

and alumni sides in football. The School teams won

the netball (33-23) and girls’ hockey (5-0), once

again showing why they deserved their place in

the National Finals. The OP boys fielded 2 hockey

teams, made up of ‘older’ and ‘younger’ OPs.

The ‘older’ OPs reached a 2–2 draw against the

current boys’ 1st XI, before beating the ‘younger’

OPs 3–2. The ‘younger’ Old Perseans then fought

back against the 1st XI to win the match 2–0.

The afternoon also saw 2 Old Persean sides go

head-to-head in the Hugh Vodden Cup match.

For the second year in a row it was the Over 21s

who were victorious, and so it was Captain Joe

Sherrington-Scales (2012) who collected the

trophy from current Head of Rugby, Liam St John.

Recent Events

Old Perseans and Friends

@OldPerseans

Old Perseans

Upcoming Reunion Dinners2017/8 1994 – 19982018/9 1970 – 19792018/9 1999 – 2004

Perse Business Network ReceptionThursday 8 June 20176pm – 8pm, Mills & Reeve, Cambridge. By invitation.

Benefactors’ Reception Saturday 17 June 201712.30pm, The Perse.By invitation.

1977 ReunionSaturday 24 June 2017A special reunion organised by Jo Whitehead (1977).For more information please contact the Alumni & Development Office

Doug Collard’s Cricket SpecialSunday 25 June 2017Play from 11.00am, The Perse. Bring a picnic. Open to all.

Memorial Service for Tony BillinghurstSaturday 16 September 2017Time TBC, The Perse.Open to all. Further details to follow.

For more informationPlease visit perse.co.uk/alumni/events or contact the Alumni & Development Office by telephone on +44 (0) 1223 403 808 or email PerseADO@perse.co.uk

UpcomingEvents

Out of School Twenty years on… - The Perse School · sports hall, ICT suites and soon ... Ed...

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