A36030 Aldenhamania:ALDENHAMIANA28.QXD …€™S LETTER It has been another busy year and an...

No. 37 | October 2009

Published by THE OLD ALDENHAMIAN SOCIETYAldenham School, Elstree, Hertfordshire WD6 3AJ, EnglandEmail: [email protected] www.oldaldenhamian.org Tel: 01923 858122

Aldenhamiana

Verity Gosden (P2007-09) with the School Corps Bass Drum

A36030 Aldenhamania:ALDENHAMIANA28.QXD 30/9/09 12:51 Page 1

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

It has been another busy year and an excellent one for theSociety with a series of well-attended events, yet againshowing the commitment of OAs to both the Society and theSchool. Further, the ongoing series of OA regional lunchescontinues, the most recent near Marlborough in May;additionally, a number of OAs and their partners attended anOA Oxford Dinner at Wadham College, also in May. The nextregional lunch is planned for Wednesday 14th October inBury St Edmunds. As before, the “Aldenham.Net” initiativecontinues, providing OAs working and living in or near Londonwith the opportunity to network in an informal atmosphere. Themost recent event took place in June at Battlers Green Farm,Radlett, hosted by Paul Haworth (P71-73). Earlier in the year,in March, a similar event took place in the Civil Service Club,London, courtesy of Indra Sikdar (S85-90) who is a memberof the Club. The next “Aldenham.Net” event is planned forMonday 9th November, at the Albannach Restaurant, 66

Trafalgar Square; John Rimer (P56-60) has kindly helped toarrange this. Please contact Molly Barton or Jackie Wilkie atthe OA & Development Office for further details and the datesfor any events, although they are always posted on the OAwebsite just as soon as possible.

As in recent years, I am glad to say that the Society remainson a sound financial footing and continues to move forward inthese challenging times. Our membership level remainsstrong, although, as I have mentioned in earlier letters,changes at the School over recent years mean that theCommittee continues to review the OA Society’s membershippolicy in order to ensure the best take-up of membership bythose leaving the School. This aspect was again discussed atthe Society’s Annual General Meeting in March and is stillunder review, together with the Society’s Constitution,although the complexities of the work in a period of nationaleconomic uncertainty have caused the Committee to progressmatters more cautiously than was originally intended.

As ever, the major event for 2009 has been OA Day onSunday 21st June, which included a Gaudy lunch for the150 OAs and guests who attended, most of whom werefrom School House Odds & Evens - in old-speak - orRidings & Leeman’s - in new-ish speak! As is tradition, theday began with an enjoyable Chapel Service, a Receptionon Shilling Green, at which the Headmaster, James

Fowler, and your President welcomed those present. Thiswas followed by an excellent lunch in the Dining Hall. OAslater had access to most of the School and, as in previousyears, it was nice to hear many of those present saying thatthey had hugely enjoyed the day, for which much creditmust inevitably go to the OA & Development Office team. Itwas also good to see members of the OA sports clubspresent, especially the OA Football Club, which hasdistinguished itself by gaining promotion to the PremierDivision of the Arthurian League. More about thisachievement elsewhere in this edition of Aldenhamianaand on the OAFC’s website.

OAs who were at the School during the 1950s, especiallythose in School House, will be sad to learn of the death inJuly of Peter Geoffrey Mason (Headmaster, 1949-61).Many who were at the School then will recall that he leftAldenham in 1961, after a very successful 12 years at thehelm, to assume the prestigious academic appointment of

High Master of Manchester Grammar School. A copy of thetribute given at the Service of Thanksgiving for his Life byhis friend and former colleague Arthur Hearnden (CR59-

67) is also to be found in this edition of Aldenhamiana.

The next major event will be the OA Dinner at the School onFriday 20th November, at which the Headmaster, James

Fowler, will again be our principal guest and speaker. Youwill find elsewhere an application form and you will see that,as hitherto, tickets are available at subsidised prices, inparticular for the under 30’s! However, depending upon howmany attend, this may unfortunately have to be the last ofthe ‘annual’ dinners. I therefore hope that many of you willcome and that some of the OA sporting clubs will make upa table - or two - from their members.

This will be my last ‘President’s Letter’, as I hand over themantle at the AGM next March after seven enjoyable yearsin the role. My successor as President will be Neil

Sutherland (B66-70), a distinguished ex-soldier andbusinessman. The Society will be in excellent hands underhis leadership. My grateful thanks must therefore go to allmembers, past and present, of the Society’s Committee fortheir unstinting support during my Presidency, andespecially to Molly Barton & Jackie Wilkie of the OA &Development Office. I am also very grateful to Trevor

Barton (K71-75), who continues to edit and produceAldenhamiana. My gratitude also extends to theHeadmaster, James Fowler, together with his academicand support teams, without whose understanding andwilling cooperation the Committee’s work would be almostimpossible.

Mike Taylor

HEADMASTER’S LETTER

Dear OAs,I write to you having just returned from the funeral for PeterMason, one of my most distinguished predecessors asHeadmaster. It was extremely touching that ArthurHearnden, one of Peter’s most successful appointments tothe Common Room, should have been asked to give anaddress at the service and, as he reminded thecongregation, Peter’s great distinction as a Classicalscholar attracted a number of distinguished academics tothe staff and the pupil body in the 1950s. Yet he alsoensured that the school was extremely well able to punchabove its weight in the major sports. It was clearly a greatera for the school and I know many of you will want to passon your sympathies to his widow and daughters.

Arthur also pointed out to the congregation that Peter hadfound it very difficult to recreate the “community” ofAldenham when he moved on to be High Master ofManchester Grammar School for 17 years, and I can onlyimagine that the sense of feeling created at Aldenhamwould be hard to replicate in an urban day schoolenvironment. That sense of community has been evidentin all the events for OAs which I have attended over the lastsix months – our lunch for those who gave to the theatreappeal, a successful OA luncheon in Wiltshire, evensong inWadham College, Oxford sung by the school choir followedby a dinner for OAs who went to university in Oxford, theirguests and others, two Aldenham.net events hosted by

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Indra Sikdar (SH85-90) and Paul Haworth (P71-73) andthe wonderfully well attended School House Gaudy on OADay itself which was blessed by glorious June weather.

I am also able to send you greetings from the Far Eastwhich I was visiting on behalf of HMC as a delegate to theCouncil Meeting and Convention of the InternationalConference of Principals early in July. Charlotte and I tookthe opportunity to hold a dinner for OAs in Singapore on 7thJuly, and then on the following evening were part of aspectacular gathering of OAs and their guests in KualaLumpur. We were greatly honoured that the only currenthead of state who to my knowledge is an OA – Tuanku

Muhriz (SHO62-66) was able to join us for the evening andit was a great opportunity for me to meet with a mostdistinguished cohort of Malaysians who have been part ofthe school over the years.

By my calculation around a quarter of all the MalaysianOAs were able to attend the event and, whilst I know that itwill be impossible for us to expect that level of turnout at theOA Dinner on Friday 20th November, I hope that I will beable to welcome many of you to the school on that eveningwhen you will certainly be very well fed and watered. Ofcourse if you find any other time when you can pay us avisit, a call to the OA Office in advance should ensure thatyou will be well looked after.

With kind regards

James Fowler

A Level ResultsThe results for the year group who completed their A Levelsin 2009 are shown below. As a result of these results thestudents were able to gain places at universities for furtherstudy (75% to their first choice university). These includeMatthew Edbrooke with 4 A grades and Adrian Bliss, OliverColeman and Ben Robbins with 3 A grades. Students willbe studying at top universities across the country includingBirmingham, Durham, Edinburgh, Leeds, London,Nottingham, Reading and Surrey.

We are pleased that they were able to achieve these verygood results.

GCSE ResultsAldenham pupils were able to celebrate extremelysuccessful results at the end of Y11. 23 of the year groupgained 5 or more A*/A grades with the top performers beingAlkesh Rajani (11 A/A*), Alexander Grable (10A*/A), FelixHoh, Stephen Kemp, Joanna Ramsey, Marcus Selvadurai,and Oscar Watkins (9 A*/A). The school as a whole wasable to record that 29% of all GCSEs taken were gradedeither A* or A against the national figure of 19% (JCQ). 87%of all the exams were graded A* - C. These results are atestament to the work of all the pupils and teachersinvolved. The majority of these students will proceed tostudy A Levels at the school and will hopefully be equallysuccessful in completing those more demandingqualifications over the next two years.

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A Level Grade 2009Grade Boys Boys (%) Girls Girls (%) Total Pupils Total (%)

A 36 19 3 12 39 18

B 52 28 4 16 56 26

C 45 24 9 36 54 25

D 30 16 6 24 36 17

E 17 9 2 8 19 9

Entries 188 25 213

Points/Candidate 233 220 231


A 36 19 8 32 44 20

B 42 22 8 32 50 23

C 57 30 6 24 63 29

D 31 16 3 12 34 16

E 16 8 0 0 16 7

Entries 191 25 216

Points/Candidate 240 303


A 46 24 10 40 56 26

B 35 18 6 24 41 19

C 27 14 3 12 30 14

D 24 13 2 8 26 12

E 22 12 0 0 22 10

Entries 156 21 177

Points/Candidate 276 309


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authorities on complex aspects of dentistry, to sitting as arenowned judge in matters of Intellectual Property law. Iam most grateful to those who take the time and trouble towrite obituaries, and make no apology for keeping theediting of some of the obituaries we source fromnewspapers and journals to a minimum – I find itfascinating what our Aldenhamian colleagues achieve intheir lifetimes, and hope you do too!

Once again, we celebrate Aldenham life and the OA familyin “glorious technicolour”, with many photos of the variousevents which have taken place over the last year to bringfriends from all the generations together, also to add spiceto the reports of some great sporting successes by OAs.As I regularly write, if you have any photos of your time atthe School that you think would be interesting, informativeor just plain amusing for us to feature, please send them tothe OA office – if only on loan. They will be looked afterand, if you request, will be returned!

I hope you enjoy this Aldenhamiana.

Trevor Barton

GCSE Grade 2009Aldenham National

Grade Pupils Average

A* 7.70% 6.30%

A 21.30% 13.10%

B 32.90% 19.10%

C 25% 25.80%

D/E/F/G 13.20% 35.70%



A* 7.80% 6.70%

A 26.80% 13.90%

B 30.50% 19.80%

C 23.60% 25.10%

D/E/F/G 11.30% 34.50%



A* 4.70% 5.40%

A 23.50% 11.50%

B 31.30% 17.50%

C 28.70% 25.30%

D/E/F/G 11.90% 40.30%

EDITOR’S NOTES

As you will note from our evocative cover photo, featuringone of our youngest OAs, the School Corps bass drumfeatures large (could it be otherwise?) in this edition. Delvedeeper into the pages which follow, and you will find thatOAs of a variety of generations have been inspired by thephoto, which originally appeared in “Aldenham Today”, towrite in with further photos of the drum and those who haveproudly marched with it, adding their reminiscences.Another symbol of the School - the Eros statue – alsoappears in this edition, along with the OAs who arranged itsreplacement when the original was stolen.

Another notable feature of Aldenhamiana this time is anumber of fascinating and inspiring obituaries. As always,it is very sad to learn of deaths of OAs, but it is mostinteresting to receive and review the obituaries which aresent in, often by friends made at Aldenham and kept for life.In this edition of Aldenhamiana, not only do wecommemorate the life of Peter Mason, but we also have theopportunity to learn of the lives of other OAs who achievedmuch in a number of diverse fields – from deck landings onaircraft carriers in WWII, to becoming one of the foremost


School WebsiteHave you seen the School Website www.aldenham.com? The newest feature is a direct link to the new Aldenham

Digital Weather Station bought with a generous OA donation to the Aldenham Annual Fund. Click on the Today’sWeather button and see what the weather is at Aldenham! There is a section for Old Aldenhamians with an events

calendar, reports of OA events, links to the OA website and lots and lots of pictures of your old School.

OA BOW TIE

Thinking of attending the OA Dinner? Want to look your best and impress your friends from

School? You should definitely purchase an OA Bow Tie. The latest in sartorial elegance, and

affordably priced.

Price £10.50 + £1.00 p&p

Order with a cheque made payable to Aldenham School Enterprises Ltd, sent to the OA Office at

the School address or order by phone with a credit card on 01923 851660. Or come to the School

Shop, Monday to Friday during term time.

Get your order in…in plenty of time before the Dinner!

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

2009Wednesday 14th October 2009 Regional Lunch in Bury St Edmunds.

Monday 9th November 2009 Aldenham.net, 6.30 pm, in the Albannach Restaurant,

66 Trafalgar Square.

Friday 20th November 2009 OA Annual Dinner at the School – see flyer in this Aldenhamiana.

Saturday 21st November 2009 OAs v School Football Matches

Kick off 2.00 pm. Followed by tea.

Wednesday 9th December 2009 School Carol Service in St Albans Abbey at 7.00 pm – if you would

like to attend contact the OA Office.

2010Wednesday 10th March 2010 OA AGM – see flyer in this Aldenhamiana

Sunday 27th June 2010 OA Day featuring a Gaudy Reunion for Beevor’s House –

see flyer in this Aldenhamiana

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Ladies and GentlemenIf you would like to join the OA Society Committee (and volunteers would be warmly received) please contact the

new Honorary Secretary, Frank Rogers, whose details appear at the back of Aldenhamiana.

OLD ALDENHAMIAN GOLFING SOCIETY

Grafton Morrish (Qualifier)10 May at Royal Ashdown Forest

Result: Qualified for Finals with 80 points

Team: R Grun & J Bloomfield 30 points

SGO Williams & M Deverell 21 points

N Corbett & RA Alter 29 points

The Mellin Salver3 July v Mill Hill at West Hill

Result: Lost ½ – 2½

Team: I Wilson-Soppitt & JDL Yule Lost

ND Melvill & RJ Morris Lost

PJ Easby & & IR Eggleden Halved

The Mellin Plate3 July v Lancing at West Hill

Result: Lost ½ – 2½

Team: I Wilson-Soppitt & JDL Yule Lost

ND Melvill & RJ Morris Lost

PJ Easby & & IR Eggleden Halved

The Peter Burles Salver2 July v Mill Hill at West Hill

Result: Lost (after play-off)

Team: RRWB Cooke & JJ Irwin Won

RC Chaventre & NR Prevost Lost

2 July v Lancing at West Hill

Result: Lost 0 - 2

Team: RRWB Cooke & JJ Irwin Lost

RC Chaventre & NR Prevost Lost

The Bunny Millard Salver2 July at West Hill

Result: Qualified with 21 points

Team: RJ Coombes & RHG Hoff

3 July v Cranleigh at West Hill (Semi-Final)

Result: Lost (1 down)

RJ Coombes & RHG Hoff

Match v Old Leysians12 May at Brookmans Park

Result: Won 3 - 0

Match Over 30's v School/Under 30's1 July at Porters Park

Result: Under 30s beat Over 30s 2 - 1


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OAFC Meeting26 March at Betchworth Park

Winner: Alex Henchley (37 pts)

Spring Meeting23 April at West Hill

Winners:

Spring Challenge Cup WH Gamble (67)

Scratch Prize R Grun (74)

Stableford Prize PJ Murphy (36 pts)

President's Cup RD Hall & K Whittaker (35 pts)

Summer Meeting21 July at Ashridge

Winners:

Ian Greig Trophy WH Gamble (67)

Scratch Prize SGO Williams (74)

Stableford Prize NO Holt (37 pts)

Laurence Latter Trophy K Whittaker & JDL Yule (41 pts)

Other MeetingsThe Grafton Morrish Finals were held at Hunstanton on Friday 25 September – at the time of submitting this report this

had not been played – and further events open to all members include the Autumn Meeting at Beaconsfield on Friday 18

September. The Captain’s Invitation Day is at The Berkshire on Thursday 22 October.

We also play friendly matches against other schools, some in the afternoon, some all day and some at weekends. They

are not so much of a competition as a social event and a lot of fun is had by all who attend, whatever their handicaps. We

are always keen to welcome new members of all ages and handicaps so if you are interested, contact the Hon. Secretary

whose details you will find at the back of Aldenhamiana.

Have you ever thought of getting married at Aldenham?

The School is now licensed to hold Marriages and Civil

Ceremonies in the Dining Hall, Library, Whitbread Room,

Theatre and Sports Hall.

It is also licensed to hold other celebratory ceremonies

such as baby naming, re-affirmation of vows, citizenship

ceremonies and civil funerals.

If you, or any family or friends might be interested in

holding a celebration at the School, please contact

David Mead for more information.

Tel: 01923 851660 or email [email protected]

Rev’d Daniel Bond, the School Chaplain, would also like

OAs, considering a Wedding, Baptism or other

celebration in Church, to know, “It is an absolute joy to

invite OAs back to the School Chapel to celebrate new

chapters in their lives”. If you would like to use to use the

chapel as a venue for a celebration service please feel

free to contact the chaplain.

Tel: 01923 851636 or email [email protected].

GETTING MARRIED?


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HALFORD HEWITT 2008

Thank you to Peter Easby (S62-66) for his report below of this very important golfing event, and also to Tim Stranack

(S52-56), who kindly supplied the photos.

The annual Public Schools Old Boys Golf event – the

Halford Hewitt – was won again this year by Tonbridge at

Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club, Deal, Kent. Tonbridge have

a very strong and experienced team and are always difficult

to beat.

Aldenham fielded its strongest ever 10 man team with 5

people playing off scratch or better. We were particularly

delighted to welcome Matt Wallace who left school last year

and plays off plus 1. The quality of the team this year was

such that a trial was needed to fill the last place in the team

and this was allocated to Michael Deverell, who made a

most creditable start to his Halford Hewitt career after a few

near misses in previous years.

We had 31 people at Deal this year and were able to stage

a House Match at Princes Golf Club between School House

(aka Leeman’s) and Kennedy’s vs, Beevor’s/McGill’s and

Paull’s. The result was a glorious victory for School House

& Kennedy’s by 7 matches to 1. The prize for the victors was

that the losers bought the wine at lunch!

On the next day battle proper commenced and we were

drawn to play against Chigwell. The team ran out victors in

a close match by 4-1. The team was:

Joel Bloomfield and Richard Grun

Shon William and Michael Deverell

Rob Alter and David Rawlinson

Matt Wallace and Jason Clemow

Nick Corbett and Simon Radin

In the second round we played Lancing (whom we played

and beat last year in an exciting match). Both schools are

well matched and we had another very close match. We

seemed to be getting the upper hand in the final holes until

we had a series of mishaps on and around the greens. 4

out of the 5 matches went to the 18th hole, but sadly 3 putts

in the third match on the deciding 19th hole gave Lancing

their revenge by 3 ½ to 1 ½. We witnessed some excellent

golf by both sides – the team were a real credit to

Aldenham.

The team for the second round was:

Rob Alter and David Rawlinson

Joel Bloomfield and Richard Grun

Shon William and Michael Deverell

Matt Wallace and Jason Clemow

Nick Corbett and Simon Radin

Non Playing Captain Peter Easby

It was great to see our rookies do so well. Matt Wallace

won both of his matches in some style and Michael

Deverell won his match against Chigwell!

It was a disappointment not beating Lancing, but everyone

was quite clear that we now have a quite excellent team

and will surely do well in future years. There are very few

teams who have 5 players of scratch or better! Thanks to

the foresight and generosity of some of the older players

(and indeed many now no longer with us) we have built up

a small fund to subsidise the younger players as they leave

school – this has proved invaluable over the years as we

build a young team. Our superb band of supporters now

really do have something to shout about!

If anyone is interested in joining the Golf Society or joining

us for the Halford Hewitt as a spectator – they should

contact either Ian Eggleden

([email protected]) or Peter Easby

([email protected])


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OA FOOTBALL CLUB

The 2008/2009 season was one of the best in recent OA

History. The 1st XI was promoted to the Premier League

and the 2nd XI narrowly missed promotion. The OA

Football Club has a brilliant new website designed by

Patrick Harding (L97-02). You will find it at

www.oldaldenhamianfc.com, or go to www.aldenham.com

and follow the link from Old Aldenhamians Sport.

1st X1 Team Review by Paul Hubbard (P92-97)

“At Last! Aldenham are finally at their rightful place in the

Premier League. After 12 years of hard work, near misses

and frustration, the 2008-2009 season will go down in Old

Aldenhamian history. There was a different mentality about

the club, after finishing third three seasons in a row, and

narrowly missing by a point one season. It seemed that it

was all or nothing this year. A lot of effort went into pre-

season and weekly training and I am pleased to say that

the sacrifice paid off.

“I would like to reserve special thanks to Nick Baker, who

as manager of the Seconds keeps developing youngsters

and turning players into dedicated club members. His

enthusiasm is so contagious that it is impossible not to care

about football when around him. Also many thanks to

Patrick Harding who has taken on the role of Fixtures

Secretary, which can be a thankless task but is a crucial

one. His effort throughout the season never let up and paid

dividends come the end of the season, especially the last

match. And finally to Matthew Butcher, who as Captain of

the 1st XI can truly say that he led his team to the

Premiership. His hard work organising and taking training,

coupled with his desire to win on the pitch, paved the way

for the remaining players and set the standard for future

aspiring players.

“The season started brightly - for at least 45 minutes

anyway. We had our most challenging away fixture at

Winchester. We played Wykehamists off the park in the first

half. Our movement was quick and passing was crisp, and

at half time we were shocked to only be 0-1 up. Then we

broke down. We became

over run in the middle and

lost our shape. We were

losing 50:50s, and being

second to every ball. We held

and held but the inevitable

happened - two quick goals,

one from a floated free kick

and the other breaking the offside trap. This would become

the memory that drove us forward. Knowing that we gave

three points away so cheaply hurt and inspired us to fight

and battle for that moment on.

“With the league on our mind we went out of the two cup

competitions early. We started strongly, winning our next

six games. Games of note were a very good win against

Tonbridge away, where Chris the keeper made countless

point blank saves, and with Shafs delivery we finished on

top after some good finishing from Pat. In another home

match against Radley we played some of the best pass and

move football I have ever seen Aldenham play – we

dominated from the start and finished 1-5 victors with a

superb 40 yard goal from Nick. And finally the grittiest game

of the season was away to Haileybury. In the rain and the

mud we battled for 90 minutes. We scored in the final five

minutes of the match to take the three points which could

have rightfully gone either way. A debut from Owen saw

him hitting the sweetest volley from 25 yards only to see it

ricochet narrowly passed the post. It was at this point I

started to get excited about the winning the league – not

only had we won games playing pretty football but we could

also grind out a victory through sheer determination.

“This took us to the mid-point of the season. I had set a

target to be sitting on top of the league by Christmas but

had to settle for second place with games in hand.

“The New Year started brightly with two wins – excitement

grew around the club about the possibility of promotion.

There was still a long way to go, and with some teams only

having played half as many games as us we knew they

would be thinking the same. We lost three on the bounce -

Bradfield away, Salopians home and Kings Scholars away.

With two games left we had gone from title contenders to

having to rely on opposition results. We went back to

basics and picked ourselves up. Having won the

penultimate game we put pressure back on second place

Wykehamists. They were one point ahead with a greater

goal difference. We had to win and they had to draw or

worse. We had to play the league leaders Salopians, and

they had to play relegation potentials Repton.


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“In a bizarre twist of fate both games were to be played on

the same ground, with Wykehamists kicking off an hour

before us. We would know our fate before the end of our

game. In typical Aldenham Arthurian league fashion the

pitch directions where wrong and the changing rooms

where locked, meaning we had little time to change, warm

up and prepare. When our game kicked off Wykehamists

where 2-0 up and playing well, and we were soon 1-0 down

and playing badly. Salopians, who had already qualified for

promotion, had fielded a second string team which was

finding holes in our defence. Luckily we gathered our

composure and began to play and went in at half time 1-2

up. After a quick change of tactics we comfortably raced to

victory winning 1-8 after some showboating displays of

skill. Lee’s back heel, setting up Pat for the sixth goal was

a personal favourite. At full time I broke the news to the

team that the victory had put the 2008-2009 team in the

Aldenham history books – we had gained promotion into

the Premier League, from which we had been absent for

some 12 years.”

The 2nd XI Team Review by Nick Baker (K82-87)

“We spent 90% of the season in the top three positions in

our highest division. The 2nds team is in a league with four

divisions and our side has done well to compete at the top

of these divisions! Regulars have carried the twos on an

upward wave for a number of recent years. This year they

were joined by Toks Sotande-Peters (K96-03) and Danny

Shipton (K96-03) (to form a consistent Squad) but even

more beneficial was the appearance of OA legends Martyn

Berg (B89-94), Andy Berg (B92-97), Mark Herbert (B89-

94) and Adil Lalani (B92-97). Most of these players have,

can and will play at first team level…no wonder our football

looked so good at times.

“We also had new OA blood in Scott Ackerman (B98-05),

Zak Dempsey (B98-05), Dominic Griffiths (B2000-05)

and Dominic Stevens (B99-04), who being in their very

early 20’s could form the backbone of the club in the years

to come. An even brighter note for the future was playing

over seven different schoolboys making their senior football

debut. School players such as Thomas Beckly, Kevin

Voeller, Danny Purdy-Aragon (K2004-09) and Tobi

Caesari (P&L2002-09) all chipped in. It goes without

saying that the twos are not really a reserve side, but often

a mixed bunch of football greats… a team with an

unforgiving spirit…. who simply just enjoy their football.

The reserves/seconds definitely sounds like an insult to the

team we have had in the last couple of years! Still the title

has eluded us, and it is the only silverware in Arthurian

football that has yet to decorate the club’s honours

board…..but this year is the year!

“We often play against first teams…for example at 4-1

down away against Habs first team, Hodge ignited a

comeback that saw Haylock curl in a 30 yard chip for the

goal of the season and great 4-4 draw! At that time we

were second only to Chigwell first eleven. Alas, after

February our season tapered off. I don’t think the standard

of football dropped. It was just that the team chopped and

changed too much to get a consistent defence, our fluidity

of movement was choked, and with that we lost four games

by the odd goal. Many of the twos players had caught the

attention of the first team and were rightly been given the

ultimate call up as the firsts were on a promotion charge.

Many thanks to all first eleven players who willingly played

last season for the twos (no-one said no) and to the 2nds

lads for making sure the club has a great standard of footy

across the board!

“I’m looking forward to working with recent leavers and OAs

that have returned to the area and who are looking to play

top quality football at a club with facilities that are more akin

to a professional outfit and whose teams are amongst the

best in the very competitive and sporting Arthurian league.

“To any potential OA footballers reading this please get in

contact, [email protected]. We are very close to

starting a third team as the club looks to be going from

strength to strength.”

CRICKET

The OAs played their annual

match against the School on

Visitation Day. Mark Turpin

(B99-04) captained the OA team,

who batted first and put 142 on

the board. The OAs then bowled

very well, particularly Rob Stone

(B02-07) and Jay Thakrar (P97-

02), but unfortunately with only

12 overs to go, and the OAs

poised for victory, rain intervened

and no further play was possible. Left to right Chris Chittleborough (L98-03), Ben Ireson (K01-06), Mark Turpin (B99-04), BatsmanTom Pettet (Captain of 1st XI - batting average for 2009 season 67), Jay Thakrar (P97-02)


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A book for all cricket fans, co-written by Peter

Hayter (B70-76) and winner of the prestigious

William Hill Sports Book of the Year for 2008.

Peter’s connection with the School continues as

his nephew Dr Pat Reid is the current Head of

Biology.

FORMER England batsman, Marcus

Trescothick's autobiography, 'Coming Back To

Me', has won the world's most valuable

sportswriting prize, the William Hill Sports Book of

the Year.

Trescothick and his co-writer Peter Hayter collected

£20,000, a £2000 William Hill bet and a hand-bound copy of

the book by master binder David Sellars, for winning the

20th annual William Hill Sports Book of the Year, as was

announced by judge John Inverdale at Waterstones,

Piccadilly. The prize was presented by Olympic Gold medal

winning athlete, Michael Johnson, who is currently working

on a book of his own.

The winning title details the personal problems which

resulted in Trescothick's withdrawal from the England

side. 'This is only the second autobiography to win the

Award' said William Hill's spokesman and founder of the

prize, Graham Sharpe, 'The judges felt it

fearlessly tackled one of the great taboos of

elite sport.'

RADLETT CRICKET CLUB

This year Radlett Cricket Club is celebrating 125

years of cricket. Over the years a number of OAs

and masters have been members – not all of them

in a team - and several are mentioned (see list

below) in the booklet 125 Years of Cricket

produced to mark the occasion. The booklet has

many interesting articles and cricketing anecdotes

– a must for devotees of the local cricketing scene.

George Copley, Ian Holland, Kafeel Jahangir, Sheryar

Jahangir, Phil Marsh, Scott Moffatt, David Murley, Peter

Nelson, Ron Postill, Phil Smith, Robin Topham, Roger

Turpin, Jamie Walton, and Mike Yeabsley.

If you’d like to buy a copy send a cheque for £12 inc

p&p, payable to Radlett CC, to

Charles Randall, 17 Shenley Hill, Radlett, Herts WD7 7AT

Tel: 01923 855299

Copies are also available to callers at the Radlett

clubhouse at Cobden Hill. Price £10.

ALDENHAM FIVES

CLUBPaul Kendall (K76-81)

and Chris Cernuschi

(K98-2005) winners of the

Aldenham Fives Club

“Heath Tournament” 2009.

ALDENHAM.NET

Wednesday 16th April 2008

NEXT MEETING:

6.30 pm on Tuesday 10th November 2009 at the

ALBANNACH RESTAURANT

66 Trafalgar Square

London, WC2N 5DS

www.albannach.co.uk

Aldenham.Net is an initiative by the Development Office to

give OAs the opportunity to network in an informal

atmosphere.

Meetings are approximately twice a year at various

locations in and around London. Keep your eye on the

OA Website for dates and make sure the Development

Office has your email address if you want to be added to

the mailing list and be notified in advance of meetings.

[email protected]

EROS RUNOnce again, an intrepid band of OAs (2) braved the

Edgware Road to take part in this year’s Eros to Eros Run,

in which some 20 pupils from the School and staff

members also participated. Your Editor achieved his

slowest time ever, due to an onset of severe dicky calf at

the half way point, but Alan Philips (M77-82) produced his

usual fast run. If anyone would like to run in 2010 please let

the OA Office know.

3 March 2009, at the Civil Service Club kindly hosted by Indra

Sikdar (SH85-90)

2 June 2009, at Battlers Green Farm kindly hosted by Paul

Haworth (P71-73)


A REMINDER OF THE SUBSCRIPTION ARRANGEMENTS FOR OA SOCIETY MEMBERSNew membership subscription arrangements were unanimously approved at the Society’s AGM in 2002, in order toput the finances of the Society on a sounder footing and to enable the Society to provide members with an improvedservice, particularly by way of an expansion of the web site.

From September 2002 pupils who wish on leaving the School to join the OA Society (or their parents) have paid alump sum which gives membership of the Society for a fixed period of 20 years. Thereafter such members will beinvited to continue their membership by paying an annual subscription.

As a further part of these new arrangements, all existing Life Members of 20 years plus standing (i.e. who left theSchool twenty years ago or more) are invited to pay a voluntary annual subscription to the Society. This works on arolling basis and, as the years go by, further batches of OAs will fall into this category. It is hoped that most OAs, oncethey pass the 20-year point, will be willing to pay the voluntary annual subscription. An appropriate sum would be £10per annum. The Society would of course welcome larger voluntary subscriptions.

So, key points for existing Life Members:

• If you left the School in summer 1989 or before, you are invited to start paying a voluntary annual subscription tothe Society.

• If you left the School after Summer 1989, your 20 years is not up yet!…..but as each year passes the Society willinvite another year’s worth of Life Members to start paying voluntary annual subscriptions.

A Standing Order form for voluntary annual subscriptions is included in this issue of Aldenhamiana, will also beincluded in future issues, and is on the website.

HONOURSIn the 2009 New Years Honours List Rodney Fitzgerald (B39-41) was appointed MBE for services to localgovernment in the City of London.

In the 2009 Birthday Honours List Professor Andrew Henderson (P44-49) was appointed OBE for services tocardiology in Wales.

Jeremy Beachell (SHE54-59) has been installed as Master of the Framework Knitters’ Company.

We reprint the below article with acknowledgments to the Herts Advertiser of Thursday 12 March 2009

St Albans soldier wins Military Cross in Afghanistan - Major Russell Lewis MC (S86-91)

A soldier from St Albans has won a top bravery award for his actions in Afghanistan.

“Major Russ Lewis, aged 35, has been awarded the Military Cross for his heroicleadership of a company of the Parachute Regiment during a six-month tour in southernAfghanistan.

“Major Lewis and his company of 160 troops of 2PARA were located in a ForwardOperating Base deep in the hostile Upper Sangin Valley and were subjected to almostdaily rocket and mortar attacks.

“He led many foot patrols through the dense vegetation, canals and compounds of thesurrounding countryside and during frequent bouts of intense fighting with the Taliban.Major Lewis’ citation described him as "tenacious and courageous in attack" and added:"Major Lewis has set an outstanding example to his company at significant personal riskand has been an inspiration to all ranks."

“Major Lewis lives with his wife Andrea at Colchester where his unit is stationed. His wife,who is pregnant with their first child, is a major in the Queen Alexandra Royal Army Nursing Corps and set up the firstfield hospital in Iraq.

“Said Major Lewis of the bravery award: "I have mixed feelings about the award. It's a fantastic honour to receive suchan award and I do think that it represents all of B Company, 2 PARA and what we achieved last summer.

“Speaking about the intensity of the deployment on the Army’s website after his Company’s return from Afghanistanat the end of October, Major Lewis said: “Once it started it didn’t really stop for three months. We were just in thethick of it. We went through a period where every single patrol that went out came into contact of some description.There have been some horrible moments. I said before we went, I felt this tour would give us the best soldiering daysof our careers and our worst. It has.”

“Major Lewis described the soldiers under his command as “the finest generation of paratroopers in the history of theParachute Regiment”. He added: “we lost three in one go to a suicide bomber and that was just an awful day, butit’s amazing how the guys deal with it. We had a night of grieving and the next day we were back out there. We hadto, but I think that was what we wanted to do for our comrades, we are paratroopers and we go straight back out thereand take the fight to the enemy.”

12

Major Russell Lewis, afterreceiving his Military Cross atBuckingham Palace.


APPOINTMENTSOn 29TH December 2008, in aceremony steeped in traditionTuanku Muhriz Tuanku

Munawir (SHO62-66) wasproclaimed the 11th state rulerand named the Yang di-PertuanBesar of Negri Sembilan.

NEIL SUTHERLAND OBE MANeil Sutherland assumes the Presidency of the OASociety from Brigadier Michael Taylor CBE in April2010. He was a member of Beevor’s House from1966 to 1970, before attending RMA Sandhurst. Hewas commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 1970and served on operations in Northern Ireland, theFalklands Islands and Bosnia Herzegovina. He wasInter Services Fencing Champion at foil and Armychampion at foil and epee and has represented theUK in international competitions. Neil is a graduate ofCranfield University, the British Army Staff College,Camberley, and the US Navy Postgraduate School,Monterey. He was made an OBE in the 1993 NewYear Honours List. After taking early retirement as aColonel, he is now Operations Director of CarillionHealth and a member of Oxfordshire Reserve ForcesCommittee. Neil is married, a keen sub aqua diverand classic car enthusiast, lives near Oxford, and hasa son and daughter. His son also attended Aldenham.

13

ENGAGEMENTSThe engagement is announced between Charles Jolliffe

(L92-94) and Janna Victoria Watson.

The engagement is announced between Peter Boîtel-Gill

(SHO51-56) and Deborah Courtnell. (This engagement

was spotted in the Daily Telegraph. Peter is a lost OA, if

anyone knows where he is please let the OA Office know)

The engagement is announced between Steven Brining

(K86-88) and Dandy Moore.

GOLDEN WEDDINGOur apologies to Neville Wright for mistakenly reporting

his Diamond Wedding Anniversary in Aldenhamiana 36.

However this year we would like to congratulate him and

his wife on their Golden Wedding.

On 18th April 1959 in Beckenham, Kent, Neville Wright

(M42-46) to Jennifer Tookey.

DIAMOND WEDDINGSOn 24th July 1948 in Thame, Oxfordshire, Tony

Crassweller (SH1937-41) to Mary Keppel-Palmer.

DEATHS A P Allen P44-49 7 September 2008

T E B Bateman P44-48 26 November 2008

R M Batham SHO36-39 1 August 2008

G C W Beazley SHE43-46 27 March 2009

P A Benjamin SHO57-61 Date unknown

P R Billingshurst P46-50 31 July 2009

D H Bird M37-41 17 January 2009

R F Browne M29-32 25 December 2008

D D Buckeridge M36-40 23 September 2008

M G A Copeman P34-36 24 December 2008

V A Cox CR37-40 27 April 2009

J R E Davies SHO42-44 3 October 2008

D J Elliot P29-32 13 January 2009

C E Fisher SHE37-38 11 January 2009

T E Glazier P47-51 8 March 2009

A P Goodfellow SHE33-36 11 April 2009

R G Gossip P38-41 26 October 2008

P D Gotelee SHO41-45 24 May 2009

S D Gough B39-42 28 July 2008

R V Grange M38-43 8 October 2008

P J Harvey M41-45 20 January 2009

D H Hawkins B35-36 25 October 2008

W T Hoy B39-41 8 February 2009

C Hunter SHE47-52 2 March 2008

J F G James-Crook M41-44 5 February 2009

H I L Laddie B59-64 29 November 2008

N B Longe SHO48-50 28 August 2009

A H Marriott SHE69-73 23 March 2009

P G Mason Headmaster 29 July 2009

49-61

R J May M37-39 17 November 2008

B G McCombie B48-50 1 January 2009

M H Meeson SHE39-41 29 April 2009

H L Mellor SH28-32 24 December 2008

R G Mellor SHO29-34 5 April 2008

D E Millar P27-32 11 January 2009

J A Morrison M36-40 21 March 2009

R J Paterson P48-52 21 December 2008

D A G Rawlings P39-43 11 April 2008

H Russell-Ross B30-35 17 September 2008

C M J Sandford B48-52 29 November 2008

N Schollick M43-48 18 December 2008

K A Scott SHE32-37 4 October 2008

T G Sheeres P42-45 13 February 2009

J F Sherrard M33-37 27 December 2008

D M Tomkins SHO49-52 25 March 2006

S Toumbas L2002-05 12 December 2008

H M Trim SHO38-41 24 October 2008

W T Turner M44-48 28 November 2008

J O Veltom SHE40-44 21 April 2009

I Wastell SHE44-48 15 September 2008

CPO G Williams Head Porter 27 November 2008

55-77

E M Wormser SHE36-38 30 April 2007


14

OBITUARIES AND TRIBUTES

PETER MASON - HEADMASTER 1949-1961

We copy below the tribute given at the Service of

Thanksgiving for his Life by his friend and former colleague

Arthur Hearnden (CR59-67).

“Like a line of brilliant beacons, Peter Mason’s life was

marked at every point by academic excellence: Scholar of

King Edward’s School, Birmingham; Scholar of Christ’s

College Cambridge where he took a Double First in

Classics, winning the coveted Porson Prize; and a glittering

succession of subsequent distinctions, including the award

of an MBE for his service in the Intelligence Corps in the

Second World War.

“Graduating from Cambridge in 1936, Peter carried this

excellence into a teaching career at Cheltenham and, after

the War, at Rugby. It can hardly have come as a great

surprise that he was a Headmaster at the age of 35.

“This was of Aldenham, which had a remarkable academic

and sporting reputation for a school of its size, memorably

described in the 1930s as the Winchester of the smaller

public schools. Of South West Hertfordshire, according to

the script of an end of term revue in the 1960s.

“Peter built on that tradition and when he left for

Manchester in 1961 Aldenham was punching well above its

weight in football, hockey and cricket and in the competition

for entrance to the Colleges of Oxford and Cambridge.

“So next came Manchester Grammar School. The summits

of the world of school teaching hardly come any higher than

High Master. This appointment was to succeed Lord

James, the only Headmaster of his generation to be

elevated to the peerage.

“It is difficult to imagine a more daunting man to replace than

Eric James. Yet Peter was unfazed and, as it turned out over

the 17 years that followed, he probably left a more distinctive

and lasting legacy to MGS than that of his predecessor. He

revolutionised the curriculum, presided over a huge

expansion of the buildings (one of which is named after him)

raising over a million pounds from Old Mancunians to pay for

it, and steered the School to full independence.

“All that is easily recounted. Less easy to record, but more

significant, is the mark Peter left on those colleagues and

pupils who came under his influence. He broke the mould

of previous heads in coming to this great day school from a

boarding school. In keeping with that tradition, he was

concerned to make MGS more a community than just a

centre of high quality teaching.

“To quote from James Bentley’s history of the School, “he

wanted to humanise the place, improve the boys’ social

behaviour, their dress and discipline, and give them a

broader all-round education.” His success in these respects

is the true lasting tribute to Peter’s time in Manchester,

banishing the (mistaken) stereotypical image of MGS as just

an academic conveyor belt to Oxford and Cambridge.

“At the same time he continued to champion academic

values. These were the days when the Labour Party in

opposition was intending to abolish the Direct Grant system

which had opened the doors of schools like MGS to boys

and girls of ability and promise, regardless of family income

or background.

“What would nowadays be called “widening access” was a

cause dear to Peter’s heart. He was one of the leading

architects of the Assisted Places Scheme which replaced

the Direct Grant under the Conservative governments of

the 1980s.

“The political lobbying that this involved was intense and by

the end he could justifiably, but without any flaunting of

familiarity, refer to the Prime Minister as “Margaret”.

“A community in Manchester was one thing but Peter was

also a great internationalist. He was fascinated by the

education systems of other countries and in his later years

devoted his energies to fostering contact between them,

especially their independent sectors. He travelled, lectured

and published widely.

“This interest crystallised in his role as the leading founding

member of the European Council of National Associations

of Independent Schools, which became an important

advisory group to the European Union. In 1994 he was

elected its Life President.

“So what is the picture of Peter Mason, Olympian Porson

person, that we remember most vividly? For me it is of a

man of formidably wide ranging scholarship, deeply and

benignly interested in every aspect of the life of his schools.

When I applied for a modern languages post at Aldenham

in 1959 he interviewed me very hospitably – in French –

and in wellington boots, watching muddy house matches.

“For all that wide ranging scholarship Peter remained a

deeply modest man. There was a great deal that he could

have paraded but it was his humility and understated style

that enabled him to achieve so much as a Headmaster.

“Martin Trent, a former English master at MGS, recalls how

“he seldom seemed to put his foot down and was adept at

turning conversations his way by a many-layered closing

remark: suddenly a decision had been made and you never

The picture shows Mr Mason (seated) on the occasion of his last visit toAldenham in 2004, when six Headmasters, representing 55 years atAldenham, gathered for the re-dedication of the Headmasters' portraits inthe Dining Hall.


15

really saw how it had been done … he was admired for the

way he manipulated situations and people for the good of

the school.”

“Another former MGS English master, David Wylde,

remembers his ability to make a young teacher feel “one of

the chosen”. This loyalty to his staff was rooted in

kindness, the kindness of a man who had been harrowed

by the atrocities he witnessed as an Army officer in

Normandy. After the War he could never bring himself to

speak about those experiences.

“We can leave the final word to Monica Furlong, the well

known journalist who interviewed Peter in 1969. According

to James Bentley she was received in a large room with a

glowing coal fire and offered an excellent glass of sherry.

“He is a very big man, with curling white hair”, she reported

“and the quiet confidence habitual to giants.”

“We are remembering today, with affection and admiration,

a giant of English education.”

Your Editor Trevor Barton

writes: “We were very sad to

learn of the death of CPO

Gordon Williams, known to

generations of Aldenhamians

as “Chief”. Chief was Head

Porter at the School for 22

years from 1955-1977, and

was universally respected by

staff and pupils alike. Always

immaculately turned out, he

managed to bring to

Aldenham the spirit, attention

to detail and determination

which had characterised his career in the Royal Navy. For

those of us who were fortunate to be members of the RN

Section of the CCF, we will always remember Chief

demanding high standards, but still managing to have a

sense of humour and a twinkle in his eye despite the

sometimes low standards that we achieved in marching,

boat drill etc. He was a true gentleman, and certainly he

played a great part in inspiring me to join the Royal Navy

after leaving university.”

Following the sad death of his older brother, Miles Laddie

(B61-66) sent the following tribute: “It is with great sadness

that I write to record the death of my brother Hugh Laddie

(B59–64) on the 29th November 2008 aged 62.

“Being older than me, Hugh kept an eye out for me when I

went to Aldenham in 1961. In those days new boys were

only allowed to address each other by their surname. I

found calling my brother Laddie Major difficult, tiresome

and completely unnatural, as did Hugh. One day I was

overheard addressing him as “Hugh” and I was

immediately pounced upon by a senior boy who began to

give me a dressing down. Hugh intervened and said that

whatever the rules he was not going to allow his brother to

call him Laddie Major and that was that. I was never

reprimanded again. However when we might occasionally

have a row I would address him as Laddie Major and he

would address me as Laddie Minor!

“Hugh was a studious person at Aldenham and I recall when

he was studying for his A levels that he commandeered the

house library, kept the curtains permanently closed, rigged

up a spotlight over the table in the middle of the room and

spread his papers everywhere. No one was able to get in

whilst he was revising for his exams.

“Hugh was not a great athlete, although I do recall seeing

him play lacrosse for St Catharine’s Cambridge some years

later. However he was a superb actor. After one of his

performances in the school play attended by a reporter

from the Watford Post a report appeared saying that one

would have to go far to find an actor or such ability. He was

to use this ability later.

“Hugh went to Cambridge to study medicine. Our father, a

solicitor, was somewhat disappointed because he probably

thought that Hugh would go into the law and also because

he could not understand how anyone could stand the sight

of blood. Two years later, after passing his Natural

ScienceTripos Pt 1, Hugh changed to Law because he had

doubts (unjustified I am sure) about his ability to be a good

surgeon. He passed his Law exams in record time and

obtained pupillage in a set of chambers doing Intellectual

Property Law.

“At that time IP law was not particularly well known or well

paid and I recall Hugh telling me that he was earning so little

that his pupil master took him out one day and bought him

a decent coat to wear as his was looking pretty threadbare.

“Hugh went on to carve out a name for himself first as

barrister (Lord Denning, writing in his autobiography,

referred to him as a “bright young Chancery Barrister”

when talking about Anton Piller Orders), then as a Queen’s

Counsel, a High Court Judge and finally as Professor of

Law at University College London.

“Hugh was very modest about his achievements and I do

not think even his closest family, other than his wife Stecia,

was aware of the esteem in which he was held in the

worldwide IP legal community.

“Certainly one of the proudest moments of my life occurred

when I was lecturing at a symposium on economic crime at

Jesus College Cambridge. After the lecture had ended, a

South African lawyer, Cyril Prisman, came up to me and

asked if I was related to a certain High Court Judge called

Laddie. I said that I was his brother. Mr Prisman took my

hand and shook it enthusiastically then told me that South

Africa owed a debt of gratitude to my brother because of

the invention of the Anton Piller Order (a type of civil search

warrant that is obtained ex parte and enables searches to

be made without forewarning to the Defendant that one is

coming, thereby preventing the destruction or removal of

offending articles).

“Apparently Mr Prisman’s law firm had obtained an Anton

Piller Order against the Police during the Apartheid era

which had allowed entry to a police station and the

discovery and seizure of articles of torture being used by

the police themselves. Mr Prisman stated that without the

CPO Williams visits the School insummer 2008


16

order the Police would have been able to hide their actions.

When I told Hugh of this meeting and conversation, he was

delighted to know that someone had come up with another

use for the order other than in IP cases.

“Shortly before Hugh died he wrote to a friend as follows: “I

am as greedy as the next man and want more of the fun

and love-filled days that I have enjoyed in the past. But all

these things come to an end at some time and I am not in

a position to complain. I have a wonderful wife, three great

children, and six challenging and fun-filled grandchildren,

have had a remarkably enjoyable career and have

achieved more than I deserved and, last but not least, have

a collection of wonderful and generous friends. What more

could I ask for?”

“His legal and medical legacy will live on in that his son

James is a leading civil rights barrister and his daughter

Joanna is a paediatric oncologist. His second son, Gideon,

is in finance in New York. He will be greatly missed.”

We also reprint with

acknowledgements the

following obituary which

appeared in The Times:

“Professor Sir Hugh

Laddie was one the leading

English judges and

academics in the field of

intellectual property law. In his ten years on the bench, he

gave a series of important decisions on patents,

trademarks, copyright and cases of European significance

on free movement of goods and the conflict of laws. Laddie

deftly deployed his scholarship in legal history to shape the

law for the future. He had a contemporary outlook and

manner, without trace of stuffiness. His judgments, while

sometimes controversial, were well grounded and

displayed both his integrity and his strong sense of justice.

“He was much respected for his mastery of complex

technology, particularly in chemistry and biochemistry.

Laddie was concerned that malfunctioning civil procedure

resulted in injustice and he promoted innovations in that

area, contributing to the English court becoming one of the

quickest and most respected worldwide for intellectual

property disputes.

“Hugh Ian Lang Laddie was born in 1946 in London and

attended Aldenham School, where he excelled as a

scholar, an actor and at shooting. He studied medicine at

St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, but changed to law,

opting for a career in intellectual property. Laddie was

called to the Bar in 1969, joining specialist chambers where

he built up a successful practice. From the start of his

career he broke new ground in developing procedures to

assist with enforcement of intellectual property rights. He

was credited with inventing the Anton Piller (search and

seizure) order, which remains widely used to this day.

“Laddie was appointed junior counsel for the Crown in patent

cases, the UK Government’s leading advocate in intellectual

property, and, in 1986, he took silk. He was much in demand

as a QC, acting in some of the biggest cases, including in the

early disputes in medical biotechnology, major arbitrations,

media law and trademark cases.

“He was appointed deputy chair of the Copyright Tribunal

and, together with Peter Prescott, QC, and Mary Vitoria,

QC, he wrote The Modern Law of Copyright, described as

the prince of intellectual property books, combining

learning and iconoclasm. He was elected chairman of the

Patent Bar Association and a Bencher of Middle Temple.

“Laddie was appointed a High Court judge in 1995 and was

assigned to the Chancery Division, where he sat primarily

in intellectual property matters, including patent cases. A

speech to mark his appointment anticipated that litigants

were “about to see an airborne task force bearing down

with devastating and horrifying precision”. So it proved:

Laddie was no less formidable as a judge than he had been

as an advocate and was famed for quietly delivering volleys

of unanswerable questions.

“Nor was he a judge to kowtow. In one of his first

judgments, he revolutionised the approach to the grant of

interlocutory injunctions by a reinterpretation of principles

thought to be writ in stone by the House of Lords, thereby

giving voice to what everyone thought but dared not say:

the merits matter.

“In a later case on the scope of trademark protection, he

said that the European Court of Justice (ECJ) had

exceeded its jurisdiction. Ingeniously, he held that he was,

in effect, bound not to follow the highest court in Europe:

“No matter how tempting it may be to find an easy way out,

the High Court has no power to cede to the ECJ a

jurisdiction it does not have.” A less intellectually rigorous,

but more diplomatic, Court of Appeal did not share his view.

“Those seeking commercial monopolies had to come

prepared to defend them in his court by reference to serious

principle, not with hired guns. Laddie famously said:

“Monopolies are the exception not the rule . . . They need to

be justified. As long ago as 1615 in this country it was said

that the effect of an unjustified monopoly was ‘to take away

free trade, which is the birthright of every subject’.”

“Experts who did not give honest evidence found his court

to be enemy territory and were sent away with his words

ringing in their ears: “The judge is not a rustic who has

chosen to play a game of three card trick. He is not fair

game. Nor is the truth.” But rigour was tempered with great

humour, fairness and compassion: admonishment was,

more often than not, accompanied by a twinkle in the eye.

“He took a great interest in intellectual property law as it

affected other countries, including those in the developing

world; too great an interest, perhaps, for the then Vice-

Chancellor, head of his division of the High Court, to

approve of his regular lecturing overseas. In that activity,

OBITUARIES AND TRIBUTES CONTINUED


17

Laddie undertook valuable work as an ambassador for

English law and attempted to undo some of the propaganda

about the value of universally increasing intellectual

property rights that was fashionable in trade circles at the

time, to the discomfort of some in the United States.

“When Laddie announced his intention to resign from the

bench in 2005, it came as a shock to the judicial system.

Eyebrows were raised, particularly since he was sure to

have been appointed to the Court of Appeal, had he stayed.

But he chose freedom over promotion and found refuge as

a consultant in a firm of solicitors founded by an old friend.

He was active there, giving expert evidence, lecturing

around the world and advising on numerous cases.

“In 2006 Laddie was offered a chair in intellectual property

law at University College London, and an opportunity to

make his mark on the academic world. He was an

immediate success. Laddie was a natural and engaging

teacher, inspiring and challenging students with his

knowledge and love of the subject. He threw himself into

this work, founding the Institute of Brand and Innovation

Law at UCL, setting up a series of seminars with his wide

circle of collaborators and establishing links with China and

India. In 2007 he became a member of the Intellectual

Property Hall of Fame, a mark of the esteem in which he

was held internationally.

“In his personal life Laddie had a love of good design and

meticulous craftsmanship; making furniture, driving rakish

sports cars and tying his own flies for fishing. He loved

music and collected guitars. He is survived by his wife,

Stecia, and their two sons and a daughter.

Professor Sir Hugh Laddie, High Court judge and professor

of intellectual property law, was born on April 15, 1946. He

died of cancer on November 29, 2008, aged 62”

Keith Murray (M60-64) fondly

remembers his big brother

Stuart John Murray (M52-55):

“My brother Stuart entered

McGill’s after leaving Orley

Farm School in Harrow. The

decision to go to Aldenham

was simple – it played

Football, whereas so many of

the local public schools

concentrated on Rugby.

“Stuart left Aldenham after “O” Levels having represented

the school as the 2nd X1 goalkeeper. Stuart did his

National Service in the Royal Navy and took part in the

Suez campaign aboard the destroyer HMS Duchess. He

then joined the family business A. Murray (London) Ltd,

which our father formed in 1933. and also enlisted for a

business management course. Stuart learned the art of

salesmanship the hard way under my father’s critical eye.

However, Stuart was his own man and soon became a

skilled salesman. Following my father’s serious illness in

1958, he assumed day to day responsibility for the

running of the company, and following father’s death in

1965 he became managing director.

“He was a hardworking and successful businessman, and

with his great enthusiasm and “glass-half-full” mentality he

expanded the company from being predominantly a

stationery supplier into an office furnisher and stationery

company. The company continued under Stuart’s leadership

until 2 recessions finally caused its closure in 2000.

“Stuart started playing for the OAs in 1955, and after an

interruption due to National Service returned to play in the

2ndXI. He became 1st XI secretary for the 1959/60

season and played in his first Dunn match in 1960 against

the Old Etonians which we lost 0-3. Stuart took over the

captaincy of the 1stXI in 1962/63 at a time when the OA.s

had lost 2-7 to the Malvernians in the previous season’s

Dunn match which I had watched as a schoolboy. The

Arthurian League was starting in 1962/3, which Stuart

strongly supported. He immediately set about improving

the fitness of the team with weekly training sessions

including circuits and 5-a-side football. Cyril Tyson also

helped with this. He also helped to develop a stronger 2nd

XI, knowing that that would help feed the 1st X1. Later he

would also see the club form a 3rd X1.

“In 1963/4 season, with the injection of some young talent

from a strong school team, Aldenham won their first Dunn

match for 6 years, a replay at Bradfield 4-2, and then went

on to beat the Old Chigwellians and the Old Ardinians to

reach the final of the Arthur Dunn Cup for the first time for

30 years against the Old Salopians.

Unfortunately the 2 regular fullbacks, Frank Rogers and

John Saxby, were injured so the team for the final had to

be restructured. Philip Smith, new from school but such a

talented player was in midfield and Dave King at centre

forward injecting pace into the side. However the

Salopians proved too well organised and soon took a 2-0

lead. The OA’s kept trying but went 4-0 down before Dave

King scored an excellent consolation goal near the end.

“The team was: Stuart Murray, Peter Benjamin, David

Barker, Graham Chapman, Christopher Riley, Peter

Holloway, Phil Smith, David King, Joe Stainer and Steve

Adams. Stuart’s contribution to OA football continued after

his playing days in the 1st XI finished, as he held a strong

opinion that senior players should make themselves

available for the 2nd and later the 3rd XIs. In fact his final

game was for the 3rd XI against the School in 1974, 20

years after his first match for the OAs. He was elected

Club Chairman in 1964, a role he carried out with the

same gusto and he went on to serve in some

administrative position with the Club until 1979 and ofcourse the OAs finally won the Arthur Dunn Cup in 1979.

“His style of Captaincy was very enthusiastic, positive and

one of encouragement. He would always consult and

listen to team member’s points of view and would always

personally and privately explain to players the reasons if

they were to be dropped.


18

“As well as Stuart’s many achievements on the playing field

he is remembered also for many amusing stories and

characteristics. When one thinks back to Stuart’s

goalkeeping how can anyone forget that familiar cry of

“Sorry OAs”, as he stooped to pluck the ball from the back

of the net. Not that Stuart had any cause to apologise, since

for many years we struggled against impossible odds!

“All of us will remember with great affection Stuart’s

contribution to the good humoured banter in the bar after

a match. After a few pints a 6-0 defeat would be turned

into a pretty close match when he turned all their goals

into pure flukes and with just a bit of luck we should have

scored at least 3 etc. etc. Stuart was the supreme master

of “the long goodbye”. As the youngest member of the

team I recall waiting for my lift to Victoria Station to catch

the last train back to Brighton, when Stuart would begin

his goodbyes to the attractive WAGS. Linda Adams, Jill

Chapman and others would sit amused as Stuart would

fall to his knees and kiss their hands whilst speaking of

undying love and the pain of parting- much to the

amusement of their partners.

“There was the famous “car up a tree” incident when

Stuart drove back from the playing fields to the changing

rooms in his new Gilbern Genie sports car, bought as a kit

and built by a friend, wearing his football boots. Sadly his

foot slipped and the car shot across the road into a bush.

As he considered his predicament there was a sudden

sucking noise and the windscreen flew up into the tree.

“Stuart married Sandra (Sam) and was a devoted

husband and father to 3 children and, at the last count, 9

grandchildren. He was heavily involved in the local

church and especially the choir. He remained a dedicated

fan of his beloved Arsenal man and boy.

“Nowadays the words Big Brother conjure up Orwellian

images or worst still, a programme on Channel 4.

However to me I think of a great brother and quite the

kindest man I have ever known.”

An obituary of Eric Max Wormser (S1936-38): “Eric M

Wormser died on 30th April, 2007, his 86th birthday at

Stamford Hospital, Stamford, CT. Born Frankfurt,

Germany and educated at Aldenham in England and

M.I.T., and he was drafted into the Army in 1945 and

assigned to Ordnance Intelligence. He was assigned

intelligence responsibility for the German rocket and

missile projects and spent two years interrogating

Wernher Von Braun and 120 other German scientists and

launching a number of captured V-2 rockets. In 1952 he

co-founded Barnes Engineering Co. in Stamford, CT,

developer of infrared and electro-optical systems for

military space and industrial applications.

“In 1973 he founded Wormser Scientific, consultants in

solar energy and energy conservation. Wormser

Scientific has designed and supervised construction of

many of the largest solar heating systems in the U.S. and

participated in installing solar panels on the White House

roof for the Carter administration. Eric was active in civic

affairs and served for 10 years as a commissioner of the

Stamford Urban Renewal Commission. In 1987 Margot H

Wormser, his wife of 40 years died. He remarried and is

survived by his wife Linda Birnbaum Wormser and his

sons Peter and Thomas.”

Peter Wells (P48-52) kindly wrote regarding R J (Bob)

Paterson (P48-52): “It is with great sadness that I have to

begin the New Year by reporting to you the death of my

very great friend of many years and fellow Aldenhamian,

Bob Paterson. Bob died peacefully on 21st December in

a nursing home close to his home in Wilmslow, Cheshire

after a fairly short but very terrible battle with cancer.

“I first met Bob Paterson as we were welcomed to Paull’s

house by Sam Pollard at the beginning of the Summer

Term 1948 and despite his lifetime of busy work and travel

all over the Eastern world he remained a great friend to

me and to my family throughout his life. His kindness,

generosity and wonderful sense of humour were already

in evidence at school and remained with him even in

times of trouble and illness.

“On leaving school, Bob began national Service in the RAF

and quickly gained his wings, but sadly, his hope of making

flying his career was thwarted by health and hearing

problems which prevented his going on to fly fighter

aircraft and so he left the RAF and decided to follow other

members of his family into the world of banking. He joined

the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank, first in London and

then moving to the Far East where he began his long

career in such locations as Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore,

Vanuatu and even Calcutta. At the end of a long career in

the Bank, Bob retired and began a great life of travelling all

over the world meeting his many friends and welcoming

many more from home and abroad in his home in

Wilmslow. He will be sadly missed by all of us.”

We are grateful to Mrs Barbara Jane Schollick who wrote

to us about her husband Nigel Schollick (M43-48):

“Please could you insert under Deaths/Obituaries in the

next issue of Aldenhamiana that my husband Nigel

Schollick sadly died on the 18th December 2008 following

a stroke early in January 2008. He was Captain of Soccer

and Hockey while at the school.

“Derek James (M43-48) gave a memorable tribute to

Nigel at the Thanksgiving Service held at St, Peter’s

Church, Burnham, Bucks on the 29th December 2008.

No less than six other contemporaries of Nigel’s attended

the service namely, Michael Goodman (M44-48), Robin

Chaventre (M49-52), Tim Law (M45-51), John

Sainsbury (M43-47), Robert Aram (P50-55) and Bob

Coombes (SHE44-47) – wonderful of them all to come.

Iain Muir (SHE42-46) also planned to be at the service,

but unfortunately was suffering from bronchitis.”



19

An obituary of Timothy (Tim) Gordon Sheeres (P42-45):

“Tim passed away suddenly, on February 13, 2009, while

on vacation in the Virgin Islands, in his 81st year. Loving

husband of Anne for 55 years, adoring Dad to Michael

and Janine, and doting Grandpa “Choo-choo” to Claire

and Adam. Pre-deceased in 2005 by his younger brother

Michael William. Born and educated in England. Anne and

Tim came to Canada in 1953. Chartered Accountant in

England and Wales, as well as Alberta and Ontario in

Canada. One time partner in Clarkson Gordon & Co.

Chief Financial Officer of Norcen Energy Resources Ltd.

(now Anadarko Canada Corp). An officer, gentleman and

scholar, recognised for his many volunteer and

philanthropic endeavours, including the Queen’s Jubilee

Medal. Former Chairman and long time volunteer of the

Canadian National Institute for the Blind. Past Master and

Freeman of The City of London and liveryman of the

Bakers Company. Author of Steady on the Mustard. Tim

will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by all those

who knew and loved him.”

Edward Fielder (K63-68) sent the following tribute to his

friend and colleague Professor Thomas Russell Pitt

Ford (K63-67) who died on 17th August 2008: “Professor

Pitt Ford was the Professor of Endodontology, Vice Dean

of King’s College London Dental Institute at Guy’s, King’s

College and St Thomas’ Hospitals, and previously

Director of Education; he was also Director of Institutional

and Academic Audit at King’s College, London.

“Tom was the only son of Mr and Mrs William Pitt Ford of

Loudwater near Rickmansworth. Tom attended Edge

Grove Prep School, first as a day boy catching the bus

back to his father's dental practice in Watford where he

did his prep and added to his magnificent OO model

railway, which was housed in a spare upstairs room. Tom

rapidly discovered that he had no liking for, indeed he had

a severe aversion to, any form of organised ball games or

sport. Given the ethos of most prep schools at the time

this could have been a disadvantage, but Tom was very

gifted academically and did well with the excellent

teaching. It is fair to say that Tom did not enjoy his time at

prep school and found boarding in his last year difficult.

The total lack of any mainstream science subjects in the

Common Entrance syllabus at that time, did not allow him

or many of his contemporaries to show their true vocation

until the move to Public School at the age of 13. Tom was

awarded an Exhibition to Aldenham School in 1963.

“At Aldenham, in the relaxed and tolerant atmosphere in

the newly built Kennedy's House under the care of Dr

David Wallace Hadrill, Tom flourished. There was a

minimum of petty regulation and “compulsory” ball games

were to a large extent voluntary. Tom immediately did very

well in the sciences, gaining some of the top marks at 'A'

level. He was particularly influenced by the teaching of

Ken Barnard, gaining the Sloan prize for chemistry.

Coincidentally Ken also died of the same asbestos related

mesothelioma tumour.

“Soon after arriving at Aldenham Tom joined the 'Self

Help' group. This was subsequently renamed the 'Estate

Work' group. In this group a number of like minded souls

could take their daily exercise helping the full time

maintenance staff with looking after the grounds under

the guidance of our good friend Chris Arkell. They also

carried out a survey of the school drains and helped

survey the site of the new headmaster’s house. Tom's

finest achievement with this group was the improvement

of the ditches, the laying of concrete rafts and the

construction of a substantial stile on the path to Cook's

Field. Here he was taught brick laying which he used to

good effect in the restoration of his family homes.

“When a Volunteer Police Cadet Force was set up in

conjunction with Harrow School, Tom joined. He

thoroughly enjoyed the caring side of police work.

“In Kennedy's House none of the staff were particularly

mechanically minded. Tom having had a good grounding

from his father rapidly made himself useful, carrying out

much of the maintenance in the house; plumbing and

electrical jobs as well as clearing blocked drains and

redecorating. For this work and for leading the estate

work team in his last two years, he was awarded the

'Headmaster’s Prize for Service to the Community'.

“Tom went straight to Guy's Hospital to study dentistry,

qualifying in 1971. Tom worked at Guy's and also at his

father's practice in Watford. In 1981 he married Heather,

also a dental surgeon, who was working at Guys where

she is a specialist in children's dentistry. They lived in a

town house nearby, of which, at the time only the

basement and attic were habitable. Tom restored this

house as he did their subsequent houses. They bought a

cottage in Dorset, where they could enjoy gardening and

restoring the house, moving to a very attractive larger

house in a nearby village when they needed more space

for an expanding family. Tom's building skills were learnt

both at school and from his father, Bill, who helped with

their houses and who survives him.

Tom's daughter, Alex is 26. She studied medicine at

UMDS (United Medical Schools of Guy's King's & St

Thomas') and is now a doctor in Chichester. His elder

son, Charles is 23, studied engineering at Cambridge

where he got a first with distinction in his M Eng. He is

rowing full time with the Leander Club in Henley before

returning to engineering. Tom's younger son Edward is 21

graduated in physics from Imperial College and is on a

graduate training programme in IT management with

Tesco. Tom was immensely proud of his family, even if he

was sometimes baffled by their love of sports!”

Professor Pitt Ford had an illustrious career, which was

admirably outlined in an obituary by his great friend and

colleague Dr BS Chong and which is reprinted below

from ENDO - Endodontic Practice Today by permission of

Quintessence Publishing Co Ltd. Endodontics is the

treatment of the pulp or nerve of a tooth, and thanks to


20

Tom is now a speciality in its

own right.

Professor Tom Pitt Ford

“Tom Pitt Ford, a member of our

Editorial Board, died peacefully at

home early Sunday morning, 17

August 2008. Typical of Tom’s

character, his illness was endured

in private and without complaint.

“Tom was the Professor of Endodontology, Vice Dean of

King’s College London Dental Institute at Guy’s, King’s

College and St Thomas’ Hospitals, and previously

Director of Education; he was also Director of Institutional

and Academic Audit at King’s College, London. With his

death, dentistry, and in particular the specialty of

endodontics, has suffered an irreplaceable loss.

“Tom was born on 15 November 1949, an only child and

educated at Aldenham School, Hertfordshire. In 1967, he

followed in his father’s footsteps into dentistry and Guy’s

Hospital. Tom qualified with a BDS (London) with honours

and LDS RCS (England) in 1971.

“After a period as a part-time lecturer while helping his

father in general practice, Tom returned to Guy’s full-time

to pursue an academic career. It was at Guy’s, later the

United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy’s and St.

Thomas’ Hospitals and now King’s College London Dental

Institute at Guy’s, King’s College and St Thomas’

Hospitals, that Tom dedicated his entire illustrious career.

“Tom gained his FDS from the Royal College of

Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow in 1976. He was

awarded his PhD in 1980 for his thesis An investigationinto the leakage of and tissue reaction to root fillingmaterials. Promotion followed rapidly and he was

appointed Senior Lecturer in 1982 and Honorary

Consultant in 1985. In 1995, he was appointed Reader

in Endodontology, and in 1998, he was granted a Chair

in Endodontology.

“Tom actively participated and promoted the specialty of

endodontics, nationally and internationally, and in so

many ways. He served on the Council of the British

Endodontic Society for many years and is the only

member to have been President twice: 1987 to 1988 and

2003 to 2004. It was in his second term as President that

the Society celebrated its 40th anniversary. Tom was the

Editor of the International Endodontic Journal for a

considerable duration and was appointed Consultant

Editor after relinquishing the position. For a number of

years, Tom also served on the Council of the European

Society of Endodontology and was its editor. Tom

introduced the first master’s degree in endodontics in the

UK in 1988. When visiting dental schools in the USA in

the early 1980s, he observed that specialisation had

advanced the frontiers of dentistry, particularly the

technical aspect. He felt there was a place for a

postgraduate course in endodontics in the UK, leading to

a master’s degree: firstly, to bring together knowledge in

the subject; secondly, to give dentists the opportunity to

specialise in this area so as to provide a better service to

the public; and thirdly, to enable intending specialists to

gain further education in endodontics without having to go

abroad. The proposal for the master’s degree course

made very slow progress through the various University

of London committees. There were many hurdles to

overcome including the perceived threat that with the

emergence of endodontics as a monospecialty, it would

seek to break free from the domination of

Conservative/Restorative Dentistry and Departments of

Endodontics would spring up. Against the odds, Tom’s

vision was realised when the MSc in Endodontics started

as a two-year part-time course at Guy’s with two home

students in October 1988. The Eastman Dental Institute

followed with a one-year full-time course with two

overseas students in October 1989. The success of the

course and its subsequent emulation by other dental

schools enabled training and greater availability of

specialists in this discipline. In turn, it led to the creation

of a critical mass of endodontists, facilitating the

establishment of a specialist list by the General Dental

Council (UK). In 1998 the MSc was followed by the

MClinDent degree programme. An endodontic alumni

section was formed recently and met for the first time at

this year’s Clinical Day at Guy’s, enabling Tom and his ex-

postgraduate students to meet.

“Tom contributed considerably in advancing the field of

endodontology. Rather than being obsessed with

technical wizardry, he championed the biological basis of

endodontics, in particular, the role of microbes in the

pathogenesis of endodontic disease. His other interests

included clinical endodontology and the biocompatibility

of endodontic materials. Apart from his own research

work, Tom mentored and supervised numerous projects.

Tom’s reputation was such that he attracted not only

home, but also MSc/MClinDent and PhD candidates from

overseas. He was the supervisor of Mahmoud

Torabinejad’s 1995 PhD thesis Investigation of Mineral

Trioxide Aggregate for root-end filling. Tom’s involvement

in the further development of this novel material, with the

unique ability to encourage hard tissue deposition, helped

promote its use as not only as a root-end filling, but also

a perforation sealant and pulp capping agent. In 2003,

Tom and his team published the first randomised

prospective clinical study on the use of mineral trioxide

aggregate as a root-end filling. Their work on this and

other potential root-end filling materials played a

significant role in improving the outcome of apical surgery

and confining to history the use of amalgam for root-end

filling. Tom was a prolific writer. Apart from the numerous

scientific papers, he was the author of two editions of The

Restoration of Teeth. He was co-author of Local

Anaesthesia in Dentistry and of Endodontics: Problem-

Solving in Clinical Practice. In addition, he was editor and

contributing author of two editions of both Harty’s



21

Endodontics in Clinical Practice and Essential

Endodontology; the former is a popular undergraduate

textbook whilst the latter is a treatise on the prevention

and treatment of apical periodontitis.

“Tom expected nothing less than the highest standard in

everything. Those privileged to have trained under or

worked with him will forever remember and admire his

example of diligence, perseverance and attention to

detail. Only this year, he was honoured with the 2008

Alumnus Distinguished Service Award for his substantial

contribution to King’s College London Dental Institute as

an outstanding teacher, clinician and researcher for over

30 years.

“A quiet, unassuming man of extraordinary talent and to

those who had the good fortune to know him, Tom gave

generously of his knowledge, advice and support. Tom is

survived by his wife, Heather, children Alexandra, Charles

and Edward, and father, Bill, to all of whom we extend our

heartfelt sympathy. Family, friends, colleagues and former

students gathered to say farewell and to pay their

respects to Tom at his funeral at St Gregory’s Church,

Marnhull, Dorset on 27 August 2008. A life cut short, Tom

will be greatly missed.”

Thomas Beazley sent the

below tribute to his father

Gilbert Beazley (SHE43-

46), who died on 27th

March 2009.

“Born in Neasden in North

London youngest of three

children, brother to Mary

and Diana. At an early age

the family moved out of

London to Green Lane in

Northwood which was to

become the family home for the rest of his childhood.

Having attended Terry’s preparatory school in Northwood

he went on to become a boarder at Aldenham, a place he

always had vivid and fond memories of.

“His career path took him to The London School of Estate

Management in 1946 for one year prior to completing his

period of National Service. After National Service he

returned to college which by this time had moved out of

London due to wartime reconstruction work, to a quiet

country estate in Bedfordshire. This was the start of a long

association with the county of Bedfordshire, which apart

from a brief spell in North Norfolk became his home

county. He qualified as a professional associate or the

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in 1952, became

a Fellow of Chartered Land Agents Society, a member of

The Central Association of Agricultural Valuers and in

1961 he became a Fellow of the Royal Institute of

Chartered Surveyors.

“Whist working on a short secondment to a firm of Land

Agents in Bedford he met his future wife, a local farmer’s

daughter Barbara Saunders and they were married in

April 1956. They purchased a small field in the village of

Pavenham and built their first house Bartlemas No 1,following one of many successful planning appeals. It was

named Bartlemas after his mother’s family farm which

was in Temple Mead, Cowley and was sold to one Mr

William Morris to build the Morris Motor Works. Later they

went on to purchase Bury and Memorial Farm (renamed

Bartlemas), Pavenham where he continued to live for the

rest of his life. They had two children, Lorna who was born

in 1959, followed by Thomas in 1963.

“He continued practicing as a Land Agent and purchased

the small independent Land Agency firm of Warmingtons.

This small business continued in its traditional role looking

after a number of local estates and advising the

agricultural community in around Bedford but also gained

an enviable reputation on all issues regarding land

management and development nationwide, resulting in

clients from the West Country to the North of Scotland. He

continued in an active role as consultant to Warmingtons

and as agent to the Chicheley Estate right up to the time

of his death.

“On the civic front, he served Pavenham as their

independent member of the old Bedford Rural District

Council from 1956 until 1973, acting as Chairman in 1968

-69. On the demise of this body, he became a member of

the new Bedford Borough Council from 1973 to 1979. He

was Mayor of Bedford from 1974 until 1976. He was High

Sherriff of Bedfordshire in 1983-84 and in 1991 was

appointed Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Bedford.

“From 1974 until 1996, Gilbert was a trustee of the

Bedford Charity, otherwise known as The Harpur Trust, alarge local endowed charity primarily involved in

education. As Chairman of the Endowment Committee,

he drew upon his experience in the property world to

spearhead a modernisation of the assets of the Charity

with an eye to increasing endowment income for the

future. In 1987 he was elected Chairman of the Charity a

position that he held until his retirement in 1996.

“In 1992 he was elected Chairman to the newly formed

Bedford Hospital NHS Trust, a position that he always

found rewarding as it was a significant deviation from all his

previous roles. This, along with spells on the East of

England Transport User Consultancy Committee , work for

the local Bedford Show and consequently the East of

England Agricultural Society and being County President of

the local Young Farmers, always ensured a busy life style.

“He lived life to the full and despite recent illness always

had a keen eye for the future and the next generation. His

advice was keenly sort and always freely given, never

with the expectation that it would necessarily be followed.

With his keen interest in the countryside and

conservation, what he has created at Pavenham will

always be a living legacy to his life. He is survived by his

wife Barbara, son Thomas, daughter in law Amanda and

his grandchildren Benjamin and Hannah. His own


22

daughter Lorna sadly passed away some fifteen years

earlier. One of life’s true gentlemen, who will be truly

missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.”

It was with great sadness that

we learnt of the death of

Christopher Hunter (SHE47-

52), for many years a generous

benefactor of the School, who

also a volunteered to be the

School’s representative with

the British Schools and

Universities Foundation, a US

Charity which enables US OAs

to support the School in a tax

efficient way. We reproduce here with acknowledgements

an article from Florida State University’s fsumath of

autumn 2008.

Saying Farewell to a Legend -

Christopher Hunter 1934-2008

“In the world of academia many individuals are drawn to a

niche in which they excel — be it teaching, scholarship,

service or administration. The individual whose success

spans the range of these areas is a rare and coveted

treasure. Christopher Hunter was just such a person. As

a trusted mentor, colleague and leader he embodied the

“complete package” and his influence contributed to the

high esteem in which the Florida State University

Department of Mathematics is held today. Therefore, it is

with great respect and fondness that we celebrate his

life’s contributions and bid him farewell.

“Under the recommendation of an interdisciplinary

Committee on Applied Mathematics, Christopher Hunter

came from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to

Florida State University in 1970 for the explicit purpose of

organizing and directing a program in applied

mathematics. Over the next few decades under Hunter’s

leadership and vision, the program grew in its ability to

accommodate a wide range of mathematical applications

through the addition of degree options and the hiring of

such renowned professors as Christopher Tam, Robert O.

Lawton Distinguished Professor, Louis Howard, McKenzie

Professor of Mathematics, and Yousuff Hussaini, TMC

Eminent Scholar Chair in High Performance Computing.

Hunter devoted himself to the development and success of

the program and garnered national recognition through

promoting faculty research and securing consistent support

from the National Science Foundation. As a direct result of

his efforts and commitment the program remains strong

and continues to grow.

“Hunter was not so absorbed in his own program that he

neglected the relevance of other areas of mathematics.

He was a great believer in the importance of each branch

of the field and a proponent of collaboration that would

benefit them all. Therefore, it was fitting that he was

appointed department chair in 1993, the first applied

mathematician to serve in that role. Known as an even-

handed and fair administrator, Hunter remained chair for

the maximum allowable term of six years with the

enthusiastic support of the faculty. Hunter was gifted at

recognizing talent which allowed him to hire many bright

young minds that have since become leaders in the field.

According to DeWitt Sumners, Professor Emeritus,

“Hunter was successful as department chair because he

was willing to listen to his faculty and able to mediate

disputes.” He also worked to build a strong relationship

with Larry Abele, the dean of the College of Arts and

Sciences at the time, which helped cultivate support for

faculty in areas such as promotion and tenure.

“After stepping down from the position of chair in 1999 Hunter

successfully returned to the faculty. His interest as a

researcher was in how mathematics can be used to

understand the physical world, with particular regard to

galactic dynamics and astrophysics. As a teacher Hunter held

students to high standards and is responsible for mentoring

many promising scholars (see list of students, p. 5). !e only

endeavour at which Hunter did not excel was retirement. His

love of learning, devotion to the field of mathematics and

continued grant activity kept him active even after his official

position with the university ended in 2003.

“Christopher Hunter’s innovation and leadership have far-

reaching influence on the FSU Department of

Mathematics and the discipline at large. As a pioneer of

his craft, he has paved the way for the many

mathematical discoveries and breakthroughs yet to come.

!e department, university and field of mathematics have

lost a true champion but his legacy will live on in the next

generation of mathematicians.

“Most engaging, though, is Chris's autobiographical essay

written shortly after his retirement in 2003 and reproduced

here.

My Life In Mathematics By Christopher Hunter

“I can never remember a time when I had any doubt as to

what my career would be. Mathematical talent was

apparent at an early age, and, because my father was a

mathematician, I knew that mathematics was a source of

gainful employment. My father, William Hunter, was

Senior Lecturer in Mathematics at the Manchester

College of Technology. I think that, by inclination, he was

a pure mathematician. His results for the “Easier”

Waring’s problem of Number Theory for fourth powers

have yet to be improved upon. His job made him aware of

applications, and another of his papers is on the form

assumed by a steadily rotating thread, inspired by a

problem from the cotton industry for which Manchester

was then famous. My father died before I was fifteen, and

so we were never able to talk after I had attained some

mathematical maturity.

“I knew by the time that I entered Cambridge University



23

that it is the power of mathematics in applications that

interests me most. I have since worked in a number of

different areas of application. I have also written a number

of papers that are primarily mathematical, even proving

some theorems, but their original inspiration typically had

its origin in some application. My first work was on the

topic of cavitation, the boiling of a liquid and consequent

formation of cavities that occurs when its pressure drops

sufficiently. This topic was then of interest to the British

Admiralty because the subsequent collapse of the cavities

is a violent and noisy phenomenon which can damage

propeller blades and betray the position of a submarine.

The specific problem on which I worked was that of the

influence of the compressibility of the liquid on the

collapse. Although liquids are not very compressible,

neglect of compressibility, as in Lord Rayleigh’s solution

which is given in Lamb’s “Hydrodynamics”, implies that

pressure pulses propagate infinitely rapidly. The inclusion

of compressibility allows one to study the shock wave that

forms after the cavity has collapsed and causes the

damage and the noise. The resolution of this problem, like

that of many subsequent ones, required computation.

Luckily EDSAC II, a roomful of vacuum tubes which

provided over two kilobytes of memory, was available and

was sufficient for the task. It allowed me to study the

spherically symmetric flow with a machine-filling 109-point

grid which collapsed along with the infalling flow. The

computations showed that the collapsing flow tends to a

self-similar form, which can be described analytically, and

describes the shock that is formed at the instant of

collapse. This was also the first of many instances for me

in which computation has indicated the mathematical

analysis that needs to be done. As for the Admiralty, they

finessed their problems by improving the design of

propellers so as to avoid cavitation.

“My major professor, Ian Proudman, urged me to broaden

my interests during my final year of graduate work. I

looked first at waves propagated up a river from the rise

and fall of the tide at its mouth, and then the propagation

of waves in elastic arteries from the pumping of the heart,

but neither developed into lasting interests. The

predominant interest in my subsequent research has

been in astrophysical problems. My first introduction to

them occurred just as I was about to leave Cambridge for

a postdoc at MIT. Leon Mestel, a distinguished

astrophysicist, had tried to interest Keith Moffatt in

investigating the process by which a gravitationally

unstable gas cloud fragments to form many protostars,

rather than collapsing as a single mass. Realizing the

geometrical similarity of this flow to that of my cavitation

problem, Keith passed the problem on to me. Although

the two flows are quite different as to their scale and their

physics, I accepted the challenge and that began my

involvement with problems first of astrophysical fluid

dynamics and later of stellar dynamics. The distinguishing

feature in all cases is that gravity is the dominant force.

“I went to MIT to work with Gerry Whitham, an expert on

nonlinear waves, but he left for Caltech after a year.

Instead, Alar Toomre, another new Ph.D. in fluid dynamics,

and I, came under the influence of C.C. Lin. C.C., who

already had a distinguished record in fluid dynamics, was

then becoming interested in spiral structure in galaxies

and in explaining it as a wave phenomenon. !e three of us

began learning some astrophysics together. Problems of

the dynamics of galaxies, and particularly of waves,

modes, and instabilities have been a major interest for all

three of us ever since. Our interests and ideas have

generally not coincided, and an influential paper on the

dynamics of the bending of the Galaxy by Alar and myself

is the sole instance of joint work between the three of us.

I am happy to be known in some circles as the Hunter of

Hunter and Toomre.

“When I came to FSU in 1970, I expected to be drawn

back into fluid dynamics. My first two Ph.D. students,

Nourollah Riahi and Bryan Travis, wrote dissertations of

fluid dynamical topics. However, the pull of astronomy

was too strong for me to resist, and I continued working

on astrophysical problems. That pull was reinforced

during the year 1976-77 spent on leave at the Joint

Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics at the University of

Colorado. My third Ph.D. student, Barbara Schreur, was

the first who worked on an astrophysical problem that of

the effect of a passing star on the Oort cloud of comets.

Barbara was unusual in that she came with a strong

background in this topic, obtained while she worked as a

research assistant at the University of Arizona when her

husband Jay got his Ph.D.

“My next three Ph.D. students were Bruno Guerrieri, Sang

Lee, and Mohammad Tajdari. All worked on topics related

to computer-generated perturbation expansions. My

interest in this topic was aroused by the work of Stanford

professor Milton Van Dyke on their use in fluid dynamics.

His basic idea is to delegate the laborious and mechanical

task of generating a long perturbation expansions to a

computer. This turns out to be the easy part of the

problem. After determining the region in which this

expansion is valid, one seeks ways to extend the

expansion to a larger region. Extension techniques have

to be based on a knowledge of the analytical structure of

the solutions in complex parameter space, even though

only real values of the parameter are of physical interest.

!e snag is that understanding this structure may lead one

into complex parameter space, and hence far afield from

the original real problems. For that reason my interest

waned after Mohammad graduated in 1990, though ten

years later I did find an interesting new application to

polytropic models of stars.

“I have been interested for a long time in the construction

of self-consistent models of elliptical and barred galaxies.

My activity in this area increased suddenly in the mid-

1980s after Tim de Zeeuw, a young Dutchman,

discovered the suitability of Stackel potentials for

modelling elliptical galaxies. He invited me to collaborate

with him in constructing self-consistent models using

them, and we have been collaborating ever since. The

essential problem is to find a combination of stars in orbit


24

that reproduces the density that is needed to cause the

gravitational field that one assumed in the first place when

computing the orbits. Mathematically, this requires the

solution of integral equations. A further challenge is to

build models which are consistent with kinematic

observations of the line-of-sight velocities and dispersions

which are now becoming available. Like the distribution of

light, the kinematics of a galaxy is also observed only in

projection on the plane of the sky. The problems are

complicated by the fact that the three-dimensional shapes

of most elliptical galaxies, which are seen only in

projection on the sky, may well be triaxial. My last two

Ph.D. students, Eddie Qian and Balša Terzic, both worked

on astrophysical problems. The major contribution of

Eddie’s dissertation was to show how contour integrals

can be used to provide distribution functions for

axisymmetric galaxies. His contour integral method has

been quite widely used, including in a joint FSU-Leiden

collaboration to produce a model for the galaxy M32 with

a central black hole. Balša began as an assistant on a

multi-student project to study bifurcations in scalefree

galaxies with central cusps. Such galactic models are

relevant because the increasing accuracy of observations

shows how common central cusps are. Balša then went

on to construct a wide range of dynamical models for

triaxial scalefree galaxies with central cusps.

“My research activity gradually ground to a halt during my

six years as Chair. It was a great relief to have a six-

month sabbatical in Oxford in the spring of 2000, and an

even greater one to find that my mind was still capable of

doing mathematics. I shared an office with Wyn Evans,

who suggested that we look at some problems of

gravitational lensing. Gravitational lensing is a

phenomenon which occurs because light rays are bent

when they pass close to a massive object such as a

galaxy, and the light is slowed down. A consequence is

that a galaxy, which happens to lie between us and a

distant quasar, can cause us to see multiple images of

that quasar. Wyn enticed me by saying that there were

interesting mathematical results to be derived, and that

we would not have much competition. The second part

turned out not to be true, as one of our first results was

published by others before we got it into print. However,

that first result led us to many others which we were the

first to discover and publish.

“I plan to remain active in research. My NSF support

continues a year beyond my retirement and a great deal

remains to be done. Old interests continue, and Doug

Windham is working on a master’s thesis on some

applications of our ideas on gravitational lensing. Mir

Abbas Jalali began working with me as a postdoc in

January 2003 on waves and instabilities in flat stellar

disks. He will help me complete work begun long ago, but

which has been repeatedly interrupted. A fast and efficient

method which I developed for the spectral analysis of

orbits, and which Balša used to construct his triaxial

models, has many more potential uses and has yet to be

fully exploited. Lastly, I have begun to realize that the

widespread occurrence of prominent disks in galaxies

such as the Milky Way or S0 galaxies can induce chaos in

the orbits of stars which cross up and down through the

disk. These interests should keep me going for a few

more years.

“And so they did.”

We reprint with

acknowledgements to North

London Today the following

article kindly sent to us by

Mrs Mary Davies, the widow

of Dr John Davies (S42-44)

accompanied by a note

saying “he was very happy at

Aldenham”: “A much-loved

and respected former East

Barnet GP has died at the

age of 81. John Davies died

at his home in Ravenscroft Park, High Barnet, last Friday

after suffering from Parkinson’s disease for 5 years.

“Dr Davies moved to east Barnet in 1967 when he joined

East Barnet Surgery in East Barnet Road. He and his

partner, Dr Malcolm Bate, worked together for 22 years at

the practice. His daughter Susan Carlton said: “many of

his patients became his friends. He was utterly

committed to caring for them and would spend hours at a

time with those who were elderly and on their own. He

was saddened by the increased bureaucracy at the end of

his career, as it meant time at a desk rather than with his

patients. A lot of patients in the area know who he was,

even though he retired in 1995, as he was the kind of

doctor who would spend a lot of time at his patients’

bedsides.”

“Dr Davies’ other daughter, Helen, added: “He was a

devoted father as well as a committed doctor. He worked

hard, but made sure he could take us to school before

getting to the surgery – we were never late and neither

was he. His illness was very difficult for him but, true to

form, he never complained. The family is immensely

grateful to the district nurses and Dr McElligott, who cared

for him throughout his illness.”

“Dr Davies was educated at Aldenham School in Elstree,

Hertfordshire and studied medicine at St. Bartholomew’s

Hospital in West Smithfield, central London. He leaves a

wife, Mary, two daughters and five grandchildren.”

We reprint with acknowledgements to the Daily Telegraphthe following obituary for Peter Goodfellow (SHE33-36):

“Lieutenant Peter Goodfellow, who has died aged 90, flew

with the Fleet Air Arm throughout the Second World War,

scoring several victories and once ditching into the sea;

he also witnessed the drama of aircraft being hurled into



25

the air and sliding beneath the

waves when the carrier Ark

Royal was torpedoed

amidships just as he was

preparing to land on her.

“Goodfellow learned to fly in

Tiger Moths, and in December

1940 he joined 808 naval air

squadron in Ark Royal to fly

antiquated Blackburn Skua

fighter-bombers. Routine

operations included patrols over the Atlantic in all

weathers; he was once forced by low oil pressure to make

a forced landing at North Front, Gibraltar.

“He then flew Fairey Fulmar fighters in intense operations

in the Mediterranean against superior numbers of Italian,

German and Vichy French land-based aircraft. Between

July and August 1941 Ark Royal's aircraft shot down 15

enemy planes; Goodfellow was credited with a share in

downing two Italian three-engined Savoia-Marchetti SM79

bombers and damaging a third on July 23.

“In September he engaged an Italian SM84 bomber which

was shot down by his section of aircraft, but he was

forced to ditch and was rescued by a destroyer. When Ark

Royal was torpedoed on November 13, Goodfellow was

forced to fly off, short of fuel, to Gibraltar.

“Having shown himself a superior pilot, he was rested as

a flying instructor for six months, then sent to the merged

remnants of 807 and 808 squadrons in the escort carrier

Battler. These provided air defence for the North African

landings, and two Vichy aircraft were shot down, two more

damaged and others destroyed on the ground.

“After learning the techniques of close air support,

Goodfellow gave cover for the Sicily landings. He was

then again appointed an instructor, this time in the

advanced flying section of the Naval Air Fighter School at

Yeovilton. On July 27 1943 he was practising deck

landings in a Sea Hurricane on the training carrier Argus

when he snagged his tailhook and spilt into the water.

“Finally he attended No 2 test pilots' course at Boscombe

Down, where he was involved in the development of

different aircraft types. He retired from the Navy at the

end of the war.

“Alan Peter Goodfellow was born on January 19 1919 at

Bideford, Devon, and educated at Aldenham before being

apprenticed at AV Roe's aircraft factory. Preferring the

outdoor life, however, he went to work on an uncle's farm

in Oxfordshire, and started to fly gliders with his father.

“A member of the Royal Flying Corps as a teenager, his

father had shared a tent with Albert Ball, the fighter pilot

VC, and was a founding member of the RAF in 1918. He,

his sister and brother held pilot's licenses in the 1930s;

and on the outbreak of war young Peter, his brother

Norman (who flew in 804 and 880 squadrons) and their

father all volunteered for the Fleet Air Arm.

“After coming out of the Navy Peter Goodfellow studied

agriculture at Reading University, then managed a farm in

the Waveney Valley before starting work as a buyer for

Walls Meats, covering the east of England from a base at

Saxmundham, Suffolk. When Walls was reorganised,

Goodfellow quickly found a similar job dealing with fruit

farmers for the banana company Geest.

“His keen interest in wildlife led him to start collecting

books on the subject, a hobby which consumed the last

40 years of his life, and he used his business travels as

an opportunity to haunt the bookshops of East Anglia. He

acquired an encyclopedic knowledge of books about birds

and corresponded widely with other collectors. In 2000 he

displayed rare items from his private collection at an

exhibition in Norwich.

“Goodfellow dealt in books, under the name Carlton

Books, and the Inland Revenue twice accused him of

running a business rather than pursuing a hobby. On each

occasion he was able to show that on ordinary accounting

principles he was making a loss, and that – were he a

business – they would owe him money. No lover of

bureaucracy or officialdom, he was rather pleased with

these victories.

“Goodfellow lived modestly, surrounded by his books, and

continued to fly, first with the London Gliding Club. Then,

in 1959, he helped to found the Norfolk Gliding Club,

based at Tibenham. He owned an Olympia 2b and then a

Skylark 4.

“A life member of the Spitfire Association, he was a guest

at Duxford for the fighter's 70th anniversary, having flown

most of its marks. On his 80th birthday he flew his 80th

aircraft type.

“Peter Goodfellow died on April 11. He married, in 1945,

Brenda Stevens, who died in 1969. Four years later he

married Jill Thompson (née Nicholls), who survives him

with a son and two daughters of the first marriage.”

Again, we reprint with

acknowledgements to the

Daily Telegraph another

obituary of a wartime naval

officer, this time a member of

the Common Room: “Vivian

Cox (CR37-40), who has died

aged 93, became in the

course of a varied career a

film producer and a gifted

schoolmaster; he also served

as a wartime naval officer.

“In 1940, as a sub-lieutenant in the RNVR, he was picked

to work in the Admiralty War Room, and set up the floating

map room for Winston Churchill in the battleship Duke of

York. Cox subsequently accompanied the prime minister

to Washington and, at President Roosevelt's request,

established a similar map room in the White House.


SOdds & Ev

OA DAY


SCHOOL HOUSEEvens, Riding’s & Leeman’s

AY - SUNDAY 21st JUNE 2009


28

"It is a great mercy for all mankind," Churchill remarked of

Roosevelt in the course of a late-night conversation with

Cox, "that he's been called to this great office at this

moment in history."

“In 1942 Cox was appointed Junior Staff Officer (Flag

Lieutenant) to Vice Admiral Bruce Fraser, second-in-

command of the Home Fleet in the battleship Anson. The

following year he sailed with Fraser (by now promoted to

admiral) in Duke of York, and witnessed the sinking of the

Scharnhorst.

“After the Japanese surrender, Cox was one of the first

four Allied servicemen into Tokyo at the invitation of

General McArthur, riding shotgun in a Jeep.

“Vivian Alexander Cox was born on July 21 1915 in

Bangalore, India, the son of a civil servant, and educated

in Switzerland and at Cranleigh School, where he did well

on the stage and at sport as well as in class. Under the

direction of a young Michael Redgrave, who briefly taught

there, he starred in Samson Agonistes, King Lear and

Hamlet. On going up to Jesus College, Cambridge, to

read English, he acted in two Footlights revues, and in

1937 earned a Blue for hockey and four England caps.

Between 1937 and 1940 he was head of English and

drama at Aldenham School.

“After demobilisation in 1946, he worked at Shepherd's

Bush Studios, becoming associate producer to Betty Box

and then a producer at Pinewood Studios. His early films

included The Astonished Heart (1949), with Noël Coward

and Celia Johnson; So Long at the Fair (1950), with Jean

Simmons and Dirk Bogarde; and Bachelor of Hearts

(1958), with Hardy Krüger and Sylvia Syms.

“For eight years from 1959 Cox worked as an independent

producer and screenwriter for Rank Studios on such titles

as Watch Your Stern (1960), with Spike Milligan, Leslie

Phillips, Hattie Jacques and Kenneth Connor, and We

Joined the Navy (1962), with Kenneth More.

“Between 1960 and 1976 he produced all the stage shows

for the annual Royal Command Film Performance and

hosted the royal party. He also produced a television

series on French regional cooking, driving through France

at the wheel of his powder-blue MGB, enjoying excellent

food and often appearing in front of the camera as well as

working behind it.

“In 1967 Cox returned to his old school, Cranleigh, to

teach English, French and Drama. From 1975 until his

retirement in 1982, he worked with Sir Bernard Miles as

administrator at the Mermaid Theatre. In 1977, for his

translation of Henri de Montherlant's The Fire That

Consumes, he won the Laurence Olivier Award for best

new play. He subsequently translated two more plays

from the French.

“Cox was president of the Old Cranleighan Society, and

among other donations gave the school the Vivian Cox

Theatre, opened by Sir John Mills, with a green room

donated by another friend, the American entrepreneur

Harry C Meyerhoff.”


STOLEN LIONThe 5ft tall carved wooden lion pictured

above was stolen from the side of

School House some time on the 17th or

18th February 2009. If any OA out and

about spots it, the OA Office would like

to know.

OA NEWS HOME AND ABROAD

Announcement re The History of Aldenham School

From John Edwards (Beevor’s 1946-51): “We are preparing to publish in

2010 an Appendix to the most recent History of Aldenham School

(published in 1997) in order to bring it up to date. I would therefore be

most grateful if any OAs who attended the School from 1992 onwards

would send their reminiscences to me at the following address:

John Edwards

30 Park Street

Windsor

SL4 1LB

“Alternatively, you may email your

reminiscences, marked “School

History – attention John Edwards”, to

the OA office (email address:

[email protected]), who will print

them out and send them to me.

“Many thanks.”`


29

Blessed with perfect weather, and with the School looking at its best, generations of OAs, their partners and guests,

enjoyed a splendid OA Day. There was an excellent attendance from School House for the Gaudy, the Chapel resounded

to some lusty singing, drinks were enjoyed on Shilling Green, and the School caterers produced a delicious lunch. The

following attended:

Ian Abington (SHO55-59)

Nick Baker (SHE76-81)

Richard Bannister (SHE76-79)

Trevor Barton (K71-75)

Adam Bobroff (R97-2002)

Dan Bond (Chaplain)

Douglas Bonn (SHE64-69)

Malcolm Brothers (SHO40-44)

Derick Burlingham Johnson (SHO39-41)

Mike Capon (SHE48-51)

Chris Chittleborough (L98-2003)

Jim Cockburn (SHE57-61)

Bob Coombes (SHE44-47)

Robert Cowen (L96-98)

Julian Davies (SHE76-80)

Robin Dawson (SHE57-62)

Andrew de Moleyns (SHO57-60)

Paul Dunstan (Riding's Housemaster 2005-07)

Frank Dyson (SHO46-51)

John Dyson (SHO50-55)

Ian Eggleden (SHE58-63)

Mike Ewer (SHO69-73)

James Fowler (Headmaster)

Keith Fowler (SHO47-52)

Mike Frey (SHE73-76)

Vishal Gadhavi (L95-2000)

Bill Garwood (SHO57-62)

Timothy Gent (SHO40-45)

David Handcock (SHE76-80)

John Handcock (SHE44-47)

Michael Handcock (SHE45-49)

Roger Handcock (SHE75-80)

Trevor Handcock (SHE79-84)

Patrick Harding (L97-2002)

Mark Hargreaves (SHE47-52)

David Hayes (SHO63-68)

Alex Henchley (SHE77-81)

Simon Heywood (SHO44-49)

Michael Hirst (SHO46-50)

Simon Hunt (L90-95)

Charlie Irish (Leeman's Housemaster)

James Jarrett (SHE53-58)

Martin Jeens (SHE56-61)

Jay Joshi (L96-2003)

Peter Laird (SHO56-61)

Anand Lakhani (R93-98)

Bob Milne Home (SHO57-60)

Simon Mitchell (K70-73)

Hanif Moledina (SHO82-87)

Chris Mote (SHE62-67)

Alex Murray (R2003-08)

John Mustoe (SHO52-57)

Peter Norman (SHO56-60)

Mark Osmond (SHO69-73)

Ian Partington (SHE52-55)

Richard Peart (SHO55-60)

Warren Perks (SHE80-83)

Mike Phillips (SHE56-61)

Michael Platt (SHO64-68)

Michael Powles (SHO69-74)

Geoffrey Prall (SHE36-40)

Nigel Prevost (SHO49-54)

Nick Pulman (Senior Master)

Derek Redmayne (SHE45-50)

Simon Rennie (SHO70-74)

Peter Richards (SHE41-44)

Humphrey Roberts (SHE45-50)

Frank Rogers (SHE53-58)

Simon Rohleder (SHO69-73)

Robert Sentance (SHO56-61)

Indra Sikdar (SH85-90)

Geoffrey Smethurst (P44-48)

Andrew Smillie (P58-61)

Raj Solanki (L95-2002)

John Spicer (P56-59)

Andy Stephenson (Riding's Housemaster)

Derrick Swain (SHE56-60)

Mike Taylor CBE (SHE56-61)

Stephen Thomas (SHE67-70)

Anthony Thomson (SHO54-58)

John Threshie (SHO43-46)

Richard Thwaites (SHO44-49)

Charles Tubbs (SHE69-73)

David Vezey (SHE59-62)

Dick Vincent (SHE45-50)

David Watts (Riding's Housemaster 95-2002)

John Witter (SHO49-52)

David Wright (SHO76-81)

Marcus Wurtz (SHE75-80)

Robin Wynne (SHE39-44)

OA DAY 2009 FEATURING A GAUDY FOR SCHOOL HOUSE ODD & EVENS, LEEMAN’S & RIDING’S


30

The six eminent OAs, who returned to Aldenham for the School

House Gaudy, standing in front of the copy of the miniature of the

statue of Eros. The six were responsible for replacing the original

with this copy after the original was stolen in 1978.

Lord Vincent (SHE45-50), John Handcock (SHE44-47), Michael Handcock (SHE45-49), Michael Hirst (SHO46-50), Humphrey Roberts (SHE45-50) & Derek Redmayne(SHE45-50)

Left to Right 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Back Row D Fowler D Prosser

2nd Row

1st Row R C Arkell J Lilly

Willoughby

Seated M Weisz

Robin Willoughby

(P47-51) wrote to

say: “In the copy of

Aldenham Today

enclosed with my

Aldenhamiana I

was very interested

to see the picture of

Verity Gosden

(P2007-09) with the

big drum. I thought

she and others

might be interested in the photo attached. It

shows me in 1950 outside what was the Hall next

to the old science labs.

“While looking for this I also came across a photo

of the Naval Corps section on a visit to HMS

Duke of York in 1949 and thought this might be of

interest. (Ed: Robin has started to fill in the names

below. Can anyone help finish the job?)

“My final mystery photo is outside the front of

Paull’s House, I would think 1949 or 1950. My

guess is that we may have won a House prize for

something? Perhaps someone could remind me.

OA NEWS HOME AND ABROAD CONTINUED


31

Left to Right are: seated James Allen (P47-49), Christopher Williams(P46-50), John Burgess (P48-49), standing myself then??? my memory

fails me!, Basil Hazlitt (P47-51) and John Prosser (P47-51).

Staying with the drum theme Brigadier Francis Henn CBE

(SHE34-39) wrote to the Editor: “I was intrigued to see from

the photo of Verity Gosden in Issue 25 of Aldenham Today

that presumably the same Bass Drum, which (wearing a hot

leopard skin apron – photo enclosed) I thumped for the OTC

General Inspection in July 1938, continues to give service

70 years later (this probably was the last time I carried its

not insubstantial weight as I was promoted Contingent S.M.

that September). A particular memory is of thumping it all

the way to Aldenham Church for the Armistice Day Service

in November 1937. During the Service I was required to sit

beside the Organist with the Drum and give it a good

thumping during the singing of the National Anthem.

“Some OAs might like to know that in 2004 I donated a copy

of my book A Business of Some Heat (Othello – i.ii.38) to the

School Library. Published that year by Pen & Sword Books, it

covers the two years that culminated in Turkey’s invasion of

Cyprus in 1974 (throughout which period I was the UN Force’s

Chief of Staff and Commander of its British Contingent). The

Times briefly noted it as “a work of significant scholarship”,

which would have surprised those who taught me at

Aldenham. Earlier I had given the Headmaster (then Mr

Borthwick) a number of pewter tankards I had won for

swimming, together with various other items of Aldenham

memorabilia, including shooting medals won by my father (W

F Henn (SH1905-11)) and an album of photographs taken

during the period 1935-39. Mr Borthwick told me that he

intended to use the tankards when entertaining School Praes

and that the photos had provoked much interest.

“After 30 years in Somerset, we moved to Oxfordshire in 1999

to be near our daughter and her family. She is Joint Master of

the Warwickshire Fox Hounds and it gives us great pleasure

to attend its Meets (on foot!). In spite of the spiteful Act,

hunting continues to flourish in this delightful part of England.”

And another OA with the Drum, with Paull’s House in the

background, this time taken from the photograph album of

A B G Stephen (SH13-19) which was kindly presented to

the School by his son Martin Stephen (SHE49-53). The

OA himself is unknown as it

is not Mr Stephen Snr.

Stephen Adams (P52-56),

whose conscience has got

the better of him after 50

years writes: “The below will,

I hope, amuse you and a few

other contemporaries of

mine. I should have sent my

letter in long ago, but I

actually seemed to lose it

until Richard Greig’s (P54-

57) letter prompted one to try

and find it which fortunately I did. As you know, I hardly

even write anything in but I love Aldenhamiana so will try

harder in future:

“What a gentleman Bill Hancock (B44-48) must be.

Although I have never met him, his interesting contribution

in the November 2007 edition of Aldenhamiana (no. 35)

included a bit about how his poem was published in TheAldenhamian in 1946.

“If I may say so, it was an excellent piece and

demonstrated my own good taste when I plagiarised it for

my own contribution to The Aldenhamian in 1956. But I jest.

Bill, thank you for not mentioning my name but although the

‘crime’ took place over half a century ago, it is right that my

identity is now revealed, especially as I thought I got off

quite lightly in 1956. There can be no excuse for what I did

but, in mitigation, there was a reason. Donald Parren had

set us the task of writing a poem for submission to the

school magazine. As one of our class said (a bit too loudly

as he got into trouble), “write a poem, do me a favour”. This

echoed my own view entirely. I could no more write a poem

than fly to the moon and even if I tried, it would take hours,

which I simply hadn’t got. Pumped with my own self

importance, I felt I had far bigger fish to fry. I was Secretary

of both football and tennis and I was swotting (!) for ‘A’ level.

“I didn’t know Donald Parren very well and was rather wary

of him so as the deadline loomed large, something had to

be done. A good friend (still is) said why not get an old copy

of The Aldenhamian and copy one from it. Brilliant, I

thought. I couldn’t find anything more than 10 years old but


32

when you’re 17, 10 years seems a lifetime. It took me five

minutes to copy out and thus I felt pretty smug at having

solved what was a substantial problem and it never

occurred to me that it might be published.

“One can imagine my embarrassment when some months

later it appeared in The Aldenhamian and much ribbing took

place. Then it was forgotten until Parren told me that the true

author had written in. I thought a beating was certain but he

seemed strangely amused by it and advised me to write a letter

of apology and explanation. It was only then that I realised what

I had done and how Bill must have thought. There he was

languishing in Suez during that ill-fated campaign when his mail

arrives, including The Aldenhamian which should have lifted his

spirits. I then pictured his fury at reading his poem, attributed to

another name and complaining to his friends how some

dreadful little squirt at his old school, who couldn’t be bothered

to construct his own poem, had pinched someone else’s.

“One day, Bill, when I’m next in Somerset, maybe I could buy

you a pub lunch, and round off our meal with some humble pie.

“Footnote: I wrote this letter after Issue 35, put it to one side

and forgot about it. But Richard Greig’s contribution in

Issue 36 prompted me to find it following his amusing

recollection of the incident. Like Bill, he is another example

of an Aldenhamian gentleman who could have mentioned

my name, but refrained.”

Richard Seville (K73-78) wrote to the Editor from

Australia: “I have just read Aldenhamiana. It has helped to

pass the time while I waited for a much delayed flight.

There was a lot of interesting reading.

“It was a sad issue however with the news about Michael

Hetherington. The valedictories were very good to read.

Are there any further developments?

“At the other end of the issue, there was the Eros to Eros run

report with some interesting writing by Alan Gelson. (Also a

photo of a fit looking Editor). The Alan Gelson article brought

back a few memories. The reference to “minibus” and “fluids”

brought back the image of the original support group - Chris

and Jenny Arkell in the school Ford transit minibus and their

unusual Skoda (?) with the extra seats at the back.

“Every year I think about doing it again but it is a long way

to come from Australia for a run. I even recall putting my

name down and having some e-mail communication with

you about it. Well, let me try again; put me down and I will

try very hard to make it.

“By the way, with modern technology you probably

accurately know the distance? I always used to think it was

about 15 miles but that could have been rounded up?

“One last comment – it is amazing to think an OA was there

at the beginning of Aussie Rules Football.”

(Ed: re Richard’s question about news on MichaelHetherington. Sadly there is nothing more to report. Nosign of Michael or his belongings have been found. And rethe Eros run – 14.5 miles or so is, I believe, the generallyrecognised distance.)


OXFORD EVENSONG AND DINNER – 16 MAY 2009OAs who had attended Oxford University, members of the Richard Platt Society and OAs who live in the Oxfordarea were invited to join the Headmaster, his wife, and Parents when the School Chapel Choir sang Evensong inWadham College Chapel. The Old Testament Reading was read by Lawrie Brewer (SHO59-64) who appropriatelyhad once won the Headmaster’s Prize for Reading in Chapel. After the Evensong Service OAs joined theHeadmaster for a drinks reception in the Fellows Drawing Room, followed by dinner in the magnificent Old Library.The Headmaster toasted the School and Nigel Foxell (B45-49) replied on behalf of the OAs.

From Left to Right Back Row: Headmaster, Revd Dan Bond, Will England (K75-80), Trevor Barton (K71-75), Henry Dickinson (K75-80), Tony Hunt(B49-54), Lawrie Brewer (SHO59-64), John Edwards TD (B46-51), Neil Sutherland OBE (B66-70), Ian Luetchford (B48-51), Nigel Foxell (B45-49)

Middle Row: Paul Yule (SHE69-74), Francis Henn CBE (SHE34-39), Chris Brown (SHE46-51), Margaret Brown, Jane Parker, Harold Reading(P37-42), Cynthia Hunt, Norma Luetchford, John Rimer (P56-60), Jim Toogood (SHE46-51), Keith Fowler (SHO47-52), Robin Wynne-Jones(SHE39-44), Anne Foxell

Front Row: Monica Henn, Charlotte Fowler, Margaret Ma (2003-05), Judi Dickinson, Lin Sutherland, Anne Rimer, Margaret Toogood


33

Tony Fawcus (M57-61) emailed with the news: “I have

now retired from teaching at Pembroke School and am

running a B&B and small farm down on the south coast of

the Fleurieu Peninsula, about an hour south of Adelaide.”

(Ed - If anyone is travelling in this direction and looking for

a beautiful place to stay this could be it. The address is:

Brooklands, PO Box 356, Port Elliot, South Australia 5212,

Australia or email [email protected]. If you look

at the website www.brooklands.net.au there is a short

video.)

A note from David Smith (P56-61): “Many thanks for the

really excellent Aldenhamiana.”

Following the sad news of Peter Mason’s death we

received a number of emails and letters from OAs:

From Basil Maddox (SHE51-56) on learning of Peter

Mason’s death: “Thank you for the news about Peter

Mason. I heard last month that my college tutor also died

this year - at 102 years. So education offers long life, it

seems!

“One of the effects of (my) old age is that to offset my failing

short-term memory (according to my wife I don't recall what

she said 5 minutes ago!) my memories of Aldenham 1951-

1956 only get sharper with time. So although Peter Mason

can only be history to you, even if you did meet him, I have

many memories of that man as, for better or worse, he had

a significant impact on who I was and who I became.

“He was an ardent classicist, so much so that when I

scored 96% and 92% in my Latin A and Latin B Common

Entrance exams at age 12, he wrote to my father accepting

me and saying "His line is obviously Classics. Please havehim start Greek in the summer holidays, before he comesto Aldenham". And so, disastrously, I did. Consequently to

this day I know no Chemistry, even though I switched to

science before O-levels, it was too late. Such is the lifelong

impact that Headmasters can have.”

David Miller (M50-54) wrote: “Many thanks for letting us

know. Jock Evans once said of him: "He may not be much

good at Fives, but he's a crackerjack at Greek." Which

indeed he was and of course Latin too. Not to mention

French.”

David Brewerton (M57-62): “Thank you for letting me

know about Peter Mason. I remember him well and his

efforts to persuade me to take classics at A level (I

disappointed him by doing maths and physics). It is sad to

learn of his death, but glad he made a good age after a long

and successful life.”

Robin Danvers-Glasson (P55-59): “Thank you for

advising me of Peter Mason's death. I had the opportunity

to thank him for what he did for me and had the pleasure of

his reply. I find that I am really saddened that one of the

great men in my life and of my lifetime has left us.”

A brief note from Michael Sally (SHE57-61) to say: “thank-

you for thinking of informing me of the passing of Peter

Mason. I went to Edge Grove and my parents had difficulty

in finding a Public School which would take me (my exam

results were atrocious). Many “names” declined, but Peter

Mason was both positive and encouraging, so the family

was delighted.

“Peter Mason was a shining light in the world of education

and will be remembered by many. 95 is a most respectable

age to leave this world and he obviously had both a full and

successful life.”

Allan Arthur (SHE55-60) had been promising to write to

the OA Office since the Cambridge Dinner in 2004. We are

delighted to receive the following from him: “Thank you for

letting me know about the passing of Peter Mason, my

Headmaster. I am at last moved to write my letter to you

and to send you my cheque for a chair in the Library. I think

it is called the Cecil Stott Library; it was a place where I

learnt to study and to find quiet contemplation.

“Peter G. Mason, affectionately known as Piggy, was good

to me, apart from compelling me to study Classics with

brainpots Stubbs (M55-60) and Mitcheson (M55-60) and

to review his microfiche copies of the Dead Sea Scrolls. He

was an encourager; generally he liked pupils though I fancy

he was not overkeen on parents. He taught me and many

other School House sixth formers to make conversation at

top table by running through the alphabet. Being captain of

Evens meant I was allowed to play tennis with him and his

lovely daughters, but Mike Catchpole and Jo Corp were

more successful than me. I was just better at tennis!

However Peter Mason then helped me get to Cambridge

where I spent 3 great years. I’m glad he made 95; I know

he will have enjoyed much and I learned at his funeral of

his important contributions, after Aldenham, at Manchester

Grammar School and in the international arena.

“In 1955 I arrived from a prep school in Lancashire and

everyone was surprised at the school, particularly me,

when I won a scholarship. I still get nervous even today

when I pass the Battleaxes Inn because at that point I had

to prepare myself to arrive at the School for the scholarship

exam. One memory was of a praeposter called Hart who

supervised one of the exams – I called him ‘Sir’ as he

looked so old - I thought he was a teacher not pupil!

KATHERINE HEPBURN’S LAST INTERVIEW – SIMON WORRALL (K64-69)I have (finally) joined the 21st. century and made one of my articles - Katharine Hepburn: The Last Interview -

available for purchase on Kindle, Amazon's new electronic reading device. For the very affordable price of $1.49! So

if you have a Kindle (you can also download the story to an I-Phone) - or know anyone with one - please go to this

URL: http://tinyurl.com/l9ogvn. Kindle is an exciting new development that is going to put ownership of our words

back where it belongs: with the writers, not with giant media corporations like Viacom or News International.


34

“Praeposters were big blokes in those days: Riley Major,

Fawcus, Thompson. I began life at Aldenham as a fag to

one of them, R K Montgomery, Captain of Evens. He was

OK – I can say that now. I think he was a sergeant in the

CCF and he always had a broad grin particularly when he

made me redo his blanco and his boots innumerable times.

That lesson taught me to do a job properly first time round.

The CCF then included Major Crawshaw and Sarge – I still

can’t stop spitting when I mention the name of

Buckingham! I am attaching a picture of school staff and

pupils taken in 1955.

“Speaking of Montgomery reminds me of “I was Monty’s

Double”. We used to have talks, recitals, films etc on a

Sunday night. This guy came one Sunday and explained

that during the war he had been commissioned to become

Field Marshal Montgomery’s double. He had to hoodwink

the Germans into believing that Monty was in Spain getting

ready for the invasion to take place down there, whilst in

fact preparations were being made to invade Normandy. I

still remember the surreal moment at the end when he

came on stage in full uniform, looking the image of the

Field Marshal.

“I noticed in a previous edition of Aldenhamiana that Alan

Gelson rightly referred to the star staff performers at that

time. Donald Parren was my amazing Housemaster –

you never quite knew what he was going to do or say

next. He introduced me to the world of theatre; mind you

Benson and I lost a house play competition, performing

Journey’s End, because the adjudicator said I shouted

too much.

“Another star was Peter Harrington, the original public

school Mr Chips. I am attaching a picture of him, Rudolph

Canepa-Anson and Fred Clitheroe with whom I celebrated

the Whitbread travel scholarship. The objective was to

study the Allied invasion of Normandy. We duly arrived at

Arromanches in Normandy and spent the day admiring the

wonderful exhibition there and collecting loads of

pamphlets. Day 2 Peter said we must rush because he had

made an appointment for us all in the Dordogne for

afternoon tea of macaroons and Sauterne. We spent the

next 12 days on a fabulous wine tour through the Bordeaux

and Burgundy regions and then to Paris. We left a trail

behind us of a shattered ‘entente cordiale’, ranging from

disgusted guides at French chateaux to damaged cyclists

on the bridge at Tours.

Left to Right: Roger Clitheroe (Father of Fred) Rupert Canepa-Anson

(SHO55-60), Fred Clitheroe (SHE55-59) & Peter Harrington (CR49-64)

“Cyril Tyson was also another guy with a beaming smile.

I guess Cyril knew Ron Greenwood, who used to give us

coaching as an Under 15 X1. Later I remember when Ron

Greenwood joined Arsenal and brought members of the

squad to the school to play the 1st X1. I attach a picture.

I recall Tommy Docherty was in the squad but is not in the

picture but Mel Charles, brother of John Charles, is there in

the centre of the back row. What an inspiration – I went on



35

to captain the football team of Cath’s College and then of

an amateur side in Liverpool.

“Who could forget Bill Kennedy and his verbal Latin tests –

certainly not Farnworth. Even if you thought you knew the

answer to Bill’s question you trembled and got ready to

duck to avoid the flying chalk rubber or the flailing ruler.

“In the Sixth Form I shared a study with Rudolph Canepa-

Anson and we became aware of boys sneaking off at night

to the Busy Bee café on the Watford by-pass. We caught

some of those “Desperate Draggers”, and they got beaten.

My apologies – it was not a pleasant experience for any of

us, and remains one of my saddest memories.

“Bill Hook was music master who gave me an inspiring

introduction to classical music. I have happy memories of

oratorios, and Bill must have been playing the organ the

day Stanley Spencer brought his “Crucifixion” to the chapel.

The breweries had plenty of money in those days! My

musical claim to fame was conducting the Evens House

choir in Waltzing Matilda and winning the House music

competition. Someone said I should make people smile as

they sang, so I used a toothbrush as a baton.

“I learnt from all that talented staff room, even from the

Revd. Anderson, when the whole class stood to a man,

pointed at the Chaplain, and shouted “Crucify Him” during

a reading of Dorothy Sayers book “The man born to be

King”. Hockey maestro David Robertson took us to the

Oxford Hockey festival. We had an ace hockey player in

U.Mohammadu; we never knew his real age but he

definitely helped us win matches!

“Inspired by my Aldenham experience and my time at

university I spent my working life in industry. I have been

married for 43 years, and have 2 daughters and 3

grandchildren. In retirement (so called), I chair the Board of

a student accommodation business in Liverpool, I am a

Princes Trust business mentor and I have recently

instigated a transition town initiative, which is designed to

build a more resilient community in the face of climate

change, peak oil and other global challenges.

“A final photo is attached of the sixth form in 1960 when I

left Aldenham. I feel so privileged to have enjoyed and to

continue to enjoy such a happy life and I thank Peter

Mason, his staff and all my compatriots at Aldenham for

launching me into the world in such a special way.”

THE GOLDING SWORDThe picture below was taken in the Headmaster’s Garden on Visitation Day 2009. It marks the first presentation of

the Golding Sword to CCF cadet Company Sergeant Major Josh Nathan. Mr Golding, father of Mark Golding (K84-

89) and the country’s foremost military tailor, GD Golding of St Albans, generously donated the sword to be

presented as an annual award to the best cadet in the Aldenham School Combined Cadet Force.

Left to Right Adam Chandler(B02-09), Sqn Ldr Stanbury,Field Marshal the Lord Vincentof Coleshill GBE KCB DSO(SHE45-50), Mr Golding, JoshNathan (M02-09), Flt Lt Barton,Maj Russell Lewis MC (SH86-91), The Headmaster, Maj

Cockerill, WOII Albrecht.


36

Alan Marco (SHE67-72) emailed to let the OA Office know

his new address and added the following news:

“I returned to Australia in August 2008. I will be coming

back to the UK from time to time as my mother still lives

there. Please can you keep me informed of any future

events. I will of course also keep up to date by entering the

web site. Should you or any other OA get to Sydney and

need a tour guide, don’t hesitate to contact me. For the

golfers, golf can be arranged!!!” Alan’s email address is

[email protected].

Another letter from Basil Maddox (SHE51-56) who was

unable to make it to the School House Gaudy Reunion in

the summer but sent the following email: “Greetings,

Aldenham and OAs of my generation. Once again my

annual visit to England (I live in the USA) does not coincide

with an Aldenham reunion. I’ll be in the UK for a month this

year, but as I will return on May 21st I'll miss the Gaudy, so

this is the best I can do.

"I’m sure you have lots of school pictures. I have just one,

which I enclose in case you don’t have it. Soccer 2nd XI, 1955.

Back row L to R: Michael Hobbs, David Strickland, Tony Dey, John Mustill,Keith Montgomery, Basil Maddox

Front Row L to R: Marcus Blake, Clive Simeons, Alan Day, Alan

MacFadyen, David Orwin

“Some of these are still around as I have seen their pics in

the magazine. To those who remember me, Hi there!

“On reflection, Aldenham truly provided my formative years,

in that so many things I was involved with then are still with

me. Soccer coaching until recently. Sailing. Tennis, which

I still play twice a week year round. Cars – I used to run the

Motor Transport squad in the CCF (which I am interested to

see has made a resurgence). Girls – well, maybe

Aldenham was a monastery then, but perhaps that’s why

Jennifer, whom I dated in the sixth form, has now been my

wife for 47 years! 5 grandchildren and counting! And on a

minor note, being secretary of the aero-modelling society

then might have seemed insignificant, but see the attached

Brian Allnutt (M52-56) in Gooseberry Hill, Western

Australia wrote: “Dear Editor, Thank you for publishing the

photo of the McGill's Fives team on the front page of

October's Aldenhamiana. When I saw those familiar faces

staring out at me it was like receiving a blast from the past

and brought back memories of great friendships and

adventurous holidays on the Norfolk Broads where Johnny

Riley, John Saxby, Michael Nunn, myself and others hired

sail boats to explore the Broads. The situations we found

ourselves in were quite hilarious and, to say the least,

exciting. My best regards to all McGillians.”

Very recent OA Charlie MacGinty (M2005-09) was given a

small grant by the OA Society to enable him to take up the

offer of a scholarship and work experience programme with

photo. As they say, the

difference between

men and boys is only in

the price/size of their

toys! And yes, this

Wright B Flyer does fly

and I have been up in

(on) it! Retirees have

more fun! See

www.wright-b-flyer.org/

for the whole story.

“My current life in

pictures also attached.

Have a great Gaudy Re-Union on June 21st.”



37

the National Youth Theatre in the summer of 2008. He

writes here of his experiences: “I truly enjoyed my time at

the National Youth Theatre and I am very grateful to The

OA Society for the support I received. I learned an

enormous amount during the stage management training

course and working as Assistant Stage Manager for the

summer season.

“The course was spaced out over two weeks and I learnt a

great deal from talking to professionals and stage

managers who have been working in the industry for many

years and have had lots of experience. As part of the

preparation of props, I learned how to make all sorts of

different kinds of food from a mashed potato-like substance

that can be dyed many different colours and moulded into

different shapes. We made a full English breakfast using

the dye and mashed potato like-substance (which tasted

very similar to mashed potato!). This was very interesting to

see and experiment with. We also had a work experience

placement and for me, this was amazing! I was given the

hit West End musical Avenue Q which was so exciting. I got

With acknowledgements to the Daily TelegraphGOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED: METHANOL-FUELLED MERCEDES MONSTER

Jenson Button and Tony Dron (P59-64) shared driving duties in a Classic Mercedes Grand Prix racer from 1934.

Nobody can remember when the piercing, spooky whine of a350bhp Mercedes-Benz W25 supercharger was last heard.However, anyone at the Goodwood Festival of Speed lastweekend, when one was in full cry after decades of silence, willsurely never forget that sound. It was driven twice by Brawn GP'sJenson Button, providing a distinctly novel experience for thecurrent F1 World Championship leader.

Jenson enjoyed himself despite never having experienced any kindof vintage machine before, let alone this 1934 Grand Prix single-seater with "crash" gearbox, no differential, drum brakes, skinnytyres and that supercharged straight-eight which runs on methanol,smells of marzipan and is somewhat tricky to use. The fact that thethrottle pedal is on the left of the brake is not the only problem.

Restored last winter by the factory's Classic department, this is theactual Mercedes-Benz which Manfred von Brauchitsch took tovictory in the 1934 Eifelrennen race, when that whine echoedmemorably around the mountainous Nürburging for the first time. Itwas the first of the legendary "Silver Arrows" Grand Prix cars.

Mercedes-Benz brought a mighty fleet to Goodwood, including twoeven more powerful GP models from 1937 and 1939. I had theimmense privilege of driving all three up Goodwood's hillclimb,along with Jochen Mass, while Jenson took the wheel of the W25on the Sunday.

Sitting bolt upright in these cockpits, getting that strange whiff of methanol, yousurge away with wheels spinning. The W25, dominant in 1934, was obsolete by1936, outpaced by rival Auto Union. Mercedes-Benz fought back effectively.These Silver Arrows may look similar but don't be deceived: technology leaptforward dramatically from 1934 to 1939.

People asked me whether I advised Jenson on driving the W25. Well, I didsuggest that the central throttle would be no problem on the hill but he might kill a few people in the paddock if herelaxed afterwards. He had no such trouble.

to work backstage and help out with backstage

management. This work experience on a live West End

stage is invaluable. Another great experience we had was

a backstage tour at The Lion King; we got to see how the

special effects were achieved and we got a chance to ask

the stage manager any questions we wanted about the

industry and the show.

“After the course came to an end we started to prop for our

shows. I was assigned to Tory Boyz; a show about gay Tory

party members, and Ted Heath, which was the main leading

play in the NYT season (Worlds Apart). I started sourcing

props and collecting items for the show, which was very

successful. We rehearsed the show in a court house in

Angel as we were not moving into the Soho theatre until we

had to start the technical runs. We later moved over to the

Soho Theatre in Dean Street where we set out all the props

and set up the stage ready for our technical rehearsal the

next day. Our tech ran for two days where the light, sound

stage and video projection all came together. We

successfully made it through the tech on the second day


38

and even finished early. We then made our way back to

Halls of Residence in Highgate, where we were all staying

and got to sleep early as we had the dress rehearsal and

opening night the next day. Day three in Soho dawned and

we all got on the bus and made our way to Soho early that

morning. We started our dress rehearsal and it ran very

smoothly and there were no hiccups at all which was great.

Our opening night was a great success with Ian McKellen,

who played Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, there to

watch it. Many other celebrities and VIPs came to watch the

show including David Cameron and a Dead Ringers star

who impersonates Tony Blair and George Bush; even

Gordon Brown showed up to support the play. Our press

night was our third performance. This caused a lot of stress

and made every one nervous as the audience filled with

members of the press. The performance went well and our

reviews in the Metro, Times and the Guardian were so

positive that we were given a 3 star rating. The other NYT

show came into the programme later in the season and

when it closed, Tory Boyz finished off the season in Soho

with a standing ovation on our last night. The whole eight

week experience was the chance of a lifetime, and I am now

applying to Guildhall, Central School and Mount View to

follow a degree in Technical Theatre.”

Clive Snow (P55-58) emailed with his new address. He

says: “We’re now living on a farm in New Zealand which

you can see if you log on to www.waiwhenua.co.nz or you

can Google our address (746 River Road, R D 9, Hastings

4179, New Zealand) on Google Earth - Maps and can see

how far into the hills we are. I couldn’t think of anything

worse than 'suburbia' after our recent life, firstly in the Bay

of Plenty and then cruising for three years. We also have a

very nice Dufour yacht up in the Bay of Islands (north of

Auckland) which could be available for any keen sailors

that manage to get down this way.

”If you want to get in touch with Clive his email address is

[email protected].

James Palmer (P95-2002) is now the Principal Horn player

with Irish National Orchestra.

We reprint with

acknowledgements to

Optima magazine their

recent article, BringingThe Printed Page Alive,featuring Jermaine Daley

(L91-96): “Projects like

the National Year of

Reading (2008) come and go in a blaze of glory – but, if

they’re to make any real difference, then the activity they

generate needs to carry on at grassroots level. Jill Glenn

meets Northwood man Jermaine Daley – a “Reading Hero”

who’s constantly challenging his pupils.

“As a teacher of English and Religious Studies, and an

enthusiastic reader, Jermaine Daley was aware of last

year’s Year of Reading campaign… but he hadn’t expected

it to affect him personally. As a result, when the call came

to tell him that he’d been identified as a Reading Hero, and

that he should present himself at Number 10 Downing

Street to receive his award, he thought it was a joke. “I

made them email me,” he recalls, shaking his head and

laughing at himself. “I didn’t believe them at all…”. It

transpired that Jermaine’s Head of Faculty at Harefield

Academy had put his name forward, in recognition of his

commitment to encouraging his pupils to read for pleasure.

“It’s good to be acknowledged,” admits Jermaine, still

surprised that the work he does with pupils should be

thought out of the ordinary.

“Jermaine Daley is not your average reader; in fact, he

confounds more than one stereotype. Young (just 31),

black, he has a degree in Theology from Westminster

College, Oxford, coaches football at the academy and

plays countless other sports including Eton Fives. In the

face of all the surveys and statistics that tell us that black

boys don’t achieve, and that teachers constantly set the bar

too low, Jermaine Daley stands up to be counted. Twice.

He’s a black man who clearly has achieved, and who, as a

teacher, sets the bar at a height that makes a difference.

“Trevor Phillips, chairman of the Equality and Human

Rights Commission, observed a couple of years ago, that

“a black boy who does not see a black person like himself

in a position of authority in the classroom doesn't know how

to be a man.” If that’s true – and it seems perfectly

reasonable – then it is vital that the work of men like

Jermaine Daley is publicly recognised. A generation of

pupils – black boys and others – at Harefield have what it

is to be a man demonstrated to them on a daily basis. And

what they see, I venture, is what Jermaine is, completely

unadulterated. This award may have resulted from the Year

of Reading, but he would have deserved it anyway.

“He reads constantly, both for personal pleasure (he’s just

finished Conn Iggulden’s Wolf of the Plains, which he rates

highly; he loves historical fiction in general, and Greco-

Roman history in particular) and to approve books for the

school library. He has great faith in the ability of young

adults to cope with a wide range of reading material that

reflects and challenges their life experiences. Malorie

Blackman’s Noughts and Crosses – “every teenager

should read it” – wins his approval. So does Jennifer

Donnelly’s A Gathering Light.

“He doesn’t … sssh, quiet now… rate JK Rowling. “I’m not

a fan,” he says, almost apologetically. He proposes Ursula

le Guin as an alternative; le Guin’s Earthsea books were

the first that ‘spoke’ to Daley when he was a teenager. A

teacher whom he respected pointed him towards A Wizardof Earthsea… and his life changed. “I had a rapport with the

lead character,” he explains, with zealous light in his eyes,

“I ‘got’ him, I understood him.” After that Jermaine became,

almost overnight, a voracious reader, looking for more

books in which he could recognise himself, and find ways

to understand his life. He needed, he thinks, something

other than football and cricket – although he kept the two

strands of his life separate. No reading on the team coach.



39

“It’s his own experience of leading a non-reading life as a

young teenager that makes him sensitive to the

experiences of his own pupils today. Girls, he believes, do

read, but secretly. Boys, on the whole, don’t – although he’s

changing that.

“He’s keen on capitalising on their existing enthusiasms. If

they’re into football, and reading Match, Jermaine

encourages them to move up to FourFourTwo; if sport isn’t

their thing, but they’re looking at tabloid newpapers or basic

men’s magazines, he suggests GQ or Esquire – “and

reading the articles fully…”. He wants them to read complex

sentences, and to expand their vocabulary. And they know

that’s what he’s after, even coming to him with something

they’ve just finished, saying, “Look at this, sir, this has got

complex sentences in it.” They stop him in the corridors to

report “I’ve finished that book already, sir.” Quite something

from children who often join Harefield with unformed tastes,

or, in Jermaine’s view, inferior reading experiences.

“I sense he’s trying hard to be even-handed, here, not

wanting to criticise the primary schools that turn out

youngsters whose reading material extends no further than

Horrible Histories and Tracey Beaker. He loves coaxing

pupils beyond that, though. “I want them to read books

because they’re good, to find personal pleasure in them,

not just because they’re well-known, or a film tie-in.”

“Despite his ambition for his pupils, he’s quite realistic about

what’s possible. “You have to love the classics to want to

read the classics”, he acknowledges, and he doesn’t force

anyone. He’s not pretentious, and I suspect that’s what helps

him get through to reluctant youngsters. He’s instigated a

‘two-and-a-half week rule’; if they can’t get into something by

then, they’re allowed to abandon – and try something else.

“His younger cousins read now, as a result of his

enthusiasm, but his older brothers remain unconverted.

“They say, ‘don’t give me another book’,” he laughs.

I suspect he takes no notice of them, though. Books, I

imagine, are at the top of Jermaine’s list of Christmas gifts

to get and to give. And he loves discovering that his cousins

have already read a book he’s trying to recommend to

them. “It’s great to have someone at home to talk to about

reading.”

“He’s shyly proud of his Number Ten experience. “I was

trying to be casual about it, and then I realised… this is

quite special.” What did he love the most? “Walking up the

stairs, past all those portraits… Pitt the Elder, and so on.

Thinking ‘I remember you from school’.” And of course he

got talking to the other Reading Heroes… finding out what

they were doing, why they were there. “It was good to meet

others, getting more ideas on how to read… how to

encourage reading.”

“Talking about reading clearly rocks his world, and the

energy of the man is exhausting. He speaks rapidly, laughs

easily. I can hardly take notes fast enough.

“The only time he’s stumped – and even then it’s only for a

moment – is when I ask him to name his five favourite

books. Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mocking Bird comes to his

mind first, although he stresses that his list is in no

particular order. Then there’s A Wizard of Earthsea, of

course, plus Tolkien; he wants “all of Tolkien” on his list, but

when I point out that that’s not quite in the spirit of five

faves, he narrows it down to The Silmarillion. He nominates

The Kite Rider by Geraldine McCaughrean, too – “a

beautiful book” – and I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Borton

De Trevino, about the slave to the painter Velasquez.

“Whatever it is that’s running through Jermaine Daley’s

veins, they should bottle it, and give it to small boys

intravenously. It would make the world a much better place.”

AXFORD REGIONAL LUNCH – 20 MAY 2009

OAs living in the South West of England were invited to join

the Headmaster for a very enjoyable regional lunch at the

Red Lion Inn near Axford. This is the second time we have

held a regional lunch here, and although it has changed

hands since the lunch in 2005 the food is still very good and

the location very convenient for many OAs living in this part

of the country. We will try and get further west again

sometime – we promise!

Simon Mundy, who attended Merchant Taylors before

moving to Aldenham, wore his OMT tie, and reminded the

Headmaster they had been at School there together!

Left to Right Back Row: John Crownshaw (K64-66), Nicolas Leigh-Hunt(M59-64) Peter Goodchild (B52-57)

Middle Row: Jeremy Hawkins (B49-52), Simon Mundy (M80-82), RogerMurray-Leach (B56-60), Philip Chippindale (SHE63-66), Paul Dawkins(SHO64-69)

Front Row: Jehn Edgley (SHE57-62), Tony Engel (56-59), ElizabethHawkins, Aleck Lankester (M38-41), Headmaster, Frank Rogers

(SHE53-58), Peter Carr (M54-58)



WITH ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS TO TPI (TOTAL PRODUCTION INTERNATIONAL)

TONY LAURENSON - EAT TO THE BEAT AT 25

The catering business founded by Tony Laurenson (M71-75) in February 1984

continues to go from strength to strength, keeping production crews fed and

watered all around the world. TPi meets the main man as he celebrates the

company’s silver anniversary...

After scooping the Favourite Catering Company accolade for the seventh

consecutive year at the TPi Awards 2009 in February, one might forgive Eat To The

Beat for sitting back and smelling the roses. It only takes five minutes in managing

director Tony Laurenson’s company, however, to realise that he and his team are as

feisty as they ever were.

Twenty-five years ago, when tour catering was still very wet behind the ears, Laurenson founded Eat To The Beat

— the name suggested by Hot Chocolate’s Patrick Olive — and hit the road with his first two clients, Joe Jackson

and Iron Maiden.

Part of the Global Infusion Group (G.I.G., geddit?), Eat To The Beat has expanded over the years from its humble

origins into a global enterprise, occupying a purpose-built facility in Watford, UK since 1989 (which has grown from

5,000ft2 to 40,000ft2), a US base in Studio City, California and, more recently, operations in Qatar, Dubai and China.

In the rock’n’roll world, Eat To The Beat (ETTB) has a client list that’s a veritable Who’s Who of the touring industry,

from Amy Winehouse to ZZ Top, and scores of names in between, not to mention film, TV, high profile festivals

(Download, Glastonbury, Hyde Park Calling, Lollapalooza and the Transatlantic V/Virgin Festivals) and streams of

one-off events.

CALLING ALL OLD BOYS OF ST MARTIN’S SCHOOL, NORTHWOODThe School is setting up a database of Old Boys and is keen to have details of as many former pupils as possible

with a view to organising reunions. Please log on to the Old Boys Area of the School website (www.stmartins.org.uk)

or telephone Patricia Tidmarsh at the School on 01923 825740. If you know anyone else (perhaps work colleagues,

neighbours or relations) who used to attend the School please ask them to let us have their details too.

John English (P43-48) emails: “Hello OAs: Why are the

British so damned reticent? I just spent an hour updating my

info in the OA Database and took a look at the names listed

under 1948...the year I "graduated" from Aldenham. I think I

am the only one who has given out his website, phone etc

and not hidden it from view! I would welcome contact with

any OAs interested in a brief chat by email, or if anywhere

near where we live, a phone call and come on over for a visit

and a laugh about (very) old times. dob 1930.

“We are still in Canada, though we now enjoy the winter

months at our Florida home. No more snow for me, if I can

avoid it.

“Just recently I changed from a budding- to a published-

author....my book is titled KILL THE ADDICTION, and is

rendered more mysterious by the sub-title STOP

SMOKING: WITHOUT QUITTING ! Actually it is no fiction,

but a serious, new, breakthrough method for smokers who

CANNOT quit to become smoke-free in a few days, easily,

happily, permanently. Rather a large target audience since

the World Health Organization (WHO) mentions that there

are about 1,300,000,000 (that's 1.3 billion in US-speak)

smoking adults in the World....about 25%. And of those it

seems about 70% want to quit but fail. Until Now!

“So if you feel inclined to save a life...your own or someone

else's who smokes, do drop into my website at

outskirtspress.com/stopsmokingwithoutquitting. and if you

should be daring enough to buy the book, please go to

Amazon after you've read it and write a short review. I'd be

perfectly happy with 5-star rating, naturellement. Let's hear

from some of you reticent OAs and we can swop a few lines.

“.....and if you feel inclined, this letter can go into the school

magazine, OAs section or wherever, so that some of my old

buddies can get in touch.

John’s email address is [email protected].


41

“5.55” ON 08.08.08

Michael Goodman (M44-1948) sent the item below

accompanied by the note: “on receiving my copy of

Aldenhamiana I realised I had forgotten to send you a

report of the latest reunion of the “5.55” group from

McGill’s. So here it is plus photo to include in the next

issue, whenever that is.

“McGill’s (Gaudy Reunion Day 22nd June 2008 –

Aldenhamiana No. 36 Pg 20-21) is still in the news!

“Those who gathered together every 11 years after they

left McGill’s in 1948 (as recounted from time to time in

these pages) had another of their reunions on 08.08.08.

Having met on 6th June, 1966, 7th July, 1977, 8th August,

1998 and 9th September, 1999 we decided it would be too

long to wait for 10th October, 2010, so we met for lunch in

London on 05.05.05 (Aldenhamiana No. 32, Feb 2006 pg. 13). Sadly since then two of our number Keith Frew and

John (‘Charlie’) Moore have died and some, like Bryan Keatley and Jill Cox, have found the distance too much.

“However, undaunted by the march of time, no fewer than 11 of us (we have included wives since 1988) met once

again, sixty years after we left school for a very convivial lunch at Tim and Joan Law’s delightful home in Godalming

on 08.08.08. The others present were John (‘Sos’) and Janet Sainsbury, Nigel (‘Nippy’) and Barbara Jane Schollick,

Derek (‘Jimmy’) and Joy James, Peggy Frew and Michael (‘Benny’) Goodman and my wife Pat as can be seen from

the photograph taken by one of Tim and Joan’s daughters, both of whom helped to organise the event. As usual

our former Housemaster, WH ‘Bill’ Kennedy, sent us his greetings. The Aldenham Grace was said before and after

lunch, even if my Latin pronunciation is not quite what it once was! Nigel Schollick who suffered a stroke in January

(and sadly died in December), stood up at the end of the meal and with great fortitude thanked our hosts for

arranging lunch in their house and proposed their healths.

“As someone remarked when discussing when we should meet again, at this rate we shall soon become a monthly

lunch club!”

Sir David Mitchell (P42-45) has recently written his

autobiography. We reprint here, with acknowledgements to

The Times, Sir George Young’s musings on the memoirs of

this MP-cum-wine merchant.: “Sir David Mitchell, who was

an MP from 1964 to 1997, has recently written his

autobiography, From House to House: one house being

vintner Vintage House, from which he ran El Vinos; the

other being the House of Commons.

“Politics and alcohol can be dangerous bedfellows, but not

in David’s case. He combined a long and successful career

in politics with an equally successful career in the wine

trade. He recounts introducing himself at a wine-tasting

session as “a wine merchant, who moonlights as an MP”.

During the buffet between the tastings of red and white, he

was approached by a resident of Basingstoke who

introduced himself as a constituent. David prefaced the

second half of his talk by saying he was “an MP who

moonlighted as a wine merchant”.

With more and more MPs being full-time, the book shows

the advantages of an MP having one foot in the commercial

world, as well as a foot in the chamber. David helped to

shape government policy towards small businesses –

would he have done so as effectively had he not been joint

managing director and chairman of El Vinos wine

merchants? (And when did a minister last resign to spend

more time with the family business?)

“This is a well-researched book that brings home just how

much politics has changed. When he first stood, David held

58 public meetings in the constituency. As his successor in

North West Hants, I held two in the last election. He recalls,

when he went to his first garden party at Buckingham

Palace, in his morning suit, he had no top hat. He was

saved from sartorial embarrassment by Enoch Powell who,

as he left, lent David his topper.

This year, those in morning suits were in a minority. And, in

the acknowledgements, there is a tribute to the lady who

deciphered his handwriting, and typed and retyped the

chapters. His successor, if he ever writes a book, will do it

on a laptop.

“I had forgotten that Tony Benn was expelled from the

privileges committee, until I read of the incident in the book;

and David modestly shares with us his failures as a

minister, as well as his successes. Cab-sharing was

legislated for by him, but has never really taken off.

“There is a perceptive chapter on Northern Ireland, where

David was a minister in the troubled 1980s, and a readable

summary of the history of the Channel Tunnel, the


42

legislation for which he piloted through the House. David

also takes the reader in his camper van to France and

Spain, round the chateaux where he purchased wine, and

round the restaurants chosen for his discerning palate.

“The text is filled with anecdotes, many of them still doing

the rounds in North West Hants. The political gene runs

strongly in the Mitchell family – his great grandfather was

an MP, his grandfather was Lord Mayor of London, and son

Andrew is the MP for Sutton Coldfield.

“David comes over in the book as a decent and

unassuming man, and a highly competent minister. One for

the Christmas stocking, this.”

Last year Andrew Hicks (K63-66), who lives most of the

year in Thailand, contacted the OA Office and they were

able to put him in touch with his school friend James

Blackburn (B&K61-65). Andrew and James met this year

at James’s home in Sherborne. Andrew writes to thank the

OA Office: “Thanks so much for putting me in touch with

James Blackburn, my contemporary in Kennedys House.

Early in May on a visit to UK from Thailand with my wife,

Cat, we were able to visit him and Deborah at their

delightful home near Sherborne, Dorset for lunch and to

share more than eighty years of each others’ experiences

that we’d missed out on since we last saw each other on

leaving school.

School Sailing Team 1966

Back Row: Ramsay Farran (K62-67), Simon Barrington (M&K62-67), ?

Front Row: James Blackburn (B&K61-65), Andrew Hicks (K63-66), Simon

Finch (K62-67)

Ramsay Farran is a lost OA, if anyone knows his whereabouts the OA

Office would like to hear from you.

“After living under the same roof and knowing someone so

well, it’s fascinating to know what they have made of their

lives. The school was a tight little community but we

certainly both spread our wings and between us have lived

and worked on all continents of the world except Australia,

where I have travelled extensively. And between us we’ve

managed seven children, including my latest (adopted,

aged four), so life has been full for both of us.

“I showed James the group photo I have of our

housemaster, David Wallace-Hadrill and the first intake into

Kennedy’s (I think I could name most of the faces), and of

the school sailing team, me as captain with James to my

right. We had an unbeaten season that year and had some

great times together, always taken to our matches by Arthur

Hearnden, my French teacher, in his Morris Traveller. Such

a delightful man and I’m sure it was my fault I only got an

‘E’ at A Level….though now I’m fluent!

“And we talked a bit about Simon Worrall’s article published

in The Times and later in Aldenhamiana about the tensions

in the school following the filming of Lindsay Anderson’s “If”

at the school. I well remember Paul Griffin, who as

Headmaster suffered the ensuing criticism, as a benign and

smiling person who taught us a short course in philosophy

which I found totally inspiring. The Sixties were difficult

times with old certainties in the shredder and I can now see

how, from his bitter experience of war, he looked primarily

for stability and order through discipline when the school’s

collective interest seemed to be under threat from what he

saw as rampant individualism and selfishness.

“It’s interesting though how David Wallace-Hadrill, despite

his traditional background as a school master’s son and

cleric, was better able to respond to and deal with the turmoil

of the times. We ate all our meals in house with David and

Vera, his wife, and they treated us as adults and I recall

many stimulating discussions where he challenged us with

his strong liberal socialist views. As he put it, there were to

be no specific rules in Kennedy’s, just a single principle that

we were all to behave in a humane and civilised manner

towards each other and that, I think, worked pretty well. He

didn’t even try to conceal from us that he found the more

reactionary views in the common room on how to run the

school in troubled times highly frustrating.

“On a list of the people who

have been an important

influence in my life, he is the

one who gave me the

confidence to aspire to

university, I would place him

right at the top. Having since

had a career as a lecturer in

law at universities on three

continents, this

encouragement was pretty

pivotal for me.

“So now I’m retired and living

in Thailand as a writer both of

fiction and non-fiction, while

James has bought a yacht in

Grenada and in May was planning the great adventure of

bringing it back to UK through the Caribbean and looking

forward to a life afloat with his family. I’ve just heard that

they safely reached Portland in Dorset early in August and

that the boat is now on the Frome River for a thorough refit.

“ So thanks again. It really was great being put in touch

and seeing him again.”

Andrew & Mrs Hicks


43

Last but not least, the final OA Events in the 2008/2009

school year were two dinners in Asia. The Headmaster and

his wife, Dr Charlotte Fowler, took the opportunity of being

in Singapore for a conference, the 9th World Convention of

the International Confederation of Principals 2009, to meet

OAs living in that part of the world.

The first dinner, was a small gathering in Singapore on 7th

July of the Headmaster, Dr Fowler and three OAs. The

second was a splendid dinner in the Kuala Lumpur Hilton

Hotel on 8th July with 32 OAs and guests when they were

honoured to be joined by OA HRH the Yang di-Pertuan

Besar of Negri Sembilan Tuanku Muhriz ibni Almarhum

Tuanku Munawir and his consort HRH Tunku Ampuan Besar.

SINGAPORE

Left to Right: Mark Golding (K84-89), Dr Charlotte Fowler, NambiViswalingam (K74-76), Headmaster, Delphine Cobham, MatthewCobham (SH85-89)

KUALA LUMPUR

Left to Right: Dr Charlotte Fowler, James Fowler (Headmaster),

HRH Tuanku Muhriz, HRH Tunku Ampuan Besar

OAs who attended the Kuala Lumpur dinner were:

Azman Abu Bakar (P68-72)

Razman Abu-Zarim (P72-74)

Fess Azmi (M84-85)

Reza Azmi (M84-89)

Azreen Aznan (M87-92)

Jason Cham (K85-89)

Kin-Meng Chan (M93-95)

Clive Gessing-Richardson (B66-70)

Rosli Ghazalli (P72-74)

Hizwani Hassan (M81-86)

Chang Ngee Hui (B74-75)

Tat Ngee Koh (K75-80)

Cheng Lee (SHO80-81)

Frank Ling (B71-72)

Shan Muhriz (SHO62-66)

Girish Nayar (K85-87)

Shahriman Shamsuddin (P82-87)

Jason Tay (B91-93)

THE OA SOCIETY COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU, THE OA SOCIETY MEMBERS -- TELL

US WHAT MORE YOU THINK THE SOCIETY CAN DO FOR YOU……….. DIFFERENT EVENTS?

INFORMATION? OA REGALIA? PLEASE LET US KNOW!

YOU CAN WRITE TO THE OA OFFICE WHO WILL BRING YOUR MESSAGE TO THE ATTENTION OF THE

COMMITTEE.


44

Football

Club Captain: Paul Hubbard

mobile: 07788 536679

e-mail: [email protected]

Captain 2nd Xl: Nick Baker

mobile: 07876 567798

email: [email protected]

Veterans Football

Mark Cox

Email: [email protected]

Alex Henchley


Golf

Hon. Secretary: Ian Eggleden

119 Constitution Hill

Norwich

NR6 7RN

office: 01277 695852

mobile: 07789 030381


Cricket

Captain and Hon. Secretary: Hanif Moledina

home: 01923 229349

mobile: 07710 239295


Fives

Hon. Secretary: Josh Rose

Chelbury

59 Beech Avenue

RADLETT

Herts

WD7 7DD

Mobile: 07798 792590


OA SOCIETY

President: Mike Taylor

c/o Aldenham School

Elstree

Hertfordshire

WD6 3AJ

Hon. Secretary: Frank Rogers

Carisbrooke Cottage

Millmere

Mill Lane

Yately

Hants

GU46 7TQ


Hon. Treasurer: Richard Peart

Strathyre

Hadley Green

Barnet

Herts

EN5 4PS


FREEMASONRY

The Old Aldenhamian Lodge, No. 4884 (founded 1926)

Master: F E Burlingham Johnson

The Old Aldenhamian Lodge, which exists primarily for

past members of Aldenham School, its Governors and

its teaching staff, present and past, meets at 10 Duke

Street, St James’s, London SW1 on the second

Wednesday in January, the first Wednesday in March,

and the third Wednesday in June and October.Full

particulars of the Lodge can be obtained from the

Secretary:-B S Tan, 5 Busch Close, Park Road,

Isleworth, Middx TW7 6UE

Home: 020 8580 2966

SPORTS CLUB OFFICERS AND SECRETARIES


OLD ALDENHAMIAN SOCIETY

ANNUAL DINNER 2009at

Aldenham Schoolon

Friday 20th November 2009

7.00pm (for 7.30pm) to 11.00pm

Principal Guest and Speaker

The Headmaster, James Fowler MA

WIVES, HUSBANDS and PARTNERS ARE ALSO INVITED

DRESS BLACK TIE or LOUNGE SUITS

TICKETS COST £35 PER PERSON

or at the special discounted rate of

£25 per person for those under 30 on the day of the Dinner

(Includes a half bottle of wine, 3 course dinner & coffee)

If you would like details of local taxi firms for transport from and to the station

please contact the OA Office.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------�

Please complete and return this form together with your cheque made payable to

“Old Aldenhamian Society” to: I G Luetchford, Esq., 41 The Rise, Elstree, Herts WD6 3JS

Name, house and dates at Aldenham: ....…………………….…………………………...........................................

Address: ……………………………………………………………………..................................................................

……………………………………………………………….................... Post Code: .………………......................

Telephone No: ……………………............... e-mail address: ….…………....…….................................................

I would like ……........... tickets for the Dinner at £35 per ticket

I would like ……......…. tickets for the Dinner at £25 per ticket

and enclose a cheque for £………….........

Please indicate if you have any special dietary requirements

……………………………………………………………………………………………...............................……………



Old Aldenhamian SocietyANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

6.00 pm on Wednesday 10th March 2010

in the Whitbread Room at the School

AGENDA

1. Apologies

2. Minutes of the 2009 AGM

3. Matters Arising

4. Election of Officers (Hon Treasurer & Hon Secretary)

5. Election of Committee Members

6. President’s Report

7. Headmaster’s Report

8. Honorary Treasurer’s Report

9. Constitutional Change – Update

10. Web Site Report

11. Aldenhamiana12. OA Charities - Update

13. OA Day 2009 & 2010

14. Annual Dinner 2009 & 2010

15. Election of Honorary Members

16. Register & History - Update

17. Handover of Presidency

18. Any Other Business

19. Next Meeting

Followed by a Buffet Supper for OAs and their guests, for which there will be no charge, at 7.30 pm.

If you are unable to attend the meeting you are welcome to attend the Supper onlyPlease park in the School Yard.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------�

If you plan to attend the meeting and / or the supper please complete and return this form to the OA Office,

Aldenham School, Elstree, Herts WD6 3AJ UK or email [email protected]

Name, house and dates at Aldenham: …………………………………….…………………………...........................................

Address: …………………………………………………………………………….........................................................................

………………………………………………………………..........................….Post Code: .………………..................................

Telephone No: ……………………..................…… e-mail address: …………………………....…….......................................

I shall attend the AGM / Supper / both, and will bring ................... guests to the supper.


……………………………………………………………………………………………...............................………………………...



OLD ALDENHAMIAN DAY

Sunday 27th June 2010

OAs from all Houses are welcome on OA Day and are invited to lunch.

OA Day 2010 will additionally feature a Gaudy Reunion for

BEEVOR’S HOUSE

and Beevor’s OAs will be sent an invitation in the post.

Please could OAs from all other Houses fill in and return the form below.

10.30 am Coffee

11.30 am Chapel

12.30 pm Drinks Reception on Shilling Green

1.00 pm Lunch

3.30 pm Cup of tea, and carriages.

Please come for all or part of the day and bring your wife / husband / partner

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------�

If you were not in Beevor’s House please complete and return this form to The OA Office, Aldenham School,

Elstree, Herts WD6 3AJ by Tuesday 1st June 2010.

Name, house and dates at Aldenham: …………………………………….…………………………...........................................

Address: …………………………………………………………………………….........................................................................

………………………………………………………………..........................….Post Code: …………….…..................................


I will bring a guest(s) whose name(s) is/are:...............................................………………………………………………………


……………………………………………………………………………………………...............................………………………...



STANDING ORDER AUTHORITYOld Aldenhamian Society, Voluntary Membership Subscription

Full Name: …………………………………….………………………….......................................................................................

Address: …………………………………………………………………………….........................................................................

………………………………………………………………..........................….Post Code: ………………...................................


I would like to make a Voluntary Membership Subscription to the Old Aldenhamian Society of £ ...................... each year.

Starting on (date at least one month ahead): ………………………………………

until further notice OR for a period of : ......................... years

Your Bank Details:

Name(s) of account Holder(s): ……………………………..........................………………………………..........................….....

Bank name: .……………..........................………………………………..........................………………………………...............

Bank full address: ……………………………..........................………………………………..........................…........................

……………………………………………………………….......................... Post Code: ………………...................................

Account no: …..........................…………………..................................... Sort Code: .............../.............../...............

Please Pay:

Name: Old Aldenhamian Society

Bank: National Westminster Bank PLC

Branch: 72/74 High Street, Watford, Herts WD1 2BQ

Account No: 48759414

Sort Code: 60-00-08

Please debit my/our account accordingly.

Signature: ...................................................................... Date: .............../.............../......................

For OA Office and Bank use only

Bank please quote as Ref: .......................................................................

Please return the completed form to : Old Aldenhamian Office, Aldenham School, Elstree, Herts WD6 3AJ



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