INEIA

O L D RAINEIANS ASSOCIATION

Bi l l Richards 01-790 9235

NEWS LETTER

Old Rai neians Association, c /o Raines Foundation School,

Approach Road, - . London E2 9LY

January 1990

Dear Old Raineians!

As t h i s i s the f i r s t Newsletter of the New Year and New Decade, the -. . Comi t t ee would l i k e t o w j s h dll of yob happiness and suzcess! - Following complaints t h a t people d o n ' t know how t o contact us, I have included t h e school address and phone number, and a l so t h a t of Bil l Richards who will g ladly note down any news and comments from you.

We think t h a t the year 1989 was a successful one f o r the Association, as we increased the membership qu i t e considerably, and t h e informal gatherings were well-at tended, e spec ia l ly the December one a t Arbour Square, when 150 'en tered i n t o learn t h e i r du ty ' and stayed t o enjoy themselves. I t was grand t o see a range of members from some pre-war gentlemen t o some who only l e f t school l a s t Ju ly . Several made long journeys in order t o be t h e r e , notably Duncan Edmondston from Aberdeen, Bob Brady from Bris to l and Sue Lane (Chumbley) from Reading, who was very disappointed not t o f ind any of her contemporaries present (1959 - 64). For those of you who missed t h i s event , we a re planning t o make i t an annual occasion, a s obviously i t i s the building which i s dear t o a l l hea r t s ; a l s o included with t h i s l e t t e r i s a l i s t of those (apa r t from the committee) who did come - so i f your name i s n ' t t h e r e t h i s t ime, make sure i t i s in 1990 - and bring along your contemporaries too !

Followigg t h e mention of t h e committee (and t o warn you in advance of the AGM on May 12th a t Approach Road), a b r i e f 'meet t h e committee' now fol lows.

Laurie Dalton 1968-1976, i s Pres ident , a Chartered Engineer working f o r Reuters.

Bi l1 Richards 1961-1968, Pres ident -Elec t , works f o r a food importer , s t i l l 1 ives in Stepney and 1 ikes t h e occasional dr ink (and Essex County C r i c k e t ) .

Alan Johnson 1960-1968, l i v e s in Orpingzon, married t o Sandra Dorris , with four c h i l d r e n , he i s t h e Exploration Director f o r an o i l company.

Robert Connolly 1968-1975, married t o Jackie Farmer - they spend t h e i r hol idays tramping in t h e Lake D i s t r i c t .

Brian Chaperlin 1963-1970, many years ago spent time in a white coat as a Lab. Technician t o Jim Russe l l , now he i s a Chartered Surveyor working f o r Abbey National a t Clapham Junction.

Steven Brown 1965-1972, married t o Susan Makin, with th ree ch i ld ren , l i v e s in Bexleyheath and i s Senior Dealer in the Bank of Nova Scotia He i s s t i l l t r y i n g t o organise a Jub i l ee ce leb ra t ion f o r those , who l i k e him, joined t h e school in t h e year of amalgamation (03'22 525964

Tony Groves 1964-1972, i s s t i l l a Raineian, being Senior Lab. Technician and a l s o a member of the School Governors, unmarried he l i v e s in Catford.

Clive Baugh 1970-1977, Treasurer , l i v e s in Swanley and i s now a proud f a t h e r of a daughter . He works f o r B P in Corporate Planning.

Craig Rose 1975-1982, i s a Fellow a t Cambridge Universi ty.

Norman Holl and 1945-1951, has h is own Tea Importing business in I l fo rd .

Malcolm Pit-Keathly 1946-1954, i s Headmaster of a Primary School in Hertfordshi r e .

Reff Reffold r e t i r e d member of s t a f f , now commutes between Stepney and Thai l and.

Gwynneth Jackson, who wri tes t h i s news1 e t t e r (and then has tremendous help with i t s production and d i s t r i b u t i o n from Alan, B i l l , Laurie and Cl i v e ) has f i n a l l y r e t i r e d from being Head of Music, a leader of many sk i ing and h o s t e l l i n g t r i p s , and p a r t i c i p a n t in geology f i e l d t r i p s , and i s hoping s h o r t l y t o move t o Yorkshire, where she hopes t h a t 'outdoor-minded ' Old Raineians wil l v i s i t her (address wil l be a v a i l a b l e from B i l l ) .

Nelcome now t o those who have joined as l i f e members recent ly :

Nancy J a r v i s 1936-1941, l i v e s in West Sussex.

Paul Thienel 1976-1982, a keen basketball fan and p layer , budding r a l l y d r i v e r and i s employed with Royal Mail Sales as an Account Manager.

: I d i * i $ l \ Robert Brady 1961-1968, l i v e s with his wife and two daughters near Bristol, , and i s a Chartered Civil & Structura l Engineer.

Stanley Davis 1949-1955, and h is wife Rita Davis (van Boolen) 1945-1955 l i v e in Mill H i l l .

Sharon Powell (Wal sh ) 1968-1974, l i v e s in Chigwell . E . Jarvi S 1945-1952, i S an Assi s t a n t Customs & Exci se Col l ec to r .

The following people have joined as annual members, so we hope they wil l consider joining the ranks of ' L i f e r s ' soon.

Jo (Margaret) Wyton 1962-1966, ~ h o i s married with two sons and 1 ives in Orpington, teaching in Bromley. She would love t o have news of Pat Mil ne, Li nda Bellamy, Janet Boston and Chr is t ine Faul kner.

Angela Rossi 1970-1977, s i s t e r of Mark, i s an Optometrist .

George Dalton 1960-1967, works a s a Process Planning Engineer and l i v e s in Kent.

Loraine Dalton 1973-1978, i s working in Trading Standards and involved in her f i n a l B . A . (Hons.) exams in Business Studies & Marketing. She worked in Germany f o r one yea r .

Sadly, we must announce the death of Miss Alice Easton, a past President of the Association (1963-1964) and Secretary of the Association f o r about t h i r t y years . She attended school in t h e 1920 's and treasured her badges and school p r i zes , and would have rejoiced hearing of t h e venue of the December reunion.

Mr. Reginald Bourne 1924-1931, died in Diss in October, where he had l ived s ince 1947 when he became Headmaster of Eye Primary School - he was a headboy a t Raines.

The next batch of news was gleaned from those present a t the Reunion.

Grace Lee 1978-1985, i s working in the Town Planning Dept. f o r Kensington Borough Council , her s i s t e r Ching 1975-1982, i s a Sol i c i t o r -.

w i t h a City f i rm. -

Sylvia Barry 1966-1974, i s a qua l i f i ed psych ia t r i c nurse b u t teaches English t o fo re igners . She and Marie O'Connell 1973-1975, a r e planning a round-the-world t r i p .

Richard Grove 1976-1983, l i v e s in Wanstead and has j u s t taken h is f ina l Building Surveyor exams.

The Clarke brothers who l e f t in 1935 and 1938 and had not been ins ide the school s ince then , complained about B . R . t r a i n services from Stepney East t o Rainham - l a s t t r a i n 8.49 pm!

G1 o r i a McEvoy (Babat) remembered Miss Joy Turner (Head of Engl i sh) with a f fec t ion .

The Port of London Authority rugby team seems t o be formed mainly of Old Raineians - John Wyatt, Gary Bishop, John Featherstone, Douglas Marks among them.

Laurence Page 1981-1985, works as an Insurance Broker, and plays Bass Guitar i n two bands, one of which a l so includes Jon 1978-1985, and Christopher F i t t 1981-1988).

Lynn Barret t 1967-1973, i s l i v ing in Saudi Arabia where her husband works.

Steve McDuel1 and Paul Casal i 1976-1983, share a f l a t . Steve i s a Computer Programmer, Paul i s in a bank.

Mark Gerbaldi 1976-1981, i s with an organisat ion t ra in ing unemployed youngsters.

Sam Morley 1928-1933, i s cur ren t ly writ ing another book, in which the school will f ea tu re . He gave us the news t h a t Jack Kerr died about s i x years ago, and he sees Betty Canning (Lawson) and Frank Morris, a l l th ree were presidents of O.R.A.

John Gamble has a daughter.

Richard Ti l1 brook 1961-1968, brought some 0.R .A. memorabil ia and an a r t i c l e about the Raine's Charity - during the past year he has v i s i t ed Egypt, I s r ae l , Greece, Turkey and France. He sees Steve Wilkinson who f l i e s a l l over the world as he works in an Aviation Claims Insurance Department.

Norman Masters l952-l956, remembered being given burnt cakes by g i r l s before the school S amalgamated . Bob Simmonds 1960-1967, and h i s wife Frances (Mott) 1961-1968, t ravel l ed from Cambridge.

Lesley Jensen (Tear) 1962-1969, l i ve s a t Ham, her garden featured in a newspaper a r t i c l e l a s t July , and a lso in a current T.V. dog food- advert !

Gary Trew 1979-1984, i s current ly the youngest publican in the U . K .

Vic Hi l l s wil l be working f o r Tower Hamlets when ILEA i s disbanded.

Angela Rossi 1970-1977, complained t h a t she had not received any news1 e t t e r s . Mark Bassett and David Murphy 1978-1985, a r e both working fo r computer firms in Accountant S ' departments. Andrew Bassett l979-l984, i S an L.T. signalman.

Karen Hewlett and Debi Baker 1979-1984, have worked fo r Limehouse Studios; Debi i s n o w temping.

Many people expressed regret t ha t s t a f f and ex-s taf f were n o t present .

I t i s surpr is ing how ex-pupil S and s t a f f drop in to school from time t o time. Very recent ly , Mr. J.P. Owens who was Head Lab. Technician before the l a s t war, v i s i t ed . Richard B1 acker who l e f t in 1954 and i s now a Fire Chief in Cal i fornia , turned u p in November. Michelle Katherine Brackett (Rose) who l e f t in 1968 a1 so ca l l ed i n .

We t h o u g h t i t would be a good i d e a t o make ex-head boys and head g i r l s o f t h e s c h o o l s h o n o r a r y members o f t h e A s s o c i a t i o n , i n o r d e r t o m a i n t a i n a l i n k w i t h each schoo l y e a r : -

Samantha W r i g h t 1979-1986, i s s t u d y i n g B i o l o g y a t I m p e r i a l C o l l e g e and p l a n s t o become a b i o l o g y t e a c h e r ; K a t i e Nunn 1978-1985 i s d o i n g h e r f i n a l y e a r o f a Law deg ree and w i l l s t u d y i n Ches te r n e x t y e a r f o r h e r S o l i c i t o r ' s e x a m i n a t i o n . Samantha Sawyer who l e f t i n J u l y 1989 i s spend ing t h i s y e a r t r a v e l l i n g b e f o r e g o i n g t o u n i v e r s i t y . P lease wou ld o t h e r head boys and head g i r l s who r e a d t h i s n e w s l e t t e r send back some i n f o r m a t i o n o f t h e i r whereabouts and d o i n g s .

Duncan Edmondston has suggested t h e f o r m a t i o n o f a N o r t h e r n Branch o f t h e O.R.A. - so anyone l i v i n g n o r t h o f Derby (no, - n o t W a t f o r d ) who i s i n t e r e s t e d , c o n t a c t B i l 1 R i c h a r d s f o r f u r t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n .

Dora Kaimakami 1981-1986, i s w o r k i n g i n a h o t e l i n Cyprus a f t e r c o m p l e t i n g a Dip loma i n Bus iness S t u d i e s and Tour ism.

Sue Lane (Chumbley) r e m i n i s c e d abou t smoking i n t h e l o o s ( ! ) and c l a m b e r i n g o v e r t h e r a i l i n g s , b u t l e f t suspended by h e r mac b e l t - now a r e f o r m e d c h a r a c t e r , she i s s t u d y i n g S o c i o l o g y a t Reading as a ma tu re s t u d e n t . Tony B r i t t o n 1975-1980, i s a t p r e s e n t w o r k i n g i n Hong Kong a f t e r t r a i n i n g as an a i r c r a f t ma in tenance e n g i n e e r .

Don Ward 1944-1952, and Ted J a r v i s 1945-1952, meet r e g u l a r l y , b u t met J i m Keen 1944-1949, f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e s i n c e schoo ldays on December 1 s t . They r e m i n i s c e d a b o u t M r . S h u t t ' s t a l l daugh te r , t h e e x c e l l e n t r u g b y team a t t h a t t i m e , and were v e r y s o r r y M r . Wa l l y Spooner was n o t t h e r e t h a t even ing . They a l s o remembered a method o f - a r r a n g i n g a w i n t e r a f t e r n o o n o f f schoo l by " b l o w i n g " t h e f u s e box o f f t h e w a l l .

L i n d a C l a r k ( K e i l y ) 1963-1967, a t t e n d e d t h e r e u n i o n i n t h e hope o f m e e t i n g Ba rba ra Powley (Lee ) 1963-1969, wh ich she d i d , and g e t t i n g a m e n t i o n i n t h e N e w s l e t t e r !

B r i an Chaper l i n met George P inckney 1960-1968, i n C a l g a r y (Canada) w h i l s t o~ ho?ic!ay. George had wcrked i n Yew York f o r a t i m e where he met Mark D r y o r 1944-? who works as a P a t e n t A t t o r n e y . George works w i t h M o b i l O i l and h o l d s V i v N i c h o l a s i n h i g h esteem. Rober t P inckney 1962-1967, manages l o c a l a u t h o r i t y s p o r t s c e n t r e s i n Ches te r h a v i n g been a P h y s i c a l T r a i n i n g i n s t r u c t o r i n t h e army.

John Masson i s a t r a f f i c e n g i n e e r l i v i n g i n G u i l d f o r d and Doug W i l l m e n t a p u r s e r w i t h B r i t i s h A i rways .

D a v i d Spencer i s g e t t i n g m a r r i e d i n Padua i n March.

M i s s E.R. T a y l o r , an e x - p r e s i d e n t o f O.R.A. and schoo l s e c r e t a r y , i s now p a r t i a l l y - s i g h t e d , l i v i n g i n L e i g h where she p a r t i c i p a t e s i n a B1 i n d Need1 ework c l ass , t h e Townswomen' S G u i l d and Ra tepaye rs ' A s s o c i a t i o n . She s e n t us a p h o t o t a k e n a t t h e Abercorn Rooms i n 1965 o f S i r Hugh Lucas-Tooth and Mr. Stanney w i t h he r . Can anyone l e t h e r have t h e address o f t h e N u r s i n g Home i n wh ich Vera M u l l e n i s ?

Jo (Nargaret) Wyton has met u p with Ian Thurston-Moon and Sandra Johnson (Dorri S ) more than twenty years a f t e r leaving Rai n e t s . Jo i s married with two sons, and taught f o r ILEA, including a deputy head post f o r 15 yea r s . A t a recent gathering a t Ian Thurston-Moon's house, 01 d Rai nei ans i ncl uded A1 an and Sandra Johnson , Mi chael Whiting , John Masson, Jo Wyton and Alex Young.

Steve Brown has bumped in to Col in Aldridge 1963-1970 recen t ly .

Diane Tinkl e r i s expecting her second chi Id .

A1 an Liddiard l938-1945?, writing from Devon, remembers B i f fe r Broughton and Bi l l Engledon as colourful cha rac te r s on the rugby p i t ch . Alan was born in Yorkshire and remembers t h a t he and Berry were the only Northerners a t Raine 's .

Stanley Davis had a grea t -uncle , Harry Zei ta l , who attended Raine 's about 1900 when t h e school was s t i l l in Cannon S t . Road; several cousins a1 so attended between 1927 and 1940, Reginald Flasht i g , Henry Rudol f , isadore Rudol f and Renee Rudol f . Now two pleas from past pupils : Margaret Threadgold, wife of Stephen, asks i f anyone knows the whereabouts of Samuel Brewer 1962-1969; and Hannah Elton (maiden name not known) has come across a 1955 g i r l s ' school photo and would love t o contact anyone appearing on i t .

This looks l i k e being a bumper i s sue , e spec ia l ly i f the photographs sent t o us a re able t o be reproduced, a1 so an a r t i c l e by John Eve, published in a magazine which he e d i t s fo r STC Internat ional Marine Ltd.

F inal ly , a personal thank you from me t o the C o m i t t e e members and o ther old Raineians who contributed so generously t o presents on my ret irement in December - I was so pleased t o see so many of you a t the Par ty , and con t rac t s f o r my Yorkshire house have been signed today - so p1 ease remember tha t Raineians wil l always be we1 come up t h e r e - my years a t school were very happy ones and f u l l of memories.

Gwynneth Jackson

And now a word f r o m o u r sponso r ! for $air

S h e l l e y Godf rey (63-70) r u n s a h a i r d r e s s i n g s a l o n i n Rainham, Essex. m (04027) 52684/50604 She would welcome any o l d R a i n e i a n s as cus tomers . ( I n f a c t , s h e ' l l welcome anybody ! ) . 43 Upminsfer Road South,

"..-,"L -,+o*- 48, Rainham, Esq. If you l i v e i n t h e a rea , go and see h e r . W& n a ~ d a y BM13 9YS

INFORMAL GATHERING

Thursday March 22nd

7.0 pn onwards

a t THE BLIND BEGGAR

A.G.M. 8

REFRESHMENTS

Sat May 12th a t 7 pm

RA I NE ' S SCHOOL APPROACH ROAD

Nel son McMahon Ber t ie Lambert Sam Morley D . W . Cl arke Frank Clarke

James Keen Fred Barnes Ted J a r v i s Don Ward Mal colm P i t Keathly

Sue Lane (Chumbley) Joyce Cur t i s P . FlcEvoy G.S. McEvoy Melvyn Mott S . Arter T . A . Cornell Ken Fennel1 D . Edmondston M . Robinson Norman Masters Morris Manning

1960 - 1970

B. Gi t tos John Roberts Tony Groves Jim Adshead She1 l ey Worrow (Godf rey) Hilary Gates Barry Wal sh John McCormark E . Murphy M . Be l l i s G . Lewzey Frances Simmonds (Mott) Bob Simonds Jane Thrale Sharon Powel l Barbara Page

ATTENDEES AT

DECEMBER I S T REUNION

1960 - *l970 (cont .)

Steve Richardson Adrian Giles Jim Ri chardson Gary Preston Sue S m i t h (Holden) Sylvia Barry Jack Lowe Mark Rossi Carol Cafferty J , De'Att J anet Baxter Barbara Powley Sharron Bai ley G1 ennys Hughes Jenkins Tom Nunn Ri chard Ti l1 brook John Masson Robert Brady V i v Durne Martin Durne Pet e r Thake Linda Clark (Keily) Tony Mol e J i l l ian Russell Phi1 Puttick Peter B u l l Steve Solly S . Hewitt Gary Bishop Lesley Jensen (Tear) Grace Harvey (Well S )

Davie Drake Vic Hi l l s Sandra Johnson (Dorri S )

Angela 3elcher ( S a k e r ) Martin Lake Steve McDue11 Paul Casali Paul Thienel Paul Smith Helena Edwards (Danes) Debbie King (Cast le) Sal ly Murphy (Cast le) Gary Trew L . Page David Murphy J . Wyatt R . Grove Candy Sevren Marie 0' Connell D . Marks Jo F i t t Rob Howard Perkins Angela Rossi

1970 - 1980 (cont . )

Lo ra i ne Dal ton ' 73-78 Terence Mahony ' 77-83 Denise Perry (Cox) ' 72 -79 Debbie Goode & s i s t e r s ' 70s Kim Driscoll '71-76 Karen Petersen ' 71-76 Karen Hew1 e t t ' 79-84 Debi Baker ' 79-84 Mark Gerbaldi ' 76-81 John Corbett ' 76-82 Chr i s t ine Carr '71-76

7 A. Basset t ' 79-64 Michael Rush ' 77-79 Genieve Sull ivan ( A l i ) ' 70-77 Maria P20le (Daniel S ) ' 70-77 Craig Rose ' 75-82 Ching F u n Lee ' 7 5-82 Helen Kosti S ' 72-79 F1. Bassett ' 77-83 David dard ' 71-78

Sam Sawyer Abi gai l Ni ggins David Bethel Chris F i t t John Featherstone Giles Bates Micola Ki l l ick Richard Mahony Michael Herring Russel l Harvey John Williams Samantha Wright Ni C O Kai makami

radf ord This FVeeic-Eee

ing ~vcnts . Mark passed his Scllools Ccr-

tificate a t Raines, and has also , tOBcn his Higher 'Scllools CCr- ' t.i,fir,a;tc. I-fc will b c staying on

Down in Bornford, y0un.C Tecl Jai-vis, aco thc r member al Raines, has been hiitkg l;hc hgh spats. We won ithe Mortli v s o u t h 440 yarcis in. the very gooil time of 53.7 scconds. a n d also camc t h i ~ c l in t he Norlll London 440 yarcb. Thf! f 0 l i 0 ~ - ing Saturday, he cntcred for the Londo11 trrsls and cnnlc jccoll(1 in the 100 yal.cis.--M.ri

From STC international Marine pensioners' magazine

Things are not getting any better, are they? I'm sorry to go on about all the dire things that can happen to us just by eating

and breathing, but it has now reached the stage when I am seriously considering applying for a place on the next space shuttle - even if it does mean h/iars.

According to all the best authorities, they don't have germs and bad food up there. And there's no atmosphere so that you can breathe quite happdy with never a care about Legionnaires disease. Of course you will drop dead with frostbite and thirst, but at least you will know what has caused y o u problem. Imean to say - who wants to stay around here and watch all the weird things they tell us are screwing up our peace of mind? Can't switc!l m the television any day now, without suffering a severe spasm about the latest horror which is giving us a right old bashing.

Would you believe? Only last evening'it was, when we switched on to find out that nowadays

BUILDINGS can maki. you sick. Would you believe? There was this team - you could see 'em - made up of professors and suchlike mooching around some office block, unearthing all sorts of unspeakable things which regularly, it seems. send people reeling home feeling hke death warmed up - and not very warm at that.

Well, when it comes to buldings upsetting you - I told her quite plainly,"To think that I gave the best five years of my life swannlng around in rhe A;lr Force in order to repel the likes of Adolf Hitler, only to find that the real enemy was Connaught Housef' You could tell she was upsef too, because she splt her Gin and h bltter lemon t m n g to s t o ~ launhingf

I don't knok hYhether>ou Kaveufound the same thmg but there is a definite lack of dramatic lnterest when watching a bunch of earnest, but frankly rather dull, types poking about In offices, so I picked up our daily respectable newspaper for a good read and imrnedlately went qulte weak at the knees. On the front page it was "Dangers of Irradiation" the headline screamed (stuff like that knocks spots off "Parnmella Bordes tells all" which I understand you find in other newspapers).

Worse than expected I hadn't a clue what Irradiation was, but I knew in my bones that, headline apart,

it spelt trouble. How nght I was. It was even worse than I expected, if that were possible. It seems that all our fruit and vegetables are to become what the writer so graphically describes as 'genetic time bombs', something one wouldn't want said about ones worst enemy, especially if he can't answer back!

As far as I could understand - which wasn't very far - the fruit and vegetables are to be bombarded (or some such military term) with gamma rays, and this is supposed to prolong the freshness of the produce.

Thzs seems to work, with Strawberries and suchlike refusing to go mushy, which is a great comfort, espeaally if you like Strawberries which taste like unripe Yams and you have an inbuilt resistance to a whole raft of i n f i i t i e s liable to be sparked off by the treatment.

Wouldn't you know - just when we got used to washing apples to get rid of the traces of poisonous pesticides, we are suddenly faced with these gamma rays (quite harmless say the Ministry) which - wash though we will - will be in there, lurking like potential muggers, chuckling at our puny efforts to evict them.

No Laughlines And now to crown it all, the Aussies have arrived over here with a fast bowler

about eight feet tall, looking like a pale mean Joel Gamer without the laugh lines, who seems likely to send our chaps into a proper tizzy, waving nervously in the air on the offside, and leaping like stags at bay as he sprays cannon balls around their feet.

At a pinch, I could bear Buildings making me sick, and fruit and veg sending us into a decline, but I just cannot take another season of English batsmen creeping back into the Pavilion like wounded puppies, and large vocal Australians gyrating around the pitch slapping each other hysterically on their backs.

No - the next space shot is for me. I know they've never taken a pensioner up yet, but there is a first time for everything. If the Americans won't have me - you know how they are about everybody should be young - 1'11 try the Russians - they love old people. Well, until recently most of their old people were running their Government, but perhaps I shouldn't mention this to Gorbachev when I write to him.