Floreat 2012

FLOREAT

T H E C H E LT O N I A N A S S O C I AT I O N M A G A Z I N E

CHELTONIA

12 ISSUE NUMBER FIVE - JANUARY 2012

F L O R E AT

INTRODUCTION

ISSUE FIVE

12 J A N U A RY 2 0 1 2

Another edition of Floreat and a mixed year to report upon. Last year we were welcoming two new Headmasters to the College and Junior School and, despite the incredibly sad loss of Clare Peterken, and Scott Bryan having a short period of illness which interrupted his introduction to the Junior School, it is great to note that both schools are full, with over 1,000 pupils in total.

Many of the items that you will see in this edition reflect the huge diversity and opportunity that this success represents.

It is also a great pleasure to report that the Cheltonian Association continues

FLOREAT

T H E C H E LT O N I A N A S S O C I A T I O N M A G A Z I N E

to grow in influence and in the breadth of the activities it supports on behalf

ISSUE FIVE - JANUARY 2012

of us all under the leadership of Andrew Harris and the inestimable efforts of Rebecca Creed. It is fantastic to see so many Association members involved in College life in so many ways, be that attending events, giving

CONTENTS

careers talks or lectures, and supporting developments such as the reconstruction of the Library and Big Classical, all of which you will find details of in this publication.

CHELTENHAM NEWS

3 - 18

EVENTS

19 - 28

FEATURE ARTICLES

29 - 55

OC SPORTS

56 - 57

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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CHELTONIAN SOCIETY

59 - 60

MERCHANDISE

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At the London House Reunions we organised at the start of the year, we had a great turnout, with participants making the most of getting reacquainted with old friends, despite the difficulties experienced with the sound system at the closing event! We also hosted a marquee at the Cheltenham Festival, a great Polo Day and many other sporting and cultural gatherings.

This year we are introducing some new activities with a series of Association evenings with prominent OCs hosted at College, as well as the first Association Christmas Market for all those hard to find gifts. Most exciting of all we will be re-introducing a Cheltonian Association Charity Ball to be held on 29th June 2012 in College, utilising the facilities used for the Leavers’ Ball. Please put this in your calendars and I look forward to seeing as many of you as can make it to what should be a wonderful evening.

Peter Brettell (BH ’71) Honorary President

CHELTONIAN ASSOCIATION STEERING GROUP COMMITTEE Honorary President Peter Brettell (BH ’71) – OC & Past Parent

Ann Simpson (Past Staff) – Great magazine, looking forward to a great read!

Executive Members Andrew Harris Development Director Rebecca Creed Association Manager (Current Staff Member & Junior School Parent)

Non-Executive Co-opted Members Cheltonian Association Steering Group Committee Debbie Anderes - Current Junior School Staff Lawrence Anderson - (Th ’59) – OC & President of the Cheltonian Society Peter Badham - (Th ’65) – OC & Cheltonian Society Executive Committee Darren Brown - (L ’84) – OC & Cheltonian Society Executive Committee Nick Byrd - (BH ’71) – OC & Past College Parent Philippa Coull - Current Pupil Beccy Faulkner - Current Staff Member Bean Chapman - (BH ’93) – OC Simon Collyer-Bristow - (BH ’77) – OC & Past College Parent Rob Mace - (NH ’04) - OC

James McWilliam - (S ’09) – OC Helen McEvoy - Current Parent Lillian Philip - Past College Parent Malcolm Sloan - Hon OC & OC Administrator Oliver Shea - Current Pupil Julian Snell - (L ’76) – OC & Past College Parent Helen Stubbs - Current Junior School & College Parent Please see the Association Website www.cheltenhamcollege.org for Committee member contact information.

Printed on recycled paper stocks.

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There have been further significant developments at College over the last year and I am delighted to report a big improvement in our academic results and an increase in demand for places. There is a tangible feeling amongst parents, prep schools and OCs that College is ‘on the up’!

We have seen several new staff, Heads of Department and Senior Managers over the last 14 months.

We continue to emphasise the all-round nature of the school, the strong co-educational, boarding, sport and activities ethos but have introduced a new timetable that helps manage the overall commitment of the pupils better.

Extra-curricular opportunities for all remain a core part of College life, but we are seeking a better balance - they should complement academic studies, not compete with them.

League tables results should not be everything to a school, but pupils getting into their first-choice universities and doing as well as they should (and hopefully even better!) in their public exams are vital. We are now seeing excellent value-added indicators in all areas of the school and have exceeded the 80% A*-B level for the first time at A level. This has moved us up over 100

Emphasis on presentation reaps rewards This year saw new emphasis given to the presentation side of Design and Technology in the 4th Form. The result was exceptional and without question; A Level quality design sheets were produced by this very capable GCSE class.

In essence, in the first year of the GCSE course, not only do the pupils learn the theory behind Design and Technology, incorporating all the various skills they need in the workshop, but they also learn how to design and communicate ideas effectively on paper. This includes how to draw in 2point perspective, successfully use colour and effectively annotate their designs in 2D, 3D and with text - all without the use of rulers or rubbers! Not only does good design and presentation skill help with the tangible coursework, it also helps with the student’s imagination, which of course is a quality of all good designers.

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CHELTENHAM NEWS... places in the national league tables; AS was also our best ever performance. Our last three years at GCSE have produced the three best sets of results we’ve had too so the future looks bright. College is a school which can take the most able, stretch and challenge them, and prepare them for the very best universities. At the same time it can support and monitor carefully those who find academic work more challenging and makes sure they get better results than they might have expected. Our overall aim is to recognise hard work, encourage everyone to challenge themselves and to reference attainment realistically against national exam criteria. Parents can now access grades and reports via a parent portal on the web.

We are currently evaluating all aspects of co-education and will be expanding the range of sports and activities for girls.

It’s important there is no lingering sense that we are ‘a boys’ school with girls’.

We are planning to open a new boarding house for girls because of the high demand for places. We have upgraded our induction arrangements for new pupils and introduced a peer-mentoring system which is proving highly effective.

We have a new College Chaplain and a new Adolescent Counsellor as well as a new Deputy Head (Pastoral), our first female in that role, and two new Housemistresses.

and monitoring all sports awardholders through termly evaluations.

It will feed into an improved talented athlete programme providing ageappropriate guidance in areas such as agility, strength, conditioning and nutrition. There is also new leadership of the boat club, more floodlighting for rugby and other sports training in the winter months, as well as development of relationships with top sports universities and a local premier league netball club to enhance our postgraduate and internship coaching programme.

Finally, a £1.4 million redevelopment of the Main Building concluded in November 2011. We have a refurbished main entrance and library and study centre, a purpose-built university and careers library, new dance and drama studios as well as a performing arts space with seating capacity for 380.

The pace of change has been high over the last 18 months - and necessarily so.

I have been delighted with the progress that has been made. We now move into a phase of consolidation for 2012 and beyond where these established systems further improve the delivery of the all-round excellence expected in this great school.

Dr Alex Peterken Headmaster

Sport is now led by our Assistant Head and we have launched a new Sports Award Programme, developing

With 60% of the GCSE weighted on the coursework itself and roughly half of that in their paper work, all this ground work has, without doubt, given this year’s class the best chance to achieve the top grades in the summer.

With a brief of ‘bottle storage’, a narrow one some would argue, this year’s GCSE sets demonstrated phenomenal imagination.

They came up with an extensive range of ideas, in how to store mainly wine and spice bottles.

Materials, from woods, metals, plastics and composites were used in a variety of styles, techniques and situations to pull off some truly stunning outcomes.

Graham Cutts. Head of DT

CHELTENHAM NEWS...

New CD for College Jazz Band JIG In April this year, JIG recorded a new professional CD featuring many of their best numbers, such as ‘Whole Lotta Love’ and ‘Pack Up’. JIG have been on top form and many of the tracks were heard when they played for the annual fashion show in CCJS Hall. In June they played a fantastic gig for a huge crowd of hundreds in the Quad for ‘24 Hours at Cheltenham’, complete with Charlie Sault playing his lead guitar solos from the balcony, ‘Brian May’ style! It’s a great CD and if you would like to order a copy, please contact Mrs Angelina Sim on 01242 265656 or email; sim.angelina@ cheltcoll.gloucs.sch.uk On an academic level, Music has also been on top form. This year saw our best ever Music A Level results with all 10 A and A2 candidates achieving Grade A and three of the four at A2 being awarded A*. We have often had every candidate at A grade in Music, but we have never had 10 candidates before, and are very proud of being the top academic subject this year.

Gordon Busbridge, Director of Music.

Launch of the L6 Independent Learning Project This year, College introduced a new initiative designed to stimulate academic curiosity and develop independent learning; the Lower Sixth Independent Learning Project.

The skills developed in the project are those that will best prepare students for higher education and students were encouraged to extend their horizons beyond the curriculum and to research an exciting topic of personal interest.

The breadth of topics selected was inspiring, with many students responding to this opportunity with imagination and creativity. Congratulations to the overall winner, Maddie Parsley, whose project was entitled “How is faith presented in fin de siècle literature?” Congratulations also to the following runners-up: Richard Bond, Sarah Carrington, Clarice Yeung and Jasmine Walker.

A selection of the best projects are now on the College website.

Mary Plint, Director of Learning

“The way I see it, my Independent Project has been more than a summer research project. It’s been developing an interest that I don’t see slowing down any time in the future.”

Catherine Wood (U6th Queen’s)

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Academic Gains Since Alex Peterken’s appointment as Headmaster in September 2010, the College has been committed to improving its academic standards without sacrificing the tremendous breadth of opportunity and extra-curricular excellence for which it has long been renowned. A huge amount of staff time and effort has been expended in generating ideas as to how the College might improve students’ work ethos, ensure that they understand how to work effectively and independently, and how teachers can focus learning more closely to examination requirements. We were delighted that staff and students’ commitment to these aims contributed to the College’s best ever A Level results in 2011, with 80% of exams being graded A*, A or B. In addition, the number of top A* grades more than doubled, with nine students achieving three or four A*s. The College is now seeking to build on these students’ success, and September 2011 saw a number of changes to the school day, curriculum and management structure of the College.

It was discovered last year that Cheltonians spent rather less time in the classroom than pupils in similar schools, so an extra lesson a day has been added to the timetable.

However, we were determined not to reduce drastically Games and Activities time, and our extra-curricular programme, as of September 2011, is as broad and varied as ever. The Sixth Form, in particular, will be spending a considerable amount of extra time in lessons, and the College Council has supported this initiative by allowing the recruitment of a number of extra teachers.

The increase in staff numbers has allowed us to strengthen the academic management of the school. Dr Mary Plint has joined us from Cheltenham Ladies’ College as Director of Learning, to focus on how to improve pupils’ study skills and to advise teachers on how best to cater for the different needs of learners in their classes. She has spearheaded a new Sixth Form Research Project, where students prepare an extended essay on a subject of their own choice. This focus on independent research, supported by a teacher mentor, is helping to prepare Cheltonians for the academic demands of Higher Education. A similar initiative is being introduced by the Head of Third Form, Miss Sarah Proudlove, to enable our youngest pupils to understand the importance of independent motivation and research from the very beginning of their time in College.

A significant change has been for tutors to specialise as either Upper or Lower College tutors, rather than taking tutees in several different year groups. This enables them to focus on the concerns of a single group of pupils, and to become expert in their needs.

From now on, for example, Sixth Formers will have tutors who are entirely focused on matters that concern them such as university applications and careers advice. All College tutors, whose daily contact with their tutees is so important for their welfare and progress, are therefore responsible to Jenny O’Bryan and Jonathan Pepperman have been appointed Heads of Lower College and Upper College respectively. Their role is to monitor the academic performance of pupils in their section of the school, and to support those who are not achieving the standards of work of which they are capable. Jon Morton, Director of Curriculum Development, has developed a complex tracking system that monitors pupils’ grades and exam results, and alerts staff when their attainment and effort seem to be slipping. This will allow staff to become much more proactive in creating the environment that individual pupils need to improve their academic achievement. Pupils now therefore have an extra line of support. In addition to the Housemaster or Housemistress whose primary focus is pastoral care, they have always had a tutor, but the concern of the Heads of Upper and Lower College is solely academic - vital in this day and age where university entrance has never been so competitive.

A Level exam results in Summer 2011 provided excellent news for a vast majority of Upper Sixth students. They had already benefited from re-sitting some AS exams in January, and they took advantage of study skills seminars and a huge number of subject revision clinics, to achieve the best ever A Level results that Cheltenham College has seen. The changes to the academic life of the school are intended to enable a minimum of 80% of Cheltonians to achieve A*, A and B grades every year and, perhaps more importantly, for as many as possible to go to their first choice university.

Duncan Byrne Deputy Head (Academic)

Open Mornings Saturday 17 March 2012 at 09.30 Contact: Mrs Samantha Palmer on 01242 265662 or email: palmer.samantha@cheltenhamcollege.org 4

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CHELTENHAM NEWS...

Excellence in Art With technology increasingly producing a world where things can be done in an instant, it was gratifying to see the Long Gallery filled for Speech Day with the work of this year’s Sixth Form artists. This year has been particularly busy with a wide range of styles and approaches at Sixth Form level and a new exam board to contend with at GCSE. Yuriko Sho produced a series of works based upon an observation of lights at night; Amelia Scott-Hopkins and Harriet Thompson both brought their own particular interpretation to the theme of horses.

Priscilla Cheng produced some innovative photorealist portraits on a large scale and Jacky Harper’s mixed media reliefs inspired

by WW1 trenches, and the recent Japanese tsunami, were in a more abstract vein but packed with textural interest.

This year also saw the unveiling of the very successful new portrait of former Headmaster John Richardson by Peter Lelliott, in the Dining Hall.

This work has, in some cases, taken weeks to develop and evolve. It is good to think that pupils still gain enormous satisfaction from this process, which calls for stamina, commitment and a vision of a final outcome sustained over a number of weeks. It has also been particularly encouraging this term to hear both visiting examiners for GCSE and A level say, independently, how much they have enjoyed seeing the work the pupils have produced which have been based upon traditional skills of painting and drawing; skills which are rapidly disappearing in our Art Colleges across the country.

Mark Ward, Head of Art

Sporting Highlights Sport remains very strong at College and we continue to pride ourselves on the range of sporting activities on offer and the number of teams we put out, on a weekly basis. Here is just a small selection of highlights from the past year: Rugby: We put out 16 teams across the year groups and this year, 294 boys (from a maximum of 400) have represented College - an impressive statistic! The Junior Colts A side have been the side to watch, winning all seven matches and reaching the fourth round of the Daily Mail U15 Cup. Will Seville (Leconfield) and Jack Arundell (Newick House) have been selected to represent Gloucestershire U18s and Tom Lushington (Leconfield) is part of the Gloucestershire U16 side. There are also eight College boys currently training with the various Gloucester Rugby Club Academy squads.

Hockey: The hockey and netball girls completed a successful tour of Malaysia over the summer months. The U18 Indoor team went through to the National Finals in their first year of entry and the U16s won their County competition for the third successive year. Seven players have been involved with England Hockey’s Futures Cup, from which National Training squads emerge. Flora Peel (Ashmead) represented England U16s against Scotland and Belgium. The Boys’ XI qualified for the West Finals and the Colts won the ISHL title remaining unbeaten.

Cricket: The 2011 XI, led impressively by Alex Mason (H ‘11), was a very close and successful side. Guy Brothwood (Leconfield), Alex Ross (Xt ‘11) and Ben Ringrose (Leconfield) all averaged over 40 with the bat. Highlights included 10 centuries, several players representing County, academy and age group sides, Guy Mitchell (NH ‘11) enjoying a day at Lord’s, and Taverners success for the Yearlings.

Netball: Netball continues to grow with strong performances across the board. This year, more girls are playing premiership league or representative netball, including Meghan Suddaby (Chandos), Yvie Seville (Chandos) and Jessica Ottley-Woodd (Queen’s). We look forward to the coming season with the new appointment of netball specialist, Gilly Salter, and the link we have made with Hucclecote club.

Rowing: The boys had a successful season racing a coxed four as the top boat. The crew finished an excellent 4th at National Schools! The girls had an excellent season, culminating in a first ever appearance at Henley Women’s Regatta. The crew also won races at Gloucester and Worcester.

Tennis & Squash: The undoubted highlight of the 2011 tennis season was reaching the National Schools U19 boys’ Finals (Glanvill Cup) for the fourth successive year. The boys secured a stunning victory over Millfield in the quarter finals of the plate, followed by a win against Bishop’s Stortford College in the semis, before narrowly losing to Langley Park in the final. College is now ranked 10th in the UK. In squash, the boys’ U15 team won the National Schools’ Trophy event for the third successive year.

Rackets: Once again, College retained the Faber Cup for 2011, following outstanding performances in the Public Schools’ Championships at Queen’s Club. Highlights included Alex DuncliffeVines (Newick House) securing the U16 National Singles title, College’s 2nd Pair winning their tournament, and the First pair reaching the Public Schools’ Final for the third successive year.

Pre-season preparation included a highly successful tour of North America, where College played Montreal, Detroit, Philadelphia and New York, home of World Champion and OC Jamie Stout (H ‘02).

Shooting: Shooting popularity remains high both as an activity and competitive sport.

Over forty pupils a week use the College .22 range, and our full-bore (.308 rifles) squad remains one of the most competitive in the country. The College VIII were 2nd in the Ashburton match at Bisley in July. Oscar Ryndziewicz (S ‘11) won the ‘Cadet 100’ and was selected for the Athelings (Canada) team. Seth Dowley (Leconfield) was selected for the UK Cadet (Channel Islands) team.

Polo: The Intermediate team won the National Arena Tournament for the sixth successive year and the girls are again the National Arena Champions. The Senior team won five of the six matches and did extremely well to get into the final of the National tournament but narrowly lost.

Andrew Gasson, Assistant Head (Co-curricular)

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VALETES Reynaud de la Bat Smit Chaplain 1996-2011 The Revd Dr Reynaud de la Bat Smit first worked at College for one year in 1975 as a teacher of Classics and English. After completing his theological training he was ordained as a priest by the Bishop of Oxford in 1983 and worked, amongst other things, as a College Chaplain at the University of Durham before he rejoined Cheltenham College as Chaplain and Head of Religious Studies and Philosophy in September 1996.

Father Reynaud has been an immense figure in College life throughout his fifteen years with us. Of course he will be remembered by most as the face of daily morning chapel.

In everything he did, Father Reynaud’s preparation was meticulous and he would speak with incredible attention to detail and a wide range of scholarly research at his fingertips. It is rare that a school chapel is graced with such a preacher on a visiting basis, let alone one who delivered daily office at College for fifteen successive years.

Always speaking with such passion and commitment, his words were an inspiration to many generations of Cheltonians over the years.

In his farewell address for Father Reynaud, the Headmaster drew a parallel with John Wesley, the founder of Methodism and one of the greatest preachers of all time.

Wesley is said to have preached over 40,000 sermons, a few more than Father Reynaud perhaps, though not by that much! Wesley was also one of the first to preach for slave rights and had a passion for defending the downtrodden – a theme which was very close to Father Reynaud’s heart. Probably his greatest motivation and theme was an unquenchable thirst for social justice – the idea that the Gospel and his preaching should act as an agent for change in the world, to bring more equality and fairness to its citizens and that we all, and especially the young, should be agents for change, to use influence and actions to eradicate poverty, discrimination, religious bigotry and ignorance throughout the world.

Reynaud also used music to great effect, and College learned a great deal about negro spirituals, jazz, rock, and blues legends over the years. He also did superb pastoral work in the Houses and the Common Room too, supporting pupils and staff in the ups and downs of their lives as well as being a very gifted and inspirational teacher and tutor.

As St Paul said: ‘for if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?’ Father Reynaud never gave us an uncertain sound and the College is eternally grateful for his great service. We wish Reynaud and his wife Glenda all the best in their retirement. Reynaud intends to

do more writing and academic research now that time permits. Nonetheless, the de la Bat Smit dynasty continues at College into the future with Reynaud’s daughter, Genevieve, our first old girl on the staff, now teaching English and taking charge of extra-curricular Drama.

Peter Mills Junior School Director of Music 1998-2011 Peter was appointed thirteen years ago, after a full and varied career at a number of schools including Bury Grammar, Dean Close Junior School, Bedstone College and Blue Coats, as he was considered the most appropriate person for putting on the ‘big occasion’. Peter’s two real joys in school life were his music, incorporating singing, opera and a love of performance on stage, and his sport, principally rugby and golf.

He persevered in helping the pupils to reach their true potential, whether as soloists or as members of the Chapel Choir or Orchestra. He picked a professional team of peripatetics, who together raised the standards and encouraged an everincreasing number of students to take up musical instruments, and he was ably and enthusiastically assisted by Jackie Bannister who instilled a love of music in the pupils from the youngest age. Peter’s choral and orchestral teams were well rehearsed and, for the most important services in Chapel, adult singers gave excellent support. This was nowhere more apparent than in the Town Hall for Peter’s farewell concert - a wonderful occasion which displayed the rich talents of students past and present. Peter organised five choral trips to Annecy, which was twinned with Cheltenham, to enjoy the history (another passion of Peter’s, having regularly assisted with classical trips to Caerleon with 8S), music and, of course, the social aspects of life.

On the sporting front, Peter had always coached rugby teams with great success over the years. He also coached cricket teams and he introduced the annual Golf Championship held at Naunton Downs Golf Club. Peter was a fun-loving colleague with a wicked sense of humour who was a very sociable member of Common Room. On the formation of the Friends of The Junior, he was selected as C.R. representative. No doubt, many challenges will continue into his retirement, along with his love of cycling.

Three memories of Peter’s office in Lake House were his coffee machine, a large picture of Peter conducting Simon Rattle in a charity concert at the Symphony Hall and the trophy on his mantlepiece inscribed ‘The Moran’s Challenge Cup’. We all thank Peter for his many contributions at and to The Junior and wish him and Deborah many happy and healthy years in his retirement.

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Chris Rouan Head of Biology 1980-2011 Chris Rouan joined College in 1980 to teach Biology. Two years later he took over as Head of Department, a post he held with great distinction for almost 30 years. In his time at College Chris has been a tutor in Southwood, in Hazelwell and in Boyne House. He initiated the PHSE programme and ran it for sixteen years. He was an assistant director of Drama and a long-time swimming coach. They say that the facts speak for themselves, but in Chris’s case, they barely scratch the surface. There is so much more: his outrageous sense of humour, his entertaining eccentricity, his passion for opera, his love of mountaineering and his determination to help children in need. His amazing energy has enabled him to achieve so much, frequently accompanied by his unique (and very loud) laugh!

College prides itself on the good relationship between staff and pupils. Chris played a key part in developing that, many years ago being the first to insist that he would call pupils by their first names. His lessons are never dull. For his opening lesson with one 3rd Form set, he put on a surprisingly convincing German accent and introduced himself as Herr Follicle. The class was amazed by the progress he had made in speaking English when they had their next lesson. On another occasion, he pretended to have a breakdown, and had to be pacified and then led away by the biology technician wearing her white coat!

Chris is a real fan of opera and ballet. A huge poster of Maria Callas used to adorn his lab wall, and singing and dancing would find a way into his lessons whenever he could find a tenuous link with biology. He has taken over 6000 Cheltonians to events at the Royal Opera House and Covent Garden. He is a meticulous planner so rarely did anything go wrong but when he checked the tickets half way down the M5 on an opera trip to the Bristol Hippodrome, he was embarrassed to find that the coach had left two days earlier than necessary!

A lover of travelling and mountaineering, Chris has led expeditions all over the world: to Venezuela, the Dolomites, the Amazon, the Galapagos Islands, the base camp of K2, the Namibian Desert, and the wilds of Outer Mongolia! A major part of his life has also been his humanitarian work. Twelve years ago he formed the College link with the abandoned and institutionalised children at orphanages in Romania. Since then over 600 of our pupils have visited the country helping to renovate and decorate various orphanages, and build adventure playgrounds. He forged a close link with the Bradet orphanage, which caters for children with special needs. In total, the sponsored events that he has organised have raised over £200,000. These include a 6

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2000-mile sponsored bike ride to Romania with 40 pupils that raised £50,000. These funds have made a huge difference to the lives of the Bradet children, and the work our pupils have done there has also had a profound effect on many of them, opening their eyes to the hardships of others far less fortunate than themselves. Chris has recently been heavily involved in trying to arrange a system of supportive housing for the children once they grow too old to remain at the orphanage.

Although not a frequent visitor to Chapel, Chris has made his mark there too. On Royal Wedding Day, he burst into congregational singing practice dressed as Prince William.

He retires after 31 years at College being the first member of staff to have caused the Deputy Head (Pastoral) to let out a scream in Chapel! He leaves us with a uniquely shaped gap that will be nigh on impossible to fill.

Mary Swingler Head of Modern Languages 1990-2011 Mary Swingler is a first class academic, lady of great literary knowledge and redoubtable professional. Mary joined College in 1990 as a teacher of French and she became Head of Modern Languages in April 1999.

She has fulfilled many roles in her time including GCSE administrator, Chandos careers tutor, gap year co-ordinator, leader of a careers activity, chauffeuse for Community Service, travelling scholarship committee member, co-education committee secretary, social working party secretary, member of the drugs policy review working party, and College’s ATL representative.

Mary loves learning and takes a real delight in planning and delivering original activities that engage the learner and give opportunities for ‘active’ learning. Few give such time and effort to planning and evaluating their lessons in minute detail, carefully adapting material to suit the interests and level of those in the class.

Mary is attached very fondly to her O.H.P. but I admire her willingness to master new technology such as the language laboratory and she often sent links to new language websites she discovered on Sundays. It is rare to find someone still so interested in developing new methods and driving the department forward in the last year of her career and this says much about her.

Mary has the reputation of being a teacher who sets clear boundaries and has firm discipline. I have found her to be a good judge because of the experience that she has gained whilst dealing with many different situations over the years. She was the first House tutor in Westal and her 7

commitment to the House and the Westal girls over the past six years has been greatly appreciated and she will be sorely missed. This year she has been a valuable tutor who has helped her Fifth Form tutees in Chandos on an academic and personal level, offering advice and helping them fulfil their maximum potential. Mary always has an opinion and her recollection of her son as an adolescent has helped some to reassess and analyse situations and see them from a different perspective. Those who have the good fortune of knowing her well will note her sensitivity and awareness of others and her ability to offer support in a discreet and professional way.

Mary’s ability to turn a negative into a positive was epitomised when she told us of the unfortunate experience of having her suitcase stolen from her hotel in Barcelona.

Never one to miss an opportunity to practise her language, when giving her statement to the police, she described all the items that had been taken in Spanish even proudly including a subjunctive. Her wry sense of humour surfaces from time to time much to our amusement.

Mary will be remembered for her chic attire, often modelling the latest L.K. Bennett dress, standing over The Times crossword after lunch. Few exercise their brains as much and her structured and disciplined approach to each and every day is commendable. Having given so much over the years it will seem odd for Mary not to be in T2 in September. However, it came as no surprise to learn that her first year of retirement is very well planned, starting with a watercolours course, followed by travel in Argentina. We wish Mary and her husband, Nigel, a very long, happy, healthy and active retirement together.

Emma Taylor Head of Drama 2001-2011 Emma Taylor came to Cheltenham College in 2001, joining us from Peponi School, Kenya.

She quickly made her mark as a teacher of English, an Ashmead House tutor and as Head of Extra-Curricular Drama. In the former capacity, Emma will be remembered most readily for the passionate and inspiring love of literature which underpinned her teaching, yet also for her no-nonsense, shoot from the hip classroom manner; pupils always knew where they stood with ECT and liked her for it.

It is through her role as Head of ExtraCurricular Drama, though, that Emma made the most spectacular impact on College life.

From the moment she arrived she began directing, co-directing and supporting a tremendous range of productions, from intimate, low-key House plays to ambitious and highly impressive whole College affairs.

She gave herself tirelessly to them and to the

pupils involved, sacrificing hours and hours of her spare time every week. The result was an extracurricular Drama programme to be proud of and which enabled hundreds of girls and boys to experience the exhilarating, affirming experience of treading the boards alongside and in front of their peers.

As demonstrated by the warmth of staff and pupil tributes at her leaving party, thrown, appropriately, in the snug embrace of Jack Ralph’s Theatre, Emma was much loved and will be sorely missed. We wish her all the best as she embarks on new adventures and hope to see her ensconced in the stalls at future College productions.

Patrick Weir Master In Charge of Rowing, French & German Teacher 2001-2011 Patrick Weir joined College in 2001 to fill the posts of rowing coach and teacher of German and French.

He later assumed the role of Master in Charge of Rowing. He was a tutor to Upper and Lower College pupils and was attached to Boyne House.

Patrick was an enthusiastic and indefatigable teacher of Modern Languages, always eager to try out new ideas and explore new technology. His contribution to the extracurricular activities of the department was invaluable. He set up and ran the very successful Berlin exchange programme for ten years and organised work placements for Sixth Form pupils at the Berliner Morgenpost, Berlin’s main paper, and in the music industry. In 2010 he jointly masterminded a very successful international cabaret where he was able to showcase not only the talents of our pupils and their visiting partners, but his own musical gifts as Cheltenham’s answer to Yves Montand. The annual visit to the Cheltenham German Christmas market was greatly enjoyed by our GCSE and A Level pupils and their native-speaking German colleagues. Not only was this an opportunity to try out the shopping vocabulary acquired in the classroom, it was also the occasion to get into the Christmas spirit back at College, with German Christmas carols, Glühwein, Wurst and Lebkuchen.

Patrick’s achievements as Master in Charge of Rowing are numerous and only some can be mentioned here. He did a great deal to raise the profile of girls’ rowing and it is thanks to his persuasive recruitment techniques that the girls have been able to form excellent squads and have realised their ambition of rowing at Henley. Major victories for College oarsmen include winning the Public Schools’ Challenge at Marlow in 2002 and, in the Nationals, taking bronze in 2004 and gaining fourth place this year. He coached ten Cheltonians to represent their country, including Peter

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Stuart (S ‘06) who came eighth in the Junior World Championships. Patrick was selected to coach the GB Junior team at the Coupe de la Jeunesse; the crew won gold medals and broke the course record for coxed fours.

Common Room rowing colleagues have paid tribute to his tolerance, enthusiastic support, speedy and accurate guidance, energy, good humour and athleticism.

Patrick leaves College to take up a teaching post at an international school in Basel, Switzerland. His colourful and energetic presence will be missed.

Jackie Bannister Junoir School Music Teacher 1990-2011 On entering the teaching profession, Jackie began her first post at Arle Secondary Modern. This was very much a baptism of fire and Jackie survived four years there! On getting married, her teaching career was briefly put on hold until 1972 when she returned to Arle as a peripatetic teacher of clarinet.

She continued as a peripatetic teacher with the County until 1989 when she noticed that there was a vacancy at CCJS for a clarinet teacher. She took up her post here in January 1990 and began with 26 clarinet pupils. Mair Hughes, a distinguished Director of Music, became aware that Jackie had a ‘Full Licence’ and so Jackie was propelled into the CCJS classrooms and began her long and distinguished career here.

Jackie’s ability to be peripatetic in Kingfishers is legendary. No weekday was complete without Jackie hurtling from room to room with keyboard and music firmly grasped as she hunted down her next group of victims. Lower School too has experienced a variety of musical activities and Jackie was always sure to inform Staff when the percussion instruments were about to make an appearance. Jackie has been with the Chapel Choir on most if not all of its tours. She went to Canada in 1993 and on further tours to Austria, Germany, the famous ‘Round the World Tour’ in 1996 and since then has been to Annecy on four occasions developing an acquired taste for ‘prune juice’. Jackie has acted as a gobetween with the peripatetic staff and kept them on their toes when it came to report deadlines and filling in accounts.

Jackie is not one to confine her musical talent to school and the classroom. Outside of school she has sung as a member of the Cheltenham Bach Choir for 26 years and also with the Regency Voices and the Prebendal Singers. She has played her clarinet with the Capriol Chamber Orchestra and with the English Concertante and continues to play with the Dancey Wind Quintet.

Jackie lives a full musical life and her presence and busyness in the Music Department here has been testament to

her dedication. She loves innovation and the age of the computer and internet has given her new outlets to explore. Jackie will not be leaving The Junior entirely and will be coming in next year to teach Kingfishers and will continue her long connection with the Chapel Choir. She will also be able to devote more quality time to her family and her extra curricular musical activities. We wish her a long and happy retirement.

Paul Chipman Maths Teacher 1994-2011 Dr Paul Chipman (Chip) arrived at College in September 1994 after completing a PGCE at Keele University. Previously he had obtained a degree in Mathematics (Leeds University) and a PhD in Computational Fluid Dynamics (Manchester University). Before arriving he had also worked in Japan for a couple of years in a research and development centre.

Chip is simply an outstanding schoolmaster in every respect. He is a brilliant mathematician, a great classroom teacher, and a giant of the Common Room. He is well known amongst staff, pupils and parents for being involved in a great number of sports and extracurricular activities at College: he is one of a handful of staff that take sports in all three terms. Both girls’ and boys’ hockey have benefited from his expertise and enthusiasm. He has also rejuvenated athletics at College since taking over the reins. For many years he has been master in charge of football and he has also made a significant contribution to the CCF where he ran the RAF section, often flying solo. In his time he has also been Head of General Studies, Industrial Link Coordinator, and a tutor in Newick for fifteen years. Chip has also supported his wife, Steph, for the last ten years in her role as Housemistress of Queens. In recent times he has also been second in charge of the Mathematics department where his experience and input have been very valuable indeed.

Chip was also captain of both soccer and cricket staff teams and he led both nobly.

Talented is often an over-used adjective, but in his case it is very apt. He has great ability in Mathematics, puzzles, hockey, football, card games, snooker, cryptic crosswords and chess to name but a few; and of course he has shared his enthusiasm for these with the pupils.

Chip’s work outside the classroom is impressive, but it is as a teacher that he will be most remembered. His superb subject knowledge and his trademark wit are his calling cards. He intrinsically understands the difference between telling a pupil how to solve a problem and teaching them how to become a problem solver. He is a very good teacher indeed and many will miss him greatly. He leaves us to become Head

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’46) – Ian McFarlane (NH/L J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 2 at’.

Another excellent ‘Flore of Mathematics at Shanghai International School.

David Harvey Biology Teacher 2000-2011 David joined the Biology department over ten years ago and has been the most loyal of colleagues and the most dedicated of teachers. It has been a real privilege to know him and a delight to work with him. His gentle, unassuming manner was coupled with integrity and an unfailing commitment. He was always willing to help out whatever the task. He is wonderfully reliable and a stalwart supporter of the department and beyond. He contributed to a variety of activities outside the classroom, from the Studland Nature Reserve to the rocky shores of Cornwall; the Bradet Orphanage in Romania; and, more recently, the Gogar School project in Kenya which has grown hugely under his leadership. He is the consummate schoolmaster, and it is people like him upon which the College so much depends. “Dave could you just…?” “Yeah sure.” How many times have we heard that?

David is one of College’s unsung heroes. He was an outstanding tutor in Newick House, caring and timeless in his commitment; a gifted and inspiring teacher; rugby, hockey and cricket coach extraordinaire; PHSE co-ordinator; stage manager and light box man for so many College productions; CCF captain and organiser; and a valued regular at Jack’s coffee shop. Clearly there is no end to his talents. Bloxham is very lucky to get a man of his calibre, quality and worth.

We wish David, Helen and Seth a fabulous future as he takes up his well-deserved promotion as Head of Biology. He leaves with our love and best wishes for a very happy and fulfilling future.

Major Stephen Clark CCF Senior Staff Instructor 1993-2011 After 18 very successful years, Major Sephen Clark MBE has decided to step down as the College’s SSI. Stephen took over the Contingent when it was really in a lot of trouble and under his watchful and enthusiastic eye it has grown to be one of the most popular and successful activities at College. His ability to get ‘assets’ that most regular regiments can only dream of is legendary, as are the regimental dinners that he organises. Fortunately for the Contingent he is remaining on as Ceremonial Officer.

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FLOREAT

On behalf of The Junior, I welcome you to this edition of the Cheltonian Association magazine. Focused on educating the whole child, the Junior School is flourishing and our numbers are continuing to grow.

At the heart of what we offer is excellent teaching and learning. This

CHELTENHAM NEWS... is complemented by a dynamic extracurricular programme which allows the keen to participate and the talented to excel. In all that we do we maintain the traditions of a leading Public School combined with a 21st Century curriculum. Pupils who leave us are good communicators and linguists, they are problem solvers, leaders, risk takers and able to show initiative.

These skills are a good foundation for young people of today who will step into a future of a constantly evolving

Academic Successes It is very pleasing to start my career at the Junior School on the back of such fantastic academic results. Our Year 6 pupils excelled in January 2011 with five pupils being awarded Academic Scholarships and the same number earning Academic Exhibitions.

Georgie Fowler won the Barbara Homfray Award and Edward Winstanley achieved the David George Memorial Scholarship. A further twenty three pupils were rewarded with scholarships and exhibitions in Art, Music, CDT and Sport. Proof that the Junior continues to provide academic rigour while producing excellence in other areas of the curriculum.

Our Year 8 pupils were also prolific in their achievement, with Academic scholarships going to five pupils. This included the prestigious Lord James of Hereford Scholarship which was awarded to Jacob Cheli. He also won a Kings Scholarship to Eton College.

Isabelle Fowler was also rewarded with an Academic Scholarship and Sport Scholarship to Cheltenham Ladies’ College. Six further pupils gained Academic Exhibitions and twenty one other awards were made for Art, DT, Music, Sport and All-round ability.

It is an exciting time for CCJS. Decisions have been, and continue to be, made that will ensure that the school continues to guide pupils towards academic success. The curriculum has been reviewed and changes to the shape of the day and length of lessons will help to streamline how the school works. All of these decisions are made with the pupils at the centre of the debate and with their progress as the chief aim. It is vital to ensure that our policies and processes are crystal clear and that there is a firm rationale behind every decision. Only then can staff teach and pupils learn in an environment that is vibrant, confident and successful.

Teaching and learning remain firmly at the top of the agenda for the months to come. In order to unlock each child’s potential there must be assiduous attention to differentiated planning and assessment which enable pupils to be challenged appropriately in lessons. We remain committed to providing a broad, but wellbalanced curriculum, which will prepare pupils for the 21st century, enable them to ‘learn how to learn’ and ultimately to be the best they can be.

Vicky Jenkins Deputy Head (Academic).

The Junior is truly an exciting place to be and I hope these pages will give you just a small flavour of what we offer, inspiring all our individual pupils to be the best they can be. Enjoy Floreat 2012.

Mr Scott Bryan Headmaster, Cheltenham College Junior School

A successful year of sport I am delighted to report on yet another extremely successful year for the sports boys and girls of CCJS. In all three terms, teams and individuals performed to a very high standard. Coaches will always tell you that sport is about development of skills, teams and individuals and this is true. We aim to engender a lifelong love of sport and exercise in all pupils at The Junior but it’s also good to win a few!

The Colts A rugby team provided an early highlight for players, coaches and parents with an unbeaten run of 17 wins in 17 matches, scoring an average of over 30 points per match.

This was the second year in a row that The Junior Colts A team had remained unbeaten.

The U13 hockey girls finished as runners up in the West of England IAPS competition and qualified for the National Finals which were unfortunately cancelled due to a run of poor weather.

Our skiers also qualified for National Finals at Rossendale in U12 and U14 age groups and continued to strengthen the name of CCJS in the prep schools skiing world. They also enjoyed an excellent ski trip to the French Alps.

The Year 7 girls medley and free style swimming relay teams swam like fishes and qualified for the IAPS National Finals where we unfortunately lost out to some even faster fish.

The Summer term brought athletics to the fore with 19 new records set in the course of our sports days and seven pupils qualifying for the National Finals in Birmingham in the first week of the summer holidays.

The cricket season ended with a record breaking opening partnership for the 1st XI. Gianluca Mech and Edward Cutler had already enjoyed an opening stand of 161 against Dean Close earlier in the season, but in the last match of the year, against King’s Hall, Taunton, the pair hit an unbeaten 169; a school record for a 10 wicket win.

Jim Walton, Sports Co-ordinator.

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global workplace.

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F L O R E AT ISSUE FIVE J A N U A RY 2 0 1 2

No time to be bored in the Boarding House We have just completed our 9th year in the Boarding House and time continues to pass as quickly for us as it does for the children we share the house with. There are many highlights in any year and this has been no exception. The most memorable came towards the end of the academic year but it was certainly worth waiting for. The boarders achieved outstanding CE results and filled the top 5 places from all CCJS candidates, collecting all 3 of the academic prizes that went to CCJS pupils. Anna Birkett won the Physics prize, Archie Timmis the English prize and Anabella Koehler the French prize. Brilliant! They deserve it after all those evenings and Sundays of revision when the sun was shining outside.

As with any family, it is difficult to find entertainment and days out that appeal to all ages, but the Christmas outing to the Everyman pantomime was great fun for all and we looked forward to our first visit to the fully refurbished theatre to see Jack and the Beanstalk last year. Drayton Manor Park was another fantastic day out ‘en famille’, but the best days were the long sunny Sunday afternoons when we swam, jumped on the trampoline, ate a BBQ lunch and charged along the waterslide until we ached. Many of the boarders

enjoyed staying ‘at home’ at the weekends and for many that means moving into the CDT room. Where would we be without Mr Baker?

Best wishes to all boarders; past, present and future.

Jim and Melanie Walton, Houseparents.

Celebrating the Royal Wedding This historical event, a perfect opportunity for the pupils to learn about the British monarchy, was celebrated with verve at the Junior School. The school was awash with pupils dressed in red, white and blue mufti and the day was filled with royal activities. All the pupils watched the highlights from the wedding ceremony itself and the day culminated with a tea party in the grounds with parents and younger siblings.

New Forest School for Kingfishers Kingfishers continues to prove hugely popular with both current and prospective parents. September saw the launch of ‘Kingfishers’ Lodge – a brand new eco style building which encompasses two new classrooms for Year 2 in response to the increased demand for pre-prep spaces.

Also new to Kingfishers this year is the much lauded Forest School initiative and we are now one of the few schools in the country to offer it to children as young as 3. Our CCJS Forest School is situated within the woodland area at the end of Southwood and has been set up with the support of Forest School Learning Initiative.

Forest School uses the outdoor environment, in all weathers, to support children’s learning. The experience provides children with small, achievable tasks and encourages them to develop their decision-making skills, their independence and raises their selfesteem. Thursday mornings will now often find Kingfishers pupils out at the site, creating digging pits, searching for mini beasts and even creating shelters for animals. The digging pit in particular has been a huge success with the children who have relished the opportunity to get muddy, to find all sorts of creepy crawlies lurking in the mud and even to paint the site with mud paint!

At present, all children in the Early Years are reaping the rewards of Forest School but by the end of this academic year we aim to open up the opportunity to older children.

Vicky Plenderleith, Head of Kingfishers.

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FLOREAT

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Learning outside the classroom in Lower School

Bringing Geography and History to life on Barry Island

Encouraging new experiences in Upper School

Lower School is always a hive of activity with much laughter resounding around the beautifully decorated walls.

The children are given opportunities to investigate new concepts and to try activities through drama, discussion and written work.

A highlight of this year for Middle School was the Barry Island residential trip for Year 5s. This was an excellent opportunity to consolidate Geography lessons on the beach, the cliff tops and the woodlands. Pupils also gained an invaluable insight into how people used to live at St Fagan’s outdoor museum.

Upper School life is where the children are encouraged to reach out and try new experiences.

With 21 new pupils joining the existing 43 Year 7 pupils this year, new friendships have been formed and there are plenty of opportunities in and out of the classroom for the pupils ‘to have a go’.

In Year 3, the children discovered the Egyptians and at the end of their topic presented the parents with a chic catwalk of Ancient Egyptian fashions. In the Summer Term, they presented their information and knowledge on healthy eating through an Italian afternoon plying their guests with homemade pizzas – with many items locally sourced of course.

Year 4 also had the chance to experience out of school adventures – walking around Gloucester Cathedral in the footsteps of the monks who had survived the Anglo Saxons and Viking raiders. They then had a chance to live the life of a Viking on our visit to the Ravenswing Viking Centre.

Academically, we performed well in the UK Maths Challenge with 60 pupils in Upper School competing – there was also a poetry workshop from Dennis Carter. The annual trip to London was a cultural cross-curricular mix of History and English, combined with a bit of team bonding, which helped forge friendships early in the academic year.

As usual there were plenty of players treading the boards in The Three Musketeers, Old Time Music Hall as well as the 8S Production and the Shakespeare Schools Festival. Mrs Beevers took 8S to the Everyman to view To Kill a Mockingbird and Mrs Flanagan put a lot of effort into producing The Neon Roller Disco as well as The Upper School Tinsel Party, which helped maintain the balance between working hard and having fun.

Both year groups ended their year with outdoor education – learning to live and survive in the wild. Year 4 went to the wilds of Oxfordshire to spend three days in total forest comfort – the girls even managed to build their own shelter and sleep out in it!

It just goes to show how much of what we do and learn is hands on – life at CCJS has never just been about textbooks and paper!

The Year 8s had a rewarding time in Bude in the summer – celebrating fantastic scholarship results and the fact that all pupils made it through CE into their first choice schools.

Matthew Dawson, Head of Upper School.

Debbie Anderes, Lower School Class Tutor and Mrs Debbie Issachsen, Head of Lower School.

Despite a little welcoming Welsh rain, we began our adventures finding out historical facts at St Fagan’s. We particularly liked the charming, tiny Welsh school but were also shocked by how hard it must have been to follow so many Victorian rules and endure the cane!

We stayed at Atlantic College, a “renovated” castle by the sea. The activities included archery, outdoor cooking, beach games, a woodland assault course, climbing and, best of all, storming the ramparts with a huge catapult. Our leaders encouraged us all to join in and fun was definitely had by all, even the teachers!

Deborah Bond, Middle School Class Tutor and Derek Maddock, Head of Middle School.

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Open Mornings Saturday 10 March 2012 from 09.30 Contact: Mrs Lucinda Roskilly on 01242 522697 or email: roskilly. lucinda@cheltenhamcollege.org

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Robert Prescott-Walker (NH ’78) J A N U A RY 2 0 1 2 – The latest Floreat looks splendid, bigger and better each time.

NEW APPOINTMENTS Noll & Vicky Jenkins CCJS Deputy Head (Pastoral) & Deputy Head (Academic)

Noll Jenkins has joined the Junior School as Deputy Head (Pastoral). Prior to his appointment, Noll was Deputy Head at West Hill Park School in Hampshire for five years. He has taught French, German and English throughout his career to date and has a love of all sports, particularly coaching rugby and cricket. Noll previously taught at the Dragon School, Oxford where he was also a Housemaster for five of his ten years.

Out of school, he enjoys playing as much sport as he can, as well as cooking and gardening.

Vicky Jenkins has joined the Junior as the new Deputy Head (Academic) from West Hill Park School, where she was Director of Studies and teacher of Latin.

Prior to this role, Vicky worked at the Dragon School, where she was Assistant Director of Studies, Head of Girls’ Games and ran one of the boarding houses at various stages during her time at the school. Vicky is an avid netball player and voracious reader.

Noll and Vicky have two children, Beth (9) and Rory (7) who are both happily immersed in the Junior School.

Andrew Gasson Assistant Head (Co-Curricular) Andrew joined College in 1987 and became Head of Geography a year later. In 2001, he was appointed Senior Tutor and in 2008 became a member of College’s Senior Management Team.

During his time at College, Andrew has been a tutor in Christowe since 1989 and was Assistant Housemaster between 1992 and 1994. On the sporting front, he has refereed College rugby matches and coached the Junior Colts XI hockey team for many years and continues to run Yearlings XI cricket. He is also a loyal Gillingham fan which, in his opinion, is probably the toughest role he has held at College! In 2011, Andrew was appointed Assistant Head (Co-Curricular), giving him responsibility for all aspects of the College

that fall outside the mainstream of the academic curriculum, including music, drama, sports and activities - certainly his biggest challenge yet but one that he says he is very much looking forward to taking on!

Dr Adam Dunning Senior Chaplain Adam has joined both College and the Junior School from a parish ministry. For six years he was Rector of Orton Longueville in the city of Peterborough.

Since ordination, Adam has served in the dioceses of Worcester, Birmingham, Ely and now Gloucester. He was educated at King Edward VI College, Stourbridge, before reading Philosophy and Theology at Oxford University. After graduation, he was prepared for ordination at Westcott House, Cambridge, and at the same time completed a Ph.D. at the University of Birmingham in the field of late medieval mystical theology.

He has taught both Philosophy and Religious Studies at Oundle School, Edgbaston High School for Girls and Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College.

During the last year he was Honorary Chaplain at Uppingham School. His interests include cricket, sailing and military history.

Adam is looking forward to the challenge and delight of being the pastoral and spiritual support to a community of 1100 children and 300 adults. He is married to Heather, a Jungian psychotherapist, and they have a daughter Lois who has joined Year 5 of CCJS.

Kit Perona-Wright Director of Music – CCJS Kit studied music at Exeter University, where he was a scholar at the Cathedral, and holds a first class music degree and a Master’s degree in English Cathedral Music and Liturgy. In addition to these, Kit holds diplomas from the Royal College of Organists in both organ playing and choral direction.

After working for the Royal School of Church Music for several years, Kit became Assistant Master (Music) & Head of

Keyboard at Dulwich College Prep School.

Professionally, he has performed with various international artists as an accompanist, such as the counter-tenor James Bowman, and the trumpeter Alison Balsom. He has recorded several CD albums, performed live on BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM, and has appeared on prime time TV for Channel 4. In 2008, Kit worked as an arranger for Robin Gibb (Bee Gees) on a popular Christmas Carol album, enjoying a worldwide release.

As a conductor, Kit has worked with many different choirs and orchestras, including the London Mozart Players, and has performed in a variety of venues.

Kit is an examiner for the Royal School of Church Music, an elected member of the Royal Society of Musicians, has a research Fellowship in Psalmody from the London College of Music and a conducting Fellowship from the Royal Schools of Music.

Kit is married to Emma, also a musician, and they have a two year-old daughter, Molly. When time allows, he enjoys film, theatre, politics and racket sports, in amongst all the music!

Simon Brian Head of Modern Languages Simon graduated from Edinburgh University with a MA (Hons) in French and German and moved to France where he taught English at the University of Rouen and worked as a freelance translator.

Simon moved to the Austrian Alps for six months where he taught English in two schools near Salzburg before beginning a PGCE in London in 2002. His first UK teaching post was at Dulwich College in 2003, where he went on to become 2 i/c French. In 2007 he was appointed Head of French at Highgate School, and was later appointed Deputy Head (Academic) Lower School.

He is married to Véronique, and they have two sons Theo (2), and Lucas (4 months).

Tom Carpenter Head of PSHCE Since arriving at College in 2008, Tom has been tutor in Newick House, before taking up the post of Head of General Studies. He also coaches hockey and runs the College 12

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NEW APPOINTMENTS water polo teams; having played both sports for Bristol University. Other interests include travelling and skiing.

Dr Liz Clare Head of Biology Liz read Biological Science at St Hilda’s College, Oxford, where she specialised in the molecular side of Biology and enjoyed taking advantage of St Hilda’s Jacqueline du Pre building as a Music Scholar. Liz continued at Oxford to take her doctorate at Linacre College and her thesis concerned the evolution of viruses.

Liz spent five happy years working at Stowe School as a Teacher of Biology and the last four of those she was also Assistant-Housemistress in the Sixth Form Girls’ boarding house. She set up the School’s Biomedical Society which was successful at supporting students to read Medicine, Veterinary Science, Dentistry, Biological Sciences and Biochemistry at the top twenty universities including Oxbridge.

Whilst at Stowe, Liz was involved in running the RAF section, coaching rowing and Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award. Outside of the classroom, Liz particularly enjoys skydiving having made over 500 jumps, sailing, skiing, riding and most recently diving.

Jo Doidge-Harrison Head of History Jo was Sotherby’s Director of Modern British Art and Head of Irish Art in her first career, after graduating with a BA in History from Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge.

She joined College in 2007 after completing her PGCE at the University of Oxford. Since then, she has tutored all year groups in College, serving as House Tutor in Westal and Ashmead. She has been in charge of Scholarships and girls’ gym and continues to enjoy running the Upper College Society.

Jo has a particular affection for American History and, regrettably for some, country and western music. She has travelled widely and loves wilderness, though on balance prefers desert to jungle.

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continued...

Debbie Isaachsen Head of Lower School – CCJS

Gaining her B.Ed Hons at The College of St Mark and St John in Plymouth, Debbie first taught in Buckinghamshire, before embarking on a teacher exchange programme to Australia for 1 year.

She then returned to teach at St. Dunstan’s College in London, as a Year 6 class teacher and Head of PE. A career opportunity took her to Wimbledon High School where she became Head of Teaching and Learning, teaching both Pre Prep and Junior.

Debbie moved to Cheltenham College following her husband’s promotion as Director of ICT at the Senior School. Alex and Debbie are now happily settled in Cheltenham and their children Bella and Oscar are enjoying their time at the Junior.

Debbie enjoys playing netball and is a member of the staff netball team - The Springers!

Richard Jones Head of Rowing Richard joined Cheltenham College in September 2011 and is tasked with restoring the fortunes of the Boat Club and giving Cheltonians the opportunity to enjoy rowing on one of the finest stretches of water in the country.

Having attended Uppingham School, Richard went on to study Chemical Engineering and then a Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering at Newcastle University. It was during his time in Newcastle that he became involved with the Boat Club and began coaching the sport.

Richard’s first professional role was coaching at The Lady Eleanor Holles School for girls in West London and during three seasons his crews won events at the Schools’ Head of the River, the National Schools’ Regatta and Henley Women’s Regatta. He was then appointed as professional rowing coach at St. Paul’s School in London, where he was responsible for the development of rowing across all age groups as well as coaching the 2nd VIII.

Richard is looking forward to integrating rowing with the rest of the sporting program in College and giving as many Cheltonians as possible the chance to try rowing.

Richard Moore Head of Politics Richard came to College in 2008 from King’s School Bruton where he had taught History. Richard was previously Second in Department for History and now is Head of Politics; alongside this Richard still teaches History.

Outside of the New Block Richard is a Hazelwell tutor, coaches the Junior Colts A rugby side and also takes the 2nd XI cricket team in the summer term. He looks forward to leading a small but dynamic and successful department and to the challenges ahead.

Jenny O’Bryan Head of Lower College Jenny O’Bryan was educated at the King’s School Worcester, did a Short Service Limited Commission with the Army in her gap year and then progressed to Nottingham University where she gained a First in Biology. She then attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and was commissioned into the Adjutant Generals Corps. She served in Northern Ireland and Kenya.

Upon marriage to Ian, she left the Army and a spell as Operations and Administration Manager at PA Consulting Group revealed that she hankered after a more rural life, managing a veterinary practice. Two boys - Charlie and Tom were the result! Whilst her children were small she co-owned and ran a successful restaurant, until the call of teaching became too great and she undertook a PGCE. Her first teaching job was at King’s School Worcester as a Science teacher and she was quickly promoted to Head of Year 7. Her main passion remains her horse riding having successfully trained young horses and evented from an early age, although her work commitments do not allow her to compete these days. Now skiing and visiting the wine tasting regions of the world with her family, as well as their farmhouse in the Brecon Beacons fills any spare time.

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Richard Penny Head of Geography & CCF Contingent Commander Richard has enjoyed Geography since a very young age growing up in Devon, surrounded by beautiful National Parks, coasts, rivers and farmland. He studied at Exeter School and went on to read Geography at the University of Wales, Swansea, on an Army Cadetship in 1995. He subsequently served for 10 happy years in the Queen’s Royal Hussars in Germany (experiencing field trips to the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan).

Since leaving the Army, Richard has taught Geography at Malvern College and most recently Haberdashers’ Monmouth School for Girls. In both establishments he was actively involved in the Combined Cadet Force, outward bounds and cross country running.

Richard is married to Tamaryn and they have a daughter Jemima and son Jasper.

Jonathan Pepperman Head of Upper College Jonathan joined College in 2008 as Second in Department of History and Politics, with his experience as an A level Politics examiner leading to a specific focus on running Politics. He became Head of the United Departments in 2009.

An historian of wide-ranging interests, Jonathan is currently teaching a range of European and British topics from the Nineteenth Century, and offering coursework on America and Africa.

Jonathan has always taken an holistic view to all students’ education, and now becomes Head of Upper College, in which he will track the progress of every Sixth Former and make sure they are performing as well as they are able, as well as helping Fifth Formers make the correct decisions when moving into Upper College. As university entrance becomes increasingly competitive, it is important that students make the most of the wonderful opportunities on offer at College while achieving the very best grades possible, and this important new role is one Jonathan approaches with much enthusiasm.

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Sarah Proudlove Head of Third Form

James Stubbert Head of Community Service

A graduate of the University of Durham, Sarah taught English as a Foreign Language in Venice and Lyon during her degree and subsequently lived and taught in Clermont-Ferrand. During this time she embarked on the University of York’s MA (by distance) in Teaching English to Young Learners. On returning to the UK in 2007, she was appointed Head of English as a Second Language (ESL) and resident tutor at Felsted School, Essex and spent a happy three years there.

James was educated at Katharine Lady Berkley’s School in Wotton-Under-Edge, Gloucestershire, and went on to Cardiff University, where he completed a degree in Mechanical Engineering. After graduating in 2003, he spent three years working in engineering.

Sarah joined College in September 2010 as Head of English as an Additional Language (EAL). She is a tutor in Chandos and an enthusiastic member of the army section of the College CCF. She says, “I am delighted to have been appointed Head of Third Form. I aim to improve the pupils’ sense of pride in their work and will be setting high standards for them whilst retaining the supportive environment we have here at College. In this role I hope to contribute to improving the pupils’ organisation, independence and also to build more challenge into an academic year that is not so heavily focused on examinations.”

Sarah is passionate about choral singing, having sung with numerous choirs including the Choir of St Mark’s Basilica in Venice, the award winning Northern Spirit Singers and the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain. She now spends her holidays working with young singers at the Junior and training levels of the NYCGB organisation.

Jo Smith Head of Third Form Challenge Prior to coming to College, Jo taught Science at a large Comprehensive in North Somerset. Jo joined the College in September 2010 and has thoroughly enjoyed throwing herself into every aspect of Boarding school life. As well as teaching Chemistry, Jo has been coaching sports and been part of the 3rd Form Challenge Team.

Jo is looking forward to developing the programme, with the main focus being on building key team work skills and giving the pupils a wide experience of various Outdoor Pursuits.

James then completed his PGCE at Exeter University in 2006/7 before going on to work at Cleeve School in Cheltenham in 2007, where he taught Mathematics and also became a Head of House and STEMnet coordinator.

James joined the College in September 2010, is a keen fan of all sports and has enjoyed the challenge of coaching rugby and cricket. James also enjoys public speaking and helps run a Debating Club, which in January 2011 hosted the first round of the ESU Mace National Debating Championship.

In September 2011 James was appointed as the Head of Community Service and 2nd i/c of PSHE.

Wandrille & Will Bates Houseparents of Queen’s House First appointed “Houseparents” in Cheltenham College!

Wandrille was born and pursued her education in France. She received an MA in English and Media Studies from Nanterre University, Paris; then followed her post-graduate teacher training in England and has now been living in the UK for seven years. Will read Human Geography at Exeter University and then taught in Sutton Valence School, Kent, where they met a few years ago. They joined Cheltenham College together in 2008 and lived in Leconfield where Will was the resident tutor until recently. Son of a Housemaster himself, he is certainly very comfortable in boarding environments and will no doubt enjoy the new challenge of a girls’ day house. Wandrille teaches French, has always been a Queen’s tutor and has already been acting Housemistress for the last two terms. As new Houseparents, they are very much relishing the prospect of taking Queen’s forward for the years to come.

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CHELTENHAM NEWS...

Tradition Meets The 21st Century

Before...

During...

By Andrew Harris (Development Director) Over the Summer months, College embarked on a complete renovation of the main College building to bring it firmly into the 21st Century, yet without losing any of it’s heritage and history.

Major improvements have been made to the Library, to Big Classical and the backstage areas. College also created a new entrance onto the quad that links through to the main reception, as well as a green room and our first dance studio. The new space is splendid, do come back to College and take a look.

An example of ‘sympathetic improvements’ was when College discovered a magnificent frieze behind some old set storage in the backstage area as we were preparing for the works to be carried out. This area was destined to be a storecupboard, but this made College rethink its plans for the space.

The frieze was restored and the area has now been made into an open green room space that displays the frieze prominently.

It made us think however as to the original purpose of that section of the building.

Minutes of the Council meetings in March 1850 mention “the insufficiency of the present accommodation for drawing” and it was resolved that the House Committee would get some estimates. Aaron Penley, Painter in Ordinary to the Queen Dowager and Drawing Master at College from 1846-49, may have left because of these inadequate facilities. Aaron was succeeded

by William Riviere, father and grandfather of Briton & Hugh who between them painted the large Wilson portrait that currently hangs in the Common Room.

At the meeting in April 1850, the House Committee tabled a plan for building a Drawing Class Room at the back of College. It was resolved to consult the original architect, James Wilson, and invite him to College for the purpose. From here, the College registers do not mention any building works being done in the following 2 years.

In 1853 however, the Classical and Modern wings were built and we know that these wings contained eleven additional class or lecture rooms and we assume that the Drawing Class Room was built as part of this large project. The frieze sat at the end of this Class Room to provide classical inspiration.

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CHELTENHAM NEWS...

25 YEARS OF THE GUERNSEY TOUR

By Kim Parsley (Current CCJS Staff)

The spring of 1987 was harsh. The temperatures were lower than average for much of January and February, and this played havoc with the Junior School hockey fixtures to the extent that no fixtures were possible before half-term. With all hockey then played on grass, there was only one thing for it – to arrange a short tour south, to warmer climes.

And so the first Colts Hockey Tour to Guernsey was planned and executed in a very short time frame, enabling the boys to get some much needed hockey and the start of what has become a traditional and annual pilgrimage to the second largest of the Channel Islands which, in 2011, celebrated its 25th Anniversary.

The routine has been pretty much the same – departing Cheltenham well before dawn on a Friday in February or March, travelling to Eastleigh Aerodrome initially, which has since morphed into Southampton International Airport, to the not too distant tax haven of Guernsey. Initially 13 boys were selected, primarily due to be being able to squeeze into the only small minibus available on the island in the early days. We were hosted by the willing families of our hosts, Elizabeth College, for the Friday and Saturday nights, before returning on the Sunday evening. Hockey was played on the Friday, twice on the Saturday, and then on the Sunday to make sure that our time was well spent on developing the necessary sporting skills.

With few teams of this age touring on a regular basis, our ‘international’ reputation encouraged near neighbours from Jersey to coincide a trip, allowing mini festivals to be established as we passed through the 90s.

Changes a-plenty saw the development of astro pitches on the island, the move from playing XIs to VIIs at U11, and the introduction of girls at the Junior School. It took a couple of years to fully plan for girls being included. A landmark event took place in 2005 when the first co-educational overseas sporting tour took place, with, the girls playing some netball against their hosts, Blanchelands Girls School, and then joining in and playing in mixed teams with the boys in the Beechwood Mini Hockey Festival. This had grown to the extent that it was eagerly added to the sporting calendars of two other mainland schools, two schools from Jersey as well as the Guernsey Hockey Club and Ladies’ College – a true festival of hockey in every sense of the word.

In 2011, 30 boys and girls from the Junior School were involved in the trip, and it is now a regular feature for the boys and girls A and B teams of Year 6 to be offered the opportunity. The mixed hockey is still a wonderful highlight, and as is the now serious business of sand sculpting on the Friday afternoon on the golden beach of the sheltered Cobo Bay, developed in recent years from simply digging holes by the inclusion and flair of girls!

We are very fortunate that Beechwood Prep are able to take us up on our reciprocal offer of touring to Cheltenham to play cricket in the summer, and it is hoped that the links between the schools can continue for another 25 years.

More than 300 boys and nearly one hundred girls will have enjoyed this Tour over its history, and to mark the occasion I would be very keen to hear of any tourist with a tale to tell, comment to make, or even who is still in touch with any friends made and kept up with over time. There are photographs from all 25 trips, and it would be nice to compile a permanent record for those interested.

The 26th trip is due to take place in March 2012.

Correspondence, please, to parsley.kim@cheltcoll.gloucs.sch.uk 17

Guernsey Trip experiences from the Stubbs family I was staying with a lovely, welcoming family with my good friend. It was nice to be with someone that you knew, as it made the experience a lot more comfortable. The host was so caring and always had plans for us, as we always met up with the other girls to go shopping or to just hang out with. It was an amazing time and I enjoyed it tremendously. The hard work on the hockey pitch was really rewarding. It was nice to be able to get there and play your heart out. In between all of that, we got to look around Guernsey with everyone and adventure that way. The time we spent out there with our teammates made us all a lot closer. When we went back to school it definitely made us play a lot better. I will never forget it.

By Joanna Stubbs – 2006 tourist Brilliant fun!!!! This was the most amazing trip. Host families were kind. Played on the beach in the evenings. Improved my hockey so much, which is the best sport ever.

Even came home with a medal, which made my day!!

By George Stubbs – 2010 tourist I was fortunate enough to go to Guernsey twice. Great competition which helped challenge all our hockey abilities. Overall the experience was unforgettable.

By Tom Stubbs – 2001 & 2002 tourist

F L O R E AT

CHELTENHAM NEWS...

ISSUE FIVE J A N U A RY 2 0 1 2

CHAPEL WEDDINGS

By Dr Adam Dunning (College Chaplain)

It is arguable whether in all of Gloucestershire there is a finer place to be married than College Chapel. The black and white marble floor, candles lit in the choir stalls, the glorious reredos and the majestic organ all combine to create a unique setting for a wedding.

Canterbury. How is this established? All former pupils and all current members of staff and their children qualify to apply for a license. Once a license is issued a marriage ceremony can be planned with the help of the Chaplain or an honorary chaplain.

Every year, unsolicited, College receives 10 or more requests for marriages to be celebrated by the Chaplain in the Chapel.

Until now it was almost impossible to handle more than this number. However, the situation has now changed and the College is inviting enquiries from couples eager to be married in the Chapel. All that is required is that a qualifying connection with College be established in order for a Special Marriage License to be applied for from the office of the Archbishop of

In addition to weddings, College also offers two additional Chapel services: Prayer and Dedication after a Civil Marriage and The Renewal of Marriage Vows.

For all enquiries about weddings and other ceremonies at College please contact The Lettings Office on 01242 706708 or email lettings@cheltcoll.gloucs.sch.uk.

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NEW EVENTS FOR 2012...

A Swashbuckling Supper

By Di Pagett (Past Parent & Past Staff Member)

“I had a pretty amazing time at College, and the friendships I made were incredibly important to me.”

Fancy a swashbuckling supper with the likes of a pirate? The Association invites you to have dinner with Old Cheltonian Jack Davenport, in the superbly refurbished Big Classical. You may know him best as one of the stars of the highly successful Pirates of the Caribbean films.

Jack will be at College on the 27th of April. He will be spending the morning running a drama workshop for Junior School and doing the same for The College in the afternoon, followed by dinner with us.

Please save the date: Friday 27th April, and share this wonderful opportunity to spend an evening with friends and Jack Davenport himself.

Details will follow, but any preliminary enquiries can be made to Rebecca Creed, on 01242 265694 or email creed.rebecca@cheltcoll.gloucs.sch.uk

The Diamond Jubilee Ball

By Trish Smart (Current Parent) Summer 2012 is eagerly anticipated, amongst other things, for the Cheltonian Association inaugural Charity Ball. Plans are well under way with the committee to provide a night of sparkling fun and glittering entertainment for guests, at the aptly themed Diamond Jubilee Ball on Friday 29th June.

The Ball aims to become a fantastic annual calendar event for the wider College community. All OCs, past parents, current parents and staff have a reason to get together, socialise and have fun whilst also raising funds for The Cheltenham College Charitable Trust and the chosen College Charity for the year. This year in support of Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres.

Tickets and tables will be available for purchase early in the Spring and with such a buzz already surrounding the event, early booking is strongly recommended to avoid disappointment. Numbers are limited to 350 guests.

So for now please just save the date and more importantly, dig out your shimmering outfits, diamonds, tiaras and encrusted crowns and join us at this dazzling evening!

The committee would also be delighted and very grateful to hear from you if you felt you could also support this event further with sponsorship however big or small or donations towards the Charity Auction. You can contact Sally Mason, smason@kingflw.com or Rebecca Creed, on 01242 265694 or email creed.rebecca@cheltcoll.gloucs.sch.uk

Association Christmas Fair

By Alison Goff (Current Junior & Senior School Parent) 25th November 2012 is the date set for the Cheltonian Association’s first Christmas Fair to be held at Cheltenham College, in the newly refurbished Big Classical and Chatfeild-Roberts Library. It will be a wonderful opportunity to ‘tick off’ presents from your endless Christmas Present list. There will be numerous stalls selling high quality unique goods, not usually found on the high street. Whether you need something for the home, for your daughter, son or want to treat yourself to a gift, your needs will be catered for. Local producers will be present, so you can stock up on the essential (and not so essential, but extremely tempting) items for the Christmas dinner table. You can also make a day of it by pre-booking lunch; there are limited spaces available.

It promises to be an event not to be missed by discerning shoppers. Profits raised on the day will be split between the College’s chosen charity for the year and the Cheltenham College Charitable Trust.

Further details regarding the event will be released in the forthcoming months, but please put the date in your diary.

If you are a local producer or supplier and would be interested in hosting a stall for the day, please contact Rebecca Creed on 01242 265694 or email creed.rebecca@cheltcoll.gloucs.sch.uk

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F L O R E AT

EVENTS...

ISSUE FIVE J A N U A RY 2 0 1 2

A Day At The Races

By Alastair Law (Current & Past Parent) A welcome invitation from the Mitchells to the Laws way back in December led to a merry day at the Cheltonian Association’s hospitality facility on St Patrick’s Day of the 2011 Cheltenham Festival.

I was sure any event involving Nick Mitchell (Past Parent) would be far more enjoyable, and so it turned out! The day commenced with a well attended Festival breakfast at the Tivoli Hotel, well marshalled by Trish Smart. The Tivoli has recently been renovated and is recommended. Expert guidance by the aforesaid Mitchell N saw us at the Course in record time. It should be noted here that Nick had clearly not been anywhere near the office (Cheltenham’s Favourite Chartered Accountants!) for some days – something to do with a local networking event, or some such.

into a superbly well appointed marquee within the Festival’s tented village. All requisite facilities were at hand – bar, buffet, big screen, Tote. Why would one want to leave? Well, one clearly would, for the exuberance of the occasion, the vista from the Grandstand and not least the Guinness Tent. Some eminent Association folk clearly disagreed and spent the entire afternoon in situ, and looked all the happier for it. No names (ok, go on then, rhymes with Hurt and Cart).

Our thanks to the Association who deserve all our support for such occasions – see you next year!

Photographs by Andy Banks.

I hoped for a very different Festival experience from my last visit some years ago, during my (mercifully short lived) sports marketing days. A long and fractious twenty four hours saw me responsible for the entertainment of twenty five money brokers and their partners, who refused to leave the bar at the appointed time for their departure by helicopter. They did not seem to enjoy being returned by road to London some ten hours later, and expressed their displeasure in my direction with insistent regularity. Never did a career in accounting seem so appealing.

We were greeted at the Course entrance with the inevitable news that our badges had been left on the kitchen table. (Mrs L – who, me?) Never mind – we found a most charming and wise Irish lady at hand to offer bunches of shamrock at a mere £25 each, the purchase of which we were advised would lead to great fortune. I bought four.

Having safely negotiated the numerous retail opportunities en route, we were welcomed by Rebecca and the Association team

The Central England Reunion

By Darren Brown (L ’84) During May, my wife and I received an invitation from The Association (Central England) Organising Committee, to join an expectant party of 40 guests on board “The Countess of Evesham” restaurant boat, based at the Stratford-Upon-Avon river basin.

The 30th June was the agreed date and we both looked forward with anticipation to the fun of being wined and dined amongst College associates and their partners, whilst taking an evening cruise along a beautiful part of the river.

As ever, without the enthusiasm, commitment and support of the organisers, these wonderful events would not get off the ground and be so well supported; on this occasion our grateful thanks go to Ian McFarlane (NH/L ‘46) and Bryan Harrison (H ‘57).

Unfortunately, due to a change of plans, our 17-year-old daughter had to step-in on behalf of my wife, to act as my escort for the evening – under an ever-so-slight protestation!

As we gathered at 7.30pm, it became apparent very quickly that we were indeed in for a wonderful evening; the weather was fine and everyone seemed to be on good form – delighted to be together with other Association members.

The food and atmosphere on board played an immense part of making the evening fly-by and if you ever get the chance why not give it a go. However, for us the very best part was pickingup where we all seem to have left off from College – many years before.

I recall College was represented that evening by someone from every decade between 1940 and 2000 – what a great accolade!

As we returned to our berth, everything drew to a gentle close – after our good-byes and promises to gather again in the future, my daughter turned to me and said “Dad, I’ve had a really good night” – how could I disagree?

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10 YEARS OF POLO DAY

By Kathryn Ashmore (Past Staff Member) It was with a certain amount of relief that I awoke on Saturday 4th June 2011 to find the sun shining. Having once been in the position of being partly responsible for the running of the Cheltonian Polo Day, I know how relieved the current team will have been to be blessed with a dry day.

form of Peter Morris adding humour to the commentary and a thrilling first match which saw a win for Cheltenham College and a new twist with the welcome addition of a girl to the team.

Following the obligatory treading in the divets the second match was taken by the Old Etonians 6 to 31/2.

So, when ten years on I was kindly invited back to the 10th anniversary of the Polo Day, I couldn’t resist! So much was familiar, pupils directing the traffic and parking, all under the watchful eye (and voice!!) of Major Clark, the picnicking guests seemed very proficient as chairs, tables, even centre arrangements of flowers were unpacked from the boots of cars, the champagne reception proved very popular as did the delicious smelling barbeque and the very tempting organic ice cream stall. It was refreshing to see the developments ten years on, namely the addition of a shopping area, a wonderful selection of stalls to browse around, ranging from clothes, shoes and jewellery to scrumptious looking cup cakes and very moreish truffle vodka!

Essentially the day has retained the same idyllic quality, the sense of long summer days in the sun, sipping champagne, a time for friends to come together, and of course the sound of hooves on turf. A win for Cheltenham College followed by a win for the Old Etonians, some how even that seemed perfect.

Ten years on I felt immensely proud of the part I played in what continues to be a much loved part of the College’s calendar, here’s to another ten!

Photographs by Andy Banks & Nicole James Photography.

Of course the main event of the day falls to the game of Polo and it was fantastic to still have such support from both the Etonian and Cheltonian teams. There was a new voice in the

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EVENTS....

CHELTENHAM CRICKET FESTIVAL

By Sheila Lewer (Past Parent)

Inside the Cheltonian Association marquee, there was a buzz of greetings and conversation, the men smart in blazers and OC ties with panamas at the ready and the ladies in pretty summer dresses. After a superb lunch, washed down with copious amounts of wine, I decided it was time to meet the current Headmaster, before heading out to watch the cricket. He was introduced to me as Alex Peterken and he was entertaining Heads of various Prep.

Schools. He was very enthusiastic about College and is clearly loving the job so I left feeling that the school was in good hands.

Now, I have a couple of confessions to make before going any further. Firstly, when I received this year’s invitation and saw Gloucestershire were playing Lancashire, I had to admit to divided loyalties. My parents were both from Lancashire and I lived there from the ages of 6 – 22, although I have lived in Cheltenham since 1985; secondly, I don’t know much about cricket. So I stepped outside to watch the cricket and what a fabulous view over the pitch towards Big Classical and the Chapel, the only blot on the landscape being the Eagle Tower; too

Photographs by Stephen Clark.

Sunday 31st July, the final day of the Cheltenham Cricket Festival, and as I and my friends joined the crowds heading for College Field, the sun was shining – perfect!

bad you can’t press Edit, Delete! I noticed that one or two heads were nodding at this point – maybe they had lunched a little too well. Gloucestershire were batting first and the runs piled up steadily until at the end of their 40 overs they had 290 for 4 – I was told by my more expert friends that they should have got over 300 at this point.

Lovely to see all the families and young people rush onto the pitch to have a go during the tea interval.

A break for a much needed cup of tea, but where were the scones? Several people were gathered around the TV watching the India v England Test Match which was at an exciting stage.

Back outside to watch Lancashire, in bright red trousers – call me old fashioned but I do prefer whites – take up the batting.

They battled steadily, getting lots of one’s with the occasional four, and their score inexorably mounted. To a noncricket person, it was bit boring and slow at this point and I almost wished that a streaker would appear to liven things up a bit! Eventually they reached 291 for 6, with a couple of overs in hand, so a comprehensive win.

Well done to the Cheltonian Association for organising the event so well and even arranging the weather. I expect I will be back next year.

The OCs Devon Area Lunch - Saturday May 7th 2011

By Nick Peace (H ’60) Ian Moody (Ch ‘46) again kindly invited OCs and friends to his annual Devon lunch at his home in Lympstone, on the river Exe, and welcomed College’s new Deputy Head (Pastoral), Karen Davies.

20 OCs and friends were delighted to meet Karen together with our OC Administrator and previously College all rounder, ex-Deputy Head of College, ex-Christowe House Master, Dr Malcolm Sloan. OC Society President Lawrence Anderson (Th ‘59) welcomed everyone on yet another fine Devonian

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day (it was the Spring and not the Summer!). OCs ranged from a sprightly 90 years of age to a callow 45!

Our OC thanks go to our host Ian and to Karen, Malcolm and Lawrence for supporting our Devon lunch.

EVENTS...

F L O R E AT ISSUE FIVE J A N U A RY 2 0 1 2

1986 REUNION – 25th ANNIVERSARY

By Giles Davis (NH ’86) On 1st October, 31 OCs, many with their wives and partners, and some from as far afield as the Middle East and East Africa, took Colin Wilson’s sage (and senior) advice in his write-up one year ago to “cast aside misplaced nerves or apathy” and return to College for a quarter century reunion. What good advice this was! Bathed in the crystalline late summer sunshine, the school looked even more beautiful than we had all remembered – inspiring surroundings for what developed into a highly enjoyable, stimulating and perhaps somewhat sentimental journey back in time.

Certainly, better organised early starters arranged visits to the old houses and the main school buildings – including the chapel. The former had all appeared to evolve considerably; the latter (at least in the chapel’s case) happily retained all their magnificent, unchanged glory. All of us, I think, remarked on how we rued the fact that we did not appreciate this extraordinary environment more, 25 years ago.

Joined by a number of era-drawn staff members - Robin and Angela Badham-Thornehill, Charles and Julie Wright, Gillian and Robin Proctor, Trevor and Anne Davies, Malcolm and Cathy Sloan and no less other than our distinguished erstwhile headmaster - Richard Morgan and his wife Margaret; we combined to bring the total numbers up to over 60. Early evening, we all gathered in the newly refurbished Library for a champagne reception before being addressed by the new Headmaster, Alex Peterken, who spoke impressively about recent progress at College and his plans for its immediate future. His research team had clearly also been hard at work given the amusing anecdotes he was able to recount concerning a number of us in the swiftly assembling audience. In glorious evocation, Richard Morgan then reminded us of many things – not least the all-important ‘extra-dimension’ that he had endeavoured to distil within us all those years ago. The journey back in time had begun with a vengeance!

To some extent that was temporarily halted by us dining not in the Dining Hall but in the staff Common Room – perhaps a hint for future years! School food was certainly not on the menu either with a sumptuous three course meal followed by a typically amusing speech from Malcolm Sloan where we also remembered absent and, sadly, in some cases departed friends, and a few words from myself on behalf of the Class of 86.

After dinner, the somewhat frustrating, but deeply enjoyable process of trying to catch up with everyone began in earnest. Despite this lasting deep into the night – and indeed the early hours of the following morning, having migrated on from the Common Room to various venues around the town (including one OC’s very fine home in Charlton Kings, where I understand a number of apologetic boxes of chocolate were sheepishly distributed to various neighbours the following Monday!) it was ultimately going to be a lost cause. Too much to catch up on, too little time. What did emerge, however, was that Richard Morgan’s extra dimension had, after all, almost certainly taken seed - I think we all were equally and mutually impressed with the quality, variety and interest of what we have all gone on to do. As I noted in my after dinner remarks, I think we owe College no small debt of thanks for setting us off on these various exciting, but as yet unfinished, paths.

Photographs by Stephen Clark.

So, for a few very happy hours the intervening years simply disappeared and we were all 18 again. I think we all wished it could have lasted longer – and like Colin of 85, I strongly urge all those 87 leavers to attend next year’s event. Our sincere thanks to the Headmaster for hosting us, and to Malcolm Sloan (and his cat-herding skills) for organising a truly happy and memorable evening.

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Photographs by Stephen Clark & Bentley Photographic.

Leavers...

By Harriet Slator (A ’11) For many, the 2nd of July came around a lot sooner than expected. Our A-Levels started and finished in the blink of an eye, leaving us with little else to do but say goodbye to our time at College, teachers and friends. Before the service, our OC ties and scarves were presented to us in the dining hall by Dr. Peterken, our final keepsake from our time at College.

Study leave had meant that many of us hadn’t seen each other much during exams and the Leavers’ Service, followed by drinks in the Quad, served as a great opportunity to both reunite and say goodbye. For our year group the highlight of our time in the College Chapel, especially for many of our boys, has been the hymn singing, and the Leavers’ Service provided one last opportunity to belt out our favourites. I don’t think many dry eyes were left in the congregation after both Father Reynaud’s touching final sermon and our last hymn, Jerusalem, had been sung. Luckily the sun was shining for our final day and the drinks in the Quad was the perfect place to say goodbye to the teachers not attending the Leavers’ Ball.

Of course the highlight of the evening was the Leavers’ Ball, the marquee looked beautiful, as did all the girls. The food was delicious and was quickly followed by the entertainment planned for the evening. The casino proved very popular, as did the chocolate fountain. When the ‘Chip Shop Boys’ started, the dancefloor filled with parents, teachers and students celebrating the end of an era. At midnight we all moved outside for our photo; it was an amazing moment being surrounded by all our parents and teachers as we sang Jerusalem at the tops of our voices. From here we all moved into town ready to see who would last the night. When 6am came around you could hear us all coming, the streets of Cheltenham were yet again filled with the sound of Jerusalem as we headed towards Chapel. It was a good turn out with over 50 people making it, including parents!

Overall, it was an incredible night that I know I will never forget. It is important to say a massive thank you to Mrs Creed and her team for providing such a successful and memorable evening.

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“My Perspective”

By John Farrington (Xt ’61)

On the Class of 1961 Old Boys Reunion and Remembrance Day: 13 Nov. 2011 The day was not to be just a Class of 1961 OCs’ reunion. Also attending were the relatives of the 14 OCs who took part in the Battle of Britain and relatives of Major General Sir Jeremy Moore KCB OBE MC and Colonel Chatfeild-Roberts TD who were being honoured that day. It was mainly a Remembrance Day ceremony and appropriately so.

the successful 1961 College Cross-Country running team in a staged pose of extreme elegance. I had been team captain. I was extremely pleased that a so-called “minor sport” had been recognised!

The official programme for the day was titled Remembrance Day, 13th November 2011 with the front cover displaying photographs of Major General Sir Jeremy Moore (Xt ‘46) (1928 - 2007) and Colonel G. C. Chatfeild-Roberts (L ‘32) (1914 - 1985), both distinguished military men who were to be honoured in Chapel that day with memorial plaques for their distinguished military service and long service to the College Council. The other photograph on the front page of the programme was of

10.55am saw us all seated in Chapel and participating in a well organised and moving service and dedication. The choir was, as usual we were told, magnificent.

At last the invited guests poured in. I could not recognise anyone but we were rescued by the College Prefects, who engaged us impressively, with interest and charm.

We were pleased to talk with Jack Ball, Head Boy (Christowe), and Oliver Rodney, Head of Christowe, and a number of other Prefects. The Headmaster, Dr Alex Peterken, welcomed all the guests.

Pre-lunch drinks were held in the newly refurbished Big Classical and we were lucky enough to bump into Michael Henry (Th ‘60), where I had spent one term in early 1959, before moving into Christowe, when I first came to College after finishing school in Australia. I still had yet to see any other Class of 61. We remembered many old friends including the Knights boys (Peter, Ian and Robert). Robert (Th ‘61) was a runner and features in the photo of the Cross-Country team. Ian (Th ‘60) was team captain in 1960.

House Master, Nick Nelson, who chatted with my wife about their common interest, PreRaphaelite painting. The Headmaster spoke again to those assembled and thanked them for coming.

Oliver Rodney then took us for a tour of Christowe, which to me looks changed, still somewhat spartan, but with an atmosphere of relaxation similar to an Oxbridge College.

The afternoon tea was held in the Common Room Dining Room. The cakes were so good that I saw some ladies piling some in their handbags! And then we were gone.

This was a very well organised day. Staff were positive, helpful and friendly, as were the Prefects. It was disappointing that only three Class of 61s, including me, showed up and that I never saw the other two.

Lunch followed with an impressive printed menu and the meal was not bad either!

Michael Henry kept us company on table 15 as did Oliver Rodney and the Christowe

HONG KONG REUNION On 31st October, we held a cocktail event at the International Commerce Centre in Hong Kong. The building has 108 stories, is 484 metres high and we were on the 88th floor in Kowloon so the views were spectacular across to the Island of Hong Kong. Around 35 people attended, made up of OCs, prospective and current parents.

Since I haven’t really been in touch with College for many years, with only one visit since I left in 1982, it certainly took

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By Neil Harvey (NH ’81)

me back to what for me were very happy times. There was lots of discussion around Houses and Housemasters and teachers and how the school had changed.

After welcome drinks, I was asked to say a few words. I mentioned how I had come to College from Zimbabwe and the fact that other children from Africa, in particular, Kenya and Nigeria, made the adjustment easier for me. I was also reminded of the fact that Cheltenham was a proper boarding school and that was a

strong differentiating factor with so many weekly boarding schools today. I was impressed at the number of pupils from Asia and Hong Kong in particular. Duncan Byrne, Deputy Head (Academic) made an excellent presentation on College and I was impressed by the resolve to improve league table ranking which I had noticed had slipped badly in previous years. It was good to see that trend being dramatically reversed whilst marinating the focus on a good all round education which is, I feel, important.

F L O R E AT

EVENTS...

ISSUE FIVE J A N U A RY 2 0 1 2

ASSOCIATION CAROL SERVICE

By Howard Thomas (H ’90) Last week I got round to doing something I have been meaning to do for a number of years, but have always allowed something else to take priority. On Friday 9th December, I attended the Association Christmas Carol Service in Chapel.

Photographs by Andy Banks and Stephen Clark.

Having never been before, I was uncertain as to whether the service would be ill attended and therefore a little underwhelming, or packed to the rafters; a very festive affair; I am pleased to say it was the latter. Chapel was near to capacity and the order of service was full of everyone’s favourite carols. The service began with an exceptional soloist singing the first verse of Once in Royal David’s City, after which the congregation did a sterling job of filling Chapel with song and atmosphere. The Choir were superb and as well as leading the congregation through a very resounding service, also delighted with some exceptional individual renditions.

Once the service was over, we were invited for mulled wine and mince pies in the Dining Hall and this gave a great opportunity to mingle and catch up with old friends and teachers. The whole event was a wonderful occasion and I was so pleased that I had at last done what I had been meaning to do for years. To any OC that has never been to the Association Carol Service, and of course to those that have, my advice is next year (Saturday 15th December) put the date in your diary and don’t let anything else get in the way, I am sure you will be very glad you did and I look forward to seeing you all there!

2012 ASSOCIATION EVENTS The Great White Silence

Dinner with Jack Davenport

Gloucestershire Cricket Festival

Date: 17th January Time: 8.00pm Venue: Chapel Contact: Dominic Faulkner, Faulkner. dominic@cheltcoll.gloucs.sch.uk

Date: 27th April Venue: Big Classical

Date: 22nd July Venue: Cheltenham College

All Association Members welcome, invitations to follow.

25th Anniversary Reunion

Cheltenham At The Races Date: 15th March Venue: Cheltenham Racecourse All Association Members welcome

OC Rackets Weekend Date: 16th March – 18th March Venue: Cheltenham College Contact: Charlie Liverton, charlie.liverton@neptune-im.co.uk or Karl Cook, cook.karl@cheltcoll.gloucs.sch.uk

OC Hockey Day Date: 17th March Venue: Cheltenham College Contact: Rob Mace, robdmace@hotmail.com or Gwyn Williams, Williams.gwyn@cheltcoll.gloucs.sch.uk All OC Hockey Players welcome to participate

Edward Wilson Memorial Service Date: 18th March Time: 11.00am Venue: Chapel Contact: Dominic Faulkner, Faulkner.dominic@cheltcoll.gloucs.sch.uk

Southwest Luncheon Host: Ian Moody (Ch ’46) Date: 5th May Venue: Queen Anne House, Lympstone, Devon Contact: Ian Moody, 01395 263189 or ian@moody2.eclipse.co.uk

50th Anniversary Reunion

Date: September – To Be Confirmed Venue: Cheltenham College All those who left Junior School or College in 1987, invitations to follow.

Christmas Fair Date: 25th November Time: 10.00am – 6.00pm Venue: Cheltenham College

Date: 27th May Venue: Cheltenham College

Please contact the Association Office for Stall Details. All Association Members welcome, invitations to follow.

All those who left Junior School or College in 1962, invitations to follow.

Association Carol Service

Polo Day Date: 9th June Venue: Cirencester Park Polo Club All Association Members welcome, invitations to follow.

The Diamond Jubilee Charity Ball Date: 29th June Venue: Cheltenham College All Association Members welcome, invitations to follow.

Date: 15th December Time: 2.30pm Venue: Cheltenham College All Association Members welcome, invitations to follow.

For further information on all Association events, please contact Rebecca Creed, Association Manager, Cheltenham College, Bath Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL53 7LD. Tel: 01242 265694 Email: creed.rebecca@cheltcoll.gloucs.sch.uk 28

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FLOREAT

FEATURE ARTICLES...

WAR DIARIES A Chaplain at Gallipoli The Great War Diaries of Kenneth Best Edited by Gavin Roynon Review by Dr Alex Peterken, Headmaster The Great War is one of those aspects of 20th Century history that all school pupils should know about and, because it’s so commonplace in history lessons in primary and secondary schools, there’s a tendency to think nothing new or interesting can emerge so long after the original bloody events of 1914-18. It’s doubly refreshing therefore that the war diaries of Kenneth Best provide such a detailed insight into the role of Chaplaincy in surely the most notorious of all campaigns, the misadventure at Gallipoli. Best was serious about doing God’s work, far more so it seems than the vast majority of army clergymen who spent the war years safely behind the front line ministering to the men, but ministering well clear of the dangers of falling shells or snipers’ bullets.

Gavin Roynon uses the skills honed in an eminent career as a Housemaster and Master at Eton to edit Best’s diaries most sensitively, bringing to life the realities of daily life facing daily death and all the range of human responses and emotions this can bring. As always in historical accounts of the Great War, the incompetence of military leadership, logistics and provisions is cruelly exposed, as is the needless waste of life and futile nature of the fighting.

But why is this book reviewed in Floreat?

What is the significance to College and Alumni? Kenneth Best joined College in 1920 to teach Mathematics, remaining at College for 20 years and becoming Housemaster of Boyne House. His true vocation was with the men at the front line

though and he resigned from College in 1940 to rejoin the army after the outbreak of the Second World War. A great musician, his violin was legendary in the trenches, allegedly even the German soldiers would be silent to listen to him play pieces (provided they were by German composers!)

Best left the army in 1945 and lived with his sister in Devon. He became an agnostic, no doubt due to his experiences of 1914-18 and 1939-45; he died in 1981.

Roynon’s work has exposed another new and interesting aspect of the College’s History and I would encourage all OCs to seek out a copy.

USING THE ARCHIVES

By Christine Leighton (College Archivist) Many of the enquiries received in Archives are from people tracing their family tree - wanting to know whether or not an ancestor came to College, or seeking more details about someone that they know came to College. But there are also a significant number of other diverse enquiries and such people often visit in person to pursue their research in detail. Sometimes that is the last we hear.

Sometimes we are told they are publishing a book which will incorporate the research from College. Best of all, however, is when, several months or even years later, the Archive Department receives a parcel containing a copy of such a book. One such was Gavin Roynon’s War Diaries, A Chaplain at Gallipoli, reviewed here by the Headmaster.

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Some of the other books in recent years have been of linguistic or war interest:

s James Muckle: The Russian Language in Britain; A historical survey of learners and teachers

s Peter Taylor: Cheltenham College

‘French Idioms and Special Vocabulary’ 1900 (reprint)

s Harry Thompson Russell (Hazelwell,

1889-92): Brighter French and The Brighter French Word Book (reprints of books by first published in 1927 and 1929)

s John Lewis-Stempel: Six Weeks,

The Short and Gallant Life of the British Officer in the First World War

s Neil Webster (Day Boy, 1920-25), edited and published posthumously by his daughter, Joss Pearson: Cribs for Victory, The Untold Story of Bletchley Park’s Secret Room

s Paul Foster: In Continuing & Grateful Memory, The Menin Gate

s James Taylor: Fougasse and the Art of Public Information

FEATURE ARTICLES...

F L O R E AT ISSUE FIVE J A N U A RY 2 0 1 2

RUGBY WORLD CUP 2011

By Simon Danielli (H ’98) Despite the disappointment of being the first Scottish side not to have made the Quarter Finals, I will look back at this tournament with many fond memories. New Zealand played brilliant hosts and stuck to their promise that, although they do not have the biggest stadiums in world rugby, during the world cup the country itself would be a stadium of 4 million people.

The greetings we received at airports, hotels and generally around the towns and cities we visited were truly special and, as most players at the tournament will say, I felt privileged to be a part of it. New Zealand is such a diverse and multicultural country and although the traditional maori ‘nose touching’ greeting took some getting used to, it was brilliant to be able to go out on a school visit and have the whole school do their own version of a haka was a sight to behold, although not quite up there with renditions of Chazzy Walker in the 1st XV changing room at College!

On the field there were some great memories too; we had a scare against Romania but dug deep and managed to clinch a late bonus point win. I was fortunate enough to score a couple of tries and to a winger there is no better feeling than

that. I missed the next game and watched agonisingly from a wet and windy Wellington bench (why their super XV side is called the Hurricanes) as we got edged at the death by Argentina.

And despite losing to England in the final minutes of the game, a one in which we had to win by at least 8 points to progress in the tournament, it was a truly memorable occasion. It was the first time the two sides had met at a neutral venue and apparently it was the most oversubscribed game in terms of ticket demand for the group stages. The consequence of it was an amazing atmosphere, from the minute we ran onto the pitch, through the anthems and for the entire game.

International rugby, however, is all about winning and although we came so close to winning all our pool games and the possibility of a Quarter Final against France, we conceded those late tries in the last few minutes both against Argentina and England, thus bringing our tournament to a premature end. There is an inevitable anticlimax in such a position, perhaps I suppose for any tournament you do not win, the logistical ramification of which is that within 24 hours of your last game the majority

of the squad is already on a plane homebound. Moreover, given how special any world tournament is that only comes about once every four years and given how hard you train for it, the tournament does pass by in a flash.

It was great to see the interest the World Cup generated in the game of rugby, however, and as the game grows consequently so do the profiles of several players involved too. Sadly I don’t think our wages will get close to footballers anytime soon but I do hope that interest in the international game will filter down into club level, particularly in Scotland where attendances are still poor.

Playing for Scotland and living in Northern Ireland necessitates that the Welsh are my least favourite Celtic Nation. However, I felt very sorry for them and think they deserved to go one further this tournament. I thought they played the best rugby of the northern hemisphere sides and it would have been a fitting and brilliant final against the All Blacks. Having said that, France were a different team in the final.

As a Scottish side we felt that despite our early exit we played some really good rugby and are a team on the ascendancy.

Ireland are always a force to be reckoned with as shown by their comfortable win over Australia and, given the strength in depth that England undoubtedly have, the 6 Nations is certainly a tournament to look forward to.

Lastly and apologies that this has nothing to do with the World Cup but I want to wish good luck to all those involved in rugby sides at College. Whilst I have been very fortunate to have played professional rugby for 12 seasons and have enjoyed each and every one of them immensely, playing rugby at College will probably remain my most enjoyable.

Playing with such good friends and representing your school against some fierce rivalries was my abiding memory of my school days and I must admit I could not have been prouder and happier to replay the You Tube clip of the boys putting 50 on Radley on their home soil in 2010.

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FLOREAT

FEATURE ARTICLES...

SIR ALAN HASELHURST In December, James McWilliam (S ’09), took a trip to London to interview Sir Alan Haselhurst (H ’56) about his time at College, his career in politics and his passion for writing cricket novels. Sir Alan is the Conservative Member of Parliament for Saffron Walden, a former Deputy Speaker for the House of Commons, author of 5 cricket fiction novels and is presently the Chairperson of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association International Executive Committee.

What are your best and worst memories of College?

I was unsure of what House to go into, so Elliot Smith coined the term ‘Haselhurst for Hazelwell’ and as a result my surname was constantly mis-spelt with a ‘z’ rather than an ‘s’ throughout my time at College!

I was a total rabbit at sports and having come from a tiny prep school I suddenly found myself immersed in a culture of sports. I used to go on the ‘trainer run’, a 2 ¼ mile run that we were sent on if we did no other sports. I remember being completely soaked through from the sleeting rain, with mud so thick that my shoes became lost in it!

As I moved into the 5th form, I discovered I could actually run quite fast and managed to get into the house relay team. I quite enjoyed playing hockey, a sport only played in the 5th form and I developed into quite a fast right-winger. I took up squash and really enjoyed that as well. This period marked a turning point for me as I started to gain respectability through my involvement in the sports teams.

Together with one of my peers, I pioneered and co-authored the speech day publication ‘lighter sides’. This was a take on the punishment of ‘sides’ that prefects or staff would hand out to pupils, which would involve writing a particular sentence on a side of paper, typically in the range of 4 to 8 sides and sometimes as many as 12.

We sold this magazine for 6 pence each and had a representative in each house selling copies, with all the money going to the College missionary. I did it for 3 years and I think it lasted about 2 years after that before publication stopped.

In the L6th it was Hazelwell’s turn to do a house play and as we didn’t know what to do, I decided to start writing something and titled it ‘Follow the Diamonds’; it was supposed to be funny and was to some extent, although the Headmaster later complained that there were a lot of swear words! What is quite funny is that the lead character in this play ended up being one of my constituents in Saffron Walden!

My passion for cricket developed during my time at College. One afternoon Miller, 31

FEATURE ARTICLES...

F L O R E AT ISSUE FIVE J A N U A RY 2 0 1 2

4/5th or more of the House only knew me as Deputy Speaker. So I got Chairmen of the Administration Committee, which puts me on the liaison committee where all the chairmen of all the committees sit and get to ask the Prime Minister questions directly, 2 or 3 a year. I was on the Finance and Service Committee as an ex-offico but I am now on it in my own right and I am also on the Audit and Works of Art Committees.

One of the new Deputy Speakers then said have you thought of joining the CPA, which I admitted I had not really because I had been out of the loop for Chairman, which involves me traveling to commonwealth countries such as Trinidad.

Do you think that Politics is something people should enter later on in life, primarily as a second career? the College scorer, ordered me to the scoring box to help him with a House cricket match. At the time the scoreboard used to be wheeled onto the pitch on a green trailer. I managed to score with such efficiency that the Master in Charge of Cricket, who also happened to be my 4th form tutor, noticed, and enquired who was keeping the score. When Miller left I was given the role of scorer and was involved at Lords when College played Haileybury.

That night I stayed in the Goring Hotel, because George Goring (H ’56) was a contemporary of mine. I was not in one of the really nice rooms, but it was better than my Hazelwell dormitory!

considered taking. Around the same time I joined the Young Conservatives. I was at a lunch with the national organising secretary and his colleague, Jack Gorman, who liaised with the major trade unions, and who advised me to go into industry. He said that he would be able to get me some interviews and on Monday morning I had a call from an ICI scouter who invited me for lunch and then dinner in the evening. They guaranteed me a job for whenever I wanted and I accepted because they were such nice people. All I know about writing a business letter I learnt there, it was a really good foundation for me and I look back on my time in industry as a valuable experience.

The lump in my throat though is leaving College at the end of the Spring term, because I had got a place at Oxbridge.

As a result I was not able to complete my final season as cricket scorer, which is something I still regret. At the leavers service ‘Dear Lord and Father of Mankind’ made a great impression on me, so much so that I chose to have it at my wedding.

My interest in moving into Politics was still there though and I suppose developed from my time at College. In my first year at College the school staged a mock general election to mirror the 1951 happening at the time. This made me become really engaged with politics, so much so that I became secretary of the school debating society and took a very keen interest in the 1955 general election. In 1968 I moved to work for British Vita, who allowed me to campaign for the Middleton and Prestwich seat, whilst still working for them. This was seen as good for them and also for me in the constituency. I got elected as MP in 1970 and my politics career developed from there.

Was there anything at College that inspired your career decisions, either initially in the plastic and chemicals industry or later into politics?

I had the mistaken belief that unless you are absolutely clear about what to do, be very prudent about what you want to do.

I thought I wanted to be a barrister and went on to study law at Oriel College, Oxford, despite Gordon Wallace’s advice that I should in fact study History because I actually enjoyed it. When faced with the law, however, I found out that I in fact hated it! My mind turned to broadcasting and I got offered a job at the BBC, which I

What does your current role entail?

All my predecessors have usually gone to the House of Lords and I actually was more interested in the House of Commons; I still enjoy being a constituency MP. Because I have been Deputy Speaker for 13 years, I don’t feel I can just turn the clock back and go back to bare knuckle politics on the floor.

I would certainly advise doing something beforehand because you must be certain that you want to move into politics. It is very difficult to leave your job and come into the uncertain world of politics, realise that it is not for you and then try to get your old job back again. The boundary changes that are being talked about at the moment, meaning there will only be 600 seats now not 650, makes it all very challenging and uncertain. The danger with going straight into politics is that individuals have done nothing but politics. They have studied politics at University and are very bright but they have not had exposure to anything else. They bring nothing to the party but their knowledge of politics, which is not necessarily a bad thing but if you have done something else you can make a bigger contribution to the party and gain more respect.

You have written a number of successful cricket books, can we expect to see more in the series?

Well, I started to write the 6th a year ago but I now find myself busier than I have ever been before in my life. This time I am trying to introduce a new angle by adding a ‘whodunnit?’ element, using the same characters as before and that is quite a bit more complicated. The book is going to be called “Fatal Cricket” and the plot I have in mind has to be a slow burner, going over 4 or 5 seasons, which means that I have to go back and research my own books to make sure that I don’t introduce anything that is out of character with the rest of the series! That in itself means this book is going to take more time. I have read all of Agatha Christie’s work and the essential element seems to be to achieve the art of misdirection without real deceit by taking the eyes of the reader off the point.

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A Cheltonian on the Titanic

By Kath Boothman (Past Parent & Archives Volunteer) Alfred Rowe (BH 1870), married late in life, aged 48. He was perhaps a little old to be a firsttime bridegroom, but he had been very busy making his way in the world since leaving College thirty years before. Now his position was secure and he had much to offer to a wife.

His father, John James Rowe, defined on Alfred’s College admission form as a ‘merchant’, was a partner in the Liverpoolbased shipping line of Graham, Rowe and Company. Alfred, the fourth of seven children, had the unusual distinction of being born in Lima, Peru. Alfred’s elder brothers came to College before him: Charles Graham (BH 1868) and Herbert William (BH 1869). Alfred was on the Military and Civil side and seems to have been unremarkable academically, though he played for Boyne’s 1st XI in his final year.

After leaving College, Alfred worked in the family business for a while and then studied at the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester, before embarking on a business venture of his own. In 1878 he went to America, settling in Donley County in the Texas panhandle, and took up cattle ranching. Shrewd, principled and hardworking, he became a well-liked and respected figure in his community. The RO Ranch, as it was called, prospered and grew, so that by the time Alfred married in 1901, aged 48, he was a wealthy man. His wife Constance, who was English and a cousin of the author Charles Kingsley, was an excellent horsewoman and adapted well to life in Texas. Over the following years the couple had four children, one of whom died in infancy. In 1910, Alfred decided to bring his family back to England, leaving the ranch in the care of a manager. He himself returned to Texas only two or three times a year to see that all was well with the ranch.

This explains his presence aboard the Titanic that wintry night in April 1912. He was travelling first class, as befitted a successful entrepreneur: his ticket had cost him £26 11s. Interestingly, letters he wrote

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to his wife from the Titanic reveal that even before she sailed he had misgivings about this wonderful new ship that so impressed everyone else. ‘My Dearest Girl’, he wrote, ‘She is too big, you can’t find your way about and it takes too long to get anywhere.

She has no excessive speed to compensate for all this and is a positive danger to all other shipping in port’. He also mentioned that the Titanic had a near-miss with another ship as she left Southampton. After the disaster, according to later reports, he was seen swimming and clinging to a piece of floating ice, having refused to get into a lifeboat until others were saved. Sadly, his turn to be rescued never came. His body was picked up some days later by the cable ship, Mackay-Bennet. Of the 306 bodies collected by that ship only 190 were landed.

Those that had no means of identification on them were simply numbered and recorded (‘139. Male, age 30. Hair, light brown. Wore boiler suit.…Possibly an engineer’) and buried at sea. Alfred, who fortunately was carrying visiting cards with his name and address on, was given the number 109. The bodies were tagged, and each individual’s belongings were carefully noted and placed in a bag marked with the same number as the body. The bodies were examined in Halifax by Dr William Finn, Medical Examiner for the City. The doctor’s full written reports survive for only two individuals, and Albert Rowe happens to be one of these.

an extraordinary mouthful of gold and silver teeth, almost every tooth in his head being either capped or filled with precious metal.

He must have looked as prosperous as he was. The contents of his pockets, on the other hand, gave little evidence of wealth.

Unlike body no. 259, who was found to have $30,000 sewn into the lining of his suit and a further $15,000 in his pockets, Alfred was carrying no money apart from three £5 notes. All personal effects, together with his clothing (a grey suit worn over a pyjama jacket, with a leather belt and tan shoes) were subsequently claimed by his eldest brother Charles Graham Rowe, who also arranged for his body to be shipped back to England.

Alfred was buried on May 14th in the family grave at Smithdown Road Cemetery in Liverpool. ‘Curiosity and sympathy were strangely intermingled in the demeanour of the spectators … who watched the arrival of the cortege outside the cemetery’, reported the Daily Post and Mercury, ‘and the much denser crowds who had assembled within the gates….. Several wreaths were sent by relatives and intimate friends, and the grave itself was plentifully bedecked with evergreeens, bluebells and forget-me-nots.’

Thus ended a life of considerable enterprise and achievement, tragically cut short.

Unremarkable he may have been as a boy, but in his later years, and indeed in the manner of his death, it seems fair to say that Alfred Rowe was a credit to his old school.

Alfred was examined early in May; unsurprisingly, his body showed evidence of having been exposed to the action of the water, and presented superficial injuries due to being buffeted around by the sea and ice. Dr Finn was ‘of the opinion that the said Alfred Rowe came to his death by accidental drowning at sea’. His full description of the body is more illuminating.

Alfred was ‘a well developed squareshouldered man’ with rather a short neck, 5ft 7½ inches tall and weighing about 190lbs (or 13½ stone). He evidently looked younger than his years, since the doctor estimated his age as 50 when he was in fact nearly 59.

His face was full and round, and – here the doctor supplies a wealth of detail – he had

Four months after he died, his widow Constance gave birth to another son, who was named Alfred. As for the ranch, which at its peak encompassed 200,000 acres of owned and rented land, it was sold by the Rowe family in 1917 and survives to this day, though reduced in size and under a different name.

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F L O R E AT ISSUE FIVE J A N U A RY 2 0 1 2

Old Cheltonian Helps 1/2 Billion People to Better Health

By Susan Johnson Keller International (HKI), UNICEF, WFP, WHO, World Vision Canada and The Flour Fortification Initiative.

In the Food Industry, Quican Inc. specialises in New Product Development, Technical Services, Food Safety and Quality Assurance.

Thanks primarily to his technical knowledge, his diplomatic skills, his cultural sensitivity, and his steadfast determination, Quentin Johnson (Xt ’67) has made fortified staple foods available to over half a billion people across the world, all of whom now lead healthier lives free of birth defects, anaemia and other diseases. It is to recognise this extraordinary feat that he was awarded his Honorary Doctorate.

Quentin has almost 40 years of experience in the Food and Medical Device industries in the areas of New Product Development, Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs.

His main area of expertise is in the milling and baking sectors of the food industry.

He currently provides consulting services through his own business, Quican Inc., to: International UN Agencies, National Donor Aid Agencies and International NGOs on staple food fortification. His clients include The Micronutrient Initiative, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Helen

In February of this year, we were thrilled that Quentin was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws, Honoris Causa by the University of Guelph, for his work in the micronutrient fortification of staple foods around the world. The Convocation took place on February 24th at the University of Guelph, Canada, where Quentin addressed graduates of the College of Social and Applied Human Sciences.

Twelve senior men and women in the field of global nutrition wrote testimonials about working with Quentin, and the impact his work has had around the world. Letters were received from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Emory University, the Flour Fortification Initiative, the Guelph Food Technology Centre, Helen Keller International, the Micronutrient Initiative, UNICEF, the World Bank, the World Health Organisation, the World Food Programme and World Vision Canada.

Quentin also sat on the President’s Panel of the Universities Fighting World Hunger Conference at the University of Guelph, over the following weekend.

Cancer. The Side Effects

By Chloe Shelbourne-Ralph (Queen’s)

In early September 2010, my mother was diagnosed with cancer. Following this, my grandmother was diagnosed with leukaemia in December 2010. With cancer now affecting my family, I had to find a way to understand the disease and its consequences. The main message I became aware of upon doing my research was quite how wide spread the disease is and how it can affect any of us. Also, after speaking to some cancer sufferers I became aware of the many side effects of the various treatments. The main side effect that proved to knock confidence and self-esteem of most sufferers was hair-loss and immediately I was keen for others to acknowledge quite how demoralising this may be.

When I came across The Macmillan Cancer Support group, I was inspired by the numerous ways in which they can help cancer patients, both mentally and physically. For as long as I can remember, I have had long blonde hair, but I have also had the choice as to whether I have it long or short. I thought it would be lovely for someone else to have that choice too. Therefore, on Monday 7th February 2011, I had my long hair chopped off for charity. My hair was donated to the Little Princess Trust, a charity helping parents of children with cancer to provide realistic looking wigs made with real hair. All £3,976 of the money raised was donated to The Macmillan Cancer Support charity.

Thank you to all who gave so kindly to this worthy cause, your generosity is invaluable.

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FLOREAT

FEATURE ARTICLES...

FROM TERRORIST TO THE PRINCE OF DENMARK

By Andrew Harris (Development Director).

Adeel Akhtar (NH ’99) is best known for his hilarious portrayal as Faisal, the inept wannabe Jihadist, in the BAFTA award winning Chris Morris film ‘Four Lions’. However, he was not destined for stage and screen stardom when he was at College; in fact he could not get more than a bit-part in a production of ‘Hamlet’ in Big Classical, yet he is now working alongside the versatile Michael Sheen in the ‘soldout’ ‘Hamlet’ at the Young Vic. So what was his journey and how did he make the move to working with actors such as Michael Sheen, Ben Kingsley and Sasha Baron Cohen?

Adeel’s father went to boarding school in Pakistan and thought that a boarding school upbringing would also be good for Adeel. Adeel explained that “of my time at Cheltenham, I was not very good at much, not good at sports. I used to muck about and should have knuckled down more. But, one thing that I was interested in was the theatre and drama. ‘The Homecoming’ was the first thing I did in Jack Ralphs and I was supported at the time by an English teacher, Marco Liverio, who encouraged me to read out in class.”

“After College, I went to Oxford Brookes to study Law but I hadn’t thought what I was really going to do. After Oxford, I had a place to do a LPC at Westminster. However, before I started I supported my girlfriend as her scene study partner at her audition for the Actors Studio Drama School in New York. They actually phoned me up afterwards and asked whether I wanted a place!” Adeel subsequently trained at this prestigious School and this was the beginning.

Of getting his big break in the film ‘Four Lions’, Adeel says “I was doing a play at the time and Chris auditioned me over in Sheffield where the film was actually filmed. We worked on the script and were completely free to improvise off it. Then I had a recall in London but we had to wait some time as the film almost never happened because of seeking the finance.”

‘What Have You Done With The Scissors?’

‘Four Lions’ is about five unlikely lads from Doncaster, aspiring Jihadists, who are bent on becoming suicide bombers and creating mayhem at the London Marathon. So was he overly concerned about the film material?

“Omar, the main character in it, is very outspoken about many issues but reading the script and chatting to Chris we knew what the intentions were; to satirise a particular issue that is seen to be taboo. Was I surprised at the success? Yes in a way, I knew it would have a certain following because of Chris’s fanbase but after the film it was the first time I got stopped in the street and people were taking photos of me behind menus. I never thought I would be in that position!”

In fact, playing a terrorist became almost too real when Adeel was mistakenly thought a suspect on a flight from London to New York, forcing the aircraft to have a military escort into JFK! Adeel has recently finished filming ‘The Dictator’ with Sasha Baron Cohen and Ben Kingsley; it is Cohen’s fourth film which “tells the heroic story of a dictator who risked his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed”, according to Paramount Pictures. He has also recently just finished doing a comedy pilot for Channel 4. Says Adeel “hopefully it will get picked up; it is called ‘The Angelos Show’ – Bob Mortimer is starting an old school variety show with a guy called ‘Angelos’ and I play one of his friends. Do look out for it later this year.”

Of current projects, it is ‘Hamlet’ at the Young Vic that truly excites Adeel. “I am playing Guildenstern/Francisco; it is not a massive part but not too tiny so that I get bored. Michael Sheen, who plays Hamlet, is on top of his game in every way and it is great to work with him and witness him doing his thing; everything he does is “acting 101”. Because of Michael and Ian Rickson - who directed Jerusalem in the West End - tickets were sold out quickly. I haven’t done theatre in such a long time.

I hope I can step up to the plate! We are sure he will.

Cheltenham College was a shock to me. I was there for the 6th form on an academic scholarship and I don’t think I was ready for the male dominated environment or the level of privilege. But it was good preparation for the outside world, where the male and the rich do often rule the day. I was rebellious, outspoken, and more than once labeled as facetious. I took this as encouragement. My two English teachers at the time (Andrew Lyons and Marco Liviero) had more than a small impact on my view of literature today. They made it something that belonged to me, and spoke to me. Their lessons were from the heart, and I remember now when I teach playwriting sometimes or when I write, that it matters that you mean it.

After College, I went to Leeds University (my 8th choice in the end, after I failed to get the grades to take up the offer at Cambridge and didn’t fancy some of my other options). I worked in Ecuador for a year, Italy for a year and then did the Creative Writing MA at UEA. Most of these experiences I found harder than school. Isolating, difficult at the time, but they were useful at questioning my own institutionalisation, prejudices, assumptions and political leanings that can come from going to boarding school from age 8-18, and it was at University that I started writing plays, probably because I wanted to change the way the world worked, or at least a bit of it.

Adeel (Akhtar) and I were among a small group of students that fell into performing plays. The studio theatre off the Quad was where we spent too much time neglecting our A Levels and messing around with texts we half understood. Adeel and I were in ‘The Homecoming’ and ‘Hamlet’ together. One day in rehearsals after school, Adeel said he’d learned a block of the Pinter text off by heart; we watched him run it through. And I knew even then that he had something incredible inside him and that one day it would shine very bright. Being non-white or being female at College meant always being something of a minority, so we had that in common, but Adeel and I have stayed friends because we found something exciting together in the same place at the same time, and we never let it go.

I’m now writing full time under the name E V Crowe. My first major play ‘Kin’ was performed at The Royal Court Theatre in London last year, as well as a play at Soho Theatre, and a play with Siobhan Davies Studios. This year my play ‘Young Pretender’, started at Edinburgh Festival, then toured. I am currently under commission to several theatres including The Royal Court Theatre, The Royal National Theatre, and others. It feels like this is the start of doing what I really want to do. I’m grateful for all the experiences I had at College, good and bad. It was a world that happened in high definition, it made me unafraid, and aware of what privilege should mean. It also gave me Pinter, Shakespeare, Larkin, Carol Ann Duffy, and the belief that no matter who you are, a good play can reach out, grab you by the throat and change your life forever.

By Emma Crowe (Cha ’99)

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Images supplied by Archives.

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LIFE AFTER JUNIOR SCHOOL

By Charles Martell (OJ)

After spending 5 years at CCJS, I went to Gordonstoun School in Scotland. Soon after, I joined the British Army and chose to specialise in Bomb Disposal in the Royal Engineers. Having completed training and the arduous Royal Marines’ Commando Course, my unit was put on standby and later deployed to the Persian Gulf, during the First Gulf War. Immediately after the war, a section of Commando Bomb Disposal Engineers, including myself, were deployed in support of Operation Safe Haven, one of the UK’s first military humanitarian aid efforts.

I later qualified as a military diver and conducted underwater construction, demolition and search operations. A number of operational tours later, which included deployments to both Bosnia and Northern Ireland, I felt it was time to leave and I found work with the British-based humanitarian mine-clearance charity, The HALO Trust.

Life working in mine-affected countries such as Cambodia, Angola and the Republic of Georgia really opened my eyes to what specialists like me could do for the communities living amongst mines, bombs and other debris of war. I met and worked

Double Guinness World Record holder Charlie Martell will row solo and unsupported across the North Pacific in 2012”.

That’s how my latest challenge is being billed, but how did I get here? with some incredibly brave people, not just those who work in mine-clearance but also those who work for other aid agencies, who commit to making the world a better place.

Some countries were extremely difficult to work in; in Angola I was living and working close to the front lines of the two warring sides, the Government and UNITA. Christmas 1998 was one of the most difficult as I was often woken in the early hours to the sound of artillery fire landing just yards away, causing the walls to shake.

Some years later, I was back in Angola, in the South East this time and the war was over, but the mines still remained.

I learned through friends that it was possible to race, on skis, to the North Pole.

Before long, I had set up a team called “Commando Joe” and had cajoled some fellow Commandos to join me in the Polar Challenge. We had all been trained to live, fight and survive in arctic conditions and so we were well qualified to undertake this challenge. We saw polar bears up close and personal as well as a seal basking in the sun. It was a fantastic environment to be in and that was where I really got my taste for pushing my limits further.

In 2006 I, along with another band of merry fellow Army Commandos, “Commando Joe” set off on an epic voyage across the North Atlantic Ocean. My crew of four rowed our 9m long ocean rowing boat from New York to Mevagissey, Cornwall. Two of us rowed, while the other two slept, 90 minutes on and 90 minutes off and after battling through a couple of storms, 85 days later we made landfall, earning two Guinness World Records in the process.

Since the voyage, I have worked for the United Nations in Nepal, in Afghanistan supporting Coalition Forces, gained a Masters degree and am now preparing for my next voyage, which will see me row solo across the “Everest of Oceans”, the North Pacific, in an effort to be the first solo Briton to successfully conquer this route.

You can follow me here www.pacific2012.com Charlie Martell, Iraq, 2011 36

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Beyond the Bike: An OCs tandem cycle adventure from South Africa to the London 2012 Olympics. By Stuart Block (L ’97) In 1997, I won an OC gap year award to teach in South Africa. It was at the end of that memorable year, as I over-landed from Cape Town to Victoria Falls with a few other OCs, that the idea of riding a bicycle between the two countries materialised.

Nearly 15 years later, that dream has finally become a reality: On July 23rd, I wobbled out of Johannesburg with a 100kg local South African on the back of my tandem. 50 stokers and more than 6000kms later, I’m writing this from Tanzania where I’m looking forward to spending Christmas with Mark Durston in Kenya.

Mark has been fattening a turkey since July, promising to feed me up before I head north to Egypt in January. Why, I hear you ask? Why not? More seriously, there are two main reasons for this: Firstly, to help raise money and awareness for education in Africa and specifically for Kawama School that Cranleigh School is partnering in Zambia with the help of Beyond Ourselves, as well as for other charities that we will be supporting, including Right to Sight and Alive & Kicking. Secondly, there is of course the wanderlust that needs to be satisfied, initially inspired by my own parents who travelled from London to Cape Town in a VW campervan for their honeymoon in the 1970s!

The journey has been a fantastic experience so far – I’ve enjoyed some wonderful hospitality along the way from both friends & strangers, matching some extraordinary scenery. Getting off the beaten track and camping in random villages under huge Africa skies has been as memorable as enjoying the mighty Zambezi crash over Victoria Falls, or cycling alongside Elephant & Giraffe in Mikumi National Park in Tanzania. I have even bumped into a couple of OCs along the way. I spent a great evening with Thinus Smit in Pretoria, now a fullyfledged surgeon with a lovely family and enjoyed a music festival in Malawi with Shaun Davy (L ’03), not knowing initially that he was also an OC. Whilst I’ve yet to have any OCs on the back of the Tandem in Africa, Phil Nagel (NH ’97) & Omar Al-Dahan (NH ’97), amongst others, are signed up to join me in Europe. Andrew Crocker, who coincidentally is a parent at Cranleigh, is threatening to fill the Sudan leg. Unsurprisingly, it is still free. If you fancy it or another stage yourself, do get in touch through my website www.beyondthebike.org or if cycling isn’t your thing but would like to donate to the charities and help me reach my target of £100k, you can also do so online. I hope to catch up with many of you on my return in July 2012.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

By Iraj (Sarf) J. Sarfeh (Xt ’58) I left College in 1958, excited to emigrate to America and to experience freedom after all the years of captivity in boarding schools. After completing my college education at New York University, I obtained my medical degree and underwent six gruelling years of surgical training at Albany (NY) Medical Center. After staying on the faculty there for a few years, I was recruited to the University of California, the Irvine Medical Division, where my career soared in giddying spirals, all because I was interested in, and researched, the surgical aspects, of alcoholic liver disease. My biggest claim to fame was developing an operation to stem the bleeding that is all too often a terminal event in patients with cirrhosis.

In September of 2000, I retired as Emeritus Professor of Surgery, University of California, to pursue a writing career, which was my passion before medicine. With six novels under my belt, I am currently working on the next two.

To celebrate my wife Sharon’s 60th birthday we had a month long vacation in the UK. I contacted my very good friend Jeremy Taylor (Xt ’58) and told him we’d love to visit him and his other half, Lesley, while we were there. Lo and behold, the Taylors put on a bash at their home that I will never forget. A gathering of over 14 ancient Boyceites and their partners were present.

While in England, I visited College and was stunned at the unaltered majesty of the buildings, especially the Chapel and Dining Hall. And I must say how nice it was to see the attractive young women in attractive uniforms going about the place. I remember when I was there; we were allowed to meet ladies once a year at a dance, to which several flowers from the Ladies’ College were invited. I also remember the boys leaning against one wall, the ladies against the opposite wall, and rarely did the twain meet.

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HAMSTER MEETING THE QUEEN Christopher Carter (OJ & L ’56) I was very amused to read in Floreat 11 the account of Princess Elizabeth’s visit to College in 1951, recording that she ‘met a hamster’. I believe that the Junior was one of the first schools to have hamsters, the ‘founding mothers’ of the colony. Helena and Hermia, being named after characters in the previous year’s production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. I was in the croft room in Thirlestaine House when the Princess came through, but my hamster, Ajax, was chosen to be ‘presented’ to her as he was very placid and used to being handled, and could be trusted not to bite the royal finger!

I remember being struck by how small the princess was, an impression which I recalled the next time I saw her, over 50 years later, when I was a guest at a Buckingham Palace garden party shortly before my retirement as Royal Life Adviser to the Diocese of St Asaph.

Yours in appreciation of a very interesting magazine.

Leconfield Founder’s Day

My Passion for Skiing

By Chris Reid (Housemaster)

By Olivia Mitchell (CCJS, Y6)

In June, the House held its inaugural Founder’s Day. This commemorates the time in the College’s academic year when William Read Porcher became the Housemaster of Leconfield. Its intention is to bring all aspects of the House together in the true spirit of the Cheltonian Association; so invitations were sent to former Porcherites, former and existing parents as well as current members of the House. Leconfield was opened during the afternoon for Porcherites to return to catch up with old friends and compare notes before all enjoyed a good dinner with current pupils and parents.

The next Founder’s Day is scheduled for 22nd June 2013 so please put the date in your diary. Other dates for your diary include a Porcherite Gathering in London on 8th March 2012 and of course the 150th Anniversary of Leconfield on 25th June 2016.

Looking forward to seeing as many Porcherites who are able to come!

My passion for skiing started whilst sitting with my Dad on top of the Teignes Glacier in October 2004. My brother was training on one side and the French national team training downhill on the other. When the French team had finished, I skied part of their course and ever since have been training twice a week and now compete at National and International levels.

When I first started training with team slalom plus, I skied in a snow plough, mostly going so fast I was completely out of control. This all changed a bit when I fell and broke my left collar bone!

My introduction to racing was in the Gloucester summer race league which takes place every month from May to October. The day is really fun and starts with timed slalom runs in the morning and duals after lunch, where you race against someone else. This is my favourite race and really exciting. There are more serious races held nationally at about ten different venues across the country. Indoor races are becoming very popular and there are now a series of races held during the summer. I am planning to compete in this series next season. The summer season finishes with the National Championships in September, recently held at Norwich. This has been my aim for the last two years with my training focused on peaking for this competition. I have won this race for the last two years so my name now appears on the same trophy as Chemmy Alcott, Britain’s number one female downhill skier!

the English Alpine Championships that are held in Bormio, Italy, during the February half term holidays. Bormio is a fantastic resort and the snow at that time of year is perfect for racing on, the course is rock hard and very icy and I can reach up to 45 mph. In Bormio last year, the day before the first race, I had a nasty fall and broke my right collar bone. After visiting the local hospital we got an early fight home!!

The British Alpine Championships are held in Meribel during the Easter school holidays. I won this event in 2010 and hope to do well in 2012. Hopefully my training will go well with no injuries this time! Meribel is also a fantastic resort, but the snow conditions are not as good as Bormio because it is later in the season.

However, it is great with blue skies, sunshine and I only wear a hoodie to train in. This is the last snow race of the season and we normally stay on for a couple of days after and head for the jump park and ski off piste which is my favourite. I really love skiing, especially being on top of a snow-capped mountain on a sunny day.

From October, my focus will be getting ready for racing Giant Slalom on snow. We hope to arrange some training at Christmas with an Austrian Race team, which will prepare me for 38

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The Edward Wilson Centenary Year

By Dom Faulkner (Current Staff)

While Cheltenham College carries a proud list of Old Cheltonians, none are as renowned as Edward Wilson, scientist and explorer, who died a hundred years ago this coming March. Born in 1872 at number 6 Montpellier Terrace, he later came to College as a day boy at the age of 13.

Although his time here was a happy one, he couldn’t wait to get home at the end of each day, anxious to further his studies at the family’s small farm in Leckhampton, called ‘The Crippets’. It was here that he loved to pursue his boyhood obsession for natural history, developing his skills not only as a zoologist, but also as an artist winning school prizes for drawing and geology, as well as those for the best collections of moths and butterflies. These early skills ensured that he was later to be remembered as one

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of the foremost ornithologists of the 20th century and one of the last great scientific painters.

While at College, he even took part in a landmark debate, which was covered extensively in The Times, the motion being, ‘Should games be made compulsory?’ Not being a great sportsman Wilson stood unsuccessfully against the motion, but in 1890 he successfully gained an exhibition to Cambridge, to study Natural Sciences. While he flourished at Cambridge, he considered his finest achievement was catching the famous ‘Grantchester Trout’, which had eluded many fine fishermen. He used all his skill as a naturalist to catch the fish, having decided that 3 am was the best possible time.

He rather grandly presented the fish to the Master of his College, who promptly punished him for ‘breaking out’ in the night!

In 1894, he graduated with a First Class degree and decided to continue his studies by taking up medicine. He worked at St. George’s hospital in London, where the student café still carries the name Eddie Wilson’s. Before long, he was regarded as a skilled, but compassionate, Doctor and he made plans to take his work to Africa, until he suffered the devastating setback of contracting tuberculosis. At

that time it was almost a death sentence, and he was forced to retreat back to Cheltenham for convalescence. Worried that he may die prematurely, he became increasingly obsessive about his painting. He was a devout Christian and painting and drawing were for him a form of prayer. He spent the summer convalescing further, in Norway and Switzerland and College still has many paintings recording these landscapes and what must have been a difficult period in his life. His health was never to recover enough for him to return to the pollution of London and, although forced to abandon his plans to work as a Doctor, his reputation was growing as a zoologist.

In 1901, he was invited on the first British Antarctic expedition and although this was in itself a considerable achievement, he had major doubts. His health was far from recovered and he had just got engaged. He writes about being a ‘little nervous’ of telling his future wife that he was to spend the first three years of their marriage away!

He actually failed the expedition medical, only for the leader, one Captain Scott, to overturn the results, such was his admiration for Wilson.

Antarctica was still completely unexplored, and all of the expedition members must have felt a sense of trepidation setting off into the unknown.

For those left at home life was equally challenging.

Long before modern day communications, these expeditions were known as ‘the long silence’. Loved ones had to wait for months, or even years to receive any news.

Wilson wasted no time on the journey itself, painting the bird life as they headed south to the ice cap. Once established ashore, he took part in early explorations on foot into the interior, many of them with a relatively unknown young explorer named Shackleton.

They both suffered from frostbite, a then unfamiliar condition. Wilson’s solution was to rub snow on the frozen area, a technique he practised first on Shackleton’s ears. It was never repeated. They spent the long Antarctic winter on board their ship, The Discovery, and the following summer Scott, Shackleton and Wilson set off on an expedition to go further South than any man before them. They manhauled their sledges for over three months, reaching 83 degrees South before returning stricken with scurvy. This was still the plague of many polar trips, as its cause was not yet understood. The expedition wintered in Antarctica a second year, not returning to England until the following summer; a far longer expedition than any modern day explorer would contemplate. In 1907, he

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FEATURE ARTICLES... made a difficult decision and declined Shackleton’s invitation to return to Antarctica. He was concerned at abandoning his work, but also it seems likely that he felt much more affinity with Scott as a leader. Shackleton came within 90 miles of the pole, a considerable achievement, but nevertheless it left the way open for another expedition, this time led by Scott again, in a final bid to reach the pole.

The temptation was too much for Wilson and in the summer of 1910 they set sail for the Antarctic again. College even raised the princely sum of £8 and 10s to buy a sledge for the expedition team; they can still be seen in Cheltenham Museum today. Wilson was to have a busy trip as Chief Scientific Officer, as well as Expedition Doctor and the Expedition Artist. As they sailed South, they received the worrying news that they were not alone in the quest for the pole. Also heading South with his team was a Norwegian explorer by the name of Roald Amundsen.

Both expeditions had to winter over in the Antarctic and it was during this winter that Wilson, together with Cherry-Gerrard and Bowers, undertook one of the most extraordinary journeys ever undertaken. Wilson was anxious to collect penguin eggs in order to prove the

primitive link between birds and dinosaurs. The nearest colony was 130 miles away, and the six week journey there was undertaken in complete darkness with an average temperature below -50 celcius.

The pus inside their blisters froze, as did the sleeping bags, which were so solid they could not be rolled up. Even in these conditions Wilson found time to make simple charcoal sketches.

They collected five eggs, and although two broke on the return journey, Wilson was able to complete his important research. The trip was later recorded in Cherry-Garrard’s renowned book, “The Worst Journey In The World.”

Early the following Spring, they set out on their fateful journey to the pole. The round trip was over 1500 miles and for most of it they would have to manhaul their sledges. They battled for ten weeks through atrocious conditions before the team of five men were to make it to the South Pole and the discovery of a Norwegian flag. To Scott’s bitter disappointment, Amundsen had arrived a month before them. The prize of the pole was now lost and they were faced with an 800 mile return journey back to the coast.

Wilson was perhaps the least disappointed to have failed in their goal. The expedition had

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for him always been a scientific quest. He had no interest in fame and celebrity but the long march home was harder than they could have imagined.

Within a month Evans had died from sheer exhaustion. All the team were now afflicted with severe frostbite and Oates’ feet began to turn gangrenous after freezing solid. A month later on the 17th March, Oates, who felt he was slowing his companions, left the tent with the immortal words, “I am just going outside and may be some time”. He was never seen again.

Wilson, together with Scott and Bowers, struggled on for another three days before being confined in their tent for a further ten while a blizzard raged outside. Despite being only 11 miles from safety, they were never to emerge again.

Their bodies were discovered the following Spring by their support team, along with their diaries and letters to loved ones. Also found were 38 lbs of rock samples Wilson had carried to the very end.

These samples contained the fossilised remains of plants, which were later to prove crucial to science providing evidence in support of continental drift. Among them was the first known Antarctic fossil of Glossopteris, an ancient and extinct tree fern that suggested Antarctica had

once been temperate and at an altitude further north. It says much about Wilson that care for the specimens he carried came before his own survival.

On the day they died, Scott wrote no less than 13 letters to the families and wives of the men in his team. In a letter to Wilson’s wife, Oriana, he describes him as follows:

“....even to you I have no words to express all that he has been to me and to the expedition - the wisest of counsellors , the pleasantest of companions and the loyalest of friends.”

The College Archives will be mounting an exhibition of prints of some of Wilson’s sketches and watercolours. His recently conserved Scrapbook of nearly 200 original sketches and watercolours will be on display and there will also be the opportunity to see all College’s holdings of his artwork in a stunning reproduction volume made for the Centenary Commemorations. Limitededition prints will be for sale - or you can order one of your choice from the reproduction volume.

The exhibition will be held in the refurbished College Library and will be open on 24th March 2012.

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LABOR OMNIA VINCIT

By George Goring (H ’56) I was an insignificant little boy of 16 and sitting at the back of the class in fear and trepidation awaiting the inevitable question from our “careers teacher”. We had already learnt that a good 50% of the boys were going into the army via Sandhurst.

Nearly all the rest were either going to Cranbourne (the RAF) or Dartmouth (the Navy). “And GORING? What is to be your contribution to the future of our great country?” I blushed bright scarlet and admitted that my career was to be in the hotel business.

I now look back at age 73 and would wager that I have had more fun, arguably contributed more and achieved more than any of my ”heroes” in that class of some 50 boys.

In hotels we have to cook, wait at tables, make beds, clean lavatories as well as attend parliamentary committees, shake hands with the Queen, speak languages, travel the world and participate daily in a huge variety of activities with a massive cross section of every colour, creed and ethnicity of society, rich and poor, guests and staff.

I was a mediocre scholar but I tried hard. The three most useful subjects that I had drummed into me at College were French, German and elementary Mathematics. At age 17 my father sent me to the Swiss hotel school at Lausanne where all the exams written and oral were in French.

After my basic training, I worked as a ‘Praktikant’ at the hotel Vierjahreszeiten in Hamburg where I was the only English employee and subsequently at the Kurhotel in Bad Neuenahr in the reception, again as the only English employee. For two years I thought and spoke only German.

During my limited time back in the UK one of my girl friends, Corin Vacher, was the daughter of Monsieur Etienne Vacher who was the boss of British Transport Hotels (in those days the largest hotel group in the country). Monsieur Vacher offered me a job as “roving assistant manager” at the Caledonian Hotel in Edinburgh after completion of my training contracts. These training “stages” were as a waiter at the Ecu de France and at the Connaught hotel and in the reception at the Hyde Park hotel. I met my wife of 49 years while working as assistant manager at the Tregenna Castle Hotel St Ives.

In December 1961, I started work for my father at The Goring Hotel. Within 4 years I was my own boss, head of our family business, The Goring Hotel, London, and the Spa Hotel, Tunbridge Wells. I could now make as many mistakes as I liked and nobody could give me the sack! When a mistake can be a matter of life and death to the business you soon learn.

I employed over 250 staff and I tried especially hard because my name was over the door. There was not a job that I could not and indeed did not do. I was a very bad breakfast cook but rather a good chambermaid. I calculated the wages every week and paid out in cash every Friday. I did all my own accounts, bought and sales ledgers, I organised the banqueting diary and cellars daily. I was stand by barman, cashier, night porter, you name it. I was the staff manager with only a wages clerk to help me.

Today I employ at least 7 managers to do the same work and they have to work harder than I ever did in my day; Human Resources Managers, Marketing Managers, IT Managers, H & S Managers etc. had not been invented.

In 1970 my main man and brilliant manager, Norman Pennington, died and my father died in 1974 after a very long illness. By 1980 41

I had employed an army of very capable young people to do most of the nitty gritty coalface jobs for me, leaving me free to take over a rich legacy of service to the industry initiatives instigated by my father O.G.Goring and my grandfather O.R.Goring.

I served on a multiplicity of industrial, educational and tourism based committees often as chairman. I was a Master Innholder and free of the City of London through two livery companies. I was a Governor of Westminster Tec. and Battersea Tec. and their ancilliories for 20 years. President of Le Reunion Des Gastronoms, Chairman of Pride of Britain hotels, etc,etc.

In 1990 I was elected Hotelier of the year, and in 1992 I received an O.B.E. from the Queen for services to the hotel industry. I was asked to write this article because I received the AA lifetime achievement award last year. My family business has also received many prestigious awards but my best and proudest moment was when my son Jeremy took over our business 5 years ago.

I could write an amusing book about my volatile involvement with the Transport & General Workers Union and the General & Municipal Workers Union over many years and my much happier association with successive Tourism Ministers. These included Virginia Bottomly whom I fell madly in love with although she never knew it. Michael Mellor who had a massive sense of humour and a roving eye. Lady Raine Spencer who had a wonderful world awareness and a photographic memory, she worked tirelessly and was very good at her job. John Lee who was the most effective of them all and other, very impressive, Members of Parliament who have helped out our industry over many years.

I used to exercise the Queen Mother’s racehorses when they were in training with Peter Cazelet who lived close to my home in Kent.

‘Goring!” he said to me once: “You are the worst amateur jockey that I have ever encountered. All you have going for you is your enthusiasm!” The same could be said for my business life.

My Goring Hotel is known all over the world as ‘THE BORING GORING’. We are a very low-key business but we have always tried very hard. For this reason we have always had a very amicable relationship with our next door neighbours at Buckingham Palace, details of which will always remain precious memories. The Middleton family certainly appreciated the low-key boring profile that charactarises the authenticity of The Goring when choosing somewhere discreet as a suitable base for their daughter`s wedding to Prince William. The Boring Goring has also been host to almost every Prime Minister, since the First World War, including Winston Churchill and his family. Not to mention our involvement with miners’ strikes, Anglo European negotiations and diplomatic involvements of every hue.

Being boring can be jolly good fun and very productive if you are good at it. I am very grateful to my Housemaster at Hazelwell, Porky Rogers, for drumming in to me at every opportunity how inferior I was academically, intellectually, and athletically. I have noticed during my 50 years in the hotel industry that we inferior people often succeed more than our superior colleagues. Again, because we have to TRY THAT MUCH HARDER! To everybody brave enough to have read this article thus far, I would give the following advice: Always think twice before taking the advice of a “wise” man. Never underestimate the wisdom of a “fool”.

FEATURE ARTICLES...

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Racing Across America: 8 Diabetics, 3040 Miles and 1600 Bleeding Fingers

By James Stout (Xt ’05)

Sitting on the plane from Annapolis to San Diego, a journey of 5 1/2 hours, it was odd to reflect that I had spent the previous 5½ days doing the same trip on my bike. I didn’t expect to have anything like as much fun as I did along the way, it was a great experience and one I would repeat again in a heartbeat.

I’d love to say that it’s a great way to see the country, but it’s not. It’s a great way to see the top of a van, the front wheel of your bike, little stars appearing in your vision, your life flashing before you and occasional snippets of the epic beauty and variety that the US has to offer.

The race is truly magnificent in its scale (3040 miles) and scope (from Oceanside California to Annapolis Maryland). Our 8 man team was composed entirely of type 1 diabetics, we’d ride 20 minutes at a time, then switch (by overlapping wheels) with another rider. We repeated this in groups of 4 for 6-8 hours while the others ate and rested. At the end of the race we’d logged an average speed of just shy of 40kph, completed the course faster than any other team or individual, showed the world what one can achieve with type one diabetes and left Steve Redgrave a long way behind!

check-list (swingseats, banjos, mullets, sweet tea, confederate beach towels, an Amish person driving a Honda, an armadillo). Pink socks in Kansas and going on ice cream runs which gradually moved from after dinner to breakfast.

Eating with the firemen in Maize Kansas (and the fact that there really is a town called Maize) was amazing, I was humbled that people who save lives on a daily basis admired us!

After many amusing (and not so amusing) mishaps, more food that anyone should ever have to consume, huge mountain ranges, seemingly endless deserts, snow, sunshine and

over 200 blood glucose tests (each) our arrival into Annapolis came as both a relief and a shock. The whole experience was so rapid that it took me many weeks to comprehend its enormity. The scale of terrain we covered and the speed at which we did it (most people take a couple of weeks to drive across the US) made the whole experience a blur, but with time to reflect and with the fantastic feedback we received from people who we met en route, I have realised that not only did I have a fantastic time but that we also changed peoples’ lives. Not bad for 8 guys in Lycra.

I have memories of the race which will be with me for a long time. The climb up to Flagstaff in Arizona where I found rhythm which rivalled anything I’ve ever felt in my cycling career. The descent we took before the climb where I was out for 15 miles carving around hairpins at 65 mph, overtaking lorries up the inside in the gravel and blasting through groups of disturbed tourists. Sliding my bike through a corner in Trinidad (the sex change capital of the world) and again in the Gettysburg battlefield surrounded by darkness, silence and old cannon.

It wasn’t just the riding I’ll remember, but also the people. Our inane banter across the country, the “real America” 42

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FEATURE ARTICLES...

EARTHQUAKE

FLOREAT

By Arthur Collins (Xt ’76)

It has been quite a time over the last year.

Earthquakes were not on my list of ‘things to experience before I die’.

The first one hit just over a year ago at 4 am in the morning when I am usually at my least alert. It shook the house violently for about 45 seconds.

Amazingly, no damage!

The bad one was in February. I was at work.

The quake was more violent but shorter. We ran outside and within a couple of minutes the roads and car park of the surgery had filled with sand and water (the liquefaction phenomenon).

The building was badly damaged, with cracks in the walls in some places that went through into the building. The roads were mostly impassable, but I had my bike. I used this to work my way homewards, and eventually arrived at

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the tunnel entrance (the tunnel through the port hills to Lyttelton where I live). The tunnel was closed, so I joined the long line of ‘refugees’ heading over the Bridle path, the historic path over the port hills that was used in the 1800s by the first arrivals in Canterbury. There were secretaries carrying their office shoes, men in suits and parents like me anxious to get to school to pick up their children.

Every minute or so there would be an aftershock, followed by a shower of rocks form the cliffs above. We would take cover where we could.

At length, we arrived at the top of the hills and headed down the other side to Lyttelton. It was a scene of devastation, shattered buildings, buckled roads, no power or water.

The children had been evacuated to the local

recreation centre. The New Zealand navy was there (fortuitously 3 New Zealand navy vessels were stopping over in Lyttelton), and they had set up a soup kitchen. Thankfully all the children were well, excited by the gift of free ice creams from the local supermarket whose freezer had failed.

Since then we have rallied.

It has been predicted that Christchurch’s population of 400,000 will dwindle by up to 10%. Those of us that remain are determined to rebuild. The demolition process is well underway and temporary shops and cafes have sprung up in ‘container buildings’ and portacoms. The rebuilding plan is out for public comment and insurance companies are arguing about payouts. The process will take many years.

Our house is badly damaged: we have shed bricks, the plaster board is cracked everywhere and we have plywood sheeting to cover up the gaps.

However, we are amongst the lucky ones, we can still live in our house and are not threatened by rock fall from the cliffs above.

Christchurch is very different, our beautiful Cathedral is no more, and many of our important buildings have been damaged or destroyed.

We are staying here because we have deep roots, we both have our own General Practices, many friends and it is still a wonderful part of the world. The quakes go on!

While I have been writing this piece there have been two small shakes, not enough to cause any damage but enough to make my heart beat faster for a few seconds!

FEATURE ARTICLES...

F L O R E AT ISSUE FIVE J A N U A RY 2 0 1 2

‘Ag-Pilots’ in East Africa

By Dennis Neylan (L ’86) In the old days, agricultural pilots, more commonly referred to as crop dusters, had a reputation of being daredevil cowboys of the skies, flying unserviceable old wrecks and terrorising the community. You’ve heard of the guy water-skiing along a canal, and you’ve heard of the fellow flying down the road and dumping a load of water on the farmer’s Toyota, taking out both front and rear windows. All that has changed… or has it!?

The modern ag-pilot not only requires a commercial licence but also a thorough knowledge of agricultural chemicals and the crops to which they will be applied. They have to be familiar with an on-board spray computer and a differential satellite field guidance system which enables them to achieve parallel paths across a field at any selected width giving an accuracy of within one metre. All this is happening at speeds of 200 kph whilst keeping a constant 3 metres above the ground and avoiding trees, power lines and birds.

On an average day, the pilot will probably carry out 30 take-offs and landings, often on improvised airstrips, usually landing downwind to reduce taxi time and reload, which takes about 3 minutes, and then making a max gross take-off into wind. The average sortie when spraying is about 15 minutes and 7 minutes when spreading fertilizer.

The aircraft have also come a long way from the original converted military and civil aircraft: ag-aircraft are now purpose built, single seat machines, ranging from 240HP piston powered to 1200HP turbines.

In Kenya, crop spraying was pioneered by Wing Commander Alec Noon who founded Airspray (EA) Ltd. I believe the first aerial spraying he did was with a converted Avro Anson. This was not a good aircraft for the job so Alec switched to specially adapted Piper Super Cubs and then upgraded to Piper Pawnees, which were one of the first purpose built ag-aircraft, (we still own and operate 5Y KSE, a Piper Pawnee imported

by Alec Noon in 1961).

Alec took care of the farmer’s requirements from Malawi to the Sudan. On Alec’s retirement the company closed and the work was taken over by a fellow called Phil Shelley, at Njoro, using a Cessna 180 and a Cessna Ag-Wagon. It was around this time that my father Pat Neylan started spraying, using his faithful old Cessna 180, with a belly tank attached. The demand for aerial spraying was so high that he purchased 3 Pawnees and employed another pilot. Between them they coped with about 80% of the aerial work in Kenya.

In honour of Alec Noon, my father revived his company, Airspray (EA) Ltd, which operates to this day, using mostly Cessna Ag-Wagons and Ag-Trucks and a Turbine Ag-Cat (we are in the process of buying a 1000shp turbine Thrush). We have carried out a variety of spray missions including spraying dates in Oman, bananas in Somalia and quelia birds in Tanzania. The bulk of our work now is on the wheat farms in Kenya and bean farms and sugar estates in Tanzania.

Both I and my brother Russell (L ’88) are full time Ag-pilots, my father also still flies but due to age restrictions has had to stop commercial crop spraying, and now concentrates more on marketing and flying spares and supplies to us in the field. My son Richard and my nephew Jack both want to be ag-pilots when they “grow up”, so I hope that the family business will continue into the next generation The profession is considered hazardous to the point where ag-pilots are sometimes referred to as “temporary citizens” but most accidents happen to low time pilots starting in this difficult and demanding profession. Good training and an awareness of the hazards and how to deal with them minimises mishaps. An experienced pilot can spend all day flying a few feet above the crop, at high speed, instinctively avoiding all the hazards and obstacles, without undue fatigue, even after 8 hours of flying.

Ag-pilots often stay with the farmer for whom they are working, where they are well looked after and treated as part of the family – and doubtless punished for dropping of water bombs by no beers that evening!

Getting up at 5.00am and seeing a beautiful sunrise, flying low over the lush green crops, followed by a few cold Tuskers at sunset is more than enough reward for what we ag-pilots do.

Race For Life 2011

By Maggie Ballinger (Current Staff Member) Taking part in the Race For Life was first suggested at the beginning of February 2011 by Sue Baxter, the Headmaster’s EA. At the time, Cancer Research UK was a charity very prominent in our minds, as it was chosen by the Headmaster and his family for donations in memory of his wife, Clare. This was therefore a small way of showing our support and respect for them, as well as helping the many other people affected with cancer.

A small group of us signed up for the race. So far, so easy! However, as none of us were regular runners, we knew that in order to survive on the day we would have to do a certain amount of training. A couple of us took to jogging round the College field after work twice a week – provoking various quizzical looks from pupils and some encouraging comments from staff. Others preferred to train alone.

By the time the day dawned we hoped we had done enough to get round. It was hot and sunny when we met up at the entrance to Cheltenham Racecourse on Sunday 3rd July. People in pink were converging from all directions. Tutus, pink wigs, and fluffy ears were greatly in evidence, as well as other bizarre outfits.

Moving tributes to friends and family members were worn. It was humbling to see the thousands of ordinary people wanting to join together to help do something about a disease which has affected so many, directly or indirectly.

There were warm-up exercises and speeches, but everyone just wanted to get on with it!

When it started, you could see all shapes and sizes snaking round the racecourse. It was steamy and tiring but there was a great atmosphere with a determination to keep going and complete. There were tortoises and hares but ultimately we all found our own pace.

Hitting the final straight, with wellwishers there to cheer us on, provoked a feeling of elation and relief. Crossing the line and realising that there were still lots of people still behind us was even better!

Thank you to all those who supported us and donated to this worthy cause.

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Images supplied by Archives.

FLOREAT

FEATURE ARTICLES...

CHRISTOWE 1866-1877 Rev W Boyce

1877-1883 Rev T C Fry

1883-1905 C Tillard

Christowe was always different. For one thing the senior boys’ studies were known as pits, whereas in all the other houses, they were known as shacks. The origins of this idiosyncrasy has not been discovered.

Rather more significantly, Christowe inherited an emblem, virtually an unofficial coat of arms, from its predecessor in the Priory. At some time in the 1860s, a parent, who was in the 17th/21st Lancers, was so impressed by the robust competitive efforts of the house rugby football team that he gave them a cap badge of the Regiment, which bore the skull and crossbones and the motto Nil Desperandum. When the house magazine, the Christowe Record, was instituted in 1900, it proudly bore this crest on the cover and ever since the house emblem has been the skull and crossbones. No other house had such an emblem until the 1970s when it was decided that all the houses should have one, the Newick House cornflower, the Boyne House owl, the Hazelwell dragon, the Leconfield anchor and others since, but none of those emblems has the emotional and historical resonance of the skull and crossbones.

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1905-1917 Rev M Tanner

1917-1930 T C Currie

The Reverend William Boyce joined the College in 1845 as Mathematical Tutor. His first and private boarding house was in Priory House, now demolished, in the High Street, known as usual in those days as Boyce’s and the boys as Boyceites. Before 1866, there were three official College Boarding Houses, Newick House, which stood then opposite Thirlestaine House, Boyne House in its present location and Southwood House, which was in the Bath Road further to the north of the College. In 1866, the Boarding Houses Association was created to raise funds to build new boarding houses, two in College Road and one in Sandford Road. At the same time, Samuel Green, who had a private boarding house in Montpellier Terrace called Beaufort, financed the building of Hazelwell. William Boyce was selected to take over one of the Sandford Road Houses, which he named Christowe after the village in Devon where he was married in 1849 to the daughter of the vicar of Christowe.

In its early days, Christowe was particularly successful at Cricket, winning the house competition five times between 1866 and 1871. Boyce retired in 1877 to become Rector of Elkstone. One of his final pupils, HV Page, a distinguished sportsman, who returned to teach at College from 1888-1923, wrote some memoirs for the Christowe Record among which he recorded some school reports from earlier days: 1. Very idle, inattentive and impertinent 2. Rude and unmannerly alike in word and action: a vile fellow, capable of anything 3 Manners odious: but perhaps this is hereditary.

He does concede that the last was censored before it reached the parent.

Boyce was succeeded by The Reverend

1930-1945 W L King

1945-1947 H B L Wake

1947-1961 C H Boutflower

Thomas Fry in 1877, who went on in 1883 to become Headmaster of Oundle and of Berkhamsted, and then by Charles Tillard, who was Housemaster for 22 years. Under Tillard, the house was dominant on the river, winning Head of River six times from 1891-96, led by three Talbot brothers, Victor, Bertram and Stafford, and three times from 1898-1900. The house was also dominant on the river in the twenties and thirties. Rather against the run of military fame, one of Tillard’s pupils, Sir Ivor Brown took a double first in Mods and Greats at Balliol and went on to a very distinguished literary career as a writer and as Drama Critic on the Manchester Guardian and editor of the Observer.

Tillard was followed by the Reverend Maurice Tanner, father of Kit Tanner, who spent most of his first ten years in Christowe and in 1942 was posthumously awarded the Albert Medal for bravery at Sea in the Battle of Crete in the Second World War. It was under Tanner, that one of the most famous of all Boyceites attended the College. Sir John Glubb served on the Western Front in the First World War and then in Iraq and Transjordan. In 1936, he was awarded the first TE Lawrence Gold Medal for his work among the Arabs in Mesopotamia. He became Commanding Officer of the Desert Area Colonial Service and then Chief of the General Staff of

F L O R E AT

FEATURE ARTICLES...

ISSUE FIVE J A N U A RY 2 0 1 2

By Tim Pearce (Hon OC & Past Staff Member)

1961-1976 J R Morse

1976-1983 J D Payne

1983-1994 M Sloan

the Arab Legion, a post he held from 1939-1956. On his retirement he received the Livingstone Medal “for outstanding services in the cause of progress and stability of the Arab World, 1921-1956”.

Tanner retired in 1917 and Thomas Currie took over until 1930. He was the first Oxford graduate to run Christowe. All the previous four had been at Cambridge.

Currie it was who led the house with his fine singing voice in a rendition of Fight the Good Fight at evening prayers on the night before the final of any First Pots match.

The less devout members of the house devised alternative but possibly more appropriate words: “Fight the good fight with all thy might Collar him low and hold him tight; Get the ball back and it shall be Passed to the threes, a try for thee.

Faint not nor fear, half-time is near, The whistle blows and time is dear.

Only believe and thou shalt see A Boyceite win undoubtedly.”

Billy King took over from Currie in 1930, then Hereward Wake for two years from 1945-47 until he became Headmaster of St John’s Leatherhead. In the period between the wars and after 1945 the house was particularly successful at Rugby football, and contributed five members to the famous team of 1957 which was unbeaten against school opponents.

The Christowe Record ran from 1900 to 1938, when it was interrupted by the evacuation to Shrewsbury. It was restarted under Charles Boutflower, who was Housemaster from 1948-61, and then ran from 1948-1976. In its early days it was not only a record of the house achievements but also included feature articles from old Boyceites mostly of their experiences in the Empire, and information about new developments in the house such as the installation of electricity to replace the gas-lighting in 1922. It was not until after the First World War that the activities of

1994-2000 N H M Arkell

2000-2009 A M Durston

2009 To Date N Nelson

the house became diversified to include debates, concerts and plays and even then these were largely overshadowed by the sporting achievements. It was a period when House cups, ‘Pots’ as they were called, were very much sought after. A groaning silver cabinet was the Housemaster’s pride and joy. This all changed with the evacuation, when the silverware was put into storage. After the College returned from Shrewsbury, it remained there as Headmaster Elliot Smith had concluded that the fierce competition for house trophies was to the detriment of the spirit of the College teams. Nevertheless, under Boutflower, the house played in ten house finals in thirteen years, winning seven of them and losing only once.

There had been House musical events since the 1870s, when Christowe won the House Musical Competition in 1878 and 1879, and regular House Concerts in the twenties and thirties, but it was not until the 1960s that the general tone of the house began to diversify from its traditional sporting and military ethos.

Christowe won the House Instrumental Music Competition in 1962 and 1963 and its musical reputation grew from then, especially in the 1980s. During the 60s also the standard of House plays rose throughout the College under the influence of John Bowes, who introduced full house productions every two years rather than the extracts and one-actors which had been the usual fare. Christowe performed ‘Charley’s Aunt’ in 1962 and ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ two years later.

With the enormous improvements to the accommodation of boarders in recent years, I doubt if anyone holds nostalgic regrets at the loss of such house rules as “everyone must have a cold swill before breakfast”, especially when breakfast consisted merely of tea or coffee with bread and butter.

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FLOREAT

FEATURE ARTICLES...

Lieutenant Teignmouth Melvill VC

By John Webb (BH ’68) Lieutenant and Adjutant Teignmouth Melvill VC was killed on 22nd January 1879 on the side of a steep gorge overlooking the Buffalo river at Fugitives Drift in KwaZulu-Natal. That day, in early 1879, was probably the most disastrous day in the military history of the British Empire. The day started with the Battle of Isandlwana in which the 1st Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot, was all but wiped out by a huge force of 20,000 Zulus. The day ended with the Battle of Rorke’s Drift in which a force of 137 British soldiers, several of whom were already seriously ill or wounded, successfully defended a hastily fortified mission station against another force of 4,000 Zulus. In between these two momentous events, Melvill and his fellow officer, Lieutenant Nevill Coghill, were killed while trying to save their Regiment’s Queen’s Colour, following the massacre at Isandlwana.

I first heard about Melvill in January 2011 while staying at Fugitives Drift Lodge. In the dining room, there is an old photograph of Melvill with a small label underneath stating that he attended Harrow, Cheltenham and Trinity College, Cambridge. I established that he spent two years at Harrow, then just five months at Cheltenham, from February to June 1858, when aged fifteen. From Trinity College he graduated BA in 1865 and joined up as an Ensign with the 24th Regiment of Foot later that same year.

Although Melvill’s stay at College was brief, we are, of course, proud to remember him.

There are three places at College where he is commemorated; his name appears on one of the brass plaques on the left of the main door into chapel, he is remembered with other OCs awarded the Victoria Cross on the wood panelling at the rear of Big Classical and there is also a framed picture of him with wording from The London Gazette of 2nd May 1879 just inside the door of Room 5 of the Centenary Block. The entry in May 1879 in The London Gazette, announcing the deaths of Melvill and Coghill, mentioned that they would have been awarded the VC had they survived. In fact they were among the very first to be awarded a posthumous VC but this was not until 1907 after constant lobbying by their families.

In January 1878 Melvill, on his way back to

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England to attend Staff College, heard about a revolt of the native tribes in the Eastern Colony and so obtained permission to return to South Africa. The British Government, however, did not want a war in South Africa in addition to fighting The Second Anglo-Afghan War and did not sanction an invasion of Zululand. Nevertheless, the British Governor and High Commissioner, Sir Bartle Frere and the British General, Lord Chelmsford, were determined to force a conflict with the Zulus. When Lord Chelmsford led the central column of his invading army out of Natal into Zululand at Rorke’s Drift on 11th January 1879, King Cetshwayo had no option but to marshal his forces for battle. The invasion was just the first in a series of bad decisions made by Lord Chelmsford which demonstrated his poor understanding and underestimation of the Zulus’ tactics and fighting skills. In theory, the superior firepower of the British with their Martini Henry rifles would overcome the superior numbers of Zulus. But Chelmsford divided his forces several times in what was now hostile territory and failed to keep tabs on the whereabouts of his enemy. By 21st January, a temporary camp without the normal defensive measures of laagered wagons, etc, had been established under the huge, rather forbidding, phoenix-shaped rock called Isandlwana. An advance party had been sent out to find the enemy and on hearing that they may have discovered the Zulu main army, Chelmsford chose to divide his force and rode out of the camp before dawn on 22nd January, leaving about 850 white infantrymen and a similar number of poorly trained native soldiers under the command of Lt. Col. Henry Pulleine. Some 20,000 Zulus were, in fact, hidden very close to the camp and around mid-morning attacked the hopelessly spread out infantry who, despite their heavy firepower, were gradually forced to retreat through their own camp, hampered by their tents which had not been struck. Eventually, they were forced to defend themselves in small groups and were inevitably massacred in hand-to-hand fighting against such superior numbers.

Many whitewashed stone cairns containing the remains of these small groups of men still mark the places where they fell.

As the battle reached its inevitable conclusion, Melvill sought to try and save the Regiment’s Queen’s Colour from capture and left the camp on horseback

with the furled Colour and pole across his saddle. It is not known whether this was his own decision, or whether he was ordered to do so by Pulleine, but he set off in the direction of Rorke’s Drift, some 10 miles away, intending to seek safety on the Natal side of the Buffalo River. Despite the whole area being overrun by Zulus, who had cut off the route to Rorke’s Drift, at some stage in his escape, Melvill was joined by Coghill.

Although both on horseback, the terrain was too rough for horses and the Zulus on foot were able to keep up and harass them.

Eventually, they reached a steep ravine and, still surrounded by Zulus firing at them, scrambled down into the river which was in full flood. Melvill’s horse was shot and killed and he was washed downstream still clinging onto the Queen’s Colour. Eventually, he reached a large rock which he clung on to with a Private Higginson who was using the rock as shelter from the Zulus’ bullets and spears. Coghill had by then reached the comparative safety of the Natal bank but seeing Melvill stranded in the river, he plunged back in to save his colleague.

Melvill had by then lost hold of the Queen’s Colour which had washed away, but Coghill reached him and they managed to get back to the Natal bank where they and Higginson collapsed exhausted. Higginson left the two officers and climbed up the steep-sided ravine to catch some riderless horses but when he returned to the area he found the two officers dead.

On 4th February 1879, a patrol returned to the spot, found the bodies of the two men, and was successful in finding the Queen’s Colour. They rode back to Rorke’s Drift holding it aloft. Both officers were buried together where they died and a small memorial was erected which is there to this day. The inscription on the memorial states “In memory of Lt. and Adj. Teignmouth Melvill and Lt. Nevill J. A. Coghill, 1st Batt.

24th Regt., who died on this spot 22nd Jan. 1879, to save the Queen’s Colour of their Regiment”.

On the 1st Battalion’s return to England, Queen Victoria asked to see the Colour and placed a wreath of immortelles (dried flowers) upon it. The Colour which continued to be carried by the Regiment until 1933, has been restored and is now on display, together with the original wreath of immortelles, in Brecon Cathedral.

FEATURE ARTICLES...

F L O R E AT ISSUE FIVE J A N U A RY 2 0 1 2

Images supplied by Archives.

THE OLYMPIC GAMES By Jill Barlow (Current Staff) College can claim a connection to the very beginning of the modern Olympic movement. In 1897 the Reverend Robert de Courcy Laffan, Principal of College from 1895 to 1899, addressed the 2nd Olympic Congress in Le Havre in fluent French and promptly found himself co-opted on to the International Olympic Committee. He became a friend of the founder of the modern Olympic movement, Baron Pierre de Coubertin. When the British Olympic Association was established in 1905 he became its first Secretary and held the post for almost 20 years.

Rome, which had been selected as the venue for the 1908 Olympic Games, backed out in 1906 and London was chosen instead. Given two years and a budget of £44,000 to organise the event, Laffan wrote over 11,000 letters in four languages and translated the rules into French and German. The International Olympic Committee insisted on using metric measurements but the British stuck firmly to their imperial measurements and reported on events such as the 109.3 yards (100 metres).

The first Winter Olympics were held in Chamonix in January 1924. Lt T A Arnold (Xt 1915-18) was part of the four-man bobsleigh team which won a silver medal for Great Britain.

At the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris (made famous by the film ‘Chariots of Fire’), Philip Neame (H 1903-06) won a gold medal as part of the 4 man team in the running deer rifle shooting competition.

He is the only man ever to have won both an Olympic gold medal and the Victoria Cross. The VC he won in Neuve Chapelle, France, in December 1914, by engaging the Germans in a single handed bombing attack, lighting grenades by holding a match head on the end of the fuse and striking a match box across it (not to be tried at home). A much decorated career soldier, he reached the rank of Lieutenant General. He was President of the Cheltonian Society from 1955 to 1956.

Edward (Teddy) Smouha (OJ Corinth, 1918-26) only managed to come 3rd in the 100 yards at the College Athletic Sports in 1925. However, he went on to represent Cambridge University (where he is said to have worn a monocle while training because his coach told him it stopped his head wobbling) and at the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam won a bronze medal as part of the 4 x 100 sprint relay team.

In 1932 the rowing events forming part of the Los Angeles Olympics were held at Long Beach. There two Old Cheltonians, JM Ranking (S 1924-27) and DHE McCowen (NH 1922-27), were both in the Great Britain VIII, coxed by Ranking to 4th place. They had been together at College too. In 1927 McCowen rowed in the College IV coxed by Ranking.

Polo has been an Olympic sport only five times. On the last occasion, the 1936 Berlin Olympics, BJ Fowler (Cheltondale 1912-15) won a silver medal as part of the Great Britain team which lost to Argentina.

There were two OCs in the Great Britain fencing team in Helsinki in 1952, but although Luke Wendon (L & BH 1940-43) and Allan Jay (Xt 1944-48) had both been in College fencing teams, they were not quite contemporaries. Jay went on to compete at foil and epee in four more Olympic Games: Melbourne 1956, Rome 1960, Tokyo 1964 and Mexico 1968. In Rome he won both team and individual silver medals for epee and carried the flag at the closing ceremony. He was national epee champion in 1952 and from 1959-61, national foil champion in 1963 and won medals at both Commonwealth Games and World Championships.

Two OCs have played in Great Britain Olympic hockey teams, JA Strover (BH 1944-49) in Melbourne in 1956 when they lost the bronze medal match to Germany and RPW Thompson (L 1979-84) in Barcelona in 1992.

There may be more OCs who

John Farrington (Xt 1959-61), the Australian long distance runner, represented his country in the marathon in Mexico in 1968 and captained the Australian athletics team in Munich in 1972.

have represented their country in the Olympic games.

Less energetically, Sir Stuart Milner-Barry (NH 1920-25), who became the first Boy Chess Champion of England during the 1923 Easter holidays, represented England at the Chess Olympiads of 1937, 1939, 1952 and 1956. He was playing for England in Argentina in 1939 when war broke out and he immediately returned home. He spent the war with other chess players and mathematicians at the secret government code and cipher department at Bletchley Park. There he helped to break the German Enigma code and decipher intercepted messages.

If so, the Archives Department would be very pleased to hear about them.

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FLOREAT

FEATURE ARTICLES...

A View of the London Olympics

By Rod Jaques (H ’78, Current Parent & Past CCJS Parent)

The 2012 Olympic games will run for 17 days, starting on 27th July 2012, closely followed by the 2012, Paralympic games on 29th August. Approximately 204 countries will compete at the Olympic Games across 26 different sports. Over 10,000 athletes will attend with about the same number of officials. Medical care at the games is split into four different sections. Crowd care, generic medical services to visiting teams, media and VIPs and event emergency care at the competition venues. The fourth section is serving the GB team and I, as Consultant in Sport and Exercise Medicine at the English Institute of Sport, will be one of the five Consultants in sports medicine with the GB athletes in our Headquarters in the Olympic Village.

This will be the fifth consecutive Olympic Games I will attend with the Great Britain team in a medical capacity. One hopes of course that medical care will never be needed, but previous statistics would suggest that about 8 % of our team will sustain an injury in the final lead up to the games or at competition, not to mention the 3-4 % who will have some minor illness.

Any illness or injury at this level of competition is never ‘minor’; when one considers that 5 of our gold medals won at Athens were won with a combined total of 0.545 seconds difference between first and second place, there just isn’t a margin for anything other than being in perfect shape on the day of competition.

A huge amount of preparation goes into insuring all our athletes have the best possible chance of success. A ‘long list’ of about 1800 athletes in all the summer and winter Olympics sports train in and around the English, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Ireland Institutes of Sport. These institutes provide sports science and medicine services for every Olympic cycle. Out of this long list the 550 or so members of the GB team will be selected.

At the Beijing games, all but one medal athlete was supported by the English Institute of Sport in the 4 years leading up to 2008.

‘Knowing’ the athlete is critical for success. From the medical perspective, this involves close monitoring of health status, mental preparation, nutritional, lifestyle and of course the immediate investigation and care of injuries. The tension around the athletes in the lead up to selection pre games is significant, rising to potentially critical levels in the Olympic village pre competition. Athletes need to stay fit and focused, for the majority this will be their one and only Olympics.

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FEATURE ARTICLES...

F L O R E AT ISSUE FIVE J A N U A RY 2 0 1 2

GOING FOR GOLD!

By Emily Pidgeon (Q ’07)

How do you sum up three and a half years of running in a few paragraphs? Fun? Sure, I’ve enjoyed nearly all of it! Exotic?

Well yes, I’ve certainly raced in Japan and all over Europe in that time and I’ve been training several times in South Africa and New Mexico to take advantage of both the warm weather and the altitude. Not sure about ‘exotic’ though, training sessions anywhere are pretty full on and far from glamorous!

nearer my training group. In 2010, I got within seven seconds of the 5k qualifying time of 15.25, and I was confident that I’d tuck that one under my belt last summer.

But a stress response in my shin, a prelude to a stress fracture (an occupational hazard for distance runners), put paid to that plan as I missed the whole of the athletics’ season and took several steps backwards.

When I train in the UK, it’s not the 80 miles a week minimum I run, but the drills, interval training, pilates and so on that I do, twice most days, that really wear me out.

I sleep a lot and eat loads too…all in the name of ‘recovery’ of course.

I’m now back in training and beginning to feel good again. And, as the picture shows, I was the first athlete ever to run round the Olympic stadium.

And the second thing? Well it’s the people I get to meet. In the picture, I’m with Paula Radcliffe – amazing woman, I’ve baby-sat her kids at their house in Loughborough.

I met Zola Budd in South Africa, another lovely woman and, on the opposite end of the scale, got to know Ellie Goulding at an exclusive VIP gig in Nike town on Oxford Street.

‘Roll on August 2012’ I say! Just two things to achieve between now and then – the qualifying time and the scalps of the other ten or so 5k runners in the UK who fancy their chances. No pressure then!!

There are two things that have kept me going over the last few years. First, the London Olympics – my life now is focused on it and I’ve moved to SW London to be

Olympic Ambassadors

By Madeleine Parsley (Westal) As soon as I found out that the Olympics were to be held in London, I immediately knew that I wanted to be part of it. I was so excited at the prospect of being a part of such a famous and historic event. You can therefore imagine my disappointment when I discovered that I am too young, by 6 weeks, to be a ‘Games Maker’ who are volunteers who work at the Olympic Park, dealing with the athletes and all that you would associate with working at the Games.

Fortunately, I was made aware of another scheme which would mean that I could be part of the Olympics which was masterminded by the Mayor of London. It aims to make London 2012 truly the ‘people’s Olympics’ by selecting 8000 London Ambassadors to act as tour guides, sources of information and a friendly face around the city for the influx of visitors and tourists. They aim to gain a fair representation of the UK in those people which they choose to be London Ambassadors, by selecting applicants of varying ages, backgrounds, genders and faiths.

I filled out an online application, along with around 25,000 other

people. This asked me for details about my experience in volunteering, any qualifications that I have, and put a lot of emphasis on soft skills. About 2 months later, I received an email saying that I had made it to the final 16,000 and that I had an interview in Chelsea in early May. The interview was really relaxed and much more informal than I expected it to be. I was in a group of 8 applicants of mixed ages, backgrounds and hometowns. One man had travelled from the Shetland Islands to be there.

Firstly, I had to write down what I liked most about London; the busy vibe, and then explained why this was the case.

I was then put in a group of 4 and we were presented with a magnetic map of London and we had one minute to place famous landmarks or sites of interest on it, such as the London Eye, Big Ben and the Natural History Museum.

I was then put in a pair and had to do a role-play with my partner from some stimulus cards that we were given to improvise difficult situations. Throughout this I was marked on the way that I interacted with the other applicants and my communication skills. I then had a one-on-one interview where I was asked about my preference of location if I

were to be selected and if I had any extra skills that would be of use.

Needless to say they were very pleased that I am doing French A level so I would hopefully be able to help any Frenchspeaking visitors. The interview was then over and I was told that I would have to wait until November at the latest to find out if I had a place.

In late September I was notified that I had been successful in my application to be a London Ambassador. My interview in Chelsea felt like so long ago that I had practically forgotten about it. I was so pleased! Since then I have had to pass a national security check and have been encouraged to start brushing up on my knowledge of London. A training program will start in January and I will begin volunteering in early August 2012. I am so excited about this opportunity and I am sure that I will remember it for a very long time.

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Great Britain Rifle Team at the 2011 World Long Range Rifle Championships in Australia A personal perspective

by Jonathan Cload (Current Staff Member)

The Belmont Rifle range near Brisbane, Australia was the venue for the 2011 World Long Range Rifle Championships.

Held every four years, this is the epitome of team shooting and this year saw teams from GB, Australia, USA, South Africa, Canada and New Zealand competing. The Championships consist of a four-day individual competition (around 450 of the world’s best), followed by a two-day team match (known as the ‘Palma’ match).

After a series of warm-up matches during the preceding fortnight, the main business of the tour began, the four-day individual world championships.

The course of fire was

challenging: nine shoots over four days, at the three longest distances (800, 900 and 1000 yards) where each shooter fires two convertible ‘sighting’ shots and fifteen ‘shots to count’ at a very tight target (the bullseye being 51cm), giving a possible highest score of 75 per shoot (a smaller central ring, called the ‘V-bull’ (25.5cm) is used to differentiate the quality of the bullseye!).

The most significant factor in shooting a .308 rifle is allowing for the speed and direction of the wind, which significantly affects the flight of the 10gram bullet. This caught out the unwary shooter with devastating effects – indeed some shots were blown clean off the target (the target frame is eight feet wide)!

My own start to the individual championship was frustrating (caused by poor interpretation of wind conditions), starting with a 68 when most on the GB team shot 73 or better.

The most important factor for recovery was remembering

this was the equivalent of a marathon rather than a sprint!

Over the next two days, I worked hard to ensure I made the best of the tactics available to me, choosing carefully when to fire my shots within the 23-minute time limit available.

With support from fellow team members, I clawed my way back to 19th place, a result that I was satisfied with, given the start!

After some challenging shooting conditions during the individual competition, the team re-focused on the goal we set ourselves three years ago – to retain the world championships.

Indeed, if we succeeded, it would be the first time in the history of the match (first shot in 1876) that any team had won three successive matches. (GB won at Bisley in 2003 and again in Canada in 2007 – I shot in both of these matches).

The team reorganised itself into four ‘target teams’ with a ‘target coach’ responsible for judging and adjusting the wind and elevation settings for the shooters. Each target team has four shooters, making a

MOMENTS OF ACHIEVEMENT

By Susanna Anton-Smith (Current Junior School Parent) Freddy and Tatty Anton-Smith (CCJS Pupils) were really keen to submit something for the next issue of Floreat. While they didn’t swim the channel or make it to the moon in 2011, they hope that what they achieved may be of some interest.

Freddy (Yr 5): In May 2011 at the Annual Dinner of his local rugby club, Bredon Star, was awarded the ‘Best Newcomer’ trophy by Mike Tindall, Andy Goode and Olly Morgan. He joined Bredon Star Rugby Club in October 2010, having never played rugby before. At school he joined the U10s team and became scrum half. His team was unbeaten in the 2010 / 2011 season and they even won the Cheltenham Rugby Festival! He was very proud to win the trophy and loved meeting the England rugby stars, especially Mike Tindall.

Tatty (Yr 3): In July 2011 she went to Switzerland on her Summer holiday. On the first day she broke her thumb and spent the day in hospital which was horrible. The next day she managed to climb 2,200 metres up the ‘Col de Cinglo’ with a stick to help her. It took her 5 hours and there were amazing views. Her hand did hurt a bit but luckily she didn’t fall over!

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team of sixteen firers. The match requires the same daily course of fire as the individual championships (Two sighters and fifteen to count at 800, 900 and 1000 yards) for two days, giving a maximum possible team score of 7200. I was coached by my good friend, Dr. Jeremy Langley (L ’86), who has coached me in countless International matches. The team made steady progress throughout day 1, and managed (including long periods of tactical waiting, and then firing shots very rapidly when steady conditions were available) to win each of the three ranges outright.

On day two, the team raised its performance and the scores from 800 and 900 yards surpassed the day-one totals, making the tally of ‘shot five ranges, won five ranges’, but only just edging ahead from our nearest competition of South Africa and the USA. Moving on to 1000 yards, we overcame a difficult target draw and as the last few shots were fired, we edged ahead to retain the world championships by a margin of thirty-five points.

F L O R E AT

FEATURE ARTICLES... gunner and controller on the light armoured reconnaissance vehicle (Spähwagen Fennek), followed by the basic officer candidate course in Dresden at the army officers’ school (Offiziersschule des Heeres) and the Fahnenjunker course in Ingolstadt in Bavaria. Having completed this, and passed the various examinations, I was promoted on the 1st of July 2011 to ensign (Sahnenjunker).

3rd of July 2010 – this day was the symbolic day of the Leavers’ Ball which ended my time at College.

Two days beforehand, I had started my enrolment in the historical 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion ‘Lüneburg’ (Aufklärungslehrbataillon 3, Lüneburg) based in Lower Saxony in Germany. As I arrived, I was informed that no one knew anything about my prior request of special leave of absence in order to attend the Leavers’ Ball. Obviously, this was quite a shock for me, especially due to the fact that everything had been arranged with the company Sergeant Major. As a matter of fact, he was absent on this exact day.

But all the problems were solved when the Sergeant Major returned and allowed me to leave.

During the basic training another chap, an Old Worthian, and I were placed in the same squad and platoon. Our instructors jokingly named him cadet ‘Tommy’ and me cadet ‘Engländer’. Pretty soon after I joined the Bundeswehr, I felt the desire to stay longer in the military. Four fellow comrades and I made an application in order to be enrolled as reserve officer candidates (Reserveoffizieranwärter). This course consists of two years active service in the armed forces. Once the application process was finished, the five of us were assigned to our permanent battalion. We all moved to the prestigious 6th Reconnaissance Battalion ‘Holstein’ (Aufklärungsbataillon 6, Holstein) based in Eutin, in Schleswig-Holstein in the north of Germany. Now the officer training and selection process started, consisting of advanced infantry training and training as

Over the whole first year I have enjoyed the challenges, furthermore, in the troop there is a very strong comradeship, a lot of training outdoors in the mud, much sport (sadly there is no polo team as the British Rhine Army has it), different language courses and several social duties.

In the year to come, I will participate in a three month officer candidate course (Fähnrichlehrgang) in Munster, Lower Saxony. Successfully completing this course will give me the qualifications to become a reconnaissance and human intelligence officer. The promotion to Fähnrich usually follows three months after this. I will then leave the active service on 30th June 2012 in order to start university in the autumn of 2012. During the summer, I will then most probably be called upon to participate in a field exercise which will include being commissioned as officer in the rank of a 2nd Lieutenant (Leutnant d. Res.) into the 6th Reconnaissance Battalion, Holstein.

What I have just described has been the usual training of a German reserve officer since the new German army was formed after the war. However, obligatory military service, or conscription has frequently changed over the years; from 18 months to 15 months, then to 12 months and back to 15 months and so on. The two years of reserve officer training remained a stable feature; however, it now appears that this tradition might come to an end. At the start of my officer training, it was not yet decided how the then German Defence Minister Baron Guttenberg would deal with the army reform he intended and especially the obligatory military conscription (Wehrpflicht). Whether it should last 6 or 9 months

ISSUE FIVE J A N U A RY 2 0 1 2

An Old Cheltonian As A Reserve Officer In The German Army

By Nikolaus Evers (BH ’10)

or be completely abolished was unclear. Eventually, the German parliament (Bundestag) decided on the abolishment of the obligatory military service as per 1st of July 2011. In addition, the whole reserve officers candidates course will be changed. The plan is to extend the two years of active service to three and to get rid of the close relation between the officer cadet and his battalion.

For school leavers with a higher education degree such as myself and my fellow ensigns, it will be a question of simply not going to the military at all or of doing three years of active service. This is in stark contrast to the former system which is deeply rooted in German tradition. In the German Empire (Kaiserreich) the reserve officers held a very important position in society. At that time, young school leavers served one year in the military and did several field exercises (Wehrübungen) in order to be promoted to 2nd Lieutenant. Being a reserve officer was highly profiled in German society. The outcome of the reform will be that more and more young school leavers, with the equivalent of English A-Levels, will not aspire to become reserve officers, due to the fact that it is not attractive for them anymore. In German society the link between the armed forces and the civil society is already less close than in the UK, where the armed forces have deep rooted traditions and there exists a strong link with civil society.

Just think of the CCF corps at College, getting rid of the old system of becoming a reserve officer will increase the gap between the armed forces and the civil society in Germany and, this in my opinion is rather unfortunate.

Obviously, the English and German military systems are very diverse and not easily compared. However, my time at Cheltenham College has definitely benefited me during my time in the army.

Having experienced the highs and difficulties of leadership whether as Prefect, or on the games field, helped me to understand what it takes to become a good leader.

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BATONS AND BREVES

By Richard Brain (S ’07)

through to a whole range of contemporary composers, which required me to undertake a substantial amount of personal practice. Unlike at school, or other large choruses and choirs, the Cathedral choirs I sang in had only twelve men singing the lower three voice parts with six men aside, so I either sang Tenor in a pair or on my own (no pressure!).

On the Thursday before Speech Day, in my last term at College in 2007, a phone call to Mr Busbridge from the then Director of Music at Gloucester Cathedral, Andrew Nethsinga, was to fundamentally change my career aspirations and my life. Three days later, on a wet Sunday afternoon in the Cathedral Close, I was offered a Choral Scholarship in the Cathedral Choir and I have never looked back. Since then, I have been leading a busy and varied musical career as both a Conductor and Tenor.

Now, after four years as a Choral Scholar in Gloucester and Exeter Cathedral Choirs, I am moving to London to take up a place on the Master of Arts Choral Conducting Course at The Royal Academy of Music, studying under Patrick Russell.

The heart of my career has been in Cathedral music. Life at Gloucester and Exeter centred on the daily singing of the contemplative service of Evensong. I was introduced to a huge variety of choral music from polyphonic Renaissance masses and epic Victorian verse anthems,

My involvement with the Three Choirs Festival and the BBC National Chorus of Wales has allowed me to sing professionally in a large number of big choral works with some of the country’s leading orchestras such as the BBC and BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestras, The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the Philharmonia Orchestra. I have sung with the Welsh Chorus at the BBC’s Proms in the Royal Albert Hall three times, including the recently televised performance of Verdi’s Requiem conducted

by Semyon Bychkov, and I have broadcast Bach’s B Minor Mass under Thierry Fischer on BBC Radio 3.

own choir, Knightley Voices. It consisted of around 25 singers who were a mix of University students, Cathedral choir gentlemen and other local musicians. Over two years, Knightley Voices sang many services in Exeter Cathedral, including the Ash Wednesday and Corpus Christi Eucharists, and gave two Christmas Concerts, establishing a reputation of youthful exuberance and high standards of music. However, my most exciting appointment so far has been as Musical Director of The Exeter University Gilbert and Sullivan Society’s production of Ruddigore. Over six months I trained the 30 strong chorus, principal cast and pit orchestra and then conducted them for their week’s performance run in The Northcott Theatre.

The exciting opportunities of the last four years have prepared me for my new adventure at the Royal Academy and my ambition is now to pursue a career as a professional conductor, singer and choir trainer in Classical and Church Music.

As a soloist, I gave my debut public recital in July 2008; this raised over £1000 for Gloucester Cathedral Youth Choir’s Tour Fund. My oratorio debut was as the Evangelist in Bach’s St John’s Passion.

I am sure many of my contemporaries at College remember me conducting the House Singing, but it has been at University in Exeter that I have really begun choral conducting and I have held a number of positions as well as establishing my

OC RAISES £10,000 FOR HELP FOR HEROES

By Helen McEvoy (Current Parent) Mary Edwards (Q ’08) met with the 1Scots regiment when working in her role within the Royal Household. Although based in London at Buckingham Palace, it was during last summer at Balmoral Castle when she learned more about the charity “Help for Heroes”.

Around the same time her step-father, Peter McEvoy, a parent of some 22 years vintage at Cheltenham College and the Junior, was working on a new sports project called PowerPlay Golf. A major TV production of the “Twenty/20” version of golf was to be played at Celtic Manor including some of the biggest names in the sport, e.g. Gary Player, Paul Casey, Graeme McDowell and Paula Creamer.

Mary convinced Peter that “Help for Heroes” was a worthy recipient of some of the charity money that the event would create and arranged for members of 1Scots to be involved in the scoring and administration of the TV spectacular.

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Mary and her brother Douglas McEvoy (Southwood) then got involved in the event themselves helping to raise £10,000 for the charity. The PowerPlay Golf event actually raised over £150,000 in total which went to charity or back into the development of golf at grass roots level.

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ISSUE FIVE J A N U A RY 2 0 1 2

Market Stall To Market Place

By Rory Chetwynd-Talbot (Newick House) & Tom Mundy (Hazelwell)

Tom and I elected to have a question and answer session with Mr Dunkerton (Current JS Parent), the owner of SuperGroup plc.

For those of you who don’t know, Mr Dunkerton is an extremely successful entrepreneur, who started his first clothing brand in 1985, here in Cheltenham. This has now developed into the vastly successful and thriving Superdry, that we know and all love today. Here is the outcome of our session with Mr Dunkerton:

Q:

Where were you educated and do your school reports reflect your success?

A:

Primary school (small privately in London). Reports were really good, always in the upper quartile, and Oxford or Cambridge were mentioned. Secondary schools, a little more daunting.

Firstly, comprehensive on outskirts of London, followed by the Minster Comprehensive in Herefordshire. Sadly, my reports got steadily worse, especially as adolescence kicked in (only highlight taking English and Maths early and obtaining A and B respectively). Scraped 10 ‘O’ levels in total and 3 ‘A’ Level E’s in Sciences – bad choice!

A: DESIGN, DESIGN, DESIGN – a great British strength often overlooked.

Q: A:

What keeps you leaping out of bed every morning?

Never being satisfied, there is always a challenge. One can always get better.

Q:

How does it feel to be a public figure and are you comfortable with the attention this has brought?

A: It doesn’t phase me at all, half the time I don’t read the articles but it does highlight mistakes when one makes them!

Q:

What advice would you give any budding young entrepreneurs?

A: If it is the right path for you, and it isn’t for everyone. It can be, with an obsession to succeed, the most rewarding career path possible. One has far more control over one’s life. Be prepared to work harder than anyone else though, and remember that in business, honesty and integrity are the only ways forward. Short term vision will always hold you back in the end!

Q:

At any point, have you considered a different career and if so what?

A: I never considered a different career, apart from when I was at school, I thought I’d become a doctor; hence the bad choice in ‘A’ Levels.

Q: A:

How do you spend your time/relax outside of work?

Family and fishing if I can.

Q:

How did your first business influence where you are now?

Q:

A: First business at 19 started with a government grant of £40 per week and a £2000 loan. Instantly successful and helped massively by the regular £40, which I lived on! I was making (but not spending) far more than anyone else my age at the time, and reinvested everything into the business. A discipline that has stayed with me all my life.

A:

A film will never be made of my life I’m sure!

Q: A:

What is your most treasured possession?

Q:

How did the creative process work for Superdry – how did you come up with the brand idea?

If a film was made of your life who would you choose to portray you and why?

Q: A:

I have no treasured possessions – just my family!

What is most listened to on your iPod? I have no iPod! Radio 4 news is my preference!

A: One of the most important decisions we all make in life is who we work with; persuading James Holder, Head of Design, into the business was key. And it is the marriage of skills that we have that is so important for the brand. The creative process is driven by James, following the gaps in the market I’ve identified, with a bit of genius from him thrown in!

Q:

In your opinion, what was it that really kickstarted the success of the brand?

A: Focusing on the gaps in the market, particularly T-Shirt graphics and Polo tops – with regular celebrity wearing.

Q:

Superdry is seeing increased retail sales and great brand awareness. How do you plan to keep it on an upwards trajectory and bucking the trend?

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LIFE IN THE FAST LANE

By Frances Morrow-Brown (Current Staff Member) In November 2011, Sean Walkinshaw, (U6th BH) took 3rd place, and his first racing car podium, in the Formula Renault Winter Series. This was a huge moment for Sean who has been involved with Formula One racing from a young age, as his father, the late Tom Walkinshaw, owned the Orange Arrows F1 racing team. Sean started karting at a young age and thoroughly enjoyed it, so the natural progression was to move on to bigger, faster and more exciting challenges. His success in being selected as part of the BARC Formula Renault Hillspeed team is a reflection of his natural prowess and enthusiasm for the sport. The Hillspeed Team Principal Richard Ollerenshaw said of Sean’s recent podium performance: “Sean has done an exceptionally good job this year, he came into his motor racing with no previous experience but has built on everything he’s learned through the year and he’s got his just desserts with a podium in the final race – it’s great to see him get that.”

Alongside his recent success, Sean also raced in the support race in the inaugural Delhi Formula One Grand Prix at the Buddh International Circuit. He lists this as one of his proudest moments, and it must have been a huge privilege to take part in such an auspicious occasion.

In order for Sean to pursue this activity, he needed to get a racing driving licence which is separate from a standard licence. This required taking an ARDS (Association of Racing Drivers Schools) test for which he needed to complete a driver training course at a major UK circuit.

Sean also works very hard to maintain a healthy balance between his racing career aspirations and his final year at College. During the racing season, there is a race once a month and there is usually testing on the cards most weekends. College have been very supportive and have allowed Sean to go to racing or testing as needed, and have provided him with any extra academic support required to catch up with his work load. College have also expressed their support by becoming one of Sean’s leading sponsors and kitting his car out with the Cheltenham College logo.

During his time in the racing world, Sean has crossed paths with many famous names in the sport. In particular, meeting Nelson Piquet Jr. during karting in Monaco really stands out for him. Sean met Michael Schumacher when his father was a director at Benetton.

He has also met Damon Hill who used to race for the Orange Arrows. Sean was inspired by these drivers and their passion for the sport; he found it inspirational to see people being paid to do what they love.

With Sean’s success at the Winter Series under his belt, he feels that his hard work is finally paying off and he is looking forward to taking this career as far as he possibly can.

College is certainly looking forward to hearing about more of Sean’s successes in the future!

Floreat Michael Beggs (NH ’45) – The ous Cheltonia 11 compiled a tremend for s, ure feat ing rest inte amount of which thank you. Very good that College is ‘on the up.’

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J. M. Brown (JS ’55 & NH ’60)

By John Waters (JS ’55 & BH ’60) On 5th March 2011 some 40 family members and close friends and colleagues met at College for a lunch, followed by the dedication of a plaque in Chapel, to celebrate the life and work of John Milton Brown FRS. John himself was outstandingly, and apparently effortlessly, competent in the classroom and the lab. He played in the 1st XV, rowed in the 1st VIII, was a trombonist in the orchestra and became Head of College. He was a protégé of the formidable and much respected Head of Science, Dr H. R. Stevenson, and went on to read Natural sciences at Peterhouse College. At Cambridge, he rowed for Peterhouse at Henley, gained an Athletics blue, a first class degree and a D Phil. He then spent two years at the Herzberg Institute in Ottawa, where his work really blossomed, before accepting a research fellowship at Southampton University. At Southampton, he began his academic collaboration with Professor Alan Carrington, a long relationship which culminated in their book of over a thousand pages, ‘The Rotational Spectroscopy of Diatomic Molecules’ published by Cambridge University Press in 2003. In 1983 he was appointed to a lectureship at Exeter College, Oxford. At Oxford, John became known not only for the excellence of his own work but also for the help he gave to many outside Oxford, in the unravelling of their problems of analysis. He went abroad whenever the opportunity arose and had particularly strong contacts with colleagues in France and in Boulder, Colorado. He was an excellent tutor, mentor and friend, who was always happy to spend time with his students and offer them his incisive and decisive thought. John was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 2003. Membership is a very great honour and the UK’s highest academic award for scientists.

Professor Alan Carrington gave an appreciation of John’s work in his specialised field. After this, the then Chaplain of College, Rev. Dr Reynaud de la bat Smit dedicated the brass plaque in memory of John that has been placed in Chapel on the South Wall.

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OC SPORTS...

ISSUE FIVE J A N U A RY 2 0 1 2

OLD CHELTONIAN CRICKET CLUB 2011 SEASON

By Martin Stovold (Current Staff Member) As the summer season closes, it is time to reflect. It was once said: “football offers the world clichés; rugby produces facial deformity; hockey provides an acceptable outlet for psychotic violence; cricket alone breeds myths”.

In 1893, a Rev. Holmes wrote, ‘We know as much of the history of cricket as we shall ever know now, and we have been told everything relating to the science of the game. There is no fresh ground to be explored’. No doubt the good parson is turning in his grave at the astonishing change the last century has wrought on a game in which he saw no new possibilities. In terms of science and sports medicine in particular, the last several decades have heralded a flurry of research into every aspect of the game. Those who play it, coach it, administer it, watch and love it, are aware, to greater and lesser degrees, that the game to which they devote their time, and from which they gain great pleasure, is complex, rich, intriguing, demanding and occasionally infuriating. At a time when ‘match fixing’ has reared its ugly head again and shame has been cast on the game of cricket, it is pleasing to report that

the Old Cheltonian season of 2011 has been one of the most successful in recent years. Fortunately, scandal has not unfolded!

The club had its most successful run in the, ‘Cricketer Cup’ for a few years after defeating Haileybury Hermits and Uppingham Rovers before losing to the Old Malvernians, the eventual competition winners, in the 3rd Round.

Other fixtures were played against the Gloucestershire Gipsies (2 day), Hurlingham CC, Old Malvernians and Izingari (Australia); the game against the XI was cancelled due to a clash with a Cricketer Cup fixture.

We look forward to the 2012 season.

OC HOCKEY 2011

all the way from Kenya, was sadly not enough to prevent the Old Boys going down 2-1.

By Tom Richardson (Xt ’98)

Making some tactical changes, the OCs strode forward with some confidence into the final game against the 1st team, Edward Richardson (Xt ’03) and Andy Macleod (BH ’03) led the charge for senior players in the OCs side, although lack of oxygen proved a problem in the 2nd half. Tom Hughes (Xt ’03) was outstanding in goal, although the score doesn’t suggest it he managed to make it look respectable. Sadly the OCs were out classed on the day, with the 1st team playing some outstanding hockey, Alfie Gilbert (Xt ’11) capped off a great day for College hockey with a well executed hat-trick, leading them to a 5-1 victory. The weekend finished off as it had begun with the OCs in the Beehive, where a lengthy debrief and extensive re-hydration period took place over a wonderful dinner.

It had got to that time of year again when the OC felt a surge of athleticism creep into their weary bodies, the eagerness to pick up a funny shaped stick and to challenge an opposition who in some cases were 10 years their junior with far more ability.

Yes OC hockey day had arrived, sadly the weather was not that co-operative with flickers of sunshine amongst strong winds and drizzle. As has become customary the Old Boys felt the need to have a team meeting in many of the fine ale houses that Cheltenham has to offer, the meeting concluded for most around 2am!

So on to the main event, the OCs arrived with plenty of time before push back, 5 mins, and the traditional hamstring stretch was led

by Alex Kirby (L ’08). From the off it took a while for the OCs to grasp the pace of the game, the 2nd XI moved the ball and with great speed leaving some of us to start to question the length of the team meeting from the night before! Some great performances from Alex Kirkby and the Scott brothers Callum & Dale (L ’09),

I would like to thank Gwyn Williams for all the effort he puts into organising this event every year and I hope next year we can recruit even more OCs to return and join in on what is a fantastic weekend!

OC Hockey weekend 2012 is on the 17th March. Please contact Thomas Richardson at richardson.tom@cheltcoll.gloucs.sch.uk

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OC RACKETS WEEKEND

By Karl Cook (Current Staff Member) The 11th Old Cheltonian Rackets Weekend took place in March, and with it some 30 players or so graced the College court in another excellent doubles competition. As ever, as the semi-finals took place, the gallery was treated to two matches which boasted 3 players ranked in the World top 10. Alex Coldicott (BH ’02) and Christian Portz (Old Wyckhamist) emerged as eventual winners, sweeping aside Will Hopton (world no 3) and Andrew Stout (H ’06) as well as Queen’s Club Professional Ben Snell (L ’02) and partner Richard Spender (Old Marlburian).

There was a Dinner for all, plus guests, on the Saturday evening where Charlie Liverton (BH ’91), College Professional, Mark Briers, and Master-in-Charge, Karl Cook, all spoke briefly, giving an indication of successes for both current and past Cheltonians. Particularly pleasing to report was the encouraging entry for the Public School Old Boys’ Cup (the Noel Bruce) where Ben Snell (L ’02) and Nick James (BH ’06) reached the semi-final before succumbing to the eventual winners, Old Wellingtonians. That College secured The Faber Cup at Queen’s was also celebrated, and that some of the more recent school leavers were ensuring that they keep playing at Manchester or in London. Alex Mason (H ’11) will also be working as a Fellow at Chicago Rackets Club for 3 months, maintaining a healthy tradition of Cheltonian activity in North America.

OC Representatives: Sec : Charlie Liverton (BH ’91) 07887 931285 Asst. Sec : Charlie Cooper (L ’07) 07771 817199 U25 Rep : Tom Floyd (Xt ’08) 07961 488431 We would be delighted to hear from any OCs who wish to keep their eye in and continue to keep the Cheltonian flag flying in the Black Room.

Next Event: 16th – 18th March 2012

OC GOLF SOCIETY

By Simon Collyer-Bristow (BH ’77 & Current Parent) Open to all golfing abilities, the OC Golf Society is the largest and most active of the OC Sports Clubs, with 130 members. We play some of the best courses in the country and boast a membership from recent leavers to those with decades of experience. Most of the Societies’ fixtures are open to all members and offer an excellent opportunity to meet other OCs. 2011 has been a successful year both on and off the course. We have had over 80 OCs representing the OCGS this season. The elite side thrashed the Old Radleians 5-0 at Royal St Georges GC but followed that with a narrow 4-7 loss against Lorreto at Rye GC. At the Halford Hewitt the team lost in the first round to Sherborne but then had a good run to the last 8 in the Plate competition, before losing to Blundells.

The elite teams represented OCGS in the G.L. Mellin Salver, the Peter Burles, the Bunny Millard and the prestigious Alba Trophy and Grafton Morrish events. OCGS beat Hurstpierpoint 2-1 in the first round of the Mellin before losing 1-2 to Lancing in the quarter-finals (ahead of a buggy mis-use ruling), failed to make the knockout stages of the Bunny Millard (Over 75s) and were disqualified from the Burles (Over 65s) (following an administrative error playing our pairs out of sequence. The team is now older and wiser with regard to the rules and regulations!

At Denham GC the OCGS qualified in the Grafton Morrish and in the Finals, held at Hunstanton GC, the elite foursomes team beat Bedford, losing to eventual winners Birkenhead in the third round. An 57

OCGS team took part for the first time in the Midlands’ Meeting at Little Aston GC. It was a highly enjoyable day’s golf with Ed Kennedy (S ’07) and Peter Richards (Xt ’88) taking home silverware with the lowest gross 18-hole score.

In the friendly matches and festivals, there were some excellent results and all the days were much enjoyed by those who partook. We lost to the Old Marlburians 3-1 to hand back the Peter Gale Salver at Woking GC followed by dinner. OCGS narrowly lost to the Old Shirburnians 4.5 - 3.5 at Hamptworth GC and handed back the Peter Currie Cup. Both these long-standing matches were very well organised by Henry Rees (Xt ’59). The match against The Medical Golfing Society at Denham GC was a great success with the OCGS winning 5-0.

OCGS narrowly lost a close match 2.5 -1.5 against Old Decanians at The Berkshire GC with excellent golf from both sides. OCGS halved their match versus College 4-2 in at Cotswold Hills GC against an improving school team. This left the combined elite/friendly 2011 match record reading : Played 7, Won 2, Drew 1, Lost 4.

The Summer Meeting between the Evergreens v the Braves at Worplesdon GC was halved 2-2 so the Braves (Under 40s) retained the Harry Rees Memorial Trophy. The Autumn Meeting was again held at Denham GC with the President’s Scratch won by Hugo Snell (L ’10) who also won the Lysacht Cup and Jumbo Trophy for best overall golfer. The Young Cup was won by Edward Comber

(BH ’65) whilst Ed Kennedy retained the Keene Cup. The Founder’s Cups were won

by Simon Eaton (BH ’80) and Angus Baillie (L ’94). The Prospect prize was won

by Charlie Turrell (Newick House).

At the AGM, Peter Richards gave a summarised address on behalf of new OCGS President, Robert Macleod Smith (Ch ’65), who praised the magnificent contribution of outgoing President, John Miller (H ’59), to the OCGS as a Halford Hewitt player over 7 decades from 1959 and as longstanding President of the OCGS. The season finished with 2 OCGS teams entered in the Welsh Public Schools’ Championship for the Edward Harris Cup at Royal Porthcawl GC. OCGS 2 were narrowly pipped into second place by Ruthin with the other OCGS team not far behind.

Any OC interested in joining the Golf Society is encouraged to contact one of the Committee below:College Contact: Mike Todd Tel: 01242 265627 Mob: 07702 420071 Email: todd.mike@cheltcoll.gloucs.sch.uk OC Contact: Simon Collyer-Bristow Tel: 01285 760228 Mob: 07765 025849 Email: scb@crfc.co.uk OCGS Secretary: Charlie Elliott Tel: 01451 870995 Mob: 07971 818158 Email: celliott@elliott-t-l.co.uk OCGS Captain: Peter Richards Tel: 07771 542681 Email: PRichards@ihg.co.uk

ANNOUNCEMENTS...

2011 Marriages

Thomas Fisher (H ’99) married Zinash Tefera at the Peckham Registry Office, London, on 11th March 2010. Andrew Prior (H ’99) was one of the three best men and Ian Cunliffe (H ’99) attended. This was followed in April by a week of wedding celebrations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Ewen Thorneycroft (H ’92) married Helen Garnons-Williams on 16th July 2011 at Stoke Bliss Parish Church. The Reverend Nicholas Lowton (Past Staff Member) took the service.

Michael Woodrow (NH ’01) married Alexandra Ramsden (A ’01) on 30th April 2011 at St Brelades Church in Jersey. Tom March (BH ’00), Alastair Dawson (NH ’99) and Serena Woods (Cha ’00) attended.

Lizzie Silcock (Cha ’00) daughter of Geoff Silcock (Past Member of Staff) married Stephen Davidge of Bermuda on 13th August 2011 in Cheltenham College Chapel.

Mary-Ann Silcock (Cha ’98) was Chief Bridesmaid and Rosie Warrington (Cha ’98) was amongst the guests. The Reverend Nicholas Lowton officiated.

Tim Beare (Xt ’97) and Alex Robinson (Cha ’98) on 14th May 2011 at Hampton Lucy Parish Church. Austin Russell (S ’98) was best man.

Inka Scheere (Cha ’00) married Lukas BratLejring on 28th August 2011 in Wuppertal, Germany. Maya Scheere (Cha ’02) was Maid of Honour and Dorothea Babache (nee Lichtenauer) (Cha ’00), Daniel Kratka (NH ’01) and Friedrich Scheere (H ’01) were present.

Jonathan Goodale (L ’01) married Katherine Coppcok on 9th July 2011 at All Saints Church, Braishfield. Henry Paddison (L ’01) was Best Man and Rupert Nicholson (L ’01), Charlie Davies (NH ’01), Jamie Durkin (L ’01), Oliver Hibberd (NH ’01), Ed Barber (H ’01), Tom Watkins (L ’01) and Alex Lennon-Smith (Xt ’01) attended.

Mary-Ann Silcock (Cha ’98) daughter of Geoff Silcock (Past Member of Staff) married Matthew Wood on 17th December 2011 in Cheltenham College Chapel. Lizzie Davidge (Cha ’00) was Matron Of Honour and Peter Smith (S ’96) attended.

George Brooksbank (L ’99) married Sophie Burton on 16th July 2011 in St Mary’s Church, Chiddingfold. Archie Brooksbank (L ’04) was Best Man.

Tim Pearce (Past Staff & Past Cheltonian Society Secretary) – Warm congratulations on another excellent edition of Floreat. Some of the content passes me by nowadays, but I particularly enjoyed reading of all the new appointments and the Valetes, and also the feature articles, great photo of J Davenport.

2011 Births David Harvey (Past Staff Member) and his wife Helen are pleased to announce the birth of Seth Jonathan Harvey, born on 24th February 2011.

Heather Eggelton (Current Staff) and her husband Matthew are pleased to announce the birth of their son Thomas Samuel, born on 30th June 2011.

Michael Alderton (Current Staff) and his wife Sonya are pleased to announce the birth of their son Sebastian Paul Werner, born on 11th October 2011.

Lucy Quibell (nee Holt Cha ’92) and her husband Justin are pleased to announce the birth of their daughter Daisy, born on 16th April 2011.

Andrew Manley (Current Junior School Staff) and his wife Helena are pleased to announce the birth of their daughter Darcey Olivia, born on 26th July 2011.

James Stubbert (Current Staff) and his wife Wei are pleased to announce the birth of their son Robert ‘Bobby’ Stubbert, born on 19th October 2011.

Thomas Fisher (H ’99) and his wife Zinash are pleased to announce the birth of their son, Isaac Thomas Tefera, born on 16th June 2011.

Gwynn Williams (Current Staff) and his wife Debbie are pleased to announce the birth of their son Reece, born on 8th September 2011.

Tom Bagnall (L ’97) and his wife Lucy are pleased to announce the birth of their daughter Beatrice Claire Leucha, born on 21st June 2011.

Zoe Bond (Past Junior School Staff) and her husband Trevor are pleased to announce the birth of Grace Anna, born on 14th September, a younger sister to Sophie, Matthew and Oliver.

Simon Conner (Current Staff) and his wife Christina (Current Junior School Staff) are pleased to announce the birth of their son Ludo Freddie, born on 4th November 2011, a younger brother to Autumn.

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FLOREAT

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE CHELTONIAN SOCIETY By the time you have looked through this edition of Floreat, you will have concluded that not only present Cheltonians are doing well but many Old Cheltonians are alive and well. Who would have thought that 50+ years on I would meet Oliver Howarth (BH ’59) and 17 other OCs on a canal boat on the Central England Cruise and Dinner! It leads me to thank, on The Society’s behalf, all those who organise gatherings, OC Sports and reunions, not forgetting the huge amount of support from Rebecca (thank you for this fantastic edition of Floreat), Andrew, Malcolm, Heather and Frances in the Association Office. Again this year I must record that it has been enormous fun meeting so many of you and catching up on your news.

Cheltonian Society Executive Committee L J C Anderson (Th ’59) A P Arengo-Jones (BH ’62) P F D Badham (Th ’65) D R Brown (L ’84) P S Hammerson (L ’62) J F McWilliam (S ’09) I C H Moody (Ch ’46) C N Peace (H ’60) E L Rowland (Xt ’62) L Straker-Nesbitt (A ’07) M G P Swiney (NH ’69) A M Wilkinson (L ’62) M Sloan (OC Administrator) Ex-officio Members A Harris (Development Director) R Creed (Cheltonian Association Manager) Cheltonian Endowment Trust Committee Trustees: Paul Arengo-Jones (BH ’62) Chairman Peter Badham (Th ’65) Rob Davidson (BH ’67) Patrick McCanlis (BH ’66) Graham Prain (Ch ’59) Lynn Rowland (Xt ’62) Charles Stevens (Ch ’64) Lawrence Anderson (Th ’59) Ex-officio as President of the Cheltonian Society

Remembrance Sunday 2011 was extra special: as part of the Service, Chapel plaques were dedicated in memory of the fourteen Old Cheltonian Battle of Britain Pilots (described so movingly in last year’s Floreat by Group Captain Chris Granville-White (BH ’59)), Colonel GC Chatfeild-Roberts TD (L ’32) who fought at Arnhem and Major General Sir Jeremy Moore KCB OBE MC & Bar (Xt ’46) Commander Land Forces Falklands Islands Conflict 1982. The Service was very moving, especially as many of their relatives were present.

2012 is the 150th Anniversary of the College Officer Cadet Training/Combined Cadet Corps. In September, as part of the celebrations, a Memorial will be dedicated at College to former pupils who have served in wars and campaigns since 1841. The memorial will remain at College for a few days for current Cheltonians to view.

It then will be transported to a permanent site at the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas, Staffordshire, where a Service of Blessing, followed by a gathering of current Cheltonians and Old Cheltonians, will take place on the afternoon of Sunday 7th October 2012. I do hope that many of you will be able to attend this Service of Blessing. Full details will be published on the web site and in a mail shot soon.

I close with my annual exhortation: keep in touch with Malcolm Sloan. There are many ways in which you are able to support College.

L J C Anderson (Th ’59)

Awards

The Society, in conjunction with the Trustees of the Cheltonian Endowment Trust, were pleased to make Travel Scholarship Awards (to the L6th) to enable: Catherine Wood (Q) & Beth Jones (W) to attend a summer school at the Chemistry Department at Bristol University; Claudia Holt (A) to attend a course studying legal reasoning and writing at Columbia University, New York; James Baker (NH), David Kayes (NH) & Tom Ward (NH) to work in the Delhi slums for the AshaIndia charity; Philippa Evans (A) & Freya Pelizzoli (Cha) to work on the project Sea Sense on Mafia Island, off Tanzania; Alexandra Wood (A) to study Gothic architecture in Venice; Maggi Li (Cha ’11) to teach English and Maths in a middle school in China; Sophie Leader (W), Angela Hilditch (W) & Manfredi de Felippo (NH) to attend the Global Young Leaders’ Conference in Washington and New York.

Cheltonian Endowment Trust

The Cheltonian Endowment Trust (CET) is an independent trust run by a board of Old Cheltonians. The CET (formerly the Cheltonian Trust Endowment Fund) was formed under Trust Deed in 1917 for the purpose of acquiring donations, subscriptions or legacies and applying this income for the benefit of Cheltenham College.

In April 2005 the Trust merged with the Cheltonian Society Fund and the Sir John Dill Fund to create a larger and more effective charitable fund.

The primary task of the CET is to give financial assistance to families who, without our support, would otherwise have to withdraw their children from College. In these difficult times this is becoming an increasingly important task. The CET also funds a number of Travel Awards for L6th pupils and a number of prizes.

If you would like to know more, or to contribute, please do get in touch with me through the Old Cheltonian Administrator, Malcolm Sloan.

Paul Arengo-Jones (BH ’62)

A Study Of Venetian Gothic

By Alex Wood (Ashmead) Seeing Venice from the air is an unforgettable sight. As I looked down from on high, the city’s buildings actually looked as though they had risen straight from the sea. The walls of the buildings abutted the water’s edge, with canals criss-crossing the islands like veins.

I stayed in the northern district of the city, which is part of the old Jewish Ghetto. This allowed me to get a real taste of the historical side of the city off the beaten track, as well as its architecture.

My aim was to research the architecture of Venice, especially Venetian Gothic. There are lots of well-known examples of this style, such as the Doge’s Palace. However, in order to get a more rounded grasp of Gothic architecture I walked round each one of the Venetian ‘Sestieres’. Whilst I did this, I accumulated a number of photos and sketches that demonstrated various aspects and features of Venetian architecture.

The two buildings I was able to collect the most information about whilst I was there, were the Doge’s Palace and the Ca’ d’Oro. Going inside the Doge’s Palace was an incredible experience - extravagance and 59

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magnificent decoration was present in every single room. The Palace was a vital part of Venetian History; one could not help but be overawed when standing inside it. After viewing the interior of the Palace, I was then able to walk across the ‘Bridge of Sighs’ and into the infamous Venetian Prisons. My favourite part of the whole structure is the way in which variation and contrast have been incorporated into the building. The unique combination of pink marble and white istrian stone is an arrangement seen nowhere else in the world. In addition, the ogee arches, coupled with decoration in the form of tracery, quatrefoils and the sculpture adorned capitals, mark the Palace’s architectural purpose as a symbol of civic pride and power.

I also visited the Ca ‘d’Oro, another fine example of Venetian Gothic architecture. This Palace, home to the Contarini family who provided Venice with a number of Doges throughout the Middle Ages, has now been converted into an Art Gallery. Though large parts of the splendid interior decoration have been lost, the same cannot be said for the waterfront façade. The ornate gilt and polychrome exterior, though faded, convey the architectural wealth of the building. Its ornate florid Gothic style is also found in many other palaces built in Venice up until the late sixteenth century. What I find most striking about the structure is its sense of grace and elegance. This is achieved as one rises up the building through the use of less stone, through the quatrefoils increasing in size and whole Palace having a more skeletal structure.

I am extremely grateful to have been given the opportunity to see and experience a style of architecture that I admire so much. Thank you to all the trustees of the Cheltonian Endowment Trust, who gave me the opportunity to carry out such a project and enjoy an unforgettable experience, which I hope will stand in good stead for my future architecture studies.

Working With The ASHA Charity In India

By David Kayes (Christowe) On arrival in Sacket, New Delhi, we took our first Tuk-Tuk ride to the Asha headquarters. We soon discovered that this was a cheap and exciting way to travel and see the city, despite being somewhat unnerving at times! We were assigned to teach in a slum the other side of the city from where we were staying. This necessitated taking the Metro for an hour each morning and afternoon. Luckily this was air-conditioned and impressively clean, efficient and cheap but it was tiring to stand for an hour after a long and hot day in the slum. One of my favourite memories of the journey was crossing the Yamuna River every morning and seeing elephants grazing among the islands. Once we arrived at the station near the slum, we took a ‘Rickshaw’ to the community centre where we were working. Despite being crowded and chaotic, the slum was vibrant and full of life.

On our first day we were expected to begin teaching despite not being given any lesson plans or tips on how to teach the class. Lessons were therefore mostly improvised and based on how we were taught French! We lacked a Hindi dictionary, making lessons difficult as a large number of our students were not confident with telling us their names and ages. I was surprised with their lack of knowledge of the outside world, not knowing where Delhi was in India and only a few able to point to America on the map. Map drawing was therefore a large part of our teaching, we wanted to leave them with a better understanding of the world they lived in, even if the improvement made to their English was limited. Getting to know them was the highlight of the trip, despite having few possessions, I was struck by the children’s positive outlook on life. Their appreciation of our teaching alone definitely made the trip worthwhile.

Without the support from the trustees of the Cheltonian Endowment Trust, I am sure that I would have never had this incredible experience.

Global Young Leader’s Conference Washington DC- New York City - 1st -10th August 2011

By Sophie Leader (Westal) This summer I was fortunate enough to be given a travel award by the Cheltonian Endowment Trust, to whom I am extremely grateful, to attend ‘The Global Young Leaders Conference’ in the United States, in Washington and New York.

The aim of the conference is to bring together people from all over the world to discuss global issues, from the state of the world economy to resolving conflict and dispute. On arrival, we were divided into groups, which were representing different countries in the UN. I was put in the ‘India group’ and by the end of the trip felt like an expert on the country’s stance on most political issues! We often had group meetings where we would pretend to be politicians from our country, trying to imagine what our stance would be in various scenarios, including the conflict in Libya or proposals by the UN to extend the legal rights of refugees. It was wonderful having the opportunity to debate such important issues with people of my age from all corners of the world and I feel I learnt as much from them as I did from the course itself. I can’t imagine another situation, which I will find myself in, where I could be so active in a forum of debate with people from Zimbabwe, South Africa, Germany, Ecuador, Taiwan, Luxembourg and even Lichtenstein! It truly was a global conference and I feel so lucky to have made friends with people from all over the world who I continue to be in contact with to this day. In fact, with the wonders of modern technology (mainly facebook!), we are arranging to meet up again next summer!

I was very taken with Washington DC as the political hub of the United States and really enjoyed learning about all of the inspirational Presidents who have served in the White House since the country’s independence. Another very poignant moment for me was visiting the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum adjacent to the National Mail. Having already studied the Holocaust in depth last year, I was impressed by the shear volume of artefacts that were on display and how moving the candle lit memorial room was, which seemed to reflect so sincerely the tragic and futile loss of so many human lives.

In New York, we were taken to the United Nations headquarters where we re-enacted a National Delegation rally and mock Global Summit. We sat in the very same seats that world leaders occupy during UN summits! It was such an insightful experience to attempt to re-create the difficult decision process that they must face at these annual events.

In conclusion, the Global Young Leaders Conference was a once in a lifetime experience, which I enjoyed immensely.

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FLOREAT

MERCHANDISE...

Flip Flops £6.50 CCJS Sizes 3, 5 & 7 SS Sizes, 5, 7 & 10

ES ER SIZ SMALL LE FOR B A IT U +) S REN (8 CHILD

Rugby Shirts £22 Ladies S, M & L Mens S, M & L

NEW

Socks £9 Sizes 4-7 or 8-12 *Ladies’ OC Scarf £10

House Track Pants £20 Men’s sizes available in S (26-28’), M (28-30’) and L (30-32’) Boyne House - Black with grey text Christowe - Black with white text Hazelwell - Navy with red text Leconfield - Navy with white text Newick House - Navy with royal blue text Southwood - Black with yellow text

*OC Tie £10 *OC Woollen Scarf £25 Apron £18 Beanie Hat £8

Junior School Crest Cufflinks £30

Ladies’ sizes available in S (26-28’) and M (29-30’) Ashmead - Grey (pink text) and Navy (white text) Chandos - Grey (pink text) and Navy (white text) Queen’s - Grey (pink text) and Navy (white text) Westal - Grey (pink text) and Navy (white text)

Bracelet with Shield Charm £65 Charms £25 Ashmead Apple Chandos Ladybird Westal Penguin College Shield Queen’s Crown

Boxer Shorts £11 Ladies’ S (26’), M (28’), L (30’)

Large Umbrella £20

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College Cards £1.90 each College Cards pack of 6 £10

Size 19” x 22” mounted.

Price Mounted £95 (inc p&p)

Ian Weatherhead

Limited edition prints (300). Choice of: Leavers’ Ball Cricket Festival Rugby Match Dining Hall Cheltenham College Junior School Chapel Interior

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Silver

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Framed £189 (p+p £15 – UK only) Print Only £120 (p+p £6 – UK only) Ian Weatherhead Notelets Price £10 per pack

Sheaffer Fountain Pen & Pencil Full Set £35 Fountain Pen only £25 Paperweight £8 Then and Now by Tim Pearce £8 Then and Now + Celebr08! £25 Cheltenham College Chapel

by Nicholas Lowton £8 Celebr08! Book by Tim Pearce £20 College Chapel Choir, 2007 CD £2.50 College Chapel Choir, 1999 CD £2.50 Jig 2006 CD £2.50 Coeperunt Loqui Chamber Choir CD 2009 £8 Cheltenham College Barbershop Boys CD £5 Proceeds to Cheltenham College’s Chosen Charity Salve Puerule CD £8 Pewter Trinket-box £8 Pewter Tankard £10

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(N.B. Merchandise will also be available at all Association events)

To Order:

By Post: Please download an order form from our website at www.cheltenhamcollege. org and post together with cheque payable to ‘Cheltenham College Services’ to Cheltonian Association, Bath Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL53 7LD.

By Phone: Please call Rebecca Creed in the Association Office on 01242 265694.

Please note there is a one-off charge of £2.95 per order for UK postage and packaging. Overseas postage cost will vary. This excludes College prints which are charged as indicated.

Graham Campbell (BH ’43) – Floreat is again a very impressive publication.

8) – First, let me Piers Warburton (H ’4 ank you for another congratulate you, and th packed in so much and excellent issue. You have e adable. At my age (80) th made it colourful and re y-­ ort e f th of and g, tin res obituary is especially inte I just wanted you to n. eve el new I k d, ste four li uced a Floreat of interest know that you have prod is no mean feat! across the board, and that

Clive Reynard (Past Parent) – T hank you very much for producin g Floreat and the Obituary Supplem ent which I found fascinating reading. What longevity OCs enj oy! In particular, David Bourne (BH ’46) caught my eye as he was t he brother of Colonel C R (Kit) Bourne (BH ’37), who was a colleag ue at the Oxford University Press in the 1970s and early 198 0s. Kit was a very decent man and

migrated from being head of the OU P cartographic Department to being Personnel Manager with co mplete ease. I had no idea that Kit

was an OC.

nks ley-Wright (H Richard Kirtley-Wright (H’98) ‘98)––Tha Thanks ard Kirt Rich ing, glad d read e goo forFlor Floreat made good reading, glad eat ––mad for ege.

Coll at well so g things seem to be going so well at College. goin be to things seem

Cheltonian Association Cheltenham College Bath Road Cheltenham James Langdon Dawson Gloucestershire (Xt ’47) – Thank you for GL53 7LD

Floreat, what a wonderful publication.

Contact Details: Tel: 01242 265694 Fax: 01242 265630 Email: info@cheltonianassociation.com www.cheltenhamcollege.org Editor: Rebecca Creed, Association Manager

Tim Elkington (F riend of College ) – Like others, quoted w ithin Floreat 11 , I’m not a great love r of these publi cations.

However, yours d oes excel. I ha ve re-­ read it several times already.

One thing that strik es me as very un usual is the great age of most of those m embers involved in the Battle of Britai n. Of 14, only 2 of th em were of my ag e, with others up to 7 y ears older!

Good Reading.

s (H ’61) Anthony Marango four of An excellent issue .

‘Floreat Cheltonia’