FOCuS For former pupils, friends and staff
Edition 11: 2012
Developments On Track
New Sixth Form Centre
In the last issue of FOCuS the Headmaster outlined a number of exciting developments at Culford, including plans to: • Build a stunning new central Library • Open a second girls’ Boarding House in September 2012 • Redevelop the Ashby Kitchens and, subsequently, the Dining Room The Headmaster has confirmed that designs for the Library have now been accepted by the Board of Governors and the initial drawings for the project were on display for parents and pupils to see at Speech Day and at several recent reunion events. Planning delays have meant the project is unlikely to see building work start this academic year; however, we hope to be in a position to give more news about timescales in the new year. In the meantime, tenders have been received and are being considered. Meanwhile, the refurbishment of the Ashby Kitchens and Dining Room progressed at pace over the summer and the School opened brand new kitchen facilities in September, to the benefit of all staff and pupils, at a cost of £500,000. The next stage of the development will see the dining room wooden floor stripped and sanded over the Christmas break.
FOCuS - Foundation Office Culford School
The last stage is to fulfil our aim to refurbish the dining area with improvements to the layout and lighting, together with new furnishings to ensure that this is a facility we can be truly proud of. Even more excitingly, the opening of the second girls’ Boarding House at Culford has met an extremely positive response with all the new rooms fully occupied. Phase Two of the development has already begun and a further 16 boarding places for girls will become available in Spring 2013.
A £40,000 refurbishment of the Sports Centre lounge over the summer has created a superb new Sixth Form Centre with a coffee-shop style dining area incorporating comfy sofas, a flat screen TV and a wide selection of paninis, salads and healthy soups on offer.
Finally, plans are also now afoot to refurbish and upgrade the Art Department to create an impressive new gallery space and to undertake major renovations to the ground floor studio. The Foundation is working towards launching a fundraising campaign in support of building the new central Library; refurbishing the Ashby Dining Room and a major part of the Art Department; and continued renovations and improvements within Culford Hall itself. More information will follow in the new year. For further details go to www.culford.co.uk/foundation or please telephone Mrs Jo Johnson-Munday, Foundation Director: 01284 385306.
Culford School Bury St Edmunds Suffolk IP28 6TX Tel: 01284 385310 Email: foundation@culford.co.uk
40 Years of Girls at Culford Over 100 former pupils came back to school on 22 September to celebrate 40 years of girls at Culford. The day also saw the official opening of Fitzgerald Boarding House with the ribbon being cut by former Head Girl and current School Governor, Jo Anderton née Broadbridge (OC 1981 - 1988). See page 9 for more details and pictures.
www.culford.co.uk/foundation
News
From the Editor
Message from the Old Culfordians’ Honorary President I am delighted that FOCuS continues to emphasise the need for Culfordians, both former and existing, to succeed in their choice of lifestyles and for the School to have high expectations for them. This is a core driving force of both educational and business organisations. Recently I have set up my own company, Jackson Meats, while maintaining my commitment to Diaper Poultry and my brothers, John and David. Beef, lamb and pork, locally sourced, is sold to retail and wholesale butchers in London and the south-east.
John Humphries (Staff 1968 - 2003) Editor of FOCuS and Scottish Islands Explorer with Lucy Johnston (1978 - 1987) Health Editor of the Sunday Express
There have been more inventions and innovations affecting society in the last hundred years, than in the previous thousands of years of recorded history. In pace with this, schools have had to respond and adapt ever more quickly. It is essential to be responsive to these evolutionary changes in order to survive as well as, hopefully, to thrive. In the majority, independent schools have responded quickly and dynamically to market forces. However, since the early 1980s, it is a fact that fees have trebled in real terms. Consequently, a few longstanding constituents are no longer able to afford the fees as capital and running costs have risen. Bursars everywhere are striving to find resourceful ways of, not just keeping afloat but, actively improving their schools. Nowhere more than at Culford. This issue of FOCuS considers the biomass fuel scheme that has been implemented at Culford in order to address energy-saving strategies. Also in this issue are news items about the opening of the new girls’ Boarding House and how plans are afoot for a new centrally positioned Library, which will form the future academic heart of the School. There is much about which to celebrate and look forward. Until the next issue, John Humphries OC Liaison Officer john.humphries@culford.co.uk
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Among the reasons for this new venture is a wish to diversify and increase sales from the same site, to take advantage of East Anglian farming expertise and to use the distribution network provided by the A14 corridor. I like to think that some of the motivation to achieve came from my time at Culford!
Arthur Diaper (1962 – 1970) OC Honorary President
Resources of a Biomass Energy System Everyone is aware of sustainability and Culford is no exception. When GG Eco Systems presented the latest technological advances with biomass products for energy, Crispin Muir, the School’s Operations Director, was immediately interested. Wood chippings could be used as fuel, accompanied by a significant reduction in carbon emissions. There is a new boiler on site, operational from 1 March 2012, housed within a purpose-built unit, and an automated underground store, providing hot water supplies to seven buildings via 850 metres of underground pipework. The location of the boiler is certainly discreet for it is within the area of the walled gardens where the greenhouses were situated, close to the Estate Yard. There are many advantages, one of which is to know in advance the fuel costs for the year, previously impossible given oil price fluctuations. The chippings supplies come from nearby Thetford Forest, assisting the local economy and reducing transport costs. Carbon emissions have been reduced by 40% to 50%; heating costs should be 25% lower. Opening of the Bio Mass Energy System
Julian Johnson-Munday, the Headmaster, is delighted with the system: as he explained, ‘Pupils of all ages are able to visit the Plant Room for science and geography purposes, and it enhances awareness of social responsibility. The response we have had from pupils and parents alike has been entirely positive and we are all delighted by the ecological as well as the economic benefits.’
London 2012
Fun and Games at the Olympics The preparations for the Olympic Games started long before the summer. One of those involved was James Pereira (1980 - 1990) who is an environmental law barrister, specialising in planning, and he was involved in the legal work for assembling the Park, relocating occupiers and many related matters.
Julia Shawe-Taylor née Steward
Julia Shawe-Taylor née Steward (1966 - 1973) was a Games Maker at The Royal Holloway College in Egham where the rowers and canoe sprint teams stayed. She had responsibilities for providing a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere for athletes, their equipment and kit as well as any special requests. Some of the teams totalled 75 people, others were small in number and one, the team from Niger, had just a single member. He had learned to row in a fishing boat and, until the Olympics, had never manned a proper scull.
www.culford.co.uk/foundation The London transport network was a key factor in the success of the Games. Nathan Nelson (1986 - 1993) looked after sections of the Transport for London Nathan Nelson website. However, his journey to Devon after the Games was more significant, for it was here he married Harriet Jarman on Saturday 8 September. He refers to ‘two of my best men’, Simon Babes (1985 1993) and Steve Cook (1991 - 1993), doing a fantastic job ‘looking after me’. The ‘fun’ element of the occasion is expressed by Jennie Beeson (2007 - 2009) who was a dancer in the Olympic Opening Ceremony and Jennie Beeson the Paralympic Opening Ceremony. Jennie’s parents were Gamesmakers. A vital aspect of the Games involves the compilation of records and Matthew White (1988 - 1993), a researcher for Guinness World Matthew White Records, was in charge of the numerous and complex Paralympics classifications. He has worked for GWR since 2002 and is their music and cricket consultant. Matthew lives in Bury St Edmunds with his wife, Sevgi, and their four-year-old daughter, Lara.
Allison Small née Robertson
Allison Small née Robertson (1971 1979) worked 13 shifts on ticketing, informing and hosting. Her earliest start was at 5.45am and that involved taking the first train of the day, soon after 4.00am, from Thorpe Bay. Her encounters included ones with Menzies Campbell, former Leader of the Liberal Democrats and British Olympic sprinter in 1964, Theresa May MP and Lord Sebastian Coe.
the road-cycling time trials, with Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome on the podium, and at Hyde Park for the Marathon Swimming and Triathlon, with the Brownlee Brothers. For the Paralympics she was based in the Olympic Park at the specially constructed Wheelchair Tennis Centre, Eton Manor, and at Excel for the table tennis. Peter Howgego (1994 - 1998) completed three years at London 2012 as a manager in the volunteer (Games Maker) recruitment and Peter Howgego training team. This involved recruiting 70,000 volunteers and selecting 18,500 Games Makers from outside London. He then became Workforce Operations Manager for the Olympic Park Riverbank Arena, the venue for Olympic hockey and Paralympic five- and seven-a-side Football competitions. It welcomed the highest number of spectators of any games venue. James Swanson (2001 - 2008) was able to extend his enthusiasm for and involvement in tennis by being courtside with the Technology Division throughout James Swanson the Olympic tennis matches at Wimbledon, tracking every point and feeding it into a computer for commentators, reporters and media pundits. Paul Hamshere (1992 1997) and Stephen Hamshere (1995 2000) are very proud that their Mum had such an amazing time as one of the many meet-and-greet volunteers at the Paralympics.
Sian Orton
Sian Orton (1989 - 2001), a member of the Victory Ceremonies Team, was a Presenter Escort who briefed and escorted the VIPs and dignitaries presenting medals to the winning athletes. She helped with
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News
Ben LaRocque and Joe Knowles
A Gap Year with a Difference!
their ESU year and were able to try out many new things that their friends back home would have never done before. Back in February, I sent off my application to the ESU, was accepted for interview in March, and found out in April that I would be heading off to America in September 2012.
Since 1928, the English Speaking Union (ESU) has offered thousands of young people the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend a year or six months in a private North American high school, after A Levels. Similarly, American students are offered the opportunity to come to the U.K. and experience a British boarding school education, usually before going on to take up their place at university.
The Secondary School Exchange ESU programme gives Upper Sixth students the opportunity to gain a full scholarship to a private American high school for a year. If accepted onto the programme, you are allocated a school based on your application. So far, aside from experiencing a new country, culture, friendship groups, different classes, and a private American high school, I have also already been to a New York Yankees baseball game, found myself at a ‘Six Flags’ amusement park, and have played American football for the Junior Varsity team at ‘running back’ - to mention just a few things. And I’ve only been here three weeks!
Joe Knowles (2003 - 2012) is the first Culford student in recent years to go to the USA on the ESU exchange scholarship programme. He has just completed his first few weeks at Avon Old Farms School, which also happens to be the school of OC Ben LaRocque (2010 - 2011), who came and spent a year at Culford as an ESU scholar. Joe writes: I realised my Culfordian days were truly over when I stepped out of Bradley International Airport in Hartford, Connecticut, to be picked up by another Old Culfordian, Ben LaRocque. Three weeks have passed since Ben dropped me off at Avon Old Farms School, and every day has brought new experiences. First, though, I should explain how I ended up at Avon. I wanted to take a gap year but wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. Every year, one American joins the Culford Sixth Form on a Secondary School Exchange (SSE) scholarship through the English Speaking Union (ESU). The last two were in the Sixth Form with me and are good friends. They both seemed to have a great time on
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I definitely stick out being the only British person in the school. I’m reminded of this on the football (the American version) field daily, where my coach, an ex-US marine, calls me ‘Prince Harry’ when I am playing well but ‘Harry Potter’ when I am not doing so well! I absolutely love it here, and am glad I applied to the ESU. I will travel around the US over the holidays too. Ben LaRocque was an ESU scholar himself at Culford, from the American side of the exchange. He studies at Harvard now, and I plan to visit him there. On my return to England, I shall be heading to Southampton University to study for a degree in Accounting and Finance. Life here is very different, but is one that Culford prepared me for, and for that, I am grateful.
Medical Matters
www.culford.co.uk/foundation
Medical Matters William Beveridge, whose report became the starting point for the National Health Service founded in 1948, made a forecast. He judged that once the general health of the British people improved, the demands on the NHS would diminish. How wrong he was. It is now the largest publicly-funded health service in the world, employing some 1.7 million people. Only the Chinese Army, the Indian Railways and Wal-Mart are larger employers. It is not surprising that many Culfordians are in the ranks of over 40,000 doctors and surgeons, over 100,000 hospitals, medical and dental staff and over 400,000 nurses. When an appeal was made for former pupils to indicate how they were involved in health care, many responded. It is reassuring to know that here are individuals who were educated at some time in the Park and who now hold, as they say, our lives in their hands. Andrew Weeks (1979 - 1984) is Professor of International Maternal Health at the University of Liverpool. He was part of the team which, in February 2012, opened a new global research unit at the Liverpool Women’s Hospital. His work in Uganda brought him into touch with this specialist field. Andrew’s original medical studies were at the University of Sheffield.
Prof Stephen Challacombe (1958 - 1964) Stephen Challacombe (1958 - 1964) studied at Guy’s Hospital, specialised in Microbiology and decided on an academic career. His PhD was in Immunology, leading to lecturing and research at the University of London and culminating in his being Professor of Oral Medicine at King’s College. His interest in rugby football started at school and continued with his playing second-row for the oldest club in Britain, Guy’s Hospital, for 18 seasons, followed by being their President for many years. Stephen Challacombe Richard Tuft (1960 - 1967) studied at King’s College Hospital in London but has built his career in South Africa. He is Managing Richard Tuft Director and
Consultant Radiologist with Dr Tuft & Partners, based in Cape Town. He is a Radiologist in full-time private practice at Mediclinic Constantiaberg and Kingsbury Hospital. His brother Stephen Tuft (1963 – 1970) qualified in Medicine from Cambridge and King's College London, before training as an ophthalmologist in Christchurch, New Zealand, and in Australia. He then performed postgraduate research at the Institute of Ophthalmology, London, and is currently Director of Corneal Surgery at Moorfields Eye Hospital. The call of the West has appealed to Michael Travis (1979 - 1984) who commenced his studies at Guy’s and St Thomas’s, Michael Travis London, before undertaking psychiatric work in a number of London hospitals. In 2005 he became Director of Residency Training at the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburg, USA. Now in his third year of undergraduate studies at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, Colin Lasko (2008 - 2009) is Colin Lasko majoring in Biomedical Engineering, with a primary focus on orthopaedic biomaterials. An aspect of his work on the ‘smart’ boundingmembrane of the periosteum was recently published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.
Another Culfordian who started his medical studies in London is Andrew Maitland (1965 - 1971). He took further undergraduate surgical training at Harvard and completed it at the University of Toronto. He is the senior Cardiac Surgeon at the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada and recently stepped down as Chief of Cardiac Surgery. Timothy Iveson (1971 - 1978) went to St Bartholomew’s in London, qualified in 1984, trained as an oncologist at the Royal Marsden and has been Consultant Medical Oncologist at Southampton and Timothy Iveson Salisbury since 1995. He specialises in gastrointestinal cancers and is currently the Chief Investigator of the largest study of chemotherapy after surgery in relation to colorectal cancer. There can be few surgeons who have had both a father and grandfather in the profession. John Pereira (1976 - 1986) is one. After training at Guy’s he looked to reconstruction specialities. Having been Consultant at Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, he is now a Consultant Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeon based in private practice in Kent and Sussex. Hisham Taha (1980 - 1987) also chose to follow Reconstructive Surgery, following training at King’s London and Hisham Taha Leipzig. His postgraduate work was in Glasgow and he has chosen to practice in the South-West at hospitals in Bristol, Plymouth and Exeter. His work on the crushed hand of a Cornish machineoperator brought him national acclaim.
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Medical Matters Helen Gant née Robson (1972 - 1982) has specialised in geriatric and rehabilitation work. She trained at the Prince of Wales Hospital School of Physiotherapy in Tottenham, took up positions at the James Paget Hospital, Great Yarmouth, in Maryland, USA, and is now working in south Leicestershire.
Helen Gant née Robson
Anthony Stockley (1939 - 1944) went up to Oxford after leaving school and for his final medical training was at the Royal Free Hospital in London. He specialised as a consultant clinical physicist and his career took him to Southend Hospital from where he retired.
Anthony Stockley
Prof Philip Johnson-Laird
Ann Farmilo née Miles
Philip Johnson-Laird (1948 - 1952), Stuart Professor of Psychology at Princeton University, New Jersey, was awarded his PhD by University College, London, in 1967. He is currently working on a new theory that psychological neuroses are caused by a disorder in the system of emotions. Patients, whose appropriate emotions are felt with inappropriate intensity, can often reason about the causes of their problems quite Philip Johnson-Laird accurately.
Ann Farmilo, née Miles (1984 1992) worked for a time, on leaving school, at the Culford Sports Centre and then continued with similar employment at leisure centres in Wales and New Malden, south-west London. She then decided to move into ambulance work and undertook transport and emergency training. Since 2005 she has been a Paramedic with the London Ambulance Ann Farmilo née Miles Service.
Mary Taylor née Thomas (1957 - 1965) retired four years ago after a career in anaesthetics with her final post as consultant at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital. Monica Tuck, Headmistress at the EASG, counselled her against Medicine but she persevered by gaining higher A Level grades, entering the Birmingham Medical School, and having two children all while completing her specialist training part-time.
Dr Deryck Gowland Deryck Gowland (1956 - 1963) was also at the Royal Free before going to the Isle of Man and returning to practice as an Anaesthetist in London. However, much of his career was with P&O and Princess Cruises. He settled in Sydney for seven years, but being the doctor on board ships presented opportunities for providing medical services, testing new equipment and routes as well as seeing the world. Deryck Gowland
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Mary Taylor née Thomas
Amanda Marsh (1986 - 1995) qualified as a Physiotherapist and works as an Extended Scope Physiotherapist for Connect Physical Health, managing its private Durham clinic which works in association with Durham University. In 2001 she was commissioned as a TA Officer and deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan. By way of contrast she has been at Twickenham as the Physiotherapist to Durham University in the BUCS finals in 2011 and 2012.
with husband Andy
William Miller CBE (1940 - 1946), the Vice-Chairman of Bristol-Myers Squibb until 1990, left Culford and undertook RAF National Service before reading PPE at St Edmund Hall, William Miller Oxford. Then he began a long career in the pharmaceuticals industry and moved to the USA in 1964. Twentyone years later he became ViceChairman of Bristol-Myers Squibb with worldwide responsibility for its pharmaceutical and nutritional business, including research. In 2000, he received the OBE for services to British charities in the USA and in 2011, the CBE for services to British business relations and for philanthropy. Bill Miller has, of course, extended his enormous generosity to Culford and the William Miller and Bristol Myers Science buildings are a testament to this. James Taylor (1982 - 1992) went to the University of Bath to read Architecture, studying for a year in Venice. He has set up his own business and continues to work for Nicholas Hare Architects. He was project leader on creating the new medical training facilities for multi-disciplinary professions at Lincoln’s Inn Fields for the Royal College of Surgeons of England.
Medical Matters Simon Ryde (1970 - 1977) read Physics at Loughborough and while in his final year there ‘discovered’ Medical Physics. He gained an MSc in this field at the University of Surrey and a PhD in Radiation Physics from the University of Wales. He is a Consultant Clinical Scientist in Radiotherapy employed by the NHS at the Swansea Medical Physics Department. Simon Ryde
Jenny Perez née Watt (1982 - 1987) has been involved with several healthrelated charities and is now Chief Executive of ERIC (Education & Resources for Improving Childhood Continence) www.eric.org.uk. It is an organisation based in Kingswood, Bristol, and Jenny lives with her husband and two young children at Paulton in North Somerset. Barry Garner (1947 - 1955) was head of the biostatistical section of the Medical Faculty at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, from 1978 - 92, taking two years out from 1989 to work as the Principal Research Fellow at the Institute of Child Health at the University of Western Australia in Perth. Then in 1992 he left the field to teach Statistics and a little Mathematics at the University of Fraser Valley in British Columbia. He is now learning to paint. Kate Johnson (1976 1982) is a Montrealbased medical journalist who has specialised in this field for 18 years. Her mission Kate Johnson is to ‘educate, translate and update’ about ongoing developments through media outlets for the benefit of physicians and research scientists. For further information visit: www.katejohnsonmednews. wordpress.com
www.culford.co.uk/foundation
Caroline Mawer
being the lead doctor on Montserrat, where the volcanic eruption continues.
When Caroline Mawer (1976 - 1979) left Culford after her GCSE year, she moved to the Folkestone Grammar School for Girls and then, for her medical training, to the London Hospital. Although she is back in Whitechapel now, working as a GP in the Emergency Department, she has in the meanwhile travelled far and wide. After GP and then Public Health training, Caroline worked in Siberia, first on tuberculosis treatment in prisons and the secret nuclear town near Tomsk, and then studying nuclear decontamination near Irkutsk. Other overseas postings Caroline Mawer have included
Richard Guy In 1980 Richard Guy (1977 - 1982) was sitting O Level papers, but within the decade had studied Medicine at Birmingham, Richard Guy (1977 – 1982) was a Royal Naval Medical Officer and had earned the coveted green beret with the Royal Marines Commandos. In the ‘90s came Arctic warfare training, posts in Portsmouth, Gibraltar, Belize, Basingstoke, Plymouth, Oxford, Harrow and Singapore as well as marriage and children. Domestic commitments were balanced with assignments in HMS Illustrious during the Bosnian War, NATO
Stuart and Fiona Place
Back in the UK, she has worked as a Public Health Consultant in south-east London, acting as sexual health commissioner in the area with the highest rates of teenage pregnancy and abortions. Other GP work has included leading the salvage of a large, failed practice, again in the East End; and locuming on the island of Coll in the Inner Hebrides. However, it is her work as an historian that sets Caroline apart. A family holiday led to a lifelong interest in the Iranian world. This includes learning Persian, walking over the Zagros Mountains with the nomadic Bakhtiari people and being the first person to pinpoint the route of Shah Abbas the Great’s 1601 epic, 1000-kilometre walk. Follow in both their footsteps by accessing www.carolinemawer.com
manoeuvres off the United States coast and blast injury research for a higher degree at Porton Down. From 2001, as a Consultant General Surgeon in Peterborough, he also had to balance commitment to surgical practice, with active service in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq. The emphasis in modern warfare is for the surgical teams to be forward, close to the battle front. So Richard saw action rather than just the consequences of it. Retiring from the Navy as Surgeon Commander in 2004, the call of his specialist field, Colorectal Surgery, led to his current appointment as Consultant Colorectal Surgeon in Oxford. Richard lives with his wife, Claire, in Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire. It is a serene location, though with its own distinctive military past. Their two children, Isabel and William, enjoy coming back from boarding school for time with the family.
Fiona Place (2002 - 2007) left school for Southampton and has just qualified. She gained a Distinction by being in the top 13% of medical graduates there and looks forward to hospital placements in Nottingham and Boston before, probably, becoming a GP. Her brother, Stuart (2006 - 2011), takes up his studies at the Hull York Medical School, establishing a family tradition.
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Girls at Culford 1972 - 2012
40th Anniversary of Girls at Culford When the East Anglian School moved in 1935 from its site in Northgate Avenue, Bury St Edmunds, two new eras started. One involved the changes of name and venue within a parkland setting, some three miles to the north at Culford; the other was the creation on the same site of a brand new establishment, the East Anglian School for Girls, on the edge of a country market town. Some 35 years later it was obvious that the two schools were destined to become one. There had been significant changes in society during that one-generation phase from the aftermath of the Depression, through the Second World War, the consequent years of austerity, a decade of prosperity as well as a revolution in social outlook and educational philosophy. The town of Bury St Edmunds had also developed well beyond its pre-war limits. The Schools had several close links. During the war-years the girls had been evacuated to the Cadogan House and Junior School premises in the Park. They were both under the auspices of the then Methodist Board of Education and shared Chaplains. Formerpupils still recall the Reverends Stanley Rose and Arthur Hiscox. Several members of staff had connections with the Methodist Training Colleges at Westminster and Southlands. The Samuel Leigh Memorial Swimming Pool, built in 1937, was used by the girls who were bussed out for lessons. Collaboration took place in drama and musical performances. Speech and Sports Days, while not shared, were open for brothers and sisters to attend and, not surprisingly, pretexts were arranged for ‘friends’ to become ‘family’. Indeed as at any time, romantic liaisons featured either covertly or openly. September 1972 saw the first stage of amalgamation. Boarding may have Swimming Pool
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continued for the girls at Northgate Avenue, but a fleet of buses brought co-education for the whole of the school working day. In a television interview of Derek Robson (1971 - 1993) and Monica Tuck (1949 1974), the joint head-teachers, the quip was made that “two heads were better than one.” Here was Culford briefly in a unique position, as the first Direct Grant coeducational, boarding school in Britain.
Northgate Avenue
that their retirements were due, while others relished the challenges.
On that first day, the East Anglian Daily Times photographer was supplied with a step-ladder to take a shot of a long snaking line of brothers and sisters. Later in the week the Daily Express asked for similar facilities and so the siblings reassembled. The amalgamation was at all levels, with the only comparable coeducational East Anglian schools being Wymondham College and Friends’ School, Saffron Walden.
The members of staff at the EASG who became part of the Common Room on that first day or later included Alison Fraser, ‘Nurse’ Frost, Doreen Ginn, Laura Hunter, Jac Langdon, Jean Raynor, Jean Scott, Anne Sewell, Mary Slatter, Jean Taylor, Monica Tuck, Renate Wetherall and Joyce Withers. Some stayed and settled; some moved on, but all contributed.
There were many more individuals than pupils who had to make adjustments to the new regime. There were parents fielding different questions as they devised new routes; catering staff trying to assess different demands; and teachers having to present lessons to mixed audiences. Rightly so, many felt apprehensive. A number of staff at each school may have been relieved
Within two years the site in Northgate Avenue had been sold, the girls’ boarding houses were ready and the adjustment phase was over. The logistics of transport, moving, meals and co-ordinated activities had, on occasions, been taxing; they had, however, provided the basis for co-operation and collaboration. The fusing of two organisations was complete.
www.culford.co.uk/foundation
Celebrating and Reuniting 40 Years On The 40th Anniversary celebration of the amalgamation of the East Anglian School for Girls with Culford was held on Saturday 22 September 2012. Over 120 former pupils and staff of EASG attended on a glorious, sunny day and it was soon evident that this was as much a ‘friends reunited’ occasion as a ‘reunion event’. Among the guests were former Headmaster Derek Robson (1971 – 1992) and his wife Barbara (1972 – 1992). A commemorative service, led by the School Chaplain, was held at St Mary’s, followed by the official opening and blessing of Fitzgerald, the new girls’ boarding House, by the Revd Canon Graham Thompson. Lunch and a glass of bubbly was enjoyed in Old Hall and then many took up the chance of a tour to see both old and new facilities, while others gathered in the Workman Library to catch up on both old Current and former Housemistresses Bron Recknell, Jan Millard, Brenda Hunt, and more recent times. Caroline Byrne, Chairman of Governors Roy Swanston, Head of House Marion
Former Head Girls present on the day were (L – R): Dr Helen Fail née Jackson, Dr Jane Ewing née Bennett, Alison Hayward née Wolton and Nicola Cormell née Mares. Missing from this picture is Head Girl, Barbara Mavridoglou née Gale, who was also present.
Black and Governor and former Head Girl, Jo Anderton née Broadbridge.
Two-Year Transition
while they were living in Northgate Avenue and being bussed out to Culford every day, except Sundays. Something of the EASG traditions continued, however, and some girls recall the marked contrast in their lives.
The amalgamation of the two schools was signalled well in advance. Some East Anglian School for Girls parents, keen to continue their daughters’ education in a single-sex establishment, gave notice; some parents took notice that co-education would feature in the future and made application.
There was the crowded atmosphere of a thriving and changing school offering a full range of academic subjects during the day and the enclave of a quiet residential area of Bury St Edmunds from the late afternoon to the early morning. It was, somebody observed, ‘like going home.’
Excitement was in the air. Boarders experienced a two-year transition phase
There was a marked contrast between the dormitory accommodation of the Main
School of the EASG and that of its boarding houses, such as Ripley, across the road. However, the biggest shock came when the girls moved to Culford and the new purpose-built features of boarding in Jocelyn and Storey. Wash-basins and wardrobes with sliding doors in each room were two of the many symbols of a new era. The buildings on Northgate Avenue were sold and developed. The lives of the special contingent of girl-boarders at Culford, the former residents of the EASG, had changed - for they had moved on.
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News from the School
Goings Other recent Common Room leavers include: Alison Parsons came in 2001 as a part-time teacher of Chemistry and Physics and as a parent. She became Head of Physics, leaving a strong department to fulfil a long-cherished ambition to sail around Europe with her husband, Bill.
Ahhh! ... those lovely Old Culfordians Rick Shepperson writes… One of the benefits of a lengthy spell of teaching in one school is a long list of former pupils, many of whom seem happy to stay in touch and share their post-school experiences. Having just retired after 24 years at Culford, I reckon I’ve guided the GCSE and A Level Mathematics education of some 750 pupils. Their names, marks and exam grades are preserved in the markbooks I kept throughout my Culford years. Interestingly, the pupils I taught on arrival in 1988 are now older than I was when I first stood before them. And it’s not just Maths; there are also those pupils I worked with in tutor groups, on the sports field, in music events and all the excellent charity projects that came to pass. Quite a list of lovely OCs, then! Post-school encounters can take various forms: a passing chat by the shops in Bury, a shared pint in a local pub, a nod across a crowded audience at a music gig or a duel on a cricket field. Many meetings take place at the annual London Drinks Reception, Year Reunions or when OCs just return to the Park to see how things have changed and which teachers they still recognise. Some meetings occur in far-flung corners of the world: Berlin, Venice and New York come to mind. Others occur in more formal surroundings: 21st birthdays and weddings for example. I even bumped into a few OCs at the Olympic Park this summer. I enjoy receiving and replying to emails, so my Hotmail OC folder is well-stocked and growing. I am not a user of
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Rick Shepperson (Mathematics teacher 1988-2012) watching cricket at the Oval with family and OC friends. Rick is wearing the Panama hat.
Facebook, Skype or Twitter, basically because the emails arrive regularly, day and night, and tend to contain plenty of news, opinion and photos. I prefer to digest an incoming email for a day or two and give some thought to my reply. I’m not so good at instant answers! Whether through personal encounter or email, these conversations are always joyful and informative occasions. I am invariably struck by the enthusiasm of OCs to share their news, excitedly telling ‘Mr Shep’ the latest developments in their lives. Some drop the ‘Mr’, others replace it with ‘Old’, all terms of endearment in my book. Of those I meet or hear from who are post-university, I would say over half are employed in careers that never appeared on their UCAS radar. Of course they are. How many Sixth formers research a career in Financial PR or Landscape Gardening? The secret is this: Culford turns out well-balanced young people, able to succeed and spot a good opportunity. Of course, there is a special place in my heart for those OCs who have taken up the best-job-in-the-world mantle; that is, those who have become teachers, especially Maths teachers. There will be no more additions to the list of OCs I taught. However, I have a continuum of leavers from 1989 to 2012: enough to keep Old Shep happy for years to come, no doubt. If any readers from that continuum would like to join the fun, I can be contacted through the Foundation Office: foundation@culford.co.uk
From 2005, the Director of ICT and member of the Senior Management Team, Adrian Edgar, helped transform the technological provision to Culford’s three schools. He is now a partner in his own company, SharePointEduTech, developing the use of Microsoft products. Gresham’s School is fortunate to now have the services of Ed Hall, Head of Economics, Business Studies and UCAS from 2006 - 2012. His quotes enjoyed wide coverage and his dry sense of humour will be missed along with his contributions to the CCF, cycling and horse-riding. Another 2006-entry member of staff to leave is David Williams, an ICT teacher in both Prep and Senior Schools. He gave freely of his time, particularly in Cornwallis House as an assistant housemaster. He has moved on to a school in his native West Country. Sarah Wood left for a teaching post in Thailand after three years in the PE department where she was especially interested in developing girls' rounders and promoting tennis and dance. Since leaving Culford she has trained as a scuba diving instructor, which will certainly be of use in her career in south-east Asia.
Goodbye Mr Shep! Rick Shepperson came in 1988 to teach Mathematics and retired as second-in-command in the department in July 2012. His contributions to sport - particularly cricket, of which he was in charge for many years - as well as to pastoral commitments, the Charity Committee, concerts, the continuation of interest in Pink Floyd and Bob Dylan, have been immense. An active retirement life has started and will no doubt take him many places.
www.culford.co.uk/foundation
Olympian Turns Teacher Olympic athlete and current Great Britain Hockey player, Stephen Dick, joined Culford School as hockey Professional in 2012 and will be working with staff and pupils to improve game-related methods and philosophies.
well as competing in two Commonwealth Games and the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Working alongside the Head of Hockey, Stephen will play a significant role in coaching the school’s intake of scholars under its new Hockey Scholarship scheme.
Stephen’s illustrious career has included 42 international goals, 135 international caps, and appearances for both Scotland and Great Britain, as
For information about Hockey Scholarships at Culford, please contact the Admissions Office on 01284 385308.
Comings University of Surrey graduate Matt Copping joined the PE and Games department on a full-time basis in January 2012 as Head of Hockey and now as Assistant Housemaster in Cadogan House. He recently moved from Ascham School, Sydney.
Hockey Success Points to Bright Future
Alexia Glassbrook came as Miss Smith in September 2011 to be Assistant Head of English. She is a graduate of Sheffield University, was Head of English and Media at Sawtry College in Cambridge, has accompanied two of Culford’s Duke of Edinburgh Award Expeditions to the Peak District, is a keen skier and assistant housemistress in Jocelyn. Hannah Mayhew joined the Senior School Geography Department last year. Having graduated from Edinburgh in 2010, she went to the University of East Anglia to complete her PGCE. She is now a resident tutor in Fitzgerald House, is an experienced dinghy coach, runs the Sailing Club, takes netball teams and plays hockey for Bury St Edmunds. Angela Williams came in 2011 as a part-time teacher in the Economics and Business Studies Department and tutor in Jocelyn House. She was a Credit and Marketing Manager for Citibank in Hong Kong, moving to England in 2000 with her husband, Joss (Focus 2011). Angela assisted at Oundle and Abingdon School and is also a couture milliner trained at the London College of Fashion. Another new member of staff is Justin Veitch from Gilgil in the Kenyan Rift Valley where he taught for the past four years. He teaches Mathematics in both the Prep and Senior Schools and is a tutor in Cornwallis. He is also responsible for Charities and World Aims in Senior School, and is married to Liz who teaches in the Prep where their daughter Katie is a pupil, while son Jack is in the Senior School.
Liz Long (Athletics teacher) with Richard Pineo (1991 – 1993), Head of PE and Games at Culford Prep
Culford had one of our most successful Hockey seasons ever as four school teams made appearances at the 2012 National Finals. The U14 girls’ squad blitzed through the qualifying regional rounds before taking on the best teams in the country at Cannock Hockey Club in February. After an early victory and a well fought draw against the eventual winners of the tournament, they were ranked the fifth best side in the country - only missing out on a final spot by goal difference. Not to be outdone, the Culford boys’ U14 side qualified for the National Finals after dominating the regional rounds of the tournament with wins over The Perse, Felsted and Framlingham. They too battled hard for their results and also ended up being ranked fifth in their age group. The U13 boys’ team stepped up to the plate in the National IAPS competition to produce some superb displays of flowing hockey, eventually finishing eighth overall in the country. To
complete the quartet, the U13 girls’ squad competed in the National Finals and after a fraught and hectic day where they played 5 games in a row, came away ranked tenth. This remarkable season owes much of its success to Culford Prep School PE teachers Kerry Kemp and Richard Pineo (OC 1991 – 1993), whose guidance has cemented the young players’ talents. With hockey scholarships being offered from September 2012 and a new hockey development programme underway, directed by Head of Hockey, Matt Copping, Culford’s players are certainly the ones to watch. The school’s newly appointed Hockey Professional and former GB Olympian, Stephen Dick, who is responsible for player development from the ages of 7-18 years, believes this current success is a great blueprint for the future and says, “It really is an exciting time to be coaching hockey at Culford!”
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OC Events
Tea For Two This increasingly popular event, centred around afternoon tea followed by instrumental and musical performances by Prep and Senior School pupils, attracted over 90 guests in both 2011 and 2012. In 2011 Will Rudkin from the Prep School pupil amazed with his rendition Flo Taylor (1997 – 2011) of Bring Him Home from Les Misérables while Florence Taylor (1997 - 2011), currently studying Music with Italian at the Royal Holloway University of London, was welcomed back and sang Schubert’s Standchen. Most recently, the event was brought forward a month to avoid the worst of the winter weather and guests were entertained by Senior and Prep School pupils including: Freya Horseman Sewell (Prep) who sang Flash, Bang, Wallop from Half A Sixpence and Oscar Hamilton (Prep) who performed Eric Thiman’s Floodtime on Piano. Senior School pupils Katie Hargreaves and Lucy Mason performed Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s Memory from Cats and the Chamber Choir gave a wonderful rendition of The Lord is My Shepherd, Vicar of Dibley style! The afternoon ended with a rousing rendition of the old school song Estote Fortes.
Remembrance Day 2011 Culford marked the annual Act of Remembrance in November by inviting Mr Derrick Fenning (OC 1935 - 1939) to lay a wreath at the service, which was attended by the whole School and many Old Culfordians.
Remembrance Day 2012
We were delighted to welcome back two of Dr Skinner’s daughters, Wendy Spencer (1935 – 1939) and Barbara Stuart (1935 – 1937) who laid the wreath on behalf of the OCs.
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www.culford.co.uk/foundation
London Drinks Reception 2012 Over 90 alumni and friends gathered for the London Drinks Reception on Thursday 8 March at the East India Club, St James’s Square. Lively conversation featured, of course, and many took the opportunity of seeing the plans of the new Learning Resource Centre and photographs of the bio-mass unit. The prize winners of the event were Maj Gen Christopher Last (1945 – 1953) and Nick Robertson (1966 – 1973) who both came up trumps in the champagne draw. There may be a change of venue next year, more details to follow soon. To be sure of a place, please register your interest by emailing: foundation@culford.co.uk
L – R former Head Boy Matt King (2002 – 2012), Professor Stephen Challacombe (1958 – 1964) , Deputy Head Girl – Melanie Okuneye (2006 – 2012)
L – R Ali Hill (2000 – 2005), Harriet Johnson (1995 – 2005), George Bullock (1991 – 2005)
L – R Jonathan Curtis (1974 – 1982), Liz Baker (1976 – 1986), Lucy Johnston (1978 – 1987), Richard Guy (1977 – 1982)
L – R John Crooks (1990 – 1995), Joss Williams – Deputy Headmaster, Daniel Oakley (1985 – 1990)
L – R Elizabeth Compson, Ali Hill (2000 – 2005), George Bullock (1991 – 2005), Paul Jolly (1989 – 2000)
L – R Kenny Mbeyela (1989 – 1999), Allegra Hindes (1990 – 1997), Folu Merriman-Johnson (1991 – 1998), Paul Jolly (1989 – 2000)
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Australian Reunions
Culford Down Under The Headmaster took a two-week trip to Australia during the Spring Term to visit various schools and libraries, and was able to meet no fewer than 17 Old Culfordians during his visit. It was fascinating to catch up with so many alumni who have made their careers and lives on the far side of the world. It was equally striking just how many still felt a deep sense of nostalgia and belonging for Culford over a distance of many miles and, in some cases, many years. The trip began in Melbourne where Professor Harry Watson (1949 – 1959) set up a tour for the Headmaster to visit the University of Melbourne, followed by lunch together at the University House. Thereafter many individual and group reunions followed: Dr Kiki Tanousis (1972 – 1981) met the Headmaster for lunch; OCs Simon Mudditt (1952 – 1959), Christopher Nunn (1964 – 1974) and Steve Smith (1978 - 1986) joined him for drinks at The Athenaeum Club; Rachel Grinham (1984 - 1994, and daughter of former Culford English teacher, Gillian) joined
Colin Roberts (1937 – 1944) and his wife
him for lunch; and then followed a quick trip across to Tasmania to spend the day with Colin Roberts (1937 - 1944) before heading on to Sydney. Sydney reunions began with Gillian Angus (EASG 1961 1975) followed by drinks at the Shangri La Hotel Blu Bar where OCs Martin Le Grice (1967 Gillian Angus (EASG 1974), Professor 1961 – 1975) Donald White (1958 - 1965), Dr Edward Libbey (1958 – 1965), David Watts (1942 – 1949) and Juan Roberson (parent of Felicity (1990 – 1997), Stephanie (1992 – 1999) and Francis (1994 - 1999), all gathered to reminisce.
Martin Le Grice (1967 - 1974) with his wife, Alison.
Rachel Grinham (1984 – 1994)
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Dr Edward Libbey (1958 - 1965) and David Watts (1942 - 1949)
The final gathering was with Tony Hartnell (1958 - 1959) and his wife, Maryed, at The Union Club. The Headmaster was delighted to welcome Tony and Maryed back to Culford in October (see story opposite). Everyone was extremely welcoming and the Headmaster very much enjoyed hearing their individual stories and shared reminiscences.
Maryed and Tony Hartnell (1958 – 1959)
In between reunions the Head was also able to visit six independent schools in Melbourne and Sydney and the fruits of those visits are already on display, since an exchange-programme has been set up with two schools in Sydney in particular: Pymble Ladies’ College and Knox Grammar School. It is to be hoped that these exchanges will flourish in future years and provide Culfordians with a fascinating glimpse into a different educational system, give them an opportunity to travel and develop independence of mind, and bring an increasingly wide sense of the world to all that Culford does.
www.culford.co.uk/foundation
Professor Donald White (1958 - 1965) read Mechanical Engineering at Liverpool University and entered the petrochemical industry, working for what was then ICI located at both Teesside and Bristol. He married Rosie in 1971, moved to Australia two years later and has never returned to the UK to live. They have three children, one of whom now lives in the UK. Don continued a career as a manager in the petrochemical, chloralkali and magnesium manufacturing industries until taking early retirement in 1998. He then became an engineering consultant and increasingly became involved in teaching at the University of Sydney, where he is an Adjunct Associate Professor, working three days a week.
Oz comes to Culford One of the Old Culfordians whom the Headmaster met on his trip to Sydney was Tony Hartnell (1958 - 1959) and his wife, Maryed. When they came to the UK for a holiday in late September, they decided to incorporate a visit to Culford as part of their trip. The Headmaster and his wife, Jo, were delighted to host a dinner for them at the Lodge along with Old Culfordian friends Peter (1952 - 1959) and Jennifer Pratt, Roger (1954 - 1959) and Patricia Robbins, Bill (1952 - 1959) and Nicola Sandal and John Short (1955 -1959). A lovely evening of laughter and reminiscing was followed by a walk around the park in brilliant sunshine for Tony and Maryed, and a tour of the Hall and old haunts for the rest of Tony and Maryed Hartnell the party later the next day.
He is the Chairperson of the Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales and has been a board member of the Environment Protection Authority NSW. He and Rosie have a weekend retreat within a national park and World Heritage Area, just north of Sydney. When the Headmaster was visiting Australia, Donald brought his old friend Dr Edward Libbey (1958 - 1965), who was also visiting, to the meeting. Dinner at the Headmaster’s Lodge Juan Roberson with Professor Donald White (1958 - 1965)
Stop Press: Hong Kong February 2013 Culford will be visiting Hong Kong in February 2013. The Headmaster and his wife Jo, along with Assistant Head and former Director of Sport, Dave Watkin, will be there between 21st and 25th February and hope very much to meet with former pupils, current and prospective parents. A reunion event will be hosted for all OCs who would like to join them and full details will follow soon. To register your interest, please email foundation@culford.co.uk and put Hong Kong in the subject line.
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Newsbites
A News Round-up from OCs If you would like us to include your news next time, we would love to hear from you. Please email foundation@culford.co.uk or telephone 01284 385310. William R. Miller CBE (1940 – 1946), an Old Culfordian known for his great philanthropic work, was this year named a Distinguished Friend of Oxford by the University. St Edmund Hall and The University of Oxford North American Office nominated Mr Miller. The scheme formally recognises individuals who have acted as exceptional volunteers for the benefit of the university or its colleges and Mr Miller received his award in New York in April. This June, Michael Taylor (1944 - 1950) was presented to Prince Edward in Gloucester. It was part of the Michael Taylor Diamond Jubilee Celebrations and related specifically to an RAF team which had cooked the Queen’s Coronation Pie made of lampreys, then fished from the Severn, in March 1953. Michael, who was doing National Service at RAF Insworth at that time, and had already trained in Manchester for the family bakery business, was given the task of designing the appearance of the pie and of making all its pastry decorations. Douglas Gunary OBE (1945 - 1950) Michael Taylor’s Lamprey Pie read Agricultural Chemistry at the University of Nottingham where he was awarded a PhD. He served with the Royal Corps of Signals in Cyprus before beginning his career in 1956 with Fisons. He moved to Nickerson Seeds which was acquired by Groupe Limagrain Holding, the world’s third largest seed company. His many contributions to plant breeding led to his being made an OBE in 1994.
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Douglas Gunary (1945 - 1950)
George Hazell (1952 - 1958) and Alan Dures (Head of History 1977 - 2002) have been regular members of the England Over 70s Hockey XI. In June they helped their team to victory in the Grand Masters’ European Trophy in Italy and in August will be competing in the World Cup to be held in Oxford. Their opposition will be teams from Australia, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands and South Africa.
George Hazell and Alan Dures
John Bolden (1957 - 1962) studied engineering at Colchester Technical College and played rugby for Bury St Edmunds and Suffolk until injuries ended his involvement. During a 30 year career with 3M in the Traffic Management Division he devised certain signage with yellow backing boards, greatly reducing accidents. In 2001 he started a highway survey business and seven years later sold it. He and his wife, Sue, have two daughters and two grandchildren. His love of ‘messing about in boats’ is no longer centre-stage, having been replaced by enthusiasm for classic sports cars, particularly his rare 1955 Austin Healey 100/4 Le Mans.
John Bolden (1957 - 1962)
Ashley Cooper (1962 - 1969) runs the Hill Farm Museum at Gestingthorpe, south of Sudbury. It features the remains of a Roman Villa, a Medieval Guildhall and local historical features from our geological past to the Ashley Cooper (1962 - 1969) Victorian era. Ashley, the author of five local history books, recently welcomed a group of Sixth Form pupils led by Terry Walsh, Culford’s Head of Classics. Visits are by appointment; please call 01787 460641. Richard Bryson (1970 - 1976) is now the freelance Editor of Suffolk Norfolk Life magazine, having been the East Anglian Daily Times’ Design Editor and, for seven Richard Bryson years, the Editor (1970 - 1977) of their Suffolk magazine. He has launched a company, Blake Bryson Publishing, producing marketing magazines for companies and organisations in East Anglia. Please visit: www.bbpmagazines.com Angus Gowland (1985 - 1992) studied history at Cambridge, where he took his undergraduate degree at Queens' College, and his MPhil and PhD degrees at King's College. After a research fellowship at Magdalene and a lectureship at Christ's, in 2003 he moved to the history department at University College London, where he is now Reader in Intellectual History. In 2011 he was awarded a Philip Leverhulme Prize for History. His book The Worlds of Renaissance Melancholy: Robert Burton in Context is published by Cambridge Angus Gowland (1985 – 1992) University Press.
www.culford.co.uk/foundation
Louise Rapple (1983 - 1993) runs the Tamesis Chamber Choir, which she founded ten years ago. This year they recorded a CD of Remembrance music, the profits of which are going to ABF The Soldiers' Charity (formerly the Army Benevolent Fund). If you would like to purchase a copy please contact Louise by going to: www.tamesischamberchoir.co.uk
Louise Rapple (1983 – 1993) and The Tamesis Choir
Derek Fance (1989 - 1995) is the new headmaster of Lillington Nursery and Primary School in Warwickshire. He has spent the last decade at inner city schools in Birmingham, lives in Kenilworth with his wife, Deborah, and two young sons, and looks forward to turning Lillington into a centre of which the whole community can be proud. Schools are very much part of the Fance family life as Deborah is Head of Winash Primary. Melissa Holland-Smith (1988 - 1996) studied Geography at King’s College, London, but took to flying early, gaining her private pilot’s licence before passing her driving test. A spell in the USA was followed by work as PA for the Master of St Edmund’s College, Cambridge. Then, at Christmas 2002, came her big break when she became a pilot with the European Air Charter flying Boeing 737s, followed by positions with Britannia and now BA. She lives in Reigate and has recently married.
Melissa Holland-Smith (1988 - 1996)
Sarah Clark (1993 - 1999) left university to become, in sequence, a bookseller, editorial assistant and a business support Sarah Clark (1993 - 1999) officer in recycling and reuse. Then she combined a flair for knitting with sensing a market opportunity for a good wool shop in Cambridge. In November 2011, she opened The Sheep Shop in Beche Road and is its proprietor and, at present, sole employee. Details are to be found at www.sheepshopcambridge.co.uk Christopher Rimmer (1996 - 2001) has been responsible for visiting forward operating and patrol bases all over Afghanistan to maintain communications systems. As a Lance Corporal in the 1st UK Armoured Division Headquarters and Signals Regiment, he said, after being presented with an operational service medal by the Princess Royal, that this role allowed him to see at first hand the vital part communications play in keeping frontline troops safe and able to operate at their best.
University Church, he studied for Part III of his Architectural degree at Cambridge. A year after being chartered, he was awarded the prestigious SPAB Travelling Scholarship. Now he looks forward to being involved in, and then setting up, a practice specialising in the repair and re-use of historical buildings. Nick Higgs (1997 - 2004) was awarded a PhD in Marine Biology from the University of Leeds. He spent four years at Southampton University obtaining an MSc in Marine Biology and Oceanography. His doctoral research was in the field of deep-sea biology, studying animals that live in the carcasses of dead whales, which fall to the bottom of the ocean and support an amazing diverse ecosystem there.
Nick Higgs (1997 - 2004)
Christopher Rimmer (1996 – 2001)
Henry Sanders (2001 - 2003) studied Architecture at the University of Plymouth and then took a diploma in Architectural Conservation at the Edinburgh College of Art. After working with Caroe Architectural Ltd on such assignments as St John’s College, Cambridge, and Oxford Henry Sanders (2001 - 2003)
SiSi Xie (2003 - 2005) graduated from the University of Warwick and returned to China. At first she worked in futures for UBS Securities; then in 2011 moved to reporting for China Central Television. She undertook special coverage in Tianjin for the 2012 World Economic Forum, also known as ‘Summer Davos’.
SiSi Xie (2003 - 2005)
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Newsbites Cindy Ren (2003 - 2005) left Culford to read Mathematics at Cambridge before working for a Chinese Cindy Ren company which (2003 - 2005) produced new materials for use in electric cars. She has since returned to academia, gaining a Masters in Philosophy and is now pursuing a PhD in Philosophy at the University of Georgia. Kristiina Müür (2004 - 2005) has just received a BA in Journalism and Communication. She is currently doing her first year Master's in European Union - Russian Studies, at the University of Tartu. Kristiina intends to concentrate more on Russia, it will be something about politics. Kristiina says ‘It seems like the interest I had in Russiarelated topics already in Culford finally found its way into my Kristiina Müür university (2004 – 2005) education!’ Aaron Fletcher (1996 - 2006) will be running the 2013 London Marathon in Support of St Nicholas Hospice Care, Bury St Edmunds, which works in the fields of lifeAaron Fletcher threatening (1996 - 2006) illness, death and bereavement. As a registered charity they provide each service entirely free to all those who need help and support and to do this they need to raise £10,000 per day. If you wish to support Aaron’s Marathon run please visit www.justgiving.com/ aarondavidfletcher Jess Hughes (2000 - 2006) is currently reading Politics at the University of Stirling. She is heavily involved in the University Fencing Club and has fenced
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in regional, national, Open and International competitions where she has been a silver Jess Hughes (2000 - 2006) medallist. with her brother, Matthew She has also (2002 - 2012) set up her own Zumba business, dances ballroom in her spare time and is also involved in the University’s International Summer School Programme and Cancer Research’s Race for Life. Now in her final year she has been offered an internship with a local charitable fundraising consultancy, Bruce Tait Associates. Brother Matthew (2002 - 2012), lead in the 2012 school production of Fiddler on the Roof, has just started his degree in Business Management, also at the University of Stirling. Harriet Brace (2005 - 2007) who was a boarder at Culford and Head of Jocelyn House, has followed her passion for writing into Harriet Brace (2005 - 2007) journalism. An avid student of English Literature and Drama at Culford, Harriet, 23, achieved a First Class Honours degree in English from the University of Dundee in June 2010 before beginning her journalistic training in Glasgow. She has since gained a Distinction in both her Journalism Diploma and in her Masters in Multimedia Journalism, and graduated from Glasgow Caledonian University in November 2012. She now works as a local newspaper reporter at the Carrick Gazette in Girvan, South Ayrshire.
Alastair Humphrey (2005 - 2011) with his sister, Kate (2002 - 2009)
Kate Humphrey (2002 - 2009) graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Business Studies. She spent the summer travelling to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam and recently started on a graduate scheme in Project Management at Rolls Royce in Derby. Kate’s brother Alastair Humphrey (2005 - 2011) has just started his second year at University and has recently taken up rowing. Louie Woodall (2007 - 2009) gained a First Class Honours in Modern History and Politics from Royal Holloway College, University of London, and recently began his career as a trainee journalist at Incisive Media, one of the world’s leading business-to-business information providers. Rebecca King (2004 - 2010) is in her second year of studying Law at Durham University. Alongside her degree she has taken part in many activities she enjoyed Rebecca King (2004 - 2010) during her time at Culford, namely drama and sport. This has included performing in the Freshers’ Play, in the opera Hansel and Gretel; she is also joint captain of her college’s hockey team. Rebecca is also a member of the Van Mildert Prison Project which involves going into a local youth offenders centre to mentor the young people who live there. Rebecca hopes to work in corporate law in the future, as well as continuing to perform in amateur drama productions. Flo Ward (2004 - 2011) has started her second year at the University of Bristol, studying Spanish. She has taken up rowing and has already been selected for the Novice 1st VIII and the Novice 1st IV and has competed at, amongst other places, Eton Dorney where the Olympic rowing took place in the summer. Her brother, Will Ward (2002 - 2009) is currently working for LBi in London and has worked on various projects including two production shoots for Xperia Studio.
Flo Ward (2004 – 2011) and fellow-crew members
We Remember
Lives Remembered It is with great sadness that we record the deaths of the following former staff: Alan Bownas was an inspirational English teacher who joined the staff in 1956. He came from Norwich, attended Queens’ College, Cambridge, and participated fully in school-life with his sense of humour and desire for pupils to achieve academic distinction. His enthusiasm for Scouting influenced many and when he moved to Chester Training College he promoted many dramatic and musical productions. Retirement years were spent actively in Chester until a major stroke in 2011. Peter Taylor (1953 - 2012), the Physics laboratory assistant from 1996, had an engaging and personable nature that made him a popular figure well beyond the Science Peter Taylor Department. He (1953 - 2012) was born in Ipswich, became an apprentice at Crane’s, and in 1977 joined the staff of the West Suffolk College. As well as maintaining family interests, he continued his enthusiasms for trains and cars, boats and planes, both actual and model. He would have enjoyed hearing himself described as ‘a serial hobbyist’ at his funeral. He leaves a widow, Mary, and two grown-up children, Alan and Louise. Mary Mousley (1944 - 2012) was born and bred in Bedfordshire and came to live in Bury St Edmunds with her husband, John, in 1985. As an accomplished seamstress, from 1986, she was a key member of the domestic staff, becoming Sixth Form Matron. When cancer was first diagnosed, she left, but continued her interest in making patchwork quilts, setting up courses and workshops for fellow-enthusiasts. These activities gave much pleasure until ill-health returned in 2010. David StJohn Weyers (1957 - 2012) StJohn as he was known at Culford, was Director of Music at the Prep School and resident House assistant in Cadogan from 2005 to 2012.
www.culford.co.uk/foundation StJohn was a larger-thanlife character as his clothing made clear: stripes and tweeds were the norm StJohn Weyers worn with one of three regimental ties. He was a lively classroom teacher, full of infectious enthusiasm for music making. He led Prep School music with passion and demonstrated his talent for showmanship right from the start. He will probably be best remembered for his collaborations in writing the Prep School musicals Calico Jack, The Battle of Singe Hill and Sherwood! He was also invaluable in his presence at Pre-Prep concerts and productions and his care and compassion for the boarders was outstanding. Music was of course only one of many interests and, in particular, StJohn also loved the CCF. He was also fiercely competitive over even the most simple of tasks, and it came through in the standards he expected of the shows he put on and the pupils he taught. His humour always shone through, however, which meant pupils enjoyed being challenged by him and performing for him. StJohn adored his family and his feelings for them were always much in evidence. He will be much missed by all who knew him since he enriched all our lives.
...and the following former pupils: Frederick Edgar Wilson (1920 - 2012) joined the EAS in 1927 with his elder brother Bob and at seven-and-a-half was the youngest pupil. He enjoyed the move to Culford, taking full advantage of the sporting opportunities, playing 1st XI Frederick Edgar Wilson (1920 - 2012) hockey and cricket. He left in 1937, joined the family construction company and then the Queen Victoria Rifles, before war-service in Europe after D-Day. He returned to assist in running the business which he took over and led until retirement in 1988. His son, John (1966 - 1971) and Tony Rutter (1965 - 1971) then took control. He regularly attended events for former-pupils.
For further details of those friends and colleagues who have sadly passed away please go to: www.culfordreunited.co.uk\news
Keith Copeland (1921 - 2011), joined Culford in 1932 and left in 1938, passed his examination for Civil Service and started his Keith Copeland professional life (1921 - 2011) in the Air Ministry before being called up as a RAF radio and wireless mechanic. During the war he was based at radar stations in England and India. In 1947 he was offered a position in the Biophysics Department of UCL where he was one of the founding members of what became the Federation of Medical Electronics. He served as Treasurer from 1971 until 1985. He was a key figure in the success of the Federation, respected for his vast knowledge and was made Honorary Life Member in 1985. John Collins MBE (1924 - 2010), who attended Culford from 1934 to 1941, saw war-time service as a Captain in the Royal Signals and was awarded a Military MBE. He became involved in the fertiliser and commodities business in Sri Lanka and married Jenny before eventually moving with his family to St Albans and continuing as a commodities trader. He leaves a son, Adrian, a daughter, Diana, and grandchildren. John William Hughes (1927 - 2010) was born in Deal, Kent. On leaving Culford (1943 - 1945), he did RAF National Service before studying Medicine at Guy's Hospital, King's College, London. He moved to Guilsborough Northamptonshire in 1956 to work as a GP, regularly performing routine surgery at Northampton General Hospital. An accomplished musician, he founded the Guilsborough Choral Society and for 24 years was organist and choirmaster of St Etheldreda's village church, attaining The Bishop's Award for Choirs in 1980. John was kind, gentle and well-respected in the community. He remarried in 1984, enjoyed boating on the Norfolk Broads and travelling in his retirement. He leaves a widow, Sandra; two children, Nigel and Caroline; step-children, Christopher and Jeremy; and five grandchildren.
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We Remember Ian Dewar Coutts (1927 - 2011) was born in Ipswich, boarded at Culford (1940 - 1943), served in the Army and qualified as a chartered accountant in 1949. His commitment to the politics of local government led to his becoming the leader of Norfolk County Council and an influence on many organisations. These included Norwich City FC, of which he was a director, Eastern Electricity Board, the Forestry Commission, and Culford, of which he was a governor. He leaves five children and five grandchildren. Peter Nunn (1928 - 2012) was a pupil from 1938 1946. He studied Metallurgy at Newcastle University before undertaking Peter Nunn (1928 - 2012) National Service in the Army and joining the Elmswell-based family firm of Frank J Nunn & Sons, specialising in agricultural equipment and vehicles. He married Anne in 1955 and they moved to Kentford. Peter was a driving force in what was to become Thurlow Nunn, assisting growth throughout East Anglia for a company that now has 21 depots; in promoting the Old Culfordians, in general, and the Fifth Dinner Club, in particular. He was active in supporting the Culford Lodge; in involvement at Trinity Methodist Church, Bury St Edmunds; in playing hockey and golf with duties for many years as Captain and President of Flempton Golf Club. He leaves Anne and two sons, Christopher (1964 - 1974) and Jeremy (1967 - 1977), and their families. Duncan Drummond (1931 - 2011) attended Culford for eight years from 1940, was Captain of Leigh House and distinguished himself at athletics, particularly long-distance running, and swimming, with a speciality for diving from the high board. He undertook National Service in Malaya with the Anglian Regiment and then studied Agriculture at Writtle for two years. He travelled throughout Essex and Suffolk dealing in animal feedstuffs and grain. Duncan was a keen golfer who returned to live in Colchester. He leaves a widow, Sally; and four grown-up children.
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Bill Belcher (1932 - 2011) came to Culford (1943-1950) when his father, a surgeon commander, was stationed in Shetland. Bill was an accomplished hockey player and cricketer. He and Geoffrey Doubleday played for Suffolk Schoolboys and also were invited to attend the Hockey Final at the 1948 Olympics. His sporting career suffered when he broke a hip while training as a Royal Marine. Bill decided to read Law, practised as a solicitor and specialised in presiding over employment tribunals. He enjoyed sailing with the Hayland Island Yacht Club, but the consequences of diabetes, including reduced vision, restricted his activities. This did not impede his sense of humour. He was devoted to caring for his ailing wife, Hazel. Mary Ashworth née Mares (1950 2012), who was a pupil at EASG from 1957 – 67, died on 19 July 2012 after bravely battling ovarian cancer. She excelled in sport, being a member of both the first hockey and first tennis teams; sang in the school choir; and performed in theatrical productions. Mary travelled extensively, living and working in Malawi, South Africa and Australia before returning to the UK in 2001. She leaves her partner, Nigel, three children and three grandchildren.
Jackie Orme née Chadwick (1965 - 2012)
Jackie Orme née Chadwick (1965 2012) spent the first stage of her life in the Bahamas and Puerto Rico where her father worked for Coca Cola. She came to Culford in 1979 as a 13-year-old, went to the University of Birmingham to study History and her career was in Human Resources. She worked for the Public Executive Register, the Institute of Chartered Accountants, ASW Steel in
South Wales and Walkers Snack Food in Swansea. When Pepsicola bought Walkers and ran them with Tropicana and Quaker Oats, Jackie was much involved with the success of the business. In 2008 she became Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, in effect the leader of her profession, where her ‘clear vision, calm authority and resolution’ quickly won her support and acclaim. She leaves her parents, Roy and Dorothy; sisters, Deirdre Chadwick (1979 - 1981) and Angela Chadwick (1979 - 1981); husband, David; and daughters, Sophie and Jessica. Suzanne Rush née Large (1969 - 2012) died recently following a four-year journey with motor neurone disease (MND). ‘Suzie’ trained in health and beauty at Champneys, and then became a senior lecturer in health and beauty at West Suffolk College. Following her diagnosis with MND, she undertook an epic fundraising challenge in aid of St Nicholas Hospice Care. She was inspired by the help her family had received from the hospice as a result of her sister Rosie’s battle with MND. She leaves her husband, Mark, and twin sons, Guy and Miles, 25, and Camilla, 21. Jonathan Staines (1974 - 2011) came to Culford in 1987 and left in 1990 to take A Levels at Rugby School. He read Philosophy at the University of Jonathan Staines Lancaster before (1974 - 2011 developing his careers in many directions. He served as a Royal Marine Reservist for 15 years and was deployed in Afghanistan in 2008/09. One of his roles in this service was as coxswain of a raiding troop craft. Jonathan developed a rope-fender business and was helmsman of the RNLI lifeboat at Clovelly where he lived with his partner, Lauren, and son, Alfred. He died in a swimming accident in his favourite part of Devon. His sister, Victoria, was a Culford pupil from 1984 – 1989. We are very sad to inform you that Christopher Crane (OC 1967-1974) died on 30 October 2012. An obituary will be posted on the Foundation website in due course, along with the obituaries of all those who have sadly died in recent years.
Weddings
www.culford.co.uk/foundation
Wedding Belles and Beaus!
Paul Swanson (1996 - 2003)
Paul Swanson (1996 - 2003) who runs his own landscaping business in Suffolk and Cambridge, married Danielle Rishaug on Saturday 23 June in the village of Kennett, followed by a reception at his parents’ home. Many OCs attended the wedding and the best man was his brother, James Swanson (2001 - 2008). There was a fusion of Canadian and British traditions, with a second wedding reception being held in Edmonton, Canada.
Emma French (1996 - 2002)
Emma Victoria French (1996 - 2002) married Oliver Richard Collins at Culford Church on the 16 June 2012 followed by a reception at Haughley Park Barn. Emma’s brother Tom French (1996 - 2004) attended as well as Sophie Burchett (1995 - 2002). The couple met while studying at Sheffield Hallam University in 2003. Emma said, “We had a lovely sunny day even though the weatherman predicted rain”. They spent their honeymoon travelling around California.
Nick Sawyer (1986 – 1996)
Nick Sawyer (1986 - 1996) married Elizabeth Jane Brassey on Saturday 16 June 2012 at St John the Baptist Church in Barnock, near to Stamford. The reception was held at the bride’s parents’ house in the village and sport featured with the bride and groom’s teams playing golf in the morning and hockey the following day. The couple honeymooned in Japan, followed by a beach holiday.
Jodie Facer (1997 - 2004) daughter of Sheila Facer, Marketing Manager at Culford School, married Gearoid O’Rourke at the Trident Hotel in Kinsale, County Cork. Guests included her bridesmaid Annalise Pask (1999 2004), Kerensa Houghton née Slade (1999 - 2004) who sang Ave Maria, Stephanie Crack (1997 - 2004) and Megan Reynard (1999 - 2004).
David Creed (1986 – 1998)
David Creed (1986 - 1998) married Sarah Warmisham at the George in Rye, East Sussex on 3 December 2011. Matthew Minns (1986 - 1998) was best man and other family members and friends included, mother Susan Glasswell (1959 - 1970), sister Caroline Creed (1990 - 1992), brother James Creed (1993 - 2003), aunts Judy Beaney (1961 - 1974), Fiona Glasswell (1974 1976), uncles Paul Glasswell (1966 1976), Rowland Beaney (1964 - 1973) and cousins Kate Deakin née Beaney (1989 - 1997), Thomas Beaney (1992 2002), Annie Cobbald (1989 - 1998) and Peter Howgego (1994 - 1998).
Jodie Facer (1997 – 2004) Matthew Minns (1986 – 1998)
Matthew Minns (1986 - 1998) married Maeve Ryan in Ballyvolane House, County Cork. David Creed (1986 - 1998) was the best man and other OCs who attended included Annie Cobbald (1989 - 1998), Hannah Parry-Williams (1990 - 1998), Maya Mahir (1994 - 1998), Peter Howgego (1994 - 1998), Nick Mills (1990 1997), Bekah Philips (1988 - 1997), Lissie Crudgington née Auchincloss (1988 1997), Naomi Cocksedge (1985 - 1993) and Peter Spencer (1954 - 1962). Jodie O’Rourke née Facer (1997 - 2004)
If you have news for the next issue of FOCuS or the Culford website, we would love to hear from you. Please contact us on 01284 385310 or foundation@culford.co.uk
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Family Celebrations
New Arrivals
Big Birthdays Anthony Childs (1944 - 1949) celebrated his special 80th Birthday by coming back to Culford and enjoyed lunch in the Common Room with his close friends and family.
Anthony Childs (1944 – 1949) pictured with Keith Flack (1943 – 1951) at Remembrance Day 2012
The Birrell Family The Birrell Family also came back to Culford to celebrate a significant birthday at Culford this year. In this case, father, Alan Birrell invited family and friends to join him on Culford’s south terrace on a hot and sunny Sunday in May 2012, to mark the occasion of his 80th birthday.
Jonathan, became the proud parents of Sebastian Alexander Anthony Farmer who was born on Saturday 7 July 2012.
Jeremy Sallis’s daughter Esmé
Jeremy Sallis (1984 - 1994) is the proud father of Esmé Elizabeth Sallis who was born at home on Friday 15 June 2012 in Cambridge and was a healthy 7lbs 4oz. George Ornbo (1985 – 1995), wife Kirsten and sister Bea have a new addition to the family, Finley Robert Cameron who was born on 4 October 2012. Finley’s arrival was shortly followed by another Ornbo: Fenner Lars was born on 24 October to Sam Ornbo (19871997) and Lush.
Back row, L - R: Nigel (1969-1978), Andrew (1969-1976), Jonathan (19761985) and his son, Edward (1997-1998) Front row, L - R, Jonathan’s daughter Annabelle (2004-2006), Alan Birrell, Samantha (1996-2003) and Sue Birrell née Sheppard (1965-1974)
Sam Ornbo with Fenner, the new grandmother, George with Finley.
Sam Farmer née Birrell (1996 - 2003) A very proud Nigel Birrell (1969 - 1978) tells us of a new addition to the Birrell family. Daughter, Sam, and her husband,
Sebastian Farmer with his mum Sam on an early outing at Bury RFC
Victoria Henry née Sawyer (1983 1993) sister to Nick (1986 - 1996) has her hands full with young daughter Charlotte (nearly 3 years old) and new twins who were born this year at 36 weeks and weighing 6lb (Sebastian) and 5lb 13oz (Annabel). Of note, Katherine Temple née Black (1983 – 1993) is godmother herself to Annabel (Katherine herself is a twin!).
The Henry twins with sister, Charlotte
David (1988 – 1998) and Sarah Creed are pleased to announce the safe arrival of Sophia Rose on 6th November at the Chelsea & Westminster Hospital.
Governor Departures Susanne Kohl née Beckett (EASG 1949 – 1957) and Mary-Grace Browning retired from the Board of Governors at the end of 2011/12. Susanne became a Governor in 1998 although her association with Culford began many years before, when she was a boarder at the East Anglian School for Girls. She trained as a radiographer at Guy's Hospital before joining her husband's family firm where she started
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an associated, successful export company. In 1965 the business relocated to Suffolk, where she continues to live, close to the School. Susanne's two children were both educated at Culford. Susanne remains a huge supporter of the many events that take place here and we hope this will continue for many years to come. Mary-Grace taught Maths, Science and Japanese in secondary schools for over 40 years. The farmhouse she now lives in
was once part of the Culford Estate; she says she was honoured to be invited to become a governor of her ‘local’ school all those years ago and has thoroughly enjoyed her association with Culford. Highlights included attending numerous plays and concerts and she especially enjoyed being a mystery shopper at Culford Open Days. Mary-Grace continues to work three days a week and organise exchange visits to Japan.
www.culford.co.uk/foundation
Acknowledgements and Thanks The Culford Foundation wishes to thank all those individuals, foundations, funds and trusts that have made donations to the School. Such gifts are allocated to one of three funds, unless they are given to a specific project: The Heritage Fund maintains the glorious Culford Hall and parkland estate which surrounds the School. A family trust has generously supported the continuation of work on the south elevations of Culford Hall again this year, enabling further restoration work to the roof and balustrading (see images below). The Bursary Fund supports talented pupils who require financial assistance to remain at or, indeed, to join Culford. This enables children to benefit from all that is on offer here when family financial circumstances mean that it would not otherwise be possible.
Bursaries are means-tested and reviewed annually. Our special thanks go to the donors who have generously supported The Bursary Fund, particularly in these recessionary times when requests for bursary assistance have grown. Culford made an additional £250,000 available for bursaries in 2012/13. The General Fund supports capital and other smaller projects around the School. During the past year the Foundation provided funds for: landscaping and fencing the area outside the Art Department which faces Culford Hall; a flat screen television and benching for the new Sixth Form Centre; and restoration work to the doors in the Workman Library, as well as the original shelving which is collapsing through shrinkage in old-age. Historically, Culford has benefited from one-off gifts and regular donations to the
Foundation, many of which originated from the last major appeal in 1999/2000. The Foundation is now working towards launching a capital campaign in 2013, to help raise funds towards the new Library and other projects outlined on the front page of this magazine. More news will follow soon but if you wish for more details now, or would like to help in any way, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please contact the Foundation Director, Jo Johnson-Munday on 01284 385306 or email her: jjm@culford.co.uk We also wish to thank all our supporters who give their time and share their knowledge, expertise and reminiscences with us. A huge thank you also goes to all those friends of Culford who regularly keep the Foundation up to date with OC and OEAS news and for their generosity in helping to build the school archives. Thank you.
New Governor
Sponsor a Seat
Remember Culford
Mike King joined the Board of Governors in 2012. His association with Culford began in 2004 when he and his wife, Julie, chose the school for their three children: Rebecca, studying Law at Durham; Amanda, who is taking a Gap year; and Harry, who is in Lower Fifth. Mike qualified as a Chartered Accountant and as an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute before building a successful career in the insurance world and becoming CEO of an international group of insurance businesses. He sits on the School’s Marketing & Foundation Committee and looks forward to meeting OCs and former EAS pupils at future reunion events.
We wish to thank Mary Bennett (1942 1945) and Janet Hartley (1946 - 1948) who sponsored a seat in the Studio Theatre in 2011/12. If you wish to help us raise funds for the continuing development of music and drama facilities at Culford, you can sponsor a seat for £250. Our aim is to purchase sound and recording equipment for the new Rehearsal Studio and to renovate the two remaining old changing rooms into music practice rooms. Sponsorship enables you to have a name plaque engraved with a dedication of your choosing and is fixed to an individual chair. For details, please contact the Foundation team on 01284 385310 or email us: foundation@culford.co.uk.
We are especially grateful to the late Keith Copeland (1932-1938) and anonymous legators who have indicated that they will remember Culford School in their Will. In Memory of Miss Clayton The obituary of Kathleen Clayton in the last FOCuS prompted interest and a proposal to purchase a seat for the South Front in memory of a devoted Head Matron. She made a difference to the boarding school lives of many. Please indicate your willingness to be involved by contacting: foundation@culford.co.uk
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OC Sport
Sporting Events
Tennis 2012 James Swanson (2001 - 2008) rallied the OC tennis troops and had two full teams of ten players each, plus an encouraging number of supporters, at this annual match. The School included a number of national players and had been unbeaten during its season. It turned out to be a closely contested encounter, level at five matches apiece, decided by a count-back of games, with the OCs winning by 45-43. This was their first victory at the event since 2009.
Boys’ Rugby 2011 On a wonderful autumnal afternoon on Culford Park, past and present rugby players were joined by two members of Common Room, Dave Watkin and Gavin Reynolds, to compete for the Fraser Cup. The Old Culfordians, led by Harry Fraser (1996 – 2004), defeated the Headmaster’s XV 27-7 in a genuine contest that ebbed and flowed. The physical force and fitness of the OC’s proved too much for the younger side on this occasion. Unfortunately a suitable fixture date has not been secured for 2012. The School are particularly disappointed since the 1st XV have had an unbeaten season thus far in 2012!
L to R Paul Barnes (1975 – 1982), Gordon Napier (1975 – 1983) and Tim McCoy-Page (1977 – 1982)
Girls’ Hockey 2012 The School 1st XI had recently returned from a pre-season tour of The Netherlands when they opened their home season against the OCs. They were tested and by half-time were losing by two goals to the more experienced team. The second-half belonged to the School players who, in the heat of the afternoon, developed a flowing game and scored four times to start their season effectively with a win 4-2.
Boys’ Hockey 2012
Netball 2012
The OC squad of 21 were easily able to maintain a presence of eleven fit players on the field of play. Ben Shepperson (2005 - 2010) opened the scoring for them in the first half. Freddie Preston (2007 - 2012) equalised for the School from a penalty corner during the second, but on the stroke of full time Olli Ferrari (2001 - 2009) slotted home the winner from a rebound. A close match delighted a large crowd on a hot afternoon.
The School’s 1st team took to the court with an unbeaten record and on a sunny spring day would take some beating. The spirited and athletic performances of Bekkie Hatwell (2004 - 2006), Alex Bonnett (2006 - 2011), Sophie Over (2003 - 2008), Frankie Bonnett (2006 - 2011), Bex Selway (2006 - 2011), Rachel Hatwell (2004 - 2009) and Rosie Childs (2004 2011), were sadly insufficient, particularly in the second quarter, to match the skills of the younger players who won 41-12. The school team record remained!
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www.culford.co.uk/foundation
President’s XI Cricket
Cricket 2012
The President’s XI which traditionally plays the School 1st XI on Speech Day scored 214 all out, with three notable performances from former captains, Jeremy Sallis (1984 - 1994), Matthew Grinham (1986 - 1996) and Sam Ornbo (1987 - 1997). The prized scalp of Josh Davey (2003 - 2008) (Middlesex and Scotland) went to Jonty Rawcliffe (2008 - present) courtesy of a Jack Beaumont (2005 - present) catch. In reply the School was struggling on 28-4 at tea, but some resistance by Freddie Preston (2007 2012), on an unbeaten 94, saw them survive and draw honourably with 157-5.
Alex Lee (2000 - 2010) thought he had gathered a strong OC team for this year’s match. However, despite a superb 107 by Jonno Absolon (2003 - 2008), they reached a total of 173 from their 35 overs. This did not prove to be formidable for the School as they reached their target with ten wickets in hand and undefeated scores of 77 and 82 by Matt St John (2005 - 2012) and Jack Beaumont (2005 present).
Golf 2012 The prizes at the annual summer meeting at Flempton went to John Yuill (1959 1967) (Gould Salver), James Clarke (1998 - 2006) (Edwards Jigger) and Jeremy Lee (1948 - 1956) (Rose Cup), his ninth win. A first autumn meeting at Stowmarket saw trophies awarded to Aaron Fletcher (1996 - 2006) (Robbins Shield) and John Gorst (1954 - 1961) (Edwards Cup). The Green Bowl for the best combined score at the two meetings was won by Jeremy Lee (1948 - 1956), 19 years since he last won this title! It was fitting that this marked Jeremy’s final season as President of the Society which he has headed with distinction and generosity for over 30 years. His successor is William Hudson (1955 - 1963).
Sir David Plastow (1946 – 1950) presents Julian Johnson-Munday with The President’s XI Cup that he commissioned for the school. The cup was created from silver originally hallmarked in 1912 by Asprey; providing a truly centenary cup.
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Welcome Back
OC visitors We have been delighted to have over 600 former pupils and staff visit us this year. Some have attended an event or come back to their School to have a personal tour and share their memories with us, often combining a walk around the fabulous grounds. Here are just some of the guests that we have enjoyed meeting:
January The Headmaster welcomed back Martin Le Grice (1967 – 1974), his wife and son Jono. They enjoyed their tour around Culford and discussed over tea the potential of Jono’s school, Knox Grammar School, Sydney, Australia taking part in a studentexchange with Culford. Martin Le Grice
February The Headmaster made his first visit to Australia this month and was overwhelmed by the warm welcome and generosity that he received from OCs who were either living or holidaying in Australia. He enjoyed meeting up with many Old Culfordians, some with their partners, during his travels to Melbourne, Tasmania and Sydney. See pages 14-15.
May Ian (J.L.) Shields (1939 – 1949) and his wife Judy visited from South Australia and took afternoon tea with Jo, the Headmaster's wife and Foundation Director, and Lesley Robinson, the School Archivist. Ian left Culford in 1949 and almost immediately set sail for Australia to become a “jackaroo”, and there he stayed, met Judy and went on to have a large family. He and Judy own a substantial amount of farming land which is managed for them as they are now retired. Before coming into the Hall they had walked around the park and visited St Mary’s Church to pay their respects to Ian's father, Herbert Donald Shields who died in 1953, and his mother, Janet Shields, who is buried with him. They also paid their respects to Ian’s late sister, Fiona Storey née Shields (EASG Year of 1952) who is buried alongside her parents. She was the wife of Christopher Storey (1951 – 57), the eldest of Dr Storey’s four sons. While at Culford, Ian and Judy took great delight in visiting the house where Ian grew up which borders the Prep School grounds. On their UK trip they caught up with two of Ian's great friends, Keith Bullock (1941 - 1948) and David Black (1941 - 1949), and also with Wendy Spencer née Skinner (Year of 1944), who was a great friend of Ian's late sister, Helen Cherry née Shields (EASG Year of 1944).
March We were delighted to welcome back over 90 alumni and friends Phil Wong (1968 – 1973) who Gaye Rynsard (1966 – 1972) gathered and Kim Rutter (1966 – 1973) for the London Drinks Reception on Thursday 8 March at the East India Club, St James’s Square. See page 13.
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Ian (J.L.) Shields (1939 – 1949) and his wife Judy
Chris Finch (1958 – 1964) also visited in May and enjoyed a tour of the building, grounds and most importantly the cellars and St Mary’s graveyard in the company of school archivist, Lesley Robinson. A Chartered Accountant who spent his whole working life in London, Chris still lives there today.
June
Speech Day
We were delighted that Maj Gen Christopher Last (1945 – 1959), Robert Black (1941 – 1951), former Chairman of Governors Sir David Plastow (1946 – 1950), and Michael Keall (1946 – 1950) pictured above were able to join us this year on Speech Day. OCs Michael Taylor (1944 – 1950), Robert Jacklin (1943 – 1953) and Simon Kiddy (1974 - 1978) were also welcome guests.
Life after Culford contributors (L – R): Sam, Flo, Joe, Cathy and Richard
Five recent leavers came back to Culford to give current Upper Sixth students an insight into ‘Life after Culford’ at a morning seminar in June. The contributors included: Richard ‘Simmo’ Simpson (2002 – 2009) currently at the University of Kent reading English Literature where he is also President of the Musical Society, Samuel Hunt (1992 – 2007) studied at East 15 Acting School and gained a BA (Hons) in Acting and Contemporary Theatre. He is now working as a professional actor and lives in London, Flo Ward (2004 – 2011) is studying Spanish at Bristol University, enjoys training 12 times per week as a rower and competes regularly, Cathy Owles (2005 – 2010) completed her Gap year in Kenya and is studying Neuroscience at Nottingham University, Joe Dodd (2004 – 2011) is studying Classics at UCL and is currently Treasurer of the Music Society. He would eventually like to work in the Foreign Office.
www.culford.co.uk/foundation
The last Saturday in June is traditionally the time of the Culford Summer Ball. It coincided with the Reunion of 1982/84 and those returning brought something special to the occasion. Many gathered for lunch by the cricket pavilion where the OCs were playing and were then taken on a tour of the new facilities and favoured haunts. Some rested before drinks on the South Front and the bands striking up after dinner. Alex Marshall (1972 - 1982) took a leading role, helping to re-enact the sights and sounds of the past, at an event which also launches the post-school lives of the Class of 2012.
2013 Events!
August The 1986/88 Reunion started in the late afternoon with a tour of the Hall and Sports Centre. The temperature a few miles to the south of Culford had soared to a record 32 degrees that day and everyone enjoyed watching the sunset with their drinks on the South terrace. It was one of those glorious Culford evenings. Jonathan Brown (1980 - 1987) was the driving force behind the event which attracted some 25 former pupils and partners. The farthest traveller was Victoria Bolam (1977 – 1986) who lives in Tokyo, where such temperatures are commonplace. The event had a special flavour owing to the convivial corporate personality of the group.
Jonathan Juby (1962 - 1968) and Brian Scott (1958 - 1966) enjoyed looking around Culford as it is now and remembering how it was. They enjoyed the summer weather, bringing their own picnic lunch which they ate on the sunny South Front before enjoying a walk around the lake and over the bridge.
This year we are making a change to the annual drinks venue and we look forward to welcoming you. This event is open to all former pupils, staff and friends of Culford.
Year of 1973 School Reunion 27 April 2013 We are delighted to announce the Year Group of 1973 Reunion, championed by Rowland Beaney and Julia Shawe-Taylor, which will take place in April 2013. Guests will have an opportunity to tour the School to see the new developments, followed by lunch and an opportunity to catch up with friends and former teachers.
Nostalgia Lunch 15 June 2013
School Reunion 1982/1984
July
London Drinks March 2013
1986/88 Reunion: Housemistress Bron Recknell with Lee Presland (1984 – 1986) Victoria Bolam (1977 – 1986) Suneet Singh (1985 – 1987)
September It was the first visit back to Culford for Robin Davy (1947 – 1954) who was surprised to see his name on the Captains’ Board in the School Library. Robin lives with his wife in Italy.
We look forward to welcoming back pupils from the 1930s, 40s, 50s and 60s. Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy lunch, musical entertainment and a tour of the School. Family members welcome. To book your ticket for any of the above events, please call the Foundation Office on 01284 385310 or email: foundation@culford.co.uk For up to date information please visit our website www.culford.co.uk/foundation
Jonathan Juby (1962 - 1968) and Brian Scott (1958 - 1966)
Robin Davy (1947 – 1954)
We are always delighted to welcome back our friends to Culford. If you would like to visit for a tour and enjoy a chat over a cup of tea, please call the Foundation Office to organise a date and book a convenient time. Our School Archivist, Lesley Robinson, will be pleased to dig out memorabilia from your year-group, given a little notice. We look forward to welcoming you soon. Please contact the Foundation Office on 01284 385310 or foundation@culford.co.uk
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2013 Dates for your Diary OC Sport Boys’ Hockey v Old Culfordians date tbc
OC London Drinks Reception Details to follow soon!
OC Reunion Year of 1973 Saturday 27 April
OC Sport Cricket v President's XI Saturday 25 May
OC Reunion and Summer Ball Years of 1989 and 1990 Saturday 29 June
Remembering Old Culfordians Looking for lost Old Culfordians one day, Culford’s Archivist, Mrs Lesley Robinson, stumbled upon a picture of a gravestone in Catania War Cemetery.
He started at Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge, reading law for a year and passing his first year examinations with honours.
It was for John Walter Metson (1931 – 1941), an OC who was tragically killed in action in Sicily. Peering a little closer, it was visible on the gravestone that the family had chosen to have Culford’s motto engraved onto the marble, a fitting tribute perhaps to show how much they were grateful to the school for helping to develop this talented young man. The gravestone reads: Viriliter Agite, Estote Fortes [Quit ye like men, be strong] “Old Culfordian”.
Described as having a ‘winning personality’, John was a popular boy at Culford and a keen participant in many sports. He was also a bit of a daredevil: a contemporary described how he scaled the heights of the stairwell and climbed beneath Culford Hall’s glass dome, then protected by a suspended fabric mat, there to protect the Hall (and boys!) from falling glass in the event of bombing.
Son of Walter, a solicitor, and Ethel Metson of Brewery House, Littleport, near Cambridge, John had a brilliant career ahead of him for one so young.
A Second Lieutenant, John died on 1st August 1943 aged 19, leading his platoon along the edge of roads bombarded with heavy mortar and machine-gun fire, in the shadow of Mount Etna.
OC Charity Cricket Match The Corney Cup Saturday 20 July
Tea for Two Thursday 10 October
OC Sport Rugby: Headmaster's XV v Old Culfordians November/December date tbc For more information about the events above, please contact us: Tel: 01284 385310 Email: foundation@culford.co.uk
Photo credit: www.wikisicily.com/catania
The Foundation Team (L – R): Kirsten Perry, Jo Johnson-Munday, Lesley Robinson and Samantha Salisbury.
The Culford Foundation makes reasonable efforts to include current and accurate information in FOCuS but makes no warranties or representations as to the accuracy of the published content. News of former pupils and colleagues is always welcome; please do keep in touch. Photo credits: Wendy Turner, Warren Page, CCTV News
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The Foundation Office, Culford School, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP28 6TX Tel: 01284 385310 Email: foundation@culford.co.uk