'AM WRITING these notes on the day that the Education Secretary resigned after a few months .of what must have been intolerable pressure. Many would have little sympathy with someone at whose door they would lay the blame for the chaos of this summer's exam marking at A level followed by an unimpressive cover-up, the turmoil at the start of term when thousands of teachers who had not had been checked against police records were unable to go into school, and a more recent row about the selection policies of many universities which, responding to sticks and carrots from the government, rely on the postcodes of potential candidates before their achievements when they offer places. And yet most of us in education have considered Estelle Morris to be a person of integrity who did her best, and, among other things, tried hard to establish links with the independent sector and admired the excellence that so many schools like King's have done their best to promote in areas such as music, sport, technology and art. However, she inherited a department that had long been over-politicised as part of a government that seems to believe that the only way to raise standards is to look for things that are measurable and then make them the things that matter. The old adage that "education is that which remains when one has forgotten everything one learnt at school" would, perhaps, simply elicit puzzled looks or even contempt at the DES. I hope that if people look back on these annals some years hence, they will say "It is as well that we learnt from the mistakes of the early years of the twenty-first century and decided to hand back education to educationalists" (and I don't mean Professors of Education since they have often been the problem!). If the government were gracious enough to have one major change of heart, I hope it would be to abandon the attempt to stay ahead of Turkey, Mexico and Italy towards the bottom of the League Table for the percentage of the population in Further Education in so-called developed countries, and to admit that spending three years in a mediocre university, getting into debt and having no worthwhile qualification at the end if it all is not in the best interests of many school leavers who would have been much better off learning practical skills in a worthwhile profession.
And so to matters closer to home. If anyone has had a good feel for the national education scene from a King's perspective over the last few decades, it has been Tim Hickson, recently retired from King's after forty years at the school, and many of those as Second Master. Tribute has rightly been paid to him on a number of important occasions in recent months and
in this magazine too. He has been a champion of the things that matter most in education, including inspirational teaching, respect for young people, giving them space to grow and to learn from experience and setting them challenges that stretch but do not dishearten. He has had a tremendous influence for good at King's and will remain, I know, a close and supportive friend to all of us here. I know that he enjoyed the fact that his final year was one of phenomenal sporting success in Rugby, Netball, Rowing and Cricket in particular. You can read of this in the pages that follow. As a great promoter of Young Enterprise, he was delighted that we once again had a company that made it to the National Finals in London. In fact this was another typical King's year of broad-based success and fulfilment from the Sportsmark Gold Award to regional success for our Youth Parliament and Junior Quiz teams, another stunning series of concerts, a charity leg-waxing spectacle, the Moulin Rouge Ball for the parents and a highly successful school fete. These are just a few of the headlines.
The re-opening of the so-called New Building (after a major make-over inside and out) as the Annett Building, a new base for Maths and PE, was another major step forward in our aim to bring all teaching accommodation at the three foundation schools up to the highest standards. A new Kindergarten at Hawford and a new Library at St Alban's were the other high-profile developments of the year but were complemented by smaller projects in many other areas. Now we are working on a new Music School and major improvements to the playground and will then move on to a project of huge significance in raising still higher the academic profile of King's: a new library at the heart of the school.
I mentioned on King's Day that other King's Schools across the country (there are six or seven similar foundations) have been causing ripples recently: one by refusing to submit details of its exam results for the League Tables ("Bravo", you may say!), one for abolishing its library as having no purpose in this day and age (which is, to my mind, misguided in the extreme) and one for abolishing Rugby for fear of litigation. We may all have different views on these matters. I am simply happy to commend to you evidence, in the pages that follow, of a year when nothing significant, so far as I can recall, was abolished but, rather, a great deal was done positively and much of this as well if not better than ever before.
T.H.K.
Dum'ng theyenr the following members of the Common Room lqt
was also a Governor of Hawford and later played an the school: important part in the amalgamation of Hawford Lodge (later King's Hawford) with The King's School. His Tim Hickson
Arriving in 1962, TDRH soon established himself as a gifted schoolmasterentertaining, erudite, and catholic in scope, lessons were wide-ranging and pupils, 'boys' until 1971, were expected to keep up - attention to detail and high expectations were the order of the day, something also reflected in his approach to athletics
thorough, analytical, yet caring approach made him many more friends as he worked with groups such as King's and Queen's Scholars, the Monitors and the Food Committee, all the while supporting his daughters Kate and Lizzy through their schooling at King's. Tirn and Sheanagh were also regular attenders at just about anything going on at school - rowing, rugby, music, drama, as well as those (in)famous Development Balls and others.
During all of this Tirn has been a friend, not only to us the staff, but also to past students of the school, parents, and the many other people with links to the School, something only comes from being in a place for a serious amount of time. Serious, but fun.coaching during those 7i'm
If life begins at forty, Tirn has certainly earned his new early years. I later remem- beginning. ber David Annett (Headmaster, 59-79) saying to me that he was lucky to have Tirn and that he had had no hesitation in appointing him Head of Department at the first opportunity. When I first came to King's on teaching practice, climbing the stairs of the Winslow Building one day with tutor Maurice Tebbutt, we could here some lively teaching going on on the top floor, "Ah, Tim Hickson in full flight" Maurice observed wistfully.
As Head of Department, here too were high expectations but through encouragement and supportvery much carrots without the sticks. 'Physics is Fun' was the theme and it was all of that - the excitement of the new Nuffield courses (King's was one of the trial schools for the new A level) was still there when I came to the school as the junior member of a thriving department, with Tim Watson teaching much of his Physics through examples drawn from rowing (and the oar in particular), and Trevor Bailey who, under Tim's guidance, worked magic in the production of many 'home made' teaching tools, not least the famous Left Hand Rule kit (with a Right Hand one for those who needed it). Tirn not only inspired the pupils and the members of the department but also the many who attended his Nuffield A Level Physics Summer School (we shall never forget that 'extra extra bit') at University College Worcester (then WCHE), in addition to his work as a guest Physics lecturer around the world, not least in Papua, New Guinea. His continued friendship with John Lewis of Malvern College built on the earlier work with Nuffield Physics and lead to King's being a trial school for another exciting and innovative course, the Diploma of Achievement, for which Tirn worked hard and produced many ideas and materials. It was around this time that Tim's daughter Fran was a sixth former in College House.
Though we were saddened when Tirn left as Head of Department to take up his appointment as Second Master, this gave him a wide and varied remit which he grasped with characteristic vigour and enthusiasm. Tirn
Julian Thould
Taking up the challenge of being the first full time Director of Studies at King's under a Headmaster who had been a distinguished Chairman of the HMC Academic policy Committee, must have been a daunting prospect, but it was one to which Julian rose admirably. His phenomenal capacity for hard work, his excellent grasp of the complexities of the English educational system and his willingness to take decisions and stick with them, all helped him become a key figure in the Senior Management Team. He provided decisive leadership in the Heads of Department meetings and was instrumental in transforming the Acadernic Committee into a key policy making body - comparisons with the Politburo? The fine Inspection Report received by King's in 1999 was in large measure the result of the enormous amount of planning and groundwork carried out by Julian. Perhaps Southampton could loan him back to us when our next Inspection is due.
In the classroom Julian was a very capable and talented History teacher who quickly established an excellent rapport with students of all ages. His lessons were always well constructed, entertaining and backed up by detailed and informative hand-outs. His catch phrases became standard throughout the school"happy bunnies", "number crunching": "briefly four points" and numerous others, have became established in King's folk-lore. The length and quality of his end of
Hickson (photo: Angela I,loydlJamrs)
J.M.R.
term reports put most of us to shame: they reflected Julian's exceptional diligence and his wide ranging knowledge. I am not sure if any Lower Fourths ever did dip into Descartes or Gibbon, but it was not for want of encouragement. As Head of History I found Julian a source of constant support, and someone who offered advice when asked but never tried to impose, even though he himself had been a distinguished Head of Department at Cranleigh
Julian oversaw UCAS applications and was very successful in regularising the Oxbridge application system and in adapting it to the ever changing criteria laid down by the various colleges. His contacts and knowledge of the University world are first class and his advice to Sixth Form students at King's was always sound and invariably beneficial to the individual concerned.
As a colleague Julian was a well respected and greatly admired member of staff. Being a member of the Senior Management and the Common Room is not always easy, yet Julian balanced the differing demands and potential clashes of loyalty with calm authority and good sense. He is an entertaining conversationalist - his range of interests is truly eclectic ; I even remember discussing Welsh rugby with him on one occasion. He was a great supporter of the arts at King's, and was exceptionally fond of the Keys Society concerts: I suspect there might be a development on similar lines at Southampton.
Soon after Julian's arrival it was apparent that such a talented individual would be likely to move onto higher things and his appointment as Headmaster of King I Edward's Southampton was no surprise. Our thanks to him for everything he did at King's, and our very best wishes to ,Julian, Jane and the children in their new I home and schools.
P.T.G.
Andy Guest
When Ian Brown told me fifteen years ago that he had appointed a young international canoeist to join the already ageing PE department I must admit that I wasn't that impressed. At a time when other schools like ours were taking on former international rugby players and cricketers to boost their coaching expertise it seemed a nonsense to miss the opportunity to do the same.
Andy Guest of course turned out to more than just a chap who'd represented GB in a canoe and the school has benefited enormously from his ability as an all-round sportsman, his energy and patience as a teacher and his imagination and dedication as a coach.
He quickly became involved in many areas of the life of the school, teaching PE and Games, coaching rugby and rowing, and becoming an Assistant Tutor in one of the boarding houses. It soon became pretty clear however that he wanted to 'run his own show' and it wasn't long before he was master in charge of rowing. I'm afraid I've never really appreciated the attractions of the sport but even I could marvel at firstly the time and effort Andy put in to get the club in the order he wanted it, and secondly at the skill and commitment he displayed (particularly with girls' rowing) at achieving standards and successes with the club which were to gain the school national recognition. As well as pioneering what is now a popular and successful A level PE course at King's, as the new Head of PE one of Andy's first tasks was to prepare the department for the school inspection by co-ordinating and compiling the paperwork (never a strong point) and cajoling and convincing his colleagues (perhaps his most difficult job) of the importance and necessity of creating schemes of work in each and every area at Key Stages 2, 3 and 4. The groundwork he did at this stage was surely instrumental in the school being recently awarded the prestigious Sportsmark Gold award.
As a sportsman himself Andy was one of those people who just happen to be good at a sport without much effort or practice. A natural, in other words. An expert skier, Andy could bowl a mean away swinger in staff cricket matches, put in lively scrum-half performances for the Schoolmasters' XV, put everyone to shame in the fitness centre - and still be an international canoeist. He also taught D.T.!
The school is indebted to him for his massive contribution to PE and Games - I've really only just scratched the surface of what he did here in those fifteen years. We'll miss his good-natured friendship, his lycra shorts and his notices, and we all wish him, .lane, Sam and Kim well in their new venture at Yarm School.
D.P.I.
Jane Guest
When Jane said she was moving to Yarm School with Andy, it seemed at the time she had been here for about five years. It was only three. Such was the level of her commitment that she quickly became part of 'the furniture'. Having gained experience at Nunnery Wood, she taught one Lower Remove (year 9) Set 3 for each of those three years and did it very well. Whenever I observed her she would spend most of her time giving help to those who seemed to need it. So popular was she that there were calls by parents for her to continue with their children in the Upper Remove. Unfortunately, she was timetabled for only one Maths set per year and that was in the Lower Remove. She made a valued contribution to the Department in her three years with us for which we thank her.
E.R.
Sarah Simojoki
We said farewell in July to Sarah Simojoki, who joined us in September 1999. First as a full time member of the English Department and, latterly, as a part time R.E. teacher, Sarah was a person whose warm personality and enthusiasm for her subjects ensured her popularity with students and colleagues. She and her husband have recently moved to America, where he will study and Sarah intends to devote her energies to looking after her family: she is now the proud mother of a baby daughter.
S.P.G.
Philip Baldwin
Philip had been with us for two and a half years when he got an offer he could not refuse from Rugby School and left us to become Head of Modern Languages there. During his time at King's he got involved in many different area of the school. He coached football, played what apparently passes for football on a Friday evening with his colleagues, and he was an enthusiastic member of the choir, an interest he could not pursue as much as he would have liked. He was an Assistant House tutor in Chappel and had a reputation for being firm but fair. Within the department, he was a constant source of challenging ideas and his unflagging energy put some of us to shame! He had a seemingly inexhaustible supply of worksheets for any and every topic and grammar point in German which was a godsend to those of us who were teaching the subject for the first time in many years. He was a keen supporter of trips abroad, ranging from the exchange with Kleve to an exhausting twenty-four hour trip to the Christmas market in Cologne. Not many people give up a successful career in the law to become a teacher, but Philip did so with a great deal of enthusiasm and success. We wish him and his family every happiness in Rugby.
K.A.
Richard Davies
Richard joined King's in September 2001 from the Glasgow Academy to teach Physics. His impressive 'action-man' credentials (international rower, rugby player, mountain leader, bagpipe player) made him a valuable and versatile addition to the Common Room. He threw himself into life here at King's, coaching Lower Remove rugby, helping with Lower Remove camps, having his legs shaved for charity, and even teaching a few physics lessons! Richard impressed with his conscientious and professional approach to everything he did and we wish him success as he returns north of the border to take up a position as Deputy Head of Sixth Form at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh.
Susan Bayford
Susan joined us on a part-time basis in October 2000, when we needed a classics teacher in a hurry, and we were very glad to get so experienced and knowledgeable a classicist at such short notice. She was able to teach the whole range of courses thatwere required, from Latin in the junior forms to GCSE and A-Level Classical Civilisation units in Greek Tragedy, Pompeii and Greek Architecture. Her keen interest both in the ancient world and in her pupils made her a caring as well as an efficient teacher. She would talk knowledgeably about many aspects of the subject, preferring the substance of academic content to the modern distractions of computers and Power Point etc, and she could also talk with great insight about her various pupils. As well as classroom teaching, she helped with great enthusiasm in the school archives, even getting hold of some material on her own initiative. Many pupils will be grateful to her for her conscientious teaching and care.
R.N.G.S.
The Common Room has welcomed thefollowing members of staff over the year:
Alistair Macnaughton joins the school as Second Master. Educated at Trinity College, Glenalmond, St Andrews, Edinburgh and Princeton universities, Alistair began teaching English at Sherborne in 1988, taught English and was Head of Drama at Charter- 1 house and more recently has been Head of English at Stewart's Melville College in Edinburgh. He and his wife Rebecca have three children and he loves reading, walking the hills and forests, good wine, Cornwall, France and beautiful gardens, 'though only if I don't have to do the gardening.' He's also passionate about all things Scottish, and rugby.
In April Russell Baum arrived as the new Director of Studies. Russ was previously at Wisbech Grammar School for eleven years where he was Head of Physics and for the last four years also Director of Studies. 'Pre-children' interests include mountaineering and hill walking, all over the UK and the French Alps. Orienteering has been a pastime for many years and he also keeps fit by running, doing occasional half-marathons and fell races. Russ took up computing in recent years and likes to dabble with hardware and software. He and his wife Rhiannon (see below) have two daughters, both at King's Junior Schools.
D.J.H.
Richard Ball is the new Head of
Caroline Hibberdjoined the school Modern Languages. Prior to his in January to teach Modern arrival here he was Head of Languages. She read German at German at Radley College for five Goldsmith's College, University of years, having graduated from London and before starting at Cambridge University and having King's Caroline taught at Pershore taught for three years at Canford High School, where she ran School. Among his interests language trips and exchanges and Richard includes travel, walking, helped out in the PE department. current affairs, Bavarian Beer Her interests include running, hillFestivals, the Alps and good food walking, hockey, horse riding and and drink. travel.
Rhiannon Baum joins the school as an ICT technician. She graduated from Clare College, Cambridge (where she met Russ) and decided to give computing a try, spending several years as a programmer and data base analyst with Yorkshire Bank. She has since acquired an FE teacher's certificate and has worked as an IT teacher in an FE college and Wisbech Grammar School. Hobbies include hillwalking, running and music.
A newcomer to the Physics department is Katren Bishop, who is to teach part-time. Following degrees at Warwick and Birmingham, Katren trained as a medical physicist and worked in radiotherapy in hospitals in Liverpool and then Birmingham. She decided to enter teaching two years ago and after her PGCE taught at Haybridge School, Hagley. She enjoys cycling, tennis, swimming and is a keen singer and church organist.
The new school Librarian is Pauline Chislett who was Librarian at St Edward's School, Oxford before coming here. She's looking forward to helping to plan the new school library, 'though Edgar Tower is great - straight out of Hogwarts!' Pauline has worked in both public and academic libraries and she also does freelance research work. Naturally enough one of her hobbies is reading and others she lists as walking and escaping with her husband to their house in Devon
Alison Hines is the school's new Head of Mathematics. Having graduated from Southampton University she taught in various schools, including two years at the British School of Brussels, before becoming Head of Maths at Malvern Girls' College until the birth of her son. Alison returned to teaching at St Mary's Convent School as Head of Maths in January 2001. She is a keen supporter of Worcestershire CCC and tries to get to as many matches as possible.
Daniel Jones has joined the Religious Education department. He completed an M. The01 at the University of St Andrews before taking his PGCE at Durham. Daniel has a keen interest in church music, both as a singer and an organist, and having been involved in fencing for the last ten years he is now training to coach the sport. In his spare time he enjoys reading and still occasionally gets the chance to read some theology!
Diane Law has arrived to teach Classics. She graduated from St Andrews University and completed her PGCE at Cambridge, spending the last two terms teaching at Oakham School. Diane enjoys drama, taking part in many productions at school and university, eventually taking a production to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1999. She enjoys many types of sport, especially horse riding, where she has had a degree of success competing in Scotland. She hopes that she and Buster (her horse) will be just as successful here over the next year.
Jonathan Mason has been appointed Director of Sport. He lived in America for a year before graduating from Loughborough University in Sports Science - he also completed his PGCE there. His previous teaching post was at The Robert Smyth School in Leicestershire and his hobbies, naturally enough, are all sports (particularly rugby and football), and travelling.
Joining the History department is Nicola Sears who is to teach part time. Completing her PGCE with the Open University, Nicola taught for six years in Cambridgeshire and she and her husband moved to Worcester a year ago. She has three children and during any spare time she has she enjoys renovating their house, gardening and hill-walking.
Esther Nightingale is to be the school's Artist in Residence. Having studied for her BA in Fine Art at Kingston University she spent two years in Hull where she was the Education Officer at a contemporary visual arts gallery. She has exhibited her own work in London and in Hull and has carried out portrait commissions for art collectors and enthusiasts. When not painting her interests include visiting art galleries, attending jazz gigs and playing the didgeridoo.
Keith Tribe has arrived as a part time teacher of Business Studies. He has joined King's from Keele University where he was Reader in Economics. During the 1980s he was Visiting Research Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for History in Gottingen where he studied the development of economic thought in Germany from the 1750s to the 1950s. He also works as a professional translator. He is a keen veteran rower with Worcester Rowing Club, enjoys photography, has an interest in early music and likes Border Collies and Italian motorcycles.
Alison Scaiff
Alison died peacefully after a long illness borne with courage, strength and humour She joined the King's School library in 1995. Her sympathetic and kindly approach to all the pupils endeared her to many, especially pupils lower down the school who were often shmt on conjidence. She was a wonderful sounding board for ideas and would use her wealth of knowledge to develop their potential.
Alison was also a keen musician and helped with several musical productions and also accompanied Creighton House for several years in the House Song competition. A full obituary will be appear in next year S magazine.
Pauline Wright
The Contingent went from strength to strength this year: numbers of those attending regularly increased, there were successful camps at Easter and in the Summer and new initiatives such as the regular newsletter, "Flying Firm". After a change in CCF policy, for the first time Upper Fourths were able to join the Contingent and several had almost their first taste of the CCF at Army Section Summer Camp at Nesscliff. In future we plan to invite members of the Upper Fourth to join the contingent from Easter onwards each year, thereby preparing them more fully for participation in the Summer Camps, should they wish to attend.
The year began with an addition to the officer strength: Captain Maund joined the School and the Contingent from Queen Mary's Grammar School in Walsall. He quickly assumed the role of Training Officer for the Army Section, allowing Captain Featherstone to change, chameleon-like, from green to blue and take up the role of Training Officer for the RAF Section as a Flight Lieutenant.
Every two years, each CCF contingent undergoes an Inspection from a Senior Regular Officer of one of the three services. Our Biennial had been postponed as a result of the Foot and Mouth Crisis to December and so it was that the Contingent was visited "in the field" by our own Brigade Commander. The Brigadier spent some considerable time talking with cadets as they participated in the sorts of activity that a location like Nesscliff Training Area allows.
As usual, the contingent took part in many of the district and regional competitions that are run for CCF. Details of these follow, but the teams acquitted themselves well in every event in which they participated. Particular success was celebrated at the District Skill at Arms Competition during the summer term, where the team beat twenty-five other CCF and ACF teams to win the Falling Plate Competition; this is the truest test of teamwork in shooting and it is typical of the team spirit in our Contingent that we should be victorious in this event.
Among other highlights of the year was the very successful adventure training camp at Llanbedr, near Harlech in North Wales. This week of hill-walking, climbing, kayaking and high-ropes work was a feat of administration and was described by the regular soldiers who provided the expertise for the activities as the best organised and most enjoyable cadet adventure training exercise in which they had participated.
As with so many of the year's achievements, the success came from a combination of hard work, experience and organisation on the part of the officers and cooperation, enthusiasm and commitment from the cadets. Thanks must go to the support staff, SSgt 'Wurz' Reeves and Sgt 'Jonesy' Jones, whose considerable assistance and commitment has enabled us to be so successful. All this will mean that the Contingent will be driven on to greater success in the future.
During half-term twenty three cadets and three officers from the Contingent enjoyed an excellent week of adventure training at the National Air Cadets Adventure Training Centre on the North Welsh coast at Llanbedr, near Harlech.
Upon arrival on Saturday afternoon, the party travelled to the swimming pool in Porthmadoc for the swimming test prior to kayaking, followed by recreational swimming. Next morning dawned grey and threatening rain but, with good King's enthusiasm, the party travelled to Snowdonia. A faster and slower party each began its ascent of the highest mountain in Wales but driving rain and gales halted the climb some 150m below the summit. All returned to the cafk at Pen-y-Pass to begin the process of drying out (although some of our kit was still wet three days later, despite the best efforts of the drying rooms!).
On Monday the circus of three activities began. A day was spent climbing and abseiling, either indoors, if the weather was inclement, at the excellent Beacon Climbing Centre near Carnarvon, or outdoors at Barmouth Slabs. Kayaking instruction began at Llyn Cwm Bychan and moved in the afternoon to the North Welsh surf on the coast; some were less enthusiastic than others to begin with but the infectious enthusiasm of the instructor soon had everyone paddling through the foam! The high rope confidence course at Tremadoc was so challenging it made most theme park rides seem tame by comparison.
Thursday brought better than ever weather and an orienteering treasure hunt - several checkpoints to visit and items to collect, ranging from a dog's pawprint to an image of Worcester cathedral. On Friday the centre was quickly cleared and cleaned before a thankfully uneventful visit to the dry ski slope at Rhiw Goch. With that final activity over, it was time to depart for Worcester as a most successful week's training drew to its close. The success of the week was due to tireless and thorough
and execution, the expertise and enthusiasm
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of the Regular Army instructors, the excellent catering and the cadets' readiness to take part with good humour and determination.
This was a Night Exercise of Reconnaissance Patrols at Swynnerton Training Area near Stafford, organised and run by SSgt Reeves from the Cadet Training Team.
The first task on arrival was establishing the harbour area, completed with the aid of vehicle headlights in steadily increasing rain. Once 'bashas' had been erected, rations were prepared and eaten before Orders by SSgt Reeves.
Three patrols then left on separate routes to recce a suspected enemy location. The routes were to follow established roadways and contact with other patrols or vehicles was to be avoided at all costs.
Navigation was not the strongest point of any of the patrols; two out of the three also seemed to have some difficulty identifying the difference between a metalled road and a muddy track through a very muddy crosscountry driving course! However, all patrols returned safely, if a little late and mud-stained and the night phase of the exercise was concluded.
Next morning, each of the Sections ran through the Combat Assault Course showing great determination, commitment and teamwork, despite the real challenges presented by some of the obstacles. Once this final task had been completed, the party returncd to Worcester.
Thirteen cadets opted to improve their map reading skills by taking part in Exercise Worcester Wanderers on Friday 3rd May. The evening's weather varied from bright and sunny to overcast and showery; however the three teams made good time in navigating their way around the Malvern Hills and reached the RV in just one and half hours. Peculiarly, or not if you know the characters involved, all three teams managed to meet up and travel in one 'lump', despite being set off at different points around Malvern - it must be their magnetic personalities (or sheep-like tendencies!). On their way they had discovered a new technique of negotiating downhill slopes - sliding face down on their
waterproofs! Fortunately they only encountered 'natural waste' obstacles and nothing more solid!
Capt Maund, Flt Lt Featherstone and SSgt Reeves raced up to the Worcester Beacon to watch the teams make their final ascent in the failing light, and to give them their next tasking! Each team was provided with a means of communication (one of the new portable hand-held radios) and the DS found it a useful way to organise long distance PT with a quick "Hurry up! Double in!" from SSgt Reeves. They were impressed to see the 'blob formation' suddenly spring into action for 150 metres, before slowing to a walk again. At the top of the Worcester Beacon the teams were given their new tasking, and they set off to RV with the minibus. Once again, despite being set off at intervals they clumped together within two minutes, this time in order to set an ambush for the DS! It would have worked if it hadn't been for the giggles and "ssshhhhh!"'s emanating from the undergrowth. Finally at 2145hrs the groups met at the final RV and set off for home, a little damp but jubilant at having completed their takings.
This competition comprises of an inspection of equipment and weapons, an assault course and Forced March of five kilometres, and a scored shoot on the 30m range. The team of eight included CSM Emily PhillipsBroadhurst, Sgts Cameron Baldry and Rob Colquhoun, Cpls Richard and William Jones, LCpl David Richardson and Cadets Ben Baghdadi, and Duncan Colquhoun, with Cadet Tom Carr as reserve.
We arrived before our specified start time; the first challenge was presented by one of the team who was feeling decidedly unwell. The CSM had come along as the Reserve, since she "...doesn't do physical.. . " but she stepped into the breach as one would expect of a senior rank and provided an excellent example for all. In the Inspection Phase we scored full marks (Cameron's delay in opening his pouch covering the one particular deficiency which would have lost us five marks) and, after a short delay we moved to the Assault Course and Forced March. All members of the team showed great grit and determination on both parts and the
performance on the Forced March was sufficient to overtake one of our local rivals on the course. For one who claimed not to be physical, Emily led the team along the final straight of the run with impressive commitment.
In the Shoot phase it was no surprise that we produced a very impressive performance, with a number of excellent shots in the group, being sixth overall. Our final position of ninth put us ahead of a number of our old rivals; what is more important is that we were there, we took part and we acquitted ourselves well.
A team of eight competed in the Brigade Skill at Arms Meeting on Sunday 12th May at Kingsbury Ranges near Tamworth. In the morning we suffered mixed fortunes: the shooting was indicated as scoring well while in progress, but the results sent up later from the Butts for recording were very poor - several firers apparently failed to score at all! In the Pairs Shoot, our first pair of Robert Colquhoun and Ben Baghdadi nevertheless acquitted themselves well against stiff competition. After a long wait for the afternoon firing, enlivened by some background activity involving attempted escape from locked cubicles, justice for the morning's scores was finally done in the Falling Plate competition where the team as a whole came into its own. The Falling Plate is the most thorough test of teamwork in shooting, working as a team, head to head against another unit, to knock down a set of targets before the other team. The King's team improved in each round, with firers who, apparently, couldn't hit the proverbial barn door in the morning, beating everyone in sight in the afternoon. We beat WRGS in the quarter-finals and Malvern College in the semis - despite the fact that Malvern had swept the board in almost every other aspect of the meeting. We
then met Denstone in the final, whom we beat convincingly, winning the competition for best CCF out of the thirteen in the Brigade. We then competed against the best Army Cadet Force unit, whom we also beat, thereby being the best overall out of the twenty-five teams in the Falling Plate competition. The team comprised of Mark Southam (captain), Ben Baghdadi, Cameron Baldry, Tom Carr, Duncan Colquhoun, Robert Colquhoun, Jamie Wallis and Peter Winstanley, who each received a medal in addition to the team trophy.
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Twenty-one members of the contingent, from both Army and RAF sections, attended this year's Central Camp at Nesscliff in Shropshire from Saturday 13th to Friday 19th July. Although Nesscliff is a place we know well from Exercises, Competitions and last year's Inspection, the training provided by the local Cadet Training Teams was excellent and made for a challenging and enjoyable week.
After the sudden shock of an early morning run on the Sunday morning - fortunately the only morning on which such Physical Training was compulsory - the camp began with a day of training in military tactics run by the camp staff. After this preparation, the contingent officers took over, running a thirty hour exercise from Monday morning until Tuesday lunchtime. This involved the cadets in an intelligence gathering and escape and evasion exercise through the heat of Monday, then establishing harbour areas and celebrating the birthdays of two of the contingent in the field, before a night ambush and morning attack. With the volume of blank rounds and pyrotechnics expended during the exercise, one of the cadets in question said it was his best birthday ever although the other was not so sure. We were most fortunate with the weather
Lowrr Fourth Ar/ivi/y 1)rijs
throughout the camp but particularly during this time in the field.
Wednesday was spent kayaking and canoeing at Ellesmere before the rigours of Competitions Day on Thursday - a room inspection, an assault course competition, a speed-march and a shooting competition tested the contingent to the full, although we were very successful in all aspects. The final morning of the camp was spent climbing on the climbing wall in camp before departure to Worcester at lunchtime.
Three cadets, Cpl James Delin, Cpl Gavin Forbes and Cdt Charlie Cliff, accompanied by SRD, attended the Easter Camp at RAF Brampton situated near Wyton, Cambridgeshire. After a rather relaxed start to the camp it was soon clear that the early mornings were beginning to take their toll on the cadets.
The week started with a lot of drill practice on the Parade Square, as a prelude to the drill competition scheduled for the end of the week. The majority of the other activities took place off base - these included visits to the Imperial War Museum at Duxford, the Safety Equipment Section at RAF Wattisham, and the Pathfinder Museum at RAF Wyton. In addition to these visits there were the more 'traditional' events including the chance to go flying in a Tutor, shooting live rounds on a twenty-five metre range, and a night recce exercise centred round a very dark and hard surfaced RAF Wyton.
In the little free time they had available to them, the cadets took the opportunity to go shopping in Peterborough and spent their evenings relaxing (and romancing!) in the Common Room.
From the 13th to the 20th of July twelve cadets from the RAF Section attended Summer Camp at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire. The first two days were taken up with briefings, navigation exercises and sports competitions as there was very little happening on the base during the weekend. On Monday all the cadets had chance to go on both the mission simulator and the cockpit simulator for the E-3D AWACS aircraft. After many crashes some cadets were able to land the simulator, which was no mean feat. In addition to this we had chance to look around the AWACS aircraft in depth. Thanks to the large NATO Exercise Nomad many visiting aircraft from other European nations were present. Everybody enjoyed being shown round the F16, F-18, Mirages and Tornadoes and some had the chance to go into the cockpit. A visit to the armoury allowed us to inspect the new SA 80 A2 as well as play with night sights and have a go at taking apart GPMGs. A day at nearby RAF Coningsby was spent shooting and visiting the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and being able to see the Lancaster up close with engines running was a definite highlight. Flying on the new Tutor was undertaken at RAF Cranwell and there was the opportunity for some cadets to fly on the Jetstream Turboprop aircraft over the North Sea.
On the second to last night of the Camp everybody participated in an excellently planned night exercise where you had to infiltrate an enemy base and recover a new missile seeker head. The final day was taken up by a visit to the Fire Section, the final drill competition and an afternoon in Lincoln. Steven Humphries was awarded Best Cadet at the prize giving on the final night and a trip down to the NAAFI bar rounded off an enjoyable week for everybody involved.
N.F./A:J.M.M.
The Award Scheme was offered to students at Bronze, Silver and Gold levels. A comprehensive expedition training programme took place throughout the year. Many areas of the country were explored on the various training and qualifying expeditions undertaken. The Gold Award group visited the Harlech Dome and The Lake District, The Silver Group visited South Wales and The Peak District and the Bronze expeditioners visited the Wyre Forest and Long Mynd areas. Opportunities were provided for participants to complete the Service section of the Award in a variety of interesting and constructive ways and support was given to assist in the completion of the skills and physical recreation sections. What follows is a description of the third day of a Gold Expedition in the Lake District undertaken by Lucy Pollock, Rachel Lawrence, Tim Barnby, Richard Joyce, Lucy Procter-Nicholls and Emily Phillips-Broadhurst. "This was our longest and most difficult day by some way. The morning was especially tough as we had a very long way to go to our first stopping point. Chat within the group kept everyone going despite the fairly tough terrain and some large blisters, not a good combination. Before reaching the farm that we were to stop at we rescued a small lamb that was stuck in a fence and had obviously been separated from its mother. This was a heart-warming experience for many members of the group and almost brought a tear to my eye. We soon reached a reservoir and began to climb a difficult path along its bank. After much struggling we eventually reached the road. It was only when we had reached the end of the reservoir that we could see the enormity of the task that still lay ahead of us. We were already tired and still had a huge climb up a steep hill to complete.
We kept a steady pace and eventually reached what we thought was the summit, but our spirits plummeted as we realised that we were only about halfway up the hill. After more extreme hard work we reached Tarn Lake where we all tucked into our lunch.
After lunch our pace quickened as the path progressed down the valley towards our campsite for the night. Shortly after departing Tim developed a severe nose-bleed. It is possible that this was caused by our rather long lunch break although this is by no means certain. Fortunately he recovered quickly and was able to complete the journey to the campsite. After such a long day we had looked forward to the campsite. As soon as we arrived we were noticed by the midges who attacked before Tim could get the repellent out of his rucksack. I spent most of the evening in the tent avoiding further bites! "
This may not sound like the most pleasant experience but the following comments from the end of the journey explain why it is such a great experience.
"Finishing the expedition has left me feeling proud and with a pair of nicely toned legs and I'm definitely pleased that I took part."
" I feel that I have learnt a lot and my character has become stronger for the experience. I also think that I have made some good friends whom I am sure I will keep in touch with for years to come. All members of the group discovered new levels of endurance. It is difficult to put into words how close the group has become and to explain the strength of the bond between the various members of the group. A great experience."
J.T.W.
This year saw the departure of three senior A team members, one of whom was Andrew Thompson, the club captain, who had been a stalwart of the shooting club for the past five years; we wish him every success in the future.
One team was entcred into the British Schools League during the Autumn term 2001, Whilst five new potentialmarkspersons were trained to form a B team which would compete in the Lent term 2002.
Results
Autumn 2001 A team
Andrew Thompson Capt.
Ben Baghdadi
Robert Colquhoun
Mark Southam
Peter Brown
Finished in fourth place in division 4 B team
Cameron Baldry
Duncan Colquhoun
Laura Hughes
Rebecca Somers
Henry Smith
The A team competed in section A division 4, and did very well to finish in second place. There were six teams in the division.
The B team competed in section B division 4, also finishing in second place. Duncan Colquhoun (the third of the Colquhoun brothers to represent the school) was division top shot. There were seven teams in the division. Peter Brown, Robert Colquhoun and Andrew Thompson represented the county reserves at junior level. The competition was over ten rounds against five other counties and the Worcestershire team won the competition. Robert Colquhoun was selected to represent the English Schools National team, which won its match against Scotland.
R. Hinds
The Climbing Club, comprising of about fifteen regular and up to thirty occasional members, met on Wednesdays and Saturdays throughout most of the year. All have shown improved technique and were often observed challenging each other to find new and harder routes up our own wall. Many novices were developing into competent climbers while the older and more experienced have gained sufficient confidence to join local climbing clubs. Trips to Martley have been popular with all ages, although the experience of a real crag was hard to beat for those also involved in the Himalayan Club during their training in the Lake District in the summer. S.C.C.
We were lucky to begin the Autumn Term with some able sailors including Henry Watson, Rachel Lawrence, Henry Simms and Matt Middleton, allowing some good racing on the River Avon at Bredon's Norton where the Sailing Club has been based for the past twenty years. Good winds and mild conditions allowed the season to keep going until floods hit again in November and, when sailing began again in April, there was some excellent sailing through the Summer Term. As Captain of Sailing, Henry Watson proved to be not only a skilled helmsman in just about any wind, even in what might be described as marginal conditions (over twenty-five knots) for river sailing, but also a loyal and able leader, using his quiet but effective approach in all matters of organisation both on and off the water.
I am pleased to be able to hand over a thriving Sailing Club after twenty-seven years in post as Master in Charge
of Sailing and hope that the Club's return to the County Youth Sailing Centre at Upton Warren will allow the Club to continue to thrive, providing our students with those special challenges which only sailing can offer
J.M.R.
Chess Club on Tuesdays was very well attended throughout the year, and positions on the Junior Ladder keenly contested! Junior and Senior matches were played against three local schools on a home-and-away basis. Results were disappointing to start but improved as the season progressed. The seniors were soundly beaten at RGS Worcester in their first fixture but enjoyed sweet revenge, 8 points to 3, in the return match. The juniors also finished the season strongly with a good draw against an experienced Malvern College side and a win over the RNIB College. A number of Upper Sixth students made their competitive debuts and their willingness to get involved was much appreciated by me and the long serving captain Ben Pitts. Ben has been the heart-and-soul of the club for a number of years, and will be very hard to replace. Having said this, we have a number of talented and enthusiastic young players who will hopefully benefit from the professional coaching we have arranged for the 2002/03 season.
Ben Pitts and Michael Fraser were awarded full colours for their superb playing records over a number of years and the contrib~~tionthey have made to the development of the club, and half colours went to Duncan Williams, Simon Lowth and Seb Belcher.
M.C.P.
In the more cut-and-thrust, dog-eat-dog world of debating, we began quietly with the traditional Mace competition: Amy Birch and Ben Pitts both made excellent speeches, but second place in the round was not quite enough to proceed to the next stage. In the Midland Schools competition we had a longer run of success, with James McCreath and Lorna Shaddick arguing successfully in favour of banning drugs and sorting out international problems by going to war; they reached the semi-finals. But our great moment came in the annual mock Parliament. For the last two years we have come second in the region, but this time our twenty-minute video of a parliamentary sessionincluding PM's question time, a debate on the monarchy, and a voting division - won first prize in the "west south west" region. In addition, all three individual prizes went to our pupils: Ben Humphrey (best Parliamentary Speaker), James McCreath and Lorna Shaddick (best Government and Opposition speakers respectively). All fifteen who took part win copies of a World Atlas; the selfless nature of our pupils is demonstrated by the fact that only three have so far collected their atlas from me!
R.N.G.S.
After last year's triumph in "Schools Challenge", where our senior team reached the last eight in the country, things could only go downhill - but they didn't go downhill by much! This year's senior team, which must be the youngest in the country - two Fifth Formers (Tames McCreath and Lorna Shaddick) and two Lower Removes (Jonathan Cairns-Terry and Matthew Jeynes)beat WRGS and Malvern College to reach the final of the Severn region, but could not quite maintain the winning streak in the final against Wycliffe College.
The junior team, however - Fourth Formers Gareth Ceredig, Hugh Thomas, Catherine Sides and Michael Cairns-Terry - almost equalled the feat of last year's senior team. They won the West Midland region, beating three local teams, including perennial champions KES Birmingham in the final. Only one match then stood between them and a place in the last eight; but we lost. Still, all this year's competitors remain to fight another day.
There were two competitions this year for public speaking, as opposed to direct debating against others. In the first round of the ESU event for GCSE candidates, our team of Guy Corbett, Laura Kingshott and Phil Arnold came second, narrowly failing to make it
competition, however, we won the team prize for the third year running, with Amy Birch, Phil Arnold and, again, Guy Corbett all making first-class speeches on a variety of topics.
A new venture was the inter-house quiz, a knock-out competition in which teams of four from each House (two from Fifth and Sixth Forms, two from Removes) play each other in a twenty-minute match according to the same rules as "Schools Challenge". A good deal of interest seemed to be generated, to judge from the audiences who turned up, and in the end Choir House, which contained three of the School senior team, emerged the champions after a pulsating final against Bright.
R.N.G.S.
We have had a good number of helpers this year from both staff and pupils to whom I am very grateful. The staff involved were DEB, DGW, AJMM, MCP, ER, SS, JMS and HEC.
Lucy Teasdale performed a marvellous job in visiting Mrs. Cale, a blind lady, every week. I understand Mrs. Cale always looked forward to receiving her young visitor. The visits are continuing thanks to the good offices of Jo Taylor.
Lucy Proctor-Nicholls and Emily Phillips-Broadhurst shared the service at the Cancer Shop on The Cross, each student working once every fortnight. The staff at the shop found the girls, courteous and very helpful.
At the time of going to print Kate Travers, Danielle Shingler, Christian Snoad and Toby Hewson are all helping in the Charity shop.
Whilst in the Upper Remove, Jo Taylor, Lorna Shaddick and Louise Williams spent a number of Saturday mornings either decorating or gardening at various houses in Worcester. Tom Lyon and Laura Kingshott also helped on a number of occasions.
Emma Allies has been working in St.John's Library on a Saturday morning as part of D of E. She has been a
pleasant and co-operative pupil. The staff at the library always make the students feel welcome. My thanks go to the librarian, Mr. Adams.
At the time of going to print we are hoping to initiate a Literacy Scheme at Nunnery Wood Junior School. This is to take place over the lunch-time and will be undertaken by Sixth Form pupils.
Helping with Community Service can be done at any time, after school or at weekends. We would welcome some new recruits.
C.A.GS.
One of the trips of the Fourth Form History Club with CFR, as told by James Bartholomew.
On 17th October 2001, we went on a tour of the cathedral, with Chris Guy, the cathedral archaeologist. First, we went up a side-staircase to above the Norman section of the Cathedral, built in around 1170, and which was used for processions at the time. We had to walk over narrow pathways and planks to get to the other end of the room, from where we could see into a passageway along the side of the nave, above the arches (not for those afraid of heights!) We could see the different kinds of stone in the cathedral, sandstone and calcium limestone among them. We went into the next room, from which we could see the "Barber's Shop", which was not just for hair cuts: you could get limbs amputated there, and we held some 13th century legbones (an eerie feeling!)
Then we walked through a narrow passageway inside the thickness of the wall, and came to the tower staircase, to the bottom of the tower, above the cross. The clock mechanism, from around 1870, is wound electrically and powers two clock faces, one in the North-West transept and one in the ringing chamber. We then went East, U above the Quire, where there were a lot of old timbers, all held together with wooden pegs - no metal! There is a system to let heat escape, to avoid a fire, and there is a sloping system to allow water, which might be poured there if there was a fire, to drain away. There is a Norman Arch up there, which tells us the size of the original Norman cathedral (pretty much the same as the current one, but with a rounded Quire.)
We went on top of the North Transept, which was slightly scary, considering that we were standing on a
Jrrrn(~vMcCreoth and Isornu Shnddzck help out
History (;luO visit 10 Goodrich Castlr
thin lead roof, with only a low parapet to stop us from falling onto the roof of the cloisters. We then came down another spiral staircase and ended up in the North Transept. The most difficult thing is probably working out where you are, and I really enjoyed the trip.
September 11th 2001 is a date that everyone will remember, but some more than others. An ex-archivist, Jonathan Hartwright (0s 91-98) was only streets away when the Trade Centre towers in New York collapsed and the granddaughter of an OV, James Frederick Whittaker who joined the school in 1900, e-mailed us from New York to request information about him. She mentioned that her husband used to work on the 49th floor of Tower 2. 'It was a wonderful feeling looking down on the city, eyeballing the birds in mid-flight and on overcast days being in the midst of the clouds. In very windy weather, the building used to sway and moan slightly.' She went on to worry about the sounds of the building collapsing. We are reminded we live in a frighteningly small world.
The team of very reliable, hard working and efficient archivists, who typed, sorted, researched and set up exhibitions for Open Days in Number 12 and King's Day included Oliver Pooley and Henry Watson from the Upper Sixth with Frances Gwilliam, who researched into house names, Rachael Dawson, who looked after acres of correspondence, Hannah Lamb, Lizzie Rushton, Mary Pole and Harriet Lynas, who delved into the OVs who died in the First World War, Hugh Pidduck and James Wallis.
The fifth year of the school archive's existence has been busier than ever. The year began with a very big exhibition for the OV weekend in September 2001 for the class of 1951 which Brian Gerrard (C1 51-59) had heroically drummed up to return to school, an historic event in its own right. As a result, the 1950s is the best recorded decade in the archive in terms of photographs, blazers and caps.
TDRH's departure in July after forty years at King's, a career covering athletics, Careers, Head of Physics and Second Master, generated an exhibition with photographs from Old Vigornians and a little help from his friends. Oliver Pooley worked very hard to write up the history. The photographs of the 1960s reveal how much King's has changed in four decades, from boarding to day, from a boys' grammar school to an independent co-ed establishment with some forty-three percent girls. TDRH will probably be the last member of staff to be able to achieve such a longevity in the school.
The second celebration to warrant an exhibition was the 125th anniversary of the Boat Club, 1877-2002, although the date is a little uncertain with only a reference to an article printed in the Vigornian of June 1914 as evidence. The archive and OV rowers produced a very large number of photographs going back to the 1890s, while more recent members produced all sorts of memories and it was pleasing to hear from pioneer girls in rowing, Sarah Talbot (CO 77-79) and Caroline Barski and Julia Bull (CO 90-92). The wealth of material is still
being processed into book form. An extraordinary find was a programme for 'Jedbury, Junior, A comedy in Four Acts', produced in 1913 to raise funds for the Boat Club. Amongst the many acquisitions, a few stand out. Miss Sue Bayford, in her role as archive assistant, spent much of the year cataloguing the letters of her great uncle, Fred Thomas, at King's from 1886-1900 whose involvement in the Boer War in South Afi-ica, 1899-1902 reminded us of a centenary which few noticed. 'The letters record a soldier's experience of'the dismal reality of war, lightened by glimpses of the more humorous aspects and inspired by a patriotic dedication, the proud fulfilment of doing one's bit for Old England.' Descriptions of the long hard marches, the perennial concern for sufficient food, the traumatic plight of the sick and wounded, the hunger and thirst endured by many, his longing to return home and the novel guerrilla methods of war used by the Boers are relieved by little cameos of scenery which reminded him of Worcestershire, sunsets and other rare moments of tranquillity. The photograph of Private F.R. Thomas shows him sporting a magnificent moustache. Rather cryptically in the Vigornian of November 1902, he wrote that he was never ill, never had to fall out and 'mirablille diclu was discharged with the character 'very good', which I fancy was an improvement on that I took with me from W.C.K.S.'. Coincidentally, the memorial to the fallen of the South African War to the north of the Cathedral was restored this year
From roughly the same period came an inquiry for Henry Clarke, the first Second Master, appointed in 1878, by his great grand daughter and a splendid photograph followed on the receipt of our researches. One of the Cathedral canons who knew him well, wrote after his death in 1900.
'...commonly known as 'Old Nick'. He had the patience necessary in one to see that Henry Clarltr -jrst acond Mastcrr young boys are well grounded before they go higher. He had a severe and impressive manner, and when he gave out even an ordinary notice it was as though he was reciting the Ten Commandments. But he also had one of the kindest of hearts and was well loved by the boys when they had learnt to know him.' Shades of TDRH?
Right at the end of the summer term came another interesting photograph, proving that Paul McCartney (S.R. Coulter S57-66) did come to College Green in 1962 to stay with Jane Asher's uncle, then the deacon of Worcester and living in Number 12, College Green. Paul was besieged by King's boarders who had spotted his yellow Rolls Royce one Sunday afternoon and would only disperse once he appeared and signed autographs. Lady Alethea Eliot, the deacon's widow, very kindly passed on local history books, pictures and a magnificent scroll of his appointment by the Queen to the Archive in memory of their days of association with the King's School in the 1960s.
Finally, the horrendous experience of moving the archive office a couple of floors down in School House to make way for Creighton House who needed a temporary hbme while ;heir permanent residence in Castle House was to be refurbished, was achieved due to the stcrling efforts of the maintenance team. Will we ever find anything again? The new premises are as squashed as ever- and we desperately need a new computer to reach our clientele all over the world, but it is light and airy and therefore a welcome improvement.
C.F.R.
Young Enterprise plays an important role for many of our Lower Sixth Formers. It is an opportunity for them to set up and run a business for a year. In this time they have to behave like a real business in every sense such as reporting to shareholders, conforming to trading standards and operating within the health and safety laws. This scheme has always proved popular and last year was no exception and four companies were formed.
One of the challenges faced is deciding upon a product that is both interesting and innovative; something that they can come to believe in and sell to the public. Our students rose to this, coming up with some interesting ideas. Just Desserts designed and made a cookbook containing only puddings, Gifted manufactured various furry products such as cushions and minidisk holders, Halo designed an insulated handle for use on mugs and a reflective strip to help with the location of keyholes and Motorplay made car tidies.
Towards the end of their year most of the students elected to sit an exam, meaning many now have a qualification that can be used to reinforce their university application. In addition to this there is a competitive element to the Young Enterprise year and King's has, once again, been very successful in this. Halo gained the QINETIQ prize for product innovation whilst Just Desserts have had a very successful year.
Under the guidance of their Link Teacher, JCV and
their business advisers, Elizabeth Gordon of Baker
Paul McCurtnq on (:ol/~geGreen, 1962
'Ju\t Drssert~'crl the N(1tiona1Final in I<ondon. Lgt to right: Rachel Lawr~ncr,Rob Williams, Lury Cl~atjeld,lid Pearce and Luq Pollock
Gordon, Accountants and Karen Lewis of K.D. Bancroft, their first success was winning the Hereford and Worcester area final which was held at University College, Worcester in April. They they went on to represent the area in the West Midlands Regional Final in Wolverhampton where they won the top prize for Best Company as well as The Institute of Chartered Secretaries award for Best Administered Company.
The presentation team of Lucy Chatfield, Rachel Lawrence, Ed Pearce, Lucy Pollock and Rob Williams then went to London for four days in the summer holidays to represent the West Midlands in the Young Enterprise National Final which was held at the Savoy Hotel. JCV and Elizabeth Gordon accompanied the team and were delighted with how hard the team worked. The judging over the four days was very intense and there was some stiff opposition from the other eleven companies representing the rest of the UK. Sadly, Just Desserts didn't win the overall title but they had a tremendous time where they learnt a lot about the world of business and made a lot of new friends. This is a tremendous achievement which rewarded the hard work and long hours they put in.
The Just Desserts team and some pupils from last year's companies have volunteered to work as advisers with the new companies that have been set up this year which demonstrates the respect they have for the scheme. Without exception the students gain a valuable insight into how a business is run. They learn how to plan the design, manufacture, marketing and the selling of their
products. Most importantly they see, first hand, the value of effective communication with each other and their potential customers. However we would not be able to run the scheme without the help of external advisors from business. We are extremely grateful to our advisors and thank them for their support, encouragement and their patience.
H.M.A./J.C.V.
In 1963 I had for some time thought that it would be a good thing if the school could acquire a base in remote and unspoilt country where boys - particularly those from urban and suburban backgrounds - could spend even a short time experiencing the natural world, unadulterated by the material comfort and sophistication which we are apt to describe as civilisation. Ikn~isted the help of my colleague Dan McTurk, who shared my views,and we embarked on an intermittent and lengthy search for a suitable place.The requirements were that it should be in remote and preferably hilly country, and yet within reasonable driving distance - say sixty milesfrom Worcester. This obviously pointed to the Welsh border country, and Dan and I scoured the Marches from Ross to Rhayader without finding anything suitable.
I always spent Saturday mornings in term-time receiving prospective parents and showing them the school. One Saturday my visitors included a doctor from Birmingham with his young family. He happened to mention that they were on their way to spend the weekend at their cottage near Llanbedr in the Black Mountains. I told him of our search, and he said that they would enjoy searching their valley - the Grwyne Fechan - to see if there was anything suitable there, and that they would call in on their way home on Sunday evening to report.
This they did, and their report was that the whole valley had been part of the large Glanusk estate, but that some years ago the Glanusks had sold all the farms and their land to the sitting tenants. In the whole valley there was only one unoccupied building, and that was a former chapel, which had not been sold.Without delay I contacted the Glanusk Estate Office and explained what I was looking for. The Agent told me that there was no question of Lady Glanusk selling the chapel and the land surrounding it,for she wanted for sentimental reasons to keep a foot-hold in the valley, but that she might consider a lease, and that meanwhile I was welcome to have a look at the place.
At the earliest opportunity Dan and I collected the key from the Estate Office near Crickhowell, and with considerable excitement went in search of the Chapel. All we could see of it from the lower lane was the ridge of the roof, for the whole intervening ground was overgrown with gigantic bracken about eight feet high. We forced our way through it, unlocked the door, and an astonishing sight met our eyes. After the last service in the Chapel in 1955 the congregation must have walked out leaving everything in its place, and never returned. The furniture was complete, including the harmonium,
and even the prayer-books on the minister's stall were still there on their red velvet cushions. We felt that we were guilty intruders. (Later we took some of the pews back to the school and put them on the steps of the cricket pavilion.) The chapel itself was then a single room with no gallery: at the west end was a small separate room open to the roof and entered from outside. This was where the minister stabled his horse when he rode over from Talgarth or Trefecca to take the service. Surrounding the chapel was a sizeable piece of land bounded by the lane on one side and the river on the other. It was level, and provided more than enough space for the erection of tents and the parking of vehicles. On the slope beyond the river was a young plantation of conifers; these were only a few feet high, and did not cut out the light as they do now. From the moment we saw it Dan and I realised that this was the place we had been looking for, and to our great delight Lady Glanusk agreed to let us have it on a twenty-fiveyear lease at a modest rent. This was in 1964.
Our idea was to keep everything as simple as possible; water was collected from a spring (certified drinkable) on the other side of the lane; light came from Tilley and Hurricane lamps, and heat from oil stoves; cooking was done on Calor gas and an elderly Rayburn discarded by Llangattock Rectory, and the plumbing consisted of a chemical closet in a lean-to shed. The nearest telephone was in the public box on the upper lane. This Spartan regime worked satisfactorily provided that a simple set of rules was strictly observed, and many of the boys found it instructive to learn that water did not always come from turning a tap, or light from touching a switch. In those days we were not subject to the rigid health and safety regulations which operate today, and the school was all-male - though parents and staff wives and families were always welcome, as long as they understood what conditions to expect.
In the early days there was much work to be done, both inside and outside, even to achieve the simple standards at which we aimed. Most of this we did ourselves, with help from the school maintenance staff,
and professional help from outside only when absolutely necessary. Anyone who has visited the Chapel, especially on a sunny day, will be struck by the beauty of the place, and it does indeed exercise a remarkable spell on many of those who come to know and love it. From the start Trevor and Judy Bailey and their family were enthusiastic "chapel-goers", and poured abundant love and labour into the place. We also had a group of loyal parents who came out frequently to help in many ways. Paul Cattermole, then a House-tutor in St Alban's, was another great supporter, and he went further by organising a group of boys who brought the long-silent bells of Llanbedr church back into ringing condition, and then rang in, the New Year on them, to the enormous pleasure of the villagers. He also used to bring a small choir from St Alban's to sing in Llanbedr church, including the wedding service for the squire's daughter. I cannot remember a single occasion when the villagers of Llanbedr or the farmers in the length of the valley had cause to complain about our presence among them, and some indeed became good friends. Paul Cattermole remembers a visit from the octogenarian Misses Jones from Llangattock, who had been members of the Chapel congregation. They were so pleased to see that the Chapel was in use by the King's School that they donated f5 to buy a box of tinned food as a reserve in case a party was snowbound there.
The early history of the Chapel is well covered in the article in the 450th Anniversary publication - 'The King's School, Worcester and a History of its Site'. In recent years much work has been done to the building and its surrounding land to meet present-day requirements. This has been carried out sensitively and sympathetically without damaging the special spirit of the place, and it is good to know that the Old Chapel still plays an important part in the life of the school.
D.M. Annett
Dauid Annett (Headmaster 1959-1979) wrote this article in response toJudy Bailey's request for information on the school's acquisition of the Old Chapel.
The Old Chapel - 1969
On March 28th fifteen pupils, four staff and two doctors excitedly boarded a coach to take them down to Heathrow for the start of a stunning adventure. This was a just reward for two years of training and saving. The Qatar Airways twelve hour flight was smooth and uneventful until last minute adjustments had to be made on the landing approach and it became a rather exciting roller coaster. Our feet were no sooner safely on the ground than we were whisked into Kathmandu on a bus that threaded its way through a chaos of traffic, where the horn was the most important working part of any vehicle. That first journey opened our eyes to the Third World; street poverty and deprivation. By comparison, our hotel was luxurious. The welcome was one of the warmest and we soon found ourselves feeling very comfortable and 'at home'.
After a couple of days in Kathmandu, savouring the sights and the culture, we headed off west for the start of our trek around the Annapurnas.
Our first campsite on the edge of the town of Besisahar was adjacent to a very dusty and almost grass free football pitch. We were soon besieged by lots of bare-footed or flip-flopped children and it was not long before a football was produced and the challenge of a match offered. It did not seem fair at first - our team all averaged around six feet tall and wore trainers or walking boots and we had Bonnie in goal. The Nepalis were much younger, smaller and less well-attired. To be fair there were a few more of them, they were a lot more skilful and used to the conditions and the crowd did distract Bonnie, so that when they ran out 10-2 winners we were not too surprised!
The days ahead were wonderful. We followed the Marshyangdi River, walking initially among rice paddy fields to terraces of barley. We stopped many times at friendly teahouses to recover from the exertion of the walking and to absorb the culture of the villages. The river passed through a very deep, narrow gorge with forests filling every inch of the hillsides. As we gained height the valley widened and we began to discover much bigger mountains beyond. The Annapurnas
A mukr lrnin Inbours up thr ~~lrcr~hjungr(iuull(y with Annapurna II .sorriing abour
were coming into view. For many days these mountains dominated our vision. As the valley became wider it became more arid in appearance. ~ieeswere fewer and smaller with orchards of apples surrounding the villages. But these were not the only changes. The people were also changing. We were leaving behind the traditional Indian look and exchanging it for the Tibetan features. There were many obvious signs of Buddhism and we visited several very old temples on our journey. Gone were the mud walled, thatched huts that the people of the lower slopes live in, to be replaced by very solid, square stone buildings. Each day we saw changes to our local environment but the ever present Annapurnas were always looming far above our heads. The temperature began to drop and we were subjected to snowfall most afternoons. This did give rise to concern as to whether wewould be able to cross the 18,000 foot Thorong La Pass.
On the morning we were to cross over the pass we were woken with 'bed tea' at 4.00 a.m. It was bitterly cold and more snow had fallen over night. Nevertheless, by 5.00 a.m. we were on our way, still in the dark. The day you cross over the Thorong La is a long one. There is an ascent of over 3,000 feet followed by a descent of 5,500 feet to Muktinath. As we neared the top of the first steep section we were able to look back at the sun rising over the Annapurnas. It was magnificent and a view all members of the group will remember for the rest of their days. We still had some way to go and after four hours of plodding up hill in the thinning air we reached the top of the Thorong La. It was truly magnificent; the views to both the east and west were stunning. The sense of group and of achievement sent a tingle down our spines and brought a tear to the eye.
There was a serious wind-chill on the top and it was not wise to spend too long there, so after about thirty minutes we set off on the longdescent to Muktinath. For almost 4,000 feet we were trudging through deep snow, which offered plenty of opportunity for tobogganing on plastic bags.
The trek ended in Jomson. On the last night we had a farewell party with our crew of Sherpas, cooks and porters, all of whom hadcome to mean so much to us during our two-week trek. A short flight took us to Pokhara and a night of luxury in the Fishtail Lodge Hotel before we headed down to the hot and steaming jungle in the south. Here, in the Chitwan we went on elephant safaris and Jungle walks looking for rhino, tiger and leopard. This was an ideal way to relax after a strenuous trek, as well as being an opportunity to experience another aspect of Nepal.
Back in Kathmandu we had such little time to do everything that needed to be done. Our first duty was to attend the award ceremony for the 'Poverty Alleviation and Health' competition. In true Nepali style it took a while to get under way but when it did we were treated to some cultural dancing by the children. There seemed to be so many awards. We were even given awards, silk bags for girls and traditional hats for boys. Having been treated to such a display
something of our culture. This is never as easy as it seems and we resorted to teaching them the Hokey-Cokey!
Following our early morning flight to Everest on our last day we spent several hours at the Hope Centre. This was a moving experience for us all. The look of delight on the children's faces as we played with them, gave them toys and transformed their drab dormitories into bright, cheerful rooms filled our hearts with warmth. I am sure, given the opportunity, many of the group would not hesitate to go back.
It was a memorable trip. The Annapurna Circuit is possibly the best trek anyone can do in Nepal. It has everything. But what pleased me more than anything is that, despite all the problems of poverty, social and political insecurity, the people remain as warm hearted and as friendly as ever.
J.T.Wa
Following an early start, our group of eager classicists checked in at Heathrow at 4.30 am on Friday 5th April. We arrived at our Athens Hotel at about 3 pm, having changed planes in Milan, and spent the rest of the afternoon making up for our lost night's sleep.
The morning gave us a chance to visit one of the most famous sites in the world, the Acropolis, dominated by the huge temple to Athena, the Parthenon. The gateway to the Acropolis, the Propylaea, and the Erechteum were both particularly impressive, as was the excellent museum, containing statues, mouldings and other things Lord Elgin left behind. We also visited the Theatre of Dionysus, where the works of Sophocles and Aristophanes were given their premieres.
The following day we visited the Agora, the town square, which contained the most important religious and political buildings (including the wonderfully preserved Temple of Hephaistos) and was used as a market place. It was here that Socrates was tried and executed.
After some free time in the Athens flea market we left for Delphi, a four-hour coach journey away. On
Monday morning we visited the museum there and the temple of Apollo, site of the world famous Oracle, set on a hillside amid absolutely stunning scenery. It was here that the Ancient Greeks would come to consult the God Apollo. A priestess would go into a trance and start wailing (Mr. Stone's demonstrations were most helpful), and an interpreter would tell you, the enquirer, what advice the God gave you (almost always obscure and ambiguous).
That afternoon was taken up by the five-hour coach journey to Olympia, in the Peloponnese. Although of course most famous for its stadium and the games held there, Olympia was the most important religious site in Greece, and the Temple of Zeus there was the second biggest Greek temple, while the Temple of Hera is one of the oldest. But it was the stadium that captured our imagination most, and in our games it was nice to see Britain at last topping the Olympic medal table.
We then travelled to the eastern coast of the Peloponnese, where we stayed in the resort of Tolon. On the Wednesday morning we visited Mycenae, by far the oldest of the sites we saw. It was here that Agamemnon, commander of the Greeks at Troy, had his palace, and several of us re-enacted his murder by his wife, Clytemestra, in the ruins. We also visited the so-called Treasury of Atreus, a round underground chamber, where, if you stand right up against the walls,
someone standing on the other side of the tomb can hear your voice perfectly.
That afternoon we visited Corinth. Apart from the very old Temple of Apollo, most of the remains here are Roman (the Romans destroyed the Greek city in 146 B.C.), and we were more than slightly bemused to find a Roman mosaic whose only protection against tourists was a decaying dustbin bag!
On our final full day we visited Epidaurus. Most of our time there was spent admiring the incredibly wellpreserved theatre (the only one left with a round orchestra) and its brilliant acoustic, but we also saw the sanctuary of Asclepios, the God of Healing, where invalids came looking for a cure.
We had our lunch at Nafplion and then returned to the hotel, where we had an acrostic competition and a qeneral knowledge quiz, and then some free time in
Tolon after supper.
We reached Athens airport at about 12.30 on Friday afternoon. Following a lengthy delay at Milan airport, we were back in Worcester by about half-past midnight.
Not only was the Greece Trip extremely interesting, it was also great fun. The lengthy coach journeys (which gave one pupil the opportunity to listen to an entire cycle of Wagner's Ring) fostered a sense of friendship amongst the group, from the Lower Fourth to the Upper Sixth. Much credit must also go to the staff, Mr. Stone, Mrs. Appleby and Mrs. Vivian, who were knowledgeable, helpful and friendly, as well as to Mrs. Blewitt, who provided the classical expertise while Mr. Stone was looking after various patients in hospital.
James McCreath
SA~TTTI,LANAMAR
The trip started with a twenty four hour coach journey to Spain. Although quite tiring the thirty eight pupils and four teachers put up with each other well. We arrived in the small town of Santillana del Mar at lunchtime,just in time to see England draw with Sweden in the World cup. The Spanish are very keen on their football, so we awaited some vocal support every time Spain took to the pitch, even if we couldn't follow all the commentary.
We were staying in a caravan park, in mobile homes, with between four and six of us in each. The food was generally good, often with a Spanish influence. This was topped up with extra rations from the shop. There was a pool on site, and despite being rather cool for the time of year a number of brave souls swam - mostly the staff decided to supervise from the side of the pool.
During our stay we visited the towns of Comillas and San Vicente. In San Vicente we went to the beach where again some people swam, whilst others played football. We also went to the pretty market town of Suances, where every group was given money to go and buy fruit. This was to be made into a fruit salad for a competition later, to be judged by the chef. Sara Neville's caravan was
O111s7(1~the (j,~,ggo~~hc~irn~Musrz~ m
awarded first place despite some close efforts by some of the boys.
We did the town trail in Santander later in the week. This involved asking Spanish people for directions in order to find our way around. One problem was how to phrase the question - the other was understanding the answer. On the way back to base we went to a hypermarket to buy presents for those back home. We went to the Guggenheim art gallery in Bilbao on the Thursday - the building itself was spectacular, and the art inside mostly impressive, though some was a little too modern for our tastes.
Before we left on the last day we went to the Inquisition Museum in Santillana del Mar which shocked us all. There were displays of all sorts of torture instruments, used to extract confessions from reluctant victims. In the afternoon we set off on the journey back to Worcester.
The staff who came with us were Mr. Rudge and Mrs. Ita Hayward. They were supported by Mr. Geary and Mr. S Davies, those two well known Spanish linguists. Despite the unusually poor weather for this time of year, I think that everyone had a very good time.
Gemma Geary
difficulties of reporting the realities of war in the press, and the self-censorship of virtually all correspondents, poetry provided one of the very few channels through which the truth about the war could be expressed to those outside the trenches. In that sense, war poetry published between 1914 and 1918 fulfilled a role similar to that of our modern media.
The media may now be much freer in its reporting of conflicts, but at a time when the prospect of Britain being involved in another war seems never far from the news, it is just as important as ever that we are all reminded of the human consequences of fighting, wherever it takes place or for whatever reason. The innocence and youth of many of those lost between 1914 and 1918 is a particularly enduring feature of our collective memory of the First World War, yet all wars claim the lives or happiness of innocent victims. Now, however, the technological disparity between potential enemies means that victims may overwhelmingly be on just one side. Whatever the evident differences between the First World War and any conflict in prospect today, we conduct this annual trip convinced it is a highly desirable part of any young person's education.
The great impact of any tour of the First World War battlefields is to bring home the specificity of the enormous losses suffered on both sides. A walk around a war cemetery is never merely an exercise in viewing acres of white, Portland stone, but of meeting individual names and circumstances amongst the headstones. Again this year we managed to connect up some of our party with family members, and to visit the memorials of Old Vigornians who never returned from the fighting.
This year the trip was made available to members of the Lower Removes, who had been studying the First World War as part of their history syllabus in preparation for the start of GCSE. We had some apprehensions about taking this younger age group with us, but these were quickly dispelled, and in the event we were delighted with their response to the various sites. This year's group was particularly impressive in that the pupils were no less inquisitive by the fourth day, when we visited Vimy Ridge and its tunnels, as on the first day. Largely because of this positive experience, we will again offer the trip to both the Lower Removes and Upper Removes in 2003.
TRIP
Battlefields Trip
Memory, let all slip save what is sweet of Ypres plains. Keep only autumn sunlight and thejleet Clouds after rains.
From 'Memory, let slip ', by Ivor Gurney
Despite Gurney's apparent desire to forget the worst experiences of war in Flanders, over eighty years on from the conflict there seems no rush to banish the memory of the First World War from our modern collective consciousness. To underline the point, this autumn an exhibition has opened at the Imperial War Museum in London to highlight the part played by war poets in shaping our understanding of the war. Given the
As in previous years we stayed in Bethune, allowing a full day's study in each of the Ypres Salient and the Somme Sector. As before our fieldwork was varied, looking beyond just battlefield tactics and experience to wider issues of remembrance, how troops gave expression to their spiritual needs during the war, and controversies such as the execution of deserters. I should particularly like to thank my colleagues in the History Department, PTG and CFR, for helping the group get the most out of these opportunities, and also MRD for his lively and very well-informed contributions to any discussion. Their efforts, and the commendable approach of our pupils should ensure they have much less reason than Ivor Gurney to forget, and in later years will recall more than just 'the autumn sunlight and fleet clouds after rains.'
GEOGRAPHYFIELDTRIP
TO THE FRENCHALPS
On the 29th June thirty five Upper Remove pupils and five staff set off for the annual trip to the province of Savoie in the French Alps, as part of the GCSE geography course.
Of course, there was the slight drawback of the twenty hour journey by coach, but the friendly coach drivers helped pass the time, and various entertainment, not to mention the magnificent views of Mont Blanc as we neared our destination, kept us amused.
Having reached our accommodation, the Les Barthielles chalet in the sleepy village of Crest Voland, we settled in quickly by immediately changing into cooler clothing for the scorching temperatures, and wandered round the village where the spectacular scenery was quite breathtaking.
After a good rest, we set out the next day for the Trient glacier, on the other side of the Swiss border. It took a good deal of perseverance to climb the slopes to reach the snout of this glacier in such hot weather, but the sight and experience were worth the effort, and we were able to study this dynamic environment and appreciate how the glacier is gradually receding. The ice creams afterwards went down well too! Then onto Chamonix, a large town, where we visited the Mer de Glace - an amazing sight.
That evening ten-pin bowling was our reward for a hard day's work. We were able to show off our skills in the bowling alley, and the staff attempted to do so as well.
On our second day, we set out early to the well-known ski resort of Les Saisses; home to the 1988 Winter
Olympics. Here, we studied tourism, and learned how the environment is being damaged by the flocks of
tourists that visit each year. Next, to the village of
Beaufort, where we were told of how the farmers of Beaufort had learnt to make a living by forming a cooperative. At the factory we sampled, bought (and smelled) the cheese.
Finally a visit to the reservoir at La Bathie, to study Hydro Electric Power, brought our work to a close for the day, and a well-deserved dip in the lake at Flumet cooled us off.
That evening a trip to the ice rink in St. Gervais was in store. Again, the staff embarrassed themselves by proving they knew a lot more about the ice involved in glaciation.
Despite a tedious two hour journey, we arrived the next day at the Gorges de L'Arly, a deep gorge that was very interesting but quite nerve-racking to view, due to the vast drop that plunged down from beneath our viewing platform. We then drove on to the very attractive town of Annecy, built on the shores of a stunning 'ribbon' lake, where we studied tourism and the features of the town.
As it was our final night, the traditional disco took place which saw all of the pupils joining in with the fun that was prepared by our Rep at the chalet. It was a great final evening and the stafrs hilarious dance routine, which was livened up by their choice of togas as costumes, certainly added to the atmosphere. It put us in good spirit for the journey home the following afternoon.
Thanks to the staff and the pupils, and not forgetting the coach drivers, this trip was a great success.
Kate Iddon
The Upper Remove Alps A~ldZrip party
Soon after meeting in the school car park, the trip was underway. There was a feeling of expectation and a sense of elation that the Christmas holidays had begun filled the air. Conversation soon stopped and stories of past skiing encounters began. As the first night went on and the exaggerated tales became more and more difficult to believe, people gave into their tiredness and slept in preparation for the week's skiing. Early the next afternoon, as the resort drew closer, we embarked upon the first of the twenty or so hairpin bends that lead to the small village of L'Alpe d'Huez. Upon nearing the top we made an important discovery - there was no snow! Otherwise the weather conditions were fantastic, but as we had not come armed with Bermuda shorts or sun hats, we knew we were going to feel overdressed the next
morning. As it turned out, there was some snow, not much but some. The locals had been very busy overnight and the snow cannons had all seen plenty of action. The group entered quickly into the swing of things and everyone soon agreed that they had been shrewd in their choice of how to fill their suitcases after all.
Six fun-packed, tiring and thoroughly enjoyable days of skiing ensued with only one or two minor casualties and a pair of broken glasses (a collision between the driver and a football). Stories for the following trip would require no exaggeration at all.
Many thanks to Andy and Jane Guest for organising and running a super trip (and many before) and best of luck to them at their new school. I am sure we will bump into them on the slopes in the futurc!
C.W.S.W.
EXCHXN~;E TO
On a grey and rainy Thursday in March, twenty three pupils from the College du Cedre in Le Vesinet, Worcester's twin town, came to England to take part in an exchange with our Lower Remove and Upper Remove pupils.
Throughout the week of their stay our partners visited various cultural sites such as Stratford (which they did not see much of, thanks to the rain!), Oxford, Worcester Cathedral and the Commandery. They also met the Mayor and were shown round the Guildhall. At the weekend we entertained them - some went to Alton Towers, some went shopping in London or Birmingham, together with other outings to the ice-skating rink, the cinema and the bowling alley. Others stayed at home getting a real idea of life in England. Unfortunately, they left in the pouring rain, so they really did get the full English experience!
In the June half-term holiday, after a long ten-hour coach journey we arrived in Le Vesinet and were greeted by the familiar faces of our partners, which helped to settle our nerves. We all went home with them that evening to meet their families. Like them, during the day, we visited various monuments in Paris with Mrs Painter, Mrs Appleby and Mr Maloney. These included climbing to the top of the Eiffel Tower, visiting Notre Dame Cathedral, the fabulous Palais de Versailles and
the Louvre museum where we saw the famous Mona Lisa. We also visited Montmartre, the lazy ones taking the lift up the hill while the more energetic walked. While driving through Paris we saw the Moulin Rouge and finally, a highlight of the trip for many of us - we went shopping! When we were left with our partners at the weekend they arranged for everyone to get together on the Saturday evening where we all mingled and talked. Many of us went shopping in the centre of Paris that weekend too, which gave us the chance to practise our French on our own and to join in with French life.
All in all the exchange gave us an opportunity to see France, to speak French, to meet up with a new friend and have great fun at the same time.
Sophie James
It is all very well listening to a language spoken in the classroom by a teacher, or even hearing it on a tape, but at the end of the day, nothing can really beat actually hearing it spoken in a real situation in its native country. An exchange with a foreign country can often be better than simply visiting it, because pupils must speak the language, producing great benefits to their understanding - and as well as this, many successful international friendships can be established.
This year's German exchange to Kleve, Worcester's twin town on the Rhine near the German-Dutch border, certainly produced all of these benefits. The trip left school very early on the morning of 7th April, in a coach containing, as well as eighteen pupils from King's and German teachers Miss Hibberd and Mr. Owen, students from the Royal Grammar, Holy Trinity and Dodderhill schools, also part of the combined exchange party from Worcester. They were enthusiastically welcomed that evening in Kleve by their partners.
The next eight days certainly lived up to their promise as an educational but also highly entertaining and fun trip. Pupils from King's were intrigued to discover the differences and similarities between England and Germany as they experienced lessons in school with their partners, including Latin, music and sport, and
enjoyed helping the Germans with their English homework! At the weekend, the King's party travelled to
KING'SEXCHANGE
Cologne by train with their partners from-JohannaSebus by Sarah Jenkins and Andrea Bowditch Gymnasium, where they puffed and their way up the 509 steps leading to the top of the cathedral tower, and later around Cologne's numerous shops.
Another highlight of the exchange was meeting with Kleve's mayor one morning at the town hall. As well as outlining some of the town's history, he spoke of his great pleasure at the friendship between the two towns, and the important role of the school exchange in continuing this. All members of the party received souvenirs of Kleve and enjoyed refreshments together. Another chance to learn more of the history of Kleve and the surrounding area was provided by a tour of the beautiful 'Swan Castle' or Schwanenburg, set on the cliff that originally gave the town its name. Its tallest tower was partially destroyed in World War I1 but has now been re-built and offers lovely views of the area. The party also learnt about the many Dukes of Kleve and their family, including Anna of Kleve, famous, of course, as being the fourth wife of Henry VIII, our school's founder.
Another enjoyable trip was to the nearby university town of Miinster, where everyone enjoyed seeing, and hearing, the famous Medieval clock (housed in the Cathedral of St. Paul) strike twelve, and seeing much of the town's heritage.
As well as these planned outings and excursions, which also saw us over the Dutch border in the town of Nijmwegen, everyone enjoyed taking part in activities with our partners- including swimming, cycling, skateboarding and dancing, reflecting the close compatability many people enjoyed with their German friends. This was further shown when three lanes of tenpin bowling were hired at the local leisure centre.
The exchange proved to be a wonderful mix of education and enjoyment. It gave a real benefit to pupils' understanding of the German language, as well as providing a chance to encourage many new links with Kleve.
Lorna Shaddick
When we both heard about the King's School Exchange, we saw it as not only an opportunity to travel overseas but also a chance to experience different school life and learn about the United Kingdom. Before we arrived, we had many misconceptions about England and its people. For example we were under the impression that people in England spent their lives eating sausages and their days were filled with rain and darkness. Much to our surprise and pleasure we were completely incorrect. This just showed how little we both knew about England.
Whilst in the U& we have learnt about thehistory of England and how little people know about Australia. We were very surprised about some people's knowledge of our country- for example many people believe that Australia is full of spiders and snakes, which is not true (we have seen more large spiders over here than at home).
We have enjoyed visiting many places and buildings here in England that are icons throughout the Western World. Our favourites were Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, Harrods, St Paul's, the colleges in Oxford and Shakespeare's birthplace. Everywhere in England places are full of historysomething we do not have as much of in Australia. It has been quite a task trying to comprehend how old everything is in the UK.
We strongly recommend this exchange to students in the years to come. We would like to thank all the people who have helped us whilst we were over here, in particular the Fifth and Lower Sixth Formers in Chappel House, Mr. Gill and his colleagues.
Playing Record
RUGBY
King Henry's Coventry (A) won 58-7
Old Swinford Hospital (H) won 1310
Blundell's (A) won 31-14
Cheltenham College (A) drew 1414
Solihull (A) won 28-5
Prince Henry's Evesham (A) won 26-7 (Daily Mail Cup)
K.E.S. Birmingham (A) won 26-10
Warwick (H) won 47-3
Worcester Sixth Form (A) won 53-17 (Daily Mail Cup)
High School Dublin (A) won 17-12
CBC Monkstown (A) won 32-22
Monmouth (A) won 10-5
Bromsgrove (H) won 45-0
K.E.S. Aston (H) won 53-7
Old Swinford Hospital (H) won 25-23 (Daily Mail Cup)
Hereford C.S. (A) won 40-10
R.G.S. Worcester (A) won 8-5
Bristol G.S. (H) won 31-28
John Cleveland (A) won 35-8 (Daily Mail Cup)
Oakham (Daily Mail Cup) (A) lost 15-17
Played Won Drew Lost Points for Points against 20 18 1 l 60 7 224
XV
As strong a team as King's has ever produced? Difficult to provide a definitive answer but the evidence in favour of this proposition is convincing. An unbeaten first term with two thirds of the fixtures being played away from home; a record number of points scored and a record individual points tally for Ross Laidlaw (242); three players in the Final England Trial, scintillating back play destroying local rivals Bromsgrove and Worcester Academy; the only defeat coming in controversial circumstances against the eventual winners of the Daily Mail Cup.
The team's refusal to accept losing as part of their agenda was apparent from the beginning - at pre-season training camp they showed tremendous spirit in defeating an extremely strong and aggressive K.E.S. Bath side in a match which belied its 'friendly' tag.
Later in the term despite key players being near exhaustion as a result of the excessive demands placed on them by representative trials and games, the team consistently dug deep to record memorable late scores against WRGS and Bristol.
Occasionally a tendency to over elaborate led to King's failing to turn possession into points; this led to the draw at Cheltenham and an uncomfortable last
quarter away at Monmouth, in a match which should have been wrapped up by half-time. In general though the team showed a fine appreciation of the essentials of attacking rugby - pace, support and excellent handling. As expected Ross Laidlaw and Nick Major were the stars in the backs., their composure and control allowing the two Under 16 three-quarters, Simon Potter and Peter Winstanley to have the confidence to give full rein to their attacking instincts. Once again Ross won the tackle count in almost every match whilst his goal kicking was easily the best on the circuit. Nick had to play in the centre, rather than his preferred position at scrum-half, in order to provide a more balanced line-up. He was the flair player in the side and although not everything he tried came off when it did it was spectacular - his try against Bristol was one of the best seen at New Road. Unusually the wings were two of the largest players in the XV - Tom Muir proved a power house, whose ferocious tackling consistently disrupted opposition attacks. On the right wing Mike Whear took time to reach full fitness but on numerous occasions proved that he had the priceless knack of knowing how to cross the line. It was good to see Paul Hallett back again after numerous shoulder problems and he was an elusive runner both on the wing and at full back. Both he and Joe Robinson were unlucky in that their appearances were limited by the strength of the squad - in a normal year they would have been regular players. Jamie Gwynne was a competitive and vocal scrum-half - the speed and accuracy of his pass improved enormously as the season progressed, as did his reading of the game.
Before the season started the main concern was whether the pack would be able to supply enough good
quality ball for what was clearly going to be a talented back line. The set scrummage was a major worry given that the players available were some of the smallest members of the team. To their credit Oli Pooley and Rob Colquhoun stuck manfully to their guns against considerably larger opponents whilst the emergence of Matt Dodson and George Ballard as capable and mobile props was an unexpected bonus. Similarly the arrival of Tom Scaife from the wilds of Scotland added much needed aggression to the front five and he formed an excellent second row partnership with the ever dependable Scott Rennie. Scott's fitness levels were as high as ever and his performance level increased dramatically over the two years he was in the team, culminating in a tremendous display against Oakham. The composition of the back row varied with Richard Syree, Richard Hallett and Tom Child competing for the two flanker positions. All had their particular strengths, with Syree's work-rate usually giving him the edge over the other two, who tended to be better with ball in hand. Injuries to Syree and Hallett late in the term allowed Guy Potter to move up from the Under 16s and he showed excellent defensive qualities in the two cup games in which he played.
The pack was held together by Luke Narraway who proved himself to be one of the best forwards to have played at King's. His selection in all four England Under 18 matches was fully deserved - his combination of power and skill proved too much for many of our opponents. Against a fired up WRGS team he was a comfortable winner of the Man of the Match award whilst in the second half at Oakham he comprehensively outplayed a home team back row containing two England internationals. Ross, Nick and Luke have all joined Premiership Rugby Academies, two at Gloucester and one at Bristol, and we shall follow their careers with interest.
The defeat by two points at Oakham in the Daily Mail Cup was a shattering blow - it is likely to be the only time that King's have a chance of winning this prestigious national trophy. To lose as a result of a quite incomprehensible refereeing decision was galling, although as a Welshman I have had much experience of this. Equally disappointing was the failure of certain sports to release players for training even on the day before the match.
This affected the selection and proved to be of critical importance in the first half when playing against a strong wind and rain we conceded two soft tries. Ultimately though having fought back brilliantly to be within two points of the Oakham with fifteen minutes to go, and the elements in our favour, we should have been able to win - for the only time in the season we lacked a little bit of poise, and luck, at the crucial moment.
My thanks to all those in the squad - a good number of them played over forty games for King's First XV, winning over ninety percent of them - and to SMB for his unstinting support on the training ground and on the touchline.
P.T.G.
Seven
Following the outstanding fifteen a side season based around one of the most exciting three-quarter lines King's had ever fielded, a successful Sevens run was a strong possibility. Thus it was surprising, if not astonishing to receive the news that Sevens was no longer a major sport at King's. This meant that at no stage in the term were we able to manage a trial game, the maximum number at any training session being twelve. Some players from other sports did kindly agree to play in the occasional tournament but not having trained they lacked fitness and understanding of Sevens which is a surprisingly complex game. Three key players were involved in trials and training camps for the England Under 18 team, so were unavailable for the early tournaments. The selection of Luke Narraway for the England team was a great honour for the player and the school but did mean that he was only allowed to play in one competition for us.
In view of these various difficulties the failure of a makeshift Seven to make much impression at Brecon was not unexpected. As the weather and ground conditions were the worst I have ever witnessed at a competition, our relatively early exit was regarded by many as something of a blessing. Solihull saw numerous combinations being tested and although only two matches were won quite a lot was learnt about which players were able to adapt to the different demands of Sevens.
At The Marches for the only time we were able to field our full team, and playing exhilarating rugby defeated
Arnold, Brecon, Hereford, Cheltenham and Old Swinford before losing a thrilling final to an outstandingly quick St Edward's Oxford team. This was our best performance at the Marches for over twenty years and victory in the Final might have been possible if our flyer, Oliver Mathew, had not been on the sidelines having been injured in an earlier match.
We were unable to fulfil our commitment to attend the North of England Sevens, traditionally a happy hunting ground for us, owing to the fact that we had a squad of six able to travel. A rapid recruiting drive amongst the Under 16s saw an exceptionally young King's side perform heroically in our own Sevens held at Droitwich Rugby Club. Victories over Solihull, Loughborough, followed by a narrow defeat to Bromsgrove, saw us facing the tournament favourites Colston's in the quarter final. Nick Major was in inspired form, and heroic tackling saw us hold for a memorable victory. The winning margin might have been greater but for an unusual selection decision which resulted in King's picking a sweeper who because of injury was unable to move. The arrival of the ever reliable George Ballard off the bench rectified this problem but not before Colston's had exploited this loophole to score after twenty-one seconds. In the semi-final King's bowed out to the eventual winners Cheltenham.
At the National Championships at Rosslyn Park King's won their group , convincingly, and in the knockout stages twice came back from two tries down to defeat firstly Blundells and then Downside. This put us through to the semi-final where we met Wellington College, undefeated at Rosslyn Park for five years. The absence of Luke Narraway proved crucial as although we had plenty of ball we were unable to exploit a slightly fragile Wellington defence. In the second half Wellington proved too strong, helped by the fact that such was the strength and size of their squad that they fielded a different team on the second day than that which had qualified on the first. Reaching the last four, especially when we were the only school in the last eight who does not offer sports scholarships, was an outstanding achievement
My thanks to all those who played - it was an enjoyable Sevens season; frustrating at times as we had the capability to be as good a team as King's as had, but it was a pleasure to work with the squad. Ross Laidlaw and Nick Major were towers of strength; Jamie Gwynne and George Ballard were ever presents who made major contributions, whilst Paul Hallett and Oliver Mathew showed good finishing skills. Next year King's have several young players with pace and skill, such as Peter Winstanley, Huw Dimond, the two Potters, two Cullens etc. but if we are to succeed then Sevens must be given a higher profile than it is at the moment. P.T.G.
XV
If the point of extra-curricular activities is to keep plenty of pupils occupied, then the second XV more than played its part in the autumn term. Fourteen matches were played, involving a total of thirty-six boys. Of those thirty-six, seventeen different boys scored tries, helping to amass 330 points (we conceded 157). Ironically,
Michael Whear was the leading try scorer for the season, with six, and he played in only the first four games.
A 78-5 victory over King Henry's Coventry was most notable for Robbie Williams' first try, scored in his first ever game: there was a fear at one point that he wouldn't stop to put the ball down when over the line, his electric pace seeing him head off towards the Jaguar factory! He went on to score others including a try from deep in his own half against Hereford Cathedral. The first result should have been a great springboard for the season but it needed a defeat at the hands of Old Swinford to wake us up. Excellent victories followed on a mini tour of North Devon at Blundell's and then with a superb demonstration of running rugby at Cheltenham. The first two tries here were stunningly executed: great handling being finished off by Whear and Phi1 Burdon.
Traditionally strong sides, Solihull and Warwick were swept aside, 32-15 and 33-5 respectively finishing off an outstanding half term run. Wins against K.E.S. Aston, Hereford Cathedral and a 17-0 victory over R.G.S. Worcester (the first for sixteen years) were to follow. The boys, of course, won't let me forget the match against Bromsgrove, however. A draw against this school would seem respectable, but the team will always, I am sure, i115isl ha^ I should have given Williams' try. I have played the moment over in my mind, lads, and without the benefit of the video ref, I still couldn't say that he touched it down!
A strong pack helped win plenty of ball for the team, especially George Anstey, George Ballard and (when he put his mind to it!) James Goodman. Peter Gill did his share in the line-out. They also chipped in with tries. Tom Soden captained the side for the most part, motivating the team: his kicking was very good and he too scored tries. He was fortunate in having two good handling centres outside him, Burdon and Joe Robinson. These three set the tone for the team, together with Aaron Sagar: it would be fair to say that they enjoyed themselves, but they also trained well and were good at bringing on those around them. I enjoyed my time with them: it helps to be winning, but it also helps to be working with pupils who at the end of the day are genuinely nice blokes.
R.J.D.
3rd XV
The record for the season was not as good as we would have liked it to have been, as we lost more games than we won. Old Swinford tore us apart in the first game of the season, as did Blundells in the second, but that was to be the end of our heavy defeats and the advent of much success.
The next game was at Cheltenham who had trounced us by fifty points last season. This time round the forwards won a great deal of ball, were merciless in their rucking and aggressive when tackling or running at the opposition. Their tight forwards were not as strong as we were and they became quite a splintered outfit the longer the game progressed. Joe Proctor-Nicholls tore through the gaps scoring two tries, Gabriel Arnold added another, Leo Cox a fourth, Richard Joyce and Oliver Williamson the fifth and sixth which led to our biggest win of the season, 36-0.
Nick Thomas-Peter took much line-out ball and such exploits would see him soon say goodbye to 3rd XV rugby and join the seconds. Tom Chan was always in the thick of things, but soon he too was off and we also lost the services of one of our best forwards, Edward Borastero and th~oughinjury Richard Morris. Oliver Williamson was also injured for a while, but he turned up to the games and encouraged the team to attend training. Jonathan Farmiloe took over the captaincy against K.E.S. Birmingham.
It is never easy to win at K.E.S and so it proved to be once again. Leo Cox had a robust game and Jamie Wallace showed what could be achieved by straight running in scoring our only try. In the backs Ben Blackshaw was a threat throughout the match and Peter Wilby spent the afternoon fielding long kicks and looking up to find three or more men on him. Two were usually thrown aside like Godzilla swatting a helicopter, but a third would cling on like a jackal until the rest of the pack arrived. We lost the game 13-5 but shared in making it a good contest.
We ran in three tries against the Grammar, which, on their small and cloying pitch, was a fine achievement. Matthew Middleton scored a try from a well-timed pass and Tom Coleman scored two good individual tries.
Andrew Wright was effective, as he was all season, and Peter Gill, who came in for the last few games of the season, won massesofline-out ball.James Greenfield and Rupert Lewis proved to be an effective pairing at 9 and 10.Both sides played hard, tough rugby, but in the end our pack proved too strong and our backs had too much pace. We won the game 24-0. Itwasgood to see both teams being generous in their applause of each other atthe end ofthe match, which isjust how it should be!
M.R.G.
As I have mentioned in previous Under 16 reports the season is very much determined by loss or otherwise of key players to the 1st XV. This was a talented year group who would probably have managed to win virtually all their fixtures, had they been at full strength. However, both Simon Potter and Peter Winstanley were selected for the firsts, a fantastic achievement considering the record that team finished with. To lose your main two ball carrying options, and then to have Charlie Jefferson-Loveday carried from the field in the preseason friendly, and not to play again all year, are major blows to overcome. The fact that we ended up with a playing record well inside positive territory is a fine reflection of the effort that the boys put into training, and particularly those who had to learn new roles and responsibilities.
The team was superbly led by Guy Potter, who is a fine athlete and did everything by example. The pack followed him very willingly, and it was rare that they came second best to any side. The problem we had was therefore not in winning ball, but in putting it to good use. Having lost our main scorers, we found it difficult to put the points on the board that our approach play deserved. This was not due to a lack of talent or ideas, but quite simply we did not have the pace to finish things off. This obviously caused us problems in defence as well, but it can be covered up if the back line are prepared to get up fast and prevent the ball being switched wide quickly. This was something we were very good at, with both Tom and Sam Cullen excellent in the tackle in the middle of the park. Tom did particularly well as he had to come to terms with being moved from
hooker to inside centre - and by the end of the season he was playing on the wing for the 1st VII.
Much of our attacking thrust came around the edges of the rucks and set pieces. Stuart Chandler in the back row and James Davis at scrum-half were dynamic in this area, and were helped by a scrum that tended to be rock solid. There were excellent wins over Blundells, KES Birmingham, Warwick and WRGS to name just a few, as well as narrow defeats against very strong opposition from Bristol and Bromsgrove. The boys were a pleasure to work with, always dedicated and often amusing.
This year group has an outstanding record in Sevens. Unfortunately their real opportunity to test themselves against the very best was denied them by the weather when the Rosslyn Park National Sevens were cancelled. We had already gone to Blundells with only half a squad due to injuries and 1st VII commitments, but had lost to a good Millfield side in the semi-finals. At the Warwick tournament we were still without a couple of key players, but as they had done for the previous three years the team came away comprehensive winners. It was therefore a great pity that they were unable to perform in London.
A.A.D.G.
Under 15 XV
advantages over them. Nevertheless the team never lost heart and were never easy to beat. This bodes very well for future years when the physical divide has disappeared.
The best performances of the season came towards the end when we were playing some good rugby. We defeated such teams as K.E.S. Aston and Hereford Cathedral School and performed heroically against a strongly fancied Grammar School side, succumbing 3922 in an excellent match. We also lost 5-0 away at Bristol Grammar School, but this was a game we ought to have won as we dropped the ball over their line twice! The final game of the season was against Oldswinford, once more a very useful outfit but we outplayed them for much of the game and came within a few seconds of a memorable victory, but the opposition scored with the last move of the game to draw 2424.
Under 14 XV
D.T.N.
In a small year group with an even smaller number of rugby players it was impossible to field a competitive B team and this meant that the squad was reduced to a meagre eighteen players or so. As a result, the side struggled particularly when injuries to key players occurred. The forwards were a match for most opponents and won their fair share of good ball. Selection in the backs was more problematic and our limited resources were often stretched to beyond breaking point. The highlight of the season came at Monmouth when a full strength side prevailed in fine style. I will not mention individual players in a report of this length but my thanks go to all who through adversity 'stuck at it', were good company and, from my perspective at least, made it an en-joyable and worthwhile campaign.
This promised to be a good season. A new term, fresh enthusiasm, a large squad boiling over with energy and a fixture list providing lots of opportunity. Training began and fitness levels were noticeably improving all the time. Each match showed a level of commitment to the cause above and beyond that seen on the practice pitch and the first ten minutes of every contest indicated a clear message to the opposition. Only a handful of fixtures ended in defeat. Among the most notable of victories was that over a strong Bromsgrove team when we battled in both attack and defence to win through in the end. There were some very strong individual performances on a number of occasions but special mention should go to Charlie Fellows who led by example throughout the season.
In the forwards George Clarke was the most effective player, winning most ruck ball for the team. Freddie Hughes is a difficult runner to stop and has scored many of the team's tries. In the backs Tom Longley has developed his kicking game and links with the centre partnership of Jack Herriot and Ed Jones which has also been a potent attacking force. Paul Mitchell, Stephen Poole and Jonathan Middleton also improved greatly as the season progressed.
The 'B' team suffered from similar problems to the 'A' team in that they were invariably smaller than the opposition but again they fought with guts and determination. My thanks go to all the players who improved so much during the season and who will, I am confident, be successful in years to come.
J.L.O./S.R.D.
C.W.S.W.
This was a hard season for the Under 13s as they sought
Under XV
A XV Played 12, Won 9, Lost 3
B XL? Played 9, Won 6, Lost 3
Under XV C XV Played 3, Won 1, Drawn l, I,ost l
These are of course impressive playing records but what to compete against sides that had major physical really pleased AWL and me about Lower Fourth rugby
over the Autumn and Spring terms was the large number of boys who represented the school in competitive fixtures.
The Spring term's opportunities to train and play fixtures were spoilt, as usual, by the flooding but all three teams played a lot of good rugby, with the A XV's best performance coming in the resounding win over a strong King Henry's team. A narrow last match defeat against Warwick, who had beaten us soundly in September (thanks to PTG for arranging this as a 'warmup' game!) showed how much the side had improved, both in teamwork and in individual skills.
Tom Gwynne was consistent and skilful at fly half and he and Dominic Wood, a live-wire scrum half, were a pair of half backs who troubled all our opponents. Andrew Hughes ran straight and made the ball available in the tackle well and Jack England, James Bennett, Ashley Hill and William Tyrrell all ran elusively and improved their handling over the season.
The forwards were an imposing unit - unsung stalwarts such as Laurence Clarke, Oliver Jenkins and James Riley were rugged and determined and the more flamboyant Laurence Szymanski and Ben Hardy were often the pick of both packs. James Ward's aggression in the loose and Andrew Finlay's skill at the line-out were also assets and Simon Chandler scored many important tries.
The B XV were boosted by the hard work of Charlie Driscoll and speed of Tom Bryant and it was good to see many boys improving their game and really getting 'stuck in' - for example Michael Bates, Joseph Woodward, Kit Smith and Gordon Robinson. Richard Winwood's 'power tackles' knocked back many an opponent and Sam Pearman, Oliver Heath, Andrew Wilson, Luke Armitage and Tom Byrne all had their moments. 'Finds' of the season were Jonathan Bird and William Harris - a couple of pacy three-quarters.
The Form Sevens tournament 'unearthed' several players and it was good to see these boys playing in the C team fixtures and not looking out of place.
D.P.I./A.W.L.
only one side that wanted to be there. Tom Soden, Phi1 Burdon and Oli Mathew all had tremendous games in the middle of the park, and our finishing, notably from Richard Hallett, was impressive. Our eventual 3-0 victory was fully deserved, every player showing great spirit and determination, and no lack of skill in trying circumstances.
There were excellent wins over Monmouth and Pate's Grammar School and a very hard fought draw away at Thomas Rich School in Gloucester. We went behind twice, but the side had great self-belief, and we should actually have ended up winning the game late on. Against KES Camp Hill we played probably our best football of the term. We won the match 6-1, but it could quite easily have been double that. The game was most memorable for a superb hat-trick from Tom Soden, including two great strikes from outside the area.
The last game of the season against other schools was at home to Clifton College. They are regularly one of our most difficult opponents, and this year was no exception, as they also went into the game undefeated. In a very competitive first half of few chances, both sides looked happy to settle for a draw. However, King's scored early in the second half, bringing the Clifton players out of their shells. The game was now all Clifton, with King's defending resolutely. It looked like we were going to hold on for the win, but with five minutes to go Clifton were awarded a penalty, which was dispatched expertly. A 1-1 draw was probably a fair result, with neither side deserving to lose. The team had therefore managed to go unbeaten against other schools and this only left the tricky matter of the staff match. In a poor but enjoyable game, the spoils were evenly distributed after a 1-1 draw.
The season was both very enjoyable and a great success. The boys worked hard in training and deserved the record they finished with. I would like to thank JTW for his work "upstairs", and DTN for his coaching assistance.
A.A.D.G.
SOCCER
1st
A season of firsts for the 1st XI at King's: the team went through the season undefeated; they beat WRGS; they did not play on the cabbage patch; and we did not lose a fixture to flooding. The season kicked off against Wycliffe with a 3-0 victory. This was not as easy as the scoreline may suggest, and it also proved to be the only occasion where we played the captain's famous diamond formation. It sounded good in theory, but did not seem suited to our players! Fancy formations may have been above them, but very little else was. The strength of the team lay in a lack of weaknesses. From our huge keeper at the back to our speedy front men, the side was well balanced and full of talent. Very rarely did we get out bossed in midfield, and the heart of the defence, marshalled by Rob Williams and Richard Morris, was solid.
The match against WRGS was played in dreadful weather, and it was very soon apparent that there was
Under XI
All our practices, like those of the successful Liverpool teams of the 1970s and 1980s, were five-a-sides. Two regular slots on the floodlit all-weather surface at St John's Sports Centre meant that the long nights and flooded fields didn't interrupt our preparations for the big games. First touches, running off the ball, accuracy of passing, and keeping possession all improved dramatically - until the Saturday matches, when the skills practised during the week were all forgotten as we reverted to Wimbledon tactics and hoofed it up field for Josh Kelly to chase. Josh has the pace of Michael Owen but more skill.
Keelan McNally, our captain, was both creative and ferocious in midfield. With a left foot like Harry Kewell's, he could easily have solved Sven's England problems down that side, though he occasionally saw the 'red mist' and could make Roy Keane look a bit nambypamby. He scored goals against Handsworth GS and Clifton College, and looked the part when he was in the mood. James Hall was our most skilful player; I always tried (very subtly) to be in his team for the five-a-sides. With the quick feet and stamina of Kieron Dyer, (though
he was never injured), he dominated games, and was particularly inspirational in our win at Monmouth. Andrew Tew was just like Sol Campbell at the back: extremely big. He did a great job to mark Monmouth's international striker out of the game. David Juckes in goal didn't preside over the penalty area with real authority at the start of the season: the Juckes' Box Jury felt he needed to be more decisive. He became dominant later on, and this, combined with his good understanding of angles and his safe hands, made him a useful keeper. Guy Davies was a regular at right back: he read the game well and his good positional sense meant that his relative lack of pace was rarely exposed. It would be a good race between Guy and Seba Veron. Ewan Stevenson was a very skilful presence in midfield, and once, against Clifton, he passed the ball. He has mesmeric close control, and the silky touch of Zidane. Frankie Hine-Hughes was a useful defender in the Danny Mills mould, though his season was spoiled by injury. Toby Hewson, who reminds me of Claudio Ranieri because his English is slowly improving, also did well at times, popping up from nowhere like Freddie Ljungberg, to score a vital goal in our win at Clifton. Alex Dobbins, with the attacking instincts of Roberto Carlos and more charisma, started the season in midfield, but we needed his composure and his presence at the back: he broke up many attacks and then started promising moves from his position at left back. Dan Freeman also played although he belongs to a different era: while his team mates trained in horrible shiny kits advertising their sponsors, Dan wore his white PT shorts and vest, short socks and Dunlop Green Flash pumps. Steven Bilboe was quickly off the mark, drove the team forward, cut a dash up the right and pulled good balls across. Dean McBride was a steady defender, as reliable as Gary Neville, and James Rees Phillips could play anywhere, like Gary's brother Phil. For the record, we lost to WRGS: it was a lovely spring day but we froi-e; the big stage of the 1st XI pitch was too much for us. Having said that, their keeper was man of the match by a mile! It was enjoyable to work with this group of boys. Thcy tried hard and there was a good team spirit. There are some skilful players who will be 1st XI regulars for the next three years.
XI
S.Le M.
Yet another season severely disrupted by adverse weather; only four games were completed and three of these in foul conditions. In the first game the pace and strength of Charlie Fellows was too much for the opposition defence. Amongst a horde of missed chances he scored a fine hat-trick in a 3-1 victory. Our defence was marshalled superbly by men of the match James Ranson and Lorcan Lynch. The following week we lost to WRGS in a very strange game. After early pressure the opposition scored a well-worked goal from outside the area. Before half-time they had scored twice more, both through attempted crosses which were carried over our keeper by a fierce wind. After the break King's were a different side. The introduction of the hard-working Andy Blackburn and a more attacking formation lead to King's dominating most of the play. A sizzling run by
Simon Insley provided Joe Street with a good opportunity but his effort hit the post. Neat passing in midfield put Quin Chandler through but a desperate challenge inside the box was deemed to be fair. For all their attacking play King's could only score once, that an excellent chip by Street from the edge of the box. With a bit more luck and the presence of our most potent striker things could have been much different. Charlie returned for the following game and scored FOUR times in a 5-1 thrashing of Monmouth, Darach Duffy having another hard-working and influential game in midfield. King's competed well in their last game against a strong Clifton College side who eventually came out 2-1 winners. Their best player, who had largely run the midfield, finished the Under 14 game and then played the second half for their First XI!
THE BOAT CLUB
M.C.P./C.H.
King's won four events at the first long distance race of the season, the Worcester Small Boats Head. Zac Purchase won the Junior 16 singles event beating his local rival Andrew Walker from Evesham by a comfortable margin. The two scullers combined for the afternoon division and recorded a comfortable win in the J16 doubles with one of the quickest times of the day. The girls' squad performed excellently with two coxed fours picking up wins and the King's coxless four containing Caroline Hart, Rachael Dawson, Julia Gilbert and Aimee Shaw who all represented England during the summer recording the fastest women's time of the day.
The second half of the Autumn term began with the National Ergo Championships, held for the first time in Birmingham. Julia Gilbert won the Junior-15 category with thumping authority while Zac Purchase picked up a bronze medal in the Junior-18 lightweight category. This event followed the first of a series of GB trials for Zac which took place in Boston. He finished first in his age group, Junior-16, by a massive margin and came second overall.
Encouraging results at two race meetings in the second half of term boded well for the big races over the
next two terms. The boys' senior squad travelled to Hampton with two Upper Remove crews and raced against some stiff competition. The quickest pair of Myles McKinnon and Matthew Bird finished ninth out of nineteen entries, which included crews on trial for GB selection. The Upper Remove boys and girls crews performed well, both finishing fifth, beating a number of leading schools in the process. Zac Purchase continued his unbeaten run in the single.
The last trip of the term involved the two senior squads competing in eights for the first time this season at Wallingford. The girls split into two eights, underlining the depth of the squad this year, with the quicker of the two eights finishing only one second behind the Lady Eleanor Holles School first eight. The boys' eight rowed technically well, coping admirably with their first outing in an eight this season. Also during the term, the boathouse received a facelift with a complete refit of the boat and blade racks.
In the second set of GB trials in February, Zac Purchase was the second fastest sculler. The conditions were still with bright sunshine, perfect weather for the trialists. His time of nineteen minutes four seconds, put Zac just twelve seconds behind Dunley of Dulwich, closing the gap significantly on the first trials back in November.
A busy end to the Spring term began with the school's best set of results ever at the biggest processional head race of the year for juniors, The Schools' Head. The club entered six crews, totalling forty six pupils, all of which came in the top ten in their respective categories.
The conditions were excellent with the often treacherous course unusually calm. Indeed, the Women's Head to be held on the same course the following day was cancelled due to high winds. The Schools' Head of the River Race is a gruelling four and a quarter miles for the senior crews and it is raced along the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race course.
The King's first eight, stroked by captain William Rimell, finished seventh overall in a time of seventeen minutes and fifty-two seconds, beating some traditionally strong school boat clubs in the process. Impeded by Shiplake School's first eight up to Hammersmith Bridge, the King's eight pulled away leaving Shiplake nearly twenty seconds behind them when they crossed the line.
The girls' first eight also had a successful day out coming third overall despite a last minute substitution following an ankle injury. The girls' second eight were the fastest in their category beating Canford by a comfortable thirty-four seconds. The boys' junior coxed four came ninth out of twenty three - an excellent result considering two of the team, twin brothers Simon and Guy Potter, had only just returned to the rowing team following the successful King's rugby season. The boys' 515 eight also came ninth beating, amongst others, St Paul's, Eton and Abingdon, whose first eight won the event overall. The girls7J15 quad came seventh out of twenty crews, just beating the Worcester Rowing Club quad by four seconds. During the following week, Gillian Lindsay visited the school and spent some time on the water with a number of crews. All were disappointed when it was pointed out that Gillian was not to be a permanent addition to the coaching team!
The Easter holiday was a busy one for the club with most members involved in some training over the period. The senior squads travelled to Gent, Belgium for an intensive training camp. The squads competed in the International Regatta at the end of the camp, with the girls' eight winning gold and silver on the Saturday and Sunday respectively. Zac Purchase won J16 and 518 singles. The boys' eight had two excellent races against very stiff competition, beating some strong school crews in the process.
The 514 and 515 squads went to Brigg near Grimsby for a three-day camp. This camp undoubtedly helped towards their subsequent success during the summer season. Thanks to TDRH and HMA for their help on the camp - they quickly worked out where the local fish and chip shop was!
At the end of the Easter break, Zac Purchase and Ava Goodman represented the school at a Great Britain selection regatta held at Dorney Lake, Eton. Both pupils were a credit to the school. Zac came second overall,just losing out to a sculler from Burton Leander.
The summer regatta season started at Evesham. Here the Lower Remove quads had their first taste of regatta racing with some excellent performances against some already experienced club crews. The Upper Remove girls' quad lead the way with a hard-earned victory in their event, beating two Gloucester crews. The Novice girls' eight also won their event, beating Birmingham University and Staines. The Novice eight repeated their victory on the Saturday by winning the sprint event on the Sunday as well. The Senior 3 coxed four stroked by Guy Potter beat Corpus Christi College in the first round only to come against a very strong Llandaff crew, the eventual winners. The Sunday sprints also brought a win for the Junior -16 double of Simon Potter and Tim Mackenzie.
The two first eights travelled to Nottingham to compete against some stiffer opposition. The boys produced a workmanlike performance, beating Monmouth School. The girls' eight rowed well, confirming their early season pace.
Shrewsbury produced an excellent day's racing. The Upper Remove girls' quad was victorious again, winning the event with a superb row against a big Grange School crew. The Novice girls' eight were beaten in the final by a powerful Agecroft crew - the margin,just half a length. The Lower Removes had a successful day out, with the boys' first quad losing to Cheltenham's A crew in the Division 1 decider. The Upper Remove boys' eight had their first outing and notched up a couple of victories before being knocked out in the third round.
Forty one King's students travelled up to Nottingham on the 1stJune to compete in the premier junior rowing event, The National Schools' Regatta.
Undoubtedly the best result for King's was the bronze medal they picked up in the Girls' Championship Eights on the Saturday. This is their best ever performance at National Schools' and for a time the girls were rowing for a silver medal against the Lady Eleanor Holles School, who dominated this event during the 1990s. The final difference between the crews was just over a second. The boys' first eight, one of the pre-race favourites, rowed themselves comfortably into the final,
winning their first heat and finishing just behind the eventual winners in the semi-final. However the crew had a race to forget in the final, failing to settle onto a strong rhythm. The crew eventually finished fifth. The boys'J15 eight had an excellent row in the heat to put themselves into contention in the semi-final. One of the races of the day, their semi-final was a blanket finish, with King's finishing fourth, just one and a half seconds off the winning semi-finalists.
Sunday's racing returned just one medal in J16 singles. The final was an exciting race between the winner of Championship Singles on Saturday, Dan Tipney of Marlow and Zac Purchase. Tipney started well, looking to decide the outcome of the race in the first 500 metres. But he tired early and Purchase began to build a commanding lead after the 1000 metre mark. The eventual winning margin was a comfortable eight seconds.
The two first eights went on to compete at Henley, via Loughborough Regatta for the girls and Reading Regatta for the boys. The girls had a Henley experience to remember, losing to Groton School, USA, after agreeing to a re-row. The American crew had been disqualified in the first race due to steering difficulties. After appealing to King's, the race was re-scheduled and Groton won comfortably. The Groton crew and coach were amazed by King's sporting behaviour and the coach went on to record this in the USA's largest rowing publication. The boys lost to King's Chester in the first round of Royal Henley.
Henley Crews
Girls' V111 Boys' V111
Caroline Hart Bow Simon Potter
Laura Ranson 2 Tom Denlegh-Maxwell
Sophie Moule 3 Tim Mackenzie
Rachael Dawson 4 Bill Brigden
Jess Oakley 5 Scott Rennie
Ava Goodman 6 Myles McKinnon
Liz Lewis 7 Will Rimell
Arny Wright 8 Zac Purchase
Hannah Stewart Cox Harry Denlegh-Maxwell
The rest of the Boat Club continued to notch up victories. The boys' J15 quad won at Tewkesbury along with an impressive win also by the 514 girls' quad. The 514 boys won gold at Peterborough Regatta in the 'B' quad category and the girls won a hard fought bronze in the 515 quad category.
Zac Purchase was selected to represent Great Britain at the Coupe de la Jeunesse in a double. He won his first international medals, a silver and gold, a remarkable achievement for a sixteen year old.
King's raced well at the National Championships, the girls' eight taking home a gold medal after a long successful season. The boys' 514 quad reached the final and the 515 quad raced well, just missing out on a place in the final. The 514 girls had their first taste of 2000m racing and vowed to return with a vengeance next season!
N.J.M.
ATHLETICS
Athletics continues to be rather low in the pecking order of summer sports but in spite of this well over one hundred pupils represented the school in matches and the various championships. Practices and home competitions all took place at the City Track, Nunnery Wood. Throughout the season there were good team and individual performances. Even so, it has become increasingly difficult, in a term with ever increasing examination pressures, to field full teams. This problem was highlighted in the first Saturday match at Bromsgrove. My impression is that pupils in general have become less fit and less prepared to put themselves out. I fear for the long-term future of competitive extracurricular sport and, more generally, for the health of the nation. My thanks to the staff who made the season possible.
REPRESENTATIVE HONOURS
Fourteen pupils were selected to represent the District at the County Championship. This was less than half of the number from last year although, in fairness, pupils who were not available for the County event were not entered. The County medallists were:
Senior Boys
Gold Ben Blackshaw Triple Jump
Gold Tom Scaife Javelin
Silver Adrian Uren Javelin
Senior Girls
Gold Sam Doughty Shot Putt
Intermediate Girls
Gold Amy Jones 200m
Junior Boys
Gold Tom Amphlett Javelin
Junior Girls
Gold Beth Ghalamkari Discus
Full Colours: Ben Blackshaw
Mike Chaffey
Tom Scaife
Adrian Uren
Amy Jones
Half Colours: Cameron Baldry
James Davis
Tom Arnphlett
Beth Ghalamkari
Senior Sports
As usual, each House was asked to enter one athlete in each event and the totals for all age groups were added together to find a winner. The event was hotly contested and produced a close and controversial result. Oswald House were the declared winners on the night by a narrow margin, breaking Wulstan's five year domination of the competition, but the following day anomalies in the scoring were unearthed and further disqualifications came to light. Had Wulstan won after all? Harsh words were spoken, letters exchanged and the result remained subject to interpretation. In respect to both Houses I have not included a table of results but as the reader might gather it was an exciting evening of athletics.
Presentations were made to Sam Doughty for her faithful service to the club and to Tom Amphlett and Amy Jones who were named athletes of the year.
Fourth Forms
At the District Championship six pupils were selected to represent the City of Worcester and of these two went on to win Gold medals. Ed Jones proved himself to be the fastest boy in the County and won the 200m, equalling the championship record in the process, and Paul Mitchell cruised to a comfortable victory in the 400m.
As with their senior counterparts there were fewer qualifiers for the County Championship than in previous years. I can only urge pupils to train hard and make qualification their aim for next year.
At the Fourth Form sports there was a clear victory for L4C and averynarrow one for U4A. U4C pushed them to the last relay but eventuallyfell short byjust three points. Four new School records were set. Ed Jones eclipsed the longstanding l00m record of R.James 1971 with a new mark of 11.9. Hand held times are often subject to error but clearly Ed is quick. Other records were set by Edwin Elmhirst 1.30 L4 HJ, Hannah Button 2.49 L4 800m and Sam Perry/ Sophie Le Marchand 1.32 U4 HJ.
D.T.N.
CRICKET
The summer of 2002 may not have been memorable in terms of the weather, but once again it was most definitely a classic for 1st XI cricket at King's. The season was the culmination of the school careers for a large number of the side, some of whom had been everpresent for six years - one thing the team did not lack was experience! The make-up of the side was not novel, but what was different was the introduction of a competitive league featuring ourselves, WRGS, Solihull, Warwick and KES Birmingham. Games were played on a 112 over format, with the side batting first limited to a maximum of 60 overs. Batting and bowling points were available, with winning and losing draws also part of the equation. These games were a definite success, with the added motivation and competition much to the boys' liking.
It was with one such game that the season commenced. The strongest Warwick side for some years posted a huge 275 in their 60 overs, leaving us 52 overs to reach the target. This would have been a daunting task well into the season, but on our first outing on grass of the summer? However, I need not have worried. A superb opening stand of 184 between Joe Robinson and Phi1 Burdon in only 30 overs put us well on the way to a comprehensive 6 wicket victory. It is hard to describe the impact that this result had on the side, except to say that they it simply re-enforced the confidence that they already had in their own ability. This was perfectly illustrated in the next game when we posted a massive 2945 against Solihull.
It would be fair to say that the strength of the team lay very much in its batting ability. Four of the top five had held similar positions for the last three years, and their ability to dominate bowling attacks was evident in nearly every game. The openers scored over 1800 runs between them, with the captain Nick Major managing 600. I can certainly say that neither DPI nor I would have tired of watching these three individuals bat. Huw Dimond came in at four and gained plenty of experience. He should have scored more runs than he managed, and I expect
A prrfrrt hnrlrl7Jtfrom Plzzl Burdon
I.\/ XI - (,'hr.rfrrlon Clip winners
Phzl Burdon boii~lingLn thr MR(,\ ~rrri/(li
that to be rectified next season. Jamie Gwynne played a number of crucial knocks, most notably against WRGS, where an explosive 42 sealed the game emphatically. This was a tremendous, if not unexpected, 6 wicket victory, once again played in the excellent and inspirational surroundings of the County Ground at New Road. Although this is always the big game for our boys, there were two far better and much harder fought victories. Set just over 200 to win by a very strong MCC side, we batted superbly to reach our target with 4 wickets and 2 overs remaining. A week earlier we had again played at Worcestershire's ground in the final of the Chesterton Cup. On the way we had beaten Monmouth School and Malvern College, the latter being predominantly made up of the side that won the national schools tournament when they were Under 15. The final was against a Cheltenham College side that contained Viv Richards' son, no mean player himself! In a low scoring, but incredibly tense match, we emerged victorious by 3 wickets. This was the first time we had won this competition, but hopefully not the last.
The rest of the middle order, containing Richard and Paul Hallett and Osman Fiaz had a handy knack of contributing when necessary. All three had other roles, with Richard keeping very competently in Nick's absence, Paul picking up vital wickets in a couple of games, and Osman heading the bowling averages, though not being the leading wicket taker. This mantle was taken by Joe Robinson, who finished with 39 wickets, fulfilling his potential by becoming an accomplished allrounder. Although the new ball pairing changed dependant upon conditions, Joe was usually supported by Phi1 Burdon. He took 32 wickets and often ended up doing the donkey work into the wind that seemed to follow us all summer. The bowling always looked like being the weak link, but rarely did it fail to perform. The spinning cupboard seemed very bare, but Tom Cullen persevered with his left arm orthodox, and looked a different bowler in Jersey to the one who had started the season. If he can continue to develop he will be a very handy asset over the next two summers. The other bowler who suffered the pains of bowling into the elements all season was Will Smith. He was far more confident than in his displays last year, and quickly established himself as a regular. His best performances
came in the cup games where his infamous lack of pace made him very difficult to get away.
The sheer strength of the team meant that a number of good players, who would have batted higher and bowled more often in a normal side, had few opportunities. A perfect example of this was Tom Soden. It says a great deal about these boys, and the team spirit that was ever present, that they put so much time and effort into their cricket at school this year. The pressure on the boys through the constant cycle of exams seems to get worse every year, but the 2002 team showed that it is possible to still play cricket and get good A level grades. Nick Major captained the side with great skill and determination. It is never easy keeping wicket, batting at three and captaining, but he did a fine job. On that note it brings me nicely on to DPI. He continues to run the cricket at King's with great enthusiasm and superb organisation. My thanks, and those of the boys, are owed to him for that. We have some useful cricketers coming through the school. I hope they continue to develop, and that they show the same dedication as the 2002 team displayed. A.A.D.G.
Averages Batting
P. Burdon
J. Robinson
N. Major
0. Mathew
H. Dimond
0. Fiaz
J. Gwynne
P. Hallett
T. Soden
R. Hallett
Played 22, Won 16, Lost 4, Drawn 2
In a reversal of the pattern of recent years, we began the season triumphantly and ended it with three consecutive defeats, including - alas! -by WRGS. Though we lost the second game to Solihull, we had a comfortable victory over Warwick, crushing defeats of Wolverhampton GS and KEC Stourbridge (the latter by 159 runs!), and had Bromsgrove hanging on by a thread at 122-9 after we'd made 200.
Several players contributed to the low scores of our opponents, most notably Luke Weaver with 12 wickets in the five matches he played during the winning sequence; he and Will Hardy, when one of them was not poached by the 1st XI, formed the fastest and most hostile opening pair we've had for some years. Later on in the season the spinners made an impact, as the less able batsmen find it impossible to know what to do with the looping leg-breaks of James Byrne, who took 3 wickets against both Wolverhampton and Stourbridge, or the apparently innocuous off-breaks of Sam Cullen (410 against Bromsgrove), not to mention the extraordinary action of Michael Wilesmith. The most deceptive of all was the medium-paced James Greenfield, who regularly picked up a few wickets for very few runs (e.g. 1-0 against Wolverhampton, 1-3 against Stourbridge). I should also mention the unlikely opening pair against Stourbridge, Nick Insley and Harry Travers, who each took two wickets in the rout. We were helped in the field by having three wicket-keepers to choose from. Oliver Mathew has kept wicket for the county, but he prefers to bowl nowadays, and so the keeping duties were shared between Mark Rose and Tom Squire, both of whom kept most competently and also contributed significantly to the batting.
On the batting front we made a habit of scoring 200+ on the second square on Wednesday afternoon, albeit on one occasion with the help of an Under 15, Stephen Bilboe, who made the season's only century against Wrekin. Otherwise there were some decent contributions from opener Tom Weston, who twice reached 40, and Mark Rose, whose highest score was 83 not out against Stourbridge; that game was also the debut of Rob Williams, who opened his account with an undefeated 50 and whose athletic fielding caught the eye every time he played. Sam Cullen, too, can bat as well as bowl, finishing the season on a high note with 53 in the run feast against the OVs. In the second half of term, when we lost all three matches, it was twice left to the bowlers to smash their way to a respectable team total: Luke Weaver scored 30 against KES Birmingham, the only significant score apart from specialist batsman Oliver Mathew's 61, and in a disappointing display against WRGS, where only Rob Williams (25) coped with the bowling, blushes were spared by James Byrne's 32 not out made off about half that number of balls.
The spirit and effort of the team were splendid all through the season, thanks in great part to the regular captain, Richard Morris; he didn't have the greatest of seasons as a batsman, but it was good to see him make his highest score, 45, in the final match against the OVs. The competitive, but always cheerful and gentlemanly
spirit which his team showed made them, as usual, a pleasure to umpire.
XI
This was a mixed season, though on balance I think the team under-achieved.
Stephen Bilboe, a quietly authoritative and knowledgeable captain, is a fine batsman, though we had to wait until the last match of the season to see him register a really big score. His unbeaten 92, though not enough to avert defeat at the hands of WRGS, was by some distance the best innings I saw by an Under 15 player all summer. Rock-solid in defence, he was never in any trouble, and he punished the bad ball with ruthless efficiency all around the wicket. He deserved a hundred.
When Stephen didn't score heavily, our batting looked fragile. There were one or two exciting cameos from Josh Kelly, but he was as disappointed as I was that he couldn't make more telling contributions. Guy Davies was a regular at the top of the innings, making important runs in the win at Solihull, but he, too, was expected to score more heavily than he did. Keelan McNally played some powerful shots but his temperament was suspect and he didn't manage a really significant contribution with the bat. Frankie HineHughes was almost impossible to dismiss in the nets, but in the middle proved more vulnerable, only really showing his worth with a lovely knock in the defeat by Oldswinford. 'Skunk' Colquhoun and Dan Freeman practised hard and also looked good in the nets, Dan often effortlessly sending deliveries (usually mine) into orbit. Dan made a useful score of 31 against opposition that are usefully nameless in the scorebook, though it could have been Bromsgrove. In an exciting match against Bristol Grammar, Mohan Gondhalekar starred with the bat, sharing in an opening partnership of 70 with Bilboe and playing some lovely shots particularly through the covers. Andrew Tew, who bowled some useful spells, eventually scored the winning runs in this match, somehow managing to smear consecutive off stump half volleys for four behind square on the leg side. Mohan's major weakness, of course, is that he is too nice: several times during his excellent knock at Bristol he asked me if he should get himself out; and batting in the nets he would apologise to the bowler, Kelly, when Kelly thumped him on an unprotected thigh with his most venomous deliveries. David Juckes played some nice innings, giving Bilboe excellent support against WRGS and making useful runs against Oldswinford when he hit the cleanest of straight sixes. He times the ball well. Rory Biddulph, Stephen Humphreys and Alex Dobbins also played. Biddulph was one of our straightest bowlers in the end. Humphreys played his best innings in the first match of the season when Warwick couldn't dismiss him and when he played the most sumptuous of cover drives. Dobbins was one of our best fielders, though, like Dean McBride, he didn't get much chance to bowl, and it was understandable that they both lost a little bit of interest. James Hall, Toby Hewson and Ewan Stevenson were on the fringes of the team and contributed well in practices. I was often disappointed with our boys' performance. Inferior opposition sometimes outplayed them because
they were not strong enough mentally. If they are to make the leap into the 1st XI, they will have to toughen up. AADG will see to that.
S. Le M.
XI
After three games it looked as if the record books were going to be written for all the wrong reasons. Increasingly heavy defeats against strong opposition left the team rather shell shocked. Thankfully the rot was stopped with a win against Hereford Cathedral School, albeit by claiming victory on account of losing fewer wickets in a limited overs match that finished with the scores level! It was enough to kick start the season though and it was followed by an excellent all round performance by captain Charlie Fellows (4 for 14 and 76 runs) which contributed to a victory over Bishop's Hereford by 5 wickets.
Charlie was the mainstay of a rather fragile batting line up, though on good days Tom Mitchell contributed too. The bowling was a more egalitarian state of affairs with Ben Chatfield, Simon Insley and Liam Fahy all chipping in with wickets, though again it was the captain who claimed the most scalps.
In all the team achieved six victories out of their fourteen fixtures. The match at Christ College, Brecon was probably the highlight. In a low scoring game Ben Chatfield with 5 for 11 and Liam Fahy with 4 for 11 protected a modest total of 80 to set up a win by 28 runs. Other wins were achieved against The Chase, Prince Henry's, Evesham and Pershore High School. Unfortunately the season couldn't end on a high at WRGS but there, as in all the games, the team played with spirit and with sportsmanship which was a credit to the school and which isn't always easy when you're coming second by a long way.
Under 13 XI
TP~ 1.b.n.
The A team did not start as well as the B team who won their first four matches. All out for 71 against Warwick, for 52 against Solihull and losing by 102 runs to Wolverhampton GS typified our early season malaise. Parents, players and coaches felt that a confidence boosting win would quickly change this poor series of results.
It came against Hereford Cathedral School. A withering onslaught on a sublime batting pitch of 36 not out by Sophie Le Marchand and a devastating piece of bowling of 420 by Chris Goodreds paved the way for a fine 7 wicket win. The B team did even better winning by an innings and 33 runs in a two innings match. Helen Bellfield had a superb match taking 46 and scoring 53 not out. Simon Holpin took 6-17 which were the best bowling figures of the season. Stephen Poole had his highest score (25 not out) in the next match against The Chase, and Tom Longley (28 not out) in the following one against Bishop's Hereford, which we also won, the former by 57 runs and the latter by 8 wickets.
Solid batting performances, accurate bowling and sharp fielding had become characteristics of our game. All these elements combined in the match against WRGS. Richard Lea bowled with unerring accuracy, Tom Longley knocked over the stumps of their top
batsmen, and with figures of 416 along with Jonathan Inglis' 3-27 plus some great catching, running and stumping, RGS were dismissed for 82 runs. We gradually reached this total for the loss of 7 wickets. The B team missed out on this occasion. They were bowled out for 64 and it did not take long for this total to be reached, for the loss of only 2 wickets.
Most runs were scored by Sophie Le Marchand (210) and she also topped the batting averages (23). Tom Longley was the next best with an average of 19, which was low by his standards. He will do better next season. Jonathan Inglis took most wickets (12) and topped the bowling averages (11.6), although fine performances always came from Tom and Helen Bellfield. Ben Kite bowled well for the B team, Alex Hale kept wicket neatly and Hugh Thomas proved to be an excellent allrounder.
M.R.G./A.W.L.
Under 12 XI
The Under 12 cricketers had a reasonable year but there is quite an amount of talent for the future. Of the eight games that the 'A' team played, four were won, two drawn and two lost.
We had good wins against Solihull, Wolverhampton Grammar School, Bishop's Hereford and St Egwin's (who were dismissed for eight runs), but lost the first
Joe Iio/~in.\onin action - C/cr.st~rton(hp l.'i?tul. Mali Richards looks on in orup
match of the season against Warwick and an excellent cup match against Oldswinford where 111 runs played 106 for 8. We managed to hold on for a draw against K.E.S. Birmingham but could not knock over the last few Hereford Cathedral School batsmen so that game also ended drawn.
The two most consistent batsmen were the two Toms (Gwynne and Bryant) although others also showed potential. Lawrence Szymanski has good technique and when he spends longer periods in the middle he will become a useful player. Others chipped in with the odd useful contribution. Richard Winwood, Dominic Wood, Andrew Hughes and Kit Smith all come into this category.
The bowling was quite good but sometimes lacked the penetration to trouble the best batsmen. Both Gwynne and Bryant took wickets along with Wood, Winwood, Ed Brew and Hughes when he was not keeping wicket. Smith also did well with his off-spinners and James Yelland was one of the steadiest performers who usually took the new ball with Gwynne. The team was ably captained by the latter, who did an excellent job with field settings and bowling changes. One of the best fielders was James Ward, who was always alert and willing to throw himself around and made some super stops.
The members of the squad generally practised hard to develop their skills and although many did not get the chance to play much there will be chances in the future.
J.L.O./RJ.D.
1st XI
HOCKEY
The girls had a tough start to the season with their first fixture against Malvern Girls' College. King's displayed good attacking skills and were quick on the break but Malvern just had the edge despite good goals from Harriet Priddey and Aimee Shaw. We narrowly lost 3-2, which was a good performance against a school with strong hockey traditions. However, Pate's of Cheltenham proved to be much stiffer opposition and we struggled to mark them tightly. We ended up losing 3-0 which was not a true reflection of the game as we did put them under pressure but could not convert attacking play into goals. This lack of finish was apparent when we played Wycliffe College. Frances Gwilliam and Anna Brookes tried their best but were thwarted by the last defender or keeper. Aimee Shaw was so determined that she took out the keeper on a one on one situation but we still could not score. We ended up losing 1-0 as we were caught out on a fast break.
On a sunny afternoon we set off for a weekend tour in Wales. We stayed at a primitive outdoor centre hosted by Llandovery College. The girls enjoyed mountain biking, abseiling and climbing activities and were really good company. We ended up only playing one match against Llandovery as the local school 'cried off'. On a dreadful pitch we won well, with Aimee scoring a hat trick and Zeta Guest getting her first goal, as well as Frances Gwilliam, to make it 5-1.
At the U18 County Tournament we played very well against Prince Henry's and held them to a 0-0 draw. We
I,lrr?trlo7iri~tour
could not hold the international Bromsgrove side but managed to frustrate them sufficiently to keep the score at 5-0. Our best performance was against the Sixth Form College, where we only lost narrowly 2-1. Aimee Shaw scored an absolute cracker from the back of the circle but the game was shortened when Zeta received a blow to the head and was taken to hospital. Fortunately nothing was fractured.
The best game in terms of tactics and skill was against King Edward VIth High School for Girls, Edgbaston. Passing was excellent and our attackers really got into good spaces in behind their defence. Harriet Priddey scored a hat trick and Rachel Lawrence scored another to put the icing on the cake to make it a 41 victory against a good side.
Our lack of fire power was a frustration in the game against Malvern College. It should have been a draw at the very least but Malvern slipped in two goals in the last five minutes. The downward trend continued at Hereford Cathedral School when we just could not get it together on a bumpy, soggy pitch. We were lacking in grass practice and lost 2-0.
In January we faced MGC again but we did not fare so well and lost 5-1 with a consolation goal from Rachel Lawrence. However, spirits rose the following week when we beat King Edward's Stourbridge, away. Jess Higgs was an excellent guide with good local knowledge and we enjoyed an amusing trip into the Black Country. We
College with an excellent goal by Lucy Smith. They played well against Hereford and were unlucky to come away with a 1-0 defeat, as they did not capitalise on their scoring opportunities. Their penultimate game was a rematch against MGC where they showed much improvement and held them to a 0-0 draw. Their final outing was against the Chase and despite Rosie Palmer giving them an early lead they lost 3-1.
F.L.S.
Under 16 XI
This squad came together for the county tournament at the start of the season and they played exceptionally well as they were strong as U15s. They beat Blessed Edwards 3-0 with two goals from Jess Higgs and one from Harriet Priddey. They also played well against the Chantry and the Chase and held them to a 0-0 draw. In the semi-finals they lost 1-0 to Prince Henry's.
In December, they got back together as a team and I I had a great game against Prince Henry's and almost had I I their revenge but despite great goals from Naomi I I Roberts and-~arriet~riddeythe ended in a hard
played extremely well and Kate Herriot and Becky Gwilliam were solid in defence. We showed good structure and formation and won 1-0 with an excellent goal by Zeta Guest.
Shortly after this win we faced The Chase and they tore us apart. We played well but were outclassed by the England U18 captain and five Midlands players. We ended up losing 40.
Anna Brookes was an inspirational captain who gained the respect from the squad from the start of the season. She and a core of' senior players really brought the juniors on and helped to make it the most successful season to date.
Full Colours were re-awarded to: Frances Gwilliam and Anna Brookes
Full Colours: Zeta Guest, Claire Install, Pippa Candlish and Aimee Shaw.
Half Colours: Rachel Lawrence, Abigail Williams, Kate Herriot, Lara Parsons, Jess Higgs, Harriet Priddey and Rebecca Gwilliam.
F.L.S.
2nd XI
This newly assembled side had its first outing at MGC and showed a great deal of potential but lost 1-0. They were still finding their feet when they played King Edward's and despite hard work the game did not flow. They lost 40 after conceding soft goals in defence. It was October before they enjoyed their first win over Malvern
fought draw.
In March they played Pershore HS and were just too strong, winning easily 40 with two goals each from Harriet and Rosie Palmer. Their final game was against Chantry and they won 1-0 to complete a good run of matches and to put another notch on Harriet Priddey's goal tally.
F.L.S.
XI
A strong squad of fourteen girls trained throughout the season at the Worcester University astro-turf. These girls had benefited from their tour to Barcelona at the end of the previous season, as they had a good range of astro skills and a lot of team spirit.
Emma Hayfield was promoted into the 1st XI squad and had an excellent season playing at that level.
Throughout the season the team played ten matches, winning six, drawing one and losing three. In the second half of the season they were unbeaten as their play became more attacking in nature and their confidence grew.
Rachael Herbert took on the role of playing goalkeeper for the first time and with coaching from Stuart Speak she made a very impressive start to her new position. Lizzie Pearson was successful in being selected for the Under 15 county squad and she played a number of matches for them.
Throughout the season 25 goals were scored, the top goal scorer being Jo Hallett with ten and Alice BarnettRoberts coming a close second with nine.
J.D.C.
XI
A committed bunch of girls trained hard throughout the year and had a season of mixed fortune. They began well with a win over Wrekin College, with Jemima Williams scoring an excellent goal, to win 1-0. Poor conditions contributed to a 2-1 defeat against Malvern Girls' College. It was a frustrating game for all concerned as the ball went nowhere on a very sticky pitch.
They performed well against Pate's as they displayed good passing skills and won convincingly 3-0 with goals from Freya Marskell, Jemima Williams and Leanne Sheen. This win gave them the confidence to take on King Edward V1 and they really enjoyed playing on astro turf for a change. However, they lacked communication and frequently gave the ball away. Beth Ghalamkari played with a broken toe, but still scored two goals. Scrappy play however allowed them to equalise.
The girls were back on form again against Malvern College and by half time Beth Ghalamkari had scored a hat trick. Freya and Jemima scored in the second half to make it a resounding win. The girls had another frustrating drawn game against Hereford, in which poor pitch conditions and fading light did not help matters. The downward trend continued with a 6-0 defeat against MGC but the team was missing several key players because of a flu bug.
Still down in the doldrums the side lost once more to Pershore HS, 3-2. Poor defending and panicking were the main faults. In howling wind at the Chase, King's still could not get it together and lost 1-0. They redeemed themselves by beating Chantry HS 5-0, with a hat trick from Freya and goals from Beth and Sophie Hart. Their performance was much better in the district tournament where they beat St James and the Abbey 3-0, drew 0-0 with the Chase, beat CWHS 1-0 and beat the Chantry 2-0. This positive performance resulted in them qualifying for the next round where they faced stiff opposition. They lost 2-1 to Prince Henry's, Evesham and drew 0-0 with Bromsgrove, but in both games the side played really well. It was a good end to a mixed season.
F.L.S.
apprehensive and allowed Bromsgrove to go ahead but by the second half we started to settle and managed to get a goal, but unfortunately the final score was 41 to Bromsgrove.
County Tournament
In our pool we played four games - against Bredon Hill, St.Bede's, Walkwood and Malvern GC. We won all of these games quite convincingly.
We then went through to play the semi-final against Christopher Whitehead, which we won 40.
The squad of thirteen girls played some excellent hockey, playing five games, scoring a total of ten goals and conceding none.
The team then travelled to Bromsgrove to play the final of the tournament. The girls played some outstanding hockey for their age and all the spectators were extremely impressed.
At half time the score was 2-1 to Bromsgrove with an excellent goal scored by Rosie Pennell. In the second half we held them off for much of the time and had more time in attack but the final score was 3-1 to Bromsgrove.
J.D.C.
Under XI
Under XI
This was a very strong squad which trained hard all season and so gained the results it deserved. They played nine inter-school matches and two tournaments and so got plenty of hockey. In the inter-school matches they won seven and lost only two. Sophie Le Marchand was the top goal scorer for the team and the school with a total of thirteen goals.
Mini-County Tournament
The tournament consisted of eight teams, with five school and three club teams. There were two pools in the tournament and our first game was against Norton Hockey Club. This is a strong local club which has a good reputation at these tournaments. We played twelve minutes each way and came away with an excellent 2-0 win, with Sophie Le Marchand scoring both goals. Our second match was against Walkwood MS, whom we totally outclassed, coming away with a 9-0 win.
With these results we went through to the semi-finals to play against Chase H.S. This team challenged us a little more and we had to step up our game. With some good possessional play and some excellent defence work, with Helen Bellfield constantly clearing the ball, we eventually won 40.
The final was against Bromsgrove Lower School who had won this tournament many times. We were a little
The Under 12 squad had a difficult start to the season, playing away from home at Edgbaston High School on astro-turf. They had only practised on grass up until this point. Both the A and B squads went down, 2-5, 2-3 respectively. It was a bit of a shock but it gave them a great deal to think about. This did not deter them and they all turned up regularly to training on a Thursday night, frequently in the pouring rain, but they were always willing to listen and work hard.
Their efforts were rewarded when they played two 7-aside matches on astro against The Chantry, winning them both - 3-0 and 3-2. This gave them the boost they needed. The rest of the season saw the squad grow in confidence and ability. In each match they played well, but were unable to score at the vital times.
At the end of the season they played in a Triangular competition with The Chase and The Elms, both very strong hockey schools and they lost both matches narrowly, 1-0 and 3-2. The standard of play was outstanding from all three teams. It was obvious that this squad had come on a tremendous amount throughout the season.
1st V11
NETBALL
We were delighted to be able to begin the season in good weather and in excellent conditions, without the terrible flooding and poor weather which decimated our netball the previous year. Almost all our fixtures in the Autumn term were completed, giving us consistency and focus in
T.D.M.
our training and matches. Frances Gwilliam was selected captain of the 1st V11 team and led by example, both on and off the court, being a highly skilled player and a motivator of her peers. She encouraged the team to train hard and the fitness level of the squad steadily increased over the season.
The team was formed from a combination of U6, L6 and 5th Form girls, and the line up for the start of the season was - Lyndsay Miller GS, Frances Gwilliam (captain) GA, Rebecca Watts and Rachael Miller WA, Anna Brookes C, Rebecca Gwilliam WD, Jessica Higgs GD and Natalie Higgs GK. Becky Gwilliam was selected for the U16 County netball squad. All these girls are passionate about their sport and soon developed a strong team spirit and a mutual respect for one another's ability on court. Pre-season training was good, and the first match of the season which was against the Alice Ottley, served as a preparation for the County Tournament. This was a tough match to begin the term, and our team lost the first quarter mainly due to nerves! After that tentative start, the team pulled together and overwhelmed Alice Ottley and then never let the opposition get ahead, although it remained a very tight game. The King's shooting was excellent and the general play on the court was of a high standard. The final score of 26 goals to 21 was fully deserved.
With this win under their belt the squad went into the Worcestershire County Tournament with eager determination. They beat Evesham High School, South Bromsgrove, King Charles and Malvern Girls' College, gaining 65 goals for and conceding only 17! They also met The Alice Ottley in their section, who had a score to settle, and this time A0 came out victors, forcing King's to be runners up in their section. Our semi-final match was against the eventual winners of the tournament, Worcester Sixth Form College, who were extremely strong and although King's worked tirelessly they were beaten by a more powerful side.
This tough fixture was followed by an equally tough game against King Edward's Sixth Form College, Stourbridge. For this event the team was limited to sixth form girls only as it was played during a Wednesday afternoon's games lesson. The first quarter was very tough and our team found themselves surprised by the strength and speed of the opposition, but worked hard to keep the score to 5-6 by the end of the first quarter. King Edward's had an excellent second quarter, leading by 13-9 at half time. This was too much for King's to catch up, but they slowed the pace of the game, concentrated on accuracy and timing, and consequently had a much better second half. The final result was a loss of 17-23, but a respectable score against a strong side
After these challenging games, the squad was highly focused and performed very well, going on to beat Cheltenham Ladies' College 20-18, KEHS, Birmingham 32-23, and Worcester College of Technology 29-17. None of these were easy games, and the results serve to show the rising fitness levels and strong teamwork which was developing within the squad.
The Spring Term began with a very pleasant visit from the Australian touring party of netball and rugby players from Northolm Grammar School, Sydney, a school we
151 I I1 ~qz~ucl~VnA~c.rnlournam~ntruznnprp shall visit when we travel to Australia in July 2003. This was another sixth form only match. The courts were very slippery and it was a freezing cold afternoon with very poor light, which our opponents were not at all used to. King's were able to take advantage early in the game and led throughout the first half. The speed and accuracy of our passes through the centre of the court were excellent, but unfortunately Anna Brookes, so crucial in the centre of the court, was injured and had to leave the court, but Becky Watts and Rachael Miller worked extremely hard to great effect. Lyndsay Miller's shooting was on top form, with strong support from Frances Gwilliam, and the defending skills of Natalie and Jessica Higgs who worked together so well, kept the ball in the attacking end. The second half of the match was very close, and there was a particularly tense and exciting final quarter! Anna was able to return to the court, which boosted our team, and the opposition put on a new and much more accurate shooter, and the play continued at a fast pace. The score drew level at 27 all, and the final whistle went just as the ball left our qhooter's hands but before the ball had passed through the ring, so what would have been our winning goal was just fractionally too late!
Wrekin College were our next opponents - we knew they would be strong as they had done well in the Regional Tournament at Under 19 level. The fixture was played indoors in the Wrekin sports hall, with a large and noisy crowd of spectators in the gallery. It was a somewhat tense atmosphere in which to play, and it took our players at least the first quarter to settle down. We welcomed Cassie Brennan to the side as our usual defenders were unavailable for this game and she played extremely well, lifting her game considerably. She was
given tremendous support from Becky Gwilliarn as GD who defended intelligently and provided extra strength in the defending circle. Pippa Candlish joined us as our valued reserve. King's found themselves 3-7 down at the first change over, but soon raised their game as they became accustomed to the court and surroundings, but Wrekin remained dominant through the second quarter. There was serious talking at half time, and King's came back much stronger, holding Wrekin goal for goal, and they continued to work hard to the final whistle. The result was a win for Wrekin of 38-17 which was fair as both teams played high quality netball, but ours could never make up the earlier deficit.
This was followed by another tough game against a renowned netball school, Hereford Cathedral. The weather was dreadful, with both snow and hail storms after half time, causing severe problems with ball handling, especially for the shooters who could not maintain consistent accuracy in such conditions. Although much of the play was in our attacking half, and the match should really have gone to King's, the result was a loss of 17-22.
The standard of play of the 1st V11 squad improved greatly over the season, and their tough matches served to strengthen the resolve and teamwork of the players with the result that the last two fixtures of the season were excellent wins for King's. The score of 32-18 over King's Gloucester was rewarding as we had not played this school before and did not know what to expect. It was another sixth form game, with Becky Baines sharing the centre, and Lizzie Rushton, Cassie Brennan and Pippa Candlish joining Natalie Higgs in the defending end, supported by our regular attacks of Lyndsay Miller, Frances Gwilliam, Rachael Miller and Anna Brookes. In
fact the style of play was similar to ours, but we were the stronger side. We led 9-4 at the first change over and never allowed our opponents to threaten.
Frances Gwilliam led the regular squad for the Malvern Invitation Netball Tournament at Malvern Girls'College on Saturday 2nd March. The 1st V11 had played consistently well throughout the season and had developed a good understanding on court. They went into this event with high expectations, and did not disappoint. They began with another match against The Alice Ottley, this time winning 144, and then went on to beat MGC 142, Bloxham School 6-4 and Christ College, Brecon 13-2, therefore becoming overall winners of the event.
After all their hard work I was delighted to take the squad on a weekend tour. It was to have been to Llandovery College but at the last minute they cancelled forcing me to rethink the event, and I was thrilled when Taunton School came up trumps. We had never had any dealings with this school before, but it was known that their netball was strong, having Carol Manly, the England U23 coach and an England scout as their coach.. We lost 14-30 to Galmington Club, lost 12-13 to Taunton School and beat King's Bruton 26-10. JC and I accompanied the squad and we all felt the tour was a great success. We have made some excellent friends and netball contacts and hope to offer a return tour next year.
At the end of the season Full Netball Colours for the 1st and 2nd VIIs were awarded to Frances Gwilliam, Lyndsay Miller, Rachael Miller, Anna Brookes, Natalie Higgs, Jessica Higgs and Rebecca Gwilliam. Half colours were awarded to Rebecca Watts, Keira Lapsley, Olivia Brown and Cassie Brennan.
The season has been tremendous and extremely satisfying both in terms of results and general progress made by the players, but also because the girls were delightful to work with. They attended training sessions without fail in all winds and weathers, almost always in good spirit! I thank them for their unwavering commitment to their netball, particularly as a number of them have also managed to combine netball with other sports. They have been a polite and friendly group and they show much potential. They have been good players throughout their years at King's, and now that a strong squad has been formed they should be able to progress to great heights in the future. If they continue to show the same kind of focus next year and work hard on their fitness, under the leadership of Frances, I anticipate an excellent 2002-3 season. I am also very grateful to MML for her wonderful contribution in helping to coach this squad.
N.R.A.
1st V11 Tour to Taunton
'Let's go to Llandovery,' Mrs. Anstey said, so on Friday 15th March we ended up in Taunton and it wasn't down to poor navigation skills! The unfortunate last minute cancellation of our tour to Llandovery meant that Mrs. Anstey had to search frantically for an alternative destination which resulted in us gratefully accepting the kind hospitality of Taunton School, Somerset.
Having left King's on Friday lunchtime in a newly valeted minibus, we enjoyed a lively journey down with a maximum ten seconds' silence during the whole ride. I don't think even Mrs. Anstey had realised how much a group of sixteen and seventeen year old girls can talk, as she had not bargained for the extremely verbose Kittermaster House contingent! After a brief blockade of Sainsbury's entrance by the King's school minibus we arrived at the impressive Taunton School and this provided us with a chance to meet up with an old friend, Katharine Harrison, who recently moved to Somerset. Having been won over by the sleek and hi-tech 'Sixth Form Centre' which had its own TV room complete with Sky Digital, (I'm sure King's management is already planning such a development), we prepared for our first match against Galmington Netball Club. In sauna-like conditions, similar to those experienced only previously in the King's sports hall, we met our match against an extremely strong Galmington side. Some skilful attacking play in the first quarter and a dominant defensive performance in the fourth meant the score remained respectable. However not even the dazzling yellow socks could inspire a weary King's side to victory and we were eventually out-classed 32-18.
For some girls the evening ended here and they were gladly whisked away to a warm bed by their billets. However other members of the team apprehensively took up their positions in the school theatre for a House concert. I am glad to say that the two Houses at Taunton School had a lot more musical talent than some at King's! We were treated to an entertaining spectacle and by the end of the evening were left wondering how the likes of our own Houses would fare if required to do something similar!
For some the shock of having to get up at 6:30 am on a Saturday morning for Saturday school was already taking its toll. Having persuaded Mrs. Anstey that a spot of retail therapy in Taunton would be more appropriate than a visit to Minehead, (for some reason our billets seemed to have a particular aversion to Minehead which we thought it was best not to explore,) we set off for the town centre. An enjoyable morning followed in which the team managed a comprehensive tour of Taunton coffee shops enabling us to regain some energy for the afternoon matches and enjoy some of the unusually warm spring sunshine. We returned to Taunton School for lunch and then prepared for our final matches.
The first against Taunton was a tight affair that saw King's facing an eight goal deficit at half-time. However the second-half produced a performance more characteristic of King's and an unopposed seven goal scoring streak saw us going into the final minutes with the score at ten a piece. A combination of skill and determination from both teams in the final stages resulted in an unfortunate 12-11 defeat. The second match of the afternoon was against nearby King's Bruton and here we produced some of our best netball of the tour to put together a convincing 28-10 victory and to provide a satisfying end to a highly enjoyable tour.
The return journey, thankfully for Mrs. Anstey, was a much quieter affair than the journey down and having dropped Miss Cooke off at a Bristol service station we
proceeded in relative silence towards home and a wellearned rest. Thanks firstly must go to Taunton School and Mrs. Manley for putting us up at extremely short notice and for providing us with some exciting and challenging matches. Secondly we would like to thank Miss Cooke for accompanying us on the tour and Mrs. Anstey for organising an extremely successful and enjoyable trip that provided a fine end to a good season.
Frances Gwilliam
The season started with a training session from a visiting Midlands coach. The girls had to work hard to prove themselves and secure a place in the senior teams.
The VII consisted of the captain Olivia Brown and a few other stalwarts, plus several girls who had not played since the Removes and a few newcomers to the sixth form. So it was with great enthusiasm that the team took on Alice Ottley in their first match of the season. King's took an early lead and looked strong in the first quarter. The opposition gradually took control of the game and after the lead changing hands several times, King's lost by 9 goals to 11.
The second match against King Edward's Stourbridge was another tough fixture. The result was decided in the last minute of the game with King's losing 17 goals to 18.
The visiting school from Australia, Northolm, were a strong side, and playing a 'variation' of our rules, managed to win by 22 goals to 15.
The remaining matches for the 2nd VII weren't particularly successful, but despite the lack of continuity of players, the enthusiasm, determination and enjoyment never waned throughout the season.
M.M.L.
16
The Under 16 team began the season with a reformation, with the stronger players at this age group moving up to the 1st VII.The first match against Bishop's Hereford caught us unprepared and we lost this by 6 goals to 18.
The District Tournament came early in the season and we strengthened the squad by bringing in Emma Hayfield and Lauren Wood from the Under 15 team. The confidence and determination of the team saw them win all but one of their matches which took them through to the County Finals. This tournament was very close and King's allowed themselves to be intimidated in the semi-finals,which they eventually lost in extra time.
The remainder of the season proved to be a mixture of results but the team's best performance was a win against King Edward's, Birmingham.
Rebecca Gwilliam, Jessica Atkinson and Emma Hayfield were selected for the Under16 County squad.
M.M.L.
Under 15
This squad is a very talented group of girls. They managed to keep an A and a B team going throughout the season, which is unusual for this age group. The A team started the season off well, beating Bishop Bluecoat School 241 1, but unfortunately the B team began with a
415 defeat. This did not deter them and they all turned up to training on a regular basis.
The A team went on to win against Alice Ottley 18-12 and Hereford Cathedral 21-9. Emma Hayfield and Lauren Wood were often asked to go up and play for the Under 16 team, leaving the side weakened at times against tough opposition. One such match was against Cheltenham Ladies' College, a fast and furious game played end to end. The girls fought hard throughout but could not hold on, losing 18-31.
The B Team found the opposition particularly tough when it turned out they were playing an A side, but they always played with a good spirit. All the girls in the squad improved during the season and Kate Iddon in particular gained confidence in shooting.
Emma Hayfield, Hollie Meredith and Georgina Sutherland were selected for final trials for the Under 16 County squad. Emma was the only one to be selected for the final squad and our congratulations to her.
T.D.M.
Under 14
The Under 14 netball team had an unsettling start to the season, having lost several team members to rowing. There was a period of positional change, both in training and match play. Against Bishop's Hereford, their first fixture, they were off to a flying start winning by 33 goals to 21. A tougher match was then to follow against Alice Ottley, which resulted in a 10-10 draw.
In the District Tournament we lost some of the confidence we had in earlier matches and managed to make third place, thereby qualifying for the County round. This tournament was the toughest standard of netball we had met all year and we could not produce the necessary goals to take us through to the next round.
With the pressure off, the confidence began to build in the team once more, and with Sophie Hart at last finding her shooting form we ended the season with convincing wins against Cheltenham Ladies' College, Wrekin College and Hereford Cathedral School.
Emma Ash and Sophie Hart represented the County at Under 14 level this season.
M.M.L.
school matches convincingly, ending the season unbeaten. The A team performed very well in the Under 13 District Tournament, winning all their games without conceding a single goal! As a preparation for the County Tournament, we took the squad to an Open Tournament in Bedfordshire, a strong area for netball, providing the tough opposition the team needed. In fact they did extremely well, winning their section and coming third overall. With this experience behind them, they were ready and motivated for the County Tournament which was delayed until June, and in which they once again played hard. The result was an outstanding win to King's, and the girls went home proudly displaying their precious County Badges and the shield, retained by King's for the third year running.
Thanks to all girls who attended training, especially those who have given so much time for matches, but also those who have not yet had the opportunity to represent the school in matches yet. I have high regard for those who remain so committed without the extra bonus of match play.
Thank you to J.C. who has worked so hard helping me with these teams.
N.R.A.
Under 12
There was a large number of very keen girls who attended netball training every week throughout the Autumn and Spring terms. They were delightful to work with, always giving their best efforts, and made tremendous progress over the year. Some of the girls were quite experienced netball players before they came to King's while others had to begin from scratch, but one thing they all had in common was enthusiasm and a great sense of fun!
Under 13
We were delighted to complete almost all our fixtures without the terrible flooding and poor weather which decimated our season the previous year. Our matches were held in excellent conditions, and good light, helping to provide a really first class season.
The squads never relaxed with their training, and were as highly motivated as it was possible to be, and a pleasure to work with. The A team played with considerable skill and strength and proved too tough for the opposition they met, and won all their matches. They scored a total of 77 goals and conceded only 30, which indicates their dominance in the games they played. The B team had fewer matches, but trainedjust as hard. They did well to beat Hillstone 10-6, but were disappointed to have less success in their other games. Both teams had fewer matches in the Spring term, but continued to train hard every week. They continued to win their inter-
The A team began the season with an 11-11 draw against Bishop's Hereford, then lost three matches, but each time they became sharper in matches and aware of the work they needed to do to gain a win. They had another very tense draw, this time 10-10 against Alice Ottley, before their welcome and welldeserved win of 7-6 against King Edward V1 Girls' School. Once they had got off the mark, they then went on to beat Wrekin 14-3 at the start of the Spring Term. They also took part in two tournaments, finishing fourth in the District tournament and coming home winners of the Worcester City Tournament at the end of the season.
The B team won two and lost two matches, during the Autumn term, all of which were excellent games. There were various team changes, giving as many girls as possible the experience of match play. They also had pleasing success in the Spring term, beating Pinvin B team 8-4, and in their section of the District Tournament came fourth overall. It was excellent to be able also to enter a C team in the tournament, and they performed very well indeed and loved taking part.
All the players have improved this term, and they have become quicker and more alert on court. They have spent a lot of time and energy trying to get 'Busy Feet' and I have been delighted with their progress! Their teamwork has developed well with more accurate passing and secure catching. I have been gratified by the good manners of all the players who have played and trained in excellent spirit.
My thanks to SB for her help in coaching these girls.
N.R.A.
Sixth Form Tennis
TENNIS
The sixth form managed to play five matches before they went on exam leave, including one all boys match against Warwick School.
Despite the power of Luke Turner who played and won three singles matches the boys eventually lost 5-4. The mixed team played two matches against Malvern College and Hereford Cathedral School, winning both. The girls' team managed to draw with Dean Close but lost to Hereford Cathedral School.
15
A large squad of players competed in this age group and with two teams entered in the HSBC League there was an opportunity for almost the whole squad to represent the school at some point. The highly successful A squad of Jo Hallett, Jenny Tamblyn, Emma Hayfield and Alice Barnett-Roberts won matches against Pershore High, Prince Henry's Evesham and Malvern Girls' College, losing a total of three rubbers. Unfortunately they could not match the strength of the team from the Alice Ottley and were comprehensively beaten. They finished a creditable second in their HSBC League.
The B team was represented by eight different players and scored victories against Hanley Castle, Droitwich High, Pershore High and Prince Henry's, losing only one rubber.
With victories in their three friendly matches this squad was the most successful of all year groups, winning nine of its ten matches.
Jo Hallett then paired up with Becky Gwilliam to compete in the County Under 16 competition. Having won the District competition they went through to the finals where they were narrowly beaten at the semi-final stage.
Under 14
The squad was not particularly strong this year but tried its best. Unfortunately fixtures were cancelled due to rain and only two matches were played, both of which were lost. Two pairs competed in the District competition but struggled against the opposition's high standard of play.
13
The squad consisted of fourteen girls who regularly attended practice on a Friday night and several of whom attended coaching on a Saturday morning.
The team had been entered in the HSBC League but unfortunately three of their opposing teams pulled out due to lack of players! This left one HSBC match against Pershore which the team won 5-1. Their other match against Hillstone involved ten players but was eventually lost 7-3. Nine girls entered the Upper Fourth tournament, playing a round robin competition. The winners of the groups were Alice Hershman and Claire Tamblyn with runners up Rosie Pennell and Philippa Kent-Davis.
Alice and Claire then played the final which was a highly competitive match in which Claire was eventually victorious.
played on a round robin basis with each match timed to last twelve minutes. The top two pairs then went through to play a short set in the final. The round robin event produced some very close matches with long rallies. Jack Smith and Lizzie Rushton finished top of the group winning four matches and drawing one. They then played a final set against Simon Lowth and Rachel Barclay. This was a closely fought match with all four players determined to do their best. Despite her nerves Lizzie Rushton played above herself making very few mistakes and she andJack came out eventual winners, 6-3
Wimbledon
Highlight of the summer term tennis was a trip for eight sixth form tennis players to Wimbledon. The School was fortunate enough to acquire tickets for court two and saw some fantastic matches, including the defeat of former Wimbledon Champion Pete Sampras.
Cup
Last February, twenty five Upper Fourth and Lower Remove girls went to the NIA in Birmingham to watch the crucial Davis Cup tie between Sweden and Great Britain. We watched two highly competitive matches and were inspired by the play of Greg Rusedski and particularly Tim Henman. Unfortunately Rusedski lost his match and the tie was eventually lost 3-2. This was an excellent opportunity for the girls to witness the speed and power of professional live tennis. S.B.
12
The Under 12 squad was very unfortunate this summer. Tuesday afternoons seemed to guarantee rain and therefore many practices were cancelled. Only one match was played too, a defeat at the hands of Hillstone. Several girls did attempt to improve their skills by attending the Saturday morning coaching sessions. Despite the lack of practice for many it was most encouraging to see seventeen Lower Fourth girls enter their singles tournament. They were organised into four groups and played a round robin competition. The winners of the groups were Stephanie Rosoman, Lucy Senior, Sarah Porter and Emily McNally.
In the semi-finals Sarah and Emily were victorious and played a most competitive final with some long rallies. The eventual winner was Sarah by six games to three.
Senior Doubles Tournament
Six pairs of Upper Remove girls entered the competition which was held on a round robin basis. The winner and runner up of the group went through to play off in a one set final. Jo Hallett and Katie Humpage finished second in the group and faced Emma Hayfield and Jenny Tamblyn who were group winners in the final. Emma and Jenny coped well with their opponents' power and chased every ball, eventually managing to wear down their opponents 6-4.
Sixth Form Mixed Doubles Tournament
Six pairs entered the tournament, none of whom had played with their partners before! The tournament was
ROUNDERS
Under 16
Seventeen girls attended training on a regular basis, playing with great skill and enthusiasm. They were a talented side to work with, particularly improving their fielding skills.
They only played two matches because of exams. They drew their first game with the Alice Ottley, 12 rounders each. In their other game they had a resounding victory over Hereford Cathedral School, 25 - 14. They communicated well as a team and were a pleasure to coach.
F.L.S.
Under 15
The girls started off the season with comfortable wins against Alice Ottley and Hereford Cathedral School, demonstrating a good sense of teamwork and determination. Sara Neville set the tone of the season by scoring thirteen rounders! The season began to develop a pattern with the girls coming away as winners on every occasion. The team of Lauren Wood, Emma Hayfield,Jo Hallett, Sara Neville, Katie Humpage, Jenny Tamblyn, Lizzie Pearson, Stephanie Belcher, Alice Barnett-Roberts and Georgina Sutherland all demonstrated excellent attitude, motivation and ability in all aspects of the game. All were outstanding at times, with Sara, Jo and Jenny consistently big hitters. Emma led the game with her accurate quick bowling, and Lauren displayed a safe, solid role as Backstop. These girls were strongly supported by the others in the squad who demonstrated superb tight fielding.
The final match, away at King's Gloucester, really demonstrated the determination and effort these girls put in over the season. With just six first team players and only two reserves the girls went out and performed to their usual high standard. They eventually had to retire due to time restrictions with four players not out. They finished their season as they had started it, maintained their success throughout, and ended victorious. Overall the Under 15s were outstanding in ability, attitude and teamwork. They were a joy to work with and an asset to King's.
Paul Volo won the Most Valuable Player award for his efforts at both ends of the court. They were supported in the side by James Goodman, Azam Saied, James Byrne and Simon Lowth, all who made valuable contributions to the team's success.
14
A dedicated squad attended training on a regular basis, working hard to improve their skills. Chloe Hampson was an excellent captain, leading by example with superb batting and fielding skills.
The team played five matches, losing three and winning two. The victories were the result of tight fielding and defeats were due to a lack of hitting power. There is lots of potential in the side and there is much strength and depth to work with next year.
F.L.S.
At Under 15 level, a committed group of players trained regularly. Rory Biddulph, the Most Valuable Player at this age group, led the team in the Worcester Schools knock-out competition. Joe Brennan won the award for Most Improved Player, having made significant progress through the year. Other members of the side who played with enthusiasm were Stuart Doolittle, Richard Grimer, James Rees Phillips and Lewis Sadler.
At Under 14 level, Hywel Rees was one of the most determined players amongst the regulars at this age group - he won the Most Improved Player award for his efforts, supported by Will Herriot, Jon Cairns-Terry, and Tom Amphlett.
Under 12
The squad of over twenty players enjoyed both the practice sessions and the matches. All the girls who took part were keen to improve their skills and represent the school.
The 'A' Squad enjoyed a successful season with victories over Hereford Cathedral, Hillstone, Wycliffe College and The Chase. Elizabeth Unwin proved to be an excellent Deep Fielder and Batter, scoring many of the side's rounders.
Lucy Senior and Lucy Clayton enjoyed a good partnership as Bowler and Backstop, claiming many of the catches for the season along with Sarah Porter.
The 'B' Squad played only two matches, a narrow defeat against Hereford Cathedral and a draw with The Chase.
Annie Duffy and Charlotte Banks were keen players in this squad as Bowler and Backstop.
T.D.M.
The Under 13 side played both in the Worcester Schools Competition, and against a club side from Perdiswell Sports Centre. They showed a lot of promise, and gained valuable match practice in the games they played. The Under 12s too had their chance to represent the school, also playing Perdiswell, coming very close to victory before finally going down by 24 points to 22. Again, awards were made to the players showing most promise at this age group.
Most Valuable Player Most Improved Player
U12 Tom Dunlop Joe Blewitt
U13 Arnin Saied Mark Adams
All those involved in Basketball would like to thank Muff Murfin and James Hopkins, the Australian gap year student, for the help they gave me over the year in coaching the matches and practice sessions.
R.P.G.
Basketball
Basketball matches were played at every level in the Senior school this year, with a number of notable successes.
The Under 18 and Under 16 sides played in the National Schools competition, run by the English Schools Basketball Association, for the first time in the school's history. The under 18s won two of their three matches in the competition, and were unlucky not to progress further, whilst the Under 16s, captained by Peter Winstanley, won one of their four matches.
This season some new awards were introduced for those who have made the most telling contribution in their age group, when they have represented the school, and for those who have made the greatest improvement through the year at the Saturday morning practices.
At Under 18 level, Neil Lonergan, who captained the team, won the award for Most Improved Player, whilst
.i~~~;:? thoroughly throughout. The first act closed with the threatening "Ripper's Going To Get You", a perfect
LONDON'S MOST notorious serial-killer seems strange example of the clash of content and style that typifies so
subject-matter for a musical play; strange, too, is much of the music in this play. For this number, the the mix of "play within play" that is achieved by company were led in song by Emily Ormerod as hnie setting much of the action on the stage of Steampacket Chapman; Emily's performance throughout was most Music Hall and the stylised presentation of the violence committed, focussed and moving in its pathos. of murders done in the shady twilit world of Victorian Although it feels iniquitous to mention them in such London. Add to this the use of the medium of stage an effective company piece, other individual musical for presenting such a macabre story and the performances were most effective. Oliver Smith complex and intriguing cocktail of the King's School's orchestrated much of the company work in his role of major production of this year is complete. It is to the the Chairman and did so with the confidence and enormous credit of the cast and crew of 'Jack the aplomb essential for the part. Helena Culliney's Ripper' that the production so successfully drew portrayal of the dominating Liza Pearl mixed together these different strands for an evening of, as the superiority, bawdiness and fear in a most impressive perposter promised, "suspense melodrama pathos formance. Much of the comedy comedy (and) music!" was centred upon David Any dramatic production is, to Newsholme, Chris Astles, Peter a greater or lesser extent, Lewis and Guy Brunt as dependent upon the work of the Mendoza and his cronies and whole company of cast and crew; their comic timing and this is all the more so with stagecraft was very fine indeed. musical play like Pember and de As Montague Druitt, Ben Marne's 'Jack the Ripper'. By some Humphrey was a revelation. irony, the eyes of the audience are The presence of his character drawn not to the ninety-nine is meant to strike a contrast performers who are participating with the low-life of the East fully in the stage action, but the one End; Ben's performance lost sheep who is, just at that ensured that this was the case moment, not fully focussed on the throughout. His movement task in hand! It is again a measure of from Dour Salvationist to the success of the production that, Hero of Melodrama was for this member of the audience at seamless and he brought out least, there was never anything but the irony of the truth of his one hundred per cent participation character beneath the sham throughout the entire evening; the exterior of respectability stamina required for this is a with sophistication and remarkable achievement in itself. The poise. The dread that his changes of mood and pace, th shadowy figure conveyed to switches from song to speech and actors and audience alike naturalism to symbolism were expertly was exactly what was required for the production to handled and well orchestrated by our own DEB at the succeed. piano, Messers Arnold, Hankins, Heath and Hughes, not It is, however, to the company performance that I forgetting the Queen of the Limes, Miss Hickson, would return in ~on~l~~ion. TOmove from the joyous exbehind the scenes and especially the creative genii of pectation of "There's A Boat Coming In" to the hopeless Chris Crosswell, TDM and chiefly SMA. desolation of "There Ain't Any Work Today"; from the
From the first, joyous rendition of "Saturday Night", hilarious "Policeman's Chorus" with its gross and the sweeping highs and lows of emotion were caught in unforgettable cross-dressing to the pathos of the final the various registers of song. Much of the first half is reprise of "Saturday Night" required concentration and made up of company numbers, but Mary Pole as Marie control from all, and it was achieved magnificently. Just Kelly was delightful and touching in her renditions of when we thought it was safe to go back beside the canal, "Generally Nice" and "Love". Mary took the audience "Creeps up / Eyes shut / Sswish your bleeding throat's through the whole gamut of feelings in the extreme cut The Ripper's going to get you if you / Don't watch situation of her story and it is a measure of her talent out." that our sympathy with the character was held so A.J.M.M.
In May AS Drama and Theatre Studies students presented this comic double-bill comprising two of the ten one-act plays written by Noel Coward in 1935 and 1936 under the original title of Tonight at 8.30. Written as star vehicles for Coward himself and Gertrude Lawrence following their triumphant partnership in Private Lives in 1930, they were originally performed in groups of three with all ten plays being premiered in a space of several months at the Phoenix Theatre, London.
FUMED OAK- AN IJ''dPLE,4SAIUT COMEDY
Henry Gow was tricked into marrying his awful wife, Doris, and for years now he has loathed her and their adenoidal child, Elsie, and his utterly repulsive mother-in-law, Mrs. Rockett. The play opens at breakfast with the family at their most unattractive; Henry appears to accept it but when he returns in the evening with a couple of drinks inside him the difference is at once apparent. The downtrodden worm has at last turned!
The cast for this play featured Robert Williams, stepping in at short notice to play Henry, Sarah Blewitt (Doris), Pamela Caulfield (Elsie) and Lee-
Coward recalled "used to give cocktail parties and A "nt.a*fns d-bl. ~,II.F .h, people used to arrive that nobody had ever heard of and maPad'ng Ca--J's wmt,~,ty.r a PI.qR1
sit about and go away again". Coward's version of Lady Mountbatten, Piggie (Lady Maureen) Gilpen quite mistakes the identity of her guests with stylish rudeness. I Our production featured Emily Ormerod as Piggie, Robert Williams (Peter), Daisy Barnett (Clare), Toby Marston (Alastair), Alex Humpage (Major Gosling), Alex Cross (Mr. Wadhurst), Melanie Thorn (Mrs. Wadhurst), Martin Renshaw (Mr. Burnham) and Ava Goodman, who also designed costumes, as Walters, the I maid. Anna Guy designed the remarkably detailed set and costumes, and SMA directed, with lighting and sound again provided by Chris Crosswell. S.M.A.
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The Upper Sixth Drama and Theatre set were: Lisa
Guilding, Jenny Houghton, Keira Lapsley, Nicki Lavelle, 4 0 rb ,P~~I~~ 9r. r , I "l? L, 7q9,a ",. ,t p:,, Hannah Simpkins, Jennifer Tippett, Jade Wallis, Carys
Eye contact is one of the most powerful non-verbal Williams andLauraWillis.
AJ.M.M. means of connection and communication in life as well as in drama. When the only visible feature is the eyes, as it is when a woman is clothed in traditional Muslim costume, it becomes more powerful still. One of the many powerful visual elements of the Devised Performance of Ghosts of Our Country was the use of huge images of pairs of eyes, staring out as if from just such a costume at the audience of this moving and effective production. The all woman cast explored the restrictions and pressures on women of a different cultural and religious background and did so with considerable success. The simplicity of set, costume and props focussed the attention of the audience on the words and action of the performers, in realistic conversation, soliloquy and choral chant, poetry and prose.
It also considered the question of loyalty to one's nation and religion despite the interpretations of doctrines by others. The inspiration for this production was clearly a genuine reaction to the plight of other women in a different part of the world and that response provided the commitment and focus of this emotional piece of drama. The empathy of the actresses with the situation of their characters was obvious throughout and added to the power of their portrayal.
There were remarkable performances from every member of the cast which combined to provide a most effective and moving evening of drama. The images and emotions of the performance remained long after the lights faded for the last time and the brief silence that followed from the audience was the most eloquent, nonverbal expression of their appreciation of this remarkable production.
This was the choice of the all-girl Upper Sixth Drama and Theatre Studies set for their A2 Unit 5 practical examination. This lively and very funny play, which is about the out-of-hours lifestyle of four cocktail waitresses, is written in Godber's inimitable style and is really a female version of his very popular hit Bouncers. The girls split into two groups to adapt and produce a version of Act One and Act Two respectively. Taking part were Jenny Houghton, Keira Lapsley, Nicole Lavelle, Hannah Simpkins, Jennifer Tippett, Jade Wallis, Carys Williams and Laura Willis, with Lisa Guilding directing one of the two groups.
We were very pleased to welcome John Brierley, Director of Academic Studies at Worcester's Elgar School of Music, to be our adjudicator at the annual House Music Competition on October 15th 2001. Playing of a very high standard was to be heard at the morning Solo Competition with Freyja Purchase (flute) winning the junior section with a dazzling performance of Doppler's Hungarian Variations. In second place was Emily Kite (piano) who played Florrie by Pamela Wedgewood. Third place was awarded to Laura Kingshott (flute), playing a Fantasia by Telemann. Yet again the Uren twins continued their annual ritual of tussling for the first two places in the senior competition; on this occasion last year's roles were reversed with Adrian Uren (horn) winning with a scintillating performance of Le F6ret by Bozza followed closely by Alan Uren (violin) playing Bruch's brooding concert piece, Nigun. In third place was Andrew Furniss (organ) with a finely judged performance of Epilogue by Langlais. This was heard to magnificent effect on the newly installed three manual Allen computer organ. We are immensely grateful to its owner, our neighbour, concert promoter Paul Vaughan for allowing us the use of this magnificent instrument which is now on long term loan to the school when it is not in other concert venues. In the afternoon rivalry, blood (almost!), sweat and tears were to the fore in the House Song Competition. School House won with a moving performance of Eric Clapton's Tears in Heaven. Creighton came second with an idiosyncratic arrangement of Beethoven's Ode to Joy as heard in the film, SisterAct. In third place was Bright with Lennon and Mcartney's He&!
In between the House Music Competition and the Winners' Concert on the following Wednesday the school's musicians inaugurated the new season of Npower Lunchtime Concerts in the Huntingdon Hall on October 16th. Framing instrumental and vocal performances by Freyja Purchase, Jo Dalton, Jane Cairns, Freddie Speyer, Anna Byrne, the Uren twins,
Lucy Pollock and Mary Pole were Albinoni's famous Adagio for organ and strings and a Theme and Variations by Haydn for violin, horn and 'cello in which Heather Uren completed a family group with her brothers. It was a pleasure to see a large and enthusiastic audience at the next day's Winners' Concert, which made a welcome reappearance after the previous year's cancellation during the spectacular millennium flood.
The November School Concert provided a first opportunity in the new school year for the school's main instrumental and vocal groups to perform. A huge and confident Second Orchestra began the concert with David Stone's March andJgand one of Dvorak's Slavonic Dances. This was followed by a most demanding chamber item, the Finale to York Bowen's Quintet for Horn and Strings, played by Adrian, Alan and Heather Uren with David Newsholme and Jane Cairns. These performers were later to win the title of County Ensemble of the Year with this piece, at the same time as Adrian Uren became County Young Musician of the Year. The Chamber Orchestra played movements from Britten's Simple Symphony and the Albinoni Adagio, the latter now with its proper soloist, David Newsholme, who had been indisposed for its earlier performance. The Wind Band played vibrant arrangements of the themes from The Big Country and Mission Impossible, followed by First Orchestra playing Tchaikovsky's Mazurka from Swan Lake and the Waltz Friihlingsstimmen. The School Choir ended the concert with John Ireland's Greater Love and arrangements of the songs, Where do I begin, Miss Otis Regrets (arranged by our own cathedral organist, Adrian Lucas) , The Bare Necessities and Miss Otis Regrets. Throughout the term many of our musicians had been working long hours in the theatre preparing for performances of Ron Pember's atmospheric musical, Jack the Ripper. This is reviewed in detail elsewhere in the magazine. The School Carol Service which followed hard on its heels was held in the cathedral on Tuesday 18th December. The Cathedral Choristers gave a beautiful performance of Schein's setting of the Advent choral, Nun komm der Heiden Heiland. The Keys Choir
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sang Rutter's Nativity Carol, while the School Choir sang Bob Chilcott's Nova, Nova, Rutter's Shepherd's Pipe Carol, Stephen Cleobury's Joys Seven and G. Gabrieli's Hodie Christus natus est.
Musical activity and involvement among the lower age groups continues to develop very well. This year's Orchestral Workshop attracted around ninety young players from all three King's Schools. After a day of rehearsals tirelessly led by HRT with help from VJG, Sue Savage and Beryl Wilson this huge and enthusiastic group, now transformed into an orchestra, gave an evening concert in the theatre. The capacity audience was treated to a variety of group and solo performances including thc Radetzky March and Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March, No. 4 in G. This Orchestral Day and the six Young Performers' Concerts arranged by HRT, continue to thrive, ensuring a steady flow of musicians into the senior school.
It was with a sense of dija uu that we began the Lent Term with preparations for another concert tour to Andalucia, even down to staying in the same resort, Torremolinos, as last year. Not only did we so enjoy the previous year's experience, more practically we were also aware that this was about the only part of Europe we could successfully tour at this time of year. The concert we gave at St. Clement's Church, Worcester on 2nd February 2002 was a perfect opportunity to prepare repertoire for Spain, but not to prepare for the weather! The music needed drying out on the pews at St. Clement's after being carried a few yards in torrential rain from cars to church! By contrast the weather in Andalucia was even better than last year: this was definitely a time for the beach and the pool!
This year we performed in the principal churches of Nerja and Marbella, and made a welcome return to Torremolinos Old Church, where our welcome was as enthusiastic as before. Considering that the date and time for the Nerja concert had been changed twice to accommodate the annual Burial of the Sardzne, to say nothing of the competing carnival outside the church, the five or six hundred strong audience sitting and standing in the church was a stunning sight to behold. So also was the tour group, dressed, for the first time on a tour, with the uniformity of dark suits, black skirts and white tops. Katy Potter has to be thanked for suggesting this instead of the mess of different year group uniforms used in the past. Katy, with fellow clarinettists, Anna Byrne, Mark Rose and SophieJames was an enterprising
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daytime busker by the beach and on the streets, coincidentally advertising the evening concerts. Works performed on tour included Purcell's 0 Sing unto the Lord, a xylophone and strings arrangement of Pizzicato Polka by Strauss, dazzlingly played by Gareth Ceredig, some of Parry's Songs of Farewell, a Double Horn Concerto by Telemann with soloists Adrian Uren and Gareth Ceredig and a liturgical performance of Mozart's Missa Brevis in F major. Bob Chilcott, the new John Rutter, provided the popular and barnstorming encore, Every Time Ifeel the Spirit.
The March School Concert used some of the tour repertoire, including Rutland Rag, Blue Moon and Bossa Nova Holiday from the Wind Band, choral arrangements of spirituals by Bob Chilcott and Steve Barnett, Gordon Jacob's Pavan and Scherzetto and Fats Waller's Ain't Misbehavin'for clarinet quartet. The First Orchestra gave a polished performance of the Finale to Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, an exciting experience for orchestra, audience and conductor alike, as well as a useful revision aid for AS Level Music candidates. These same candidates were soon afterwards to hear their own compositions performed by fellow students in this year's A Level Composers' Concert. Daniel Phillips had again prepared the concert, which included works by Andrew Furniss, David Newsholme, Emily Ormerod, Melanie Thorn, Adrian Uren, Lucy Congrave, Jane Cairns, Jenni Houghton, Freddy Speyer, Mark Rose and Henry Watson. David, Adrian and Freddy are especially to be congratulated for gaining full or nearly full marks in the Composition module.
This year's May School Concert was a choral and orchestral concert given by First Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra and the School Choir. A stupendous start to the concert was given by Adrian Uren, accompanied by First Orchestra, playing Grieg's Piano Concerto in A minor. This was a superbly controlled, yet fiery performance, which showed Adrian to be in complete command of both music and instrument. Chamber Orchestra then played Purcell's Chacony in G minor, in its Britten arrangement, and the Intermezzo from Mascagni's opera, Cavallem'a Rusticana. A perfect work to end the concert, and celebrate the installation of the new organ, was the setting of the Requiem Mass by the twentieth century French composer and organist, Maurice DuruflC. The School Choir with soloists, Emily Ormerod, David Newsholme and Heather Uren, was immaculately accompanied by DGP, who played the virtuoso organ part with great distinction. Especially encouraging was the presence of a large and enthusiastic audience, quite a contrast to last year's Messiah.
The Fourth Form Music Competition was held towards the end of the Summer Term in the Theatre. Expertly organised by DGP, this competition goes from strength to strength and is a perfect preparation for Upper Fourths who promptly go into preparations for the senior competition on entering the Lower Removes. This year the competition was won by L4B. Heather Uren ('cello) won the solo section of the competition, followed by Imogen Schofield (violin) and Rebecca Hardwick (recorder). Congratulations to all who took part in this enjoyable competition and the ensuing evening concert.
At this year's King's Day cathedral service the School Choir celebrated the centenaries of the composers,
Maurice DuruflC and William Walton, with two very contrasted works. Duruflk's exquisite and gentle motet, Ubi Caritas et Amor began the service, while Walton's triumphant and challenging Coronation Te Deum provided a glorious conclusion. It is one of the considerable benefits of being a cathedral choir school that we have within the school the highly trained and disciplined "shock troop" of cathedral choristers. In spite of having sung the work several times that year (and still to sing it again in the Worcester Three Choirs Festival!) the choristers patiently helped the rest of the choir to learn the Walton in just four rehearsals. The cathedral's nave computing organ had lost all of its bass sounds, so we were very lucky to have the cathedral's Organ Scholar, Tom Wimpenny, on hand to play the pipe organ in duet with DGP in the Walton and the hymns! Congratulations to Tom, a former Eton scholar, who ends his year at the cathedral having won organ scholarships to St. George's Chapel, Windsor and King's College, Cambridge.
Congratulations also to David Newsholme, who achieved the great distinction of passing his Associateship of the Royal College of Organists at the end of his Lower Sixth year, and to Adrian and Alan Uren, who both achieved the new Dip.A.B.R.S.M. on horn and violin respectively. Alan further distinguished himself by reaching the semi finals of the BBC Young Musician of the Year. With achievements of this calibre it can seem that success hinges on the specially gifted. However, what has been apparent in this past year's music-making is the strength of achievement and commitment amongst all of our musical pupils who have worked hard in orchestras, choirs, chamber groups, formal and informal concerts, musicals and outside events. They have all helped create a musically memorable year at the King's Schools.
As a postscript, and by way of encouragement to our present musicians, it is tremendously exciting to record the success of former chorister and music scholar, Jonathan Nott. During this year Jonathan has made his debut conducting the Berlin Philoharmonic Orchestra. His CD with the orchestra of works by Gyorgy Ligeti is now available to buy!
D.E.B.
This has been another successful season with six concerts, in all of which the performances reached a high standard. The audiences were good in number and very appreciative. The final concert included a performance of Vivaldi's 'Gloria' which the members of the Keys Society Choir, with their usual skill, performed after limited rehearsal.
The Society will miss those who left in July - Jane Cairns, Lucy Congrave, Jenny Inchbald, Katie Potter, Freddie Speyer, Henry Watson, Jenni Houghton and Carys Williams. They have all shown commitment and fine performances throughout their time in the school and some have been members of the Keys Society for five years.
An encouraging sign is the number of younger pupils who sang and performed in the July Concert after a major recruiting drive by David Newsholme. This augurs well for the future.
J.L.RB.
The most satisfying time of year in the Art Department is the mounting of the GCSE, AS and 'A' Level exhibitions during the Summer term. All pupils are included and it is a joy to witness the progress that has been made and to celebrate the hard work and commitment of those taking part. Our usual high standards were maintained, but the AS results were particularly pleasing with 32 of the 35 pupils achieving a grade A. Very few schools in the country can rival this outstanding result. We now look forward to working with those pupils as they progress to A2. We were very grateful to the Dean and Chapter of Worcester Cathedral for allowing us to mount our GCSE exhibition in the Dean's Chapel. It looked splendid and enabled the work to be seen by a wide audience.
A strong feature of our exhibitions is the critical and contextual content. Pupils visit local and national exhibitions, as well as researching in libraries and on the internet. By far the biggest influence, however, comes from the work undertaken in St. Ives. Two trips were organised for Fifth Form pupils during the Autumn half term and they benefited not only from the gallery visits
but from close contact with professional artists. Visiting an artist's studio is always rewarding and can offer many insights into the working life and struggles of the profession.
A St.Ives trip was also organised early in the Autumn term for Lower Sixth pupils.This enabled the group to bond and established ways of working in galleries which were to pay dividends as the course progressed. Anna Guy returned to the Tate for her Lower Sixth work experience and was involved in the installation of the Richard Long exhibition. We now have a working relationship with, and the goodwill of a very large number of artists in the St.Ives area. All are impressed by the dedication and attitude of our pupils.
During the Spring term, two of the artists from %.Ives spent a week with us in Worcester. Naomi Frears and Rachael Kantaris worked with pupils of all ages and encouraged some exciting print-making. They are both lively and engaging artists and pupils responded to them with enthusiasm.
The Theatre Gallery hosted four exhibitions by visiting artists, some of which stimulated lively debate amongst pupils. Just before Christmas the gallery was
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taken over by The Great Atlantic Gallery, St. Just, Cornwall. They mounted a exhibition of thirty five of their top selling artists including Kurt Jackson and Sir Terry Frost.
In February another Creative and Performing Arts Day was organised. Seventeen different workshops were offered to the Lower and Upper Fourths. Led by visiting artists and performers, the day's activities included cookery, rocket launching, Mrican drumming and dance, mask making, steel pan, music technology, acting, painting and felt making. The day began and ended with a steel pan performance in the Theatre. The sight of all the Fourth Formers spontaneously dancing and singing in response to this spirited entertainment was an incredible experience. Thanks must go to the
staff in the departments involved who provided support and helped with the complicated logistics of the day.
Mike Terry worked as a member of the Art staff throughout the year, replacing someone who was unable to take up the post at very short notice. We were incredibly lucky to find him, and he proved to be a first-class teacher.
He worked the pupils very hard, but any initial reluctance on their part was soon replaced by an appreciation of the incredible wealth of knowledge that he was able to impart. His preparation of lessons was exemplary and he generated much quality work. Staff and pupils grew very fond of him and we shall miss him.
Once again we managed to get over 160 pupils entertaining little sequence. Tom Longley and Matthew performing for two nights for the Dance Showcase. For Driscoll performed to the delight of the audience with many this would have been the first time on stage, an energetic Break Dance sequence which showed however this did not deter the majority and all imagination, strength and agility. participants performed to a high standard.
Two Upper Fourth form groups of boys and girls
The evening came together much better than I had produced work from their Dance Drama lessons based anticipated. The weeks leading up to the performance on work from the professional company, 'Stomp'. The are often hectic with last minute rehearsals, work was based on using sticks as props to lift, lower and but all the pupils' hard work paid off. each other and as a way of producing
The idea behind the Dance Showcase is to rhythms for the movement itself. It show the work the pupils have been working was very evident that the boys enjoyed on during the year in both clubs and performing physical moves which they curriculum time. There were various styles would not associate with 'Dance' in its to be seen, from Rock 'n Roll to Stage and pure sense, but it certainly comes Jazz, not forgetting the boys' Break Danc- under the umbrella of 'Physical ing and the Sixth Form boys' basketball Theatre' which is one of the main aims video. Each year it becomes increasingly of Dance Drama. difficult to try and improve on the
The Lower Remove girls had been previous year's performances, but the working with Miss Agius for most of the students themselves come along with year, putting together a superb 'Street' ideas, energy and inspiration for each dance that was timed to perfection. The piece. simple black costumes and face paint
This year we had a group from St. added something to a very strong piece of Alban's and King's Hawford to perform two very different pieces. St. Remove groups performed Alban's offered a Second Year dance this year. One group put together a fun taken from an Indian dance piece using a hit song from the film, 'Moulin workshop earlier in the year. Their Rouge'. They produced a theatrical image coloured saris and outfits made the dance complete, with red feather boas and chairs as props. telling the story of a farmer's yearly cycle.
Lauren Wood, Georgina Sutherland and ~mma-Allies ~i&'s~awfhrdoffered a modein dance showing the revived a dance from last year, 'It's Raining Men', with results of their club work. They performed with Emma showing her ballet prowess by spinning across the confidence and obviously enjoyed the whole experience stage on 'Blocks'. All three girls went on to perform with of working with Miss Danielle Agius. confidence, energy and agility.
The Lower Fourth girls -performed a strong Unfortunately the Fifth Form were unable to perform contemporary dance based on direction. Their timing 'live' due to the timing of the public exam. So we and execution of moves produced a confident decided to video their work to show that they really did performance. The eight Upper Fourth girls performed work in their games lessons - it was not just an option to an enjoyable dance in top hats and tails, producing an be taken to stay in the warm on cold, wet afternoons!
E.R.H.
The ideas for the dance came from the girls themselves and they worked well together, producing a stylish performance.
Natalie Higgs and Anna Brookes both performed their solos which were not originally intended for a public performance. Both girls had to choreograph and perform a piece as part of their 'A' Level Sports Science moderation. I was so impressed with their work, I asked if they would mind performing for the Dance Showcase. I have to say I thought both girls were outstanding. Anna, with her strong and fluent contemporary piece using a trilby hat as her prop, performed to 'A Stranger In Moscow'. Natalie performed a modern piece, using a chair as her prop, showing strong modern moves throughout.
The Sixth Form girls were out to give something a little extra this year. All of these girls have been attending Dance Club since they were in the Lower Fourth. Their first piece was for fun. NRA had given them a short introduction to JazzJive and they let their imaginations run away with them. They soon came to realise that the intricate moves were a lot harder to perform at speed but with regular rehearsal time they pulled it off, (as always) with great timing and enthusiasm, and the costumes to go with it. Their main piece was taken from the musical, 'Chicago' which we had seen earlier in the year. The girls gave themselves quite a task by deciding to sing as well as dance to the 'Cell Block Tango'. The final result was a very
impressive, slick stage performance by all involved. A fitting way for them to leave the stage of The King's School. The Sixth form boys were not to be outdone this year. Neil Lonergan, James Goodman, Paul Volo and James Hopkins (a 'gap' student from Australia) put together a fantastic show of skill and agility with a basketball. The moves were smooth, athletic and aesthetic. The boys put together two hours of filming in the theatre of their basketball skills. Neil then did all of the editing and adding of music to complete the finished item. I am sure everyone who saw this would agree that this was definitely extending the boundaries of dance and giving a new insight to boys' dance at King's.
I cannot give a review of the Dance Showcase without giving a big thank you to the staff who gave up free time to rehearse for this occasion. Twenty six members of staff performed a somewhat loose 'Tango' to the song 'Hernando's Hideaway'. They were all great sports for taking part. They certainly enjoyed themselves and I know both pupils and parents enjoyed watching this talented bunch!
The whole ethos of dance is that it should be available to all and it should provide a platform for selfexpression. The students at King's have boundless energy and enthusiasm. Each year they perform to a high standard. Let's hope it will continue to thrive.
T.D.M.
AGOOD SCHOOL always looks for improvements. We are constantly reviewing our academic and extra curricular performances and looking for ways of improving the education that we provide. However, to make any physical improvements to the environment often requires greater thought. In our inspection report published in early 2000, the library facilities at St Alban's were justifiably criticised. This year we benefited from the response to that criticism with a superb new library built above the existing reception area. This gives us greater flexibility in our teaching facility and a resource centre for us to be proud of. The library has been named The Wilf Thomas Library, after Wilfrid Thomas, Headmaster of St Alban's from 1955-75. Sadly, Wilf passed away a few months before its completion but his wife, Mary, two sons David and Tudor, and daughter Caroline were all able to attend the official opening with David performing the actual ceremony. The occasion was also marked with a balloon race - two hundred were released, standing out dramatically against a threatening sky.
Our prime concern is the academic success of our pupils and preparing them effectively for the next stage of their education. The benchmark for this is inevitably the performance of the Third Year in the Entrance Exam into the senior school. I am delighted that all who took the exam were accepted. Special congratulations are due to James Greenwood who gained both a Music Scholarship and an Honorary Academic Scholarship. Congratulations are also due to Jonathan Wilson, Jonathan Preston, George
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Webberley and Andrew Hewit who were all awarded Academic Scholarships and to Amanda Furniss who achieved a Music Award. Of course, not all children can achieve academic accolades but we do strive to give every child encouragement to achieve success in at least one of the many opportunities on offer.
Music and drama very often give children an ideal opportunity to shine. Over a hundred children play at least one musical instrument and, in addition to solo performances, they have the chance to make music as groups, either in the Wind Band, String Group, Recorder Group or the full Orchestra. In addition there is a choir, which involves over half the school. The musical focus for the Autumn and Spring terms is the concerts where so many of our children display their musical excellence. For those less accomplished or not quite ready for the big occasion we have a number of informal concerts in the Chapel on Friday afternoons after school. Here the children can learn to cope with performance and the accompanying nerves of such an occasion.
Similarly, drama involves a great many of our children. For the first time this year both dance and drama were included in the curriculum, the themes chosen having links with other areas of the curriculum. The children gained a great deal from this experience in terms of confidence and selfassuredness in front of others. A group of Third Year children again took part in the Bilton Grange Drama Festival, performing 'A Landlord's Morning', a series of Tolstoy short stories, as well as enjoying the performances of children from other schools and taking part in a variety of workshops. Our annual Shakespeare production is becoming a bit of a tradition and this year was no exception with a fine musical version of Macbeth. It is very difficult to single out any individuals when the overall performance was so good but I would not be doing justice to Lucy Boynett if I did not mention her impressive portrayal of the scheming, manipulative Lady Macbeth. As a curtain-raiser the younger children set the standard for the evenings of performance with a French fairytale, 'The Nose'. The breeding ground for much of the drama in the school is class assemblies, which take place most weeks and give the children an opportunity to display their dramatic talents.
Throughout the year there are many opportunities for the children to take part in a wide variety of activities. We run a very comprehensive programme of after school clubs. To enhance the curriculum each year group organises a variety of visits to appropriate venues, giving ample opportunity for follow-up work. Youth Hostel weekends to historically interesting cities are organised each term. The Second Years all have an experience at the Old Chapel early in the year to welcome new children and to develop and improve friendships. This year they were amongst the first to take advantage of the development work at the Centre. This has been paid for through fund raising by the Development Committee and has added much to the potential use of the building. The Third Year also spend a week at the Old Chapel during the summer term, and are involved in a whole range of curricular and extra-curricular activities. The eldest also have the chance to spend a few days in Normandy, putting into practice their classroom French and visiting some of the spectacular sights on offer. It goes without saying that sport plays a large part in the life of the school. Competition at all levels in games played in the right spirit is healthy. We approach our sport with an emphasis on enjoyment rather than a win-at-all-costs attitude. A full range of inter-school fixtures is organised in rugby, football and cricket, netball, hockey and rounders, with orienteering and swimming also covered. Occasionally a child stands out above all others and is recognised for their sporting ability beyond the school. Matthew Marskell is a good all-rounder but achieved county recognition at Under 11 cricket. Emma Le Marchand went further. She was selected to play cricket for both the County Under 13 and
Under 15 girls' teams, the Under 15s becoming ECB County Champions. For those who do not reach such heights there is a wide range of inter-house activity giving every child an opportunity to experience competitive sport. This is often the most competitive and fiercely fought. House pride runs high in St Alban's!
With so much on offer and the children gaining so much from their experiences in school it is very rewarding when they choose to wholeheartedly help those less fortunate than themselves. We maintain our sponsorship of an African boy through Action Aid. As part of our Harvest Festival we raised money and donated goods to local causes including the Maggs Day Centre who were particularly grateful for a mountain of towels. The children are never backward in coming forward with ideas for f~~ndraising stalls from conker and cake sales through to raffles and name the cuddly toy competitions. This initiative was plain for all to see at the Fete where St Alban's had over sixty stalls, raising £4,500 towards the 518,000t total income on the day. Perhaps the most effective and simplest idea of the year was a Sponsored Spell on behalf of the NSPCC. That raised £3049, a staggering sum.
In June the nation's attentions were drawn to following England's progress in the World Cup. Children were invited to come into school early to watch the matches and the start of exams was delayed on one occasion to allow the result to be known before the brain was otherwise occupied. I wonder whether Wilf's pupils watched England's progress in the 1966 World Cup in school? I have a sneaking suspicion that they probably did.
A superb day on a very demanding course at the Worcestershire Golf Club, Malvern Wells. The weather was very kind to us and fourteen members took part in a ten hole Stableford competition in the morning; twenty-eight OVs played a full eighteen holes in the afternoon. The golf was followed by a meal in the evening, and the chance to socialise further. The President attended and presented prizes as follows:
Morning Winner R. Ormerod
Hon Sec .............. (60-65)
Hon Treas ............ (43-53)
Hon Auditor
Member Emeritus Representative
Afternoon Winner R. O'Neill (36 points)
Runner-up R. Blakeway (36 points)
Soc Sec .Richard (68-79)
Ordinary Members .......
2002 . .Elizabeth [Alexander]
Elected 2002 ..................
THE ov DATABASE is kept on the computer in the Foundation Development Office at King's (situated at the top of the Hostel). As Secretary I have access to the Database and any member can ask for information to get back in touch with old friends with whom they have lost contact. E-mail addresses (when known) are available on the King's Web Site, but home addresses are not available on the Web. Privacy is important, and contact information is given out to other members, in response to verifiable requests only, and not to anyone outside the Club
There have been a few teething problems with the database, compiled from the old OV records, but generally speaking the new system has been successful, and should help in keeping members in touch with one another and with King's. Hardware and software have been provided by the School, for which the Club is very grateful. As Secretary I am also indebted to the Headmaster, David Willmer, Nick Dart, Carol Bawden, Mary Brodrick, John Roslington and Richard Underwood who have all helped in various ways to create the OV Database, which serves now as a powerful means of servicing members.
Connect has replaced the OV Circular, and has kept members informed of happenings and developments at School, as well as featuring OV news and events; it is the main source of on-going information to members. Those members on-line should make sure their e-mail addresses are listed on the OV Page of the King's Web Site: go to www.ksw.org.uk and follow the links and instructions. All those listed can then contact one another by e-mail. QED.
Front Nine P. Osborne
Back Nine T. Shervington
Longest Drive N. Sproson
Nearest the Flag R. Blakeway
Robert O'Neill came in with a better back nine to take the day, and is holder of the OV Golf Ball for one year.
In 2003 we return to the Droitwich Golf Club, again on the Friday of the Reunion Weekend. Please make a diary note, and we are always pleased to welcome new facesespecially female ones. Further details will be advertised in Connect. Michael 0 'Neill michael.dot@vzrgin.net01905 351518.
Saturday - Xeunion I)oy
Following the format of last year, OVs were invited to assemble in School in the morning, so that they would have the chance to get to know one another again - thirty and sometimes forty years can wreak havoc with the looks of a teenager, and name badges were issued! A lunch in the Annett Room followed and Tim Keyes spoke of present and future developments at King's. Old pupils were invited to tour round - to see and experience their old School in its present re-incarnation. OVs were also invited to watch the 1st XV match down on the School Field, and attend the afternoon Cathedral Service.
Snturdcly - AGM
Thirty one OVs gathered in the Chappel Memorial Room for the AGM, with President Malcolm Joyner in the Chair. All stood in silent respect after the names of ten members known to have died were read out. There were nine Apologies for Absence. The Minutes of the 2001 AGM were accepted unanimously, with no Matters Arising. The Treasurer's Report showed a fourth year in deficit, and the Committee had taken the decision to raise the basic subscription. The John Pimley Bursary Fund was now wholly administered by the Development Trustees.
Malcolm Joyner stood down and Michael St J. Pimley (H 61-71) was elected President 2002-3; Nicki Featherstone (8486) was elected a Vice-President; Elizabeth [Alexander] Charman (88-90) and Paul Bassett (76-86) were elected to the Committee.
A lively debate under AOB was prompted by T. Garden who suggested that raising the Subscription to address the Club's deficit might result in a lower take up of membership and prove counter-productive. A number of views were expressed; the President said the matter would be considered further by the Committee and placed on the AGM Agenda for 2003.
Salz~r~/(zy - RPUnion Dinnw
Some 120 diners were in College Hall with Malcolm Joyner presiding. He introduced his Guests who were: Revd Michael Vockins, OBE and Mrs. Eileen Vockins; Terence Rochford (President of the OEs) and Mrs. Mary Rochford; Donald Howcll (Chairman of the Governors) and Mrs. Pat Howell; Timothy H Keyes (Headmaster) and Mrs. Mary Anne Keyes; Galen Bartholomew (Bursar) and Mrs. Irene Bartholomew; and current students of King's, Rachael Dawson (Head of School) and Azam Saied. Revd Mike Vockins said grace to commence the evening. The toast of the School was proposed by Angela Lloyd-James, and Tim Keyes replied: a successful year in almost every respect, both curricular and extra-curricular. Present developments had meant the School had been a building site for some time, but the re-incarnation of the New Block - now the Annett Building - and refurbishment of the old Boarding Houses had seen vastly improved accommodation and teaching facilities coming on line. There were further developments
planned, and Tim Keyes encouraged OVs to support the Development Fund so that future students could enjoy the benefits of the best possible King's School education.
Mike Vockins, former Secretary of the WCCC, replied to the Toast of the Guests, with a light-hearted speech, spiced with the humour for which he is well known, and ending with a deliberate own-goal, to which diners responded with laughter and applause. Malcolm Joyner wound up the formal part of the evening with thanks to Richard Underwood for organising it; and he encouraged all to view the large photographic display which Caroline Roslington had put together on the platform using material from the Archive.
Sunday
The Cathedral Eucharist was attended by a number of OVs; newly elected President Michael StJ Pimley gave the Readings, from Tonah and Philippians. Canon Bruce ~uddo~k(~overiorand Hon OV) -picked up on a theme
Colkrge Hnll, PIP-dznnPr (photo A ng~laLloyrl Jr~trrnlc,c)
from the Readings for his sermon: God is good to all, without exception, and can not be circumscribed.
After the Cathedral Service Tim and Mary Anne Keyes received OVs and partners in the Dining Hall, where all could socialise over drinks and light refreshments. Among those attending was David Annett, who surprised one or two OVs from the early 1960s when they introduced themselves by recalling them instantly! The reception was followed by a barbecue style get together in the Annett Room for the Brian Smith group. Unfortunately the planned OV Rugby match in the afternoon did not take place.
The Fringe Programme at The OV Reunion Weekend - 2002
It was a bright, sunny, balmy September afternoon as forty seven souls on the good ship "Marianne" on the River Severn pulled away from the South Quay just below St Andrews spire.
These were OVs of the 1950s and 1960s era and their wives, basking in the reflected glory of the Cathedral, looking its best, and making us proud to have been at King's.
The OV Weekend 'Fringe' programme, pioneered last year by Brian Gerrard and the '51 entry, came into full maturity this year for the '52 entry. The 1952 entry qualification was loosely applied. Some had started at Tredennyke in 1948 and others had not arrived until the mid 1950s. All these found much in common and the air was heavy with nostalgia for those heady days of food rationing, strict boarding house demarcation - and no girls! The weekend started for some with golf at the Worcestershire Club but for many the informal Friday evening dinner at the Olde Talbot set the scene for the rest of the weekend. Many had not met for forty years
and for some this was their first time back at Worcester. All agreed that it was a rewarding and enriching experience and the effort of getting those of the same era together worked wonderfully.
The Olde Talbot made over the entire restaurant to the thirty OVs and wives, with a largely but not exclusively Choir House contingent. Two came from Australia and one from California. Once the recognition stage was passed inhibitions were few and the evening flew bymemories of Bill Bailey and Peter Curle were high on the agenda. We drank the health of their wives and wished they could have been with us. On Saturday morning Choir House veterans took a tour of the old House and struggled to remember the aroma of the infamous drying room; the smells of scorched milk on upturned electric fires; the exact spot where the beatings had been performed (there was no great outcry about this now outlawed discipline); the much recorded barbed wire on the roof struts of "The Barn" and the roller skate circuit in the House Playground like a 1960s version of Thunderball. Then more succour and nostalgia was at hand with exclusive King's School wine in the Reading Room - now returned to more or less its original name, the Chappel Memorial Room. We wondered what did happen to all those Punch volumes? Once more those of the 1960s era enjoyed renewing more acquaintances before joining the rest of the OV reunion for lunch in the Annett Room. The excellent Indian influence cuisine on offer drew the usual invidious comparisons with Charlie Passey's food of the 1950s, created in the dungeons of School House and based on a very limited range of ingredients: copious quantities of baked beans, toad in the hole, suet and masses of white bread. Some School House veterans confessed they still quailed at the smell of fried bread.
The Severn cruise on Saturday afternoon was memorable not only for the wonderful views of the School and
Cathedral but also for the breaking down of barriers between cricketers and rowers who for the first time allowed the cricketers on 'their' river. In the September sunshine the cruise passengers revelled in cups of tea, jaffa cakes and nostalgic views of the former aluminium wharfwhat memories of Sunday explorations for some 1950s era boarders; and how sad now the silted Diglis docks. The nether regions of Pitchcroft and the Worcester Racecourse drew memories of soggy scenes of rugby when New Road was - frequently, in our memories - under water. The wives began to understand more of what had created the men they had married.
When the Fringe participants joined the OV Dinner on Saturday night re-bonding and kinship were very much in evidence. The wives too were sharing the enjoyment of rekindled friendships. The College Hall experience was the 'piece de resistance'. The wonderful Sunday Eucharist in the Cathedral, terrific music and choir, and then convivial drinks with Headmaster Tim Keyes and his wife Mary Anne, followed by a hearty barbecue lunch should have been sufficient for most. But, apparently still unsated and eager for more - and to satisfy one or two latecomers - Tim kindly opened up Choir House again and allowed us to explore the mysteries of Edgar Tower. One or two OVs admitted this was their first time in the tower - ever! Thank you, Tim.
The consensus was that this had been a thoroughly good weekend - why hadn't we done this before? - and despite some emotional knocks back we were all thoroughly grateful for our time at King's School. By and large school was a pretty good experience.
"Dan" McTurk who sadly died when I was in The Upper Remove. A marvellous man and teacher: who can forget his nicknames for every member of his classes? I still have the printed address from his Memorial Service. I am sorry to reply to you so late with info for OV Notes. When you said, months ago, by the end of September it seemed a long way off. Now, here we are. If I am too late for this year perhaps you could use the info next time. Anyway, here goes:
David J Stallard (Cr 58-68): Has just retired from a very demanding, and sometimes rewarding, career in Social Work, starting as a practitioner and finishing as a senior manager. For the last eleven years of his career he was based in Inverness, Scotland. He had an earlier spell in the Highlands when first qualified and has also worked in Perthshire, Northern Ireland and Fort William. After leaving King's, he took a degree in Politics and Sociology at Hull University. Whilst there he joined the Climbing Club and had a number of trips to the Scottish Highlands-walking, rock-climbing and snow and ice climbing. He soon decided that the Scottish Highlands was where he wanted to be! So he followed his degree, and a spell as a Research Student at Hull, by going to Glasgow University to train as a Social Worker.
Brian Smith
And, by the way, we commend the 'Fringe Programme' concept to f~ltureOV Reunion Weekend enthusiasts. Over to you 1953 entry!
Lost
David appeared 'out of the woodwork' earlier lhis year; and zuas pleased to be back in touch. The Club lost con,tact with him more or less from the start when he moved housejust @er leaving.
M.J.P.
Thanks for your e-mails and the copies of the Vigornian. I do appreciate these. Reading them brought back a lot of memories. I don't think I recognised any exact contemporaries but I did recognise quite a few people from a few years above or below and several members of staff. The master who left the greatest impression on me was
On that Social Work course he met Rosemary Duffin, from Northern Ireland, and the rest, as they say, is history. They have two children, Katie and Michael. Katie is at UCL reading English and Michael has just started at Glasgow University reading Medicine. David remains a keen hillwalker and, living near Inverness, has some of the finest (he would say The Finest) scenery in the British Isles within a couple of hours' drive. He thinks he may be the first, perhaps the only, OV to have completed the Munros: ie to have climbed all the 284 Scottish hills over 3000 feet high; he "became compleat" - the official phrase - in September 1990. He is now a little past the three-quarters mark of the Corbetts, the 220 Scottish hills between 2500 and 3000 feet high and hopes that retirement will allow him to complete these a bit more quickly than he would have done.
He obtained a Private Pilot's Licence back in 1976 and enjoyed flying immensely - so those days in the RAF Section of the CCF were not wasted, but he no longer has a current licence. He is in touch now with only one of the OVs he was at school with, Derek Wolfendale, but would be happy to hear from anyone who remembers himparticularly if they find themselves in the North of Scotland. And there is no better place to find yourself!
David <stallard@mounteagle.fsnet.co.uk>
Rowers' Reunion
Thirty Years On
Early in 2002 the Club was contacted by Paul Freeman, who In 1971 ~rlsset foot for the jirst time ever in King's, an wanted to bring about a reunion of his old mew matesfrom the early establishment with an all male history going back over 400 years. 70s as part of the 125th Anniversary Regatta and Dinner at TheJirst intake was of four prls -four girls who were brave enough King's. The Hon Sec passed over as much information as was to enter a school of some 700 boys. It would be dijjicult for the girls available and then it was up to Paul and his old friends to organise of today to imagine what that must have been like - somewhat things for themselves. intimidating; I would guess. When I took over as Hon Sec the Club seemed to have records of only one of the original four; of the three
Rowers' reunion a great success. In brief, eight members of the KSWBC 1st and 2nd VIIIs of 1972 met at the School Regatta on 7th July and, against the better judgement of some, participated enthusiastically in the scratch IVs event and then the OV challenge VIIIs. Having survived these exertions, we basked in the sunshine on the patio of the Diglis Hotel and exchanged School and rowing memories whilst diligently ensuring adequate levels of rehydration. We then threw ourselves with equal enthusiasm into the excellent Boat Club Dinner in College Hall, and drank a toast to absent friends, two of whom (Andrew Anslow and Mike Downs) are sadly no longer with us. We were delighted to have the company of our King's rowing coach and mentor Richard Gabriel at the OV Dinner. He was in fine form, and time seemed to have treated him more kindly than most of us. It was great to see such an active, enthusiastic, and successful current membership in KSWBC. The female contingent adds a significant new dimension and is a notable improvement from our days! Most of us stayed in the Diglis that night, and parted company the next day with sore heads and firm pledges that we would not wait another thirty years before meeting up again.
Roll call: Paul Freeman, Nigel Grange, Matthew Hickling, Peter Knowles, Phi1 Manning, John Parry, Nigel Partington, Clive Stubbington. Paul Freeman. -.
missing two were easily found (one was already on the database, but listed under her married name). Finding the fourth was more dificult, but eventually successful. The letter printed here was sent to me by Cathm'ne Hay (now Mrs. Devitt) and I am pleased to say all four women are now back in touch with the Club.
MJ.P. - Hon Sec
"I was so pleased to get the copy of the Vigornian and Barbara Cookson's speech. Thank you for sending them to me. Barbara's speech was interesting and amusing - it certainly reminded me of her. The copy of the Vigornian sent me scurrying to my treasure trove of old letters and photos. I found some pictures of rowing teams and a rugby team, but not the one of the four of us which I remember having. I will ask my mother if she has it somewhere. I also found a post card from Andy Anslow. I am very sad to hear that Andy has died, he was a good friend to all four of us, and I remember him well; he was fanatical about rowing. He, John Pepper and I sat together in Physics and the three of us did experiments as a group (and messed about!). Certainly I remember Romey Annett. I am sure she was the force behind the idea to bring girls into the School. Their daughter Rosamund was one of the first girls at Marlborough (I think). As you say, she was totally committed to the School. I can remember she used to rope us in to wait on her guests at dinner.
I find it very moving and very disorienting to remember my time at King's: so many happy memories (and a number
of blank patches - old age?!) - it was an extraordinary experience for a shy fifteen year old girl. I loved rowing and the Three Choirs Festival, and singing in the School Choir in the Chapter House (Nicola Bradbear and I had to sing with the Trebles, which was OK until we had to stand up - and then we were far too big!). The experience certainly gave me strength and confidence which have seen me through many adventures. In 1971 at the age of fifteen it was a surprise to me to discover that I could hold my own in a class of boys. I felt indignant with people who tried to say a woman's place was in the home, or that there were certain jobs a woman couldn't or shouldn't do. Like Barbara that made me all the more determined to do them so I studied Engineering at University and joined the RAF as an Engineering Officer and had a great time. But very early on (while I was still at school) I realised that it was not constructive or dignified to talk about feminism. So I have never looked on my working life as trying to prove anything, or that I was trying to fight against the odds, or that there was some kind of conspiracy. If you are working in an almost completely male environment (which I have since I was at King's for thirty years!) making a fuss about being a woman will set you apart.
Where did you get my address? I would like very much to subscribe again to the OVs and get any newsletters, etc. I really appreciate the trouble you have taken to contact me - please do let me know how I can sign up again as an 'old boy! "'
Cathy S contact details are pven in her personal entry in. OV News
Reunion of the Class of 8 7
Appearing on this page are some pictures of that evening, enjoyed by all who attended. Julia [Simcock] Annable's report appeared in the last edition of Connect.
Blinn G~rrnrd's 1951 fiunion - A Po.sl scrif~t
With dogged persistence Brian Gerrard set about trying to get as many as possible of those with whom he had been at School together for a reunion last year. First he had to find many - most - who had drifted out of contact; he was spectacularly successful, and wrote of his search experiences in the Vigornian last year [See Vigornian 2001
- 'Let's Have A Fifty-year Reunion']. Inevitably his searches did turn up the sad fact that some of his old friends had died, and some had proved very hard to find. Pat Hayden and Peter Thompson had proved seemingly impossible to trace: Pat Hayden had moved to Rhodesia to join the police there, and had married in that country; that much could be established, but after that the trail went cold. The reunion came, was a huge success, and went; but the search carried on. And in March 2002 he was found: Pat Hayden, 44 Queens Road, Ryde, Isle of Wight; but he is on the move again, with reports that he is bound for France. The search for Peter Thompson continues.
M.J.P.
OVCC 2002 Season
2002 was a vintage year for Old Vigornian cricket. After the travails of the previous summer with pitch and players, some hard work over the winter went a long way to improving the club's performance. The best summer in nearly a decade also helped, with only a handful of games lost to the weather. A loss of form in August meant that the First XI missed promotion from Division Four of the Worcestershire League and the Seconds failed in their title bid in their division -but after such a poor performance in 2001, it's better to think of the vast improvements made on the pitch, rather than the lack of silverware in the trophy cabinet
I haven't enjoyed captaining the side so much in a long time. That's largely due to three people: Vice-Captain Matt Richardson, who took over on the pitch half a dozen times with considerable aplomb; Tim Whitehouse, Second XI Captain whose never say die attitude was inspiring; and the indefatigable Tony Harris, who puts in hundreds of hours behind the scenes for little reward. The highlight of the season was victory against the School. The OVs had not won the fixture in a decade, and I hadn't been on the winning side for a generation -when I was still at School. We made it a double fixture; the Seconds also won convincingly on the adjacent pitch. The game against the OV President's XI on August Bank Holiday was restored to its pre-eminence thanks to James Mills who organised the first XI from 1987 to make a welcome return fifteen years after they last played together. Despite Richard Tomlinson's magnificent 108, they did the decent thing - and lost narrowly to the OVs! OV Club President Malcolm Joyner helped crown proceedings with the generous donation of three bottles of champagne, which were soon sucked dry.
In league cricket we found ourselves in a very strong division and playing very hard fought games almost every week. The best batsmen only managed a quarter of a season
each, with Nic Sproson playing roughly half; it's a perennial OV problem, and ultimately was our downfall. Some younger players did come through this year, Rob Fardon, Steve Ott and Rich Major all played important parts. Unfortunately, with Charlie Daniel1 sidelined all season, and Adam Phillips able to play only a handful of games, it was left to me (bowling a fierce pace - for a thirty-six year old!) to carry the attack; although both Dave Mendham and I bowled well all season we struggled to finish sides off. The Seconds were dominated by their three all rounders, Robin Bishop, Tim Race and James Bader; if Bader and Bishop had not been called up so often to the Firsts then their records might have been as good as Tim's. The Sunday side lost a few too many games to fixture problems, and we are investigating the idea of turning out a few more 'themed' sides next season: This year the class of '87 proved a success, and an Under 25 team beat Worcester Gents. There have been suggestions of an Old Hawfordians XI (playing in OV colours), and other year groups putting out teams on Sundays.
Paul Judge will captain the class of '93 in the President's XI game this August Bank Holiday - on the tenth anniversary of them leaving School. I am looking for offers for the fixture in 2004!
On the social side, Phil O'Neill organised a splendid tour to Bournemouth, and we may yet get in a fixture or two in Australia this winter - keep your eye on CONNECT for reports on that. Mark Foster and Tom Guest played important parts in the organisation of teams and talked a good game in the pub. The evergreen AndrewJudd showed that the veterans still have some life left in them - by scoring 228 runs and finishing in the top ten averages. James Gommersall and his protege Steve Protherough kept everyone amused - and occasionally scared; youngsters Tom Soden, Will Hardy and Rich Morris joined the likes of Jon Squire, Fraser Young and Phil Chaundy in keeping the average age down. Tim Race won the Bailey Cup for the
(,UP<Y thpynr (I/ Ihz, '7zgr\'XIphoto (/(~rnrtn/l~llsa\ AMJRJ Player of the Year for his fine all-round performances, only Finally the sad part, two farewells: first to Charlie Evans, narrowly pipping James Bader to the award. The Mackie an extremely popular member of the club for the past four Cup for the performance of the year didn't go to an years, and now moving down to Sussex to begin a career in individual, unusually it went to the seven Second XI players Land Management, hopefully to make it back from time to who, rather than call their game off, went to Shropshire to time. Second, to Nick Firth, one of the great OVs. Firthy play Claverley - and won against eleven men. Jon Squire first played under me in a Second XI game while still a won the Panter Shield for Young Player of the Year, student at King's way back in 1993. Ten years on he's although both Fardon and Ott pushed him close. Both become a fixture at the OVCC, and a good friend. He Robin Bishop and Ross Haines won the prestigious began as a fine off spinner, and in the past few seasons has Worcester Evening News Player of the Week Award, the also turned himself into a more than useful bat. He is the third and fourth OVs to get their full page picture in the latest in a long line to seek a new life in Australia; we wish paper. him all the luck in his new home in Brisbane.
Phi1 Mackie
Academic Distinctions
Richard J. Griffiths (S 87-97) Richard gained a Distinction in the Legal Practice Course from the College of Law, Chester, in July 2002. He is now a trainee solicitor with the City law firm Masons, currently based at their Bristol office Emily Swinburn (Ch 9499): Graduated with a First in English Studies from Exeter University in 2002.
Jonathan M Wheal (091-98):Jon has graduated with a First in Modern Languages (German), with Distinction in Spoken German, from Wadham College, Oxford. His success is a particular source of pride and satisfaction to his friend and former teacher, Gordon Leah.
Our congratulations to those named above. The list is very short this year, and other achievements may have gone unreported.
Births
Nicholas Pomeroy (C1 83-90) and Bryony Edwards (E 8991): to Nicholas and Bryony on 30/10/01 a son, Tobias Alexander Edward (Toby), a brother for Zoe. They live in Malvern.
James Burfield (0 81-88): to Jim and Sandra on 4th October 2002 a son, James Francis, born in Cork City at 10.37 and weighing 81b 402 jebl@gofree.indigo.ie
David F Scrimshaw (W 63-68): to David and Suzanne on 18th April 2002 twin sons, Marcus Andrew and Jonathan James. David reports mother and sons all thriving.
Andrew Underwood (S 77-88): to Andrew and Sophie on 3rd April 2002 a daughter Poppy, a little sister and playmate for Chloe and a sixth grandchild for Peter Underwood (DB 42-47). Godparents include James Mills (S 80-87) and Stuart Duncan (077-87)
Charlotte (nCe Bridges) (CO and E 85-87) and Sean Mahony on 27th April 2002, a daughter, Freya Alice. A granddaughter for Keith and Jane Bridges (H 73-90)
Mar~ages
Peter Beaudro (W 88-95) to Zoe Marchant (0 93-95) on 10th July 2002 at St Edmund and the Martyr Church, Stoulton. Kristianne Laurence (C1 93-95) and Kathryn Pugh (W 93-95) were bridesmaids; Gavin Lovesey (S 88-95) and Ross Hurman (088-95) were ushers. Tom Blunt (K 88-95) sang solo during the signing of the register. The Guest list included: Nick Bourne, James Debenham, Tom Lambert, Jo Mason, Ffiona Kyte, Lucy Brookshaw, Liam Chivers, Matt Loe, Artisham Fiaz, James Thorpe, Tom Birtwhistle and Ed Humphries. They honeymooned in Norway and live now in Bristol.
Sarah Blaydes (CO 87-89) to Ian Mitchell on 21st September 2002 at Warblington Church, Emsworth, Hampshire. OVs attending were: Sarah Edwards, Rob Dow and Jo [Cole] Hart.
James Burfield (081-88) to Sandra Drohan in Ballygunner Church, CO Waterford, Ireland on 17th November 2001. The reception was held at the Tower Hotel Waterford City, and the honeymoon in Mauritius. Jim and Sandra live in Cork and are colleagues within the IT Dept of Permanent TSB.
Ji Fawcett (S 85-94) to Donna Wheeler (whom he met at Southampton University) on 7th September 2002 at St John's Church, Old Trafford, Manchester, with a reception at Capesthorne Hall, near Macclesfield. Among the guests were OVs Joanna Gibson (S 94-96)),
Jnmrc BvrjrM
Jim Fawcrtt
Helen Webster (S92-94) and Frank Loveder (Hon OV).
Jim and Donna have now set up home in the south of France - despite having to break in on return from honeymoon after misplacing the keys!
Fiona Fincher (S 95-97) to Marlon L6pez from El Salvador on 22nd June 2002 in the USA. The wedding was well attended by OV friends: "Thanks for coming." - Fiona. Marlon works for an international oil company, currently in Louisiana, where they are living at present; Fiona is a qualified Occupational Therapist. <fiona.fincher@lycos.com> Aemelia Harris (E 86-88) to Iain William Muir Lovatt in Worcester Cathedral, with a reception following in College Hall.
Jon Henderson (H 88-92) to Hannah Jepp at Christ Church, Portsmouth, on 15th June 2002. They spent their honeymoon sailing in the British Virgin Islands. Amongst the ushers were OVs Pete Suggitt (H 87-92) and Dan Hickey
(H 85-92), who travelled from New York for the event. Other OVs present were Samantha [Butler] Fisher (CO 90-92), Matt Speirs (H 86-9 1) , Rachel [Draper] Speirs (CO90-92), J.J. Richardson (H 82-91) and Richard Scriven (H 86-91).
Guy Salter (Cr 76-83) to Sherian Haynes (E 88-90) in July 2001 at the Nash, Kempsey. Robin Tyler (Cr 76-83) and AUister Haynes (078-85) were ushers. Robert Minshull (W 77-83) and Philippa Ruddock (E 85-87) were guests; also invited - and there in spirit - but unable to come from Canada as he had a new born child, was David Brown (Cr 81-83). All guests were kept in order by Guy and Sherian's dog, Rafe! Both are solicitors practising in Worcester and Evesham; they live near Worcester.
Susan Young (CO 85-87) to William Dereham on 6th October 2001 at St Mary's Church, Fownhope. Andrea [Graves] Taylor (CO 85-87) was bridesmaid. They live in Fownhope, Herefordshire.
Deaths
The following deaths have been reported to the Club in the last year:
W.J. Mercer (S 3?-3?) Judith R. Philipps (E 85-88)
J.F. Lavender (S 30-37) Neil Bowler (W 83-93)
John Graham Downes, TD
Died on 10th January 2002. Born in 1905 he attended King's 1916-23, and then moved to New Zealand to be a farmer, a time he enjoyed greatly. He returned to the UK to try and save his father's company, but too late and he took up a management trainee post with Bass. Apart from War service he remained with Bass till retirement in 1967, having become Managing Director of one of its subsidiaries. He kept up his interest in his old School, and his subscription to the Vigornian, right up to the end of his life. N.J. Downes - son Ken Derbyshire
Died at the age of eighty-six in Bangor, Northern Ireland, where he had lived most of his life since 1937. He worked for the Bangor Borough Council, rising to the post of manager. An active sportsman he played rugby and cricket
for Bangor, as well as pursuing a variety of other interests, including sea-angling, beekeeping, gardening and bird watching. His garden was a haven for birds, including his favourite - a tame seagull. He remained a keen OV and donated a photograph of his time at King's to the Archive shortly before his death. He leaves his wife Iris (to whom he was married for sixty years), a daughter, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Iris Derbyshire - widow
John Hoggard
John Hoggard was reported Missing in Action when his ship went down after being torpedoed during World War 11. His death was reported to the School and he was entered on the Roll of Honour in College Hall. News eventually came through the Red Cross that he had been picked up and was alive and imprisoned in Germany, spending some of his time in Colditz, but it was many years before his name was removed from the Roll. As John himself said, "to quote Mark Twain: 'The report of my death was an exaggeration."' MJP - Hon Sec
The remark above shows he had a marvellous sense of humour and that is shown also by an e-mail he sent earlier in the year: the text was to have been part of an entry in Members News, but is printed here as a tribute to a man who never took life, or himself, too seriously.
From John Hoggard (Ca 35-37) [still going strong not - repeat not - as reported on page 348 of Michael Craze's book]. In my jirst summer term I was told to fall in for cricket, but after two days in the deep jield with nothing to do I decided that boating was the answm A row in a tub on sports days followed 6y a swim was delightful. Then the order was to go for a bicycle ride to keep jit. This really entailedJinding the nearest strawberry farm and for 6d one could pick and eat onek$ll- much better than cricket.'
He was a very proud Old Vigornian, he stuck always to wearing his OV tie and when one was worn out he wore it as a belt, much to the amusement of the family.
Arthur Men
J.N. W Hoggard - son
Died at the age of eighty-six on 28th December 2001 at Tenbury Wells. His working career was with the Esso Oil CO, first in Birmingham and then London. He retired in 1971, returning to the familiar territory of north Worcestershire. He took an active interest in all aspects of town life in Tenbury, and village affairs in Greete, where he lived originally. Failing health in his eighties forced him to be less active, but he remained closely in touch with people and events; that included the OV Club of which he was a strong adherent. Arthur Allen did not marry. Frank GAllen - brother
J.F. Lavender
Died on 2nd July 2002 in Devon, aged eighty-three. At King's he was Captain of School House, Joint Captain of School, Captain of Rugby and of Rowing. He went up to St Edmund Hall, Oxford with an Exhibition and would have won a Rugby Blue but war intervened. He joined his regiment, KSLI, on 4th September 1939, survived Dunkirk and saw service in India and Burma; he was demobbed in 1946 with the rank of major. He became Headmaster of the Royal Wanstead School and then Dawlish College, both schools for the benefit of boys from broken homes. CM Lavender OV - brother
John Higginson
Died in 2001. He was at King's for only one year, in the Hostel, having been in the Cathedral Choir and the Choir School before it became Choir House; he rose to be Head Chorister. Nevertheless he was an enthusiastic OV and maintained his interest in the School and Club all his life,
from his home in South Africa. He returned to the UK on a regular basis and renewed his contact with King's whenever possible, donating material to the Archive. Mrs. Higginson - widow
Martin Prestage
Two years' National Service followed King's before Martin Prestage enrolled at Seale-Hayne Agricultural College. After qualifying he started farming on his own account in South Devon, having married Fiona McCallum, a fellow student at Seale-Hayne. He then started work for ICI, in England, but moved on to work for another company of agricultural merchants in Scotland, settling in Edinburgh. After retiring he and his second wife, Pamela, toured Europe widely before settling in France, where he died, aged seventy-three, in Gaillac on 27th December 2001. He leaves his wife, Pamela, four children and four grandchildren. Peter Prestage OV - brother
Peter Brotherton
After military service in the RAF he spent most of his working life in the Prison Service, rising to the rank of Chief Officer and performing some governor duties; he left the Service in the mid 1980s. Although left-handed he was an accomplished shot and in the 1970s he captained a successful Small Bore Shooting team to Israel. In later years he worked for 'Guide Friday', the Stratford coach agents, and became a familiar sight, driving sightseers in a vintage double decker bus on the Shakespeare and Cotswold tours. He died on 14th January 2002 aged sixty-seven, and leaves a wife Mavis, son, and three grandchildren.
Judith R Phiipps
Patrick Brotherton OV - twin brother
Judith was a great friend of ours during our time at King's (85-88) and also whilst living in London. She was an active and sociable member of College House and one of the first girls in Eliot House. Jude was a really keen sailor and rower. At School she was a member of the ladies first four crew and went on to row at Oxford Poly and in Putney. She was also a keen musician, playing the clarinet and singing in both the Keys Society and School Choir. After studying at Oxford Poly she had a successful career as a chartered surveyor in London. Jude was married to Carl Harris in her local church at Upton Warren in December 2000.
Our last memories of Jude were at a lovely evening in London with fellow school friends where she seemed very happy and excited about her life with Carl and the project of renovating their new house. Judith sadly and unexpectedly passed away on 2nd June this year. She will be greatly missed by us all. Charlotte (Bridges) Mahony, Alex Dykes and Sarah (Ganderton) Tsiquaye.
Neil J Bowler
Neil was one of the victims of the Bali bombing outrage; proof that any of us can be swept up in the tide of such hatred. He was very successful and popular in School, and those attributes continued into adult life. No doubt he would have gone on to further success, but a life so full of promise has been needlessly cut short. A full appreciation of that life will be published in the 2003 Vigornian. We offer our condolences to his mother and brother Andy. M.J. P
Wilfrid Thomas
At the end of the war, this was a small school and, like so much else at that time, rather run-down. F.R. Kittermaster, who had been Headmaster since 1942, was a dynamic leader who set himself the task of building the school up, in both numbers and reputation. Most of the masters he
W'llfrid Thomas recruited in those years had served in the war: Wilfrid Thomas's death last year removes almost the last link we have with the teaching staff of that exciting period in the School's history.
Wilfrid was born and educated in Wales, as none could help knowing. He read History at Jesus College, Oxford, the alma mater of so many Welshmen, and began to study for ordination at Pusey House. War service in the Welsh Fusiliers supervened, and Wilfrid served in Madagascar, India and South Africa, where he learnt Swahili well enough to exchange confidences years later with boys who had lived in Africa.
After a year or two at Taunton School, Wilfrid came to King's in 1947. The staff was still quite small and Wilfrid's tales of the eccentricities of some of his more senior colleagues were told with an affectionate regard for these survivors of an earlier King's. During this time, Wilfrid coached the Under 14 XV for several years, and always retained a Welshman's keen interest in the game.
In 1955, when H.L. Wilson retired from the post of Master-in-Charge of the Junior School, which he had successfully transferred from Choir House to St Alban's at the end of 1951, Wilfrid was appointed to succeed him. The twenty years he and Mary spent at St Alban's form the core of his teaching career: indeed it may be said that their life's work was fulfilled there. They had the double responsibility of a Junior School of about eighty boys and a boarding House of nearly fifty (including all the Fourth Form boarders). Many OVs will have vivid and happy memories of the way in which they discharged these duties. As Master-inCharge, Wilfrid naturally wrote the timetable, and, as Housemaster, he naturally prescribed the duties of his Tutors: but there was a relaxed flexibility about both which made it a joy to work for him and which was also in the best interests of the boys, whom he governed on a loose rein, wisely letting them learn from their mistakes and not feel that they were under perpetual and invasive supervision. The poet Martial says in summer, boys learn enough if they are in good health; Wilfrid shared this view, and many will remember how lessons would sometimes be suspended on a fine day so that everyone could get out and do something worthwhile. Such a man leaves fond memories among his pupils! These pupils included at various times all his own children, his daughter no less than his sons; so that Caroline Thomas was a pupil in the Junior School over
twenty years before girls are generally believed to have been admitted there.
When Wilfrid and Mary left St Alban's in 1975, Wilfrid became one of the four Fourth Form Form Masters. He taught Mathematics, Latin and History to his own Form, and History to all the Fourth Forms. His three young colleagues benefited from his wise and experienced counsel, and the boys who had not already known him in the Third Form learnt to value his kindness as a Form Master and his always interesting History lessons.
After Wilfrid retired in 1979, as well as having more time for his beloved golf, he was always a welcome visitor to the Common Room, insisting that 1 Across be solved before any other clue attempted, and his shopping expeditions in the High Street were protracted by frequent and nostalgic chats with former pupils and colleagues. His colleagues have lost a valued friend: that the same can be said of his pupils is the measure of the man, and is the reward of a long life dedicated to them.
P.C.T.
Member News
James Alexander (H 75-85): "Hi , I don't seem to have had the Vigornian for an age but I guess that is because I need to pay for the next set of instalments. I think that all my OV correspondence goes to my parents' house as well, so it is probably about time for a change. How do I go about subscribing once again for the Vigornian?"
Occupation: Stockbroker (just), working for Nomura International plc, in London.
Nigel Alexander (Ca 70-79): News - "Nigel Alexander got married on 17th August 2002 in Denver to Miss Brenda Ross. Nigel continues to be Chief Executive of Multi-Link Telecommunications, a Denver based company with operations in eight US Cities. He continues to play squash, golf and to ski twenty plus days each year. He welcomes contact with OVs with a desire to ski in the beautiful Rocky Mountains." His address is now 3080 West 63rd Ave, Denver Colorado 80221. nalexander@multilinkcom.com
Noel Andrews (Ca 47-55): I was very interested to see the photo of Castle House on the inside cover of the 2001 Vigornian. I am on the third row second from the left, resplendent in my 2nd IV rowing colours. However it will be of more interest to you to know that the lad on the same row but fifth from the left is John Rubery, currently a Crown Courtjudge. Perhaps this might merit a mention in the 2002 Vigornian as there cannot be many House photographs which can boast two future Crown Court judges! <sing2golf@ntlworld.com>
[The other isJR Hopkin (Ca 48-53)-Ed].
J.M. Austen (Ca 51-59):John was lost to the Club back in 1981, but contacted the School in August 2002 and asked to be put back on the OV mailing list. He lives at 1 Stanier Rd, Corby, Northants NN1 lXP, tel01563 260710.
Richard Bacon (B 70-80): Is MP for South Norfolk. Professionally he has met old friend Stephen Rimmer (Cr 70-80), now a Senior Civil Servant in the Home Office, to discuss reducing prisoner re-offending. Socially he has become godfather to Dr. Simon Clay's (B 70-80) third child, Benjamin James.
John S. Bagenal (S 29-34):John's father was Hope Bagenal, who designed the School Gardens for headmaster Cuthbert
Creighton in the 1930s; he also designed the Roll of Honour Boards for the two World Wars in College Hall, and the clock which he gave and is still in use to this day. John has donated much material associated with theses works to the Archive. He returned from Kenya in 1967, where he had worked in the Government Agricultural Dept. He his wife wife, Patience, live in 'Leaside', the family home since 1903. Poor eyesight and hearing limit his activities severely, but with help he continues to edit what he calls 'Seaside Letters'- letters to and from the family - which give a picture of recent generations of the Bagenal family.
G.D. Bailey (C1 43-54): Now fully retired after a career in the Army (Royal Engineers) and then a second career as Director of Estates at Wolverhampton University during a period of rapid development. 'Bill' has three daughters, all now married and living in the south of England. He lives in Much Wenlock, Shropshire with his wife and keeps up his interest in the Club and King's and attended this year's Reunion.
Julian Baker (S 71-76): Julian wrote after the 2001 reunion to thank those who organised it for their efforts. He enjoyed re-connecting with the School, meeting staff, other OVs and seeing all the changes since his time. "I particularly enjoyed going round School House - the sixth former on duty was amazed anyone could find their way around not having set foot in the place for twenty-five years."
Caroline Ball (E 89-91): After completing a Masters in Engineering she joined BA and is now based at Heathrow as a programmer. She lives in Twickenham and travels regularly (one of the perks of working for BA!).
Philip Bannister (Cr 1951-1960): Took early retirement in 2001 after seventeen years with Worcestershire County Council and then twenty-four years as a trade union official with Nalgo and then Unison, latterly looking after members in Higher Education in the West Midlands. Possibly the only OV to have been to four universities in one day and to have made a career in the trade union movement! Married and living in Bromsgrove, occupying his time as a member of the Learning and Skills Council, a director of the Chamber of Commerce and Chair of the BBC Advisory Council, all in Hereford and Worcester, as well as being a school governor in Birmingham. "Retirement is certainly not dull! " <PhilipDBannister@aol.com>
Robert Baylis (Ca 63-71): His career has taken him to Singapore: "I am now working as a lecturer at NgeeAnn Polytechnic in Singapore. For the last ten years I have been carrying out research and consultancy in environmental
management. This has been at Hull University, Cardiff University and a private sector environmental management consultancy, Enviros Aspinwall. I will be continuing my environmental management consultancy work in Singapore as part of my job at NgeeAnn." Robert, <leafn4give@pacific.net.sg>
Peter Beaudro (W 88-95): Teaches English at Wellsway School, Keynsham. He is married to Zoe Marchant (09395) [See Marriages].
Sir Christopher Benson (DB 43-47): Chris has been appointed High Sheriff of Wiltshire.
Gavin Bishop (0 89-96): Gav returned to the area to find that the contact details he had for old friend Melissa Harrison were redundant. The Club was able to provide him with an address, and he renewed his friendship with Melissa. In a message of thanks he reports that she and her mother, Janet, 'are doing fine in their Worcester home.'
<gavgrad@hotmail.com>
Sarah Blaydes (CO 87-89): Sarah is now Mrs. Mitchell [See Marriages]. She is Senior National Account Manager for a large toy company in the south, supplying to retailers such as Toys R Us and WH Smiths. "I am home based and generally spend my time driving around the country visiting my customers" sarahmitchell@dialpipex.com
Fleur M. Brooke (CO 86-88): In her third year as a European IT Project manager in Munich.
Peter A.D. Brown (H 49-56): In an e-mail received in early 2002 Peter said: "I have been living in France for twelve years so have not visited the school since early 1982 until on a recent visit to the UK, and passing by on the M5 on a Saturday early December 2001, I paid a visit on impulse! Parking in the playground, I entered the yard of The Hostel; a staff member came out and told me it was no longer a boarding house, and that in fact boarding ceased in 1999. What a surprise! - but no doubt had I been on the OV Newsletter mailing list I would have known at the time of this momentous and historic event. It was fascinating to see all the changes of the past fortysix years on the site at King's, but most of the old landmarks were still there."
"I believe this year is the 100th anniversary of the foundation of The Hostel*, but probably as No. 5 College Green is no longer a boarding house the event will not be commemorated. If I am wrong - and if you think it would be welcomed - I would be pleased to delve into my schoolday diaries and make a written contribution of life in The Hostel in the middle of the last Century!"
He went on to provide some news for the Vigornian: For the past twelve years Peter ('Ben') Brown has owned and managed a holiday centre in Southern France. Previously he had a long and distinguished career in the social services field. He worked for the former National Police Court Mission and Dr. Barnardos, and prior to taking early retirement he was a principal officer with Warwickshire County Council Social Services Department. Peter has recently sold his business and now lives at: "La Fauchiniere", 49520 Combree, France. E-mail address: PeterADBrown@hotmail.com [The centenary of the Hostel is in 2003 and with he& from Petq David Mills and others we hope to stage a reunion of old members of Hostel to celebrate that. MJP Hon Sec].
Peter Brown (Cr 73-76) : "Please amend my address from 39 Everard Close to 29 Everard Close. Yes! I moved ten doors down the road."
R.C. Brown (Ca 43-47): Richard had been out of touch for
a long time, but was shown a copy of the 450th Anniversary Book and it prompted him to get back in contact. He lives at Summerfield, Kingsland, Leominster, HR6 9RU, tel 01568 708480.
Alex Burn (B 88-93): Alex continues to work for Donaldsons Consulting (surveyors) in London but has moved house. He lives in Mortlake, and can be contacted at alex.burn@donaldsons.co.uk
Peter Buston (W 80-90): In July 2002 Pete e-mailed: "I obtained my Ph.D. in Animal Behavior from Cornell University, USA. I am moving to Santa Barbara, California, to work at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, (and to surf!). All the best."
T.J. Butterworth (B 75-83): Tony writes: "I now live in California and run a successful Software Consultancy, specialising in hi tech manufacturing systems. I am married to Stella and have two young children, Mark and Arny. My address is 2712 Mira Bella Circle, Morgan Hill, CA 95037." tony@redoaktech.com
Tom Cartwright (S 83-88): "1 am currently playing XVs for HSBC in Kent division 3 and think I have finally found my level! I would be interested to hear from any of you living in London who don't like training and fancy the odd game as, being a bank team, we can't advertise publicly for players. Heesom keeps threatening to turn up, but no sign yet as he is too busy running a major building society. Hope you are all well." TC.
Michael R.J. Claxton (C1 48-56): "I am still working in Hobart as a Consultant Anaesthetist both at The Royal Hobart Hospital, our teaching hospital for the University of Tasmania Medical School, and in the Hobart Private Hospitals. Since January 2000 I have reduced my workload to 6-7 half-day sessions per week and no out-of-hours work. My younger colleagues can do that - they have the school fees and mortgages to pay! I did more than my share of nights and weekends when I had those costs to meet. This is part of a staged reduction in working hours prior to retiring fully, probably at the end of this year. I am actively involved in the Australian Medical Association having been a Member of the Council and a Director of the Tasmanian Branch for ten years and Branch Treasurer for a number of those years until two years ago. Then I was elected to represent Tasmania on the Federal Council of The Association in Canberra. I have just been re-elected for a further two year term. There is a good chance that I will be elected to the Board of Directors at our national conference next month in Canberra." <cygnetclaxtons@bigpond.com>
[On a visit to the UK last summer Michael called in at the Dmelopment Ofjce to meet Carol Bawden and talk through how he might help with plans for an 01' reunion in Australia, perhaps to coincide with a School team visit. - M.J.R]
M.D.G. Coley (Ch 57-64): 2001 was always going to be Mike's retirement year; and he has busied himself with projects at home and further afield. He qualified as a firefighter during the year and led a team of State Emergency Service units after major storms in Sydney. And bizarrely, Mike did a snake catchers course with the wildlife rescue group WIRES: considering that many of the snakes to be caught are very dangerous, some of his friends are questioning his sanity .. Mike was an enthusiastic member of the Choir House reunion brought together by Brian Smith at this year's OV Reunion Weekend, and travelled half way round the world to be a part of it. michaelcoley@ozemail.com.au
7bnj (;oak, ~MikrP(I,~PIN^ ROD I'cl~nr in ,Y??v %(~rlri?id,7111ththr city o/ CVrllin@on in the hnc.lzg-oi7-oz~nd
A.V. Cook (C1 57-66): Tony needed someone to accompany him to help run a stand for his Birmingham based business at the Queensland Mining and Engineering Exhibition last July. He asked old friend Mike Page. After a week at the QME Exhibition, Tony and Mike travelled on to New Zealand, to visit one of Tony's customers. Once business was over they took the opportunity to look up old friends John Malcomson and Rob Payne: both emigrated to NZ many years ago,John is a GP in Auckland and Rob a teacher in Masterton. <avcookQbeeb.net>
Stephen R. Coulter (S 57-66): Has moved the short distance from Martley to Alfrick - Pear Tree Cottage,Yarrington Road, Alfrick, Worcester, WR6 5EX. Tel:01886 884442. His e-mail is stephen.coulter@which.net
Edward Cumming (Br 90-01) : Edward has recently been elected President of the Cambridge Union Society for the Easter term 2003.
Christian M Dale (W 88-98): Has won a Blue at Cambridge for Boxing.
R.P. Dow (C1 84-89): His contact details are now Flat C, 2 Charlbury Rd, Oxford OX2 6US and rpd@dragonschool.org
IS Duncan (0 77-87): Stuart and wife Alison (Mackenzie) have moved to 171 Engadine Street, London SW18 5DU 020 8870 0527 <aliandstu@btopenworld.com>
Mark Edwards (C1 78-88): Current address is 3 Raker Close, Wheldrake, York, Y019 6NE. He is teaching Physics at St Peter's School, York and is also a day housemaster. Married with two small children (and two dogs!).
James Fawcett (S 85-94): Uames just scraped in by the skin of his teeth with his news this time round! MJP - Hon Sec] "Appreciate I have probably missed the deadline for this year's Vigornian, but please could you include the following announcement in the next available issue [See Marriages], as well as updating my entry on the OV website - most importantly my e-mail address has now changed to james.fawcett@airbus.com Many thanks." Jim Fawcett, Senior Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer - EVT Airbus 31707 Blagnac, France.
C.P. Freeman (H 65-72): Paul was keen to get together with his old rowing crew of 71-73 at the 125th Anniversary Celebration of the Boat Club at King's in the summer, and contacted the Club for information. The Hon Sec was able to supply him with many (unfortunately not all) of the addresses he was after, and they organized a reunion at the 125th Anniversary Dinner on 7th July at King's cpaulf@hotmail.com [See Rowers Reunion].
Brian Fowles (DB 52-57): 109 - 15500 Rosemary Heights Crescent, South Surrey, B.C. V3S OK1 Canada. "Hope all is well in UK. I am enjoying retirement very much with the travelling, grand children etc. And I enjoy Connect." <ocean@dowco.com>
Chris Full (S 51-56): 'Charley' studied Architecture at Sheffield 1958-63. "After graduation, worked in Derby and then moved to the West Midlands. Recreation consisted mainly of gratuitous violence (i.e.club rugby at the 'extra B level'). Moved to the Bahamas and spent eight intriguing years in Nassau - in the sun rugby became fun. Migrated to Edmonton in Canada, then five years in Calgary and two in London; now live in Toronto. Too cold to play rugby so took up squash." Met his wife, Bhanu, some ten years ago on a squash court - a devastating encounter from which he has yet to fully recover. "As for King's, over the years have found much of what I learnt to be of value: fear of cold water, self-reliance, fortitude, disrespect of authority, pidgin French etc." CH
Full <hdp@sympatico.ca>
Dr. R.J.C. Gilbert (0 85-92): After Durham (BSc 95) and Leicester (PhD 98) universities, Robert moved to Oxford as a post-doctoral research assistant. In April 2002 he was elected Fellow and Tutor in Biochemistry at Magdalen College, Oxford. <gilbert@strubi.ox.ac.uk>
Rosalind Goodrich (CO 82-84) : Is Communications Manager at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9RE. R.Goodrich@ids.ac.uk www.ids.ac.uk
Martin Goodwin (H 81-84): Missing for some time, the Club re-established contact at 16 Eton Walk, Hagley, Worcestershire, DW OPG and e-mail mj.goodwin@virgin.net The Club was able to provide Martin with the address of a friend he was seeking.
R.S. Harman (Cr 72-77): Richard is Headmaster of Aldenham School.
J.A.R.M. Harris (Ca 48-55): In the course of moving house in 2002 - from Kinver to Far Forest, KidderminsterMichael discovered some old photographs of Tredennyke School (later to become St Alban's) when DD Kittermaster
(younger brother of FR Kittermaster) was headmaster. He has sent them on to Caroline Roslington for the Archive. Catherine Hay (S 71-73): Mrs. Devitt, responded with a very friendly letter [See Thirty Years On] when contacted by the Hon Sec after being 'lost' to the Club for a long time. "Thank you so much for your message - what a surprise. Thinking back to those days brings back many happy memories. Yes, I joined the RAF after I left university. Left after eight years and four tours of duty in 1984. Various jobs since then, now working in Crawley for Thales Training and Simulation as Project Director for a big PFI bid to supply operator training to the Army. Live in Reigate with Stephen (hubby of twenty years - must be getting old!) and sons John (thirteen) and Chris (nine). Please send my very best wishes to Tim Hickson. I can remember Barbara Cookson and I made toffee in his General Studies class Thanks again for getting in touch." Cathy. 61 Somerset Road, Reigate RH1 6ND, Cathy.Devitt@btinternet.com
R.J. Hazeldine (Ch 52-58): Some OVs will remember Rex as a very able sportsman in his Choir House days; others will recall him as a sports coach from his days in the 1960s on the staff at King's. All who remember him as a top class sportsman will be pleased to learn that he has received a Dyson Award for 'Those who have made a significant contribution to the development and management of coaching.' He was presented with his Award by the Princess Royal. He has been on the staff at Loughborough University since leaving King's.
Jon Henderson (H 88-92): Jon and wife, Hannah (See Marriages) live in Southsea, enjoying the many delights that the south coast brings - sailing, nightlife and Portsmouth FC. He is Assistant Manager - Employer Solutions Practice with Deloitte and Touche in Southampton. jonhenderson@deloitte.co.uk
James ('Ron') Henderson-Laird (C1 4448): James and his wife June are planning to return to the UK after five years in Ireland, and that will open a further chapter in his varied life. "Maybe Ronald Kittermaster was right when he said: 'Laird, you will go far, providing you don't stumble.' He might have added, 'the further the better,' to his closing remonstration with me in 1948!" James admits to having stumbled a good many times, but he looks back on his life without a moment's regret.
D.A. Hershman QC (C1 68-77): David was appointed a Queen's Counsel in the spring of 2002. The family link with King's continues as David is now a parent.
J.N.W. Hill (C1 53-60): "I have retired from Nottingham University and am now teaching part time at Warwick University Language Centre. I was on the writing team for 'Gute Reise' - a widely used text book in secondary schools, and on a team responsible for 'Aspekte deutscher Gegenwart' - a collection of advanced self-study German materials
J.G. Horton (C1 60-66): John continues to develop his painting, on commission or for exhibition. He has embraced IT and uses computer graphics as an aid in some of his work. He remains an avid bird watcher, which also gives him subject material. johnhorton47@hotmail.com
Peter Hughes (076-85) has moved from London E1 7 9QT to the following address122 Wildwood Park, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T OEl, Canada. <peterhughes@shaw.ca> Dr. G.P. Jackman (W 60-65): Graham was inspired by the letter from Harry Ferrar in last year's Vigornian to write to his old language master to offer rather belated thanks. Though Graham has pursued a career in Chemistry he has
found his grounding in languages to be very useful at times, not only when on holiday in Europe, but also professionally. Harry Ferrar responded with a warm reply and said Graham was not the only former pupil to contact him. He is pleased to know his efforts were useful - and appreciated! Like Graham, Harry's son Paul emigrated to Australiaafter taking a degree in Entomology. According to Harry (in a typical Ferrar tongue-in-cheek observation) that was because they had more, bigger and better bugs in Oz. Graham is thinking of retiring soon, but his Prof seems to feel that what he really needs is even more work!
S.R. Jenkinson (C1 59-63) and Mrs. Vivien Jenkinson (Hon OV): Following Viv's retirement from the staff at King's they have moved out of the City to Wichenford; she continues to take the same close interest in the School as she did in her pupils when there.
Rowan Kitt (Ch 77-87): has been appointed Housemaster of Weekites House at Charterhouse, September 2002.
J.F.S. Larkin (S 74-81): James is living in South AfricaBahati Farm, PO Box 190, Lanserai, SA 1748. He contacted the Club by e-mail when he found himself listed as missing: "Contrary to your report that I am 'missing', I am alive and well and still living in South Africa and funnily enough do actually appear on your database, and essentially the details remain the same. However the Web page is not correct, although I am involved in the project, running the university programme that is training and educating the people who will be involved with this brand new type of nuclear reactor." Best regards. -James Larkin. Course Administrator. Schonland Research Institute for Nuclear Sciences. University of Witwatersrand. Email larkin@src.wits.ac.zaWeb www.src.wits.ac.za
C.M. Lavender (S 30-39): In July Mike wrote to let the Club know of his brother's death [See Obituaries]. He went on to say that he still lives happily in south Shropshire, though confined to a wheelchair. He is still in contact with two good friends from school days, John Reynolds and Duggie Fox; Duggie, in London, is also wheelchair bound, but John is able to visit occasionally.
Dr. Bernard Leeman (Ca 59-64): Bernard has been UK based recently, with a number of short term teaching contracts in London. His book on the Queen of Sheba, which he researched over a number of years, has been accepted for publication in the USA. "I went to Madame Tussauds the other weekend and had my picture taken with a wax Chris Tarrant!"bntleeman@yahoo.co.uk
Dr. Morven J. Leggott [Mrs. Barnes] (CO 8486): "I have been appointed as Consultant Gynaecologist at Torbay Hospital and so will soon be moving, with husband Simon, to Devon. I would love to hear from anyone and can be contacted at the above e-mail or (if desperate) at The Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Torbay!!" <morven@maycottage.freeserve.co.uk>
Piers Letcher (????-78):Piers Letcher now lives in Ferney Voltaire, France, and would be happy to hear from any of his contemporaries from the class of 1978. Pictures of a cheerful domestic life can be found on his website. After seven years as a speechwriter in Geneva, Piers has now returned to his writing roots, and has two new books coming out in 2003. In February 'Croatia: The Bradt Travel Guide' will be published, while in May it's the turn of 'Eccentric France', a comprehensive look at eccentric French events, places and people. Both books are being published by Bradt Travel Guides (www.bradttravelguides.com). His Australian wife, Sarah Parkes, writes
regularly for the Financial Times among other publications. Piers's children from his first marriage, Brice (8.1.94) and Alec (13.6.95) ski faster than their father, but haven't yet caught up with him on a bike - Piers cycles around 3,000km a year in the Jura and in the Alps, and travels widely. E-mail address from now on should be: piers.letcher@wanadoo.fr; website is still at http://pro.wanadoo.fr/media.works/sp.htm
Tim Lovegove (C1 66-74): Tim is now Gloucestershire based, at 29 Badgers Field, Chipping Campden, GL55 6EL. He had been in Yorkshire for some years; living that much closer will give him greater chance to keep up with the OVCC.
Rachel Manguel (CO95-97) : Hearing she was posted on our missing list, Rachel made contact: "Hi, well, my address is 105 Meadrow, Godalming, Surrey, GU7 3JD. Also, I was known as Daisy at school, could you change that on the website? The only news I really have is that I'm back in the country and I am now working in publishing and newspapers. I'd love to hear from people I went to school with as I've only kept in touch with one of them." ~Rachel.Manguel@thebookpeople.co.uk>
Zoe Marchant (0 93-95) : Married Peter Beaudro (W 88-95) on a beautiful day last July, with a reception following in a marquee in her parents' garden in Stoulton [See Marriages]; they live in Bristol, where she works as part of the campaign team at Oxfam. She and Peter pass on their best wishes to all at King's who may remember them.
N.B.O. Mayfield (77-83): Neil left early when he and his parents moved abroad, and he lost contact. He remembers Dominic Cotton particularly (his mother was at the A0 in the 1950s and she remembers Dominic's father David, who was at King's at that time); he would enjoy re-establishing contact with other old friends. He works for a financial firm in London. Neil Mayfield, Millfield Partnership, 1st Floor, King's House, 10 Haymarket, London, SY1 Y4BP. nmayfield@millfield-partnership.co.uk
John Moore (Ca 50-58): Now living at 1 The Spinney, Fleet, Hants, GU51 4EP.
Chris Mulcock: (W 79-86): "Just to let you know, Ro and I are now at 5 Leppoc Road, Clapham, London SW4 9LS. Tel: 020-7720-9068. I am still with Donaldsons." Chris. Hugh and Jean (Roy) NeiU (Hon OVs): Came up for the Reunion Dinner this year, and stayed with old friends John Turner (Hon OV) and his wife, Ann. They enjoyed a very pleasant few days in and around Worcester. "But Jean and I were most impressed with the changes and development of
the School when JRT took us round on the Saturday morning. So much was new and better. St. Alban's was pristine in comparison to my days there; the New Blocknow the Annett building - which was looking as though it would fall down when I last saw it, looked in good shape although I wondered why the blackboard in my old room had been put at the other end; the new theatre was splendid; and the presentation of the whole place looked as though it had been thought through. All in all it looked a place which was definitely on the up. We enjoyed meeting TDRH, Donald Howell, Donald Leonard and one or two others who were there from our era. In particular, we were sorry to miss David Annett. We had a card from DMA saying how sorry he was to miss us, so we must make an effort to go and see him some time soon. Jean and I are off this morning to walk the last thirty miles of the Thames Path, so that will keep us out of mischief for the next three days! We will come again some time, but I doubt we shall make it every year - I wonder whether John and Ann Turner could stand the strain of having HN and JWN that regularly!"
Raoul Neuhaus (H 87-90): In response to an enquiry after postal mail was returned Raoul wrote: "My address is Hofackerweg 7, 63773 Goldbach, Germany. Phone 0049 6021 369514 raouat@i-design.de The postal address will change within the next twelve months, but I'm bound to forget to mail you my new address ... If Phi1 Swann went missing last year, he certainly reappeared this year - with a wife and beautiful baby daughter as well! I met him a few weeks ago. Here is his e-mail address: philswannptm@aol.com "
Dr. Kate (North) Phillips (CO 81-83): Is still busy trying to trace as many of the Class of 83 as she can: "Looks like we'll be having the twenty year reunion on Sat 12th and Sun 13th July 2003 in the Chappel Memorial Room (our old Sixth Form Common Room) at King's. Christina (HM's Secretary) was very helpful, Carol Bawden was very helpful too, and it was lovely to be back at School very nostalgic. King's Day is on the Thursday before so hopefully a lot of them will come to that too." <katerick@pd.jaring.my> [We continue to encourage and help Kate in her quest so that the reunion will attract as many as possible. If you can help, or better still, want to join in, let her know. MJP -Hon Sec]
Dr. Martin V. Perks (Cr 7'7-86): Martin's subscription to the Vigornian was renewed by his mother recently - easier than sending payment from Tanzania, where he now lives and
works. His address is Ultimate Security Ltd, PO Box 21231, Dar-es-Salaam, and he can also be contacted through his mother at the old home address - 21 Dunley Rd, Stourporton-Severn, DY13 OAY.
Nichola Perry (E 88-90): Has a change of address from 7 Wilcox Close, Bishops Itchington CV47 2YI to 2 Mulberry Tree Hill, Droitwich Spa, Worcs, WR9 7SS.
Michael Phillips (Ch 74-79): Mike is Creative Director for Hertfordshire based AKA Designs. The company is at the cutting edge of design work using sophisticated virtual reality technology to create a wide variety of designs for products ranging from toasters and lawnmowers to motorbikes and cars: "We have a number of major clients, and most of our designs go into production. It's about finding the extra something that is our talent. The most beautiful designs are often the simplest."
MooPhillips@aol.com
Benjamin Plank (B 92-97): Ben passed out of the RAF College, Cranwell in 2001 after spending three years in the University Air Squadron whilst studying for his degree at Reading. He then trained on Tucarlo aircraft and was awarded his 'wings' in May 2002. He is now based at RAF Valley on Anglesey, flying Hawk aircraft and expects to move on to a front line squadron in 2003.
Peter Prestage (S 41-48): Peter followed his brother Martin to Seale-Hayne Agricultural College and worked for five years for other farmers before starting his own dairy and poultry unit at Broadheath with his wife Gillian (ex Alice Ottley) They sold up and moved to New Zealand in 1963 to set up a large commercial egg production unit, retiring in 1980. They built a large mobile home in which to tour NZ, but are now building a house and settling down to peace and tranquility, golf and fishing at age seventy-one. His home town of Cromwell he describes as very picturesque, being surrounded by mountains and hills, and on the shores of a lake. Also it has the distinct advantage of being a traffic problem free zone! Though 11,000 miles away, Peter continues to take a close interest in King's and keeps his Vigornian subscription up to date. Peter and Gill Prestage, PO Box 85, Cromwell9191, Otago, NZ.
Michael Price (S 73-75): Mike responded to one of the 'Where Are They Now?' sections in CONNECT to let us know his whereabouts; contact was lost three years ago when he moved. He lives in Letcombe Regis, Oxford where he runs a company from home supplying AutoCad Design software plus computer related equipment; he also designs Web pages and Web catalogues. michaelprice@aol.com "Always happy to hear from old friends."
Paul Prouse (0 89-99): Wrote in to let the Club know his new home address; mail should now be sent to 12 Orchard way, Wymondham, Norfolk, NR18 ONX.
James L. Ramsdale (K 8490): James had been lost for a while, but was tracked down recently. He reports that he flies for BA as a pilot on long haul routes out of Heathrow and Gatwick. He is moving to France to live, but will commute back to work. Not playing rugby anymore - too much like hard work!! Anybody wanting to catch up: jameslramsdale@hotmail.com
David J. Renney (Cr 71-76): Posted as missing in a recent copy of Connect, David has made contactDavid.Renney@forumgroup.co.uk
David St. J. Richards (Cr 75-82): David is the Managing Director of a Management and IT Consultancy which specialises in the retail and hospitality sectors. David and Jennie [nee Ellis] (CO 80 - 82) have recently returned to live in Worcester. They have three children Charlotte (eight), Rhodri (six) and Henry (three); both the boys have started at King's Hawford. {Contact David.Richards@Invokon.Com)
Keith Robinson (S 62-68): Now working for Meadow Foods Ltd which is one of the biggest UK producers of Milk Products in UK, with a factory near Chester and Creamery at Holm on Spalding Moor near York and the Sales/Admin office at Burnham Slough(where I am). Apart from supplying to the likes of Mars, Nestle, Burton Biscuits, Jacobs Biscuits, Thorntons, we also export to Europe, USA, Canada. Just waiting for the outdoor Bowls season to start - still play for Ashford, Surrey Bowls Club. <keithr@meadowfoods.co.uk>
Peter Ross (W 62-69): Peter contacted the Club in April 2001 looking for an address for his old Housemaster, Fred Logan. Once furnished with that address he wrote and received a very warm hand written reply: Fred is eighty-five, in reasonably good health for a man of that age and though he replied by hand, he is learning to use a computer. <Miyazakiross@aol.com>
Sean Ryan (C1 70-77): The Club re-established contact with Sean in late 2001, which prompted this reply: "Thrilled to receive CONNECT out of the blue. Have had virtually no contact with the School for a long time, and am unsure of the format for Vigornian news, but briefly: 'I am Foreign Editor of the Sunday Times, and live in Berkshire with my wife, Carmel, and children Alastair (thirteen), Charlotte (twelve) and Anna (one). I still watch Hereford United as often as I can (about once a season ..) .' Best wishes to all."
Sean Ryan
P.C. Sheppy, MBE (Ca 43-52): Has kept himself busy since his retirement in 1994; he continues to both write and broadcast from time to time and has CO-editedthe recently published book "Farming Day by Day - the 1960s". He is currently Honorary Librarian to the Royal Agricultural Society of England and lives at Lower Boddington in Northamptonshire.
Philip noted the Hon Sec's entry in last year's OV News, and included a short personal message: "I read with interest in the last Vigornian that you hold the NPTC Certificate of Competence in Safe Dipping of Sheep. It was the last scheme that I developed for the industry before I retired, after twenty-five years, as Chief Executive of NPTC in 1994. I told the Minister that she had got it wrong then - the competence of the operator, not the supervisor is what matters (!) - but they always know best. After fighting a running battle with government agencies for half a working
lifetime I was glad and relieved to be out of the hassle!" <phillipsheppey@farmersweekly.net>
John F. Skillman (S52-53): In September 1952Jack arrived as the first English Speaking Union exchange student from America. He was assigned to School House, under DBJ McTurk, a master whom he grew to like and respect for his dedication to his boys. Likewise Dan grew to accept Jack as (in typical Dan language) "not a half bad fellow", and he enjoyed an 'amazing' year at King's. Unfortunately Jack lost contact with the Club, but was sent a Vigornian by Dick Lightfoot (Ch 5455) [another ESU American exchange student] and that prompted him to get back in touch. As a result he attended the August 3rd Boston Reunion: "The Boston reunion was great! The Headmaster did an excellent job of explaining King's today, and I was impressed by the scope of the improvements taking place. I hope all goes well." Jack has renewed his Vigornian subscription so that he can keep up with developments at his 'Old School'. 220 Cain Hill, Palermo, Maine 04354 7008, USA.
Dylan Smith (H 80-90): Note for O.V. database - my mailing address has changed. It's now 30 Malew Street, Castletown, Isle of Man, IM9 1AD.
G.C.S. Smith (Cr 55-59): Graham is a retired Chartered Surveyor, and contacted the Club with a change of address during the year. He lives in Petersfield, Hants gcs-smithatbtinternet.com
I.D. Sykes (W 59-69): Ian submitted the news below for the 2001 Vigornian, but due to an oversight on my part it was not included. My apologies to him. MJP
Ian was made redundant from the coal industry in 1996 after twenty-five years, working in IT systems management. After a brief spell with Staffordshire Police Authority he opted for early retirement. His wife Chris is a Reader in the Church of England; she has a busy and wide-ranging ministry in their local church where Ian is PCC Treasurer and sings tenor in the choir. Daughter Elizabeth is in her final year at primary school; she enjoys sports and playing the cello.
D.C.N. Tandy (C1 56-65): Dave writes to the Hon Sec (an old friend) in September: "My son Danny started at Latymer Upper School at the beginning of the month (he's eleven), then we went to the wedding of John Bomphrey's son David who is my godson, then we had my in-laws' Diamond Wedding and my third daughter Rachel's eighteenth birthday on the same day, and now Rachel is preparing to go to Sussex University to read history. My work has been OK this year - almost entirely for CBS News (US Network) doing major upgrading and modification to the facilities in their London Bureau. I also had an interesting diversion with an Arab company which involved a trip to Beirut."
The Very Revd David L. Thawley [Dean Emeritus] (S 3842): In a letter to the Hon Sec he writes: "I enclose my subscription to the Vigornian for another fifteen years. In view of my present age I would imagine this will see out my departure from this world - although nothing is certain! I still have much affection for my old School and all that it gave me, although I suppose I feel that very much of that was due to my time as a boarder, so I was not a little sad when the School ceased to have boarders. Doubtless there are others who share my feelings. However I could see from the last magazine that such a change was unavoidable. My warmest regards to all members of the Old Vigornian Club, and that of course includes yourself." David
He lives in North Caulfield, Victoria 3161, Australia. dthawley@bigpond.net.au
John A. Turner (S 57-66):John is a Senior Vice Principal at Royal Holloway. 'We have been very urban since going to Oxford -from Oxford to New Haven, then Cambridge and Oxford again, and we have been in London since 1978. I have been married for thirty-two years and have children of twenty-two, twenty and seventeen, the eldest being a medical student and married herself. It is an odd thing to reflect on one's own schooling: mine all went to the same school in SE London, and I expect if we had been living in Worcestershire they would have gone to King's, so long as it was fully coeducational. I am at 31 Devereux Road, London SW11 6JRn turner31@btinternet.com
D. Tyler (B 59-64): In May 2002 Dave contacted the Club by e-mail. Since leaving King's he has moved to Canada, and become a Canadian citizen, and in the process lost contact with all his OV friends. The Hon Sec (an old friend and contemporary) was able to provide him with contact details for some of his friends; he has been in touch with Chris Anderton, and hopes to contact others soon. Dave is presently on a two year secondment to the Falkland Islands: Dave Tyler, Box 629, Stanley, Falkland Islands and dave@dtyler.com He would enjoy hearing from any old friends.
Andrew Underwood (S 77-88) : Andrew continues to live in Wimbledon, London where he is a Managing Consultant within the B2B Supply Chain team at Cap Gemini Ernst and Young. A recent addition to the family has been a daughter, Poppy, born 3rd April 2002 [See Births]. Andrew continues to keep in touch with a number of OVs both in Worcester and London, where he has been assisting the School and OV Club in establishing a regular London Dinner over the last two years - re-instating a tradition that had, up until the early 1950s, been an annual occurrence) andrew.underwood@cgey.com [The London Dinner is advertised in Connect. Andrew or the Development Office will have details, including booking arrangements. MJP]
Howard Vaile (Ca 52-56) : From 1 November 2001, our new permanent address will be Oak House, 27 Woodlands, Pickwick, Corsham, Wilts, SN13 ODA. Tel No t44 (0) 1249 715035. If you need to find us go to www.streetmap.co.uk and insert the postcode. It will give you a local map. Howard and Elizabeth were at the 2001 Reunion Paul Walker (Ch 60-67): My current address is: Reves Cottage, Coleford, Crediton, Devon EX17 5DD. Previous address 139 Abberly Avenue, Stourport. I am married with two grown up children.
Damian Warburton (Cr 85-90): "I have now graduated from the University of Hull with a 2.1 LLB, July 2002. Working as a paralegal with Irwin Mitchell Solicitors over the summer and soon off to the University of Edinburgh to do an LLM in criminal law and policing, to start October 2002. Still in touch with Matthew Walker (87-92) and Rupert Thomas (Chapel 82-92), would be pleased to hear from anyone else who knew me - damianl404@yahoo.co.uk "
Melanie Watson (E 85-87): "I have been living in Spain teaching English since 1998, first in Burgos (not very nice weather), and now in Seville (very nice weather!). I am married to Owen and had a baby girl, Eloise, last November." <mellow@telepolis.com>
Richard J. White (Ch 52-60): "I live in what is commonly known as the 'Bay Area', close to San Francisco. I work in the fast-paced biotechnology arena and enjoy the climate, golf and (of course) the fine wine!" Richard's contact details are: Richard J. White, Chief Scientific Officer, Versicor Inc, 34790 Ardentech Court, Fremont, CA 94555 and rwhite@versicor.com
B.E. Wilkes (C1 43-49); Brian has moved with his wife to Cornwall but wants to keep up his interest in the School by continuing to subscribe to the Vigornian. Eldest son Michael (W 72-77) is a surveyor and valuer in Bournemouth, married to Karen with three sons. Youngest son Richard (W 76-86) is a partner in Hallmarks Solicitors, Worcester; he is also involved in OV committee work and plays for the OVCC. Richard and wife Claire have their first child, a son, James Richard.
R.S. Woodward (Ch 6467): " I was reading the OV mag for November and saw 'Where are they?'. My elder brother, Bob Woodward, is living in Calgary and finance director to a mobile phone billing company called Wmode. I am sure he would like to be remembered and contacted by anyone around at that time. His e-mail is bob.woodward@wmode.com
Tony Woodward (Ch 66-71)
A.L. Yarranton (DB 43-47): Les's coach hire firm continues to prosper, though managed by a younger generation of the family these days. He used the opportunity of a coach trip to Ireland to look up his old friend James ('Ron') Henderson-Laird.James had moved, but the Club provided Les with an updated address and telephone number before travelling and they were able to meet and renew an old friendship.
Susan CA. Young (CO 85-87): Sue continues as a Land Agent working for a north Worcestershire firm. Husband Will [See Marriages] is a Marketing Consultant working from their home in Fownhope, Herefordshire - which they share with two dogs! suedereham@fsmail.net
University Places Awarded in 2002
Student Institution Subject
Luke Arnphlett University of Bath Italian and Politics
George Anstey University of Durham Sport Health and Exercise ....................
George Ballard Cardiff University ...................................................................................................Civil Engineering
Rachel Barclay University of Wales Institute, Cardiff Education ..........................................................................................
Helen Barnett-Roberts University of Reading Land Management
Richard Barrett ................... Imperial College, University of London Mechanical Engineering
Sebastian Belcher University of Exeter Internet Engineering
Matthew Bird University of Reading Geography (Human and Physical)
Olivia Brown ........................ University of Manchester Literary Studies and Drama and Social Sciences
James Byrne University of Leicester Italian and Spanish
Jane Cairns .......................... University of Southampton ..................................................................................English and Music ..............................................................................................
James Cameron University of Leeds Economics-History
Rebecca Campbell .............. University of Manchester Biomedical Sciences
Chris Candlish De Montfort University Textiles Design and Production ...............................................................................................
Thomas Chan University of Manchester Architecture
Thomas Coleman Cardiff University Economics
Thomas Colley Loughborough University Physical Education and Sports Science
Lucy Congrave University of Southampton Nursing: Child Branch .....................................................................
Adrienne Cookson University of Leeds Criminal Justice and Criminology
Stewart Copson Oxford Brookes University GeoraphyInformation Services
Conrad Cunningham University of Durham Ancient History and Archaeology
Lucy Davies .......................... Manchester Metropolitan University Fashion Design with Technology
Rosamond Davies University College London Geography .................................................................................................
Claire Denlegh-Maxwell University College London Medicine
Alexander Doe1 ................... University of Essex Politics and Sociology
Jonathan Foo Birmingham College of Food, Tourism & Creative Studies Hospitality Business Management
Clark Franklyn .................... Brunel University Industrial Design and Technology
Andrew Freeman ................ University of Wales, Aberystwyth Business Studies
Catherine Ganderton Dartington College of Arts Theatre
Victoria Gath ....................... University of Nottingham ...........................................................American Studies and Philosophy
Rhoanna Ghaye University College Worcester Psychology with Health Studies
Christopher Gray Staffordshire University Music Technology with Management
Zeta Guest University of Strathclyde Business ...........................................................................................
Jamie Gwynne University of Reading Sports Leadership
Paul Hallett University of Nottingham Medicine .................................................................................................
Richard Hallett University of Nottingham Economics
Joshua Hand University of Nottingham International Economics
Natalie Harris University of Sheffield Modern Languages with Interpreting .......................................................................................
William Harris Cardiff University Mechanical Engineering
Christina Hindle University of Birmingham Geography ..................................................
David Hopkins Bournemouth University Computer Visualisation and Animation
Jennifer Houghton ............. University of Birmingham ........................................................................................Drama/English
Claire Install ........................ Cardiff University Zoology
Sajad Ishaq ......................... Aston University .......................................................................................................Internet Systems
Edward Jefferson-Loveday University of Reading Biological Sciences
Katherine Jones Keele University Physiotherapy
Kathryn Jones University of the West of England, Bristol Drama
Paul Jones University of Leicester Geography
Eleanor Joyce University of Durham Natural Sciences ..................................................................
Adam Knowles University of Birmingham Mathematics and Psychology
Nicole Lavelle University of Stirling Ha Resource Management/Business Law
Ashley Layton University of Reading Land Management
Nicola Longmore University of Wales, Swansea Sports Science .......................................................................................
Simon Lowth .......................University of Bath Business Administration
Thomas Lyon University of Nottingham Modern European Studies
W. Fergus McKinnon University of Reading Land Management
Verity Moore Cambridge University Geography
James Moreland .................. Bournemouth University .........................................................................................Communication
Mark Ogle University of Exeter nternet Engineering
Isobel Owen ........................Imperial College, University of London ......................................................................Biochemistry
Robert Payne The Nottingham Trent University Fashion and Textile Management
Emily Phillips-Broadhurst ... University of Durham ....................................................................................Chemistry (Industrial)
Oliver Pooley University of Durham Natural Sciences ..........................
Kate Potter .......................... University of Wales, Aberystwyth International Politics and Intelligence Studies
Aneurin Price University of York Computer Systems and Software Engineering
Lucy Procter-Nicholls ......... University of Durham .......................................................................................................Geography .........
Stephen Protherough University of Sheffield .........................................................................chitecture and Landscape
Jonathan Randles University of Leeds Geological Sciences
Isla Robertson University of Nottingham Environmental Science
Joseph Robinson Cardiff University Busies Administration
Mark Rose University of Lancaster Management
Amy Rowe ............................ University of Sheffield Law and Criminology
Aaron Sagar University of Sheffield Business Studies
James Scott University of Sheffield entistry
Ausman Shaukat Aston University Industrial Product Design
Hannah Simpkins University of Birmingham Classical Literature and Civilisation
Katie Sinfield Cardiff University English Literature
Jack Smith ........................... King's College, London German and History .........................................................................................
Mark Southam University of Exeter Geography (Science)
Frederick Speyer University of Wales, College of Medicine Medicine ..........................................................................
Richard Syree The Nottingham Trent University Business Studies
Jennifer Tippett University of Manchester Lay Studies and Drama and Social Sciences ......................................................................
Luke Turner University of the West of England, Bristol Geography
Kimberley Wadham-Smith Royal Agricultural College Business Management (International) ..................................................
Russell Wakely Bournemouth University Computer Visualisation and Animation ............................................................................................
Chloe Walshe University of Plymouth Law
William Walker London School of Economics Sociology .................................................................................................................
Rebecca Watts University of Wales Institute, Cardiff Science in Health, Exercise and Sport
Thomas Weddell University of Reading Ancient History and History ................................................................................
Michael Whear Cardiff University Business Administration
Claire Welsh University of Exeter Bsires and Management ....................
Amy Whitehouse University of Hertfordshire Primary Education with Art
Carys Williams Roehampton, University of Surrey Primary Education (Design & Technology)
Duncan Williams. University of Warwick Computer Systems Engineering
Lucy Williams-Allden University of Southampton Aerospace Engineering
Poppy Willmott University of Leeds Law
Tsz Wong ............................. University College London Electronic Engineering with Computer Science
The Vigornian 2002
Editor: Peter Iddon
O.V. News: Mike Page
Photography: Many thanks to the numerous contributors, but particularly to John Wheeler, Caroline Roslington, Chris Crosswell, Simon Cuthbertson and Tom Bader
