The Old Clayesmorian 2014 by Louise Smith

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contents

Editorial

Editorial - 3 Committee Details - 4 Chairman’s Report - 7 Headmaster’s Report - 8 AROPS Conference Report - 11 News from the Development Office - 12 School Prizewinners - 14 Leavers’ Destinations - 16 Events - 18 Features - 36 Contributions - 47 Staff News - 48 Letters & Notices - 52 Photographs Identified - 53 The Plamenatz Essay - 54 From the Archives - 56 The Roll of Honour - 63 News from the Spinney Memorial Trust - 64 OC Sport - 69 OC Shop - 78 Keeping in Touch - 80 Whatever Happened To....? - 82 Degree Success - 98 Passing Out - 100 Unions & Additions - 101 In Memoriam - 103 AGM Minutes 2014 - 124 Notice of 2015 AGM - 127 Annual Accounts - 128 Rules of the Society - 130 2015 Diary Dates - 134

ooking back at last year’s editorial I see that we had just weathered St Jude’s storm and this year we are awaiting the possible tail-end of Hurricane Gonzalo. After the loss of the big trees on the North Lawn and by the Music School last autumn, I am hoping that all that are left will stand firm! From my point of view this year has seen big changes – I have ‘retired’ from my post as Housemistress in Wolverton after five busy, chaotic and rewarding years, and am enjoying different challenges, firmly back in the Biology Department and in our house in Iwerne Minster. January will see our inaugural OC AGM Lunch at Brown’s Courtrooms in London – this is a different and exciting format and one that many of you have told us will be much more convenient to attend, so we hope to see great numbers of you to support this event. It has again been a super year for correspondence and, as always, we have enjoyed reading through all your letters, essays and comments – I am only sorry that we don’t have the space to publish everything we receive. Do please keep the articles coming and we are always especially grateful for any photos that you might have too. I will finish with my usual plea to keep us up to date with any changes to your details, preferably by accessing the website on www.ocsociety.co.uk. Alternatively, you can always contact us at The Development Office, Clayesmore School, Iwerne Minster, Dorset, DT11 8LL.

This publication has been printed on paper stocks from sustainable sources. All inks used are vegetable based. The printing plates are made through a low chemistry and gum system.

With very best wishes to you all, sarahJane Newland (1979-1984)

The Old Clayesmorian Magazine is published annually for members of The Old Clayesmorian Society. Contributions for the 2015 issue should be sent to the Editor by 30 September 2015.

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The OC SOCIETY COMMITTEE And some of their school reports....

Richard Carr ~ (2002-2007)

Piers Sabine ~ President (1956-1960)

Roderick Douglas ~ (1967-1971)

Louise Salmond-Smith (née Thompson) ~ Chairman

(1989-1994)

“We have certainly had some “interesting” episodes during her five-year career but there has been no figure more loyal to the cause...” CH

“We shall miss his cheerful good-natured personality. He has my best wishes.” DPB

Paul Smith ~ Secretary (1989-1994)

Clair Miller ~ (1989-1994)

Mark Farrand ~ Treasurer & Webmaster (1978-1981)

Charles Price ~ (1956-1961)

“If he applied as much effort and care to his academic studies as he does to the preparation of the grass tennis courts for a school match, he would make significant progress.” MWH

SarahJane Newland (née Kennard) ~ Editor of The Old

Clayesmorian (1979-1984)

Hugh Thompson ~ (1960-1964)

Barry Julyan ~ Games Secretary (1986-1992)

“If you are looking for Barry always go out to the playing fields or the gym – sometimes even when he is supposed to be studying.”

and not forgetting......

Martin Cooke ~ Headmaster

Andrew Beaton ~ (1964-1969) 4

John Dukes ~ (1948-1953)

“His interest in organ stops far transcends that in full stops.”

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From the Chairman

am delighted to be writing for the first time as Chairman of our Society. Links between the School and the OC Society continue to strengthen, building upon the foundations laid by my predecessors and fellow committee members. Some significant and healthy changes have been made in recent years, and I would like to thank Andrew Beaton for all that he has done in his time as Chairman. Likewise, the sterling efforts of the Development Office continue to astound and we are so lucky to have such support from the school. Those OCs who were able to donate to last year’s Telethon will find themselves listed in achonowledgement on the Donor Board, which is now on display in the impressive Business School for everyone to see. If you have not been back to Clayesmore for some years, I strongly recommend that you come and see the impressive building work that has been undertaken. Recent visitors to the chapel will have seen that Phase 1 of the restoration of the stained glass windows, as described in last year’s Magazine, is complete. The restorers finished work ahead of schedule, and the work done is excellent. The OC website continues to draw in traffic, and it has proved to be a useful tool to those booking events online. The increase in use of social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, continues to enable us to stay in touch with members. The online shop continues to draw in those OCs in need of some nostalgic retail therapy. Suggestions for different merchandise are always welcome, and options will be looked into, so do please get in touch if there is anything you would like to see on sale. The departure of Richard and Ann Geffen from the Prep school was a sad loss; however, we will continue to maintain links with them as honorary OCs. A presentation was made to both of them from the OC Society at Richard’s final Speech Day. We are delighted that one of our rank, William Dunlop, who was a pupil in the Prep School for a short time, has taken over the reins and very much look forward to seeing his ideas for the school brought to fruition.

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A vast array of events has, as ever, taken place this year. A real highlight was the Memorial Plaque and Commemoration Plaque in Ypres in March of this year. Further details of the service are contained within this Newsletter. One significant deviation from tradition this coming year is that the usual OC Dinner, held in London, will be a lunch. Having responded to feedback from OCs about the cost of a weekend in London and the logistical issues for those with young children, it is hoped that by having a lunch we will enable more OCs, from different eras, to attend. Those who are only able to make a day trip to London will, I hope, find it much more convenient. Those stalwarts wishing a late night with the trimmings still have the option of making a real weekend of it with old friends if they wish. I very much hope this change will be a positive one and that some of you who have not attended an AGM will now be able to attend. At present, the popular biennial Dorset Dinner is expected to continue as successfully as in previous years. An immense vote of thanks to those involved in the publication of The Old Clayesmorian. Our editor, SarahJane Newland, continues to amaze us with the quality of every edition and Louise Smith, Development Officer, works very hard to nag those of us who are late with our submissions (!). We are most grateful for all that you do. I cannot sign off without mention of one of the greatest contributors to the OC Society in recent years. The gap that has been left by the late Peter Fleming will, I know, never be filled. Peter always knew what to say and do, and his wise words enabled the OC Society to grow in the right direction and shrink away from the wrong one. ‘Peter, dear friend, you are sorely missed by us all for your sense of humour, comradeship and razor-sharp oneliners. Thank you for everything you have contributed to Clayesmore and the OC Society.’ With very best wishes to you all. Louise Salmond Smith (1989-1994)

FROM THE HEADMASTER

own here in Dorset all has been going wonderfully well and the new academic year is fully in swing with 483 pupils in the Senior School. We have welcomed our new Head of Prep, William Dunlop together with his wife, Celia and young Henry and Emily, and they have settled very happily into their new home, Charlton House. In the meantime, our old friends, Richard and Ann Geffen have retired to their home in Chichester and were very chuffed, on Prep School Speech Day in June, to be made Honorary Old Clayesmorians. Though it is pouring with rain as I write this annual letter to you all, we have been blessed with the lovely sunshine for most of the term so far and this has helped our 130 or so new pupils to make a very happy start. As I think back over the last ‘Old Clayesmorian Year’ there have been many highlights but, undoubtedly, the principle one for Eleanor and me, at least, was the opportunity to travel to Ypres to join with pupils past and present at two very moving ceremonies – the unveiling of the plaque in St George’s Church, and then the Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate. Seeing young Grace Ashman and Oliver Potter – (15 year old members of Year 10 at the time) – walking smartly from one side of that great memorial to the other, to lay our wreath, was one of the most moving things I have ever witnessed. Surely, they will remember that for the rest of their lives, and take their children and grandchildren to see where they did it on Thursday 6th March 2014. And what a humbling thing it was to be there and to see Captain Gilbert Eykyn’s name inscribed on panel 11 of the Menin Gate, helping us all to reach back to 1915 when he was killed in action in the village of St Julien. I wonder how many of you have seen a splendid commemorative book that, with Louise Smith’s help, Tony Chew put together to mark this special year. It is very much a limited edition but I know all of those who were lucky enough to lay hands on a copy will treasure it.

FROM THE HEADMASTER

Our two days in Ypres were memorable in a number of ways. The weather was beautiful, the company of senior OCs was delightful, the food delicious and the rebuilt city magnificent. Our current pupils, arrayed in Sunday Best, played a leading part in the service in St George’s, were faultless in every way – great ambassadors for Clayesmore to a boy and girl. Meanwhile back at Clayesmore, with the help of the Society, we have refurbished the ante-chapel and the fine stained glass window that adorns it. As you know, the chapel stands as our memorial to those OCs who fell in the two world wars of last century, and I am so grateful that the Society helps us to look after it. As I write, we are finalising plans to replace all the rather utilitarian windows up and down each side of the building which will beautify it all the more. Amongst the group of senior OCs who had joined this pilgrimage was our old friend, Peter Fleming and his wife Ann. As many will know, Peter died after a short illness not many weeks after we all got home and I cannot let this moment pass without saying what a great contribution he made to the life of the school through his commitment to the OC Society as Hon Treasurer, Hon Secretary, and sage. Peter brought an invigorating and refreshing breath of fresh air to the Committee and was immensely generous with his time and energy and we were all hugely fond of him. Only last September, he joined Andrew Beaton on the school’s governing Council and at the time of his death was getting into his stride in that role in a really helpful way. It has been a great shock to all of us who had the pleasure of working with Peter on Clayesmorian business that he died so soon after his first symptoms were being investigated, and the number of OCs and others associated with the school who attended his funeral attests to the high esteem in which he was held by so many.

place, and the school places, upon our relationship both with the OC Society and with its individual members. We value you all more than I can possibly say, and Eleanor and I greatly look forward to seeing some of you in London and others of you at other planned reunions or back here in Iwerne Minster later on this academic year. In the meantime, thank you for all your goodwill and support. Martin Cooke Headmaster

As we look ahead, I look forward very much to the new style London gathering for lunch on 24th January and hope that this will appeal to all of you within relatively easy reach of the capital. Never, for one moment, underestimate the great value I

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AROPS REPORT 2014

The Association of representatives of old pupils’ societies

ROPS’ 2014 Conference at the Bristol Grammar School on 10 May was a roaring success with delegates effusive in their praise for the venue, the organisation and quality of the presentations and workshops. Jane Pendry’s speech, Adapt or Perish, advised alumni societies to appreciate the challenge facing the schools they represent in order to remain relevant and therefore to survive while maintaining their independence. Her advice was practical, encouraging representatives to do a SWOT analysis to indentify the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats facing their societies as well as their schools. Emily Roffe-Silvester, from Blundell’s School, gave a lively presentation on social media, highlighting the opportunities for low cost communication with alumni through Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. She followed this with an afternoon workshop on LinkedIn groups. The Conference was opened by the AROPS Chairman, Bill Gillen (Old Arnoldians & Belfast Old Instonians Association), who highlighted the year’s activities including new regional meetings around the country and the launch of a new-look AROPS with a brighter, fresher logo and a far more accessible website which aims to feature member societies’ events and news. Roderick MacKinnon, Headmaster of Bristol Grammar School, welcomed the delegates and acknowledged the huge difference made to the school by the Old Bristolians Society. Taking up Jane Pendry’s theme, he reflected that the schools that no longer exist are the ones that would not adapt and the same is true of alumni societies. “If you focus only on the great old days, you will atrophy,” he said. “Building links is beneficial to both the schools and the old pupils’ associations.”

in particular, the school and alumni society users. Their report and presentation show societies the things they need to query when talking to software companies. In the session on sports and music events, Jan Butler introduced AROPS’ list of alumni society events which she hopes to build into a resource available on the website, inviting members to let us know of sports, musical and cultural events that can be shared by other societies or used as inspiration. Rob Philips, Archivist at King Henry VIII School, advised on setting up an archive facility from scratch and also explained how to research WWI individuals for those wishing to make a special commemoration of the war’s centenary. Tim Neale’s session on subscriptions looked at the recent AROPS survey and revealed that since more parents are striking alumni society contributions off the bill, there is a growing importance for grants and societies to have the autonomy to use those grants. The Annual Dinner took place at Bristol Grammar in the Great Hall where the guest speaker was David Levin, the recently appointed Managing Director of United Learning’s Independent Schools and former Headmaster of the City of London School (1999-2013) and Chairman of HMC 2010-2011. The AROPS President, Margaret Carter-Pegg (Old Crohamians), concluded the evening by thanking all those responsible - and especially Dina Stovel, the AROPS Administrator, and Peter Jakobek (Old Bristolians) - for making the 2014 Conference so very successful and enjoyable.

In the afternoon sessions, Graycell Consulting presented the reviews of their survey, conducted for AROPS, on alumni software packages, after extensive interviews with a range of suppliers and,

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Development Office Report

s the evenings draw in it is time once again in the Development Office to prepare for the publication of The Old Clayesmorian Magazine, and to look back at the events and reunions which have taken place this year. It is always a pleasure to meet OCs at these events, and to put faces to the names in the old school registers, and to hear stories of the escapades of previous generations of Clayesmorians - how similar some of them are across the decades. It was a great honour to be part of the Service of Dedication held in Ypres this March, and to visit some of the Belgian battlefields which are the final resting places of those OCs who did not return, particularly after the publication of the ‘Roll of Honour’ by the Clayesmore Society to coincide with this visit. (See page 63for more details). Little did I realise at the time that this would be the last occasion that I would see Peter Fleming, and that only a few short months later the same group would gather at a very sombre occaision, his funeral. There will be tributes paid elsewhere, but Peter was a great force in the Old Clayesmorian and Clayesmore Society committee meetings we attended together. Like so many others, I am struggling to appreciate that we will not see him at the school again. His portrait has been framed and will shortly be added to the Wall of Fame in the school’s library. Back in Iwerne Minster, it has been fantastic to see the Memorial Windows undergo restoration and the commencement of other works to refurbish the Chapel including the updating of the Honour Boards to reflect the additional names uncovered by Tony Chew in his research. This is very much a work in progress and it has been wonderful that the OC Society have chosen to mark the centenary of the start of World War One by supporting this project. Once again this year a number of OCs have been generous in their financial support of the school’s

development projects, the results of which are self-evident in the facilities in the Business School and a new High Jump and Long Jump facility which were completed in time for pupils to use during this summer’s athletics season. Less visible but of equal importance are the gifts made to the school’s Scholarship and Bursary programme. Clayesmore is proud of its tradition of offering this fees assistance and I know that a large number of OCs reading this will have benefited from this programme during their time at the school and in their subsequent careers. I can speak from personal experience of this, which is why I am delighted to be able to give something back, and support the continuation of this valuable support. One particularly generous gift from an OC has funded the cost of school fees for one boarding pupil for their entire senior school career - five years in all.This is a truly marvellous and transformative gift from an individual who wanted to ‘pay forward’ the gift of a Clayesmore education to a deserving individual who could then become part of the next generation of Clayesmorians. Another OC has left the school a legacy this year which it is anticipated will form the starting point for our next intended major building project. We really are most grateful to all of our donors and to this end it was wonderful to be able to thank them by name in the Report on Giving and Annual Fund 2014-15 document which was published earlier this autumn. The Annual Fund is a programme of projects for this academic year. Please do consider lending it your support if you can. Thank you also to those OCs who have given their time and expertise by coming in to school to deliver inspiring talks to our pupils and guests. This year we are planning a careers symposium to be held in the Spring Term based on the ‘STEM’ subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering and

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Mathematics. We hope to be able to draw on the vast experience and expertise that the OC Society can offer in these fields to offer our current pupils an insight into careers in these areas, and OCs who work within these the opportunity to network. Please do get in touch if you can help us!

to attend this so why not get a table together of your classmates and come along. Tickets for the last ball sold out early so make sure you book yours in good time! Louise smith (1994-1998)

I do hope to see many of you at Clayesmore in the coming year. You would be most welcome. The OC AGM & Lunch will be in London but there are a number of events which will be held at the school including a decade reunion for those who were at the school in the 1960s. There will also be an anniversary cricket match where the team of 1995 will take on the current 1st XI following a pre-match dinner and, on Friday 19 June, the Clayesmore Society will be hosting an ‘Arabian Nights Ball’ in the marquee at school. All OCs are most welcome

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SCHOOL PRIZEWINNERS 2014 Old Clayesmorian Prizes

The Scadding Prize

Awarded to a pupil or pupils who have represented Clayesmore or taken the name of Clayesmore to a wider audience

Awarded to a pupil showing artistic flair and excellence

William Bailey - The school’s Rugby Captain who was listed in a school ‘All Stars Squad’ by Fifteen Rugby magazine following his ‘Player of the Season’ accolade as the School Lambs RFC top try scorer. Alex Rose - Set up the school’s first Water Polo Team. Kieran Smith - Won a competition organised by the Hong Kong Economic Trade Office to study at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

James Miller (pictured right)

The Luboff Prize Thanks to the generosity of the Luboff family, this prize is awarded each year to the two pupils who have made the most outstanding contribution in Drama Jack Allum & Chloe Geary

The Alexander Gunn English Prize

The Hughes Business Studies Prize

William Kennedy

Tom Gibbons

The Young Award For perseverance

The Elderkin Memorial Award for Sport Dominic Clutterbuck

The Walser Efficiency Cup Kirsty Solomons

The Plamenatz Political Essay Fern White-Andrews

Lucy Merriman

The Miller Award Steven Martin

The Gawain Towler Shield For the overall winner of the Alun Pugh General Knowledge Competition James Addison

The Cheung All-Round Contribution Cup George Hewett

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Leavers’ Destinations 2014

leavers’ destinations

Joshua Adamson

Tristan Dorrien-Smith

George Hewett

Post Applying

Travel & Tourism Management Brighton & Hove City College

Post Applying

Lucy Merriman

Alexander Svanidze Economics - Bristol UWE

Charles Dustan

Freddie Hutchinson

Event Management - Anglia Ruskin (2015)

Art Foundation - Falmouth

James Miller

Midwifery - Bournemouth

James Addison International Relations and Politics - Amsterdam

Olivia Ashman

Built Environment - Oxford Brookes

Hannah Jackson

Beth Taylor

Psychology - Bristol UWE

Art Foundation - Central St Martins

Sam Templeman Biomedical Science Portsmouth

International Business Loughborough

Charlotte Edwards English & Philosophy - Cardiff

Ben Jones

Jemima Mills

William Bailey

Finn Evans

Aviation Management - London Metropolitan

Post Applying

Environmental Hazards & Disaster Management - Kingston

Animal Science - Sparsholt College

Will Kennedy

Post Applying

Computing - Southampton Solent

Matilda Bartholomew

Olly Fearn

Real Estate Surveying Westminster

Hannah Patton

Tosco Troughton

Geography - Edinburgh

Neuroscience - Leeds (2015)

Jake Broomhead

Lara Fish

Ben Lewis

Education Studies - Anglia Ruskin

Russian Studies Manchester

Outdoor Education - Cumbria

Education Studies with Applied Drama - Bishop Grossteste, Lincoln (2015)

Iggy Rigg

Harry Vokins

Tourism Management - Plymouth (2015)

French - Bristol

Saskia Cairnes Apprenticeship at JP Morgan

Rebekah Carter

Lauren Ford

Post Applying

Verity Magnay Creative Events Management Falmouth

Brooke Malave

Post Applying

Performing Arts - Guildford School of Acting

Harry Clarke

Nyasha Gandiya

Engineering - Bristol UWE

De Paul University of Chicago, USA

Alex Male

Apprenticeship

Callum Geary

Piers Mallitte

Matthew Cockcroft

Mechanical Engineering Leicester

Marketing - Kensington College

Joseph Clarkson

Geography and Oceanography Southampton

James Comer IT & Business - Bristol UWE

Harry Complin Human Geography - Aberystwyth

Tom Gibbons Joined Royal Navy

Finn Gill Law - Oxford Brookes

Tom Haines

Marketing Communications Bristol UWE

Post Applying

Sam Marie Natural Sciences - East Anglia

Steven Martin Post Applying

Aston McCarthy

Post Applying

Built Environment - Oxford Brookes

Digital Film Production Ravensbourne (2015)

Rob Harris

Katie McDonagh

Agriculture - Harper Adams

Employment

Jake Dixon Real Estate - Reading (2015)

Olivia Cottenden

Rupert Nodder

Alexander Tragheim

William Rolph

Niko Von Rosenberg

Industrial Design & Technology Loughborough

Business & Business Management - Germany

Alex Rose

Millie Wallington

University in California (2015)

Post Applying

Holly Roseveare

Jonson Wen

Art Foundation - Falmouth

Mathematics - Kingston

Kathryn Rough

Fern WhiteAndrews

Geology - Kingston

Kieran Smith Modern Languages - UCL

Kirsty Solomons Biomedical Science Southampton

Allie Stillman - Jones

Post Applying

Nikita Wilkins Post Applying

Fraser Wilson Art Foundation Bournemouth

Art Foundation - Bournemouth (2015)

Nick Wong

Harry Heaven

Julia Sullivan

William Wood

Post Applying

Physics - Birmingham

Business Information Technology - Portsmouth

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In Hong Kong

Events 2013-2014

Events

1984 Leavers’ Reunion 24, 25 & 26 January

Hong Kong Reunion 28 October 2013

Andrew Stainer & Nicky Gething (Tew)(Both 1979-1984) write:

As the last issue of The Old Clayesmorian went to press, the Headmaster and Eleanor Cooke met with a number of OCs and current parents in Hong Kong for a convivial evening at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club.

On the 25th January 2014, 40 OCs from the 1984 Leavers’ cohort met for a weekend in Poole. They were joined by Gus Shield (1983) who gate-crashed ... but was very welcome! Those with little else to do met for the evening at Hotel du Vin in Poole on the Friday night, with the rest joining on Saturday evening for drinks, dinner and then just a couple more drinks. Most stayed over and many got together again on Sunday for a jaunt up to Clayesmore and lunch at the White Hart (now The Cricketers) in Shroton where they were joined by Robert Mash and David Fangen. Many of those present had a tale or two to tell about antics on the way to, at or on the return leg from the White Hart. The turnout for the weekend was fantastic and all the more pleasing as a result of those who managed to travel from afar. Javier Mari came from Ibiza, Annette Ten Bokom (Howarth) from the Netherlands, Mike Howard from Dubai, Nick Hart and Rob Edwards from Portugal, Hossein Ghavami from the USA and winning the carbon-footprint prize, James Farrell, Andrew Dearle and Andrew Stainer from Australia.

London Drinks 31 October 2013 & 27 February 2014 Two informal gatherings were held in the convivial surroundings of The Distillers pub at Smithfield. See ‘Diary’ for details of this year’s regional reunions.

New Year Get-Together in Sydney – 3 January 2014 Andrew Stainer(1979-1984) writes from Sydney: “We had an impromptu get-together on the 3rd January to welcome David Fangen (1966) who was over visiting from the UK. In addition to David and me, we ended up welcoming David Hammersley (1958), John Sparkes (1957), Nigel French (1965), Jonathan Davies (1968), Malcolm Sussman (1965), James Boyes (1963), James Farrell (1984), and Andrew Dearle (1984). James Boyes was sporting a combo that would have put Galliano, Versace and Valentino to shame - wonderful OC blazer carefully combined with colourful chequered bermuda shorts and a blue striped polo shirt. James will be the talk of the town for a while to come - a welcome distraction from the Ashes!”

Taken at The Lord Nelson Tavern in The Rocks area of Sydney on the 3rd January, from left to right Malcolm Sussmann, David Fangen, Nigel French, Jonathan Davies’ wife (sitting), James Farrell, James Boyes, Andrew Stainer (sitting), Jonathan Davies, Andrew Dearle (sitting), David Hammersley and John Sparkes.

Attendees were: Adam Beadsmoore, Alison Hooper, Amanda Heard (Fookes), Andrew Dearle, Andrew Stainer, Annette Ten Bokum (Howarth), Brian Strange, David Foot, Dominic Rogers, Duncan Slater, Edward Lukins, Fiona Hughes (Howe), Guy Todd, Hossein Ghavami, Ian Birch, Ian Scott, James Farrell, James Knight, Javier Mari, Jenny Chilcott, Joanna Foot (Fitzsimmons), Julian Haywood, Katerina Hubschmann, Kendra GrahameClarke, Liz Hole, Melinda Emby (Daniels), Mike Howard, Nicky Gething (Tew), Richard Partridge, Robert Edwards, Robina Vaux, Ros Griffiths (Platt-Higgins), Sabina Trowbridge, Sophie Bartlett, Steph Ayres, Steven Holman, Sue Todd (Chilcott), Tim John, Tracy Harris (Roberts), Valerie Knight (Milton) Photographs from top: Kendra Grahame-Clarke looking shocked at what Mike Howard and Dave Foot are reminding her about, Adam Beadsmoore persevering in his effort to resist Steven Holman and Nicky Gething’s (Tew) advances, Duncan Slater and Katerina Hubschmann looking through some old snaps, Annette Ten Bokum (Howarth) and Dom Rogers protesting their innocence in the face of an allegation made by Gus Shield and Tracy Harris (Roberts) protesting her innocence, but Ian Scott looks like he has just bitten into a lemon!

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David Spinney Memorial Luncheon

Events

Held at the Naval Club on 23 October 2013

Several OCs gathered at the Naval Club in London in October 2013 to celebrate what would have been David Spinney’s 100th Birthday.

Introduction

ohn David Spinney was born into a wealthy patrician but artistic family at Cams Hall Fareham, in Hampshire, built in 1771.

On his father’s side the Spinney family are of old Dorset stock, with members in the 18th and 19th centuries from Fontmell Magna, Blandford Forum, Motcombe and Sturminster Newton. One was quite a noted clockmaker in Blandford of which David had a number of examples. His great grandfather – Thomas R Spinney is shown in the 1851 Census as living at Vine Cottage, White Lane, Sturminster Newton. His profession was shown as a Professor of Music and organist, and at 28 he had four children – the youngest of which was Frank (being born in that year) – and who was to be David’s Grandfather. Frank was also an accomplished musician – also shown later as a Professor of Music and organist. His career took him to Royal Leamington Spa. In a recently published book written by Lisa Hardy, “British Piano Sonatas” he is shown as either the promoter or actually playing at a concert at the “Royal Musical Hall” there on the 29th January 1873. He is shown to have died at the early age of 38 whilst living at Dellemere House Leasington (probably a misspelling of Leamington.) His son, Gordon Eugene Spinney (David’s father) married into the aristocratic Ramsay family – holders of two Baronetcies’ - the Ramsays of Balmain (1806) and the Burnetts of Leys of Kincardineshire (1626). David’s descent is directly through Captain John Ramsay – third son of the third Baronet. His granddaughter, Hilda, born in 1885, married Gordon Eugene Spinney – and David was the first born – followed by a sister, Juliet, and a brother, Martin Giles, who became a clergyman in the Salisbury

diocese. David was definitely born into affluence. After preparatory school David attended Harrow School and then on to Christ’s College Cambridge under a Kitchener Scholarship. He graduated with an MA. He began his teaching career by joining Evelyn King at Craigend Park, near Edinburgh, as a master. As we all know, the Craigend staff and pupils including Spinney came to Clayesmore in 1935. Under King the school prospered but the shadow of war saw many of the staff including David enlisting. He joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and I remember him mentioning that at the conclusion of his commission interview, the retired Captain in command dismissed him with the instruction to “Kindly pass on my respects to your cousin” (Admiral Sir Bertram Home Ramsay KCB KBE MVO the Commander-in-Chief, Dover, for the Dunkirk evacuation and later for the naval element of D Day). Had he not been killed in active service in France in 1945 he would have undoubtedly joined the list of senior Admirals like Cunningham and Fraser who received peerages. David began his naval career at Poole, but after several jobs he was sent to North Africa as Naval Officer in Command, Phillipville. Rear Admiral Sir Kenelm Creighton in his biography mentions that David was “an efficient young man who got things done!” On his return to civilian life, he also returned to Clayesmore. As well as his teaching and his duties as a Housemaster, he embraced the life of a historian. He developed many important pieces of naval research, which he published in the Mariner’s Mirror, the journal of the Society for Nautical Research based at Greenwich (of which he was elected a Fellow) and in the more popular media

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such as Blackwoods. Of course, the most important and long lasting was his definitive biography of Admiral Lord Rodney. Whilst much of this writing was done in the evening while he stayed at his Club during the school holidays – he worked during the day at Greenwich or with Sir Lewis Napier, the biographer of Parliament, or at the Public Records Office. This is not the place to go into descriptions of his tenure at Clayesmore. I am sure that others will do so later. I have put together this historical background to hopefully assist those who were so profoundly influenced by him but wondered from whence came this fascinating but self-effacing gentleman we were so proud to call a friend and mentor. Michael Beacham (1957-1961)

Spinney - A Further Appreciation

hat would he say if he was here. Don’t be so ridiculous, oh all right, if you must but don’t make it too long I have…. to check the bees, mark some essays, listen to Gardeners Question Time. Something personal and fun. We all know he would have protested too much. That was his style, because above all, he was a ham. He pretended to be lazy but he was a great scholar, teacher and collector. And let’s not forget the bees or the sailing club. He pretended to be totally traditional and yet he played the exam game as keenly and with more skill than many who today obsess about results, results, and only results. He pretended to be old school and yet, and yet...

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David Spinney marking in his Study, 1963.

As young men of 17 becoming a prefect was a big deal and yet Stephen Dover (later a highly successful businessman) tells how when it came to be chosen as a senior prefect he and Michael Grey (later a GP in Devon) were asked to toss a coin. Was Spinney showing how capricious life’s honours were, was he mocking the whole system, was he letting young men into a secret, was he having a laugh, was he turning a serious moment into a sport? Was he hamming it and creating a piece of Wodehousian farce? I remember when I was made captain of rugby and had to talk to the new boys about rugby at the school, I asked him what I should say. In typical fashion he said, “Hugh, remember to them you are a God from Olympus, every word is a pearl, every gesture a command.” I left his study not having a clue, but you can imagine him laughing and rubbing his tummy as I went down the stairs. Although he gave the impression that foreigners were there to amuse us – he wrote to me “when wild and hostile foreigners start swearing and cursing just nod your head and grin with enthusiastic agreement. Such inanity soon makes them dry up and leaves them non-plussed. I have found it most useful in the past.” But he was no xenophobe. He was, of course, a French speaker and spent many months travelling the chateaus and cathedrals of France. He often said that no-one took him seriously, He

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knew of course we doted on every word, as we still do 50 years later. He loved to tell of his meanness how penny wise he was. But this man was not mean; he gave his life to others. We are all here today because in a way, in the way of all great teachers, he touched us. He saw something under our spotty, inarticulate, teenage selves, gave us confidence and unlocked something in us which contributed to our development as adults and men. I think we are also all here because he was a lovely man, who understood whether through instinct or experience the ways of young men, when to push, when to humour and sometimes when to punish.

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cramming episode. I was the last of the 17 - I think of us. He didn’t hurt me at all, pulling his cat’o’onetail strokes and then collapsing on his beloved sofa with a “get out and don’t be such a bloody fool again”. (In fact Spinney was so exhausted that day that he did not beat the last three of that record breaking 17).

(3) He did any amount of teaching outside the classroom. I have a number of memories of inspecting Roman roads and visiting country houses when he would pounce on naval pictures and criticise the rigging or some other vital detail. Great lessons in taking nothing for granted or simply accepting what is presented!

I recall also visiting him at the Cottage in later years; and his telling how he would naughtily ‘roast’ one coffee bean on his stove top and then serve instant to his guests who would go into raptures over his ‘delicious fresh ground roasted coffee.’ He was simply unforgettable.”

His whole life seemed to be lived as a caricature of himself which I suppose is a feature of many teachers (or was then). You got the feeling he was enjoying the playacting as much as he knew his audience was.”

Top city lawyer, Stephen Levinson, wrote: Although he created for himself a perfect life, surrounded by his favourite objects and ideas he is remembered today and as long as we live because he cared, maybe not intensely, that was not his style, but with humour and style. What is more he loved his subject so much he made sure that love rubbed off on us. All great ideas are ideas made simple and that’s what Spinney did with history. He made it simple. We had to learn the dates but he told us the stories. And we loved them. I asked a couple of his students for their thoughts: My dear friend, Howard Burnham, a prep school head teacher and actor wrote from California: “It’s good that JDS is being remembered, I think, as a great teacher. He had that genuine passion for his subject and for communicating it which never faded in the face of a lot of opaque pupils. He never suffered from teaching ‘burn out’ as I certainly did. Also there was that vital element of ‘fear’ that I think all good teachers must have. You never crossed him on his quarterdeck, at least I never dared!

“Two of my abiding memories are the ‘spot the moron’ date tests and the talent he had for communicating visually by all of those multicoloured chalk drawings on his blackboard in Classroom 6 (I think it was). Only the other day I was asked the date of the Battle of the Boyne (yes, really) and out popped 1690 as if I was still in that classroom. I think he kept attention and everyone in the room alert by his own volatility and the certain knowledge that you would be the subject of a humiliation if you failed. I expect some of his habits would land a modem teacher in jail (flinging chalk at the inattentive and making them squat in the corner by the door). Three other things I remember: (1) The remarkable verses to describe Tories & Whigs.. ‘Parsons & squires in the shires Revere their church & king The right divine The Stuart line And all that peace may bring.

His diagrams were brilliant, as was “Parsons and Squires, etc.” I slavishly copied his diagrams as a teacher and was always complimented on ‘my’ originality by school inspectors and several of my ex-pupils say they have kept those icons to share with their children...so JDS’s teaching lives on. He had humour too - that vital ingredient for sanity. He was the only one of the three housemasters who ever ‘thrashed’ me - for that memorable bog-

(and a lot more) (2) The red ink comments at the end of History essays...my personal best was ‘Not too desperately bad’ which I have used ever since when reviewing contracts for clients, plus some of the extraordinary remarks he was capable of in end of term reports. My father never really got over or understood ‘man of mystery and creature of paradox’ in one of mine.

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But behind Spinney’s success with O levels and the A levels which anyone can teach was a scholar. His magnum opus ‘Rodney’ shows that. A mastery of a mass of material and events. For this lunch I reread his longest lasting legacy, Rodney. It is long, it is scholarly, there are a lot of naval battles told with all the details of sails, tacks and winds as they must. But what the book also so brilliantly exposes is Spinney’s great humanity. Here are a few choice quotes about his hero: “Rodney was never an incarnation of all the virtues, least of all those of modesty and prudence.” His hero went to Spinney’s alma mater, Harrow. “Life at a public school in the eighteenth century was hard and brutal. Latin and Greek took up most of the curriculum, flogging and fisticiffs added their contribution to the toughening process, and drinking was not unknown. A few years at a public school were excellent preparation for life in the Royal Navy.” (Was he telling us something about himself?) Here is a description of the Admiral who promoted Rodney to become a captain: “He was a robust Tory, hot tempered, intolerant and exacting, and strongly given to likes and dislikes. But Mathews was also brave, warm-hearted and generous, and it is; possible that his bite was worse than his bark.

offered the key to nearly all that made life worth living. “But Rodney was always a popular captain and the reason for his popularity goes a long way to explain his success. It was not merely that he was a good fighter under whom the crew through prize money could expect to fill their pockets. He was also a humane and considerate commanding officer…over and over again we see how great was his concern for the welfare of his men. “It must be admitted that nature besides endowing him with so many admirable qualities, had also cursed him with a weakness for play, and unfortunately, gambling, in its most extravagant and reckless form, had never been so prevalent than at this time.” And so it goes on. This is not a book for the faint hearted looking for an easy read.This is a full on biography going into the details of naval tactics, naval and parliamentary corruption and patronage and the rest, all part of his hero’s career. But as I have shown in a few excerpts from the book, Spinney’s essential touch and understanding of the ways of men shines through. I don’t think it any coincidence that his two great heroes, Nelson and Rodney, were also flawed which made them all the more approachable and attractive. They were also intensely popular with their men. So was Spinney and I always feel he was always drawn to those boys who were not perfect. In Chapel, Spinney used to love reading Chesterton’s Father Brown stories. Looking Father Brown up on Wikipedia certain adjectives came up describing the priest as a detective - reasonable, unlikely, intuitive, civilised, educated, humble but profound and above all brilliant. Adjectives which remind me, and many, of someone else. HUGH THOMPSON (1960-1964)

“To a man of Rodney’s urbane and, it must be admitted, not unworldly nature, a seat in parliament The Old Clayesmorian • MMXIV

AGM & Annual Dinner 2014

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Held at the school on Saturday 1 February

The School played host to the OC Society for their 2014 AGM & Annual Dinner. The AGM was held in the United Nations Room of the school’s newest faculty building, The Business School, and Minutes of the AGM can be read on page 124. Following drinks in the Drawing and de Selincourt Rooms, the company assembled in the Dining Hall and outgoing Chairman, Andrew Beaton, formally welcomed a number of new Honorary OCs to their Society membership and presented the ladies with an OC bracelet and the gentlemen with an OC tie. David Fangen (1961-1966) then orchestrated the bi-annual game of ‘Heads & Tails’ for the Spinney Memorial Trust before 86 OCs and their guests sat down to an excellent dinner prepared by the school Catering Manager, Andy Croft, and his team. As is customary the Society President, Piers Sabine, proposed the Loyal and Founder’s Toasts and the Headmaster proposed the health of the Society. The after dinner speech took on a musical turn as Danny Vincent (1988-1993) performed for the assembled company. The 2015 AGM & Lunch will be held at Brown’s Courtrooms, Covent Garden on Saturday 24 January see enclosed invitation for full details and booking information.

AGM & Annual Dinner Attendees 2014 David Morris (1946-1959) Peter Parsons (1949-1959) Piers Sabine (1949-1960) Sara Sabine (Guest of Piers Sabine) Bill Chennells (1952-1956) William Hawker (1952-1960) Colin Redston (1953-1957) Maureen Masters (Guest of Colin Redston) Henry Dryden (1953-1962) Richard Ratcliff (1954-1959) Peter Fleming (1955-1962) Martin Loxton (1956-1959) Charles Price (1956-1961) Sue Price (Guest of Charles Price) Rodney Spokes (1957-1962) Steve Hare (1958-1962) Brian Merson (1958-1963) William Hawkins (1959-1964) Anne Hawkins (Guest of William Hawkins) Hugh Thompson (1960-1964) David Fangen (1961-1966) Stephen Levinson (1962-1967) Andrew Beaton (1964-1969) Roderick Douglas (1967-1971) Maggy Douglas (Guest of Roderick Douglas) Stephen Lambie (1970-1974) Mark Skinner (1970-1974) Dennis Ewing (1970-1975) Robert Green (1970-1975) Mark Hilliam (1970-1975) Tony Coe (1971-1974) Christine Coe (Guest of Tony Coe) Julian Lightfoot (1972-1977)

John Field (1973-1976) Tim Hawkins (1973-1977) Sharon Hawkins (Guest of Tim Hawkins) Stephanie Waterfall (Lightfoot) (1975-1977) Mark Farrand (1978-1981) Marie Farrand (Guest of Mark Farrand) Angus Shield (1978-1983) SarahJane Newland (Kennard) (1979-1984) Mark Newland (Guest of SarahJane Newland) Danny Vincent (1988-1993) Louise Salmond Smith (Thompson) (1989-1994) Clair Miller (1989-1994) Catrin Abrahams (1989-1994) Gareth Griffiths (1990-1992) Anna Morge (Hewitt) (1990-1993) Brian Bird (Guest of Anna Morge) Adam Hornblow (1990-1993) Holly-Anna Hornblow (Guest of Adam Hornblow) Gemma Moore (Nicholas) (1990-1994) Charlotte Duncan (Baker) (1991-1996) Caroline Ford (1991-1996) Paul Smith (1992-1994) Debbie Smith (Guest of Paul Smith) Ben Brown (1992-1995) Louise Smith (Ross-Kellaway) (1994-1998) Sophie McCrow (2002-2007) Martin Cooke (Headmaster, Honorary) Eleanor Cooke (Honorary) Richard Geffen (Head of Prep School) Ann Geffen (Head of Prep’s Wife) James Addison (Head Boy) Saskia Cairnes (Head Girl) Barbara Barnes (Honorary)

Clockwise from above: Danny Vincent at the piano, pre-dinner drinks, the Dining Hall prepared for dinner, Debbie Geary with Caroline Ford and Charlotte Duncan (Baker), Mark and Marie Farrand.

Barbara Britton (Honorary) Victor Britton (Guest of Barbara Britton) Tracy Cook (Honorary) Stuart (Guest of Tracy Cook) Nikki Cheung (Honorary) Wai Man Cheung (Guest of Nikki Cheung) Joe Edwards (Honorary) Colin Evans (Honorary) Elaine Evans (Guest of Colin Evans) Mike Geary (Honorary) The Old Clayesmorian • MMXIV

Debbie Geary (Honorary) David Little (Honorary) Ann Little (Guest of David Little) Mary-Anne McCrow (Honorary) Mike McCrow (Guest of Mary-Anne McCrow) Madeleine May (Honorary) Alan Peters (Honorary) Christine Peters (Guest of Alan Peters) Stephen Smith (Honorary) Linda Smith (Guest of Stephen Smith)

Service of dedication

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St. George’s chapel, ypres ~ thursday 6 march

It was a solemn group of Clayesmorians past and present who gathered at St George’s Memorial Church, Ypres on Thursday 6th March. There for a Service of Dedication commemorating those staff and pupils who had paid the ultimate price for King and Country and the unveiling of a plaque to their memory, they gathered before the service in quiet contemplation and reflection.

The Sydney Aviators ~ March 2014 David Hammersley(1954-1958)writes from Sydney: ‘I’m attaching two photos of us in the 747 flight simulator at the Sydney airport jet base. John Sparkes (1956) is a pilot instructor/ certifier and he kindly gave up his time for us to fly/crash a few 747s. Those featured from left to right outside the simulator (right) are: Simon Gentry, James Farrell, Andrew Dearle, David Hammersley and John Sparkes. In the cockpit: Andrew Dearle, James Farrell, Simon Gentry, David Hammersley. It was a great experience, enjoyed by all.’

The School and OC Society owe a great deal to Neill Pitcher (1957-1962), the driving force behind the event and the plaque itself. Rebuffed by the chapel’s previous administration (who said there was no room), he did not give up and a chance meeting on a train culminated in the installation of a plaque for Clayesmore and, ultimately, with last Thursday’s service. Over 20 OCs and their families travelled to Ypres for the event, and joined with the school’s group of GCSE Historians who visit the battlefields each year. With the spring sunshine streaming through the windows and reflecting off the many plaques within the church former OC Society Chairman Andrew Beaton (1964-1969) read from the book of Micah (4:1-4 and 6:8), “ … and they shall beat their swords into ploughshares…”. The service was led by the school’s Chaplain, Rev’d Justin Pottinger and the Chaplain of St George’s, Rev’d Brian Llewellyn and current staff and members of the school read the Intercessions and the Roll of Honour.

Top: the Plaque in situ. Middle: the congregation for the Service. Bottom:Tom Cowley, Georgina Williams, Neill Pitcher, Andrew Beaton, the Rev’d Justin Pottinger and the Rev’d Brian Llewellyn in front of the plaque.

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In his address, Rev’d Pottinger decried the ability of war to remove the humanity of a situation, and described the danger with which the Christmas Day truces were regarded by those in command because of the way in which they ‘humanised’ the enemy. He had been reminded of this during a visit to the ‘In Flanders Fields’ Museum that day, which focused on the personhood of the fallen, “the numbers may shock but with people, there is empathy. They are your son, your father, your brother and your friend. The important thing is for those present to go home and dispel the myth of ‘Dulce et Decorum est Pro Patria Mori’ and instead remember the teaching of St. Francis to hold on to the humanity of those with whom

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we differ.” The OCs at the service were presented with a copy of the Clayesmore Roll of Honour 1914-1918 book, written by Senior Master and Honorary OC Tony Chew and produced by the school to mark the occasion which features profiles on the fallen, along with archive information about the effect of the war on the school (see page 63).

We are with you, still

The group reconvened later that day at the Menin Gate for the Last Post Ceremony during which Neill Pitcher and two pupils laid wreaths on behalf of the OC Society and the school.

It comes as some surprise to us That having passed a century of silent years in a hallowed unforgotten field,

louise smith (1994-1998)

Unhindered, solicitous multitudes of younger and untested folk still wander by, Unbidden; they choose to look and listen; they seek, undoubtedly, to wonder why

Johan Vivian Van Dijk (19611966) wrote the poem opposite following the Service in Ypres.

Homely Tommies came here, oft to toil, certain to fight, scores in solitude to die. Wreaths of Poppies red, plaques and soft reverential prayers do honour us now As row on row, dutifully, here we lie. To the enemy’s martial and industrial might we strove not to yield. A unity of purpose was all we sought. Victory was dearly bought. Comfortable, there are those who question the reasons why we fought. Our solemn answer - we met our nation’s need. Let that be understood. Never did we think, then, that it might be seen as being for nought. Now, from afar, we offer thanks and praise to you Who stand and think there - we are with you, still. Top: the Clayesmore wreath-laying party at the Menin Gate Ceremony. Middle: the OC Wreath. Bottom: members of the OC party enjoying a meal after the Menin Gate Ceremony.

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Jan Vivian © (Johan Vivian VAN DIJK – OC - 1961-1966) Written to mark the Commemoration of the Great War Dead (1914 -1918) from Clayesmore School – March 2014 - YPRES

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Wine Tasting and Fish & Chips with the Upper Sixth ~ Friday 9 May

March OC Day and 40s & 50s Decade Reunion ~

Louise Salmond Smith led another exciting foray into the world of wine with the Upper Sixth leavers as part of their ‘induction’ into the Society. This year’s palates are obviously well attuned as there was almost a 100% rate of correctly guessing which wine was Tesco Basic, and which a more refined vintage before polishing off some hard-earned Fish & Chips.

A good number of ever dwindling 1950’s OCs gathered for a service in the school chapel taken by the Chaplin, a number of us stayed for communion.There followed a tour of the school. I with two other old boys were taken around by two girl pupils. We were shown two very neat and tidy dorms also one rather less so which was not supposed to be on the tour! To see the comfortable beds with duvets etc. as opposed to iron beds and ex W.D. blankets of our time!! The tour continued to the other buildings and labs with high tec teaching aids and airy warm rooms we could never have even imagined. The swimming pool and indoor sports hall have replaced a home dug outdoor pool with no heating or filter. Following the tour, lunch was provided with a fantastic choice. Some food was still on ration in 1952, but I suppose they did their best at that time.

Choral Day ~ Saturday 10 May

The best part of the day was meeting people not seen for over 50 years. We all had stories to tell, Geoffrey Bishop still easily recognisable. Bubbles Smith, Barry Stevenson both very healthy looking but with a little less hair. As a contemporary of all those years ago, Barry reminded me that he was a Boxer, and that we had both qualified for the semi finals of the schoolboys championships to be held in the Cardiff drill hall. He could not make it because he had put on too much weight owing to fact he had over indulged whilst convalescing from chicken pox and staying in the Burkes house. He said he was rather pleased about that when he saw the state I was in on my return! My nose has never been quite the same since, and something about thanking the referee for stopping the bout seems to come to mind. The display of interesting photos, caps etc. in the library was very nostalgic.

This year the was the first to be directed by Ralph Kerr, the Senior School’s new Director of Music. Old Clayesmorians joined with current pupils and parents and friends of the school to perform a wonderful ‘from scratch’ concert which included Mozart’s “Coronation” Mass in C major, Haydn’s “The Heavens are Telling”, from The Creation and Mendelssohn’s “Hear my Prayer”, followed by supper for participants and the audience in the de Selincourt Room.

Many thanks must go to the Headmaster and all the staff and pupils and especially Louise for making this a wonderful day. PETER COLE (1952-1955)

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City Lunch ~ 5th June Once again Hugh Thompson arranged a thoroughly enjoyable City Lunch. Held in the convivial surroundings of Le Beaujolais on Litchfield Street, the OC party took over the basement restaurant for this annual event. Those present were regaled by Hugh’s dramatic re-telling of OC Eric Fernihough’s epic and ultimately fatal battle against Ernst Henne for the motorcycle world speed record in the 1930s and some post-lunch thoughts from European Election Candidate, Gawain Towler. Attendees were: Robert Barter, Andrew Beaton, Bill Chennells, Stephen Dover, Hamish Dow, David Fangen, Christopher Johnston, Stephen Levinson, Robert Mash, Emma Morris, Roy Oakshott, Piers Sabine, Louise Smith, David Talboys, Hugh Thompson, Gawain Towler, and Johan Van Dijk. Our thanks to Hugh for his organisation.

Literature & Lunch ~ 25th June Old Clayesmorians return to the classroom for the school’s one day literary festival A number of OCs returned to the school for a glorious day in June for the school’s bi-annual festival of literature, both as guests and as guest speakers. Among the array of ten speakers and presenters at the school that day were three Old Clayesmorians, each experts in their chosen field who gave presentations to current pupils and visitors on a wide variety of topics.

Other speakers on the day included poet and professor at Bath Spa, Tim Liardet, children’s authors Julia Green and Ali Sparkes, story teller Lucy Walters, and historian and presenter David Starkey. Read Tony Chew’s article about Dr Starkey’s talk on page 51.

Shakespearian expert and PhD student, Thomasin Bailey (2002-2007), kicked things off with a workshop based on ‘As You Like It’ for students, before delivering a lecture in the library for visitors on ‘Shakespeare, Performance and Gender’, that examined how early formulations of gender have influenced modern stage practices. Jack Avon (1980-1985) spoke on the importance of financial modelling in preventing costly mistakes for companies and for governments. Meanwhile cultural historian and presenter of the BBC’s Lost Kingdoms of Africa series Gus Casely-Hayford (1978-1980) gave a presentation on Timbuktu and how its historically significant artefacts have been threatened by recent rebel invasions. As well as their presentations, the OCs appeared on a panel discussion which followed lunch, chaired by Mrs Mary Bailey, Assistant Head at the school, where questions from the audience included an enquiry into their teenage reading matter, which ranged from The Hobbit to Jane Eyre.

Above: David Starkey. Opposite from top: Gus Casely-Hayford, Thomasin Bailey, Johan Van Dilk, Jack Avon, and the lunchtime panel face the audience questions.

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Clayesmore Society Late Summer Party & OC Day ~ Saturday 13 September Old Clayesmorians joined current and past parents and staff, governors and friends of the school on Saturday 13 September for the Autumn Term OC Day and Late Summer Party. The afternoon clash between OCs and the school for the Drummond Cup was, as ever, a hotly contested match. Following match teas in the afternoon, the Clayesmore Society AGM was held in the Burney Library following which guests assembled on the South Lawns for drinks and canapĂŠs, before a firework display illuminated the sky above Iwerne to celebrate the start of the new school year.

This page: David Fangen and George Maddison, fireworks above the main house, Opposite from top: the Headmaster with Kenneth Dowd, Hugo and Helen Purdue, Kay Mash and Mike Geary, Debbie Geary Brian Merson and William Hawker, Matthew Bailey and Madeleine Bailey.

FERNI - The man who put the game before gain Hugh Thompson looks at the life and death of Eric Fernihough who was at the school 1920-1923.

n 1981, I was 35. I ran my one and only marathon in London’s first ever such event. I had trained hard and I ran a respectable 3.15. I was so exhausted, so close to the limit of my endurance, my capacity for pain, that I swore never to run another. But it’s something that even today I am proud of having done. My wife and very young son were in Parliament Square as I neared the finish. An ordinary man, an ordinary time. Others are different. Two years younger another Old Clayesmorian was also doing something special. He was attempting to regain his world motorcycle record on the measured mile at Gyon, Hungary. He and the remarkable German racer, Ernst Henne, had been swapping world records for the past two years. In 1936 Henne had crashed through 162.82 mph for the flying mile. Eric Fernihough went I mph faster. Next year the Clayesmorian pushed on to 169.7. Then Henne went further to 173 mph. l938 saw Fernihough take up the challenge once again. For Ferni as he was well known, this was the culmination of a fast and exciting road. Since the age of eight he had been interested in motorbikes. Not just as symbols of glamour and power but how they worked, how they could be made to go faster, the mechanics. At Clayesmore where he was 1920-23, aged 15 to 18, he used to break the bounds of the Winchester campus to watch hill climbs and other events. At Cambridge University, his love of all things mechanical was fostered further. It was a time when motorbikes (as they are today in much of the then third world) were a sign of increasing prosperity and modernity. It was also a time when men still did their own mechanics. And some like Ferni even took the science to the edge of the envelope. Rather like software today, mechanics offered great possibilities. Motor clubs were very popular.

There was also a tradition of British men, largely public school, being at the frontier of mountaineering, exploration, world records of every kind. The confidence of muscular Christianity may have taken a knock in the 14-18 War but it hadn’t died. Think Mallory, Malcolm Campbell, Chariots of Fire. And so from Ferni’s Bournemouth home a career in bikes begins. His first bike, flat out, could only be “coaxed” to 32mph. From the late twenties onwards he wins races, he is part of the golden age of Brooklands. He is European champion. He starts to achieve records. He moves up the bikes. By 1933 he is hitting the big time. His tall distinctive figure, his moustache, his garage, his lovely way, makes him very popular among both fans and rivals. But what kind of man was he? A man obsessed. Even by grease monkey, men in back shed standards, he was obsessional. Nothing was thrown away. In his archive which takes up a whole file at the Brooklands Society are letters, invoices, cuttings, technical notes and so much more from his ten years as the number one British motor cyclist. But it was a DIY time, drivers and racers built their own; they were their own back up team, transport manager. Ferni also had to try and drum up sponsorship. If your life depends on it you are very careful about the detail. If one wants to go down into the psyche behind the hero one might also look at his famous love of cats. Whatever, the man was a hero, an ace; they are rarely ordinary. As Tony Hutchings of the Brooklands Society says ”He was very singleminded”. In his archive, Ferni’s wife, Dorothy, only appears at the end. Brooklands, the world’s first banked race track, had its golden years in the late twenties and thirties, the very years of Fernihough’s pomp. Because it was

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Ferni on the supercharged Brough Superior J.A.P.

a mecca for motor sport drivers and riders from around the world, a whole village of garages grew up around the Surrey course. Here enthusiasts could get their cars and bikes serviced, tuned, built and admired. One of those garages was owned by Fernihough - Tower Garage (after the shape of the building). Later it was taken over by Tony Brooks, a racing driver contemporary of Stirling Moss, and is today a Shell franchise on the Brooklands Road. November 3, 1937. Eric Fernihough has lost his world record. It is well known that in the new year he plans another bid. He is often an annual dinner guest of honour at one of the numerous motor clubs that populate the South of England. That day it was the Ringwood MC. The menu is grape fruit cocktail, tomato soup, turbot, roast turkey and lemon ice. Typically he keeps the menu; on the back someone has scrawled “Good Luck Go In and Win”. On the same day in the authoritive Motor Cycling magazine he has a letter published. Late in October

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the Italian rider, Taruffi, has beaten Fernihough’s world record (169.786mph) but not by enough (170.4mph) to have his time credited. Fernihough writes, ”His time as a record does not count because of the rule that a record must be broken by more than 5/100. This is the darndest bad luck and personally I think the rule needs amending… After all records are made to be broken! Hearty congratulations Taruffi and Italy”. A few days later the German Ernst Henne set a new record at 173.67 mph. It is this record that Fernihough must break. Henne’s record lasts for 15 years. He is the grand old man of European racing and a great friend. In those days when form still ruled, their rivalry was always played by the most sporting of conventions. The fact that Fernihough’s two greatest rivals were German and Italian never came into it. The fact that while Henne and Fernihough were jousting it out on the track in Hungary, German legions were annexing Austria is never mentioned. It is of no concern to these magnificent men in their flying

FERNI - THE MAN WHO PUT THE GAME BEFORE GAIN

RAC agree that despite the Anschluss it was safe for Ferni to travel. Fernihough loads up his specially built two ton van. There are 125 colour coded items. Everything from an Everyman tin of oil to a complete JAP engine and super charger. Without the massive back up provided by the teams of today, motor sportsmen of the time had to be totally serious about every detail. Their lives depended on it. Cambridge MA Ferni had a reputation of being something of a cutting edge motor engineer. On the 23rd April 1938 it was go.

Above: World’s Standing Start Mile Record 108.24mph, 21st October 1936 at Gyon Road near Budapest.

A year before he had gained the world record. He wrote of that attempt. “At the earliest possible opportunity in the spring of 1937, the moment the weather promised to be suitable, we loaded the machine on to my two ton van and set out for Budapest where the wonderful Gyon road, stretching dead straight for miles across the great Hungarian plain, provides a speedway it would be hard to equal.

machines. Henne lives to be 101. Fernihough comes from a modestly wealthy family. He runs a successful garage, But his interest in motor sport is expensive. He is desperate for sponsorship. He has to equip, service, have spare parts and get to Hungary. He tries everyone. The goggle makers turn him down. But Cleveland Petroleum Products are happy enough to offer £25 and free fuel. The downside to the Gyon strip is because it is so flat, it is very exposed to the wind which can have a serious effect on motorcycle performance and safety. At the end of March 1938 the President of the Magyr Automobile Club writes to Ferni. ”We have had the best weather for sixty years. The weather men say the weather is uncertain with a possibility of rainy and windy days. My feeling is that the good weather feels stable. It is ridiculous and sad at the same time to see this fine weather and not have you here. Frontiers can be crossed without delay. Naturally we will inform the officials.”

But though the flatness of the plains is an inestimable advantage in one way, in another it is a disadvantage. There is always wind. We were forced to wait several days before it was calm enough for an attempt. At last there was a lull, however, and I went up the road at 175 miles an hour, easily fast enough for the record. But a record, as you probably know, is worked out from the average speed of runs in opposite directions, and on the return run, with the bike moving once more at over 170, the enormous power of the engine sheared the key which held the sprocket. The sudden cessation of power gave me an awkward moment, and made me realise the tremendous resistance of the wind at that speed, for the machine slowed just as if something had gone tight. Indeed, at first we suspected that that was what had happened. It took us a couple of days to rectify matters, and then we went out again. The wind was still bad,

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and though we reached the road as usual at eight in the morning, it was tea-time before the breeze fell sufficiently for another run. Once again I made a good speed one way, only to run into minor troubles on the return trip. We told ourselves that the third time would be lucky, and prepared to start again. So for a third time I was pushed off. I settled myself along the tank, took a firmer grip, and gave her the gun. And this time nothing went wrong. By the time I returned, I had averaged 169.8 miles an hour for the two runs, and the record was ours. But we had to curb our jubilation for a while: our job wasn’t finished. For the next hour we worked feverishly fitting the side car to the bike and wondering, while we worked, whether the wind would hold off long enough for us to get the world’s fastest sidecar record as well. Fortunately, it did. With the side car attached I had a really hectic ride. I had to fight the machine all the way, and at one time I got the third wheel right off the road on to the grass verge. Since the bike was touching 145 when it happened, you may take it from me that was not one of life’s pleasanter moments. However, I kept on full throttle, and as I passed the timekeepers I saw on the ‘clock’ that the machine was doing 147. The speed for the run was 143.5 miles an hour, which left us a comfortable margin over Henne’s existing record, and we came back ‘quietly’ at about 130, giving us this record, too, at 137mph average. What is it like to be exposed on top of a motorcycle at nearly three miles a minute? The allimpressive thing is the colossal wind-pressure which tries to tear you backwards off the machine. Lift your head, and it is forced back. If your goggles are not positioned very carefully, the lenses are pressed on to your eyeballs, and until you slow down you can’t see a thing. Perhaps the most unexpected sensation is that of finding your cheeks flapping against your teeth like a flag in a breeze.

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The only way to avoid toothache is to suck in and hold them still. The engine noise, after a certain speed, seems to fade away behind you, drowned in the roar of the wind. A narrow ribbon of concrete appears to be dashing towards and under you, edged by a blur of green, and the most welcome sight of all is the little group of timekeepers at the finish. You wonder if you can reach them without easing your speed; and then, having passed them, your concentration is absorbed in slowing, which must be done very gradually. Danger? There must always be danger in exploring the unknown, and I was exploring speeds that had never been attained before on two wheels. But you don’t think of it. There are so many other things to occupy your attention. I had one speed wobble - at over 170 - and recovered in time to laugh at the spectators who were still trying to scramble over the roadside banks out of the way of the crash they imagined was coming. I nearly laughed myself into another. But one is enough - at that speed, at any rate. Why do we do it? - what is the use of it? people ask. Tourists travel now at the speeds I commenced racing at, though only fifteen years have passed since then. My two ton lorry is as fast as my first racing motor-cycle. That is progress. Beside which, we do it for the sake of British prestige.”

FERNI - THE MAN WHO PUT THE GAME BEFORE GAIN

But that was the year previously. That day in April 1938 he sets off. His Brough-Superior is complete with his “scalded cat “ mascot. Man and machine look good. There is a feeling of confidence. The best of British. Ferni crouches, hugging the chassis, he’s off. The road moves faster and faster in front of him, he feels the pull, he sucks, he knows what to do, he has done it before, he is hitting a 175mph. Now even faster. It couldn’t be better. He is in a bubble, he holds on. How could it be this easy?

Among the 120 letters of condolence sent to his wife, Dorothy, is a letter from the Cleveland Petrol Products who without any irony state “Ferni was a great sportsman who put the game before gain”. The Magyar Motor Club wrote of an “heroic, daring world record holder, the most chivalrous fighter and learned expert but also a great friend and a modest, kind gentleman.” His great rival Henne telegrammed Von der Todesnachricht meines ritterlichen Gegners Fernihough tief erschittert meine Aufrichtigste Anteilnahme

Then blank. The noise cuts in and black night descends. There had been a sudden gust of wind and the Brooklands Society Gazette wrote, “(it) pushed the machine off the road and into a drainage ditch where it was wrecked. Eric was killed instantly.”

Translation- ”Deeply moved by the death of my chivalrous opponent I send my sincerest condolence” Ernst Henne. Ferni was no ordinary man who accepted there were things he could not do. Of his career he had said, “My dreams have come true, I have achieved ambitions which when I was younger seemed as far off as the Moon.” His star shines forever on the school’s Wall of Fame. Thanks for the help given by Tony Hutchings Archivist of the Brooklands Society. HUGH THOMPSON (1960-1964)

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A milk churn on hambledon in 1953

n the 1940s and early 1950s the only contact a Clayesmorian could have with girls was during holidays. The School was a fairly tight knit community and contact with the outside world was rare. Going to the Cinema was banned unless one of the Masters thought the film had merit for students, which was not frequent and few instances can be recalled. David Spinney, a great fan of the Royal Navy in the era of Napoleon, much admired the novels by C. S. Forrester - a series of books charting the rise through the officer ranks from Midshipman of Horatio Hornblower, R.N. Warner Brothers, in Hollywood, adapted one of these for the Screen; “Captain Horatio Hornblower” with Gregory Peck in the leading role and Virginia Mayo as the “love interest”; so Americans playing Brits. David Spinney considered this educational so those interested trooped off to one of the two, yes two, Cinemas in Blandford to see this in 1951. In that era an Annual Event was a School production of one of the Gilbert and Sullivan Operettas. Starring Peter Burke, the Master of the School, and other members of staff, this was normally produced and directed by Carl Verrinder, but with much input by David Spinney in making the words of the Gilbert patter songs topical and often “cutting”. These Gilbert and Sullivan performances always had several female parts which the staff and younger boys could not fill. Then the School turned to Croft House School in Shillingstone; a girls’ Boarding School. Therefore, during rehearsals and the evening of the performance, Clayesmore Boys met Croft House Girls and, subsequently, problems could arise – nothing scandalous. If I recall correctly the production during the winter of 1952/3 was The Mikado and, of course, we needed the “Three Little Maids” and others from Croft House. This led to some romantic attachments between 6th Formers of each school. Roughly halfway between Iwerne and Shillingstone

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is Hambledon Hill and the trysting place was just above the chalk scar on the Iwerne side of the hill. This scar is less obvious now than 60 years ago as Hambledon Hill and Hod Hill have become National Nature Reserves. According to the Royal Commission on Historic Monuments “Hambledon Hill “is one of the most impressive earthworks in southern England” while Hod Hill’s multiple ramparts enclose “the largest hill fort in Dorset”. It has Iron Age origins and the Romans built a ditch and bank enclosure within the older fort and, it is claimed, Vespasian camped here around the time he was fighting the Durotriges, or Dorset Celts, who finally succumbed at Maiden Castle near Dorchester. Some of the Clayesmore 6th formers entranced by the Croft House Girls, found an old Milk Churn and hauled it to the top of Hambledon and placed it above the chalk scar. When in place they painted on the names of the boys and girls from each school who defied the school rules and met on the hill. The churn was, I recall of the size and shape in the sketch. One of my close friends was one the group considered “afflicted” by this attachment but it might cause problems by naming him or others in the group. Two of us, I recall Bernard Slater being one who joined me, walked to Hambledon, found the churn and cast it down into the Chalk Pit. When this dastardly deed was discovered, relations between friends became strained for some weeks, although it did not affect our longer term friendship. The Churn was not recovered and reinstated. I imagine that the School holidays interrupted and the romantic associations faded when we left School at the end of our 5 years’ stay. John Dukes (1948-1953)

Epstein - the play

A review by Hugh Thompson (1960-1964)

rian Epstein is a famous Old Clayesmorian. So, he went to many other schools and he was only three terms at Iwerne (19471948) and may have hated every minute. So what? You cannot rewrite history. Ten plus years ago I interviewed two of his contemporaries who would be about eighty now. One was captain of rugby and thoroughly despised the thirteen year old Epstein, who he saw as a “complete phoney” with his adult dress sense (suede shoes!), desire to be a dress designer and penchant for listening to Bach. That is, Epstein didn’t take sports seriously and, like most creative people at pre-1970 public schools, found the regime intolerable. The other was more sympathetic but also revealing. He understood Epstein was suffering from his father’s efforts to assimilate and morph his son into an English gentleman. He had previously been to a Jewish prep school and after Clayesmore spent two years at Wrekin College. He related a time when someone from a neighbouring dormitory wrote Jew on Epstein’s pillow. However, his friend didn’t like this and rallied the rest of the dorm to exact retribution on the graffiti writer; a story which shows the good and bad of a school. Anti-Semitism in a mild form was rife in British society until it was overtaken by other prejudices. Times change and political correctness rules. Anyway, the Clayesmore connection was an excuse to go and see the fringe play “Epstein - The Man who made the Beatles” which played in Soho for a month during high summer. It could also have been named “The Last Days of Brian”. Here was the Prince of Pop, high on drugs and alcohol, telling his life story and giving us an insight on how a man kicked out of National Service and dropping

out of RADA came to dominate the world pop scene, through the Beatles, Cilla Black, Gerry and the Pacemakers, and Billy J Kramer.

The continual need to reinvent themselves fits show business well. Or maybe a combination of the above?

In the play there is an excoriating scene, which may or may not have happened at Clayesmore, when a public school toff derides the school boy Epstein for his effeminate ways, Jewish name and faith.

Is it racist to discuss such things? One of Clayesmore’s other most successful sons, Stephen Joseph (theatre in the round, etc), was also a Jewish homosexual. A month after Epstein died in 1967 homosexuality ceased to be a crime.

He came across the Beatles in 1961 and in l967 died aged 32 of an overdose. He was, of course, gay at a time when that preference was illegal and therefore open to blackmail and worse. He was also conscious that his very preferential contract (25% not 10%) with the Beatles was coming up for renegotiation and the Beatles were becoming increasingly independent. He could see the writing on the wall. His father had just died. He was dependent on paid-for sex, he was in love with Lennon, he drank heavily and was addicted to a whole range of pills. However, the play makes a good case that it was an accidental overdose rather than a deliberate act which killed him off.

HUGH THOMPSON (1960-1964)

But the question ‘What did Epstein actually do and why was it him?’ the play posed but failed to answer satisfactorily. Maybe genius is always difficult to pin down. His style, his ear, his sales ability, his perseverance were all touched upon, as was being in the right place at the right time. But in the play there was rather too much of the agonising of a gay man lamenting his position, something we have seen in countless plays - often done much better. Maybe Epstein was just another part of the disproportionate and beneficial influence which Jews on both sides of the Atlantic have had on popular entertainment. Is it the music and the gothic symbolism in the Jewish faith or the chutzpah and the business ability, which has had to be developed as other occupations were denied?

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DID YOU HINDOOLY?

Contribution Donhead St Mary

he school has received a letter enclosing an article about the game Hindooly. This was printed and published in 1904 by the firm Charles Goodall and Son and was invented by Randolph Glen. Mr Howard Goodall writes that the game was very rare and says;

Miss Jocelyn and Miss Thomas were very nice to me They had a cosy cottage A long way from the sea Invited from the sixth form For a week-end of respite We came in batches, two by two Exams to put to flight.

“It is a trick-taking game, the winner is the first player to get rid of all his cards. The cards do not use normal suit signs but have Knobs, Spikes, Tiles and Shields. There are 60 cards in the pack.”

It was nested in a hillside With slopes and bowers adorned By rivulets and pussy-cats And ledges neatly lawned

Mr Goodall also relates how, “The game was not exciting enough to have survived long, but, surprisingly, it was still being played by the boys of Clayesmore School in the 1950s. They had a Hindooly Club with their own tie bearing the four strange suit signs.”

In any case its flavour Was like a paradise I think I’ve never seen again A place that’s quite as nice

Can anyone recall playing Hindooly, or does anyone still possess one of the club ties? Please get in touch if you do!

We sat around all day in sun Whose light would never die As if it always would be just That angle in the sky A walk up on the grassy hill Behind the cottage gave A lifting, breathing, flying feel That could a whole world save The evening came, with beans on toast And all the sparkling grub That tastes so dull to adult mouths That have to ride the hub When I was spinning on the rim O happy were my hours I didn’t know it then, so look again At what is happening now!

Mike Riddall (1945-1950)

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STAFF NEWS

Richard & Ann Geffen Richard and Ann Geffen retired at the end of the Summer Term of 2014, bringing to a close their eight year tenure. At their final prize-giving the Chairman of the Council of Governors, Mr John Andrews, kicked off the speeches by thanking them for their dedication and hardwork and tireless commitment to the school and its pupils. Though Clayesmore is undeniably hard to forget, OC Chair, Louise Salmond-Smith, helped to further strengthen their fond memories of the school by presenting them with an OC tie, bracelet and specially framed picture of the Main House, and welcoming them into the OC fold. Richard and Ann Geffen, pictured with ‘Florrie’ on the Prep School playing fields.

During his final Prize Giving speech Richard revealed that his initial intention was to retire last Christmas so he could watch the Ashes in Australia, but, fortunately, he was persuaded by Headmaster, Martin Cooke, and the Governors (who seem to possess an uncanny ability to predict cricket scores) to stay on until the end of the year – after all the Ashes disaster would have been a disappointing start to retirement! We wish them all the best for a long and happy retirement and hope to see them at OC events in the future - perhaps Richard may like to reprise his Cormorants career?

Colin Evans It was clear from the tributes paid to Colin at the annual Senior NCO Dinner in May by OCs that he leaves behind him a great legacy in the Clayesmore CCF after 22 years as SSI. Colin has been a remarkable member of Clayesmore staff, overseeing in excess of 2000 cadets who have passed through the ranks during his tenure. He leaves an important physical legacy in the air rifle range, the Field Gun, the Evans Cup and the NCO mess. In addition he has driven the schools minibuses, and spent countless hours coaching squash, encouraged pupils with their golfing exploits and helped to arrange the school’s annual golf day. He has developed the school’s most consistently decorated sports squad - the Orienteering team, winner of successive British Schools Championships whose team members have

Above: Colin at this year’s Senior NCO Dinner. Below: In Madagascar July 2014. Left Top: Squash Marathon Team. Left Bottom: Orienteering Squad c.1995.

Steve Wilson The Prep School bade farewell to Steve Wilson at the end of the Spring Term of this year after fourteen years. During this time he has managed and coached scores of U10 pupils in soccer, rugby and cricket, whilst also leading and working with the 1st XI hockey. So many pupils have had their enjoyment of sport instilled at an early age by Steve.

included Camilla Sims, Alexis Green and Stefanie Blomquist, all of whom went on to international success.

In addition to this, Steve has also led and run the Y5 trips to the Forest of Dean, the Y8 leavers trip, most recently to Spain, and the whole school family Ski trip. Everyone returning from these trips, adults or pupils, has come back buzzing about how much they have enjoyed themselves. We wish him all the best for the future.

Not content with this, together with his wife, Elaine or ‘Mrs E’, he has led expeditions to all corners of the world, from Peru to the Himalayas, encouraging pupils to broaden their horizons. His retirement from the CCF will be felt across the school but we very much hope that he will continue to support OC events in the future.

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David Starkey

Staff News Tim Weaver Many OCs will remember Tim Weaver, who has worked at the school since 2000, first in the Prep School teaching History for a short spell, and then as Maths and History teacher in the Senior School. He also found time to take on some LSC Maths lessons, where his calm manner and patience enabled many who found the subject a real struggle. Outside of the classroom he accompanied the U14B cricket team, chauffered the school’s riders and was at times a tutor to both Gate and Manor. In the Summer Term he ran the ‘Weaver Summer Fishing Charters’, which saw pupils taken sea fishing and where he had to deal with a number of issues such as stopping boys from having worm eating competitions. We wish him all the best for a long and happy retirement.

did ask David Starkey if I could introduce him as “the rudest man in Britain”. He was content for me to do so, but only if I attributed it because he felt that the attribution (The Daily Mail) would speak for itself. In fact, he is, of course, much better known as the outstanding Tudor historian and for his radio and television series. Though he was certainly abrasive in some of his views, particularly of Hilary Mantel, he was extremely courteous away from the platform and charmed the History Sixth Formers who sat with him at lunch.

Gary Glasspool The school bade farewell to Gary Glasspool, Assistant Head of Sixth Form at the end of the Summer Term 2014 after five years at Clayesmore. During this time he took over the Sixth Form Lecture programme and took on the challenge of Aardvark - the school’s Lower Sixth university experience programme through which he was to be found in trees, at Stonehenge at dawn and even in the Clayesmore lake dressed as a shark. Tony Chew wrote in this year’s Clayesmorian: ‘Gary leaves us to concentrate on his doctorate in Education. For some reason, after only five years at this serious academic establishment, he feels he has enough material for his thesis on humour in Education.... It has been great fun to work with him. I shall miss him greatly, the students will miss him greatly and his colleagues will miss him greatly. Certainly the aardvark will be inconsolable..... My only real and genuine regret for the school’s sake is that he will not be its Marshall Bernadotte to my Gustav IV Adolph.‘

Alastair Nye The School bade goodbye to Alastair Nye, Assistant Director of Music at the end of the Summer Term after six years. His skills came to the fore at our Choral Day events in 2011 and 2013 which he ran with great enthusiasm and his vocal efforts for the choir and the school’s barbershop group will be missed. We wish him all the best as he takes up his post as Director of Music at the Guernsey Ladies’ College.

It was a great privilege to hear such a distinguished historian talking about, in his words, “the greatest academic subject”. He placed a lot of stress on personality, blaming at least part of the French Revolution on Robespierre’s dyspepsia. He pointed out that we are familiar with the Tudors because they were the first generation to be subject to representational art and considered the geometry and propaganda of Holbein’s famous portrait of the King. The man is the portrait; there are no symbols of kingship and don’t need to be.

David Starkey gave many reasons why we were familiar with the Tudors and why they are so important. However, he left out one very important reason, David Starkey himself. He brought the Tudors to life, entertained us and educated us. It was a bravura performance and a great contribution to Clayesmore’s ‘Literature and Lunch’ day. Tony Chew Senior Master

Starkey explained why the Tudors matter so much (“the most important turning point since the Norman conquest”). Henry VII he saw as “emotionally dependent” and deeply affected by the fact that he had been brought up by his mother and was not the intended King. He spoke of Henry VIII’s children Edward VI, responsible for a Gordon Brown like Puritan rule, Mary (“The English Medea” with the “eyes of Caligula” and “the mouth of Marilyn Monroe)” and Elizabeth “the born again virgin”. He said that the “Virgin Queen” only came 20 years after her reign and her earlier portraits reflect ”fertility and fecundity”. There were some glorious quotes to savour “The English are rubbish at painting”. “Henry VIII is the only King whose shape you remember” (What about Louis Philippe?), and “The Hugh Gaitskill of the 16th century” (reference to Geoffrey Elton). The famous Louis XVI painting he described as “a supreme piece of camp”, suggesting that one could not expect anything more from a Frenchman called Hyacinth.

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Letters and Notices

Photographs identified A number of photographs have been successfully identified this year:

Nicholas Gwinn (1950-1953) writes:

Chris Savory (1972-1975) writes:

What Car is Clayesmore?

Found in the Cupboard

I was amused to read the Headmaster’s comment on page 11 concerning the consensus opinion at a Governor’s meeting sometime ago, that if the school was a car it would have to be a Volvo estate. He didn’t mention the particular marque but having bought one he made some uncharitable remarks about it. I venture to say that he was unlucky as 25 years ago I purchased a new Volvo Estate 740 GLE Auto and am still driving it having achieved a mileage of some 8000 miles shy of 250,000. It is still in very good shape and there is a strong possibility that it will survive me.

I attended Clayesmore Prep in 1972/3 when it was located at Iwerne Minster, then moved to the ‘Big school’ as it was known, in 1974. The chap in the below image was Frith, can’t remember his Christian name (may have been Russell) and he was in the same year as me when I was at the Public School.

Cars of Clayesmore Reading Anthony Prewett’s article reminds me of an occasion one summer’s day in 1953 when I was passing the ancient wooden garage where the Reverend Scadding kept his perhaps even more ancient Morris. There I happened upon a school friend, who had been charged with tending the vehicle that was at the time standing stylishly outside the garage. My friend seemed eager to show me his driving skill and having started the car proceeded to reverse it at speed through the closed garage doors causing them to shatter into a myriad of planks and splinters. Fortunately, the car seemed totally unscathed.

Wish I could lay claim to being the subject of the batsman but unfortunately my strokes weren’t as good! Hope this helps.

Thanks very much Chris - Editor

Top of the Pops Peter Drapkin’s article ‘A Snapshot in Time’ reminds me that in my day (1953) the weekly evening rendition of ‘Top of the Pops’ on Radio Luxembourg was hosted by Peter Murray. A number of us used to congregate in the cellar drying room that was off the far right hand corner of the shower room. Behind a thick wooden door the drying room was both relatively soundproof and warm. However, it dawned on one of the regular listeners that the domestic staff rest room, also in the cellar, was an even safer bet being that at 10pm it would be unlikely that any staff would come along and any passing prefect would not be suspicious if he heard a radio on in there. Another attraction of the staff room was the staff supper leftovers; a tad superior to the school suppers. About six weeks into this ruse and half way through the programme, we were surprised by a deaf and dumb member of the domestic staff. This guy was as surprised as we were and began making a great deal of guttural noise. Our attempts to let him know we were just listening to the radio failed miserably and we scarpered. From then on it was back to the drying room.

Jeremy Robert Richardson (1944-1946) Appeal for Information

Pictures of the Month Thank you to Heath Annan and Nick Simpson for their help in identifying individuals in this 1987 photograph of the school’s first computer lab which was January’s Picture of the Month. They named James Easterbrook, Nick Simpson, Simon Wason, Jamie Dyke and the Candy Twins. Thanks also to Colin Scragg, Simon Tilden and Jeremy Watts who identified James Seddon with Steve Coleman, Robert Hill, Charles Regnart and Stuart Appleby in October’s Picture of the Month which featured the Prep School Sports Day of 1980.

The son of the late Jeremy Robert Richardson has been in touch with the Society asking for information about his father’s time at the school. If you have any memories of him, please email Louise Smith and she will pass the information along. Thank you.

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THE PLAMENATZ ESSAY 2014

THE PLAMENATZ ESSAY

The winner of this year’s Plamenatz Essay Prize is Fern White-Andrews Does positive discrimination undermine equality of opportunity?

ow could the idea of righting a wrong possibly undermine a principle of social justice? Here, surely, is a question to tempt the societal explorer onto some patchy, if not very thin, moral ice. The prudent observer might start by testing the meaning of an expression that is more-than-usually loaded with a burden of seemingly righteous certainties. Nevertheless, to start any determination of whether or not positive discrimination does indeed undermine equality of opportunity, it is necessary to establish a clear understanding of what positive discrimination, or what is often referred to as affirmative action, is. Positive discrimination can be defined as the award of an extra advantage to an individual or a group to compensate for a perceived or actual disadvantage in their circumstances or personal characteristics. In the UK, the law prohibits certain categories of discrimination, namely those on the grounds of age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, race and religion.

If positive discrimination feels wrong it is because it causes indirect discrimination to others and undermines merit and limits opportunities for everyone in society in order to favour minorities. On the other hand, it has, arguably, achieved some beneficial outcomes. President Nixon’s policy of affirmative action to increase the employment prospects of African-Americans has had profound effects, many of them perceived to be beneficial for American society. The longerterm consequences have yet to be judged. We might ask why Dr Martin Luther King was opposed to affirmative action. Perhaps it was because Dr King saw clearly the difference between policies and values. Positive discrimination is inherently problematic. The main problem which arises from it is that the principle of selection on the grounds of merit is undermined. Many grounds for discrimination are not related to personal merit – they are connected

to traits over which the individual has no control. He or she cannot choose their age, sex or race. Introducing such grounds as a basis for making favourable choices or requiring a certain quota of such choices to be made inevitably means that some of the best and some of the less-than-thebest will be chosen. Past cases have demonstrated the severity of the issue of affirmative action, as it leads to people gaining an advantage over those who arguable deserve an opportunity above them. One of the most controversial examples of positive discrimination in recent years is to be found in the admissions policies of universities. Many universities, in both the United States and the United Kingdom, have been forced to admit to discriminating consciously in order to fill their quotas of applicants from groups deemed by government – which funds universities – to be under-represented, particularly regarding race and socio-economic class. Although it may seem fair to favour people who are disadvantaged in comparison to other people, it is impossible to know the outcome of the affirmative choice until the candidates have completed their studies. Consider, for example two applicants to study medicine. The university made one an offer requiring three Bs; and the other, perceived to be disadvantaged, an offer of three Cs. If it were possible objectively to link intellectual potential to traits connected to disadvantage and to assess the two candidates in that way, then the case for positive discrimination seems arguably just. However the person from the less advantaged background could objectively be less able but still be given the place at the university over the other person. Society then pays for the consequences of denying someone an opportunity because they have been fortunate enough to have been born into a family outside the disadvantaged group; and a candidate enters medical training who might not be intellectually equipped to realise the benefits for society of such training. It simply is not possible to know the potential consequences because affirmative action has set aside the objective

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consideration of merit. Surely this must inexorably lead to the undermining of levels of achievement and the lowering of standards. The social benefits of such action, which is social engineering by any other name, are harder to determine and must take into account the dilution of quality. We cannot ignore, though, that society does create conditions which discriminate against certain people and circumstances. Is there a place for positive discrimination to compensate people for circumstances beyond their control? Here is the nub of the argument for diversity in society and whether it should be left to evolve or be actively engineered. Having argued against the dilution of merit by positive discrimination, as a conscious feminist, I find it impossible to stand by whilst discrimination against women endures in society today, despite people believing that the issue of gender inequality is resolved. Is there a higher order of values and policies to be applied? I believe there is. We live in the era of human rights, not the era of feminism. Society is rejecting the idea of affirmative action to redress inequality because it is neither sound nor justified. Does not affirmative feminism for its own sake dilute the powerful cause of human rights? Inequalities do persist. Despite the modern rhetoric of equality and diversity in 2014, only three out of twenty two members of the UK Cabinet are women. The antidote to this absurd situation is not in affirmative action which would, in any case, be ridiculed. This is the territory of the genuine and respectful observance of human rights by which means women are as likely as men to be respected, educated, appointed and promoted. Feminism is only one dimension of the antidote to that condition and it has often seen affirmative action as an easy tactic. But such action does not remove the need for the defences to a woman’s integrity. Health, employment and education are the real powers of change. It is time to put feminism and affirmative action – providing for too long a ready-made bastion for misogynists – to one side, in favour of the pursuance of human rights at every level and in every group. This is much more difficult

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than social engineering but, critically, it has moral and social integrity. Positive discrimination is not an end in itself: it floats on a raft of many surrounding issues which cannot be ignored. The objective testing of merit alone would render it unnecessary but that surely is a counsel of perfection in a flawed reality. On the other hand, the easy gains of affirmative action do not respect the deeper values of a genuine culture of human rights. We might remember that the UK drafted the first European Convention on Human Rights in 1951 (although it took another forty seven years to ratify it in its own law). There is the challenge of equality of opportunity – not in positive discrimination but in the objective pursuit in our own society of human rights for all. FERN WHITE-ANDREWS (2009-2014)

FROM THE ARCHIVES

From the archives

What a Roll of Honour we shall have to place on our walls, and how we shall envy those who are away and curse our fate that we cannot be with them! Clayesmorian. September 1914.

On 20th December the Baron de Vomecourt, one of whose sons was still at the school, was killed by a shell and Lex writes the first of many moving tributes in the Clayesmorian to friends, parents and boys who died in the war .

100 Years Ago - Clayesmore in 1914

n the Easter holidays of 1914, Clayesmore School, now 18 years old, moved from Pangbourne to Northwood Park, just outside Winchester. The new premises already housed a naval crammer called Eastman’s RN Academy and, though it had “gone into decay”, there were still 20 boys who were somewhat surprised to start the Summer Term combined with a new school and under a new Headmaster. Spinney’s book says that “ghastly chaos and confusion reigned”. However, Clayesmore’s pioneering spirit seems to have triumphed even in the face of earth closets. Indeed before the end of term a formal School photo was taken of the 81 boys and 9 staff. It is in stark contrast to the informal school groups taken earlier in the school’s career and suggests that Clayesmore had become a proper public school. Before the start of the next term, the First World War had started. Alexander Devine (Lex), the founder Headmaster of Clayesmore, now realised that the products of his young and not entirely conventional public school were to be tested in war. At the start of the war, according to the Clayesmorian, over 80% of the Old Boys of the school were in the armed forces and OCs joined up from the United States, Canada and the Argentine. Nor did they only join the British army. The Ambert brothers were in the French army, two old boys were in the Belgian army and four Russian OC’s, including Prince Michael Wolkonsky (who survived the war and the revolution and became a soloist in the Belgrade Opera), were in the Tsar’s armies. Alexander Ambert wrote “I will remember my old English school and fight with all my soul and strength. Good-bye, Mr Devine, and believe me your very faithful Clayesmorian.” He was to die in the trenches less than a year later. One of Lex’s first tasks was to hand over a set of photographs of the Dalmatian Coast to the War Office. He had taken them at the time of

The OTC c.1915.

Northwood Park, Clayesmore’s home from Easter 1914.

the Balkan Wars and they showed the Austrian fortifications. Lex also puts in an application to the War office for permission to form a company of the OTC at Clayesmore and by January 1915 this was up and running. At least they had a big drum, two side drums and three bugles which “has added to the marching powers of the squads”.

Jan Asser, arriving for the Autumn Term, from Amsterdam via Flushing, describes travelling on a boat crowded with Belgian refugees down the Scheldt, past “unhappy Belgium”. “But here one could perceive no sign of the terror of war”. Indeed Lex took on a 17 year old Belgian refugee Henri Percy, (“left destitute by the war”). Another boy who came in 1914 was Gustave Rolin Hymans, whose father Paul Hymans was to represent Belgium at the Paris Peace Conference and later became the second President of the League of Nations.

Among the boys who joined the school in 1914 was Ralph Ronald Waterer, who was later to become a Thames punting champion. Jerome Alexander Sillem from Amsterdam was to join the 3rd Karakorum expedition as an ornithologist in 1929. He has a finch, Leucosticte Sillemi, and a spider Sillemia Clavifemur, named after him. JW McCoy won the first DSC of World War 2. His ship HMS Triumph was mined in the Skagerrak in December 1939. Tony Chew School Archivist and Honorary OC

Leucosticte Sillemi, a finch named after Jerome Alexander Sillem, who joined the school in 1914. Alexander Ambert

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Clayesmore 1st XI Summer 1914. Two pictured, Lyonel Clark (far left, standing) and Jamie Stewart (far right, seated), were to die in the war. The Old Clayesmorian • MMXIV

From the archives

75 Years Ago - Clayesmore in 1939

50 Years Ago - Clayesmore in 1964

Speech Day

Editorial

Earl de la Warr was the guest of honour on Speech Day. The Headmaster, welcoming him, said it was not often they had an Old Clayesmorian who was also a Cabinet Minister and President of the Board of Education. So far as Clayesmore was concerned, they were fortunate, for the School had registered an increase so that the numbers had practically doubled in four years. They had had many additions to the buildings, including new classrooms, and activities now extended to a pack of beagles.

Not only has the wind of change been felt here at Clayesmore during the past year; its results, too, have been seen. The Bursar and builders and architects are viewed with suspicion as they wander round the School looking at the buildings and taking measurements. School Play - Twelfth Night The School play, ‘Twelfth Night,’ had a commendable run during the Lent term, with three performances at the School, and a fourth at the Rudolph Steiner Hall, London. The cast and Mr Verrinder are to be congratulated on the excellent production, and Miss Dear also deserves praise for the brilliance of the costumes.

The Clayesmore Play This year’s production, ‘Rose and Glove’, by Hugh Ross Williamson, was generally considered to be less successful than that of ‘Noah’ last year. But it is only fair to remember that an epidemic deprived ‘Rose and Glove’ of two weeks’ rehearsal, and that other illness robbed it of two leading actors - one of these falling sick after the dress rehearsal.

Hockey It has been a successful season in spite of a forward line which did not develop until late in the term. The defence, on the other hand, put up a very good and consistent show the whole season. Many of our games seem to have been played on wet and muddy pitches. The OCs team was too good for us this year - perhaps it was their new shirts that gave them that extra confidence!

Beagles We have great hopes that the pack, having survived this first season, will continue as a prosperous institution. Many good days were enjoyed last season, and with our increased experience and hopes of some better hunting country, we can look forward to some good sport in the coming season.

Clayesmore Cormorants The Cormorants enjoyed their most successful cricket week to date this year, winning four of their seven matches. The brunt of the bowling was borne by Buck, Hayden, F Stones and Wilkinson, with very useful support from Dennett, Price, Miller and P Deane.

Top: Bird Club Annual Report 1938-1939. Middle: A Salton and D Walser in ‘The Rose & Glove’, 1939. Bottom: Clayesmore Beagles, 1939.

Top: The Clayesmorian 1964 Middle: 1st XI Hockey Team, 1964 Bottom: Scene from Twelfth Night

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From the archives

25 Years Ago - Clayesmore in 1989

10 Years Ago - Clayesmore in 2004

Editorial

The Spinney Centre Opens

The Old Theatre has entered into the mythology of the school and its “comforts” and amenities are possibly fonder in the memory than they were in reality. At last, on a space between the Sports Centre and King’s, a new theatre has risen. From outside it has been dubbed a “Mission to Seamen” but its exterior simplicity is inoffensive and does not prepare one for the attractive and light interior, faced in pine and decorated in mustard yellow.

A 1.2 million new classroom complex has been opened. Named the ‘Spinney Centre’ as a tribute to the School’s retiring Chairman of Governors, Ron Spinney, the new building covers 1052 square metres. It encompasses Geography, History, Business Studies and Careers classrooms, as well as a new staff suite. This extra accomodation has made way for further development within existing facilities at the school - primarily for Design and Technology which will be reconfigured and expanded.

For the Record: First word spoken - “Humpage” First balloon ascent - Duncan Olby Most audible prompt - “But I hate muffins” First murderer - Graeme Owton

The Clayesmore Lecture Impassioned, devoted to his subject and enthusiastic, Dennis Silk delivered the 32nd Clayesmore Lecture in a packed Sports Centre under the title of “Siegfried Sassoon.” With a lilt to his voice that makes listening a pleasure, the speaker proved himself to be an orator of real merit as well as a ‘veritable legend in his own lifetime’, as the Headmaster introduced him.

The Clayesmore Lecture In the year in which the Clayesmore Lecture came of age it seemed entirely appropriate that the guest speaker was Dame Diane Reader Harris. The emphasis in the lecture was undoubtedly academic; indeed, the tone was from the outset scholarly. The chosen theme, “Shakespeare’s use of the Bible”, allowed Dame Diana to link the academic to the religious and education world.

Prep School Celebrates 75 Years Celebrations for the Prep School’s 75th Anniversary began in February, the month that marked the inception of the School in 1929, with a Founder’s Day service in the School Chapel. This was an occasion for the whole School to come together and give thanks for the passage of 75 years and to celebrate the success of the Prep School as it is today. Many former staff, headmasters and past pupils were present for this moving and memorable occasion.

Computers Clayesmore are the lucky winners of Lesser Building Products “School Computer Draw”. The new computer, with its 30 megabyte capacity, dual drive and enhanced colour display, is the school’s seventeenth and most sophisticated machine. It will be used by the school’s A-Level students in their Computer Science studies.

Top: The Clayesmorian 1989. Middle: The Theatre nears completion. Bottom: The Headmaster, Dame Diana Reader Harris and the Chairman of the Council, Roger Kingwill, at the Clayesmore Lecture. The Old Clayesmorian • MMXIV

Top: ‘Celebration’ Newsletter, 2004. Middle: Dennis Silk delivers the 32nd Clayesmore Lecture. Bottom: Former Prep School Heads at the Founder’s Day Service.

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School Roll of honour The centenary of the outbreak of the First World War provided school archivist Tony Chew with the opportunity to undertake some research into those from Clayesmore who died as a result of the conflict.

n this process, three OCs were discovered on other public schools’ Rolls of Honour but not on ours, and we were able to add a name from our Roll of Honour to that of Loretto. This research has been published by The Clayesmore Society in a new book - ‘Clayesmore Roll of Honour 1914-1918; which was presented to those attending the Service of Dedication in Ypres this March. The book features profiles of each of the OCs, along with excerpts from the school archives about life at the school during the war. It is available to purchase from the school at a cost of £15.

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spinney memorial trust The Spinney Memorial Trust, a registered charity, was established in 1990 by The Old Clayesmorian Society. The Trust seeks to support individual pupils in a way that enables them to do the things that without the Trust’s financial support they may not be able to do. 2015 brings the Trust’s 25th anniversary and a celebration to mark this milestone is planned for the Spring Term OC Day at the school on Sunday 22 March 2015. For full details of this day please see Diary Events on page 134. The Trustees and the School look forward to welcoming as many OCs as possible together with their families to join in the celebration marking 25 years of ‘Old Clayesmorians supporting today’s Clayesmorians’.

Spinney memorial trust

Funding Towards Music Equipment Since receiving the contribution from the Trust I was able to buy a Macbook Air. As intended I then bought Logic Pro X and with the help of Mr Andrews I am just at the beginning of learning all the sounds and recording abilities it is capable of. With my own Christmas money I also purchased speakers and a microphone and stand, so I am now set up with what is a pretty sophisticated complete recording studio. All of this has further cemented in my mind, and made me determined to go into the music industry. I fully intend to be a musician/composer and producer. As part of this long-term plan, in September I start courses

Here follow reports from those who have recently received funding from the Trust.

here at Clayesmore in A Level Music Tech and A Level Music alongside a BTech in ICT. As part of my music scholarship awarded to me for Sixth Form, I also intend to take up percussion. Also last November, I achieved my Grade 8 with distinction in piano, so my intention is now to carry on and achieve a diploma in piano. To have any hope of succeeding in the music industry I know I have to play at a high level, andknow how to compose and fully understand the technical demands of modern music making. The money from the Trust facilitated a major part of that understanding and has set me on the road I fully intend to travel. Finn Murphy

RADA - Sound for the Theatre, Technical Summer Course Last year I was lucky enough to receive funding from The Spinney Memorial Trust to attend the above course at RADA in Gower Street, London.

talk on the different types of microphones available in the theatre and when and where and how they should be used.

With some trepidation I arrived at RADA on the morning of Monday 15th July to be greeted by the Head of Admissions and Short Courses, Sally Power. Everyone attending the summer courses assembled in the Gielgud Theatre (which sounded daunting in itself!) to be welcomed by the Director of Technical Courses, Neil Fraser, and we were introduced to all the course tutors. During the week seven different courses were taking place from the backstage technical side of the theatre to corset making and scenic art. Everyone was very friendly and put all us students at ease.

The second day was the start of the week’s project which was a radio play based on the fairy tale “Hansel and Gretel”.

My course tutor, Tshari King (to be known as TK!), then took us on a tour of the Academy and showed us all the important places like the loos and canteen! The first morning disappeared in health and safety instructions and generally getting to know each other. After an early lunch the course started in earnest. The afternoon was spent learning the art of acoustics and their place in the musical theatre, finishing off with a

We started the project by assigning roles to each other including sound operators and characters. We then went on to talk about how we were going to record the piece which brought in the previous day’s knowledge of microphones. In the afternoon session we were taught about the software that we would use to manipulate and process our recordings. The third day was made up of recording the whole play including how to set up microphones and how to root the sound desk. By the end of the day we managed to record every part and get it set out into order in Pro Tools (the computer software we were using).

During this exercise we were taught about live sound operation during performances and studied all the various roles of the entire sound team. The final day was spent tweaking the piece and then learning about different types of processors and samplers used in the production of sound. In the afternoon all groups from the various courses met up and we all viewed each other’s work. The whole week was a fantastic experience – it seemed to fly by - everything I have learnt I have been able to utilise at school which has been so rewarding. My aim is still to have a sound career in the world of live theatre and this half term I have been lucky

On the fourth day our time was taken up by the group processing and editing the recording by adding effects and audio tracks.

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enough to be offered work experience with the London Productions of War Horse and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – so it will be amazing to see everything I learnt during that week in “real-life” action! My plan is to study Theatre Production at University – specialising in my second or third year (depending on the Uni I attend) in Sound Production – my dream would be to attend RADA but I will also apply to Bath Spa, London Central and possibly Winchester. I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Committee for giving me the opportunity to attend this course. Monty Evans

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Spinney memorial trust

RADA - Lighting Design for Theatre, Technical Summer Course I arrived on the morning of Monday 15th July and was met by Sally Power who is the Head of Admissions and short courses at RADA. I was then shown to a theatre where I was warmly greeted by Neil Fraser who is the Director of the Technical Courses. I was then introduced to all of the tutors for the week ranging from dress making to props to technical theatre. My course leader was Matt Prentice who guided us around the building and showed us where the lighting store and other rooms were located.

Last year I received a grant from the Clayesmore Spinney Memorial Trust which allowed me to attend a RADA Lighting Technical Summer Course.

We spent the first morning of the course getting to know everyone and their experience in theatre followed by a lecture from Matt Prentice giving us an introduction to the course and explaining what we would be aiming to complete each day. After lunch we began exploring the lights we had available to us. We started learning about lighting design and the role of the designer and how the lighting equipment is used in a theatre. He then taught us how to read and understand lighting plans and he set us a task of lighting the theatre space using just these diagrams that had been previously made (we were pretty close apparently!).

Day 2 consisted of colour theory followed by a practical exercise. We began this exercise by working together as a team and assigning roles best within our abilities, ranging from lighting control operator to rigging of the lights. We then sat down and formed a plan of how we were going to light the scene we had been set which was a lonely man inside a jail. We were told we had to use a gobo and the moon shining through the background. Day 3 seemed to fly past learning about how to effectively program and plot lights. We were tasked with having to recreate a scene from a picture using the exact same colours, gobos and fixtures. We had to program the lights to fade up and flash for 10 seconds before snapping out and saving this to a disk and loading it up in a CAD software. Once the fourth day arrived I was exhausted and taken back by the amount of information I had learnt throughout the week. Today we were faced with lighting an acting area to create a sense of isolation from the other parts of the stage. Incorporated into this was learning basic electrical theory about how lights are actually configured and work and which was extremely complex. After lunch we were then assigned our final task for the week on which we worked throughout the rest of the day and the final

day before presenting it to the other members of the courses at 4pm on the Friday. The task was to tell a story in four minutes. The story was about a girl on her own who then finds love before her heart is broken and she kills herself. We all thought this was pretty impossible to tell in four minutes but that’s why it was a challenge! The final afternoon of the course was manic with people putting final touches to their ‘mini shows’ but it all turned out extremely successful. Once the deadline of 4pm arrived we had to stop and were shown around all the other coursework. One which took me by surprise was the prop making because it was so realistic. I really very much enjoyed the whole experience of attending RADA and I have been able to take the skills I learnt there back to school and improve on my work and ideas which I think made the whole experience very worthwhile. I would like to thank the whole Spinney Trust committee very much for making it possible for me to go on this course, which I gained greatly in knowledge and experience. toby Ashfield

Kayaking in Canada I was given the oppportunity by the Spinney Trust to travel to Canada for freestyle kayak training. Canada is one of the best places in the world for such a sport with massive rapids and waves that can be used for the biggest tricks with maximum air! The trip was run by GB freestyle kayaking team coach, Dennis Newton, and Spanish freestyle team coach, Jacko Jackson. This, therefore, allowed me to improve massively with such a good opportunity of great coaching and large volume rivers. The trip was two weeks long starting on the Ottawa river before travelling to Montreal to paddle the famous La Chine wave. It was the

most amazing experience using these giant rapids in the middle of some of the most beautiful places. The trip increased my experience massively and I now use many techniques I learnt to help me compete in European national and international competitions.

It was the Spinney Trust who helped me afford the flights to Canada and I am so grateful to them for giving me such a great opportunity. Hugo Scott

After the trip I went on to come 4th in a UK international competition called the Hurley Classic before coming 4th in the GB selection to place me in the GB squad and first reserve for the team. I will now be competing in the international Spanish World Cup and I will be travelling reserve for the European championships of freestyle kayaking.

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Sports

SPORT ~ From the Sports Secretary

his has been a challenging year for OC Sport. We are looking at some ways to revitalise OC interest in traditional OC fixtures against the school as well as other OC sporting events throughout the year.

only to play in the fixtures but also as spectators as well. I remember one year there being two OC Hockey teams out for the men’s fixture, a 1st XI and a 2nd X1. Help me bring back those days and let us know if you are interested to play.

In the mens’ section we have managed to honour all 3 of the traditional fixtures against the school the football by far taking the limelight as interest by OCs to play in this fixture is high. In the hockey it was difficult to get the full 11 starting line up which is the first time in many years but we still managed a 10-a-side game thanks to the addition of some members of school staff. A few years ago the OC put a rugby team into Cronk-Cunis National U21 XVs Festival which is something the OC Committee is keen to do again. There is some work at looking into other rugby tournaments for our OC players for the future. The Clayesmore Cormorants Cricket Week is still thriving. Also the Golf Society continues to attract numbers of OC players. Separate reports have been produced for the Hockey, Cricket, Football, Cormorants and Golf.

Work has commenced on a sporting hall of fame for the OC Society on our website. This will be a list of all OCs that have represented a county team (whether at school, after school, or currently). We also want to know about anyone represented or still playing top class sport – e.g. in one of the national leagues for Football, Rugby, Hockey, Cricket, etc. Please let us know names, dates, team names, and position. Watch the website for progress on this front.

In the ladies’ section we have really struggled. Unfortunately this year we have not been able to get enough numbers from the OC ranks to put on any of the 3 traditional fixtures against the school.

After a very difficult year we are looking for to a fantastic season next year. A big thank you to all those players that have turned out in 2013-2014 and to all those that have helped organise the fixtures. Looking forward to seeing you all next year. Barry Julyan (1986-1992)

Plans for the 2014-2015 season are to create team captains to help create enthusiasm for each of the individual fixtures against the school utilising more recent leavers to help promote the matches. Additionally, we are looking to set up a database of all OCs that are interested in playing sport against the school or other OC fixtures. It doesn’t matter about your age or ability, we want to hear from you if you are interested in playing. If you are interested please contact the Sports Secretary through the OC website or the Development Officer at Clayesmore. Please let us know what other sports you would like to see on the calendar and we will see what we can do. I remember when I was at the school that the OC Sports fixtures were a key highlight in the OC calendar bringing many OCs back to the school not The Old Clayesmorian • MMXIV

Sport ~ Hockey

Sport ~ Cricket he annual OC hockey match against the school returned this March after last year’s postponement due to snow.

The school were victorious retaining bragging rights. Taking to the pitch in a 10-a-side game the OCs took the lead with a quality deflection wrong footing the school keeper, much to the surprise of the youngsters. Unfortunately for the OCs that was to be the end of the sound of the ball crashing against the back board in our favour, with the school scoring 3 unanswered goals utilising their speed advantage throughout. It was probably the fair outcome although the old boys (not literally) did produce scoring opportunities and played some stellar hockey at times. A very enjoyable game despite the 2 lashings of hailstones. Thank you to the school team and Rich Miller and, of course, the OCs: Freddie, Andrew, Callum, Thomas, Fergus, Henry, Tristan, Tom, with, the additions of masters Chris, Keith and Paul.

n what turned out to be a rather exceptionally chilly and blustery day the Cormorants (the OCs) made their way to Dorset in the hope of a cracking game of cricket, a good lunch and, of course, a chance to spend time back at Clayesmore to reminisce and hopefully teach those young blokes a thing or two about cricket. Although the day’s cricket did not go to plan for the OCs (more on that later), it was overall a fantastic day with both sides entering into the spirit of the match perfectly. ‘Rants skipper Ned Lack won the toss and elected to bat. The old adage of trying to get runs on board early usually holds true but there were demons in the green-topped wicket today - and slightly gloomy overhead conditions. The top five did their best impression of a reversed batting order and it wasn’t until old muckers G. Swaby and R. Gutteridge that the damage inflicted by the clinical opening partnership of J. Richardson and C. Martin with excellent catching from the fielders on a chilly day - was temporarily abated. RG being undone by one that came back to into him down the hill and Swaby looking to charge B. Thompson, after a one ball sighter, it was left to Cormorant’s guest (and star player) D. Rimmer to make sure the leather got a bit of treatment and save the first innings from a total ‘mare’ as the youngsters would say.

Tom Evans (2000-2005)

And so to the School innings and it was the pair of J. Richardson and C.Martin who were to initially punish the Old Boys, putting an opening stand of 71 before the turn-coat change bowling of school Coach D.Conway and rising star J.Price, grabbing 6 for 16, reigned in the scoring and Cormorants war horse, Andy Dike, chipping in with 3 wickets himself to see the School slide from 71 for 1 to 132 all out. And that was lunch and still two innings to play. With the OCs in arrears it was vital they fuelled up on the spread laid on by the school.

Above: The two teams in front of the Pavilion.

next year? Making a much improve fist of their second innings, declaring on 147 for 7 with great contributions to run scoring cause from J.Price 37, Andy Dike 42* and N.Lack 19. So having set the School to 75 win on a now worn wicket and the afternoon sun on the OCs back, they set to work to try to run through the batting line up quickly. The wickets were falling at regular intervals, 8-1, 16-2, 22-3, 34-4, 42-5, 58-6 and 64-7 it was looking like it could still be either sides’ day. But it was some staunch resistance from G.Maddison’s to N.Lack’s guile, dip and turn and J.Campion’s seaming line and length anchored the chance. And it was left to the evergreen C.Middle and B.Thompson to knock off the winning runs, to much jubilation from the School ‘balcony’, as they secured a three wicket win. So a great day’s cricket, albeit the School the slightly happier side, but as usual a fantastic chance for old friends to catch up, the game we all love so much to be played where many of us first learnt out cricketing trade and, of course, a chance to meet future OCs and hopefully pressgang / convince them to come on this year’s Cormorants Cricket Week. Greg Swaby (2000-2005)

Lunch seemed to do the trick for the ‘Rants, could the School lay on a hearty breakfast for the OCs

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SPORT ~ Clayesmore Cormorants

Top: Cormorants v Butterflies - before the storm. Left: Cormorants v Butterflies, Sunday

Sunday 6 July T20 Tournament At Bryanston

Clayesmore Cormorants v Bryanston Butterflies Clayesmore Cormorants (96-2) beat Bryanston Butterflies (92 all out) by 8 wickets (J.Price 3-10, L. Askew 3-10, J.Whiteside 26, G.Hicks 50*)

he tour started in spectacular fashion with the Cormorants destroying the Butterflies. A new look bowling attack - including three debutants - steamrolled through the Butterflies tepid batsmen. Jamie Price picked up three wickets, two coming from cleverly disguised slower balls. Askew also had a fine debut as he mopped up the tail with his brand of left arm spin. The chase started well with Swarbrick and Hicks rolling back the years and dispatching some buffet bowling to the fence. Unfortunately, Swarbrick was a little greedy and had to make way for Jack Whiteside, who was hungry to impress on debut. And he didn’t let us down, a quick fire 26 - including a towering 6 – provided excellent support to the ever impressive Hicks. After Whiteside fell, Hicks continued his excellent work and won the game in extravagant style with a reverse sweep going to the fence to bring the win and a half century for Hicks.

Clayesmore Cormorants v Sherborne Pilgrims Match abandoned due to rain; Sherborne Pilgrims won after bowl-off In high spirits after a thumping victory over the Butterflies, the Cormorants faced the Pilgrims in the Stour Cup final. Unfortunately, the Pilgrims had God on their side and the heavens opened just as the Cormorants looked to be on their way to an insurmountable total. The match had to be abandoned and the Stour Cup was going home with the Pilgrims after a rarely seen bowl-off.

Monday 7 July Clayesmore Cormorants v Canford Cygnets Canford Cygnets (90-2) beat Clayesmore Cormorants (87 all out) by 8 wickets (A.Webb 20, A.Dike 2-40) On a damp day and a pudding of a pitch the Cormorants were abysmal from beginning to end. Limp with the bat, unimaginative with the ball, we simply were not good enough for the Cygnets. A day so unmemorable, that I can’t even recall a silver lining.

Tuesday 8 July Clayesmore Cormorants v Bryanston Butterflies Bryanston Butterflies (265-9) beat Clayesmore Cormorants (264-9 declared) by 1 wicket (G.Hicks 97, A.Dike 51*, H.Cossins 3-42, A.Dike 3-61)

This year’s tour was greatly enjoyed by new and old Cormorants and, as expected, the results were “mixed”

arrived at Bryanston determined to put in a good performance, but things started horribly as Owton was worked over expertly by the Butterflies attack; first he wore the short ball before his stumps were smashed with a full ball. Hicks, though, was determined to put up a fight and expertly dispatched 20 runs from the fourth over with a devastating display of hitting! Hicks continued to pile on the runs with useful cameos coming from the supporting cast. Hicks fell after lunch, agonizingly short of three figures, and the Cormorants looked to be in a spot of bother. Cue Andy Dike, aka The Carpenter. Andy arrived at the crease with one thing on his mind, boundaries, and lots of them! Andy set about pushing the run rate and carved the Butterflies attack to all corners. Cossins joined Dike in an exhilarating 10th wicket stand, which saw the Cormorants soaring past 250 and declaring with a very respectable 264 runs on the board. As the Butterflies started their chase an interesting battle of wits ensued. For an hour or so blows were traded as both batsmen and bowlers performed admirably. Every time the Butterflies looked like they were starting to pull away the Cormorants grabbed a crucial wicket, and every time the Cormorants looked like they were getting on top, the Butterflies responded with a flurry of quick runs. As with their batting partnership, Cossins and Dike were clinical in their work as they picked up three

wickets apiece and slowly edged the Cormorants into the box seat. But, ultimately, an outstanding display of hitting from the Butterflies tail, aided by some poor catching saw the Butterflies win the game with just a few balls to spare. A gutwrenching end to a fiercely competitive game.

Wednesday 9 July Clayesmore Cormorants v Arkadin Arkadin (214 all out) beat Clayesmore Cormorants (129 all out) by 85 runs (N.Lack 3-20, G.Hicks 2-24, G.Owton 55) The Cormorants, somewhat weary after the previous days fruitless excursions, arrived at the field in low spirits. To add to the misery of the two previous results, the Cormorants had injury concerns to deal with as the Corica brothers had both picked up bad injuries in the field against the Butterflies. This left us short of one bowler and our wicket keeper. Arkadin batted first on a lovely day at Clayesmore. As the innings progressed, the Cormorants started to build confidence as wickets fell without the threat of a big score on the horizon. N.Lack and G.Hicks produced some good deliveries to help dismiss Arkadin for a very chaseable 214 runs. But, alas, the Cormorants’ woes continued. A string of poor shots and questionable umpiring led

After the previous day’s disappointment the Cormorants The Old Clayesmorian • MMXIV

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Sport ~ clayesmore cormorants to the Cormorants falling for a paltry 129 runs. Only Owton put up a fight with the bat as he worked his way to 55 with some lovely shots, all in vain.

Thursday 10 July Clayesmore Cormorants v Sherborne Pilgrims Sherborne Pilgrims (164-7) beat Clayesmore Cormorants (162 all out) by 3 wickets (D.Clutterbuck 35, D.Clutterbuck 3-50, A.Dike 2-35) On the final day of tour, the Cormorants were low on confidence and short of players. The week had taken its toll with injuries and another Ned Lack social media incident leaving the Cormorants short of players on the final day. Clutterbuck was brought in for his debut and two Pilgrims even played for the Cormorants on the final day. On a tough pitch the Cormorants set about a tough contest against some excellent Sherborne bowling. Young Clutterbuck was very tidy as he worked the field to accumulate a respectable 35 runs on a bowler’s wicket. The Cormorants fought their way to 164 runs which gave the bowlers something to play with. The Pilgrims started like a hurricane as they smashed 50 runs quickly with some unorthodox strokes. The Cormorants, though, determined to finish on a plus, turned the screw and the wickets started to tumble.

over the coming years. Special mentions go to Clutterbuck for his fine work with bat and ball on debut. Askew and Price were impressive with the ball on their first tour. However, the most impressive young Cormorant was Jack Whiteside. Some devastating blows with the bat and some useful bowling point to a great Cormorant in the making. As such, young Whiteside was awarded the Young Cormorant of the Year. The senior Cormorants had a poor tour in general. Guy Hicks scored some useful runs and picked up a couple of wickets. Andy Dike was the standout performer for the week as he picked up several wickets and also contributed with the bat. But in a year of transition Greg Swaby was awarded the Cormorants Cup for his efforts in putting together a thoroughly enjoyable tour. We may not have played the best cricket on this tour, but we still had a great week. The drinks flowed and a great time was had by all. This was somewhat aided by the Talbot’s return to its former glory! Mike Corica (1998-2003)

Clutterbuck and Dike were devastating with their use of flight and turn to work their way through the top and middle order. But, ultimately, the Cormorants did not have enough runs to play with and the Pilgrims won with three wickets in hand.

Tour Summary It was a strange week of cricket, with a mixture of the good, the bad and the ugly. Although the results didn’t go our way there were promising signs for the future. The rookie Cormorants were thrown in at the deep end and showed enough to suggest they will be useful additions to the squad

The Old Clayesmorian • MMXIV

Sport ~ Football

Sport ~ Golf

A closely fought match sees the OCs retain the Drummond Cup

Max Dowse makes a successful return to the OC Golf Day.

nce again George Harris (20052010) arranged and captained the OC Team who took on the school in the annual Drummond Cup Football match. This year the school’s team were stronger and gave the OCs a run for their money, but a strong individual performance from OC goalie David Rutherford ensured a close run result, the match finishing 5-3 to the OC Society. Well played, all.

he glorious extended summer weather in September helped to make the OC Golf Day a relaxed stroll in the sun even when wrestling with the challenges that the game of golf hurls at its participants – like the Adolf Hitler (2 shots in a bunker), a Diego Maradona (nasty little 5 footer), a Denis Wise (really nasty 5 footer) and a few Tony Blairs (succession of poor lies). In truth there were few poor lies at Temple on 19th September as the course was in great condition, playing to its full length and the greens were beautifully smooth and true. It was great to welcome many of the regular OC golfers to the event this year.

Right: George Harris receives the trophy from the Headmaster. Below: The OC Team.

The military pairing of Mike Jones and John Garnett won the fourball competition with an excellent score of 41 points from Max Dowse and Charles Bell in the runners up spot and Robin Harrison and Colin Scragg in third place. Max made a welcome return to the golf day and showed that his golfing skills are still as sharp as ever when he amassed 37 points and won the Iwerne Cup for the best individual score of the day. Colin Scragg displayed his enviable steadiness to return 35 points and David Caddy and Mike Jones came in joint third with 33.

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Above: Julian Bailey presents Max Dowse with the Iwerne Cup.

Iwerne Cup Individual Competition 1.

Max Dowse

37 points

Colin Scragg

35 points

David Caddy

33 points

Leading Results Fourball Competition

Mike Jones

33 points

Robin Harrison

30 points

John Garnett and Mike Jones 41 points

Andrew Weatherley

29 points

John Garnett

28 points

Max Dowse and Charles Bell 40 points (on count back the second 9)

Malcolm Paul

26 points

Robin Harrison and Colin Scragg 40 points

David Caddy and Malcolm Paul 39 points

George Hodgson and Barry Stevenson 35 points

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In discussion with Louise Smith at the School we have brought back the date to mid-summer for next year’s OC Golf Day and the date is the 26th June 2015. Please reserve the date in your diaries.

Julian Bailey (1964-1969)

THe OC Shop

the oc shop

A range of good quality merchandise available for Old Clayesmorians, their friends and family to purchase either online or in person at OC events throughout the year. To purchase any of these items, visit www.ocsociety.co.uk alternatively contact the Development Office at Clayesmore t: 01747 813160 e: louise@clayesmore.com All prices include UK postage, packaging and VAT.

Clayesmore - A Celebration Published in July 2012, a lavishly illustrated portrait of Clayesmore past and present - £35

Tie

100% Silk, Custom made for the OC Society by T M Lewin - £20

Rugby Shirt

Short Sleeved, Quartered Rugby Shirt with embroidered crest, available in sizes M, L, XL, - £30

Umbrella £16

“CLAYESMORE” by Keith Stott - 2009

“Clayesmore” Signed, Fine Art Giclée Prints of the original pastel painting by Keith Stott - 2009

THE IDEAL WAYArt TO REMEMBER THOSE Signed, Fine Giclée Prints HAPPY DAYS AT CLAYESMORE ! Available in two choices: Available in three choices: Signed and silver gilt framed (68 x 63cm) - £130

Signed and mounted (61 x 56cm) ready to frame - £60 10% of all sales donated to Clayesmore Bursary Fund Signed and un-mounted (50 x 43cm) Available from Keith Stott on 01548 550726 or In email: postal tube - £50 keith@artsofoak.com (can be couriered to any UK address at cost)

Signed and mounted, (61 x 56cm) ready to frame - £75 Signed and un-mounted, (50 x 43cm) in postal tube - £60

Clayesmore Roll of Honour

Written by Tony Chew and produced by the Clayesmore Society to commemorate the OCs who gave their lives for King and Country in the First World War - £15

Bow Tie

Polyester Self-Tie - £12

“Links” Style Friendship Bracelet £10

The Old Clayesmorian • MMXIV

keeping in touch

Keeping in touch

There are many ways of keeping in touch with the Society, and getting back in touch with former school friends.

For up to date information and news about the school, please visit the school website at

The main source of Old Clayesmorian news, event information and updates is the OC Society website -

www.clayesmore.com

www.ocsociety.co.uk

As well as containing information about the school and news and events taking place there, the ‘Clayesmore Society’ section of the site contains a business directory listing to which all members of the OC Society are welcome to add their details. If you would like to add yours, email: society@clayesmore.com.

Here, in addition to the news, events and photo pages, there is a secure area where members can register and update their own contact information and other personal details held, and contact other members. This members area is currently being redesigned, and will be relaunched to all in early 2015. Follow the OC Society on Twitter -

@Lex_Devine_1896 You may like to visit the official Clayesmore page on Facebook - either search Clayesmore School or use the following address -

www.facebook.com/ clayesmore

There is a Clayesmore Alumni Group on LinkedIn to help promote and develop business and career opportunities amongst Old Clayesmorians. To join please visit www.linkedin.com and search for Clayesmore Alumni.

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Each year we receive several requests from members seeking address and contact information for other OCs. Because of the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 and the frequency with which a printed record would go out of date it is not possible to publish a formal ’Register’. We are keen that OCs are able to get in touch with each other, and realise that there remain members of the Society who do not have internet access and that is why contained with this magazine is an Alumni Update Sheet, a part of which requests permission to give out contact information to other Old Clayesmorians and we would like to ask all OCs to consider giving this permission. Thank you.

Are you moving? Every year hundreds of items of post are returned to the Society because OCs have not informed us of changes to their address. Please take a moment to log in to the OC website www.ocsociety. co.uk and ensure the information we have for you is accurate, alternatively, complete and return the enclosed Alumni Update Sheet. Thank you

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Whatever happened to...? Your news and updates 1930s & 1940s BROOKBANK, George (1937-1942) I retired in 1995 from the University of Arizona as an Extension Agent in Urban Horticulture. I advised plant nurseries, businesses and home owners on plant and landscaping problems via T-V, radio programmes and news paper articles and personal consultations. I have authored three books, Desert Gardening, Desert Landscaping, and The Desert Gardener’s Calendar. Independent recognition of my public service caused a street in Tucson to be named after me - George Brookbank Place. I volunteer my time in advising some 350 gardeners of Community Gardens of Tucson at their 32 gardens. I founded the group in 1990. I am the landlord of four apartments,

located at my house, where I grow vegetables and fruit trees. I have three grown children and eight grandchildren and several great grandchildren. BRADBEER, Richard (1936-1946) Although retired, I am still Chairman of the Board of a weekly newspaper and printing business. Still sailing my Sadler 34, now 28 years old, on West Coast of Scotland past two years. COHEN, Clive (1944-1949) Retired. Chairman of London Wildlife Trust (Barnet Group). Standard Bearer for the Association of Jewish Ex. Service Men and Women. Writes a regular column for the Barnet Press Group.

SELFE, Michael (1944-1946) Retired. I worked in road transport provision from being an engineer on the construction of the M1 in 1958 to the role of County Surveyor of Essex until 1993. I continue to be involved with the RAC Foundation and the Parliamentary Advisory Committee on Road Safety and World Road Association.

1950s NEWMAN, Peter M (1946-1950) Very retired. RIDDALL, Mike (1945-1950) Former GP and Psychiatrist. The Society has received a detailed résumé of Mr Riddall’s career - for a copy of this please get in touch - Editor.

Nick Barwell (1950-1954)

Michael Peters (1953-1956) Celebrated 50 years of marriage to Judy on 5 September 2014. He writes: On the 5th September 1964 Judy and I were married at Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) in Knightsbridge, followed by a reception at the Hyde Park Hotel. A pony and trap - a surrey with a fringe on top took us from the church to the reception. On 5th September 2014 we returned to the Hyde Park (now called the Mandarin Oriental) for a magnificent champagne tea - thoroughly recommended! This was followed in the evening by a 1950’s show - The Pajama Game! The following day, Saturday 6th, we cruised the Thames with our family from Water Oakley to Windsor and back, being served with a delicious lunchtime picnic. We also had a special dinner that evening. On Sunday 7th September we returned to HTB for a morning service and wonderful recognition and a renewed blessing on our marriage (our two daughters had both been married there in recent years). After the service a pair of Friesian horses and a wagonette took us and our family to Chutney Mary’s in the King’s Road, Chelsea, for our celebration lunch; they waited for us and took us back to HTB afterwards - then back to reality! A fabulous weekend.

Our congratulations to them both on this achievement. BAILES, Ian (1941-1951) Physician. Living in Alberta, Canada.

Honoured for his remarkable work in the Royal Voluntary Service

GASKELL-BLACKBURN, Geoffrey (1947-1952) Retired. Living in France.

Congratulations to Nick Barwell who was one of ten Diamond Champions of Wales selected to meet HRH The Duchess of Cornwall and charity ambassador Philip Schofield at a reception honouring his outstanding volunteer work for the Royal Voluntary Service at Lancaster House in London. Reported in the Daily Express on Saturday 1 February, Nick recounted that his introduction to volunteering came when he was eight years old and was appointed the chief mouse catcher at his boarding school. He spent 24 years volunteering as an auxiliary coastguard, in charge of both look-out and rescue missions, and also volunteered for the RNLI. In 2001, he started volunteering for the Good Turn Scheme, providing essential transport to older people. This led on to Nick volunteer driving for a hospice. In 2009 Nick fell ill himself and although he was unable to continue volunteering with the hospice, he started to drive for the Royal Voluntary Service.

SHIELDS, William Vernon (1949-1952) Retired in 2000 after a comprehensive career in retailing, tourism, and heritage agriculture. Hobbies include antiques, conservation, classic cars, historic buildings, wildlife, gardening, birds and dogs, particularly German Shepherds.

Nick Barwell (back row, 2nd from right) pictured with other volunteers at the Lancaster House Reception.

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ABBOTT, Tim (1950-1953) Retired. Living in Auckland, New Zealand. After leaving school I served 2 years in the British Army in Malaya. I worked in London in the advertising industry until 1963. I then had the opportunity to be part of the crew of a 48ft Bretton Fishing boat, whose owner happened to be sailing it to New Zealand. I never got home again! I retired from AIr New Zealand after 30 years with that company and am married with 3 children and 7 grandchildren. I know that Sydney has a few OCs and I am wondering if there are any in New Zealand? Thank you for your efforts to keep us all in touch.

PREWETT, Anthony F (1948-1953) Retired Chartered Secretary. SPOOR, Jeremy (1948-1954) Retired. JONES, J Mike (1950-1955) Retired. Delighted to hear from Rev Paddy Craig who has a son at Bishop Wordsworth’s that: ‘Clayesmore gives far and away the best after match teas in the south/south west’. Well done – wasn’t like that in my day!

Whatever happened to...?

Brian Arpel (1956-1959) Writing from Australia: I am retired aged 72 last April. I have three children and five grandchildren. The youngest being just one year old. I have had a very good life having spent many years in the entertainment industry but with many other jobs started here and there wherever I happen to be living at the time. I have worked in the UK, New Zealand, and Australia. I have been married twice. The first, one (I was 26 years old) lasted only three years. The second marriage lasted 30 years... Ho-hum! Enough ho-hum, I now live alone (and love it) visiting and being visited by friends and family. I still ride a rather large motor scooter, a Suzuki Bergman AN 650 on which I have travelled from Brisbane to Sydney, Brisbane to Melbourne, and Brisbane to Cairns on several occasions. None of these long journeys have I made of late due to the normal rickety processes associated with my

STEVENS, Will (1950-1955) Management consultant – now retired. Literature, Music, Genealogy, Lichenology, Woodwork, Wine, Hill walking.

Christopher Hodgson (1951-1956) Our apologies...... The 2013 Old Clayesmorian reported that Christopher Hodgson was an Etymologist. He is, in fact, an Entomologist - lecturing at Wye College and continuing to conduct a taxomonic study of scale insects. Our apologies for this error. He has so far described more than 100 new species and more than 25 new genera in well over 100 scientific papers and in recognition of his research in the field of scale insect studies two species, three genera and a family of scale insects have been named after him.

age. However, I still get about Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. My interests are reading, (these days mostly science fiction but nothing written after 1975), watching lots of downloaded movies and spending much time on my iMac (death to Microsoft). I have an iMac bought in 2007 and, together with the latest operating system (Mavericks), it is still working flawlessly and I have never had any problem with it nor any virus. Show me any PC that can operate for seven years with nary a problem! So that’s about it for me, happily retired, living in a tiny but very comfortable apartment, surrounded by friends, children and grandchildren. Truly, what more could one ask? If any old Clayesmorians remember me, and wish to contact me. Please feel free to provide my e-mail address. Please excuse any small mistakes in grammar and all punctuation; due to some arthritis in my hands I am using the built-in speech to text function offered with this operating system, that actually, as yet is not very good. Possibly in a couple of upgrades, if they listen to my suggestions, things might change. LOL.

STEVENSON, Barry (1952-1955) Retired from business. CLAY, David (1952-1956) Retired Health Service Manager. RUSSELL, T G (1952-1956) Retired Marketing Executive (July 2001). Scottish milk industry for 17 years. BELL, Charles H (1953-1957) Semi-Retired. Having sold my boatyard in North Wales 13 years ago and thought I had retired, now working harder than ever as a marine watercolourist (charlesbellart.com for those wishing to see how Scadding’s tutelage materialized). Married for the third time hence shrunk from 6’6” to 5’7” and still working. Still sail in warming climes each year and very much enjoy golf and the OC day at Temple. Now too old for hockey.

Robert Mash (1952-1958) Top tenuous..... Listeners to Chris Evans’ Radio Show in February may have heard his book ‘How To Keep Dinosaurs’ mentioned as number one on the top tenuous dinosaur connections from listeners. But which OC contacted the show?

PEARCE, Colin (1953-1957) Retired. Hockey international over 60 and over 70. CRANG, Kenneth (1955-1957) Farmed all my life. Retired but still farming – son in charge! Married for 41 years, wife died

Frank Hirshfield (1950-1952) Work displayed at the Chelsea Arts Club Visitors to the Chelsea Arts Club this Februrary were treated to an exhibition of Bronze Maquettes created by renowned OC sculptor Frank Hirshfield (né Kaufmann). in 2010. Have 4 children and live in annex with son and daughter in law at family farm. Very unexciting life but very happy. Involved in freemasonry – is there a school lodge? BURLEY, John (1954-1958) Retired from family grounds maintenance and landscape company based in South Holmwood (E Burley & Sons Ltd), Surrey. We were among royal warrant holders at Buckingham Palace Coronation Festival in recognition of our work at Windsor Castle and other royal parks/properties.

EVANS, John C (1955-1958) Retired Company Director (construction industry). HILL, Simon (1953-1958) Chartered Accountant. MIRCHANDANI, Sunder (1953-1958) Executive – www.icsconsult. com. STEVEN, A C Tony (1955-1958) Former Managing Director of a Truck Rental Company. Now a semi-retired Antique Dealer specializing in silver. In Australia.

Richard Field (1956-1959) Visiting from Australia At the beginning of September 2013, whilst visiting Charles Price, Richard called in for a trip down Memory Lane during his UK holiday from his home in Australia. He was most impressed with all the many improvements and buildings. In particular he enjoyed being given a tour of the ‘Middles’ by the Head of House and it was with some trepidation that he went up the stone staircase by Humphrey Moore’s old study! He was delighted to meet Martin and Eleanor Cooke and bought a copy of ‘Clayesmore – A Celebration’. In the mid 1960’s he was one of the last people to drive to Australia via the old Burma Road and through Afghanistan. He bought a farm at Esperance, near Perth, called Bustmegutup and made such a success of it that it was renamed ‘Richfields’! Above: Richard Field and Charles Price in the Middles (now Gate House) Courtyard.

The Old Clayesmorian • MMXIV

Whatever happened to...?

David Locock (1963-1967) Clayesmore’s first ‘day boy’ My father had just retired as a Westminster schoolmaster and could no longer afford to keep me there, so he struck a favourable deal with Bunter and I went from one term wearing a formal grey suit in London, to shorts and long stockings the next in Iwerne Minster! Each day I bicycled in from Child Okeford and was only allowed to wear long trousers when there was ice on the lily pond and when I subsequently became Library prefect. I joined the Bee(r) Club which had three traditional hives in the walled garden by Middles house. Two of the hives had live swarms in them and the third had a barrel of Hall and Woodhouse Best Bitter concealed in it. Membership of the club was strictly limited and members were sworn to secrecy. I also joined the Dramatic Society with parts in Twelfth Night, Romanoff and Juliet, A Man For All Seasons and HMS Pinafore, all of which we took to London for performances in the Rudolph Steiner Hall. For a while I captained Cross Country and then succeeded Anthony Boll (1960-64) as Library Prefect and spent some nights in the roof space above the study when it was too cold to bicycle home. When I was 17, Bunter allowed me to travel in on a motorbike which I kept in a shed in Jennings’ yard.

GOODCHILD, Raymond (1953-1959) Director of Custom Made Curtains and Blinds Ltd. SHARMAN, Roland (1956-1959) Chairman CEO. In Australia. Goodchild made contact through LinkedIn so I followed the links and here I am! PLOWMAN, Anthony (1950s-1960s) Retired Civil Servant and English

I joined John Symons (1962-66) on a plant surveying project in the Cairngorms, the year after leaving school. I then enrolled as a Horticultural student at Hilliers nurseries in Winchester and then at Writtle Horticultural College in Essex. In 1970 Mark Skinner’s (1970-74) mother and I started the Garden Centre at Fontmell Magna, which we ran together until her sudden death in 1977. I then enrolled as a Law student (aged 17) at the Guildford College of Law and I shall be enternally grateful to Stephen Levinson for being instrumental in an offer of articles at his London firm where I qualified as a solicitor in 1981. I then joined a solicitors firm in Salisbury, where I met my wife and we married in 1987 and moved to Beaminster, Dorset, where I became a partner in the firm of Kitson and Trotman. We lived happily as a family (two children, horses, sheep, cats and dogs) until my retirement in December 2010 and my wife’s sudden and unexpected death three months later! I am now trying to prepare for a new start, all over again!

Tutor, Ex-Hairdresser and Retail Manager. Researching the Southern Sector of the former ‘Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway’ (During British Railways era) - The Bournemouth West to Templecombe sector. This line ran through and stopped for the beginning and end of term pupils at ‘Charlton Marshall Halt’ via Blandford Forum and Shillingstone. I am currently researching any new informaion relating to the first home of Clayesmore in Enfield.

1960s DALL, Frank (1957-1961) Birding, gardening, mountain biking, tropical forest conservation, sub-aqua diving, photography, classical music, archaeology, family. We recently moved to begin a real retirement on our farm in Costa Rica near the Southern Pacific Coastal town of Dominical and would welcome any visits from Clayesmorians of any age, size, and shape. We have a guest

The Old Clayesmorian • MMXIV

cabin in 10 acres of tropical forest, should any birders, nature lovers and eco-freeks decide to come. PHILLIPS, Geoffrey (1957-1961) Retired. Enjoys walking, gardening, photography and writing poetry. ‘I have recently published my second book of poetry and photographs. In March 2014 I had my four year CT scan and I am still clear and enjoying life.’ PEART, Peter (1958-1962) Retired. Interested in gardening, computing, reading, and eating good food.

SPOKES, Rodney B (1957-1962) Mainly retired – occasional consultancy in training, direct marketing and telephone systems. Previously with Page & Moy responsible for Retail Travel Division with 170 staff and £100m turnover. Interests: Rotary, flying as a private pilot, and travel (including Motorhome).

BULLEN, David M (1962-1964) President, Magnatex Pumps, Inc. Houston, Texas, USA.

HENLEY, Stuart C (1960-1963) Chartered Surveyor. FRICS, I occasionally bump into Mike Beacham who also lives on Guernsey, and we are thinking of forming a Guernsey OC branch, at the local hostelry.

PAGE, Michael (1961-1965) Retired.

TAYLORSON, Philip (1957-1964) Retired Logistics Consultant. FFOULKES, John (1961-1965) Retired Estate Agent.

DUNCAN, Peter (1961-1966) Retired solicitor. Working for Northamptonshire County Council specialising in work relating to children. Run an inter-

Howard Burnham (1960-1965) Still acting in California: After fifteen years of working as an actor based in South Carolina, this is the year of the big move into quasi-queasy semi-demi retirement in beautiful Pacific Grove, California. We are a 25-minute walk to Spanish Bay in Pebble Beach, and a tenminute drive to Carmel in one direction and Monterey in the other. The Monterey Peninsula is one of the loveliest places in the USA, and we are very lucky. Gary Rees lives just 250 miles south, next door by American standards. Sandra, my better seven-eights, has done wonderful things with her ballet students at the Carmel Academy of Performing Arts, really establishing herself in her true center. She enjoyed a Royal Academy of Dance examining tour of California and Hawaii in the spring and a very enriching tour of Cyprus in the early summer. Next year she will tour the NE USA in the spring and Brazil in the summer. I have created two new WWII characters this year – nasty Nazi Joachim von Ribbentrop and egocentric Field-Marshal Montgomery – both fun to do. And I have revived C.S. Lewis for the 50th anniversary of his demise. My biggest excitement was being ‘Gentleman Johnny’ Burgoyne at Saratoga National Park for the 75th anniversary of the Park’s opening. I also had the honour to create a characterization of Jeremiah Dixon, the 18th century surveyor of Mason-Dixon Line fame, for a special exhibition at the Bowes Museum in County Durham, where Dixon is a local hero. When back in England, Home and Beauty, I enjoyed a Thames riverside lunch with Hugh Thompson on an early summer’s perfect day.

The Old Clayesmorian • MMXIV

Whatever happened to...?

John Burnie (1966-1971) Back in the UK after ten years Following our return to the UK after a 10 year stint in the Caribbean, I now spend approximately two days a week at the Royal Ocean Racing Club in London, helping the club with their marketing and sponsorship incentives. At the club I have been able to link up again with a number of OC’s from the 60’s – 70’s - particularly with those living in and around Lymington where Ann Louise and I have a small cottage. Any number of OC’s seem to live near the Solent/Poole area – so I put forward a suggestion that an “OC Seaside Reunion” should be considered! I have continued with my professional yacht racing roles and have returned to the Maxi Yacht Race Circuit with avengeance, albeit on some of the older designs I used to sail on in the past. I have recently been involved in a new regatta - The Inaugural Frers Cup (started by the well known designer, Germán Frers, and our owner). This great new event was held in Trapani in Sicily last week. Next up will be the Rolex Maxi World Cup, held in Porto Cervo, Sardinia. We actually managed a second place in Trapani against some of the newer yachts and enclose some pictures of the “old bus” trundling along (with the racing skipper looking rather severe). Later this year in St Tropez I will be running a somewhat more exotic design called a Wally Yacht where the racing is rather more competitive and serious!

church organisation providing hospitality, friendship, and support to overseas students at the University of Northampton.

WALLROCK, Nicholas M V (1962-1967) Antique dealer in Australia.

VAN DIJK, Johan (1961-1966) Retired. Short Service Commission in Royal Navy; Chartered Surveyor and Company Director (House Building) 1973-1997. Worked as consultant until retirement in 2009. Now keep occupied as a self-published author of fiction – www.janvivianbooks. co.uk. Around 28 books/novels all ebooks on Amazon.

SHAHABI, Sid (1970-1971) Engineer.

HARDING, Russell (1963-1967) Retired.

1970s

FAGERLUND, Bryan (1969-1972) Sales Manager. Interested in family/sport/travel. SHAHABI, Mike (1969-1979) Gen. Manager and Software Quality Engineer for Total Solution Services, Las Vegas, Nevada USA. COPE, Andrew (1972-1974) Careers Advisor.

LAMBIE, Stephen (1970-1974) Business analyst. GREEN, Robert E P (1970-1975) Semi-retired. Santa at Longleat in 2013. HARVEY, Mark (1970-1975) Safari Operator in Zambia. SAVORY, Chris (1974-1975) In Finance. CHURCH, Christopher (1974-1977) Retail Manager. Married with 2 children. Have been in the DIY retail trade since leaving school. Ran my own tile and flooring business for 10 years. The Old Clayesmorian • MMXIV

LIGHTFOOT, Julien Mark (1972-1977) MD Graphic Design Company. Illustrator, photographer, designer. Married with 3 sons Still find time to race dinghies in Poole Harbour. MELLING, Alastair (1973-1977) Trainer - NHS. WARREN, Peter (1973-1977) Landlord. POMEROY, Mark (1975-1978) Transport supervisor, sales, HBM procurement. I now work for a builders merchants in Weymouth. SOMMER, Mark (1975-1978) Catering. SULLIVAN-TAILYOUR, James (1974-1978) ‘Bought The Swan Hotel in Bradford on Avon February 2012, and despite flooding 2 years on the trot (with the last lot on December 24th) we are still afloat! The hotel has 12 well appointed rooms, a conference room, Cellar Bar and restaurant. The food on offer includes traditional pub classics along side an Asian menu - inspired from over 12 years of living and working in SE Asia. OCs (and current pupils and their families) will enjoy special rates if they come to stay at the hotel.’ James also runs http://www. changing-the-guide.com/ a website dedicated to providing information on the Guard Change at Buckingham Palace. Starting off with a guide book The Old Clayesmorian • MMXIV

published in 1999, the website and associated social media has rather taken over with more than 50,000 unique visitors every month; they are just about to launch a series of new digital ‘mini guides’ on the same subject.

BHASIN, Jawahar Lal (1976-1981) Qualified as a Chartered Architect. Have a design and construction company and construct high end residential properties. Married and have 3 girls.

GORDON, Mark (1976-1979) Managing Director. Interested in motorcycling, camping, fishing, sailing/boating and travel.

ELLIS, Quentin (1977-1983) UX Director.

HENRY, Sean (1974-1979) Angle Investor. Started a company from the garage and grew it to £10m, exporting to 75 countries; achieved the Queen’s award for export. Sold the business to Vitec Group, now am an Angle Investor. I have two daughters, one at Oxford University, one studying for GCSE, I have built my own eco house, and I have a lovely wife who manages to put up with me! ULOTH, Shaun (1974-1979) Company Director.

1980s TOONE, David (1976-1980) Piano Tuner.

LANCASTER (Tyrrell), Lucy (1980-1983) Alumni & Relationship Manager, West Buckland School. MOSES, Chris (1979-1983) IT nerd turned Marketing Manager for a building society. Now living in Australia with family, and loving it. FARRELL, James (1981-1984) In NSW, Australia. FELTHAM, Susan (1980-1985) Landscape Architect/ Project Manager at Bristol City Council. MAGEE, Charles (1975-1985) Married, 2 children, living in North London and working in Central London. User of LinkedIn.com. Some few photos

Kevin Jones (1981-1985) Performing at Wembley Professional singer, Kevin Jones, took to the stage in a packed Wembley Arena this October as part of the cast of Love Beyond, a new musical based on the Bible.

Whatever happened to...?

Adam Frith (1985-1990)

ROWE, Tracy (1983-1988) Working in London for a small, but growing, fast media company. Living the high-life in Farnham, Surrey.

Award-winning produce: Eagle-eyed OCs at this year’s Gillingham & Shaftesbury show spotted this prize-winning entry from OC Adam Frith.

on Facebook. Attended CPS from 1975-1980. Brother of Sean Magee. TATE, Robert (1985-1986) Intelligence Analyst. Attended the Prep school from 86-87, some might remember me as the shy American...Although I didn’t spend a lot of time at the school, I look back now at my time at Clayesmore with great fondness. Thank you. BRAUND, Andy (1983-1987) Mountain Bike Ranger. FRENCH, Nick (1984-1987) Chief Executive for a charity supporting disabled and disadvantaged people, Innovate Trust. I have lived in Wales for 19 years now and have three children Oliver 14, Flora 9 and Felicity 8 months. WALTHAM (Clark), Joanne (1982-1987) Web Developer. Self employed web developer specialising in WordPress websites for small businesses and bloggers. Working from home with husband, two kids and a dog.

1990s SIMPSON, Nicholas (1985-1990) IT Consultant.

BALMFORTH, Samantha (1986-1988) Marketing PR Consultant. DALL, Sasha R X (1984-1988) Academic Biologist. JENNINGS, John (1985-1988) Estate Agent. I have been in estate agency now for 21 years! I have two little monsters with my wife, Sara. Harrison, who is 3, and Charlie who is now 7. When not working or looking after the children I spend my time road cycling in the UK and the Alps if I get a chance, where I have taken part in the Marmotte and Maratona dles Dolomites.

WYATT, Matthew J (1986-1991) Marketing Manager. BROWN, Justin (1988-1992) Manager – Royal Mail.

Barry Julyan (1986-1992) Running and riding for Anthony Nolan Congratulations to OC Sports Secretary, Barrry Julyan, who ran the London Marathon in 5 hours, 36 minutes and 33 seconds this April. Barry took part in this event, and the 100 mile Ride London cycle event in August in a time of 6 hours, 32 minutes and 16 seconds. The latter event only covered 86 miles instead of the 100 due to the abandonment of Box Hill and Leith Hill because of the adverse weather that the aftermath of Hurricane Bertha brought to the race. Barry was raising funds for Anthony Nolan.

Well done, Barry! All photographs thanks to Antony Nolan

GRIFFITHS, Gareth H (1990-1992) Field Archaeologist with Wessex Archaeology. McEWAN (Sweet), Charlie (1993-1999) Teacher. MORGE (Hewitt), Anna (1987-1993) Admissions - Bedales School.

Richard Kydd (1985-1990) Trekking in the footsteps of pupils en route to Everest Base Camp

Andy Dike (1988-1991) Company wins national awards Congratulations to Andy Dike whose company, Dike & Son, won two awards at the prestigious Retail Industry Awards in September 2014 - scooping first prize in the Independent Drinks Retailer of the Year and Independent Retailer of the Year categories. This award followed the company being recognised by the Countryside Alliance as South West Champion for Local Food in its Rural Oscars Awards held in March.

The Old Clayesmorian • MMXIV

Richard Kydd sent this photograph to the school in October 2014. He was trekking up to Everest and saw a certificate presented by the school’s 2008 expedition in a tea house in Phakding on the way up the Khumbu valley.

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REYNOLDS, Matthew (1990-1993) Head of IT, Southampton FC. MOORE (Nicholas), Gemma S (1991-1994) I live near Wantage, Oxfordshire with my husband and 2 children; my daughter was born January 2006 & my son was born November 2008. SMITH, Paul (1992-1994) Solicitor.

Whatever happened to...? HISCOCK (Yemenakis), Emma (1993-1995) Now graduated with a BA(Hons) Literature Degree obtained through the Open University. In May this year myself and my husband Michael had our first child ‘Sammy’. DUNCAN (Baker), Charlotte (1991-1996) Chartered Marketer. Bachelor of Science. Got married 19th August 2006 to Alex Duncan. Had Oliver Angus George Duncan on the 22nd April 2007 then Torin Stephen James Duncan on the 18th November 2010. Now living at Shiplake College where my husband teaches and we hope to become houseparents. GYTON (Barnikel), Alice (1993-1996) Living and working in Vancouver, Canada with my husband Mark and two children - Elsa 4, and Thomas 2.

LONG, Jeremy (1990-1996) I left Clayesmore in 1996 and attended Bristol UWE studying Politics and Sociology and graduated in 2000 with a 2:2. I met my now wife there and took a job at Carlton TV. It merged with Granada in 2004 and we took a year out travelling the world, after which I returned to my job. I have climbed the ranks and am now a trading manager after 13 years service. We have a 2½ year old son called George. MUSGRAVE (Foo), Winnie (1992-1997) Director, Network Engineering @ Paramount Pictures Corp. Married to Tom Musgrave on June 2011 @ Bletchley Park, Bucks. Moved to Los Angeles August 2011. Gave birth to Alexi Thomas Musgrave on 1st July, 2014. BIRKBY, Chrissie (1994-1999) Operations Officer on HMS Duncan.

AKEHURST (Kohlhaas), Christine (1997-1999) Moved to Germany in May 2014 for husband David’s new job. Enjoying being closer to parents, especially as they settle into life in a new country. BRADSHAW, Charles R (1994-1999) Scientist. Currently working as a Bioinformatician for the University of Cambridge. SYMES, Natasha (1982-1999) Foster Mother. I have an 11 year old daughter, Lily, and I also foster newborn babies. I have wonderful memories of Clayesmore Prep and Senior School.

2000s PHILLIPS, Michael E J (1995-2000) Trainee CA with Accenture. THOMASON, Elinor (1996-2000) Attended Clayesmore Prep years 4-7 then went to Parkstone

MURCHIE, Peter (2001-2002) Played rugby for Glasgow Warriors as they defeated Munster to become the first Scottish side to reach the final of the Pro 12 competition. TOMS-WHITTLE, Louise (1993-2002) Now a qualified GP working in a deprived area of South East London. Had my civil partnership in August 2012 with Isabel Evans now Isabel Toms-Whittle! YOUNG, Graham (1994-2002) Head of Biology, Consett Academy. ALLEN, Anthony (2000-2003) Rugby for Leicester Tigers. Was selected for the England training squad in preparation for matches against the Barbarians and New Zealand.

Adam Goff (1997-2002) Company wins Young Guns award Congratulations to Adam Goff whose company, Capital Living, won a Young Guns Award this year. The awards, arranged by Growing Business Magazine and Startups, celebrate the most outstanding crop of young entrepreneurs the UK has to offer. Each young entrepreneur who enters must be no more than 35, running their own business and employing more than five staff to qualify. Capital Living is a houseshare community for professional landlords and tenants.

Grammar. I studied medicine at University of Liverpool, did foundation years in Liverpool and I am now a paediatric trainee in Merseyside. I still pop in to Clayesmore every now and again (mostly to talk to prospective medical students in the sixth form) as my mum still teaches there.

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Jonathan Hett (1995-2000) Marathon running for Morning Star School Jonathan Hett ran a marathon in July 2014 to raise funds for a multi-pupose sports surface for Morning Star School in Mauritius, a small scale, independent Christian school. He is married with two daughters aged 2 and 5 and has been teaching at the school for the past nine years. He writes that he is very involved in Chuch life with CTMI Ministeries International.

Jemma Westwell (Featch) (1996-2001) Completes the Three Peaks Challenge Congratulations to Jemma Westwell who completed the Three Peaks Challenge in September in 23 hours and 46 minutes, travelling a total of 26.4 miles up and down 3 mountains to raise funds for Breast Cancer Campaign.

Alex Campbell (1999-2004) Completes the Ealing Half Marathon Well done to Alex Campbell who completed the Ealing Half Marathon in September 2014 to raise money for Love146.Org, who work to make the UK a world leader in the abolition of child trafficking and exploitation.

HURLOCK, Jonathan (2002-2004) Currently reading for a MSc in Future Interaction Technologies and Computing at Swansea University.

EVANS, Tom (2000-2005) I run a decorating company locally looking for exponential growth as well as a venture dealing with pay monthly websites for business.

POLLOCK, Jennifer (1999-2005) I have completed my PGCE School Direct Secondary Course to Teach Mathematics from University of Nottingham whilst working at Catmose College. I have a job at Corby Technical School - Free School focusing on STEM subjects.

PHILLIPS, Genevieve (1999-2004) At Brisbane University in third

PITT, David (2000-2005) Naval Architect.

REGNART, Jack H (2000-2005) Freelance Software Consultant.

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year of a PhD in Diseases of Tropical Fish.

Whatever happened to...?

Mark Stiven (2001-2007)

Sarah Baillie (2002-2007)

Completing a mammoth cycling challenge for charity.

Finalist in prestigious writing competition

Currently touring the UK with Wicked the Musical - I am Deputy Master Carpenter for the company and deal with the building and dismantling of the set at each venue, overseeing local crews and look after all of the ‘Flys’ plot (all scenery that flies in and out on stage) and general maintenance of the set.

Our congratulations to Sarah Baillie whose composition, ‘A Thing of Beauty’, was named as a finalist in this year’s Chawton House Library Jane Austen Short Story Award.

Earlier this year I took on a challenge to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support. The challenge was to cycle from London to Newcastle (310 miles) within 24 hours. Well, I managed it and remained in one piece with a ride time of 21.5 hours and a journey time (including rest stops) of 25.5 hours. The ride was in memory of my late Aunt Shiela, who had been a proud supporter of the work I had been a part of during and after my time at Clayesmore.

RAYNER, Rosie (2002-2009) Student at the College of Naturopathic Medicine, London. Currently studying nutrition, naturopathy and iridology at CNM and will graduate in 2015.

Tom Highnam (CPS 2007-2010) Category finalist on BBC Young Musician of the Year Clayesmore Prep Music Scholar Tom Highnam was selected as one of five finalists in the Percussion category of the BBC Young Musician of the Year, held on 4th March in the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff.

WHITE, Gerald (2001-2006) Minister’s Assistant. COLLETT, Victoria (2000-2007) Business Development Manager. DRAPER, Richard (1999-2007) In finance. WALKEY, Danielle (2002-2007) Midwife.

PHILLIPS, Richard (2002-2007) In Arizona, notching up flying hours for his Commercial Pilot’s License. TOMS-WHITTLE, Annie (1997-2008) Completed medical degree at Brighton and Sussex Medical School. Now working as an FY1 doctor at Cheltenham General Hospital.

MERRELL, Peter (2000-2009) I’ve been working as an IT Service Desk Support Analyst at PA Consulting Group in Melbourn near Cambridge since September 2012 after leaving Plymouth University in July that year. I got engaged to Beth in August 2013. I am now living in Royston, Hertfordshire.

TWYDLE, Lewis (2005-2009) Chef de Partie – the Royal Oak, Marlow. I also play football for Prestwood FC and am still a keen supporter of Watford FC and go to as many matches (home and away) as I can. I hope to go travelling in a few years.

2010s SANDON-ALLUM, Fay (2008-2010) Graduate. RUTHERFORD, David (2003-2011) Student. BEARDSLEY, Harry (2008-2012) Currently at Bournemouth University studying Law. DULY, Ben (2007-2012) Student.

President at Royal College of Science Union. ULBRICHT, Veit (2010-2012) Student in Milan. BELCHER, Mikaela (2003-2013) Student.

AMLOT, James (2011-2014) Lifeguard.

HONORARY TEW, Sandra (1990-present) Teacher – current member of staff.

SOMPER, James (2008-2013) Student. Currently a 2nd Year undergraduate at Royal Holloway, University of London, reading Modern History and Politics.

Cherry Baker (2002-2012) A student at Cardiff University, Cherry won the Sir Julian Hodge prize this year for gaining the best mark out of all the first year Business Management Students.

Henry Polin (2003-2012) On the Dean’s List at BUWE for outstanding achievement. He is currently on an internship with Aberdeen Asset Management.

SANDON-ALLUM, Lucinda (2010-2012) Biology student at Imperial College London, Vice The Old Clayesmorian • MMXIV

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Lewis McManus (2007-2013)

Jack Hayter (2008-2012)

12th man duties for England at the Rose Bowl

Tales from the film set

Lewis was awarded a two year scholarship contract with Hampshire for 2014 and 2015. In June of this year he was named as a one of the most exciting teenage cricketers by All Out Cricket Magazine, and scored back to back centuries on his First XI debut against Cardiff MCCU in May. His first innings century made him only the seventh player to make a hundred on first-class debut for Hampshire.

From the 28th of April to the 18th of May I was working on ‘The Taking’ directed by Dominic Brunt (better known as Paddy the vet from Emmerdale). My role on the production was 2nd Camera Assistant, this meant that it was my job to organise all of the production equipment and have it on hand at all times so that if a camera operator says “I need a 35mm prime lens” you can go and get it for them as fast as possible. My roles expanded over the course of the shoot to camera building, clapper boarding and focus pulling (which is a production role I had been considering for a long time). ‘The Taking’ is a story about two friends who want to break out of their dull jobs and start their own business. After struggling to raise any money from the bank they are offered a loan from a mysterious loan shark, who turns out to be a complete psycho. The film stars Victoria Smurfit (who has been in The Beach, About a Boy and the US TV series Dracula), Joanne Mitchell (who has been in Emmerdale, Holby City, Waterloo Road, and a number of other TV dramas), and Jonathan Slinger (who was in A Knight’s Tale with Heath Ledger and is recognised as high-end Shakespearean actor). This film is full of an amazing cast and crew who were all brilliant to work with. For the shoot we were using two RED Epic 4K cinema cameras. In the morning I would build the cameras and prepare the equipment to make sure that it was ready for when the director of photography needed it. Geoff Boyle, was the DoP on the shoot and he was really interesting to work with. He has made every single commercial that you can imagine from the 70’s and 80’s. He has also done a number of music videos for artists such as Meatloaf and David Bowie. He became one of the main pioneers in early digital video cameras and has been a part of testing them and making them what they are today. I can’t reveal too much about the shoot as I signed a contract with the production company (Metrodome) saying that I wouldn’t reveal anything about the production process. Although I can say that the experience I have had on ‘The Taking’ has been awesome, I have learned more from the people on this shoot than I could ever hope to learn from my lecturers at uni. I have a knowledge of the industry that you can only get from actually being there. I can take what I’ve learned on this film to my own short films and other projects that I work on in the future. Now it’s just a matter of getting my CV out to anyone who needs a trainee camera assistant... wish me luck.

Visitors to the Rose Bowl for the England test match at the end of July may have spotted Lewis fulfillng 12th man duties for England. Our thanks to former Prep Head, Richard Geffen, for this photograph.

Thomas Piesinger (2008-2013) Winning awards for National Service Training Currently in Singapore and have completed one year of National Service. Started Basic Military Training last September and was awarded Company Best PT Recruit and was in the top ten percent selected to continue training in the SAFTI Military Institute as an officer cadet. Also won the Wing Best PT Cadet Award and was first to be selected as Cadet Wing Commander - put in charge of 150 men! Unfortunately, during training, I completely ruptured an ankle ligament when jumping down 2 metres during an obstacle course. I was medically downgraded and was not allowed to continue training. I am now working in the office of the Officer Cadet School and am thoroughly bored. I still have another year to go but am keeping myself busy with music and DJ-ing.

Mike Geary (Honorary OC) Works sold in Christie’s Sale Four works by Mike Geary featured in Christie’s March Sale of Modern British and Irish Art. OCs who attended the Prep School may remember ‘Towards the Future’ which was displayed in the Art Room for many years.

Top: Jack behind the camera Bottom: Setting up for a scene The Old Clayesmorian • MMXIV

DEGREE SUCCESS Congratulations to the following:

Lorsson de Bie (2001-2011)

Gained a First in Economics from the University of Cardiff. (pictured

Degree Success

Laura Fairlie (2006-2010)

Gained a 2:1 in Singing from the Royal Northern College of Music.

Ollie Fairlie (2005-2010)

Gained a 2:1 in Marketing from the University of Plymouth.

top)

Tristan Euridge (2006-2011)

Jonathan Higgs (2001-2010)

Gained a 2:2 in Architecture from the University of Plymouth.

Gained a First in Engineering from Oxford Brookes University.

David Humphreys (2004-2011)

William Howard (2005-2009)

Flora McKechnie (2004-2009)

Amy McCrow (2001-2009)

Gained a First in Archaeology from Bristol University. He is currently studying for his master’s degree. (pictured second from top)

Gained a First in Primary Education from St Mary’s University, Twickenham and gained the highest mark in her cohort for her dissertation on childhood resilience. (pictured second from bottom)

Joshua Millard (1996-2011)

Gained a First in Bespoke Tailoring from the University of the Arts, London College of Fashion, and is now working for Chanel.

Graduated from Birmingham University with a degree in Electrical and Energy Engineering.

Gained a 2:2 in Film and Video Production from the University of South Wales.

Chris Moore (2005-2010)

Gained a 2:2 in Meteorology from Reading University in 2013.

Amy Neale (2004-2009)

Gained a 2:1 in Business Studies from Bristol University.

Arisa Ota (2004-2011)

Gained a First in Music from Canterbury Christ Church University.

Rowan Newland (2003-2011)

Gained a 2:1 in Classics from Durham University. (pictured top)

Sarah Baillie (2002-2007)

Gained a 2:1 in Midwifery from the University of Southampton.

Louise Birchall (2006-2009)

Gained a 2:1 in Motorsport Engineering from Oxford Brookes University.

Chris Butterfield (2004-2010)

Gained a 2:1 in Economics from the University of Cardiff and completed his master’s degree in International Finance & Economics earlier this year. He is now working for Price Waterhouse Coopers.

Joshua Cheung (1996-2011)

Gained a 2:1 in History from Royal Holloway. He is currently studying for a master’s degree at King’s College, London. (pictured bottom)

Charlotte Day (2002-2011)

Nicholas Reeves (2004-2009)

Graduated from BUWE with his master’s degree in Real Estate.

Alex Roach (2000-2011)

Gained a 2:1 in Resource and Exploration Geology from Cardiff University.

Fay Sandon-Allum (2008-2010)

Gained a 2:1 in Events Management from UWIC. (pictured bottom)

Freddie Vardigans (2004-2007)

Gained a 2:1 in Film Studies from the ACM/University of Surrey in 2013 and commenced a BA in Politics and International Relations at Hull University in 2014.

Peter Weal (1993-1996)

Passed his master’s degree in Education with Distinction from London South Bank University.

Gained a 2:1 in Law from Queen Mary University, London.

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PASSING OUT

Unions Our congratulations to:

Emily Phillips (2001-2003) & Nick Lattimer who were married in the New Forest on 18th January 2014. They met at Trinity College, Bristol where both are students (pictured left).

Matthew Jones (1994-1999) & Mikaela Ricketts who were married on 2nd August 2014 (pictured below right).

Rebecca Taylor (1996-2001) & Damien Cuny

who were married on 24th May 2014 (pictured left).

Alex Peck (2001-2006) & Izabela

Thomas Reed (2000-2009) and Lloyd Goodwin (2004-2009)

who were married on 20th June 2014. The Clayesmore Choir performed at their ceremony.

Thomas Reed and Lloyd Goodwin passed out as Midshipmen from BRNC, Dartmouth, on 10 July this year. Tom is pictured right receiving his commissioning roll and above back row, 2nd from left. Lloyd is pictured above 2nd row from back, 3rd from right.

Alex Stuart (2003-2005) & Hannah Upsher

Richard Carr (2002-2007)

who were married on 21st June 2014 in Angersleigh, near Taunton (pictured below left). His best man was fellow OC and room-mate, Justin Morton.

Pilot Officer Richard Carr passed out of RAF Cranwell in September 2014. (pictured right)

Will Slinger (2003-2008)

Will Slinger passed ouf of RMA Sandhurst on 8th August. He is now a Troop Leader in The Royal Dragoon Guards.

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Additions

In Memoriam

Our congratulations to:

The Society is sad to report the deaths of the following it has learned of since the publication of the last Old Clayesmorian Magazine.

Winnie & Tom Musgrave (Foo) (1992-1997)

Katie & Paul Case (Litton) (1995-2000)

on the birth of Alexi Thomas on 1 July 2014.

on the birth of Ella Rose on 23 July 2014.

Aaron & Tylynn Brick (1997-1999)

Jemma & David Westwell (Featch) (1996-2001)

on the birth of Avery on 3 May 2014.

on the birth of Bronwyn on 21 January 2014.

Christine & David Akehust (Kohlhaas) (1997-1999)

Abigail Goodman (2000-2005) & Ali Shukri Marzuki

on the birth of Daniel in February 2014.

on the birth of Eve on 14 April 2014.

Eunice & Maurice Huang (Chng)(1997-1999)

Stef & David Briggs (Blomquist) (both 2001-2006)

on the birth of Annelynne Jia-Lin in December 2013.

on the birth of Harry Thomas on 10 October 2014.

Tara & Wayne Moussalli (Litton) (CPS Pupil & Senior Staff) on the birth of Hugo in September 2014, a brother to Ollie (pictured right).

MICHAEL SAYERS (1932-1936) One of our oldest known members, who died on 5 January 2014 at the age of 93. Mr Sayers was one of the last known OCs who made the journey from Northwood Park in Winchester to Iwerne Minster and worked in the advertising industry. THEODORE MACLEAN (1934-1936) Another of the Northwood Clayesmorians who sadly passed away in May 2013 at the age of 93. His son writes, ‘During the war he served as a rear-gunner in the RAF ~ based in the Far East. He always maintained he never encountered the enemy. Afterwards he became a Senior Cabin Steward with Imperial Airways/BOAC/British Airways on long-haul flights ~ until he retired. He had a long and very fulfilling retirement. He leaves his widow, Renate, and two sons and two daughters.’ HUGH RICHMOND (1937-1941) On 3 January 2013. Following a career in the Royal Marines, Mr Richmond worked as a company director in the textiles industry. BRIGADIER JOHN ELDERKIN (1938-1943) On 24 January 2014. Emeritus Governor of the School, his attachment to Clayesmore lasted throughout his life. See separate obituary on page 105.

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RICHARD A WEBSTER (1942-1945) On 17 April 2013. A retiree, living in Sheffield at the time of his passing.

NICHOLAS ZELLE (1955-1961) On 25 November 2013 in Malta. See separate obituary on page 112.

ROBYN DENNY (1945-1948) On 20 May 2014. One of the most prominent of a group of young British painters at the centre of the sixties art scene in London. See separate obituary on page 108.

PETER TRANT (1958-1961) On 10 February 2014 at home. A self-employed chartered surveyor.

WILLIAM OSMOND (1947-1951) Peacefully at home on 21 August 2014. A farmer who lived near Dorchester and beloved husband and much loved father and grandfather. DAVID MARSDEN (1948-1952) On 18 August 2012. David joined Clayesmore Prep in 1948 at the age of 7 and left when he gained a place at the Thames Nautical Training College on HMS Worcester. Following a career at sea he became Vice Commodore of the Old Worcester’s Yacht Club in 2011. PHILIP JOHN HOARE (1952-1956) On 30 March 2014 after a long illness. A retired chartered accountant. See separate obituary on page 117. MICHAEL DENNIS (1953-1957) A retired Industrial Chemist who passed away on 3 December 2013.

PETER FLEMING (1958-1962) On 9 June 2014 after a short illness. A retired banker and stalwart supporter of the OC Society and the School. See separate obituary on page 118. SIMON POOLE (1976-1981) On 17 July 2013. A breeder of flat-racing thoroughbreds. HARRIET BARBER CPS (1980-1981) Peacefully at home on 16 July 2014 following a long and courageous battle against cancer. A much loved and well respected artist and art teacher at Clayesmore Prep School for over twenty years. See separate obituary on page 123. COMMANDER DAVID ISARD Staff Commander David Isard passed away on 29 November 2013, a former Bursar and Clerk to the Governors (1985-1995) and Honorary Old Clayesmorian. Following a career in the Navy he took up posts as Bursar of Pangbourne College and Cheltenham Ladies College

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Brigadier john elderkin (1925-2014)

IN MEMORIAM

before arriving at Clayesmore in 1985. His tenure at the school saw the constructions of the Burke Theatre and the Social Centre, the creation of the Sports Centre access and the building of the Centenary Astro-Turf pitch. He retired to Iwerne Minster and continued to be a regular supporter of school events.

Retired Army Officer and long-standing governor of the school whose ‘post-retirement’ career included 21 years as Bursar of Emmanuel College, Cambridge. His colleague on the governing council, Roger Kingwill, gave the following address at his Memorial Service which was held at the school in March of this year.

ohn Elderkin entered Clayesmore School in Autumn 1938. His father, with Nottinghamshire roots, was a Lloyds Bank manager in West Hartlepool and John was the eldest of three sons. His parents’ choice of Clayesmore, some three hundred miles from home, indicated a positive decision for this school’s individuality. John’s determination was shown by an early boxing victory against Sherborne weighing in at 6 stone 2 lbs.

JOHN LAST Staff Peacefully at the Cedars Nursing Home in Shaftesbury on 30 August 2013. John was the school chef for over 40 years from 1950-1991 and an Honorary Old Clayesmorian. He will be greatly missed by Nellie and all his friends and family. BILL WILLETTS Staff All were greatly saddened by the sudden death of Bill Willetts on 31 August 2014. A long-standing and much loved member of staff who lived in the Lodge by the main gate with his wife, Cynthia. Bill was a stalwart member of the Clayesmore community and will be remembered with affection by successive generations of OCs who knew him from his days as a minibus driver or as part of the maintenance team where his work took him to all corners of the campus. He was always ready to lend a hand, and he served the school generously and royally. Nothing was ever too much trouble for him and he undertook all his work with good humour and cheer.

John’s father died in September 1939 and family circumstances were transformed. Headmaster Evelyn King recognized leadership potential and was keen to retain young Elderkin, even offering accommodation with his own family during some holidays, and “work experience” with the maintenance staff. One friend remembers him as a solitary figure at a term end, waving to the boys in buses heading for the railway station. Another recalled sharing with him a summer holiday camping in a bell tent at Bussey Stool Farm in Cranborne Chase felling trees for the landowner. Meals were simple, mostly fried eggs and potatoes, but once in a while they caught a rabbit. They were paid by the number of cords of wood that they cut, and deemed it a most enjoyable time. John came to regard the School as a second home, and his loyalty and wish to ‘put something back’ lasted his lifetime.

The picture (right) shows Bill on the day he was handed the keys of the new pick-up. He felt that he should wear something smart to drive such a fine vehicle and rushed home to don his white DJ!

School archives record the usual milestones: Confirmation, examinations, two years in the first Rugby XV, and Vice Captain of Athletics, a determined miler and a javelin thrower. He was a prefect in his final year. The Junior Training Corps (fore-runner of the C.C.F.) was important. Cadet Elderkin gained his War Office Certificate ‘A’ in 1941, and became the disciplinarian Colour Sergeant resplendent in a bright red sash, an early glimpse of his future. John was described as “really

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good at maths”, which won him a place on a Cambridge Short Course, and led to the Royal Engineers. During basic training in Clitheroe he caught scarlet fever. He and a friend present today, who had been conscripted as a ‘Bevin Boy’ to a nearby colliery, managed to meet for mutual consolation. The later 1960’s were difficult years for small boarding schools including Clayesmore. Falling numbers left no margin for much needed investment. Mr King, after war service and a new career in politics, had become Chairman of the Clayesmore Council, but was shortly to retire. Among the most incisive of new governors from 1963 was Major Elderkin. By 1970, while military postings permitted, he chaired the Council’s Executive Committee. At the launch of a Financial Appeal I had the temerity to ask questions. I met John for the first time, and was invited to join his Committee. Under John’s leadership, with David Walser (later Archdeacon of Ely), Bernard Drabble (the school’s accountant) and most importantly with wise and dedicated Headmaster, Roy McIsaac, and successive Bursars, we met frequently in London, and to report to the full Council in London or Dorset. We became a close group and I am sad to be the only survivor. Financial margins were slender but eventually the tide turned. This period covered negotiations and planning for the move of the Preparatory School to this campus, and the change to co-education, with all the required alterations in accommodation and playing fields that this entailed. 1970 was also the year of John and Erika’s marriage. Late starters by some standards, but they shared their Ruby wedding, and produced

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John elderkin

Excerpts from the tribute given by Colonel John Napier at Brigadier Elderkin’s Memorial Service in March:

rigadier John Elderkin enjoyed one of the most diverse of postwar careers embracing nineteen appointments in seventeen different locations worldwide. At a time when career patterns in the Corps tended towards ‘BAOR specialists’ and ‘rest of the world’ he was firmly in the latter category.

John Elderkin (right) at the reopening of the Art School in 1996

two splendid sons whose own achievements have been a cause of celebration.

was vital to Hong Kong. The old school tie has uses.

John’s military career will be covered by Colonel Napier, but one incident fits here. John and Erika were in Hong Kong at the time of the construction of the Mass Transit Railway from the island to the mainland. This major work involved tunnelling under the cluster of residences occupied by British army families, and the responsible British corporation began receiving furious letters from a group of army wives protesting at the noise beneath their floorboards. The Army commander asked the contractors to attend a meeting to explain themselves. The corporation Chairman despatched his Head of Public Relations with the words “You had better handle this”, and full of foreboding the latter joined a large assembly of hostile housewives anxious to tear him to pieces. Chairing the meeting was a Colonel who appeared vaguely familiar. During the coffee break the PR man quietly asked the Colonel if he had been to Clayesmore. “Yes,” said the startled Colonel Elderkin; and after the response “So did I” only a few further formalities were required to conclude the meeting with assurances to the assembled wives that all possible would be done to limit the inconvenience, but the railway

John left the Army in 1979. On moving to Cambridge for a new career he resumed attendance at school meetings, and he played a full part in the steady growth of the school. On his second retirement in 1992 it was no surprise when he and Erika found a house just a dozen miles away. He became Chairman of the Council from 1994 to 1997, years which covered the School’s Centenary celebrations. He left a secure school, of over 500 pupils and was elected an Emeritus Governor. John Elderkin would be the first to insist that credit for the development of Clayesmore, (now with over 700 pupils) must be shared with many others, particularly in recent years and including, of course, Headmasters and their staff. His greatest input was made at a vulnerable time. It was a satisfaction to him to see stability regained, facilities transformed, and emphasis on the individual pupil maintained. It is fitting that we celebrate John Elderkin’s contribution to that achievement. Roger Kingwill (1945-1950)

In 1943/44 he attended the Cambridge ‘short course’ before being posted in 1945, with an Emergency Commission, to Calcutta where he was appointed Stores Officer. He escaped from this, as he put it, by acquiring a regular commission. He was then posted to the Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners Training Regiment at Poona (Pune) as 2IC of a Training Company, moving to Roorkee in 1947 as an assistant bridging instructor. He returned to the UK in 1948 and, after his BSc course at Shrivenham and a brief period at Chatham with 12 SME Regiment, was posted to 28 Engineer Regiment in Korea in 1952 for what was to become the final year of that war. At the time the Commonwealth Division was taking control of a new sector involving both field squadrons in hectic activity. John was a troop commander in 12 Field Squadron, had a spell as LIaison Officer with the invaluable Korean Service Corps unit in support of the Regiment, and finally became Intelligence Officer at RHQ. Contemporaries bear witness to how he rose to the occasion in these testing times with lives so frequently at risk in the mine-strewn terrain and under the intense enemy artillery fire. He spoke little of it afterwards although in 1975 he much enjoyed an opportunity to return to the divisional area.

Korea was followed by 16 Field Squadron (35 Army Engineer Regiment) as Second-inCommand initially in the Canal Zone and then at Limassol, Cyprus. It was there, acting as OC, that he led the squadron in an emergency riot control operation. His account of this episode, published in the RE Journal of December 1956 became a standard text at Staff College for teaching procedures ‘In Aid of the Civil Power’. It was the first post-WW2 occasion when Sappers had been involved in such a situation, and the last in which pre-war procedures were followed to the letter. Nowhere in the article does John mention by name his own leading role in the affair. Three brief UK tours now followed before a return to Cyprus in 1970. After this the UK beckoned again in the shape of the Joint Service Staff Course and a subsequent MoD appointment in the Secretariat of the Defence Research Policy Staff. In 1965 he swapped the MoD hothouse for the pleasures of four years of regimental soldiering in Malaya and then, in complete contrast, in Glasgow. In 1969 he returned to Whitehall and the world of procurement as a full colonel, to mastermind the operational requirements of the Royal Engineers. In 1976, after yet another overseas tour, this time as Colonel AQ in Hong Kong, he was promoted to Brigadier and appointed Chief of the British Mission to the Russian Forces in East Germany, (BRIXMIS), based in Berlin. On his retirement from the Amry he became Domestic Bursary at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, which post he held from 1979 until 1992. There, while he had to live with the frustrations of interference by a few individual fellows unfamiliar with the concept of the chain of command, he enjoyed the friendship and support of the Senior Common Room as a whole and the loyalty of his staff. He was, appropriately, awarded an MA for his services to the university. Colonel John Napier

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ROBYN Denny (1930-2014) Expressionist painter whose cool geometric abstractions captured the mood of the early 1960s.

obyn Denny, who has died aged 83, was one of the first British artists of the post-war years to take his influence from American Abstract Expressionism. Although he is now less well-known than more “accessible” contemporaries such as Howard Hodgkin, Bridget Riley, Peter Blake or David Hockney, Denny’s huge, hard-edged geometric abstractions, free of natural influences, captured the cool, modernising mood of the late 1950s and early 1960s. He had his first solo exhibition in London in 1957, and in 1960 helped to organise and take part in the “Situation” exhibition at the RBA Galleries, which marked a significant move away from the more delicate abstract painting of the St Ives school. In the 1960s he had shows in Milan, Stuttgart, Cologne, New York and Zurich, while in London he showed at the Waddington, Tooth and Kasmin galleries. In 1966 he represented Britain at the Venice Biennale, and in 1973 became the youngest artist to be awarded a retrospective by the Tate. Denny’s early work typically consisted of large, symmetrical canvases on which horizontal and vertical bands in soft, muted colours, framed shapes like overlapping doorways. From the late 1960s he introduced freer, more vibrantlycoloured compositional motifs in which verticals were no longer so dominant. His paintings required a constant process of visual adjustment, with juxtaposed colours producing flicker effects which made the forms, spaces and scales appear unstable. Some critics felt that the subtleties of his colour palette owed more to French traditions, following in the wake of Redon, Seurat, and Monet. His work can be found in museum collections around the world, and he carried out numerous public commissions, including a series of vitreous enamel panels at Embankment underground

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station. In 1959 he was commissioned by the men’s clothier Austin Reed to design a mural for its Regent Street store which was to be “a trendy evocation of fashionable London” and a response to the growing threat of the youthful styles of nearby Carnaby Street to middlemarket menswear. The result, Great, Big, Wide, Biggest, a huge typographical collage of advertising jargon in Union Flag red white and blue, helped to turn the colours of the British national symbol into a key part of the visual grammar of “Swinging London”. One of The Beatles’ first London photo shoots in 1963 was in front of the Austin Reed mural. The world, however, moved on, and although Denny became a much respected elder statesman for abstraction, and his cool geometric lithographs of the 1970s became popular in corporate offices, the thoughtful abstractionism he represented was swamped by the advent of Pop and conceptual art. His name faded from view. But he refused to change for fashion’s sake, and continued to pursue his own vision with an admirable and single-minded intensity. As his fellow Abstract Expressionist Richard Smith observed in an interview in The Guardian in 2000: “Robyn Denny keeps saying, ‘Our time will come, Dick. Our time will come.’ And he’s been saying this for years and years.” The third of four brothers, Edward Maurice FitzGerald Denny, always called Robyn, was born at Abinger, Surrey, on October 3 1930, the son of the Rev Sir Henry Lyttelton Lyster Denny, 7th Bt, who was then the local rector and would serve as Chaplain of the Forces during the Second World War. His other brothers would achieve eminence in different fields: Anthony as

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Above: Robyn Denny in 1966, the year he represented Britain at the Venice Biennale. Photograph: Jane Brown

an architect; Barry as a diplomat; and Richard as a business guru and writer. The Dennys were descended from Sir Anthony Denny, a confidant of Henry VIII in the king’s later years, when he rejoiced in the title of First Chief Gentleman and Groom of the Stool. Sir Anthony did well out of the Dissolution of the Monasteries, taking over Waltham Abbey. The family continued to prosper under Queen Elizabeth I, who granted them lands in Ireland — where they lived until the early 20th century. Robyn was educated at Clayesmore School, Dorset, then studied painting at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris and at St Martin’s School of Art. After two years’ National Service in the Royal Navy (much of which he spent in military prison after declaring himself a conscientious objector) he went on to study at the Royal College of Art. There he began to experiment with abstract collages and bold gestural paintings, influenced by American Abstract Expressionism, which were exhibited in London in 1956 and, in 1959, at the hugely influential “Place” exhibition at the ICA. This was an early example of what is

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now called site-specific installation, featuring large unframed canvases standing directly on the floor and arranged in two parallel zigzags to suggest a maze, which visitors would be obliged to negotiate - thereby becoming “participants” rather than passive spectators. Following his graduation in 1957, Denny won a scholarship to study in Italy. While making his name as an artist Denny taught part-time at Hammersmith School of Art, at the Slade and at Bath Academy of Art, Corsham — the cutting-edge art school of its time. He also wrote reviews for magazines such as Das Kunstwerk and Art International. Greatly respected as a spokesman for his generation of abstractionists, in 1974 he was invited to give the first William Townsend memorial lecture at the Slade. In 1981 Denny moved to Los Angeles, where the urban environment and often smog-hazed natural light inspired him to develop a new aesthetic featuring large monochrome thicklayered acrylic surfaces on which concentrated clusters of coloured scratchings rest on thin horizontals. The art historian David Alan Mellor, who published a study of Denny’s work in 2002, has described these later works as having the

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Left: Denny working on The Austin Reed Mural, Right: The Beatles pictured in front of the finished work in 1963.

ethereal quality of “abstract Turners”. While Denny, like other “Situation” artists of the early 1960s, had been seen as rejecting the St Ives tradition, these later works recaptured some of the lyrical, transparent delicacy of that school. Denny returned to Britain in the early 1990s when some of his paintings featured in “The Sixties Art Scene in London”, an exhibition held at the Barbican in 1993. The exhibition helped to prompt a modest revival of interest in his work with several solo exhibitions, of which the most recent took place last year at the Laurent Delaye Gallery, Savile Row. Robyn Denny married first, in 1953, the artist Anna Teasdale (dissolved 1975), with whom he had a son and daughter. He also had a son from a relationship with the art restoration expert Katharine Reid, daughter of the former Tate director Sir Norman Reid. He is survived by his second wife, Marjorie Abéla, whom he married in 1995, and by his children. Robyn Denny, born October 3 1930, died May 20 2014. Reproduced by kind permission of The Telegraph.

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Opposite: Background: Mural on District Line platform of Embankment Station. Left: Denny’s work on dislpay in the Flying Boat Club, Tresco, August 2014. Right: Programme from Denny’s 1973 Tate Exhibition. The Old Clayesmorian • MMXIV

NICHOLAS ZELLE (1942-2013)

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Nicholas Zelle, OC, Director of Music and long-standing member of the OC Society Committee, died suddenly in Malta on 25 November 2013. A Memorial Service was held in July of this year and the following tributes were paid by two of his close friends and fellow OCs, Robert Mash and Lachlan Burn.

ny account of Nick’s life at Clayesmore must be partial and personal, and this one is both.

I knew Nick for over 50 years. When he joined Clayesmore I was a prefect, and had only a passing acquaintance with him. Here is a little story from that time which tells us something of Nick’s character even at this young age. His Housemaster at that time, Humphrey Moore, subscribed to a monthly newsletter which advertised bargain copies of LPs (remember them?) of classical music. Nick, learning of this, also became a (free) subscriber. Humphrey was a great admirer of The Dream of Gerontius, a wonderful oratorio by Elgar (a favourite composer of Nick’s), and was looking to expand his already large record collection. One morning, when Humphrey opened the latest copy of this newsletter he was delighted to see that a set of LPs of The Dream of Gerontius was heading the list of bargains. He made the fatal mistake of delaying his order, because Nick, too, had received the newsletter and had immediately ordered the discs for himself! Even then he was very competitive and determined, and he loved a bargain. I’m sure that he particularly enjoyed winning at the expense of his housemaster. While teaching at Clayesmore Nick was the master in charge of Service, the Monday afternoon alternative to the CCF. Usually reluctant boys were cajoled into various works around the school. One spring Nick purchased hundreds of daffodil bulbs which were planted around the school, where they delighted subsequent generations for decades. He was also responsible for starting a vegetable garden, growing lots of beans, potatoes, carrots and other vegetables, which ripened at the beginning of the summer holidays, unfortunately too late for Clayesmorians to enjoy. However, Nick’s main interest was music. Enthusiasm was the key to his success and under

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him music, especially choral music, flourished at Clayesmore. He was a friend of many professional musicians and had the knack of persuading them to play in his concerts in the acoustically unfriendly chapel, even if the only fee was a lavish and alcoholic supper. So there was the basis of a very competent orchestra that he could use to accompany one of his great loves: choral music. Another great love was Mozart, and these two were combined in his wonderful production of The Marriage of Figaro, performed in the old wooden theatre. He also produced The Marriage of Figaro in California, at the school near Santa Barbara where he taught for a year. We cannot think about Nick without thinking about Malta. He loved his flat in Mellieha and quickly built up a circle of local friends there. His musical contacts led to his organising a wonderful concert there in the cathedral in Valetta, including a setting, by his friend Ian Purseglove, who taught horn and piano at Clayesmore, of a poem written by the President of Malta, who also attended the concert. Nick organised the expedition with typical enthusiasm, bringing out a choir from Clayesmore and an orchestra of friends, accommodating them and arranging transport and entertainment. I visited him in Malta several times, and the routine didn’t vary much. Nick was not much interested in the Neolithic monuments, the Popeye Village, or museums. In the afternoon we would drive (Nick wasn’t one for walking if he could drive) to the local fishmonger in Mellieha and choose a fish for supper, which Nick would cook. We would go to visit his friend Nick Jensen in his Mdina palace, possibly pop into the cathedral there for the organ voluntary at the end of the service, and perhaps eat at one of his favourite restaurants. We would pop into Valetta

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for a service at the English cathedral; we would drive to the South East, to Marshaxlokk and eat at a cafe by the sea. We would drive to Gozo and eat lunch at the Stone Crab by the sea. We would visit friends. That was the routine, and he stuck to it. When he was not himself in Malta, he made the flat available for friends, refusing any form of rent. A few years ago I stayed there with a friend: we decide to mark our gratitude for his hospitality with a gift. I found an incredible bargain set of the complete works of Mozart, Nick’s favourite composer. It cost very little indeed, but Nick was overwhelmed. He soon got in touch with me, and said he was driving down to Malta and would I like to come with him: the only condition was that he would pay for everything ... all expenses were on him. So, a month or two later, off we went. We first called in at William and Karen Perks to pick up a harpsichord (the way one does); then to the stay the night with Lachlan Burn before moving on to the continent. The first night in France we found a small hotel which appealed to Nick because it was very near two supermarkets: Aldi and Lidl. As Lachlan has mentioned, Nick loved a bargain and these two bargain supermarkets were an irresistible magnet. The following morning we drove to them and parked the car in their car park. I made the mistake of putting a 2 euro coin into the ticket machine. Why was this a mistake? Here is a small digression to explain. In 2011 the British author E.L.James wrote what

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Left: Digging the foundations for the Music Block Above: OC Dinner c.2000

is described as ‘an erotic romance’ called Fifty Shades of Grey. Nick was not a great reader and had probably never heard of this work; indeed, he would not have understood the title. The concept ‘shades of grey’ would have been incomprehensible to him. Things were either black or white. When I told him that I had paid for the parking he was extremely irritated, reminding me that I had agreed that all expenses should be on him! 2 euros was an expense: he would pay! And he handed me a 2 euro coin to do it with! Nick then busied himself purchasing ‘bargains’. Cases of unbelievably cheap and undrinkable red wine and unfeasibly cheap and probably undrinkable champagne, were loaded into the car, already loaded with a harpsichord. Other foodstuffs joined them. Our journey south turned out to be more complex then we had intended and we ended up missing our ferry in the north of Italy and travelling at speed down the length of Italy to catch another ferry to Sicily so that we would not miss our connection from Sicily to Malta. An incident on this journey illustrates

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another of Nick’s qualities: his loyalty. We stayed the night at a hotel in a village by the coast. Nick had stayed there before, and was in the habit of purchasing cooking oil at a little shop there. The proprietor of the hotel had persuaded Nick to buy two large cans from him at a bargain price; Nick couldn’t resist the bargain, but fretted that he was letting down the proprietor of the little shop. So, the following morning we dropped in at this little shop, where Nick bought two more enormous cans of oil. You may wonder where we could pack it: harpsichords take up a great deal of space! Venice was another of Nick’s loves. He was much taken with this miraculous city and I visited it with him several times. Usually he would go with friends and with his mother. I remember staying at the Hotel Colombina, near St Mark’s Square, where he managed to persuade the management to set up a stairlift for his mother there. Those of you who are familiar with Venice will not need to be told that it is the least wheelchair-friendly city in Europe (perhaps the world): every few yards there is a little bridge with steps that need to be negotiated. None of this worried Nick: he bought a map showing step-free routes and identified all the bridges that had stair lifts, which could be used by those who obtained keys from the tourist offices. (Of course, this was Italy, and we soon learnt that not many of these worked.) However, the main thing was that his Ma enjoyed it, and so did Nick, and so did we. And there you have it in a nutshell: Nick enjoyed life: problems were to be solved and life was to be lived and celebrated. Robert Mash (1952-1958)

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have been asked to say a few words about Nick. I am not sure why I should be standing here rather than any of you. We all knew him and cared for him. That is why we are here. But maybe I was asked to do this because I knew him in a way that is a bit different from others. I first got to know him when I was a child. I suppose I must have been 7 or 8 when he came to stay with us, having become friends with my parents. He impressed my mother greatly by putting shoe trees in his shoes. What a tidy person, she thought. Well, maybe he was then. Shows that first impressions are not always accurate. I was probably cheeky to him and teased him unmercifully. He seemed, like all adults to a child, to inhabit another world. But he was always good with children. One felt that one was being treated as an equal; as someone who was worthy of attention. He seemed as interested in me as others in the room. I took an immediate liking to him. About five years later, our relationship changed. I became his pupil. He was no longer Nick, but Mr. Zelle, not to be made fun of any more. He was Director of Music at Clayesmore. I sang in his choir and, with great patience, he tried to teach me to play the organ. He wrote reports to my parents. Many of you will recognise this, no doubt with a degree of nervousness. A Clayesmore School Report. It contains Nick’s thoughts on me as his pupil. I won’t read them to you – I have some pride. Had he but known that the tables would be turned – that I would end up writing his end of term report today. I have a letter I wrote at the time, lovingly preserved by my mother. It gives some indication of how Nick and I got on at this stage of our relationship. Here’s a short extract: “Have you got permission for me to play the organ in the Church yet? Zelle is a very hard man to please and if you do not practise he goes up the wall.”

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Well, he must have spent a good while up the wall. But it can’t have been very scary, as I never did practise much. I guess that the transition was made easier by the fact that by this time Nick had grown a beard, which made him rather more imposing. As a child, I had known him in his beardless state. And, yes, he did have a chin. Quite a respectable one. But that had disappeared by the time he turned up to teach at Clayesmore. In its place was a rather impressive, bushy beard. He used to joke that he wore it to catch the porridge that missed his mouth at breakfast. Very useful, he would say, during that mid-morning hunger gap. All he had to do was to chew his beard, with its store of dried porridge, and he was set up for the rest of the morning. And, finally, as an adult, he became a close friend. He came to stay with us; he had us to stay in his flat in Malta; he helped us with his DIY skills when things broke down in the house; we went to concerts together; he coached our children for music exams. In short, he was a friend; indeed, part of the family. So I knew Nick for over 50 years, through the eyes of a child, a pupil and an adult. But what can I tell you about him that you don’t already know? Not much, I suspect. There are the bare facts of his life history. But I don’t propose to go through those. Instead, I thought that I would try to tell you what Nick meant to me. Why he was important to me. Indeed, why he was one of the most important influences in my life. And, in doing so, perhaps I may be able to echo some of your feelings and help with our collective memory of Nick. First, there is music. Nick was a teacher. He was inspirational. He was infectious. His enthusiasm caught you up and captured your imagination. He made one love music. And there can be no greater gift than that.

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Nick playing in the Staff Hockey Team, 1960s

When he played, when he conducted, even when he listened to music, one could tell that it lit him up. I remember sitting next to him last year during an organ recital and sensing the electricity that flowed through him as the organ played. And I remember the glow, the joy in his face as we talked about the performance over a sandwich afterwards. Music animated him. He would think nothing, when teaching in Dorset, about driving with a couple of pupils to London on a Sunday to go to a service at All Saint’s, Margaret Street. Or taking a group to Salisbury Cathedral or Bournemouth to listen to a Bach Passion or Constantin Silvestri conduct Elgar. And he had a gift for knowing what a pupil could do. It was always a lot more than the pupil thought. I used to dread the first few weeks of term. This was when Nick would think about the end of term concert. Safe options were not his style. Selections from the Sound of Music were not his thing. He would do HMS Pinafore; or a Concerto for three pianos and orchestra by J S Bach. Things that would fill me with horror at the very thought. It would never have occurred to me that I would appear in front of the school in bonnet, hooped skirts and petticoat, nor that I would marry the headmaster, who took the part of the Admiral. But it did occur to Nick and HMS Pinafore was duly performed with me as Hebe. And I am glad Nick pushed me to the limits. Indeed he stretched me beyond what I thought my limits were and made me better as a result. He could do extraordinary things. Who else would have thought of doing Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro

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Philip John Hoare (1938-2014)

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with the resources of Clayesmore School? Yet he did, and it was unforgettable. There must be very many people who love music today because of Nick – many of them in this Church. And we must all thank him for that. Another of Nick’s qualities that I valued highly was his “can do” attitude. Nothing was too difficult. Indeed, I would say that the greater the challenge, the more likely Nick was to take it up. And, once taken up, he never gave up. A stair lift was needed for his house in Malta. Most of us would have hired a local tradesman to put one in. Not Nick. He bought one on ebay, loaded it on the top of his ancient Honda and, with 90 year old mother in the passenger seat, he drove it out to Malta. When teaching at Clayesmore, he wanted to expand the organ. There was no budget. So he found one that was being thrown out by a church in the Midlands, dismantled it, transported it to Dorset and rebuilt it. Now, for those who don’t know much about organs, some of the pipes can be extremely long and heavy - up to 32 or even 64 feet long and made of wood or metal. In Nick’s case, he didn’t venture much beyond 16 foot stops. But even then, just imagine getting one of those into a van, or on top of a car. Again, I wouldn’t dare. But Nick relished the challenge. After he stopped teaching, he needed to earn a living. So he bought a flat in London and became a builder/electrician/plumber – an expert in everything. And he was very good at it. Everything he did worked. He was the person we went to when we had a problem. A tumbled down house we had rashly bought in Normandy needed doing up. Nick took up the challenge. He drove van loads of paint, cement, pollyfilla and whatever from England, with headlights pointing to the sky. And where we had given up, he would succeed. For two of us, putting lining paper on the ceiling was impossible. Nick could do it single handed.

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Nick had his quirks, like the rest of us. He loved a bargain. I remember many phone calls – they always started with “Hi there” – when he would crow with triumph over his latest ebay purchase. Sometimes a second hand computer; occasionally a car (a Ford bought for a song) or, in recent years, an organ or a harpsichord. He couldn’t bear to see instruments going to waste and was always on the look out for a home for lost organs, whether in a church or some unlucky person’s house. He was also intensely conservative in his tastes. David Willcocks at King’s had never been bettered. The best hi-fi was that made by Leak and Warfdale in the 1960s. Old cars were better than new, not least because (if you were Nick) you could fix them when they broke down in the middle of nowhere. And, of course, we all know his views on Radio 3. Nick had a huge sense of fun. He was, above all, someone full of laughter. When he laughed, his whole body shook. I remember him, open mouthed, tears running down his cheeks, as we read Spike Milligan aloud in an Austrian ski resort. But, finally and perhaps above all, I valued Nick for his loyalty. He was always there in case of need. And always found a solution, whatever the problem. I wonder how many of us would have given a decade of our lives to living with and looking after a parent. Nick did. I wonder how many of us would drive a mother in her 90s around Europe. Nick did. He took his mother to and from from Malta and Venice, and she loved it. He became her lifeline. When he left the room, she would ask continually where he was.

Scholar who went on to become a Chartered Accountant, his brother, Roger Hoare (19531957) writes:

orn in 1938, Philip won a scholarship to Clayesmore and entered in 1952. Rumour has it that in his entrance exam for English he wrote about cricket, a subject which endeared him to the then Junior Housemaster, J.Appleby! Despite this apparent interest in sport Philip was never one to distinguish himself on the playing fields but at one time he held the CCF marksmanship shooting record!

Philip left Clayesmore in 1956 and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1961, in which year he married Jayne. Much of Philip’s business life was spent in the insurance industry in which he travelled extensively, particularly to the US and to Canada. He was an accomplished cook and a gourmet, liking nothing more than visiting as many Michelin starred restaurants as he could. His wife Jayne contracted a brain tumour and died in 2011, something from which Philip never fully recovered. He leaves a daughter, Sara, and two grandchildren, Ashley and Connor. Roger Hoare (1953-1957)

Well, he is in the same place as her now. He was one of those people who were somehow larger than life. And now he is dead. I will miss him, always. He was one of those rare people, who are a formative influence on one’s life. He changed me for the better. And I give thanks for him and for our friendship of over 50 years. Lachlan Burn (1964-1969)

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Peter Fleming (Fuzz) (1944-2014) A good friend to Clayesmore and Clayesmorians, a loving family man, Peter died on 9 June 2014 surrounded by his family, after a short illness.

eter was born 1944 in Leatherhead and moved to Maidenhead when he was 3 or 4 years old. His father was in the RAF. He attended Winbury Prep School in Maidenhead in the early 1950’s together with several other Clayesmorians-to-be, including Malcolm Peake, Raoul Charlebois, the Morgan brothers and Neill Pitcher. He left Winbury to go to Clayesmore Prep School and to follow his brother Robin (19491954) to Iwerne Minster. Of the Winbury years Neill Pitcher recalls that he had a definite sense of priorities even then which did not include sport. The playing fields were about a mile from the school and those who could not cram into the headmaster’s car were obliged to walk; in Peter’s case this involved a well-stocked sweet shop en-route and arriving some time before the half time whistle. Peter went from Charlton Marshall to Iwerne in 1958.

Clayesmore (1958-1962) Brent Elson has happy recollections of his time at Clayesmore with Peter. “Peter was quite studious at school, not sporty at all. He hated every sport, and did his best to avoid them! But the four of us were often away on our bikes, quite often all day on Sundays . This would involve having the occasional tipple at various hostelries, and smoking. Peter never had confrontations with anyone - except once - and he was forever teased about it. We used, after our smoking excursions, to end up often in a Tea Shop somewhere on the road to Shaftesbury. It was run by a fairly prim and proper, almost Victorian lady, called Mrs Osman. On this day Peter decided that one piece of cake was not enough, so he asked Mrs Osman for another piece. She said “Which cake did you have?” Peter said, “Dunno, it looked like a piece of old Christmas cake!” Obviously, Mrs Osman took exception to her delicious fruit cake being slagged off. Then we three broke out laughing as she ejected Peter! And then, to cap it all, the rest of us were asked to

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leave, so Peter was then to blame for us losing a rather pleasant place to hide from authority! He was never forgiven! Sadly, I’m the only one left of the four of us, all of them left us in their 60’s.” Neill Pitcher remembers Peter had a part in ‘The Ascent of F6’ in 60/61 and was a literary contributor to the Clayesmorian and Concept, a school magazine published in the early 60’s. His Clayesmorian valete entry reads “Trinity Term of 1962 2nd XV, Chorister, Sailor, Ornithologist.” After leaving Clayesmore, Piers Sabine says, as can be seen from the tribute that appeared in Global Capital (see below) Peter had a long and hugely successful career at Barclays, rising to the position of a Managing Director in Barclays Capital. In the 1960s Peter joined Barclays Bank in Maidenhead later moving to Reading. During his time at Reading, staff would be seconded to the Heathrow branch and he told of nightly poker games when each player bet in different currencies (borrowed from the till) in order to enhance their familiarity with the exchange rates. Peter’s potential was quickly recognised and he was transferred to Barclays de Zoete, their merchant banking operation that became the huge international merchant bank, Barclays Capital. Keith Hatton, Peter’s close friend and colleague, has provided these quotes and tributes: David Brayshaw - Head of Loan Origination Corporate Banking, Barclays: As for Peter, recollections, there are so many. The friendship, the support to new people, the partying, and the sayings. My favourite is still “I’m agog with indifference!” Jim Ruffell – Managing Director – Investment Banking Division, Barclays: It’s June 2000, Peter

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and I had been negotiating a financing package for an acquisition that with hindsight was a little half baked and a borrower that had a massively inflated opinion of themselves and their deal doing credentials. Suffice to say the whole process had been difficult and fractious. Fast forward to day before the deal announcement - acres of detail and terms still unresolved, Peter and I rock up to the lawyers late afternoon to negotiate/conclude terms. Closeted in a room with CFO from early evening and through gritted teeth made genuine progress line by line until the CEO turned up around midnight with his coterie of advisors....... Big step backwards. CEO playing to his crowd starts to berate the banks for their unreasonable demands and rapidly undoes the evening’s progress. This increasing hostile exchange continues for a while with both sides fanning the flames and then Peter goes quiet (I am still continuing the ‘debate’). Peter then starts to shuffle and square up his papers ready to pack up; when he has done that he leans forward on the table and through his presence gets the attention without saying a word. He then, in very calm quiet tones, tells the client how it is going to be, gets up and leaves the room to a stunned silence. We adjourn. After a while a very sheepish CFO knocks on our door and ‘apologises’ for his CEO’s behaviour. Fragile negotiations resume; we conclude and sign at 5am and deal is announced at 7am. Exceptional handling of a difficult situation, potentially even an impasse, played to perfection. Exceptional professional, exceptional man. David Matthews – Head of Loan Origination, Barclays: I think that you could legitimately suggest that Peter was one of the founding fathers of the European syndicated loans market. Hard to imagine now, but when I joined the team in 1992 there were few established precedents or common ways of doing things. Peter’s experience in corporate lending and the merchant bank made him not only a voice of authority when it came to structuring and underwriting but also a mentor to the many people who joined the business

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as the market flourished and expanded. My warmest memory of Peter is probably the night in the Eastcheap Tandoori when Peter set fire to a colleague’s corporate credit to prevent an ‘abuse’ of the expenses system after a long and hearty leaving dinner - integrity and bon viveur in equal measures! Jonathan Pughe – Head of Sales, RBS (ex-Barclays loans): When I was a young Originator, Peter asked me to put together a pitch for a role for a blue chip European client. The day of the meeting the CFO, Treasurer and Head of Capital Markets flew over to see 4 banks and came to Barcap for their meeting. No Peter in sight which was slightly worrying as JPF had been tied up on another deal for days and had not seen, let alone read, what was in the pitch book. No choice but to do the pitch as best I could and so I talked pricing and syndication strategy and the usual. I was just running through my grand finale when Peter wanders in from the pub, graciously lets me finish and says “I echo everything Jonathan has said and, let me assure you that, if you mandate us, I will personally be ensuring the successful outcome of your deal”. Such was his presence, credibility, and reputation that we were awarded the mandate the next day. Legend. In 1971 Peter married Ann in Maidenhead while working in Reading, later moving to Pangbourne and then to Crowthorne when his eldest child, Corinne, was very young. They then moved to East Grinstead, on to Reigate and back to East Grinstead before retiring to Woolton Hill near Newbury. They also had a cottage in Devon where they enjoyed sailing, walking and meeting up with local friends in the Maltsters Arms. He was an avid reader but his real interest was cars! As long as they were blue, he was very happy. It was a standing joke. At Barclays he had to change his MG Midget for an MGB when starting a family, needing a bigger, faster model.

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As work commitments eased, Peter became involved with the Old Clayesmorian Society. He had for many years been a regular attendee at the Simpson’s dinners, and in 2007 he was elected Secretary of the Society. This was a time when relations between the Society and the School were, sadly, at a low ebb, and Peter was instrumental in helping put the Society back on a sound footing and, mercifully, one which was in complete harmony with the School. Longstanding OC Committee member, Hugh Thompson, remembers “when Peter joined the Committee we were drowning. He is one of the reasons why we did not go under but went on and prospered.” Andrew Beaton, who was Chairman of the OC Society for six of the years that Peter was on the Committee, recalls how enjoyable those times were – “Working with Peter was always a pleasure and he had the great ability of being able to achieve the right outcome with (seemingly) least effort and fuss! It’s easy to see why he had such a successful business career.” Fellow Committee member and current Chair, Louise Salmond Smith, paid tribute to Peter’s sense of fun, wisdom and his remarkable knack of getting others to feel entirely comfortable in his presence. In 2009 Peter became the OC Committee representative on the Clayesmore Society, and in 2013 a Governor of the School. He was a great supporter of his old school and it is sad that the School Council was not able to benefit longer from his contribution and experience. Piers Sabine says that in recent years a number of OC friends have got together for three days’ walking trips which have ‘cemented old friendships’, Peter was a leading member. “We have visited Dartmoor for a few trips, also the Dorset Purbecks and Derbyshire Dales. Peter’s interest was that walking was essential .... but not as essential as excessive rehydration and a very good dinner!”

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Above: from top Freddie Tear, Quentin Headley, Brent Elson, Peter Fleming (note Peter’s holder).

Earlier this year the Headmaster and his wife, many staff and pupils, also a number of OCs visited Ypres for the unveiling of a plaque in St George’s Chapel in memory of OCs who fell in the First World War. Peter had an abiding interest in military history and the First World War in particular and he was very involved in arranging this act of remembrance. Both he and Ann were there on great form as usual; little did we know that this would be the last time we would see our dear friend. He is very sadly missed. Peter is survived by his wife Ann and children Corinne, Roger, and Paul and his grandchildren. Compiled by Piers Sabine (1956-1960)

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Harriet Barber (1968-2014)

Peter Fleming

June 13, 2014

Issue 1,359

A highly regarded Figurative Painter and inspirational teacher.

t was with great sadness that the school announced the death of former Prep School pupil Harriet Barber. Harriet also taught Art at Clayesmore Prep for nearly twenty years. She had fought a long and courageous battle against cancer and died peacefully at home on Wednesday 16th July.

A tribute to Peter Fleming, doyen of the loan market We are sad to report the death of Peter Fleming after a short illness. He leaves behind a loving wife and a family of which he was very proud.

Peter, often known as JPF, worked for the Barclays Group for over 40 years, with roles in the commercial bank, Barclays Merchant Bank, BZW and Barclays Capital, before retiring in 2005.

e are sure all loan market participants will recall Peter’s abilities, his character, his intellect, his razor-sharp wit and, most of all, his ability to hold a room – in spite of his somewhat understated and, some would say, laidback approach. In the days when syndications really were that, with a handful of market-leading banks running deals, as opposed to today’s clubdominated market, Peter was one of the top syndicators. Not only was he popular with colleagues and peers at other banks, but clients also loved him. There are many stories of sitting in multi-bank kick-off meetings with clients, and while other banks were jostling for position and trying to make themselves heard (and more junior members of the Barclays team supporting Peter were itching to say something or encouraging him to make his contribution), Peter would stay quiet and let the meeting run its course. Then – with perfect timing – and just as the client was starting to get exasperated with the length of time the debate was taking and, perhaps, the direction the meeting was going, Peter would lean forward in his chair and come out with his usual pearls of wisdom and everyone would agree that was the best way to structure the deal and move forward. All the time, the people in the room knew www.globalcapital.com

Peter Fleming.indd 1

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that the client was really only waiting to hear what Peter thought and how Peter felt the transaction should be approached. People who worked directly with Peter have all said you couldn’t ask for a better boss, on a personal and a professional level. Peter was the person they all learned most from – from the most junior person to some of the most senior. All were happy to carry his bags and one of his favourite lines to clients was “and if I say anything wrong [name of person] will kick me under the table”. Many years of meetings later, the people we have talked to actually only got to do that once – or perhaps twice! Peter is a true legend of the loan market. Under his stewardship Barclays established the market-leading loans team and his vast knowledge and experience was vital in the successful execution of cutting edge, complex loan transactions. Peter was nothing short of an inspiration and his words of wisdom and advice were invaluable to many a loans banker over the years. People have said they never heard a negative word said about Peter, not in all the time he was in the market, nor once he had left it. Peter never blew his own trumpet and in many ways could be quite understated, but everyone at Barclays and in the wider market knew it was Peter who really made things work, not just because of his own

capabilities but because people wanted to work for him and with him to do their best. When Peter announced his retirement some time in 2005, the vast majority of his clients were quick to shower him with gifts and thanks for all his hard work over the years and to acknowledge the billions of pounds of financing that he had been instrumental in raising. Peter was responsible for helping some businesses survive, some to expand and some to become champions of British and European industry. Peter’s many qualities and attributes will be remembered by all those who had the privilege of working with him; he will also be fondly remembered by his friends and colleagues as “the Doyen” of the loan market. n JPF – Peter Fleming – rest in peace.

COPYING PROHIBITED WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER

19/06/2014 12:39

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Harriet, who had studied at the Slade School of Fine Art, was appointed Head of Art at Clayesmore Prep School in 1995, succeeding her old teacher and mentor, Mike Geary. She was outstandingly successful and was much loved by her young pupils whom she inspired and encouraged to achieve great things in a range of different media. Her teaching was characterised by her patient nurturing of the girls and boys as fellow artists who were all on the same exciting creative journey. Excellence was teased out of each and every one of them so that real pride could be taken in the finished project. How lucky we were to have had such a talented and delightful young teacher in our midst, inspiring our girls and boys so creatively and imaginatively. The art studio mirrored her personality – warm and welcoming, vibrant and colourful – and those who were taught there by Harriet will never forget the experience. Though full of ideas of her own she was always thrilled to collaborate on all-school ventures, and many colleagues at Clayesmore Prep will remember her generosity of spirit, her enormous sense of fun, and have enjoyed working alongside Harriet and being inspired by her. Away from her teaching, which she loved, Harriet was an award winning and prolific artist in her own right with her work celebrating her love of colour and the outdoors. In 1996, she won the £1,000 student award in the NatWest 90s Prize For Art for a depiction of female bathers at Hampstead Pond. She was selected along with Ivy Smith for the first Jerwood Art Commissions in 2000 for two paintings for the Chamber of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. Her painting, Children at Whitsand Bay, Cornwall, was used as the cover image for the BMJ journal, Archives of Disease in Childhood.

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Top: Harriet pictured with a group of Prep School pupils by the lake, c.1997, Bottom: Clayesmore Prep Choir, painted by Harriet and currently hanging in the Prep School Everett Building.

Our thoughts and sympathies go to her husband, Danny, and to her daughters Dorelia and Maeve. Martin Cooke Headmaster

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2014 AGM Minutes

minutes of 2014 annual general MEETING Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of The Old Clayesmorian Society Held at Clayesmore School on the 1st February 2014 at 6.30pm.

Resolution D

10. Resolution E 11. Election of President 12. Election of Chairman 13. Election of Secretary (if needed) 14. Election of Editor of OC Newsletter

Present:

Piers Sabine - President Andrew Beaton - Chairman Louise Salmond Smith - Secretary Peter Fleming - Treasurer Mark Farrand - Webmaster SarahJane Newland - Magazine Editor Hugh Thompson Paul Smith Roderick Douglas Clair Miller John Dukes Roderick Douglas

and a quorum of ordinary members.

15. Election of Committee

Your Committee has met formally on three occasions over the last year. These meetings are attended by Martin Cooke and Louise Smith in their ex-officio capacity. This partnership between school and society continues to be both a fruitful and peaceful one.”

16. Report from the Spinney Memorial Trust

Item 7 Resolution B B proposed by Paul Smith seconded by Henry Dryden and carried nem con. Item 8 Resolution C There was discussion about proposed lunch rather than dinner; this was considered worth trying. Well received by floor. Suggestions of event taking place outside of London. Left open, resolution does not specify. Andrew Beaton suggested market research, blog, website and so on. Proposed by Gareth Griffiths seconded by Steve Hare and carried nem con.

Item 5 Treasurer’s report 17. Any other business

Item 2 Apologies for Absence Charles Price Item 3 Minutes of Previous AGM The minutes were approved by a show of hands.

Welcome and Introduction

Matters arising: To be covered in the normal course of the Agenda

Apologies for absence

Item 4 Secretary’s Report

Minutes of previous AGM

Secretary’s Report

Treasurer’s Report

Resolution A

“This year’s magazine, you will I am sure agree, was a fine indicator of the breadth of activities that have been undertaken over the course of the year. Highlights of this year include the unveiling of the new Bower House Crest. Do please go and see it for yourselves if you have not yet had the opportunity.

Resolution B

Resolution C

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community in touch through its wide and varied calendar of events throughout the year, both in school and further afield. The choral day and increasing number of sporting events continue to draw interest. If you know of any events not currently offered that you think may be of interest, do please let your committee know.

The Clayesmore Society continues to be of great support to the OC Society, a support that is reciprocated. This partnership is becoming evermore effective in keeping the wider Clayesmore

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Item 9 Resolution D “The accounts for the year ending in 2013 have been approved by the auditors, and a copy is on display. In addition to the usual OC prizes which we award, we have also supported the Cormorants cricket week, we’ve supported OC Golf, and we made a small contribution towards the school’s Hockey Tour to India. We purchased further pictures for the OC Wall of Fame, and we’ve paid £5000 for the stone school crest on Bower House, to which Louise referred. We ended the year showing a loss of £1,519 after which we are left with current funds of £40, 280 which includes about £1000 of unsold merchandise at cost. Not included in those figures is a pledge your committee has made to the school for in the region of £10,000 for the stained glass memorial window in th school cchapel and the refurbishment of the entrance area itself, which your committee felt would be a suitable donation in this commemorative year of the First World War.”

D proposed by David Fangan, seconded by Richard Ratcliffe and carried nem con. Item 10 Resolution E E proposed by John Dukes, seconded by Henry Dryden and carried nem con. Item 11 Election of President Piers Sabine term has finished; he has agreed to take on another year. Proposed Gareth Griffiths seconded by Brian Merson and carried nem con. Item 12 Election of Chairman Andrew Beaton had served six years as Chairman. Louise Salmond Smith was proposed by Gus Shield, seconded Rodney Spokes and carried nem con.

There were no questions or comments, and the accounts were approved by a show of hands. Item 6 Resolution A

Item 13 Election of Secretary

A proposed by Roderick Douglas seconded by Bill Chennells and carried nem con.

Proposed by Louise Salmond Smith seconded by Andrew Beaton and carried nem con.

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2014 AGM Minutes

Item 14 Election of Editor Proposed by Gareth Griffiths, seconded by Mark Farrand and carried nem con.

to pay out more money than it receives, and more fundraisers are in the pipeline. A request for donations was made. Item 10 Any Other Business

Item 15 Election of Committee Ordinary members of the Committee seeking reelection for a further year were as follows: Charles Price

Steve Hare suggested that members should actually phone two or three people and get them to come along. The use of Social Media was discussed. Gus Shield mentioned his Lower VIth year that had two thirds of the cohort attending a function in Poole the previous weekend.

NOTICE OF 2015 annual general meeting NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the 2015 Annual General Meeting of the Old Clayesmorian Society will be held at Brown’s Courtrooms, 82-84 St Martin’s Lane, Covent Garden, London, WC2N 4AG on Saturday 24th January 2015 at 12.00 noon. AGENDA

Welcome and Introduction

There was a vote of thanks for Andrew Beaton.

Apologies for absence

The meeting was concluded at 7:22pm.

Minutes of previous AGM

Hugh Thompson Richard Carr Andrew Beaton 4.

Secretary’s Report

Co-opted during the year and standing for election were:

Treasurer’s Report

Clair Miller

Election of Treasurer

John Dukes

Election of Sports Secretary

Proposed en-bloc by Henry Dryden and seconded by Steve Hare and carried nem con.

Election of Committee

Report from the Spinney Memorial Trust

Item 16 Report from the Spinney Memorial Trust 10. Any other business Bill Chennells reported on the activities of the Trust over the previous year and thanked OCs for their continued support. Another encouraging year with income to 31 March 2013 totalling £2,743 with Gift Aid adding £938 making a grand total of £3,681. Grants made in that period from 11 grant offers amounted to £5160 and trustees also paid for an updated donation leaflet costing £529. Total expenditure £5689 with a shortfall of just over £2k. Running total of grants made since 2006 was £21,325. In the current financial year, 14 grant applications were considered at annual meeting in May 2013. Total value was £4518, bringing the running total to £25,843. Of the 14 applications made, the Spinney Trust supported 13 and school supported one. The Spinney Memorial Luncheon has now been set up and hosted at the Naval Club in Mayfair in October 2013. The Trust continues

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ANNUAL ACCOUNTS

The Old CLAYESMORIAN SOCIETY INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 NOVEMBER 2013 The Old Clayesmorian Society Balance Sheet as at 30 November 2013

Income

Donations

Profit on sale of merchandise Bank deposit interest School subsidy

Expenditure

Society and sports events (net) Donations and sponsorship OC Prizes awarded Sundry expenses Accountancy

SURPLUS/(DEFICIT) FOR THE YEAR

2013

3,208

134 1,018

8,488

2,604 5,420 400 1,391 192

2,370

105 175

5,000

2012

5,000

8,522

10,007

(1,519)

Stock of merchandise (at cost) Sports kit (at cost) Cash at bank

2,905 1,065 37,376

NET ASSETS

41,346

2011

3,381 1,065 38,510

42,956

42,956 48,392

INCOMEAND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT

1,674 10,960 150 1,078

CURRENT ASSETS

2012

Balance brought forward Surplus/ (deficit) for the year

13,862

(5,340)

SCADDING FUND

Balance brought forward Interest received Scadding fund prize

40,857 (1,519)

2,099 9 (100)

39,338

2,008 £41,346

46,197 (5,340)

2,195 4 (100)

40,857

2,099 £42,956

P Fleming Hon. Treasurer 128

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129

RULES OF THE SOCIETY

LAST AMENDED 1 FEbruary 2014 1.

The name of the Society is “The Old Clayesmorian Society”.

The objects of the Society are to enable the former pupils of Clayesmore School (“the School”) to maintain contact with one another and with the School; and generally in all possible ways to uphold the standing and prestige of the School.

3. (a) Every person who shall have been a pupil at the School for any period exceeding three terms and shall have left the School shall be eligible to become an ordinary member of the Society, provided that no person shall have been expelled from the School shall be eligible to become a member without the leave of the Committee. (b) Every full-time member of the Academic Staff of the School or Clayesmore Preparatory School shall be ex-officio a “Staff Member” of the Society. Staff Members shall be entitled to participate in the functions and activities of the Society and to have sent to them at the School, issues of the O.C. Newsletter and all Society notices and literature. 4.

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Any person eligible may become and remain an ordinary member by notifying the Secretary of a desire to join the Society. Every full time member of the Academic Staff of the School or Clayesmore Preparatory School who completes 10 years uninterrupted employment shall automatically become an Honorary Member of the Society. In addition, the Society, in Annual General Meeting, may elect as an Honorary Member any person who has rendered outstanding

service to the School or to the Society. An Honorary Member shall have all the privileges of an ordinary member of the Society, except that an Honorary Member shall not be eligible to hold an office in the Society or to be elected a member of the Committee or to vote at any General Meeting. 6.

All ordinary members shall be entitled to the following privileges: (a) To receive by email or post (sent to their last known address) issues of the “O.C. Newsletter” and all other Society notices and literature; (b) To participate in the functions and activities of the Society; (c) To wear the Society’s colours;

The officers of the Society shall consist of a President; a Chairman; a Secretary; a Treasurer; an Editor of the O.C. Newsletter; a Website Editor and a Sports Secretary. Each officer shall be elected at an Annual General Meeting and shall hold office for three years (unless resigning from office) and shall be eligible for re-election. No officer of the Society may serve on the Committee for more than eight successive years, such period to run from the date of first election as an officer or 30 January 2010, whichever is the later, and any officer leaving the Committee under such rule shall be ineligible for re-election for a period of three years. A casual vacancy in any office, other than in the office of President, may be filled by the Committee until the next Annual General Meeting.

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The Committee shall consist of all the officers of the Society together with one elected member who shall be a member of the Council of the School, and shall hold office for three years (unless resigning from office), and up to a maximum of 12 other elected members who shall hold office for one year. The Headmaster of the School and any persons holding the offices of Development Director and Development Office Assistant at the School shall be non-voting members of the Committee ex-officio. The elected members of the Committee shall be elected at an Annual General Meeting and shall be eligible for re-election. With the exception of non-voting, exofficio members of the Committee, no member may serve on the Committee for more than eight successive years, such period to run from the date of first election as a Committee member or 30 January 2010, whichever is the later. Any member leaving the Committee under such rule shall be ineligible for re-election for a period of three years. Any casual vacancy among the elected members of the Committee may be filled by the Committee until the next Annual General Meeting. The Committee, at their discretion, may co-opt any member of the Society. Subject always to any resolutions passed at any General Meeting the Committee shall have entire management of the affairs of the Society, and may take all such steps as in their discretion they consider desirable in furtherance of the objects of the Society and of its efficient administration. The Committee and all its officers will seek to co-ordinate the activities of the Society with those of the Development Office of the School and

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generally work in close co-operation with the Development Office and the School. 10. (a) The Secretary shall be responsible for performing all necessary secretarial work, for keeping Minutes of all General and Committee Meetings and other records of the Society, and generally for performing all such administrative and other duties as may be delegated by the Committee. The Secretary shall render a report on the affairs of the Society during the past year to every Annual General Meeting. Assistance may be obtained from any member of the Committee in the performance of these duties. (b) The Editor of the O.C Newsletter shall have the overall responsibility, working in conjunction with the Development Office at the School, of producing an annual edition of the O.C Newsletter. 11.

The Treasurer shall be responsible for keeping the books of account of the Society, for ensuring that the balance in the Society’s bank account is in agreement with the Society’s books of account, for having the accounts of the Society made up and ensuring that an auditors’ report is prepared annually and that the audited accounts appear each year in the “O.C. Newsletter”. The Treasurer shall make a report of the accounts and on the state of the Society’s finances to every Annual General Meeting.

12. (a) The Society may maintain bank accounts with such bankers as the Committee shall appoint from time to time. All monies of the Society other than amounts for petty cash payments in the hands of any officer of the Society shall be lodged in

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RULES OF THE SOCIETY

such bank accounts. All cheques drawn on such accounts shall be signed by any two of the following persons namely: The President, the Chairman, the Treasurer or the Secretary. (b) The Society may maintain its membership list, addresses of members and their personal data on automatic data processing equipment and the Officers of the Society shall be authorised to disclose this information on an individual basis to other members and the list as a whole to the School. The maintenance of these records may be delegated to the School. (c) The Society may make contributions from time to time to the Spinney Memorial Trust where they are to be used for purposes which accord to the objects of the Society and the decision whether such contributions are to be made on any occasion shall be made by the Committee at its entire discretion.

17.

18.

13. The Society shall hold an Annual Dinner or Lunch on such date and at such place as shall be decided by the Committee. 14. The Annual General Meeting shall be held on the same date and in the same place as the Annual Dinner or Lunch. 15. An Extraordinary General Meeting may be called at any time by the President, and shall be called if the Secretary shall receive a written request to call such meeting signed by not less than thirty ordinary members of the Society. 16. At every General Meeting the Chairman shall preside or in the absence of the Chairman those ordinary members present may elect one of their number who shall preside. Twenty ordinary members shall constitute a quorum at 132

him by recorded delivery post addressed to the member’s last known address a demand for payment, such member shall thereupon be suspended from all privileges of membership. A suspension under this rule may be terminated by the Committee if the defaulting member shall subsequently pay all sums due and explain his default to the Committee satisfactorily. A member suspended under this rule who shall not have paid all such sums due before the date of the next Annual General Meeting shall as from that date cease to be a member of the Society.

a General Meeting. At every General Meeting each ordinary member present shall have one vote and the Chairman of the Meeting shall have a second or casting vote. The Committee shall be empowered if they think fit, to make regulations for enabling members unable to be present to vote by proxy or in writing. Notice of every General Meeting shall be sent to all ordinary members by post or email at their last known address not less than four weeks before the date of the meeting. It is the duty of each member to keep the Secretary informed of any change of current address from time to time. The Committee shall meet as often as the business of the Society requires. In the absence of the Chairman those members of the Committee who are present shall elect one of their number to take the Chair. Five members shall constitute a quorum at a Committee Meeting. At every Committee Meeting each member present shall have one vote and the Chairman of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote. Minutes shall be taken of all the proceedings of the Committee and shall be open to the inspection of any member of the Society applying to the Secretary therefore.

19.

The reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by members of the Committee in attending Committee Meetings may be reimbursed out of the funds of the Society.

20.

A member may resign membership of the Committee by notice in writing sent to the Secretary.

21.

If any member shall fail to pay the due charge for any Society function and shall not have made payment within 28 days after the Secretary shall have sent to The Old Clayesmorian • MMXIV

22.

Any member who in the opinion of not less than six members of the Committee shall have conducted himself in a manner incompatible with the standards of the Society shall be suspended from all privileges of membership of the Society or alternatively, if the individual is a member of the committee, suspended from membership of the Committee. If any member be suspended under this rule, the suspension and the reason therefore shall be reported to the next Annual General Meeting, and if not less than three-quarters of the members present and voting at such meeting so resolve the member shall be expelled from the Society; provided that the conduct of a member shall not be subject to a resolution under this rule at any General Meeting unless there shall have been sent to that member by recorded delivery post addressed to the member’s last known address not less than 28 days before the date of such General Meeting a statement of the complaint or complaints made and notice that they will be considered at the General Meeting. A member whose conduct is so considered under this rule shall be entitled to speak at the Meeting and will be provided with a proper opportunity of offering an explanation at the Meeting. The Old Clayesmorian • MMXIV

In the alternative, the member may make such representations in writing. A member whose conduct is considered at a General Meeting under this rule shall be entitled to make such representations notwithstanding the suspension. 23.

The Society’s colours are purple, black and green.

24.

The rules may be added to, altered or amended at any such General Meeting by a resolution passed by a majority of not less than two thirds of the members present and voting, but no such resolution shall be considered unless particulars of any additions, or alterations and amendments to be proposed shall have been included in the Notice of the Meeting given under Rule 17. Any ordinary member, other than a member of the Committee, who intends to propose any addition, alteration or amendment to a Rule shall give notice in writing thereof, with full particulars to the Secretary not less than two calendar months before the date of the General Meeting at which it is intended such proposals be submitted.

25.

The Committee shall be the sole authority for the interpretation of these Rules and of regulations made from time to time by the Committee, the decision of the Committee upon any question of interpretation or upon any matter affecting the Society and not provided for in these Rules or by the regulations shall be final and binding on the members. Last amended 1 February 2014

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diary dates 2015 AGM & Annual Lunch ~ Saturday 24 January This will be held at a new venue in 2015 - Brown’s Courtrooms, St Martin’s Lane, Covent Garden, London. For an Agenda please see page 127. See enclosed information or the website for ticketing information. Cost for three courses (excluding wine), £35 a head. Special rate of £10 a head applies to those who have left the school since July 2010.

London Drinks ~ Thursday 26 February, 7pm

An information gathering will be held in The Ship Tavern, 12 Gate Street, Holborn, WC2A 3HP on Thursday 26 February. All are most welcome to attend and there is no cost for this but please confirm your attendance via the OC Website to assist with planning and catering arrangements.

Oxford Drinks ~ Thursday 5 February, 7pm

New for 2015, a reunion will be held at Quod, 92-94 High Street, Oxford OX1 4BN. All are most welcome to attend and a buffet supper will be provided but advance booking is essential via the OC Society website.

1960s Decade Reunion ~ Sunday 22 March Were you at Clayesmore in the 1960s? If so we’ll hope you’ll join us for a gathering at the school on Sunday 22 March. Reminisce with old friends, make new connections, and share memories. You are welcome to bring a guest, and please bring some photographs from your time at the school to share with others. If you are in touch with school friends from this period, please mention this to them - there are OCs from the 1960s for whom we do not have contact details. The day will include a Chapel Service, the annual OC v School Hockey fixture, lunch, pupil-led tours of the school and an event to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the Spinney Memorial Trust. Please confirm if you can join us by Monday 16th March. RSVP to Louise Smith - t: 01747 813160 e: louise@clayesmore.com.

Sydney Reunion ~ Friday 7 March

The Sydney Reunion will again be held at ‘The Local Taphouse’ at 122 Flinders Street, Darlinghurst, NSW 2010. Hosted by OCs James Farrell and Andrew Stainer, all are most welcome but please confirm your attendance by completing the online booking form - www. ocsociety.co.uk.

Spring Term OC Day ~ Sunday 22 March

Annual Hockey and Netball fixtures between OCs and the School followed by roast lunch in the school dining hall. Players of all ages are most welcome - please complete the relevant form on the OC website if you would like to play or attend on the day - www.ocsociety.co.uk.

STEM Careers Symposium & Networking Event ~ Saturday 21 March

An opportunity for members from the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics to provide insights to current pupils with an interest in relevant career paths and networking opportunities for those in these industries. Please contact society@clayesmore.com to get involved.

Clayesmore Society Golf Day ~ Friday 27 March Old Clayesmorians are warmly invited to take part in the Clayesmore Society Golf Day which this day will take place on Friday 27 March at Canford Magna Golf Club. For further details see www.clayesmore. com/society.

diary dates 2015

City Lunch ~ Thursday 4 June All are welcome to attend the annual City Lunch at Le Beaujolais on Litchfield Street in London. Book online at www.ocsociety.co.uk.

Summer OC Weekend ~ Saturday 9 May

The Clayesmore Society Choral Day returns on the Saturday, with rehearsals and a concert in the evening. This will be followed by a summer supper party in the Main House - enjoy a three course meal in the de Selincourt Room, a perfect opportunity to catch up with old friends and make new ones. Book online at www.ocsociety.co.uk.

Sunday 10 May

OC Day - the First Eleven of 1995 versus the current crop of school cricketers in a 20 year reunion clash. Play begins at 11am and there will be lunch in the de Selincourt Room and tea in the Pavilion. Book online at www.ocsociety.co.uk.

Clayesmore Society Ball ~ Friday 19 June In days of yore and times and tides long gone before, wise ones spoke of a Hafla that was to become folklore, for on an evening filled with stars that turned the sky to light, the good folk of Clayesmore arrived for an Arabian Night. Join us for an evening full of eastern promise. Visit www.clayesmore.com/ society for full details and booking information. Book your tickets for the 2015 Clayesmore Society Ball. Tickets are priced at £55 per person (or £500 for a table of 10 if purchased before 1st March 2015). Come dressed in your finest attire: White Tie, Black Tie or in Arabian costume.

OC Society Golf Day ~ Friday 26 June

Clayesmore Cormorants Cricket Week ~ 5 - 9 July

Held annually at Temple Golf Club near Maidenhead. All golfers are most welcome to take part in this competition for the Iwerne Cup. Further information will be published on the website in due course.

Hoping for a return to winning form in the 2015 season, the Clayesmore Cormorants Cricket Club will take on their traditional rivals in a series of fixtures at home and away. Match schedule will be published on the website in due course.

Visiting the School As well as OC Days each term and various reunions, OCs and their families are always most welcome to visit the school. It would be enormously helpful if you could contact the School in advance of your visit so that we can arrange for someone to show you round. Please contact Louise Smith, the Development Officer on 01747 813160 or e: louise@clayesmore.com Unless you are visiting for a public occasion such as a match, concert or reception, please go to the Headmaster’s Secretary’s Office (located in the Main House) to sign in. For Child Protection and safety reasons, it is important that the school is always aware of everyone who is on site, as we are sure you will understand. Please note that in school holiday time it is likely that there will be visiting groups using the school and we cannot therefore guarantee that you will be able to gain access to every building. In addition it is not possible to visit boarding houses without a guide.

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