KINGSWOOD ASSOCIATION NEWS Edition 9 - March 2013
CONTENTS
Regulars 1 2 3 5 8 9 15 22 27 29 30 31 45 46 50 52 53 54 55
A Wonderful Year of Friendship, Fellowship & Fun
President’s Welcome Headmaster’s Welcome New Members Chairman’s Letter Visitors 2012 Reunions 2011 Travel Scholars Notes and News Association Day 2012 Family News Association Awards Obituary Tributes Remembrance Service Valete Dear Editor KS Encircles the Globe K.A. Exec Committee Sales Plus K.A. 2013 Calendar
Features
Kingswood Physics Department proves time travel is possible!
The last twelve months have seen the largest coming together of the Association community in recent years. First of all in March for the Laurie Campbell Memorial Service and then in September for an Association Day which celebrated the fortieth anniversary of the arrival of the first girls at Kingswood. Hundreds of members have attended these and other events around the country. Friendships have been renewed and new friendships made. Stories told and others created. Bringing us all together is the vital work of the Association and we do hope you will enjoy the coverage of the events contained in this year’s magazine as well as many other stories and reports that are included. Editorial Team
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LJC Memorial An Olympic Year John Yeo’s Artwork Kingswood in Print Racing to Success 150 Years of Kingswood Cricket Staff Interviews
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Hello and welcome...
Contact Details The Kingswood Association, Kingswood School, Lansdown, Bath BA1 5RG T. 01225 734283 (School) F. 01225 734205 E. association@kingswood.bath.sch.uk www.kingswood.bath.sch.uk/old-kingswoodians/ President: Sarah Beresford-Smith Chairman: Jeremy Wimpress
President’s Welcome
From the President I write this some time after completion of the first year, of my two year term, as President of your Association. It would be honest to say it has been a most interesting period. I am delighted to report that more Old Kingswoodians than ever have been in contact with the Association. Further, very significant numbers of ‘lost’ Old Kingswoodians have renewed contact with the Association and consequently registered membership has significantly increased. Old Kingswoodians have free, lifetime membership of the Kingswood Association. The School provide the Association with valued administrative assistance and support. The members of the Association Executive, Chairman and I are all voluntary roles; we are indebted to those who so willingly give of their time and expertise to ensure your Association is so active and such an enjoyable body with which to be associated, as part of the Kingswood family. The Headmaster, Simon Morris, is a strong and generous supporter of the Association. We are most grateful to him for this and for the time he commits in attending so many of our events. The School is a flourishing, successful and vibrant place and thanks to the Headmaster and the Governors you can be assured that Old Kingswoodians receive a warm welcome.
I am delighted to report that more Old Kingswoodians than ever have been in contact with the Association. This year the Association has had a very active calendar of events. It was such a pleasure to see so many of you at these events. The quarterly MJSD (March, June, September, December) dinners held in the School dining room have been very well attended, with numbers regularly about 100; priced at £15 a head for restaurant quality food from the School’s excellent caterers (quite different from the School food I recall) the atmosphere at these dinners continues to be enjoyed and remarked upon by those attending. If you have not yet been to one of these do consider coming along during 2013. Other Association events included a South West Lunch in the Pavilion on the Upper, a drinks and canape reception at the East India Club in London, an Exeter Lunch and Association Day at School. The Association also facilitated and assisted in particular year group reunions. Further, the Memorial Service for Laurie Campbell, Headmaster during my years at Kingswood, took place during this period. It was a remarkable service, attended by many Old Kingswoodians who had not been back to the School for years. In July I represented the Association at the end of year School Assembly (to present the Heap Cup and the Gary Best Travel Scholarship) and attended the Commemoration Day service at Bath Abbey. The Association offer every 6th form leaver of the School an Old Kingswoodian tie. It was a wonderful thing 1 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
to see on receipt of these, School ties ripped off and Old Kingswoodian ties put on in their place – a rite of passage. Further, that these Old Kingswoodian Sarah ties were worn Beresford-Smith by these leavers (and our newest members) to their final School Commemoration Day service. I was honoured to attend the Remembrance Day service on behalf of the Association, held on the lawn outside the School Chapel, at which the names of fallen Old Kingswoodians are read out. It was a testament to the current student body that this service was so moving. I was later advised (after the service) that pupils particularly request to participate in this service. Association Day was a highlight of the year, celebrating the arrival of girls at KS 40 years earlier. It was a particularly good start to the day, when I, along with a large Old Kingswoodian support group from across the age ranges, watched the School 1st XV rugby win their match on the Upper. Sport continues to be an important part of the Kingswood tradition. We then were joined in Chapel by the Head Girl, Charlotte Frude, who spoke with poise and sincerity about her time at KS and the Headmaster who spoke about the School, its ongoing ethos and the future. After a superb lunch there were tours of the School and more sport to watch, followed by tea, Chapel and a party in the Pavilion on the Upper. Those attending travelled from as far afield as America, Canada and parts of Europe, as well as from all over the UK. The majority of the ‘first’ girls at KS attended, which was wonderful and from the emails and letters received subsequently, a good time was had by all. In the coming year we intend to hold Association Day again in September by popular demand, probably with a dinner in the evening. We also will be holding lunches in Oxford and Cambridge, in addition to those events which were held last year. Please do look at the calendar of events and join us in friendship, fellowship and fun, for at least one of them if you are able. The Association’s core function is to provide for its membership. It does also support its future members in the current student body and the School in a variety of ways. If you would like to be involved in this and learn more about the work of the Association then please feel free to contact the Association office. Sarah Beresford-Smith (1979-86) President, The Kingswood Association
Headmaster’s Welcome
From the Headmaster I am delighted once again to be offered the opportunity to contribute to the annual publication of your thriving Association. As we look to shape the future of the School in a rapidly changing educational world, I am always mindful of how Kingswood’s history is defined by an adaptability to change which has nevertheless managed to remain faithful to the original foundation of the School. It is through my relationship with the Association, and the opportunity to share conversation with members of different generations, that I can most accurately gauge those values which have always defined a Kingswood education and which should continue to do so. I am much indebted to those of you who have shared those conversations with me during the year, and especially to those who run your Association with such energy and passion, developing ever stronger links with our alumni and encouraging long-lost friends to re-engage with the Kingswood family.
...Kingswood’s history is defined by an adaptability to change which has nevertheless managed to remain faithful to the original foundation of the School. Association Day in September was a wonderful illustration of this re-engagement with the Kingswood family, celebrating as it did the fortieth anniversary of the arrival of the first girls at the school. It was terrific to welcome back a number of those pioneering girls from the 1970s who, in bravely responding to Laurie Campbell’s vision, really did pave the way for the vibrantly co-educational school we have today. The invitation by former Head Girl and now your President, Sarah Beresford-Smith, to Charlotte Frude, our current Head Girl who, by my calculation is now in her fifteenth year at Kingswood, to address those present, was a masterstroke. Not only did Charlotte speak most eloquently about her experiences at Kingswood, but she spoke very naturally about the values of the School as they are seen by the students. Anyone present would not only have been mightily impressed by her speech, but they would also have been reassured that our young people really do appreciate what Kingswood offers them and they really do see the values of the school having a strong influence on their lives now and, significantly, on their future aspirations. The Methodist Independent Schools Trust, which is directly responsible for nine of the Methodist senior schools, and of which Kingswood is an associate member (the distinction being that Kingswood is self-governing, but its land and buildings are owned by the Methodist Church), is currently undertaking an interesting exercise in re-defining what really characterises a Methodist school in the 21st Century. The exercise has shown how difficult it is to define something which is fundamentally about how the Methodist ethos is apparent in atmosphere, feel and style, but it is interesting that any discussion tends ultimately to focus on some fairly
specific qualities which those leading Methodist education consider to be central. Firstly, there is a pastoral commitment to each pupil, which seeks to value, honour and respect every unique individual. Secondly, and following on from this, is a sense of aspiration in which all are encouraged to set the highest standards in all that they do. Thirdly is a strong sense of community, in which shared values enrich the lives of all in the community. Fourthly is a commitment to service, to citizenship, to tolerance and to the pursuit of social justice. Finally, there is a belief that Christian worship, in a variety of forms, is absolutely central in the life of the school. At Kingswood, these themes run strongly through our everyday lives, but I would also highlight a lack of pretension, an ambition which extends beyond self to making a difference to others and a willingness to engage critically, yet openly and respectfully, in debate and discussion. I could add others, but you will, I am sure, recognise in all this something of the Kingswood you remember. I warmly invite Old Kingswoodians to visit their school and see how committed we are to this ethos; it is something about which I believe you can all be very proud.
Simon Morris
Mr Simon Morris
Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 2
New Members
2012 Leavers LEAVERS’ DESTINATIONS 2012 LEAVER
COURSE
INSTITUTION
Finn Barnard-Weston
Gap Year
Georgina Barnes
Vocational study
Theodore Bertrand-Price
Science
University of Maastricht
Lucy Bird
Philosophy
University of Exeter
Jessica Bishay
Modern Languages
University of Exeter
Gregory Blackburn
Physics
University of Sheffield
Hannah Bottle
Gap Year; apply HE
Issac Brain
Gap Year
Rebecca Brock
Art Foundation
David Buggy
Marine and Freshwater Biology
Charles Caddick
Entering Employment
Victoria Cartwright John Chan
LEAVER
COURSE
INSTITUTION
Niamh Courtaux
Product Design
Brunel University
Sam-Jared Coventry Law
University of Edinburgh
Gabriella Cronchey
Gap Year; Social Policy & Anthropology
Thomas Curnow
Gap Year; apply HE
Harry Daniels
I.T. Management for Business
Univ. of the West of England, Bristol
Emma Davey
Law
University of Birmingham
Katie Davies
Geography
Oxford University
University of Aberystwyth
Olivia Dellow
Management Studies with German
University of Nottingham
Hollie Delphin
Gap Year
Materials Science
Oxford University
Annabelle Dewar
Education & Early Childhood Studies
Economics
University of Warwick
Edward Dumpleton Gap Year; apply HE
Nicholas Chan
Pharmacy
Sch. of Pharmacy, Univ. of London
Peter Evans
German & Linguistics
Oxford University
Roy Chan
Medical Biochemistry
University of Leicester
Owen Field
Aerospace Engineering
Univ. of the West of England, Bristol
Hannah Chilver Vaughan
Gap Year; apply HE
Max Gauntlett
Gap Year; apply HE
Finley Gilchrist
Geology
UCL, Univ. of London
Harry Chivers
History
University of Exeter
Andrea Chui
Civil Engineering
University of Bath
Givi Gongadze
Business Management with Finance
University of Brighton
Lydia Clark
Politics
University of Newcastle
Emma Gordon
Gap Year; apply HE
Laura Clarke
American Studies & English Literature
University of Birmingham
Amy Greene
Combined Honours
University of Liverpool
Joanna Hailey
Food Marketing & Business Economics
University of Reading
Alex Hardman
Medicine
University of Birmingham
Sam Coates
Gap Year; apply HE
Isabella Coles
Gap Year; Russian & History
3 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
UCL, Univ. of London
University of Bristol
Canterbury Christ Church University
New Members LEAVER
COURSE
Sam Harman
Gap Year; apply HE
INSTITUTION
Elizabeth Hatherell
History
University of York
Rhianna Hayllor
French
University of Edinburgh
LEAVER
COURSE
INSTITUTION
Angus Plumbly
Philosophy, Politics & Economics
University of York
Charles Price
Music
Durham University
Rhys Redman
Gap Year
Christian Richards
Gap Year; apply HE
Eleanor Richardson
Gap Year
Charlotte Heynen
Gap Year
Robbie Hirst
Politics of the International Economy
King’s, Univ. of London
Samantha Holden
Psychology
University of Bristol
Hannah Robinson
Gap Year; apply HE
Myfanwy Holywell
Music
Birmingham Conservatoire
Harry Rouse
Philosophy
University of Leeds
Leanne Hui
Psychology
Royal Holloway, Univ. of London
Jack Rowlands
Sport & Exercise Sciences
University of Birmingham
Sarah HytnerMarriott
English Language & Literature
Lucy Russell-Bates
Art Foundation
University of Leeds
Joshua Saunders
Gap Year
Emma Scolding
Gap Year; English
UCL, Univ. of London
Massimo Shayegan
Business & Management
Bath Spa University
Cara Simpson
Politics
Goldsmiths, Univ. of London
Tilius Sodeika
Gap Year; apply HE
Emily Souter
Medicine
Alex Stansfield
Gap Year; apply HE
Dawn Stevenson
Gap Year; Int. University of Leeds Development & Spanish
James Johnston
Gap Year; Air Transport Management
Loughborough University
Lauren Kelly
Gap Year; Politics & Modern History
University of Manchester
Michael Kenny
Early Childhood Studies Norland College
Cameron Knee
Gap Year; Surveying & Mapping Science
Kirils Ladovs
Computer Science with Games Technology
City University
Olatokunbo Lambo
Management Studies
University of Nottingham
Jonathan Leung
Electronic Engineering
Queen Mary, Univ. of London
Hannah Stockley
Gap Year: French
University of Leeds Cardiff University
University of Newcastle
Cardiff University
Chester Lewis
Physics
University of Birmingham
Alasdair Stone
Gap Year; Business Management
Dennis Liang
Economics
University of Manchester
Toby Underwood
World Performance
University of Essex
Praful Limbu
Sport/Business Management
Oxford Brookes University
Andrejs Vasiljevs
Business Economics & Finance
Loughborough University
Ilya Melnikov
Film & Screen Studies
University of Brighton
Ryan Wallis
Pharmacology
King’s, Univ. of London
Oliver Meyer
Gap Year
Abby Wilkins
Vocational study
Imogen Morris
Combined Honours
University of Newcastle
George Williams
Natural Sciences
Lancaster University
Architecture
University of Manchester
William Wilshire
Economics
University of York
Rachel Wong
Biochemistry
University of Bath
Timothy Woodhead
Gap Year; Medicine
Imperial College, Univ. of London
Amy Worsfold
Philosophy
King’s, Univ. of London
Katy Yates
Geography
University of Birmingham
William Young
Gap Year; Fine Art Photography
Glasgow School of Art
Issac Ng Anna Nicholson
French & Hispanic Studies
Harry Oliver
Gap Year; apply HE
Jonathan Pert
Gap Year; Drama/ English
Oxford Brookes University
Charlotte Pickering
Chemistry with Industrial Experience
University of Bristol
King’s, Univ. of London
POST A LEVEL APPLICANTS LEAVER
COURSE
INSTITUTION
LEAVER
COURSE
INSTITUTION
Oscar Batterham Acting
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art
Alexander Hambly
Biomedical Sciences
Cardiff University
Robbie Carrington Medicine
Peninsula
Emma Hamilton
Gap Year; Midwifery
University of Nottingham
Chloe Chilcott
Hospitality Management
Bournemouth University
Real Estate Management Oxford Brookes University
Harry Clark
Neuroscience
University of Sussex
William Mackenzie
Emily Clarke
English Literature & Theatre Studies
University of Leeds
Zach Mayne
International Politics & Intelligence Studies
Rebecca Elliott
Geography
University of Brighton
William Norman
Real Estate Management Oxford Brookes University
Acacia Galbraith
Gap Year; Mechanical Engineering
UCL, Univ. of London
William Wookey
Agriculture
Harper Adams University College
Elizabeth Garner
Music
University of Bristol
Daniel Yates
Archaeology & Anthropology
UCL, Univ. of London
University of Aberystwyth
Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 4
Chairman’s Letter
From the Chairman The final year of my three year elected term as Chairman has been a very important one for our Association. Significant events have taken place and advances been made and, for me, it has been a privilege to work with the President, Sarah Beresford-Smith, and the members of the Executive Committee as we strive to do our very best for the Association and all our members. Those of you who have read my reports before will know the importance I place on the events held by the Kingswood Association. Occasions when there is a coming together of contemporaries, and others who have shared the Kingswood experience, are at the core of the values of friendship, fellowship and fun which are so important to us.
LAURIE CAMPBELL MEMORIAL SERVICE The first event of 2012 epitomised everything that our Association is and should be. I have heard the Laurie Campbell Memorial Service that took place in March described as, ‘LJC’s last great gift to Kingswood’. There is no doubt that he would have been delighted that the Service in his memory should bring together so many old friends and initiate so many interesting conversations and reminiscences. The organisation of the weekend (which included an MJSD dinner on Friday night with one hundred and fifty guests, a packed Chapel for the Service and buffet lunch in the dining hall afterwards) was a great collaborative effort and my thanks go to all who were involved. Special mention though for Mr Opie (Deputy Head and KS 1976-81) and the team of Prefects, headed by Chester Lewis as Head Boy, who assisted on the day. When they weren’t publicly stewarding the event they were constantly in the background, moving furniture and generally making things happen. Their cheerfulness and willingness throughout was a tribute not only to themselves but also to all the children of today’s Kingswood. I am delighted to report that Chester Lewis (now starting University) has agreed to serve on the Executive Committee of the Association. I’m sure members will also be pleased to note that the Association has funded a memorial plaque for Laurie Campbell which has been installed in the Chapel. The plaque was designed and created by David Brown (KS 1952-58 and Head of Physics 1985-99). David also undertook a major commission for the Olympics Park this Summer so we are extremely grateful for the time and effort he was able to put in.
ASSOCIATION EVENTS In May a very well attended and enjoyable South West Lunch took place in the new pavilion on the Upper. This was a splendid opportunity for members of the Association to view this magnificent new facility and guests were also able to hear entertaining and informative and, at points, moving speeches from both the Headmaster and Head Boy about Kingswood as it is today. 5 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
Jeremy Wimpress
The now annual London Summer event took place in June at the East India Club. This, again, was a very well attended and lively event which took place on that rather rare thing this Summer, a lovely sunny evening. The quarterly MJSD dinners in the School dining hall continue to be very popular and successful. In June we celebrated the 25th dinner since John Allison originally came up with the concept. I am delighted that his idea has grown to be such an integral and flourishing part of the Association calendar – I think he would be as well.
LIEUTENANT DAVID BOYCE The great sadness of the year was the loss of former Head Boy, Lieutenant David Boyce who was tragically killed in action on 17th November 2011 while serving with the Queen’s Dragoon Guards in Afghanistan. The funeral took place in Bath Abbey and the President and I attended to represent the Association. I will never forget the sight of the silent crowd in the Abbey churchyard as the Abbey doors opened and the spontaneous applause of that crowd as the cortege pulled away. David’s obituary, written by his father Martin Boyce, was published in the most recent edition of Kingswood Association News. With the agreement and support of Mr and Mrs Boyce the Association will be providing a memorial to David which will be placed alongside the other war memorials in the entrance to the Chapel. Again, this plaque is being created by David Brown and will be in place for the 2012 Remembrance Service. Many of David’s contemporaries and friends had gathered at the Association’s pre-Christmas drinks evening in London in November. A number had come direct from RAF Brize Norton where they had witnessed the repatriation. Talking to them that evening was a clear reminder of the importance and strength, in good times and bad, of our Kingswood community.
AUDREY BROOM In April the funeral took place of Audrey Broom who will be known to many members as the delightfully formidable secretary to Headmasters Sackett, Creed, Campbell and Best.
Chairman’s Letter Audrey served the School from 1951-89 and, as was fitting, Kingswood was well represented to honour Mrs Broom. The Service was taken by former Chaplain, Rev. Henry Keys and was attended by the Headmaster, current and former members of staff and members of the Association. Audrey had become a family friend and I was privileged to be asked, with Andrew Smith (KS Staff 1964-2003), to give a tribute at the funeral. Mrs Linda Earnshaw (née Scutt, KS Staff 1982-88) deserves a special mention for her own efforts in carrying out Audrey’s wishes in relation to the arrangements for the funeral.
SUPPORTING THE SCHOOL I am also very pleased to report that the Association continues to support the School in many ways but, in particular, through donation for specific projects. Members might be interested to know that a significant upgrade to the tower clock has been undertaken and paid for by the Association this year. The clock should now keep perfect time all the time and will, in the event of a power failure, reset itself to the correct time. This will replace the previous system of a member of the estate’s staff standing in front of the tower giving instructions on a mobile ‘phone while the hands of the clock were physically manoeuvred into place! As before, the President of the Association has attended the end of year School assemblies in order to present the annual awards of the Heap Cup, for sport, and the Gary Best Travel Scholarship. As members will be aware we consider these awards to be important in raising the awareness of the Association with current pupils.
KINGSWOOD VISITORS
Rev. Michael Franklin PC KS (1943-51)
Tom Norgate (1957-63) and wife Janet
Evelyn Lau (2009-10)
THANKS TO JOHN LEWIS Perhaps the main tool for keeping members in touch with the Association and news of others is the annual publication of Kingswood Association News. Edition 8, published in March 2012, was packed with interesting news, information and reflection. This was the last edition of KAN to be overseen by John Lewis who has served the School and Association so magnificently, in so many capacities and with such a depth of knowledge, for many years. Thanks and appreciation are due to John for his involvement in the development of the magazine to the high standard and much loved publication of today. John has agreed to seek re-election to the Executive on the three year rotational basis so I know he will still be ready to give his input when needed.
Nick Maddelena (1980-87)
THE ASSOCIATION TEAM As well as the printed word you will be aware that a great deal of effort goes into our rapidly growing online presence. The Association Secretariat is based in the Development Department of the School and from there Development Director Angela Dudley-Warde and Senara Derrick, with recently added support from Michele Greene, keep information and conversations flowing on Facebook, Twitter, Friends ReUnited and through email contacts and the Connections@Kingswood website. In addition to this they provide all the personnel and support that enables the Association to put on events at Kingswood and around the UK and they are always ready to give a tour of the School if you find yourselves in Bath. Many of you will have enjoyed receiving a ‘Happy Birthday’ message from the Association – that is a Senara Derrick innovation! I thank all in the Development Office for their help, support and enthusiasm for the cause. I am fully aware that in order to ensure that our Association is a vibrant and flourishing community we (perhaps I should say ‘I’) have, on occasions, asked a great deal of the School and Development Office.
Phoebe Watson (2003-10)
Mike Bluck (1977-83) and Partner Liz
Jil Paul (2008-09), Phoebe Watson (2003-10) and Mareile Zerck (2008-09)
Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 6
Chairman’s Letter
KINGSWOOD VISITORS
They always come through, and there is no doubt that the Headmaster and his staff are committed to doing all they can to maintain a strong and successful Kingswood Association. When it comes to big events at the School this weekend is, of course, one of the biggest. To have Association Day on the same Saturday as the King Edward’s rugby fixtures is one thing. To have the local Methodist Synod meeting here as well (indicative of our Methodist foundations) indicates just how far this team will go and the willingness of the individuals involved. Hopefully you will have seen the displays and photo boards that have been researched and mounted by Zoe Parsons the School Archivist. Zoe is completely dedicated, totally willing and I would like to thank her for all the work she does with the Association.
Victor Kwan (2009-10) with Jeremy Wimpress
As I write this we are expecting around one hundred diners for the dinner on Friday night with more than that attending the next day and then partygoers in the pavilion on Saturday night. I am delighted to be in office at the point where we celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the arrival of girls at Kingswood. I was here when it happened and I clearly remember the immediate civilising influence. I am so pleased that so many of the girls from those early years have decided to attend (including one direct contemporary of mine who has flown in from Los Angeles) and that so many others have decided to join in with this weekend’s events. I very much look forward to reading the report of events in the next edition of the magazine.
THE SCHOOL AND ASSOCIATION Shish Malde (1983-85)
Rebecca Palmer, née Williams (1988-90)
Over the last three years I have seen at close quarters what a thriving and happy environment Kingswood is today. The Kingswood heart beats strongly but the School has another, important, heartbeat. The Association represents all who have been through Kingswood, in many ways, I believe, it is the key to the soul of the place. I thank you so much for being interested, involved and for taking the trouble to join the friendship, fellowship and fun of Association events. I do hope you, as members, feel satisfied with where your Association is today. When these two hearts beat strongly together one can feel great hope for the future of our School. I leave you with one final thought - something I have witnessed and learned over the last three years. Old Kingswoodians get better looking as they grow older! Keep in touch! Jeremy Wimpress (KS 1969-76) Kingswood Association Chairman
Tim Reeman and Chris Lloyd (2010 leaver)
PLEASE NOTE:
Association Day 2013 will be held on
Saturday 21st September 7 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
(Editor’s note: The Chairman’s report was delivered at the AGM which took place on Saturday 15th September 2012. Jeremy’s three year elected term ended at the October meeting of the Association Executive although he has agreed, with the unanimous support of the Executive, to remain in Office for a short extended period. Members will be notified when a successor is appointed.) www.facebook.com (Search for Kingswood-School) @KingswoodAssociation
www.friendsreunited.co.uk
Connections@Kingswood is accessed through the ‘Old Kingswoodians’ section of the school website: www.kingswood.bath.sch.uk Further information available from the Association Office: association@kingswood.bath.sch.uk
Visitors
Privilege and Grace Friday, 5 October 2012: It is always chastening to go back to old places, and I found my trip back to Kingswood School in Bath suitably chastening. It was and remains a very good school, though much changed, and I was given the warmest of welcomes by both the pupils I met and the staff, especially the Chaplain, Michael Wilkinson and the Headmaster, Simon Morris. Methodist Schools are an important part of the life of the Connexion. Most Methodist Schools are state maintained, over 60 in number and growing. A smaller number are ‘private’ schools where the majority of pupils are fee paying. As a missionary child I was destined for Kingswood from an early age, and went even though we had as a family returned home. I was very troubled by being in such a school when younger, but over the years increasingly grateful and less clear about the ethics of it all. I know far too many better off people, or ‘able to choose people’ such as ministers, to know that most of us will choose the best for our children within the means we have, even if it’s simply a matter of living as close as possible to ‘good schools’.
Kingswood today is an excellent school by any measure. We will also spend as much as we can on space, books, and kit as well as give as much expertise and support as we can. None of it exactly ‘fair’ when so many children in our country let alone the wider world have none of these advantages. My gratitude, which might just as easily be given to teachers in the state sector, is the care and commitment of Kingswood and my parents to my education. Wesley was passionate about learning and founded Kingswood upon some very modern concepts of what would constitute an all around education. One of my favourite rules, though no longer kept, is that children shouldn’t play sport, but do gardening.
Rev Mike Wilkinson - KS Chaplain (1992 to date), Rev Dr Mark Wakelin - President of the Methodist Conference (KS 1967-75), Rev Rachel Borgars - Governor, Rev Dr John Barrett (KS Chaplain 1973-83) and current Governor
Kingswood today is an excellent school by any The President of the Methodist Conference (2012-13), The Reverend Dr Mark Wakelin, measure. It does get good ‘results’, and it has visited Kingswood and took the senior school service on 5th October 2012. Returning a good sporting, music, arts, drama and world to Kingswood was a real pleasure for Mark (KS 1967-75) and he wrote a blog about his visit which, with his kind permission, we reproduce here. development / peace tradition, the Chaplain also encourages an open and intelligent With such schools as these, both in the private and maintained approach to faith. The staff are able to give full measure in sector, Methodists have an important contribution to make their jobs which are, for many, their vocation. I know full well to a wider discourse on education that needs rescuing from that this happens in the state sector as well – my son Ben is an a simple focus on success and grades to turn out ‘economic equally enthusiastic teacher in an infant school in Surbiton, units’. Because we do what we do so well we can offer a little and Judith is wholly committed, and passionate about her support to the thousands of teachers of all faith and none role in Finsbury Park. I could go on! However, I visited who work extraordinarily hard because, like Wesley, they Kingswood School and preached to the seniors, had supper believe in children as whole human beings! with Simon and Mike, and was so proud that a Methodist School could be so good at what it does, so distinctive in its Mark Wakelin (KS 1967-75) Christian ethos, and so grounded in the Wesleyan tradition. Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 8
Reunions
South West Lunch: 12th May 2012
Vartkess returns to Kingswood
A perfect Spring day, and a delicious lunch in the new pavilion overlooking the Upper, with a school cricket match thoughtfully laid on as well. Memories of my own woeful attempts at athletics – observed by an amused and incredulous Laurie Campbell many years ago - quickly melted away, possibly thanks to the welcoming glass of Prosecco. Increasingly, one of the great pleasures at Association gatherings is finding out what everyone’s children are up to. I was most impressed when Nick Hole-Jones told me that his son has just returned from working on board the Africa Mercy hospital ship - close to my heart, as it was fitted out on the River Tyne – and it was no surprise that Nick seems to have passed on the Kingswood spirit to the next generation. That spirit is alive and well in Chester Lewis, the current Head Boy, who was generous enough to give up some precious revision time to speak to us after lunch. His love for Kingswood was so clear and it was wonderful to hear it expressed by someone who is living it - and appreciating it - right now. (Editor: Chester’s speech is included below and is, as Mary says, very well worth reading). The Headmaster, Simon Morris, talked to us about the current School and the hopes and plans for the future, and wondered what John Wesley would make of Kingswood in 2012. I arrived at Kingswood at the beginning of sixth form, coming from a small state school; it was to be my first time boarding and my first time away from family. I chose to come to Kingswood Engaging Head Boy because of the extraordinary feeling I got about the school the few times I visited, it just felt like the right place for me to carry on my education. One of the main differences I see from other schools is that we are strong in every single aspect - be it academic, music, art, drama or sport. What amazed me about pupils when I first joined is just how much people get involved. It is quite common for students to juggle playing a musical instrument in a school orchestra with 1st team sport and fitting in rehearsals for the latest school production the drama department come up with. All the while achieving high grades. It really is a credit to the running and the teaching at Kingswood that students can do all these activities, be successful in their studies and leave with the widest well-rounded education. I feel for me that my education when I arrived at Kingswood took on a new level and I was able to take full advantage of just some of the resources and facilities that are on offer here. I could stand here and talk to you all day about my experiences and memories I have of my time at Kingswood, but I’ll share one that seems to always be lodged in my mind. Last year our 1st XV rugby side faced Priors 1sts; it was a big game because at this point in the season we were in contention for beating the school record for amount of games won. We started badly and came into half time with a score of us two tries 9 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
I think we all felt that Wesley would, rightly, be pleased and proud of the way school has evolved and the warmth of the community that exists today. For me, a precious meeting over lunch was with Vartkess Knadjian who was returning to Kingswood for the first time since 1972; a part of the important Ethiopian connection through John Gardner (KS Staff 1937-41 and 1946-76), about whom we shared many happy memories. One of my contemporaries, and a very dear friend, was Kegham Garabedian. When he left Kingswood in 1979, it marked the end of the Ethiopian connection, but I’m delighted to say we are still in touch occasionally so, Kegham, if you’re reading this, I look forward to seeing you at one of these events soon! Mary Wimpress (1977-79) down. We knew it was a tough ask but something special happened and in that second half we pulled it back and won. That’s what I love about school rugby, that you are friends playing together, especially at a place such as Kingswood. And sometimes when you need to you can all pull together and make things like winning that game happen. So, what is Kingswood to me? To put it plainly and simply, it is just a wonderful place to be. But to truly tell you what Kingswood is to me, I’d have to use the question that I often get asked ‘How can former pupils come back and teach here?’ Pupils from other schools often say they can’t ever imagine going back to their schools as they feel they have ‘served their allotted time’. However, Kingswood seems to have the effect that once you’re a Kingswoodian, you are always a Kingswoodian. It is the reason that many of you are sat here today and the same reason why some of my teachers have returned. There is something about this school that is unique, a special vibe that everyone who is part of the school gives off. This is the feeling that ‘I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else’. A few simple words on a Saturday afternoon can never do Kingswood justice. I wish I had been at the school longer but going to a small state school before coming to Kingswood has enabled me to not take this fantastic place and life shaping experience for granted. You may have noticed I often don’t refer to Kingswood as a school, simply because I feel it is so much more. It is an experience, a community and a place to me, where I feel comfortable and at home. Upon my arrival at the school, I spoke at a 6th form open evening about being new to the school and I said then that “I was excited about starting here and now I am here I am even more excited about spending what will hopefully be a successful two years and a lot of highly enjoyable memories.” Almost two years on I can now say that Kingwood has been the most enjoyable years of my life so far. Kingswood was the right choice for me and I know that I will take many an enjoyable and happy memory with me about this place for the rest of my life. Chester Lewis (2010-12)
Reunions
London Summer Evening: East India Club, 28th June 2012 Thankfully the London Summer event was blessed with the rarest of 2012 commodities - lovely weather! With the upper floor windows at the East India Club thrown open a lively gathering took place with much conversation and laughter. Old friends who had not seen each other for many years talked happily together and new friendships were forged as the many generations represented mixed. In all a beautiful summer evening with a busy room constantly filled with the wonderful buzz of interesting and interested voices. Jeremy Wimpress (1969-76)
Exeter Lunch: 28th September 2012 28 of us met for “Friendship, Fellowship and Fun” at the Exeter Golf and Country Club on Friday 28th September. It was the fifth time Colin Lomax (1956-63) has organised the event, and each year numbers continue to grow, thanks to Colin’s excellent hosting and the first class fayre offered by the Club. As well as being a record number of participants, this year’s lunch was also memorable for its gender-balance – a fitting occurrence for the year in which we celebrate 40 years of girls entering Kingswood. There were 16 men and 12 ladies. Fitting too, therefore, that we were honoured by the presence of the Kingswood Association President, Sarah Beresford-Smith (1979-86), who proposed a vote of thanks to Colin for all his hard work getting a successful lunch together once again.
Jeremy Wimpress (1969-76), Association Chairman, also joined us. To contribute to the gender balance, Peter Thomson (1948-56) Emeritus Professor of Drama at the University of Exeter, brought along his two charming daughters, Annie and Kate; Annie and Kate are not Kingswood girls but what a delightful idea to have more of the younger generation present through families (as well as wives) attending – an idea to be developed in the future perhaps. John Lewis, ever a source of interesting anecdotes and information, passed around a cutting from a recent issue of the Bath Chronicle which mentioned that Oliver Parr (1985-94), now Flight Lieutenant Parr, had recently been recruited to the Red Arrows flying display team. Oliver, in the article, described his appointment as “hugely exciting and a great honour”. A great honour for Kingswood too, and probably something of a first, although I think among our Association members we have a good number of ‘high-fliers’, past and present. A good occasion for all concerned and we look forward to next year’s gathering, trusting Colin will do us proud once again.
Attendees of the Exeter Lunch
Dick Trafford (1936-44) and John Stanfield (1931-39)
Tony Deyes (1954–63) Torquay
Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 10
Reunions
Oriental Updates: Once again our overseas recruitment visits most fortunately took us to Thailand and Hong Kong where we were able to meet up with Kingswood friends – old and new. During the half-term holiday I travelled first to Thailand and, building on the visit of 2011, was delighted to meet again with our first Thai student, Charoen Chinalai (KS 1951-55). This year, he had been able to encourage ‘No. 3’ and ‘No.5’ to come back to our very special gathering and it was a great pleasure to meet with Kajonsukdi Watanangura (KS 1959-63) and Jesda Watin (KS 1963-67) as part of our select group.
Slightly younger generation Old Kingswoodians, Jo Vinijtrongjit (KS 2000-05) and Prom Chaikul (KS 1997-2000) also attended and the ‘common bond’ across the generations enabled them all to enjoy sharing many happy stories of their time at Kingswood. As always, the opportunity to include current and even prospective families to our overseas Kingswood receptions is a welcome bonus to the occasion as parents are particularly interested in the lives of former students and how they have been shaped by their time at Kingswood. It was a great experience for the newest Thai student, 13 year old Indy Sankosik who joined Kingswood Hong Kong in September
11 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
2012, to meet with such distinguished former pupils. It will be his turn to wear the Kingswood Association tie in 5 years’ time, but in the meantime, he was proud to have his photograph taken with those who do qualify and who were particularly delighted to receive their ‘new’ Association ties. A phone call during the evening to speak to the Association Chairman, Jeremy Wimpress, also added an extra dimension to the occasion and was a welcome and well received surprise. We look forward to our next meeting in September 2013. In Hong Kong, the gathering is growing and each year we are delighted to see one or two new attendees amongst our guests. Headmaster, Simon Morris, was once again greeted by many familiar faces and particularly our hosts, former parents Johnny and Laura Tsang, who had once again arranged the venue and the delicious buffet reception at the prestigious Hong Kong Football Club. Mr Morris was pleased to update everyone on the continued progress at Kingswood and his aspirations for the future. The completion of the new sports pavilion having transformed the facilities on the Upper both for Kingswood pupils and also the wider community; more pupils now being supported by the John Wesley Bursary Fund, an on-going fundraising appeal for deserving families who would not normally be able to access the type of education Kingswood provides and the plans for a new Humanities teaching block to provide a further eight new classrooms for September 2013. Interest in Kingswood from China, Hong Kong, Thailand and other countries in the Far East remains very strong and we are extremely proud of the success and achievements of the very dedicated and hard-working pupils who join us each year from this part of the world. We are delighted to be able to keep in touch and to see you again, whether in Bath or here in the Far East. A warm welcome will always await you. Angela Dudley-Warde, Director of Marketing & Development
Hong Kong
OK’s in Thailand
Reunions
All Attendees celebrating the 25th MJSD
The Headmaster and Jeremy Wimpress
Tony Haines, Daniela and Roger Austin and Tess Gillbard
MJSD: 22nd June 2012 Incredibly, the dinner in June was the 25th MJSD since John Allison originally conceived these very popular gatherings. What started as a small initial group of diners has grown to become a core part of the Association calendar. Joyce Allison had with her a copy of the signatures of the eight people who dined together at the first MJSD which took place on 9th June 2006. As always the School catering team provided an excellent meal over which to celebrate such a notable and important milestone and all present gathered for a group photograph to mark the occasion. As the popularity of the MJSD events continues to grow and attracts an ever wider audience we look forward to many more milestones to come.
MJSD: 7th December 2012 The December (we like to think ‘Christmas’!) MJSD was a wonderful affair with, as usual, much praise for the excellent food provided. The tables were packed with cheery diners engrossed in lively, laughter-filled conversations and reminiscences. Among the diners were some new guests who had, earlier, attended a reception at Kingswood Prep School before coming on to MJSD. In 1991 Hermitage House School, a fixture on the Bath educational landscape for many years, became part of Kingswood.
KPS Headmaster Mark Breary and guests
A packed dining hall
The tables were filled with cheery diners engrossed in lively, laughter-filled conversations and reminiscences. The reception at Summerhill had been designed to celebrate that fact and the importance of Hermitage House in the evolution of what has become today’s KPS. Former pupils of Hermitage (including the Association President) joined with former Headmistresses, members of staff, Governors and parents and we were delighted to welcome them to MJSD and hope that they will return again soon.
Hermitage House reunion
Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 12
Laurie Campbell Tribute
‘Laurie Campbell Weekend’ at Kingswood 17th March 2012: “Hold on to your enthusiasm, retain curiosity and wonder, avoid dullness.” LJC (1987) I found it somehow fitting that my final ‘Kingswood Event’ before my retirement in the summer as Headmaster of KPS should be the funeral of Laurie Campbell in Trinity Methodist Church, Newport on the 28th July 2011, less than a week before I moved my goods and chattels to my retirement home in Caithness, in the far north of Scotland. It was an inspiring occasion where an enormous number of Laurie’s friends and family had gathered to pay our respects to a remarkable man and one whose influence as Headmaster of two schools, Alliance High School, Nairobi, Kingswood School, Bath and Minister of Trinity had touched all our lives. Equally fitting that I was able to pay my first visit back to Bath to attend the memorial service for Laurie held at school, in which the focus was on his time as Headmaster as Kingswood. There was another large attendance with the chapel very full of friends and family. Another fitting tribute to Laurie in which the quarter of a century since his retirement as Headmaster of Kingswood seemed to have been compressed, as his presence was warmly recalled by the words of those asked to speak, and in the hearts and minds of all present.
Proceedings had begun on the Friday evening when the regular ‘MJSD’ dinner in the dining hall, benefited from a much larger attendance than normal as many people, over 130, had made a special effort to attend this event prior to the Memorial Service on the Saturday. Almost every table in the dining room was full and the food, as ever with the modern Kingswood, was splendid. It was a most enjoyable evening as people mixed freely with one another to remember Laurie and many other memories of their old school as well. 13 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
The chapel was packed many minutes before the start of the service the next morning, which was itself a great tribute to a man who had retired from Kingswood 25 years ago. Proceedings had been organised by The Reverend Dr. John Barrett who had been Laurie’s second chaplain at KS during Laurie’s time as Headmaster. I once heard Laurie say when speaking at a KS Association event in a Cambridge College that he hoped that students would leave Kingswood, ‘with a sense of God and a sense of humour.’ John Barrett’s opening remarks about Laurie brought these two important strands of Laurie’s life to the fore. The funniest of John’s stories bears repetition. One of Laurie’s favourite times as Headmaster was when he was Master on Duty and the opportunity it gave him to engage with pupils. One day he was MOD and on duty in the dining hall. As he walked by a table full of sixth formers, he stopped opposite a sixth form girl smartly dressed according to the school dress code of the day except that she had a brightly coloured silk scarf around her neck. He looked at her, pointedly, with that wonderfully stern expression that many of us recall and held out his hand in order to receive the offending item of non school uniform. The girl looked suitably embarrassed and with a ‘sorry sir’, reached not for the scarf, but into her pocket from which she produced a packet of cigarettes and placed them in Laurie’s hand! As well as John Barrett the following made a specific contribution to the service: The Reverend Dr Kenneth Wilson (1950-56 and Chaplain 1969-73) led us in prayer, Laurie’s daughter Mary Campbell (1975-77) spoke about Laurie the family man, John Lewis (1947-56, Staff 1972-97, General Secretary Kingswood Association 1995-2006) read from Philippians, Chris Stafford (1964-72) talked about being a pupil under Laurie. I had the great pleasure to read some of the wonderful words from LJC’s Farewell Speech, Angie Wright (Staff 1983 - to date) gave a staff perspective, and Dr Judith McClure spoke of her time as Assistant Head to Laurie (1984-87). John Holroyd (1945-54, Governor 1985-2005) spoke from a Governor’s perspective, while Chris Brown (1970-78) read from a favourite book of Laurie’s, John Bunyan’s ‘Pilgrim’s Progress’. Laurie’s third and final Chaplain at KS The Reverend Henry Keys (Chaplain 1982-91) spoke movingly about his time at Kingswood and also of the particular help given to him, not only by Laurie, but also by Mrs Sheena Campbell.
Laurie Campbell Tribute
It was a wonderful service in which I believe something of the essence of the man was captured...
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The two strands of Laurie’s working life were teaching and preaching. The similarities of these two occupations have always been known to past Kingswood pupils and many past pupils (often the children of Methodist Ministers) have gone on to the ministry and teaching. The speakers at the service are no exception and apart from their time at the school as pupils those who spoke at Laurie’s service included, one college Principal, four Methodist Ministers, three Head Teachers, retired and serving, and two teachers. I know that Laurie approved as I understand he had a say in the order of service, (despite m suffering from the pancreatic cancer em or which killed him, his mental powers were ial pla que undiminished at the end of his life.) in th
the chapel to the dining hall where the school catering department had laid on a superb buffet and many further stories concerning Laurie were shared between former pupils. I enjoyed repeating the story in which Laurie had asked Chris Stafford when he was in the 6th form if he had considered teaching as a career. When the reply came in the affirmative LJC suggested to Chris that he apply to Westminster College. When Chris did this he found that Laurie had already made the interview on his behalf ! Now Chris is nearing the end of his teaching career and has been a Headmaster for the last 17 years. Laurie was a good judge of character. I also enjoyed sharing memories of Laurie with Andrew Smith whose long teaching career at KS began in 1964 with Lowry Creed, throughout the Campbell years, before retirement in 2003 when Gary Best was Headmaster. i
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The KS Chamber Choir gave a moving rendition of ‘Africa’ by Toto (Paich and Porcaro), before John Barrett gave a concluding reflection and Revd Dr Stephen Wigley (1969-78) lead our prayers of Thanksgiving and Intercession.
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All of us who attended are indebted to Kingswood for enabling such a wonderful e C ha pel event to take place. Particular thanks to the It was a wonderful service in which I believe current Headmaster of KS Simon Morris, his pastoral something of the essence of the man was captured whose Deputy Head and Chaplain, the Revd Mike Wilkinson, final words to the Kingswood community are still tellingly Deputy Head Gordon Opie (himself a pupil at the school in relevant today: “Students of Kingswood, let me say this to Laurie’s time) the Head of Catering Sharon Traylor and to you: hold on to your enthusiasm, retain curiosity and wonder, the President and Chairman of the Kingswood Association, avoid dullness. Take hold of your future with energy and Sarah Beresford-Smith and Jeremy Wimpress. good humour. Life is risk! Be committed to God in Christ, Marcus Cornah and never cease to listen to the cry of the poor.” (1964-71, Deputy Head Prior’s Court 1989-98, Deputy Most of those present at the service were able to go from Head KPS 1998-2004, Headmaster KPS 2004-11) y db F u nd e
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Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 14
Travel Scholar’s Report
2011 Gary Best Travel Scholar: Emily Clarke Last year, thanks to the generous funds of the Gary Best Scholarship, I was able to travel to Northern Thailand for two months with Robbie Carrington to teach English to local children. a few. My favourite dish was Koh Suoy, a northern Thai noodle dish. On Wednesday afternoons we had sport, which was usually football, skipping, and hula hooping. On Fridays after lunch the boys and girls would split with the boys learning Muay Thai and I had the pleasure of being taught Thai Dancing, which is one of the most intricate and beautiful skills I’ve ever learnt.
They opened my eyes up to a new way of life and a culture which is peaceful and optimistic.
The school I worked in was Ban Dong, a primary school which had a kindergarten and 6 classes. The class system was organised by the ability of the child rather than the age. Generally speaking the children progressed at a similar rate but occasionally there was an anomaly, for example we had a 16 year old in our grade 6 class, while the others were aged around 13-14. We were lucky enough to teach all the classes at least once a week, which meant that I got to know all of the kids in the school. What surprised me most on arrival was how eager everyone seemed to be to learn English and get to know us. Not once in my two months did I feel unwanted. The teachers were perhaps some of the loveliest people I have ever met, they tried to speak English with us all the time and even started teaching us Thai. By the end of the trip I felt I had learnt just as much if not more than I had taught. We were always busy in my two months at Ban Dong. Each day was different and exciting. The school day started with an assembly outside where the national anthem was sung, and notices were given. Robbie and I would then teach the kids an English phrase like ‘what is the time?’ or something similar. It would usually end with some Muay Thai, also known as Thai Boxing, and to which I would liken a bit to aerobics. Then it was lessons. We taught together, and would do on average two/three hour-long classes a day, and would also run activities, which was a chance to teach English games and have a bit more relaxed fun with the kids. Football was very popular, but they also enjoyed it when we ran a ‘school disco’ and played drama games such as ‘wink murder’ and ‘Bang’. We all ate lunch together in a canteen area, and the food was a revelation. Having been to Thailand before, I assumed I knew what Thai food looked and tasted like; but the northerners do it a bit differently and each day was a new flavour. Being a vegetarian, I escaped a few ‘interesting’ dishes while Robbie was encouraged to try pig’s blood chunklets and pig’s tongue to name 15 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
After school and on the weekends we got to know the children and teachers better. We became close friends with them all, as the teachers took us out for dinners, to local markets, on a trip to a flower garden and even to a traditional Thai funeral! They were such happy people, always smiling and laughing and willing to share their culture with you. On the weekends we were woken up at 7 by the children outside our house, knocking and calling us to come and play. They took us on bike rides to local rivers, and on one weekend we were taken on a very humbling tour of their homes, many of which consisted of a single room with mats and occasionally a television or fridge. There were some festivals while we were working at the school, which were celebrated with magnificence. Traditional Thai dress was worn, there were parades through the streets and performances, as well as prayers and feasts of food. Our last few days were spent at a dance competition between all the local schools, and it was amazing. The kids had made massive paper lanterns which were lit and projected up into the air, and food which was sold to raise money for the school. It was incredibly hard to leave and say goodbye to such wonderful people. They opened my eyes up to a new way of life and a culture which is peaceful and optimistic. I am indebted to the school for helping me with the costs of this trip, and I really hope that someday soon I can go back Thailand, an incredible country, not just for its beauty but its people. Emily Clarke (2004-11)
Travel Scholar’s Report
2011 Gary Best Travel Scholar: Emma Hamilton When I embarked on my trip to Africa I could not have imagined what a difference this one trip would make to the rest of my life and what a difference I could make to peoples lives in just two months. When I arrived I was quickly given the introduction into what I would be doing and the next day we started the volunteering projects. I was allocated a year 5 class in a very remote village and this is where I would spend my mornings during my stay. The school consisted of 3 plain rooms with a blackboard in each. The main teachers were locals who volunteered, as the school could not afford to pay them. I spent my mornings teaching the children and finding new ways to learn without the normal equipment. Over my time there I was told to really concentrate on math’s as they struggled with many very basic concepts and my teacher was finding it hard to teach. Lucky I had brought over some coloured paper and stationery, which we couldn’t give to the children, but we could use in the classroom. The children slowly started to learn their multiplication and at the same time we were able to decorate the classroom with the multiplication tables the kids had made and instructions on subtraction and division. My time at the school was amazing and I came away feeling like I had truly made a difference to the children’s lives. Although I had just taught them the basics I knew this would help them for the rest of their lives. Every afternoon I took part in after school activities. I taught a boys football team, helped build a school and ran HIV programs. My favourite activities were YTCT and the adult literacy class, although YTCT had to be the best. On the first day I went there I was pretty scared as the staff had told me to remove our watches and glasses and hats and to wear clothes that we didn’t mind getting really dirty. Obviously I was a little cautious of what I was getting myself into. But when 4 of us and 2 members of staff were driven to a field in the middle of a remote village with only a tree I wondered what all the fuss was about until I looked to my left and saw 40 children running towards us over the horizon. I will never forget that moment as it reminded me of the zombie movies and I had to fight all urges to run in the opposite direction but I am very happy I didn’t, as the next 4 hours at this activity were the best 4 hours of every week. The children at first thought they would use us as human climbing frames, all trying to hold our hands and have piggy back rides but we soon learnt to distract them with dancing, gymnastics and basic playground games. When it was time to go the kids would jump on the bus and run beside it for as long as they could.
The whole trip completely changed my view on what is important in life and changed me as a person... Once a week I held an adult literacy class where I taught 3 adults English outside under some trees. This was an amazing experience and they made very rapid improvement and I could see how it was really helping their lives as it allowed them to get jobs and look to go to university and study. One day I got to team up with the medical team and go to a midwifery clinic where I met the most inspirational women, who volunteered. They weighed newborn babies, gave children injections, delivered babies even though they were not qualified to do so and offered support to the mothers and children. This was a day I could never forget. I got put in charge of weighing the children and was shocked when I was told that a two month-old baby who had only gained 300 grams was doing well. After weighing the children I was told to mark the weight on a sheet they were given although I soon found out that there was a box on the sheet that was ticked if the baby was not expected to live due to having a disease or illness and I was shocked at how many of the boxes were ticked. I found this the hardest part of my trip because a disease that could be cured in the UK was going to kill the little baby right in front of me and I couldn’t do anything to help. My trip to Africa was the best experience of my life, I could write pages and pages about all the amazing things I got to do. The whole trip completely changed my view on what is important in life and changed me as a person and it is all thanks to the Gary Best scholarship. I will never forget what I have learnt and I hope one day to do it all again, but until then I encourage everyone to have a go for the scholarship and take the amazing opportunity that the school offer. Emma Hamilton (1996-2011) Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 16
Feature Article
An Olympic Year! Dan Duchars (1980-88): Taking part in the Opening ceremony for the Paralympics was definitely the biggest highlight of London 2012 for me and as I live twenty minutes cycle ride from the stadium...there were many! telling us when to enter, which way to face, when the music was about to start and which exit to leg it out of. Our costumes were only revealed to us for the two final technical rehearsals and the choir got away lightly with no head wear or comedy gloves, but we did have to wear massive great circular “wings”. Oh well, you can’t always look cool, even when being watched by a billion people worldwide.
I have sung with The Hackney Singers for a few years now and at the end of 2011 we were asked if we would like to form part of a “superchoir” along with five other choirs all from London boroughs local to the Olympic site.
The live ceremony was an amazing experience, as much for the behind the scenes atmosphere as for the singing itself, and the entire cast had to come back into the stadium at the end for a “dance routine” (of which all the moves were shouted into our ears live and direct and no one really knew what they were doing, but it was hilarious) and then after the fireworks had finished and the live TV show went off air, all of us were allowed to remain in the stadium to party on set to the live band for another two hours.
Three months of rehearsals followed in the lead up to the big event and these included a bimonthly logistics rehearsal in a damp and miserable disused car park in the Dagenham Ford plant, the only outside space they could rent that was big enough to replicate the layout of the stadium, then umpteen costume fittings, which rather worryingly included head and hand measurements... The final month was the big moment where we were allowed access to the actual Olympic Stadium. I will never forget that first big moment of entering the Olympic Park and seeing people everywhere manically painting, fixing, planting and preparing. Actually entering the stadium itself was breathtaking and will stick with me forever. In total we had four rehearsals in the stadium, including two full technical run throughs of the entire ten thousand person cast, each and every one of us with an individual headset receiving instructions shouted in our ear
David Brown’s Sundial David Brown (1952-58, Head of Physics 1985-99, Archivist 2000-08) was introduced by the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, Lady Gass, to HM Queen when she visited Yeovil in May with HRH Price Philip. He was there in his capacity as Master of The Somerset Guild of Craftsmen, and looking after a display of work by Guild members, whose gallery is in Somerton. David had a short conversation with the Queen and invited her to try out his sundial at the Olympic Park, photographs of which also formed part of the display. 17 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
...entering the stadium itself was breathtaking and will stick with me forever. Taking part in such a worldwide event was incredible and one that I will cherish forever and one that my children will never forgive me for not receiving the TV close up they’d bragged to their friends about.
The sundial came into its own when the Olympics started. It is set in the ‘silver’ area of a wonderful gold-silver-bronze wildflower garden close to the main stadium, is approximately six metres diameter, having components made of silverlooking stainless steel with a central date scale of slate inset with stainless steel month markers. The user’s own shadow indicates the time. The picture shows John Lewis on it when he visited the Olympics, and it was also visited by Marjorie Cross (Staff, 1973 - 2004). Hopefully it will still be there after the post-Olympic conversions to what will become Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Feature Article
From Somerset to Singapore It’s not every day that a piece of artwork, hand crafted in rural Somerset, finds its way to the top of a skyscraper in Singapore but that is exactly what has happened to one of John Yeo’s latest commissions.
When John was approached by Kingswood contemporary David Bulleid (1971-73) he was both surprised and delighted as they had not been in touch since 1979. David runs an interior design company that undertakes projects all over the world. The commission for John was to create a stained glass window for the Asian Headquarters of the International Baccalaureate.
The commission was to create a stained glass window for the Asian Headquarters of the International Baccalaureate. Working from an original design brief created by David’s wife, Irene, the piece (which took many weeks to complete) depicts the three stages of education; primary, secondary and tertiary and includes script stating: ‘Education for a better world’. Once completed the glass was shipped (by air, at a cost of £2000) in six sections to Singapore. John followed with a set of tools and safely installed the stained glass on the 21st floor of the famous Art Deco, Parkview Square building. The International Baccalaureate were so pleased with the work that they insisted on flying a photographer all the way from Taiwan to take the official pictures. John Yeo (1968-73)
The building in Parkview Square Singapore (stained glass on 21st floor)
Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 18
In The News
Kingswood in Print Getting a book published is no easy matter so we are delighted that so many members have achieved this Holy Grail. A selection of recent publications are shown here with further references to published works in the ‘Notes and News’ section (pp. 22-26).
Sarah Bridge (1989-91) ‘First Catch Your Husband: Adventures on the Dating Front Line’ Sarah has written a book called ‘First Catch Your Husband: Adventures on the Dating Front Line’ which is a fun look at all the things you can do to try and find your other half if you haven’t already met them. Some of Sarah’s friends from KS days are married and some are still single and both sets, she assures us, have loved the book - you might too! The Amazon link for more information is: www.amazon.co.uk/First-Catch-Your-HusbandAdventures/dp/1845967984
HEAD, HEART, HAND
a boatbuilder’s story
John Stanfield (1931-39) ‘War Letters Home 1941-46 India S.O.E. China’. John was called up to the army at the beginning of the war in 1941 at the age of 20. After Officer Cadet Training he was commissioned into the Royal Signals. He went to India to the South East Asia Command under Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten. He was then posted to Special Operations Executive to go to China as 2nd in command S.O.E China signals. When the Japanese surrendered in the Forbidden City in Peking, John signed for the British Army as the Senior British Officer. These are his letters sent home and filed by his father. The book, packed with photographs and illustrations, is a fascinating historical document and contemporary record of John’s remarkable story.
Henwood & Dean Boatbuilders, based on the River Thames at Henley, have published a book written by master boatbuilder Colin Henwood and illustrated with extraordinary photographs by award-‐winning photographer Michael English.
This beautiful limited edition book gives a unique insight into the world of traditional Thames wooden boats and the skill and dedication of the craftsmen privileged to work on them.
To order please go to: www.blurb.co.uk/ bookstore/detail/3677486
19 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
The book costs £45 and can be bought on line
www.henwoodanddean.co.uk or phone 01491 571692
In The News
Philip Gooden (Staff 1972-2001) ‘Idiomantics, The Ely Testament, Sleep of Death’ Philip Gooden has recently produced a non-fiction book, Idiomantics, whose subject is ‘The Weird World of Popular Phrases’ (to quote the cover). A Victorian mystery, The Ely Testament has just been published in paperback and his sequence of six Elizabethan mysteries, beginning with Sleep of Death, is currently being reissued as e-books.
Marisa Calin (1994-2001) ‘Between You & Me’ Marisa’s first novel, ‘Between You & Me’, was published by Bloomsbury USA in August. Marisa lives in New York and is also an actor and audio book narrator. Marisa writes from what she knows - memories of her not so distant teenage years! You can find more information at www.marisacalin.com.
He blogs occasionally on language at www.philipgooden.com and is a member of the writing collective, The Medieval Murderers, whose ninth novel, The False Virgin, will be published in the Summer of 2013.
Michael Heafford (1951-57) ‘Life in the South. The Naples Journal of Marianne Talbot 1829-32’ During the early years of the nineteenth century, Sir George Talbot was a well-known figure in the elite circles of London society. Then, in 1816, he and his two daughters set off for the Continent where they were to spend most of the ensuing sixteen years. During this period, his elder daughter Marianne (1788-1885) kept private journals. Published here is one single volume, possibly the only surviving one, which covers the final three years of the Talbots’ residence on the Continent.
British negotiators on the independence of Greece, the Marquis of Hertford and his companion Lady Strachan, as rich as royalty and behaving accordingly, the diarist Charles Greville, the traveller James Morier newly famous for his novel The Adventures of Hajji Baba of Ispahan, the sad figure of Sir Walter Scott making his slow, final journey to his homeland. The numerous anecdotes also provide an entertaining insight into the life of the times: the naval lieutenant helping his prospective bride escape from a nunnery, the daughter of a marquis who marries her courier, the gentleman who arranges for a Catholic priest to marry him to his betrothed against the wishes of the latter’s mother, the volcanic island which emerges out of the Mediterranean and on which a Royal Naval captain immediately plants a Union Jack.
This is not a carefully structured account kept dutifully day by day, but a series of entries kept at shorter or longer intervals, with a summary of events and encounters from a sequence of days often concertinaed together, snippets of conversations, brief anecdotes, thoughts and reflections made by the writer about her life and circumstances, Finally, though ‘through a glass isolated statements and L-R: Richard Bird, Michael Heafford and Malcolm Clarke darkly’, we glimpse something sometimes incomprehensible taken at the launch of Michael’s first title of the writer herself: her sad allusions. Yet remarkably, in childhood, her tense relationship with father and sister, a kaleidoscopic way, the often fragmented elements taken her love of reading, her wide circle of acquaintance, her together coalesce into a remarkably vivid portrayal not merely perceptions of marriage and the role of women in marriage, of the British society living in Naples around 1830, but of the and her concerns about her life, present and future. There are wider political, social and cultural world of the time. moments of amusement and sadness on almost every page. A range of important, eccentric and comic figures feature in Taken from: http://www.postillionbooks.co.uk/ its pages, including Stratford Canning and Robert Gordon, second_publication.html Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 20
Feature Article
Racing to Success Congratulations to Josh Cook on his success in the Asia Clio Cup Championship 2012. Josh won both races in front of 30,000 spectators and a live ITV 4 audience of over 1 million viewers. He now leads the Rookie Championship by 52 points.
Photos courtesy of Paul Korkus
Josh left Kingswood to study Motorsport Engineering. Having gained an Advanced National Diploma in the subject he then completed a Degree in Motorsport Engineering at The University of Bath in 2011. Josh has competed in Motorsport from the age of 8. He has always been successful at every level from karting to The Asia Clio Cup. In karting he was the NKRA National Champion at the age of 10 and by the age of 15 he had secured an extensive list of Club Championships in the South West of England. He was also selected to compete in the BMW “Young Guns” shoot out at the Valencia Grand Prix Circuit in 2005. At the age of 15 he entered his first saloon car championship in the SAXMAX series racing a Citroen Saxo VTR 1.6. Having been successful in this series he then moved on to the senior version of the Stock Hatch Championship winning the title in 2010. In the same year he made a number of “Guest Appearances” in the Clio Cup Championship winning a number of high finishes along with a podium at Brands hatch.
...the British Racing Drivers Club Team of Talent Scouts have identified Josh as one of the very best drivers of his generation. During this time Josh has also developed his own Race Team and Engine Tuning company, Cooksport Developments. Under this banner Josh competed against some very high level Race Teams in the Production Touring Car Championship in 2011 where he finished runner-up.
The Asia Clio Cup is a Championship run by Renault and is considered to be the pinnacle of one make motorsport in the UK and operates on the TOCA package with The BTCC (British Touring Car Championship). In 2012 Josh was approached and asked to run in the Asia Clio Cup with the 20 Ten Racing Team only 2 weeks before the championship began. This meant that unlike his competitors he had no time to test prior to the first race of the season and so was at a considerable disadvantage. However with two rounds to go he is leading the “Rookie Championship” and sitting in 5th place in the overall Championship. At the beginning of October Josh secured two 1st places on the Podium at Silverstone along with the two “Rookie” 1st places. Both races were shown live on ITV4 along with the British Touring Cars. Josh will run again in the Clio Cup 2013 under the “Cooksport” brand. He has also been shortlisted for the KX Sports Academy awards headed by British Touring Car Champion Jason Plato. Most recently the British Racing Drivers Club (BRDC) Team of Talent Scouts have identified Josh as one of the very best drivers of his generation and invited him to join the BRDC Rising Stars program in 2013. The BRDC is arguably one of the most exclusive clubs in Motorsport and is based at Silverstone. The BRDC own the Silverstone circuit which hosts the British Grand Prix. Members include such great names as John Surtees, Jackie Stewart, Nigel Mansell, Lewis Hamilton and Damon Hill. This is a great honour for Josh and recognition of his undoubted talent. Chris Cook
21 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
Notes & News
What Are You Doing Now? 1930s
1950s
H John Powell (1929-35) I am enjoying quite a busy day and have just received an email from my printer saying that he has now got all the material for my Book, ‘Seventy Paces’ and will get on with the printing thereof. Then it’s my task to publicise and sell the work of art! No Kingswood chap / chapess should be without a copy on their shelves, especially if they appreciate medical murder, Cornish fishing, angling in the waters of Skye, and the long road back from Skye to St Mawes via Inverness, Pitlochry, (Tummel, Lock Rannoch etc), Edinburgh, York and the many miles to Cornwall! Should anyone wish to buy any of John’s books (which will be signed) please email drjohnpowell@talktalk.net. The books will be at least 50% below cost price for members of the Association and include; ‘Into Africa with scalpel and Spanner’, ‘Perchance to Dream’, ‘Caribbean Island Idyll’, ‘Come Play with Me’ and now ‘Seventy Paces’. John is currently writing his next book - title yet to be decided!
Howard Brayton (1950-57) After a very unimpressive seven years at KS, with no intention of taking up my offer at Birmingham, or of wasting two years doing National Service, I became apprenticed as a chemist at Bourneville. Since it was always assumed that every boy went on to higher education, I was ragged about going on to Cadbury’s College Cambridge! After three years, the agreement was mutually broken, and I trained for three at Bishop Otter College in Chichester. My first job offer was at Salisbury Cathedral School, teaching maths throughout the school, and a position as Lay Clerk singing tenor in the cathedral choir; I turned it down, and took a post as third in the maths department of Rush Hill boys School in Bath; later to become Culverhay. One year’s further training at Redland College in Bristol, led to a career in the education of students with learning difficulties and disabilities. “What am I doing now?”... enjoying following the careers of my five children and watching my (currently six) grandchildren growing up, whilst yo-yoing between Oxfordshire and Algarve.
1940s
Howard is a widely published author of both mathematics books for schools and books in his field of special educational needs.
David Allner (1939-46) An up-to-date picture at my organ recital last week - just to let you know that John Sykes’ work on me was not in vain..! I am still accompanying choirs regularly and giving organ recitals in my local region of France. I may be 84, but fortunately everything is in working order and I still play most of the right notes... David Cannon (1939-45) I wish to confess that I published a book earlier this year entitled “Letters Home from Nigeria 1952 - 1962”. I was at KS 1939-1945 thus at Uppingham for the whole of my time at KS. Following KS I went to the London Hospital Medical School and qualified in 1950. I offered to go overseas through the Methodist Missionary Society and after two years of house jobs I was posted to the Wesley Guild Hospital, Nigeria. I served there for ten years, during which time I married one of the Missionary Nurses Margaret Ingham. We had three children and felt we had to return home for their schooling. Our eldest child was Peter Michael Cannon who also attended Kingswood School. Very sadly he died from a brain tumour in 2005. My wife Margaret died in 1975 from a subarachnoid haemorrhage. Whilst in Nigeria I wrote home regularly each week. When my mother died we had to clear her house and we found all the letters I had sent home. I was all for throwing them out but my wife Sally (née Malthouse) said no and over the years typed them out with considerable difficulty - a doctors writing in blue ink on the old blue air-letters! Books are available from the publisher Hayloft Publishing Ltd, South Stainmore Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria CA17 4DJ Email: books@hayloft.eu, Tel. 01768 341568 / 07971 352473
Peter Clulow (1947-56) has an important update for followers of John Sykes who taught music at Kingswood from 1936-62. The members of the Sykes family who inherited the rights to John Sykes’ music and other intellectual property have generously passed these rights to Kingswood. The Headmaster now has the Deed of Gift which transfers those rights. Peter makes particular mention of John’s nephew, Robert Sykes, with whom he has had much pleasurable contact for about ten years. As Peter says, this now gives those who have been working on the transcriptions of Sykes’ music and promoting performances greater confidence in the legality of their efforts. The transcriptions themselves are marvellous works and it is a great testament to John Sykes that he should have inspired such long term loyalty in those he taught. Barrie Fleet (1951-57) I had a book published by the Parmenides Press, a translation and commentary of the 3rd century AD Greek philosopher Plotinus: Ennead IV.8 On the Descent of Soul into Bodies. http://www.amazon.co.uk/ Plotinus-Ennead-IV-8-Translation-Introduction/dp/ 1930972776. Geoffrey Hindley (1945-54) This year, after four decades as a writer in non-fiction (some 35 titles published), I self-published my first novel (thereby, in my own estimation, graduating from writer to ‘author’). Titled Black Dynasty, it narrates a saga of ambitions and rivalries in two African American families postCivil War to the 1930s. It is available in paperback and e-book. Prof J Michael Jefferson (1955-59) Nothing (at my age) on the Olympics or Para-Olympics of 2012. However, my memories of the 1948 Olympics are still fresh in my mind. My parents took me to Wembley Stadium for three days to observe track and field events, and sights of the leading runners in the former are still clear to me. Then it was two evenings spent at Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 22
Notes & News Herne Hill to watch the cycling, where Reg Harris was the outstanding UK performer. On the writing and lecturing side, I have contributions to four books coming out next year - on sustainable development, renewable energy, climate economics literature, and behavioural economics. The climate economics one concluded that its volume was large and its utility small, but I found myself one day sitting next to President Klaus of the Czech Republic and Nigel Lawson - we had last sat next to each other on a number of occasions in the late 1960s when he was Editor of ‘The Spectator’. As Nigel said: much has happened since to both of us. He now chairs the Global Warming Policy Foundation, the leading climate change sceptics’ organisation. I continue my 20-year involvement with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, now just as a reviewer, but still very much aware of what we do not know about this subject - harking back to the time when I was KS’s ‘meteorologist’ in the late 1950s. I have always suspected that Mr Steane appointed me because he thought I was the most likely person at the time to get up early enough in the morning. David Lane (1951-54) A small piece of news: I have been appointed as a member of the three-person Panel of Inquiry, chaired by Sir Anthony Hart, to examine Historical Institutional Abuse in Northern Ireland. The Inquiry is expected to take three years in all, and the enabling legislation is still to be passed in the Northern Ireland Assembly, but a group called the Acknowledgement Forum has already started work to hear evidence in confidence prior to the public hearings. My appointment breaks new ground for the UK as I started my career with eight years working in residential child care and it is the first time that someone who undertook the work has been asked to be an inquiry panel member. I cannot help with the Olympics as I was personally uninvolved, but I was impressed by the way that all my friends and relatives who attended events clearly thoroughly enjoyed themselves and especially appreciated the organisation and helpfulness of the volunteers. N Frank Lockhart (1944-51) is still umpiring hockey and cricket in the respective Essex leagues in his 80th year! He recently umpired his 18th and last Varsity Veterans match at Southgate Hockey Club. He is also a National League Match Official.
1960s Paul Binney (1953-62) I have a volume of poetry which is being published this Autumn: Learning the Language: Poems of Love and Life. It includes 70 poems which explore a wide range of subjects from the joys of travel to the creative arts of painting and sculpture. Priced at £7.95 (postage £1.50), profits will be donated to Christian Aid. Enquiries and orders may be sent to my email address: paulbinney36@btinternet.com. David Carver (1963-67) In June I was elected President of Tonbridge Juddians Rugby Club. We play at level 5 of the RFU league pyramid so I would be more than happy to meet up with Kingswood people if they find themselves on that rugby circuit. Malcolm Clarke (1951-61) One of my ‘books’ is ‘The Law of Insurance Contracts’, which, in view of the transient nature of the subject, has to be updated twice a year (hence during 2012 and 2013) for both a loose leafed edition and the online edition. 23 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
Jonathan Lynn (1954-61) January 2013 saw the return to television screens of a brand new series of ‘Yes, Prime Minister’. As before, the new series has been co-written by Jonathan with Anthony Jay who together created the original idea first broadcast as ‘Yes, Minister’ in 1980. The new TV series is based on the very successful recent stage play (which was seen in the West End by the Headmaster, Simon Morris, in the company of other delegates to Headmaster’s Conference!). Towards the end of 2011 Jonathan also had a new book published. ‘Comedy Rules: From the Cambridge Footlights to Yes, Prime Minister’ is an insider’s look at how comedy works told through a series of hilarious anecdotes. Robbie Coltrane describes it as; ‘A terrific read, a masterclass in comedy. Terribly funny’. Dennis Rodwell (1960-65) Some years ago now – and which I doubtless omitted to tell the Association about timeously if at all – I published two articles plus a chapter in a book that related to Bath: Feature article in World Heritage Review (UNESCO, Paris): • ‘City of Bath: A masterpiece of town planning’, October 2005. (Apologies for the caption that reads Royal Theatre, and another that attributes a Victorian former hotel to the eighteenth century (at page 51). Editorial policy is such that authors don’t get to see either the images or their captions prior to publication!) Paper in Journal of Architectural Conservation (Donhead Publishing, Shaftesbury). • ‘Managing Historic Cities: The Management Plans for the Bath and Edinburgh World Heritage Sites’, July 2006. Book • Conservation and Sustainability in Historic Cities, Blackwell, Oxford, 2007. Chapter 7 is a re-working of the 2006 paper above. • More recently: www.dennisrodwell.co.uk was last updated in May of this year. • And most recently: Article in Architektura & Urbanizmus (journal of the Institute of Construction and Architecture, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava) • ‘The Celebration and Protection of Scotland’s Twentieth Century Heritage’, June 2012. Which, self-evidently, has nothing to do with Bath! • Also: “As from 1 September 2012, as part of the commitment to meeting EU targets for the reduction of CO2 emissions, Dennis Rodwell is one of the 23 partners from 13 countries in the consortium EFFESUS (Energy Efficiency for EU Historic Districts’ Sustainability), a four-year European Union research project addressing the energy efficiency of individual buildings, building ensembles and districts, as well as their energy supply from renewable sources. Following evaluation and selection by the European Commission within its 7th Framework Programme, EFFESUS comprises partners from research, industry and policy makers, and is coordinated by the Spanish research organization Tecnalia. Three of the 23 partners are from Scotland: Historic Scotland, the Proctor Group and Dennis Rodwell.” Anthony Sheppard (1961-67) In 2011 I published ‘The Life and Thought of Marjorie Reeves (1905-2003), Advocate for Humanist Scholarship and Opponent of Utilitarian University Education: An Edition of Her Unpublished Memoirs’ (Lewiston NY & Lampeter: The Edwin Mellen Press 2011). Paul Soper (1955-63) reminds us of the ‘Gazebo’ magazine which was published by sixth formers to raise funds for the Freedom from Hunger Campaign. Originally instigated by
Notes & News Neal Clough and Simon Royal this initiative became a major project involving Paul and many other students and staff at Kingswood. Contributions for the magazine were sought (and were forthcoming) from major figures including; Kingsley Amis, John Arlott and Harry Secombe to name but a few. The ‘Gazebo’ project was so successful that, in total, 60,000 copies were sold and £7,000 was raised. In today’s money that would be around £125,000 - an incredible achievement by any standards. To read Paul Soper’s fascinating account of this adventure in full, please visit the ‘Old Kingswoodians’ section of the Kingswood School website: www.kingswood.bath.sch.uk/old-kingswoodians. Martyn Wade (1958-66) Tom Norgate (1957-63) writes to update us on Martyn Wade. ‘You may wish to know that The Afternoon Drama on Radio 4 on Wednesday 28 November was: The Healing of Sergei Rachmaninov. Gillian Reynolds in Saturday’s Daily Telegraph Review gave the programme a short introduction as one of her ‘Picks of the Day’. This is a recent example of Martyn’s radio work over many years. One of his plays (relating to Lady Blessington, I believe) was performed in a London theatre on Friday October 12 (one night only). Unfortunately I was unable to attend. I understand it was sold out long before that day.’
1970s Alistair Alcock (1968-72) I was at Priors Court from 1966 to 1968 and saw both Mr Maltby and Mr Mountford as Headmasters and then was at KS from 1968 to 1972 seeing both Lowry Creed and Laurie Campbell. In 1971/2 there were three Head Boys in successive terms, Peter Barrie, myself and Martin Groves. After KS I was up at Cambridge (Trinity Hall with Carl Heap, same years at PC and KS) reading History and Law. I qualified as a Barrister, went into the City was a Partner of Phillips & Drew and left after Big Bang to go into academia, starting as a Lecturer here at Buckingham, became a Professor of Corporate Law, then Dean of the Law School, then Deputy Vice Chancellor. I took six years out as Head of the Law School in Salford. This was a start-up project, getting a building built, employing staff and then running a brand new Law School. Now I am back at Buckingham as Deputy Vice Chancellor, though I have retained the house in Manchester. I have kept up the acting and music, being a member of the Garrick Theatre Stockport (the oldest am-dram group with their own theatre in the country) and a trustee of Opera della Luna, a touring opera group. Rob Fenn (1972-79) is currently British High Commissioner in Brunei Darussalam. In 2012 his duties brought him into contact with Brunei’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Rob made a short film about his unforgettable Olympic experience which also features his wife, Julia (1977-79, née Lloyd-Williams). You can see the film by going to YouTube and searching for ‘Enlightened Brunei’. Kate Henwood (1973-75) Kate is an airline pilot who also trains pilots and she was a most welcome guest at Association Day. Kate writes to remind us about the work of, now deceased, Arthur David Beaty (1929-38) who was a pioneer in human factors in aviation safety. In particular, Kate describes ‘Cone of Silence’ as a ‘fantastic book’. During the Second World War Beaty was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses.
Graham Jones (1964-70) is a freelance copywriter, speech-writer and ghost-writer of other people’s life stories. One recent project was ghost-writing the autobiography of human rights campaigner, Stuart Windsor (‘God’s Adventurer - the Story of Stuart Windsor and the Persecuted Church’), published in 2011 by Monarch. Nick Lockhart (1971-77, staff 1985-88) recently retired from National League hockey umpiring after twenty-three years’ service, of which thirteen were spent on the international circuit where he was fortunate enough to travel the world with various tournaments. He now coaches, assesses and manages umpires domestically and qualified as an International Hockey Federation (FIH) umpire manager in 2011 and has been appointed to his first major tournament at the Euro Junior Nations Cup in Holland at the end of August 2012. David Male (1965-72) A new edition of my textbook, Immunology, has just been published. http://www.elsevier.com/ wps/find/bookdescription.cws_home/727776/description Ian Martyn (1967-73) has been in touch and hopes to attend an Association event soon. Ian was pleased (and modestly surprised) to find that his school athletics records for 1000m steeplechase (1971), 800m and 1500m (1972) still stand. Ann Sumner (1976-78) Professor Ann Sumner has been appointed executive director of the Bronte Society. She will be in charge of the Bronte Parsonage Museum in Haworth, West Yorkshire, which houses the largest collection of Bronte material in the world, as well as leading the literary society and promoting its contemporary arts programme. Anne is a lifelong Bronte enthusiast and is looking forward to the museum refurbishment in 2013 and the bicentenary celebrations of Charlotte Bronte’s birth in 2016. Bruce N B Williams (1968-76) From appointment in 2008 as Deputy Commandant of the UK’s Joint Services Command & Staff College, and concurrently as an ADC to Her Majesty the Queen, he was promoted, in 2009, Rear Admiral (2*) and posted as Chief of Staff to HQ Allied (NATO) Maritime Command Naples and, concurrently, Senior UK Military Representative in Italy. By September 2011 he had moved again to his current appointment as Deputy Director General of the European Union Military Staff in Brussels.
1980s John Coggan (1966-89) Currently living in Italy and sends his best wishes to anyone who remembers him. Aimee Durnell, née Phillips (1984-88) I wondered if you would be interested in my recently published book, ‘Secret Marsh’. The book is a celebration of the LymingtonKeyhaven Nature Reserve, a wild fringe of coastline along the Solent. It explores the wildlife and history of the marshes through lively watercolours and extracts. Having lived on the Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 24
Notes & News reserve for ten years, with an ever-growing stack of sketches and paintings all made in the field, I was inspired to create a guide for the 250,000 annual visitors. This is something I have wanted to do for a long time, between juggling small children and running a business, so having the finished product in my hands is a wonderful feeling. I would encourage anyone who has aspirations to write or paint to have a go! ‘SECRET MARSH’ by Aimee Durnell (ISBN 978-0-9572301-0-1) is a 72 page full-colour guide with map, priced £9.95 available from local bookshops and directly from me at Normandy Farm, Normandy Lane, Lymington, SO41 8AE. James Gardener (1980-87) I attach a link to the website where my three most recent publications can be found. All the proceeds from each of these self-published pieces go to Southern African charities. http://www.newvoices.co.za/ bookstore/book_marula.htm Jim Muir (1980-86) Jim has been appointed Consultant Nurse in Learning Disabilities at the St. George’s Healthcare NHS Trust. He is the first person in the UK in this role in an acute care setting. Jim also draws our attention to the Special Olympics which is the country’s largest sports event for athletes with intellectual disabilities and his held every four years. This year, at the end of August, the Special Olympics will be coming to Bath. Mark Topping (1972-81) I’m currently touring the country with a one-man play, An Impossible God, written by my father, Rev Frank Topping. There will be a CD out in the New Year. It’s an audio version of this passion play in which I play eleven characters. The CD includes not only my own voice, but that of my father, and my sister, Anne Topping (KS 1976-78) It is only available from me marktopping@phonecoop.coop. My calendar of events can be seen at www.impossiblegod.co.uk. I will also be presenting An Evening with John Wesley (another one-man play, this time with me as John Wesley) at Wesley Methodist Church, Cambridge on June 15th 2013 at the invitation of former KS chaplain Rev Dr John Barrett. See www.revjohnwesley.co.uk
1990s Kau Belleh (1990-95) Ten years ago, I established a charity, The Women’s Empowerment Project, which works to create opportunities for African women to realise their potential as confident, independent and skilled individuals, both here and in West Africa. Our areas of work include Health and Well-being, Employability, Micro loan, leadership development and advocacy. We are very excited to have just embarked upon a huge project to develop a refuge for girls aged 13 - 23 who are involved in prostitution in Ghana. Ed Clarke (1989-96) I’m still in the Army, currently serving as Adjutant to the UK Medical Group based in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan. Kirsten Coull, née Bland (1991-98) I live in Edinburgh now and love my work as a Clinical Psychologist with children and families. New adventures are approaching however as my husband, Greig, and I are expecting our first baby next month - exciting times! 25 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
Geoff Ellis (1987-94) has been adding to his orienteering successes; returning in November 2011 with an impressive winner’s trophy from the Orientamento di Venezia in Italy where he had joined over 3000 orienteers around the streets of Venice and beat 75 of them in his M35+ class with a 64 minute run. Then in March demonstrating his versatility with a victory in the British Orienteering Sprint Championships in York in just 14 minutes. He is also the current RAFO and the Services orienteering champion. Rupert Plumridge (1989-96) has made the news having built a video baby monitor that can be viewed from his smartphone, tablet, laptop and kitchen TV. The system has cost just £50.00 to set up and the BBC report can be seen at www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-2026872. Kate Wilson Hargreaves (1983-90) My family has just moved from Nairobi, where we lived since 2008, working on Somali and Kenyan development issues, to East Jerusalem where we are working on governance and humanitarian matters in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
2000s Josh Bone (2002-09) In September Josh completed a charity run from Trafalgar Square, London to the Arc de Triomphe, Paris in seven days. Much of the route was on busy main roads and the temperature was often around 30 degrees. Josh was raising money for Cancer Research UK and Dorothy House Hospice in memory of his father, Ron, who died of cancer. Giles Cooper (1996-00) I’m an actor who once attended Kingswood and I’ve just opened Alan Bennett’s new play ‘People’ at the National Theatre in London. Another actor, Nicholas Le Prevost (1961-64) is also in the show and we discovered that we’re both old Kingswood boys - he was Upper House, I was Hall House. Anyway - we’re doing the show until next May and there will be an ‘NT Live’ in late March meaning that anyone around the world can catch us in specific local cinema’s as they broadcast the show from London. Natalie Farmer (1997-04) After graduating as an Actor / Musician from Rose Bruford College in 2007, Natalie was immediately auditioned and cast for the production of Black Eyed Susan at the newly opened Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmunds. She then toured with The English Touring Opera, before settling back down in Bath as a freelance music teacher, composer and performer. During the past three years, as Artistic Director for the Gloucester Theatre Company, Natalie has composed and directed music for ‘The Lion The Witch and
Notes & News The Wardrobe’, ‘The Secret Garden’, and ‘Achilles: The Musical’. She also toured with the Dorset Corset Theatre Company in their production of ‘Frankenstein: The Year Without a Summer’, in which she played both Mary Shelley and Elizabeth. This play came to Bath in November 2010. Last year Natalie played six different roles to packed audiences and rave reviews at the Rondo Theatre, Bath, in the hilarious spoof, ‘Biggles Flies a Fokker Home’. In her latest work, ‘A Christmas Carol - The Musical’, in celebration of Dickens’ bicentenary, Natalie not only composed and directed the music, but she also acts no fewer than eight different roles. In addition to the above productions and her ongoing private teaching, Natalie also sings regularly with the very popular 20th Century Foxes Cabaret; her close harmony female trio The Bellefleurs; and last but not least with her fiancé Sebastian, in the acoustic duo Brice and Farmer. Eleanor Regan (1995-00) was an Olympic torch bearer in Bath. She ran her 300m section of the relay (past the Holbourne Museum) just a week after giving birth to her son William having originally feared going into labour during the run. Eleanor is a charity worker and is planning to auction her torch for her charity Challenge Africa which cares for orphans in Kenya. The Association is delighted to provide an update from the mother of Jack Widdowson (2003-08), an ex-pupil who was left paralysed from his neck down after a street attack in Cardiff the night after he danced one of the lead roles in Bern Ballet’s ‘Mid-Winter’s Night’s Dream’ as one of their youngest apprentices. “Jack’s recovery, first in the spinal ward in Cardiff and then at home in Bath, was greatly helped by the many kind wishes and good press we received – a great many of them from his Kingswood peers and former teachers. We are therefore delighted to say that, after gradually increasing his strength and conditioning classes, alongside physio and swimming and of course dance and Pilates, he was able to return to Switzerland in August and take up his apprenticeship once more. Jack is doing a masters degree with the University of Kent in addition to rehearsing and performing. An average day for him involves cycling to the rehearsal studio for class from 9.00am until 12.30pm then rehearsals all afternoon until 5.00pm, working on the next performance. If there is an evening performance (every four days or so), there is a warm up class at 6.00pm and then the show itself (7.30pm – 10.00pm). On days with no performances he goes to the gym and then works on his MA. Jack loves life in Bern - the public transport links are fantastic and always run to time, everything is very efficiently organised, including the spotless flat he shares with two teachers. Apart from the usual cleaning and rubbish taking out there is even a rota for watering the houseplants!! He is applying to join a company as a dancer as his contract with Bern finishes in July, so in his spare time (!!!!) he is travelling by air and rail around Europe and UK to take classes with other dance companies and attend auditions. The family, meanwhile, decided to set up a charity to get other injured dancers the extra medical help that was so beneficial to Jack’s recovery and rehabilitation Dancers
are elite athletes and as such need specialist help to treat ‘sports’ injuries and to advise for rehabilitation. This advice is not always easy to access quickly. We were shocked to find that a very high percentage of professional dancers suffer injury in their career and we want to try to help them manage this. Dance Again Foundation will enable injured dancers to find the specialists in their area and help provide extra physio if appropriate. We will be compiling a database of specialists across the country that will also be available to touring companies. The charity was launched last May with a Gala dinner at the Guildhall in Bath. Tring Park School of Performing Arts put on a show of newly choreographed dances on our behalf and also allocated all of the takings from their senior show to us. We have been able to take collections at performances by companies such as Matthew Bourne and so far have raised £15,000 - this is a good start. Bath Half Marathon have very kindly offered us charity status and we have a team running this year, including Matt Ticehurst and Mark Widdowson - both Kingswood old boys. We are also delighted to have won a funding scholarship from Vodafone for an intern to work for us for the next four months and look forward to welcoming Sofia Ornellas Pinto as marketing and development co-ordinator. One of Jack’s fellow pupils from Tring Park is bringing ‘The World Goes Round’ to The Egg in Bath on 18th March 2013. This will be in aid of Dance Again Foundation and features the songs from the shows of ‘Kanda and Ebb’, ‘Cabaret’ and ‘Chicago’ for example. We are in the process of arranging a gala performance in London with representatives of the major Dance companies each performing a cameo role - date and venue to be announced soon. Julian, Jack’s father, was invited to present the keynote speech at the conference of the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science in Singapore in November. This was a great opportunity to get the word out internationally. A busy year for all of us but very exciting and of course we are so relieved and thankful that Jack somehow has managed to remain intact. More information can be found at www.danceagain.org.”
2010s Katy Campbell (2002-06) In September Katy climbed Kilimanjaro in memory of her grandfather, Laurie Campbell. Katy had attended his memorial service at Kingswood and has been touched by all the contact and support she has had from people who were at School when he was Headmaster. Laurie had climbed Kilimanjaro twice in his lifetime and Katy set out to raise funds for Practical Action, a charity that works in communities all over the world to provide practical, technological solutions to problems. So, not only did Katy reach the summit she also raised £2,550.00 in the process. While in Africa, Katy managed to visit Alliance High School in Kenya where Laurie had been Headmaster before coming to Kingswood. Michael Kenny (2005-12) Michael is training to be a nanny and is the first male to study the early years education degree course at the world famous Norland College in Bath. Michael was drawn to this work after spending time teaching severely disabled children in Uganda. He has been warmly welcomed and supported by all the girls on the course. Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 26
Association Day
Westwood steps
Sally Longstaff, née Dixon & Mrs Frances Wimpress
2002 girls - Shona Brunt, née Wilkinson, Toni Waterfall-Indge, née Waterfall & Rachel Monahan
School lunch - four decades later!
...and I used to sleep here! - Nick Lund
2002 leavers
Association Day: Saturday 12th September 2012 With a new date in September (rather than November) Association Day turned into Association weekend in 2012. People started to gather on Friday night for the quarterly MJSD (March, June, September, December) dinner and a large group of diners enjoyed a wonderful evening of catching up, sometimes with friends they hadn’t seen for several decades. Those attending on Friday night included a significant number of members unable to attend on Saturday but who had wanted to take the chance to be present for at least some of Association weekend. In certain cases the ‘after party’ from Friday night went on well into Saturday morning but that didn’t prevent scores of former pupils getting to the Upper in time to see the 1st XV take on old local rivals King Edward’s. To the delight of all Kingswood were triumphant (24-10) and, more importantly, this was the first victory by the 1st XV over KES in more than a quarter of a century. While some old Kingswoodians found the record of the last twenty five years hard to believe the Headmaster assures us that the sporting future is bright and that this new trend will continue!
1st XV go out against KES
Chapel fills for Welcome & AGM
27 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
After the rugby everyone returned to the Chapel for the official welcome. This year we were using the Chapel rather than the Theatre as the local Methodist Synod were also on campus and convened in the theatre. President Sarah Beresford-Smith welcomed everyone to Association Day and introduced both the Headmaster and Head Girl, Charlotte Frude, to speak. Simon Morris kept us up-to-date with developments at Kingswood and spoke warmly of the ethos of the School and the attitude of pupils past and present. Charlotte impressed everybody with her confident speaking and her appreciation of the values of the School and talked of how much the current pupil body appreciates and acts on them.
...one attendee described (the weekend) as, ‘The best school reunion anywhere in the world ever!’ Following the welcome we moved straight into a very well attended Annual General Meeting. As Chairman I always aim to conduct the business at a brisk pace including, of course, a brief synopsis of the Annual Report. Robert Forster (1971-75) and Chester Lewis (2010-12) were both elected as new members of the Executive Committee and John Lewis and I were both re-elected as Committee members. I must express my thanks to former President, Robert Sandry, for his generous words of praise for the achievements during my three years as Chairman.
Association Day These comments followed on from equally kind words and thanks from the Headmaster when he was speaking. My thanks to both these gentlemen without whom nothing that we have done would have been possible.
Martyn Perkins & John Yeo study 52, 1973
Before lunch there were refreshments in the Creed Room. As always a tremendous job had been done in preparing for the large numbers who registered. Angela Dudley-Warde (Development Director) and Senara Derrick (who many of you will know if you have contacted the Association office) were, of course, there to welcome members and had great support from Joyce Allison and Michele Green. The School Archivist, Zoe Parsons, was also in attendance and the display boards she had prepared were constant points of interest and discussion. Zoe spends a great deal of time working on these projects and we are extremely grateful for the way her work enriches Association events. An excellent lunch was served in the School dining hall accompanied by a tremendous buzz of conversation and laughter. After lunch, tours of the School were available and the Headmaster was quick to point out that one of the Prefect guides who arrived in the dining hall was also captain of that morning’s victorious 1st XV. He was, naturally, treated to a spontaneous and rousing ovation by all present. As always the Chapel service, later in the afternoon, was a popular part of Association Day. The Chaplain, Mike Wilkinson, always has interesting and thought provoking ideas for the service and this time he presented a range of images of Kingswood through the years. So much has changed yet so much remains and the values of Kingswood, underlined by the current pupils, are constants. Thanks, as always, to Mike Wilkinson for his warm welcome to the membership and his thoughtful words. With the main focus of this year’s Association Day being the arrival of the first girls forty years ago in 1972, the evening saw a celebratory party in the pavilion on the Upper. The party was preceded by a reception for 1982 leavers, one of several year groups present for the weekend. After much dancing (1970s leavers showing considerable enthusiasm) and an excellent buffet supper, the last party-goers left around midnight although, again, there were reports of significant after party events!
...and 2012!
The Sport’s Colours Blazer still fits!
The final act of this very busy weekend was an Old Girls hockey match against the School on Sunday morning. This was a very well supported and engaging fixture that ended honours even at 1-1. Many thanks to all who took part and attended. Supporters clearly enjoyed the coffee and bacon rolls provided by the new kitchen in the pavilion. The feedback received after this Association weekend has been tremendous and we are all delighted to have been part of what one attendee described as, ‘The best school reunion anywhere in the world ever!’ Many thanks to all the first and early girls who came back to mark the start of co-education at Kingswood. Wonderful to see so many of those pioneers back at School and all having such a great time. Thanks, of course, are due to everybody who took the time and effort to attend and make this such a special occasion. In particular several people had travelled great distances; Kate Meigneux, née Kerr, Ian Dorsett and Andrew Cook all made it from North America and David Dennison from Australia. Others came from across Europe and the UK and all contributed to making the 2012 Association weekend a truly memorable and outstanding occasion. There was a general feeling that the September date had clearly worked well and so will be repeated again in 2013. Increased numbers attending, in better weather with lighter evenings, proved successful and popular with members. As a result the date for the next Association Day will be Saturday 21st September 2013. Please do make a note in your diaries and we will look forward to welcoming as many of you as possible to Kingswood that day. Friendship, fellowship and fun guaranteed! Jeremy Wimpress (1969-76) 1982’ers
Head Girl, Charlotte Frude On our way to Westwood
Ian Dorsett & Headmaster
School tour
Outside the Chapel
Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 28
Family News
Engagements OWEN-NELSON
Rebecca Owen (1993-2000)
to Michael Nelson
Jo and Joel Mapp
Faye and Mark Lord
Rachel and Ian Davidson
Alexandra and David Edwards
Chloe and James Findlater
Georgina and Duncan Knipe
Marriages KNIPE - BEDFORD JAY - AVERY
17th Jun 2011 21st Apr 2012
TAVERNOR - LORD
4th Jun 2012
MAPP - BLACK HOLTAWAY - SHEPHERD DAVIDSON - HEPHERD HERLINGER - ROSS WEST - JONES FINDLATER - THOMPSON CHAPMAN - EDWARDS MAIR - TINDALL MUMFORD - BARNES COOPER - WALLACE WATERFALL - INDGE BERGMANN - BLYTHIN
21st Jul 2012 10th Aug 2012 24th Mar 2012 25th Aug 2012 1st Dec 2012 15th Sep 2012 15th Dec 2012 28th Nov 2012 31st Aug 2012 8th Oct 2011 26th Aug 2012 8th Sep 2012
Duncan (1999-2004) to Georgi (2004-06) at Kingscote Barn in Tetbury Caroline (CJ) (1998-2002) to Graham at Preston Priory Farm Faye (1997-2004) to Mark Lord at St Thomas a Becket Church in Widcombe, Bath with a reception at Ston Easton Park Joel (1995-97) to Jo Black at Kingswood School Oliver (1991-98) to Jessica Shepherd (from Dumbleton) at Joshua Hassan House, Gibraltar Ian (1992-99) to Rachel at The Hospitium in York Toby (1994-2001) to Sarah Ross at Hinton Charterhouse Jonny (2000-02) to Megan Jones at Church Farm, Kington Langley James (1985-96) to Chloe at Michaelchurch Escley Alexandra (1992-99) to David at Amberley Castle, Amberley Jamie (1993-2000) to Hannah at Mount Maunganui, New Zealand Elie (1997-2002) to David Barnes at Orchardleigh Estate Gareth (1997-2002) to Emma at Winscombe, Somerset Antonia (1990-2002) to Robert at Kingswood Chapel and reception at Wick Farm Chrissy (1994-2001) to Simon at Priston Mill, Bath
Births BAINES
2nd Dec 2011
BRUNT
9th Nov 2012
COULL FIELDING HERITAGE HINZE KINGSNORTH KNIPE LUCKCOCK MACLEOD MACLEOD MAIR MCLEOD
30th Nov 2012 9th Apr 2012 31st Jul 2012 7th May 2012 16th Jun 2012 10th Jun 2012 20th Sep 2012 18th Nov 2010 18th Sep 2012 13th Feb 2012 27th Dec 2012
to Shona (née Wilkinson) (1995-2002) and Rob (1995-2000) to Kirsten (1991-98) and Greig to Brian (1989-96) and Susan to Aidan (1972-78) and Heather to Harriet (née Johnson) (1994-99) and Nick to Tom (1989-98) and Vicky to Duncan (1999-2004) and Georgi (2004-06) to Tim (1974-82) to Ruth (née Debenham) (1995-97) and Torquil to Ruth (née Debenham) (1995-97) and Torquil to Jamie (1993-2000) and Hannah to Emma (née Hamilton) (1996-2011) and Josh
MILNER
1st Oct 2012
to Charlotte (née McDonald) (1989-96) and Adam
NAYAK ROGERS
19th May 2012 4th Apr 2012
RUXTON
29th Mar 2012
SEWELL SPIRES
10th Jan 2013 28th Nov 2012
to Amit (1994-98) and Melissa to Helen (née Walters) (1989-96) and Patrick to Matt (1993-2000) and Charlotte (née Pushman) (1992-99) to Helen (née Brendon) (1996-2001) and Mark to Dean (1997-2001) and Jenny
to Paul (1985-90) and Martha
29 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
George Simon, brother to Nicholas and Tilly Ruby Grace Zachary Joseph Jessie Naomi, sister to Freya Lily Amelia, sister to Alice Julia Roberta Charlotte Harry Noah Chloe Elsie Layla, sister to Faris Lilian Sarah Murray John Elijah Murray Hunter Timothy William Frank, brother for Robert Sofia Esmé Edward Robert Hugh
Chloe Elsie Knipe daughter to Duncan and Georgi
Zachary Theo Charles Gregory Lee Freddie Harrison
Hunter Timothy Mcleod son to Emma and Josh
Association Awards
The Dikran A. Knadjian Award for Medicine 2012 A new award was included in the Prize Giving Ceremony at Kingswood in June 2012.
Gary Best Travel Scholarship
A former pupil, Mr Vartkess Knadjian (KS 1967-72), attended the event in order to award the Dikran A. Knadjian Award for Medicine. Mr Knadjian and his brother Adom (KS 1967-71) introduced this special prize in memory of their late brother Dikran (KS 1964-70), a former Head Boy who in his first year as a Cambridge Medical Student disappeared during a trip to Yosemite National Park, USA. The first beneficiaries of this award are Alex Hardman and Tim Woodhead, both of whom will be studying medicine. Alex at the University of Birmingham and Tim at Imperial College, University of London. The award is designed to fund resources to assist recipients with their studies.
William Young and Dawn Stevenson were the winners of the 2012 Gary Best Travel Scholarship award. In June 2013 they we will be travelling to Laos in order to spend a month working for the Lao Project Group in rural villages with the objective of helping with the development of projects that allow Lao citizens living in poor conditions to improve their standard of living. Both William and Dawn share the same passion in addressing the root of the problems that restrict Laos and improving the quality of life there. They hope to continue to be involved long after their trip.
Heap Trophy Awards - 2012 The strength of sport at Kingswood School is based around the principle of everyone contributing to the best of their ability. It is with this in mind that the Kingswood Association felt that it was particularly pertinent to present a prize which
recognised two students who encapsulated the philosophy of competing enthusiastically at whatever sport and for whichever team they were asked to play in without it necessarily being at the top level. (Jo Heap, the donator of the trophies, was himself a sportsman who played wholeheartedly though not always at the top level). As you would expect at Kingswood there were several contenders for these awards: On the girls’ side, Myfanwy Hollywell and Amy Greene have been stalwarts of various teams and very encouraging to those around them but the award went to Olivia Dellow for her dedication to Kingswood Sport as well as her tenacity and determination. Olivia has played team sport all through her time at Kingswood, she is an enthusiastic team player and works tirelessly to do her best no matter what the situation. On the boys’ side there were also long discussions about various individuals who have contributed significantly to games at Kingswood. Finn Gilchrist, Oliver Meyer and Tom Curnow have been key players in various teams over all three terms but the winner was someone who has contributed very significantly throughout his time at Kingswood, showing tremendous commitment as a player but also as a leader and an organiser. The winner of the Heap trophy for Boys was Tim Woodhead. Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 30
Obituary Tributes
ROBERT ERIC ATKINSON (1928-34) ‘Eric’ as he preferred to be known, was born in October 1917 to Rev. Frederick Robert and Mrs Harriet Atkinson in Walls, the Shetland Islands where his father had his circuit at the time. In 1928 he became a pupil at Kingswood School, remaining there until 1934, when he left to work for an Animal Feed company based in Avonmouth. He had a lifelong interest in the game of rugby union, no doubt begun whilst at Kingswood. He took great delight in watching matches, especially enjoying the school matches of his grandsons Chris and Jay. When the war came Eric served as an auxiliary fireman before enlisting in the RAF when he was called up. As a navigator based in Canada, he became one of the first to fly across the Atlantic. He went on to be based in Egypt and India. Towards the end of the war, he was posted back to the UK and it was whilst serving at one of the UK air-fields that he met Helen, later to become his wife. After the war, he returned to Bristol and resumed his career with ‘Bodey Jerrim and Denning’. In 1949 he and Helen married and in due course his three children Judy, Bob and Dave were born. A successful career in animal feed was followed by his first retirement and then by many years as a milling consultant, during the course of which he retired two or three times more. Each time being encouraged out of retirement by the prospect of further interesting challenges some in far-off places including Zimbabwe, Malawi, America and Yemen. Eric was a great family man and devoted husband. He missed his wife Helen greatly when she suddenly died in 1998; his companion and supporter of 49 years. Rather than taking life quietly, he turned his attentions to the social aspects that were to be found in the Cricklade Probus group, of which he was chairman in 2001. He then went on to enjoy life in Northleach where he moved with son Dave and his wife Margaret and grandsons Chris and Jay. Here he was frequently to be found sat on a bench in the front garden reading his newspaper or chatting to passers-by. Eric was a character who knew how to enjoy his very long and full life. He will be missed by all who knew him but most of all by his brother Alec, his children and grandchildren. Judy Harwood (Daughter)
CECIL BARNETT (Houseman 1958-98) This is the man that surely everybody knew, from the newest pupil in the school to those of us who have been here for over 31 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
20 years - and yet I didn’t know his surname until a week ago. Cecil is a part of Kingswood in a unique way, and - as such does not seem to do a specific job like most people: he does a lot of particular jobs regularly, and a great many more which happen to crop up at odd times, and he somehow seems to be around to do them. We see him helping with trolleys in the Dining Hall, polishing the floors until they shine, shifting books and parcels, collapsing catering boxes; but - when we others go home at night or for the holidays - it is Cecil who is still around, noticing a light left on in one of the buildings, or a door left unlocked, or an unfamiliar car parked for longer than he likes near school premises. In his normal duties, he is obliged to move slowly behind a trolley or a floor polisher, but he has an impressive turn of speed on foot when he sets off down Lansdown in mufti (i.e. not his unmissable blue ‘uniform’!). It never seems quite right to see him off the premises, but rumour has it that he shows considerable skill with a billiard cue. He is also said to be responsible for the ghostly piano playing which is sometimes heard issuing from a school building at an unearthly hour of the morning. I find it automatic to continue to use the present tense about him, because it is impossible to imagine Kingswood without him, and it is good to know that he will not be vanishing without trace. I am sure that Cecil and K.S. will remain connected, to their mutual benefit, for some time to come. M D Cross (1994 – on Cecil’s first ‘retirement’) Of course, Cec being Cec, he had no thoughts of giving up work and he remained at the school in his new role as “after hours caretaker” and for two and a half years everything carried on as normal. Then on the morning of 31st December 1996 while Cec was walking into town he was hit by a car. Six months in hospital, nine operations and another six months of convalescence was the result. One of the many remarkable things about Cecil was his resilience and the ability to shake off the effects of any of life’s “inconveniences”. He was remarkably fit for his age (both before and after the accident) and his lust for life was indomitable. Doctors, nurses and just about anyone who knew what he had been through were astonished that he had survived (let alone recovered) and as always, Cec made light of it all. When asked by several consultants to tell them of any ongoing problems that the accident had left him with, Cec simply replied, “No, nothing really”. He left hospital on the 9th July and, despite attempting a return to Kingswood in November 1997, both circumstances and his own common sense finally convinced him that it was probably time to call it a day. As a result, he retired in February 1998. Cec was a regular at the Weston Institute and could often be seen in the evening walking through the village with his snooker cue case. He returned home from there as usual on 28th June 2012 and was found the next day having died peacefully in his sleep, aged 83. Cec was born in Chester on 5th July 1929, the eighth child in a family of ten.
Obituary Tributes His early life could not have been easy; it was the time of the Great Depression. He was admitted to Dr Barnados as a baby in December 1929 joining three of his brothers. At fifteen he left the care of Barnados in East Dulwich and was later working in Chester at a furnishers as a stock clerk. This led to a job at Bath Cabinet Makers in 1957 and then to Kingswood in March 1958. Generations of KS Old Boys & Girls will remember him with respect and friendship during his forty years of very devoted service to the school. At the time of his retirement Desmond Brown, the Common Room Chairman, wrote to him: “We have appreciated your care of the building day and night, and we have valued, perhaps more, your care of people, staff and pupils, generations of them. Your ability to be at the scene of any problem, real or potential, is legendary. Everyone has a story to tell, but the sense of security that you have given to residents and to “midnight-oil-burners” cannot easily be measured. You have made up for so many of our short-comings; you have kept us up to the mark with gentle advice or a cryptically oblique reproach. We marvel at your self-effacing diligence and admire your forward looking devotion.” At his funeral in August 2012 I finished with these words: “Cecil lived his life by a simple set of rules. If we knew what they were perhaps we could all learn a valuable lesson. As with most things, Cec didn’t give advice. He’d listen to anything you wanted to tell him, he wouldn’t judge you, he could keep a secret, he would never harm anyone or allow them to be harmed. He would help if he was able. He always put others first and himself last. He was reliable, trustworthy and one hundred and one other things (all of them good). Perhaps we don’t need his set of rules; perhaps all we need to do is follow his example.” Roger Barnett (Nephew)
TIMOTHY MALCOLM BLISS (1979-85) Tim passed away on March 18th 2012 aged 44. His memorial service at Bath Abbey was well attended by old Kingswood friends and teachers. The service recognised the tragedy of an untimely death and celebrated the life of someone who had lived a very full life, was a devoted son and loyal friend. Above all Tim was remembered for his generosity. After a degree in economics at UCL, Tim began working in the City as an equities broker at investment banks before setting up as an equities trader for his own account. Relative to his Kingswood peers, financial prosperity came quickly and in abundance to Tim, with a Ferrari and houses in Chelsea and Cape Town. For those who kept in touch with Tim after Kingswood, Tim made great efforts to share his prosperity and avoid it creating a distance between him and his school friends. Those who have not seen Tim since school days will remember him as a very lively member of the school,
energetic on the rugby pitch and a master of the well timed clap or loud laugh in chapel or assembly. The Abbey memorial service included a valediction from Tim’s brother James (KS 1977-83), a reading by Andrew Shutter (KS 1979-85) and the unmistakable tenor of Jerry Key-Pugh (KS master 1973-2005). Also in attendance were Simon Job (KS 1980-85), former neighbour and biology teacher (Robin Lewis, KS Staff 1975-92) and Lt Col Matthew Wilks (KS 1978-83). Andrew Shutter (1979-85)
AUDREY BROOM (1928-2012) (KS Staff 1951-89) Audrey Broom was the well-known, respected and feared Headmaster’s Secretary when I started at Kingswood in 1982 but the way in which I got to know her reflected the fine person below the scary exterior. One afternoon I turned up in her office after tea had been cleared away, asking if I could have a cup of tea. Unquestioningly she made the tea and in the process established that I had endured a grim afternoon and was somewhat shaken. With typical calm and efficiency Audrey asked Roy Cook to find cover for my remaining lesson. Audrey then looked after me for the rest of the evening. She was a unique mixture of a lady whose enormous sensitivity, generosity and patience were coupled with a wicked sense of humour. Those who were lucky enough to know her well will have seen all aspects of her character, whilst those who have only seen some can be assured that she had all traits in large proportions. Audrey was devoted to her husband Ken, but sadly I came to Kingswood after he had died. Over the years I have heard so much about Ken that I felt I knew him. Laurie Campbell (‘Jock’) learnt of the importance of her daily lunchtime phone calls from Ken having repeatedly cut off an incoming call because it was interrupting him. Audrey was serene at the time but the Headmaster discovered the error of his ways the following day and it was a mistake that was never repeated. Audrey also had an extended family (I was one of the unrelated extended family), a large circle of friends, ranging from those connected with Kingswood, neighbours, those she met through her charity work after she retired, as well as people and tradesmen who helped her to continue with independent living as long as she could. Her generosity was both on a personal level, helping individuals that she knew and loved, and on a larger scale to organisations. She was noted for donating to charities that sent her any correspondence but the main recipient for her large donations was Cancer Research as a result of Ken’s death. All who knew Audrey knew her love of words - she loved Scrabble - and for creating spoonerisms and limericks. Sadly most are not for publication although Audrey stories do abound. Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 32
Obituary Tributes When Audrey finally moved into a nursing home Jeremy Wimpress ‘phoned to speak to her. “Audrey”, he said, “Jeremy”, she replied, “I must have a word with reception, they told me there was a gentleman on the line to speak to me!” Many years before that she had some well chosen words of advice for newly appointed Head Boy, Chris Brown. “My local is the Volunteer Riflemans. Please do not embarrass either of us by meeting me in there.”
but in the community. No one will ever know the kind and generous deeds she did because she carried them out quietly. What we do know is until she could hardly walk or swim herself, she travelled across Bath by taxi to visit the blind and to help the disabled swim, not just occasionally but every week. I am reminded of the phrase from the Gospel when our Lord said ‘Inasmuch as you have done it to one of the little ones you have done it to me.’
Her affection for Kingswood and all the staff and pupils over the years was boundless. She was very proud of working for four Headmasters (Sackett, Creed, Campbell and Best) during her 38 years of service. I will never forget her and I am sure that I am not alone in feeling her impact. I miss her still, and when I have snippets of gossip in the educational world, I automatically think “I must remember to tell Audrey”. Then reality dawns, but I feel sure that she receives the gossip nevertheless.
We have had examples of Audrey’s humour but in school it was her calmness which impressed. I don’t think I ever saw her flustered; she could be indignant or annoyed but that did not disturb her equilibrium and decision making. A school community needs someone to calm things down and help teachers and pupils to gain a different perspective. When squabbles broke out, Audrey was a calming influence with an ear to listen and a shoulder to cry on. Sometimes she had to calm the Headmaster as well. I wonder if her calming qualities came from her Quaker heritage of which she was justly proud. Or perhaps from the line of the hymn which she chose for this service ‘The still small voice of calm’ which she could hear when all around were shouting and squabbling.
I know we will all remember Audrey in our own ways, recalling her incredible kindness, and professionalism in her job, with the warm affection that she deserves. Linda Earnshaw (KS Staff 1982-88, née Scutt) Audrey Cornish was born in Bridgwater in October 1928. When her father died, the family - mother and two girls, moved to Brean by the sea in Somerset. From there she went to various private schools and excelled at her studies particularly languages and was also good at sport, playing in successful tennis and hockey teams. Just after the war when university places were going mostly to men, she was awarded a scholarship to Royal Holloway College, London, where she gained her degree in Modern Languages. When Audrey applied for the post of Headmaster’s secretary at Kingswood School Bath, it is not surprising that she was appointed by Headmaster Sackett. He knew that he had found someone of rare quality who was overqualified but he was not to know that she would remain in that post for 38 years. Audrey soon became part of the Sackett family and an indispensable member of the Kingswood family. The Sacketts had a disabled child with whom Audrey had a special relationship. In 1959 Audrey married Ken Broom, the love of her life, and she was to enjoy that relationship until Ken’s untimely death in 1981. I arrived in Kingswood in 1983 so I never knew Ken. However he was frequently mentioned by Audrey in conversation and I quickly picked up the nature of their relationship.
Finally I learned to admire Audrey for her self- reliance. From the time I got to know her in 1983, she was on her own and she made a point of standing on her own two feet; she did not ask for a lift unless it was offered; if she could not return your hospitality she took you out to lunch or dinner. She managed all her own affairs, her lodgers, her garden and all the domestic arrangements which made her life comfortable. During these last years when I was in Ireland she rarely phoned me but was always appreciative when I called her or could visit. There was never complaint nor self pity. So when she got the Nursing Home to ring me a week before she died I knew it was serious and near the end. She had faced up to the fact that her self-reliance had gone and that she was now totally dependent on others. So she left us, quickly and quietly, with the dignity and generosity of spirit with which she had lived. The Reverend Henry Keys (Chaplain 1982-91) Address given at Audrey Broom’s funeral 23rd April 2012.
ROGER JOHN BUTLIN (1947-53)
Many of Audrey’s qualities have already been mentioned, her irreverence and sense of humour and fun. I would like to underline her gift for making friends. Audrey was interested in people no matter what their background or status, and made lifelong friends. Today this gathering is ample evidence of that gift. But I was intrigued by her association with Corsica where she went on holiday every year, to the same hotel in the same small town. It was not due to her love of the French language but because she had made friends with the owner and his family. This brings me naturally to her sense of loyalty, once you were a friend you were a friend for life unless you offended her or let her down. Audrey was straight- talking, a no nonsense person, what you saw was what you got and she expected the same in return. She had no time for hypocrisy, pomposity or social climbing.
In 1972 Thomas Allen was a young baritone preparing to sing Benjamin Britten’s Billy Budd for Welsh National Opera. Although nervous, he was reassured by the atmospheric designs, and later recalled thinking: “This piece is going to be a success. We can’t fail,” because Roger Butlin’s set “was so wonderful that we would have been idiots not to make it work.”
Audrey had, on the contrary, a great sense of solidarity with the underdog and the disadvantaged, not just in the school
One of the earliest opera designs by Butlin, who has died aged 76, it proved a landmark production.
33 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
Roger Butlin at work on a model of the set for Handel’s Agrippina for Kent Opera. The production was nominated for an award in 1982. Photograph: Roger de Wolf
Obituary Tributes For Michael Geliot’s intensely realistic version, Butlin designed a cross-section of an 18th-century warship. The effect was evocative and claustrophobic. As the critic Rodney Milnes wrote: “Butlin’s exceptionally well thought-out sets and costumes indicate many hours well spent in the National Maritime Museum.” Even the backcloth had “the cracked-varnish patina of a nautical seascape”. Butlin’s sensitive, graceful designs, especially of Britten and pre-romantic opera, added lustre to British and international stages. Born in Stafford, he studied interior design and textiles at the West of England College of Art, Bristol, and for six years taught art at Cheltenham College junior school, where he met his wife, Joanna. In 1966 Sean Kenny’s striking set for The Flying Dutchman at Covent Garden inspired his shift into theatre. Awarded an Arts Council design scholarship, he assisted at Sadler’s Wells before making his full professional debut at the newly reopened Greenwich theatre, in south-east London. Butlin’s design for the musical play Martin Luther King (1969) is now in the V&A collection. A strong hexagonal thrust stage was backed by a screen showing news images of unrest and police brutality. As head of design at Greenwich (1969-72), he had successes that included Barbara Windsor playing Marie Lloyd in Sing a Rude Song; The Three Sisters with Mia Farrow and Joan Plowright; and Peter Nichols’s barbed, nostalgic comedy Forget-Me-Not Lane, which transferred to the West End and secured Butlin a Variety award nomination. Butlin had a painterly sensibility, and beautifully achieved panoramas often shaped his stage designs. John Cox’s 1974 Glyndebourne production of Idomeneo (later released on DVD), dominated by a series of metallic hoops, was backed by Turner’s views of the aristocratic Petworth estate. The critic Peter Conrad described how “the Turners, seen in tunnel vision as if through the wrong end of a telescope, betokened a classical calm which Mozart’s characters, agitated by romantic emotion, had already left behind them.” Botticelli’s Birth of Venus inspired an entrancing Return of Ulysses at Kent Opera (1978), while the award-winning Così Fan Tutte at ENO (1985) offered a balmy Bay of Naples. More recently, Butlin’s Purcell productions with the director Thomas Guthrie were inspired by British artists: the first world war artist David Jones for King Arthur (2007), and the anguished fantasies of Richard Dadd for The Fairy Queen, which English Touring Opera tours this autumn. The director Tim Carroll believes that baroque opera “touched something very deeply in him”, as did the “optimism and joie de vivre” of the age of enlightenment. Janet Baker chose Gluck’s Alceste as her farewell to Covent Garden (1981), and recorded an observer remarking that Butlin’s set “looked exactly like the music”. Butlin returned to the Royal Opera in 1998 with a black-and-white Marriage of Figaro, and also worked in Rome, Brussels and Dallas. His Barber of Seville, with Cox, featured in an early season at the Sydney Opera House in 1976. Although proud to design for the world’s renowned stages, he also relished smaller, quixotic projects. “He was always struggling with difficult causes,” Allen recalled. “They appealed to him.” Few were as precarious as Kent Opera, innovative but perpetually underfunded, for which Butlin and Norman Platt, the company’s founder, produced a stream of memorable
productions (Handel’s Agrippina at Sadler’s Wells was nominated for a Society of West End Theatre award in 1982). The company’s funding was axed in 1989, but Platt revived New Kent Opera in 1994. The opening production, Britten’s Prodigal Son, paired Butlin with Carroll – Butlin relished working with new artists and loved to watch talent bloom. The pair formed a close friendship and created notable productions of Orfeo, The Turn of the Screw, and Acis and Galatea. Carroll recalled how the designer would make his young colleagues howl with laughter at his mock rap, but nonetheless refused to compromise his exacting design demands. Butlin and Allen became friends on Billy Budd (he later gave his production sketches to Allen’s son). He also collaborated on the singer’s directorial debut, Britten’s Albert Herring at the Royal College of Music (2002). Viewed through a sepia gauze painted with an Edwardian-style picture postcard, one critic hailed the “brilliantly designed” seaside shenanigans “that could stand comparison even with Glyndebourne’s virtually definitive staging”. Comedy was unintentional in Spontini’s La Vestale (Wexford, 1979), commemorated in Hugh Vickers’s book Even Greater Operatic Disasters (1982). Butlin’s raked, shiny white stage was treated to prevent slippage. When a zealous stagehand scrubbed it clean, the chorus “one by one shot gloriously down the stage to join their colleagues in a struggling heap at the footlights”. Butlin, listening to a live radio broadcast, was baffled by the audience’s helpless guffaws. Although opera was central to his career, he enjoyed theatre, designing two George Bernard Shaw plays for the Royal Shakespeare Company, including Misalliance (1986), in which Jane Lapotaire’s Polish aviator crashed her plane into an elegant Surrey conservatory. Later, he and Carroll worked at Shakespeare’s Globe, notably on The Two Noble Kinsmen (2000), staging this anguished chivalric romance around a vast warhorse’s skull, encased in armour (the cast affectionately named it Shergar). For almost two decades, Butlin lived in the Kentish oast house which had been Kent Opera’s office. These years were far from easy, troubled by illness, financial hardship and the death of his son Tom of a brain tumour in 1994, aged 24. When diagnosed with the same condition, he said simply: “If Tom can face this, then so can I.” Friends were moved by his acceptance of loss. He was never bitter. “He was the gentlest of people,” said Allen, “entirely loveable.” He is survived by Joanna (although divorced, they remained close), his daughter, Mandarava, who designed puppets for several of his productions, and his son, Conrad. Roger Butlin, stage designer, born 1 June 1935; died 23 July 2011. Originally published in The Guardian on 17th August 2011 and reproduced with permission.
CHARLES EDWARD COLLINS (1984-92) Charles (Charlie) Collins joined Westwood, Kingswood School, in 1985 and left after the Sixth Form to attend University. Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 34
Obituary Tributes He always enjoyed Art and CDT and later produced several paintings and murals for friends in London. Charlie was very much a `people person’ and after obtaining a degree in Hospitality Management he managed several coffee chain establishments (regularly providing coffee and sandwiches for the less fortunate who were sleeping rough) before moving into the estate agency business where he became one of the top employees in a leading London chain, breaking their all-time record! He always had an amazing talent for negotiating and was very popular with his clients, many who have remembered him on hearing the news of his death. In 2007 Charlie moved to Florida where he quickly made many friends and launched himself into the Realtor business. Judging by the messages his family have received, he touched the hearts of many people on both sides of the Atlantic and his family are fortunate to have been able to meet several of them. Despite suffering so badly himself from depression, which was then diagnosed as Bipolar, he was always ready and willing to help others in their time of need – something he kept very much to himself. We like to think that this is a legacy that Kingswood instils into its pupils! Charlie will be sadly missed by his family and all his friends but his suffering is now at an end and we believe he is at peace. We have set up a Just Giving page in Charlie’s memory to raise funds for, and promote awareness of, Bipolar in the hope that it will help others: (justgiving.com/inmemoryofcharliecollins). Sue and Mike Collins (Parents)
JOHN WILLIAM COLLINSON (1950-60) John was born one week after Dunkirk, a son of the manse in the Bromley Circuit right under the German flight path to London, however from those early days things never ever looked back, and credit must go to the hard and consistent work he put into his life and his business-like but always fair and generous personality. His school contemporaries will remember him as senior prefect at Westwood where he became a lifelong friend to Alec Dakin and then as Head Boy in Lowry Creed’s first year as Headmaster. Others will remember him for his sport as Captain of Hockey in Ray Wilkinson’s time, and as captain of one of Mr Tongue’s prize 1st XI teams where his left arm fast bowling alongside Roy Kerslake’s off breaks destroyed many renowned West Country School sides of the day.* Others will remember his sailing on the Broads, trips 35 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
across Europe and fell walking adventures. He was not renowned as an academic but as an all rounder. He made it to Fitzwilliam College at Cambridge and then under the influence of the Ives family he headed for training in Hospital Management, this was in the ’60s gaining work experience in the then new American Hospital in Beirut. On completing his training he landed an appointment as administrator to the New Kings College Hospital, London, Dental School. There he became lifelong firm friends on the clinical side of dentistry with Sir Ian Gainsford who later became Dean of Dentistry for Kings College London and who gave a very generous tribute to John at the Memorial Service held in the College chapel off the Strand. In this he remarked that John’s Managerial gifts were very quickly recognised by the Kings College Hospital Management and in 1970 he was taken from the Dental School and was appointed Deputy House Governor to the Hospital and two years later moved to House Governor (I am told the youngest ever) and Secretary to the Kings College Hospital Board of Governors. There he became firm friends of the then Lord Normanby, who at the time was Chairman of the Board of Governors. For me this has left fond memories of weekends when John ventured north of Watford to spend weekends at Lord Normanby’s cottage in Runswick Bay. John’s ornithological interests never left him and my memories are of his favourite past time, namely long walks (in those days round Runswick Bay) and educating his brother on bird life (feathered variety). By this time John had acquired two daughters, Sheena who is now working in palliative care and Penny who has qualified in Modern Dance in Leeds and is now heading up Dance in the Performing Arts Dept at Preston University, Penny has also found time to provide John with two granddaughters, who will always be his lasting pride and joy. As things changed in hospital management arrangements, John became District Administrator for the Kings College Heath District and then General Manager to the Camberwell Health Authority. However in 1996 he moved out of hospital management and became Director of King’s College Hospital Charity. As so often in his life John did not rest on his laurels in this new role. He became a convener of informal groups for Health Service Charities. Sir Anthony Merifield, Chairman of the Kings College Hospital Charity, along with Keith Day, Chief Executive of the Addenbroooke’s Charitable Trust, both, at the memorial service, gave John great credit for being the driving force behind the eventual formation of The Association of Health Service Charities which appears to have bought together and coordinated the management of a number of hospital charities. It was for this work that he was made a Fellow of King’s College London in 2004. He was finally looking to retire at the time of his 70th birthday which we celebrated with family and his close friends at the Petersham Hotel in Richmond, but it was not infact until the following March before a replacement was found and he was able to truly retire. In the 2011 New Years honours he was awarded the OBE and in May of that year we followed him to Windsor Castle
Obituary Tributes for the presentation. Looking very fit and resplendent in morning suit, it was a great occasion for him. Her Majesty the Queen presided and in the brief conversation apparently expressed astonishment that he had been involved with the Charity work for 40 years. Afterwards he and Patricia, his wife, entertained us for tea in the sunshine in his garden where the conversation inevitably turned to retirement plans and “bucket” lists. Fortunately we can look back and say his work and networking were his life and that no other “hobby” could have given him the same satisfaction. As things turned out a month later he was facing chemotherapy. His approach to this Damocles Sword, not unexpectedly, bought out the very best again. He was business-like, very positive, and I have good memories of his continued “nature trails” in Richmond Park and beside the Thames even though, because of toxic medication, the walks were slower and the conversations on the benches were longer but I should add no less searching and interesting, be it politics, religion, my home life or the birds in the air or the deer on the ground. His Memorial Service in November was attended by two hundred or so people and I think we all came away with the lasting impression that if you worked with John or had even a passing acquaintance you invariable become a firm confident and more often than not a true friend. This speaks volumes for a man who freely admitted he was not particularly IT friendly and to whom Facebook and Twitter were a very foreign world! Who needs it? John certainly did not. * John Collinson was Kingswood’s most successful fast bowler ever, as the figures show. This before young pace bowlers were restricted to 7 overs a spell. Wkts 1949-51 J.G. Smith 145 1958-60 J.W. Collinson 107 1958-61 R.C. Kerslake 102 1961-63 M.H. Crosby 97
Av 5WI 7.5 16 12.0 7 13.9 5 15.5
10WI
1
Derek Collinson (1953-62)
JOHN WATSON COWIE
These apprenticeships were much sought after. Rugby Technical College was the first place to offer day-release opportunities for apprentices. John’s intention was to pursue a degree in electrical engineering, but the apprenticeship was cut short by wartime service in the Fleet Air Arm. He obtained a commission and served as aircrew in the Indian Ocean and the Far East. After demobilization he studied geology at Bristol University. Following graduation he studied the geological fauna of East Greenland which led to his PhD. He was appointed Lecturer at the University of Bristol where he remained until his retirement. John continued with his geological exploration of Greenland and the Arctic regions of Canada and for many years was recognised as an authority on geological dating. He was also heavily involved with the International Union of Geological Science and UNESCO. He was able to maintain his contact with Kingswood through the introduction of tutoring students in O-level geology. John died at his home in Bristol, aged 92. He is survived by his wife and two sons. June Cowie
ROBERT GIBSON DICKENS (1939-43) Bob was the son of a Methodist minister and spent his childhood moving around initially in Yorkshire, then the South Coast. His Kingswood years were during the wartime move to Uppingham, where he was head of School House. He was called up to the Royal Navy where he served in frigates in the North Atlantic, and midget submarines. After the war he went up to Christ’s College, Cambridge, where he studied French and German and represented his college in rowing and rugby but, modest to the last, said the latter was only when they were very short of players!
After completing his School Certificate, John sadly had to leave Kingswood early following the untimely and unexpected death of his father. He had thrived on the academic life of the School which had allowed him to develop in the short time he was there. He often spoke of happy memories of Bath, recalling the many long walks that he took in the Lansdown area.
He did his teacher training in Leeds, then taught in the Isle of Man where he met and later married Madge in 1953. After a spell in Wimbledon, in 1957 he moved to a teaching post at Millfield School in Somerset, where he was to dedicate the rest of his career teaching French. He soon went on to become Head of Department, then Director of Modern Languages in what was a huge department. He also took on other directorate / management responsibilities, as well as housemaster for 12 years. Contemporary colleagues reported how valuable and appreciated he was in those roles as well as a much-valued help and support to them in every way. He always had a keen interest in his pupils, many of whom stayed in touch with him. He was always fit and athletic; in earlier days enjoyed running junior teams. He enjoyed reading, loved music and singing, and liked to converse on any subject.
On leaving Kingswood, John began an apprenticeship locally at a factory in Rugby, British Thomson & Houston, which specialised in the production of steam turbines and electrical equipment.
On retirement in 1987 he launched into a whole range of new activities. Living now in Glastonbury, he had a huge garden immaculately maintained without help until very
(1932-36)
Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 36
Obituary Tributes much later. He took to Scottish dancing at which he became expert. As an accomplished baritone he was a keen member of at least three choirs at one time. He took an active role in leading the local branch of ‘Talking Newspapers for the Blind’, was an active participant of the local PROBUS group, not to mention the University of the Third Age, and was a regular attender at local meetings of the Kingswood Association and for several years, their organiser. In October 2010, following the deaths of son Colin and wife Madge, he moved to Leigh on Sea to be near son Len and his family. Initially he lived on his own, but then with failing health moved to St Edith’s Care Home, where he settled happily and was well cared for. He died there on 16 February 2012. He will be very much missed by us all. Len Dickens (1969-72)
ROBERT JOHN ELLERTON (1938-41) John attended KS both at Bath and Uppingham, and on completion of his studies joined the RAF and was put forward to train as a pilot. At that time cadets were sent to Florida on the Queen Mary to do their initial training and after only six hours instruction flew solo. He got his “Wings” and returned to England to various airfields to become a flying instructor and later joined Transport Command flying Oxford, Stirling and York planes to countries including Ceylon, Egypt and Africa. At the end of the war, although offered a job as a civilian pilot he opted to train as a school teacher and after several state schools he joined the staff of Seaford Collage where he became a House Master. At the school he set up the Air Training Corps and eventually attained the rank of Wing Commander. One of his most memorable memories was introducing the Headmaster of Uppingham School, who was guest speaker at Seaford, and talked about his time at Uppingham. Also, John invited the famous Douglas Bader to visit Seaford College and talk to the boys – John had been in his Squadron! In his spare time he became passionate about the productions of “Gilbert & Sullivan” in which he took various leads. Donald Arthur Ellerton (Brother, 1938-44)
KENNETH GRENVILLE FRAMPTON (1932-36) Kenneth (Ken) was the first of the Frampton family to go to KS, being followed by his cousins Donald G. (1936-41), Francis R. (1936-44) and John R. (1951-56); his son Roger A. (1954-63), Nephew David J. Lewis (1958-64) and four members of the third generation Colin M. and Michael C. (1966-71), Philip I. (1968-73) and Alan (1971-74). 37 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
After leaving Kingswood, he joined the family company in Horticulture and also started training as a Radio Mechanic with the Territorials. At the start of the war he enlisted in REME as a Radio Mechanic, serving in France, West Africa and Burma and in 1941 he married Hilda. After his demob at the end of the war, he and Hilda set up home in Sussex to raise their family and where he was managing one of the company’s nurseries. Later he became a director of the company before eventually retiring in 1974. This gave Ken and Hilda a lengthy period to enjoy their love of travel, sailing and caravanning and to enjoy time with their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. After Hilda’s death in 2003 he moved to a village near Guildford to be near his daughter. Here he started a range of new interests, joining and taking an active role in U3A and his local church. He made many new friends and he developed considerable culinary skills which he used to entertain them – much to the amazement of his family. He remained very active until just before his 93rd birthday and died after a short illness. Roger Frampton, son (1954-63)
MALCOLM FRANK FULLER (1950-55) Wartime summer holidays in Kent helping a local farmer gave Malcolm early experience of life on the land. At Kingswood his main subjects were modern languages, but drawn towards farming, he secured a place at Trinity College Cambridge in 1955 to read agriculture. Preceded by a year’s farm work, life at Trinity included membership of the Cambridge team in the annual ploughing match against Oxford. Graduating in 1960 he accepted a scholarship in animal nutrition at the School of Veterinary Science at Cambridge, gaining a PhD in 1964. In 1965 he joined the staff of the Rowett Research Institute in Aberdeen - a leading centre for nutritional studies. In the same year he married Tricia Knight and acquired a small croft in Aberdeenshire which he transformed, largely with his own hands, into a substantial home, also managing its 3½ acres of pasture. The couple’s first child, Kate, born in 1970, died aged 20 months following a heart operation. In 1971 Malcolm was appointed a Field Officer for the UN Development Programme in Taiwan. Here he set up a research institute to improve techniques of pig rearing and supervised PhD students. While there Malcolm and Tricia adopted their daughter, Nancy (Chen Su-Li). After their return to Scotland in 1973 two sons, Tom and Adam, were born. Several years of dinghy sailing left Malcolm eager for more ambitious ventures. Crewing for his friend David Lomax
Obituary Tributes (KS 1951-56) and his wife Judy, on their ocean-going yacht equipped him to acquire a yacht of his own. Buying the hull of a Seacracker 33, he fitted it out himself. Her launch in the summer of 1997 was the prelude to voyages that he counted the most rewarding experiences of his life. These took him across the Atlantic to the Caribbean and eventually up the east coast of North America and Canada. When in 1997 he and Tricia divorced, Malcolm moved to the USA with a consultancy at MIT in Boston, basing himself at Stony Brook, Long Island where, in 1999, he married Margaret McNurlan. Retiring from the Rowett in 1998 as a Senior Principal Scientific Officer, his achievements had been honoured by his old university in the award of an ScD. In retirement he edited The Encyclopedia of Farm Animal Nutrition, published in 2004. Continuing to serve as consultant to several research institutions, he also maintained links with former PhD students, contributed to professional journals and spoke at many international conferences. He died from cancer on Long Island on 13 January 2012. In accordance with his wishes his ashes were scattered in a field at his former home in Aberdeenshire.
pupils testified to his immense popularity, competence, humour, fairness and approachability as a schoolmaster. On retirement from teaching in 1992, Peter was able to devote more time to his deep-seated love for Cornwall, and especially Truro. He became an independent councillor, immersing himself in the affairs of the city, and was elected Mayor in 1996 and then, unusually, again in 2006. He was subsequently made an honorary Freeman of Truro. He was also selflessly active in many charitable organisations in the city and the county. In all these areas reference has invariably been made to his quiet strength, reasonableness, good humour and wit. Cars, boats, caravans, wood-working, dogs, photography, gadgets of every kind – his interests and skills seemed endless. Happily married to Heather for more than sixty years, he is survived by her, two daughters and a son, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He died, aged 81, in February 2012 after a short, but devastating, illness. Hugely loved, he had lived a richly varied and wholly admirable life. Andrew Lang, brother (1951-58)
Graham Fuller (1946-52)
OLIVER HUGH LAWN PETER TRAVIS LANG
(1930-37)
(1943-48)
Oliver was born on 20 November 1918, in Walsall, where his Father, Rev R Gibson Lawn, was Methodist Minister. He went to Kingswood in 1930 and in 1937 went up to Jesus College, Cambridge, to read Mathematics. He gained a first class degree (BA 1940, MA 1944). From there he was assigned to the secret code breaking and intelligence establishment, Bletchley Park. He worked on the Enigma Code (of the Army and Air Force) until the end of hostilities. At Bletchley Park he met Sheila Isabelle Mackenzie, his future wife, and also qualified as a Methodist Local Preacher which he practised for some 50 years. After the end of World War 2, he spent a short period lecturing in Mathematics at Reading University before entering the Civil Service in London. In 1978, he retired and was awarded the CBE.
Born in Streatham in 1931, Peter was the second of three brothers to come to Kingswood, following his father (as well as an uncle and cousins). He started at the school in the years of its wartime exile at Uppingham. He made his mark particularly as an outstanding all-round sportsman – mainly at rugby (1st XV fly-half), cricket, athletics, hockey and fencing. He was a natural ball-player, quick over the ground and in his reactions, and a member of numerous teams. Lively and personable, his popularity with contemporaries and staff was assured and it was certainly a great comfort to a nervous new boy arriving a few years after he had left, to be greeted so warmly by so many as ‘Pete’s brother’. After Kingswood he did his National Service in the Royal Army Service Corps, where he was commissioned and able to indulge his passion for driving and motors and their workings. Given his particular talents, it was a natural step for him then to train at Loughborough as a physical education teacher. After a brief period of teaching in Sidcup, he and his wife, Heather, moved to Cornwall, first to Newquay Grammar School, then to Truro School, where he stayed for 32 years. There he was Head of PE, a very successful 1st XV rugby coach and a housemaster, in addition to being responsible for Duke of Edinburgh awards, Ten Tors expeditions and sailing. He also at various times taught English, mathematics, technical drawing and craftwork. Many moving tributes sent to the school after his death by former
He then moved to Sheffield where he undertook voluntary work in the Community – co-ordinating fund-raising to build a Day Care Centre at a local cancer hospital, serving on several committees of the Centre for Voluntary Action, and as a non-Executive Director of the Northern General Hospital NHS Trust. Oliver and Sheila also gave many talks, radio and TV interviews to make known to an interested public the hitherto secret Bletchley Park. His leisure enthusiasms were wide and included caravanning, hill walking (including some 100 of the Scottish Munros) and orienteering. He took great delight in nature and in his family. Oliver and Sheila were very happy in Sheffield making many (including overseas) friends and enjoying this new venture. Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 38
Obituary Tributes Oliver died in May 2012 at the age of 93 years. He is survived by his widow, Sheila, and two married sons, David and Richard (the third generation at Kingswood) and four grandchildren. Sheila Lawn
REX HAWTHORN MEARS (1941-47) Rex received his veterinary degree in 1954 from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and worked in a mixed practice in England before emigrating to Canada in 1957. He initially settled in the Interior of British Columbia before opening a small animal practice in Vancouver in 1969 where he worked until he retired in 1987. He was extensively involved with the Provincial and National Veterinary Associations and served on both as President. He was also a member of the Advisory Council for the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and was instrumental in developing the Pet Food Certification Program. He was awarded life membership of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association in 1985. Beatrice Mears
HAROLD STEWART MOORE (1938-42) Major-General Sam Moore: In 1951, as a lieutenant in the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC), Moore was serving as Medical Officer to the Royal Welch Fusiliers in Jamaica when the island was struck by a hurricane, the wind reaching 125mph. Many people died and thousands were left homeless. Local industries were devastated and ships in the port wrecked. Water, telephone, and telegraph services were disrupted and roads became impassable. A dormitory in the general penitentiary collapsed, and a large number of convicts escaped and looted the business area. Moore went to help the parish of St Thomas, in the south-east of the island, which was among the areas hardest hit by the hurricane. Travelling on foot much of the time, he worked night and day giving medical aid wherever it was needed until he was exhausted. He was appointed MBE, the citation stating that he had shown devotion, ability and initiative of the highest order. Harold Stewart Moore was born at Worksop, Nottinghamshire, on January 15 1923. Nicknamed “Sam” from an early age, he was educated at Kingswood School, Bath. In 1939 the school was evacuated to Uppingham and its pupils boarded in local hotels for the rest of the war. A keen sportsman, he played cricket and rugby for his school. After deciding to become a doctor, he was interviewed at the London Hospital, where the only question he was asked was: 39 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
“Do you play rugby?” He played for the hospital for the next five years and, as a member of the Home Guard, spent many nights firewatching on top of well-known buildings in the city. He felt guilty that, as a doctor, he had not been allowed to take part in the war and volunteered for National Service; but he was diagnosed with a “spot on his lung” and told to work in the country for a couple of years first. He spent this time at Slough, where he was expected to beaver away for six and a half days a week; his pay was 10 shillings. After his service in Jamaica, Moore returned to England. He was subsequently awarded the Alexander Parkes Medal for Hygiene, the Leishman Medal for Pathology and the Katherine Webb Memorial Medal for Medicine. He became a member of the Royal College of Physicians in London and Edinburgh. A lifelong love of Africa began in 1956 when he was posted to Nigeria. As honorary consultant to the European and African hospitals and senior specialist, he learnt Hausa and worked unstintingly. In his free time, he played rugby and hockey for the Corps. After a posting to Kenya as consultant to the British Military Hospital, Nairobi, and consultant to the Kenyatta National Hospital, he was subsequently posted to Germany, Singapore and Colchester. During a spell at the Cambridge Military Hospital, Aldershot, he cared for Field Marshal Montgomery and also carried out heart research on an Army team which was preparing to climb Mount Everest. Moore became Director Army Medicine BAOR in 1976 and was part of a team looking after Rudolf Hess at Spandau Prison, Berlin. In 1981 he was appointed Director Army Medicine, Consultant Physician to the Army and Honorary Physician to the Queen. He retired in 1984 to become Physician and Surgeon to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, where he was able to return to his first love of “hands on” medicine. He had a great affection for the old soldiers and would listen for hours to their stories of active service. In retirement he pursued his lifelong hobby of bird watching and collecting bird stamps. Sam Moore married first, in 1948, Elizabeth Wright. The marriage was dissolved and in 1973 he married, secondly, Gwynneth Merrett (née James). She survives him with two sons and a daughter of his first marriage and two stepsons. Maj-Gen Sam Moore, born January 15 1923, died August 25 2012. Originally published in The Daily Telegraph on 6th November 2012 and reproduced with permission.
DONALD ELLIOTT NICHOLSON (1926-32) Biochemist who mapped the intricate relationships of the metabolic pathways in the human body Donald Nicholson, who has died aged 96, mapped the intricate relationships of the metabolic pathways in the body, and the interactions between complex organic chemicals and the various bodily functions and diseases.
Obituary Tributes Eight years after he started teaching at Leeds medical school in 1946, only about 20 pathways, for making or breaking down biological molecules such as sugars or amino acids, had been charted. Donald’s inspiration was that these maps revealed vastly more when put together: in 1955 he drew his first combined chart by hand and had it printed in an architect’s office. From then until just a couple of weeks before his death, he added in the huge numbers of new pathways that biochemists were discovering – currently there are thousands – and progressively improved their presentation. Recently, 22 editions and more than 1m copies later, the paper maps made way for “animaps”, whose computer animations displayed the various reactions in progress and allowed students to seek out increasing detail while retaining the overall picture. One map, for instance, shows how genes can go wrong and lead to abnormal enzymes and consequent disease. As a teacher, Donald delighted in demonstrating the elegance and symmetry of these processes, and was horrified when his charts were used as exam fodder. For him, the vital principle was that they should enable the student to understand, not just to learn, the metabolic interactions, and he would proudly show me the letters of thanks he had received from medical students all over the world. Donald loved to recount how mentors had helped him benefit from setbacks, and was always supportive of students who were struggling academically. His own schooling – and that of his twin brother, Kenneth – was disrupted by the repeated moves imposed on their father, a Methodist minister; they were born in Leek, Staffordshire. Donald had to resit his school certificate exams at Kingswood school, Bath, and in 1936 scraped a degree in chemistry at Huddersfield technical college. He took a research job at ICI in Huddersfield, and in 1940 gained a PhD. During the second world war he worked at Boots in Nottingham, putting into large-scale production the new antibacterial drug sulfanilamide, which saved thousands of wounded servicemen from life-threatening infections. After the war, ICI offered him a research fellowship, which he applied to take up at the Leeds medical school. He was offered a post in the bacteriology department, and, as its only chemist, went on to undertake what was seen as the chore of teaching bacterial metabolism. He never stopped, despite taking official retirement 35 years later. In 1997 Huddersfield University gave him an honorary doctorate. Donald’s wife, Celia, suffered from a progressive illness and was fearful of electrical devices, so it was only after her death in 1996 that Donald owned a personal computer. But then, dispensing with the need to “stick millions of little pieces of paper on to one big sheet of paper”, he set about digitising the maps. Immensely proud of how little money he made from them, he gave the copyright to the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, which now makes them freely available on the internet. Donald was a progressive, critical and unconventional Christian, keen to reveal the wonder of the natural world and the human potential for love, but critical of dogma and
of belief in the supernatural. As a Methodist lay preacher for more than two decades from 1939, he illustrated points of faith with scientific tricks. In recent years he hosted a discussion group within the Progressive Christian Network. Until a couple of months ago his daily walk in nearby Roundhay park produced spectacular photographs – to Donald, not just pictures of pretty plants, but tributes to the miracle of chlorophyll synthesising sugars from sunlight. He kept friends and neighbours not only impressed, but amused; you could meet him in the park and immediately fall into a discussion of the differences between hawkbit and dandelion. He is survived by his brother Basil, his children, Rosemary, Roger and Ruth, three grandchildren and a great-grandson. Originally published in The Guardian on 29th May 2012 and reproduced with permission.
EMYR GARRETT ROBERTS (1925-31) Uncle Emyr, Em, Robbie, same person different name. How does one start to talk about someone who lived for 97 years? At the beginning I expect. Emyr was born in 1913 in the small town of Llanfairfechan along the North Wales coast. He was the fifth child – having two sisters and two brothers – of the Rev and Mrs Garrett Roberts. His father was the Welsh Wesleyan Minister in the village and so the language of the home would have been entirely Welsh. Because of the First World War the family were at Llanfairfechan for more years than usual. (Usually ministers moved every three years in those days). When Emyr was six years old in 1919 the family moved to Coedpoeth, Nr Wrexham – another very Welsh area - and lived there for a further three years. In 1922 the family moved to Wallasey so that Emyr became bilingual. He never mentioned his early schooling but I’m sure he was a happy child wherever he was. In 1925 the family moved again - this time to Conwy. By this time Emyr was nearly twelve years old and the decision was made to send him to a boarding school. He was to join his elder brother Owie at Kingswood School in Bath - a big move for a young lad. Kingswood School was built by John Wesley in Bristol and opened in 1748 – it later moved to Bath but was still known as Kingswood – as it is to this day. This was a school specially set up to provide a suitable and stable education for sons of the Manse. Emyr often mentioned being at Kingswood - he was very happy there – he enjoyed the sport, playing cricket and rugby. Later in life he loved watching all sport on T.V. He was at Kingswood until 1931. When he left school a decision had to be made about what career to follow. Jobs were not easy at find at that time. However, he eventually sat an examination to enter the Civil Service and become a Customs Officer. Thus began a career that was to last for 40 odd years. Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 40
Obituary Tributes As far as I can recall he served at: Hull, Fleetwood, St Mawgan RAP Station in Cornwall during the war, Southampton, Liverpool and finally Eastham. It was whilst working in Southampton that he met his future wife Gerry. His older brother Bert was an electrician on the Queen Elizabeth - Gerry too worked aboard the Q E as a shop manager - so Bert introduced Gerry to Emyr and so began another chapter in Emyr’s life. He and Gerry were married in 1951 and Emyr by that time was stationed in Eastham Lock. They settled in Oxton and lived there happily until Gerry sadly passed away in 1994. Emyr retired in 1974 and managed to keep himself busy in various ways. He and Gerry moved to live in West Knowe in 1977 and enjoyed a happy time there. He still kept in touch with his former colleagues and was an active member of the Liverpool Waterguard Social Club - serving as secretary for many years and proved a very competent person in organising luncheons and other events. He also kept a lively interest in most sports. He had some good friends and these friendships were much appreciated when he became a widower. As a family, living away from the locality we thank all who helped to make his life more comfortable, especially in his later years when things became more difficult healthwise. Sadly, he entered hospital in August of last year where he spent some five weeks before moving to a Residential Home in Birkenhead, then finally into a nursing home. It was very sad to witness his decline - he had become very deaf so communication was extremely difficult - and it was impossible to have a decent conversation with him which was so sad. He was very well cared for in the home. We visited whenever we were able. He passed away peacefully on Sunday May 8th. Thus ended a life of 97 years. Mostly a very happy life sometimes tinged with sadness. We give thanks for having known him and having shared in any part of his life. Let us remember him with smiles not tears. Helen Higginbottom (Niece)
CLAUDE HUGH TOYE (1928-36) Col Hugh Toye, who has died aged 95, was a former intelligence officer whose job it was to track Subhas Chandra Bose, the leader of the Indian National Army (INA) that collaborated with the Japanese and Germans against the British in the Second World War. The Cambridge-educated Bose rejected Gandhi’s pacifism in favour of violent revolution and, based in Burma during the Second World War, assembled an 80,000-strong army which advanced to British India’s north-eastern states, creating a government-in-exile and inspiring revolts in the British Indian Army. To the British, Bose was a traitor; but post-war Indians call him “Netaji” (“respected leader”), regarding him as a patriot who took a heroic stance against imperialism. Toye was posted to India in 1943 and, while he never found his quarry, he conceived a great respect and admiration for the man: 41 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
“I had a lot of time for him,” he told an interviewer. “If we had caught him he would have been sentenced to death, though.” Bose’s fate remains a mystery. For many years he was presumed to have died in a plane crash, though there have been persistent rumours that he managed to escape into exile and eventually returned to India to live his last days as a holy man. One of three children of a Methodist minister, Claude Hugh Toye was born at New Tredegar, Caerphilly, on March 29 1917. His father had served as a missionary in India and west Africa, and after Hugh’s birth the family returned to the subcontinent. Hugh was sent home to be educated at Kingswood, a Methodist boarding school in Bath, from where he progressed to Queens’ College, Cambridge. As war approached he joined the TA Medical Corps, and in 1940 went to France with a Field Ambulance Unit. Surrounded, he succeeded in breaking through enemy lines to reach Brest and board a ship to England. Subsequently commissioned in the Royal Artillery, Toye was posted to India in 1943. After the war ended, he took part in the interrogation of captured Japanese officers. Despite the seemingly unbridgeable gulf between interrogator and interrogated, Toye became friends with one man, whose son maintained the friendship after his father’s death. Toye also spent some time in Burma, reporting on the situation at the time of the death of the Burmese nationalist leader Aung San in 1947. Subsequently he became a friend of Aung San’s daughter, Aung San Suu Kyi. Later in 1947 Toye returned home in the rank of major. In the same year he was appointed MBE. After a period at staff college, Toye served as adjutant of the 14th Field Regiment in Hong Kong. Then, after a tour in London as adjutant of a TA regiment, he was sent to Cyprus, initially as a staff officer. He was also given command of his own battery, taking on Eoka terrorists in the forests and villages of Cyprus’s Troodos Mountains. In 1958 he married Betty Hayne, a major in the ATS . In 1960, promoted lieutenant-colonel, Toye was posted to Vientiane as military attaché. Laos had gained its independence from France seven years earlier, and was embroiled in a prolonged civil war between communist Pathet Lao guerrillas (often North Vietnamese) and the forces of the Royal Lao government, a conflict in which both sides received heavy external support from the Cold War superpowers. Toye built excellent relations with the French, who still had forces in Laos and were well-informed about the fast-changing situation. When, in August 1960, Kong Le, a former paratrooper captain in the Royal Lao Army, led a coup d’etat in an effort to re-establish a policy of peace and neutrality, Toye had him in the embassy to meet the ambassador within 24 hours. His success in this posting led to his being elevated from MBE to OBE. Toye wrote a book about the country, Laos: Buffer state or Battleground (1968). In it he argued that the role of neutral buffer between communist North Vietnam and western-oriented Thailand which independent Laos was asked to assume, “demanded an internal stability and strength that the kingdom did not possess”. In 1962 Toye was posted to Shape in Paris. This was followed by two years as a research fellow at Nuffield College, Oxford, where he took a PhD .
Obituary Tributes He was promoted colonel in 1968, and a posting to SEATO in Bangkok was followed by a spell in New York as defence adviser to the British Mission at the UN. Toye’s final posting before his retirement from the Army in 1972 was as military attaché at the embassy in Washington. In retirement in Oxfordshire, Toye served for many years as local representative for the Armed Forces charity SSAFA.
During his last illness he was keen to keep in touch with old KS friends and his fellow members of the PR including; Mike Arnold, Nick Saunders, Mike Welbourne, John Oxley, Hugh Bazley, Robin Blackmore and Noel Harvey.
A lively, occasionally obstinate man, Toye enjoyed reading, writing book reviews, tending his garden, and travelling. He and his wife (who died in 1999) had a son who died in infancy.
The Western Morning News Obituary concludes, “described as always kind and considerate he was master of logistics in the office and on deck. As well as being a loving husband to his late wife and a doting father he was an avid reader with a sharp sense of humour, sadly missed by those he has left behind but for whom his presence is greatly felt”.
Col Hugh Toye, born March 28 1917, died April 15 2012 First published in the Telegraph.
Dick Trafford (1936-44) with acknowledgement to The Western News
Originally published in The Daily Telegraph on 17th July 2012 and reproduced with permission.
JONATHAN HUGH TRAFFORD (1946-52) Jonathan was born in Exeter, son of JBC Trafford (KS 1905-10) brother of Richard (KS 1936-44) and cousin of Nicholas Fenn (KS 1949-54). He came to School House in 1946 and was a School Prefect in charge of Westwood in his last year. He gained his half colours for Rugger and was a competent cricketer and a keen member of the ATC. After leaving Kingswood he joined the RAF, training on Tiger Moths and ultimately becoming a pilot on jet Meteors. He then went up to Peterhouse, Cambridge gaining a Law Degree before joining Clifford Chance in the City. In 1963 he returned to the West Country and joined Bond Pearce Solicitors in Plymouth. He rose to become Senior Partner and a President of the Plymouth Law Society. Described in the Western Morning News as, “very much the archetypal and genial senior partner of a traditional law firm who maintained excellent connections in the South West Business community and was highly regarded”. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Devon, President of Plymouth’s Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, Chairman of Mount House School and helped to set up the Devon Community Foundation. However it was in sailing and love of the sea that he found his greatest challenges and fulfilment. He became the Commodore of the Royal Cruising Club where he won many awards for long distance cruises including a transatlantic voyage. He was a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron and was heavily involved in the Royal Western Yacht Club of Plymouth. Much of the time spent sailing was with the company of his wife Barbara and his two children Becky and Tim. He was also an enthusiastic gardener creating an interesting garden at his home in Newton Ferrers.
JAMES OPIE URMSON (1928-34) An obituary for Professor James Urmson was published in The Times on 4 April 2012 (online edition). His brother John writes that The Times obituary omits some facts worth mentioning. Having joined the Army at the outbreak of war in 1939, and commissioned into the Duke of Wellingtons Regiment and sent to France, he was in the retreat to Dunkirk in 1940. He got away from the beach in a fishing boat and immediately fell asleep from exhaustion! Later he was transferred to a destroyer and so made it home. During subsequent service in North Africa he was awarded the Military Cross for his gallant action in getting vital supplies to the troops struggling to hold the hill Bou Aoukaz. His regiment landed in Italy. Towards Christmas 1943, in a cheerful letter home, he reported that he was billeted in a school and was enjoying “plenty of food, electric light and an Italian band”. In 1944 he was taken prisoner during the Anzio landings and spent the rest of the war in a German PoW camp. He always liked to tell the story of his interrogation by a German officer. “Have a drink!” were the German’s first words. They had one. Then the German asked, “Why are you British fighting with the Russians against us?” Jim retorted, “Why are you Germans fighting with the Japanese against us?” The German said, “Have another drink!” Jim returned to a distinguished teaching and literary career, mainly at Oxford, but he was also Professor of Philosophy at St Andrews, and taught at American universities: Princeton, Ann Arbor (Michigan) and Stanford. He said that his work at Stanford (1976-80) was “so that I can afford to retire”. He continued to do much writing and translation after official retirement, but during his last years he and his wife Marion, whom he had married in 1940, were in a care home. Marion died in 2010, and he is survived by his daughter Janet. John Urmson (1936-44)
Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 42
Feature Article 1889 1st XI
2012 1st XI
1976 1st XI (J.M.W.)
1981 1st XI
150 years of Kingswood Cricket Early Cricket 1862 Matches with outside teams were rare. F.C. Maxwell was the first to be recognised captain of the eleven (in 1862). At that time real cricket was only possible in a distant field on half holidays. Flannels were unknown, and it is interesting to know that the colours of that pioneer eleven were red and white, displayed in a red flannel cap with a white star on top. Prior to this Cricket and football were for a long time carried on under great difficulties. The playground was at first rough and stony, but it was not long before it received a surface of asphalt. Cricket was generally carried on in the shorter playhours under the form of ‘commons’, the school being dismissed by classes at the close of the morning. The upper boys would walk in a dignified manner down the length of the schoolroom (Moulton Hall); but ‘directly the first boy had stepped over the threshold, we heard a scurry, a digging of heels into some of the passages, a smash through the swing doors, a tear of the chain on the farther door’: it was race for an innings. Those who arrived first secured the right to bat, or at any rate to bowl. When a batsman succumbed, he who caught him or he who fielded the ball that bowled him took his place.
1913 1 XI (ABS vice-captain) st
‘The History of Kingswood School (1898) pp. 264-5’. Informal cricket continued in the Junior Quad, using a multiplicity of tennis balls which eventually lodged in the roof over the Middle House dayrooms, until at least the late 1950s.
2012 - The 150th Year Cricket was severely restricted by rain in the latter part of the season to such an effect that only 8 matches were started. This was most unfortunate as the strength of the team, where 6 different players passed 50 a record thirteen times and 3 others took 5 wickets suggest that new records were bound to have been set in a full season. A loss to Wycliffe in the first game prevented any challenge for the League title KS last won in 2002. 43 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
The Rouse brothers played 4 games for Somerset in the 2nd XI Championship this year.
Harry Rouse (2012 Captain)
The highlight being Harry’s 51 against Glamorgan in Cardiff in June.
>> 2013 STOP PRESS Kingswood now have girl’s cricket teams. In January the U13s competed in the first round of the U13 Lady Taverners Cricket Competition – an indoor 8-a-side tournament. By beating Hayesfield and then St. Gregory’s, Kingswood now go through to a play-off which will determine the County Finalists.
1990 N. Job & G.Williams record partnership v. Old Boys XI
2008 M.Horsley & R. Hynes reset the record v. Prior Park
Batting & Bowling Stats The career batting personal aggregates advanced from 859 runs by N.F. Lockhart [1949-51], through C.H. Tongue, (1,200) R.W. Lewis (1,334), J.A. Seddon, (1401), M. Horsley (1,407) to H.P. Rouse [2009-12] 1,763 (Av. 47.6) [36]. Career bowling figures will never surpass J.G. Smith’s 145 wickets at a 7.5 average in 3 seasons (1949-51) with 16 5WI hauls. He bowled both seem and then leg-spin. J.W. Collinson took 107 wickets (av 12.0) in 3 seasons (1958-60) with his left arm fast-medium. Next was R.C. Kerslake with 102 (av 13.9) in 4 seasons (1958-81) with off-spin. He later secured a Cambridge blue and become Captain of Somerset [71].
Feature Article
Notable Match Reports from past Kingswood Magazines  1948 4 for 8 W.B. Peeling v. Old Boys (H) v. Old Boys (Home), KS 108 (Rattenbury 6 for 30), Old Boys 100 (Peeling 4 for 8) KS made 108 against some sustained bowling by Rattenbury; but the Old Boys put 94 for 4 on the board and apparently the game was over. Peeling had other ideas. Off stumps did acrobatics and umbrellas were gnawed in the pavilion.
1926 1st XI (H.A. Workman)
 1959 5 for 17 J.W. Collinson v. Wycliffe College (H) v. Wycliffe College (Home) Tied - the only recorded tie in the history of KS cricket. Wycliffe 56, KS 56 [Kerslake 11, Crosby 16, Collinson 9] A fast true wicket and breeze down the pitch spelt help to the quicker bowlers. Wycllffe won the toss and batted first Collinson revelled in the conditions and was swerving into the wind. There was little serious resistance from the Wycllffe batsmen until the opening bowlers were rested and from 31 for 8 their score climbed to 56 with the aid of a few dropped catches. Still what was 56 runs to the makers of centuries? We were soon to learn. Jarvis was lbw to one that squatted a little and the middle order players straight away gave up the initiative. Lewis bowling slow legspin into a quick strong breeze escaped punishment and Tredaway lively accurate and hostile proved too good for us. Only Kerslake stood up to him well Collinson hit two grand fours from Lewis and the last over started with one to tie and two to win and Mills facing. He played a cool single off the first ball but was agonisingly run out at the bowling end off the next. 1929 1st XI
1862 1879* 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931
F. C. Maxwell T. S. Simpson F. W. Kellett F. W. Kellett W. C. Fletcher W. C. Fletcher P. Armstrong P. Armstrong L. M. Armstrong W. R. B. Gibson W. R. B. Gibson L. M. Penn W. H. Thorp -G. B. Lambert C. W. Ingram C. W. Ingram G. F. T. Pearson G. F. T. Pearson L. Smith L. Smith A. E. Brown A. E. Brown A. E. Brown W. A. Barron H. E. Halliday G. R. H. Nicholson O. Jones O. Jones J. H. Stanfield W. A. Wildblood F. C. Atkin A. T. Vanes T. P. Spencer G. G. Sharp A. T. Newboult A. T. Newboult D. E. Cooke E. W. Kemp A. E. Reed A. E. Reed F. C. H. Knapp E. C. Lamb E. G. Price T. G. Chamberlain C. D. Monahan C. D. Monahan B. B. Dodd B. B. Dodd N. F. Kedward R. K. Brown L. W. K. Brown L. W. K. Brown L. W. K. Brown
1932 H. L. Fenn
W
D
L
5 6 7 6 4 6 6 9 8 7 7 5 6 5 8 7 4 8 2 3 2 4 1 3 4 3 1 2 2 3 0 1 0 0 3 0 1 0 2 1 5 6 4 0 3 1 1 0 0 2 1 1 0 5
2 2 3 1 9 5 6 4 1 3 3 4 3 2 4 3 4 1 7 9 6 4 4 5 7 4 5 4 6 4 5 8 9 8 6 10 8 8 8 7 4 7 5 4 4 6 5 6 7 1 0 2 1 1
3 1 2 4 5 2 1 1 2 4 4 3 3 6 3 5 8 3 4 2 4 6 6 6 6 5 4 6 4 6 7 4 7 5 1 2 5 5 4 3 4 5 3 8 3 3 3 3 1 5 7 3 4 4
1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
D. C. Linahan D. C. Linahan N. H. Bellis K. H. J. Brown K. J. H. Brown J. F. W. Mundin H. R. Moore H. R. Moore P. B. Wilby J. J. L. Crosby H. R. Kedward A. W. Fearn D. M. Eadie A. J. Jarvis J. W. Collinson R. C. Kerslake C. H. Tongue J. W. Robson D. Badcock P. J. Watkin J. S. Okell M. A. Gaunt D. W. N. Bibby C. D. Gerrish A. P. Rose A. P. Rose P. A. Draycott P. A. Draycott P. A. Draycott E. A. Emeruwa A. H. Lyons A. P. Sharples D. P. W. Deakin R. V. Sharples M. H. N. Davies G. D. Opie P. A. Hurt C. J. Huxtable R. J. Lloyd Williams R. J. Lloyd Williams T. Gleghorn T. Gleghorn R. W. Lewis G. P. Wallace-Stock G. J. B. Williams D. R. Bowden N. P. Dowling T. Ross D. G. Ellis M. C. Lockhart J. O. Brown N. Jones N. Jones N. Jones
2000
Inter School matches now played over 40 overs
1933 A. P. L. Slater 2000 1934 D. H. Harris 2001 1935 G. S. Parker 2002 1936 D. K. Parker 2003 1937 J. W. Lund 2004 1938 J. W. Lund 2005 1939 J. L. Sergeant 2006 1940 M. G. Forshaw 2007 1941 R. G. Pentney 2008 1942 C. H. Smith 2009 1943 R. C. Wright 2010 1944 H. L. Seccombe 2011 1945 D. W. Swarbrick 2012 * 1879 First edition of KS Magazine
T. Ward S. R. Kelly J. A. Seddon T. D. Bergmann D. J. Brown T. M. Seddon L. C. Baxter A. J. Field A. J. Field A. Ockwell E. Gordon H. R. Rouse H. R. Rouse
9 8 6 2 3 3 5 5 5 6 8 8 6
2 1 1 2 3 2 2 1 2 0 0 3 0
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0 0 1 7 5 4 4 3 4 5 5 3 2
Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 44
Feature Article However the Colston’s captain, Franklin took up the challenge until dismissed for 136, much to Kingswood’s relief. Match drawn - a victory for the groundsman. 2012 5 for 8 O. Meyer v. Wells Cathedral School (A) 1952 1st XI (A.B. Sackett)
1994 1st XI (G.M. Best)
1959 10 for 63 R.C. Kerslake v. Bristol Grammar School (A) v. Bristol Grammar School (Away) Lost by 75 runs B.G.S. 123, KS 48 Our disappointing batting was caused by sheer lethargy due to the knowledge that there was not time to win (rain had seen to that) and that therefore (oh false conclusion!) there was no time to lose.
v. Wells Cathedral School (Away) Won by 46 runs KS 172-7 (40 overs), Wells Cathedral 126 The 1st XI reached 172-7, with useful contributions from Alex Stansfield, Sam Morris and Finn Weston. Wells, however, got off to a flying start and looked to be heading for victory before losing 7 wickets for just 23 runs. Oliver Meyer did most of the damage, finishing with the excellent figures of 5 for 8 including 3 wickets in 1 over to see Kingswood to a 46 run victory. John Lewis (1947-56, Staff 1972-97, KA 1995-2012)
Earlier on we had been treated to the spectacle of a KS bowler taking all ten wickets for the first time since W H Wakinshaw’s performance against KES in 1908. How superbly Kerslake used the conditions turning the ball sharply uphill and flighting it. In the strong cross breeze his close fielders were smart and hostile and for once his deep fielders held their catches. It was a notable performance and earned him a presentation ball.
1960 1st XI (A.L. Creed)
2011
1990 156* G.J.B. Williams v. Colston’s School (A) v. Colston’s School (A) Drawn, KS 261 for 2 dec [43 overs] Colston’s 226 for 6 [40 overs] Guy Williams score remains a record for Kingswood. His innings lasted 140 minutes and included 19 4s and 3 6s. The school total was a record (until beaten in 2006 v Prior Park with 304 for 2 thanks to Horsley & Hines).
2001 KS wins the Schools League at KES
Remembrance Service The School gathered on the lawn to the south of the Chapel for its annual Remembrance Service on November 9th 2012. It has been our tradition for some years now to worship in the open air through word, music and silence and, for many, the reading of the Roll of Honour and the planting of a cross for each name spoken, is the significant act of the day. This years’ Service held a more profound sadness within it. Up until 2011 the last name in the Roll was that of John Tribbeck who died in 1952. Not many days after our Remembrance Service of 2011, we heard the tragic news of the death of Lieutenant David Boyce on November 17th 2011 in Afghanistan. David was a former Head Boy of the School and his development from boy into young 45 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
man is still clear in the memories of many members of staff. The Association asked David Brown (former Head of Physics) to create a memorial plaque for David and that is now to be found in the vestibule of the Chapel. We did spend time in this years’ Service recognising that acts of personal sacrifice are still being made and our focus was on the loss of David. David’s mother, father and girlfriend were with us as we remembered and they found a quiet moment later in the day to lay their own wreath beneath the memorial plaque. Mike Wilkinson, Chaplain
Valete
VALETE ATKINSON
9th August 2012
Robert Eric Atkinson
BARNETT
29th June 2012
Cecil Barnett
BLISS
31st March 2012
Timothy Malcolm Bliss
BROOM
11th April 2012
Audrey Broom
BUTLIN
23rd July 2011
Roger John Butlin
1947-53
COLLINS
10th November 2012
Charles Edward Collins
1985-92
COLLINSON
13th July 2012
John WIlliam Collinson
1950-60
COWIE
25th Jan 2012
John Watson Cowie
1932-36
DICKENS
16th February 2012
Robert Gibson Dickens
1939-43
ELLERTON
19th December 2011
Robert John Ellerton
1938-41
FORSTER
21st February 2013
Matthew Osborn Forster
1937-43
FRAMPTON
21st April 2012
Kenneth Grenville Frampton
1932-36
FULLER
13th Jan 2012
Malcolm Frank Fuller
1949-56
GOULD
13th March 2012
George David Gould
1928-34
HALFPENNY
16th July 2012
John Roger Halfpenny
1948-54
HATCH
6th December 2011
Thomas Roger Hatch
1944-48
LANG
21st February 2012
Peter Travis Lang
1943-48
LAWN
3rd May 2012
Oliver Hugh Lawn
1930-37
MARQUISS
12th August 2011
Peggy I Marquiss
Seamstress to 2001
MEARS
12th October 2011
Rex Hawthorne Mears
1941-47
MILNE
25th March 2008
Owen Napier Milne
1932-38
MOORE
25th August 2012
Harold Stewart Moore
1938-42
NICHOLSON
12th May 2012
Donald Elliott Nicholson
1926-32
ROBERTS
9th May 2011
Emyr Garrett Roberts
1925-31
SHEPHERD
2nd April 2012
Roy Wootton Shepherd
1939-43
TOYE
15th April 2012
Claude Hugh Toye
1928-36
TRAFFORD
25th April 2012
Jonathan Hugh Trafford
1946-52
URMSON
29th January 2012
James Opie Urmson
1928-34
1928-34 Houseman 1958-98 1979-85 Staff 1951-89
Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 46
Staff Interviews
Tony Haines (1971-2012) Twenty one of Tony’s forty one years at Kingswood have been spent as Senior Housemaster in two houses – Middle and Westwood, for 15 years he has been Head of two Departments – Geography and PSE and he has of course put additional hours into sport, outdoor pursuits, worship and activities.
Tony has enjoyed leading outdoor activities for so many years, especially in the days before health and safety started to cramp his style. Many of you have gone on ‘adventures with Tony’ – he has skied Alpine and American mountains with Sandy Burgon, (Staff 1991 - to date) crossed Dartmoor bogs and scaled the 14 peaks in Snowdonia with John Davies (Staff 1994 - to date) son of P. J. Davies (1952-61) et al; and on one trip calmly convinced Jackie that she really wasn’t going to die on Cryb Goch, on Snowdon. I should just add, in case you think these were all jollies, that there were pupils there too… This was, after all, WORK! In the days when risk assessments and parental permission slips etc weren’t even dreamt of, Tony (and Richard Garforth, Staff 1974 - to date) used to take pupils to share in their adventures such as climbing in the Avon & Cheddar Gorges… with no official qualifications for dangling small boys on the ends of ropes over vertical cliffs! There have, over the years, been a number of hairy moments… one legend passed to me by John (who wasn’t there to witness it himself...) was of Tony leading a group up to Ossian’s Cave, Glencoe – Mr Haines and group of youngsters were apparently called down by an angry Mountain Rescue Team and Tony was told off for leading pupils into inappropriate terrain. There was also the student who fell off a cliff in North Wales. Tony was in charge and suggested doing a spot of rock climbing one evening after the day’s walk in the hills. Pete Lewis, a tall lanky 6th former, was leading a “V. Diff ” pitch and parted company with the rock face half way up. Richard says he can’t remember how far he fell, but he gashed his thigh open on the way down and Tony rushed him off to A&E at Bangor Hospital, where he had to have stitches. 47 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
Tony’s talent as a fine tenor singer has been witnessed in numerous school productions especially in the olden days when staff seemed to find time to rehearse for, and perform in school musicals such as HMS Pinafore, Oklahoma and Oliver alongside the students. He hums and sings a great deal around the department. His main job has of course been teaching and Tony has resorted to what he knew best... his tried and trusted methods. He was paid the highest compliment, earlier this year, when the inspector dropped into his year 8 lesson, on a Tuesday afternoon. The feedback to Sarah was ‘brilliant’, an excellent lesson – and not a gadget or gismo in sight! I can’t remember if that lesson, on National Parks, was pulled out of the 1985 file or whether it was one he planned on a scrap of paper, a little earlier in the day? Either way, it is largely irrelevant because there is no doubt that with or without the support of technology Tony has been a fantastic teacher throughout his 41 year career. Who needs fancy resources and lesson plans when you’re Mr Haines? He can capture the attention of a class just by being himself and inspire students with his knowledge of all things geographical and beyond. He has one asset that I have always admired, a fabulous voice that draws people in to listen to him. Tony has embraced all the changes that have come to our evolving subject, though one of his frustrations is how the syllabus, and exam driven content, limit the time and potential to explore the more tangential but interesting aspects of the subject. He has moved from producing all hand drawn maps, to being assisted by banda machines and then computers and Google earth. He has reluctantly given up using most of the video clips from our original 1970s video collection (most of which he can now recite).
Staff Interviews For me, this slide sums up all that Tony has been as a teacher… this group of upper sixth loved him and his lessons. They loved to banter with him and he with them. He has taught 3 of you here and many of your children. All 3 Pattersons, Mary*, Jack & Emily have been inspired by Tony, and have either pursued geography degrees or continued to be inspired by the natural world. In the department, I have valued his wisdom, vision and sense of perspective when tackling issues both in and out of the classroom. He has the ability to take a step back from a situation, assess it and make a more considered judgment than might otherwise be the case.
He can capture the attention of a class just by being himself and inspire students with his knowledge of all things geographical and beyond. Diane has been a total support to him throughout his Kingswood career. She has worked alongside him in Westwood, and all the housemasters here will know the vital role that their better halves play, doing the often unrecognised, menial jobs in the house while they take the glory. Diane and the family (which grows bigger all the time) are the most important things in his life. Kingswood, though it has been a huge part of his life for so long, comes down the pecking order... and so it should. Diane has helped Tony to achieve, what I and plenty of others here have failed to do, and that is, I think, to get the work / life balance right. This does not prevent him from being a Kingswood man through and through: dedicated, loyal, passionate about so many aspects of life at Kingswood over so many years. But...it is a job... and Tony has found time to combine it
with a full commitment to his family, his church, his choir and more recently as he has realised the joys of teaching part time, visits to the golf course. I come to the final aspect of Tony, that makes him who he is… his faith. This is fundamental to how he lives his life. He sees the best in everyone, wants the best for everyone and, as befits the excellent housemaster he has been, recognises the importance of forgiveness. His concern for young people has taken him into Bath in the early hours of the morning as a street pastor. There he has met up with some of our students in various states of disarray, always understanding and never judging them. I know that many of you have really valued discussing philosophical issues and theological ideas with him or have been recipients of his wise words of advice, so generously given. Whether engaged in a sermon or a casual conversation, he is able to communicate his faith in a very natural, non-threatening way. Tony has been a stalwart, for Mike, willingly leading worship each year as he challenges us to reflect upon important questions in our own lives. His faith has shaped him and we, who have appreciated him so much as a colleague, recognise that it is his Christian values and qualities that make him the special person he is. It is inevitable that I will have missed key contributions that Tony has made to Kingswood during his 41 year service and I have purposely not tried to list the multitude of jobs and responsibilities that he has held here. I hope though, that I have recognised his importance as a teacher, and friend and colleague to us all…whether we’ve been here for one or forty one years. It is after all, Tony the man that we shall miss. “Extracts from a very entertaining and perceptive farewell by Debbie Jenner to Tony Haines on behalf of the staff.” *Mary K. Patterson, née O’Bryan 1974-76, Staff 2000 - to date, mother of Jack & Emily)
Interview with Marcus Sealy Marcus Sealy arrived at Kingswood in September 1970 after earning a degree from the Royal College of Music and then spending a year attaining his Dip Ed at Reading University. He never dreamed he’d be teaching in an independent school, apparently, still less a boarding school and, he says, had no idea that Methodist schools even existed. Then an advert in the Times Educational Supplement asking for a music teacher who also played the organ soon found Marcus heading down to Somerset where he settled in at Kingswood and never left. Forty two years later I have been dispatched to review his professional life and times and exact my revenge for all those occasions we were made to sing solos, so badly, in Mr Sealy’s music class! It was, needless to say, a very different environment back in the early 70s. Boys only when Marcus first arrived with the first girls arriving shortly after, just eight of them into the
6th form. Plans were afoot to introduce girls throughout the school, which went ahead in 1978, and the boys apparently watched with jealousy and horror as the girls boarding facilities were kitted out “like palaces” with amazing mod cons such as hot, running water. The boys, in those days, were having just two baths a week with just a cold water sink provided for each bed in a dormitory. Marcus has watched as boarding houses have been modernised and relocated over the years to accommodate ever increasing demands, and of course generations of pupils have since returned to lament how lucky the kids are these days for having such luxurious surroundings, the refrain of “it wasn’t like that in my day” echoing down the years. I bet they are all still made to do cross-country in deepest winter, though! Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 48
Staff Interviews Extra-curricular activities have also endured, again with changes along the way. Marcus describes how when he first arrived at the school “activities” were taken by the 6th form prefects and were known as “occos” or “occupations” – designed to allow boarders to broaden their skill base. These days it’s the staff who are relied upon to share their hidden talents and take up to 80 activities during the course of the academic year. Total immersion being the only option, Marcus soon found himself teaching French, coaching cricket, house duties as well as developing the musical talents and performances within the school, all executed with the legendary caustic wit! So a few quick questions for the retiree… After so many years savouring the culinary delights at Kingswood, what is Marcus’ favourite school dinner? Blackened salmon with leek crumble is offered up without hesitation. Marcus’ daughter, Susanna, who has stopped by, says hers is Thai green chicken curry. Things have certainly changed on the culinary front as neither of them can think of a worst meal when asked. What happened to the tripe served up by Miss Bater? And the best school trip? One to Einsiedlin in Switzerland back in 1972 – peaked early on the school trips then! Again, Marcus struggles to recall a worst one but does admit to finding some of the canal trips a chore owing to severe cold and damp – although they did provide entertainment, thanks to the pupils who would lie on the roof of the boats and hold on to the bridges as the boat passed under them, sliding down from one end of the roof to the other – all fun, Marcus recalls, until one poor unfortunate forgot to let go and was left clinging to the bridge as his peers sailed calmly on. It takes a while to turn a canal boat, apparently! What about sport? His main involvement with sport was cricket. When living in Westwood he ran U13/U14 teams - with invaluable help from Jeremy Key-Pugh!! - and after that, he was entrusted with the U15s for a short time until he became Exams Officer, which meant that no time for games in the Summer term. Marcus did some boys and girls hockey for a while, and
he remembers me being, ‘part of the very good team that won through to the West of England finals at Cheltenham one very wet Sunday!’
The staff have always worked well together, he says, which is why he has never felt the desire to work anywhere else. Favourite piece of music? This question wasn’t too taxing, it doesn’t take Marcus long to come up with Mozart’s Cosi van Tutte. But asking him who his favourite current group is proves slightly more demanding and I wait patiently while Marcus struggles to come up with anyone modern at all – how come he doesn’t get musically tortured by his teenage daughter like the rest of us have been by our delightful offspring?! Eventually I have to settle for the fact that he liked Elvis Presley when he was younger, along with the Beatles and the Stones. Nowadays he can just cope with Caro Emerald (a blues singer). I am now feeling guilty for all the times our hockey team, circa 1984, subjected Marcus to Meatloaf ’s ‘Bat Out of Hell’ full blast on the coach to our various matches across the South West – it must’ve made his classically-trained ears bleed, for which sincere apologies! So what will be the best part of retiring? Lack of stress, perhaps unsurprisingly! Four decades of reports, inspections, parents’ evenings and marking have suddenly left Marcus with an insatiable desire to watch Countdown. And he is happy to have even more time for his musical pursuits as organist at Bath Abbey and playing with the Bath Bach Choir. And, Susanna and I suggest, time to make lovely meals for his wife, Lucy, who is still working and seemingly very jealous of all Marcus’ free time! But in fact it is slightly disingenuous to say that Marcus is retiring. He is still working at the school fulfilling duties as Exams Officer, a Herculean task in itself I would imagine. He stopped teaching at the end of the last academic year, but Marcus is happy to stay on and he is effusive in his enthusiasm for the Kingswood community. The staff have always worked together well, he says, which is why he has never felt the desire to work anywhere else. Parents looking around are always struck by how happy and friendly the school is. This sense of community and belonging has endured through Marcus’ decades and endures still which is why, although he may be enjoying not teaching any more Marcus Sealy is not yet ready to sever ties completely. An eloquent testimony indeed.
Richard Garforth, Tony Haines and Marcus Sealy
49 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
Viki Ainsworth, née Oliver (1979-86)
Dear Editor
Have Your Say... The Editor values receiving personal news from members and also newspaper cuttings (including obituaries) which have been spotted by readers. Please send to The Editor, Kingswood Association, Kingswood School, Bath, BA1 5RG or email association@kingswood.bath.sch.uk From David Sawyer (1936-45) SUBJECT: Memories Dear Editor It was, I grant you, enterprising of the School’s Development and Marketing Department to telephone me with Birthday Greetings one afternoon in October. Having diplomatically established that it was I who was answering, the Dept went on to enquire what I have been up to recently. Having heard, it was rather insistent that it deserved the wider audience it would get if I wrote through you to my fast declining KS generation and even be of interest to our successors. A couple of days later I was in fact singing in the chorus (Bass 2) at the Royal Festival Hall in the Goldsmiths Choral Union’s 80th Birthday Concert performance with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of Medelssohn’s dramatic and testing “Elijah”. Moreover, in December I was also to sing in two performances of “Messiah” with the same ensemble at the “Royal Albert Hall. The Dept was particularly interested when I confirmed that I had first sung choruses from Elijah yes, I admit it – some 70 years ago in the Uppingham School Chapel under the direction of Kingswood’s newly arrived No.2 Music Master, Mr Bernard Oram, and subsequently in an Isobel Baillie concert in the Ball under the direction of the unforgettable No.1, Mr Percy (“Plugger”) Hancox. Mr Sykes had been called up. This set me off on a great trail of private reminiscence. Were any of my contemporaries likewise still musically in business? Was it music which had kept them going, like it does for many conductors? Such records and memories as I have suggest that the School must then have been experiencing something of a Golden Era in music (as was the country in time of war). Hancox persuaded many famous artists like Solomon, Myra Hess, Isobel Baillie and Dennis Matthews to perform for us more than once and even perform with our own orchestra and our own instrumental soloists. I have some signed programmes. Such School Magazines of the period as I have kept record these and termly concerts in greater detail than one may expect later generations to appreciate. Nevertheless, one may be forgiven for mentioning contemporaries, C R Spooner who played with our orchestra Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto entirely from memory, as also he did the first movement of Beethoven’s; “Roberts the same of Bach’s E minor; Bobby Bartle, myriad accompaniments, piano concertos by Haydn and Beethoven and, with Brian Peeling, Bach’s Double Concerto; Kenneth Beard, organist, who went professional as did my colleague horn players, Belps and Beavan. Uppingham absorbed some of us (including Mr Mangham on double bass) in their own school orchestra. Chorally, the School made great advances during the regime of
Bernard Oram who left to be the Music Director of Emmanuel School, London, just before Sykes was demobilised. As this Note indicates I personally am still benefiting from his teaching. The choir was made to sing such works as the great last double chorus of Bach’s St Matthew Passion and the Sanctus in the B Minor Mass, provide a regular flow of anthems for chapel services from the glorious archive of English church music and be ready for contingencies. One occurred when, during the closing period at Uppingham, its headmaster John Wolfenden and his wife were invited to lunch in the Gym which we had used as our Dining Hall. Duly but belatedly prepared, the choir was obscurely seated in the balcony, when it heard Headmaster Sackett’s inimitably lilting voice cry at the end of the meal: “I call for musick”. We obliged, but I cannot now remember what madrigals we sang. This episode reminds me that the thriving Music Society had thrown up one or two independent music activities. One was a group formed by M C Watson which performed Prokoviev’s Peter & the Wolf. Another was a quartet of which I was a member with Sangster, Whitaker and Naylor who went on to a distinguished musical career beginning at Magdalene, Cambridge. Between Oram’s departure and Sykes’ return in November 1945, there was an unfortunate temporary appointment. Thwarted of our choir medium, this quartet inserted its own anthems in chapel, ranging from Palestrina onwards and singing alternately and, we believed, ethereally unseen, from Uppingham’s big Victorian chapel balcony and its resonant circular chapel monument to its Great War fallen pupils. Chaplain Rupert (“the Pope”) Davies, an argumentative rebel and thus a Kingswood model in his own right, welcomed the relief we provided in contrast to the dismal diet being offered by our official competitor. The musicianship and some personalities of that era were still much in evidence at the Bicentenary Speech Day Concert in June 1948. Naylor accompanying the choir in part of Brahms German Requiem (a “delight” wrote the critic Mr Milne); Peeling in Schumann’s Piano Concerto (“quite brilliant” said the critic) and the horn trio emeritus (modestly forbids repetition of names) in some “fine sustained playing” in Mendelssohn’s Italian symphony. Sadly, I read in successive KS Association News that nearly all these contemporaries of the 40s have passed away. I hope that by being permitted to outlive them and continue extramurally their tradition of music and choral singing they, like the angels in Elijah’s magic double chorus, will “protect me in all the ways I go and uphold and guide me lest I dash my foot against a stone” - the most imminent prospect being my next audition. With best wishes David (for literary reasons aka Tom and Bob) Sawyer Senior Prefect May-December 1945 Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 50
Dear Editor From Howard Brayton (1950-57 School House) SUBJECT: Alan Tongue
From Roger Hailwood (1949-56) SUBJECT: David Boyce
Dear Editor
Dear Editor
Having lost contact with my best friend Alan Tongue, when I left KS in 1957, I was fascinated to read the articles about his recent endeavours in Association News Edition 8.
Once again I enjoyed reading the articles in the Association News. The valete section is always thought provoking, in that often it not only mentions those with whom I shared my time at KS and their achievements in the time since our ways parted, but also those I never knew, who almost without exception, had throughout their lives made significant contributions to their communities. While the obituaries to the elder past pupils are not unexpected it is always sad to read of the death of younger ones who had their whole lives ahead of them.
Alan and I joined KS at Westwood at the same time, as day-boys in 1950. So we became good friends during term time and of course during holidays too. He lived in a house called “Emeny”, in Van Diemen’s Lane, opposite the school. His father (“Bong”) was a maths teacher at KS, responsible for the school Press, and also an amateur opera singer; my father (Rev Lionel Brayton) was the local Methodist minister. Alan and I spent much time building up the “Emeny Marionette Theatre” in the holidays, making the marionettes, writing scripts, and mounting productions for local good causes; the programmes being printed on the school Press. Our two families gradually became friends; he having a young brother Christopher, and I having an older sister June. I think it was in 1954 that the two families took a joint holiday in a British Rail Camping Coach at Aberdovey. (From the left is Alan, June, Christopher, and Alan’s father. My father and his mother are washing up!)
I was particularly sad to read of the death of David Boyce in Afghanistan. I was already aware of his death, and that of Richard Scanlon who was with him in their vehicle when it was hit by a roadside bomb. What I was not aware of was the fact that he had been a Kingswood boy. You might wonder why I am aware of these facts. The reason is quite simply that I am a volunteer guide at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire where I meet many relatives of service personnel who have lost their lives, and I take many visitors to locate and read the names inscribed on the Armed Forces Memorial. This of course is where David’s name will be inscribed in May of this year, followed by a dedication in the months following. His name will be the second KS name to be added to the wall, following that of John Curtis Tribbeck who lost his life in Korea in 1952. I had the pleasure of meeting the family of David Boyce when they came to the dedication ceremony at the beginning of September, and to join them to take part in the service of dedication. Whenever I attend the Armed Forces Memorial I will now have another significant name quietly to remember for a few moments. Yours sincerely Roger Hailwood
In the summer holidays of 1955, the ATC spent a week at RAF Chivenor in North Devon, with Sqd Ldr Mangham and Mr Bishop. (I’m the grumpy one at the left-hand end of the front row; Alan sits next to me.)
So as not to embarrass Alan, that is all I am prepared to divulge; without his permission of course. Yours sincerely Howard Brayton 51 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
Nick Hindle, the stonemason who works for Perfitts Stonemasons of Diss in Norfolk, completing the carving of David Boyce’s name on the wall
Contacts From Andrew Creamer (1962-69) SUBJECT: Christopher Steane (Staff 1952-82) Dear Editor I have been meaning for many months to add my ‘voice’ to the many tributes to Christopher Steane. After more than 40 years, his influence and memory remains very strong for me. His charisma, infectious enthusiasm and intelligence sparked a continuing enjoyment for me in history and encouraged me (along with 3 others in the 1967-69 A level cohort) to chose the medieval period for A level which he, along with Roy Cook, taught with delight and excitement. His captivating manner still holds sway and I cannot pass a medieval or pre-historic site without remembering him. He was kind enough to ask me to be a prefect in Beaconsfield when it was a Junior House and consequently I got to know him and his family a little better than other pupils - a great family man. With hindsight, I think I have an understanding of the health problems that plagued him in later years but that were slightly evident at that time. Such was his perception that even in the mid-60s when occasionally he led Morning Chapel he openly recognised (unlike many other staff) that not everyone was able to pray - an honest approach to the doubts in adolescence! Yours sincerely Andrew Creamer
From Michael Foster (1938-46) SUBJECT: D.W.M. Haw Dear Editor Your obituary of D.W.M. Haw lacks some details. He held the Kingswood record for the mile, of 4.40 seconds, which was quite good for those days, when Sydney Wooderson held the British record of about 4.6. He was also the blind side wing forward (in modern parlance, no 6) when Russell Keeley was the open side winger (no 7). I remember bicycling over from Uppingham to Oundle to watch the match between the two schools, which we lost about 27-13, but were not disgraced by any means. I remember Russel Keeley giving away three penalties by attempting to go round the side of the serum to tackle the fly half. Bad luck! The fact was that Spragg, the referee, spotted him! It was one of Bill Sedgley’s best sides, And Oundle were about eight hundred boys strong to our two hundred and seventy. It was the Kingswood tradition to produce all-rounders, and I remember the muscular form of A.M.W. Wenyon (who held the javelin record of 169 feet) playing in the centre, and the stocky form of P.B. Courtney (an excellent shot putter), playing in the forwards. I later met him at Oxford where he got a war-time Blue for rugby. That match was a wonderful exhibition of rugby, because Oundle, who played in white, were the top school in the Midlands, and possibly in England at the time. The team worked like a brilliantly organised machine. I hope that the new sports pavilion will encourage a similar standard one day. Yours sincerely Michael Foster
Kingswood Encircles the Globe We continue to increase our list of KA contacts worldwide. If you could help us expand it further and would like to have your name added as a contact, please email association@kingswood.bath.sch.uk AUSTRALIA: Mark McConnell (1985-89) E. mark@mima.com.au 9 Raleigh Crescent, St Ives, New South Wales 2075 Australia
CANADA (West): John P Romeril (1945-49) E. romeriljma@shaw.ca 9957 Swiftsure Place, Sidney, B.C. V8L 4E3 Canada
FRANCE (North): Bob Kirtley (1954-61) E. bobkirtley@orange.fr 2 Chemin de la Poissonniere, Cinais CHINON 37500, France
HONG KONG: Anna Lam (1994-99) E. anna@flm.com.hk • +852 9844 9405
ITALY: Mary Campbell-Bianchini (1975-77) E. maryhamcam@virgilio.it Via Zoppega 22, 37032 Monteforte D’Alpone, Italy
JAPAN: Chris Dixon (1975-84) 2-13-3 Matsugaoka, Tokorozawa-shi Saitama-ken, 359-1132, Japan
SLOVAKIA: John H Baron (1959-62) E. johnbaron@nextra.sk Krizna 26, 811 07 Bratislava, Slovak Republic Slovakia • Phone/Fax: +421 2 55566741 Mobile: +421 905 986758 • Skype: johnbaron1
UGANDA: Paul Okello Aliker (1982-84) E. poaliker@yahoo.com PO Box 4299, 14 Bukoto Street Kampala, Uganda
UNITED STATES: Colin Mably (1954-60) E. cmably@aol.com 10369 Andrea Lane, La Plata, MARYLAND 20646 United States • Phone: 301 934 2374 Fax: 301 934 0580 • Mobile: 301 404 8718
Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 52
Exec Committee
Kingswood Association Executive Committee 2012- 2013
President: Sarah Beresford-Smith (1986)
Chairman: Jeremy Wimpress (1976)
Treasurer: Charles Gerrish (1969)
Headmaster: Simon Morris (2008 to date)
KA representative to the Governing Body: Paul Baines (1990)
Treasurer of the Trust: David Smith (1953)
Former President: Robert Sandry (1965)
Director of Marketing & Development: Angela Dudley-Warde (ex-officio) (1999 to date)
Elected members of the Executive Committee (Max 12) Retiring in 2013
David Hunter (1993)
Robin Lewis (Staff 1975-92)
Nick Turner (1981)
Retiring in 2014
Joanne Raisbeck, nĂŠe Kelly (1999) Tony Haines (Staff 1971-2012)
Tim Westbrook (1965)
Retiring in 2015
Robert Forster (1975) 53 / Kingswood Association News: Edition 9
Chester Lewis (2012)
John Lewis (1956)
Jeremy Wimpress (1976)
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KINGSWOOD Tributes II TRIBUTES TO THOSE STAFF WHOSE SERVICE TO THE SCHOOL EXTENDED TO 24 YEARS OR MORE
This volume is a reprint of published KINGSWOOD A Tribute II tributes to 46 long serving KS staff, teaching and non-teaching, who retired between 1950 and 2012. (It is a companion volume to KINGSWOOD: A Tribute*)
£16.00 (+ £2.00 p&p) 128 pages in A5 format, perfect bound with colour pictures. Published December 2012. A4 format also available with larger print @ £21 (+ £3 p&p) • 3 Whole Staff photos (Headmasters Creed, Campbell and Best). • 3 Pages summarising, with dates, the changes and developments at Kingswood from the 1920s up to the present day. • Items presented in chronological order of the subject’s arrival, also with an alphabetical index including authors. Those included are: JCA RA THA UKB FEB AMB VMB DKB RMB RAC JPHC MRC MJC MDC PJD KD JDE PJE FBF PCG AEH PJH GCH RAK JRK-P JCK JCFK RJL DFM FGM WBM PWP HRS AJPS CS NRT RW AB CB JB KH E&RJ BL HM HW *KINGSWOOD A Tribute, published 1977 - now out of print Those included are: FSC EWE ACT JHB RWT FRM HB DSM WNS GHS ADJM FJT WBM PHA ADR JAS JWG EPA BK Order your copy from “KS Tribute II”, Kingswood Association, Kingswood School, Bath BA1 5RG. Alternatively, email association@kingswood.bath.sch.uk or phone 01225 734283
Kingswood Tributes II... ...follows from the first volume (published in 1977) and includes members of staff whose service to the school was completed between 1950 and 2012. As with the first book both teaching and non-teaching staff are included and, as the cover notes reveal, the forty six men and women in the book have given combined service of over 1400 years to Kingswood School. Originally it had been John Allison’s intention to work on this project as one of many retirement plans. Sadly, John’s untimely passing meant that he was unable to undertake this endeavour but John Lewis has ably stepped in to see this through to successful publication. For anybody who was at Kingswood during these years this is a treasure trove of memories of much loved characters and often inspirational teachers. Full of photographs and additional information this is a publication that one starts to browse and will end up reading from cover to cover. Forgotten faces and events come back to life and memories flow from every page. A very fitting tribute to people who have given great service and about whom the reader will love to be reminded. Gordon Opie (1976-81) Housemaster (1998-2009) and Kingswood Deputy Head (2009 to date)
Kingswood Association News: Edition 9 / 54
Kingswood Association - Coming Events 2013 MJSD DINING CLUB
LONDON RECEPTION
7.00pm for 7.30pm Join other members of the Kingswood Association and guests, every quarter, for a meal in the School Dining Hall.
Thursday 6th June 2013
Fri 14th June • Fri 13th Sept • Fri 6th Dec ‘Friendship, Fellowship and Fun’
6.30pm to 8.00pm East India Club, St. James’s Square, London SW1Y 4LB For details phone 01225 734283 or email association@kingswood.bath.sch.uk
For further information phone 01225 734283 or email association@kingswood.bath.sch.uk
35th ORIENTEERING CHALLENGE Sunday 28th April 2013
School v KS Navigators at Stourhead, Frome, Somerset [ST 745 350] BA10 0JZ 2012 Result: School 853, Navigators 784 (10-a-side) Contact: 01225 859776 - everyone welcome
ASSOCIATION DAY 21st September 2013 Kingswood School Coffee • AGM • Lunch • Tours • Sport Tea • Service • Supper For further information phone 01225 734283 or email association@kingswood.bath.sch.uk
OXFORD LUNCH
EXETER LUNCH
Saturday 27th April 2013
Friday 27th September 2013
12.15pm for 1.00pm St Hilda’s College, Cowley Place, Oxford OX4 1DY
12.15pm for 1.00pm We return to the Exeter Golf & Country Club, EX2 7AE
For further information phone 01225 734283 or email association@kingswood.bath.sch.uk
GOLF DAY & DINNER Friday 17th May 2013
For further information please contact Colin Lomax on 01392 877140
CAMBRIDGE REUNION (Provisional)
Cumberwell Park, Bradford-on-Avon Wiltshire BA15 2PQ
Saturday 19th October 2013
SOUTH WEST LUNCH
For further information phone 01225 734283 or email association@kingswood.bath.sch.uk
Saturday 18th May 2013
Venue TBC
Kingswood School Upper Pavilion
HONG KONG REUNION 2013
For further information phone 01225 734283 or email association@kingswood.bath.sch.uk
October 2013 Further details TBA
To find our more about former friends and to get the latest news items visit our website
http://www.kingswood.bath.sch.uk/old-kingswoodians/ From there log on to Connections @ Kingswood and search on names, dates, locations and even universities attended to find your friends. You can even see what events are planned, who is attending and book your place.