OKS Magazine - Autumn 2023

THE CHARTER AWARDS Learn about our new ambitious bursary fundraising campaign AN OKS TRIO Three leavers from 1975 reflect on their life and friendship post-King’s

THE MAGAZINE OF THE OKS ASSOCIATION • № 12 • Autumn 2023

From King’s to Coronation Colonel Jeremy Bagshaw CBE (BR 1980-85) on his military career

LIKE A DUCK TO WATER Sophie Nichols on life as a dairy farmer in New Zealand

OKS MAGAZINE • № 12 • Autumn 2023

From the OKS Office

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e have many events coming up, starting with OKS Christmas Drinks on 7 December at the Cavalry and Guards Club in London.

This event is free and for all year groups, so please book a ticket via the King’s School Box Office and come along. On the sports front, the Boat Club Dinner and OKS Fencing Challenge return in January.

It has been wonderful to welcome so many OKS back to King’s this year. A highlight was showing a group of 1991 leavers around the School including a tour of Walpole House. It is always good fun when OKS visitors spot themselves in the photos in the house hallways! In September, we had one of our busiest weekends ever with four large group visits.

For those who were in Linacre House, we look forward to seeing you at the Linacre reunion on 8 June 2024 for drinks and lunch.

You will have the opportunity to tour the house, look at old house photos and see the completed renovations. Make sure you are on our e-mailing list, where we will send more information soon.

You can book a visit by emailing us or visiting oks.org.uk/visits

Molly Burgess

From the OKS President

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Cover: Jeremy Bagshaw CBE during the CCF inspection in May 2023 Photo: Tom Lawrence

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y fellow OKS, with Christmas rapidly approaching, I welcome you all to the Autumn issue of our OKS Magazine. We were delighted to have our new Head Jude Lowson join us in September and wish her every success.

her life as a dairy farmer in New Zealand. And digging deeper into OKS history, Charles Pout and James Lawrence exemplify the “Follies and Absurdities of a Country Town” in the early 19th century.

On 10 October, at the Mansion House in London, Jude hosted the formal launch of the Charter Awards Bursary Scheme. 180 OKS, parents and friends of the School attended to hear in person how this exciting new bursary initiative will, in the coming years, fund 50 places for pupils from socially and financially disadvantaged backgrounds, at up to 110% of the fees.

I look forward to seeing many of you at the OKS Christmas Drinks on 7 December at the Cavalry and Guards Club.

David Peters

In this issue we also look back at the various involvements of the School in previous Coronations, including that of our new King, Charles lll. Colonel Jeremy Bagshaw CBE (BR 1980-85) reflects on his life as a career soldier.

Sophie Nichols, (WL 2009-2014), writes on OKS

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In this issue From the Head

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am delighted to have taken up the post of Head at King’s this term, and I have been so struck by the warmth of the welcome that has been offered to me as I joined this wonderful school.

It has been such a joy to begin to get to know pupils, staff and the wider community and to immerse myself in the life of this school – from witnessing my first House Song in the Shirley Hall to running in my first House Cross Country at Birley’s. Having moved from South London, I am not sure I will ever take for granted the pleasures of my new commute: a short but breathtakingly beautiful walk across the precincts through the dark entry and the Green Court. With the landscaping around the new science block now completed, the site as a whole is looking quite superb and the new building has settled perfectly alongside its more historic neighbours. Pupils have been thrilled to be able to take advantage of this fabulous new facility, with state of the art laboratories and light, airy spaces for learning. We look forward to the formal opening of the new building in April 2024.

There have been many highlights in this first half term, but it was a particular privilege to launch the Charter Awards Scheme, which seeks to raise funds for an endowment which will enable the school to fund 50 full bursaries for talented pupils from financially disadvantaged backgrounds. I have witnessed this term the remarkable opportunities and transformative education on offer at King’s, and this campaign will place these opportunities within reach of brilliant pupils who would not otherwise be able to take advantage of them. I am enormously grateful to all those who have already leant their support to this campaign.

It was a real pleasure to meet some OKS at the launch evening, and I do look forward to meeting more OKS at forthcoming events.

Jude Lowson OKS

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8, 12, 16 & 22 Features: Lifelong friendships, a military man and a banking career 4 News from King’s: New Head, Mint Yard revival and Reconciled Voices 6 Development News: The Charter Awards 10 Events: Dates for your diary 14 OKS Overseas: OKS on life abroad 20 OKS Network: Visits and university Q&A 24 OKS Update: News of OKS worldwide 34 Unknown OKS: Follies and Absurdities 36 Lives Remembered: Obituaries 52 Sport: OKS sailors take to the seas

We want to hear your news and so do your fellow OKS. Fill in the form on the address sheet or contact Molly Burgess. telephone 01227 595669 email oks@kings-school.co.uk website www.oks.org.uk facebook.com/groups/oksassociation twitter.com/OKSAssociation linkedin.com/groups/35681 instagram.com/oksassociation The OKS Magazine is produced by an editorial committee chaired by Felicity Lyons (SH 1975-77). The Executive Editor is Molly Burgess (OKS Coordinator) who is assisted by Associate Editor Stephen Woodley (CR 196998), Peter Henderson (School Archivist, CR 1969-) and Susan Tingle (Deputy Director of Development). Unless otherwise credited, photographs are by Matt McArdle, the contributors, or from the school archives. The magazine is designed by Nick Ebdon (nickebdon.co.uk).

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News from King’s ADMITTO TE Jude Lowson was formally installed as Head at Evensong on Sunday 17 September. She had been interviewed by the Kentish Gazette in August and spoke, among other things, of the importance of increasing bursary provision, of playing a positive role in the community especially working with local schools, and of the commitment to academic excellence alongside co-curricular excellence. Liz Worthington, after her year as Acting Head, resumes as Senior Deputy Head, responsible for events and the day to day running of the school.

THE MINT YARD REDIVIVUS A hundred years ago the Mint Yard was an asphalt courtyard. It was turfed in 1936 with Hugh Walpole generously paying for it. For several years it has been filled with builders’ sheds, but these have finally gone now that the new science block with its laboratories and multi-purpose auditorium is up and running.

The grass has returned and the quadrangle has reverted to once-familiar normality. Work on 4

upgrading the rest of the laboratories is nearing completion and an official opening is scheduled for April 2024. Lattergate and the (old) Grange have had some necessary repairs and even the telephone box outside the Mint Yard Gate has been given a new coat of paint.

THIS AND THAT This summer’s A level results saw the 6a leavers secure 21% A* grades, 53% A* and A and 80% A*, A and B. These results are very similar to the pre-pandemic results of 2018 and 2019. At GCSE there were 28% grade 9s, 52% grades 8 and 9 and 76% grades 7-9. These are better than the pre-pandemic and 2022 results. All in all this was a significant achievement in the light of the national resetting of grading standards.

At the Home International Regatta in July, Poppy Brooke Turner and Tabitha Butterfill represented England. They won the Junior Women’s pair and then rowed in the winning VIII. Kai Smith scored 187 from 106 balls for the 1st OKS

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NEWS FROM KING’S

Photos, clockwise from top-left: Jude Lowson; the Mint Yard revival; Nikki Ridley

XI out of a total of 323-5 against Sutton Valence.

This is the highest individual innings since the amazing 189 not out against Dulwich in 1980 by Chris Smith (LN/BR 1976-80), who scored his runs out of 223 while he was at the wicket.

Linacre House now looks sparklingly bright after extensive refurbishment both external – including the restoration of a once bricked-up window – and internal. A new kitchen comes alongside careful redecoration and modernisation throughout the house.

The Crypt Choir has released an album on Spotify and YouTube music. ‘Reconciled Voices’ is a depiction of the journey from the musical isolation of lockdown to the joy of singing together and features a new work by Annalise Roy: ‘I Reach to Reconcile Us’. It is hoped to have a vinyl edition available before Christmas.

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The King’s School, Vattanacville in Cambodia opened to children aged three to eight (Pre-Prep and Prep) on 16 August. Staff from Canterbury have been closely involved in the establishment of this school, which occupies an impressive site.

FROM THE COMMON ROOM Alanna Fraser leaves, for family reasons, after three stints at the School: as a pupil 1991-96 and as a member of the Religious Studies and Philosophy Department 2001-02 and 2010-23.

Head of Biology Elizabeth Lockwood retires and is succeeded by Helen Vaughan. Other leavers include Zoe Allen, Rebekah Beattie (Head of Drama) and Lilla Grindlay (Head of English). Rebekah Frances takes over Drama and Oliver Ridley takes over from Lilla, who is now Deputy Head Academic at Rugby School Thailand. James Outram has stepped down as Registrar and returned to the classroom. The new Director of Admissions is Edward Gibson.

Amanda Young has completed her 12 years as housemistress of Walpole and Nikki Ridley joins the staff as her successor.

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Development News

The launch of the Charter Awards Funding 50 full bursaries, forever On Tuesday 10 October, we launched our new bursary campaign, the Charter Awards.

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ing’s was delighted to launch our new bursary campaign on Tuesday 10th October at the Mansion House in London, hosted

by The Lord Mayor and The Lady Mayoress, Alderman Nicholas and Mrs Felicity Lyons (both former OKS Presidents and Junior and Senior King’s parents).

This event marked the beginning of a long and ambitious fundraising campaign which aims to increase the King’s endowment fund to £50million by the 500th anniversary of the School’s Charter, thereafter permanently providing 50 deserving pupils with full fees bursaries. This ambition reflects the original School mission of being able to support the education of deserving children, regardless of their family circumstances, and preserves the ethos of inclusivity marked by our first 50 King’s scholars in 1541. The launch of these awards means that, by 2041, 5% of our pupil body will be receiving a free education. These awards will not only provide for life changing opportunities for the recipients, but further enrich the educational experiences of all our pupils.

On the evening of the launch, we were joined in the Old Ballroom by almost 180 friends of the School including many OKS, parents, past parents and staff, as well as our Captain of School Liza and Vice-Captain Minty. Also in attendance were the Dean of Canterbury, The Very Reverend Dr David Monteith, and the Bishop of Dover, The Rt Reverend Rose Hudson-Wilkin.

The welcome speech by The Lord Mayor was followed by an introduction to the awards by new Head of the School, Jude Lowson, who reflected “It is my goal that these bursaries will reinforce the inclusive and aspirational nature of King’s, where success is a product of ability, belief, hard work, determination, and not of social or economic background, and where the ambitions of our pupils are limitless.” Ali Henderson, CEO

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of the Royal National Childrens Springboard Foundation, working with King’s on this initiative, explained the impact these bursaries have on overcoming challenging circumstances and addressing social mobility in some of the UK’s poorest communities, and how they can be transformative in helping children and young people to redefine their futures. In her speech, Ali said “We are delighted to be working in partnership with The King’s School, Canterbury to ensure that many more children facing challenging circumstances can access the lifetransformative opportunities that an education at King’s provides.” The final speech came from OKS Jake Werth, who received a bursary from King’s and has gone on to achieve his ambition of training to be a commercial lawyer, something he reflects he would never have been able to achieve without the support he was given.

To all those who have already leant or pledged their support to this campaign, we are enormously grateful. Whilst our ambition to raise £50 million is an epic and long term one, every single contribution moves us closer to this, and with wide participation from all parts of the King’s community, we can not only reach this goal and potentially reach it sooner, but we can start to provide more bursaries and support for children who stand to gain immeasurably from the generosity of our community.

Indeed small, regular donations collectively can make a huge difference. For example, it only takes 30 OKS each giving £15 per month for five years, after Gift Aid, to give the opportunity of fully funded music tuition for one pupil.

To support us and be part of someone’s story, please visit kings-school.co.uk/supportus or scan the QR code opposite. Alternatively, please do get in touch with Jenny on j.grant@kings-school. co.uk or Bryony on b.dutta@kings-school.co.uk who will be delighted to chat with you.

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DEVELOPMENT NEWS

OUR GOAL

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Increase the number of full bursary places to 50 by 2041

5%

5% of the pupil body will receive a full bursary

£50m

Fund 50 full-fees bursaries forever by increasing the King’s endowment to £50m

£3m

Launch the Awards by raising £3m in the first 3 years

A bursary allows you to dream about being someone different.

It’s the idea that the sky is the limit, or not even the limit.

— Annabel King’s Bursary Recipient 2005-2010

Top: Charter Awards launch event

Scan me to make a donation

Middle, left to right: Stephen Barlow, Joanna Lumley, The Lord Mayor Nicholas Lyons, The Lady Mayoress Felicity Lyons and Sir Charles Haddon-Cave Bottom: Jude Lowson gives a speech

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OKS FEATURE

From King’s to Coronation And a military life in between Colonel Jeremy Bagshaw CBE (BR 1980-85) on his military career.

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arlier this summer, I was delighted to find myself accompanying Maj Gen Marc Overton (BR 1983-88) as he inspected the School’s CCF. I have had little contact with the school since I left in 1985 – somehow failing to become an OKS although I did enjoy one reunion a number of years ago. While the window through which I re-visited the school was chatting at length with some very engaging Removes – all seemingly very happy to be damp, to be running around Mereworth Woods and politely enduring our endless reminiscing – I was left feeling that despite the inevitable need to adapt over the last 40 or so years, all was clearly rosy at King’s.

We were looked after terribly well by Alistair Goddard (CCF Contingent CO) who had arranged things beautifully and were also very fortunate to meet the Head, Mrs Liz Worthington, and the Deputy, Mr Greg Hunter. The last Head I spoke to at King’s was Canon Peter Pilkington who was also my A Level History teacher and a man I remember extremely fondly. It’s always fascinating to chat to 8

a Head when you have no vested interest. Schools are all about people and so is the Army and as such there are so many parallels: institutional, promoting potential, collective endeavour, ethos, excellence and even OFSTED.

A career that provides a wealth of opportunity

On the back of our visit the School very kindly welcomed me into the OKS fold which was a lovely surprise. The price was an article which I was hardly in a position to decline. Actually, it comes at a time when I am in the final months of 33 years’ service in the Army and naturally reflecting on a multifarious career which began at the latter end of the Cold War, included counter-terrorism operations in Northern Ireland, civil war in the Balkans and war on the fringes of Europe, the campaigning years in Iraq and Afghanistan, a return to counterinsurgency with capacity building in Nigeria and West Africa, military support to the COVID 19 response in London, and ended in a ceremonial whirlwind with a central role in the planning and execution of two State Funerals, a Jubilee and a Coronation.

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OKS FEATURE

It’s hard to believe that any other career could have provided such a range of experiences and associated challenge, humour (much rather black), humility, thrill, misery, pride and at times great sadness; the world at its very worst but also its very best. Local staff emerging from their ‘homes’ amongst the rubble moonscape in Gornji Vakuf and the effort their counterparts in Sarajevo made to maintain appearances and some sense of normality/civilisation despite no electricity, running water or soap – just pride and equal measures of resilience spurring them on; flying at what feels like four feet off the ground in a Chinook helicopter; climbing steeply in an US Marine Corps Osprey all ‘tooled up’ with somewhere to go (still fun even at 56); feeling helpless while confined to my cabin and strapped into my bunk in monumental seas (to me anyway) in the South Atlantic; the euphoria post firefight – you’ve come out on top and you’re all unhurt; the suffocating silence of an ops room as it becomes clear there are casualties and dead on the ground; Kayode (K2), part of my Nigerian team, and his OKS

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Left: Jeremy at the CCF inspection in May 2023 Right: Jeremy with the Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace

Above: Jeremy at King Charles III’s coronation wearing the bearskin behind the Gold State Coach

near obsession with American Country Music and in particular Dolly Parton (I have a four hour playlist of such for our trips from Abuja to Makurdi – now there is a feat of endurance); competing in my own individual rodeo during the Coronation procession; the spring in my step when the band strikes up Milanollo; the pride, surprising emotion and eeriness of awaiting the arrival of the coffin of Her Majesty in Buckingham Palace Quadrangle – the helicopter noise, muted applause of the crowd and the headlights providing the only warning; the joy of seeing your family again, even if the two year old needs bribing with sweets to come near you. Fabulous, shaping, rewarding and humbling are words that spring to mind but none really do it justice.

I don’t pretend that my career has been any more exciting than many others before or after me (in fact I am constantly in awe of my comrades’ exploits) but it is broadly representative of anyone who has served in the military; and it continues to be. It’s still a career, short or long, that provides a wealth of opportunity for those who embark on it. As I welcomed three young officers into the Coldstream Guards following the Sovereign’s Parade at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst – all bursting with energy, ambition and not a little pride – I couldn’t help feeling a little envious about what lay ahead of them: the privilege of leading young men and women into and out of tight spots, with ‘your hair on fire’, of making a difference and lastly the sheer breadth of what they will encounter. Lucky them.

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Events OKS Evensong

fond memories for more recent leavers, as the Song School is now the home of the Crypt Choir.

OKS Evensong took place on Saturday 25 March.

Jess Cooling (HH 2014-16) reports.

We started with Bruckner’s Locus Iste, which was coincidentally the first piece of music I ever sang in the Song School. As a short unaccompanied piece, Locus Iste is somewhat challenging for a new choir, requiring impeccable tuning, ensemble, and diction. Under Stephen’s guidance, and suggested listening of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7, we found our feet and set the tone for what would go on to be a wonderful day of music making. Howell’s Collegium Regale was a welcome addition to the day, showcasing the organ and voices equally, with a tenor solo bravely undertaken by recent leaver Elliot Hampton. Rehearsing Smith’s Preces and Responses resulted in a rather lengthy discussion about “in” or “on” and “them” or “those” for the Lord’s Prayer, which ultimately could not be resolved and ended in a lunch break!

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n saturday 25th March, around 40 singers descended on Canterbury for the OKS Evensong. As the first OKS service post-pandemic, it was wonderful to have such a variety of attendees, ranging from pupils from the 1960s, to current students and most recent leavers. We were conducted by Stephen Barlow, and accompanied by organist Stuart Whatton, with rehearsal accompanying from Dr Christopher Tinker and Will Bersey, current Head of Music at King’s.

Stephen’s expertise, attained through his usual conducting of professional choirs, orchestras, and opera companies, is second-to-none, and proved to be invaluable when turning this group of old and new friends into a choir. Morning rehearsals in the Edred Wright Music School held

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After enjoying some brilliant food provided

by King’s Catering, we continued rehearsing OKS

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Upcoming Events Reunions, lunches, sporting competitions and more! Take a look at our upcoming OKS events for 2023/24 — we hope to see you soon.

December OKS CHRISTMAS DRINKS Thursday 7 December 2023 Cavalry and Guards, London, W1J 7PX

January BOAT CLUB DINNER Saturday 13 January 2024 Birley’s Pavilion, Canterbury

OKS FENCING CHALLENGE Saturday 20 January 2024 Malthouse Fencing Hall, Canterbury

March WALPOLE LEAP YEAR LUNCH Saturday 2 March 2024 The King’s School, Canterbury in the Song School before heading over to the Cathedral. The service took place in the Quire, with a large congregation present both in person and online via livestream. As it was a Special Service for The Annunciation of our Lord to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the hymns were sung whilst processing down to the Chapel of Our Lady Undercroft in the Crypt. As we led the congregation in their worship, there was little room for error, so a huge thanks is owed to the Cathedral team for keeping us all on track.

MUSIC LIST: Bruckner: Locus Iste Smith: Preces and Responses Psalm 131 Howells: Collegium Regale Hymn: The first good joy that Mary had (The joys of Mary) Hymn: For Mary, Mother of our Lord (St Botolph) Elgar: Ave Maria

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Left: OKS singers Right: 2023 leavers at the Leavers’ Ball

May LEGACY CLUB LUNCH Sunday 19 May 2024 The King’s School, Canterbury

June LINACRE HOUSE REUNION Saturday 8 June 2024 The King’s School, Canterbury

OKS SUMMER FESTIVAL Saturday 29 June 2024 Birley’s Marquee, Canterbury

To find out more about these events, visit oks.org.uk/events or email Yuliya Campbell: ypc@kings-school.co.uk

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OKS FEATURE

A banking career: strong foundations and good luck!

John Mayne (GR 1977-82) tells us about his career in banking and working as a Managing Director at JP Morgan.

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arrived at King’s Canterbury a term late, in January 1978, having previously failed Common Entrance, and then been dispatched by my parents to a “crammer” for a term. Fortunately, the then Headmaster, Canon Peter Pilkington, took pity on me and told my parents that he “thought he could do something with the boy”! I was lucky.

There was a bit of family history with King’s, in that my grandfather had been a housemaster (Langley House, later Luxmoore). He left shortly after the arrival of the indefatigable Headmaster Canon Shirley. I don’t think they saw eye to eye. My house was The Grange, which in those days was beside the Mint Yard gates, and for the latter half of my time at King’s the housemaster was Stephen Woodley, who was a wonderful housemaster, teacher and mentor. The Grange was in a perfect location: a few paces from the Shirley Hall and the Green Court (summer evening soccer matches), and with carpentry being taught down in the “basement” by the highly talented Mr Anderson (who also taught

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me some choice swear words). One item I made there – a torchère, or tall three-legged stand – was valued by an insurer many years later as “late eighteenth century, French”. It was good, I thought, but not that good!

The beginning was not without its challenges

From King’s I went to Christ Church, Oxford on an Exhibition to read Chemistry. I had been taught Chemistry by amongst others Chris Jackson, and he had inspired me in the subject with his passion and enthusiasm. In addition my maths teacher, Roger “Doc Mal” Mallion was (and is) an accomplished chemist, and he also thought the subject would suit me.

So how did I end up in investment banking?

Whilst I enjoyed studying Chemistry, the great thing about our education system, still, is that a degree does not have to be a vocation. In 1987 banking was an industry that had a very high profile for undergraduates, in part because of the then buoyant financial markets, and was a popular career choice. I was lucky that, because Chemistry was a four year degree, I knew many who had OKS

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OKS FEATURE

started in banking a year before I finished, so could give their perspective, warts and all.

When I joined JPMorgan, it was seen to be the blue-blooded US investment bank – AAA rated, a highly prestigious client base, and with a motto of “first class business, in a first class way” – a strapline that we still use, and believe in, today.

And I loved it. However, the beginning was not without its challenges. I started on Monday 12th October 1987. On Thursday night there was “The Great Storm” that caused huge damage across the UK (and was immortalised by Michael Fish, the weather presenter, who said on TV earlier that evening “there’s no hurricane coming, but it will be very windy in Spain”). In fact I got into the office the following day relatively easily, but the City was a ghost town. And then Monday 19th was Black Monday, when markets collapsed in part as a reaction to the bull-run that had been running for several years. It took two years for stocks to recover. And many banks fired their recent hires.

Again I was lucky that JPMorgan did not do so.

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Left: John and his wife, Alison Right: John and his family Below: the torchère John made whilst at King’s

Having had various junior roles, I joined Debt Capital Markets (DCM) in the UK team. This role involved advising companies on topics such as appropriate capital structure, quantum of debt, risk management and so on, as well as helping them raise debt capital, as and when appropriate. As time moved on, I looked after our UK business, and then became co-head of our European Corporate DCM franchise. I loved the mix of getting to know clients, understanding their opportunities and challenges, being trusted by them to do the right thing, and hopefully becoming their “go-to” banker. And internally, by that stage, I was running quite a sizeable JPMorgan team, which again was something I really enjoyed.

Between 2000 and 2010 there was quite a lot of change: a merger with Chase Bank in 2000, and then a Joint Venture (JV) with Cazenove in 2005 – a business that I joined, running our debt franchise, and sitting on the Operating Committee helping to run the JV. It was a huge success: we were lucky that the market backdrop was strong, but, simply put, the combination of JPMorgan’s range of relationships, products and balance sheet and Cazenove’s broking franchise and deep UK client relationships was formidable.

As I look back, King’s, in many ways, helped to define me. It instilled a self-confidence and independent spirit in me. That foundation was built upon at university and then work, and also obviously by my family (my wife, Alison, and four children Charlie, Sophie, Sarah and Hugo – a banker, doctor, teacher and student). But King’s helped to light the touch-paper.

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OKS Overseas From Canterbury, UK to Canterbury, NZ Sophie Nichols (WL 2009-14) on life as a dairy farmer in New Zealand. airy farming in rural New Zealand is not exactly where I envisioned my future when leaving King’s (or even University) but having lived here for the last five years I could not see myself anywhere else. After completing an Animal Science BSc at Nottingham University in 2018, my parents encouraged me to pursue veterinary medicine. Without much farming experience, I decided six months on a dairy farm in NZ should set me up well for an application.

Primarily using the knowledge from my degree, I took to farming like a duck to water. I was guided and trained by my (now) fiancé, Tom, who was in his first season contract milking the farm for his grandparents (the farm owners), we worked, lived and grew his company together. Then I was able to apply for residency in NZ and join his company as a shareholder.

After I’d become a resident, Tom’s grandparents offered us the opportunity to buy half of the cows to go sharemilking: a huge growth prospect for our company, expanding our potential income and assets.

Once I moved to Culverden, in the region of Canterbury (the irony), I quickly

Currently, we are in our sixth season on farm, and our third season sharemilking

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realised that dairy farming was where I belonged: rearing 450-500 heifer calves in a spring calving pastural system across 800 hectares. We milk 1,650 Friesian x Jersey cows through two rotary dairy sheds with six full-time staff members.

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OKS OVERSEAS

Photos, clockwise from top-left: the farm Sophie works at in New Zealand; a dairy cow; SeanMun Liang at King’s in 1977; Sophie Nichols holding a calf

and we hope to be able to buy into farmland in the future when Tom’s grandparents want to step away from farming.

When I moved to NZ, I felt at home. The safety and security I feel within my rural community is unmatched to anywhere I have ever lived before. Along with the mountainous views from our living

Plunging headfirst into a different world Sean-Mun Liang (GR 1977-79) on life abroad before and after King’s.

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any students have lived all over the world after leaving King’s. I am no different and have had the privilege of living on three different continents. But I want to talk about a different period, specifically before coming to King’s.

My parents come from very different parts of the world (China and Switzerland), and both emigrated to Canada where I was born. We moved quite a few times but always between Montreal and Ottawa. Growing up and going to school in Canada meant I followed the local system, and this inculcated a rather definite world view. This view was extremely inward looking and thus limited in scope.

Within this environment, my initial aspirations as a young teenager were very much limited to Canada. I would do my schooling there, get a job and live happily ever after without bothering too much about the rest of the world. I certainly wouldn’t learn another language. This setup was irrevocably shattered when we moved to Vienna in the mid-70s. I felt like a fish out of water, and this was

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room, you would be hard-pressed to beat, both in the green summer months and the snowcapped winter months.

As I reflect across the nine years since I left King’s, I truly cannot believe where I am today and occasionally, I find myself saying: ‘Wow, I really couldn’t live in a more beautiful place’.

exacerbated further by changing school systems more than once and, quite naturally, in the middle of the school year. Not ideal.

I’m still slightly mystified how I managed to be accepted at King’s. Could I have impressed Headmaster Pilkington that much? I don’t think so. But it seems I knocked the IQ test out of the park so perhaps that was why they let me in, after essentially parachuting into the UK on a wing and a prayer in hopes of finding a good school.

And it was indeed a good school. The teaching was simply superb, and I learned more in my two years at the school than I could have imagined.

There was also the question of acclimatising to a totally new way of life. Having a rather rambunctious personality, it took perhaps a little longer to not only adjust but also to be accepted by all and sundry. In fact, I felt many doors were opening as I approached the end of my time, and a third year would no doubt have brought me closer to many more people. It was a defining period before I was let loose on the world, and I am very thankful to have been given this opportunity. What a change from my rather narrow-minded past.

This broadening of my horizons has stood me in good stead and led to our extended family being even more international. My wife hails from Finland, our three children are second generation third culture kids (now all grown up) and with their spouses, we now have further connections to other countries including Hungary, Iceland, the UK and Ukraine. Diversity is the spice of life!

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OKS FEATURE

Enduring friendships, different paths James MacBain (WL 1970-75), Andrew Newell (WL 1970-75) and Paul Girling (WL 1971-75) reflect on their friendship and lives 48 years since leaving King’s.

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o, what is it about school friendships that endure in spite of all the other stuff in life? Does it matter and why on earth are three of us sticking our heads above the OKS parapet after all these years to write about it? Probably not. The prosaic answer is that we all turned 66 in 2023 and the last of us lost their final parent this year.

The one who had recently lost the parent decided that it would be good to meet up again with two old school friends, one at a time, after far too long a break, latterly exacerbated by the Pandemic.

We, like many, just fall into that “I wondered what ever happened to so and so” category…

Sometimes we might be informed through the OKS Magazine, the grapevine, the media or never at all, just left with those imprints of a very distant past, wondering if the eventual trajectory of ‘so and so’ was that which we imagined. Only one way to find out!

The ‘We’ comprises Paul Girling, Andrew Newell and James MacBain. We emerged relatively 16

unscathed from Walpole in 1975, including surviving several 6th form terms spent in three hideous End Along studies – the name says it all.

We all agree that King’s provided a uniquely immersive environment

We were not a group of three, if anything more Infamous Three than Famous Five. Nevertheless we shared much together. We had each attempted to do reasonably well at school sport (cricket, rugby, cross-country running, squash and rowing) – the old axiom being that to survive in a boarding school in the 1970s, it helped to be good at something. In James’ case the delight in being able to sit down to a sport facing away from the direction of travel whilst pulling a lump of wood through the water – glorious cussedness yet done in perfect (!) synchronicity with the others in the boat and all without having to go anywhere near a ball. Does the choice of sport give an insight into a person’s character and likely choices in life? School level sporting commitments perversely allowed us space to pursue other interests too, beyond the obvious.

Music, drama, school archives, Canterbury pubs, we all had our specialties. King’s was OKS

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OKS FEATURE

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OKS FEATURE

None of us has a public profile. We did not set out on clear career paths. Paul moved through tourism promotion in Europe, to corporate event management, running his own companies in that field. Andrew worked in publishing, followed by investment management in Australasia and then established his own companies, primarily concerned with medical instruments. James tried all too many things, eventually working for small international development charities before a lengthy stint in the international administration end of three UK universities before going on to run several small and varied UK charities. Our career choices could not have been more different. Though James and Andrew stayed more consistently in touch, James and Paul had lost touch for a number of years. good, even back then, at offering a wide range of opportunities within the school environment and being tolerant of those not interested in the CCF… Not all of us are destined for First Colours or Oxbridge.

The immediate aftermath of school saw us go variously to the University of Oxford, into the world of work, and to the University of Zimbabwe.

Initially post-school, we stayed in touch.

Paul was a generous host to visits by James as far afield as Switzerland, Norfolk and London. Andrew was equally generous and tolerant in sharing his London accommodation with James over protracted periods with side trips to the Peak District and to Zimbabwe. A theme seems to have emerged of an itinerant James.

Inevitably in time our paths crossed increasingly less frequently, due to geographic location as well as other commitments and relationships developing in our own lives. Between us we can claim to have studied, lived or worked as far afield as Europe, Hong Kong, Australia, the Caribbean, New Zealand and East and Southern Africa. Eventually we settled with partners and between us we are responsible for six offspring, with one of us a godfather to one of the six.

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Previous page, from top to bottom right: Andrew Newell fishing in 1973; James MacBain and Paul Girling with James’ mother on Speech Day 1975; James MacBain at the Lake District 1973 This page, top to bottom: James and Paul in London 2023; James and Andrew in London 2023

Which brings us back to those two London lunches in the spring this year. What stood out were the ease of meeting again, the instant rapport, the shared experiences and the laughter – the restorative joy of lasting friendship, despite the odd differences of opinion! More outings are planned this autumn for the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

None of us are particularly clubbable, and whilst we come at the world from different angles, we all agree that King’s provided that uniquely immersive environment for very different characters to meet and form lasting friendships and learn to appreciate those differences.

And as we go through life, we also see that ‘serendipity’ plays a very big part, just as King’s did. Now that the embers have been fanned over a glass or two, we shall, as with all true friendships, just pick up where we left off: the Summer of 1975 when the West Indies beat Australia in the first ever Cricket World Cup, the average cost of a house was £16,980, Labour were in Government and a pint of beer cost 28p (or £1.80 allowing for inflation). Happy Days!

It would be nice to know how other friendships have fared.

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CELEBRATE BUSINESS AT THE PLACE THAT ONCE INSPIRED YOU…

Business at a place with history OKS receive a discount when booking a corporate event at The King’s School Arrange a show-round today by contacting us at events@kings-school.co.uk www.thekingsschooleventvenues.co.uk St Augustine’s, The Malthouse, Birley’s, Junior King’s School

OKS Network University Q&A

freshers’ week, peer pressure and mental health support at university.

O

After the Q&A session, Al Holland, Julian Károlyi (Head of University Admissions and Careers) and the panelists were treated to lunch at the Millers Arms and enjoyed hearing what each other had been up to since leaving King’s.

n wednesday 28 June, one day before King’s Week, five OKS returned to King’s to share their experience of university life. These OKS were: Joshua Platt, studying Law at Oxford; Finn Mullen, studying Biomedical Sciences at Queen Mary London; Ethan Beckett, studying Language, Culture and Society at London School of Economics; Duoya Li, studying French and Beginners German at Oxford; and Abigail Riggs, studying Mechanical Engineering at Durham.

The Q&A session was held inside the Green Court marquee and over 100 6b pupils filled the marquee to ask questions and learn about what university is really like. Al Holland, Head of Sixth Form, expertly led the Q&A session which included pupil questions “How has the cost-ofliving crisis affected your university experience?”

“What happens if I miss a deadline?” and “What is the best way to make friends?” There was also a refreshing and honest conversation on

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Thank you to our panelists for taking time to share their wisdom with 6b pupils!

NEW UNIVERSITY REPS Lottie Károlyi (MT 2017-22): St Andrews Alex Stokes (SH 2016-21): Exeter Jasper Williams (LN 2017-22): Newcastle Emily Cooper (LX 2017-22): United States To contact an OKS university rep, please visit oks.org.uk/your-reps

OKS

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OKS NETWORK

OKS Visits Over the last few months, we have welcomed many OKS across the world back to King’s. ① 1991 LEAVERS Cassie Dummett, Rachel Lewin, Matilda Mitchell, Laura Singer, Briony Widdis, Katherine Turnbull, Lucy Cavendish, Sarah Williams, Sarah Jackson and Kate Jackson came back to King’s on 7 April 2023. They spent the weekend together in Canterbury and toured the School, sharing many happy memories with our OKS Coordinator. ② 1985 LEAVERS Rodney Bysh and Paul Chantry reunited with Adekeye Adebajo after 30 years and enjoyed a tour of the School including a visit inside Walpole House. With thanks to Karen, Walpole Matron. ③ 1993 LEAVERS On Saturday 30 September, a group of 1993 leavers returned to King’s to celebrate 30 years since leaving. The group were: Andrew Waddell, Jasper Gale, Julian Tydeman, Sanam Shah, Chris Creisson, Matt Odgers, Phil Aldrick, Matt Belliere, Duncan Salmon, Neil Cole, Andrew Groves, Lucy Phillips, Jess Bertram, Bev Saunders and Kate Curtis.

Kate said: “We had the most superb time visiting OKS

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Opposite page: Joshua Platt, Abigail Riggs, Ethan Beckett, Finn Mullen and Duoya Li

King’s, including a tour of School House. We were also invited into Walpole House – it was brilliant to run down the staircase once again and reminisce in what was once the old kitchen and therefore place of gossip. It was quite a shock to find oneself in (nearly) the oldest ‘girls’ house photo at the top of the stairs! What a reality check!”

With thanks to Marc Dath, Peter Henderson and Nicola Ridley for assisting with the visit. ④ SH CHAPS On Sunday 1 October the WhatsApp group (not quite accurately ‘SH Chaps’) of School House contemporaries from the 1971-77 era met in Canterbury. They came from around the world – including California, Mexico, Bermuda, South Africa, Norway and even Kent.

Accompanied by sometime resident tutor Peter Henderson, they toured the House and the School before a leisurely lunch at Posillipo opposite the Mint Yard Gate.

Good fellowship plus awakened memories made for a thoroughly enjoyable day.

Pictured left to right: Francis Reid, Andy Tracy, Jonathan Molyneux, John Lowe, Yakesun Wing, Sarah Gurr (née Smith), Mark Rae, Sally-Ann Edlin (née Ardouin) holding a photograph of Martin Cooke RIP, Felix Binggeli, Mike Downie, Alex Ferguson, Qayum Hajee, Peter Hindle, Mike Nicholas, Christopher Plummer and Eric Finsaas.

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Coronations and King’s In celebration of King Charles III’s Coronation, we look back at the School’s involvement in past Coronations

① 1902: Edward VII Percy Godfrey (1859-1945) was Music Master at the King’s School from 1892 to 1924. A room in the Music School is named in his honour. The Musicians’ Company offered a prize for the best march composed for the coronation of Edward VII. Godfrey was the winner.

His achievement was widely publicised and the March was played in Westminster Abbey. A recording of ‘The Crown Imperial: Marches for 20th Century British Coronations’ was made for Somm Recordings by the London Symphonic Concert Band, directed by Tom Higgins. Godfrey’s Coronation March is included.

with it is a note by Walpole: “This is a little memento of the Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.

I was in the Abbey from 6 am to 2.30.

I then walked in the pouring rain via Lambeth Bridge & Embankment to the Daily Mail Office arriving at 4 – soaked to the skin. I took off my clothes, sat in my drawers and wrote 3000 words in my own hand by six o’clock! Good!” ④ 1953: Elizabeth II Edred Wright, who had been an alto in the Choir for the 1937 Coronation, was responsible for rehearsing some of the trebles for the Choir in 1953. He was choirmaster of the College of St Nicolas (Royal School of Church Music), then based in what is now Linacre House.

② 1911: George V The School Officers Training Corps (OTC) provided a troop to be part of the OTC Coronation Battalion on duty in London. The boys involved were (left to right): back row: Robin Crowley, Ralph Juckes, Horace Smith, Robert Mowll, Edward Cottrell, Horace Spence; front row: Edward Squire, Charles Trehane, Gerald Claypole. Here they are photographed on Blore’s Piece, now site of the Recreation Centre. On the day they were stationed near Buckingham Palace, “facing Green Park, at the bottom of Constitution Hill”. ③ 1937: George VI Hugh Walpole was commissioned by the Daily Mail to write an article describing the coronation of George VI. The manuscript, entitled ‘The Crowning’, is in the Walpole Collection. Bound 22

Boys were chosen from choirs and schools across the country and spent three weeks rehearsing at Addington Palace, Croydon. Edred was brought in during the rehearsals in Westminster Abbey to be a sub-conductor.

Colonel Jeremy Bagshaw CBE (BR 198085) played a central role in the planning and execution of the Coronation. Jeremy wore Black Bearskin and rode on one of the horses that followed the Gold State Coach. Read about his military career on page 8.

Lieutenant Colonel Charles Foinette (MR 1991-96) was one of the procession marshals assigned to coordinate marching contingents. Charles says: “I was delighted to meet Signaller Richard Steele (SH 1994-99) from the Royal Corps of Signals, someone I had last seen in 1996 when we were in the CCF together. This photo (Richard on the left) catches us very wet and somewhat dishevelled at Waterloo Station at around 15:00, having risen to reveille some 12 hours earlier. A remarkable occasion, and it was an enormous privilege to play a small part in it alongside so many other service personnel from the UK and the Commonwealth.”

When the RSCM moved to Addington, Edred became choirmaster at King’s in 1955 and then, in 1958, Director of Music. ⑤+⑥ 2023: Charles III The Lord Mayor Nicholas Lyons (LN/BR 1972-77) carried the 600 year old Crystal Sceptre at the Coronation. The Sceptre was a gift from King Henry V to the City of London after his victory at Agincourt and is a symbol of the long relationship between the City and the Crown. The Sceptre is usually only seen in public at the coronation of a monarch.

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OKS Update 1940s Bruce Hyatt (GR 1947-53) sends this update: “Throughout my life, I have been a keen amateur artist. In my forties, I was involved in a large project covering over 2,000 square feet of acrylic, illustrating The Holy War by John Bunyan. Forty years later, I wondered what to do with all these pictures and it occurred to me to approach a familiar ground – King’s.

Through the OKS Office, I have been able to contact Rob Sanderson, Galpin’s Housemaster, asking if there was any hidey hole at King’s where I could find a safe storage for the artwork. Rob kindly accepted my proposal and on 1 September, along with my nephew, his sister and her 24

husband, we brought it all down to Canterbury.

We unpacked 22 rolls of paper and brought them to Galpin’s House and enjoyed a good chat and cuppa with Rob and two of his staff. It was quite an exhausting day, but one to be remembered!”

John Fisher (GR/LN 1948-53) is living in the Northwest Highlands of Panama. “I took French, German, Russian, English Language and Literature during my final years at King’s and three years working in Germany perfected my knowledge of the language and other languages as I travelled Europe. I moved to the USA where I worked in engineering before moving on to the purchase and sale of corporate jet aircraft.

My love of sailing took me to many parts of the world, and it was just before the first voyage that I met my wife who had the fortitude to OKS

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OKS UPDATE

and we are both still members. Now, there’s an interesting way to meet an OKS!”

accompany me on our adventures. Upon our eventual return to the USA, we started a skin care company, trademarked a product name, and enjoyed a very successful business before moving to Panama. I will admit that our lives have not been what might be called normal, and we have absolutely no regrets. At the age of 89, I am still active, for the most part! My wife, Gigi, was a gift from God. I do not ask for more than that.”

Anthony Addis (GL 1956-61) sends this update: “Now living in Atibaia, 40 miles from São Paulo City – we moved here in 2016 after nearly 14 years in Florianópolis in the south of Brazil.

Going from sea level to 800m up brought a noticeable improvement in climate! Doing parttime translation work – Portuguese and Spanish documents into English – to keep brain ticking over. Daughter Ariane now in her third year (of five!) of a Fishery Engineering undergraduate degree at São Paulo State University. Household therefore reduced to me, Leila, a dog and a cat (who are friends!) Frequent chats with Andrew Balanda (GL 1974-79) who is leaving Brazil – after 25 years in Petrópolis, across the bay from Rio – and moving to Portugal.”

1950s In 2022, Nelson Graburn (WL 1950-55) was given a Distinguished Emeritus Award at the University of California, Berkeley. He started working there in 1964 and retired in 2007, although he still teaches two or three courses in Anthropology every year. Nelson says: “I continue my research and publication, mainly in China but also with colleagues and meetings in France, Poland, Portugal and Japan.”

Stephen Bianco (GL 1956-61) writes: “I had been working with M&S in London for 12 years and became PA to the Vice Chairman. I first visited Toronto in 1974 and moved here at the end of 1975 to help set up local manufacturing facilities.

Apart from a couple of years in the mid-80s, I have lived here ever since. I stayed with M&S for a further 7 years and left just before the whole operation was eventually closed down a few years later. I stayed in the garment business as a General Manager of a ladieswear import company, but then changed to the residential real estate business, which I have been working in for 20 years now.

Oliver Ford Davies (LN 1952-57) was awarded the 2023 Society for Theatre Research Theatre Book Prize for his publication An Actor’s Life in 12 Productions. The judges praised the book for its engaging and honest conversational style.

Anthony Mulford (MO 1955-60) tells us about a chance meeting with an OKS: “I have not met any OKS in the years since I left King’s. I live in Victoria, British Columbia having spent years of living and working in the UK, Ontario in Canada, and Seattle and Los Angeles in the US. My working life centered around IT until I retired. In my younger years I spent time playing rugby, ending at the age of 56. In 1995 I joined the Barbershop Harmony Society in Newmarket, Ontario and have sung in a number of Chapters in Canada and the US since then.

It was while I was singing in Victoria earlier this year that the chance meeting happened. The chorus (South Island Harmony) was rehearsing outdoors and we were approached by someone who lived nearby and had heard us singing.

We invited him to sing with us and after a few sessions he became a member. We spent time talking and I found out that he had attended King’s. His name is André Mitra (LX 1973-78) OKS

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Left: Bruce Hyatt’s The Holy War illustrations Right: Stephen Bianco and Anthony Sargent

I am happily married (this time!) for over 25 years, have one daughter in Scotland, one son outside London and two granddaughters in England as well as stepchildren and grandchildren here and in Edmonton. I visit the UK regularly, often staying with my brother Jonathan Bianco (GL 1969-73), who lives in Northwood, where he is deputy leader of the 25

OKS UPDATE

Uxbridge Borough Council, and Highcliffe, Hants. For a number of years I’ve also been a member of Rotary.”

In September, Stephen connected with fellow OKS in Toronto via email and managed to meet with Anthony Sargent CBE (GR 1963-69) for coffee.

Chris East (LN 1956-61) recognised several names mentioned in Spring 2023 magazine.

Chris writes: “I was fascinated to read the update about David Wardrop who I remember well. I also remember Howard Rawlinson as I played in The Long and the Short and the Tall with him.

The only line I remember from the play, said by Bamforth and directed at me, is “Gawd Sprog you’re ig’orant so ig’orant it grieves me.”

After I left King’s, I had several roles that led to me becoming Chorus Master for Lloyd’s Dramatic and Operatic and Musical Societies. I also became Musical Director for a number of Surrey amateur operatic and musical societies. All of that was thanks to the wonderful encouragement from the dramatic and music staff at King’s for which I shall be forever grateful.”

Richard Prendergast (LX 1957-62) reminisces: “At the end of the summer term of 1962, Nick Opper, Tony Partridge, Brian Pomeroy and I set out in my 1948 Ford Prefect, to explore France.

We sampled the delights of Paris, staying with Richard Somers, another Luxmoore boy. We slept in fields, camping sites and on French Riviera beaches and no one bothered us. The Lord looked after us throughout the trip. The back axle broke near Avignon, but a village garage welded the crown wheel and pinion for 30 francs. Would you find such service today?

It was a fortnight of freedom from A levels and school discipline rather stricter than it is today. So, what became of my three travelling companions?

Nick went up to Oxford but was tragically killed there in a road traffic accident. Tony settled in Melbourne, overseeing security at the ANZ Bank and has since died. I served in both the Royal Navy and Royal Australian Navy and later, with my wife, as master of passenger ships carrying young adults from many nations doing Christian 26

missionary work and distributing educational literature in the undeveloped world. Afterwards I ran a charity for the armed forces (nmbs.org.uk).

No need to mention how Brian got on. Just google ‘Sir Brian Pomeroy CBE’ to learn about his remarkable career.”

1960s On 30 March, Edward Holman (MR 1963-68) and Susan Tingle (Deputy Development Director) attended the Lord Mayor’s Big Curry Lunch at the Guildhall in London in aid of the Army Benevolent Fund and other service charities. This year it was hosted by the Lord Mayor, Nicholas Lyons (LN/BR 1972-77) and Lady Mayoress Felicity Lyons (née Parker, SH 1975-77). Whilst there, they met Peter HolmesJohnson (LN 1954-59), former OKS treasurer, Bryan Waynforth (LX 1950-55) and Stuart Price, former KSC parent.

Thank you to Edward for his generous donation to King’s which was used to buy two new standards for the School CCF. The standards will be first used at the School Remembrance Service.

Following successful careers in the pharmaceutical industry and international healthcare consultancy, Professor Brian Godman (GR 1967-71) became a full time PhD student in 2006, researching key issues surrounding the use of medicines. Since then, Brian has been fortunate to work with incredible researchers across multiple countries and continents including Africa and Asia, resulting in over 500 publications in peerreviewed journals since 2008. He has also been an Associate Editor / Editor for a number of Journals. He hopes he has shown any OKS thinking of undertaking a PhD that you are never too old so long as you are willing!

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OKS UPDATE

John Howells (SH 1971-76) is part of the Côr y Gleision choir, who aim to encourage rugby supporters to bring traditional Welsh singing back onto the rugby terraces. The choir have sung at numerous games this year (particularly women’s matches). With regards to the Rugby World Cup, the choir sang at the Wales v Georgia game in Nantes and performed in a church concert with the Nantes Choir.

After a career managing international hightechnology businesses, Andrew Mackintosh (GL 1968-72) was asked to lead a team at the Treasury to advise on transforming innovation in government. The Mackintosh Report was published in 2021 and has now led to the creation of a new cross-government organisation – the Government Office of Technology Transfer (GOTT) – which is driving forward the initiative.

1970s

Photos, clockwise from left: one of the new CCF standards; 1979 Linacre House photo; Colin Earl

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Peter Irwin (LN 1972-76) shares his news: “After leaving King’s, I graduated as a vet from the Royal Veterinary College (London University) and worked for a few years in general practice in Devon. I emigrated to Australia in 1985 where I’ve lived ever since: initially in Townsville (North Queensland), then Melbourne and then Perth (Western Australia) for 22 years. The bulk of my veterinary career has been spent in academia, as a clinical teacher, researcher (in parasitology) and finally as Professor of Veterinary Clinical Science and Principal (Dean) of the Murdoch University Veterinary School. I retired (for the first time) in 2020 and moved back to Queensland where I now live on the Sunshine Coast and have resumed some clinical work and consultancy.”

John Cotton (GR 1971-75) sends this update: “I spent most of my life working overseas, around the Mediterranean, Middle East and Caribbean, teaching scuba diving and delivering sailing yachts for the owner from the UK to sunnier climates (almost always off season). I am now retired but still enjoy scuba diving, cycling and swimming in the sea around Kent.”

Matt Brash (JKS 1971-76; LN 1976-82) has kindly sent us the archive of his schooldays preserved by his mother. This includes letters home and school reports, as well as an assortment of ephemera from a plan of the school to supper leaves, exam papers to a house play programme. All in all an invaluable addition to the School Archives.

Colin Earl (MO 1971-76) has retired as CEO of Agiloft but continues to serve as a board member there and with a few other companies. He and his wife live in Los Altos Hills, California where they own some horses and enjoy riding as a hobby. He is proud of his son becoming a renowned Origami artist: Instagram.com/origami_chris

Andrew Civil (WL 1976-80) has lived in Australia since 1987. “I have moved around with work and lived in Sydney, Goulburn, Canberra, Broken Hill, Brisbane and Toowoomba in Queensland since 2007. I am still working in commercial construction as a Regional Manager doing a range of work including schools, health care, industrial, aged care, 27

OKS UPDATE

council and community and offices. I have been married to Kate for 35 years and have three boys, 29, 26 and 24. I enjoyed a six week trip to the UK in July 2023 for my mother’s 90th birthday and took a trip to Henley Regatta to catch up with OKS including Ewan Pearson, Stephen West, Andy Keen, Andy Rudkin, Edward Johnston and David Cowderoy.

I still occasionally get out on our local reservoir in my wooden single scull to bring back memories of the halcyon days at King’s, representing the 1st VIII for two years, and double sculling for England in August 1980 in a home international in Ireland.”

Rebecca Wallersteiner (GR 1977-79) interviewed Michael Morpurgo (GL 1957-62) for a feature in the May 2023 issue of The Lady. The interview is about Morpurgo’s book The Boy Who Would Be King, which was released in May 2023 in celebration of King Charles III’s coronation.

In April, Sean-Mun Liang (GR 1977-79), Carol Chisholm (GR 1974-76) and Fraser Dibden (LX 1973-77) had a mini-reunion in Switzerland.

Carol and Sean-Mun live and work in Switzerland and Fraser was visiting.

David Owen (MO 1977-82) was elected a Fellow of the British Academy in July 2023. His most recent books are Displacement, Human Rights, and Sexual and Reproductive Health (co28

Photos, clockwise from top-left: Andrew Civil and fellow OKS at Henley; Fraser Dibden, Carol Chisholm and SeanMun Liang; Lisa Suits and husband Jim; Xander Ancock and Hazel Damiral; Andrew Harding’s latest publication

authored with Natalia Cintra & Pia Riggirozzi, Bristol University Press 2023) and The Political Philosophy of Internal Displacement (co-edited with Jamie Draper, Oxford University Press, in press for January 2024 publication). In 2024-25 he will be Visiting Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton.

Lisa Suits (née Vawter, GL 1978-79) married James Yang in Rockville, Maryland on 6 July 2022. She is currently working for FHI 360, an international human development organisation, while Jim does cancer research focusing on immunotherapy. They are based in Washington DC. Jane Graham-Maw (BR 1979-81) sends this update: “I am currently living in South London, have three daughters who have finally flown the nest and am about to celebrate 30 years of marriage. After several years working as a publisher I set up the Graham Maw Christie Literary Agency in 2005 and was shortlisted as Literary Agent of the Year at the 2023 British Book Awards. I am still in touch with quite a few OKS and enjoyed seeing some old / young faces at the OKS Christmas Drinks last year.”

1980s Nick Evans-Pughe (LN 1980-82) has been appointed Head of Benslow Music Instrument OKS

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1990s Camilla Pay (MR 1992-97) is a session harpist and has played the harp for various movie releases this year including The Flash, The Little Mermaid and Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical.

Loan Scheme, a national charity offering talented young UK musicians affordable access to high quality instruments. He continues to perform professionally as a violinist and violist in diverse settings and became a grandparent in the summer.

In July, Andrew Harding (GR 1980-85) released his third book A Small, Stubborn Town: Life, Death and Defiance in Ukraine.

The book tells the story of how a small band of Ukrainian fighters and civilians, many with no warfare experience, won a key strategic victory against the Russians in the farming town of Vosnezensk. Andrew delivered a talk on the subject to pupils and staff at King’s in September 2023.

Professor Adekeye Adebajo (WL 198085) is a professor and senior research fellow at the University of Pretoria’s Centre for the Advancement of Scholarship. He has just released his latest book Global Africa which contains 100 profiles of mostly Pan-African figures.

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Penny Cox (MT 1996-2001) has been appointed CEO of Toys “R” Us in Australia.

Xander Ancock (LN 1997- 2002) is the current Master of the Cantuarian (OKS Masonic) Lodge.

It is keeping him busy with four regular meetings followed by dinner in London as well as an annual meeting in Canterbury, with a Ladies night dinner in the Refectory at St Augustine’s. The Lodge is, at present, open to men, who are OKS or close relatives or King’s staff. There are 50 members with ages ranging from 30 to 80. The Lodge is active, particularly in charity affairs, most of which support King’s activities.

The Lodge is working hard to establish an OKS Ladies Lodge and, in this ambition, invited a senior Lady Freemason to dine with us at St Augustine’s in April.

The Lodge is delighted to welcome new members and answer enquires. Telephone or text Xander on 07958 054120.

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Timothy Jagelman (SH 1998-2003) shares a career update: “I’m now settled in Aberdeen with dual appointments as a Consultant Paediatric Anaesthetist at the Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital and with the Emergency Medical Retrieval Service – a part of the Scottish Ambulance service that provides emergency prehospital care and transfer of patients who require intensive care from rural or island hospitals, generally by air ambulance.”

Independent TV have released The Body in the Woods, a feature-length documentary by International Correspondent Bel Trew (LX 19982003). The 40-minute film, from the new TV and documentary team at The Independent, opens with the discovery of a body of a young man found bound, shot and burned beside an abandoned Russian camp in the woods outside Kyiv.

As Bel tried to find out who he was and what had happened, she uncovered a nightmare world: a nation struggling to find thousands of its missing and to identify its dead amid the Russian 30

invasion of Ukraine. Separately, Bel also had the opportunity to interview Ukraine’s first lady, Olena Zelenska. The documentary and interview are available to watch on the Independent TV app throughout smart TV platforms.

Sophie Morgan (WL/JR 1998-99) was a presenter on Channel 4’s coverage of Crufts for the second year running.

2000s Cara Chapman (MT 2002-07) married Corentin Gutierrez in New York in September 2022 and welcomed a daughter, Amalie, on 24 February 2023. A wedding ceremony took place on 27 May 2023 in Provence, France.

In October, Patrick Allies (LN 2003-05) became Musical Director of Imperial College Chamber Choir. Alongside his work as a conductor, Patrick is also a college tutor in Musicology at the University of Oxford.

Photos, clockwise from top-left: Alexandra Groom and husband Jason with OKS guests; Lucy Kingsman and husband Charlie; Caitlin Arnott and husband Ankur

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Caitlin Arnott (CY 2007-09) married Ankur Jehlum at Chartham Church on 8 July 2023.

In addition to the Christian service, a Hindu ceremony was held at the reception.

2010s Jack Dearlove (TR 2012-2016) has been working for the British Council, teaching English in France and Spain, and during his summer breaks has undertaken several epic solo bike rides. In 2021 he journeyed 1500kms from Land’s End to John O’Groats, then in 2022 he went 4000kms from Lugo (North West Spain) to Istanbul. This summer he cycled 5200kms from Pau (South West France) to Tallinn (Estonia), cycling back via Helsinki, Copenhagen and the Hook of Holland, camping all along the way.

Alexandra Groom (WL 2004-09) married Jason Wünscher at St Paul’s Anglican Church in Monaco on 8 July 2023. Robert Willis, former Dean of Canterbury, officiated the wedding and a group of Crypt Choir members, accompanied by Will Bersey (Director of Music) sang.

OKS guests included: the father of the bride Simon Groom, Alan Nash, George Cardona, Jeremy Groom and Alistair Groom.

Annabel Steadman (née Church, MR 200510) released her second book Skandar and the Phantom Rider in April 2023 and won the Indie Book Award in the children’s fiction category.

The third book, concluding the trilogy, will be released in April 2024. Annabel visited the Junior King’s School in February to talk to pupils and sign copies of her book.

Lucy Kingsman (BR 2006-11) married Charlie Carline in Ickham on 10 June 2023.

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In February, Tom Hunt (SH 201116) competed and came first in the 6633 Arctic Ultra in the Northern Territories of Canada. This is a 380 mile self-supporting quest through the most hideous snow, blizzards, ice and encounters with wildlife in the Arctic Circle. The race is widely thought of as the toughest on the planet, with a 20% rate of course completion.

Tom raised over CA$20,600 for Walking With The Wounded, a charity that helps injured former British Armed Forces servicemen and women in their career transition from the military to civilian life.

James Oates (CY 2011-16) made his debut for Great Britain Hockey on Saturday 22 April in a FIH Pro League match against New Zealand. James scored a goal and the team won 5-2.

Polina Usenko (JR 2011-16) appeared in Volume 220, Number 14 of Country Life. Polina is the exhibition manager at the Treasure House Fair, a new arts fair at Royal Hospital Chelsea which launched in June. Originally from Dnipro, Ukraine, Polina curated a Ukrainian street-art show last year to raise funds for her homeland.

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OKS UPDATE

Photos, clockwise from top-left: Jack Dearlove; Thomas Mancais; James Oates; Tom Hunt

David Zhou (TR 2012-14) appeared on the 2023 Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Sports and Gaming.

David is a project manager at Epic Games and worked on Fall Guys which had one of the most successful game launches in history. Before he joined the Fall Guys team, David helped soft launch Star Wars: Hunters, a cross-platform game collaboration with Disney and Nintendo.

Thomas Mancais (SH 2012-15) was commissioned from Sandhurst earlier this year into the Household Cavalry, Life Guards. He was appointed JUO (Junior Under Officer). The cadets were honoured that the 200th Commissioning Parade was attended by His Majesty the King, just weeks before his coronation. Tom attributes his interest in the military to his housemaster Major Adam Vintner and his days in the King’s School CCF. 32

At just 20 years old, Francesca Maini (CY 201520) became the first woman to land a double kite loop in a competition in January 2023.

On 11 August, Robert Rix (SH 2015-20) was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Royal Artillery from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He was the youngest in his platoon and youngest UK Officer Cadet in his company.

Hannah Edwards (KD 2019-21) has been elected President of the Oxford Union Society for Hilary Term 2024. Hannah said: “I am extremely honoured and excited to have been elected. I got into the Union because I love debating and I’m keen to ensure that experience is shared by the members.”

Hannah is currently studying Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Lincoln College.

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OKS SURVEY RESULTS 2023 Between December 2022 and February 2023, we invited all OKS to complete a survey to update their details and share feedback on OKS matters. Thank you to everyone who took part.

7,346

21%

7,346 OKS were sent the survey 1,544 completed it (21%)

21% of respondents provided new employment information

30%

Only 30% of respondents have visited King’s or attended an OKS event in the last three years

63% 56% 26% 63% updated their telephone number 56% provided a new preferred email address 26% updated their preferred address tHE CHARtER AWARDS ambitious bursary Learn about our new fundraising campaign An OKS tRIO reflect on their life Three leavers from 1975 and friendship post-King’s

THE THE MAGAZINE OF

OKS ASSOCIATION

• № 12 • Autumn 2023

LIKE A DuCK tO WAtER as a dairy farmer in Sophie Nichols on life New Zealand

91%

91% of respondents have recently read the OKS Magazine either digitally and/or printed copy

From King’s to Coronation CBE Colonel Jeremy Bagshaw career (BR 1980-85) on his military

82% 31%

36% 39%

82% explained their reason for not doing so, with ‘too far to travel’ being the top reason (selected by 66% of this group) House or year group reunions are the event you would be most likely to attend (31%)

89%

There is an almost equal preference of London or Canterbury for events (36% vs 39%) but there was also a keen interest in regional or overseas events

89% feel that communication from King’s is at the right level

85% 85% of respondents said that they strongly agree or agree that King’s has helped them to get where they are today

358 46% 358 people were interested in offering careers advice

46% are happy to take part in a follow-up discussion

CHAMPAGNE WINNERS Congratulations to the OKS who won the champagne prize draw, including: Taiwo Ajose-Alatise Kayode Akindele Alexander Ancock Peter Benson

Sebastian Braw-Smith Lucinda Coulthard Thomas Edmunds Alexander Ellison

Piers Evans Annabella Garnham Jane Green Elizabeth Hale

Anthony Musson Nicholas Steele Jonathan Walker Sophie Wallis

This survey is now closed, but you can still update your contact details and share your comments with us by filling out and returning the OKS Update Form enclosed with your magazine.

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33

UNKNOWN OKS № 30

Charles Pout & James Lawrence: The follies and absurdities of a country-town

C

harles pout was born in 1766. He entered King’s in 1776, became a Scholar and left in 1779. An upholsterer and an auctioneer, he was Sheriff in 1803 and Mayor in 1810 and 1817. James Lawrence was born in 1774. Also a Scholar, he was at King’s from 1784 to 1788. Apprenticed to James Simmons and Henry Kirkby, he became a printer and one of the publishers of the Kentish Gazette.

He was elected Sheriff in 1811. In many respects they were not untypical of King’s School boys in the eighteenth century: born in Canterbury, following their father’s profession and achieving some reputation in the City.

In 1811 their paths crossed in controversial fashion.

‘The Whim, A Periodical Paper by a Society of Gentlemen’ was a satirical magazine which had first appeared in December 1810. Number VI, dated Monday March 11, 1811, opened with ‘Canterbury. A Poem, In imitation of the Third Satire of Juvenal’.

(Many would recognise the allusion was to Samuel Johnson’s ‘London’.) After digs at “an o’erflowing, hairbrained garrison”, “rotten houses, built of yore”, and “fat Divines”, Umbritius soon turns to:

34

This haughty slave – this overbearing cur, I once remember an upholsterer – This fool’s supreme delight, this wise-man’s jeer, I once remember e’en an Auctioneer…

This very wretch, now, with a turtle’s gait, Waddles (protect us Heaven!) a Magistrate…

In the following issue of 25 March, things got worse. Two poems – ‘The Jack-daw’ and ‘The Jack-ass’ – parodied William Cowper. The latter opened: There is a brute, of little note, Who, by the silk upon his coat, Might be supposed a mare If there was any uncertainty that this was aimed at the current Mayor, a later verse is even more specific: He sees that all, beyond a doubt, Happy might be without a pout, Church, army, physic, law,

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UNKNOWN OKS № 30

That their small diff’rences and squabbles, Are neither more nor less than baubles, And then he cries – Ee-aw.

A postscript to this issue was a robust defence of the attacks on Pout: “[The editors] have considered it their duty to reprobate a certain member belonging to a certain body. That member they believe to be below their contempt, but not beneath their reprobation… They have already stripped the Jack-daw of his Peacockfeathers in part, and they trust that, before he is finished with, the public will view him in his own natural undress…”

Pout was not amused and turned to the law for redress. The case came to the King’s Bench in May and a rule of criminal information was granted to the Attorney General by the court. This ruling was challenged later in the month when Henry Brougham for the defence described the passages in the case as “meant, no doubt, to describe the follies and absurdities of a country-town”.

‘The Whim’ was printed and published by Charles Petman Rouse, George Kirkby and James Lawrence of Canterbury, who were also the publishers of the Kentish Gazette. Lawrence would not name those responsible for the verses, but one of those involved was Edward Quillinan (1791–1851). At this time he was a junior army officer, stationed in Canterbury, and in an autobiographical fragment he explained that ‘The Whim’ was got up by “Lieutenant G. of the 23rd Dragoons, Captain J.H and Mr W. of the Bays, and myself”. He later achieved some fame as a minor poet, but claimed that in ‘The Whim’ “I was but a very slight contributor”.

Although Lawrence said that he was the “sole manager” of the printing and publishing concern, Rouse and Kirkby were also arraigned.

The trial itself was not heard until August 1812 at the Kent Assizes, when on the instruction of Lord Ellenborough all three were found guilty.

The final judgement, delivered in November, was that each of them should be fined £100 and imprisoned at Maidstone for six weeks.

This was not quite the end of the saga. In February 1813 the Court of Burghmote (the city OKS

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Above: letter from James Lawrence OKS to Egerton Brydges OKS

corporation) agreed to pay Pout’s expenses in the prosecution. A letter from Lawrence to Egerton Brydges, dated 4 May 1813, has recently been acquired by the School Archives. This opens with Lawrence’s comments on this decision. Finally in June the corporation duly ordered that the sum of £181 3s be paid.

James Lawrence died on 22 July 1836 “in London after a long illness”. It seems likely that he spent his last years in an asylum in Bethnal Green and was buried on 29 July at St Matthew’s, as the parish register recorded that he was from the ‘Madhouse’. Charles Pout did not long survive him, dying on 19 December 1839 “at his residence, King’s-bridge, Canterbury”. Neither earned an obituary tribute in the Gazette.

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Lives Remembered

Paul Pollak (MO 1941-44; Common Room 1950-88) Paul Pollak died peacefully at home on Sunday 14 May, just a fortnight before his 97th birthday.

A Celebration of Paul’s life was held in the Old Synagogue on 17 June. The programme and text of this event can be viewed on the OKS website.

P

aul pollak was born to a Jewish family in Bratislava, Czechoslovakia in 1926. He came to England in 1939 thanks to the Kindertransport and his guarantor was the Revd William Henry Simmons, parish priest of The Vicarage, Baldhu, Truro. Hence Paul went to Truro Cathedral School before coming to King’s in September 1941. He was in Meister Omers, a Senior Scholar, Head of House and Vice-Captain of School. He left in 1944 and was thus one of those boys whose entire King’s School career was spent in Cornwall. He read Mathematics on a demyship at Magdalen College, Oxford (194547) and then did his national service with GHQ Middle East Land Forces. Meanwhile, most of Paul’s family, including his brother, mother and father, were murdered in Auschwitz, something he only found out about after the War. Paul joined the King’s School staff in September 1950 and was variously Head of Mathematics, Housemaster of Marlowe (1959-76) and Second Master (1976-88). He retired in 1988. He was a shrewd and sympathetic housemaster and his wisdom was valued by Headmasters and colleagues, as well as pupils. Paul steered clear of games and indeed exercise but did help with swimming, especially ‘general bathes’, yet ‘Paul Pollak’s try’ in the rugby match against the 3rd XV had legendary status.

He was the first School Archivist, a post established in 1972, and continued in this role until 2006 and as assistant archivist thereafter.

He put his knowledge to good use as effectively the co-author of Thomas Hinde’s Imps of Promise, the history of the School published in 1990.

He was an expert and discriminating magpie in his acquisition of pictures, buddhas, carpets, books and anything that took his fancy as he

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scoured auction houses, antique shops and car boot sales. His own collection was eclectic, though as visitors to Blackfriars Street could testify the emphasis was on accumulation rather than on accessible display. The School and the Common Room have good cause to be grateful for his insistence that things should be stylish.

He was a man of wide-ranging interests. In retirement he co-authored scholarly articles with Roger Mallion on mathematics and mathematical chemistry. He also communicated with kindred spirit Patrick Leigh Fermor on such recondite matters as Paddy’s version of ‘It’s a long way to Tipperary’ in Hindi. It is somehow appropriate that the final letter in More Dashing, the second volume of Leigh Fermor’s correspondence, is to Paul.

He was a very remarkable man who lived a richly satisfying life.

Dozens of tributes and reminiscences were sent to the School. This is an edited selection. Many more can be seen on the OKS website.

Paul Stross: I think my late father Peter Stross could have claimed to be Paul’s oldest friend.

My grandparents put my unaccompanied father and my uncle Thomas on a train (a bit like the Kindertransport) in order to get them both out of Prague and Czechoslovakia before the war, as they anticipated Adolf Hitler’s approach to Jewry. When they had arrived safely in Cornwall, my father wrote back and suggested his friend Paul should be sent too in order to join them. He did and they passed their war years together. I also carry Paul’s name.

Christopher Matthew (SH 1952-57): Mr Pollak was very lucky not to have taught me maths, but I do remember that I once learned something very useful from him about mushroom hunting. One day, sitting at the head of a table during lunch, he expounded on the pleasures and perils of one of his favourite pastimes. A boy asked him what would happen if by chance he ate a poisonous one. Mr Pollak thought for a moment, twitched his moustache and replied, ‘Collapse. Coma. Death.’

David Brée (SH 1953-58): He was a most inspiring OKS

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maths teacher. At the beginning of my first class on dynamics, Pollak asked us: “A rolled up carpet is placed at the top of stairs and allowed to unroll down the stairs. Make simplifying assumptions to say how fast the end of the carpet will hit the ground.” The clue is in making the simplifying assumptions. And the answer is the same speed as the end of a flicked tie, which is greater than the speed of sound (one hears the end breaking the sound barrier with a bang, and anyone on the receiving end of the flicked tie gets a hurtful twang, as we all knew of course).

What an inspiring way to teach mathematics. PS I acknowledge Mr Pollak in my book Most-Perfect Pandiagonal Magic Squares.

Nick Bury (MR 1956-62): I have many great memories of Paul Pollak as he was my housemaster for my time at King’s. He came to supper at my home in Westgate-on-Sea on one evening on his small, unreliable motorbike and I rode on the back. At one point the bike’s engine petered out. “Unhurray!” shouted Mr P. He got it started again. “Hooray!” he shouted. This performance happened twice more. I shall never forget his shout of “Unhurray!” At one point I thought he must be a Buddhist as I opened the door to his study to find him kneeling in front of one of his Buddhas. “No” he said. “Not praying, Nicholas, but looking for my pen!” He was the most encouraging of housemasters, especially when I was Head of House.

Anthony Dawson (MR 1965-70): Wendy WhiteThomson invited Paul, my mother, Una Dawson, Jane (my wife) and me to lunch in Wye about 20 years ago. It was a splendid occasion, full of laughter. Wendy complimented Paul on his tie. He replied “Ah. My hedge tie.” “I beg your pardon?” said Wendy. “I sometimes go to boot fairs,” said Paul. “If stall holders don’t sell everything, they tend to throw things in the hedge. Hence the tie!” We all exploded in laughter! He was definitely a unique and wonderful man.

William Ward (MR 1965-70): Having wound up a house monitor, for the umpteenth time I was fined 2/6 for ‘improper use of the Green Court’ – taking a short cut. Whilst looking at the notice board considering where I would find 2/6, PP OKS

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Paul about to leave Prague, 1939

materialised beside me. He looked at the notice and asked what exactly I had been doing. I replied “walking”. He thought for a moment and then said “that doesn’t sound very improper” and removed the note and walked off.

Lyn Parker (WL 1966-71): I was never taught directly by Mr Pollak, but in 1969 or 1970 he did me and a couple of my contemporaries an enormous favour. We were interested in learning about programming computers, and he arranged for an OKS who was a systems analyst at British Oxygen to help us to learn FORTRAN and ALGOL, and to run our very rudimentary 37

LIVES REMEMBERED

programs in the quiet hours at BOC. This set me up for a life-long side interest in computing and its applications, which is still with me more than half a century later. I have always remembered Mr Pollak with gratitude for how he helped us.

Dick Barham (Common Room 1967-97): I have many fond memories of Paul and some quite quirky ones about his helping with the swimming when I was in charge of the outdoor pool. He was famous among our competitors from other schools at swimming matches for timing from a deck chair with an old stopwatch that was only accurate to 0.2 seconds when all results were recorded to 0.1 seconds.

David Iron (LN 1967-71): I was one of those pupils to whom Paul was on a different plane of mathematical intelligence, communication and understanding. Years later, with a first class honours degree behind me, I would often think “Ah, so that’s what he was trying to teach me!”

Jonathan Barnard (MR 1970-74): Shortly after leaving King’s I bumped into PP in the street and, automatically, said “Hello sir”. PP replied: “I think you can call me Mr. Pollak now”. We remained in contact and, several years later, I again bumped into PP in the street and said “Hello Mr. Pollak”. He replied: “I think you can call me Paul now”. And so he became Paul to me (and, later, Uncle Paul to my daughter, Saskia). I was glad to remain throughout my life in contact with this warm and remarkable man, but early impressions leave the strongest mark and I never fully managed to get my head around calling my one-time housemaster by his first name.

Jane Pearce (née Baron) (MR 1971-73): He was a delightful person and a marvellous housemaster.

He coped so well with having the ‘first girl’ foisted on him in September 1971. When my parents and I came for a chat and interview with the headmaster, Canon Newell, in the autumn of 1970, one of the questions my parents asked was which house would I be attached to or would I be “floating about”. Canon Newell immediately said “Marlowe”. No prior consultation with Paul it would appear!

As the first and only girl for a year, I only met 38

Paul as housemaster, Speech Day 1963

kindness and understanding from Paul. He was very perceptive and seemed to know instinctively how to deal with situations and pupils of that age. His judgement was always excellent. I knew I could trust his advice implicitly and that I would be wise to follow it.

Charles Neame (MR 1971-75): I was not a particularly good student; or would not have been, had not Paul always listened and spoken to me as if I were. After King’s we kept in touch. He was held in great affection by my whole family (even though I was the only one of us he had taught) and for many years was a most welcome visitor at important family events. I suspect there have been, and are, hundreds more of us over the years, now scattered around the world, who remember feeling better, stronger, more capable, because Paul Pollak listened to us and cared.

Gerard Watts (MR, MT 1978-82): Not long into my time in King’s, he lent me one of his books, Wanderings in South America by Charles Waterton, which to my eternal shame I returned after too many years and with a very badly damaged dust jacket. But I did do my bit OKS

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masks. He had been a very great friend of my uncle Clarence. My mother was also very fond of him. I so enjoyed his photographs that he sent as postcards over the years, and his kindness and the interesting and open chats we had when I painted him many years ago.

of wandering later and did marry a wonderful Jewish woman from Argentina. I think this book had some part in opening my eyes to further horizons, which Paul could see was very much needed. I owe my career to his simple answer, when asked the best way to study Theoretical

Janet and Ron Pickering (Common Room 198797 and 1985-98): It was a great pleasure and privilege to know Paul Pollak. He was a very remarkable man and he wore his knowledge and skills lightly. We will remember him with a glint in his eyes and a smile on his lips. He was a source of great support and encouragement to both of us throughout our time at King’s and this was particularly appreciated during the transition to full co-education. His gift to Walpole House of a statue of Guanyin was both extremely generous and apposite as this goddess, associated with compassion, was originally a male deity in India but, over time, became indigenised as female in China. We will miss his Christmas messages, always written on the back of an interesting postcard or photo and often requiring a dictionary!

Physics, which was to read Mathematics at Trinity College, Cambridge. I did, and it was where, coincidentally, I met my future wife. I remember very clearly the day he wrote ‘Solidarność’ on the board (in a maths lesson) and one could see how much the idea of freedom meant to him.

Nadia Myerscough: I remember piling into the back of Paul’s Morris Minor van (no seats, no windows) with the rest of my family and going on very bumpy antique hunts or ‘Antique Escapades’ as Paul liked to call them. Also going for lovely picnics in the Kent countryside and mushroom hunting. He was very knowledgeable about mushrooms and once we had gathered a good collection, would either go back to our house or his, to cook up a feast. Whenever he came over to supper, he wouldn’t just bring a bottle of wine with him, but always a small exquisite antique objet d’art as a gift. He had a wicked sense of humour and there was always much laughter and joy at mealtimes with him.

Ishbel Myerscough: I painted his portrait for the School and I have kept in touch with him ever since. We had a shared interest in art and OKS

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Paul with Patrick Leigh Fermor at the opening of the new Grange, 2007

Edward Peters (MT 1987-92): Before I joined school, PP was instrumental in naming ‘de la Pierre house’ in the Blackfriars after my forebears; I was the last boy to be allocated to his tutor group (after new entries had been officially closed, but at our special request!) My favourite and repeatedly chosen Thursday ‘Activity’ was working in the Archives with PP (and Alex Driskill-Smith). It was always a very great pleasure to catch up with PP on meetings in Canterbury and by correspondence. A wonderful man, who it was the greatest privilege to have known.

Marc Dath (Common Room 1988-2019): Many subjects became regular topics of written exchanges, usually on the back of envelopes or discarded fliers. Amongst these were French idioms (or bawdy songs and limericks), Napoleon and Sir Patrick Leigh Fermor. It was Paul’s idea to invite PLF to open the New Grange. This, in turn, generated a wonderful flurry of letters between ‘Paddy’, Paul and me. The Latin inscription at the entrance of The (new) Grange owes a great deal to Paul’s classical erudition as well as his profound knowledge of all matters PLF! 39

LIVES REMEMBERED

Edward Strouts (GR 1943-47) Edward ‘Ted’ Robert Strouts died on 4 March 2023, aged 93. His brother, Charles (GR 1949-55), sent this tribute.

M

y brother ted was born in 1929 and died on 4 March 2023, asleep in his armchair.

He was a lovable, gentle man with many interests. He is survived by his former wife, Margaret, and their children Jonathan, Kate and Vicky. His wife Rose Marie died in 2014.

Ted was at the Junior King’s School from 1939 to 1943, when he joined The Grange. The school was evacuated to Cornwall from 1940 until 1945. He was a King’s Scholar, and sportsman, representing the school at fencing, hockey and rowing.

After school he read Civil Engineering at University College, Southampton. National Service was with the RAF Airfield Construction Unit in the Canal Zone, Egypt. Architecture at Jesus College, Cambridge, followed, often wearing a bowtie, appropriate to his new calling.

Family holidays were spent visiting important buildings. He rowed bow in the Jesus 1st VIII, which went Head of the River in the Lents and the Mays, at Henley Royal Regatta, and afterwards for London Rowing Club.

As a Civil Engineer he worked for contractors Higgs and Hill, and then for the Greater London Council, responsible for the infrastructure of the Thamesmead development.

Always a steam railway enthusiast, he was introduced by our doctor father, who would take him before the war to “the straight” (Ashford to Tonbridge line) to watch the trains and hear the beat of an engine in the distance to know its class before it came into sight. He helped Father build and run the Gauge 1 steam “Towers Garden Railway” in the garden, complete with bridges and tunnels. Later on he spent many happy days working on the restoration of steam locomotive Clan Line 35028, where he made many friends.

He became the expert to go to for steam and air breaking systems, and the design of boiler domes.

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Cecil Torr, writing about Devon in the early 1900s, tells of the reply when he asked a local bellringer why they never tolled for a funeral: “But us do. Sometime. Not for all folk, like, though. But us’ll ring’n for thee.” They would have rung for Ted. May he rest in peace after a life well spent.

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Keith Lewis

Michael Cowan

(SH 1946-49)

(WL 1947-51)

Eric Keith Lewis died on 14 March 2023, aged 92.

Peter Holmes-Johnson (LN 1954-59) shares this tribute.

Michael Frederick Cowan died on 25 March 2023, aged 88. His wife, Sara, sent this tribute.

K

eith was born in Calcutta in January 1931 and attended St Paul’s School in Darjeeling before his parents moved back to England.

He attended King’s from May 1946 to December 1949. On leaving King’s, he qualified as a chartered accountant and later, in 1958, married Barbara and had two daughters.

Keith’s career was, firstly, as an internal auditor for a major oil company with North Sea interests and, secondly, running his own successful accountancy practice.

Keith loved writing songs, poems and stories.

He contributed material for many comedy shows, including Morecombe and Wise and Ronnie Barker.

In later years, his wife Barbara did not enjoy the best of health and Keith was the main carer.

Sadly, towards the end of his life, Keith himself suffered from dementia. Both Keith and Barbara spent several years in the same care home, so they were at least together.

Keith was a very active member of the Cantuarian (OKS Masonic) Lodge for seventy years and Freemasonry was one of his main interests.

He was Master of the Lodge for a year on four occasions and Secretary for thirteen years.

Keith will be much missed by his family and many friends. He truly lived respected and died regretted.

Photos, clockwise from top-left: Edward Strouts; Michael Cowan; Keith Lewis

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M

ichael cowan had many happy memories of his time as a scholar at King’s. A keen sportsman, he excelled at cricket and rugby and in later life captained an MCC side against his old school. After his National Service in the RAF, he followed his father into the musical instrument industry, then married his childhood sweetheart Ann Sambrook. The marriage was blessed with two children, David and Deborah.

After a very successful career, working with Selma and EMI, Michael grew tired of making vast amounts of profits for huge organisations and in 1980 set up his own sales and marketing company, Michael Cowan International.

After 25 years of marriage, Michael and Ann divorced and in 1987 Michael married artist and writer Sara Leighton. Having spent six months in the Caribbean they moved to New York so that Michael could expand his business. It was there that he discovered the nonprescription reading glasses; he moved swiftly and was the first to bring them to this country, where they were sold through a major chain store throughout the UK. Life changed dramatically on their return to England when Sara’s daughter was diagnosed with terminal cancer and tragically died, leaving her two-year-old daughter in their care. It was a big ask for Michael, at the age of 65, to take on a toddler but of course, he did. When Michael was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and the terminal MSA, he bore it with his usual stoicism and good humour. With the help of St Katherine’s Hospice, he was able to be nursed in his own home, where he died as he would have wanted, peacefully in Sara’s arms.

The saying ‘A measure of a man is not how much he CAN love – but by how much he IS loved’ could have been written for Michael, who was loved and admired by so many for his kindness, courage, and compassion. He will be greatly missed.

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LIVES REMEMBERED

Brian Garrard (WL 1948-51) Brian Garrard died on 31 March 2023, aged 88.

His brother Geoffrey Garrard (WL 1953-57) with daughter Fiona sent this tribute.

A

s young people we both followed a singular path in education which proved to be life changing and doubtless an all enhancing time at the King’s School Canterbury. Through both of our lives we often discussed and agreed what we had experienced and that we had been given a great start in life with our time at King’s.

He wore this tie with great pride.

I never knew why we were both sent to King’s, but in later life Brian admitted it was probably since he was a bit of a rascal at four years old and our father decided, and was proved right, this was the place for Brian and myself.

After this, Brian was called up for National Service, choosing the RAF and arriving in RAF Bawdsey Manor, Suffolk, an important radar research station at the time of the Cold War and an exciting place to be.

The proximity of Bawdsey to Felixstowe enabled Brian to enjoy free time at the Pier Pavilion and Ballroom in Felixstowe where he was fortunate enough to meet Nurse “Chinery”, the love of his life. The rest is a happy, long history!

After demob he joined the pinstripe and bowler hat brigade in the City of London to start his working life in Lloyds of London. Lasting friendships developed from this as well as his continuation of sailing at Hampton Sailing Club and rowing which he had started at King’s. He joined the Thames Rowing Club at Putney and became a lifetime member. His love of rowing continued well into later life with a long-lasting journey on the Thames in Wargrave (Upper Thames) where he had lived formerly.

Finally at 70 years old he completed a magic and mayhem journey rowing in a skiff with a friend, John, and guest coxes aka “Three Men in a Boat” from Oxford to Richmond.

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Brian, his wife, and daughter Fiona eventually settled in Uppingham, Rutland. By this time we had both chosen new paths in business and although we saw less of each other we often talked of our grandchildren and I know how much he loved to see them all, both in their Uppingham and Esher homes. He was immensely proud of them all and their progress in life.

All of us have our special memories of Brian, be it as a father, brother, husband, grandpa, friend or acquaintances. His very positive approach to life was exceptional and saw him through life’s challenges.

I would like to address one word to my dear brother “When we meet again, sometime, somewhere, hopefully, there will be a lot of catching up to be done. I’ll leave it up to you to decide the venue but remember the first round is on you! And, most of all, remember to wear a tie!”

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Left: Brian Garrard

James Philip Moss

Right: Phil Moss

(GR 1950-55) James Philip ‘Phil’ Moss died on 12 April 2023, aged 86. Rachel Clarke sent this tribute.

P

hil was born in Stanmore, and was the youngest of four children, growing up during and after the war in the outskirts of London.

At King’s, he loved to learn and was a rower.

For his National Service, he joined the Signals at Catterick and soon became involved with teaching demonstrations. He went on to Wye to study Agricultural Botany, and then did a DPhil at Oxford. He travelled extensively throughout his like, both with work and for pleasure. In the beginning he worked as a farm labourer in Kent before going to college, and as a summer job took a long journey to Canada to work crossing rye and wheat.

While at college he met his future wife, Sue, they built a house near Oxford, while Phil was completing his DPhil, and their first daughter was born. They then moved to Hampshire where Phil worked at Reading University as a lecturer in Agricultural Botany and continued in his research, having changed his focus to peanuts. Some years later a colleague in India contacted Phil about a research post there, and the family, that had now grown with a daughter and a son, moved to India.

For the next 16 years he worked at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), at Patancheru, taking sabbaticals in the USA and Dundee, and travelling to China, Brazil and Africa among many other places, retiring as Director of Cellular and Molecular Biology.

On retirement they moved to the Isle of Seil on the west coast of Scotland, where he continued his love of gardening and beekeeping and built another house, as well as being a fixer of almost anything. He was a well loved and respected member of the local community, a worship leader and active member of Legion Scotland.

At the beginning of 2023 he became very unwell and was diagnosed with a glioblastoma, dying peacefully at home with his family around him.

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Michael Warrander (GR 1951-53) Michael Warrander died on 19 May 2023, aged 85.

His family sent this tribute.

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orn in salisbury, England, Michael’s journey through life was marked by a thirst for knowledge, an adventurous spirit, and an unwavering commitment to his family and community.

After an early education that took him to several different schools, Michael found his true academic home at King’s. Here, he thrived, coxing the First Eight and making music with a band. His letters home, penned in the early 1950s, tell of a young man who excelled academically, achieving top grades in science, whilst enjoying dripping, eggs, butter and mung cakes. With the support of British Petroleum, Michael continued his educational journey to Edinburgh University, where he graduated with first-class honours in 43

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Michael Warrander

Sheila during her mayoral term. Approximately a decade after returning to Wiltshire, Michael faced a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, but demonstrated incredible grace and openness in dealing with his condition. He channelled his experiences into advocacy, assisting the Safer Salisbury Campaign and contributing to a Parliamentary working party on dementia.

Michael’s zest for life led him to explore over 50 countries, often seeking out unconventional destinations, like jungle tracking in Sumatra.

His greatest legacy lies in the values he instilled in his daughters, Julia and Gail, serving as a guiding compass that reminds them of what truly matters. His indomitable spirit, intellectual curiosity, and unwavering commitment to family and community will forever be remembered and cherished by those whose lives he touched.

mechanical engineering; followed by a one-year master’s program in electrical engineering, at Imperial College London.

Michael’s professional career began with BP, at their refinery in Aden, where he embraced the expatriate lifestyle, sharing stories of sailing, desert expeditions, tank climbing, and learning Arabic. For over a decade, Michael remained dedicated to BP before embarking on a new path in management consultancy, working with various industries, from food factories to British Steel, paper maker Thames Board Mills to Cadbury, and Unilever. In 1971, Michael joined Allied Breweries, where he worked for over 20 years, moving into leadership roles, joining the Board and becoming an early proponent of energy efficiency. His dedication to the latter earned him a Queen’s Award, and he actively participated in industry committees and regulatory consumer committees, as the energy market evolved, and water supply privatised.

Michael was also a trailblazer in promoting gender equality, advocating women in management and supporting diversity more broadly. His leadership extended beyond the workplace, as he engaged in volunteer and community work, contributing his time and talents to Rotary, church, Friends of Salisbury Cathedral, the Arts Centre, the Civic Society, as well as serving as consort to 44

Michael passed away peacefully in Salisbury. He was a beloved husband to Sheila; father to Julia (MO 1985-87), and Gail; grandfather to Orlando, Theodora (current WL pupil), Blythe and Celeste, and an inspiration to all who had the privilege of knowing him.

Richard Kenchington (GL 1956-61) Richard Ambrose Kenchington died on 1 March 2023, aged 79. A full version of this obituary can be found on the Ocean and Coastal Management journal online.

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ichard landed into the salty heat of Australia’s north Queensland at the age of 25. Fresh from the UK with a BSc Special Honours in Marine Ecology from Queen Mary College, London, and a Master’s in Marine Biology from the University of Wales under his belt, he was appointed Senior Tutor in Marine Biology at University College of Townsville.

In 1971 at a social event for the University library, Ricard talked his way into a five-year research fellowship to quantify the effects of coral-eating OKS

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Richard Kenchington

a senior advisor to the UN Environmental Programme, helping to guide their marine conservation work. In 1999, he launched his own consultancy business, ‘RAC Marine’, and from 2000-2010 he was an Honorary Visiting Professor at the University of Wollongong (UOW), continuing to teach, mentor and publish widely.

In May 2022, Richard was awarded an Emeritus Professorship at UOW in recognition of his vast and highly impactful contributions to international scholarship, policy and teaching.

Richard died in March 2023 in Canberra, Australia, leaving an extensive scientific, diplomatic, philosophical and policy contribution to the understanding and protection of marine and coastal ecosystems.

Crown-of-Thorns Starfish (COTS) on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). A fleet of colleagues recall long, sunburnt days on dive boats with Richard in the following years and all fondly recall the early and exhausting years of the ‘manta board’; a transect surveying tool adapted by Richard to allow researchers to more efficiently survey large reef areas. The use of the transect method has continued to this day.

From 1974 to 1975, Richard played a leading role in developing the principles that subsequently informed the drafting of the GBR Marine Park Act. The Act also established the GBR Marine Park Authority which was responsible for planning and overall management of the park.

Richard was one of the initial staff appointments and as Senior Planner, he was instrumental in having the GBR listed as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area, the first to be approved globally by the International Maritime Organisation. Richard also contributed heavily to drafting the UNESCO nomination which led to the Reef being listed as a World Heritage in 1981. At the time, it was the largest World Heritage Area on the planet.

During his many years at GBR Marine Park Authority, Richard was an integral part of the agency which grew from a small regulatory body to a globally respected environmental management agency. He went on to become OKS

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Voluminously published and extensively cited, his work and leadership in the fields of marine spatial planning, marine and coastal ecosystem management, sustainable fishing practices, marine research ethics, and the integration of science and traditional knowledge in marine and coastal management, leaves a legacy that will continue to have far-reaching influence.

Roger Medill (Common Room 1959-71) Roger Mount Alexander Medill died on 24 May 2023, aged 96. His son, Oliver, sends this tribute.

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oger was a role model, teacher and leader who embodied so much of what has made England and English values so envied around the world over the centuries.

The son of a missionary, Roger was born in Johannesburg, South Africa appropriately – given his love of Shakespeare – on Twelfth Night: 6 January 1927. He attended Haileybury before duty called and he joined the Royal Navy during the last year of the Second World War. After a stint at Ashford Prep School, he went up 45

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Roger Medill

Robert Bee (Common Room 1960-93) Robert Patrick Bee died on 1 August at the age of 87. A brief summary of his career is followed by a selection of tributes.

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fter mill hill School, national service, Selwyn College, Cambridge reading Natural Sciences, and Keble College, Oxford, Bob joined King’s in September 1960.

to Merton College, Oxford, where his love of all things beautiful – the arts, the classics, music and architecture – were all nurtured and flourished.

It was here that teaching his passion for literature and for the English language became his life’s purpose. There would not be a day that would pass without his reflecting upon what was being discussed with a classical quotation or allusion, normally from Shakespeare.

After going down from Oxford, he was appointed English master at King’s which started an association that spanned many happy years in an environment that he loved. After some years at King’s, he married his wife Mary and, with their two children, they moved to Luxmoore where he spent several extremely fulfilling and enjoyable years as housemaster (1967-71).

He was then appointed Headmaster at Rendcomb College in Gloucestershire where he led the college from 1971 to 1987. Roger was one of the world’s natural gentlemen, providing the right image of the school in all circles. What kept Roger so young was his unrelenting enthusiasm for all aspects of school life.

Roger’s legacy, after spending 96 years on this earth, leaves its mark. The lessons he learned about life and the things he loved, he passed on every day and it was clear at his funeral that his legacy reaches far beyond his immediate family, to all those whom he taught or came to know.

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He was a conscientious, supportive and encouraging teacher of Chemistry. These qualities were deployed to the full when he was housemaster of Luxmoore from 1971 to 1983, supported by Martha as matron. For most of his time the house was in the New Dover Road, but it moved to the Precincts in 1980. He thus welcomed the Queen Mother when she formally opened the new building in 1981.

He was an excellent squash player and an enthusiastic supporter of games of all kinds, but he will probably be remembered most for his love of cricket. A deceptively canny slow left arm bowler – “a wily old Bee”, said one opponent – and a dogged exponent of the forward defensive, he was a stalwart of both the Haymakers and the Harvesters (the Common Room XI on tour). His knowledge of cricket statistics was encyclopaedic.

Bob’s cheery demeanour endeared him to pupils and colleagues. He was friendly and sociable, running the Leavers’ Ball for many years. There are many Bob Bee stories, often told by the man himself, and all making you laugh. He was a genuinely lovely man.

His wife Martha died in 2017 and he leaves three children Nicholas, Andrew and Sara, all OKS. Peter Boorman (Common Room 1959-74): I cannot feel anything but sadness at the parting of Robert, and yet I should feel happy that he saw England beat the Aussies in the final Test.

Robert took a very close watch on his boys – we were amazed to find we were the only members of staff who felt it important to be present on OKS

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room at break time but incredibly fast reactions on the squash court. Of course his bulky build helped so that his opponent found difficulties seeing around him!

He would try his hand at anything. I have seen something of his artwork showing such skill with colour. He was an ornithologist with special powers of observation. On a walk around Stodmarsh he showed me several birds, the best of which was the Bearded Tit. I would sit in awe of his ability and his memory for detail.

Robert was a gentle giant, kindness personified.

A good friend indeed.

results day – and he was always around to give help as and when needed.

Bob Bee

Robert was a great comfort to me on the death of Kathryn, the Boorman first born aged only 16 days. He and Martha treated my wife and me with precisely the help we needed – not too much, but enough to show they cared.

But the overwhelming memories are on the cricket ground, both home and on tour. Robert and I would occasionally open the bowling. At tea one day the opposition were talking: “That guy bowling downhill (me) — he’s no problem.

It’s that wily old fella (Robert) at the other end.”

Robert had an extraordinary gift with numbers.

Many is the time we gave him, say, four digits and he would immediately place them. “Ah yes, 1561: that was the score on tour in the West Indies when they made 156 for 1.” Cricketers love statistics and Robert was equal to any challenge.

He was a slow mover. Always last into the staff OKS

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Graham Jaggers (LX 1963-67): Wonderful, kind, funny, gentle, sporting man. We had many fun battles on the squash court. I bumped into Bob in 2004/5 in the leisure squash courts changing room. He asked me if I’d like to go and see “Fairy” (Colin Fairservice) as I had been in the 1st XV under his guidance. I hadn’t seen Fairy since 1968 following the OKS match (which OKS won!).

Bob drove me to his house and standing next to me in a very dark porchway, rang the bell.

Colin, looking a little frail, answered the door.

Bob asked Colin if he knew who I was and Colin instantly replied “yes”, identifying me correctly. I shall also remember all the squash matches that Bob and Denis Ball took us to all over the country.

Richard Bennett (MO 1966-71): Bob was a wonderful example of a generation of old English gentleman the like of which is dying out. I was privileged to be taught by him (I went on to read Chemistry), be coached by him and to play cricket alongside him. All of which are very happy memories.

Sean McMahon (LN 1974-78): I first went to King’s in January 1974, which meant I missed the first term in the Shells, and found Chemistry was like a foreign language to me. Then when I entered the Removes and Fifths I was lucky enough to have Bob Bee. He decided to go back to the beginning and start the syllabus at Day 1 for all in that class.

Moving forwards I passed O Level and A Level Chemistry and went on to complete a degree in Chemistry and Business Studies. I’ve always felt that without Mr Bee’s teaching and understanding 47

LIVES REMEMBERED

I would not have gone so far. Those two years of his teaching set me up and I don’t think I could ever have thanked him enough.

Christopher Whalley

Chris Perry (MR 1975-80): A kind, considerate gentleman who will be fondly remembered by many. He taught me Chemistry and was the only person ever to explain the mysteries of cricket to someone who had never previously understood it.

Christopher Robert Whalley died on 17 June 2023, aged 73. Michael Dover (LX 1962-67) sent this tribute.

(SH 1963-68)

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hris was a member of a close-knit OKS family. His father Robert Seymour (SH 193237) rowed in the School 1st IV; his grandfather Frederick Seymour Whalley (KSC 1899-1903), and uncles Larry (SH 1939-43) and John (SH 193943) all rowed for Jesus College, Cambridge and the Edwardian family house at Marlow, with its gardens sweeping down to the Thames, played host to generations of Jesus and King’s crews competing at Marlow Regatta.

James Champion (LN 1977-81): Bob Bee used to take a few bird enthusiasts out on trips in his Hillman Hunter estate car to local reserves such as Stodmarsh and Blean Woods. I remember him telling an amusing story of how he once parked his car at the M2 Farthing Corner service station to visit the loo. Without realising it, he crossed the motorway on the covered footbridge.

When he came out into the car park, his car was nowhere to be seen. He called the police, and it took them a week to find his car! It was parked exactly where he had left it, back over the footbridge on the other side of the motorway!!!

He was a charming and approachable man.

Rowing was not Chris’s first love – he was an avid rugby player, playing scrum half in the King’s ‘champagne rugby’ team of 1966 and captaining the 1967 XV. Thereafter wherever he worked he would gravitate to the local rugby club. Upper Clapton, Mowden Park, Beverly and Salisbury all witnessed his signature diving pass. It was at Salisbury he accepted he could no longer captain the 1st XV. He retired from the 3rd XV in his forties, graduating to coaching, chairman of selectors and then president. More than 750 people turned up at Salisbury Rugby Club to celebrate his life, an enduring testament to his ability to draw people to him and make them friends for life – he was the driving force behind so many successful clubs, teams, charities, individuals, initiatives, and events.

Jane Devlin (née Lockett, LX 1986-88): He was my Luxmoore tutor and attempted to manage my wayward approach to study with a kind and guiding hand. I still have the letter he wrote to inform me of my A level results in 1988, which included a line I have shared subsequently many times: “...and just imagine what you would have got if you had done some work”.

David Hodgson (SH 1987-92): Mr Bee made Chemistry, a subject I could never fathom, very entertaining and used to throw in a cricket question at the end of every test to try to ensure that the two of us who didn’t get the subject got at least one mark. James Beechey, whose cricket knowledge was encyclopaedic, would therefore always score one mark more than me!

James Sandry (GL 1991-96): A wonderful teacher matched by his enthusiasm for David Gower and all things cricket. Chemistry lessons during the Ashes summer of 1993 were often spent with one eye on the overhead projector and the other on his TV which he had wheeled in so we could all enjoy the cricket. A true gentlemen who will be sorely missed.

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After King’s Chris went to the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester to read Estate Management where he formed, with a group of fourteen friends, the ’72 Club which celebrated their graduation that year and every year thereafter. They had just celebrated their Fiftieth when Chris died.

Above: Bob Bee

A few years after graduation he met and married Lindsey, and they spent their honeymoon year travelling and working their way round Fiji, New Zealand and South Africa. After a brief sojourn in Middleton in Teesdale, they moved to the OKS

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Left: Chris Whalley, scrum half, gets the ball away during a match against St Paul’s at West Kensington (October 1966) Right: Michael Good

Radnor Estate at Longford Castle, near Salisbury, where Chris spent the next twenty-nine years managing the estate, retiring in 2014. Based at Charlton Manor Farm, he threw himself into the life of the little village of Charlton All Saints where he set up the Bad Behaviour Club which spawned numerous annual village events and regular societies of which he was the instigator and driving force.

He also lived and breathed the Estate, which included land and property in London and Folkestone. His passion was farming – and this included the community who lived and worked there. He assembled a group of property professionals who managed and developed the land owned by the Estate, which reported to the Trustees on a quarterly basis. He enjoyed showing guests and friends around what he believed to be some of the most beautiful countryside in England.

Outside the Estate, the Radnor Arms was his spiritual home. He saw the comings and goings of many landlords, all of whom became his friends. On retirement he moved to Alderbury, where, characteristically, he became involved in many charities as well as local societies. He leaves his wife Lindsey, son Rob and daughter Laura and four grandchildren.

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Michael Good (MR 1968-73) Michael Good died on 4 July 2023, aged 68.

Stephen Woodley (Common Room 1969-98) sent this tribute.

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oming from a Northern Ireland family, in which both his paternal grandfather and his father had become missionaries in Kenya (his grandfather returning to be Dean of Down, his father to be Senior Lecturer in Divinity at Christ Church College, Canterbury), Michael Good was fortunate to join firstly the Choir School and then King’s at a time of confident musical and academic achievement.

His contemporary Stephen Barlow writes of “having shared our wonderfully formative years as choristers and at King’s and those special years in the National Youth Orchestra as part of the glowing cohort of musicians from King’s” and the influence of Canterbury never left Michael; in his later years visits to see his mother in Herne Bay were often complemented by lunch with his former housemaster Paul Pollak. Comparative references to the Psalms were regular lunchtime topics, with PP claiming that his favourite was Psalm 131: “Lord, I am not high-minded”.

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Michael left King’s with an Open Scholarship in Modern Languages to Magdalene College and from then on Cambridge was his home: he absorbed its intellectual, musical and architectural life. His frugal style freed him to pursue a range of interests that other men would have to leave for retirement. Although he often listed “database administrator” as his occupation his avocation was architecture, especially the Pevsner guidebooks. In the mid 90s his CD-Rom, which offered a database of all the English volumes, was excitingly ahead of its time, though unfortunately soon overtaken by further technology.

However, mainly Michael earned his living by teaching the bassoon, an instrument he had learned from Ida Miller at King’s. After playing in the Cambridge University Musical Society Orchestra, he graduated to the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra (for which he undertook much of the administrative work for organising their concerts) and in the 1980s founded the Avian Trio (bassoon, oboe, clarinet). This life he combined with archival and literary work, and for Selwyn College he produced Selwyn Celebrated 1880-2007, which is highly-regarded.

Michael became a brilliant cook, particularly Indian and French cuisine, and had many friends. He had been in a close and loving relationship for seventeen years, and his death on 4 July came very suddenly, when he still had much to give. There were moving tributes at his funeral at St Augustine’s Church, Cambridge on 31 July. He had contributed much to that community and was well advanced on the Preacher Course towards ALM status, having been a longstanding Occasional Preacher there.

“Michael had a firm faith in a loving God, his Christianity being of a rather intellectual sort.” He was also a man of great charm, erudition and wit.

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James Cowderoy (LN 1973-77) James Anthony Frank Cowderoy died on 24 March 2023 at the age of 63. The family provided this tribute.

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ames will be best remembered for his passionate enthusiasm for rowing. He coxed the Junior Colts, 2nd IV and the 1976 1st VIII. He was one of the first schoolboys to achieve the Bronze Coaching Award from the ARA and coached the Under 14 VIII for a season. He was Captain of Boats and a school monitor in his final term.

James read History at Jesus College, Cambridge.

He coxed the Goldie VIII and led Loch Ard Rowing Club at home in Scotland where he was able to support the start of one of Team GB’s most recent bronze medallists in the men’s eight.

James began his career as a shipbroker with H Clarkson & Co Ltd before earning a master’s degree in business administration at Stanford University, California. He moved to the East Coast of America to work for Mercer Management Consulting in Boston for seven years, specialising in the shipping, maritime and transportation sector. He also enjoyed a spell working in Tokyo for the Mitsubishi Corporation.

Between 1994 and 2006 James was Managing Director of Stirling Shipping Co, and Executive Chairman of Harrisons (Clyde) Limited and then Senior VP of Seacor Holdings for Business Development based in Florida. James was Freeman of the Shipwrights’ Company, following his father, Norman Cowderoy His son, Andrew, is also a Freeman.

James was an incredible husband to his wife Iona, a loved father to his four children and a proud grandfather to four little girls and a boy. His brothers Adrian (WL 1970-75) and David (LN 197580) and son Thomas (TR 2011-16) are also OKS.

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Anne George

they progressed. She expected, and achieved, good standards of behaviour alongside a determination that each girl should achieve academic and social fulfilment. She was able to combine understanding with an admirable ability to set boundaries and we worked together to try to maintain standards alongside recognition of changing times.

She continued to enjoy teaching history, and everything she undertook was to the highest standard, with an admirable reputation for firmness but fairness. It has remained my belief that the three of us (Keith, Anne and I) had an especially effective working relationship because we were able to share concerns and set a united course in matters both academic and disciplinary.

I was delighted to remain in contact with Anne when she took her skills on to another school, working in Cambridge but living in Ely, within view of another beautiful Cathedral. Anne was a private person. Having met her beloved husband at University, she returned to Petersfield, to the house in which she had lived when her husband died so young, leaving her the sole parent of three young children, one of them Lizzie, who joined her at King’s.

Anne George (Common Room 1998-2007) Anne Lesley George died on 14 April 2023 in Petersfield Hospital at the age of 74. Brian Turner sent this tribute.

I

was privileged to work closely with Anne from the moment she joined the school, she with the nomenclature “Senior Mistress” and I “Lower Master”. Perhaps it is better that those two titles remain no longer! Together with Keith Wilkinson we enjoyed a close working relationship, Anne bringing with her significant experience from previous schools and a wise understanding and approach to the needs of girls.

Indeed her responsibility was defined as Senior Mistress in charge of girls and she worked diligently when seeking candidates and took great care to remain aware of each of them as

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Anne was outstandingly brave and loyal throughout her widowhood, and the illness, which she bore, bravely, for some years before she died. It was a privilege to be present at the celebration of her life, beautifully arranged

by Lizzie and the family. Her ashes have been interred, by Keith Wilkinson, at last reunited with her husband.

DEATHS Adrian Woodhouse (GL 1954-55) 28 March 2022 • John Denney (MO/MR 1947-50) 28 February 2023

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Sport Chutney and Swimming Trunks Kate Chernyshov (SH 1984-86) describes an eventful weekend with the OKS Arrow Trophy crew.

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ed by skipper Andrew Dean, the crew assembled on an unseasonably warm Friday morning in October ready to defend the OKS place in the A Fleet. Picking up the Sunsail 41 “British Virgin Islands”, we headed down the channel into the Solent for a practice day. If the course was short, a slow spinnaker hoist would risk slowing us down, so we agreed to focus on downwind sailing with the jib. If only we had known...

The next day, fortified by full English breakfasts, bacon rolls and tiffin, the crews assembled. We made good progress making use of Andy’s local knowledge. Approaching the first marker the tide pushed us off course and a few sharp tacks in the vicinity of Marlow Ropes (later identified as Norwich School) raised a protest; we responded in a gentlemanly fashion with a yellow flag and faced up to the reality of our “no spinnaker” tactics. Falling away to the back of the pack, we realised the error of our decision. Round the cans, things were looking good, but another slow evolution was disappointing and we drew further back. Race 1 was not a triumph for the OKS crew.

that there would be no racing on Sunday because of the absence of wind in the forecast and, deflated, we concluded that our spinnaker repair would not help in any way.

Race 2 gave us a chance to improve things but our beleaguered spinnaker hoisting was still not up to scratch. Race 3 was going to be our big chance.

Heading downwind, the spinnaker shot up the mast until it stopped midway. The halyard was tangled in the radar and no amount of waggling would free it. The spinnaker meanwhile started to fill so we lowered it but not before a small tear appeared in the sail. Our chances of success were looking slim. We agreed to repair the spinnaker in time for Sunday’s races.

The Saturday night dinner was remarkable only in that the apostrophe was missing on our table name. This was resolved by a judicious dab of chutney. The Race Committee duly announced

The Sunday morning briefing confirmed race positions and we headed out to Osborne Bay on the sparkling and flat Solent. Half the crew dived in, showing some impressive techniques. Other crew members, who had not come prepared for a dip in the Solent in October, watched with envy. We headed back to Port Solent and reflected on the competition, remarkable for chutney and swimming trunks, as well as sunshine and good company.

Above: the OKS Arrow Trophy crew aboard the Sunsail 41

• If you want to join the thrills of the Arrow Trophy, please pencil into your diaries 5/6th October 2024 and watch this space.

OKS MAGAZINE • № 12 • Autumn 2023 OKS Magazine is published twice a year by The OKS Association, 1 Mint Yard, Canterbury, CT1 2EZ Printed in the UK on a PEFC paper stock

oks.org.uk