The Notes - Summer 2023

The Notes

Welcome from the Chair

I’d also like to welcome new Committee Members Aimee Montague and Yanoulla Kakoulli and encourage your enthusiasm, energy and challenge.

It’s been a pleasure to attend a number of events of the past few months including particularly Robin Austin’s retirement party, the Ypres tour and most recently the College’s Sports Dinner, meeting wonderful inspiring new people, young and less young!

we can focus on what you want.

I would like to highlight two specific forthcoming events :

Saturday 9 September – Dunstonian Day (11am – 3pm) at the College. Fun and food in the sunshine. Please come along and join us with family and friends.

Summer is upon us and the academic year comes to an end. Welcome to our Summer 2023 edition of the Notes. An especially very warm welcome to our Class of 2023 and their families. And we wish you all every future success on your journey beyond the College.

I make no apology for repeating that just as the College has helped you to date, the Association is now here for you post your school years. For connections, social events or sports enjoyment as well as support into working life, we are here. Our network awaits your engagement so please reach out, stay connected and seek the support on offer.

I am also struck in the following pages by just how much is going on and how you are fostering the friendships and relationships formed at the College. I don’t’ know the collective term for a group of past teachers and staff but it’s fantastic to see many staying in touch. So to all who have contributed, thank you. To everyone else, I urge you to similarly share your photos and stories and is you need help promoting such events, please get in touch.

We undertook another membership survey in January 2023, result snapshot included herein. Thank you to those who contributed. Typically the trends are positive in regards what we do, but please continue to feedback such that

Wednesday 20 September – Dulwich and Sydenham Golf Club – in conjunction with the OD Golf Society, we are hosting a golf day in honour and memory of the late John Grundy (’52). Golfers will be competing in this new annual event for both a junior and senior trophy and all young golfers and family members are invited to join in.

My ongoing thanks to our Committee members and the Dunstonian Office Team for your energy and resilience.

And finally, on behalf of the Committee, I wish you a wonderful summer and look forward to seeing you soon

Richard Fagg (’85) Chair of The Dunstonian Association

NEWS DUNSTONIAN & Scrapbook

In October 2022, Old Dunstonian Flora Davies (2012-2017) wrote and directed a feminist adaptation of Molière’s ‘Tartuffe,’ selling out the Oxford Playhouse’s BT Studio Theatre for an entire week. Now coming towards the end of her degree at Oxford University, Flora is taking her production to the Edinburgh Fringe festival. The show will be performed at the Haldane Theatre (theSpace@Surgeon’s Hall) between the 4th – 12th August 2023 – keep your eyes peeled for tickets!

John Mockford ('51)

“Many thanks for the card for my 90th, the Chronicle extracts and the photo of the '51 Fives team. You asked about my life since then:

I left school in '51, having been Lane House captain and with a place at Trinity College Cambridge. Whilst on leave from National Service in Germany I light-heartedly took the London County Council entrance examination and to my surprise was offered a place at Degree level at County Hall, where I spent all my working life.

Having qualified as a Chartered Public Finance Accountant, I became a computer specialist for 16 years, the final six as Systems Design Manager. I then became Accountant for the Inner London Education Authority, an enjoyable but fraught 10 years, with the Thatcher government set on destroying a great Local Authority.

I played Fives for the OD club for 30 years, many of them as captain of one of the strongest clubs in the country with greats such as Gardner, Holt, Howe and Marsh, one season being unbeaten in 39 fixtures Since retiring I have taken up bridge and maintained an interest in all sports, including for many years being President of Hayes Tennis Club. I am now in my 75th year of membership at the Oval. I have been married to Barbara for 65 years with a son in the US and a daughter in Bromley and live in a retirement village in East Sussex.”

Simon has kindly sent us a photo of a group of former SDC staff, who regularly get together:

Clockwise from the left: Tim Pratt, Brett Harrild, Stan Holt, Rick Bodenham with his wife Annie, Simon Thorogood, Liz Gray (now chaplain at JAGS), Philip Kitchingman, Liz Emes, Jane Davies, Gerry Pickett, Ian Burgess, Graham Alderman, Penny Phillips, Peter Coling. Sadly out of picture at the front was Anthony Seldon.

Flora Davies ('17)

Simon Thorogood ('65) Lunch

Stephen Dyer ('80) Lunch Reunion

I realise this may be over the top as I only recently sent you a photograph of a 1980 leavers beer n’ curry evening just after Christmas, but we managed another in April, all nine of us! With a few thespians in our midst reminiscing over school plays! A good evening was had at The Bulls Head in Chislehurst with plenty of ‘banter’ and we’re hoping to follow up with another in the summer but this time in London. Hopefully making it easier for those further afield.

On the 4 January this year, the 1980 leavers had another small reunion. This was instigated by Andrew Towers who contacted me as he was over from Singapore where he lives. It was good to catch up as I hadn’t seen Andrew since we played Rugby at ODRFC in the late 80’s, early 90’s. We met in the Bulls Head Hotel in Chislehurst before moving on to the Bengal Lancer for our usual curry. This has been a tradition for us a couple of times a year for quite a while now.

Young Alumni Come Back!

On the back of a conversation at the Recent Leavers Drinks in December 2022, we organised a tour of the College as well as a lunch in the refectory for Polly Bannister, Sophia Saif and India Rhoden, 3 friends of the 2020 cohort who left the College abruptly due to the pandemic. This is what they write about their day at St Dunstan’s:

India writes: “We enjoyed the opportunity to head back to St Dunstan’s College last week! Like many others around the world, the pandemic took something from us. For us, it was the chance to have a normal end to our seven years of secondary school. Regardless of the disappointment we felt from this abrupt end, it was lovely to see the school has been heading in what seems to be a positive direction since our departure. We were welcomed back as if we never left and could still feel the St Dunstan’s spirit despite these changes.“

John Bruce ('60) at Buckingham Palace

After leaving SDC in 1960, John worked on the Stock Exchange floor, ultimately becoming a partner.

He retired to St Lucia and, as a past President of the St Lucia Life Saving Association, was invited to the King’s Garden Party on 3 May at Buckingham Palace.

While Sophia writes: “Going back to SDC was more nostalgic than I expected. Being able to walk old hallways and explore the new, bump into teachers who I never forgot but was sure forgot me, and even having fish and chips in the refectory like all Fridays used to be, brought back so many memories. In such a new environment, with buildings and hallways I didn’t recognise, I somehow managed to feel so very comfortable. I left feeling a large sense of closure and as though I finally got to experience some sort of goodbye to such a large part of my life. I think first place has to be being able to eat from the teacher’s top table in the refectory - we were allowed more than one dessert each! Having had such a wonderful experience going back, I really hope more come about for myself and others.“

Left to right: Paul Sibun, Russ Hackwood, Mark Hayford, Simon Bonini, Iain Blazey, Clive Archer, Stephen Dyer, Gareth Walters and Bob Pitman.

Don Lindsay, Clive Archer, Andrew Towers, Paul Sibun, Stephen Dyer, Gareth Walters, Russ Harrison

Jonathan Guy Lewis ('81)

Actor and writer Jonathan Guy Lewis (‘81) visited the College in March. We learned that his one man performance of I Found My Horn was playing at the Hammersmith Riverside Studios from 30 May to 11 June and Isabelle Blake-James had a terrific evening attending the outstanding solo perfomance.

Adapted from the bestselling book by Jasper Rees, I Found My Horn was first seen in 2008 at the Aldeburgh Festival. Subsequently seen in the West End, New York and Los Angeles, this joyous, feel-good show places the transforming power of music centre-stage.

In it, a man wakes up in midlife to a broken marriage and the dawning fear that he has done nothing to make himself memorable. Packing away his life as he prepares for divorce, he is struck by an insane idea: why not pick up the French horn he never conquered in his youth?

So it is that, after a lay-off of several decades, Jasper Rees seeks unlikely adventure and redemption via 16 feet of treacherous brass tubing. Dusting off the instrument he last played as a gormless teen, he sets himself an impossible task: to perform a Mozart concerto in front of a paying audience of horn fanatics.

John Broadfoot ('66) awarded an MBE

In the recent King’s Honours Birthday List for services to developing rugby around the world through his charity SOSKitAid, John was awarded an MBE.

SOS Kit Aid, started in 2001 and has collected/ recycled over £7 million pounds worth of quality rugby kit, to over 60 disadvantaged rugby countries around the world on every continent with the important help of World Rugby and other sponsors. That’s enough rugby kit for over 1/3 million disadvantaged youngsters and because our recycled kit now means new rugby kit does not need to be manufactured - we have saved over 1500 tonnes of harmful CO2 emissions too , and won three environmental awards. We have also saved over 250 tonnes of quality rugby kit from being thrown needlessly away into scarce environmentally damaging UK landfill sites.

John, pictured above, being congratulated by World Rugby President, Sir Bill Beaumont.

1500th member of SDConnect

Nigel Wood (‘82) recently became our 1,500th online member. In recognition of reaching this milestone we sent Nigel a small token of our appreciation.

While Nigel walked away with the goodies, we are grateful to ALL those who have made the effort to register on our website. If you have not yet registered (or know of others who may wish to) please head to www.dunstonians.org.uk

Registration only takes a couple of minutes and opens up a cornucopia of online resources.

1990s reunion at Park Langley

A handful of 1990s leavers gathered for a drink at Park Langley Clubhouse in late April 2023. It so happens that we have less than 200 contact details for an entire decade which we have now started referring to as “the Lost Decade”. Please come forward and reconnect with the College!

40 years reunion for the 1983 cohort

The Dunstonian Association hosted its first ever 40 years reunion, on 25 March 2023, for the 1983 cohort.

The event was coordinated by 1983 Head Boy, David Edwards, who gathered the following Dunstonian friends for a tour and a lunch at the College on a sunny Saturday: Graham Beauchamp, Ian Jack, Clive Stockwell, Andrew Sims, Danny Moar, Neil Kerr, Anthony Edwards, Sean Malone.

Geoff came back to the College to make a wonderful presentation to our students in the Physics Department (below) They were interested to hear about his career in Astronomy and Physics, in a lecture called 'Space Matters'.

Isabelle Blake-James visited Stephen at his home in Wimbledon on a couple of occasions as he very kindly agreed to donate to the College’s Archives some of his diaries dating back to the 1950s, as well as some of his original drawings. Stephen has had a distinguished career as a lecturer in art and art history.

The Revd Douglas Dales ('70) published in April 2023 a third updated edition of his seminal study of St Dunstan, which was originally published in 1988 to mark St Dunstan’s millennium [James Clarke & Co., Cambridge]. This new edition is partly illustrated and specially prepared with the Coronation of King Charles III in mind, as the order for coronation was largely drawn up in the tenth century by St Dunstan and others.

He has just published a second set of sermons called ‘The Well of Life’ [Sacristy Press], and his three recent studies of the spiritual theology of St Bonaventure, who died in 1274, are being translated and published in Korea for the life of the church there. He is currently working on a fourth study of St Bonaventure’s theology.

He is a part-time Anglican parish priest in the diocese of Oxford, and also the Chairman of the Friends of Mount Athos. He is married, with three married children, and five grandchildren.

His books are available via his author page on Amazon or via the websites of his three publishers: James Clarke, Cambridge (for Dunstan), the Canterbury Press, & Sacristy Press. All are available at reasonable prices as print on demand books.

Visiting Stephen Chaplin ('52) Geoffrey Hall ('64)

Revd Douglas Dales ('70)

Neil Mercer ('81)

"I left the UK on 31st December 1986 heading to a new life on the fledgling Kibbutz Tuval, a very small community in the Galilee region in the north of Israel. I was 24 years old and was following in the footsteps of the youth leaders from a youth organisation, Habonim-Dror, that I had been attending since I was 14.

At the beginning of January 2023, Tuval celebrated its 42nd birthday. For those who don’t know, Tuval is a small community perched on the top of a hill – about 500 meters above sea level; some would even modestly class it as a mountain in this part of the world – Israel likes its superlatives. It sits upon the edge of a ridge called Mitlol Tzurim, peeking over into the Bet HaKerem Valley, the dale that poetically delineates the border between the Upper Galilee to the North and the Lower Galilee to the South."

John Plows ('73)

"I am looking forward to the 1970s reunion and seeing how things have changed since the summer of 1973. Hopefully some of my former classmates will be there and may even recognise me. Here are few reminiscences you may wish to share with the current head teacher and staff.

I have a feeling that history is repeating itself 50 years on. The attached letter was sent to my father by the Clerk to the Governors in January 1973 regarding the proposed increase in termly fees from £90 to £102 ( an inflation busting 13.3%.) The school was in acute financial difficulty following a pay award to the teachers but as sixth formers were not really aware of the problems. My A level teachers were always good humoured, Mr Reynolds (Physics and Naval CCF) and Mr Ellis (Chemistry and i/c public examinations). I was sorry to hear that Mr Ellis died recently at the age of 89 –as he would he been a mere 39 when I left. It is strange how teachers always seem old when you are a teenager but my abiding memories of him were his immaculate cursive handwriting in chalk on the lab blackboard and exam timetable board outside the Great Hall, coupled with an equally immaculate suit and highly polished shoes not to mention the Morris Minor which he would drive to school on Saturdays. Remember this was the 70’s, when at the other extreme, the occasional new teacher would file into the Great Hall for assembly looking as if they had recently left the student union bar after an all-nighter. ( more a critique of their dress sense – not mental acuity)

We travelled to school on British Railways and I see the unions have shed none of their militancy. Ray Buckton from Aslef would appear regularly on our TV screens demanding large pay awards. In 1972 a national strike by coal miners had brought the nation to a virtual standstill, with mid-winter power cuts of up to nine hours a day so I became well versed in learning calculus by gas light. No need to watch the news on BBC as we could keep up to date with the industrial strife by watching Mike Yarwood.

I am pleased to learn that the school has built a new rifle range. I was captain of shooting in 1972-1973 and kept up with the sport and ran a rifle club for 25 years until HMG made it quite clear they no longer wanted the public to have firearm licenses. We were encouraged to shoot properly by Peter Davis who joined the school as a geography teacher 1969. He used to be the master i/c shooting when the range was in the basement. I spent one Christmas holiday with a few others converting the range to a four position firing point by building a mezzanine floor with two beams and old some heavy doors. (no need to consult building regs or health and safety in the those days)."

at the school transformed my life, and that of my brother all those years ago. Our mother entered us for scholarships in 1943 and 1945, which we were granted, with a bursary of £2 each per term (I think). Without these grants our parents could not have afforded to enrol us.

CEO of Trade Indemnity the leading credit insurance company and I became a Director of Mercantile Leasing, which pioneered all kinds of Equipment Leasing throughout Europe.

"Thank you for the impressive birthday card, that I received in goodtime for my birthday, St. Patrick’s Day. It was a very pleasant surprise to me, and very welcome. It was also a reminder that attendance

We joined St. Dunstan’s as the school moved from the East coast to South Wales to avoid the recently developed Doodlebugs that were landing horribly near our home in Brownhill Road, Catford. We had remained there throughout the war, including the notorious Blitz of London. My brother Dennis and I obtained good jobs in London after our 2 years of National Service in the Educational Corps. Dennis became

My life with St. Dunstan’s was only 5 years short, but it was sufficient to ingrain the knowledge and ethos to attain exam succes as a Chartered Secretary, and a life far different from our humble beginnings. When I left school in 1949 I was introduced by the school to “The Headmasters’ Association “ which led to my first job at 16. I don’t know whether that still exists but it certainly launched my career with happiness, enthusiasm and success."

Geoff Howson ('49)

City Drinks 2023

OnThursday 9 February 2023, 30+ Dunstonians from all decades gathered in the Mezzanine of the Sterling Bar in the iconic Gerkhin for the first ever City Drinks evening organised by The Dunstonian Association.

Many industries were represented from law firms to investment banks via insurance brokers which was a great networking opportunity for all present. But above all, the glue that helped everybody reconnect with each other was their memories from their time at St Dunstan’s. Plans to attend the Black Tie Dinner in March 2023 were made, promises of further meetings, business card swaps and more took place over the evening.

Thank you very much to everybody who came and made the evening such a resounding success.

Dunstonian Association The

RETURNING DUNSTONIANS

to their alma mater

The College’s doors remain wide open at all times to welcome you back for a tour and a lunch and a chat with our students. We have recently enjoyed welcoming back the following Dunstonians:

• Polly Bannister ('20), Safia Saif ('20) and India Rhoden ('20)

• Sean Kefford ('84)

• Perry Luke ('95) with sister Shea Hollis ('01)

• Jonathan Lewis ('81)

• Rob Hooker ('85)

• Stephen Dyer ('80)

• Thomas Hyde ('96)

• John Woolman ('76) (with his wife Sarah)

• Andrew Yiapanis ('76) (with his wife Sonia)

• David Allam ('70)

• Robert Earing ('82)

• Geoffrey Hall ('64)

• Peter Dunn ('78)

• Ian Jack ('83)

• Mike Hajialexandreou ('83)

• Sean Ming ('96)

• John Nightingale ('64)

• Chris Goodall ('73)

Peter Dunn ('78)

Sean Kefford ('84)

Perry Luke ('95),with sister Shea Hollis ('01)

Chris Goodall ('73)

Sean Ming ('96)

Andrew Yiapanis ('76) with his wife Sonia

Ian Jack ('83) and Mike Hajialexandreou ('83)

Polly Bannister (’20), Safia Saif ('20) and India Rhoden ('20)

Stephen Dyer ('80)

Jonathan Lewis ('81)

Robert Earing ('82)

Rob Hooker ('85)

Geoffrey Hall ('64)

John Woolman ('76) with his wife Sarah

David Allam ('70)

John Nightingale ('64)

Thomas Hyde ('96)

1970s REUNION LUNCH “

I thoroughly enjoyed the tour of the building and it was interesting to see those places where it is more or less the same as it was when I attended the school, albeit with more modern teaching aids. I am sure that both my older brothers and even my father, if he was still with us, would recognise a lot of the spaces, even where their use has changed. The new block is fantastic and as good or better than many of the new school facilities I have seen during my professional life and involvement with school developments

Peter Foale ('73)

Sixth Formers THROUGH THE DECADES

In speaking to Richard Fagg, we were fascinated by the enthusiasm and passion he possessed for the Dunstonian Association, which he does so much for. His energy and the overall experience was so contagious that we began planning our project on that same day. I wanted to delve into the school’s history, going beyond the archives and gaining a more personal viewpoint of the community by speaking to several alumni. I decided that going into it with one of my peers would be wise, and so I teamed up with Tomas Camacho-Shaw (a prospective journalist and good friend of mine) to make this project a reality. Aided by Mr Macdowall, we have interviewed several generations of Old Dunstonians, with interviewees telling their stories dating back as far as the 1950s. Through deep and thoughtful conversation, we have both learnt so much about the social and academic aspects of the school and how they have changed since the 1950s. Put aptly by Chris Killip, ‘History is most often written from a distance, and rarely from the viewpoint of those who endured it’; through our ongoing interview process, we are learning how the school has developed and changed as a community over the years. Now that the project has come to a close, we have met several talented, memorable individuals, and we hope you enjoy learning about them as much as we did.

Our interviews were quickly underway with Brian Robinson (above left), who left the College in ’52, offering us an insight into his unique experience during his

time at the school due to the impact of the Second World War. In June of 1944 the school was evacuated to the south of Wales until autumn, when the bombing in London had stopped. During Brian’s time here, St Dunstan’s resisted becoming a state school, choosing instead to admit many students on a county scholarship. Despite the national rationing in England after the war, students were required to wear formal clothing, but were not required to purchase a uniform. The senior school forms were divided into L, S and M, standing respectively, for Literature, Science and Modern. Rugby, athletics and cricket were the primary sports played at the college and Whitgift and Eltham College were fierce rivals, but once the whistle blew, all that happened on the pitch was forgotten.

Discipline was not optional during Brian’s time here, and even prefects were allowed to order and punish other students. This continued for a long while,

as the school retained a strict and structured environment.

Peter Jackson (below), an alumnus from the class of ’68, experienced a slightly different environment to Brian during his time here although authority, once again, played a significant role in the college, and there was a clear division between the teachers and the students. Unfortunately, there was not as much respect amongst the students as there is now. Prefects had significant power and authority over the students and were

allowed to dish out detentions and various forms of corporal punishment. Today, students especially in the Sixth Form, are treated with a lot more respect and granted independence, and prefects are no longer allowed to discipline other students. Nevertheless, they are still trusted and treated with respect for the responsibilities they take on for the school.

Brian Robinson ('52)

Peter Jackson ('68)

Interviews by Paola Finaldi, Head Girl 2022 and Sixth Former Tomas Camacho-Shaw

Rugby and swimming were primary sports at the time, and were taken seriously at St Dunstan’s during Peter’s time, and rivalries with Dulwich and Whitgift were considered grudge matches. The school had been rivals with Whitgift for a long time, but our main rival is now Colfe’s School. The school’s faiths were mainly built around the Church of England, as well as some Jewish students, but there was less diversity than there is today.

When Tim Bennett (’81) attended the school, the Jubilee Ground was not yet a privilege they could take advantage of, so all athletic sports took place at the Olympic Corner. Fives were played in the courts, which were only demolished recently, making way for the new STEM, sixth form and junior school block erected recently. Saturday morning school was still part of the timetable, which was shockingly unpopular. However, the school knew how to celebrate the conclusion of the school year in style: Capital FM organised the St Dunstan’s disco, which the students from Sydenham Girls were invited to. This was an exciting and important event that all the students looked forward to.

During Tim’s time here, the CCF was made up of three branches of Infantry, Mechanics and Signals. The Mechanics section had the task of dismantling and reassembling a car each year. One particular rule the school had was that the students were not allowed to eat in uniform, even outside of school grounds and hours. Tim recalled a particular event when he was eating a snack whilst outside of school, and to avoid getting caught by prefects nearby, he flung his food behind him.

Shea Hollis (right), who was part of the class of ’03 joined in year 7, when St Dunstan’s became a coeducational school. Out of the 80 students who entered Year 7, only about 25 of them were girls. Initially, Shea found the school to be cold, masculine and unfriendly. However, having her older brother in the school made it easier to integrate herself and find great company amongst her male peers. St Dunstan’s ended up

on the newspaper for going co-ed, so it made her more excited and happy to have joined. In her experience, being in a mixed school helped her to learn how to deal with boys and men in a professional environment.

Shea was inspired by the school’s character of confidence where she had the opportunity to do things such as give speeches at black tie events.

As more girls joined the school, netball and hockey were introduced and we started competing against Bromley High in these, as well as swimming. As previously mentioned, before St Dunstan’s became co-ed#, joint school productions and balls were held with the local girls’ schools Sydenham High and Bromley High, but after the changes, these joint events were no longer necessary. Hollis was encouraged to pursue the subject she was best at, and then pushed to apply to Cambridge to

study for a PGCE, and was successful in her application.

Upon conclusion of this project it is palpable that the school has undergone various structural and social changes, which have been overwhelmingly beneficial. Our interviews have given us a great insight into the history of the college. This project has proved to be a very enjoyable, interesting journey over the past year and, as someone who only joined the College in 2021, it has given me an insight into what the school has been, currently is, and also what it ultimately will be.

Viewing the college’s history first hand has helped us delve more deeply into the roots of St Dunstan’s and the Dunstonian Association, and the future is bright and promising for the relationship between the two.

Paola and Tomas

Shea Hollis ('03)

Perry Luke ('95) & Shea Hollis ('03)

Paola Finaldi, Tim Bennett ('81) and Tomas Camacho-Shaw

BOOKS DUNSTONIANS'

We are always pleased to receive copies of the published literary and academic works of our members and feature some recent examples here.

WATERLOO SUNRISE - JOHN DAVIS ('74)

John recently retired as emeritus fellow in modern history and politics at The Queen’s College, University of Oxford.

His most recent book, Waterloo Sunrise, is a panoramic and multifaceted account of modern London during the transformative years of the sixties and seventies. The Daily Telegraph included it at number 3 in its list of the 50 best books of 2022, calling it a “beautifully written account of the arrival of trattorias, Carnaby Street, tower blocks and gentrification, as the capital was developed after the destruction of the war”.

DUNSTAN – SAINT AND STATESMAN –DOUGLAS DALES ('70)

It is only fitting that the definitive biography of St Dunstan be written by a Dunstonian. Douglas Dales’ study of St Dunstan has been re-published as an enhanced third edition to mark the coronation of King Charles III (many Dunstonians may not be aware that major elements of the English coronation, including the earliest versions of the oath, were first written and collected by Dunstan when, as Archbishop of Canterbury, he crowned King Edgar in 973).

Douglas Dales was Chaplain of Marlborough College, Wiltshire, from 1984 to 2012 and he is now a parish priest in the diocese of Oxford. He is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and the author of several studies in Anglo-Saxon church history and other areas of theology. His re-examination of the life and times of Dunstan sets his achievements against the social and religious background of his day, at a time when new forces were emerging that would shape the future of England and the English Church for centuries to come.

JUSTICE FOR ALL, AND HOW TO ACHIEVE IT – GEOFFREY NICE ('64)

Sir Geoffrey Nice, QC, has practiced as a barrister since 1971. He worked at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia between 1998 and 2006 and led the prosecution of Slobodan Milosevic, former President of Serbia. More recently, he chaired the Uyghur Tribunal, an unofficial body that examined claims of human rights abuses and crimes against humanity reportedly committed against the Uyghur people by China in its Xinjiang province.

His book, Justice for all – and how to achieve it draws on the series of lectures he delivered as Gresham Professor of Law between 2012 and 2016. In it, Sir Geoffrey applies his own experience to moral problems which are as pressing in today’s anxious world as they have ever been.

CHINESE DREAMS IN ROMANTIC ENGLAND - EDWARD WEECH ('02)

Edward Weech is Librarian at the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain, and has a PhD in Cultural Studies from SOAS, an MPhil in History from Trinity College Dublin, and an MA in Library Studies from UCL.

His book Chinese Dreams in Romantic England: The Life and Times of Thomas Manning is a biography of one of the first British people to study Chinese language and culture. A friend of Charles Lamb and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Manning was a participant in the ‘first-wave’ of British Romanticism and later an explorer who became the first Englishman to visit Lhasa, capital of Tibet, where he met the Dalai Lama.

WE NEVER SLEEPWHO DOES IN ECONOMY CLASS?

- JEREMY BURTON ('60)

In Jeremy’s words: “I did not set out to write a travel book. Instead I started, many years ago, to blog daily idiocentric observations to a small, dedicated group of online readers while travelling the equivalent of 100 times around the globe on business and at leisure”.

A selection of consolidated daily travel blogs has been put together as the basis of this publication, written in rough and ready format while on the road, commenting on the comic, the absurd, the thought-provoking and the downright surprising aspects of exploring the ways of the world in more than 130 countries around the world.

WHAT MADE ME ME - BILL CORPE (Ex-Head of English at SDC)

The recollections of a revered Head of English and Head of Sixth Form at St Dunstan’s College, What Made Me Me touches on Bill’s wartime childhood in North West London, National Service in Austria, life at university in Cambridge and so much more. The book was compiled by Bill’s widow, Rita, from Bill’s writings over many years.

The Albam Exorna Award was first established in 2014 by the College and the Old Dunstonian Association (known as The Dunstonian Association since November 2018), and has been made every year since then. The award is a generous cash prize of £300 for the winner, Tapasya Tiwari and £150 each for the tworunners up, Stanislav Nizamov and Agnes Sales - both sponsored by The Dunstonian Association.

The Award recognizes the student who best demonstrates that they have “adorned the white” during their time at St Dunstan’s. All final year students who will be attending a university course or other form of professional training or equivalent sponsorship are eligible to apply.

All eligible students who wish to be considered for the award should submit a written application to the Headmaster. There is no prescribed length to the application nor are there any set criteria. An application should set out the grounds on which the candidate considers they are worthy of the award. All contributions to College life will be relevant. These may include contributions to the academic, artistic, sporting, dramatic or musical life of the College but this list is not exhaustive. Involvement in community work or the CCF, for example, will also be relevant. Candidates should also include in their presentation how they envisage continuing to “adorn the white” after they have left the College.

All written applications are then considered during the final week of Lent term by a panel that includes senior teaching staff and officers of The Dunstonian Association, and a short list of candidates will be drawn up. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to support their applications with an oral presentation to the panel and to answer questions on their application and presentation.

THE ALBAM EXORNA AWARD

A couple of months ago, I was sitting in my Philosophy lesson, when Mrs Peposhi asked the class whether we thought that we were the same person as our younger selves. One of my classmates said with confidence that yes, of course they were the same person as they were when they were younger. Another one of my classmates outrightly said that their younger self was not them whatsoever and did not see much continuity. It left me thinking about how I felt. The question remained unanswered until I was thinking about what to write for my entry.

I thought back to my early years in the school, until the question popped up in my mind again. After some more deliberation, I decided to use my answer as the basis for my entry. When I look back in my school life, I’m running through all the memories in my mind. Is that me or is that not? There is a disconnect but also a connection. There is The Girl but also ‘I.’ My memories are connected to me, they are part of me and a part of ‘I,’ but is the girl in the memory really me? I’m still not sure since there is a gap between me and her. Maybe that gap is just time as the event was so long ago, or maybe that gap is felt because I’ve matured. However, the memory itself stays with me, as I represent with the paint on my dress, and the fact that I experienced that memory at some point is enough for it to be meaningful, since it helped me to become who I am today.

Most of my memories in the school are related to the friends and teachers who have supported me, and I am forever grateful for the kindness I have received. I wish the best of luck to my fellow Year 13s, and I hope we meet again soon, in a future memory.

Tapasya Tiwari - WINNER

Mr Alex Brewer, Head of Sixth Form and Tapasya

Tapasya Tiwari's winning entry

Act 1 Scene N

It is hazy, the sight of the shimmering eyes of the First Friend. Simplicity. Friendship is having matching hats. The Girl looks at the First Friend as The Girl pushes herself up on the seesaw. The First Friend’s laughter rings as she flies up in the air. The ice on the plastic handles melts from the warmth of The Girl’s hands. I lift my hand from the orange handle, wondering if my hands are wet from the ice. Instead, I see orange paint covering my palm. I wipe the paint across my white dress. I put my hand back on the handle and look back into The First Friends eyes and laugh as I throw her up into the air again.

Scene R

The Girl stands in front of her classmates. The Girl looks down at her traditional clothes. The Teacher speaks to the class, educating them. The Girl is barely listening. The Girl thinks about how much longer she must stand there for. Suddenly The Girl is being asked to spin around in front of her classmates. The Girl does, and the class claps, The Girl feels proud of her bravery. The Girl leaves to get changed back into the white dress. As I put away the traditional wear, I see my hand covered in pink paint. I wipe it on the white dress and walk back into the assembly hall.

Scene 1

The Girl looks down at the sheet of paper. 2/10. 2/10. 2/10. The Girl’s face is red, like the 2/10 written on the piece of paper. So, this is what failure is. The Teacher says that is not what she expected from The Girl. The Girl says nothing. The red ink is on her hands. Has the Girl murdered herself at 5 years old? I wipe the red ink onto my dress. The Girl will not fail a test for the next 9 years.

Scene 2

The Teacher reads The Girl’s story to

the class. The Teacher asks the class whether they know what The Girl has used in her writing. Simile. The Girl is surprised, this ‘simile’ was an accident. This accident is

forever engrained in her mind. The Girl will never forget the day she learnt what a simile was. White paint spreads across my palm, like the clouds in the sky, and I wipe it off onto my dress.

Scene 3

The Girl stands on a court. The unfamiliar rules and the rough texture of the pink ball is new to The Girl. Waiting for the sound of a whistle makes The Girl’s heart beats faster. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. GO. The adrenaline is pulsating through The Girl’s body. The Girl weaves in and out of the other players, and suddenly the ball is in The Girl’s hands. The Girl looks up and sees a clearing. The small bumps on the ball make The Girl’s fingers burn as The Girl throws the ball into the clearing. I look at my hands, pink paint streaks across them. I wipe them across my dress, before throwing myself into the sport I’ll love the most.

Scene 5

The Girl stands on a stage. This is not a simple school play; it is a little more important than that. Just three lines. That’s all that The Girl needs to say. The Girl was meant to only be helping with prop design. How did it end up like this? It is time, The Girl speaks those three lines, loud and clear. After the play is over, The Girl takes off her gloves. I find glimmering blue paint decorating my palms, and I wipe it on my dress, what a pity, after this I think I can manage more lines.

Scene 10

The Girl stares at a computer screen. How many weeks has it been? What day is it today? The Girl blinks at brings her

eyes back into focus. The Girl looks at The Many Friends on the screen, and The Teacher. Laughter spills out of the speakers. The Girl smiles and joins in on the conversation. As I lift my hand to wave, I look at the yellow paint on my hand, and wipe it on my dress. In such lonely times, it’s nice to see the faces who greet you every day.

Scene 11

10 numbers in a column. The numbers in The Girl’s head match with the numbers on the paper. Relief is all The Girl can feel. The hard work The Girl put in has come to fruition. The Girl feels grateful, for The Friend and for The Teacher. The Girl passes the paper to The Parent, and I look down at my hands, black ink spots my hands, and I wipe it on my dress.

Scene 12

There is red ink on The Girl’s hands again. One letter. Failure stares back once again. Time goes on. Equations are solved. Failure turns away. I wipe the red ink onto my dress. I’ve learnt to save myself.

Scene 13

The Girl talks with confidence. Failures do not make The Girl nervous. The Girl keeps her head high and feels proud of the streaks of paint across her dress, of her accomplishments.

Act 2 Scene 1

My white dress is now covered in vibrant colours. Parts have faded over time, but the pigment still resides between the fibres, as how what I’ve learnt will stay with me forever. Being at St Dunstan’s has taught me many things, through the good and the tough, and I am forever grateful to all my teachers and friends who have helped me. As I step onto my next stage, the dress will be painted even more vividly, blending with the colours that were already there.

Spotlight on...

In view of my somewhat unconventional education, it was not surprising that my academic achievements were not brilliant. My sporting memories include paying House Rugby for Bennett, as I had not played Rugby before, my training consisted of running up and down the touchline 10 minutes before each match, having Rugby balls thrown at me by regular members of the team. The Captain decided my best position would be in the middle of the scrum where I could cause the least confusion and still enjoy the game.

I was later invited to play cricket for the Old Boys versus the School on old boys’ day. I was not really a cricketer but am proud of my top score of seventeen not out and taking 2 wickets in the same match.

I was born on 31 July 1930 in Eltham, South East London. My father was a professional soldier who joined the Army straight from school and spent most of his life attached to the Royal Horse Artillery Regiment reaching rank of Warrant Officer Class 1.

When I was six months old the Regiment was posted to India and we spent the next seven years travelling all over the country with the Army.

I cannot remember much about my schooling during this period but I do remember being taught NOT to play with any snakes, giant spiders or scorpions that I might come into contact with. Making friends with the monkeys who used to visit us occasionally out of its nearby jungle was also considered unwise.

We returned to the UK shortly before the start of WW2 and again moved to Eltham to live with my Grandparents for a while before finding a house of our own. We did not see very much of my father during the war as his Regiment was engaged in most of the major campaigns including Dunkirk, The North African Campaign and the D Day landings to liberate Europe. Like many soldiers Dad never, ever mentioned his experiences during this time.

During the early part of the War I was awarded a scholarship and chose SDC as my preferred school. Unfortunately, the college was evacuated at the time and like many others I had to attend emergency school at Brockley County Grammar then Colfes Grammar (before it was bombed) followed by Haberdasher Askes at New Cross. Eventually joining SDC when it returned to Catford.

One of my other memories consisted of a journey to London Bridge Station with the Combined Cadet Force in my Army uniform and being allowed to march through the City to the ruins of St Dunstan’s in the east. This was a church which was almost destroyed by German bombs during the War. The damage was so severe that it was considered beyond repair and was abandoned with nature taking over what was left (there are wonderful pictures of this on the internet). Our visit was to attend a memorial service for those lost in the War. I understand it is now a Park which is often visited by overseas tourists.

Being a regular soldier who had spent his whole life in the Army my father was one of the last to be demobilised when the War ended. He found it difficult to settle in civvy street and eventually became a civilian clerk attached to his old Regiment. I sadly had to leave SDC prematurely to help with the family finances.

In his younger days my father was a fine athlete and allround sportsman but in 1960 at the age of 56 he passed away after a sudden heart attack. In view of his general fitness, we were all convinced his experiences in the War were a major factor in his early death. My mother continued to be the head of the family until she died at the age of 91.

During the war, Ballroom dancing became very popular and my two sisters persuaded me to join them at our local Dance Studio. It was there that I met my one and only girlfriend Pamela. We became regular dance partners and we competed in the Kent County Armature

Championships a few times. When our two children were born, we ceased competing and I became a part-time dance teacher. Pam and I continued dancing socially into our late 70s and enjoyed every minute of it.

Pam and I were married in 1951 (I was 20 and Pam was 19) and enjoyed a very happy married life for 65 years until she sadly passed away 5 years ago at the age of 85.

After completing my National Service in the RAF, I joined the United Friendly Insurance Company (now part of the Royal London Group) which was founded and ran by the Balding Family and I was surprised to find that two sons of the founder Richard & Noel, who were both senior executives, were both ODs!. It was there that I also met Ken Parkerson (another OD) who later became president of the OD Assiciation. On his retirement I succeeded him as Head of the Company's Mortgage Operations.

By this time, I had become interested in Golf and have been a member of Sundridge Park Golf Club for over 40 years although I no longer play. I was also a long-time member of the OD Golfing Society, which I was privileged to Captain the early 1980s.

I retired from work at the age of 61 and spent most of my time playing golf and spending time with my newly born grandchildren.

My general health is quite good thanks to being well looked after and cared for by Jane and my granddaughter Kathryn, both of whom live locally and visit me almost every day.

A life story hardly a suitable subject for a blockbuster Hollywood movie but one I have enjoyed immensely.

I am a very lucky chap! I have been part of a very closeknit family, and was blessed with 2 loving parents with 2 brothers and 2 sisters, a very loving wife Pamela, 2 children of my own (Martin 72 & Jane 67), 4 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.

A.E.HOLE (1946) known as E.A.HOLE in school but Ted to my family and friends.

What are your first memories of SDC?

My first memories of SDC are the nursery playground. It used to be covered in green astro turf. We looked after butterflies for a week, and used to have a milk carton and a digestive biscuit from Tina.

What are the most important lesson(s) that you learned during your time at SDC?

I learned how to interact with different types of people from different backgrounds. I was able to develop my skills in speaking publicly, presenting and how to assert myself in different situations. Being part of the CCF helped to encourage discipline and etiquette. There were so many lessons to be learned and take further into university and working life.

Who were your most inspiring teachers, and why?

Mr Neal - he was my Latin teacher, a very intelligent man who even took the time out at lunch times to help students who may have been struggling and needed extra help. Brilliant!

Mrs Davies - any junior school music teacher. She was full of life and really helped me develop my love for music.

Mr Austin - a wonderful maths teacher, with a fantastic sense of humour. He inspired me to believe in myself and boosted my confidence even though I thought I was terrible at maths!

Tell us about what you’ve been up to since leaving SDC?

I went to university to read accounting and finance. I had a placement year where I worked for a publishing and record company as a finance assistant. Since completing my degree, I have been working at PwC in the Deals Tax M&A team as an associate, whilst studying for my ACA exams. In my time away from work, I sing in a few choirs and have a small group that sings regularly.

What advice would you give to SDC’s current Year 13 students?

It’s alright to be unsure about what you want to do next. Explore all of your options, university is not the be all and end all. Take a year out to be absolutely sure. Apprenticeships are a great alternative! Ask those around you for advice, get in touch with ex pupils in your field. Try and take part in work experience in your desired field.

Robert Earing ('82) Johnson House

What are your happiest memories of SDC?

I joined in 1975 in what would now be called Year 7 and found myself in Simon Thorogood’s class, who I thought was an inspiring teacher. I remember Latin with Mr Dance (the headmaster) who threw chalk at students who were not paying attention (!) (Whilst some people have varying memories of Mr Dance, I think he was alright.) I remember the trip to Cornwall and learning to body-surf. I played rugby for the 1st team each year and I remember our Under14 year whereby we had our best season winning 11 out of 14 matches. I remember X-country training on a Sunday morning with die-hard X-country runners all around Hayes Common and surrounding countryside with the inspiring Mr Irvine. I enjoyed being in Mr Douie’s class in “Year 8”. In lower 6th I went with the school on my first ski trip, to Livigno, Italy, which was fantastic, which then set me on a path of many ski trips for years to come. I remember being in 2 of the school plays, a Winter’s Tale and Oh What a Lovely War, admirably directed by the amazing Martin Preston.

Who were your most inspiring teachers, and why?

Pretty much most of the teachers at SDC were inspiring because they were very dedicated, and motivational. Things mattered ;- a rugby match against another school was important. Doing your best mattered, whether it was in games or in exams. I remember Mr Gaskell as a great games teacher and who also got me through O-level maths a year early. I remember learning the lines from Henry V “Once more unto the breach, Dear Friends” off by heart in Mr Baron’s English class. I particularly remember the enthusiasm and passion from Peter Baldwin before a rugby match and I remember the gruelling fitness circuit training in order to get fit for rugby matches.

Tell us about what you’ve been up to since leaving SDC?

I remember reading a book in 6th form about how “in the future” mankind would build whole cities in just one tall skyscraper, and I thought that one day I would like to work

on a project like that. This book partly inspired me to go on to do a Building Services Degree. I then became a Chartered Engineer and went on to work for some major UK property companies, initially as an external consultant and then later in-house. Then from 2001 to 2006 I fulfilled my “childhood vision” by becoming the main onsite coordination engineer for the construction of a “skyscraper” - an extraordinary building in the City of London called 30 St Mary Axe - AKA “The Gherkin” (see http:// www.thegherkin.com). That was a great experience, working with a hugely dedicated team, building something quite amazing. After that I wanted to work for myself and have my own company, but I had no huge desire to get to the top of the tree in my then chosen engineering profession. Instead, I looked to my experience from the 1990s when I worked for property companies, and so in 2007 I set up my own property company, owning and managing commercial real estate; and then in 2013 I set up a private pension scheme also investing in commercial property, both of which I still operate today.

I am married to an amazing wife called Sarah who is a doctor and currently the Medical Director of a London hospital. We have 4 teenage children and 2 border collies ...

How do you think your time at SDC prepared you for later life?

For sure, the engineering degree and subsequent career would not have happened without all the maths and science I learned at school. But just as important was the ability to communicate effectively – so probably just basic English, taught very effectively at SDC was vital. I did Maths, Physics, and German A Levels, and the German was put to good use when I had a career break and lived and worked in Austria for about year in the late ‘90s. However, in addition to pure academic qualifications, I think SDC gave me great confidence.

Another big take-away from SDC for me was life-long physical fitness and good health. It is well recognised that fitness in children can lead to healthier adults, and I can certainly attest to this. All of the rugby, cross-country and other sports I did at SDC not only gave me a good head start in cardiovascular fitness, but I think also gave me a healthy mindset to continue. I now have a very low resting pulse, low cholesterol and low blood pressure, and the only pills I pop are for hay-fever...!

What advice would you give to SDC’s current Year 13 students?

This is a very responsible question to answer properly so I will do my best! : - Well, firstly and of immediate practicality, in my opinion if you want to go into further education i.e., a degree or whatever, do something vocational, and do something for which there is great demand, which will pay you well. Try and get either sponsorship, or consider a (degree) apprenticeship, both of which may potentially solve the problem of a student loan. Secondly, I would say gain some knowledge which academic study may not necessarily have provided: - In

the modern workplace we all have to be a “people-person”, so whilst it’s a little corny, I would really recommend the book “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie, written many years ago but just as relevant today. You can even do a Dale Carnegie course (Warren Buffet, the 5th richest person in the world, took one at the age of 20.) I took one myself at the age of 30, sponsored by the company I was working for at the time.

A few other books I would recommend: - To save you from mediocracy; “The Magic of Thinking Big” : - it’s all well and good to get a great job and earn a good living, and I would definitely recommend that for the first stages of your career, but my path to success was to work for myself and let my investments work for me. This won’t necessarily happen if you stay as an employee all your life. Also, good books to get you into a good routine in life; “Atomic Habits” and/or “The Compound Effect”.

I have learned never to sell yourself short – you are probably better than you think - so wherever you find yourself or whatever job you are in, you have gained the right to be there. So just believe in yourself. Remember that 90% of success is actually just turning up! (Sorry for the cliché Mr Baron!)

If you find yourself going into business with partners, only do so with people you have known for a long time, and who you respect and trust, and make sure that your percentage share fairly reflects your financial contribution and/or your expertise. Watch out for hangers-on who may have little to contribute.

And a test of any situation in life whereby you are not sure which direction to turn, just ask yourself one, simple, question: - What would James Bond do in this situation??

Whatever your academic results, SDC will have given you a fantastic start in life which will give you a certain confidence for decades to come. So have that confidence, show courtesy, tolerance and respect to everyone you come across in life, and remember –you are a Dunstonian...

Idid my degree at Loughborough and had previously worked in the ILEA system and so when I moved to SDC in 1982 it was a total culture change for me. The staff room was now the common room and all students (boys only at the time) were called by their surname only, we wore gowns into assembly but Saturday school had just finished. I covered many roles, both academic and pastoral in my time which I am proud of. I introduced examination P.E at GCSE and A level, a vital step for the subject, to the College and was instrumental with others in getting the Sports Centre on site.

I said Saturday school had finished but obviously I was very involved in the sporting life of the College especially rugby football in the Michaelmas term, Sevens in the Lent term and cricket in the Summer term. Coaching the 1st XV to an unbeaten season on two occasions when your fixtures include Whitgift, Trinity and KCS Wimbledon to name a few was very special. On the individual level just having so many students involved in sport across the sporting spectrum, achieving great success themselves both at county, regional and national was truly memorable. Not all in life is rosy however, and there were times when things did not go well but sport enables you to ride through those moments. Sport is such a valuable tool for all people in dealing with the ups and downs of life. It does not have to be at the highest level but for the majority of us it is about just being involved.

Touring is/was the sporting highlight for many students at the College. I arranged many tours for the students, covering rugby, netball, hockey and cricket which were the major sports for the boys and girls when I was at the College. We travelled widely: the Netherlands, Italy, Portugal, Canada, St Lucia, Singapore, South Africa, Australia and Fiji. There were highs and lows throughout the tours but mainly highs. We worked hard to raise funds to keep the cost down: Fashion shows, Xmas tree sales, Black tie dinners with celebrity speakers and so on. One of the tours lasted 32 days travelling the breadth of Canada in 1991. The first tour took place in 1985 and my final one was in 2014. I still meet up when many of the students, parents (who also toured with us) and staff who I who toured with. As they say, what goes on tour stays on tour.

Going co-ed was a major step-change and a challenging time for many within the teaching staff, the students and the parent body. Remember the school had been a boys only institution at Catford since 1888. The governors and the teaching body saw the school through a tumultuous change by engaging with all the constituent parts of the College and now all students were to be called by their first names. A small but important detail. It also meant my daughters could benefit from an education at a school I believed in which was fantastic.

So 34 years after I entered the building and made many friends who are dear to me, I left to retire in 2016. Retirement is something you have to work at and the grandchildren, travel and of course golf have kept me busy. In all this my wife was so supportive as the College took up a lot of my time so without that support nothing could have been achieved.

Many, many happy memories.

Rick Bodenhamformer teacher

What are your first memories of SDC?

My first day was at the start of Year 10 – I was moving from a boarding school in rural Sussex to London, so it was a big change. My first memories are of a friendly and down to earth year group who were really welcoming. There was an obvious gender imbalance, with only three girls in the class at one point, but it wasn’t a problem and we all got on really well. I started on the same day in the same class as my friend Rachel Medhurst (nee Alexander) and we have remained best friends ever since!

What are the most important lesson(s) that you learned during your time at SDC?

That every person’s learning journey is unique to them, and to celebrate and champion each other’s uniqueness builds a special and beautifully diverse community. It was my experience that SDC nurtured pupils’ individuality and enabled us to flourish in our differences. Our year group was really varied in our skills, personalities, passions and backgrounds - and this is reflected in the variety of careers and vocations everyone went on to have. I also learnt that it was important to admit when I was struggling and embrace the help that was offered. I was diagnosed with dyslexia during my first year at SDC and found a supportive environment which enabled me to explore and discover methods of learning which helped me thrive.

Who were your most inspiring teachers, and why?

Dr Norris taught me English at A-level. He was coming to the end of a long career, preparing to retire to the South of France, and he regularly took time to talk our class about things beyond our lesson subjects. We were all fascinated and inspired by his stories – I particularly remember him describing his student days at Cambridge and how he lived in the flat above C.S. Lewis who was a tutor at his college. He said Lewis would invite the students for afternoon tea

on Sundays. It seemed Dr Norris was channelling some of this old Cambridge Don wisdom into our lessons, and his teaching style opened up the world of literature to me in fresh and exciting ways. I went on to read English Literature (with theology) at St Andrew’s University and have always been so grateful for his encouragement.

And Renata Allen who taught me Drama A-Level. She was amazing! So creative, positive, inclusive and fun. Everyone loved her, and she really cared for all the students and instilled so much natural confidence in our performances.

And Mr Gobey, my form tutor throughout GCSE’s and A Levels, was consistently calm, wise, encouraging and supportive. Looking back I feel very lucky to have had all three of these teachers.

I believe you were part of the first cohort of girls at SDC. Did being “pioneers” bring you closer together?

Yes, but I think we were equally as close to the boys and there was a genuine culture of equality and respect regardless of gender!

Tell us about what you’ve been up to since leaving SDC?

As mentioned, after leaving SDC in 2001, I studied English and Theology at St Andrew’s University. This felt like a huge change to life in Catford – living and studying in a small Scottish fishing town, and it was an interesting time to be there as I was in the same year as Prince William and Catherine. After graduating I moved back to London and trained with the Urban Learning Foundation to be a primary school teacher.

Fast forward to 2023 and I now live in Norfolk with my husband and two children. I work for the international children’s charity Street Child (based in London) which my husband was a founding trustee of back in 2008. It has been incredible to watch it grow from an idea around the kitchen table one of the world’s fastest growing children’s charities. The charity operates across 23 countries to ensure that children are safe, in school and learning – particularly in emergencies and hard to reach areas affected by conflict (e.g. Ukraine, Afghanistan) or natural disasters (e.g. the recent Turkey / Syria earthquake).

What advice would you give to SDC’s current Year 13 students?

Pursue jobs and opportunities which reflect your passions and talents. What do you love doing? What are you good at? Look for vocational work and educational paths which you will enjoy and which you can throw yourself into wholeheartedly!

CRICKET ROUND UP Sport

Cricket Report 2023

OD Cuaco CC is very excited for the 2023 season with great anticipation as the 1st XI competes in the Championship Division (second tier) of the Kent League for the first time in the club’s history.

Pre-season preparations have gone well, with a successful awards dinner held at the end of March. The club has become a powerhouse in the local indoor league played at the Beckenham County Ground, winning the Met Division for the third consecutive season and representing the area at the County Finals in Canterbury, only to be knocked out by the eventual winners. The ground is in excellent condition despite challenging weather conditions in March and April with Mark’s hard work paying off.

At the time of writing, the 1st XI has recorded an excellent victory against Bickley Park, albeit the early fixtures have proved challenging as expected. The 2nd and 3rd XIs both promise to be highly competitive in their respective leagues as does the Sunday Development XI. Colts cricket remains a key focus for the club, with excellent attendance at the training sessions and ongoing fixtures.

Andy Rouse Chairman, OD CUACO Cricket Club

GOLF

If you are interested, please do contact Richard

ODGS North Foreland Golf Club - 24 May 2023

Nine Dunstonians and one guest gathered at North Foreland Golf Club near Broadstairs for the Spring Meeting which had been renamed as The Ian Pressney Society in honour of our esteemed Secretary who was sadly unable to join us. We were playing for the Heaton Caffin Cup, with Jeremy Scott looking to defend his title which was won last year at Rye.

The weather was warm and the views across the course to the North Sea spectacular on some holes. Fortunately there was barely any wind, the fairways were running fast and the greens were true, but not too quick. Conditions seemed conducive to good scoring, however, the starter warned us on the first tee that the rough would be punishing and therefore we should keep it on the fairway if we wanted to avoid losing too many balls and ruining our card. Sound advice, of course, but sadly the rough seemed to draw the ball towards it and the course gradually took its toll.

Nearest the Pin was won by the Captain merely by being the only person to actually keep the ball on the green, although it was not particularly close to the hole. Our guest, Rob Daden, comfortably won the Longest Drive and held his game together well to finish third with 30 points. For the Captain it was very much a game of two halves. A front nine which included two birdies and only two over par gross, followed by a spectacular

collapse on the back nine, finishing with 31 points and second place.

The worthy winner by a comfortable margin was Sean Malone with 35 points.  Sean was the only player to score on every hole and whilst nearly everyone else faded, Sean maintained his form scoring four points more than the next best score over the back nine and considerably more than that over the majority of players.

After a late lunch in the clubhouse, half of the contingent ventured on to the Par 3 course for a competition played off scratch on a course with much less rough, but a lot of bunkers! This was played in good spirits with a number of birdies shared around (and a few scores considerably higher) with Paul King eventually finishing victorious.

A big thank you to everyone who made the long trip to the Kent coast from as far afield as Reading. I think that we all enjoyed the course and a big thank you should also go to the staff at North Foreland who made us extremely welcome and it is a course well worth a visit for those who were unable to join us this time.

Sean Malone takes an early lead in the Race to Knole Park to crown our Champion Golfer of the year, but there is plenty of time for others to catch him as it is the three best scores over the four events which count, so even those not playing at North Foreland can still be in

the running for the top prize.

The next meeting is on Thursday 6 July at Lamberhurst Golf Club. This is located just off the A21 near Tunbridge Wells and we are looking to keep the cost down with a big push to get as many people out on the course as possible. Both Dunstonians and guests are welcome and we would be delighted to have both old and new faces join us to at an attractive parkland course, which is playable for all levels of golfer.

North Foreland attendees: Clive Carpenter (Captain), Rob Brophy, Richard Cosgrove, Rob Daden, Paul King, Stephen Laws, Sean Malone, Keith Norman, Mark Pearce and Jeremy Scott.

Clive Carpenter Honorary ODGS Captain 2023

Dates for the Diary

Thursday 6 July – Summer Meeting at Lamberhurst Golf Club

Wednesday 20 September

The John Grundy Trophy Match, in memory of John Grundy (’52) who passed away early 2023 and was a keen golfer all his life. Played at the Dulwich and Sydenham Golf Club.

Dunstonian G olf Societ y

The Dunstonian Association is keen open up its sports grounds at Park Langley and support the setting up of a new Alumni Football Club and a new Alumni Netball Club.

Fagg, Chair of the TDA, at dunstonians@stdunstans.org.uk.

RUGBY

ODRFC Report 2022-23 Season

The beginning of this season began with a complete restructure of the leagues by the RFU. This was meant to reduce travel and make the league more competitive, but we are not sure it had the desired effect. The squad, as always, look forward to the challenge ahead. Due to the prolonged warm summer we all enjoyed, the season was delayed owing to the hard pitches and lack of pre-season conditioning the squad were able to do as a result.

Once underway the season started off well with two good wins. We were unfortunately then hit with a series of injuries and a tough run of games ensued. Once the ground softened a little and some key players returned were able to play the free-flowing rugby the squad enjoy we were able to put together a number of very impressive performances against good opposition.

As with last season we had numerous loses that were by a few points or one converted try. Again, injuries and availability played a huge part in the tail end of the season and having to ask a number of ‘retired’ players to help field the side became challenge.

The squad always remain positive and continue to put in performances even against more superior opposition. Due

to the league structure we had to compete against 2XV teams of clubs in much higher divisions. As a result, we came up against some talented individuals either coming back from injury or competing for a place in their first team. The squad seem to thrive in this environment when they have their backs against the wall and really did the ODRFC proud.

The social side to the ODRFC however continues to remain a highlight all season with a number of very well attended league lunches and many evenings of entertainment for all to enjoy.

Easter came around before we knew it and the annual tour to Cornwall was upon us. Playing numbers were a little scarce but we continued to enjoy all that the west country has to offer. This year, with a slight change in format, we played 2 full competitive games against Penryn and Falmouth Then, due to available players, we opted for a fun, family, touch fixture on Easter Sunday against Truro. A huge thank you must go to a number of our local friends for helping getting players to make the 2 competitive games go ahead. As always further thanks to the three rugby clubs that continue to host us.

Our Colts once again had a very encouraging season playing in a number of 15 a-side fixtures as well as having a very successful 7’s tournament. They ended up runners up in the Kent 7’s festival. There are a number of very talent young individuals in this squad and we hope they are able to make the transition to the men’s squad and continue to improve and develop.

As with last season, rugby as a sport, continues to be very challenging both attracting players and keeping players interested in the game. The ODRFC are doing everything they are able to continue to make the ODRFC a place for not only Dunstonians, but players in the local community to come and continue their career and enjoy all that the club has to offer.

We will be organising a number of social events again next season so please keep an eye on the website: www.odrfc.co.uk or email: events@odrfc.co.uk if you wish to find out more.

Jeremy Scott Chairperson, ODRFC

Battlefield Tour to Ypres

For the first time since 2019, The Dunstonian Association organised a three day Battlefield Tour to Ypres in Belgium, in early March 2023. More than a dozen Dunstonians decided to join the trip to walk in the footsteps of St Dunstan’s pupils who fell during WWI. It turned out to be the most compelling trip most of us had gone on since before the Covid years.

Ian Gumm, from In The Footsteps Battlefield Tour Company, guided us relentlessly over three days, standing in (freezing cold) fields and depicting the tactics and advances of allied troops during key battles, visiting in turn Tynecot Cemetery and Memorial, driving to France to the site of the Battle of Loos via the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery and finishing with Talbot House, the house that became the symbol of refuge on the front line for over 100,000 soldiers during WWI.

We walked in the footsteps of many Dunstonians, namely Second Lieutenants Beynon, Bunker and Green at Tynecot, Private Bennett and Second Lieutenant Johnson at Loos (who gave their names to two of the College’s Houses) as well as Captain Ross at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery. We laid wreaths and reflected in silence at each and every stop as to the enormity of the conflict and the scale of the sacrifice, not just for the soldiers who lost their lives during the conflict but for their families too, tragically left behind.

Two major highlights peppered the trip with even more emotional charge:

The first highlight was the service at St George’s Chapel in Ypres, beautifully

conducted by Rev Boswell, current Chaplain at the College, followed by the marching under the Menin Gate by the College’s Corps of Drums who had travelled all the way from the College for the occasion with the CCF, under the command of Major Davies as well as Ed Main (‘76). A real treat since the Menin Gate is about to close on 1 April 2023 for a year for repairs.

The second highlight was the compelling story of one of our fellow travellers, Steven Smith, who flew all the way from Tasmania to walk in the steps of his ancestor, John Clarence Smith, who fought at Loos in 1915 with the 20th London Battalion, alongside Bennett and Johnson and others, and later died in Cambrai in France in 1917. Little did Steven know he was embarking on a personal journey when he set foot at the College on that Friday afternoon, when he discovered that the College had always remembered his ancestor both on the WWI Memorial Wall at the back of the Great Hall as well as through the display of his war medals in the Johnson VC Room on the ground floor corridor, whilst his memory had faded away in his family history over the past 100 years.

Iain Macdowall (‘81), who masterminded the whole trip, also made sure we had plenty of time to enjoy hearty dinners in Ypres and some sightseeing. Friendships were struck or renewed and it was a huge privilege for me to be a part of this memorable trip.

Until next time,

Isabelle Blake-James

WALKING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF MY DUNSTONIAN GREAT UNCLE

As Covid forced us into lockdown and I approached retirement I began to research my family history. I knew that my paternal grandfather Sydney Smith was a Londoner and that his brother John Clarence Smith had died in the Great War, but I knew little else about the brothers. I found that the brothers lived in Catford in 1911. I then found a brief report in de Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour stating that John Clarence had attended St. Dunstan’s College but had died in 1917 in the Battle of Cambrai in France. Little did I know that this revelation would lead not only to a journey of discovery, but to an emotional journey from my home in Tasmania via St Dunstan’s College in Catford to the battlefields of Ypres and France, walking in the footsteps of my great uncle John Clarence Smith.

Having discovered that Clarence (as he was known) attended St. Dunstan’s College I was eager to learn more about his life and that of my grandfather Sydney. I contacted the College to ask if they had any further information about Clarence, and whether Sydney had also attended St. Dunstan’s. To my delight I had an immediate reply to say that indeed both brothers had attended St Dunstan’s. Isabelle Blake-James gave me copies of their enrolment records to show the dates that they attended, their father’s occupation, their previous schools, and their next steps in life. All this information was new to me. The College also provided me with a brief account of the war service

of Clarence including the fact that he had no known grave but was honoured on the memorial tablets in the Great Hall and at the Cambrai Memorial in France.

I was delighted to learn later from Iain McDowell that the Old Dunstonian Association planned a trip to France and Belgium in 2023 to honour those who had fallen in the Great War. This was a marvellous opportunity for me to honour my great uncle and to learn more about his life at St Dunstan’s. So I signed up to join the tour! At the same time, I asked if I could visit the College so that I could pay my respects to Clarence in the Great Hall.

I travelled all the way from Tasmania to London and arrived at St. Dunstan’s College on a Friday afternoon. Isabelle very kindly showed me around the College where my grandfather and great uncle had walked, including the Great Hall. She then took me to the archive room to search for any information about my ancestors. In the box of WW1 memorabilia, I came across a hand-written reference to service medals of J. C. Smith. The College apparently had Clarence’s medals! We searched through more boxes to no avail. Finally in a moment of inspiration, long after Isabelle should have gone home, she led me to the Johnson memorial room. On entering the room, I immediately saw Clarence on display with his medals, looking at us! It was highly emotional to realise that he had been honoured in this way by St. Dunstan’s.

We decided to take Clarence with us to Ypres and France two days later! And so he boarded the minibus with us on Sunday 12 March. After visiting the sites of several battles and remembering those Old Dunstonians who had fought and fallen, we arrived in Ypres in time for dinner. At dinner I told the story of our discovery of J. C. Smith on display at St Dunstan’s and in a moving moment my new Old Dunstonian friends raised a glass in honour of my great uncle Clarence.

The next morning, we visited the site of the Battle of Loos in France, in which Clarence had fought in 1915 as a member of the 20th London Regiment. We walked in the footsteps of the Old Dunstonians who had fought there, including F. H. Johnson who was awarded the Victoria Cross for his ‘conspicuous bravery’ in the battle. At the Loos British Cemetery, we honoured those Old Dunstonians who had died in this battle. Then in another emotional ceremony Clarence was placed on the memorial and honoured by his Old Dunstonian family for his service and ultimate sacrifice. Clarence survived this battle but was killed in the Battle of Cambrai in 1917, as was F. H. Johnson VC. Both were lost in Bourlon Wood in 1917 and are remembered at the Cambrai War memorial.

Later that day, our tour group was joined by the St Dunstan’s College Cadet Force for moving services at St George’s Chapel in Ypres and at the Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate, to remember all Dunstonian’s who were lost in the Great War. The next day we returned to London

via the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, and Clarence was returned to the College where he will remain with his Dunstonian family.

I am so grateful to Iain and to Isabelle for their generosity and commitment to help me discover my great uncle Clarence at SDC. This alone was far more than I had anticipated. Then to have had the privilege of travelling with the Old Dunstonians to Belgium and France together with

Clarence, and to have him honoured in three further ceremonies was beyond my imagination. I am grateful to have been welcomed into the Dunstonian family and to have walked in the footsteps of Clarence and Sydney. My family and I are forever grateful that Clarence has been remembered by SDC and that he will remain safe in their care.

Steven Smith

Frederick Hambrook ('39) Archives Research

In February we received an email from Dr Shiona Mackie (right), who had been researching the history of her late father, Frederick Hambrook. Shiona was born in October 1947. Frederick was posted to Malaya in June 1948 and was killed in action later that year. Consequently, Shiona never actually knew her father and hence her interest in trying to find out more about him.

Shiona knew that Frederick had attended SDC during the 1930s and was keen to know if we could provide her with further information about his time at the College and his subsequent military career. We were obviously very happy to oblige.

As captain of the Second XV Frederick was congratulated in the 1939 Chronicle for “making a team out of material which did not appear very promising” and he was an outstanding sprinter, but where he really excelled was as CSM of the College’s Officer Training Corps (OTC). As the Ross House notes commented in 1938: “Fortunate, too, is the House in having Hambrook as the senior of its OTC members, and those able qualities have been the sole cause of his attaining his present rank of Company Sergeant Major will be at the service of all House interests”. Later, he led SDCs OTC to win a number of Guard Competitions and was, in the opinion of a long-serving OTC commander, “the best SergeantMajor the Corps ever possessed”.

Upon leaving the College in 1939 Frederick enlisted in the Queen’s Royal Regiment, two days before the outbreak of WWII, and was commissioned with the Seaforth Highlanders in June 1940. He somehow found time to visit the College in 1941 to “give the Cert. A Class a ginger up”. In 1943 it was reported in The Notes that he had departed to

serve overseas and, the following year, it was reported that Frederick (by now a Captain) “had been wounded recently in Italy, though not seriously”. The report failed to mention the circumstances of his injury, which resulted in Frederick being awarded a Military Cross (see below). By 1945 he was serving with the Persia and Iraq Force (Paiforce) in the Middle East.

In 1948 the “Congratulations” section of The Notes marked the birth of Frederick’s daughter, Shiona: “To Capt. F Hambrook (’39), a daughter”

Frederick was sadly killed in November 1948 during the Malayan Emergency. An obituary was included in the 1949 edition of The Notes, which duly emphasised the distinction with which he served:

“Capt. F. Hambrook, M.C., 1st Bn. The Seaforth Highlanders, died on November 17th of wounds received while leading an attack on a “bandit” camp in Malaya. Enlisting in the Queen’s on September 1, 1939, and commissioned with the Seaforths in June 1940, he saw active service in Madagascar, India, Persia, Syria, and North Africa, fought throughout the Sicily campaign and up to Anzio, where he was wounded and awarded the M.C., and afterwards, when his division was transferred to North-West Europe, took part in the crossing of the Elbe and the advance to Lubeck. After the war, when the T.A. Battalions were disbanded, he went to the 2nd Battalion, and after a period of attachment to the School of Infantry at Warminster was finally sent out to join the 1st Battalion in Singapore. As evidence of his quality we cannot do better than quote from the citation of his M.C. award:

“

. . At Anzio on the evening of 9th March, 1944, he was 2nd i.c. of a Company ordered to relieve the remnants of a Company of the London Scottish. An enemy counter-attack was expected at dawn. To carry out this relief it was necessary for

the whole Company to cross 500 yards of completely open country in full view of the enemy and in bright moonlight. During this relief the Company came under intense m ortar and automatic fire. Ten times Capt. Hambrook crossed and re-crossed this area, rallying the men, leading small parties to their new areas and collecting the wounded. Although wounded himself, he refused to be evacuated. At first light the expected German counter-attack came in. Capt. Hambrook was again wounded, but again refused to be evacuated. Showing complete disregard for personal safety, he went round assisting his Company Commander to encourage his men and the attack was beaten off with heavy casualties. . . .”

And from the sincere tribute of Dr. Francis Jones, who commanded the O.T.C. for so many years before leaving the School for the Imperial College of Science:

“St. Dunstan’s Training Corps has always been proud of its Cadet Sergeant-Majors and we could cite a long list of remarkable boys who filled the post, but, perhaps because I saw more of Hambrook or because he was longer in office, I regarded him as the best Sergeant-Major the Corps ever possessed. Those who served under him will endorse this statement. He was operated by, and controlled others by, duty and service: I never knew him to have a motto, but I think ‘Fear God and Honour the King’ would have been part of it… It is with a sense of personal loss and with a knowledge that a fine soldier the country can ill spare has gone that I write of him…”

Albam exorna, indeed. We are very pleased to report that Shiona and her daughter hope to attend the annual Remembrance Day service at SDC in November, where they will be the College’s honoured guests.

Iain MacDowall (’81) Dunstonian Officer

THEN & NOW...

The Headmaster's House

Former Headmaster’s daughter, Amanda Dance, has kindly shared with the College some Archives photos of the Headmaster’s house. She lived there with her family as her father, Brian Dance was Headmaster in the 1980s and early 1990s.

The House has since been converted into offices and classrooms for the Junior School, as Mr Dance was the last Headmaster living onsite.

The images far right, show the house as it is currently used by the Junior School.

Announcements

Obituaries

Denis Rust (‘39)

Born 21st October 1921; died 14th April 2023 at the age of 101. Denis’s son, Michael, tells us that, after leaving SDC in the late 1930s, Denis began a career in the Paper industry. After serving in the Royal Artillery and West African Frontier Force during WWII

Denis resumed his career until finally retiring at the age of 70. He moved from London to Lichfield in 1966 but continued to maintain an engagement with the Association, in particular the OD Cricket Club.

1930s 1940s

Frederick Bass (‘49)

Born 22nd November 1929; died 24th November 2022

Fred was born in London on 22nd Nov 1929. He was the only child of Arthur James Bass and Dorothy May Nightingale.

As a boy, he attended St. Dunstan’s

College, a public school in south London. He played for the school’s First XV rugby team and was a member of the Combined Cadet Force.

Fred married Joyce Clark on 19th Aug 1950. They had two sons: Philip (b. 31st Jan 1952) and Lawrence (b. 24 Sep 1954). The family lived in London until the late eighties. Both sons attended their father’s school thanks to local authority grants. For the children, it was a secure and happy home.

Some years after the boys had left home, Fred and Joyce moved to Milton Keynes, where they stayed for more than 30 years.

Fred’s second son, Lawrence, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer in 2010 and died at the end of that year. Lawrence had a daughter who was put into foster care in her teenage years. Philip had moved to York in 1997, so there were no longer any adult relatives nearby. Joyce and Fred took full advantage of the opportunity to please themselves, going out on day trips or simply enjoying each other’s company.

Fred’s first job when he left school was with a small insurance company. He remained with the company when it was taken over by General Accident. He became a senior executive dealing with high value motor accident claims and briefing the company’s barristers in court cases.

When he reached retirement age, he set up his own company and continued to provide consultancy services to his previous employer and to the Motor Insurers’ Bureau.

Fred enjoyed listening to classical music; he particularly liked to tune in to “Carols from Kings” on the television at Christmas time. But he was also a fan of Tina Turner. He was interested in photography, too, always taking a camera with him on days out and holidays.

Fred joined the Freemasons as a young man and made many friends through his lodge. Later in life, he joined his local U3A in Milton Keynes and served as the Secretary of that organisation for a while.

Fred’s wife, in her later years, suffered from heart disease and diabetes. He became her full-time carer until her death in 2013.

Fred embraced new technology throughout his life. He was comfortable with his multiple Apple devices and the software that came with them. He almost never felt he needed to ask for advice from Philip, his computer programmer son.

Fred’s mobility was impaired after a fall, but he could get around with a stick or a walking frame. He was never on medication and never needed nursing care even in his early nineties.

Eventually, Fred was persuaded that it was time to move closer to his elder son, where he could be better cared for. Philip and his partner, Mary, arranged an apartment for him in a retirement complex in Ruddington village to the south of Nottingham, and he moved there on 13th September 2022.

Sadly, Fred died there on 24th November 2022 a little over two months after moving in and just two days after his 93rd birthday. He leaves a son (Philip) and a granddaughter (Jazmin).

Derek Belsten (‘49)

Born 18th April 1930; Died 31st December 2022Derek’s widow, Iris, informed us that Derek sadly passed away on 31st December 2022. Iris tells us:

“Derek joined St Dunstan’s College in 1941 during the period of evacuation. Initially he was at Reigate then, later, in Wales when the School was evacuated there until the end of the War. He was always very happy at School although his sporting achievements far outweighed his academic abilities. He played cricket and was a fast bowler - he always was most proud that he got 8 wickets for 27 runs at the Oval playing against Alleyn’s School in 1947- a fact that was mentioned by our grandson at his funeral. He also played Rugby for the School as full-back and, later, played for the ODs Team for many years.

Derek worked as a woodwork, maths and sports teacher at several schools until, sadly, a spinal angioma when he was 44 caused his early retirement. After retiring in 1979 he wrote a maths book aimed at less able students called ‘Money and Maths in Everyday Life’. The spinal operation led to him suffering chronic pain for the rest of his life, but nevertheless he continued with his usual drive to work with wood, mainly turning beautiful objects which he sold at the Village Art and Craft Fair and are to be seen in many houses round Holyport where we live.

I married Derek in 1955 and we had a son and daughter then three grandchildren. From a very early age Derek played the violin, gaining a scholarship to The Royal College of Music, unfortunately this was in 1939 so he was evacuated and could not go. We are most proud of his final piece of woodwork when he made a violin.”

John Grundy (‘52)

Born 15th April 1933, died 29th January 2023

John Grundy, a stalwart of the Old Dunstonian Association, the ODRFC and the OD Golf Society, passed away on 29th January 2023.

John was born in Bromley, Kent in April 1933, the middle child with two sisters, and lived there for all his childhood and youth. His early schooling was disrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War and subsequent evacuations to Morley, Yorkshire and Penarth, South Wales but aged 11 he gained a place at St Dunstan’s College in Catford, SE London.

During his time there he found his love of rugby, playing for the school and after for the Old Dunstonian’s club. He followed the England rugby team through their highs and lows. As a teenager and young man he socialised with his friends and peers at the local tennis and church youth clubs. Golf became his chosen sporting hobby when the physicality of rugby became too much.

On leaving school at 16 he went to work in London for Downtons, an advertising agency that specialised in promoting films, predominantly those made by the Rank Organisation. From humble beginnings in the post room he rose to hold positions in account handling, media buying (newspaper and poster advertising space) oversight of the creative teams, to management of the agency and finally, as Managing Director. Downtons was the most significant player in creating advertising campaigns for the global release of British films as well as in the UK for Hollywood blockbusters. It was always based in or near to Soho. As figurehead of the agency John regularly attended the Cannes Film Festival to meet with studio clients, filmmakers and talent. One such attendance, whilst on a clients’ yacht, led to him meeting Andrew Lloyd Webber and fellow Old Dunstonian Brian Brolly. Impressed by the pitch for Andrew’s new musical project “Cats” he invested in it and continued his association with the Really Useful Group for many more years.

He & friends supported the England rugby team at home and away matches. Following England’s defeat in Dublin in 1983 five of them, whilst drowning their sorrows in a bar, were given a token wooden spoon by their Irish friends. To soften the humiliation they decided to hold a charity golf match and it’s success led to the birth of The Wooden Spoon charity, now a national rugby and golf based organisation raising money for projects supporting children with significant additional needs and their families. This is something of which John was enormously proud, combining his love of the two sports and an overwhelming philanthropic nature. He became the first Chairman of the Kent branch. Having joined Knole Park Golf Club they often hosted Wooden Spoon events. He continued his support of the charity until his death.

Despite increasing difficulties with mobility John travelled to Japan, aged 85, for the 2019 Rugby World Cup. The thrill of the bucket list trip helped deaden the disappointment of England not winning a RWC final, this time against South Africa.

In playing golf he made many more long-standing friendships over the years, playing regularly at Knole, at the Cinque Ports club in Deal and by invitation to other courses. A group of such friends travelled for a long weekend each year to play in Belgium.

In 1957 John married Janet, also from Bromley . They had two daughters and lived for the beginning of their family life in Halstead. They divorced and John married Decima in 1975, welcoming three more daughters into the fold; they lived first in Chipstead and moved to Ide Hill in 1988. On retirement John became greatly involved in Ide Hill village life for many years as church warden, a regular contributor to the flower festival, helping in setting up the Community shop, running the successful Tombola stall at the summer fair and the Christmas turkey orders initiative in liaison with a local turkey farmer.

John was very interested in his father’s First World War history and spent time researching this. He loved the time he spent with his family and was thrilled to see the addition of new generations.

He is survived by his two daughters from his first marriage to Janet, three step daughters from his marriage to Decima,

six grandchildren, five great grandchildren and his two sisters and their families.

Ian Davies, a former Head of SDC, sent us his memories of John:

“I first met John when I was a new young Head of the College in 1998. He was my first President of the OD Association and he and I shared a love of Rugby, Golf and the importance of a values driven education.

He embraced life like few people I have ever met, and left a lasting impression on me. For me , he was the epitome of the outcome of a good education , with impeccable manners ,an interest in most things , intellectual honestly and an interest in people which transcended almost all others.

He was a fund of great stories about his time at St Dunstan’s which I wish I had written down , the stories certainly contributed to his lasting legend as a great Dunstonian and a first class human being from whom I learned much about life and school mastering.

The last time I saw John was at a Test match at Lords Cricket ground in pre- covid times, when he seemed as indestructible as ever, but my lasting memories of John will be his tremendous hospitality at both Knowle and Deal when he gave his time so generously to look after a new young Head and his wife .

Thank you, John!”

Born in Sanderstead in 1936 he attended Manor Prep in Beckenham before entering St Dunstan’s on a scholarship. His father Edward A ‘Ted’ Marshall (’23) had also studied at St Dunstan’s, as did his younger brother William (’63) and Richard’s son RC ‘Rupert’ Marshall (’89). Richard recounted his school days for an SDC audio history project in the 1980s, recalling the trams that used to trundle past outside the gates.

He was a keen member of the CCF but left school early to support his family, entering the the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards as a regular soldier rather than awaiting the call of National Service. After training at Catterick he was stationed with the British Army on the Rhine in Germany. He retained the military sense of discipline, upright posture and smart appearance for the rest of his life.

Advised that despite his abilities he did not have the connections to be an officer, he left the army and, via the Public Schools Appointments Bureau, started working in the meat industry, passed the exams for the Institute of Meat and remained in the food industry all his working life, with International Packers, Weddel Swift, and finally Booker. He features in a montage of photographs headed ‘Smithfield People 1980s’ which is on display in Smithfield Market. Highly thought of throughout the industry, a number of leading trades journals ran articles on him both before and after his retirement.

Born 6 March 1938, died 13 December 2022.

John Christopher Simpson was born in Greenwich on 6th March, 1938. In September 1939 when war broke out, he was evacuated to live with relatives in Paignton, Devon, returning to London after the initial bombardment had quietened down. On his fifth birthday he started school at Victoria Road School in Charlton, but his early education was interrupted by heavy bombing and doodlebugs. This resulted in being evacuated again, first to his Grandmother in South Harrow and then to his Auntie in Framlingham, Suffolk. School times there did not coincide with the opening times of her hairdressing salon, so instead John spent his days with his Grandfather, who was the station master at Framlingham Station. This began John’s lifelong love of steam trains.

Born 20 May 1936; Died 17 September 2022

Richard had a life-long interest in the countryside, leading countless walks for Environment Bromley and founding the Wellingborough branch of the Ramblers.

After retirement he spent 20 years as a guide at the Duke of Buccleuch’s Boughton House in Northamptonshire, while also heavily involved with a variety of local organisations, including his village church in Isham, and tending his own immaculate garden.

Richard is survived by his wife, Anne, and their two children.

After the war had ended, John returned to London and attended Halstow Road School. He remembered tasting his first ice cream and bananas.

John started at St Dunstan’s College in September 1947. Due to having missed some schooling during his time in Suffolk, he was placed in Prep 1 with Mr Earley, where his classmates were aged 8 and he was 9. He travelled independently to school after the first day on the 108 bus where the fare was 2d. He did well at school and in September 1948 was moved up two classes to join his peer group. He sat the Common Entrance exam and passed and progressed into the senior school. In the summer holiday of 1951 he went on a school trip to St

John Simpson (‘56)

Richard Marshall (‘53)

Malo in France, where they stayed in a boarding school and visited Mont St Michele.

In the summer of 1951 John had his first experience of farming, staying on a farm in Herefordshire with some friends of his parents. This was instrumental in forming his college and career choice in later life. John took his O Level exams at St Dunstan’s in 1955 and then moved into the sixth form. He studied Chemistry with Mr Reed and Botany and Zoology with Mr Judge. The lab was down in the basement and just outside was the firing range used by the CCF, during which times they were locked out of the lab. In February 1956 he was appointed as a sub-prefect by the Head Master.

John left St Dunstan’s in July 1956 and went to work on farms for a year in Nottinghamshire and Somerset, prior to attending Seale Hayne Agricultural College in Newton Abbot, Devon, where he gained a Diploma in Agriculture and was awarded the Frank Parkinson Scholarship in his final year. He worked for the Ministry of Agriculture advisory service, ADAS, for his whole career, in Cornwall, Bedfordshire, Cumbria and North Yorkshire.

He took early retirement in 1992. John married fellow Seale Hayne student Ann Parker in 1961, they had two children, Ian (1968) and Heather (1971).

John remained an active member of the Old Dunstonian Association his whole life. He organised several events for the South West Old Dunstonians, including a lunch in October 2022 at the Winslade Hotel, Clyst St Mary near Exeter. He also attended a service at Southwark Cathedral in 2021.

John passed away on December 13 2022 in Exeter, aged 84.

1960s

Nigel Dobson (‘67)

Born 13th August 1949; Died 26th February 2023

Nigel’s widow, Penelope, informed us that Nigel sadly passed away on 26th February 2023. Penelope tells us: “It is with great regret that I have to inform you that my husband, Nigel, died on February 26 after a long and valiant battle with cancer."

At his memorial service, it was a testament to him that, amongst the many mourners he had representatives from all sections of his life and several parts of the globe.

He thoroughly embraced and enjoyed his life at St Dunstan‘s especially his sporting achievements and spoke with great fondness of his geography master, whom I‘m sure would have been delighted to know that he fostered in Nigel a love of travelling the world which took him on 502 flights, many cruises and several extended train journeys to a total of 138 different locations from Antarctica to India from the Caribbean to the Middle East, from Singapore to South America.

He will be sadly missed by his family and friends near and far.”

Born 8 February 1949; Died 29th November, 2022

international networks, and the way he inspired his teams of collaborators.

Among many roles, he was the principal scientific adviser to our delegation to the International Whaling Commission. Former commissioner Sir Geoffrey Palmer said: “Mike was a force of nature for the protection of whales.” When Japan finally decided to end whaling in the Southern Ocean, Palmer concluded, “You have rendered your country great service. The leviathans of the deep owe you a great deal, especially your beloved humpback whales.” There were no medals for these achievements, but on his left shoulder, Mike sported a small tattoo of a humpback whale.

Mike was born and grew up in London. He completed a zoology degree at the University of London, followed by a diploma in teaching, and then a masters in oceanography at Southampton University.

He married Kate in 1972 and they emigrated to New Zealand soon after. They wanted to live a sustainable lifestyle, and armed with the Whole Earth Catalogue they headed for the Coromandel which has been their base virtually ever since. They had one son, Morgan, and two granddaughters. This year Mike and Kate celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, their family, and the home they’d created on the rural edge of Coromandel township. Mike joined the Department of Conservation in 1987, leading work on marine mammal policy and protection, including management of whale strandings and the efforts that led to the establishment of marine mammal sanctuaries in the Banks Peninsula and the sub-Antarctic Auckland Islands.

Peter Greenaway informed us of the passing of Mike Donoghue on 29 November 2022. The following obituary, written by his colleagues, appeared in the New Zealand Herald.

“Once more unto the breach dear friends, once more”. Shakespeare provided the mantra for Mike Donoghue as he launched into so many conservation battles over the last five decades. It was well used. Mike worked, and won, through the formidable power of his advocacy, his scientific knowledge, his

Internationally, Mike played a leading role in the important IUCN Task Force on Marine Mammal Protected Areas and the founding of the South Pacific Whale Consortium, which brought together marine scientists across the region. Mike was at the forefront of many international conservation achievements relating to the moratorium on commercial whaling, stopping scientific whaling, establishing regional sanctuaries and measures ranging from bycatch to helping local communities develop sustainable and economically robust livelihoods.

He was at home throughout the Pacific.

Mike Donoghue (‘66)

He moved seamlessly between ethnicities, different economic sectors of society, and between generations.

His love of the ocean and the land, and the communities associated with them, made bonds everywhere. He never lost the vision of what he was trying to achieve, always staying true as a compass point on local, national and international conservation debates of what were the best conservation outcomes. In battles that were often complicated, conducted over decades and full of tension, this was no easy achievement. Working for a small country with limited money and power, Mike had to develop novel ways to achieve the conservation objectives he was tasked with. As another former commissioner to the IWC, Sir Jim McLay, added, Mike was early to see that the IWC, although established to regulate commercial whaling, could be equally persuaded to conserve and protect the same whales; and then to recruit NGOs and later governments to that cause. Long before many others, long before it was fashionable, he gave substance to “Save the Whales” - and save them he did. He did this magnificently. He ensured that despite its limits, New Zealand had one of the loudest voices in international settings. He did this in three ways. First, he wove together science, law, policy, and local communities to develop arguments that bypassed the bluntness of the opposition. Second, he used his charisma and ability to tell compelling stories, to create networks in which scientists, academics, civil servants, non-governmental organisations, and commercial enterprises, were pulled together, and pushed in the same direction. Finally, he led by personal example. He brought the qualities of a man who had perfected the arts of life.

He was stylish, epicurean in taste, generous of soul, sincere, earnest, and kind to all of those around him. He knew the importance of marine conservation to people and the future of the planet, passing on his scientific knowledge, skills, and passion for the environment and all things oceanic to others. He was a valued mentor to politicians, multiple environmental organisations, and young people.

He had a deep love of his family, his friends and the world around him. In recent years, Mike worked for Conservation International and then Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) based in Samoa. He worked with others across the region and with international funders to drive policy, strategy and investment in marine conservation and marine mammal protection.

Shortly before he retired from SPREP, he secured a multi-million dollar funding package from the European Union to tackle fisheries bycatch and other marine issues in the Pacific region.

From his lifestyle block of land in Coromandel, he continued to support work on fisheries bycatch, marine mammal protection, and research on the importance of whales in mitigating climate change impacts.

Closer to home, he continued to support efforts to stop the proposed mining of the Coromandel Peninsula and to protect the waters of the Hauraki Gulf. He loved his almost daily swims in the sea, and that was one of the last things he did on the morning he suffered a massive stroke”.

Born 24 November 1949; died January 2023.

John Wickham died at the age of 73 after a long battle with motor neurone disease, his life was spent in the world of Motor Racing. Beginning as a trackside marshall at Brands Hatch while still at school before joining the British Automobile Racing Club as Competitions Secretary, having decided the world of banking was not for him.

He worked for the Surtees Formula 2 team , beginning five decades of working in the industry including European Touring Cars with Volvo, Formula 2 (winning the 1979 championship with Marc Surer in a March) and 3000 , Formula 1 with the Spirit Honda team in 1983. He ran the A1 GP series from 2005 to 2009, He set up the Audi Sport UK team for British Touring Cars that won in 1996.

1989 to 1994 running the Arrows Formula 1 team, he also ran the Bentley Team at Le Mans winning in 2003 with Tom Kristensen, Rinaldo Capelli and Guy Smith, and later running the 2012 Bentley Continental GT3 team.

While at St Dunstan’s he was a prefect and we first met at Brands Hatch or more accurately Swanley train station on the way home, and our paths frequently crossed, as my career has been in photography having been told by the careers master that there was no such job as being a motor racing photographer (53 years and counting)

I often wonder what advice John had from the same teacher as to his (then) future career.

By Jeff Bloxham (‘71)

1980s

Bill Davies (‘85)

Born 31st March 1967;

Died February 2023

Stephen Moore (‘85) has informed us of the death of Bill Davies (‘85) in February 2023, after a short illness. We have no further information at this time.

John Wickham (‘68)

ST DUNSTAN’S COLLEGE HELP US SHAPE YOUNG LIVES

OUR LEGACY FUND

For many, the years spent at school are some of the most significant and life-changing of times. This is particularly true at St Dunstan’s College whose vibrant community of past students, parents and teachers remain connected to the school, and are passionate about its continued success.

By giving a legacy gift to St Dunstan’s in your Will, you will be helping us to continue to give the best education to future students, and you will continue to be part of the St Dunstan’s story.

There are different types of gifts you can make in your Will, including giving a specified amount or the remaining part of your estate after providing for your family and other responsibilities. Gifts that are free from restrictions are particularly helpful, allowing the College to invest wherever our need is greatest. Or you may wish your gift to support our bursaries programme to give opportunities to those would otherwise be unable to benefit from a St Dunstan’s education.

Whatever you choose, your Will is an important and personal document and we recommend you contact your solicitor, either to draft your will or a codicil to your existing Will.

Please download a Legacy Pledge Form from the College's website at: www.stdunstans.org.uk/development

THANK YOU TO CHRISTOPHER BIRD

THE ALBAM EXORNA LEGACY SOCIETY

For those who wish to join us and be recognised publicly, you will become a member of the Albam Exorna Society. An annual lunch for all members will be a time to celebrate your generosity as well as share memories from your time at the College with like minded Dunstonians. You will also receive regular updates on how legacies are making a significant difference to the life of students at the College as well as be invited to special events such as Commemoration Day and Remembrance Day. Membership of the Society is entirely optional - we understand you may wish to keep your intention private.

Thank you to Christopher Bird, Head of school in 1939, who left a legacy to the College for £500,000 in order to support one deserving boy and one deserving girl from Lewisham on a transformational bursary of 110% throughout their time in Senior School. Our two Bird Bursary recipients will be starting at the College in Year 7 in September 2023. We are very grateful.

Welcome to the class of 2023

Let’s give a warm Dunstonian welcome to our newest members! Congratulations to the Class of 2023:

YOUR PROFILE: Register your new profile online or simply synch instantly from your existing Linkedin profile.

UPDATES: By registering, you will receive email updates and the alumni magazine to your inbox

DIRECTORY: Find old friends or invite new connections to join you for a reunion in the UK or abroad.

JOBS and WORK EXPERIENCE: Connect with other Alumni who are offering work experience or advertising job opportunities online through the portal.

EVENTS: Find out about the increasing number of events taking place at the College or at the Jubilee Ground.

CLUBS: The DA runs various sports clubs which you are most welcome to get involved with.

ARCHIVES: Some of the College’s archives have been digitalised and you will have access to them once you have signed up.

SUPPORT US: Check out our fundraising page for our bursary and capital projects campaigns

SDConnect will allow you to connect or reunite online with the wider St Dunstan’s Community at: www.dunstonians.org.uk

ONGOING SUPPORT

The College's support for its students does not stop when you leave at the end of Year 13.

We very much hope you will join us online for Career Talks whilst at University and above all, do send us some news which we can publish in The Notes.

We are also looking for University Ambassadors who will help us set up a Uni Meet in the Autumn with all undergraduates, particularly in Manchester, London and Bristol.

The Dunstonian Association is delighted to invite you to our

Recent Leavers Christmas Drinks

(Leavers 2013-2023)

Wednesday 13 December

Great Hall

1800-2030

www.dunstonians.org.uk

CHRISTMAS DRINKS 2022

On Wednesday 14 December 2022, despite arctic weather and train strikes, around 40 recent leavers gathered in the Great Hall over a glass of fizz and some canapes (and some delicious brownies!)

It was great fun seeing young Dunstonians coming back to the College and meeting up with friends while still at Uni. One of them said “It has only been a term but so much has happened, it feels I left the College a long time ago”. The bulk of alumni had left in the past three years and we hope we can build on this in the coming years with other young alumni coming back just before Christmas.

Plans were made to come back to the College to see the STEM block in the new year for some, or to organise the ball the Covid Year 13 never got.... So watch this space!

Thank you to all the teachers who came along including John Elmes, Jonathan Holmes, Emma Latham, Robin Austin, Danny Gower, Alex Brewer, Lucy Clewley to name but a few. Nick Hewlett also popped in at the very beginning. Thank you very much to Richard Fagg (‘85), Chair of the Dunstonian Association, who also braved the weather to attend and hand out our new branded rubber duck, Duckstan, as well as fizz and canapes.

Thank you! A BIG DUNSTONIAN

Every year, more and more Dunstonians are getting involved in the life of the College which is a huge accolade for everything the Dunstonian Community stands for. We have welcomed back speakers, mentors, Careers Evening stands and so much more:

INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING?

Whether you left St Dunstan’s in the past few years or several decades ago, we encourage you to get involved and give back by sharing your knowledge and expertise with the next generation.

We are always interested in hearing from Dunstonians who have something to offer to the Dunstonian community, so why not register your interest on sdconnect at www.dunstonians.org.uk. Thank you in advance.

Riyaz Shah Lecture February 2023

Chris Potts ('74) Graduation ceremony 2023

HELP US SHAPE YOUNG LIVES THROUGH EDUCATION

Expanding the funds we have for bursaries is a top priority for St Dunstan’s. Bursaries at the College give academically able children from lower income families the chance of an excellent, and often life-changing, education. Widening access through bursaries is an important vehicle for improving social mobility and a route towards a more inclusive society.

If you are able to support our Bursary Fund, you will be giving an extraordinary opportunity to academically able children from our local area to benefit from education that would otherwise have been entirely inaccessible to them.

Navdeep Sheera (‘85)

As a student at St Dunstan’s College between 1975 and 1985, I benefited from Bursary support throughout my Middle School and Sixth Form years. It is the primary reason a child, son of immigrants, from a council estate in Charlton, went to Cambridge University. I am now back at the College as a Governor and Chair of the Development Board. I would like to pass the baton, so that other students can benefit from the Bursary Fund.

Chair of Development Board and Governor

I will forever be grateful for my St Dunstan’s experience, where I have learnt to aim high and to keep exceeding with no limit to my aspirations.

FUNDRAISING

Aheartfelt thank you to all our recent donors who have kindly donated to our Bursary Campaign. We are extremely grateful to the following Dunstonians who have donated and/or pledged to donate since December 2022:

Ian Ailles

Stephen Baker

Chris Berry

Martin Coulson

Anthony Edwards

David Edwards

Mark Hewett

Peter Jackson

David Jefferys

Sir Stephen Laws

Sam Lewis

Sean Malone

Robert Mankiewitz

Andrew McIver

Shalom (‘22)

Previous Year 13 student Prefect, studied Biology, Chemistry and Latin “

John Nightingale

Chris Potts

Ralph Salmins

Navdeep Sheera

Andrew Sims

We will be running the College’s first ever telephone campaign to raise monies for our Bursary Fund this summer, during the second half of August.

We hope you all get behind the campaign which will transform the lives of disadvantaged Lewisham children.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR GIFT

Tony Skipper

Terry Stewart

Clive Stockwell

Alan Thompson

Christopher Tooley

All donations, large or small, are precious and meaningful regardless of the amount. You can give online by using the QR code right, which is our preferred way. Or you can also give:

• By cheque made payable to St Dunstan’s Educational Foundation Gen AC

• By electronic bank transfer (sort code 40-11-60, account 00084026 ) REF: GIFT

• By completing paper donations forms to be found at: www.stdunstans.org.uk/dustoniansdevelopment

Survey Results and Community Engagement

In January 2023 we conducted our second member survey, the first having been conducted in January 2021. 181 members took the time to complete the survey.

Some of the survey results can be directly compared against those of the 2021 survey:

Do you feel any sense of “belonging” to the Dunstonian Association (beyond the fact of having attended SDC)?

Statistically, these are very significant improvements to the membership’s perception of the Association, although the relatively limited completion rate and the age profile of the respondents (whose median age was approx. 68) should be borne in mind.

More than 80% of respondents thought our communications were of “high” or “very high” quality, and 95% thought that the frequency of communications was “about right”.

Where we asked for qualitative comments, one frequent refrain was a request for more regional/overseas

events, for those not living in London or the South East of England. We have made a start on addressing this (the South West regional lunch was revived last year), but we have more to do; Watch this space.

Responses also confirmed the self-evident truth that you can’t please all of the people, all of the time. While some younger respondents felt we that there was too much focus on the older end of the membership spectrum, the opposite view was held by older respondents.

It is very important that we recognise and balance both the greater diversity within our younger cohorts and the fact that levels of engagement are, perhaps naturally, higher among older cohorts.

Some respondents asked for more age/cohort specific events, and more news of alumni and former staff. We think that we have made real progress on the former point (within the last few months we have held separate events for 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2010s leavers), while the latter point is very much dependent on you, our members.

In decades past every edition of the Notes included dozens of brief alumni updates (graduations, marriages, births, job changes, overseas postings etc) and we very much want to get back to that level of member input, so please do not hesitate to send any news that you would like to share to:

dunstonians@stdunstans.org.uk.

SDC NEWS

From the Head

participation from alumni across the generations as we welcome many of you back for visits to College, and attendance at one of the growing number of social occasions laid on in the City, as well as at sporting events throughout the year.

It was wonderful that so many of his former pupils and colleagues were able to attend his retirement party here at the College just before Easter.

As summer beckons and this term draws to a close with the St Dunstan’s Festival in full swing, it has been a real joy to read through this edition of The Notes which captures so much fascinating information and activity amongst Dunstonians old and young. It is so heartening to see the widening

The Battlefield tour to Ypres back in March was a really memorable highlight. The service at the Menin Gate and the march past by the current members of the CCF were incredibly poignant moments and the trips to the battlefields offered a further opportunity to honour those Dunstonians who gave their lives in the Great War through the laying of wreaths. My thanks to Iain Macdowall (’81) for all his work in organising the trip.

I would also like to pay tribute to Robin Austin as he heads into retirement. Robin leaves us after nearly 40 years’ service to St Dunstan’s - a truly remarkable record.

My thanks to all of you for continuing to engage with the College. As ever, we would encourage you to spread the word amongst former friends and encourage as many as possible to sign up to SDConnect so that we can continue to grow and develop our alumni network.

I am as ever grateful both to Richard Fagg as Chair of the Dunstonian Association and to Isabelle Blake-James for all they do for our community. I wish you all a wonderful summer, and hope to see many of you at an event in the near future.

Nick Hewlett Head

House of Lords Event with Anna Lloyd ('01) Service of Nine Lessons and Carols

In March 2023, Canon Boswell, Ms Karmock-Golds and a group of our Sixth Form students were delighted to attend an afternoon tea reception at the House of Lords on behalf of Street Child.

The group, representing St Dunstan’s, were invited by The Lord Dannatt GCB CBE MC DL, who was chief of the general staff from 2006 to 2009. His son is one of the founders of Street Child and working with the charity is Anna Lloyd who is a Dunstonian. Speaking about the visit, Canon Boswell explained: ‘We arrived in Westminster and were all pleased to be in the centre of London with all the bustle of life around us. We walked around for a while and then presented ourselves at the gate for entry to the Lords.

‘We managed to get through security and were welcomed to the House of Lords. It was rather special to have tea in such a setting. Lovely sandwiches and scones with jam and cream and tea served in House of Lords cups. We were invited to go onto the terrace and so we were standing just by the river with wonderful views.’

The group had an opportunity to hear about Street Child and its work in more than 20 countries around the world helping children stuck in poverty.

Canon Boswell added: ‘It was most interesting and very moving to hear of this work and to see how lives had been saved and transformed by the charity. We all hope to hear more about this work and hope the school may find ways of supporting such wonderful work.’

On Thursday 15 December 2022, the College held its annual Service of Nine Lessons and Carols at Southwark Cathedral.

We thanked all our donors, current parents and Dunstonians alike, during a lovely pre-drinks reception held in the Library of the Cathedral which looked like Noah’s Ark inside. Many came along braving the arctic weather as well as some travel disruptions throughout London.

The service was, as always, beautiful and the congregation got to sing many favourite Carols. Peter Jackson (‘68), read the Fifth Lesson on behalf of the Association.

Robin Austin's Party

After nearly 40 years in service, Robin (left) has decided to retire at the end of the 2022-23 academic year. A big party was held for him in the Great Hall just before the Easter exeat when over 100 friends and colleagues and past students came to bid him farewell.

Billy Elliot Drama Production Biennial Inspection from MOD

The CCF was delighted to welcome Commodore Mark Slawson OBE to be the inspecting officer for the MOD Biennial Inspection this year. The Biennial Inspection is a very important day in the CCF calendar as it is used by the MOD to assesses the success of each CCF Contingent.

Commodore Slawson was born and raised in Wrexham in North Wales and he joined the Royal Navy as a Marine Engineer Officer in 1978. During his career he served on board six warships and worked in a number of roles in the Ministry of Defence’s equipment and support unit. His final posting was as Commanding Officer of HMS Sultan, the Royal Navy’s largest engineering training base.

As often happens on CCF events, the day started with cadets polishing their boots and making sure their uniform was smart. The first formal part of the day was a march past on the front drive where Commodore Slawson would take a salute from each of the CCF Contingent’s sections. After lunch, the cadets and staff put on a number training stands which demonstrated the board range of activities that the cadets get to take part in here at St Dunstan’s College.

St Dunstan's Festival

25 June - 5 July 2023

Thank you to The Dunstonian Association for sponsoring the festival once again this year. The Festival is an explosion of activity that encapsulates the College’s DNA. One of the goals is to share who we are and what we have, and in doing so to celebrate and value the wider community that we are part of.

The Senior School production of Billy Elliot took place on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 March in the Great Hall and was another resounding success from our stronger than ever Drama and Dance Department.

Beating of the Bounds

A group of our Senior School students took part in the annual Beating the Bounds ceremony on Thursday 18 May 2023.

Beating the Bounds is an ancient custom still observed in many English parishes. Its roots go back to mediaeval times when parishes reaffirmed their boundaries by processing round them at Rogationtide, stopping to beat each boundary mark with wands and to pray for protection and blessings for the land.

Coronation Celebration

St Dunstan’s College was delighted to host a Coronation Tea Party on Wednesday 3 May for local residents ahead of King Charles III’s coronation on 6 May, the first in 70 years.

The special tea party, which took place at the Jubilee Ground, was attended by elderly residents from local care homes in Lewisham and Croydon, and some of our older Dunstonians.

Guests were treated to a performance by our Junior School pupils including songs and poems, which was then followed by a march past and drum static from the CCF Corps of Drums.

St Dunstan's College shortlisted for two categories at TES Awards 2023

The College was delighted to be shortlisted for two awards at the upcoming Tes Schools Awards 2023: Head Nick Hewlett, has been shortlisted for Headteacher of the Year (Independent) and the Junior School has been shortlisted for Prep School of the Year.

The awards, known as the Oscars of education, recognises the very best teachers and schools from UK state and independents, including early years settings, primary and secondary.

Speaking about the news, St Dunstan’s Head, Nick Hewlett, said,

"I feel humbled and a little surprised to be shortlisted for Headteacher of the Year (Independent)! St Dunstan’s has been on an extraordinary journey in recent years, and I am proud of the way we are trailblazing so much within our sector, however this really has been an enormous community effort. My deepest gratitude goes to everyone who has been part of creating such an exciting trajectory. I am also delighted with the news that our Junior School has been shortlisted for Prep School of the Year, and I pay tribute to Laura Whitwood, Head of Junior School.”

Last year, St Dunstan’s was delighted to be named Independent Senior School of the Year at the Tes Schools Awards 2022, and in 2020, the school was named Co-educational School of the Year at the Independent Schools Awards.

COMMEMORATION DAY SOUTHWARK CATHEDRAL

St Dunstan's College's annual Commemoration Day took place on Friday 26 May 2023. Students took the commissioned train from Catford Bridge as always, whilst the tech team worked hard behind the scenes in the Cathedral itself in order to live stream the service to all parents and Dunstonians unable to attend in person.

Dunstonian guests and donors, as well as parents and Governors, arrived in good time ahead of the service which started promptly at 11am. Thank you to all the Red Ties for their help welcoming everybody. The Lord Mayor of London, Nick Lyons, who is also a Governor at the College, arrived followed by his sword bearer and was greeted at the entrance to the Cathedral by the Dean.

Rev'd Colin Boswell gave a wonderful homily reminding everybody of the importance of never forgetting our original benefactors who pulled resources together as parishioners of All Hallow's nearly 150 years ago, in order to set up a new school in the then leafy suburbs of

South London. We are forever grateful. Ubi Caritas was sung beautifully by the Chapel Choir and the congregation made a rousing sound for "Hail thee, festival day!".

Our donors and supporters then crossed London Bridge and walked to Mansion House where our annual Drinks Reception was taking place this year thanks to the generous hospitality of The Lord Mayor. We had around 80 guests gathered spanning five decades of Dunstonians which was very pleasing to see. The Lord Mayor gave a thoughtful speech about the links between the College and the City of London whilst Nick Hewlett, Head, thanked everybody present for their generous donations in recent months, whether it be time and know-how, archives for the College or financial donations towards our Bursary Fund, every gift is meaningful whatever its size.

We hope everybody present or watching from afar had a lovely time.

UPCOMING EVENTS

9 September 2023

Dunstonian's Day (College)

20 September 2023

Golf day in memory of John Grundy

7 October 2023

South-West Reunion Lunch

21 October 2023

Decade Reunion for '53, '63, '73, '83, '93, '03

10 November 2023

Remembrance Day

4-8 December 2023

Dunstonian Christmas Lectures Online

13 December 2023

Recent Leavers Christmas Drinks (2013-2023)

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

New Online Shop

Thank you to everybody who has already ordered a print, some cufflinks or a tote bag from The Dunstonian Association’s online shop. The range will grow in accordance to demand and we are more than happy to add items to the range when needed. All profits are reinvested into The Dunstonian Association’s so that it can run a growing list of events.

Treat yourself and go online to dunstonians. org.uk/shop to sample the range.

Editorial & Design Team:

Isabelle Blake-James

Iain Macdowall

Jo Langthorne

Erratum

On page 39 of the Winter Edition 2022, we mentioned that the Prep Block opened its doors in 1973, whereas it was in fact during the 1968/69 academic year. Thank you to all the Dunstonians who rightly spotted the error.

Thank you to all Dunstonians who have generously contributed to the Summer 2023 edition. If you would like to contribute to the Winter edition of The Notes 2023, please send your story or announcement to: dunstonians@stdunstans.org.uk by 1 October 2023.

We are particularly interested in receiving items for the scrapbook as well as announcements of engagements, weddings or births – even going back a few years.

The Notes comes in 100% compostable starch wrap. You can compost it in your garden, use it to line your food bin, or if your council permits, dispose of it in your garden waste.